#AND they’re both from ansburg

[ineedmyknightcommander]

am i outlining a seneschal bran/first enchanter orsino fic that takes place in the Orsino Lives™️ universe? perhaps…

[dragon-age-codex-entries]

Codex entry: A Good Marriage

“In a hold past our own, a man named Virmik Torsen was to wed a woman named Seddra Yildsdotten. They were young, and in love, and made large offerings to the gods asking for happiness. The night before their wedding, Seddra had a dream. The Lady of the Skies came to her and told her to tie her rope-knots so tightly that she and Torsen would only wed a year. She awoke troubled, but did as the Lady asked. Virmik untied only one knot, and they married a year.

The year was hard. Their bows missed game and the winter wind howled through their huts. Virmik and Seddra grew thinner. When their marriage was up, they made large offerings to the gods, this time asking for mercy. The night before the wedding, the Lady of the Skies came to Virmik in a dream and told him to untie a single knot, so he and Seddra would wed only a year. Virmik awoke sorrowing, but did as the Lady asked. He and Seddra married again for a year.

The year was long. The weather was foul and the crops were poor. Virmik and Seddra grew thinner still. When their marriage time was up, Seddra and Virmik both had a dream from the Lady of the Skies. "You asked for happiness," she said, "but I cannot give that to you. You asked for mercy, but the land will not show it. Think carefully what you ask tomorrow."

Seddra and Virmik spoke long into the night and in the morning made an offering to the gods. They asked for strength to hunt and harvest when life was good, and patience, when life was not. The year was good in some places and hard in others, but they grew to know themselves and what they could bear. They became happy, not from the gift of the gods, but from their own deeds, and lived the rest of their lives as one.”

—From Stories of the Wild South: A Collection of Tales of the Barbarian Nations of Ferelden by Lady Susanna Ashwell of Ansburg

There are notes at the bottom margin of this page, in different handwritings:

“How's a rope tell you how long you marry?”

“An Avvar groom unties knots on a rope that the bride ties for him. He's got until the end of the wedding-chant. Number of knots he unties is the number of years they're married.”

“That doesn't make any sense!”

“Sounds like a good deal to me. See if you like living with your handsome new husband or wife once the bloom's worn off. Maybe you only untie one knot or tie them tight, like in the story, if you're not sure.”

“I think it's daft.”

“I think you two nitwits should stop scribbling in the book I've got to return to the library.”

[daitranscripts]

The Wrath of Heaven Pt. 4

Very Perceptive, Varric

Wrath of Heaven Masterpost First: The Beginning Previous: The First Rift

The party leaves the now closed rift. They continue down a steep, narrow path back to the frozen river.

Solas: Demons ahead!

Varric: Glad you brought me now, Seeker?

At the bottom of the path the party fights a handful of demons. To the east is an intact cabin at the top of some stone steps. Farther along the frozen riverbed there is a burning cabin on the west side of the river. At the end of the riverbed there are some stone stairs leading up to a cave with a bonfire. Three demons are huddled around the fire. [I always expected them to do something — they never did]

Race-specific dialogue:

Human PC [1]

Dalish PC [5]

Dwarf PC [9]

Qunari PC [13]

1 - Human PC:

Varric: So I take it you’re from the Free Marches?

PC: Oh?

Varric: Accent. I’m from Kirkwall, but you’re from… further east, maybe?

Dialogue options:

General: Very perceptive. [2]

General: This is a bit strange. [3]

General: Am I being interrogated? [4]

[Don’t respond.] Cassandra: There’s no point in asking, Varric. [17]

2 - General: Very perceptive. PC: That’s quite the ear you have. Varric: I’m all kinds of impressive. Cassandra: (Derisive snort.) [17]

3 - General: This is a bit strange. PC: You just… listening to me talk feels odd. Varric: Ansburg? Ostwick? This is going to bother me. [17]

4 - General: Am I being interrogated? PC: Is this another kind of interrogation? Varric: Oh, I’m sure Cassandra has done plenty of that. [17]

5 - Dalish PC:

Solas: You are Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here?

PC: What do you know of the Dalish?

Solas: I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion.

Dialogue options:

General: They’re your people, too. [6]

General: “Crossed paths”? [7]

General: Then you know to be wary. [8]

[Don’t respond] Solas: It is silence then. As you wish. [17]

6 - General: They’re your people, too. PC: We are both of the same people, Solas. Solas: The Dalish I met felt… differently on the subject. Varric: Can’t you elves just play nice for once? [17]

7 - General: “Crossed paths”? PC: What do you mean by “crossed paths”? Solas: I mean that I offered to share knowledge, only to be attacked for no greater reason than their superstition. Varric: Can’t you elves just play nice for once? [17]

8 - General: Then you know to be wary. PC: Then you know us well enough to be careful. Solas: Well enough to be suspicious. Varric: Can’t you elves just play nice for once?[17]

9 - Dwarf PC:

Varric: So, let me guess: Fellow surface dwarf, maybe part of the Carta?

PC: What makes you say that?

Varric: I can tell a proper Orzammar dwarf from twenty paces. Also, you have that shifty-smuggler look to you.

Dialogue options:

General: Very perceptive. [10]

General: So do you. [11]

General: I’m no criminal. [12]

[Don’t respond.] Varric: I’ll take that as a yes. I’m so pleased. [17]

10 - General: Very perceptive. PC: You have keen eyes. Cassandra: And an enormous mouth. Varric: And clever hands. It’s all part of my charm. [17]

11 - General: So do you. PC: I’m not the only one with a shifty-smuggler look. Cassandra: Varric did not destroy the Conclave. Varric: That you know of. We shifty-smuggler types can be tricky. [17]

12 - General: I’m no criminal. PC: Are you calling me a criminal? Cassandra: You are a criminal. Varric: Now, now—nothing wrong with being a criminal. Keeps the guards in business. [17]

13 - Qunari PC:

Varric: We had Qunari in Kirkwall. A whole boatload of them. They were your typical cheerless sort. Then they tried to take over the city and kill everyone. But I’m guessing you don’t actually follow the Qun, do you? You’re Tal-Vashoth.

Dialogue options:

General: That’s perceptive. [14]

General: Worried I’ll convert you? [15]

General: How did you know? [16]

[Don’t respond] Varric: Seems you’re as talkative as the rest of your kind, though. [17]

14 - General: That’s perceptive. PC: That’s an excellent guess. Varric: Well, you haven’t recited a single quote from the Prophet Koslun yet. So unless you’re trying to stay on the Seeker’s good side, I’d say that’s pretty telling. [17]

15 - General: Worried I’ll convert you? PC: Afraid I’ll try to convert you to the Qun? Varric: Well, you haven’t recited a single quote from the Prophet Koslun yet. So unless you’re trying to stay on the Seeker’s good side, I’d say that’s pretty telling. [17]

16 - General: How did you know? PC:  Surprising you can tell something like that. Varric: Well, you haven’t recited a single quote from the Prophet Koslun yet. So unless you’re trying to stay on the Seeker’s good side, I’d say that’s pretty telling. [17]

17 - Scene continues:

The mark on the PC’s hand flares.

PC: (Grunts.) or (Breathes sharply.)

Cassandra: Hold on. We haven’t much further.

Cassandra: I know it’s difficult, but we must keep moving.

Solas: We must hurry, before the mark consumes [them].

Solas: My magic cannot stop the mark from growing further. For your sake, I suggest we hurry.

Varric: Shit, are you alright?

Varric: Are you doing alright?

Varric: That… didn’t sound good.

The party climbs the wide stone stairs to the north.

Varric: So… are you innocent?

PC: I don’t remember what happened.

Varric: That’ll get you every time. Should have spun a story.

Cassandra: That’s what you would have done.

Varric: It’s more believable, and less prone to result in premature execution.

The party climbs the narrow winding stone stairs, and at the top they encounter more demons.

Cassandra: I hope Leliana made it through all this.

Varric: She’s resourceful, Seeker.

Solas: We will see for ourselves at the forward camp. We’re almost there.

They continue along the path up the hill. Along the way are more corpses and burning wagons. They encounter another fade rift outside a gate.

Cassandra: Another rift!

Solas: We must seal it, quickly!

Soldier: They keep coming! Help us!

The party fights more demons.

Solas: Hurry! Use the mark!

The PC closes the rift.

Cassandra: The rift is gone! Open the gate!

Soldier: Right away, Lady Cassandra!

Solas: We are clear for the moment. Well done.

