#I say this as someone who does not nor has ever wanted a Varric romance

[grandpasauce]

U think solas destroying Bianca could be the set up to Varric actually living, having to mourn and move on from everything Bianca the crossbow symbolizes (including the real Bianca and how the woman and the weapon defined him), and retiring from adventuring to slot into an advisory role in Veilguard and most notably a romance option for rook? Like, it makes sense that the game that Bianca “dies” in would also be the first time in 3 games he is romanceable. Also like it’s been 20 years since we met Varric like brother if she was gonna run away with you she would have done it by now and I can’t help but feel like Varric is smart enough to know that deep down lmao.

[lavellander]

hello im feeling extra “touch the stove”-y today so. i was looking for any dialogue where solas just straight up lies and (of what i could find online/transcribed, obv) i didnt find anything that was 100% untrue. he’ll completely avoid the question, change the subject, give part of the truth, etc etc etc, but nothing was just Entirely A Lie

what really gets me is that there’s a handful of convos where someone infers something from what solas says, and he will even point out that he didn’t directly say that. like, he tells people how to see through his shit, lmao

here is an embarrassingly long ass list of examples, all sorted by what kind of not-lying he’s doing lol, just bc i am unhinged<3

*note that some of these are cut from longer bits of dialogue or have been split up from one conversation into different categories*

literally just Not Answering The Question lol

Dorian: How much “will” do they have? They’re amorphous constructs of the Fade. Solas: Hmm.

Dorian: Solas, have I offended you? Solas: If you have, why would it concern you?

Dorian: Solas, what is this whole look of yours about? Solas: I’m sorry? Dorian: No, that outfit is sorry. What are you supposed to be, some kind of woodsman? Dorian: Is it a Dalish thing? Don’t you dislike the Dalish? Or is it some kind of statement? Solas: No.

Dorian: Let me get this straight, Solas. Dorian: You’re an apostate – neither Dalish nor city elf – who lived alone in the woods studying spirits. Solas: Is that a problem for you?

Solas: [has a whole tactical moment about the red jennies lmao] Sera: Where d’you get all this, then? Solas: Do you wish to be unnerved by another tale of my explorations of the Fade? Or do you wish to learn something?

Vivienne: You must be pleased with what was revealed at the Temple of Mythal, Solas. Solas: Why should those ruins please me, Enchanter?

changing the subject before he backs himself into a corner

Gatt: I don’t see any tattoos, but you’re carrying a staff. Are you from a Chantry Circle? Solas: No. And I would prefer not to discuss it.

Solas: I find the fall of the dwarven lands confusing. Varric: What’s so confusing about endless darkspawn? Solas: A great deal, although that is a different matter.

giving the truth, but not the whole truth

Blackwall: Skyhold. How did you find it? Solas: I looked. Blackwall: Now you sound like Cole. You looked? Solas: This world is full of wonders for those who seek them.

Blackwall: You spoke of seeing death and destruction. Did you fight in a war? Solas: There are struggles across Thedas at any given time. I doubt you would have heard of it. Blackwall: An elven skirmish? Solas: In a manner of speaking, yes.

Cassandra: Solas, have you always lived alone? Out in the wilderness, as an apostate? Solas: For the most part.

Cassandra: Have you ever encountered templars before? Solas: Only at a distance. I am an apostate, after all. Cassandra: And they never caught you even once? Solas: I am a very careful apostate.

Dorian: We found elves, living ancient elves, at the Temple of Mythal. Does that bother you, Solas? If Inquisitor allied with the Sentinels: Solas: I am pleased we were not forced to kill them, if that’s what you mean.

Iron Bull: You’ve got an odd style, Solas. Your spells are a bit different from the Circle mages or the Vints. Solas: That comes from being self-taught. Solas: I discovered most of my magic on my own, or learned it from my journeys in the Fade.

Vivienne: So, an apostate? Solas: That is correct, Enchanter. I did not train in your Circle.

Solas: You are a man who made a choice... possibly the first of your life. Iron Bull: I’ve always liked fighting. What if I turn savage, like the other Tal-Vashoth? Solas: You have the Inquisition, you have the Inquisitor... and you have me.

from cutscene at beginning Inquisitor: [mentions the anchor closing a rift] Solas: Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake – and it seems I was correct.

from cutscene at beginning Solas: [to a Dalish Inq] You are Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here? Inquisitor: What do you know of the Dalish? Solas: I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion. Inquisitor: [Crossed paths? dialogue choice] Solas: I mean that I offered to share knowledge, only to be attacked for no greater reason than their superstition.

from “I’d like to know more about you” convo in Haven Inquisitor: What made you start studying the Fade? Solas: I grew up in a village to the north. There was little to interest a young man, especially one gifted with magic. But as I slept, spirits of the Fade showed me glimpses of wonders I had never imagined. I treasured my dreams. Being awake, out of the Fade, became troublesome.

actually telling the truth but no one picks up on the gravity of it

Solas: [...] I believe the elven gods existed, as did the old gods of Tevinter. But I do not think any of them were gods, unless you expand the definition of the word to the point of absurdity. I appreciate the idea of your Maker, a god that does not need to prove his power. I wish more such gods felt the same. Cassandra: You have seen much sadness in your journeys, Solas. Following the Maker might offer some hope. Solas: I have people, Seeker. The greatest triumphs and tragedies this world has known can all be traced to people.

Cole: No, inside. I don’t hear your hurt as much. Your song is softer, subtler, not silent but still. Solas: How small the pain of one man seems when weighted against the endless depths of memory, of feeling, of existence. That ocean carries everyone. And those of us who learn to see its currents move through life with their fewer ripples.

Cole: You didn’t do it to be right. You did it to save them. Inquisitor: Solas, what is Cole talking about? Solas: A mistake. One of many made by a much younger elf who was certain he knew everything.

Solas: Empires rise and fall. Arlathan was no more “innocent” than your own Tevinter in its time. Solas: Your nostalgia for the ancient elves, however romanticized, is pointless.

Solas: Our people used to be here. Sera: Pfft, you say that everywhere. Solas: It is more true than you want to believe.

Vivienne: You must be pleased, apostate. With the Templars dissolved, your rebels will be most difficult to pacify. Solas: My rebels? Am I an agent for their cause, whispering poison into the Inquisition’s ears? Solas: How comforting. Vivienne: You enjoy seeing yourself as a villain? Solas: No more than any other clever man who wonders what he could do if pushed.

Vivienne: [about the Temple of Mythal] Now you know the elves were once a mighty nation. Solas: I always knew, Enchanter. The Temple of Mythal is just another reminder of what was lost.

(in the Emerald Graves): These forests have changed much since I was last here.

during the Fade!Haven cutscene Solas: It seems you hold the key to our salvation. You had sealed it with a gesture... and right then, I felt the whole world change. Inquisitor: [romance option] “Felt the whole world change?” Solas: A figure of speech. Inquisitor: I’m aware of the metaphor. I’m more interested in felt. Solas: You change... everything.

pointing out that people assume he means things he did not directly say

Cole: There is pain though, still within you. Solas: And I never said there was not.

Solas: You may well become fully human, after all. I never thought to see it. Cole: When did you see it before? Solas: I did not say that I had.

Iron Bull: We’ve got the alliance with my people. Given how much you love the Qun, I figured... Solas: I might scold you? Berate you for your decisions? Iron Bull: Hey. The Chargers died as heroes for the good of the mission. Solas: I never said otherwise.

Sera: Don’t you start. Solas: I’m reasonably certain I said nothing.

Vivienne: [talking shit about grey warden mages] Solas: I never claimed mages should be above the law, Enchanter. Vivienne: No, darling. You merely implied it, while offering no viable suggestions for improvement.

after infamous “side benefits” dialogue Warrior Inquisitor: You find my muscles enjoyable? Solas: I meant that you enjoyed having them, presumably. Warrior Inquisitor: Ah. Solas: But yes... since you asked.

diminishing things he does actually know by saying he he “believes” or “thinks,” or that things were vaguely “said” or “told”

Solas: I say what I believe to be true, even if it gives offense to those who prefer the lie.

Dorian: That orb Corypheus carries... are you certain it’s of elven origin, Solas? Solas: I believe so. Why do you ask?

Solas: It is said that we lived at a pace that sustained us for... ages.

making it sound like he’s talking about something/someone else, but it’s just him lmao

Cole: Do you know a lot about wolves? Solas: I know that they are intelligent, practical creatures that small-minded fools think of as terrible beasts.

Solas: No man can kill so many people without breaking inside. To survive... those you fight must become monsters. Iron Bull: The ones that kill innocent people, yeah. The rest... I don’t know. Solas: The mind does marvelous things to protect itself.

during In Hushed Whispers Inquisitor: I’m glad you understood what he just said because I’m not sure I did. Solas: You would think such understanding would stop me from making such terrible mistakes. You would be wrong.

misc

this one i wanted to include because it’s the only circumstance (that i came across) where someone directly asks solas to lie and he literally says he can’t

during the fucking crestwood breakup scene Inquisitor: [angry option] Tell me you don’t care. Solas: I can’t do that. Inquisitor: Tell me I was some casual dalliance so I can call you a cold-hearted son of a bitch and move on! Solas: I’m sorry.

*also note that most of these are banter transcriptions from the wiki; some are cutscene / other dialogue posted by either @/daitranscripts or u/karinini on reddit; it’s not all his cutscenes obv, but I’m not about to look up every single one individually sdlkfj*

[theheraldsrest]

“Inner circle receiving/giving gifts”

‘Tis the season, you know? -Cabot

Cullen

 He’s that type of person who has been with a group for a long time, but still doesn’t know what to get anyone. His main gift to people are sturdy and powerful weapons. Receiving a gift, he’s quite humble about it and accepts it, unless it’s from Sera. His favorite gift, though, would have to be receiving a weapon made just for him, a new cloak, or even a box of baked goods from home. If romanced, he’d either still get them a weapon but with etching on it saying “Andraste’s Blessed” or he would get them something so simple, yet so meaningful such as a piece of necklace with a small chess piece tied to it. He's such a mess if you get him anything, keeping it with him or putting it somewhere he can see at all times.

Josephine

 She tries to get everyone such fine gifts: cloaks, clothes, candies, and cakes. She tries to make the gifts perfect for everyone. When receiving a gift, she absolutely adores it, complimenting details and designs, thanking her friend over and over again. Her favorite gifts are new parchment, quills, ink, a new writing stand, and the little cakes from that one shop, oh dear she really should write a ‘thank you’ note to them- If romanced, her gift is all she can talk about for the rest of the day, or if she can’t talk about it, admiring it. She also gets her love their own signet ring and tickets to the opera, "since you loved it so much last time!"

Leliana

Oh she knows EXACTLY what everyone wants, you can bet on it. She knows what everyone is getting and for who and if there is something in particular they want. Even if it’s impossible to get, she finds a way, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t add her own little touch to it, a simple Inquisition emblem for each of her closest allies and friends or even a feather tied to it. Get this woman shoes. Honeyed wine is also a plus. Hums in delight with each gift, thanking everyone, including Cole as she opens a box with a nug in it. 

