#both vivienne and cassandra loved him

[a-pirate]

so one hilarious thing about audo in inquisition is he accidentally triggered the romances of every single li and had to turn them down, so i'm very curious to see what happens when he becomes rook

[theheraldsrest]

Hey! I really really love your blog! If I may request, during downtime, how would the members of the inner circle react to find the Inquisitor drawing/sketching them?

“Companions react to Inquisitor drawing/sketching them”

After our *cough* little thing with Bull, let’s have some fluff, shall we? Thank you anon for the ask!

-Lord Lex

Cullen

“You did this? It’s certainly…it’s…how did you even…it’s amazing.”

-So surprised, no words. It makes him feel a little special that you’d choose to sketch him but also very embarrassed. In return, he tries drawing you. Might not be as good and there are a few rough sketches that were thrown in the fire, but he wanted to return the favor. 

Josephine

“Oh! Look at the detail and the softness! I wouldn’t have even thought it was me from how stunning it is!”

-Absolutely gushing over it. Josey’s always had a fascination for the arts and to be the subject of the piece from someone close to her? Adores it, even asks to keep it. She has it tucked away in one of her favorite books. Will always compliment your art even when talking to dignitaries.

Leliana

“I commend you on your artistic talent. Though, I’d ask you not to sketch me. Perhaps one of the ravens would make better practice?”

-Like Josephine, Leliana has an eye for art. She loves looking at the little details in your sketches and finds it a surprise that her face is amongst the papers. As much as she appreciates it, she’d rather her face remain a secret. She is your spy master, after all. Though, if she becomes Divine, she keeps the sketch as one of her favorite pieces of her. 

Vivienne

“Darling, as much as I’d like to say you're wasting your talents by leading the Inquisition instead of honing your skills, you are equally talented in both. Most usually fail to make me look this stunning.”

-It might not show on her face or in her words but she loves it. Several times people have been commissioned to paint her yet none come even close to your level of detail. More points if it’s of her smiling or laughing, the lines on her face as well as the wrinkle around her eyes gives her a sense of…normalcy. If she becomes Divine, she commissions you to do her portrait, no one else.

Varric

“You drew me? I think that’s gotta be one of the scariest pieces of your art I’ve ever seen! When you're done, can I keep it?”

-Though it doesn’t sound like it, he brags about it constantly. Even when he’s making fun of his slightly crooked nose or how his eyes might seem smaller than other dwarves, he’s complimenting the skill you put into the very minute details of his face. Varric will try to pay you for it even if you refuse, later trying to commission a drawing of Hawke when they come around.

Cole

“Oh, it’s me! Not really, but it’s Cole. But you’re trying to draw me…I can still remember his face, then.”

-He’ll stare at it for hours, his shoulders down. It’s been sometime since he’d been able to see his own face, forgetting that he even had a face. To see you draw that face, the real Cole, just from looking at him makes him happy. Will ask to look at it every now and then, just to make sure it’s still the same.

Solas

“I must say, you are quite talented and steady with your hands. It does allow others to see how the artist sees. You certainly make me seem…at peace.”

-From one artist to another, he gives you high compliments with very few complaints. It is unusual to see him drawn in such a way since he’s so used to seeing only the mosaics. He meant to get rid of it when he left the Inquisition, but just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Cassandra

“Inquisitor, though your craft is very beautiful and I admire how you can make these pieces, I must ask you not to sketch me.”

-Don’t get her wrong, she loves seeing your sketches but it’s mostly out of formality (and somewhat embarrassment) that she asks not to be your subject. If she becomes Divine, it’s one of the only pieces she prefers over the paintings. Though she does ask you, if you have the time, to draw something for her. When you give her a perfect picture of her brother and her, it’s one of the few times she truly hugs you.

The Iron Bull

“Holy shit. I’m alright when it comes to sketching, but you make it look pretty damn easy while so complicated! You even got my scars and the detail on my patch! Damn, boss!”

-Bull is used to doing quick sketches, usually of small details to make sure he could track someone or to remember something easier. Never had he really seen himself drawn so picture perfect that it completely baffles him. He looks at all the details with a smile on his face.

Dorian

“I can’t believe you managed to get my good side! In all honesty, though, this is remarkable. And not just because it’s me.”

-He had studied some art pieces before and never really found any he liked, but he has now found one of his favorite artists. Constantly asks if you’ve done any new pieces just so he can look at the heart that goes into them. Ask if you could teach him to sketch as such so that he can add better drawings to his research notes.

Sera

“What the fuck! That’s me! How the fuck! How did you do this! You even got my eyes to be lined up! How the hell did you do that?!”

-We all know Sera’s drawing style. She keeps saying the same things over and over again because she’s at a loss for words. Except for cuss words. Along with the rooftop hangouts, she insists that you two just draw together sometimes. Some of the goofiest drawings come from these times, especially one of a cartoonish Coryshit falling from a very detailed tower.

A little speech bubble near it says “Oh shit, I shat myself!”

Blackwall

“I…I’m honored to be one of your subjects. Not to blow my own horn, but this looks stunning. You really are something special, hm?”

-Blackwall has done a lot of sketching himself and finds your art a breath of fresh air. Other than looking at bits and pieces of his reflection, he usually tries to avoid seeing himself. So when he sees your drawing of him, he almost doesn’t recognize himself. You both trade sketches of each other just for fun and even sketch together.

[vigilskeep]

sorry for rambling in your inbox but having recently finished a cassandra romance, your post abt people not, like, analyzing her got to me. i know you have arthur who romances(divorces) her and makes her divine but i don't know if you've fully played that out, actually seeing it in-game made me feel rabid. it's kind of an insane thing to do to her... cassandra is the divine candidate who /wants/ the position the least. leliana actively puts herself forward as a candidate, vivienne would never be so gauche as to be direct but she clearly is interested in the position. for cassandra it is a duty she must accept, bordering on a burden (particularly if she can never marry an inquisitor she loves as a result). she became the right hand of the divine as a teenager!!! she loathes the trappings of her name and nobility but she's been trapped by duty instead her whole life. free my girl she did all that but i understand her

it makes me feel insane.

i haven’t played it through no. and i don’t even consider myself to know cassandra particularly well (this is true of a lot of inquisition companions, having never finished the game fully with dlcs and thus never felt completely comfortable watching through banter compilations and alternate endings and low approval scenes and so on.) but from everything i do know about cassandra, the very fundamentals, making her divine feels so... cruel? it’s terrible for literally everybody involved except possibly the snakes in the grand cathedral who are going to eat her alive.

cassandra is a woman of action and passion, brash and violent, a blunt weapon, forthright in both her accusations and her affection. the life of a divine is everything she hates; she might as well be the noblewoman in a gilded cage she was raised to be (in a childhood that poisoned her entire extended family and nation for her), or perhaps an honoured corpse preserved lifeless and useless in the grand necropolis (the ones a young cassandra thought looked so “very sad” in the midst of all their buried, wasted finery.)

i was struck during dawn of the seeker by what an obvious publicity stunt it was to make her the divine’s right hand after her success against the conspiracy. a duty she had to accept, was even publicly surprised into accepting. at her age, would she ever have been put so forward in the seekers to be engaged in fighting such a conspiracy, if not for her name? she would not even have been allowed to join the seekers when she did if not for that. she has no skills of good judgement or leadership and it’s only due to the accident of her birth that these pressures she isn’t equipped to match are constantly placed on her shoulders.

she already wanted to leave after beatrix died, but justinia convinced her otherwise, for a failed vision that ended in death cassandra blames herself for. i find it harder and harder to blame her for dodging the inquisitor’s position, considering all that. and to make her divine... she won’t be good at it, she’ll fall into every politician’s scheme and old orthodox pattern even as she tries for ‘reform’ that she has no clarity of purpose for, she’ll be trapped there for the rest of a long grey life with none of the passion she longs for. she won’t be good at it!!! nobody in thedas benefits either! it’s worse! what the hell

(it’s kind of why i love my arthur and this ending the way i do, because of the equivalency. she does terrible things to him, reinstating the circles while he stands alone as her archmage. but he also did a terrible thing to her, by putting her in this position! by ruining her life and also lying all this time to someone he supposedly loves! neither justifiable or comparable, love loses, nobody wins, they are drowning there is no sign of land etc etc)

[daitranscripts]

Cole Conversations

Companion Comments

Cole Masterpost

Dialogue options:

Cassandra [1]

Blackwall [2]

Iron Bull [3]

Dorian [4]

Solas [5]

Vivienne [6]

Varric [7]

Sera [8]

Leliana [9]

Josephine [10]

Cullen [11]

1 - Cassandra

Romanced Cole: Petals fall open as lips shape words that rhyme. Candlelight softens the edges.

