#da: rowan hawke

[nazali]

hawkes + one hawke-lover

template cred.

[thevulturesquadron]

3. A letter from Rook to someone in their faction

@black-rose4 Thank you!!!!! 💜 Using this Rook Codex Entries prompt list. This one is a bit self indulgent because it covers a couple of choices from my world state that weren't touched on during Veilguard.

3. A letter from Rook to someone in their faction [Where Legends Vanish] Rowan.

I’m writing to you because Isabela’s going to spend weeks locked in her cabin, just staring at the seal on the envelope, and it’s safer this way, since the Lords don’t consider any amount of gold good enough to justify opening a seer’s correspondence.

We made it out of Weisshaupt. By the skin of our teeth, but almost nothing else did. I can count the remaining wardens down to a few dozens. The events of that night are still a blur most of the time, with nothing but the thought of getting my crew across the finish line racing through my head. If I had trouble sleeping before, now I can’t even close my damned eyes without seeing a horde of rabid darkspawn lunging at me.

But I still tried, you know? For Isabela. For Varric. We crossed the libraries and vaults but couldn’t find any mention of Hawke.

A couple of days ago, I went back to check on the remaining Wardens that settled in Lavendel, lend any help we could. So I started asking questions. Didn’t expect much, but then someone pointed me towards their make-shift infirmary, said one of the First Warden’s old guard made it out; after seeing the state of that poor bastard I don’t know that I agree.

At first he seemed willing to talk, either cause I was the only one able to spare the time, or because it reminded him of better days, but he said he was at Weisshaupt in 9:41 when the Wardens were expelled from southern Thedas. (Turns out Magister Pavus wasn’t bluffing after all). Said Hawke arrived with them, but when I asked where they went after, he suddenly turned tight-lipped. Tried to sell me a story about how he couldn’t remember, with all the fighting that was happening within the Order, but after spending so much time among the Lords I can smell rat shit when it’s on the table. Had to remind him there’s no one left to give a damn about the fortress’s secrets and also had to part with the chocolate I brought for the blacksmith’s daughter, but it got him talking.

Rowan - Hawke went into the fucking Deep Roads. And that’s not even why he was avoiding my questions…. Isabela’s going to hate this - while she was there, Hawke learnt that Anders had passed through Weisshaupt. THAT Anders. The one in Isabela’s and Varric’s stories. Has to be. That’s how I found out he was a Warden. Guess both left that part out for a reason.

He refused to speak anything coherent when I tried to push for more information about the events, so this next part is a bit of a patchwork: seems like Anders returned to Weisshaupt looking for an Orlesian Warden Commander or something like that, someone he knew? Based on how his entire face darkened, it wasn’t anything pretty. He mentioned something about deserter wardens, about old feuds on how to cure the blight, all things I told Evka and Antoine to look into, but from what I gathered, a couple of years back, this one Warden Commander caused a schism and disappeared into the Deep Roads taking with them almost half the Order that was stationed at the fortress at that time. He mentioned something about their approach towards the darkspawn and the blight being unethical? Then, years later, Anders shows up and there’s a whole argument about turning him in or judging him as a Warden. He finds out the Warden Commander is gone, asks for passage into the Deep Roads, same way they went, and the Wardens agree as they consider it suicidal - at least he meets his end like any other Warden. And like a hole that keeps eating people, same story when Hawke arrives. She finds out which parts of the Deep Roads Anders went through, and against the Wardens’ warnings she follows. And …she’s gone.

I… don’t know what to do with this, Rowan. Maybe that’s why I am actually writing to you. I don’t even know if it’s something I want to tell Isabela. There’s no closure in it. But I don’t want to hold it from her either. She’s going to pretend it changes nothing and then she’s going to drink herself to oblivion and back. So I leave it with you. She listens to you. She allows herself to cry and get angry and drop the cynical act when it’s just you. And I know you’ll find a gentler way than I ever could to speak to her.

Thing is… I think I get Hawke; why she did that. From what Varric said about Anders, he might have been a mess, but he was their mess. Looking back at what happened at Weisshaupt, I almost lost Davrin to the archdemon; almost lost Lucanis. All of that cause I was so focused on what we were meant to do that I failed to see them. To see their own struggles. And it cost us so much, but it could have cost us everything. I think that’s how Hawke feels. So wherever she is, if she is still breathing, she’s trying to fix that. Hope Isabela can understand it too.

Love, Rook Magdalena.

[teine-mallaichte]

I would like to hear more about Storm and the "blight incident" please

Ooo starting the night with some sibling angsty chaos for @dadrunkwriting😂

So for context Autumn Hawke and Anders left Kirkwall post game and have had 3 kids - Storm, Rowan, and Holly.

Storm is 17 and the twins are 12 when the blight incident happens.

Storm is my Rook in a canon divergence that I am working on, but obviously this incident is before that so there aren't any spoilers.

“Storm, are you sure about this?” Holly asked, as they approached the cave entrance.

“Storm, are you sure about this?” Holly asked, her voice tinged with worry as they neared the cave entrance.

“Of course,” Storm replied, flashing her a reassuring grin. “We’ll just take a quick look around. It’ll be fun. Besides, it’s better we all go than let Rowan wander off by himself.” He shot a glance toward his brother, who had already slipped into the cave’s dark mouth.

