Concept Art for Dragon Age Inquisition
I received my copy of the Dragon Age tabletop core rule book just about a year ago (around the time that I finally finished Dragon Age Origins and all of its DLC for the first time but that's another story). I loved the game's world and definitely wanted to run tabletop sessions in it, but the boxed sets previously released for it had remained out of print. I jumped at the chance to support the new core book and was impressed with its look and organization at first sight. I started reading it right away, but then Real LifeTM made me put it down and kept imposing when I wanted to pick it back up. This has happened with gaming books more than I would like to admit and has kept me from running new systems I've wanted to try.
But this year, I've been determined to make real headway, and so far, I have. I've almost read through to the adventure section of the book (which I'll skim, but probably won't use for more than pieces). I have some cheat sheets drawn up to help me remember more of the rules (since I have so much else to remember in life, they really are essential) but I haven't felt lost at any point. I also have some fan-made resources that I'll be linking to on this blog so I can keep them all in one place. They really seem like they'll help, along with the truly amazing Dragon Age Wiki. I've been gaming long enough to realize that you can't know a system until you run it, however, so I'm ready for some surprises.
Something that's given me pause is when and where I want to begin running a tabletop game. I'm in the middle of playing Dragon Age II but haven't finished it yet (no spoilers, please; I like to discover the plot as I go). I haven't touched Dragon Age: Inquisition so far and have avoided as much information about it as I can, because I own it and will play it soon enough. This means that I don't know a lot about the "current" state of the game's events, but I'm used to that. I am rarely up to date on anything and I like to take my time with video and other games, so it rarely bothers me. And as much as I love the characters of Origins and II, I don't feel the need to engage them in a tabletop game any time soon.
I don't want to rush anything for myself on that end - and I don't have to because Thedas has a lot of historical eras I can use. I would also like to get an inside look at some of the other nations besides Ferelden, the dwarves, and Orlais. I've already pitched the idea of running in the Tevinter Imperium of old, before the First Blight. My partner in crime, Nate, reacted favorably. He hasn't played any of the games and only knows what he's overheard or what I've gone on about, so he knows he has a lot to learn. He's said that he wants to start with a warrior character, which works out well. I've already envisioned a team of soporati soldiers with a special assignment handed down by the mage circle they serve in 800 TE. I've got some NPCs shaping up, and soon I'll figure out where in the empire they are.
So what will this blog be for? It's a way for me to explore the game from a GM's point of view, to present what I manage to run, and to share any resources I develop for it as a way of helping the fan community. It has actually been a long time since I've tried out a whole new setting and system, and I'm excited and concerned by the prospect. I hope to show Nate why I love Thedas and to present excellent opportunities for him to experience and shape its history. I am worried about being too ambitious because I have little spare time and energy and so many projects, but I think that this blog will help me remember to take it one chunk at a time.
If you've run or played the tabletop game, feel free to share any tips or observations about the system you have. In the meantime, I'll be working on finishing my reading so I can begin setting up our starting session in earnest.
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