The Problem with Politics - Let's Play Dragon Age II

The game clearly felt the same way. I have, no joke, spent 2 hours replaying the boss fight OVER AND OVER because apparently DA2 likes to die on me when Windows updates. OVER AND OVER.

Help Tallis won the vote and then I didn't get to have my tea because repeated boss fight and needing to cook dinner, but NOW... 100 screenshots remain of MotA and we'll need how many I have time to toss up today.

And I can finally have my tea.

I'm pretty sure it's an intentional gag on how little Prosper or anyone else is actually paying attention... although it doesn't say much for Tallis's supposed competence at this kind of thing.

But, you know, show of hands: who noticed that the first time around?

(I did not.)

I did not. I think it took me... 5 times. And until now I wasn't sure, because as you say, it's fair Prosper notices nothing, but Salit is FACING HER and he must know that outfit even at a glance

Now can I say how upset I was when it turned out that there is no way to help the Duke instead? Or at least to not fight him?
Goddamit.
This DLC makes sense only if you are on Tallis' side.

I didn't either. And I just realized that thing about Salit and his men not looking like Tal-vashot because Davian pointed it out.
If it turns they weren't Tal-vashot, I...I'll get angry? Or happy, if this was Tallis' plan all along?

I KNOW, RIGHT?! I really like him, he's a cool character and he's NOT by any means a megalomanic psycho, he's doing this for his homeland and his ruler. Why. WHY would Hawke support

even if they have some sympathy for the people? If Prosper had tried explaining it, I doubt every Hawke would attack him. It's annoying that there's only one outcome, even if you don't go to help Tallis and get railroaded and I just... >_<

The magic of screenshots. I never noticed before now they were painted and it's weirder still because the guys we fought before, hired by Salit, does NOT wear the paint. I have to wonder...

Yeah, the Duke is really cool, the only bad thing about him is that...he is Orleasian? And noble? I mean, the aren't reasons to not like him, I thought it was good that you had the choice to go against him and rob him only for adventure's sake - he's not evil, it's just Hawke who wants to steal stuff. Because Tallis asked. Varric, why are you always right?

But then you have to fight him, there is no way for you to go against Tallis. I once get to the point when you convince the Duke to let you go, but then Tallis steals the list anway and you're stuck with fighting the Duke again. WHAT IF I ATTACKED TALLIS INSTEAD. WHAT THEN.
A "Fuck both of you, I'm going back to Kirkwall", at least, was necessary.
Especially because of what happens next. GAME, LET ME DO THINGS.

Well, they have been hired by Salit. Maybe the Ariqun wanted to trick the Empress, so Salit was giving the Duke a false list. I mean, why he wanted to give that list to the Duke in the first place? Tal Vashoth refuse the Qun and became mercenary, but they don't usually go around betraying their homeland.
Also, they also said that the Qunari don't leave alone one of their own - when Petrice is killed - so the Ariqun not caring about what will happen to their spies, doesn't make sense and it's stupid. They are your spies, for God's sake.

Maybe Salit hired Ta-vashoths who wanted to rejoin the Qun and they had to atone themselves first. Or they were regular Qunari passing off as Tal-vashoth.

Because, so far, all we know is that Tallis is a crappy spies who did something wrong and that the Ariqun dismissed her when she asked about Salit. Probably the Ariqun had planned something.

It's so massively stupid. Apart from the fact he locks you up for trying to rob him, which is all in all a fair response, he really doesn't do a thing against you. In fact he's aboundantly fair when Arlange tries to stir the pigeons when there he'd have an excuse to lock up Hawke and Tallis so he can meet Salit in peace. Cyril is by all accounts a polite, considerate lad, and from the looks of it Prosper has, to a degree, raised him alone. By this point, really, what has Tallis done except lie and yet when you do this it's on trusting her alone.

The DLC was clearly only written to have one ending, but then they shouldn't make Prosper so reasonable so he ends up going "AND NOW I WILL FIGHT YOU ALL FOR DERPY REASONS" even if you take the route they clearly want you to take - helping Tallis. At least in Stolen Memory Hock is consistently an asshole. I remember when I first told her 'no' I was rather annoyed the scene more or less played out the exact same way. Even my aggressive Hawke who had sided with Petrice couldn't NOT help her in the end.

