#dragon age survey

[oediex]

The Big Dragon Age Survey! 🎮 ✍️

Hello everyone!

May I present to you a labour of blood, sweat, tears, and love:

The Big Dragon Age Survey!

This is a survey for all lovers of Dragon Age, whether you have played the games yourself, or have watched others play them! I don't care how you engage with the series, if you love Dragon Age, then this survey is for you.

If you know someone who loves Dragon Age, whether on Tumblr or elsewhere, please do tag them and/or send them a link to the survey. The more the merrier!

The survey will be open through the month of May 2024. I will close it once we roll into June. I will publish the results of the survey as quickly as possible, so I imagine that will also be in June, but please be patient, since it's a lot of information!

The survey should take about 15-20 minutes to complete. (But please don't quote me on that.) (In fact, if your experience is different, please let me know and I will adjust this information!)

There are four main sections to the survey:

A section on the Dragon Age series in general, and BioWare.

A section on the three main Dragon Age games, covering many of the choices you make in the game - this, as you can imagine, is the biggest section

A section on Dragon Age and fandom

A section on the Dragon Age fandom demographic.

I want to make clear that no one but me (Oedie) will see the raw data of this survey. Any information that will be shared publicly will be statistics/generalised. I will never share any information that can be easily identified. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to message me on discord (oedie) or Tumblr (@oediex) and I will try to help you in any way I can.

Also, please note that none of the questions are required, although you are encouraged to complete them all. All answers are anonymous and no e-mail addresses are collected for this survey. If you're still concerned, you can always complete this survey in an incognito window!

Alright, so now for the actual link - here it is!

Thank you so much for contributing to this survey and for sharing with people who also love Dragon Age! ❤️🎮

[seeker-ophelia]

Mythal'Enatse friend 🙏

Hi Veilguard Friends!

I made a Veilguard Survey!

I want you to tell me how you felt about the game!

Why? Well mostly cuz I'm a curious little kitten, but also because I want to make a "Keep" DLC Script for Veilguard, and to do that I need to know how people feel and what they care about.

I do not have a ton of followers, so if you'd share/reblog this I would be much obliged! The more responses I get the better!

If making a "Dragon Age for the Fans" DLC sounds interesting to you, and you're a fic writer, or an artist, or a lore hound, or you just have *feelings* HMU.

My working name for this is Agents of Fen'Harel. Thanks for reading and plzplzplz do my survey. TYSM in advance!

[rpgchoices]

The result of the DA romances survey (>2000 partecipants!) - Part 1

2273 people answered the survey, thank you so much! I truly did not expect such a big number and I am so humbled!

With all this data I wanted here to present the general results, and then work a bit more with correlations (ex. Zevran romancers... who did they prefer in next games?) in a part 2. So this part 1 will be a summary (with graphs) of the whole survey. The original survey was here on google form, I reopened it only to allow people to check how each question was written.

This first part is divided in:

General considerations on the sample size

General data

Dragon Age: origins (spoilers)

Dragon Age 2 (spoilers)

Dragon Age Inquisition (spoilers)

Dragon Age The Veilguard (no spoilers)

1. General considerations on the sample size

The survey was open from 16th November to 23rd November and 2273 people answered.

A consideration always must be done of the sample. In this case I wanted to underline that the places where I shared the survey and especially where it found track are well represented, while I definitely missed other portions of the fandom.

In general I shared the survey on tumblr (here), on twitter, on blue sky and on reddit. On twitter and blue sky I received a very small number of likes and retweet, while mainly the survey was shared on tumblr and it received comments here on reddit. Twitter, tumblr and bluesky are more correlated to a closer circle than places like reddit, so for completion sake: my rpgchoices tumblr is mainly about queer romances and videogames with queer content, my twitter is less DA-focused (actually only DA focused recently) and my bluesky is very very small.

Also keep in mind that people who have access to playing data will always have the correct data, because this sample size here reflects the online active fandom (mainly on reddit and tumblr) and not the general player base!

Another thing: I really regret not adding a question about age, gender and where you found the survey!

2. General data

The first question is, of course, which games did you play? People could choose multiple games at one:

I was quite surprised to see that Inquisition was the game most people played, but in general these was little difference between the three main games: DAI, DAO and DA2.

Veilguard (in violet) was divided between "Finished at least once" and "playing" and the sum of the two is 1998, which puts it just after Trespasser.

DAO DLCs are also the less played in general (with Darkspawn chronicles the least played), but with Awakening more played than DA2: Legacy and DA2: Mark of the Assassin.

Now, jumping into romances:

The majority of people seem to have a canon romance for each game (56%). 26% of people instead have different player characters for different romances (just like me!) while 15% of people mix it up!

Regarding the total characters that can be romanced in all the games (please ignore the colors, I messed the up... I am sorry):

For these graphs we can look right at the top and see that in both cases: Alistair is first. Alistair was the character that was romanced at least once and also multiple times the most. The order is the same for the first group of characters (in order): Alistair, Fenris, Zevran, Anders, Solas, Cullen, Dorian. The rest is relatively similar, with only some swaps.

For Veilguard (in violet) the numbers are smaller because the game is still new, so not many occasions to romance multiple characters. Lucanis in both cases was the most romanced in Veilguard and the one most romanced multiple times (126).

There was also another general question at the end, regarding other videogames with romances:

Congrats to the 5 people who played Hero-U rogue to redemption (it was adorable).

The question was framed with (for example) "Baldur's Gate games" so any game from 1 to 3. All these games have romances and are rpg, also if not all of them have queer romances.

