#(in my headcanon for my lavellan ofc!!!)

[vitaeplaysda]

Old memories.

I'm still on the mend for this month so a doodle is all I can start with. Featuring my lil Lavellan Elinan, Solas (ofc) and Enfenim, a fear demon (abomination?) on a redeption arc (I hate this thing spirits can get corrupted and they get so broken you have to kill them. Nay. Elinan wanna try something else. One day I'll rant a lot about this.) Also lil Rook behind, I've got LOTS of headcanon for them as well. Not sure I'll clean and finish this so on the da side blog it goes.

[freesidexjunkie]

ooh interesting ask meme! maybe "lesson" for sarissa :')

ohhhh this one is good, I've been stewing it in my brain all morning. link to oc ask list here

I think the first big life lesson she learns has to be connected to her leaving her birth clan. She was very young when her magic showed (7/8, had to double check my notebooks). Her clan already had three mages; she couldn't stay. She was luckier than Minaeve, in that she was sent to Clan Lavellan to train as first under their keeper. She was also lucky to be Dalish, so her magic wasn't a stain or a sin or a punishment; rather, it was a very big responsibility.

I'm stuck between "clan Lavellan was luckily close enough to her birth clan and in need of a First, so it worked out very fortunately" and "the arrangement was worked out at the Arlathven." I'm leaning heavily towards the Arlathven; it would be Sarissa's first wide exposure to Dalish culture as a whole, since it only happens every 10 years and she's still younger than that. Lavellan could have recently lost their own first. Or better, they could've just lost their keeper, and Istimaethoriel is brand spanking new in the role and needs a first, or maybe even a second at the beginning. So Sarissa is here as this terrified, shaking child, clutching at her mother's skirts, and what should be an exciting and illuminating first step into the wider world is actually her send off from everyone she's ever known.

It does end up working out well, though. Isti has no family of his own in my headcanon, and he's a very patient and kind teacher, so they form a very tight bond. She doesn't get to see her parents again; that bond just kind of...disintegrates. She was an only child when she left, but she has no idea if she has siblings out there somewhere. She doesn't even remember her parents' names, since she was so young and only ever called them mom/dad (in elvhen ofc but I don't think there's an elvhen word for dad off the top of my head?). I haven't decided exactly where they are or what's happened to them, but I think that's fitting; just like Sarissa knows she has parents but not where they are or why they never reached back out, I don't have a clear idea for why either.

So, long winded explanation, but I think the first lesson she learned was responsibility. She was chosen, by right of her magic, to bear one of, if not the, most important job any Dalish can undertake. Others always come before herself, because she lives to serve them, keep them safe and keep their stories alive. And that's why she falls into the role of Inquisitor so easily after the mark - she has, once again, been given what seems like a divine sign that she has to serve for others. Her life is not hers, and that might have chafed once in a while, but she has never changed that mindset. Is it healthy? No not at all, but who would I be if I didn't give my beloved OCs pieces of my own trauma? ❤️

Thank you so much for asking this and giving me an excuse to ramble about my fav girl 🥺 this really made me think more about her background in ways I haven't before, and I think it adds a really good layer to her story. Adding one of my latest picrews of her post-Inquisition bc I love her and I need to share her with the whole world.

[ndostairlyrium]

Ooohboi 😂 Long post ahead! Also cw: drugs

Basically, I have this headcanon (which could possibly be canon but the info of this franchise come in bulks and I may have missed stuff lol) that clan hunters/scouts have maps of the safest routes to travel through in case they have to move quickly to a different location. And since they have to update them, they usually meet with other clans' hunters of the same geographic area at a certain time of the year. When these meetings occurr they all take notes, socialize, and gather intel on what's going on in the human communities of the surroundings. It's important to have things well organized since every clan has children and elders within their community, besides moving without a direction is just plain stupid. I don't believe all clans live isolated for then meeting each other once every 10 years. Communicating is a basic mean for survival, at the end.

Now, imagine freshma'am hunter Ankh in her 16/17s - very reckless, very idealistic, very idiotic - going on such a trip with her clan's older hunters to learn the basics of orienteering. She's a decent archer, but she's inexperienced obviously. Anxiety is over the roof, because being the olympic medal overthinker that she is, she put all the possible expectations over her shoulders, even if her mentors are very chill about it. And so she's there doing mediocre, failing, having an existential crisis overall stressful first experience outside the safety of her clan's perimeter... until all the hunters set camp for the night. Things change there: she manages to unwind and interact with everyone outside their task, and she starts to enjoy it! She's a cool kid, she's having fun, she's drinking embrium tea, she's nibbling some lunatic deathroot cookies...

The hell do her mentors knew substances would work on her like caffeine? Also, have I ever told you she's annoyingly hyperactive? Well, now you know, unfortunately. Imagine this bamboo stick with a blonde wig talking complex phylosophical concepts at the speed of light (and making no sense whatsoever ofc), hunting down hares and nocturnal rodents as if it was the easiest possible thing, and having a blast in general while the others are chilling around the campfire with the dumbest face ever. Pure entertainment for the group! Plus, she's overly self-conscious that she's intoxicated, so she's all like "will it wear down? down it will wear would will-- Have stars always been this luminous? Can we visit those old ruins we found earlier?? That would be so cool!! Am I talking right? Do my words make sense??? FERN. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND. ME? F E R N" The moment tiredness starts to kick in, she's baffled. She can't use her legs properly, her clothes are becoming increasingly heavier, and her brain pulsates on her ears. But she still have ideas, ideas she would barely remember later << So, her and her bestie and later partner Fern would end up crashing a nearby Sylvanmoot (that really was a circle of willows and nothing else). They manage to befriend the shortest tree, who could relate to the awkwardness of a young person being put on their first responsibilities. They've been a brother, a comrade, and the three talked through existential topics for hours; hugging this newfound friend was like, the bare minimum to wave goodbye. Truly a tearjerking moment, if it wasn't for the fact that they were hugging a literal tree and rubbing themselves on its bark like freaking possums. Luckily the other hunters - those that weren't intoxicated, at least - would reach the idiots in time to stop them from ending up like parmesan cheese on pasta. From that experience Ankh got a couple of scars on her brow and scalp, Fern got some on his cheeks and mandible as well, and they ended up getting matching earrings. How, you say? They'll never know. This is a story the now elders of clan Lavellan tell to every single one of Ankh's partners, to her delight <3 and this is one of the reasons she never drinks or ingest stuff that could alter her senses - it's a xase of 70% allergies, 30% pure shame.

