#. realms of thedas ( main )

[veilshield]

hi there, smol starter call for Condesa Alys Belfiore please like this post for a small starter from Alys. You can read about her here: xxx

mutuals only. multis pls specify muse.

[dionadaiir]

to my vampire mutuals: Eden's blood tastes like seaweed.

[bioware]

We're thrilled to announce Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe as the composers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

To celebrate, a word from Hans Zimmer: "Epic stories lend themselves to epic scores, and the narrative tapestry BioWare has woven in The Veilguard never left me wanting for inspiration, be it during the game’s moments of shining heroism or darkest emotional pitfalls. I’m proud to have shared the journey of creating the musical backdrop for the latest Dragon Age adventure with Lorne and the entire design team.”

From Lorne Balfe: "The world of Dragon Age is an unprecedented immersive experience, and never more so than in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Crafting this score alongside Hans Zimmer has allowed us to bring an epic new majesty to the realm of Thedas... I cannot wait for people to play this game.”

Listen to the full main theme here.

[felassan]

New Details on DA4 from this IGN article: "Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Is Officially Being Renamed, With Gameplay Reveal Set for June 11 - EXCLUSIVE"

"BioWare confirmed that The Veilguard will feature seven playable party members, and that it will feature “fun and fluid, moment-to-moment combat” while continuing to center strategy via the unique powers of each companion.

BioWare general manager Gary McKay explains that while Solas is “still very much a part of the story of Dragon Age: The Veilguard,” the team wanted a title that reflected a “really deep and compelling group of companions.”

“One thing that’s important to remind fans is that every Dragon Age game is a new and different experience and this game, more so than ever, is about you and your companions – a group that you must rally to fight by your side,” McKay tells IGN. “We can’t wait for players to meet, connect and form their own personal relationships with the unique companions that make up The Veilguard. That’s the spirit of this game…of this story. Choosing who will join you on your adventure, fight alongside you, and be there by your side in the end.”

McKay claims that the name change wasn’t a matter of focus testing, which commonly informs decisions like these. He even goes so far as to admit that sticking with Dreadwolf might have been easier.

“We actually think sticking with Dreadwolf would have been the safer choice – ‘Dread Wolf’ is a cool name after all!” McKay says. “In the end, it was most important for us to have a title that was authentic to the companions that are the heart of this adventure we’ve created. We’ve worked throughout development to create really incredible backstories for each companion that intersect with the main narrative in meaningful ways.”

As for why it’s not simply named “Dragon Age IV,” McKay says it’s for the same reason that Dragon Age Inquisition wasn’t called “Dragon Age III: Inquisition.”

“Every game in the series tells its own unique story and the title is an important element to help set the stage for the next standalone adventure inclusive of its own hero, companions, narrative arc, villain, setting, etc,” he says.

Asked what it means for BioWare to finally be able to show The Veilguard to the world, McKay said, “As the studio head and executive producer, it’s been incredible to see the journey, resilience and passion that this team continues to bring every day. We have an incredible group of both BioWare and Dragon Age veterans who have been with us for years, as well as new faces and voices that love the series who have helped to create an unforgettable experience we feel will be worthy of the Dragon Age name.”

So who exactly are the Veilguard? In the lore, the Veil is a barrier between the physical world and Fade, which is Dragon Age’s spirit realm. Solas, who helped create the Veil, now wants to destroy it. Hence, as McKay puts it, “the Veil needs guarding.”

While acknowledging that the why and the how is definitely spoiler territory, McKay says, “The biggest clue I can share is that you and your companions – that make up The Veilguard – are central to taking down a new evil threat unleashed upon Thedas. It might not just be Solas.”

McKay isn’t quite ready to reveal the party members quite yet, but does provide some hints on what to expect, including some initial info on romances.

“We spent a lot of time making our companions feel authentic based on their own unique experiences within this larger fantasy world, which in turn makes the relationships you form with them feel even more meaningful. We’ve tapped into Dragon Age’s deep lore and explored its most iconic factions to bring each of the seven companions and their stories to life,” he says.

“I won’t spoil next week’s reveal but I can say we’ve created a story where you can impact the world and the companions that surround you. Player agency is important to the Dragon Age: The Veilguard experience and allows each player to form unique personal connections with their companions of choice. And, yes, you can romance the companions you want!”

McKay says the decision to pare the number of companions from nine to seven is mostly down to it being the “right number for the story we’re telling.” Each one is intended to represent a unique faction or element from Thedas, and will feature their own arc with “stories of love and loss, each with meaningful choices and emotional moments.”

He continues, “As you accompany your companions to unravel their backstory and earn their loyalty and friendship, you’ll visit more regions of Thedas across a deeper variety of biomes than any Dragon Age before it.”

McKay mostly sidesteps questions of how Inquisition’s characters might fit into The Veilguard’s story, though he does confirm that it will once again feature an original protagonist similar to The Warden, Hawke, and The Inquisitor, noting that each Dragon Game has its own standalone story with its own thread and conflict.

“Games across the Dragon Age franchise are never designed as a game-over-game continuous storyline. There are familiar arcs, factions and heroes important to the overarching Dragon Age universe that weave through the new story we’re telling,” he explains. “The previous games, characters and events aren’t the anchor of Dragon Age: The Veilguard it’s about your adventure with a brand new cast of companions that you must rally to fight against a powerful force.”

He once again teases another villain beyond Solas: “I don’t want to get too deep into spoiler territory but I can say that the Dread Wolf is not the only god players need to be worried about.”

When The Veilguard is finally revealed on June 11, BioWare’s presentation will include 15 minutes of gameplay from the opening moments of the game, which will help set up the story. On the gameplay front, McKay says that The Veilguard’s combat was a “big area of focus” and something the team wanted to push forward. Among other things, McKay says that The Veilguard will feature an ability wheel designed to give players more direct control over their characters.

