magesforthedas

[magesforthedas]

I know I’ve said that Cullen shouldn’t have been the Commander of the Inquisition’s Forces because he really wasn’t ready, but at the same time…

Who else would Cassandra have picked?

Cullen was probably one of the last high-ranking templars who saw the faults of the Chantry but wasn’t neglecting his duty. He protected any mages that chose to remain at the Gallows, but his focus and orders to the templars under him were to help the city rebuild.

He maintained order. Stability.

He had stood up to his corrupt commanding officer (later than he should have, but still he did no matter which side Hawke supported) and sought to undo her mistakes to the best of his ability.

And when Cassandra offered the position to him, a position within an organization that sought to bring about change and stop the fighting (remember, they had no notion of the coming events with the Herald and Corypheus) he took it.

And decided to leave the Order, in its entirety, behind. He wanted to serve not as a templar— loyal and slave to the Chantry, his own spiritual beliefs aside—but as his own man.

It’s why Cassandra supported it. She saw it for what it was: his desire to serve out of genuine willingness, not blind obedience or ulterior motives. She also mentions that she knew Cullen could break free of lyrium when she met with him. There’s something to that statement that is multilayered.

Any other templar? Might’ve been serving in order to secure his lyrium fix. A templar completely alienated against the Chantry and/or mages? Would’ve been dangerous.

But it makes sense that it was a templar and not just a regular military soldier. A templar would understand the workings of the Chantry and the Circle while being able to train and lead soldiers with more effectiveness because templars are meant to be the most adept warriors in Thedas.

This isn’t even speaking to his own military-related training and career as well as the action he’d seen between the revolt at Kinloch and becoming knight-captain in Kirkwall and leading men and women in that volatile city both before and after Meredith.

There’s probably more to this, but while I do understand that having to face that role while undergoing that process might’ve been a risky move, if anyone could do it, he could.

The man withstood mental torture and demonic temptation with nothing but sheer will. Cassandra wouldn’t have know that part, but she saw that will in how he took a stand against Meredith, putting himself between her and Hawke and then worked himself to the bone to help the city he had a hand in casting into utter chaos find stability. In pulling the templars together in order to do so.

Should he have been able to focus solely on his rehab and recovery? Perhaps. But he’s a man who needs a purpose beyond himself. To strip him of that, of the ability to serve something greater than himself, to serve the Maker, to serve the people, to serve in order to focus solely on himself probably would’ve been more detrimental than helpful.

Cullen might not have been “perfect”, but he was the best pick because of that imperfection.

[magesforthedas]

Okay, oof I haven't posted in AGES because, ya know-

life

But anyways! Got myself a new computer and I have never experienced games like this 😆 but honestly I think the biggest shocker to me was going to the crossroads in VG and realizing I'd never noticed the sky before?? Like, I don't actually know how different it looks now, but I legit just stared into the sky for some solid minutes.

I guess taking pictures of the clouds is not something I only do in real life haha

[magesforthedas]

I Miss Guidebooks

So I started playing the Witcher 3 and I remember my parents had two guidebooks for the game: a collector's edition that they kept sealed and one they actually used. It made me want to get the guidebook because man, I love guidebooks. Guidebooks were so fucking awesome to have. I had a guidebook for Oblivion and Skyrim and even found one for Fable 3.

Today, I went searching for the Witcher 3 guidebook at local game stores to no avail. I had to get on ebay. Then I realized: guidebooks aren't really made anymore.

They used to be so fucking cool. It was so awesome to be able to scour a book to look for information that I needed in a game. I felt like a scholar uncovering hidden secrets or an alchemist looking inside a tome for where to find all these mysterious herbs. There was just something so nice and fulfilling about flipping through a physical medium to find something for a digital medium.

Now, we just have the internet, but it's not as fun nor fulfilling. Sometimes it takes me a while to find what I'm looking for and about three reddit threads until I find what I want and it just doesn't feel as nice.