[definitelyallergictohalla]

Ok so canon choice discussion for my Inky Eva Lavellan discussed under cut, Veilguard edition (lots of Solavellan talk bc duh)

SPOILERS FOR A VEILGUARD ENDING TOO bc yeah, it's there

I always had the headcanon that Eva moved on from Solas (with Rainier, namely) but Veilguard made me reconsider that

mostly bc I'm always a slut for seemingly undeserving redemption arcs, especially where an antagonist is getting dragged into the arc crying and/or beat up

you can blame yugioh and persona 4 for that

Will Eva be angry and give Solas shit about all the damage he caused (and Varric) while they discuss things in the Fade???? Ofc. But during the healing process after the battle she's gentle with him, because she notices just how much pain he was in emotionally before and after Mythal dismissed him from her service

(also did you all notice how much Solas was flinching in those moments with Mythal????????? it hurttttttt)

[lavellander]

finally made little height reference guides for my PCs and their LIs (and a couple extra companions) so i can stop constantly making then promptly discarding these charts every time i draw <3

[pinayelf-archive]

do you have any headcanons about clan lavellan?

I do! Some are specific to my own clan lavellan lore and others are more general ^_^

They're fairly new to the Free Marches, in my story clan lavellan came from up north in Seheron and decided to move to get away from Tevinter slavers

Each clan has their own type of embroidery - so clan lavellan has their own methods and design their own heraldry on the aravels

Dalish clothing is colorful! Save for hunter armors (they need to camouflage ofc). They figured out how to make dyes of bright colors with magic

Each clan speaks both elven and whatever is the language in which they area they've been in the most. so my clan lavellan would know seheron since they've stayed up there the longest

I like the idea that clans can merge, should it be because of tragedy or just a smaller clan moving into a different area and need help getting started. some members of clan lavellan merged from another clan when they came across them on their way from seheron

I just never understood the barefoot thing like especially because the dalish are nomadic and I'm always wincing at the thought of SNOW. so in my heart they wear shoes jddjdkdj

ty for asking!

[iijadraws]

Got tagged again by @dungeons-and-dragon-age, thank youuu! :3 (and heck, sorry it took ten million years to post this, it's been in my drafts for ages)

Hmm there are probaby a few things i would edit or simplify by now, but hey, a fun thing is that i had actually drawn these just for fun waaay before you tagged me :D

More info under the cut ~

Arla Lavellan

Now that i think of it, i think she could be even more strict about touch in general, especially with strangers, or if there would be an option here with "umm okay then, but why tho?" that would probably be the most accurate for most (friendly) touch for her. Like... "okay, if you absolutely need to touch me then okay but WHY do you need to do that?" Except with Josie ofc, they cuddle a lot.

Also Arla loves it when someone wants to do her hair!! Or just brush it! Or whatever! Try different braids! Or just pet her hair! It's nice!

Iria Cadash

Don't touch her toes. Otherwise I think she's the most touchyfeely of them all, although Miero is the most hugger (yes that is correct english now fight me xddd). And yeah, Iria is also the only one likely of these four to ever have had a one night stand (before meeting Sera). I'm not sure if she has or hasn't really, but yeah, she could at least consider it possible more than the other three characters here. That's why there's "ask" and not a clear "no" for her even with strangers. (Answer might still be no, tho, but you're welcome to ask!)

And yes, she counts the people of Skyhold as her family now. She hasn't been in any contact with her parents since they threw her out of their home years ago, and she wouldn't count them in for a question like this. And yes, she would just sit down at people's feet there like HEY I HAVE SORE NECK AND SHOULDERS WOULD YOU FUCKING MIND HELPING OUT A LITTLE I'M CONSTANTLY IN SO MUCH PAIN and then expect someone to massage her shoulders for a while as she makes happy ow-sounds.

And yeah, her Mayhem Squad aka best friends includes Bull, Dorian, Harding and ofc Sera (who is also her partner! Just fyi for all of you who didn't know it already xd) and I like to headcanon that she's pretty much fine with any amount of cuddling with all of them.

Miero Brosca

Hug him. Please. Loves to hug people and to hold hands, holding friends in general and just chilling, friends leaning on his shoulders and warm embraces and such is all lovely to him. But any touch with clearly sexual vibes makes him uncomfortable, and he will probably politely ask you to stop. But if nothing sexual is implied or it's been agreed mutually that there are no such desires between you and him, you could basically lie on him like a cat and he'd be all happy with it and like rub your back or pet your hair or something.

Sofie Hawke

Don't touch her without her explicit permission. She will tell you if she's fine with you touching her, but otherwise you should expect that she doesn't want to be touched at all. Most probably she won't even shake your hand and will dodge out of the way if you try to touch her. If she's comfortable with it, she might touch you tho, like pat you on a shoulder or initiate a fist bump or a high five or other casual stuff like that.

With her closest friends like Rene (@artist-rat's Hawke and so Sofie's older sibling and role model) and Varric, and mmmmaybe Fenris too i hope, that's a whole another story. With them she loves hugs and also sits in their laps or even falls asleep there. But i think even with them, she's like a cat; only accepts the affection when she feels like she's free to leave at any given point. If she feels trapped even a little bit, she gets very uncomfortable and seeks an escape.

[queenaeducan]

For the ship questions meme :) 💖

What was their first impression of each other?

Who felt romantic feelings first?

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

Who’s the big and little spoon?

How do they celebrate holidays?

What was their first impression of each other?

Answered here!

Who felt romantic feelings first?

I’d say Ian, but only because Solas has difficulty untangling his platonic affection for Ian from his romantic affection. Like, we see in his romance and friendship routes that he thinks much the same of a romanced Lavellan vs a friendly Inquisitor and says many of the same things. The way he speaks of Wisdom and Mythal is very intimate and yet as far as we know perfectly platonic (and personally I’d rather stay that way b/c I think it’s neat).