Cassandra’s personal quest incomplete Cole: Stomach full of mantras, she burns like a beacon, Faith a flame to bring succor for a Seeker.

Cassandra’s personal quest complete Cole: Faith seeks a friend in Compassion, cautious, careful, too much grey but growing.

2 - Blackwall

Romanced He feels naked without the name on the armor, but now he knows you want him naked.

Blackwall’s personal quest incomplete An old name burns inside armor that shouldn't fit, lit by faces of the children he couldn't save.

Blackwall’s personal quest complete The name breaks free, pulls the pain with it. A black wall to shield the self when the sky is rainier.

3 - Iron Bull

Romanced Tied, but tenderly, loving in the letters of a word that would stop it, knots in satin scarves.

Personal quest active “The,” a joke. He laughs to himself, imagining herds of cattle in fields of iron, but now he worries it fits.

Personal quest complete, made Tal-Vashoth Salt-spray smell of Seheron. Lost in smoke from a burning ship. Guilt at not feeling guiltier.

Personal quest complete, sacrificed the Chargers Copper on the lips. Dalish lies dead-eyed beside me. He'll come, he'll call, he won't leave us. Horns pointing up.

4 - Dorian

Romanced Glittering to gloss a hidden hurt. Unlearning not to hope for more. Stumbling steps where the wall used to be.

Giselle gave letter, have not met Dorian’s father Bright, like the fish that kill you if you eat them. Can't hate you for hiding if you burn so brilliantly.

After meeting Dorian’s father He tried to melt a snowflake because he liked waterfalls. Swallowing bile and pride as he sees his son defend himself.

5 - Solas

Cole’s personal quest complete Voice ringing with fullness from both worlds, guiding me to the shining places. He calls himself Pride.

High approval, other conditions unknown Old pain, shadows forgotten from dreams too real. This side is slow and heavy, but here is what can change.

Personal quest completed Wisdom knows enduring is pain. He hurts for her, another of many he couldn't save. He carries necessary deaths.

6 - Vivienne

Personal quest not started A breath-caught smile from the Enchanter as the candle lights. The walls are safe; she will never be hungry again.

Personal quest completed A cold flame blazes in a robe worth more than children. Protect her, and she consumes you, burning because she can.

7 - Varric

Cole’s personal quest complete Kid, says the stone. Kid, kidding. It would keep me kept with a name, but the cairn can't catch me.

Hawke lives, other conditions unknown He writes words that aren't real, but they are for him, in a quiet place whose stone shape shakes the ground.

Hawke left in the Fade The stone is cracked, split, jagged. The hawk would have been safe if it had stayed, but that isn't what hawks do.

8 - Sera

Romanced Fleet-footed and free, the arrow that caught the miller's sack, but no longer shot alone, aquiver in a quiver.

Cole more human Shite. He's wrong. Dead-eyed crazy, shite. I called him a 'him'. Is he alive, is everything alive, shite. I hate raisins.

Cole more spirit She hurts, but helping hurts more. She sees the strings that pull me, eyes like raisins in a stale cookie.

9 - Leliana

Leliana’s personal quest not started The Left Hand remembers a knife slipped to her in the darkness, and wonders why the flower blooms.

Leliana hardened The Left Hand is harder, faith fallen in folly. It makes the dreams worse, but sends them away faster.

Leliana softened The Left Hand blooms on the bush, remembering the light that shone in her darkness. She knows how to sing again.

10 - Josephine

Romanced Steel flashes, like at the top of the stairs, but this time she knows her voice and it ends with a kiss.

Josephine’s personal quest started She spins, plucking strings, matching wits and words, an admiral who will never send ships of her own.

Josephine’s personal quest complete Ships launch on changing winds. Dizzy sometimes, like the top of the stairs, but sometimes like dancing.

11 - Cullen

Romanced Safe and solid, protecting and proud. He feels like quiet, stronger when you hold him.

Personal quest incomplete, talked about lyrium He is quiet, behind the noise. The little bottle makes him shake, but he tests the chains.

Continued lyrium He sounds right again with the chains in place, but the music makes him sad.

Quit lyrium He sounds new, echoes of laughter on an empty riverbed. Not for sailing, but safer.

[dragonagecompanions]

Companions reaction to the Inquisitor asking them to be their Maid of Honor/Best Man at their wedding? (Cassandra should've been at the wedding with Sera and my Inquisitor tbh)

(Setting this post Trespasser for continuity.)

Cassandra: The air is filled, immediately and impossibly, with hearts. So few of Cassandra's friends are free to promise themselves to a spouse, and so over the years the Seeker had relinquished that childhood dream to oblivion. But now there is such joy among her dearest friends, and no matter how long or short the engagement and planning Cassandra will be there for everything they need.

And on the day will cry more than anyone else. Everyone will be threatened into forgetting this about her.

Solas:

Varric: Now this is the happy ending to a story he can get behind. Promise an open bar and he is in.

For all of his bluster and faked nonchalance, Kirkwall's viscount is deeply touched. Over the course of this inquisition he has made friends to rival the ones in Kirkwall, and the fact that those sentiments are returned enough to merit such an invitation mean the world. Immediately he takes over logistics, and no matter if there is limited time to plan the wedding goes off without a hitch.

His speech is legendary. People cry. He's putting it in his next book.

Blackwall: It's ridiculous. It's a common request, from a friend, to stand up with them at their wedding. After all this time it shouldn't even be a surprise. But the question brings him to his proverbial knees. For so long, even after everyone knew the truth, Thom Rainier had assumed himself to be unlovable. Tolerated in a time of war for what he brought to the table, but not worthy of true regard.

This is a gift the finally unlocks those chains. He might not know much about weddings, but no matter what they need their would be warden does his best. Like Cassandra, he openly weeps at the ceremony.

Sera: Nothin' like love to make a wedding a party! This may be the one time Sera tones down the pranks, too focused on making sure both the little and big people are happy. Dorian is heavily consulted on clothing, and Skyhold's resident Jenny might even submit to a haircut.

The bakers in Thedas weep for her designs. They are perfect. Might go into the cake business, if cookies don't hold out.

Whole thing goes off without a hitch. Well, except for the actual hitch. That goes perfect.

Vivienne: Darling she is thrilled. No matter their venue or plans Madame de Fer is quick to make sure they have the best. Appointments open, caterers are suddenly free, and her tailors are on hand to make sure that everyone in the wedding party looks their best.

There is some distant sorrow later, watching the couple dance the first of the rest of their lives together, but not for all the gold in the world would she have traded her life with Bastien. That was more than enough for one heart-- it is no trial to be happy for her friends.

Dorian: No matter his travel plans or the demands of the magisterium, the moment they ask Dorian is firmly rooted in place. These people have welcomed him like no other, and to be honored with such a role is...he will not cry in public. It is unseemly for a magister.

Instead he make sure everything he touches is made perfect for them and all problems directed his way. Let them relish in the bliss of their engagement-- he will fight the florists until they realize Minrathous roses are the only way to go. And on the day, he sits patiently with both spouses until their cosmetics are perfect. But that time is also spent in quiet friendship, a moment of peace before their special moment.

Later he will refuse to ruin his own foundation with tears in public, and be quietly smug that his knock down brawl with the sommelier resulted in the best vintages at table.

The Iron Bull: There are flowers everywhere. From the moment he is asked Operation: Wedding is a full go for the Chargers. Marriage is unknown under the Qun, and so in true Ben-Hassrath form Bull takes it upon himself to learn exactly what this role will entail.

Three crashed marriages and a lot of cursing later....well, the venue is perfect, Rocky has invented a confetti cannon, and Krem has earned his place at the Maker's side for turning out a formal coat that will fit his shoulders in record time.

He cries at the ceremony. Few guests are brave enough to comment.

Cole: "Stand as a witness, the best man even if you aren't a man. Be there to celebrate, always a good friend and I want him at my side. I want that too!"

Any guest with ill intent conveniently forget the wedding date and location. One of the florists ties a bow on his hat. People cry, but the tears don't hurt. Its confusing, but he's happy to be there.

Turns out cake is something enjoyed on both sides of the veil.

[thatrandombystander]

Personal tier list of how likely I think past companions are to make a proper on screen appearance in Veilguard

S tier: Morrigan, Varric and Solas are already confirmed.