Varric: Whatever that thing on your hand is, it’s useful.

They go through the gate into the forward camp.

Next: The Forward Camp

[galadrieljones]

Inquisitor as a Companion!

I was tagged to do this a long time ago, and I can no longer remember who the tag was from. Anyway, it’s finished! And it was SUPER fun to write. Thank you for the tag, whoever you are <3

Inquisitor’s Name: Revasan Lavellan Race / Class / Specialisation: Dalish Elf/Warrior/Two-handed Gender Identity: Male

Varric’s Nickname for them: The Farmer, The Psychopath

Short bio: Revasan Lavellan is the Archivist and First of Clan Lavellan out of Ansburg, the Free Marches. Raised on a wealthy, isolated compound of Dalish farmers, distillers, and liquor distributors, Revasan is highly intelligent and possesses a shrewd business acumen. A historian and explorer in his blood, he speaks ancient elvhen and, in his younger days, used to dive elvhen ruins for the purposes o his research. He is thirty-eight years old, has been married to his wife Rasha for twenty years, and has one daughter, Sene, who is Clan Lavellan’s head huntress and #2 shit-talker (after Revasan of course). He drinks a lot of whiskey and is a heavy smoker of both tobacco and elfroot. He is highly assertive and an extrovert with a hidden compassion beneath his immediate bluster and high factor of intimidation.

What would their companion card look like? Probably him smoking, looking away and holding a glowing gold coin. But he’s not holding it toward the viewer. He’s holding it close to him. Behind him will be stacks of barrels, as if he is standing in a distillery. One of the barrels will be on fire.

Recruitment mission: “The Inquisition needs researchers,” says Josephine. With the Breach in full effect, and Solas busy in the field, it’s important to fill out the ranks with credible scholars who can dedicate a large amount of time and mental resources to the sussing out of what the fuck is going on. The Inquisition also needs deep pockets, and it needs…interesting connections sure to be untapped by the greedy hands of Orlesian and Fereldan nobility.

Cue Varric, sighing deeply, who suggests, with hesitance, that they get in touch with the Lavellans (aka the “booze elves of Ansburg,” lots of money, lots of power). “Revasan Lavellan is a good guy,” he says, sort of like he can’t believe he’s suggesting it. “He’s a bit of a psycho, but a good guy. He’s smart, well-connected, and brave as all hell. Not to mention, rich and an elf. He’d be a valuable asset to any rogue fledgling organization like the Inquisition…if you can stomach his particular eccentricities.” He is a diplomat’s dream. Josephine and the Inquisitor both jump at the prospect.

To recruit Revasan, the Inquisitor must travel to the Hanged Man tavern of Kirkwall, where he can be found chain smoking, playing cards with a table of surface Dwarves, swearing obscenely, and a little drunk. Just before approaching him, a couple of bad characters enter the bar and start harassing the lady barkeep, demanding free booze or they’ll start shit. Revasan casually dips his cigarette, summons them into the open, and beats the living shit out of them both. The Inquisitor is welcome to assist, but Rev needs little assistance. “He’s smart and he can navigate his way through a bar fight,” says the Inquisitor, fully enamored.

Revasan will initially be suspicious and highly questioning of any Inquisitor, regardless of race. He will use his influence and appear somewhat aloof, but it is clear he trusts Varric, who is a very old friend. He will be most trusting of a Dwarven Inquisitor, most curious toward a Qunari, dismissive of a Dalish Inquisitor (a total power play), and make merciless good fun of any Andrastian human. If Solas is in the party, he’ll comment on how he doesn’t look or seem like any elf he’s ever met. If Varric is in the party, he’ll invite him to a drink and refuse to speak to the Inquisitor until after the drink is finished.

Where they would be in Skyhold / Haven: In Haven, you’d find him in the Chantry, hanging out in the open, near Vivienne. In Skyhold, he’d be in the library, reading, smoking, and disheveled. Sometimes, his wife will be there with him. But for any personal quests, the Inquisitor will typically find him in the Herald’s Rest.

Personal quests:

Quest 1: The Redheaded Boon, in which you must bring his wife and daughter safely to Skyhold. They’re feisty! And Sene is prone to disappearance. Watch out!

Quest 2: Fucking Idiot, in which you must use Inquisition influence to get his brother Ellas out of jail in Highever. Ellas is a bit of a loose canon. This will require some…diplomacy.

Quest 3: The Farmer’s Errand. Assist Keeper Deshanna Lavellan in the successful purchase of 300 acres of fertile farmland in the Coastlands of Ferelden. You want a financial investment from the Lavellans? There are strings, Pinocchio.

How to get their approval: Be honest, even if it gets you into trouble or earns the disapproval of others. Even if he disagrees with your choice, he will still approve of your actions as long as you take them because you believe in them. Also, any casual assistance of Dalish elves or working class people who are generally struggling, he approves. He approves of chivalry and an honorable code. He approves of intellectual curiosity as well, a little like Solas. He approves if you listen to him and hang out with him, because he’s an extrovert, but he would also like you to share information about yourself with him as well. He needs to know that he can trust you.

How to get their disapproval: Basically, if you are trying to curry favor with someone (ie: another companion), and you let this cloud your choices, he’ll disapprove. If you lie to him, he’ll disapprove. (He always knows.) He’ll disapprove of power-hungry Inquisitors and refuse to work with them if their belligerence tips over into greed. He’ll disapprove of narrow-mindedness, even though he, himself, can be somewhat narrow-minded. He’ll disapprove if you tell him he should stop drinking/smoking for any reason. He’ll see this as sort of foolish pettiness and a power play that cannot be won. He’ll disapprove of poor moral fiber and any curbing of moral boundaries to take the “easy” way out. He will disapprove if you exile the Wardens. He distrusts the Wardens, but his wife trusts them, and her whole family died in the Fifth Blight, and she feels safer with them around. He will also leave the Inquisition permanently if the Inquisitor slays the Sentinels at the Temple of Mythal. ALSO: If the Inquisitor fails to speak to Revasan and/or to complete his first personal quest while at Haven, he will greatly disapprove the first time you approach him at Skyhold. He’ll tell you that he will be unavailable to help any further until his wife and daughter are safely in his midst.

Are they romanceable? No. His wife would be a secondary character who you would be able to talk to and interact with at Skyhold. So would his daughter. Can you have sex with them? No. Are they open to polyamoury? No. If they can be romanced and are not, will they begin a relationship / relationships with other character(s)? If so, who? No, but if the Inquisitor does NOT romance Solas, Solas will end up in a relationship with Revasan’s daughter Sene. This will greatly impact his opinion of Solas at the end of Trespasser.

Who are they friendly with? Solas, Cassandra, Sera, and Vivienne.

Who do they dislike? No one really? He will secretly distrust Blackwall and question him constantly, but once Blackwall comes clean, he will forgive him, because he believes that it was a difficult decision to make, and that his bravery in coming clean means he has strong integrity as a man.

Companion card changes: (use a text descrip. if you have no images)

Loyalty: A family portrait in which Revasan is standing between his red-headed wife and red-headed daughter. He will be holding a glass of whiskey out to you, the viewer, as if to toast. Vines will be crawling all over in the background to imply your connection to a great tradition of Dalish farmers.

Romance: (if any) N/A

Side Missions: (eg: fetch / gather / kill quests) He’ll ask you to collect a lot of Royal Elfroot. He will demand to meet with prominent Dalish clans in every appropriate region. In Trespasser, he will be very interested in collecting ancient texts from the ruins in the Crossroads. If there is a bar in the village where you’re at, he’ll want to go there and will disapprove if you don’t.

Opinions on mages / templars / how the world is going to shit? Rev doesn’t care for the Chantry, but he knows how to deal with them. The Lavellan clan has no mages, and so they have worked closely with the Templars for protection ever since the Mage Rebellion in Kirkwall. He distrusts magic because he does not know it, but he is quick to come around and approves of an alliance with the mages, if only because he finds it to be a real fucking problem that there’s a Tevinter magister who thinks he as any right to any faction in Ferelden.

Something guaranteed to make them leave the party: As earlier stated, he will permanently leave the Inquisition if the Inquisitor orders the slaying of the Sentinels at the Temple of Mythal. If this happens, the Inquisition will receive a major financial blow by losing the support of the Lavellens, forcing them to seek more corrupt means of funding for their operation. This will color the Inquisition’s reputation at the Exalted Council and make things significantly more difficult for Josephine.

