Tamlen becomes corrupted by the mirror and you encounter him later in the game (when the shrieks attack the camp) as a ghoul where he begs you to kill him :(( Your clan has long moved on by then so your warden is the only one who knows what happened to him. I don't think it's a very popular origin but it's always gonna be my favourite :p
If you import the dalish origin into dragon age 2, Merill will mention Mahariel ( Lyna’s last name) instead of Tamlen at several occasions. Of course it also impacts Witch Hunt a little bit.
The saddest part of the Dalish origin really is how much the clan loves you, and being ripped away from all that family and community. Also, fun fact, but when you return to the ruins with the mirror during Witch Hunt, Ariane (the Dalish companion--she is familiar with your story if you've played the Dalish origin!) says, "I'm so sorry. It must be difficult to return to the place of your greatest sorrow" and will tell you the clan named one of their children after Tamlen, to keep his memory alive. Tamlen is also the visage you see at the Urn of Sacred Ashes, which only makes it more painful when he reappears in your camp as darkspawn and begs for you to kill him. The through-line for the Dalish origin is pretty crazy, honestly
"As ever, we are not welcome here." Maybe it has something to do with the murders, Keeper. 🤣 So. I think you're right about what Tamlen saw in the mirror. He says it was an underground city, and some great darkness. I would guess that means it was some lost dwarven thaig down in the Deep Roads; maybe the one where we see the Archdemon, back when the Warden has her first vision of it. Unfortunately, we do know what happened to Tamlen. Later in the game, there's a Darkspawn ambush on your camp; one of the Shrieks is named Tamlen. 😞 Merrill doesn't know that, of course; the clan has moved on by then. Its possible she's still hoping that fixing the mirror will somehow let them save Tamlen. Something that stood out to me here, with Merrill's questline in DA2 fresh in my mind. In this game, the Keeper says that she has never even heard of these mirrors. When she and Merrill argued about whether or not to repair the mirror, the Keeper was speaking from a position of supposed authority. The natural assumption for the player is that the Keeper - older and more experienced than her apprentice - has some kind of special insight into the danger posed by the mirror, and that Merrill is just too young and foolish to understand. Its set up to seem like a rebellious child ignoring the wisdom of her elders. We see in this game that Merrill and the Keeper are on the same footing when it comes to the mirror. In fact, Merrill knows far more about it after spending the last year or two studying the thing. I didn't need more reasons to be on Merrill's side in that questline, but this definitely supports my notion that the Keeper is an unreliable source of information. She likes to pretend that she knows more than she actually does. 🤔 Huh. One other thing that stood out to me. Duncan claims the mirror's corruption is permanent, but Merrill cleansed it with blood magic. Does that mean that Darkspawn Corruption can be cured through blood magic? *Is the Joining ritual used by the Grey Wardens blood magic?!* ... Oh, it probably is. We drink darkspawn blood, after all. How did I not realize this until now?👀
Tamlen appears later in the game when those shrieks attack your camp. He has become a ghoul. His appearance has changed so much by the time you meet him again. A ghoul is a person who was corrupted by the blight but didn't die. Just like animals can be corrupted like blighted wolfs, that bear is known as bereskarn was a blighted bear, corrupted spiders, dragon thralls. Some people die from the blight but those who don't, end up becoming ghouls.
I feel like Dalish origin story is the most poetic storywise out of all of them. Also I really enjoy that you change your origin characters' personalities while roleplaying. It's refreshing and makes it even more enjoyable to watch! Also I bet you will love human noble's story💫
Tamlen became a darkspawn and he comes to you to die because he doesn't have to be like this any longer. You only get had information if you keep playing this origin
Isabela's character appearance had a total makeover whereas Merrill has a totally different personality, I get whiplash when I play this origin (though I play it the least and think it's my least favourite). Can't wait for you to play human noble tho!
The dalish origin is quite cute. You can really feel how close clan members are and how they care about our character. I think it's the only origin where I RP my character whining so much about leaving with Duncan ahah. About your future Dragon Inquisition's run, I don't know if it's too late but it's an advice I've seen in another blind playthroughs and since you like to read stuff: do not read the descritpion of the Black Emporium's mission. It contains a spoiler since the Black Emporium was added to the game a few months after the release and EA never bothered to correct the text. (you normaly learn the info around 1/3 of the game so nothing really major but still a spoiler)
The Dalish origin is probably my least fav (out of the ones I’ve played) but the long-game payoff is nice. Similar to the human mage origin, there’s nice callbacks to it in later games. And those callbacks are more satisfying than the ones that reference other origins, imho.
