#[ guess that means it's time to replay origins ]

[clumsypuppy]

oooh wait so the plot hole of “why doesnt a spirit medium just channel the victims spirit” is literally bc the DL-6 spirit channeling cant be repeated huh

[magistheir]

hi i'm dean and i actually care a lot about the fact that the majority of necromancy has nothing to do with blood magic. most of canon supports this too:

dorian says he does not do blood magic. if necromancy were blood magic, why would he so blatantly lie?

in dai, the spell descriptions for necromancy explicitly state that it uses spirits to manipulate the feelings of others or cause effects (like explosions)

solas and cole both comment that necromancy is the art of manipulating spirits--actually, not even spirits, but fragments of wisps that could become spirits into doing things.

the majority of spells you are doing are actually from the school of entropy or from the spirit school--which is a school separate from that of blood magic. blood magic, as a school of magic, is focused mainly on the direct manipulation of others, first and foremost. the secondary ability is fueling spells.

blood magic might be a powerful way to fuel spells or control others, but it also weakens one's connection to the fade, making it harder to connect to spirits or cast magic in the traditional ways (mana or lyrium). solas cites this as one of his main reasons for not using blood magic in dai

i cannot emphasize this enough, but blood magic always has unintended, unpredictable consequences. the most common forms of this are the weakening of the veil, summoning of demons when that was absolutely not wanted, or possession of the mage casting it. but in the last flight, (spoilers) using blood magic to give the griffons the blight made them stronger and fight harder past the point when they would die, but they also died faster, got too aggressive, and eventually the blight mutated into a disease that infected all the remaining griffons. it also completely fucked up isseya, who got blighted immortality as a result. (end spoiler) with blood magic bringing some unpredictability to it, you wouldn't want to base entire complex systems of magic off of it

the inquisition, a chantry off-shoot organization, would not let the inquisitor learn blood magic and the rest of the world would certainly not be super cool and normal about it

i'll relate this back to dorian then, to make it relevant for my blog specifically.

dorian knows how to use blood magic, and has done it under very specific circumstances--those being a matter of tradition or heritage in specific ceremonies. for example, i count the final conversation by david gaider as among my canon, so the little ceremony dorian does as part of the funerary rites to have a last conversation with the deceased is something he knows and will do--but only with his blood and never another's, and never outside of a specific ceremonial need.

specifically, he looks down on blood mages or anyone who uses blood magic. to him, it is a sign of weak character, weak mind, and little magical talent of their own. his father was the one to instill those morals into him and alexius shared that opinion (which is why their later betrayals actually hurt). for dorian, its' simple: if you don't have the magic to learn spellcraft under your own power, pick up another way of fighting. he might be sympathetic if it was a true last resort to save one's life or that of other's, but you'll lose a lot of respect in his eyes.

[rhymer]

is it controversial to say i don't enjoy the jastblue translation for dmmd. it's giving DRAMAtical Murder If It Was Written By Viziepop, i'm sorry......

[todayisafridaynight]

Your brain is massive and your opinions are correct. I fucking LOVE SA2 and Shadow bro 😭 Last time I revisited my Sonic era I was trying to unlock training mode in Shadow by A-ranking all the missions and bosses. SA2/Shadow/Sonic Heroes/Sonic Riders were the ones I replayed (and still do every couple of years) the most :)

my god PLEAAASSE THE TRAINING/EXPERT MODE IN SHADOW i love how the hints just fuck off and are replaced by the cast chattin with shadow.... like black doom the fuck are you doin talkin to me you are dead.... leave me alone.....

as a part of my All-326-Routes playthrough of shadow im SO stoked to unlock that mode again for the first time in like. A Decade... i've just been clearing out all the routes from the very top all the way down but i might just A-rank all the levels and routes first just to get the mode..

the adventure games + shadow are my faves to play honestly like as much as i still do like sonic games nowadays i just really enjoyed that 3d free-roaming aspect of the gamecube era games (and even 06: just wish it wasnt such a glitchy mess and i was more of a fan of the models/art style)

PLUS WITH THE ADVENTURE GAMES YOU HAVE THE CHAOS LIKE WHY DID THEY GET RID OF THEM BRING THEM BACK !!!!! THEY WERE SO CUTE

[simpforsolas]

i wrote up this whole rant yesterday about how I didn't find the Solas arc satisfying in this game, and seeing the ama and interviews today, I think I understand why that is lol.

yes, Solas carried this game. Yes i loved every time he was on the screen. yes his arc made me cry. NO it was not satisfying. and i'm just gonna go ahead and copy paste my rant explaining my feelings the best i can.

(i wrote this yesterday before all the revelations)

Solas's writing wasn't successful to me not because I think he was written out of character, necessarily. I think that every individual instance of his character being written on-screen was fine, but to me, his character was missing the wider context that put the isolated actions we saw of him in the game into perspective

The entire point is that the Dread Wolf/Fen'Harel persona that we see is a mask he wears. And that's fine, I like it! But what makes a mask interesting is to see what it's masking, and Rook doesn't really get to see that unless you choose the reedem ending. I guess what I'm getting at is that I craved to see more Inquisition-style Solas, in particular Trespasser Solas who was so remorseful but stuck in his ways, who stuck to his path but said stuff like "I would treasure the chance to be wrong once again, my friend." All these different sides are real sides of Solas, but because the game didn't really show us all these sides then we're left with a lopsided picture and now I have to deal with all these fools misinterpreting him all over the internet

I can still interpret it my way well enough, but the thing is that's my interpretation and it's a valid interpretation of the source material itself, but other people's interpretations are also valid because the game didn't really get more into his motivations other than "it's all mythal." But if you go back to inquisition, you can see how passionate Solas is about his ideals! His banter with other party members and his approval and dialogue you get with him really suggests that he actually CARES about his goal at an idealistic level, it's not just about regret. I like the regret! I like the history with Mythal!! I just wish it was more of something in his backstory that shaped him to who he is today and is something he needed to work through in order to finally see things clearly, instead of being the one magical thing that had to happen for him to get his "redemption"

I'm also rather frustrated that the right answer was just going straight back to the status quo, when we KNOW the veil is falling apart and shattered and an unnatural wound inflicted on the world that turns spirits into demons, prevents the world from achieving the magical/technological wonders it once had, keeps elves from immortality, and creates this fear and class difference between mages/non-mages and people who understand the fade and those who don't. Like when I replayed Origins i was struck by how many plot points are basically "the veil is weak here which means that there are demons here and they killed hundreds of people!!!!!!" Things like that are still going to be a problem hello why was none of this addressed 😭😭😭 I wish we could've validated the problems Solas's plan resolved to fix instead of saying "you just need to move on man this is just you taking your issues out on the world" because it WASN'T THAT

'm also really frustrated that we don't see a SINGLE big plan of Solas's go right because I know my man, I BELIEVE in my man, I know that he was smart and clever and had wins!!! I don't mind him fucking up but when all we ever see of him are major fuck ups it annoys me because COME ON. He's the DREAD WOLF. He knows how to make plans and carry them out. He saved thousands of slaves during his time, he fought and won countless battles, he locked away the Evanuris! Sure things fell apart in the actual veil part but he was able to trick all of them and did succeed in locking them away. The only thing we actually see him accomplish in this game is escaping regret prison, which is instantly seen as less cool because Rook gets out after like five minutes, and taking down the archdemon which was pretty hot but that wasn't about trickery, that was him engaging in straight up physical fighting in his wolf form. Anyway it frustrates me because now people in the fandom can rightly laugh about him being stupid and having bad plans. Yet I can't help but go back to inquisition and listen to his advice, dialogue, etc, and he's always so thoughtful and wise! So i just find it hard to believe that this man is incapable of taking a win. even if he kept all the Ls in this game but they had included a few more wins i wouldn't even be mad but it was literally just a collection of Solas's Ls and it frustrates me because I think he's better than that

i'm just worked up about this because i've been seeing takes about solas from people who used to like him but this game made them hate him, and the fact that the source material from datv as an isolated game actually supports their perspective is driving me insane. cuz if you ask me a lot of solas's character and motivations between dai and datv are actually at odds with each other. even if the surface characterization is absolutely on point, there was just so much context and scope that we're missing in this game. i can't handle it

[halfway-happyyy]

My Sun, My Moon, and All of My Stars {Mikey Berzatto}

summary: recalling the first time you and mikey met results in lots of soft feelings.

warnings: none. cotton candy clouds of fluff.

pairings: mikey berzatto x female reader

an: listen people. i've visited chicago in january. i said what i said, and i will die on that hill. happy reading!

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more miserable place than Chicago in the winter. 

The wind and the cold found creative ways of settling into your bones, often staying there until the May thaw occurred, and even then… Well, even then it wasn’t always enough to drive the chill away for good. While you loved the city's aged and gothic architecture, the inherent gloom that pervaded it tended to follow you around like a specter or an old friend. January wasn't entirely blameless in all of this, either. A month that held only thirty-one days often felt like it dragged on for thirty-one years. And yet, you could never fully bring yourself to loathe the first month of the calendar year, because on the 17th day of it, you met Mikey Berzatto for the first time- and suddenly, winter didn’t seem so awful after all.

