#except solas blackwall and varric

[shift-shaping]

So many screenshots of Enaste it's like most of my screenshots folder now

[imageingrunge]

making the hawke or stroud choice in DAI rn when I haven't played the other games feels like this

[adoribullpavus]

amber's dragon age inquisition tips for a good playthrough

(spoiler warning, obvs)

●do "power for a price" war table operation as soon as you can

●flirt with EVERYONE (except blackwall if you don't intend to romance him, as you can get soft locked in his romance very early on)

●fade kiss solas if you're playing as an female elf and want to gain his friendship - doesn't lock you in a romance with him but it boosts approval

●side with the mages - optional, but in hushed whispers is a much more interesting mission than champions of the just (and the templars suck)

●do varric's personal quests and gain high enough approval with him to get the wicked grace cutscene

●support either cassandra or leliana to be the next divine - i don't think the game mentions it but if you don't, vivienne becomes the divine instead

●if you're not romancing iron bull or dorian, spend a few hours idling with just the two of them and they'll get together instead

●if you're not romancing blackwall or josephine, bringing blackwall and varric/sera out together may trigger some dialogue which hints at blackwall having feelings for josephine

●don't drink from the well of sorrows - morrigan wants it more, it seems problematic later on, and you have to fight a dragon

●sacrifice the dreadnought and save the chargers - iron bull appreciates it way more later on

●if you plan on leaving hawke in the fade, don't bring varric with you (or bring him and cassandra if you like angst)

●as long and tedious as it is, go down josephine's line for her personal mission instead of leliana's

●recruit cole

●romance someone before going to the winter palace, it'll be worth it at the end (actually bring them to the winter palace for this to work)

●always tell dorian about the meeting with his father, you're a dick if you don't

[dragonagecompanions]

Companions reaction to the Inquisitor asking them to be their Maid of Honor/Best Man at their wedding? (Cassandra should've been at the wedding with Sera and my Inquisitor tbh)

(Setting this post Trespasser for continuity.)

Cassandra: The air is filled, immediately and impossibly, with hearts. So few of Cassandra's friends are free to promise themselves to a spouse, and so over the years the Seeker had relinquished that childhood dream to oblivion. But now there is such joy among her dearest friends, and no matter how long or short the engagement and planning Cassandra will be there for everything they need.

And on the day will cry more than anyone else. Everyone will be threatened into forgetting this about her.

Solas:

Varric: Now this is the happy ending to a story he can get behind. Promise an open bar and he is in.

For all of his bluster and faked nonchalance, Kirkwall's viscount is deeply touched. Over the course of this inquisition he has made friends to rival the ones in Kirkwall, and the fact that those sentiments are returned enough to merit such an invitation mean the world. Immediately he takes over logistics, and no matter if there is limited time to plan the wedding goes off without a hitch.

His speech is legendary. People cry. He's putting it in his next book.

Blackwall: It's ridiculous. It's a common request, from a friend, to stand up with them at their wedding. After all this time it shouldn't even be a surprise. But the question brings him to his proverbial knees. For so long, even after everyone knew the truth, Thom Rainier had assumed himself to be unlovable. Tolerated in a time of war for what he brought to the table, but not worthy of true regard.

This is a gift the finally unlocks those chains. He might not know much about weddings, but no matter what they need their would be warden does his best. Like Cassandra, he openly weeps at the ceremony.

Sera: Nothin' like love to make a wedding a party! This may be the one time Sera tones down the pranks, too focused on making sure both the little and big people are happy. Dorian is heavily consulted on clothing, and Skyhold's resident Jenny might even submit to a haircut.

The bakers in Thedas weep for her designs. They are perfect. Might go into the cake business, if cookies don't hold out.

Whole thing goes off without a hitch. Well, except for the actual hitch. That goes perfect.

Vivienne: Darling she is thrilled. No matter their venue or plans Madame de Fer is quick to make sure they have the best. Appointments open, caterers are suddenly free, and her tailors are on hand to make sure that everyone in the wedding party looks their best.

There is some distant sorrow later, watching the couple dance the first of the rest of their lives together, but not for all the gold in the world would she have traded her life with Bastien. That was more than enough for one heart-- it is no trial to be happy for her friends.

Dorian: No matter his travel plans or the demands of the magisterium, the moment they ask Dorian is firmly rooted in place. These people have welcomed him like no other, and to be honored with such a role is...he will not cry in public. It is unseemly for a magister.

Instead he make sure everything he touches is made perfect for them and all problems directed his way. Let them relish in the bliss of their engagement-- he will fight the florists until they realize Minrathous roses are the only way to go. And on the day, he sits patiently with both spouses until their cosmetics are perfect. But that time is also spent in quiet friendship, a moment of peace before their special moment.

Later he will refuse to ruin his own foundation with tears in public, and be quietly smug that his knock down brawl with the sommelier resulted in the best vintages at table.

The Iron Bull: There are flowers everywhere. From the moment he is asked Operation: Wedding is a full go for the Chargers. Marriage is unknown under the Qun, and so in true Ben-Hassrath form Bull takes it upon himself to learn exactly what this role will entail.

Three crashed marriages and a lot of cursing later....well, the venue is perfect, Rocky has invented a confetti cannon, and Krem has earned his place at the Maker's side for turning out a formal coat that will fit his shoulders in record time.

He cries at the ceremony. Few guests are brave enough to comment.

Cole: "Stand as a witness, the best man even if you aren't a man. Be there to celebrate, always a good friend and I want him at my side. I want that too!"

Any guest with ill intent conveniently forget the wedding date and location. One of the florists ties a bow on his hat. People cry, but the tears don't hurt. Its confusing, but he's happy to be there.

Turns out cake is something enjoyed on both sides of the veil.

[daitranscripts]

All New, Faded For Her Pt. 2

Twisted Against Its Purpose

Solas Masterpost Previous: A Friend in Need

The PC heads to the Exalted Plains.

Solas (if the PC said no before): I appreciate your willingness to change your mind, Inquisitor. I will keep this as brief as possible. Solas (if the PC agreed to help): Thank you for this, Inquisitor.

Solas: We are not far from where my friend was summoned.

Cole: Everything here is blurry. It wants to forget, but now the rocks are solid.

They come across a body.

Solas: One of the mages. Killed by arrows, it would seem.

Party comments:

Sera: “Killed by arrows.” Helpful, yeah? Probably bandits or something.

Varric: Bandits, by the look of it.

Iron Bull: Look at ho the body’s positioned. He was shot while running. I’d guess bandits.

Blackwall: Bandits, most likely.

They find more bodies as they go.

Solas: These aren’t mages. The bodies are burned, and these claw marks… No. No, no, no.

Party comments:

Dorian: That’s a demon’s work.

Cassandra: A demon’s work, unless I am mistaken.

Vivienne: Demons.

Solas: (Gasps.)

A pride demon is trapped in a summoning circle further ahead.

