#So now i know both Dorian and my inquisitor are in this game. Separately.

[elfboypussy]

WHAT THE HELL DIDNTHEY DO TO MY WIIIFE that model is so bad dude. they did him so dirty

[v-arbellanaris]

been thinking abt isra and iskandar since u answered that ask game... u said isra is dead in iskandar's solo pt - is he also dead in hers? is there a timeline where theyre both alive during inquisition? would they get to meet then? how do both of them feel/interact with the three mage companions? what do they think about the cure for tranquility reveal? if u wouldn't mind talking about them :>

ARE U KIDDING MEEEE i love talking abt these fucked up siblings so much i can talk abt them FOREVER!!!!

iskandar is alive in isra's playthrough!!! he doesn't show up in her solo run bc it's essential to my portrayal and everyone's understanding of both characters that her story works fine without him but his revolves around her, but he does in my apotheosis verse stuff and they DO meet then, probably under the worst circumstances ever - my current working plot involves him being brought in to deal with her being a rebellious figurehead (since she escapes the inquisition in the hinterlands, so she also has to be recaptured), though this might change in shape of form, again! it's ESSENTIAL that they're brought in on opposite ends - the "villain" isra as the people's herald and the "hero" iskandar as the inquisition's ideal inquisitor.

isra and iskandar separately both know dorian fairly well - their father does business in tevinter, so keeping up to date with their 'vint relatives is sort of a big thing, so isra remembers dorian from even before the circle. iskandar does too, but more reluctantly - there are so many reasons why, as the eldest son, he'd rather join the templars than stay at home and be heir lmao. i think it's hard for dorian to really grapple with what isra went through and experienced in the circle, or why she's so aggressively anti-circle and anti-chantry, because his own experiences are simply not comparable - he thinks of his harrowing fondly, speaks of his experiences fondly, and doesn't quite grasp the idea of the circles in southern thedas. iirc isra and dorian have a huge row about it in haven when he says that giving the mages their freedom is dangerous - "what's next? give the elves halamshiral?" and she's like "why not? it was theirs in the first place" and his entire spiel about the south becoming like the north makes her lose it. comparatively, i think iskandar keeps his distance - in his solo pt, i can't even remember if i recruited dorian or if it made more sense NOT to? but anyway, i think dorian's personal arc was made in a lab just to psychologically torture iskandar who a) has similar issues with his family (being ace/aro as the eldest son expected to carry on the family line) and b) would also have potentially resorted to anything to keep isra from being what she is (a mage) (the allegories are allegory-ing...).

ive talked a bit abt solas and iskandar before, so i guess i'll talk a bit abt isra and solas. i did design them as character mirrors, so i do think he sees a lot of himself in her, but then tends to ascribe his own flaws to her without wanting to admit they're his flaws in the first place, which creates a bit of friction. isra is also human-passing except for the very tips of her ears and her thin tapeta lucidum, so i think solas especially is very distant with her at first, despite her own sort of... like. in the inquisition, solas' values align far more closely to hers, and with the both of them now being apostates (isra's been one since before the events of asunder), she's more comfortable and willing to be around solas than most of the other party members. it's not mutual at all, and i think his distance is quite bewildering to her. but he does grow to like her, i think!!! i've blogged a bit about them before here.

i was talking to harker ages ago about this but genuinely iskandar should be hit with fucking hammers for how he behaves about vivienne. the first enchanter at markham basically quivers whenever iskandar's name is so much as mentioned, and actively avoids being in situations where he might need to talk to iskandar at all. and again, iskandar is... i don't think strict quite covers it. cullen talks a bit about vivienne like asking him to do things or giving suggestions etc and i was literally thinking about how iskandar would respond to that and the answer was: interpersonal violence. canon-typical violence, i might remind, which includes silencing, smiting, and (in the comics iirc) hitting. he is a very canon-typical templar, is dangerous in his zealotry, and has little patience for ambitious mages that may or may not remind him of his sister.

isra and vivienne disagree on how to deal with the circles and the templars and the chantry, and i think isra sort of... idk how to explain it, but i think she sort of feels bad for vivienne for never having any other option. isra was doing something similar because she thought she could change things from inside the system. and they both realise it's a broken system, but because isra had the option to walk away when her circle fell and try something different, they're both on different paths - and vivienne's given too much of herself, her life, her years to this path to go back. so she gets that, but still, ultimately, their final goals are different enough that it matters. isra feels a lot of personal sympathy for her, and appreciates her support, but there's a distance there that isn't really breached until after bastien passes.

re: tranquility cure reveal. i know they both deal with that badly, for differing reasons, and it puts them BOTH into conflict with cassandra. i think iskandar deals with it badly not because of the mages but specifically the reveal that seekers are just regular people made tranquil. that their abilities are not divine gifts from the maker that somehow proves they're Worthy and Correct and Righteous but something that any templar worth their salt could have tried, with enough training. only, that kind of training takes years. and why invest in that when you can just feed them lyrium and leash them at the same time with it. at this point iskandar is already ~40-44, lyrium withdrawal feels impossible for him bc he's not as young as cullen is. he doesn't think he'll be able to survive it, so he's squared himself with the knowledge he'll likely succumb to it at some point. but to know it was all fucking pointless, that there was another way, that the only reason he ended up this way was because someone, somewhere, thought he was disposable... it doesn't sit well with him, especially when cassandra's whole lament is that they were lied to. like you think YOU were lied to? what negative consequence do YOU have to live with, of that lie? are YOU the one who's going to die of lyrium addiction?

on the other hand, i think isra and cassandra's ideological conflicts really come to a head here and this is the exact point that cements the decision for isra to oppose cassandra's bid for the next divine as much as she can. she can't get concrete answers from cassandra about the cure to tranquility - there's no timeline, not even an inclination to pursue it, all with the excuse that "we still dont know enough". i dont think isra keeps that information to herself, and she's personally invested in the cure a) to return the lives of everyone who had it robbed by the rite and b) to wrest it away as a form of control over the mages from the chantry. and cassandra's insistence on not doing anything with it is the greatest sign to isra that cassandra has no intention of not using the rite against mages. so at the end of the day, cassandra can say whatever pretty things she likes, but for isra, this is such a key moment that means she can never support cassandra as the divine.

[memory345]

Dragon Age: Inquisition Companion Jealousy Headcannons

Nobody asked for it, but here is a compilation of how I think all the romanceable characters would react if they saw someone being overly flirtatious with the Inquisitor at a Orlesian party.

Sera

It's all fun and games until she sees someone flirting with her Inky, standing too bloody close with their hands on her shoulder, laughing snootily. She'd considered throwing a pie to their face -or better yet, an arrow- but then they would never know it was from her and she wanted them to know. So, she strided up to them, stomped on their foot with all the strength she had before cheekily wrapping her arm around you and placing a kiss on your cheek. "Move it, asshat. People are trying to have a good time and your face is ruining it."

She turn to her with a raised brow, "I thought I told you to play nice."

"Oh, that was nice. Next time, they'll get an arrow to the face."

Cassandra

She was above all the games the played. The wicked grins, the sly glances and the feeling that someone might stab you in the back at any given moment. She was above the frivolity and glamor of it all. That is, until she saw the many flirtatious advances made on you. You had been separated since you both needed to conduct your own separate business, but her eyes couldn't help but glance at your direction, at the way the ladies gently locked their arms with yours, how they pushed out their chest, smiled coyly and fluttered their lashes. She was so enraged, her hands were shaking. She left what she was doing, grabbed a flute of wine and walked over to you. As she walks over, she trips and spills her drink over a few of the ladies. "Oh, I'm so sorry. It's hideous now..." She says, staring at their pretty dresses. "Better go get changed."

"You're smiling." You say, a wicked grin on your face.

"You are mistaken." She says pursing her lips, unable hid the slight twitch.

"You are." You laugh, gently wrapping your arm around her and placing a kiss on her hand. "It's alright, love. You are the apple of my eye, the light of life and the only one for me."

She doesn't lose the scowl, but she leans into you, resting her head on your shoulder. "I'd better be."

Dorian

His amatus was making rounds around the room, chatting it up with the nobles. His handsome face and charming smile was something he always liked to admire, and apparently, he wasn't the only one. A noble seemed to have taken quite a liking to his lover, having one arm wrapped around him as they introduced him to their friends by his name instead of title. Like they'd been friends for years, or more than that, by their closeness.

He did not go through all the trouble of deciding to helping the inquisition, meeting the inquisitor, having him turn out to be the most wonderful person he's ever met, falling in love with them and having his love returned, and fighting an archdemon alongside him to have someone try and steal him away. Especially not someone wearing the most horrid chartreuse hat he'd ever seen.

He strode up to you and deftly spun you out of their grasp. "Amatus, I believe you owe me a dance."

You couldn't help but laugh. "Do I now? But how could I ever compete with grace and style on the dance floor?"

"That handsome face will distract everyone from your terrible dancing and with me guiding you, you can't go wrong." He said tossing a glance at the noble, making sure to never let go of your hand as he guided you to the dance floor.

Cullen

He detested parties and tried to avoid them at all cost. He always tried to find a quiet corner to wear out the night in but they always seemed to find him. The nobles women seemed to have a nose for finding him that would give a mabari hound a run for his money. He rejected advance after advance, giving no quarter but in the flurry of it all, he had lost you. He searched over the tops of heads looking for you.

And there you were, beautiful as ever, laughing. He was almost too taken aback by you that it took him a second to notice the man standing next to you. The man was handsome, and apparently very charming, by the way you could barely breathe in your laughter. His smile did not fool him, he knew by the way he watched you that he had no intention of simply becoming friends. His blood boiling, he excused himself, rather forcefully and strided up to you.

You were surprised since he seemed quite busy but still very happy to see him. "Oh, Cullen! This is-"

"I'd like a moment." He stated, arms behind his back. "Alone."

"Oh, sure..." You bid your farewells to the man before following Cullen to a balcony. "You realize that was very rude? Josephine is sure to give me speech on proper etiquette when we get back." You say, jumping to sit on the stone railing.

You softened as he didn't answer, placing your hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong? You seemed angry back there..."

"I'm not angry... I'm just frustrated. " He sighed, leaning over the railing.

"Not with me, I hope?" You laugh.

"No!" He said, almost startled. He took your hand in his, placing a kiss on it, never letting it go. "I could never be angry with you... It's just- that man... He was so...!"

And then it all finally clicked together. "Maker's breath, Cullen were you jealous?" You ask, smiling from ear to ear. "Oh, that is adorable!"

"A-adorable...?!" His cheeks were flushed as he looked at you and could only stand still as you placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I love you." You said placing a kiss on his cheek.

"I..." You placed another on the opposite cheek.

"Love..." His nose.

"You." His lips. "No one could ever change what I feel for you."

He smiled up at her. "I might need some more convincing..."

Josephine

She loved parties. The court intrigue, the schemes, the secretiveness of it all. It was thrilling for her, the game. She loved the glitz and glam of it all. She loved it even more with you there. But she understood that you didn't really like it as much as she did, which is why she usually found a secluded corner for you to pass the time. She'd make her round around the party, gather bits of gossip that she thought you'd find interesting or funny before returning to you, usually with a plate of food or with drinks (which you greatly appreciated).

But as she approached the spot where she had left you, she quickly realized that you were not alone. Sitting far too close to you on a couch were two Orlesian nobles. Their faces inches away from yours and were whispering something in your ear, not bothering to notice the way you tried to put distance between them and you.

"Viscount De Calvio. Dutchess Anisia. How lovely to see you." She could feel her cheek twitching as she smiles at them. This was unlike her, she had learned the game at a young age, she shouldn't be showing such obvious irritation. "I was so sad to hear about your brother moving away, Dutchess Anisia."

"Yes, Damien has gotten an all expenses paid scholarship to one of the best colleges in Thedas."

"That's funny because I saw him recently in Nevarra along with that servant girl you had fired. Oh, what was her name again...? Annabelle...? Anais? Ah, it was Annika! She was a big as balloon too... I'd estimate about eight months pregnant at least, around the same amount of time she's been fired. The poor thing..." She frowned at the Duchess, who was white as a sheet.

She turned to the Viscount. "And you, Viscount, I'm surprised to see you here since your family has been going through such a hard time with all that dept your father left you. My condolences. "

Anger was written over their faces. They looked they would punch her right then and there, but this was the game. They couldn't go through with it should they wish to continue playing, so they simply left in huff.

She smiles brightly at you, taking a seat next to you.

You laugh. "Did I mention I love it when you give people a tongue lashing?"

She leaned her head on your shoulder. "I let my temper get the best of me. They'll probably be declaring war on my family by the end of the night."

"For you, my love, I'd fight a thousand wars." You rest your head against hers.

"Oh, hush." She says, hiding her face in the crook of her neck but you could feel her smile.

Iron Bull

He was enjoying the party. Well, mostly the food. He'd seen the Inquisitor make their rounds, greeting the nobles and important people. He'd decided to just let them handle it, since he was no good at playing the game. Killing stuff, yes. But learning how to dance around without saying what you meant? No, it wasn't his style. The inquisitor was great at it (or learning to anyway) and he admired that.

As he searched the crowd for them, he spotted them saying their farewells to the nobles. They're eyes met and he could feel a smile creeping on his face. He waved them over, eager to finally get a chance to be with them alone.

He'd never thought he'd be this attached to someone. "Romantic love" wasn't something the qunari really believe in. He'd thought the same for years, loving the chargers like family and having his occasionally fling here and there. Yet here he was, smiling like an idiot, and at the leader of the Inquisition, no less.

But you approached, you were cut off by noble who seemed have had too much wine. He leaned against a pillar, blocking off your path. You were a bit shocked but tried to be pleasant while trying to end the conversation quickly. The Orlesian noble seemed to take your politeness as an invitation, because they leaned in for a kiss, which you swiftly dodged.

Before he knew it, Iron Bull was at your side. The Orlesian noble could only blink up drunkenly as the qunari wrapped an arm around their neck, much like someone would a friend. "Hey there buddy, I think you've had enough to drink. I think it's time for you to rest." There was a smile on his face but it was more of a way of showing his teeth.

"Who... are you-"

"Sleepy time, buddy..." The noble fell limp in his arms.

If you blinked, you'd miss it but Iron Bull had somehow managed to pinch a nerve on the nobles neck and made him pass out (at least you hoped he'd passed out). He then dragged his body over to an empty couch and dropped him there.

"He's not dead, right?" You asked, walking to his side.

"No, just resting. " He laughs, though he considered it but there would be too many witnesses.

"Thank you." You smiled up at him, looping your arm with his and nuzzling your head into it.

