Still Alive
I'm doing science and I'm--
Wait, that's not right. xD Anyway, I'm back! My summer was fun and low key, hanging out with friends every once in a while, but mostly gaming/reading/writing. I got together with Ross, Stacey, Jared, etc. We usually hung out one-on-one, but we hung out as a group every once in a while.
I played Mass Effect 1 last spring, and Mass Effect 2 over the beginning of summer. I am turning into a total Bioware fangirl. xDD So far I've finished two games of Dragon Age, and two of Mass Effect.
My first DA character was Eodra Cousland, a human noble dual-wielding warrior who romanced Alistair, befriended Morrigan, and ultimately ended up with a terrible life because of her selfless lawful-goodness. She rejected the Dark Ritual, unable to let her own selfishness hurt Ferelden in the long run, and Alistair refused to let her sacrifice herself, taking the final blow instead. ;___; Then in Awakening, she lost her closest friend, Justice, (along with Velanna) when she chose to save Amaranthine instead of going back to help Vigil's Keep. She considered it a Warden's duty to put the lives of innocents above their own, and even though the Keep held, she lost people.
My second DA character was Kida Tabris, a city elf tanking warrior, who romanced Leliana, befriended Morrigan and Sten, and looked up to Wynne as a mentor. Kida actually went through a lot of character growth, inspired by her companions. She started as a cold, cynical woman who assumed the worst of people and was ultimately out for vengeance. Then she met her companions. Sten showed her the value of duty, of not shirking your responsibilities or putting them on others' shoulders. Leliana showed her the value of compassion, of forgiveness, and that it is noble to want to make up for past mistakes. Wynne showed her what it meant to be a Warden, and how that encompassed all of what she had already grown into. She, too, rejected the ritual, seeing it as her duty alone to slay the Archdemon, and so she died at the end of Origins. But not before making the world the best it could be--even better than Eodra had.
As for ME, my first Shepard (and favorite) Kara, kind of defies description, but I'll try anyway. xD Her background was Spacer/Sole Survivor, she was a Soldier in ME1, a badass normal who was eschewing cover by the end of the game. She didn't romance anyone in ME1, instead building the best rapport with her squad-mates Garrus and Wrex, a close friendship with Ashley (who she chose to save at Virmire), and a sort of older-sister relationship to Tali. After Virmire she was gunning for Saren with a vengeance, and enjoyed getting to kill him twice. She considered Virmire her biggest failing. In ME2, she was respec'd as a Vanguard (Biotic Charge is her and my favorite thing EVER). She romanced Garrus, was still close to Tali, and made new close friends in Grunt, Jack, and Kasumi. (Though she likes everyone on the SR2 except Zaeed, who she HATES.) After Virmire, she and I were determined for everyone to make it through the Suicide Mission alive, and they did! In both games, she was Paragade (Full Paragon meter, 1/4th full Renegade meter) in that she had heroic intentions, but wasn't afraid to kick ass to get things done (and gods help you if you hurt her friends).
My second Shepard was named Mark, the Paragon-est Paragon to ever Paragon. xD He accidentally romanced Ashley in ME1 (I say accidentally, because my personal fondness for her temporarily overrode my caution when talking to her, and before I knew it, I was fixed on her romance path). Still, although I had wanted him to wait for Tali, I couldn't kill her on Virmire, because it wasn't her fault she got in the way of a guilt-free Tali romance, he was going to save her anyway (he has what I like to call a Dresden-complex, where he can't stand to see women harmed, even knowing they are just as capable as men and not fragile flowers--just like Harry Dresden), and it's better to be alive but heartbroken than dead, right? Still, I went ahead and had him romance Tali in ME2, which was beautiful. I think I might actually prefer Tali's romance to Garrus's (cue the onslaught of crazy Garrus fans xP). So far she's the only character whose scenes have made me cry. At one point in her loyalty mission, I had to pause the game and compose myself before starting the next fight. xD;;
I'm back at University, but a new University, UNCC, which I LOVE. I've met so many cool new people, have great classes (I'm finally learning Japanese!), and all in all, things are wonderful.
