#carver/bethany didn't die for this

[lizzybeeee]

Literally made an account just to vent my thoughts because DATV is beyond disappointing and actively destructive of the previous games/media in the series.

The story/lore choices made concerning what happens in the south of Thedas during DATV are devastating and a clear attempt to create a 'clean slate' for the franchise going forwards.

Spoilers to the game are mentioned going forwards -

Simply put: Ferelden, Orlais, and the Free Marches have basically been wiped clean - any previous influences that our characters may have had on these areas is wiped away by the Blight (aka BioWare) and therefore will likely not be mentioned in any games going forward.

Ferelden is basically left blighted, save for Redcliffe and small pockets of resistance in Denerim.

Ferelden, if it ever appears in the franchise again, will likely never address who rules the nation or whatever influences the Warden had on the land. The land will claw itself up from the ashes devoid of the influence we had on it.

Edit- forgot to edit in that a final missive (The Drums of War) at the end of the game has Redcliffe overrun with darkspawn and the remainders of Ferelden's people starving/fleeing to Skyhold...thanks, BioWare.

Kirkwall suffers the same fate, and what remains of its residents have fled to Starkhaven.

Kirkwall has been over-run and those who escaped are held up in Starkhaven. Whatever influence Hawke had on the lives of those within Kirkwall has been waved away and destroyed by the Blight, likely to never be mentioned again.

Orlais has been over-run outside of resistance around the area of the Winter Palace, and venatori infiltrators have made the political situation within Orlais tenuous.

Orlais has been set-up with the venatori threat for a coup to completely invalidate whatever choice of ruler was made in DAI. Whomever the Inquisitor backed will likely be assassinated, and if Orlais appears in the game again it will be with a new ruler.

As someone who has been so invested in the lore, characters, and story of the game...this is devastating. It would be one thing if the game was bad but the story contained to Tevinter, for example - but this goes beyond as it retroactively changes everything for the worse and literally wipes everything clean. The greatest appeal and strength of this series was that it felt that you shaped Thedas - I adored every little bit of dialogue or codex entry that popped up in DA2 and DAI about things that happened in previous games!

It's baffling, and honestly comes across as mean-spirited, making the decision to deliberately target the places that our characters had the most influence.

The Warden may as well have let Urthurmiel win since Ferelden appears to be utterly blighted and Denerim, the heart of its nation, is destroyed.

Nothing Hawke did ever mattered, at all - and what little mattered was never from their own agency thanks to the Executors.

The Inquisitions efforts to restore order across Thedas was all for nothing, because nothing remains of them from in-game.

Unless if Dorian pops up in a DLC with his bloody time amulet and big reset button for the game then this is world of Thedas that remains.

With each game in the series up till now I finished each game with the feeling that the world was getting bigger, more complex, and now it just feels empty, shallow, and hollow.

Also fuck the Executors.

[mllemaenad]

The issue with reccomending people to the Wardens is that, unless you're already blighted or condemned for a capital crime... your odds of surviving the joining seem to be significantly worse than 50%.

Alistair says that he was the only member of his group to survive, and the joining at Ostagar had, depending on how you count it, either a 50% or a 33.3333333333333% survival rate.

Those are lousy, lousy odds, even if you are from the wrong side of the tracks. And if you're in your early 20s or late teens, you're probably still cutting your life short, and ensuring that you die alone in agonizing pain down in the deep roads.

It's just... really not a good deal for anyone who isn't already literally at risk of imminent death.

It's not really an issue ..? I mean, I'm not having an issue, and neither is Warden-Commander Brosca, since I assume this relates to my post about Seanna cheerfully recruiting everybody. :)

For a start. Eh. Honestly, trying to work out how dangerous the Joining should be is a mug's game. I accept your examples, but I could just as easily counter that in Awakening five of six companions come through it just fine (Six of seven? Are we counting Justice, since Kristoff survived his Joining?).

If you recruit Loghain to the Wardens, he's fine. If you send Bethany or Carver to the Wardens, they are fine. If you send Blackwall to become a proper Warden, he is just fine.

Honestly, how dangerous the Joining is just seems to be related to how interesting you are. The deaths of all possible recruits but the Hero of Ferelden and Alistair occur because it is imperative that there be functionally no Wardens left – so there can be no more youngsters than that for Duncan to protect. The Awakening companions are mostly fine because we need a new party for a new adventure, so we can't just keep killing off candidates for hours.

I realise that's the most Doylist viewpoint possible, but honestly it's just not worth worrying about. Does the Joining carry with it a risk of death? Absolutely! Do I need to consider it so very risky that one should never offer it to anyone? Nah. It has its share of "everybody lives" scenarios too.

But regardless – I said Seanna never met an apostate, runaway slave, casteless dwarf or petty thief she didn't try to recruit. She's not recruiting people whose lives are going well. Even if they're not facing literal death right this second, these are all people whose lives are likely to consist of crushing poverty, imprisonment, torture, captivity, Tranquility, and an appalling lack of personal agency and dignity.

Are the Wardens kind of taking advantage of Thedas's horrific levels of prejudice and inequality? Yep! They're a bit dodgy, as many of the best things in Dragon Age are. Seanna takes her duty seriously and does her best by her recruits ... but she did get her start as the muscle for a Carta crime boss. Her morals don't have to be 100% pure all the time.

On the other hand – the Wardens largely do deliver on the promise of a better life. Yes, there is a duty and there are drawbacks, but they are one of the few genuinely multinational and multicultural organisations in Thedas. You see elves, mages and branded dwarves in positions of respect and authority. These people can marry, travel, own property, raise children if they manage to acquire any – and genuinely live their lives in a way they very likely would not be able to elsewhere.

How many casteless dwarves will expect to live to a ripe old age? Seanna didn't. There were so many ways she could have died young. And even if she somehow made it past forty (which is hardly old), she was terrified of ending up like her mother – or even worse, out starving on the streets.

Instead of that, and because of the Wardens, she is Commander of the Grey and Arlessa of Amaranthine, and she will absolutely keep telling just about any poor, down-on-their-luck bastard she meets that the Wardens have food and a steady pay cheque, and if the Templars or the slave hunters or the Carta come looking for you, you'll have dozens of your brothers and sisters watching your back.

[sha-brytols]

I don’t know your Hawkes yet, so 6, 9, 10, and 17 for the Hawke and their love interest asks! If you have multiple Hawkes, use whoever you feel like :3

thank you!! i only have the one LOL i've long since lost the capability of multiple worldstates

Hawke and LI ask game

6. What is the LI's reaction to Carver/Bethany's fate?

Hysterical question for an Andersmancer btw. He's basically the entire reason Bethany's still alive LOL. In my head Anders actually really really didn't want to send Bethany to the Wardens, like that goes against his entire ethos. The Wardens are corrupt. They lie. They steal people's lives from them. They take away their freedom. They throw you to the wolves and expect you to die for them. To Anders, death is a MUCH preferable alternative and the worst part is it seemed like Bethany agreed. She didn't want to go. Buuuut then there was Esther who was so frantic and desperate for a way to keep Bethany alive that she was nearly hysterical. And if there's one thing DA2 tells us it's that the only person to ever successfully sway him from his convictions is always going to be Hawke. So he tells her he can take her to the Wardens and hopefully give her a chance to survive.

Post-Deep Roads, he's basically Esther's emotional rock. She keeps visiting him at his clinic, just to hear his reassurances that she didn't make a mistake and Bethany wasn't doomed. That her sister is alive and she didn't throw her into another miserable prison just with a prettier paint. That's where a lot of their emotional dependency starts. He's the one she confides in about all her worries and fears, the only person who can convince her that everything's going to be alright. Even if he isn't completely convinced himself.

