#The Black Emporium Exchange 2023

[sidhelives]

The Black Emporium Exchange Works Reveal

Yeah, I'm late. I know. Sue me.

Basically I was picking up a few extra treats after the deadline because I discovered a few people had slipped through the cracks and I can't live with that. I was also busy, I'm an adult with responsibilities, it happens.

BUT I'M HERE NOW

I ended up completing 26 works for the exchange this year totaling 62,968 words. That is twice the fics I wrote last year and very nearly double the words. I'm pretty proud of it.

Before we get into the full list and links, here are some general stats for the group:

Date of first posting: July 18, 2023

Date of final posting: September 26, 2023

Longest work: 8,473 words

Shortest work: 1,147 words

Most Featured Character: Anders (5 works)

Most Featured Pairing: Solas/Trevelyan (3 works)

Rating Breakdown: 15 General; 3 Teen; 1 Mature; 7 Explicit

Category Breakdown: 13 F/M; 6 M/M; 5 F/F; 2 Other; and 2 Multi

Game Breakdown: 5 Origins; 3 Awakening; 6 DA2; and 12 Inquisition

With that out of the way, lets get into the links!

The Ambassador Will See You Now for @thedaselcor

Krem Aclassi/Yvette Montilyet

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,829

The End of a Long Night for Missjlh

Leliana/Female Surana

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,147

Aboard the Siren's Heart for sgtblue

Bethany Hawke/Isabela

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,197

Engaging with the Rabble for @amarmeme

Original Female Inquisition Scout/Original Male Ansberg Noble

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,245

It's About Time for @ripplesofaqua

Original Female Inquisition Scout/Original Male Ansberg Noble

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,254

Between One Breath and the Next for Inquisitor_Inquisitor

Solas/Female Trevelyan

Rating: T

Word Count: 4,927

Coming Home Late for Luffymarra

Zevran Arainai/Male Hawke

Rating: G

Word Count: 2,557

Old Fears Never Fade for taintandloathering

Anders/Desire Demon & Anders/Jowan

Rating: E [Warning for Non-Con]

Word Count: 2,668

A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement for RootboundWoodWitch

Female Hawke/Cullen Rutherford

Rating: E

Word Count: 4,108

Can't Sleep for Wanting You for @settiai

Anders/Bethany Hawke

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,524

Subtlety for @hazelestelle

Female Hawke/Loghain Mac Tir

Rating: E

Word Count: 8,473

Little Hurts for @lordnochybaty

Fenris/Bethany Hawke

Rating: T

Word Count: 2,002

The First Night of the Rest of Our Lives for @antivan-beau

Female Cousland/Anora Mac Tir

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,458

It's Him or Me for CrimsonShield75

Alistair/Female Amell/Zevran Arainai

Rating: E

Word Count: 4,730

Senior Enchanter Seeks Employment for Tafka

Bethany Hawke/Josephine Montilyet

Rating: G

Word Count: 2,716

Thanks for the Conscription (affectionate) for ghostbunny

Nonbinary Amell/Anders

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,287

The Crown Thanks You for Your Service for dawnstone

Zevran Arainai/Anora Mac Tir

Rating: E

Word Count: 3,618

Vigil Kept for @hazelestelle and ghostbunny

Jowan/Male Surana

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,159

Looking for a Bargain for Dragonflies_and_Katydids

Mouse/Male Surana

Rating: E

Word Count: 2,759

Leaving Home for cartographicalspine

Merrill/Tamlen

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,213

Dream a Little Dream of Me for dreamkist

Solas/Male Trevelyan

Rating: M

Word Count: 1,334

Tripping Hazard for emocsibe

Anders/Cullen Rutherford

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,940

A Quiet Morning in the Clinic for Sinister_Queer

Anders/Bethany Hawke

Rating: E

Word Count: 1,328

A Good Night's Rest is Hard to Come By for Sumi

Solas/Female Trevelyan

Rating: T

Word Count: 2,655

Missed You for kaijuburgers

Krem Aclassi/Female Trevelyan

Rating: G

Word Count: 1,201

Dress for the Job You Want for adlerobsessed

Female Adaar/Vivienne

Rating: G

Word Count: 2,639

Apologies if I mistagged anyone or missed anyone, I don't know everyone's Tumblr handles (or if they have them). If one of these is you and you want to be tagged just let me know and I will update the post!

