Dragon Age: Origins - The Gauntlet; Riddles

For this part of The Gauntlet you are surrounded by eight visions of people from Andraste's past, and you must answer each of their riddles correctly if you wish to pass. If you fail to answer their riddle correctly you will still have the opportunity to pass, provided you can defeat the beast that they become. The fights are not hard, but it is much simpler to answer their questions than fight eight different beasts. So, if you want all answers to all eight riddles look below.
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A small diagram to use in reference to what answer matches what question.

Answers:

A) A Tune

B) Vengeance 

C) The Mountains

D) Hunger

E) Mercy

F) Jealousy 

G) Home

H) Dreams

The Circle of Magi - The Fade

The Circle of Magi – The Fade

A small diagram I wrote up describing the four different forms you receive during your time in The Fade and the uses and disadvantages they pose. This is here so I don't have to explain the forms' purposes within the walkthrough. 

Your Arrival and The Raw Fade

-Talk to Duncan, which will eventually lead to you two fighting. Once you kill him and the to Grey Wardens behind him proceed to the Fade Pedestal behind you.

-Go to The Raw Fade and speak with Niall. When you are finished speaking with him head to the right, where you will see another Fade Pedestal, a Lyrium Vein, and a Fade Portal. Click on the Fade Portal to continue.

-Immediately after you arrive you will have to fight a Rage Demon, kill it and a cut-scene with a mouse with start. When it is finished you will receive your first form, The Mouse Form, which you will see at your right just below the map. (Read the Form Descriptions box to learn what each form is used for and their disadvantages.)

-Behind you you will find a Lyrium Vein and a Mouse Hole. Activate your Mouse Form and click on the Mouse Hole to continue. When you enter the next area you will have to kill a Lesser Rage Demon. Once finished you will need to make your way to your right where you will find a Fade Portal, as well as a Lyrium Vein and a Disturbing Statue. By inspecting the Disturbing Statue you will receive a Codex Entry and a small XP boost.

-Once you travel through the Fade Portal you will see another Lyrium Vein and a Spirit Door, which you will not be able to access. Continue forward until a Lesser Shade is triggered and proceed to kill it. When finished continue forward still until a Lesser Rage Demon is triggered and defeat it as well. Continue moving forward along the path until you trigger the final enemy, another Lesser Rage Demon who is guarding your exit. Kill him and then proceed through the Fade Portal.

-You will arrive back where you started, so run forward until the chat with Niall is triggered. When finished run to the Fade Pedestal to your right and click on it.

-You now have four choices instead of just one, so for your first step click on The Darkspawn Invasion.

The Darkspawn Invasion

-When you arrive you will find yourself in a large room with a Door and a Mouse Hole across from you. Activate your mouse form and enter the Mouse Hole.

-You will appear in a long hallway with a Mouse Hole at the end and another hallway to your left further down. Run to the Mouse Hole (do NOT turn left) and it will send you to a smaller room with an Essence of Cunning sitting in a broken, glowing box before you. Run over to it and click on it to gain a +1 Cunning increase and then turn around and leave via the Mouse Hole.

-You will appear back in the same hallway, but with a choice; you can run to the Mouse Hole that is located in the small hallway (not at your right) and continue on, or you can run back to the large room and leave through the door, which will only give you a few Darkspawn to fight and nothing more. (Basically just extra XP.)

-If you choose to run back to the door then when you leave the room you will be greeted by a Genlock Alpha and his men. After killing these run down the hall to your right, since the door to your left is locked. You will proceed to find a Hurlock and Genlock, two Hurlocks, and your final group a Hurlock Emissary and a Hurlock. When all are killed and dealt with head back to the room you came from, jump down the Mouse Hole, and then head to the unexplored Mouse Hole in the small hallway.

-After you jump down the Mouse Hole you will find yourself in a room with two Flaming Darkspawn, kill them and continue onto the next room. Here you will face a Hurlock Emissary and a couple of Hurlocks. Take out the Emissary first since he is capable of strong spells and then finish off the rest. Once finished you will find the door across the room blocked by fire, so you will need to use the Mouse Hole to your left to continue on.

