#blackwall is my first da love

[a-gay-bloodmage]

Day 22: Camp 

(Blackwall x Mallory Trevelyan)

Sticking to his plan to keep dressing like a woman after being caught in the Conclave in his feminine attire sounded like a great idea at the time. Now, stuck out in a camp in the middle of the woods, Mallory Trevelyan is realizing just how tough it’s going to be.

[icharchivist]

That DAI banter be like "Oh wow, sharing secrets with your friends who love and appreciate you regardless sure is fun! Doesn't talking to your friends make dealing with your issues so much easier? Oh hi Solas :)"

KAGSJSHS YEAAAAH IT SURE IS

I think it adds a layer to understand that Cole can read mind and has known both about Blackwall's lies all along and Solas' as well. Cole is just extremely cryptic so unless you know what he's talking about you can only theorize about what he says, but it means that Cole is constantly dropping hints that the people around us are shady and no one gets it. The only person who actually tries to understand Cole... is Solas.

Idk there's just so many layers there especially since for me, it's post break-up for a solavellan route which means it's after Solas cowarded out from revealing his identity and decided to double down on fixing his mess by also destroying his current happiness.

Cole at Blackwall: "your crimes were horrible but what matters is that you attempted to fix it, even if you hid your identity for it!"

Solas in the back, who just threw his current happiness away to hide his identity to fix his crimes, sweating:

Cole, who also literally called Solas out on destroying his own happiness: wait not like that--

This is the funniest of dynamic i adore them

[girlb0yfriend]

dragon age update!! finished origins for the second time ever :3

[anew-flame]

9 People You Want To Know Better Tag

Tagged by @sweetjulieapples (thank you! Even though it took me like a week and a blog name change later 🙈)

No pressure tags for: @lunastarhawk, @slightlyirritable, @dutifullyburningwinter, @beardedladyqueen, @skinwalkingxana, @aurata-luna , @nerdmomma14 -> lmk if you'd rather not be tagged in these things!

Three ships I enjoy:

I haven't played DAO yet, but Cullen x Amell/Surana is really getting me! I love a good forbidden trope. On that same trope, Blackwall x Josephine in DAI. They're both being so dumb about it. I'm pushing them together (in my head) like the dog 'now kiss' meme. Before DA, my biggest ship was, and still is tbh, Julian Devorak from The Arcana with my OC. They're nearly tied with @lunastarhawk's OC, Altheia, and Julian.

First ship:

InuYasha and Kagome -- the first ship where I learned what a ship was! Shipping them for over 20 years. That was painful to write.

Last song:

Last movie:

It's been a minute since I've watched a movie.... last one I remember is a Forrest Gump re-run on TV lol

Currently reading:

My boss gifted me "The Elements of Style" - not quite sure if she thought I would find it interesting, or if it's a not-so-subtle hint about my writing 😅

Currently watching:

I'm not actively watching any show at the moment. I usually catch The Office, Parks and Rec, and Friends re-runs during my lunch break.

Currently eating:

I'm totally about to go get a slice of peach cake.

Currently craving:

Honestly, some black beans. And I just had them the other day!

[l3irdl3rain]

What are your da world states like? I love hearing about what other people have done!

I'm going to put this under a read more because it's a lot. I love to ramble and you have opened a can of worms.

I have one world state finished and a second one that I'm currently working on (Just got to Skyhold in DAI). I won't lie, world states A and B are pretty similar in choices. I've planned ahead for 7 total though, and the other ones branch out a lot more with different decision.

My first full play through I didn't save as a world state. I also do have a video game blog if anyone is interested @everyonebl00ms . It's mostly just me reblogging stuff but I do occasionally talk about my own play throughs and OCs and fan fic and such.

I am resisting the urge to list out every single decision I made for each world state so I will just give you some of the more major things.

Lila convinced Alistair to do the dark ritual and they remained Wardens together. Alistair killed Loghain in a duel. All her companions were alive and well at the end of the game.

Elena supported mages every chance she got. She brought Carver into the deep roads and he became a Warden. She killed the Arishok in a duel. She romanced Anders and supported his decision wholeheartedly, so obviously she sided with the mages at the end.

Katari (pls look at her. she's so hot.) allied with the mages. She reconciled Briala and Celene, left Hakwe in the fade, did not exile the wardens, let Morrigan drink from the well, and Leliana became divine. She romanced Blackwall and when she freed him from prison she promised him to the Wardens. In Trespasser she disbands the Inquisition and vows to stop Solas no matter what.

World State B is very, very similar. what can I say, I like what I like.

Darvas romanced Morrigan but he refused to do the dark ritual. Alistair ended up dying killing the archdemon. Darvas executed Loghain. All companions besides Alistair lived to see the end of the game.

Moira Hawke romanced Isabela. She supported mages whenever she could. Bethany stayed home from the deep roads and became a circle mage. She killed the Arishok in a duel. She understood and could have even supported Anders actions at the chantry. However, by involving Moira in this he put Bethany in danger. She killed him in hopes that it would help protect Bethany.

And Elgaris Lavellan is who I'm playing as right now. She's allied with the mages. She will be romancing Solas and drinking from the well of sorrows. She's going to leave Stroud in the fade and won't be exiling the wardens. I can't make up my mind what her decision will be regarding Orlais' ruler. Either Briala ruling through Gaspard or maybe the public truce? Also she will be redeeming Solas bc she luvs him xoxo

[brood-mother]

sawbones Dragon Age Fic Masterlist

A list of all my Dragon Age fanfics (circa 2014-2018) to keep you occupied 'til Oct 31st. Mostly rarepairs, mostly smutty.

