#au: thedas but make it modern

[theaologies]

Desperate for one of the da fics I’m subbed to to update I do NOT want to go back into the hurricane of new fics fuckin huntin

[kabsey]

adoribull muffins for all

many, many years ago, i wrote many, many words of dragon age fic (mostly adoribull).

then i went through a tough time.

i deleted most of my work with the exception of a few orphaned stories i felt people might still enjoy. it was not the first time i did this, nor was it the last.

but with time having passed and a new game on the horizon, i am having fun peeking into the fandom again. i don't know if i will be inspired to write any more fic, but i’d like to think i might.

for anyone who has read or commented on or bookmarked my old stuff, you have my deepest gratitude. i do still keep an eye on it, and it does still make me smile when someone enjoys it.

if you're curious what i wrote back in the day, my orphaned adoribull works are:

never better: mostly canon-compliant short fics

muffin tops: modern au

discernment: regency au

so if you remember me as siujerkjai... hello again! i'm excited to return to thedas with you.

[emmg]

where’s the emmrich modern professor au tho 👀👀👀👀

Here lol. Rook’s on a curatorial internship, they yap about goats, nothing remotely academic gets done, shit gets a bit steamy, modern Thedas but make it ~vague~ because yours truly is lazy 🙂‍↔️🤌

You can just click on the ao3 link in my bio, usually whatever I yap about ends up there. I am goddamn awful at tagging my stuff with my own personal tag so it just gets lost in the depths of tumblr lmfao

[bloodycyrano]

Gifts I think the DAO companions would appreciate, outside of giftable in game items! (Pt1, I think this will be a long post if not sectioned)

Sten-

Incense and expensive tea, possibly imported. He talks about how he hates the smell of Ferelden, and misses home; Tea and incense being the most notable scents that stick out to him.

Cookies, or a good recipe for cookies. Everyone in the Fandom has had the dialog where Sten reveals that he enjoys cookies, and that in his homeland, there is no such thing. I think he would greatly enjoy a recipe to be able to bring such a thing back with him- Even if he may not be able to make them himself at home. My memory is fuzzy on qunari custom, but I don't think he'd be particularly allowed to bake.

A wardog of his own- I don't think he'd be permitted to keep it, upon return to the qun. But he has immense respect for Barkspawn, and I think if he were here in 2024, he'd be a great dog dad. I think he'd probably give it to his closest companion upon his return, but he would keep a detailed sketch of it with him always. He'd probably give it a specific title in his native tongue.

This is sort of a separate headcannon, but I think in a modern AU, he'd really like pumpkin spice lattes.- It's always the ones you would never expect.

Shayle-

Obviously, we know they like crystals. They like being pretty, and *sparkling*. So it's not too farfetched to assume they would appreciate gold ore or other shining metals fitted to some of their stone bits- Sort of like.. Magically grafted on with heat? Morrigan could weld them, or I'm sure Sandal could potentially do it.

I think, while they couldn't really read themselves, I think if you brought them books and such, they would enjoy hearing you read it to them. Especially if you manage to find some old records of their own lineage after the orzammar quest line.

I think they would also enjoy being given I big, stone bowl to keep shiny trinkets in- Like a crow, almost. Crystals, cute pebbles, coins, keys, etc. Pretty things for them to look at.

Leliana-

She would love it if you wrote her a poem, regardless of what it was about. I think she'd just be so happy you thought of her and wrote something lovely- I honestly think she'd love it even more if it wasn't the best quality. After all, that would mean you were inspired by her to write something of which you had no prior experience and still tried your best. She'd think it was cute.

I think she'd like it if you gave her one of your own personal favorite books or fables, with little notes on your commentary and theories. She'd love that, honestly.

A ceramic nug. No explanation needed, she loves Nugs. I've got animals I love, too. And if someone gave me a ceramic or plush critter of my choice, I'd be over the moon.

A little on the weird side, I think she'd like a type of porcelain harlequin doll. I can't think of the specific type, but they don't make them the same way anymore.. they're usually from overseas in Germany or Russia or France, you know? The ones that are really glossy and have beautiful line work in the paint? I feel like you found one in the denerim marketplace, imported from Orlais, and it would remind her of another experience she had there or even just of her time as a bard. After all, they weren't *all* unpleasant memories.

Alistair-

A golem doll. Like a little poppet. I don't think it's rare dialogue, but the other day is the first time I noticed it since I first played the game rented from a family video over a decade ago, so.. Yeah. Point is, Alistair mentions in front of "Wonders of Thedas", that Arl Eamon (I think) once bought him a little golem doll as a child, and how he adored it and wondered if there would be one like it at the wonders of thedas.

A griffon figurine. He's a Grey Warden, I think he'd like it. The wardens have always been his real home, and it's truly where he belongs. I think a memento of that is something he'd hold dear.

A book of poems about honoring fallen soldiers. I feel like it may bring him to tears, and perhaps make him confront some extra grief after ostagar, but perhaps it could also bring a sort of comfort. Maybe he isn't the most religious, maybe he has a bit of trauma from the chantry.. But I think he still prays, if only for the ones he's lost.

Again, I think he'd like a war dog. I'll never let him take Barkspawn, but he'd love a pupper of his own. If you gave it to him as a puppy to raise and train all his own, he'd probably be overjoyed.- Off topic, but I headcannon that all companions to the wardens have an extended lifespan, and live and die with their humanoid counterparts if they don't die in battle, kind of like the animal companions do with the avatars in ATLA. Far fetched, and backed by absolutely no real lore as far as I know, but I like to think it's true.

[littlelostmabari]

Too many fic ideas, not enough time. If someone wants one of these please feel free as long as you tag me so I can read and share it. 💜💜

Current backlog:

BG3 Gale x Tav (Modern AU) where Gale's been stripped of his powers by the orb, but no one can know how vulnerable he is. Tara hires a bodyguard to protect the tower while they research a way to fix it.

DAI, Modern Girl in Thedas (MGiT) with a twist: Solas is simulating thousands of DAI playthroughs, each with a different inquisitor. One of the Quizzy's actually does get "erased from time" at Redcliffe, and is shunted into the nearest simulation... where they are no longer the Herald. The true Inquisition are outside the sims trying to figure out Solas' plans. Inspired by the "what does it mean to be alive" themes of @senualothbrok's "The Difference".

