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dalishious · 2 years ago

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Catching up with Thedas

We’re getting another time-skip between Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Here’s a summary of things that have happened in the supplementary material leading up to this. Obviously, major spoiler warning for everything discussed here.

If this summary intrigues you, I would definitely suggest checking out the full stories for yourself. They’re all great—especially the comics. The characters in the comics are so good and that’s not something you get to appreciate just in summaries.

Major takeaways:

The Venatori are still active, especially in Tevinter, where a woman named Aelia (who is now imprisoned by the templars) took over after Corypheus was defeated and attempted to raise a powerful demon buried under Minrathous. The demon is still resting there, and the remains of the Venatori are still about. Although, the Antivan Crows have been hired to assassinate Venatori agents, and are picking them off one by one

The Qunari are invading the north again, and the following cities have been taken over: Ventus (Tevinter), Carastes (Tevinter), Neromenian (Tevinter), and Treviso (Antiva). They plan to move further into Rivain. However, the Antaam are on thin ice with the rest of the Qun, having acted against orders in the city of Ventus – suggesting there may be fracturing of leadership. This is further implied through the Ben-Hassrath declaring neutrality on the war with Tevinter. At the same time, the Qunari are also searching elven ruins trying to gather information about the Dread Wolf

There is a group of elves known as the Agents of Fen’Harel infiltrated all over Thedas and stirring up shit, including fanning the flames of war between Tevinter and the Qunari

The red lyrium idol has been everywhere, man… It was taken out of Meredith’s statue by the Carta, somehow wound up Tevinter, possessed by House Qintara, where it was traded it for information to House Danarius, where it was then stolen by Cedric Marquette, who gave it to Tractus Danarius, who brought it to Nevarra hoping Mortalitasi would help unlock it, where it was then taken back to Tevinter, only to somehow end up in Solas’s hands

Speaking of red lyrium, guess who is also still active? The red templars. And they are serving none other than an awakened but still crystalized Meredith Stannard in Kirkwall, who is known as “The Crimson Knight” by her followers

All Grey Wardens have been summoned to Weisshaupt for reasons unknown

The Grey Wardens have uncovered the remains of a dwarven thaig called Hormok, where beneath it they found elven ruins with signs it was a place of worship for Ghilan’nain. In these elven ruins, they find a magic pool that turns creatures into spliced-up monsters with parts of different beings melded together. While the wardens destroy this place, there are still eleven others out there somewhere

The Arlathan Forest has come alive with magic, changing place and time within it

Solas is in possession of an elven artifact called “the crucious stone”, with unknown powers

Dragon Age: Knight Errant (9:44)

Vaea is an elven squire to wandering knight Ser Aaron Hawthorne. She is recruited by Charter to rescue Tessa Forsythia and Marius (from the Magekiller comics) from where they were caught on their mission. They were sent by the Inquisition to infiltrate Starkhaven’s palace and steal a book with research on red lyrium in Sebastian Vael’s possession. Vaea successfully rescues them and then steals the book herself, but not without a fight with Cedric Marquette, an Orlesian scholar who is also after the book on behalf of the lingering Venatori. It’s found out from the book that the Venatori may already be in possession of red lyrium, and Vaea offers to go to Tevinter to investigate. Aaron agrees to join her, aware and supportive of her work for the Inquisition.

Dragon Age: Deception (9:44)

Olivia Pryde is a con artist working in Ventus, Tevinter. The city is under high tension because of an imminent Qunari invasion. She pretends to be a Magister investigating Calix Qintara, the son of a reclusive fellow Magister, until it’s discovered that Calix is also a con artist. They try to outdo one another in a con contest against sister and brother, Francesca and Florian Invidus, but both are revealed as liars. In their fleeing, they run into Ser Aaron Hawthorne, who coaxes them into helping with his and Vaea’s mission. Vaea’s goal is to steal the red lyrium that was taken from Kirkwall supposedly held in the Qintara estate. Also ending up as part of their plan is a deal with two Antivan Crows, (later revealed in Tevinter Nights to be Teia Cantori and Viago De Riva). While the Crows create a distraction—though one that ends up with the death of Florian—Olivia and Calix con their way into getting floor plans of the Qintara estate, which Vaea uses to successfully break in. Unfortunately for everyone, Francesca pushes her way through and demands to speak to Magister Qintara to reveal Calix has been posing as his son, only to find out that Magister Qintara has been dead for years, and his former elven slave Gaius has been posing as him in order to collect valuable information to pass on to the Agents of Fen’Harel. Vaea discovers that the vault that was supposed to contain the red lyrium is empty, having already been sold to House Danarius. At the exact same time, the Qunari attack the city of Ventus, throwing their mission into a very time sensitive window to escape. Olivia sacrifices herself in order for Vaea, Aaron, Calix, and Francesca to flee the city.

Dragon Age: Blue Wraith (9:45)

Outside Carastes, which has been overrun by Qunari, Cedric Marquette flees from a chasing squad of them with a strange sarcophagus-like device in his possession that he is taking to Magister Nenealeus, who trains slaves into perrepatae; mage-killers. (He was the Magister who trained Marius.) Also chasing after Cedric is Vaea and her crew, hoping he will lead them to Castellum Tenebris, home of House Danarius, where they want to recover the red lyrium. Francesca leaves the group, and Vaea decides to chase after her to convince her to stay with them. Francesca is told by a family friend that her father was taken by the mysterious Blue Wraith (AKA Fenris). She decides to pursue Fenris and rescue her father in an attempt to prove her worth to him, with Vaea tagging along. They find Fenris, but it turns out he did not in fact take Francesca’s father, but rather her father is working with Magister Nenealeus. Inside the Nenealeus’s estate, they discover it has been overrun by Qunari, and overhear an enslaved elf tell the Qunari that the Magisters plan on using an elven sarcophagus artifact to infuse an elven perrepatae with lyrium. Fenris flips out and attacks, recognizing that they have restored the means of which he was experimented on. Meanwhile, Aaron and co. track Cedric down to his meeting with Nenealeus, and the Magister, realizing they are being watched, uses the sarcophagus on a human slave. The slave goes crazy and attacks Aaron’s party, before exploding. With Aaron’s party as well as the Qunari in pursuit of Nenealeus, Cedric, and Francesca’s father, they launch several more human explosives to escape, but Francesca “rescues” her father. He is furious at her for this, and attacks, forcing Francesca to kill him. Calix realizes he’s not cut out for such death and destruction, and departs from the group. Fenris joins them, and together Vaea, Aaron, Francesca, Tessa, Marius, and Fenris head for Castellum Tenebris.

Dragon Age: Dark Fortress (9:45)

Tractus Danarius, bastard son of Magister Danarius, welcomes Nenealeus and Cedric to Castellum Tenebris, which sits on the outskirts of Neromenian. Nenealeus reveals his plan to infuse the elven perrepatae, Shirallas, with red lyrium, believing he will be so powerful as to drive out the Qunari and then expand Tevinter’s control of Thedas back to the glory days of the empire. Vaea and Fenris capture and interrogate Tractus while the others act as lookout, and gather the information needed. Fenris wants to kill Tractus, but Vaea convinces him not to, as they need to get out of Neromenian ASAP since the Qunari picked the perfect time to invade. The Qunari find Tractus still tied up and he tells them about the ritual as well, so they prepare to go to Castellum Tenebris too. Vaea manages to sneak into the castle and then lets in the others through a secret passage. At the end of the tunnel they find a chained up high dragon. Vaea and Fenris attempt to flee the dragon while Aaron, Francesca, Tessa and Marius fight off the Venatori, while the Qunari attempt to break in through the front gate. While all this is going on, Nenealeus completes the ritual on Shirallas, infusing him with red lyrium. Fenris makes a deal with the Qunari to join forces against the Venatori. Marius and Vaea are able to take out Nenealeus, and Fenris and Aaron are able to defeat Shirallas, with the help of Cedric who switches sides at the last minute and reveals his weakness. This comes at the cost of Aaron’s life, though. Tractus gets away, and forces Cedric to hand over the red lyrium idol he stole. Solas watches this from an eluvian.

Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights (post-9:44, exact times unknown)

[RELATED POST – Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights Review]

(For more information on Tevinter Nights, I recommend checking out my review linked above.)

Three Trees to Midnight

After the Qunari took over the city of Ventus, they sent the healthy men into work camps on the outskirts of the Arlathan Forest, put to work cutting down trees. Myrion is one such worker, but is secretly a mage. He is chained up to an elf named Strife and immediately calls him a “filthy knife-ear” three times in the same paragraph, insulted to be paired with him. (He continues to do so the entire story, by the way.) They get in trouble for fighting. Strife is revealed to be an undercover Dalish, (though originally from Starkhaven). He was sent to rescue another Dalish elf named Thantiel who uncovered the Qunari invasion plans, though Thantiel was poisoned with an overdose of qamek, irreversibly turning him into a mindless labourer as well. Strife uncovers the plans and he and Myrion escape into the Arlathan Forest, after Myrion uses his magic to help them get away. In the forest they meet up with Irelin, a shapeshifting member of Strife’s clan, who takes off to spread word to other Dalish Clans of the Qunari plans to move into Rivain. The Qunari are also tracking the two escapees, and when the lead Qunari catches up to them, they take him out with the power of teamwork. When the rest of the Qunari catch up, the Huntsmaster reveals himself to actually be Saarbrak of the Ben-Hassrath, sent to investigate the Antaam working against the Qun’s orders in Ventus. Saarbrak kills the lead Qunari and lets the escaped prisoners go. They free themselves from the chains tying them together, and Strife leaves with Irelin, who came back for him.

