#Evaine Hawke

[thedosianexplorer]

OCs for the ask game:

Reile Auriven (he/him sun elf cleric/fighter), already answered Eros 4, Philia 3, Storge 1, Agape 3, Ludus 5, Pragma 1, Philautia 2,4

Ladwyn Eral'as (she/her drow warlock), already answered 3 for all categories

Nelivza Eral'as (she/they/it drow rogue/ranger)

Evaine Hawke (she/they Blue Mage!Hawke), currently answering #1 in each category

OC Questions on the Seven Forms of Love.

A little list of OC questions based on the seven types of love identified in Ancient Greek thought. Obviously this is a highly simplified presentation of some quite complex philosophical concepts from Classical History, intended more for the purposes of entertainment than education. I also left out Mania, which is arguably an eighth type of love (Obsessive), because I'm keeping it mostly positive in these tricky times!

Eros – Romantic, Passionate Love.

Is your OC romantic in the traditional sense? Do they enjoy giving or receiving gifts of flowers or confectionary? Or are there other courtship traditions from their culture of origin that are important to them?

How important is sex to them in a relationship? Do they see it as something essential to their happiness? Would they be able to remain in a monogamous relationship with someone they loved without sex?

How do they feel about public displays of romantic affection? Does it make them uncomfortable? How do they feel if a romantic partner kisses them in public?

Do they believe in love at first sight? Have they ever developed a crush or romantic (or erotic) fixation upon a stranger based on their appearance alone?

How closely is their opinion of their own beauty (or lack thereof) linked to their confidence? Do they see themselves as more or less worthy of love or sex based on how attractive they feel?

Philia – Affectionate, Platonic Love.

Does your OC have a Best Friend? If they do then how long have they known each other and how did they meet? If they don't then do they have a close group of friends they love equally? Or are they more of a loner?

Does your OC find it easy to make friends? Or are there barriers to them doing so? If so then are these due to issues of inclination, communication, or something else entirely?

What qualities does your OC most value in a friend? Loyalty? Shared sense of humour? Or something else?

Is your OC able to build close friendships with people very different from themselves? Perhaps in terms of culture, age or personality?

What is their most fervent wish for their best friend(s)? How far would they go to make it happen?

Storge – Unconditional, Familial Love.

Did your OC's parents love them unconditionally? If so then has this helped them feel confident as an adult? If not then how has this affected them? What were the conditions their family attached to their relationship?

Does your OC have children? If so then how fiercely do they love them? If they have more than one then do they love them all equally? If they do not have children then is this part of their future plans?

How far does parental approval (imagined or expressed) impact upon their current sense of self-worth? What might they sacrifice or attempt to achieve in order to ensure the approval of their parents?

Does your OC have any siblings? If so then did their parents have a favourite growing up? Has their relationship with their sibling changed in adulthood? If they don't have any siblings then do they perhaps feel they have missed out on an important relationship? Do they have any especially close friends who go some way towards filling that role?

Is your OC able to love without necessarily needing or expecting reciprocation or reward? Or are all their relationships to some extent transactional? Have they ever loved another person unconditionally, whether a child or another adult?

Agape – Selfless, Universal Love.

Does your OC wish to make the world a better place? How far do they see that as being their responsibility? What lengths would they go to in order to help achieve this?

Does your OC feel a spiritual connection to the world around them? Do they have a particular love for nature or living things?

To what extent does your OC believe in the value (or even existence) of true altruism? Do they see an unselfish concern for the welfare of others as being naïve or foolish? Or as a moral quality to which people should aspire?

Does your OC have a religious faith which emphasises the importance of a love for all people? If so then do they try to follow these teachings authentically? Or do they just pay lip-service to them? If not then do they follow a more martial or mercantile faith? Or none at all?

Does your OC find it easy to empathise with their enemies? Or do they see it as important to dehumanise them in order to combat them with sufficient determination?

Ludus – Playful, Flirtatious Love.

Does your OC have any particular favourite chat up lines? If not for themselves then perhaps ones they have suggested to a friend? How effective do these tend to be?

Is your OC particularly skilled at flirting? Have they had to practice this or does it just happen naturally?

How does your OC feel about one night stands? Have they ever enjoyed a night of passionate romance with a stranger? Is this something they are quite keen on recreationally? Or only something they might engage in under specific circumstances (such as the eve of a battle or after a difficult breakup)?

Who was your OC's first crush? How do they feel about it now?

What seduction techniques are most likely to be effective when it comes to your OC? Are there some things guaranteed to get them going? Or are they immune to such things?

Pragma – Committed, Long-Lasting Love.

Is your OC in a committed long-term relationship (or relationships)? If so then what has contributed to this relationship lasting so well? If they are not in such a relationship, then is this something that saddens them or which they regret?

What is the biggest challenge that your OC has had to overcome in a long-term relationship or friendship? What helped them get through this?

Are your OC's parents still together? To what degree do they look to their own parents as a model for their own ideal relationship?

After the initial fires of passion cool to some degree, what would keep your OC engaged in a relationship? Shared goals? Similar values? Or contented companionship?

What importance or value does your OC attach to marriage? Do they believe that it is important to make a public statement of commitment to another person (or persons)? Or are they more concerned about inheritance rights and security for their family? Or do they not see marriage as a necessary signifier of commitment and loyalty?

Philautia – Self Love.

Does your OC have a healthy sense of their own worth and value? Or do they see themselves as failing to live up to their original potential? Perhaps they are convinced of their own sinful or inadequate nature?

Does your OC believe that it is important to love themselves in the first instance? Perhaps in order to be able to give and receive love authentically? Or because they believe first and foremost in "looking after number one"?

Does your OC judge themselves by the same standards as they apply to others? Or are they sometimes hypocritical in condemning others for faults they also possess? Or perhaps they find it easier to forgive others for things that they cannot abide in themselves?

Which of your OC's qualities makes them the most proud? Do they think more people should be like them in this regard? Or do they quite like being rare in possessing it?

Has your OC always had the same opinion of themselves or has this changed over time? Have they learned to love themselves - perhaps with the help of others - as their journey progressed? Or have the consequences of their actions only served to erode their sense of self-worth?