Probably thanks to BG3 we have Baldur's Gate games in first place, with 1941 people (almost close to the full amount of the sample!) who played them, followed by the Mass Effect trilogy and Elder Scroll games.

If I can personally recommend games on the bottom half of the list: Pendula Swing (1920s urban fantasy, no combat, queer romances, female protagonist), Sorcery! (male or female protagonist, only 1 romance option who is a guy who tries to assassinate you, 4 games, text rpg, lots of choices, fantasy), Enderal (free pc mod for Skyrim with its own world, lore and story, one of the best game opening scenes ever if not the best, fully voiced, action rpg, queer romance, two tomance options) and Rogue Trader (isometric rpg in Warhammer universe, no knowlegde of the world or lore required, sci fi, turn based combat, multiple romances, queer romances, 1 d/s romance where you can choose to be dom or sub) are among my favorite games ever.

3. DRAGON AGE ORIGINS (spoilers from the game)

Alistair was the romance most favorited by people who answered the survey, with 38% of people choosing him, followed by Zevran (26%) and Morrigan (18%). A very small amount of people (3%) had no one as their favorite/canon romance.

Second fav romance was basically the same graph again!

Regarding the player character:

Female human Warden (Cousland) was the Warden that seems most played by the sample size, both for being considered the canon one (surpassing second place: female city elf, by almost double) and for being played at least once.

I also found it interesting that the order of female and male characters is the same. In general female Wardens are more popular (68%) but the order of popularity for origin being played at least once is still: human noble, city elf, dalish elf, elf mage, human mage, dwarf noble and dwarf commoner.

For what is considered canon, the order seems to change, with city elf male falling down the other elves, and human mage being even less popular.

There were also two questions about Morrigan and Alistair's destinies, but people let me know I missed some options, apologies! So take these with a grain of salt:

4. DRAGON AGE 2 (SPOILERS)

For favorite romance in DA2 we have Fenris taking even a bigger % of "fav romance" than Alistair in DAO (and keep in mind Alistair had less competitors!), followed by Anders (24%) and Isabela (15%).

Interesting for the second favorite romance it is the "No second favorite, only one favorite" that wins with 31%! This means that in DA2, a 31% of people just have a strong preference for one romance only.

Regarding the player character (Hawke):

(top graph) purple female Hawke seems to be the one that is preferred as canon Hawke, followed by purple male hawke. Red hawke (both genders) was the least chosen one.

(bottom graph) in general, Marian Hawke had a higher number of players (played at least once as) than Garrett Hawke, but the difference was not as big as we saw between female and male protagonists in DAO.

(pie graph) regarding the customization, the majority of people (51%) customized all of their Hawke, indipendently from gender and playthrough. A big number (33%) instead used the default Hawke, while others preferred a mix of the two (depending on gender or playthrough).

VARRIC!

39% of players would have romanced Varric in DA2 if he had been available! But interestingly this pie is divided in almost equal parts between yes, no and depending on how the romance actually was (which was the one I chose!).

5. DRAGON AGE INQUISITION

Solas was the most chosen romance (as favorite or canon) in DAI, with 25% of people choosing him. Dorian is second (18%) and Cullen third (15%). The no one (3%) is comparable to the same answer in the previous games.

Maybe unsurprisingly Sera was the least favorite romance among the companions (sigh... she is my canon one), with The Iron Bull also having very similar numbers to her (that surprised me, I admit it!). Josephine was the favorite female romance in DAI (11%).

As for DA2, when I asked about the second favorite romance there was a high number of "no second favorite" (19%), followed by Dorian, then Josephine. I think the fact that we do not have the same order as before (Solas, Dorian, Cullen) might mean that the Solas and Cullan romancer are very dedicated to their romance, especially Solas - who had only a 9% of people that chose him as a second favorite romance.

Regarding the Inquisitor:

Female elf (Lavellan) had an incredibly high number of people choosing her as their canon inquisitor, more than double second place (human female). The rest of the Inquisitors are not too different (a part from dwarves who again get the least amount).

For the question "which of these inquisitors did you play at least once" the order of the choices are pretty similar, with "female elf", "female human", "male elf" and "male human" (in this order) at the top.

Regarding the choice for Divine Victoria:

The majority (60%) chose Leliana as their Divine. In second place instead we had no canon Divine or a change based on playthrough. Vivienne (my Divine!!!) was the least chosen one (I am starting to feel some of my choices are very unpopular haha).

Now, for who did you leave in the fade:

It is pretty clear that (black and red graph, last on the right) Stroud was the easiest to leave in the fade.

(blue and red, first graph on the left) Hawke was also saved the most in games that had Loghain as the other option, with a similar percentage of people that chose to leave Loghain (82%) or Stroud (85%).

Surprisingly this flips (central graph, grey and red) when the choice was between Alistair and Hawke. Hawke in this case was the one left in the Fade, even if in less extreme % (67%), with Alistair being the one usually saved. Which checks out given Alistair was the most popular romance choice in DAO among the people who answered this survey.

6. DRAGON AGE VEILGUARD (NO SPOILERS)

And here the tentatively presented Veilguard results! I say tentatively because we are still very close to release, and a lot of people did not have the time to experience the full game or multiple romances.

In fact, only 11% of people completed multiple playthroughs. 46% completed the game at least once, while 31% are still playing it for the first time.

Regarding the player character, I only added questions regarding factions as they seem much more influential than elf/qunari/dwarf/human:

This was a multiple choice in case people tried different factions! Shadow Dragons, Mourn Watches and Grey Wardens have very similar numbers and are the top three. Surpringly, Veil Jumper was on the bottom (with Lord of Fortune being the least chosen).