Vivienne

She does what she believes is a service to the inquisition by giving everyone an outfit that actually looks presentable. If not an outfit, at least a specifically made piece of jewelry for everyone. Get her anything exquisite and she’ll be pleased. Of course, you get her something so simple as a tome of magic, she’ll be delighted and gushing over it.  

Varric

Most of his gifts are jokes. Bull gets a shirt the size of his man boob upper peck, Solas gets a paper smiley face, Cassandra gets ANOTHER fully edited chapter of Swords & Shields, etc. It’s people’s expressions that are the best gift he could receive, he says. If you wanted to get him a gift, look no further than giving him a joke right back. Seriously though, he does appreciate those, along with some new improvements for Bianca, a new coat, or even new boots. He’s a simple man with simple needs.

Cole

Four words: Get. This. Boy. Puzzles. Really, anything is fascinating, but puzzles just seem to keep his attention, to a point where he’ll have other people do it but listen to how they solve it. As for giving gifts, it’s...questionable. Varric is wondering why his son his boy Cole gave him a candy wrapper until he explains that he heard Varric say he needed help ‘wrapping up’ his story and Dorian is trying to contain his laughter when he connects the dots between him having said that he was quite ‘cheesy’ to the cheese Cole left him. 

Solas

Sweet and simple, a small charm that he made to keep people safe. Everyone (including Sera, Dorian, and Vivienne) has a special one made specifically for them, some for magic, some for strength, and some for protection. Politely declines most gifts as he didn’t really request anything, but for some he does keep, such as books from Josephine and a new staff from the Inquisitor. He might have not asked for anything but it doesn’t mean he didn’t want anything. Painting supplies and some old artifacts are enough to have this old man grinning from ear to ear. Especially given to him by his Vhenan, he would be so joyous over such little things and a little surprised over how well his love knows him. You have no idea where he kinds an old ancient piece of elven jewelry that he gives to you as a gift, but he’s very excited to explain to you it’s value and the history behind it.

Cassandra

Someone help her, please. She doesn’t know what to get anyone or what anyone likes. In the end, she settles on just getting everyone war horns. Some appreciate the thought, some are never able to find them after receiving them, and others have theirs taken away immediately because they won’t stop blowing them at midnight cough SERA cough. For gifts, if you want to make this woman happy, just get her some new armor or even a better fitting sword. Romancing her, she actually tries to find something meaningful for you, such as a shield with your emblem on it, sturdier than any you’ve ever used even if you don’t use a shield. You have also come to learn that if you want to steal this woman’s heart, just get her romance novels and poetry.

Iron Bull

Ale. Beer. Alcohol. That’s his gift to everyone. There’s nothing more to say, he just gets every alcohol and then challenges them to a drinking contest. He’s happy to receive armor, weapons, potions as gifts, you know the usual stuff, other than the shirt Varric gives him. Romanced, whatever you give him, he holds it in high honor. A dagger? He’ll use it for everything. A new eye patch? He wears it all the time, barely ever wearing his old one. Armor made from dragon scales? Everyone is surprised to see him trying to keep it clean. As for giving, you have two options. One, he gives you his old eyepatch along with a dragon’s horn, saying he “has his eye on you.” Your other gift is rope, to which he hints at making you his gift later.

Dorian

He’s never really had many people other than his family that he could give gifts to, nor did he want to give gifts that said “I’m doing this because I have to.” So he went with gifts that said “I tolerate you” such as rings that he enchanted himself to help them in battles to come. He would never admit it, but it did bring him some joy to get gifts that weren’t just clothes and jewelry like he usually got. Instead, he took it in stride with everything he received, even the box that had an angry buzzing emitting from it from Sera, her only response being “Throw it downstairs when Egg is being annoying.” If in a romance, he frets over what to get you. Nothing too gaudy but also nothing too simple, he wants you to know that he cares but not make it overwhelming. He finally settled on giving you his family amulet. He jokes about you returning it in disdain but is actually really pleased when you keep it. That said, he’s only very excited when he finds out that you got him several books of rarity that delve deeper into magical studies.

Sera

Those who accept her gifts take it with caution. Most of the time it’s harmless jokes, others it’s close to almost getting hurt The bees, they’re everywhere. You don’t even have to look far for a present for her. Hell, send her a bucket and she’ll think it’s the best thing in the world before filling it and placing it over a door. In a relationship, it’s still all jokes. She gets you a crude model of Corypheus’s head with a dumb expression or her own artistic rendition of her naked body. Anything you get her that is meant to be sentimental rather than joking, she’s all “Pfft, you’re such a lovey-dovey person. You’re gonna make me puke, Inky!” When in reality, she loves it and keeps it on her at all times.

Blackwall (Thom Rainer)

You bet your ass that he made little wooden carvings for everyone. Leliana receives a raven, Solas receives a halla, etc. He doesn’t deny any gits, but does mention quite a few times how he really doesn’t need anything. Doesn’t stop people from getting him new Grey Warden armor or even some weapons. When romanced, he makes sure to add even more detail to the carving he makes for you, little things that only you and he can recognize, such as how he drew a little griffon on the bottom or how he painted it your favorite color. You can see the twinkle in his eye when he sees that you got him some new wood carving tools and/or his own personnel Grey Warden emblem.

[felassanis]

The blatant Anders rivalry when it comes to any of Hawke’s romances.

I will mainly be talking about a Hawke who romanced Fenris, because that is literally the only guy I ever romance. Therefore, I have witnessed the behaviour Ander exhibits from a Fenhawke point of view, I do not mean to ‘demean’ Isabela or Merill but I probably won’t mention them a lot. Other factors are that I am female, therefore I utilise Marian Hawke and I am a mage who is ‘friends’ with everyone. No rivalmance or rivalry with any of the characters. Just putting that out there because I don’t want someone popping into the comments saying ‘BUT THIS HAPPENS WHEN-” Yeah, I know. I have played the game THOROUGHLY and I have watched many videos depicting the choices I did not make.

Anyway, THE BLATANT RIVALRY WITH ANDERS IF YOU DO NOT ROMANCE HIM. It is...amazing. I am not hating on Anders, I absolutely adore Anders. And...I have always believed that he has feelings for your Hawke, especially if you flirt with him. 

The thing with Dragon Age is that it does a good job of not making you feelbad if you flirt with multiple characters nor does it mean that you are locked into a romance upon flirting once with a person. It also does not make you feel bad if you kinda romance a companion but change your mind, you can break it off with a companion and that’s it. The Companion will act like nothing ever happened, as though you have and always were just friends.

Dragon Age 2...does something a bit different. Anders is someone who brings up the romance, and has very clear emotions towards them.

Your companions in all of the games obviously comment on whoever you romanced, but Dragon Age 2 makes A MUCH bigger deal about it than any of the other games. Particularly, with Anders. I truly think that regardless of your choices, Anders has feelings for Hawke. 

My points are:

I am of course, going to bring up the fact that Anders is one of three characters that comment on your romance. Varric, Isabela and Anders comment on who you romance, The thing is Isabela jokes about it, Varric jokes while showing some real concern (You know Varric will make anyone who hurts Hawke fucking hurt 10x more) but Anders gets...a bit bitchy lmao. As you do his companion mission when looking for the ingriedients to ‘seperate him from Justice’ Anders will stop and ask “Are you sure?” about whoever you are romancing. But not in the manner that Varric innocently inquired, Anders inquires like Hawke is dating a 90 year old. “Are you sure?” like hes asking Hawke “Have you lost your mind?!” He purposely stops the crew from going any further just to bring this topic up whereas Varric and Isabela were just chilling at the Hanged Man waiting for you to come to them. 

Then, he goes on to insult whoever you are romancing; even when they are right there. Anders truly has no shame, and often whatever he brings up about the other companion it’s him being hypocritical. Especially with Merill. For Fenris he says, “Surely you want someone more open minded?” And my first thought upon hearing this was ‘are you alluding to yourself?’ because that’s...kind of what his tone implies, he is suggesting they deserve someone better and since he’s the only one who has a problem with whoever Hawke romances it’s safe to assume he is referring to himself. (That’s quite bold of you Anders)

Another thing, after a Bitter Pill and sleeping with Fenris you can actually still flirt with the other companions, and you can engage in Ander’s kiss scene. It’s.... good. I think it adds a lot more conflict to the companion dynamic, especially between Fenris, Hawke and Anders. 

 Anders will go the Amell Estate at night. Here he brings up your romance again (It can either be Isabela or Fenris I’m not sure about Merill) and again, he insults them. Now, he calls Fenris a ‘dog’ and my Hawke always gets defensive and asks that he leaves, saying they cannot do this. Anders will appear hurt (I can’t blame him) and visibly angry. It’s...interesting that Bioware lets you get so far with Anders. You can have that hot make out session (Even tho the noises make me cringe) and be on the verge with sleeping with him. You even get the chance to reject Anders twice before you can initiate the sex scene, once straight off the bat and the next one after he makes his comment on whoever you previously slept with. To which the option goes “I still love him/her” it’s just interesting that Anders gets that treatment, Idk if the other companins get the same treatment, it’s more like you friendzone the other characters rather than directly say ‘I am in love with another’. while the prompt button says ‘I am still in love with her/him” Hawke doesn’t actually say that, they say “Don’t call him that! I’m sorry Anders, we can’t do this!” but...the prompt button is conveying the fact that you can choose to have your Hawke realise their mistake.

“I can’t imagine what Hawke sees in you,” He says to Fenris “I always knew she had some sense,” He says relieved when he realised Fenris and Hawke are currently ‘not together’. (And the fact that Fenris very clearly is wearing Hawke’s token and their family emblem probably fuels Anders need to badger Fenris. As it’s clear Fenris still loves Hawke despite breaking it off, so it gives Anders some fuel I suppose but that’s just a headcanon)

He also acts very proud if you romanced Fenris and then did sleep with Anders. “You were a fool to leave hawke” and he’ll say something about being glad he brought Hawke to him. He just gloats about it. (can we just, relish the fact that people call this ‘Fenris and Anders fighting over Hawke’ but in reality it’s just Fenris being guilty about leaving Hawke and it’s just Anders harping on Fenris, like it’s Anders who’s doing the fighting Fenris is just kind of accepting it? It’s still such good banter, I am a slut for conflict what can I say ;) )

Other factors are kind of miniscule, little tid bits that have connotations to Anders caring about Hawke. It could be seen as just him being a great friend, because he is a good friend, but...I also can see this as Anders just doing it because not only does he care about Hawke but he cares about them so much it is leaning towards a crush. Despite moaning and complaining about the Deep Roads he will go there with Hawke, despite saying how he will NEVER go to Wardens, and despite actively hiding from them if Carver or Bethany are sick he will bring them to the wardens even tho he is being hunted. Because they are Hawke’s family. “You are the one bright light in Kirkwall,” Is also just...a very romantic thing to say and I’m pretty sure he says it regardless if you flirted with him or not.

Anyway, I don’t know if it was intentional. But all of this (to me anyway) not just alludes but confirms that Anders has feelings for Hawke regardless of your choices. I like it, it really adds something to the story in my opinion and to his character. It’s fun to imagine what kind of arguments, conflicts, jealousy and pining went on in the many years that DA2 takes places. It adds more emphasis to how heartbreaking Ander’s end in the story is, with him betraying and lying to Hawke to keep them safe, but ended up making Hawke a damn fugitive in the process. Not his goal I assume, but the reality nevertheless. He makes the woman/man he loved a fugitive, and whoever they fell in love with is also forced to go on the run with them. 