In the Dalish story, we learn our hero survives from exposure to darkspawn blood. This doesn't happen in the other stories, some don't fight darkspawn until Ostagar, and in both Dwarf stories, it is not mentioned they get the taint while fighting in the Deep Roads. Strange since we see so much darkspawn blood on their faces. So it comes as no surprise our Dalish hero masters the taint during The Joining.
@@eauxkei702 very true also! But I mean more that they mention Tamlen and Merril comes back as a companion and also the introduction to the Eluvians which are very important later on, also the ancient elven lore
i like human noble because you can marry Alistair and it was my first and I like having my doggy buddy from jump i like that this is the most connected but it feels the most boring to me my favorites in order human noble > city elf > mage lol > dwarf noble > dwarf commoner > dalish elf no shade to dalish lovers because dalish is my favorite background for inquisition and I feel like it adds to story as well and i am a solas truther
I didn't realize Merril was in this lol. I've never tried the Dalish origin I must admit so this was a surprise. Even the Keeper when she started talking, I recognized the voice. it's the same voice or at least the tone from the Keeper in DA2. Also Merril was such a different character from here and DA2.
It`s been said, but yeah Tamlin gets corrupted and turns into the shriek dark spawn that invades your camp. You killed him on your mage without knowing, but as a dalish he will talk to you when they attack
Some of the questions you have about what happened to Tamlen are answered later in the game in a scene unique to dalish characters ; some other questions… are still a mystery. About why the mirror does not spread the taint in dragon age 2, Merill states that she turned to blood magic and demon’s help to cleanse it, it is however still possible that the mirror is just freed of taint because it is still broken.
Of course this is the one I've been looking forward to the most since it's where you'd first meet Merril, and it's interesting to see the change in her personality from before she became obsessed with the Eluviasn in DA:O and after in DA2. And of course her change in voice :-D. I wish there was a mod to change her voice in DA:O. You're going to be very interested to find out what the elf tatoos are truly about in Dragon Age Inquisition. My only wish for Dragon Age Origins is that the Dalish origin included a mage option, with your character being younger than Merril and the clan worrying about what to do with you, since most clans only have 2 mages. Merril has no clue about Tamlen's fate other than Duncan saying he's gone and it won't be possible to find him, it's quite logical that Merril thinks Tamlen went into the mirror, as you say, no body (and no live Tamlen) assuming he went into the mirror is pretty reasonable. She also knows (or learns) the Eluvian were used for travel in the days of Arlathan.
If you choose the option to say you wanted to spend more time with Tamlen instead of helping Master Varethorn (if you click on Tamlen in the ruins), it alludes that you two were more than just best friends and Ashalle's dialogue will alter slightly saying that she hoped you and Tamlen would end up together! And when you encounter Tamlen later in the game as a ghoul, he begs you to kill him but tells you that he always loved you, which is absolutely heartbreaking! This is my canon origin because I just love it so much, tbh
Tamlen became a ghoul and comes to your camp later on the game, begging you to kill him. If you had specific conversations with him early in the game it's hinted multiple times that kinda everyone thought you two will end up together. In this case before you kill him he tells you that he always loved you, it is quite heartbreaking😢
Sounds like that mirror was connected to a Dwarven Thaig until Duncan destroyed it. Although the bit about the mirror being able to inflict the Darkspawn taint just from its aura doesn’t really match with anything else in the lore that I can think of. Unless the mirrors are made with Lyrium or there was a lot of Red Lyrium on the other side of the mirror and you and Tamlen simply inhaled a little bit of Red Lyrium dust that crossed over. If Red Lyrium is Blighted Lyrium, then I can imagine that inhaling a little bit of Red Lyrium dust would be enough to taint you without giving you Lyrium sickness. Hard to say cause the in universe explanations about the Darkspawn taint and how it spreads is mostly speculation. People know what can spread it, but they don’t know how or why it spreads the way it does.
My favorite origin, hands down. Best throughline through the rest of the series. I ALSO love the mage and dwarf noble origins, lol. It is the same mirror. Merrill mentions in DA2 that she makes the deal with the demon specifically to clear the corruption and learn how to fix it. Also a big reason why I have beef with Merrill, because on my first da2 playthrough her dumb a** got my Wardens whole clan killed.