Regarding the romances:

Before players started the game it seems like they had an idea among the characters who were romancable, with a lot of people being interested in the three male characters (Lucanis, Emmrich, Davrin) followed by Neve, Harding and Taash. Surprisingly, Bellara was even lower than "none/no spoilers".

In the first game, people followed more or less what they were interested in, with 28% of people going for the Lucanis romance, followed by Emmrich (19%) and then Davrin (16%). Following we have Neve, Harding and then Bellara, which this time surpassed Taash.

When we look at "who is your favorite romance" (graph on the left) we see that things changed based on expectation/who you tried to romance first.

Lucanis is not first anymore, but we actually have Emmrich (23%) as the favorite romance, followed by No one (19%) and only then Lucanis (15%). Davrin is in fourth place with 14%. The rest follows the same order as before, but all the female characters and the one non-binary characters are under "Multiple beloved equally" which is 9%.

Regarding the second favorite romance, maybe (because the game is so new) it is to be expected that the option that wins is "None/I only have one" with 36%, followed by Emmrich (16%) and then Davrin (13%). Interestingly, Lucanis fall to just a 7% under the "Multiple" (11%). I think (like we saw before for Solas and Cullen) it seems like the people who like Lucanis romance him and might not have a second favorite.

I hope you enjoyed this summary!! I cannot wait to make even more graphs and see what else is in this data!

[dalishious]

Dragon Age Romancing Survey Results

Romance is one of the many fun aspects that the Dragon Age games has to offer. I myself have romanced every available love interest throughout all the games at least once, and this led me to question how common that was among other players. Thus, I created this survey to examine the romancing experiences in the fandom on tumblr.

Please keep in mind though, a couple biases: This survey was only circulated through tumblr, and also likely leans towards followers of this blog specifically. As such, the results do not capture the entirety of the player-base! For example, we know for a fact from BioWare’s own shared statistics that Leliana is the most romanced love interest in Dragon Age: Origins. But that is not what is shown from this specific survey.

Dragon Age: Origins

26% of respondents romanced all love interests at least once.

47% of respondents romanced Morrigan at least once.

76% of respondents romanced Alistair at least once.

55% of respondents romanced Leliana at least once.

79% of respondents romanced Zevran at least once.

40% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Alistair the most.

40% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Zevran the most.

14% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Leliana the most.

6% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Morrigan the most.

Dragon Age II

11% of respondents romanced all love interests at least once.

67% of respondents romanced Anders at least once.

59% of respondents romanced Isabela at least once.

75% of respondents romanced Fenris at least once.

53% of respondents romanced Merrill at least once.

18% of respondents romanced Sebastian at least once.

31% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Anders the most.

15% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Isabela the most.

42% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Fenris the most.

12% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Merrill the most.

1% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Sebastian the most.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

7% of respondents romanced all love interests at least once.

29% of respondents romanced Cassandra at least once.

55% of respondents romanced Solas at least once.

43% of respondents romanced Sera at least once.

42% of respondents romanced Blackwall at least once.

57% of respondents romanced Dorian at least once.

47% of respondents romanced Iron Bull at least once.

57% of respondents romanced Josephine at least once.

47% of respondents romanced Cullen at least once.

2% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Cassandra the most.

23% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Solas the most.

11% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Sera the most.

8% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Blackwall the most.

25% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Dorian the most.

9% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Iron Bull the most.

12% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Josephine the most.

11% of respondents who have played the game more than once said they romanced Cullen the most.

[bluebirbblues]

[dragonagepolls]

From @nikkikan: I had fun messing around with some friends and getting the most out of the combat mechanics but never see anyone else talk about it on here.

[avoskorm]

Least favourite character in Dragon Age: Inquisition?

The Requisition Officer.

Stop interrupting the party banter for fuck's sake.

[oldandcrusty]

Survey - Analysing Jinx (Arcane) and Anders (Dragon Age 2)

I'm a researcher by profession and an author by aspiration.

I find the similarities between Anders and Jinx interesting, particularly because I experienced their stories quite differently. I therefore wanted to explore how they were written and what writers could learn from these two examples.

Feel free to fill out this survey if you want to help me in my research. You need not have played/watched both pieces of media to complete this survey.

I'll be providing a summary of the findings in a couple of months, once I have enough data to analyse. This will hopefully be insightful to both writers and non-writers.

It will also be very level-headed. I'm not in the business of bashing fans or individuals. I want to see what works, what doesn't work, and what we can learn from it.

[mabaris]

[wickedapostate]

Veilguard Intended Romance Statistics

While of course nothing is set in stone at the moment, I am very curious about who is intending to romance each of the companions of Veilguard. So I've put together surveys for each covering information about the Rook along with the other main characters of the worldstate they're from, excluding the Orlesian Warden-Commander.

These surveys have been put together exclusively on mobile, so if they have any problems that likely is why. Please do inform me though if there are any critical issues or exclusions.

At some point, at maximum the Veilguard release date, these surveys will be closed and I'll be compiling the information from them and posting it here. This is because I'm currently most interested in the pre-release trends and documenting them, I am certain there will be similar surveys after the game is released.

I am looking for as big a sample size as possible, so please feel free to share this far and wide in any Dragon Age related groups and spaces you may be part of.

Without further ado, the surveys. Please take any you feel are applicable to who you are planning to romance in Veilguard.

Bellara

Davrin

Emmerich Volkarin

Lace Harding

Lucanis Dellamorte

Neve Gallus

Taash

Update: October 30th 2024 is now when these surveys will close!

[oediex]

There's something I didn't include in the Big Dragon Age Survey (now closed) that I meant to, so I'm going to make it into a poll now, especially with the new information regarding romance in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

I think both are valid, so let's be nice to each other, and keep note not to refer to the first option as "playersexual".