9. Did Hawke bring their LI to the Deep Roads Expedition? If so, how did that go down?

hlep. i should. read all of these. before i answer them.

Well aside from the Bethany thing Anders made for a pretty good guide! Basically the entire reason she brought him LOL he made for a good darkspawn radar to help the party navigate and warn them when there was a pack approaching. He hated it there and grumbled the whole time but he also took his job seriously so he did his part and made sure no one would be ambushed or fall behind or whatever. This is also, hysterically, how Esther finds out his commanding officer is her fucking cousin. Man how many times am I going to be stuck in the Deep Roads because an Amell woman dragged me here. Sorry what the hell did you just say

10. Are they rivals or friends?

Friends ❤️ Mechanically she's too #woke to garner any rivalry points with him they agree on virtually everything, and narratively the rival path isn't really compatible with their dynamic. The rival path is mostly about that conflict between Hawke and Justice but Esther like. well she's not HAPPY about the demon thing. but prior to the Chantry explosion it was never like a point of contention with them, mostly because there was never a point where Justice was provoked enough to take the reins outside of that moment with Ella. At worst she's worried for Anders and afraid he'll hurt himself, and at best she just thinks it's another obstacle for them to overcome together. see the hilarious thing about this character is despite how scary and insane she is she really does just say cheesy shit like that without irony it's so embarrassing. she should be arrested.

17. Does Leandra know about their relationship (or at least, about Hawke's feelings?). If so, what is Leandra's opinion on their LI?

yes and the irony is not lost on her LOL. It's cute in a funny way cus she recognized it long before Esther even did. She's like leaving the estate and telling Leandra she's heading out for a minute and Leandra just goes "say hi to the handsome healer for me dear" and she's like. sure ok. i guess. She definitely has no issue with it LOL if anything Leandra's like. enchanted by the similarity to her and Malcolm's relationship. She's also just generally relieved her daughter is finally showing a human emotion besides bloodlust.

[antivanplumage]

worldstate questionaire by @fromthedaswithlove

part 3: the champion of kirkwall, moira hawke

Who did your protagonist romance and why? Do they have secondary choices?

moira romanced merrill. tbh she was kind of crafted in a lab to be merrill's butch. i lov her

Do they have any regrets?

letting carver die. leaving bethany behind when she goes to the deep roads. the worst thing she's done, though, is having to fight their way out of clan sabrae after marethari's death. it HURTS.

Do they have a family?

the hawkes/amells, ofc. bethany ends as a circle mage, and she's moira's lifeline and the reason she hangs onto her morals even when it'd be so much easier for a non-mage to give into what the chantry is selling. she also stays in contact with charade.

there's also eiluned amell, her second cousin who was made tranquil. talya and anders both tell her that eiluned would've liked her. i don't think it's true. there's a lot about eiluned that neither of them knew.

What is their Specialization? Is there a reason they chose it?

berserker/reaver. i mostly just unlocked reaver because i had a free spec point, but ever since i've read the hc about hawke inheriting reaver blood from malcolm, i've been curious...

as for berserker, there's a very simple reason! moira is motivated by love, but fueled almost entirely by rage!

Do they have a preferred weapon? Preferred armor set?

two-handed hawke's key + armor of the champion. the key makes her feel just a bit closer to both malcolm and carver.

Do they have a preferred skill that they use often? (example: spells from the spirit tree in Inquisition)

da2 warrior combat is mostly just vibes but rage is always active baybeee. (i recommend playing a 2h warrior hawke btw, it's the most fun i had with DA combat til veilguard which is basically another genre)

How does your Hawke feel about leaving Lothering?

moira truly believed lothering was a place where they could finally be safe. she developed roots in there. she made friends. she carved out a little name for herself. once it's over, though, she just feels stupid. of course she had to run again. they're always running.

Does your Hawke like living in Kirkwall? Do they hate it?

moira LOVES kirkwall.... in act 1. she's a country girl used to being on the run, and she hates living with gamlen but the rest is great. everything goes downhill once she becomes nobility. she hates being in the spotlight, she hates the politics, she doesn't care about the comforts it gives her.

How does your Hawke deal with losing Carver? Losing Bethany?

carver's loss CRUSHES her. that's her baby brother. she taught him how to fight. they went to ostagar, and made it out together. the guilt for practically leading him down that path eats her alive.

bethany is. a bit less painful, mostly because she's still alive, but moira is still eaten alive by the knowledge that she failed. she left bethany behind to protect her, but because she wasn't there, she got taken to the circle. which is what she's dedicated her entire life to trying to prevent.

it also makes her incredibly paranoid about merrill later on every time she leaves the mansion to work in the eluvian. she invited her to live here because she wanted to protect her, why won't she stay?

Who did your Hawke join (smugglers or mercenaries) and why?

smugglers, although i can't remember why. genuinely might've just been because i liked athenril more. i didn't think about it very hard

How did your Hawke initially feel about Varric’s offer to go to the Deep Roads?

"i like your funny words dwarf man." immediately charmed by varric and on board. maybe a little too trusting of him tbh but it worked out fine.

How does your Hawke deal with losing Leandra?

crashes the fuck OUT. she failed to protect everyone in her life and she loses her shit in a spiral of guilt. becomes way crueler and more violent. the only thing that pulls her back together is the attack on the qunari compound, but it's really only expectation pulling her together until meredith tells her: "this is your city as well as mine. defend it."

so moira finds something else to protect beyond her family: kirkwall itself. but i don't think this changes her for the better, it just gives her some sort of reason to keep going.

How does your Hawke feel about Uncle Gamlen?

hates him so much hates living with him hates what he did with the inheritance hates his sleazy comments about her friends hates him hates him HATES HIM. i have a very slightly more charitable view on him (still hate the guy even if i feel like his downfall was inevitable) but moira is cutting his ass out of the will.

Does your Hawke have an opinion of their companions?

love how this is phrased lol

fenris: friendly. somehow ended on friendly terms with him, but i mostly credit this to him not being around when she was running around helping every apostate in kirkwall. still, they respect each other a lot, and moira appreciates his point of view even if she disagrees.

aveline: low rivalry. feels tied to aveline because they came to kirkwall together, but they never develop a very close bond beyond that. aveline never quite figures out what to do with her.

isabela: friendly. admires isabela and her way of life greatly, but there's a barrier between the two that moira is never quite able to knock down.

merrill: friendly romance. she has never done anything wrong in her entire life, she's madly in love with her, she would follow her to hell and back she just wishes she'd stop going there

anders: friendly. admires anders for his kindness and also eggs him on quite a lot. moira has a lot of anger towards the templars and the circles because she was raised to protect bethany from them, so she understands him a lot more than the other companions who just brush him off.

varric: friendly. he's her best friend, her pal, her homeboy, her rotten soldier, her sweet cheese, her good time boy. their only major point of conflict is that she's so frustrated by his centrism.

bethany: friendly. moira was raised to protect bethany as soon as her magic came in, though, so their relationship is... complicated. moira bases a lot of her self-identity on being able to protect bethany to the point where it stifled her. once bethany went to the circle, she was finally able to realize that moira's overprotectiveness never truly let her blossom as a person.

sebastian: mid rivalry. i think something great could've went on between her and sebastian but he showed up too late for him to have an impact on me, the player

Who is your Hawke the closest to? Who are they the most distant with?

besides merrill, she's closest to anders, if only because moira is so worried for him that she deliberately tries to insert herself into his life any chance she gets. although varric is a very close second. she's most distant from aveline.

