#enchanter vivienne
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This took me a while, because I kept swapping Sera and Viviane. Anyway, thoughts?
#dragon age#dragon age inquisition#dai#dragonage#solas#da meme#dread wolf#dorian pavus#sera#red Jenny#cassandra pentaghast#seeker of truth#warden blackwall#Thom rainier#iron bull#the iron bull#Cole#cole the spirit#enchanter vivienne#madam de fer#varric tethras dragon age#varric tethras#sera dragon age#da solas#blackwall#human cole#vivienne de fer#vivienne dragon age#varrictethras#varric dragon age
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If anyone has a higher opinion of Vivienne, reblog with your defense of her. Maybe there's something I missed somehow, I'd love a debate on this!
Just quoting this because you asked and I got sent this post BECAUSE you put this in there. Normally I don't engage with Vivienne haters because people are allowed to have their negative interpretations about characters. But you not only asked but also posted this into the main character tag instead of just labelling this as vivienne critical or anti vivienne.
Her experience as a mage was NOT privileged or a life of luxury. She did not come from a noble family, but from abject poverty. And we can infer this by some cryptic dialogue Cole says in reference to Vivienne
[Cole about Vivienne] "A breath-caught smile from the Enchanter as the candle lights. The walls are safe; she will never be hungry again."
This is referencing a moment in her life before she became Duke Bastien's pet/lover (whatever you want to call it). The fact she even had to worry about never going hungry again either means A, the circles weren't feeding her enough - which is doubtful because as a "well behaved" mage she would have been given food, or B her life before the circle was rife with such abject poverty it was a constant worry. In either instance, it means she did not live a life of luxury, did not come from privilege or wealth. She clawed her way up to a position of prestige in a system that was not meant for people like her.
For her gameplay, the Knight Enchanter is an Orlesian-Human reskin of the Dalish Arcane Warrior. Originally the entire subclass was extremely badass where you could solo a dragon as it. But Bioware nerfed it because it made all other subclasses pale in comparison. Seriously those abilities were so much more powerful on release. Most people who played as mage, chose the knight enchanter specialization because of that. But they readjusted the percentages, cooldowns, and damage so that it offered more chance of party-cooperation instead of it being the MVP of the battlefield. Me thinks you only know of this depleted version of the knight enchanter.
You compare Vivienne to Sera about Sera being for the common people, yet it is Vivienne - NOT Sera who approves of the inquisitor for saving the 6 townspeople in Haven. It is Vivienne - NOT Sera - who consoles the Inquisitor if they show remorse and grief over who they couldn't save. And it is Vivienne who is painfully aware of how mages are seen by the common people, commenting on how a Mage!Inquisitor is being an example. Whether it be to other mages or to common folk for what Mages can do and be for them. How they're not scary and what they can offer. Something Vivienne is clearly trying to do herself by living as an example of what mages can be for the common folk. Also she knows to fear Templars. Its very evident in banter with Cole if you bothered to take them out together (where Cole invades her privacy to reveal this despite her telling him not to address her)
Cole: You're afraid. You don't have to be.
Vivienne: My dear Inquisitor, please restrain your pet demon. I do not want it addressing me.
(If Inquisitor supports Cole.)
Inquisitor: He's not doing any harm, Vivienne.
Vivienne: It's a demon, darling. All it can do is harm.
(If Inquisitor supports Vivienne.)
Inquisitor: Cole, Vivienne doesn't want to talk right now.
Cole: She's afraid!
Cole: Everything bright, roar of anger as the demon rears. No, I will not fall. No one will control me ever again.
Cole: Flash of white as the world comes back. Shaking, hollow, Harrowed, but smiling at templars to show them I'm me.
Cole: I am not like that. I can protect you. If Templars come for you, I will kill them.
Vivienne: Delightful.
So to make the bold claim that she never experienced Templars beating her up, when they very clearly stood as a force above her - controlling her - a symbol and presence and reminder to fear them. As if just the mere threat of on fuck up isn't as traumatic as being physically beat up. She VERY much knew the terror of going through the Harrowing, that failing to do so would mean execution. She lived that existence. Its no wonder she holds their leash tight once made Divine.
And that all goes without saying the casual racism she experiences on the daily while in court.
