#frankly if i could romance aveline i would

[mouthtotheclouds]

today i am learning I have unpopular opinions about companions, and romance options 💅

[a-shakespearean-in-paris]

I'd love to see your take on Cullen's recovery arc as an alternative analysis! I feel like we're only ever presented with the two options of: "he needs to atone!" Or "he was a victim that needs protection!", neither of which I've ever fully agreed with. I think it's a result of the lack of attention given to his arc in DAI, which leaves a ton of room for interpretation, and results in people swaying towards either camp depending on how sympathetic they are towards him and his history.

I totally agree with this. 

The problem with the way Cullen is presented in DAI is that he’s presented in an unambiguously positive light, and as @tokutenshi pointed out in this post (which I do agree with) if your Hawke was hostile to him you don’t get some of his dialogue about questioning Meredith. Additionally if you side with the mages rather than the templars Cullen has some realizations about the Order that you’re not going to hear. It’s too little too late for a lot of people, though I would also argue with what tokutenshi said, he was severely traumatized after the Blight (if you take a female mage Warden in the tower during the Witch Hunt DLC you will get lines that indicate he is suffering from PTSD, notice the lines about him being “twitchy” and “jumpy”) Personally I think we can find a middle ground between Cullen being a victim of manipulation and indoctrination, someone who suffered after experiencing trauma, and someone who works hard in the moment to do some good, whether we can or should call it “atonement” or not. That being said, he does acknowledge in Inquisition that the war against Corypheus is his chance to atone, and he works overtime to the point where it’s commented upon by several characters including the Inquisitor how hard he works.  

By the time we meet Cullen in Inquisition a couple of years have passed since the chantry’s explosion. This is where I will be critical of the writing because I do think the game should have better established what exactly Cullen was doing in the time in between, though we get bits and clues from dialogue if you pay attention: He served as Kirkwall’s knight Commander after Meredith died, and he and presumably Aveline’s guard worked to basically repair the city, as Rylen says in Griffon Wing Keep that there was a lot of rubble, a lot of people without homes. Cassandra noticed Cullen’s work and recruited him to the Inquisition. (Also, keep in mind that the Inquisition was originally going to help quell the worst excess of the mage and templar fighting, restore order because the chantry lost control. Then the conclave happened, it went boom, and suddenly the Inquisition’s purpose became far greater than anyone would have expected. So Cullen as Cassandra’s choice of Commander makes total sense to me, considering he was a former templar and bringing him in basically acted as a symbol to any wayward templar, letting them know that there could be another way. But I digress on that part, haha.) 

I *think* some people are dissatisfied with Cullen’s “redemption” arc in DAI because we don’t really see him fall on the sword or beat himself up for his past. There’s also no moment where he like, faces a mage he maybe knew in Kirkwall or has to deal with the mages not trusting him. Obviously of course there is nuance there as well as Toku and I mentioned--he wasn’t allowed to heal as much as he should have before being shipped to Meredith. However, here’s an interesting bit of dialogue you can get if you pick the right options after Perseverance if you tell him he doesn’t need lyrium:

Quiz: The man you were. You can’t pretend like he never existed.

Cullen: Not even if I wanted to. But I’m here now. I can make that mean something.

Cullen knows he screwed up. What’s more, he doesn’t want to forget he screwed up. But he lives in the moment to make things right. Blackwall’s arc actually shows him falling on the sword and wanting to atone, versus with Cullen it’s implied he has come to terms with his screw ups off screen. He doesn’t continuously beat himself up, he does what he can for the Inquisition to the point where if the Quiz tells him to go back on lyrium for the better of his soldiers, he does, knowing it just may kill him. There is also limited dialogue that challenges his views which turns some people off, but I know for my Inquisitor she’s very much about the now and what they both can do in the now. I won’t blame anyone who wants to be able to challenge him more, but frankly I find the fact he doesn’t continuously fall on the sword or beat himself up interesting. 

All that being said, I do think of his arc as more of one of recovery versus redemption. And to be frank I’m kind of critical of the term “redemption” and what makes good redemption arcs or not. Someone having a “redemption arc” seems to imply that there’s only one road to the top of the mountain when maybe redemption is something you should always strive for? But as for the “recovery” arc: the chantry, IMO, purposely devoids both mages and templars of a personhood or life outside the order and Circle and treats them as objects. Many templar recruits are children and are basically indoctrinated to believe they serve the Maker and they are needed and that they do the Maker’s will. There’s an interesting bit of dialogue you can get if your character is a warrior and talks to Cullen about the templar spec, basically if the Quiz says “templars serve the Maker, I’d do the same.” Cullen basically replies, “uh, yeah, that’s not going to make you righteous, believe me,” implying this was the way he once indoctrinated to think, but he no longer believes it so. Templars are given lyrium for their abilities, but also to placate them, something Alistair says in DAO. 