"I should have his head on pike." He said, looking back in disgust at the body.

"It would be a waste. Your suit looks too good to get blood stains on it. Plus, we can always do that after you have a dance with me." You laugh, as you drag him to the balcony for a dance. You didn't like the crowded dance floor and after what just happened, you just wanted to be alone with him.

Ah. So this is love, he thought to himself as you swayed together on the balcony. He watched your head, pressed against his chest and tightened his arms around you.

What a nice feeling.

Black Wall

The inquisitor and him had finally found some time alone together and he was ever so slightly tipsy (well, maybe a little more than slightly). They had decided to take a walk through the gardens seeing as you both weren't really into big crowds. But as you turn the corner, you run into another couple taking a stroll.

The couple, also slightly tipsy, pauses for a moment before the man pointing an accusatory finger at Blackwall. "W-what do you t-think your... doing le...leering at my wife, huh...?!"

The man swayed on his feet, his words interrupted by his drunken hiccuping.

"I...c-could... s-say the same t-th...ing about you...! Put 'em up...!" Blackwall said, putting his own fists up.

You and the wife take a step back as both Blackwall and the man take drunken swings at each other, missing by a lot. This continued for next few minutes, only entirely stopping when they both happen headbutt each other and fall to the floor, swinging at nothing.

You and the nobleman's wife both run to your respective partners. Blackwall is lying on his back, breathing hard with a quickly forming bruise on his head.

"Did... did I win?" He asks, his vision blurry.

"Yes... yes, you did." You laugh, kneeling down and placing his head on your thighs. "You were like a brave knight. My brave knight."

He smiles up at you as you place a kiss on his forehead and run your hand through his hair. "My hero."

Solas

He was used to being on the sidelines, listening and observing. It was second nature at this point. He listened to the nobles idle gossip and the servants hushed whispers, sorting through the information.

Though, that was actually a lie. The most important bit of information he'd gotten was that salmon cakes had been made with slightly rotten trout. He mostly spent his time watching you.

You were the Herald of Andraste and the single most beautiful creature in the room. It was impossible for people not to be drawn to you. You were fascinating to him, from the way your eyes sparkled like stars when the light hits them just right to the way your hips swayed when you walked.

It wasn't surprising that you would have suitors and was almost near impossibility for it not to happen.

But this did not mean that it didn't bother him. He tried not to let it get to him, tried to ignore the feeling that made his fingers twitch whenever he saw them around you. His magic thrummed in his blood and he gritted his teeth against it.

He navigated through the crowd like a fish through water. The crowd of suitors part for him, almost like magic.

You smile at him, your eyes sparkling in the most enchanting way.

He places a kiss on your hand in greeting. "A moment of your time, my lady Inquisitor?"

You're taken aback by not only his bold display of affection but his use of your title. Solas was never one for public displays of affection, especially at parties. You say your quick farewells and follow him out to the balcony. When you look back, the crowd was already talking about something else, like your untimely exit had never even happened.

"Is something the matter, Solas?"

"Vhenan." He gently cups your face.

You lean into it, reaching out and mirroring the action. You come closer, your bodies inches apart and wait. You can see the wheels in his mind turning as he searched for the right words to convey what he wanted.

"I missed you." He pulls you against his chest as he wraps his arms around you.

You nuzzle into his chest, letting his warmth sink into you. He was rarely this outwardly affectionate so you enjoyed it while you could.

You decided to take it a step further.

You pull him in for a kiss. It was his one weakness. Whenever you kissed, it was like you were finally able to peel back the curtain that hid his most inner thoughts, feeling and desires.

"If you're ever lonely, don't be afraid to reach out for me. I will always be with you." You say, nuzzling into his neck once more. As you fall into comfortable silence, you ask "You used magic on them, didn't you?"

There was a pause. "A simply preposterous notion. You're imaginening things." But you heard the smile in his voice.

"Oh, I must be seeing things." You laugh, squeezing him.

[wardenrainwall]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age (Video Games) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Blackwall/Female Trevelyan (Dragon Age), Blackwall/Female Inquisitor (Dragon Age) Characters: Blackwall | Thom Rainier, Blackwall, Inquisitor, Female Trevelyan Additional Tags: Angst, Fluff, Coping Series: Part 11 of The Disaster that is Evelyn Trevelyan Summary:

Corypheus is defeated, but do Evelyn and Blackwall get a happily ever after?

-- 

Evelyn blinked slowly and reached up, rubbing a hand over her face. Judging by the candle still burning on the nightstand, she didn’t think she’d slept long. She’d barely slept at all in the last few days, but the exhaustion had gotten the best of her. Stretching out her arm, she found the man beside her. His skin still burning to the touch. The surgeon and the healers had done all they could. Now they had to wait.

She had to wait.

“You promised,” Evelyn said, her voice hoarse, her throat aching from all the tears she’d shed. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me, you bastard. I’ll never forgive you. Do you hear me? Never.” Forcing herself to get up, she went around the bed to the chair at the other side. Picking up the cloth she dipped it in the cool water, rung it out, and lightly pressed it against his forehead, his cheeks. 

“You know-” she broke off, laying the folded cloth over his forehead she dropped her hands into her lap and stared at him. “I can’t do this without you.” He didn’t move, didn’t react in any way. Just continued to sleep as he had for days. 

“It is a healing sleep,” the mage had reassured her. Magically induced. 

“It can’t end like this,” Evelyn murmured. “For the last ten years, the only thing I wanted was to die. I didn’t want-I didn’t care-I just-” tears streamed down her cheeks and she shook her head. “You don’t get to leave me like this,” her voice trembled and it made her angry. “You made me fall in love with you. You made me want to live. You made want that stupid future, in that stupid cabin by the lake-” 

Covering her face with her hands, Evelyn let the tears fall. She had only ever meant it to be about sex. How many men had she been with in the last ten years in her attempts to fleetingly escape her misery? But this man had fought for her. Fought with her. Fought beside her. Refusing to give up even when that was all she wanted.

 Didn’t she owe him the same? “You are not allowed to die, do you hear me? You’re going to fucking fight,” she hissed out angrily. “You promised me that cabin by the lake.” Reaching out, Evelyn took Blackwall’s hand in hers, then lowered her head to press a soft kiss to his knuckles. “We won, and I want to spend lazy afternoons in bed with you. We’ve fucking earned it.”

 Evelyn sat there watching the rise and fall of his chest, and for the first time in her life, she prayed. Not because she believed, no, she’d long ago forsaken the Maker. But because Blackwall believed. She racked her brain for any gods she could think of. The Elven gods, the gods the Avaar looked to. She prayed to the Stone.

 A soft rap of knuckles on wood had her glancing up to see Cullen standing at the top of the stairs, his brows pinched in concern. “Any change?” he asked, voice low.

 “No,” Evelyn murmured and watched the Commander step further into the room. He walked over to stand on the other side of the bed and looked down at Blackwall. She had been surprised by the fact that she’d begun to see Cullen as a friend. Because while they had been through very different things, she thought they were quite similar in their misery. And surprisingly, they both had found love in the Inquisition. Though Cullen hadn’t fought it like she had.

 “He’s strong,” Cullen said with a slight nod.

 Evelyn was quiet for a moment, her gaze skittering over Blackwall’s face, then down over his chest, to the blanket that covered him from the waist down. To the empty space where his right leg used to be. “How would you feel if you woke up to find you’d lost your leg?” she asked genuinely curious because she’d tried to fathom it, and couldn’t. Didn’t know how Blackwall would react, how he’d respond to the loss.

 Cullen reached up, rubbing a hand over his mouth, and shook his head. “It would be hard,” he said. He was quiet for several seconds then shook his head. “But it wouldn’t make me less. It doesn’t make him less. Bull says he still feels pain in the fingers that he lost years ago. I imagine his leg will be worse. But Blackwall is strong and he has you to kick him in the ass when he needs it.”

 An unexpected laugh escaped Evelyn’s lips and she smiled a little. “The Iron Bull is rubbing off on you,” she commented and he gave a slight shrug, his cheeks tinged pink. “What happens now? For the three of you?”

 “I don’t know,” Cullen admitted. “But, we’ll figure it out together.” Another beat of silence. “I’ll go, leave you be. Dorian said he’d stop by later, see if there is anything he can do. Do you need anything?”

 Evelyn gave her head a shake. “No,” she told him. “But, thank you.” Cullen inclined his head and left the room, leaving her alone with Blackwall once more. Drawing in a breath, she got up, walked around the bed once more, and climbed up beside Blackwall. She lay on her side, their fingers laced together she curled her free hand around his bicep and pressed a kiss to his bare shoulder. “I hope you heard all that,” she murmured. “I get to kick your ass.”

       It was early morning, the sky just beginning to lighten to shades of muted deep blue and purple. A low haze settled over the glass-smooth lake and all around her the world was completely silent. Evelyn liked the quiet, the peace of these early mornings. Felt almost as if the veil was thinner, the line that separated life from death almost transparent.

 As if maybe he could hear her when she spoke to him.

 Clutching the wooden box to her chest, Evelyn closed her eyes, ignoring the tears that fell. “I love you,” she said, voice tremulous. “I miss you every single day, and I will for the rest of my life.” Her exhale was ragged. “But I can’t-” Evelyn swallowed hard, opened her eyes to stare across the misty water. “I know you’d want me to live, so that’s what I’ll do.”

 Looking down at the box, she traced a fingertip over the intricate carving in the wooden top. Blackwall had made it for her, given it to her just a few months before that final battle. Evelyn wasn’t sure how long she stood there, staring down at the wooden box when she heard a quiet thump, thump, thump, against the wooden planks of the dock.

 He came to stand beside her, his shoulder brushing against hers and she turned her head to look at him. His hair had gone a bit more silver in the last seven months since the battle, and he’d shorn his beard a bit closer. He bore deeper lines around his eyes, from laughter, and from the pain. He turned his head, looked at her, soft blue-grey eyes meeting hers.

 “Alright?” he asked, voice a little husky from sleep. Evelyn nodded. “Coffee should be ready,” he continued and her lips curved slightly. So domestic this life that they had created for themselves. No more fighting, no more battles, though she knew he was still eager to help others. To seek out those he’d wronged, earn forgiveness, help others seeking their own find it.

 Turning, they began to walk back up the dock toward the cabin, the prosthetic and cane still new, and a little unfamiliar. “Thom,” Evelyn said when he was a few steps ahead of her. He turned, brows lifted in question. “I love you,” she told him and watched the smile spread across his face.

 “I love you too, Ev.” Then he extended his hand, and she took it. They continued inside, Thom went to the stove, pouring the coffee into mugs, while Evelyn discarded the blanket on the back of a chair, and took the box to the shelf where it resided. Setting it down, she lifted the lid, peered inside for a moment. It held small things, little gifts she’d received that were dear to her. But most importantly, it held the small silverite locket that contained two miniatures. Lowering the lid, she knew they were safe there, protected.

 Turning around, she crossed to the counter, gathered the mugs, and followed Thom to their small table. He sat, and she placed the mugs on the table before sliding into his lap, straddling his thighs. One arm slid around her waist, the other picked up one of the cups. Evelyn let out a quiet sigh, picking up her own mug to sip the rich brew.

 She was content. Happy - blissfully. They still had their hard days, of course, but they were happy, and they deserved it.

[common-blackbird]

Started!

This is my Inquisitor (so overjoyed you can be a qunari), her name is the default Herah and I decided I’m going to approach this game by staying true to a character and not looking to do everything and be on everyone’s good side u_u

I want to make a good background for her so i’m not telling anything. Yet. I’ll just say she’s a qunari mercenary and prefers using two-handed weapons.

Highlights from today:

Studying history does pay off! This was a reference to the famous book in environmental history - Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. So proud i recognised it x)

Also i don’t have a good shot of solas but he cracks me up so much.. The guy has a posture of the typical retired grandpa (the only thing missing is to have him walk with his hands on his back). And there’s a scene where the party sees the rift and there’s the inquisitor facing it, cassandra bracing herself and solas... just standing like an old man

On a side note, Cassandra is so gorgeous and good and i already love her, i just keep taking shots of her TAT

As for varric, it’s so different than from da2, this is so much more “official” and you can see he’s the same as ever, but you’re not hawke, hawke’s not here, the gang’s not here and there’s nothing casual about the whole situation T-T

And lastly, my inquisitor has a horse now, i didn’t know that was possible in the game ;__;

played some more...

Let  me start with.... The advisors! (+ cassandra... or is she also an advisor too?)

What a bunch. I love Cassandra’s and Leliana’s faith having a crisis bc they believe that Inquisitor is the Herald of Andraste and the way they deal with it. It’s really interesting. Leliana is completely opposite than what she was in origins and i’m surprised it doesn’t bother me at all! I love seeing this whole darker side that was only hinted at in origins, though it’s also sad when i think how she used to be. I wonder how she’s gonna overcome her doubting of faith. 

Josephine is a delight. I keep using her for almost every war table mission for now. She radiates capability. She reminds me of those bureaucrats that are super nice and helpful and chill and even if you’re doing everything wrong she’ll just smile and say “it’s ok, we can fix it” and then goes and fixes everything herself (and you feel this insane amount of gratitude you send a whole separate email to thank her for her patience and help )

As for Cullen... It’s interesting... I got impression from what i saw in the fandom that he’s supposed to have had his allegiance changed and him rejecting the templars should have been him ultimately siding with the mages (or at least being anti-templar(?)), and that turning point that could have been a great way to show his character development during the game. Which i agree, only... i did not get that impression from the game so far at all. I mean, so far everything that i can remember him saying is totally smth he’d say in da2... He didn’t leave kirkwall bc of his disappointment with the templar order, he doesn’t seem to have any issues with the templars except those who go full war mode instead of trying to balance the situation. And it’s a really chaotic situtation, i love how they did it.

This line was amazing, i wish there was a special cutscene for that.

I’m loving the way they made this huge religious organisation in crisis have a complete collapse with the death of a key figure. I love the concept of inquisition and problems that it poses. I love you can see everyone’s reasoning and doubts reflect their background, but also see why inquisition can be understood as another power-grasping organisation trying to topple the templars, the mages and the chantry. Everything is divided. We got templars leaving the chantry, seekers leaving the chantry(?), rebel mages, loyal mages, rebel mages gone rouge, templars gone rouge, and suddenly there’s another organisation forming that you can totally believe is just another powerhungry force trying to get the piece of the cake by taking advantage of the power vacuum left by the sudden lack of the religious authority. (and only we know we’re The Good Guys). I love that we have characters who need to believe in the greater plan, characters who question the greater plan, and characters who want to utilise the power of belief and characters who don’t care for divine plans. The chaos is real and it feels real. I love that the centre figure of the whole holy business is a heretic of another culture. For the chantry this is the lose-lose situation (unless the inquisitor becomes religious by the end of the game). Which is why this line works so well. 

