#Cullen out of Thedas

[star--nymph]

Looking through Tastes of Thedas and I found this little tid bit.

I just love the implication that Cullen looks like such shit sometimes that random Fereldans (and/or possibly the chef) will just drop jars of pickled eggs off in his office, no questions asked. They don't know what's wrong with him but HEY. Pickled Eggs should fix it.

And Cullen doesn't even blink twice, he just pops that bad boy open and shoves the eggs into his mouth like a chipmunk.

[vultures-and-scavengers]

there's so many ~rules~ around fancy dinners, the courses, the silver you use, names for foods you might never have heard, and i imagine its far worse in orlais, where everything is over the top and meant to be seen and judged.

and josephine and leliana can navigate that fine, and depending on the inquisitor (especially trevelyans), i imagine they can handle themselves.

which leaves the last member of the leadership quartet, who spent the first 13 years of his life eating rural ferelden fare and then spent the next 16-17 years likely eating in mess halls between duties.

and how do you then represent the inquisition in a world where you are the outsider and everything about the world you are stepping foot in is meant to keep you and other commoners out? when this world is the one that plays with the lives of commoners like toys?

[littlelostmabari]

Chapter 14: For Want of a Moment's Peace (Part I)

This one starts out kinda silly and rapidly nosedives into hurt / no comfort.

Fandom: Dragon Age 2 / Dragon Age Inquisition

Current Pairings: Cullen Rutherford x OC. Background F!Hawke x Anders

Rating: M (Canon-typical violence & behavior, check tags & CW on chapters)

Links: Whole Work | Chapter 14 | Saoirse Character Sheet

(Dividers by cafekitsune)

Teaser under the cut since it has some CW: blood/gore.

Saoirse still hadn't quite processed the mechanics of how a mage became an abomination. It was psychologically disturbing to her to know that someone could be driven so far, into such desperation as to become this bulbous unnatural creature that smelt of tar and sulfur. In Baldur's Gate there had been talk of people making deals with devils for power, and when the deal came due they were sucked away to the Hells to serve as thralls and slaves. Here, though, these demons were present in this rancid Darktown hovel and had stolen the humanity from this mage. There was the briefest moment of grief at the idea that maybe this mage had to choose between becoming Tranquil and becoming this, but that was quickly sucked away with the spittle of an earth-shaking roar. Whatever they were before, they were now an enemy. Her brief hesitation allowed the Knight-Captain to catch up, pulling threads from within his own lyrium powers and manifesting them as a devastating Smite. Saoirse flung herself to the side as the light poured down from the heavens and the abomination screamed. Rutherford took her place and swung at the creature with practiced blows. His precise strikes stunned the Fade creature long enough for Saoirse to gather herself and pivot to the other side. She finally lunged and dug her teeth into whatever the abomination had left of legs. The taste was rotted, full of lyrium and iron, but she hung on and kept the abomination from dodging Templar steel. As a loyal mabari does, she thought to her chagrin. The bite sloughed off in her mouth and she lunged for another one but a second Smite got to the creature first. It was still standing. She backed off to reevaluate when — "MAMAN!"

[exhausted-archivist]

All Lore from the Dragon Age: Official Cookbook: Taste of Thedas

This is going to be a long post with all the lore from the cookbook collected in one post. This is only going to be counting the lore in the "blurbs" so to speak as the actual recipes themselves, which are not meant to be set in-world.

Additionally, it should be noted that I am unable to say one way or the other if the props used in the photos or the etching art shown on some recipes are to be taken as reflecting the canon the cookbook narrator is in. For the sake of completeness, I have included the less conclusive elements.

Shoving everything below the cut for length as well as to help people avoid spoilers. Think I got everything... There is a lot in this book honestly.

Cookbook Lore

World State

Cassandra is Divine.

The Hero of Ferelden is a Cousland Warden.

The Warden gave Leliana Schmooples.

Hawke is a non-mage, as Varric knows Bethany.

Hawke is diplomatic in personality.

Bull's Chargers, Krem, and Bull are all alive.

Cullen stayed off lyrium.

Celene is empress; Briala and Gaspard are still alive.

Alistair is king.

Varric is viscount.

Uncertain aspects of the world state:

The suggested lore based on the art, props used in photos, and vague wording in blurbs. These are not for certain this is the canon.

Briala is described as a spymaster and lover, implying she was possibly reunited with Celene.

Celene, Briala, and Gaspard are possibly working together in the truce. But the wording is vague it could simply be Celene ruling alone while Briala and Gaspard live.

Cole was encouraged to be more human and is traveling with Maryden Halewell.

Cullen got his mabari.

Josephine was romanced by the Inquisitor.

Morrigan has Keiran.

The Hero of Ferelden romanced King Alistair.

Food Lore

Lentils and onions are common ingredients to find in pantries across Thedas.

Ferelden has reliable access to tomatoes that allows them to use them regularly in their food.

Fereldans are known for their love of soups, stews, pickled eggs, and turnips that it is regularly joked about and seen as a stereotype. Devon regularly comments on the known expectations.

Turnip and Mutton Pie is a classic Fereldan dish served in taverns across the nation.

Nevarra food culture holds that food is suppose to be a feast for the eyes and mouth. Leading to their plating to be dazzling and seen as works of art.

The Jade Ham, is a smoked Anderfels ham with a particular glaze made from wildflowers and turns the ham as hard as jade.

The Anderfels are hostile and often considered inhospitible in certain areas. But despite the harsh environment, pigs farm well there and as a result are much larger than elsewhere in Thedas.

There are custard connoisseurs across Thedas.

Lichen ale is toxic, though most dwarves are able to handle it. However, non-dwarves can only tolerate a few sips of the drink.

Isabela has a drinking game based on how many enemies you have, it has killed at least one person.

The Rivaini tea blend is said to have healing properties such as helping alleviate headaches.

Dwarves underground raise giant spiders like people on the surface raise cattle and goats.

Orzammar has a contest where one is crowned as Orzammar's Best Sauce, the competition is so fierce people get underhanded in their attempts to acquire recipes. This has led to eateries, and in general people of Orzammar, to guard their recipes from others.

Orzammar also farms various mushrooms for eating.

Rice is commonly found in Antiva and Rivain, however it is not a large export for Antiva so it is a rare grain for folks in Ferelden. Due to it not being exported, rice is a cheap food item in Antiva and is very common in the more mundane foods of commoners.

Wyvern, like phoenix, can become deadly poisonous if eaten when they aren't prepared properly.

A jam maker lives in Orzammar, importing individual ingredients so they can make the jam themselves and hopefully sell it cheaper than imported jam.

Fauna

Mentioned through out the cookbook, not necessarily as ingredients themselves but sources for other food items.

Ayesleigh gulabi goat - Rivain

Cattle

Cave Beetles - Underground

Chicken

Crab

Cuttlefish

Dracolisk

Giant

Giant Spider

Goat

Gurgut

Halla

Lamprey

Lurker

Mackerel

Mussel

Nug

Pig

Prawn

Quillback

Sheep

Shrimp

Snail

Turkey

Wyvern

Additional Lore

The golden nug statues do exist in Thedas, Devon mentions seeing one in Haven and hearing rumors of there being more.

Fereldans who worked for the Inquisition would leave Commander Cullen pickled eggs on his desk while he was going through the worst of his lyrium withdrawal symptoms.

Spring time is gurgut mating season, and travelers are advised to keep their distance.

Starkhaven is oval in shape, shaped by rings of tall, grey stone walls, is filled with lavish estates, fountains, and sits on the Minanter River.

Makes reference to the ambient events of where Cole dumped a bushel of turnips onto a fire.