Cole: Stepping into the parlor, hem of my gown snagged, no, adjust before I go in, must look perfect. Vivienne: My dear, your pet is speaking again. Do silence it. Cole: Voices inside. Marquis Alphonse. Cole: āI do hope Duke Bastien puts out the lights before he touches her. But then, she must disappear in the dark.ā Cole: Gown tight between my fingers, cold all over. Unacceptable. Wheels turn, strings pull. Cole: He hurt you. You left a letter, let out a lie so he would do something foolish against the Inquisition. A trap. Vivienne: Inquisitor, as your demon lacks manners, perhaps you could get Solas to train it.
Her fear of Irrelevance is a pretty valid fear as she's clearly been trying to be symbol of what Mages CAN be if trusted with more responsibilities, and more freedom. if circle mages didn't live in circles like Kirkwall or Kinloch Hold, but like Ostwick or the White Spire. She wants to uplift the experience of all other mages in circle towers t be closer to what she had, so they had a better experience. It's not the best of course, but it's a step in the right direction. And is what she does when she is made Divine with high approval, makes it so mages have more responsibilities - showing they can contribute to the public. Because lasting changes happen with inches, and this is an inch that is doable. Give the mages more responsibilities, change the public's opinions of mages - get more freedoms for mages while they continue to have support from the circles in terms of lodgings, food, and protection. Vivienne wants to reform the circles, not keep the status quo like Cassandra does. So what happens if she's irrelevant. No other circle mage has clawed their way to the point that she is, if she is irrelevant, who will actually help her fellow circle mages? No one. Thats why she fears being irrelevant.
Vivienne did not join the Inquisition because Morrigan stole her position. Vivienne joined because Morrigan had Celene's ear as the Occult Advisor, where as Vivienne was the Court Enchanter (which is essentially a court jester role, and one Vivienne brought respect to, and is a huge step toward mage emancipation)- that's two different positions. Vivienne says as much that no one took anything from her. But that Celene was listening to Morrigan instead of her and that was her prerogative. She didn't agree, and Celene never forced her out - but Vivienne left anyway because she couldn't sit idly by while Morrigan ruined the reputation of Mages she has created in the court. Especially not when there were more important things at stake, like the end of the world thanks to the Breach.
Also the fact Vivienne at no point leaves the inquisition despite the low approval is a testament that it isn't about her. The world is more important than petty disagreements with the Inquisitor. And the worst she does at low approval is a Sera-worthy prank, moving your stuff around. (Which actually reminds me of how Sera tries to prank Vivienne many times, and Vivienne sounds amused by it. I am willing to bet Vivienne dealt with far more creative pranks in the circles than what Sera was trying, and thats why she was largely unbothered).
Some Bonus points and headcanons. A High approval Vivienne gives the inquisitor a ring. No other companions or advisor does the same. And my sapphic heart about died seeing the symbol of a queerplatonic relationship with that. That's a pretty solid symbol of a proposal, even if she can't do anything with it. I always headcanon that we can flirt with her, but can't romance her because she knows the circles will be back and having a romance she actually cared about would be dangerous if the Templars were be back in power. But a ring, as a symbol of her affection for you - is all she can do. With all the heart ache of pining.
So there ya go. I apologize for the length.
I was thinking back on all the companion characters across the Dragon Age series, and besides that one Dalish mage lady from Awakening whose name I can't remember, there's only ONE companion that I legitimately hate...
Vivienne from Dragon Age Inquisition.
I cannot stand her, both in terms of story and gameplay.
Gameplay is self explanatory: when you unlock all the companion characters unique skill trees halfway through, Vivienne has absolutely GARBAGE abilities. I get why "melee mage" might be interesting in concept, but it was executed so poorly. A mana sword spell, a worse version of fade step, and time bubble spell that doesn't even work on larger enemies (compared to Sera's flask of Lightning that can Za Warudo a fucking dragon, it's an absolute joke). It's whole "noble militant" history thing (via the trainers dialogue for this subclass as a mage inquisitor) feels unbearably snooty after the past two games delved into how oppressed the mages are. And Vivienne, as a character, to have this subclass is even more ammunition to my hatred. Her experience with being a mage was nothing but privilege and luxury, so learning that fighting style of "dangerous elegance that inspires your allies" makes me wanna barf then introduce her to Fenris and Anders to give the boys something to agree on: Vivienne is as privileged as the Tevinter Magisters and cares nothing for the abuse and oppression the Circle Towers have always contained. Let's see how her little glowy sword does against the two of them...