I didn't like archer in this game. I only did one archer playthrough because the combat for archer isn't good in this. I like archer in the other games though.
3:58 "What should we do with them?" "KILL THEM!!!" Haha deranged Kiki favorite Kiki 57:17 "Where's Tamlen? Where's Ta- No! Duncan. Duncan, don't you dare. No!! Where's Tamlen?!" I think your own reaction to the eluvian being destroyed is enough evidence as to why Merrill was so stubborn in DA2. Merrill, Tamlen, and Mahariel were childhood friends - she needed to know what happened to him. I understand you weren't aware, but hopefully this origin shed some light on her character :)
Tamlen becomes corrupted by the mirror and you encounter him later in the game (when the shrieks attack the camp) as a ghoul where he begs you to kill him :(( Your clan has long moved on by then so your warden is the only one who knows what happened to him. I don't think it's a very popular origin but it's always gonna be my favourite :p
This origin is the ONLY time you will see Merril or The Keeper in Dragon Age until you play Dragon Age II
If you import the dalish origin into dragon age 2, Merill will mention Mahariel ( Lyna’s last name) instead of Tamlen at several occasions. Of course it also impacts Witch Hunt a little bit.
The saddest part of the Dalish origin really is how much the clan loves you, and being ripped away from all that family and community. Also, fun fact, but when you return to the ruins with the mirror during Witch Hunt, Ariane (the Dalish companion--she is familiar with your story if you've played the Dalish origin!) says, "I'm so sorry. It must be difficult to return to the place of your greatest sorrow" and will tell you the clan named one of their children after Tamlen, to keep his memory alive. Tamlen is also the visage you see at the Urn of Sacred Ashes, which only makes it more painful when he reappears in your camp as darkspawn and begs for you to kill him. The through-line for the Dalish origin is pretty crazy, honestly
"As ever, we are not welcome here." Maybe it has something to do with the murders, Keeper. 🤣
So. I think you're right about what Tamlen saw in the mirror. He says it was an underground city, and some great darkness. I would guess that means it was some lost dwarven thaig down in the Deep Roads; maybe the one where we see the Archdemon, back when the Warden has her first vision of it. Unfortunately, we do know what happened to Tamlen. Later in the game, there's a Darkspawn ambush on your camp; one of the Shrieks is named Tamlen. 😞 Merrill doesn't know that, of course; the clan has moved on by then. Its possible she's still hoping that fixing the mirror will somehow let them save Tamlen.
Something that stood out to me here, with Merrill's questline in DA2 fresh in my mind. In this game, the Keeper says that she has never even heard of these mirrors. When she and Merrill argued about whether or not to repair the mirror, the Keeper was speaking from a position of supposed authority. The natural assumption for the player is that the Keeper - older and more experienced than her apprentice - has some kind of special insight into the danger posed by the mirror, and that Merrill is just too young and foolish to understand. Its set up to seem like a rebellious child ignoring the wisdom of her elders.
We see in this game that Merrill and the Keeper are on the same footing when it comes to the mirror. In fact, Merrill knows far more about it after spending the last year or two studying the thing. I didn't need more reasons to be on Merrill's side in that questline, but this definitely supports my notion that the Keeper is an unreliable source of information. She likes to pretend that she knows more than she actually does. 🤔
Huh. One other thing that stood out to me. Duncan claims the mirror's corruption is permanent, but Merrill cleansed it with blood magic. Does that mean that Darkspawn Corruption can be cured through blood magic? *Is the Joining ritual used by the Grey Wardens blood magic?!*
... Oh, it probably is. We drink darkspawn blood, after all. How did I not realize this until now?👀
Tamlen appears later in the game when those shrieks attack your camp. He has become a ghoul. His appearance has changed so much by the time you meet him again.
A ghoul is a person who was corrupted by the blight but didn't die.
Just like animals can be corrupted like blighted wolfs, that bear is known as bereskarn was a blighted bear, corrupted spiders, dragon thralls.
Some people die from the blight but those who don't, end up becoming ghouls.
As you remember from Witch Hunt, Morrigan passes through the eluvian, not actually a looking glass.
I feel like Dalish origin story is the most poetic storywise out of all of them. Also I really enjoy that you change your origin characters' personalities while roleplaying. It's refreshing and makes it even more enjoyable to watch!
