Dragon's Dogma story recap: Everything you need to know before playing the sequel

Dragon's Dogma 2 is almost here, making it the perfect time to visit the original game's story. The first title was revolutionary for its time, as it combined complex role-playing elements with action-adventure hack-and-slash combat. Over the years, Dragon's Dogma slowly became more popular, gradually moving away from its cult classic status.

The story of Dragon's Dogma is massive, with many sections divided into side quests and other missions. Discussing the narrative, we will avoid going over each individual mission and focus on the main plot, discussing some key points along the way to give you a better understanding of the lore.

Let's jump into the story of the original Dragon's Dogma to shake up your memories of the game.

Note: This article contains massive spoilers for Dragon's Dogma. Reader discretion is advised.

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Dragon's Dogma story recap: The Arisen's journey

Dragon's Dogma kicks off with you playing as one of the Arisens (Image via Capcom)

Dragon's Dogma kicks things off with you playing as a knight named Savan, who is on a quest to kill the Dragon. A time skip will then take you to the village of Cassardis, where your character resides. The great Dragon will besiege your village.

This is where the game essentially begins. You will challenge the foul beast and be turned into the Arisen as the Dragon consumes your heart. After losing consciousness, you will wake up at Quina's home. You find a scar on your chest from where the Great Dragon stole your heart. You will hear his voice as he challenges you; now, it is your destiny to face him in combat.

The Arisen gets up and leaves the house, and as they approach the gates of Cassardis, a rift opens. A mysterious being called a Pawn jumps out of the rift and pledges his loyalty to you. Once you exit Cassardis, your journey as the Arisen will start. But before we continue, let us look at what the Arisens and Pawns are.

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Who are the Arisens in Dragon's Dogma?

Your fame as the Arisen will grow when you repel the Hydra's attack (Image via Capcom)

Arisens are individuals who are destined to fight the Dragon either by fate or by choice. The Dragon will consume their heart before they face the mighty beast, making them immortal. However, this immortality comes with its restrictions. The Arisen cannot die from old age or sickness; however, they might perish during battle.

If an Arisen falls before facing the Dragon who took their heart, it is believed that they turn into a smaller variant of the Dragon, such as Wyvern.

The Arisen are connected to the Dragons, as the mighty beast will offer a choice when one faces the other. They can live as immortals for 50 more years alongside their beloved. The Arisen can also sacrifice their significant other and gain enormous riches instead. If the Arisen elects to choose neither and instead face the Dragon, they can do so and rescue their loved one before engaging in combat.

If the Arisen can defeat the Dragon, all prior Arisens who have received their immortality from the beast will start aging rapidly and may even die if they have been alive for more than the average human life span.

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What are Pawns in Dragon's Dogma?

Pawns will aid you in battle in Dragon's Dogma (Image via Capcom)

Pawns are human-like creatures born to serve the Arisen. Their origin is unknown, but they lack basic human emotions except for their desire to stand alongside their masters. They dwell in a mysterious realm called Rift.

Pawns can become humans, where they slowly start resembling their masters once the respective Arisen perishes. This process is called the Bestowal of Spirit.

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Once out of Cassardis, your team will slowly make their way to an army encampment. Here, you will come across a rift stone and will be able to create your first main pawn. After battling a Cyclops and taking out one of the heads of a Hydra, you impress a knight called Mercedes. She enlists your help, and you leave for the capital city of Gran Soren.

After traveling through a treacherous road, you arrive at the capital. Here, you will meet Duke Edmund Dragonsbane, the ruler of Gransys. He was also an Arisen and the last known one to defeat the Dragon. He will send you on various quests so that you can prove your worth to him. During your quests, you will meet another Arisen named Dragonforged, who will help you throughout the game.

While working for the Duke, you will get involved in a political plot between the nations, which you must tread carefully. This unrest began because of the return of the Dragon.

In Gran Soren, you will also come across the Pawn District, where you can find the Everfall, a mysterious pit full of rifts to various worlds. Each rift represents the journey of various players in the game. As you descend into the depths of the Everfall, you will face a cult called Salvation.

Salvation is led by a man named Elysion, and they want the Dragon to win. As their name suggests, they seek salvation that awaits humanity when the mighty beast annihilates the world.

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The endings of Dragon's Dogma: Final Battle, Grigori, and Seneschal

Your choices result in various endings of Dragon's Dogma (Image via Capcom/Yoiiru on Youtube)

As you progress through the main plot, you will once again face Elysion and Salvation. When pushed to the corner, Elysion will turn his followers into an undead horde, which you must defeat. The Dragon arrives and kills Elysion, then challenges you.

It will be revealed that the Dragon is one of the Arisens, and his name is Grigori. He will offer you the choice of fighting him, becoming the Duke of Gran Soren.

Here, you can get the first ending of Dragon's Dogma. If you take the Dragon's offer, he will go dormant for 50 years, and you will become the Duke of Gransys.

However, if you kill Grigori, you will find the world descending into chaos. Half of the Royal City of Gran Soren will be destroyed and fall into the Evervall. Instead of receiving a hero's welcome, Duke Edmund Dragonsbane will accuse you of causing chaos and attack you. In an act of self-defense, you will take the life of the aged Duke and will be branded a traitor, with your allies turning against you.

You and your pawns then escape the chaos, but the Everfall pit will consume you. Here, you will meet a mysterious being called Seneschal, who is revealed as Savan, the knight whom you play at the start of the game.

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Who is the Seneschal?

Savan is revealed as the Seneschal (Image via Capcom/ Yoiiru on Youtube)

The Seneschal will be revealed as the god who keeps the world alive using their own life force. When one's power slowly depletes, The Seneschals send the Dragon to bring forth a new Arisen to them. This new Arisen should take the place of the Seneschal, keeping the cycle alive. Savan takes the mantle of godhood and is looking forward to passing it down to you.

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Seneschal will offer you a few choices, which will lead to different endings. Either become the new Seneschal and take on the mantle of the godhood, or reject his offer and return in time to Cassardis before Grigori attacks the village.

If you reject Seneschal's offer, you will be teleported back to your village to live out your life. This is the game's second ending.

If you choose to become the new god, you will fight Seneschal to prove your worth. If you lose and fail his test, Seneschal will turn you into a dragon, just like Grigori. You will be tasked with finding a new Arisen and, by extension, a new replacement for Seneschal, leading to the third ending of Dragon's Dogma.

The final ending of Dragon's Dogma is called The Great Hereafter. If you manage to beat Seneschal, he will turn his responsibilities onto you, making you the new god. He will also hand over a weapon called Godsbane, which is capable of killing the Seneschal. With this newfound power, you will be able to visit Cassardis and other regions, albeit with limited interactions.

You can choose to break the cycle of the Arisen by using the Godsbane and sacrificing yourself. A scene will play out where you and your main Pawn will be seen falling from the sky. You will then wake up at the shores of Cassardis, where it will be revealed that it is not you who survived but your Pawn who now resembles you.

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Dragon's Dogma 2 takes place in another cycle, where you must follow the journey of the Arisen again. For more related content of the game, check out the following articles:

Best PC settings for Dragon's Dogma 2 II How to save your progress II Dragon's Dogma 2 all achievements and trophies II How to unlock Trickster vocations II Best early game weapons for mage vocations II How to mark locations on the map in Dragon's Dogma 2 II Best controller settings for Dragon's Dogma 2 II How to fast travel II How to escape Gaol II Dragon's Dogma 2 PS5 and Xbox Graphics settings explained II 5 settings you need to change in Dragon's Dogma 2