Down Among the Dead Men

Audric Felhausen, a new member of the Funeral Guard, is recruited by the Mortalitasi’s Mourn Watch, (an elite fraternity among the Mortalitasi that act as guardians of the Grand Necropolis,) to track down and find the pre-maturely possessed corpse of nobleman Penrick Karn in the Grand Necropolis. Karn is after Duke Janus Van Markham, who also died in the mutually-fatal duel Karn perished from. Audric and Mourn Watcher Myrna head into the tombs after Karn. In their exploration, Audric comes to realize that the human Audric was killed at Karn’s funeral, and is actually a spirit possessing Audric’s body. Myrna hoped that taking Audric with her would help settle him into peace. In the end, Audric challenges Karn to a duel, but when Karn breaks the rules of the duel, Myrna rids the body of the spirit of Pride within it. Back in the Mourn Watch headquarters, Audric is offered a position in their library.

The Horror of Hormak

I actually already wrote out a long summary of this story here: [LINK]

Callback

(I’ll be honest: I only skimmed this one. It’s boring as fuck and I told myself I’d never read it again the first time I slogged through it, but here we are… So if I missed something actually important, my apologies. But I doubt it.)

Sutherland and Company, as well as a bunch of other NPCs from Skyhold, return to the Skyhold fortress to investigate why the remaining caretakers have gone silent. They end up fighting a demon of Regret, formed out of the plaster of Solas’s murals. They send the spirit back to the Fade, and leave Skyhold abandoned.

Luck in the Gardens

This story is told in the form of “Hollix” (an alias), the Lord of Fortune protagonist who is a master of disguise, recounting it at a tavern in Dairsmuid. Hollix tells a story about how they were hired by Dorian Pavus and Maevaris Tilani to hunt down a monster that was terrorizing Minrathous, called the Cekorax. The monster was first encountered by the Venatori, who were searching for an old cave under the city. It steals the heads of its victims and makes them part of it. They are able to destroy the Cekorax with the help of Dorian and a little girl named Mizzy.

Hunger

On their way to Weisshaupt, the dwarven woman Evka Ivo from Orzammar and elven man Antoine from Orlais, both Grey Wardens, stop in a small Anderfells village called Eichweill. They come to find out that people are disappearing in the village. The two come to uncover that it is werewolves responsible for the disappearances. The son of a noble named Renke starved in the woods and attracted a hunger demon, turning him into the first werewolf. Evka and Antoine hunt Renke down and fight him, and Antoine ends up getting bitten himself. However, they set a successful trap back at the village and kill Renke, believing Antoine and the others affected are now safe from the curse with its source defeated, and the demon banished.

Murder by Death Mages

Lord Henrik, a Mortalitasi, tips off the Inquisition that there is a plot to assassinate a noble in Nevarra. Sidony (from Dragon Age Inquisition’s multiplayer) is sent by the Inquisition to stop this, as she was raised by Henrik. She goes to meet Antonia, another Mortalitasi mage and friend of Henrik, who invites Sidony to attend a party hosted by a noble named Nicolas Reinhardt, where she will be able to meet with a man named Cyrros. Cyrros is an elf who has everyone in debt to him by knowing the secrets of every noble in the city, and Antonia suggests he will be able to help Sidony discover the assassin. Sidony recruits Cyrros as a partner in her investigation, after he says he believes it’s a Mortalitasi responsible. They find Reinhardt’s dead wife, and Cyrros attacks Sidony. She wakes up and overhears Nicolas Reinhardt reveal that he hired Cyrros to assassinate his political rivals and blame it on the Mortalitasi, but now thinks Cyrros killed his wife, which Cyrros denies. Sidony raises the corpse of Reinhardt’s wife and commands it to attack them both, killing Reinhardt and Cyrros. Sidony believes everything to be over, and goes to Henrik’s funeral, where she meets Antonia again. Antonia spills that she was the one who killed Henrick and Reinhardt’s wife, and traps Sidony in the tomb. Sidony somehow escapes though and goes after Antonia, planning to kill her.

The Streets of Minrathous

Neve Gallus is a private investigator hired by Otho Calla to uncover if Quentin Calla (his nephew) has fallen back in with the remains of the Venatori. Neve follows Quentin and witnesses his fatal stabbing by a figure in a bronze mask. The next day, Neve is told by Knight-Templar Rana Savas that another suspected Venatori was murdered the same night, named Lady Varantus. Neve is invited into the Templar investigation, up until the Varantus family request it closed to avoid bad press. Neve then meets a mysterious man who tells her the murderer, named Aelia, is after a set of clay discs held by Venatori agents, and gives her one of these discs. Aelia ends up attacking Neve for the disc—or rather, the “seal” as she calls it, and leaves Neve for dead. Neve saves herself though, and meets the mysterious man again, who is really a man named Flavian Bataris. Flavian reveals that there is an extremely powerful demon sealed beneath the city of Minrathous, and Corypheus planned on releasing it to destroy the city and build the centre of his new empire over it. The plan fell to the wayside when Corypheus was defeated, up until Aelia took over the remains of the cult, and now plans on summoning the demon herself. Neve informs Knight-Templar Savas of this plan, but storms out in frustration over the Order’s lack of willingness to do anything about it. Neve then heads into the Catacombs where Flavian told her the ritual would be held, and tries to stop it. At first she is unsuccessful on her own, but then three templars, including Savas, show up to back her up. They defeat the Venatori and arrest Aelia.

The Wigmaker Job

In Vyrantium, Ambrose Forfex, a successful wigmaker, is told by Crispin Kavlo and Felicia Erimond that he should cancel his wig show because The Antivan Crows have been assassinating Venatori agents. Ambrose decides to put on the show anyway. Sure enough, Lucanis Dellamorte and his cousin Illario Dellamorte prepare to infiltrate the party. There is a bit of tension between them, because Illario wants to become the next head of the House after their grandmother Caterina steps down, but people talk about how Lucanis should take that position, despite him having no desire to do so. They are interrupted by someone poorly trying to listen in on their conversation, and kill the eavesdropper. In his pocket, they find a letter sighed ‘A’, believing him to be sent by Ambrose. After sneaking into the party in the courtyard, Illario distracts a guard with his charm in order for Lucanis to get the keys to the place. They regroup after Lucanis kills the other guards inside. They find an enslaved elf girl, but Lucanis refuses to kill her, and she is all too happy that they are there to kill Ambrose, so they let her go. In Ambrose’s work room, they uncover the secret to his perfect wigs: He feeds his slaves red lyrium to create red-lyrium infused hair. Lucanis destroys the elven artifact Ambrose keeps in his workshop to prevent the veil from tearing, and while the party is erupted with demons. Illario leads the slaves of the estate that are able to escape to safety and freedom, while Lucanis confronts Ambrose. Ambrose shovels his magic wig hair into his mouth and becomes an abomination, but Lucanis still successfully kills him. The following day, Crispin and Felicia visit Magister Zara Renata and inform her that Ambrose is dead. Crispin says Zara will likely soon be a target herself, to which she responds that she has plans to take down Lucanis.

Genitivi Dies in the End

This story is impossible to make a summary of, because it’s told in the form of Philliam writing down what happened but full of fabrication, making it unclear what is real and what is fake. So nothing really matters. The only known fact is Rasaan, (a Qunari tamassran introduced in the Those Who Speak comics,) is leading a search for elven ruins trying to find information on the Dread Wolf. That’s really all that matters, I promise.

Herold Had the Plan

Dwarf Bharv and elf Elim, two Lords of Fortune, were after an amulet held at the Grand Tourney. Their friend Herold already died, and now they are on the run from Starkhaven guardsmen, along with their hired help, Panzstott. It turns out Panzstott is the real reason they guards are after them, as he stole the precious Celebrant sword, supposed to be given to the winner of the Tourney. He is working for a woman named Lady Lucie, who promises that she will help Panzstott find his sister, who left to become a Grey Warden and has never been heard of since. Lucie believes the Celebrant belongs to her, because her dead husband was the last Champion. A fight between everyone and the guards ensues, where Elim and Bharv are mortally wounded—however, it turns out the amulet has magic healing powers, and saves Bharv’s life. He heads to the pre-arranged meeting spot and gives the amulet to Vaea (from the Knight Errant-onward comics.)