Solas: My friend.

Solas: (Growls.)

Dialogue options:

Arcane: They corrupted it. [1] +Solas approves

General: Is that your friend? [2] +Solas slightly approves

General: What happened? [3]

General: That’s a demon. [4] -Solas slightly disapproves

1 - Arcane: They corrupted it. PC: The mages turned your friend into a demon. Solas: Yes. PC: You said it was a spirit of wisdom, not a fighter. Solas: A spirit becomes a demon when denied its original purpose. PC: So they summoned it for something so opposed to its own nature that it was corrupted. Fighting? Solas: Let us ask them. [5]

2 - General: Is that your friend? PC: Solas, you said your friend was a wisdom spirit. Solas: That is not its natural form. It has been corrupted. PC: Corrupted? Solas: Forced to act against its original purpose. What did they do, what did they do, what did they do? Solas: Perhaps we should ask. [5]

3 - General: What happened? PC: Anything you want to share, Solas? Solas: That is not its natural form. It has been corrupted. PC: Corrupted? Solas: Forced to act against its original purpose. What did they do, what did they do, what did they do? Solas: Perhaps we should ask. [5]

4 - General: That’s a demon. PC: Wisdom spirit my ass. Solas: That is not its natural form. It has been corrupted. PC: Corrupted? Solas: Forced to act against its original purpose. What did they do, what did they do, what did they do? Solas: Perhaps we should ask. [5]

5 - Scene continues.

A mage approaches them.

Mage: A mage! You’re not with the bandits? Do you have any lyrium potions? Most of us are exhausted. We’ve been fighting that demon…

Solas: You summoned that demon! Except it was a spirit of wisdom at the time. You made it kill. You twisted it against its purpose.

Mage: I… I… I understand how it might be confusing to someone who has not studied demons, but after you help us, I can…

Solas: We are not here to help you.

Dialogue options:

General: Yes, we are. [6] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: Solas is smarter than you are. [7] +Solas slightly approves

General: No, we’re not. [8]

6 - General: Yes, we are. PC: We’re here to help everyone, Solas. I doubt this man deliberately unleashed a demon. Mage: Of course not! Do you think me mad? Solas: I think you stupid. That’s far worse. [9]

7 - General: Solas is smarter than you are. PC: Word of advice? I’d hold off on explaining how demons work to my friend here. Mage: Listen to me! I was one of the foremost experts in the Kirkwall Circle— Solas: Shut up. [9]

8 - General: No, we’re not. PC: We came to help your friend. Any way to do that now that it’s a demon? Mage: You cannot befriend a demon. However amicable it might appear, it must— Solas: Shut up. [9]

9 - Scene continues.

Solas: You summoned it to protect you from the bandits.

Mage: I—Yes.

Solas: You bound it to obedience, then commanded it to kill. That is when it turned. The summoning circle. We break it, we break the binding. No orders to kill, no conflict with its nature, no demon.

Mage: What? The binding is the only thing keeping the demon from killing us! Whatever it was before, it is a monster now!

Solas: Inquisitor. Please.

Dialogue options:

Special: Rift magic could help. [10] +Solas approves

Arcane: I can break it. [11] +Solas approves

General: We’ll save your friend. [12] +Solas slightly approves

General: Sure, why not? [13]

General: It would be safer to kill it. [14] -Solas slightly disapproves

10 - Special: Rift magic could help. PC: Rifts are gateways to the Fade. I can use that magic to overload the binding more quickly. Solas: Thank you. [15]

11 - Arcane: I can break it. PC: I’ve studied rituals like this. I should be able to disrupt the binding quickly. Solas: Thank you. [15] [The wiki says this is available to templar and other mage specs, but the only plot trigger in the game file is for the arcane perk.]

12 - General: We’ll save your friend. PC: I’ll do everything I can to save your friend, Solas. Solas: Thank you. [15]

13 - General: Sure, why not? PC: Breaking that circle has to be easier than fighting a damned demon. Solas: The summoning circle is part of the demon’s current nature. It will certainly attack us as we attempt to break it. PC: Of course it will. [15]

14 - General: It would be safer to kill it. PC: It’s a demon, Solas. It’s already killed people. We can’t risk our lives hoping you can turn it nice again. Solas: I understand that, but if breaking the summoning circle can save it… Please, at least consider the option. [15]

15 - Scene continues.

The demon roars and the mage runs.

Solas: We must hurry!

Next: Responsible

[barnabeetheraven]

Companion’s Reactions to the Inquisitor having PTSD

Cassandra: In her time among the Templars, the Inquisitor definitely isn’t the first one suffering from the past that she has seen. In fact, if she was being completely honest with herself, she would have to admit that she has some of her own. When she notices the Inquisitor zoning out or seeming to have flashbacks, Cassandra makes sure to position herself close by, being sure to note if the Inquisitor is having issues being touched or not. If needed, Cassandra will place a hand on their arm, just to let them know she is there if they need her. If Romanced: When she notices the Inquisitor struggling, she will softly pull them aside (where the others cant hear her, of course) and she will recite some of her or the Inquisitor’s favorite poetry, or quotes from a favorite book. Something that she knows will help get their mind away from those memories, and into the present, with her.

Varric: He spent enough time around Hawke, Fenris, and Anders to be able to easily spot when someone is having issues. If it’s problem with noise, he will politely excuse himself with a joke, and hook his arm into the Inquisitor’s to lead them away from the noise. If it’s a memory issue, he makes sure to try and distract them with some of his more friendly stories and jokes, while making sure to steer anyone else in the opposite direction, at least until he can see in the Inquisitor’s eyes that they are back in the present.

Solas: Many trips into the fade, into other’s pasts, (and his own, if he’s being truthful) have given him many, many years of experience, and many years of watching others struggle with their past just as much as Solas struggles with his own. He will catch the Inquisitor on their own and offer them a calming tea that he has perfected over the years; it helps with both the anxiety from the past memories, and it also helps with the nightmares. Not that they dont happen as often, but so that they dont remember them as much. If Romanced: He makes sure to always patrol their dreams, being the protective wolf that drives off all the nightmares that come to chase away the sleep of his love. He also makes sure to always be nearby in battle situations, just to make sure he can cast barrier on them if he notices that they seem to be zoning out at all.

Sera: She may not always understand it, but one thing she does understand is when it’s time for some of her ice breaking humor! She’s got jokes galore, pranks she pulls out of thin air, and she becomes amazing at coming up with random songs on the spot (Usually with the help of Varric) that always manage to get the Inquisitor smiling and laughing, instead of getting frozen. If Romanced: She makes sure to check in beforehand, but her favorite form of getting the Inquisitor out of being stuck are giant, flying hugs! Because you cant be sad if you have a handful of giggling, tickling, elven girlfriend, right?