DAO Alistair x OC where the Warden hardens a non-romanced Alistair and makes him king, but leaves him behind. ~2 years after taking the throne, he's lost his way and turns to the Pearl for any affection he can get.

BG3 OC (Dhampir son of a romanced spawn!Astarion) getting into shenanigans and learning about the reason his father is known as a Hero of Baldur's Gate. (Otherwise I'm turning this into a new D&D character!)

[2demon2slayer]

links post!!

(this will occasionally be updated with relevant links)

bio / art tag / writing tag / ask tag / ao3

misc thoughts + meta stuff

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AU Masterlist below cut

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a lot of these don’t have a lot of posts because i keep making new ones instead of expanding on old ideas. apologies

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WEREWOLF AU | the demon slayers are all werewolves. they’re turned after final selection, so inosuke’s a bit late to the wolf game. the story is otherwise largely unchanged.

SON OF THE SUN AU | kamado swap where nezuko is the demon slayer and tanjirou is the demon. the story is very different from canon and still very tanjirou-centric.

DRAGON AU | the demon slayers (and some of the demons) are dragons. not a lot of other thoughts, i mostly made this au to come up with dragon designs

ANCIENT SUN AU | yoriichi was turned into a demon by muzan way back in the day, but it didn’t really work out for muzan and now yoriichi has dedicated the rest of his immortal life to hunting down the demon king. also he runs into tanjirou at some point and shenanigans happen. this au is mostly an excuse for yoriichi-tanjirou interactions.

SUN HASHIRA + TSUGUKO AU | a huge roleswap au where most of the kids are adults and most of the adults are kids, various other switches happen, and the demons are . mostly unchanged because i kinda care less about them lmao. tanjirou is the sun hashira and giyuu is his tsuguko. also sabito lives as a demon

UROKODAKI’S FOXES | all of urokodaki’s students wear fox masks to honor their teacher. they also confuse all the other slayers. sabito and makomo live in this

MODERN AU | demon slayer takes place in 20XX instead of 1915.

HERE AGAIN AU | combination modern and reincarnation au. the events of demon slayer happen in 20XX, but also they happened a century or so ago and a handful of characters remember what happened last time.

STRANGE SENSATIONS | au inspired by the five senses fic. the final selection crew meet and team up during final selection and it eventually turns into a fix it (read it here!)

COME MORNING | demon slayer takes place over the course of six years instead of three. nezuko turns back into a human without much fanfare and wakes up to find her brother is now 19 instead of 13, as he was when she last saw him.

TANJIROU AND KOKUSHIBOU ON A ROAD TRIP TOGETHER | furious that tanjirou and kokushibou never got to meet so here’s them doing that and also kokushibou maybe defecting because of it

BNHA CROSSOVER | kny takes place in the distant past of bnha and bnha takes place in the distant future of kny. through . probably demon blood art shenanigans, tanjirou (later joined by others) winds up in the future and shenanigans happen.

DRAGON AGE AU | demon slayer characters and story roughly transposed into the world of thedas. i’m not sure how everything translates, but the demon slayer corps are either just the grey wardens or a special division within the grey wardens

DEMONSWAP AU | with a few exceptions, all of the demons are humans and all of the humans are demons. nezuko is a demon slayer being trained by the ice hashira, douma. she doesn’t know that her brother’s alive nor that he’s a demon. tanjirou is a demon who’s been taken in by the demon moon, tomioka giyuu. he doesn’t remember anything from when he was a human

MONSTER MASH | the demon slayer corps is made up of a bunch of monsters instead of humans! this au is mostly an excuse for fun cool designs and worldbuilding. lowkey, that's kind of it. some characters (namely the demons and the kamados) are still human

[seriousbrat]

omg this is so fun I have to do it. i was tagged by @juniperpyre thank you!!

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (or however many you have) posted fics and see if there’s a pattern!

not all of these are marauders and some of them are like.. a decade old but still

Falls the Shadow (canon compliant marauders era, james/lily)

Cokeworth, the little smoggy blot of nothing on the map just northwest of Leicester.

2. Lippy Kids (marauders muggle AU where everyone is a girl, james/sirius)

"Oh, fuck me!" shouted the girl, slamming the palm of her hand against the door.

3. Pretty Girls Make Graves (canon compliant one-sided severus/lily)

Like so many polluted, dismal summer days in Cokeworth, this one seems to stretch endlessly on as Sev drags himself wearily up Dorlcote Close towards Lily’s.

4. From the Ashes (canon compliant marauders era, james/lily)

The room is dank, stale, clogged with smoke and shadow.

5. The Silence of Another (next gen, Teddy/James Sirius)

The ghosts stare at him from above, from all sides, calling him coward and disappointment.

6. The Night Will Always Win (canon compliant marauders era, james/lily)

The world is dark, he can perceive nothing but a sharp metallic taste in his mouth and pounding in his ears.

7. Paradise Circus (dragon age, modern thedas AU, fhawke/isabela)

“Look, Mum, just—” Marian Hawke jerked the steering wheel violently to the right.

8. Something Like Love (life is strange, chloe/max)

When you think of Chloe, you see her sleeping at her desk.

9. Gold on the Ceiling (dragon age, lavellan/dorian)

“Inquisitor, may I introduce Madame Violette?” Vivienne said, describing a genteel arc in the air with her hand towards the seamstress, a spindly woman with— in Dorian’s opinion— an altogether too enthusiastic proclivity for rouge.

10. Sea Legs (dragon age, fhawke/isabela)

“You know,” said Isabela, tossing the rope over the side and stepping onto the deck.

I am aware that I like to start things off with dialogue... some of these I haven't thought about in many years haha. Especially the LiS fic- there was a period when I was obsessed with second person lol. Otherwise I do think I like a brief, punchy opening line full of imagery.

I'm honestly not sure who here writes fanfiction rip but I'd love to see this from @artemisia-black and @firefeufuego if u want!