Special Events:

Imprisoned at Redcliffe: How is your Inquisitor holding up in Redcliffe, being slowly infected with red lyrium over the course of a year? He’s not there. He’s not alive. If Solas, Vivienne, or Cassandra are in the party, they will explain that Revasan took his own life after learning that his family was murdered by demons. You will have the choice of telling this to him or not when you return to Skyhold. If you tell him, he will become sad but approve of your honesty. If you don’t, he will know you’re lying, disapprove, and this will persuade you to tell him anyway. Sorry, he’s kind of impossible.

At the Winter Palace: Does your Inquisitor enjoy the party, any special events with them at the Palace? Revasan will be hanging out with Solas. They can often be seen discussing something privately. They will cease their discussion when then inquisitor approaches, so you never quite get to hear what it is; however, once in earshot, one can briefly overhear Revasan bitching about the total lack of elves who aren’t servants or working class in Halamshiral.

In the Fade: Your Inquisitor’s reaction upon entering the Fade? Archdemon’s taunt, and Inquisitor’s response? Epitaph on their grave? Revasan would react with utter incredulity upon first entering the Fade. He will be terrified and this will manifest as anger. However, once he realizes he can manipulate and control his surroundings, he calms down, becomes deeply interested in any scientific and magical explanations for what is going on, and at some point professes he would like to stay for at least six months to conduct research. He will volunteer to stay behind and fight the Fear Demon, but the Inquisitor will swiftly dismiss his request.

Trespasser: What is your Inquisitor up to two years after Corypheus’ defeat? Any special events with them over the events of Trespasser? Revasan will have gone back to Ansburg to his clan’s farm after the defeat of Corypheus, but it is revealed that he has spent much of the past two years working secretly with Leliana to try and track down Solas. If the Inquisitor romanced Solas, she will be aware of this, and dialogue options will reveal whether the Inquisitor has been aiding Revasan in his search or disapproving. If the Inquisitor did not romance Solas, and Solas had been in a relationship with Revasan’s daughter, Revasan will become angry when discussing his private work with Leliana. He will mention that the only reason he is looking for Solas is so that he can beat the living shit out of him for breaking his daughter’s heart.

If Revasan is in the Inquisitor’s party at the Darvaarad, he will act strangely and become stand-offish. The reason for this will remain forever unclear unless the Inquisitor collects all manner of proof that Solas is Fen’Harel. In that case, a cut scene will trigger before entering the final battle sequence in which Revasan draws his sword and says, “Solas isn’t an agent of anything. He is Fen’Harel, and you know it. Don’t you?” The Inquisitor will seem troubled by his honesty, but there will not be enough time to respond before the fighting begins.

Other Major Events: Any other major events that happen with them over the course of the main game? Revasan has a unique relationship with Solas that develops organically throughout the game. Their banter in the field implies that they spend a great deal of time together off-screen and are very good friends. His sense of betrayal at the beginning of Trespasser will be palpable. He will, however, greatly approve when a solas-mancing Inquisitor proclaims that she most go after Solas to protect him from the Viddasala. He approves not because he approves of their relationship, but because it means he may be given the chance to confront Solas one last time (and beat the shit out of him).

tags for @thevikingwoman @wrenbee @buttsonthebeach @ladylike-foxes @ithun @ellstersmash @ocean-in-my-rebel-soul @kaoruyogi and anyone else!! Please tag me if you do!!

[aldmerii-blog]

oc interview ~

hey laurel @henantier​ did this and I Don’t Feel Like Doing Work so. 

It’s Matilda Time. 

What is your name? “I’m Matilda.”

What is your real name? “Great question. I’m Matilda, certainly. People called me Talarin because that was my mother’s surname, and my mother was well-known in the alienage. Now, as an adult, I sometimes tack on Enansal’s surname. So we’ll say it’s Matilda Talarin-Lavellan.”

Do you know why you were called that? “I do! When my mother, Eola, and Enansal eloped together, they lived in Kirkwall’s Darktown. Matilda was the name of the midwife who delivered me. She could tell that my parents didn’t have much money to pay her, so she didn’t ask for any money. And my parents were both so grateful to her that they named me after her, that I might inherit her generous spirit. This according to Enan.” 

Are you single or taken? “Ah, a simple question with a complex answer.” 

Have any abilities or powers? "I have a certain talent with healing. Fleeing Kirkwall was rather a trial by fire for those particular skills, with so many needing medical attention and so few people to provide it.”

Stop being a Mary Sue. "A -- what?”

What’s your eye colour? “Blue. I once had a boy in the Circle tell me that he spent so much time with me because he missed the sky and my eyes reminded me of it. It made me blush at the time.” 

How about your hair colour? "Ginger.”

Have you any family members? "My mother, Eola, and my father, Enansal. They’re no longer together.” 

Oh? What about pets? “We were never allowed pets in the Circle, and I simply haven’t had the stability an animal needs since then. But when I settle down with a family, most certainly.”

That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like. "Of course I hate the Circle, and templars, and the Chantry. But I hate people who act like every refusal to accept abuse is out of line. Who make neutrality their position, instead of seeing injustice and standing against it. Also, the taste of basil.” 

Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing? "I really enjoy baking. One of the nice things about being on the run is that I’ve gotten to observe different kinds of food. Orlais is terrible, but they do know what they’re doing when it comes to pastries.” 

Ever hurt anyone before? “Oh, sadly, yes. Only in self defense.” 

Ever… killed anyone before? "Again, only in self defense. I don’t relish it. Well -- once. It was still a situation where he would have killed me if I hadn’t killed him first, but I greatly enjoyed it.” 

What kind of animal are you? “What a peculiar question. Perhaps a rabbit.” 

Name your worst habits. "I -- ah. I can be vicious. I tend not to trust people’s intentions and have more than once latched onto something someone said and used it to discredit them when doing so was wholly unnecessary.” 

Do you look up to anyone at all? "Orsino. He was brave, you know. I don’t think most people know that. And he cared about his people so, so deeply. Every time a new mage was dragged away from their family and would sit and cry for their mother -- he never said how much that pained him, but you could tell. He was desperate in the end, but I still try to be as clever and cautious as he was.” 

Gay, straight, or bisexual? "I’ve been attracted to women before, but I’ve only ever been intimate with men. What does that make me?”

Do you go to school? "I did, I suppose? The Circle was a prison, but it was a place of learning beneath that.” 

Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day? “Oh, yes, very much so. I only had three apprentices by the time the Circles rebelled, but they were bright points in my time there.”

Do you have any fanboys/fangirls? “I wouldn’t call them that. I know some among the rebels admire me greatly.”

What are you most afraid of? “Oh -- hm. I’m afraid of being mislead. I don’t give my trust freely, but there’s always a chance someone could slip through. I’m afraid of being abandoned. I’m afraid of people getting hurt because of me. And templars.” 

What do you usually wear? "When I’m working, cotton prairie dresses and an apron. Otherwise, I like long flowy dresses. How eloquent of me. I know I should try wearing pants -- you know, express my freedom from the Circle -- but I just can’t stand the feeling.” 

Do you love someone? “Desperately.” 

When was the last time you wet yourself? "I don’t recall.”

Well, it’s not over yet! "Take your time.” 

What class are you? (High class, middle class, low class) "High class, I suppose. I don’t labor for what I own, and I want for nothing. I try to live modestly, but I could easily live decadently.” 

How many friends do you have? "Oh, a few. I think more people consider me their friend than I consider them my friend. Lysas, an elf among the rebel mages, is a dear friend. There’s Ser Margot, a knight from Highever. Queen Rosanna of Fereldan. Marian Hawke.”

What are your thoughts on pie? "All-butter crusts are best. A benefit of magic is that I can knead the dough without melting the butter. And I love all sorts of pie -- apple, peach, and strawberry-rhubarb are my favorites.”

Favourite drink? “I usually flavor water with fruit juice. Dragonfruit is a favorite.” 

What’s your favourite place? “I have a cottage near Ansburg. It’s quiet and safe.” 

Are you interested in someone? “’Interested’ is an insult to my feelings about him.”

What’s your bra cup size and/or how big is your willy? “Oh -- uh. Suffice it to say I’m not particularly well-endowed.” 

Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean? “Lake. I’ve gone swimming in Lake Calenhad more times than I can count.” 

What’s your type? “Tall, kind, erudite sorts. I tend toward other elves.” 

Any fetishes? "I wouldn’t know. I don’t like being hurt or made to feel inferior, if that’s what you mean.” 

