#but she also cares SO MUCH about PEOPLE and solas doesnt even see people as people

[surreallyy]

Thinking about how Varric and Solas represent the two sides of Cole...and how that is much that same as Solas and Sera for a Dalish elf inquisitior. Solas representing your elven heritage, your connection to the fade. Sera representing your humanity, your connection to the people around you, the people you need to save. They both see you as being like them in some way but have completely opposite expectations of what that means, and if you lean into your Dalishness you end up disappointing both. Too elfy and never elfy enough.

[hansmannette]

i finished veilguard and i kinda need to write smth down cuz idrk how this game should make me feel atm

spoilers for dragon age the veilguard below the cut

i dont think i liked veilguard this much tbh. it wasn't a total disappointment but i expected a different game altogether. theres not many aspects i enjoyed about it and when i think about replaying it in the future im like "... im not looking forward to experiencing any of this again" like there wasnt a single point in the game i really had fun playing?? idk

the characters fall completely flat for me. theres no one i think was cool or fun interacting with during my playthrough. i think i liked taash a little? like at least they were funny sometimes and their dialogue seemed genuine most of the time. spite was also funny sometimes. i think i liked spite more than i liked lucanis which is a shame. the least boring guy was probably davrin, i might check out his romance in the future cuz i liked assan and yea.. davrin was really ok tbh. the absolute worst character for me was harding??? harding was so fucking annoying all game and she was just... not at all like harding. all her lines were so obnoxious and just idk. i think the dialogues overall were just really bad cuz i actually enjoyed most character arcs, i even thought hardings was amongst the strongest. i also didnt like that you could never just chat with your companions and ask them about their lives or whatever, you had to wait for them to want to talk to you in order to be able to interact with them at all and overall the companion aspect of veilguard was just trash. they mightve wanted to go back to da2 or ME style but this doesnt fit modern games anymore imo and just made me not care at all for any of the companions. the romances were way too short too. i liked the romance element the most in any given dragon age and its always been important to me so veilguard fucked this up bad imo :/ theres like 10-20 hours of gameplay at a time where your romance does not progress at all and at times i thought it bugged out but apparently its intended to be this lacking in content

speaking of characters.... rook was really unlikeable to me? ANY dialogue option was horrible cuz rook is just a very annoying, terribly written protagonist

the map design was ok i think... i wouldve preferred the inquisition approach and for everything to be less linear and streamlined. seeing bigass fogwalls with an actual interface LOCKED symbol isnt very immersive??? just let me explore on my own wtf. while some locations were cool and beautifully designed, especially dock town and treviso, exploring them wasnt that engaging since there wasnt much to see. ive seen people on here say most of the locations seemed like theme parks and i agree, especially the necropolis and hossberg

obviously it feels bad for decisions in previous games to not matter at all, i feel like this used to be a core mechanic to all dragon age games and now they just dropped it

the cutscenes however were all very good imo, the overall story of the game was great and especially the cutscenes were super impactful and emotional, i cried a BUNCH during this game. i just think its funny how the small scale writing is so bad but the overarching story was good? id say the game is not worth it outside of the main story quests and some companion quests. theres probably a billion people out there who would disagree with me saying the main story writing was good but i think it was just fine to focus on solas and the aftermath of his actions. at least solas didnt suffer much from bad writing in this game and he continues to be one of the most interesting characters to ever exist probably. every scene featuring solas was great and whenever he wasnt present the quality took a nose dive. tbh morrigan also stayed true to her character id say and she also kinda carried the game

i fuckin hate this weirdass dalish art direction overhaul? stop with the fucking futuristic gadget triangle look??? this doesn't give elf fantasy at all, i think i disliked bellara and the veil jumpers MOSTLY because of this shitty design choice

i legit feel insane mentioning this but i DO NOT get how meredith was irrelevant?? they showed the red lyrium idol in the teaser, they confirmed her return at the end of absolution and i was 100% sure she would somehow be relevant in the veilguard story but she just....wasnt. i truly dont get it. but at this point theres a billion characters that shouldve been relevant given the themes and locations and they just werent. we had plenty reason to see characters like zevran, merril or fenris again. i AM grateful for the cameos we got tho, i was really happy to see familiar faces every now and then

the dragon fights are the best in the series imo. theyre not elden ring levels of cool but they are the best in all of dragon age. the combat system was really nice and dynamic, i was looking forward to this and it absolutely delivered. i WOULD replay veilguard to try a different class/build

the character creator was good, transmogging was good, i liked having a few specific weapons and gear pieces for different combat stats...... yea

i feel like.... everything in the game is just kinda washed out. theres barely any conflict in the world OR between the characters. everything is giving super weenie hut jr. vibes and i dont say this bc i want broodmother stories and abuse back but did we really forget about the crows trafficking children? did we forget about slavery in tevinter? why is none of this shown, it feels like this was erased to be as palatable as possible

there was sooooooo much missed potential with this game... or my expectations were too demanding idk. when i saw 12 eluvians in the crossroads i got SUPER excited for all the possible locations, even hoping one would open to kirkwall. but that never happened and besides the main locations the rest was just used for one-time companion quest visits.

overall i expected more... its not a terrible game but i really was hoping for something else. my opinion might change and i might be overly emotional and aggravated bc i literally just finished a couple hours ago but at the moment... im not that happy tbh. i hope my feelings about it calm down over time. mostly im disappointed cuz the game just came out and is, like all the other dragon age games, something completely different and its not another origins or another 2 or another inquisition. and i mean why would it be? we already got those games so ofc veilguard is something entirely new. maybe once enough time passes i can enjoy the game for what it is but at the moment i feel very "meh" about it and kinda miss the other games

[olberic]

so the first time i played the da games 9 years ago i just picked the romances based on who i as the player liked, and my characters had very little depth bc i was just playing to try and maximize approval for everyone. but this time around im letting my characters develop more. im picking dialogue options that result in disapproval bc my characters are sticking to their beliefs. it also means the romance stories come about based on who my character ends up getting along with. heads up for talking abt my characters, itd be under a readmore if i wasnt using an ancient version of the app lol

so my city elf warden, lev, picked zevran. she had a hard time trusting humans after what she’s been through in the alienage, and though she comes to see morrigan as her closest friend, she doesnt warm up enough to leliana or alistair to pursue their more serious romances. did have the threesome with isabela. when zevran has the choice of going back with the crows, she realizes she cant stand the thought of losing him.

this time around, my marian hawke ended up being down bad for aveline, which surprised me, tbh. just so put out when aveline liked donnic instead (but i DID get the kiss scene. heheh). she eventually ended up with isabela, though i interpret the specific events of their romance a little differently than that first main romance convo. my hawke also flirted with merrill a bit, and was definitely fond of her, but it never sparked. this particular hawke is also a lesbian even though my first playthrough had hawke as bi. her absolute best friend ended up being fenris.

im still working through inquisition so im not sure who teolin (dalish, and the keeper’s second, not first, thank you very much) is interested in. im playing him as bi, and flirted a lot with cassandra at first, but rn shes mad at him for being so pro-mage. otherwise thinks josephine is cute and has been enjoying flirting with dorian, but is very much an impulsive sort than what the dialogue options strictly let me choose. highest non-romance approvals are with varric and solas, and has been getting along well with leliana, as far as he can tell.

im also not as invested in the romance as a whole this time playing the games. as a teen it was really exciting to have romance options, so that stuck around in my memory of the games. this time its not as important to me. yes im making a post about it because it is a commonly discussed element of the games but its not my main thing with them this time.

im appreciating the other relationships a lot more. lev struggling with deep distrust for humans while learning to trust alistair as an ally, her respect for morrigan, her appreciation for oghren’s straightforwardness. hawke’s love for her mother and sister, her unconditional support for anders and the mage underground, her honest discussions with fenris as her best friend. and while i cant say much for teolin yet, as the player im really enjoying interpreting his approval levels based on his beliefs and how that makes others see him.

and when my warden struggled for half the game to drag alistair’s approval up, and my hawke stood her ground when defending apostates against people she cares deeply about, and teolin’s pride in being an elf and a mage means hes shooting down his “inner circle”, its still really satisfying to me. not everyone needs to be uncomplicated besties like i thought they had to be when i played it the first time. the games are so political and give you enough freedom of expression to stick to what you believe (for the most part), so why not embrace it?