“On a scale from one to that time you had to hide in the bar bathroom until I could rescue you, how bad was it?” 

You fiddled with the zipper on the front of your jacket, replaying the night’s mostly disastrous second date, and sighed. “Definitely not that bad.” 

“I mean, you did technically get a Michelin-star meal out of it, so it wasn’t all a complete write-off.” Your best friend Olivia pointed out, and then asked whether you wanted to go home and pound back a pint of frozen custard, or if you were still hungry. 

You eyed the green glowing digits of the clock on her car, which read ‘8:07 P’ and shifted in your seat. “Still hungry.” 

“Perfect,” She cast a smile your way and slid the car into drive. “I know just the place.”

You had been expecting Portillo's or something similar, but when she parked in behind the Original Beef of Chicagoland, you were dubious. 

“I know, I know. But Benny took me here two weeks ago, and when I tell you I’ve been thinking about this sandwich every day since, I’m not lying.” She led you by the hand to the front door, holding it open for you so that you could wander in first. “I mean, they say you know you’re in love when you go to bed and wake up thinking about the same thing, and for me that’s the italian beef here so, pretty self-explanatory I guess…” Her voice became drowned out in the din of the still-bustling restaurant. 

It was chaotic to say the least; a complete assault on the senses. Noise seemed to clamour out of every corner of the small establishment, and somehow the thing that hooked you in the most was the pervasive scent of onions frying in fat on the flattop. Though the restaurant was only open for another hour, it was packed inside, and there was a line-up at the takeout window that snaked around the back of the place.

“Jesus Christ, someone ask for mayonnaise one more fuckin’ time, I’m beggin’ for it. Watch what’ll happen!” A tall, short-haired man yelled loudly, causing peels of laughter to erupt from the line cooks behind the busy counter. The sheer size of his grin, paired with the way his blue eyes glittered merrily, told you that the man was exactly where he was supposed to be in life.

“Order up for Peter! Peter, Peter pumpkin eater! Your orders’ up!” 

“Nikki, come get your order, mama!”

“Got one hot and sweet and one dog comin’ up!” 

Olivia tugged at your sleeve and gestured to the menu. “You wanna get the same thing as me?” 

You nodded, at an entire loss of what else to say, and knowing wholeheartedly that she would never lead you astray anyway.

“Good evening ladies, how are you both on this fine, Friday night?” 

Olivia grinned at the man and rubbed her hands together in excitement. “We’re much better now that we’re here, thank you.” 

The man laughed at that. “Excellent, that is good to hear. What can I get for ya?” 

She ordered two original beef’s and two cokes to stay and told you to grab a table in the quieter section of the restaurant while she waited for the food. While the back room wasn’t necessarily quieter, there were only two other tables occupied, and you settled into a seat by the wall of vintage arcade games.

“Wow, you are uh… you’re awfully dressed up for a trip to the Original Beef.” 

His voice had caught your attention first; the timbre of it immediately soothing in comparison to the chaotic din around you. And then you glanced up at him and it was all over before it had even really begun. His smile was so warm and inviting, the complete opposite of the one you had just spent all evening with, and it caused your breath to hitch in your throat. Delicate creases next to his dark brown eyes spoke novels of how much time he spent laughing, and it was all you could do to keep from blushing.

“I'm sorry, I mean no disrespect, you look amazing. I think it’s been so long for most of us that we forget what it’s like when a beautiful woman graces us with her presence around here.” 

Where it might have been off-putting in any other instance, or from any other man, you found yourself blossoming under the sunlight he shone above you. 

“I uh… just came out of a date, actually,” Your tone was sheepish, but you managed to maintain eye contact with him. “We were at Alinea.” 

His dark brows furrowed together in a mild frown. “Alinea, Alinea… why do I know that name? So damn familiar.”

You tilted your head to the side. “It’s a Michelin star restaurant downtown, super fine dining.”

His eyes lit up and his mouth dropped open in a silent, a-ha! 

“My baby brother, he’s a chef. Super talented, annoyingly so, ya know? I can't get him to shut up about Alinea.” Silence settled between the pair of you before he asked how it was. 

Your eyes widened, and you blew out a puff of pent-up air. “It was uh… an interesting experience, to say the least.” 

He nodded and sat down at the table opposite you. “And the date?” 

You laughed. “The date sucked.” 

He clicked his tongue, and shook his head. “Onto bigger and better things, then hm?”

“How’s your night going?” You asked, by way of wanting to change the subject.

He rubbed at the back of his neck and sighed. “Eh, it’s been a night, I’ll tell ya that much.. But it’s been good. Certainly better now,” He leaned towards you with his hand outstretched. “I’m Mikey Berzatto, by the way.” 

You took his warm hand in yours and introduced yourself back. It had been on the tip of your tongue to say something else, but just as you were about to, Olivia wandered into the room balancing a tray full of mouth-watering food.

“Richie gave you yours on the house, on account of this being your first time here!” She exclaimed excitedly. 

Mikey’s eyes widened, and a warm smile lifted his lips skyward. “First time here, huh?” 

“First time for everything, right?” 

“Mikey, we need your ass out here now! This fuckin’ pop machine ain’t gonna fix itself!” 

He rolled his eyes and rose from the table with a quiet apology. “You ladies need anything- anything at all, come find me.” 

He gave you a small wave and stepped into the main room. 

“How many times do I gotta tell you fuckers not to yell all the damn time, huh?” 

Olivia turned to you, a familiar mischievous glitter blazed in the depths of her eyes. “Okay, he was cute.”

You shrugged, unwrapped half of the sandwich and took a bite, savouring the flavours on your tongue. While you had been used to your best friend’s antics and dramatic flare for a while now, it became apparent immediately that she was absolutely right about this place. You swallowed your first bite and gawked at her, eyes wide. 

“Oh, I know. This place is legendary.” 

You ate your meal in silence, and pondered over how lucky you were to have Olivia in your life; someone you could call night or day, that would get you out of a bind, no problem. You hoped with every fibre of your being that she felt the same about you. 

“I owe you one for tonight, Liv.” You murmured. 

That caused a frown to pull the edges of her mouth downward. “You definitely don’t. But you do owe it to yourself to get back on the horse, so I think you should ask Mikey out.” 

“Ha! You’re joking.” 

She passed a napkin over her mouth and shook her head. “Not at all. Tell him we’re going to Kingston Mines tomorrow night and see if he wants to meet us there.” 

It had taken you until the end of the meal to pluck up enough courage to do as you were told. Mikey was at the other end of the room stocking napkins when you approached him. 

“So, your first time. How was it?” 

You cleared your throat. “Uh, it was incredible. You won't be able to keep me away, from now on."

Mikey’s laughter, and the small smile that followed it, warmed the ice around your heart, and gave you the confidence you needed to continue on. “Hey listen- Olivia and I are headed to Kingston Mines tomorrow night for drinks, and I was wondering if you’d like to join us?” 

Mikey’s smile faltered slightly. “Uh- shit, tomorrow night?” 

You nodded. 

“I’m stuck here tomorrow night, until 11 at least but-

You shook your head. Of course he was. He owned the place.

“No problem, I totally get it.” 

He shook his head. “No, what I’m saying is that I’d like to come. I want to. I can be there around 11:15 if that works?” 

Holy shit. 

“Yeah, that absolutely works.” 

Mikey grinned to himself and reached out to take your hand again. “It’s a date, then.” 

~

Mikey’s eyes opened, and a small smile lifted the corners of his lips. 

“What's goin' on in that beautiful head of yours, baby? You’re lookin’ at me like I hung the moon.” 

You brought the back of his tanned hand to your lips and kissed it. “Because you did. You hung my moon.” He leaned in to your touch, craving more of it always. “I’m thinking about the night we first met.” 

“A good night indeed. I’ll never forget the way you looked in that dress and your leather jacket,” He chuckled softly, the sound of it reverberating deep in your chest. “Never forget the stones you had, asking me out the way you did.”

A blush flooded the apples of your cheeks. You traced a fingertip down the length of his uneven nose, and marveled at how he smiled into your touch. 

“You know I love you, right, Mikey?”

He pressed his lips to your hand and murmured an almost inaudible, I know, baby. 

He tapped your hip twice, a silent command for you to turn around and snuggle back against him, which you did. Your favourite part about being with him like this, was that you were so close you could feel the subtle beat of his heart against your shoulder blade. 

“Mikey?” 

His lips ghosted the shell of your ear. “Yeah, baby?”

You swallowed hard and wrapped a hand around his forearm. “Never leave, okay?” 

He hummed softly against the nape of your neck.

“Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together, okay? Just please stay.” 

Pressing his lips to the crown of your head, he agreed. 

“I love you, Mikey.” 

I love you, I love you, I love you. 

“Love you too, baby.” 

[charmed-quill]

Burrow Bound// B.W x Reader Chapter 12

authors note at end.