[vultures-and-scavengers]

Do you think your ocs would like each other if they met? Or what would you say was a moment that made them who they are (can apply to any of them that you want to talk about!)

oooh, some of my OCs would get along, others would not. and i'm gonna answer both, but focus on Annette, since DAI is my current fixation.

Annette Trevelyan and Katria Hawke. Annette is initially dismissive, Katria is downright hateful, but largely in part because she'd met Annette's older brother, who left a bad impression, and Annette is very... closed off, very formal, and so she falls under the sort of "Ice Queen" trope, which Katria loathes. Eventually they get along, but its a rough ride on the way.

Annette and Ashanaan Adaar? They need to meet. In a modern AU, Annette would be a chemical engineer, and Ashanaan would be an explosives expert or a rocket propellant engineer. In Thedas, Ashanaan is trying to reverse-engineer gaatlok, and Annette is playing with chemicals and making her artificer mines that way. Ashanaan is also a bit more cheerful/ebullient than Annette, which Annette likes, while Annette has a lot of Orlesian/Noble/historical knowledge that Ashanaan covets but doesn't know where to start. It'd be a meeting of the minds, they'd get along like crazy.

Annette and Harold or Sora Trevelyan? They're cousins. Annette is from the main branch, and Sora and Harold are twins from one of the poorer branches. Annette wouldn't look down on them, but she would be wary, for sure. They'd also be wary of her: Annette's father, Maximilian, has a ruthless and nasty reputation, and Annette's spent the last decade playing the Game in Orlais, which neither of the twins would be thrilled about.

Annette and Thalia Cousland-- friends, due to the simple fact that Ostwick and Highever are both port cities, so her father brought her along a few times when he was re-negotiating trade agreements and arguing over tariffs. They kept in touch, and through Thalia, Annette would meet Rilwyn Amell, who she's arguably closer with despite knowing each other for a far less shorter time period, but they just clicked.

Annette (DAI) and Darth Calumnia (SWTOR)? Throwing this one in for fun: Cal would respect Annette, as she's always a fan of the shrewd political types who can scheme all day, but Annette carries a strong distaste for violence, which Cal would be iffy about. For Annette, Cal is like... all her worst nightmares in one. Cal has no qualms about violence, and she has a lot of ambition and ruthlessness that exacerbate that tendency. In Cal, Annette sees the worst of what she could be if she grew accustomed to violence and she stopped taking death so seriously.

And then, moments that made them? Annette has a handful of big ones.

The first-- her mother died when she was 14, and with an asshole for a father, a two month old baby sister, and a six year old baby brother, Annette basically took on parenting both her younger siblings. She did it because she loved them, and she wanted to protect them, and while she would do it again, parentification at that age is still bad. But that's the first real moment she starts to shelve all the things that make her Annette and turn herself into whatever she needs to be.

The second-- she figures out that her father is a ruthless ass, but he's also intelligent enough not to kill the golden goose. If she plays the Game, buys House Trevelyan influence and power within Orlais, her father will leave her and her baby siblings alone. Annette thus dives into the Game and she does really well at it. As a result, she considers Orlais a refuge from her father's power, and she adopts the country as her own. Her mother was Orlesian, and Annette actually inherits her estate in Verchiel, so Verchiel will become a key part of Annette's identity.

The third-- Annette's closest friend within Orlais was Lorette Callier. Yes, that Callier. Annette did not have a happy growing up, and Lorette was her first friend. In addition, Lorette and Lord Callier's marriage was the first real instance of a happy relationship that Annette really spent any time around, and it began to help her sort out her thoughts around her parents' marriage. And then in 9:37 the Callier's are murdered, and it sends Annette into a tailspin. She gets a lot colder, a lot more guarded, and she swears off violence and war. She doesn't want them in her life, she wants nothing to do with it, and the Orlesian Civil War has now given her an up close look at how war and violence don't care who they hurt. She also puts herself squarely in Celene's camp of followers.

Fourth and finally, this isn't really one moment, but a collection of them: Annette's older sister, Clarissa, is a mage. The templars came and took her, and Annette got some letters, and because her House is rich, she was able to visit a handful of times. Ostwick isn't Kirkwall, but her sister still encountered templar abuses. Eventually Annette was cut off from contact, and her sister's status and location were denied to her. She also witnessed her father's politicking with Chantry officials from a young age, and so she's incredibly disillusioned with the Chantry, she's relatively agnostic, and she hates the templars.

Annette has been going through it, TBH. She's a lot of fun to write, though, and her distaste for war and fighting means I get to play around with alternate ways she plays the role of Inquisitor.

[ziskandra]

what do you mean a female hawke shifts the power dynamics? sorry i know you said you can't articulate why m!handers makes you uncomfortable, but it sounded a bit... 😬 you know?

assuming you're referring to this answer i gave for the ask meme I've been doing:

oh also, while i’m being salty (the name of the game i SUPPOSE), i fucking love f!handers but m!handers leaves me cold (especially in canon-verse fic, i don’t mind it as much in like, modern AUs and the like?) idk i feel like them being the same gender changes their dynamic in a way i can’t articulate–probably that hawke being female shifts the power dynamics a bit and. yeah

basically, m!handers doesn't make me "uncomfortable", i just find it less engaging. this is because i mostly write and read ships with at least one female character, and while i do have some m/m ships that i enjoy, it's based more on other character traits other than the fact that they're both men. in terms of 'power dynamics', i simply mean that in how m/f relationships inherently come with a power imbalance due to gender roles (notwithstanding that there can be other factors involved), and this is one of my favourite things to explore in fiction. more specifically, i'm fascinated by how anders's actions and behaviours might be viewed differently through the lens of a female hawke and her friends as compared to a male hawke and his. (it shouldn't matter, of course, but we all know 'men and women are treated equally' is as fallacious a statement in thedas as it is in real life.) also, acknowledging this answer comes across as very binary, i'm also very into the idea of nonbinary hawke/anders (and nonbinary headcanons in general). my (extremely mild) frustration is more levelled at m!handers because of subsets of fandom that act like male hawke is the only valid option, which in turn is just reinventing bisexual erasure tbh. hope that clarifies matters for you, nonny.

[contreparry]

happy friday!! 'Stubbornly waiting for them before going to sleep' for the pairing of your choice?