I prefer that theory over it being 'I can't remember what I wrote six months ago' induced. It'd be pretty cool if it turns out in the end the Triumphvirate were the ones getting foiled because Tallis has a very liberal intepretation of orders. It's rather possible, considering they did put in two different models and after all, you don't fight Qunari anywhere else in the DLC and a seperate Tal-Vashoth model exists and is used elsewhere there. It would also fit with the plot in general.

Oh, incidently, before we wrap this up, there's a bit more banter.

Fenris does NOT like Tallis.

Fenris: You escape a life of servitude and oppression only to join a society of absolute obedience and servility?
Tallis: I'm not oppressed. I serve because I wish to.
Fenris: In the manner they dictate. And on pain of death.
Tallis: You make it sound so senseless.
Fenris: Voluntarily giving up your freedom is senseless.

Fenris: Shok ebasit hissra. Maraas shokra.
Tallis: Are you testing me? That's so cute!
Fenris: Do you know what I said or not?
Tallis: "Struggle is an illusion. There is nothing to struggle against." But your accent is terrible.
Fenris: *Grunt*

Fenris: So we are helping the Qunari.
Tallis: I told you, there are many innocent lives at stake as well.
Fenris: And how many "innocents" have the Qunari slaughtered!? Bah!

Fenris: Mercenaries. A sign of your man I presume.
Tallis: Tal-Vashoth. Like Salit, but for sale. He must be close.

Fenris ily~

It wasn't me, it was the Maker's will!
And Prosper never read the Evil Overlord List.
Maybe because he wasn't EVIL. Goddamit, game.

And now, two thing more that I hate:
1) You can't attack her.
"Tallis, I want that list!"
"No, you don't"
"Oh, ok"

2) If you play as a male, says that "Tallis was rather attractive for a qunari" when asked why Hawke helped her. Even if Hawke never flirted with her.

And she also is bad at this. Seriously, the entire "friends, lover, child, mabari owner" thing people use to convince you doesn't work that way. You can't just throw it around without facts. Hawke killed a lot of people and I'm sure any of them had at least a goldfish.
Any Hawke will act accordingly to whatever idea she/he had of the Qunari before.
And thank you for mentioning Cyril. I nearly always flirt with him because he's a good boy. And then Hawke kills his father.
YOU KNOW WHO HAD A SON I ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT, TALLIS? PROSPER.

That would be cool indeed.

None of your companions actually likes Tallis, I appreciate it. I also like the fact that they consider them as an outsider, it shows how their group dynamic works in this kind of situation. Well, Tallis is a Qunari, after all. I really like especially how they comment on the "Do you think I would fit in your merry entourage part".
But I really have a thing about Hawke and his/her companions, and in this DLC there is a lot about it.

This is one of those times where the LP actually changed how I felt about a sequence. Because I had to look at the screenshots God knows how many times while imgur was merrily screwing up, not to mention on top of that seeing his final sequences (the cutscene before the battle included) 3 times in a rapid row it grated on me like never before how abrupt the change in character is. When Hawke shows up he basically goes from mild annoyance with the 'useless item' Salit has given him to homicidal rage because he's... angrier? With Prosper in general it doesn't help he has Stroud's VA, LET ALONE that he has Riordan's. It's like any character voiced by Timothy Watson, for instance, I can't entirely dislike them.

1) DA2 always has a degree of railroading in big sequences, but I remember when I picked that option "Ah, so this is basically here to show me Tallis is so eloquent and Hawke is so easily manipulated. This sure bodes well for Hawke's future." I just headdesked. That's also why it's not included in the options I showed because I would have a hard time narrating thoughts for Joyce there. Again I didn't even realize how bad this was in general (what with the whole never actually telling you what you're being accesory to except after when it's too late) until I watched it through Joyce's admittedly Qunari-loathing lense and sans Felicia Day's rather subert I-will-make-you-feel-sorry-for-me voice acting as a factor.

And REALLY, if I play a Hawke who wants to play politics, and some options throughout the game would support that as an angle I'm not liking it when the game goes 'No, in reality you will do whatever this random elf tells you!' when the whole POINT of the Friendship/Rivalry system sometimes is that Hawke doesn't just blindly help you because you're friends. With Tallis this plays out like a less angsty version of Justice sometimes and you don't give the same leeway to people you've only known for days. Plus, JUSTICE CAN BE SKIPPED.