I was gonna wait a few more hours to post this but I am nothing if not impatient 😀

originally requested by @littlegreenteacup

summary: Y/N, an American half-blood witch newly arrived in Muggle London, stumbles into the warmth of the Weasley brothers after a serendipitous meeting in Diagon Alley. Drawn into their world, she finds herself at the Burrow more often than not. Meanwhile, Bill Weasley is learning to navigate life as a single father, relying on his mother’s help to care for Victoire. Though their worlds orbit each other, Y/N and Bill’s paths never seem to align—until one evening when fate finally draws them together. Will it be the start of a love story, or will they be left with nothing but heartache?

last chapter

next chapter

word count: 3.7k

The late afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, casting golden light over the quiet street as Bill stood outside Y/N’s apartment building. The crumpled piece of parchment in his hand bore the weight of days of self-reflection, endless second-guessing, and more rewrites than he cared to count.

He glanced at the note, his eyes scanning the familiar words for what felt like the hundredth time:

Y/N, I owe you an apology. I’ve been a fool, and I made you feel like you did something wrong when the truth is, I’m the one who—

Bill groaned, rubbing his hand over his face. “What is this, a confession or a bloody essay?” he muttered, folding the parchment and stuffing it into his pocket. He adjusted his coat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as his nerves churned in his stomach.

He couldn’t stop replaying Fred and George’s words in his mind. Start with an apology... Tell her you’re an idiot... Don’t overthink it.

“Don’t overthink it,” he muttered bitterly to himself. “Easy for them to say.”

He exhaled a shaky breath, staring at the apartment’s front door. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to turn around and leave, but he knew he couldn’t keep running from this. He had to face her, to tell her the truth, no matter how terrifying it was.

What if she doesn’t want to see me? What if she’s still upset?

The thoughts clawed at him, but he forced himself to take a step forward. His boots scuffed the pavement, and the sound seemed deafening in the otherwise quiet street. He reached the door, lifting his hand to knock before hesitating, his knuckles hovering inches from the wood.

He pulled the parchment back out of his pocket, unfolding it with shaky fingers.

Y/N, I owe you an apology. I’ve been a fool, and I made you feel like you did something wrong when the truth is, I’m the one who panicked. I like you—more than I’ve liked anyone in a long time—and that scares me, because I don’t want to mess this up. You mean so much to me, to Victoire...

Bill frowned, crumpling the note again. “Too much,” he muttered. “It’s too much.”

He leaned back against the wall beside the door, raking his hand through his hair. His chest felt tight, his pulse hammering in his ears. How could a man who had faced curses and traps, who had braved ancient tombs, be so utterly undone by the thought of admitting his feelings to a woman?

“Just knock,” he whispered to himself, glaring at the door like it had personally wronged him. “Three little knocks. That’s all it takes.”

But his feet felt rooted to the ground, his hand refusing to move. Every possible outcome flashed through his mind, from the worst-case scenario of her slamming the door in his face to the equally terrifying possibility that she might actually forgive him.

The door suddenly opened, and Bill startled, nearly stumbling backward.

Y/N stood there, her expression shifting from surprise to cautious curiosity as she took him in. She was dressed casually, a book in one hand, her hair pulled back. Her gaze flicked to the crumpled parchment in his hand before returning to his face.

“Bill?” she said, her tone somewhere between confusion and concern. “What are you doing here?”

Caught off guard, Bill’s carefully rehearsed speech flew out of his head. He opened his mouth, then closed it, his mind scrambling for words.

“I... uh...” He cleared his throat, feeling utterly ridiculous. “I needed to talk to you.”

Y/N blinked, her brow furrowing slightly. “About what?”

Bill exhaled slowly, straightening his posture and meeting her eyes. “About how I messed up,” he said, his voice steadier now. “And how sorry I am.”

Her expression softened, but she didn’t speak, waiting for him to continue.

“I shouldn’t have left like I did,” he admitted, his hand tightening around the parchment. “I was scared, and I handled it poorly. You didn’t do anything wrong, Y/N. If anything, you were... perfect.”

Her lips parted slightly, her surprise evident, but she still didn’t interrupt.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve let myself feel this way about someone,” Bill went on, his voice quieter now. “And it caught me off guard. I panicked because I didn’t want to ruin things between us, but in trying to avoid that, I ended up doing exactly what I didn’t want to do.”

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Bill braced himself for her response, his heart pounding in his chest.

Y/N looked at him for a long moment before stepping aside and opening the door wider. “You’d better come in,” she said softly.

The silence was thick as Y/N led Bill into her small but cozy living room. She gestured toward the couch, but he remained standing, awkwardly shifting his weight from one foot to the other. The tension between them was almost palpable, each of them hyper-aware of the other’s presence in the confined space.

“Do you... want tea?” Y/N asked, her voice hesitant as she crossed to the kitchenette.

“Uh, sure,” Bill replied quickly, his hands sliding into his coat pockets. “Tea would be great.”

Y/N nodded and busied herself with the kettle, her movements quick but fidgety. She pulled down two mismatched mugs and spooned tea leaves into them, trying to focus on the simple task instead of the man standing stiffly behind her.

Bill’s eyes roamed the room, taking in the eclectic mix of books, plants, and trinkets that seemed so perfectly her. The space felt lived-in, warm in a way that reminded him of the Burrow, but smaller, more personal. He swallowed hard, his nerves coiling tighter with every passing second.

When the kettle whistled, Y/N poured the tea and carried the mugs to the small coffee table, setting them down before finally sitting on the edge of the couch. She looked up at Bill expectantly, but he hesitated, hovering for a moment before sitting down at the far end of the couch. The space between them felt vast, an invisible chasm filled with everything left unsaid.

Y/N wrapped her hands around her mug, the warmth grounding her as she cleared her throat. “So,” she said softly, her voice steady despite the knot in her chest. “You wanted to talk?”

Bill nodded, his hands clasped tightly between his knees as he leaned forward. He stared down at the floor, gathering his thoughts, before finally looking up to meet her eyes.

“I owe you an explanation,” he began, his voice low but firm. “About why I left the way I did... and why it took me so long to come back.”

Y/N didn’t respond, but her gaze didn’t waver, urging him to continue.

Bill exhaled deeply, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of his guilt was pressing down on him. “That night... it wasn’t you, Y/N. It was me. I was scared, and I let that fear get the better of me.”

She tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. “Scared of what?”

He hesitated, his fingers tightening around each other. “Scared of how much I like you,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “Scared of ruining something good before it even had a chance to start.”

Y/N blinked, her lips parting slightly, but she said nothing, letting him keep going.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve let myself feel this way about someone,” Bill continued, his words coming quicker now as if he was afraid of losing his nerve. “After everything with Fleur, I told myself I didn’t need anyone else. That it was just me and Victoire, and that was enough. But then you came along...”

He trailed off, his gaze dropping to the floor again. “You’re kind, and warm, and you’ve been amazing with Victoire. She adores you. And somewhere along the way, I... I started to adore you too.”

Y/N’s breath hitched, her grip on the mug tightening as his words sank in.

“But that night,” Bill went on, his voice thick with regret, “I panicked. I thought I was coming on too strong, or that you didn’t feel the same way, or that I was dragging you into something you didn’t sign up for. And instead of talking to you about it, I ran.” He shook his head, his jaw clenching. “It was cowardly, and I’m so sorry, Y/N. You deserved better than that.”

The room was silent except for the soft ticking of a clock on the wall. Y/N stared down at her tea, her mind racing as she processed everything he had said.

“Bill,” she said quietly, finally breaking the silence. “I thought I did something wrong. I’ve spent the last week overanalyzing everything, wondering if I said or did something to push you away.”

His head snapped up, his eyes wide with alarm. “No,” he said quickly, his voice urgent. “You didn’t do anything wrong. This is all on me.”

Y/N’s gaze softened, but her expression remained guarded. “Why didn’t you just tell me how you were feeling? I would’ve listened.”

“I know,” Bill said, his tone laced with self-reproach. “I know you would’ve. But I was so caught up in my own head, I couldn’t see straight. I didn’t want to risk losing what we had, and in doing so, I almost lost it anyway.”

She nodded slowly, her fingers tracing the rim of her mug. “It hurt, Bill,” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. “I’ve never let myself get close to someone like this before, and when you left, I felt... I don’t know, stupid for letting my guard down.”

“You’re not stupid,” he said firmly, leaning toward her. “If anything, I’m the idiot for not seeing what I had right in front of me.”

Their eyes met, and for the first time that evening, the tension between them seemed to ease, replaced by something softer, more tentative.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me right away,” Bill said, his voice gentle. “But I wanted you to know how sorry I am, and how much I care about you.”

Y/N studied him for a long moment, her expression thoughtful. Finally, she set her mug down and leaned back against the couch, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

“Thank you for saying that,” she said softly. “It means a lot.”

Bill nodded, his chest loosening as relief began to seep in. “So... where does that leave us?”

Y/N smiled faintly, her eyes meeting his. “I guess that depends on whether you’re willing to stop running and start talking.”

A small, hopeful smile curved his lips. “I think I can manage that.”

Bill cleared his throat, setting his empty mug on the coffee table. He turned toward her, his expression a mix of nervousness and determination. “Y/N, can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she replied, tilting her head slightly, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair as he gathered his thoughts. “Would you come with me to the Burrow for dinner? With the family?”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the invitation. She hadn’t been back to the Burrow since the date, and the idea of facing everyone after the awkwardness of the past week made her stomach twist. 

“I don’t know, Bill,” she said cautiously. “Things have been a little... complicated lately.”