An Old Crow's Old Tricks

After a group of Tevinter soldiers led by Magister Bicklius attack the Dalish clan Oranavra, the remaining clan members reach out to make a contract with the Antivan Crows to kill the soldiers. Lessef, an elderly Crow but still deadly, fulfills the contract, killing the soldiers one by one. In the end, she stands off with Bicklius, and in addition to killing him, steals back a precious halla statue he stole from the clan. Lessef then runs to her getaway boat yelling in Qunlat so that the soldiers she let chase her believe the attack was from the Qunari. Her partner Tainsley sails them away, happy that his uncle’s clan will get their halla statue back.

Eight Little Talons 🖤

All Eight Talons (the leaders of the most powerful Crow branches) are called to a meeting at the Verdant Isle of Lago di Novo by First Talon Caterina Dellamorte, to discuss the impending Qunari invasion of Antiva. Fifth Talon Viago De Riva is the last to arrive, where he meets Seventh Talon Andarateia “Teia” Cantori, (both of whom were first introduced in the Deception comics.) At their first meal together, the group argue while Third Talon Lera Valisti is notably absent. Viago and Teia are sent to investigate where Lera is, and find her dead, with her body displayed mimicking an infamous Crow murder of the past. The finger-pointing starts immediately and Caterina puts Verdant Isle on lockdown, forbidding anyone from leaving. This especially pisses off Sixth Talon Bolivar Nero. The next morning, they find all the servants have been murdered. Eighth Talon Giuli Arainai was also murdered the same night. Both again, in the style of famous Crow events. Caterina orders Viago and Second Talon Dante Balazar confined to their quarters, as they are the number one suspects. Teia ignores the rule about no visitors and breaks into Viago’s room anyway, where the two come up with a plan to coax the truth out of Dante, with a mixture of Teia’s natural silver tongue and a truth poison of Viago’s making. They are able to confirm Dante is not the killer. That evening, Teia and Fourth Talon Emil Kortez find Dante dead, while at the same time, Viago is attacked by a poisonous snake hidden in his clothing. Before he perishes, Teia returns to his room and finds anti-venom among Viago’s many alchemical vials. They figure out the killer is Emil, and upon confronting him, Catrina takes him out with her cane. Before Emil dies, he reveals he was contacted by the Qunari, and made an agreement with them that if he could destroy the Crows, they would invade peacefully and Antivans could keep their way of life, without submitting to the Qun. The remaining Crows then all stab Emil to death. With the killer dealt with, Catrina, Viago and Teia all make a plan, and send written orders to the head of each House, (the heirs, in the case of those now dead.)

Half up Front

Vadis, runaway daughter of a Magister, and Irian Cestes, former elven servant, are thieves for hire working in Minrathous. They are hired by a mysterious elven woman to steal back an artifact known as Dumat's Folly, which is said to be a piece of the Black City, from the Archon’s palace. They discover that the artefact has been stolen by the Qunari, and are able to track the thieves to Kont-aar in Rivain using blood magic. The two travel to Kont-aar and sneak onto a dreadnaught holding a ton of magic objects the Qunari are studying. But the whole thing turns out to be a set-up by the mysterious elf. She reveals several things in her villainous gloating: That she works for the Dread Wolf, that she has possession of the real Dumat’s Folly, and that the “Dumat’s Folly” that Vadis found on the dreadnaught is actually a magic bomb soon to explode. Her goal is to implicate a Tevinter mage in the destruction of Kont-aar. Vadis and Irian overpower the elf, but the elf bites down on a poison pill hidden in her mouth and dies. Vadis blows the dreadnaught out to sea using wind magic, and she and Irian escape on a lifeboat just in time to avoid the giant explosion. Back on shore, they are interrogated by Ben-Hassrath agent Gatt (from Dragon Age Inquisition), who shares that they were tricked into stealing the artifact in the first place by an Agent of Fen’Harel among their ranks. Gatt says that the Ben-Hassrath will remain officially neutral on the invasion. Gatt suggests they go to Kirkwall, but Vadis and Irian decide to go to Val Royeaux for a vacation instead.

The Dread Wolf Take You

Charter (from Dragon Age Inquisition) attends a meeting with some of the best spies across Thedas at a place called the Teahouse in Hunter Fell, Nevarra. At the table is a dwarf from the Carta, an Orlesian bard, a Mortalitasi mage, and a mysterious Executor from across the sea. She says she invited someone from Tevinter and the Ben-Hassrath, but they both declined. First, the dwarf tells a tale about how he and his crew used a special solvent that softens lyrium, allowing them to extract the red lyrium idol from Meredith’s statue in Kirkwall. At the meeting location a man from House Qintara (from the Deception comics) shows up and takes the idol. Also at the meeting were former templars looking for the solvent that softens red lyrium, but they were all killed in their sleep by the Dread Wolf. The Mortalitasi speaks next, about how a man from House Danarius, (that being Tractus from the Dark Fortress comics), brought the idol to her group of mages, asking for help unlocking it. They do so in a ritual, but it draws the attention of the Dread Wolf, who is angered by them using his idol to “vandalize the sea of dreams”. One of the Mortalitasi mages fled with the idol leaving the rest to die, but the speaker managed to escape with her life. Finally the Orlesian bard speaks of how the idol wound up in auction house in Llomerryn, where the Dread Wolf himself took possession of it. By this time though, Charter has come to realize that the Orlesian Bard is actually Solas in disguise, and asks for her life. Solas kills the other attendees, but spares Charter. She tells him he doesn’t have to do this, but Solas insists he does, before leaving.

Dragon Age: Absolution (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

Elven rogue Miriam and Orlesian human warrior Roland, a couple of mercenaries, are recruited by Fairbanks (DA:I) to join his group, who are tasked by the remains of the Inquisition to steal a magic artifact known as the Circulum Infinitus from the Summer Palace of Nessum in Tevinter. The group also consists of the dwarf warrior Lacklon, the tal-vashoth mage Qwydion, and lastly human mage Hira, who Miriam has a romantic history with. Miriam and her deceased twin brother Neb were formerly enslaved by the man now studying the Circulum, Rezaren Ammosine. She is reluctant to return to Nessum, but Hira convinces her to help. Their heist does not go as planned however, and Hira is captured while Miriam is gravely wounded, but the others scoop her up and flee. Rezaren uses blood magic to contact Miriam in her dreams and tries to convince her to return to him so they can be like his idea of a family, but she refuses. It’s also revealed through flashbacks that Miriam was forced to kill Neb when Rezaren’s mother put a demon inside him to prevent Rezaren from failing his Harrowing, except Rezaren used blood magic to bind a spirit to his body that he now controls. Rezaren’s hope is to use the Circulum to bring Neb back to life for real. Miriam and the rest of the gang stage a rescue mission for Hira, but when they regroup back at their base, it’s revealed that Hira was planning on betraying them to “The Crimson Knight”. Rezaren chases after them, and manages to begin the blood ritual to try and bring Neb back. Neb’s spirit destroys his body rather than return though, and Miriam is able to kill Rezaren. She then asks Hira to choose their relationship over her quest to destroy the Tevinter Imperium, which Hira refuses, and flees with the Circulum, intending to bring it to none other than an alive once more Meredith Stannard from DA:2. Meredith is leading what remains of the red templars. Miriam and her friends vow to chase after Hira and stop her.

Dragon Age: The Missing (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

Varric Tethras and Lace Harding are tasked by Charter to try and track down Solas, all the while stalked by a mysterious figure in Venatori Assassin clothes. Their adventure first takes them to the Deep Roads under Marnas Pell in Tevinter, where they encounter two Grey Wardens, Evka Ivo and Antoine (from the Tevinter Nights story, Hunger). They find an abandoned hideout with an invitation to the home of Lady Crysanthus in Vyrantium, where they investigate next. When they arrive in Vyrantium though, they find it under siege by the Qunari. This doesn’t stop them from breaking into Lady Crysanthus’s estate though, where they meet the Antivan Crows Viago De Riva and Teia Cantori (from the Tevinter Nights story, Eight Little Talons). Viago and Teia were there to kill Lady Crysanthus, but Solas beat them to it by turning her to stone. They discover evidence that Crysanthus was working for the Venatori, who are after an elven artifact called “the crucious stone” located in the Arlathan Forest. Viago and Teia share that the Crows are working against the Venatori, before they all part ways. In the Arlathan Forest, Varric and Harding encounter a group of “Veil Jumpers”, led by Strife (from the Tevinter Nights story, Three Trees to Midnight). The Arlathan Forest has turned into a place of chaotic magic, where space and time mix and mingle in strange ways. The Veil Jumpers help Varric and Harding get to the temple where the crucious stone is said to be located. Within the temple though, they only find a note left by Solas asking them to stop interfering with his plans – Solas now has the stone. Varric and Harding next travel with Minrathous to meet private investigator, Neve Gallus (from the Tevinter Nights story, The Streets of Minrathous). Neve says that Solas has been busy in Minrathous, attacking Venatori, stealing their artifacts, and freeing their elven slaves, who in turn are rising up in his name. Neve shares that there is a group called the Shadow Dragons that helps those who have escaped slavery as a lead about the elven rebels. They find an elf that Solas freed, who shares that there’s a meeting of escaped slaves planned that night at the docks, but Varric and Harding piece together that the Venatori know about the meeting and will attack. They decide to give up chasing Solas in order to help the elves. Varric realizes that there’s no way they will catch Solas at this point, because he knows them too well – so he says they need new help.