“As an RPG, strategy in combat is important as you bring two companions to every fight. Each companion brings unique powers and abilities that have a direct impact on how you choose to take down the enemies at hand,” he says. “To add another layer to that strategic element, we’re introducing a new ability wheel where you can pause the action and set up your next move – whether it’s your companions’ abilities or your own.

“The ability wheel opens up a huge amount of strategic possibilities, giving players the ability to control the flow of combat and link powerful combinations of abilities between players and their companions that can quickly turn the tide of any battle. We think we’ve found an exciting balance between fun, fluidity and strategy for every encounter.”

“This is a game and experience that continues BioWare’s tradition of single player RPG storytelling set in the epic fantasy world of Thedas,” McKay says. “We know Dragon Age fans and the community have been waiting a long time for the next game and we could not be more excited to share our gameplay reveal on June 11.""

[source] (emphasis mine)

[simpforsolas]

So my biggest problem with Solas x Mythal isn’t that I’m “jealous” of their relationship or anything like that. In fact, I really like the concept of her being a toxic and abusive relationship he has to let go of to be able to move forward and find true happiness with the inquisitor.

My problem is that it cheapens Solas’s motivations and seems to make his only reasoning for tearing down the veil be loyalty to Mythal. It also, to me, downplays the significance of the inquisitor’s influence on him. This was disappointing because in Inquisition, we were introduced to Solas as this very wise, idealistic, and thoughtful person who cared deeply for his causes. Justice for Mythal was one of his motivations, but I never interpreted it as his main motivation. I thought his main motivation was always to make a better world and fix his mistakes.

I truly believe that he’s not wrong about some things. The veil IS a wound inflicted on this world. It was made by him; it’s not the world’s natural state. It’s falling apart and broken. It creates a class divide between mages and non-mages, and by separating spirits from the physical realm, it makes them more susceptible to corruption into demons and makes people scared of them. There are tons of instances through DAO - DAI where weak spots in the veil lead to mass demon possessions and death. It made a world where elves die instead of live forever, and where they either live in slums or as shadows of their former glory in the woods. But DATV didn’t address ANY of this. It painted Solas to be this lovesick pup whose motivation was purely emotion-based, and it didn’t help that this game didn’t go into Thedas’s socio-political climate so a new player wouldn’t understand that the world of Thedas is seriously messed up, and that Solas’s plan would resolve a lot of the issues in need of fixing.

The problem is, and always has been, the cost. Solas restoring the natural order of the world would cost thousands of lives, and destroy the current world and all the good it has to offer. In order to abandon this plan, Solas needed to not only be released from Mythal’s service, but to let go of the world of the past. He needed to acknowledge that the world he loved is gone, that a new world that he also loves has taken its place, and that it deserves a chance to live. It’s sort of implied that he goes through this shift in belief in Trespasser, but it’s not enough at the time, and that’s okay.

Anyway, with all this in mind, this is how I’m choosing to interpret Solas’s entire redemption arc. Solas did have his reasons to tear down the veil that he passionately believed in, but through his interactions with the inquisitor and rook, the only reason that truly remained was that he didn't want to fail Mythal. They changed his perspective on the world, and showed him that it’s a world worth preserving, even if it’s different. He didn’t want to do what he had to do, and by the end of DAI and/or Veilguard, the only thing keeping him tied to his course was duty to Mythal. So she has to free him to allow him to move on.

However. If Mythal had released him from his service at the beginning of inquisition, because Solas hadn’t gained any affection for the new world, it wouldn’t have mattered. He would’ve been like "cool i'm doing this anyway because I want to.” Changing his course required two things: having his heart changed by the inquisitor, and Mythal allowing him to move on. Unfortunately I feel like the game is a little sloppy with this and makes it feel like freedom from Mythal is all that matters, but my dear friends, she is not. It was a team effort all around, and Solas’s redemption would not have been possible without our beloved inquisitor. 💜

[vigilskeep]

i have never thought of the bg3 paths as railroaded before but oh my god... i see your vision. i think that, for all that can be picked apart in the writing of dragon age, the worldbuilding in that series is so so interested in complicating all factions that you can envision a character who /makes sense/ while bouncing through various ideologies. and the sort of fantasy writing in (most of) the forgotten realms doesn't really allow for that.

dao is particularly the light of my life because the origins mechanic is specifically intended to let you create a character who has a distinctive perspective on the world that’s grounded in the worldbuilding. one of my favourite aspects of this is several origins having completely different codex entries on their own culture as opposed to those an outsider would get. it’s really good! it’s also a reasonably grounded world (while obviously silly) because, like, the basic fundamental premise of thedas, from which they ikea flatpack built almost every feature, is “how would people react to magical and fantastical diversity? the same way they react to human diversity.” you’re meant to feel like, aside from i guess the darkspawn, people are normal and have real motivations. sure it has to fulfil certain roles in a story, and dragon age was manufactured too quickly and purposefully for everything to land feeling authentic, but evil in dragon age should feel recognisable. and in most of the origins they give you a chance to do something that is bad, but also totally makes sense, because of the context of your character belonging to this world where these things happen

in dnd/the forgotten realms it’s a bit different because capital e Evil exists, so there are people and deities and devils (and, to open another can of worms, races) whose entire goal is to Do Evil. it’s also harder to produce grounded evil because in a world where i’m being given basically no context and just told to make whatever i want, i don’t have an inch of the kind of social information i get from for example a dao origin: what my character has been taught to believe they should do to survive, who they are willing to sacrifice, whatever. bg3 also happens to have a main plot goal that is, at least for the first part of the game, broadly selfish (“i am sick, and i need a cure”) which works really well for getting a bunch of people with vastly differing moral standards to band together for the same goal, and not so good for any kind of “greater good” type blurred morality, so that’s out too

