#eleanor amaranthine

[kathrynalicemc]

Fankidsaw23 | Day 2: Favorite Duo | By @endlessly-cursed

Of course I had to do the Immortal Twins! Ignore the part where they are each others mortal nemesis and have been killing each other over 400 years 🤡 besides that, they have one of my fav aesthetics. Luckily, this one somehow doesn’t have blood or fire in it!

[phoenixresistance]

The Phoenix Archives

Entry 1 - Silent Night

Semele belongs to @endlessly-cursed 💕

London, England - December 17th, 1997

She watched as the snow fell gently outside the living room window in the darkness of the evening. It was completely silent, the only sounds that could be heard was the resonant ticking of a grandfather clock on the opposite side of the room and her own quiet breaths.

She had white hair and her face was wrinkled from the passage of time, over eighty years in fact. The woman currently rocked back and forth in her rocking chair. Her eyes wandered around the room taking in the familiar sights of her house. The Christmas tree was the only source of light in the darkened room, its warm lights throwing a dim halo of light onto the nearby cold and empty fireplace. Dozens of picture frames were strewn across the mantle above it, the smiling faces of the woman’s children and grandchildren looking down at her. Her eyes then darted towards the front door, a gleaming golden wreath peeking back at her through the frosted glass.

The woman was alone in the house tonight as her family were away on holiday. She would normally be in bed at this time. However, tonight was different. Tonight she sat and waited.

The time passed slowly and silently. The rhythmic ticking of the clock and the dancing flurry of the snow lulled her. The clock read ten minutes past nine when the woman’s breaths slowed and her eyes drooped. The darkness took hold for what felt like forever and also no time at all. Before long, the grandfather clock chimed the new hour. The deep echoes stirred her from her sleep, her eyes flicking open and closed repeatedly as she roused.

It was a few seconds before she noticed the change within the dark room. A shadowed figure now stood in front of the fireplace, his back to the woman as he inspected the pictures.

Not even the darkest shadows could conceal the identity of this man from the woman. His long white hair shone through the darkness, mirroring her own.

“Hello, my daughter,” his deep voice finally broke the peaceful silence of the evening seconds before he turned around to face her.

A chill ran down her spine as her fathers cold eyes met hers. His face was sharp and handsome and had none of the wrinkles hers had. The last time she saw him was nearly fifty years ago and yet he was identical. It was like looking at a memory of the past.

“I knew you were coming,” Esmee Amaranthine’s voice was hoarse as she spoke to her father.

Eme answered with a deep chuckle, his hand raising up in the air as his eyes scanned the photo he currently held.

“Cute family. A shame you didn’t invite me to the wedding.”

“I would have, but you were too busy that day being locked up in Azkaban. And every day since.”

A chuckle escaped Eme’s lips, or was it a hiss? His mouth curled into a smirk but there was a hint of annoyance and anger behind his usually indifferent eyes.

“When I finally arrested you and threw you in there, I always knew it wouldn’t hold you forever.”

“It was a worthy attempt. You even went so far as to recruit your children and grandchildren to your cause. I recognized them instantly when they would come for inspections.”

“I guess fighting you runs in the family. Aunt Eleanor would agree,” Esmee replied flatly.

A silence stretched out again, the ticking of the clock taking over the room. Esmee took in her fathers face, her mind predicting what he would say next.

“They are far away from here. Don’t even think you could find them, I hid them well.”

“I guess we’ll see about that,” he shrugged coolly and placed the frame back on the mantle.

“You don’t scare me, you know. You never did. I knew you were coming for me. I’ve had fifty years to make peace with it,” Esmee stated, her eyes trailing one last time around her house. The Christmas decorations twinkled brightly, giving her comfort. Her eyes lingered for just a few seconds on the pictures behind Eme. “If you are going to do it, then do it.”

“Oh, you don’t get to rush this,” Eme grinned as he walked forward, his hand reaching into his coat.

The North Sea - Twelve Hours Earlier, December 17th

Eleanor watched Azkaban disappear into the horizon from her position on the deck of the Jörmungandr as they raced away. She didn’t know where they were going, but she almost wished she was still in there.

“What’s wrong? I thought you would be glad to be away from that hellhole,” Kaari called out from his spot at the bow of the ship.

“You have no idea what you have done,” she muttered, her hoarse voice almost lost over the crashing of the waves.

“What do you mean?”

“My brother. They will release him and he will come after me.”

“He will have to find us first.”

Eleanor could tell there was fear in his eyes that he tried to hide with a smile. She was good at reading people.

The ride was quiet after that, Kaari taking occasional worried glances at his passenger. It wasn’t until a few hours had passed that Eleanor’s tormented and confused mind started to remember the events before her capture.

“Wait! Do you know anyone named Esmee by any chance?”

“Esmee? I don’t believe I know her. Unless you are talking about that gorgeous redhead I met in a pub once,” Kaari grinned before seeing the scowl on Eleanor’s face. “But I doubt you are.”

“No, she would be around eighty or so. I don’t even know if she is still alive, but if she is you need to find her immediately. She needs protection.”

“What, why? Who is she?”

“It doesn’t matter. Just make sure she’s safe. Eme would want to kill her when he gets out.”

“Alright. Once we get to Skalafell I’ll contact the Resistance and get someone to find her.”

However, Eleanor didn’t look convinced. She hardly knew this man and put no trust in this Resistance. She owed them nothing for breaking her out so who’s to say he would keep his word?

Skalafell, Norway - December 17th, 1997, 6:38 PM

The wooden floorboards creaked under his boots as Kaari Arcano quickly dashed towards the fireplace in the kitchen of the Arcano house. With a flourish of his hand and a wave of his wand in the other, floo powder hit the stones and ignited. The flames roared from green into a scarlet red as the magic from Kaari’s wand activated a spell. Only a few seconds passed before the flames shifted and formed a face he knew all too well.

The beautiful face of Semele Thorne stared back at him through the blaze. He had to admit, she was twice as attractive when her lips and eyes were made of crimson fire.

“Calling me back so soon, Arcano? Once wasn’t enough for you? I thought you only did flings. I must have really made an impact on you,” she teased with a playful smile.

“This is strictly business, Ms Thorne. I have a job for you.”

Semele’s eyebrows shot up at the formal address, “Is that right? Why come to me?”

“Let’s just say I trust in your skill set. You are one of the most skilled people in combat and information gathering I’ve ever met. Well, besides me of course,” he added with a smirk at the end, dropping the formality and giving in to her charm so he could flirt for just a second.

“You flatter me, Arcano,” she replied with a sarcastic swoon.

“I should warn you, there is a chance you might run into a very dangerous individual. Do not engage with him under any circumstances. This is strictly a locate and retrieve mission.”

“Got it.”

“In fact, you don’t have to take the mission if you don’t feel comfortable with it. This man should not be underestimated. You will die if you fight him,” Kaari’s face suddenly became serious.

“I’m in,” Semele didn’t hesitate. “So who’s the priority?”

Esmee’s House, London, England - December 17th, 1997, 10:15 PM

The house was dark as Semele Thorne waited in the shadows across the street. Her sharp eyes narrowed and scanned her regular scouting pattern. There were no lights or signs of movement inside, nor anything similar on the nearby houses. The front door was closed and so were the windows. There was no obvious damage to any part of the house. No people walked along the street. Now was her chance.

She slipped out from her hiding place and briskly crossed the street, her head down and hands in her pockets as she tried to remain discreet. She would jump the fence and loop around to the back of the house and enter from there.

A few seconds later, after deftly unlocking the window with a wave of her wand, she found herself standing in a darkened kitchen. Semele waited and listened for any sounds of movement within the house but all she heard was silence. So she decided to enter the next room.

“Fuck,” she breathed, barely a whisper to break the silence.

A figure sat slumped in the rocking chair on the far side of the living room. Even from this distance and in low light, Semele’s deft eyes could still see the trails of blood down the woman’s face.

Immediately, her wand came out and she scanned the room top to bottom and left to right. Once she was certain she was truly alone, she quietly crept closer to the woman.

This was indeed Esmee Amaranthine. She was too late to save her. Blood dripped from her eyes, nose, and ears but there was no other obvious sign of injury. Semele knew this was indicative of the cruciatus curse. She was tortured with extreme pain until the stress on her system killed her. The blood itself was still bright red and fresh, so she must have just missed it.

