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sea-side-scribbles · 3 days ago

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Solas wakes up in the strange new world of his own making and it terrifies him. Ridden with guilt, he joins the Inquisition and begins his lonely research in order to correct his mistake.

He doesn’t expect to find consolation in the presence of a human who wields ancient elven magic without knowing it. Who is way too gentle for an elgar’thanelan, but doesn’t know that either.

Solas, for his part, doesn’t know how to stay away.

Dorian wonders if the mysterious elf just enjoys playing with a Tevinter. He wouldn’t expect anything else.

_____________________

Chapter 1- 13 | Right after uthenera, Solas is found by a Dalish clan. This goes well until it doesn’t. (Basically my excuse for world building and hilarious misunderstandings.)

Chapter 14 | Solas joins the Inquisition.

Chapter 20 | Dorian appears in Haven.

Chapter 34

Wandering up the hill to the village, Dorian heard the sounds from afar: the clanking of armour, blades hitting each other, the hammering in the smithy. And voices. "Is this version of Haven full of spirits?", he asked, already bracing himself. "It is full of images", Solas explained in a dreamy tone. "I assumed you would feel more comfortable there if it was not empty." "I can imagine this would've been eerie. Although now, we'd see a lot of actually dead people walking around”, Dorian couldn't help mentioning. "That is the nature of the fade.” The dreamer was almost reproachful. "It holds memories. As long as someone remembers, they will not be lost."

Dorian spotted a group of people walk out of the heavy gates, bows on their backs, about to hunt. Discussing something supposedly important, their voices were carried over to him, but their words were muffled. Solas watched them, too. "Hunters. Their party went out every morning to supply the Inquisition. I remember their names being called at the funeral." Now Dorian was ashamed he didn't remember them. Even though he couldn't possibly know every single soul of Haven. Did this have to become so sad?

Even Solas didn't seem to enjoy this. He looked up the mountain with a wistful expression that broke Dorian's heart. "Perhaps we avoid Haven for now. I wouldn't like to reopen any fresh wounds. And I don't think Fade-Flissa serves drinks in her tavern anyway", he tried to distract him, awkwardly fidgeting, because he didn't dare to put a hand on his shoulder. The elf actually lightened up a bit. "You don't think so?" The playfulness in his tone delighted Dorian in return. "Does she?” His curiosity awoke again. “How would this work?" "It would be just a memory. The taste, the temperature, the texture...But it would not sate you." "I've been told to never consume anything I'm given in the fade." "A safe sentiment, although not always necessary." Dorian threw his head back, laughing. "You're making the fade a lot more likeable.” "That is why we are here”, Solas said calmer, but still entertained. “To reduce the fear your Circles have taught you." "I'd say caution, not fear, but I nonetheless appreciate the invitation." To Solas' furrowed brows, he added: "To a drink. At Fade-Flissa's."

"...really? That is what you think about now? In the fade?" For some reason, Solas didn't like this. "Why not? If you're going to confront me with a spirit, at least I'd have a glass to hold on to. You know I'm shy like that!" The elf was the first person to manage an angry chuckle. "You are not ready to speak to a spirit yet." "But hopefully not because I'm enjoying myself?" Solas didn't answer. He walked on towards Haven, as if he angrily agreed to have a drink. With a boost of courage, Dorian planted himself in front of him and pressed both his hands against the slender shoulders. The fur of his coat felt really fluffy on his skin. He wasn't ready to have the freckled face so close to him, and the violet eyes piercing his own, but he had to pull through.

"Solas, please", he said to the hardened features, "I believe we've been through this already. Let me comfort you. This time, we're even about to be in a tavern." He added a smirk to the last sentence. Solas stared over Dorian's shoulders, as if annoyed, but his mouth puckered. "You do remember my words", he stated, standing immobile like a statue. "Naturally, as I told you." Dorian let go of his shoulders, now that he halted. From a safer distance, he went on: "Don't get me wrong. I'm taking the fade very seriously. I just can't bear seeing sad elves. Especially when it's you. You have a way of lowering your ears that I just can't stomach." "And I thought you would be used to that sight.” Said elf was dry as sand paper.

The notion stung, but there was no way giving up now. "Call it a complex, if you must. If I see a sad elf, I get the feeling I have to do something about it." "You would have plenty to do at home." Solas tried to push him away, but he wouldn't have it. "I...suppose. But right now, I'm not at home. I'm here, with you." Dorian tilted his head, hoping to be just as adorable as Solas with this gesture. The elf turned his gaze away. “Come now, have a drink with me. I promise to behave.” Solas crossed his arms, but Dorian could see his shoulders tremble. “We will have to speak about Tevinter one day...”, he stated as if he read it from an agenda paper. “Of course. I'd like to. I love speaking about my homeland, and myself for that matter. But perhaps not here. The subject causes blood to boil and not in a good way.” Solas unfolded his arms and his posture relaxed a little. He headed into the direction of the Haven gates, less angry, probably. It was better than nothing.

Soon, Dorian needed to sort his own feelings, crossing through the place that didn't exist anymore, seeing people that never made it out of there. But even creepier were those that still lived. He had walked past Fade-Cullen and he had greeted him. Shuddering, he kept close to Solas when they went up the stairs, about to pass Fade-Varric. “I never thought I'd prefer formless wisps pulling at my hair.” The elf gave him a more sympathetic look. “Then perhaps the images were not a good idea.” Before Dorian could answer, Fade-Varric interrupted them: “Sparkler? Chuckles? You two together? That's a rare sight. What are you up to?” His voice sounded strangely far away. Otherwise it was a flawless depiction of their favourite storyteller. The two exchanged glances. Solas seemed to let the Tevinter sort it out. “Ah, you know, just the usual mischief”, he quipped at the fade-dwarf as if he was real. “Two mages plotting can't go well.” Not-Varric regarded them with a very convincing smirk. “Don't let Cassandra catch you.” “Noted. We'd rather keep our pretty heads on our necks.”

Moving on, Solas was annoyingly quiet. Dorian continued their conversation: “Is this what the fade feels like to you? How you watch forgotten memories? They play out in front of your eyes like this?” “They are not always this clear. Old memories blur over time. Even spirits that embodied strong emotions forget their meaning. I once found an ancient spirit who had been undisputed king of almost every land I had discovered. Like pride or rage, it was the fade’s reflection of a feeling. When I asked which one it was, the spirit faltered. 'They’ve forgotten,' said the spirit. 'There remains no word for what I was.'” “So, the fade doesn't sustain all memories forever. It's changing.” “As a part of our world, it changes with us.” Solas made it sound as natural as the tide. “Fascinating.”

Solas opened the door to the tavern to let him in. “Very kind of you”, Dorian said as he strutted in, already smelling the waft of stew, bread, ale, sweat, tears and blood this tavern always held. There wasn't much going on in the morning, and still it pulled at Dorian's senses. A group of villagers played cards, talking over each other, their voices echoing unnaturally. Sera slept in a corner with her head on the table, snoring like she always did. The bard sang quietly. In reality this would be a peaceful scene, but here, Dorian's ears fought the cacophony of distorted sounds. “Are you alright?”, Solas brought him back. Dorian wiped his eyes. “This is...obviously more than handling a few wisps. Give me a moment.”

Suddenly he felt Solas' fingers curl around his arm and his skin rejoiced at that. Finally something that felt real. Yes, that was the reason. The dreamer guided him to the bar while he still blinked against the images. A wide, sparsely landscape had been alright, but this narrow space with people and things so close overwhelmed him. And everything shifted. He needed to stare at something to make it stop and he noticed that in the corner of his eyes the images flew, free from his grasp. This might be the first time he'd puke in a bar without having drunk anything.

“Good morning, Flissa”, Solas then greeted the image. “Morning, you two”, he heard Fade-Flissa answer. “What's with him? Hangover? I'd have a recipe, but I'm sure Adan can help you better.” “No, no, don't worry about me.” Dorian waved his hand in the air. “It's the...uh...the allergies.” “Allergies?” “Yes. Best treated with alcohol. So, please, do your thing, would you?” There was a pause. Between blinking, Dorian noticed Fade-Flissa exchange glances with Solas, who shrugged. A few moments later, they finally had their drinks. Dorian sniffed at it. “Oh, it's that holy Chantry ale that tastes like nothing already in the waking world..What was the name...?” “Semibrew.” “Yes. Semi indeed, at best.” “Are you here to drink or to complain?”

The answer never left Dorian's lips, instead he closed his eyes and massaged his temples. The stimuli in this realm weren't kind to him. “Dorian?”, Solas reminded him that he was still with him, caring. “How about both?”, he answered, trying a smile. The elf shook his head. “Remember, you can end the session any time you like”, he suddenly said so smoothly, it wrapped the chaos into a warm blanket. “You do not have to do this.” Dorian grabbed Solas' sleeve. “Let's go outside. I need to breathe.” They went, and Dorian kept the mug pressed against his chest, trying not to drop it. Outside, he collapsed on a barrel behind the tavern, where no fade-people could bother him. Solas helped him sit upright and Dorian couldn't decide if he should be embarrassed or entranced. He was too busy taking breaths of fade-air. It was cool, but didn't burn in his lungs and satisfied him just as much. Then, when he could keep his eyes open again, he took a sip.

The taste caught him off guard. And disappointed him in a way he hadn't dared to expect. It was just... the boring, tasteless, somewhat sweet ale of Haven. He could swear it felt funny on his tongue, but couldn't figure why. When he looked up to the dreamer, he found him already with his nose deep in his mug. “Do you...enjoy this stuff?”, Dorian blurted out. “I have tasted worse”, was the pragmatic answer. And truly, as an apostate hermit...Dorian didn't want to imagine the culinary crimes he experienced. “Point taken.” Solas watched him then, like an enigma unfolding in front of his eyes. Dorian felt like he needed to say something. “This is...surprisingly unsurprising.” He lifted his drink. “It's exactly what you described.” “What did you expect?” “Honestly? I thought it would overwhelm my senses like the tavern does. I imagined the most entertaining scenarios, you know. Me fainting, crying for help, falling into your arms...Instead, nothing.” “It seems that my word has more weight than your hopes for entertainment.” “In this realm, at least.”

Solas dipped his head. The way his features tensed told Dorian that he had said something incredibly wrong again. “No. Dorian, what did I tell you about the fade?” “Solas, please, you have to be more specific than that!” But Solas remained quiet. “Come, now! You can't make me repeat everything you said in the last three days!” The elf just drank, unbothered by the Tevinter's despair. “Festis bei umo canavarum!” That just gave the dreamer a smirk he quickly hid behind the mug. Dorian, for the lack of other options, just drank as well.

Solas, not having to steady a dizzy Tevinter any longer, settled into a pose that was insufferably smug, leaning against the back of the tavern, legs crossing in a way that tilted his hips enough to show off the tight leggings. How was a man supposed to gather his thoughts like that? And Dorian could swear Solas knew.

With a swift movement, he joined the elf at the wall, placing a hand close to the pointed ears. Solas didn't flinch. “Found an answer?”, he asked, looking up from lowered eyelids, tone challenging. Dorian silenced. He felt their closeness that made his blood pound through his veins and for the first time, he wallowed in it. Solas was right before him. He was real. His enticing form didn't change or flicker under his gaze and his voice had the fullness of a real thing. Although their bodies were both manifestations of their dreaming minds, he felt the difference. Among the images, they were alone, sharing this intimate moment hidden from other eyes. For a glimpse, Dorian thought to see the hardened look in the other man's eyes change. Opening up to show the soul inside. Or it was just his imagination going wild, because Solas then pushed himself off the wall and brought distance between them.

“Really, Dorian?” He sounded frustrated. “Are you even trying?” “I am! Trust me! But I'm at a loss”, the Tevinter reluctantly went back to the point. Solas looked up to the sky and almost rolled his eyes before he pressed out: “Expectations is the keyword.” Eventually, the scales fell from his eyes. “Are you serious? You mean, if I expected this to taste like Agreggio Pavali, out of a dirty mug, nonetheless, I would've actually had a good drink?” The dreamer just eyed him then emptied his own drink. “What did you have?” Suddenly a million possibilities popped up in his mind. Solas put the empty mug on a barrel. “You still have much to learn. But I acknowledge this: you give my words credit.”

“But it can't be so simple, Solas. The fade isn't a wishing well that hands you exactly want you want all the time. Otherwise, it would be a paradise and we would all rather live in the fade.” “You never heard that having all your wishes fulfilled would be a curse?” A shade of a smile flashed over his features. “Yes, but that's only a word play in comparison to what we'd actually deal with.” “It is not as simple as fulfilling your wishes. You are not the only one forming this world. But you need to understand your own influence, for better or worse. You have power here.” Dorian remembered the wisp and saw why Solas would point this out. “I thought that only mattered for...” Solas waited for his answer. “The living.”

“You influence the fade in its entirety”, the dreamer said, but he sounded softer now. “Ah”, was all Dorian could say. “As for opposing powers: in this realm, that would be me”, Solas went on, giving him a faint lopsided smile. “Do you think I would deny you a drink you enjoy?” “Hmm.” Dorian lifted an eyebrow. “I can actually imagine you pleasing your mean streak.” Solas straightened himself and folded his arms behind his back, as if to emphasize his innocence. Dorian didn't have it. “Playing with a spoiled Tevinter?”, he slowly went on, pretending to ponder. “I can see that in my mind's eye.” “Careful”, the elf said and tilted his head, “with your expectations.” Dorian dared to step closer. Solas didn't move this time, not even when he leaned in to whisper into the offered ear: “I'm not saying I wouldn't like it, to a degree.” The pointed tip twitched. Dorian showed his teeth as the thing in his chest rejoiced.

Then Solas quickly broke the connection. “Either way, keep this in mind, Dorian”, he stated, walking away. “You are less of a visitor in the fade than a resident and every act, considerate or not, has consequences.” The Tevinter watched him leave, catching his breath. Perhaps it had been the right moment to warn him, but the loss still hurt. “I understand I exhausted your mind tonight”, the dreamer went on, much sadder now. “I have underestimated the influence of Haven's memories and for that, I am sorry.” “No harm done, Solas”, Dorian hurried to ensure him. “I find all of this rather exciting. And worthwhile. You should give lessons in the Circle.” The elf smiled sadly. “I rather not set foot into one. I might never get to leave.” “Because everyone would adore you so much.” Solas turned his head, annoyed or flattered, Dorian couldn't tell. He liked to imagine the latter.

“Your mind needs rest now,” he stubbornly stuck to the point. “Ah, but I'm not tired at all”, Dorian countered, not willing to give up. “You fail to remember your lessons and you usually don't have a bad memory”, Solas stung his ego. “Hey, that's unfair! You just caught me off-guard, right after the tavern. I'll do better, now that I'm warned.” “You would better spare yourself the shame and safe your energy for the march tomorrow.” Solas had no mercy. “I see, there's not way reasoning with you. That's a shame already. Who knows when you'll ever see me like this again.” He played with the hems of his precious robe. “The fade will keep this memory for a while”, the elf offered without blinking an eye. “Oh? It did leave a strong impression then?” “An impression, yes.” Dorian stared into Solas' eyes, not hoping to break the border but to leave a mark there. “There's your mean streak.”

Violet eyes turned away once more. “Rest well, Dorian.” His voice was honey on cream. “See you tomorrow.” The elf nodded, then the scene dissolved. Dorian didn't know how long he slept until he woke up.

During the day, Solas found his way back to Dorian Pavus, without giving it much of a thought. The Tevinter didn't mind it either and gladly began to ask questions about the fade.

They hadn't gone a long way until they spotted Blackwall among a crowd, apparently telling them a story that involved a lot of wide hand gestures and imitations of beastly growls. Solas had to smile at this, assuming he was adding more spectacular details to the memories since a lot of them had been too blurry for his taste.

"Didn't take him for a storyteller", Dorian commented on the commotion. "I thought that was Varric's job." "Grey Wardens tell their own stories", Solas said in his mysterious way that made Dorian wonder if there was more to it. "And Varric isn't here to take the place. Strange, I thought he'd be exploiting our skirmish to no end, but he's oddly quiet." At Solas' worried look, he added: "Likely because he's still writing. So, the attack might yet come." But Solas wasn't convinced.

He found Varric during a break, bending over scrolls and papers he spread over a barrel. He looked indeed occupied. Solas neared carefully. "Master Tethras", he began as if addressing a noble. He knew that it would tease the dwarf, who looked down at titles. "Chuckles," Varric said barely lifting his head. When he realized Solas wasn't just passing by, he asked: "Need something?" "You know I have taken on the role of a healer, for a lack of personnel", Solas explained himself. "Among other things." Varric eyed him sceptically. "What? I'm not a healer." "We have not seen each other since..." "Uh..." Varric regarded his notes as if the answer was written there. "...yeah."

Solas took a breath. "Are you alright, Varric?" The dwarf chuckled, but stiffly. "That's it? You creep up behind me to ask if I'm okay? You're something else Chuckles." Solas' mouth narrowed. "Now, don't frown. I'm just joking. You see I'm snug as a nug." He put his arms behind his head and grinned. "I would prefer to confirm that myself." "What? Wanna fuss over me like a nanny? You see I'm fine!" Calmer and with a wink, he added: "Missed me, huh?" Solas awkwardly shifted. "I must admit I wish I visited you sooner." "Aw, stop it. You didn't miss anything anyway. But come by when we're in that new base. I see a new bottle of Koslun's Tears coming." "I understand. My punishment is already on the way. I will endure it with grace." Varric clicked his tongue. "Lowbrow." Then he focused back on his writing.

"You would not hide any injuries, Master Tethras? That would be unwise." "You kidding me? I've seen what we're up against. I'm not turning myself into dragon fodder." Solas nodded, then silence followed. He figured he was dismissed. Judging by the dwarf's behaviour he knew that there was something bothering him. At least not an injury. "Maker's balls, Chuckles! I'm not a damsel in distress! Go help someone who needs it!" Solas winced at the outburst, then he left.

In the late afternoon, the shape of a mighty fortress appeared between the mountains. Voices rang out in the camp. The Herald hurried through the admirers, her advisors and friends behind her. At the top of a hill, she stopped to marvel at the sight. "It's here, and it's still standing", she gasped. Cullen next to her snorted in disbelief. "I guess I owe Solas an apology." "That can be done right away", Dorian said, popping up behind him. He turned around: "Solas, our Knight Commander likes to tell you something." He bravely faced the glare of said commander, probably because it was accompanied by a deeply pink blush.

Solas walked up to Cullen, face all innocent. "I'm sorry", the former templar said after clearing his throat. "I didn't think it was possible." "You apology is accepted." "I hope it looks as good in the inside, though." "I appreciate you favour inner values, Commander." Cullen gave him a confused look. Leliana laughed first, then Josephine giggled and everyone had a good time."You were right", Ellana told Solas when he joined her, a trace of sadness in her tone. "It doesn't look elven." Solas suppressed the notion that she wouldn't recognize an Elvhen monument if she saw one. "What remains is the name", he said instead, looking at it fondly. "Skyhold."

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age fanfiction #solas/dorian #dragon age solas #dragon age dorian #maker preserve #rarepair solas #dragon age varric #ellana lavellan #dragon age cullen

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seeker-ophelia · 4 months ago

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Honestly, what would I do without Tumblr Mutuals?

(Have a life outside of Dragon Age, Maybe? lol don't be ridiculous)

LOL Nadas I had at least half of this already written for a separate post (mostly on Dragons and The Blight which I will link here after I post it), LETHALLAN WE ARE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH....

kinda.

Ok a few things before we begin.

