antivan-sprig

[antivan-sprig]

"You could have waited inside, my dear Warden." "And where's the fun in that, huh? I thought I'd meet you halfway, save some time." "Oh, a perfect moment to waste that time now, then."

Help. I'm so deep.

[antivan-sprig]

Drunk Men Don't Belong At Ballet Shows

RRAU 1700+ Words Warnings: Fighting, Curse Words, Alcohol

Thank you @antivan-sprig for the idea <33 I can't wait to see what might happen next...

Herah stood still by the canals, breathing in the sweet scent of perfumes and river floating through the outer city. Her silver hair was pulled back, high in a ponytail, and pushed behind her curved horns. There weren’t too many Qunari amongst the people of Treviso, so she didn’t exactly blend in with the crowd. But none had caused her harm or been rude. Most seemed to keep to themselves. She had been walking through the city for a few hours, keeping track of where certain shops were located or what avenues led where. Tasked with scouting the area to be sure that her fellow Shadow Dragons would know where and where not to go on an upcoming expedition into the city. 

There had been some word of the slave trade occurring in Treviso. They had been informed by Antivan Crow contacts who were also involved in the situation. They were tasked with killing the slavers, and Herah was tasked with saving the people held against their will. Easy enough, with the group she had. And she had already begun to figure out a route for safe escape – one that would lead right to a pier and to a ship that would take them further inland and out of Antiva, where the people could choose which direction to go. She had properly sketched a map out in her journal, writing tiny notes about it all, reminders of things to share with her fellow dragons. 

Her eyes kept scanning her surroundings, curious as to what to look for, when they settled on something she hadn't expected to find down an alley offshoot from the canal walk. Posters lined the stone walls, each plastered well and bright with paint. She was not fluent in the language of Antiva, so she couldn't comprehend exactly what the posters were announcing. But it wasn't the words that drew her in. It was the young lady who stood in the poster's center. Silver blonde hair swept back, sweet and tight away from her pale, round, tattooed face. Eyes open gently, revealing a sweet blue. She wore an adoring dress, perfect for movement and class. Herah was instantly drawn in, forgetting her reason for being in Antiva. She even forgot her surroundings until she ended up in front of the very bar where the beautiful girl was set to perform. Her feet had somehow dragged her there without any effort. She would need to retrace her steps afterward. She’d not seen many musical acts besides the occasional magician or street performer back in Dock Town. Her excitement for this was new, and she was happy for it. Despite not exactly knowing how she got there, she checked out a popular bar with the “excuse” that she was there for her mission, not the performance. It made perfect sense to her. 

She had to make her way through the bar as if through a crowded street. Every inch of the location was filled with people, drinking and talking amongst one another. Some appeared cheerful and kind, simply there for a good night with good friends. Others were not quite in the same spirits. They were in silks upon silks, wearing several golden rings on each finger. They chugged on the alcohol they demanded and laughed so loudly her ears rang with the noise. 

She managed to find a spot, smiling at a few people with whom she made eye contact to allow them to feel safe in her presence. Being a Qunari anywhere seemed to bring fear in its wake. But many seemed too drunk to care. She settled against a wall, near both the bar and a large velvet curtain that she could only assume covered the stage where the performance would occur. She kept her eye on it, waiting for it to reveal what she had come to see.

The candles and lanterns throughout the bar began to dim, lessening around her. The talk in the room grew quiet, with a few laughs and words here and there. Wispy light settled among the curtains, reflecting off the fabric like glittering dust. The curtains shifted and began to open as if by magic. Beyond, a small stage was revealed, and the wisps floated above and focused their glow upon the angel standing in its very center. 

The room was still. The angel's eyes gently began to open, revealing the gleaming color of deep blue. Her cheeks were painted in blush, a tattoo beautifully tinted upon her face. As she moved, she moved like a precious doll. Smoothly. Elegantly. Herah was completely drawn in, unable to remove her eyes from the performer. How lucky she was, she thought, to be able to witness such…beauty. It was as if her body were the melody of the music itself. A gentle smile grew on Herahs face as she tilted her head and admired. For a moment, the dancer's eyes seemed to catch her own. She felt a sweetness flow in her soul. How wonderful. 