A tier: We're going to Tevinter, Maevaris Tilani is confirmed to be making an appearance. Dorian has connections to both, is well-liked among fans, and there's story room to explore with him especially in relation to the Shadow Dragons faction and his mission to better Tevinter. If he doesn't appear I will be legitimately shocked.

B tier: All three are fan favourite and I would be surprised if none of these three appear, although I don't expect to see all three. - We're going to Antiva and the Crows are involved in the game, Zevran fits in perfectly. - We're going to Rivain and the Lords of Fortune faction sounds incredibly suited to Isabela. - We're going to Tevinter and Fenris provides perspective as a character directly impacted by slavery in the Magisterium and he has been well featured in comics.

C tier: I think these characters have a good chance but I would still be pleasantly surprised to see them. - I can see Leliana, Cassandra or Vivienne appearing in-game as the Divine, although they may just be referenced via a letter or dialogue. If the Divine doesn't make an appearance I doubt any one of them would appear at all. - Shale has been in Tevinter and I can see them making a brief cameo appearance. - Merrill I think could appear in Arlathan Forest with the Veil Jumpers, but at the same time I feel like the devs might want to avoid including her especially since they've hinted at our protag having good reason to dislike blood magic? Although would love her Dalish perspective on the awakened Elvhen gods - Cole I can see making an appearance (maybe with the Inquisitor) as one of the only characters sympathetic to Solas as a person at this point

D tier: I think these characters appearing is unlikely but could still happen - Alistair has too many possible current states that feel like they'd be difficult to incorporate at this point. King? Warden? Drunkard? Trapped in fade? - Maybe Sten could appear among Qunari but I don't see any particular reason for him as the current Arishok to appear. - I would LOVE for Velanna to make an appearance. She would be SO GOOD to appear in Arlathan Forest as a Dalish perspective with her respect for their stories and history. Unfortunately being an Awakening character lowers her chances. - Anders my beautiful favourite is just too controversial and risky to include, plus I'm not sure how much he relates to the new game. This bad boy needs to be deployed when The Themes are right. - Blackwall, Iron Bull and Josephine all could easily make an appearance depending on what sort of direction the devs go with plot and events, but at the moment I don't have a reason to believe they would

F tier: I would be shocked to see any of these characters in game. - Wynne? Canonically died in the novels. - Loghain? Already had pay-off for keeping him alive via Inquisition appearance. Too many current fates (Dead, Warden, trapped in Fade) to make the effort worth the result. - Oghren? Do I even need to explain. - Nathaniel and Sigrun as mere Awakening companions (thus not as popular or well known) with little connection to the Veilguard story makes me doubt they will appear (even though I love them both dearly.) - Aveline and Sebastian are busy with their respective jobs, have little to do with the Veilguard plot, and are not very popular. - Bethany and Carver have too many current fate options and feels kinda pointless to include them in game unless Hawke is somehow relevant - Cullen... lol only if they recast him but I think Greg Ellis dug the character's grave. - Sera isn't that well liked by the fandom as a whole compared to other characters and I feel like she'd be avoiding any of the current veil related nonsense

[barnabeetheraven]

Companion’s Reactions to the Inquisitor having PTSD

Cassandra: In her time among the Templars, the Inquisitor definitely isn’t the first one suffering from the past that she has seen. In fact, if she was being completely honest with herself, she would have to admit that she has some of her own. When she notices the Inquisitor zoning out or seeming to have flashbacks, Cassandra makes sure to position herself close by, being sure to note if the Inquisitor is having issues being touched or not. If needed, Cassandra will place a hand on their arm, just to let them know she is there if they need her. If Romanced: When she notices the Inquisitor struggling, she will softly pull them aside (where the others cant hear her, of course) and she will recite some of her or the Inquisitor’s favorite poetry, or quotes from a favorite book. Something that she knows will help get their mind away from those memories, and into the present, with her.

Varric: He spent enough time around Hawke, Fenris, and Anders to be able to easily spot when someone is having issues. If it’s problem with noise, he will politely excuse himself with a joke, and hook his arm into the Inquisitor’s to lead them away from the noise. If it’s a memory issue, he makes sure to try and distract them with some of his more friendly stories and jokes, while making sure to steer anyone else in the opposite direction, at least until he can see in the Inquisitor’s eyes that they are back in the present.

Solas: Many trips into the fade, into other’s pasts, (and his own, if he’s being truthful) have given him many, many years of experience, and many years of watching others struggle with their past just as much as Solas struggles with his own. He will catch the Inquisitor on their own and offer them a calming tea that he has perfected over the years; it helps with both the anxiety from the past memories, and it also helps with the nightmares. Not that they dont happen as often, but so that they dont remember them as much. If Romanced: He makes sure to always patrol their dreams, being the protective wolf that drives off all the nightmares that come to chase away the sleep of his love. He also makes sure to always be nearby in battle situations, just to make sure he can cast barrier on them if he notices that they seem to be zoning out at all.

Sera: She may not always understand it, but one thing she does understand is when it’s time for some of her ice breaking humor! She’s got jokes galore, pranks she pulls out of thin air, and she becomes amazing at coming up with random songs on the spot (Usually with the help of Varric) that always manage to get the Inquisitor smiling and laughing, instead of getting frozen. If Romanced: She makes sure to check in beforehand, but her favorite form of getting the Inquisitor out of being stuck are giant, flying hugs! Because you cant be sad if you have a handful of giggling, tickling, elven girlfriend, right?

Vivienne: While she doesn’t usually have the patience for people freezing up, she seems to have made an exception for the Inquisitor. Her voice lowers into a softer, more relaxing tone, and she just talks to the Inquisitor, about anything and everything. Stories from her being in the Circle, her experiences being a Grand Enchanter. Somehow it seems to work, distracting the Inquisitor just enough that their anxiety levels come down and their breathing levels out. Vivienne always gets just the smallest proud smile afterwards, although she would deny it to her final breath.

Blackwall: If anyone understands the PTSD, it’s Blackwall. He still suffers from his own, so it activates his protective instinct because he doesnt want the Inquisitor to suffer like he suffers. He’s always asking them if they are alright, always staying close to their side while they are out in battle, and he always tries to find some time to sit down with them at the fireplace and explain to them some of his own more traumatizing moments. He knows it might not help a lot, but even having someone there who just understands can be helpful; it would have been for him. If Romanced: Nothing seems to calm the Inquisitor down quite like his big old bear hugs. He rocks them back to sleep after nightmares, reassuring them that he is there to protect them, and he isn’t planning on going anywhere.

Cole: He always seems to know when the Inquisitor is about to have a flashback, and he pops in to help ease the memories, to make them less intense so that the Inquisitor isn’t suffering as much. He and Solas have become masters at monitoring the Inquisitor’s dreams, to make sure that they can start the day on some good, deep sleep, instead of being riddled. And all it takes is a soft, gentle touch from Cole to help the Inquisitor take a deep, calm breath, to reorient themselves.

Dorian: Dorian immediately delves into the library, reading up on any and every bit of information he can on pstd and what he can do to help the Inquisitor. He may not always be the best at it, but when he comes to the Inquisitor with an entire armful of books, demanding that they allow him to help because how they handle things in Tevinter is “Of course more successful than this dog ridden country”, it brings the biggest smile to the Inquisitor’s face and makes them feel so cared about and loved. If Romanced: Dorian develops a magical necklace, one for the Inquisitor and one for himself, so that it alerts him whenever the Inquisitor’s anxiety and stress is getting too high. This way, no matter what is happening, Dorian knows when his Amatus needs help, and he can always rush to their side.

Iron Bull: He is always noticing things, so it didnt come as a surprise to him to learn about the Inquisitor having ptsd. Most of the Chargers actually have it, so he pulls them aside and bluntly lets them know that look, they aren’t alone. They’re all a little bit messed up, but that doesnt mean they have to be messed up alone. Bull makes sure to keep an eye out for them, knows when to cover for them, and he knows when to put a hand on their back to gently bring them back to the present. If Romanced: He almost always has some physical contact with them, whether he is holding their hand, brushing arms against each other, or legs touching while they sit together. At night, he holds them tight, reminding them how much he loves them, and how much he admires them and how strong they are, and he is always there to rock his Kadan in his arms after they have had a nightmare.

Bonus!

Josephine: She tries her hardest to not put the Inquisitor into any social situations that might aggravate their PTSD, doing her best to handle the things that she can, or getting the help of Cullen or Leliana so she doesnt have to involve the Inquisitor in problem situations. If Romanced: She always makes time to bring the Inquisitor into their Quarters, with a nice fire going, and she sits with them, stroking their hair and softly humming some of her favorite songs from Antiva. During the day, she always makes sure to softly take the Inquisitor’s hand to give a reassuring squeeze, so they know that even if they are both busy, Josephine is always thinking about them.