Semele sighed deeply, shaking her head and hanging it remorsefully. What a terrible way to go. Kaari was right, the man who did this was dangerous.

She stood up and looked around the room again, this time taking in the small details of the woman’s personal life. The elegant grandfather clock ticked away as Semele looked upon the faces in the photos. Esmee had a wonderful and full life by the looks of it.

A thought struck her and Semele grabbed a picture frame, the same Eme once held only minutes ago. She flipped it over in her hand and undid the back, pulling the photo from its frame. She smiled as she found the names of the people within the photograph inscribed upon the back in loopy cursive handwriting.

Semele put the frame back down and tucked the picture safely into her coat pocket. She would report Esmee’s fate to the Resistance and then try to locate her family. They deserved to know.

Then, as quickly and quietly as she arrived, Semele Thorne left the house and disappeared into the cold winter night.

[illusivesoul]

Knowing the lore of Rendon and Bryce makes the whole human noble origin hit different

[autisticlaezel]

The return of the Couslands to Highever, after nearly seventy years of absence, was greeted with shock by its people. The banns and freeholders of Highever were anxious to meet Bryce and swear allegiance. Many of the freeholders along the Amaranthine border came to swear fealty to the new teyrn instead of their arl, adding further complication to the proceedings. Teyrn Bryce spent four months receiving oaths and taking possession of his ancestral home, and every day without fail he sent a letter to lady Eleanor—sometimes more than one a day. One letter was reportedly just a stick-figure drawing of him sitting in Highever's great hall looking bored.

An icon

[sasha199]

My head cannon for my Rook’s facial tattoos. My warden also has the same tattoo, it’s a tradition in the Cousland family dating back to when Highever was still a part of Amaranthine.

The Bann was out walking among his people when he heard a man complain about some matter that he needed to bring before his lord. The Bann turned to this man and asked him to make his petition now, the man laughed and claimed that he could not make his petition before the Bann’s lowly servant.

It was then the Bann realized his people did not know him or his family, and so he went and marked his face, so that all who saw him would know him for who he was.

The process was painful but the mantle of leadership should not come without pain, and he claimed the price of recognition and scrutiny is one that all who wish to lead must pay.

It became tradition in the Cousland family on the 16th name day for those who wished to lead to receive the facial tattoo. Over time it was bestowed upon any in the family who wished to have it, though only the eldest children usually deigned to receive it.

Each of Marissa’s 4 brothers opted to receive this tattoo, and Marissa (as always) followed suite. She believes the distinct facial markings contributed to their assassinations during Arle Howe’s coup, and she was adamantly opposed to her daughter, Aurelia, receiving them.

Aurelia, in turn, received her markings in secret on her 19th name day when she left the Crows to join Varric in his fight against Solas. She decided on that day to stop running from herself and confront herself anew at every chance.

“Let all who see me know me for who I am. There’s no escaping myself.”

Marissa Cousland of the Ferelden Grey Wardens

Teyrna Marissa Cousland of Highever

Aurelia Eleanor Cousland aka “Rook” De Rivas

[ageofdragcns]

NAME:      Ilvanna Cousland HEIGHT:      5'5" CLASS:      Rogue ALIGNMENT / ATTITUDE:      True good; peace leaning FAMILY:      Havoc (Mabari dog), Fergus (elder brother), Bryce (father), Eleanor (mother), Oriana (sister-in-law), Oren (nephew) AGE:      20 TITLE:      Grey Warden & Heir to the Cousland Throne HAIR:      Falls just past her shoulders, has a slight natural curl to it. Brunette in color EYES:      Brown PRONOUNS:      She/Her SEXUALITY:      Pansexual SPECIES:      Human IDENTIFIERS:      Beauty on left cheek bone FACECLAIM:      Natalie Portman VERSES/AUs:      none atm GENERAL TAGS: FACE || HEADCANON || MUSINGS || GOOFY SHIT || THREADS || ANSWERED || SHIPS: none atm || *In verses where she is not in a ship, Ilvanna can be defaulted to being Alistair's Queen, if applicable

DRAGON AGE KEEP CHOICES BELOW THE CUT

“For generations, your family, the Couslands, has stewarded the lands of Highever, earning the loyalty of your people with justice and temperance. When your country was occupied by the Orlesian Empire, your father and grandfather served the embattled kings of your land. Today, your elder brother takes up House Cousland’s banner in service to the Crown—not against the men of Orlais, but against the bestial darkspawn rising in the south.”

COMPANIONS ➼ Romanced Alistair ➼ Recruited Dog (Havoc), Sten, Zevran, Wynne, Oghren ➼ Persuaded Revered Mother to free Sten ➼ Loghain was killed by Alistair in duel ➼ Alistair became King & Ilvanna is his Queen ➼ Morrigan had an old god baby with Alistair ➼ Acquired grimoire peacefully

PROLOGUE ➼ Bought food to feed the Ostagar prisoner ➼ Cured mabari hound

NATURE OF THE BEAST ➼ Brokered Peace ➼ Told Athras about his wife's fate ➼ Brought Cammen and Gheyna together ➼ Brought Varathorn ironbark ➼ Saved the halla ➼ Returned Deygan to Dalish Camp

PARAGON OF HER KIND ➼ Defeated Branka ➼ Bhelen rules Orzammar ➼ Dagna left to study ➼ Didn't encounter Mardy ➼ Killed Ruck, said he died heroically ➼ Proved Legion of Dead connected to noble house ➼ Returned tome to Shaperate ➼ Helped Burkel create Chantry ➼ Zerlinda left for the surface ➼ Completed Rogek's lyrium deal ➼ Helped Orta join Assembly

BROKEN CIRCLE ➼ Mages supported ➼ First Enchanter Irving survived battle ➼ Did not agree to Cullen's request

DENERIM ➼ Ser Landry alive ➼ Told Bann Sighard about Oswyn ➼ Brought scroll to Sister Justine ➼ Didn't complete Slim Couldry's crime wave ➼ Helped clear customers out of Pearl ➼ Handled the Crimson Oars ➼ Gave Alfstanna Irminric's ring ➼ Return amulet to the beggar ➼ Didn't complete Master Ignacio's assassinations ➼ Helped Alistair find Goldanna ➼ Did not encounter Marjolaine

THE LANDSMEET ➼ Alistair and Ilvanna rule

THE URN OF SACRED ASHES ➼ Urn not poisoned

THE ARL OF REDCLIFFE ➼ Helped Redcliffe fight ➼ Freed Bevin and paid for sword ➼ Helped Redcliffe prepare ➼ Helped Owen's daughter escape ➼ Connor alive, not possessed ➼ Isolde is alive ➼ Bella left to start a brewery

THE BATTLE OF DENERIM ➼ Ilvanna killed the Archdemon

AWAKENING EXPANSION ➼ Ilvanna allowed Architect to live ➼ Nathaniel died ➼ Keep & Amaranthine protected ➼ Oghren & Felsi reunited

WITCH HUNT DLC ➼ Ilvanna did not go through the eluvian

WARDEN'S KEEP DLC ➼ Gained Power of Blood ➼ Slayed Sophia and allowed Avernus ethical research

STONE PRISONER DLC ➼ Shale recruited ➼ Matthias and Amalia both alive, neither possessed

[inquisitor-julia]

So! not exactly sure how I want to format this but here I am to babble about my OCs starting with the original love of my life: Elsanna Cousland

Putting this giant post under the cut so I don't clog up anyone's dash!