2) This, ever so much this. I know it would be harder to program for, but if said male Hawke romanced Anders and Fenris and never approached a female romantically before this, why would her being cute be a reason to help her? And in reverse for a female with Merrill and Isabela who, again, never showed inclination towards men. I know Varric's only making a joke but the game is usually so good at sorting his lines so they vary and change according to what Hawke is like and have done.

It boils down to 'trust me' and the only reason she has given you to do that is coming back to help you against Cahir which losses a BIT of the shine when later she reveals she needs your help anyway. It's even more hilariously terrible considering the whole Qunari takeover affair, and it really bothers me in Act 3 how absolutely no one but Fenris points out how remarkably little the Qunari care about the lives of 'bas'. Random nobleman speaks out because you just TOSSED THE BEHEADED NOGGIN OF HIS VISCOUNT AT THE FLOOR? BREAK HIS FUCKING NECK! Considering every male noble in the keep looks just like him, you even do it in front of his ten identical brothers! Kidding aside, Hawke could do this to prove they're better than the Qunari except that's a stupid tactic in terms of saving lives when you remember how much of a one-way-street dealing with the Arishok is. The guy literally never give a single concession except calling you 'slightly better and worth bothering for help' if you bend over backwards for him.
Oh, sorry, Tallis, yes, that's just the Qun not being entirely perfect. Only that's actually legal for him. It wasn't legal for Vaughan to kidnap and rape those women in DAO. It still happened and was not exactly handled in any way, but it WAS illegal. And you're really not given very good counter arguments every time she starts preaching to you, just "It's tyranny." twice and then "Saying the Qun 'could be better' is an understatement."

Cyril clearly misses his mother already and there's nothing that suggests he'll enjoy being the new Duke as well as an orphan. The DLC is lighthearted in general, but man, you leave some ruined lives in your wake. It would be nice if Hawke could at least acknowledge that instead of being so cavalier and buddily with Tallis in the end. I guess I'd like more of the new version of the Murder on the Orient Express with Suchet and less of the Albert Finney version in terms of at least showing some character struggle even if you know exactly how it will end.

Anders' 'brand of zealotry' comment is pretty good, too. It's also one of the few times where I am with him all the way when he tears into Tallis about how the Qunari treat mages, even if she's, as usual, allowed to wave it off with a 'HAR HAR ANDERS IS ANNOYING, AMIRITE?' at the end.

I should make clear I actually really like MotA because it does have that wonderful 'Hawke is on a field trip with her friends and Tallis' feel, but the more I replay it, the more the parts that aren't... right... or forces me quite the bit... irritate me a little. It doesn't detract from enjoyment as such, but I admit when I was screenshotting this with the Joyce character in my head I did come rather close to yelling at my screen quite a few times.

I have started, slowly, to apply spoiler tags to older updates to make the pages load smoother as per Ingmar's sage advice in the LP discussion thread. I'll do the same for this one to spare myself the work later on.

...and then the browser closed and I had to write everything again.

You really have a good point about the comparisons between Justice and this DLC. I think that a lot of things Tallis does are bothering because she isn't a companion.
Like her comment about sewing up Ander's mouth. I'm okay with it coming from Fenris - Anders just suggested him to join the Qun - but coming from someone you just barely met in response to a honest to God question?
No way.
Also, Hawke's companions are like family, they spent years together. Even when they piss me, they usually do it when they are crossing the line. But anything else it's fair game, because that's how they carry on. Also, they discuss about things. A lot.
Tallis doesn't - and girl, being like that with the friends of the one you're asking help to doesn't sound like a good idea - and Hawke doesn't have the chance to actually speak his/her mind. Because for some reason you can annoy the Arishok but not Tallis.

Felicia Day's voice acting really does a lot for the character, it makes her likeable even when she isn't.

And yeas about choice. The only Hawke of mine who cares about politics it's the one who is going to became Viscount and marry Sebastian, but seriously, it's a freaking mountain. They could have at least spend hours playing cards in the woods until everything ended. Why I can avoid politics in the main game if then I have to face in the DLC?