Cullen: He struggles with PTSD of his won, quite regularly, so he understands and empathizes with the Inquisitor. He invites them to training in the mornings, but only one on one, that way they aren’t having to struggle with their PTSD with anyone else around and can focus on sparring in a safe and controlled situation. If Romanced: He always offers that if they ever need someone to talk with, he is always there. And during the night, the comfort each other through their nightmares, being two souls lost at sea, but still having each other, and never being alone.

Leliana: She works with Dorian and Josephine, finding new ways from different areas of how to help cope with PTSD and Anxiety. She gets different kinds of teas for the Inquisitor to try, new spells and meditation for Solas to recommend, and she talks with many types of healers and mages. It’s her way of looking out for the Inquisitor, the silent protector in the shadows. She also creates the Nug Room; a room full of nugs where anyone can go in and pet the nugs to relax!!

[chanafehs]

what are asma's dynamic with the other companions other than romance/marriage with cullen? i just love her so much she's iconic

Ahhh thank you!! I'm so glad you like her - she is definitely a very reluctant inquisitor so a lot of her opinions on all the companions are varied but I will try to explain! (also just before anyone unfollows me or sends me hate - these are Asma's opinions and not my own lmao)

Solas: They do not get along at all. I think from the very first moment Solas asked her about being Dalish back at Haven she had an immediate dislike of him and It only goes downhill from there. She hates people who act like they know more than her, especially about her own culture. Definitely the lowest approval Solas you can feasibly get. If Asma had the strength in Trespasser she would've used her final moments to slap box him.

Cole: He freaks her out. He pops up and reads her thoughts to her and she pushes him out of the room. If there is one thing that the Inquisition hasn't taken from her it's the privacy of her own mind, so when Cole shows up and suddenly can feel her emotions she is not happy at all. Towards the end of the game, there is some begrudging acceptance, but she still prefers him far away from her.

Leliana: Asma views both Cassandra and Leliana as the major reason why she is stuck there as the Herald of Andraste and dislikes Leliana, especially because she believes that it is the Maker's doing. Asma feels as if Leliana is almost projecting onto her, she also doesn't care for Leliana's more progressive and accepting view of Andrastianism, she just wants elves to be left alone. Definitely would chop off her left foot before considering her as Divine.

Josephine: On the fence in the beginning, Asma has had very bad experiences with nobility in the past and doesn't want a repeat, but she can't bring herself to hate Josephine. They become friends and Josephine looks out for her. It's a very sisterly dynamic imo. Plus they both love to gang up on Cullen at the war table and with Ashura (Asma's brother) getting involved with Josie romantically I think they do occasional double dates together.

Sera: They're friends! No, they don't agree on a lot but Asma doesn't take it out on her, if there is anyone in the Inquisition that sees her as a person and not a figurehead - it's Sera. Asma finds being in her company very refreshing and humanizing and sometimes Sera is able to pull her into doing mischief.

Iron Bull: Oddly enough they get along great. Asma doesn't drink so it's usually just her watching Bull and the Chargers fall into a drunken stupor whenever they hang out - I think they have similar views on a lot of things and Asma is genuinely fascinated by the Qunari and the Qun. She's from the Western Approach so she hasn't much experience with it.

Blackwall: Asma doesn't really think about Blackwall enough to have an opinion on him.

Dorian: If frenemies existed in Thedas I think they would take the top spot, though the friend part is doing a lot of heavy lifting. If there is one place Asma hates more than Orlais, It's Tevinter. And she is shallow enough to hate someone just for being from Tevinter, so it doesn't help when Dorian makes condescending excuses for it. The only reason they have not fought in the streets is because of Cullen and that's it. She rearranged all of his books from alphabetized to by color when he was away and then acted like nothing changed when questioned. Bad girls' club but in Thedas.

Vivienne: Platonic Soulmates for sure. Asma wouldn't have been able to rise to power without Vivienne at her side, she owes so much of her success as inquisitor to Vivienne and knows it. Asma held a very negative opinion of Circle Mages for most of her life but Vivienne definitely changed her mind. They have a lot of shared interests and hold the same views on Magic, plus they also love looking fashionable and using that as a weapon.

Cassandra: Similar to Leliana but she spends so much of her time around Cassandra out in the field it helps Asma understand her better, I wouldn't say they become best of friends but they are friendly with each other. Asma will also excuse certain behaviors if she finds the person attractive so there's that too.

Varric: I think most of their dynamic is limited to "If you write me in one of your books, you better make me hot or I will kill you" and I think that is fine. She also bribes him to hear more about Cullen in Kirkwall. A win honestly.

If I am missing somebody I apologize but yeah I love my little angry elf. She definitely doesn't have controversial opinions at all

[kaija-rayne-author]

So, apparently Cole is canonically supposed to be autistic? Or he was based on autistic people? I haven't found the actual comment, but I guess a dev said so.

I... uh, have thoughts on that. None of them are particularly flattering.

Sera is also coded autistic, but very few people ever mention Solas's incredibly clear and accurate neurodivergent coding. Why is that I wonder? (That's sarcasm, btw.)

Could it be the attitude that it's fine to portray some of the potentially less awesome traits of autistic and ADHD folks but it’s just not okay to portray us as intelligent, standoffish, deep, elegant characters like Solas? Sera and Cole are both some of the least accepted people in DAI. Both by the characters and the fans. I'm professionally diagnosed and I'm far more like Solas than either Cole or Sera. It's part of why I identify with him so much.

Look at all the shit Cassandra and Vivienne spout about Cole!

Look at how Sera is treated ffs. Ick.

Bioware really needs to hire a disability consultant. The ableism in this series borders on obscene. I don't think they're doing it to be mean about it. If anything, I think they might be trying to be inclusive.

They've, so far, failed miserably. As a disabled disability consultant and advocate? That sucks. Rather a lot.

I love the series. I've played the games more than once now, and I'm still very capable of noting and pointing out the flaws. Critique doesn't even usually mean someone hates something. It means they love it and would like to see it fixed.

[jewishevelinebaker]

Colleen and i decided which dragon age/bg3 companions would be besties. the rule was to match them 1:1 but it got out of hand.

Wyll and Sera- wyll would totally be a big brother to her and they would protect the little guys together. They're our favorite friendship.

Gale and Merrill- They're both scholars of esoteric magic and would be so interested in hearing the other infodump. But merrill, when having so much power in her hands, never becomes hungry for it. she would be able to keep gale's hubris in check (as much as one can)

We considered gale and anders, but theyre too similar and would butt heads. they would fuck once and then stop talking to each other. anders WOULD take the crown also.

Also, since we didn't pair Dorian off with anyone, we think he'd also be friends with Gale.

Karlach and Alistair- they would riff off of each other with ease. they would have so much fun and be so playful together. karlach would never make fun of him. theyre both just good people.

lae'zel and fenris- the two lone wolf fighters would stick together. they wouldn't talk a lot but would have each other's backs. they might fuck but theyre both tops so theyd have to figure that out.

shadowheart and leliana- going off of how leliana tried to befriend morrigan, i think leliana would have a lot of empathy for shadowheart's situation and would be kind to her. they would totally fall in love too.

astarion and zevran- theyre so similar, but unlike Gale and Anders, they would mesh really well. Zevran is a better person than astarion but would not really care about bettering him. They would also fuck.

jahiera and cassandra- they both have soldiery backgrounds and get shit done. jaheira isnt as serious as cassandra, but she's certainly serious about her task. jaheira would listen to cassandra talk about romance novels even though shes not into them herself.

minsc and isabela- the two people that can get along with everybody. isabela would poke fun at minsc, but only in kind ways and they would joke with one another. Minsc/boo would try to turn her on the right path tho. But boo does also love isabela.

halsin and vivienne- two people with power who aren't power-hungry. they both agree with halsin's statement that "anyone who WANTS to have power shouldn't have it." They have deep philosophical discussions.

