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A review by mspilesofpaper
Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights by Patrick Weekes
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thankfully I read Tevinter Nights after we got the character announcement video and the first gameplay trailer because otherwise, my patience would be even lower than it is now.
The book is separated into 15 short stories that either introduce new characters that will play a role in Dragon Age: The Veilguard (DA:VG) or have an appearance in Dragon Age: Inquisition (DA:I), so it acts as a bridge between both games. If you want to get a glimpse at three companions from the new game, read Down Among the Dead Men (Emmerich as a side character), The Streets of Minrathous (Neve Gallus) and The Wigmaker Job (Lucanis).
The general setting of the novel is (very simplified):
⋙ the Qunari invasion is well underway (parts of Tevinter are already lost to them) but they do not act as one force as the Antaam (the military) acted on their own without the approval of the other Qunari government branches
⋙ Tevinter still suffers from the Venatori and Corypheus but in a very hush-hush way because no one says loudly that they were/are a Venatori, of course
⋙ Antiva's main defence against the Qunari are the Crows as the country has no standing army; tough luck that the Talons struggle with each other
⋙ Nevarra is on the brink of civil war as the king is close to death and has no heir; it will be Mortalitasi (and supporters) vs. Non-Mortalitasi (various noble houses)
⋙ Solas is still a fucking asshole who still believes he knows what is best for the world
The majority of the 15 short stories are a lead-in to potential side quests and the main quest of DA:VG, which makes their conclusions rather ... open-ended. The few stories that are not potential lead-ins, deal with characters from DA:I (e.g., Callback which refers a lot to what happened during the game and takes place in Skyhold), act as introductions to the new companions (especially the stories with Neve and Lucanis) or introduce us to the factions that will play a role in DA:VG (Crows, Wardens, ...).
Please do not read the following unless you have played the games because it will contain spoilers.
Three Trees to Midnight / 4 ⭐
Set in the aftermath of Ventus' invasion by the Qunari (9:44 Dragon). It highlights how the Qunari deal with the non-magical citizens and how they deal with the mages. It highlights that the Antaam acted without the allowance of the other governmental branches, which will be important for DA:VG, I believe. It highlights also the relationship between humans and elves in Tevinter as well as the different mage ranks in Tevinter.
Down Among the Dead Men / 5 ⭐
Rather short but a good introduction to Nevarra and the Mortalitasi/Mourn Watch. Acts as an introduction to Emmerich and Manfred (Emmerich is such a typical professor). Here, a corpse is possessed by a spirit during its funeral and attacks a guardsman who then is tasked to help the Mourn Watch to deal with the corpse. The story makes me want to have some quests set in Nevarra.
The Horror of Hormak / 3.5 ⭐
A true horror story, do not read at night or if you are queasy. Involves body horror!
The story follows two Wardens who try to find a lost squad and stumble upon mysteries and horrors in the dwarven city of Hormak. I think it will hint at what we will see in DA:VG because "The mountain he’d brought down, the one that buried that nightmare under thousands of tons of rock, was not the only one to which the aravels brought their prey. There had been, before the images repeated, eleven others."
Callback / 4 ⭐
A bunch of side characters from DA:I are tasked to find out what is happening in Skyhold, which was left as a shrine to pilgrims after the Inquisition was disbanded. Very charming to see some old faces again but also to see the effect that Solas had on Skyhold. I think it acts as a good bridge between both games.
Luck in the Gardens / 4 ⭐
DORIAN, MY SWEETHEART! I hope we will get to see him again in DA:VG because the game starts in Minrathous. The description of the city makes it understandable why Dorian was so exhausted with the South. I bet they have running water in Minrathous/Tevinter.
Hunger / 3.5 ⭐
Creepy as it involves werewolves. I didn't miss those in DA:2 and DA:I but I fear that they will bring them back in DA:VG because here, two Wardens are on their way to a village when they get drawn into what is happening in Eichweill.
Murder by Death Mages / 3.5 ⭐
The main character is Sidony whom you can play in the multiplayer version of DA:I. She is a Necromancer and was meant to become a Mortalitasi as she was taken in by Lord Henrik after her mother had cast her out. She left Nevarra before she became one, has no love for her country and people (but respect for Cassandra) and feels no kinship with other mages. The story is a murder mystery but rather predictable (even for a short story). Shines a light into Nevarra and its politics though.
The Streets of Minrathous / 3.5 ⭐
It introduces Neve Gallus who is a mage and private investigator. I found her vibe in the book different from the short introduction of her in the released gameplay trailer. Overall, the story shows that a cult doesn't need to have its figurehead alive to continue as Corypheus is gone but the Venatori still persist and try to restore Minrathous to its former glory. It highlights how different Templars are in Tevinter in comparison to the Southern ones.