however much the worldbuilding factors into this, bg3 specifically went for quite a clear distinction between the good path and the capital e Evil Path, and i find it pretty hard to vary up the good path. when i say railroaded i mean you either do the specific thing that gets you a quest down the line or not. i was really disappointed actually in my playthrough where i totally fucked up in the druids’ grove and caused a fight to break out, because it immediately instakilled tons of characters i knew i would need down the line. the few it spared needed some of the dead ones to stay alive in later quests, so it’s like... oh. that’s just... over. for both factions. bg3 arguably lets you do basically anything you want but they are able to do that because if you fuck around it just breaks the entire quest line from coming up again, which means playing a character who fucks up is not even really going to get me consequences it’s just going to cut content from the game. does that make sense? and then the Evil Path is just straight up evil, like... there’s no way for me to complicate and empathise, here, especially playing a blank canvas character whose motivations i would have to make up from nothing, and who faces basically no consequences for not doing this. the only neutral/cowardly/self-interested option in act 1 is to do neither path, which gets me the least content because i literally don’t get to play the fucking game

i don’t know, i’m not saying it’s necessarily bad just that it’s hard for me, personally, and how i like to create characters. especially when you have my constant restart disease and you have to do this all over again a dozen times just for a handful of different dialogue. does any of that make sense

[dragonagitator]

I started out just wanting to write a "Modern Girl in Faerun" author self-insert fanfic of BG3 in the tradition of all the "Modern Girl in Thedas" fanfics I've enjoyed over the years in the Dragon Age fandom. You know, someone who has played the game gets transported to the world of the game and uses her foreknowledge of events to steer for the best ending and pursue her favorite romance, yadda yadda yadda.

And then I thought, oh, I should also write a sequel from Gale's perspective that runs parallel to the first story that's about him trying to figure out if she's just crazy or what.

I decided that while my MGIF character will be successful in using her foreknowledge of events to achieve the best or even better outcomes for the main events of the game, it would be hilarious if that same foreknowledge of events also led to her inadvertently flubbing every single scripted romance progression scene with Gale so that it ends up being an even slower burn than canon.

Meanwhile, most of the companions (including Gale) don't believe her story about how they're fictional characters in an interactive story she's played as a game because there are so many other plausible in-world explanations for why someone would have her foreknowledge of events. So Gale thinks she's mentally unwell, and he struggles with the ethics of pursuing a romantic relationship with someone whose interest in him is at least partially predicated on (what he believes to be) delusions.

It works out in the end, but Gale's perspective of what the fuck is going on is so divergent from hers that it would be a fundamentally different narrative.

And then as I was researching Forgotten Realms lore for the first set of stories, I realized it would be hilarious if I wrote a post-canon sequel about Gale and the MCIF trying to plan their wedding in Waterdeep while the events of the D&D modules Dragon Heist and Dungeon of the Mad Mage are unfolding in the background.

And then while I was researching stuff for that, I learned that it's Forgotten Realms canon that Elminster knows about Earth, has a portal to Ed Greenwood's house, and regularly visits Ed and few other D&D authors to give them more lore to write about.

So then I realize that while the Elminster we meet during BG3 is actually a Simulacrum and thus wouldn't be privy to anything Elminster didn't think it needed to know for its mission, presumably the real Elminster would show up for Gale's wedding. So if Gale happened to mention his new wife's unfortunate "delusions" to Elminster, Elminster could rock Gale's world by confirming no she's been right all along. Thank you, Elminster, for the best gift a bride could ever receive: the opportunity to say "I TOLD YOU SO!" to her husband. Lol.

And then I thought if Elminster has a portal to Ed's house in Toronto, what if Gale and the MCIF eventually used that portal to flee to Earth for some reason? Either to escape the reach of Mystra, or maybe because their child has a condition that's treatable on Earth but not with Faerun magic/medicine ala Outlander?

Then we could have another story in the series that's a reversal of the first story's trope -- a "Faerun Character in Modern Earth" story of Gale going through culture shock while also losing his connection to the Weave and thus losing all his wizard powers AGAIN. Mmmm angsty.

This is my first time writing fanfic, I've only written a fraction of the first story so far, and I've already come up with at least three sequels I need to write too.

What.

The.

Fuck.

I now fully understand what fanfic authors mean when they cry about "the plot bunnies are multiplying."

[bloodycyrano]

What got you into dragon age? Tell me about your Hero of Fereldon. I want to hear about your grey warden. I know they all have "set backstories", but I personally like to add small details and add a little spice.

Tell me about their personality. Who did you romance? Or did you make like an OC to be perfect for them? Is there drama? Tell me the drama, I want to hear it. Nobody I know plays Dragon Age, and nobody wants to hear my rants.

Personally, I always play a Dalish elf. Because I'm native, it just kinda feels right for me. Like I can relate to the elves a lot. Even like, the city elves are essentially just put on reservations. I want to try a Dwarven playthrough, but it's really really hard for me to stray from routine. I've been a Dalish rogue main since I was 7, and Dragon age was the first game I was allowed to pick from the family video myself.

I know I usually post bg3 stuff, but the realms of Thedas are and always will be my first love, I can't break from my roots.

[amaryllis-sagitta]

DATV post-credit ("secret ending") is a Choice not only because of what it does to the world state, but because of other implications

I got my wildest crack crossover with Neon Genesis Evangelion confirmed in a way I did not expect or ask for. Pack it up, Solas, and pilot the Eva one last time, the Executors from across the seas are the SEELE. They want to complete the Thedas Instrumentallity Project and return everything to the peace and comfort of the Void. Turns out Your Mom and her Ayanami backups across the world tried as they might to push back against that incoming Devouring Storm, the renowned history nudger she was. To dance as long as music plays, one might say.