[pupkinpumpkin]

BOOM PART 2 OF MY LAVELLAN ALREADY BECAUSE I AM UNWELL

I took a lotta screenshots of her, but I don't have access to that computer rn, so take one of my old playthroughs of her before I changed her a little bit

So, Lavellan basically already learned how to deal with people depending on her and looking to her for everything from being The First, so the Herald of Andraste gig is still incredibly stressful, but she's used to it

I think inherently, she's a very goofy and sarcastic person, but she has just molded herself into being very diplomatic, so that mask slowly comes off as she becomes friends with everyone

She's 25-26 at the beginning of the game

Her eyes glow green anytime she uses the mark, which I really think adds to Trespasser with the anchor freaking out so much and there just being points where her eyes are green for minutes at a time and fully green by the end before her arm gets cut off

She never had alcohol before the Inquisition so she gets drunk very fast

Whenever she is blackout drunk, she gets really good at building or fixing things. Like, she could build accessories to Bianca levels of good. But only when she's blackout drunk.

Once, when drunk, she said that running her fingers through Cullen's hair felt like petting a baby Halla's fur, something which no one has ever let her or Cullen live down

Varric is the first one to make Lavellan laugh, Sera is the first one to make her snort laugh

Immediately after becoming Inquisitor, Lavellan asks Josephine and Vivienne to teach her about The Game and Fereldan politics

Sera is the first person Lavellan tells about not believing in the Elven gods

Lavellan had a panic attack during Wicked Hearts and Wicked Minds

I like to think that, since my Lavellan is scared of fire, whenever she defeats her first dragon, Iron Bull takes her out drinking not only to celebrate defeating a dragon, but to facing a really big phobia of hers and coming out alive

I purposely have Morrigan be the one to drink from the Well of Sorrows because my Inky has enough religious trauma. Can you imagine having heavy religious guilt over never believing in your religion and then having a bunch of old dead priests from that religion in your head constantly?

Lavellan's best friends are probably Cassandra, Dorian, Cole, and Josephine (Sera and Solas are close seconds)

Cassandra because Lavellan had a big gay crush on her originally which led her to get to know Cassandra better and become very close to her, of course not in the way she originally wanted, but still. They bond out of duty to the people and raise each other up to think about their own happiness for once. Also trashy romance books.

She knows Dorian's gay from minute one and the fact that he's so unwaveringly himself really makes her admire him for being something she could never manage to be. In Dorian's personal quest, there's an option to say that Dorian was very brave for being himself and taking no shit and I really think my Lavellan means that. She hid who she was for so long and being friends with Dorian really helped her walls go down and build her self-confidence. Like, early in the game when you recruit Dorian, I like to think that with everyone else she's very nice and mild-mannered, but whenever she's around Dorian, her real personality comes out which I think confuses some of the companions at first on why she's so different with him, and some see it as them being 'together' but really they both just get each other and their struggles implicitly

(also I love the head canon that Cullen purposely plays chess with Dorian to see what his and the Inquisitor's relationship is, it's so funny to imagine)

With Lavellan being very "I need to put everyone above me and never complain", I think having Cole around would stress her out because he can feel all her hurt she tries so desperately to hide, but she learns that he just wants to help and she often joins him or helps him help others. She eventually gets comfortable enough around him to open up, but I do think she makes him promise to never make her forget anything. Then of course, since I always make Cole human, I like to think she starts playing a more active role in helping him help others since he can no longer make people forget him.

I feel like Josie and Lavellan would just vent to each other a lot. They both need to vent so much and they both have had obligations pushed on them since they were young. Josephine's side quest really pulls them together

And then of course there's Cullen and Solas. So, I romance Cullen every time. I just like him a lot. But I started thinking narratively, and now I flirt with Solas for a bit, then immediately end it after Skyhold and go full in with Cullen. The reason I do it is all very soap-opera-y

So, my thinking is that Lavellan is so conditioned to do whatever her clan wants of her. She needs their approval. Solas is a male Elven mage who she really likes and gets along well with. On the surface level, he is exactly who her clan would want her to pursue. Elven. Male. So, she convinces herself that because she enjoys his company, she must like him because that's who her clan would want her to be with. And he likes her, so, she goes along with it.

And then there's Cullen. A human templar. Just like the rogue templars who killed her lover. Cruel and malicious and evil. But he's not. He's awkward and sweet and yes he's headstrong, but he genuinely wants to reform the Templar order and he's trying to better himself. She tries so goddamn hard not to like him because liking him would be saying no to her clan and she can't. Liking him would be moving past her trauma and looking forward and thinking about herself and her wants and she can't. But she also can't help herself from spending time with him and laughing at his jokes and getting flustered when he laughs at hers.

But as time goes on she feels so bad for flirting with Solas when she doesn't feel that way about him but she HAS to feel that way about him, doesn't she? Because just like with the Elven gods, something must be wrong with her if she doesn't like Solas. So after they find Skyhold and she's in the Fade with Solas. She has to test it. She has to kiss him to see if her feelings are real. So she does. And he kisses back. And it's a good kiss. But it's not right. It doesn't feel right. Then Solas also apparently says this isn't right, so once she wakes up and goes back to talk to him, they agree to end it (She tells him later of course why she flirted with him and apologizes profusely for it, she feels horrible about it for the rest of time, but they stay good friends because they genuinely enjoy each other's company).

But with Solas gone, that means that nothing except her own insecurities are holding her back from being with Cullen. And she is shaking when she asks Cullen to go on a walk with her and she is TERRIFIED when she admits how much she likes him, but god, nothing will ever compare to how she feels after he tells her he likes her too and they kiss. And she feels so...free. She made a decision for herself that wasn't tied to her clan's wants for once. They were 100% completely her own. And she loves it. And she loves him.

Anyway, that got a little fanficy. Basically once the Inquisition ends and she's with Cullen, she is the happiest she's ever been because she doesn't have to deal with politics anymore. She definitely gets stressed introducing Cullen to her clan, but if they don't accept him, they don't accept her, and she learns to be fine with that.

Also she has four kids and a dog with him. One warrior, two rogues (one who specializes in making prosthetics), and one mage, thank you and good night!

[theheraldsrest]

~How would the companions/advisors/LIs react to the Inquisitor being turned into a cat by apostates, and suddenly being in danger from aggressive nobles with allergies and refugees looking to ‘fortify’ their next meal. Meanwhile, the Inquisitor’s totally nonchalant and just living the best life~

“Companions (+Romanced) reacting to Inquisitor turned into a Cat”

God bless all of you. I love you all. This request kept making me giggle, thank you, @sacredpigeon, for this thought! (I think the void ate this ask, but i had it saved in my document, so all good!) Now we go through who’s a cat person and who’s not.

-Lord Lex

Cullen

-The commander of the Inquisition should be calm and complete in any situation. Not this situation though, my man is panicking. What does he do?! You’re a cat! What kind of magic is this?! How do you reverse this?! He holds you under your armpits and holds you out, trying to figure out what to do. Goes to all of the magic users and begs them for help. If romanced, he tries to see if you're still in there, asking for any sign. If given a sign, it gives him a bit of comfort though he still doesn’t know what to do with you. Promises to fix this, awkwardly patting your head and yelling at anyone who goes too close to you.

(Please picture a poor soldier being yelled at not to get too close to the Inquisitor and all they see is some cat walking around.)

Josephine

-Josey is trying so hard not to gush over this beautiful cat that the companions brought back-wait, it’s who now. See, it’s a little hard to accept that the cat in front of her is the Inquisitor when there’s literally just a cat in front of her. Do anything to prove it’s you and she’ll be convinced, even if it’s a bit skeptical. She’s trying so hard to treat it like a serious situation, but she really can’t when you’re at the war table and there’s just a cat there with a serious face. If romanced, she’s adoring you, petting and kissing you, telling you how pretty/handsome you are. Keeps you close so that no one bothers you while trying her best to get someone to reverse it.

Leliana

-Don’t laugh, don’t laugh, don’t laugh, don’t laugh, don’t- Ok but this is really funny. Leliana is trying so hard to keep a straight face while the others explain what happened to you. She’ll look you dead in the eye, and tell you to nod your head or shake your head before asking you several questions. If you’re still conscious and answer properly, you’ll notice a big smile growing on her face that she is failing to hide. She promises through her laughter that she’ll help find someone to fix it. Later asks if you can understand what her ravens can say.

Vivienne

-Just acting really annoyed. On the opposite side of the cat-loving spectrum, so she’s trying to hide her dislike for the small felines while still addressing you as if nothing happened. Madam Vivienne will not treat you any differently and, as such, will expect the same from you. If you’re more cat conscious than your own, she’ll pass the responsibility onto someone who loves cats, specifically Dorian. You have witnessed both having a conversation about you, Dorian calling you little baby while Vivienne calls you menace or beasty.