The Wigmaker Job / 5 ⭐
I love Lucanis already and I hope we will meet his cousin in DA:VG as part of a side quest. Shines some light into the Crows as a faction. The overall story is funny but still creepy. Good introduction to Lucanis though (who is such a softie and just needs someone to love him).
Genitivi Dies in the End / 4 ⭐
It took me a moment to realise that it switches between story retelling and present. I think all players have heard of Genitivi at some point. It's rather light-hearted, compared to some other stories, and made me laugh. For some reason, the story gave me the feeling that we will go back into the Deep Roads in DA:VG.
Herold Had the Plan / 3 ⭐
Ehh ... A robbery went wrong at a tournament in Starkhaven and the story deals with the thieves fleeing. For some reason, I always expected that Sebastian would appear on the next page but it never happened. A Prince of Starkhaven is mentioned but has no name, so it could be him but it can be someone else too. I think we will see the artefact in DA:VG in a side quest or will find it as loot.
An Old Crow's Old Tricks / 5 ⭐
More Crow antics! Extremely fun to read and I love to see that Crows have morals. The story is about how an old Crow takes out the first soldiers of a Tevinter legion who slaughtered and abused the nearby Dalish clan. Each murder is a copy of what the Tevinter soldiers did to the Dalish.
Eight Little Talos / 5 ⭐
Introduction into the Crows as a faction. The Talons meet on a remote island to discuss how they will deal with the Qunari threat as the Crows are Antiva's only defence in case the country gets invaded (which is something that the Antivan king expects). Lovely little side ship, and I hope we meet those two in a side quest, and an off-handed mention of Zevran! Plus, some Crows history with famous murders, which was interesting.
Half Up Front / 4 ⭐
A disgraced daughter of a Magister lives with her elven girlfriend as thieves and gets hired by someone to steal Dumat's Folly (an artefact) back but gets drawn into something that neither wanted. Lots of Tevinter and Qunari politics as it highlights that the Antaam acted without allowance of the other Qunari governmental branches, which resulted in the Ben-Hassrath acting as a neutral party. Do you remember the quest Demands of the Qun where the Inquisitor meets Gatt who offers an alliance between the Ben-Hassrath and the Inquisition? The quest where the Chargers can die if you pick the wrong option? Yes? Good, you will meet Gatt here again.
The Dread Wolf Take You / 4 ⭐
Solas, you fucking idiot.
Do you remember Varric's idiotic brother and the red lyrium idol, which is (more or less) responsible for the shitshow that happened in DA:2? Good, because you will learn in the last story what happened to it after DA:2 is over. Fucking Solas. Fucking red lyrium. I'm 100% certain that we will see it in DA:VG again.
The book is separated into 15 short stories that either introduce new characters that will play a role in Dragon Age: The Veilguard (DA:VG) or have an appearance in Dragon Age: Inquisition (DA:I), so it acts as a bridge between both games. If you want to get a glimpse at three companions from the new game, read Down Among the Dead Men (Emmerich as a side character), The Streets of Minrathous (Neve Gallus) and The Wigmaker Job (Lucanis).
The general setting of the novel is (very simplified):
⋙ the Qunari invasion is well underway (parts of Tevinter are already lost to them) but they do not act as one force as the Antaam (the military) acted on their own without the approval of the other Qunari government branches
⋙ Tevinter still suffers from the Venatori and Corypheus but in a very hush-hush way because no one says loudly that they were/are a Venatori, of course
⋙ Antiva's main defence against the Qunari are the Crows as the country has no standing army; tough luck that the Talons struggle with each other
⋙ Nevarra is on the brink of civil war as the king is close to death and has no heir; it will be Mortalitasi (and supporters) vs. Non-Mortalitasi (various noble houses)
⋙ Solas is still a fucking asshole who still believes he knows what is best for the world
The majority of the 15 short stories are a lead-in to potential side quests and the main quest of DA:VG, which makes their conclusions rather ... open-ended. The few stories that are not potential lead-ins, deal with characters from DA:I (e.g., Callback which refers a lot to what happened during the game and takes place in Skyhold), act as introductions to the new companions (especially the stories with Neve and Lucanis) or introduce us to the factions that will play a role in DA:VG (Crows, Wardens, ...).
Please do not read the following unless you have played the games because it will contain spoilers.
Three Trees to Midnight / 4 ⭐
Set in the aftermath of Ventus' invasion by the Qunari (9:44 Dragon). It highlights how the Qunari deal with the non-magical citizens and how they deal with the mages. It highlights that the Antaam acted without the allowance of the other governmental branches, which will be important for DA:VG, I believe. It highlights also the relationship between humans and elves in Tevinter as well as the different mage ranks in Tevinter.
Down Among the Dead Men / 5 ⭐
Rather short but a good introduction to Nevarra and the Mortalitasi/Mourn Watch. Acts as an introduction to Emmerich and Manfred (Emmerich is such a typical professor). Here, a corpse is possessed by a spirit during its funeral and attacks a guardsman who then is tasked to help the Mourn Watch to deal with the corpse. The story makes me want to have some quests set in Nevarra.