Tallis isn't perfect, but the way the game threats her character really makes her a Mary Sue. Even if I'm willing to consider that she probably acts like that because she really wants to fit in, but she can't because she doesn't understand how the entire dynamic between the companions (and Hawke) works, the games still doesn't give you choice because Tallis.
I feel sorry for her being alone and everything but..the context is not helping.

The funny thing is that they actually have something like that. If you don't flirt with Tallis the first times, the options - the longest flirt options ever - disappear. So they could have just check if Hawke flirted with Tallis all the time - there is a banter you can get only if you flirt her once, and someone is more about teasing your LI than flirting with Tallis.

I mean, it was already bad having to present Tallis as your escort when your LI (and Bethany, which deserved to enjoy this more) has to hide somewhere else - and thank God Tallis reaction to Serendipity was a bug - I really didn't need Varric line about her being pretty.

I also liked the part when she is like, "See? I told you there was an exit". It's not like you were going to stay in this cave forever, of course there is an exit.
But as I said before, Tallis can't change someone mind for life.
Good point about Vaughan, since Hawke cames from Ferelden, he/she is used to a country with good laws and eveything. Even if things are still bad in some cases - especially for elves - saying that "You can't find better elsewhere" it's really not going to work. The way the Warden is allowed to decide on various matters during Awakening shows that there are a lot of things going on and there is time for flexibility.
The Qun is certainly better than Tevinter and maybe better than Orlais about some things - like the entire "Chevaliers can do whatever they want" thing, but other than that?

It was horrible, Cyril is this polite, good guy you share a good moment with talking about your mother, and then you can't even avoid to kill his father. Goddamit.
Also, Hawke nearly risks a war. That's not a stupid thing, that was a good reason to say goodbye and leave as soon as possible when Tallis reveals to be a qunari agent.

That was a really "Eh, haters gonna hate" moment.
I mean, no. You think that is a good thing to cut their tongue, sew their mouth and things like that, you're not allowed to go around dismissing Anders questions.

I also like this banter:

I really like Isabela in this DLC, she really shows character development considering that this is the third act.

The more Hawke you have, the more errors you see XD It happens to me all the time.

EDIT: And yes, that response was magic specific. And yes Merrill, Hawke is happy that the mirror who kills people doesn't work! That's why you weren't give the dalish tool.

My outmost sympathies. Whenever that happens I just about flip a table and scream to the heavens with impotent rage, Imgur's newest brand of absurd bugging is also engendering that emotion right now. Subtract 5 from the total images, yes, imgur, that's VERY helpful.

Moments like those she really feels like we're in a fanfic with a self-insert rather than a temporary companion. It's fair to a degree when her character drives the entire story, but when she doesn't become a companion afterwards, it just feels like it's much too soon with nearly everything she says and does, let alone how much shit Hawke is willing put with from her. Three years with Isabela and Aveline is rightly baffled we'll trust her enough to believe her when she vaguely mutters getting her relic might help with something. Tallis TEN MINUTES and we're willing to stake everything, even after we know what she really is. It reminds me a bit of how Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines treated Beckett who basically got to hang around and act cool and not get involved in anything that made him look bad because he was a big character from the source material gracing the game with his presence. Apparently. Since I had no idea who Beckett was I just ot confused he seemed to be so admired everywhere,

Yep. One of the reasons I play so many RPGs are that in general I am NOT very fond of a game just telling me what to do or feel, I like to have some imaginary creative liberties and DA is already making it hard enough without forcing me to be the sort of persn who'd do as Hawke does in that DLC, even if you make the choice to no help Tallis. Merrill's quest here is a perfect example, really, I can even, though I didn't show that hear, chose between 'I'll help' 'I won't help' 'I will help if we try and talk to Marethari first'. Tallis gets away with things I'd have a hard time even allowing Varric and he's the goddamn narrator and presumably makes himself look as good as possible. Honestly what annoys me the most is that even if you disagree with her she just goes 'maybe, but humans are just as bad' and if you point out as much as it allows you how insane that point of view is, she just shrugs it off and I FINALLY realize I was so angry with the Qunari earlier because of TALLIS and not the Arishok.

I miss having my companions there every time, and I especially feel bad when you're basically robbing Bethany of a party she might actually have enjoyed on her one day off from the Circle or Wardens. Why do they have to hide, anyway? Couldn't they just hang around? I'd have loved to see Fenris and Anders trying to make go at a fancy shindig. Or Aveline amidst Orlesians XD.