So like, Solas could want to spend every waking moment with Ian but this isn’t necessarily cause to believe he’s falling in love.

Ian, meanwhile, from what Joly has told me, is more likely to develop and recognise crushes. Much of the early parts of Solas and Ian’s friendship is defined by late-night, gently-spoken words and Solas vibing with things Ian didn’t think anyone would ever vibe with before. Idk if he ever had much of a chance. u-u

Ofc, netiher did Solas, it just takes him longer to realise it b/c he’s stupid.

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

It’s nothing official in their main verse, “dating” is sort of a modern concept, and neither are like officially courting one another, either. One of their first evenings out together after they confess is in Crestwood, however.

There’s a little spot on the cliff near Caer Bronach that Solas spies while he’s venturing with the Inquisitor and party. When Ian is moved from Crestwood village (where he was healing villagers) to Caer Bronach Solas invites him to it. He takes some food from the kitchen and they have a little picnic overlooking the dragon where they talk about weird esoteric shit, as they are wont to do.

I actually took a little pic last time I played DA:I to show Joly.

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

Circumstances usually determines it. Among the Inquisition’s inner circle or Ian’s friends outside said circle, they’re pretty open. They’re both elves and apostates, there’s hardly rigid standards they have to adhere to because even people like Josephine are openly surprised that Solas handles himself appropriately lmao. Among strangers their gestures are smaller, when we wrote Solas and Ian together at the Winter Palace their affection was always in private or limited to small hand touches as opposed to open flirting.

Who’s the big and little spoon?

They switch! I headcanon Solas likes being the little spoon, but then so does Ian.

How do they celebrate holidays?

I swore I’d answered this one but it’s possible I just elaborately answered it in my head when you sent me this ask and assumed that meant I’d also typed and published it.

They have mixed traditions when it comes to celebrating holidays. This goes for main verse and modern Thedas tbh, but I’ll focus on their mainverse.

Ian is born Dalish, but then taken to the Circle, and then lives in city Alienages for the better part of a decade. His traditions are a blend of what he remembers as a child and the new traditions he absorbed living among city elves. There’s some Andrastian, some Dalish, some specific to the Anderfels, etc. Meanwhile, Solas is no more straightforward. Yes, he spent the bulk of his life celebrating holidays as most of Elvhenan, but his sour feelings about the gods and time living in a rebel subculture that explicitly struggled against said gods means he doesn’t celebrate like a devotee of, idk, Elgar’nan would. I’m still working out what holidays I think Elvhenan celebrated so I can decide how Solas differs, but throw all that on top of the fact that Elvhenan is gone and so are some of its traditions and it makes celebrating odd.

I think it takes time for them to find the right blend, there are holidays Solas never heard of that he takes up for Ian and holidays that Ian now celebrates in a new context (as I do think many traditions that began among the rebellion survived the Veil, as the values of the rebellion would resonate with a post-Elvhenan population imo). There are likely traditions that make the hair stand up a little on Solas’ neck, just as there are traditions in Andrastian holidays that would make Ian’s do the same. In their mainverse there’s no family expectations for them to participate in things they don’t like, so they’re more likely to avoid them. There are days at Skyhold where the Andrastians are participating in a holy day where Ian and Solas are off doing their own thing.

I don’t feel like I’m going anywhere in a hurry with this answer so I’m going to stop here, but not before I mention that I think when the agents of Fen’Harel start picking up elves from different walks of life (Elvhenan, city, Dalish) and they start building community and celebrating holidays it does end up feeling a lot like what Solas and Ian establish.

[untaintedtea]

About the Character

YOUR MUSE’S NAME:

Ririka Shepard

ONE FAVORITE PICTURE/FACECLAIM OF YOUR MUSE:

Yes I made her in DAI. I don't have a screenshot in the N7 pyjamas with this hair though...I will when I have the time and energy lol

TWO HEADCANONS YOU HAVE FOR YOUR MUSE:

1. Sometime after the events of ME3, she takes part in Tetris tournaments for charity towards causes like children affected by war and rebuilding small/poorer communities. Tetris is the only video game she plays and she's currently unbeaten, so people anticipate the day someone takes her throne. The Tetris 99 variation is much harder as players can gang up on her, so she's definitely lost a few times.

2. While she heard things from kids at school, much of Ririka's family were the most critical about her weight/size. Year after year at family gatherings, relatives she barely knew or didn't know at all would comment about how fat she was. Her brothers could eat cake at birthdays freely while she was told she shouldn't eat too big a piece and to remove the icing -- on and on. That was around half her life ago, and while she no longer sees herself as negatively as she did as a child, old insecurities get dredged up on occasion.

THREE THINGS THAT YOUR MUSE LIKES DOING IN THEIR FREE TIME:

1. Music: Cerberus put a violin and keyboard in her cabin, which she initially refused to play since she felt like it meant she was giving into their attempts to appease her. She hadn't played for many years, for several reasons. Eventually she plays again, but rarely in front of others.

2. Gardening: Ririka grows fruits and vegetables on the Normandy using aquaponic/hydroponic systems. It might be more of a habit since she grew up on a farm, but she also wants to eat better food. She doesn't grow flowers on the ship since they aren't as functional.

3. Reading: she'll read a variety of things including but not limited to classic literature, graphic novels, philosophy, poetry, and of course ~smutty literature~.

SEVEN PEOPLE THAT YOUR MUSE LOVES/LIKES:

1. Anderson 2. Chakwas 3. Garrus 4. Kaidan 5. Miranda 6. Mordin 7. Tali

A PHOBIA YOUR MUSE HAS:

Not sure tbh. When asked for fears, I always say failure/lack of control. Inadequacy. Being spaced in ME2 had to be traumatizing, being suffocated and burned alive and all. However, I want something more…tangible? Idek, but nothing I think of makes "sense" for her even though it can be irrational ofc. I thought about lightning but I’m still ?????