Here's the thing: Dragon Age has always had that New Age'y whiff.

In some capacity, the whole game series seems to be about the manichaean concept of the perennial war between the Light and the Darkness, though until Veilguard it has been more subdued and mostly passed on through lore. We've had the Blight as the main force of darkness that tainted the perfect realm of Light, the Old Gods as those who dwelled the Darkness, etc. In Inquisition we sang that "The Dawn Will Come". And Veilguard almost attacks us with the allegory of Light being under constant siege from the forces of Shadow, with the Black City bursting at the seams, the Blight slowly taking over the world, the Lighthouse being the last bastion against the Elvhen Gods, Shadow Dragons & Lucerni working underground and what not.

Then, there's the Fade, the quasi-platonic "repository" of thought forms, emotions, experiences and memories. The library analogy in respect with the Fade became more apparent with the introduction of The Vir Dirthara and the archive spirits. In this shape, the Fade most resembles Akashic Records, a concept brought in through Helena Blavatsky's theosophy. Then, we have Lyrium and the Titans, entities of the Sentient Magical Crystal, and its chosen Valta and Harding are enlightened to experience Oneness with their cosmic Source. There's the possibility of reincarnation made explicit in the Avvar culture and now semi-confirmed in elvhen lore. There's the undeniably Archon-y vibe of the Old Gods & Evanuris (gnostic sects), and Arlathan is basically the elven Atlantis (a myth from Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, romanticized throughout the ages). There is literally a primordial Abyss in gnostic and Hermetic writings. I haven't delved into this yet but there's also something to say about Solas/ Mythal and the gnostic Yalbadaoth/ the Demiurge, two characters directly responsible for the descent of the world from pure form into matter through an intrigue of error and moral corruption.

At first, the esoteric inspirations seemed closer to some older themes woven into the lore. It was fun to make comparisons as long as these were comparisons with texts and ideas from antiquity, or something that didn't immediately remind you of shit your neighbor might say.

In this context, consider what it looks like to learn that the inspirations for this series now reach down into the conspiracy theory bog that informs many New Age beliefs. Especially since now, in the XXIth century, New Age seems to double down on the Manichaean concept of the ongoing "spiritual war" between the Light and the Darkness. It also incorporates a lot of the XIXth century esoterical ideas with little thought of its origins or implications. And the implications are, among others, that Western esotericism has INSPIRED WHITE SUPREMACY AND CONTINUALLY HAS A THING GOING ON WITH THE FAR RIGHT.

This is not a joke. It is Not. A. Joke.

So, I'm squinting, instantly hit by the whiplash -- not because of what the Executors twist does narratively to the worldstate of the first three DA games, but because Dragon Age IP has just unabashedly announced that it wants to go there.

An important question to ask here is: in the context of all the esoterical references in the series, do we really need ideas such as

a secret cabal of elusive, risk averse, shifty entities that can get into anyone's mind and control them manipulate anyone by creating advantageous circumstances for themselves in some way*

the said cabal prevails throughout history and steers its outcomes from the shadows, and

a tease that it is now imperative for the world's heroes to disclose the said cabal and to fight it. That this might be our new duty, new cause to unite people, new adventure, new grand world-saving experience ---

[*edit: turns out I was wrong about the mind control part, and the writers explained on BSky that they purposefully chose the wording to make that faction merely "inspire" past events -- which doesn't really do much harm to my main point...]

DO WE REALLY NEED TO TEASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AS A COOL LOOK IN THIS TIME AND AGE??? Especially considering how the only people who oppose Rook's "Ghilan'nain and Elgar'nan" tinfoil speak are framed by the narrative to be unconditional assholes?

Is this their idea of an "impactful story"? Did no-one in that writing room and no-one among the executives consider this twist to be tone deaf and in extremely poor taste? Don't they see that it's now completely indefensible to claim that this is "just inspired fantasy worldbuilding" and not a social pastiche that (inadvertently???) romanticizes prevalent polarizing mythologies?

(I wrote about this in the feedback forums, so fingers crossed someone in there sees it and has fire lit under their ass.)

This is so sad, Manfred, play Komm, süsser Tod from The End of Evangelion, I need a moment in the Memorial Gardens.

[invinciblerodent]

I know this is a hardish question bc probably depends on game factors, but as it is rn you the brain sauce

Do you think Emmerich notices right away that Tristan isn’t alive in the same sense as pm everyone else? Or is he like quicker than others to notice? I assume Tristan isn’t quick to explain the full truth of his… condition.

(Sorry if I seem obsessed, bc I kinda am. I blame my adhd for the hyperfixation. Love the whole idea! )

Oh absolutely no worries babe lol, I'm just happy that you find the big fellow interesting! ❤️❤️

Have a song I've been listening to a lot over the past few days and have kinda started associating it with him-

(this, as well as "Ghost" by the same guy, very Tristan-coded to me, only this one also has that soft, deep-voiced crooning in "Orlesian" in the middle there that's. Very A+.)

I honestly feel a bit more "free" headcanoning and rambling on about this guy and this story than about anyone else, specifically because the base idea is kind of on the sillier side? Like, I feel fairly confident ~~hazarding a guess~~ that there's not going to be a subplot in the actual game about the main character needing to hide that actually, they're kind of, sort of a zombie, lol.

So while I'm intentionally keeping my girls vague (beyond "very autistic bisexual elf rights activist", "viking pirate lesbian(?) dwarf", and "tiny dommy mommy"), I'm like, fairly sure that I was gonna need to do extensive rewrites and annotations to the game to make this one work anyway, so I'm not super concerned if I end up needing to "retcon" something I think about now.

