#Templar!Cullen/Female Circle Mage

[minaakaajaa]

The eighth episode in my Let's Play: Dragon Age Origins Let's Play! In this episode we are heading to Lake Calenhad and the Circle of Magi.

[baddywronglegs]

It's coming up Dragon Age time!

I streamed the first three games in the series blind and will be picking up that worldstate for this playthrough and, as I did for all of them, will be putting my player character's background up to polls. More info under the cut.

Also Tumblr just hit an error and posted this instead of saving changes when I edited the draft. Thanks Tumblr such good design webbed site

The difference is the first three, most of the people responding had already played themselves while I knew nothing - especially Origins because I knew nothing about Dragon Age at all when I started that. Now though, I probably know as much as anyone about what's in store (barring spoiler avoidance).

So for Origins, I polled gender, race, class and background - or would have had the poll not chosen mage, so there was only one background option - 2 just gender and class and Inquisition gender, race and class.

Race and class are up again, gender is more complex in The Veilguard but because of its complexity I don't know if it'll affect anything. But background is back in the form of factions!

I'm going to avoid having the same race/class/faction combination as any of the companions, so if the winning combination matches one of them I'm going to take the most popular second-choice to not duplicate anyone - for example, if I get a human Shadow Dragon mage, I don't want to step on Neve's toes, but if Elf is a close second for race I'll switch to that and keep the other two winning choices.

Before the polls begin, here's the world my Rook will be trying to save:

My Warden was a female Elven mage, who romanced Leliana, brokered peace between the Dalish and Werewolves, destroyed the Anvil of the Void and saved the mages in the circle tower; Alistair Performed a Ritual with Morrigan so both survived, Alistair went on to be king, after which the warden worked with and spared the Architect.

Hawke was a female mage too, romancing Isabella - Carver's a Templar, Feynriel's in Tevinter, companions all survived on as good terms as they could

Inquisition it's back to being an Elf, still female, but a rogue now. She recruited the mages, re-united Celene and Briala, left Stroud in the Fade, recruited the Wardens, drank from the Well of Sorrows, got Bull excommunicated, Cole despirited, Blackwall put through his joining; Cullen stayed off the lyrium, Dorian told his father where to shove it, Cassandra rebuilt the Seekers, and with hardened Divine Leliana as her witness she disbanded the Inquisition to redeem Solas.

And I romanced Harding. But she deserves better than someone whose response to plotting chaos with Iron Bull is "all right, get it out of your system" so I suspect they've drifted apart by now on account of Harding being someone to knock out an assassin with someone else's beer so she clearly has more in her system where that came from.

[weaveandwood]

In Hushed Whispers

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

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

Angst

Read on AO3!

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

Dead. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dead. 

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

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

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

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

Dead, dead, dead. 

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

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

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

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

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

It was over. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

[gatesofminrathous]

DA Fic Master List

In the interest of trying to consolidate info on all of my Dragon Age fics in one place, I think it's time for a master list. Please note that my ao3 username is throneofthegods, not to be confused with the tumblr user of that name (just a coincidence because everyone loves that banger of a line).

Veilguard-Era

No Rest In This World

Relationship: Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook de Riva, Lucanis/Rook/Spite

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 156,276 (29/?) - Active, Work In Progress (last updated: July 1, 2025)

Tags: Post-Game, Antivan Crow Politics, Childhood Trauma, Family Drama, Angst, Established Relationship

“How does it feel?” said Illario. “How does what feel?” said Rook. “Being in his shadow.” --- When you’ve lived through the end of the world, how do you move on? A city saved, gods killed, an apocalypse averted, and the veil restored. As the survivors of Thedas struggle to pick up the pieces of a fallen world, the Antivan Crows are faced with an unusual contract from an unexpected source. But for Rook de Riva, moving forward is no small feat, especially when the Crows’ newest contract claws at the doors of a past long ignored. As the new First Talon struggles to find his place - and peace with the demon within - Rook and Lucanis must find a way to build a new life together from the ashes of the old. But quiet domesticity has never been easy for a Crow, and death - and the ghosts of the past - are always just around the corner.

---

You Only Feel It When It's Lost

Relationship: Emmrich Volkarin/Rook Ingellvar

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 2,598

Tags: Regret, Hurt No Comfort, Grief/Mourning, Lich Emmrich Volkarin

He has not drawn breath in more than half a century. He does not remember how. And yet, still, he feels a pang where once a beating heart thrummed beneath his deathless bones. It is not the first time he feels this pain, but it is the last. --- Immortality is a heavy burden to bear alone. When the last of the Veilguard passes on, Emmrich stands alone and questions if the price of lichdom was worth it.

Inquisition Era

Where Shall I Begin?

Relationship: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 69,360 (27/?) - On Hiatus

Tags: Epistolary, Letters, Lyrium Addiction, Slow Burn, Mage Inquisitor, Friends to Lovers, Multi POV

For Cullen, the Inquisition was a chance to atone, to make peace with a Templar's regrets. For Evelyn, it was the chance to live a life free of the Circle's restraints and to reunite with the Templar brother she has not seen in twenty long years. But even in the midst of chaos that follows, there are always quiet moments. Letters from a brother to a sister, separated by time and circumstance. Notes passed between friends, reveling in the gossip that surrounds a burgeoning hero. Strange figures met on the road...and sometimes closer to home. And the friendships and love that grows between the unlikeliest pairs. This is the story of the Inquisition as told through the letters of its people. And the story of a former Circle mage and ex-Templar who, despite it all, find hope - and the chance at a future - in one another.

Nothing He Wrought Shall Be Lost

Relationship: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 5,292

Tags: Family Reunions, Fluff, First Meetings, Post-Inquistion

Thirteen years after entering Kinloch Hold and three months after the fall of Corypheus, Cullen Rutherford and Evelyn Trevelyan make a visit a long time coming, and Cullen is forced to reckon with the question haunting him for the past decade: just how unconditional is a family's love?

[celestialastronmy]

"Cullen Rutherford: Redemption Arc or PR Stunt?"

(Disclaimer I'm OK with Cullen. I just needed to slander him )

OH BOY, let me tell you about Cullen "I've Seen The Light" Rutherford, everyone's favorite problematic templar-turned-commander who somehow failed upward into one of the most powerful military positions in Thedas. Don't get me wrong—I GET why people love him. He's got that whole tortured golden boy thing going on, and his character design is basically "what if trauma was hot?" But let's talk about the MASSIVE narrative blindspot that is his redemption arc.

First of all, let's address the nug in the room: this man was literally part of a system that imprisoned and abused mages. And not just ANY part—he was actively complicit in Kirkwall, aka Magic Prison But Make It Worse™. Yes, he had his own trauma from the Ferelden Circle (which, valid), but using that trauma to justify participating in further oppression? That's gonna be a yikes from me, dawg.

