#dragon smuggling

[ididmywaiting12years]

Doing a reread of HP and can we take a moment to appreciate Charlie Weasley. Ron sends him a letter asking him for help with an illegal dragon and he's just totally cool and nonchalant about the whole thing. Sure thing lil bro but can you also make sure to sneak out at midnight and meet some friends of mine on the astronomy tower to do the hand off

[saturdaysky]

Gale of Minrathous

Dragon Age AU where Gale is a Tevinter magister who accidentally infected himself with red lyrium. He's found a way to halt the lyrification. Mostly.

More tidbits:

Devout Andrastian with a bit of Leliana's "the Maker speaks to me" thing going, except it's "Andraste—so obviously a mage btw, I have 5000 words prepared and ready to go on this topic—sings to me, magic prodigy"

"therefore I am sure to be the one to unlock the secrets of this powerful, strange new lyrium that is singing to m—oh. golly. that went poorly"

joins the inquisition after he emerges from isolation and his former peers have all become Venatori. If his own folly has emptied the sand from his hourglass, why not spend the little time that remains to him serving Andraste's chosen?

0 moral qualms about blood magic except that all participants must be willing. All magic is neutral—its use determines whether it is good or bad

Tara is his possessed cat, who has lived far longer than a cat should, but Gale isn't complaining. who says abominations can't like chin scritches

talks about Minrathous, a lot

would break open the heavens to see the throne of the Maker, just for the experience

Final AU thoughts under the cut!

what the magisterium doesn't want you to see:

the staff that I know, deep in my heart, Gale uses and insists is artistic:

[tesalicious2]

Coruscant Guard headcanons-ish (mostly focusing on Hound):

There aren’t just massiffs

Coruscant has a lot of smuggling, including animals. Not only that but the Senators give them their pets to take care of (that is not a pet but a wild animal wtf)

But they end up with an assortment of baby animals that CAN be domesticated and do something with them

Quinlan started it when he handed a baby Nexu to Fox and said they were trainable and loyal. Fox passed this on to Hohnd and nugget was a part of the family since

Ever since then they got two more Nexu, both sticking with new shinies under Hounds command

Surprisingly they have one Narglatch, though Blizzard (dubbed by Stone) is rarely used. Often used for chases in the lower levels, able to chase and weave easier through crowds than a speeder (think Horses in police forces)

At one point, some 501st and 212th troopers found what they thought to be a massiff and happily dropped it with the Guard,

It was not a massiff and Hound broke many laws to get it to the Jedi temple and out of his hands fast

See they had found an Albek, a force sensitive creature that looks like a massif but is VERY aggressive and BERY untrainable, last Hound heard was that it was set free and is very happy

Another of the larger creatures that is used far more often than the narglatch is the Varactyl

Somehow a shipment of young had been smuggled onto Coruscant and were taken in by the Guard

Their ability to climb vertical surfaces and calm nature and silliness to listen to their rider made them perfect in the club districts; the tall buildings were close enough to jump between and had many platforms for people to walk and dance

They could weave above crowds and act almost like helicopters when chasing criminals, but we’re able to go into the crowds; only problem is that people had to get out of the way or be trampled

Hound and his infinite luck ran across a hurt Rancor with a shiny one night. Though they could not take the Rancor in, they sent it to the Jedi temple where it receives lots of love and treats from the younglings and troopers who visit

The Rancor serves as a guardian of the wing dedicated to dangerous artifacts and texts, and is watched over by the Temple Guard

AND AND AND

Spark dragons

ARF troopers ride them but due to fear, they are used to guard the prisons. Occasionally, they are lent out to other battalions with their riders

They are dragons native to Kiffu and can easily get their charge from the static electricity created by genorators

They were found as young babies and trained by the ARF

Quinlan was absolutely ecstatic and adores them, they’ve made a special attachment with him but prefer their troopers

On one occasion two were sent out with the Marine Corps, who were afraid as hell. Those troopers had a lovely time and many stores of scaring the ‘hardcore’ troopers

[datvtranscripts]

Signs and Portents Deleted Dialogue

The Smuggled Relic Case

Dialogue is sorted in scene order to the best of my ability.