Vivienne: While she doesn’t usually have the patience for people freezing up, she seems to have made an exception for the Inquisitor. Her voice lowers into a softer, more relaxing tone, and she just talks to the Inquisitor, about anything and everything. Stories from her being in the Circle, her experiences being a Grand Enchanter. Somehow it seems to work, distracting the Inquisitor just enough that their anxiety levels come down and their breathing levels out. Vivienne always gets just the smallest proud smile afterwards, although she would deny it to her final breath.

Blackwall: If anyone understands the PTSD, it’s Blackwall. He still suffers from his own, so it activates his protective instinct because he doesnt want the Inquisitor to suffer like he suffers. He’s always asking them if they are alright, always staying close to their side while they are out in battle, and he always tries to find some time to sit down with them at the fireplace and explain to them some of his own more traumatizing moments. He knows it might not help a lot, but even having someone there who just understands can be helpful; it would have been for him. If Romanced: Nothing seems to calm the Inquisitor down quite like his big old bear hugs. He rocks them back to sleep after nightmares, reassuring them that he is there to protect them, and he isn’t planning on going anywhere.

Cole: He always seems to know when the Inquisitor is about to have a flashback, and he pops in to help ease the memories, to make them less intense so that the Inquisitor isn’t suffering as much. He and Solas have become masters at monitoring the Inquisitor’s dreams, to make sure that they can start the day on some good, deep sleep, instead of being riddled. And all it takes is a soft, gentle touch from Cole to help the Inquisitor take a deep, calm breath, to reorient themselves.

Dorian: Dorian immediately delves into the library, reading up on any and every bit of information he can on pstd and what he can do to help the Inquisitor. He may not always be the best at it, but when he comes to the Inquisitor with an entire armful of books, demanding that they allow him to help because how they handle things in Tevinter is “Of course more successful than this dog ridden country”, it brings the biggest smile to the Inquisitor’s face and makes them feel so cared about and loved. If Romanced: Dorian develops a magical necklace, one for the Inquisitor and one for himself, so that it alerts him whenever the Inquisitor’s anxiety and stress is getting too high. This way, no matter what is happening, Dorian knows when his Amatus needs help, and he can always rush to their side.

Iron Bull: He is always noticing things, so it didnt come as a surprise to him to learn about the Inquisitor having ptsd. Most of the Chargers actually have it, so he pulls them aside and bluntly lets them know that look, they aren’t alone. They’re all a little bit messed up, but that doesnt mean they have to be messed up alone. Bull makes sure to keep an eye out for them, knows when to cover for them, and he knows when to put a hand on their back to gently bring them back to the present. If Romanced: He almost always has some physical contact with them, whether he is holding their hand, brushing arms against each other, or legs touching while they sit together. At night, he holds them tight, reminding them how much he loves them, and how much he admires them and how strong they are, and he is always there to rock his Kadan in his arms after they have had a nightmare.

Bonus!

Josephine: She tries her hardest to not put the Inquisitor into any social situations that might aggravate their PTSD, doing her best to handle the things that she can, or getting the help of Cullen or Leliana so she doesnt have to involve the Inquisitor in problem situations. If Romanced: She always makes time to bring the Inquisitor into their Quarters, with a nice fire going, and she sits with them, stroking their hair and softly humming some of her favorite songs from Antiva. During the day, she always makes sure to softly take the Inquisitor’s hand to give a reassuring squeeze, so they know that even if they are both busy, Josephine is always thinking about them.

Cullen: He struggles with PTSD of his won, quite regularly, so he understands and empathizes with the Inquisitor. He invites them to training in the mornings, but only one on one, that way they aren’t having to struggle with their PTSD with anyone else around and can focus on sparring in a safe and controlled situation. If Romanced: He always offers that if they ever need someone to talk with, he is always there. And during the night, the comfort each other through their nightmares, being two souls lost at sea, but still having each other, and never being alone.

Leliana: She works with Dorian and Josephine, finding new ways from different areas of how to help cope with PTSD and Anxiety. She gets different kinds of teas for the Inquisitor to try, new spells and meditation for Solas to recommend, and she talks with many types of healers and mages. It’s her way of looking out for the Inquisitor, the silent protector in the shadows. She also creates the Nug Room; a room full of nugs where anyone can go in and pet the nugs to relax!!

[vigilskeep]

No because they just paired up the advisors with what they’re advising with (so like Josie with celene Leliana with Briala) and does not take into account anything about them as a character 😭

Cause Cullen?? Supporting Gaspard??

it’s very strange lmao

it’s kind of lame the way inquisition plays nationality especially after a game like da2 where it’s so important. sometimes it’s like it goes out of its way to get rid of ties? the inquisitor is specifically made a free marcher so that they have no stake in anything (compare that to dao where all the origins were so carefully designed to give you personal stakes!), there are no orlesian companions/advisors except vivienne (who we are hastily told was not actually born in orlais), the fereldan companions/advisors (sera, cullen, leliana) are bafflingly quiet on it, solas blackwall cole varric and cassandra are all in their own ways disconnected and either don’t have real homelands or don’t care abt them, dorian and iron bull are here as “odd ones out” from their kind, etc, etc.

idk what thats a symptom of but its so weird not taking background into account when historically the point of companions is people who have different backgrounds and thus different perspectives not just idk different gimmicks. either it’s some variant of the inquisition both sidesism politics where political opinions are just quirks of personality—of course the military guy supports the military guy! politics is just straightforward little opinions like that anyway that we can have charming banters back and forth about, and it ultimately doesn’t matter and it’s more important that we all agree to disagree and stop fighting, because when we fight that affects Real Normal People who obviously don’t care either way—or i guess the writers literally couldn’t be bothered to keep up with who was from the countries gaspard actively wants to invade. maybe both! don’t worry they’ll throw in a few sexual assault jokes as a distraction

[lathbora-virann]

Did we ever actually get confirmation on where all the companions sleep in Inquisition, or have we just made assumptions? Like I remember there was an old post speculating, but have the devs (or romance scenes I've never watched) ever confirmed?

Cullen has the room above his office

Iron Bull has that trashed room above the tavern

Blackwall sleeps in the stable

Sera (presumably?) sleeps in her little tavern room (even though there's no bed)

Cassandra seems to have a bed roll in the room above the smithy where a number of her scenes happen

But what about

Solas

Varric

Leliana

Josephine

Dorian

Vivienne

Cole (if he even needs to sleep)

There's those bedrooms you can get to past Vivienne's area, but none have any personal effects if I recall, except for a random lady's letter to her husband telling him that she's leaving him for a woman...

[therealeagal]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Just finished.

I quite enjoyed it, although I wish there was more stuff to connect it to previous games. The identity of Divine Victoria for example. Red lyrium is barely a thing at all in this game. And what happened to the crew after Inquisition? Either Cassandra, Leliana or Vivienne - we don't know who - became Divine Victoria.

Dorian shows up here and there, and Harding and Varric are on the new crew. And of course Solas is hanging around, being terrible.