How does your Hawke feel about Merrill’s blood magic?

initially, just... cautious, and intrigued. she knows blood magic is bad, malcolm hammered that into her, but merrill seems capable and like she knows what she's doing, so she trusts her. initially, moira excuses her fascination with merrill, saying she just wants to keep an eye on her, but it's deeper than that. she is Gay.

moira is generally overprotective of her loved ones and feels responsibility for things going wrong, but merrill is the major exception. trusting that merrill knows best is a major leap of faith for her.

How does your Hawke feel about Anders/Justice being merged?

she doesn't really get it, and definitely never understands how closely intertwined the two are. she blames anders' deterioration (correctly) on conditions in kirkwall getting worse, though, not justice actively making him worse. she's just terrified for him the entire time.

How does your Hawke deal with Isabela’s involvement with the Qunari’s stolen tome? Does she come back?

i think she was starting to put the pieces together beforehand, honestly. she's pretty perceptive. but after leandra's death and moira backslides, it goes on the back burner. still, she's not exactly surprised or betrayed by the reveal because of this.

isabela does come back. (she almost doesn't. i went to act 3 before realizing she was supposed to come back and had to replay. but i only needed 5 friendship approval so i cheated it in. i deserved it)

Who did your Hawke align with (mages or templars)?

mages.

How did your Hawke feel about the Viscount?

spineless coward. pissed off at him for getting her involved with what she sees as interpersonal family problems. she didn't want the man dead but like. holy shit

How did your Hawke feel about the Qunari?

she holds a deep level of respect and curiosity for their beliefs, and will usually side with them even if she doesn't always agree. having to kill the arishok very much felt like a tragedy.

How did your Hawke feel about Meredith? Orsino? The Grand Cleric?

moira was on her guard from the beginning with meredith, but a lot of the things she said wormed her way into her brain anyways. she felt like she was being blackmailed by bethany being in the circle. but she hated that woman sooo much.

orsino was an interesting case. moira respected him a lot, but if she ever connected the dots that he was linked to her mother's murder, her opinion would've changed in a heartbeat. fortunately, she did not. (i didn't either! someone had to point it out to me afterwards.) anyways, i think he's alive, varric just lied lol

elthina was also a spineless coward and she's actively glad she's dead

How does Hawke react to Malcolm’s Will?

it was incredibly painful for moira to hear his voice again after all these years, and she also got newly furious over what the wardens made him do.

it's been a while since i played legacy, and wiki summaries of malcolm's will suck ass, so i'm sure i'll have more thoughts on this if i replay.

Did Hawke side with Larius or Janeka?

larius. look, she already thought the wardens were a scary blood mage cult because of talya (on accident,) then learned they forced her father to do blood magic as well, she wasn't about to listen to janeka

Did the companions stay with Hawke?

merrill does. so does anders, but he eventually goes his own way out of some selfless desire to protect the two of them from his reputation. they're both pissed, but he just disappears in the middle of the night and doesn't give them the chance to disagree.

What does Hawke get up to in the time between the end of DA2 and DAI?

moira escapes on isabela's boat along with anders and merrill, as well as talya (helped out with the fight and realized she needed an escape route as a blood mage) and zevran (tagged along with his stupid ass newly revealed as a blood mage wife.) talya and zevran leave first - they just needed a path back to antiva. which leaves those three.

when tensions start to dissipate in kirkwall, moira and merrill return to help clean up the mess. and also merrill wants that damn eluvian back.

Is your Hawke the one left in the Fade? If so, what is the reason for them staying?

she's not. alistair didn't give her the chance to think about it.

How do you think Hawke’s Love Interest reacts to them being in the Fade?

If it was possible, how would your Hawke get out of the Fade? Would they be rescued? Would they find an escape for themself?

How does your Hawke feel about the mage rebellion?

in full support of it, although she doesn't help them because she's sick of being a figurehead and doesn't want to become one again when she's not even a mage. she's heard how she talks about them. she can't do it again, and they don't need her.

What did they do about Anders?

she let him live.

Is there anything in Tale of the Champion that they might not agree with?

she hasn't read it. for her own health.

Does Hawke know that Cassandra is a fan?

not initially, but i think she picks up on it pretty quickly once she gets to skyhold and talks to her. has absolutely no clue what to do about it, though.

How does Hawke feel about Tale of the Champion?

honestly, it's kind of humiliating for her that varric aired out the most painful moments of her life to paint her as a hero. she knows he had good intentions, but ... eugh. leaves her with a bad taste in her mouth.

If your Hawke goes to Weisshaupt, what is it that they are doing there?

hawke doesn't go to weisshaupt lol her ass was lying. she goes to find anders

What is Hawke getting up to in Veilguard?

i would like to congratulate moira for being my only dragon age protagonist who escaped the narrative! she was fostering orphans with merrill in kirkwall. the time during veilguard itself is still up in the air, i still haven't decided how much i wanted to change what happened to the south.

[thewardenisonthecase]

Now that I thought about it, is Davrin lowkey the only warden companion who became a warden because he wanted too?

Cause like. ok as much as alistair loved the wardens, he was going to be a templar until duncan showed up. I think besides Oghren (who....i'd rather pretend doesn't exist, and even then, idk that he joined the wardens bc he WANTED to be a warden or bc he wanted to run from felsi), everyone in awakening is either conscripted or persuaded by the warden commander. Bethany/Carver only become wardens because hawke is not willing to kill/let them die.

You could make an argument for Blackwall if the inquisitor chooses that but its kinda weird bc like, Thom Rainer didn't really *want* to be a warden, he was recruited by blackwall and then he became obsessed with this redemption thing.

But Davrin talks about how he joined the wardens willingly, because it gave him a sense of purpose, to do something he believed in. Like, I really enjoy that, because it feels like all the other warden companions became wardens bc of external reasons, and Davrin doing it because he wanted to makes a lot of sense for his character (and it even reminds me of what stroud said about it being 'a calling')

[setphaserstofandom]

happy thedasweekend! y'know, i am very intrigued by kattryn and bethany's dynamic and am 100% gonna go with the additional prompt 182: "We grew apart, as sisters do. But I still wish I had seen her one last time." bc yeah, so many feelings 🥺

Ugh I'm so glad someone sent this in. I know I could have just written it unprompted but this is more fun. Please enjoy, @broodsys for @thedasweekend!!

"Hey. Can we talk?" Kattryn ducked her head into Karmyn's tent, where her cousin sat preparing for the seige of Adamant tomorrow.

"Of course. Come sit." The warden patted the pillow next to her and waited for Kattryn to sit. "What's up?"

"...When did you see Bethany last?"

Realizing they were about to have a serious conversation, Karmyn set her weapons aside. "Maybe 6 months ago? Ran into her at Weissaupt. Why?"

"How was she?"

"Well enough--her and Nate were delivering some reports for the Ferelden Wardens. Managed to catch them for a day in between my own trips. It was good to see them."

"Nate...he was that Warden that I went looking for in the Deep Roads, right?"

"Mhm. That's why Bethany was in Kirkwall for the final assault, remember?"

"I do. Did you know that was the last time I saw her?"

"What?!"

"The Wardens kept her busy, and we had a really hard time working through me practically forcing her into the Wardens so she wouldn't die in the Deep Roads. I just...I didn't want her to die, not so soon after Carver. Even if I never saw her again, at least I was giving her a chance."

"Bethany was always hesitant to talk about Kirkwall. It took a few months for us to be able to have real conversations about you and the rest of the family. That's when I started writing you, but..." She paused, unsure if she wanted to continue.

