noverturemusings

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Hi, back again to say; now i dont know what else to read LMAO youve ruined solas/m!inquisitor fics for me /positive

Sorry! 😂😂 I'd offer some fic recs but unfortunately, I haven't had time to read fics in general lately. I'm sure others have compiled a list though!

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Ao3 is down at the moment or sumn (11.05pm 24/11/24 at the time of writing this) so youre getting my congratulations and my ramblings here instead!

I *inhaled* itfoyl. Consumed it. Binged it. Whatever it. Its so good, better than good, amazing, inspirational, it feels like its own book, novel, story, disclaimers of copyrights be damned (joking!). The writing, the characterisation, THE LORE, the SAD ELVES!!!

Im so glad you made them a sammich! I need more tol brioche elves and their lavellan jam.

Patiently looking forward to more of contellations! Rooting for you and your writing!

P.s. Also, really need more of Anaris, what kind of deplorable misguided fondness lies (heh, geddit?) within this monster?

Thank you so much <33 I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!

And yes, I have Plans (Solas voice) for Anaris. All the plans. I'm very excited to dive into it. There'll be more of him, not to worry at all.

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Update: Spotify Support is still MIA. I’ve put up a new duplicate playlist for now.

Did you know that the itfoyl playlist isn’t available on spotify anymore? I went to listen to it today and found it gone 😭

Yo what the hell. Yeah okay I got an email from Spotify saying I violated terms and conditions so they disabled the playlist from being public???

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Okay, I've contacted Spotify support and apparently they'll get back to me. Which they haven't yet. I changed the photo but I don't think that'll do much at this point :/

I'll give it a bit more before I try to contact support again. And if all else fails I'll just have to make it private then public again... Or make a new identical playlist

Did you know that the itfoyl playlist isn’t available on spotify anymore? I went to listen to it today and found it gone 😭

Yo what the hell. Yeah okay I got an email from Spotify saying I violated terms and conditions so they disabled the playlist from being public???

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Did you know that the itfoyl playlist isn’t available on spotify anymore? I went to listen to it today and found it gone 😭

Yo what the hell. Yeah okay I got an email from Spotify saying I violated terms and conditions so they disabled the playlist from being public???

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So.... How are we about dav?

We are processing it for sure... Had to think about this ask for a bit.

I don't have the game and can't play it for a long while yet so I've just been receiving second-hand information, and watching my partner stream it (we're technically playing together since I'm picking the dialogue options with them...?) So I'm still trying to get as much as I can about it and then sitting with it.

I know some people have been having an absolute blast, while some have already told me they're disappointed and/or upset. I'm glad people are enjoying it and feel satisfied with the story, that's amazing. It's been a needed closure for sure after ten years. On my end, I'm personally a little underwhelmed.

Because look, I can see the creative direction, and I can see the messages and themes and all these beautiful narrative frameworks that the writers wanted to convey. I can see the story they wanted to tell, but the execution has suffered because the writing couldn't hold it up. Which is a shame because Dragon Age has always shone with its writing. It hasn't always been perfect but it's been solid. I've already been apprehensive and worried because of all the layoffs and turnovers, and I can definitely feel it in the final product.

I'm gonna ramble for a bit, I'll put it under a read more. Woe, spoilers ahead, including the ending!

Everything feels too clean, I'd say, which has been a common criticism for this game and I do agree with it. Dragon Age hasn't always been perfect with it, but it's still presented a lot of its conflicts in a morally grey light. It facilitated discussion (and discourse) about the characters' actions and motivations. But Veilguard's been very didactic about what you should feel. "This is bad, look how bad it is. We think this is bad. This is so bad. We don't condone this."

It feels like the game is backpedalling so hard out of fear that something will be presented "wrong" or that it will be problematic, and this ends up stripping the narrative and characters of their nuance to the point that it starts feeling generic and lifeless.

I've also noted the handholding in the dialogue but I've been told it eases up some later on in the game so there's that at least. I know it's to cater to new players, but at points you end up feeling like the game thinks you're a goldfish with short-term memory loss.

There's so much telling too in the dialogue. Off the top of my head, an example would be the point when you're first approaching D'Meta's Crossing and Bellara notes that this port used to be busy and so forth and it's always busy and then Neve remarks something isn't right. The dialogue feels clunky to me here. Yes, I can see that. The environment is already doing the storytelling. I can see crates and fresh produce and stacks of bags along the port. I can infer it used to be busy. You've set up this uneasy lighting and fog and desaturation so you feel something isn't right. Your environment is showing the story, so rely on it a bit more. There's no need to double down on it.

But again, this is just the first bit of the game, and maybe it gets better.

Then you have Mythal. Oh, Mythal. You are so interesting, so tragic, and so complex. But something about how her character was executed felt so... scattered? Something's nagging at me. Her character doesn't feel fully realised. I still have to get my thoughts in order about her, this is already getting too long lol.

I'm also baffled as to why the Inquisitor doesn't play a greater role. I honestly thought they would since this is a direct continuation of Inquisition. They're the reason Rook was even recruited by Varric in the first place.

Honestly, a lot of past choices just feel like they don't matter at all, which is also a shame because that's another charm to Dragon Age. You get to see this world that you've built over the course of the games, but that's just. Not here. I guess. Oh, and the Crows are good now, apparently? Did they go through a reform since Zevran's time or something...?

Look, I have a lot more thoughts on the game regarding other points, but maybe that's for another day. Can't reliably comment on the companions either as I haven't explored a lot of their stories yet.

Don't get me wrong, Veilguard has its strong points too. The environments are absolutely gorgeous and Ghilan'nain has a chokehold on me but that's just my love of body horror and female scientists who've thrown the book of ethics into the bin showing.