But HERE'S where it gets really spicy: the way his redemption arc is structured is basically "Trauma Processing: The Ladies Edition." If you romance him? Congratulations! You're now his unofficial therapist AND girlfriend! The Inquisitor—particularly a female one(only elf or human bonus points if a mage)—becomes this weird combination of emotional support and validation dispenser. She has to carefully navigate his lyrium withdrawal, his past trauma, AND his current authority position, all while he... continues to be the commander of one of the most powerful military forces in Thedas? Make it make sense!

And can we talk about how his "redemption" never actually requires him to give up any real power? He goes from being a templar (power over mages) to being the commander of the Inquisition (power over... basically everyone). Where's the sacrifice? Where's the ACTUAL accountability? He gets to keep his sword and his status while everyone else does the emotional heavy lifting of helping him process his guilt. It's like he's playing redemption arc on easy mode with cheat codes enabled.

The writing treats his withdrawal from lyrium as this massive act of personal growth—and don't get me wrong, addiction recovery is HUGE. But it's wild how the narrative frames this personal health choice as somehow equivalent to addressing the systemic harm he participated in. It's giving "I stopped being actively terrible so now I'm automatically good" energy.

The most frustrating part? There's actually a really interesting story buried in here about power, accountability, and genuine redemption. But instead of diving deep into the messy reality of what it means to truly atone for participating in systemic oppression, we get... broody looks and chess metaphors. CHESS METAPHORS, people! Because apparently nothing says "I'm processing my role in magical fascism" like moving some pawns around.

Don't even get me STARTED on how the game treats his past actions as primarily a source of personal angst rather than, you know, actual harm that affected real people. His guilt becomes this weird form of character development currency that he gets to spend on being perceived as reformed without doing the actual work of material reparations.

Listen, I'm not saying Cullen is irredeemable. But his arc is basically "What if we took this man who participated in magical oppression and made him feel really bad about it... while still letting him keep all his institutional power and outsourcing all the emotional processing to the women around him?" It's the redemption arc equivalent of putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg and calling it healing.

And yes, I know someone's going to come at me with "but he changed!" Did he though? Or did he just switch from enforcing one power structure to enforcing another, while looking very handsome and troubled about it? Because from where I'm standing, it looks less like actual redemption and more like a really well-marketed rebrand.

The worst part? This is a missed opportunity to tell a story about ACTUAL accountability and transformation. Instead, we got "Hot Guy Feels Bad: The Adventure." Don't get me wrong—I still end up slightly tolerating him in every playthrough because the game basically requires it, but I'm not going to pretend this isn't some of the most privileged character development I've seen in modern gaming.

In conclusion: Cullen's redemption arc is basically what happens when you try to address systemic injustice with personal growth narratives and a really good haircut. It's giving "I've changed (but will face no real consequences and maintain all my institutional power while women do the emotional work of validating my growth)" realness. And that's the tea. Thank you for coming to my TED talk about problematic favs and the power structures they maintain.

(Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go replay Inquisition while aggressively side-eyeing every scene where someone has to process Cullen's feelings for him.)

[daitranscripts]

Cullen Conversation: Investigate

I Want To Know More About You

Cullen Masterpost

Only available after Perseverance

PC: May I ask you something?

Cullen (romanced): Always. Cullen (not romanced): Of course.

1 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: What will you do next? [2]

Investigate (Cullen continued lyrium): Are you against templars now? [3]

Investigate (Cullen did not continue lyrium): Are you against templars now? [4]

Investigate: What is it you regret? [5]

Investigate: Is your family all right? [6]

Investigate (male mage HoF): You knew the Hero of Ferelden? [7]

Investigate (female mage HoF): You knew the Hero of Ferelden? [8]

General: That was all. [9]

2 - Investigate: What will you do next? PC: The Inquisition won’t last forever. What will you do when this is over?

Cullen (romanced): If we are together, it hardly matters. Cullen (taking lyrium): I am bound to the Inquisition. I will serve until I am no longer needed. Cullen (not romanced, not taking lyrium): To be honest, I hadn’t given it much thought until recently. I’m not used to having so many… possibilities. [back to 1]

3 - Investigate: Are you against templars now? PC: You nearly gave up lyrium, your powers—all of it. Do you no longer think templars necessary?

Cullen (templar PC): I’ve cast no judgement on you, if that’s what you mean. Cullen (non-templar PC): That’s not—no, I don’t believe that.

Cullen: Magic ungoverned could tear the world apart. It’s doing so now. Templars are trained and able to confront such dangers.

Dialogue options:

Special: What’s the answer, then? [10]

[Back to 1]

10 - Special: What’s the answer, then? PC: What would you suggest? Cullen: Some call the Circle a prison—that can only breed resentment. Perhaps opportunities to work outside the Circle? A mixed military service, or healers’ clinics with templar support. Templars could remain vigilant, but it would feel less confined. [12]

4 - Investigate: Are you against templars now? PC: Do you think templars should cease to exist?

Cullen (templar PC): No. I may have left that life, but I know the good they do—and what you could accomplish. Cullen (non-templar PC): No. I may have chosen to leave that life, but I respect those who remain.

Cullen: Magic ungoverned could tear the world apart. It’s doing so now. Templars are trained and able to confront such dangers.

Dialogue options:

Special: What’s the answer, then? [11]

[Back to 1]

11 - Special: What’s the answer, then? PC: What would you suggest? Cullen: Some call the Circle a prison—that can only breed resentment. Perhaps opportunities to work outside the Circle? A mixed military service, or healers’ clinics with templar support. [12]

12 - Dialogue options:

Templar: I’ll lose my mind? [13]

General: Would your idea work? [14]

General: That’s not a bad idea. [15]

General: The Circles can still work. [16]

General: We don’t need templars at all. [17]

13 - Templar: I’ll lose my mind? PC: I’m going to lose my memories? Cullen: It’s possible. If you take lyrium for the rest of your life. I’ve seen it happen—mostly in older templars. They start to forget. Small things at first—a misplaced item, words to a song—but more fades away over time. I’m sorry, I… thought you knew.

Dialogue options:

Flirt (romanced): Would I forget you? [18]

[Back to 1]

18 - Flirt: Would I forget you? PC: Older templars… do they ever forget people? Loved ones? Cullen: I don’t know. Perhaps. PC: Oh.

14 - General: Would your idea work? PC: Do you think that could work? Would people accept it? Cullen: Mages would be watched, but could pursue interests outside the Circle—neither freedom nor prison. I don’t know. [back to 1]

15 - General: That’s not a bad idea. PC: I like the sound of that. Cullen: I’m not sure it’s the answer, but something needs to change. [back to 1]

16 - General: The Circles can still work. PC: The Circles may have faltered, but they were not without merit. That system should be restored, not abandoned. Cullen: The Circle may bring peace for a time, if only because people crave stability. But how long would it last? [back to 1]

17 - General: We don’t need templars at all. PC: Mages can take care of themselves. We don’t need templars. Cullen: When faced with the Breach, you chose to trust them. Those threatened by the Venatori appreciate our templar recruits. After everything they’ve contributed, would you dismiss their efforts so easily? Cullen: Tell that to the parents of a child who falls prey to possession. Mages cannot handle such threats alone. [back to 1]

5 - Investigate: What is it you regret? PC: You still regret the man you became after leaving Ferelden? Cullen: After the Fereldan Circle, I thought all mages were like the ones there. Knight-Commander Meredith’s methods were harsh, but they kept people safe.