Food: Dishes, Ingredients, and More

Foods/Dishes

These are mentioned, referenced, and/or introduced in the cookbook description of the food, these aren't including the ingredients or foods mentioned in the recipes.

If the item is marked with **, it means there are multiple cultures with the same dish but the cookbook is offering specifically that as the reference point.

Apple Grenade - Antiva

Bark Bread - suggested alternative to black lichen

Biscuit

Biscuit, sweets

Black Lichen Bread - Orzammar

Blancmange - a white pudding dish from Orlais

Blood Orange Salad - Nevarra

Boiled Turnip

Bun

Bun, sweet - a pastry served as dessert

Cabbage Soup - Ferelden

Cacio e Pepe

Cherry Sauce

Cherry Cupcakes - Tevinter

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cream

Cinnamon Rolls

Couscous Salad - Rivain

Crab Cakes - Kirkwall

Croissant - Orlais

Crow Feed - Antiva

Custard

Dark Bread

Eggs à la Val Foret - Orlais

Fish Chowder - Antiva

Fish Wraps/Fish Pockets - Seheron

Flat Bread - Nevarra

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding - Ferelden

Forest Fruit Cobbler - Dalish

Found Cake - Ferelden

Fried Crab Legs - a substitute version of fried young giant spiders

Fried Young Giant Spiders - Orzammar

Gnocchi - Antiva

Goat Custard - Rivain **

Grilled Poussin - Chasind

Gurgut Roast with Lowlander Spices and Mushroom Sauce - Avvar

Hearth Cakes - Dalish

Hearty Scones - Ferelden

Honey Carrots - Orlais **

Jade Ham - More suited for a weapon, stated to not be suited for eating.

Lamprey Cake - not made of real lamprey, just a cake modeled after it.

Lentil Soup - City Elf **

Llomerryn Red - Rivain

Mashed Turnip

Merrill's Blood Soup - Dalish

Mushroom Sauce

Nettle Soup - origins unclear

Nug Bacon and Egg Pie - Ferelden

Paella - Antiva

Pastry Pockets - recipe originates with the Grey Wardens, cookbook provides the Orlesian Grey Warden variation **

Peasant Bread - Orlais

Pickled Eggs - Ferelden

Pickled Lamprey - Free Marches

Poached Egg

Poison Stings - Chocolate-coated orange peels from Tevinter

Potato and Leek Soup - Ferelden

Pumpkin Bread - Tevinter

Red Grape Compote

Rice Pudding - Tevinter

Roasted Fig

Roasted Cave Beetles - Orzammar

Roasted Prawns - a substitute prawns for cave beetles

Roasted Turnip

Roll, pastry

Snail and Watercress Salad - Avvar

Sour Cherries in Cream - Orlais

Spiced Jerky - Dalish

Steamed Turnip

Stir-fried Turnip

Strawberry and Rhubarb Cobbler - Ferelden

Stuffed Cabbage - Ferelden

Stuffed Deep Mushrooms - Orzammar

Stuffed Vine Leaves - Tevinter

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup - Ferelden

Toasted Almonds

Traviso Energy Balls - Antiva

Tzatziki - Tevinter

Turnip and Mutton Pie - Ferelden

Unidentified Meat - a common tavern food in Tevinter

Yogurt Dip - Nevarra

Drinks

Chasind Sack Mead

Chasind Wildwine

The Emerald Valley

The Golden Nug

The Hissing Drake

Hot Chocolate

Lichen Ale

Pomegranate Juice

Rivaini Tea Blend

West Hill Brandy

White Seleney wine

Ingredients

These are only listed in the lore entries and not the actual recipes themselves as whether or not they are canon is questionable as the recipes recommend store bought items as well as ingredients that have unique Thedosian counterpart names.

Almond

Antivan Pasta

Apple

Apricot

Bacon

Bacon, Nug

Bark

Barley

Beef

Beetroot

Bell Pepper, red

Bitter Greens - this is a class of salad greens known for their bitter flavor.

Black Lichen - Underground

Blood Orange - Nevarra

Butter

Butter, Halla

Cabbage

Cave Beetles

Celery

Cinammon

Cheese

Cherry

Cherry, black

Cherry, sweet

Chicken

Chickpea - Rivain

Chocolate

Cocoa Powder

Corn, yellow

Corn, checkered

Couscous - Rivain

Crab

Cranberry

Currant

Deep Mushroom, various varieties

Dracolisk - The narrator suggests it being a potential meat in a recipe in Tevinter.

Dried Fruit

Eggs

Fig

Flour, semolina - Rivain

Giant - Suggested that Tevinter might serve giant

Giant Spiders - Underground

Goat

Grape, red

Grape Leaves/Vine Leaves

Grease

Guimauves - Orlesian

Gurgut - Avvar

Heavy Cream

Honey

Jasmine

Mackerel

Mango

Mint

Mussel

Mutton

Lamb

Lamprey

Leek

Lemon

Lemon Juice

Lemon Verbena

Lentil

Lichen

Licorice Root

Lurker - Avvar

Oat

Oil

Onion

Oregano

Pastry Dough

Peanut

Peanut Butter

Peppers, Hot

Peppermint

Plum

Pork

Potato

Prawn - said to have the same texture and flavor as cave beetles.

Puff Pastry - Orlais

Pumpkin

Quillback

Raisin

Raspberry

Rhubarb

Rice - Antiva and Rivain

Salt

Semolina Flour - Rivain

Shrimp

Snail - Avvar

Spinach

Strawberry

Sugar

Tomato

Turkey

Turnip

Watercress - Avvar

Wheat

Whipped Cream

White Chocolate

Wildflowers

Wyvern - Avvar, Orlais

Charts and Stats

Because I love a good visual rep of data, I collected some stats of the types of food, how many recipes are from where, and the amount of time a character was mentioned.

Types of Food

I did percentages for the course of food as well as the portion of options that are vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, meat based, and alcoholic.

Food Types Stats

These charts show the ingredient percentage in the actual recipes and not the lore blurbs themselves. This is out of 72 recipes with the amount they were used in (-) after their percentage.

Left Hand Chart

Alcohol: 14.6% (27)

Dairy-free: 15.7% (29)

Egg-free: 25.4% (47)

Meat based: 16.2% (30)

Nuts: 3.1% (6)

Shellfish: 2.6% (5)

Vegan: 4.2% (8)

Vegetarian: 20.4% (39)

Top Right Chart

Alcohol: 37.5% (27)

Alcohol-free: 62.5% (45)

Bottom Right Chart

Beef: 11.4% (4)

Chicken: 17.1% (6)

Fish: 17.1% (6)

Lamb: 5.7% (2)

Pork: 28.6% (10)

Shellfish: 14.3% (5)

Turkey: 5.7% (2)

Percentage of Recipe Origins

Anderfels: 1.4%

Antiva: 11%

Avvar: 6.8%

Chasind: 2.7%

City Elves: 2.7%

Dalish: 6.8%

Ferelden: 15.1%

Free Marches: 5.5% Kirkwall: 2.7% Starkhaven: 2.7%

Grey Wardens: 1.4%

Nevarra: 2.7%

Orlais: 13.7%

Orzammar: 9.6%

Rivain: 4.1%

Seheron: 1.4%

Tevinter: 9.6%

Character Mentions

I organized the chart by game and the characters in alphabetical order.