What I was thinking so far is that Tristan, as of the beginning, could count on one hand the number of people he's told about his "condition" over the past two decades, and of those people, he's not sure if there's even one still left alive. (Maybe a fellow Warden healer, someone who's patched him up enough times to catch on that something is fishy? Maybe the longest and most serious relationship of his adult life that ended tragically one way or another? I'll have to brainstorm that one)

So as a Grey Warden, Tristan spends a lot of his life traveling alone (which suits him just fine), and quite often, the preternatural survivability and even the unusually thick blood can be reasoned away with "it's a Warden thing, don't worry about it, we're all like this". Most people will believe it, and aren't very quick to jump to conclusions that shouldn't be possible.

Except maybe those who are intimately familiar with death, spirits, and the undead. And are, yknow, actual professors of the occult.

So I think it's not exactly a closely guarded secret, but one Tristan wouldn't reveal unless absolutely necessary- and for as long as possible, none of the companions would know, but Emmrich would absolutely suss him out on his own.

Regardless of whether there's been any light flirting before then, I like to kind of imagine there being a singular moment --perhaps after a hit taken too close, maybe in defense of him, when the odd, stale, almost slightly mildewy scent of Tristan's blood hits Emmrich's nose the first time-- when their eyes meet, and there's this Moment of mutual recognition. This "oh shit, I know what you are."- "oh shit, he knows what I am.".

I of course don't know, like, the particulars of his character, but from his tone in the blurbs and the short stories, I assume that if pulled aside afterwards and asked sincerely, Emmrich would be willing to keep it a secret- and that he would immediately feel intense scholarly interest.

I mean, Tristan is an anomaly: by all means, he should not exist. The undead of Thedas are created via possession, and his body has not been possessed by any spirit, and isn't being controlled by anything. He seems whole, hale, and himself (not a darkspawn, either), he breathes, eats, sleeps, heals and bleeds pretty much as normal, and the things that aren't quite normal, are still not outside of the realm of possibility: many completely normal people breathe and blink slower than average, many people prefer their meat on the rarer side, many people have troubles falling and staying asleep. Nothing about him on its own is indicative of anything strange, and yet he is intelligent undead! Just the fact that he can speak in a way that is convincingly human is incredible!

I want to believe that Emmrich (like many of us are about our blorbos) would immediately kind of be like "I want to study you under a microscope." (paraphrased ofc) (Is he the playful kind? Would he jokingly paint studying Tristan as repayment for his silence? Who knows! It's fun either way!)

And at first, Tristan would be hesitant (it's awkward, to be under such scrutiny, and to have his whole Situation upended and dissected like that, especially by someone he probably already considers somewhat intimidating, in a handsome, charming sort of way), but even if it's not suggested, he'd consider it repayment for keeping it a secret, and agree. And if I can make it work, I'd really enjoy for there to be an opportunity for a moment between the two of them that has Emmrich kind of like... "I have been around enough bodies, both dead and alive, naked and clothed, to not be affected by anything corporeal. I know flesh well, I know what lies under it, and my interest in this particular body is purely clinical, scholarly, and in no way romantic or sexual. This dimly lit office/surgery is not in any way romantic, nor does any sight of his body arouse anything in me. .......... oh, his nipples are pierced. That's not a good thing for me."

("oh, strong muscles shifting enticingly under inked skin." "oh, the big man is large in every way." etc.)

Something something hearing an otherwise abnormally sluggish heart suddenly beat faster at a touch, something something intense examination of all bodily reactions making them both feel both flayed and more naked than it should be possible, intense eye contact, oh in this kind of light his eyes do look reddish and eerie but I can't look away, and from there on I think it can kinda progress however it's going to progress in the game.

I am havign SUCH a normal time of it, man!!!!!!!

[vh-rp]

Spirits & Demons of Thedas

ORIGINS OF SPIRITS/DEMONS According to the Chantry, the spirits of the Fade are the first children of the Maker. He turned his back on them because they lacked a soul – they could twist the Fade to their liking, but lacked the ability to imagine and create, and thus emulate their creator. The Maker created a new realm, separated from the Fade by the Veil, and this realm would be one that his new children could not alter at will. These new children had the spark of the divine within them, and the Maker was pleased. Supposedly, ever since the Maker created His new children, the spirits from the Fade have watched humanity with curiosity and, in the case of the more malicious spirits, envy and desire.

The malicious ones among the Maker's first children were jealous. They called out to the mortals, drawing their sleeping minds across the Veil and saw the land that the Maker had created for them in their dreams. They coveted the spark within them, but did not understand it. They shape the Fade to create the land that they see in the minds of men, and seek to draw the spark from them without truly understanding where it might actually come from.

DESCRIPTION All the denizens of the realm beyond the Veil are spirits. Their very bodies are formed from the ether. Spirits are not physical entities and are therefore not restricted to recognizable forms (or even having a form at all), one can never tell for certain what is alive and what is merely part of the scenery. (It is therefore advisable for the inexperienced researcher to greet all objects he encounters.) They are intelligent creatures capable of speech.

It is said that spirits lack imagination and creativity; everything they make is based off something made by mortals. Whether benevolent or malevolent, most spirits cannot help but mine a Fade visitor's mind for their thoughts and memories. They then mimic the pieces of life they see by shaping the Fade into various realms that cater to the unconscious desires of the living, providing experiences to the sleeping that become their "dreams." Because of this lack of creativity, and the fact that spirits don't really understand the things they create, their creations tend to feel wrong to observers from the mortal world: One man describes it as translating a passage into a different language, then getting drunk and trying to translate it back. Spirits range in power from those who rule the dream realms to minor spirits that have little influence over the ether.

TYPES OF SPIRITS When I say "type", I mean that there are two main types of spirits—benevolent and malevolent. Benovolent spirits are often called Spirits, whereas malevolent ones are often called Demons. Within these two groups are many different spirits, many of which choose their own titles and names.