Dialogue options:

Special: Meredith was wrong. [19]

[Back to 1]

19 - Special: Meredith was wrong. PC: You’ve said Meredith was unstable. Cullen: She was my knight-commander. I had no reason to distrust her. She wasn’t wrong about the blood mages in Kirkwall. Meredith encouraged my anger towards the mages. But there was only so far I would go, and she knew that too. I was her second in command, but she kept decisions from me—those I would question. I believed she was serving the city. I never thought to question her. Not until it was too late.

Dialogue options:

General: It wasn’t your fault. [20]

General: I hope I’m a better leader. [21]

General: People died for that. [22]

20 - General: It wasn’t your fault. PC: You can’t control everything. You stood up to her in the end. Cullen: If I hadn’t, would I be like her now? I wanted mages locked away as much as she did. I trusted they were treated reasonably well, but I should have done more. I should have looked into it. It is not yet enough. ㅤㅤ ㅤ 21 - General: I hope I’m a better leader. PC: I hope you find the Inquisition’s leadership more agreeable. ㅤㅤ ㅤ Cullen (romanced): (Laughs.) Forgive my lack of professional decorum, but very much so. Cullen (not romanced): I am confident you will see us through to the end. ㅤㅤ ㅤ 22 - General: People died for that. PC: Your fear of mages blinded you. Lives were lost for that. Cullen: A truth that haunts me. It is not yet enough. ㅤㅤ ㅤ 23 - Scene continues. ㅤㅤ ㅤ Cullen: The Inquisition is my chance to atone. I will not see it fail. [back to 1]

6 - Investigate: Is your family all right? PC: You’ve mentioned siblings. With everything that’s happening… do you know if they’re all right? Cullen: I’ve received word from my eldest sister. She was always good at tracking me down. South Reach has experienced the same chaos as everywhere else–my family is fine. Pray they remain so.

Dialogue options:

Special: “Tracking you down”? [24]

24 - Special: “Tracking you down”? PC: Your sister “tracked you down”? She didn’t know where you were? Cullen: I let her know I was in Haven. She assumed I survived. It’s not the first time. I may have neglected to tell her when I was transferred to Kirkwall. PC: Why? Cullen: I wasn’t in a good state. I wanted only to leave. I received an angry letter about my “disappearance” two years later. For all her reprimands, it was a relief to hear from someone who knew me before the Blight. [back to 1]

7 - Investigate: You knew the Hero of Ferelden? PC: If you don’t mind my asking, the Hero of Ferelden was a Circle mage—Did you know [them]? Cullen: I attended his Harrowing, actually. He was a talented mage. Considering he brought an end to the Blight, that goes without saying. [back to 1]

8 - Investigate : You knew the Hero of Ferelden? PC: If you don’t mind my asking, the Hero of Ferelden was a Circle mage—Did you know [them]? Cullen: I attended her Harrowing, actually. She was a lovely woman. PC: “Lovely”?

Cullen (romanced): There was some… youthful infatuation on my part. A feeling I had forsaken until recently. Cullen (not romanced): There was some youthful infatuation on my part. I found her… compelling.

Dialogue options:

Special (romanced): Nothing happened? [25]

[Back to 1]

25 - Special: Nothing happened? PC: You never acted on it? Cullen: She was one of my charges. Even if she felt the same, it would have been… inappropriate. I saw her once after she became a Warden. She freed the Tower during the Blight. I would be dead or mad if not for her. I was in a sorry state when she found me. The things I said were… unkind. Untoward. I regret them now. I wish she knew that. [back to 1]

9- General: That was all. PC: That’s all I wanted to know.

Cullen: Another time then. Cullen: I’m sure you have other matters to attend. Cullen: Should you require anything, I’ll be here.

[mel-hath-no-fury]

Phantom (96237 words) by MelOnEarth

Chapters: 16/27 Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Inquisitor/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Lavellan/??? Characters: Solas (Dragon Age), Dorian Pavus, The Iron Bull (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras, Leliana (Dragon Age), Josephine Montilyet, Cassandra Pentaghast, Cullen Rutherford, Vivienne (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, retelling of Phantom of the Opera, Drama & Romance, No Corypheus, Love Triangles, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Crisis of Faith, hidden identity, Obsession, Devotion, author has a great love for dramatic irony; masks; and loving the monster

Summary: A ghost was behind the disaster at Skyhold. Following Divine Justinia's baffling decision to move the Conclave to a mysterious fortress in the Frostbacks, an accident involving a chandelier leaves the Chantry faithful on edge, whispering rumors of a ghost roaming the castle. Soon after, even stranger events begin to unfold, all surrounding a seemingly unremarkable dalish woman, whose reasons for attending the Conclave remain conspicuously secret. The Divine's inner circle searches for connections between these incidents and the Mage-Templar war. However, their resident elven apostate quickly realizes that there is more to both the Phantom and his protégé than meets the eye, and soon finds himself tangled in a tale of love and limerence spanning not only ages, but disparate planes of existence, all spun together by a relentless obsession that nearly tears the world apart by its seams in the sky.

---

A Dragon Age retelling of the Phantom of the Opera, in which a young keeper Lavellan, doomed by the narrative, brushes with godhood while being haunted by more than one ghost of a distant past.

[br0nposts]

Cullen x Trevelyan - The Weight of Silence

Summary - Lady Trevelyan wasn’t at the Conclave when it was destroyed. Instead, she was on the frontlines of the mage rebellion, fighting alongside her fellow mages in Redcliffe after escaping the oppressive Circle in Kirkwall.

But now, whispers have spread of a young elf leading the Inquisition—and the mages are being called to join the cause.

Word count - 1K+

A/N - For all of those that prefer a Solavellan as the canon world state for that needed angst, but also hold a soft spot for Cullen. Instead of being the inquisitor, a female Trevelyan plays a smaller role that brings her close to Cullen, while Lavellan leads the charge. Basically lets have our cake and eat it too.

Cullen had been in Kirkwall only two days when he first noticed Lady Trevelyan.

He was seated in the front row of the Gallows’ chantry, waiting for service to begin. This in itself wasn’t an unusual occurrence; after all, it was common in most circles every Holy day. What was unusual, however, and certainly different from the Ferelden circle, was that the mages were not permitted to choose their seats.

Instead, each mage had been assigned a Templar to sit beside, forming neat little rows: Templar, mage, Templar, mage.

Cullen had been assigned to a skinny twelve-year-old who flinched every time he fidgeted in his armor. So much so that Cullen had shuffled his position a few times, just to watch the boy flinch again.

A year ago, he might have felt sorry for him. He might have tried to comfort him, perhaps even asked his name. But not now. Cullen knew what mages were capable of—even the young ones. He would never drop his guard again.