A flow that was quickly interrupted by a loud drunken shout. An old, wrinkled man began to pull himself across the floor towards the stage, liquor being tossed from his glass as he moved. Several other men attempted to prevent him from growing close, but he simply pushed them aside. His voice slurred, speaking words that Herah was sure were curses and cruel intentions. The dancer upon the stage caught the approaching drunk, her eyes widening as she stumbled out of her dance. She had a great look of shock in her eyes, one that caused Herahs to make her way through the crowd.

The artist loved this passion, and she would not allow such a creep to ruin her night. Stepping in front of him before he could reach the stage, she placed her first on her hips and stood tall. The man, if he stood at full height, may have once been taller than she. But with the alcohol and age, he slumped and looked up at her with red, bulging eyes like a sickly animal. She didn’t often think of others as gross, but this human was especially disgusting. 

“W-what?” His words slurred as his chin hung down towards his chest, “Who is t-this horned bitch?” He turned back towards the men following him, all with their hands out, ready to catch him if he stumbled. Herah had been insulted quite a few times, but this was one of the most common. And stupid. 

“I’m gonna have to ask you to back up. You are disrupting a wonderful performance, and I do not believe you wish to do something you regret.” She kept her tone calm, hoping at least one or two of her statements would reach the ears of the drunk. She hoped she could settle this well, so that the performance could continue and the dancer wouldn’t suffer for having it interrupted so harshly. But this was a hope she so often had that turned sour. 

The drunk man laughed loudly, his breath sharp and pungent. It was clear he had several cups of hard liquor. The men behind him chuckled awkwardly, clearly unsure how he would react if they didn’t respond so. He muttered something in Antivan, clearly more insults, before raising a shaking finger and poking Herah right in the chest. Herah followed his finger as it continued to do so, as if he were attempting to push her back. But she was balanced, strong, and unmoving. She’d been a scout and Shadow Dragon for far too long for such a thing to even phase her. 

“Sir,” She moved her hand to grab his wrist and place it back at his side of gently as she could, “You have drunk far too much and you are causing trouble. Please, allow your compatriots to escort you home so that you and others may remain safe.” 

The man pulled his hand away from Herahs, grunting and stepping backwards clumsily for a moment before slamming the drink he held in his other hand against the ground. People around them gasped, many stepping back and allowing there to be a more open space between Herah and the man. Great, Herah thought, so this was how it was going to go. Herah glanced about, wondering if there were any guards or possible allies that might help this end without violence. But no one stepped forward. She would need to handle this on her own. 

Before she knew it, the man stepped towards her, swinging his fist at Herahs jaw. She is swift and steps back with grace, watching the man tumble and nearly fall to the floor for just attempting to punch. He continued, stumbling around and grabbing at her in an attempt to somehow cause her pain, but she was sober and rogueish, and not one touch came close. She didn’t fight him back, moving so that they slowly shifted in the direction of the entrance. She wasn’t about to melee inside a bar with a drunken man if she was able to get him out onto the street and away from harming others. 

She wondered if the man read her mind in those moments. He turned once more towards her before smiling and stumbling towards the crowd that surrounded them, reaching and grabbing at the ones he fell nearest. He pulled at a woman's arms and clothes, dragging her into the open circle and towards the door. It was the dancer. She had somehow joined the crowd. Herah hesitated at stopping him; she didn’t want to cause any harm to the woman. But no one else was stepping in, even the men who followed the drunk stayed back. So Herah ended up having no choice. 

Pushing herself in between the drunk and the dancer, she kicked him backwards and out onto the streets. Following him as his body tumbled onto the road and startling several other passersby and merchants, she spoke to him one last time in warning, “Sir, it is time for you to return to your home and rethink your actions.” The warning went right over his head. The man got back to his feet, grumbling insults before doing his best act of steadying before grabbing a nearby plank of wood and swinging it at Herah’s head. 