Short Stories

Minrathous Shadows (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

A templar named Tarquin plays a card game with a magister, and confronts her on being a Venatori cultist. It’s revealed that Tarquin and the deal are part of a group called “the Viper”?

Ruins of Reality (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

Strife and Irelin (from Tevinter Nights) are lost in the Arlathan Forest, as the forest has come alive with magic, changing and shifting to the point where Strife’s map is no longer reliable, nor is the passage of time. Strife carries an ancestral journal from the Morlyn that began rewriting itself. They find copies of themselves—Irelin says either a mirage or an echo—running around. Irelin turns into a bird to snatch a crystal halla figurine off a statue they find, and the spell ends for a time.

The Wake (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

Viago de Riva, Illario Dellamorte, and Teia Cantori (from Tevinter Nights) all attend an Antivan Crow funeral, implied to be Lucanis’s from Illario’s drunken story-telling about the two as children and him saying “I was always right behind him, you know? Now there’s nobody for me to follow.”

Won't Know When (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

Evka Ivo and Antoine (from Tevinter Nights) fight off a darkspawn horde so a group of miners can escape. They ponder the dangerous nature of being Grey Wardens, before Antoine asks Evka to marry him, and Evka says yes.

As We Fly (post-9:44, exact time unknown)

Neri de Acutis and his sister Noa are old Antivan Crows fighting the Qunari occupation of Treviso.

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#dragon age #da lore #meta

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yuesya · 7 months ago

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Visitors from other lands were a rare sight in the territories of Mondstadt. Not to the point where it was unheard of, but quite an unusual occurrence nonetheless.

Understandably so. According to the legends, the result of the conflict between the Great Wolf-king and the Lord of the Tower was a drastic transformation of the surrounding landscape, including the weather. Rolling hills of lush, verdant greenery turned into endless fields of rime and snow, as the very earth was frozen underfoot. The God of Storms had responded to this by raising high, impenetrable barriers of fierce winds to keep the unnatural winter at bay and protect their people.

Ever since, eternal howling winds have surrounded Mondstadt’s borders.

No beast from the Wolf-god’s kingdom could cross the impenetrable barrier and encroach upon Mondstadt’s territory. Yet at the same time, the storm-winds also served as heavy deterrence to any prospective travelers from other lands. Those rare visitors who found themselves in Mondstadt were few in number, and rarely ever stayed for long before vanishing from the city.

(Coincidence? Unlikely. It was much more probable that someone didn’t want the people of Mondstadt to have contact with the outside world, and the only one who could give an order like that and have it unhesitatingly obeyed would be–)

“What do you mean, ‘vanish?’”

Ventus pauses. His little friend, Barbatos, peers up at him curiously.

“Well, ‘vanish’ might not be the right word for it,” Ventus hums. “It’s more like, ‘discreetly escorted out by the Knights,’ and usually they’re never seen again. Which makes sense, if we’re thinking about how–”

“I’m not interrupting anything here, am I?”

“Gunnhildr!” The wind spirit zips over, tumbling over the shoulder of the blonde-haired girl entering the room.

“Hello, Barbatos,” the young woman smiles, then turns towards Ventus. “I managed to convince my father to let me borrow the clan records you were asking about.”

Ventus’ eyes widen at the piece of good news, “Then, does that mean…?”

“My father agrees that something needs to change, for Mondstadt, and has promised to support our efforts,” Gunnhildr smiles, and there is a steely fire that burns behind her eyes. “Resources run thin within the barrier. There is only so much that can be done without consistent trade or expansion of new territories, and in order for either of that to happen…”

“The barrier needs to go,” Ventus murmurs quietly.

“Don’t let any of the Knights catch you saying that,” Gunnhildr warns.

“I know, I know.” The majority of Decarabian’s knights are from the Imunlaukr Clan. Although the Imunlaukrs were the youngest of the noble lines, they were also fiercely loyal to the Lord of the Tower. They saw the wind barrier as a blessing–

And perhaps it was, in the beginning. But literal hundreds of years have passed since then, and Mondstadt cannot remain cut off from the world forever.

“Here,” Gunnhildr passes him a worn-down book, one that’s remarkably well-preserved, despite its age. “This is my clan’s records of the founding of Mondstadt. You can see it recorded here –Lord Decarabian saved my ancestors from a monstrous beast that had been killing humans for sport. Afterwards, my clan settled in this area. The Hunter proceeded to kill any and all beasts and created a haven for humanity…”

A haven, which eventually turned into a cage.

Ventus flips through the pages slowly, Barbatos peering curiously from over his shoulder. Obligingly, Ventus tilts the book towards his little friend who’s reading alongside him.

… The God of Storms, He who bears the appearance of a youthful man, with hair as black as night-spun darkness and eyes as clear as the blue sky; the winds rise at His command, and thus were the heavy boulders used in the construction of Mondstadt’s first buildings carried down from the mountain kingdom of Sal Vindagnyr…

… flowers. The Cecilia Garden was originally constructed in tribute to the Lord of the Tower, yet He cares not for frivolity. Not once has He ever deigned to visit the garden, but every year the most resplendent blooms shall be gathered in offering to the God of Storms…

… so was the Prince of Wolves slain at last, and vengeance claimed for the Gale Knights who fought bravely in defense of their people. But there are those who express concern, for the Dominator of Wolves, the King of Beasts, shall surely retaliate for the death of a beloved child, and long have beasts feared the Great Hunter who brings death upon the winds for those who trespass on Mondstadt’s lands…

…

“My father said… my clan owes a great debt to Lord Decarabian. All of Mondstadt does, really. No one knows why he’s fallen silent, but… if there’s any way of getting a proper audience, then perhaps…”

It might not be the solution to their problems and concerns, but it would be a good starting point. Ventus exhales slowly.

Decarabian. The Lord of the Tower, God of Storms, the Great Hunter.

Stories have always painted him in the role of a savior, of a caring god who loved his people and had worked tirelessly to keep them safe. It didn’t exactly match up with the current reality of a tyrant who ignored the cries of his people, which meant…

… well, Ventus wasn’t sure about what this meant, exactly. But there were most assuredly missing pieces of the puzzle here –and Ventus intended to find them all.

He had to. For Mondstadt, and for freedom.

For the future.

“There are only a select few among the Gale Knights who’ve met Decarabian in person,” Ventus starts slowly, “The Knight-Captain Kairos Imunlaukr should be one of them, right?”

“It would be difficult to secure a meeting with him,” Gunnhildr frowns. “Unless I use my father’s influence, of course, but…”

“But that’s unlikely to get us a good impression.” More likely, if anything that Ventus has heard about Captain Imunlaukr was true, then they’d earn the man’s ire instead. Which would not be conducive towards anything whatsoever.

“What if we just ask Cecilia?”

Ventus blinks. Cecilia? The mysterious wind spirit who’d appeared out of nowhere that night and helped them, before vanishing again just as swiftly… “Wait, you’re in touch with her?”

Barbatos turns a little lazy loop in the air. “Nope!”

“Uh…”

“But maybe she’ll hear us if we ask nicely?” The young wind spirit giggles. “We could also play a few songs, too, just to make sure we catch her attention!”

Ventus finds himself smiling fondly, “Just admit it, you want a chance to play songs together again.”

Well, it’s certainly an idea. Ventus doesn’t know what role that Cecilia plays in Mondstadt, but… a wind spirit of her power, who was also older than Barbatos and had clearly been around Mondstadt longer... was much likelier to know what was going on with Decarabian, right? Ventus would also appreciate getting the chance to meet her again –and ideally, actually talk to her this time.

I think she needs friends.

… If all else failed, then they’d just have to attempt to ambush the Knight-Captain while he was off-duty, after a night of music and singing and attempting to befriend a standoffish wind spirit who was the opposite of Barbatos in personality. No biggie.

#Writing #zenith of stars au #mondstadt au #a little more background!#:3

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tinydefector · 9 months ago

Note

*jumps in again* i love how you write and im starting to feel like a bother to request some more😭 but but if you don't mind, ultra magnus x gn! reader where he's scolding them for being reckless and sneak off to go meteor surfing with Rodimus. He's not mad, just worried sick for em then reader just storms off and he didn't bother to chase after em, wanting to give them space.

Later, he bumped into Megatron and had a lil chat when Megs pointed out how Magnus is treating reader like his kid(sparkling). Mags denies it but then later connects the dot, like "omg, he's kinda right" que to him went off to find reader which in their room, distracting themselves with some work and he apologize for yelling and vice versa with reader for sneaking out.