DAO Alistair: 2 Dog: 2 Hero of Ferelden (Cousland): 6 Leliana: 1 Loghain: 1 Morrigan: 1 Sten: 1 Zevran Arainai: 2

DA2 Anders: 2 Bethany: 1 Fenris: 3 Hawke: 1 Isabela: 1 Merrill: 2 Sebastian Vael: 1 Varric: 3

DAI Briala: 1 Bull's Chargers: 2 Cassandra: 2 Celene Valmont: 1 Cole: 2 Cullen: 3 Dorian: 2 Friends of Red Jenny: 1 Gaspard: 1 Josephine: 3 Krem: 2 Sera: 1 Solas: 4 The Iron Bull: 4 Vivienne: 2

Food Courses

I thought it would be interesting to see how the recipe groups totaled out in how much of the book they made.

Drinks: 12.5%

Baked Goods: 13.9%

Sweets: 11.1%

Sides: 5.6%

Starters and Refreshments: 12.5%

Travel Food: 13.9%

Soup and Stew: 11.1%

Main Course: 19.4%

Wanna support this blog? You can check out my ko-fi.

[nirikeehan]

How about 16: a tiny detail in canon that you want more people to appreciate

How about this bit from the World of Thedas, Part Two? Which heavily implies that when Samson was thrown out of the Templars, Cullen wrote an impassioned plea to Meredith to try to get the decision appealed, only for her to totally shoot him down. And then that Samson and Cullen were in contact afterward, Samson trying to get Cullen to smuggle him some lyrium, and Cullen sent him money instead.

I know Cullen isn't named here, but there's no other established Knight-Captain in Kirkwall during the DA2 timeline, and Cullen is the only character to admit knowing and liking Samson while he was still a Templar. I have written a lot about Samson and Cullen's friendship in Kirkwall, and this bit makes me happy that I'm probably not just inventing it wholesale. I also love the implication that Cullen might have caved and given Samson more lyrium if it hadn't been for fear of reprisal from Meredith. A smart move on his part, but it makes their falling out all the more fraught. Were there times in their past when Cullen was enabling Samson's worse behavior, and vice versa? Cullen's anger at Samson in Inquisition always felt to me like he was projecting a lot of his own self-loathing onto his former friend. So many juicy connotations.

Fandom asks here!

[halsinsbiggernaturals]

Things to look forward to in the new Dragon Age:

This marginalized group is a little too sympathetic so we retconned the lore to make them look worse 🤗

You can kill another Dalish clan

Why does everyone have mullets

Thedas has no eyebrow artists, Thedas needs no eyebrow artists

Somehow, this minor villain you killed has returned

The fandom being absolutely insufferable about how their Warden/Hawke/whatever should have been here

Cullen is here for some reason

Didn't his VA get cancelled? Are they sticking with him? Does anyone know??

A character creator with the worst lighting you've ever seen in your entire life

Everyone's first characters looking like clowns as you desperately try to figure out the makeup settings

Fresh new absolutely fucking bananas discourse

Get microaggressed by all your companions!

[dragonagefanevents]

Dragon Age Fan Event Listings

The beauty of fan events is that they are run by fans.

Including you.

▸What are the types of fan events? - #education

▸Start a new event! - #how tos (coming soon)

▸Ask Box - send us advice, or ask for it!

▸Blog Tag List

Below is a list of all Dragon Age fan-run events we can find. The links should bring you to the most recent iteration of the event. Where possible, the time period the event covers is listed next to the event.

Want to get an event listed? Check out the link and submit. Look here for multi-fandom events, or more events in general.

Event Masterlist - #compendium

Bangs

25k Big Bang (July - November)

10k Big Bang (March - April)

Dragon Age Reverse Bang

Exchanges

Arlathan Exchange (April - June)

DA Polyshipping (August - November)

Handers Exchange (March - May)

Templartations Exchange (March - May)

Black Emporium Rare Pair Exchange (June - September)

Platonic Ideal Gen Fic Exchange (December - February)

Smutquisition (January - March)

Theme Weeks/Months

Krem Week 2024 (July 22 - 28)

City Elf Week (August 5 - August 11)

Zevwarden Week (2024 dates TBD)

Tranquil Week (August 25 - 31)

Sera Appreciation Week (Oct 13 - 19)

Kink Memes

Dragon Age Kink Meme (Dreamwidth) | DAO | DA2 | DAI

Zines

Dragon Age Flower Zine (Creation Period)

Wanderers Zine (Creation Period)

Dragon Age OC Zine (Mod Apps Open)

Alistair Zine (Creation Period)

Special Events

Dragon Age Drunk Writing Circle

Dragon Age Annual (2025 Production Period)

Dragon Age Create-A-Thon (Begins Sept 15 2024)

Reddit Weekly Dragon Age Writing Prompts

Unofficial Dragon Age Day (Dec 4)

Solavellan Day (April 11)

Past Events

Retired Bangs

DragonAgeBB (last: 2015; formerly on LJ and elsewhere)

Retired Exchanges

Demands of the Qun (Qunari)

A Paragon of Their Kind (DA Dwarves)

Solas Lovers

Hightown Funk (Varric/Hawke)

Retired Theme Weeks/Months

Autumn of Anders (Anders Appreciation Event)

Dalish Week

30 Days of Dorian (Dorian Appreciation Event)

Dragon Age Fan Week (2013)

Cullen Appreciation Week (2019)

Cullen Week (2021)

14 Days of DA Lovers

Fenris Appreciation Month (2017)

Rylen Appreciation Week (2018)

Sera Appreciation Week (2019)

Sub!Solas Week (2016)

Past Zines

Adoribull Fairytales

Age of Romance Zine (Incomplete)

ApprovesGreatly (Incomplete)

Andoralis Zine

Arcana: A Dragon Age Zine

Arlathvhen Zine (Incomplete)

Beyond the Veil Zine (Zine)

Bring Down the Sky Bioware Fanzine

Dragon Age 2 10th Anniversary Zine (Zine)

Dragon Age Codex Zine & Myths and Legends Zine

Fortitudo Dorian Artbook

Good for Each Other (Adoribull Zine)

In Peace, Vigilance Zine

Insufficient Skill Fanzine

Legend Mark Zine

Lotus and Root OC Zine

Love Across Thedas Zine (Zine)

Na Via Lerno Victoria (Fenris Zine)

Patron of the Arts Zine

Rebel Hearts Handers Zine (Zine)

Road to the Imperium Zine

Solasmancy Zine

Sunlight (Anders Zine)

The Coming Storm Zine (Ukrainian Zine)

The Dragon Age Zine (Russian Zine)

The Keeper's Codex Fairy Tale Zine

The Unsung Dragon Age Zine

The Zevran Zine (incomplete)

Thedosian Archives (incomplete)

to be happy (FenHawke Zine)

Wicked Eyes: A Dragon Age Finery Zine

Year of the Mabari (Incomplete)

Other Past Events

Dragon Age Calendar 2018

Dragon Age Calendar 2021

For Fans by Fans - Fan Forge

[thatwavephenomenon]

The concept of Inquisitor Anders (and Justice) is so special to me actually. Everyone agree that everything the "regular" Inquisitor goes through/accomplishes is already mind-blowing. But for Anders to be the Inquisitor? The stakes would be even more impossible.

Anders thought he was going to die for what he had done, but Hawke spared him. After that he has to go on with no plan whatsoever, as best as he can while on the run as one of the most wanted man in Thedas. The only thing that is clear to him is that he has to keep helping the mage rebellion until he is either caught and killed, or until his Calling. All he has is borrowed time. So even as a fugitive, Anders' story is likely already written and over.

And then the Conclave happens, and Anders not only has his eyes glow blue sometimes, but he now has an occasionally green glowy hand as well.

So here he is, Anders the apostate, Anders the Kirkwall Chantry criminal, who has nothing but with *everything* to prove.

