#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.

[ashenlavellan]

Honest Thoughts about Cullen Rutherford from Dragon Age

Now, I will be upfront - I love Cullen’s romance. However, just because I adore his romance and the relationship between him and the Inquisitor, doesn’t mean I excuse his past transgressions.

Dragon Age: Origins

Now, we first meet Cullen in DA: Origins - whether it’s early on and during the Amell/Surana Origin, or when reaching the Circle Tower and he’s been trapped by all of the demons that have attacked.

If you play as an origin mage (Amell/Surana), specifically a female character, it’s heavily implied that Cullen has feelings for your character. Whether you act on admitting that you feel the same, you’re oblivious, etc. - it won’t change on how he reacts to your character once you return when the Circle is overrun.

Now - the tricky part.

We don’t have an exact estimate of when the Circle was overrun, but we know how.

What Cullen had went through during his time being tortured while he was captured - witnessing his comrades die and being toyed with by demons who took on the form of his deepest desires? (Possibly Amell/Surana, if you play that Origin) yeah… that could definitely fuck with your mind for awhile.

At the beginning, before this drastic change, we could argue that he’s a bit more sympathetic/kinder towards his charges and other mages - he’s witnessed some things, sure, but nothing on the scale of when the tower has been attacked.

After the attack and however you save the tower, Cullen comes out broken and vengeful. While his anger towards the situation can be understandable - it’s only to a certain extent, because he believes that all of the mages within the tower should be eradicated. Even the survivors who played no part and the children that were saved.

This. This is the mindset of a person who has been mentally tortured and broken, lashing out within the initial stages and while it’s fresh. However, he completely forgets the fact that the survivors had witnessed nightmares of their own and now have to deal with further scrutiny because of their peers who had played a part. It will just continue to feed into the tension - the Templars will tighten security and defenses, while mages will continue to bristle underneath the constant surveillance.

Due to Cullen’s changed mindset and what he witnessed in the tower, the lead Templar transfers him to the Free Marches. Specifically, Kirkwall.

Thoughts:

While physical and mental torture is a horrific thing to have happened, it’s unjustifiable if that harsh mindset is acted upon others who had played no part in the cause. I really liked Cullen’s personality at the start of the game when you first talk to him - shy, but sympathetic and wanting to get a better understanding of his charges.

However, his changed mentality and fury is downright terrifying. The second he condemns those who had played no part in his torture, or attacking the Circle, is the moment where the niceties fades away. He has a right to be angry at his situation and the world, but certainly no right to demand the execution of innocents based on his terror/assumptions.

Dragon Age: II

During Hawke’s travels, either as a mage or having Bethany around, there’s always the risk of being captured by the Templars. During the first year (prologue), there isn’t too much of a risk since there’s countless refugees and it’s easier to blend in with the crowd.

However, during Act I, when we come to the Kirkwall Circle, we are met with a familiar face. Cullen Rutherford, who had been recently transferred from the Ferelden Circle. However, there’s hardly any sympathy towards any of his charges/mages - he’s been hardened by the events during the Fifth Blight and he’s sticking to it.

Now, his mental and physical wounds aren’t as fresh, but they are just as haunting - maybe even more than at first. We see how strict he is not only towards mages, but the Templars that are trained under him. There’s no desire there of wanting to understand his charges or sympathy towards their situation…

However, we come to see him falter as time passes when he begins to witness some of the behavior coming from his higher-up… who is somehow much more cruel and vengeful than what we see from him. Knight-Commander Meredith. The woman in question had purposely concealed some of her darker actions and decisions from him, mentioning how he was still soft and slipped up towards the mages within the Circle.

We definitely see him falter and turn on Meredith at the end, regardless of who you sided with, and it’s somewhat liberating. He likely sees himself; overwhelmed and possessed by the anger wreaking havoc inside of him and lashing out towards not just mages, but everyone around. Innocent lives and bystanders.

However, his fury does flare up once more due to the actions of Anders who blew up the Chantry - not just for the citizens caught in the crossfire, but religious figures that many of the people sought for comfort.

Thoughts:

While there are certainly Templars within the Circle, especially in Kirkwall, that are much harsher and crueler than Cullen - we still see a firm hand and rigidness that’s the polar opposite to how he was when he first joined the order. He’s outright cold towards the mages, but not sadistic and purposely wanting to eradicate them - not like how he was when he was first freed from the Circle.