Ok, now shorter updates:

Red Jenny! I know it’s not her actual name but it is in my head. Where’s that box i delivered ages ago >_> Anyways, she makes my brain work on 150% capacity. I can understand what she means only after i go over it for 5 times.

Forgive me but oh my god, i can’t believe that i can recognise one voice actor and now i have another mental image whenever he speaks. Like, he’s really good at bringing out a new character, but when he gets more casual he sounds like kanan jarrus from star wars rebels and i’m just “what are you doing here, space dad” ;__; Hopefully it’ll get old and i’ll be enjoying more iron bull. he seems nice...

Vivienne on the other hand is like a reverse Josephine(?) She seems insanely capable but hates customer service, however somehow she likes you very much and will do everything you need for reasons you can’t fathom. Have a screenshot. So classy. I already feel humbled.

and lastly, BREAKING NEWS: aveline finally hired carver ;__;

Tbh Kirkwall is still a mystery and i have so many questions but i don’t think i’ll get any answers... If a powervacuum of the divine cause this much chaos, how’s kirkwall faring without a new viscount? Like, yeah, aveline can keep in check, but umm it’s in a very vulnerable state which makes it a good target for any invasion... didn’t sebastian promise bloodshed?

That’s all for now, bc otherwise i’ll start writing an essay on cassandra.

We befriended a bear in the hinterlands!

lets start with this cool shot

so, i have been to the mages and to the templars and... i sided with the templars.... First i was all for mages since they offered negotiations while the seeker just walked away, but then it turned out that was a trap, there’s also tevinter mages there (which is a red flag for my inquisitor) and then there’s some time magic involved (which is a big no for me), and i just walked out. Felt bad for the mages but my inquisitor comes from a culture where mages have their tongues cut so...

Also this guy deserves a medal for putting up with corrupted superiors and annoying nobles.

And i met cole ;__; Where are Rhys and Evangeline ;___;

the templar mission was ok i guess... I was surprised that red lyrium was apparently circulating around for some time, not sure if that means since meredith or even before. I love the stories of corruption tho and to imagine what it’s like to be trapped in this organisation that just keeps breaking everything it stands for

As for the important mages, i’ve Dorian twice since i bailed out on him in Redcliffe :I I love the guy, he seems arrogant yet so kind (like, no one would have carried that annoying priest and yet he did, after he ran from his own people to warn us after i ditched him in Redcliffe? man ;A;) Every time i go with “ok the inquisitor fears tevinter and distrusts this rando who just popped in” i am marinating in guilt.

and then we fight some mages and die several times but we succeed and we meet the bad guy...

Is it an unpopular opinion to say that i like him as a villain so far? i saw so many jokes on his incompetency. Idk, i like that part where he said that he reached the fade in someone’s name, it makes me think he’s not just power-hungry person(?) who’s just evil,but was originally serving someone, and he said that the gods were either gone or corrupted and he spent hundreds of years thinking what to do with whatever happened so he seems like he knows what he’s doing and maybe(!just maybe) he is trying to fix things that are wrong but we can’t see that? And of course he hates the inquisitor, he has to redo his stuff all over again, i’d hate the inquisitor too. im probably looking too much into it. My wish is that, if he’s evil, he became so gradually, but originally had good intentions? Or there’s more to things going on that we just don’t know and he does... Maybe this was his tragic attempt to fix things but he would ultimately fail and be branded as a villain etc etc. I’m getting carried away

If it turns out he’s just evil for the sake of being evil then feel free to tell me so now so i don’t embarrass myself further with plotting myself lol.

A side note, is he the Architect? Or the same? In DA2 he says he’s a tevinter magister, right? and he ceased to be a human. Also in DA2 it seemed like he was the boss, and here he said he reached in the name of someone (probably more important than him). But what is the Architect then?

And with that we reach the skyhold.

in skyhold

I didn’t know you meet hawke so soon ;__; i thought that was like, somewere more to the end of the game, since the big decision and all. But the mission is already opened and i am going to procrastinate on it until i finish every side mission :<

Also he is so sad ;__; i understand, but at the same time... all that humour now bitter sarcasm :’(

(also, very shallow remark, but i really really prefer his looks in da2 than here... it’s like they softened him. He’s more...oh god idk bearish(???) than hawkish(????) you know what i mean? the nose isn’t as sharp anymore, the beard is... what is it with the beard... anyways i get the game has its limits so it’s fine. it’s fine! fine.)

then there was the fight that i remember since twitter >:D

It’s what made me want to play dragon age and i finally reached it T-T so good! I love how you can see the both sides and everything they say is true but they’re so angry at themselves they’re taking it out on each other TAT

Cassandra later says Hawke probably wouldn’t have joined the inquisition even if she found him, and i wonder now if that’s true... At first i thought, nah, Hawke has too much of a hero complex, he would feel too responsible to just say no. Besides, he’s with the inquisition now (tho i can’t find him anywhere anymore!). But at the same time, the way da2 ends was such an iconic walking away from everything, and not taking into account the hocus-pocus rift stuff, i can imagine him refusing, especially seeing how bitter he is now. It’s also a question of how much would have cassandra told him i guess. idk, what do you think? Would he lead or nah?

another person i want to find but can’t in skyhold are the templars with ser barris. i can use them on war table missions but otherwise they’re non-existant? i forgot to talk to him back in haven but now i wonder if it was even possible and if he was even available there, since he isn’t here. I spent hours just running around skyhold looking for the guy :(

and then everything becomes unimportant bc aaaaa!! she! is the arcanist! Dagna! im so happy and proud(?) she went and reached her goals x)

anyways that’s all for now, laters

some random updates:

so i did the halamshiral and gave up to my “stick to the character” mode, and nothing went my way, but that’s life. Met morrigan! i almost forgot she appears lol. And, despite also jumping on the wagon of give-morrigan-better-clothes train, i have to admit seeing her in her old clothes was a relief after that dress at the ball. It’s not the way the dressed looked, but the way she moved in it... god im shallow

i also initially didn’t like morrigan being at orlais court of all places, but after the conversation that’s supposed to explain why she’s there i’m kinda ok with it. I mean, i still need some more info. Wouldn’t Tevinter be better? she’d practically become a magister overnight if she got this good in the game so fast. It’s also unconvincing how everyone knows everything in orlais but somehow nobody connected that the random kid that has no bakcground whatsoever with morrigan who keeps checking on him? But at skyhold she’s just “hey i have a kid, he’s no trouble, right?”  but hey, it’s morrigan. She can do anything. I’ll just have another story idea in my head.

Then there was news of the new divine that could be either cassandra or leliana and i don’t honestly know whom to choose. I’d prefer leliana over cassandra simply bc cassandra is more of a military mind, while the position of the divine would be more political. But lately every mission with leliana was spy spy, kill kill... Do we really want that for a religious leader? On the other hand, it would nicely round up her story from origins to inquisition... But cassandra is more of a public figure than leliana is...

when cassandra said:

“I want to respect the tradition, but not fear change. I want to right the past wrongs, but not avenge them. And I have no idea if wanting any of them makes them right.”

great moment. She’s usually so convinced and rash, i forget she’s more doubtful and open minded than what she looks like. Everything about cassandra is different from the impression she gives ;__; I love her so so so so much. (when she says she considers the inquisitor her friend i melted, next time varric pulls up the “seeker has no friends” joke, my heart will no longer be breaking).

I did a bunch of personal missions. Some were cool, some were ????. Also there were war table missions with zevran, that was cool. Also i love the codex entries in skyhold. The archery competition with varric banned? Dancing lessons failing bc lace harding is on the move all the time? Perfect.

And i met chargers, i like them, and aaah that staff-bow from the trailer is such a cool idea ;A;

What i don’t get with bull’s chargers is - they’re a mercenary group right? But isn’t swordselling seen as the complete misunderstanding of the qun? I get only bull is qunari, but he’s the leader of them? How is that not frowned upon?

And lastly, i don’t think i’ve said this, but i love that they added codex entries in the loading screens. love it.

update

After months of procrastination, i have faced my fears and have met alistair. it was very anticlimatic beating 11 level monsters when i was level 21...

but.. ALISTAIR TAT He’s changed... but not changed... but changed! Like, his personality is the same, but he’s more serious, doesn’t run from responsibilities, isn’t as bitter as hawke (also, why do i get impression that i am supposed to get the impression that they’re friends? they’ve met like, once, and talked for less than a minute.. whatevs. let’s pretend they’ve met again when on the run), i really love the inquisition alistair ;;__;;

Also, i managed to get that awkward demon baby family reunion :D

 know that morrigan says the vaguest generic thing “i told him his father was a good man” bc of various world states, but i also think she’s come a long way not to mock alistair, and then when he notices that she didn’t use the opportunity he mentions that the kid changed her and she’s like “pfft, yea right, you wish”....

... when she was the one who said that in the first place ;;__;;

Awwww :> I love that they bicker but softly. Kids have grown up :’) Anyways, when will alistair start paying alimony

The only weird one is Leliana bc when morrigan was introduced she was like “danger danger” (smth i’d sooner think alistair would do), and when alistair is (supposedly) in skyhold, Leli doesn’t even mention him, only hawke.  bruh, what were they to you, you almost died together ;;__;;

oh i also slayed a dragon.  I didn’t even want to fight that dragon. It was a hillarious feat of inquisitor, solas, cole and blackwall, all on level 21, having to chug all the health potions right at the beginning while fighting a dragon that was... level 13, after which i just let go of controls and suddenly everyone was hella good at fighting and slayed it (only cole needed revival several times).  

And, befitting the wild-dream feel that it had, when i got back to skyhold and visited companions, suddenly i was drinking pelin with iron bull, and he’s reminiscing on that fight with the dragon and i’m like

it was awful and you weren’t even there.

i forgot to update

but last time i was playing i finished the hawke/alistair sacrifice and all the torture i went through with deciding whom to sacrifice vanished bc frankly, at one moment, i wanted to sacrifice both of them, but in the end it was much more easier to sacrifice hawke bc inquisition hawke just didn’t feel like hawke to me, while alistair improved since the origins!

and now i remembered why i didn’t update, in the same day cassandra rejected me so i was sad and didn’t continue playing since then (i think last time i played it was around easter?)

new update

BLACKWALL!! or should i say Thom Rainier? Wow, what an arc! It was also so fun bc i was all strict mode, picking the third option, telling him his life is in inquisitor’s hands and all that, but in the end i set him free. He’s so good, a true knight T-T

Also i romanced sera. we’ll see how that goes.

Also, fave point in the game so far, i wanted, for so long, to sit at that val roeayoux (can’t spell) cafe and finally did it with cole’s personal mission. THANK YOU COLE YOU TRULY CAN READ PEOPLE’S MINDS.

another interesting thing was that after specialising as a reaver, cassandra said that drinking dragon blood makes you grow scales and become mad. Iron Bull said that inquisitor smells better bc dragon blood and that qunari generally smell better than humans. So i’m guessing qunari have fractions of dragon in them? ok...

and now i started that mission with morrigan and the puzzles are killing me lol, i am this 👌 close to just go chase calpernia and give up on a well of sorrows.

[lcgacyofages]

A Braided Conversation

Drabble Setting and Summary: Shortly after arriving at Skyhold, Rajmahel sent for his sister and daughter to ensure his daughter’s safety and to utilize his sister’s skills. The pair decide to spend some time doing what they used to do; braiding hair and discussing people they know. (based on my set up with in game romances)

              Skyhold was starting to come together nicely as a headquarters for the Inquisition. Rajmahel was pleased he had some quarters and a room near for Elera. After setting her to bed, he found some refuge in his own quarters, enjoying the quiet of the evening. The sound of the door creaking open stirred him from his relaxation and he prayed to the Creators it wasn’t another issue needing to be solved. He rose to a stand, turning to face who was coming up the stairs.

He relaxed his shoulders when he saw it was only his sister. She noticed the change in his composure and a playful, small smile lit across her features. She folded her arms, quirking a brow at him.

“What? Worried I was bringing paperwork?”

“Yes, honestly!” Rajmahel responded with a laugh. “It never seems to end.”

“Well, being the Inquisitor is an important job,” Idrilla teased him. “Which begs to question, are you now too lofty and important for some quality braiding time with your older sister?”

“Of course not!” Rajmahel remarked cheerily, making his way over to the fire. Idrilla leisurely made her way there as well, sitting behind him. She began to take strands of his warm, auburn hair in her hands, undoing the worn-out braids and beginning anew. The two didn’t speak for a while, merely enjoying the crackling sound of the fire.

“So, that one shemlen,” Idrilla began, “the mage who’s very concerned about his appearance…”

“Dorian?”

“Yes, him,” Idrilla continued, separating some hair gently and beginning to braid along the side of his head. “You seem keen to head to the library often and he seems keen to be there.”

“Well, you know how I am about books and general stimulating discussions.” His tone wasn’t hiding anything and in fact, an amused smirk had made its way across his face. He gave a bit of a laugh and a wince when Idrilla pulled a little too tightly on a strand of hair.

“Discussions, hm?” She said knowingly. “Are those discussions perhaps on how to better improve certain…Physical skills?”

“There’s hardly a reason to,” another pull, “but it’s always good to not think too highly of one’s abilities. In general.” And another, “But, uh. No. We haven’t. Not yet, anyway.”

“That’s what I thought. Don’t lie to your asa'ma'lin, da’len.” Idrilla’s voice was smooth and amused. The pair had always been opened and honest with each other, often teasing about the relationships they had. Her hands paused in their work, though, as a more serious demeanor settled on her. “Rajmahel, I think you know my concerns. You’re both so…Different.”

The comment and concern in her voice caused Rajmahel’s shoulders to falter a bit. That’s true, they had very different backgrounds. But maybe that would compliment them more than push them apart. He wasn’t sure what was to come of it or where it was going. All he knew was that he enjoyed the time he spent with Dorian and he hoped Dorian felt the same. He wanted him to be happy, after all. Rajmahel glanced over his shoulder at his sister, an appreciative smile on his face. She rested a hand on his shoulder, and he reached up, resting his hand upon it.

“I know you’re looking out for me, like you’ve always done, and I appreciate it,” he explained. “And I know on the outside we appear very different. But I like to think we’re not as terribly different as people perceive.” Eager to change the subject, he cleared his throat and added, “how have you been settling in? Are you uncomfortable at all?”