I am honestly truly sad the era of guidebooks is gone because I used to love them. Having a book companion to a game was honestly just so frickin awesome. We lost something when guidebooks stopped being made. And I know there are online guides and such, but I'm talking about literal hard copies. To have a tome of knowledge about a game.

I miss that time.

[magesforthedas]

May I contribute to "actually hilarious Lucanis quotes":

Rook, her bf Davrin, and her bff Emmerich were fighting for their lives, and the sheer annoyance and incredulity in Lucanis' voice when he said this made me legitimately bust out laughing.

old married couple istg ☠️

[magesforthedas]

Continue reading if you want to be SAD 😢

Okay, more updates + a couple photos! Honestly I got a few screen caps of the tragedies I just experienced, but idk if y'all really want to see those. I can post them if you want, just let me know, but also be warned!! I also can't post any more videos on this thread :P

Okay, notes!

Where you can go in and see the fallen, there's something placed over the sheet for big characters; ie Emmerich's staff, Taash's axes, Viper's hat, Strife's sword.

Talking with your remaining companions is terrible bc they'll mention (at least some of them) their grief at losing their friends :(

I tried leaving Lucanis to help the other forces at the begining of The Dread Wolf Rises, since he's a HotV, but he still dies. Possibly because it's the Dragon King that the companion faces, so either if that companion quest was completed, OR if any ally strength was higher, even if both things weren't true, he might have survived. Oh well, looks like everyone dies.

(I went back and left Harding bc if he's not going to survive anyways I wanted my boyfriend with me 🥺)

Said scene is HORRIBLE 😭 as in, super traumatic. There's the ogre, or the Dragon King if he's still alive, and your companion goes to protect Morrigan but gets knock down, and then it shows your companions face as their enemy delivers the final blow. Like, my hands flew up to my mouth in shock.

I could post some screenshots of these moments if people want, instead of suffering the actual video, but like.... Maybe you don't want to see.

I think the scene of (Bellara in my game) controlling the blight is the same? I couldn't remember the details from the last time, and then the blight covers her over. Difference is, at the end we don't see her breaking out of the blight again, so it just consumes her.

There was no decision to make once I got to Solas. It just auto played into attacking.... Your two remaining companions get turned to stone and Solas stabs Rook in the gut, though not before you manage to get him too. Then both of you get pulled into the tear while you are struggling over the knife. It shows the statues of your companions, left on the platform.

Morrigan says something ominous about the victory costing too much (I don't remember the exact words, which to be fair I'm already trying to block this whole thing out) over a black screen.

Then NO EPILOGUE ART CUTSCENE. It just shows this-

And then THIS

They're like.... Yeah, you f*d that pretty good, try again.

IM SO SAD 😭😭😭 it's kind of late but like.... I must start my next playthrough because I have to convince myself this was all a terrible dream 🥺 I had the thought that it'd be interesting to see what other companions say in between the last two missions, in the safe house; whichever three are still alive at that point.... Or if it's possible to have whatever last hero you leave survive, but you don't, and if that might give you any ending cutscene (I kinda doubt it, I think it depends on whether Rook makes it). But I CANNOT do that again, so those will remain unanswered 🙂‍↔️

Anyways I hope this benefits anyone else, and maybe keeps you from feeling the need to put yourself through this! ❤️

Mom I'm scared. Why oh why did I have to be curious about the bad ending 😭

NO IM NOT SURE.

NO IM NOT CONFIDENT. BUT WE'RE DOING THIS ANYWAYS.

I'm going to be so sad for the next few hours.

Update below the cut so y'all can see it (Beware)

Ooookay

I haven't finished bc I have to go to work, but I made it to the end of The Last Gambit... I'm in tears 😭 some things if you want to know but don't want to actually play it (why have I done this):

Whoever you send with the Veil Jumpers to take down the wards lives, but Strife dies.

Whoever you send to help the Crows & Lords dies. (Taash for me)

Whoever you send to help the Wardens and Mourn Watch dies. (Emmerich for me)

If the Shadow Dragons aren't strong enough, The Viper dies.

