Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

"For centuries, the Grey Wardens—the ancient order of guardians, sworn to unite and defend the lands—have been battling the darkspawn forces. Legend spoke that slaying the Archdemon would have put an end to the darkspawn threat for centuries to come, but somehow they remain."

Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening is the first expansion for Dragon Age: Origins. It was released for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on March 18 in Europe and March 19 in the UK. It was released in the US on March 16th. and will have both retail and download editions. However in the UK the PS3 version will not be available at retail and will instead only be available via the Playstation network.

The writing team on Awakening consists of David Gaider, Sheryl Chee, and Ferret A. Baudoin.

Plot

Box art featuring the "Children"

The game begins six months after events of Dragon Age: Origins have concluded, and the player will take on the role of a Grey Warden commander (who is either an imported character from Origins or an Orlesian Warden). The player will help rebuild the Grey Wardens and to establish Vigil's Keep as a new base of operations, though the Orlesian Warden will be treated differently because of Orlais' history with Ferelden. Despite the defeat of the archdemon, the darkspawn have not returned underground and there are rumours that there are darkspawn with the ability to speak. The Architect appears to be involved and the Warden may have to deal with this creature. Once this mission is complete, the world will have changed dramatically.

Features

• A total of 6 new specializations, two for each class.
  • New warrior specializations: Spirit Warrior and Guardian.
  • New rogue specializations: Legionnaire Scout and Shadow.
  • New mage specializations: Battlemage and Keeper.

• 16 new spells and 32 new talents (for a total of 48).
• 12 new skills on 3 skill tracks

• The ability to import an old character (either dead or alive), or start as a new Warden from Orlais (if you start a new character, you will instantly get a level 18 character.)
• All non-DLC items as well as any Stone Prisoner and Return To Ostagar items from your Origins character will be transferred into Awakening. Both equipped and inventory, but not party storage chest items, will be transferred.

• A higher level cap of 35.
• All characters The Warden can recruit can be put through The Joining and made Wardens.

Achievements

• Awakening
  Completed Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
• The Enduring Vigil
  Acquired all upgrades for Vigil's Keep.
• Commander of the Grey
  Reach level 30.

Secret Achievements

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

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• Savior of Kal'Hirol - 30G
  Destroyed the broodmothers in Kal'Hirol.
• Blind Vengeance - 30G
  Escaped the silverite mines.
• Pride Before The Fall - 30G
  Defeated the baroness.
• Amaranthine's Last Hope - 25G
  Saved the city of Amaranthine.
• Keeper of the Vigil - 25G
  Saved Vigil's Keep.

The Calling Characters Appearing in Awakening

• The Architect is a mysterious darkspawn that can talk and does not feel the calling; he was the main antagonist from Dragon Age: The Calling.
• Utha is one of the Grey Wardens that went into the Deep Roads to find an ex-Grey Warden commander and has a run-in with the Architect.

Origins Characters Appearing in Awakening

• Herren and Wade will return to sell new goods.
• Alistair, Wynne, Loghain, and Anora can make an appearance depending on player choices in Origins.
• Oghren is a returning party member from Dragon Age: Origins (He will start at 0 approval regardless of your relationship with him in Origins; in addition, if the character has given him gifts in Origins, gifts given to him in Awakening continue to receive diminishing returns in approval)

Awakening Q&A (spoilers)

Q: Do we need to start hoarding runes in our inventory in Origins so that we could economically use them for runecrafting?
A: No there are several rune merchants, all of whom have good prices

Q: Do gifts from Origins work on Awakening characters? Since Bioware stated that it is impossible to transfer any of our companion Approvals from our save files, figure it's better to save for future than spend.
A: Gifts from Origins can be used on Awakening characters. Plot gifts for Origins characters can also be used as regular gifts in Awakening.

Q: Do additional talents/spells attained from Tomes transfer to Awakening?
A: Yes they appear to be transferred. New characters created in Awakening will not have any of these additional talents/spells.