Dragon Age 2

A Little Self-Love Never Hurt Nobody Anders/Anders, E, WC: 2086; "Anders revisits a memory from his wild Circle days in a dream - and gains a whole new point of view." (selfcest, dream sex, PWP) Fructovorous Fenris/Sebastian, E, WC: 1790; "Fenris is his General on the field; behind closed doors, he’s so much more." (footplay, oral, light D/s) Pillowtalk Isabela/Bethany, T, WC: 755; "While Hawke is in the Deep Roads, a heatwave hits Kirkwall." (post-coital, cuddling, mild h/c) Rooftops Isabela/Bethany, G, WC: 931; "Bethany wants to learn how to support herself and her family." (gen, flirting) Tinpot Alley Implied Carver/Cullen, T/M, WC: 2679, "Three Templars went on patrol; one came back." (gore tw)

Dragon Age: The Last Court

Rakish, Reckless Marquis of Serault/Wayward Bard, E, WC: 3436; "The Wayward Bard takes a knife in the back to protect the Marquis. The Marquis wants to know why." (first time, angry sex, mild blood/injury)

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Many Hands Lighten the Load Dorian/m!Lavellan/Blackwall, E, WC: 7429; "All of Skyhold can see the way Blackwall looks at the Inquisitor, even if the Inquisitor himself can't. Dorian comes to realise there are better ways to handle such a situation than petty jealousy." (UST, mutual pining, friends/rivals to lovers) Rectrix Iron Bull/Zevran, E, WC: 1724; "Bull and Zevran met long before the Inquisition." (bondage, caning, forced tickling) Red Sky At Night Samson/Maddox, M, WC: 4450; "The rise of the Red General began with two men and a missed headcount; or, how Samson was lost to the Chantry and found by Corypheus." (hurt no comfort, pre-DAI) Ruby Red OFC/ OFC, E, WC: 3000; "Behemoth, they called her. Towering, terrifying. Where was Jess, under all that red? A twist of metal helm to mark where her head had been, two flat eyes that glinted in the low light. She was still there, Ruby knew it. She responded to her name, or at least to Ruby’s voice. Not any voice, just hers. Only hers." (angst, body horror, red templars)

The above works are all posted on Ao3, but there are more shorter-form fics over at my currently-defunct DA writing sideblog. Comments, kudos, asks, and suggestions for future fics are all very welcome. 🖤

[kaija-rayne-author]

10.1 in review series for Dragon Age Veilguard

70 hours in, 68 actual gameplay

Obligatory I'm not an asshole disclaimer, feel free to skip to the cut.

Something came to my attention. I need to make it crystal clear that I utterly love the diversity in DAV. It's fantastic. I'm also a heavily left leaning, non-binary, queer as fuck reviewer, editor, and author.

I'm on media blackout while I play this, so I'm only getting second-hand info on how awful it is right now in the DA Fandom. Please be safe and take care of yourselves. Arguing with incels and white supremacists is completely pointless. They sea lion worse than an actual sea lion. Your mental health is important.

Though, every single time the anti-queer brigade comes out for a new DA game, I sit there thinking 'have you bozos ever played any DA game, like, ever?' My guess is nope.

Spoilers for Dragon Age Veilguard

Section 9 is here.

I haven't played yet today. I have to take my immunocompromised ass into a world that doesn't give a shit about my life to get groceries. How do I know they don't care? They don't mask. It's as simple as that. If you care about immunocompromised people, people like me recovering from almost dying, pregnant people, old people, many children, people with immune affecting issues like long covid, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia... goddess, the list goes on, if you cared? You'd mask. It's the number one way to help us survive. And no, us masking by ourselves doesn't work very well. Everyone has to.

Anyway. Yeah. Gotta risk my life for groceries because I can't afford delivery.

I was just sitting here, and I think I figured out some of the many issues that are bothering me about this game. The great big missing I've been trying to figure out.

They didn't make Veilguard for the adult gamers who have desperately wanted it for so long. They made it for children and teens.

Epler even outright said they'd changed things hoping to draw in a younger section of gamers. (In one of the first q&a sessions after the gameplay reveals.) I wonder if he bothered to do any market studies to see if that demographic would actually be interested?

I can only judge by my two gaming kids because I'm on media blackout while I finish this game. But no matter how much they simplified it for kids, they still have absolutely no interest in Dragon age. They're far more interested in indie games than anything a triple A studio puts out. Their opinions on Triple A studios are so low it's honestly ridiculous. They don't even understand why I love games put out by them.

So, the devs chose to remove things so that parents would be more likely to let their kid play what is still listed as a M level game (ESRB M for mature).

Ooooh, no. We can't have rogues picking locks and doing all the stuff rogues are supposed to be able to do. Why? Because that means kids will be delinquents doing the same! (The trust in the ability of older kids to understand the difference between a fantasy video game and real life is astounding, I tell you. /s) This is such a boomer thought process I'm shocked to see it, to be completely honest.)

Everyone is just so... nice. Not kind, that's different. But that sugary, false nice. None of the romanceables have anything tooooo controversial about them.

Blackwall Inquisition was a child murderer and lying about being a Grey Warden. Dorian was a spoiled, enslaving Tevinter rich boy (he did actually have a growth arc in Inquisition). Sera was a thief and a Red Jenny (people who worked against the entitled, rich nobility as needed to protect people without power). Varric (even though you can't romance him) was a thief, liar, cheater, and someone you wanted at your back in a fight because he fights dirty. Cassandra was bigoted, hide bound, and intolerant of any faiths other than Andrastianism. The Iron Bull was a failed Ben-Hassrath double agent. The ben-hassrath are a combination of spies, saboteurs, and assassins, among other things. Whatever was needed to defend the Qun. Cullen was a drug addict and such a horrible person in the previous two games it actually made me physically ill to try to romance him. Solas was, well, Solas. Who we all know had a lot of bad in his background. They've certainly hammered that point home in Veilguard. With a jackhammer. The only romance option in Inquisition that wasn’t dirty was Josey. And if you do Romance her, you find some dirt on her too.

