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With the sequel approaching on March 22nd, let’s dive into the story thus far.
We’ll look at its multiple endings and tackle the future of the tale coming inDragon’s Dogma 2.
Tasty treat!
As such, this article is full of spoilers for the original Dragon’s Dogma.
While many love Dragon’s Dogma for its independence in action and character-building, the story is equally remarkable.
Of course, spoilers for the first game abound from here on.
Tasty treat!
Eons pass, and countless years come and go.
A cutscene begins in which a slumbering dragon emerges through a rift elevated above the clouds.
This Dragon, encircled by harpies, begins to plunge toward the ground.
Suddenly, he wakes and heads in the direction of a small town in the distance.
The dragon strikes the town of Cassardis, where the player lives.
Just before the player passes out, we witness the Dragon consuming said heart.
During the game, your character can’t understand the language in which he says; it’s Latin.
How many struggle, protest, and fall?
My name is Grigori.
Elysion: “Let me tell you my whole plan before I’m killed! MUAHAHA!"
This is your initiation, my cruel gift of eternal life.”
Your player has become the “Arisen,” whose fate is now bound to the Great Dragon.
You wake up in Quina’s home.
The Duke goes wild!
She was present during the Dragon raid, and it’s revealed that your chest is horribly scarred.
This time, a Pawn drops from it.
Once they leave, the Arisen later arrives at an encampment where a group is preparing for the Dragon.
JJ Abrams ain’t got nothing on this guy.
Amongst them are dozens of Pawns.
The Rift speaks to them, where they must battle to earn their mastery over Pawns.
This is explored by the Arisen, as the Pawns have discovered anomalies with the Everfall.
Adventure awaits this Arisen
Yes, there are lunatics in this game.
In a previous encounter with the Dragon decades ago, he lost an eye.
They believe the Dragon is the beginning of the end, embodying the annihilation of the world.
The Dragon consuming the heart of the Arisen.
The Arisen also learns of a side plot in which other nations fear the Duke’s power.
Hilariously, the Dragon lands on Elysion and kills him during this exchange.
A bargain is offered when the Arisen finds the Dragon and confronts him.
The Duke, what a liar!
In return, the Arisen will become the next Duke of Gran Soren, superseding the current one.
This exposes the fact the Duke had formerly received this deal, having not bested the Dragon.
If the player declines, they can do so by rescuing their loved one.
Pawns have the scar of their Arisen on the palm of their hand.
This starts a battle between them and the Dragon.
Once defeated, the Arisen and all associated lose immortality.
The Dragonforged is shown turning to dust, and the Duke is painfully aged.
The Pawn camp bows to the Arisen, as they are their master.
In defense, the Arisen kills the Duke.
Having committed treason, the Arisen must now flee.
Become the new Seneschal, or don’t.
He’s looking a little upset?
If they reject, they can return to before the Dragon emerged and live their life in Cassardis.
This represents another ending if the player chooses not to become the new Seneschal.
If they accept, they must defeat the Seneschal in battle.
How the god child in Mass Effect should have been handled.
Win, and a whole can of worms is opened.
It’s revealed that the Seneschal is actually Savan, having formerly defeated the Dragon.
He, in turn, defeated the last Seneschal and became the current one.
Dragons sure do love hearts.
That is why a substitute must be found, as eventually, that lifeforce runs out.
The player is shown falling through the sky with their Pawn in tow, crying for their master.
The Pawn has become the Arisen, and the game ends.
What are Arisen?
It’s through this process that the Arisen gains immortality, to a degree.
It is thought that if the player falls in battle, they become a dragon of varying degrees.
All of which can be found and fought in Dragon’s Dogma.
However, this turns out to be false as denoted in the novel Dragon’s Dogma: The Beginning.
This choice is forced on the Arisen by the Dragon.
In it, the Dragon asks for what’s most dear to the Arisen.
The player can also make this choice.
This occurs in the canon ending of the Dragonforged, as well as in Duke Edmond.
Duke Edmond ages another 50 years once the player defeats Grigori.
So once the Dragon is taken care of, he vanishes to dust.
What are Pawns?
Pawns are walkers of the Rift, in which they are born by the will of an Arisen.
Pawns are essentially lacking a true soul of their own.
They also do not possess any real emotions, beyond their drive to serve an Arisen.
The Pawns are marked by a Pawnprint, which can be found on their hand.
Pawns do not age, nor do they die.
They can be brought back to life by the simple touch of the Arisen they follow.
Pawns can also be hired across the Rift to other realms by Arisen within these realms.
Which also hints at another process players learn about during the game.
Her Arisen, Sofiah, has passed away.
“I had a different look the day my master pulled me from the Rift.
But o’er the ages I have spent together with the Dragonforged change has taken me.
His thoughts have come to fill my head, his feelings my breast.
In time, even my form has grown to mirror his.
Just so, it may be that we pawns come to take the form of our masters.”
The Fool, the main Pawn of the Dragonforged, also becomes much like his master.
Who is the Dragon?
The Dragon is the first antagonist the player will meet in Dragon’s Dogma.
While there are many variations of the Dragon, the one the player faces off against is Grigori.
This is shown during the final battle between the player Arisen and Grigori.
The Dragon was once an Arisen who failed to finish the fight against the Seneschal being.
It’s through Grigori that the Arisen is tested before finally meeting the Seneschal.
This test is done through three phases.
First, a person must challenge the Dragon by either their own choice or a choice forced upon them.
In doing so, the Dragon takes their heart, and that person becomes an Arisen.
After some time, another phase comes to pass.
In doing so, they become a servant to the Dragon, never to face the Dragon again.
The Dragon then departs, only to return in another 50 years to find another Arisen to test.
Who is Savan / Seneschal?
Savan is the initial Arisen that the player takes control of at the beginning of the game.
Savan was the true last Arisen to have slayed the Dragon.
As explained inDragon’s Dogma: The Beginning, Savan had excellent combat talents.
He would rise to the occasion in his battle against the Dragon to prove his mettle.
Now, Savan would become able to challenge and dethrone the Seneschal, become the new one.
Who is the Seneschal?
They have the power to create life and bring upon it ultimate destruction.
The world draws its life force from the Seneschal, which gradually drains over time.
All of life, nevertheless, is an eternal loop.
Rinse and repeat; the cycle never ends.
What will behold in Dragon’s Dogma 2?
The following information was unveiled from theDragon’s Dogma 2 showcase in 2023.
“Dragon’s Dogma is a tale of the Arisen, whose heart is taken by the Dragon.
Vermund is the human kingdom where you will be drawn into the power struggle for the thrown.
To have her son take the throne, the Queen Regent Disa plots to set a false Arisen.
But why are Pawns serving a false Arisen?
Both kingdoms recognize the Dragon as a threat, but their thoughts towards Pawns and the Arisen differ.
What will happen to the player caught between the beliefs and plots of these two nations?”
Tons of questions come to mind while watching this.
Will players encounter benefits in playing solo without Pawns?
I’d also like to mention that the game will have a third race.
They prefer not to interact with other races and live in the remote village of the Sacred Arbor.
We also know from our hands on session with the game that classic dwarves will also be present.
What lies for players beyond that, for now, is anyone’s guess.
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