“It’s just a cave, Holly,” Rowan called over his shoulder, his voice full of carefree confidence. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

The air inside was damp, carrying a faint metallic tang. Their footsteps echoed through the cavern, and Holly instinctively moved closer to Storm. Rowan led the way, spinning one of his daggers idly in his hand.

“It’s colder than I thought,” Holly muttered, tightening her grip on her staff. A soft glow from the tip lit up the jagged stone walls around them, revealing creeping moss and dark corners.

“Stop worrying,” Rowan said, flashing her a grin over his shoulder as he twirled the dagger. “We’ll be fine.”

“You’re going to cut yourself if you keep doing that,” Storm sighed, watching Rowan’s blade flash in the dim light, catching the faint glow of Holly’s magic.

Rowan laughed, his voice bouncing off the walls. “Holly will heal me,” he teased with a smirk. “Or Dad. Either way, I’ll be fine.” He tossed one dagger into the air and caught it effortlessly, his grin widening. “You know, if you gave me yours, I could do a proper juggling act.”

Storm’s eyes narrowed, his focus shifting back to the shadows ahead. “Dad would kill you if you even thought about juggling blades… idiot.”

Rowan just grinned wider, his footsteps quickening as he dashed further into the cave.

“I’ll charm my way out of it,” Rowan called back, his voice echoing through the dark.

“Right… because charm is exactly what Dad responds to,” Storm muttered under his breath before shouting into the cave, “I’d be more worried about Mum.”

“She’d just roll her eyes,” Rowan’s voice echoed, full of mock innocence.

“She’d roll her eyes and give him a lecture,” Holly chimed in with a smirk at her older brother.

A low growl echoed around them, silencing their banter.

Holly froze, her fingers tightening on her staff. “That’s not funny, Rowan,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“That wasn't me,” Rowan replied, his carefree tone replaced by quiet intensity. As he reappeared from the darkness dropping to a crouch in front of his siblings, daggers poised.

“Stay behind me,” Storm ordered, stepping in front of Rowan, scanning the darkness ahead, small sparks already crackling around his fingers.

The growl grew louder, twisting into a guttural snarl, and from the shadows, a darkspawn stepped forward. Its body hunched, sharp teeth gleaming in the low light. As it took another step, more followed, emerging from the darkness, their twisted forms closing in on the siblings.

“Darkspawn,” Storm hissed, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. His heart pounded, but his voice remained steady. “Holly, stay back. Rowan…”

Rowan didn’t need further instruction. He darted forward, attempting to circle around the darkspawn, his daggers flashing in the dim light. But Storm noticed the hesitation in his movements—a little too quick, a bit too reckless.

The twins weren’t ready for this kind of fight. Storm sent a bolt of lightning surging toward the creatures, but his focus never left Rowan and Holly. He cursed under his breath—he should’ve known better than to let them talk him into exploring this cave.

Rowan didn’t slow his pace. He danced through the fray, his movements fast and erratic, striking with more bravado than precision. His strikes were quick but lacked form, his overconfidence pushing him to move too boldly. The darkspawn’s massive limbs swung at him, narrowly missing as Rowan dodged in and out, barely staying out of reach.

“Don’t overdo it,” Storm warned, sending another bolt of lightning toward a darkspawn, the energy crackling through the air and striking it square in the chest. It collapsed, twitching and convulsing as it died. But Storm couldn’t afford to watch it fall—his focus had to stay on his siblings’ safety.

Holly, positioned at the back, continued casting shimmering barriers that flickered and wavered, protecting them from incoming blows. But Storm could feel the strain in her magic—she was running low on energy. He cursed again, knowing she’d exhaust herself if she didn’t pace her spells. But just as he was about to shift his focus to her, Rowan’s reckless moves caught his attention again.

Rowan overreached. His daggers struck the darkspawn, but the creature grabbed him by the arm. Rowan fought to break free, twisting violently in its grip, but he couldn’t escape without a loud cry of panic. His earlier confidence shattered, replaced by a sense of urgency as he stumbled back.

“Rowan!” Holly screamed, her voice trembling with panic as she rushed forward. “Stay back! Get behind the barrier!”

“Holly!” Storm snapped, sending a bolt of lightning at the creature that had nearly injured Rowan. “Stay back! Rowan’s fine!”

Then, the largest darkspawn Storm had ever seen lumbered into the clearing. A hulking hurlock, its massive claws scraping across the stone. Storm barely had time to react before it barrelled toward him.

He raised his left hand, dagger at the ready, and unleashed a bolt of lightning so powerful it illuminated the entire cavern in a blinding flash. But the creature was relentless, and it ploughed through the attack, swinging its massive claws. One strike sent Storm crashing to the ground with a grunt.

"Storm!" Holly cried, her voice cracking.

The hurlock loomed over him, its jagged teeth bared, but Rowan was there. He slashed at the creature’s side with one of his daggers, distracting it long enough for Storm to scramble back to his feet.

Here’s a refined version of that section:

But it was too late. The hurlock lunged, its jagged teeth sinking deep into Storm’s right arm. A scream tore from his throat as the darkspawn’s bite ripped into his flesh. The pain was unbearable, sharper and more intense than anything he had ever felt. He could feel the creature’s claws digging into his skin, hear his siblings shouting, but all his focus was consumed by the searing agony of its teeth.