So to start off, just the basics:

Status: Alive and well, Queen of Ferelden

Name Meaning: “Powerful Sparrow”

Full Name: Elsanna Norette Cousland [Theirin]

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Date of Birth: 15th of Firstfall 9:12 Dragon

Age: 18 (at the start of Origins)

Class: Rogue (Dual-Wielder)

Specializations: Duelist, Assassin, Shadow

Romance: Alistair

Shares World-State With: Serafina Hawke and Nayeli Trevelyan

Height: 5'8"

Family: Eleanor (Mother)(Dead), Bryce (Father)(Dead), Fergus (Older Brother), Oriana (Sister-In-Law)(Dead), Oren (Nephew)(Dead), Cassia (Sister-In-Law), Eleanora (Niece), Bryson (Nephew), Vilaida (Mabari)

Children: Alessandra (Daughter)

MBTI: ENFJ

Astrology: Scorpio [3rd Decan]

Pinterest Board

Playlist

Romance Playlist (for sure needs updating)

Her in game decisions:

she recruits and keeps all of the available companions

she’s friends with all of her companions

her mabari is named Vilaida

sided with the mages

protected redcliffe

helped connor with the help of the circle of magi and isolde and connor lived

did not defile the sacred ashes

made peace between the elves and werewolves

Avernus allowed to live and continue experiments humanely

did not drink Avernus’ potion and did not destroy it

destroyed the anvil and sided with cairidin

Bhelen rules Orzammar

“killed” flemeth (by which i mean she absolutely fought flemeth but obviously flemeth isn’t actually dead so…)

Loghain was executed by Alistair

Alistair rules Ferelden with Elsanna as his Queen

The dark ritual was done by Alistair

Elsanna killed the archdemon and lived

Elsanna became warden commander and arlessa of amaranthine

recruited all awakening companions

friends with all awakening companions

protected both vigil’s keep and amaranthine

killed the architect

let morrigan leave through the eluvian

Some posts I've made about her previously

Aesthetic Post

Infodump Post

Short Fic

Elsanna and Four Colors

16 Factors Test

Wedding Dress

Warden or Queen Ask

Sad Cousland Headcanon

Elsi and Alistair Gifset

Feelings About Loghain

Excuse You I Am Your Queen

Feelings About Wardens

Hogwarts Aesthetic (no i don't engage with HP anymore but i still like this post)

Eamon vs. Alessandra

In Five Gifs

Leliana and Shale

Happy Ending

Kiss, Marry, Get Drinks With

Dog and Ser Pounce

How Deeply She Feels

Elsanna's Theme

Dollmakers 1 2 3 4 5

Art of her:

by changelingsandothernonsense

by paranoidfactors

by junie-junette

by mirandemia

by me

by deeplord

I know this post is really just links but this is just to start me off talking about her! I have more info written down (somewhere) that I'm going to post and I'm open to any questions! :)

[plumbitch]

Faces of the Dragon Age

Warden-Commander of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden, Madeleine Clarice Cousland (blue): “Only daughter of Teryn Bryce and Teryna Eleanor Cousland, she survived the brutal assault at Castle Cousland and found a place with the Grey Wardens at Ostagar. Alongside her commander, she aided in putting an end to the Fifth Blight and was awarded the honorary title of ‘Hero of Ferelden’ for her role. After the Blight, she became the Arlessa of Amaranthine in conjunction with serving as the second in command of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden. She eventually stepped down from her role as arlessa in order to take up full responsibilities as Warden-Commander of Ferelden’s Grey Wardens.”

The Champion of Kirkwall, Lydia Hawke (red): “The daughter of a noble woman and an apostate, Lady Hawke knew humble beginnings before the threat of the Blight fell upon her family and forced them to flee Ferelden. Despite it being the seat of Templar power in the east, family greeted the Hawkes in Kirkwall and it was in the tumultuous city that Lady Hawke made her name--first through a bond built between herself and Varric Tethras, then again when she emerged the victor in one-on-one combat against the Arishok of the Qun. Following the breakdown of Chantry power and the dissolution of the Circles, she was found again working with the Inquisition until she returned to Kirkwall.”

The Second Inquisitor, Helena Alexandra de Rochefort-Trevelyan (green): “The only daughter of Bann Regis Trevelyan and his late wife, Charlize, she is the younger of the twin children of the Trevelyan ruling family but was taken to the Circle at the age of ten. Among the survivors of the Ostwick Circle, she was chosen to attend the peace summit at the Conclave which was later destroyed, leaving her the sole survivor. She stayed with the Inquisition founded on the late divine’s order and eventually was chosen as the Second Inquisitor. Two years after the end of Corypheus and the final sealing of the Breach, she disbanded the Inquisition and lords over a small stead by the name of Perseverance with her husband.“

The Unknown (For Now), Lady Shehdri Ziani (purple): “The child of Magister Thraesus Obarin and Madame Adeya Djedan Ziani, she is the favored of his children. Her magic sources from both a powerful bloodline in Tevinter and that of a mother with deep connection to the roots of old magic born of Rivain, making her quite the attractive pick to take control of her father’s seat if only he would be forthcoming about which of his children he intends to place within it. The interests that she holds to her heart of the academic variety, save for the moments where they wander to the more boisterous and lively splendors of her hometown. She is not yet in the minds and faces of the greater public. Perhaps that will change soon...”

[fcousland]

overview: as the eldest son of house cousland ( the ruling family of the teyrnir of highever ), fergus was sent to ostagar on a scouting mission to assist king cailan's efforts against the coming blight. in his absence, arl howe laid siege on the cousland castle, killing fergus' parents as well as his wife and child. only his sister, alys, escaped the attack, but was conscripted into the grey warden order as a result and likewise sent to ostagar. fergus had been reported missing shortly before the battle, and for weeks he was presumed dead. however, his scouting unit had been ambushed and fergus was found by a chasind who tended to him in his lengthy recovery. it wasn't until the landsmeet that fergus was finally able to reunite with his sister and learn of his family's tragic fate. after she ended the blight, fergus took his place as teyrn of highever, and hopes to rebuild his fallen house.

verses

main : for all plots centered around the games. i'm pretty open to playing around with different scenarios and aus ( i.e. fergus being picked up as a companion in origins, rescued by someone else in the wilds, etc. ) but unless plotted otherwise, the default is that he becomes teyrn, his sister is the arlessa of amaranthine, and he enters an arranged marriage with evelyn trevelyan ( verdraste ) who is also my default inquisitor, unless ofc i'm writing with other non-trevelyan inquisitors.

fantasy : very easy to drop fergus and house cousland in any fantasy setting !! so this may be the primary choice. the gist remains relatively the same. his land is on the stormy coast of whatever country applies, and default is that his family is recognized as being second in power to the crown, or close to it. they're known for their highly adept soldiers ( great for muses who need allies & reinforcements ! ), strong network of spies, and breeding and raising mabari warhounds. more than likely, fergus succeeded his father after a similar tragedy, but we can play it by ear.

regency / bridgerton : fergus is the eldest son of the duke of highever. given his family's legacy in the military, he voluntarily fought in the napoleonic wars, but sustained injuries that left him incapacitated and unable to return home for a few months. during his recovery, his estate was infiltrated by an unidentified murderer who killed his parents, but luckily did not find his sister. after returning home, fergus steps in as the new duke, and is being pressured into finding a wife soon. understandably, this is currently the last thing on his mind. he's besties with benedict and anthony ( <3 ).

dossier

name. fergus cousland titles. teyrn of highever ( addressed as "lord cousland" ) pronouns. he/him age. 27 (da:o), 37-40 (da:i), 47 (da: veilguard) origin/nationality. ferelden etymology. human noble / warrior of the champion class sexuality. bisexual alignment. lawful good, fealty to the ferelden crown or his sister

relations. alys cousland (sister, alive), bryce cousland (father, deceased), eleanor cousland (mother, deceased), oriana cousland (first wife, deceased), oren cousland (son, deceased)

height. 6'1" build. herculean, defined but not chiseled; strong like a bear, not a pretty statue; just enough softness to make for an excellent hugger (also he has great tits idc idc) hair. dark brown, curly eyes. hazel, variety of browns and honey tones scars. riddled with them. he's a tank who battles in the frontlines and take critical hits. his body is a testament to this. he wears them with pride, aside from the worst one : a large crescent shaped gash across his abdomen from the battle of ostagar. he had to cauterize the wound to avoid bleeding out. the chasind took care of the rest when they found him, but not even magic could heal it all the way. scents. petrichor, sea salt and cypress

known languages: ferelden, and most other languages from across thedas. it was required in his noble studies, but frankly he is sorely embarrassed to admit he has not retained most of them and will butcher the conversation on more than a few accounts. his avvar is pretty great though, thanks to aerick, an exiled avvar/highever guardsman, originally from kirkwall, who mentored him through his youth.

abilities / skillset

* weapons master. proficient with most weapons (i.e., shields, halberds, crossbrows, axes & mauls). he'll often carry 2-3 depending on the situation and his position in the battlefield, but his sword is the most consistent choice. dual wielding it with a shield or a maul crafted in the shape of two mabari jaws is his other consistent choice.