[blackinquisitors]

whats xavier's relationships with the other ppl in skyhold like?

oh youre my new favourite person now. talking about character relationships is my favourite thing. and bc you didnt specify which ppl i will do all of them :) I think ive written some before but no matter I will do it again

Josephine: he loves josie, theyre very good friends. his other close friends are guys so its nice to be around a woman. he likes to joke that he and josie are married and sometimes they walk through skyhold arm in arm. josie is someone he can gossip with and they both love it

Leliana: scares the shit out of xavier. he doesnt really talk to her bc shes always giving him crypic vague answers so he doesnt see the point. but all the spymaster shit disturbs him. he knows its necessary so he just lets her get on with it when hes not looking

Cullen: very neutral relationship. sometimes xavier flirts with him simply to see cullen get flustered and go "I-I-I-Inquisitor you know im not attracted to men.." but other than that theyre just coworkers

Cassandra: she pisses him off with all the andraste shit so they dont get along bc of that. well theyre polite to each other. he at least has respect for her drive and willpower but doesnt care for her much

Dorian: thats his boo :) xavier loves him to death. there was a brief time after dorian said his opinion on slavery that xavier just lost all interest in him and fully ignored him for weeks on end. like didnt even acknowledge his existence until it was necessary. then dorian apologised and got back into xaviers good graces

Iron bull: good friends who get along well. they fucked during xaviers lil break from dorian. wouldnt do it again but he crossed "riding the bull" off his bucket list. xavier is interested in qunari stuff so really likes talking to bull about it

Sera: he is. pleasant towards sera. he will occasionally participate in a prank. theyre decent friends, but he only hangs out with her when everyone else is busy lol. her opinon on elves, specifically the dalish, really makes him uncomfortable but bc hes human he doesnt really feel like its his place to yell at her about it

Solas: he simply doesnt regard solas. he does not like the "i have wisdom beyond your understanding" attitude. hes met wise people before and they dont have to tell you how wise they are. he appreciates solas's help with the fade but theres just something about him that xavier doesnt like

Vivienne: he really wants to like vivienne and he tries hard to get her approval but their opinions are completely opposite. xavier is very much "all mages should be free, down with the templars and the chantry" and also is more emotional and does not like to acknowledge himself as being powerful. xavier does always feel stupid when he talks to her but he really wants to be her friend. I think vivienne can see that and views him as an idyllic pup that will eventually get his hopeful vision for the world crushed, so she'll do what she can to prepare him for that

Varric: varric!!! good friend. not quite on the level of hawke+varric friendship but theyre close. theyre both humourous guys that share pretty much the same opinions. there is a maturity difference sometimes though, since xavier is 23/24 and varric is like 40 so at times varric feels like an older brother/uncle figure but not all the time. usually only when xavier is stressed or gets his feelings hurt

Cole: he fuckin loves cole man. thats his little white boy! xavier is a compassionate person so he really likes hearing from cole what the kindest thing to do in a situation is. coles way of speaking has also inspired a lot of lyrics for xavier's music

Blackwall: xavier pulls out all his straight man interests to talk to blackwall. luckily he already likes fishing and hunting and whatnot. they also make jokes about ferelden. theyre just coworkers. he likes the guy though. xav didnt really give a shit about blackwalls identity reveal though. just another tuesday in skyhold

[lavellander]

also Thinking about all their results and how those speak to/interact w their relationships ojdoifsheoisoffs im sorry

sarenan (you were meant to): i think hers is the most individualized one but i also think that bc of the way her life has unfolded it's hard not to link all important things with some kind of suffering. she loves leliana and they're good for each other but they're always apart, leliana is divine, etc, and so – in her mind – it makes sense that even a good and healthy relationship hurts. a child weaned on poison considers harm a comfort etc etc etc

maeve (you're choking on how much you have to try): besides regular old Eldest Daughter Syndrome, and despite loving anders and her friends very much, i think maeve got waaaay way more than she bargained for in life. add in the fact that her family keeps getting taken away one by one – in death or otherwise – and the years she spent desperate for anders to let her help carry his burden, even before she knew what it was ??? bonk. also as a purple hawke i hc that her humor and flippancy is very much a coping mechanism n this also kind of speaks to how, as time goes on, it gets harder and harder to not have that levity crushed under the weight of... everything. lmao

ranae (because you have made mistakes you cannot swallow): obviously tamlen. obviously. rly not a lot to unpack here except i like the idea of "fire is supposed to be warm. it burned them, and it will swallow you. blow out the candle. let it rest. some things are left better in the dark" being advice given to her by a companion. i would say alistair but as King Of Avoiding His Emotions it makes more sense that leliana or – in different, probably harsher words – morrigan is the one to say it to her

zaniyah (you swallow pain & fold around it): speaking of avoiding emotions. zaniyah is coincidentally the queen of that lmao. but bc she's so chill people just think she's Like That all the time. w her result tho i can see it twofold – the overarching trauma that the dalish endure(d) AND her own personal pains. despite trying to seem easygoing she hates the idea that she doesn't know who she really is, feels she lost those who might guide her when her parents died, doesnt feel particularly "called" one way or another, etc. watching alani (who is her cousin in my little made up world state lol) seem so sure of herself as a mage, as first, as a scholar, and eventually as inquisitor has just made her internalize that further her whole life. its no one's fault, she just takes it as a fact of life

AND NOW THE BIG ONE BC I AM ???

alani (this isn't enough for you): im losing my mind. alani spends so long just wanting to be back home with her clan that the thought of her EVER going back and thinking "this isn't enough for my anymore" makes me want to d*e, but i also don't think that's it? i think it's about what solas told her about magic and the veil and whatnot

like she would never abandon her loved ones and try to help him destroy the world or whatever BUT knowing what they once had – boundless magic, an innate connection to the fade, immortality, etc – has left this horrible chasm in her. so no, she's not willing to sacrifice everyone she cares about to try and get that back, but she's not NOT wondering if there's another way

she had already spent a lot of her life grieving what was lost to the elves but this is some other shit now. "it is not a character flaw you want more" but like, more for her people and, by extension, everyone else. she wants more for THIS world and THIS life, not a different world and life at the cost of what exists now. i am going to yell for 400 years !!!!!! fuck this uquiz!!! lmao

[lavellane]

💍 📓 💧 🗣️ for Ashara

thank u blue ur a star

💍 Does your OC have a specific item that is priceless to them but may (or may not) be completely worthless to someone else? Is there a story behind this item or is it just because they like it so much?

a few ! she has very few possessions because being dalish she’s grown up learning to travel light, but so the things that are important to her tend to never leave her person ! she loves her sylvanwood ring because it reminds her of her caln/her purpose in a way, though she usually wears it around her neck bc shes a fire mage and. well. its wood so jfdkdfjkd

shes also is super protective of her journals, since they have basically her entire life written into them, plus inquisition secrets and intel and stuff. she also keeps that with her at all times (i like to think that the book on a lot of the mage armour is literally her journal lmao fdkjdfkj)

📓 Write a typical diary/journal page by your OC! (or if you’d rather not, describe their journal. Do they keep one, why?)

answered here !

💧 What makes your OC lose hope, what makes them give up and feel helpless? Have they ever given up on something really important or let go of a dream? What are some of their biggest regrets? Would they ever try again (if they’re able to)?

it takes a LOT for ashara to give up on something. she is absolutely relentless and too proud to ever really accept defeat, which isnt a good thing because after a while it means she will begin going against her own values in order to achieve her goals (ie. in trespasser she was mostly fine with disbanding the inquisition, because she had done what she’d set out to do and she doesnt care about political power enough to hoard it. HOWEVER, after learning about solas shes so furious she goes against this and decides to continue the inquisition, knowing its wrong and knowing its corrupted, just bc she feels like she Needs it in order to Win hhhhhhhh)

im not really sure what would make ashara give up on something honestly? maybe logic and truth?? if she learns something that goes against what she believes, even if its a negative thing, she usually will accept it even if the consequences suck and its not what she wants.

as for regrets, she has PLENTY. she regrets a lot of her crueler actions during the inquisition, like leaving hawke in the fade, sacrificing the chargers and exiling blackwall to the grey wardens (ik thats the good option in game but i hc she was really really vicious abt it fgdjkfjfdg) but i don’t think she puts much value in the “if i could go back” line of thinking. she knows she can’t, and she tries not to focus too much on the past and her own guilt, and instead tries to BE better and DO better for the people she’s lost, ykno? the only thing i think she’d say she wishes she could actually change, is meeting solas (though, this is only while she’s absolutely furious at him lol)

🗣️ What are the most painful words that can be said to your OC to utterly break them? What are the words that you could tell them to cheer them up? Maybe some advice to give them the boost they need!

there are a few elven curses that really mess her up if theyre directed at her ! dirthara ma (may you learn) cuts extra deep for her bc it implies shes foolish or reckless or like??? a thoughtless idiot djdfkjdfkj and she hates feeling incompetent or childish so. dont say that to her vkjfdkjfdkj also “harellan” is a recent word that she takes a lot of offence to. i mentioned it in a previous ask but it’s a word a lot of ppl start using @ her after she removes her vallaslin and continues to serve the inquisition instead of stepping up as keeper after her clan’s destruction, and obviously after her relationship with solas aka the literal dread wolf lol. a lot of people see her as forsaking the dalish (esp after the whole “herald of andraste” bs) and it honestly affects her so much bc she loves her ppl yknow. even if she sometimes struggles to show it in the conventional way. i think the main thing that would just. hurt her SO bad would be someone she love/d (maybe solas or her sister or one of the advisers) saying like??? “you’re nothing, nothing you’ve done matters, you’re not nearly as smart as you think you are and all you do is get people hurt due to your own incompetence” :( :( :(

in saying that ashara could probably be cheered up by like? someone calling her “hahren” bc she LOVES feeling intelligent and respected. any compliments about her intelligence would also be well received, and yea i guess anything that convey respect or make her feel competent. if she were ever to follow any advice it would probably be smth like “its okay to be sad. you don’t have to be angry all the time, sometimes sadness is okay as well.”

