hopebeloved:

From what I’ve read and learnt this is the closest I could come to relating a spirit to a demon counterpart (and vise versa). There are a lot of aspects, I’ve found, that are the cause on why making a list like this is so difficult for so many people. I’ll explain more below:

Ambition = Hunger

Caution = Fear

Compassion = Guilt

Faith = Doubt

Freedom = Wrath

Hope = Despair

Justice = Vengeance

Love = Envy

Passion = Rage

Peace = Sloth

Purpose = Desire

Strength = Power

Valour = Terror

Wisdom = Pride

Now, the reasons: Firstly, the world of spirits and demons is vast and abstract. There are as many different types of spirits and demons as there are names for our emotions. They live in a world of greys and, though it may seem very black and white at first glance, on deeper inspection you realise that is not the case.

As I researched, I slowly started to notice a theme. When people were linking up a spirit to a demon, they were always looking for the most opposite aspect and though, yes in cases this was correct (ie. Hope = Despair) there were also others where it was not. Examples like Wisdom = Pride or Justice = Vengeance, these are not polar opposites and are instead twisted/extreme versions of the original aspect they link to. Desire isn’t the opposite of Purpose, but rather the unhealthy indulgence or ambition of Purpose.

The second thing I noticed was our need to make clean and absolute facts of everything we see. We want lists, we want unquestionable answers, and we want our answers to be right above all others. This goes back to our black and white viewpoints. Most people see Wisdom = Pride and decide only Wisdom can become Pride. However, many times while I was reading others would point out that there were instances where a spirit did not change into it’s supposed demon counterpart.

This is not to say that Compassion can become Wrath, chances are it can’t (or that it is extremely rare) but to instead point out that they can become a demon of a relatable aspect depending on the circumstances of their changing. After all, it is the mind of their individual summoner that twists them into the demon they will be, and as we all (should) know, people often think and see differently. Supposedly, In one of the codex entries, due to summoner’s feelings, a love spirit becomes a desire demon; and there are many instances of noting Faith can turn into Pride (which I am very inclined to believe).

Overall, though this list can give some people ease and – at the very least – give a good straightforward example on what you could most likely expect when a spirit turns into a demon, truthfully, the world of the fade is in so much flux and so dependant on what you (as the dreamer) see and believe, that to expect a solid black and white answer is honestly impossible. The Dragon Age universe seems to pride itself on inconsistency, most in game accounts are first hand from people currently living or only date back a few hundred years and incomplete. They are all bias, they are all wrong, but there is always some measure of truth inside every one of them that you need to dig for and match up to other written accounts. Truthfully, I love it, because it makes me step back from the black and white mindset that today’s views try to press on you.

Either way, I’d appreciate any feedback or thoughts on the whole deal. I’m not here to tell you what is right, only to theorise and hopefully broaden my on mind as well as others.

occorner:

You know what is the most frustrating thing for me in Dragon Age Origins?

Playing as Arcane Warrior, charging into the battle armed with a sword and shield, ready to crack some heads…

Until my dork templar husband decides it is good decision to cleanse area of all the magic and leave me vulnerable even to slightest physical damage, until my powers recharge…

…I love my Alistair sooo much sometimes…