We don’t KNOW. We don’t know that Solas was made from Lyrium. We THINK. But we actually know very little.

We know nothing, John Snow, until we play the game in 4 days

Moving on

Lyrium: Titans' Blood, Emerald Waters of the Fade

I am not ready to admit that these are the same thing and I cannot articulate why.

In short: I think the Fade is the Titans' missing consciousness.

Ahhhhhhghhh then how do you explain

This Vir Dirthara: Attentive Listeners Codex?

The pages of this book—memory?—show a solemn group of elves in an ampitheater of living wood, entire trees grown into seats and stairs for the listeners to recline on. Two other elves and a spirit of learning are speaking in turn on ways to bend the properties of the material world when casting spells. At the end, the spirit, with the air of a senior lecturer, floats forward and booms in a surprisingly deep voice. "The unchanging world is delicate: spells of power invite disaster and annihilation. The unchanging world is stubborn: the pull of the earth fiercely resists making fire run like water or stone rise like mist. The unchanging world rings with its own harmony. Listen with fearless hearts, and great works will unfold."

It was from after the fade separation for a titan?

I take this: The unchanging world rings with its own harmony.

To mean: Earth-Magic (Titan-Magic) is different from Fade-Magic (Elf-Spirit-Magic) but it has its own beauty, its own power.

BUT.

I wasn’t ready to agree with you, and then you hit me with this:

And the Chant of Light agrees with me. Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity. —Andraste 14:11

Well Fuck Me I mean, you’ve certainly got me there.

But, since when has the Chantry ever been right?

Re: What IS a Spirit, Then?

What do we actually KNOW about The Veil:

The Veil separates the living Thedas world from the world of the spirits, and it also somehow acts as a prison for the Evanuris.

It was created by Solas/The Dread Wolf

And, that’s it. That’s all we know about the veil.

What else is The Veil doing? Does it have an effect on The Titans? Some people have said Solas is using The Veil to hide The Titans, protecting the last that exist from the Evanuris. Some say that The Veil has no effect on The Titans, because they’re made of earth and The Veil effects magic/fade, so they’re not the same. Some say it makes The Titans sleep.

Truth is, we don’t know yet.

Reminder:

In the light of the veilfire, the runes seem to shift, coiling and uncoiling like snakes. A thunderous voice shatters the stillness, shouting: “Hail Mythal, adjudicator and savior! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever!” For a moment, the scent of blood fills the air, and there is a vivid image of green vines growing and enveloping a sphere of fire. The vision grows dark. An aeon seems to pass. Then the runes crackle, as if filled with an angry energy. A new vision appears: elves collapsing caverns, sealing the Deep Roads with stone and magic. Terror, heart-pounding, ice-cold, as the last of the spells is cast. A voice whispers: “What the Evanuris in their greed could unleash would end us all. Let this place be forgotten. Let no one wake its anger. The People must rise before their false gods destroy them all.”

What happens when a titan gets sundered (blocked off from its dwarves)? Is it dead? Can it regrow? Or is it lost forever? Where do the memories go?

Dorian: That orb Corypheus carries... are you certain it's of elven origin, Solas?

Solas: I believe so. Why do you ask?

Dorian: There are paintings in the Magisterium's archives of men holding similar orbs. They were depictions of a time long before the magisters. The ancient Dreamers, perhaps. The texts called those orbs "somnaborium"--"vessels of dreams." Could they be the same thing?

Solas: Perhaps. The humans of ancient times took much from the elves.

Vessels of dreams. The dreams of the titan. Are in the orb. The spirits and the memories and the songs and the lives of the dwarfs are inside the foci, inside the orbs (not all of them, a piece of each titan in a thousand orbs). In my opinion, in other words, the SPIRITS of the dwarVHEN is in the orbs. The MAGIC of the Dwarvhen is in the Orb. The Orb itself is a vessel, created to leash the power (magic) of the Dwarvhen.

What happens when that “vessel,” that orb, breaks?

The dreams are gone. The magic is gone, the power is gone.

What happened to it? Is it lost forever? Dissipated to the winds? Truly gone?

At the end of All New Faded for Her:

Inky: What happens when a spirit dies? Solas: It isn’t the same as for mortals. The energy of spirits returns to the fade. If the idea giving the spirit form is strong, or if the memory has shaped other spirits, it may someday rise again.

What happens if a million spirits were to die at once?

Wouldn’t they still return to the fade?

What if a million titan-dwarf-memory-spirits died at once?

Would they return to the stone the titan?

I think its also important to note, that orb is not hollow. It is stone. Black stone. Most likely mined from *drumroll* Emerius. Aka Kirkwall.

The place where the magisterium mines the rock that it builds their temples out of, the City of Chains, the Bone Yard, I think there is special magical properties in the jet stone mined there.

Lets put a pin in this for a minute.

Solas and "Blood" Magic // The Red Lyrium Idol

I'll preface this by saying: no, I have no idea why Solas has changed his tune about blood magic in DA:tV. I hope to find out in five days!

Let’s remember, Blood BINDS. Think Phylactery.

It also makes it harder to get into The Fade, as per Solas. Probably because... it binds, you, to this world, this plane of existence.

If you remember anything about our egg, its that he never wants a person’s will taken away. He will never bind a spirit, or pervert one against its will. (From TN: “From this moment, should you ever bind a spirit, then your life is mine.”)

I do want to suggest that, for Solas, blood magic might mean something different than it does for everyone else.

There's too much to go into here, BUT essentially (does this sound familiar?):

I offer a way out, a way out for all the Grey Wardens that there need be no sacrifice, a ritual, performed on the eve of battle, in the dark of night. It is old magic, before the circle of magi was created. Some might call it blood magic, but that is but a name. there is far more to fear in this world than names.

The Dark Ritual.

Maybe he hates blood, because BLOOD BINDS.

Oh god I have to go deeper into this.

*Please keep in mind at this point all this is my Opinion now and I have little (zero) evidence to support this

You (Nadas) think of the fade/titans/elvhen/dwarvhen as two sides of the same coin. Which, isn’t really wrong, but I think that you’re missing a huge part of the puzzle.

What makes Dragon Age, Dragon Age.

It’s the Dragons.

If you haven’t, read up on Yavana’s wiki page, and The Great Dragons wiki page, they’re short, I promise.

But the most important line is this: The blood of Great Dragons is enormously powerful.

The Tevinter Imperium echoes this, Qunari stories echo this, and its suggested King Calenhad gained his power because of the blood of a Great Dragon.

We don’t know what separated The Evanuris (at the beginning, only Elgar’nan & Mythal) from the rest of the Elvhen (or spirits) of their time. You might claim that they were literally the first two beings on Thedas (like Adam and Eve), I do no subscribe to that theory.

Trespasser:

The Evanuris were Elvhen Mages? How did they come to be remembered as gods? Slowly, It started with a war. Ware breeds fear. Fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Chains of command. After the war ended, generals became respected elders, then kings, and finally gods. The Evanuris.

Because of Descent, we think maybe a war with The Titans, but (if the information in the wiki is right), Elvhen were around for a few THOUSAND years before they met the Dwarves. How could they gather power without them?

Well, what about killing the giant fire-breathing bitches in the sky who are probably killing your people/animals?

Let’s stick to only Mythal and Elgar’nan now, because I’m going WAY back in time.

One or both of them found out how to kill a Great Dragon, and when they did, they got his power. Maybe they drank the dragon’s blood and that bound the spirit of the dragon to them.

Namely, a Blue-Dragon-Soul.

Sidebar? Let’s look at Elgar’nan for a minute. The first Evanuris. Who Destroyed The Sun. (In Elvhen, Elgara) Who (IMO) was the first to bind a Dragon Spirit (In Elvhen, Elgar) From that Deep Roads Codex: Though I remember my Keeper telling a story about how the dwarves fear the sun because of Elgar'nan's fire. I think Dragon Fire = The Sun = Evanuris Magic = Dragon Magic = Dragon Spirit Let’s get a little more tin-foilery: IN elvhan the suffix -an means place. A physical location. What if the suffix -nan means bind, like consume. A meta-physical place. That would literally make his name Spirit Binder, or Bound-Spirit-Place. (Not Elgar'arla: Spirit-trap; a binding circle to hold a spirit or demon, because that does exist in the wiki I feel I should put it here)

Back to the Blue-Dragon-Souls

As you so kindly pointed out in that reddit post:

Designer's Notes: This is Flemeth from the previous two games. In this game, Flemeth's story comes to a head -- she knew that Solas would summon her, and that he would need to steal her power to further his plans. She knew that because they are both elven gods...yet Solas has slept for a thousand years and his power dwindled, while she was killed long ago and a spark escaped from her into the body she now holds. She has nurtured that spark, and knew that Solas would need it. He was once her oldest friend, but she knows in his drive to save the elven people he will kill anyone -- even her. She intends to let him have the power, so long as she can pass the essence of her god-hood onto Morrigan, a gift Flemeth had always planned for her daughter yet one Morrigan misunderstood as hostile possession.

The Essence of Mythal is not the Blue-Dragon-Soul (as I had originally thought). The Blue-Dragon-Soul is the first thing that separated “The Evanuris” from their peers. Morrigan will now be Mythigan (Morrithal?), but it is SOLAS who has the power of the dragon (Meta: THIS IS ALSO WHY THE WELL DECISION DOES NOT MATTER).

AND, if I might take it a step further, because I never really thought of it this way until you brought up the fact that Solas is Titan in origin –

Solas walked both worlds, because he was a lyrium spirit, a titan memory, in an Elvhen body. But he was never a true god. I don’t think he ever had a Blue-Dragon-Spirit. I think he just had his orb.

I am going to change the word demon used in the game/wiki to spirit here for emphasis:

In the Hissing Wastes when you complete Fairel’s Tomb, Inky remarks “I’ve never seen a rune like this before.”

It’s a Superb Demon Slaying Rune Schematic. Cool.

What’s a Superb Spirit Slaying Rune Do? (+50 Damage vs Spirits).

What’s it made of?

A blank rune, and 6 units of Pure Dragons Blood.

Dragon Blood Kills Spirits. Magically.

Dragons kill Spirits?

Dragons are effective at killing Spirits?

Dragons have a natural predilection to kill Spirits?

Im just gunna jump all the ways back up there and ctrl C this…

You think of the fade/titans, elvhen/dwarvhen as two separated sides of the same coin. Which, isn’t really wrong, but I think that you’re missing a huge part of the puzzle.

Because its not two sides of the same coin, it’s a Rock/Paper/Scissors triangle.

Dragon Magic, Fade/Elf Magic, and Titan/Dwarf Magic.

*Now I admit, you say that lyrium grows in the fade and that worries me, cuz that kinda shatters my hypothesis to bits. Unless the lyrium is not supposed to be in the fade.

Again, I have ZERO evidence for this, its just where my brain goes.

SO. What does this mean.

IF, the Emerald Waters of The Fade is the Literal Refined Lyrium of a Titans blood,

That means that Fade and Titan are inexorably linked. Elf magic and Titan magic are linked. By Lyrium. Isana.

Why? Because, as you say, The Fade is the Titans brain/consciousness/spirit?

We don’t have the time to go down the WHY rabbit hole right now, but we can think about the HOW:

If lyrium is the blood of a titan and also the life-water of the fade, why can Dwarvhen touch it/work with it and Elvhen cannot?

Well, because Mythal created a barrier to prevent the Dwarfs from accessing their magic, Dwarvhen cannot dream, they cannot magic, so that they could safely mine lyrium (bonus power) for the Evanuris (more slaves, essentially).

But, IF, The Fade is a Part of A Titan, that would make Dwarvhen and Elvhen related. They would be children of the same mother.

And maybe instead of the Elvhen meeting the Dwarvhen (in -4600 Ancient or whenever it was) they CREATED the Dwarvhen. Dwarfs are Elves, Elves stripped of magic ability (like tranquil) to mine lyrium. And that makes them short and look like Dwarfs.

I don’t know if I'm convinced of this. This would completely erase Dwarfs as a species of Thedas.

I DO think, that a spirit is to The Fade as a memory is to a Titan.

It is the paradigm, the structure, of how magic works in Thedas.

Spirits float through the fade as memories flow in lyrium.

And the Evanuris stole the… power/magic (memories? spirits? dreams? songs?) of the Titan’s by putting (parts of) it in a barrier, an orb. A stone sphere. A foci, something.

They separated the Titan (Dwarvhen Fade) from the Dwarves, by removing the memories, the dreams, the songs, the spirits. And the Dwarvhen were separated from their Fade.

Golly Gee Willickers that sounds a whole lot like what Solas did with The Veil, does it not?

Not as “opaque,” we shall say, because humans and Dalish can still dream. But certainly similar. Replace Dwarf with Dalish in that paragraph and you have The Veil.

I have to wrap this up now oh my god its so long, but there is actually a reason why I vehemently hate this idea.

It makes me unbelievably sad.

Lets take out that Pin I put in up there.

Cuz it all goes right back to our handsome, hurting eggman.

This thing? This power that was Solas’?

Solas’ Foci? Solas’ Orb?

The thing that he left you because of?

That means Solas’ Orb was bound dwarvhen spirits. (Or if you are right, bound Elvhen Spirits)

“From this moment, should you ever bind a spirit, then your life is mine.”

Why is there such a difference in his mind? Why is it okay to bind Titan/Dwarf-Memories/Songs but not Fade/Elf-Spirits? Especially if they are the same thing?

Little hypocritical of our eggman to say that of fade-spirits, of Elvhen-spirits, but not a dwarvhen spirits.

FML I’m sorry this is so long.

**Something that will be its own post if I have the time:

More Question About: I think the Fade is less literally part of a Titan and more that this magic framework is the paradigm or blueprint of how magic works in Thedas.

A spirit is to The Fade as a memory is to A Titan.

It is the paradigm, the structure, of how magic works in Thedas.

Spirits float through the fade as memories flow in lyrium.

Elf Spirit = Memory/Song, // Fade = Lyrium //

Elf = child of fade, Dwarf = child of stone.

And if I am right, If Lyrium is the blood of a titan, Why is it in the fade?

Why/How is The-Fade & Pillars-Of-The-Earth linked?

Do titans make/grow the lyrium?

Does the fade have its own lyrium-growing capabilities or does the Titan Share?

How does it then get into the fade?

Are the Dwarvhen spirits/memories/songs INSIDE liquid lyrium?

Then why are the Fade-Spirits just floating in the Fade (air)?

Is lyrium INFECTING the fade? (Titan moving to take over the Elvhan magic realm in retaliation to the Evanuris blocking them from the Dwarvhen?) Then what are “The Emerald Waters”? And why emerald when lyrium is blue?

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

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

[ 1 ] [ 2 ]

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 Discussion:

So far, we've covered a few things. We know Solas was "born" from (or manifested from) a branch of raw lyrium while he was still connected to a Titan. We know there were hints toward this from across all three previous games, plus a lot of external media. We know his "birth" was initiated/instigated by Mythal.

We also know that there are quite a lot of hints about memory and forgetting across what we've covered so far, from Cole's dialogue to old elvhen lullabies.

But from here, we must ask ourselves: What ARE the Forgotten Ones? And if Solas really IS Titan-born, what does that say about the rest of everything we know about the world of Thedas and its magic?

Why the Titans are the Forgotten Ones

Fen'Harel Walked Between Both Clans of Gods

The Abyss and the Fade

Lyrium: Titans' Blood, Emerald Waters of the Fade

What IS a Spirit, Then?

Solas's Magic: What Was He Born With?

Solas and Petrification

Solas and "Blood" Magic // The Red Lyrium Idol

What Did Solas Absorb at the End of DA:I?

Why the Titans are the Forgotten Ones

Okay. This, I admit, could have been its own post. There is a LOT to cover with just this topic. I was in the midst of outlining such a post when one of my favourite Dragon Age theorycrafters (girltriesgames) came out with this video, which summarizes every point I'd gave gone into at length. Go watch it, if you want the full deep-dive!

For now, I will summarize some of the video's points:

There were two clans of gods, according to Merrill. The first was the Evanuris, and the Forgotten Gods were the second.

Fen'Harel walked among both clans without fear, and both believed he was one of them.

The Forgotten Ones have been "sealed" in the Abyss, which we know is the deep underground from the Descent DLC and other sources such as the Anvil of the Void.

The Forgotten Ones are cited by Merrill and the World of Thedas books as being at war with the Evanuris, namely Mythal and Elgar'nan being at war with four Forgotten Ones; in the Trespasser DLC, it mentions that the Titans were at war with the Evanuris, and slain by Mythal and Elgar'nan.

The Hissing Wastes features codices from ancient dwarves who fled to the surface to escape a war that was ultimately... forgotten, featuring dragons being used as weapons that slaughtered their kin. Obviously an above-ground enemy!

There are countless mentions of the word "Forgotten" around the Titans and dwarves. The Titans have been forgotten. They do not exist in the Memories of Orzammar. The sleeping Titans have forgotten how to wake up.

Cole makes many mentions of forgotten songs in relation to the sleeping Titans and also to the dwarves. Curiously, he even ties these concepts to the Templars, who employ the same magic (according to Cole).

Fen'Harel Walked Between Both Clans of Gods

Once I knew that Solas is made from lyrium and that the Titans are the Forgotten Ones, everything clicked into place for me. The legends say that Fen'Harel walked between both "clans" of gods because each one believed him to be one of their own. That sentence made less sense to me before, because I wondered: how does an elf fool an entire other clan of gods into believing he belongs to them?

Understanding that the Titans are the Forgotten Ones, famously the clan of gods that the Evanuris (namely Mythal and Elgar'nan) warred with... well, it makes sense now, doesn't it? Solas was able to walk between both clans of gods because he DOES have roots in both. Solas is crafted FROM a Titan. Solas BECAME an Evanuris. The Titan would recognize him as one of its own; the Evanuris accept him as one of their own.

This is backed up even further by a piece of Solas's dialogue in The Threat Remains.

"I have journeyed deep into the Fade in ancient ruins and battlefields to see the dreams of lost civilizations. I’ve watched as hosts of spirits clash to reenact the bloody past of ancient wars both famous and forgotten."

The Titans' existence was struck from Orzammar's Memories. Cole makes endless mentions of forgotten songs, old songs. Beings that are sleeping and don't remember how to wake up. Beings that have forgotten even themselves. Solas refers to dwarves as the severed arm of a once mighty hero.

"Wars both famous and forgotten," therefore, might refer to a war that was famous among the ancient elvhen, but forgotten by the rest of the world. One side takes pride in the mining of lyrium from slain titans. The other is doomed never to know what was lost.

But the question remains: When Solas created the Veil to imprison the Evanuris, what exactly happened to the Titans?

The Abyss and the Fade

To truly understand what happened to the Titans, we must first understand what, exactly, the Veil was making a divide between. We know much of what happened to the Fade: that Solas says it was once a state of nature like the wind, flowing through everything. That now it is mutable and unpredictable, with little in the way of permanence in anything. That it takes the shape of the thoughts and memories of those within it. That magic functions unpredictably within it.

But what about what that meant for the Titans? What happened to them with this split? And, more importantly, what was the Fade in relation to them?

Let's start with what we know about the Titans' domain. Frequently called the Abyss or the Void, the realm of the Titans is below the surface. Yet, in much elvhen literature found in Trespasser, their domain is referred to as the Earth.

I believe, based on the context of those codices, that the Earth and the Abyss are not the same. The Abyss refers to the caverns in the deep underground. The Earth, specifically, is the Titans who live within the Abyss. Earth, in the ancient elvhen, pre-Veil context, may refer to the Titans' bodies—lyrium—while "Pillars of the Earth" refers to the Titans as sentient beings. The Song to Elgar'nan talks about wanting victory over the Earth, capital 'E.'