He smiled wryly, nodding in understanding. 

“Yeah, they’ve noticed.” His tone was light, but there was a flicker of embarrassment in his expression. “Actually, Mum made it pretty clear I wasn’t welcome until I sorted things out with you.”

Y/N’s eyes widened in surprise, and then she laughed softly. “Molly disinvited you from family dinner?”

“Not just Mum,” Bill admitted, his cheeks tinting slightly pink. “Fred and George have been giving me hell about it, Charlie hasn’t stopped with the pointed looks, and even Ginny told me I deserved a good hex. Honestly, I think Percy was the only one who didn’t weigh in, and that’s probably because he was too busy at work.”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh again, the image of the formidable Weasley clan uniting to pressure Bill both amusing and oddly heartwarming. “Sounds like they’ve all been keeping you in line.”

“They’ve definitely made their opinions known,” Bill said with a grin. “But they’ve also made it clear that they miss you, Y/N. And so do I.”

Her laughter faded, replaced by a softer expression as she looked at him. “You miss me?”

He nodded, his gaze steady. “The Burrow hasn’t felt the same without you. Victoire keeps asking when you’re coming back, Mum’s been baking enough to feed an army in case you drop by, and, well... I’ve missed you too. More than I realised.”

The sincerity in his voice made Y/N’s chest tighten, but in a good way. The walls she’d built around herself since that night began to crack, the warmth of his words seeping through.

“Alright,” she said finally, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’ll come. But only if you promise to run interference if Fred and George start asking too many questions.”

Bill laughed, relief washing over his features. “Deal. I’ll keep them in line. Well, as much as anyone can.” He extended a hand toward her, his smile soft but genuine. “Shall we?”

Y/N hesitated for only a moment before slipping her hand into his. His grip was warm and steady, grounding her as the familiar pull of Apparition wrapped around them.

The familiar, slightly lopsided silhouette of the Burrow came into view as Y/N and Bill Apparated onto the garden path. The house looked as lively as ever, with warm light spilling from the windows and the distant sound of voices carrying on the cool evening breeze. Y/N’s stomach twisted with nerves, though she couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the place she had grown to love so much.

“Ready?” Bill asked, his voice low as he turned to her. There was a flicker of concern in his eyes, as if he could sense her hesitation.

“As I’ll ever be,” she replied with a small smile, smoothing the front of her jumper.

He nodded and placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the door. Before they even reached the threshold, it swung open to reveal Molly, her expression lighting up the moment she saw Y/N.

“Oh, Y/N, dear!” Molly exclaimed, pulling her into a warm hug before she could say a word. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about us!”

Y/N laughed softly, hugging her back. “Never, Molly. I’ve just been... busy.”

Molly pulled back, her hands resting on Y/N’s shoulders as she looked her over. “Well, you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. Come in, come in, dinner’s almost ready!”

Before Y/N could respond, she was ushered inside, where the usual chaos of a Weasley family dinner awaited her. The air was filled with the rich aroma of roasted meats and freshly baked bread, and the sound of laughter and conversation came from every direction.

“Look who finally decided to show up!” Fred’s voice rang out from the kitchen, followed quickly by George’s. “And here we thought Bill had scared you off for good!”

Y/N rolled her eyes, though a laugh escaped her lips as Fred and George approached, identical grins plastered on their faces.

“Missed you, Y/N,” George said, pulling her into a quick, playful hug. “The Burrow’s been downright boring without you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Fred added, giving her a mock serious look. “I’ve been thriving in the peace and quiet.”

“Sure you have,” Y/N quipped, her nerves easing slightly under their teasing. “Let me guess, you’ve been thriving by pulling twice as many pranks on everyone now that I’m not here to stop you?”

“Caught us,” Fred admitted with a wink.

As the twins retreated to the dining table, Y/N turned to find Ginny approaching, her arms crossed but a warm smile on her face.

“About time you showed up,” Ginny said, giving her a quick hug. “I was starting to think we’d have to come drag you here ourselves.”

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” Y/N replied with a sheepish smile.

“Good,” Ginny said with a nod, her gaze flicking toward Bill, who was lingering nearby. “And don’t worry, we’ll behave. Mostly.”

Before Y/N could respond, a small whirlwind of curls barreled into her legs. “Y/N!” Victoire squealed, clutching her tightly. “You came!”

“Of course I did, sweetheart,” Y/N said, crouching down to hug her properly. “I couldn’t stay away forever, could I?”

Victoire pulled back, beaming. “I have so much to tell you! Uncle Charlie showed me a picture of a real dragon, and Aunt Ginny taught me a new spell, and—”

“Let’s save some stories for dinner, princess,” Bill interjected gently, his voice warm as he ruffled Victoire’s curls.

Victoire nodded eagerly and grabbed Y/N’s hand, tugging her toward the table. “You have to sit next to me!”

As Y/N followed, she caught Molly’s eye and saw the older woman’s satisfied smile. It was clear that Y/N’s return had made more than just Victoire’s evening.

When everyone had finally settled at the table, Arthur raised his glass. “To family,” he said warmly, his gaze sweeping over the group before landing on Y/N. “And to having you back with us, Y/N. You’ve been missed.”

The table erupted in a chorus of agreement, and Y/N felt her cheeks flush as she murmured her thanks. She glanced at Bill, who was seated across from her, and found him watching her with a soft, almost shy smile.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter, stories, and Molly’s incomparable cooking. Y/N felt the tension that had gripped her for the past week slowly unraveling, replaced by the warmth and chaos of the Weasley family. By the time dessert was served, she realized just how much she had missed this, and how grateful she was to be back.

As the night wound down and Victoire began to doze off in her chair, Y/N glanced at Bill, her heart feeling lighter than it had in days. For the first time in what felt like forever, things seemed to be falling into place.

The dinner plates were cleared, and the Burrow was beginning to quiet as the Weasleys filtered out or settled into their usual evening routines. The glow of a perfect evening lingered in the warm smiles and soft hum of conversation that still filled the house. Y/N leaned against the doorway of the kitchen, watching Bill scoop a sleepy Victoire into his arms.

“Come on, princess,” he said softly, adjusting her so she rested comfortably against his chest. Her curls spilled over his shoulder, and her tiny hand clutched at his shirt. “Time to head home.”

Victoire mumbled something incoherent, too far gone into the world of dreams to protest. Bill smiled down at her, brushing a stray curl from her face before turning to Y/N.

“You heading out too?” he asked, his voice casual, though his gaze lingered on her just a moment too long.

Y/N hesitated, unsure how to answer. Part of her wanted to stay longer, soak in the warmth of the Burrow and its inhabitants, but she didn’t want to overstep. “I probably should,” she said lightly, though her voice wavered just enough to betray her uncertainty.

Bill nodded, glancing down at Victoire as if weighing something in his mind. He adjusted her slightly, his free hand tucking into his pocket. Then he looked back at Y/N, his expression unreadable but filled with something she couldn’t quite place.

“Actually…” He paused, taking a breath as though steeling himself. “Would you—” He faltered, his ears tinging pink as he glanced away for a moment. “Would you want to stay the night? At Shell Cottage, I mean.”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Stay the night?” she repeated, her voice softer now.

Bill nodded, his eyes meeting hers again, this time with more confidence. “Yeah. It’s late, and Victoire would love it if you were there when she woke up. And… so would I.”

Her heart skipped at the honesty in his tone, the subtle vulnerability in the way he held her gaze. For a moment, the world seemed to slow, the quiet hum of the Burrow fading into the background.

“I…” She hesitated, a small smile tugging at her lips as she tried to suppress the sudden rush of warmth in her chest. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”

“You’re not,” he said quickly, his voice firm but gentle. “You never are.”

The sincerity in his words melted away her remaining doubts. She nodded, her smile widening. “Okay. I’ll stay.”

Bill’s shoulders seemed to relax, the corners of his mouth lifting in a soft smile that reached his eyes. “Great,” he said, his tone laced with quiet relief. “Let’s get this little one home, then.”

As they stepped outside into the cool night air, Y/N felt the tension of the past week dissolve completely. The stars glittered above them, and the soft sound of the wind rustling through the trees made the world feel impossibly peaceful.

With Victoire nestled in Bill’s arms, they Apparated to Shell Cottage, where the waves crashed gently against the shore, and the cozy glow of the house welcomed them home.

As Bill carried Victoire to her room, Y/N stood in the living room, taking in the space that already felt so familiar. When he returned, he found her gazing out the window, the moonlight casting a soft glow across her face.

“Tea?” he offered, his voice quiet as he stepped closer.

She turned to him, her smile soft but radiant. “Sure.”

As they settled into the quiet rhythm of the evening, Y/N couldn’t help but feel that this—this ease, this connection—was the start of something she hadn’t even dared to hope for. And for the first time in a long time, the future felt full of possibility.

tagged: @navs-bhat @neenieweenie @buendiabebeta

a/n: GUYS OH MY GOD HERE IT IS MY BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!! the total word count is over 42k which is the most ive ever written!!!!!!! my blood sweat and tears has gone into this im not lying when i say i've stayed up multiple nights until 1/2/3 am (While working full time which is crazy business) to get this done. I'll have more to say at the end of the epilogue.