Neve Masterpost Signs and Portents Masterpost About Deleted Dialogue

—

Tarquin: Welcome back.

—

Tarquin: Welcome to Minrathous.

—

Neve: We've got markets, shows, no one sleeps and—ah. The relic's pulling toward the Temple of Andraste.

—

Bellara: I hope we find the relic soon.

Harding: We need to find that relic soon.

Lucanis: The sooner we find this relic, the better.

—

Rook: What's happening there? Someone hurt?

—

Rook: More demons!

Bellara: We can handle them!

Harding: We can't leave them loose!

Lucanis: Not for long.

—

Rook: A Fade tear. Looks wrong.

Neve: It's all wrong. If the relic we're chasing is unstable… let's get a closer look.

—

Rook: What's that?

Neve: Disruption of the Fade. The relic's work.

—

Neve: It could be drawn to a rupture in the Veil.

—

Neve: Rook, this way.

—

Neve: Rook, over here.

—

Harding: This city's huge. Let's try not to lose the trail. Lucanis: We should stay focused. Bellara: I'm glad Neve knows where she's going.

—

Neve: We need to get down to the docks.

—

Neve: The way out's tied to that chain. I can deal with that.

—

Neve: The relic came through here. Let's look for a remnant.

Smuggler Remnant: Soon… the buyer…

Neve: If the relic's trading hands, we need to stop that deal.

—

Neve: Key to the Dock Town elevator. Could be useful next time we're here.

—

Neve: Damn it! More demons!

Rook: The relic! We've got more demons!

Neve: Oh, good! This wasn't fun enough!

—

Rook: More demons! If all of them break loose…

—

Albin Bataris: You can't—those without faith will fall! For the glory of Tevinter reborn.

Neve: Cute speech!

Albin Bataris: (Frustrated yell)

—

Rook: So just another night in Minrathous?

[alicentflorent]

I think the helaena’s bravery of standing up to Aemond inspired Alicent, she was probably reminded of all the time she was afraid to stand up to Otto when he intimated her and Helaena’s line “I was happier before is was queen” She probably saw her younger self at that moment “i like to believe I’m still the lady Alicent but now all people see when they look at me is.. the queen”

They had the perfect set up here to have Alicent come to the realisation that the cycle is continuing with her own children and instead of having Alicent go running off to Dragonstone maybe have her try to end the cycle. She asks helaena if she wants to leave this place because she wants to free Helaena from a life of misery, they could have used the screen time to have Alicent try to put things right by hastily trying to make a plan with her daughter to leave, maybe she even talks of finding daeron and helaena looks at Alicent with a sad smile and says “it’s too late, our story is already completed and it always ends the same” because she knows there is no changing their fates. Helaena has already played out every scenario in her head and no matter how hard Alicent tries to put things right she can’t save her children just like helaena could never save her son.

[meanlikeachild]

“Alicent was poisoning viserys!!” Yea idk if it’d take two decades for her to poison and murder him. Also, did you not watch the scenes of her bathing (ew) and giving viserys milk of the poppy and tucking him in bed (also ew), the milk of the poppy certainly made him weaker but he always was, so. She literally took care of him whilst his daughter ran off to dragonstone and married her murderous uncle, who viserys literally disinherited and named rhaenyra as heir to keep daemon away from the throne bc it doesn’t take einstein’s iq to know that daemon would be a shit ass ruler. And while we’re on the topic, “The maesters were poisoning the targaryen’s and their dragons!!!” rumor, don’t make me laugh. Again, I don’t think it would’ve took them three hundred years to kill the targaryens off, especially during viserys reign, it would’ve been very easy to, since viserys eliminated Aemma himself, simply trick daemon into a brothel by putting an “underage girls in here” sign on top, rhaenyra would probably be following him so it’d be killing two birds with one stone, with rhaenys she’d obv go back to the capital on corlys’s advice and simply outnumber the velayrons. Personally i don’t think it’d be difficult considering that entire family is full of alcoholics. And poisoning the dragons? Now how the hell would have that had happened if the dragons were guarded by the dragon keepers who main purpose were to look after them 24/7 🤦‍♀️ even if the maesters got some how physically close enough to the dragons, how would they poison them? inserting poison to the hard ass dragon eggs with their non existence syringes? or with their elaborate secret mission impossible spy plan of sneaking into the dragon pit and feeding the dragons poisoned food? and that is if the dragons didn’t notice them and burn them alive.

