Retconning the Qunari as Tieflings?

[Shoggoth2588]

Well they sure as shit look cooler.

I think this is why they changed their appearance. They did the same thing with Flemmeth and, the Darkspawn.

OK, it probably wasn't to make them look cooler but in a fantasy world, you can't have everyone looking so damned human.

 

[ShadowsofHope]

The Qunari are described as such in the Dragon Age lore, Sten in Dragon Age: Origins was one of the rare exceptions to the race as a whole. Also, the Qunari in Dragon Age: Origins were basically just humans with a different religion and an all-encompassing stoic attitude.

Personally, I prefer the hulking, horned and battle painted Qunari in Dragon Age 2 much more. They actually seem intimidating, rather than just an excessively large human with bronzed skin standing before you with a look that could even make grass look more intimidating.

Although I will fully admit here and now, they should have stuck with the Dragon Age: Origins designs for the Darkspawn. That is really the only monster design I disliked out of them all, during my playthrough.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

ERrrrr ...... its bioware there is no excuse for not having horns in the first place... they just wanted to change it and cop out with a poor excuse. They look more generic now than ever....

 

[drshoktopus]

I was thrown initially, but then I started thinking about what a retconned Sten would look like. I want to see that. I like the new models, change is good at times. This is one of those times, at least in my mind.

Well, they actually have an explanation for Sten. You see, apparently some Qunari are born without horns. But it's actually a very rare condition and those without horns are usually of elevated status in their society.

(Although I fail to believe that any society where the ABSENCE of giant phallic imagery on your head is a status symbol would exist.)

I feel like I missed that somewhere in the play-through. Is it in the game itself or was it a dev. interview? Website codex?

 

[zHellas]

It's possible that the horns and ret-conning were just the dwarf narrator being stupid.

XD

While it's that usually Qunari have horns and a select few, due to some genetic thing or something, don't, that'd be hilarious if true.

Dwarven Narrator: "And then I totally showed up and beat the shit out the pussy hero, had an orgy with all the hot chicks, got totally drunk off my ass and DIDN'T vomit, then beat the villain. 'Cause I'm awesome."

Everyone Else: "Fuckin' bullshit."

 

[Wayneguard]

I read somewhere that there are hornless Qunari, who are usually chosen for diplomatic mission and contacting other nations, hence Sten and the guy in awakening. But yes it's a retcon, not the worse though.

If you guys think this is a terrible retcon, go read about Lucas's retcon of boba fett's origin >_>

 

[Terminal Blue]

Basically, they wanted to make the non-human races in general look less human.

In my opinion they succeeded magnificently. Elves in particular look great now with their slightly too neotenic big eyes and general scrawnyness.

In my opinion the 'new Qunari' actually fit in much better with the way Sten described the Qunari in DA:O, as they were clearly meant to be more than just 'big humans'. It also makes sense of the extreme gender roles, as Qunari women (while not appearing in game as far as I'm aware) are a lot more frail looking judging by the concept art (though the same could be said of dwarves).

They also look much more like their Darkspawn equivalents, which makes sense. I mean, Hurlocks and Genlocks didn't suddenly sprout massive horns.

 

[mirasiel]

Were they not supposed to have them in the first one but they realised that since you had one in your party it'd make helms a bit...hard to do for him?

The same as how shale's a golem but a really small one, came about because she didnt fit through fucking doors!

I think its a different team that does DA:O from the one that does Mass Effect but these kind of things reek to me of very poor communication between different groups with in the team.

Its like d&d games where you fight a huge fucking dragon *thats been raiding local towns and shit* in a large cave...but all the ways in and out are only 10ft wide corridors "DM dude, how the fuck did that dragon get in here, its like 40 foot tall and about 50 foot across if it folds its wings in???"

 

[Elamdri]

I was thrown initially, but then I started thinking about what a retconned Sten would look like. I want to see that. I like the new models, change is good at times. This is one of those times, at least in my mind.

Well, they actually have an explanation for Sten. You see, apparently some Qunari are born without horns. But it's actually a very rare condition and those without horns are usually of elevated status in their society.

(Although I fail to believe that any society where the ABSENCE of giant phallic imagery on your head is a status symbol would exist.)

I feel like I missed that somewhere in the play-through. Is it in the game itself or was it a dev. interview? Website codex?

It's on the Dragon Age Wiki article for Qunari. Where they got that, I don't know, but I don't really have a good reason to doubt it.


My thing is, when I first saw the Dragon Age 2 trailer, way back when it first came out, I thought that the horned dude that Hawke was fighting was some new Darkspawn.

Then someone's like, nope, that's a Qunari.