Varric

-This has to be one of the goofiest things he’s ever seen and yet no one would believe him if he told this story. Hell, half his stories that are true no one believes. He’s split on treating you like the Inquisitor still or treating you like a cat. Settles on a middle, calling you the “Inquisipurr”. Tries different things to see if you still have your consciousness or if you’re just a cat at the moment. Blink once for yes and blink twice for no. Hiss if you thin Cassandra should be nicer.

Cole

-Number one cat translator. Sort of. He can convey what you’re thinking, especially if you keep your mind. Doesn’t even mind it and still treats you like his friend. But most find it funny when he adds in a random meow because that’s how your mind is currently. Also with the occasional “The Inquisitor wants your attention” and then pointing down at the cat. It's the Cullen thing, but more people are obligated to think that that's just how Cole is instead of thinking he's a lunatic.

Solas

-Honestly? This is some bewildering magic, and he’s pretty sure the caster might have messed up. He’ll admit that it’s adorable, but he’d rather make sure you're safe before anything else. Solas will be one of the main people trying to look for a way to turn you back while also keeping an eye on you. Constantly goes between treating you like a cat and petting you before remembering that this cat is the Inquisitor and acting like nothing happened. If romanced, he tries to get you to follow him so that he can keep an eye on you. Or else, just holds you wherever he goes, holding you away from others when they talk to him.

Cassandra

-Ok, don’t panic. Or freeze. Both would be bad. Cassandra does both. She’s just…so confused and worried but what does she do about it? She tries to corral you to safety, afraid she or someone or something might hurt you. Then immediately goes to find a magic user and get them to figure out how to fix you. She’ll stay by your side the whole time. If romanced, she’ll put you on eye level and talk to you to calm you down, even if you don’t understand or look more calm than she feels right now. Cassandra promises to care for you as long as it takes to turn you back.

The Iron Bull

-What the fuck. WHAT THE FUCK. You’re so small and weird and WHAT. What does he do?! Bull’s trying to keep an eye on you while also trying to get someone to help you that knows what you’re dealing with. If you try to nudge up against him or climb him, he just tries to relax as much as possible, making sure you’re not gonna hurt yourself while an animal. If romanced, he just yoinks you up by the scruff of your neck and onto his shoulder, keeping a hand over you while looking for one of your magical companions.

Dorian

-You know those pet owners you just gasp and say “Look at you!” and pick up their cat real gently like just to hold them close to their chest while petting them? Dorian. He’s treating you like an actual cat while smiling the whole time, both because it’s funny and I do think he loves cats. Even risking cat hair on his outfit and notes. If romanced, he’ll even bring you up to look him in the eye while baby-praising you. “You are stunning, yes you are.” Doesn’t know if you’re fully conscious or not, but has to make sure you know he loves you no matter what.

Sera

-This is so funny and yet so cursed at the same time. She, too, is panicking while laughing at how stupid this is. What in the absolute shit magic is this? She really doesn’t want to touch you in case it’s contagious (Sera, that’s not how magic works) so it’s even funnier seeing her dance around away from you, yelling at you to stop it. If romanced, Sera makes a long scratching stick to pat you on the head and show you affection. She loves you but not risking it.

Blackwall

-Definition of panicked and protective. Whether you’re in a romance with Blackwall or not, he’s trying to hold on to you, his arms carefully around you and close to him. He can’t lose you if you’re close to him. Also, he’s used to nails of animals digging into him. Though if you are in a relationship and people are currently trying to fix your situation, some do spot him cuddling you, scratching your ears and kissing your head, assuring you that you’ll be fine.

[camelliagwerm]

Who is Arthur's closest friend (aside from Bull ofc) during Inquisition? Do they keep in touch after Trespasser? And anything else you'd like to ramble about that! :3

Halk I am so sorry for how long this is lol.

Vivienne and Josephine are up there — he loves them both dearly, and his youngest daughter is named for them both (Victoria Cherette), if that's any indication of his closeness to them.

In Josephine's case in particular, even though that romantic aspect of their relationship is gone, I still imagine them to be extremely close and Josephine is one of the few people he is regularly in contact with after Trespasser (there was an... incident where Yvette tried to run away with a Rivaini pirate while Arthur and Bull happened to be on their sabbatical/honeymoon in Rivain. They had to go bring her back to Josephine akdkskdj.) He trusts her and her advice a lot, especially since he does find diplomacy to be incredibly exhausting for him (he still prefers it over intrigue or military tactics though) and she's full of good stories and gossip. But they both have the same problem of being too much of a workaholic, so spending time together very rarely doesn't involve work. When there isn't work involved, there's wine, gossip, Arthur being terrible at Wicked Grace (he's shit at reading tells and hiding his) and both of them often come away from it feeling a little lighter. (She also does very much press for um. details regarding a certain encounter given how shamelessly she was staring lmaooo.)

Vivienne (again: hasn't changed from before his rework!) —they actually knew each other prior to the Inquisition being the only two First Enchanters who opposed the rebellion, and I think they would've even been in the Ostwick Circle at the same time. Vivienne would have been a bit behind him, since she's a few years younger than him (by my guess, she strikes me as mid 40s, Arthur is 49) and he came into his magic when he was very young. I doubt they would've known each other well at the time, mind you And when Arthur was finally forced to close the Ostwick Circle due to a lack of funding during the war, he made arrangements for the most vulnerable of his mages (children, Tranquil) to get transferred to Montsimmard. In short, they already had a good professional relationship by the time Vivienne is recruited, and the Inquisition gave them the opportunity to become good friends. With Vivienne becoming Divine and Arthur choosing to retire, they're not as in contact as they could be after the Exalted Council, but whenever Arthur travels to Orlais, he always comes to visit Vivienne at the Grand Cathedral, sometimes with Bull and the girls, once they've been adopted.

And honestly, it'd be a disservice to not mention Sera. They have a very rocky start, what with Arthur being both noble and a mage, but she's one of the only ones to see him as people and not a figurehead and is constantly reminding him of it to keep him grounded. He appreciates it. Even if she calls him Artie when she wants to annoy him. He can be a bit of a stick in the mud but like with Bull, she gets him to loosen up a bit over time. They have rooftop time, they often spend time in the Undercroft preparing the potions, tonics, grenades and Sera's Tempest flasks (and I imagine Arthur starts teaching her about botany and they work on improving those formulae together!), and he shows her a lot more patience etc than the game lets you. He practically considers Sera family by the end of Inquisition and while he doesn't become a Jenny (he knows he isn't cut out for the work, and he wants a proper retirement), he does back Jenny operations as like? a silent partner or patron. And she's one of the more regular visitors to his home in Ostwick, either by herself or with Dagna (since they got together in my game)

Honourable mentions:

he and Cassandra had a very rocky relationship during Inquisition on account of her forcing him to become Inquisitor, but Cass was with him, Bull and Sera for both JoH and the Descent this run, so I imagine that she and Arthur get closer after Corypheus' defeat.

He and Thom | Blackwall were good friends prior to Revelations but honestly. What shitty fucking timing for that to happen, because it was around the same time Arthur was having to handle the shitshow with his ex-lover, so Rainier's deception really hit him hard (Bull and Sera forgave him very quickly, but Arthur? Yeah, not so much. He was also incredibly upset on Josephine's behalf, as Josephine and Blackwall was a thing in the base game for me.) But they do repair their friendship over the years, Thom also swinging by Arthur's place in Ostwick whenever he's that way and even being called Uncle Thom by Arthur and Bull's daughters.

Varric and Harding as well, but I won't say much more on that for now in case it gets expanded on in Veilguard (<- delusional)

[adeadlysong]

Dragon Age: Inquisition members that Tahirah would likely get along with:

Preferably, everyone. She likes making friends with everyone whenever possible and going for peaceful outcomes. She wants to learn from everyone she meets and get along with them.

Some ideas of how I could see her bonding with the others are along these lines: (thrown under a cut because the list got long)

Dorian - Tahirah admires Dorian's sense of fashion taste and likes his witty remarks, and she also admires him aspiring to reform Tevinter and make things right - or at least better than they are right now.

If the two bond enough to the point that she learns about his backstory, Tahirah would probably offer him her hand in marriage - Not out of romantic love, she knows and fully respects that he doesn't feel that way towards women and she doesn't feel that way toward him either (thus making it a marriage blanc-type of arrangement). However, she proposes mainly because you might as well be married to a great friend, this would get Dorian's father off his back about getting married, and he'd fit in with the other Melodian nobles well. If asked in detail about it, she'd be down for an open marriage where either or both spouses have lovers on the side. If he rejects her (which I presume is likely), she'll be fine with sticking as simply friends if not platonic marriage partners.