“Storm!” Holly’s voice was full of panic now. Her barrier faltered again as the emotion overwhelmed her, and Rowan scrambled to push the creature back. A burst of lightning exploded from Storm, the intensity enoguht o send the Hurlock flying, and send Rowan sprawling on to the floor.

But the rouge wasn’t down for long, he leapt to his feet and sprinted to his falled brother, who was now crouched on the floor.

“We need to go!” Rowan screamed. Grabbing Storm’s uninjured arm, dragging him backward as fast as he could. “Holly, barriers, now!”

Holly’s hands trembled as she quickly cast a protective shield, her magic flickering with every passing second. She was scared—her control slipping.

"Is he…" her words faltered as she rushed over to help Rowan with Storm.

"I don't know," Rowan snapped, "We just need to get out of here."

The siblings moved as one, the darkspawn roaring behind them, their snarls echoing in the cavern, but none seemed to follow.

When they emerged into the daylight, Rowan helped Storm collapse onto the ground, his breath shallow. Holly knelt next to him, casting another faint healing spell that barely seemed to make a difference.

Storm’s eyes fluttered as he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I’m… sorry.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Rowan muttered, his voice softer than usual as he placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. He turned to his twin, "Can you heal him?"

Holly shook her head, her voice thick with emotion. "I can slow it down… maybe," Her hands trembled as she pressed them against Storm's wound, the faint glow of her magic flickering unevenly. "I don’t know if I’m doing enough," she whispered, her voice breaking as tears welled in her eyes.

Rowan nodded sharply, his jaw tightening as he looked at Holly. "So what do we do?"

Holly bit her lip, "I…" She paused, her voice cracking as she glanced at Storm, who looked even paler in the fading light. "Dad will know what to do."

[etdraconis]

( More for myself than anything else, but I’m bored, so here is a list of all my DA OC’s and their main/in-game ships )

Origins

Oliver Amell x Zevran

Rosalie Amell x Alistair (only bc Anders isn’t an option tbh)

Pyke Brosca x Happiness

Amara Cousland x Zevran (but really Nathaniel has he been an option in Awakenings)

Brennon Cousland x Morrigan (only bc he couldn’t romance Alistair in game 😭)

Theron Mahariel x Morrigan

Aurelia Tabris x Leliana (tho she 100% would have fucked Morrigan if given the chance)

Alim Surana x Happiness (only bc he couldn’t have Alistair)

DA2

Callum Hawke x Isabela (he so wanted Sebastian tho)

Kenton Hawke x Anders

Leanore x Fenris (she really is Varric’s girl tho lbr)

Inquisition

Hava Lavellan x Solas

Claire Trevelyan x Cullen

Declan Trevelyan x Dorian

Evelyn Trevelyan x Blackwall

Everett Trevelyan x Cassandra

Maxwell Trevelyan x Iron Bull (he also really had a thing for Cullen too tbh, and for Dorian)

Persephone Trevelyan x Josephine

Veilguard

Elysia Caius x Emmrich

Naivara Valisti x Lucanis

Sterling Mercer x Lucanis

Mia Cousland x Davrin

Drakaan Laidir x Taash

Tyrion Ingellvar x Emmrich

Annabelle Amell x Neve

Alessio de Riva x Lace

Xan Thorne x Lace

Malcolm Hawke x Bellara

Rowan Theirin x Neve

Arinaya Aldwir x Bellara

Others I could see

Julian Amell x Dorian

Arden Aclassi x Dorian (tho it would be a SLOW burn tbh)

Lauryl Cousland x Cullen (or Davrin too tbh, they would be cute)

Victoire Ducet x Josephine (or Lucanis or Emmrich too)

[crosaidi]

DARP Advent 2024 - Day One

Preferred name: rowan Preferred pronouns: they/he Favorite dinosaur: pachycephalosaurus, because i too am bone-headed What's the coolest rock you own or have seen: i am but a simple fool and think geodes are the bee's knees

What piece of media was your first experience with Dragon Age?: origins! What was your first Dragon Age game?: origins on release. i pirated it cause i was a poor college student, then was forced to buy it because the pirated version kept breaking Which is your favorite DA game?: they're all my favorites in some way or another. i don't know if i could pick a definitive this one is it, because they're all it. What was your first DA book or comic?: stolen throne Which is your favorite DA book or comic?:  the calling Who is your favorite DA character? (please don’t include untagged character hate in your answer – keep it positive!):  blackwall. 😭 What was your first ship? Romantic or platonic: first ship i did was hof/zevran What's your "forever" ship? Romantic or platonic: Hawke and Anders sIGH my hawke ran away and became a catdad with anders rip What is your favorite DA-verse creature? (nug, giant, halla, etc): dragons! but also mabari, nugs ...

What's the best advice you've ever gotten?: own it ( interpret how you like )

Are you comfortable receiving feedback / asks from others as the event goes on and will request on certain days that other people reach out? What are your boundaries? If you're okay with asks/comments, are you okay with them from anyone or followers only?: i'm fine with most anything from anywhere as long as it's in good spirits!!