There are five widely known benevolent spirits, as far as typing goes. But these overall typings can be broken down into many different words and phrases. It's really up to you what you want your spirit to focus on. The strongest spirits on this list are Spirits of Faith and Hope. However, Spirits of Hope rarely appear in the waking world because there's not a lot of hope in a lot of people. Wisdom and Purpose are another pair of rarely encountered spirits.

Compassion Valor Faith Hope Justice

Now, when it comes to Demons, or malevolent spirits—"Spirits wish to join the living, and a demon is that wish gone wrong." — Solas Need we say more? Demons are what occur when a Spirit is warped and corrupted by a desire to join the waking world... you can read more about how spirits can become demons later.

WHAT SPIRITS CAN BECOME WHAT DEMONS? Spirits and demons are not separate entities; instead they are one and the same creature. A Spirit of Faith can become a Demon of Despair, Demon of Doubt, or Demon of Pride. We've listed a few of the common spirit-to-demon (or demon-to-spirit) changes. For anything that doesn't have a listing, use your imagination. There is no wrong or right way to have your demon or spirit change what they are! If you need help with this, talk to a staff member and see what they suggest! Or, maybe, hit up the members on the site for ideas.

Affection Anguish Anxiety: Humility Apathy: Compassion, Serenity Avarice: Generosity Awe: Fear Compassion Confidence: Pride Contempt: Love, Loyalty Conviction: Desire, Pride Curiosity: Desire, Envy Desire: Curiosity, Love, Passion, Purpose, Will Despair: Hope Diligence Doubt: Faith Effort Envy: Faith Euphoria Faith: Despair, Doubt, Pride Fear Gratitude: Envy Grief Happiness Hatred Honesty: Depravity, Pride Hope: Despair Humility: Anxiety, Loathing Hysteria: Joy, Serenity Joy: Hysteria Justice: Vengeance Kindness Loathing: Humility Love: Desire Loyalty: Contempt Mercy Passion: Desire Patience: Sloth Persistence Pride: Confidence, Faith, Will, Wisdom Rage: Valor Purpose: Desire, Sloth Remorse Sacrifice: Hunger Sloth: Composure, Patience Sorrow: Ecstasy, Joy Temperance: Sloth Terror Valor: Rage Vengeance: Justice Wisdom: Pride Worry: Faith

QUESTIONS Q: How can a spirit become a demon? A: There's many ways for this to happen, but I've listed some of the most common ones! In fact, Imshael (a Forbidden One) insists on being known as a spirit of choice, indicating he feeds off of spirits who are making difficult choices. So please be aware, there is no definitive list of spirits or demons, and no wrong way to answer the question 'what kind of spirit/demon possess your character'.

The spirit can already embody something mortals would perceive as a vice or an ambiguous concept. (Ex: Torpor, Choice) The spirit can reflect or imitate human perversions of a virtue, or possess a mortal with distorted values. (Ex: Allure, Vengeance) The spirit can oversimplify the application or fulfillment of its virtue. (Ex: Compassion) The spirit gains ego, ambition, longing, or a thirst for power. (Ex: Nightmare) The spirit can be driven insane by outside forces, particularly manifesting into the real world prematurely or against its will. (Ex: Rift demons) The spirit can be denied its original purpose, particularly through blood magic binding (Ex: Wisdom).

Credit: This page is heavily copied and paraphrased from The Dragon Age Wiki Entry, "Spirit".

[veilshield]

𝑽𝑰𝑨𝑮𝑶 𝑭𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑫 𝑯𝑰𝑴𝑺𝑬𝑳𝑭 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑰𝑹𝑺𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑶𝑵'𝑺 𝑶𝑭𝑭𝑰𝑪𝑬. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to confront the other talons for the contract that sent Lark from Treviso under a contract he wrote himself. Was it at the very least a conflict of interest? Yes, at worst, it made the Crows look disorganized. A precedence was set that there was a way out of the Crows. 

He would keep his suspicions to himself for now. Lucanis was hard to read, and he couldn't fathom what he truly thought when he had taken such a risky action. On top of dealing with his father reinstating him to the line of succession, Viago knew he walked a very thin line. 

When Lucanis presented himself, Viago's expression remained unchanged, ever stoic as he crossed his arms. 

❝ 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧. ❞ He greeted and stood when he entered the room.

 ❝ 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. ❞ 

@perditus liked for a starter with Viago~

[thedinanshiral]

Cutting through the Veil.

The Veil is a barrier between the Fade and the physical world.

The Veil is a wall between two realms of opposite natures.

The Veil is a wound inflicted upon the world by a desperate man performing a ritual that didn't work as intended.

In his desperation to seal the blighted Black City and the Evanuris he ended up sealing the entire Fade, a barrier that was meant to separate the blighted from the rest of the world ended up separating the entire Fade from the rest of the world, destroying an old empire but simultaneously defining the future of new ones, reshaping the very nature of the world itself.

Solas' lyrium dagger is a very special item. Most likely crafted from pure lyrium directly from a Titan, from the time of Titans, maybe even from the same mine we saw in Trespasser. This dagger pre-dates the end of the war, it was crafted precisely in an attempt to end it, and all it really did was sunder the Titans, sever their link to the Fade, leaving behind inert mountains and blighted dreams full of fear and anger, festering through the ages. The lyrium dagger can be used to open the Veil possibly because -all magic aside- it's the blood of Titans trying to reach their stolen dreams.

Now, the dagger was not meant to kill, not really, only incapacitate a perceived threat. The first time its blade tasted blood may have been when the Evanuris turned on Mythal and killed her with it. Thousands of years later may have passed until now. After being recovered and cleansed of the blight, the first blood the blade tasted was Varric's, a dwarf. The purest lyrium in existence in present Thedas extracted from Titans during their time got in contact with a child of the Stone's flesh and blood. I can only imagine the effect it had on Varric in his final moment. Then when it gets in contact with another dwarf it was with Harding, and I think it picked up on her pain over Varric's death, and connected her with the Stone directly. Unable to save Varric this time it saved Harding and tried to restore her, awakening her heritage long lost and forgotten.