[te-amozevris]

Elf often writes letters to Bethany and shyly wants to plan a meal together ;D

Rating:

General Audiences

Relationship:

Fenris/Bethany Hawke

Characters:

Fenris (Dragon Age)

Bethany Hawke

Varric

Original Characters

@llysaan Hii have i shown this to u yet? :)

[aces-to-apples]

"bound to be something"

A king without a queen, a prince without a kingdom, and love.

Written for wildmishmash for the 2023 Black Emporium Exchange (@black-emporium-exchange)!

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: F/M Fandom: Dragon Age: Origins Relationship: Female Aeducan/Alistair (Dragon Age) Characters: Alistair (Dragon Age), Female Aeducan (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Post-Dragon Age: Origins, Identity, May/December Relationship, Older Woman/Younger Man, Past Female Aeducan/Gorim Saelac - Freeform, Name Changes Collections: Black Emporium 2023 Words: 2,693

[sourfacedlemon]

"caging the best of us"

Malcolm can only be grateful that Leandra is no longer with them to witness the destruction of the home they built together.

Written for andy_deer (@other-cullen-ficrecs) for the 2023 Black Emporium Exchange (@black-emporium-exchange)!

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: M/M Fandom: Dragon Age II Relationship: Gamlen Amell/Malcolm Hawke Characters: Malcolm Hawke, Female Hawke (Dragon Age), Carver Hawke, Gamlen Amell Additional Tags: Minor Ewald/Female Hawke (Dragon Age), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Malcolm Hawke Lives, Leandra Hawke Dies, Implied/Referenced Gambling Addiction, Pre-Relationship Collections: Black Emporium 2023 Words: 2,071

[lumateranlibrarian]

Black Emporium Exchange 2023 - Requests Letter

New year, new exchange, new prompts?

I got you.

I am what one might call a Dwarves Enthusiast - with a smattering of Adaars thrown in for fun! 

Let’s start off with some possible pairings (these can also be found on the Ao3 signup):

(1.1) Inquisition Pairings

Female Cadash/Cassandra Pentaghast

Female Cadash/Cullen Rutherford

Female Cadash/Lace Harding

Female Cadash/Varric Tethras

Male Cadash/Cassandra Pentaghast

Male Cadash/Lace Harding

Female Adaar/Cassandra Pentaghast

Female Adaar/Cullen Rutherford

Female Adaar/Lace Harding

Cremisius “Krem” Aclassi/Lace Harding

(1.2) Origins Pairings

Female Aeducan/Alistair

Female Aeducan/Female Brosca

Female Aducan/Zevran Arainai

Female Brosca/Alistair

Female Brosca/Zevran Arainai

Next! Some prompts suggestions. I��m happy to receive fics of any rating (gen/teen/mature/explicit). If any of these prompts look good to you, great! If you find yourself with inspiration that’s a little to the left of the intended prompt, that’s okay too - go for it! I’m excited to read whatever you come up with!

(2.1) PG Prompts

Dwarven (or Qunari!) culture/sharing elements of each other’s culture

First meetings

Characters knowing or encountering each other before in-game events

Getting up to trouble while on a mission (canon missions or otherwise)

Getting up to trouble during downtime (at home base or out in the world)

Gift-giving/Gift-receiving

Characters cleaning up nicely

Declarations of Love/Realizations/The “oh. OH.” moment/etc

(2.2) Explicit Prompts

“I can’t believe we survived” sex

First Time (ever OR specifically with their partner)

Stuck in a tight spot (so we have to be quiet/can’t get caught)

And, lastly,

(3.1) Squicks and Hard No’s.