Haven't seen any sign of Anaris, and no Dragon King (though there was a letter right before Tearstone Island warning about him). No Red Lyrium Harding either, and Davrin is dead already in mine, but no blighted griffons or Gloom Howler. I finished Lucanis' quest bc I didn't romance him on a Crow the first time, and my next Crow will probably be romancing someone else, so wanted to see the Crow/Lucanis things during his quest line. But I wonder if Zara was still alive, if she might also make an appearance.

So far none of the other allies died: Irelin, Teia, Viago, Myrna, Vorgoth, Tarquin, Antoine, Evka, and Isabela are all still alive. So small mercies.

Irelin talks about Strife in the safe house, as does Isabela about Taash, and Tarquin about The Viper.

Some really terrible things thought of:

If Emmerich and Strife were in a relationship, and only one died? Even worse possibly, what if Emmerich was the one sent to help? But would Emmerich mention Strife, or Strife mention Emmerich if only one survived? Strife asks you to keep Emmerich safe in the good version.. Probably?

Also, if Manfred is still around and Emmerich dies... Worse if you didn't even do Emmerich's quest (like me) so he doesn't have magic or can talk or anything... What's going to happen to Manfred??? Did he even survive the battle, because he was in a cutscene but I haven't seen him at the safe house????

Didn't do enough content to have Harding and Taash in a relationship, so can't find out. But if they're in a relationship and Harding survives Tearstone Island, what happens if one of them dies here?

What if Lucanis & Neve are in a relationship and one of them dies here? Like, if Bellara got captured and Lucanis dies fighting Aelia? I'm making myself sad just thinking about how Neve would feel.

anyways I'm sad and have to go to work, and then finish my no good, terrible, awful playthrough when I get home. Wish me luck and sanity 😭

(and then I must immediately start my fourth playthrough bc no, they must have as much of a happy ending as possible)

[magesforthedas]

Mom I'm scared. Why oh why did I have to be curious about the bad ending 😭

NO IM NOT SURE.

NO IM NOT CONFIDENT. BUT WE'RE DOING THIS ANYWAYS.

I'm going to be so sad for the next few hours.

Update below the cut so y'all can see it (Beware)

Ooookay

I haven't finished bc I have to go to work, but I made it to the end of The Last Gambit... I'm in tears 😭 some things if you want to know but don't want to actually play it (why have I done this):

Whoever you send with the Veil Jumpers to take down the wards lives, but Strife dies.

Whoever you send to help the Crows & Lords dies. (Taash for me)

Whoever you send to help the Wardens and Mourn Watch dies. (Emmerich for me)

If the Shadow Dragons aren't strong enough, The Viper dies.

Haven't seen any sign of Anaris, and no Dragon King (though there was a letter right before Tearstone Island warning about him). No Red Lyrium Harding either, and Davrin is dead already in mine, but no blighted griffons or Gloom Howler. I finished Lucanis' quest bc I didn't romance him on a Crow the first time, and my next Crow will probably be romancing someone else, so wanted to see the Crow/Lucanis things during his quest line. But I wonder if Zara was still alive, if she might also make an appearance.

So far none of the other allies died: Irelin, Teia, Viago, Myrna, Vorgoth, Tarquin, Antoine, Evka, and Isabela are all still alive. So small mercies.

Irelin talks about Strife in the safe house, as does Isabela about Taash, and Tarquin about The Viper.

Some really terrible things thought of:

If Emmerich and Strife were in a relationship, and only one died? Even worse possibly, what if Emmerich was the one sent to help? But would Emmerich mention Strife, or Strife mention Emmerich if only one survived? Strife asks you to keep Emmerich safe in the good version.. Probably?

Also, if Manfred is still around and Emmerich dies... Worse if you didn't even do Emmerich's quest (like me) so he doesn't have magic or can talk or anything... What's going to happen to Manfred??? Did he even survive the battle, because he was in a cutscene but I haven't seen him at the safe house????