“With this many shems walking around, of course I am,” Idrilla remarked, working on a particularly intricate braided style. “I don’t trust them—”

“You hardly trust anyone—ow!”

“That may be true,” her tone was harsh, spitting from old wounds, “but shems have a history. Don’t forget about the Dales. I make do, though, and they know not to cross me.”

“And what of your dreams? Have they gotten less severe?”

“The Breach causes a weakness in the Veil, which only heightens my own sensitivities,” Idrilla explained, “but I have learned some exercises to help control them. The Keeper gave me a good starting point, but I needed to study some more advanced techniques.”

“Ah, so I see you’ve spoken with Solas.” He was pleased to hear that and eager to hear his sister’s opinion on him. Rajmahel had been greatly interested in what Solas had to say and learning all he could, yet he knew he could be a bit of a wide-eyed optimist. “And what are your thoughts?”

“He’s intelligent, artistic, handsome, clever but almost in a cunning way,” Idrilla explained. “He looks like a man who knows more than he says and lies in wait, almost like a wolf away from his pack. But a wolf never lasts long on its own. It requires support of a pack, no matter how proud it is.”

“You think him proud?”

“Of course I do,” Idrilla stated. “It’s in the way he walks and he talks. It’s subtle but it’s there.”

“And you also think he’s handsome.”

“He has a good face and keen eyes. I’d be a fool not to say so. It makes our conversations more pleasant.” Idrilla drew her hands away from Rajmahel’s hair. “And done.” She reached for the side table by the couch, grabbing the mirror and handing it to Rajmahel. He examined himself and smiled.

“And as usual, you’ve outdone yourself.”

“I always do.”

“Now who’s the proud one?”

[pikapeppa]

5 Questions For Writers: Lovers In A Dangerous Time

Part 2 of this meme because I’m greedy. (Part 1 for Where The Winds Of Fortune Take Me is here!) 

Tagged by Genius Meme Inventor @serial-chillr​ and also by the bevvy of babes including @johaeryslavellan​ @faerieavalon​ @elveny​ @dafan7711​ @solas-disapproves​!

Tagging forward to @myfeyrelady​ @lethendralis-paints​ (I know you’re going to say your pumpkin brain has no words, but YOU ARE THE CREATOR OF SO MANY GOOD IDEAS SO TELL US ABOUT THEM!!), @tryvyalsynnes​ @irlaimsaaralath​ @charlatron​ @wardsarefunctioning​ @dickeybbqpit​ @galadrieljones​ @thevikingwoman​ @ocean-in-my-rebel-soul​ and anyone else who wants to play!

Here we have it for Lovers In A Dangerous Time (i.e. Fenris the Inquisitor), with beloved at by @lethendralis-paints​!

1. What was the idea that started the story? 

I think I’ve said this before, but someone in a DA Facebook group shared some snapshots of banter along the lines of ‘what if Fenris was the Inquisitor’ and my brain was like: [lightbulb] lol. I had a clear idea of how Fenris would become the Inquisitor, and I had a very powerful image of Fenris and Rynne Hawke getting separated just before the Conclave explosion and then finding each other at Haven, and I just really wanted to write those two moments. The rest of the fic sort of took off from there. 

This is also not an original idea by any means, since others have written Fenris the Inquisitor fics already. But as with anything in fanfic, different people have different takes, and this is my take on it through the lens of Fenris and his relationship with Rynne because I’m utter trash for them, and I’m thrilled to be writing it.

2. Did you make an outline? Have you stuck to it? 

Let me start by saying I did not intend to novelize the game; I only really meant to do a few oneshots of memorable moments in Inquisition. But after writing the first two chapters, I knew the format I’d started would not lend itself to disconnected oneshots the way my canon FenHawke stuff did. 

So yes, there is an outline. It started out with those few big-moment ideas I wanted to do, and it’s evolved over time into a document that’s currently 61 pages and will get longer, since I have yet to flesh out the JOH DLC chapter(s? not sure how I’ll deal with JOH yet) and there is more still to flesh out for Trespasser. As to whether I’ve stuck to it... largely, yes! Sometimes events get shifted around, and some chapters have gotten split into 2 or even 3, but I have largely stuck to it. 

 3. What’s your favorite part of your story? 

THE FENSHIPS (i.e. friendships with Fenris HAHAH) and the PARTY BANTER. It has been such a joy developing his relationships with the Inquisition crew. I think this is part of what makes Fenris such a compelling idea as an Inquisitor: his Tevinter background, personality, and complex attitudes about mages make him so much fun to write into conversations with the Inquisition crew, particularly with Cassandra, Dorian, Solas and Cole. I’ve especially loved writing his relationship with Solas because I’m convinced that it could go either way for so many reasons (I won’t ramble about this at length LOL, I’ll spare everyone this). Indeed, Fenris and Solas have had both their disagreements and their moments of camaraderie in this fic, and both have been a joy to write.

Blackwall, Bull, and Sera have had less facetime in this fic, but parts of their histories are obvious mirrors of parts of Fenris’s past as well, so they’ve each had at least one chapter to shine with FennyFen. 

Finally, and obviously, writing Fenris and Rynne’s relationship. Keeping an established relationship interesting can be a challenge, but Fenris and Rynne are constantly clashing and growing together as they keep running into shitstorm after shitstorm in this fic, and I hope (HOPE HOPE HOPE???) I’ve been able to keep them both grounded/realistic and interesting. 

 4: Who is your favorite character and why? 

The usual suspects: Fenris and Rynne, obviously, since I am garbage trash for my babes. And everyone already knows that Solas and Cole are my Inquisition favourites.

 5. Did anything happen that surprised you as you were writing? A plot point, or characters’ actions, etc?

Dorian! When I started writing this, I was actually pretty uncertain how Dorian and Fenris would get along. I was hoping they would eventually become friendly or at least cordial, but I didn’t want to force it to get there. At the point where the fic is now, Dorian has become one of Fenris’s closest friends in the Inquisition (though Fenris would probably roll his eyes if you ever said so), which was a true surprise to me. Getting the chance to write Dorian and Fenris hanging out together has made me love Doribae even more. 

The thing that happened to Carver also came to me out of the blue. I knew I wanted him to join the Inquisition, but at the point when I actually wrote him coming to Skyhold, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with him from there. His arc was a stroke of... madness? genius? masochism? TAKE YOUR PICK.

You can read Lovers In A Dangerous Time here on AO3!

[bitchesofostwick]

Love you include Cullen and Dorians friendship moments in your fics. Considering Dorian reactions are "pls no" - do you think him and Cullen ever talk about his relationship with Ellinor?

hi anon, and thanks!! so i think in the specific context of my most recent one shot, his reaction was definitely just “i don’t need to know the details of what you two just did so please spare me.” but in my ellinor x cullen longfic, dorian’s relationship with both ellinor and cullen separately and ellinor and cullen as a couple evolves a lot over the course of the story. to begin with, he’s really ONLY friends with ellinor, and her mistrust of cullen influences his feelings toward him. after the arrive at skyhold, we have obviously the canon chess game that shows cullen and dorian are actually friends, and i think that’s how dorian develops a friendship with cullen until he’s actually closer with him than he is with ellinor.

on the surface, he definitely has this “keep your mushy details to yourselves” thing going on (i’m a firm believer that dorian is NOT interested in the sexy details of the inquisitor’s relationship; that he would be is one of the most OOC fandom headcanons for him but i won’t rant about that rn). BUT, he cares about them both deeply as friends. in my longfic, he admonishes cullen for being late to a (pre-relationship) commitment he had with ellinor one night because he knew it hurt ellinor’s feelings but he also knew cullen was too dumb to realize that on his own. later, when ellinor and cullen are on the cusp of confessing their feelings for each other, dorian has a bit of an outburst at cullen for continuing to dance around his feelings instead of confronting them. he does so under the guise of just being annoyed at their constant pining, but i know that deep down he just wants to see both of his friends be happy.

SO, i guess to answer your question, i believe dorian and cullen talk about cullen’s relationship with ellinor every now and then. cullen doesn’t have too many close friends, and i think maybe OTHER than dorian, he’d only talk about it with cass. but he doesn’t talk about steamy details with either of them lol, he’s too prude and private to share that sort of thing. he looks to dorian for relationship advice ranging from light (asking what kind of flowers grow in ostwick so he can get her some as a gift) to more deep (talking about his self-doubt and whether he’s really helping or hurting ellinor by being romantically involved with her). dorian might act like he doesn’t care sometimes, but of course he cares, because they’re both his friends, and he loves them both very much.

[shannaraisles]

OKAY: every even number from that dragon age protagonist questionnaire

~laughs~ Buckle in, this is going to be long! Thank you, my lovely! That said, 6 & 12 have already been answered here, so it won’t be as long.

2. What would your Hawke generally think of your warden and your Inquisitor?

Jo is in awe of Dermot Cousland. He’s the hero of her homeland, and she even met him briefly at Ostagar. The ideal of him is what she aspires to, without knowing any of the squishy, uncomfortable bits. She’s not wholly sure what to make of Eralen - the Dalish mage does her job, and does it well, but Jo is a little judgy when it comes to the distance she thinks Eralen keeps between herself and her companions.

4. What would they think about each other’s love interests (if they romanced someone of course)

Dermot would, I think, understand Jo and Varric’s relationship better than she does, and, well, Eralen’s in love with his little brother, so that’s all well and good. Jo’s met Zevran - she thinks he’s a harmless flirt; Bryland, on the other hand, strikes her as being a little too gung-ho to be a good match for Eralen. And Eralen loves Zevran almost as much as she loves Dermot, both of them treating her like a little sister, though Zevran definitely prefers to tease her; Varric, she considers one of her closest friends, even if Jo can’t quite see it. 

8. What would your inquisitor and warden think of what happened in Kirkwall? Would they have supported Hawke’s decisions?

Wow, that one is complicated for Dermot. He was the one who conscripted Anders, and he made friends with Justice as well. In Jo’s place, he would have worked harder to understand and mitigate his friends’ feelings on the matter, and if necessary, remove Anders/Justice from the city entirely for their own safety. As it stands, he knows Jo did everything she felt was right, and in the end, that is all anyone can do. Eralen falls naturally into a position of support for Jo’s decision to defend the mages, being a mage herself and having a natural terror of Templars; she would definitely have supported Jo, had she been there.

10. Do your protagonists share the same opinions on the Chantry?

Dermot still respects the Chantry, for all its faults and flaws. His faith is a huge part of him, and he finds it difficult to separate his faith from the institution that guided him throughout his childhood and youth. He doesn’t always approve of the higher ups in the Chantry, but he does have a great deal of respect for the priests lower down who minister to their parishes as best they can. Jo despises the Chantry with a passion, because it’s the Chantry’s teachings that have had her on the run for most of her life, first to protect her father and sister, and then to prevent an entire city being made to suffer for her actions. As for Eralen, she’s indifferent. She views the Chantry as a bogeyman that is losing power and respect, a monster under the bed from her childhood, and a looming presence that makes her life a delicate balance between doing what needs to be done and keeping herself safe. She honestly doesn’t care what happens to the Chantry, so long as it doesn’t hurt the people who rely on it.

14. If they’d been in each other’s places would they have made the same or different choices? And who would they have romanced, if anyone?

I think they would have made the same choices as each other, for all that they approach decision making in their own unique ways. Romances, now, that would be an interesting exercise. ~grins~ Let’s see ... Dermot would probably have romanced Merrill, despite his opinions on blood magic, and it’s a toss up between Dorian and Cassandra for him in Inquisition. It would all depend on how big an impression those first meetings made on him. Jo would have tripped and fallen into a romance with Leliana trying not to upset the boys in Origins, and even though he isn’t romanceable again, she would have romanced Varric in Inquisition. Eralen ... Hmmm. I don’t think she would have romanced anyone in Origins, but Fenris would have to work very hard not to be wooed by her in 2.

16. Would your protagonists have the same Hogwarts house?

I had to take a test for this! And the results are kind of fascinating - Dermot came out Hufflepuff, which wasn’t a surprise; Jo is a Gryffindor; and Eralen, to my amazement, revealed herself to be a closet Slytherin!

18. What is the biggest similarity between your protagonists?

Their sense of morality - what is right and what is wrong, and how authority doesn’t always understand the difference between illegal and immoral. They’re very similar in that regard.

20. Who handles responsibility the best? And who handles it the worst?

This should come as a surprise to no one, but Dermot is definitely the best at handling responsibility. He steps up and takes responsibility without being prompted to. And of course Jo is the worst. She’s a Hawke. It’s a wonder she remembers to put her knickers on in the morning without help.

22. Would you ever ship any of them together?

No, I don’t think I would. I mean, I could, but it would feel forced.

24. How do each of your protagonists handle loss?

Dermot tends to absorb it and keep it in his heart, as his motivation to keep going when he has nothing else left. Jo goes numb and then never speaks of the people she’s lost ever again. Eralen reacts with anger, even if it was an expected death. She considers death her enemy.

26. Do any of your protagonists marry and/or have children?

Dermot never gets married to Zevran, but he does have a son with Morrigan, Kieran, who is in the unique position of having one mother and two fathers, because both Dermot and Zevran make a point of being involved in the boy’s upbringing. Jo does eventually marry Varric (if she lives), but they never conceive a child. Instead, they adopt a fair number of orphans in Kirkwall. Eralen does marry Bryland Cousland, and they do have children together. The number and identities of those children have yet to be decided.

28. What is their favorite location within their own game and what would be their favorite in each others?

You know, Dermot really liked the Temple of Ashes. I think, in 2, he would have liked Sundermount, and he would have loved the Storm Coast in Inquisition. Jo’s a townie, so her faves would be Denerim, Lowtown, and Val Royeaux. Eralen would, strangely enough, have loved the Mage Tower in Origins, and probably Hightown in 2. Her heart rests with the Emerald Graves, though.

30. Out of your Warden, Hawke, and Inquisitor, who is your favorite?

Oooh, that’s such a hard question! ~laughs~ I love them all, but I know Dermot best. So, for now, Dermot is my favorite.

[30 Questions about your Dragon Age Protagonists - Ask Me!]

[smutnug]

What Stays and What Fades Away

My first chapter with the amazing @wardsarefunctioning as beta! A thousand thousand thank yous.

Contains awkward flirting and Drunk!Hawke.

Chapter 27: Juliet

It had been a week since Tanner's abrupt departure, and Juliet still felt ill when she thought about the way things had ended. She chafed to be away in Crestwood, where Hawke was doubtless already waiting for them. 

But the Inquisition had become a large organisation, and large organisations seldom moved quickly. While Hawke could travel alone and in relative anonymity, Juliet's expeditions must be scouted, provisioned and planned to the smallest detail. So instead she was stuck here in Skyhold, surrounded by a thousand small reminders of her indiscretion. 