And then in Inquisition, the way Hawke talks about Anders if they did not approve of the Chantry Explosion. Romanced they will say “When someone betrays you like that, it takes a long time to get past it. I don’t know if we ever have” It’s...such good dialogue, but applying that to a Hawke who did not romance Anders...those feelings must still apply just the dfference being Hawke probabaly has no idea where he is. Maybe Hawke prefers it that way. I like to think Hawke can never forgive Anders, perhaps a bit of disdain for their old friend. But, while a part of them prefers not knowing where he is, they deep down hope that he is okay. It’s sad to think that perhaps Anders and Hawke never did reconcile, that they said little to each other before everyone went their seperate ways as the betrayal was still warm (And like Fenris would even let Anders talk to Hawke after all of that lmao)

So, my point is that I think Anders is a hopeless romantic, not-so-secretely pining for Hawke and that it is rather tragic if you don’t romance him. It’s more angsty if you don’t, and that’s why I purposely kiss Anders but call it off because I love Fenris, it adds more to your story and I love that it’s an option that can have consequences. Even tho regardless if you kissed Anders he acts really jealous, if you do kiss him his behaviour makes more sense. 

[bitchesofostwick]

I feel like this is a lot to ask but do u have any tips for writing Cullen?

*rubs hands together* ohohoho DO i??? (the answer is yes. i do.) i’ve actually saved a lot of this in a draft to post but here is the opportunity to finish it!

full disclosure: i’m not entirely sure where this runs from canon to personal headcanon. i spend a lot of time in cullen’s headspace with my own fic, and i’m well aware that my interpretations of him are not always shared by others. 

Rule #1. Cullen is not an Alistair clone. More can be found in my post here. But the main sentiment? Yes, they are both awkward around potential love interests, and yes, they both grew up in the Chantry system. But that’s about where the similarities end.

Which leads me to clarify: Cullen is not actually awkward. Hear me out—we all know Cullen can be reduced to a stuttering mess when he’s around a potential love interest, but outside of that? NEVER. He may not be one for eloquence, but romance aside, he has zero trouble stating exactly what he means, and especially so when he’s angry.

He’s not one for wordplay or eloquence. He says what he means and means what he says, and in the very rare event that he is sarcastic, it’s so dry it could easily be missed, so when writing a Cullen joke, it should be so subtle that without context, one could miss the joke entirely.

He is competitive, and outside a romantic situation, he will stop at very little to win, whether it’s in chess or in a war council decision. He is unforgiving (possibly as much to himself as to people who’ve wronged him or what he stands for). He is decisive. Unless you’re writing him in a romantic situation, I wouldn’t envision him ever answering “I don’t know” to a question or a problem posed, but rather be either strongly affirmative or resistant to an idea.

In following up to his competitiveness, Cullen would die on a sinking ship. In a humorous sense, he continues to play Josephine in Wicked Grace until he’s left with literally nothing (when you’d presume he could’ve quit any other time before his losses became so...great). But in a less funny sense, he literally sticks around Kirkwall until the very end. He’s not one to easily admit he was wrong, and that’s one of his flaws. It takes a lot (many would argue too much) for him to see the error in his ways, and even when he does, he spends more time berating himself for his actions (or inactions) than he does trying to make things right.

Which leads into another point: Cullen has a tendency to live in the past. So much of what he does for the Inquisition is as a counteraction to what he’s done in Kirkwall, or even Ferelden. He canonically says that he can’t give less to the Inquisition than he gave to the templars, which is admirable in a sense, but also goes to show just how much his past runs deeply into everything he does. I’m a firm believer that it takes an outside influence (be it the Inquisitor, a romanced character, or friends) to get Cullen to start living for now and for the future instead of for the past.

But enough dark takes! A romanced Cullen is softspoken, kind, gentle, honest, and even doting (if you’ll pardon the headcanon). A complete turnaround from Cullen among enemies. He’s just so soft in general. You can just tell he’s never felt a love like this before (or dare I say never felt love at all?) because he’s just so in awe of everything when it comes to his LI. I think he’d be protective. Maybe overprotective, even. I think he has the potential to make foolish decisions in the name of someone he loves, although I understand that’s more of a personal headcanon of mine. I think he loves deeply and would wear his heart on his sleeve for the right person.

He also has friends. I generally believe this is unique to DAI-and-onward Cullen, but he has friends who he cares about and who care about him. This includes, even platonically, the Inquisitor, but also Cassandra and Varric, who were there before and perhaps at his worst and still support him. And he can make more friends. I think for much of his life he’s been too devoted to the Chantry and the Order but Inquisition affords him the opportunity to make friends, and I greatly value Cullen fics where he not only has a positive romance but also has positive friendships.

My last bit of advice for writing Cullen is simply to write him dynamically. With complexity. He is nether wholly evil nor a saint, and I’m steadfastly wary of anyone who portrays him on either side of that spectrum. He’s a deeply flawed character who wants to atone for his past and has the potential to be a better person, a good person. Whether you believe Bioware did this for him is up to you, but as fic writers and creators, this is something we can do for him ourselves, if we want to and if we approach it right.

[pathcrier]

This ask game has alot of good questions!! But 💖 and 😊 for all the ocs in your tags!

THIS IS VERY LONG IM SORRY HAHA

💖 Has your OC ever been in love, be it romantic or platonic or otherwise? Who with and did they ever express their feelings or keep it private? How long did these feelings persist / do they still feel this way?

Dahlia Shepard: romantically, she had been in love exactly three times. First time was with a girl back during Alliance training, Catalina. She was head over heels but never really told her, just because she felt it wouldn't work out in the end and let her doubts overcome her. Lasted for nearly a year, and no, she's completely over her (and actually attended her wedding and felt nothing but happiness for her.) Second was Aria T'loak, back when she was undercover on Omega. They had worked closely for months (trying to catch a cerberus cell leader) and had been seeing each other- but Dahlia presumed it was just a casual fling and would be over once she was finished. Dahlia knew once she was back in Alliance space, it wouldn't work out, and left it at that. Took a bit longer for her to get over this time, but she eventually did after focusing solely on her military career. Finally the woman she would easily rescue a galaxy for, Liara. For the first time, Dahlia allowed herself to be selfish and to want to be in a longstanding relationship. For the first time she sees herself willing to sacrifice everything for the one she loves, she is beyond head over heels for Liara. She platonically falls in love with every one of her friends, even if she's the worst at showing it. She loves these people more than life itself.

Nicola Amell: growing up in the Circle, with templars looming over your shoulders every second of the day- she never really bothered to invest any time in crushes, never giving them the chance to grow into something more. She devoted all her time to her studies and squashed any crush at the start. She didn't actually let herself fall in love until she felt her life was on the line, until she met Leliana. It was the first time she ever truly loved another person in a romantic sense, and she was going to live in every moment as if it were her last. Even by the time of the events of Trespasser, Nicola still takes the time and effort to send love letters and gifts to the now Divine Victoria. No amount of blights, ancient tevinters, nor elvish gods will ever keep the Warden Commander from her love.

Delaney Hawke: well, being a half elf mage apostate constantly living on the run for a majority of her life- she never really had time to actively meet people long enough to develop an emotional connection. Most of her crushes were as short lived as their homes. 

Until moving to Kirkwall, that was. Having a crazy band of misfits that constantly follow you around, it's hard not to form attachments. Platonic or romantic. And when she fell for Isabela, she fell hard. I'm talking about head in the clouds, only able to think of one name. She's never experienced a crush like that and it freaked her out. Instead of telling Isabela about her feelings, she ran to Varric. Almost immediately. Delaney unsure of how to handle love in a romantic way, and Isabela shutting love out- it took quite some time for those two to establish themselves in a relationship. But even in those standstills, Delaney had almost expected her heart to move on, but it did the exact opposite- caused her love to grow stronger. Even now in Inquisition time, it took all of Delaney's strength to leave the comfort of Isabela's ship to go aid Varric. Not wanting to be separated for long, but not wanting to leave her best friend high and dry (who she loves very very much.

Gryff Hawke: like his twin sister, Delaney, he never had the time (nor desire really) to search for any love. At the time, the love of his 3 siblings and his parents was enough for him. He was happy and content. He knew he didn't need a relationship to be happy and content, so he never actively searched for one. Hell, even in Kirkwall, he was too busy keeping him and his sister out of Meredith's grasp and keeping the qunari at bay. But he did quite literally stumble into thoughts of a certain glowing elf, and never realized just how far he had fallen for him. Despite their differences they saw on magic, Gryff knew Fenris was the one he wanted to be with. For the first time ever, Gryff was actively seeking out affection for another person romantically. He will never admit it, but it was the best feeling he ever had. His love language is traipsing across thedas taking out slavers with his badass boyfriend.

Kiri Lavellan: Kiri LOVES being in love, adores the feelings of warmth and security a partner brings. She has had a few partners of course, but none ever lasted too long, especially amongst her Dalish clan, where everyone knows everyone's business. That being said though, she doesn't jump right into anything. When she loves someone it's very slowly and then all at once, pouring her heart and soul into her partners. Which was fairly difficult when it came to Sera, given her stance on the dalish, magic, and dalish magic. That didn't deter her though, she was understanding and patient and more than happy to move at Sera's pace. Despite their difficulties and differences, there's never been a stronger bond between pairings- Sera was so devoted to her inky, even as far as post Exalted Council, following Kiri back to her clan and being introduced to Kiri's friends and family.

Niamh Valyn: here's another one who just claims she never has time for a relationship. Not saying she will actively deter them, she just- doesn't expect anyone to want to put up with extensive time apart due to her place with the Rangers. She's fallen in love platonically more than romantically, and she's not going to complain. She loves her friends very dearly, they're her whole world, even if they're miles apart. But when it comes to romance, she finds it to be more difficult to keep a relationship going, finds it more emotionally taxing at times and just hasn't really put any thought into seeking someone out. She's content with where she is, if someone comes along who willingly wants to deal with distance- she will happily accept. 

Ezra Marlowe (because I forgot to tag her and she's my baby): twice. She's fallen in love twice, and the first time damn near killed her. She let herself love so wholly and blindly, she never anticipated being hurt (quite literally.)

After that she felt very scared of any romantic advances, even if she was the one to initiate- she'd eventually run off if her overwhelming fear of being hurt overcame her.

After a while, the second time- it was a very slow, unsure path she took. But this man, the love of her life, Bashir, had proven just how much Ezra means to him. Through patience and care and understanding. Ezra once again allowed herself to love wholeheartedly, and for once, she's not scared.

Roux Lux: now here is someone who falls in love with the world anytime the sun sets or rises. She loves virtually everyone she meets. She falls head over heels for all her friends, in the most platonic way possible. She gives everyone the same special treatment, affection, and adoration as she does with a romantic partner. Though, Beetle may receive extra special treatment for being her amour. When she was ready to tell Beetle how she felt about him, she did so in the cutest puppet show..which she spent days hand crafting her props and painting new marionettes 😭

😊 What can make your OC smile even when they’re feeling down? What cheers them up and makes everything feel better for them? Is your OC generally a happy person and do they enjoy making others smile? What about your OC makes others happy?