* great tactician. by the time we get to da: origins, fergus pretty much functions as a commander in his father's stead. he led the forces of the northern ferelden banns and strategized the battle alongside king cailan, loghain and duncan.

* superior survival skills. again thanks to aerick, but, as an outdoorsman who hated being cooped up in the castle, these lessons were mainly through fergus' insistence. he's always taken a great interest in hunting, as well as aerick's avvar roots, so aerick would sometimes oblige fergus and his friends by guiding them through long hunting treks in the mountains, to learn how to hunt, set traps, and survive more practically in tougher terrains. eventually, he made a habit of frequently hiking at his own leisure despite protests from his mother, so at this point you can throw him in the middle of anywhere and he'll be quite capable and adaptable.

* basic nautical skills. thanks to his oh-so-fun summer weeks spent with grandpa fearcher on a warship :))) old man put your boy through it, but he came out with callouses a plenty, knowing the basics of rigging, how to tie excellent knots, star navigation, etc.

restrictions

* speed. he is meant to be a powerhouse, and is fast but only to a degree. when faced with someone of the rogue class, this could very well be to his detriment if he can't manage to get in a good hit that knocks them into next week.

* post battle of ostagar. his right leg was broken and poorly set when he was found by the chasind, and while healed, it does still fail on him if he exerts himself too hard. he also suffers from ptsd which may compromise his focus while in action. his combat days are much more limited because of this, but he's still a tactician and inspires high morale in the ranks where he can.

* politics. he hates everything about it. while a warm and generally charming person, he cannot abide to be disingenuous and lacks the patience to engage in shallow or false conversations. he's a man guided by his heart, who acts more quickly than he thinks, and will often be brutally honest if there's someone or something he doesn't like. regardless of political consequence. one of the reasons why alys was thought to be better suited for the role of teyrna.

[scriptores]

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄 : fergus cousland, dragon age: origins

overview: as the eldest son of house cousland ( the ruling family of the teyrnir of highever ), fergus was sent to ostagar on a scouting mission to assist king cailan's efforts against the coming blight. in his absence, arl howe laid siege on the cousland castle, killing fergus' parents, as well as his wife and child. only his sister, alys, escaped the attack, but was conscripted into the grey warden order as a result and likewise sent to ostagar. fergus had been reported missing shortly before the battle, and for weeks he was presumed dead. however, his scouting unit had been ambushed and fergus was found by a chasind who tended him in his lengthy recovery. it was not until the land's meet that fergus was finally able to reunite with his sister and learn of his family's fate. after she ended the blight, fergus took his place as teyrn of highever, and hopes to rebuild his fallen house.

verses

main : for all plots centered around the games. i'm pretty open to playing around with different scenarios and aus (i.e. fergus being picked up as a companion in origins, rescued by someone else in the wilds, considered as an option for king / a marriage to anora during the landsmeet -- which he will loathe you for -- etc. ) but unless plotted otherwise, the default is that he becomes teyrn, his sister is the arlessa of amaranthine, and he enters an arranged marriage with evelyn trevelyan ( @verdraste who is also my default inquisitor, unless ofc i'm writing with other non-trevelyan inquisitors ).

fantasy : very easy to drop fergus and house cousland in any fantasy setting !! so this may be the primary choice. the gist remains relatively the same. his land is on the stormy coast of whatever country applies, and default is that his family is recognized as being second in power to the crown, or close to it. they're known for their highly adept soldiers (great for muses who need allies & reinforcements!), strong network of spies, and breeding and raising mabari warhounds. more than likely, fergus succeeded his father due to a similar tragedy, but we can play it by ear.

regency / bridgerton : fergus is the eldest son of the duke of highever. given his family's legacy in the military, he voluntarily fought in the battle of waterloo, but sustained an injury that left him incapacitated and unable to return home for a few months. during his recovery, his estate was infiltrated by an unknown murderer who killed his parents, but luckily did not find his sister. upon his return home, fergus steps in as the new duke, and is being pressured into finding a wife soon. understandably, this is currently the last thing on his mind. he's besties with benedict and anthony ( when he isn't being a buzzkill <3 ).

dossier

name. fergus cousland titles. teyrn of highever (addressed as "lord cousland") pronouns. he/him age. 27 (da:o), 37-40 (da:i) origin/nationality. ferelden etymology. human noble / warrior of the champion class sexuality. bisexual alignment. lawful good, fealty to the ferelden crown or his sister

relations. alys cousland (sister, @ladygriffon), bryce cousland (father, deceased), eleanor cousland (mother, deceased), oriana cousland (first wife, deceased), oren cousland (son, deceased)

height. 6'1" build. herculean, defined but not chiseled; strong like a bear, not a pretty statue; just enough softness to make for an excellent hugger (also he has great tits idc idc) hair. dark brown, curly eyes. hazel, variety of browns and honey tones scars. riddled with them. he's a tank; it's his duty to battle in the frontlines and take critical hits. his body is a testament to this. he wears them with pride, aside from the worst one: a large crescent shaped gash across his abdomen from the battle of ostagar. he had to cauterize the wound to avoid bleeding out. the chasind took care of the rest when they found him, but not even magic could heal it all the way. scents. petrichor, sea salt and cypress

known languages: ferelden, and most other languages from across thedas. it was required in his noble studies, but frankly he is sorely embarrassed to admit he has not retained most of them and will butcher the conversation on more than a few accounts. his avvar is pretty great though, thanks to aerick, an exiled avvar/highever guardsman, originally from kirkwall, who mentored him through his youth. (also asteria's father, but more on that in a different post)

abilities / skillset. * weapons master. proficient with most weapons (i.e., shields, halberds, crossbrows, axes & mauls). he'll often carry 2-3 depending on the situation and his position in the battlefield, but his sword is the most consistent choice. dual wielding it with a shield or a maul crafted in the shape of two mabari jaws is his other consistent choice.

* great tactician. by the time we get to da: origins, fergus pretty much functions as a commander in his father's stead. he led the forces of the northern ferelden banns and strategized the battle alongside king cailan, loghain and duncan.

* superior survival skills. again thanks to aerick, but, as an outdoorsman who hated being cooped up in the castle, these lessons were mainly through fergus' insistence. he's always taken a great interest in hunting, as well as aerick's avvar roots, so aerick would sometimes oblige fergus and his friends by guiding them through long hunting treks in the mountains, to learn how to hunt, set traps, and survive more practically in tougher terrains. eventually, he made a habit of frequently hiking at his own leisure despite protests from his mother, so at this point you can throw him in the middle of anywhere and he'll be quite capable and adaptable.

* basic nautical skills. thanks to his oh-so-fun summer weeks spent with grandpa fearcher on a warship :))) old man put your boy through it, but he came out with callouses a plenty, knowing the basics of rigging, how to tie excellent knots, star navigation, etc. restrictions. * speed. he is meant to be a powerhouse, and is fast but only to a degree. when faced with someone of the rogue class, this could very well be to his detriment if he can't manage to get in a good hit that knocks them into next week.

* post battle of ostagar. his right leg was broken and poorly set when he was found by the chasind, and while healed, it does still fail on him if he exerts himself too hard. he also suffers from ptsd which can be triggered during a confrontation and compromise his focus. his combat days are much more limited because of this, but he's still a tactician and inspires high morale in the ranks where he can.

* politics. he hates everything about it. while a warm and generally charming person, he cannot abide to be disingenuous and lacks the patience to engage in shallow or false conversations. he's a man, guided by his heart, who acts more quickly than he thinks and will often be brutally honest if there's someone or something he doesn't like. regardless of political consequence. one of the reasons why alys was thought to be better suited for the role of teyrna.

themes. through me (the flood), hozier

[kathrynalicemc]

Esmee Amarathine was born in the 1920s and raised for the first few years of her life by her father Eme and her mother (tbd). Eme never had any interest in family besides one night stands that never lasted until the next morning. One day, however, he had an idea. If he were to have kids, it was possible that they could inherit his immortality. He would have an impressionable child to train that would obey his every command. He could create an army.

So he found a suitable partner and Esmee was born. She was thrown into studies and training as soon as she could walk and talk. It was inevitable when Esmee had her first fall and injured herself. It was a small cut but it’s significance was great. Her mother noticed and when it didn’t heal rapidly, she knew Esmee’s fate. Fearing for her life, she took steps to protect her from future injuries and to hide existing ones.