She sat at a table in the hall poring over a pile of documents that never seemed to get smaller: requisitions, reports, requests for the Inquisition's help from all over Southern Thedas. Scout Harding was already on the way to Crestwood, but she had left Juliet a map and pages covered in her small, neat handwriting: the location of the village and fort, a brief history of the place and its flooding during the blight, even a few credible rift sightings. A potential logging site? That would help in rebuilding - 

"Inquisitor?" The messenger gave a quick salute and handed her a roll of paper. "Plans for the mage tower, milady."

The mage tower. She waited until the man was gone before letting out a groan, burying her head in her hands. 

"Pining for your soldier, Freckles?" 

Juliet spun in her chair to glare at Varric. 

"Firstly," she said, "I'm not bloody pining . Secondly, can we pretend just for a minute that I have some kind of private life?" 

The dwarf threw up his hands. "Sorry, Inquisitor," he said, hopping up into the seat next to her. "You're one of the most important figures in Thedas right now. Definitely the most important in Skyhold. Your inner circle has at least three spies, and a mind-reading spirit boy." He patted her on the back. "Keeping secrets is hard."

She stared at him a moment longer, her lips pursed. "Thirdly -" 

"I'll change your names."

"Do not -" 

"And titles."

"Put this -" 

"And location."

"In a book," she finished. "Or I'll throw you to Cassandra."

"Oh, come on Freckles! It's got everything: deception, mistaken identity, star-crossed lovers…"

"I think you're reading a little more into it than actually happened."

"Of course I am. I'm a writer."

Conceding defeat, Juliet looked back to the documents spread out in front of her; the lines on the vellum seemed to blur and dance, Harding's meticulous text reduced to gibberish. She blinked hard, twice, but her eyes refused to cooperate. 

"Why not take a break?" Varric asked and added, too casually, "Take a walk in the garden."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why the garden, Varric?" 

"Why so suspicious, Freckles?" He grinned, hazel eyes glinting with mischief. "It's a beautiful day. The fresh air will do you good. See how your herbs are growing!" 

"I need to plan this…" she protested weakly. 

"Do you trust yourself to make good plans right now?" 

"Fine." She bundled up the documents, shoving them unceremoniously into a nugskin folder. "I'll go to the garden." In response to Varric's waggling eyebrows, she snapped, "but only because I've got no bloody place better to be."

With a smirk he propped his feet up on the table. "Enjoy the scenery, Inquisitor."

"Thin ice, Tethras," she shot back over her shoulder. 

It was close to midday, and she had to admit that the sunlight on her face and the smell of freshly-turned soil did much to clear her head. The air was fragrant with blooming herbs, all of which somehow seemed to thrive here despite the varying climates from which they had been plucked. She wished she could put down roots so easily.

Male laughter caught her attention; the voice was familiar, if not the sound. Beneath the gazebo a small table and two chairs were set up. Dorian faced the Commander over a chess board, hexagonal in the Northern style. The two men were too engrossed in the game to notice her approach and she took a moment to appreciate Cullen's relaxed posture, his easy demeanour as he rolled his eyes in response to Dorian's gentle ribbing. 

"Why do I even…" He finally saw her and broke off mid-sentence, half rising out of his chair. "Inquisitor."

Dorian flashed a charming smile in her direction before turning his attention back to Cullen. "Leaving, are you?" The mage's voice, much like his skin, was smooth as honey. "Does this mean I win?" 

It was jarring to see the Commander so comfortable in the presence of Dorian, of all people. Despite his wit and charm, or perhaps because of it, he didn't always rub people the right way. Plus he was a Tevinter, and an unapologetic mage. Was there some other reason than magic, then, for Cullen's reticence with her? 

Wary of spoiling the mood, she motioned Cullen to sit and tried to match Dorian's light tone. "Are you two playing nice?" 

"I'm always nice," Dorian lied without skipping a beat. He put his tower down with a decisive thunk and crossed his arms; impressively muscled for a mage, Juliet could never help but notice. If he'd been differently inclined, she was sure she could have put those muscles to good use. "You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory," he declared to Cullen. "You'll feel much better."

"Really?" Cullen pounced, shifting his tower from a black square to a white. "Because I just won," he said with a low chuckle, "and I feel fine."

Dorian raised one perfect eyebrow and smiled, impeccably gracious in defeat. "Don't get smug." He rose from his chair with the fluidity of a cat. "There will be no living with you."

Juliet shifted to let him pass and as she did so, his silken voice reached her in a pitch too low for Cullen to catch. 

"He's all yours, Inquisitor," he purred. "You lucky thing."

She felt her ears burn crimson, unfortunately catching Cullen's eye at the same time. Embarrassment painted a foolish smile across her face and the Commander looked at her with some confusion. 

"I should return to my duties as well…" he said, adding hesitantly, "unless you would care for a game?" 

Me? she nearly said. Did everyone else in Thedas die and nobody told me? Then she remembered the hand that had lingered on hers a moment too long after he helped her onto her horse, and a heat swept through her that had nothing at all to do with embarrassment. 

She maintained her composure enough to give him a tight smile. "Prepare the board, Commander."

Oblivious to the fire that raged inside the woman opposite him, Cullen was conversational as he laid out the carved pieces. "As a child, I played this with my sister. She would get this stuck-up grin whenever she won, which was all the time." He glanced up at her, a rarely seen flash of mischief in his eyes. "My brother and I practiced together for weeks…the look on her facethe day I finally won…" 

Juliet caught a glimpse of the boy he had been in his smirk, before a little frown marred his features. 

"Between serving the templars and the inquisition, I haven't seen them in years," he said regretfully. "I wonder if she still plays."

It was easy to forget that Templars, too, could become separated from their families. She doubted Michael had ever recounted such fond memories of her. But she felt a pang when she thought of Lavinia, and of Alec, whose child must have been born by now. 

"You have siblings?" 

He seemed surprised by her enthusiasm. "Two sisters, and a brother."

"We're the same!" Juliet paused. "I mean, my family. Two boys, and two girls." She shifted, nudging Cullen's foot beneath the table. It went unacknowledged by both of them as they adjusted their postures, but she was aware now of his proximity; she could swear she felt the heat of his knee close to her own. 

"Really?" Leaning forward on his elbows, he graced her with a warm smile. "Michael I know, but…"

Juliet couldn't suppress an eye roll at the mention of her Templar brother. "Alec is the eldest. He's…well, he's unlike Michael. And Lavinia is between Michael and I in age. Terribly frivolous and always has her foot in her mouth, but she means well." Unexpected tears sprang to her eyes as she thought of them; on waking in Haven to the news that she'd been publicly disowned, she hadn't dared to contact them. "Tell me about yours," she said with forced cheerfulness. 

"Mia," he replied with a smile, "is the one I told you of. Branson is my brother, and the youngest is Rosalie."

She wished suddenly, fiercely, that she might some day meet them. "Where are they now?"

"They moved to South Reach after the Blight…" A flash of pain reached Cullen's amber eyes. "I do not write to them as often as I should." Staring at the board, his gaze seemed to come back into focus. "Ah, it's my turn."

"Alright," she said with a grin, "let's see what you've got."

He paused, looking at her for the longest time before shaking his head. Leaning in to make his move, he said softly, "You always seem as if you're laughing at a joke nobody else understands."

"I thought everybody understood," she said lightly. "I'm the joke."

"No." His stare, however glancing, pierced her to the core. "You are far from a joke. You're the reason we are all here."

"And who am I?" she countered. "Someone else would have led. Hawke, if Cassandra could have found her."

"Hawke." His wry smile made a mockery of the idea. 

"Nobody should take themselves too seriously." Pondering a moment, she moved a pawn into the path of his mage. "The more power you have, the lessseriously you should take yourself."

Cullen's gaze raked her. Surely, she thought, he must sense the shifting restlessness his mere proximity woke in her. Finally he shook his head. "Are you sure that doesn't do a disservice to those who choose to follow you?" 

"The opposite." She countered his move. "Power without humility lead to tyranny."

For a moment he looked startled. Then he laughed, shaking his head. "Of all people, I should know that." 

"So you and Dorian…" she began tentatively. 

"Dorian and I…?" Cullen's eyebrows shot up. "I assure you, there's nothing of that sort -" 

"Oh no, I just meant…you seemed to be getting along so well! It's not a friendship I would have expected."

"I ran into him in the library. Varric asked me to find a book for him." At her quizzical look, he chuckled. "I think he's trying to avoid Cassandra."

"I can't say I've ever seen Cassandra in the library."

"No point in taking chances, were his words. Anyway, Dorian…" Considering his next move, he twirled a stone piece in his fingers. Such long, clever fingers…he caught her eyes suddenly and she shut her mouth with a painfully audible snap . "He just seems lost, you know. He's a long way from home."

"Don't let him think you pity him," Juliet advised. "He won't thank you for it."

"It's not pity," he said, surprised. "Sympathy, yes, but I do enjoy his company." He caught her look of puzzlement. "Is that so unusual?" 

"Only," she floundered, searching about for the right words, "because of, you know, what he is."

"What he is?" Cullen's voice held faint disapproval. "I'm not sure I take your meaning."

Oh, Maker, now she'd offended him. "Only that I thought it might make you feel uncomfortable. Threatened, even."

"Threatened?" Cullen sat back in his chair, arms folded as he studied her face. "Why should I feel threatened?" 

Could we build a lesser amulet? she thought desperately.One that would take me back to before this line of conversation began. "You wouldn't be the only one. I know several people are concerned with his presence…" Biting her lip, she trailed off as Cullen drummed his fingers on the chair arm with evident annoyance. 

"I know that some people harbour foolish prejudices," he began, "but I certainly didn't think you would be amongst them, Inquisitor."

"Me?" she answered indignantly. "Why in Thedas would I be prejudiced against Dorian? I'm the same as he is!" 

Cullen gaped. "You are?" 

She couldn't understand his reaction; this was by no means new information for the Commander. "Well, yes. I mean I'm not from Tevinter, but essentially…"

They realised their mistake at the same time. Juliet groaned, covering her face; Cullen rubbed the back of his neck as he grinned sheepishly. "You meant…"

"Yes. And you thought…"

"I did." His grin slipped. "But you're wrong to think Dorian's magic should make me uncomfortable. I mean, you're a mage and I'm not uncomfortable with you."

"You're not?" 

She must have sounded a touch too incredulous, because Cullen looked at her sharply. Then he smiled, staring down at his hands. "I don't know if you've noticed, Inquisitor, but I can be somewhat…awkward…at times."

"No," she answered, laughing. "Really? It had completely escaped my notice."

"If I seem that way around you, please know that it's not because of the fact that you're a mage. It's because, well…"

Juliet's mouth went dry. "Yes?" 

"It's just the way I am," he finished quickly. 

Hope gave way to sharp disappointment. Surprised by the intensity of her reaction, she hid her feelings in contemplating the next move. "Your turn," she said finally. His pawn joined the small crowd of pieces on the tabletop. 

He studied the board, frowning. "You're no stranger to this game."

"My mentor in the Circle, Lydia," she swallowed hard at the memory, "didn't believe in idle hands. Or minds. When the study of magic didn't take up our time she had us learn history, geography, strategy, mathematics…" An opening became apparent and she swiftly dispatched one of his mages. "Chess."

At the mention of her Circle, Cullen's expression became shuttered. "It seems that was time well spent," he said stiffly. "I wish…" He shook his head, apparently clearing some stray thought. "Your move, Inquisitor."

Always Inquisitor. What was it about him - or about her - that drove her to keep needling him? He was too proper, too authoritative. It made her keep trying to crack open that facade of stiff professionalism, even if she felt like a bird hopelessly battering its wings against a window pane. It made her blurt out, even as her rational mind told her it was a terrible idea, "So…tell me about you and Hawke."

Cullen's smile vanished. "How do you…? Never mind," he said, somewhat curtly. "I would rather not." With exaggerated carefulness he finished his move, putting his knight down with the barest tap of stone on stone. Without meeting her eyes, he elaborated, "It was a mistake."

"Oh." A mistake. Her chest suddenly tight, she attempted what she hoped was a smile. "You have regrets?" 

Cullen's answering smile was more of a grimace. "I regret the entire thing. Now, really…I'd prefer if we moved on."

"I'm sorry," she said with forced cheerfulness. "It seems my sister's not the only one capable of putting her foot in it." She saw the opportunity to take his queen, and considered letting it pass; then, with an apologetic smile and a half-shrug, she toppled the piece with her mage. 

"There," Cullen said. "That's Mia's look."

Juliet laughed. "I wasn't aiming for stuck-up, but I suppose I've earned the right to gloat a little."

"It's not over yet," he countered. Thoughtful, he glanced at her through sandy eyelashes. "This may be the longest we've gone without discussing the Inquisition - or related matters. To be honest, I appreciate the distraction."

"I aim to please." Impulsively, she added, "We should spend more time together."

Another misstep in a conversation littered with them. Wasn't Cullen supposed to be the awkward one? But there was no awkwardness in his heavy-lidded gaze. "I would… like that," he said, and his low voice sent a pleasant shiver through her body. She could only smile back inanely, until he shook himself and turned his attention back to the board. 

"We should…finish our game," he stammered. "Right. My turn?" 

They sat in companionable silence. Stone tapped against stone, and the low hum of insects and murmured conversations played around them. Finally Cullen played the only move that was open to him, and it was checkmate. He smiled wryly. 

"I believe this one is yours. Well played." He leaned back, rolling his shoulders in a way that distracted Juliet entirely from her victory. "We shall have to try again some time." Standing, he offered her a small bow. "Inquisitor."

"Juliet," she said. "Please."

"Juliet." It was only her imagination, adding that low, husky timbre to his voice, the flash in his molten gold eyes. It was just her name; there was no reason for it to feel like a caress. 

And yet long after he had taken his leave she sat, fingers playing around her lips as if the memory of a kiss lingered there. 

"Still here?" Dorian startled her from her reverie. He ensconced himself in the chair opposite, fingers steepled and a knowing gleam in his eye. "Do I sense a romance blooming? I would so love to attend a provincial wedding."

"Did you and Varric orchestrate this?" she demanded. 

"Varric?" he said, affronted. "Perish the thought, dear cousin. Our Commander wandered into my library and I took pity on him. He seemed so…" The mage twirled his hand theatricality. "Lost."

"How terribly kind of you to keep him entertained."

"Obviously, darling Juliet, I resent the implication to my very core." Dorian plucked an imaginary piece of lint from his trouser leg, examining it between thumb and forefinger. "But I did rather enjoy the game…and the view."