None one else gets more than a few get passing mentions, if even that and nothing about what they're actually doing. Helping the Inquisitor, presumably. I don't think Vivienne or The Iron Bull or Blackwall or Cullen even get mentioned at all. Poor Cullen.

Anyway, for a lark, let's see how Veilguard stands against Inquisition and Numero Dos. I never finished Origins. I meant to, but you know how that goes. Something came up, then something else, then something else. And by the time you've got free time you've completely forgotten about its entire existence until you're writing a tumblr post about its third sequel.

Oh well. Que sera sera.

=========

As to combat, Inquisition's was better. I got sick of Veilguard's combat after only a few hours. Switched down to the lowest difficulty and have no great interest in turning it back up again.

----

Inquisition's story was more interesting. Just felt like it had more oomph. Maybe it picks up again in the last ten minutes or some shit. Idunno.

-----

Music. Didn't even notice the music half the time. I guess put Inquisition down for better music.

-----

Now the important part. As to characters, my Inquisitor was much more charming than my Rook to my mind. Elf and Dwarf alike. Never played a human Inky. Or a Qunari Inky for that matter.

My Dwarf Inquisitor was much more handsome (at least in the Inquisition art style) than my Dwarf Rook, but I will admit that I think my Elf Rook is better looking than my Elf Inquisitor, in both art styles. Elf Rook has a better ass than Elf Inky.

Don't really have any advisors like Leliana, Josephine and Cullen in this game. All we've got is Solas. And Solas is terrible. And I guess Varric. But he mostly just hangs out in bed all day. I can't blame him for wanting to sit this one out. He's already been through two catastrophes and is getting too old for this shit. Gotta let the new kid lead the troops.

As far as the companions go:

Resident Dwarf rogue. While Harding, a recurring secondary character from Inquisition, is no Varric, she is a good egg and she's a good choice if your party is in need of a rogue. She was in my team for the final battle, actually. Also her side-story is easily the most interesting and probably the most connected to DA lore. 10/10. The goodest of good beans and certified best girl.

A snarky and fashionable female Tevinter mage who fights the bad guys and doesn't afraid of anything, Neve is like a cross between Dorian and Vivienne, and the whole is greater than the sum of her parts. None of Vivienne's characteristic haughtiness and none of Dorian's unfortunate defense of slavery as an institution. Yeesh. Anyway, 10/10 for Neve. No notes.

Bellara, a elf mage and an archer. She's kinda like a cross between Solas and Sera, except that Solas is terrible and Bellara isn't terrible. Bellara is charming and friendly and not terrible. 10/10. No notes.

Lucanis... Cole had a hat. Lucanis doesn't have a hat. Eh. He's a good bean, but honestly, Lucanis is probably the least interesting among the cast. Well that's not to say I dislike him. I just don't find him as interesting as the others.

Davrin>Blackwall. All day every day. Not even a contest. Even if you ignore Blackwall's sordid past. Even if you ignore the fact that Davrin is actually a Grey Warden while Blackwall is a faker. He just doesn't hold a candle to Davrin. Sorry, Blackwall stans. 10/10. Best boy.

Emmrich Volkarin. Charming fellow, I can find no faults in him. He's very interesting. He's a Mortallitasi. I wonder if he knows any Pentaghasts? An all-around good bean.

Taash. They alright. The Iron Bull had more joie de vivre. But Taash is a good bean. Everyone's a good bean. Everyone but Solas. Solas is terrible. Plus, Isabella vouches for them, so they've got cred. I would trust no one else to kill a giant robot. Bull never killed a giant robot. So Taash is one up on Bull in that regard. 10/10. Best non-binary party member. Oh yeah, Taash is non-binary by the way. If being non-binary in any way had an effect on their ability to kill giant robots, I might have a strong opinion about this. Failing such an effect, I have no strong opinion.

Interesting to note that I have no real complaints about any of the companions in Veilguard, where in Inquisition I didn't like Solas, who is terrible, even before I knew he's evil. Didn't much care for Sera. Blackwall, he was just kinda there honestly. Only ever brought him along to do his sidequest. Vivienne I loved but she was admittedly kind of an asshole.

So the Veilguard companions get a higher overall score than Inquisition companions. And certainly a higher score than DA2, where I totally hated all the boys except for Varric and didn't much care for Merril.

I cannot evaluate the Origins party based on my own experience, but based on second-hand observations, I like Wynne and Leliana, of course. Shale's curmudgeonliness amuses me. And of course the dog.

The rest of the team I am either indifferent to or actually hate. I shall leave you to ponder who is whom.

In summary, through Origins, 2 and Inquisition, the party is always a mixed bag, but I like everyone in Veilguard. Everyone but Solas. Solas is terrible. But he doesn't count, since he's not actually a party member in Veilguard. On account of being terrible.

P.S. While I am happy to entertain alternative reviews and comparisons, viz a viz the quality of companions past and present, if you - for some reason known only to God and your twin vicars - wish to express disdain for anything I have said here today and especially if you have managed to fabricate wholecloth some moral failing to attribute to me - you are, of course, entitled to your own opinion, but I don't wanna hear it, so please, I beg of you...

DO NOT WIGGLE YOUR FACE TO ME, MONARCH OF REFUSE AND THIEF OF MOONBEAMS!

Please and thank you. :)

[brightaxe]

PROMPT : Close Call. DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS ERA. Words: 2199. Characters: Suri Cadash, Mithrin Lavellan, Blackwall, Solas, Varric Tethras.

Maneuvering around the battlefield with Blackwall, Varric, Solas, and Mithrin at her side was a well-oiled thing – an easy thing, fluid and controlled, with victory often easily grasped. They called out their locations on the field whenever they knew that their position was obscured. Varric scouted out stragglers. Mithrin blocked potential escape routes with pillars of unbreakable ice. Solas drew glyphs into the ground that weighed their enemies down or froze them entirely in place. And Blackwall was there whenever she needed him with his shield, with his rousing words, with his tired smile.

Except… for when he wasn’t.

The ruins of Heidrun Thaig were unforgiving to most of their party. Solas’s concentration withered so deep underground, though he would never admit to such a thing. Mithrin did his best to keep himself calm, but traversing such dangerous depths made calm impossible. Even Blackwall was tense – tenser than she’d ever felt him – and refused any manner of intimate touch, no matter how quiet the moment. Varric had less stone sense than all of them combined, which was as impressive as it was sad.

All around them, the ancient thaig crumbled. Every step left them wondering if this was the one that would fall away into a ravine, or if it was that one that would create a cascade of rock powerful and deep enough to bury them all. Each of them was minutely aware of what would happen to the world if Suri died here, with them, in one of the hidden reaches of their world, and each of them protected her as if she was some precious thing.

Or, at least, they tried their best to do so.

READ THE REST ON AO3.