[silksongeveryday]

Drawing Hornet everyday until Silksong comes out - Day 365!

1 year! One whole year of daily doodles!!

Honestly?? Idk how to feel, so much has happened since I first started this blog.

I guess I’ll just write what I’m thinking right now??

(Everything under the cut, this thing is longer than I expected)

A lot of this text probably isn’t going to make sense. I’m writing this at 1 am. If there’s any mistakes or errors that’s why. I’ll fix them in the morning maybe.

So like. This whole thing kinda started as a joke, I wasn’t intending to actually draw for a year straight lmao. Like I even used a completely different art style from my regular one that was simple, quick and intentionally dumb. Not that I’m upset by it, I’m actually quite proud of myself that I managed to stick to something for an entire year. That’s pretty unusual for me believe it or not. My original intention was to stop at maybe 20 days because I really wasn’t expecting for this blog to get as much love as it did.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so so much to everyone who has followed and supported this silly little idea I had, you guys are the biggest reason my experience has been so positive and worth it. (Sure it’s not original but I hope it’s at least been interesting!)

I’ve said this a few times now but I’ve mentioned wanting to take a break. I’ll admit that even though it’s been fun it’s still pretty tiring to keep up with this blog sometimes since some recent life events have made it so hard. After some thought, I’ve decided that I’ll likely take a break sometime in the coming months. Maybe toward day 400 or so. As of right now, things are at a lull so I’ve been okay enough mentally and physically to keep up this daily streak I think. Though this could change in an instant for whatever reason.

Overall I think my burnout has kind of gone away I think?? Or at least I’ve been reinvigorated recently after replaying a few runs of hk randomizer and steel soul. No promises it’ll stay away but I silly expect it to come in waves.

Ok but call me crazy or delusional or whatever, but my hopes are up that Silksong will release this year. (which means slowing down/not doing daily doodles yay) I genuinely believe big news is coming since I’ve been getting a lot of dreams lately about something happening with Silksong in March. Idk, I could be wrong but after doing this for a year I’m literally clinging onto anything right now lol

I’d obviously still make the occasional doodle or two when HKSS releases but not daily. This stuff is tough to keep up sometimes, I would never do daily posts like this again once it’s over

Oh yeah also I have an actual big drawing I’m still working on, expect that in sometime in the next few weeks I think!

Anyway, I can’t think of anything else to say right now so I guess that’s it for now!

Thanks so much and here’s to more doodles!

[loquaciousquark]

you have been my #1 favorite fanfic author of all time for like 7-8 years now for your fenhawke and ive always thought "god i would give anything for quark to write solavellan" but i respected that it wasnt your thing. so imagine the pure unbridled euphoria of checking in on your blog this week to see that he finally got to you. i actually screamed. whatever you come up with i know it is going to absolutely change my life and i am so excited <3

i’m so. sad. i'm SO sad. i was so happy for a decade just being mildly annoyed every time he crossed my dash and now i am having feelings and opinions and i don’t WANT THEM and the only way to get rid of them is to write them out of me, this is why i don’t love fenris or astarion at all anymore obviously

and like, I still don’t love Solas! I still think some things he does and some goals he has are really, really stupid! but this character I created to love him really loves him, and I really love her and want her to be happy even though she lives only inside my head, and that means I need to lay down some structure around her romance to get the shape of it, to build something I can make sense of. I may not love him, but I like him much more than I did, and I certainly understand him better than I did the first time around.

And to be honest, there’s a part of me glad I’m coming to it as late as I have. I don’t think I’ve ever read a single Solavellan fic in my life (I actually had to pause here to check the spelling). I have NO idea what tropes are popular with him or what interpretations are the biggest. I have a lot of opinions on how his personality and identity work in a romance with this particular character I’ve created, but because I’ve been so siloed I have no idea if I’m bucking the grain or not, which is fine by me.

Plus, it helps I’m not going to have ten years to build up a lot of personal headcanons and jossable thoughts before playing the new game. I’m not someone who easily ignores canon when it clashes with my imagination for the major things, so I think this will (hopefully) keep me from major disappointments.

It's kinda funny; earlier today I was going back through my DAI tag and reminding myself of all my impressions from the first time I played the game. Some of them I definitely still stand by; others have completely changed. I even said twice that a Lavellan/Solas romance would be my next playthrough, which was true if ten years late.

But it's things like: apparently the first time through I loved Solas and Sera, both of which certainly were not true going into this replay. (I barely even have a memory of Solas and Priory ever being in the party together, though the historical records say I took him to Adamant.) I apparently had a lot of hopes Gideon Emery would be voicing Fenris. I originally thought Priory was going to romance Bull, which is very ?????? after all this time. (I did still, even then, know Here Lies the Abyss completely broke her as a character, and ten years on I never could fix her for good.)

I really did not expect to change my mind on Solas going into this replay, I guess is the point. I replayed because knowing the story of DAI and Solas, I felt it was a story most personalized to elves and specifically a Solas-romancing Lavellan, and that was the worldstate I wanted to take into the new game. I played it out because that's the kind of person I am (I can't just invent characters wholesale in my head) but I really thought it was going to be a perfunctory playthrough as a stepping stone to a different game and a different PC and (presumably) a different romance. I didn't expect to love this character as much as I do, and even if I don't have ten years to write her out the way I did Hawke, I feel like I still owe it to her & her doomed romance to give her a little time in the spotlight. Lucky girl!

[nadas-dirthalen]

I Saw Solas's Origin in an Achievement Icon and It Opened My Eyes on 15 Years of Lore

— PART TWO: if you haven't read previous parts, do it now! —

[ 1 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ]

Welcome, friends and travelers! I wanted to get some thoughts recorded before Veilguard's release so I could see if I am right about an absolute BOATLOAD of theories I have.

In short: I saw the achievement list when it was released. I have seen the backstory hints for Solas included in said list. AND MY MIND WAS BLOWN.

You have been warned: THIS COLLECTION OF THEORIES INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR EVERY DRAGON AGE GAME AND ALL PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL UP TO AND INCLUDING OCTOBER 18, 2024.

Come sit down with me. Make a nice cup of tea (and hide it from Solas). We've got a lot of unpacking to do.

(this photo isn't the spoiler, I just like it.)

Today's Docket: (Almost) Every Hint the Elvhen Language Gave Us Along the Way

Today we will be reviewing:

The Lullaby from the Deep Roads in Trespasser

Elven phrase: Ar dirthan'as ir elgara, ma sula e'var vhenan.

Lullaby: "Suledin (Endure)"

A breakdown of the word Suledin

Lullaby: "Where Willows Wail"

Song: "I Am the One"

Decoding the word (Indecipherable) from the Temple of Solasan

The Lullaby from the Deep Roads in Trespasser

I wish I'd posted here this summer, but finding this lullaby during a Trespasser replay and actually going out of my way to translate it was the first inkling I had that Solas might be Titan-wrought.

We know that Mythal mined Titans. But this lullaby is the first concrete indication that I had that she made Solas from lyrium, too.

For our purposes, I am not pasting the incorrect translation given by the codex. Just the elvish.

Ir sa tel'nal, Mythal las ma theneras. Ir san'a emma. Him solas evanuris. Da'durgen'lin, Banal malas elgara. Bellanaris, bellanaris.

It took me a long time to translate, and there are some parts I'm not even sure that I have correct. But they came together for me once I saw Solas's achievement icon, and I will explain some of the new pieces later on in this post.

Since the dwarven word for lyrium is Isana, I am making the guess that Ir san'a translates the same way.

I am one, not [nal] [anymore] Mythal gives me dreams Lyrium within Becomes Solas evanuris Little stone boy Never grants me elgara (the Domain, the Titan—more on that soon) Forever, forever

Da'durgen'lin has been ringing in my mind for months. Plural months. Seeing the achievement icon, that was the first word that came to me. Mythal's da'durgen'lin — her little stone boy.

He was once a part of more than one, and now is alone. Just one. Mythal gave him dreams—dreams that called him. He became Solas, evanuris. Little stone boy.

And now, he will never be of elgara, a spirit of the Titan, ever ever again.

Forever, forever.

"Ar dirthan'as ir elgara, ma sula e'var vhenan" — What does e'var mean, and what in the world does it have to do with Sera?

Second big "Solas might be Titan-related???" thought this summer: hearing Vows & Vengeance episode 1 and hearing a phrase that had eaten my brain since I first heard it used. Ar dirthan'as ir elgara, ma sula e'var vhenan. Something Solas says, a little flippantly, to Sera—and something he sighs at, when she does not understand it.

But in V&V, when he says it to the Eye of Kethisca, its lyrium song... quiets.

So what does it mean? Well, some of the words had poked at me for a while. But with the achievement icon, I believe I understand them, when I think about their Titan implications.

Ar dirthan'as ir elgara, ma sula e'var vhenan.