"You don't find our little garden too provincial?"

"Now, now," he chastised her. "We both know I wasn't talking about the garden. My question remains: are you two delightful creatures going to give all of us, your proud and loving family, the news we wait so impatiently to hear? Or must Varric's prize pool grow ever larger?" 

"Bloody Varric," she muttered. 

"Well?" Dorian crossed an elegant ankle over his leg. 

"I'm going to have to disappoint you."

"Oh." Dorian did, indeed, sound disappointed. "Tell cousin Dorian absolutely everything."

Juliet sighed. I regret the entire thing. Somewhere in the Hinterlands, Tanner would be thinking the same about her. "There's really nothing to tell." She turned her hand palm up; the Anchor pulsed faintly green. "I just don't want to be anyone else's mistake."

[musingmycelium]

otp theme songs

tagged by @lyrium-lovesong thank you! <3

okay, i, went overboard bc i’m baby and avoiding my homework sooo everyone’s under a cut to save space on dashes <3 and links in the place of audio since i guess that’s only a mobile thing???? 

ellanis tabris/zevran arainai - work song: hozier

Boys workin' on empty

Is that the kind'a way to face the burning heat?

I just think about my baby

I'm so full of love I could barely eat

There's nothing sweeter than my baby

I'd never want once from the cherry tree

'Cause my baby's sweet as can be

She give me toothaches just from kissin' me

When my time comes around

Lay me gently in the cold dark earth

No grave can hold my body down

I'll crawl home to her

My baby never fret none

About what my hands and my body done

If the lord don't forgive me

I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me

When I was kissing on my baby

And she put her love down soft and sweet

In the lowland plot I was free

Heaven and hell were words to me

obviously not the whole song but.... hhhh! these are the lyrics that Really Sell this as their song. both of them, when they meet, are ‘workin’ on empty’. ellanis has been dealing with years of depression and apathy, zevran is actively suicidal, and both of them are running out of options. And neither of them are looking to fall in love. yet, they do. and it's in little things, it's in short words, it’s in sweet rememberings, it's in the tiny fractions of hearts beginning to beat in sync. by the time they realize it they’re both in too deep. and maker, the lines in the last stanza hit me so hard for their end of the blight relationship. 

they’re just. finally able to start moving on. forgiving and growing. 

noure surana/anders - i love you: woodkid

Where the light shivers offshore

Through the tides of oceans

We are shining in the rising sun

As we are floating in the blue

I am softly watching you

Oh boy your eyes betray what burns inside you

Whatever I feel for you

You only seem to care about you

Is there any chance you could see me too?

'Cause I love you

Is there anything I could do

Just to get some attention from you?

In the waves I've lost every trace of you

Where are you?

After all I drifted ashore

Through the streams of oceans

Whispers wasted in the sand

As we were dancing in the blue

I was synchronized with you

But now the sound of love is out of tune

now, to be honest, this song feels like its from anders perspective more-so than noure’s. but! it does encapsulate both of their feelings rather well, especially post-blight when they’re separated until they find each other again in kirkwall. the melancholic tone and the slight wistfulness and the deep underlying hunger speaks volumes to me for them. 

idrilla lavellan/solas - if i say: mumford and sons

I came here without a choice

I'm sorry I could never thank you

For saving me more trouble

I didn't want any trouble

If you were given one more chance

Would you bring me back to life?

Bring me back into the light

Into the light

And let it shine on, let it shine on us

And if I say I love you, well, then I love you (x2)

The innocence in your face bled out without a trace

You've won without an enemy, you're ill without a remedy

As night bleeds into night, and I know I came off better than you

It doesn't mean that I feel better (x2)

And let it shine on, let it shine on us

And if I say I love you, well, then I love you (x4)

Are they cleaner than mine?

Show me your face

Did you cross the line?

Show me your eyes

They any drier than mine?

Your soul survives

But peace, you'll never find

do i even need to explain this one kljkljlkjljlkjklj its honestly a perfect solavellan song in general tbh so this might be a tad bit of a cop out but honestly! its so good! and damn if it doesn’t encapsulate their end game relationship perfectly. idrilla is not the type to give up -not on anything and especially not on others, or herself. so her relationship with solas has disappeared to a single red thread but she’s going to follow and tug on that thread until either there isn’t anything left to chase or she finds what’s at the end. 

da’ean lavellan/dorian pavus/the iron bull - you’ve got the love: florence + the machine

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air

I know I can count on you

Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"

But you've got the love I need

To see me through

Sometimes it seems the going is just too rough

And things go wrong no matter what I do

Now and then it seems that life is just too much

But you've got the love I need

To see me through

When food is gone you are my daily meal, oh

When friends are gone I know my savior's love is real

Your love is real'Cause you got the love

You got the love

now these nerds, continue to kill me. out of all of my ocs da’ean is probably The Shyest [if not The he’s up in the top three for sure] and his perception of romance is heavily colored [like idrilla’s is] by his parent’s beautiful, happy, super caring relationship. but the conclave pretty drastically shook up his entire world, so meeting bull and dorian was definitely not something he expected. let alone falling in love with them. their relationship is a bit rocky at first, or well its ‘hidden’ not because da’ean is ashamed [dorian’s hangups aside -those get worked out with some long conversations and working up with small displays of public affection[ but because he’s a deeply private person. but he relies on them after awhile because they’re the ones who keep him a Person instead of herald or inquisitor.

ANYWAYS I’M FEELIN SOFT IN THIS CHILI’S TONIGHT SOOOO

i’ll tag @meribotti @fen-harel @raymurata @madamsnark @goblin-deity and @dalish-ish <3 no obligations of course! <3

[plotholetsi]

Some DA4 Ideas

Me and @thealmightym got off on a HUUUUGE tangent this morning, upon the suggestion that the Inquisitor + love interest might show up in DA4 based on how the romance loads into game (assuming the Dragon Age Keep continues to function as well as it has so far:

Lavellan/Solas romance:

I can totally imagine a storyline where, if you import Solas-romance inquisitor, as the new DA4 hero, you have inquisitor tag along on occasion. If you fuck up at the missions with them, inquisitor joins Solas in trying to wreck the world. If you complete all the missions with them, they take your side in the end fight with solas.

Inquisitor+Cullen:

You can join them on their farm for a side mission or two. One of the side-plots is Inquisitor helping hide Cullen's younger sibling from the newly formed circle/templar/whatever as young sib is starting to have little magic bursts. It's equally fretful and adorable.

Inquisitor + Iron Bull

Inky and Bull have formed a new Bull's Chargers. If Inky wa Qunari, there's some of his/her old Tal Vashoth band joined up now as well. They show up as a random helpful encounter aiding you in world events. If you run into them enough times, they come to you asking for help on a diplomatic mission, Halamshiral style side event. It ends in the whole crew being chased out of the party for wrecking EVERYTHING and if you play your cards with, a menage’a’tois with your old Inquisitor+bull plus new MC.

Inquisitor + Sera

This one’s easy. Inquisitor and Sera are married GAY AF ladies who show up as random encounter in urban settings. Only instead of helping YOU, they drop you arrows with notes on them of missions that need your specific flavor of diplomatic aid. Missions like: having you seduce a noble lady/gent while they steal said noble’s unearned goods. Stabbing a few really shitty nobles in the junk in a painful but non-lethal way. Immediately lose missions if guards or innocents harmed in process. Poisoning the food at the banquet of a robber-baron so everyone in the party gets diarrea BAD. Oh, and their skin turns purple for a week. And bees follow them.

Inquisitor + Blackwall

You meet them at missions in Weisshapt if Blackwall was told to join. Inq has joined them there indefinitely, and the two of them are the only two allows to Orlais & Fereldan as diplomats after that whole Wardens-turning-kinda-evil SHITE. They send you on a variety of one-off 'kill this monster' type missions, culminating in another encounter with the Architect, who can either help you by giving you something to defeat Solas, or you can fight, or they paralyse you and walk away without giving you ANYTHING depending on your game choices.

If inquisitor pardoned Blackwall, you run across the two of them in a cabin in the woods somewhere, trying their best to keep under the radar as they raise a couple of boys as out-of-the-limelight as possible.

Inquisitor + Josephine

Her ending goes one of three separate ways. Either she's got the bandit fleet under her wing, or her family has kinda lost status by the end. Or she's kinda bloodthirsty and killed some peeps.

I'm seeing their ending influenced by Leliana. If Leliana NOT Divine: Leliana is stealthily traveling alongside Inky & Josie to continue acting as a spy/ pulling strings of various nobility. While the peasants don’t suspect anything, most of the nobles are bloody terrified anytime Inky+Josie (and the unseen Leliana) roll into town because it means a few shitty nobles are gonna just be snatched away without a word. Inky+Josie show up as a set of espionage missions on war-tabley thing, and you can also interact with the trio at parties/ open-world spots where nobles show up, etc. Inky will very dramatically foil an assassination attempt on MC in DA4, starting a mission that culminates in an odd scavenger-hunt/goose chase of missions, culminating in Leliana identifying a spy within (DA4 organization here) who is trying to corrupt MC with magic. This traitor is not found in any other storyline, but is present in all other storylines (finger waggling here).

Josie+Inky IF Leliana IS Divine: series of wartable missions where Josie is convincing (DA4 group) to aid the Divine on various missions. Culminates in Inky foiling assassination attempt on YOU, and then enlisting your help to foil an assassination attempt on the Divine. Meanwhile, Josephine has been kidnapped, the Divine attack a diversion.

You go on a goose-chase of missions to figure out where they're keeping her, and when you finally get there, Josephine has things well in hand, and has a group of thugs tied up, and is regaling them with stories so entertaining that they're fallen over laughing despite being tied up. She looks over at Inky, who looks back at her lovingly, and says, "What took you both so long?"

NO ONE DAMSELS JOSIE

Inquisitor + Cassandra:

Inky + Cassandra have put away (most of) their adventuring, and have opened a bookshop.

Cassandra very convincingly makes a good bookshop owner. She recommends a different book each time you come in, based on what events you've finished/ things you've decided in game. "I see you came back from Hamalshiral. Can I recommend 'My Lady's Coattails'? It's a VERY saucy period piece with a side of court intrigue."

At a later date, you find her in the midst of dealing with several unconscious people in the shop, half her battle gear on. Turns out she's been doing some do-goodery on the side, and doesn't want Inky to know. She enlists you to help deal with a local thug who has been threatening the shop and people in town.

You go and deal with the thug, and turns out it's WAY more than a local thug. It's a REGIONAL thug, and it turns into a whole long mission, halfway through, you run into Inky who was sent along by someone else in (DA4 group) because people heard DA4-MC and Cass got in over their heard. There's a whole scene of Cass being mortified that Inky found out, Inky being like, "Don't be. I'm missing and ARM and you're a bad-ass, why would I keep my wife from helping people?" And they kiss and it's equal parts adorable and awkward in front of you. They cough and you proceed to PUMMEL the lead bandit-dude.

When you return to the shop, you still get nod-to-game book recs for the rest of the game.

If you die more than a certain number of times on any one mission, Cass will sarcastically recommend, "Gennevive's Sword Primer". Inky interupts to ask why the non-fiction book. Cass sneeringly jokes, "Because our MC needs to work on fundaments."

Inquisitor + Dorian

I feel like his is the hardest, because he has such a FIXED position in the DAI wrap-up. And given that everyone assumes the new game will center on Tevinter, he'll probably be a central or pivotal role the story nods to or revolves around.... Hell, maybe it's just this...

MC has several encounters with the Magisterium. Dorian is actually one of the most consistent council members. Despite his distaste for the High magisters of Tevinter, once he was shoved into the role of leadership, he used red tape like a weapon, pissing off a LOT of other politicians who were perfectly happy with things being as easy for them to rule as possible. If Dorian was romanced by DAI Inky, there are several events where you can see him being uncharacteristically called away from a meeting, and if you follow, can see an event where he meets with his foreign lover for a small chat and a furtive kiss.

At this point an event occurs where another council member offers to aid (DA4group) financially or politically if they can get dirt on Dorian. You're lead down a series of espionage missions where you copy the communication crystal, and can either aid Dorian by re-tuning it to crush the other council member, netting you a series of side-quests lead by DAI Inky to disrupt more blood mages outside Tevinter, or you can hand over the communication crystal to Dorian's rival, and have an instant massive boost in faction points towards Tevinter Imperium/ who-the-fuck ever, cause let's face it it's the edgelord choice you gotta put in the game for people who insist on wanting to play shitty-evil person, ‘because reasons’.

[daihell]

Elden’s twin sister Dez eventually gets sick of staying on the sidelines so she takes whatever mages and templars want out of the Ostwick Circle and leaves to join the Inquisition. 

When Dez arrived at Skyhold, she was only thinking of getting the mages under her care to safety and then ensuring her brother was still alive and in good health. Once all that was taken care of, she had half a mind to kick Elden’s ass. It wasn’t his fault she’d been informed of his death on two separate occasions only for him to show up again miraculously alive and with a new title, but she figured she had the right to be frustrated what with him for getting himself into these situations. Skyhold was much more defensible than Haven so hopefully things would be better now.

Thankfully, there were mages among the soldiers that welcomed them at the gate. Dez had heard that the Inquisition’s commander was an ex-templar and, despite being one herself, she couldn’t help but be suspicious. She trusted Elden, yes, but who knows how much control he actually had here. But upon first glance, she didn’t see anything that raised any red flags so she released the mages and templars from her charge.

“Dez!”

She turned to see Elden hurrying down the stairs towards her and she couldn’t help but grin. True she hadn’t seen him in years, but he was bigger than she remembered. He had a healthy glow about him as well and he was grinning ear to ear. Elden laughed as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

“It’s good to see you,” Dez said when they drew apart, giving him a solid pat on the arm that jolted him a bit more than intended.

“I’m so glad you game,” Elden said.

A flurry of introductions followed as Elden led her all over Skyhold. She made sure she paid close attention to Dorian when they came across him, given how often Elden mentioned him in his letters. He seemed much too flippant of their situation which she disapproved of, but at least his eyes were soft when looking at Elden.

And then Elden introduced her to his advisors. As soon as she entered the room and laid eyes on the woman who was introduced as Josephine, she was transfixed. Josephine was the most beautiful woman Dez had ever seen. She was elegant and graceful and suddenly Dez couldn’t breathe. She had difficulty speaking, but thankfully only appeared as more stoic than usual by the time the introductions wrapped up. She led the way back outside through the huge doors of the keep, out into the cool air and just tried to breathe again.