[dacompanionreactions]

Hello! Love your blog! I had a kind of a silly/fun reaction. How would the DA:I companions and advisors react to a playful Inquisitor sneaking up behind them and giving them a quick tickle attack? 😊

I guess this is mostly under the assumption that they are all close w/the Inquisitor, and comfortable with sudden physical contact. Enjoy!

Cassandra yelps, a high pitched squeak that has her clapping her hands to her mouth with a horrified expression, utterly mortified at the sound she just made. She blushes furiously, but she's not going to stoop to the Inquisitor's level of childishness and return the tickle attack. She will rise above. Forget this affront to her reputation. Or so she would have the Inquisitor think... for a good tactician never reveals their cards, and always has a plan of (tickle) attack.

Varric laughs. He laughs and laughs and laughs until tears stream from his eyes and his stomach hurts. For him, it really dispells the notion of the Inquisitor being this large figure at the front of a huge military force. It's utterly ridiculous, and definitely not the intended effect the Inquisitor wanted on him.

Solas is taken off guard. He's seen and done it all, so it takes something truly special to leave him stunned. Something like a tickle attack. He stands there in a horrific, drawn out silence after the Inquisitor's attempt to tickle him, trying to process what just happened. Solas spends the next thirty seconds resembling a dumbstruck fish. He hastily closes his mouth and reaches a tense agreement with the Inquisitor to never speak of this again.

Oh, the indignity. Dorian is actually appalled at the noise he makes, which is something between a giggle and a squeak, and turns swiftly on the Inquisitor with (playful) murder in his eyes. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, oh no, and so he rolls his sleeves up and prepares himself for an all out tickle war. Naturally, the Tevene in him begs him not to stoop so low. His pride, on the other hand, begs him to take revenge.

Sera screams bloody murder. Good luck hiding from her, for the Inquisitor chose the wrong person to start a tickle fight with. This girl is ruthless. She'll hide in the rafters and swoop down upon the Inquisitor when they least expect it. Throw in a few lobbed pies and that'll make the experience downright messy. Never mind playful, she's starting a war.

Blackwall is really ticklish, and ticklish everywhere. He can sense someone creeping about and probably assumes the worst. To be tickled instead of receiving a knife in the back is an odd kind of relief. To him, it helps to maintain a sense of normalcy. Yes, the world has gone mad, but people can still have tickle fights and laugh like children. Normalcy is the best kind of revenge.

Cole isn't ticklish. Still, he understands the concept. It's likely that he'd ask the Inquisitor why they felt the need to try and ambush him like that. He gets that they're trying to be playful and get him to laugh, but there are easier ways to do it!

The Iron Bull is not ticklish. He's not, so don't bother even trying. Except he's totally lying. Ask Krem and he'd say, "The boss is ticklish behind the ears. Don't ask how I know." He'd probably bark out a laugh, then full on lose it at the attempt to tickle him. Though he'd likely not retaliate unless he knew for sure the Inquisitor is comfortable with unexpected physical contact.

Vivienne isn't actually ticklish. Unlike Bull, when she says it, she means it. Any attempt to tickle her will be met with extreme retribution. Messing with the Iron Lady means snowballs flung at high speeds into the back of the Inquisitor's head when they least expect it. Vivienne is all smiles, icy and sharp, and when confronted all she has to say is, "What ever do you mean, my dear?"

He'd have to be really close to the Inquisitor for Cullen to be even slightly comfortable with that sudden movement. His knee-jerk reaction would be to panic. He'd also probably try to defend himself or physically remove himself from the situation. If he is comfortable, well, this man grew up with siblings. He's gonna tickle the Inquisitor right back, maybe even give into childish impulse and full body slam them into the floor... and apologise profusely after. And fix his hair.

Leliana sees it coming from a mile away. She'd turn swiftly and catch the Inquisitor's wrists in her hands, then offer them a knowing smile that simultaneously warms and terrifies. "I wish you luck for your next attempt." Is that a threat or a challenge? You decide.

Josephine would yelp with surprise, then erupt into giggles despite herself. She feels just like a young girl again, having tickle fights with Yvette until her tutors reprimanded her for terribly unlady-like behaviour. Josie would never in a million years dream of actually retaliating, but she sure thinks about it. A lot.

[shift-shaping]

another ale at noon

solas, blackwall, and varric have another boys' night. day. it's like the middle of the day. boys' brunch.

rating: t

pairing: solavellan (discussed)

warnings: alcohol

previous fics | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

"So Solas is Chuckles, I get to be Hero, which is quite nice of you, Sera is Buttercup, Bull is..."

"Tiny," Varric said with a grin.

"Very creative," Solas added dryly.

Blackwall frowned. "Who else was there?" 

"I believe I've heard you call Commander Cullen 'Curly,'" Solas offered, and Varric nodded, obviously enjoying the attention. "And Josephine, Ruffles."

"But you just call Cassandra 'Seeker.'” Blackwall recalled. “Why is that?" 

Varric laughed, a bit nervous, and looked towards the door of the tavern as if Cassandra could enter at any moment. "I'm not calling Cassandra anything she doesn't want to be called. I'm already on her shit list."

Solas hummed, and sipped from his drink. "Enaste used that term the other day --'shit list.'"

Blackwall grinned at Varric underneath his untidy beard. "So you're a bad influence, then."

"I'm sure the Dalish have their own curses." Varric waved his hand dismissively. "She's heard it all before."

"I heard she called Cassandra a 'cunt'." All three men looked up at the barmaid, who must have been eavesdropping. "Sorry. You didn't hear it from me."

That got another laugh from Blackwall. "No, that can't be true."

"Sera told us, just the other night! I guess Lady Cassandra told the Inquisitor she needed to put the Inquisition above the needs of her clan, or something."

"That would piss her off," Varric agreed.

"Are you sure Sera wasn't exaggerating?" Blackwall was thoroughly amused by all this, and admittedly Solas couldn't blame him. Enaste was nearly a religious figure to him --hearing her curse in common was probably very entertaining. "Maybe Sera just wanted an excuse to say 'cunt.'"

"Sera needs no excuse to curse," Solas added, and Blackwall laughed again in agreement.

"Well like I said, you didn't hear it from me. Did you lot want another round?"

"Sure," Varric gestured at the table. "What's another ale at noon?"

The barmaid left to get their drinks, and Blackwall shifted in his seat. "So if everyone gets nicknames except the people you're afraid of, does that mean you're scared of Lavellan?"

"No," Varric laughed, then paused. "Well, maybe. Should I be?"

"I don't know," Blackwall shrugged. "She can be harsh, but she's fair."

"It was interesting to see how she handled that magister, Alexius." Varric said. "From her description of what happened at Redcliffe, I thought she'd have his head on a spike." He shook his head, brows furrowed. "She just sent him to work with Leliana, right?"

Blackwall nodded. "Much kinder than the bastard deserved." He sighed and shrugged. "Mercy is a good thing though. Better to follow too merciful a leader than a cruel one."