-You will find yourself in another set of hallways with a Mouse Hole set out before you and a few Genlock to your left. Kill the creatures for XP or ignore them, either way you will end up at the Mouse Hole.

-Once you enter the Mouse Hole you will appear in another room, where a spirit is talking. When the talking stops and the battle begins you will find yourself helping a Templar Spirit fend off Darkspawn. When this is done a small cut-scene will play and you will be given your next form, the Spirit Form. 

-Activate your Spirit Form and grab the Essence of Willpower in the room to receive a +1 Willpower increase. Then head to the Fade Portal in the middle of the room and enter The Burning Tower next.

The Burning Tower

-When you arrive in the Burning Tower you will see a door to your far right and a Mouse Hole to your left, take the Mouse Hole to a room which holds an Essence of Cunning, take the +1 Cunning boost, and then return to the room from before.

-Once you are back in the room head through the door that should not be located to your left, and head down the hall to the first door which will be to your right. Once you open the door you will be attacked by two Burning Templars, kill them to continue. Use the Mouse Hole to jump to the next room, and run to the door that lays straight ahead. (The door to the left will lead you out to the hallway that lead you to the room with the Templars and is blocked by fire, so you cannot proceed that way.)

-You will be greeted by two more Burning Templars in the next room, kill them and then proceed up the stairs at your right.

-You will now find yourself in another maze of hallways; your path forward is blocked by fire so take a right, where you will be attacked by two Burning Hounds. Continue forward until you are attacked by a Burning Templar and two more Burning Hounds. When they are slain you will pass a Lyrium Vein on the way to a Mouse Hole, where you will be attacked once more by two Burning Hounds. Kill them and continue on through the Mouse Hole.

-Here you will be attacked by a Templar Dreamer and a Burning Demon. Focus on the Templar Dreamer and bring him down first to end the fight. Once you defeat him you will receive the Burning Man form.

-Before moving on to the next place go through the door to the south (behind you I believe) and activate your Burning Man form. Run through the fire barrier ahead of you and take a right, then activate your Spirit form and access the Spirit Door. Inside you will find an Essence of Cunning and an Essence of Constitution, take the bonuses and return to the Fade Portal in the last room. You will now venture to The Mage Asunder.

The Mage Asunder

-When you enter Mage Asunder you will see two Mouse Holes, one to your left and one straight ahead of you, take the one to your left to get a Font of Strength and then return to the room you just left. Use the other Mouse Hole to travel to a new room where some mages are talking. The mages will not notice you, so kill them quickly and continue on. (Because The Burning Man form has good CC spells fireball is a preferred on against multiple enemies, especially mages. It will knock you down if you are in the area of effect but so long as you are in Burning Man form you shouldn’t be hurt much, if at all.) Exit the room via the door to your right and enter the hallway, where you will see another Lyrium Vein amongst many doors.

-The door to your right leads to the room you first entered in this realm so head to the room on your left, where you will find more mages. Kill them quickly and then activate your Spirit form to receive the Essence of Magic boost. (There is also a bookcase in this room that will grant you a new Codex entry and a small bit of experience.)

-The next room down holds more mages, so do as before and kill them quickly. (They will most likely talk for a few seconds before they decide to attack you.) When you are finished here open the door at the end of the hall, this will trigger the attack of a single Servant, though more will join the fray. If only one more attacks you I suggest running around the room before opening the door at the other end, for there is at least one other servant hiding in stealth waiting.

-Enter this next room by crossing the fire barrier in your Burning Man form and get ready to fight four Lesser Rage Demons. Two will appear before the fire places at the opposite end of the room, the last two appearing moments after they are slain. (Walking towards the door may trigger their appearance as well.)