Seme or uke? Top or Bottom? Dominant or Submissive? “Ah. Hm. Uke, bottom, submissive. Not overly so. I just don’t know what I’m doing or what I like and it’s nice to have someone I trust make those decisions for me.” 

Camping or indoors? "Indoors, I suppose. I like being outside but being in the wilderness scares me.” 

Are you wanting the interview to end?! "I’ve taken up enough of your time, surely?”

Now it’s over! “Thank you so very much.” 

[impossible-rat-babies]

Writing Snippet #13

—

Antiva City—9:33 Dragon

The musty air hung heavy with the smells of tobacco smoke and liquor, the smoke making lazy paths across the large wooden ceiling beams overhead. The only thing more dominating than that was the nearly unbearably loud combination of tavern music, drunken conversation and inevitable bellowing from the drunken patrons. All taverns were the same, no matter where one went. From Starkhaven to Ansburg—even places deep in the seedy parts of Antiva City—all had the same feel. The booze was cheap, the people numorous...and the perfect places to hide and make money. No one cared who you were in backwater places which made for easy money when it came to cheating at cards games and card tricks.

And Darva Lavellan was good at both.

He swung back another shot of some Antivan whiskey and he twitched his hands, his ears wiggling under his hood before he sneezed. The cinnamon always made his nose runny...

The bartender came up and looked between him and his cup before Darva shook his head. Two was enough for one night. He passed two silver off to the bartender with a flick of his wrist and the man expertly tucked the coins into a secret pouch inside his shirt before he slinked off to his paying customers. Not like Darva wasn’t paying for a room upstairs, but drinks got rid of their money faster and two was enough for Darva.

Darva cleared his throat, turning in his seat at the bar to look around at the tavern. A few bar maids passed between tables, refilling drinks for the men who seemed to frequent this place after their work. Many had strong arms and big booming laughs; ones that could shake the whole establishment. And a whole crowd of them to boot Dock workers or labors coming for a drink after work, Darva would’ve ventured a guess. He couldn’t see their hands from here, but he bet they were calloused.

Another group sat not too far away, keeping quietly to themselves; he hadn’t seen them in here before. By their cloaks and solidarity, they were probably a merc group stopped for the night. Would probably move on the in the morning to find work elsewhere. Darva couldn’t say who would be hiring mercs in the seedy underbelly of Antiva city. More likely to hire a thief than anything else.

Small groups and singles decorated the other old mismatched furniture, keeping to themselves or talking to each other. It only added to the loud din of the establishment. But next to the men was a minstrel not too far off; he had a lute strapped to his chest that he happily strummed upon and a small set of pan pipes dangled from a string upon his chest to play at will. He sang happily about something or another that the patrons nearest to him seeemed to be enjoying. It was pleasant enough from what Darva could hear over the other tavern sounds.

Another hoot and holler rose from the men as a tankcard slammed on the table, rattling the whole of ensemble of drinks and food atop the table. They were going to leave a mess, that was for sure.

One of them called for another round from a waitress and Darva watched her bring the drinks back around, setting each one down as she maneuvered from wandering hands. Smart girl...or perhaps more practical.

Called herself Talia if Darva remembered right. She’d asked him what he was looking for when he came downstairs and he’d playfully teased about looking for her. She’d blown him off with a roll of her eyes and a smile meaning she knew he wasn’t serious. He’d given her a grin back from under his hood; a kinship started, as one would say.

He still watched her and he paused tapping his foot to the rhythm of the music when one of the men grasped her wrist and held fast. He raised an eyebrow, but lowered it as she expertly twisted her grasp from his hold. He was getting too drunk to hold his liquor, much less anything else. He caught Talia’s gaze once she finished and she wandered over to him, ducking in and out of other bustling patrons. He turned as she tucked herself between him and the patron on the stool beside him. Her waist pressed against the sides of his knees tucked close to the bar and he could’ve easily reached out and touched her from their close proximity.

“You watching me now, elf?” Talia asked and he grinned from under the hood. At this vantage point, he sat higher than she stood, so she had full view under his hood at all the tattoos that decorated his face and the shape of his ears tucked back. But from this close he could see the sharp look to her golden brown eyes and the sharp turn of her nose that meant it had been broken before.

She could more than handle herself, that was for sure.That and the two knives tucked into her bra and along her bodice would do the trick.

“Would that be too presumptuous of me?” He asked and she laughed, the sound lost to anyone else in the bar but the two of them. The volume saw to that concern.

“Only if you were too drunk to defend my honor should it come to that.” She spoke in a mocking drawl and it was Darva’s turn to laugh.

“I am not too drunk to defend your honor, Talia. But it looks like you’re capable of taking care of yourself.” He told her with a genuine smile and her lips twisted into a smirk, her bright blue eyes searching his green ones inquisitively.

“I like you, boy.” She told him and he let out a soft chuckle.

“Most folks do. Now,” He waved his hand, “don’t hesistate if those men give you more trouble than they’re worth to you.” He told her before he sat back and she scooted away.

He returned his gaze to the bar, idly watching the patrons scurry in and out of each other’s way like some elaborate dance timed to the minstrels song. He watched and listened as the time wore on, groups and people moving like the tide through the tavern’s doors. The mercs moved upstairs, but were soon replaced by another group who looked much less shady. Merchants it would seem—local traders who had just enough coin for a drink each night. He spied several dwarves huddling in a corner at one point, whispering to each other. Some illegal matter, no doubt. Lyrium was to be traded or someone would die tonight; both not unusual. Darva swore he saw an escaped mage at one point if the bright purple and blue of the robe hidden under the cloak was any indication. But they didn’t stay for long; either a lack of money or something else threw them off. Probably the whispering dwarves.

Or more likely the laborers who showed no signs of leaving soon. They continued to get more and more drunk and continued to eat and eat. It must’ve been some sort of celebration if Darva could guess. He watched Talia serve them round after round, dodging each and every touch from the men each time. It seemed some were turning it into a game of sorts: who could catch the pretty bar maid. He watched her put on a smile as they grabbed for her, but Darva knew better. But, she never ventured a pleading gaze his way to say she needed help.

All until the next round she passed around the table.

She deposited the last tankard upon the table when she was snatched up around the waist and pulled into one of the men’s laps. She tried to slink out of his touch her own ways, but he still held fast. Darva could see her asking for him to let her go and it only made them laugh. He watched as the man held her close and even grossly snuggle against her, pulling her tight. He tapped his toes against the rung on his stool, watching carefully as she looked towards him.

It was brief, but he saw the flash for help in her eyes.

He quickly stood and snuck through the people, not taking long to reach the table.

“Excuse me, good sir.” He spoke clearly from under his hood and the man turned sharply to face him, raising one drunken eyebrow. “I am very sorry to disturb you, but it would seem you would be most interested in a card trick or two. I am quite gifted in such matters of fancy finger work and you seem like a man to fancy such things, hm?” Darva spoke quickly to the drunken man and he seemed to only be getting half of the words.

“Would anyone else be interested?” He asked the table and he received a few nods of confusion and agreement. He grinned from under his hood and pulled his cards from his pack.

“Now, these are card tricks and such they require a little...added fun. Money as one could say; betting as a fancy man would say.” Darva spoke as he brushed aside various tankards and plates to make room at the center of the table. Darva carefully, but quickly explained the rules of the game to the men, quickly gazing about the table to spy on Talia. The drunken man holding her seemed to grow more enraptured with each second he spoke to them, thus his grip on Talia loosened more and more. She would be able to get out on her own in no time.

He continued going, cajoling the men into opening their coin pouches to throw in for a game or two. Darva carefully watched the men and his own spread of cards, making sure each trick was working out as it should. It wasn’t hard to run cons on very drunk men and to milk their coin from them either. Blurry eyes made for simple hand work. Darva flipped and showed off his cards with a flourish over and over to reveal it was not the correct one each time. Each time the table protested as Darva collected their coins into his own pouch. Darva laughed as the men guessed and poked at what trick it could be and why they were losing so much, but they still kept playing.

Once the fun had worn out—and it never took long for it to run out on drunk men—Darva played the last hand that was once again a jest. The men yelled and protested, some calling for another round as he gathered up his cards and shuffled them, tucking the cards he’d be hiding and trading out in his shirt sleeves back into the deck where they belonged.