[lavellanscreee]

#1 of this ask thing

1: what is your inquisitors name & race?

Mei, Elven

2: what is their sexual orientation?

Pan

3: what do they look like?

4: how did they feel about being called the herald of andraste?

For her it felt odd to be recognised at all since she always kept to herself in her clan

5: what are their religious beliefs if they have any?

She believes in the Elven gods

6: what is their opinion on the mage/Templar war?

She's a mage herself so it's harder on her, she tries to keep on the down low about being a mage even though she's the inquisitor, needless to say it's a habit

7: who is your inquisitors best friend

Dorian

8: who is their rival

Probably Solas tbh

9; who is their love interest if they chose one? Do you ship them with anyone else/non romanceable options?

She's with Cullen but I feel like if Cole was romanceable she would have been with him instead

10: rogue, warrior, mage?

Mage

11: how do they feel about the Dalish

She can see that they can be ignorant but she still has respect for them, being one herself

12: how do they feel about the Qun?

She can see both the benefits and downfalls, it has some good ideas but others that she just can't agree with

13: how do they feel about the chantry?

She doesn't like how she was treated by the Chantry but she doesn't hate it

14: which demon is most frightening to them?

Despair demons

15: did they choose the Qun or the chargers in Iron Bull's personal quest? Why?

Chargers, there's no way she could have abandoned people she knew and trusted

16: when are they happiest

Either when they're relaxing with Cullen or hanging out with Dorian or Sera

17: how do they feel about the mark/anchor?

She'd rather it not be attached to her body

18: upon first meeting Cole were they afraid of him?

She actually trusted him pretty quickly

19: did they use the templars or the mages to close the breach?

Mages

20: what was their court approval like at the winter palace? Did they have any fun at all?

Almost 100 but not quite, Having Dorian and Sera there helped her feel at ease and less out of place but I'm not sure she'd have considered it completely fun

21: someone is encroaching on their love interest. How do they respond?

She trusts Cullen whole heartedly but if the person wasn't taking no for an answer or making him visibly uncomfortable she'd probably just ask if there's a problem and help him get away

22: what is their favourite weapon?

Whichever staff has the better qualities at the time, so long as it makes fighting easier she doesn't care how it looks

23: are there any creatures in the wild they refuse/are reluctant to kill? Why?

Halla, they're just too pretty, she also feels bad for killing Mabari since she had one when she was very little

24: what is their opinion on blood magic? Would they ever use it if given the chance?

She would probably use it as a last resort and only a last resort. It's highly abused but in her opinion if it's used carefully then it's not too bad.

25: what is their favourite place within playable regions?

I can't remember the name of it but it's the really green wooded area with all the huge trees

26: did they feel suspicious of Dorian upon first meeting him due to his Tevinter heritage?

She's always been one to give a person a chance before choosing to trust them or not, but she liked him and got on well with him easily

27: as a whole how do they feel about Tevinter + the imperium?

She doesn't know much about it but from what she does know she can see that the people in power should really change to others that would be better placed, because Dorian has some hope for it she does too, after all, he knows the place better than her

28: did they encourage Cullen to continue taking Lyrium or to stop? For what reasons?

She encouraged him to stop, she understood his reasoning for stopping and had done so well so far and wants to stick by him with that decision

29: does it bother them to sleep in tents when on the road with the inquisition?

She's just happy to have her own tent, back in her clan she had to share it with her 4 younger siblings

30: are they an optimist, pessimist or neutral?

She's neutral but slightly more optimistic when she can be, but she likes to try and be realistic too

31: if Varric wrote a book about your inquisitor how would they feel?

She would definitely read it out of pure curiosity, I think she'd feel happy that Varric wrote about her though

32: do they get along with Vivienne?

She tries so hard to get along with her but nothing seems to ever work, Vivienne doesn't quite hate her though

33: are they afraid of anything specifically?

She's actually terrified of the dark

34: what was their reaction to the destruction of Haven?

She was sad about it but she also knew it had to be done

35: how do they feel about "the game"?

Personally she doesn't see the appeal of it

36: are they particularly protective of any inquisition members, even ones that can defend themselves?

Dorian, Cole and Sera, they're the ones she gets on with the most (not including Cullen) but they're also not well liked or trusted for various reasons

37: do they like their skyhold pajamas?

Yep, it's better than what she wore in her clan, feels sturdier but comfy

38: are there any insults they find to be particularly offensive?

She doesn't get affected by words that much, she just ignores them

39: if Varric gave them a nickname what would it be?

Bunny because honestly she's like a rabbit in some ways

40: do they enjoy being the inquisitor?

She doesnt completely enjoy it but she's grateful since she's met amazing people from it

This takes so long and I've got 3 other characters to write for, it's midnight 😂

[tennyo-elf]

Thoughts on Cullen, both negative and positive:

Okay, so life crap aside (’cause if you think my hiatus isn’t life BS, you’d be wrong), I am slowly making my way back to Dragon Age. I started a new play through of DAI and I’m rerolling my Ellana (ofc, I love her too much - AND I have to get back to my last ME3 pt too, ‘cause I want to do a video series with ME after that). So generally, getting back into DA and ME makes me happier.

I’ve always liked Cullen! Ellana romances and marries him! This blogs has reblogged tons of gifs and images of him. But, sadly, I can finally see the haters POV, and pretty clearly too. Yet it all comes from Haven/Pre-Skyhold/that one convo after his Lyrium decision.

First, the way he speaks of Kirkwall, like he mentions only the bad things the mages did, like the templars didn’t have a hand in that chaos, and normally I’d say Cullen is blindsided but he knows better here (I’m thinking/hoping it’s just a knee jerk reaction). Then he speaks about how the mages watch the Templars just as much as the Templars watch the mages and states it pretty cluelessly, as if he doesn’t know why - which he honestly may not (the mages are scared and see you guys a jailers/executioners/oppressors/etc  !!***!!). Then later he states he fears for Redcliffe because the rebel mages are there - I know he worries about bad things happening (and bad things did happen, but not because of the mages, because of Alexius) but that means he doesn’t trust mages or think them capable of restraint.. It’s not in your face mage discrimination, but you can clearly see how he still thinks lowly about mages. He is still very much a Templar in thought and action at this time, despite how he wants to get away from the Order. I can see how and why people who don’t like Cullen, would go “ugh” with Cullen and never give him another chance. I’m yelling at Cullen on my screen, because he is too narrow minded during this time (just like I yell at Solas, whom I also love, lol).

I’m so conflicted right now, because I know Cullen gets better, even subtly, later on, but we don’t get the solid details on it. All we get are hints and only if you romance him as a mage. When talking about Maddox and how Meredith wielded the Tranquil brand for far lesser offences, Cullen does seem mad or finds the memory distasteful, but he never tells us what he thinks about it. Unless you count the whole “Meredith’s methods were harsh but they kept people safe” spiel. I don’t like his solution because he ends it with the words “neither freedom nor prison” (dude, your mage gf is right there, you don’t want her free?????). That hints he now realises that it’s a prison for mages or that mages see it that way. That’s something, a start, and it’s a different mindset than at Haven. After that I don’t remember if there is much from Cullen about mages anymore. (His silly worries about the Eluvian is actually pretty funny, because, one, if you joke with him he realizes he shouldn’t worry, and two, he verbally pouts when he states that “he not unreasonable” - it makes me wonder how much contemplation he gives to his opinions or thoughts, because sometimes it seems like he doesnt, while other times he does).

I’ve noticed how he finds it difficult to be or think in someone else’s shoes, not until they knock him over the head with their own experiences. He wrongly thinks about how Tranquillity was created by mages too (the truth is he is very much a parrot to Chantry indoctrination, until otherwise informed but even informed it takes him time to turn around and face the truth). And he is very set in his ways but seems to want to change himself or just not be who he was in DA2. I know he wants to be a good man and wants to protect people (that’s the core of his character and why I like him). He has seen the dangers of magic and I don’t disagree that protections against magical misuse should be in place, but the subject seems to cloud his judgement (and of course it does after what he went through in the Circle of Ferelden). But he doesn’t take nonsense from the Chantry, even though he is very devout, which makes him paradoxical at times too. He is also very unforgiving of those who do wrong, even if it was just an honest mistake, so his mercy bar is low. And yet he needs mercy too, says it himself at the end of the base game (he if it was him, he wouldn’t have given himself another chance).