-ENTER THIS NEXT ROOM CAREFULLY. There are many mages in this room, so do not run in without a plan. Burning Man’s Fireball spell will work wonderfully, but I suggest corralling the mages into one spot before using it. Running to the back of the room with the fireplaces generally makes them cluster at the doorway, which works well. Finish them off quickly, as always, and continue on through the new room.

-In this room there is a Lyrium Vein directly to the right of the door that you enter through, and a few mages at the other end of the room fighting each other. If you stealth and move in close enough to see their health one mage should kill the other, eliminating one more hassle for you.  The last mage should be fairly low on health and therefore be an easy kill.

-Entering the next room you will find a Lyrium Vein to your right and a cluster of mages to your left. A well placed Fireball spell should hit them all, knocking them back and dealing fire damage over time. When they have all been defeated head up the stairs into the next area of this realm. (There is also a bookcase and a book, one on either side of the stairs that will each grant you a new Codex entry and a small amounts of XP.)

-In this room you will find a Cursed Dreamer surrounded by Chantry Priests and Stone Golems. The golems are tricky fellows since they are very durable, but even so they are still vulnerable to fire damage. I suggest taking out the priests first by using Fireball and then taking out the golems. If you can cluster them all together and use Fireball on all of them that is even better, but be careful that they don’t gang up on you. When you have finished, the Cursed Dreamer will speak with you briefly before granting you your last form, the Golem.

-The Fade Pedestal will have appeared, but before you run off to another realm let’s finish off Mage Asunder for good. Head up the stairs and through the door across the room, once you arrive in the next room you will be greeted by two mages and a stone golem, take them down and then continue on out the next door at the other end. (There is a School of Spirit and a Note that will each grant you a Codex entry and small amounts of XP in this room as well.) You will have to use your Golem form to open this door, since it is locked, and once it is done you will have to fight a mage and a priest. (NOTE: Every time you use your golem to open a locked door you use your ability Hurl, which triggers its cooldown. You cannot, however, use any other means to open these doors.)

-Now you can either head straight to Slavren, the boss of this realm, and finish it for good, or you can head down all the various side paths and receive up to six different essences. You can, alternatively, defeat Slavren first and then wander down all the halls to gather your essences, but be warned that you will have to fight extra enemies for these goodies. (To gather all the essences [and a few Codex entries] just venture down every side passage available.)

-Now when you get to Slavren be prepared for a bit tougher fight. The golem is a good form to use, as is the Spirit form for quick heals, but my preferred type of attack is this; (Spirit Form) Crushing Prison, (Burning Man Form) Fireball, (Golem Form) Hurl, and then whatever else is need to take him down. I know on Easy this combination works wonders, but on higher difficulties it’s going to take a bit more. When you have defeated Slavren you are done with The Mage Asunder and it is time to take down the other demons that guard the Sloth Demon.

The Raw Fade

- Return to The Raw Fade and enter the Spirit door that is right next to you. You appear in a new area where two shades and a desire demon named Yevena will attack you. Use Crushing Prison on Yevena to keep her immobilized and then use CC spells to take everyone down. When you have defeated them there is a Lyrium Vein, a Twisted Statue that grants you a Codex entry and a small amount of XP, and an Essence of Willpower. Leave through the Spirit Door you entered and head to your right and through the Fade Portal stationed there.

-Once you use the Fade Portal use the Mouse Hole to your left and then the Fade Portal in this new area to your right. Here you will see a Spirit Door a little ways in front of it, enter it and kill the Wisp Wraiths that appear. Claim the Essence of Dexterity and then exit the way you came in and take the Fade Portal up the path (not the one you entered to your left) to return to Niall and the Fade Pedestal. You are done with The Raw Fade so use the Fade Pedestal to travel to The Templar’s Nightmare.

The Templar’s Nightmare

-Now The Templar’s Nightmare holds no form for us to grab, but it does hold a Demon we need to slay to save our friends, so it’s pretty important. Looking around you’ll see a Mouse Hole in front of you and a Door to your right, and a Book on the bookshelf. Grab the book for the Codex entry and a small XP boost and then use the Mouse Hole. When you enter the next room you should trigger a poison trap, so activate your Golem form and smash away the Arcane Horror who’s preying on you from behind the green smokescreen.