I could say the same for almost every Dragon Age Romanceable in the entire damned series. They've mostly been not the greatest of people and when the writers were doing their jobs right, there were growth arcs for them that made them better people during the game. That's part of the fun of games with Romanceable characters. Picking out which broken bird fits your type of broken to romance. (And we're mostly all broken in some way.)

But all the romance options in Veilguard are... well, boring. They're nice, safe, decent people. And since most people have some darkness in them, it's probably not working for others as epically as it's not working for me.

If they're already nice, safe, decent people (even the fucking assassin!) then there's no room for growth. No room to learn that character and feel like your presence in their lives might give them a light to help them strive to be better people. They've truncated any potential for growth arcs for all of them. I'm a Romance author. When you're designing characters for Romance, they have to have a balance of flaws to good points. Otherwise they're just poorly designed characters with little potential to get hearts throbbing and knickers in a twist.

No wonder the romanceables aren't working for me. None of them have flaws big enough to make them well-rounded characters.

Moving on.

Have you noticed there's no blood splatter? You'll get a slowly creeping puddle around enemies, but somehow it never gets on the characters. I'll check if I have the energy to play after risking my life to get food. But I don't recall seeing a toggle for blood splatter in Veilguard. Like it or hate it, the blood splatter is very much a thing in games like these. They usually have an option to turn it off, but it's usually there. Especially in Dragon Age, blood splatter was a thing. A big thing. Hells, their logo was a blood splatter dragon for at least two games FFS. Edit. Confirmed there is no option anywhere I can find that lets us have blood splatter.

And honestly, having my characters coming out of hard fights looking like they've been through a meat grinder is part of the reason I enjoy games like these.

The choices for dialogue are also usually pretty 'nice'. The 'sarcastic' option usually isn't. The angry/strong one isn't either. It's all just... boring. And I'm into Act three now, so I'm thinking my hope of 'maybe the dialogue will get better' is probably an impossibility at this point.

The simplified plot points, the puerile storylines, the lack of dirt on the romanceables, the lack of growth arcs, the completely ridiculous cutting of 90% of the dark horror elements that made these games so good... we've lost all of that because they made this game for kids. And I highly doubt kids will be interested. So they've fucked over, and at least in my case, utterly pissed off the older gamers who have loved Dragon Age for so long, and very likely failed to attract younger gamers, too.

The problem with trying that, which I really think should've been obvious to somebody. Is that Dragon Age has never been a game designed for kids. It's always been bloody, often harsh, horrific, dark fantasy made for adults.

Games for younger people need to be designed for younger people from the first moment of creation. Or it just doesn't work. You technically can transfer some concepts from adult games into things for kids, but the result is invariably something as awful as Veilguard. And something bound to satisfy few people. The condescension toward younger folks in Veilguard is pretty bloody obvious. Something I've noticed kids hate? Being condescended to.

Congratulations on learning the lesson of knowing who your fucking market is.

It's crucial in any kind of content creation to know who you're making the thing for, and to not deviate from those genre expectations toooo much. Otherwise, you just have a mess of a disaster like Veilguard. They shot for two wildly dissimilar markets and failed both. Even the cartoony look of the art style is much more like a game for kids than anything like a dark fantasy game for adults.

And like... it's still listed as a mature rated game. So what, exactly, was the point of ruining Dragon Age like this? Many parents won't let their kids play M rated games regardless.

It's just so depressing. If they'd actually made this game for the people who had been praying for it for so long? It probably would have been phenomenal. As it stands, I'll be shocked if it doesn't sink Bioware. And if it doesn't, I'd think it because of bribery more than game quality.

I do have to say that you can decorate more than I thought. But you have to buy almost everything. And they're themes, so there's no intermixing possible. Like you could have Elven windows with Alamarri rugs and a Ferelden throne in Skyhold? All gifts from either people or cultures you'd helped, which tied it all together and connected it to the world... you can just change themes for the Lighthouse. It changes everything, and again, you have to buy almost everything. That really removes a lot of depth from the game.

People call all the collectibles and gifts etc. from the previous games 'filler'. But, frankly, that's a very uneducated opinion of what that 'filler' is supposed to do in fiction. The 'filler' (which is an actual technical term in writing fiction, and those things aren't filler) collectibles and quests gave depth to the games. It tied the world of THEDAS into the world of the player character. It's called world building in writing circles. And what confuses me is that I don't recall anyone having to do any of that. If all you wanted out of the previous games (especially Inquisition) was a fighting game, you could do that. None of the world building collection parts locked you out of any quests that I can recall. If you did enjoy deeper world building and collecting things, you could collect to your heart's content. There's none of that delicately intertwined, beautiful worldbuilding in Veilguard. It's stripped down to the very bare bones of mediocrity.

At heart, Veilguard is not a role-playing game. It's a fighting game. And not even a very well designed one. My not-a-fucking-rogue should never have aggro. That's not how this is supposed to work.

Why they felt going from a successful history of role-playing games to a stripped-down, poorly world built fighting game a good idea is just beyond me? Whoever made that decision honestly needs to be fired. And you will almost never see me say that. Jobs are too hard to find. But I will say it about Veilguard. The decisions made have ruined Veilguard in my honest, incredibly disappointed viewpoint.

They marketed this as a role-playing game. The expectation was for a role-playing game set in a richly detailed, deeply world built environment. Like most of the Dragon Age games have been. Especially Inquisition.

And we got a fighting game so stripped of world building that it's sad and just... boring.