Though the Chant of Light describes the Void as more a state of being, the ancient elvhen describe it as Andruil's old hunting grounds.

One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking the Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss. Yet even a god should not linger there, and each time she entered the Void, Andruil suffered longer and longer periods of madness after returning. Andruil put on armor made of the Void, and all forgot her true face. She made weapons of darkness, and plague ate her lands. She howled things meant to be forgotten, and the other gods became fearful Andruil would hunt them in turn.

The time of Andruil using the Void as her hunting grounds predates the Veil. Overall, we already know much of what this codex implies about the Void: that it is dark, underground, and that there is reason we know of that would send Andruil back with madness (the abundance of raw lyrium and the fact that the Evanuris are mages, plus Andruil's lyrium armor).

What I want to focus on is that the Forgotten Ones were thriving in the Abyss before the Veil went up. They were alive and, ostensibly, able to fight back. They had access to their will and to their consciousness.

That consciousness seems to have disappeared with the creation of the Veil. Let me rephrase.

The Titans lost access to their consciousness with the creation of the Veil. At the same time. And what did the Veil do? What is the SOLE thing it did?

Separated the Fade from the waking world.

A collection of facts, when taken together, lead me to my conclusion about the relationship between the Abyss, the Fade, and the Titans.

The Forgotten Ones (Titans) live in the Abyss

They were conscious and "thriving" before the Veil went up

Cole remarks that they have "forgotten" how to wake up in the time since

No one has memory of the Titans, not even the dwarves

Lyrium is the blood of the Titans

and lyrium grows in the Fade.

Lyrium: Titans' Blood, and the Emerald Waters of the Fade

I think a lot of us (me included) have been thinking about the Fade all wrong. I think a lot of people consider the Fade to be this Other Thing™ that was once a part of the world, and is now separate. Now, I believe differently. I think that the Fade and the Titans were once two pieces of one whole, and creating the Veil effectively sundered all Titans' consciousness from their bodies.

In short: I think the Fade is the Titans' missing consciousness.

That's why I think it is very important not just that Lyrium exists in the Fade, but that it grows there. It implies that the Fade is still alive, just like the Titans are still alive, but asleep.

When Solas says, "I seek... regeneration" in Vows & Vengeance, I think this is what he means: reconnecting these two sundered pieces.

We've always thought as the Fade as the realm of spirits. Those characters who contemplate the Veil being torn down immediately think about how many spirits and demons that might unleash upon Thedas.

But I must ask: If the Fade is the consciousness of sundered Titans, where did the first spirits come from, before the creation of the Veil? What relation could Titans have with spirits?

What IS a Spirit, Then?

I'm sure that I am not alone when I say that my original guess for Solas's origin story is that he was a spirit that took mortal, corporeal shape. We've all heard Cole say, "He did not want a body, but she asked him to come." We all know that the Dread Wolf's six eyes greatly resemble a Pride demon, and we have seen that Solas' Manifestation achievement icon features those same six eyes.

If you're like me, you might've seen that and wondered how exactly this is all related. How can Solas be a spirit of Wisdom turned to Pride if he came from a Titan?

I'm here to tell you: I think those are the same thing.

And the Chant of Light agrees with me.

Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity. —Andraste 14:11

Many believe that the well of sorrows and the waters of the Fade must have elemental associations with, well... water. But I'd like to put forth a different interpretation.

Lyrium exists in liquid form, once refined. The Bastion of the Pure in the Descent DLC has a literal underground sea. We know that lyrium is the Titans' blood, growing both in the Abyss and the Fade. We also know that the Fade, domain of spirits, is likely the Titans' sundered consciousness.

The "well of all souls," then, is the same as the "emerald waters." Both of them refer not to water, not to oceans, but to lyrium.

I think every spirit on Thedas, not just the dwarves, came from the Titans originally.

To test the validity of my idea, I then asked myself: what do we know of spirits and their nature?

We know that spirits all boil down to one singular quality: Wisdom, Compassion, Purpose, Love, Justice, etc etc etc.

We know that those qualities can change back and forth from "virtuous" to "demonic" depending on the spirit's own feelings and reactions to the world. The trauma of crossing the Veil or being bound can force Wisdom to become Pride (Solas's personal quest) or Compassion to Rage (Down Among the Dead Men from Tevinter Nights).

Not all spirits are named for "virtues" or "sins." For instance, there are Hunger demons, and hunger is not a sin.

Spirits can be killed outright. When that happens, they may reform, but they are never quite the same when they coalesce again. There are also "ancient spirits" mentioned throughout the franchise, which tells me that not all spirits are the same age. They were not all created at the same time.

Many spirits are mere wisps, without one of those one-word qualities. They must gain power before they take such a shape.

To me, that sounds a lot like how thoughts work.

Our singular thoughts could also be boiled down to singular qualities, if framed in a certain way. For instance, my current craving for food is very much a Hunger thought. My constant joy in reading World of Thedas stems from Curiosity. Terrible traffic conditions inspire fleeting Rage, which changes when I remember my Compassion for other drivers who might be erratic because they're going through an emergency or something traumatic.

People don't remember every single thought they have. The ones that stick with us over time? They remain with us because they are powerful. Stronger memories stick around longer; the rest fade away or become shapeless until we try really hard to remember them again.

But when we do remember things we have forgotten? We never remember them exactly the same, do we? If I remember I thought I had as a child, I have to remember it with the context of my current 30-year-old self. I will never experience the thought exactly as my 5-year-old self did.

As long as I have access to my own consciousness, I will constantly produce new thoughts and memories.

Therefore?

Specifically, I think that all spirits on Thedas are the thoughts of Titans, once either held in lyrium or free to drift through the Fade before the Veil existed. Those spirits may then manifest into a corporeal shape, like Cole does, if they have enough power.

And Solas? Solas is one such thought-spirit, who used to be held in lyrium, who Mythal convinced (or coerced) to take shape.

Which explains a great deal about every type of magic we see him use.

Solas's Magic: What Was He Born With?

Oh, Solas, you beautiful enigma. For so long, we thought of you as an ordinary mage. Then, with the big Fen'Harel reveal and the way you began petrifying people in Trespasser, we thought you were something else.

Mages draw their power from the Fade. It looks like the dwarven magic we're seeing (from Harding, from Valta, from Sandal) draws its power from the Stone, in addition to manipulating it. So what gives? How is Solas able to pull from both schools of magic? Is he a mage? Is he kin with the dwarves?

Now, with all the knowledge we've gained through one singular achievement icon jpeg, I understand: you are both, and you are neither.

We must remember that all ancient elvhen are born in a pre-Veil era. With the knowledge we have, that means an era when the Titans were not sundered from their thoughts, and all magic in the world was one thing. If all spirits are the thoughts of Titans made manifest (either as living concepts or as corporeal beings) and the Fade is just one part of Titans' whole existence, then a world without the Veil is a world where we don't need to think of those magics as two separate things.

Rather, they are both magic, but opposing schools of the same magic. When we think of the four elements here in OUR world, we think of earth and air as opposites—but in a lot of media, magic users have access to both. Often, they are weak to each other, one cancelling out the other.

We see this laid out more clearly in this codex from the Vir Dirthara.

"The unchanging world is delicate: spells of power invite disaster and annihilation. The unchanging world is stubborn: the pull of the earth fiercely resists making fire run like water or stone rise like mist. The unchanging world rings with its own harmony. Listen with fearless hearts, and great works will unfold."

This codex is actively encouraging the magic users of ancient elvhen (AKA, all people from that time) to listen with fearless hearts to the "unchanging world" to exert will over the "pull of the earth." They're not saying to avoid the Titans, or to dominate them with an abundance of their own (Fade) magic. By tapping into the Titans' rhythm, even the magic of the Fade is embellished. Made stronger.

To be alive in that time is to be able to wield both magics interchangeably—but just like Aang in Avatar: the Last Airbender, the pull of the earth is a notoriously difficult thing for "air" (Fade) magic-users to grasp, and vice versa.

(A tiny aside: I believe these discoveries about spirits and magic teach us the distinction between elven and elvhen. The latter translates to "spirit-soul," loosely—the spirits that came out of the Titans. I believe elven refers to the corporeal descendants of those elvhen that sexually reproduced.)

Solas and Petrification

Many of us speculated for a long, long time that Solas's ability to petrify people—an ability associated with Sandal and Harding—was something he took from a dwarven or Titan-aligned source. People speculated that Urthemiel, the archdemon, must be somehow connected to the magic of the Stone.

I have a different theory: Solas has always had this capability, but the power he absorbed from Mythal is what has allowed him to once again perform the magic of the Stone from whence he came.

Maybe utilizing both magics to such a powerful degree (remember his Mind Blast from Trespasser?) requires that a mage be more powerful than most, carrying two "sects" of magic within them and using both in such a great and terrible capacity (like how the Avatar is more powerful than other benders, able to carry multiple elements because of bonding with the spirit of Raava, to continue with my previous example).

Solas and "Blood" Magic // The Red Lyrium Idol

I'll preface this by saying: no, I have no idea why Solas has changed his tune about blood magic in DA:tV. I hope to find out in five days!

I do want to suggest that, for Solas, blood magic might mean something different than it does for everyone else. Solas's blood, while he has taken a corporeal shape almost identical to any other elven person, may not be the same chemical make as the blood of mortals. That might explain why he has not experimented with it much during the time of Inquisition, and might explain why he does not want to use his own blood in DA:tV.

Instead, his blood might be closer to lyrium than we expected. And the red lyrium idol might be HIS idol.

Some of you might remember that way back in part 1, I noted that a hint for Solas's origin from previous games and external media is that, in Tevinter Nights, the Dread Wolf refers to the red lyrium idol as "my idol" before slaying the Mortalitasi trying to perform a blood magic ritual with it. It confused me, for a long time, why the Dread Wolf (the big wolf form, not necessarily one with Solas) would refer to the idol as "my idol" before actually retrieving it to keep. The explanation seems simple: it was his first.

This makes me wonder, given everything we know, if the idol first belonged to the Dread Wolf because it is made from the Dread Wolf's blood. Since the Dread Wolf is a piece of a Titan, that would make its blood likely at least related to lyrium, right?

Many have also speculated that Solas's ritual dagger, which gets passed on to Rook, is made from a purified/reforged red lyrium idol. Given the blood connection between Rook and Solas, it makes sense to me that if the dagger is indeed made from the blood of the Dread Wolf (and/or Solas), that is why Rook has access to its abilities.

What Did Solas Absorb at the End of DA:I?

I cannot for the life of me find a well-cropped image, but this post on Reddit talks about a designer note from the post-credits scene of DA:I between Solas and Flemeth. Namely that Solas does not take Mythal's soul when he absorbs power from her. Before he absorbs that power, Mythal passes her soul on to Morrigan.

While David Gaider had previously advised fans to not necessarily take this as canon, it seems to be proving true in Morrigan's design change, featuring Flemeth's crown.

That means there are two things Solas may have still absorbed from Mythal, since her soul was already "spoken for."

Raw power

The soul of Urthemiel, the archdragon slain in Origins. This is true in every world state with Kieran, but I would wager that Urthemiel's soul belongs with Mythal in every world state, since Flemeth said she had an "appointment to keep" in the prologue of DA2, which is why she did not travel with Hawke. My guess is she went to Denerim, poking at the remains of the slain archdemon until, 10 years later in Inquisition, she was in possession of Urthemiel's soul no matter what.

We know, however, that archdemons are sundered pieces of the Evanuris. We've been able to suspect this since Inquisition, where we see Corypheus's archdemon is in possession of a piece of his soul and is therefore the secret to his immortality.

I don't think either of this gave Solas access to any new spells. Rather, I think either one (or both!) might have granted him the power necessary to access spells he already knows from both Fade magic and Stone magic.

However, I'd like to touch on just one thing before this post concludes.

I believe that Urthemiel is June's archdemon. The Chant of Light references an Architect of Beauty, just as it references Corypheus, the Conductor of Silence. These are high priests of the so-called "Old Gods," which were revealed as archdemons when Dumat appeared during the First Blight. Corypheus was the high priest of Dumat, the old god of Silence.

I believe the word Architect being used as the title for the high priest of Urthemiel is indicative of the Evanuris that Urthemiel belongs to. There is one Evanuris known for craftsmanship: June, who we know nothing about.

The reason I mention this is that, if nothing else, June's abilities may have allowed Solas to "purify" and shape the red lyrium idol into his ritual dagger that we see in Veilguard.

In conclusion: I believe Solas has always had access to the Stone, but it would certainly be interesting to see if each Evanuris has their own suite of magical abilities, potentially due to the Titan from which some of them originated (more on THAT in a later post, stay tuned!).

If you read this far, THANK YOU, as always! The collective hype of everyone reading and sharing these is making me all the more excited for Veilguard.

Keep an eye out for the next instalment in this series: What the Chant of Light teaches us about Solas, Mythal, and the Evanuris at large.

#Certified LONG POST #Long Post #Lore Dragon #Dragon Age Ramblings #Homemade Lore #dragon age #dragon age: the veilguard #Dragon Age: Inquisition #Help Me Im Insane #Lore Ramblings #Dragon Age Lore Dragon

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emerald-amidst-gold · 3 years ago

Text

OC Interview: Fane Lavellan

Thank you for the tag @dungeons-and-dragon-age! I’ve been eyeing up this meme for a while actually, so this was perfect timing! X3

This takes place Post-Trespasser, about a month or two after, in fact. Solas brought the idea forward, and of course, Fane refused. But after some coaxing, some explanation as to why, and the promise of a whole cake, Fane agreed to humor the request.

*THERE BE BIG THINGS REGARDING FANE HERE*

I got carried awaaaaaay! XD

Introduction

Can you introduce yourself?

“I can, but it’s a lengthy list,” He sighs, “...Those who are close to me, who see as but an elf, call me Fane. Those who wish to meet cobble, call me Lavellan or Herald. Those who are blinded by reverence call me ‘He Who Flew Above’. Denizens of the Fade refer to me as, ‘Devotion’ or ‘Tenacity’. However, my true name is..” He sighs again, “...Aterian. I rarely go by it, but the truth won’t be ignored. It never can be.”

What is your gender identity, orientation and relationship status?

“Male. Elvhen. Dragon.” He huffs through his nose, shifting his gaze off to the side, “That’s all I’ll say on that. As for orientation, I’m...emotionally driven. If you asked me to look at another and tell you what’s attractive about them I would say, ‘Nothing.’ I don’t know them, so I feel nothing for them.“ He shrugs, turning his gaze back, but brandishes a glare, “There’s only one person who defies that response, and that’s because he knows me, without and within. More than that, is none of your business.”

Where and when were you born?

He lifts a hand, massaging a temple, “The ‘where’ is simple; Elvhenan. Specifics are lost to me, however, so you’ll have to be content with that response.” He shifts his gaze downwards, slowly crossing his arms, “As to when?” He sighs heavily, “...I have no answer for that other than: I’m roughly the same age, if not older, as Solas. Does it matter, honestly? Numbers fall through the cracks after a specific threshold is crossed.” What is your weapon of choice and fighting style?

He unravels a crossed arm and guides his hand downwards, tapping the pommel of a sword he has fastened to his waist, “Sword. I use either long swords, short swords, or great swords.” He raises an eyebrow as a question is forwarded, “Shields?” He sneers a bit. “I don’t use shields. They get in the way, and anyways,” He raises his hand once more, the expanse steadily beginning to glow blue and silver before a spectral coating of scales cover the entirety, “this is better than any shield. I prefer the front lines, the place I can make sure no one breaches, and the lingering memory of what I once was makes sure I can do just that.” He dispels the scales and shakes out his hand before returning it to his crossed counterpart, “It takes energy to maintain, but I’m getting better at holding it for longer.” Lastly, are you happy?

He blinks before his entire expression softens, two toned eyes shining with primary gold as they shift downwards, “...If you had asked that of me over twelve years ago I would have spat in your face and said, ‘Happiness doesn’t exist in this world’. But now..” He trails off, casting a sidelong glance towards one of the fortress’s entryways; a familiar voice sounding, firm, but soft, as if reprimanding a child, “...I understand what happiness is, and it’s in every corner if you allow yourself to see it.” His eyes shift back, holding a far away look and voice coming forward in a murmur, “I only wish we all could be happy; together.”

Family and Friends

What’s your family like? What is your relationship with them?

His face holds a conflicted look, as if the memory is painful before speaking, “Complicated,” he says before beginning to tap a finger against his bicep, “I had a mother. She died when I was fifteen from a wasting disease, but she was the picture of serenity. Calm, guiding, measured. Hair like moonlight. Eyes like a clear autumn day. She was--” Unbranded features twist with a look of grief, eyes going dark as his voice drops, “...I’d rather not speak of her. It still hurts to. It hurts to speak of any of them,” His eyes narrow, grief stricken expression turning somewhat bitter, “...Especially those who throw all you did for them back into your face because they refused to listen when you needed them to most. Even so, I still wish for her happiness. Cullen better be treating her right,” That bitter turns outright malicious, dark eyes going darker as another question is meekly asked, “Father? I have no father. I only had a monster that haunted my childhood, tore my token of devotion apart, and then stalked me in my dreams. So, no. I have nothing to say about that concept.”

Have you ever ran away from home?

He chuckles, “Many, many times,” He throws most of his weight into one side, tilting his head back as if thinking, counting, “I can’t even remember the amount of times I fled into the forests, to be honest. All I know is that it happened weekly, maybe even daily,” He brings his head back, snowy hair moving with the action to brush the tops of his cheekbones, “Why do you look so surprised?” he asks, snorting a bit at the meek response of, ‘Why so often?’, “Because I refused to endure being treated like a beast every hour of the day merely because I believed differently, or rather, not at all.” He sighs within the next moment, “...I wasn’t any better than the Dalish, though. I lashed out, I spat in their face, dragged their heritage through the dirt, inflicted harm from the smallest of things...” He squeezes his arms, eyes narrowing into a glare, but seeming to see through everything, “...The past repeats. An infernal spiral that will never slow.” Would you consider marriage or having children?

“Marriage? Children?” He blinks, pale visage suddenly going flush before he snarls, “Why do I need to answer those questions?!” The blush deepens and he responds despite his displeased expression, muttering and biting the inside of his cheek, “...Damned keen eyed elves. They know, don’t they? I swear if Abelas fucking ran that mouth of his, I’ll--” He sighs heavily, letting his head fall limp a bit in defeat, “...Yes. To both. The latter is already taken care of, as everyone situated in the Crossroads knows, but...” Pointed ears are now a deep shade of red, “...marriage is...on hold. War time isn’t an ideal summer wedding.” His voice drops, eyes shimmering as if he was before the person his heart yearned for, “...The sky deserves a venue better than a garden of death and deceit.” Do you secretly hate one of your friends?

“There were those in the Inquisition who I didn’t exactly see eye to eye with,” he started before shaking his head, “but I didn’t hate anyone. Everyone is entitled to their own views and what they find important.” He scowls a bit, tapping his bicep once again with a finger, “...Even if they didn’t extend the same kindness to me in the beginning. ‘Do you believe in the Maker?’ ‘Do you believe you’re chosen?’ ‘You need to use the people’s faith. It gives them hope.’” He mocks before snorting harshly, “No. No, I don’t. Oh, that suddenly makes me trash? Ohhh. How terrible.” He scoffs. “Disgusting.” Which friend knows everything about you?