Dahlia Shepard: it's hard for her to always feel happy when there's an impending invasion on their doorsteps, but one surefire way to cheer her up is a quick call to her son, Otikk, a little salarian boy. He is such a lively, happy go lucky boy, and always eager to cheer his mama up. Dahlia comes off very brash and intimidating, but she very much loves pulling her friends out of the dark- whether through inspiring words, or distracting them with their favorite hobbies.

Nicola Amell: even with the blight raging, she always looked for the little things to cheer her up. To be honest, just having her closest friends at her back was more than enough. Knowing that she will always have people to pick her back up if she falls was the greatest comfort and a thought that always lingered when she felt low. Making other people happy is what being a hero is all about in her mind. When others around her feel safe and are smiling, that fills her with so much pride and joy.

Delaney Hawke: ah yes, the one who finds any reason to crack a joke- ill timed or not. To be honest whenever she's in a low spot, just curling up in bed with her mabari, Junji, is enough. Though sometimes having Isabela sprawled across next to her, having her tell tales of her life at sea, watching her put on an exaggerated reenactment of exciting fights is just what she needs too. Or sitting around a table with everyone, letting Varric make up stories on the spot, everyone happily buzzed…. Never fails to bring a smile to her face. She's generally very chipper and easy going, so everyone assumes by the amount of quips and playful teasing. Deep below, she's miserable, and full of guilt and self doubt. She doesn't like letting her friends know that, so she puts up this front and goes to any extent to make sure no one else feels how she does.

Gryff Hawke: raging ball of anger who has a hard time letting himself be happy- especially trying to keep himself and his twin alive and out of the Gallows. It's hard to feel happy when everything you do backfires and bites you in the ass, even when you know you did everything you could. Even with this rowdy band of misfits at your back, sometimes it just feels like you're drowning. But sometimes there's a hand to pull you up, bring life and air into your lungs. Having Fenris curled up beside him, quietly and slowly reading through a particularly difficult chapter, pausing to ask you what a word says- it reminds Gryff that there are things worth smiling about, and oftentimes they're the ones to pull you out of the dark.

Kiri Lavellan: being dragged into a humans holy war and being propped up as their god's herald- it takes a lot out of you, and Kiri always fears she is about to get uprooted from her dalish heritage at any moment. So in the quiet rests, she finds herself reciting stories in private that the keeper once told her. Anything that reminds her of her roots, where she comes from. She tries very hard to keep a brave face, a beaming smile, one that would inspire hope amongst her men. She wants others to believe she can do this, that she's not scared, anything to instill security in those around her.

Niamh Valyn: when she's feeling lost or homesick, no matter where she is, she carries a leather-bound journal filled with bedtime stories her mother and father read to her as a child. Cuddled up with her wolf companion, Zarola, and her pipe- it's like all her worries just melt away. Even if she looks stoic and imposing like a stormy mountain, she's a very happy person. She's content with where she is, and easily makes those close to her at ease with her playfulness and cheekiness.

Ezra Marlowe: to her, all her happiness she keeps is heavily guarded and protected, not willing to let it go, risking getting hurt. She has no issues pushing people away and hurting them to protect herself. But that being said, those who truly know her, they know she can be enjoyable to have around...in an annoying sibling kind of way. Always looking to push buttons for a laugh. But on her darkest days, she finds the most comfort in the arms of Bashir. He's one of the fre who can easily calm her nerves, bring her back to reality and truly make her feel safe.

Roux Lux: a walking ray of sunshine, this one. Wherever she goes, she leaves a trail of smiles and mirth in her wake. She love love loves creating smiles and making people laugh and feel good. Its why she joined the circus to begin with, her puppet shows have brought nothing but joyful squeals and it's the greatest feeling in the world to the changeling. She's always in the happiest of moods, rarely is she seen without a smile. Yet on those rare days when she feels small and insignificant- curling up in Beetle's lap and listening to him hum soft appraisal to her is all she needs to bounce back to her original self.

[chiclet-go-boom]

point of impact 13

It is her accursed bad luck that she is passing through the Great Hall on her way to speak to Leliana when she overhears what she wishes immediately she had not. An unfortunate trick of the stone, a small lull in the conversations that swirl in this place constantly like leaves. She walks into it as she might a spiderweb. It’s just as heart stopping.

Bianca Davri introduces herself.

She would not be human if she didn’t look. The Inquisitor and Varric stand at the larger of the fireplaces, obviously in quiet conversation with a hooded figure who is certainly dwarven by stature alone. If not for that one overheard name, she would have thought nothing of it. There are many people that come and go through Skyhold and it is not as if she makes a point of knowing who they all are. She is, after all, the Right Hand, not the Left.

Her long stride hitches but none of them look at her, none of them seem to be aware of anything except whatever they are talking about. In the instant before she can tear her eyes away, it brands itself into memory. How closely Varric stands. That his face, always alive, is near expressionless. That his arms cross and then uncross as if unsure of themselves.

And that while the Inquisitor is the one talking, the figure… no, Bianca turns only to Varric.

Cassandra keeps walking even as unexpectedly sharp claws dig themselves into her chest. She does not hurry; she greets Solas as they pass, she checks in with Helisma on the second floor. She confers with Leliana quietly in the rookery and at the end of it, a pair of crows are dispatched, one to Lothering and the other to Redcliffe. She can do no more at the moment.

When she returns through the Hall with measured, ringing stride, the fireplace is abandoned.

All morning and into the afternoon, it plagues her. She cannot seem to stop herself no matter how she tries, even as she speaks to herself sternly. It is truly none of her business. Varric has many friends, many of them might be named Bianca.

She hates it when she lies to herself, particularly when she is so bad at it.

She tries reading in her room and it is a laughable failure. Her weapons are fine and while she takes the time to arrange them all precisely, including the dagger she uses to slice open letter seals, it is not a lengthy chore. Should any correspondence arrive however, she is well prepared. She straightens everything restlessly; her armor is in good repair, she has no pressing matters of any sort to attend to and she cannot think of any that she could manufacture that would be even thinly plausible. She makes tea to give her hands something else to do.

She tells herself over and over again that she cannot go out to the training yard to work off this agitation. It would too obvious that she is agitated and she is tired of being that transparent. Someone would, no doubt, pry. She would yell because she is unsettled, she knows she is unsettled and then what would happen? Everyone would then be aware that Cassandra is upset within the candlemark because Skyhold runs on orders, ale and the everpresent gossip. She will then need to spend the next three days stonewalling questions about it. She even considers going to the tavern, if only that there will be noise and distraction even if she is not sure that she cares for either at the moment. She could visit Josephine or Cullen but then she thinks on what small talk she could possibly make and the words dry up in her throat.

The mug that she cups in her hands is long cold. She continues to spin the rough pottery in her hands though, her fingertips tracing the familiar bumps and divots as if she can read the secret writing.

Cassandra finds herself staring helplessly again at Varric’s face. Had he been surprised? Had he expected her? Invited her perhaps? His face had been as closed as she’d ever seen, Varric who talked constantly with words and hands and body. What could that mean? Everything? Nothing?

She puts the tea down carefully before she throws it. She tells herself that she had only a glimpse, that she is inferring too much into it. He had been calm, as had the Inquisitor. She really cannot say more than that.

Cassandra crosses her arms and scowls at the oblivious wall of her quarters. Truly, why does she care? Certainly curiosity is to be expected, this mysterious Bianca not made of wood and gears. Not the weapon at all but the woman who built it, the promise he’d mentioned once and never again. Of course anyone would be intrigued. It is after all the one story that Varric doesn’t tell, the one that is becoming painfully obvious that she had not actually believed was real. Is that why she cannot stop worrying at it?

Her wall declines to answer.

It pains her somewhere to know now, without doubt, that Bianca is perfectly sized to Varric. Shorter. Slimmer. No doubt beautiful by dwarven standards although that is complete conjecture. All she had seen was the back of a hood and expressive hands moving. Hands that could easily loop around Varric’s neck without strain. A face he would not have to stand on a footstool to reach. And that is too much for Cassandra. She stands, snapping her body to its full height. She reaches for her gloves, pulls them on with short, sharp jerks as she strides for the door. She does not in the least want to be thinking about this, nor is she interested as to why her mind will not let it go. She has wasted nearly this entire day fretting on a question she cannot even frame, let alone answer. If Bianca Davri’s visit is Inquisition business, she will hear about it soon enough. If it is Varric’s business alone, well then it is his and most certainly and absolutely not hers. She will go ask Master Dennett for the loan of one of the more spirited mounts and ride outside the walls for awhile. She hates horses and they hate her but it will give her something to focus on, something to control. There is enough light still to work off the edge of this... this whatever it is.

----------

It helps. Dung monsters with hooves and tails and the one she had been given had proven true to the breed. A most tiring ride on both sides and the horse had been just as pleased to be rid of her as she of it. But it had taken all of her concentration and she had thought of little else for the last few hours.

She is grateful for that, and grateful also that Skyhold is large enough now that when she rides up through the stableyard, a young elvhen hand meets her and silently leads her mount away. No doubt to console it with bran and mash and a rub down and likely whispered words about being a good girl for coming back with her rider. The image in her head makes her smile and her step lightens a little. Cassandra takes off her gloves to tuck them into her belt, flexing her creaky fingers. It is getting late but a bath might be achievable still. She slides through one of the lesser used side doors, thinking to wind her way through the side passages that will lead by connecting cross paths to the rotunda and thence the Great Hall and further yet, the kitchens. A little food to take with her is certainly in order. She hears the voices before she truly registers them but it is only when she identifies Varric that she stops, for no reason that she can justify afterwards. Her head turns as she hesitates. She is near the library, it seems, the conversation muffled so that she has to strain to make out the odd word as it filters down a small stairway. Without thinking of it, she turns quietly to ascend. The stone steps are worn in the center from long centuries of use; they must lead to one of the far corners of the next floor. The voices clarify suddenly and she freezes, one foot upon the next step. She must be standing just below them. The conversation rolls over the half wall above her head and the words spill down.

“I know I’m not exactly the one that should be dispensing this kind of wisdom since I so seldom take it, but drinking isn’t going to help. Go to bed, Varric. ” Dorian’s voice holds no disapproval, his Tevinter accent soft.

“I can’t. It still smells like her.”

“Oh, my friend.” She hears the sound of glass on wood. A chair creaks.

“Yeah.” It’s rare for Dorian to hesitate but the silence drags on too long. “Look, I don’t tell this story for a reason, Sparkler, and I’m not about to do it now. But between you, me and this fine sipping... whatever the hell this is, love breaks way more than it fixes.” “Do you really believe that?” Varric snorts. “You telling me you don’t?”