Oh, heads up if you're disabled with any sort of disability that affects your hand eye coordination or ability to move your fingers quickly on a keyboard or controller. Don't buy this game. Even on the lowest setting with no death clicked on, you need a great deal of manual dexterity to use this crappy new fighting set up they've come up with. They definitely didn't think of physically disabled gamers at all in developing this. I'm just lucky my particular physical disabilities don't affect me that way. Though my hands are in agony from keeping my not-a-rogue out of the dragon on one side, stone wall on the other situation the fucked up aggro set up always puts me in.

They did bring gifts for companions back, which would thrill me if I actually had any desire to romance any of them. Which I honestly don't. And in games like these? It's often hard for me to pick which one. I often have to install a polyam mod so I can see the other romances because I'm usually so hot and bothered and just captivated by a Romanceable character or three that I won't be able to not romance them. Meaning I need the mod if I'm going to see the other romances.

I'm physically and mentally incapable of not romancing Astarion BG3. (I've tried!) Halsin gets me every time, too. Those are markers of excellent character development.

There's none of that in Veilguard.

Emmerich, and (as much as I hated his intro story, The Wigmaker,) Lucanis are the only slightly interesting characters to me.

Bellara is sweet and awkward, but they reduced her neurodivergent qualities so much it feels... off, to my neurodivergent ass. In the autistic people on tv way of off. (To date, there hasn't been much, if any, good rep of us on TV. It's all inspiration porn.) I don't feel seen in her. And I have quite a few traits she expresses. Whoever wrote her has my version of ADHD. But the way she's written, where she's constantly telling herself she's stupid or foolish or shouldn't do things? Those are markers of traumatized neurodivergence, not the ADHD itself they're highlighting. What that says is that, in her world, people have come down on her so hard for her differences, so often, that now she's mean to herself. ADHD kids aren't born like that. People make us like that. It's a sad representation of ADHD, not a celebratory or accepting one. It makes me feel like she, and me by extension, is to be pitied. Like someone like me, or Bellara, aren't worthy of respect, love, and trust. It's not a good feeling.

Neve is so suspicious and bitchy that I have no desire to even try to romance her. I want to shove Harding off a cliff.

Davrin is really suspiciously similar to Halsin BG3. Big, more blocky than usual for an elf, wants to do good, carves wood... but where Halsin really works (because of his deep character development and darkness) Davrin, while definitely hot and with an amazing voice... just falls flat.

Emmerich is a doll of prince charming manners and adorable fussiness. He's probably the character next to Lucanis who actually has the most darkness to him.

I really wanted to love Taash. And I like them a lot, but their 'you must choose only one' thing showed up really fucking early in the game. I didn't feel like I knew them yet, so they're just never going to work for my demisexual ass unless I actually replay this (unlikely?) with a polyam mod and basically plug my nose and close my eyes and leap into a relationship with them far earlier than I'm really comfy with.

So, there's some clarity for me on what's missing and why.

Genshin Impact has more draw for me as an adult gamer than Veilguard does. And that is absolutely a game targeted at teens and early twenties folks. It's also an incredibly well designed game with good world building, balanced fighting, and devs who know who their market is.

It's an old saw in content creation. But Know Your Market is a saw for a reason.

Section 10.2 here.

[spacetravels]

i am so unwell about dragon age and knowing u from the choices fandom i got so excited ur playing soooo what did u think of dao? da2? who did you romance and what was ur character like? how are u liking dai? got pics of ur inky? 🥺 (only if u want!! no pressure to share ofc 💖) i myself am an alistair anders solas girlie 😔

WEHHH thank you… veilguard looks so good i have to speedrun dai but man all of you who’ve been waiting since like 2014 are my heroes cuz i’m just gonna trot in like lalala… (has been here like three months)

dao is my favorite by far i think… i’m easy to please LOL it has my favorite story and i love the cast so much ;_;/ i played warrior lady cousland so i did marry alistair HUHU he’s my favorite romance across all the games but i wanna replay so bad to romance morrigan and have a diff silly little world state (trying not to think about doing this until after dav LOL) but god . HoF is just so so funny and i had so much fun…

da2!! i played blue warrior hawke <3 i liked running around kirkwall LMAO i think it was really fun to just contain the story around this one city and just hang out with my best friends ���� but goddamn. no one warned me about everything hawke goes thru LIKE 😭 HAVE A VACATION!!! i didn’t romance anyone though in my first playthru HAHA i kind of regret it though cuz by the end i wanted to romance isabela but i also think for my hawke i was happy to not have had a romance cuz it makes sense for my thoughts about her … like she’s just happy to still be alive and wants to do right by everyone who’s ever believed in her so she never thought about it but maybe after all gets said and done she’d seek out izzy… one of those real Slow burns in my brain heehee.. (pro mage .. btw)

AS FOR DAI !!! i’m terrible with open world games. NFKSJFKSKFKL but i sincerely am enjoying it cuz i’m following a quest guide so i don’t lose my marbles… it’s funny cuz i like. technically knew the most abt dai before playing through the games cuz [gestures at solas] but that’s alright cuz most of it has actually been a treat and a surprise :-) just not. the ending

my inky’s name is deirdre & she’s a human rogue 🙂‍↕️ i don’t have pics rn i’m at work JFKSLDK but ! kind of a little shit. it’s nice that everyone humors her stupid ass. as for romance…. blackwall…. he compels me… something is wrong with him and i like it <3

i’m close to starting wicked eyes & wicked hearts but i’ve been taking the time to explore places and do side quests stuff cuz i wanna be overleveled LOL and i need to switch up my groups more. except for varric. that’s my emotional support companion

BUT WWWWW i wanna draw my inky more & more da fanart when i’m not swamped with other projects and/or playing dragon age & fields of mistria bahahah.. i’ll remember to share more thoughts as i play 🥹🫰

[hellafluff]

@dalishious made a fun fillable chart (blank here) for your DA Faves. Gave my reasoning under the cut bc i love to talk

DAO Companion: Shale of course! If Shale has 1 fan its me and if Shale has 0 fans I'm dead, you know how it goes. Shale is sassy and delightful and I love that they're my nonbinary rep bc I for one LOVE non-human enbies as someone who feels pretty non-human.