She easily dodged once more, pulling the plank out of his hands and finally landing a full strength cut against the man's neck and watching him collapse to the ground unconscious. With a sigh, she noted the group around her had grown larger, and each of them had various expressions of shock, hate, and admiration on their faces. 

So much for having a good evening.

[antivan-sprig]

Two very suspicious figures at the Winter Palace tonight…

[antivan-sprig]

ZevWarden Week Day 5: Purpose

Warden's search for a Cure was an excuse for Frey to distance himself from Warden Commander's responsibilities. Unexpectedly, the idea captured Zev's interest, who started his own studies on the taint.

[antivan-sprig]

✨ Your OC in song lyrics ✨

Rules: Use as many or as few lyrics as you like, do it for one OC or multiple, format in any way, whatever you want to do.

Oh these tag games are always my favorite! I tried to really narrow this one down with my top most Lisel songs 😘

I got tagged by a couple folks for this! Including: @pixiedurango @melinoe-ghilasara (& @herah-mercar ) @junejems @clodicious who all gave me some fabulous songs for my DA playlist from Laufey, Christina Perri, Florence & the Machine, & NSB!

Took me awhile to get to it because I’m writing a Lillario fic that I’ll never post but am honestly reveling in I love writing them so much

At the top we’ve got: Blooming Strangely by Ginger & Pear. If I had to narrow this list down to one song, this would be the one.

Every line oozes with cloying sweetness and resentment, and the imagery of a seed growing into a parasitic plant is perfect 👌🏼

I have a billion HCs about Lisel singing this song for a Crow performance Gilda “put the blame on mame” style.

In a similar vein to the previous song, we have Devourer by Aidoneus. I really like the focus on grief and its role in corruption here, grief is a huge motivator for Lisel post Dalish life.

Try Again Tomorrow by Lianna Flores is how I see Lisel in her Crow era. Completely untrusting, very dejected, but unable to do anything but continue on.

Next we have Last Woman on Earth by Paris Paloma (my fave artist!). I think this is a good “how Lis thinks about herself and how she thinks others see her” song, especially while in the Crows.

Never Love an Anchor by The Crane Wives, a repressed Queen classic ✨ a heart that’s guilty not remorseful is 👩‍🍳💋👌🏼 (AKA Lis post Treviso blighting)

I had to add BubbleGum Bitch by Marina & the Diamonds because it’s what Lis would sing at karaoke and/or get ready in the morning to.

Imma soft tag: @thrilmalia @in-the-drowning-deep @katkrisis @eiluned @randomness-in-motion @zennihilation @kabsey @gingervitus @angelsndragons @thecrowsruleantiva @kai-dimir @vixenofcadmea @pandorazlost @nevarrantorte & @superk191 (you’re all free to tag me in your post’s comments if you already made them and I missed it btw, as always!)

[antivan-sprig]

Ah I just read Crispin by Avi and it was so flipping good!!! I’m embarking on my Avi journey now

[antivan-sprig]

Davrin comm :)

[antivan-sprig]

Your OC in Song-Lyrics

Thank you so much, @curiouswisp for tagging me in something that is once more right up my alley because I can ramble about my baby Cara and at the same time pester everyone and their cat with my eclectic taste in music. The rules are simple:

Use as many or as few lyrics as you like, do it for one OC or multiple, format in any way, whatever you want to do.