“They’ve been a big help,” Elden was explaining and she tried to listen. “But I’m sorry, you’ve had a long trip, would you like me to show you to your room?”

“What I’d like,” Dez said, “Is to go for a very long run. The real question is, can the Inquisitor keep up?”

Elden grinned at her and suddenly it felt like they were kids again. “I’ll leave you behind in the dust, and when I do you’ll never be allowed to call me Inquisitor again.”

“And what if I win?” Dez asked.

“You won’t!”

Elden was already running.

-

“You didn’t tell me you’ve been running on these trails for so long,” Dez said. They were both breathing heavily, sitting beside a stream. She’d lost, but at least the view was pretty up here. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the outside world after being stuck in the Circle for so long. “We’re gonna have to duel later so I can win back some of my pride.”

“Hey, this is the only thing I’ve ever been able to beat you at, let me have this.”

They sat in silence for a time before Elden finally said, “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Yeah. Sounds like you’ve been through a lot,” Dez said. She’d never been very good at this sort of thing.

“I’ll tell you about it later,” Elden said, voice soft, but he was turned away slightly looking out over a frozen lake and Dez couldn’t see his face.

“Okay then,” Dez said. “How about you tell me more about your advisors? Like Josephine?”

He looked back at her, eyes wide, and then suddenly he broke out into a huge, knowing grin that she did not like at all. “Of course! She’s really pretty, isn’t she?”

“I’ve changed my mind,” Dez said, standing up and turning as if to walk away. She must have been more obvious than she’d hoped.

“Oh come on,” Elden said, scrambling up after her. “She’s really nice!”

“And if you say anything to her about me I’ll have to go and have a chat with that mage you’ve been fawning over.”

“What?” Elden spluttered, nearly tripping in his surprise.

“Oh come on,” Dez said, smiling back at him as they made their way back down the mountain. “You’ve practically been singing his praises is all the letters you’ve been sending me. And I saw how your face lights up when you look at him.”

“He’s a friend,” Elden said weakly.

“Look,” Dez said, “I’ll talk to Josephine if you promise to talk to Dorian. None of this pining for years like you did over that other guy.”

“I have,” Elden said defensively. “And I’m not fourteen anymore.”

Dez finally stopped and turned around, studying Elden. No, he wasn’t a kid anymore. He looked tired, heavy bags under his eyes evidence of the immense strain he was under. Still, he stood taller than she’d ever seen him. He was so strong and she’d heard stories of the things he’d done for the Inquisition. He was their leader after all.

“No, you’re not,” she said after a moment. “You’ve done good. I’m proud of you.” She didn’t really know what else to say, so she smacked him on the shoulder, hoping he’d get the message. Luckily he was smiling again. “Come on, I’ll race you back down.”

[trulycertain]

Rumours

A revised and improved rewrite of “Answers.” 1.8k. In which these two finally sort things out. Only took them 24k. Blech, kissing.

Gal doesn’t know what changes things, in the end.

It could be what happened in Redcliffe. I’m not subtle at all, he remembers saying. It was holding out a hand, or the nearest thing. The look Dorian gave him - surprise and something else mixed in with it. Like someone shown everything they wanted, but too afraid to take it. If Dorian hadn’t just poured out his heart and still been shaking from Redcliffe, Gal might’ve - might’ve -

He shouldn’t be thinking of kissing their best Tevinter asset in the Imperial History section. Definitely shouldn’t be thinking of saying, I told you. Brave, and watching that startled joy dawn on Dorian’s face again. He should be studying plans for the Emprise. He should be…

Fuck.

They know where they stand. He’s tired of pretending otherwise. He thinks Dorian might be, too. He remembers that look again, and the others he’s caught; remembers Dorian looking at him like he wasn’t seeing the Herald or the Inquisitor or Lord Trevelyan but… Gal. A man who didn’t just matter because of the Anchor, and mattered to him.

All Gal knows is that there’s a good, brave man who makes him laugh and who’s barely left his side, who sits and debates magical philosophy with him and answers all his stupidest questions like they’re not stupid at all. Who asks him if he’s all right after missions, and tries to get a laugh out of him when they’re both exhausted and in pain, and swears at the cold but treks through the Emprise and the Approach with him anyway. Who spars with him and buys him drinks after kicking his arse and thanks him for the fight, and who trusts him, and who has a mind that’s sharp and brilliant and… fucking gorgeous. A man who wants him, for some reason. A man he wants in return.

He didn’t plan it. He doesn’t know where he’s going until he’s climbing up the stairs to the library, and then – and then he hears the Revered Mother from the Crossroads.

He catches the end of it, and she’s haranguing Dorian, talking about rumours and Dorian’s presence here. He remembers this from his Chantry days. He knows what it looks like when someone goes for the throat. Usually it’s directed at him, but now it’s...

He wouldn’t just leave it if it was anyone else. Couldn’t. When it’s Dorian -

The anger takes over then, bright and burning. His mouth’s running before he can help it, same as when he was in the Chantry and he’d get clipped round the ear by some brother or knight-lieutenant, but he can’t help himself.

And after he’s chased her off by asking her to clarify the rumours about this “undue influence” over him - if someone’s in Chantry robes there’s a good chance they’re a coward, and she’s not much different - his heart is sinking, even with Dorian’s brightness at being insulted and the attempts to laugh it off. He can see Dorian watching him and pretending not to. He wonders if he’s said too much, or showed it. The answer’s probably yes.

He takes a step towards the stairs, and Dorian says quietly, “I don’t know if you’re aware, but the assumption in some corners is that we’re... intimate.” Dorian sounds nervous, almost pained.

No wonder, if they’re going to carry on like this. Half their friends want to know what’s happening and when it started. Even the messengers have been sniggering behind their hands. But this is Dorian - he’s done more for the Inquisition than most can dream of, or Gal wouldn’t have stayed to chase away Giselle. Or felt like this.

Maybe he should care what they think. He doesn’t. He can’t when he’s sitting in the library talking bollocks about Orlesian history with Dorian listening patiently and offering suggestions, or when Dorian’s picking him up off the ground and checking him over, or when Dorian smiles at him. Nothing about this is wrong.

He turns. “Is that such a bad assumption for them to have?”

Dorian cocks his head, and the unruffled noble mask slips. There’s surprise in his face under it all, and something else. “I don’t know. Is it?” Like he’s genuinely wondering.

Gal sighs. “Do you always answer a question with a question?”

“Would you like me to answer in some other fashion?” There’s a smile creeping onto Dorian’s face as he draws closer, and the fear’s gone. He looks Gal up and down like it’s nothing, and then gives Gal that look from under his lashes. Gal remembers it from that first day they were in Haven. Remembers his heart pounding in his chest and his throat going dry. (Because there were people calling him Herald and the sky was falling. No time, no time, but fuck, everything in him was thinking if only.)

Gal knows a challenge when he hears one. Or an invitation. He can feel himself smiling, because he knows where this is going. He keeps his chin high as he says, “If you’re capable.”

It turns out he was wrong. He expected some wry mention of what’s between them, maybe an admission. Words and shields, or a joke.

He didn’t expect Dorian to kiss him.

Bad idea, Dorian thinks to himself. Very bad idea. He should care, really, but the thought’s distant as he closes the space between them and presses his mouth to Gal’s. He keeps it gentle, offering rather than taking, but he feels the sharp inhale of surprise, the way Gal tenses. He wonders if he’s made a miscalculation -

Then the Herald of Andraste, the Inquisitor, a man who should by no means be kissing back… kisses back.

Gal leans into him and responds, taking a breath and then fitting their mouths together more firmly, and what started as a question becomes a certain, Yes. He half-expected a claiming thing, a rush forward or more of that fearlessness Gal shows on the battlefield. He didn’t expect a slow slide, testing and… patient, that nearly takes the knees out from under him. That was always his job: making them want more, making sure they couldn’t forget even if they wanted to.

They separate a trifle unsteadily, in Gal’s case, and Gal murmurs something that sounds like, “Oh.”

As if even he’s surprised, when this is his fault, after all. As if the months of questions and teasing and all the nearly-saids haven’t been this; as if every moment since that bloody Redcliffe Chantry hasn’t been this. This that Dorian’s spent nearly every dark, solitary moment trying not to imagine since he sat in Gal’s tent and tucked a cloak around the not-yet-conscious not-yet-Inquisitor, the man who shouldn’t have lived but had. The strangest of miracles, perhaps, and yet this feels even more unlikely.

Oh indeed.

There’s a flush in Gal’s cheeks beneath the lines of ink, and his eyes are dark. For a moment they simply stare at each other, trying to breathe.

Dorian wants nothing more than to drag him back and kiss him again. Doing it once wasn’t nearly enough. He’s not sure any number would be, but just once would be a tragedy, a waste of Inquisition resources. He waits for We shouldn’t have done that, or You just don’t understand the position I’m in, or -

And then Gal’s kissing him again. As if unable to bear the thought of letting this end, even for air. He feels a calloused hand touch his face, and Gal rubs a thumb over the line of his jaw, slowly lifts his chin to deepen the kiss. That slow tenderness is so good that it’s almost frightening. Gal kisses like a man who’s devoted years to it, and been a very, very good student. Like someone who’s savouring it, savouring him. He’s halfway between wanting this to go on forever and abandoning all dignity to ask if he can drag Gal to his quarters.

They wouldn’t understand. You’d let some soporati brute paw at you? they’d say back home, and he doesn’t know how to explain that he never expected this and he’d never considered...

He doesn’t expect the touch of Gal’s other hand at his waist, still a little hesitant. Neither does he expect to take that hand and press it there, firmly, pointedly, ignoring the hum of the Mark. He feels Gal smile – quick and surprised, like a man disbelieving of his own luck- and that’s what does it.

He steps forwards and slides an arm round Gal’s waist to ease him closer, and the fearsome Inquisitor, slayer of red templars and demons, goes gladly, touching a kiss to the corner of his mouth, nose brushing his. Just for a moment, he lets himself forget the library and the Inquisition and the end of the world. He tries not to grin at the scrape of stubble, finally tastes that line of ink on Gal’s lower lip that’s threatened to drive him mad, fits himself against that broad warrior’s body, and lets himself answer Gal’s question.

Maker, it feels even better than he hoped.

Gal makes himself step back to breathe, and Dorian beams at him.

Dorian’s dark-eyed and flushed, though he’s hiding it well. Must be a Tevinter Game thing; other than after fights, it’s the least guarded Gal’s ever seen him. Gal remembers spending years learning this: how to touch someone and say I want you. So much easier than words, sometimes. Good to know he hasn’t lost it, especially when it’s someone he does want. Very much.

Dorian scoffs, and Gal wonders if it’s to cover the breathlessness. “’If you’re capable.’ The nonsense you speak.”

Gal can’t stop himself. “You do realise this makes the rumours somewhat true?” He knows he has to be grinning like an idiot.

Dorian laughs, still with his hand trailing across Gal’s arm, and looks away, bows his head slightly like he’s surprised by the honesty of the sound. Gal could look at him like this forever. Then Dorian steps back, putting room between them and looking over his shoulder. Gal looks too: there are only a couple of apprentices in the library, far enough away that they probably didn’t see anything.

“Evidently,” Dorian says, voice low. He gives Gal a look worthy of a desire demon and says, “We’ll have to explore the full extent of those rumours later. In private.”

And part of Gal wants to say My quarters are just across the way and I could do with some company, but the saner part of him is content. “Couldn’t agree more.” He heads past Dorian, their shoulders brushing, and to the stairs. He’s a couple of steps down when he looks back, just once.

Dorian’s browsing a bookshelf, but there’s still a smile on his face. It’s small, secret, different from the one he wears when he’s expecting an audience.

Gal tries to look stern and like a decent Inquisitor on the way downstairs, but Solas blinks at him in surprise when he walks past. He probably looks Fade-touched instead. He couldn’t care less.

Inquisitor Trevelyan has paperwork to do and drills to help prepare. Gal is practically skipping there.

[dgcatanisiri]

I wanna be a billionaire so I can throw money at BiowareEA and tell them to rewrite and remake Inquisition so it's not awful

Ditto and same.

Like, there are some really GOOD ideas in Inquisition. But between not exploring them enough and being... VERY white privilege imperialistic about some really delicate details, trying to do so much at once... Yeah, there’s just way too much HAPPENING here to give the thoughts and ideas going on here their due.

Like... The Breach and Corypheus, the Mage-Templar War, the Orlesian Civil War, and Solas are the major plot points that everything comes down to (Yes, I’m cutting out the Wardens - the demon army counts for the Corypheus plot and the Wardens could literally be any random doomsday cult). So instead of doing EVERYTHING, pick two, my vote being the two separate wars waging at the same time.

The Mage-Templar War has been building and building since Origins. This was an inevitability we were always going to have to deal with. You cannot lock people away in prisons for their entire lives and not expect that to blow up. This was where DA2 hinged its major endgame plot points on, it needed follow up. Instead, it’s almost entirely offscreen, barring the skirmish between extremists that supposedly both sides had washed their hands off when we first go to the Hinterlands, and gets superseded by ‘hey Tevinter/hey Envy demon, and oh look, the side you didn’t go to is now working for the big bad.’ 

Like... What was even the POINT of all this, if the end result is such a non-event? The Mage-Templar War began because of systematic problems that need to be addressed. The biggest challenge here is how this is something that could literally change the landscape of Thedas, and the practical reality element of resolving it and still continuing this universe kicks in.

Which is easily solved by NOT having us play the Inquisitor - instead of being the Admiral, make our PC the Captain. Instead of Starfleet Command, we’re Captain Kirk. Hell, make that our background variations - depending on class, maybe, we take on the role of a different adviser, maybe, where we’re in a position where we get a voice, but the leaders are still making the final decision, and there are other advisers giving other opinions. We can push things in different directions, but we don’t get the final say. Make “the Inquisitor” a character who is not there to fight directly. 

It’s imperfect but... Like, this is the problem with writing an ongoing universe, the toys have to go back on the shelf in a certain order or we’ll never get a continuation. And yeah, people complained how Hawke was pulled along by fate, not changing anything, but REALISTICALLY, a player can only change so much about the setting. Try to do too much and your hands get tied as that setting continues. We saw that in Mass Effect, there’s a reason that Shepard didn’t get to decide how to reshape the entire galaxy until the end of the trilogy, when the story was being wrapped up.