“Solas,” He says within a heart beat before clearing his throat, shifting his gaze away sheepishly, “He knows me without and within.” Emerald and gold blaze as the orbs go wide, the blush of roses coming back in full force, “Wait, wait, wait! I didn’t mean--! Fuck! You better wipe that shit eating grin off your face, elf, or I swear I’ll do it for you!” He growls in frustation, throwing his hands in the air, “Why did I agree to this? What fucking dragon entertains an interview!? This is worst than the courts in Arlathan used to be! And that’s saying something!”

Asked by Fans

Are you literate? Have you been to school?

”I am literate. Sometimes to a fault, in fact,” He smiles a bit, “Poetry is my niche; a lingering memory of my mother. So, I speak cryptically at times,” He snorts, amused, “Although, I guess that isn’t much of a surprise since the Elvhen language is riddled in verse rather than practical application. Still, even some of the ancients left have a hard time deciphering my words,” He shrugs, smile turning into a smirk, “They never expected a dragon to be able to talk, I guess. Well, ta-dah.” The eeriest prediction you made that later came true?

A somber expression flits across his visage and eyes, “...That, eventually, I would hurt the one person I never wanted to.” The corner of his mouth twitches, holding both bitterness and grief; a painful duo, “...And retribution came just as swiftly, but it--” He sighs, shaking his head in defeat before muttering under his breath, “Observe and accept. Observe that what came to pass was uncontrollable, and accept that it had to happen for your path to continue, for your soul to be complete.” What is something you were embarrassingly late to realize?

His face blanks, mouth going into a hard line before a sigh exits through his nose slowly, “...That I don’t have tail.” He snarls, blank expression twisting in warning, “Laugh, elf. Do it.” He nods in the next second when no sounds of amusement come forth, expression going stoic once more, “That’s what I thought. You try living centuries in one form and then transitioning. See what happens.” Do you have mental health or physical issues?

He nods, sighing tiredly. “Like my names, I have a lot.” A hand motions to his body lazily, “My entire body is littered in scars, inflicted through crude experiments by an abomination that sought power like so many others,” He expression sours, jaw working back a forth, “They’ve calmed over the years, but the memories are not so kind.” He sighs, trying to calm himself and lifts his left hand; the Anchor glowing faintly and his eyes watch it, “I have an illness, or rather, sensitivity to any Fade born essence. That, too, has calmed and I’m grateful for that. As for my mind..” He trails off, grimacing a bit as if suddenly in pain, “...Visualize the Void, and there’s your answer. Black walls with crimson torches, seats empty, but somehow wanting for memories to take their seats. However, those occupants never come, burnt to ash by fury’s flame. That’s my mind in a nutshell.” What is your current main goal?

He raises his eyebrows, pursing his lips, “Mm, as of right now, I’m busy helping Solas unlock the eluvians that he couldn’t while I was away,” He flexes his marked hand, watching it with a look of determination in his eyes, “That’ll take time, but after, my people, my kin will have their skies back. I won’t let this power be squandered, and I won’t let the key that I’ve been entrusted with fall into the wrong hands.” His face hardens further, “For if that key rusts, the locks break and the sky will blacken as surely as the earth will redden.”

Choices

Drink or food?

“Drinks.” He says with ease, shrugging, “Food is comforting, especially sweets, but a glass of rum or ale, or a cup of chamomile tea really pounds the word ‘relaxation’ into my head.” Cats or dogs?

He smiles, warmth caressing its edges, “You’ve seen Nislean wandering about the halls, laying on the window sills and curling up in front of the fire,” He hums suddenly, crossing his arms again, “Which reminds me, I need to go out of the Crossroads for milk. I’ll be getting more than five bottles this time.” Optimist or pessimist?

“Depends on who you ask,” He shrugs, seeming unbothered, “I’m neither from a personal standpoint. I try to see the bright spots, but shadows can be very persistent.” Sassy or sarcastic?

He snorts, “Ask Fen’harel,” his voice is light upon the title, playfully mocking in its deepness, “He knows all about that side. Although, he would label it, ‘insufferable’. I would call myself dryly sarcastic, though.”

Have You Ever

Been caught sneaking out?

He purses his lips, “Hmm. Not that I can recall,” he says slowly before his brows jumped and his eyes lit up with memory, “Oh! Wait. There was that one time where I was with Solas and Mythal in a...courtyard, I think?” He shrugs before shrugging, “Doesn’t matter. But, I tried to slip away, tail and all, and I...may have shattered one or two or three eluvians trying to get to the balcony.” He somewhat wistfully, smirking, “Elgar’nan got fucking stuck in a far off settlement for a week, though. Completely worth getting my horn chewed off by a wolf.” Broken a bone?

“Surprisingly, no.” He huffs in amusement, “Wonder of wonders, truthfully.” Received flowers?

“I have,” He scowls, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in disgust, “but I always throw them into the fire. Most are from suitors, those who don’t know what the fuck ‘taken’ means.” Ghosted someone?

His face tightens, completely deadpan, “...No?”, he says, voice raising in question a bit, “At least I don’t believe so. But, then again...oh.” He blanks further, “...Oh. I understand the term now. You mortals are forever twisting the languages, aren’t you? I can’t keep up, but the answer is still no.” Pretended to laugh at a joke you didn’t get?

“Maybe once or twice, but I don’t ‘laugh’ per say.” He huffs through his nose deliberately, “I do that; a puff of air. Some habits are never truly able to be broken. No matter the form.”

Tagging: @oxygenforthewicked @blueheaded @little-lightning-lavellan @noire-pandora @the-dreadful-canine and anyone else that’d like to play! (no pressure, of course!)

#oc: fane lavellan #welcome to the future! :3 #where fane is more complete and content but suffering in different ways #no one said the path would be easy *shakes head sadly*#again. fane is...a ball of many things and his titles and names show that XD #*thinks about writing post-trepasser shenanigans* :3 #fane used to fuck off elgar'nan as a dragon so HARD #maybe why the god vengeance decided to personally attack him #HMMMM.#dragon age #male lavellan

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bbykpoper · 4 years ago

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Chapter 3 // Masterlist

GENRE: mafia au, fluff, a bit of smut, a smudge of angst if you squint your eyes hard enough, possible fantasy????

WARRNING: description of murder and blood at the end, viewer discretion is advised!!!

SYNOPSIS: A centuries old feud which kept itself silent suddenly ignites once again as two warring gangs face each other for the first time. A family of established immortals who came together after the war, a band of humans who began remembering their past lives and officials breathing down their neck threaten the world once again as fantasy and reality clash in the form of a young man hell bent on being in the lead and a young woman hell bent on ending this meaningless feud. A story will unfold before you now, questioning your morals as well as grinding your nerves to the edge.

“A princess turned assassin?”

“A coward turned prince?”

Who will survive the last wave of this war?

°˖✧

“I don’t trust them. Why are they here?” Mark spoke as two of Bangtan’s finest sat outside their meeting room with them. “She even killed Jaemin!”

“Shush Mark. She can hear you.” Haechan spoke up, trying to calm his friend down.

The girl in question only observed the two, blinking occasionally to show she was alive. Her back was glued to the wall as she sat on the small bench, Solas by her side observing the commotion inside the NCT dining room. Forcas and Beelzebub were facing two very annoyed individuals, one of them being Johnny who had lost the race to Yeonjun earlier this night.

“She killed our youngest and you want us to work with her?!” Brain was screeching at the two Bangtan men. Both of them sighed thanking every possible Gods out there that Yoongi was not here, or Jongkook. Those two would have lost their temper a long time ago and killed at least half of the house before y/n could stop them. “The fuck do you think we are?! We can take care of our problems by ourselves!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Forcas smirked in amusement. “Then why don’t you do it by not stepping into our territory of business?”

“We do what we have to, and we have similar interests with the Chinese regarding you.” Brain seethed through his teeth.

“Then I guess this conversation is over.” Beelzebub sighed, standing up along with Forcas. “Such a waste of time.”

Solas and Fae noticed the two walking up to them and both stood up catching the two babysitters off guard at the quickness of their movements. Forcas softly smiled at her and placed his hand on her head, a coping method to soothe his anger, and gently patted the younger girl.

“Wait, wait.” The leader of NCT, Lee Taeyong also known as Boss, was quick to stop the group from leaving. “Please excuse my subordinate, his anger keeps talking for him.” The four individuals didn’t seem amused. “I apologize in his stead. May we start over?”

“We are very busy individuals Mr. Taeyong.” Beelzebub narrowed his eyes, the air around them taking on a certain buzz. “We don’t have time to play childish games with men who can’t do orderly business in a disciplined fashion.”

“Then do business with only me and Boss.” Johnny spoke up from next to Fae, the girl only observing him from the corner of her eye. She noticed his intention of coming closer to her even before he thought of it. His body language was too obvious for her. “We will close the doors and come to an agreement, without anybody interrupting us.”

“Seems quite fair.” Forcas spoke, motioning for Solas to step in between Johnny and Fae. “But, I have a condition.”

“We’re listening.”

“Keep Brain away from Fae.” Was the simple condition.

“Why? Scared I’m going to kill her?” He mocked, glaring at the girl. He was met with the most emotionless pair of eyes, which slightly glazed over with something which Brain could only identify as blood thirst.

“Oh no, I’m pretty sure she will kill you first.” Forcas smiled, coming close to him. “We wouldn’t want NCT’s top mastermind to lose his head now would we.”

“We’ll be by the car.” Fae announced and turned to leave with Solas, nodding slightly to the two men.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t you two. And be cautious!” Beelzebub yelled after them as Solas burned with embarrassment. “Now then, shall we?”

°˖✧

Kim Hanbin, Chief Inspector in charge of taking care of the whole Bangtan/Nct problem, now sat with crossed arms as four young women sat across from him. His expression was sharp as they stared down at him, with his lips trained in a tight line.

“Inspector Kim, it has come to our attention that you’ve been quite lacking with your work concerning the Bangtan gang.” Agent Manoban spoke to him, her eyes peering through the glasses she wore as she looked over a file she held in her long fingers. “No arrests were made, you are not even a step closer to finding out who their Angels of Death are-”

“Fallen Angels.” Kim Hanbin spoke up for the first time.

“- yes, the Fallen Angels.” Agent Manoban rolled her eyes.

“Let’s cut to the chase Inspector Kim.” Agent Kim Jennie spoke up, having enough of this spectacle her colleague and this Inspector put up. “Our superiors are not satisfied with the progress of this case and they’ve sent us to finish this, make the appropriate arrests and close it.”

Inspector Kim didn’t speak up about this, knowing very well that he had no say in this and that if he even tries to he’ll be taken off the case.

He’s been working on this case for the past two years and finally, a few months ago he managed to place one of his detectives as an undercover agent almost at the top to work with one of the Fallen Angels and extremely close to Fae, making contact with her on more than one occasion. He couldn’t compromise his man, and he couldn’t exactly tell these four FBI agents because they would no doubt, reveal him and endanger his life.

And he was extremely glad that he briefed his own men on this silent code.

“All right, what do you need?” He asked, sighing and bringing his his hands on the table.

“We will need all of the information you have gathered on the group, as well as the full support of your team.” Agent Kim Jisoo smiled softly at him. To Hanbin she seemed to be the kindest one among the four, but he knew better than to blindly go along with it.

“We need the names and badge numbers of your team.” Agent Park handed him a piece of paper and a pen.

Chief Inspector Kim Hanbin complied and wrote down five names. Five detectives who were part of his team and regulars at the station.

“Aren’t you missing one?” Agent Manoban raised an eyebrow.

“One of the men was taken off the case a few months back. He is now in another division.” He spoke calmly, his eyes not giving away the secret he held.

The women nodded and took the paper from him, releasing him to go his own way.

He went back to his division and took a seat at his cubicle as the rest of the men glanced at him, too scared to ask him anything.

“Well friends, we’re screwed.” He announced. “The FBI is going to become part of this team and investigation. They asked for all of your info and names, while they will most likely look into Jiwon to see if he really is in another division or not. I believe we will co-operate with them and not get ourselves in trouble or in sticky situations.”

“Yes sir!” They all answered, noticing how Agent Manoban observed the interaction closely.

The men went back to their tasks at hand as Hanbin looked over to his desk where a picture of him with his whole team stood. They really didn’t need the FBI breathing down their necks right now, but if this is what it meant for them to keep themselves on the case, then he’ll be damned if he couldn’t take it.

°˖✧

Fae sat on the hood of the car observing the two designated babysitters as they paced left and right. They were annoyed and on edge to have to keep an eye on them but at the same time there was something more. They were anxious, as if they were expecting something to happen.

“Hey Tae, do you feel the shift in energy in the air?” She turned to look at her friend who also seemed restless to a point.

“Yes. But it’s coming from the east. Outside of the house and their border of territory.” He spoke up, his eyes trained on the spot where he felt this sudden shift of energy.

“I’ll go check up on it and you go tell Joon and Jin.” He nodded at her as she swiftly disappeared in the shadows.

Her footsteps were light on the ground as she neared the place of question. Her dark eyes trained on the group of people before her became lighter when she noticed it was someone who they could have expected. Approximately seven men, in dark clothing stood with guns at the ready, mask pulled up so their faces were revealed. Faint talking revealed to her that they were not Korean, but rather Chinese and that their target was to take out the four of them from Bangtan with the help of NCT.

“Rubbish.” She seethed out through her teeth as her eyes steeled themselves like the blade of her katana which she carried with her.

“I know right? Some of our kids are not exactly well behaved and they called them over.” Johnny’s voice came as a whisper, but (y/n) didn’t care much of it. She saw red and wanted them dead, as much as she wanted every single NCT member to lay their last breaths under her blade. “Please don’t look at me like that. I fear I cannot allow you to kill our kids.”

Wait a minute, he can read my thoughts?

“A little bit. Weird isn’t it?” He smiled widely at her. “It’s quite easy with you, even though I thought it would be harder.”

The movement from the seven men caught her attention and averted her gaze from the man crouching next to her in the high tree branch. Without a second glance, she jumped onto the one directly above one of the men in the back and she landed on him, her blade running through the middle of his head. She pulled it out quickly and with a swift turn cut two more heads off, before she slid into the shadows of the nearby tree line. The other four took to a stop when one turned to see the decapitated bodies of their companions and this gave (y/n) leverage to slide out round them and cut two of the mens feet off in one swift swish. The scream they let out alerted the rest of her existence but she was too fast, and in three flowing moves, their bodies were cut in half.

The minute she exhaled a breath and sheathed her sword, her eyes narrowed in on the overly excited man still stuck in the tree branch where she originally was.

“Who are you, Johnny Seo?”

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luzial · 4 years ago

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I recently commissioned @salesart to do a portrait of Solas (aka “Song”) and Lavellan (aka “Ink”) from my fic, In And Out Of Time Again. I’m so thrilled with how it came out, especially all the little details that reference their codenames. Thank you SO MUCH to Sales for all your work on this piece, and for asking me all the hard-hitting questions like “what’s their height difference.” I had so much fun collaborating with you!

The first chapter of In And Out of Time Again is below the cut, and you can read the completed work on AO3.

Song has had many names. The latest suits him no better nor worse than the others. If he has one complaint, it is that this name lacks specificity. Fen’Harel was a name that was a lie, and a lie that has long since become irrelevant, but he cannot argue that it painted a clear and awful portrait. His other name, the one that came both before and after, he is only too glad to be rid of. He rarely thinks of it now.

Song is in his element in Strands like these, when he can submit to the demands of his teeth and claws and blessedly forget the version of himself that is not like this. It is simple here in the verdant expanse of his home, his first love. When a mountain stands in his way he moves it with a thought. When a beating heart must be silenced, he rips into it and tastes warm blood on his tongue.

His assignment today is a wonderfully simple one: a death. The target is ancient and powerful, though only in comparison to the other things of its world. Beside an agent of Music, it is nothing. He longs for a crush of strength against his own and for the moment when uncertainty asks him whether he can snap his target’s neck before it breaks him in two. The answer, of course, is that he will hear the crack of bone and hold its dying form within his jaws too quickly to satisfy the hunger that burns within him.

Still, he will try to afford it a fair fight.

When he finds the edges of its lair, Song realizes something is wrong. Demons should swarm around him, challenging his right to intrude on their master’s territory even as he cuts them down. There should be whispers here, a choir of disembodied voices singing the Melody’s secrets for those who know how to listen. Yet all that greets him are emptiness and silence.

The raw Fade has begun to reclaim this place, the green waters of its currents rising up to erode the poisoned ground that has been here for three thousand years. Song wanders farther in, his paws sinking deep into the muck, until finally he finds the corpse.

The fear demon that claimed this part of the Fade is gone, reduced to a husk of tangled limbs and fangs that still drip with venom. Song has arrived too late. The death has already been administered, but this means that the timing is all wrong, and for Music, timing is everything.

Whatever killed the demon has done so before it had a chance to strike a bargain with a young mage girl in Kirkwall. Now she will not murder her family and dozens of others; she will not leave alive one angry, orphaned sister. Thanks to this single fault in the rhythm, the entire Strand is lost.

Song is so annoyed by all the absences that at first he does not notice the addition. It is so impossibly out of place that for a moment he simply stares at it. Stuck to the venom on the dead demon’s fangs is a piece of finely-made paper that smells of sugar and flowers, its perfume somehow drowning the stench of the rotting carcass. He reaches out for it with a hand and fingers; it is a thing too delicate to be held by claws. The venom stings but he pays it no mind, for he has seen the single line written on the page in a delicate script: Touch me with fire that I be cleansed.

It must be a trap. Not the venom, of course. Whoever left this certainly knows it will take much more than that to wound him. It would be best to leave the note here and let it rot along with the rest of this discordant Strand. But this is a challenge and an invitation - words that hint at more words.

Song ignites the paper between his fingers and it is as if he has turned the first page in a book. He reads, and when he is done he has become the wolf again, mouth twisted to a snarl. When he has committed the words to memory, he shreds what’s left of the sweet-smelling paper between his claws and grinds it into the mud.

When Song is gone, a shade steps into the pawprints he left and searches until it finds every piece of the burned, shredded, filthy paper.

--------

Tell me I have sung to Your approval.

I’ve always been fond of the Canticle of Transfigurations, or at least of the versions that I’ve penned. Hopefully you have more than a passing familiarity with it as well, or the cosmic cleverness of what I’ve just done will be totally wasted on you. (But I suspect your familiarity is more than passing. If you are who I think you are, you’ve probably written versions of it yourself. If so, how do you deal with the bit in 10:1 about the moth and the flame? I feel like I can never get it quite ominous enough, you know?)

I’ve barely just begun and already I’ve distracted myself with all the questions I wish to ask you. But that just speaks to my point (that I’m about to make).

Is there anything in this world more insidious than words? It took me eight of them to grab your attention. Honestly, I could have managed it in fewer if I didn’t want to make a dramatic entrance. But I did.

I’ve been curious about you for a while now. It’s not like there are many things left to be curious about when you have all of time to catch up on anything you might have missed, so I should thank you for that novelty. I think the first time I saw you was during that bad business in the Deep Roads in Strand 398. I was the hurlock, you were the Grey Warden recruit. Our eyes met as I bit into your commander’s neck and tore out his windpipe. (Sorry about the mess, by the way - I really enjoy getting into character.)

You were definitely meant to lose that fight. I know - I’ve gone back and checked a lot of other Strands and that recruit always dies, the darkspawn always swarm, and the Third Blight always begins. But then you single-handedly cut down the horde after everyone else in your party had died. (I know because I stuck around after you chopped off my head with that broadsword - I just had to see what would happen!) You killed enough of them to prevent the swarm, even though you died for it in the end. (And of course you died for it - you’re good but no one’s that good.)