"You can say it--I heard more from you than I did her."

"...Yeah. I'd be ready to send something out to Kirkwall, and ask if she had anything to send. She rarely said yes."

Kattryn sighed. "I guess it's not unusual for sisters to go apart. But...but I wish I had seen her one more time."

Karmyn reached out and squeezed her knee. "You will. We'll get through the siege, and we'll reunite you two."

The older woman sighed, resting her hand on top of Karmyn's. "I've never understood how you've remained optimistic despite everything you've gone through."

"Because I'll never get anything done otherwise."

"Then I'll be honest with you--I am not optimistic about tomorrow."

"I'm not going to let you die."

"I don't plan on dying, Kar. Just...I don't know. Don't you ever feel like you're building to the end?"

"Every day since I drank darkspawn blood and knew I was on borrowed time."

Kattryn shook her head. "No...no I think this is different."

"It doesn't matter--you'll get to see her one last time." Karmyn's voice was firm, refusing to accept a different answer from her cousin.

"If I don't though. Just let her know I was thinking of her. That I wish we'd had more time, that I could have figured my shit out better so we could have stayed close." She took both of Karmyn's hands and gave them a squeeze. "And you should know that getting to meet you and become close was an unexpected pleasure."

Unbidden, a tear streaked down Karmyn's face. "Please don't talk like this, Katy. You're scaring me."

"No. If I'm not going to get this resolution with Beth, I at least want to get it with you."

"I'll-I'll let her know. She deserves to know you were thinking about her, if this ends up being your end. Which I am not planning on allowing to happen."

The next day, the pair would tumble into the fade alongside the Inquisitor and her companions. And when the time came for someone to make the sacrifice and allow the others to leave, Kattryn didn't give anyone a choice; she shoved Karmyn into the arms of the Inquisitor and yelled for them all to run. The first thing Karmyn did once she was alone was start penning a letter to Bethany.

Dear Beth,

I'm sorry to be the one that needs to tell you this, but I feel it should come from me. During the siege of Adamant, a group of us fell into the Fade, including myself and Katy. Unfortnately, she didn't make it out. She sacrificed herself in order for the rest of us to get out. None of us would be alive without her, and who knows what Corypheus would get up to with the Inquisitor gone.

She had a feeling that this was going to be her last stand. Her last thoughts were of you, Beth. She wished things could have ended differently with the two of you. I know that probably won't mean much coming from me, but I promised I would pass the message along.

We've got a handle on this false Calling, so if you're able, please come to Skyhold. Varric can tell you how to get there. I would love to see you again, and we can remember Katy together. I'm writing Fenris too, and...well, maybe he won't be so mad if we're both there.

All my love,

Karmyn

[cavka]

Hey, welcome to DADWC

"Waking Up Not Knowing Where They Are" from the h/c tropes list, for Iris Hawke and whoever you like as a supporting cast.

thank you for the prompt!! i came it from a kind of... sideways direction lkajsdf but twas fun :> (for @dadrunkwriting)

Everything hurts in the way that means whatever scrap Iris was recently in, she very nearly didn't get out of it. There's a line running parallel to her sternum that alternately burns and freezes. Her fingertips throb in time with her heartbeat. The state of her throat is not unlike that of the deserts of western Orlais.

She can taste blood on her lips.

"Shh," a voice comes from above her. It's familiar--makes her think of long summer nights in Lothering--as are the fingers carding through her hair. Iris pries her eyes open to see Bethany smiling softly down at her.

"Not her," Iris croaks, squeezing her eyes shut. "Please, not her."

When she opens them again a moment later, the spirit borrowing her dead sister's face is once again the amorphous, vaguely humanoid shape that she's used to seeing in the Fade. "I thought the face of a loved one might bring you comfort," Devotion says.

"Thank you for trying." Iris tries to reach up to pat the spirit that has been her partner in healing for so many years on it's not-arm, but can't. Not with how the slightest bit of movement sends so much pain along her nerves that it feels as if she's being flayed alive.

Devotion hushes her again and with a touch to her forehead sends cool relief all through Iris' limbs. "You'll not survive this on your own," it says quietly. "There is too much damage. But I can help, if you let me."

Iris swallows hard. She suspects she knows how, and the thought frightens her more than potentially dying does. Still, she doesn't want it to end here. Not when her last memories are of Sebastian begging her to keep breathing and Fenris' hands holding her together as much as they could. Not when Carver's goodbye to her a few hours ago (was it only a few hours?) included him asking her to stay alive.

"If I start to change you, will you leave?" Iris asks.

"If I do, you will die," Devotion says. "But if that is what you want, yes."

Iris nods.

"Close your eyes." Devotion's voice echoes as it places it's almost-hands on her chest.

It feels like stepping into a cool, still pool of water. One breath. Another.

Feeling slowly comes back into her limbs, her torso. It hurts the same as it did in the Fade, but now she can feel the cooling effect of healing salves on her skin and smell the elfroot. Familiar hands hold onto her own, and she opens her eyes to see Anders sitting at her bedside, rumpled, stressed, and clearly not having slept. With more effort than she feels the move should require, she gently squeezes his hands in return.

His head snaps up to look at her. "Hawke!" His relief is obvious in his expression, followed closely after by confusion, realization, and resignation.

"You shouldn't be awake, you're not healed enough for--" He trails off, letting a sliver of his depleted magic slip from his palms to hers, scanning her. He loses what little color exhaustion hadn't taken from his face. "Hawke... what did you do?"

She licks dry lips. "What I had to," she rasps.

[sapphim]

Welcome to Does Varric Know Their Name? Part 2: Isabela and Merrill (and Tallis) edition.

Or, all the dialogue in DA2 in which Varric refers to Hawke’s companions; by name, nickname, or otherwise. For reasons. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Part 1: Aveline, Carver, and Bethany Part 3: Anders, Fenris, and Sebastian

Isabela

Combat barks

Varric: Don't die on me, Rivaini! You still owe me a pint!

Act 1 (Banter)

Varric: I shit you not, Rivaini, it was this big. Isabela: There's no way. Impossible! I've had hundreds of those in my hands, and they're never that size. Varric: Would I lie about something so critical? Varric: Rivaini, stop looking at my chest. My eyes are up here. Isabela: But the chest hair… Varric: Do you know how much I suffer under your gaze? I am a person, not an object! Varric: You know, Rivaini, you promised me you'd tell me how your ship wrecked. Isabela: I was drunk. I thought the reefs around the Wounded Coast were made of candy. Varric: Oh, come on.

Act 2 (A Rumour Making the Rounds)

Varric: I'm not spreading rumors. I'm just telling you which way the wind is blowing. Hawke: It fills my heart with joy to know you're not telling people I'm sleeping with an ogre. Varric: If the Rivaini were an ogre… damnation, that'd be one hot ogre.

Act 2 (Friendly Concern)

Varric: Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you. Varric: I hear you and the Rivaini have something going… Isabela: [CUT] Feeling left out, are we, Varric? If you wanted to join in, all you had to do was ask. Varric: [CUT] Isabela, you know my heart is already spoken for. Isabela: [CUT] Your heart might belong to Bianca, but I think your trousers might be up for grabs. Varric: Listen, as your friend, I feel like I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't say something. Varric: Isabela is a great girl, but I think you're likely to get hurt. By which I mean stabbed and left for dead.