Non-con or dub-con

Adult/minor relationships

Student/teacher relationships

Suicide/self-harm, or mentions of either

[thereinafter-art]

Svarah Sun-Hair and Cassandra, drawn for @ripplesofaqua in @black-emporium-exchange 2023

[bigplaceexchange]

Shenko Summer Exchange 2023 Schedule and Intro

Do y'all like shenko? Do you ever think "man, I need more shenko in my life"? Well, what's a better way to spend summer 2023 (or winter for our southern hemisphere frens) than with your favorite smokin' hot biotic boo?

The following is the schedule for Shenko Summer 2023:

Signup begins: April 3, 2023

Signup ends: April 17, 2023

Assignments: No later than April 24, 2023

Assignments due: June 5, 2023

Assignment reveal: June 12, 2023

Creator reveal: June 19, 2023

Mark your calendars!!!

I'll be opening the official exchange discord up at a later date, but in the meantime, here's some Hot Facts:

The exchange will take place over at AO3, so you must have an AO3 account to participate. If you need an invite, please reach out. Between me and my admin team, I think we can snag you one.

Signups will work similar to rare-pair exchanges like Spec Reqs or The Black Emporium, but with 3 total options: fshenko, mshenko, or just shenko. (For these purposes, shenko is a catch all term for those that don't have a Shepard gender preference and/or would like a nb!Shep).

HOWEVER, in the spirit of spreading the shenko love, you'll also be able to request more niche content (for example, and OT3 with Shepard/Kaidan/[whoever]).

Additionally, you will be able to share information on your custom Shepard with your gifter if you're cool with them writing your OC.

In the case of OT3s or custom Sheps, the gifter CAN but doesn't HAVE to write/draw these requests. That's why you need to also include a signup for one of the flavors of shenko.

Yes, art is allowed and encouraged! You will be able to request art and/or fan fiction in your signup, and participants will be allowed to sign up to do one or the other. (or both!!)

If you have any questions about the exchange, please don't hesitate to DM me here or send an email to shenkosummer@gmail.com. Looking forward to seeing you all there!!

| A Guide to Letters | FAQ | Rules | Sign-Up Guide | Exchange AO3 | Shenko Summer Discord Server |

[black-emporium-exchange]

THE BLACK EMPORIUM EXCHANGE RETURNS FOR 2023!

Black Emporium is a rare pair exchange that encompasses everything Dragon Age – provided they have less than 300 completed works on Ao3. Whether you’ve been a fan since the beginning or just got started with the series – whether you write snappy dialogue or draw detailed scenery – we want YOU to participate!

2023 Schedule:

All deadlines are as of 9 AM US Pacific / 12 PM US Eastern / 4 PM UTC+0.

Nominations: June 27 - July 3

Sign-Ups: July 4 - July 16

Assignments Out: by July 19

Assignments Due: August 27

Works Revealed: September 3

Creators Revealed: September 10

Links:

2023 Ao3 Subcollection - NOW LIVE!

Tumblr: @black-emporium-exchange

Dreamwidth Mirror: black-emporium

Discord

Ao3 Nominations Tagset 

Searchable Nominations Spreadsheet

Request Database

Treatless List

Questions?

Rules & Assignment Requirements

Participation Walkthrough Guide

FAQ

Email us at blackemporiumexchange@gmail.com!

[anneapocalypse]

Writing Wrap-up and 2024 Goals

It's a weird year to be doing a wrap-up, because I did not post a whole lot this year and I'm not sure I even set any goals last January thanks to having covid and being sick and exhausted for weeks, which still kind of feels like it threw off my whole year even though that sounds dramatic. Whatever. I've moped enough about it being a bad year for writing; now, I want to look forward.

2023 Wrap-Up

In case you'd like to read the one fic I did post this year, it's "Before You Go", a Loghain/Maric fic for Dragon Age (3022 words, rated E), which I am still quite happy with! And though it's not writing, I also made a podfic of RosellaWrites' gorgeous fic "let them not make me a stone (and let them not spill me)" (and if you're not interested in podfic you should still go read Rosella's fic, seriously, it's great).