Of course, that would never last forever. At age 8, while sparring with her father, Eme went a little too far as he was fooled that she could heal. Her arm broke which was not something her mother could easily hide. Esmee was told to run as her mother faced the wrath of Eme and was killed. Esmee managed to get away and others helped her hide from him.

When she reached adulthood she joined the French Ministry of Magic as an Auror. Her life goal was to track her father down and force him to face justice for not only her mothers death but for all the events in history he was responsible for. During her research into history and her father, she discovered the existence of another immortal, her own aunt named Eleanor.

Esmee would eventually seek Eleanor out and team up with her. Together, they managed to capture Eme and send him to Azkaban. However, Esmee had a hatred for immortals and knew they were dangerous no matter their morals. She betrayed her aunt and imprisoned her within Azkaban too.

The rest of her life was spent guarding them and their secrets, even recruiting her own children and grandchildren to the cause. She would never let them escape, although she knew deep down that it was only a matter of time. They had forever to wait for their chance at freedom.

[phillipsgraves]

17 + dreas die

17. a description of your OC’s family by a future historian

Much of the Cousland family history was lost during the siege of the castle, burned and lost forever to time when the library was burned down. Fortunately, through the efforts of the Hero of Ferelden, one Andreas Cousland, and the family scribe, a young woman named Ceridwen Pembroke, their family's legacy would not be completely lost to time.

The Teyrnir of Highever, once a part of the Arling of Amaranthine, and now the ancestral home of the Couslands, has stood the test of time throughout the Ages. Since the death of Bann Conobar Elstan, the land has since been claimed by the captain of the guard, one Ser Sarim Cousland, and the land has been in the Cousland family's control ever since.

In more recent times, Highever had been under the watchful gaze of two of Ferelden's remaining teyrns, Teyrn Bryce and Tyrna Eleanor Cousland, up until the usurption of the traitorous Arl Rendon Howe and the following siege against Castle Cousland. They are survived by their four children; Fergus, Andreas, Elissavet, and Diantha Cousland.

Presently, Highever's day to day is closely supervised by the eldest Cousland, Teyrn Fergus. Twins Andreas and Elissavet are never far apart, though their duties as Warden-Commander and Queen, respectively, occasionally separate them at times. Diantha is very often seen in the Orlesian palace, maintaining diplomatic ties between the kingdom and Highever.

— An excerpt from In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

[illusivesoul]

Why Rendon Howe is evil

This is a little theory thats been going around in my head for several days.

Rendon Howe. Evil personified. Probably one of the most despicable and hated characters in the Dragon Age series. One of the characters thats most easily defined as being just plain bad and evil, with good reason. Even in the game itself no one likes him (with 1 exception that I'll mention later in this post)

In the game, we really aren't given many reasons as to why he is the way he is and why he does the thing he does beyond saying he's evil, power hungry, and like he himself says as he dies, "I deserved more!" But recently I started to become curious about him to try to find out what had made him become like this, cause I prefer villains to have some complexity that goes beyond just "He's evil just because".

Rest of the analysis under the cut.

.

My main theory of why I think Rendon became "evil" is cause he may have suffered brain damage due to his injuries while fighting against Orlais with Maric and his rebels. My first thought for this came cause historically, Henry the 8th of England suffered several brain injuries during sporting events, and its believed that his injuries led to him having a severe personality change, which led to him become more radical, tyrannical and murderous.

After the death of his father and the Howe family joining the rebellion, Rendon joined Maric's forces and became close friends with Bryce Cousland, future Teyrn of Highever, and Leonas Bryland, future Arl of South Reach. The 3 of them fought together in the Battle of White River, which was the worse defeat the rebels suffered in the war against Orlais, and only 50 of the initial thousand soldier strong fereldan army survived.

Rendon was very badly injured during the battle, and Bryce and Leonas had to dragged him away to safety as the rebel army was crushed by the orlesians. Bryce was injured in the arm while trying to save Rendon from a chevalier. They got Rendon to Redcliffe and stayed with him for a month while he recovered before leaving to rejoin Maric and the rest of the rebel forces. While Rendon recovered in Redcliffe, he was tended to by Leonas's sister, Eliane, until he eventually recovered months later. He eventually proposed to her and they got married.

And here is the first bit of evidence we get of Rendon's attitude and behaviour completely changing after that battle and his wounds. From the wiki: "Leonas had become concerned by the changes in his friend's behavior since the battle and attempted to prevent the marriage." And some other quotes from Leonas that we get to her in dao: "Rendon Howe was no friend of mine. The boy I knew... died at the Battle of White River" and "That he didn't die years ago is the only thing worth mourning here." Leonas cut all contact with Rendon after he told him that he was only marrying his sister for her dowry and connections.

This goes back to what I mentioned earlier about the one person that seemed to care for Rendon. That person is Bryce Cousland.

Bryce and Eleanor were the only people that attended Rendon and Eliane's wedding, and even though Rendon was treated as a pariah by almost everyone in fereldan nobility, Bryce still maintained a friendly relation with Rendon, and seemed to have an almost protective attitude towards him, which contrasts greatly with how Leonas feels about Rendon. And this is where I came up with another theory about why this is. I believe that Bryce feels personally responsible for the injuries and near death that Rendon suffered during the Battle of White River and feels that he is somehow obligated to look after him. I can only hc why these could be, but maybe Rendon got injured while protecting Bryce, or maybe Bryce's actions during the battle led to Rendon's injuries. Maybe that's why Bryce seems to have keep pushing for the friendship that he once had with him, even though he clearly no longer was the same person. Cause Bryce felt responsible for the way Rendon had turned out.

Its possible that Rendon was just always like this, and those months he spent recovering just made him become super resentful against everything and everyone, but I do believe that the near death injuries he suffered during that battle, including possible head injuries and brain trauma, led to his personality changing and to him becoming the sheer villain we see ingame.

And to finish, a bit of background as to why Rendon would have hated Bryce even despite of this, here's a bit of info about them and about the relation between Highever and Amaranthine.

Rendon's father, Tarleton, supported Orlais during their occupation of Ferelden, and was eventually hanged by the Couslands before the Howes officially joined the rebellion. Adding the fact that Highever was once part of Amaranthine before they rebelled to gain their independence and annexed a good part of southern Amaranthine after winning their independence war, it adds some context to how Rendon could have seen this part of his greater vengeance against the Couslands and Highever for killing his father and taking away land from Amaranthine.

TL,DR: Rendon Howe suffered grieveous injuries during the war against Orlais, including possible brain injuries which may have led to a complete personality shift and to him becoming the person that we see him being in the game.

[phoenixresistance]

I posted 40 times in 2022

17 posts created (43%)

23 posts reblogged (58%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@lifeofkaze

@the-al-chemist

@kathrynalicemc

@thatravenpuffwitch

I tagged 36 of my posts in 2022

Only 10% of my posts had no tags

#the phoenix resistance - 36 posts

#hphm - 35 posts

#hogwarts mystery - 35 posts

#tpr - 34 posts

#kaari arcano - 27 posts

#devon marlowe - 20 posts

#mina pendleton - 15 posts

#ava campbell - 15 posts

#eleanor amaranthine - 13 posts

#artemis hexley - 12 posts

Longest Tag: 18 characters

#💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 11

Lone Star Tavern, Whitechapel, London - March 16th, 1998, 2:03 PM

There was a heavy clunk as a tankard was slammed down onto the wooden table where Eleanor sat. Kaari Arcano slumped down into the chair next to her.

“You don’t strike me as someone who blindly obeys orders,” he stated, looking her up and down for a moment, sipping his ale.

“Well spotted. Get to the point.”

“So you wouldn’t mind doing something dangerous and explicitly against Devon’s orders?” He inquired but then reluctantly added, his eyes cast downwards, “I-uh, I need help.”

Eleanor seemed to think for a moment, her expression impossible to read, all emotion gone from her eyes.

“Alright. Where to?”

“Just like that? You’re Devon’s important secret weapon. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize your relationship with her, would you?”

“I didn’t ask to be pulled from that prison. In fact, you should have left me there to die.”

“But you can’t die.”

“Exactly,” she muttered as she stood up and made her way to the door. “Well, are you coming or not?”