Tagged by @maybeimawhale! thanks always 8)

Tagging: @black-rose4 @continuous-spec @dani-dear @elvhenfairy @euxiom @frogprincelucio @girlierest @gothshoggoth @kremissius @madeleinelovescolours @mydaydream-art @peebsayle @rogue-lavellan @stardomina @telvani @vengerberg @vexmilkshake @yennas @yennefre ofc mutuals pls interact if you want tags or ignore if you don’t lol...I tend to take my time with memes so idek if you do that or just don’t wanna answer them, so ye

[elvesofnoldor]

just realize that the Dales is supposed to be, like, mirroring kingdom of Doriath and maybe wood elves’ realms like mirkwood, because of Dales’ isolation policy resembles Doriath’s isolation policy, and its like, ugh ofc bioware writers parallel their dragon age elves with the BITCHES of tolkien elves. Wwhatever, i personally like to see Dales as combination of city of Gondolin and Doriath so i can justify headcanoning my mage lavellan having more of noldor elf characteristics/qualities to him...................probably without the “down for kinslaying” aspect (ahahah ha we dont talk about that), unless s*las forced his hands and pin inquisitor lavellan against elves who followed s*las, because in that case, some kinslaying will fucking happen. and it would be bad but it would be s*las’ fault 

[tennyo-elf]

Thoughts on Cullen, both negative and positive:

Okay, so life crap aside (’cause if you think my hiatus isn’t life BS, you’d be wrong), I am slowly making my way back to Dragon Age. I started a new play through of DAI and I’m rerolling my Ellana (ofc, I love her too much - AND I have to get back to my last ME3 pt too, ‘cause I want to do a video series with ME after that). So generally, getting back into DA and ME makes me happier.

I’ve always liked Cullen! Ellana romances and marries him! This blogs has reblogged tons of gifs and images of him. But, sadly, I can finally see the haters POV, and pretty clearly too. Yet it all comes from Haven/Pre-Skyhold/that one convo after his Lyrium decision.

First, the way he speaks of Kirkwall, like he mentions only the bad things the mages did, like the templars didn’t have a hand in that chaos, and normally I’d say Cullen is blindsided but he knows better here (I’m thinking/hoping it’s just a knee jerk reaction). Then he speaks about how the mages watch the Templars just as much as the Templars watch the mages and states it pretty cluelessly, as if he doesn’t know why - which he honestly may not (the mages are scared and see you guys a jailers/executioners/oppressors/etc  !!***!!). Then later he states he fears for Redcliffe because the rebel mages are there - I know he worries about bad things happening (and bad things did happen, but not because of the mages, because of Alexius) but that means he doesn’t trust mages or think them capable of restraint.. It’s not in your face mage discrimination, but you can clearly see how he still thinks lowly about mages. He is still very much a Templar in thought and action at this time, despite how he wants to get away from the Order. I can see how and why people who don’t like Cullen, would go “ugh” with Cullen and never give him another chance. I’m yelling at Cullen on my screen, because he is too narrow minded during this time (just like I yell at Solas, whom I also love, lol).

I’m so conflicted right now, because I know Cullen gets better, even subtly, later on, but we don’t get the solid details on it. All we get are hints and only if you romance him as a mage. When talking about Maddox and how Meredith wielded the Tranquil brand for far lesser offences, Cullen does seem mad or finds the memory distasteful, but he never tells us what he thinks about it. Unless you count the whole “Meredith’s methods were harsh but they kept people safe” spiel. I don’t like his solution because he ends it with the words “neither freedom nor prison” (dude, your mage gf is right there, you don’t want her free?????). That hints he now realises that it’s a prison for mages or that mages see it that way. That’s something, a start, and it’s a different mindset than at Haven. After that I don’t remember if there is much from Cullen about mages anymore. (His silly worries about the Eluvian is actually pretty funny, because, one, if you joke with him he realizes he shouldn’t worry, and two, he verbally pouts when he states that “he not unreasonable” - it makes me wonder how much contemplation he gives to his opinions or thoughts, because sometimes it seems like he doesnt, while other times he does).

I’ve noticed how he finds it difficult to be or think in someone else’s shoes, not until they knock him over the head with their own experiences. He wrongly thinks about how Tranquillity was created by mages too (the truth is he is very much a parrot to Chantry indoctrination, until otherwise informed but even informed it takes him time to turn around and face the truth). And he is very set in his ways but seems to want to change himself or just not be who he was in DA2. I know he wants to be a good man and wants to protect people (that’s the core of his character and why I like him). He has seen the dangers of magic and I don’t disagree that protections against magical misuse should be in place, but the subject seems to cloud his judgement (and of course it does after what he went through in the Circle of Ferelden). But he doesn’t take nonsense from the Chantry, even though he is very devout, which makes him paradoxical at times too. He is also very unforgiving of those who do wrong, even if it was just an honest mistake, so his mercy bar is low. And yet he needs mercy too, says it himself at the end of the base game (he if it was him, he wouldn’t have given himself another chance).

It’s just, Cullen’s character is layered, and he has done good things (among his bad). And besides Leliana, and besides his botched and ridiculous suggestions for the Clan Lavellan War Tables mission, he actually has some of the best options for a lot of the elvhen centred war table missions. I mean, can someone who wants to change, to be a better person, makes friends with mages, dwarves, qunari, and is around an Inquisitor who makes Leliana Divine, still be stuck in that pre-Skyhold mentality?

I don’t know where I’m going with this. I’m just angry we don’t have a really proper redemption arc for Cullen (and yes, I agree a lot with the idea of DAI only having a recovery arc for him, but that means Cullen still needs a redemption arc and if you don’t want him DA4, how is he going to get that????). We really don’t see him change more from the beginning of the game. Like we get hints, to a subtle shift in his character, and it’s not apparent and can be easily missed or overlooked or even dismissed as Cullen not having changed a bit. It’s so easy to make your own version of Cullen. I choose to see him as changed and that having a Dalish mage lover than later wife, really opens his eyes to a different world he hadn’t seen before due to his insular life as a Templar within a very awful Chantry.

