Mark of the Assassin thoughts

I enjoyed it. Minor spoilers to follow.

Dear BioWare: Thank you for continuing to give me endless gameplay possibilities because I want to test ALL THE OPTIONS.

And added an edit over which I cannot believe I forgot to mention the first time.

Edited again.

I did my first run with my first Hawke, a post-endgame and post-Legacy rogue snarker named Robin who romanced Merrill. For this run, I took Aveline and Merrill along, because 1) Aveline is awesome, 2) I needed a tank, and 3) my Hawkes prefer to bring their LI’s everywhere (Robin had totally flirted shamelessly with Aveline, and I adored the teasing Aveline about getting all dolled up like an Orlesian noblewoman).

Part of what I loved most were all the homages to previous content at the party.

-The Comtess de Launcet complaining about Nella’s filling the de Launcet summer house with ceramic cows was probably more funny to me because I have an aunt who does that with angels and roosters.

– Isolde repeating the famous “Who is this woman, Teagan?” line about made me die laughing.

– Bann Perrin still has not lived down having his “suspect underthings” nailed to the Chanter’s Board in Leliana’s Song.

– LELIANA. I may have squealed audibly when I spotted her. I expect she was probably up to mischief of some kind or another, but I am never not happen to see her, even if my Kyra Cousland is always sad that it means they are not in the same place. Having her at the same party as Bann Perrin after tacking his undies to the Chanter’s Board years earlier made me lol.

– Not at the party, but still an homage: the Avvar cult of the Lady of the Sky (Skies?) which hearkens back to the Kaddis of the Lady of the Skies that you can equip to your Mabari in Origins. 

After watching Aveline and Merrill’s looking-for-Hawke scene, I want an Aveline and Merrill buddy cop show. And I loved Merrill’s usual enthusiasm about Hawke and violence: “How did you escape? Was it exciting? Did you shank someone?”

And Tallis’s comment about Hawke eating thugs for breakfast or something and Hawke going, “Only when we’re out of pancakes.”

I also like that the Duke’s commentary on your party depends on who’s there. He kind of hit on my all lady party. With Viscount male Hawke and Fenris (his LI), the Duke said “I see you brought a man servant.” When I started a run with Templar Carver, he was on loan to the Duke.

I don’t think any of my Hawkes (other than Hamlet the I-just-don’t-give-a-damn-now-get-out-of-my-way Blood Mage Spirit Healer) will be choosing the red or purple options re: the Duke’s commenting on his Chasind bodyguard. I chose the purple first time around and was like, “…that was dickish” and made it a head canon decision that Robin was just playing up the Duke’s game of superiority rather than actually making a racist statement.

I wish there had been more to Aveline’s family quest, though. It was very intriguing, but ended so quickly leaving me wanting to know more.