“Now, now settle down.” He spoke with a smile in his voice that seemed to calm the men. “You men still have a tab that needs paid; wouldn’t want to waste all of your money only to realize you’ll be paying off a debt to this tavern? What would your wives back home think of you?” He asked them, the astonishment in his tone enough to get their drunken minds thinking and talking amongst themselves. Darva took the chance and he slinked away from them and back to his seat....

Where Talia had planted herself, her arms crossed and shaking her head.

“You sure live up to the stereotype of a fast talking elf.” She spoke as he approached and he chuckled softly, pulling his hood back from his face completely. His ears wiggled a tiny bit and he ran his fingers through his hair.

“I have a standard to live up to, my dear.” He told her with a gracious wave of his hand and she giggled, turning the stool as he squeezed next to her.

“Oh, what prize does my dearest savior desire now?” She asked him expectantly and he scoffed.

“Now Talia....I only gave you the opportunity to slink away.” He spoke as he messed with the coin pouch out of sight of her. “But you made a good com possible. So....” Darva took Talia’s hand in his own, slipping half a dozen coins into her palm that he closed tightly. He gave her a brief smile and a nod of the head before he turned to slink into the crowd of the bar, disappear up the stairs.

Talia watched him go before she carefully looked down at the coins in her hand. Sure enough, seven good pieces were pressed into her hands. She clicked her tongue and tucked the coins into her shirt, adjusting herself. She raised an eyebrow as she felt something new pressing against the side of her breast. She carefully reached down, pulling a single playing card from her shirt.

A joker, in fact.

She flipped the card over, finding no other decerning marks upon the card. She snorted and shook her, but nonetheless tucked the card back where she had found it.

What a scoundrel.

[rattrunner]

@valorcorrupt replied to your post

The Marchers attack Wycome in game and that’s how they get elves on the council but ye the Free Marches are less bad than the others generally I didn’t mean to be a jerk I’m sorry

That’s specifically wycomme and it’s ALSO being specifically manipulated by one lord tho. The Free Marches are more complicated to conceptualize the plight of elves on a whole because they’re independent city states instead of one country. There’s also the influx of slaves both elven and human fleeing tevinter to take into consideration, which before the Blight made up the majority of the Marches refugees.

Basically it’s much harder to say ‘The Marchers’ than it is to say ‘The Orlesians’ because unlike Orlais the Marchers are at best a loose coalition of allies in times of war and at worst just closely settled trade partners. Culture and the quality of living vary much more than in say the regions of Orlais and Ferelden. Hell, that’s even something that Marchers will brag about, their comparative smaller scale governments giving them more rights and freedoms than the empires and kingdoms around them.

We don’t get a lot of information of how the elves are treated beyond Wycomme, though there are some inferences that can be made from Dragon Age 2 that the alienages there are at least safer than Denerims in terms of outright abuse from city officials. I would guess Starkhaven may have been in a similar situation before the Vael massacre which led to it’s crackdown on petty crime, which likely would have affected elves disproportionately.

The status of any other cities would then be speculation, though i’d wager that those like ansburg which of primarily agricultural hubs might be better.

Can you tell I care way too much about the Free Marches? Because I do.

[theodosiani-blog]

|| OOC ||

Now that it’s not like 1 am and I’m not super tired lemme write a little about Alla’s husband, Iggy.

He’s one of the nobles that Leandra arranged a potential marriage meeting with. He comes from a distinguished family with ties to Markham and Ostwick but as the second son he isn’t set to inherit much.

They meet during act 2 and while Alla politely declines his marriage proposal then they do still stay in contact. Occasionally Leandra teases her about it but Alla insists they are only friends. Alla joins his family for tea on occasion, usually when she’s injured between quests and physically can’t go out on more.

Iggy falls for Alla at some point in act 2, he isn’t exactly subtle about it and he’s very quietly courting her but Alla was mostly oblivious to that.

When Leandra passes away Iggy sees Alla once at her funeral/memorial service then doesn’t see her again until he managed to talk Bodahn into letting him see her when she was layed up for a month after her fight with the arishok.

He visits her nearly every day after the first visit, even if Alla really only remembers a handful of them due to being either faint or feverish for the majority of the month before she begins to recover.

Even after Alla is up and moving again Iggy continues to be a daily face in the estate to the point that he’s practically moved in. Sometime in the middle of act 3 Iggy proposes to All for a second time and she tentatively accepts. They’re engaged for a few months before they quietly elope in a small ceremony. Her companions are invited to the wedding, Carver is not though he does receive a letter informing him that Alla has gotten married.

Alla does her best to explain to Iggy why they can’t be entirely open about their relationship, given the number of enemies she has and her lack of faith that the title of champion will do anything to protect them.

They are a very happy couple but they did rush into marriage with both of them neglecting to consider the magnitude of a decision they made. Alla, not quite realizing the expectations that Iggy had of her and the same for Iggy understanding what Alla expected of him.

When they flee Kirkwall there is a lot of tension between the two of them.. With it finally settling in for Iggy just what he got into when he married a (in)famous apostate and Alla having to accept the limitations that Iggy has as a civilian with no experience of being on the run. Once they settle in a small village outside ansburg tensions subside but it was a trying time that nearly ended their relationship.

[blazichu]

Inquisitor as a Companion Meme Variation from Oatscarwilde

Inquisitor’s Name: Ashkost Adaar/Ashkost Meraad Race / Class / Specialisation: Kossith, mage, shapeshifter Gender Identity: Female

Varric’s Nickname for them: Cinders

Short bio: A Kossith apostate from the Free Marches. She grew up on the border between the Marches and Antiva in a little house in the Green Dales, with her three parents, sister and godfather/honorary uncle. One of her mothers, her father and uncle were Tal-Vashoth, and her other mother was a Vashoth. She and her sister learned magic from one of their mothers and uncle, and enjoyed occasional visits to Ansburg or Seleny. During one such visit, Ashkost met and, subsequently, covered for the head of the Katoh Antaam Mercenary Company, Parshaara. With a few years, she would join the company.

Though they operated in the Free Marches for years, they eventually migrated south in The First Battle of Kirkwall’s wake, as tensions against Kossith were on the rise. They were hired by a Chantry official to help keep the Conclave from becoming violent, but were held up and only arrived after the Breach had opened, at which point the only thing they could do was aid the relief effort.

What would their companion card look like? Has her right arm raised, but bent at the elbow to cover her left eye, palm outward. Where her arm/hand overlaps her face, it’s blacked out, possibly with a smoke effect. Her other hand is held in front of her, palm extended toward the viewer. Though the backdrop is dark, the aforementioned overlap is darker. There are silhouettes of horned figures in the background.

Recruitment mission: Fierce Horns and Strange Eyes: Speak to one of the two Kossith standing near the Singing Maiden (in Haven) or Herald’s Rest (at Skyhold) to unlock a war table operation, recruiting the Katoh Antaam mercenary company as allies without official ties to the Inquisition, so as to employ them where the Inquisition forces would be seen as a threat. Leave for any main area with a rogue/mage or be a rogue/mage to trigger Ashkost’s formal introduction.

A rogue will recognize that someone is following the party, and a mage will sense the same. When the Inquisitor demands that the stalker reveal themselves, Ashkost reassumes Kossith form and initiates a conversation. If Bull has been recruited, she wants to know why the Inquisition has hired another mercenary company when they already have one on their payroll. If Bull hasn’t been recruited, she questions whether the Inquisitor understands what mercenary companies are and how it might look to have hired one.

The Inquisitor can give her a reason, or realize that the real issue is that she doesn’t trust the Inquisition’s intentions with the Katoh Antaam. If called on it, she’ll admit that she believes they’ve only been hired to be sent on a suicide mission. The Inquisitor can recruit her one of two ways: assure her that they have no intention of sending the company to their deaths and invite her to see for herself, or cite a ‘hold your enemies closer’ line of thought with the same invitation. The latter will recruit her with lower approval than the first.

If told that she’ll just have to trust the Inquisitor, it opens up the option to dismiss her.

Where they would be in Skyhold / Haven: At Skyhold, outside the kitchen, on the balcony near the stables. In Haven, between the training ground and frozen lake.

Personal quests:

·        Quest 1: The Ignorant Look on Them: Companion quest. Ashkost admits to having used her specialization as a shapeshifter to become someone else, because she’s not someone she wants to be. In a way, isn’t that a betrayal of the self? If she can’t even trust herself, how can anyone else trust her?