Also, I watched Repo! the Genetic Opera over the summer and am OBSESSED with it, but that's a story for another post. ;P
Wait, that's not right. xD Anyway, I'm back! My summer was fun and low key, hanging out with friends every once in a while, but mostly gaming/reading/writing. I got together with Ross, Stacey, Jared, etc. We usually hung out one-on-one, but we hung out as a group every once in a while.
I played Mass Effect 1 last spring, and Mass Effect 2 over the beginning of summer. I am turning into a total Bioware fangirl. xDD So far I've finished two games of Dragon Age, and two of Mass Effect.
My first DA character was Eodra Cousland, a human noble dual-wielding warrior who romanced Alistair, befriended Morrigan, and ultimately ended up with a terrible life because of her selfless lawful-goodness. She rejected the Dark Ritual, unable to let her own selfishness hurt Ferelden in the long run, and Alistair refused to let her sacrifice herself, taking the final blow instead. ;___; Then in Awakening, she lost her closest friend, Justice, (along with Velanna) when she chose to save Amaranthine instead of going back to help Vigil's Keep. She considered it a Warden's duty to put the lives of innocents above their own, and even though the Keep held, she lost people.
My second DA character was Kida Tabris, a city elf tanking warrior, who romanced Leliana, befriended Morrigan and Sten, and looked up to Wynne as a mentor. Kida actually went through a lot of character growth, inspired by her companions. She started as a cold, cynical woman who assumed the worst of people and was ultimately out for vengeance. Then she met her companions. Sten showed her the value of duty, of not shirking your responsibilities or putting them on others' shoulders. Leliana showed her the value of compassion, of forgiveness, and that it is noble to want to make up for past mistakes. Wynne showed her what it meant to be a Warden, and how that encompassed all of what she had already grown into. She, too, rejected the ritual, seeing it as her duty alone to slay the Archdemon, and so she died at the end of Origins. But not before making the world the best it could be--even better than Eodra had.
As for ME, my first Shepard (and favorite) Kara, kind of defies description, but I'll try anyway. xD Her background was Spacer/Sole Survivor, she was a Soldier in ME1, a badass normal who was eschewing cover by the end of the game. She didn't romance anyone in ME1, instead building the best rapport with her squad-mates Garrus and Wrex, a close friendship with Ashley (who she chose to save at Virmire), and a sort of older-sister relationship to Tali. After Virmire she was gunning for Saren with a vengeance, and enjoyed getting to kill him twice. She considered Virmire her biggest failing. In ME2, she was respec'd as a Vanguard (Biotic Charge is her and my favorite thing EVER). She romanced Garrus, was still close to Tali, and made new close friends in Grunt, Jack, and Kasumi. (Though she likes everyone on the SR2 except Zaeed, who she HATES.) After Virmire, she and I were determined for everyone to make it through the Suicide Mission alive, and they did! In both games, she was Paragade (Full Paragon meter, 1/4th full Renegade meter) in that she had heroic intentions, but wasn't afraid to kick ass to get things done (and gods help you if you hurt her friends).
My second Shepard was named Mark, the Paragon-est Paragon to ever Paragon. xD He accidentally romanced Ashley in ME1 (I say accidentally, because my personal fondness for her temporarily overrode my caution when talking to her, and before I knew it, I was fixed on her romance path). Still, although I had wanted him to wait for Tali, I couldn't kill her on Virmire, because it wasn't her fault she got in the way of a guilt-free Tali romance, he was going to save her anyway (he has what I like to call a Dresden-complex, where he can't stand to see women harmed, even knowing they are just as capable as men and not fragile flowers--just like Harry Dresden), and it's better to be alive but heartbroken than dead, right? Still, I went ahead and had him romance Tali in ME2, which was beautiful. I think I might actually prefer Tali's romance to Garrus's (cue the onslaught of crazy Garrus fans xP). So far she's the only character whose scenes have made me cry. At one point in her loyalty mission, I had to pause the game and compose myself before starting the next fight. xD;;
I'm back at University, but a new University, UNCC, which I LOVE. I've met so many cool new people, have great classes (I'm finally learning Japanese!), and all in all, things are wonderful.
Also, I watched Repo! the Genetic Opera over the summer and am OBSESSED with it, but that's a story for another post. ;P