And like, I get the feeling that Cullen can’t shift too fast either because if he acknowledges that “what good he did” as a Templar was just bad/evil like murder evil in general he’d falter or come completely undone, and that can’t happen during DAI because he needs to command the army. Like, hey, that mage that failed her harrowing? If you just dampened her magic for a bit, you could have removed the demon and saved her life (admittingly that risks other lives) but there were options to give mages more chances at life, a better life, within in the Circle. Harrowings are evil, and I want Cullen to get that. Cullen needed more tbh, for him to be more generally likeable. His opinion  about mages, in the beginning of DAI, is annoying and infuriating.

Slowly he stops talking about mages and seems slightly more reasonable near the end, but it’s almost too subtle, or just plain unclear just how much he has changed. I understand he won’t be 100% pro-mage because of what happened in the Circle of Ferelden, but like being around mages, free mages no less, who don’t go spewing blood magic or summon demons willy nilly, etc, should have made a dent in his thick skull! I headcanon that it does, because knowing what I know of Cullen, it seems natural to me that he would learn and be better, slowly but surely. His stubborn, very stubborn, but to me his shift from DA2 to DAI means that he is capable of re-evaluating previously held beliefs. So what’s stopping someone like that from learning even more though proper guidance and exposure?  He’d always have certain traits, he’d always be devout to the Maker, but wouldn't evidence during DAI show him that mages can be free to govern themselves? We never find out though just how much his opinions can change though. We don’t hear his opinions or thoughts on the matter at all in the end (what does he think about Adamant or Mythal or Solas, on the College of Mages and the allianced mages who successful ran themselves?). That is what frustrates me so much!!! I just want a clear answer, if Cullen is around a pro-mage Inquisitor, who allies with the mages, and then has Leliana Divine, does that help him grow out of all that up there that has me yelling at him? I want it to be so, but that fact is it’s unclear, that DA4 might not mention it, or that if Cullen is in DA4 we won’t get to see how much he changed because he’ll be a quick guest appearance or..?

And throwing this out there, I like how he says to a Dalish LI, “I want your promise to be true” in such a serious tone, when they mention needing Dalish vows. But does that mean he cares about her faith or respects it (which seems like he would do, by this time, he’d need time to respect another faith besides his own at first)? Or he doesn’t care if she like recites some demonic passage to some daedric princes, so long as she marries him....(because he can be a stubborn, ignorant toad sometimes that needs to be taught)? We don’t know because we never get a chance for a Dalish LI to speak with Cullen about faith...

!!***!!Just came to me, Cullen is not very observant/is pretty ignorant about things. I don’t think he lies about things (that would be OOC for him), he just talks erroneously about things he doesn’t know anything about. (Thus, again, he needs better guidance...so would a pro-mage, pro-elf, merciful leader like my Ellana, truly help him change for the better?)

I still love Cullen, but my boy is problematic AF.  And I honestly believe bioware didn’t do him right (on point, to my liking, which I know others will disagree). Bioware either brushed off what he did or what he believes since they don’t think it’s a big deal, or because of time and budget, maybe they just couldn’t give him more of an arc. Or maybe Cullen is too much of a side character to get more story. Companions did have more than Advisors, so knowing that, I want Cullen as a companion is DA4 so he can get that arc I want him to have? Wishful thinking, I know. But tin foil hat on, maybe that’s why it’s only a recovery arc now, so later on, they can delve into more of his story? (Doubt it, wishful thinking AGAIN. But if what your Inquisitor did in DAI can vastly change him in DA4 and he has to go through that process of change. I mean, it shows just how much influence the Inquisitor had on her inner-circle and the world of Thedas?)

[mahalzevran]

DA 20+ Questions

Tagged by @antivan-surana​ thanks! Tagging @situationnormal​ @the-dread-doggo​ @acepavus​ @aroundofgwent​ @lakambaeni​ @kxnways​ @fuckbioware​ (no pressure ofc) and anyone who wants to?

The rest is under a read more because it’s long

01) Favourite game of the series?

Origins, only because you got less and less op as a mage as the games went on. I love all the games tbh.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?

My friend got my sister into it. They kept talking and talking about it so finally I was like “ok lets see what the big deal is” and here I am now

03) How many times you’ve played the games?

I’ve done Origins twice fully, DA2 four times fully (omg I didn’t realize this until now lol) and DA:I just once fully. I have one unfinished playthrough of Origins with a Cousland, and I’m in the middle of maybe two of DA:I. I think I’ve gone back and replayed certain parts of both Origins and DA:I plenty of times.

04) Favourite race to play as?

Elf I guess? Though I’ve only fully played as a human and elf. I’m in the middle of a dwarf playthrough and I’m thinking of doing a qunari one in the future. It might change idk.

I just really liked playing as an elf in Origins so that’s why I got into elves. But the funny thing is, I wasn’t even thinking of playing as an elf when I played for the first time. I wanted to play as a human. I just did it on a whim.

05) Favourite class?

Mage, hands down. Realistically, they’re the most versatile class. They can do range and melee since anyone can learn how to fight with weapons. But the last two games won’t let you so :)

Also, this stems from the fact that I’ve been a harry potter fan since I could remember.

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?

In my full, proper playthroughs that I’ve finished, it’s slightly different but still the same basic ideas. Sided with mages, agreed with Anders, etc.

But I am planning to try an evil playthrough in the future so

07) Go-to adventuring group?

DA:O (I have two)

Leliana, Wynne, Shale - the OG crew; they were my main crew in my first playthrough and it was a pretty even party

Zevran, Leliana, Alistair - the elf crew; esp. with Rhian they’re all elves because I saw a theory that Leliana is half elf and I’m down

DA2

It’s a mixed bag. If I’m not playing as a mage, I usually take Anders a lot because we need a healer and Merrill can’t heal. I tend not to take Sebastian as much after I max his friendship. After Sebastian, I take Aveline the least. Other than that I just mix it up. Unless I’m romancing someone, then I take them every time.

I’d love to take Anders, Fenris, and Merrill out more often but I hate how mean they all are to each other (looking @ u bioware 👀)

DA:I

My first playthrough, I mixed it up a lot in the beginning but then I ended up bringing Solas, Cole, and Blackwall a lot near the end for some reason?