Ar: The elvish page on the DA wiki says this is the word for "I" or "me." We're sticking with that.

dirthan'as: This one gave me pause. We know dirth as "knowledge" or "wisdom," but also as "tell" or "speak." To understand it, I looked at the suffixes, the TWO suffixes. The "--an" suffix we recognize mostly from place names (vir abelasan, Solasan). But the "--as" suffix? I recognize i from "vhenas:" "home". So for this one, I am taking "place-home" to mean "domain." Domain of wisdom.

ir: Wiki says "I am," and I'm sticking with that.

elgara: We know "elgar" is elvish for spirit. But why the extra A? It puzzled me, until I realized Solas's Titan connection. I think the extra A comes from lyrium spirit. (And from the previous song, I think elgara is referring to that connection back to the lyrium, Solas's place in the Titan's choir.)

ma sula: In Elvish, the placement of the "ma" determines the subject/object of the sentence. When you see "ma" before a verb, it means, "you do the verb." Since "sula" is likely "sing," this means, "you sing" — or, "sing to me."

e'var: THIS one blew my brain wide open. "Var," we know from the Wiki, is "our." But why the E? Well, think about "Our" in the context of a Titan. Who is our? This refers to the Many.

vhenan: Heart. We know that one.

Taken together?

Ar dirthanas ir elgara, ma sula e'var vhenan. I am a lyrium spirit of the [Titan/Domain] of Wisdom, sing to me in the song of All Our heart.

Think about Sera. Think about small painted boxes, and go watch one of the many theory videos equating Sera with Andruil. Think about why Solas might have been trying to speak to her with those words, in the same way he spoke to the Eye of Kethisca.

Then hope for a Sera cameo in Veilguard. Cross your fingers and light your candles with me.

"Suledin (Endure)"

This is another one of those ones where I won't be posting the (incorrect) translation. My translation here is spotty, with a lot of my guesses or unknowns going into [these brackets]. But even with many guesses, I think this says enough to let us know one thing: this is about Solas, and possibly even written by him.

Melava inan enansal ir su aravel tu elvaral u na emma abelas in elgar sa vir mana in tu setheneran din emma na lath sulevin lath araval ena arla ven tu vir mahvir melana ‘nehn enasal ir sa lethalin

Time was once a blessing I am a song-journey [with no way forward] Eternal are sorrows within In spirit, no longer "we" The land of waking dreams no longer exists Love is purpose Love is the journey of [joy/victory/blessing] A way out of the trap between [my speech and the Many] Time of singing again Triumph over loss, lyrium elvhen man

Ask me, one day, how all these mentions of Love might relate to Lucanis. To Spite. To the climax of Veilguard itself.

I hope I'm right.

A quick breakdown of the word Suledin...

It is very possible that it is, in fact, three words made into one. Sul • e • din.

Sul: possibly shortform for Sing

e: possibly referring to the Many, as in e'var

din: end, or the dead.

Suledin: Sing our dead. As in, go on living, remembering the lost. Go on being, breathing, and carrying the memory of the forgotten. Not strictly endure, but outlive.

Var lath vir suledin, then, might mean: our love will outlive this.

Crying yet?

(Banter source: Varric/Solas after the first memory in the Jaws of Hakkon DLC.)

Lullaby: "Where Willows Wail"

Tel’enara bellana bana’vhenadahl, Sethen’a ir san’shiral, mala tel’halani Ir sa’vir te’suledin var bana’vallaslin, Vora’nadas san banal’him emma abel revas. Ir tela’ena glandival, vir amin tel’hanin. Ir tela las ir Fen halam, vir am’tela’elvahen.

My translation:

Nothing is eternal, the tree of the People is forever [ruined/blighted] I walk the path here in the land of waking dreams, I give you no help I am [one of The All], [but I cannot endure because of] our [bad/ruined/blighted] vallaslin [Vora] inevitable [here] becomes nothing within the sorrow of freedom I am not [good/holy] [belief], the path the one of no glory. I did not give myself the name Wolf, we [are not called the elvahen.]

I'll let you cry with me. Solas is alone. He can't help you. He is stuck.

The tree of the People... might be the branches of the We. The lyrium, connecting him to the Titan. The blood of the We that makes up all that Solas is.

It is forever ruined. He is cut off. He is one of the All, but he has no ability to find strength in that pain, because of the vallaslin—the one he burned off his face, leaving a scar.

Y'know. The vallaslin in the shape of lyrium branches. The ones in the shape of his body. The ones that so many of us were wearing for 10 long years.

The sorrow of freedom.

Let that ring in your mind, as I have.

"I Am the One" �� and now, we're beginning understand the Forgotten Ones, aren't we?

No translation needed. Let me bold what I want to focus on.

I feel sun Through the ashes in the sky. Where's the one Who'll guide us into the night? What's begun Is the war that will Force this divide. What's to come Is fire and the end of time. I am the one Who can recount What we've lost. I am the one Who will live on. I have run Through the fields Of pain and sighs. I have fought To see the other side. I am the one Who can recount What we've lost. I am the one Who will live on.

Solas is the one who can remember what was lost. Cool, elvhen empire, right?

But he says I have fought to see the other side. This song crops up in Origins. Why would it say that, when Solas hadn't actually physically been back to the Fade by then?

Because that's the wrong other side. The original other side was any life outside of his Titan.

The divide isn't between us and the Fade. It's between the Fade/Evanuris and the Titans of the real/waking world.

And with all Titans being forgotten, with them forgetting how to wake up... isn't it peculiar that Solas is the sole one who can remember?

What does it mean, then, that Solas is the one who will live on?

And was any of this why the elven version of this song was what they used for Solas ans Elio's chanting in Vows & Vengeance episode 1? Because something about that song prompted them to use it, even though the elvish is not BioWare canon because it was written by someone else.

For whatever reason, they wanted us to know Solas was singing these lyrics. That this was his message, when dealing with a lyrium orb.

Trust me, I'm still going. If "Titans = Forgotten Ones" isn't clicking yet, it will by the time I'm through with these posts.

The (Indecipherable) from the Temple of Solasan Codex tells us everything we need to know. But what does it mean?

This one's long, but I'll break down this codex bit by bit.

Faintly carved into the stone is a figurebound in chains. Two other figures haveturned their gaze from the central image.The script below the image is ancient,though Solas is able to provide a partialtranslation: Pride in our accomplishments and in our hearts. That same pride became (a word meaning corrupted or altered) within him, he sought to claim (indecipherable), cast from favor and so he was bound. Hidden from mortal eyes, death lies within.

Here goes.

Faintly carved into the stone is a figure bound in chains. Two other figures have turned their gaze from the central image.

I believe this means: two worlds that don't accept Solas as their own. Or, the "We" that turned away from him.

The script below the image is ancient,though Solas is able to provide a partialtranslation: Pride in our accomplishments and in our hearts

The use of our here is insane. Because I don't think it's our in the regular way, I think it's Our in the capitalized way. If I were to translate back to Elvish, I'd write it like: Solas in e'var enasalin la e'var vhenan.

I think it meant to say: the Titans harbored pride. Pride in themselves and the We; but Pride that turned their focus away from the We.

Ambition.

That same pride became (a word meaning corrupted or altered) within him,

That same pride was preyed upon and altered. By whom? Well, who filled him with dreams?

(This needs a LOT OF CONTEXT from the Blackened Hearts memory in DA:tv, Memory #3, before I can definitively say more!)

he sought to claim (indecipherable), cast from favor and so he was bound.

Ah, (indecipherable). He sought to claim a new life. He sought to claim love. He sought to claim independence. And the Stone struck him out of it. Separated him. Cut him off from the whole like a rotting limb. And so... he was bound, because he was untethered. Mythal bound him to her, and (probably) made his vallaslin in the shape of the body he'd just had. (Lemme cry about that a whole other time oh my god)

Hidden from mortal eyes, death lies within.

BECAUSE THE WORLD FORGOT THE TITANS.

The Titans are hidden from mortal eyes. The TItans are starting to exhibit their blighted selves with the emergence of red lyrium.

The Titans, perhaps, are doomed — unless Solas fixes them by tearing down the Veil? Unless the lyrium that grows in the Fade is also needed by the Titans in the waking world?

ANYWAY: if you're still here reading, thank you. Truly. I'm hoping Part 3 will come soon, but I truly don't know yet! Busy week, chronic pain, etc.

Next up: The Titans' Magic and Lyrium.

[teineplaysveilguard]

I first bought Dragon Age: Origins about two days after release, and I was instantly hooked. I played it six times back-to-back, just to experience every origin story. After that, I kept replaying to see every possible decision and its impact. Honestly I am not sure how many times I finished origins as it was over several platforms and accounts… but it is a LOT.

DA2 came out while I was in hospital (severe manic episode and psychosis) but as soon as I got home, I dove into it. I’ve written before on my main about how much I related to Anders, partially because of the timing, but honestly, I adore everything about DA2.

I have since finished DA2 NINETEEN TIMES! Honestly I love Kirkwall so much… I love everything about the tragedy that was Hawkes live. The tragedy of Hawke’s life, the way no amount of effort or care could fix the deeply ingrained, systemic issues—it’s gut-wrenching and perfect.

Fifthteen years later there are aspects of that game I still onbsess over, the enigma of Kirkwall for example… I had so many theories, none of which are likely to ever be addressed now…

Yes, the game had issues. All games do. Some of the writing was shallow in places; occasionally a companion says or does something that feels a little out of character. Anders and Fenris were treated like narrative mouthpieces at points. Aveline’s character development is a little questionable, and, of course, the copy-paste environments were rough. But for me, the positives—the depth of the narrative, the snippets of lore and background, the things I loved—overshadowed the negatives.