Also, this would ensure that Nuriel and Arlyn would gladly deal with Dorian's father being the horrible person he was if Dorian asked them to.

Sera - Tahirah appreciates Sera's honesty, even if she might not always agree with her methods of doing things. She likes that Sera can also shoot down enemies with easy thanks to all the arrows she has on hand. Points for honesty in Tahirah's books.

Vivienne - With all the talk of The Game and so on, Tahirah would probably realize that she's playing her own version of The Game in Melodia as is - but they just don't call it a game aloud like everyone else does in Orlas. They could bond over that.

Also, should Tahirah find out about Vivienne and Bastien (and the latter's demise), Tahirah could also bond with her over that since she's lost her biological parents in a similar manner.

Solas - He comes off as kinda mysterious to Tahirah. Cool and mysterious, that is, to the point that Tahirah just keeps asking him questions about his abilities and all the other things he knows.

However, the whole tearing down the Veil stuff? Yeah...that's probably not going to sit well with Tahirah. Mainly because that's literally destroying a whole world in the process. In the words of Nuriel: "Not cool, Solas! Not cool!"

Cole - Tahirah would ADORE Cole and immediately offer him cupcakes. She likes helping people, and she likes that Cole wants to help, too - even if in some unconventional ways.

The fact that he can read others' minds is a little squishy and awkward to her at times, though (and Rafaele, Tahirah's godfather, would NOT enjoy that).

Blackwall - Tahirah finds him hard to read at first, mainly because he seems broody to her and not easily open to talking about stuff. However, she tries her best to offer friendship and cupcakes.

Blackwall would probably also freak out the most over Tahirah and the rest of the Melodians being all spontaneous with musical numbers. Does he ever get used to them? Er...depends.

Iron Bull - Tahirah knows that her advisor Nuriel would immediately like this guy and immediately gets the two to go bond over a couple drinks so they can talk about crushing enemies and so on. She also thinks that Iron Bull's presence helps makes battles a bit more fun, so that helps.

Cassandra - Like Blackwall, Tahirah might kinda find her hard to read at first. However, she would definitely ask her for assistance on sword-wielding techniques. (And if she finds out Cassandra's secret love of smutty literature she'll introduce her to the entire shelf of romance and smut that's in Melodia's castle library.)

Josephine - Tahirah immediately is drawn to her because she's charismatic, kind, and persuasive. She also thinks that Josephine is a nice person.

Leilana - Tahirah knows that working in the shadows is necessary and she immediately has her godfather Rafaele work with Leilana because the two would be great with figuring out that kind of stuff.

Cullen - Tahirah has...concerns about the lyrium situation he has going on, especially if he ends up going back on lyrium later in the events of Inquisition, but she knows that she can only do so much about that. She does enjoy his company though, and enjoys seeing him at work with all the strategizing he does with Leilana and Josephine.

Varric - The dude is fun to be around because of his witty banter and hey, he writes romance novels! And the fact that he names his crossbow Bianca is pretty cool in Tahirah's opinion.

[theluckywizard]

WIP WHENEVER

I've been working on this pun battle for an upcoming chapter of my longfic In the Shattering of Things the last few days (after it sat stewing in my brain for a solid month). I researched by watching pun championships and got some help from fellow DAFF writers, @kiastirling, @bluewren, @nirikeehan and @warpedlegacy and finally it is DONE.

WC: 916

Rating and CW: Gen, puns and utter torment

Rose Trevelyan POV

Scene is they are on the road to Crestwood and trying to keep Rose entertained for *reasons*.

It's truly cringe, so proceed with caution below.

Excerpt:

On the second day I find myself sandwiched between Varric and Hawke who busily share tales of their exploits in and around Kirkwall, keeping my attention captive and forcibly restraining it from chasing misery for an hour or so. Hawke is eager to set the record straight for me, although Varric points out that his version invariably has significantly more panache.

“If Sebastian hadn’t had his bow trained perfectly on the Wyvern’s eye, Hawke wouldn’t have made it,” sighs Varric, the memory a twinkle in his eye.

"I remember it was an arrow escape!” says Hawke, a grin of pure triumph breaking across his face. As I drop my head back in amused torment, Varric’s head jerks side to side with sudden vehemence.

“Oh no. Oh no no no,” says Varric, a weak look drifting over to his best friend.

“Yes.”

“I… can’t.”

“You will,” says Hawke with certainty. “Topic: weapons. Go!” A sudden effervescence bubbles up inside me as my mind immediately grasps for the next play. I glance apologetically at Varric and then at Hawke and unleash my worst.

“This sounds like a sword spot between you two,” I remark, my smile twitching well into my cheek for the first time since we left. Hawke’s brows pop up and he grabs a fistful of his hair in shock and delight. 

“If you don’t fight back, Varric, she’ll pommel us both!” he counters, leaning around me to regard the dwarf. The energy shifts around the three of us, craning to put eyes on the brewing chicanery, muttering to themselves about how terrible it all is.

“Fine, fine. I’ll take a stab at it,” grumbles Varric, rapidly losing his grip on his smirk.

“And I shall saber the experience,” grins Hawke. I hear Cassandra’s rumble of agony somewhere behind me.

“Spear us your groans, Seeker!” Varric calls.

“Like the dregs of the worst theater company in Val Royeaux,” scoffs Vivienne into her horse’s mane. “Wordplay is the lowest form of comedy.”

“Cleave us alone already, will you? We love edgy humor!” gripes Hawke, hamming it up for the audience around him.

“Cutlass some slack, Iron Lady,” says Varric.

“Come Madame Vivienne, surely you enjoy wincing until your face hurts like the rest of us?” says Dorian. Vivienne merely lifts her chin, thinly veiling her disdain for it all with a distance gaze ahead. 

“Shield get used to it. Eventually,” says Hawke with a shake of his head, directing his obvious glee at me again.

“Oh, wipe that dirk off your face,” I swipe. He clutches at his chest dramatically.

“You stagger me, Lady Violet. You axe too much of me!”

“Amateurs. You’re making a mace of things,” calls Bull, glancing over his shoulder with a wide grin as he falls back to ride closer to the chaos.

“Terribull,” Hawke strikes back. “Truly Terribull.”

“Like I haven’t heard that one a thousand times before, Champignon. Weak jab.”

“True, but I still think I prefer Prose. Your punnery impales in comparison,” says Hawke.

“Thrust me, we’re all well aware of your preference,” says Bull with a laugh. Laughing, Hawke steals a pointed look at me that prompts a momentary surge of heat to my cheeks.

“It would be a greaves mistake to underestimate me, Bull,” I call ahead to him.

“Ha! Knife one.”

“Sad how you flail about for such low hanging fruit. You don’t haft to say them maul, for Maker’s sake,” Hawke says, his triumph provoking hollers and aching moans from the lot of us. He takes a slight bow over his horse’s ashen mane. “Shank you very much.” My laughter slips out at last, breaking free from the ache that hasn’t left my ribs since that awful morning.

“They’re words but they’re the wrong words,” mutters Cole, suddenly appearing at a jog alongside Varric.

“But they’re almost the right words and that’s why it’s funny, kid,” explains Varric.

“Hawke uses a lot of wrong words,” observes Cole. 

“A true rapier wit,” says Dorian, testing the waters, earning a cheeky grin of approval from Hawke and another exasperated sigh from Cassandra.

“Maker, don’t encourage them,” says Vivienne, believing that she and Dorian are a sort of team above it all. 

“Ah, you think you’ll cuirass of our affliction?” Hawke continues over his shoulder, his eyes practically glowing with delight.

“I’m not engaging with you,” she answers, fixing her eyes firmly on the road ahead.

“Don’t be bashful, Vivienne, it’s just a friendly gauntlet of sorts,” I say and my snort pops out so suddenly that I fail to clamp it under my hand, a joyful tear collecting the corner of my eye. Maker, I’ve needed this. 

Vivienne’s eyes flutter and roll.

“Ouch. A parry of puns no less,” says Hawke and my pained look is clearly the reward he seeks.

“Maybe we should claymore gently around her,” says Varric. Cassandra cries out in indignation.

“I agree. Perhaps we should break for lunge?” I inquire. And then we see it. The barest little twitch of the corner of Vivienne’s lips. We all trade sudden looks of astonishment.

“Let it be known that the Iron Lady smiles!” declares Varric. “At lowly wordplay no less!”

“An insect alighted on my cheek, nothing more,” she says, her smirk sneaking away from her again and the roar of approval is immediate. 