While November 2022 was the last time I made substantial progress on A Hero Sleeps in Gwaren (my Briala/F!Tabris longfic for Dragon Age), I did make a few attempts to chip away at the draft this year. I didn't keep any records of what progress I made, but lucky for me Scrivener has a writing history feature that can at least give me a ballpark, and... it says I added 17,326 words to the draft this year (all in the first half of the year), which, not gonna lie, seems unreal to me. The first half of this year is mud in my head, so the fact that I did in fact get some writing done is really encouraging.

Over the summer, FFXIV started to really consume me as I had finished ARR by that point and my investment in the story was growing, and I also started taking a more active leadership role in my tiny free company, and so for the back half of the year I've mostly been writing little snippets about my Warrior of Light Ariane and her adventures and relationships, some of which may become part of actual fics later. This totals out to about 19,500 words at the moment.

So I only posted about 3000 words, but in total I wrote almost 40K this year. Is that a fantastic year, no... but honestly, it's a lot better than what my brain has been telling me I've accomplished this year, which is nothing. :P So I'm glad that I sat down to actually find the numbers!

Onward and upward.

So what's next?

2024 Goals

Fandom:

Finish one longfic.

Write and post a one-shot.

Do one exchange.

Original:

Outline an original novel.

Write a poem.

Send out one piece.

Tentatively my immediate plans are to get started outlining and then writing my Ariane/Haurchefant fic. I'm on the fence about February. On the one hand, it would be great to come back to my Briala/F!Tabris longfic for Femslash February, but on the other hand there's a high probability I'm going to be playing Endwalker by that point and I have no hope of keeping my head in Dragon Age during that time, so it's probably best not to commit to it. Dragon Age fic might be best saved for after I've caught up on MSQ when there are (hopefully) a few months still left to wait for Dawntrail and I can take a little break to let it marinate while I work on something else. My enthusiasm for the Briala/Tabris fic has not waned despite the long hiatus, and just yesterday I was reading bits of the draft and getting excited again, so I do hope to finish that this year and get to share it with you.

The alternate candidate for February is either keep working on the Haurchefant fic or in the case of a miracle in which I actually finish it this month (hah!), move forward with the next one I have planned, an Urianger/Moenbryda. That's unlikely but we'll see. I know I still have things to learn about Urianger in Endwalker, which I'm very excited for.

As for what exchange(s) I might do this year, I'm not sure yet! I haven't seen any announcements yet that Chocolate Box is running this year. Black Emporium and FemslashEx are both strong candidates for me. We'll see where I am when those roll around, or maybe something else will catch my eye!

Edited to add: Oh, yeah, also at some point we're supposed to get that final season of Red vs. Blue. I have a few outstanding projects in RvB but the main one that really matters to me is Radio Silence, my Carolina lost years fic. I'd love to use the series' send-off as a kick in the pants to finally finish that one, whenever that happens. We'll see!

Finally, I am making a conscious effort to reclaim my writing time, which traditionally has been the morning between 9 and noon because that's when my mind is the sharpest, but over the past I basically let that slip entirely and be taken over by either housework or gaming, just writing on the fly when something came to me. I'm not morning gaming anymore unless it's for a good reason (timed event I need to catch, etc, which is rare, and finishing yesterday's roulettes is not a good enough reason because the queues are slower in the morning and it just ends up eating more time than it needs to, they happen every day, it's fine).

On to 2024. Looking forward to it.

[carnalapples]

black emporium 2023 recs

This is a little late, but I wanted to share some awesome fics from this year's @black-emporium-exchange!

I really loved the gifts I got, which were:

let's dance by dabs_into_oblivion, F!Hawke/Loghain, T

Just a wonderful set of scenes between these two, I really liked the shared history they have with Ferelden and the pain there; it was a wonderful connection!

The Second Stage of Grief by Missjlh, F!Hawke & Aveline, G

I have such a soft spot for the friendship between Hawke and Aveline, especially if she's the one to comfort them after All That Remains. The characterization here is so sweet, with the two of them just knowing each other in such a good way.