A stocky, serious-looking sister stepped to the front, and the service began. Prayers first, with Templars and mages murmuring together, though the Templars kept their eyes open. Next, the sister read from the Chant of Light, and Cullen nudged the boy every time his attention wandered. Finally, the choir began—thirteen mages filing to the front with their heads bowed. A lute began to play, and they started to sing.

She was one among many, yet her lilting voice seemed to carry itself directly to him. It curled through his ears, drawing him in like a desire demon.

Maker, she’s beautiful.

He tensed, sitting rigid in his seat, making the young mage flinch once more, though he didn't notice. His eyes were fixed solely on her. How dare he think like that? After everything they’d done. Yet, he couldn’t look away. She was making his heart race, his face flush. Suddenly, his Templar armor felt stifling.

Cullen had fallen for Evelyn the moment he saw her. And it made him furious. He loved her and hated her in equal measure. He wanted her in his arms, to drag her to her room and lock her away, to shower her with kisses and run her through with his sword.

His infatuation made her the most dangerous mage in the Gallows, and he silently vowed never to speak to her.

***

He lasted three weeks.

There was one particular yard where the Templars preferred to carry out their punishments. It was vast, tucked far enough from the front square that the sounds of suffering were muffled. The towering spires of the keep cast long shadows for most of the day, the cold, damp air lingering like a weight in the bones.

He knew the square's reputation well and had been doing his best to avoid it. His mind had told him it was a wise decision, a neccessary evil, but the mere thought of seeing it firsthand churned his stomach.

But today, he’d overheard them, the Templars in the barracks, laughing, mocking. The perfect little choir girl.Tied up like a hog, they’d said. Left weeping and bare.

His feet felt like lead as he walked down the long, cold hallways toward the square, each step slower than the last, yet his heart urged him forward. He didn’t want to see. No, he didn’t. But he had to. He had to know, to see with his own eyes what had been done to her. He couldn’t leave her there, abandoned.

Though every instinct told him to turn back, to retreat to the safety of his room, to pray, to pretend it hadn’t happened—his body wouldn’t obey. He kept walking, each step a struggle. It was the cruelest kind of compulsion, and it held him captive as he neared the yard.

And there she was.

Someone had shoved her to her knees, strapping her wrists to a stock before leaving her there. Her robe hung loosely, it had been pulled open at the back, revealing the fresh welts of a lashing.

He didn’t know what to do. The Knight Commander had warned him about such practices; lashings were unheard of in the Ferelden Circle, but here, they were considered a necessary evil. He had agreed with her then, perhaps even smug at the approval in her eyes, but now, staring at the consequences, bile rose in his throat.

A drizzle began, a rare spot of rain for Kirkwall. Normally, the rain would have reminded him of home, soothing him in ways he hadn’t realised he missed. But now, it only made him feel like a monster.

He took a few steps forward, his heavy armour clanking with each movement. She flinched, expecting her tormentors were back, bracing for what would be another blow.

He stopped three paces away, unable to come any closer. It was as though his youthful infatuation had erected a wall between them, an invisible barrier. He felt almost embarrassed, as though he didn’t belong here, seeing her like this. She deserved so much more than this.

No, she didn’t. She was just a mage. A mage.

“What did you do?” he asked, his voice low.

Her head shifted slightly, tilting awkwardly to the side under her arm. She looked at him from beneath a veil of hair, her face mostly hidden, peering from one cold eye.

“Insolence, sir.”

“Insolence... how?” He could hear the edge of disbelief in his voice.

There was a pause. She didn’t want to answer.

“There was a visitor at the front gate. I spoke to her,” she said.

He understood. The mages were infamous for smuggling out letters, tools, secrets. Knight Commander Meredith had made it clear that they couldn’t be allowed to speak to anyone—too dangerous. She’d seen them use blood magic to manipulate anyone they could ensnare.

“What did you speak to them about?” he asked, wishing he hadn’t.

“She wanted directions.” Her voice was flat, almost serene, yet even from here, he could see the simmering rage in that one exposed eye. The hatred she directed at him was palpable, a thick, suffocating fog that seemed to hang around them both.

“I see.” He lied, his voice betraying him, cracking like a nervous boy. He wasn’t sure he believed her, and a part of him almost wished she were lying. If she wasn’t, if one of his own had done this to her for something as innocuous as offering directions... For answering a question, as she had answered his own.

His eyes fell to the welts on her back, and he noticed her flinch as each raindrop landed on them. The hardness in him cracked slightly, and he saw her now as more than a mage, more than an object of infatuation. She was a young woman in pain.

“Do you... would you like me to button your robe?” he asked, his voice softening.

She hesitated, then nodded faintly, the movement barely perceptible.

He made sure not to touch her skin, as if the mere contact might ignite him. With careful precision, he pulled the fabric together, reattaching each hidden clasp with slow, deliberate movements. Any quicker, and he feared he might linger too long, touch her more than necessary. She remained stiff beneath his hands, her breath shallow, barely audible, until he was done. Only then did he step back, giving her the space she desperately needed.

“Would you untie me, sir?” she asked, her voice small, made braver only by his unexpected kindness.

He had crossed a line. He shouldn’t have come here.

“No.”

With a final glance at her, Cullen turned away, retreating before he could second-guess himself. The rain was heavier now, but he didn’t care. He let it soak through his armour, the cold a welcome distraction from the turmoil in his chest. He needed distance, needed to escape the weight of what he'd almost done, before he lost himself completely.

No more weakness. Remember Fereladin. Remember what they did to you. 

He skulked back to his room for evening prayer. 

Chapter 2

[morganaofcamelot]

Read on AO3: In the Cracks of Light

Cullen Rutherford/Original Female Character

It is no secret that Cullen Rutherford hated nobility and the entitlement that came with it, even though he had risen to nobility himself. In contrast, Ione Narses had been pampered her whole life, a lord’s daughter through and through. But one day, all of this goes away and she is now forced to live as a commoner.

Their paths meet, their opinions clash. Could they ever see eye-to-eye?

or

An attempt to write a Dragon Age fanfic with heavy influences from North & South and Pride & Prejudice.

The story of Inquisitor Maxwell Trevelyan is one that is thoroughly entangled in mystery - and it is our belief that this was done on purpose, masterfully perpetuated by the very popular book that was published a mere seven months after Corypheus' defeat.  ‘The Herald of Change; the Inquisitor Trevelyan Story’ penned by author Varric Tethras, is the cornerstone and main reference of this study. In our attempt to research and better understand the events of the time, we have interviewed many of the people involved in the Inquisition, even some in the Inquisitor’s so-called inner circle. Our main objective is to separate truth from fiction and forever cement the real legacy left behind by the Inquisitor. In a world that is content to exaggerate and embellish, Brother Raymond and I, Lorekeeper Aerron seek to shine the light of knowledge upon the world.

Undoubtedly, Inquisitor Trevelyan is one of the most important people to grace Thedas in the Dragon Age - second only to Elissa Cousland, the bold and fair Hero of Ferelden. But who was he, before he was the hero that emerged stumbling out of the Fade at the ruins of the Temple of Sacred Ashes?