My point is: do you remember how it felt when that shriek bit into your arm and the Blight burned into your veins? Do you remember the way it spiraled into you, burrowing in your lungs and your heart and your gut until it felt like your body had always been its home? (I’ve been Blighted a lot so I’ve got some pretty good descriptors for it.)

Anyway, let me spell it out in case my metaphors are getting too convoluted: In this letter, I’m the shriek and my words are the Blight. I’ve bitten you and poured my words into you. Your memory will pump them through your mind just as surely as your heart pumped the Blight to the tips of your fingers and toes. Want a cure? Too bad, there isn’t one.

I’m not only writing to gloat. I meant what I said above - I appreciate the novelty you’ve brought to the battlefield. Things are dreadfully dull most of the time. Mainly the Story sends me off to retcon the occasional plot holes your Music introduces to the narrative. There’s very little chance for improvisation, so I have to find amusement where I can.

And this has been very amusing.

Sincerely, Ink

(Keep reading on AO3)

#Art of my fic!#salesart #in and out of time again #dragon age fanart #dragon age fanfic #solas x lavellan #solas #lavellan #solavellan #luzial writes

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bigfan-fanfic · 4 years ago

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Kost Aban as a Companion

(Face Claim: Brant Daugherty) Kost Aban, Road Dad of the Inner Circle and Magesmith for the Inquisition. He’s charming and sweet, and he’ll handle requisitions so you never have to worry about that Requisition Officer ever again. Also he makes travel snacks as well as serves as a portable weapon and armor crafting station. Did I mention he’s romanceable?

Companion Name: Kost Aban (lit. “Peaceful Ocean” in Qunlat) Race, Class, and Specialization: Qunari Mage (Rift Mage) Varric’s Nickname for Him: Shiny (for his horn ornaments) Default Tarot Card: Page of Wands

How He Is Recruited: His adopted human son, Roland, a young man of about 22, will rush out into the plaza in Val Royeaux on the first visit and request the Inquisitor come meet his father. Kost will immediately offer his services as a magesmith to the Inquisition, as well as his son’s skills as an apprentice. If the Inquisitor is a Qunari, he will also mention that sometimes it helps to have a friendly face around that one doesn’t have to look down to see. Where He Is In Skyhold: With his son, Dagna (and conditionally) Harritt in the Undercroft. He can generally be found talking smithing techniques or occasionally insisting Roland and Dagna go get refreshments and sunlight because they’ve been working too long. If he is recruited, he will also set up a cozy-looking sitting area/lounge in the Undercroft. Things He Generally Approves of: Upgrading Skyhold, completing Dagna’s sidequests, not siding with the Qunari, showing mercy Things He Generally Disapproves of: Siding with the Qunari, executing prisoners, siding with the Templars Mages, Templars, Other? As a mage himself and a former Saarebas, Kost definitely approves of siding with the mages and giving them freedom.

Romanceable? Yes, by any gender or race. Friends in the Inquisition: Blackwall, Sera, and Cole. He befriends Sera through Dagna, Blackwall because of their shared enjoyment of crafting, and Cole because Kost can’t help but adopt the kid. He becomes friends with Iron Bull if the Chargers are saved. Small Side mission: Collect 10 dawnstone and 10 bloodstone. Kost will Greatly Approve and unlock schematics for Magewrought Weapons

Companion Quest: Kost is happy to have his son working with him but wonders whether Roland might prefer a different career or perhaps to attend the University of Orlais. He once caught Roland studying magic books and worries that he’s pressuring him into apprenticeship. He asks the Inquisitor to speak to Roland instead. When confronted, Roland admits that he’s been studying magic books so that he can tinker and improve his prosthetic arm, but he didn’t want to offend his dad, who spent years working on the magical formulae. He asks the Inquisitor not to tell.

Option 1: Tell Kost - This will net Great Approval from Kost and Cole, and Kost will talk to Roland and say that he couldn’t be offended that Roland is so interested and asks for them to proceed together with the tinkering. Father and son embrace and thank the Inquisitor

Option 2: Cover for Roland - The Inquisitor has the choice of telling Kost that Roland was merely curious about the process of magic or lie and say the magic books were hiding naughty material. Either way Kost will agree to let the matter drop.

Cole’s Reflection on His Thoughts: “The mask is gone and the bonds broken, burnt away and banished. My voice shall never more lie lost and leashed, locked away behind bars of word and deed.” Comments on Mages: “I know what it is like to be born different, and I once knew nothing more than imprisonment and shame for what I was. I have nothing but sadness to know that even here, others share my fate.” Comments on Templars: “If your protector is also your jailer, I think you have somewhat of a conflict of interest.” When looking for something: “Listen... there is something...” When finding a campsite: “Allow me to whip up a little something from these field rations.” When he is low on health: “I will not make my son an orphan again!” When he sees a dragon: “Not that I’m saying we should fight it, but... I could make some seriously good stuff out of dragon bone and hide.” Default saying: “Do you think Roland’s doing alright?”

Travel Banter:

Vivienne: So, Ser Aban. I have heard much of your magesmithing techniques. The Formari believe you are usurping their dominance over the market. Kost: I’m afraid, Madam, the Formari are mistaken. I happen to make useful items, not decoration. Vivienne (amused): Indeed? Then you must prize function over form in your pieces. Kost: Of course. I want to keep people alive, even at the cost of fashion. Vivienne: Some costs are worth dying for, darling.

Kost: I didn’t get the chance to thank you, Blackwall. Blackwall: What for? Kost: The extra firewood. My forge requires more than a normal smithy to stay working, and you provided. Blackwall: Wasn’t for you specially. I... I like chopping wood. Kost: And teaching my son how to swing an axe played no role? Blackwall: Oh. Kost: Too many people treat him as though he’s useless. I saw how happy he was with you. So as I said. Thank you... for the firewood. Blackwall: ...you’re welcome. Kost: There’s a magewrought sword with your name on it when we return to Skyhold.

(If Cole was made more human) Kost: You don’t have to handle everything, you know. You changed, right down to the core. Cole: I am fine. Kost: Sure, sure. Just as long as you know you don’t have to be. We’ve got you, Cole. Starting with rest. I got you a spare blanket - I’ve seen you shivering in your sleep. Cole: But I don’t- Kost: I’ve seen what you do for people. You’re not invisible anymore, you know. So it’s time you let someone else help you. Do you mind it if it’s me? Cole: I... th-thank you.

Iron Bull: You don’t like me much, do you? Kost (sarcastically): I didn’t know you were going for universal popularity. Iron Bull: Ha. You talk like one of these Orlesian bigwigs. Too important to waste time on mercs? (If the Inquisitor is a Qunari) And what about being “a friendly face,” huh? Kost: You won’t get a reaction out of me, Ben-Hassrath. Iron Bull: Even a lack of reaction is a reaction. Kost: Fuck you. How’s that for a reaction?

Friendship: “Ah! Come here for a shield or a cup of tea and some chat? Either way, I’m at your service.”

The Fade

How he reacts: “Oh, I’m not enjoying this at all.” Their Tombstone: Bereavement What the Fears look like: Himself in the mask and chains of a Saarebas What the Nightmare says: “The so-called peaceful ocean. I’ve been watching you for years now. The eyes of the Qun are everywhere and now, there’s nothing you can do to deflect their gaze.” Their reflection about the Fade: “Never again. Never.” Hawke or Warden: Depends on Hawke’s actions. If Hawke sided with the Chantry in DA2, Kost will suggest that they are responsible for the Qunari improving their foothold and force and believe they should atone in the Fade. If not, Kost suggests the Qun’s respect for Hawke is one of the only things keeping the Qunari from invading and believes they should escape the Fade.

The Wardens

Their feelings: Believes the Wardens make hard choices to save the world from the Blight. Exile or Allies?: Allies

The Ball

How they feel: “It isn’t my first ball, but I’m surprised at how many people I know, here. Babette de Launcet just tried to poach me from the Inquisition!” Where they linger: The garden balcony, near the bard singing in Orlesian Are they good at the Game?: He’s not great at being fake, but he is good at schmoozing, especially since his smithing skills are an avid topic of discussion. What people say about them: “Did you see the Magesmith walking by? So tall and dashing...””You do realize he is a Qunari, don’t you?” “My dear, that’s all part of the appeal. Imagine those burly muscles sweating at a forge...” Gaspard, Briala, or Celene?: Briala, or Celene with Briala - he fears Gaspard in power most of all, and he’d hate if war broke out between Orlais and Ferelden with the Qunari lurking at the borders.

Temple of Mythal

Rituals or Hole?: Rituals Agree with the Elves’ bargain?: Agree. Morrigan or Inquisitor for the Well?: The Inquisitor

Comments on Canon Romance

Cassandra: “The Seeker? A worthy choice. Though... I can’t help but wonder whether she’d choose love over duty should the time come.” Dorian: “Dorian? That must be fun - I hope he doesn’t criticize the patterns of your britches!” Sera: “Roland likes Sera - I think you two will get up to all sorts of mischief together.” Iron Bull: “Bull? Well... you do remember he was a Qunari spy, right? Never mind, I’m sure you know what you’re doing.” Josephine: “Don’t you hurt her, Inquisitor. She’s a wonderful person and a light in this world.” Cullen: “You know, I can craft certain soft lamps for the night. I’ve seen the look of a man who doesn’t sleep much on his face. Perhaps it will help.” Blackwall: “Tell me, I’m curious. Is the beard scratchy?” Solas: “D’you know, he hates tea? Suspicious, if you ask me.”

Sexual/Racial preference: Any race or gender. Nickname for PC: Little One Romance only mission: (Can only be completed after Kost’s love confession) A cutscene featuring Kost and the Inquisitor in bed plays, involving a pillow talk discussion where Kost says “I love you.” The Inquisitor can choose to say it back or not, and ask about his past. The conversation finishes with Kost suggesting marriage would be more than acceptable to him, although he wouldn’t pressure the Inquisitor into it. The quest involves speaking to Kost’s son Roland to get his blessing to propose to Kost. The Inquisitor must perform a War Table mission to get Roland some parts to aid in the proposal, which will affect the next cutscene. If Cullen is chosen, Roland will be given some explosives and dyes and he will shoot fireworks during the proposal. If Leliana is selected, smoke pellets will be given and Roland will make a clockwork smoke machine to give a mystical air to the proposal. If Josephine is chosen, Roland will meet with some bards and make a music box to play while the Inquisitor proposes. The Inquisitor will then meet with Kost in the Skyhold garden at night and propose, choosing dialogue options that are sweet, nervous, or humorous, all resulting in Kost accepting the proposal and promising to marry the Inquisitor and love them forever - once Corypheus has been dealt with.

Dialog to being asked for a kiss: “Did you come down here just for this? How romantic... I must make it worth your while, little one.”

Halamshiral dialog: “Of all the magnificence in this palace... I can say without exaggeration that nothing compares to you.”

Being asked to dance during mission: “Josephine would kill me if I kept you from some diplomat or duke. But I shall gladly sacrifice myself once you have made your rounds.”

Asking to dance post-mission: “I- I warn you, little one, I’m not very good. But I’d do anything for you.”

What Cole says about companion to PC: “There was always darkness behind the mask, both of the masks he’s worn. But now it is safe and soft. Now there is you.”

Who is concerned about the relationship?: Vivienne. Josephine (for political reasons)

Who supports the relationship?: Blackwall, Dorian, Cullen

Who had a bet running on it?: Cassandra, Sera

Banter(between NPCs):

Vivienne: (after the romance only mission) I understand I am to offer you and the Inquisitor congratulations? Kost: We are engaged, yes. Vivienne: I do hope you understand what you are doing. Kost: I understand that I am in love. I understand that I am loved in return. And I understand that political considerations do not matter to me when I am with the Inquisitor. Does that satisfy you, Madam? Vivienne: Satisfy? No. Please me? Quite. I wish you every happiness.

Blackwall: You’ve... been around a while, haven’t you? Kost: Er... yeah? Blackwall: And the Inquisitor doesn’t mind? Not that it’s a problem, not that I think it’s a problem or anything, just- Kost: Ser Blackwall, do you have your eye on someone younger than you? Blackwall: What? I- where would you think tha- no. Kost (teasing): Fascinating. You blush right through your beard! Blackwall (groaning playfully): Oh, piss off!

Sera: You and the big man, eh? Hehe, because- Kost: Sera. You’re not subtle. Vivienne (if present): My dear, your lack of tact is simply appalling. Sera: Rolly likes you too, yeah? You better not hurt his dad or you know what? Kost: It’s arrows, isn’t it? Sera: Arrows!

Flirt options: Upon reaching Skyhold and unlocking the Undercroft, Kost will be ecstatic at the sight of the new smithing area and the Inquisitor can say he looks adorable when excited. This opens up a dialogue option later to begin romancing him.

If PC breaks it off: “Ah. I- uh. Of course. I hope I haven’t done anything to offend you. I shall continue to help the Inquisition as best I can.”

Love confession: Kost will ask to take a walk with the Inquisitor and they will end up on the battlements. Kost will talk about his life as a smith and as a father and say that he never seemed to end up with anyone to love and romance... until the Inquisitor. He says he hopes he didn’t read the situation wrong, but that he has fallen hopelessly for them.

Romanced tarot card: King of Pentacles

End game dialog: “Isn’t that something? No matter how hard I tried, I could never forge something as beautiful as a sunrise. I could never capture that kind of beauty. And yet... it is nothing compared to your face. The sun rises and sets each day without fail, but I promise to be even more constant for you - I am with you.”

#kost aban #inquisitor as a companion #dragon age #my ocs

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commie-eschatology · 3 years ago

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Return to Redcliffe

particularly proud of this Solas + Trevelyan scene from “Return to Redcliffe” so gonna do some shameless self-promotion. Ao3:https://archiveofourown.org/works/33444538

When all her companions are asleep, Trevelyan leaves the Inquisition camp. She isn’t sure if she’ll come back. Someone is clearly following her, but she ignores that for now. The road back to Redcliffe stretches in front of her, but she hesitates. This is an extraordinary bad idea, she tells herself, but when has that ever stopped her? Lydia used to complain about her tendency to just act on desire alone. But Lydia is dead, she tells herself, you broke her head open with your staff until her brains spilled all over the floor. You killed the woman who raised you, only for the rebellion to sell themselves into slavery. ` In the woods, she stumbles upon a templar caravan. Very fortunate for her, very unfortunate for them. Their screams echo through the Ferelden forest; she imagines getting incinerated from inferno magic would hurt quite a bit, but it’s certainly not her problem. Trevelyan leaps onto the, now empty, wagon, and finds a crate of apples. She takes a few bites of one and monologues, “I rebel, therefore I am,” to the half eaten piece of fruit.

There’s groaning from underneath the wheels, and a jumble of words that vaguely sound like “what the fuck?” so she asks, “Sorry, are you still alive down there?” There’s no response, so in the interest of being thorough, she throws a fireball at the voice. The smell of burnt flesh follows, so she assumes it got the job done, but then again, Ferelden usually smells like that. Really not a terrible scent, she considers. Or perhaps she’s just gone mad.

Trevelyan looks at the Mark on her hand- staying with the Inquisition is the clever choice, she tells herself. Only she can close the rifts, after all. The rebels have been utterly defeated, the movement badly needs allies if it’s to survive. Still, her logic feels cold and hollow. The Venatori ships are already in Redcliffe harbor. She asks herself, how many will be shipped up to the Imperium in chains, in just the time it takes to travel between the Hinterlands and Haven?

Fire burns underneath the wagon. It’s always been fire for Trevelyan- burning the family manor during a childhood nightmare, cremating Lydia’s mangled corpse with her own spells, and, most recently, incinerating more templars than she can count. It’s the same fire that she could use to burn those Tevinter slave ships tonight- despite Fiona and Linnea’s betrayal, she has no doubt that at least a few of her people would join her.

“Do you want to keep staring at me from the woods then?” she asks the person shadowing her. Solas steps out from the shadows, clearly surprised at being discovered, but he tries not to let it show. He’s usually far more subtle, she doesn't doubt she could be more stealthy if he wanted, but he clearly believes everyone around him is an utter idiot. Fair enough, she supposes. He gives a slight smile, the kind that might say “well done.”

As with everyone, Solas projects emotions into the Fade- but his are more tightly moderated than any other mage she’s ever seen. Now though, Trevelyan sees a wave of complex feelings she can barely sort through, radiating from him: rage at the Tevinters, intense all-consuming fear of something she can’t sense, great sadness for something lost, but all controlled, and directed by conscious purpose.

“These woods are dangerous,” he says, characteristically naming the obvious, “and you have the only means of closing the rifts.” He regards her for a moment. “I apologize if I intruded. You have proven yourself a capable fighter, but I have found it is far too easy to make rash mistakes when one is alone.” His actual meaning is not lost on her: don’t be an idiot and run, is what he wants to say.

He adds, “And in my defense, you did just eviscerate an entire troop of men.” She expects him to ask her why, but he doesn’t; apparently needing no explanation for her small act of rebellion.

“They were templars,” she explains anyways, “most are awful. The others just look away when the Circle rapes happen. Honestly, I’ve always preferred the former.”

“I can’t disagree with you,” Solas says, “my few interactions with templars have been... unpleasant. Either they are accustomed to following the worst orders, as you have said, or they just enjoy inflicting pain, especially upon those without recourse.” There is clear contempt and disgust in his voice, it’s as if he’s speaking from experience.

“That’s why we rebelled,” she says, taking another bite of the apple, “also, I was hungry. Inquisition rations weren’t doing it.” Solas actually laughs. Trevelyan idly wonders when murder became so casual for her. Kill the woman who raised you, and everyone else becomes easy, she supposes.

There’s a short, but not awkward, silence between them. She knows exactly why he is here, to prevent her from defecting back to the rebels, but his presence is, surprisingly, not unwelcome. They haven’t had much time to talk like this; the conversations they’ve had have so far been in either the shadow of Haven’s Chantry, or on the road with Cassandra.

She motions to the adjacent seat on the wagon. To her surprise, he nods, and walks, or more accurately, struts over, butt wiggle and all. Like most mages, he usually makes himself seem as small as possible, scuttling rather than walking, but unlike the rest, it’s almost as if he has to consciously remind himself to do so.

Solas likes questions, she reminds herself, so ask one. He jumps up on the wagon, and she says, “do you like apples?”

Solas doesn’t even blink. “Apples were first domesticated in this part of the world.” How the fuck does he even know that, she wonders. “I saw a memory once, of a horde of human barbarians, desperately defending a part of these woods they held sacred, from the legions of the Imperium. When the barbarians were slain, the Tevinters marched forward, only to find a simple apple orchard, one which hundreds gave their lives to protect.” He takes one out of the crate, and takes a bite. “However, if you were asking about the taste- no, I detest apples.” He takes another bite. “This one in particular tastes sort of like burnt human flesh.”

“Dying for a lost cause. You really never miss an opportunity to make a point, do you?” she says, “also, how do you even know what burnt human flesh tastes like?”

Solas smiles mischievously. “I don’t like to waste words,” he says. The other point he is suspiciously quiet on. I don’t judge, Trevelyan thinks, you go eat as much flesh as you like, Solas.

His words are somewhat slurred, and she smells something in the air, besides the burning templars of course. She recognizes it as the unmistakable stench of peach whiskey, suspiciously similar to the bottle she had nicked from Dennet yesterday. Solas seems to notice and says, “Master Dennet had many such bottles wasting away on the shelf. He will not miss one, or two, I suppose.” He shrugs.