It’s just, Cullen’s character is layered, and he has done good things (among his bad). And besides Leliana, and besides his botched and ridiculous suggestions for the Clan Lavellan War Tables mission, he actually has some of the best options for a lot of the elvhen centred war table missions. I mean, can someone who wants to change, to be a better person, makes friends with mages, dwarves, qunari, and is around an Inquisitor who makes Leliana Divine, still be stuck in that pre-Skyhold mentality?

I don’t know where I’m going with this. I’m just angry we don’t have a really proper redemption arc for Cullen (and yes, I agree a lot with the idea of DAI only having a recovery arc for him, but that means Cullen still needs a redemption arc and if you don’t want him DA4, how is he going to get that????). We really don’t see him change more from the beginning of the game. Like we get hints, to a subtle shift in his character, and it’s not apparent and can be easily missed or overlooked or even dismissed as Cullen not having changed a bit. It’s so easy to make your own version of Cullen. I choose to see him as changed and that having a Dalish mage lover than later wife, really opens his eyes to a different world he hadn’t seen before due to his insular life as a Templar within a very awful Chantry.

And like, I get the feeling that Cullen can’t shift too fast either because if he acknowledges that “what good he did” as a Templar was just bad/evil like murder evil in general he’d falter or come completely undone, and that can’t happen during DAI because he needs to command the army. Like, hey, that mage that failed her harrowing? If you just dampened her magic for a bit, you could have removed the demon and saved her life (admittingly that risks other lives) but there were options to give mages more chances at life, a better life, within in the Circle. Harrowings are evil, and I want Cullen to get that. Cullen needed more tbh, for him to be more generally likeable. His opinion  about mages, in the beginning of DAI, is annoying and infuriating.

Slowly he stops talking about mages and seems slightly more reasonable near the end, but it’s almost too subtle, or just plain unclear just how much he has changed. I understand he won’t be 100% pro-mage because of what happened in the Circle of Ferelden, but like being around mages, free mages no less, who don’t go spewing blood magic or summon demons willy nilly, etc, should have made a dent in his thick skull! I headcanon that it does, because knowing what I know of Cullen, it seems natural to me that he would learn and be better, slowly but surely. His stubborn, very stubborn, but to me his shift from DA2 to DAI means that he is capable of re-evaluating previously held beliefs. So what’s stopping someone like that from learning even more though proper guidance and exposure?  He’d always have certain traits, he’d always be devout to the Maker, but wouldn't evidence during DAI show him that mages can be free to govern themselves? We never find out though just how much his opinions can change though. We don’t hear his opinions or thoughts on the matter at all in the end (what does he think about Adamant or Mythal or Solas, on the College of Mages and the allianced mages who successful ran themselves?). That is what frustrates me so much!!! I just want a clear answer, if Cullen is around a pro-mage Inquisitor, who allies with the mages, and then has Leliana Divine, does that help him grow out of all that up there that has me yelling at him? I want it to be so, but that fact is it’s unclear, that DA4 might not mention it, or that if Cullen is in DA4 we won’t get to see how much he changed because he’ll be a quick guest appearance or..?

And throwing this out there, I like how he says to a Dalish LI, “I want your promise to be true” in such a serious tone, when they mention needing Dalish vows. But does that mean he cares about her faith or respects it (which seems like he would do, by this time, he’d need time to respect another faith besides his own at first)? Or he doesn’t care if she like recites some demonic passage to some daedric princes, so long as she marries him....(because he can be a stubborn, ignorant toad sometimes that needs to be taught)? We don’t know because we never get a chance for a Dalish LI to speak with Cullen about faith...

!!***!!Just came to me, Cullen is not very observant/is pretty ignorant about things. I don’t think he lies about things (that would be OOC for him), he just talks erroneously about things he doesn’t know anything about. (Thus, again, he needs better guidance...so would a pro-mage, pro-elf, merciful leader like my Ellana, truly help him change for the better?)

I still love Cullen, but my boy is problematic AF.  And I honestly believe bioware didn’t do him right (on point, to my liking, which I know others will disagree). Bioware either brushed off what he did or what he believes since they don’t think it’s a big deal, or because of time and budget, maybe they just couldn’t give him more of an arc. Or maybe Cullen is too much of a side character to get more story. Companions did have more than Advisors, so knowing that, I want Cullen as a companion is DA4 so he can get that arc I want him to have? Wishful thinking, I know. But tin foil hat on, maybe that’s why it’s only a recovery arc now, so later on, they can delve into more of his story? (Doubt it, wishful thinking AGAIN. But if what your Inquisitor did in DAI can vastly change him in DA4 and he has to go through that process of change. I mean, it shows just how much influence the Inquisitor had on her inner-circle and the world of Thedas?)

[sky-scribbles]

Hello, hello! For that ever fun Inquisition Ask Meme, could you do 3 & 4 for Elera, and 9 & 14 for Talan? :3

This’ll be good, thanks for asking! *cracks knuckles* Putting this below the cut, ‘cause it turned out long.

3. What is their first impression of their companions?

For Elera Lavellan, the blind Dalish dreamer mage.

With Cassandra, it was initially hostility - Chantry humans were the kind of people Elera had always been warned to stay away from, and this one was not only accusing her of mass murder but touching her without permission. (Word of advice: if you want Elera to like you, always ask for permission to touch her. She’s OK with being touched, she just hates not knowing that it’s coming.) Once Cassandra allowed her to have a weapon and showed willingness to believe that she was innocent, she softened her opinion somewhat, though she remained wary for a time.

Solas earned her instant respect for his knowledge of complex magic, and for his magical abilities. Elera saw him as the one figure in the first battle that she could trust (erp), since he was a fellow elven apostate surrounded by Chantry servants, and in the aftermath, where he revealed his knowledge of the Fade and affinity for spirits, her respect for him was cemented. A heartbreaking best-friendship was born.

She liked Varric right away for his jokes, and was curious about him, having never really interacted much with a dwarf before. She also knew he was linked to the Champion, too, and was eager to know more.

Vivienne won her respect for her command of magic, and for having the calm, emotion-masking grace that Elera tries to have herself… though it was mingled with the suspicion that a Dalish mage is naturally going to have for a Circle loyalist. She had no idea why in the Creators’ name anyone would want to be in a Circle - though she was willing to listen and try to understand.

With Sera, it was originally a sort of scholarly curiosity - ‘so this is what an elf becomes without any elven culture to guide them?’ Thankfully, she didn’t voice that aloud, and she was also rather amused by Sera’s spirit and odd way of phrasing just about everything. The spark of an amazing unlikely friendship was born.

Bull, she had no idea what to make of at first - whatever she expected a qunari to be like, this wasn’t it. Suspicious of his status as Ben-Hassrath but willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Elera pretty much made up her mind not to form any first impressions of him, but wait until she had a chance to talk properly to him - the only thing she really took away from their first encounter was approval of his obvious love for his men.

With Dorian, she was very curious to see what a human mage who lived free and embraced their magic was like. She was wary - Tevinter and elves aren’t exactly best friends - but she could tell he was on their side, so she put her mistrust aside for the time being.

Things were so mad when she ran into Cole that she didn’t have much time or energy to form a solid impression, but she could tell instantly that he was a spirit - he had a sort of feel of the Fade about him - and that made her instantly predisposed to like him and trust him.

And Blackwall?

So much was decided in that moment where he held up his shield to block that arrow that would have killed her. She was prepared to like him already, because a) Wardens are Dalish allies, and b) she’d talked to Giles the farmer in the Crossroads and listened to him singing Blackwall’s praises. And then the guy blocked an arrow meant for her. 

She’ll never admit it, but Elera is terrified of how easily she could just be killed without any idea that it was coming. This man stepped forward to stop it from happening, even though they were strangers. He didn’t draw attention to the fact that he’d done it, either, which might well have embarrassed her. What he was doing with his temporary conscripts impressed her immensely, too - and then the icing on the cake was when he offered to help her, and not for any personal agenda. Just to help.

It wasn’t love at first sight. Heck, it would be impossible for Elera to have love at first sight. But it was definitely the spark of something close.

Ugh, that became long.

4. Where does your Inquisitor spend most of their time in Haven? In Skyhold?

In Haven, Elera actually spent most of her time in Solas’s little hut. The two of them spent hours talking about the Fade and spirits, occasionally making forays into the Fade, and as they became closer friends, he even read to books from her. She also spent a decent amount of time down in the tavern talking to Sera - and, of course, outside the smithy, chatting with Blackwall about the places they’d travelled, and slowly falling for him.