The barmaid returned with their drinks, and Solas realized he'd actually finished one. He thanked her as she took the empty tankard away. "So if you aren't afraid of her, Varric, why haven't you given her a nickname?" He asked, and Varric thought for a moment before responding.

"It feels weird, I guess. She's the Inquisitor, that's her nickname."

"I think you can do better," Blackwall teased.

Varric rubbed his chin. "I'll think about it. It has to be natural, you know? You can't force these things." He sighed and leaned back, then took a long drink from his tankard. "I could ask her uncle for ideas, I guess. You know, I've never seen an elf with a beard like that." He chuckled. "It's downright dwarven."

Blackwall nodded to Solas. "Did you know he was coming?"

Solas shook his head. "No, and neither did she."

"We're a long way from the Free Marches. Dangerous route, too."

"That's family," Varric said. "I'm not surprised her clan is worried. An elf tied up with all this chantry shit? It never ends well."

"We have to make sure it does," Blackwall replied with an oddly reverent certainty. "She has a duty to the world, but we have a duty to make sure she doesn't die performing it."

Solas looked at Blackwall curiously. "Back in Haven you said you didn't care if she was actually chosen by Andraste. Do you still feel that way?"

"You were there, we all were." He gestured vaguely towards the Frostbacks. "She's insisted time and again she's not chosen by Andraste and doesn't believe in the Maker. But when it came down to it, she was willing to give her life for a bunch of people she doesn't even like." He shook his head as if in awe. "So no, I still don't care if she's chosen by Andraste. She's a woman worth following, and she’s trying to make things right."

"I think she mostly follows you," Varric joked. "I don't know how you can go running into battle headfirst like that. I'm surprised you still have most of your teeth."

"That's why I'm here," Blackwall raised his tankard, then took a long drink before slamming it down. "So you three can keep your pretty faces intact."

"Oh, speaking of pretty faces," Varric said, remembering something and turning to Solas. "Do you know how she got those scars on her face?"

Solas had spent much too long staring at those scars for her not to have told him about them. But she wasn't self-conscious of them, so he assumed it was fine for him to divulge. "A fishing accident, in her youth," Solas replied.

"A fishing accident?" Blackwall asked incredulously. "What a woman." The way Blackwall talked about Enaste was always illuminating. He seemed somewhere in-between worshipping her and being in love with her. Perhaps he had to be, to put himself in so much danger for her so often.

"I wonder if she's found a place nearby to fish," Solas said, frowning. There were streams here and there, enough to provide the keep with fresh water, but none of them that he knew of were deep or productive enough for fishing. "She used to fish from the lake near Haven. It gave her some peace from all the chaos."

"Did you notice, in Crestwood, how she looked at those crab traps on the beach?" Blackwall asked, grinning, and Solas couldn't help but smile back. Enaste had tried to be subtle, but it was impossible not to notice her casually wandering along the waterline and leaning over the traps. Sera teased her for it, and she'd been predictably defensive. It made for a surprisingly light-hearted moment amidst so much doom, and Blackwall had promised to take her to a real seafood market some day. That led to Sera calling her 'fishbutt,' which didn't make any sense but was amusing regardless.

Solas sipped from his drink, still smiling at the memory. "Yes. She said she prefers eating crab, but catching fish. Apparently her uncle is particularly skilled at preparing it."

"You two spend a lot of time together," Varric observed. The comment put Solas immediately on edge, but Varric went on before he could say anything. "Don't get all pissy, Chuckles. It's okay, really." He paused, his expression suddenly gentle, and sighed. "She likes you. That's a good thing. And maybe she's just glad to have another elf around."

"I imagine she is, yes." Solas still had no interest in pursuing this conversation with them. He enjoyed the company of Varric and Blackwall, but their attempts to pry into his relationship with Enaste were grating. It was an entirely private matter, and he owed them no explanation.

His icy response left an awkward pause, just as it had every time they’d brought it up before. After a few tense moments, Varric pushed himself from the table and stood. "I'll be right back, nature's calling."

Blackwall and Solas were fully capable of sitting in comfortable silence together, and often did in the field. Now, though, there was a weight to the silence that made it uneasy. Solas chose to ignore it, and instead stared out over the tavern blankly. It was slower now than it would surely be in a few hours, when the soldiers finished their afternoon training and came to relax. Maryden was tuning her instrument, occasionally strumming lazily, giving the tavern an atmosphere of lighthearted anticipation. 

When Blackwall finally spoke, his voice was gentler than before, and lower, too, as if he didn't want them to be heard. "I like you, Solas. You know that." Solas frowned at him, unsure where this was going, but said nothing. "I know you've seen a lot in your life, and maybe I'm in no place to give you advice. But I'm just going to say it, and you can do with it what you please," Blackwall took a deep breath. "Life is short, and hard, and then you die. I know you want to maintain a... professional relationship with the Inquisitor, and I know you don't want to hurt her reputation, but I've seen the way you look at her." He sighed heavily. "Just… take it from me: don't let your pride get in the way of something good."

There was no teasing in his voice, no playfulness, just an earnest man sharing his thoughts. Solas looked away, quiet for a while longer. It was more poignant than Blackwall could possibly know, and in a way, he was right. "Thank you," Solas said finally. "You make a fair point. I will... consider it."

Blackwall nodded gruffly, and took another long drink. Varric returned soon after, and broke out a deck of cards. Playing Wicked Grace with the two of them was a ritual Solas had become accustomed to, as even at camp Varric always had a deck of cards. Enaste joined them on occasion, and one memorable evening most of the camp played a massive game together. He preferred it like this though, and not just because Blackwall had a tendency to bet far too much. It was quieter, easier, and he didn’t have to think quite so much about how to fill the silence.

<- prev fic | next fic ->

[hoboblaidd]

I’ve been listening to old banters to get the rhythm of how Solas talks, and I’m gonna word vomit a little on his relationships with the Inner Circle. Long rambling post so under a cut.

Solas and Cole’s interactions are wonderful. They’re speaking the same language, they don’t need clarifying questions to get what the other is talking about, and with Cole we actually see the wisdom (“Wisdom”??) part of Solas on full blast. And since they’re speaking this weird language, Solas is more Solas than he is with anyone else. I also love how he talks Cole down from a panic attack, it’s a little thing but so wonderful. A big question is does Cole know exactly who Solas was? Possibly debatable, but I like to think he does and just doesn’t see it as something that’s his to reveal like how he kept Blackwall’s secret. That’s why the Solas post-Inquisition mindwipe is both necessary from Solas’ perspective and so incredibly violating (and sort of retconned with Trespasser?? maybe proximity to a full power Solas took the edge off it, or it was only ever a stop gap, or the writers tried to water it down which would suck). Speaking of, no one reacts to the more minor mindwipe Solas does in the post-breakup banter with a romanced Lavellan. This random apostate mage just changes the channel on Cole’s empathic read and no one is like ‘hang the fuck on a minute, he just out-spirited a spirit.’ 