  Option 1: Take her to Redcliffe, reassure her that she’s fine—she’s flawed, but that’s not damnation. Regardless of what she has or hasn’t experienced, her feelings are valid.

  Option 2: Take her to Lake Calenhad, across from Kinloch Hold. Tell her that she should be grateful for what she’s been given in life, because most mages have it far worse than she does.

 ·        Quest 2: Of Certainty, of Equality: Romance quest. Ashkost asks the Inquisitor if they can talk somewhere private, and they move to the Inquisitor’s room. She tells them that she was born intersex, and asks if they’re comfortable with that. The Inquisitor can treat it as a betrayal, and potentially cut off the relationship, or reassure her that it doesn’t change their feelings and lock the relationship in.

·        Quest 3: Ashes to Ataashi: Ashkost is goofing off/showing off some of her abilities—specifically an in-between form she’s been working on as a step towards teaching herself to maintain a dragon form. Unlocks a war table operation to consult Professor Frederic, whose input helps her get a handle on what she needs to do to attain the form. Requires completion of Frederic’s Livelihood.

How to get their approval: Being pro-mage/anti-Circle; being curious about magic/willing to see it used casually or for fun; sympathizing with people from other situations (races/nations/ability); be willing to help her understand things that may seem obvious, but that she wasn’t raised with an understanding of; make an attempt to learn/show interest in learning and understanding the differences between Kossith, Qunari, Tal-Vashoth and Vashoth. Prove to her that they’re worthy of her trust.

How to get their disapproval: Express that mages should be locked up, made tranquil or killed; assume that they know better than anyone else; belittle her for cultural differences/not knowing something; lump all ‘Qunari’ concepts together; be extremely pro-Chantry. Betray others for material gain/”without having a reason”.

Are they romanceable? Yes. Any gender or race, mages get approval bonuses. Can you have sex with them? No. Are they open to polyamoury? Yes, with the exception of Cullen or Cassandra. If they can be romanced and are not, will they begin a relationship / relationships with other character(s)? If so, who? If neither is romanced, she will awkwardly pursue Josephine. If the Katoh Antaam were recruited via Connections, they will begin a relationship by the end of the main game. If not, they will by Trespasser.

Who are they friendly with? Josephine, Dorian, Varric, Sera, Cole. Sometimes Iron Bull.

Who do they dislike? Cullen, Vivienne, Cassandra. Sometimes Iron Bull.

Companion card changes: (use a text descrip. if you have no images)

·        Loyalty: For Quest Option 1, dragon motif—horns are emphasized, may have a second, smaller pair. Hands are being held in front of her, just under the bust, crossed at the wrists with storm and inferno effects forming the suggestion of wings. Where her arms overlap her body may be blacked out, but her hands definitely aren’t. For Quest Option 2, tower motif—horns are downplayed. Her left arm is held up, overlapping both of her eyes. Overlapped skin is blacked out, but her eyes aren’t. Her opposite hand is resting on a grey pillar patterned like brickwork. A lake and distant tower can be seen in the background.

·        Romance: In profile with her horns curling down. She’s resting her forehead against a crook-ended staff. Her hair is down and her eyes are closed. Has a yellow-tinted backdrop with open gates in the distance.

Side Missions: (eg: fetch / gather / kill quests) Pick Your Poison: Collection mission. Help gather several specific herbs to help Ashkost create a custom vitaar. Each herb awards approval, finishing the quest gives a vitaar.

Opinions on mages / templars / how the world is going to shit? Pro-mage, horrified when she learns exactly how they’re treated in Circles, as she’d always assumed they were more of a school than anything. Bordering on violently protective of mages she’s befriended (read: Dorian). Anti-Templar/Chantry once educated, and begins to involve herself with efforts to remove mages from under them. Thinks Orlesian politics are ridiculous.

Something guaranteed to make them leave the party: Side with the Templars and then sacrifice the Chargers. After disregarding two of the things she identifies with the most intensely, she’ll say that the Inquisitor has proven how trustworthy they are and will leave regardless of how the rest of the encounter progresses.

Special Events: Choose the option to ask her about the Qun. She’ll flatly tell the Inquisitor that she’s Kossith, not Qunari, and her parents risked their lives to leave the Qun behind them. (If Iron Bull has been recruited, she’ll preface the statement by saying they’re better off asking him.) From there, the Inquisitor can choose to ask her to elaborate (which earns approval) and she’ll give a brief rundown on the differences between the terms ‘Kossith’, ‘Qunari’, ‘Tal-Vashoth’ and ‘Vashoth’. The Inquisitor can respond positively or insist that they’re all basically the same thing.

After the above, ask “Do you consider yourself Andrastian, then?”. She laughs it off and says that, beyond a slightly fanatical following and the fact that one of the Marches’ chantries got blown up, she really doesn’t understand what that entails. She’ll pause, admit that the Katoh Antaam left shortly after the First Battle of Kirkwall, and ask if the Inquisitor knows “Why, exactly, did they see fit to blow up their own building?”. Regardless of the tone of their answer, the Inquisitor always references the Mage-Templar war. “Oh, right. Templars. They’re Chantry too, aren’t they? Interesting skillset, there… scarier than Parshaara after a poetry slam, but there’s certainly potential.”

After the above, ask what she thinks Templars are. “Well, it’s like paper, rock, scissors (exact words subject to change), right? …you know, having to explain strategy to you like this isn’t very encouraging.” (Human mage Inquisitors have the option to respond along the lines of “…in a sense.”) The encounter ends.

After the above, speaking with her will trigger a cutscene instead of just a dialogue. Between Cullen and Cassandra (and, potentially, Vivienne if she’s been recruited) she’s come to the conclusion that she was wrong about what Templars are. “You’d—you’d set me straight if I didn’t get it, yeah?” Over the course of the conversation, she gets the gist of why the Mage-Templar war is a thing in the first place, and ends the encounter in mild disbelief, vowing that she’s going to verify this as best she can. In any following conversations, she’ll be considerably less complacent where the Chantry is concerned.

If the Inquisitor has spoken with her regarding the Chantry prior to selecting a specialization, she’ll confront a warrior who chooses to specialize as a Templar. If a mage chooses to become a Knight-Enchanter, she asks for clarification as to how it factors into the Chantry workings.

If the Inquisitor chooses to recruit the Templars without pursuing the mages, she’ll question their intentions. If they choose to recruit the Templars after discovering the situation with the mages, she’ll accuse them of having an agenda in regards to the Mage-Templar war.

Takes a major approval hit if Bull’s Chargers are sacrificed, acerbically asks if the Inquisitor plans to do the same to the Katoh Antaam. Any further banter with Iron Bull will begin to sour.

Imprisoned at Redcliffe: How is your Inquisitor holding up in Redcliffe, being slowly infected with red lyrium over the course of a year? Has red lyrium growths—one covering her left eye and beginning to encrust the horn on the same side of her head, one emerging from her throat. Unable to speak at a normal volume and can only manage a whisper. Will complain of a phantom taste, and ramble on trying to figure out what it is. Doesn’t seem to process who the Inquisitor is or what they’re trying to do—only acknowledges changes of scenery as it might pertain to what she tastes. Will sometimes whisper in Qunlat instead.

As the party leaves person by person, she’ll say, “You lied. We’ve been sent to our deaths,” before exiting. If she was flirted with up to this point, she’ll instead approach the Inquisitor, give them a kiss on the cheek, and say, “It was you. I tasted your arrival in the lyrium,” give the same strange little laugh she’s been making the entire time as she rambled, and whisper “Good luck.”

At the Winter Palace: Does your Inquisitor enjoy the party, any special events with them at the Palace? She idles in the garden, near the fountain and trellis. Though she’s aware of all the eyes on her—made worse by the fact that she’s, essentially, helping to represent the Inquisition—she tries to find enjoyment in Orlesian cuisine. She’ll comment on being stared at, and joke that if the Inquisitor needs a distraction, she’s the Kossith to ask. The Inquisitor can take her up on the offer when it comes time to climb the trellis.

If her approval is high enough, the Inquisitor can tell her not to worry and that “I’ll handle all the politicians. Trust me.” It’ll get a laugh out of her.

If romanced and asked to dance, she questions whether or not that’s a good idea—that she doesn’t know how to dance, and (unless the Inquisitor is Adaar) wouldn’t they be happier dancing with someone closer to their own height? Dwarven Inquisitors can earn a little extra approval with a humorous answer. If pressed, she will relent. If left, she’ll offer a dance at Skyhold instead, where there are no onlookers.