[thatbiologist]

G’eth Character Name Bank

First Names

Masculine Names

Alfred, Andrew, Arlo, Arthur, Balthazar, Barry, Ben, Benedick, Bernard, Burchard, Cedric, Charibert, Crispin, Cyrill, Daegal, Derek, Digory, Drustan, Duncan, Edmund, Edwin, Elric, Evaine, Frederick, Geffery, George, Godfreed, Gregory, Guy, Harris, Harry, Horsa, Hugh, Humphrey, Iago, Jack, Jeremy, John, Kazamir, Kenric, Lawrence, Leoric, Lorik, Luke, Lynton, Lysander, Madoc, Magnus, Maukolum, Micheal, Miles, Milhouse, Mordred, Mosseus, Ori, Orvyn, Neville, Norbert, Nycolas, Paul, Percival, Randulf, Richard, Robert, Roderick, Stephen, Tennys, Theodoric, Thomas, Tristan, Tybalt, Victor, Vincent, Vortimer, Willcock, Willian, Wymond

Feminine Names

Adelin, Alice, Amelia, Beatrix, Beryl, Bogdana, Branwyne, Brigida, Catalina, Catherine, Claudia, Crystina, Deanna, Desdemona, Elaine, Elinora, Eliza, Enide, Eva, Ferelith, Fiora, Freya, Gertrude, Gregoria, Gueanor, Gwen, Gwendolyn, Hannah, Hegelina, Helen, Helga, Heloise, Henrietta, Igraine, Imogen, Jacquelyn, Jane, Jean, Jenny, Jill, Juliana, Juliet, Katie, Leela, Lettice, Lilibet, Lilith, Lucy, Luthera, Luz, Lyra, Malyna, Margherita, Marion, Meryl, Millie, Miranda, Molle, Morgana, Morgause, Nezetta, Nina, Novella, Olwen, Oriana, Oriolda, Osanna, Pamela, Petra, Philippa, Revna, Rohez, Rosalind, Rose, Sallie, Sarra, Serphina, Sif, Simona, Sophie, Thomasine, Tiffany, Ursula, Viola, Winifred, Yrsa, Ysabella, Yvaine, Zelda, Zillah

Gender-Neutral/Unisex Names

Adrian, Alex, Aiden, Arden, Ariel, Auden, Avery, Bailey, Blaire, Blake, Brett, Breslin, Caelan, Cadain, Cameron, Charlie, Dagon, Dana, Darby, Darra, Devon, Drew, Dylan, Evan, Felize, Fenix, Fernley, Finley, Glenn, Gavyn, Haskell, Hayden, Hunter, Jace, Jaime, Jesse, Jo, Kai, Kane, Karter, Kieran, Kylin, Landon, Leslie, Mallory, Marin, Meritt, Morgan, Nell, Noel, Oakley, Otzar, Paris, Peregrine, Quant, Quyn, Reagan, Remy, Robin, Rowan, Ryan, Sam, Samar, Sasha, Sloan, Stace, Tatum, Teegan, Terrin, Urbain, Vahn, Valo, Vick, Wallace, Waverly, Whitney, Yardley, Yarden, Zasha

Surnames

Surnames, Patrilineal - First Name (Patrilineal Surname)

Ace, Allaire, Appel, Arrow, Baker, Bamford, Barnard, Beckett, Berryann, Blakewood, Blanning, Bigge, Binns, Bisby, Brewer, Brickenden, Brooker, Browne, Buller, Carey, Carpenter, Carter, Cheeseman, Clarke, Cooper, Ead, Elwood, Emory, Farmer, Fish, Fisher, Fitzroy, Fletcher, Foreman, Foster, Fuller, Galahad, Gerard, Graves, Grover, Harlow, Hawkins, Hayward, Hill, Holley, Holt, Hunter, Jester, Kerr, Kirk, Leigh, MacGuffin, Maddock, Mason, Maynard, Mercer, Miller, Nash, Paige, Payne, Pernelle, Raleigh, Ryder, Scroggs, Seller, Shepard, Shore, Slater, Smith, Tanner, Taylor, Thatcher, Thorn, Tilly, Turner, Underwood, Vaughan, Walter, Webb, Wilde, Wood, Wren, Wyatt, Wynne

Surnames, Townships in G’eth - First Name of (Location)

Abelforth, Argent Keep, Barrow Springs, Barrowmere, Bedford, Brunhelm, Bumble, Casterfalls, Dunbridge, Falmore Forest, Folk’s Bounty, Frostmaid, Fulstad, Heller’s Crossing, Hertfordshire, Humberdale, Inkwater, Little Avery, Marrowton, Mistfall, Mistmire, Morcow, Necropolis-on-Sea, Otherway, Parsendale, Piddlehinton, Port Fairwind, Redcastle, Ransom, Rutherglen, Saint Crois, Tanner’s Folly, Tavern’s Point, Wilmington

Surnames, Geographical Locations in G’eth - First Name of the (Location)

Cove of Calamity, Deep Woods of Falmore, Eastern Isles, Eastern Mountains, Foothills, Frozen Peak, Lakes, Maegor Cobblestones, Northern Mountains, Southern Isle, Tangle, West Coast, Wild Wild Woods, Woods of Angarad

Surnames, Nickname - First Name the (Something) 

Bald, Bastard, Bear, Bearded, Big, Bird, Bold, Brave, Broken, Butcher, Bruiser, Careless, Caring, Charitable, Clever, Clumsy, Cold, Confessor, Coward, Crow, Cyclops, Devious, Devoted, Dog, Dragonheart, Dreamer, Elder, Faithful, Fearless, Fey, Fool, Friend, Generous, Giant, Goldheart, Goldfang, Gouty, Gracious, Great, Hag, Handsome, Hawk, Honest, Huge, Humble, Hungry, Hunter, Innocent, Ironfist, Ironside, Keeper, Kind, Lesser, Liar, Lionheart, Little, Loyal, Magical, Mercenary, Merchant, Messenger, Old, Orphan, Pale, Polite, Poet, Poor, Prodigy, Prophet, Proud, Reliable, Romantic, Rude, Selfish, Sellsword, Scab, Scholar, Shield, Shy, Singer, Sirrah, Slayer, Slug, Small, Stoneheart, Swift, Tadde, Talented, Tart, Tenacious, Timid, Tiny, Tough, Traveller, Trusted, Truthful, Viper, Wizard, Wolf, Wyrm

[thedosianexplorer]

1 for each, for Evaine Hawke!

ahahahahahaha yes enable me with the DAII brainrot, it only strengthens me <3

Rest under the cut!