Didn't do enough content to have Harding and Taash in a relationship, so can't find out. But if they're in a relationship and Harding survives Tearstone Island, what happens if one of them dies here?

What if Lucanis & Neve are in a relationship and one of them dies here? Like, if Bellara got captured and Lucanis dies fighting Aelia? I'm making myself sad just thinking about how Neve would feel.

anyways I'm sad and have to go to work, and then finish my no good, terrible, awful playthrough when I get home. Wish me luck and sanity 😭

(and then I must immediately start my fourth playthrough bc no, they must have as much of a happy ending as possible)

[magesforthedas]

Mom I'm scared. Why oh why did I have to be curious about the bad ending 😭

NO IM NOT SURE.

NO IM NOT CONFIDENT. BUT WE'RE DOING THIS ANYWAYS.

I'm going to be so sad for the next few hours.

[magesforthedas]

Mom I'm scared. Why oh why did I have to be curious about the bad ending 😭

NO IM NOT SURE.

NO IM NOT CONFIDENT. BUT WE'RE DOING THIS ANYWAYS.

I'm going to be so sad for the next few hours.

Update below the cut so y'all can see it (Beware)

Ooookay

I haven't finished bc I have to go to work, but I made it to the end of The Last Gambit... I'm in tears 😭 some things if you want to know but don't want to actually play it (why have I done this):

Whoever you send with the Veil Jumpers to take down the wards lives, but Strife dies.

Whoever you send to help the Crows & Lords dies. (Taash for me)

Whoever you send to help the Wardens and Mourn Watch dies. (Emmerich for me)

If the Shadow Dragons aren't strong enough, The Viper dies.

Haven't seen any sign of Anaris, and no Dragon King (though there was a letter right before Tearstone Island warning about him). No Red Lyrium Harding either, and Davrin is dead already in mine, but no blighted griffons or Gloom Howler. I finished Lucanis' quest bc I didn't romance him on a Crow the first time, and my next Crow will probably be romancing someone else, so wanted to see the Crow/Lucanis things during his quest line. But I wonder if Zara was still alive, if she might also make an appearance.

So far none of the other allies died: Irelin, Teia, Viago, Myrna, Vorgoth, Tarquin, Antoine, Evka, and Isabela are all still alive. So small mercies.

Irelin talks about Strife in the safe house, as does Isabela about Taash, and Tarquin about The Viper.

Some really terrible things thought of:

If Emmerich and Strife were in a relationship, and only one died? Even worse possibly, what if Emmerich was the one sent to help? But would Emmerich mention Strife, or Strife mention Emmerich if only one survived? Strife asks you to keep Emmerich safe in the good version.. Probably?

Also, if Manfred is still around and Emmerich dies... Worse if you didn't even do Emmerich's quest (like me) so he doesn't have magic or can talk or anything... What's going to happen to Manfred??? Did he even survive the battle, because he was in a cutscene but I haven't seen him at the safe house????

Didn't do enough content to have Harding and Taash in a relationship, so can't find out. But if they're in a relationship and Harding survives Tearstone Island, what happens if one of them dies here?

What if Lucanis & Neve are in a relationship and one of them dies here? Like, if Bellara got captured and Lucanis dies fighting Aelia? I'm making myself sad just thinking about how Neve would feel.

anyways I'm sad and have to go to work, and then finish my no good, terrible, awful playthrough when I get home. Wish me luck and sanity 😭

(and then I must immediately start my fourth playthrough bc no, they must have as much of a happy ending as possible)

[magesforthedas]

I don't remember who I saw it from bc the link was just open on my browser. But I took this Which Dragon Age character are you? (the objectively correct, incomprehensible, complete edition)

And I'm sorry I got to question 10 and?? There was only one possible answer for me?? Like, some I had to think about, but this??

Hint it was the first answer I saw...