The Horror of Hormak / 3.5 ⭐
A true horror story, do not read at night or if you are queasy. Involves body horror!
The story follows two Wardens who try to find a lost squad and stumble upon mysteries and horrors in the dwarven city of Hormak. I think it will hint at what we will see in DA:VG because "The mountain he’d brought down, the one that buried that nightmare under thousands of tons of rock, was not the only one to which the aravels brought their prey. There had been, before the images repeated, eleven others."
Callback / 4 ⭐
A bunch of side characters from DA:I are tasked to find out what is happening in Skyhold, which was left as a shrine to pilgrims after the Inquisition was disbanded. Very charming to see some old faces again but also to see the effect that Solas had on Skyhold. I think it acts as a good bridge between both games.
Luck in the Gardens / 4 ⭐
DORIAN, MY SWEETHEART! I hope we will get to see him again in DA:VG because the game starts in Minrathous. The description of the city makes it understandable why Dorian was so exhausted with the South. I bet they have running water in Minrathous/Tevinter.
Hunger / 3.5 ⭐
Creepy as it involves werewolves. I didn't miss those in DA:2 and DA:I but I fear that they will bring them back in DA:VG because here, two Wardens are on their way to a village when they get drawn into what is happening in Eichweill.
Murder by Death Mages / 3.5 ⭐
The main character is Sidony whom you can play in the multiplayer version of DA:I. She is a Necromancer and was meant to become a Mortalitasi as she was taken in by Lord Henrik after her mother had cast her out. She left Nevarra before she became one, has no love for her country and people (but respect for Cassandra) and feels no kinship with other mages. The story is a murder mystery but rather predictable (even for a short story). Shines a light into Nevarra and its politics though.
The Streets of Minrathous / 3.5 ⭐
It introduces Neve Gallus who is a mage and private investigator. I found her vibe in the book different from the short introduction of her in the released gameplay trailer. Overall, the story shows that a cult doesn't need to have its figurehead alive to continue as Corypheus is gone but the Venatori still persist and try to restore Minrathous to its former glory. It highlights how different Templars are in Tevinter in comparison to the Southern ones.
The Wigmaker Job / 5 ⭐
I love Lucanis already and I hope we will meet his cousin in DA:VG as part of a side quest. Shines some light into the Crows as a faction. The overall story is funny but still creepy. Good introduction to Lucanis though (who is such a softie and just needs someone to love him).
Genitivi Dies in the End / 4 ⭐
It took me a moment to realise that it switches between story retelling and present. I think all players have heard of Genitivi at some point. It's rather light-hearted, compared to some other stories, and made me laugh. For some reason, the story gave me the feeling that we will go back into the Deep Roads in DA:VG.
Herold Had the Plan / 3 ⭐
Ehh ... A robbery went wrong at a tournament in Starkhaven and the story deals with the thieves fleeing. For some reason, I always expected that Sebastian would appear on the next page but it never happened. A Prince of Starkhaven is mentioned but has no name, so it could be him but it can be someone else too. I think we will see the artefact in DA:VG in a side quest or will find it as loot.
An Old Crow's Old Tricks / 5 ⭐
More Crow antics! Extremely fun to read and I love to see that Crows have morals. The story is about how an old Crow takes out the first soldiers of a Tevinter legion who slaughtered and abused the nearby Dalish clan. Each murder is a copy of what the Tevinter soldiers did to the Dalish.
Eight Little Talos / 5 ⭐
Introduction into the Crows as a faction. The Talons meet on a remote island to discuss how they will deal with the Qunari threat as the Crows are Antiva's only defence in case the country gets invaded (which is something that the Antivan king expects). Lovely little side ship, and I hope we meet those two in a side quest, and an off-handed mention of Zevran! Plus, some Crows history with famous murders, which was interesting.
Half Up Front / 4 ⭐
A disgraced daughter of a Magister lives with her elven girlfriend as thieves and gets hired by someone to steal Dumat's Folly (an artefact) back but gets drawn into something that neither wanted. Lots of Tevinter and Qunari politics as it highlights that the Antaam acted without allowance of the other Qunari governmental branches, which resulted in the Ben-Hassrath acting as a neutral party. Do you remember the quest Demands of the Qun where the Inquisitor meets Gatt who offers an alliance between the Ben-Hassrath and the Inquisition? The quest where the Chargers can die if you pick the wrong option? Yes? Good, you will meet Gatt here again.
The Dread Wolf Take You / 4 ⭐
Solas, you fucking idiot.
Do you remember Varric's idiotic brother and the red lyrium idol, which is (more or less) responsible for the shitshow that happened in DA:2? Good, because you will learn in the last story what happened to it after DA:2 is over. Fucking Solas. Fucking red lyrium. I'm 100% certain that we will see it in DA:VG again.