In Skyhold, where she feels a bit more comfortable, Elera likes to pass time in her own room, because she knows where everything is and doesn’t have to worry about tripping over unexpected objects. She often sings to herself to pass the time, or just enters the Fade to wander around in a place where she can see for a while. She can also be found in the stables a lot, for obvious reasons, practising her magic while Blackwall works at his carving. If she’s not there, then - as in Haven - she can be found in Solas’s rotunda or Sera’s tavern room. She tends not to wander much into other places unless there’s a friend with her, because she’s worried about getting lost or falling over and making a fool of herself.

9. Was your Inquisitor pleased or displeased about Morrigan joining the Inquisition?

For my Qunari quizzie, Talan Adaar.

Talan had no reason to be displeased - he doesn’t get magic stuff, so having more people around who understand it is a good thing in his books. Sure, Morrigan seemed a tag shady, but she couldn’t be worse than the apostate elf with apparently no past, the Fade spirit, the Tevinter, or the Ben-Hassrath spy. She’d helped him out and she knew her stuff; that was all he needed to accept her, even if he did keep an eye on her at first.

14. Who drank from the Well of Sorrows?

Morrigan. Talan’s not very ambitious; any power the well could offer him wasn’t really a temptation. He didn’t have a clue what to do with crazy elven magic, and he’s a careful guy - he didn’t want to do something that could kill him, leaving the Inquisition without a leader, Meraad without a brother and Cassandra without a lover. In his eyes, Morrigan was in every way the more qualified, and if she was willing to take the risk, it was her choice.

Thanks again for asking! :D

[lairiel]

Multiples of 3 for the thing ;3c

SMORCH 

I’m putting this under a read more bc its gonna be a lot probably!! but if any of you care about learning more about ori !!

3. what do they look like? (add screenshots, drawings, descriptions!) 

6. what is their opinion on the mage/templar war?

She just wants everyone to fucking stop like she supports the mages goal and she understands because she was a circle mage herself and shes seen some Shit you know but she doesnt support how some of them are acting like getting innocent people caught up in their war and she’s seen the destruction it’s all caused But in general she’s on the mages side

9. who is their love interest, if they chose one? do you ship them with anyone else/non-romanceable options?

Cullen lol they have a really good dynamic and they get along and understand each other really well and are good support systems for each other and I just love them together a lot

Omg I ship her (before u know…the death part) with my other oc Lillie I mean nothing ever ended up happening while they knew each other but I feel like if stuff went differently they would’ve been good together which is really painful because of how everything went down in the end

I also kind of ship her with Solas or I guess just have a headcanon that they had like weird super buried feelings for each other because i love angst and death

12. how do they feel about the qun?

Nika is one of her best friends so everything she heard about it initially was negative because of nikas own feelings about the qun nowShe thinks that some of the practices under the qun like the re-educators stuff like that is really disgusting and she thinks that people should be able to choose what they want to believe soBasically if someone wants to follow the qun then go ahead she just doesnt agree with some of the stuff that goes on

15. did they choose the qun or the chargers in iron bull’s personal quest? why?

The chargers because bull is one of her closest friends and she was thinking more about what he would want rather than what was better for the Inquisition as a whole because none of it would matter if the people that were closest to her had to give up things and people they loved just for some political gain also she loves the chargers too 18. upon first meeting cole, were they afraid of him?

Nope, she felt warm and like protective of him almost immediately and she desperately tried to get everyone else to try to understand him better

21. someone is encroaching on their love interest. how do they respond?

Honestly if someone was just flirting with him she’d just stare them down with the angriest face she could manage and then if things start going to far she’d just walk up and like put herself between them and be like “o hey babe whats goin on whos this :)”

she’s secretly a lil petty

24. what is their opinion on blood magic? would they ever use it, if given the chance?

The idea of it scares her bc she grew up in a circle thats kind of been ingrained into her but she thinks if mages were using it as a tool to help improve themselves overall rather than like a weapon for manipulation and other crazy shit then she’d be fine with itI couldn’t see her using it herself 

27. as a whole, how do they feel about tevinter + the imperium?

She thinks their practices of human sacrifice and slavery and their entire power system is super disgusting theres literally nothing about it she’s okay withDorian is her like #1 best friend like she loves him so much and the only thing they argue about is stuff about tevinter 

30. are they an optimist, a pessimist, or neutral? 

Definitely an optimist she always thinks things can work out for the best if you keep trying 

33. are they afraid of anything specifically?

Failure I think is the main thing like she’s terrified of like losing or letting people down or trying really hard and everything falling apart anyways because shes the type of person who tries really hard at everything she does 

36. are they especially protective of certain inquisition members, even those capable of defending themselves? 

Dorian Cole Sera and BlackwallLiterally if anyone says some shit about them they can meet her in the pit

39. if varric gave them a nickname, what would it be? 

I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS LITERALLY FOR A YEAR AND UGH its so hardShiny I think thoughbecause..she’s shiny

[julianbashir]

OKKK HERE WE GO

blackwall: SMELLY GRANDPA but in a good way. hes a grump but i like him. he makes wooden horses in his free time!!!! hes good and likes justice which i like

cassandra: SHES BI ! her disgusted noises and comments make me laugh ….. shes too hard on herself !!! i think shes V Good even if she reads smutty literature

cole: a soft good boy who cares. i like his questions/party banter with dorian. i thonk hes an interesting character!!! im p sure at some point there were too many flower crown edits with him featured

iron bull: Big. not rly my style but i can see why ppl like him and his big BAZONKAS …. i like his horns i wanna hang off of them. also vivienne told him once not to call him viv and he was like “UM, YES MA'AM” and i laughed

sera: SMELLY ROGUE FRIEND !!! i was charmed by her wit and i think shes such a fun character and she likes sticking arrows in rich people . i love her . also she allowed me to throw bees at people

varric: i actually dont know that much about him besides the fact he writes stuff but i like him, hes good and he cares about hawke

vivienne: holy shit . i love her . she doesnt take anyones shit and throws fancy parties …. i dont like her circle stuff but thats just me

dorian: MY BOY !!!!! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH his sass and charm are so good and his dialogue is skdjdjks …. i hate how he thinks slavery is ok but im blaming that on shitty bioware writing

leliana: idk how to feel about her. shes a pretty cool spymaster and she cares abt her people i guess

cullen: i feel like id like him more if i had played da2 but i think hes ok !

josephine: WOWOW!! I LOVE HER she works way too hard and tries so much and she always has the latest gossip on everyone i love her …. she makes me feel warm

solas: smelly egg

[ourmight-blog]

it’s valentine’s day and i’m shipper trash in an LDR -- i gotta get my kicks through writing. so in the spirit of strengthening my trash kingdom, here’s everything you need to know about shipping with me and my muses.

in general

everything is a ship if you squint. but then, i don’t like to restrict myself to romantic ships. gimme all the brotp’s, alright? i want that wholesome love and support of people who love each other without strings or expectations and just wanna be there for each other. i’m also into slow burn; that whole friends who gradually turn into lovers, who realize after a string of mistakes that their soulmate was right beside them all along. i want love at first sight, i want unrequited pining, i want people who crash back together on the rebound again and again but can never quite commit or make it work. i want it all.

shipping with CULLEN RUTHERFORD

according to BioWare, cullen is heterosexual and only attracted to humans and elves. i stick by this canon -- mostly. he is only attracted to humans and elves, but he’s just a tad bisexual. he’s also heavily closeted on his subtle attraction towards men and any sort of advance from a man makes him extremely uncomfortable, particularly if he reciprocates.

tl;dr cullen is so far in the closet he could never be with a man, but i’m all for people hitting on him and making him uncomfortable. he will only enter a relationship with a human or elf female, and subtly hitting on him is a surefire way for him to remain completely oblivious to the fact you like him: you have to tell him right to his face or he’s just gonna think you’re being friendly.

shipping with SYLPH LAVELLAN

sylph is attracted to anything that pleases her love of aesthetics. she likes fashionable, well-spoken people. people who stand out in a crowd, people she thinks are far, far above her league. she tends to be drawn towards those who are much older than herself, usually about ten years age difference, but sometimes more than that.

tl;dr sylph doesnt care what you look like or where you come from as long as she thinks you’re out of her league.

shipping with SOLAS

he’s the least romantic asshole you’ve ever met. everyone is beneath him. if he does notice you, you have to be an elf and a female and you can’t be a shem, but you also can’t be too dalish because then you’re also a shem and he’s just generally????? super picky. he likes powerful woman who he feels vaguely threatened by.

tl;dr he’s a dick and he’s picky and if it works, it works, but please try because i love throwing this guy at people. he’ll use you and lose you.

shipping with GARRETT HAWKE

garrett is the type to marry the first girl he falls in love with. he’s heterosexual and only attracted to humans, the type that likes to see the potential in people who haven’t realized it for themselves. he’s a slow burner until it happens all at once, the kind where one minute you’re screaming at each other and then suddenly you’re ripping each other’s clothes off; sometimes literally.

tl;dr let him treat you right bb girl let’s dance in the living room to that overplayed song on the radio

shipping with ISABELA

isabela is bisexual and attracted to all races, but actually getting her to invest emotionally is equivalent to the 100 year war lemme tell you. you need a rebound? she’s your girl. you want hearts and flowers? she’s on the morning tide right the fuck out of there. the second she starts pining, she shuts that shit down.

tl;dr let’s fall in love and never talk about it.

shipping with VARRIC TETHRAS

truth be told, varric’s a taken man. i really do think that’s why BioWare hasn’t made him a romance option -- he’s so invested in his hopeless love with Bianca, that he has no room for anything else. which makes him perfect for tragedy. let’s fall in love and know that what we could have would be a love to end all hate, but let’s never go through with it.

tl;dr it’s a dead end you should definitely go walking down

shipping with CRICKET

cricket is fifteen. he’s not even the age of consent yet. don’t.