Do you know how shitty it is to know that all my left in the fade Hawkes just don't matter? Which ye I guess in some ways is fitting for the guy who accomplished nothing, who couldn’t even actually kill Meredith or Corypheus, for their final sacrifice to mean nothing… but still…

Then there was Inquisition. Once again I gain it on the day of release, I may have even pre-ordered it I can't rememeber… Anyway, I’ll admit I wasn’t sold on it at first. It felt too much like a “hero narrative”—which is hard to explain, but I couldn’t connect with it initially. The companions didn’t grab me right away either. But over time, I warmed to it, and now I’ve played it six (almost seven) times, obsessively picking up every bit of lore.

same with the books… the comics… that game in the keep that I forget the name of… I've even played the table top game and DMed it

And now we have veilguard...

I was so excited to go to Tevinter in game. Tevinter has fascinated by for so long.

And I… I cannot even put into words just how disappointed I am in veilguard…

I don’t want to be “that guy” who just tears it apart—plenty of people have already done the analysis, pointed out the retcons, and broken down how much lore feels ignored.

But I need to vent somewhere, and none of my IRL friends care.

In essence, the game feels sanitised...

But here is the crux of my issue, or at least the disturbing part:

I have zero desire to replay veilguard…

[rathologic]

One thing I noticed on my most recent replay of Patho 2 is that an odongh specifically defined 'emshen' as a knower of the lines - then, in the diurnal ending, the player can call Dankovsky, a man who most definitely does not know the lines, 'emshen'. Am I just remembering this wrong or do you think something more interesting is happening here?

I'd guess something here is misremembered as I could not find either of the above dialogues. The Bachelor's Diurnal conversation is one of a few instances where you cannot say "emshen" (he says it instead), referencing how the Haruspex calls him that constantly in other conversations - well, at least 10 times 😅

You're right about it meaning a type of doctor who knows the Lines, or an especially skilled and knowledgeable doctor, but the below descriptions both come from the Haruspex:

"Emshen" means "a doctor," or someone who knows the Lines. "Erdem" means "a wise man," who doesn't know them. Speaking in more modern terms, "erdem" would refer to a scientist. "Erdem," "oynon," and "emshen" are the words people use for doctors. / I'm no erdem. "Emshen" would be more accurate… but not especially humble. Usually, we call surgeons "yargachins," as in butchers.

so I figure Artemy's been doing this to subtly mock him, as like a response to the "vorakh" aggression + how much Dankovsky speaks about his medical knowledge, which is why you don't get to continue the bit in Diurnal when the tone becomes entirely serious... there is something going on here but in reverse of the original ask ^^

[carawenfiction]

Hey, now that the blog is officially on again and so on...

I have a question, but it's quite spoilery, so I'll try to keep it somewhat vague.

By the end of the current version of the first book, you can have what we could call "character demises". Will that stay in the rewrite?

That aside, I'm thinking I'll replay the current version of the game before the first demo of the rewrite drops, just to refresh it all in my mind and be able to fully appreciate the differences.

I haven't decided for sure yet. Now that I have more experience and know just how much work fully branching narratives are, I'm trying to determine whether it'd be too overwhelming to write. But more than that, I'm not sure that the story will end up going in the same direction towards the end of the first book.

The way I'm rewriting it means that the group and MC likely won't trust one another right off the bat (unless you're playing as a super trusting kind of person) and there can be some hostility if you lean into that, but you will also be in a position where the MC and the group have the potential to bond more and face certain obstacles together as opposed to the original's "the group knows everything while the MC is left guessing", if that makes sense?

Certain character motives and circumstances are somewhat different compared to the original as well. I don't think that the character demise is going to feel as necessary, to be honest.

At the same time I like having stakes in stories; if I always feel like everyone is safe no matter what (unless it's a cozy/slice of life kind of story) I personally tend to care less about what happens and refrain from investing myself emotionally since I know the main characters will always be fine. But those stakes have to make sense rather than exist just for the sake of it.

Something I promise I won't do, though, is force you onto such a path.

In short: If I feel like it'd make sense to keep it, it'll be an alternative path that would maybe occur depending on how you play the game.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the original vs. the remake once you've read both! Thank you so much for the ask <3

[ghoulfuckersincorporated]

I'm sorry but I gotta ask.... Roy Phillips Piss Kink???? 👀👀👀

I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU TO NOT DO THIS TO ME, DAMMIT!

But, since I already saw this and can't get the thought out of my mind, I guess I'll fold. To the person who sent in this ask last year: please know that you permanently changed my brain chemistry and it was a significant moment in my "weird kink spreader" villain origin story. Cut added for length, not because I'm trying to spare y'all.

Roy absolutely shuts you down when you first bring up piss play to him, which sucks extra because he's the kind of guy it takes a lot of courage to even ask that sort of thing. He's a man of many strong opinions that he doesn't express in the most delicate of language. You can imagine how funny he finds your request.

Though he won't completely shame you, he will absolutely laugh at you and rib you thoroughly for it. However, that "ribbing" will definitely also serve as some excellent degradation fodder for him when he's ready to pull it out, since he's prone to being pretty mean with his dirty talk. In his eyes, you've given him a perfect excuse to call you all sorts of disgusting things, since you've shown him what a debauched whore you really are. The way you squirm in embarrassment at his needling only makes it more delicious.

Weeks, even months might pass—just long enough for you to forget exactly how embarrassing his rejection was, to stop torturing yourself with Technicolor replays every night before you fall asleep. Roy, however, has not forgotten. He's been thinking.

He's never been one to be particularly exploratory in bed. While he wouldn't call himself unadventurous or sexually close-minded, necessarily, he's a man who knows what he likes and tends to defer to it rather than experiment with new things. Why take a new route if the old route gets you where you're going? Still, he wants to see you happy and wants your needs met, so if you want to try new things, he feels like he'd be an asshole to just turn you down without even considering what you're asking.

Plus, the whole idea of pissing on you has slowly taken root in his mind and begun to tickle away at his deeply-ingrained sense of possessiveness and mild entitlement to your body. You're his; shouldn't he be able to do whatever he likes with you? Defile you as he sees fit?

Roy enjoys catching you off-guard, so when he broaches the topic once more out of the blue, you're pretty bowled over. In fact, you doubt that he even sincerely means it, suspicious that he's just fucking with you to tease you more. However, he's very serious. Physiology is proving more of a roadblock than he'd originally considered, though. Like most ghouls, whose bodies utilize resources like food and water with maximum efficiency, he doesn't piss every day, or even very often. You will both have to wait until the need arises to address your curiosity.

The amount of patience you must exercise while you do so feels like an incredible feat of human achievement, and you're still (rather impatiently) waiting about a week after he first brings it back up. The two of you stop for the evening, out on a fairly rare road trip, and make camp near a train yard that makes you nostalgic for the day you entered Warrington Station and met him for the first time. He's obviously feeling some sort of way, himself, eyeballing you long and hard all day. Once you've established a small perimeter of safety and unpacked your bedrolls, he corners you, your back pressed against the outside frame of the rusted-out old train car you've taken shelter in.

"Take your clothes off." he says.

This catches you slightly off guard, but doesn't exactly shock you. Roy likes to play games like this sometimes, likes to flex the control he knows he has over you by giving the invisible leash he holds a tug in a direction you might usually hesitate to go in.

The evening air is cool against your skin after you've stripped down.

Your boyfriend appraises your body silently, clearly pleased with your acquiescence. Rather carefully, he presses himself close and kisses you. His eager hands begin exploring your body almost immediately, and soon he's ushering you down onto your knees with a simple:

"Suck me."

If you had more blood flowing to your brain, you'd be embarrassed at the way you seemingly always jump to do what this man tells you.

Quickly, you're gagging and slobbering on him, which he ensures with the way he crowds close and nearly loses himself in the heat of you. Despite how much he likes to properly press you against a wall and fuck your mouth with wild abandon, hips pumping away at your face until you have drool flowing down your chin, he'll make damn sure he slows down enough for you to hear him when he quietly says:

"I gotta take a piss."

You feel how large your eyes grow in surprise, but with his cock down your throat, a verbal response is sort of out of the question. Being flabbergasted certainly doesn't help. However, if you don't pull away, he'll roll his eyes before muttering about how filthy you are. He's not quite that down, mostly out of a fear of making you sick, and he'll pull back, telling you to keep playing with his cock.

He doesn't order you to touch yourself; you're just so turned on that you can't help yourself.

You'll have to have just a bit more patience as you balance on your knees, rubbing his pulsating cockhead back and forth across your lips and cheeks as you wait for what you've wanted so badly. He'll give it to you as soon as he can; as I mentioned in the original piece, it's difficult to piss when you've got a massive erection. All the while, you roll and pinch your clit between your fingers, the air suddenly thick and humid as you stare up at the older man.

The first trickle of him against your skin is much hotter than you'd anticipated, and the shock of it shoves you within a hair's breadth of your end, pushed that final little bit over the edge by the relieved, satisfied groan the ghoul standing over you lets out. It's all beyond overwhelming to you, and suddenly you're spasming, cumming hard on your own fingers while he continues to empty himself all over your tits and stomach.