Eros 1: Is your OC romantic in the traditional sense? Do they enjoy giving or receiving gifts of flowers or confectionery? Or are there other courtship traditions from their culture of origin that are important to them?

She would give it a try if she were more inclined to spend money on ‘frivolous’ things. Evie has a hard time remembering that she has Money now because most of it exists on pieces of paper Varric wrote up and sent somewhere important and poverty habits are hard to break. She wouldn’t ask for flowers or chocolate, though she can get some on the cheap. She’s pretty sure she owns part of a bakery, either that or she always gets free pastry there because she smuggled some Orlesian caster sugar or something to them back in the day. When she was poor in Ferelden she could pick flowers in a field and give them to someone special to remember her by. Gifts of flowers are too much like a goodbye for her since she moved so often. Now that she’s rich in Kirkwall (allegedly, according to Varric) it seems absurd to spend gold on fleeting gifts when she could get Fenris something he actually needs. If she’s going to give him a bundle of plants it’s going to be in the form of a healing potion because the jackass (affectionate) ran headlong into danger again.

When not chucking elfroot and spindleweed concoctions in Fenris’s direction, she prefers to spend her time with him, rather than her coin.

Philia 1: Does your OC have a Best Friend? If they do then how long have they known each other and how did they meet? If they don't then do they have a close group of friends they love equally? Or are they more of a loner?

Evie has heard the story of how famed author Varric Tethras met the Champion of Kirkwall, boldly pinning a pickpocket to the wall and offering the job that changed it all, but that isn’t how Evie met her best friend. Sure, something like that happened but back then he was a dwarf with a job, like many other Carta affiliates Evie knew. Things changed the first time they met up at the Hanged Man. Against her better judgment Evie opened up for the first time about coming to Kirkwall and losing Bethany. Against his better judgment Varric told her about his parents. Brothers were always a sore subject but easier acknowledged with pints of genuinely terrible ale. When the Hawke estate had been won but ownership tied up in legal proceedings and Gamlen’s apartment became too stale and resentful and cramped, Varric let her stay with him in the Hanged Man. She wouldn’t let him pay for a room of her own; she was saving up for that expedition and she didn’t want another expense on her ledger. She slept on the floor and better than she ever had at Gamlen’s. She never stayed a night there again. Months later she walked back into the Hanged Man, brotherless with the last of the lyrium-dusted mud in her boots and her mother’s sobs ringing in her ears. She could have left then with enough money to buy a house in Denerim, but she went to Varric’s room instead. What they talked about in the ensuing weeks stayed between them but his place in her heart was secured.

Storge 1: Did your OC's parents love them unconditionally? If so then has this helped them feel confident as an adult? If not then how has this affected them? What were the conditions their family attached to their relationship?

The Hawkes loved each other, and they loved their eldest daughter very much. They only had each other on the road and a limited network of trusted folk who helped them move around the country. They had to be everything for each other and sometimes that meant the twins needed a mother when Leandra and Malcolm worked in the fields. Sometimes Leandra needed a friend and Malcolm an accomplice. Leandra loved her eldest daughter so much she taught her how to keep her face calm in the Chantry and on the street, how to ingratiate, how to lie, especially since the twins were too young and she already had such a talent for it. Malcolm loved his eldest daughter so much he taught her how to make a fire, how to whistle up a wind, how to suddenly make a pursuer’s footsteps as heavy as lead. Most importantly, he taught her to spot silver-and-blue armor, and with it the face of the Rivaini man whose arrival in Denerim heralded their flight from the city. Wardens are more trouble than they’re worth and their affairs too dangerous for a family of apostates.

Others would say that keeping one mage child, let alone two, was the height of folly. Templars could as soon cut down an entire family harboring apostates to prevent possession as they could take everything- children, gold, horses- in exchange for Andraste’s mercy. But Malcolm and Leandra loved their eldest daughter, and because of that love they were sure to impress on Evie how important it was that she never, ever prove those people right.

Agape 1: Does your OC wish to make the world a better place? How far do they see that as being their responsibility? What lengths would they go to in order to help achieve this?

Evie is the definition of “introvirtuous”: someone who would rather be home drinking tea and working on a hobby but instead is patching a broken city back together one chipped piece of masonry at a time because no one else could be arsed apparently. She wants to live in a world where people can worship as they choose (or don’t), and being a Fereldan born with magic doesn’t mean being consigned to legal slavery* and she doesn’t have to worry about her friends’ lives every waking minute. Unfortunately that’s going to involve sacrificing her home, health, and too many lives that aren’t her own. After a life on the run she might go down swinging but she has to try.

*the Chantry takes control of properties owned by mages, controls their reproductive freedom, restricts their movements, profits off their unpaid labor by creating a group of lobotomized magic specialists to enchant goods for wealthy donors, and can force them into battle for the interests of Church and State. Don’t know what the fuck else to call it honestly.

Ludus 1: Does your OC have any particular favourite chat up lines? If not for themselves then perhaps ones they have suggested to a friend? How effective do these tend to be?

Does meeting your future husband while on the drunker side of tipsy and then yelling, “FUCK!” really loud when he rips a man’s heart out of his chest count? Isabela thinks it’s the best line she’s heard actually, since it gets the point across in a single word.

Evie disagrees. As far as she’s concerned pick-up lines are not for her, but she does enjoy workshopping lines with Varric and the rest of the gang. Prospective lines (ranging from ambitious to crude to outright grotesque) are jotted down on parchment, folded up, and then Varric’s victims friends and trusted quality control team take turns drawing one and delivering it with utmost sincerity (first to laugh buys the next round) to the judges, Varric and Isabela. Winner is whoever goes the longest without cracking up and they gets to decide which line makes it into a future Varric Tethras novel. Evie is extremely pleased with herself for the hard work and sacrifice it took to ensure Varric had to employ the phrase, “blubbering tumescence” in Swords and Shields.

Pragma 1: Is your OC in a committed long-term relationship (or relationships)? If so then what has contributed to this relationship lasting so well? If they are not in such a relationship, then is this something that saddens them or which they regret?