He was a son; born Maxwell Damon Trevelyan, son of Bann Albert and Lady Isolda of Ostwick. He was the firstborn child, followed by his brother Malcolm (who joined the Templar Order as a young boy), his sister Kathryn (now married to Prince Sebastian of Starkhaven and thus is Princess Consort of Starkhaven) and his sister Evelyn (she was revealed to be a mage at age nine and was taken to the Circle of Magi). The siblings all reunited while the Inquisition was active, and each played a part ensuring its success. 

He was sent to the Conclave at the behest of his father, to observe the proceedings and better to help in finding a solution to the Mage-Templar War that was ravaging South Thedas at the time. Of course, nobody could have known that the Conclave would be targeted by sinister forces. The explosion killed everyone in attendance, most notably Divine Justinia, except Maxwell, who survived by physically entering the Fade. This part of the story is well-known and heavily corroborated by every source available. The young man stepped out of the Fade, a mark of strange magic on his hand - the same kind of magic that opened the Breach in the sky.

At the time, Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast who had just arrived in Haven with Varric Tethras and Cullen Rutherford - former Knight-Captain of Kirkwall, later acting Knight-Commander - in tow, had suspected Maxwell of foul play. He was taken prisoner and he was interrogated by the Seeker herself and Sister Leliana. By all accounts, Maxwell was taken to the Breach by the Seeker, accompanied by Varric Tethras and an elven apostate hedge-mage by the name of Solas, a specialist in Fade magic.

And this is where fact and fiction start to muddle with each other…

By Varric Tethras’s account,...

“Could we not have stayed in Orlais, Papa? Ferelden seems so dull!” Rodhi pouted, arms crossed in front of her chest. Next to her, Daphne quietly agreed with her twin’s assessment.

Their father offered a tight smile that did not reach his eyes. “I am sure you two will find things to occupy your time. Before long, you would have taken the whole country by storm.”

The reply seemed to appease the six-and-ten year-olds. They turned to each other, speaking in hushed but exciting tones, already planning their first official appearance. She, however, was not so easily convinced - and the fact that he avoided answering the question filled her with a newfound trepidation for the future that awaited them so far from home. 

Ione, six good years older than her younger sisters, understood the reasons her father had uprooted them from their lovely mansion in Vyrantium, even if she did not like them in the least. Their fall from Vyrantium’s nobility was a scandal that nobody would soon forget. Ione thought that by the chance of Anthe’s marriage to Marquis d’ Beauchamp, they might settle in Orlais. It would have been nice to live near her dear sister - instead, they were moving half a continent away.

“Why, father?” She asked in a low voice, sparing the girls a look - they were preoccupied with their plans and daydreams, giggling into their hands as they came up with scenarios of their life to come. They did not  pay Ione or father any attention now.

He sighed, a furrow appearing on his brow. The lines that etched on his face, the gray strands of hair mixed with his natural brown made him look older than eight-and-four years. “Do you remember Cremisius Acclassi?” He asked, looking straight into his daughter’s eyes. 

Ione nodded, recalling the short, clean-shaven young man. “The mercenary that worked for Magister Pavus, correct? What about him?” 

“He heard of our…predicament and wished to help. He put his contacts to use, and one of them offered a job as a castellan in a newly founded Bannorn. They offered a cottage on site and a satisfactory monthly salary. Of course, we will not be able to afford many servants, perhaps one or two… but as I have no other choice, I have accepted.”

Again, Ione nodded, unable to contribute anything - the House of Narses had fallen quite much, if Byron Narses had to work like a commoner. They had been lucky that Anthe’s betrothal had been settled months before their situation became public knowledge for surely, there would be no more advantageous matches for them. They were little more than well-dressed peasants now, and it wouldn’t be long until the whole of Thedas knew this. It made her sad to think about it.

Her father seemed to share her sentiment, for he grew quiet and contemplative, his gaze fixed to the window.  

It was a rare feeling that she felt so unsure about her life - she did not welcome it. She dreaded it. Ione forced herself to look outside, witness the land that was to be her new home. She wanted to hate it with a passion unmatched; she wanted to hate everything and everyone that brought her here including her father and his foolish schemes and his careless behavior, but the anger eluded her. Maybe it would come to her later, she mused. For now, her vision was filled with rolling hills, with the greens and the browns of the rich soil, the of Lake Calenhad in the distance and the towering peaks of the Frostbacks slowly disappearing as they made their way ever eastwards. The landscape was not that bad, she decided. It was vastly different from the unmatched splendor and vibrancy of Vyrantium for sure, but it was not without its charm. There was beauty in untouched nature that she never had the chance to appreciate before.

Her thoughts somewhat settled, Ione opened the book once again, picking up where she left off.

“By Varric Tethras account, the Inquisition was announced to the world soon after, spurred on by Seeker Pentaghast and Sister Leliana, supported by Cullen Rutherford and Lady Josephine Montilyet. Sister Leliana took the role of senechal, a post she had thrived under Divine Justinia’s rule. Ser Cullen Rutherford was to serve as commander, having had some experience in leading troops before. Lady Josephine stepped in the role of ambassador and chief diplomat, her connections making her a valuable asset. As for Seeker Cassandra, she was thought to be the de facto leader during this time.

It is wise to note here that Varric Tethras often uses nicknames interchangeably with real names. The most recurring ones are “Red” for Sister Leliana, “Ruffles” for Lady Montilyet, “Curly” for Ser Cullen and “Dasher” for Inquisitor Trevelyan. As the Inner Circle grows, Varric takes it upon himself to bestow even more nicknames. But we will address those as we go into more detail. 

[lordwoolselytaxservices]

Sometimes I have this idea that Maxiana and Jace stay together after the fall of Ostwick Circle as opposed to her ending up with Cullen. I've been wanting to explore this more due to another AU I'm working on and thought of this scene that won't work quite the way I want it to in that universe. So I made it it's own little blurb! I hope you like it!

Longing by RobieMax

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Female Inquisitor (Dragon Age)/Original Male Character(s), Original Mage Character(s)/Original Templar Character(s) (Dragon Age), Mage(s)/Templar(s) (Dragon Age) Characters: Female Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Female Trevelyan (Dragon Age), Original Inquisitor Character(s) (Dragon Age), Original Male Character(s), Original Male Human Character(s), Original Female Human Character(s), Female Mage(s) (Dragon Age), Circle Mage(s), Original Templar Character(s) (Dragon Age), Templar(s) (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: One Shot, Smut, maxiana is being naughty, Teasing, Cunnilingus, Desk Sex Series: Part 37 of Maxiana Trevelyan Summary: Maxiana has been in Ostwick Circle more of her life then outside of it. She's learned to keep her distance from mages and Templar's alike until a new Knight-Lieutenant comes from Markham and gets posted to her classroom. One late night, she finds her mind drifting and when he shows concern for her, she finds herself wanting much more than she should.

