In the Name of Sacrifice: Save the Chargers or the Dreadnought in Dragon Age Inquisition (Demands of the Qun)

SPOILER WARNING: The following focuses on a major plot development for the Inquisition regarding the Qun after the events at the Winter Palace and Adamant.

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Game: Dragon Age: Inquisition

Quest: Demands of the Qun

Location: The Storm Coast

Summary: When the Ben-Hassrath launch a covert operation to derail the Venatori's Red Lyrium smuggling ring on the Storm Coast with the aid of the Inquisition, the Herald of Andraste is eager to comply. It's a simple plan: The Inquisitor discreetly stamps out Venatori surveillance to clear the way for the Qunari Dreadnought Berethlok's final assault on the transport vessel while the Iron Bull's Chargers mop up any survivors. If the mission is successful the Inquisition will secure an alliance with Thedas' most formidable fleet: The Qun.

But the Ben-Hassrath's intel fails to scout the Venatori reinforcements that are threatening to overwhelm the Chargers before the companions can reach their side, leaving the Inquisitor with a painful ultimatum: Abandon their friends or signal a retreat and endanger the Dreadnought in their stead - a resounding death knell for the 100 lives on board that relinquishes all hope of collaboration with the Qun. It's a lose/lose scenario where the Inquisitor must question what - and who - they are prepared to sacrifice for the greater good: Unity across nations or close-knit kinship ties.

More information: Demands of the Qun | Dragon Age Wiki | Fandom

 The Storm Coast. Photo credit: FetchQuester

What They Gain (Save the Dreadnought)

A complex and imposing society built on the principles of serving as a collective whole, the Qun's discipline and intelligence prime them as an ideal candidate in uniting Thedas against Corypheus' forces. The Ben-Hassrath (a functioning body comprised of three independent assets: Religion, Education, and Espionage) combined with the Qun's naval dominance and long-standing history of war with the Tevinter Imperium grants the Inquisitor a marked advantage from their allegiance. But how does the staunchly autarchical Qun benefit in proposing an alliance for the first time in their history?

After watching the events unfold at the Winter Palace and Adamant, any faction would be fool to downplay the Inquisitor's prominence on taking the helm as Andraste's "chosen one", giving rise to the Inquisition as the sole discernible hope against Thedas' impending crisis. Working closely with the inner circle in an official capacity allows greater resource distribution and strengthens the Qun's political position by playing a public role in Thedas' salvation, but it's not without its caveats. The Inquisitor must first prove they are a loyal ally, able to execute their assignments with discretion in accordance with the Qun's integral philosophy.

The Qun will be watching the Inquisitor's next steps closely - and surrendering one of their elite vessels to the Venatori is not the calibre of leadership of which any seasoned battle-tactician would approve. "Dreadnoughts don't sink," the Iron Bull informs as the implication of self-destruction becomes clear; losing face against Tevinter would be humiliating for the proud Qun more than the grievance of the crew and ship itself. No, the Dreadnought must be saved at all costs - just as the Qun accept sacrifice as integral to championing an ambitious endeavour, the Inquisitor must acknowledge that the loss of half a dozen mercenaries to serve a greater cause is necessary and expected.

If the Inquisition fails their commitment to the Qun they risk the reputation of being perceived as unmeasured, erratic, and unreliable in their approach, damaging future alliances that are brokered on trust and creating discordant feelings among the ranks. Harbouring resentment for an act of oath-breaking may lead to misconstrued thoughts of sabotage against the Qun, and the prospects of a divided Thedas countering Red Lyrium's trafficking scheme becomes less likely - a bleak conclusion to which neither side would wish to play a part. As the Iron Bull laments, the Chargers understand exactly what they signed up for and are prepared to lay down and die for it. 

 The Iron Bull and his Chargers. Screen capture: FetchQuester

Call the Retreat (Save the Chargers)

Not long into their campaign the Inquisitor finds a lone mercenary awaiting them outside the gates at Haven. Cremisius Aclassi (aka Krem) makes a promising offer: Join league with the legendary Chargers, a rugged gang of specialist fighters led by the Qunari warrior Iron Bull.

That the Chargers sought to help the Inquisition in its early stages when the Chantry were openly challenging its validity is telling, and have since proven themselves an invaluable force of reckoning under the Iron Bull's leadership, comradery, and battle prowess that has earned them esteem among the troops.