I love taking Vivienne, Dorian, and Solas out, especially if I’m playing a mage, because it’s such a pretty fireworks show

In general though, if I’m romancing someone I take them with me almost always.

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

I think it’s a tie between Rhian and Lu.

09) Favourite romance?

To no one’s surprise, it’s Zevran :3

Solas is second because I just really like that angst.

10) Have you read any of the comics/books?

I’ve read The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Speak (because someone gifted me the Omnibus) and The Calling.

I also have Hard in Hightown, which I should probably read lol, and the art book of inquisition.

11) If you read them, which was your favourite book?

The Calling solely because of my mom Fiona and my dad Duncan. 

12) Favourite DLCs?

Awakening because I love everyone and its also really funny that Rhian, who is 19 at that point, had to basically babysit people older than her and also run a whole arling.

I love both Legacy and Mark of the Assassin. Mark of the Assassin was really funny (though I hated the stealth part). I love Legacy specifically because when I was fighting Corypheus, both Varric and Anders K.O.’d and it was just me and Carver. It was a special family moment bringing down a whole entire magister together. I also hc that that was canon and it brought Kaia and Carver closer together.

13) Things that annoy you.

I’m gonna talk about the game bc if this is about the fandom, then that’s a whole other thing.

Anders’ writing for one. It doesn’t make sense that he’d approve of giving Fenris back to Danarius. And also that he wouldn’t tell f!Hawke that he’s bi? Then there’s the fact that Anders, Fenris, and Merrill all don’t get along when they have a lot in common.

Anything that was written by Lukas Krisdkjsdhkdk. Aveline, Sera, etc. he did a really bad job.

Also didn’t like that mages got less OP in the last two games.

There’s also the tone-deafness? Dorian, a brown man, saying slavery is ok. And also there’s the dialogue between Solas and Vivienne where Solas supposedly “owns” Vivienne. I think he says something like “may you learn”? Solas, a white person, saying this to Vivienne, a black woman, when there’s obvious colorism in Thedas? I think not.

There’s probably other but I can’t think of them right now.

14) Orlais or Ferelden?

Orlais is too snooty and Ferelden doesn’t season their food. I pick Seheron and Laysh because that’s where the Asians are at.

15) Templars or mages?

Mages

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?

Originally, my canonverse was Rhian, Kaia, and Luwalhati. Alden and Bolin were part of an AU. Then Alden finagled his way in there, then I decided to have Bolin in there too. So now i have twin Hawkes and Bolin is part of the Inquisition (if he’s a companion or not, I haven’t thought about)

I have plenty of other OCs that I’m planning on, but they’re currently sorted into a different universe.

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

Pikamon for the Origins mabari. It’s a mix between the names of my two dogs, Pikachu and Cinnamon

Cinnachu for the DA2 mabari, also a mix of Pikachu and Cinnamon.

Lu’s mount is the royal sixteen (hart), which is given to you by Clan Lavellan if you manage to keep them alive iirc, and its name is Luntian, the tagalog word for green which is her favorite color. (In a teen!Lu AU, her mount is the bog unicorn bc she’s an edgelord)

18) Have you installed any mods?

It would be more surprising if I didn’t. How else would I manage to have my characters look like the’re poc?? And also get rid of whitewashing and have some continuity. I usually just do cosmetic mods if it’s my first playthrough. Then I do like “cheats” after I finish the game fully.

Fun fact, I once spent like 2+ hrs modding Origins to have the Zev romance the way I want. I also stayed up until like 5am trying to make Solas look like his concept art lol (it didn’t really work)

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?

Rhian didn’t not want to become a warden. She read about them and thought they were an honorable order, but she didn’t expect to ever have a chance to become one. Her goal was to just go up in the Circle hierarchy, maybe even become First Enchanter. Then when the time came, she didn’t really have much of a choice.

20) Hawke’s personality?

Kaia is blue and Alden is purple

21) Did you make matching armor for your companions in Inquisition?

At first, I didn’t get what the big deal was with crafting. It didn’t seem fun at all lol. Then I tried it and was hooked. I don’t have them matching, but I do tend to try to match my Inquisitor with their LI in some way.

My usual procedure for armor in Inquisition is like this. I make everyone wear heavy armor and pick the materials that have the highest attributes, not caring how ridiculous the colors are. Then I go to tint them using a guide for each companion’s color scheme. This is the same for helmet but I usually have them turned off or have no one wearing one.

The only exception is Varric, Cole, and Blackwall. I have Varric wear the rogue armor that looks like his DA2 outfit, and Cole and Blackwall wear the Grey Warden heavy armor. I tint the grey warden armor using a guide for its color scheme.

I have Bull, Vivienne, and Cole wear their unique helmets.

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?

Rhian - She’d probably want to re-do how she told Zevran that she wasn’t exactly dead.

Kaia - Taken Quentin’s threat more seriously and killed him before he got to Leandra

Alden - He has no regrets

Luwalhati - wouldn’t have taken Sam and Wis with her so they wouldn’t have had to have died in the conclave explosion

Bolin - None, all of his decisions led him to Dorian and he’s happy with that.

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?

They’re all at least part Seheron?

I also hc that neither Carver nor Bethany die because Kaia was able to cast a barrier on both of them before the ogre got them. Then they both became Grey Wardens because Carver contracted the taint in the expedition and wouldn’t join the Wardens unless Bethany came with him too.

Another hc I have is that Sebastian didn’t leave when Anders was spared and stayed to help out. But he went his separate way after because he still didn’t approve of sparing him.

Oh shoot, I almost forgot. The most against canon thing I’ve done probably? Rhian didn’t do the Ritual but she did slay the archdemon without dying. Rhian’s an arcane warrior, so when she slayed it, she was partway in the fade. Being partway into the fade was enough for her essence, I guess, to survive it. But she’s not mortal anymore and kind of a spirit now? So she periodically has to chill in the fade because being in the real world takes a toll on her.

25) Who did you leave in the Fade?

In the game, it was Stroud. I killed Loghain and no way is Alistair gonna be trapped in there. Fiona will be sad. So I made Alistair king in the game only, so Stroud was the one that was left.