Evie met Fenris when she thought her days of running were behind her. She took to him immediately, well, after the initial surprise (see above). He wasn’t happy to see a mage extending a helping hand but then he didn’t turn her over to the Templars, so she decided to keep an eye on her soon-to-be neighbor in Hightown. If slavers were operating openly in what was again her family home then he’d need all the help he could get. He was tired of running, and Evie found herself looking at Kirkwall in a new light. If she was going to encourage him to make a home for himself here then she would have to take her own advice. Somewhere between surviving the Deep Roads, staking out potential hide-outs, and cleaning out the corpses of his new home, she made a friend. That friendship balanced on the simple truth that they looked out for each other. Some years after weathering every heartbreak Kirkwall heaped on it (with plenty of help from both of them), the jagged edges smoothed out into a love they took with them on the road.

Philautia 1: Does your OC have a healthy sense of their own worth and value? Or do they see themselves as failing to live up to their original potential? Perhaps they are convinced of their own sinful or inadequate nature?

Evie’s family and the overwhelming Chantry presence in Southern Thedas raced neck-and-neck to see which group could fuck up Evie’s self-worth the fastest. That’s how it feels at least. Growing up an apostate meant that the only “potential” discussed in conversations too easy to overhear was the potential for disaster. Her father shared the burden with his daughters at best he could but while Bethany prayed for the Maker to remove a curse, Evie was thankful for a connection to the world around her she couldn’t imagine being without. Not being sorry for it in a society that wanted her freedom in apology left her with a broken pride. When Evie is at her most depressed the currents of those past conversations drag her down. It’s hard sharing her achievements with the empty chairs at the table.

[the-kingshound]

if the ro’s could have a pet, what kind of pet would they want? ty! :)

Arthur: a bunny. Cute and fluffy.

Evaine: a bird, maybe an owl or a hawk.

Yniol: a fish, Yniol would be the kind of person to have a very big fish tank with a lot of different species.

Morien: a cat. Needy but sophysticated.

Gwyar: a dog. Loyal and of great emotional support.

Mordred: a baby tortoise.

[thedosianexplorer]

Mage Armor

kicks down door Did someone ask about (practical) mage armor?

I saw your post, @cullenvhenan but this got kinda long so I didn’t want to hijack it. 

My two mages are Evaine Hawke and Ladwyn Lavellan, and they both have wildly different casting styles that factor into their armor/weapon choice.

Evaine Hawke spends most of Acts I and II wearing various light leather armors, and rarely brigandine armor in more dangerous situations. Being inconspicuous is her number one priority, so she doesn’t even carry a staff consistently until she becomes Champion. She primarily uses a combination of entropy and force magic, with a few of the arcane spells I liked from Origins thrown in. These have the advantage of being relatively invisible to the untrained eye, and she can mask the effects of her casting by throwing colored smoke grenades or miming throwing a dagger at the same time she casts a spell. Most of Kirkwall assumed she was an alchemist or rogue of some kind until she was revealed to be a mage during the qunari invasion.

The Champion armor was a gift from her friends, and included many advantages in its design so she could wear it and still be a mid-range caster. The articulated plate gauntlets are modeled after Fenris’, and let her move her hands freely. The plate armor at her elbow and shoulder are meant to catch blades/staves so she can re-direct them, and the leg plates and plate above her chest prevent burst attacks like fire spells, shrapnel grenades, etc from reaching her legs and face. Her primary casting arm is still left mostly uncovered to avoid sacrificing speed. The metal itself is enchanted to be more lightweight and has rune channels built in to direct magic more efficiently.

(Her biggest magical achievement was learning how to breathe fire which she will do with gusto, regardless of whatever armor she’s wearing.)

--

Ladwyn Lavellan, on the other hand, grew up Dalish where magic can be flourished rather than concealed. She primarily uses lightning magic and fights with a staff and an enchanted ironbark dagger. When she joined the Inquisition, she trained under Commander Helaine and began to use a spellsword in conjunction with her staff with her dagger as a backup. 

Dalish mages wear armor befitting of their station. It will vary between weapon choice, but is usually a combination of leather and cloth. As a First, Ladwyn’s armor is embellished with ironbark and other magical focuses, some of which would be passed down from Keeper to First and others custom-crafted. Semiprecious stone cabochons or beads are often used as focuses, in addition to embroidered sigils and wards. A First is expected to adorn and enchant their own armor as they continue to train, to prepare for eventually creating their own Keeper armor with the clan elders serving as advisers. 

Ladwyn’s armor consists of leather armor (chestpiece and coat) over a linen tunic and leggings, with additional padded layers of furs and leather for inclement weather. She commissions herself several sets during Inquisition for different environments/terrains, and to keep her busy when staying at Skyhold. Her staff is based off of the Archon Fire Staff spec’d to deal lightning damage (and complement her Elgar’nan vallaslin). She keeps her First staff as well, and wields it for ceremonial occasions. Her First staff has a socket that can be used to attach her ironbark dagger; otherwise the dagger is used as an off-hand weapon. Ironbark is folded into the blade of the dagger in a pattern-welding effect that allows the caster to channel the spell to or through the dagger. Ladwyn uses it mainly as a throwing weapon to place a metal arcane focus in an area where she wants a lightning spell to land. As long as the dagger is within sight of her, she can channel spells through it. After observing how her Mark of the Rift ability affects demons and Red Templars alike, Ladwyn trained to draw the blade of her Spirit Blade from the Anchor directly. She keeps the “empty” hilt on her belt at all times, and most outside of the Inquisition incorrectly assume that it’s an item of office. 

[thedosianexplorer]

2, 14, 25, 38 ! for... everyone? anyone? you do you

2) How easy is it for your character to laugh?

Jhera: Pretty easy. She enjoys banter, and it’s not uncommon to hear her laughing once she’s comfortable. 

Evaine: Extremely easy, but it will out of nervousness at least 25% of the time

Ladwyn: Difficult. You get a wry grin most of the time, and when she does actually bust out laughing it causes alarm.

14) What animal do they fear most?

Jhera: Ravens. Their role as Falon’Din’s servants unsettles her now. 

Evaine: Darkspawn, and good luck telling her that they don’t count.

Ladwyn: Dragons are the only creature that has ever made Ladwyn feel like prey.

25) What are their thoughts on marriage?

Jhera: Never gave it much thought, and continued to not give it much thought until a few years after the Blight ended. 