Wilson Manor, London - March 16th, 1998, 2:35 PM

They stood in the street looking towards the ivy covered house with tiny white and yellow flower buds peeking out of the browns and greens of the flower beds. Kaari quickly scanned the area and found a wrought iron gate to the side of the house that led towards the garden in the back.

“You haven’t scouted this house once yet, have you?” Eleanor remarked, her arms crossed.

“Of course I have,” he lied confidently.

“It’s also broad daylight,” she pointed out.

“I don’t care.”

“This isn’t like you. I mean, you are a reckless idiot but this is stupid even for you.”

“Let’s go,” he brushed her off and made a dash for the side gate, not bothering to unlock it and instead vaulted over it in one quick movement, Eleanor reluctantly following.

They crouched to keep out of sight of the windows, occasionally peeking up to look through a window. They almost reached the last window before Kaari stopped, suddenly having found what he was looking for.

Flipping out a dagger from the back of his belt, he jammed it into the windowsill and worked it around, trying to pop it open. His movements slowed as his gaze was drawn upwards. Inside was a rustic kitchen, copper pots hanging from racks, jars full of herbs and plants, and a large stew pot gently bubbling away on the stove.

What really got his attention, however, was the tiny form laying in a pile of bunched up discarded rags and cloth as a makeshift nest. The baby had grayish pink skin, large doe eyes, and long floppy ears that came to a point. Kaari had never seen a half house elf before, but she definitely had more human features than regular house elves.

According to Mirai, the girl was around eight months old by now but she was impossibly small for her age. His own niece, Dafne, was fourteen months old, only six months older. However, Kiri looked as if she was the size of a newborn.

Kaari’s grip tightened on the hilt of his dagger as he took in Kiri’s situation. The rags she laid on were stained and ripped. The clothes on her weren’t more than a pillowcase and strips of fabric wrapped around her arms and legs for extra warmth. His blood boiled as he imagined his own nieces treated like this. Left to sleep on a dirty kitchen floor.

With a pop, the window gently opened, but Kaari hesitated. His mind wandered back to that day in the office. Devon’s face was burned into his memory. There was a burning fierceness in her eyes and he couldn’t shake it. He’s had a deep respect for Devon ever since they became friends at Hogwarts. She was wildly intelligent and loyal. Kaari loved her constant search for knowledge and demand to be heard, despite being mute. People listened to her without her having to speak a word.

However, he also knew just how much she had to fight and work for that. They were deep enough friends for him to know that she was really struggling with all this pressure and responsibility upon her. She wanted to save lives but that meant having to carry all that responsibility, almost like Atlas holding up the sky. He finally understood. She couldn’t possibly save them all, and sometimes you have to drop one or two to save the rest.

Eleanor was right, he was in too much of a blind rush and didn’t scout the Manor at all. He had no idea just how many people were inside. He expected Neira and Roland but they could have many guards he didn’t know about. Then again, he did have the service of a lightning dragon and an immortal warrior with him. It would be easy really, just in and out in seconds. They could just grab her and run.

“Mama mama! Come look at this bug!” Came the cry of a toddler from the back garden. A second later came the voice of what he expected to be Neira.

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13 notes - Posted March 16, 2022

#4

The Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 9

St. Mungos, London - March 7th, 1998, 12:16 PM

“Patient name: Antoinette Yaxley (née Avery)”

“Date Admitted: June 23rd, 1981”

Eloise sighed as her eyes cast downwards to the chart on the table. She stood at the foot of the bed, replacing the vase’s wilted red roses with fresh ones. A middle aged woman laid in the bed, her eyes closed in a deep sleep and her long dark hair splayed across the pillow.

She crossed the room and sat in a familiar armchair on the side of the bed, one she has spent many nights in. Glancing around the room, Eloise realized this room felt more like home than the Yaxley manor. She had memorized every little detail about it over the years of visits and countless hours of staring at the walls, alone with her thoughts. Those particular thoughts were suddenly interrupted as a healer walked into the room.

He was a tall and stocky man with a bald head and a reddish blonde beard. Eloise had known this man for most of her life. Graham McClarnon had been the head healer for her mother as long as she could remember.

“Back again?” He remarked as he took the vitals of the woman and then grabbed the chart and hastily wrote down the results.

“Where else would I be?” She muttered quietly.

“I don’t know. But I’ve known you since you were eight years old, coming here all by yourself. You shouldn’t be in here, wasting your life away. She wouldn’t want that.” Graham motioned to the bed.

“I do have a life.”

“Mmm,” he murmured, his gaze flicking downwards to the dark inked skull on her forearm peeking out from Eloise’s sleeve.

“How’s your son? Henry, right?” Eloise switched subjects, tugging her sleeve back down.

“He’s fine, but I think you know that already,” he smiled knowingly.

Did Henry tell him that they work together? If so, he must know that she was secretly a spy. Eloise wondered if he really trusted her. Almost everyone she used to know assumes she’s a real Death Eater. She sacrificed the trust and friendships of so many people to secure her place with the Death Eaters and keep suspicion away. Only a handful of people know where her true loyalties lie. Deep down, she knew even they probably expected her to eventually betray them.

“It’s been seventeen years, Lou. How long are you going to keep this up?” He interjected bluntly, catching Eloise off guard.

Eloise didn’t have an answer. She just twirled her rose necklace in her fingers and watched her mother sleep infinitely, her chest rising up and down with breath. Seeing this moment, Graham quietly left without another word, closing the door with a soft click behind him.

She got up and instead wandered over and sat on the edge of the bed. Eloise brushed her mother’s hair aside and traced the subtle lines of age upon her face. It was quite ironic, honestly. She’s spent the majority of her life watching her own mother age when it should have been her mother watching Eloise age and grow up.

For a second, Eloise almost wondered what her mother would say if she could see her now, but quickly shut the thought out of her head. She wasn’t so sure her mother would be proud of what she has become.

Her mind instead wandered back to her spywork. She would never actually give her service to the Death Eaters, of course. Her father tried his hardest to mold her into one by teaching her what he believed in. What he didn’t know was that Antoinette was always there to supplant those ideologies. Until she wasn’t.

When her mother was attacked by Death Eaters during the first Wizarding War and placed in a coma, the only thing her father told her was that her mother was a traitor because she was helping people who stole their magic. He never did go to visit her once. Eloise always had to sneak out of the house by herself, usually taking the Knight Bus. St Mungos wasn’t the only place she went when she snuck out. The Yaxley Manor was as unfamiliar to her as she could manage.

Looking at her mother’s face, Eloise saw herself. With Eloise’s once platinum blonde hair now dyed a similar dark ebony black, the two of them were almost identical. It has been many years since she’s seen her mother’s eyes open, however under her eyelids rested the same seafoam green pupils.

Her mother was her greatest inspiration. She would do anything she could to make her proud. That was her main reason for joining the Resistance. Rebelling against her cruel father was just a bonus.

Eloise leaned in close and whispered in her mother’s ear, barely audible.

“I’ll continue your fight. One day, you’ll be proud of me. That’s a promise.”

Then she got up and left, Graham shouting a goodbye to her quickly retreating figure down the hallway.

Yaxley Manor, Kent, England - March 7th, 1998, 3:47 PM

Muffled thumps echoed off the Manor and the surrounding Kent countryside, only to be muted by the heavy downpour of rain. Eloise stood in the courtyard behind the Manor, her hands wrapped and taped, as she sparred with a punching bag.

The cold wind and rain of early spring pelted her frame, soaking her to the bone and plastering her chin length hair against her head. She didn’t mind, however. Anything was preferable to being in that house with her father.

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13 notes - Posted March 7, 2022

#3

The Phoenix Resistance- Book 2 Chapter 28 FINALE!

A/N: Well... here we are on the last page. Nine months all lead up to this. This is the ending for now but make sure to stick around for the character epilogues in the next few weeks for more endings!! As always: Mina belongs to @lifeofkaze and also Ava in mention. Artemis in mention belongs to @the-al-chemist and both Henry and Ellie belong to @thatravenpuffwitch. Enjoy!

Ministry of Magic, Atrium, London - May 2nd, 1998, 6:13 AM

A few hours went by as they waited. The atrium was completely silent for all of them but Devon. As much as she tried to push out the thoughts of her friends, they kept sneaking in. Each one of them were scared, some more than others.