As a character in the Narrative, she is introduced around the same time as Sera, and at first most players (including myself!) felt repulsed by Sera and charmed by Vivienne. As the game progresses, you come to see them in opposite lights:
Sera is, above all else, a protector of the common people. She, and the rest of the Friends of Red Jenny, undermine the nobility who abuse their power over others, just by gaining the trust and help of the servants those Noblemen believe are beneath them. Through all that brash demeanor and colorful swearing, she keeps the Inquisitor humble, reminds them that their title and authority will get in the way of saving the world if they forget that they and all who serve the Inquisition are people.
Vivienne, on the other hand, is an entitled brat who never lived in a Circle Tower long enough to see the truth of what they are: Prisons. She got to learn magic from the comfort of Orlais, and played politics as she danced the waltz before snacking gingerly on some shrimp or whatever. She was never beaten bloody by a Templar who was just looking for an excuse to "punish" a mage, or gone through The Harrowing with the terror of knowing failure means execution by the Templars, or Maker forbid being thrown into a damp cell and forgotten about by the Templars who put her there until starvation claimed her life; Cole can attest to that last one if Vivienne dares to deny that level of cruelty being possible from the "protectors" of the mages.
In "Here Lies The Abyss", there is a graveyard in the Nightmare's domain; a graveyard where the tombstones read out the darkest terrors of all the companions. I'm still fascinated and confused by what Sera's fear of "The Nothing" means, and would love some explanations in the reblogs! But Vivienne's fear is... Irrelevance! š Yeah Vivienne, it must be scary to be forgotten about huh? To lose your popularity, your attention, your "friends" among the nobility? Josephine could do it to you, it'd take her a week at most and I'd be more than happy to order her to destroy your precious reputation...
Vivienne joined the Inquisition because Morrigan stole her spot as Empress Celene's "occult advisor", and she wanted to feel and be important again. But I am happy to leave her to her own devices in Skyhold, letting her wallow in her insignificance.
If anyone has a higher opinion of Vivienne, reblog with your defense of her. Maybe there's something I missed somehow, I'd love a debate on this!
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genuinely a crime that when you have fiona join the inquisiton that there is zero interaction between her and vivienne. zero. none. you're telling me they have absolutely nothing to say to each other? nothing? the leader of the rebel mages and the leader of those who chose to stay behind in the circles? they don't say a single damn thing to each other about anything? not about alexius, the war, the tranquil, the templarsā nothing??
#dai#dragon age inquisition#dragon age#da: inquisition#da: i#da:i#vivienne#vivienne de fer#vivienne dragon age#dragon age vivienne#grand enchanter fiona
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Vivienne: If it was a date why did both of you bring your weapon and armor? Sacha: Foreplay reasons. Vivienne: I don't know why I expected anything else.
this Inquisitor uses he/him pronouns!
#sacha leaning into his knight enchanter era is gold#man is literally cosplaying andraste#bull likes going on fancy dates with sacha if he's gonna date a rich leader of a religious extremist organisation#might as well reap the rewards#bull is like#'yeah you can wine and dine me and later i'll do something real fun for you with this orlesian silk rope vivienne told me to buy'#sacha of ostwick#iron bull#iron bull x inquisitor#iron bull x lavellan#iron bull x male inquisitor#dragon age inquisition#dragon age#dai#male lavellan#nonbinary lavellan#nonbinary inquisitor#custom inquisitor#sacha is not a lavellan sry he's just a regular circle elf#jasko draws
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once cooked up a mage trevelyan who's a bit older than the game implies they are as a means of reinforcing the previous message of the first 2 games regarding the treatment of mages and the mage-templar war - a 30-ish enchanter with a bone to pick with every person who defends the circle or the templars, very protective of the mages and apprentices, and extremely Tired of Everything Happening to Him
i miss him
#dragon age#dragon age inquisition#DAI#his name was llassar#he was more of a peer to senior enchanter lydia than a student#he was the target of one specific templar within the circle that went ignored#he got along decently well with vivienne but knew when an argument with her wasn't worth his time#he was going to spearhead the campaign for curing tranquil with or without cassandra's approval#and he gets to kiss the iron bull on the mouth#mage trevelyan#inquisitor trevelyan
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The Reign, ch14: A Future without Hope
Theresa meets with Fiona and Vivienne to discuss the future fate of mages in Thedas.