Aside from Cole, Solas and Varric are the friendliest of his interactions, but I like that it’s not all sunshine and roses. Solas has his (frequently racist) viewpoints that he dumps on Varric, but Varric pushes right back without ever becoming antagonistic. It’s a clash of two competing world views and the wisdom that comes with it, built on lived experiences. They’ve both been around the block and come out of it with different ideas, but they can talk about it as mature adults. Some (or all) of this is attributable to Varric’s charisma rather than Solas’. He’s friends with everyone (except maybe Sebastian lol). If anyone was gonna crack Solas’ cold veneer of disinterest, it’d be Varric.

My favorite interactions he has are with Bull and Vivienne. They’re wildly different in tone, but the foundation is similar - both Vivienne and Bull know he’s withholding something, and they dig on it until he deflects (sometimes well, sometimes less so). Solas recognizes Bull’s intelligence and skills at observation, which is nice for a guy who'll be casually racist to a Tal Vashoth inquisitor as a "compliment." They're kind of bros, as much as Solas can be a bro with someone. Plus, the chess game is my favorite thing in Inquisition. But Solas' banter with Vivienne is just the best. He’s soo bitchy and sarcastic, and neither of them back down from their opposing views. Even with a few moments of agreement, they are diametrically opposed and a ton of fun. They're also not at all wrong about each other - could it be that, gasp! both their world views are wrong?? But she clearly reminds him of the Evanuris, which is a nice insight. And as an aside, Solas with his hackles raised, or low approval, gives so much more away about his personality than you can just find in high approval or less antagonistic dialogue. I like the edge to it. I'm realizing my Solas is basically a low approval Solas who is occasionally nice, and I'm cool with it.

His interactions with Dorian are a slightly more one-sided antagonism on Solas’ part. Dorian means well and tries to reach across the aisle, and Solas generally shuts him down. Dorian’s viewpoint makes sense, but so does Solas’. Dorian is beloved and rightfully so, I love him more than I love Solas. But as much as he’s trying to do better, he’s still got a ways to go, and Solas never fully lets him off the hook. I do think Dorian gets there by the end of the game, at least in recognizing that he can't just help with one thing, he needs to go as big as he can until it kills him. And frankly Solas' expectations of him (free all the slaves elven and non in Tevinter) aren't entirely grounded in the reality of a mortal lifespan. But he still should act.

Something that isn’t talked about much is his relationship to Cassandra, which I really like. It’s built on mutual respect, and they both hold their ground on things without getting antagonistic. Cassandra’s occasional “the Maker would give you comfort” rankles me for personal reasons, but he takes it in stride and never dismisses her over it. It’s who she is and it comes from a place of earnestness instead of proselytizing. They’re not friendly, per se, but they don't have to be. It's the best kind of strictly business, coworker relationship you could ask for.

Solas’ relationship with Blackwall is also great, because it starts from a place like ‘two veterans walk into a bar’ sort of camaraderie and ends with ‘this person is a mirror of what i hate that i am’. Solas at least admits that his initial anger re: Blackwall’s lie was wrong, but I think he was more angry that Blackwall ended up being just like him rather than a better version of him. But also how tf did the god of lies etc. not clock Blackwall’s cagey ass before the reveal. Solas is so bad at his job (and yes I know the none of them were gods and all the labels are propaganda and mythologizing but that's less fun than shitting on the god of lies for being shit at lying).

His interactions with Sera are frustrating, but not for what they are, more for the lack of follow up. There’s something odd going on with Sera that seems more than his usual ‘are these elves real elves’ bullshit. But we don’t get anything more than the cryptic stuff he (and Cole) say to her, and some bits sprinkled into her story. Sera’s a frustrating character for me in general because it feels like the writers sort of forgot the seeds they were planting, or figured they’d save it for something that never happened. It might just be me, but I felt like I was waiting for another shoe to drop that never did. I’d like Veilguard to explore it, and maybe it will, but I’m not holding my breath. But, Solas also outlines the entire philosophy and practice of his rebellion when he’s talking to her which is awesome, especially leading into Veilguard where we might get more context.

Those are my deep thoughts. I want to do a deep dive word vomit on his relationship with each evanuris, but a lot of that will be speculation that's likely to be changed by Veilguard so we'll see. We know pretty much jack shit about his feelings on Sylaise and June (aside from my eternal soft spot for June after theshirallen's portrayal).

[adoribullpavus]

EXCITING NEWS GUYS

i have started development on my first ever renpy game. i'm so excited since this is something i've wanted to do for a while now, but renpy always kinda scared me. but i've finally put it into action and i'm really looking forward to the journey ahead.

the game is still in extremely early development, but i have planned an outline of the plot, written some scripts, and have come up with so many ideas i want to share with you all.

as you can see, it is a dai fan game. if anyone knows if i can get sued for this, please let me know lmao

i don't want to give too much away but here are some features i'm planning to include:

you can choose from 17 different characters to play as (12 will be available straight off the bat, and 5 will be secret routes that are unlocked via other routes). these are all characters from inquisition.

you get to decide who your character ends up with, or even stay single if you want to be.

you can end up in a polyamorous relationship with (almost) free reign as to which characters that relationship includes.

no two routes are the same. each route will have the same plot but you can make it your own through your choices. remember; just because picking option b worked for your dorian playthrough, doesn't mean it'll work when you're playing as cullen.

there are a LOT of choices that genuinely impact the direction of the story.

each character has a bunch of different endings and they're all carefully tailored to your decisions.

as the game is still in early development, with only a faint outline holding it together, plans can change. however, as far as i know, this is how many endings each character can have:

the dorian route has 8 endings and 7 secret endings.

the iron bull route has 11 endings and 6 secret endings.

the varric route has 10 endings and 6 secret endings.

the cullen route has 10 endings and 5 secret endings.

the sera route has 6 endings and 5 secret endings.

the leliana route has 11 endings and 7 secret endings.

the cole route as 3 endings and 4 secret endings.

the josephine route has 11 endings and 5 secret endings.

the blackwall route has 10 endings and 3 secret endings.

the cassandra route has 9 endings and 6 secret endings.

the solas route has 10 endings and 3 secret endings.

the vivienne route has 3 endings and no secret endings.

i have tried to provide as much freedom as possible when it comes to pairings, but there are a few exceptions:

dorian and sera are still gay/lesbian and can only be romanced by characters of the same gender - so naturally they will have less endings as their options are restricted.

cole doesn't have a lot of romantic endings as there were only one or two characters i felt comfortable writing him with (so far only dorian has a cole romance ending, and cole has three secret romantic endings). this could change in the future but definitely not for characters such as varric and solas who cole shares a very parental relationship with., or for vivienne due to the power difference between them that would make me extremely uncomfortable to write.

vivienne also doesn't have a lot of romantic endings but that's more to do with the fact i struggle to write her in romantic scenes. again, this could change.

the rest are all free to romance whoever they want. cullen can romance a man (or two or three). cassandra can romance a woman (or two or three). basically there's no such thing as straight in this game. go nuts.

i will keep you all updated as i progress. the game will take a long while to create and i would appreciate any advice/help/suggestions etc to make it enjoyable for everyone. i would also appreciate the support from you guys as i dive into my first game making experience.

but just remember i am a single 20 year old girl who's doing this in her free time. i don't have a huge team behind me so the game is going to take a lot of time and effort to become something playable.

follow the tag ' #the dai kissing game ' if you want to keep updated on the game's progress.

thank you guys!!