I believe that they had done the right thing by having him witness his “perfect” higher-up fall from grace and be swallowed whole by her paranoia and fury. It’s basically a moment of reflection of how this is what he could become and the damage it could cause upon not just on himself and those he wishes to destroy - but people who had nothing to do with it, regardless if they’re a mage or not.

Dragon Age: Inquisition and Thoughts

We are met at the start of the game, if you decide to storm through the front, with Cullen fighting against demons that slip through the Veil. If you’re playing as a mage, he hardly comments on it as he’s too distracted with the tears that are appearing out of nowhere and what’s coming out of them. Deep down, he’s likely terrified at fighting the creatures that possibly held him captive during his capture nearly a decade before.

Throughout the game, we are surprised by how well-respected he is amongst his peers and how lightly admonished he is towards the mages involved with the story. His attitude is a little jarring and the fact that we’re unable to argue most of his points is frustrating - considering that his views have mellowed somewhat, but not as much considering the events occurring.

The worst comment made is how he compares the Templars to the Wardens with everything that has happened - as if the Templars are made to keep the mages in check, just like how the Wardens have done the same for the Blight. This comment can be extremely hurtful, especially when playing as a mage - even worse if said mage is about to romance Cullen.

At most, it feels as if his views haven’t changed as much as it seems when approaching the subject of romance with Cullen as a mage Inquisitor. In fact, it feels as if his interpretation of mages is only changed when it involves the Inquisitor and is absolutely sure that no demon will possess her.

Yet, that’s hardly the case considering that she’s a mage - just like any other mage who constantly has to fight against the influence of demons while sleeping (in the Fade). It could happen to anyone and she’s not special when it comes to that.

Overall Thoughts:

While I do love Cullen’s romance and relationship, I do feel as if the writing for his redemption arc is a bit too… forgiving? He said some truly devastating things during Origins, as well as in the second game, and we still see glimpses of it throughout Inquisition - just more subtle and mellowed.

I was hoping for the romance, especially as a mage, to have a little bit more pushback and allow our Inquisitor to not be easily forgiving when learning about some his more abhorrent behavior during his time with the Templars.

I feel like if his mindset could truly change about the Inquisitor, then it certainly could for the rest of his peers and mages in general.

I’ve seen a lot of hatred towards Cullen, as well as hardcore adoration for his redemption and romance, but I just wanted to be upfront about this -

His “redemption” was too forgiving. Let there be a bit more of a struggle within the Inquisition, especially when siding with the mages and romancing him as a mage character.

The writers let him off too easy.

[mel-0n-earth]

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.

For Lady Trevelyan, this means an unavoidable reunion with the one man she vowed to never face again: Sir Cullen Rutherford, the Templar who broke her heart and ignited her rage. The past is a battlefield of its own, and as old wounds resurface, she’ll have to decide whether to trust the Inquisition—and the man who once betrayed her.

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

[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.

[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.

[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!

[dragonagekeeper]

Broken Circle Polls

Dragon Age Origins Polls

See quest and choice descriptions from Dragon Age Wiki/Keep below

By the stairs leading up to the Harrowing Chamber, the Warden will find Cullen, trapped in a magical prison. If the Warden is a Mage, Cullen may react accordingly -- he will even reveal that he harbored feelings for a female mage Warden. Cullen initially believes the party members are illusions the demons sent to torment him.

Once Cullen has been calmed down by the Warden, he will postulate a moral dilemma for the player. Cullen describes his torment as ghastly and explains to you that Uldred is upstairs in the Harrowing Chamber forcing the rest of the living mages to become Abominations. He is convinced that not a single mage can be allowed to make it out of that chamber alive, and everyone must be killed.

1. Did not agree to Cullen's request

The Warden did not agree to Cullen's request to kill the mages in the Tower.

2. Agreed to Cullen's request

The Warden agreed to Cullen's request to kill the mages in the Tower.

The Warden may agree with him, go upstairs, and slaughter everything in sight. Doing so will end all hope of getting the Circle of Magi to help with the Blight but will allow the templars to be recruited to the final army.

[inquisimer]

a dangerous game of trust and love

some Cullavellan for @febuwhump day 8 (why won't it stop): Neria takes increasingly desperate measures to stop the anchor during Trespasser ;-;

read it on ao3 here

Female Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford | Rated M | 1206 words | CW: self harm, injury, chronic pain, spell purge, mage-templar dynamics

-

The Inquisitor was not missing. That was the Inquisition’s formal stance and the Ambassador held all of their agents strictly to that line. The Inquisitor was not missing.