In the Fade: Your Inquisitor’s reaction upon entering the Fade? Archdemon’s taunt, and Inquisitor’s response? Epitaph on their grave?

Reaction: “Pardon my King’s Tongue, but… Andraste’s tits.”

Taunt/response: “Why do you continue this futile effort, Meraad? You know full well that none can be trusted. To repeatedly make the same mistakes… are you that naïve, or have you simply lost your mind?”// [long pause] “Okay, but why would I trust what you have to say, of all people? Do you even qualify as a person?”

Grave: Unable to trust, unable to be trusted.

Trespasser: What is your Inquisitor up to two years after Corypheus’ defeat? Any special events with them over the events of Trespasser? While she hasn’t cut ties with the Katoh Antaam, she didn’t return to them after the end of the main game. She’s been working with Fiona and the College of Enchanters, and, through her, they’ve been making use of the Katoh Antaam much the same way the Inquisition did. Since the College is affiliated with the Inquisition, she’s been in contact with the Inquisitor from time to time—but mostly hears about what’s going on through Josephine.

If she was romanced, the Inquisitor can propose to her. She’ll ask them if they really think that’s a good idea, given their status and her background/affiliations. If they insist, she’ll resist the idea, referencing her parents, who never married, and potentially accusing the Inquisitor of using her as a set piece. If they back down and leave the decision to her, she’ll bring it up the next time she’s spoken to and accept.

If neither she nor Josephine were romanced, they are in a relationship. If the Katoh Antaam were recruited via Connections, they’ve been in said relationship since the end of Inquisition, and Ashkost references the Orlesian opera they recently attended. If the relationship has just begun, she’ll be nervous about it and ask the Inquisitor their opinion on a poem she’s been working on.

Other Major Events: Any other major events that happen with them over the course of the main game? Will mistakenly use various malapropisms in banter and conversation over the course of the game—notable examples include “Andraste’s tits”, and one utterance of “Dread Wolf’s balls” if she’s in the same party as Solas.

After hearing one of the above malapropisms, the Inquisitor can select a flirt option which basically goes, “’Andraste’s tits’?”/”No, these belong to me.”/[Flirt] “That’s quite the burden for one Kossith. I can help you carry it.”

[wanderingalonelypath]

OC Interview: Lyanna Rivens

Nobody tagged me, but I just want to do it, so I’m doing it!

The rules: Answer the following questions as your OC of choice.

1. What’s your name?

“Lyanna Elleanor Rivens.”

2. Do you know why you are named that?

“I had a great aunt Lyanna who...fought in some war? I honestly don’t remember what my father told me about her, except that she was very valorous. My mom wanted to name me Elleanor at first, but they agreed Lyanna was a better first name.”

3. Are you single or taken?

Her hand drifts to the dragon tooth on a string around her neck, and she smiles softly. “Taken.”

4. Have any abilities or powers?

“I’m a Winter mage, primarily, but I also know a few spirit spells. I’m currently studying as a Rift mage, which is equal parts fascinating and terrifying.”

(Omitting #5)

6. What’s your eye color?

“Light blue. I like to think it’s because of my winter magic, but my mom had blue eyes.”

7. How about your hair color?

“Redhead. I don’t know where I got it from, both of my parents had black hair, but Bull loves it.” She smirks slightly.

8. Have any family members?

“As far as I know, my parents and younger brothers are still around Ansburg. It’s been 15 years since I’ve seen them though, so I doubt we’d even recognize each other. They’re not my family anymore. But it’s ok.” She gets a wistful look on her face. “I have a new family now.”

9. Oh? How about any pets?

“We weren’t allowed pets in the Circle, and I hardly have time to care for one now. Maybe once all this is over, I could get a cat? Or perhaps a fennec...”

10. That’s cool, I guess. Now tell me something you don’t like.

“The Chantry. I’m all for religion, I’m Andrastian myself, but the Chantry is corrupt and twisted from its purpose. It feeds off the adoration of the masses while letting mages suffer any number of abuses. And I’ll stop on that note, as I doubt you came for a rant.”

11. Do you have any activities/hobbies that you like to do?

“Reading and learning, but that’s a given for any mage, I think. I like taking walks in nature, stopping to meditate in peaceful places. It helps me focus my magic, and reminds me that I’m free.”

12. Have you hurt anyone in any way before?

“Many people. It’s unavoidable in my situation. Before I became Inquisitor? Templars that attacked me for being an apostate. Bandits who preyed on the group I travel with.”

13. Ever… killed anyone before?

“As I said before, it’s unavoidable, especially during combat. I try not to execute prisoners, though. There’s usually something more useful or just to be done with them. And I find I’m quickly growing tired of death.”

14. What kind of animal are you?

“Now there’s a question. I think I’d be a Crow. Deadly, but free.”

15. Name your worst habits?

“Irrational anger at every Templar I meet. Working with Cullen was a bit...difficult at first until I got to know him. Logically, I know not all templars are abusers, just like not all mages are blood mages, but I was showed a...skewed end of the spectrum in my time during the Circle. Nearly every templar did awful things to the mages and tranquil, and those that didn’t were bystanders, which is almost worse. I try to keep an open mind, but it’s difficult.”

16. Do you look up to anyone at all?

“Cassandra. Our opinions on some things may differ, but she is driven, and passionate, and determined, and a strove of other things I wish I could be. I don’t think I would’ve stayed in the Inquisition, in the beginning, if it weren’t for her true desire to make things better.”

17. Are you gay, straight or bisexual?

“Rather narrow list, isn’t it? I’m pansexual. Attracted to pretty much anyone who’s a good person. The only people I can’t seem to be attracted to are human men, for...reasons I don’t particularly want to share.”

18. Do you go to school?

“The Circle gave a thorough general education, but my magical education there was a bit...stiff. Traditional. Solas and Dorian teach me many new things about magic, and I’m always willing to learn more.”

19. Ever want to marry and have any kids one day?

She becomes quiet, looking pensive. “As a mage, I never thought I’d get the chance. Even now, everything is so dangerous and uncertain. I think...I would like to, someday. Get married at least, I don’t think I’m ready to be a mother, though. Perhaps years from now.”

20. Do you have any fangirls/fanboys?

She laughs. “You wouldn’t believe the number of marriage proposals I get from Lords and Ladies all over Thedas. Josephine has taken to using them as kindling in her fireplace.”

21. What are you most afraid of?

“The Circles reforming. All these people I’ve met, things I’ve experienced...my first night away from the Circle, I slept in a tent, on the rocky forest floor with no bedroll, and a rip in the side letting in the smell of pine and fire smoke. I cried at the beauty of it all. If the Circles are reinstated...” She stops talking, a fearful look in her eyes, before continuing on resolutely. “I won’t go back. They won’t get the chance to take me back there alive.”

22. What do you usually wear?

“My armor, mostly. I’m out in the field more often than I’m not. In Skyhold, I usually wear a tunic and breeches, with knee-high boots. Sometimes I’ll throw on a vest or an overcoat if it's particularly cold.”

23. What is one food tempts you?

“Those little Orlesian pastries, filled with custard or jelly? Those are the best! Other than that, I’m fond of shepherd's pie and bacon.”

(Omitting #24 & #25)

26. What class are you (low/middle/high)?

“Before, as a mage, definitely the lower class. I came from a family of farmers. But now? Barely anyone uses my name, they all call me ‘Inquisitor’ or ‘Herald’ or even ‘Your Worship’. So I’d say I’m securely in the upper class.

27. How many friends do you have?

“A lot. I’m close with my advisors, and a good deal of the inner circle. Dorian, Solas, Varric, Cole, and Bull are probably my closest friends. But they’re all dear to me, even the ones I don’t have much in common with or agree with all that much.”

28. What are your thoughts on pie?

“It’s pretty good! I love pumpkin the best, but fruit pies are good as well!”

29. Favorite drink?

“Spiced wine. It makes me feel warm and safe, for some reason. I like drinking it at night, with Bull, and just talking, or doing our own activities in silence. Just being together.” She gets a bit of a dreamy look on her face.

30. What’s your favorite place?

“In the world? Probably the Emerald Graves. The forest is beautiful, and it goes on for miles. I could wander there for weeks. In Skyhold, I actually really like my quarters, especially at night. I have a loveseat I can move in front of the fireplace, and it’s the perfect spot to curl up with a book. On warmer days I like to leave the balcony doors open to let in the mountain breeze. There’s nothing better.”

