Explaining Dragon Age: The Scaled Ones [spoilers]

Hey everyone, hope you enjoyed the video and have a few more things to think about lore-wise. I had a lot of fun researching this, and tackled my forever fear of the underground.
If you have any questions, or perhaps theories or thoughts, pop them down in the comments, or if you'd rather you can contact me via email or through a pm on reddit. Links should be on profile-about.
0:00 - 1:15 = Introduction
1:16 - 3:08 = The Art
3:09 - 6:20 = Intro to the Codex & Story Summary
6:21 - 8:16 = Chronicles of a Forgotten War [Part 1]
8:17 - 10:55 = Chronicles of a Forgotten War [Part 2]
10:56 - 18:40 = Chronicles of a Forgotten War [Part 3]
18:41 - 19:05 = Chronicles of a Forgotten War [Part 4]
19:06 - 23:30 = Chronicles of a Forgotten War [Part 5]
23:31 - 25:20 = Finishing up thoughts with the Codex
25:21 - 27:41 = Reavers [warrior sub-class]
27:42 - 29:10 = 2 Other Codex Entries mentioning 'lizard men'
29:11 - 30:33 = Meta Content in Dragon Age
30:34 - 34:11 = Speculation, Questions and Tinfoil Hats
34:12 - 35:03 = A Final Thought
35:04 - 35:59 = Finishing Up/Outro

[@happythoughts4553]

in Tresspasser, Solas mentions that the Evanuris rose to power because of a war (more Elf lore, I know). I have a Theory that that War was Elves VS Dragons. Not Dragons as we know them in The Dragon Age time, but Great Dragons like the ones in The Silent Grove Comic. I think that is why Mythal is so often depicted transforming into a dragon, and why shapshifting into a dragon is implyed to be reserved for the Evanuris in another Tresspasser codex entry; it is a trophy of their absolute victory. Running with this idea, perhaps the surviving Dragons/Dragonkin were drivien underground and they are the Scaled Ones. I can point to The Hissing Waste Codex entry for evidence Dwarves encounted dragons at least: A Journal on Dwarven Ruins, ""Urtok" means "dragon." Why was it part of an ancient crest? Why were these dwarves so worried about a monster they'd never see that they worked it into their weapons? " Not a lot of evidence for this, but I'm hoping to go to Kal'Sharok in DAD and get more lore

[@MalarikFilms]

30:24 I stand with you ESPECIALLY In fantasy settings

[@jimmycool3635]

I like to think it's something to deal with the oldgods, these be their minions and I like to imagine that they are at constant war with the darkspawn now just like the dwarves, and are trying to defend the dragons tooth and nail (literally)

[@ladysulevin]

I love this, new headcanon/theory 🥰

[@teresamorrow2459]

When you started discussing the “Talons” and “daggers”…my mind immediately went to the Rogues of Rivain! Did the Evanuris in the North decide they wanted to expand south as well? Did they drain the Titan in the North or corrupt that portion of the Titan? Was this the “wolf cuts off its leg to escape” part of a Titan? 😢 Which Evanuris ruled Tevinter, Freemarches, Rivain, etc? Is this why the Qunari hate magic so much? Were they created by dragons and abused elves/humans? Sooo many questions!

[@ConnorLonergan]

I suspect that the Scaled Ones are a race the reside in the Western Lands beyond Thedas and that the Scaled Ones that the Dwarves met was something of a scouting force. their task to study the deep roads and any inhabitants for some purpose. I suspect that while there where reports of attacks before the codex is the first time a Dwarf killed a Scaled one at all, a feat initially not excpected by the scouting force. While it is unkown if the Scaled ones learned everything they needed to know they still would perform one last ceramony before packing up and returning to their homeland to report what they did know. Since no report of scaled ones after this encounter my guess the scaled Ones back West ruled that the Deep Roads of Thedas are too dangerous or hazardous and so must be left alone.

[@robwatso]

Great job! Thank you. I'll be doing Decent in the next week or 2 during my current play through. I've not really given much thought to the Forgotten War but will now!

[@robwatso]

Been thinking. Iron Bull talks about how the Qunari may have been mixed with Dragon Blood - hence the horns in most. Maybe the Scaled Ones are the rejects that somehow survived...

[@haedrath]

Great video. Few random thoughts on the topic :). Some if not all of the Evanuris could turn into dragons. *see flemeth/mythal and well Morrigan* Though it was considered a divine right which pissed off Elgarnan when Ghilan'nain became one (if im remembering correctly... been years). If I were to venture to guess on this, the scaled ones are a product of the Forgotten ones - the enemies of the Evanuris. I say this because of their location in the abyss or void which has been mentioned a few times being in the deeps. Though.... the 'here lies the abyss' quest takes place strictly in the fade... so take that for what you will.

[@MaskedRifter]

Could the Scaled Ones have gone to the Fade through their final ritual? Maybe to find the Old Gods or something? Or did they, somehow, become High Dragons, slowly transforming and steadily roaming Thedas through the coming ages? There's my 2 cents. Hope you can get a bigger tinfoil hat with it. 😂

[@mauricewilks1974]

Hopefully we will learn more about them in Dreadwolf.

[@HalonOfficial]

i wonder if we will learn more about the scaled ones in dreadwolf

[@rususumi]

They might not wear helmets due to some cultural notion or spiritual notion related to guarding the head? Maybe it’s considered dishonorable?

[@ladysulevin]

oh, maybe!

[@SebastianMeusel]

Krogans! 😉😆

[@TheBirdsDen]

I think we should be able to date them.

[@thirdcoastfirebird]

This is a great video. You caused me to stop playing DAI for a split second when you said people become Reapers. I just imagined a human turning into a Reaper-not a bunch of people like in ME-no, just one. It made me pause in fear. Good job.

[@chickenmonger123]

Make you wonder what would have occurred if Godrick attempted to Graft Godwyns remains. The entire problem with Godwyns death is that it only killed the Soul. The Body though degraded is still living, if degraded and missing half of what made it alive. His whole body seeming to be like a transferable form of cancer. Yet couldn’t the addition of Godricks own soul, revivify or substitute the damaged and missing ingredient? I suppose not. Because it is shown to infect the living, rather than be stabilized by the addition of it to a body and soul. It is also possible Godrick would simply be too weak to survive that malignancy. It makes you wonder. Another potential way to view Godwyns Body is attempting to consume souls, and bring them in as a consequence of the lack. An unconscious hunger. So perhaps nothing could withstand it. Couldn’t you slay the rest of him with the full Death Rune too? Making the separated portion permanently severed?