[athena1138]

Dragon age inquisition first playthrough #3 (skipped A LOT of storyline between these)

Vivenne can go fuck herself right on over that balcony if she keeps fighting me about freeing the mages. I dont care how hot she is.

Actually no just fuck vivienne. Like we move in and not even one trip later she has someone moving my shit around to "see how far i can be pushed"? Ugh. She's gorgeous and strong and powerful but fuck if she ain't gonna get punched. I hope she's sitting in my game wondering why i never take her anywhere.

Oh and of course she hates cole, aka the light of my fucking life and my son for whom i would die

Solas is such a prat. I can't figure him out. Like. I say one thing he approves. I say the same thing he disapproves. I can't. He has no direct line and ugh.

I support solas's interest in cole but he has to chill, man. I appreciate the hell out of varric for cole's quest. Solas doesn't care about cole, just about studying him.

The fade. Oh my god the fade. I love it.

But forreal

FUCK THESE SPIDERS MAN. I was in this cave right and they just DROPPED OUT OF NOWHERE. Like i actually screamed and scared a guy outside my window walking his dog. I had to take like a 15 minute break holy shit.

I fucked up and did all of iron bull's romance scenes in one go so now i'm bored but i locked it in so i'm stuck with that lame scene where they walk out of the bar and he smacks my ass and we kiss. Ugh. I've done it like 30 times already. So bored.

Oh and also i found out if you dont romance him (or dorian, but my inky is fem so it doesnt matter,) then he and dorian end up together??? So now i feel bad. This is garrus and tali all over again man

I think blackwall is pissed i flirted with him so much and then chose ib. (I know it doesnt matter but damn he got cranky fast.)

Sera's constant fucking up of coryphesus's name. Bless. I cant even spell it.

I dont really get cassandra but i respect the shit out of her.

Dorian. All of dorian. I fucking love him. I want to be his best friend forever. Like. Shit. I fucking love him. 13/10 good character. I almost want to make a male inky to romance him. Almost.

I dont fucking trust leliana and she is way too damn aggro

Josephine is still hot

The winter palace though. Im not even sure i understand what all was going on there. Wish i could go back and finish collecting all the shit. Would die for celene's dress.

The height mechanisms for dwarf relationships are bullshit. Like. Somehow my tiny ass is face to face with iron bull? And all it takes for him to kiss me is to slightly bend his head? Or there was a scene with cassandra where we lean on a railing together. My inky is literally a foot off the ground. And then at dinner with cole my head is barely above the table like what? Lazy man. Lazy.

I can definitively say i prefer fighting skyrim dragons much more. Ive killed 3 high dragons so far (hinterlands, western approach, crestwood) and each one took me like a solid 15 minutes. Shits ridiculous man.

It took me halfway through the game to realize i can just invisi-powder my way past enemies i dont wanna fight. Bruh. Life changing.

Im already planning my next inky but im so torn on my class because like. I want to do something different. But i also REALLY like being able to invisi-powder my way past enemies i dont wanna fight. And mages are hella impossible to find good weapons for. Ffs. All my other people have like 250dps but my mages are all still barely breaking 100 because this bitch cant find a powerful staff to save her life (literally.)

Merchants, other than the dude in crossroads with infinite elfroot, are pretty much completely useless in this game.

Seriously though cole is a fucking ray of sunshine.

Im still pissed i cant romance varric, but having met bianca i understand. When she threatened me i literally said out loud, "im in love"

These enemy respawn rates are really getting on my nerve. I just BARELY got that area and you're telling me there's already 6 new guys there?

What the hell is going on with cadash's tits?

I wish there were more light armor options. 6/9 of my people (and me) are in shokra-tars or the other one

Im really regretting saving flissa instead of someone more useful. (I didnt realize it was a choice. Dammit.)

Why are all my mounts black and white? Can i change that somewhere?

I liked the bard a lot more before she started talking. That sounds sexist and horrible i know but i cant stand her voice or attitude. I dont think her speaking voice and singing voice match up at all.

I no longer dont like cullen. Hes delightful.

[dirthelgar]

I couldn’t quite get myself to write one-shots, well more than the two or three I’ve done, so instead this is a summary of Dorian and Mika’s romance. There is some headcanons at the end about the general ending I see for Mika, too.

Although, at certain moments it’s closer to storytelling that just headcanon/facts~

As a fun note, I have stories planned with Mika (that’s when I remind he’s in fact, one of the three main of a crossover with Skyrim *winks*), but they don’t follow game canon, so this summary is only true for the blog. Although, it won’t be too different in stories either, so this remains the basic outline of how I headcanon Mika and Dorian romance.

Note: some nsfw mention but it’s more about mentions of when they spend the night together, rather than details.

My headcanon for Mika’s romance with Dorian is that they went along well from the start. This is especially true with Mika, because at the moment he meets Dorian, he’s only known Cassandra, Varric and Solas (he only just recruited the others). He didn’t feel yet too much connection with anyone, although he can recognize most of the companions (and advisors) were nice to him. But Dorian?

Dorian knew he was Herald from the start (he closed a rift in front of him after all), but he joked with him, and the wits is something Mika appreciates. I do think Mika appreciates witty people because his brother is like this; but of course, there was also physical attraction (the start of his crush). Then he can see Dorian cares for the action of Alexius, and between the small time in Haven before Redcliffe and Redcliffe, Mika is already seeing Dorian as a good man.

 After that, they flirted a little bit, chased down Venatori together, Haven attack probably opened their eyes a bit on realizing they have attraction to each other, and on a note Mika is never happy with bad rumors about Dorian (I actually headcanon that once in Skyhold, Mika has worked to make people see all his friends in good light, doing stuff like talking about them to the kitchen staff since he spends time there, etc).

Then came the letter from Dorian’s father.

Mika showed it to him then advised him he should check, and of course he went with him. Mika was quite angry to hear that his father had been so bad about his son sexuality, but he does suggest Dorian should hear what his father had to say (partly because he does sense some form of regret in Halward). He knows mending the father-son bond will be hard, and maybe won’t happen at all, but for Dorian’s sake he feels Dorian needs at least some talk and closure.

He can see Dorian is not quite well once back in Skyhold, but he detects the sign this has been a good thing for him. While Mika admitted in front of Halward he himself “knew about the company of men”, he doesn’t go for a kiss. He tells him he’s been courageous to not follow the pressure of Tevinter’s society; and I believe Dorian himself didn’t do anything because he isn’t sure what to make of it all.

Mika has admitted liking men too, they flirted, but I think Dorian is still too... unused to how he feels and because Mika doesn’t give a clear opening to kiss him, he doesn’t.

But then a few days later Mika stumbles on Mother Giselle’s talk with Dorian, and Mika is very sarcastic-and very unhappy. Quite magnificently, he leads her to implicitly admit she might have been the one to bring rumors (”Repeat? So you’ve already vehiculated these rumors?” when he asks her to tell him about them), and she backs off because he’s making it clear he doesn’t like this at all.

I kind of headcanon she was even afraid for a second, because he had a really stormy glare, she never saw him angry (and up until then he kind of liked her and she knows he’s rather kind and gentle). So she knows she really messed up and backs off.

But that kinds of give Dorian more clues that Mika is interested, and he purposefully let Mika knows the rumors are about them being intimate. Still a bit agitated, he lets slip “That’s not the worst rumors” and that’s when we have the in game short convo that leads to Dorian surprise-kiss Mika.

Mika is totally frozen and very flustered, I think he’s actually quiet at first, Dorian half worried, and Mika kind of blurts out the first thing that comes to mind, “You know that makes the rumors kind of true?”