On the topic, she notices a small bottle of ale in one of the templar crates; the cork is stuck when she pulls on it, so she simply uses a bit of force magic to smash the top of the bottle off. It smells absolutely wretched, and tastes even worse, but she drinks it anyway. Solas watches her, possibly judging her, but he’s always hard to read. “Been a shit day,” she explains. Linnea said, go back to your templars. Fuck her. Tevinter apologist. Shockingly flat ass. Terrible kisser.

“Was today your first time in Redcliffe?” she asks. Solas chuckles softly to himself, apparently a joke only he understands.

“A long time ago, before your rebellion,” he says, “it’s changed since, of course. But I assume you’re asking my opinion on the rebel mages, rather than the settlement itself.” He’s quiet for a moment. “Despair sticks to most of the mages like gnats.” He’s right, during the retreat from the Free Marches, every morning some mages wouldn’t wake up, taken by Despair demons in their sleep. And the war has only gotten worse. She can’t even imagine. “Still, they endure. Their fight against oppression is admirable, and utterly hopeless.” , “Hopeless?” Trevelyan raises an eyebrow. She should be angry, but more than anything she feels exhausted. “You seem rather certain.”

“Of course I am.” he says, matter of fact. Trevelyan picked up some dalish during the rebellion; she’s not ignorant as to the meaning of his name. “In my journeys through the Fade, I have seen countless rebellions rise up, confident in the just nature of their cause, only to be crushed mercilessly. Righteousness, unfortunately, is no match against steel.” Good poetry. She’ll give him that.

“And, yet, Recliffe is still standing,” she says, “for the first time in a thousand years, in this part of the world, mages govern ourselves. No templars. No Chantry. We built that. Isn’t that freedom worth defending?” Trevelyan spent most of her life in the Circle. No price can be too great, she thinks.

“You forget you aren’t speaking to Cassandra or Varric. We do not disagree on the necessity of rebellion,” he smiles, just a bit, mostly to himself, “but, in order for a rebellion to win its immediate demands, as well has change what it is possible in the long term, something you once told me that you seek to do, they must do one thing.” He pauses for dramatic effect, and honestly it works. “They must win.”

“Even failed revolutions can teach lessons,” she says, the only dogma she’s ever needed to believe in, “no matter what Varric says, the mage rebellion didn’t manifest spontaneously.” She thinks of the thousand year struggle for freedom, and what feels like generations of the dead on her shoulders. In the distance, Trevelyan can just make out the flag of the Venatori, waving from the ramparts of Redcliffe. The ships are not far behind.

“No,” Solas says, suddenly melancholy, “or if they do, it is always the wrong lessons.” He’s silent for a long moment, staring into the ground. “I saw a memory once in the Fade. A man who sought to overthrow a tyrant. Then, a half-hearted assassination attempt, tailored for drama, instead of results. It of course failed. The man himself was burned alive, defiant at first, but when the flames reached his body, when his skin began to melt off, he screamed for mercy that never came.”

Trevelyan takes a long drink. Solas adds, eerily calm, “In the end, martyrdom is just melted flesh upon a wooden stake, and a name utterly forgotten.” She drains the rest of the bottle.

“I killed my mother,” she says, suddenly, without really meaning to, “when the Circle was annulled, I tried to give her the courtesy of a quick spell, but the tower wards blocked magic so…” she makes a motion with her staff “I, well, had improvise.”

“Your first murder?” he asks. She shakes her head. Definitely not. “If you want absolution, I’m not the person to give it.”

“Oh fuck no, I’m not Andrastian,” Trevelyan scoffs, and Solas chuckles softly. The Andrastians think they can solve all the world’s evils, all their many personal failings, through a song. It’s childish. Besides, Trevelyan would rather hold onto her sins for now- keep them close like a badge of honor. She looks down at the dead templars, corpses bathed in green light from her Mark.

“I don’t regret it,” she says, and she thinks she means it, “not if it served a purpose.” Trevelyan looks again towards Redcliffe, and thinks, everything I am, I owe to them. “In just the time it takes to travel back to Haven, how many will already be on the ships?”

“Likely a few dozen,” Solas answers, “there will be far more, thousands, if these Venatori are not defeated, which is a battle only the Inquisition has the resources to win. It is fortunate, then, that you have a position where you can speak on behalf of the rebel mages.”

The sun begins to rise, bathing the forest in dim orange light. “We should get back then ,” she forces herself to say, though every word is like a block of lead. Solas exhales in relief.

“One final thing,” she says as Solas moves to get up. She looks at her counterpart, studying him best she can, sensing his projections into the Fade. He’s unlike any other apostate she’s ever met, and there’s something about him she can’t quite put her finger on, much less vocalize. “You know quite a bit about rebellions,” she says.

“I have seen much in my travels,” he says, pausing as he considers his next words, “and you could say I had a dramatic youth.”

“One I’d be interested in hearing about,” she says, genuinely. “Especially if it involves more surprisingly melancholy stories about apple domestication.” Solas seems taken aback for a moment, but recovers quickly, chucking politely at her joke. He then smiles quietly to himself.

The two apostates return to the Inquisition camp, though Trevelyan keeps Redcliffe in her sight for as long as she can.

Ao3:https://archiveofourown.org/works/33444538

#dragon age #solas #f!trevelyan #tara trevelyan #mage trevelyan #mage rights #mage rebellion #enchanter lydia #redcliffe #hinterland #dragon age inquisition #in your heart shall burn

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virlath · 4 years ago

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blood magic,the blight, and the mysterious it

Something I’ve been curious about for a while now are the blood magic rituals in DAI which hint at the origin of the blight, or at the very least, the reason why the veil was created in the first place.

The hidden veilfire rune in Trespasser suggests a blood magic ritual was performed by the ancient elves to strike down the pillars of the earth (the titans). An aeon later, these caverns are collapsed due to it’s anger:

In the light of the veilfire, the runes seem to shift, coiling and uncoiling like snakes. A thunderous voice shatters the stillness, shouting:

"Hail Mythal, adjudicator and savior! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever!"

For a moment, the scent of blood fills the air, and there is a vivid image of green vines growing and enveloping a sphere of fire. The vision grows dark. An aeon seems to pass. Then the runes crackle, as if filled with an angry energy. A new vision appears: elves collapsing caverns, sealing the Deep Roads with stone and magic. Terror, heart-pounding, ice-cold, as the last of the spells is cast. A voice whispers:

"What the Evanuris in their greed could unleash would end us all. Let this place be forgotten. Let no one wake its anger. The People must rise before their false gods destroy them all."

A very similar ritual to the one above is also described in the Forbidden Oasis at Ritual Rock:

A page from a charred book:

You offer a sip of water while they provide a feast. Know they speak of the same wickedness, but place it in you. I have heard them speak, and I have listened. I hear the whispers of all. Let them offer silver while you give gold. Let them think themselves your betters and know nothing more. Would you not purge the world of wickedness—of those who speak against you? Would they not do the same? If we do not have an agreement, then I shall depart. When I am through, none shall speak of treachery. When all have given word, then all shall be appeased.

Written in the margins:

Must remember the words. The right materials on the flame in the right order. Earth, the vine, the phial, then the blood. The blood comes last. No missteps. One wrong move, and the binding will not work. But if it does—oh, my enemies will quake.

These rituals all describe the same thing, using Earth, Vines, a phial of something (lyrium?), then blood, to bind a spirit as a means to attain power to defeat their enemies.

Between the time of the titan’s defeat and Mythal’s death, something bad clearly happened which caused the spirit she used to defeat the titans to go rogue.

Perhaps her bound spirit turned into the mysterious ‘it’ that has been haunting people’s dreams throughout the series and appears wherever the blight is also associated.

Tamlen sees it in the eluvian. Fiona dreams of a dark terrifying shadow in The Calling. Leliana has a similar vision about an ungodly noise and falling into darkness (which is significant IMO, because she has a strong spiritual connection to Andraste, who has links to Mythal).

In DAO, an ancient elf’s spirit describes a presence killing both humans and elves:

You see a place of serenity, where the Eldest come to slumber and are visited by those who offer tribute to the gods on their behalf. The Presence's memories of what happened there are uncertain. There are flashes of violence, of war.. but it is all too long ago. None of it is clear. The Presence remembers the humans. This was a time even after the humans had come. It was they who had built this place, long before. Perhaps the war was with other humans. Perhaps it was with something else, something that killed both the humans and elves that were here. It is not clear. You see images of a great battle, elves and humans both screaming and attempting to flee from some terrible presence. What that presence was is blurry and lost to time. The Presence fled the destruction by using the Life Gem, escaping its body. It was sure that someone would come, to rescue it. But no one did. Not until now.

Even Corypheus’ memories suggest he had plans for this monster once he cracked open the Fade again:

Calpernia prepares to set foot in the place where regret dwells. To bring it into the light.

Flemeth says herself, regret is something she knows well.

And remember what Solas says about spirit binding in Cole’s personal quest?

Cole: It isn’t abuse if I ask (to be bound)

Solas: Not always true

What if Flemeth’s big regret was performing that blood magic ritual and binding that spirit in the first place to defeat the titans? That bound spirit eventually became the monstrous blighted creature as a result of the evanuris’ attempt at gaining more power.

We know from Solas himself that Falon’Din started wars to amass worshippers, and it is inferred he used the blood of slaves to power his own magic. He was only stopped when he began going after Mythal’s own followers, causing his brethren to bloody him in his own temple.

Perhaps Falon’Din and his allies betrayed Mythal because they wanted control of the spirit she had bound as well as her power to control the titan’s workers. Remember, that power alone was enough to defeat the titans. Imagine that power combined with the magic from the Void, a place Falon’Din personally specialised in navigating?

yes I know, fade magic and blight magic are different and alien from each other. But there is something that connects both of them together and that is lyrium - the blood of titans.

===

Consider this gem below:

youtube

Mythal speaks the calling....

The whispers could be nothing. But then again, it could be something.

Fact: Flemeth has been very personally invested and involved in the blight.

She knew about the fifth blight way before anyone and warned Maric of it. She knew Ser Jory would die from the Joining. She knew Hawke’s blood could seal/unseal Corypheus from his prison.

I don’t think she can simply see into the future. I think she knows all of this because a part of Mythal is connected to the blight through the blood magic ritual described in the veilfire rune.

Abelas says Mythal was slain, if a god truly can be.

Sure, she may have lost her physical body and worshippers, but the idea of her lived on through her wisp, and the well itself.

If the evanuris wanted Mythal gone entirely, they must have known her well of sorrows held power. So why go to the trouble of defiling her temple but keeping the well intact?

Maybe the evanuris killed her physically and destroyed any evidence of her godhood, but they left her well alone because Mythal’s will is a part of the blight's power.

Mythal supposedly gave dwarves dreams and hijacked the titan’s hive mind to wrestle control of the titan’s workers. Isn’t it strange that very same logic applies to the blight, where the darkspawn operate as a hivemind and are connected through tainted titan’s blood?

In DAO, Zathrian also used a blood magic ritual to summon and bind the spirit of the forest to put a werewolf curse on his enemies.

Because Zathrian used his own blood to bind the spirit, it was only through his death that Witherfang’s spirit was set free and the curse lifted altogether.

This all sounds mighty familiar.....

I know, this entire post is already super tin foily and many big reaches have to be made to get to this point, but what if the idol depicts Mythal at her death and the creation of the taint, at the heart of Arlathan?

Through time, the magic from the ritual infected the lyrium around it, overwhelming her body and the titan heart, keeping her alive.

We already know that red lyrium can overwhelm people, turning them into unrecognisable nodes of lyrium (just look at Fiona in In Hushed Whispers or Meredith as described in TN).

Drakon’s foreshadows death as the path to rebirth:

"Remember the fire. You must pass Through it alone to be forged anew.”

Perhaps it is only through Mythal’s true death in DA4 that will spell the end of the blight as we know it- through the destruction of the red lyrium heart that lies in the fade. And that is Solas’ end goal - to destroy the veil so he can destroy the heart so the mysterious it can be destroyed and the blight can be lifted once and for all, just like what happened with Zathrian’s curse.

But most likely, it’ll be Mythal’s thirst for vengeance that'll be the foil in this plan because I’m sure she would want her due with her betrayers before truly dying.

Yeah I know. This post could really be fanfiction at this point. But you have to admit, it’s interesting to think about.

#dragon age #da theories #drabble #the blight #mythal #blood magic

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jackdawyt · 5 years ago

Video

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Today I’m continuing my new mini-series paving the road for the anticipated release of the next Dragon Age game. Through these videos, I’ll be delving into very particular honed-in lore and plot threads that are rather telling for the future narrative of Dragon Age.

Last episode I discussed the blighted mineral known as Red Lyrium as it spreads throughout the land, tainting everything it touches, wreaking havoc on the eco-system of Thedas. However, today we have a subjectively worse rival that already has plans for Thedas and its people.

A most prideful, hot-headed fool lingers. One who you could consider to be an enemy, friend or lover. But ultimately, and most importantly, he’s a man who in the end is sorry, and believes he’s only doing what he must for the sake of his people. Of course, we talking about Solas and his plans for Thedas.

In order for us to look forward regarding what Solas’ future scheme may entail; we’ve got to recollect everything that has been instrumental in his plan to restore the elvhen kingdom by destroying the Veil.

“Cry havoc in the moonlight, let the fire of vengeance burn, the cause is clear.” (Solas, DA:I).

Solas comes from a time when everything sang the same. A time before the Veil was created. When the ancient elven kingdom of Arlathan flourished. Elves were seen as immortal, powerful mages that ruled the lands. The most impressive of their kind were the Evanuris, whom the Dalish call "The Creators".

The Creators

“Long ago, there were two clans of gods. The Creators looked after the People. The Forgotten Ones preyed upon us. And one god who was neither. Fen’Harel, the Dread Wolf. He was kin to the Creators, and in the days of old, often helped them with their endless war against the Forgotten Ones.” (Merril, DA2).

The Evanuris “were said to bestow all life's gifts and dole out its punishments” (WoT V.1). The pantheon consisted of nine “gods”:

Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance

Mythal: the Great Protector

Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide

Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets

Andruil: Goddess of the Hunt

Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper

June: God of the Craft

Ghilan'nain: Mother of the Halla

Fen'Harel: The Dread Wolf

“Fen’Harel was clever. He could walk among both clans of gods without fear, and both believed he was one of them.” (Merril, DA2).

While it’s unclear what exactly happened, the Elven Pantheon declared war on anyone who dare oppose them.

"It started with a war. War breeds fear. Fear breeds a desire for simplicity. Good and evil. Right and wrong. Chains of command. After the war ended, generals became respected elders, then kings, then finally gods. The Evanuris." (Solas, DA:I).

Codex entries point to a longing feud with both the Titans and the Forgotten Ones:

“One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking The Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss.” (Codex entry: Elven God Andruil).

"Hail Mythal, adjudicator and savior! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever!" (Codex entry: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads).

Regardless of who or what was defeated, the Evanuris were victorious in their conquest. This triumph was the beginning of the pantheons’ corruption - with their hubris - the Evanuris became a villainous tyranny.

In their lust for power, members of the Evnauris plotted against Mythal and killed her. This act would bring forth the elven kingdoms doom known as “the Betrayal.”

The Betrayal

“You said the elven gods went too far. What did they do that made you move against them?” (Inquisitor).

“They killed Mythal. She was the best of them. She cared for her people. She protected them. She was a voice of reason. And in their lust for power, they killed her.”

A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment. (Solas).

This chain of events set Solas’ scheme in motion – to avenge Mythal and right the Evanuris’ wrongdoings.

Solas rebelled against the pantheon, he worked to free slaves bound by vallaslin, granting them sanctuary from their tyrannical masters.

He created the Veil, a magical barrier that separated the foundations of magic that Arlathan was built on. The Veil’s creation brought destruction to the Elvhen, countless marvels reliant on the Fade crumbled, the people lost their immortality and the majority of their magic.

Then Solas banished each of the Evnauris to the Beyond, where they linger forever in torment.

This was the great quickening that the Dalish elves in Thedas still believe today. The disarrayment and destruction of the elven empire. However, ‘twas not Tevinter, nor the pride of mortal man who destroyed the elves.

A few even claim their ancestors were immortal, and it was only the arrival of humans- "shemlen" or "quicklings” that brought death to the "elvhen" people. (WoT V.1).

It was indeed Solas who destroyed the elvhen world.

"It was not the arrival of humans that caused us to begin aging. It was me. The Veil took everything from the elves, even themselves.” (Solas, DA:I)

After creating the Veil, Solas fell into a deep slumber.

"I lay in dark and dreaming sleep while countless wars and ages passed. I woke still weak a year before I joined you." (Solas, DA:I).

Having slept for many years, Solas awoke. He witnessed the transition of his proud and immortal people, now reduced to the fringes of human society.

Once the greatest empire in Thedas, now a cluster of baboons with a false understanding of their existence. They spread false tales of the Evanuris’ feud, praising the false gods, and condemning Fen’Harel. Wearing vallaslin as worship, without realising their slave mark origin.

The elves today can’t even speak the same complexities of their old language, while the remains of Arlathan are nothing but a shallow husk, its memory long since gone, along with the majority of magic.

“My people fell for what I did to strike the Evanuris down, but still some hope remains for restoration. I will save the elven people, even if it means this world must die.” (Solas, DA:I).

While the blame falls to Solas for the elven people’s decimation, what the Evanuris had planned would’ve destroyed the entire world. Solas believed creating the Veil was the lesser of two evils.

“Had I not created the Veil the Evanuris would have destroyed the entire world.” (Solas, DA:I).

While Solas woke up still weak, he has plans to restore the elven people to their former glory. Originally, Solas planned to use his orb of destruction to destroy the Veil, re-establishing the world of his time. However, his slumber had made him too weak to unlock the orb, so using his agents, Solas indirectly gave his orb to Corypheus.

Corypheus, being an ancient and powerful darkspawn would then unlock the orb and die in the resulting explosion. However, that didn’t happen.

Instead, Corypheus uncovered the secrets of effective immortality, and the Inquisitor was the one who gained the orb’s power – the Anchor.

The Anchor

As a result, Solas joined the Inquisition with the sole purpose of defeating Corypheus and getting his unlocked orb back, so he could resume his plan to destroy the Veil. (which explains why he knew so much about the Anchor in the first place).

Of course, this plan too was unsuccessful because the orb was destroyed by failing rocks with the defeat of Corypheus. However, Solas did not expect to find someone he could relate to, as much as he did with the Inquisitor.

“You change everything.” (Solas, DA:I).

He cared for this world, and some of the people in it. And that truly surprised him. But that vulnerability is only going to make his plan harder. No matter how much the Inquisitor tried to sway him, Solas walks the journey of death, he would not have anyone close to him see what he will become.

“I walk the dinan'shiral. There is only death on this journey. I would not have you see what I become.” (Solas, DA:I).

If the Veil is successfully destroyed, the Evanuris (and whatever else lingers in the Beyond) will be released, after suffering years of torment. With their freedom, surely, they’ll unleash havoc on Thedas once again, exacting revenge at the one responsible for their imprisonment.

"Wouldn't the false gods be free?" (The Inquisitor, DA:I).

"I had plans." (Solas, DA:I).

In order for Solas to grant Mythal vengeance, he will need to silence the Evanuris for good. For this plan, Solas has taken an aspect of Mythal’s power so he can rise as the Dread Wolf.