DA2 Companion: I'm extremely basic and have been in love with Varric Tetras for years.

DAI Companion: DORIAN!!! His journey through the game and how involved the Quizzy gets feels more personal then any of the other companions and I love the banter the two have together. My Lavellan and him are extremely close.

Excited for Veilguard Companion: Emmrich Volkarin I am Deeply Attracted To You. I have his official art as my phone lockscreen right now. I love necromancers and older men and he's so goddamn cute. Plus, Skeleton friend!!!!!!

Favorite Other Media Character: I've been obsessed with Maevaris Tilani for years and if she isn't in Veilguard I am going to end up on the news. She's a queen and the scene of her and her husband in the fade in the comics makes me so sad.

Favorite NPC: Sandal because I decided to put the Architect in the antagonist slot! I do sincerely love Sandal and I'm excited to see if we get anymore lore on him in DATV. I love the theory that he's a Sha-Brytol.

Favorite PC: Warden-Commander Mirabelle Aeducan, Mira to her friends. I love my get-shit-done exiled princess. She put her brother on the throne but also punched him very hard first chance they were alone. She is still treated as royalty in Orzammar and keeps visiting and making surface trade agreements for them as she searches for a Cure for the Calling. Is she supposed to be doing all that? No but the Wardens sure as shit aren't gonna stop her. She misses Alistair very much but purposefully broke up with him so he could be on the throne. They still keep in contact whenever they can.

Favorite Antagonist: I'm going to kiss The Architect. If we do not see him again in DATV I'm. Well I'm not gonna end up on the news but I will be extremely sad. I want to see the rest of the Ancient Magisters very bad, I think they would make great side DLC content for DATV.

Fave NPC Ship: Wade and Herren are married and I am constantly upset that weren't in Inquisition as like a specialty weapon shop at the very least.

Fave NPC Friends: Blackwall and Sera. The goddamn... Weird Uncle and Weird Niece ass relationship they have. They have some of the best banter in the game. I wasn't a Sera fan for a long time but them together really makes both of their characters shine.

Favorite Romance: I'm extremely basic and want to commit terrorism with and for Anders. Krista Hawke can and will do everything in her power to protect this man.

Favorite Friendship: Dorian again! Seriously, him and my Lavellan are basically in a QPR. He really brings her out of her shell and she matches his energy and wants to help him anyway she can. If she wasn't with Iron Bull by Trespasser she'd probably have gone to Tevinter with him.

Favorite Quest: I like the back half of Paragon of Her Kind a lot, the final confrontation with Branka and Caridin especially. Throw Shale in there for lore and fuck yeah. A lot of it comes down to my Warden being Aeducan and my love of Shale but what can I say, if my Hawke could be a Dwarf she absolutely would have been.

Favorite DLC: I played Jaws of Hakkon as a reluctant mage elf on my last playthrough and fucking sobbed after the Ameridan Meeting. That DLC is absolutely life ruining if you play that kind of Inquisitor, it was all of Adana's deepest fears realized and it shook me how deep in character I got playing it.

Favorite Game: DA2! I love it's jank and story in a story nature and relationship mechanics. I really hope we get a rivalry mechanic in DATV or other games try something like that. I don't want to piss a companion off so much they leave I want them to stay and get bitchy with me in every dialogue! I wanna romance someone who curses my name! Also just has the best story of all the games.

Favorite Other Media: I really enjoyed Absolution! I think some parts of it are under written because of how short it is (Qwydion just being comic relief is the thing that really gets me) but the overall plot and animation is REALLY good! I haven't watched it since it aired tho. I'm hoping it gets another season to cover the Meredith stinger, because I don't know how they'd handle that in DATV.

[bragganhyl]

Hiravias and also any DA character of your choice for those character asks?

Thank you, I'm going to go with Blackwall for the latter bit

How I feel about this character:

*image taken by player who has him as permanent support spellcaster instead of Durance

No, seriously I'm taking him literally everywhere I love him

(I'm putting the rest under the cut bc the image is bigger than I thought it would be)

All the people I ship romantically with this character: No one tbh, but I do see the appeal of him and the Watcher together, they got potential.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Kana, I like the way he brings out his more intellectual side in their banters.

But also Sagani, she's probably the person he respects the most in the gang and he's willing to stand up for her even against his own people if needed. That's a ride-or-die dynamic in the making I just wish there was more stuff with them in the game.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Not really an unpopular opinion, I just think he's super underrated.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish his feelings on undead got explored beyond the one (as in 1) line he has if you take him along for Heritage Hill, there is some potential there.

✨Okay now time for my main man, Thom ✨

How I feel about this character: In case I haven't given it away, I like that indestructible sad bear a lot, he's probably my fave companion in dai.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: The Inquisitor, obviously, I romanced him during my first pt and I got everything I wanted out of it - it had drama, it had wholesome moments, it had him on his knees, it had him sad and sopping wet, it's honestly great.

But also Josephine ofc, they make a cute couple, he'd treat Josie right, it's what she deserves.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: SERA duh, they have the best dynamic, they are funny and wholesome 12/10.

My unpopular opinion about this character: He's not boring and the problematic aspects of his character are handled with the severity that they deserve without seeking excuses for them.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: ...I can't think of anything tbh, I think he's fine as he is.

[pikapeppa]

hi!! i've been rereading your fics in all of the veilguard hype and i just wanted to say your writing is just so good, i love your dialogue and characterization, especially how perfectly you write solas! like it really feels so true to how he speaks and carries himself!! so yeah haha just wanted to say happy veilguard summer and ty for sharing your awesome fics with the world!! 🥰 have a nice weekend!