But…her absence stretched long enough that Cullen started looking. He checked their quarters, and Dorian’s suite, and Varric’s. Nothing. Finally, after he’d circled the estate a few times, one of the servants took pity.

“She’s off by the healers, ser,” they told him, wincing slightly. “Didn’t seem like they were much help.”

With hurried thanks, Cullen rushed in that direction. He berated himself silently for not thinking of it sooner.

The healers confirmed she had been there, but nothing they did helped her and she’d already left. They pointed him toward a hallway of unoccupied rooms. As he drew nearer, the prickle of active casting crept over his skin, the familiar taste of Neria’s magic on his tongue.

“There you are,” he said, pushing through the door. But his relief quickly veered into sharp concern. “What are you—Maker’s breath, stop—“

Cross-legged under the window, Neria wore only her undershirt, the stiff blue uniform cast aside. Sweat poured down her face and mixed with the tears on her cheeks, her eyes a clouded haze.

Ice encased her entire left arm.

Ice she’d put there, he realized as he rushed forward. Layers and layers of magical ice, cast and recast, numbing the anchor at the cost of her arm. He fell to his knees and grasped her unmarked hand between both of his.

“Please, love,” he begged. “Stop.”

“It hurts,” she ground out. More crystals formed over the frozen sleeve, but underneath the sickly green tendrils of the anchor still cracked and popped. Neria cried out and Cullen pulled her head against his chest.

“We’ll go back to the healers, someone will know something, please just—your arm—“

“No one knows anything,” she hissed. “Only Solas could ever help and you know it.”

Her free hand clenched against his tunic. “Maybe—maybe he’s surfaced somewhere. Maybe Lana can find him, now—or Lace—“

A choked sob cut off her delirious pleas. Cullen held her closer, even as her icy cast melted against his tunic. Held her stable as she shook from the force of holding her body together. If only he could heal the broken pieces of their good intentions.

“Please, find him,” she whispered. They couldn’t. She knew they couldn’t. “Please I—I don’t want to die.”

“You’re not going to die.” Cullen spoke firmly, resolute, but only on the surface. Underneath, behind eyes squeezed shut, his fear mirrored her own.

Without warning, the ice vanished. His relief lasted but a moment, for as he ran his fingers down the pale, numb skin of her arm, he realized just how far the anchor’s corruption had progressed.

Long, spidery veins spread across her entire palm, creeping out to her fingertips and darkening her nails. Like a gruesome shackle, it looped around her wrist and up over her elbow. Around its intrusion, the skin blistered red. A magical burn, Cullen recognized, as bad as he’d ever seen in the Circle.

“Maker’s bloody—why didn’t you say something?”

Neria pressed her lips together. “Why? Solas isn’t here. Short of cutting it off, the only other thing I can imagine helping…I can’t ask for that. I can’t do that to you.”

“To me?” Cullen sputtered, incredulous. He pulled her forehead to his lips and chased the kiss with his brow against hers.

“Ask,” he said raggedly. “You can always ask.”

But she didn’t get the chance. Like a crack of lightning, the anchor snapped and spit, swallowing her hand whole in its effort to break free. Neria clenched her teeth and her whole frame—so slight in his arms—shook with the effort of silence. Still, tiny whimpers escaped.

Just when Cullen thought it had passed, Neria pushed against his chest and slid away from him. She clutched her arm to her stomach and doubled over it. Fresh tears splattered against the tile and he could do nothing but watch, and fret, and despair.

He crawled across the floor and caught her down-turned face between his hands.

“Please,” he begged. “Please, if there’s something I can do—anything—“

“Purge it, then!” she cried, flinging her arm flat in the space between them. “Purge the magic—make it stop!”

“I don’t—I can’t—“ Cullen stopped short. Such a plea rang dissonant in his brain; years of instinct clashed with new morality and love. H dragged a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. “I don’t have the control for a localized Purge any longer. If I do as you ask, all of your mana will be Purged.”

“I know.” She shook her head. Through her clenched teeth, he heard the wry laugh she swallowed back. “I know, and I don’t care. But you—you don’t have to do that. To me. I don’t want to give you any more bad memories.”