Remember. This is the man that gave everything that he had, everything he was to his cause. He fought for *years* in Kirkwall with his clinic, his manifesto, with the Mages Underground and still things worsened, with barely anyone listening to him until he blew the Chantry up. And now he has to convince everyone that he isn't responsible for the explosion at the Conclave? Right, as if his track record would permit that. How could he possibly be able to close the breach in the sky when he was the one who started the war between the templars and the mages in the first place?

The regular Inquisitor already has trouble proving themselves trustworthy at the beginning of DAI, so imagine it now with Anders. People would literally be out for blood. The Chantry would not only discredit the Inquisition as heretics, it would call for his immediate dissolution/destruction. Anders would also try to help all the refugees just like before in Kirkwall, while being the very reason these people lost so much in the first place this time.

Now on to the advisors and companions. How would Leliana, who also walk the path of violence for her cause, who is pro-mages but also had great faith in Justinia, interact with Anders? Even if Cullen has left the templars, could he and Anders even manage to cooperate after everything? Especially considering that Cullen was Meredith's second and the one who dismantled Anders' Mages Underground? How would Josephine and Anders work together to promote their cause, with how Anders must regard nobility after living in Darktown for years or after watching Kirkwall nobles interact with Hawke?

After investigating what happened in Kirkwall, Cassandra would probably be more than wary of Anders. But at the same time in DAI she is among the first ones to believe that the character must be the Herald of Andraste. I imagine that Cassandra would be particularly conflicted on how to treat Anders because of this.

Varric. Anders was his friend. Anders is the one who set Kirkwall on fire. For all that they know each other, things would probably still be tense between them at first. Varric also followed Hawke to see him rise from having barely anything to his name to becoming the Champion of Kirkwall. What would he think about Anders, a companion of the initial protagonist (or even protagonists, if you take into account DA Awakening), when he's now taking a path that seems to lead him towards becoming so much more? Especially considering that in DAI Varric struggles with how to perceive the Inquisitor, having to juggle between seeing the character as his friend (if you have a good relationship with him) and seeing them as an icon, the Herald of Andraste.

Anders and Vivienne would absolutely despise each other and their snark matches would be the stuff of legends. The only reason those two could even work together is if they agree that closing the breach takes priority over everything else.

I imagine that Anders, Justice and Solas would have some interesting conversations about spirits and the Fade while also butting heads on a lot of things. Both would be convinced that they are the authority on these subjects. But perhaps they would learn to eventually concede on some things with time.

I think Sera would really like Anders for his continued dedication towards helping people and his insistance to give up what he has for others. Sera's fear of magic and Anders absolute pro-mages stance would definitely cause more than one row between them however. Not to mention Justice. Their relationship would be one of the most interesting there in my opinion.

Blackwall would also be another greatly interesting character to watch interact with Inquisitor Anders. Anders would be able to tell that Blackwall is bullshitting about being a Warden from the get-go, because he was one and can sense the taint. Those two would definitely have some interesting debates on justice (and with Justice), or talks about how to go on and do good after having committed an atrocious crime. Blackwall's admiration for the Grey Wardens versus Anders "Oh yeah, I was a Warden once, then I just quit" attitude would also result in some great banters I'm sure.

Anders would say to Iron Bull that he is very different from all the other Qunaris that were in Kirkwall, though I don't know how that conversation would go. Iron Bull would also definitely be afraid of Justice. I can see him adressing the question/problem of Anders being an "abomination" quite directly, because he is not comfortable with spirits/demons that are capable of taking over someone's mind, and Anders is a living proof of that fear. Despite this, I like to imagine that Justice would actually grow to respect the Iron Bull in some parts after hearing the Chargers' stories about him and seeing how protective of them Iron Bull is.

Despite their different upbringings, I think Dorian would somewhat remind Anders of himself when we was younger/before he merged with Justice. If Hawke isn't a mage, I can imagine Anders' relief and joy about finally being able to talk to someone about magic normally and openly. They would have conversations about Tevinter, politics, etc. In DAI, the Inquisitor can inspire Dorian and support him in his fight to change Tevinter. With Anders as the Inquisitor, this aspiration for social changes could be even more relevant.

Cole and Anders/Justice interactions would be another cool thing to see. Justice would recognize Cole as a spirit of Compassion right away. Despite their differences as spirits, I could see Justice becoming quite protective of Cole and defending him against people like Cassandra or Vivienne, having an unfortonate amount of experience being treated as a "demon" or "abomination". Cole would also try to help Anders with his guilt of course.

Discovering that Corypheus is their enemy would be less of a "oh it's him again/oh okay this is the villain" moment and become a lot more personal, with the worry that Anders could fall under his control if he is not strong enough.

Meeting Hawke once again in Skyhold would be An Event for sure, espeeecially if Hawke and Anders were (are?) in a romance. I'm letting everyone imagine how that would go with their own Hawke here.

And The Choice in the Fade, you know the one, would be even more heart-wrenching. Particularly if the Warden is someone that Anders knows, like Nathaniel Howe or even the Hero of Ferelden/Warden-Commander.

Bonus: Anders could also meet Fenris by chance during a mission to eliminate some Venatori.

Anyways. I really like the idea of Inquisitor Anders, yes.

[weaveandwood]

In Hushed Whispers

There was a little interest in me posting some Dragon Age: Inquisition fanfic here, so I'm going to share the one shot I have written! I know I have a few mutuals who are also doing their first playthrough of Inquisition, so if you haven't done the quest this one-shot is named for, don't read this! Consider this your warning!

Pairing: Cullen/Female Lavellan (Brinni, my dual wielding rogue) Words: 1,374

Angst

Read on AO3!

Cullen threw the crumpled up message across the room and leaned over the war table, shaking his head, willing himself to take his next breath even as dread constricted every fiber of his being. 

Dead. 

He slammed his fist against the table, toppling over the markers that had been so carefully placed earlier that day. He told her it was a trap - he told them all! She wasn’t an idiot, she knew it was clearly a trap as well. Still, she was determined - and that determination had doomed them all.  

He paced the length of the room. Back and forth, over and over, replaying their last conversation in his head, trying to figure out what he could have said differently. 

“Redcliffe has repelled thousands of assaults. If you go in there you’ll die, and we’ll lose the only means we have of closing these rifts. I won’t allow it,” he had told her. Of course, there was the unspoken reason he hadn’t wanted her to go, one he was too foolish and too scared to voice. No, better to have her believe he only saw her as a tool, a weapon for them to wield. Nothing more. 

Cassandra, Josephine, and Leliana argued the optics of marching on the castle, the consequences of leaving a foreign magister in power on Ferelden land. It appeared they had been outplayed. No matter how hard Cullen stared at the table, a strategy would not come to him. 

“There has to be something we’re not thinking of,” she had said quietly, finally breaking the silence and looking at each of them. “Another way in.”

Discussions took place. Brinni paced back and forth while Leliana and Cassandra spoke of the secret entrance for the family and planned the “distraction” Brinni and her envoy would be for the magister. Someone suddenly barged into the war room with insider knowledge of the magister’s plans - Brinni seemed to trust him and his easy confidence, so everyone else did as well. 

It was settled. They would leave first thing in the morning. 

 “The plan puts you in the most danger - we can still go after the Templars if you’d rather not play the bait. It’s up to you,” he said to her before parting, his cool demeanor soothing over the storm within. Don’t go. It’s a trap. You will die. 

She went. So did Blackwall (prisoner), Varric (prisoner), and the new mage, Dorian (dead). 

Dead. 