[leastdatablebracket]

ROUND 2, MATCH 32

Propaganda under the cut!

The Red Prince

Propaganda

When you first meet him he sizes you up as a potential slave by checking your teeth and asking after your culinary skills. If you recruit him, his storyline is about hooking up with another lady of his race so that she can birth true dragons again. You can still romance him in spite of his prophesied babymaking. No matter what choices you make though, at the end of the game he point blank tells you that his divinely chosen baby mama is still the One For Him, but you're welcome to return with him to his home country as his sex slave. He's terrible.

Cullen Rutherford

Propaganda

stupid racist cop creep whose fans cry about how hes "changed" and "you can't judge him he was addicted to magic drugs" nah he still chose to be a racist cop and abuse his power over innocent people and i hate him. the writers making him romanceable in da:i after how blatantly horrible he was in da:o and da:2 is baffling but i guess they had to appeal to the part of their audience who watch those "mafia boyfriend" videos on tiktok or whatever

He's creepy in origins, though still 100% willing to kill the female mage pc he's crushing on, as well as all the other mages trapped in the circle with him. He's the second-in-command in an even worse circle in 2, listening to and defending the increasingly obviously insane meredith until literally the end. He's one of the people still pushing for the circle system by inquisition, and yes he's going through withdrawals and working through the traumas of previous games. And to be brutally honest his was the first romance i took and while i don't remember much from it, its not worth all the girls going absolutely nuts over knockoff terrible alistair.

He's basically a cop who thinks being born a certain way can revoke personhood and by Inquisition still thinks mages are monsters to be controlled, not people. He gets a fairy tale cutesy romance that focuses on his personal struggles with addiction while showing absolutely no regard to the atrocities he committed and still thinks were justified. He can be romanced BY A MAGE and his actions and beliefs are just glossed over. He believes mages are 'not people like you (Hawke) and me', but if the Warden was a female mage he canonically had a crush on her and would deliberately hang around her despite the fact that he was her *jailer*. If that Warden romanced Leliana, there is war table dialogue in which he pesters Leliana for news of his 'former' crush despite her repeated statement that she doesn't want to talk to him about her. All this shitty behavior and lack of introspection gets swept under the rug by the game, not even giving the PC the chance to really challenge his beliefs. Like damn even Fenris could apologize when he lashed out due to past trauma with mages, and if anyone has a reason to hate mages it's Fenris. If you want an ex Templar hottie Alistair is RIGHT THERE. Tbh I know Cullen is a popular romance and I'm not here to tell anyone what they can or can't do or like in a video game, I'm just saying I think he is deeply undateable

Spends the first two games as an antagonist, fervently devoted to the cause of subjugating mages, then a bunch of "character development" happens off screen and the games treat him like he's completely reformed. However he's actions make it clear he still sees mages as dangerous and lesser. Not to mention if you romance him with an elf he doesn't pay your culture more than lip service respect like most of the devout characters 

He was a total villain in the first two games who was violently prejudiced against mages and uses one single bad experience as an excuse for it (a bad experience that is pretty much exactly what he in his job subjected graduating apprentices to, mind you, but this is never brought up). Now he says he's changed, but his words and actions say otherwise. He still distrusts mages, sympathises with the rebel Templars trying to kill them, and he never owns up to the terrible stuff he did and helped others do in the past two games. He totally knew what Meredith was doing and says he doesn't, and he still tries to defend her intentions. And you have no option to call him out on it. If you romance him as a mage, he angsts about how he might have seen you as subhuman in the past but NOW you're one of the good ones, and when you ask him if he'll kill you if you get possessed, he dodges the question. And the PC is written as being almost sad that she's a mage? Like 'can you love me despite what I am??' Also if Leliana romanced a female mage PC in the first game who is still alive, he asks her creepy questions about their relationship. Fitting considering his original purpose was to be creepy to the female mage Warden. 

I hate him and want to cause chaos. Plus his VA is an asshole.

Cop

I think you covered almost everything but don't forget that beautiful moment in DA2 - Act 2 where you find out some templars had a petition to lobotomize all mages and Meredith, THE HARDCORE TEMPLAR LEADER, rejects it, but Cullen says they got a point. Despite the fact that we just found out that those templars were using lobotomy (or the threat of) to rape people and get away with it. And then Cullen in DA:I is whining that anything that happened it's not his fault because Meredith kept the worse away form him so he didn't know, but also that anyway Meredith had a point and did what she had to do. Meredith does not go mad until Act 3, before she was of sound mind and Culllen was her second in command BECAUSE he hated mages as much as (or even more) than her. What the FUCK did she even hide from you, Cullen. Oh, but he changed! Because the writers make A VICTIM OF THE TEMPLARS say so. And anyway he only says so BECAUSE HE READS MINDS not because Cullen did anything to show it. Also the narrative wants to sympathise with Cullen for his drug problems while Cullen is openly attacking the only other character with the same problem for...having the same problem. And he's the antagonist, so there were OTHER things Cullen could be mad about. But he is mad about the drug problem. Also I'm not an expert on writing characters with addictions but he is an addict only when it's time to have a cut scene where you pity him. Otherwise it has zero impacts on everything else.

[broodwoof]

prompt info - now including davg content! (updated: 4/8/25)

note: if characters are listed in multiple canons, feel free to specify or i'll just pick one

general info:

no non-canon character death

pls specify prompt list ur using

solo, platonic, and poly prompts welcome

i enjoy writing politics - romance - smut - horror - whump

general prompts:

rare/unusual words

sentences

medieval/fantasy sentences

deep conversations

vague prompts: eerie edition

pantomime mask prompts

quote prompts:

as said by cassandra pentaghast

as said by dorian pavus

as said by solas

as said by merrill

fluff/romance/smut prompts:

smutfic (please send word/phrase)

kinktober (will accept any but day 16/flashing)

angst/whump prompts:

eerie loneliness

heavy content

gore/violence (list has been recently updated!)

other prompts:

oc codex

fantasy setting

TOOL lyric prompts

characters:

ocs - nessa lavellan | liall talas | daw aldwir | atros shiral | delwyn lavellan | dimitra | sybil thorne | velari lavellan | valyris lavellan | halcor brosca | feydis lavellan

dai - solas | varric | cole | morrigan | calpernia | sera | cullen | cassandra | dorian | the iron bull | leliana | josephine | flemythal | renn | valta | ameridan | talena | harding

da2 - anders(justice) | fenris | merrill

dao - leliana | morrigan

arlathan - mythal | andruil | ghilan'nain

davg - fragment!mythal | morrithal | ghilan'nain | elgar'nan | bellara | davrin

relationships:

solas x (daw | nessa | atros | mythal | andruil* | ghilan'nain* | elgar'nan* | varric | morrigan | calpernia | velari | valyris | cassandra | cullen | bull | dorian)

anders x fenris

cassandra x (varric | sera | leliana | solas)

dorian x (feydis | bull | solas)

morrigan x (solas | halcor | leliana)

sera x (delwyn | dagna | cassandra)

cullen x (dimitra | solas | dorian)

ghilan'nain x (andruil* | solas*)

oc relationships:

daw x (nessa | solas | bellara)

sybil x (davrin)