Unfortunately, neither your orgasm nor Roy's stream can last forever, and eventually you both run out of stamina. A sharp shiver runs down your spine as another soft gust of breeze brushes past you, your damp skin cooling rapidly in the fresh air. However, Roy doesn't move, doesn't allow you to stand, his eyes not leaving you as he once more nudges your cheek with his still-throbbing, leaking erection.

"You're not done yet." he says.

You smirk in reply.

[confoundedluna]

Here's just my analysis of every trophy from the UD remake, how they've changed, what's been removed, just my general thoughts on them because I'm super hyped for more information lmao

Trophies that are entirely unchanged - same requirements, same name, same level (platinum, gold, silver or bronze)

A Symphony of Horror - The platinum, technically different requirements I guess because of the new trophies under it, but its status as the platinum and everything else about it is the same so I'm counting it here

This Is THE End - Gold, they all die trophy

They All Live - Gold, they all live trophy

You Opened Their Eyes - Gold, Mystery Man clueline trophy

The Fateful Descent - Gold, 1952 clueline trophy

The Tale of The Two Sisters - Gold, Twins clueline trophy

You Let The Wrong One In! - Bronze, Chris or Ash opened the trapdoor in the mines

Trophies that are the same except their level has changed

The Skilful Wolf Man - Gold to silver, saving Wolfie trophy

The Psycho Path - Silver to bronze, attacking the Psycho as Sam or Ashley (vase or scissors, possibly the bat too in Sam's chase though I'm not sure on that)

Trophies that are the same but their name changed

Night of the Totem Hunter - Gold, is now called An Omen?, technically different since the Hunger totems were added, but it's the same idea of finding all of them so I'm counting it here

Trophies that changed name and level

Scream Too! - Silver to bronze, is now called Saw That Coming, Mike cuts off his fingers with the machete

Ashley Snaps - Silver to bronze, is now called Nightmare on Ash Street, technically changed in that the description is tonally very different and moves to the more sympathetic view of that situation over the original's description, which is very interesting in and of itself, but it's the same thing requirement wise so I'm counting it

Trophies that have been removed for the remake

The Quicker Man - Gold, all the boys survive, makes sense as you can easily get this at the same time as the They All Live trophy

Four Daughters Of Darkness - Gold, all the girls survive, same thing as the above trophy, though I'm more bummed about this one because I really like the name and referring to the girls with it

Don't Scare Jessica To Death - Silver, Jess survives the night, this has been kind of replaced by a couple of other trophies which I'll get to in a bit, I liked that she was the only one with a sole survivor trophy so again kinda bummed by its removal but oh well

Instant Inferno - Silver, Sam immediately runs to the switch, this one I imagine is because it's right at the end of chapter 10 and annoying to replay the whole thing for since you can't do a all live or all die run and get this, plus it's a little out of Sam's character in most people's opinions, which kinda aligns with the change to Ashley Snaps i think

Fatal Grudge - Bronze, Chris shoots Ash, I think this one again goes with the tonal change made to Ashley Snaps, and also means that following that path gets you one trophy as opposed to two

The Exorcism of Emily and Let eM In - Both bronze, either shooting Em if she got bitten or letting her live, grouping these together because they're the same situation but opposite outcomes/choices, it's very interesting to me they got rid of these two in favour for something else (which I'll again talk about further down)

New trophies added for the remake

It's Shining - Silver, collect all the new interactables, this one I'm excited for, I'm really intrigued to see what they added in, one other trophy kinda spoils that since i believe the item it mentioned isn't in the game already unless I'm forgetting seeing it?

We Need to Talk About Josh - Silver, achieved the best ending for Josh, this one has a lot of people excited based on the wording that he'll get a new ending where he can survive and make it off the mountain, and though my logical brain says that it's just gonna be for getting the journal and the ending where he turns, my Josh-loving brain would love to see a different ending for him!

The Cabin in the Blackwoods - Silver, completed a full playthrough, your bog-standard completion trophy, but I'm glad this and one other are the only ones and it isn't a chapter-by-chapter basis like some people were worried the trophies would be

Talk to eM - Silver, Emily slapped Ashley after the truth was revealed, I can only imagine this is replacing the other two because of what an iconic moment in the game it became within the fandom, and I appreciate that acknowledgement ngl, plus it's more incentive for players to keep Em alive in the basement as opposed to shooting her because they hate her, which I always like to see

When a Psycho Calls - Silver, Sam successfully escapes the Psycho, this one is like a 'yeah, this should have always been in the game' kind of addition to the trophy list, totally get this one being here, I like to see it

Blackwood Country - Silver, the group respected the wildlife of the mountain, I also like this one because it plays into the story and the background of the mountain, my guess is it's a series of not shooting the squirrel, not hitting the bird in the snowball fight, possibly choosing to comfort the dying deer that Mike and Jess find, not hitting the herd with the axe as Matt, and possibly not hitting Wolfie, though since his survival is its own trophy, he might not count

Fatal Destination - Silver, tried changing the past despite Dr Hill's warnings, this one is intriguing but I imagine it's solely for restarting and either replaying the full game, or just the prologue, since he already has a unique dialogue for starting the game again from the beginning (which, if someone has a clip of, please link it! I cannot find it!)

Only Others Left Alive - Silver, Matt and Jess only survive, I like this one giving some acknowledgement to the two that get pretty neglected by the game, it's part of the replacement for Jess's sole survivor one and gives Matt some respect too!

Carnival of Solitude - Bronze, shake the snow globe, this is the item I mentioned earlier that I cannot remember seeing in the original game? If it was there then my bad, but if it wasn't, I hope it's something either with like a cute picture of the Washingtons in it, or with a deer or butterfly in it and we find it in Hannah's room or something like that

Just Breathe - Bronze, Matt or Em successfully defended themselves with the flare gun, another one where you think 'yeah, this should have been in the game already', both are pretty hard shots to make iirc and deserve more acknowledgment outside of the butterfly effect they're part of

Our Host - Bronze, the Psycho's identity was revealed, this will ether be a general story progression trophy unlocked automatically when it happens, or may have something to do with finding everything in his workshop should Sam escape, though that's less likely

I Know What You Did Last Year - Bronze, completed the Prologue, the other general playthrough trophy, I like this one due to the rework and the expanded scenes that we'll get to see

Lodge Fever - Bronze, Matt and Em started separate confrontations in the lodge, this is I imagine for starting a fight with Mike as Matt but backing down before it reaches boiling point, so that Emily can come in and start her fight with Jess, so I'm intrigued by their choice to add this, though it could hint at the preorder DLC being added into the full game? maybe?

One Hour Selfie - Bronze, take a bad selfie with Jessica, this is a missable encounter on the cabin walk that I think can impact their relationship? it's got some funny dialogue and it's a cute little silly trophy so I like that they've put in something like that

Drag Me Through Hell - Bronze, Mike saved Jess without failing a QTE, the other half of the change to Jess's sole survivor trophy, this one is interesting as she can still die after, but can also live if you do miss a QTE - this is the most like. playing the game related trophy, if that makes sense? it's the most related to the actual controls of the game, and I wonder if you have to have certain settings or difficulty enabled to be able to achieve it or not

An American Survivor in Canada - Bronze, Mike successfully escapes the Sanatorium in Chapter 9, some people are theorising that Mike could have a new death now, which would be sick because his plot armour is atrocious, but again, I'm pretty sure this is just about him making it out of the building on his own, and Sam not needing to be in there to help him blow it up

Patient Sematary - Bronze, Mike picked up the odd figurine, another interactable spoiler, I've gone through all the clues and can't see anything like a figurine, so I'm really intrigued about this!

And that's everything! I've added a few of my thoughts throughout, I guess let me know what y'all think and if you have any other inputs? I just thought the changes and additions and removals were all super interesting, and I love getting to analyse and see if anything we don't know can be figured out from this stuff! And if anyone else has already done something like this then oh well lmao, this is my version

[khalemchurstcomics]

CIGARETTES

WARNING: This comic suggests the occurrence of s3xual vi0lence, although nothing is actually shown. Please read with caution.

I have done a lot of work on processing my capital T Traumas. The big stuff, the kinds of things you do EMDR sessions on. That stuff takes so much focus and time and it just takes so much energy and time and MONEY to slowly unpack and process everything. I am constantly doing that work.

But surrounding the big Traumas, the kinds of events I write about in comics (@triggeredcomic) there are so many of these little things that happened. Things that maybe mean nothing but maybe mean something. Things I mostly don't remember because when I was young, when I felt threatened I would often just black out. There were a bunch of times I regained consciousness in a bed and asked someone what had happened and they wouldn't tell me.

I guess the point is, when you're a traumatised person, somehow the things just keep happening. For years I thought there was something deeply defective about me, that I kept ending up in these situations, that I couldn't make them stop. Part of that is about how perfectly trained I was by the cult to be submissive and polite and a perfect victim. But part of it was just my trauma replaying again and again.

If you have had small encounters like this that maybe don't feel important enough to labelled as Traumas, I want you to know that they still matter. These experiences inform you and how you navigate the world. You deserved better. So did I. We still do.

This was originally posted to my IG @khalemchurst