This is another off canon thing I did. In my actual canon, Alistair is the warden contact. The Hawke that comes to the Inquisition is both Kaia and Alden. Alden brings Fenris with him because he doesn’t go anywhere without his Boo-Boo. Bethany and Carver also come because Weisshaupt was being weird and it seemed like they would be safer in the Inquisition. Lu + her party, Alistair, Kaia, Alden, Fenris, Bethany, and Carver all come to Adamant. Because there’s so many people, everyone was able to escape the Fade. No one is left behind.

26) Favourite mount? The nugs! All of them :) 

Though I don’t really use the mounts lol

[pikapeppa]

OTP Meme

Tagged by @galadrieljones - thanks lethallan! 

I’m supposed to say a few favourite things about My OTP(s). I have talked a lot about Aloy/Nil in previous posts - oh god, here and here and here and here and here and here - so I’ll mention a couple things I love about my Dragon Age babies instead! (Beautiful art below by the insanely talented HanSaera and NSFWFrosch!)

Solas and Elia Lavellan

They love nerding it up about the Fade and magic. Solas loves having someone to talk to about the Fade, and Elia loves learning from him. (And just hearing his voice. Voice kink smut, anyone...?) This dynamic is pretty similar to mine with my fiancé, though we switch back and forth in the “teacher” role - we work in completely different fields so we’re constantly learning from each other.

Abelas and Athera Lavellan

Headcanon fun fact: during the dream when Solas took Athera to Haven, she kissed him in the Fade. Then as soon as she woke up she ran to the rotunda and apologized profusely because he was like her brother and she didn’t know what she’d been thinking. And Solas was like “uh yeah hahah ridiculous ofc ofc let’s put it behind us” but really, Solas has feelings for Athera that never totally went away. Abelas doesn’t know about this kiss. It never occurred to Athera to mention it because it didn’t mean anything to her. And Solas never told him because they’re good friends and it would just be awkward.

Blackwall and Arya Lavellan

I have only ever written this pairing from Blackwall’s POV. All my other ships have switched between both partners’ POV. I have a hard time putting my finger on why exactly, but I think it comes down to “Arya’s thoughts about Blackwall would be boring to read because her love for him is so simple and uncomplicated.” Not that Blackwall is ambivalent about Arya, not at all, but there are things about his mindset that I find interesting to write: he’s so over-the-top utterly devoted to her, which is fun to indulge in; his guilt about the Thom Rainier deception is angsty and delicious to write; and his bullheaded insistence on protecting her despite her tongue-in-cheek mischief is a fun dynamic to play around with.  

Tagging forward to, let’s see: @apostatetabris @alyssalenko @09tiff86 @hellarcanine @ocean-in-my-rebel-soul @buttsonthebeach @thevikingwoman @oops-gingermoment @mrscullensrutherford @sun-and-shadow-aloy @aly-the-writer and anyone else who wants to play!

[theharellan]

😊 💔 🎀

sex & romance headcanons | accepting

😊 Would my muse ever ask someone on a date?

the answer differs depending on where in his life he is. in elvhenan, when elves weren’t restricted to certain spaces based on race, he might have if he weren’t in the position he was in at the time. as an evanuris and mythal’s protector, he didn’t feel it was right to cultivate romantic relationships and thus didn’t pursue them. the same applies to fen’harel, albeit for different reasons.

by inquisition elves are limited in what spaces they can move in, especially the spaces solas would want to bring go on a date. museums, art galleries, gardens are all off-limits unless you’re sweeping the floor or in select instances. i do have a headcanon that his default inquisitor would offer it as an option and ensure he had access to where he wanted to bring ian on date, and once that happens then yes he would 100% ask.

and technically i think the crestwood excursion was like a week-long date, and probably very sweet until the end. regardless of whether it’s as it is in-game where he breaks up with lavellan, or if he tells ian like on my blog, he expects it might be their last few happy days together. either b/c he won’t bring himself to reveal his identity, or b/c it wouldn’t be accepted.

this is a very long way of saying yes he would.

💔 What was my muse’s first heartbreak?

the first time solas had real romantic feelings for someone, it was early in his service to mythal where it mostly concerned wandering and reporting to her. and occasionally serving as her guardian. during this time he met a young woman named enavuna who he developed a crush on quickly. he got to know her by asking her to teach him how to ride hart and once that excuse became flimsy he kept showing up anyway.

enavuna was clever and kind, things solas admired in people even before he had truly cultivated his own compassion, and she found his travels exciting and his enthusiasm endearing. the relationship never truly progressed beyond kissing and flirting, but he was attached nonetheless. when the first war broke out, she fled somewhere safe with her family and he never saw her again. realising that broke his heart a little, especially because at this point in his life saying good-bye was something still a little new to him.

🎀 Who would my muse sleep with if nobody ever had to know?

no one tbh. the list of people solas has ever wanted to sleep with he could probably count on one hand.

unless ofc we’re talking naps.

[silikat]

spacepenquin

idk anything about fallout but i'm all over that dragon age tell me about them :0

(thank you for opening this can of worms, and also, I apologise for the rambling that is about to occur :D)

OKAY SO here is the Nerd Squad

This is Yara Tabris, here depicted with the shittiest of screengrabs because I couldn’t figure out how to screenshot in Origins. She was like 18 when she got recruited into the Wardens/became de facto leader of the Wardens oops and was so over her head throughout the Blight. She messed up a lot of things, and got a lot of people in killed, and even now she regrets that. She’s a rogue, using mostly crossbow fighting so that she can stand back and direct the battle. She’s fiercely pro-elf, and though she always used to be scared of magic/mages (because in the alienage, having magic = being taken away forever or accidentally burning houses down) Wynne and Anders managed to convince her that mages are not inherently bad. She is angry and argumentative and will tease and pick at you, but she has a good heart and hates seeing people come to harm, unless they deserve it ofc. Romanced Alastair, who stayed a Warden with her, because neither of them thought he would be a good leader. She also had a massive crush on Leliana that she didn’t realise was reciprocated. Closest friends: Leliana, Wynne, Zevran, and Morrigan.