Act 2 (Banter)

Varric: You have got to tell me what was in that box, Rivaini. Isabela: Which box? I've opened so many… Varric: Well, those too. But later. Right now: that Qunari relic. Isabela: Come to me, and I'll take you to places you've never been… Varric: Isabela… Are you talking to Bianca? Isabela: I think she deserves to feel a woman's touch on her trigger, don't you? Aveline: What is that? Isabela: Shh! (Giggles.) Varric: Isabela just thought she'd celebrate your love affair with a… written dedication. Isabela: It's "friend-fiction!" I do it out of love!

Act 2 (To Catch a Thief)

Isabela: I've always known what the relic is. I just didn't want to… worry you. Varric: You're the picture of kindness, Rivaini.

Act 2 (Demands of the Qun)

Arishok: She will submit to the Qun and the Ben-Hassrath. More than that I will not say. Hawke: You have your relic. She stays with us. Varric: I'm sure he'll take that well. Rivaini? You might want to move a bit this way.

Act 3 (The Storm and What Came Before It)

Hawke: What was Anders here for? Varric: Blondie didn't tell you? He comes down here now and then. He loses at cards to Isabela, and I buy him drinks.

Act 3 (No Rest for the Wicked)

Varric: I hope Isabela leaves an obvious trail. Varric: Wait, what am I talking about? Isabela's never subtle.

Act 3 (Faith)

Isabela: "Sister Nightingale," indeed. I remember it didn't take much to make you sing. Leliana: (Laughs.) Varric: Is there anyone in Ferelden you haven't slept with, Rivaini?

Act 3 (Banter)

Isabela: Varric, how does one get made a Paragon? Varric: The Assembly votes on it. Enough votes, and—BAM!—you're a living god. Isabela: You should ask to be made a Paragon. Of manliness. Varric: I like the way you think, Rivaini, but one doesn't just ask to be made a Paragon. Varric: So… Hawke and Daisy? Isabela: I think they're darling together. Varric: Really? You're not at all jealous? Because I thought that you and Hawke… Isabela: Hawke was just a dalliance. You know I've still got my eye on you. Varric: Keep dreaming, Rivaini. Varric: You know you still owe me five sovereigns, elf. Fenris: I'm good for it. Varric: So, you think you can win the coin from Isabela? Good luck with that. Merrill: Do you ever miss her? Varric: Isabela? Of course I do. Merrill: You called her by her name. I've never heard you do that before. Varric: No fun in calling her Rivaini if she's not here to be annoyed by it.

Act 3 Climax (Banter)

Merrill: How do you do it, living in this city without picking a side? Doesn't it matter to you? Varric: Of course it does. That's why I don't take sides. Merrill: That doesn't make any sense. Varric: I’ve got you and Aveline, Fenris and Anders. Hawke. Isabela.

Legacy DLC (Banter)

Isabela: You've a nickname for everyone. Varric: That's true. Rivaini. Isabela: But everyone just calls you Varric. That's hardly fair. Varric: So, elf, what's this I've been hearing about you and the Rivaini? Fenris: None of your business, dwarf. Varric: Just be careful. I get the impression that Isabela's breakups turn into bloodbaths. Isabela: That's part of the fun. Hawke: Varric. I've heard… stories of a personal nature being spread around town. Varric: If you want your private life to stay private, maybe don't sleep with half of Kirkwall. Varric: I'm not spreading any tales about you and the Rivaini. Although she asks me every other week to start some. Isabela: It would make a great new serial. Much better than that guard one you've been writing. Carver: With passion’d breath comes darkness, but with many against Her, She finds His Light untiring as it parts the Veil. Isabela: Not sure if I'm aroused or scared. I like it. Varric: Junior took down the Rivaini? Who’s telling this story?

Mark of the Assassin DLC (Banter)

Varric: Our little Hawke is growing up, Rivaini. Isabela: I know! Burglary and espionage! I'm so proud of him right now, I could burst! Varric: Soon, he'll be sharking card games and swindling merchants all on his own! Brings a tear to my eye! Isabela: What you said earlier… about purpose. Tallis: I was like you once, Isabela. I wanted everything to be easy. Varric: As easy as Isabela? Isabela: Hush, you.

Mark of the Assassin DLC (Rescue)

Isabela: I give up! We've been through every inch of this place twice, and there's no sign of them! Varric: Or we've been through the same twenty feet of this place about a dozen times. It's hard to tell, Rivaini.

Narration / Interrogation

Cassandra: You say the Arishok left Kirkwall with the relic, but I know for a fact that's not true. Varric: Oh, he did, but Isabela stole it again three days later. Varric: I heard she jumped into the sea to get away. Might even be true. Either way, we didn't see her again. Varric: As for the rest of us? Eventually we all left the Champion's side for one reason or another. Varric: Well… all of us except for Isabela.

Merrill

Combat barks

Varric: Blast it! Daisy got herself knocked out!

Act 1 (The First Sacrifice)

Jethann: What can I say? Why work if you're not working hard? Isabela: Ooh, I like him. He reminds me of someone. Merrill: He does? Who is it? Varric: I'll tell you when you're older, Daisy.

Act 1 (Banter)

Merrill: I've never met a dwarf before. Varric: That's because you've spent too much time frolicking in the woods, Daisy. Dwarves don't frolic. Merrill: Dalish don't really frolic, either. Not in the woods, anyway. Varric: Still got that ball of twine? Merrill: I left it at my house. Don't worry! I won't get lost while we're following Hawke. Varric: Bring it next time, Daisy. Just in case. Varric: Daisy, for my sake, please quit cutting through the alleys in Lowtown alone at night. Merrill: Nothing ever happens. I'm perfectly safe, Varric. Varric: Yes, I know. And that nothing is costing me a fortune.

Act 2 (Family Matter)

Varric: I don't know if surface dwarves go back to the Stone, or hang around singing hymns with Andraste, or what. Varric: I just hope wherever he is now, Bartrand stays out of trouble. Hawke: If you're worried about it, we could ask one of the priests to pray for him. Varric: I'm pretty sure that any decent priest who prays for Bartrand would burst into flames. Merrill: But that's awful! I had no idea priesthood was so dangerous! Varric: Don't worry, Daisy. The Chantry keeps a lot of water on hand.

Act 2 (A Rumour Making the Rounds)

Varric: I’m not spreading rumors. I’m just telling you which way the wind is blowing. Hawke: It fills my heart with joy to know you’re not telling people I’m sleeping with an ogre. Varric: Don't call Daisy an ogre! You'll make her cry. Hawke: You had better not be spreading wild rumors about me. Varric: Of course not! Not wild ones, at least. I only spread those about Daisy. Varric: Anyway, all I'm saying is, don't be surprised if people look a little nervous around you.

Act 2 (Friendly Concern)

Varric: Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Varric: There definitely seems to be something between you and Daisy these days. Varric: So, what's going on, Hawke? Varric: I know you don't listen to a damned thing I say, but you might want to be careful. Varric: Merrill is a sweet girl, but there's a whole lot of crazy in that little package.

Act 2 (Banter)

Varric: So, I hear you've been visiting the viscount's gardens, Daisy. Merrill: They're enormous! And they're always empty. Why don't more people go to see them? Varric: Probably because they're private and surrounded by guards. Merrill: Bianca is a very pretty name. Varric: I'll tell her you said so, Daisy. Merrill: She can't actually hear you, can she? Varric: Of course she can. What kind of a question is that? Merrill: I'm sorry about your brother, Varric. Have you any other family? Varric: I have family like a rat has fleas, Daisy. Merrill: Does that mean you have a lot of family, or that they make you itch a lot? Varric: Both.

Act 2 (To Catch a Thief)

Hawke: Sounds like the Qunari take their reading very seriously. Isabela: Is there anything the Qunari don't take seriously? Merrill: I'm sure there's something. Maybe knock-knock jokes? Varric: You just keep working on that, Daisy. Let us know if you figure it out.