Share a picture of something you're excited about/something that you love if you're comfortable doing so!

i own a smol kaiju ( his name is godzilla )

[shyvioletcat]

ROWAELIN MONTH: DAY 23

~ Domestic Fluff ~

Ahh, so as I wrote the prompt for today I think I may have slightly misunderstood the assignment, haha... Anyway. This works as a Part 2 to this fic I wrote a little while ago. Probably not my best work, but hey, it is what it is.

~~~~~

Rowan flew high above the palace, the brisk winds off the Staghorn’s helping him soar. When he had finished training with the palace guards the simplest way back to the royal wing was to simply walk through the grounds. But he hadn’t felt like it, he had woken up too late this morning to take a flight before his day started so this would have to do. He flew in easy circles, starting high and drifting lower and lower with each circular pass. Looking down his hawk eyes spied movement in a courtyard where the children of the court were playing in the sun. 

He longed to let out a screech of delight, but then Rowan had a better idea. Down he circled, waiting for the right current to send him on his way. The wind shifted, brushing past his wings and ruffling his feathers. It was exactly what he needed. 

Tucking in his wings close to his body Rowan was diving down like he was hunting, aiming for the kill. The children were so caught up in their own game that they didn’t notice him coming until there was a bright flash of light, making them squeal and yell in surprise. Elspeth recovered the quickest, her laughter filling the courtyard and she ran for him. Rowan caught her, spinning her through the air, up and down like she was a bird too. 

The little princess loved every moment of it with her arms outstretched like wings. Elspeth was nearly two and was yet to shift, that was if she even could. Rowan suspected she would, although there was always a slim chance that a fae child would be born without the ability to shift especially when there was demi-fae in the bloodline. 

He hoped that she would, and that she might take on the form of a bird of prey like his family did. That was an experience he wanted to share with his child. Rowan would teach her to read the winds, how to angle her body to safely move through the sky. That was a dream he’d hold onto until it was decided otherwise. 

Rowan set the toddler down, making sure she was steady as she started walking. 

“That fun, Da!” she said as she held onto him, evidently not wanting to let go yet. “I was flying. Just like you.”

“You were, my little love.” Rowan couldn’t help it, he dropped into a crouch and kissed her chubby cheek. That set off another round of giggles, then she turned to hug him. Feeling another gaze on him, Rowan looked up and saw his mate watching from one of the windows above them. There was a soft smile on her face as she watched it all unfold. “Go, and play Elsie.”

His daughter listened and wandered off to watch the game some of the older children were playing. Rowan shifted again, flying low so Elspeth could chase him before he flew higher to find an open window. There was someone else that he wanted to see.

Aelin was still watching from the windowed alcove, now tracking his movements. He’d find somewhere closer to his mate to enter the palace. Rowan spotted a window that was open just wide enough for him to slip through. Not as close to Aelin as he would have liked, but it would have to do. After the smile had faded he had seen an odd look on her face and he was determined to discover what it had meant.  

~~~~~

Aelin watched as Rowan no doubt looked for an entry to come see her. Another male might have used the stairs, but her mate wasn’t like other males. He was impatient and had a flair for dramatics, aptly demonstrated by his little performance in the courtyard. Aelin knew he had spent the morning training with the guards and again, he could have walked back to the private residences of the palace. Instead he’d flown above the city and found his landing spot, much to the delight of their daughter. 

The sounds of children playing had drawn Aelin out of her study and the noise was distracting enough that the papers she had been going over lost all appeal. Seeing her daughter down there, playing with her friends, brought her more joy than expected. She had memories of the court children playing while she watched when as a child. Aelin had felt a profound loneliness and isolation, a heavy weight for a little girl. It was not just her title of crown princess that had set her apart—her powers had been too volatile. It had made her dangerous and the other children had feared her for it. 

Aelin lit a small flame in her hand, watching the yellows and oranges dance and weave. Her power was not what it once was, but she was still impossibly strong. Considering her parentage there was a high chance her daughter would be the same.

A squeal shook her from her sombre thoughts. Aelin watched as Rowan held Elspeth out in front of him as they spun. The pure joy on both their faces had Aelin letting out a breathy laugh. Gods, the way her mate adored their daughter, it was making her fall in love with him all over again. It was no surprise that Aelin had fallen pregnant not even two years after the birth of their first. She rested a hand on her stomach as the child in her womb kicked. The movement only started happening a week or so ago and Aelin had forgotten how much she had missed those gentle reassurances. 

As a child Aelin had sat in this very spot, watching the children play and burning with jealousy. To soothe herself she had absorbed herself in books, letting those characters be her friends instead. It was not the healthiest way to cope, it was unfortunate that little Aelin hadn’t many choices. 

Rowan looked up, spying her up in the window. He set Elspeth on her way and then shifted again. Now Aelin just waited, knowing what would happen next, her ever observant mate had probably noticed the shift in her mood. It wasn’t too long before she heard footsteps coming from behind and then strong arms were wrapped around her. She lent into Rowan’s body, more than content to be held by him.

“What are you thinking about, Fireheart?” He asked, never one to skirt around the point. “I saw you watching and then I saw something in your expression.”