I am a HUGE The Amazing Devil fan and I just have to shout out to whoever made this quiz for having exquisite taste. The only way I would've paused to make that choice was if instead of "The Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + the Machine, it was "I'm Not Calling You A Liar (Orchestral Arrangement)" by Florence + the Machine, because that's actually in a DA game (DA2) and I did in fact sit through the entirety of the DA2 credits, starting with that song, in tears the first time I finished it (much like the first time I finished Veilguard 🤪)

Anyways here's my result- share yours!!

[magesforthedas]

Every so often Fenris pops up on my feed

And I'm like

I shall endeavor to exist with less offense.

[magesforthedas]

To all my creative friends out there!!

(And @annoyed-galaxy this is for you)

It's very annoying how our brains like to go, "oh you shouldn't make that/have made that, what if it's BAD?" Ignore your brain. Write the thing (same goes for any creative endeavor). If it's shared, the likelihood is someone will like it regardless. And even if no one likes it, or you never end up sharing it, it's still experience and practice for the next one! I dabble in lots of creative things and this is what I constantly have to tell myself, because a lot of what I make is probably objectively bad. But it doesn't mean it shouldn't be made!

Also! Fun fact if anyone ever says something you made is "amateur" 😃

Etymology:

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French, "one who loves, lover," borrowed from Latin amātor "lover, enthusiastic admirer, devotee," from amāre "to have affection for, love, be in love, make love to" (of uncertain origin) + -tōr-, -tor, agent suffix

(Merriam Webster Dictionary)

The first known usage of the word is from 1757, meaning "one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession" - later it started to be used condescendingly (probably because *sarcasm* 😋)

So love the thing! Do it whether it's good or not!! Make art because art makes the world better!!!

Also I can just imagine a sassy/tsundere 'Vint *cough Dorian, Tevinter Rook, etc. cough* calling their LI an amateur (affectionate)... Ya know, because it's so close to Amatus.

Man it sucks going from being excited to write, to feeling immediately like shit and thinking my writing sucks and having that doubt creep in. Need to not think about that and just WRITE. Breathe in and just keep going because I want to dammit. I know I want to. Can't let that stupid doubt settle and stop me, just be free dammit

[magesforthedas]

A short and worth it read y'all! Thank you op for posting the link!

Idk how many people already know this but wanted to share anyway. In the Dragon Age Day 2021 short story "The Flame Eternal" by Sylvia Feketekuty (Emmrich's writer), we get a short peak into Emmrich and Johanna's partnership thirty years ago.

In the story Emmrich and Johanna are tasked with discovering why a certain spirit is so discontented it won't stop screaming. Emmrich uses his corpse whispering and the spirit tells him there are “Two graves where there should be one!” and where to bring them.

Upon locating the other tomb we learn that the person was supposed "to be interred together" with their wife and Emmrich promises they won't be separated again. Johanna is... Johanna and basically notes how pointless that was but Emmrich comments, “Oh, I don’t know. It would be rather fine to possess such an enduring affection."

Anyway in his personal quest (when you romance him) Johanna says something to the effect of "I'll be sure you are your lover are buried in the same grave" (I cant remember the exact wording) She's referencing their assignment thirty years ago and I assume taunting him with his own "softness".

I don't do it justice but its a super quick read (Also read for: 20ish y/o Emmrich being meticulous about his looks and giddy when complimented on his abilities. Yea you heard me, Johanna actually compliments him.)

[magesforthedas]

I really do love the narrative’s insistence on Lucanis "least charming Crow” Dellamorte. Because the way he backs you to the wall is so goddamn hot, not even he could handle it. Took it straight out of one of his romance novels, then immediately thought "Oh no, too effective, can't do it." And then he never does it again. It's so funny. Lucanis used (Action: Flirt) exactly once and scared himself with his own sexy. Only genuine human vulnerability from here on out. Our beloved Awkward Pantry Man simply cannot endure his own attractiveness.