She should leave. She should turn around and leave before she overhears any more things that will haunt her for no good reason. But she doesn’t; can’t, really, even with guilty breath caught in her throat. The chance to hear Varric talk freely? And of love? Cassandra presses her back to the dusty wall and tilts her head against it. There is a creak of leather and a shuffle of something silk. “My experiences with love have been, shall we say, from a distance. A blessedly far distance, I might add. The few I suspected of it kept it very much to themselves. A real emotion of actual depth towards another person not involving attempted poisonings and slanderous rumor? How gauche.” She can almost picture Dorian’s hand waving in the air, a casual dismissal. “But my dear dwarf, that is me, not you. You write romance novels! Surely you believe in the fairest of virtues.” “You write one romance novel and everybody holds it over your head for some reason. And it didn’t sell.” She cannot tell if he is amused or annoyed. “I’m much better at tragedies. Lots of experience with those.” “One, then.” Dorian’s voice turns sly. “With, I understand, another chapter for our ever so stoic Seeker?” “The Inquisitor talked me into that one.” The worst of it is that she cannot tell anything from his voice, flat and uninterested. “And come on, I couldn’t resist. The Seeker? Reading my trashy fiction? Couldn’t let that go by, I’d never have forgiven myself.”

She would give anything to be able to see his face. Is that truly how he feels? Uninspired and… and put upon? Her hand clenches, flexing against her stomach.

“I decline to believe you, Varric. But be that as it may, we both know that Cassandra would welcome another and whatever fictions you two tell to each other, I suppose it’s none of my business.” The drawling emphasis is unmistakeable but Cassandra is not sure what to make of it. She licks her lips, brows drawing together. “But I do suggest that if you’re entertaining one unsuitable woman in your quarters, you air it out before entertaining the next.” Varric growls, that is the only way to put it. The rumbling sound shivers in the air. “Now you’re being an asshole, Dorian.” “Of course. Along with everything else I’m good at, I have an excellent one of those to match. Really, it’s a point of pride. I’ll have you know that in some circles, the poetry abounds about its excellence. So round. So firm. So fully... packed.” The dwarfs snorts. “That’s the worst joke ever.” “Made you smile though, didn’t it?” A chair creaks again.  The longer she stands here, the worse she feels for listening in to what is obviously an intensely private conversation. Cassandra straightens, thinking to retreat. “I believe in love,” Varric says abruptly. “I hate it, I don’t want it, I want absolutely nothing to do with it but yeah, I believe in it.”

Cassandra stills, her body half turned to leave. Varric’s voice had been low but raw. It nails her back in place somehow, a complicit shadow. “There you go. That hardly hurt at all, did it?” “Yeah. Nothing a few potions can’t cure.” She hears him pick up the bottle again and she imagines that he probably waves it to make his point. “I’m still right though. Love breaks things, Sparkler. You don’t see it coming, hits you in your blind spot. Best part? You don’t even care. The Maker Himself couldn’t get you to care. And there you are, fifteen shitty years later, dead center of the wreckage and wondering what the hell you ever did to deserve being cursed with it.” The room is quiet for a long moment. Cassandra puts a hand to her breastbone and kneads with the palm of her hand to relieve the hurt that’s lodged there. “She must be remarkable.” Dorian voice is quiet enough to be sympathetic. “Yeah, she is. You have no idea how brilliant she is.” Varric laughs, a short sharp noise. “In every single way. You know, I’ve got a standing contract with some people that nobody decent should even know how to reach that when I go to the Maker’s side, they come find my crossbow? Because she made it. Because I can’t risk it falling into anybody’s hands, even a friend’s. It needs to be destroyed if I can’t do it myself. You don’t want to know what else she’s come up with. I don’t even want to know what she could come up with.” “Surely you exaggerate.” “Wish I was, Sparkler. She’d be Paragon a dozen times over if Orzammar could get its collective head out of its parochial ass. Statues of honor and crap.” “So. She’s the Maker’s gift to dwarven kind, you love her, she loves you, you take her to bed and voila, wine and roses for everyone. Except that doesn’t look much like wine and I don’t think roses are going to go with your complexion in the morning.” “It wasn’t my idea. That’s the other best thing about her. It’s never my idea or on my schedule or any other damn thing. She shows up out of nowhere, drops a problem in my lap while I start looking over my shoulder for the assassins she could care less about because she’s not the one that has to deal with 'em and me, I fix things like I always do. As a reward she turns up in my rooms afterwards. I hate that she picks locks better than I can.” “Assassins? That’s kinky, Varric, even as foreplay.” “Yeah, well. Her family doesn’t like me much.” “How very civilized, and us in the middle of backwater Ferelden. See, that’s how you’re supposed to deal with things. At a nice safe distance, preferably with the blade untraceably wielded by somebody hired through at least three intermediaries.” “That's how you deal with things, O Great And Mighty Not Exactly A Magister. I prefer my answer to this problem, which is a little more sharp and immediate. I’ve had a drink with a couple, sent ‘em back home to return the money with apologies. Others, well.”  She can almost picture the shrug. “I’m still here and have no intention of that changing anytime soon.” “And your Bianca does… what about this?” “Fuck you, Dorian, not my Bianca.” The air sizzles from the fire behind the words. “Fuck this whole conversation while I’m at it. She can’t do anything without admitting what she can’t admit. Not that I’d ever ask her to.” “Seems a little one sided.” “You only just figuring that out?” “Now, now. Just making conversation.” “No, you’re not. I’m not. I’m drinking and talking because a woman I have wanted all my life turns up in my bed thinking she doesn’t need an invitation, because she doesn’t. And she’s there before I’ve fixed anything which worries the fuck out of me because that’s not how this goes, that’s not how this goes at all. But I’m too Maker blasted... fuck, I don’t know. Weak. Stupid. Desperate, take your pick. It's like every time I get some piece of my life together, she shows up to blow it apart. Every. Single. Time.”

“Well, far be it from me to state the obvious. Again. Since you’re not listening. Are you listening, Varric?”

“Best part? Absolutely the best part of this is that I can’t let go. I know I can’t let go and while that makes me an ass, it’s nothing new. But I opened my door and there was a woman in my bed and for a second, Sparkler? For a heartbeat it was someone else. Doesn’t that just take the cake. I’ve loved Bianca all my life it seems like and she’s not the one I was hoping to see.”

“And now my whole damn room smells like sex and her perfume and I can’t stand it.” She hears the bottle hit the table again and something scrapes along the floor. “I hate you, I hate me and I’m going for a walk. See if I can’t trip off a battlement by mistake. Tonight could not get any worse.” She has no time to move. She barely has time to take a single, startled breath before Varric appears at the top of the stairs. He stares down even as she looks up. She has no idea what’s on her face but his whirls through a hundred emotions. Horror, hurt, fury. It settles on something unnameable. Varric barks out a short, strangled laugh. “I take it back, Sparkler,” he calls over his shoulder. “The Maker is definitely fucking with me in particular. Hello, Seeker. Shouldn’t you be in your little Seeker bed, dreaming little Seeker dreams?”

“Cassandra?” Dorian’s voice is astonished, pitching upwards. She can hear the mage scrambling out of his chair. “Varric, I…”

The dwarf holds up his hand, already continuing down the stairs. “Save it, Seeker. Just.. save it. When I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you, remember?” He brushes past where she’s pressed herself against the wall. The curling fingers of a strong spirit reach out to caress her face and then he’s gone. She takes a deep, unsteady breath. Dorian’s face appears over the half wall above and Cassandra stares up miserably. She has transgressed. She has transgressed badly and she knows it. She should not have stayed past the first moment she recognized his voice, certainly not once she’d realized what they were talking about. The mortification feels like it stains her very bones. “My dear Seeker. You have the most remarkable timing.”

She shoves herself off the wall. She’d braced herself but against what, she’s not sure. Varric had not offered violence. Past the first moment he hadn’t even looked at her. “And how is that, Dorian?” she asks flatly. “You just missed Varric. How you two manage to never connect with each other fuels an entire betting pool, you know. Do come up and tell me your secret.”

She buries her face in her hands and laughs because she can do nothing else.

[daughter-of-the-prophet]

Aveline Vallen (TV Tropes)

Action Girl: Hell yes!

Amazonian Beauty: So far, she's the most muscular woman in the Dragon Age franchise (or any other BioWare franchise) to date, but that's not to say she doesn't have a feminine figure. It's really only seen in the prologue, however.

Babies Ever After: Hints that she regrets never having children with Wesley. After she marries Donnic, separate conversations with Isabela and Fenris reveal that they are considering starting a family in the near future.

Aveline and Donnic eventually have a daughter whom they named after Areida Hawke, Aveline's dear friend who brought her and Donnic.

Badass Normal: Deserves special mention; see Establishing Character Moment below.

Battle Couple: With Wesley and later, Donnic. She definitely prefers someone with whom she can be Back-to-Back Badasses.

Beauty, Brains and Brawn: In a trio with Areida and Bethany, Aveline is the Brawn. She's tall and muscular, skilled with sword and shield, and works as a city guard. The others sometimes make jokes about her being able to lift a cow.

Berserk Button: As mentioned below, do NOT question her loyalty or accuse her of coddling her guards.

Big Good: To Kirkwall in Inquisition, after Areida is forced to leave town. Varric notes that "Kirkwall would probably fall into the sea if she ever quit her job."

Big Sister Mentor: Has some shades of this for Areida and Bethany especially. Some cut-dialogues refer to her cornering most of the party and getting them to practice swordsmanship with her (including the mages) and criticizing their techniques.

Breast Plate: Initially played straight during the prologue sequence, in which she sports form-fitting leather armor. Averted for the rest of the story - the metal plate the guards wear is the same general shape for both men and women, giving Aveline no more chances to show off her assets.

Cannot Spit It Out: Towards Donnic. She tries courting him in more subtle ways, but her methods seem to make sense only to her. One of Aveline's ways of trying to court Donnic causes him to mistakenly conclude that Areida is the one awkwardly hitting on him.

Insane Troll Logic: Eventually, Aveline's efforts to woo Donnic get so bad that even when she does explain the reasoning behind her actions, Areida can't argue directly with them because they make no sense.

The Captain: Served as an officer in the Fereldan Army at Ostagar, and later becomes Captain of the Kirkwall City Guard.

The Champion: To the Hawke family during their first year in Kirkwall. She claims it's just to keep Areida out of trouble.

City Guards: Joins the Kirkwall guard after fleeing Ferelden and is promoted to Captain of the Guard after a mission where she investigates her superior's corruption.

Clear My Name: In Act 3, Cullen alerts Areida that Aveline is accused of coddling her men, and urges her to speak with Aveline and clear up the issue. Aveline takes the accusation extremely personally and goes on a bit of a rampage to settle the matter. See Cowboy Cop, below.

Comically Serious: Especially when paired with Varric and Isabela.

Cowboy Cop: Even as Da Chief, she has no problem telling authority where to shove it and will bend the rules for the sake of her friends.

However, do not ever question whether she is going soft on the men under her command and coddling certain individuals (Donnic). When the Templars force Areida to investigate her on this in Act 3, they set out to prove that Donnic is doing the same routes as the other men, if not more dangerous, and most of her men are fighting for their lives twice a week to keep Kirkwall safe.

Da Chief: Eventually reaches this position on the Guard.

Defector from Decadence: Aveline's mysterious father. "Orlais has a game. He wouldn't play it. I never cared to ask further."

Depending on the Artist: Her official art is... considerably more mannish when compared to her in-story model.

Did We Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: During the Prologue and on Sundermount in Act 1, Aveline appears to be the only person in the group who actually recognises that talking to the Witch of the Wilds is not something any sane person would want to do.