I really wanted to use this opportunity to write some Bethany and Carver twin stuff set in the modern!Thedas AU, so here's some of the Hawke twins with their older sibling for @dadrunkwriting!

"Shhhhhh!" The sharp whisper cut through the silence of the dark living room like a blade, and Bethany nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound right by her left ear. Fear gave way to fury, and she jabbed her elbow into Carver's stomach as revenge.

"Don't 'shhhhhhh!' me, Carver! You shhhhhhh!" Bethany hissed, even as she nervously glanced back to the stairs, where ma and da were sleeping. But the lights remained off and she didn't hear the creaking of bedsprings, so everyone else was still asleep. Good. If ma and da woke up and saw that Marian wasn't in bed... Bethany shuddered at the thought.

"I'm not stompin' around like a nuggalope," Carver grumbled, but he slipped his hand into Bethany's and squeezed it firmly. They were a little old for that usually- too sappy for eleven-year-olds- but tonight was different, and they both needed the comfort that only a sibling could provide.

Bethany woke up from a nightmare, a hospital nightmare, and the smell of bleach and air freshener lingered in her nose like a curse. Carver woke up too, even though he claimed he was already awake, and after some discussion they resolved to cross the hall and see Marian. She might be bossy and over-bearing, but Marian was... she was Marian! She could fix anything. She always knew what to do whenever there was a problem. And she could drive away nightmares with a laugh and a story and a mug of hot cocoa, no matter the season.

But when Carver and Bethany pushed Marian's door open, she wasn't there, and the awful stone that was sitting in Bethany's stomach only grew heavier as she realized that her older sister wasn't in her bed. She was never gone before- not without notice- and it felt wrong. Was wrong! She'd never leave without telling them. She never would! This was Marian, and she loved them! Marian promised to take her and Carver to the library tomorrow! She'd never run away, especially if it meant breaking a promise!

But Bethany kept thinking of all the terrible things that might make Marian leave them for good: ma and Marian fought last week, a terrible row about dressing for Chantry services. Carver spilled a whole glass of orange juice on Marian's mathematics workbook two days ago. Da told her that she would have to wait until next summer to take driving lessons earlier in the month, and Marian was still upset about it (Bethany could tell by the tightness in the corners of her mouth whenever Marian's friends talked about their summer courses). And Bethany played Marian's makeup- all her eyeliner and eyeshadows, all those dark and cool colors that made Marian look so serious and grown-up- and made a complete mess of everything. And sometimes Bethany saw the way Marian looked out past their familiar neighborhood and towards the skies, as if she wished she could grow a pair of giant wings and leave everything behind.

"We'll sit here," Carver whispered, sounding confident even though his hand felt a little clammy in hers. "And we'll wait for Marian to come back." Even though Bethany felt as if she was spiraling, Carver's faith in their sister was unshakeable. They sat down on the couch side by side and stared out into the dark, waiting for... for Marian to come back.

"Where d'you think she went?" Bethany asked, both terrified and eager for an answer.

"Probably out to see a friend," Carver whispered. "She'll be back." Visiting a friend made sense, Bethany thought. It was a reasonable idea, yet she couldn't shake the bone-deep fear that Marian would never return home.

"What if ma or da finds out?" Bethany asked, even though she already had a good idea of what might happen if ma and da woke up and found out that Marian wasn't home. They'd fight. Ma would cry. Da would run off to search for her. And Bethany and Carver would have to... have to wait. And waiting was the worst.

"She'll be back before they wake up. And we won't tell 'em," Carver replied stubbornly. They both fell silent then, though Carver reached up and grabbed the plush blanket that served as a decorative throw and wrapped it over their shoulders as they waited. And waited.

It felt like an age of waiting, but Bethany heard the soft metallic click of a key in the front door before it swung open and closed with a soft thud. The lock clicked again, and then quiet footsteps (so quiet, even in those heavy leather boots) walked down the front hallway and towards the stairs. Marian, Bethany thought as relief swept over her. Marian was home. She hadn't run away!

"Marian," Carver whispered, and a startled squeak of alarm echoed through the living room.

"Carver?! What's wrong, you should be in be- Bethany too?!" Marian exclaimed in a whisper, and in a few quick steps she was kneeling by the couch. She smelled like cigarette smoke and night air, and her hands and leather jacket were chilly against Bethany's bare arms, but Bethany hugged Marian fiercely and breathed her in. Marian hadn't run off. She was back, just like Carver said she would be.

"Had a nightmare," Bethany sniffed, relief breaking what her fear and nightmare hadn't. "About... about the hospital again."

"Oh, Bethany..." Marian said, sympathy heavy in her voice. "And you stayed up to keep her company, Carver?"

"Couldn't sleep anyways," Carver insisted, and Bethany felt Marian shift and drag Carver into her embrace. He squirmed half-heartedly for a second before he returned the hug.

"You two..." Marian sighed, and her breath ruffled Bethany's hair. "You're too good. Both of you. C'mon, up to bed. I'll tuck you in."

Bethany followed Marian's lead and the three of them crept up the stairs. Tomorrow, when she and Carver and Marian went to the library, Bethany would ask why Marian snuck out at night, why she smelled like cigarettes, and why she hadn't told either of them where she was going. But that could all wait for tomorrow, because now... now they were going to sleep.

[nessacousland]

My DAO Wardens

For the purposes of my fanfic antics I came up with a warden of every origin besides my canon one and I thought I'd make a post to talk about them (under the cut):

Nessa Cousland

Class: Rogue (Archer)

Specializations: Ranger, Bard

Romance: Alistair

Nessa is my canon warden and as such, the only one with a customized first name. Her personality was shaped by my desire to play a rogue with max persuasion, max sarcasm and a highly chaotic streak. She charms and lies whenever she has something to gain by doing so, but if there isn't, she's the infamous Cousland spitfire who doesn't mince words. In her mind, she's always striving to do the 'right' thing, but she's never subscribed to the idea that losing honorably is better than winning through deceit and she's loyal only to those she loves or believes it's her duty to protect. While competent, she tends to overestimate herself, which results in dumbass decisions like waking a sleeping High Dragon on purpose or trying to be an edgy teen towards her 'sinking Orlesian warships at age 15' mother.