*messy/complicated ships, might end up in dead dove territory

quick oc info:

nessa lavellan- female | rogue. soft, determined, stubborn af, has a daughter with solas, peaceful family life, insomuch as it can be. ends up living in the lighthouse in a complicated polycule with daw and solas

velari lavellan - female | mage. withdrawn, isolated, complicated, guilt-ridden, kinky. power couple with solas

atros shiral - male | rogue | city elf. loads of trauma, volatile, passionate about justice, rash. on solas' side no matter what

delwyn lavellan - female | rogue. young, silly, grows a lot, balanced, ends up becoming a very good leader. absolutely all in for sera

valyris lavellan - female | mage | first. older, reserved, contemplative, quick judgements but willing to reassess, non-magic healer (healer has the bloodiest hands), leads from a distance bc she's scared of caring

cyren lavellan - trans | female | mage | second. playful, self-possessed, warm, deliberate, actions speak louder than words, enjoyable arguments with solas

liall talas - female | mage | first. body horror warden who's into it, macabre and morbid, curiosity as a character flaw

feydis lavellan - male | mage | first. steady, passionate, righteous fury but very, very deep inside him, quick, dry wit

dimitra - female | mage. self-sufficient, guarded, expected to become a templar but magic manifested, ended up in the circle, so many confrontations with her assumptions that she couldn't possibly count them all

halcor brosca - male | rogue. rough around the edges, a bit ends justify the means, good at heart but doesn't lose sleep over bad choices, matter of fact, heart eyes about magic

daw aldwir - nonbinary | rogue. dalish, then red vallaslin clan, then veil jumpers. complex history with the dread wolf as a spiritual figure. wants to stop solas and understand him. eventually wants to save him.

sybil thorne - trans | woman | mage. grew up in an alienage. magic manifested, she would most likely have been killed, but a passing warden 'recruited' her. no intention to follow through, but while traveling somewhere that sybil could be safe they got attacked by darkspawn and she became blighted. ended up as a warden and committed herself wholly to it. values the sense of direction and purpose it gives her

[measurelessdreamer]

Where is your favorite Dragon Age place? Do you have a favorite romance?

Mine would have to be Skyhold just because all our friends are there and it's home. My spouse and I have played all the romances in Inquisition and I love them all sooooo very much that I couldn't choose a favorite and I just wish you could romance every last one of them at the same time.

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer.

Personally, I'm a huge sucker for Dragon Age: Origins because I played it after I played the Mass Effect trilogy (which is my favourite franchise) and I thought that nothing could top that, and while I can't say that I like DA:O more than ME, I was so blown away by the plot, characters and the worldbuilding that I fell in love with it right away and I still cherish my first playthrough of that game because it was everything I could have asked for from a game.

For that reason, I have to say that my favourite place comes from DA:O. I actually have two, I think. The first one is the camp with your companions because, though it was so simple, I just loved being there and talking to everyone. It's impossible for me to love every single character the way I loved the companions in that game and I always found myself wishing I could talk to them more even though there was plenty to hear from them. Also, playing as the Warden seemed most organic to me. It felt like the dialogue options were truly unique and when you wanted to be cruel, you truly were cruel, and when you wanted to be funny and kind, you were that, and I just felt most connected to my playthrough as the Warden, more than I did as Hawk or the Inquisitor (but that's just my take, I'm happy you like DA:I so much!). The other place I like very much is probably the Dalish Camp because in my playthrough I played as a mage from the Circle, and, so I didn't start in this location, but once I got far enough in the plot to be able to choose where to go next, I went there first and I remember that I was blown away by the location and by the story that was tied to the place. It really was one of the first selling points for me that this game is really awesome, so that's why.

As for romances, it's again from Origins and it's with Alistair. I remember that I wanted to romance him the moment I met him and it's still one of my favourite romances in all games I've ever played. It's just so funny but gentle and soft at the same time. I can never get tired of it which is saying a lot because when I romance someone, I usually stick to it if I like it. I haven't romanced anyone else in DA:O yet because I just can't play it in any other way than just by being true to myself and that means romancing Alistair. XD It's tricky.

In DA:I my favourite romance is definitely Cullen! Because I actually felt sorry that my Warden and Cullen couldn't have become anything in DA:O. Cullen was there for such a short time in total and I still felt the potential and wanted to see where it would go, so having sort of a similar chance in DA:I was really awesome. He deserves some happiness as well and I'm happy to see him get it in the end. Plus, if you play as a mage in Inquisition, then it's really beautiful to see his character development from a templar who witnessed all that happened in the Circle Tower in Origins and was so traumatised by it that he said such awful things to the Female Mage!Warden, and then you talk to him in Skyhold, and he tells you that he regrets it and wishes the Warden knew and then he falls in love with Mage!Inquisitor! It warms my heart every time.

Thank you so much for the ask!

[mel-hath-no-fury]

Phantom - Chapter 15

Phantom (88566 words) by MelOnEarth

A ghost was behind the disaster at Skyhold. Following Divine Justinia's baffling decision to move the Conclave to a mysterious fortress in the Frostbacks, an accident involving a chandelier leaves the Chantry faithful on edge, whispering rumors of a ghost roaming the castle. Soon after, even stranger events begin to unfold, all surrounding a seemingly unremarkable dalish woman, whose reasons for attending the Conclave remain conspicuously secret. The Divine's inner circle searches for connections between these incidents and the Mage-Templar war. However, their resident elven apostate quickly realizes that there is more to both the Phantom and his protégé than meets the eye, and soon finds himself tangled in a tale of love and limerence spanning not only ages, but disparate planes of existence, all spun together by a relentless obsession that nearly tears the world apart by its seams in the sky. --- A Dragon Age retelling of the Phantom of the Opera, in which a young keeper Lavellan, doomed by the narrative, brushes with godhood while being haunted by more than one ghost of a distant past.

--- Chapters: 15/27 Fandom: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Inquisitor/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Lavellan/??? Characters: Solas (Dragon Age), Dorian Pavus, The Iron Bull (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras, Leliana (Dragon Age), Josephine Montilyet, Cassandra Pentaghast, Cullen Rutherford, Vivienne (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, retelling of Phantom of the Opera, Drama & Romance, No Corypheus, Love Triangles, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Crisis of Faith, hidden identity, Obsession, Devotion, author has a great love for dramatic irony; masks; and loving the monster

[mxanigel]

The first fic I ever posted to AO3 focused on Aryn Lavellan, a demisexual mage Inquisitor who served as my first DAI protagonist when the game came out. When I replayed her in 2020, I didn't like how her romance with Cullen unfolded in-game (for context, I still hadn't played DA2 at this point, which has further altered my view of their relationship).