“Oh that,” Aelin said. “I was just remembering what it was like for me as a child, and how different Elsie’s life will be.”

“About how lonely you were?”

Aelin looked up and saw the concern on Rowan’s face. “Yes.”

“Aelin—’’

She shook her head, patting the arm that was braced around her to reassure Rowan that she was fine. “It is what it was, Rowan. Nothing to do about it now except to make sure our past is not repeated.” 

“Elspeth will have a blessed life, they all will,” Rowan said, placing his hand where hers rested on her stomach.

Watching the children Aelin knew her own would not share in the isolation she had experienced. All they had sacrificed for a better world had come to fruition. If their children had earth shattering powers, they would have everything that they needed right here to support them. Never again would Aelin have those she loved hide or diminish what they were. Her parents did the best that they could and if evil had not been so determined to destroy all that was good Aelin had no doubt they would have done everything they could to make her life wonderful. Aelin could never begrudge them over the future that should have been. Fate had been cruel to Rhoe and Evalin Galathynius, all Aelin could do now is honour their memory. 

“I remember my father found me here once,” Aelin said. “I told him that my dearest friends were characters from my books. There was one, about a princess and a dragon, if I recall. I wondered what it might be like to fly, he said I should ask a dragon.”

Rowan laughed softly.

The almost forgotten memory made her smile. “Preposterous I know, because dragons don’t exist, and I told him as much. I then told him one day I’d ask a bird.” Aelin looked up at her mate. “I suppose you’re the closest I’ll get. What does it feel like to fly, Rowan?”

“It feels… amazing,” Rowan said, a thumb grazing over Aelin’s cheek. “Thrilling and terrifying at the same time. But the way the wind lifts you and all that you can see of the world, it makes me feel free.”

Aelin looked back to the courtyard at where her daughter played, where the future she never thought she’d have was right in front of her. Aedion came to collect his son and Elide was doing the same, while Fenrys tended to the young princess. It was nearing supper time and they’d all gather in the dining hall soon and eat and talk and laugh. 

Her dearest friends were no longer words on a page, they lived and breathed, enriching Aelin’s life more than she had ever dared to imagine all those years ago. It had already been ten years of peace and Aelin knew in her heart that this hard won tranquillity would last for many, many years to come. She would fight for it until she had nothing left to give. 

“Fireheart,” Rowan said softly, worry edging his tone. 

“I’m thinking too much,” Aelin shook her head, trying to shrug off the heavy mood that had fallen over her. She knew the remedy for it, and she appeared at the end of the hallway now.

“Mama!”