I'm sure there are easier ways to do this, but since when am I doing things the easy way... ;)

I gently invite to play: @antivan-sprig @casa-dei-corvei @bronzieinthedas @therivercrow @davrinsleftpectoral @blackwall-my-tiny-husband @woundedsoul12 @himluv @serensama @alystrin03 @larkinna @hedwigoprah @rooks-dagger and everyone who loves music and their OC

I tried a new hairstyle for Cara today, because of the necessity to hide her hair in the Pit so I came across this braided style which I actually kinda like a lot so far. But I digress... Here the lyrics come:

I will happily ramble about each and every song and where and how in Cara's story it fits but this post is already long enough so I won't force that on y'all. But you can always comment or dm me for any thoughts or questions you might have) Only one thing: "Poison" originally from Alice Cooper was chosen as Cara's entrance theme for the Pit, as she is Vibora Roja after all and needs something that fits her persona. I chose to mention an Opera Version that I found on YT to make it more fitting for how I think the music thing with the Pit would be handled (If at all. I also tried several Bardcore versions plus my favorite version from Powerwolf... but... meh I'm just not sure abozt which is the one here)

[antivan-sprig]

Naenia and Zevran

A story told by an elderly healer from the Brecilian forest who once tended to the Wardens.

“They weren’t speaking, that was the first thing I noticed. He had a wound, shallow, just beneath the ribs... too much talking that one, not enough dodging. She was the one stitching him. He watched her hands, the way her hair furrowed out of the braid, didn’t make a sound. Her hands shook the entire time and his jaw was clenched like he was holding something back with his teeth. I offered to finish for her but she just shook her head 'he's my burden' to which he smiled at. When it was done, she left without a word, fingers still shaking, two steps in place of one and only then, did he exhale. Just one breath. ‘She should have let me die. But she never does.’ I didn’t ask what he meant. Some things are meant to be sewn in silence.”.

Famous verse sung in tearful taverns across the Waking Sea:

They say she almost died in Denerim. That he kissed her blood and begged the sky. “Just let her stay. Just one more day.” And the sky did.

art by @/crowwowo

[antivan-sprig]

XVI. The Tower

there she is… my warden's inquisition card!

[antivan-sprig]

Lmao this makes it seem like you’re being petty and destroying the city because Viago made you mad.

Rinaldo & Juan de Riva > Coffee with Crows > Slow Poison > Fit for a Crow

@antivan-sprig omg you were right that whole speech about Crow infighting being what destroys the city hits real gd different when you know you're gonna send everyone to the blight.

[antivan-sprig]

Your OC As Song Lyrics

Okay!!! So I was tagged by @curiouswisp thank you so much! I had a good time figuring what songs sort of suited Maite's journey across both the canon Veilguard universe and her AU goings on with @soeasilyswayed 's OC Elyon.

More under the cut because I got a lil long winded, lol

tagging @soeasilyswayed @antivan-sprig @onelooseskull @tacoteddy22 @paramortality and if you're reading, go ahead and do iiiit!

Basically the first row represents Maite before everything, her general outlook and way of moving through the world. She knows she's attractive, it's been a blessing and curse her entire life. (I am writing...things regarding this). She wields her attractiveness like a weapon, and surrounds herself with a mostly icy exterior.

Second row is the thaw- being around a group of people who are all basically going through the same shit WILL change you. And Maite is changed by leading the Veilguard. In the AU, she's changed by the simple act of someone loving her, even though she doesn't feel herself worthy enough to be loved. You could argue the same for Veilguard, but as that isn't the focus of the story, I'm saving that for the AU.

Third row is, you guessed it, acceptance. Maite went through all those other things and now she's here, lol. I named her Maite because the word means "beloved" in Basque. I liked the idea of a character who looked at themselves as inherently unlovable being named...well, after love. In both the Veilguard canon and the AU, she does eventually live up to her name and become someone's beloved. So that third row illustrates her finally accepting the fact that she does belong with someone or a found family, whatever form that love happens to show up as.

[antivan-sprig]

[antivan-sprig]

I didn't even know about this dialogue lol

[antivan-sprig]

Imprisoning him in the glue trap for his crimes. Maker help him

[antivan-sprig]

Okay, last one of these: Varric and Cassandra.

[antivan-sprig]

everybody come here and take my quiz rq we're just gonna take a normal walk through a normal garden