Dragon Age 2 is giving fans a ton of ways to acquire loot before they step into the boots of Hawke and become the champion of Kirkwall. To date, there is an item designed by Penny Arcade, Isaac Clarke's Dead Space 2 armor, and the contents of the Bioware Signature Edition.

Now BioWare is offering fans of the Dragon Age series another opportunity to start their game a little bit ahead of the curve through the Dragon Age: Legends Facebook game. Legends is in beta right now, so gamers without a beta key will not able to play quite yet.

Players who do have a beta key will be able to earn themselves five additional items at the start of Dragon Age 2 by simply playing the Facebook game. Yes, five items. Details on what the items do are scant so far, but here are descriptions of their lore, straight from the BioWare Blog.

Evra's Might (ring slot)

  • "When Evra gained notoriety by defeating the Blood Sisters of Vehnstel, he was wearing his signature ring. Although the massive size of the solid gold ring attracts attention, it served a more practical purpose for Evra: he used it to punch demons in the face, sometimes felling them in a single blow."

Evra's Trophy Belt (belt slot)

  • "This grisly belt is filled with monstrous teeth, chipped blades, scraps of fur, and armor fragments. Each piece is said to be a trophy collected by Evra during his many adventures."

Air of Confidence (ring slot)

  • "After averting a disaster at the Circle of Markham, Evra was given this ring by the First Enchanter. Though the Air of Confidence is not as eye-catching as his other famous ring, it is said that Evra always wore it, even when sleeping. The exact magical properties of the Air of Confidence are a subject of much speculation amongst minstrels."

Ivo Family Crest (neck slot)

  • "Evolving over the years, the crest of House Ivo has become much more ornate than Paragon Ivo’s original design. This ancient golden amulet bears the original crest. Though the engravings are simple, the stark lines are somehow deeply stirring."

Dura's Blue Flame (neck slot)

  • "This weathered silver amulet has passed through many hands over the years. A deep blue sapphire almost glows in a certain light. Although time has faded its intricate engravings, the amulet has a certain majesty about it."

Unfortunately, no in-game stats are available for the items yet. Given the description of some of the items, and their usefulness in felling demons (they do belong to a demon hunter, after all), it will not be a surprise if they enhance Hawke's own ability to fell darkspawn by the dozens. Also, seeing as the closed beta for Dragon Age: Legends has yet to start, it might be a little while longer until BioWare is less hush-hush about it all. The wait should be worth it, though. Who ever heard of having too much loot in a role playing game?

Still hungry for more information on Dragon Age 2? Make sure to check out the developer's diary to see how BioWare is changing up the combat a teeny bit to give it that extra action-packed feel, and take a minute to learn about one of the compatriots who will be traveling with Hawke as he becomes the champion of Kirkwall.

Are any of you playing the Dragon Age Legends beta? Have you earned any of these items yet?

Dragon Age 2 unleashes the might on March 8, 2011, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Source: BioWare Blog, Dragon Age Legends