Some people saw it coming and others were shocked to learn of Varric's fate near the end of the game, but i think not all can be pinned on Solas' manipulation. He may have taken advantage of Rook's own shock and denial, planted an illussion in their head that Varric was still around but in no way was Solas controlling said illussion. The Varric Rook kept seeing and talking with was more like a projection of their own memories of him, and their time together. And maybe, there was something more. I can't help but entertain the idea that at the time of his death, with the Veil open, in touch with pure lyrium from Titans' time, maybe Varric's spirit did enter the Fade, in some way. Solas may have manipulated Rook during most of the game but that doesn't explain how or why Varric can guide Rook in the Fade prison. To say Varric has only been Rook's imagination fueled by guilt and denial and manipulated by Solas through blood magic really doesn't explain some things Varric says that Solas would never admit to, or how Varric guides Rook in the prison OR Varric narrating the entire game all the way down to the epilogue, even after we all learn he's been dead the whole time. I get it that the narrator part is a callback to DA2 and possibly meant to also trick the player into thinking Varric survived after all but I think there's more. Knowing Varric is no more, who's the omniscient narrator that keeps spoiling stuff after every main and companion quest? A spirit perhaps? Watching everything from the Fade, inspired by one of Varric's main attributes, the storyteller one. Or maybe his own spirit survived and the dagger connected him to the Fade at the last moment..

I think the text we get with Hawke's armor at the Lighthouse, where Neve suggests we might have a friend in the Fade, may be Varric's spirit. He's granted Rook the armor Hawke wore as champion of Kirkwall -maybe just a replica- because the similarities between Rook and Hawke are undeniable, in terms of both circumstances and personality. DAV is where we got ALL the purple back, and where we got the comedy mask dialogue options back. We can have Purple Rook just like we had Purple Hawke. And Varric's last word was "Rook"; if someone's gonna be looking after a friend even after their death that would be him.

Sure, it could just be a random spirit with a helping nature, but if holding the dagger for two seconds reconnected Harding to the Stone, just try to imagine what that dagger directly to the chest of a dwarf could do, while the Veil is opened in the background.

tl:dr it's missing Varric hours and i'm coping

[exhausted-archivist]

Gotta know more about Clan Revassan Meta.

So that is one of the "as said on the tin" and it is meta of my main Inquisitor Lavellan, Isala's, birth clan.

The lore I have for them, in a tldr overview, is that they formed after a young group of warriors and a couple mages split off from their original clan due to philosophical differences. Their original clan, Clan Galifalon, was more pacifist than this particular group wanted. So, they split off to become their own clan and eventually carved out their own settlement in the Frostbacks. They are happy and thriving for a time, but as magic wanes in the clan and times get hard they venture into the low lands. Unfortunately, it is at the same time as the Fifth Blight.

It is kind of funny, I recently learned the basic structure of how Clan Ravassan ends up in the Bercillian Forest is similar to the Clan Sabrea. Who, Marethari, took the clan into the lowlands after a group of Avvar attacked the clan. Killing Marethari's husband and the previous Keeper; who we know to be Mahariel's father. This is mentioned in World of Thedas Vol. 2 and yeah, it kind of contradicts what is told in dao. But I kind of like it because it makes the scenario I had a little more plausible and I like being within the realm of plausability.

But, overall, I put the clan together as a way to explore the idea of isolationist clans, how their closed practices would affect Isala, as well as sort of tackle some darker themes I like exploring in my writing. They carry a lot of dark themes in their overall history as I write out my long fic, very different in comparison to my stuff for my other oc Clan Shalelan and my headcanons for Clan Lavellan.

I have their 150 clan members all named, laid out their history from 2:20 Glory to 9:31 Dragon. I've also laid out their relationships to others, their differing cultural practices and beliefs, as well as general bios of each character in case I want to use them for something or build another character from them.

As of right now I have the entire clan save for Isala killed in a darkspawn raid. But I'm editing and reworking parts so I might change it. They do narratively have a purpose as to why they don't survive, but I've been musing about it in terms of how to give them more... I don't have the word for it at the moment, sorry. ;A;

[felassan]

Dragon Age: "We're thrilled to announce Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe as the composers for Dragon Age: The Veilguard! To celebrate, a word from Hans Zimmer: "Epic stories lend themselves to epic scores, and the narrative tapestry BioWare has woven in The Veilguard never left me wanting for inspiration, be it during the game's moments of shining heroism or darkest emotional pitfalls. I'm proud to have shared the journey of creating the musical backdrop fro the latest Dragon Age adventure with Lorne and the entire design team." Listen to the full main theme at the link in bio/here: [link] Lorne Balfe: "The world of Dragon Age is an unprecedented immersive experience, and never more so than in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Crafting this score alongside Hans Zimmer has allowed us to bring an epic new majesty to the realm of Thedas... I cannot wait for people to play this game.”"

[source, two]

[contreparry]

Happy Friday!! A prompt for you: "“For once, this isn’t actually my fault.”" Happy writing <3

This has been an idea I’ve turned over in my head for ages, but I haven’t figured out how to go about it. So why not play with the idea in a drabble? So here’s some fairytale hijinks with Inquisitor Trevelyan and Cullen, for @dadrunkwriting !

Cullen never quite knew what to expect from his new traveling companion. He was used to traveling alone with nothing but his horse for company as he rode from town to town in the backwoods of Ferelden, taking up odd jobs and slaying demons that lurked in the shadows of the abandoned places of the world. Silence was his life, solitude his constant companion. That is, until he came across Evelyn Trevelyan in the wilderness.