After Kirkwall Cullen sees where the Order is going, gets an offer from Cassandra and decides that if he removes the “part that kept [him] chained,” he would find his own purpose again. (He says this is your Quiz makes him take lyrium.) In Inquisition we learn he always wanted to protect people. (Our local mind reader Cole says “some templars want to only protect, like Cullen” if you ask him about templars.) And as a kid living in rural nowhere Ferelden, he saw the templars as protectors. Why I interpret his arc as more about recovery than redemption all has to do with Perseverance and the way you as the player can handle it: You can either let him know he can start over, he can endure and one day find a life of his own away from duty and battle, or you can make him take it and thus let him remain indoctrinated to what the chantry taught him, that there is nothing outside of duty and battle. It comes down between a choice of “you are leashed to what the chantry made you till you die” to “you are more and you can recover and make your own life,” which he does do by Tresspasser, romance or not. At the end of the game if you keep him off lyrium he basically thanks the Inquisitor for giving him a chance, letting him know he could be more. Additionally, a lyrium free Cullen in Tresspasser speaks of meeting his siblings again, developing a relationship. If you make him take it forever he refuses to see them. 

I could also see the arc as one of faith, and finding it again. If you keep him off lyrium the prayer in the chantry he speaks is one of quiet reassurance and finding strength through his faith, but if you make him take it the prayer is “blessed are the peacekeepers” and it’s uttered desperately as if he is trying to believe it. He also mourns how far he fell. All this to say that I find it very interesting his writer focused his personal quest around the lyrium and what lyrium represents rather than say, him meeting a mage who lived in Kirkwall or something and him trying to atone to them.  

When I wrote my post about why Cullen gets so much fandom related wank I got a lot of different responses that echoed the same thing about Cullen’s arc not getting a lot of attention. I think there is a lot of good writing there with his personal quest,  but his writing doesn’t fill in every single gap---not to mention people are going to have vastly different experiences on how they played the games till Inquisition. And my examples of dialogue are things you may not get if you don’t pick the right options. And heck, some people only have played Inquisition. 

So, I think me calling his arc in Inquisition a recovery arc has partially been not me trying to justify why I like him, but analyze a differing way a character who has screwed up in the past is written. Blackwall’s arc is a true redemption arc IMO. Cullen’s isn’t so clear cut as a redemption arc, but at the end of the day it is truly about him finding his own purpose again, which leads me to lean more toward calling it a “recovery arc.”

[tabriscadash]

I was asked this on my old blog right as I set about transitioning to this one, so...

The first character I ever fell in love with: for DA:O, dare I say Daveth? What can I say -- I irrationally got incredibly attached to him. otherwise, DEFINITELY Morrigan, and I have crystal clear memories of my first run through Lothering and looking at Morrigan like 😍 the whole time. For DA:2/E, Carver -- unless you count Anders & Justice since I knew of them from Awakening beforehand, in which case probably Justice. For DA:I, it’s a toss-up between Vivienne or Cole -- I technically liked Cole first but SPECIFICALLY in the supporting material (Asunder), and didn’t vibe with him anywhere near as much in the game, AND I got him as a companion after I got Vivienne, so probably Vivienne.

A character that I used to love/like, but now do not: for DA:O, I guess Oghren? I never loved him, but I liked the idea of him because I really liked the dwarves/Orzammar side of DA’s worldbuilding -- but he’s such an unlikeable character that I just.. don’t vibe with him at all. I debate recruiting him every single time now, and I don’t think I ever do his personal quest (in the base game OR Awakening). for DA:2/E, I don’t really have anyone that fits -- but I REALLY wanted to like Merrill and Aveline more than I did, and especially in Aveline’s case, I can’t stand her and genuinely think she’s the unintended, secret Big Bad of the whole game. for DA:I, probably Cole, bc I was really into the idea of a little walking-corpse serial killer animated by a spirit as per the book, but that’s not really the vibe in DA:I, and combined with the somewhat patronising/ableist language and how significantly he is infantilised (including by the fandom) I just got put off him. I do still like him, but not as much.

A ship that I used to love/like, but now do not: for DA:O, I don’t really have one? I guess see my DA:I answer, lol... for DA:2/E, has to be Anders - I don’t think he’s OOC in 2, but I think his writing does so little with him and he feels v. reductive. Where his relationship could be SO interesting and angsty, it instead is written in a really dull and/or cringey way. It would have been nice to see Anders more like the Anders of Awakening near the beginning of the game (rather than random, infrequent and questionably rare snippets), and then see the progression of his relationship with Justice as the game went on -- I want more interesting abominations, PLEASE. for DA:I, listen I cannot express to you HOW EXCITED I was for my planned Lavellan to romance Sera… also I used to be way more tolerant of Cullen x Amell/Surana ships because, like, hey dark ships are fun, right? But since Cullen’s ~wholesome whitewash~ in DA:I, and his fandom clamouring to absolve him of any wrongdoing ever.. it’s boring to me.