Also, if you want, you can add like a bonus bit at the end where Mags praise reader for the excellent report they turned in and reader accidentally say "thanks dad" make it worse if some bot was around when they said that *cough* roddy *cough*

RULES OF PARENTING

Took me longer than expected to write this out.

Platonic/ Parent and child with Ultra Magnus and Cybertronian Reader. Slight hints to Megatron x Ultra Magnus as a treat.

Other information I decided to write the reader as an Outlier but their ability, form and everything else is left up for the reader to decided themself. Other than the fact they are the youngsters on ship and smaller than the larger bots nothing else is stated.

Word count: 3k

Warnings: none

Request and ask open, read pinned post

Ultra Magnus Masterlist

______________________

laughter comes from around the corner, Rodimus and his friend bolt through the ship. "Keep up Rods!" The younger bot yells out. Their hoverboard is servo while they both bolt towards the shipping bay. It wasn't often the two got the opportunity to go asteroid surfing.

Rodimus hurries after, pushing his engines to keep pace through the twisting ship corridors. His intake splits in a fierce grin.

"Hey, wait up!" he calls back, At the threshold they transform, Rodimus jumps onto his board, taking off into the asteroid field. "Alright runt, you asked for it!" Blue optics glint with loving malice. "First to finish a loop and back wins! Loser takes the others reports."

He peels out with a throaty roar, engine howling, not waiting for the start. Cheating? Maybe, but racing was war, and all was fair in love and circuits blown! Let the games begin.

"Your on Roddy!" They shout back at Rodimus before taking a leap out onto their hoverboard. "Wooooooohhhhhoooo" the shout out. They both tear out of the shipping bay on their hoverboard, darting nimbly between support struts like a razorwing on the hunt. Their wild grin is audible even without comlink.

Rodimus bellows a rival cry, engine snarling as he rockets through the asteroids in a shower of blue sparks. Every sensor hones to the night-shadowed chase before him, picking out the board's glints between outcroppings as their rider zig-zags across the field like liquid mercury. Shouts of challenge fly between them over the comms, goading fierce competition.

Adrenaline sings in Rodimus' lines as he closes the gap, swerving within reach, laughter falls from the two as they race and chase each other. Two kindred spirits living utterly within the moment, simply living for the speed and freedom the stars grant.

From the command centre, Megatron observes the asteroid field feed with keen optic. Movement on the edges draws his gaze - two familiar signatures darting nimbly amid the tumbling rocks, weaving hazardous loops and stunts with the heedless abandon of youth.

A low growl rumbles in his powerful frame at their recklessness and endangerment. But watching closer, caught by flickering motions on the monitor, even his hardened spark must soften.

Laughter crackles through the open commlines as they toss chunks at each other in joyful battle, dancing dangerously along the rim. It sparks memories of ages past, when he himself was prone to such reckless ventures in the mines.

He returns grimly to his charts. But the ghost of a smile still plays about unyielding faceplates, echoing wild laughter across the stars. The loud steps of Ultra Magnus making his way towards command has megatron debating. "Rodimus, I'd recommend you both make your way back to ship, less you want Magnus to lecture you again" He calls out, trying to make sure Ultra Magnus doesn't catch them.

Through the open comm, Rodimus and the other bot share a look of mingled dread and mischief at Megatron's ominous warning. Their daredevil games come with risks.

"Slag it, it's Mags," hisses Rodimus. "We better scram before he throws the book at us!"

Their laughter follows, swerving nimbly aside as Rodimus roars past in a spray of grit. "Like he ever lets us have any fun! Race you back, slowpoke!" With that taunt, they gun their board, kicking up plumes of dust under newly ignited thrusters.

Rodimus snarls a challenge, punching his engine into overdrive to give chase. Though his massive frame handles with ungraceful power, the Captain drives with a fearless intensity rivalled only by Megatron himself in his glory days. "You're on!" He shouts at them.

From the bridge, Megatron watches their mad dash with a derisive snort. Fools to the last, but at least they snatched excitement where they found it, consequences be damned. A trait he can almost respect, Rodimus is a wild sparked bot and the young bot wasn't much better taking after the Prime as if they were batch mates. But Rodimus was fiery protective of them and that's all Megatron could ask.

As Magnus walks in he glitches out when he sees the two bots bolt across the asteroids on hoverboards. Magnus' commanding boom fills their comm channels, causing them both to flinch. "By Primus What are you two doing!, Do you understand the danger you are putting yourself in, not to mention protocol!" He shouts

"That sounds like Big Mags alright," chuckles Rodimus, danger-circuits alight. He guns his engine recklessly, tempting providence with stunts that wring pained static from Magnus' voice.

Beside him, the other bot is all bravado, doing tricks that ought to terminate mere mortals. "Lighten up Mags, we're just having fun!, Megatron's providing supervision" Their laugh is wildly carefree as they swerve through spiralling space debris, back to the shipping bay.

Magnus' reply is a wordless warp of wrath and protocols violated. On the bridge, Megatron observes with sardonic amusement.

Their elated whoops echo into the sullen ship as the two bots land, laughter is passed between them both, they knew they were in for a lecture but neither of them could really care at that moment. They both make their way through the ship.

Megatron watches as Magnus starts having a meltdown, seeing the smaller bot out in the asteroids.

From the command deck, Megatron observes Magnus' escalating tirade with sardonic amusement.

The security director paces like a caged turbofox, field frothing with protocol violations as he excoriates Rodimus and his cohort.

"Reckless endangerment of themselves! Disregard for safety protocols!, I expect this from Rodimus but not from them!" Magnus huffs, massive hands clenching and unclenching. His plating vibrates with barely contained voltage.

Megatron's red optics follow the scene with cynical mirth. It seems some things never change, no matter the millennia - law-bound enforcers and daredevil upstarts will always clash.

He cuts off Magnus' tirade oft. "Let the youngsters play. A little uncontrolled chaos now and then builds character. They aren't causing any harm, primus knows they could be doing worse things, circuit boosters, waging wars" His chuckles.

When Rodimus and the young bot make their way through the halls Megatron and Ultra Magnus are making their way towards them. And Rodimus decides to tease them over getting in trouble.

"Well well, look who's in trouble now," he rumbles, teasingly as he nudges the other bot. One massive hand snakes out to gently tweak an audial fin, eliciting a stubbornly stifled giggle.

They try to swat him off, armour fluffing out in a mock display of aggression. "Back off toaster, you're one to talk!" But their field reflects only playful antagonism toward their mismatched partner in crime.

Rodimus laughs, low and smooth. "Oh, I'm not the one Magnus has his pelts in a twist over. You're the lawbreaker here, delinquent." He buffs their chevron condescendingly with a knuckle plate.

Magnus' grumbles as moves closer. The younger of the two delinquents makes a startled peep, ducking behind Rodimus for scant protection. Their field sparks with mischief and apprehension in equal measure.

Rodimus' engine rumbles a chuckle. "Face your punishment like a mech, squirt. I'll see you in the brig... cause i know thats where im heading" And with that, he steps aside, leaving the young to the Security Director's.

"Rodimus you sell out!" They hiss, Rodimus takes off running before transforming and disappearing around the corner.

Magnus begins going off over both their stupidity and the danger that they had put themselves in.

"Rodimus! When i catch you!" Magnus bellows, at the retreating autobot. His field boils with tightly restrained indignation.

The younger spreads their servos innocently, though poorly banked fires still smoulder behind their smug optics. "What? I was just having a little fun."

"Fun? You call endangering yourself and flouting safety protocols fun?".

"Do you have any idea the liability you've incurred with your selfish stunts?" Magnus huffes, he's not angry just disappointed.

"We were just blowing off some steam. No harm done" they try to defend themself, it was harder when Rodimus wasn't here to back them up.

Magnus optics bulging. "The rules exist to protect life! One mistaken twist could've terminated you both. Do you not understand that" He looms over them, servos gripping their shoulder plating. "Explain yourself. What do you have to say for putting yourself in harms way like that, this is something i expect from Rodimus but you, im drawing a line, no more hoverboard"

"Magnus I'm not a sparkling!, I can have fun, you can't just take my board!." The huff out in anger, "we didn't do anything bad, we just went asteroid surfing, what's the big deal!, Megatron was watching the whole time!" They shout stopping their pedes on the ground as they squint at the enforcer. Magnus' jaw works soundlessly, circuitry spluttering at such blatant insubordination.

Megatron's low rumble cuts through the charging tension. "Easy there, scraplet. Magnus they are right they aren't sparkling, let them enjoy their youth" he states trying to calm down the situation.

"That is NOT the point!" Magnus hisses through clenched denta, glowering down at the insolent youngster. But the outliers field remains resolute, tiny hands fisted on hip joints. A sigh like rupturing turbines escapes Megatron where he observes, unseen, from command. Stubborn fools the both of them.

Magnus flashes incandescent, but dares not defy a direct order. With stiff, grinding steps, he departs, field boiling.