Drill Sergeant Nasty: Borderline; she trains with each guard individually and makes certain that they know what they are doing. They certainly think that it's Training from Hell. She bonds with each of the guards as well, which takes the edge off of it.

She also asks Areida to allow her to have her dog, Maximus, help her train, to see if her people can handle a "good old-fashioned Mabari charge." Brings about a Pet the Dog moment (almost literally) later, as she rewards Maximus with some contraband mutton that was seized

Establishing Character Moment: One of the first things she does is tackle a darkspawn that severely wounded Wesley and punch it into submission before lever-cutting its head off with its own sword. She proceeds to fight the rest of the horde with the intention of saving her husband or dying with him.

Expose the Villain, Get His Job: Her personal quest in Act 1.

Failure Knight: Her sometimes obsessive need to protect everyone seems to be the reason she latches onto looking after the Hawke family. It is implied to have largely stemmed from her guilt at being unable to save Wesley. 

Fantastic Racism: A much more subtle and realistic (and likely unintentional) example than most, but she doesn't see any issue with elves being segregated into impoverished ghettos, nor elves being forced to sleep in stables and out-buildings (just like farm animals) in towns too small to fit an alienage, and seems mildly surprised when Merrill (an elven companion) gets upset to hear it.

She also takes her time looking to the "rumors" of one of her guards raping an elven woman, but immediately cracks down on the brothers of the alleged rape victim (also the ones who accused him) when they got tired of waiting for her to do anything about it and killed him.  

Femininity Failure: She gets teased about being "mannish" by hard-drinking, hard-fucking, foul-mouthed Isabela. That's how badly she fails at femininity. That said, it doesn't usually bother or cause any trouble for her, but it does prompt her personal quest in the second act where she needs help getting the guy she's interested in to even realise that she's a woman.

Fire-Forged Friends: At the start of the story, she bonds with the Hawke family when they fight their way out of Lothering together.

Good People Have Good Sex: After Aveline marries Donnic, Isabela offers some tips on how they can spice up their sex life. Aveline lets her know Donnic needs no help in that department.

Hair-Trigger Temper: At least where card games are concerned, according to Fenris and Donnic.

Happily Married: With Wesley before the beginning of the story. Later with Donnic.

Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Areida.

Hollywood Atheist: Averted; Aveline has no issue with the Chantry or those who believe in the Maker (she even married a Templar), but she doesn't seem to believe herself. She says that she thinks the Chant is lovely, but perhaps that is all it needs to be.

Honorary Aunt: Like Isabela, Aveline becomes an Aunt like figure towards Anders and Areida's children. They call her "Aunt Aveline".

Hypocrite: The reason she gives for pursuing the elven vigilantes is "they took the law into their own hands," yet she tolerates Areida taking the law into her own hands every day, and potentially does it herself when she joins Areida on missions.

I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Wesley's death remains a sore spot for her for a good half of the story, partially because she feels she should have been able to prevent it. Her fear of losing anything else drives many of her actions throughout the story.

Idiot Ball: Played for Laughs. She's a bright, talented, and quick-thinking guardswoman... but her intelligence plummets when it comes to dealing with Donnic. Case in point? While trying to be romantic with him, she turns it into a conversation about the sharpness of swords.

Played for Drama when she refuses to look into the cases of kidnapped Hightown women, which contributes to Leandra being kidnapping and murdered by the same serial killer, something she denies any responsibility for afterward.

Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As strict as she can be and as cold as she can be to the other companions, she's fiercely loyal to those she cares about and always attempts to do what she considers to be right.

Lantern Jaw of Justice: Rare female example.

Married to the Job: Apparently the reason she's having such difficulty with romancing Donnic. Even though she was once married, she's thrown herself into her work so much, she's forgotten how not to be a guard for a while.

Matchmaker Quest: Her personal quest in Act 2 involves her attempting to court Guardsman Donnic. They eventually get married.

A Mother To Her Men: Particularly seen in Act 3. The men and women of the city guard revere her, to the point that they unanimously refuse to join ex-Captain Jeven in his smear campaign to have her removed. Donnic says that there's not a single member of the guard who would hesitate to follow her across the Void itself if she asked.

My Beloved Smother: She's not their mother but she definitely acts this way towards the others during party banters, especially Areida and Bethany.

Foreshadowed slightly in Act 1 party banter with Bethany, who asks her why she and Wesley never had children; Aveline explains that their respective careers forced them to put the prospect on hold. When Bethany asks if she regrets it now that Wesley is gone, Aveline replies, not unkindly, that the question is too personal. It's possible that she sees her companions as surrogates for the children she never had. She does however, have a daughter with Donnic.

Named After Somebody Famous: An In-Universe example; Aveline was the name of the first female Chevalier.

She actually doesn't seem fond of the symbolism, (though it fits her perfectly), calling the name "a wish [her] father made," and expressing relief that Fenris doesn't know the story of Ser Aveline. By the end of the story, though, she seems much more sure of herself and has come to terms with it.

Never My Fault: When it comes to being a City Guard, Aveline is always convinced she's right.

She straight-up denies any responsibility for Leandra being kidnapped and murdered, even after Areida asked her to look into the disappearances of Hightown women, which Avline had refused to do despite it being her job as Captain of the City Guard.

No Guy Wants an Amazon: Ser Wesley and Guardsman Donnic are the exceptions that prove the rule; almost everyone else finds her intimidating and off-putting, as other party members point out. According to Isabela, she's a "woman-shaped battering ram."

Non-Answer: When Aveline and Areida go to confront the Arishok, the elven converts claim that one of her guards raped their sister and they tried to report him many times, but got turned away each time. When Areida asks Aveline if this is true, she responds, "There are rumors. I'll look into them."

No Social Skills: Most noticeable during her bizarre efforts to romance Guardsman Donnic.

Not So Above It All: In Act 3, she has evolved an Odd Friendship with Isabela. Any time Aveline deadpan snarks at her, Isabela warmly says, "That's my girl!" At one point, Aveline has apparently invited Isabela to a family dinner, but she didn't show up because she didn't think she'd fit in; Aveline disagrees.

                Isabela: "How's marriage been treating you, big girl?"

               Aveline: "It's been good. No, great. I'd forgotten what it was like to..."

                Isabela: "Be flipped ass over tits and hammered like a bent nail?"

                Aveline: "To. Be. Loved."

                Isabela: "Oh. Right, of course."

               Aveline: (coyly) "Not that I'm complaining about the other thing."

Odd Friendship: With Fenris and Isabela.

The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Aveline invokes this when Arishok says he must take Isabela back along with the book she stole: "Oh, no. If anyone's going to kick her ass, it's me."

Reasonable Authority Figure: As Captain of the Guard. Under her command, the guard is the most efficient and respected it's been in generations, though once Meredith takes over, some of the Templars seem to be making it a point to limit her influence and try to oust her from her position.

Despite her late husband having been a Templar, she refuses to turn Bethany in to the Templars, since she at least tries to do good. She also makes no efforts to turn in Merrill or Anders, and does her best to keep the patrolling guards from taking notice of Fenris squatting in the Hightown mansion.

Replacement Goldfish: Though never outright stated, Aveline maintains her strong bond with Areida likely because she's the closest thing Aveline has to family. Bethany will even question why Aveline continues to follow Areida, and Aveline skirts the answer.

Secular Hero: Aveline is the closest to agnosticism on team Hawke. She married a Templar and sometimes refers to the Maker, but doesn't generally worry about religion and is skeptical of the Chantry's stance that "the less [he] does, the more he's proven".

                    Aveline: "Wesley's at the Maker's side, or he's not."

Significant Green-Eyed Redhead: The first companion Areida meets, as well as one of the most important ones after becoming captain of the guard.

Slut-Shaming: Does this to Isabela on an extremely regular basis. Isabela takes it in stride.

Skewed Priorities: When a group of elven brothers formally reported that one of her guards raped their sister, she dismisses it as "rumors" that she'll look into eventually. When those same elven brothers killed the guard they reported, Aveline dropped what she was doing to arrest them first thing.

When tentions between the Qunari and Kirkwall are reaching their breaking point, Aveline decides to antagonize the Arishok even further by demanding he hand over the elven converts whose sister she put off seeking justice for, becoming the last straw that breaks his patience and plunging the city into open warfare.

Socially Awkward Hero:

"Yes, and it's a real nice night for an evening."

One of her gifts to Donnic is a copper engraving of marigolds. Odd enough to get a man (and specifically a watchman, who'd you think would be a practical type) a picture of flowers, but in traditional floriography, marigolds represent grief and cruelty. Whoops. Her reasoning behind the gift borders on Insane Troll Logic: "Metal is strong, flowers are soft, copper ages well. I thought it was clear."

Stone Wall: Her specialization focuses on defense and protecting party members. Thanks to her Indomitable ability, she's the only party member with a built-in immunity to the final boss's "stun you all so I can monologue" move. Should she be knocked out, the others' reactions are equal parts concern and astonishment that it actually happened.

                    Varric: "Sweet mother of green cheeses, how'd they take that woman down?!"

                    Merrill: "By the Creators, Aveline has fallen!"

                    Fenris: "Aveline has fallen?"

Straight Man and Wise Guy: The Straight Man to Varric and Isabela's Wise Guy.

Take Up My Sword: Upon first encounter, she wields a two-handed greatsword. After Wesley loses the use of his sword arm, and later dies, she takes up a Sword & Shield style like him. Her starting shield in Act 1 is Wesley's.

Taking Up the Mantle: By the time of Inquisition, Aveline is still leading the guard, and Bran's letter all but calls her Areida's successor as Kirkwall's protector.

Team Dad: Gender-flipped, alongside Varric's Team Mom. Most of her conversations with the party involve her providing some form of advice or critiquing their lifestyle choices. It's also said that she has people spying on most of the others and bends the rules a bit if necessary in hopes of keeping them out of trouble.

She's particularly protective of Areida, and the only person besides Anders who really takes time to console a devastated Areida after her mother's murder. Notably, she's the only companion to whom Areida seems to feel comfortable admitting that "My heart's broken" about the whole thing - even Varric, who is Areida's best friend, doesn't have this conversation.

Made especially clear by a line she says when she drinks a health potion:

                            Aveline: “I hope no one else needs this!”

To Be Lawful or Good: Establishes herself as being on the "Good" side of things at all times early in Act 1, despite having only just taken the job. She remains lawful only so long as it is useful in her quest to do good. When the two conflict, there is never a moment's hesitation in her mind.

Tragic Keepsake: Wesley's shield. She later clarifies it's less about Wesley and more just holding onto the last pieces of her old life.

Tsundere: A Type A, especially towards Isabela. Wesley and Donnic both seem to be the only people who constantly get her softer side.

Vitriolic Best Buds: With Isabela towards the end of the story. She eventually starts barking "Shut up, whore" with an obvious twinge of affection.

Widow Woman: Ser Wesley, her Templar husband, dies shortly after meeting the Hawke family due to darkspawn taint. Aveline Mercy Kill him. She eventually remarries, though.

Workaholic: The Codex notes that her life revolves around guarding others; when she's not on-duty as a city guard, she's guarding Areida and her friends. After her personal quests are completed, she starts to relax a little bit. Discussed by Varric in some dialogue in Act 1, when he asks what she does.