Act 3 (A Talking To)

Varric: Come on, Daisy. You shouldn't be stuck in this rat-trap. Does Hawke even know you're here? Merrill: I don't have to ask permission to come to my own house, Varric. Varric: Come on, Daisy. You've been holed up in here for days. If you don't get some sunshine, you'll wilt. Merrill: I'm not a plant, Varric. I'm fine.

Act 3 (A New Path)

Varric: Does anybody else get the feeling that this is going to end badly? Just me, huh? Merrill: It's not all bad, Varric. Think of the stories you'll be able to tell later! Varric: No offense, Daisy, but I could live without telling anyone we murdered you on some mountainside.

Act 3 (Banter)

Merrill: Is there a story behind Bianca? Varric: There's a story behind everything, Daisy. Merrill: So tell me! Varric: I can't. Varric: There was a girl, and I made a promise. Bianca is the only story I can never tell. Merrill: You can't say that! Now I want to know even more! Varric: That was the idea, Daisy. Varric: Twine? When did I loan you a ball of twine? Merrill: You gave it to me when I first moved here when I kept getting lost in Lowtown. Merrill: It drove the merchants in the market completely batty, but it did help me find my way. Varric: Keep it, Daisy. Varric: So… Hawke and Daisy? Isabela: I think they're darling together.

Act 3 Climax (Banter)

Varric: I've got you and Aveline, Fenris and Anders. Hawke. Isabela. Varric: I've got friends in the Circle and drinking buddies in the templars. All of them matter. Merrill: But you're going to fight. If it comes to that, I mean. Varric: I fought my own brother, Daisy. Nobody said this was going to be a happy story. Merrill: Varric, how does the story end? Varric: Which story, Daisy? Merrill: The big one. With us and Hawke, the mages, the templars. Everything. Varric: You want to know before it happens? You're not worried about spoiling the surprise? Merrill: I might not see it end. Varric: You have to stick with us if you want to know how it turns out, Daisy.

Legacy DLC (Banter)

Merrill: Am I in your stories, Varric? Varric: Daisy, everyone is fair game for my stories. Merrill: I never hear any stories with me in them! What sorts of things do I do? Varric: Well, you get lost a lot. You wind up in the middle of a dog-racing track in Darktown. Or in the viscount's bathing room. Merrill: So they're true stories? Varric: Daisy, I could never make that stuff up. Nobody would believe it. Merrill: Do your stories ever have griffons in them? Varric: Kind of tricky because they're extinct. You can work a griffon attack into a tale, but it takes skill. Merrill: I was thinking more like… heroic griffons. The sort that swoop in and save the day. Varric: Daisy, haven't you heard? Swooping is bad. Merrill: Do you really hate the Deep Roads? Anders: Anybody with sense would hate them. They're a darkspawn-filled pit that goes on forever. Merrill: The dwarves still live in the Deep Roads, don't they? It can't be all bad. Anders: The dwarves are crazy. Varric: He's got a point there, Daisy. Hawke: Varric. I've heard… stories of a personal nature being spread around town. Varric: You're the Champion of Kirkwall. People pay attention to everything you do. And everyone. Varric: I haven't breathed a word to anyone about you and Daisy. Maybe you'd better have a talk with Uncle Greasy?

Mark of the Assassin DLC (Banter)

Merrill: Tell me a story, Varric. Varric: Right now? I don't think we have time, Daisy. Merrill: Maybe a very short story, then? Please? Varric: Fine. "When the cards turned, he lost." Merrill: Oh. Did it have to be so sad? Merrill: I know you're in the Merchants Guild, Varric, but I've never seen your shop. Varric: We're not that kind of merchant, Daisy. Merrill: What kind are you, then? Varric: House Tethras invests in… you're not going to understand a word of this financial stuff, are you?

Mark of the Assassin DLC (Rescue)

Varric: Daisy? You don't happen to have that ball of twine, do you? Merrill: I knew I forgot something when we left Kirkwall! Varric: Don't beat yourself up over it. We'll just… wait here until I think of something. Varric: Blondie, I hate to say this, but I'm pretty sure we've been here before. Anders: Blast it! But we went left this time! We shouldn't have come full-circle again! Varric: I wish I hadn't given that ball of twine to Daisy.

Narration

Varric: As for the rest of us? Eventually we all left the Champion’s side for one reason or another. Varric: Well… all of us except for Merrill.

Tallis

Mark of the Assassin DLC (Banter)

Tallis: Thank you for deciding to do this. Hawke: I'm a sucker for hard cases. Just look at my companions. Varric: You have no idea, Tallis. Varric: All right, Shivs, I'll admit it: I'm surprised the Qunari employ thieves. They never struck me as the subtle type. Tallis: That's because you've only met the antaam. Armies aren't usually celebrated for their sneakiness. Also, "Shivs?" Varric: Yes, "Shivs." So, how does stealing valuables from a pompous Orlesian noble fit in with your Qun?

Mark of the Assassin DLC (Interrogation)

Cassandra: We had someone there, but they lacked your access. Whatever Tallis was to the Champion, it seems like it angered a nation. Varric: Thousands of lives were at stake, Seeker. Cassandra: Perhaps one still is. Varric: Nicely nonspecific. All right, let me set the scene: an ambush, an invitation, a hunting party. Varric: All because of Tallis. Varric: I don't know why Hawke didn't kill Tallis. I suppose she was pretty for a Qunari. Varric: I don't know why Hawke didn't kill Tallis. I suppose the elf did have her nose. Varric: I don't know why Hawke helped Tallis. I suppose she was pretty for a Qunari. Varric: I don't know why Hawke helped Tallis. I suppose the elf did have her nose. Varric: Whatever the reason, I doubt it's the last we've seen of her.

[thievinghippo]

The only way Astor knows how to deal with pain is by making a joke. It's no surprise then, he never shuts up

Leandra never forgave him for both Carver's and Bethany's death, and Astor never forgave himself. Things became even worse when Leandra was killed

Even though he wasn't a mage himself, he believed in freedom. He believed in the life that Bethany should have been able to live, if only she didn't die in the Deep Roads

Astor fell for Fenris right away, and stepped back when it was clear that was what Fenris needed. Thankfully, Fenris eventually stepped up again and they've been near inseparable ever since

(Except for that one time when Astor left to help the Inquisition. And the time when Fenris went after slave hunters for several month. But other than that? Inseparable!)

Important Links

#astor hawke

#otp: strange places

fic - Two Bits

[annoyed-galaxy]

12 and 14!

12: Attitude towards Mabari

Warden: Feril Surana

Absolutely loves them! Being in the Circle was extremely boring for her, especially as someone who didn't really care for magic and didn't use it all that much. She had read books about various pets across Thedas and, being a Fereldan, had always dreamed of having a mabari. So when she was given the choice to find the Andraste's Grace to help the mabari in Ostagar, she immediately jumped at the opportunity and helped save the dog. Later on, on the escape from Ostagar, the mabari found her and she was so happy. She named him Asthen and had him by her side ever since.

Champion: Seth Hawke

He's Fereldan and a softie for animals, so of course he also loves mabari. The Hawke pet mabari went a while without a name because the twins and Seth would always argue about what to name the dog and Leandra and Malcom could never get them to agree on one. However, after their escape from Fereldan and living a year in Kirkwall, Seth decided to name the family pet Hero, honoring the Hero of Fereldan who saved their home, despite them not going back to Kirkwall. Hero became one of the last family Seth had in the end after losing his mother and his brother becoming a Warden.