But for the Iron Bull the Chargers are more than morale-raising mercs and fellow merry-makers: They are family, a wholesome-hearted squad Bull keeps few in numbers so he may know each of them and their fondly-given nicknames intimately. Harkening from a culture where the concept of familial relations is forbidden and one is defined not by name but by the occupational title designated them by the Qun, the Chargers form part of the Iron Bull's emotional whole, as essential to his being as the mantra of the Qun itself (a troubling dichotomy that sometimes struggles to co-exist within his psyche). Though his people are prepared to fight with resolve, their loss would leave an irreparable scar on Bull and tear away at the soul of the Inquisition itself. 

Like limbs to a tree, the Chargers function as a smaller representation embodying the ethos of the Inquisition: Open to all races, creeds, and convictions, where rogues, mages, and warriors perform heroic feats revered across the land, as mighty-hearted as the fabled drinking song that has become their enduring trademark and with whom the Inquisitor has shared a laugh and turned a tale.

Is the Inquisitor so relentless in carving a path towards their goals they lose their sense of loyalty towards those who have stood beside them since the beginning? Built upon the backs of the farmers, labourers, scholars, warriors, and craftspeople desperate to shape the fate of their world, the Inquisition's willingness to promote cooperation across Thedas relies on ensuring the trust of the underdogs - a trust which quickly diminishes when lives are forsaken so readily. The argument of joining rank with the Qun without vocally opposing their practice of slavery is equally alarming to those whose belief in the Inquisition stems from its advocation of freedom as antithesis to Corypheus' ambitions, making politics between Orlais, Ferelden, and Par Vollen/Seheron even more fraught with tension.

Map of Ferelden and Skyhold, home of the Chargers. Photo credit: FetchQuester

Burning Questions

The Ben-Hassrath's incompetence in procuring an accurate analysis of Venatori numbers while leaving the Inquisition to bear the outcome beckons disbelief; nor should the Inquisitor discard the suspicion that this is a roundabout tactic for "testing" the Iron Bull's affiliation as he rides the purgatory between "Tal-Vashoth" (one who forsakes the way of the Qun) and Ben-Hassrath agent. The Iron Bull knows all is not as it seems, emphasizing there are "too many ways for things to go wrong" where a Dreadnought is concerned (yet less risky than allowing Red Lyrium into Minrathous, the Tevinter capital).

Additional thoughts: Those accustomed to Orlesian and/or Ferelden society and unfamiliar with the customs of the Qun will find them adversarial, but as Gatt (an elf turned "Viddathari", an outsider who follows the Qun) suggests, their way of life presents comfort, stability, and purpose for many people.

Spoilers affecting choice:

If the Chargers hold ground against the Venatori mages they are killed in a matter of minutes; the Iron Bull accepts their sacrifice and re-affirms his commitment to the Qun, but not without reflecting on the motives of his beloved companions: "We're doing it for a good cause. Gaining an alliance, strengthening the Inquisition, something. The Chargers don't care about any of that crap. They're giving their lives for me." The Inquisitor is granted an alliance and full intelligence network, earning them the title of "basilit-an" or "respected one". 

Though Bull accepts the consequences he becomes a broken man and grows alienated from the Inquisition, leading to his eventual betrayal of the Inquisitor (required in his role as spy for the Qun). 

If the Inquisitor signals a retreat and saves the Chargers, the Iron Bull's connections to the Qun are severed and he is "reborn" into a new life where he can thrive in the love and companionship of his peers. Naturally, the alliance is off the table and an assassination attempt is made on the Iron Bull as a "formality" to seal his status as traitor to the Qun. The Inquisitor is quick to remind Bull that "You're not a Tal-Vashoth. That's a Qunari word, and you don't follow the Qun any longer. You're Iron Bull, mercenary captain for the Inquisition." There are no further repercussions though Bull and his Chargers regret the missed opportunity to work with the Qun's best and brightest; the Iron Bull seeks out remaining agents in their absence.

Both choices earn the "Greatly Approves" rating from the Iron Bull.

- Lucy A.

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Sources: 

Dragon Age: Inquisition (BioWare/Electronic Arts); fandom.com