Q: Are there any items that will top Origins most expensive items such as Spellward & Ring of Ages? Since accessory items do not have tiers, are these items still worthwhile investment considering Awakening loots?
A: There are a large number of expensive items in Awakening (many more than you will find in The Origins) however most of the top items from Origins will remain very useful for significant portions of Awakening and depending on your character build may never be replaced.

Q: Is there any item for Arcane Warrior that will top Wade's Superior Dragonskin Armor Set in terms of Fatigue Reduction (-12% Fatigue)?
A: There are several items that have negative fatigue stats.

Q: Do these items come in set pieces, or individually?
A: Both.

Q: Does any Origins exploits contribute to issues in Awakening? Specifically: Mountain Top Leveling & Lothering Quests exploits.
A: There are currently no known issues in Awakening from using exploits.

Q: Can I respec my character in Awakening? If So how many times can I do this and can I respec my party members as well?
A: You can purchase a Manual of Focus from Herren in the Vigil's keep courtyard for 6. You then take control of the character you wish to respec and use that Manual from the potions menu in-game (not from the inventory screen). You will be stripped nude and forced to reassign all specialisations, attribute points, talents, spells, and skills. As long as you have 6 you can do this as many time as you like and to any party member.

Q: Can you visit the rest of the Ferelden land, or only the area around Vigil's Keep?
A: Only the area around Vigil's Keep is available.

Q: Can you continue playing after completing the storyline?
A: No, there is currently no way of playing post-storyline.

Q: Is there any Awakening epilogue that will overwrite the Warden's epilogue from The Origins? For example, being a King-consort, Teyrn of Gwaren.
A: No there isnt, It seems the Awakening is the last Expansion for the Origins Character.

Q: Will characters who have chosen to be King-consort/Queen-consort/Teyrn of Gwaren get any extra soverigns or special items at the start of The Awakening?
A: Not for being a Consort to the King, You receive nothing that I know of.

Q: Do characters that became King-Consort/Queen-Consort in Origins get special dialogue in Awakening?
A: The Only dialog you get from being the Queen-Consort is a 30 second cut scene after retaking Vigil's Keep back from the dark spawn Alister calls you dear wife and leaves it in your capable hands. never to be heard from again. As the King-Consort and if Logain's alive, he shows up at Vigil's keep after you clear 2 of the main quest lines. There is some dialog about him getting reassigned to Orlais. He also spouts some lines asking when you and Anora will get around to having an heir and ends the dialog by giving you 10 gold.

Q: Do you still have all your equipment in your old party and party storage chest? If so where is the party storage chest?
A: You will only carry along the equipments from your Party Inventory. This means items that your character/party members are wearing & the items from your Party Storage Chest will not import along with the ones in your Inventory.

Q: Are we able to expand our Inventory(Bag) Slots in addition to the 125 slots we already have from The Origins?
A: Yes there are additional bag slots in Awakening

Q: How are you able to get Alistair to show up in Awakening?
A: -If Alistair is still alive in your previous Origins save, and also Kinged, then he will carry through into Awakening.

New Companions

• Anders is a human mage who has escaped the Circle of Magi countless times, but always seems to get caught. The woman Templar in the trailer claims he is a murderer and is not to be trusted. The nature of how he is a "murderer" is currently unknown. It may be that she blames him for the death of the Templars that were guarding him at Vigil's Keep when the Darkspawn attacked.
• Velanna is an elven mage of rather unknown and questionable origin, as seen in her very short trailer. She is rather aggressive and has the ability to animate the trees (which are similar to sylvans). According to the trailer, she is hunting the merchants who took her sister, and attacks the warden for killing her "Friends" (likely meaning the sylvans). Who her sister is and why they took her is unknown.
• Sigrun [sig-grun] is a dwarven rogue who is a member of the Legion of the Dead. She fought the darkspawn with her group in the Deep Roads, and she is the last survivor. Also, she thinks that something odd is happening in the fortress of Kal'Hirol.
• Mhairi [mai-ree] is an ex-army sword & shield female human warrior. She admires the two Wardens who defeated the Archdemon "single-handedly" and jumped at the opportunity to help rebuild the order.
• Nathaniel Howe is a rogue and the son of Arl Rendon Howe.
• Justice is a warrior and a noble spirit from the Fade, bound to the body of a dead Grey Warden.