I can forgive Tallis a bit since she apparently is a Tevinter elf like Fenris, but I pretty much lose all sympathy the moment she starts trying to force all her views on Hawke. I mean, she's WORSE than the Arishok and it especially bothers me when I am playing as a mage. Game, why is Anders the only one allowed to bring up Saarebas as a part of the Qun that is FRIGGING INSANE? Especially if Hawke is PRO-MAGE?!

Champions have more liberty to do as they please, but it strains Hawke really gets let off here. Even Cassandra mostly seems mildly irritated.

Please tell me Merrill learns something from this.

This is where the Rivalry system is a blessing. This is actually of of a few games where the game doesn't solely reward you for playing the yes-man, and when you're dealing with Merrill, that is an immense relief.

SAD SONG TIME.



First time I did this with Anders and Fenris. >_>

I'll respond properly tomorrow, but know I keep thinking of Fenris and Anders offering each other things that they hate. Like fish.

Anders and Fenris have the best anti-bromance ever in my head and it shall forever remain so, untainted by tiresome facts. It's guy hate, between two guys.

EDIT:

I am not sorry. Okay, a bit, maybe.

Anders:
Let's face the facts about me and you
Loathing unspecified
Though I'm proud to call you Broody Bear
The crowd will always point and stare

Fenris:
I feel exactly those feelings too
And that's why I keep them inside
For this bear can't bear the wordl's disdain¨
And sometimes it's easier to hide

Both:
Than explain our guy hate
That's all it is
Guy hate
He's a swine, remiss
There's nothing gay about it in our eyes

Fenris:
You ask about this thing we share...

Anders:
And he tenderly replies...

Fenris:
Shut it, mage.

Both:
It's guy hate
Between two guys

Fenris:
We bitch more than your average man and wife

Anders:
That's why we make our Hawke want to kill a kitty

Fenris:
I guess I'm stuck with you
For the rest of my life

Anders:
You're the only man who's ever been inside of meeeeee!

Fenris:
I just plucked the tip of a blade out of your ribcage and ONLY because Hawke told me to.

Anders:
There's no need to clarify...

Fenris:
Oh no?

Anders:
Just let it grow more and more each day...
I think we both wish this would end

Fenris:
In a completely violent way

Both:
Let's go!
It's guy hate
Don't compromise
The feeling of some other guy
Smacking down your face into a pie

Anders:
I'll be there to bitch through all your lows

Fenris:
I'll be there to wreck the highs

Anders:
And when I say:
"Just go away."
It's not what it implies

Both:
It's guy hate
Between two guys...

Well, once Fenris said that Anders is annoying rather than evil! Progress?

True. And they actually seem to get along in a weird way far better than Anders does with Sebastian. In some of the Act 3 banter I feel like they're close to coming to blows those two. Ironic when they're both devout Andrastians.

I think that's probably because Fenris and Anders are similar, they're just on the opposite side of a lot of things.They are also on the same side of other things, like qunari and blood mages. They don't hold back and they can also talk about other personal stuff because of their past. So there is some kind of mutual understanding that lets them get along in some way and at least play card together.

Sebastian instead has a different approach to Anders - he avoids questions, he really doesn't want to discuss, he doesn't snipe back and they don't have similar experience. Sebastian didn't have the kind of life most of the companions - or Hawke - had, joins the party when Hawke settles down and lives in the Chantry.
EDIT: Which may be a reason why Varric isn't too fond of him, now that I think of it. He actually spent his entire life carrying on his family families while Sebastian is only talking about it.

It often shows:

vs

Also, they're both Andrastian, but Anders doesn't trust the Chantry the same way Sebastian does - and Sebastian clings especially on what Elthina says.

Or, if Hawke could push her off the cliff, and share a good belly laugh with Prosper. That would be good too. For some reason fanservice, Mary Sue, and generally annoying characters have shockingly brief lifespans with exceedingly painful and humiliating ends in the RPG's I play.

On the plus side: I've finally figured out the function of that armour plate on your chest; you know, the tiny oddly angled one that can't really protect you from anything normally. It's to keep villains who are hanging from precipices from shooting or stabbing you in the face.