(Omitting #31 and #32)

33. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean?

“A lake. You never know what’s floating in an ocean, or how deep it goes.”

34. What’s your type?

“My type?” She laughs. “I don’t really have one. As long as you aren’t a Templar, you’re probably my type.”

35. Any fetishes?

“Hm. For all how experienced Bull is, our sex is skewed toward the vanilla side of things. Does having sex in odd places count as a fetish? We do it on my desk, against the wall, one time on the war table.” She grins. “Now that was a good time.”

36. Camping indoors or outdoors?

“Outdoors. I can’t get enough of the outdoors, being that I was deprived of it for 15 years. I love sleeping in a bed just as much as the next person, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something about going to bed to the sound of crickets and a crackling fire that reminds me I’m alive.”

(I omitted the ones that ‘broke character’, but I’m sure you can find the full list if you search in the dragon age oc’s tag!)

I tag: Anyone who sees this and wants to do it! @ me if you do, I’d love to read them!)

[galadrieljones]

OC as a Child:  Sene Lavellan

tagged by @a-shakespearean-in-paris and @twilightoath ^_^ Above art is my own. Here’s the post!

Who named them/Significance of their name:

Sene’s full first name is Isene, which means like fire. Her mother Rasha chose the name, because it had been a very cold spring in Ansburg that year (9:22 Dragon). She wanted to bring some warmth into the season.

Isene is pronounced EE-seh-nay. Her nickname, Sene, was given to her by her father Revasan when she was a young child. He always said that a three-syllable name was too many syllables to be shouting across the farm every single day. Sene is pronounced, very simply, as Sen (rhymes with hen).

Sene’s Uncle Ellas, Great Aunt Fisara, and cousin Terys all call her Ise (EE-say), which means simply fire.

Home they grew up in:

Sene grew up on a large, farming compound of about 400 acres on the Minanter River, outside of Ansburg in the Free Marches. The farm grows mostly grain (wheat and corn) and grapes, and is also home to a large distillery and several large wine cellars. The Lavellans, a large clan comprised of Sene’s immediate and extended family (the “blood” Lavellans”) and then many smaller clans absorbed over the years, all lived in large fortified tents until about the time that Sene joined the Inquisition. At that point, however, they expanded the compound quite a bit and built houses. The Lavellan clan runs a large operation as farmers, distillers/vintners, and liquor distributors. They are quite well-off.

Relationship with parents:

Sene always had a kind of a tense relationship with her parents. Her father Revasan was massively sheltering when she was a child and a teenager, judgmental, crass, and what Sene would probably describe as an “angry asshole with a stick up his ass.” Sene’s mother Rasha is a passive person and sheltered as well, though she has many deep emotional scars due to a great deal of traumatic loss in her history. During Sene’s more rebellious antics, she would remain uninvolved, leaving most of the discipline to Revasan, as conflict typically upset her. This caused Sene to resent her mother a little bit, and to view her as weak for many years.

Three Words to describe them as a child:

Fast, spitfire, insecure.

Childhood friend(s):

Sene hung out with her cousin Terys a lot, as they’re about the same age, but Terys was always charming and he had a lot of friends that weren’t Sene, so she often ended up alone. She was the only girl in her generation, which was small to begin with, so she’d run off into the city and try to make friends with city elves and humans whenever she felt lonely. She spent a lot of time with a human blacksmith named Samuel Hart in the city. He was chronically ill, and so he did not often leave his smithy, where he also lived. He had good books, and good stories, and he taught her interesting ways of fletching that he’d learned as a younger, healthier man while traveling the continent.

Favorite Toy:

Sene liked collecting things–pretty stationary, paper flowers, jewels, pretty rocks, dried leaves, feathers, arrowheads, anything she could get her hands on. As a child, she had many wooden dolls and animal figurines and zoo menageries, all made for her by her father.

Childhood Trauma?:

Sene has not experienced a great deal of immediate trauma in her life. Most of her negative experiences growing up were secondhand, ie: absorbed from others. Her mother experienced a lot of trauma when Sene was young–loss of an infant child, and then loss of her entire home clan to the Fifth Blight. Seeing this, the effect it had on both her parents, how it put their marriage through many trials, this affected Sene deeply, probably in ways she could not fully articulate even as an adult. Sene has very few fears, but the one thing she seems to fear more than anything is losing the people that she loves in some way.

Hobbies:

Reading, fletching, some light smithing, drawing, working on the farm. As a kid, Sene liked to keep busy. Like her dad, she has always had a fast brain, and if she doesn’t give it something to do, she’ll go nuts.

Childhood fear(s):

As a child, Sene often feared that something awful would happen to her parents. No matter how much they butted heads, it still scared her. Her father, who used to dive ruins from about the time she was 7-12 years old, would leave the house for several protracted trips a year. It would make her mother very nervous and sleepless, and Sene always feared he would not return. Sene also feared that her parents would divorce, or separate, or fall out of love. At one point, in the years after the Blight when her mother’s family died, she was convinced they had.

Quirks/Fun Facts:

Sene could be incredibly mean as a child when somebody tried to tell her what to do or get in her private business. She has made more than one ha’hren cry with her insensitivity. After she achieved her vallaslin at the very young age of eleven, she would set net traps in the woods to catch competing hunters trying to infringe on her territory and cuss them out as she stole their kill (which she viewed as rightfully hers). She would camp out at a nearby statue of the Dread Wolf and offer him berries and other snacks and sometimes tell him stories about her boring life. She had a bad potty mouth even as a kid--thanks to her father, of course.

tags for @thevikingwoman @ladylike-foxes @sasshole-for-rent @buttsonthebeach @littleblue-eyedbird @destinyapocalypse @wrenbee @solverne @hansaera @bearly-tolerable @ladydracarysao3 @ma-sulevin @kaoruyogi @whosafraidofthebigbaddreadwolf @tel-abelas-mofo (only if you’d like!!) also ANY followers who’d like to do this it’s very fun and I’m tagging you all. <3

[impossible-rat-babies]

I think Darva and Minaeve–the elf lady who you turn in the research items to–have like this vague friendship/kinship based on how they both experienced magic as dalish people. Bc I’m trash, some banter:

Minaeve: One look at your face and it’s clear you’ve never been to a Circle.

Darva: Five years in the Ansburg Circle. Didn’t get much out of it…treated badly mages and templars alike.

Minaeve: I’m…sorry.

Darva: Don’t be. I got out safe and sound; all that really matters now.

Tranquil:

Minaeve: Luckily, Seeker Pentaghast took me in, along with the Tranquil I was protecting. Most Circle mages look down on Tranquil, or try to pretend they don’t exist. Well, you know how they look at them. It’s a shame. I like them better than most people.

Darva: All they ever said was that I was Dalish and asked me what if there was something I needed. I spent a lot of time studying with them to get away from it all. I’m glad they have someone who cares about them.

Minaeve: They deserve better. They’re polite, they’re rational, and they’ll never get mad at you. When they study, they have a focus no normal person could ever match.

Darva: Watching them work late at night with their alchemy was something to see. I spent a lot of nights awake with them, just watching them work.

Minaeve: It’s delightful. But the Templars, even some of the mages, mistreated them just because they could. The Tranquil never fought back. If not for that, I’d…I don’t know. Doesn’t really matter now.

Darva: I would’ve liked someone like you watching my back if…nevermind.

Dalish:

Darva: Something in your accent…you were raised Dalish, weren’t you?

Minaeve: Andaran Atish’an. The lack of vallaslin cause most to miss it. I was a proud member of my clan before my magic manifested. You know what happens when they have too many mages. They gave me a pack and sent me into the woods to find my own life. I was seven years old.

Darva: I’m…sorry.

Minaeve: Thank you…I stumbled into a village, starving and cold, a few weeks later. I’d started using magic to scare predators away. The villagers saw me make fire in my fist. They were terrified and wanted to kill me. Templars saves me from them. They gave me food and clothes, and took me to the Circle. I’ve seen what life is like without the Templars, and I want no part of it. I just want to study.

Darva: I was seventeen. Planned to send me to the Circle; ran off before they could get a hold of me. Spent four years in the Alienage before they caught me. Miriam was two years old. I knew nothing but the stone walls, the sound of the templars always lurking around and the abuse. I didn’t see Miriam again until she was seven years old. I missed everything because magic terrifies people, beyond sense.

Minaeve: I’m…I’m sorry…

Darva: Don’t be. Can’t blame you for it.