There were so many amazing fics this year, and the following are just a handful that stuck with me!

somewhere in the half-light by havvke, M!Cousland/Zevran, M

This was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL work that had me so emotional throughout: amazing characterization, and the relationship between Cousland and Zevran develops so naturally as they work through all of their obstacles. This work has been haunting me since I first read it.

Subtlety by SidheLives, F!Hawke/Loghain, E

Again, wonderful characterization and a plot that had me hooked! Hawke's scheming and the pure friction between her and Loghain were entertaining and clever. This was a very fun read, and the dialogue was amazing.

caging the best of us by SourFacedLemon, Gamlen/Malcolm, T

The headcanon that Gamlen had a little crush on Malcolm before Leandra and all the implications of that, seen in an AU where Malcolm survives rather than Leandra--there is so much possibility in this fic!

falling by havvke, F!Cadash/Cassandra, T

My god, I love Cassandra, and I love how she's portrayed here: wonderfully awkward in the face of a brash Inquisitor, and still such a romantic. A perfect mix of moments that had me laughing out loud, and angst; they're both a little bit of a mess, and their relationship development is just lovely.

a far cry from spring by sweettasteofbitter, Josephine/M!Trevelyan, M

A beautifully tender fic exploring the negotiations of their relationship. The atmosphere is so vivid, and the way Josephine and Trevelyan are so comfortable with each other but still have so much to work through is portrayed so well.

The whole collection is such a treat if you'd like to read more <3 I had such a wonderful time participating!!

[sidhelives]

Master post for all of my Black Emporium Exchange works is coming. I'm just finishing off a final treat first 😉

[other-cullen-ficrecs]

Black Emporium 2023 - Recs (Part 1/?)

My personal favourites from this year's exchange. :) Authors not included as they're not revealed yet. Will update later on.

Cold Feet by ____ (Male Hawke/Cassandra Pentaghast/Varric Tethras, 5.7k, Explicit)

Summary: Domestic intimacies and polyamory negotiations. Mostly post-Inquistion.

Reccer Note: Adorable mix of fluff and more steamy scenes. Bonus points in my heart for Varric/Hawke being such a steady start point for this. Varric sounding very much like Varric and ofc connecting with Cassandra through his writing.

Of Solitude and Contemplation by ____ (Anders/Cullen Rutherford, 2.9k, PG13)

Summary: Cullen Rutherford contemplates his relationship with Anders as he goes about his morning routine. Shameless domestic fluff.

Reccer Note: This is one of those ships that I technically like but have yet to see written in a way I could truly appreciate. That being said, this one got very close. My only issue is that whenever I seem to stumble upon fics with Cullen and a mage (various characters), they're always fics from Cullen's POV and lean towards how difficult it is for him to be with a mage. And not, you know, how he was shit to mages and maybe that should be addressed before the blissful happy ending. This fic at least brushes on this, so again. One of the best fics I've read for this ship.

Full Circle by _____ (Anders/Bethany Hawke/Nathaniel Howe, 3.1k, PG13)

Summary: Life would go on no matter what.

Reccer Note: I love when fics about Anders do not ignore Justice. That's a small note, aside from that: great and in-character Bethany, as well as Nathaniel, but it's especially noteworthy with Bethany. Also I'm always impressed with authors who within a small word count can show a progression of a relationship over the years.

Mistakes have consequences by _____ (Female Hawke/Loghain Mac Tir, 1.8k, Mature.)

Summary: In which Hawke has an unfortunate encounter with too many bandits, a fortunate encounter with Loghain Mac Tir, and a bit of accidental nudity.

Reccer Note: I can't be the only one who always finds it confusing and hilarious how Hawke refers to Loghain as their Warden friend in Inquisition. This is an interesting take on that. But mostly I love the way Loghain is written here. 10/10.

The Maker's Sense of Humor by ____ (Gamlen Amell/Orana, 2.8k, PG13)

Summary: Gamlen had given up on finding his soulmate. But the Blooming Rose had become his haunt, and one of the only places he wasn't judged and found wanting. Which is why, of course, he heard the words stamped on his skin from a woman less than half his age, after he'd made peace with the fact he'd never have what his sister did. The Maker had a sense of humor, and once again Gamlen was the butt of His joke. Except this time, there was no joke.