The loss of her family messed her up badly, not in the least because deep down she's always considered herself the worst of them due to her caustic personality, but she clings to life out of pure spite. She deeply resents having been conscripted into the Wardens and though she takes her duty to end the Blight seriously, especially after the Deep Roads, she never fully lets go of that resentment. That's what makes it so easy to manipulate the Landsmeet into letting her rule at Alistair's side - they thought the Couslands were gone and forgotten, but they were wrong. Whether that outcome is what's best for both Ferelden and herself is rather questionable, but at least her feelings for the new king are genuine and she's made some true (and powerful) friends in her companions. Anyone who tries to cross the ones she loves again is going to regret it.

(I drew her surrounded by a wreath of laurels, of course, the symbol of the Cousland family. The armor is based on a piece of concept art of Fereldan armor, though I couldn't resist adding the tacky DAO leather collar. Appearance-wise she's supposed to have dark hair similar to Fergus' and light blue eyes like Bryce).

In my modern AU where she doesn’t live through the massacre of her entire family at age 19, Nessa is considerably more mellow, though still sarcastic, chaotic and a little too full of herself. She meets Alistair at a posh party he's been dragged to in order to spend 'quality time' with Maric and Cailan (I don’t imagine the whole 'bastard' thing to be as egregious in modern Thedas, though he might still be treated as an open 'dirty' secret). They're both bored and thus promptly get into trouble. The rest is history, I guess.

Neria Surana

Class: Mage (mostly Primal and Spirit magic)

Specializations: Spirit Healer, Battlemage

Romance: Solona Amell (past), none in DAO

Ironically, Neria is the warden I've written about the most as she features relatively often in my Ariane/Finn fanfics, even though I've never done a full Surana playthrough. She's also the only other potential warden besides my Cousland who's alive in my canon world state.

She grew up as an orphan in Denerim's Alienage and was taken to the Circle at age nine. Wary of any humans coming to take an elf, she struggled against the templars and ended up being beaten and bruised. After she was handed over, an Enchanter healed her immediately and to Neria, it was the first act of kindness she had received in a long time. Overwhelmed by a place that gave her a roof above her head, regular mealtimes and a bed to sleep in, she grew terrified of being thrown back to the gutter. Therefore, she pursued her studies with an almost aggressive vigor to prove herself. Only the strong survived and she wasn’t going to be weak like so many of the other mages around her.

While Neria was a brilliant apprentice, she was also an elf and quickly noticed how the First Enchanter didn't treat her with the same attention as another apprentice of similar talent : Solona Amell. She made it her mission in life to surpass her academic 'nemesis' in every way she could while failing to notice that the rivalry was very one-sided since Amell actually harbored a huge crush on her. Convinced that love was a weakness she couldn't afford, she didn't figure out her own feelings until it was too late: shortly after their Harrowings, Amell was executed for helping her best friend Jowan the blood mage escape the tower. Then the tower was overrun by demons and, bound by blood magic, Neria was helpless to stop any of it. In the aftermath of everything, she fell into a deep depression with only the memory of her 'lost Lenore' to sustain her. It's only when the Mage Rebellion breaks out and Kinloch Hold falls that she finally comes to terms with Amell's death, allowing herself to admit the wrong that was done to mages like them, and starts looking towards the future again.

Since she's never best friends with Jowan in my mind, it's kind of impossible for her to be the Warden herself, but if she was anyway, she'd be the only one of my Wardens to do the Ultimate Sacrifice. Neria has a prickly personality, but she's always on the straight and narrow and would distrust Morrigan's blood magic too much to agree to the Dark Ritual.

(The Ultimate Sacrifice is the reason I chose poppies for her, since those are supposed to represent sacrifice.)

In my modern AU she's allowed to be a lot happier and though the academic rivalry between her and Amell is alive and well (she studies magic theory while Amell does applied magical studies), they're very close to the point where they are basically dating, even if Neria is too stubborn to admit it to herself. Luckily, Amell is very patient. Neria dresses in very dark and spooky clothes to give all the idiots buying into the stereotypical portrayals of mages in the media a reason to be scared, but despite her sharp edges, she's actually the less dangerous one and the one her friends can always rely on.

Solona Amell

Class: Mage (mostly Primal and Entropy magic) Specializations: Blood Mage, Shapeshifter Romance: Neria Surana (past), none in DAO

More than any other of my Wardens, Solona is the 'dead one' in my mind. She's the kind of person who doesn’t do anything in half-measures. She's very curious and helpful to a fault. If there's a problem in her magical research, she won’t rest until she's found a solution. If there is anything she can do to help, she will do it, no matter the cost. That's how she ends up dead in my canon world state, being caught assisting her best friend Jowan escape the Circle. It’s also how she became a blood mage herself - because if there's a tool to grow her powers so she can help others better, how selfish would it be not to use it? (Of course, there's a good measure of less-than-altruistic fascination with the unknown motivating her as well). As such, Solona has her own somewhat unorthodox moral code that has little to do with what the Chantry considers right and proper. Because she's of a very cheerful and sunny disposition, however, few people suspect her insubordination.

(I tried to incorporate some of the Amell heraldry into her frame and chose bloodwort flowers because a) blood association and b) an innocent looking flower hiding a poisonous juice).

In my modern AU she actually gets to live and is rather infamous among the other mage students for her various, dangerous kitchen experiments. Though she's well liked for her friendly nature, people who know them well would much rather deal with all-bark-no-bite-Neria than 'this is going to be totally harmless, I swear' Solona. Outside of Neria's emotional constipation, an underlying reason for their unresolved feelings are their vastly different views on the ethics of blood magic and Solona's tendency to disregard her own well-being vs. Neria's strong self preservation instincts.

Kallian Tabris

Class: Warrior (Two-handed)

Specializations: Champion, Guardian

Romance: none in DAO

The Tabris origin is the only one I've played to completion besides the Cousland one (and I do consider it the best one despite my preference for the latter). Out of all my Wardens, she's fits the image of the classical hero the most. She's brave, determined, outspoken, fiercely loyal, social and outgoing and always tries to do the right thing, even if it's difficult. Keeping her family in her thoughts, she's incredibly resilient in the face of the horrors of the Blight and only ever comes close to breaking when they're suffering.