Awww thank you so much!! I love how Dragon Age readers/friends have been poking their heads out of the woodwork and we're all getting in touch with each other again in the hype, IT'S THE CALLING 🤣🤣🤣

I'm so happy that you enjoy the characterizations, especially re: Solas -- he's such a tricky biscuit, so this is the most wonderful praise!! 🥰 Actually, I hope it's okay if I use this ask as an opportunity to plug some of my fics...

Pikapeppa's reading list for refreshing your Dragon Age memory: fic self-recs for those who don't have time to replay Inquisition

(see below the cut for more!)

Lovers In A Dangerous Time: in a nutshell, Fenris is the Inquisitor with Hawke as his wingwoman. This fic is literally a novelization of DA:I with the mindset of "what would Fenris do?" It covers all of Inquisition and touches on every sidequest, and also covers all the DLCs: JOH, Descent, and Trespasser. So if you don't have time to replay Inquisition, you can basically read it here LOL. There is also some theorizing sprinkled throughout about various Big Unanswered Questions™ in Thedas!

The Love That Grows From Violence: this is a Felassan/f!Lavellan romance fic set post-Trespasser. For those who don't know, Felassan is a character in the novel The Masked Empire who was an agent of Fen'Harel, and whom Solas killed at the end of the novel. This fic addresses the questions: 1) what if Felassan was made Tranquil instead of being killed by Solas in the Fade? 2) What if Felassan and a bitter Solasmanced Lavellan fell in love? and 3) what if Felassan actually told us everything that Solas refused to share? This fic is my attempt to pull together the existing lore and meta (with references back to all the original sources) to try to answer as many Big Unanswered Questions™ as I could.

A meta post about the qunari that I put together after reading Tevinter Nights, with my own theories about how Sten might play into things. I also wrote a Sten/f!Mahariel fic that's set immediately post-Origins; it's a romantic tragedy, but it does contain some discusssions about the Qun that may be interesting to refresh our memories about the Qun/the qunari for when Veilguard drops.

A oneshot about Varric and Solas that I wrote after the very first Dreadwolf trailer dropped back in 2020. It seems relevant again now... LOL

Solavellan fic: pure smut and romance. In case you wanted to refresh your memory of how he captivated us in DAI -- or, alternately, if you didn't romance him and want to know why the Solavellans are the way we are LMAO, you can read my take on the romance. 🤣 I have two Solavellan series on AO3: one for my own Elia Lavellan, which has a sad ending, and for Elbenherz's Nare Lavellan, which is "unfinished" in the canon universe, but includes a modern AU with a happy ending.

Beyond that, I have written romance fic for a ton of pairings in Dragon Age if you're just looking for some smut and romance! You can check out all my DA works on AO3, but I've written (M/F) pairings for the following LIs: Fenris, Solas, Abelas, Felassan, Blackwall, Cullen, Samson, Cole, and Sten, and most recently, a little oneshot of Teia and Viago from Tevinter Nights.

Again, Nonny, THANK YOU for your lovely words, and I hope it wasn't weird to hijack this ask for some self-promotion LOL!! Sending you all the love and a happy Veilguard summer!

A QUICK CAUTIONARY NOTE: if anyone does want to chat with me or send me an ask about Veilguard, please do not mention any spoilers from the Game Informer article. I want to go into the game with as few spoilers as possible when it's released, and I'm unhappy that I've already seen spoilers without meaning to. Thanks in advance! 🥰🙏

-- all the love from your friendly neighbourhood Pika! xoxo

[plisuu]

Fanfic Writer Questions

Thanks for the tag @the-rebel-archivist! I think I might have been tagged by someone else a while ago but??? sorry ahahha

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

12! But two of those are art and one of them is the abandoned version of my long fic. I... don't post much ahahaha

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

71k

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Just Dragon Age :)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

In Flame Forged Anew - my long fic! DA: I, Cullen/m!Trev except not really because it's insanely slow burn. Deals with a lot of guilt and also tranquility. ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ What You Want - My oldest work (barring my abandoned long-fic). Pavelyan, from when Connor used to be a Dorianmance. A lil confession one-shot. ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ Battle of Attrition - Dead-dove whump for whumptober. Red Templars and torture ahoy! ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ The Healer's Hands - Solas/Blackwall gay awakening and pining, ft. a little bit of hurt/comfort ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ On Broken Wings We Fly - A lil friendship fic I wrote for @rosella-writes of their Lavellan's interactions with my Inquisitor and the start of their strange friendship.

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try! I also forget and get so caught up trying to write "meaningful replies" that I tend to fall behind on them ahaha

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hhhh well it hasn't ended, but probably Battle of Attrition (since it's all just whump) or Never Say Die, a tiny thing about some of the OCxOC lead-up to the Conclave.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my writing is pretty bittersweet at best, but probably Shrike, a lil Cullen PoV fic about his and Connor's relationship.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I have in the past.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Only privately, and of the heavily character focused kink variety. Trust and emotional vulnerability through physical intimacy my beloved.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Not off the top of my head, no.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware, but I mostly write OCs so probably not lol

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nopeee

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, it seems difficult?

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

... All time? Axel x Saix, probably ahahaha for Dragon Age though I'd say my favorite romance is Iron Bull's.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have yet to finish anything ever soooo

16. What are your writing strengths?

Banter and character voice! The transcript project mostly means I've heard and read so much character dialogue that their voices are ingrained in my skull. I'm also told that I'm pretty good at grounding things in physical sensation.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I've always really struggled with head-hopping and under-explaining, I think.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I've never needed to, but it depends on the fic/language. If it's something the reader would already be familiar with like or a word or phrase, I'd write it in the language, but for longer lines or a full conversation, I would either summarize for the reader or write the conversation in italicized English.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Naruto!