Many of them paced back and forth, occasionally glancing down the dark rows of fireplaces when they thought they heard something, forms stiffening and the grip on their wands tightening only to relax when nothing came out of the darkness. Devon stood directly behind the barricade, never taking her eyes off the entrances. Her legs were stiff after hours of standing and the pain in her ribs was steadily getting worse but she refused to sit down, even after multiple suggestions from Henry. Dried blood that wasn’t hers caked her pants and hands.

It was just after sunrise that finally they saw exactly what they were dreading. A green light flickered and flashed deep within the darkness and they heard the roar of flames as a figure emerged from the floo network.

Mina and Eloise stood up from their places by the statue and they all approached the barricade as a group with their wands pointed forwards.

“Hey, stop right there!” Kaari called out loudly to the figure that got closer and closer.

The tension in the room relaxed as out from the shadows stepped a man with dark skin and rich purple robes. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt. Everyone’s wands dropped to their sides, except Devon who remained in place, her wand shaking slightly.

“If it’s really you, tell me your favorite type of bread,” Devon sent into Kingsley’s mind silently.

“Cinnamon raisin, of course,” she heard him reply back into her own mind.

“So, did we win?” Kaari inquired.

“Yes. Harry Potter has defeated Voldemort once and for all,” Kingsley’s deep voice filled the empty silence.

What followed was shouts of joy and exclamations of relief. Devon stood staring forward in shock before her knees finally gave out and she collapsed to the floor. All the adrenaline in her system crashed and the weight of the entire war came crumbing down upon her shoulders, like Atlas holding up the sky. Everyone was safe. Nobody else was going to die under her command.

“Dev! Oh Merlin, are you ok?” Henry immediately rushed to her side and scooped her up.

“Yea, I’m fine. I just need to rest for a second,” she signed.

Kingsley had climbed over the barricade and now crouched down next to them, his hand outstretched towards Devon who shook it gladly.

“Thanks for holding down the fort, Marlowe. I’ll take it from here,” he smiled gently.

“There’s one more thing I need to do, if you would allow me? In fact, I could really use your help, Kingsley,” Devon signed and pushed herself to her feet, Henry supporting her from one side.

...

With Kingsley’s help, the Phoenix Resistance wrote and printed one last newspaper together. This one, however, had no enchantments placed upon it to obscure the words.

Witches and wizards all around England watched as papers appeared with a flash from their floo networks and fell gently from the sky, a dark winged shadow accompanying it. The gold fiery Phoenix symbol blazed at the top of the paper, now visible to all.

Headlined right at the top with large letters said “Harry Potter Defeats The Dark Lord!”

The paper also went into great detail debunking the false muggleborn propaganda that was spread during the war. It included some damning evidence against many Death Eaters, calling them out by name. The puppet government was also revealed to the public. Pius Thicknesse had been under the imperius curse and Voldemort was the true leader during the war.

With that, the Phoenix flew one last time. However, this time it didn’t fly under the cover of night and it wasn’t exchanged by the hushed whispers of people in taverns. It also wouldn’t erupt into fire and burn away. This time it was persistent and loud.

At the bottom of the paper, where usually there was a blank space, now was filled with words.

“By Devon Marlowe”

The author of the Phoenix Paper was finally revealed.

As for what was to follow in the next few months after, Devon Marlowe would work under Kingsley as one of the head lawyers for the Death Eater Trials. The information she presented from the notebook she kept during the war was instrumental in the arrests and trials that followed.

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14 notes - Posted May 2, 2022

#2

Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 12

St Botolph's Church, Algate, London - March 22nd, 1998, 12:38 PM

The brown and green grass of spring crumpled beneath Eleanor’s boots as she walked among the weathered gravestones of St Botolph’s Church. Many graves were new and practically sparkled in the daylight. The rest were broken and slowly being consumed by moss. Time had reclaimed them and erased their names and dates from history.

She barely spared a glance at them, however. The grave she was looking for would not be here. No stone recorded the death of whom she sought.

Eleanor found a somewhat sturdy large headstone and sat upon it, hoping the occupant wouldn’t mind. Sighing, she looked around the graveyard and then up towards the church spire that towered into the murky gray sky.

It had been years, centuries even, and yet she could still hear it, like ghosts from the past. The sounds of the bells ringing in the streets as the wagons collected the dead. She could even see the houses locked up, red crosses hung with signs that read “Lord Have Mercy Upon Us”.

She hadn’t thought about them in over a hundred years. It had been three hundred and thirty two years since they had died. The one thing Azkaban allowed her was to spend endless time exploring her memories and recalling things once lost, as that was all she had in that dark and hopeless cell. Most of it was faint, as time had worn it from her mind, like a grave eroded by the rain.

Their names and faces were lost to her, but Eleanor knew they existed once. Her husband and children were buried somewhere under the earth nearby. During the Great Plague of London in 1665, thousands died and were buried in mass graves near the church in Aldgate. Eleanor would have joined them, if it weren’t for her immortality.

It was after their deaths that she swore never to get close to anyone else again, or to have children. If there was one thing she was grateful for, it was that her curse wasn’t passed down. She would never want anyone to experience this hell. Everything around her dies and she continues on, taking the slow path through the centuries.

A gentle rain started to fall, the drops breaking on the gravestones with a splash and soaking the new spring grass. Eleanor blinked hard and a water drop of her own rolled down her face and fell upon the stones, mixing with the rain. What kind of mother couldn’t remember her own children’s names?

She thought about her brother, Eme. Had he ever lost a loved one to the inevitable turn of the earth? She honestly doubted that he could experience love anymore. Eleanor almost envied his indifference to emotions. Without them, maybe she too would revel in immortality the way he did.

No. She would never want to be a monster like him. Maybe love is what saves people.

Lone Star Tavern, Whitechapel, London - March 22nd, 1998, 1:15 PM

The rain was coming down in heavy sheets by the time Eleanor walked in, soaked to the bone. She wandered over and slumped into a chair by the roaring fire where Kaari already sat.

“Did you fall in the Thames or something?” Kaari commented, eyeing her current state.

“I had children once.”

Kaari choked into his tankard of ale. “Come again?”

“The other day you asked me what I would know about being a parent. It was hundreds of years ago but I was a parent once.”

“Why are you telling me this? I’m an asshole and you are a badass who doesn’t give a fuck about us,” Kaari joked.

Eleanor’s face was suddenly soft, her eyes stared wistfully into the dancing flames. Kaari sat up, seeing her suddenly serious. It was the first time he had seen her guard dropped and he was curious to know more about her so he decided to shut up.

“It’s been a hell of a long time since I had anyone around me I could trust my secrets to. There’s no record of them anywhere, except in my head. But that too is deteriorating. I don’t remember any of their names,” she admitted.

“I just wanted them to exist in someone else’s head. They deserve that.”

The tavern was silent for a few moments, only the crackling of the fire and the pouring rain hitting the windows could be heard.

“I’m curious. Feel free to punch me in the face if you don’t want to answer, but have you ever gone looking for possible ways to end your immortality?”

Eleanor cocked her eyebrow and then reached for Kaari’s tankard, downing the last of the drink in one go, the liquid burning all the way down to settle into a warmth in her stomach.

“Of course. I searched for centuries.”

“And you haven’t found anything?”

“There was a moment in Azkaban. While a dementor was having their fill of the infinite bad memories I have, I almost felt like I would fade away and never come back. My body can regrow and heal from anything, but I’m not too sure if my soul could.”

The door of the tavern burst open, the loud downpour of rain disrupting their quiet moment. A courier for the Resistance dashed inside and didn’t spare a glance to the table as they made a beeline for the cellar. The look on their face gave Eleanor and Kaari a sinking feeling in their chest.

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14 notes - Posted March 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 14

Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England - March 28th, 1998, 5:58 PM

Eloise stared at her reflection in the large windows that overlooked the grand Malfoy Manor garden. Her chin length ebony hair was slicked back with gel and she wore a deep emerald velvet dress. It had a deep plunging neck and an open back. A long slit ran down her left leg, leaving her thigh holster for her wand visible to everyone.

If Eloise had her way, she would be wearing a suit. Her father, however, insisted that she wore a dress, something more appropriate for a young lady. With a grimace, she admitted that the dress was probably for the best. She knew just how many old men would appreciate her for it, and would gladly spill some secrets to her with their guard down.

“Dinner is served,” a posh voice rang out, calling all the party guests to start migrating to the large pompous dining room.