Only the younger bot and Megatron remain. "Rules exist to guide, not imprison. Life's greatest lessons often arise from...bending them, on occasion. Try not to give Magnus a spark attack please" Megatron states while standing waiting for them to walk with him.

"I know Megs but he's been up my Tailpipe over everything I do, reports not being right, having fun, primus I can't even hang out with Rodimus without him getting grumbly at me, 'don't do that, don't do this, no you can't go out on this planet it's too dangerous ' he's not my Sire! " They hiss out in anger, plating rattling lightly from pent up frustration.

Megatron chuckled. He strides the corridor in heavy, purposeful pauldrons, field enveloping smaller frame protectively. "Take it from one who knows - authority stems more from fear, you're the youngest on board, it's only natural that older mech's will try and protect you. Though I do believe Magnus does need to take a step back"

Red optics regard the young mech keenly. "Stand tall. Pursue your passions . And should he overstep, remind him in no uncertain terms who you are. Your strong sparked"

He crouches fluidly before them , digit gentle as steel beneath a chin. "You were made for greatness, little one. Never forget, don't let him stifle your youth, but try not to make him short circuit" A ferocious grin spreads across their face before they take off down the halls.

Ultra Magnus sits in his office, the enforcer's helm is pressed to his servos as he lets out a groan, he has overstepped.

Megatron's mass fills the security office like encroaching gloom, eclipsing what little light permeates the sparse, regulation-bound space. Magnus senses the ex warlord's intrusive field and looks up wearily through digits.

"What do you want, Megatron?" The enforcer's usually stalwart voice holds only exhaustion. Heavy pedes carry Megatron before the desk, where he looms over Magnus imperiously. Yet when he speaks, his tone resembles dark mirth more than threat.

"Come now, Director. Is one impudent youngster truly more than you can handle?" Crimson optics gleam with sardonic amusement. "Your methods lack finesse. Rebellious sparks respond better to understanding than oppression."

Magnus' field flares defensively. "With respect, keeping order is rather outside your expertise. Some of us prioritise crew safety over spectacle."

One of Megatron's digits raises Magnus' chin, forcing optic contact. "Order through fear is a leash, not leadership. True power stems from willing allegiance, not force alone. It took me along time to learn that Ambus"

"Energon for thought. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more orders I need to read through to make sure Swerve isn't trying to order EnerGULP or Biofuel to try and fake as Energex " he states while beginning to type away on the data pad.

"Megatron, they are reckless and going to get themself off-lined or worse" Magnus tried to argue back.

"Ambus you'd be rather harsh to them, they are young, I'm aware of that, but you're treating them as if they are your sparkling" Megatron states. As the enforcer's optics go wide Megatron stifles a chuckle.

Magnus meets Megatron's scarlet gaze with quiet defiance. "My role is keeping order on this ship, not coddling delinquents."

"Yet it seems you have been coddling one rather too much, they are at that stage, if you keep a lock and chain on them they are going to rebel,be glad it's only Rodimus, Tailgate and Drift they tend to be with. Would you rather they be around DJD" Megatron asked with a raised optic.

"Absolutely Not!" Magus shouts.

"My point stands Ambus, perhaps spend some time with them, learn what they enjoy doing, they are rebelling because they don't have the option, they are stuck in a ship with nothing to do, they see Rodimus as friend, batch mate." are his parting words. Magnus watches Megatron's departing form with troubled optics and churning processor. His counsel, however cryptic, raises discomfiting points...

With a heavy ex-vent, Magnus pulls up files on the youngsters in question. The youngest and Rodimus - one a scrappy outlier, the other a wild spark flouting authority at every turn a prime. Opposites yet drawn together like magnets. Why was he so invested in protecting this little outlier

They young outlier sits in their suite, sulking. After the fight with Magnus they had decided it was easier just not being around other bots, they had shot Rodimus a quick message stating that they wanted to be left alone for the rest of the cycle.

They fidget with their data pad huffing in annoyance as they try to fill out their reports.

When the doors open and they see Magnus they grumble. "What do you want?"

Magnus stands silent in the doorway, emanating not wrath but uncertainty. His field broadcasts a cautious olive branch amid pulsing regret. "May I enter?" His tone holds none of the usual stern command,

When they shrug off tired assent, Magnus steps within cautiously, a massive frame filling the space.

Optics rove the bare walls and solitary form, glimpsing an existence circumscribed not by choice but necessity. His tanks churn anew. How had he failed to see the cages, invisible yet profound, binding errant sparks aboard this vessel?

Gingerly Magnus lowers himself to one knee, meeting their averted gaze evenly. "I came to apologise," he rumbles slowly. "My conduct toward you and Rodimus has been...regrettable, I'm sorry."

The young outlier watches guardedly, searching that earnest regard for signs of tyranny or deceit. Magnus also acknowledges his protectiveness and worry over the younger cybertronian.

A sigh escapes Magnus' vents, massive shoulders slumping. "You must understand, my role demands ensuring all under my protection remain safe and functional."

"Then why do you treat me differently?" They shoot back. Magnus goes quiet for a moment. His optics hold a gentle light as they find the younger bots. " When I see you, youthful audacity, venturing into dangers I endured long ago...it stirs memories best left buried. I watch the war wipe out so many sparklings, outliers taken and used for war"

His field pulses rueful ghosts of harsher times. "I never meant to curb your spirit, only shield you from hard lessons learned too soon." Massive fingers lightly brush an audial fin in a gesture both paternal and penitent.

"Perhaps...I allowed duty to eclipse my function as guardian to all aboard." A bittersweet smile tugs at plating. "Megatron, of all mechs, said i needed to step back"

Optics meet in earnest appeal. "If you'll permit it, I wish to walk a new path, try and be better, it won't stop my worry but you don't deserve to be caged ." His field pulses only patience, regret and stubborn care worn soft by wisdom's dawning light. Care for the future of this young bot.

"I know I'm a young spark, but I'm not a sparkling Ultra Magnus, I know I'm the youngest on ship but I'm not a sparkling " they states quietly. The two sit beside each other.

Magnus nods solemnly, settling beside the young mech and curling his field around their smaller frame protectively.

"You are right. I treated you as one much younger, when your spark burns as fiercely as any aboard." A massive hand rests gently on a plated shoulder.

His gaze holds Tiny's earnestly. "From this moment, consider me not a jailer but guardian here to ensure your path remains lighted, not bar it. To advise and shelter, if you'll have me, I... I will try not to short circuit over your dangerous activity." A beat of silence as understanding passes unspoken between them. Then Magnus offers a small, indulgent smile.

"I've much to learn as well, little one. I'm sorry, I have been as Rodimus calls it a stick in the mud" he states and it makes the younger burst out laughing.

"Can you help me with these reports, I'm struggling with understanding what you want, the words keep moving around and I just don't understand" they state while holding out the data pad. Magnus leans in closer slowly reading over everything before trying to break it down for the outlier.

Things are peaceful for once between them, he helps with the small things and realises a lot in that time. But when he does eventually leave he catches a small slip up from them. "Thanks Sire" they call out, it makes him stiffen but a smile crosses his face as he leaves, he wouldn't tell anyone how it made him feel.

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theblueprincess590 · 8 months ago

Text

The Winds of Youth-A Character Analysis of Ventus

Ventus began his story much like Sora, as a starry eyed youth who dreamed of broadening their horizons and seeing what lay beyond their small homes. Yet unlike Sora, Ventus had something to prove. Ventus wants to be an adult, wants to be his friend's equal and yet he is denied this time and time again. Everyone treats him like a child, they dote on him like an infant that needs constant supervision, They coddle him in his training never letting him from reaching his true potential, and worst of all they keep him cooped up in his room like a cage bird all while using their infantilizing of him to justify it. With his found family refusing to ever let him leave, to let him fight, and never teaching him anything more than the basics, The Land of Departure eventually becomes a prison surrounded by wind for the pure hearted boy. Making it no wonder that when the call to adventure finally arrived he grasped it without hesitation even if the hands that offered it were stained in filth and hate.

It is Vanitas who initially gives Ventus the push to leave his home and travel to other worlds. Doing so by nagging on Ventus’s insecurities and fears by implying his best friend Terra will no longer be the same person, that the earth will grow into a mountain higher than the winds can reach. However it must not be mistaken that Vanitas is just doing this out of cruelty. No Vanitas is using Terra to help Ventus justify his decision to leave. Vanitas is Ven’s darkness, his other half, and thus knows all that Ventus feels all he truly desires. He knows how desperately Ventus wishes to leave, to prove himself more than a child. So he gives Ventus what he has always wanted, a “justified” reason to run away, a chance for him to indulge in his selfish desires without any guilt. And this is ultimately Ven’s greatest failure.