āMages have waited long enough for our freedom.ā Fionaās aura stretched outward in a dense, threatening fog. āIf it will not be given willingly, it must be taken by force.ā Vivienne was unphased. āI hear that so wearily often. It must be a great comfort to the common folk to know that their survival is trivial, compared to our freedom.āĀ āThe two neednāt be mutually exclusive!āĀ āOh but they are. However much we may wish it, we are not like everyone else. Anyone can see that a chevalier is armed and dangerous, and they can see when his blade is about to strike. But they cannot see us coming. And we cannot simply leave our magic at the door like one would a sword. The world is not ready to trust mages.āĀ āAnd when, in your mind, will they be ready?āĀ āIām sure I donāt know. But certainly not on the heels of the most violent uprising in living memory. Justiniaās death shattered the balance of power in Thedas. If it is not restored quickly, countless lives will be lost. Mages, templars, innocents of all kinds now look to the Inquisition to decide their fate. We must be their example. Now is not the time to push the envelope.ā āWhat would you propose?ā I asked quickly, in hopes of redirecting them.Ā Vivienne spoke to me, but kept her eyes on Fiona. āRather than destroy the phylacteries, keep them close at hand, here in Skyhold. It would also be wise to create new ones for every mage already present. They will be well-protected, and enable us to have a more accurate accounting of our numbers.āĀ āWith, no doubt, the caveat that we use them to track down any who do not wish to join our ranks?ā Fiona sneered. āHow remarkably loyal of you.āĀ āDo not use words you donāt understand, Fiona,ā Vivienne answered coldly. āYou only betray your own ignorance.āĀ
DAFF tag list: @rakshadow, @rosella-writes, @effelants, @bluewren, @breninarthur,
@ar-lath-ma-cully, @dreadfutures, @ir0n-angel, @inquisimer, @crackinglamb,
@theluckywizard, @oxygenforthewicked, @exalted-dawn-drabbles, @melisusthewee, @blarrghe,
@agentkatie, @delicatefade, @leggywillow, @about2dance, @plisuu
#my writing#theresa trevelyan#inquisitor trevelyan#grand enchanter fiona#vivienne de fer#mage politics#mage freedom#Circle politics
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#vouge#vougemagazine#vougefashion#vivienne westwood#chanel#christian louboutin#louboutin heels#fashion#fashion style#fashion dolls#barbie#margot robbie#margot robbie barbie#day to night barbie#enchanted evening barbie#barbie doll#barbie fashions#barbie styles#barbie lookbook#barbie (2023)#barbie the movie#childhood#pink#kidcore#y2k#barbie girl#girlhood#girly things
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Welcome to the cringe corner! I am unwell :)
#every day I am reminded that I have poor taste in men#this is my official apology post haha#art#inquisitor#cullen#marissa trevelyan#dorian#vivienne#solas#varric#i feel like that one picture of shinji from evangelion on the chair when I post stuff like this#please do not come for me both cullen fans and cullen haters#in other news knight enchanter is the funnest mage class to play#dragon age inquisition
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Mages in Thedas and The Circle of Magi
#mages#circle of magi#first enchanter orsino#madame vivienne#grand enchanter vivienne#senior enchanter wynne#wynne#dragon age#dragon age: inquisition#dragon age: ii#daedit#daedits#my edit#edit#not sure i like this one#hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Isak Trevelyan: Iām probably nonbinary but i have a world to save so idrc about that rn š
#dragon age inquisition#dai#inquisitor trevelyan#sorry hes my loser bastard son (gender neutral)#literal bastard and circle reformer sorry#he gets psychoanalyzed by bull and thinks its the hottest thing hes ever seen fun fact#gets read to filth and decides hes in love sorry not sorry#someone ask me about this little shit pls im begging#his father sucks and has basically disowned him fun fact#bc he had an affair with an enchanter at one of the circles#and simply ignores isaks existence bc his father is racist and well. a noble#and isak is a little shit but hides it with a facade of benevolence#he thinks circles should exist but not as they currently do#he has many discussions with vivienne about these topics btw š¤š#anyway isak uses he/him but doesnt consider himself a man just weāre all aware#anyway SOMEONE ASK ME ABOUT MY LITTLE BASTARD PLSSS
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it turns out my insane narrative that i concocted specifically to appeal to me for solas and caden trevelyan's relationship is actually significantly more interesting to me than the reality of romancing solas with ga-kei
#imagine fumbling a genderfluid baddie while lying to them the whole time and then literally all the rumors#in the following years are that theyre in some kind of Situation with the grand enchanter (and possibly the divine?) i'd kill myself.#ga-kei and solas' thing is literally just a precursor to ga-kei and vivienne intense yuri rivalry situation. basically.#something probably unhealthy but also yuriful happening between ga-kei and leliana increasnigly interesting to me . its cooking. stay tuned#ga-kei lavellan#vivienne divine in ga-kei's worldstate IS interesting to me. game math wouldnt add up at all but in my beautiful mind
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mage hawke & vivienne parallels real...