-Use the Mouse Hole that is at the south end of the room and you’ll come face to face with an ogre. I recommend the Golem form for this fight as well, since the Ogre will most likely knock you on your ass more than once. A Rage Abomination may also join the fight, but don’t worry about him until you’ve dealt with the Ogre. (You may even kill him while you are working on the Ogre.)

-(Optional)Exit to the hallway and take the Fade Portal to your right to travel to a new hallway lined with new doors. The first room holds two Mouse Holes that take you back to the two places you started in, so ignore them until you are done here.

-Make your way to the second door on your right and open the door, if you are able to disarm traps you will be able to disarm the fire trap that lies just inside the door. You will have to fight three Rage Abominations, once they are defeated grab the book for a quick XP boost and Codex entry and then take the Mouse Hole.

-You will appear in a room with an Essence of Dexterity and a Blight Wolf. Kill the wolf, grab the Essence, and then leave through the Mouse Hole. (If you do this you will need to make your way back to the hallway you left in the first place via one of the Mouse Holes in the first room of this area.)

- Exit the room into the hall and take a left, making your way to the room with the fire barrier. Activate your Burning Man form and enter the room where you’ll have to fight a Hunger Abomination. Once you defeat him go through the Mouse Hole to the next room.

-Immediately when you enter this room you will be attacked by two Rage Abominations, kill them and then activate your Spirit form you access the Spirit Door. (NOTE: In case you have not already realized Rage Abominations BLOW UP a few seconds after they die. Nothing too lethal, but just something to be weary of.)

-When you enter the next room through the Spirit Door you will be attacked by two Rage Abominations who will then be joined by two Hunger Abominations, take them down and continue on through the next room onto the third, which is blocked by a locked door. Use you Golem form to smash it open and then to defeat the Arcane Horror and Shambling Corpse that reside within. Use the Fade Portal and upon arriving in the next room IMMEDIATELY activate your Burning Man form.

-The room with become alight with flames, so being in Burning Man form will keep you immune from the damage it would otherwise deal, so make your way through the room to the door unscathed where you will have to fight two Desire Abominations. If you draw the Desire Abominations into the room the fire will damage them just as it would you if you weren’t in Burning Man form.

-Once the two Desire Abominations are defeated make your way to the next room where you will face an Arcane Horror and two Shambling Corpses.  Take out the Arcane Horror first, then his lackeys, and make your way to the next room.

-In the next room you will find a Desire Demon hovering over the body of a Templar. The demon with transform into a mouse and run down the Mouse Hole, so follow her down and prepare for a fight.

-You will now have to face Vereveel, the main demon of The Templar’s Nightmare. Defeat Vereveel, grab the Essence of Cunning, and then head to the Fade Pedestal to travel to The Darkspawn Invasion.

The Darkspawn Invasion

-When you enter The Darkspawn Invasion activate your Golem form and head to the previously inaccessible door to your left. Smash through and fall back into the room you arrived in. There are a bunch of Genlocks and Hurlocks in this room, and unless you’re positive you can take them all falling back and pulling a few at a time instead of the whole horde isn’t a bad idea. There is a Darkspawn Emissary hidden in the group somewhere, so be weary of him when you begin to fight the later part of the group. Crush all the Darkspawn before continuing on through the door at the end of the hall.

-Smash through the door and get ready to fight Uthkiel the Crusher, another Ogre. He’s a tough one if you don’t keep him immobilized and off-balance so use a healthy mix of Crushing Prison, Slam, Quake, and Hurl. If you do this he shouldn’t pose too much of a threat, just don’t let him keep YOU down. With Uthkiel out of the way you have finished The Darkspawn Invasion, so head to the Fade Pedestal and make your way to the final resting place of the five demon guards, The Burning Tower.