If he had just talked to her, told her how important she was - not just to the Inquisition, but to everyone in their inner circle even after this short amount of time, how he looked forward to reading her messages from her seemingly never-ending duties in the Hinterlands, how their conversations while he was overseeing the training exercises were the best sort of distraction…

He sighed. She still would have gone. Still would have died. 

He walked out of the building, staring at the breach in the sky. What were they going to do now? 

Months passed. It was almost a year to the day since the Inquisition lost their one hope at closing the Breach. Cullen had been right about Redcliffe. He threw troops at it, but they were no match for The Elder One’s demon army. Thedas was gone - everything was covered in red lyrium. Leliana had been captured on a spy mission months ago. Cassandra and Iron Bull led a charge soon after the news of Brinni’s death reached Haven with the rest of her companions - they never returned. Josephine tried her hand at diplomacy and was caught by a demon possessing a nobleman. 

Dead, dead, dead. 

Only a handful of troops remained. Templars, warriors, and even a few elves had traveled to Haven after everything really started going south about a month after…after her death. They fought for the fallen Herald of Andraste. He fought for her. Brinni Lavellan. He still found his thoughts easily drifting to her. He did a double take every time he saw an elf with short white hair the color of starlight. He missed her, even now. Even as he mounted his favorite horse outside of Redcliffe Village, ready to lead one last charge against the castle. One last attempt at saving the world, though it was certain they would all end up the same as everyone else who had tried.

Would he see her once this was over? He mulled the thought over as they marched on the castle through fields of red lyrium, the power surrounding it warm and intoxicating. He saw corpses with crystals growing out of them and shuddered. What world was left to save? They got to the bridge and he dismounted, taking all of the riding gear off of his horse. He dropped it to the ground before slapping the horse’s hindquarters, sending it off to live whatever life it could manage. There would be no one left to care for it after today and he could not bring himself to watch the horse die in battle. He smiled to himself. “The Commander has a soft spot” - she had teased him about that once in the stables, long ago.

A horrible grinding noise brought his attention back to the present, the telltale sound of the demons that had laid waste to the land and the people of Thedas. This was it. He raised his sword, rallying the small troop behind him and charged. 

They fought as well as they could, taking down a few demons while the demons took down more of them. He watched as they fought and fell, their numbers shrinking further and further until only a true handful were left, each fighting their own hopeless battle. A cry, a thud. Dead. A shout, a demonic laugh. Dead. 

“Sir, behind yo-” someone called out, seconds too late. Cullen started to turn, his sword preparing to strike when he felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by searing heat and frigid cold seeping through his body. He fell to the ground, looking up at the roiling green-grey sky and tried unsuccessfully to remember what it looked like on a clear, blue, cloudless day before magic destroyed everything. He was lying in something warm and wet and he was tired, so tired. His eyes fluttered and the world grew dim. The cries of battle were quiet now and the grinding noise from the demons drifted further from his consciousness. 

It was over. 

“Sir? Sir? A message from Redcliffe,” a voice called from outside the door of his office, accompanied by urgent knocks. 

Cullen startled and sat up. Had he been sleeping at his desk? The long nights and early mornings had caught up with him, it appeared - he would need to keep a better schedule. He cleared his throat, calling for the messenger to enter and took the small envelope from him. 

He quickly ripped it open to read the missive from Brinni’s operation, his eyes scanning desperately for a key word to indicate how the mission went. He quickly crumpled it up and threw it across the room to prevent himself from spending all day reading it over and over again before leaning over his desk, his head in his hands. 

Mission successful. Recruited mages as allies. Will explain when we return. - B

She was fine. She didn’t die, she wasn’t taken prisoner, and she had recruited the mages as allies for the Inquisition. Once again, she exceeded his expectations. He leaned back in his chair, his face to the ceiling and laughed loudly, the cord of tension within him that had been wound so tightly since they left finally loosening. Was the tension he had been harboring solely due to the fate of their Inquisition? They would be able to continue closing Fade Rifts and perhaps close the Breach with the assistance of the recruited mages. Or…was it something that was beginning to take hold inside him, gentle and warm, just like the way she smiled at him during her rounds the other day when she found him in the stables, brushing his favorite horse’s mane and talking sweetly to it? “The Commander has a soft spot,” she had teased him. 

It appeared that the Commander may have had more than one.

[dippedinmelancholy]

TW for spoliers for Dragon Age Inquistion (I guess????? It't been 10+ years guys) I keep seeing a lot of people talking about Solas and how horrible he is ( keep my wife's name out of your mouth, I love him your honor) but like, honestly as someone who fell in love Dragon Age Inquisition, it triggered my entire love for the whole series . . . people are missing something huge. Literally all of the main companions, and honestly all of the Advisors, are morally grey, fucked up people. Cole - Literally a spirit/demon. Kills people to 'help'. Varric - Bro is in a long term affair with a woman he can't/won't commit to, is constantly running from responsibility. Sera - Claims to be on the side of the small and helpless, could not give two fucks about the elves at all. Is obscenely racist and cruel, especially if you're playing Dalish. Doesn't seem to give any fucks for how her actions make others feel. Cassandra - Seeker/Templar. Thedas cop. Doesn't care that the mages are regularly abused and violated. Blindly believes in the Chantry, and even after she is given evidence of their fucks ups, cannot pull herself away. Iron Bull - Once again, massively dangerous, worse than a cop. Warrior/master spy. Openly infiltrates your group, sees no sin in how the Qunari operate or stripping people entirely of rights. Blackwall - War criminal????? Fucks you in a barn and leaves???? Takes on the identity of a Warden all in hopes that he can pretend hard enough to be a decent person. Again, dude fucks you in a barn. Jail. Gross. Vivenne - Hungrily plays the politics of Orlais. Believes in keeping the mages in Circles, regardless of the abuse, and is constantly out for her own gain. Her reasonings are wholly selfish. Dorian - Bro defends slavery like five minutes after meeting you. The need for gay rights doesn't fix that my guy. Solas - Doesn't see anyone in the world as people unless/until you change his mind. Sees the Iquisition as a means to an end, and your Inquisitor as someone to manipulate to get to his end goals. Cullen - Reformed Templar, fighting addiction and his past crimes. Abused, violated, he didn't believe mages were people. Josephine - Was a Bard in Orlais. Sounds nice, actually murderous. Killed a friend, is haunted by the act. Though sweet, plays the Game as ruthlessly as anyone else. Leliana - Assassin, murderer, has no problems with being brutal and manipulating everyone for her end goals. Every single one of them are terrible. They are people who have done terrible things, brutalized others, and yet have chosen to stay with the Inquisition. From all corners of Thedas, and yet dedicated to protect the world. Even Solas. His goal to tear down the veil isn't a desire to destroy the world. It's to save the very crumb of his people that remains. And in all of these characters, YOU shape them. You help them choose to be better or worse. That is the beauty of Inquisition. When the world is falling to shit, the sky is literally caving in and a would be god is trying to destroy you all out of spite, PEOPLE come together. They want to protect the world. If you're going to apply a cold, unmoving and non-understanding moral compass to Solas, you better be prepared to do it to every single one of them.

[star--nymph]

I think people forget with Cullen, and characters like Cullen, that indoctrination is a thing. We're lucky to live in an age where we have a surplus of access to resources that allow us to think critically on the structures around us, to the point where we overlook that most people won't and haven't. Cullen was raised in a backwater village where the main educators and leaders were Templars. He was likely taught scripture by Chantry Sisters, he possibly learned to read and write through them. From the day he was born, he was being taught to love and obey the Chantry with out question--and the Chantry teaches that Templars are a force of good.