[seeker-ophelia]

HAPPY DRAGON AGE DAY

Conniving Crows, Wicked Watchers, Lustful Lords, Vivacious Veil Jumpers, Wild Wardens, and Shrewd Shadow Dragons!

Me: THANK YOU SO MUCH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR FILLING OUT MY SURVEY! You: Lady, what are you talking about? Me: A couple weeks ago you filled out my survey! You: Oh yeah, whatever happened with that?

Well, let me tell you, good internet people!

Dragon Age: The Veilguard in “One Word”:

If I had a nickel for every "Fun, but..." or "Pretty, but..." responses, I would have a lot of nickels. "Fun but not Dragon Age" was my personal favorite.

If you don't see your verbatim response here, that's because there was 650 of you. And I had to take some liberties with verbiage here.

What were your Overall Impressions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

What did you like the MOST about Veilguard?

What did you HATE about Veilguard?

Ho, nelly, you guys.

186 (>28%!) of you used the “Other” box to expand on your ideas (which is part of why this graph is so uhgly) but I appreciate every single one of you sharing your thoughts with me.

19 (2.9%) of you said something pertaining to “The Writing” even though that wasn’t an option

112 (17%!) of you mentioned (at least one of) the words: shallow, pale, child-locked, darkness, nuance, choice, conflict, empty, sanitized, or (my personal favourite) toothless.  

Some “Hated” Honorable Mentions:

“Neve’s Hat”

Fuck off her fascinator is fascinating

“Not Being able to Swim”

I read it before and I still laughed; this one is the real MVP

The Death of Varric

☹

The one person who said “Harding”

I will fight you

The TWO People who said “Too many puzzles”

Bitch is this Taash? How did you get access to this???

**Shout out to the people who pointed out I spelled DIALOGE wrong, yeah I know sorry I’m an idiot

If Veilguard were to have a DLC, which Companion Characters would you want to see return the most?

I find it SO interesting that I asked for 5, and there were 5 VERY CLEAR winners...

(Cole, Dorian, Fenris, Merrill, Zevran, by a veritable landslide; there’s over 100 votes between the lowest – Merrill (284), and the next highest – Cassandra (177))  

To those of you who can’t read: the HoF, Hawke, and the Inquisitor are NOT Companion Characters.

Also, to the one person who responded: “No one deserves to be dragged through that” I see you.

*I did not have time to collate the data supplied in “Other” but I think there’s a pretty obvious winner here

And now, if a “Keep” DLC were to be made, which choices do YOU think are the most important to have?

Before we jump into that, I would just like to say how little these answers differ; despite my open ended question a LOT of people wrote the same things.

Some of you, bless your little hearts, explained your choices like im a dumb bitch who hasn’t been living in the wiki and played each game 2/3/5 times. Like I would be doing this and not know what Orzammar or the Architect is.  Bless your little worm spirits you’re so adorable.

Every person who said “Inquisitors Class” followed it up with (weird I know sorry uwu im so weird im sorry) like… guys. You know…. You are ALLOWED to have OPINIONS. And you’re not weird there was like 6 of you. You're not alone.

To the EVERYTHING/ALL OF IT people; I see you.

Four people were brave enough to admit they couldn’t remember anything, and 55 people didn’t write ANYTHING.

Behold, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat:

Circle Fate: Fate of the Chantry Circles after DAI

DAI Wardens: Wardens exiled/accepted in DAI

Divine: Who you chose for the Divine (DAI)

Fade Fate: The Fate of the person you left in the fade in DAI

Mage/Templar: The outcome of the Mage/Templar conflict (not differentiated between Inquisition/2)

Southern Rulers: All three Rulers of Southern Thedas; Ferelden, Orlais, & Orzammar

The Well: Who Drank Mythal's Bathwater (dont kink shame me)

Any answer with less than 5 responses got taken out for brevity and are listed below:

(2) Nothing Cuz they destroyed the South, (1) ANYTHING!!!!!, (1) fuck you (bioware) for disregarding the entire lore of the first few games, (1) I think the most interesting things are the smaller stuff you don't expect to carry over.

(2) Andraste's Urn, (2) Avernus (research), (1) Awakening companions fates, (2) Calpernia's Fate, (3) Cass/Tranquility, (2) Clan Lavellan Status, (1) Cullen/Lyrium, (2) DA:O Dalish Clan, (1) DA2 Isabela, (2) DA2 Qunari Plot outcome, (1) Dagna (Magic School), (1) Danarius, (1) Disband/Keep Inquisition, (2) Faded for Her Result, (3) Hawke Siblings Fate, (2) Inquisition disbanded actual consequences, (1) Inquisition Support of Nevarra or Tevintrer (josephine war table quest), (4) Inquisitors Class, (1) Iron Bull, (1) Isabela, (1) Paragon of her Kind (Golems), (1) Prisoner at Ostagar, (1) Rule of 3, (1) Save/Stop Solas, (1) Sha-Brytol dwarves, (1) Shale, (4) Solas/Inky Approval, (1) Solassan Implications, (1) Solavellan Vallaslin, (1) Soldier's Peak, (2) Sten, (2) Zevran/Darker Crows.

To the one person, who commented: “I think the most interesting things are the smaller stuff you don't expect to carry over.” I see you. And I am percolating.

If the Devs/Anyone at BioWare happens to see this, the last question I asked was this:

If you could ask the Devs/Writers of Veliguard one thing, what would it be?