Dorian totally laughed, but he’s like, “if it’s what you want” and Mika flusters more but says he does (and they possibly kiss a second time). Poor Mika is also distracted the rest of the day, he’s even clumsy and some people probably guess something happened with Dorian.

I think not that long pass since their first kiss and their first time. As I said, they had chemestry from the start, and now that they kissed, and they still steal kisses after the first, they both feel even more the attraction. So I’ll estimate at least one week pass, but at most two weeks passed, then Dorian suggests Mika should check his quarters later.

And boy, that whole... “predatory” Dorian did things to Mika. He can’t help being all, “I thought you’d never ask” even though he’s feeling really jittery, and for the first minute or so, it’s passionate, they kiss and Dorian back-walks Mika to his bed.

Then I’m quite certain that as soon as Mika is on the bed, his nerves and excitation gets the better of him and there’s lightning sparking all around him and the room. Dorian at first thinks it’s similar to when he burns thing himself, but he looks at Mika (because that IS rather early on to be all magic-flashy) and he notices Mika seems nervous.

Mika is very flustered, aware of his magic acting up, and when Dorian looks at him and he can tell he’s guessing, Mika admits he’s never been with anyone. That... probably does things to Dorian, especially when he realizes Mika means that he’s the first person he’s ever allowed to do anything to him.

Soooo after that it’s both sweet and passionate, especially as Mika’s magic flares easily, and it kind of triggers Dorian’s own, so they do have to be careful. Then there’s the fact that once they’re undressed, there’s a small pause when Dorian notices Mika’s scars (I picture some sort of silent convo/moment, Dorian touches them, looks at Mika, and Mika is vulnerable but trusting and that starts again the mood).

But yeah, they take their time and by the time they are rather tired, they curl together (I would say Dorian is aware Mika cuddles in his sleep, from tent sharing).

In the morning, Dorian is awake first, and when Mika wakes he can tell Dorian is thinking. And he’s so, so surprised when Dorian is defaulting on leaving, Mika is worried but there’s no way he’ll believe Dorian only wanted sex, so he pokes with asking “What do you want?” and then clearly says he wants more.

Mika is a bit sad to hear, and understand, Dorian had been raised to believe he shouldn’t pursue more, and he vows to give Dorian his love even more (he doesn’t use the word yet, growing aware he needs to be slow with Dorian’s heart, just like Dorian was slow with his body).

From this day on, it’s still kisses stolen in the day, nights spend together (though not always sex), and becoming more and more used to how they feel. I think what helps Dorian is that Mika is instinctively unpushing, so he doesn’t demand too much affection, while a lot of his actions and words rely his implicit affection. But at the same time, he has little habits that gets Dorian used to his affection (like seeking him after reports to the war room, which at first is more about talking and just seeing each other, then it becomes almost constant that they share a kiss).

That all happens before Adamant and Halamshiral, so these two big stuff strengthten their relation. Adamant scared Dorian because for a moment he thought he had lost Mika (he was in the Fade too, but in Mika’s canon he’s the last to take the rift out, because he used his powers to let Stround and Hawke escape), then it’s also the event that pushed Mika to admit some truth to Dorian (if I follow the original idea, he admits everything).

Mika is worried about Dorian’s reaction, but I can see Dorian being curious. By the time Halamshiral happens, they were able to talk and Dorian got used to knowing the truth, they kind of watch out for each other and of course they dance together. Mika totally got those ten silk scarves and Dorian totally showed that dance, later.

After that, I think they really start using Amatus and Vhenan (they didnt do it much before, it would slip, but they didn’t quite acknowledge it). But then Dorian talks about going back to Tevinter.

Mika first reaction is to ask about them, but Dorian doesn’t quite answer him (he just says it pains him, and it doesnt say whether or not he means to break up). So Mika tells him he does understand his motive, but doesn’t want to lose Dorian (he does ask about coming and Dorian rejects the idea). Dorian is a bit confused, and also sees Mika at his most vulnerable (more than their first time, and more than admitting the truth about him), and it clicks that Mika thinks Dorian is saying he’ll leave Mika in all sense.

He still doesn’t quite answer, saying they should see by then, but he does let slip that he doesn’t want to leave Mika. Mika accepts the reply, but he’ll be unwell for a while after, he hides it well but it really scares him. Not that Dorian goes back to Tevinter (he can take, after a bit, being away), but that it might mean the end of them.

Now that’s a drabble I’ve written, but Mika’s father visit Dorian in his dreams. He lets Dorian knows what Mika fears and how much he fears it, and kind of scold him that he needs to talk about it more and pretty much tells him to think of ways to stay in touch, if he really has to leave for Tevinter.

The preparations for Arbor Wilds are underway by then, and they talk a bit more about this, and they end up agreeing to think in “how can we speak and see each other” ways. By the time they come back from the Well (Mika lets Morrigan drinks, he trusts her and he listened to Dorian not wanting him to, funnly enough his party in game for the quest all didn’t want him to drink), their relation has become really solid.

And by the time they defeat Corypheus, Dorian has decided that while he’ll go back to Tevinter, he wants to stay more with Mika first. And both got ideas, Dorian remembers what he knows about communication crystals, while Linise (Mika’s brother) suggested Mika learns to find Dorian while sleeping. Added to that, they can write to each other.

So Dorian stays for a few more weeks, both of them working on their idea, eventually realizing they can mix them. Dorian develops two pendants that allows them to communicate, and Mika enchants those two pendants to allow him to find Dorian in the Fade (Mika has a dreamscape he’s aware of, and by infusing his magic into Dorian’s crystal, which already creates a link between them, it allows him to go in Dorian’s dreamscape).

Dorian eventually returns to Tevinter, it’s hard for them both at first, but between letters, pendant speaking, and dreams, they make it work. Note that trespasser is not canon to Mika, so what Mika is doing is closing any remaining rifts while helping the new Divine (Leliana) work on fixing whatever needs fixing (towns, etc) and keeping help open for stuff like rebuilding the Seekers (by Cassandra) or the mages freedom.

And on the long term, once Mika feels the world is being mended well enough, he decides to settles with Dorian. He stays the Inquisitor, but he names one or more people as his direct representant (and successor), while he slips into Tevinter.

Quite funnily, nobody can catch a glimpse of Mika if he doesn’t want to. He’ll still go back if the Inquisiton really needs him, but otherwise he learns to know Tevinter and supports Dorian, but never publically, and in fact I would say most people don’t know where he is (only inner circle and his clan does).

But the world does know he comes back when he’s needed.

(And since Solas left, I can see Mika trying to find him. He never learns he is Fen’harel, unless Mika finds Solas, but it wouldnt be like trespasser, maybe Solas and Mika meets in dreams and Mika can sense Solas powers better. If that happens, once Mika learns more about the truth, he actually shows he understands Solas intents, but that they should think more about what to do. Mika has lots of approval from Solas, so I would say Mika’s words do have effects, but Solas leaves the dream saying he’ll think about it).

(When it comes to exalted council, or I believe there’s a qunari attack, I don’t quite see it happening? I’m still undecided, as I see Mika’s worldstate different; call me idealist but when I first finished the game, I felt like Mika had made a great impact, meaning Celene (and Alistair) kind of like him? So I can’t see them asking for the council, and I don’t see the Inquisitor being something they fear. I’m not saying there isn’t unrest, but not enough to make the council. As for the qunari invasion, I havent played Trespasser, so I’ll say either it doesn’t happen, or the Inquisition does stop it)

(And last note: the anchor isnt killing him. His spirit blood kind of works as a counter, it does pain him, but it isn’t spreading or killing him. So he kinds of have a symbiotic relation with it, it lets him open and close rift, it cant help hurting his hand and arm, but his spirit blood stops it from going up his arms, and I’ll even say it soothes the anchor and stops it from flaring too much)

[lavellander]

more bc i am unstoppable now

I Am Thinking About My DA Protagonists’ Taste In Romantic Partners both their “usual” type and why they’re drawn to their canon love interest (and the hypothetical ones from other games). i expect no one to give a shit abt this except me lsdfjd but im on a roll and its a good exercise or whatever. i’m sure i’ll use it eventually?????

once again. i know no one gives a fuck but if anyone DOES happen to want to torture themselves and read this pls know all my ocs are bi except zaniyah, who is a lesbian<3

sarenan: 

general disclaimer that “in the circle love is just a game” etc etc etc so while she definitely is more inclined to romantic relationships, she only really had friends w benefits at most

she likes smart people! she likes fun people, she likes people who can get on board with her fucked up sense of humor. she’s witty and charming and loves to flirt just to flirt, and in the circle that wasn’t much of an issue lol. leliana is the first person she ever feels like...foot-in-mouth around, bc suddenly she likes and is attracted to someone and...that’s allowed? it’s all very foreign to her but she falls Real Hard, Real Fast

in a hypothetical da2 romance obviously isabela is extremely hot but also sarenan canonically has a foursome w her, leli, and zev so dLFKKDS it makes sense that bela’s the love interest of choice<3 (but also i think it would be like...friends-to-friends with benefits-to-lovers lol)

in a hypothetical dai romance once again josie is very hot and also so sweet and cute and delightful !!!!! idk if its just me but i see similarities bw origins leli and josie so again it just makes sense to me that josie is the LI for an inq romance :’)

