It is important to note that Dragon Age II is not a direct continuation of Dragon Age: Origins. Although the story begins in a similar place and time, it features a new protagonist and focuses on a different area of Thedas, showing events that are not connected to the Fifth Blight or its aftermath. Additionally, the events of the game are told in retrospect, as Varric narrates the story to Cassandra Pentaghast, a member of the Seekers of Truth, after the plot’s conclusion.
Unlike its predecessor, the hero of Dragon Age II is predetermined by BioWare, with players only able to choose their character’s gender and class. For the purposes of this text, let’s assume the protagonist is male. His name is Hawke and he hails from Lothering, a city in the south of Ferelden. He lives with his mother Leandra, his father Malcolm, who was a mage apostate, and his siblings, Bethany, a mage, and Carver, a warrior and former soldier from Ostagar.
Escape to Kirkwall
Hawke and his family fleeing Lothering (prologue)
The game begins in 9:30 Dragon, shortly after the Battle of Ostagar in Dragon Age: Origins. Hawke and his family are fleeing Lothering, heading north, with darkspawn in pursuit. They meet Aveline, a female warrior, and her husband, Templar Wesley, who has been wounded and is slowly turning into a monster. The group becomes surrounded, and Hawke’s sibling dies, along with Wesley. Flemeth, a witch who appears in the form of a dragon, saves the remaining heroes, asking them to deliver an amulet to the Dalish in the Free Marches. Flemeth takes them to the nearest port, where they sail to Kirkwall, known as the City of Chains due to its history of slavery.
Upon arrival, they discover that the city is under siege by Ferelden refugees, and its gates are closed. However, they find an opportunity to assist the city guards and make contact with Gamlen, Leandra’s brother, who lives in Kirkwall. Despite his dislike for his sister, Gamlen agrees to provide shelter to the group in his home in Lowtown. In exchange, Hawke must work for either the mercenaries or smugglers for the next year.
Securing Funds for the Expedition.
A view of Kirkwall
Twelve months later [act I], the news about the hero of Ferelden, who ended the Fifth Plague, spreads worldwide. Bartrand Tethras, a dwarf leading the Dwarven Merchant’s Guild, sees an opportunity to organize a profitable expedition to the Deep Roads. Hawke and their sibling view this as a chance to become wealthier, but Bartrand initially rejects their involvement. Only after speaking to Bartrand’s younger brother Varric does a way to join the expedition become apparent, requiring a 50 sovereign investment from our heroes.
The gold rush in which Hawke, their sibling, Varric, and Aveline participate becomes an excellent opportunity to explore Kirkwall and learn about its situation. The hero participates in the Templars’ search for runaway mages, encounters a formidable group of Qunari led by the charismatic Arishok (who live in the docks for an unknown reason), nearly falls victim to a provocation orchestrated by Sister Petrice from the Chantry to incite violence against the Qunari, learns about a maleficarum’s plot against the Templars, and confronts slave hunters. Additionally, the protagonist meets new companions: Isabela, a teasing and seductive pirate, and Fenris, a gloomy elven warrior who escaped slavery in the Tevinter Imperium.
The interrogation of Varric, which serves as the basis for the narrative in Dragon Age II.
Hawke and their companions visit a Dalish camp at the base of Sundermount. With the help of its Keeper, Marethari, the heroes use the amulet obtained in the prologue to free Flemeth and save her life (which she could have lost in Dragon Age: Origins as a result of a side quest given by Morrigan to the Grey Warden). A young elven mage named Merrill joins the group. She chose to live in Kirkwall’s outskirts because of her desire to study blood magic, which is frowned upon among the Dalish.
Before setting out on the expedition, the heroes must find the Deep Roads map, located in the Grey Warden’s home in Dustown (Kirkwall’s slums). The Grey Warden living there is Anders (a character from Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening), a mage apostate who runs a sort of clinic and hides from Templars. Obtaining the map requires helping the Warden rescue his friend from the Chantry temple. However, the heroes arrive too late, and the prisoner has already been Tranquil (stripped of their magic and emotions). This causes Anders to hate the Templars even more, with terrible consequences later on.
Expedition to the Deep Roads.
The Dragon Age II team (Hawke in the center and Carver to the right of them).
Hawke acquires a map and agrees to meet Bartrand with 50 sovereigns. During their journey, they come across a red lyrium statue that alters the expedition’s leader’s behavior, causing him to block their way out. The group discovers a pile of gold, which helps restore Hawke’s family’s nobility, but it proves unfortunate for Hawke’s sibling, who becomes infected by the darkspawn.
Years later, Hawke gains the respect of Kirkwall citizens and becomes embroiled in various city events. Hawke is involved in the murder case of Viscount Marlowe Dumar, who sympathized with the Qunari. Sister Petrice kills the Viscount to prevent citizens from converting to Qun. Arishok, the leader of the Qunari, attacks Kirkwall and demands the return of the Tome of Koslun, a sacred scripture stolen by Isabela.
After the battle, Hawke becomes the Champion of Kirkwall and three years later, is called upon to end the conflict between Meredith and Orsino. Meredith seeks evidence to destroy the Circle of Magi and block the election of a new Viscount. The situation in Kirkwall attracts the attention of Divine Justinia V, who sends her agent to decide whether to launch an Exalted March against the city.
The global crisis in Dragon Age: Inquisition is caused by the conflict between Meredith Stannard and First Enchanter Orsino. Their disagreement leads to chaos that we must handle.
Despite Leliana’s decision, Anders carries out his plan to free the mages from the Circle by blowing up the Chantry’s temple and killing Grand Cleric Elthina. Meredith declares the Right of Annulment, which means the Circle will be eliminated by executing all of its members. The streets of Kirkwall become bloody once again.
In the epilogue, we learn that the events in Kirkwall cause a rift between the Circle of Magi and the Templars. The Seeker tries to find the Champion of Kirkwall to help with the crisis, but fails to locate Hawke. Leliana also reports her failure to find the Hero of Ferelden. The fate of Thedas now lies in the hands of a new character we will control in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
FAQ
1. What is the main plot of Dragon Age II?
Dragon Age II is a role-playing video game that follows the story of Hawke, a refugee who becomes the Champion of Kirkwall. The game starts with Hawke’s escape from the Blight in Ferelden and arrival in Kirkwall, a city-state in the Free Marches. As a refugee, Hawke faces various challenges and must make tough choices throughout the game. The main plot revolves around the conflict between mages and templars, and Hawke’s role in resolving it.
2. How does Hawke’s personality affect the storyline?
Hawke’s personality affects the storyline in Dragon Age II as the player’s choices determine Hawke’s personality and influence the reactions of other characters in the game. The player can choose to be aggressive, diplomatic, or humorous, and these choices affect the dialogue options and the outcomes of quests. The player’s choices also impact the relationships with the companions and the ending of the game.
3. What are the major choices in Dragon Age II?
Dragon Age II has several major choices that impact the storyline. These include choosing between the mages and templars, deciding the fate of several characters, such as Anders and Merrill, and determining the relationship with the companions. The player’s choices also affect the outcome of the final battle and the survival of some of the characters.
4. How does Dragon Age II connect to the rest of the Dragon Age series?
Dragon Age II is the second game in the Dragon Age series and is set in the same world as the first game, Dragon Age: Origins. The game features some of the characters from the first game, such as Varric and Flemeth, and references events from the previous game. However, the game also introduces new characters, locations, and factions. The game’s events take place during the same time period as the third game, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and some of the choices made in Dragon Age II affect the storyline of the third game.
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