A lot of responses are focused on the lore. More are questioning the narrative & lore decisions & implications of VG. Some are begging for DLC. Some are flat out rude. One is a proposition. But there are a fair amount of people who want to ask you;

‘hope you're okay’

‘How are you holding up?’

‘I hope despite everything you know that your creation is loved and adored.’

‘THANK YOU!!!’

Intelligent fans know the development Hell VG went through to be born. They know corporate culture. They understand there's often more than meets the eye. Fans of Dragon Age know what heavenly good delicious golden content BioWare can make. And they're hungry for it. Take some well deserved rest, and then come back to the table with us, because we cannot wait for more.

A Sappy Little Note:

I have Zero online presence and really expected to get about 100 responses total, and I got 650 (*mind blown emoji*), I wasn’t even able to share it to reddit main (bc of the fvbjvks mods). Most of these responses are from YOU GUYS on good ol’ tumblr.com and Im so weepy about how you all got involved and shared your thoughts with me Thank You SO MUCH.

For those of you who messaged me about the DLC, you are not forgotten. Believe it or not, I have a plan. Watch your inboxes over the next couple days, because I’m going to be prickling your creative brains over the Holidays.

Once more, Thank You All, so so so much for participating. Bare your blade, remain vigilant, and keep an Eye out for The Agents.

[rpgchoices]

Last day to submit your answers for the DA romances survey!! During the weekend I will put together all the results

[dalishious]

Dragon Age Romancing Survey

Okay. In light of me just now finding out I am an outlier in having romanced every single companion in every single game at least once, I am curious to know who of those companions has and hasn't been romanced by the fandom to what degree. So, I made a little survey!

It should only take about a minute to fill out. If you've played any of the Dragon Age games at least once, please share your experiences with the romance aspect!

I'll share the results in a week from now (on 6-July-2024).

[gravegoldzine]

Grave Gold: A Mortalitasi Zine interest checks are open!

Grave Gold is a charitable project focused on the finest necromancers that the world of Dragon Age has to offer. Veilguard gave us a taste of Nevarran magic and introduced new necromantic heartthrobs - I'm talking about VORGOTH, of course - but we here at Grave Gold want even more.

With that in mind, we'll be welcoming mods, artists and writers aplenty to help create this project and celebrate everything about death magic in Dragon Age. But first, we want to hear what you lovely lot want from Grave Gold, so we can make sure we deliver the goods.

Our interest check survey is here, and any signal boosts would be very welcomed!

For more information, don't hesitate to contact the Grave Gold team here on tumblr or at gravegoldzine@gmail.com.

[Insert incomprehensible sigil here]

[novaursa]

Legacy (under lion's gaze)

- Summary: Tywin was the man who saved you from Robert's wrath. He was also the man who doomed you.

- Pairing: targ!reader/Tywin Lannister

- Note: Be aware of unspecified time jumps.

- Rating: Mature 16+

- Previous part: the calling

- Next part: but you will fly

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @oxymakestheworldgoround @luniaxi

The towering cliffs of Casterly Rock loomed before the procession as they made their way up the winding path to the seat of House Lannister. However, the arrival was far from serene. Viserion’s shadow swept over the crowd gathered at the gates, sending murmurs of panic rippling through the gathered people.

The dragon circled above once before landing with a thunderous crash in the courtyard, its claws scraping against the stone. Soldiers and servants scattered, some crying out in fear, while others froze in stunned silence. Smoke curled from Viserion’s nostrils, and his wings folded neatly against his sides as he surveyed the surroundings with a sharp, predatory gaze.

You held Damon close to your chest, his tiny hands gripping the fabric of your cloak as he looked curiously at the commotion. Beside you, Lady Olenna stood with her ever-present sharpness, though even she seemed taken aback by the dragon’s imposing presence.

“Lovely,” Olenna muttered dryly, her gaze flicking to the panicked servants. “A dragon in the Rock. That’ll make for quite the tale at court.”

Tywin dismounted from his horse with a fluidity that belied his age, his stern gaze sweeping over the chaos. He barked orders with sharp precision, his tone cutting through the cacophony. “Enough! The beast is under control. Resume your duties.”

The guards hesitated but obeyed, their movements stiff as they kept wary eyes on Viserion. Servants scrambled to regain order, though their fear was visible. Tywin’s authority steadied the moment, his mere presence quelling some of the panic.

You adjusted Damon in your arms as Tywin approached, his expression severe. “Keep him close,” he said curtly, nodding toward Damon. “The sight of the dragon is unsettling enough without adding unnecessary panic.”

“I had no intention of letting him go,” you replied evenly, though your eyes remained on Viserion, who was now sniffing the air, his head tilting slightly as if searching for something.

The dragon let out a low rumble, its golden eyes narrowing before it turned abruptly and began to move. The crowd parted in terror as Viserion made his way toward the far end of the courtyard, his claws scraping against the stone as he headed for the entrance to the old mines beneath the Rock.

“What’s it doing?” Olenna asked, her tone steady.

“He’s searching for something,” you murmured, watching Viserion’s deliberate movements. “I don’t know what, but he’s drawn to the mines.”

Tywin turned to a nearby guard. “Send word to the miners. They are to vacate immediately.”

“Yes, my lord,” the guard stammered, running off to relay the order.

As Viserion disappeared into the cavernous entrance, the faint echoes of his growls reverberated through the stone walls. The people gathered in the courtyard remained frozen, their faces pale as they exchanged nervous glances.

Tywin stepped forward, his voice commanding as he addressed the crowd. “The dragon is under control. There is no danger so long as you remain calm and do as instructed. Return to your duties.”

Some of the servants nodded hesitantly, their movements slow and uncertain as they began to disperse. Others lingered, their fear still evident.