Also I bet you will love human noble's story💫
Tamlen became a darkspawn and he comes to you to die because he doesn't have to be like this any longer. You only get had information if you keep playing this origin
Isabela's character appearance had a total makeover whereas Merrill has a totally different personality, I get whiplash when I play this origin (though I play it the least and think it's my least favourite). Can't wait for you to play human noble tho!
DA2, Merrill told you the mirror was tainted, so she made a deal with a demon to help her cleanse the mirror.
The dalish origin is quite cute. You can really feel how close clan members are and how they care about our character. I think it's the only origin where I RP my character whining so much about leaving with Duncan ahah.
About your future Dragon Inquisition's run, I don't know if it's too late but it's an advice I've seen in another blind playthroughs and since you like to read stuff: do not read the descritpion of the Black Emporium's mission. It contains a spoiler since the Black Emporium was added to the game a few months after the release and EA never bothered to correct the text. (you normaly learn the info around 1/3 of the game so nothing really major but still a spoiler)
36:33 the halla died when the clan was in Kirkwall. They where stuck because they couldn`t move their aravel
The Dalish origin is probably my least fav (out of the ones I’ve played) but the long-game payoff is nice. Similar to the human mage origin, there’s nice callbacks to it in later games. And those callbacks are more satisfying than the ones that reference other origins, imho.
The ad libs during the history of the Dalish cracked me up lol
In the Dalish story, we learn our hero survives from exposure to darkspawn blood. This doesn't happen in the other stories, some don't fight darkspawn until Ostagar, and in both Dwarf stories, it is not mentioned they get the taint while fighting in the Deep Roads. Strange since we see so much darkspawn blood on their faces. So it comes as no surprise our Dalish hero masters the taint during The Joining.
Hi, now you get to see why Merrill is so obsessed with this eluvian.
One of my favorite origin stories !! mostly because it’s the only one actually connected to later games
The human mage is also connected to later games. They're mentioned far more than their elf-mage counterparts.
@@eauxkei702 very true also! But I mean more that they mention Tamlen and Merril comes back as a companion and also the introduction to the Eluvians which are very important later on, also the ancient elven lore
i like human noble because you can marry Alistair and it was my first and I like having my doggy buddy from jump
i like that this is the most connected but it feels the most boring to me
my favorites in order
human noble > city elf > mage lol > dwarf noble > dwarf commoner > dalish elf
no shade to dalish lovers because dalish is my favorite background for inquisition and I feel like it adds to story as well and i am a solas truther
@@ricoalphen1693 True! I would rank Dalish as the #1 most relevant origin across all 3 games and human mage as #2.
7:56 Brazilian forest 😄
🤣
There's only a tiny bit left 😅
Can't wait to see your Human Noble video. One of the better ones, and gives you an opportunity to learn more about the character of Arl Howe.
I didn't realize Merril was in this lol. I've never tried the Dalish origin I must admit so this was a surprise. Even the Keeper when she started talking, I recognized the voice. it's the same voice or at least the tone from the Keeper in DA2. Also Merril was such a different character from here and DA2.
Is this Kiki's bloodthirsty, no mercy era?
I want Kiki to always be this bloodthirsty in her playthroughs. It’s so much fun watching her let the power go to her head.
I think she played this one after she played the city elf origin. It takes time to stop hating humans after that one. 😉
So funny how different Merrill is here
It`s been said, but yeah Tamlin gets corrupted and turns into the shriek dark spawn that invades your camp. You killed him on your mage without knowing, but as a dalish he will talk to you when they attack
This is my second favorite origin, from what i have watched. Only played 3 different origins if i recall well. But went for full gameplay!
This was my 1st experience in the game. Made a rogue and was totally enraptured by the world
Some of the questions you have about what happened to Tamlen are answered later in the game in a scene unique to dalish characters ; some other questions… are still a mystery.
About why the mirror does not spread the taint in dragon age 2, Merill states that she turned to blood magic and demon’s help to cleanse it, it is however still possible that the mirror is just freed of taint because it is still broken.
Try to play the whole of origins with the dalish elf and you may find out a little more about Tamlen
Of course this is the one I've been looking forward to the most since it's where you'd first meet Merril, and it's interesting to see the change in her personality from before she became obsessed with the Eluviasn in DA:O and after in DA2. And of course her change in voice :-D. I wish there was a mod to change her voice in DA:O.