20. Favorite fic you've written?

Definitely my long fic, I'm very proud of it, but I love all my writing! I write very specifically to my own tastes ahahah Though my whump fic has been so indulgent it's definitely near the top.

tagging: @rosella-writes, @inquisimer, @dreadfutures, @broodsys, @blarrghe, and anyone else who wants to join! Question template under the cut :)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

3. What fandoms do you write for?

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

5. Do you respond to comments?

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

16. What are your writing strengths?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

19. First fandom you wrote for?

20. Favorite fic you've written?

[elderwisp]

YOU LIKE DRAGON AGE??? TASTE!!!! do u have any info about your protags up (and would u like to share some if not 👉👈) another wisp w fr

GOD YES! Such a beautiful game with characters that have rich storylines! I've replayed DA:I so much just because of the feeling it gave me exploring each region and unlocking everyone's backstory! I did some digging around in the old DA Tapestry as well as pulled up some screenshots! The only pictures I couldn't find were from DA2 so that's from the Wiki 💀

DA: Origins: For Origins, I played as an elf mage named Warden Neira. Her romance was Leliana after breaking things off with Alistair. Alistair became king. Uhm, sad news, bestie didn't make it. 😗😗😗 It's weird because this game was super enjoyable for me but I remember it the least. I think I was overloaded by each decision and quests that everything became a bit fuzzy! I'd love to replay it again, I like the idea of different intros based off class and race so it felt very immersive!

DA: 2 I played as a rouge for Marian Hawke and romanced Fenris. It was my first time playing a rouge in the DA series but after knowing how being a mage and romancing Fenris brings up different dialogue, I've always been curious! I did uh,m, k*ll Anders after the whole debacle. I just- After like processing everything I was like DUDE!! Isabela stayed with us while Bethany became a grey warden. I actually loved the romance in this game, especially the intensity of Fenris colliding with a sarcastic Hawke LIKE THAT WALL PIN WAS EVERYHTING-

DA: I Inquisitor Thalionelle specialized as a Knight-Enchanter. Ok so this was the first game I played, so a lot of the decisions I made, I look back and SCREAM! I took the route of Champions of the Just. In Here Lies the Abyss, Hawke was left in the fade... (I absolutely hated myself after play DA: 2 I WAS LIKE U BASTARD!!) In What Pride Had Wrought, Morrigan drank into the well. Cassandra became divine. The wardens rebuilt annnnnd I declared for the Inquisition but we disbanded after Trespasser. I was friends with every companion and completed each quest. (Iron Bull didn't try to kill me in Trespasser, thank glorb!) Hmm so romances, because it was my first time, I didn't progress them in a linear sense. So I romanced Blackwall first but then I broke things off and stayed friends. Then there was Solas and I was like pfft, what could come from this? He practically hates me- Anyways bro literally ripped my heart and ran off with my arm!

[bbbb-co]

Guys I might compile my DA worldstate into 1 canon because. I am trying really hard to get out of the habit of replaying games because my character didn’t ‘fit the story’ the first time round. With that in mind! I can’t decide who I’m keeping

Warden: As much as I love Bemot (my brosca morriganmancer, #1 boy dad) my heart will always lie with Assana Mahariel (ultimate sacrifice, doomed romance with Sten, epitome of duty before self) A fun bonus is that I can headcanon Davrin named Assan after her and it still makes sense >:3

Hawke: This one I’m torn on. We’ve got my Warrior fenrismancer Leo, pretty wary of magic until right at the last second when he couldn’t stand to put circle mage Bethany in danger. Or Fiona, my Blood mage Isabela romance that’s fiercely anti Templar and anti circle, 100% thought Anders was right (if a bit crazy for other reasons).

Inqy: Leaning towards my warrior Solavellan Nadasa, (playing her rn!) - respectful, faithful, whole world comes crashing down as time goes on but is still desperately clinging to everything she believes (ie, the vallaslin are a symbol of her culture, blackwall can redeem himself etc) BUT I do really like my Adaar, Kost (also a warrior bc I love warrior x mage). Dorianmancer, tal vashoth with a young son that he loves more than anything. A complete gentle giant softie whose life keeps being turned upside down.

[sxrensxngwrites]

The Inner Circle Crushing on Someone from a Different Background -- Part Three

this request comes from anon, who asks: 'Head canons for the main dragon age squard (if you feel up to it of course!!!!) About them crushing on someone from a different background (example: cullen and someone rich)'

I ended up splitting this up because I got carried away... my bad. If you want any of these to be revisited or you want me to go into more detail, feel free to shoot me another ask! The same can be said if you want DA characters from different games.

Part One (Blackwall, Cassandra, Cole) Part Two (Cullen, Dorian, The Iron Bull) Part Three (Josephine, Leliana, Sera)

JOSEPHINE:

The Montilyet family, while of note, had to carefully tend to their money and businesses in the aftermath of being barred from Orlais. Still, Josephine and her siblings regularly interacted as (and with) members of the nobility in Antiva and Orlais. Josephine herself, while a romantic, is particularly understanding of many different aspects of life and knowledgeable on things outside of the upper class.

Station in society has very little to do with Josephine falling in love. For her, it comes down to a matter of character. She has a soft spot for the romantic, but places good-deeds and honor above all else. Meeting someone of a more humble origin isn’t necessarily how she expected to fall in love, but somehow she’s enamored with a stablehand for the Inquisition. They’re very kind, always tending to the requests she has within record time, and respecting those around them regardless of occupation.