Fenrys put his charge down and Elspeth ran for her mother and father. It was Rowan that caught her, bringing Elspeth high enough that Aelin could kiss her cheeks. Being in the presence of her family was enough to dismiss the shadows of the past. It reminded her of the future she had the blessing to live, and of those she had the honour to share it with.

~~~~

Thank you for reading and yep... still no tag list

@rowaelinscourt

[carnalapples]

My Year in Writing: 2024

Thank you @theluckywizard for the tag!! I'm not sure who hasn't done this yet, so OPEN INVITATION to brag about your writing!! I want to see it <3

Words Written: 132,589

Fics Published: 23

Fandoms: Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Dishonored (!!), The Hunger Games, Rogue Trader

Favorite Fics:

1. anatomy of a haunted heart - DA: Awakening, Nathaniel/Velanna, time loops and haunted houses

I really challenged myself to do this fic, I'm terrified of writing long fics on a deadline, but I wanted to do something different. I fell in love with both Velanna and Nathaniel while writing this fic, and I tried really hard to match up to the vision I had in my head--while that vision wasn't super clear, and I'm not sure if this did match up, I'm really happy with how it ended up!!

2. four and twenty blackbirds - Dishonored, Corvo/Granny Rags, a love letter to Granny Rags

This is another fic I got weird with, I wrote this for an exchange, and I was originally going to write Geoff Curnow/Corvo, but then Granny Rags took over my entire brain. She's just so interesting and the fic kind of got away from me. I had so much fun putting this together!

3. cut down at the garden's gate - Dragon Age 2, Hawke/Sebastian, political marriage forces you to confront your feelings for your ex, more at 11

Again, this was a challenge, and I do love how this ended up. There are sections I might rewrite, but I was really proud of finishing on a deadline (despite many issues I had with continuity haha, I'm not much of a multichap writer so even 3 chapters was tricky for me!) I think I wrote this in a rush, but I think otherwise I never would have finished this story, and I really wanted to finish and share it.

Most Used Tags: Sexual Content, Post-Canon, Canon Compliant

Highest Kudos: follow me into the dark - Mass Effect, Shepard/Tali after Rannoch.

Highest Hit Oneshot: also follow me into the dark, haha

New Things I Tried: Time-based challenges! i.e. a DA Big Bang, and the WIP Big Bang... And I tried DADWC and really ended up liking it!! I think it did a lot to help me learn how to write without judgment and just get a story or concept out, and I used a lot of what I wrote and learned from DADWC as inspiration to write or finish larger stories.

Fic I Spent the Most Time On: dead winter in the forgotten land (Dragon Age), this was like two years in the making lol

Fic I Spent the Least Time On: I think savior complex (THG); I wrote it as a pinch-hit for a Hunger Games exchange, which was super fun!

Favorite Things I Read: I read so much amazing stuff this year but here are 3 that come to mind:

dirt romantic by rowanisawriter (@rowanisawriter) GUYS this fic... Peak romance, peak Zevran, the relationship between Zevran and a Cousland Warden is one of pining and differences in status and constantly shifting boundaries and Rowan writes that perfectly. Please read this and come be ill about Zevran with me....

Eat, Drink, Poison by elo_elo (@junkbabelna): This is a Cullen/Trevelyan modern AU--I aspire to write modern AUs like theirs, I love the details and the atmosphere so much. I think that they have such a knack for just getting to the heart of a character and what shaped them that way!!

a soft place to fall by petruchio (@petruchio): This was a gorgeous fic about Johanna coming back to District 12 after the war, I really love the way her recovery is portrayed and how all of the characters are struggling to adapt to a life that's in their control.

Biggest Surprises: I think that I’m capable of writing longer pieces? I was flying blind for both the longer pieces I did on deadline and somehow finished on time. I reread "anatomy of a haunted heart" the other day and I still can't believe I did that, lol. It was very scary, but I'm proud of it.

What I Learned: To keep writing when I'm feeling discouraged, sometimes I write a piece and I think it's mediocre, but when I go back and compare it to things I had written before, there is definitely growth there. I've been rereading what I wrote this year since I was feeling like I was rushing through pieces and they weren't as good, but I was really proud of some of the works I put out! So I guess I've had to keep in mind that I'm always changing, even if that's not evident at all times.

What I Want to Write Next Year: I want to try writing horror--I think that would be a real challenge for me, but I love reading it. I want to do more outlined/planned out fics. I want to finish at least 3 of my WIPs: my arranged marriage AU, the last part to a Bollywood series i posted, and my post-destroy fic!

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who has read, commented on, and supported my writing--I would not have written without y'all, and I'm so happy to have found this community of people who also feel that writing and reading are necessary to them!! It makes writing so much more fun, I'm really grateful to have you 💕💕

[thesummerstorms]

Looking at my various DA "canon" protagonists since DA2, aka:

Rowan Hawke, Responsible/parentified apostate whose life keeps falling apart despite her every valiant effort

Evanna Trevelyan, human Circle Mage turned Apostate, anti-Circle, being forced into a leadership role she never wanted by people who would never have trusted her if not for the mark on her hand but determined to be good even as her identity is co-opted

Arsinoë de Riva, Antivan ex-Circle Mage Apostate whatever a "free" mage is called in Antiva ten years after the Inquisition, who has quite literally had lethality beaten into her, has been expecting to die in service to her House for years, and yet has a strong distaste for the cruelty of the powerful

At some point Varric has to ask himself "how the hell do I keep saddling myself with these depressed Apostate Mages?"**

** he is deliberately trying not to think about Anders when he thinks about this.

[midnightprelude]

Middy's DA Create-a-Thon Masterpost

This year I made a bunch of different works for the @dacreateathon, including fic, recipes, crochet, and podfic! Here is a post of everything I made for the event this year. :)

Fanfiction:

The following works are part of a large collaboration called A Night to Remember with Team Orlais. All of the works are set at an Orlesian ball at some point between the end of Inquisition and start of Trespasser.