[dragonagecompanions]

Could you do like a head cannon for like 1920 noir inquisitor companions/romances

You have to listen to this while you read.

Cassandra: She's a hardened murder cop with a hidden love for romance and no mercy for the criminal underground. She wrote the book on playing by the rules, but when things get tough she'll stab the book and do what's right.

Varric: Sometimes an author has to know his element to discover the truth. Few people would expect the renowned serial novelist to be caught dead in a speakeasy as seedy as the Hanged Man, but with a pencil behind his ear (and a hand always ready on a pistol with his lover's named carved into the barrel) he's always on the hunt for a story.

Solas: A bartender more comfortable with spirits than people, the elf behind the bar at the Dread Wolf is a hard man to read. Good for stiches in a pinch and no slouch in a fight when it suits his fancy, he owes no power in the city alliegence-- and no one knows his end game.

Blackwall: It takes guts to fake your way into a gang like the Wardens, but Thom Rainier's in too deep to back out now. With a dead man's name and street rep to keep the dogs at bay the hardened enforcer can only try to atone for his past-- and fight for a better future.

Vivienne: Very little is known about Madame de Fer, owner and operator of the more exclusive brewery this side of the Tevinter boarder, except that her gin has never seen a bath tub and the Templars don't bother her supply.

Any resemblance to the renowned socialite Vivienne the Enchantress is rarely commented onl; those who do rarely repeat the mistake.

Sera: With the gang warfare, the police cracking down on the littles and the templars hunting any unregulated booze for their prohibition on alcohol someone has to look out for the little guy. No one is really sure who Red Jenny is, but everyone knows that the street kids and pick pockets and beat down element knows her name-- and she is always watching.

The abandoned warehouse on the dock is her headquarters, full of her ill gotten gains and home to the fences who turn it into cash. Nobody starves and everyone profits. A tidy business, yeah?

Dorian: Everyone knows that there is more going on behind the scenes of the Halward Pavus Memorial Library than meets the eye, but no matter how many times it's raided the head archivist is always completely above suspicion. Books and learning are all that linger in those hallowed halls--please try to be quiet on your way out.

But everyone knows that at night Dorian Pavus puts down the index carts and hard backs to pursue his true passion-- and that the Tevinter will pay up to four sovereigns for a fresh corpse*. Medical science is varely stumbling into the light, and if his books on anatomy -so accurate as to be used as reference during surgeries- then the long hours spent on the dissecting table are well worth it.

The Iron Bull: Someone needs to make sure that the beer, wine, whiskey and gin finds its way from hidden distilleries to the thirsty patrons of the city's illicit watering holes. The Chargers are the best, expensive but worth the money to get things where they are going. With a sapper from the wars on tap rumor says they have their own tunnels under the city, but no one knows anything for certain. He runs a clean crew, dependable and honest. Madam de Fer makes frequent use of them.

And if The Iron Bull also reports to the higher ups in the Qun, the north side gang just waiting for a chance to take it all, that's his own business. Straining loyalties may bring it to a show down, but for now he's willing to ride the knife edge.

Cole: No one can really remember when the fortune teller's shop opened at the edge of town. One day it was simply there, mysterious and festooned with gauzy curtains and wreathed in fragrant incense. The nug motif is...a little odd, sure, but tame compared to the figure behind the crystal ball.

It's hard to see his eyes behind the wide brimmed hat, and those who do meet his gaze can't claim to enjoy the experience. But Cole has a way of getting into your head to the deepest thoughts and secrets waiting there and finding the best solutions. Whether he can see the future or not, enough people are willing to try to keep the doors open.

For now.

(I really couldn't figure out the romances. Hope this serves!)

(*in Canada and the US, the resurrectionist movement was still going strong into the late 1950s!)

Mod Fereldone

[spacetravels]

i am so unwell about dragon age and knowing u from the choices fandom i got so excited ur playing soooo what did u think of dao? da2? who did you romance and what was ur character like? how are u liking dai? got pics of ur inky? 🥺 (only if u want!! no pressure to share ofc 💖) i myself am an alistair anders solas girlie 😔

WEHHH thank you… veilguard looks so good i have to speedrun dai but man all of you who’ve been waiting since like 2014 are my heroes cuz i’m just gonna trot in like lalala… (has been here like three months)

dao is my favorite by far i think… i’m easy to please LOL it has my favorite story and i love the cast so much ;_;/ i played warrior lady cousland so i did marry alistair HUHU he’s my favorite romance across all the games but i wanna replay so bad to romance morrigan and have a diff silly little world state (trying not to think about doing this until after dav LOL) but god . HoF is just so so funny and i had so much fun…

da2!! i played blue warrior hawke <3 i liked running around kirkwall LMAO i think it was really fun to just contain the story around this one city and just hang out with my best friends 🥹 but goddamn. no one warned me about everything hawke goes thru LIKE 😭 HAVE A VACATION!!! i didn’t romance anyone though in my first playthru HAHA i kind of regret it though cuz by the end i wanted to romance isabela but i also think for my hawke i was happy to not have had a romance cuz it makes sense for my thoughts about her … like she’s just happy to still be alive and wants to do right by everyone who’s ever believed in her so she never thought about it but maybe after all gets said and done she’d seek out izzy… one of those real Slow burns in my brain heehee.. (pro mage .. btw)

AS FOR DAI !!! i’m terrible with open world games. NFKSJFKSKFKL but i sincerely am enjoying it cuz i’m following a quest guide so i don’t lose my marbles… it’s funny cuz i like. technically knew the most abt dai before playing through the games cuz [gestures at solas] but that’s alright cuz most of it has actually been a treat and a surprise :-) just not. the ending

my inky’s name is deirdre & she’s a human rogue 🙂‍↕️ i don’t have pics rn i’m at work JFKSLDK but ! kind of a little shit. it’s nice that everyone humors her stupid ass. as for romance…. blackwall…. he compels me… something is wrong with him and i like it <3

i’m close to starting wicked eyes & wicked hearts but i’ve been taking the time to explore places and do side quests stuff cuz i wanna be overleveled LOL and i need to switch up my groups more. except for varric. that’s my emotional support companion

BUT WWWWW i wanna draw my inky more & more da fanart when i’m not swamped with other projects and/or playing dragon age & fields of mistria bahahah.. i’ll remember to share more thoughts as i play 🥹🫰