#neither of them would be happy about this methinks#YES i'm writing more marian/vivienne you cant blame me for that. i just read that great vivienne post.#the way this has also turned into 'hawke and varric allergic to working out their friendship issues' is so funny. yeah anna that's always#your take on hawke and varric. you never change.#it's not the SAME but something about becoming the court enchanter and becoming the champion is like... close enough to make my brain itch#anyway i gotta go to sleep but like. there is relationship shit happening in skyhold that at this point only leliana can parse#andraste help the women you put on earth to despise each other have started sleeping together instead#mfw the greater evil we came together to fight is so great it makes our very real disagreements seem ephemeral
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hey why is there no conversation/confrontation between vivienne and fiona over fiona not protecting the tranquil from alexius/the rebel mages neglecting the tranquil they took with them when they split from the circle. hey. hey why is that not brought up again. hey.
#dai#dragon age#dragon age inquisition#vivienne#vivienne de fer#da:i#grand enchanter fiona#the tranquil
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guys im actually a bit (cautiously) excited for v.eilguard (still hasnāt finished inquisition)
#i have some concerns specifically concerning how heavily involved the crows are#and the fact that we can be a crow ourselves + another crow companion who has a very different background from zevran#from what i understood#like if i had to guess theyāre probably do another character contrast? like how they did with vivienne and anders#but also itās like dgjdgjdg i just donāt trust bw to handle it well š#if they donāt retcon the antivan crows to this cool edgy assassins guild which from what i have seenā¦ā¦. it seems so š#like thereās nothing in the world that could make me give a shit about the antivan crows im so sorry#i also wonder how theyāll handle the rook crow background which i also suspect wonāt be handled/addressed well :/#BUT IDK I COULD BE WRONG im gonna actually withhold my judgments until i actually play the game and see it for myself#which i will be playing on release day ā¤ļø#itās just something thatās on my mind every time i see vg spoilers š#im just so worried about this and im still not reassured that they wonāt do this but i canāt say iād be surprised if they did#im also soooo happy and excited to see the grey wardens again im so glad they brought them back ļæ½ļæ½ļæ½#UGH I NEED TO KEEP PLAYING but trying to finally get a specialization (knight enchanter) is sooo annoying š#out.#im so excited to start planning my rook im thinking of going for lords of fortune#and predictably im gonna make a sideblog š#and thereās gonna be a huge da fandom revival when the game comes out and im not looking forward to it really š the fandom is so annoying#AND ALSO WEāRE GONNA SEE ANTIVA I THINK? IM SO EXCITED
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... If Tristan went to the Inquisition as was the Divine's plan partially... Would he have a rivalry of management with Josie or perhaps Viv?
maybe lmao!! tristan wasnāt really trained to handle international affairs on josephineās level but he was trained to run fereldan castles full of soldiers, raise militia, govern resources, etc. so he would not at all expect to take josephineās job at the war table but he would consider himself more qualified to run skyhold and they might lock horns over how to treat important guests JGHDJSKSK
#cassandra: why are you upset has there been a major development at the war table??#tristan: if lady montilyet acquiesces to first enchanter vivienne and makes me house the senior enchanters in the common mage tower#i am going to set every inquisition flag in this place on fire. which is DIPLOMATICALLY EQUIVALENTā
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