Ventus left the Land of Departure not to save Terra but to indulge in his own desires of freedom. Terra was merely the just cause. After all if Ventus was really just acting out of concern for Terra then he would of voiced said concerns to Aqua or Eraqus, returned home after encountering Terra again in Radiant Garden, brought up the existence of a mysterious intruder in his room (which he only does when seeking praise from Terra and Aqua for “defeating” him), or most importantly of all he would of told Terra of the warning he received before Terra left when he had the chance but he didn’t because if he did he did then he would of lost his chance to prove himself. That is why Ventus continues his adventures after succeeding in his goal to find Terra because it was never about Terra in the first palace.

Yet the journey still holds a great meaning to it. Just like Sora’s adventures Ventus manages to make countless friends, each of who manage to help him grow as a person. Through the kindness of Snow White Ventus grows from one who needs protection to a protector ultimately pushing him to save Princess’s Aruroa’s heart from Maleficent, which in term gives him the convention of a Hero that allows him to train alongside Hercules and Zack. Of course though it is not just strength that the Disney characters impart on Ventus but also wisdom and perspective. Through their adventures together Ventus learns what it means to truly have a dream, no longer accepting the aimless life he lived before and instead striving to become a keyblade master just like Terra and Aqua so he can truly be their equal. He learns what it really means to be a friend through the joy of Lea and Isa. Which in terms helps him come to better appreciate Terra and Aqua when he sees just how much their friendship made Stitch’s life better. And in the end discovers the true value of bonds when treasure hunting with Peter Pan, That a bond is not something physical but rather an invisible link that will always connect your heart to the ones you love.

However these lessons can not protect Ventus from his cruel fate. He fights alongside Terra and Aqua in the Key graveyard despite his heart being weighed down by the tragic truth of his existence. Yet even with his inner strength Ventus only becomes a burden. Not only does his presence end up distracting Terra and Aqua but he is quickly incapacitated by Xehanort, reduced to a mere object by the old man yet again. And when he does manage to finally put up a fight in order to save Aqua he only ends up giving The Masked Boy what he wants. Vanitas reveals to Ventus that it was he who orchestrated this hero’s journey. Everything from the UnVersed to the disney world to Terra, Aqua, and Eraqus were set up by Master Xehanort and Vanitas to make Ventus stronger, so he could forge the X-Blade. From the very beginning Ventus was playing a rigged game, blindly following a shallow script of lies and deception all because it fed his ego, because it made him feel like a big man, like a hero. When in reality he was just a pawn.

At least that's what Vanitas wants Ventus to believe. This “Coming of Age” Story may have been written by a Dark Imp but that doesn’t mean Vanitas has the right to decide its value. The path he followed may have been a lie but the friendships Ventus formed and the lessons he learned were anything but false. Ventus got stronger not because of Vanitas but in spite of him. It was Snow White, Cinderella, Jaq, The Three Good Fairies, Lea, Isa, Minnie, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Hercules, Zack, Phil, Stitch, Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Mickey, Eraqus, Terra, and Aqua who shaped Ventus into the boy NO the Man he is now. It was them who imparted on him the values that gave his hearts strength, that helped him push forward past the darkness, and that gave him hope, love, and Dreams. Not this Shallow Shadow. Which is why Vanitas can never defeat Ventus. Vanitas made no effort to understand others, no effort to connect with others, and no effort to change himself. He simply remained the same, a spiteful parasite that sought conflict and conflict alone. He visited the same worlds as Ven and yet never once formed a connection of his own, only filling the worlds with more hatred and violence. Even his pursuit of Ventus and the X-Blade was just to instigate further conflict with a second Keyblde war. And Because of his unwillingness to change Vanitas could never understand Ventus, even when his heart was bare to him in their final battle. Vanitas could only see Ven as the lesser half, unable to understand why he put so much value in his friends, why this wayward boy was so ready to die for them. And because he stay the stayed the same, because he indulged himself in violence and ignorance Vanitas lost to the only bond he ever had. As it was the shared D-Link between himself and Ventus that ultimately destroyed Vanitas.

Ventus began his journey with selfish intention masked as richness ultimately resulting in his free spirited time of youth coming to end through harsh truths. And yet he was still able to grow from it. Because just like Sora Ventus is at his core a kind and heroic person with his heart open to all. He sought not only strength but connections allowing the bonds he formed to change him, gifting him with great ideals and power through every new command, keyblade, shotlock, D-Link, and Command Style earned. All of which help him grow from a shelter child to a true Man, one who always puts his friends before himself, reaching for the first time in the series the complete understanding of the power of friendship “My friends are my power ands I’m theirs”

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a-crack-in-the-universe · 9 months ago

Text

I want to talk a bit about the scene in ReMind where Aqua and Ven confront Terranort and Vanitas right before they start fighting. Specifically, their brief conversation with Terranort.

The scene starts with Ven and Vanitas conversing, but then Terranort interrupts and tries to play mind games with Ventus. “If it’s darkness you’re looking for, Ventus, then I have more than enough to go around.”

And Aqua points her keyblade at Terranort in anger, which we’ve never seen her do before (as far as I know). “Stop! Quit using our friend for your games!”

Terranort points out that Aqua really shouldn’t be wielding her keyblade in anger as a Keyblade Master and he calls it shameful. I know it’s Terranort so he’s being an asshole, but he does have a point about that. And it’s pretty interesting to see Aqua doing it, since in Birth By Sleep she was firmly against giving into hate and rage and warned Terra not to give into his anger.

It’s heartbreaking seeing the look in poor Ven’s eyes after he hears Terranort’s words to Aqua. The poor kid looks so devastated and hurt.

Also as a Terraqua fan, I love that Terra is the reason that Aqua is angry enough to raise her keyblade at Terranort. It’s sweet that she cares that much about Terra.

I also love the speech Aqua makes at the very end, about how she wants only one thing with all her heart, which is to cast Xehanort out of Terra’s heart forever. ❤️

#kingdom hearts #terra #aqua #Ventus #kh terra #kh Aqua #Terraqua #kh #kh3 #kh3 remind #kingdom hearts 3 #Terranort

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rosie-kairi · 2 days ago

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*taps on window glass* hey I have more Ventus angst mind if I uh *shimmies through and fall in* ah there we go.

Okay so it's actually really simple but probably has more severe psychological effects. What if Xehanort simply . . . waited. Like he found Ven at 11 and realized oof this kid has a lot of potential but is no where near ready. So instead of trying to force the split in a year when he's 12 he puts Ven through punishing training. Daily severe sparrings he has no chance of winning, constantly put yo against hordes of neo-heartless solo. Dumped into random worlds and told, "survive" and that's it.

Ven is forced to find or make his own shelter at all times, and is forced to find his own food. Xehanort may feel kind and heal Ven but never enough to be 100% and if he's feeling spiteful will put a spell on him so he can't summon his keyblade and therefore can't heal.

This goes on for 4 years and Ven went from being perpetually ignored and overlooked to speed running needed training in no time. His stamina and speed develop tenfold and his battle instincts are sharpened from constantly living like he's about to be attacked (cause he is) he can accurately predict and respond to an attack in seconds. And he's a master and fighting multiple opponents at once.

That said Xehanort is a punishing teacher and any infringement any mistake is met with severe punishment. Ven lives in constant fear of upsetting or disobeying his master because he knows he will suffer severely. He has no memories before being found so all he knows is his master and assumes this is as good as it gets. Except late in night in his dreams he swears he can remember someone begging him not to go because they can't lose him. But they did so clearly they didn't care as much as they said.

This goes on until he's 15 when Xehanort decide he's ready to forget the keyblade and the scene we see in the game happens. Xehanort is disappointed 4 years down the drain but Ven pulls through anyway. He still gets brought to Eraqus but now he only has a year to recover.

When he's brought to them he's terrified of doing anything wrong. He tries to find the nearest caves to sleep for the night and it takes Ven a week to be told this is not a test and he can sleep in a bed. Which Ven thought only people on other worlds did and keyblade wielders don't. He refused food at first thinking it was another test and he was expected to go find his own but eventually realized the only food available was in the castle but he would not eat until given the okay to do so.

Anytime he broke a plate or stumbled into someone he immediately took the position to be beaten or yelled at horrifying the castle occupatans. Ven did not trust easy but didn't want to be kicked out and just did what was expected under Xehanort.

For the time being Eraqus focused on his physical therapy and did not allow him to participate in training. But Aqua and Terra felt bad so they secretly did some lessons and learned Ven is insanely fast and a brilliant strategist but also goes to the point of nearly breaking his body. He's completely disconnected from pain warning him of his limit, learned to fight even when his stamina and energy are empty and he's ready to fall over. He fights like he has to make the other bleed and bruise first before he's down for the count.

Finding out Ven has no idea what a birthday is it even his own (Eraqus informs them he's roughly 15), never had a roof over his head, or a warm bath, never had his wounds fully tended to, and seems foreign to the idea of praise is heartbreaking. So much of the year is trying to help Ven realize he's safe and will not be harmed while he's with them.

When the game starts and he's 16 physically Ven has recovered by emotionally? Still not all there but he's definitely better just more subdued and mild mannered. Unless his temper gets pushed in the heat of battle he can't stop his explosive anger.