New Locations

• Amaranthine: Rendon Howe's previous property estate, with lots of fishing going on.
• Blackmarsh: Former bustling village abandoned into a gloomy, desolate marsh.
• Kal'Hirol: The dwarven fortress long known as a center of learning for the smith caste.
• Knotwood Hills: An area of inhospitable and barren hills to the west of Amaranthine.
• Vigil's Keep: An ancient fortress in Amaranthine.
• Wending Woods: Forest area divided by Pilgrim's Path, leading to Amaranthine.
• Dragon Bone Wastes: Wasteland where dragons go to die and the Tevinter Imperium attempts to harvest greater power from their remains. The area of Drake's Fall lies here.

New Creatures

• The Architect
• The Children
• The Disciples
• Queen of the Blackmarsh (a spectral dragon)
• The Withered
• The First
• The Lost
• The Mother
• Baroness

New Specializations

• Battlemage
• Keeper
• Legionnaire Scout
• Shadow
• Guardian
• Spirit Warrior

New Spells

• Fade Shield
• Elemental Mastery
• Attunement
• Time Spiral

• Repulsion Field
• Invigorate
• Arcane Field
• Mystical Negation

Battlemage

• Draining Aura
• Hand of Winter
• Stoic
• Elemental Chaos

Keeper

• One With Nature
• Thornblades
• Replenishment
• Nature's Vengeance

New Talents

Rogue

• Heartseeker
• Ghost
• Weak Points
• Flicker

Legionnaire Scout

• Mark of the Legion
• Strength of Stone
• Endure Hardship
• Blessing of the Ancestors

Shadow

• Shadow Form
• Decoy
• Shadow Striking
• Pandemonium

Warrior

• Second Wind
• Peon's Plight
• Grievous Insult
• Massacre

Guardian

• Guardian's Shield
• Fortifying Presence
• Master Guardian
• Aura of the Stalwart Defender

Spirit Warrior

• Beyond the Veil
• Soulbrand
• Fade Burst
• Blessing of the Fade

Weapons

Weapon and Shield

• Juggernaut
• Carapace
• Air of Insolence
• Bulwark of the Ages

Dual-wielding Weapons

• Twin Strikes
• Find Vitals
• Low Blow
• Unending Flurry

Two-handed Weapons

• Sweeping Strike
• Two-Handed Impact
• Onslaught
• Reaving Storm

Archery

• Accuracy
• Arrow Time
• Burst Shot
• Rain of Arrows

New Skills

• Runecrafting
• Vitality
• Clarity

New Weapons

• Vigilance (Longsword Crafted from Dragon Bone. There are many different versions of this weapon. You can choose longsword or greatsword, followed by multiple choices changing the final weapon. The sword is legendary, and actually has it's own story when the warden completes the Awakening campaign. )

• Heartwood Bow (Crafted from Heartwood)

• Flemeth's Broomstick Mage staff looted from Dark spawn general under the Inn in smugglers tunnels (This staff is a refrence to Flemeth's senile personality in Origins. )

• Lamppost in Winter Mage staff looted from Dark spawn general outside Amaranthine city gates (This staff is a refrence to a line from the Grey Warden Alistair in Dragon Age: Origins. )

• Voice of Velvet Dagger bought from bartender in The Crown and Lion

• Spellfury Staff bought from merchant at City of Amaranthine

• Dumat's Spine Longsword made of White Steel

• The Winter Blade Longsword Quest reward for Brothers of Stone

New Armor

• Heartwood Shield

• Sentinel Armor

• Hirol Defense Armor

• Golem Shell Armor

• Venture

• Blackblade Armor

• Stormchaser Armor

• Nimble Armor
• Trickster Armor
• Clamshell Armor

New Quests

Main Plot Quests

• The Awakening (Quest)
• The Righteous Path
• Last of the Legion
• Shadows of the Blackmarsh
• Depths of Depravity
• The Assault on Amaranthine