Ah, the voice acting during that part: I'd suggest anyone reading it who haven't played the game to go watch that part! Marenthari's sad yet measured way she says "I have chosen to pay it for you", Merril's "She's dead" line, the clan.. I liked this part. Yeah, Fenris will also pick at her for this. Pretty harshly, like Anders did.

If you didn't take the path that Davian did ("I'll make sure no-one else is hurt by her blood magic"), it becomes a much sadder end... Which I viciously took my last play-through! Ahahaha!

I always rival Merrill.. I just can't really sit there and go "Ok! Here's everything you need to repair a mirror, plus bloodmagic is super cool!". Especially with Anders describing what it's like himself, and Merrill's bullheadedness about it all!

/dying.

You're great.

Why I can't like it more than once

There is no song I will not mangle for my own terrible entertainment ^_^

What I mean is: Glad you enjoyed it!

This is an excellent point. I had to rewrite the last few post a few times because my pc decided now you be a great time to be arsy along with imgur, so I forgot to praise the truly amazing voice work going on here. As incredibly stupid as the premise is - "I didn't warn you about the demon wanting to use the mirror as a gateway because of reasons." - the voice actors really sell the pathos of the moment and I will second the recommendation for anyone who hasn't played the game to find it on the 'tube and listen through it. Whatever other faults you may find in DA2 it has some of the best voice acting on the market. Also a secondary award here for Adam Howden who does some superb work with his few lines - the restrained rage in his voice when he's talking to Merrill over the body is chilling.

Merrill all in all is one character I NEVER ran the friend route again with after my first playthrough. I remember walking down that slope and thinking "I made this possible. I enabled her. I didn't even try to stop her." I knew I couldn't change the ending because back then the game was bugged and fired the after-quest talk when you entered to start A New Path, but I didn't want to feel again as if I hadn't at least TRIED to talk some sense into her.

That's very likely it! I must say I really enjoy how the LP is opening the game and understanding the characters to me. It's even what grinds Aveline's gears about him, too, he... Actually, I have a quote for what his problem is: "You are ALLOWING HIM TO DIE! You are typical priest! You talk and talk and NOTHING!"

That's pretty much Seb in a nutshell. Bad grammar intentional, the source was a Brazillian woman with an accent screaming at a British priest.

After LP'ing it which meant I had to look at it all slowly and think on how Joyce who was actually being subjected to it would feel, I am right there with you. I always liked Prosper, too, but, alas, One True Ending and it does seem like they have further plans for Tallis. I just hope whoever she tries to con next isn't as forgiving as Hawke apparently has to be.

... that... actually makes sense, yeah. Those armoursmiths plan for everything, don't they?

I'm really conflicted about her conflict. /english, how does that work
I usually change my mind according to which kind of character I'm playing, because I usually feel like I can't have a real opinion about the matter. I always go meta and spare her clan however.
I mean, it's really a case of bad communication. None of them wants to listen.

Sadly, that quote is really fitting. That's something that I realized while writing it down now, but Sebastian's "priest or prince" conflict it's actually the only choice he has to make and take responsibility for in his life.
Hawke is the one who has the better life - along with Aveline - yet when his father dies he/she has to step in and take care of the entire family. Then - after a non-mage Hawke survives Ostgar, - flees the Blight and spends a year in servitude and another year doing questionable things just to bring money home, taking care of everyone - family and eventually new companions who probably need help, even if Varric helps them too - keeping the Templars away and making plans about what might happen if he/she doesn't came back from the Deep Roads expedition. (Which is why I often leave Bethany or Carver at home.)

I wonder if this was intentional, because we see a similiar "You're nothing but a lot of talk and a badge" thing going on often with the Chantry.

In general I get a Qunari > Chantry vibe from the game. Hawke get the better arguments disagreeing with the Chantry - as well as being allowed to disagree more often - and when you finally meet a member who isn't all talk we get fantatics and Petrice who are even worse. DAO was better at giving you Leliana and Sten as party member and then let you balance out what you thought on your own merits. Kirkwall is a screwed up place, but the Chantry, while not portrayed without critique in DAO, really comes off as at best irrelevant in DA2 and at worst a draconian construct smothering the people.