The Dread Wolf

With that power now invested, Solas can transform into the Dread Wolf. In this form, the wolf is “lupine in appearance, but the size of a high dragon, with shaggy spiked hide and six burning eyes like a pride demon.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 496).

Solas as the Dread Wolf has taken residence in the Fade where spirits and demons serve him willingly. He has an enigmatic ritual for the Fade that has been set in motion. Since his orb’s destruction, Solas has been looking at other alternatives for tearing down the Veil.

“As the Avvar do. But whatever fear the name Dread Wolf carries, he has earned. While we might visit the Fade, it is his natural home, and the spirits there serve him gladly. They whisper in my dreams now, accusing me of crimes I never.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Currently, Solas hunts the Red Lyrium Idol, which apparently belongs to him, and he has a purpose for it. Other than that, not much else is known about it, not even its location.

"The Dread Wolf wants that idol, and he’s not afraid to get his hands bloody to get it." (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 490).

“He intends something for the Fade, and if he wants the idol, then whatever he intends will be terrible.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Solas has always had a network of agents working for him behind the curtains. However, the length of Solas’s spies has greatly increased. Many of the Dalish Elves truly believe in Solas's cause and have joined his fight and even the Ancient Elves have been acquired for his schemes.

“And now we know that the Dread Wolf has agents working for him.” (The Bard, The Dread Wolf Take You).

The elves who haven’t joined his ranks have begun to call his army - “Fen’Harel cultists”

Fen’Harel Cultists

“Each one of those damned Fen’Harel cultists. ‘Ooh, if we blow up enough people, ancient Elvhenan is definitely coming back.’” She caught my questioning glance. “They tried to recruit me a few years ago. I said no.” (Half Up Front, page 470)

Solas’ agents, or cultists, whichever takes your liking, already tried to manipulate a war between the Qunari Ben-Hassrath and Tevinter kinsman. An agent of Fen’Harel placed a Tevinter rogue on Qunari lands as a bomb destroyed the Qun’s new darvaarad.

Fortunately, the Ben-Hassrath discovered this plot before it was too late. However, If this plan was successful, it would’ve caused immediate chaos for all of Thedas.

“A Tevinter altus, striking at a Qunari settlement that had yet to enter hostilities? Ben- Hassrath wouldn’t be able to sit the war out anymore. Utter and complete chaos.” I felt nauseous. What I’d almost done, almost been responsible for. (Half Up Front, page 478).

And finally, most recently in a desperate attempt to intercept Thedas’ top spy factions, Solas disguised himself as an Orlesian Bard with a blonde wig and all the trimmings.

Interception

An Executor, Carta Assassin, Mortalitasi Mage, Inquisition Spy and, of course, Solas were present.

He listened as each faction shared their knowledge on the Dread Wolf, before the Executor could speak, Solas killed them. Then he attempted to lie about his knowledge on the Wolf, but was quickly caught out.

He turned the Mortalitasi and Carta Assassin to stone, and revealed himself to the Inquisition Spy known as Chater.

Out of his disguise, Solas appeared tired and sad. He knows that many oppose him and that they are not fools. Telling the Inquisitor what he intended to do was a moment of weakness.

“He sighed. “It was a moment of weakness. I told myself that it was because you all deserved to know, to live a few years in peace before my ritual was complete. Before this world ended.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 506).

He admitted he’s prideful, hot-headed and foolish. Most importantly that he’s sorry for what is to come next.

“I am prideful, hotheaded, and foolish, and I am doing what I must. When you report back to the Inquisitor . . .” His voice faltered. “Say that I am sorry.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 506).

I’ve already addressed the most apparent plot points that regard Solas’s future scheme like the potential destruction of the Veil and dealing with the Evnauris. But other plot points linger that intertwine with Solas’s plan:

Solas's Ritual

As I already stated, Solas has started a ritual ongoing in the Fade with the help of spirits and demons. It’s a very ambiguous ritual, however, we do know that binding spirits and using blood magic undoes both the work that Solas has planned for the Fade, and the ritual that has been set in motion.

“And as clear as the Dread Wolf’s anger at what we had done— the Mortalitasi binding spirits he considered his own, the Tevinter mage using forbidden blood magic— was the feeling that we had disrupted his own work.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Perhaps more of these types of magic is needed to disrupt his ritual? This would make the Mortalitasi and Tevinter Magisters great allies in the coming war.

The Inquisitor

Solas’ journey in modern day Thedas started with our Inquisitor, surely his journey should end with them too. The Inquisitor swore to either attempt to redeem or stop Solas, this narrative needs to reach its end. Will Solas and the Inquisitor reach a happy climax? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean our Inquisitor will easily give up. The two characters need closure to end their story for good.

Mythal’s Vengeance

I feel like I need to reiterate that Solas did not absorb Mythal’s spirt, he only took an aspect of her power before she placed a piece of herself in an eluvian, as she finds her next vessel. This means that whoever drank from the Well of Sorrows are still bound to Mythal, Solas did not possess or absorb her soul, she is still alive.

All Solas did, with Mythal willing, was absorb an unknown quantity of her power so he could rise as the Dread Wolf and fulfil her bidding to slay the rest of the pantheon. I truly believe Mythal has a greater scheme at play, and Solas has fallen ridicule to her, he’s blind sighted because of the bond they share, but I believe Mythal has darker intentions, and they’ll soon come to play once Solas destroys the Veil.

So, what does come next for Solas? There are a lot of future topics we’ve touched on, but all I can say is we should expect to see him transform into the most villainous Dread Wolf as he stops anyone who dare intercede with his scheme. Not only that, but he has an army of spirts and demons in the Fade, with his agents on the field in Thedas. The tensions are rising, perhaps soon enough we’ll witness the magic come back, as Solas rises to destroy the Veil. The Evanuris are too going to be out for vengeance, only time will tell if we can save our friend before it’s too late.

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the-red-jenny · 4 years ago

Text

“Tell me you don’t care.”

“I can’t”

“Tell me that I was just some casual dalliance so I can call you a cold hearted son of a bitch and move on”

- - - -

Even in his dreams, he could hear her words echo through him. He could feel her hurt and sorrow, as well as own. Fendhis, he muttered. Begrudgingly, he opened his eyes and looked around to see the soft glow of the torches in his room. He had fallen asleep at his desk again. He shifted and was surprised to feel a blanket draped over his shoulders. She had been here he thought to himself. He let out a long sigh.

It had been only a few weeks since he left his heart in Crestwood, for fear of what would happen if he didn’t. He couldn’t let his heart rule his head. He couldn’t forsake the hundreds of thousands of lives on his shoulders. There was too much at stake. How could he justify being happy when it was his fault things were this way? He had to fix it, no matter what it cost him.

Solas had been trying to be respectful in those days following Crestwood, but he still felt her eyes lingering on him whenever she passed him by. He had heard her being comforted by Dorian, and Leliana, and ... the Commander. He could feel the unspoken words in the air.

How could you?

He was a traitor once again. He knew he deserved all of it.

Of course, he still stole glimpses of her smile when she spoke to everyone else, but him. The gleam of joy in her eyes when she beat Varric at Wicked Grace or mastered a new technique in the courtyard never failed to leave him breathless. It was enough, he thought, to see her happy from afar. It was all he was allowed to have.

He was stunned on the day she cut off her hair. Her dark, charcoal hair had been long enough to caress the arch of her back, but was now barely grazing her chin. She was still as beautiful as ever, but when let his eyes rest on hers, and saw her staring back, he quickly retreated into his study.

After that, he couldn’t understand why she still asked him to accompany her on missions. He supposed it was good to keep someone with an extensive knowledge of healing spells handy, but she never spoke to him. Instead, she threw herself into every battle, twice as hard as she ever did before. The grace he had once complimented her on was now being used to swiftly and brutally cut down each enemy in her path, without a care for her own safety.

Was this his punishment? To heal every wound she took upon herself because of her anger?

The roar of a Hurlock Alpha quickly snapped him back to attention. The creature’s talons tore into his back, leaving several deep gashes. Solas quickly realized he had run out of mana and Lyrium potions, and cursed at himself for being so careless. Solas quickly cast Barrier, praying it would be enough for him to last long enough to see this fight through.

“Solas needs help!” He heard the Inquisitor yell. Even with the gashes in his back, he still felt his chest ache hearing her call his name. She quickly lept in front of him driving her daggers deep into the neck of the Darkspawn. With one last terrible cry, the creature fell dead on the floor.

Solas looked at the Inquisitor, bathed in Darkspawn blood and ichor. Gods, she was beautiful, he thought. Her breaths were heavy as she wrenched her blades free. He could feel the chill in the air as she passed him by. He wondered briefly if she regretted saving him.

“Good one, Boss!” Iron Bull exclaimed. The Qunari then handed Cora a health potion and turned his attention to his Tevinter companion. “Whaddaya think, Dorian? We’re ready to take on a dragon!”

“Take on a Dragon? Oh, no. If it's all the same to you, I’d rather take on a bath.”

Cora smiled at the two, clearly more than just friends. It was nice to see something good come of this, even now. She turned her attention to Solas, who was leaning a bit on his staff. He quickly turned his attention to his feet, not wanting to meet her gaze. He could hear her footsteps approaching him, and he braced himself for what he was sure was going to sting.

“Take this, Solas”

He looked up to see her offering the health potion to him. He wanted to respond, do anything other than just stare. He felt his legs fail him and he fell to his knees, still gripping onto his staff.

“Solas!” Cora exclaimed. Her voice wracked with worry. He felt Cora’s hands along the gashes in his back, carefully inspecting the wounds. He felt the blood rush to his cheeks with shame, as he chastised himself for even considering the idea that she would be any different. She was who she was, no matter the circumstance. It’s what he loved about her. She surprised him, even now.

“I’m alright, Inquisitor. The beast caught me off guard, and I ran out of Lyrium.” Solas explained “It won’t happen again in the future.”

“Its okay to rely on me in the future, Solas.” Cora pleaded. He could feel her hesitate behind him. “You still owe me an explanation when this is over, but I would never just abandon you. Can you please-”

“I shall keep that in mind, Vhen... Inquisitor.” Solas could bear no more and quickly got to his feet. Every step forward was more difficult than the last, but he endured. He must.

They walked in silence back to camp, and offered each other no more than a glance on the way back to Skyhold. After getting his wounds looked at by a healer, he made his way back to his part of the castle, hoping to disappear into some research.

Not long after another unsuccessful attempt at translating writings from an ancient Thaig, his door opened. Cora walked briskly through his study, towards the door leading to the barracks. To the Commander. She seemed... happy. Solas frowned. He had noticed that she frequented his office more recently than in the past, but he hadn’t considered why. Solas could feel the anger, like a pit in his stomach. He knew it was wrong, but couldn't stop himself before he spoke. “Cullen isn’t in his Quarters.”

Cora stopped in her tracks. “What?”

Solas cleared his throat, “I just assumed that's where you were headed since his is the only door in that direction. I thought I would save you the effort.”

A bemused smile spread across her face “Save me my effort for what, Solas?”

“I’m sure you have more important matters to attend to.”

Cora scoffed and walked back towards his study door. She muttered something he didn’t quite catch under her breath. From the inflection, he could tell it wasn’t positive. She took a moment before she spoke. “You lost the right to interfere with whom I speak to when you left me. You can’t expect me to wait until you decide I deserve to know why.”

“I didn’t expect you to wait, but I expected it not so be done so blatantly and without regard for-“

“You feelings?” Cora cut him off. “I was desperate to hear yours, and now that I’m not begging for it, it's an issue? Enlighten me, Solas. What would you have me do? Do you get off on me miserable and moping around Skyhold? Is that it? Cullen at least is honest with his emotions. I don’t have to wonder if he enjoys my presence, because he says so! I don’t have to plead for him to tell me the truth...”

Solas stood in stunned silence. Everything that he wanted to say and everything she wanted required more of the truth. The damned truth that she shouldn’t be responsible for. He had to get her to drop this. He took a deep breath.

“Cora, if I believed you wanted me to play the part of a cold hearted fiend so desperately, I would have made more of an effort. I expected that our time together meant more than what the Commander could provide quick comforts for. It seems I was mistaken. Now, unless you have any questions about Coreypheus, we should focus on the task at hand.”

Shocked at the amount of venom in his voice, he turned away from her. He was afraid of letting anything else slip, or worse, that his resolve would crumble if he saw her expression. He could feel the hurt and anger radiating from her like waves. He wondered if she would yell, or cry, or hit him. He wanted her to. It would be better than the silence. Instead, he heard her let out a long sigh.

“Everyone makes mistakes.” Cora said softly. “Don’t make this one again.”

She shut the door firmly behind her. Slowly, Solas slumped in his chair. From above he could hear Dorian whistle in surprise. He lamented at the lack of privacy the rotunda allowed. The whole of Skyhold would know about it within the hour, he was sure. He supposed it was his punishment for putting them both in this position. He would make everything right, when this was done. He just wasn’t sure how.

#dragon age inquisition #solas #dragon age #solas dragon age #dragon age inquistor #solas x oc #solas x lavellan #da solas #solas fanfic #inquisitor lavellan #Cora Lavellan #Spotify

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emerald-amidst-gold · 3 years ago

Text

WIP Whenever

Thank you @dungeons-and-dragon-age for the tag! You got me at a good time because I got goodies~! >:D

Taking a break and playing Inquisition got the inspiration flowing again! So, I have some Solas and Mhairi bonding time! :D

I encountered the Dalish clan in the Exalted Plains, and this is what was born of it:

---

“Da’len,” Solas approached where Mhairi was sitting on the log by the fire, arms at his sides and brow furrowed with subconscious concern. “...have you seen Fane by chance?”

He was beginning to get worried. For the more he searched the Dalish encampment, as small as it was here, along the creek of Halin’sulahn, the less he saw any hide or hair of Fane. His dragon was by no means hard to spot, hair like new fallen snow upon black cliff side and very presence dominating, even if the man sought to make himself unnoticeable. Although, in this instance, Solas knew why Fane was possibly making himself scarce; memories. Painful, painful memories. However, that was why it was imperative that he find the dual being, to stop a spiral before it became a vortex.

The young woman had seemingly been repairing the segment of her robes that had unfortunately met the edge of a Freeman’s blade when Solas spotted her. He himself was giving the other clan’s members distance, so it had taken him a bit to locate the young woman, but it was for the best. He, too, had difficult memories of the Dalish, blades brandished for naught but truth, words hurled in every direction that sounded home to his folly, that spread the guilt like he did plaster and paint. So, it was best for everyone, Inner Circle and Dalish, if he kept his ‘delusional stories’ and ‘maddened opinions’ to himself. He was busy at present, anyway. His own discomfort meant little when he knew there was someone suffering worse than he.

Mhairi blinked, the movements of her hands pausing from where they were delicately weaving twine and thread. Icy blue eyes and a youthful face marked with the maroon of June turned upwards to him, abandoning repairs to regard him easily.

“Fane?”, Mhairi said his sought after’s name, her slightly darker brows drawing together as she tilted her head a bit. “He was with you, wasn’t he?”

Solas shook his head, dread growing within his heart. “No.”, he said simply, doing his to keep tone calm, professional as he kept the connection of eyes that began to melt, concern beginning to show in them. “I have not seen him since before sunset. I presumed he had been with you. Evidently, I was mistaken.”

Mhairi’s delicate features turned downwards, petites hands curling within pure white samite bordered with pink vestment. “...You haven’t seen him at all? Maybe with Cole? Sera?”, she asked, lilting voice shaking a bit with a panic born of the past and all it harmfully bore for the two soulful siblings.

Solas shook his head at each question, letting his expression soften a bit. He had not wished to alarm the young woman, but he saw now that he had been foolish to think his inquiry would have done anything but. Fane had spoken of Mhairi’s anxiety concerning abandonment, and Solas himself had seen such an acute episode when the man had been thought lost in the Fade during Adamant. He should have been more delicate in his delivery, more aware of his words and the effect they had.

Ill-suited as ever, Solas berated within the safety of his mind, releasing a quiet sigh through his nose as he gazed down as the now fidgeting woman. Nails were picking apart sewn thread, undoing work redone without thought, and a deeper frown etched itself upon normally bubbly features. Ice-colored orbs were staring pointedly at the article, but were hazy, distant, lost to the flow of putrid memories. Solas matched the deep frown with a small one of his own, taking a tentative step towards where Mhairi was seated to kneel down in front of her.

He had to fix what he had wrought--in many ways, but for now, he would focus on a light that echoed as much of the past as his unaccounted for dragon did.

“Mhairi,”, Solas called out to the slightly trembling woman, keeping his tone soft, guiding. “Ir abelas. My words were poorly chosen. I didn't mean to alarm you, to cause you to fear.” He managed a tiny smile when long locks of platinum shifted with the rising of a head, reconnection. “I am sure your brother is close by. I merely have not been able to deduce where he may have gone when in concern to the Dalish. That is all.”

Solas watched as the slight tremors in pale hands and lithe shoulders lessened. There was still a concerned frown upon pink lips and the tell-tale signs of dampness upon ice-blue, but he had succeeded in drawing a bright mind back from the edge. At least, he hoped he had. It was hard to tell with his dragon’s sister, even if she was far more open than her sibling. Perhaps her inherent bubbliness blinded him at times, made him believe there were no troubles to ponder, nightmares to banish. Everyone had a mask they used to protect themselves, and he was truly foolish to forget that simple truth.

“N-no, I’m--”, Mhairi tried to say, but released only a shuddering sigh. Fingers begin to pluck and pull at thread once more, but with more care, more awareness this time.

Solas kept a watchful eye on the Dalish woman, noting her breathing was shaky, but not quickening with encroaching panic. The tremors had not returned, but neither had full light to her eyes. The spiral was still swirling, then. He would have to choose his words carefully, and carefully he shall.

“Take your time, da’len.”, Solas encouraged, gingerly reaching out with his own hands to still the ones curling and clenching into purity. His skin flinched a tad when Mhairi’s did, but relaxed when she did so in turn. “Everything will be right where you left it. It will not disappear, vanish as if but a dream.”

A sharp, but quiet intake of breath had Solas freezing up a bit, fear gripping his heart like an owl's talons snatched up a mouse. Had he spoken out of turn again? He had not meant to--!

“Ma serannas, lethallan.”

Solas blinked, the guilt and dread of his mind stilling as he refocused on the woman in front of him. Ice and turquoise regarded him kindly, serenity in their deepest depths and a watery, but grateful smile played with plushness of flesh, curving like the softest of a halla’s horns. Maroon ink was lax, further serenity carved into the heart shaped visage before him. There was no ridicule, no scorn, no retribution in any of those features, and that weighty revelation had Solas sucking in a steadying breath of his own, quiet, but deep.

How many people would he continue to witness staring at him with such...forgiveness before his own mask cracked from the blow? He did not deserve that release, that depth of understanding and emotion from Mhairi, from Fane, from anyone, and yet, it was there--pure as the snow white hair of his beloved, gold as the spirit that cascaded down...down…

...one of his people.

Solas let his eyelids droop, gingerly taking one of Mhairi’s hands into both of his own. That echoing appendage was joined by its counterpart, squeezing with both as they joined to soothe in tandem. That silent gesture of understanding had Solas closing his eyes fully, heart tight, soul weeping for him to speak, to divulge. Why was he suddenly so overcome with the want to do such?

She would not understand, Solas chided himself, attempting to ward away how his whole being yearned to greet another soul like his dragon’s, like his. She would react adversely. For myself, and for her, I must keep the truth hidden. Now is not the time nor place for such things. There will be much to tell her when the time is right, from myself and Fane. She does not need that burden, that crisis of faith, now. Even if--no.