So I ask you, how the hell was Cullen, at eight or thirteen years old, going to learn about the crimes of Templars? How was he going to unlearn propaganda that was fed him to him every day by people he respected and possibly loved? How was he supposed to be aware that this idolized image of Templars being the saviors of the people and even mages was a lie?

And then he gets shipped off, happily, to be trained a Templar. Again, he's put into this position where he's fed nothing but propaganda. He doesn't get a real taste of the Order being corrupted until he's out in Kinloch and he's not sure what the hell to do because what he's seeing isn't jiving with what he's been taught for nearly two decades. So yeah, he tries to justify it, he tries to have his cake and eat it too by reasoning that mages should be treated like people but also the Order wouldn't lie to him, so they must be right to act like this. The Maker always had a plan, right?

If Cullen had been lucky, maybe he could have realized earlier on that the Order was abusing mages, that he had been tricked, he could have gotten out and unlearned the bigotry that was planted inside him.

But then BAM! the Broken Circle happened and I don't see how no one gets how perfect this is for the Order? They now have a templar that is so traumatized by mages, he will literally do and say anything to justify their abuses because now? Now he's afraid.

And remember, after Origins, Cullen becomes so erratic, he has to be sent off to a Chantry to 'even him out'--where he was more than likely manipulated even further by the Chantry to be this blood thirsty agent for them. When he's shipped to Kirkwall, they could have not delivered to Meredith a better second in command.

So yeah, is it really surprising that he says shit like 'mages aren't people like you and me' when we meet him in Kirkwall? Man is sleep depraved by the looks of him, swallowing all Meredith's frenzied rhetoric on blood mages, he's seeing for himself the damage these mages are doing, he's isolated from his family, he has no actual friends, and he's living with C-PTSD among other issues. Even under the best of conditions, none of what he says or does in DA2 is surprising when you put it all together.

And yet, the man still had enough of that idealistic child left in him to realize see that Meredith was going off the deep end and that he should be protecting the mages. That's text. That's in World of Thedas. The reason why Cullen is able to turn on Meredith in the end is because he was able to see, even clouded by his fear and hatred, that what she was doing was wrong.

And all this isn't to excuse Cullen's wrongs. It's weird how every time someone brings up Cullen's history, it's assumed that it's just a justification for his actions. It's not, it's an an explanation. Cullen was a victim of the Order that became an abuser, a tool, and he is responsible for his actions.

But the thing is, by DAI, Cullen is well aware of his sins and he actively works to better himself by leaving the Order and getting off lyrium (which for most people is a death sentence). People can argue all day about whether or not Cullen's arc in DAI redeems him or was satisfying, or if he did enough to 'prove' that he was sorry or--good god--does he deserve redemption in the first place (which is such a Catholic way of looking at shit by the way; no one 'deserves' redemption; you do it to be better or you fucking don't) but the fact is that Cullen says that he wants to be better, that he sees the Order as--at the very least--flawed.

That, yes, he's still unlearning all the bigotry he held as a younger man and he's ashamed that he was like that to begin with.

You can hate him all you like, and whatever, but Cullen's story--intentionally or not--is about a man born into an oppressive society, raised to uphold its beliefs, used and abused by it, and then awakening to those lies and trying to free himself from those beliefs so he could be a better person.

And sometimes I genuinely wonder if the reason so many people hate Cullen is because they themselves might have dealt with something similar in our own oppressive society where they also had to unlearn harmful bigotry and maybe, just maybe, he hits too close to home.

[vultures-and-scavengers]

cullen is 100% unqualified.

cullen is unqualified for the role he ends up playing, but also there is NO ONE in thedas who would be qualified.

he is creating an entirely new military and on a massive scale. he is not taking a place in an already established structure. you can be a general who spent their life in the military, but if that military has been around, then you are not creating a power structure, you are taking your place in one. much of this has been organized for you.

and militaries are not just infantry. you need to set up A LOT.

you need construction. you need to be able to house your people. you need fortifications to project your objectives. you need storage space because you will need a fuck ton of supplies. you might need bridges and you might need walls and you need to be able to be flexible with what you have the ability to build.

you need acquisitions. you need to know appropriate amounts of supplies you need. you need to be able to outfit your soldiers with the gear they need, which can change depending on their assignment. you need to know the supplies you're acquiring come from reputable sources and are not sabotaged in any way. you need to have redundancies within your supply chain.

you need transportation. you need to be able to move people. you need to be able to move food. you need to be able to move weapons and armor. you need these transports to be secure and well guarded. you need to (probably) vary their routes so you don't risk predictable convoys being seized. you need animals to provide transportation. you need stablehands who also need housing and pay and food and supplies. you need to feed the animals. you need to fulfill your animals' needs adequately. you need medical care for your animals.

you need personnel management. you need to feed them. you need to manage morale and you need to manage pay. you need to know how to encourage cohesion within units while making sure those units can work with others. you need to assign differing specialties and duties appropriately and you need to provide guidance for how each role should be filled.

you need to train them. this is not just swinging a sword; this is enemy recognition, this is how to work within a rank structure, this is how to operate within a highly regulated environment. you need your people to be educated enough to handle what tasks they need to carry out. you need exercises and wargaming so your people know what to expect from the field.

you need coherent rank structure. you need uniforms so your people know who they are and who those around them. you need to plan units with different capabilities that also fall within a coherent rank structure. you need to have emblems for ranks that are easy to read. you need guidelines and standards for what is expected of different ranks because different ranks have vastly different responsibilities. you need to have standards for promotion and demotion.

you need regulation. you need to ban criminal activity. you need standards for discipline. you need to write all the guidelines and be able to provide them to your units. you need one set of rules that all your units adhere to. you need to balance the needs of the people serving with the regulations that need to be written. you need appropriate ways to alter regulations and then publicize these changes.

you need doctrine. you need to plan out how you fight and why. how do you strategize. how do your larger tactics filter down to the smallest fighting units. how centralized or how flexible is your command structure. how are you appropriately using the resources you have. how do you work with allies. why are your units set up the way they are.

you need health services. you need pest management. you need disease control. you need battlefield medicine. you need standard guidelines for triage and care that all your healers understand so they're not doing wildly different things. you need care for long term issues like broken bones. you need to consider what to do with people who are in long-term care. you need to consider what happens to those who are injured and no longer able to serve.

you need security. you need to know your communications are encrypted, obfuscated, or otherwise made difficult to intercept. you need counterintelligence. you need to have guards on patrol. you need to secure your food and water sources. you need to secure incoming shipments.

this is not at all a complete list. but cullen has to find people who can organize all of this, or he has to organize it himself. he is starting from scratch. the inquisition has nothing at the beginning. there is not a single person in thedas who knows how to come up with all this on the scale that the inquisition will require of cullen and with haste.

the inquisition's army must respond to multiple unprecedented threats: hole in the sky raining demons, tears in reality all over ferelden and orlais, red templars, a tevinter cult led by a returned darkspawn magister with a quasi-archdemon, and an army of mind-controlled wardens and demons.

respond. not plan for. they have to pivot and face these things, which all present different challenges and require different tools and methods to fix.

so yes. he is unqualified. fucking find me someone who isn't.

[liaragaming]

Cole & Compassion as more-Human

I know my mutuals prefer the more spirit route. And I do want to iterate that neither path is wrong or right. Cole is happy whatever you choose. But I want to explain why I prefer the human path.

Forgetting Trauma

I made Cole more spirit in my first few playthroughs. I like Cole, and I like Solas, and Solas is the spirit expert. So when he says, the spirit route is the way to go, then that should be correct right? Varric's statements that Cole "came here to be a person" is wrong. Cole came here to help. He's a spirit of Compassion, and that's what he should be. And with those aspects in mind, the more human path seems incorrect.