The Burning Tower

-When you arrive at The Burning Tower transform into your Golem form and smash through the door at the north end of the room. Transform into your Burning Man form and pass through the fire barrier, making your way to the next room.

-In this room you will face a mix of Burning Templars, Burning Hounds, and Shambling Corpses. Use CC spells to take them out simultaneously (I recommend using Quake and Hurl) and then move on through the door at the opposite end of the room.

-In this final room you will come face to face with Rhagos, a rage demon. It is not unwise to transform into Burning Man form, seeing as he deals fire damage and in that form you are all but immune to said damage.  After you defeat Rhagos grab the Font of Strength and then head to the Fade Pedestal where you will now rescue your companions from their various dreams before taking on the final boss, the Sloth Demon.

-(In each of your companions dreams talk to them until the demon in their dream is goaded out into showing it’s true form. You will then kill the demon and continue on to your next companion or, if you have finished finding all of you friends, the Sloth Demon.)

Inner Sanctum

-So here we are, ready to take down the demon who brought us into this horrible mess. Unlike the rest of The Fade, in this fight your companions will be here to help you. When you engage Sloth a cut-scene with start just before the battle begins. When the battle starts Sloth with transform in to an Ogre, remember to use the forms and transform into a golem yourself. Keep his attention until he makes his next transformation, which will happen when his health gets low. His next form will be a rage demon, so transform into your Burning Man form and keep his attention while you party does most of the work. His third form will be a standard abomination, so nothing too special, just take him down as quickly as possible while keep his attention away from your party. (It’s also a good idea to keep your party away from Sloth since when he changes forms, he sends out a wave of energy that knocks anybody in its radius back and most likely off their feet.) For his fourth transformation he turns into a shade, again nothing too special, just take him down. His fifth and final form look like your Spirit form, and it’s his most powerful. Beware of his spell Blizzard and interrupt it whenever possible. It doesn’t do too much damage on lower difficulty levels but it can destroy on the harder ones. When you defeat this final form a final cut-scene with Niall will start, ending your time in The Fade.

Congrats, you’ve defeated Sloth and escaped The Fade!

Dragon Age: Origins-The Gauntlet; Bridge Puzzle

[[This pertains to the bridge puzzle in Dragon Age: Origins, which you come across when going through The Gauntlet in the search for Andraste's Sacred Ashes.]]

Now, this is my six or seventh time replaying DA: O and yet I still never remember the exact way to go about this puzzle, and every time I do it I always end up making it harder than it is. So, I finally wrote down instructions that I can follow perfectly that will lead me to the result I seek!

The Bridge Puzzle

Step 1.) Send Companion (A) to spot (R,2), Companion (B) to spot (L,3), and Companion (C) to spot (L,6). Then move Companion (D) to the send stone slab across the chasm.

Step 2.) Move Companion (B) from (L,3) to (R,4).

Step 3.) Move Companion (A) from (R,2) to (L,1). Then move Companion (D) to the third stone slab across the chasm.

Step 4.) Move Companion (C) from (L,6) to (R,5).

Step 5.) Move Companion (B) from (R,4) to (L,2).

Step 6.) Cross to safety and complete the puzzle.
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I made a small diagram to show exactly what the (R,1), (L,1) ect. are, as well as the stone slabs, just in case it is a tad confusing. As for the companions, it does not matter who you have, just assign each of then a letter (or number, if you prefer) and don't change it, and you should be fine.

This Blogs Exact Purpose Is...?

Nothing too amazing, I assure you. I simply plan to post information I gather from different games here for my future reference. Of course, anyone else is welcome to use the things I find, though they are for certain going to be things that can be found elsewhere. I have chosen to do this because every time I find myself replaying a game I can never remember how to go about certain things to get the exact results that I wish to have. (Dragon Age and Mass Effect are prime examples.) So, my intention is to write out things that I know I will want to remember for future replays of the games, that way I won't have to go searching through videos and articles that only tell me partially what I want to know.

So, with that drab explanation out of the way, here we go!