[the-raven-and-the-tower]

Some Threads street whispers;

Thread Smuggler (surprised): Demons? By the supplies?

Thread Runner (confidentially): I barely got away. And not without bruises.

Thread Smuggler (curiously): What did Elek say?

Thread Runner: Told me to take the night off. Streets aren't safe.

Thread Runner: You think he's going to tell the boss?

Thread Smuggler: Don't know.

[bunabi]

missed the bit with the Vi'Revas as a train station waow thats so fascinating

its funny that DA has not one but two underground railroad allegories run by such similar characters

[crossdressingdeath]

Alistair: You're... you're taking advantage of the Templars! Encouraging them! And for money! You... despicable, profiteering crook!

It is very interesting seeing this line and then remembering that the context is Alistair being very upset that a Circle mage is... selling (smuggled) lyrium to the Templars. Alistair. Honey. If anyone in this arrangement is taking advantage of anyone it's not Godwin. Also given Godwin can't leave (meaning he can't really do a lot of shopping) I doubt it's just about the money? Like, it would make a lot of sense for part of the reasoning to be "If I'm supplying them with lyrium they'll probably be nice to me". I would love the option for a mage Warden to actually comment on the fact that... yeah, a lot of mages probably have arrangements of some variation or other with the Templars to keep them more or less friendly! Smuggling lyrium for them is probably one of the less upsetting options! The moments where Alistair's Templar training and lack of experience with mages and the Circles come to the surface are so fascinating to me, I'd love to actually discuss it with him.

[leftmysoulbythesideoftheroad]

my brother complains when we watch dimension 20 because he doesn't like that the intrepid heroes don't coordinate and strategize. the first fantasy high fight made him insane. but i just started watching oxventure again, and now i want to make him watch that party try to implement any plan and watch his head explode

[glitchgeek]

i dunno the media but these dragons look sick 👍

YEAHHH, Cynder is the very best 💜🩷🖤

She's from the edgy, grim reboot trilogy of the Spyro games that was done in the mid-aughts. uhhhhhhh TL;DR synopsis in the tags it... it's long. i'm sorry but this series WAS my childhood

[variousxcruelties]

inky wip

[chaosinthehousepart2]

The Adventurers of Bandior

Hi everyone, just a lil bit of advertisement! I have started a podcast with a friend called the Adventurers of Bandior, where two friends and that rando who happened to be there go on a really quite random adventure, smuggling criminals across the island of Bandior! If you like DnD, fantasy, crazy adventures and random planes that probably shouldn't be there, this is for you! We'd love for you to come along for the adventure and chaos. Here's the link!

[kradogsrats]

something something the worm emerging from Aaravos’s mouth and “I swallowed her”

[datvtranscripts]

The Smuggled Relic Case Pt. 5

The Relic Buyer

Neve Masterpost

Signs and Portents Masterpost Previous: Templar Rana Savas

They run outside to see a burst of magic that knocks Albin to the ground and summons a bunch of demons.

Rook: We have our relic buyer.

Neve: The Venatori don't need that relic.

Albin Bataris: (Laughs You're here to stop me? You can't stop the Venatori. This power—

Neve: Will what? Impress a "risen god?" Can you even control it?

Albin Bataris: Shut up!

Rana joins them.

Rana: Neve!

Neve: Rana! Here to check on me?

Rana: I wasn't expecting a fight. Or this much of a fight!

Neve: Well, surprise!

The fight continues.

Albin Bataris: The Venatori's power is on the rise. And this part's mine.

Bellara: Neve Gallus will stop you!

Harding: You're not keeping that relic!

Lucanis: You'll die here, Venatori! Neve: I might have questions for him! Lucanis: Ugh. Fine!