Evaine: Pro-marriage, but didn’t see it as something “for her” for a long time. 

Ladwyn: Definitely planned her dream ceremony as a small child, and has always kept it in the back of her mind.

38) What memory do they revisit the most often?

Jhera: Finding a mountain lake on patrol with Tamlen, and then sneaking Merrill and a jug of cider there that night. 

Evaine: Her family’s first harvest festival in Lothering.

Ladwyn: Getting her daughter ready to join her new clan.

[thedosianexplorer]

Chant of Light - Tag

Which verse of the Chant of Light is most representative of your Dragon Age OC and/or your OC’s relationship with their love interest?

I saw this on @louminx‘s blog a while ago and I had it languishing in my drafts: 

Jhera Mahariel

The one who repents, who has faith, Unshaken by the darkness of the world, She shall know true peace.

Canticle of Transfigurations 10:1

Zevran and Jhera

You have grieved as I have. You, who made worlds out of nothing. We are alike in sorrow, sculptor and clay, Comforting each other in our art. Canticle of Trials 1:8

Evaine Hawke

So Andraste said to her followers: "You who stand before the gates, You who have followed me into the heart of evil, The fear of death is in your eyes; its hand is upon your throat. Raise your voices to the heavens! Remember: Not alone do we stand on the field of battle.

Canticle of Apotheosis 1:7

Evaine and Fenris

My Maker, know my heart: Take from me a life of sorrow. Lift me from a world of pain. Judge me worthy of Your endless pride.

Canticle of Transfigurations 12:3

Ladwyn Lavellan

And Shartan looked upon the Prophet Andraste And said: "The People will set ourselves free. Your host from the South may march Alongside us.”

Canticle of Shartan 9:27

Ladwyn and Cullen

In the long hours of the night When hope has abandoned me, I will see the stars and know Your Light remains.

Canticle of Trials 1:2

Tagging anyone who wants to join in!

[thedosianexplorer]

4, 6, and 10 for the creating your ocs meme! c:

4. In developing their backstory, what elements of the world they live in played the most influential parts? 

Jhera: I played Awakening first before I created Jhera’s character, so I was inspired by Velanna’s line about the Dalish losing a lot of their history during the Fall of the Dales. I created Jhera to be a living Dalish legend inspired by warriors like Lindiranae, someone to remind the rest of the world that the Dalish are a people with history, thanks, not a people of history.

Evaine: Evaine was definitely inspired by the Mages’ Collective you can interact with in Dragon Age: Origins. I thought a lot about what covert magic would look like in Thedas, and ended up developing Evaine, a magic user who relies mostly on “invisible” magic (entropy, force magic, etc) to avoid capture. I was also inspired by the legend of King Calenhad which borrows heavily from Arthurian myth, which is why Evaine has a name from Arthurian myth. The Tale of the Champion might as well be an Arthurian epic anyhow. 

Ladwyn: I was dead-set on creating a Dalish Inquisitor specifically because I wanted to write a person of a persecuted faith reacting to being considered a new messiah by the faith that’s persecuting them. 

6. Is there any significance behind their eye color? 

Jhera: Nah, I just think amber eyes are really cool. 

Evaine: Evaine’s eyes changed to blue from brown when she came into her magic, and she’s very cognizant of that change. As her family dies off or is separated from her, it’s something Evaine comes back to and dislikes specifically because it’s a reminder that her “normal” self is completely gone.

(also I have brown eyes and I love them, so I get really petty when people are like, “Omg brown eyes are so plain I wish I had a cooler eye color” so I wanted to turn that on its head). 

Ladwyn: Her eyes are a hazel-grey that becomes more of an orangey-grey when she comes into her magic, and they’re a point of pride for her. Since she wears the Elgar’nan vallaslin, I wanted an eye color that represented that “fire and ash” aesthetic. 10. If they have an LI, how much of their character is tailored to be compatible to that person?

Jhera: Real talk, I completely intended for Jhera to romance Zevran from the get-go. Alistair got my Tabris and my Surana with his adorkable wiles, and it was not going to happen again! I created Jhera to be the Morticia to Zevran’s Gomez and I am 100% happy with this decision.

Evaine: I hadn’t expected Evaine to be as compatible with Fenris as she was! They were able to sympathize about their lives on the run, and help each other come out of their shells. Playing Evaine as more of a blue Hawke made their friendship!romance extra adorable, ugh, I love them. 

Ladwyn: I completely did not expect Ladwyn to end up with Cullen. I really, really did not see that coming. But then I’d always imagined Ladwyn as an unrepentant workaholic, and that ended up meshing well with Cullen’s personality. 

(I had intended her to romance Josie but then the above happened so naturally I had to roll an Adaar AT ONCE). 

[thedosianexplorer]

OC Faceclaim Meme

I consider myself tagged by @vir-ghilani and here are my three faceclaims for Jhera, Evaine, and Ladwyn.

In order: Kawennahere Devery Jacobs is my fancast for Jhera, largely in part due to her role in Rhymes for Young Ghouls. I would LOVE to see her take on The Warden. 

Nicole Beharie has been my faceclaim for Evaine since I saw the Sleepy Hollow pilot. She’s perfect, and she was ROBBED by that show. Seriously, Nicole gives such great, “are you kidding me” face, and that is essential for any Hawke. Dichen Lachman was not my original faceclaim for Ladwyn when I created her in the 360 (I initially had fancast Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys in Star Trek: DS9). But then before I played it on the PS4, I saw Dichen’s role in Agents of Shield and completely overhauled Ladwyn as a character. She brings the kind of presence that I would want Ladwyn to have, especially in her role as Roulette in Supergirl.

[thedosianexplorer]

Speaking of jobs summoned from the depths of Udun, 14 for everyone!

*mirthless laughter* All my OCs are now doomed to menial job experiences in the modern AUs because they will suffer as I suffer.  

14) Pet peeves. Tell us what would really tick them off. Do they have a Berserk Button?Jhera: Jhera absolutely has a Berserk Button and its name is Darkspawn. After becoming Tainted she has a zero tolerance policy for anything Blighted (it is a damn good thing that the Ostagar kennelmaster was so persuasive). Evaine: Abuses of power, passive-aggressive behavior, and owing favors (to non-friends) are big pet peeves for her. She doesn’t really have a Berserk Button per se, other than the fandom-approved “Hawke will always be Red Hawke where their family is concerned”. 

