Down and down and down we go – Julie Replays Dragon Age Pt. 8
So here we are, searching Dust Town for a way into the Carta and after very quickly discovering what we have to do, I manage to ignore the door that actually leads to them for at least half an hour before finally turning to the Dragon Wikia for a “How To”. Yeah, that happens sometimes. I’m not ashamed to admit it. Stop looking at me like I’m a Gamer Disappointment In Capslock.
*coughs*
To make a long story short, we of course kill everyone, including the Carta Boss Jarvia and Orzammar rejoices but does it help Bhelen enough?
Of course not. “You don’t mind going after that Paragon that disappeared two years ago and whom everyone thinks to be dead, right?” “Why on earth…?” “Well, if she supports me, I’ll surely be kind. Also, we can’t let Harrowmont find her, now can we?” *clenched teeth* “Sure, Bhelen, why not look for a dead woman.”
Anything for the king that would discard the clan system. But first, we need to let some steam off, because he’s really horrible. To the Provings!
My pretty warden!
We fight our way easily through several opponents, my two favourite rogues side by side at one point.
Match made in heaven, those two. ♥ See the matching daggers? I’m cheesy, I know.
However, we do not give Bhelen the satisfaction of hearing us declare our victory for him, Fian and I really don’t like him that much. “For the Grey Wardens” it is.
Afterwards, we start the long decent into the Deep Roads. After recruiting the very and always drunk Oghren who, while despising all nobles and royalty and their games, is glad someone finally cares enough to actually look for Branka, his-wife-who-left-him-behind-while-taking-everyone-else.
Anna’s experience pretty much matched mine, including the many side quest (If we go there, we might as well do it for some reason and gold, right?) and the feelings when talking to the Dead Legion Commander who tells us about how the Blight is a reprieve for them. We brave the mazes, old demons, darkspawn, ogres and spiders.
The spiders.
Giant. HUGE. Disgusting spiders.
Seriously, the giant spiders are so common in the Dragon Age Games that one would think I’m used to them by now and for DA2 and DAI, that’s true. But in DA:O they are so disgusting and ugh, I’m shuddering every time they appear.
We do get some camera kills with ogres, though o/
And did I mention the Darkspawn? And that we actually see the Archdemon?
That was a very, very intense IC moment. And the definite, inarguable proof that it’s a Blight.
Urthemiel, God of Beauty. Not so pretty anymore.
We find Hespith and hear the poem. The first time I played the game, I didn’t really listen, this time, it hit me hard. Very hard. The creepiest, most vile thing ever. What Hespith tells us, is so despicable and horrid, it’s hard to wrap your head around. We find and kill the Broodmother – and I REALLY wanted to be the one who get’s the kill shot. But there was a graphics bug that made Fian decapitate the Broodmother while standing in front of her. Not so epic. I was vain enough to do the fight four or five times but always something happened that Fian didn’t deal the final blow – in the end, I gave up and let Oghren have the day.
The look on their faces when they see the Broodmother.
Dwarven Broodmother
It was allowed to happen.
When we finally meet Branka, she tells us about how she needed people to drive into Caridin’s traps which were supposed to keep people away from the Anvil of the Void, the ancient and legendary Anvil used to create golems. It wasn’t the first time, Fian heard that name – she had found old diaries of Caridin and already knows how these golems are created. It is not something one wants to repeat. And Branka want that Anvil SO BADLY she allowed Darkspawn to be created by one of her own. She allowed everyone to be eaten or corrupted and she basically made a Broodmother.
Yeah, no, sorry, can’t help her AT ALL.
But, since she trapped us down here, we have no choice but to go forward. When we finally meet Caridin, who had been turned into a golem himself and who actually recognizes Shale (or Shayle), he tells us the story again and we help him kill Branka. In turn for our promise to destroy the Anvil, he uses it one last time to forge the ugliest crown in the world to give to the king of our choice.
Then he kills himself.
The look on Fian’s face…
We find the names of hundreds of dwarves who volunteered to be turned into golems, Shale’s among them and then go back to Orzammar to finally crown Bhelen.
Who immediately executes Harrowmont, despite our protests. Did I mention, he was not nice at all?
Before going back to the surface never to return (hopefully), we get Leliana her nug Schmooples (♥), tell a mother about her lost son, make a dwarven house nobility, make way for the Legion of the Dead to be recognized as a house and give the Shaperate the names of the dwarven volunteers. They are thrilled and excited. Then we go back into the Deep Roads to find Shale’s home thaig, one of the most beautiful places in the Deep Roads.
Never mind the big blood splotches.
Now, we can finally leave which we do gladly. Oghren’s try to reconciliate with his old girlfriend does not really work out – but after hearing what he did, Fian can’t really blame Felsi. (And honestly, didn’t try too hard to convince her otherwise.)
Now we have all contracts and can finally leave for Denerim with Eamon. Off we go!
The Cadash Thaig is really so incredibly pretty… Also Shale’s personal stuff was some of the most interesting things in the Deep Roads. (Also means that she is distantly related to the Dwaven Inquisitor in DAI which I found neat.)
I like Zevran’s armour here, suits him!
That’s what I thought 😉
I really loved to discover how Golems were made ( I mean I don’t love the fact itself, but I like the story) and to at least help some people in the city.
And that crown really is ugly.