Solas let out a soft sigh, carefully slipping his hands from the warmth of Mhairi’s own to place them back within his lap. He registered the look of gentle confusion in both delicate features and twinkling eyes, but he once again shoved away the inherent urge to explain. He had let himself falter, allowed his mind to splinter, and now he would repair it, shore up the foundation so it may weather any other storm that would come to pass.

He must find the one who would hold his bloodied hand with one of their own, but even that laced his heart with guilt-filled poison. How much more would he touch and destroy before he perished? Two lights, and they would find themselves extinguished if he continued to be selfish, but...he couldn’t help it, couldn’t fight the want to belong, to be accepted.

To coexist. How pitiful he was. How pitiful.

---

...You have no idea how hard I am resisting on making a female Fane to fully romance this wolf right now. I need to finish canon Fane first, but...HNNNNGH. I just want to analyze the hell out of how Solas changes with romanced Lavellan. *puts face on screen* He called Fane ‘lethallan’ the other day while I was playing, and I DIED AND SCREECHED. ...I always do. *slinks away*

Fun fact: At the beginning of my writing hobby, Solas and Mhairi were supposed to be romantically together! :D

Tagging (if you wanna, you beautiful people! <3): @oxygenforthewicked @noire-pandora @little-lightning-lavellan @the-dreadful-canine @blueheaded

#wip whenever #my writing #dragon age #oc: mhairi lavellan #solas #look at these two. *sniffles*#mhairi and solas are a whole other layer of feels XD #it reasserts 'canon' amidst the 'non-canon'#fane: dragons :3 #mhairi: elves :3 #DUALITY BABY >:D #thank you for the tag again! X3

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bbykpoper · 4 years ago

Photo

Chapter 2 // Masterlist

GENRE: mafia au, fluff, a bit of smut, a smudge of angst if you squint your eyes hard enough, possible fantasy????

“A princess turned assassin?”

“A coward turned prince?”

Who will survive the last wave of this war?

°˖✧

Loud music blasted into the night as people stood around parked cars of different neon colours. Men boasted their engines, while women walked around with drinks in hand going to their respective groups of friends. Two men sighed by a neon orange car which had a few girls around it, glaring at the driver who was more than enjoying the attention.

“Jun, get a hold of yourself.” The man got a loud smack to his head. “We’re not here to entertain but to observe.”

“Whatever Song, they’re still not here.” The man named Jun answered, scratching his head and looking to the other young man for help.

“Don’t get me involved in this.” He laughed. “I’ve been told to expect them around 1 a.m. We have a few more minutes until then.” He turned.

“What else did you manage to find out Bobby?” Song looked over to him.

“NCT was invited especially for this race.” The chill in his voice summoned the night breeze. “It doesn’t sound good. It could be a deal or something more. But by the faces of some of Bangtan’s boys, it’s dangerous.”

“We can’t exactly interfere, nor can we arrest them.” Song sighed. “This is such a pain in the ass.”

“But hey, we’re the best at this job.” Jun smirked, looking on at the incoming cars. “Uh-oh, that doesn’t look good.”

The trio noticed a car stop not far from the black sleek 2006 Mazda RX-8. Three men got out and their eyes widened when they noticed NCT’s right-hand man Johnny, followed by their sharp shooter Bulls Eye and their bomb expert as well as head of operations Brain. They followed them walking with their eyes and almost sat down on their asses when they noticed four of Bangtan’s highest waiting for them.

“We need to report this to Han.”

“Don’t. Not yet.” Bobby grabbed a hold of the man before he could leave. “Everybody here is being observed right now. You don’t want to allert them to us, do you?”

Song kept still, glancing nervously at the scene unfolding before them.

°˖✧

Johnny buttoned his blazer as he came closer to the four individuals casually standing around a car with extremely prominent pink neon lights underneath it. The black 2006 Nissan 350Z stood out not only because of the pink details on the black body, but because of the young woman sitting on the hood of the car, her gaze fixed on the group of young teens in the distance by the starting line of the track. Her booted feet were dangling off the edge as her baggy pants covered her long legs, three to four sleek belts firmly tied around her thigh. A simple crop top covered her upper body, a small purple heart hidden on the hem. Her face sported the usual black mask, something which became a trademark for her. Johnny couldn’t take his eyes off of the girl, his breath stopping in his throat as he became starstruck by the white haired beauty before him.

“Close your mouth pretty boy, she’ll notice the drool coming from your mouth.” The sudden whisper had Johnny backing up, his gaze turning to the smirking man beside him. “I would have never taken you to be a scaredy cat Johnny boy.”

“I never took you to be a trickster Mastema.” Johnny cleared his throat as all the attention turned to him.

“How come?” The black haired man looked at him, his mouth forming a smirk. “Didn’t little Jaemin tell you what I’m like?”

“You’ve met him?” Brain now stepped forward but was short in his path, the tip of a large blade eerily pressed agains his neck. “What the-”

“Place the blade down baby, we don’t want to scare our guests.”

“He wanted to hit you.” Her voice was so soft and soothing, it took all three NCT boys by surprise. “He represents danger to you and I don’t like it.”

“Ah, you’re so cute.” The black haired man known as Mastema spoke out, coming up to hug her and lower her arm which held the weapon. “He won’t attack me, because I have you.”

The girl backed up, placing the sword before her, both hands placed on the decorative grip as she stood back and glared at the men. Johnny noticed only then the lotus flower around her exposed belly button and his mind started wandering.

“Eyes here Johnny.” His view was blocked by the one man that never left the girl’s side.

“Now look what you’ve done.” Mastema sighed. “You’ve angered poor Solas.”

“Where is Jaemin?!” Brain yelled out, catching the attention of the three.

“Tell you what, if any of you manage to beat my top driver I’ll tell you where he is.” Mastema smiled, his eyes sharp as ever. “But if you lose, you’ll have to tell me why you sent one of your own into our ranks.”

“We don’t have a driver.” The third person, Bulls Eye, finally spoke up.

“I don’t see the issue with that. Why doesn’t Johnny boy drive? He did start out as one.” Mastema smirked. “You’ve taken an incredible ammount of cash from these races Johnny. I’m pretty sure you are qualified to drive.”

His jaw clenched and he looked over at the two men that came with him. Now he actually understood why Boss mentioned to take one of the cars. He really didn’t want to race, bad memories crawled into his mind before he even turned towards the car, but his eyes still went over to the girl. She was observing him too, her white hair falling around her masked face purely to taunt him. Those brown eyes stared right at him, lifeless and cold.

But he knew better.

“Yeonjun!” Mastema called out and young boy, with extremely pink hair walked over to him, a sudden blush creeping up on his cheeks. “Be sure to win this race.” The man’s eyes were sharp and held the promise of murder in them, the young boy nodding.

“Good luck Yeonjun.” Fae spoke up to him as he walked past her to the black Nissan.

“Thank you Lady Fae.” He squeaked out as his blush deepend.

This made Johnny furious and he was in the car in a blink of an eye. He started his engine and pulled up to the starting line as both Solas and Fae walked over to Mastema.

“How did you know he would agree to this Yoongi?” The girl asked, as she sheathed her sword.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Yoongi laughed as he looked over to the the cars speeding off. “He is sickeningly obsessed with you.”

Johnny had so many thoughts running through his head as he raced down the street, trying to catch up with the black nissan. Those brown eyes haunted him as he rapidly accelerated. On the other side, Brain and Bulls Eye glared at the three, the first of the two stepping out and demanding answers. Yoongi only put his finger on his own mouth, the smile never leaving his face.

“You need to be patient. You should already know that seeing as you build bombs for a living.” He laughed, when he heard a group cheering as Yeonjun passed the final check point before the finish line, his ass in front of Johnny. “Oh no, it seems Johnny boy has lost his flavour.”

The cars came into view, inches moving between the fronts as they neared the finish line. The girl observed closely, surprised and impressed at the skill NCT’s right hand man was showing. The cars passed the line, Yeonjun winning by a literal inch. Yoongi clapped in amusement as Johnny angrily slammed the door of the mazda.

“Well done Yeonjun, you never disappoint.” Yoongi spoke up as he walked over to Johnny and leaned on his mazda.

“Congradulations kid.” The girl patted the pink haired boy on the shoulder as he went to join up with his friends, a bright smile on his face.

“I’m waiting.” The three men looked at each other, none making a move to speak. “A deal’s a deal. You don’t want to go back on your word, right?”

“We just wanted some information.” Johnny sighed out.

“About?” Solas was becoming irritated by this whole thing and all three men noticed.

“The weapon deal you’re doing with the Chinese. We wanted to fuck that shit up so that we could take over the market there. But here we are.” Bulls Eye spoke up, rolling his eyes at the same time.

“Yuta Nakamoto.” Mastema spoke up. “I’d believe that story if it came from Johnny’s mouth, but seeing as it came from yours I’m having a hard time with it.”

“He’s not lying.” The girl suddenly spoke up, her eyes fixed on Yuta. “He is telling the truth but there is more behind it.”

“Perceptive.” Brain spoke up, his anger evident.

“He mentioned the Chinese. Beelzebub has had some issues with the shipments the past few months. I believe they are working with the Chinese but not to take over our market there.” She looked over at Johnny, their gazes trained on each other. “They most likely threatened you to take us out. They have something on you which you can’t refuse.”

“Oh my, it seems you were spot on Fae.” Yoongi laughed at the troubled look on the men’s faces. “So, what do they got over you?”

“How did you figure that one out?” Johnny asked. “Did Jaemin tell you?”

“No. She’s just really good at reading people.” Solas said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“They have our Chinese branch under control. They broke in and took over, placing our men into a full on hostage situation.” Johnny began explaining. “They contacted us about a month ago, demanding we take out the round table of Bangtan. They want your position in Asia.”

“Jesus, so you predicted this right it seems Fae.” Mastema sighed looking over at the girl. “Let’s go, we need to tell this to Forcas.”

“Wait, what about Jaemin?!” Brain yelled after the three and Mastema turned with a smile.

“You didn’t win the race.” He shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

The girl turned around and looked at the men, taking pitty on them and their devastated faces. She stopped in her tracks, Solas also stopping to wait for her. She looked over at Johnny who was already staring at her and her lifeless eyes turned darker as she spoke up.

“Na Jaemin is dead. I killed him.”

#kpop #kpop imagines #kpop reactions #kpop fiction #mafia au #fantasy au #johnny seo imagine #johnny suh imagines #nct #nct u #nct 127 #nct dream #way v #nct imagines #nct reactions #nct scenarios #ikon #blackpink #bts

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fenharel-babe · 4 years ago

Text

Me: trying to sleep at 2 am in the morning.

My brain: imagine Solas seeing the inquisitor in the fade, but he found her because she’s singing. And she’s singing “The Promise”. The song that is Serahs theme from FF13-2 (I love Serah. Precious babe🥺).

Hmm,,

Solas would walk around the fade, maybe in a ruin or anywhere his mind takes him. He’s wandering and it’s silent. However, in his mind, it’s loud. Thoughts are running through his mind. Plans for what to do, how it could go wrong, and doubt. “Do I really want to do this?” He would ask himself sometimes, and he would convince himself that he has to do it. And yeah he’s walking around, maybe in some more casual clothes, and it’s chaos in his mind. He can’t hear anything and he’s blindly walking around. However, he stops walking when he hears a voice.

A woman’s voice humming.

It’s humming a tune he was unfamiliar with, but it was beautiful to his ears. He didn’t know exactly where it was coming from, so he walked around the ruin, trying to find it. He didn’t know why he was chasing after it, but he was. When he finally found it, the air left his lungs. He saw Bloom, sitting on the floor in a room of the ruin, wearing a blue nightgown, and humming a tune. He thought she would see him, but her eyes were closed. He was standing a littles away on her right and he was a little happy she didn’t see him but also a little sad. He wanted to see her look at him and talk to him, but didn’t want to at the same time. So, he just watched her hum.

As he listened he thought about Bloom and him before this mess. It’s as if it was an instinct. He thought of how when they fought, they would look at each other and walk their moves, watching to see if they get hurt. If one of them did, they always healed them as best as the other could. And when they were alone, he would hold her in his arms. Hold her and tell her stories about his trips. All of them were true and he loved seeing the excitement on her face. It made him feel like he was a good guy...when he knew he wasn’t. As he was thinking of her, he suddenly heard her clearing her throat. He opened his eyes, not realizing he closed them, and saw her still sitting there. Her eyes were closed and she took in a breath and exhaled it.

“Make my wish come true. Let darkness fade to light.”

She sang those words and her voice was high, higher than normal. Her voice echoed out into the ruin, bouncing off the walls, and it matched the tune she was humming earlier. He never has heard her sing, so he felt a little blessed to be able to hear it. And he got to see her hair down. He almost never saw that either. She paused for a second, voice stopping for a moment. He almost started to panic, he thought she has noticed him and would stop, but he realized her eyes weren’t open at all. Instead of opening them and looking towards him or talking to him at all, he heard a sniffle, a shaky breath in following after. He saw tear drops fall onto the ground and it made his heart ache.

“Show me there’s still hope. Show me its not over,” her voice sang, but this time it was softer. Weaker. He believed she was singing from the heart. Whether it was a song she made or a song she knew, but he believed it was from her heart. And that made it a little more painful for him, but he knew this was more painful for her. How could it not be? But he knew she was lost. It’s what the lyrics meant. She needs hope. She needs to know everything isn’t over. That the world isn’t crumbling beneath her fingers. Another sniffle came from her.

“Battles we can win, our struggle lies within,” she sang, but her voice was louder and steadier this time. Her emotions were now under control again, as if she needed them to. Did she know he was here? He wondered, but continued none the less. If she noticed him, then he would deal with her, but if she didn’t, then he’d stand here and listen to her beautiful voice. He eventually did sit down and leaned back on a broken pillar.

“Will we live to greet the dawn?”

Were those her thoughts now? Or when they were battling Corypheus? When she defeated Corypheus, when she accomplished her mission, he felt proud for her and was so happy she lived. And even when he saw the destruction of the orb, there was still a piece of him that was happy for her and even more in love with her...but he pushed it away. But now he doesn’t know if that’s her thoughts for the future. She still risks her life by just existing. But maybe that’s her worries for stopping him. And maybe the ‘we’ was him and her. Or was it the inquisition? He doesn’t know. He just listens.

“Love will not leave you. Hate will not heal you,” her voice rang out, her voice trembling and her body was now shaking. He remembers her spreading love, even to the people who didn’t deserve it. She was hard to understand. He didn’t understand why she showed sympathy on terrible people, why she chose to save terrible people. He didn’t see their worth, but she did. And it was something he loved about her. And she also believed hate wouldn’t heal anything. She hated people and it’s something she always tried to stop, but he couldn’t. He basically hated everyone until he met her.

“Promise me one day that peace shall reign.” She stopped at ‘promise’ and let out a little sob, but continued with the same tune. She held the last word longer than the others, and when she was done, she took in a deep, shaky breath. She stared out into the ruin, not looking anywhere in particular. He knew her mind was also in chaos. It was all silent until he heard her whisper, “Solas...”. His name was followed by a sob as she held her head in her hands, hiding her beautiful face. Like her singing voice, her cries echoed in the ruin, spreading more sadness into the ruin, adding to what was already here.

“Why, Solas? Why, why!” She slammed her fists against the ground, her voice trembling with a mix of emotions. Anger, sadness, betrayal, and many more. It was once again silent except for her fast breathing and sniffles. “Why did you have to leave me? Why...”. His heart ached as he heard those words. They were soft and so low he could barely hear them, but he heard them, and it hurt him. Honestly, he sometimes forgot why he was doing this. He didn’t know how he could forget, but he would for a split second. He would remember the sadness on Blooms face and wonder, “How could I do that?” And then he remembers why.

This world will end at his hands. She will end. He will restore his people. He will right his wrongs. But he wonders if he will be able to live with the wrongs he will make along the way. Will it be worth it? Will she stop him? Will he regret it? Chaos was once back in his mind, but it stopped when he heard her speak again.

“Solas, if you can somehow hear me. I don’t know how this works, Solas, but maybe, just maybe you can hear me,” she spoke out, her voice still trembling. She was weak here. If anyone else saw her, they wouldn’t believe it was her, but it was. It was the real Bloom under the inquisitor title. She inhaled and exhaled. “I love you, Vhenan. But I will find you. I don’t care what you do to stop me or interfere with me, I will find you. I won’t let you forget my stubbornness.” She laughed at her own words and he wanted to laugh to. He just put on a smile. She was stubborn and he could never forget it. It was annoying to him at first, but then he fell in love with that stubbornness.

“I will stop you and save you. You know I will. Deep down, you know I can. The man I love is still there. I will find him. I will you beat you up first, but I’ll heal you. It’ll be fine, right?” She seemed not confident while still being confident. And hearing her say “the man I love,” made him feel a feeling. It was his heart racing. She loved him. She loved him. Ever after all of this. He can’t recall how long it’s been. The days are bleeding into each other, he can’t even remember when he actually did see her.

“And if I can’t change your mind, then...”. Her voice trailed off and he was concerned. “Then I’ll save you. Even if I have to lose myself.”

“No.” He froze as the word escaped his mouth. He doesn’t know if she hears him, so he stills himself. He casts a spell to make himself invisible. It’s not for long, but maybe just enough for her to look away so he can escape. She looks over in his direction and she gets up in a rush. “Solas?!” She runs over to his direction, desperate to see him again, but she stops in front of him. He thinks she sees him, but her eyes are unfocused and searching everywhere else but where he is. However, he can now see her up close and her eyes are red and her cheeks are red as well.

This isn’t the first time she’s cried about him. Crying just once won’t make your eyes that red. He wonders how many times has she stayed up late at night in her quarters, alone, and crying her heart out, while trying to be quiet. She wouldn’t dare show weakness in front of others. Only him. But he wasn’t there for her anymore, so her tears would flow ongoing until she ran out. “Ah, silly girl. Now you’re hearing things,” she said as she looked down at the ground. She turned around and walked back to where she was and sat down. She looked defeated and he wanted to go and hold her. Tell her he was sorry and let her hit him, let her yell at him, and maybe let her convince him. But when she looks down at the ground, he tears his gaze away from her and begins to walk away. He can’t even get 5 steps away before she starts talking again.

“You will forget me, Solas. You live forever. I don’t. Maybe you will succeed and I will die, but I know you will forget me. But I’ll never forget you.” Her voice trembled once again, but he then heard her take in a deep breath and begin singing again. Those words haunt him and he considers turning back to listen and enjoy her voice, but he can’t. Not now. Not ever again. But he wishes he could say, “No, Vhenan. I will never forget you,” because he won’t. Her voice and memories of them together would follow him. He can’t even go into the fade without thinking of her.

And as he exits the fade, waking up in his bed, and begins doing his plans again, he begins to hum the song she was singing. He doesn’t realize it till one of his agents point it out. “That song sounds familiar,” they would say. He would stop and dismiss them. He would inhale and exhale. He has to move on. She needs to as well. They need to do their own thing, and he will do this. He will. It’s what he repeats in his head until the memory of her in the fade is gone until he sleeps once again.

Hmm,,,so I’m emotional guys...it’s almost 2 am again and I’m really sad but rlly loved this. Please like this bc I like attention and feed back. And sorry if there’s typos/mistakes,,I’m tired dbwbd. And yes let me write a kinda more affectionate Solas and scared Solas aLRIGHT!!

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age: inquisition #my writing #solas x lavellan #solavallen #I love him so muchhhh

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