Ladwyn: Ladwyn’s biggest pet peeve is hearing the phrase, “You’re tall for an elf” or any variation thereof. Teenage insecurity about her height aside, she does not care for being treated as more of an exotic novelty than she is already. Her only genuine berserk button is being put in a position of helplessness/unwinnable situation, the biggest example of that being Here Lies the Abyss. On a related note, Ladwyn is my OC most likely to pull a Kobayashi Maru stunt. 

[thedosianexplorer]

26 for all 3, plus its reverse for Haleni (how does she get along with adults)?

26) How does your character behave around children?

Jhera: Answered!Evaine: Evaine is more comfortable around babies than toddlers/small children, because once they’re old enough to understand her, she has to work really hard to censor herself around them. She cares a lot about being a good example.Ladwyn: Ladwyn is attentive, bordering on doting, when it comes to kids, especially when she has the resources of the Inquisition at her disposal. Around children she knows personally, she would definitely fall under the “life advice aunt” category.And the reverse for Haleni Lavellan Ostagar: Haleni cares about being taken seriously, and holds herself to very high standards to make sure that happens. She’ll let her uncle Mahanon swing her around or carry her on his shoulders, let her mother/Keeper braid her hair, but around non-Dalish adults she is restrained and aloof. 

[thedosianexplorer]

1 for Ladwyn, 6 (pre darkspawn) for Jhera, and 17 for Evaine. May come back later for more.

1) Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?Ladwyn’s parents had a son after she left Clan Raleferin for Clan Lavellan, but he perished before Ladwyn met them again at the Arlathvhen. She has heard stories about him, knows the vague circumstances of his passing, but has never really known how to feel about the death of a sibling she never met. She considers Dorian and Mahanon her brothers. 6) Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?Jhera dreamed about the Emerald Knights as a child, how she imagined Dirthavaren might look, the one lake Clan Sabrae found in the mountains with the clearest, sweetest water.17) What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?Bethany made Evaine a cornhusk doll for her nameday when they lived outside Denerim. Evaine played with it until it absolutely disintegrated during one of their many moves across Ferelden. 

[thedosianexplorer]

Okay, so. Trivia Night at the Hanged Man. Who do your OCs pick, out of their main in-game party, for their teams (let's make it 4 max because game synergy amuses me) and why? Who rocks what categories? Which team's most likely to win?

Jhera’s best category would be Plants/Animals (History if she gets really lucky with the question). Leliana dominates the Popular Culture category, Zevran takes Poetry/Literature, and Sten trounces everyone on Language and Grammar.  Evaine knows a lot about Ferelden history/lore, especially the legends of King Calenhad. History and songs (if song lyrics are a category) would be her strength. She’d pick Isabela for Geography, Varric for General Knowledge (that category you think doesn’t matter until it DOES), and Fenris for Theatre/Film. Ladwyn is well-equipped to answer Politics and Government questions thanks to her Winter Palace prep, but is also comfortable with the Plants/Animals category. Dorian and Vivienne are an unbeatable duo in both Science and Magic (because let’s face it, that’s a category in Thedas), and Josephine rounds them out with her General Knowledge mastery. As to who is most likely to win? That depends entirely on how fair they’re playing. 

[thedosianexplorer]

OC Self-Knowledge Questionnaire

Tagged by @celeritassagittae The questionnaire is here:  I tag @whatthefawxblogs @flameysaur and anyone else who feels like doing it!

Ladwyn Lavellan

RATIONALITY: You like clarity and intelligent simplicity and you get frustrated at messy thinking. This can make you seem unreasonably pushy to some, but it is actually a virtue: you are motivated by a horror at pointless effort and a longing for precision and insight into how things and people work. Your ability to synthesise and bring order is essential in producing thinking which is truly helpful. SENSITIVITY: You have delicate, sensitive perceptions; you can be deeply moved by appearances – the right light in a room, or good food, or the texture of a piece of clothing. Expressive, intelligent language has a powerful hold on you; your mind works better when it is inspired and provoked by vivid imagery. It can be sad to live in a world which is often so ugly and not properly looked after. But you know that things can be otherwise, and you have the ability to appreciate the world at its best. RESILIENCE: You have a tendency, after a setback, to turn your emotions towards restriving. What attracts you is the idea of wiping out a humiliation by resumed action – overcoming weakness, repressing your fear. Because part of your motive is pride, you can sometimes be unwilling to admit weakness or to receive aid. But at heart, your insistence on coming back and never folding has taught you a valuable pessimism: you know that important journeys are never easy. Jhera and Evaine below the cut!

Jhera Mahariel (no pictures of her currently; have to make her in the Inquisition CC)  EXHIBITIONISM: There’s a strand in your nature which loves making an impression – perhaps with your clothes, or conversation, or in a self-revealing blog or a novel. You like to dramatise yourself, to pose as a unique, perhaps mysterious person, to joke or exaggerate your part in adventures. Though you might more than once have been called a show off, it is actually a generous tendency: you want to please and entertain others. It could be the start of good teaching and leadership. PLAYFULNESS: You are good at seeing what’s funny, at relaxing and finding the pleasure of the moment. Play is random, whimsical, fantasy-driven behaviour which releases internal tension. Because it is detached from some pressures it allows you to act on weirder, perhaps neglected, parts of yourself. The downside is that it is no help in sticking with things that are not much fun but which need to be addressed. So it is well complemented by its opposite, Stoicism. RESILIENCE: You have a tendency, after a setback, to turn your emotions towards restriving. What attracts you is the idea of wiping out a humiliation by resumed action – overcoming weakness, repressing your fear. Because part of your motive is pride, you can sometimes be unwilling to admit weakness or to receive aid. But at heart, your insistence on coming back and never folding has taught you a valuable pessimism: you know that important journeys are never easy. Evaine Hawke TENDERNESS: You are not afraid of the sufferings and sorrows of other people, even when they are acted out in unappealing ways. Beneath even defensiveness and self-righteous behaviour, you know that deep down people need nurturing and consolation. One danger is being naive about people’s dark sides. But at your best you know you can be mean yourself, which helps you to sympathise. You bring strength and forgiveness where other people might panic. NEEDINESS: Being affirmed and nurtured by others is a central requirement for you to feel safe. This means you can be slow to warm up to other people, which is difficult because what you most need from them is their warmth. Yet you know how to be vulnerable: to let down your defences and accept that you need another person. This lack of pretence is a valuable trait, and ultimately more endearing than the macho efforts others make to deny their childlike sides. INDEPENDENCE: You don’t set out to be different for its own sake; you are more easily guided by what interests and moves you. You are more concerned about what is right for you than about the pressure to fit in. In sex you are more aware than others of impulses which are not entirely conventional. You know the value of selective irresponsibility, of forgetting occasionally about being ‘good’.