[magesforthedas]

The Lucanis/Rook/Spite dynamic is very interesting to me, and Lucanis' relationship with Spite, especially after two playthroughs; one romancing him and one not. Here are some of my observations from them:

In my second playthrough I saved Minrathous and Lucanis and Neve got together, so I'm not sure what caused what. But, there is a whole conversation that didn't happen with my romanced Rook, about Lucanis wanting to separate himself from Spite, and give both of them back their independence. You can tell he cares about Spite though; even if it was forced, they're the reason each other survived that year in prison. Lucanis says at first he is worried that he might be unleashing a demon on the world, but then he goes on to say how he's worried Spite will be lonely... Lucanis talks about how he and Spite aren't just separate beings, they are part of each other- if they separate neither one will be the same after.

Spite is also specifically told to go be somewhere else when Lucanis and Neve get intimate. "When the hat comes off, he plays with the wisps." So Neve is not generally very accepting of Spite, at least in her relationship with Lucanis.

On the other hand, with Rook and Lucanis, Spite is there, and they both know it. Spite controls the wings, not Lucanis, and they come out when their intimate scene starts, which doesn't deter either of them. Afterwards, Lucanis starts falling asleep; Rook makes him feel safe, and whether he realizes it or not, makes him feel safe to leave with Spite, because he knows he comes out when he falls asleep. And Rook says they could play cards with Spite while Lucanis is asleep; Rook is also obviously not worried about being left alone with Spite.

Lucanis never mentions separating from Spite if you romance him, or didn't with me at least. There's some kinship there, Lucanis does care, and I think if he feels safe enough he doesn't want to separate from Spite. And with Rook, Lucanis and Spite both trust and feel safe with them, so he's given that option.

I personally don't think that anything intimate would happen between Spite and Rook right away... But Spite can learn, and he is curious, so I think there's a possibility for it later down the relationship. It could definitely bring up the issues of loss of agency for Lucanis, but I think Rook would be happy to navigate that with him. The three of them are decent at communication (see Spite bringing Rook into Lucanis' head so they could all understand!) and at the end of the day, Lucanis and Spite both care deeply about Rook (Spite refusing to trust Solas because he betrayed them is a great example), and if Lucanis wants to Spite to stay, I think he would be willing to share Rook, if that's what both Rook and Spite want.

Also my personal thoughts, so agree or disagree with whatever you like! I love the dynamic of the three of them, and I also feel like the slow burn of the relationship, which I know some people didn't like, is the correct pacing for this relationship- they need time to understand and navigate their own and each other's thoughts and feelings!

Rookanis x Spite

Incorporating Spite into Rookanis filth is way more popular than I thought it would be.

To me, Spite is more like a portable haunting that Lucanis learns to make peace with, rather than a super spicy sex mode.

It seems like it could be incredibly violating for Lucanis to become conscious halfway through sex or even kissing with Rook.

This feels especially true since it’s well established that he doesn’t know what Spite gets up to when it’s in control, and has had very little agency over his body for the last year or much say in his personal choices ever.

I understand the trope that Spite plays into, I’m just surprised to see it being explored as enthusiastically and in the ways that I’ve seen.

The Eternal Caveat: This is just what I think and feel. You do not need to think or feel this. You don’t have to discuss this with me or ever think about it again if it upsets you. Crack on with your own headcanon.

[magesforthedas]

... In case anyone wants to read it. I love him. So. Much.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh 😭

The fact that if you romanced cullen he sends a letter to the Inquisitor that pretty much goes

"Babe I'm literally THROWING clothes into a bag to come up there RIGHT NOW but I gotta wait til the dogsitter gets here and the puppy is chewing on this letter as i write it. Sorry. In fairness you saw him on the street and just HAD to have him. On my way to kill and/or die for you, see you soon ❤️"

[magesforthedas]

Assan the (cutest, bestest, most lovable) boi

[magesforthedas]

I think it's fun that the titular dragons of Dragon Age ARE mysteriously coming back from extinction, but that is (1) never explained and (2) never plot relevant. It's like if during a major apocalyptic event, you just randomly started seeing dodos again. like hey that's neat. anyways