Lair of the Mother

• Crystals of the Imperium

Vigil's Keep

• A Medical Necessity

• The Survivors of Vigil's Keep

• The Assault on Vigil's Keep

• Defending the Land

• Oaths of Fealty

• Adria's Plight

• Far Afield

• A Daughter Ransomed

• Bensley's Gratitude

• A Brewing Conspiracy

• It Comes From Beneath

• Elemental Requirements

• Cost of Doing Business

• A Master's Work

• Heart of the Forest

• Golem's Might

• The Wraith's Vengeance

• Worked to the Bone

• Trade Must Flow

• Elemental Requirements

• What is Built Endures

• The Peasant Revolution

• Salvage Operation

• A Day in Court

• Bombs Away

• The Shrine of Korth

Companions

• The Prisoner

• Nathaniel's Joining

• The Howe Family

• Freedom for Anders

• Sigrun's Joining

• Velanna's Joining

• Oghren the Family Man

• Justice for Kristoff

Knotwood Hills

• The Long-Buried Past

• Lucky Charms

• Memories of the Stone

The Blackmarsh

• The Burden of Guilt

• Tears in The Veil

• A Maiden in Distress

• Ser Alvard's Missing Sword

• The Trail of Love

• The Lost Dragon Bones

The Wending Wood

• Brothers of Stone

• Ines the Botanist

• Trading Troubles

• The Merchant's Goods

• Maferath's Monuments

• From the Living wood

• Last Wishes

City of Amaranthine

• Smuggler's Run

• Law and Order

• The Blight Orphans?

• The Blight Orphans (Again)

• Moonshine for the Children

• The Sermons of Justinia II

• Those Sweet Orphans

• The Scavenger Hunt

• A Present for Melisse

• Making Amends

• Preying on the Weak

• A Donation of Injury Kits

• A Donation of Poultices

• Till Death Do Us Part

• Out of Control

• Keep Out of Reach of Children

Differences Between Origins and Awakening

• There will be no romance options in Awakening.

• Items will go up to tier 9. There are 2 tiers of 8 and 9, heavier armor is White Steel and Volcanic whereas lighter armor is Dragonwing and High Dragon.
• There are several new materials for weapons and armor to be made from including White Steel, Ancestral Heartwood, Volcanic Aurum, and a wood called Vhendahl.
• You will be able to craft your own runes and use them on armor.

• You will have the ability to re-spec your character without losing plot decisions made in Origins through an unlimited amount of Manual of Focus tomes, sold for 6 each.

• Most promotional and DLC items will not transfer into Awakening. However, items received during Return to Ostagar and the Memory Band will transfer.
• Characters approvals from The Origins will not be translated into The Awakening. Everyone (including Oghren) will start at 0 approval. (ref: I received Awakening today @ Bioware forums)
• The Origins characters who used Character Respecialization Mod can be imported to The Awakening without any issues.
• Oghren will meet you with his new Legion of the Dead gear set with a magical weapon (be sure to strip him out prior to The Awakening)
• Inside the Throne Room in Vigil's Keep ( to the right after entering keep) there is a chest where you store your stuff

Importing an Origins Warden versus creating an Orlesian Warden

• People of Amaranthine will treat a Ferelden Warden with respect, as opposed to suspicion towards an Orlesian Warden.
• An imported Warden appears to tier all companions to his/her level also.
• An imported Warden will only be imported with the weapons and armor that the Warden had equipped with when imported, but will have all unassigned accesories and all basic items. Your companions equipment will be lost unless you unequip them and keep them as unassign accesories in your inventory.
• New Wardens do not benefit from the stat or talent gains garnered from Lost in Dreams or increases from tomes.

External Links

• Gamestop product page
• Amazon product page
• IGN announcement
• Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Q&A
• Official BioWare page
• Team Xbox Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening Hands-On Preview
• Gamespot Dragon Age: Awakening Hands-On - First Details, Combat, and Dragons
• Destructoid "Darkness continue to terrorize in Dragon Age: Awakening"