[thedosianexplorer]

All the evens for all your girls!

Rest of the questions here. I’m putting an (***) asterisk next to the questions that I’ve answered with my College/Modern AUs in mind. 

2: Where does your OC work?***

Jhera Mahariel: Odd jobs here and there; she really enjoys working with the Theatre Department whenever possible.  

Evaine Hawke: Animal shelter. She gets to pet the cats and walk the dogs. It is heaven.

Ladwyn Lavellan: In college, she works in the library. In the separate Inquisition Modern AU she’s an adjunct art history professor (haven’t thought about careers for Jhera and Evaine yet). 

4: Does your OC prefer paper or plastic?***

Jhera Mahariel: Cash. Credit seems like too much of a hassle. Not many banks out by the rez.

Evaine Hawke: No preference between cash and debit, but it’s rare for her to use a credit card in a non-emergency situation.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Ladwyn prefers to have a credit card just because it’s easier to impulse buy things at three am that way. She needs to have those throw pillows and desk organizers STAT.6: Does your OC have any supernatural powers?

Jhera Mahariel: She is supernaturally good at hitting things. 

Evaine Hawke: Mage

Ladwyn Lavellan: Also mage

8: What are some of your OCs strengths?

(doing three for each)

Jhera Mahariel: Tenacity, impressive physical strength (esp. for her size), great leadership skills

Evaine Hawke: Loyal, thoughtful, makes friends easily

Ladwyn Lavellan: Ambitious, adventurous, practical10: What is your OC’s favorite outfit?

Jhera Mahariel: She has a traditional Dalish dress of her mother’s that she only wears on very special occassions. Zevran also gave her a dress from Antiva City that she absolutely adores. 

Evaine Hawke: Evaine is most comfortable in soft tee-shirts, dark-washed jeans, and combat boots.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Ladwyn lives that “long tunic and leggings” life, along with an assortment of earth-tone blouses, flowy skirts, and cardigans that Dorian affectionately calls “hippie librarian chic”. 

12: Is your OC sexually active?

Jhera Mahariel: She and Zevran are the Morticia and Gomez of Thedas so... very much so.

Evaine Hawke: Yep

Ladwyn Lavellan: *looks at Haleni* She would be lying if she said no.14: Does your OC have a cell phone? If so, what kind?***

Jhera Mahariel: A seemingly indestructible flip-phone

Evaine Hawke: A Nokia Windows phone. She has... bad luck with phones. She needed a sturdier one.

Ladwyn Lavellan: A smartphone that’s two or three generations behind the current model. She wants one small enough to fit in her pocket, thanks.16: When is your OCs favorite time of year?

Jhera Mahariel: Summer

Evaine Hawke: The height of fall into the first half of winter

Ladwyn Lavellan: Spring, before it gets too hot

18: What kind of underwear does your OC wear?***

Jhera Mahariel: Most likely of the three to splurge on fancy lingerie 

Evaine Hawke: Whatever’s clean; is weak for the novelty underwear with sarcastic/punny phrases on them

Ladwyn Lavellan: Boyshort addict

20: What’s your OCs favorite kind of pizza?***

Jhera Mahariel: Sicilian 

Evaine Hawke: Buffalo chicken

Ladwyn Lavellan: Sausage and peppers

22: Has your OC ever killed someone?

They all have, but I’ll point out specific character-defining instances. 

Jhera Mahariel: Killed scores of darkspawn, mercenaries, etc, but her duel with Loghain sticks with her. 

Evaine Hawke: Killed Quentin, the Arishok, and Grace. She is only remotely okay with the last one, though she knows all were necessary.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Killed thirteen “rabbit-catchers” along the Minanter River before her seventeenth nameday. She earned her vallaslin from that, but was severely altered by the experience. 

24: What does your OC smell like?*** 

(going for preferred perfume courtesy of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab)

Jhera Mahariel: Rogue

Evaine Hawke: Spiced Apple Cider

Ladwyn Lavellan: Ogygia

26: Is your OC a human or an animal? (or something else idk) 

Jhera Mahariel: Elf

Evaine Hawke: Human

Ladwyn Lavellan: Elf

28: Does your OC like anime?***

Jhera Mahariel: Hasn’t seen any yet

Evaine Hawke: Yes, Slayers is her favorite

Ladwyn Lavellan: She’s enjoyed what she’s seen, but is more familiar with Miyazaki movies

30: What does your OC choose to do about the, er, hair down there?

A resounding shrug for all three. 

32: Did your OC go to college? What did they major in?***

Jhera Mahariel: Literature 

Evaine Hawke: Liberal Arts

Ladwyn Lavellan: Art History

34: Is your OC religious?

Jhera Mahariel: prays regularly, but is uncomfortable practicing her faith outside her clan

Evaine Hawke: Would be considered a witch, but does not consider herself Andrastean 

Ladwyn Lavellan: She is that person who says she’s, “spiritual, not religious”. Sometimes she finds comfort in the rituals of her traditional worship, but mostly she’s concerned with being a good person. 

36: What turns your OC on?

Jhera Mahariel: Really good massages, has a thing for hands

Evaine Hawke: Sarcastic banter and bad jokes 

Ladwyn Lavellan: Competence kink

38: Does your OC have any pets?

Jhera Mahariel: One mabari

Evaine Hawke: One mabari (for now)

Ladwyn Lavellan: Shared custody of Cullen’s obscenely large mabari

40: What is the craziest thing your OC has done?

Jhera Mahariel: Fighting the archdemon

Evaine Hawke: Buy the Bone Pit

Ladwyn Lavellan: Open a rift directly into the Fade

42: Does your OC drink coffee or tea? 