Inquisitor: Willow Lavellan

She preferred Halla growing up as a Dalish elf and her clan shunning her. However, when she married Cullen and he got them a mabari, she fell in love with the dog. She admired its intelligence and its silliness rather than fragility like Halla.

14: who are they closest to from their family?

Warden: Feril Surana

Growing up in the Circle, Feril didn't get to know her family. She didn't even have that many friends aside from Jowan and Cullen and even still, Cullen was too flustered around her to hold a normal conversation and Jowan was too whiny sometimes. However, her found family, she was like sisters with Leliana and Morrigan, always teasing Alistair with them and then of course, Alistair himself being the closest she's ever felt towards someone. Once he became king, she wanted nothing but to stay by his side and sometimes she could, but duty always called. Either way, the king of Fereldan is probably the closest family she has.

Champion: Seth Hawke

Seth was close to Bethany, but then she died when escaping Fereldan and he was left with his mother and brother. Seth never knew why his brother disliked him and was sometimes sad about their feud, but he always joked it off and teased his little brother. Then Carver got sick and had to become a Warden. Then he was left with his mother, his last family and lifeline; literally. When she died, he thought everything would end soon: his affliction would catch up with him and he would die. But then he opened up about his ailment to Anders and Varric and they become his bestest friends. Already, Seth and Anders had been in a relationship and Seth was already becoming attached to Anders, a fellow doom and gloom man, but after his mother's death did he truly stick to Anders like glue. After the chantry, Seth declared that if he was to be seen as a villain for protecting Anders, then so be it. After Meredith was defeated, he and Anders ran off together and he would spend all his time he could with Anders.

Inquisitor: Willow Lavellan

Willow did not have friends until joining the Inquisiton. She was ostracized from her clan, hated and bullied. Her clan was very much paranoid about some prophecy that if a mage had been born into their clan, it would mean their end. But because of her mother's dying wish, she was kept in the clan. That was until she was possessed by a spirit of compassion, her only friend for a while. However, compassion turned to rage as it witness that abuse Willow went through. That's how she ended up at the Conclave. The Inquisition became her family and she became close to most of the companions. She didn't know how to lead and didn't like being in the spotlight, but she had lots of good people to help her out with it all like Cullen, Dorian, Bull, etc. But of course, Willow became closest with Cullen, marrying him, and managing to heal both their trauma born from magic.

[sky-fire-forever]

happy dadwc friday! for Mal Hawke: I’ve done nothing but break my promises to you.

-inquisimer

Thank you for the prompt! I really liked exploring this side of Mal.

Mal doesn’t remember the day the twins were born. He was too young and lacked the full understanding of what was going on. But he knows from the stories his parents tell that he’s always been fiercely protective over them. 

Apparently on the day they were born, he’d looked at them and told his parents that they were too small. His parents had laughed, but Mal had puffed up his chest and said that since they were so small and weak, he must protect them. 

He’d managed to protect them the best he could for eighteen years. 

When bullies would throw rocks at Bethany, Mal would chase them off with threats of violence and retaliation. When Carver struggled to wield a sword, Mal coached him on his technique. He did right by them, the best he could. 

When their father died, Mal became the man of the house and he vowed to do right by his family, to protect them and provide for them like his father did before him. He promised to never let anything bad happen to them. 

He failed to keep that promise. 

First, Carver was killed by the ogre, his lifeless body casually tossed aside like a toy that had been broken and was no longer fun to play with. There’d been so much blood and their mother had been inconsolable. Mal felt a part of him die with Carver that day, but he’d been unallowed to show it. He had to be strong for his surviving family. 

Then Bethany had been taken to the Circle, locked away where Mal can’t reach her, where she risks being made Tranquil or worse everyday. She's all alone, stolen from her family like Mal vowed to protect her from since the moment they stepped foot in Kirkwall. 

And now his mother is gone too. Taken by a blood mage for his own twisted ends. Mal hadn't done anything to save her and by the time he arrived, it was far too late. He didn't even get to say goodbye. 

As he stands alone in his bedroom, it really hits him how much he's lost, how much he's failed. His family is gone and it's all his fault for not doing more, for not protecting them until his last breath. He should have torn out his own heart before he let harm befall them, but he's still here, still standing free while his family is gone. 

He can't take it anymore. He grabs the nearest item to him — a candlestick perched on the side table — and he throws it across the room. It smacks against the wall and chatters to the ground loudly.

It's not enough. 

Mal begins grabbing everything he can. He grabs an old mug that once held water and smashes it against the wall. He grabs the end table and throws it to the floor, the wood splintering and cracking and falling apart. He tears apart his blankets and rips into his pillows like a feral dog just bent on destruction. 

He feels like a feral dog, mindless and destructive and desperate. He thinks of little besides obliterating all he can get his hands on, his fingers getting cut on the shards of what he breaks. Good, let him bleed.

Tears stream down his face as he throws an old portrait of himself as a boy into the fireplace to watch it burn. That little boy is dead and Mal is all that remains. 

His hands find another painting, this one of the family all together. In it, Mal can't be more than eleven and the twins must be eight. Their mother smiles warmly with her back straight and hands folded like a noblewoman’s despite the relative poverty they lived in back then. Their father grins, his hair a mess and his hand resting against Mal’s shoulder.

This must have been painted shortly before Bethany's magic manifested, before everything had changed forever, before Lothering. Before Mal's father began paying Bethany special attention and before Leandra became overly protective. 

Was this the last time their family was truly whole?

Mal sinks onto what remains of his bed, cradling the picture in his small hands. “I'm sorry,” he chokes out, the tears still falling. “I've done nothing but break my promises to you.” 

He holds the portrait and he cries. 

[musicismymoirail]

Ohhh fellow dragon age player???

Tell me more about your protags 👀👀👀

Oh, yes! :D It feels like I've been playing it forever at this point. But, okay! I do have sideblog for my da bullshit here but I haven't chatted about my protags in ages, so let's go! Apologies for the length ahead of time. ^^;;;

The Wardens: Left to Right.

Suibhne Tabris, the pragmatic & polite rogue whose always up to teach folks the old alienage proverb of 'no child of Adaia Tabris makes empty threats'. Push him if you dare. He's my technically canon warden and the leader of Origins ragtag group. Mainly because he's very stoic and chill. Mhm. He was left at the Chantry as an infant before the Tabris family adopted him. He loves his family dearly, and took Adaia's death very hard. Like he didn't speak for years after and people feel like he ended up as very muted version of his chaotic child self. But grief can change you, and that's okay. He romances Zevran (utterly smitten~), Morrigan is basically his sister, is the one that does the Dark Ritual, and he'd love to meet his son but respects Morrigan's wishes to keep away. He's just a chill sweetheart who will murder a whole castle of nobles to save his loved ones~. I love him. c: <3

Nari Aeducan, the iconoclastic & favored former princess of House Aeducan. Oh, Bhelen. You can keep the throne but you will never feel safe within the walls of Orzammar again. <3 Nari is... my newest Warden, and not super fleshed yet. She lost her eye in her childhood during a training match, and asked Daddy Dearest to get her a lyrium prosthetic eye. Because it neat. In my canon, she misses out on meeting Duncan and gets to roam around the Deep Roads until the Origins group finally stumbles over her like two months later? She's a survivor~~~ She also enjoys sweetly terrorizing her baby back-stabbing brother. <3 No idea who she'd romance, honestly? Probably no one. Her mind is just set on causing chaos in Orzammar. Bless her.