You're going to be very interested to find out what the elf tatoos are truly about in Dragon Age Inquisition.
My only wish for Dragon Age Origins is that the Dalish origin included a mage option, with your character being younger than Merril and the clan worrying about what to do with you, since most clans only have 2 mages.
Merril has no clue about Tamlen's fate other than Duncan saying he's gone and it won't be possible to find him, it's quite logical that Merril thinks Tamlen went into the mirror, as you say, no body (and no live Tamlen) assuming he went into the mirror is pretty reasonable. She also knows (or learns) the Eluvian were used for travel in the days of Arlathan.
If you choose the option to say you wanted to spend more time with Tamlen instead of helping Master Varethorn (if you click on Tamlen in the ruins), it alludes that you two were more than just best friends and Ashalle's dialogue will alter slightly saying that she hoped you and Tamlen would end up together! And when you encounter Tamlen later in the game as a ghoul, he begs you to kill him but tells you that he always loved you, which is absolutely heartbreaking!
This is my canon origin because I just love it so much, tbh
When you visit the Dalish, you have at al least a chance of learning that the clan hasn't moved on, because the Halla have died.
I wish they would remastered this for ps5 the absolute best out the series
You should play as an elven mage in Inquisition.
No. Tired of female elven mages on UA-cam.
@@evgeniytsarkov5679 I agree. If she really wants to, then that's fine, of course. But I'm also sick of fem elf mage Inquisitors on yt
best dialogue and reactions to her character, especially if she romances Solas
@@janemmanuelbestac7310 I'm so tired of Solas romances on UA-cam...
@@janemmanuelbestac7310 I'm so tired of Solas romances on UA-cam...
Tamlen becomes darkspawn, you will meet him, but the clan and Merill don't know.
Merill use blood magic and demon to cleanse the mirror remember?
Going brutal, badass.
Tamlen became a ghoul and comes to your camp later on the game, begging you to kill him. If you had specific conversations with him early in the game it's hinted multiple times that kinda everyone thought you two will end up together. In this case before you kill him he tells you that he always loved you, it is quite heartbreaking😢
Sounds like that mirror was connected to a Dwarven Thaig until Duncan destroyed it. Although the bit about the mirror being able to inflict the Darkspawn taint just from its aura doesn’t really match with anything else in the lore that I can think of.
Unless the mirrors are made with Lyrium or there was a lot of Red Lyrium on the other side of the mirror and you and Tamlen simply inhaled a little bit of Red Lyrium dust that crossed over. If Red Lyrium is Blighted Lyrium, then I can imagine that inhaling a little bit of Red Lyrium dust would be enough to taint you without giving you Lyrium sickness.
Hard to say cause the in universe explanations about the Darkspawn taint and how it spreads is mostly speculation. People know what can spread it, but they don’t know how or why it spreads the way it does.
Yay
My favorite origin, hands down. Best throughline through the rest of the series. I ALSO love the mage and dwarf noble origins, lol.
It is the same mirror. Merrill mentions in DA2 that she makes the deal with the demon specifically to clear the corruption and learn how to fix it.
Also a big reason why I have beef with Merrill, because on my first da2 playthrough her dumb a** got my Wardens whole clan killed.
I think you will like Human Noble when you get to it. Best origin in my opinion.
After reaply dragon age origin now, i so do want downloading 2 and inquisiton.
I didn't like archer in this game. I only did one archer playthrough because the combat for archer isn't good in this. I like archer in the other games though.
Hm... why are we doing that? Let's go Inquisition!
more people voted for this
She only has one left after this, so she'll be on Inquisition very soon.
why is every comment of you so selfish 🙃🥲
its not about you, its about how she wants to play
@@evgeniytsarkov5679 be patient. take a deep breath. she doesn’t operate according to your timetable
3:58 "What should we do with them?" "KILL THEM!!!" Haha deranged Kiki favorite Kiki
57:17 "Where's Tamlen? Where's Ta- No! Duncan. Duncan, don't you dare. No!! Where's Tamlen?!" I think your own reaction to the eluvian being destroyed is enough evidence as to why Merrill was so stubborn in DA2. Merrill, Tamlen, and Mahariel were childhood friends - she needed to know what happened to him. I understand you weren't aware, but hopefully this origin shed some light on her character :)