Jhera Mahariel: Coffee

Evaine Hawke: Tea

Ladwyn Lavellan: Herbal tea

44: What color eyes does your OC have?

Jhera Mahariel: Dark brown

Evaine Hawke: Blue

Ladwyn Lavellan: Grey

46: Is your OC loyal?

A resounding YES for all three.

48: What social class is your OC from?

Jhera Mahariel: Second-class as far as shems are concerned. In Dalish social hierarchy she’s a few rungs up because of her mage ancestry and the fact that one of her parents was a Keeper. 

Evaine Hawke: Upper class on her mother’s side, veeeery distant nobility on her father’s side as a descendant of Parthalan, but is a mage so all of that is moot. Second-class on technicality, but being Champion balances it out. 

Ladwyn Lavellan: As a mage and First she is treated with the utmost respect; her advice is sought and her orders are rarely questioned. 

50: Does your OC cry easily?

Jhera Mahariel: No, she cries very rarely

Evaine Hawke: Not in the moment; it hits her after the fact

Ladwyn Lavellan: She can hold it in until she’s alone

52: How does your OC feel about insects?

Jhera Mahariel: Ambivalent

Evaine Hawke: Insects, meh. Arachnids, NOPE. 

Ladwyn Lavellan: NOOOOOOOPE. 

54: Does your OC smoke?***

Jhera Mahariel: She likes Antivan cigars

Evaine Hawke: Weed yes, cigarettes no

Ladwyn Lavellan: Used to be a stress smoker, but hasn’t in years.

56: What kind of clothes does your OC wear?

Pretty much covered by #10. 

58: Is your OC introverted or extroverted?

Jhera Mahariel: Extroverted

Evaine Hawke: Extroverted introvert 

Ladwyn Lavellan: Introvert

60: Does your OC enjoy nature?

Jhera Mahariel: Yes, the forests are her favorite

Evaine Hawke: As long as it’s not too... nature-y. Campgrounds are okay, open wilderness is too disquieting.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Yes, loves rocky shores and mountains. Haaaaates deserts. Deserts can fuck right off.

[thedosianexplorer]

For all three of your girls: 3, 6, 8, 12, 14, 19, 20, 22, 25

Ooh, I never get asks for everybody! [Post with other questions here: ]

3.  How many pillows do they sleep with?

Jhera Mahariel: One, two if Zevran counts.

Evaine Hawke: One, but she prefers two or three. She splurges on more pillows after Act I. 

Ladwyn Lavellan: ALL OF THEM. She loves pillows. It’s her secret shame; it feels so indulgent but she cannot go back. She’ll make do on the road but it’s just not the same. 

6. Does your OC make the bed?

Jhera Mahariel: In an aravel, hardly ever. Tamlen usually did it. Once she’s on the road, she travels with her bedroll (but she would loooove it if Zevran would oblige her). 

Evaine Hawke: Yes, without fail. Leandra trained it into her, no matter where they were living. 

Ladwyn Lavellan: Haleni usually made the bed, since Ladwyn gets up at dawn. Honestly it’s the one thing Ladwyn lets fall to the wayside. 

8. Does your OC like to nap?

Jhera Mahariel: She used to, but she stays awake for longer post-Joining.

Evaine Hawke: Nooo, if she naps she is done for the day.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Power naps are how she lives. 

12. On a scale of 1 - DO NOT, how inadvisable is it to wake your OC up? 

Jhera Mahariel: 3 normally, closer to “DO NOT” on her days off in the college AU.

Evaine Hawke: A solid Aveline-style “don’t” at all times. 

Ladwyn Lavellan: 1. Ladwyn is a First and a mother, and then the Inquisitor. She’s just happy she got to sleep a little.

14. Does your OC like to sleep with pets?

Jhera Mahariel: She and Zevran don’t have any pets (though they do eventually adopt a stray cat in the College AU). 

Evaine Hawke: YES.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Post-Trespasser, Ladwyn comes to accept that Cullen’s mabari is here to stay. 

19. Does your OC remember their dreams?

Jhera Mahariel: She’ll get flashes from her dreams, but nothing she can piece together.

Evaine Hawke: Very rarely, but when she does they stick with her.

Ladwyn Lavellan: She didn’t used to, but her dreams have become more vivid and lucid since the Anchor. 

20. Does your OC like sleeping (not sex, just sleeping) with others? 

Jhera Mahariel: Dalish clans in general are big on co-sleeping; aravels are split between family units and unmarried clanmates to save on space/resources. Jhera was known to dogpile with Merrill and Tamlen, and prefers to sleep with or near people. It took some time, but eventually she’s as comfortable sleeping next to her traveling companions as she was with her clan. 

Zevran gets used to being aggressively cuddled very quickly (he’s a fan). 

Evaine Hawke: Evaine loves sleeping near others, but she’s an active sleeper so her family tends to keep a wide berth. There’s only so many times the twins can take an elbow to the face. 

Fenris eventually admits that he sleeps on the edge of the bed until Evaine is done, “flailing like a landed fish” before moving closer, and he is not above using her mabari as a shield. 

Ladwyn Lavellan: Ladwyn used to sleep alone or near Mahanon, but shared a bed with her daughter Haleni before she left for another clan. She is much more comfortable sleeping next to someone else and tends to cuddle closer in her sleep.

Cullen (and the majority of her traveling companions) find this both unexpected and incredibly endearing. 

22. Does your OC need anything to go to sleep? Like music, a fan running, etc.

Jhera Mahariel: Some kind of white noise helps, like the sound of a campfire, or her friends talking. Clan Sabrae stayed close to the forests of Ferelden, so any similar noises help her fall asleep faster. She finds it difficult to sleep in castles without a fire roaring. 

Evaine Hawke: Her mabari, like any self-respecting Dog Lord.

Ladwyn Lavellan: She likes to journal before bed, or take notes on the areas she’s visiting, but she can sleep in most conditions. 

25. What does your OC do if they can’t fall asleep?

Jhera Mahariel: She’ll go on “patrol”, which is glorified pacing (or sleepwalking) until she can be coerced back to sleep. She is banned from taking consecutive watch shifts. 

Evaine Hawke: Evaine goes for the “lie really still and pray to the Maker that sleep comes” method.

Ladwyn Lavellan: Work. It is both what she does when she can’t sleep, and often the reason why she can’t sleep.