Seeing Xehanort after a year is traumatizing for Ven so he's actually not allowed to witness the test. When his friends leave Ven fearing abandonment goes after Terra not wanting the first taste of kindness to go away.

Ven learns the world's aren't as bad as he originally thought and he doesn't have to live his life as a weapon and in fear. When he goes him that all goes out the window when he's staring down his master holding his keyblade with the intent to kill him and he panics and freezes waiting for the finishing blow.

The ending is the same where Ven sadly accepts his fate and is ready to finish off vanitas and himself so Xehanorts plans never come to fruition he wishes he could've had more time with them. When Roxas houses his heart he's probably a lot more emotional due to the familiar feeling of being in constant battles against heartless in other worlds. Some memories of Xehanorts "training" come to him in dreams and he wakes up in a cold sweat terrified but the feelings and memories fade quickly. He's confused and doesn't understand nor does he understand why being around Xemnas makes him feel so uneasy and afraid (or Xigbar), Axel and Marluxia feel the most calming but he doesn't know why.

Basically Ventus being severely abused by Xehanort instead of being with Eraqus except the year between 15-16 and he's just severely emotionally traumatized but 10x stronger and faster due to the training.

Anon you sure do know how to emotionally wound me. nothing but bangers and bangers. Love it when you come in here and say "hey wouldn't it be fucked up if [x]?" and then immediately elaborate because. yeah. it WOULD be fucked up if [x] you are so right. You should start signing these off with like. an emoji or something so I can catalog these easier.

Xehanort doesn't have Vanitas to kick around so he just settles with regular Ven instead. Many Such Cases.

#ask rosie a question!#anon ask #kingdom hearts #kh ventus #ventus #don't have much to add bc you are. Very thorough #abuse mention #💨🗝️🌹anon

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atomic-taco-muffin · 5 months ago

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Havent been here in a hot second, Vanitas x fem reader smut where reader is. like a princess,, opposite of van and her and van have a fuck buddies type thing goin’ on? And like . Van is constantly coming to her when he’s pissed or stressed OH and reader is in love w him but he’s unsure? sorry to be a bother lmfao

So sorry to answer this so late! But I hope you enjoy this

Vanitas x Fem!Reader: Your Highness

Warnings: Filthy ass smut, degradation, get my boi Vanitas a redemption arc now Square! Fuck-buddy/friends-with-benefits relationship

Rating: NSFW under the cut

Vanitas, from the moment he was torn out of Ventus' body by Xehanort, has been told he couldn't feel anything except hatred and darkness. Yet, when he met you in Radiant Garden, he could've sworn he felt his non-existent heart skip a beat. He had to have you. And so began your relationship with him. What started off as a one-night stand turned into you being fuck buddies. But over time, you started to develop feelings for him. But you knew it would be impossible to be with him. He was always gone, only coming back to fuck you ruthlessly after a stressful day with the Organization. Until one night...

☽✧☽✧

As you prepared for bed, a dark corridor opened, and Vanitas entered your room. He looked the same as the past few times you've seen him. Angry, disheveled, and covered in cuts and bruises. Neither of you said a word as you took him to your private bathroom and began cleaning up his wounds. As you took care of his bleeding lip, you thought about all the times he'd kissed you. How it was rough and passionate. You wondered if he ever knew how to be gentle if someone of the darkness could be gentle.

"You're staring," he muttered.

"Sorry," you quickly replied before going back to taking care of his injuries. You then noticed how he didn't wince the multiple times you've taken care of him. Was it something he learned or something he refused to admit? In all honesty, it made you that much more in love with him. You wanted to learn more about him.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked.

"Nothing," you replied.

"You're lying. I can see it in your eyes." Dammit, how did he know?! "So what's going on in that head of yours?"

You debated on whether or not to tell him the truth. That you were in love with him and wanted to be more than just fuck-buddies. That you wanted a real relationship with him. Vanitas tilted his head, curious about what was going on inside your head. You took a deep breath and told him the truth.

"I think I'm in love with you," you said. Vanitas froze, not expecting those words to come out of your mouth.

"You know we can't," he sighs.

"I know, but I can't help but be in love with you. I wanna be with you. I know I'm a princess and you're a being of darkness but I want you. And not just the sex. I want the real you. I wanna know what makes you tick, what your likes and dislikes are-"

"(Y/N)...we can't. The closest thing we can have is what we already have. I can't put you in danger. My father will punish me if he found out." Your heart broke at his words. You understood where he was coming from, but the words still stung. "This is probably the last we'll be together too."

"W-what do you mean?"

"...Tomorrow, Father's making the Organization go to war. Against the seven lights. I don't know if I'll come back. Which is why I came here. To be with you one last time." It broke your heart even more to hear these words, but you didn't refuse. You needed him just as much as he needed you.

"Okay," you replied. And with that he crashes his lips onto yours.

NSFW under the cut

Vanitas picked you up and brought you over to your bed where he then tossed you onto the fluffy mattress. You landed with a soft bounce and Vanitas crawled on top of you with a seductive yet predatory look on his face. You couldn't help but bite your lip and rub your thighs together, which didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Needy, aren't we?" he teased.

"When it comes to you, always," you replied. Vanitas smirked and began kissing your neck, leaving hickeys and bite marks all over it. You moaned softly and arched your back closer to him, wanting more of his touch and his kisses. Vanitas's hands trailed down your body reaching the hem of your night shirt.

"May I, your highness?" he teased. You nodded and he gladly pulled your shirt off, revealing your beautiful bosom. When you tried to cover yourself, Vanitas quickly yet gently took your wrists and pinned them above your head.

"None of that now, gorgeous," he said seductively. You whimpered under his intense gaze, but couldn't deny just how sexy it was being pinned underneath him. Vanitas then began kissing your chest, leaving bite marks and hickeys along your breasts and your nipples, eliciting a gasp from your lips. Vanitas chuckled, loving the sound that was escaping your mouth. He pulled away, satisfied with the amount of marks he left on you.

"That's more like it. Now those pathetic suitors will know that you belong to someone else," he said. He removed his shirt, revealing his abs, and making you bite your lip. He took notice of this and chuckled.

"Like what you see, your highness?" he teased. You blushed in embarrassment, which only fueled his entertainment. The two of you began making out again and Vanitas trailed his hands to your sleep pants, teasing the hem of it.

"May I?" he asked. You nodded and he took off your pants and your panties. Vanitas had to hold back a moan after looking at your beautiful pussy. You took notice of this and decided to tease him by grinding your pussy against his clothed crotch. Vanitas groaned and rolled his eyes back, loving the feeling of your teasing.

"Fuck baby~" he moaned. He needed you more than anything right now and you needed him. After enough teasing from the both of you, Vanitas took off his pants and lined up his cock against your entrance.

"You ready, baby?" he asked, wanting your consent. You nodded and wrapped your arms around his neck. He nodded back and slowly pushed himself into your tight, warm cunt. The two of you moaned, feeling the incredible amount of pleasure just by him being inside of you. Vanitas was kind enough to give you time to adjust to his size and when you gave him the okay, he began moving. The feeling of him thrusting inside of you was amazing! It was like you were made for his cock and his cock alone. As much as he felt amazing, it was not enough for you. You wanted him to go faster. To go harder.

"Vani~ Harder~" you moaned. Vanitas smirked and began fucking you harder and faster. You moaned loudly and arched your back again, the tip of his cock hitting your G-spot. Vanitas knew just by looking at your expression that he had found your G-spot and continued the pace, making sure to hit that spot repeatedly. You could feel your orgasm starting to creep up and you clung to Vanitas, not wanting to stop.

"Ugh, fuck~" Vanitas moaned, feeling your pussy clench on his dick. "Cum for me, baby~ Make a mess for me~"

As if on cue, you cream all over his dick which then caused Vanitas to cum deep inside of you with a loud moan. His orgasm felt so good that he ended up collapsing on top of you. The two of you stayed like this for a while, not saying anything. Just holding each other in post-orgasm bliss. After a moment of pure silence, Vanitas pulled away and looked into your eyes.

"You okay? Did I go too hard?" he asked.

"No. I'm okay," you replied, smiling up at him. Vanitas smiled back and kissed your forehead before standing up and getting something to clean you up with. After cleaning you up and getting you some water to drink, the two of you lay in bed together until the both of you fell asleep. When you woke up the next morning, Vanitas was gone. But there was a note on your nightstand from none other than Vanitas himself. You picked up the note and read it, tears welling up in your eyes.

(Y/N),

If you're reading this, then it means that I have left to fight in my father's war. I don't know if I'll make it out of this alive and come back to you. If I don't, then know that I love you more than anything in this cursed universe.

May your heart be your guiding key,

Vanitas

#vanitas x reader #vanitas kingdom hearts #vanitas smut #kh vanitas #vanitas kh #vanitas #vanitas imagines #organization xiii #real organization xiii #organization xiii imagines #organization xiii smut #organization xiii x reader #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts x reader #kingdom hearts imagines #kingdom hearts smut

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