This is Darla Hawke, whose face I actually prefer in the Inquisition screenshot even though I suck at character creation and didn’t recreate it right. (And why did they mess up the tattoo options?)

She’s a fighter, incredibly loyal to her family and protective of her sister. Her life is pretty much defined by loss - first her brother, then her sister to the Circles, then her mother. Which is sad, because family is her top priority. That moment where Hawke’s looking around at their big ol’ empty house really hit home, playing her. Her main cause is mage rights, because even though she’s a fighter she still sees that holy shit the Templars are fucked up. Her defence mechanism is sarcasm (she’s purple with hints of blue) and joking, putting on a smile rather than dealing with the fact that everything is crumbling around her. She loves her friends, and would die for any and all of them. She’s kinda fatalistic like that? Like, she’d fit in with Millenial Nihilism really well. She romanced Merrill, and they were very happy together. Closest friends: Anders, Varric, Isabella, Aveline.

She was also the one who died in the Fade in Inquisition, unfortunately. It felt right for her, character-wise, that she’d sacrifice herself like that - in my headcanon, the Inquisitor didn’t get a look in, she just basically stepped back and said ‘you choose, this is your life, I can’t order you to die for me.’ Still sucked that the game forces you to kill off someone like that though.

And this is Halani Lavellan, whose timeskip design has much better hair.

When she manifested magic, it was fire magic, and led to an accident that could have killed people in her clan. Even though fire magic was her specialty, she forced herself to learn healing magic, despite it being difficult, so that she could help people. She’s also trans and chose her own name, the elven word for ‘help’, because that’s what she wanted to be. That’s also why she got Mythal’s vallaslin, because she wanted to be a paragon of justice and healing. Mythal was the god she most devoted herself to - she’s really Dalish, or ‘elfy’ as Sera would say. They’re blue, because lyrium! Mage stuff.

Though she was adamant that she was not ‘Andraste’s herald’, she embraced her role as Inquisitor as a way to help people, specifically mages and elves. She didn’t quite understand what the deal with non-Dalish mages was, but when she was clued in she was outraged. She often takes the middle ground in arguments unless she’s passionate about one or the other side. She is a little prim and proper, but has a jokey side that comes out when she’s comfortable showing it.

She ‘romanced’ Solas - actually, I played through the romance, but I consider it to have just been a friendship, and she actually romanced...well, I was gonna go with Josie, but possibly also Scout Harding because then it’s okay that she technically didn’t do that. I played it for the lore, basically, and because it’d have a lot of important character moments for Halani. Though she wants to save him, she isn’t really doing it out of love, more bitter frustration but not wanting her friend to be swallowed up by this cause. Closest friends: Dorian, Josephine, Varric, Cole.

And that’s them, basically! Jeez, this was longer than I wanted it to be. Thanks for letting me ramble about my children though! This is sort of the surface level of the stories I’ve figured out for them, with a fair amount of headcanoning when the games went places I didn’t like :)

[asomniari]

SHIPPING INFO // Answer the following for your muse(s) so people know how shipping works on your blog. REPOST. Don’t reblog.

What’s your OTP for your muse?: 

FelassanxBeing alive. I’m also very fond of any sort of ship (platonic, romantic) with a Lavellan. Particularly with a certain three Lavellan blogs -winks-

What are you willing to RP when it comes to shipping?:

I’m very fond of anything from fluff to actual smut. Though I get awkward part of the way through and stop sometimes unless my partner is willing to nudge me along. I’d really love to write more cute shippy things- even if it’s just platonic.

How large does the age gap have to be to make it uncomfortable?: 

I don’t think I’d want to write with someone younger than 15- especially over sensitive topics. In character, there likely wouldn’t be any sort of romantic interest if the character is younger than 25 (which still pushes it, a little). Already he feels like he’s walking around with a bunch of children, so the chemistry would have to be very good (and be, preferably, an elf) for anything romantic to happen.

Are you selective when shipping?:

I really like ships! Anyone else and I’d ask for ships left and right. But because it’s Felassan, and there just isn’t a whole lot of information (and interest from him in general). For him, he seems to automatically fall into the same mentor role Solas filled for the inquisitor. But it mostly depends on the character, the chemistry, and how long I’ve thought about shipping (With Ysenia, I took like 3 weeks sitting on it before asking to ship lol)

How far do steamy moments have to go before they’re considered NSFW?: 

When the clothes are all off and they’re touching things B)

Who are other muses you ship your muse with?:

I’ve had ships with @bellafaire-bellafine the longest, even though we’re in a   slight standstill (mostly ‘cause my stress is killing the mood). I have another romantic ship with @somnivr including whatever is going on with @tanadhal and @youriinquisitorialness (He’s very fond of Theria, tbh) and with @arsuledin‘s Solas and Felassan (bro)mance, ofc

Does one have to ask to ship with you?:

Yeah. I would strongly prefer if someone asks before deciding on a ship. It’s one thing if it develops over time through threads, but it’s something else entirely if someone just assumes I also ship it and guns for romance.I don’t like having to reject people, but it really just depends on how close the characters and myself are to the partner.

How often do you like to ship?:

Depends, honestly. it all depends on chemistry. I still haven’t entirely figured out my character’s own sexuality and what his preferences are. So I do worry about jumping into a ship and ending up not liking and hurting my partner’s feelings.

Are you multiship?: 

Yeah XD But I do try and contain myself on the romantic ships because I have been guilty of throwing someone to the wayside because I like another ship more.

Are you ship obsessed or ship more-or-less?: 

Yes

What is your favorite ship in your current fandom?: 

The ship that @tanadhal and the super cool Loki blog have is 100%

Finally, how does one ship with you?: 

Write and plot with me. Because it all depends on how well the characters and myself connect with my partner and theirs. It greatly helps if you take the time to get to know me beyond threads and talk to me. Also you can suck up to me by throwing headcanons and that stuff in my direction

TAGGED BY:  @arsuledin​ TAGGING: @smaugiiisms​ @somnivr​ @tanadhal​ @youriinquisitorialness​