Hakkon Wintersbreath Risen Again

Alright, it’s time to babble about Dragon Age: Inquisition’s first DLC. There are three DLC’s available to play and I knew I would be saving Trespasser for last since it’s meant to be last, so it was narrowed down to between Jaws of Hakkon and The Descent to start with. The main story along with every place to explore and every side quest, was fantastic so I couldn’t wait for more.

I decided to play Jaws of Hakkon first.

One more dragon and the toughest

This DLC unlocks a new area of Southwestern Ferelden for us to explore: Frostback Basin. We are sent to investigate the region after receiving contact from Kenric who has found clues regarding the final resting place of the last Inquisitor – Ameridan, who has been missing for 800 years thus presumed dead. The Frostback Basin is home to a tribe known as the Avvar. There are those of Stone-Bear Hold who worship the Lady of the Skies and the others called the Jaws of Hakkon a.k.a. Hakkonites who worship the God of the same name in their faction.

800 years ago, the Jaws of Hakkon were planning to invade the lowlands of Orlais and hoped to strengthen their chances of victory by binding the spirit of their God to a high dragon. Orlais would be unable to withstand it due to the Second Blight also at large. Inquisitor Ameridan was sent by Emperor Kordillus Drakon I to put a stop to their plans. Ameridan was running out of options and was only able to confine the dragon in time freeze magic along with himself to prevent the invasion. Then, at present time, a new faction of the Jaws of Hakkon hope to continue forward in the plan their predecessors started and now it’s up to us to stop them.

Swamps, forests, and campsites in the tree tops

For the first several hours of playing this DLC, I did not even touch the main quest. Instead, I just enjoyed exploring around Frostback Basin doing what I always do when I go to a new place in Thedas. As always, I set up campsites first and then that’s when I really explore. This feels like the first place where I actually did everything all at once rather than going back and forth between locations. Many places in Thedas are not required to visit for the main story, but may be for personal quests. I did not start the main quest in this DLC until I had found all the shards, completed all the astrariums, closed all the Fade rifts, and did every side quest I was given until I had nothing left! I’ve never done that before!

The enemies in this DLC were a lot tougher than what I was used to fighting in the rest of Thedas. There are so many spiders and gurguts everywhere! Sometimes the bogfishers would become hostile too! But the most annoying enemies to fight were the Hakkonites themselves. I cannot stress to you how much this DLC makes me hate enemies with frost-based attacks the most and those Bruisers who can knock you several meters away!

Things got exciting when I went to that island to find out more about the region’s past and met the spirit of Ameridan’s lover; there I set my goal on ending the Jaws of Hakkon. It didn’t feel like I had really started the main quest until I found the ancient ruin that revealed more of Ameridan’s past and lit the spires that led to the larger Tevinter ruin, where the Hakkonites were going to thaw out the dragon, and complete the ritual to bind their God to it.

Fighting my way through that frozen temple was a pain as I was trying to stay close to a campfire at all times. but then, the Avvar leader wasn’t so tough and at least Ameridan was still alive when he came out of stasis.

He’s an elven mage, why wasn’t Solas here to see this?

He didn’t have much time to speak until time caught up with him, but we were able to converse Inquisitor to Inquisitor, and I had Cassandra in the party who asked him about the Seekers and stuff. She was surprised their leader could be a mage. Then, he disintegrated to rest in peace and join his lover before telling me to go kill the dragon that was now possessed by Hakkon. It’s nice to know that we were not the first Inquisitor.

The dragon itself was just like fighting any other high dragon in Thedas, only with a few more powerful attacks. I had to keep the party directly underneath him when he took flight and sprayed ice breath. The babies were large in numbers, but easy to kill. I was afraid this dragon was going to kick my ass but it turned out to be a good fight with a challenge: A lot tougher than the other frost-breathing dragons I faced. In the end, the Stone-Bear Avvar called the Inquisition their friends and peace was restored.

This was a fun DLC, despite the challenges, but if it was too easy, it wouldn’t be as fun! It is quite historical as well, and I’m looking forward to playing Descent next!

👽Emily