Raniel Surana, the tempestuous and diligent mage that lasted like four days outside of the circle before she turned to blood magic. To be fair, she was dying at the time & Mouse is cool. Raniel was my very first Warden~~~ Sooo. Her and Tabris both met Duncan before going to Ostagar, and she's both enthralled and terrified and so bitter at Jowan, so she's just bouncing in every direction. During the first fight, the orge atop the Tower bites off her arm and Rani, not wanting to die with her new friends, asks Mouse for help. She's Super Bitter and Pissed for most of the story, as losing your home and arm will do to someone. No one really questions the weird white mouse that travels on her shoulder. But Leliana and the others sloooooooowly bring back her old romantic self. Stories and stars do the soul so much good. She ends up as the Teryna of Gwaren, is a happy little blood mage and since Leliana is my canon Divine, is basically married to the highest religious figure in Southern Thedas. Go Raniel~~~~

I never got as attached to my Hawke as my Wardens or Inquisitor (weird as DA2 is my favorite game so far), buuuuuuut this is my current one.

Revelry Hawke, the stepford-smiling put-upon third parent of the Highly Dysfunctional Hawke family. All they wanted in life was to keep their family together and safe, and they Failed! Constantly! Carver died in Lothering! Bethany died in the Deep Roads! Leandra died in Kirkwall! And Revelry blames themself fully. :'D They're technically a rouge, but personal headcanon is they have magic too but just for Entropy spells and this goes unnoticed by all until the Arishok stabs them in Act Two. Losing one's family does have a way of letting you let go of a lot of things, does it~~? Forever sides with the mages, I do imagine they got offered the Viscountship post-game (because it's dumb that's Templar-locked) but Revelry stepped down after like five days. They're known as the Five-Day Viscount now. And they, idk, probably ended up in a polycule with everyone accidently. That seems like a very Revelry thing to do. o:

Do I have a favorite protag of the lot? Yes, it's Mir. :D

Mir'uvenan Ruoho Lavellan, aka Mir, aka Miracles, my beloved and endlessly chaotic Inquisitor. Left his clan because of his toxic and deeply codependent relationship with his twin brother, Mir is basically a shattered mosaic of trauma, impulse and passion. He doesn't know why he's here, he wants to burn the Chantry to the ground and steal its foundation to boot, and people are! Praising him?!? Him? Why! Whhhhhhhy!?! He's not a leader! TToTT!! Except, that's all the gaslighting talking. Mir is stupidly clever and intelligent, endlessly caring and absolutely has no issues telling off Ancient Tevinter Gods and their Fake Archdemons. He lost all his fucks when he got the Anchor, so fuck it. He'll do his best because he's kinda stuck here anyways. TT____TT

(And Bull's like 'this is why you're the Inquisitor, Kadan~~')

Mir's an absolute little nerd who adores mixing his own alchemical concoctions because smashing highly volatile flasks against his skin is just Heaven~~~ He ends up losing his hearing Quite A Bit because of all the explosions, but whatcha gonna do~? Dagna and Rocky teached him Dwarven Sign Language to help. He likes hanging around Dagna to learn magic in the non-magic way too because It's Fascinating! o: <333

Mhm. Romances Bull but it's pretty open. Sera is his BFF, and Dorian a close second. Never gets comfortable being the Herald or the Inquisitor, doubly so after the Jaws of Hakkon, triply so after Trespasser. He disbands it, and is happier for it just being a Red Jenny with Sera and just finally enjoying life at long last with a good support system of friends and connections. I always play the game as Mir slowly working through his miserable self-worth and healing through all the trauma his brother put him through, so I like him ending the game having more neutral-positive outlook. He is actually Not The Worst, and ain't that nice? c:

(He's still gonna punch Solas in the face if they meet again tho. Because friends don't let friends destroy worlds, and he already proved people are just as worthwhile now as long ago.)

And if anyone actually read through all of that, thank you and bless you for reading about my silly little protags I've put Far Too Much Thought into over the years! ;;v;; <3

Also, enjoy a silly comic of Mir buying 57 hand puppets. <3

[blackjackkent]

🥀 What is something your OC blames themself for and is it really their fault? Does it keep them up at night and is there any lingering trauma?

(16 OC questions)

You didn't specify an OC so I used RNG to select one :D RNG selected Elliot Hawke!

Oh man, Elliot blames himself for a LOT. There are a lot of things he's handled badly in his life, due to his anger issues.

Probably the strongest thing would be that on some level he feels himself responsible for the collapse of his family. Starting with Bethany's death - which Leandra was already happy to blame him for - and then Carver running to the Templars primarily because of his clashes with Elliot, and then everything that happened with Leandra's death which he didn't look into early enough partially because the two of them never got along.

The truth is (as we know because we have played the game with many other Hawkes who are not Elliot ;) ) it was all always going to fall apart, and his issues, while they may have compounded things, weren't really to blame. But it certainly still bothers him. As if perhaps, had he been a better son, a better brother, unhaunted by the demons that chase him, perhaps everything would have been fine.

It's not for nothing that the Nightmare in DAI taunts him by saying: "Fenris is going to die, just like your family and everyone you ever cared about."

[unlikelysaintdelele]

it has come to my attention that my Amell looks very similar to Bethany and it's making me wonder...

I just sent Carver to the Grey Wardens (didn't want him to become a templar or die) and I know Alistair appears if he's still a Grey Warden. If Alistair and Carver meet, does Carver meet the Hero of Ferelden?

...how does he react to seeing someone who looks like his deceased twin sister?

[gaysebastianvael]

Dilfsabled… tell me more (<— chronic dilf lover)

My Malcolm Hawke is a stay-at-home dad which I like how it works doubly well with him being a mage and disabled. He taught Taliesin how to knit and cook. He calls Bethany Bunny (Bethany > Bebunny > Bunny). He would stay up late pointing out constellations with Royce. He had a difficult relationship with Carver due to clashing personalities but loved him very much and wishes he'd told him just how proud he was. He has done and would do anything for Leandra. He doesn't know who his parents were or if he had siblings and vows to be the best father he can be because of it. He's femme and bisexual. He and Taliesin are most similar in personality but he was closer with Royce and Bethany. He has a bad habit of getting involved in reckless and risky magic usage. He didn't actually die, he accidentally sent himself to the Fade and was presumed dead for 13 years until he runs into Taliesin and the Inquisition during Here Lies The Abyss. He's a devout Andrastian. He going to try to resurrect Leandra. He does NOT like when his kids say swears.

[transmasc-tabris]

Okay just listing off things that foreshadow That Event

1. The fact that right when shit starts falling apart for him in lothering his family starts pushing him away and he has a Bad Time about it.

2. Him being So Normal with Bethany (clinging to the one person in his family who doesn't reject him as much, doesn't deal with losing her well at all)

3- this little moment

'That frantic look in his eyes didn't fully fade, and the anger beneath it cut through him. He should have been more insistent. The air stung between his fingers. They weren't alone but easily could be if he just asked. Sleep spells were simple, and two cuts paired with the right words could make a man forget anything.'

'He shook his head. Easy as it would be, he'd just have to explain everything again.'

4. The fact that he does a similar blood magic thing to Carver earlier on. Sure the context is more 'i don't want you to literally die hating me' but still. He simultaneously feels bad about it and goes full speed ahead.

5. His general clinginess to Merrill and the fact that it gets worse when she tries to break up. Like it's Fuck Off AM please stop knocking on her door you freak.

6. The fact that Ellie only exists because he couldn't deal with being alone and wanted someone who Had To Stay With Him.

I didn't realize until now just how many abandonment issues I gave this man and now I'm frankly just surprised he didn't do That sooner at this point. every time i think about this character i just wonder how we even got here.