Heh...I hope you realize the chick you killed in the forest was your other potential caster. C'est la vie. It's not like it's unusual for you to kill all your party members.

I'm now in the Fade in the swamp. I plan on siding with the evil bitch, just because I didn't do it that way the first time. BTW, I think this game is WAY easier with a tank than a caster. In the first, the caster was sucky at first, then was ridiculously easy toward the end. Whatever, it's fun regardless. Where are you at now? Still fighting your way out of the dungeon?

Yeah I didn't progress anymore yesterday (and probably won't tonight either). Still beating shit to pulp with my bare fists. I agree btw, the game is very easy with a fighter, much much easier than Origins. In fact, the entire campaign is a bit easy compared to Origins. I'm playing on hard and as long as I pay attention (and don't get ambushed) I can easily overcome any fight thrown at me so far. Rinox in particular is insane. I've had a few fights where my 3 other party members get wiped out of negligence in the first few seconds and he ends up taking on everyone on his own. He literally takes out say 10 darkspawn + hurlock emissary + hurlock alpha on his own, as long as he doesn't get crushing prisoned/paralysed - and even then. Quite the sight.

As for the chick caster...I'm just trying to stay in character!

I'm out of the fade now, though barely. Even if you side with the chick, you still get Justice. Surprising, really, but whatever. I also figured out the stone puzzle in the swamp... I didn't even realize it was a puzzle the first time through. It unlocks something in the real world, though, so I'm not sure yet what I got.

I fought through the dungeon and got all my stuff back...had the hardest fight in the game so far there too, ie the guy who was wearing Rinox' armor and weapons would rip through my party without Rinox being able to take the blows. He could soak a lot of it with his hp but that doesn't help much when no one can hit the guy because of his insane AC. In the end I got him thanks to Anders' magics (paralyze, death hex etc). Then I beat the two drakes (fun battle) and watched the Architect run together with his two hoes. I don't know what exactly is going on, but it's clearly not as black and white as it appears...one of his hoes is a former grey warden I think (or did I misinterpret that? mmm).

When I got back to Vigil's Keep I was faced with a peasant's revolt, which devolded into a massacre. I tried intimidating them ("I kill darkspawn with my eyes closed, what makes you think you can threaten me?") but the mob went crazy and I had to kill them. Not exactly what I wanted to do, but it is what it is. After that debacle I also decided to let the peasant and common folk save themselves when the darkspawn come. I sent out extra troops to secure the granite for my keep's walls and otherwise had them guard the tradelanes. I don't care what happens on the land, but the Vigil will not fall. The common folk brought it unto themselves for going against my judgement.

Haha...yea...the first time through I did the same choice as you and ended up in a massacre. The second time I chose to slaughter them right out. I haven't played since last week. Maybe I'll play some more at lunch, though I'm a bit busy with school. You must be getting on toward the end by now.

Yeah, I think I am. After the peasant revolt I got jumped on by Bann Esmerelde and her cronies (ungrateful bastards) and killed them all. I am pretty indebted to whats-his-name for saving my life (kinda)...I mean I may be a major dick at most times but I appreciate sincere gestures of personal sacrifice.

After that I made inventory and solved a few sidequests (from in the Wending Wood and Amaranthine mostly). TYhen I ventured into Knotwood Hills where I picked up Sigrun - fucking love her! Legion of the Dead, tough-ass dwarf, yeah baby! She was kind of starstruck when we met too, me being a living legend and all. Did you have her and Oghren in the party at once? Their banter is HILARIOUS, mostly Oghren trying to pick her up. Anyway, I made her into a assassin/duellist/legionnaire and she is tough as nails. A very welcome addition to the party.

Oh and Loghain paid me a visit! That was cool. I heard that in other games you could be visited by Alistair or Wynne depending on what happened on your Origins game. Clearly, they didn't make an appearance in mine as Wynne is dead and Alistair a drunken hobo (dead?) following Origins.

You got visited by Loghain? Cool. In my 2 games so far, Wynne is in Ameranthine handing out a quest. Otherwise, I have no idea what you're talking about. I still haven't played since last week, but yea, you're near the end. Finish up all your side quests before undergoing any more major quests in your keep. Otherwise you'll stumble into the end without realizing it.

I did have Ohgren and Sigrun in my party at the same time... and yea, their dialog is pretty good. She's a decent addition to the party, assuming you don't need someone that can disarm traps and open locks. Of course, with the respec tome, you can fix that. I've used that a couple times in my current party.

Have you fought any really big ass boss golem yet?

I had Loghain show up for me as well. Managed to squeeze in a bit of gameplay yesterday.