It’s why the characters NEED to be the most important part of the storytelling, Which, again, is what makes Inquisition fail so much. The characters are almost all static, there to voice views and opinions without budging. Nothing you say or do causes Cassandra to question the Chantry’s attitudes more than she does - she never addresses how they wrong the non-faithful. Sera is a prankster set against the nobility er, the Dalish, for some reason. Vivienne is hitching her star to the rising Inquisition to ensure that she can retain her position and power, Dorian makes no advances towards redeeming Tevinter... These characters are all just THERE, you’re only seeing different sides of them, not seeing them grow and evolve over time. Even the characters who go through major events, we don’t see the result - Bull has the choice between the Chargers and the Qun, we don’t get any follow up outside of the immediate reaction. Cole becomes more spirit like or more human like, and while we get a follow up conversation where he effectively blurts out that’s he’s different, we don’t actually get to see how this plays out within the game’s structure.

Which is just bizarre, considering that characters are usually the HEART of BioWare writing. I swear, I know I joke that Inquisition is a first draft accidentally released as the final, but it’s things like this that really do make it seem like this is no joke, this is really how it happened.

And it’s why I say that Trespasser is Inquisition’s missing third act. It was no epilogue, it was vital to the story. THIS is where the various Chekov’s guns that have been placed start firing. This is where there’s pay off for the characterizations and arcs. Hell, it was important for the Inquisitor, to this idea of deconstructing the Chosen One narrative - I’ve criticized that Inquisition plays straight elements that were deconstructed in prior games, and it’s because all of the deconstruction happens in Trespasser, not the base game. Solas reveals how much of an accident the Inquisitor really was, that he was the real threat the whole time, that he was using the Inquisitor, manipulating them the whole way through - sure, the players get that after the base game’s credits roll, but the character gets none of that, because it has no effect, it’s not something that the character knows.

THIS NEEDED TO BE IN THE GAME PROPER. Like, whatever else there is to say about the DLC model, your game and your story should ALWAYS be complete without needing the player to pay for more. DLC should be where you explore elements you couldn’t fit into the base game or were too much of a pull away from the main story. If it recontextualizes everything that’s come in the whole game, that is something that NEEDS to be in your base game. 

Just... You know, go back to the drawing board, put everything back where it was before Inquisition, and let’s try this over again, take it from the top, because for everything that went right for Inquisition, three more went wrong.

And yet it was ANDROMEDA that was considered bad storytelling and got DLC dropped? At least Andromeda resolved its main plot in the base game from the beginning... #StillBitter

[cedarmoons]

une nuit au jardin

@kauriart || cullen and solas (aka lionwolf aka eggnoodle), halamshiral. same verse as this. needed cullen practice, for reasons. rating: t; contains depictions of sexual harassment

Were it not for the possibility of Corypheus using the country as a foothold to increase his power in Thedas, Cullen would be more than happy to throw Orlais to the wolves, come what may. He’d found himself a secluded part of the ballroom, hoping that the shadows would keep him relatively hidden, but all he’d done was trap himself in with these—these strangers. Strangers who will not leave him alone.

Were it not for Leliana and Josephine specifically pulling him aside, lecturing them both on the alleged importance of this Orlesian Game, Cullen would’ve pushed through them and walked away long ago. But the Inquisitor had told him to stay here, since this is where he’d see the signal, so stay here he would, praying that the signal comes sooner rather than later.

Even if he had to put up with his… admirers, he thinks, is a rather loose term. He prefers “harassers” himself. Maybe even “stalkers.” Where he goes, they follow, no matter how much he wishes they’d just leave him be.

He spots Solas watching them from across the ballroom. Though he does not wear the regalia of an Inquisition uniform, his retainer’s outfit is of black velvet with gilded accents at his throat and wrists, status symbols. Despite the richness of his clothes, none of the nobles even look twice at him; Cullen even sees one man snap his fingers at Solas, who turns and regards him stonily.

In his distraction, someone lowers their hand to his rear end and squeezes rather hard. Cullen jumps, turning immediately to the perpetrator, a man with an owl masked whose eyes do not betray the least bit of shame. Cullen feels his cheeks heat, despite himself, and he cannot keep his incredulity from his tone when he asks, “Did you just—touch my bottom?”

The man lifts a shoulder in a lazy-half shrug. “I am a weak man,” he says. His owl mask covers his mouth, so Cullen can hear but not see his smug smile. Cullen shifts away, pressing his back against the wall behind him, and the group titters as one.

“It is a compliment, Commander,” one masked woman coos, fluttering her fan. “Do not take it so seriously. You are far too pretty to be so dour.”

A budding migraine throbs behind his eyes, and he itches for lyrium, fingers twitching behind his back. This had been a good night—his sweating and delirium had been minimal, and he had had no headache. These people are quickly ruining it, though he would prefer the lyrium aches right now to spending another moment in their presence.

“You should smile, Commander,” another woman suggests. “You are so handsome when you smile.”

Cullen clenches his jaw, biting back a retort even as his embarrassment rises hot in his neck and cheeks. He clenches his fists behind his back, biting back the urge to tell these people what he really thought of them and their Maker-damned Game.

He glances up to see Solas watching them again, and his eyes are not good enough to see Solas’s expression. But a moment later, Solas starts moving, rounding the corner and walking toward them, and hope lifts his spirits.

Thank the Maker, he thinks. Finally, the Inquisitor is ready to act, and they can leave this cursed place once and for all.

Fingers brushing against his lower back distract him again. Cullen jerks away, provoking another round of soft, condescending laughter, and the same man who’d groped him has his hands on his hips, ankles crossed in some ridiculous pose. “I would be most interested to hear of your time in Kirkwall, Commander,” he says.

Maker’s breath. He sounds sincere.

Cullen forces himself to smile, even as he leans away and clears his throat. “A—Another time, perhaps.”

“Commander Cullen,” Solas calls. The crowd does not part for him, but they do for Cullen when he steps toward Solas, and Solas inclines his head.

“Does the Inquisitor wish to speak with me?” Cullen asks. Solas nods, regarding the crowd surrounding them, grey eyes narrowed.

“Must you take him from us, rabbit?” one complains, and Cullen half-turns, ready to give these Orlesians a piece of his mind, but Solas speaks before he can.

“I am but the humble manservant of the Inquisitor, Madame. He has ordered me to bring Commander Cullen to him. Now, if you could follow me, Commander. Ladies, gentlemen, please enjoy the remainder of this night.” He bows to the crowd, a shallow dip at the waist; Cullen knows from Josephine’s mandatory lessons that those types of bows were only for social inferiors, and almost always taken as a grave insult if one’s social superiors are on the receiving end. 

Cullen had thought the lesson ridiculous, but Solas, apparently, had taken it to heart. The women gasp and flutter their fans, and the men mutter about impertinence. Still, there is nothing they can do, and Cullen is very glad about that.

Solas turns and walks away without another word, and Cullen follows him gladly. As they leave the throng of people, he hears one woman call out, “Return to us soon, Commander!”

Not bloody likely, Cullen thinks, unable to stop his scowl now that his back is turned.

Though he does not see the Inquisitor, Solas does not pause until they reach the gardens. “Where is the Inquisitor?” Cullen finally asks, once they enter into a trellis covered with flowering vines, its walkway lined with roses. Only then does Solas stop and turn to face him.

“The Inquisitor did not ask me to bring you to him,” Solas asks. “I simply thought you might be happier separated from those people. There is a quiet spot I know nearby, if you would like to collect your thoughts before returning to the ballroom.”

Cullen stills, taken aback. “I—thank you,” he says, voice rougher than he’d anticipated. “But I should be waiting for the Inquisitor’s signal inside. I cannot miss it because of… mere discomfort.”

“Cullen,” Solas says. “Sera and Varric are investigating the servants’ quarters. We are to distract the court until their investigation concludes. We have ample time before we will move against those who plot against Celene.” His expression darkens. “And please, do not dismiss your own well-being. You did not seem to be merely discomfited.”

Cullen cannot speak, so he nods, short and sharp. “I have been wanting to get some fresh air,” he says, dryly, and some of the fierceness leaves Solas’s eyes. He nods again and turns, continuing his walk, but Cullen cannot enjoy the gardens, lush and green in the height of summer. He instead can only focus on how the black velvet crushes between Solas’s shoulderblades, how the tunic accentuates the broadness of his shoulders. All things he’s noticed in passing, of course, but—

Maker. He looks away, embarrassed by his own conduct, by the fact he is ogling Solas outright, no better than the Orlesians inside the palace. They stop walking in a small, secluded corner of the garden, where a chessboard made of marble stands, its pieces already set up. A small fountain is behind the chessboard, its water a soft trickle that fills the stillness of the night, and near the fountain is a bench, situated under a flowering tree.

Cullen’s eyebrows raise. Before he can speak, however, Solas touches his arm again. “I will see if the Inquisitor can find time to dance with Dorian. That should be enough distraction for the court for you to return safely.”

“Will you return?” Cullen asks, and Solas’s expression softens.

“Do you want me to?” he asks.

“If possible.” He glances at the chessboard. “I’m assuming that isn’t a coincidence.”

Solas laughs, loud and unabashed, some roughness in his voice making it huskier than normal. “No,” he agrees, smiling. “I quite enjoy our matches.”

“In that case, I will be waiting. And if you could tell any soldiers where I’ll be, I would appreciate it,” says Cullen. Solas nods, smiling, and with one last warm look turns away and leaves the secluded garden. Cullen waits until he is out of sight before sitting down with a heavy sigh. He runs a gloved hand over his face, though his mouth is dry, his lyrium craving stronger than before. He had the box in his room, just in case, always just in case, but he knows his weakness far too well.

Cullen presses his fingers into his eyes, though the pressure does not alleviate his migraine. At least the air is fresher than the stale heat of the Palace. And here, he will not have to deal with those—people.

He does not look up until he hears light footsteps on the path. When he does lift his head, blinking black spots from his eyes, he sees Solas, who tilts his head, his eyes pale blue in the moonlight. “Are you well?” he asks.

“Just a headache,” Cullen mutters. “It’ll pass.”

Solas’s brow creases. “The Inquisitor is currently dancing with Dorian; the court should be distracted enough that you are able to return to the ballroom. Leliana has told me she will stay by your side.” He pauses. “Unless… your offer of a match still stands.”

Cullen nods, gesturing toward the empty seat across from him. But Solas does not sit. He steps closer, one hand tucked behind him, and the other resting at his side. “May I ease your migraine?” he asks. Cullen blinks up at him.

“It’s not,” he starts. “It’s not that pressing. I’ve dealt with far worse.”

It’s the wrong thing to say. Solas’s lips thin. “You should not have to,” he says, almost snappish. He sighs immediately afterward, his eyes closing a brief moment. “I apologize. My frustration is not with you.” He sits, steepling his fingers on his side of the board, and gestures to Cullen’s side. Cullen can hear faint strands of music from the palace, the notes soft and warbled as they pass through open windows and balcony doors. “Please.”

Cullen has noticed a consistency in Solas’s strategies—where Cullen seeks to outrun and outlast his opponent, Solas is far more subtle. He has no qualms about sacrificing his more powerful pieces to achieve his goals, and in so doing often forces Cullen to be on the defensive, which in turn prevents him from making any significant plays of his own. It is a gamble, but almost always a successful one.

It’s a long game, but eventually Solas wins, with a rook, a bishop, and a pawn he had exchanged for a Queen. Cullen had fared no better—Solas had left him with two pawns, both of his knights, and one bishop. “Well played,” says Cullen, reaching over the chessboard. Solas shakes his hand, and the warmth of him bleeds through the leather of Cullen’s glove.  

“Commander, ser!” Jim calls, his voice faint and far away. Cullen stands at once, calling back to Jim, and soon the scout has found them, red faced. “The Inquisitor has told me he has evidence of Florianne being Corypheus’s agent,” Jim tells him. “He has started another dance with her to delay her access to Celene, but will make a move against her the moment you arrive in the ballroom.”

“Understood,” says Cullen. “Dismissed.” Jim salutes and runs back the way he came. Cullen almost follows him, except Solas touches his wrist.

“I know a shorter way,” he says, nodding toward a set of closed doors, almost hidden away by shrubbery. It is a storage room, connected by servants’ passages. Just a few tunnels have them emerging near the ballroom, and they get there before Jim does.

“How did you know about the tunnels?” Cullen asks, and Solas only smiles. It seems, Cullen thinks, that Sera and Varric had not been the only ones doing some investigating.

As Jim had said, Adaar is dancing with Duchess Florianne again. They’re the only figures on the dance floor, and the music is slow, almost romantic in nature. Cullen cannot help his wince and looks up, seeing Dorian further down, holding a glass of wine and looking absolutely delighted.

“How romantic,” sighs someone they walk past. “Think of it—the Inquisitor and Florianne!”

“Don’t be an idiot,” scoffs another. “If you’re measuring how many times people have danced together as a sign of true love, he’s danced with that Magister four times.”

“Pah!” comes the reply.

Solas and Cullen join Dorian, who is leaning against the banister and watching his lover dance, an absolutely delighted smile on his face. He greets them with a toast, lifting his glass of wine and downing it in one swallow. A moment later, without even looking, he lifts another glass of wine from a passing servant’s tray. Solas does the same, though he thanks the servant quietly before sipping from his drink.

“Where have you been?” Dorian says, eyebrows raising. “You two were missed.”

“Not by you, I presume,” Solas retorts, to Dorian’s unabashed laughter. Cullen does not bother to dignify Dorian’s implication with a response and instead finds his soldiers, and tells them what is to be done the moment the dance is concluded. They salute and go to their positions.

The moment the dance is over, Cullen gives the order. Florianne is arrested, and Adaar, smiling, systematically reveals the evidence they’d gathered over the night. It is actually rather vindicating to watch, and almost makes the whole mess of Halamshiral worth it. Almost.

When Gaspard, Briala, Celene and the Inquisitor leave the room, only the latter three return. Dorian saunters off to congratulate his lover, leaving Solas and Cullen alone. Solas swirls his wine in a manner far too elegant for an apostate with no experience of court, but before Cullen can dwell on that inconsistency, Solas downs the rest of the wine and says, “Would you like a rematch?”

Cullen opens his mouth, ready to say no. Though he’d like a rematch, he needs to check in with his troops, with Leliana and Josephine; he needs to give out orders to prepare for the journey to Skyhold; he needs—

“Commander! Commander Cullen!”

Cullen looks over Solas’s shoulder and grimaces.

Maker’s breath. It’s an Orlesian woman, the one who’d told him to smile after he’d been groped. Cullen turns back to Solas at once and says, “Actually, that sounds like a wonderful idea. To work?”

Solas’s lips quirk up, and too late does Cullen realize he’d said to work, as if chess was a chore. Before he can stammer out an apology, Solas nods, carefully moving so that he is between Cullen and the woman trying to fight past the throngs of the Inquisitor’s admirers.

“To work,” Solas agrees, smiling.