Madame Volants' Guide to the Grand Game

Rating: G

Madame Volants invites you to the Monmarte Ball, where excitement abounds and characters from the Dragon Age series will certainly have an unforgettable evening.

Notes from the Chateau Lierre Kitchens

Rating: G

A few moments from an Orlesian kitchen, featuring recipes for Remy Ducasse's macarons and Alienage quiche.

Stealing Glances, written with @oftachancer

Rating: T

Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus

Word Count: 5K

Rilienus has a job to do, but how can he resist the handsome Alti who keeps getting in his way?

More Fanfiction (not associated with the Orlais collab):

The Vault that Dreams Might Fill, with @oftachancer

Rating: M

Relationships: Karl Thekla/Dorian Pavus, mentioned Karl Thekla/Anders/F!Hawke

Word Count: 33K

In 9:41, a book was found in Therinfal Redoubt that held a long-held secret about Tranquility. Karl Thekla needs to learn that secret. He needs it like he needs to breathe. Though it is risky, he sets off to pursue a solution to the endless cycle of Tranquility and raw awareness he has been living through for nearly ten years.

This work is the seventh part of 'The Mortice and the Tenon' Arc, which follows the alternate history of Karl Thekla and Anders. This series can be read alone, but if you're curious to learn more details of their history to this point, please enjoy earlier parts of the Arc.

Daylight, with @oftachancer

Rating: E

Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus

Word Count: 41K

In 9:31 Dragon, the Silver Lady of Churneau hosted a week-long fete to celebrate the end of the Fifth Blight. She invited guests from around Thedas to attend. This is where Dorian Pavus met Rilienus Maecilia and didn't have a chance to ask a question.

(This is a prequel to The Vault that Dreams Might Fill, but doesn't need to be read in that order).

Shredded Lace and New Leather, with @oftachancer

Rating: M

Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus

Word Count: 30K

After 10 years apart, Dorian and Rilienus are unexpectedly reunited.

(This is a sequel to Daylight and probably should be read in that order, but can also be read alone).

Friends After the Fall

Rating: G

Relationships: Merrill & Anders

Word Count: 2K

Merrill begins a correspondence with Anders after he flees Kirkwall. Includes a recipe for Anders' Apple Crisp.

Podfic:

Curiosity Crosses the Veil

Rating: T

Relationships: Spirit of Curiosity/Human OC, Female Surana & Female Amell & Jowan

Jowan's anxiety rises as he approaches the age to Harrow, and it's getting to his friends. Hamin decides to distract him with a story of Veil-crossed lovers.

Curiosity is a spirit who yearns to experience the waking world, Odric is the human she comes to love, and Envy is a demon who has dark designs on their union.

A storytelling fic set in the Kinloch Circle Tower, inspired by The Little Mermaid. Written and recorded for Create-a-thon 2024.

Ready to Rise and Fall

Rating: G

Relationships: Loghain Mac Tir/Rowan Guerrin

Musings on Loghain and Rowan before the final battle for freedom.

Originally written by Librivore42 and recorded by midnightprelude.

Crochet:

Baby Griffon

A crocheted baby griffon hatched just in time for the Dragon Age Create-a-Thon!

[nazali]

moving posts over from my oc sideblog 3.0

[seraphfighter]

Character Cuddle Scale

Thank you for the tag, @glitchinginthegarden! 🫶 This is a fun one.

How-to: Rate your OCs based on how they handle cuddling/being cuddled.

I'm going to try and include some of my lesser-known OCs along as my main ones in this--here we go!

Val (cp77): 7/10. In theory, Val's a cuddler. The girl longs for an affectionate touch. But in reality, she has a hard time letting enough people close for that kind of physical contact. Yet, when it's with her significant other, she melts into the cuddles. Wrap your arms around her and you aren't allowed to move away until she says so.

Aila (bg3): 5/10. If you don't know her and she doesn't trust her, don't touch her. You might lose a hand. If she loves you though, she enjoys the contact. But most of the time she prefers to be the one holding instead of being held, she likes being able to give her partner that physical comfort. She loses some points for her shortness.

Rowan (skyrim): 9/10. This man was made to cuddle. His idea of a perfect day is lazing around doing nothing and if you're there with him, you aren't escaping the cuddles. He also naturally runs warm so you will be comfortably toasty the entire time.

Jade Shepard (me): 3/10. Good luck getting her to rest long enough to cuddle. She's constantly go go go. She hates sitting still. She'll begrudgingly cuddle if you pull her down and force her to, but she will constantly be shifting around so it won't be very comfortable for either of you.

Ember Hawke (da): 4/10. She's not a very physically affectionate person, which isn't a surprise to anyone who knows her. Her love language is words of affirmation. Yet, if she's feeling down or if you're in need of physical comfort, she will cuddle with you, but as soon as you're feeling better she's done.

I have more OCs I can go into but I feel like some answers would be repetitive, so we'll stop there for now.

No pressure tagging: @totentnz, @togepies, @bishicat, @trashcatsnark, and @streetkid-named-desire

[ikeromantic]

Other Fandoms Masterlist

Arcana

Asra - Earth, Rowan - travel, and Polyhymnia - the sacred or divine

I haven't written much for Arcana but damn I love it so much ^_^

Dragon Age

Missing You - post game Inquisitor and Solas angst (Ao3)

Just a Distraction - Grey Warden grieves over Tamlen with Alistair, angst (Ao3)

Reliquary Mage - DA2 Hawke and Fenris multichap fic (Ao3)

A Simple Task - DA2 Hawke and Fenris multichap fic (Ao3)

I don't write much for DA anymore, but I am working on re-editing and posting the stories I already have for them into Ao3

[like-dogs--shianni]

I was tagged by the lovely @ghoulsbeard and @isayashai to make my DA OCs using this beautiful picrew! <3 tagging anyone else who sees this and feels like bringing their character to life. :)

DAO: Kali Tabris

DA2: Rowan Hawke

DAI: Variel Lavellan

[sortahawkward]

tag game! via @falbet 🥰

Three ships:

Albel/Fayt - (Star Ocean: Till the End of Time) the og ancient ship that will never die for me (even if the fandom did).

Laslow/Xander - (Fire Emblem: Fates) Everyone moved onto FE16 but I'm stuck here :] but I enjoy my many FE ships through the ages and this one is my enduring favorite.

Fenris/Hawke - (Dragon Age 2) my favorite of the DA ships, also an enduring fav. Fenris helped make me trans :D

First Ever Ship:

Ken Ichijouji/Hikari Yagami from Digimon 02. Really I just adored Ken (my original heel face turn villain with character development) and the pairing with Hikari was the most popular behind Yolei (who I hated). I even wrote fic for it once. Albel and Fayt were my first gay ship :D

Last Song: This was super stuck in my head so I jammed to it. Need to buy the mp3.

Last Movie:

I saw Avatar 2 with my parents and had a good time seeing the critters and worldbuilding and speculative biology. Yes yes I know the issues of depictions of appropriated indigenous culture but I'm too tired to have that debate with my parents. They were very hyped to see it as they also loved the first one so I settled back for a chill fun time at the IMAX theater. I actually teared up as the movie started since it was the first movie I saw in theaters since the pandemic and it hit me hard how much I MISSED seeing stuff in theaters ; ;

Currently Reading:

Currently reading Snow White With the Red Hair manga with my fiance :D and I just finished "Winter's Orbit" which was gay sci fi. Now searching for more gay goodness to read.

Currently Watching:

Been watching lots of educational youtube with fiance. Some favs are: Tasting History with Max Miller, Bernadette Banner, Evan and Katelyn, Adam Ragusea, Cinema Therapy, Studson Studios, Rowan Ellis, Hello Future Me, Rachel Maksy, Fall of Civilizations podcast, Shaun...etc There's a lot of shows I've downloaded to watch when the brain gets in the mood to, like the Dragon Age show and Sandman. One day...

Currently consuming:

I've been playing a lot of random city building games, like I finished Airborn Kingdom and now I'm playing Pharoah: A New Era. Pharoah is very good and in-depth but it's a buggy new release, which is frustrating here and there. I enjoy the egyptian history though. I've also been modding and replaying gay Skyrim.

Currently craving:

More time!! 40 hours a week at my job doesn't leave much for writing and creating myself :[. Also I crave a new fandom or something, and fic to read...feeling kind of listless and I think I've burned out on my tales of vesperia kick. Maybe it's time to reread some old fic favs? Or time to scrounge up some RP I really wanna write.

tagging: @beanbakery @pompadoriangray @hallowedlore @sharinalein and/or anyone else who wants to do the thing, consider yourself tagged :D no pressure ofc

[highwayphantoms]

shamelessly stolen from @flashhwing: make your DA protags in this picrew

I have, as you may be aware, a lot of dragon age protags so. 😂 here’s one worldstate’s worth of protags. from left to right: R. Tabris, Serafina Hawke (plus a baby Bear), and Rowan

imma tag uhh anyone and everyone. tag yourselves. have fun.

[carnalapples]

hi!!!!!! i have questions!!!!!!

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

9. How do you find new fic to read?

30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

Hello thank you for the ask Rowan!!!!!

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

I’m pretty proud of the different AUs in rivers; I enjoy thinking through all the chain reactions that would have had to occur for a certain set of circumstances to be in place. I’m also really happy with how the world of my Hawke/Sebastian fic is coming together, although I still need to do a lot of work before it gets someplace I’d be happy publishing (and I am impatient). The Free Marches are such a good playground!! I like the idea that Ashna’s sister is Inquisitor in this world, even though it barely comes up lol. She recruits the templars as one major change, and I like the potential mirroring of a dynamic between the Hawkes and the Trevelyans. (The more I look at what I consume and write, I really like strange family dynamics lol!)

While I'm off-topic, wedding ceremonies. Real or fictional, I'll never get tired of learning about them, lol.

9. How do you find new fic to read?

I am a very picky reader at times, haha. I usually have an idea not so much of what specifically I want to read but what kind of mood I want to be in. Sometimes I know I want like a modern AU or a specific trope, or I might have Thoughts about one part of canon and want an AU specifically about that… (ME2 Horizon...) So usually I just go on AO3 to the fandom and filter characters/pairings and explore, sometimes with specific searches. For DA in particular I love the Black Emporium Exchange collections, the rarepairs are so good!

A lot of the fandoms I want to read for are smaller, so I'll just gradually work through everything that looks interesting haha. Really often, I’ll go to authors I enjoy and check out their bookmarks; because of this, I read fandom-blind a lot and have often gotten into fandoms after reading fic, which is always a fun time (This is how I got into Dragon Age, actually! And why I’ve read so much Mad Men fic for someone who has never seen Mad Men LOL)

30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?

I think I tried to stretch myself with a heart because I'd never written a continuous multi-chapter story before. Really, I took a risk with risky business; I’d never written for Zevran or Josephine before, and I was so nervous because I wanted to do it right and on a deadline. I don't know even now if I matched up to what I wanted, but with the deadline, I had to get it out there no matter what, and I couldn’t back out; that really helped. I think now when I write and I'm going over something over and over or delaying posting, I can ask myself: is it going to get any better with the skills I have, or is posting this and moving on to something else the way to grow?

Also, every time I write sex is pushing my comfort zone lol, I always post and think "oh ok, that's out there." Slowly trying to expand said zone.

49. What are you currently working on? Share a few lines if you’re up for it!

I’ve recently been sidetracked from all things Dragon Age, and have been bouncing between that Miranda/Shepard fic and this fic for a Hindi movie I watched a while back. (At this point, I'm getting distracted from distractions 😭) A few lines from the latter:

He thinks that as much as he wants to protect Akira, she is the one protecting him. From getting old and bitter and somehow from dying. Suddenly, he feels a hollowness inside him, the conspicuous lack of something. The lack of her body and her warmth pressed tight up against him. The lack of her voice and her incessant chatter. His life is very quiet without her. Figuratively speaking, which is another thing he doesn’t really do without her. This life is not conducive to metaphor.  Her pants were too big, that’s what he remembers. They lent her the extras they had, and if they were big on Krishnan, of course they’d be big on her. She had to cinch them up, and he hates the way he feels when he thinks about it. 

Thank you again for the ask!!