Marble columns held up the high ceiling and lined the walls. One wall consisted almost entirely of an open faced fireplace that roared and crackled. The dining table itself was a deep brown black wood that was polished and shone in the light of the hanging chandeliers above. It was so long that it could comfortably seat ten people on both sides.

Eloise took a seat next to her father Corban and a few chairs down from the head of the table where Lucius Malfoy currently sat. His wife Narcissa and son Draco sat to the side of him. Also nearby was Bellatrix Lestrange, sister to Narcissa. A few other people she knew took their places along the table, Neira and Roland Wilson among them. Leaning forward, Eloise could just see the opposite end of the table. A shiver ran down her exposed back as she saw the long white hair and sharp features of Eme Amaranthine staring back at her.

Her attention was caught as the heavy wooden chair to the right of her was pulled out and a man with chiseled cheekbones and piercing eyes sat down. He glanced at Eloise out of the corner of his eye as he unfolded a napkin and placed it neatly upon his lap, his eyes lingering on her legs for just a second longer than required.

“I do not believe we’ve had the honor of meeting. Alphard Farrier,” he announced suddenly, turning in his chair and holding a hand out.

“Eloise Yaxley,” she countered back in her best friendly voice, a polite smile on her face.

She was keenly aware of who he was. He worked in the Ministry for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. In fact, he was just below her father in rank. Clearly this was a play for power. He was aiming to get nice and friendly with his boss’s daughter. That was something she could arrange as he was the closest person next to her father that she could weasel some information out of.

“Oh yes, how could I have not known. My father talks all about you!” Eloise raved, turning in her chair to face him. “He said you were indispensable to him these past few months with the investigation into the missing Azkaban prisoners.

“Is that so?” Alphard mused proudly, twirling his wine around in his glass before taking a sip.

“I’m curious, did you ever catch them?” She leaned forwards so that he was in range of her perfume. It was her own special Amortentia perfume. Eloise wondered what he could smell.

“Not yet, but we have a good idea about how they’ve managed to do it. The apparition point is being monitored so the next time they try it we will have them,” he replied after breathing deeply.

“Delightful. You’ll have to let me know when you do so we can share a glass of champagne in celebration,” Eloise smiled and gently placed a hand upon his shoulder before turning back in her chair, their conversation coming to an end.

Her attention was drawn to some nearby conversations as she turned back to her dinner. She heard some talk about the inadequacy of the Gringotts goblins and boasts of children’s accomplishments at Hogwarts under the new Headmaster.

Further down the table the Malfoy’s falling from grace were discussed at great length while at the opposite head of the table, where Eme Amaranthine was sitting, no one seemed to be talking much at all.

“Bellatrix and Narcissa must be relieved to hear about the death of Ted Tonks. It was such a disgrace that their sister tainted the family's pure blood with muggle blood,” Roland Wilson muttered quietly to the people next to him.

“I still don’t know why they insisted on bringing the rest of his group here as prisoners. They would have been better off dead along with Tonks and Cresswell,” his wife Neira chimed in with a sneer.

“Lord and Lady Wilson, how’s your family?” Eloise interrupted, her knife dancing around her fingers playfully and a smile upon her face that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“You have two young sons, I believe? I hope they are in good health,” she mused, cutting a piece of steak and bringing it up to her mouth using her knife instead of her fork.

“They are quite fine, thank you,” Roland answered apprehensively but with a smile upon his face nonetheless.

“I apologize but I can’t help but wonder, Lord Wilson. I’ve heard a rumor going around about your own sister Mirai mingling about with your own house elf and producing a child. That wouldn’t happen to be true, would it?”

A few guests nearby gasped and whispers started to cascade down the table like dominoes. Panic flashed in Roland’s eyes but his smile remained.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about. Whoever you heard that preposterous rumor from was clearly mistaken and needs to be informed otherwise,” he rambled, turning to those nearest to him to quell the rush of gossip.

His wife Neira gave Eloise a burning glare of hatred before joining her husband in the efforts to repair their reputation.

The rest of the dinner passed in a rush of gossip and political debates that Eloise had no interest in. Her father’s mood, along with most of the guests, started to deflate when they decided that the Dark Lord himself would not be attending after all. She rolled her eyes at how hopeful her father was to have a chance to suck up to the “greatest wizard to ever exist”, in his own words.

Before she knew it, it was nearing 8 pm and the dance had started. Couples were waltzing in the ballroom, the long gowns sweeping across the black marble floors.

Eloise was walking around the edge of the dance floor as suddenly she was met with a wall of white. It was Eme Amaranthine, his long hair cascading like a waterfall down his dark red-purple velvet suit. His eyes narrowed down at her and his mouth cracked into a smirk upwards.

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14 notes - Posted March 28, 2022

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[thewardenisonthecase]

I've been thinking about Anneliese and Anora. Because I feel like, despite everything that happened, Anneliese still has some respect for Anora and would try to build some bridges with her.

I can't really tell how Anora would feel because of, wel...everything (I mean, Anneliese lied to her, Alistair killed her father, they took her throne and then Gwaren)

But Anneliese wouldn't want Anora to like *actually* loose everything. She would check on her, make sure she was doing well, and honestly, at some point, she would probably just give Gwaren to Anora if she wished for it (especially in the whole warden commander bussiness, Anneliese would definetly ask Anora to manage Gwaren while she's in Amaranthine, kinda of the Eamona and Teagen with redcliff thing)

And like Anora said she was close to Eleanor, so that's another big reason why

[heylavellan]

Ramsay Cousland

Even though Fergus was their elder brother, most of Highever knew that Ramsay was in line to become the next Teyrn. Their father's favourite, they were known to fulfill all their responsibilities. Ramsay had charmed every guest of their parents and those nobles they visited. The common folk of Highever knew them as someone who partied hard, started tavern brawls, and kissed barmaids. Becoming a Grey Warden completely changed their trajectory. Now as the Queen of Ferelden, she cares for the people of Ferelden and guides Alistair in dealing with their people. They still take the time to mingle with commoners, start tavern brawls, and kiss barmaids -- even a Queen should enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

˚∘⊰⋆ about ⋆⊱∘˚

age: 23 after da:a (21 at the beginning)

pronouns: any (prefers they!)

class: rogue (assassin, duelist, then legionnaire scout)

beliefs: Andrastian, though her family still honours the Alamarri gods.

strengths: brave, charming, loyal

weaknesses: overconfident, snarky, overly trusting

family: Eleanor & Bryce (parents, deceased), Fergus (brother, 30), Oren (nephew, deceased)

Usual story as per human noble origin. Ramsay spent a lot of time looking for a wife for Fergus, and he ends up marrying the sister of the Bann of West Hill. They have a few children.

˚∘⊰⋆ thoughts on companions ⋆⊱∘˚

romance: Alistair, though they have an open relationship. Has been with Zevran, Isabela, Anders, and Nathaniel.

best friends: Shale, Alistair, Nathaniel

close: Sten, Morrigan, Zevran, Anders

associates: Wynne, Leliana, Sigrun

dislike: Oghren, Velanna

˚∘⊰⋆ after the blight⋆⊱∘˚

cullen: "I'm glad to hear he's trying to turn his life around with the Inquisition. It's easy to get stuck on a past mistake and be filled with rage from it."

carver: "Stroud had him transferred to Amaranthine after Anders led him to the Wardens. Nathaniel introduced us briefly when I visited Amaranthine on behalf of my King. Seems like a good warrior."

hawke: "Alistair told me in great detail about the Champion of Kirkwall. Apparently they're with Anders these days. Wish I could have accompanied him to Kirkwall, all four of us could have had a fun time..."

isabela: "She hasn't docked in a while. Apparently she has been stranded in Kirkwall for a bit. We should invite her for a visit, it's been years..."

josephine: "Leliana says good things about her. I'm glad she has someone she can rely on after everything that happened."

sebastian: "He's requested aid from us, but I told Alistair we couldn't afford it. We're still rebuilding after the Blight and with the threat of Orlais... But I did send personal condolences. I've been in his position."

˚∘⊰⋆ related works ⋆⊱∘˚

serving highever - Before the slaughter of the Couslands, Ramsay was entangled with one of their knights, Ser Gilmore.

at your side - An AU where Ramsay fell in love with Zevran. Battle partners one shot.