Kallian cares very much for the elves of the Alienage and their customs; knowing what was expected of her, she wasn't too conflicted about the arranged marriage despite some initial reservations. Her would-be fiance Nelaros trying to save her and dying for it, even though they barely knew each other, moves her deeply and she keeps his ring for the entirety of the game. In the Wardens, especially the Order she builds in Amaranthine, she finds a second family and they reward her goodness and loyalty with their own. Still, she always longs for the family she left behind in Denerim.

(The frame is supposed to be an hommage to the Vhenadahl and I chose gladiolus flowers because they're meant to represent strength of character and moral integrity from what I've seen. She's mixed, based off of Adaia's and Cyrion's appearances in game and a redhead, because that seems to run in Cyrion's family).

In my modern AU she was successful in protecting Shianni before anything could happen to her, but was badly injured for it. She didn't dare go to a hospital for fear the humans would pin the whole thing on her and get her arrested. Unfortunately, since she was never healed properly, she developed debilitating chronic pains. Nelaros, who she'd met only shortly beforehand, wasn't scared off and stood by her the entire time instead, which is how she fell in love with him. Through mutual friends, she eventually made the acquaintance of Neria and Solona, who managed to heal her with magic (with a wee bit of blood magic thrown in there). In this universe, she finally gets to have a happy wedding instead of the nightmare in DAO. She moves with Nelaros to Highever afterwards, where she starts promoting elven interests the way her cousin Shianni does in Denerim and teaches elven kids self-defense.

Theron Mahariel

Class: Warrior (Archer)

Specializations: Champion, Spirit Warrior

Romance: Zevran

Theron is a calm and patient individual, who thinks very carefully before acting or speaking. As such, they may appear to be silent or even stoic, but they feel things deeply and suffer for a long time when they believe they've failed someone else. They're rather spiritual, which is how they become a Spirit Warrior later on, and very secure in their convictions, but they're not quick to pass judgement on others. In fact, they see the tragic tale of their parents, the star-crossed lovers, as proof that one shouldn't blindly parrot and perpetuate the disapproval of others. As such, they're very open-minded and compassionate, as well as comfortable to be a little flexible with their morals if it ultimately leads to what they deem a better outcome.

Tamlen's death hits Theron very hard, as does the revelation that the Sabrae clan left Ferelden while they were still rebuilding the Order in Amaranthine. It does make it easier to decide to leave with Zevran once they've convinced themselves that the Wardens will be alright, however.

(I chose yellow orchids for them because they're meant to represent friendship and new beginnings. Their armor and hair are based on various Dalish concept art I've seen, while the scarf is meant to be reminiscent of Merrill.)

In my modern AU Tamlen died on a hunting accident while out with Theron and the latter blamed themselves to the point of running away from their clan, eventually ending at the university in Denerim. After a year of trying to forget the past, they transfer to Antiva. Meeting Zevran and realizing how the past has shaped the man they love, they eventually decide to stop running away from themselves and reconnect with their clan. As a nice, open-minded person, they have friends in many different Dalish clans.

Faren Brosca

Class: Rogue (Dual wielding) Specializations: Dualist, Legionnaire Scout Romance: Leliana

Mahariel, Brosca and Aeducan have all first been conceived in my mind as characters in my modern AU and it shows, I'm afraid. In canon, I imagine Faren as a shrewd, but loveable rogue who's always done his best to put on a positive and optimistic face for his sister despite the abuse from their mother and their desperate circumstances. Coming to the surface world is overwhelming at first, but also incredibly gratifying and eye-opening. As someone who was born face-down in the dirt, he has a great appreciation for finding beauty wherever he can and soaks up all the knowledge he's never been given before. As such, he's happy to listen to Leliana's songs and stories for hours on end (and feels like a goddamn hero for getting her that nug as thanks for all her pretty words, even if he's still not sure why she'd want it if she's not gonna eat it). Of course, he's been Carta for most his life, so he understands the underlying darkness in their characters that she's still grappling with. That's also why the encounter with Leske on his return to Orzammar saddens and disappoints him, but doesn't make him lose sleep for long.

(I opted for bioluminescent mushrooms for him, because unexpected beauty in the darkest of places? His appearance is based off of his sister Rica.)

In my modern AU Faren has done plenty of jobs for shady organizations in and outside of Orzammar, but decided to clean up his act a few years ago. He runs martial competitions that, while underground, are mostly legal and adhere to proper rules. He's often doing business in Denerim and unhappily in love with Leliana, who works as a bar tender/singer in a bar in town (as a cover) and is still in a toxic on-and off again relationship with Marjolaine. In their off-times, she sometimes seeks him out, only to break his heart again by getting back with Marjolaine soon after. When she reaches her breaking point and leaves to find peace and quiet at a Chantry, he lets her know that he's there if she needs a friend to come to terms with her life of crime, having gone through the cleanup himself before. Some years down the road, things may look up for them.

Durin Aeducan

Class: Warrior (Sword and Shield) Specializations: Berserker, Reaver Romance: Morrigan

Durin is the most 'character I've never played' out of all of them. I imagine him as proud (to the point of arrogance) and conniving, but loyal to his house and his family, which ends up being his Achilles' heel. He's used to only the finest things in life and being catered to: as such the shame of exile is hard to bear and he doesn't learn to tolerate the surface for a very long time. Ruthless and driven, he doesn't waste any time with cries for help from the unwashed masses, doing nothing but whatever gets him closer to his goal of ending the Blight. He sees through Morrigan's flirtations from the very beginning, but is willing to play her game for the thrill of coming out on top (of course, in a way, they both end up losing once actual feelings come into play). He does care about the wellbeing of Orzammar and believes so strongly in the Aeducan line that he favors his backstabbing brother over the lord who helped him - displaying a shocking lack of scruples and morals in the eyes of Harrowmont's supporters, but to his mind, it all makes sense.