                 Aveline: "You know I'm a guard, why are you asking?"

                 Varric: "I mean in your off-duty hours? For fun? You've heard of it, I hope?"

                 Aveline: "These are my off-duty hours."

                 Varric: "And the trend of you scaring the piss out of me continues..."

You Can't Go Home Again: Discussed. "That's supposed to be about maturity. It's not the same if you don't have the option."

[felassan]

Blackwall: 2, Solas: 1 and 3, Sera: 3, Cole: 2, Bull: 1, Vivienne: 3 and 5, Varric: 2, Dorian: 1 and 5, Cassandra: 4 and 5 and wow that's a lot of questions but I missed Gryff tbh

omg ♥♥ thankyou sm. me too tbh. she’s still my favorite of my children. I think maybe another run of DAI is due.

[msg refs this post]

cut for length.

Blackwall2. What did they choose to do with him and how did they feel about their choice? Were they guilty about leaving him in cell, if they choose to do so?

Blackwall joined the Inquisition and stayed until the Inquisitor could declare victory. Blackwall considered the Inquisitor a friend. Gryff strongarmed him out of prison using Inquisition resources and had him continue to fight as part of the Inquisition. ah, but his judgement specifics was a tough one. on one hand, she doesn’t care about what he did before she met him and things he did while outside the Inquisition. she doesn’t care about treason to a human kingdom, nor about the murder of nobles really. on the other, she values honesty and not being a coward, and more importantly, the betrayal of the loyal men under his command was unconscionable and indefensible to her - you protect your men, soldiers who trust you with their lives as their commander. to do otherwise goes against everything she believes in, she’d sooner die herself than betray her men. that was what she took most issue with really, over the general deception, lies or the murder of some people. if he’d done that or a similar thing as part of the Inquisition, while he was under her command, she would have executed him without a second thought. she had respected him as a warrior and as a Warden, but her respect for him completely nosedived and evaporated on learning what transpired between him and his men.

the first time around I had her free him and reveal his identity, but in hindsight I think it makes more sense for her as a character to opt to send him to the Wardens to undergo the Joining for real after Cory’s defeat. thank goodness for the Keep eh?

Solas1. Did your Inquisitor engage Solas academically with questions or were they uninterested in his experiences?3. If your inquisitor was told they were “unlike others of their race” by Solas, how did they respond? Were they angry or grateful? 

1. not at first, because she mistrusted him from the outset. she also has little interest in intellectual matters outside of theories of war (and definitely not in the metaphysical), and did not appreciate Solas’ criticisms of and comments about the Dalish. silly really, because they each looked down on the other for a time. it made for a bad combination initially - they had a strange, bitter and belligerent association for a time. the development into mutual respect, comrades-in-arms and eventual friends there is really interesting to me, maybe I’ll write about it to chart it out ‘on paper’ someday.. it doesn’t follow the game exactly.

she came to accept that he was an expert on the Fade, the anchor and the sort of forces she was dealing with when it came to sealing the Breach. consequently, ever the pragmatist, she sought his counsel on those subjects and had him join her in the field as she journeyed around closing tears. eventually her Dalish desire and drive to recover and relearn as much of the past and their culture/history as possible got the better of her pride and distrust, and she would ask him about what he’d seen in his travels through the Fade, about ancient elves, the ancient elven kingdom and what had been lost. then about other stuff, like spirits (her growing friendship with Cole helped springboard that one, she wanted to understand Cole better) and magic in general. and it went from there really. (I will say that I dooon’t headcanon or think of Solas and Gryff as having had a teacher/student or elder/child relationship, for me personally that’s an uncomfortable power dynamic. I think of them as two equals who just had different areas of knowledge and expertise, who learned from one another in a give and take sort of way. I think it’s possible to pick someone’s brain/knowledge banks about a topic without that kind of dynamic being present.)

he did continue to frustrate her sometimes with his occasional bursts of intellectual and general superiority, tendency to longwindedness, and especially over their clashing ideas on how to help the elves. I tend to think that some of the arguments Solas has with Disapproval Inquisitor still occur in a manner of speaking between Solas and Gryff. you know, like DA:I’s main basegame plot spanned a whole year or so and a lot can happen in a year, and Solas content was not as extensive as some of the other companions’ were, particularly as a romance compared to the others. a game is inevitably constrained by length, resources, simplistic axes like “approval” and “disapproval”, unrealistic mechanics like “touch all these orbs for bonus approval points”, etc. real relationships between people are obviously a lot more complex. ah sorry.. these 2 just fascinate me so much, 2 very different individuals who both deeply love the People but have totally different ideas about how to help them.

3. he did tell her that, and she was angry. smh Solas. Gryff believes the Dalish made her who she is, that she’s no different from the rest of them and that Solas misjudged them. she loves and respects the Dalish. there are the new pieces of information regarding portions of elven history and the Evanuris, and she has her newfound.. atheism? secularism? (the main change is that she no longer believes in the Evanuris as gods the way she did before) and has disdain for aspects of the upper echelons of ancient elven culture (ex. the keeping of slaves by an elite upper class), but she is still proud to be Dalish. she feels there is plenty of value and worth in modern Dalish culture and (still practises and takes part in) their traditions, and in what they have reclaimed and made their own. she will always be Dalish and culturally Dalish.

Sera3. How did your Inquisitor respond to the truth of Sera’s childhood (the cookie scene), if they received it? Did they empathize?

despite the differences and initial teething problems between Gryff and Sera, she received it. she did empathize and was angry at the notion of a human noble lying to a young elf and telling her that a baker hated her simply for being an elf. go figure. but she was initially a bit ? about what the hell they were doing on the roof with cookies, and doesn’t have a great interpersonal manner. Sera clarified that she was trying to say she liked it in the Inquisition, and share this with the Inquisitor. kinda ‘thats great and I’m glad, but this is a bit ?. I know! why are we yelling? because we’re friends now. oh okay. let’s go get drunk. :)’ by Trespasser they are good friends.

Cole2. What did your Inquisitor think of Cole’s ability to see into people’s thoughts?

she thought it was unnatural, but quickly realized the strategic value of and advantages to be gained from the ability and indeed, of Cole’s other abilities, both on and off the battlefield. later, she would come to love Cole as if he were a member of her clan.

Iron Bull1. Was your Inquisitor wary of Bull upon learning he was a spy?

yes, and she was wary anyway. it didn’t unsettle her though, and she understood where he was coming from and why - flip the script, and from a certain angle she was a bit of a spy for her own people for their own ends, among other races and cultures, at the Conclave. their early interactions were engaged on a level akin to two soldiers from opposing factions during a time when a temporary truce or ceasefire had been declared. I think they both recognized that. professionals.

Vivienne3. Did the feelings of your Inquisitor towards Vivienne change at all after completing her personal mission about Duke Bastian, if yes, in what way?5. How did your Inquisitor feel about Vivienne? Friends? Allies? Rivals?

3. Gryff got her the heart she requested. Gryff didn’t really know what to say when Bastian died, or in the aftermath, but she felt for her. this sad and unfortunate event showed a side of Vivienne Gryff had understandably not been privy to before.

5. initially she did not really trust her, but Gryff doesn’t trust many people at all early on. early on they had a bit of disagreement for example about the Dalish and mages, the Circle etc. but I think this was not great writing on the writers’ part regarding Vivienne here, as opposed to Vivienne herself. Vivienne is a formidable, compassionate, smart and wise woman of considerable ability and power. Gryff rejected the Game but appreciated Vivienne’s insights and political acumen, for often Vivienne saw what Gryff could not. they were definitely allies, and perhaps something akin to friends by the end - I think Gryff developed great respect for Vivienne, in time. they have some different views on some topics, but this is not a bad thing at all.

Varric2. How did your Inquisitor feel about Varric’s situation with Bianca? Who did they decide was right about what Bianca did?

Varric and Gryff are friends but she doesn’t really have opinions on his personal life. Varric tracked the red lyrium source. gryff thought Bianca was in the wrong with what she did, but at the time just shouted at them both to knock off the arguing.

Dorian1. How does your Inquisitor feel about Tevinter? Did Dorian change their feelings at all about the Imperium?5. Did your Inquisitor agree with Dorian’s decision to return to Tevinter? How did they feel about his choice?

1. dislikes Tevinter. dislikes what it did to Arlathan, dislikes it for its continued slavery and subjugation of elves. Dorian showed her that some Tevinter mages (later, Magisters, even) are different (they became good friends), and it is now of course known that the fall of Arlathan was more complicated than Dalish lore suggested, but she still dislikes the Imperium. she hopes Dorian and his faction gut it and reform it and burn away all the rotting corruption. she wishes them every success.

5. [bit of repetition here sorry] she wholeheartedly agrees with the need to reform the Imperium and remove the corruption, and with his desire to do so. she thinks there’s nobody better suited to doing so. she hopes he will succeed, and would render any aid she’s capable of giving, wolfhunt and clan-protecting duties permitting. she hopes he’ll be safe, be careful and that he’ll find success. she will miss him a lot though. they keep in touch via the sending crystal.

Cassandra4. Did your Inquisitor agree with Cassandra’s vision for the Chantry? Did they choose her as Divine?5. Does your Inquisitor know all of her middle names?

4. on balance Gryff doesn’t give a shit about the Chantry (dislikes it really) and didn’t really care about who the human grand clerics were favoring or not favoring to put on the sunburst throne, but is insightful and strategically-minded enough to realize that it was important to Cassandra, and, more importantly, that the belief structures of whoever ascended would most likely have far-ranging impacts on Thedas. by that point in the storyline she had been using her power and position as Inquisitor to help the People (Dalish and City alike) whenever, however and whereever possible. she supported Leliana for Divine because she agreed with the need for radical reform (specifically, Leliana’s ideas that all races are equal and that the Chantry’s tenets should reflect that). she had no desire to see elves be Andrastian and join the Chantry per se (if they didn’t really want to be that is - in the cases where ones do that’s totally fine), but Leliana’s ideas for how the Chantry should be were doubtless going to improve the lot of elves in southern Thedas in general. she also disagrees with Circles and Templars, and didnt want to lose her friend Cassandra to the Chantry throne, l0l.

5. yes. (♥ω♥ ) ~♪ there is a great affection between the two women, and they’ll always be friends. in turn, Cassandra knows the fabled deeds of the Emerald Knight Brocair, from whom Gryff’s name preserves her descent. its a love story for the ages tbh.

wew! there we go

[silhouetteofagirl]

Temerity (Varric/Hawke)

I haven't actually played Inquisition due to not having a system that can handle it. So if I've got some details wrong, it's because my friends are really trying to avoid me seeing spoilers. (It's too late though, I know I'm going to be crushed by the fact I can't romance Scout Harding.) 

Read On AO3

(You can also read about my Brosca as well.)

Hawke had arrived in the late evening and, after initial introductions had been made by him, had immediately been thrown into meetings with the inquisitor and her council.  It wasn't that Varric resented how desperately her influence was needed, it was more that, well, he was nervous.  He had missed Hawke, she was one of his dearest friends, but Varric wasn’t sure how this reunion would actually go.