Thanks to people like Leliana or Genitivi or even the current Divine it's obvious enough the indecisiveness might be Elthina's influence, though. It's hard to say where the bias is until we see what they do on the subject in Inquisition, come the day.

The Chantry didn't look that good in DA:O, however. But yeah, one of the positive figure we see so far from the Chantry is Cassandra, and according to Asunder it seems like the Seekers are now separated from the Chantry. It will be interesting to see what happen.

There is a Qunari>Chantry vibe from the game, probably because Hawke can't annoy the Arishok too much and because of the story line. Tallis was a good choice to finally argue with a qunari without restriction - she isn't a companion who will leave us if she doesn't like us (Sten) and she can't destroy Kirkwall (Arishok), let's ask everything! - but then she was a Mary Sue. There are a lot of hint about their labor camp and the fucking lobotomy thing, thought.
Also, I think they were trying to have a really grey and grey morality about the Mage vs Templar thing.

I think it is totally is Elthina's influence, because we see a similiar thing with Alistair. where the a revered mother wanted to keep him because he is Maric's bastard son.
Also, I recommend this two essays:
A long, rambly post on the History of Kirkwall
A Gigantic Rambly Post: Just Whose Side is Elthina On Anyway?

Never. Miss. A. Daily. Update.

Best I can tell we're actually almost done, too. Clearing A New Path and Haunted leaves me with only waiting mail and a sidequest to collect Qunari swords. I'm fairly sure once I read my mail what awaits is the last story quest before The Last Straw triggers, so, yeah. I might actually finish this before Christmas.

Oh, and some banter!

Anders: Your husband agrees with me.
Aveline: About what?
Anders: He thinks the knight-commander's mad. He told me she's gone behind your back to investigate guardsmen she suspects as secret mages.
Aveline: Even if that were true, he wouldn't tell you.
Anders: He won't fight for her when the time comes. Would you turn against your own husband?
Aveline: I don't know if you're lying or crazy...

Aveline: I have to admit, Anders. Of the mages I know, you're the one I expected to go out in a blaze.
Anders: The day is young...
Aveline: It was a compliment, you ass.
Anders: No, it wasn't.

Anders: You must join us. Do you see that now? You must stand with Kirkwall's mages.
Merrill: It's not my fight.
Anders: You can't hide in Sundermount. There is no place for you among the Dalish.
Merrill: No! My clan is all I ever cared about! Everything I did, I did for them!
Anders: On second thought, maybe don't try to help us...

Merrill: You really believe don't you?
Anders: What are we talking about?
Merrill: Believing. You do I can tell, in freedom, in mages, in good spirits and bad templars. With more fire than the sun.
Anders: And your point is?
Merrill: I miss it sometimes, things being certain.
Anders: Some things are certain.
Merrill: Not anymore.

There's also a special line that triggers climbing Sundermount:

Anders: I don't know why I'm bothering with this, but you do realize it is crazy, right?
Merrill: Believe me I noticed... If I had any other choices, I'd take them.
Anders: You have choices! You always had choices! Stop using blood magic! Get rid of that damned mirror!
Merrill: Oh in that case, I will head back to Kirkwall and throw it away, right after you abandon the plight of the circle of mages.

Anders has his moments, and this is one of them. Howden also voices Anders' frustrated desperation to get through her thick head marvelously.

Anders: Your Keeper did not deserve that death.
Merrill: It was my risk to take! I never asked her to do this for me.
Anders: She knew you didn't have the strength to resist the demon. That's why it picked you.
Merrill: Why are you doing this? What can I do about it now?
Anders: Make up for your mistakes. Most blood mages never get a second chance.

Merrill: Do you regret it? What happened with your sister, I mean.
Fenris: No.
Merrill: You don't wish... that maybe you hadn't found her again?
Fenris: Whatever I wish, it is already done.
Merrill: You're lucky, then. There are so many things I wish I could undo...

Fenris: This... Keeper of yours, she was a friend?
Merrill: She was like a mother to me. To all of us.
Fenris: Then I'm sorry.
Merrill: No you're not. She's just one more mage to you. Why would you be sorry she's dead?
Fenris: I'm not sorry she's dead. I'm only sorry she died for you.
Merrill: What?
Fenris: Let's hope the sacrifice of someone who cared for you that much isn't wasted.