Marking my first return to fanfic writing in over a decade, I ended up crafting a story that explored how she might react to Cullen's statements and behavior regarding mages. They fight. They separate. And they each grow as people. It also features Dorian as Aryn's best friend because I adore those two.

it's always darkest before the dawn

Rating: T Word count: 35,473 [complete] Relationship: Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford Tags: Angst, Banter, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Demisexual Inquisitor, Romance, Companionable Snark, Redemption, Slow Burn, Break Up, Post-Break Up, Getting Back Together

They kissed, they danced, he gave her his lucky coin. But Cullen Rutherford's prejudices against mages haven't lessened, no matter how much he claims to care for mage Inquisitor Aryn Lavellan. After a heated argument sparked by the discovery of Samson's lair, Aryn breaks up with him. Too late, Cullen realizes the harm he's done. Yet Aryn must continue leading the Inquisition while fighting to fall out of love with its commander.

“They might go to ground if we don’t act now! He has a skilled Tranquil maintaining his armor. We must take that resource away from him.”

Creators help me, a Tranquil mage is still a fucking person. Cullen’s past comments about mages—all too casually delivered to her face—barrel unbidden through Aryn’s mind: templar rules on ‘fraternization,’ a mage’s supposedly unavoidable weaknesses to possession, his constant exceptions for her instead of tackling his prejudices against her kind.

Her long-simmering rage boils over. “Don’t call Maddox a blighted resource. He’s a person. Just like me.”

“He is nothing like you.”

“Really? I’m a mage, someone you seem to think could transform into an abomination at any moment.”

“I trust you!”

“Because I’m the Inquisitor? Because you have to?”

“Because you’re different!”

“Different from…” She leans toward him, for once hoping her fury is clearly visible on her face. “Different from what, Cullen? From all the other mages you’ve ever watched? No, not watched, imprisoned.”

He slams his right fist into his left palm. “Mages have to be protected from themselves! As soon as they gain their freedom, they turn to blood magic or worse—”

She flings one arm toward Skyhold. “Have any of our mage allies become abominations now that they’re out of the Circles? Or fallen to the lure of blood magic? No! I haven’t, Solas hasn’t, Dorian hasn’t, and none of them have, either. Despite the Breach, the Rifts, the all-too-thinness of the Veil. Perhaps so many of the mages you watched turned to such terrible deeds because of what you did to them.”

“I didn’t—”

“You demanded the annulment of the Fereldan Circle just in case any of the survivors had used blood magic! You were ready to condemn innocents out of fear!”

“How do you—” Shock writes itself across his face. “You didn’t see what Uldred and his followers had done!”

“Oh, that excuses you condoning murder? Do you realize how many people—how many of my people have died thanks to similar excuses?” Aryn throws her hands in the air. “You believe you care about me. You’ve decided I’m different enough to tolerate my race, my background, your deep-seated fear of magic. But that’s wrong. I won’t remain in a relationship with someone who has to excuse what I am.”

[Read the full fic on AO3]

[aetherflowers]

Yvette Trevelyan 🦉

↠ General ↞

Name: Yvette Trevelyan

Alias/Title: Eve, Evie, Enchanter Trevelyan, Herald of Andraste, Inquisitor Trevelyan

Gender: Female

Age: 25 in 9:41 (Born Wintersday 9:16 Dragon)

Height: 5'5"

Hair: Brown, long and straight, kept in a neat, often intricate braid

Eyes: Green

Wardrobe: Well-tailored tunics and trousers made of fine materials that enhance form and function.

Class/Specialization: Mage/Knight-Enchanter

Occupation: Enchanter, Healer, Inquisitor

Phobias: Failure, Loneliness

Hobbies: Apothecary, Gardening, Cooking/Baking, Reading, Horseback Riding

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Love Interest: Cullen Rutherford

↠Favorites↞

Color: Emerald

Food: Seafood, specifically from the coast of the Marches like Kirkwall's crab cakes; frilly Orlesian cakes

Drink: Ginger tea

Animal: Birds, particularly owls, and dragons

↠Family↞

Place of Birth: Ostwick

Parents: Bann Lucas and Lady Katriona Trevelyan (Revka Amell took the alias Katriona following a mental health crisis and remarried)

Siblings: Cyril, Tristan, Yvette, Phillipe (full); Maia, Sorcha, Nairna, Leana, Elona (half)

Children: tbd

Pets: Fereldan Forder named Imogen, trained courier raven named Kes, a mabari named Lieutenant, partial ownership of Cullen's mabari, Captain.

↠Morals↞

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Virtues: Justice, Courage

Vices: Despair, Lust, Vanity

↠This or That↞

Introvert/Ambivert/Extrovert

Organized/Disorganized

Close-minded/In-Between/Open-minded

Calm/Anxious/Restless

Disagreeable/In-Between/Agreeable

Patient/In-Between/Impatient

Outspoken/In-Between/Reserved

Leader/Follower/Flexible

Empathetic/In-between/Apathetic

Optimist/Realist/Pessimist

Traditional/In-Between/Modern

Hard-working/Lazy

↠Background↞

Raised by nannies and tutors, her upbringing was far from warm and loving, and she rarely saw her parents. As a child she resented the freedom her brothers had while she was stuck in seemingly endless lessons to perfect feminine pursuits like needlework, dance, music, and etiquette. She often hid from lessons - especially embroidery - in the kitchens where she picked up basic cooking skills over the years, or with her brothers in the practice yard. Eventually she showed promise with swords and combat, and she was promised to the Order alongside her twin and younger brother–so long as she kept up with her studies and lessons. 

Unfortunately she was only at the monastery for a few months before her magic manifested in the training yard. She was immediately taken to the Circle in Ostwick and her pious family denounced her while her peers resented her for her noble upbringing and natural talent. After searching for a way to fill the void left in her, she discovered that physical intimacy could do the trick, so she began to sneak out of the Circle and into taverns for a one night rendezvous. Though she was caught and given various punishments for it, she continued her pursuits. Rumours suggested that her family paid off the Chantry and the Circle to move her Harrowing forward in hopes of quelling her–and looking the other way when it did not. 

One thing that did help was a letter from her half-sister, Elona Amell. Eventually Elona was given leave to visit Yvette, and she spent a few months at Ostwick, teaching lectures and mentoring her. Though she had eschewed healing as boring before Elona’s visit, she came to enjoy it with Elona’s help and a lot of studying biology.

Ostwick managed to remain neutral in the mage-templar conflict until 9:40 after Dairsmuid was annulled. Yvette and a few other mages, including the First Enchanter, tried to protect the Tranquil and apprentices and keep away from the fighting. However, when an apprentice lashed out in fear, the First Enchanter was struck down and the templars turned their blades on them. While she fought with swords to keep the mages from being overrun, the rebels did not forget that she at first tried to stay out of the conflict. Once the Ostwick Circle’s templars were dead or had retreated, the rebel mages imprisoned her and tried to ransom her to her wealthy family for passage out of the Marches. Her pious family refused to so much as acknowledge their request for many months until they finally agreed to send her and others from the Ostwick Circle to the Divine’s Conclave at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, along with a contingent of templars led by her younger brother Philippe.