Olenna leaned toward you, her voice low. “You’d think they didn't get word before the dragon arrived.”

“Most haven’t,” you replied quietly, your gaze still fixed on the mine’s entrance. “And they’re not wrong to be afraid.”

Tywin turned back to you, his keen gaze assessing your expression. “Keep him calm,” he said, nodding toward Damon. “The last thing we need is a child’s cries adding to the panic.”

You adjusted Damon’s position, cradling him protectively as you looked up at your husband. “And what do you intend to do, Tywin? Chase after him?”

Tywin’s lips pressed into a thin line, his tone clipped. “I intend to ensure the Rock remains secure.”

Olenna smirked faintly, her sharp eyes flicking between the two of you. “I must say, Lord Tywin, it’s not every day a dragon enters your mines. I imagine the tales will spread quickly.”

“Let them,” Tywin replied curtly, his attention already shifting back to the mine’s entrance. “What matters is maintaining order here.”

As the last of the crowd began to disperse, you felt the tension ease slightly, though the weight of Viserion’s presence remained heavy. Damon let out a soft coo, his tiny fingers grasping at your collar as you kissed his head gently.

“I need to see what he’s doing,” you said quietly, your voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling within you.

Tywin’s eyes narrowed. “You will do no such thing.”

You met his gaze firmly. “He came here for a reason, Tywin. I need to understand why.”

“Not at the expense of your safety,” he retorted, his tone brooking no argument. “The dragon may trust you, but the mines are unstable, and the risk is too great.”

You sighed, your grip on Damon tightening as you relented. For now. “Then make sure your men don’t provoke him. He won’t harm us unless he feels threatened.”

Tywin nodded, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at you and Damon. “I’ll see to it.”

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting the Rock in shadows, the faint sound of Viserion’s growls echoed from deep within the mines. Whatever the dragon sought, it was clear that his arrival marked a turning point—one that would ripple far beyond the walls of Casterly Rock.

Cersei sat at the head of the table, her fingers drumming impatiently against the armrest of her chair. Across from her stood Varys, his serene expression a stark contrast to the tension radiating from the Queen Regent. Beside him, Qyburn lingered in the shadows, his pale face set in a neutral mask.

“I summoned you for updates on the High Sparrow’s movements,” Cersei snapped, her eyes narrowing at Varys. “Instead, you waste my time with vague rumors.”

Varys inclined his head, his tone calm but pointed. “The High Sparrow and his followers remain a thorn in our side, my queen, but they are not the only developments of note.”

Cersei’s gaze flicked to Qyburn, her irritation clear. “If this is about some trifling matter in the streets, spare me.”

Qyburn cleared his throat softly, his thin lips curling into a faint smile. “Not the streets, Your Grace. The west.”

Cersei frowned, leaning forward slightly. “The west? Speak plainly.”

Varys clasped his hands in front of him, his voice smooth and measured. “Word has reached us from Casterly Rock. Your father has returned there, along with his wife, Lady Y/N, their son, and the Tyrells—Lord Mace and Lady Olenna.”

Cersei scoffed, her irritation giving way to confusion. “Casterly Rock? Why would my father not return to the capital, especially with the Tyrells in tow? He was meant to ensure stability here, not abandon it.”

Varys hesitated for a moment, as though choosing his next words carefully. “There are… whispers, Your Grace, of an unusual development at the Rock. Something that may explain your father’s sudden departure.”

Cersei’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What whispers?”

“Whispers of a dragon,” Varys said, his tone deliberately even. “A cream-and-gold beast said to have descended upon the Rock. It is said to have taken refuge in the mines beneath the castle.”

For a moment, there was silence. Then Cersei laughed, the sound sharp and bitter. “A dragon? That’s the best you can do, Lord Varys? Surely you don’t expect me to believe this nonsense.”

“Rumors have a way of growing from truth, Your Grace,” Varys replied smoothly. “And these whispers are too consistent to dismiss outright.”

Cersei’s expression darkened as she rose from her chair, pacing the room with barely contained frustration. “A dragon. Of course. My father takes his precious Targaryen bride to Casterly Rock, and suddenly there’s a dragon in the mines. Do you think I’m blind to what this means?”

Qyburn tilted his head slightly, his voice soft but cutting. “If the rumors are true, it would appear the dragon is connected to Lady Y/N. Perhaps a gift from her family across the Narrow Sea.”

Cersei rounded on him, her voice cold and biting. “A gift? Or a threat?”

Varys raised a placating hand. “Your Grace, if this dragon truly resides at the Rock, it would be prudent to understand its purpose. Whether a gift or a threat, its presence cannot be ignored.”

Cersei’s fists clenched at her sides, her mind racing. “Of course it can’t. A dragon at Casterly Rock would cement the Targaryen’s position more firmly than ever. And my father…” She trailed off, her lips curling into a sneer. “No doubt he sees this as an opportunity to elevate his new family.”

Qyburn stepped forward, his pale eyes gleaming with curiosity. “If I may, Your Grace, I could dispatch spies to gather more information. If there is a dragon, it may also be worth considering how it could be used—or neutralized.”

Cersei turned to him sharply. “Do it. I want to know everything—where it came from, why it’s there, and what my father intends to do with it.”

Varys inclined his head, his tone smooth as silk. “I will continue to monitor the situation through my little birds. But I must caution patience, Your Grace. Dragons are not creatures to be trifled with.”

Cersei’s eyes blazed with fury as she approached him, her voice low and venomous. “Patience is a luxury I no longer have, Varys. My father has made his choice, aligning himself with the Targaryen pretender and her spawn. If he thinks I will stand idly by while he builds a legacy that overshadows my children, he is sorely mistaken.”