Also, FELASSAN. My boy!! I get to see and hear my favourite novel character at last! I'm so happy I got it right that he was a soldier. Got the rank wrong; he's a general, not a lieutenant, but close enough haha. His voice for sure surprised me but I loved it.

It's also so interesting to see the Dread Wolf side of Solas. He's not trying to hide anymore. Except, he still is. In Inquisition, the humble apostate was his armour. Now, it's the Wolf. It's a very fascinating intersection. The Solas we see now is running on fumes and desperation and has presumably been isolated for a decade (also, where the fuck are his agents??) and he's pulling out every trick he knows in the book just to get his goal done.

And the endings? Well, they're okay. I know some are happy with it, some not so. I'm lukewarm about them... I did enjoy the tension and I think 'satisfying' is a word I could use for it. But satisfying in the sense of "yeah okay, I'll take it". I can see the destination, and I can appreciate it, but the strength of the writing needed to get there didn't quite reach for me. Could've been way worse though (saw the alternate in the artbook for Veilguard), so small mercies with what we got.

A few parts shine for me still. I love Solas' body language in front of Mythal when she shows up. He looks so broken. It's so TELLING. That, for me, did so much more to convey their dynamic than the murals, I think. I also loved when Solas gets outwitted by Rook and he does that bitter chuckle and calls himself a fool. Delicious. Gareth David-Lloyd fucking killed it yet again with his voice acting in this game. I was also reminded a little of Loki's ending. Trickster god in a green realm and upholding the structure of the world anyone?

But yeah. Look, do I think Veilguard is a bad game? No, not at all. It's got its strengths and again, I can see the creative ambitions the writers wanted to get at, but it just wasn't fully realised. Likely due to all the complications during development. I think it's a good game if it's standing on its own. But as the fourth game in the franchise? It's mid for me...

Again, I'm genuinely happy for the people who are enjoying it and think it's delivered everything they've ever wanted. I'm also happy for the people who feel seen with the exploration of gender and identities in the game, and those whose headcanons have been confirmed. That's such a fantastic feeling. Definitely did a little dance myself at the whole "blight was sealed away" and "Solas was a spirit" confirmation, though those ones, I feel, were among the more obvious ones haha.

Let's be real though. We all know what the real best parts of the game are.

Assan and Manfred.

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https://www.tumblr.com/poorly-drawn-mdzs/756085708019712000?source=share

WHY IS THIS POST SO ITFOYL CODED😭😈

Nahhh you’re foul for this one 😂😭

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love as violence

caitlin conlon, phantom pains // tina tran, out of the ruins // venetta octavia // iain thomas // yves olade, the miracle mile // sara manguso, love letter (clouds) // traci brimhall, come the slumberless to the land of nod // unknown // margaret atwood, power politics // madeline miller, circe // warsan shire // richard siken, planet of love // hozier, cherry wine

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Currently on chapter 99 of itfoyl and dying. There are a few songs that I think you would seriously enjoy with it. The first is “Dawn Will Rise” by Thirty Seconds to Mars and the second is “Monster” by Imagine Dragons. (There are others, but those are the most fitting ones, imo). Thank you so much for sharing this story and your literary genius with us!

Oh my god, Monster! I should have thought of that song sooner. Thanks for reminding me. “I’m only a man with a candle to guide me” for sure for sure. Dawn Will Rise is indeed also very fitting!

Thank you very much, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story 😄 happy reading!

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one of the most ship dynamics of all time

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Art by Essi Välimäki

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Hi! I've been rereading the series recently while listening to the playlist (and let me tell you, I did not need the heartbreak of Devil's Backbone coming on during the Elvhenan Arc finale Dx) and if you don't mind, I have a song rec. The Ghost on the Shore by Lord Huron. Honestly, the whole album gives me ITFOYL vibes, but I think this one resonates the most, especially with Lavellan...

I see we're starting off strong with the ouch.

What a gorgeous song. It's definitely a Lavellan vibe...

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Nkt sure if you remember me, sorry it has taken so long, and for how much longer it will take, I haven't painted in a very long time so it took a while to doodle anything worth showing. (do let me know if you have any looks notes, i did it without reference like a fool so this dirthavellan attempt may be very off from what yoy imagined)

I'll be sure to tag you or send it to you or something when i finish it. It may take a while as i don't have much free time. Hope you have been enjoying all the DA4 news in recent days.

Be safe and well! Thank you for giving me some of my creativity back.

Holy SHIT that already looks SO GOOD!!! I think you’ve nailed it. Dirthamen’s hair is straight but I’m loving that slightly wavy look on him (it does turn a little wavy when it’s shorter because less weight, so you know what, it works).

Thank you very much for showing me this, it’s so stunning. I’m glad I was able to give you back some of your creativity ❤️

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I'm sorry this isn't really a question, I just wanted to thank you. I genuinely can't express how much ITFOYL has helped me and how much I love (and loathe) the ride. Looking forward to the ending and sequel, sorry if any of this was worded strangely my english gets significantly worse when I'm nervous. Thank you, again. I wish you safety and happiness! I'm sorry if this was annoying. (Also as a last bother: is it okay to create fanart for the fic?)

Oh my goodness, that’s so sweet, thank you! Please don’t be nervous, I genuinely love hearing from you guys. It’s not annoying at all, I promise. And yes, of course! Fanart is very much okay. Please tag me or something if you decide to post it 😊 I would love to see it

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I was rereading itfoyl and the new song released by Abe Parker called "it is what it is" is so itfoyl coded. Might be worth checking out 👀

Ohhh you’re so right. Thinking specifically the past timeline but just in general works too

Yeahhhh

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To love a man already dead

Watercolour piece by Evo (@evonik-k)

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Herald of death

Watercolour piece by Evo (@evonik-k)