He’d tried to distract himself, but his heart wasn’t into cheating at cards nor was his head in the right place to read or write.  Still, he finds himself awake far into the small hours of the morning.  It’s his favorite time of night, the world is a bit quieter and people are prone to be far more honest, or dishonest, both of which made for an interesting time.  Yet here he was, sitting at his desk fighting the dull buzz of anxiety that filled his brain.

“Oh, mother of a nug-humping bastard!” he curses, dropping his quill onto the desk.  It’s pointless for him to try to continue, but he knows sleep is going to evade him, even if he tries.

There’s a chuckle from behind him, “Hate to disappoint, but I am not quite any of those things.  Though, I think that is an insult I have not been called yet.” 

 Hawke is leaning against his doorframe, arms crossed loosely with an amused expression on her face.  She’s still in her leather pants from the road, but her more formal chest plate has been removed.

“Hawke, when did you—” His heart simultaneously leaps in his chest and plummets to his feet.  It’s a very uncomfortable experience, but here she is.  Between her dark circles and the smudges of dirt on her, it’s clear she’s worn from her travels, but her grin matches his and she seems to be just as happy to see him.

“Well, your door was open and after I had my ear talked off by the inquisition I could really use a drink.” she shrugs, straightening herself.

“The tavern is probably closed,” Varric says, standing up and slinging on his jacket.

“Like that ever stopped us.” she says with her usual teasing tone.

Varric chuckles, “Figured I’d give you the opportunity to maintain a somewhat decent reputation with the inquisitor before I offered.”

“If she knows you, I think my reputation has been thoroughly sullied.  No need to keep up pretenses.” She smiles down at him.  They chat about nothing particularly serious.  Her trip was long and uneventful and she only heard a few erroneous tales about her.  Varric laughs at that and then he tells her that apparently Cassandra, “that’s the one who dragged me in for questioning”, is quite the fan of his work.  That gives Hawke a good laugh and then she mentions that Fenris has officially banned reading any of Varric’s work for practice.

“The stuff about me is weird and he gets frustrated at your artistic license and your other literature is… well,” she says.  They arrive at the tavern and sure enough, it is dark.  He reaches into a pocket a draws out his set of picks and sets to work.

“Aw, he didn’t like Hard in Hightown?”

“Initially he liked it, you have quite the flair for description, but once he realized you had written it, he got uncomfortable.” The lock clicks and they share a conspiratorial smile.

Varric enters, looking around until he finds a lamp in the low light.  “So my works are damned by association.” he strikes a match and lights the lamp so Hawke can see where she’s going.  They make their way to the bar and light a few of the candles there.  It gives their corner of the bar a warm glow.

It’s a scene he’s described many times before in many contexts.  The night is still and the candlelight flickers in the reflection of various bottles.  The two of them sit at the bar, secluded in the corner, the rest of the world seemingly forgot.  Hawke’s eyes sparkle in the low light as she smiles slowly and secretively.  If Varric was merely a character in a story he was writing, he wouldn’t be quite sure what to say.  Sure he would write that his mouth had gone dry at the sight of her sauntering around the bar, but is she merely walking with her usual confident sway, or is it the exhaustion from traveling that is making her walk so fluidly, or is it something more?  Is the correct adjective for how she reaches up to grab a bottle from the shelf so careful because she is sore from the road, or is the movement achingly slow just so he can see the full length of her neck?

But if he were a character of his own creation, he would write about the incredible heaviness in the air.  Something hangs in the air between them, something electric and uncertain, and it makes each action of Hawke’s seem to last an eternity.  Hawke’s muscled arms ripple as she pulls the cork from the bottle, each bend of her wrist is fluid as she pours, and each inhale of breath makes the shadows hug her form.  It all makes Varric very glad he really doesn’t write romances, well, at least slow ones.

Hawke slides him his glass and re-corks the bottle.  “So we should talk Varric.”

His throat goes dry and the anxiety from earlier climbs up it to crawl back into his skull.  “Uh, yes.”

Hawke picks up her drink, takes a swig, and then makes her way back around the bar.  Her soft footfalls are the only noise in the heavy silence that stretches between them.  He takes the opportunity to take a drink himself; the whiskey does nothing to wet his throat.  She stops next to where he is sitting and places her glass on the counter.  The turn he makes to face her feels more like putting on a noose than facing a friend, but he turns anyway.  He’s never been quite sure how she does it, but Hawke looks so confident leaning against the tall bar counter.

“Did you really mean what you said? About being in love with me?” she asks softly.

Varric swallows.  He can feel the lie on the tip of his tongue, almost see the plot of that Varric and that Hawke who laugh off any discomfort and go back to what was.  He can predict and plan for those two, knows the setup, the foreshadow, to a familiar story that he so desperately wants.  But he’s never met someone who defied every genre like Hawke and he knows that he cannot try to change what their story will be.  So he puts down his glass, swallows the lie, and says the truth unable to look away from her intense gaze.  “Every word.”

“Good,” Hawke says bluntly and he finds himself being pulled forward by his lapels, her lips on his.  Varric’s genres are all mixed up, when did this adventure novel bleed into a romance and when did he go from narrator to just a character along for the ride of the plot.  Yet what words could Varric ever write that could describe this.  The feeling of her lips on his, Hawke’s tight grip keeping him up against her, the way her hair felt between his fingers, the taste of whiskey on her tongue.

When she pulls away so they can breathe, her tight grip on his lapels does not loosen.  He’s still not entirely sure what had just happened, but he cannot deny her firm hold on him is grounding.

“Hawke? We going to talk about this?” he asks between breaths of air.

She takes a step forward so she is standing between his knees.  “I’m a woman of action, Varric, not words.  And Maker knows I’ve talked enough tonight.” Hawke says sharply and then she is kissing him again.  He’s described kisses like this before, desperate, demanding, determined, delightful, the whole range, but this kiss is so incredibly like her.  How she teases his bottom lip between her teeth before returning back to kissing him.  All he can do is hang on and try to give as good as he’s getting as she kisses him.  But eventually, they have to breathe once more.

“Fenris?” he asks as she presses her forehead against his as they pant.

“Is happy Isabella owes him 10 sovereigns.  She didn’t think you would ever tell me.” She pulls back and smiles at him.

“Figured they would gamble.” He mutters, trying to ignore the blush crossing his cheeks.

Hawke smooths down his lapels, “But Fenris and I have talked and talked and talked.  And I am so done with talking.”

“Then, by all means, Hawke, we can talk later.” She grins wickedly at his words.  Later, when he will try to remember what happens next as inspiration for one of his more realistic romance novels, he will be unable.  He won’t know how he ended up pressed against the bar counter, legs around her waist.  He won’t be able to recall who put their hands down the other’s shirt first, just that he had left angry red scratches down her back when she had kissed and bit a trail down his neck.  Varric won’t be able to place when she had tugged his ponytail out, but he will remember that their drinks ended up being left on the counter.  Regardless, his inability to remember will leave him frustrated and not just because of the writer’s block.  But there they are, her muscles tense under his fingers as she pins him to the bar, a hand tangled in his hair.

When her breath catches when he traces the curve of her shoulder, over her collarbone, to the swell of her breast, Varric pauses.  “May I?”

“Yes, just be careful.  I got a bit banged up on the way here.” She says, before returning her attentions to his neck where she was working on quite the collection of marks.

“Andraste’s tits, Hawke!  Why the hell are we doing this is you’re ‘a bit banged up’.” She pulls away and gives him a look.

“Because honestly Varric, I’d like to be more than a bit banged up.” She says bluntly, pressing herself more firmly against him.

He kisses her, but it's brief and she frowns when he ends it.  “Any other night, Waffles, but I’m not willing to continue until I’ve seen the damage.” Hawke nods and they slowly untangle themselves as their hands still wander.

“Come on, let’s go to my room where I have some supplies.”

“Are you sure you’re not just trying to get me in a bed?” she teases, tugging lightly on his hair.  Varric chuckles and straightens his clothes

“All in good time.” He says and pulls her down for a lazy kiss.  “But the sooner we get there, the sooner I get your shirt off.”

Hawke laughs at that and makes her way to the door.  “Well then, come on.” He blows out the candles and follows her out.  Once again they chatter on the way to his room, but this time there are surreptitious touches and they are both more relaxed.  Varric hadn’t noticed how tense he had been on the journey here, but this time he can appreciate just the act of walking with her late at night as they used to.  He hadn’t realized how much he had missed having Hawke around until he’s laughing at a joke she made as they just walk.  Sure, there’s a promise of something more between them, but he has to pause to catch her arm.

She looks down at him, “Not having second thoughts, are you?”

“Never, it’s just nice to see you, Hawke,” he says.  Hawke smiles and inclines her head.  No quick quip this time, but sometimes quick wit isn’t needed.  The quiet moment passes and they continue on their way, words a bit softer.  When they get to his room, he points her to the bed.

“Shirt off, Hawke,” Varric commands, going over to a chest to grab out his traveling gear.

“You could buy get a girl a drink first.” she scoffs, but she starts to peel out of her tunic.

“I just did.  You decided not to drink it.” He replies evenly, pulling out his medical gear from a pouch.  He turns to face her and finds her mostly tangled in her shirt.  Hawke had stopped halfway through removing her tunic to make sure he could see her rolling her eyes.

“You didn’t pay for it.” she says and pulls her shirt off the rest of the way.

“No, just picked the lock for you.” He crosses over to her.  There are a few nasty bruises along her torso, a cut that goes from collarbone to just over her heart, what looks like a shallow stab wound, and a few nicks that seem to be from some other event.  “How did you get these?”

“I didn’t exactly want to wear my plate up a mountain.” she sniffs.  It isn’t the first time he’s seen her without her shirt, nor is this the first time that he’s had to patch her up, but there’s something about the angry scratch marks that wrap around her ribs to just over her hips and the knowledge that he gave her that takes his breath away.  She’s just as scarred as he is; he knows many of the stories behind the silver marks that litter her skin, but he has no intention of her gaining a new scar just because there were more enticing activities they could be doing than cleaning and binding her wounds.

Hawke must have noticed how his eyes wandered more than needed to check for her injuries because she leans back on his bed and smirks.  “You’re the one who wanted to stop.”

Varric clears his throat and puts the supplies he had gathered on the bed.  “Yes.  What the hell am I supposed to say? The Champion of Kirkwall risked infection because I was impatient? That is hardly a good story.”

“You could say I had to fight a demon or something.”  She hisses and he dabs the cut with some alcohol.  “Maker knows that there are enough demons that it’s believable.”

“Boring,” he says.  Varric isn’t as overly careful with his hands as he had been in the past, letting fingers brush on her warm skin.  They lapse into silence as he carefully cleans the wound and rubs salve into the worst of her bruises. By the time comes to bind her cut, he has to rouse her.  “Come on, Hawke.  Just a little longer, then you can sleep.”

She mutters something but sits up enough that he can wrap the wound. She starts to say something and he merely murmurs, “Just fucking sleep Hawke.”  Then he is taking off her boots, shifting her so he can pull blankets up and over her as she makes a noise of agreement.  Then he gets ready to sleep and before he can think twice about it, lays down next to her.  Hawke shifts in her sleep and throws an arm over his torso.  Varric falls asleep with Hawke snoring softly in his ear and smile on his face.