Josephine falls hard. At first she denies it; she has very little time for romance when there are holes in the sky, plus someone back in Orlais has already spoken for her. Yet, she can’t help but be consumed by the gentle stable hand–and the concept that their love might be forbidden. She doesn’t give into fairytales as easily as her sister does, however, so she dismisses her feelings away as a crush. To her, it’s not only illogical to fall in love during wartime, but it’s also improbable that she would get to pick her spouse as the eldest of her family that borders on ruin.

It takes some meddling from Leliana for Josephine to confess her feelings. After that, it’s only a matter of time before her beloved stablehand somehow catches wind of it. They’d never believe that Lady Josephine would ever reciprocate their feelings, so they didn’t dare try anything. But, with rumors of her feeling the same, it was now or never. It takes a while before Josephine is comfortable with the concept of a long term relationship during such trying times. However, if they can fall in love while holes are in the sky, then telling her family and other suitors should be a piece of cake.

LELIANA:

Leliana grew up across Thedas, parts of her life being contributed to Orlais and others to Ferelden. Having been a bard in the Orlesian court and a Sister in the Chantry, Leliana is influenced by a number of places and cultures. She grew up being tossed from place to place, never having much of a clue of where she would land next.

When she meets someone that catches her interest, she never anticipates that they’ll be so different from her in origin. She likely anticipates that they’ll also have been raised in the church, but instead it’s quite the opposite. They’re oblivious. They don’t seem to have much care or awareness of the world around them, only interacting with the world that they directly make contact with.

When Leliana first meets them, I think they frustrate her quite a bit. Leliana has always had to be very careful with every choice she made as a young woman, so when she meets someone who she sees as “careless” she wants nothing to do with them. She keeps her distance, making sure that they operate through Leliana, Cullen, or even the Inquisitor. Yet, she can’t deny that they’re quite attractive–even if their actions seem so odd to her.

After a close call in the field, they’re humbled quite a bit and become aware of the stakes of Thedas that Leliana had warned them of. Following said close call, they become more conscious of their actions and try to be more careful on the field. This change probably makes Leliana’s romantic interest deeper, rather than it just being physically attractive. They even approach Leliana for advice–an action that moves Leliana and makes her consider how they’ve changed. It takes a while for either of them to be fully comfortable with one another, but after some humbling experiences the two draw closer.

SERA:

Variety is the spice of life for Sera. Everything new or different is automatically better in her book. She seeks adventure in the mundane and hardly ever takes the easy way out. In fact, anything similar to her upbringing is a little stale to her in some way. However, Sera’s past is a bit of a mixed bag. Her early life was spent in an elven alienage before she was taken in by a human woman. So anything outside of the realm of Ferelden qualifies as different. Yet, Sera rebukes her own connection to the upper class–citing it as her cause to protect the “little people” of Thedas.

Upon meeting someone of the upper class, Sera would quickly group them in with all of the other nobility that she and the Friends of Red Jenny hate. Someone with such a high position and influence isn’t to be trusted in her eyes, especially when they could turn at a moment's notice. She keeps her distance, even reporting them to the Inquisitor on several occasions–so that they can keep an eye on them, of course. Sera even plays pranks on them since they make such an obvious target for the Friends of Red Jenny. However, as Sera watches from the shadows she begins to reconsider her opinion.

They’re of noble birth and have a substantial amount of money, but they use it in such a way that many other powerful people do not. They support the people of Haven, and they help purchase blankets for the displaced villagers of the Hinterlands. In fact, most of their money goes to people who need it more rather than keeping for themselves. Sera wants to change her perspective entirely, but a deep part of her is afraid that it’s all an elaborate trick being played on her.

She confronts them in the middle of the night, even drawing her bow in their face. Yet, they don’t seem afraid in the slightest. In fact, they seem relieved that it’s Sera. It takes a bit of discussion for Sera to put her bow away, and even longer for her to realize that she might’ve been wrong about them. Those seeds of doubt develop further into romance, but her eventual partner doesn’t have an issue using their station to support the people of Thedas.

PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE

[queenmuzz]

Hey Muzz!

First of all I love your Dragon Age Veilguard posts about your Rook and Emmerich or Emmerich in general. Through you I can experience some of his romance stuff (I have fallen for elf shadow dragon rook x lucanis and can't get out :C). Anyway I was kinda curious about the other DA games... Have you played them and who was your favorite romance in each game? Thanks for the answer! Have a good day Muzz! C:

Oh hello! I’m glad someone tolerates my Dragon Age obsession.

I’ve been playing this series since the beginning, and I must say this game series is a formative part of my life.

In origin I played Warrior dwarf Brosca (DOWN WITH THE CASTES BHELEN IS THE RIGHTFUL KING) and immediately made a beeline for Alistair. He was the guy that taught me that being attracted to a fictional character, the moment he handed me a flower. The fact he was a prince was just icing on the cake. At the time the game was phenomenal, but… I can’t push myself playing it again.

Dragon age 2, I played a warrior Hawke, who made a beeline for Anders, because of him being in awakening. Sadly, he was a changed man, and I had to use the murder knife. Fenris introduced me to my favourite voice actor, Gideon Emery.

In inquisition, I played a human noble warrior, who romanced… you guessed it, a Warden. Blackwall is actually when my tastes in fictional men went from youthful to… fine aged wine. I actually was so dumb, I assumed Blackwall was a warden so that when he left me in a barn naked (right as my mother in law walked into the room) I naturally assumed he had gone on his calling and didn’t tell me. I was a dumbass. Also, at this time I finally started tentatively participating in the fandom, as you might see in my oldest tumblr posts.

So here we are, I’ve just finished my first dwarf warrior warden (went back to my roots ) playthrough and am now… going mourn watch so I can romance that old man again but this time, I can match his freak. Lucanis is going to get my crow rook, and i have a shadow dragon elf lady set up for Harding.

I hope you enjoy Lucanis, who definitely is growing in me, especially since he isn’t the kind of character I expected.