(BUT for the most part. it is pretty hard for me to imagine sarenan w anyone but leli, bc they are the only couple i have that like. makes sense. lmfao)

maeve: 

actually doesnt often have romantic relationships? she has ~flings~ and rarely catches feelings. she describes her type as “anyone sexy” 

(her and isabela do in fact have a brief Thing but strictly no strings attached; this is bc i was very very adamant about romancing isabela when i played da2 and then anders fucking SNIPED me. so i incorporated it into canon i guess. lmao)

her attraction to anders is originally just “sexy tortured man” and then “sexy tortured man that gives free healthcare to poor people!!!!” and then - after it’s clear it won’t be a fwb situation - she realizes she has Actual feelings for him and is like well. its been a good run. guess i’ll die! until he reciprocates dflksdjf then they are kirkwall’s weirdest couple to everyone except themselves :’)

in a hypothetical dao romance her and zev would be classic fuckbuddies who accidentally start having a crush on each other, absolutely refuse to acknowledge it, then someone else in the friend group is like “oh my god PLEASE just kiss we are all going insane watching yall do this” <3

in a hypothetical dai romance im still torn bw sera and bull. maeve would just keep hitting on sera until sera did something about it; bull would be similar to zevran in the fuckbuddies-accidentally-caught-feelings dynamic

alani:

i feel like (depending on the size of the clan etc) alani was prob mostly involved w people she’d known almost all her life. she’s obviously attracted to other ppl who like to learn and stuff, but other than that it’s equal opportunity crushes ykwim. she doesn’t even Know she has a thing about people who are like. puzzles to be solved until solas lol

in a hypothetical dao romance she’d be drawn to alistair bc...who wouldnt be. hes adorable. they’re both warm friendly charming sunshines and i think it’d be natural for them to be drawn to one another. once she realizes he has Baggage she’s like oh. OH. i have to defend you against the world now

in a hypothetical da2 romance i thiiink it would be kinda similar to solas. like oh this bitch has a lot of emotional walls up, he’s got some real shit going on. I Like That. also mage rights, hes a sad sexy doctor, we love a revolutionary, etc. it makes sense imo

zaniyah:

similar to maeve i think she’s more of a fling person than a relationship person, but she has had a couple gfs. she’s not very comfy being super serious but she’s a good gf and is very devoted. generally speaking i think she just likes Hot Ladies but is esp drawn to quirky / weird ppl lol

in a hypothetical dao romance she’d like morrigan bc 1) she’s hot and 2) she’s standoffish lol. she’d take it upon herself to get morrigan to like her as like, a personal triumph, but then along the way realize she has a real crush on her and be like shit? fuck? (the same goes for morg. it would be an oh shit oh fuck moment on both ends)

in a hypothetical da2 romance i think her and merrill would be more like friends to lovers :’) zaniyahs immediately like “youre weird. i like you” also they bond bc dalish etc, and over time she starts liking her more and more. eventually zaniyah just cant take it anymore and kisses merrill, apologizes profusely, etc, and merrill’s like “oh. i thought we were dating?” sldkfjsLDKFJds i care them

(josie is kind of an outlier bc she’s so graceful, collected, knows what to do/say always, etc. i dont believe in love at first sight but if i did thats what zaniyah and josie would be<333)

ranae:

she doesnt like. have a type really. because she’s just been in love w her childhood best friend since forever and doesnt think of what she might like in other ppl bc well. he’s right there? she assumes they’ll be together forever, even if only platonically :( 

when she meets morrigan she’s like oh i like women too apparently. cool?? when she meets alistair shes a little put off by the fact that hes a golden retriever, then clings to him bc Trauma, then VERY begrudgingly realizes she has a crush on him but feels like shes betraying tamlen 

eventually she comes to terms w the fact that like. theres nothing she can do about tamlen unfortunately, and alistair is here and Loves Her and he’s been the only person to make her truly happy in a very long time. it takes a lot for her to think she deserves that, but she does, and the rest is history :’)

in a hypothetical da2 romance it makes perfect sense to me that she’d latch onto the other Elf Who Is Full Of Rage immediately. they are both very intense and it can put other people off sometimes but they dont really care! die mad about it, shem! etc

in a hypothetical dai romance she’d be drawn (platonically) to blackwall bc grey warden stuff, but subconsciously they both kind of feel like frauds, like they dont deserve happiness, etc; theyre both kinda brusque, at least at first, too. she just kinda sees him as a buddy til she watches him bonding w sera or with some kids or something and then shes like  😳 😳 😳 and then angry that shes like that lmao

[lavellane]

ashara!!

my gal !!!!!!!!

ASHARA LAVELLAN ( romances solas )

PROS

she’s BEAUTIFUL, so just jot that down.

she takes REALLY good care of herself, aka her hygiene, her physical appearance, all of that. she wants to dress up and look good for herself, and also by extension for you.

shes actually..... shockingly affectionate behind closed doors? for the most part public displays of affection is a huge no for her, since she’s very pedantic about keeping up her reputation and being seen as mature. but when alone her inquisitor facade kind of slips off, and she finally feels comfortable to let herself be vulnerable and open. she loves giving compliments, will praise her partner CONSTANTLY and she’s very big on doing random acts of kindness for them.

she’s a very self-aware person. she knows when she’s fucked up, and she will do everything she can to grow from it, because her whole thing is about cosntantly improving herself. and if you have a problem, she’s typically happy to hear it, because she wants th eboth of you to feel happy and comfortable with each other.

SO MANY GIFTS !! gift giving and acts of service are her main love language, so she is CONSTANTLY looking out for little things she can give, or things she can do, to help brighten up her partners day. she doesn’t like making a big fuss out of it (she doesnt do it for thanks or for any rewards) so sometimes she will hide gifts without saying anything, and then pretend she has no idea what it is or where it came from.

actually.... very cute. this is only for GOD TIER relationships though,like if she’s genuinely in love with someone. most times her walls are always up slightly, but if she’s utterly comfortable and trusts someone completely, she can show a VERY different, very unexpected soft side. during this, she smiles a  lot (and GIGGLES BC her natural laugh is very high pitched and bubbly, she just consciously changes it to be taken more seriously aaaaa) and will be happy to chatter on and on and on about everything and anything. its during moments like this that its completely clear that so much of her life and her coldness are just an act, performed out of fear of not being seen as good enough, or feeling powerless.

absolutely unforgettably good sex. like. life changing sex. sex with anybody else will be a disappointment wig

ABSURDLY LOYAL. if she trusts her partner enough and feels that they are loyal to her, she will burn the world down to protect them and keep them safe. she is a fixer, and if her partner has a problem SHE WILL be there for them, or die trying.

respect ! ashara’s BIGGEST thing in relationships is respect. she could never be with someone she didnt see as her equal, or vice versa, if someone didnt see her as theirs. so when she’s with someone, she will be completely honest with them from day one, hold back nothing, and will value their thoughts, feelings and counsel above anyone elses.

CONS (theres a fucking lot of them)

blunt. super super blunt. if shes not happy with something she will TELL you in no uncertain terms.

TERRIBLE HUMOUR. she thinks shes funny but shes..... god shes not. its not even GOOD bad jokes theyre just terrible and you’ll wanna cry after hearing them.she also just....cant take a joke. at all.

NEVER  FOGIVES NEVER EVER FORGETS. if you cross her thats fucking it. like, she will hold it against you FOREVER, and depending on the severity of it she might actually try to kill you for it (coughsolascough)

she’s so afraid of being seen as work or lesser, so she’s really not big on opening up or talking about emotions. she tends to deflect any and all feelings with shallow anger, or will just push you away to avoid facing up to things

not an outwardly affectionate person, which ive mentioned before. if you’re into pda she’s not the person for you !!!! she wont even let u hold her hand its just not something she’s comfortable

very serious. this is a girl who hates fun, basically :) her idea of fun is reading or exploring ruins or going through strategy planning, aka kinda serious stuff that involves a lot of mental energy. she really doesnt know how to relax and shes fine with that.

very difficult to understand when she’s being sarcastic, because she’s so blunt and deadpan half the time anyway.

shes very high maintenance. she has high standards and if u dont meet them then thank u, next. fortunately she would never get into a relationship in the first place if she didn’t think u were capable of meeting those standards easily.

she’s an independent person and needs her space. she doesn’t feel comfortable spending every waking moment with someone, and would can’t stand clingy people.