Oh. It was just like her, to be thinking about that as her body literally tore itself apart. Absurd, really.

For a beat, he just stared. Despite the impossibility of their situation, despite the danger, his heart spilled over and he surged up to kiss her.

I love you, he thought wildly.

Even if such a maneuver worked, even suffered knowingly, it would hurt her. Far more than any memory could ever torture him. Purges were not meant to be a pleasant experience. For mages, their very being so intricately tied to their mana and the Fade, it was like—well, it was like cutting off a limb.

Then again, it looked increasingly like that would be the end result of this no matter what.

She gasped against his lips, pushing weakly on his chest. “It’s starting again.”

Drawing her back close, Cullen cradled her head in his hands and gently brushed the still-flowing tears from her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. For so many things. He closed his eyes and tapped the font of faith and willpower within. It was a stretch—he was out of practice and free of lyrium. But he had been a Templar for a long time; he was not yet fully clean.

He Purged the area.

Instantly, Neria went slack in his arms. He felt the puff of air as her lungs constricted and her pulse thundered under his hands. Gooseflesh raised her skin and he knew that the blood was rushing to her core, her heart, fighting the battle of keeping her alive.

Maker, please, he prayed. Andraste, please. Help her. Help me, help her.

Neria’s eyes stayed open, but a haze clouded them. Cullen ran his hand down her left arm, his calloused palm covering where the anchor still popped and crackled.

“Did it help?” he asked hoarsely. Neria managed half a smile and the corner of it quirked as it always did when she lied.

“Of course,” she whispered. She tucked her face into the damp fabric of his tunic, shaking from the sobs she couldn’t hide. Cullen dropped his forehead against her braided crown.

She was going to die. And his prayers were useless. The Maker’s seat was empty.

There was nothing he could do to stop it.

[breadedsinner]

“Aveline would be more popular if she were a man,” god how do I even address this. I don’t believe criticisms against her are rooted in misogyny, but there’s always that question we can never truly know. Would we be so critical if she were a man? Would we be ignoring these flaws? Would there be a thousand fics of him and Hawke, instead of like …20 with her?

I mean ok. Aveline actively turns in mages and when pushed comes to shove is going to side with the Templars. Frankly I don’t see this view challenged much but maybe I am wrong.

Then you got Cullen who…as a Templar, has to do these things, and he’s a fan favorite.

Then you have Sebastian who talked about mages needing to go to the Circle and fandom never forgot it and he’s the worst for it forever, even if he was hesitant about it.

So idk, a white female character scrutinized more than a white male one, but not as much an moc character. That tracks to me.

[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]

[mel-0n-earth]

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

[daitranscripts]

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts Pt. 6

Introductions to the Empress

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts Masterpost First: Gaining an Invitation Previous: Enter the Winter Palace

Gaspard heads off as the Court Herald approaches and bows to the PC before guiding them to the ballroom floor.

Royal Herald: And now, presenting: Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons. And accompanying him…

Herald (Qunari PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Adaar! Herald (Dalish PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Lavellan! Herald (dwarf PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Cadash! Herald (dwarf PC, ???): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Cadash! …Or possibly Inquisitor Gavron, Helmi, Aeducan, or Paragon Fancypants. [I do not know what triggers this.] Herald (human mage PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Trevelyan, of the Ostwick Circle of Magi! Herald (human non-mage PC): Lord/Lady Inquisitor Trevelyan, son/daughter of Bann Trevelyan of Ostwick!

The PC continues down the steps and across the floor as the rest of the Inquisition party is announced.

Herald (allied mages): Vanquisher of the rebel mages of Ferelden, crusher of the vile apostates of the Mage Underground! Herald (allied templars): Shepherd and leash of the wayward Order of Templars, purger of the heretics from the ranks of the faithful!

Party Comments:

Vivienne: Remember to smile. This is all for show, my dear.

Sera: He is so full of it! That’s not how it went.

Varric: This guy writes better fiction than I do.

Herald: Champion of the Blessed Andraste herself!

Gaspard chuckles.

Gaspard: Did you see their faces? Priceless.

Herald: Accompanying the Inquisitor:

Party Introductions:

Herald: Seeker Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena– Cassandra: Get on with it! Herald: … Pentaghast. Fourteenth cousin to the King of Nevarra, nine times removed. Hero of Orlais, Right Hand of the Divine.