Varys’s expression remained impassive, though there was a flicker of calculation in his gaze. “As always, I serve the realm, Your Grace.”

Cersei dismissed him with a wave of her hand, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Qyburn lingered a moment longer, his unsettling smile lingering as he bowed and followed Varys out of the room.

Alone, Cersei stalked back to her chair, her mind seething with possibilities. A dragon. Her father. The Targaryen woman and her son. The pieces of the game were shifting, and Cersei Lannister was determined to remain in control, no matter the cost.

The warm glow of the setting sun poured through the tall windows of the chambers that now belonged to you, bathing the room in hues of gold and amber. The soft rustle of the sea breeze carried in the faint scent of salt and stone, a constant reminder of Casterly Rock’s position high above the crashing waves. The chambers were grand and imposing, befitting the Lord and Lady of the Rock, yet to you, they felt unfamiliar, even after weeks of calling this place home.

You stood by the window, gazing out at the horizon, your arms crossed loosely over your chest. The expanse of the Westerlands stretched far below, its rolling hills dotted with the banners of loyal Lannister bannermen. Behind you, the faint crackle of the hearth filled the room, a comforting sound that almost masked the lingering unease you couldn’t quite shake.

“It’s a far cry from the Red Keep,” you said softly, your voice carrying a trace of wistfulness. “And even further from the life I imagined when I was a girl.”

Tywin, seated at the heavy oak desk near the hearth, looked up from the parchment he was reviewing. His pale green eyes met yours, and for a moment, he simply observed you in silence. Then he spoke, his tone steady and measured. “Life rarely turns out as we imagine. The key is to adapt, to make the best of what is given.”

You turned to face him fully, your gaze thoughtful. “I dreamed of Dragonstone walls, of ruling in a different way. Not… this.”

Tywin placed the parchment aside, leaning back in his chair. “Casterly Rock is a fortress unmatched in strength and wealth. It is the heart of one of the most powerful houses in the realm. You are not just a ruler here—you are a symbol of its legacy.”

You let out a soft sigh, stepping away from the window and toward the cradle where Damon lay sleeping peacefully. “A legacy that feels so far removed from what I once knew. And yet here I am, the Lady of Casterly Rock, a Targaryen in the home of lions.”

Tywin stood, his imposing figure casting a long shadow as he crossed the room to stand beside you. His gaze softened slightly as he looked down at Damon, his silver-gold hair catching the fading light. “And yet, you belong here now. Our son ensures that.”

Your hand rested lightly on the cradle’s edge as you looked up at Tywin. “And the dragon? Does it belong here too?”

Tywin’s expression hardened slightly, his tone turning analytical. “Viserion has been digging deeper into the mines. My men report that it’s as though he’s searching for something. You were right.”

You frowned, your fingers brushing against the polished wood of the cradle. “Searching for what?”

“That remains unclear,” Tywin admitted, his voice steady but edged with frustration. “The mines beneath Casterly Rock are vast, though much of their gold has long been exhausted. Whatever he seeks, it is not wealth.”

“Dragons are drawn to places of power,” you murmured, your thoughts drifting. “Perhaps there’s something here that calls to him—something old, something we don’t yet understand.”

Tywin crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze sharp. “Whatever it is, we must remain in control of the situation. A dragon beneath Casterly Rock will raise questions, rumors that we cannot afford.”

You turned to face him fully, your expression resolute. “Viserion is not a threat to us. He came here for a reason, Tywin. We need to understand why.”

Tywin studied you for a long moment, his calculating mind clearly weighing your words. “And if that reason endangers us, our son, or the realm?”

You met his gaze unwaveringly. “Then we’ll face it together, as we always have.”

The room fell into a momentary silence, the crackle of the fire filling the space between you. Tywin’s hand reached out, resting briefly on your shoulder in a rare gesture of affection. “You’ve always had a way of taming chaos,” he said quietly, his voice carrying an almost imperceptible note of admiration. “Perhaps this will be no different.”

You allowed a small smile to curve your lips, though your thoughts remained heavy. “We’ll see, won’t we?”

Tywin’s hand lingered on your shoulder for a moment longer, his usually stern expression softened as he looked down at you and Damon. The small, peaceful sounds of your son sleeping in his cradle were a balm against the weight of your earlier conversation.

“He sleeps soundly,” Tywin remarked, his voice quieter than usual, a note of pride creeping into his tone.

You smiled faintly, brushing your fingers over Damon’s silver-gold curls. “He’s been restless these past few nights, but today, he seems content.”

Tywin crouched slightly, a rare gesture for the ever-composed lord, to get a closer look at his son. Damon stirred but didn’t wake, his tiny fists curling against the soft blanket. Tywin reached out, his large hand surprisingly gentle as he adjusted the edge of the blanket over Damon’s chest.

“He has your strength,” you murmured, watching the interaction closely. “And your determination.”

“He’ll need it,” Tywin replied, his gaze lingering on Damon. “The future is uncertain, but he carries the weight of both our houses. He’ll be a unifier—a symbol of power.”

You turned your head slightly to look at Tywin, your voice soft. “He’ll also need love, Tywin. The kind that keeps a person whole.”

Tywin’s jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t pull away from Damon’s cradle. “He has yours. And he has mine, though I won’t coddle him.”

You smiled again, this time with a touch of humor. “I wouldn’t expect you to. But he’ll need to see that love isn’t weakness.”

Tywin straightened, his gaze meeting yours. “He’ll see strength, tempered with wisdom. That is what I will teach him.”