(I chose parts of the Aeducan heraldry for his frame and deathcap mushrooms to surround him - I don't think they grow underground, but they're very poisonous mushrooms which I found apt. I tried to make him look similar to his brothers.)

He never appears directly in my modern AU, but he's still a prince of Orzammar who used to be in a relationship with Morrigan. She broke it off when things got too real and moved on to Orlais, unbeknownst to him. He's currently hired Zevran to track her down.

[ndostairlyrium]

Some wholesome ask? ✨

7 for everyone, 28 for Ankh and Bonbon, 31 for Kerry, 35 for Ela and 37 for Len! :3

HI ** 💛

Laughing bc I envision something dreadful for all of them

7 - [The Bunch] What is their favourite movie, or a movie they would enjoy?

Elanor: Probably an epic fantasy, or something from the 80s. Labyrinth is the first that comes to mind, but she'd be a hardcore fan of The Lord of the Rings as well. Her favorite character would be Aragorn and she would totally wear a necklace with the one ring unironically.

Kerry: Whatever makes him laugh and have a good time. Airplane or one of The Naked Gun movies would be good candidates. But also a "romantic flick with a twist" would do (catch him crying and fangirling @ Keanu Reeves in The Lake House). Also, Julia Roberts is totally a fave!

Ankh: Now, this you won't expect, but in the modern days AU I've written in my brain she's a huge fan of Ducktales. Like, she knows the lines and every episode by heart. She's obsessed with the old and the new series, but also with the Disney ducks in general, so much that she has a lot of first editions and multiple sketches signed by Don Rosa scattered around her house. Magica De Spell is her favorite villain, hands down. Movie wise, I'd say it's either Fantasia or Robin Hood. She's not a Disney adult even if she loves their brand of animation, but these are the movies she enjoys the most. "The snake speaks!! Lmao"

Len: Army of Darkness and Planet Terror are her favorite movies of all time. She's a sucker for a grotesque slasher with some comedy in it, she knows her tropes and when a movie has "horror" and "Bruce Campbell" in the mix she's sold instantly. The less quality FX the better!

28 - [Ankh & Bonbon] What would they do if their favorite pet suddenly fell asleep on their lap?

Oh, Bonbon is a gentleman! He would wait until she wakes up and then bark insistently until she fetches him some carrots.

31 - [Hawke] What would make them blush?

He's not one that flusters easily, mind you, but he's very impressionable when it comes to his crushes doing anything. Ask Fenris to point at a rock, he would sing the praises of how valiantly he raised his finger and think about it fondly for a week straight.

35 - [Elanor] What is something they're ashamed of but others find extremely cute?

Copy-pasting the original answer because I still stand by that:

"Her laugh. It's a syncopated one that has small snorts here and there. She usually "corrects" it by using a deeper tone, or she just covers her mouth and laughs silently. Her life is a try not to laugh challenge without rewards. And considering her LI is, in her words, "the funniest person in Thedas" it's a real torture."

37 - [Leonarda] Give them your credit card for five minutes; what would they buy?

A fuckton of grenades for herself, a couple of mods for Garrus, and a Salarian-shaped plushie for Wrex so he can choke it when he's too stressed. She would probably reach the limit in two minutes << also now I have to pay for her monthly Fornax subscription fee

[ronqueesha]

I dunno why, but I started thinking of which AU or other fictional worlds would my OCS be happiest in.

Kallian Tabris would thrive in places like Exandria or Faerun. Where elven civilization is either not in substantial decline, or at least elves are widely accepted by the majority of people without any institutional prejudices or hatred. Without such things, her whole family would likely still be alive, and she could live a peaceful life.

Although having said that, her alternate self in Azeroth definitely lives in a world where elves are widely accepted (even if their most prominent civilizations are absolutely in decline/extinct), but is even more miserable and angry than her main self in Thedas.

Jane Shepard, like pretty much everyone (though I don't want to dump all my ocs here), would live her best life in Star Trek. A world where her mother wouldn't have been a desperate drug addict who died in childbirth, leaving Jane in the care of a corrupt foster system. And yet still a world with a space fleet with the same hierarchy and regulations as a military, where she could thrive and make a true difference among the stars. Only real downside: no Asari. Though maybe she could find a Vulcan wife somewhere out there.

Ironically, Sarit Ramesh would find her happiest self in the worst setting of all: Warhammer 40k. She would be a devout member of the Cult Mechanicus. A tech priestess of Mars, where her frail organic body and her birth gender are totally meaningless. Her first great love, the machine, would fully embrace her in its immortal grip. Praise the Omnissaiah.

I think Dairon Garrick would work best in a modern setting. No world-shattering cataclysms to drive her into a self-destructive spiral of depression and survivor's guilt. Thus no need to abandon her family and rebuild herself in a foreign continent, forsaking all previous vows and responsibilities in a truly irresponsible way. Modern Dairon could live a fabulous life doing whatever she wants, whether she continues the family tradition of proud military service... or maybe the fun pictures she posts to onlyfans as a side income could lead to more lucrative contracts.

[greypetrel]

4, 12, and 19 for Aisling! - koko anon

Hi koko! :D

Sure, here you go!

Tis the prompt list

4. In developing their backstory, what elements of the world they live in played the most influential parts? 

I wanted to explore the "only three mages in an elven clan" line. Yes we have Merrill, but I'm more OC driven than prone to explore canon characters if not in relation. The fact that as a First, per background, she was trained to lead, in combination with the above, it was a "She may have wishes of her own, but they all come after". Also, the fact that in Inquisition you can ride horses. She became a horse girl because of that, I like the horses. I'm not a horse girl I swear I'm too broke for it. Also, after playing a Mahariel who strikes me as a more harsh character, I wanted to see how a highly emotional character would fit.

12. What have you found to be most difficult about creating art for your OC (any form of art: writing, drawing, edits, etc.)? 

About her? Frankly her Vallaslin. I did a chart for it, I'm always confused about it myself. :"D Also, it's a little tricky, with a round face and full cheeks, to not make her look like younger than she is. As for writing: finding her a nickname. I'm still not fully convinced with "lucky", and I think the most fitting is "pikachu" (which I kept for the modern AU). Alas, no pokèmon in canon Thedas, tho. :(

19. What is your favorite fact about your OC?

As above: that she's emotional. I'm more on the reserved side, so having a character that just... Cries when she wants to? HOW. Also, the contradictions. I do like contradictions in characters, she just has the most of them. Cinnamon roll that can and will electrocute you.