More demons join the fray.

Albin Bataris: You won't walk away from here!

Bellara: More demons! If they break away…

Harding: More demons! We can't let them get loose!

Lucanis: They aren't leaving.

Neve: We need to stop them here.

Albin’s health drops lower.

Albin Bataris: You think I won't walk away from this? Our plans don't end here. There's power coming to us!

Rook: Your cult doesn't scare me. And neither do you.

The fight ends, and Albin is knocked to the ground beside the smuggler.

Rana: You won't be releasing any more demons.

Neve: And you're the smuggler. I know you. You're part of the Thread crime syndicate. Smuggling, sure. But red lyrium? Working with Venatori? It's not your style.

The templar Knight-Commander arrives with a magister.

Knight-Commander Lenos: Here they are.

Magister Bataris: My son is no cultist. He was completely misled. We appreciate your help, Knight-Commander. Let's go.

Magister Bataris gestures to leave, and Albin stands, passing Neve as he follows his father away.

Albin Bataris: Nice try. The Venatori rise.

The Knight-Commander turns to Neve.

Neve: You know he's guilty. How much did it cost the magister?

Knight-Commander Lenos: Watch it, Gallus, or you'll be charged—

Neve: With what? I tie something up and you undo it. Isn't this familiar?

Knight-Commander Lenos: Save the sob story. We got the smuggler. Or do you want Bataris to release her too?

He leaves.

Rana: I'll find a way to fix this.

Rana leaves as well.

Neve: (Sighs) Damn it.

Dialogue options:

Affable: We stopped the demons. [1] +Neve Approves

Sarcastic: Not the tour I expected. [2]

Stoic: I don’t believe this. [3]

Angry: People were in real danger. [4]

Shadow Dragon: This is why we’re here. [5] +Neve Approves

1 - Affable: We stopped the demons. Rook: At least we stopped the demons. That's something. Neve: If Dock Town's a little safer… it's not for nothing. Rook: I know it's not perfect… Neve: We got the relic. And the smuggler. The Shadows will watch the cult. If that leads to the gods, they'll send word. It's not perfect, but count your wins. You don't always get them. Especially here. [6]

2 - Sarcastic: Not the tour I expected. Rook: So that's a day in Minrathous? Neve: Like all the rest. Rook: And here I thought we'd say hello to the Shadow Dragons and be on our way. Neve: (Laughs) Someone's a dreamer. We got the relic. And the smuggler. The Shadows will watch the cult. If that leads to the gods, they'll send word. It's not perfect, but count your wins. You don't always get them. Especially here. [6]

3 - Stoic: I don’t believe this. Rook: That's it? Neve: We got the relic. That was the job. Rook: He got away. Neve: I know. (Sighs) I know. Rook: So what now? Neve: We stopped the demons. We got the relic. And the smuggler. The Shadows will watch the cult. If that leads to the gods, they'll send word. It's not perfect, but count your wins. You don't always get them. Especially here. [6]

4 - Angry: People were in real danger. Rook: If we hadn't been there, how many people would be hurt? And Bataris doesn't care. Neve: No. Rook: But you do. Neve: (Laughs) Isn't that the rub? We got the relic. And the smuggler. The Shadows will watch the cult. If that leads to the gods, they'll send word. It's not perfect, but count your wins. You don't always get them. Especially here. [6]

5 - Shadow Dragon: This is why we’re here. Rook: (Weary sigh) People like Bataris… it's why the city needs us. Neve: Yeah. Rook: At least we stopped the literal demons. Neve: We did. And we got the relic and the smuggler. The Shadows will watch the cult. If that leads to the gods, they'll send word. Count your wins, Rook. We both know they don't come easy. [6]

6 - Scene continues.

The scene fades, and one of Varric’s narratives cuts in.

Varric: It wasn't a perfect ending, but Dock Town was safe. From tonight's demons, anyway. Neve's past was coming back to haunt her. She just didn't know it yet.

Next: Sea of Blood Next: Shadows of Minrathous

[tovaicas]

friend and I were discussing it and it's so fucked how the ishgardians literally have nowhere to go even if they wanted to run