You reached out and took his hand, your fingers curling around his larger ones. The gesture caught him off guard, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he allowed himself to linger in the moment, his usual stoicism giving way to something more vulnerable.

“I never imagined you would take to fatherhood like this,” you admitted softly, your thumb brushing over his knuckles. “It suits you more than I thought it would.”

Tywin arched a brow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Don’t mistake practicality for sentiment.”

You laughed quietly, the sound light and warm. “And yet, here you are, tucking a blanket around your son and letting your wife hold your hand.”

His smirk deepened slightly, and he leaned in, his voice low. “Perhaps you’ve softened me more than I care to admit.”

You felt your cheeks flush slightly at the closeness, but you didn’t pull back. Instead, you tilted your head up, your gaze meeting his. “And perhaps you’ve shown me that not all lions are as unyielding as they seem.”

Tywin regarded you for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to your surprise, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to your forehead, the gesture both tender and grounding. When he pulled back, his hand slipped from yours, though the warmth of his touch lingered.

“Duty calls,” he said, his voice returning to its usual measured tone. “There’s much to manage with the dragon and the mines.”

You nodded, stepping back slightly to give him room. “Don’t overburden yourself, Tywin. We’ll need you whole for what’s to come.”

He paused at the door, his hand resting on the frame as he turned back to look at you one last time. His green eyes softened again as they flicked between you and Damon. “Rest well. Both of you.”

With that, he left, the door closing softly behind him. The room felt quieter in his absence, but the warmth he’d left behind lingered. You turned back to Damon, brushing a kiss over his soft hair as you whispered, “You’re luckier than you know, little one.”

The night stretched on, peaceful and calm, but the flickering firelight reminded you that storms still loomed ahead. For now, though, you allowed yourself the rare comfort of this moment, cherishing the fragile bond that had grown between you and the man who had once seemed untouchable.

Tywin Lannister, ever the embodiment of composure and command, strode purposefully through the polished stone corridors. His eyes were sharp, his expression unyielding as he prepared for another day of managing the endless complications that seemed to accompany ruling a realm—and now, a dragon.

He had just finished giving orders to one of his commanders when the distinct clip of Olenna Tyrell’s cane echoed behind him. He turned slightly, his expression impassive as the Queen of Thorns approached, her eyes sparkling with unmistakable intent.

“Ah, Lord Tywin,” Olenna began, her voice laced with mock sweetness. “Always so busy. It’s a wonder you find time to enjoy the view from this magnificent rock of yours.”

Tywin inclined his head, his tone curt but polite. “Lady Olenna. To what do I owe this... encounter?”

Olenna smiled faintly, though it was anything but warm. “I find myself curious about your current predicament. Dragons, mines, whispers among your bannermen—it’s all very intriguing.”

Tywin arched a brow. “Intriguing is not the word I’d use.”

“Nor I,” Olenna agreed, her tone sharpening. “Which is why I’d like to speak to you about your wife.”

Tywin’s expression didn’t shift, but his gaze grew colder. “My wife is resting, as she should be. If this is about her condition—”

“Oh, spare me the pleasantries, Tywin,” Olenna interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. “You know exactly what I mean. That dragon is here for her, whether you like it or not. And keeping her locked away like a caged bird won’t change that.”

“She is not locked away,” Tywin replied, his tone low and dangerous. “She is where she belongs—safe, with our son.”

Olenna leaned on her cane, her gaze piercing. “Safe? Do you think a dragon cares about walls and guards? If Viserion wanted to, he could burn this entire fortress to the ground. And yet, he hasn’t. Do you know why?”

Tywin’s silence was answer enough, and Olenna pressed on. “Because of her. Your wife. She’s the key to controlling that creature, and you know it. But instead of letting her do what she was born to do, you’re keeping her here, hoping the problem will solve itself.”

Tywin’s jaw tightened, his hands clasping behind his back. “You assume much, Lady Olenna. My first priority is the safety of my family and the realm. Allowing her to chase after a dragon in unstable territory is reckless.”

“Reckless,” Olenna repeated with a scoff. “Reckless is letting a dragon grow restless and unchecked. You may think you can control everything, Tywin, but you’re dealing with forces far older and stronger than you. If you want to keep the peace—here and in the capital—you’ll need her.”

Tywin’s eyes narrowed, his voice icy. “And you assume she wishes to go?”

Olenna smirked knowingly. “She may not say it anymore outright, but you’ve seen it. That dragon calls to her, and she’s torn between duty to you and something much greater. You can either let her go on your terms or wait until she finds a way to do it herself.”

The silence between them was heavy, the unspoken truths hanging in the air. Finally, Tywin exhaled sharply, his gaze hard as steel. “And if she goes, what then? What assurance do I have that she’ll return unharmed?”

“You don’t,” Olenna replied bluntly. “But if you keep her here, with that dragon growing more restless by the day, you risk far more than just her safety. Think of your son, your legacy. Do you want his inheritance to include an ungovernable dragon tearing apart the Westerlands?”

Tywin’s lips pressed into a thin line, his mind racing. He hated being cornered, but Olenna was not a woman easily dismissed. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice low and measured. “I will consider it.”

Olenna smiled faintly, her victory evident. “Do more than consider it, Tywin. You’ve built your legacy on pragmatism. Don’t let sentimentality cloud your judgment now.”

Tywin didn’t respond, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond her. Olenna took that as her cue to leave, her cane tapping against the stone as she walked away, her parting words ringing in his ears.

As Tywin turned and made his way back toward the inner keep, Olenna’s arguments echoed in his mind. For the first time in years, the great lion of the Rock found himself uncertain. And he hated it.