[fadedsweater]

WIP Wednesday

It is neither Wednesday nor anywhere near the date when I was tagged, but I was deep in Arlathan Exchange writing and was busy this past Wednesday. Thank you to @oxygenforthewicked and @crackinglamb for tagging me 💛💛💛

I'll tag (with no pressure to post on Wednesday or at all) @dreadfutures, @rosella-writes, @plisuu, @bluewren, and whoever else feels like participating. (Also I never know who to tag so apologies if I keep tagging you over and over gahajsjqhafa)

This not-Wednesday wip is a little solavellan kid fic thing I found in my notes app lol. It's from my modern Thedas with magic au (which is honestly more magic-tech than truly modern but there's still like TVs and stuff), and probably takes place sometime shortly after Athdhea, Dawn.

CW for postpartum health/ postpartum mental health talk and like, general baby talk.

"You don't think it's weird?" Eira said.

"I mean." Shara shrugged. "It's a little weird. So what?"

Eira felt like a mess of a creature. She was exhausted and hormonal and even as her body healed it seemed to find new ways to betray her.

Eira frowned and tapped her fingers on the table. Their lunch hadn't even arrived yet and already she felt antsy. She knew there was no logical reason to be antsy. Her baby was well taken care of and safe, and Eira didn't even plan on being away for long. Her family had stayed with them to help with the baby for weeks and weeks, and had taught Solas all they knew during that time. He was careful and devoted. He would be fine, she knew, by himself. In fact, he'd encouraged her to take some much needed time for herself away from the house and the baby. Yet she couldn't quite quell the little seed of worry and guilt that had rooted in her brain. "I actually think it's kind of cool. Like: here's the Lord of Nightmares and his....adorable little baby! That's cute! That's fun!" "He hates that title," Eira sighed. "Never say it in front of him if you don't want a lecture. Should I check in? He'd call if something -- " "It's been an hour," Shara said. "He's taken care of her for more than an hour before." "Yes, but I was in the house, still." Eira rubbed at her temple. "I know. I'm being neurotic, I know." "Eira," Shara said, her tone serious. "I've seen him take care of her. That man is so careful you'd think he was handling a bomb." "I know." Eira took a sip of water and watched the waitress set down their order. Shara thanked her with a polite smile. "Do you think we've doomed her to a lifetime of that? Being the daughter of the 'Lord of Nightmares'?" She made a face as she said it.

Shara looked at her. She reached across the table, over the food, and put her hand on Eira’s. "Don't do that to yourself. Seriously. Don't."

She thought of Solas, also exhausted, hurrying about their little house, changing diapers and making bottles and cleaning messes, humming old lullabies under his breath. For some reason the image was comforting.

"Nothing will happen," she said aloud, as if that made it more true. "If something was wrong he would call me right away. But nothing is wrong, because Adhlea is healthy and he is a good father."

"That's the spirit," Shara said. "Now eat." "I feel like my brain's been fried," Eira said darkly, taking a bite of her sandwich. It was delicious. Much better than the leftovers and hastily cooked meals she'd been persisting on. Better than the takeout, too, because she was eating it fresh, on a plate, at a table, and not in her underwear on the couch with a crying baby nearby. "I mean, it kind of has." Shara shrugged. "But it'll get better. I promise." "You're not a mom." "Sure," Shara said offhandedly. "But aunt Faya said all the same stuff you're saying, and she felt better later, too. And if it gets worse, or gets bad, or it doesn't get better, you can do what Midha did." Eira had no memory of what Midha did. She blinked. "She got some meds and it was okay. And we found her a nice Dalish therapist." "You sound like a commercial." "I was trying to be reassuring." "And I appreciate it," Eira said. "Do you think he was really confused by commercials when he woke up here? Like there's no way advertising existed thousands of years ago, right?" Eira tried and failed to hide a smile. "Do you just ask me all the terrible questions that you're too afraid to ask him?" "Not afraid," Shara said. "He's not scary. But like you said, he'll lecture. Or try to like, trap me in a philosophical debate." "Oh, he thrives on that."

[carnalapples]

hi bestie 👯‍♀️ i come bearing asks:

😚 A fic you like writing more than other fics?

😅 Was there a fic/chapter that you were nervous about posting? Why?

👀 What’s an idea you had for a fic that you never did anything with?

Thank you Rowan!! A wonderful way to procrastinate, haha

😚 A fic you like writing more than other fics?

With my current WIPs, the favorite changes with the wind, lol! I'll love writing something one week and then it's like pulling teeth the next. Right now, the fic I like writing more than other fics is probably cut down at the garden's gate, because I'm still in that early stage where I'm having a lot of ideas and it feels super new! I feel like a lot of my other fics are almost to a stopping point, and the prospect of going back to edit them is very overwhelming, haha!

I also had my newest brainworm after watching Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, where there's a ten year gap after two of the characters make a huge decision, and that was just too tempting to not do anything about... so I've been scribbling about that, but not sure if it's enough to call a fic yet!

😅 Was there a fic/chapter that you were nervous about posting? Why?

I was nervous about posting the second chapter of rivers, because I didn't know how people would react to the plot, and I wanted to make the situation seem somewhat realistic and not like anyone was totally in the right or wrong. I think I'm happy with how it ended up, but I was writing and rewriting to get there!

I was also nervous about and it's peaceful in the deep for similar reasons, making sure I treated the subject matter with the right tone.

👀 What’s an idea you had for a fic that you never did anything with?

I had to scroll back in my notes for this because I have a lot of ideas that I just. forget! Some sillier ones:

A DAO x Zelda mashup where Alistair has to take the throne from Cailan and the Warden is essentially his bodyguard

an Inquisition vampire AU with blood magic (which I didn't realize I thought through as much as I did lol; it may be time to return)

an Inquisition western AU

a modern Thedas witness protection AU

Sometimes I just need to exorcise the idea lol and then I don't do anything with it...