But Cole making the Templar forget what he did never quite sat right with me. I'm sure we all have trauma we'd like to erase, but that's not healing. That's just erasure. Cole says the Templar remembers that something bad happened and that he had to leave the order because of it - he just doesn't remember the hand he personally played. And that's a nice sentiment. I'm just not sure that it's right.

Blackwall's Journey You know who carries a lot of trauma in the game? Blackwall. He doesn't get to forget it. But he heals from it, especially if you choose the Thom Rainier route. He doesn't get to run to the Wardens as a cover for his actions. He has to figure out how to live as he is. And it's hard, but he does it. He travels Thedas, finding others like him and offering them hope.

Thom Rainier was shown mercy when none was deserved, and set on a path of redemption. This gift, so compassionately given, needed to be shared. Freed from his obligations to the Inquisition, Rainier travelled Thedas, giving hope to the condemned and the forgotten. In the deepest prisons and pits of Thedas, he found, if not goodness itself, its potential. By showing faith in those who had none, Rainier lifted them up and made them into something better than they were.

This path of redemption that is shared with others and touches so many people could never happen if Cole went to Thom and made him forget. Trauma sucks, but people can learn and grow and something good and wonderful can come from it. And I think this potential for healing and transformation is lost in the act of forgetting.

Forgetting Cole

The other thing about making Cole more spirit that rubbed me the wrong way is how Cole makes himself forget the real Cole - the boy whom he came through the Fade to comfort. And I get why this has to happen. Cole can't learn or grown from it - that would change him. He has to forget to keep himself, but...

Solas says that making Cole more human alters the essence of what he is. But the more I played the spirit path, the more I felt that was the path that altered him.

Cole reached through the Fade to help a small boy. That was Compassion - an incredible, extraordinary example of it. And it doesn't sit right with me that making Cole more spirit and supposedly more himself erases the most compassionate thing he's ever done.

Cole Learns How to Help More

I vehemently disagree with Varric's words that Cole came to this world to be human. That isn't true. I don't like the Inquisitor's words, insisting that Cole needs to learn to be more human. I don't want Cole to be human. I want him to be Compassion. I want him to heal his own hurt and help people as he's always done. And it turns out, at least in my opinion, that the more human route is the one that allows him to do that most because he learns how it do it more effectively.

Everyone remembers me now. But I'm real. More real, anyway. And I understand more than I did. I sometimes see why something I said would bother Cullen. Maybe I'll do it less.

Making people forget sometimes isn't the answer, and Cole understands that now. He also understands now why some of his actions might hurt when he doesn't intend them to. He learns what works and what doesn't whereas, as more spirit, he'll just do what he thinks is right (even if maybe it's not).

[spoiler alert for Asunder in this paragraph] If you've never read Asunder, Cole kills mages. He recognizes that they are stuck in the Circle and in pain, and as Compassion he believes that the only way to help them, to relieve that pain, is to take their life so they don't feel it anymore. He has to learn and grow and realize that's the wrong answer. And I see the human path in Inquisition as doing the same thing.

Cole learns how to help people more effectively. He can't make people forget him anymore. So, he can't start over if he does something wrong. But it helps him learn how to heal through better methods.

I wanted to help people, but I only knew enough to do it in the simplest way. [...] Making people forget me was a defense against people attacking me and having what they saw in me stick. Because I'm real, everything sticks. What they think or feel about me stays. [In banter with Blackwall, he elaborates] I can't wash it away, but it helps me learn.

To me, this is Compassion. This is how Cole helps. This is how he keeps himself and his purpose as a spirit in a way that, in my opinion, is more effective than the spirit route.

Cole is Sadder, yes, but...

I know this tweet has made the rounds. But I don't think Weekes is necessarily saying the human route is wrong.

It hurts. Everything hurts. Everyone remembers me now.

Does Cole being more human make him sadder? Yes. He carries trauma with him. And trauma hurts. It sucks. He's "sadder," but that doesn't mean he's not happy:

Being this, being me...it's harder. But better. I like me.

A lot of us carry trauma. I carry my own. But I learned from it. I am more empathetic and understanding of certain things because of it. I'm not the same person I was before. And yes it hurts. Yes, I'm "sadder" than I would be without it. But I wouldn't erase it. I like who I am. And going back to the person I was, the person who saw the world differently than I do now, who didn't know the things I know now... I wouldn't want that. And with Cole as more human, there are things he comes to understand that as more spirit he never could.

Varric's wrong. Cole didn't come to this world to be human. He crossed the Veil to help, to show compassion. The human path lets him do that. The spirit path, in my opinion, sends him back. The human path, propels him forward.

Cole's Fears

If you make Cole more spirit, he thanks you for not making him change. But if you make him more human, he admits that he was scared of change. He lost his only friend, Rhys, when he "grew" - when he realized what he was and and learned and became something more. He was worried changing and becoming more human would make him lose his friends all over again - that being seen and letting people see him as he is (without the power to make them forget) would scare everyone and they would push him away. As more human, he realizes he was wrong. He says it's liberating. He calls it "wonderful."

Conclusion

I'm not saying one path is wrong or right. I see the reasons for going more spirit with Cole. And the fact that a more spirit Cole recognizes Solas' pain and steps into the Fade to join him and help him remember who he is kills me. The fact human Cole ends up with Maryden and not Krem also kills me.

I still question if more-human is the right choice. But when I ask myself what makes Cole more himself - what allows him to embody Compassion the way that he wants to - I just personally see the more human path as the best at achieving that.

[dalishious]

Hello - I see that you've answered Dragon Age lore-related questions before, so I hope it's okay to ask this. What age would a noble family send their child to (A) the Chantry, (B) the Templars? (I know the Trevelyans tend to get their spares into Chantry positions, and I'm working out backstories for my Inquisitor's siblings.)

Cullen was thirteen when he joined the templar recruits

Alistair was ten

Rylen was fifteen

Delrin was eleven

(Source: World of Thedas vol. 2)

[thechildofbhaalhasawoken]

The peacetalks of the Orlesian Civil war and the ball at Winter Palace finally finished, the Inquisition’s main figures retreated to the mansion near Val Royaux they had rented to use as a base for the operation.

Commander Cullen was seen escorting the Inquisitor, who had been absolutely radiant and the talk of the whole event, to her carriage. The dashing Tevinter mage of Pavus’s bloodline (whose fashion choices would soon come to influence some of the younger Orlesian nobles) joined the Inquisitor in her carriage. The others of the Inquisition mounted their horses and carriages in neat and efficient order. As they rode off, the Commander was seen riding his impressive white horse close to the carriage, personally ensuring the Inquisitor’s safety.

The rumours were already spreading - the Commander and the Inquisitor had been seen dancing, but outside, alone on a balcony! Had he mentioned something about being taken? He was not married, that much they knew. The rumours would not stop dozens of Orlesian nobles from writing to the Commander, whose silent charisma, tall and muscular build and reputation of having been at many crucial moments in recent history of Thedas had enchanted nearly everyone. Including, it seemed, the Inquisitor herself.

[ Continue under the cut for Dorian being a friend, Cullen being a gentleman, and general pining and cuteness ]

Arriving at their rented mansion, Dorian gently nudged the Inquisitor. She had drifted to sleep in the carriage during the short ride - that’s how exhausted and emotionally drained she was after the whole ordeal at the Winter Palace. Sleepily she apologised to Dorian as the carriage stopped to the courtyard. Before either of them could do anything more, the door of the carriage already opened. It was Commander Cullen again, extending his gloved hand to her much in the same way he had escorted her into the carriage.