She was quiet, courteous, and surprisingly useful. No matter the weather he could count on a roaring fire at camp and a handful of scavenged fruits and nuts to supplement his lean meals, which made his normally spare travels across the realm a little more luxurious. Evelyn was resourceful, and her perspective during their travels was helpful. Never mind her resources! How she made so many friends across Thedas Cullen couldn’t say, but he was grateful for her contacts. Evelyn’s friends saved their skins more times than he could count.

Speaking of help arriving from unexpected places fight- well. Who would have thought that such a tiny thing could pack such power behind her spells? Cullen swiftly learned to heed his companion’s warnings in battle, for when she screamed for him to duck a bolt of lightning or a spear of ice was sure to follow. Evelyn’s healing talents were less impressive, true, but she had a knowledge of herbal remedies that was almost frightening in its depth. One sniff of a plant and she was gone, reciting all its myriad uses as she gleefully wrestled her prizes into a leather pouch for him to store in his saddlebags.

And for all of this, his traveling companion required so little in return. She only asked for his sword in a fight, a spot on his horse as they traveled, and his companionship in the darkest hours of their journey. After all, she’d squeak cheerfully, the world isn’t very kind to a field mouse!

Not that traveling with a talking field mouse who also happened to be a Mage was all sunshine and rainbows, Cullen thought as he closed the door behind him. The inn they were staying in was peaceful, a cheerful little place with plenty of travelers and little trouble. It was where they were supposed to meet one of Evelyn’s many contacts, but the man was late. She hadn’t been concerned at first, insisting that her friend had a tendency for dramatic entrances, but as the sun fell and the fire died in the main fireplace, they had to eventually return to their room without meeting Evelyn’s “dear friend.” It was a complete waste of time, that was what this was! Cullen itched with the urge to do something, anything, that wasn’t staying in one place and waiting! But Evelyn’s friend was their best lead in their hunt for an ancient wizard whose magic had some hand in the problems that plagued the land, so he would have to be patient.

Patience was not one of Cullen’s virtues.

“For once this isn’t actually my fault,” Evelyn insisted when the door firmly shut behind them. Evelyn emerged from the hood of his cloak and clung to his shoulder for purchase. Cullen lowered his arm to rest his hand on the nightstand by the bed, and Evelyn quickly scurried down to stand by the tin candle holder and stub of a candle. Her whiskers bristled indignantly as she placed her front paws on her hips, and her tail lashed back and forth behind her like a blade.

“It’s not like him to break a promise, or an appointment. He’s ever been a dutiful writer, you know. Never late with his letters,” Evelyn fretted. Her paws took up the hem of her moss colored cloak and worried at the threads. She began to pace, almost shaking in agitation. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one who was restless here. Cullen sat down on the straw mattress in the bed and rested his forearms on his thighs. He raised his gaze to the nightstand and watched Evelyn pace and mutter. The mouse was nearly vibrating with intensity as she trekked back and forth across the nightstand, and Cullen felt his frustrations melt away in the face of Evelyn’s tumultuous emotions. He was frustrated by a wasted day, but she was concerned over the fate of her friend.

“… what could have delayed him, I wonder,” Cullen eventually mused. The wilds of Ferelden weren’t particularly kind, but if one remained on the roads it was safe enough. But safe enough wasn’t safe, and for a lone traveller on the road the dangers only multiplied.

“Weather, maybe? Maker’s Breath, if Dorian ended up drunk at some noble’s country estate I’ll strangle him myself,” Evelyn muttered, her tail whipping around as she turned on her heel. “He said he’d take better care of himself, he promised me!”

“You’re close, then?”

“Close as one can be when you haven’t met in person,” Evelyn replied. “We’ve been writing letters for nearly two years now, ever since I- hggkkghhhk!” Her chatter was abruptly cut off as some sort of invisible binding clamped down on the mouse’s throat.

It was, as far as Cullen could decipher, an unfortunate side effect of the curse she was under, one that was cast upon her by the wizard they now hunted. It was a sick thing to experiment on a helpless creature, he thought grimly as he poured a few drops of water into a clean thimble for Evelyn to drink from once her coughing fit subsided. What kind of sick bastard cursed a mouse with human speech and magic, then cursed her to keep her mouth shut about the matter? Evelyn grasped the thimble with her paws and drank greedily.

“Better?” he asked. She nodded, her expression grim.

“Blast and drat,” she muttered. “When I get my hands on that-“ Evelyn clamped her mouth shut and said no more. Cullen sighed and bent over to unlace his boots.

“Get some rest,” he advised. “Mayhaps your friend will arrive in the morning.”

“… and if he doesn’t?” Evelyn asked. Her voice was scratchy, as if the curse laid upon her injured her throat in retaliation for her defiance, and anger simmered in his gut. Damn wizards, Cullen thought as Evelyn sipped her water, her moss cloak drawn tight.

“If he doesn’t, we’ll look for him,” Cullen promised. “You said he wouldn’t be far. We can spare a day or two.” And he would. He’d find a damn week if that was what they needed in their search for the wizard that was tearing apart the Fade and cursing the unfortunate wildlife he came across in the process. Evelyn sighed and crawled into the old tin matchbox that served as her bed.

“Good night, Cullen,” she mumbled. Cullen leaned back and stared up at the smoke-stained beams that held up the ceiling. He could only imagine the scenarios running through Evelyn’s mind, situations in which her friend was in danger, or dead, or something even worse. The world was unkind, this they knew well, and if her friend’s delay wasn’t the result of some careless carousing or a natural mishap on the road… Cullen leaned over and blew out the candle on the nightstand. Those worries would have to be tomorrow’s worries. For now…

“Good night, Evelyn,” he murmured into the darkness, and he hoped that all his fears would prove unfounded in the morning.