Herald: Madame Vivienne, First Enchanter of the Circle of Magi, Enchanter of the Imperial Court, mistress of the Duke of Ghislain.

Herald: Renowned author Varric Tethras. Head of noble house Tethras, deshyr of Kirkwall to the Dwarves Merchants Guild.

Herald: Lord Dorian Pavus, member of the Circle of Vyrantium, son of Lord Magister Halward Pavus of Asariel.

Herald: Warden Blackwall of Val Chevin, constable of the Grey. Bearer of the Silverite Wings of Valor.

Herald: The Iron Bull, leader of the famed mercenary company Bull’s Chargers. As the name might imply.

Herald (male PC): The Lord Inquisitor’s elven servant, Solas. Herald (female PC): The Lady Inquisitor’s elven serving man, Solas.

Herald: Her Ladyship Mai Bhalsych of Korse. Sera: (Snickers.)

(Cole has no introduction.)

Herald: Ser Cullen Stanton Rutherford of Honnleath. Commander of the forces of the Inquisition. Former Knight-Commander of Kirkwall.

Herald: Lady Leliana, Nightingale of the Imperial Court. Herald (recruited in DA: O): Veteran of the Fifth Blight. Herald (romanced Warden, Warden rules with Alistair): Mistress to the Queen of Ferelden. Herald (romanced Warden, Warden rules with Anora): Mistress to the Prince Consort of Ferelden. Herald: Seneschal of the Inquisition and Left Hand of the Divine.

Herald: And Lady Josephine Cherette Montilyet of Antiva City. Ambassador of the Inquisition.

The PC joins Gaspard on the steps below Celene.

Gaspard: Cousin. My dear sister.

Celene: Grand Duke. We are always honoured when your presence graces our court.

Gaspard: Don’t waste my time with pleasantries, Celene. We have business to conclude.

Celene: We will meet for the negotiations after we have seen to our other guests.

Gaspard: Inquisitor.

Gaspard bows and leaves.

Celene: Lord/Lady Inquisitor, we welcome you to the Winter Palace. Allow us to present our cousin, the Grand Duchess of Lydes, without whom this gathering would never have been possible.

Florianne curtsies.

Florianne: What an unexpected pleasure. I was not aware the Inquisition would be part of our festivities. We will certainly speak later, Inquisitor.

She turns and leaves.

Celene: You arrival at court is like a cool wind on a summer’s day.

Dialogue options:

General: It’s an honor. [1] +10 Court Approval (Vivienne in party)

General: The weather may turn foul. [2] +5 Court Approval

General: An assassin is here. [3] - 15 Court approval - Vivienne greatly disapproves

1 - General: It’s an honor. PC: I am delighted to be here, Your Majesty. Celene: We have heard much of your exploits, Inquisitor. They have made grand tales for long evenings. [4]

2 - General: The weather may turn foul. PC: Let’s hope the breeze does not herald an oncoming storm. Celene: Even the wisest mistake fair winds for foul. We are at the mercy of the skies, Inquisitor. [4]

3 - General: An assassin is here. PC: Someone here is working for Tevinter. Celene: To the uninitiated, the court is full of intrigues which might seem sinister, Inquisitor. But they are of little note. [4]

4 - Scene continues.

Celene: How do you find Halamshiral?

Dialogue options:

General: It’s lovely. [5]

General: I can’t do it credit. [6]

General: Call off the ball! [7]

5 - General: It’s lovely. PC: I’ve never seen anything to equal the Winter Palace. Celene: We hope you will find time to take in some of its beauties. Feel free to enjoy the pleasures of the ballroom, Inquisitor. We look forward to watching you dance. [8]

6 - General: I can’t do it credit. PC: I have no words to suffice. Halamshiral has many beauties, and I couldn’t do them justice. Celene: Your modesty does you credit, and speaks well for the Inquisition. Feel free to enjoy the pleasures of the ballroom, Inquisitor. We look forward to watching you dance. [8]

7 - General: Call off the ball! PC: You’re in danger. End the ball. Send everyone away. Celene: Inquisitor, we suspect that our court has overwhelmed you. You may benefit from a glass of wine and some time to recover. No doubt you will find something in the ball room to entertain you. [8]

8 - Scene continues.

The PC bows and leaves up the stairs. Leliana approaches them.

Leliana: Inquisitor. A word, when you have a moment.

She leaves.

Next: Speak with Leliana