“Admit it, we’re pretty stunny,” says Hawke.

“Knife one!” shouts Sera, having listened to all of this and waited for her moment.

“Sera— just— no,” says Varric. “You never steal someone else’s pun.”

Tagging others for WIPs, even on this, the last day of the weekend!

@skyeventide, @effelants, @about2dance, @melisusthewee, @monocytogenes, @rowanisawriter, @smutnug, @breninarthur AND YOU

[sleepingfancies]

Prithee, tell me which one of your OCs haunts your mind most today?

AUAUHGHGHGHG i've been sucked back into dragon age hell and i've been thinking about my Rowena Trevelyan all day . major inquisition + trespasser dlc spoilers and an extremely long ramble under the cut im so so sorry beloved mutual </3

she was just a KID like.... Rowena was permitted to go to the conclave as a budding apprentice mage. as an OBSERVER she didn't even get a vote. she was wandering around during a break when she happened upon the ritual . it was like an academic field trip for her, a chance for her to see the politics behind the scene and nothing more. and within hours her mentor and everyone she knew was killed in the blast and she was the sole survivor. and then she became surrounded by people she didn't know and handed responsibility and divinity she never asked for and had no clue how to handle !!!!!!!!!!!!

and this is AFTER she was essentially abandoned by her Trevelyan family for being a mage in the first place. 5 generations of non-mages and her parents thought they were safe for sure and then they had Her. a recessive gene last seen a century ago resurfacing . they threw her in the circle at the first opportunity. she sent letters for the first few years - they never answered. her family became her mentor and her fellow mage children. she learned young that the Maker didn't want her, that her magic was a mistake. her family would've loved her just fine if she hadn't been a mage.

so she's just so ANGRY about it all deep down. everyone she knows is killed and these strangers have the NERVE to call HER - a mage, a mistake, an affront to the Maker - the Herald of Andraste. one cataclysmic event and suddenly everyone thinks she's not only special for her magic, but a gift from the Maker. and how dare they!!! how dare they respect her and beg for her help now after so many years of neglect and lies and abuse!!

the first thing Cassandra does is question whether she believes in the Maker. and what is she supposed to say? "He believes my existence is a mistake, so I believe He exists as a tyrant" is what comes to her mind. but she grew up around templars and learned not to speak her mind around people she couldn't 100% trust. so she holds her tongue and says she isn't sure what to believe anymore. it's not entirely a lie, and it placates Cassandra: the person who could most easily decide she was more of a liability than a blessing.

as time passes in Haven, Solas becomes her new mentor; a surprise to both of them, really. but he knows more about spirits and the Fade than she was ever taught - she doesn't even know how to use the mark on her hand. He teaches her how to close the rifts, how to navigate the Fade in her dreams, how to learn all that spirits have to offer. She looks up to him. between him and Dorian and Vivienne, she has finally found similar company. Dorian never questions her caution about believing in the Maker. Vivienne never judges her for not knowing much about the world outside the circle. Solas is helping her grow and learn.

the other companions help, too. she latches onto Blackwall - he's like the father she never had. Iron Bull and the Chargers take her in and give her social sanctuary. Sera agrees not to call her the Herald, and knows exactly how to make her laugh. Cole helps her process her former mentor's death and her separation from her friends at the wycome circle. Varric won't let her overwork herself, he knows she didn't want any of this. for awhile, things seem okay.

and then Corypheus comes. Haven is destroyed. she's lost in the wilderness with cracked ribs and a broken leg and she's freezing to death. she doesn't even remember how the advisors found her, or where. "we saw our hero fall, and rise again" Mother Giselle says. if people didn't believe Rowena was sent by the Maker before, they do now. she doesn't believe it herself. she hates it. she's angry at them all

then comes Skyhold. a throne, judgment over prisoners, occupying Crestwood, deals with Starkhaven and the Antivan Crows and Kal-Sharok, "Inquisitor," traversing the Fade physically, the Chantry asking after her companions as Divine candidates, all of it. Every decision that should be brokered between entire countries comes down to one barely-in-her-20s apprentice mage who didn't even know what Val Royeaux looked like 6 months ago.

the bubbly attitude she tried to keep up starts to crack. her parents write her a letter asking if she could set aside some of the Inquisition's coin to cover their legal fees after they had a property feud with the Selbach family. she never writes back. "get to the point," she tells Morrigan, something she never would have said before all of this. the judgments come down harsher. the executions get a little too easy to carry out. she closes the rifts more aggressively than before.

and then Corypheus is beaten. the Breach is sealed. for one brief moment, the thought crosses her mind: 'I can finally leave.' she can go back to the wycome circle and hug her old friends, tell them what happened. she can go see the world she never could before. the mark on her hand can stop making people bow to her even when she begs them not to. she did what the Inquisition set out to do. it's over. it's done.

and then they never let her go.

even as her new friends scatter to the wind, dusting their hands off, their moral obligation fulfilled, Rowena sits on the Inquisition throne and feels herself rotting. Solas abandoning her without so much as a goodbye after Corypheus fell stung, but a part of her expected it, too. she caught on quickly that he wasn't the type of person to linger once he felt his role was done. so that was fine. she made peace with that. but the others? Sera, Blackwall, Vivienne, all of them? one by one, they left with an urgency that felt like a dagger to the heart. only Dorian admitted he lingered for the sake of her friendship, but even he was called away eventually.

and then another glimmer of hope: Orlais and Ferelden disagree on the Inquisition's future. for the sake of her advisors, Rowena puts on her old bubbly attitude, claims the Inquisition isn't going anywhere. deep down she rattles the bars and begs Bann Teagan to demand the Inquisition be dissolved. she has one more chance to be free of this. to be someone - though she has no idea WHO anymore - outside of the Inquisitor.

and then the mark flares up. the Qunari have reached the end of their patience with the Inquisition. they dont realize how badly Rowena wants to agree with them. and then the breadcrumbs lead back to Solas. and Solas wants to end the world.

she can do nothing but break down. one more thing she'll be expected to stop. another ambiguous number of years she'll be expected to spend on it. another problem she's not qualified to solve. she's so angry and so sad and so sick of it all, and for the first time in her life she misses the stupid teenager she used to be in wycome whose most pressing issue was figuring out how to frame a templar for her petty thefts.

she doesn't remember having her arm amputated, or her advisors even coming to that decision. being without the mark feels odd, but not unpleasant. as if a nagging splinter has finally been removed from under her skin. Varric promises he'll find someone who can make her a prosthetic. she doesn't care one way or the other. at long last, what made her "special" is finally gone. the world has given her permission to close this chapter of her life for good.

Bann Teagan gets what he wants. Rowena dissolves the Inquisition. finally, at last, she can tell everyone involved to go home. she can figure out who she is. maybe she'll go to Rivain, Varric always said he heard it was lovely there. when the world collapses she'll be hundreds of miles away. maybe she'll be vaporized, maybe slow radiation-like sickness will claim her life, maybe a demon will finally best her. she doesn't really care.

and then her advisors won't let her leave. the Inquisition's dissolution was only a preventative measure, Josephine says. we can operate against Solas without risking his spies infiltrating our ranks, Cullen says. Rowena doesn't have it in her to argue anymore. she doesn't want this. she wants to be anywhere but here. she thought she was free. "okay," she says blankly instead. "that sounds like a good idea."

ten years tick by. Rowena is in her 30s now. she still has no idea what Rivain looks like. Dorian and Vivienne and Blackwall have kept in touch. the others, not so much. she hasn't heard from Cole or Iron Bull at all since they left. she doesn't try to put on that bubbly facade anymore. she's too angry and tired and bitter to bother. no one asks if she's alright anymore. they know she isn't. whatever soul searching she intended to do before won't happen now; this is who she is after all this time. a young woman with a stern brow and stress-induced grey hairs, a prosthetic arm, and no patience for small talk.

she doesn't think about that kid she was before the conclave exploded. that person might as well be a stranger. she can never go back, and there is no future where she isn't the Inquisitor. the only chapter of her life that ever really closed was the one where she thought escape was still possible.

Varric tells her he found someone called "Rook." he thinks they'll be perfect to fight back against Solas. Rowena believes him. she tells him to wish them the best of luck. but she knows she won't be able to stay out of the fray forever. and by now, she doesn't want to. her resentment has festered for a decade. Solas robbed her of her last chance to have a life as Rowena Trevelyan - not as the Inquisitor, not as the Herald, not as anything else. his plans aside, his abandonment of her aside, that robbery is the real betrayal that she could never let go of. and at this point, she never will.