”Inquisitor,” he prompted simply, and without hesitation she took his hand and let him help her out.

Dorian waited for her to get out, an amused smirk on his face. Cullen had been acting so brusque and tough before the ball, stomping around and huffing about not getting into any Orlesian tomfoolery. And here he was, suddenly, in his formal attire, looking like a prince and acting like a true gentleman around her. Dorian couldn’t wait to tease the living daylights out of the good Commander, but now he gave his friend this moment. He saw how weary she was, and he knew how she adored the Commander, but he was pretty sure they had only been, well, courting, and not sharing a bed yet. So let him court and be adorable, Dorian thought, as he got out of the carriage and watched Cullen tuck her hand under his arm and walk her up the stairs to the main entrance.

”They’re disgustingly cute, aren’t they,” Leliana said to Dorian as she stood beside him to watch the two of them enter the mansion.

”I was just thinking the same thing,” Dorian admitted.

”Oh stop it, you two. I think they make a very handsome couple,” Josephine said happily as she joined them. ”Have you noticed how the Commander’s voice changes when he speaks with her?”

A disgusted noice from Cassandra’s direction served as a reply to Josephine.

Inside the mansion, Cullen waved the Orlesian servants away and kept the Inquisitor by his side. ”You look like the only thing you need is sleep. May I walk you to your room?”

”Yes, please, Cullen,” she sighed, thankful that she had his safe bulky form to lean against as they slowly ascended the marble staircase. ”But why is it up on the third floor?” she whined.

Cullen paused on the next landing, looked over his shoulder, and then bent his knees to slip one arm behind her legs and one around her back, and hauled her into his arms in one swift move.

The staircase echoed with a surprised shriek and giggle, and Cullen hushed the Inquisitor as he continued up the stairs now carrying her. He made it look so effortless too, thought the Inquisitor, who wriggled her arm around his neck.

”I understand this isn’t the first time you’re carrying me,” she said, still giggling. A red fluster was rising from her bosom to her neck.

Cullen tried not to look, but kept his eyes on the stairs. ”No, but I find it easier now that you’re conscious and I’m not wading knee deep in snow.”

”I don’t think I ever thanked you for it so…” the Inquisitor said softly. Cullen felt her eyes on him and her fingers brush the hair on the back of his skull. Now he was getting flustered too. ”So thank you. Still, let’s try and not repeat those conditions again.”

”I would appreciate it,” Cullen replied all matter-of-fact, but he did glance at her with a lopsided smirk. ”But you don’t mind me carrying you again, do you?”

”Oh I could get used to this!” she laughed.

”That one is my door,” she pointed out, and Cullen carefully set her down on her feet in front of it. When he straightened up, his breath hitched at how close they were, their faces but inches from each other. She was already getting on her tippytoes to reach up and kiss him, but Cullen took a small step back, grabbed her hand and brought it to his face, bowing for her with his other hand behind his back.

”Forgive me. I feel the walls have ears and eyes here, and I don’t trust the Orlesians as far as I can throw them,” he mumbled darkly, his lips brushing the back of her hand.

”Oh,” was the only disappointed sound the tired Inquisitor managed.

”I can’t wait to talk with you in Skyhold. Good night, Inquisitor,” he said, and kissed her knuckles. ”I hope you get some rest.”

”Good night, Commander,” she replied faintly, as Cullen straightened with an apologetic smile.

The Inquisitor opened the door to her room, glanced at him one more time, and then closed the door, vanishing out of sight.

Cullen was left alone in the corridor - or so he thought.

”What are you doing!?” he was startled by a hissing sound from the staircase. Dorian reached the top floor and look at him with a bewildered expression. ”I thought you would be naked by now! What is wrong with you, man!?” he whispered at the Commander angrily.

Cullen rolled his eyes. ”Please mind your own business, Dorian.”

”My best friend’s business in my business! And now she’s in there alone, without your divine pectorals to delight her!” Dorian continued whispering, sounding like a mad hissing cat.

”Andraste give me strength…” Cullen muttered and quickly escaped to his own room further along the corridor.

Dorian stood alone in the corridor now, shaking his head. It’s one thing being gentlemanly but another to deliberately not put out, he thought and headed for his own room. It’s like they’re choosing to pine for each other? Madness!

[midorisudachi]

“The Inquisitor And Her Commander”

As some of you may have noticed, I am a huge fan of the Dragon Age games, especially Dragon Age Inquisition. Last year, I had planned on drawing all the main [playable] characters up until Dragon Age Day (which took place on December 4th), but I just didn’t have time to draw more than three characters (the Inquisitor, Solas, & Varric…please check them out in my gallery) due to being busy with work and other things. I’ll eventually draw the other characters when I gather more motivation to do so.

For now, please enjoy this piece. I hope everybody likes this. I worked very hard on this artwork. It took longer than usual to create, due to all the small details, the poses, & the armour. (Armour is not easy to draw for me!) For those of you who are DAI fans, you may recognize the flowers: Crystal Grace on the bottom and Andraste’s Grace on the top. I know Andraste’s Grace is not in DAI, but I thought it would be pretty to add to the artwork (since it technically exists in the Thedas world).

 My OC Inquisitor is named Bryony Trevelyan. She is actually my 2nd Inquisitor character, the first one having been an elf (which I may draw someday). I had been playing DAI for the 3rd time, a few months ago, as a male character (since I wanted him to be in a romance with Dorian, so yes, my male Inquisitor is gay), but I stopped for a bit since I am playing Skyrim at the moment (with updates & mods). Anyway, back on the main subject: I drew Inquisitor Bryony Trevelyan in the Armor of the Dragon Hunter outfit (from the Jaws of Hakkon DLC), which I had altered the colours by tinting it with Veil Quartz. I based her crown from concept art for DAI. So much armour in the game! Which I love, especially since the DA games don’t give female characters the stereotypical skimpy outfits…I love that I get to make my female characters wear bad-ass armour.

Cullen Rutherford is such an adorable and slightly awkward character around my Inquisitor. I knew I had to romance him right away, because his looks are the type of man I am attracted to in real life. (I’m not going to lie…in the game, he’s hot for a video game character. Ha ha!) I’ve always enjoyed the flirting in the DA games when it comes to the relationships. The best scene was right before their first kiss, when Cullen got interrupted by a member of the Inquisition, and then got mad about it. Ha ha. I liked when my Inquisitor asked Cullen, “The day you kissed me on the battlements…how long had you wanted to do that?” And Cullen replied (with a laugh), “Longer that I should admit.” Awwwww.

I also liked the part in the Winter Palace, when all these people were flirting with Cullen, and one asked him, “Are you married, Commander?” And Cullen replied, “Not yet, but I am…already taken.” Double awwww, because a loyal man is so dreamy. :3 I actually had Bryony & Cullen get married in the last DLC. :3 They adopt a Mabari (dog), too!

I love DAI too much. :D It’s such a fun game with the most gorgeous graphics (especially on the Xbox Series X).

Drawn with Sakura Pigma Micron pens, then coloured in with a mixture of Copic Markers & Ohuhu Markers. I used Koi Watercolours for the background. White accents done with both a gel pen and white watercolour. Gold acrylic was used for the Inquisition Symbol & the lines, which the scanner absolutely murders...the gold is such a pretty, shimmery metallic in real life. The light green around my art was done in Photoshop Elements.

Dragon Age Inquisition © Bioware & Electronic Arts

Fan artwork © Jacqueline E. McNeese