Does the Dragon Age 2 storyline continue on from DA Origins or is it a totally new story?

Planning on buying Dragon Age 2. I havent played Origins so was wondering if its a continued story. Thanks :)Does the Dragon Age 2 storyline continue on from DA Origins or is it a totally new story?
Yes and no. Some characters from Origins are returning in DA2, but mostly you don't need to have cleared Origins to enjoy DA2. You can import your Origins save to DA2 but you will still be playing as a new character, only few thing will be altered by things you did in Origins. So you can safely play DA2 without needing to have played Origins. But I sill recommend you play Originins too, it is a great game.
No, its a new story. This one takes place a few years after the defeat of the archdemon in DA origins. In this one the Templar order is falling apart and the opening begins with a templar women who has a dwarf brought in to question him about a champion who can save the order of the templars. As you play you realize that the dwarf joins your party later in the story and is actually your friend in game. You play as the champion who the templars are looking for. Although there are a few characters from dragon age origins that you will recognize. The first one you meet is the sinister witch of the wilds, Flemeth. You wont recognize her however because she looks way younger. If you got Flemeths black grimoire in the first dragon age and gave it to her daughter Morigan then you already know that Flemeth found immortality by casting a spell on her daughter, taking her youth. And that she plans to do it on Morigan. Wether or not she did succeed and take Morigains youth is unclear however because she leaves at the end of Dragon age one. I guess youll have to wait till tommorow when the game comes out to find out.Does the Dragon Age 2 storyline continue on from DA Origins or is it a totally new story?
New story, part of which overlaps the old one. Remember in DAO, you stop through Lothering on your way out of Ostagar and pick up Sten and Leliana. Shortly afterwards, Lothering is destroyed by darkspawn.

In DA2, your character starts in Lothering and must run from the coming blight before it's taken over. You run to the Free Marches while your DAO character was probably still sorting out the mages, dalish and dwarves. After the Blight is over in Ferelden, your story continues on with your DA2 character's rise to legendary status.

Some DAO/A characters make cameos, and Anders/Justice does join your party. But the storylines are mostly separate.
It continues the story but you can do without it.Does the Dragon Age 2 storyline continue on from DA Origins or is it a totally new story?
half n half some characters from the 1st come back and they all have story intertiwing with the first story