Reccer Note: What can I say? I have a giant soft spot for Gamlen. And he is so sad in this one. I love the melancholy feel of this fic and would happily read something longer for this unexpected ship.

hold tight to everyday life by ___ (Leliana & Josephine Montilyet & Cullen Rutherford, 5.1k, PG13)

Summary: In days, months, and years, a family is formed.

Reccer Note: I don't read Gen fics very often but this was really a love take and on the few and far between slower moments for this trio that truly made them into the team and friends that they are.

[aces-to-apples]

"The Warden and the Witch"

Gifted to me for the 2023 Black Emporium Rare Pair Exchange!

Rating: Mature Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Category: F/M Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition Relationship: Blackwall/Morrigan (Dragon Age) Characters: Blackwall (Dragon Age), Morrigan (Dragon Age), Kieran (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Family Bonding, Grey Wardens, Forgiveness, Trust Collections: Black Emporium 2023 Words: 1,714 Chapters: 1/1

[sourfacedlemon]

"The Maker's Sense of Humor"

Gifted to me for the 2023 Black Emporium Rare Pair Exchange!

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: F/M

Fandoms: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II

Relationship: Gamlen Amell/Orana

Characters: Gamlen Amell, Orana (Dragon Age), Madame Lusine, Original Characters

Additional Tags: Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Brothels, May/December Relationship, Gamlen's not so bad - he's just bitter, First Kiss

Collections: Black Emporium 2023

Words: 2,879

Chapters: 1/1

[antivan-beau]

Black Emporium 2023 Letter

Thanks so much for checking out my letter! I’m so excited to see whatever you’ll create. These notes are more geared toward fic than art, but hopefully will give you some good ideas regardless of your medium.

General notes.

I really love humor in fan works. Feel free to let the characters get into silly situations, be awkward and unsuave, and to flex your humorous narrative voice. I’m a DA fan, so you know I love banter.

Action/adventure stories are great. I’m down for some canon-typical violence.

I’ve got no preference between established relationships or first-time-meetings. In either case, I like relationships to have a combination of “attraction at first sight” and “people who grow to understand/love each other more over time.”

Love it when people seem very different but find out they have more in common than they expect.

Rivals-to-lovers Good, but only with a fun, competitive vibe, rather than a “we truly hate each other” vibe.

I’m down for the angst. Feel free to give me messy (not abusive) relationships, and imperfect people trying their best to do right by each other. People who *could* have a good relationship, but circumstances beyond their control make that relationship impossible. You’ve got permission to hurt my heart, basically.

If you’re creating an E-rated work for any prompts where I specified that that was okay, feel free to message me on anon if you have questions about specific preferences.

DA-specific notes.

I’m not a fan of AUs that are fundamentally different from canon (modern AUs, soulmate AUs, etc.) Canon divergence is a-okay (“What if Morrigan showed up in Kirkwall during the events of DA2?”) and will probably be necessary for a few of the more obscure ships I requested.

When my prompts include a Warden, Hawke, or Inquisitor, I don’t have a preference for their personality. Want to write about your OC? Feel free! Want to write somebody generic with a default name? Go for it. Want to write about one of my OCs? Be my guest, but there’s no obligation.

Likewise, please don’t feel like you have to stick to any particular worldstate or set of decisions. Whatever you feel serves your story best.

[enigmalea]

Of Solitude and Contemplation

Words: 2,985 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Anders/Cullen Rutherford Additional Tags: POV Third Person, Present Tense, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Boys Kissing, Kissing, Morning Kisses, Sharing a Bed, Breakfast, Post-Canon, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Introspection, Flashbacks, The Black Emporium Exchange, The Black Emporium Exchange 2023 

Summary: Cullen Rutherford contemplates his relationship with Anders as he goes about his morning routine.

Shameless domestic fluff.

READ ON AO3

written for emocsibe for @black-emporium-exchange.