My ultimate favourite character™: for DA:O, probably Sten? or Morrigan. They’re both fantastic, and also are significant comfort chars for me. for DA:2/3, honestly, probably my own Hawke -- I feel so hugely proud of her, and can’t imagine I’d enjoy the game anywhere near as much had I not played it as my Hawke. If not her, maybe Sebastian or Carver? for DA:I, I really love Vivienne, as well as Blackwall, and Solas is a great character even if I probably would not say I liked him.

Prettiest character: for DA:O, we all know it’s Zevran. for DA:2/E, I think Aveline -- although her aggressively bland colour-scheme lets her down in a major way (although I respect her dedication to all orange all day every day). There’s just something about her arms -- very Abby from TLOU:2. for DA:I, maybe Josephine? Ser Barris is very pretty, too...

My most hated character: for DA:O, I really didn’t like Alistair, Wynne and Oghren, and of my companions - Oghren is probably my least favourite. He’s vulgar and also profoundly uninteresting. for DA:2/E, it has to be Aveline. There’s just something about ineptitude and a complete, wilful refusal to take accountability for your actions that I can’t stand. It would be okay if it was an intentional character flaw, but the game/narrative treats her like she’s lawful good and it really annoys me. for DA:I, maybe Iron Bull? He was a huge disappointment for me. I also really dislike Sera, Cassandra, and Varric. I’m so sick of Varric - I never want to see him again.

My OTP: for DA:O, I really loved Zevran’s romance -- but I am also very amused by the fact that Leliana got to ‘love’ status with Kallian accidentally, AND I got the ‘love’ glitch for Justice (👀) and Velanna. I do sometimes wonder about an AU where Kallian is forced to make a politically expedient marriage with Nathaniel Howe for diplomatic reasons in order to consolidate her position as Arlessa, and it being an entirely platonic arrangement (it’s not like anyone expects an heir from an infertile Grey Warden) -- and maybe Zev and Nate kiss sometimes, who knows? I also LOVE my Darkspawn Chronicles AU where Kallian and Nelaros are a happy, married couple each hiding their skills with weapons from each other like dumb, cute sweethearts. They shelter Zevran when he fails to kill Alistair and a poly couple evolves. for DA:2/E, I love the IDEA of a Seb romance that isn’t so strictly conditional around the structures that abused him -- he should be allowed to love, chastely or otherwise, but free from the Chantry OR his position as prince/heir. I’d LOVE to actually have a romance with him where you can actually challenge the abuse he’s experienced. for DA:I, Malika doesn’t have a canon romance (although I think when I replay, I’m going to romance Josephine!) but I think Blackwall has an amazing romance. Solas’ is also iconic, it must be said. 

My NOTP: for DA:O, I really dislike Alistair in a shipping capacity; he’s immature and says a lot of misogynistic shit and I don’t think he’s the worst for it, but I don’t really vibe with shipping him, having played the game as a female city elf. for DA:2/E, I wouldn’t say I have one, particularly? although I really dislike Aveline’s relationship with her husband simply because it seems incredibly inappropriate, given that they work together and she has power over him -- and because I dislike her, generally, I don’t feel inclined to do something nice for her. for DA:I, I suppose Sera/Lavellan -- although I’m not AGAINST it, it just really isn’t for me, having attempted it. I also don’t really vibe with Dorian x Iron Bull. Something abt the way the game handled BDSM and their relationship banter specifically I don’t really like.

Favourite episode quest: for DA:O, probs Orzammar/the Deep Roads. I really love the dwarven lore! and, of course, Fort Drakon is really funny, even though it’s not canon in my game iirc. for DA:2/E, maybe the murder mystery with the serial killer, where ultimately Leandra dies? I also really enjoyed all the companion quests. for DA:I, The Descent (just, all of it, lmao) and everything to do with the Avvar. Crestwood also BANGED.

Saddest death: for DA:O, it’s frankly a fucking INJUSTICE that Shianni gets murdered if you make her Bann of the Alienage -- the idea of that happening whilst Kallian is in Amaranthine and unable to protect her :( genuinely very upsetting. I go back and forth on who is made Bann, tbf, so idk how canonical it is: I think maybe Cyrion would get it, but I’m also endeared to Soris holding the position, with Shianni as Hahren. for DA:2/E, Bethany. I wish both twins had had the chance to reach Kirkwall :(. Let Leandra die instead. for DA:I, maybe not the saddest death, but the most memorable for me was that one sleeping dragon in the Hissing Wastes.. leave her alone. Stay out of a womans’ business.

Favourite season game: DA:O!

Least favourite season game: DA:I.

Character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but I hate: for DA:O, Alistair. I cannot deal with his complacency and hypocrisy. for DA:2, I really disliked Merrill but I honestly cannot remember why. DEFINITELY Varric -- I hated how the game forces you to be his best friend, and if you’re low approval, you have to endure these pointless pissy little comments with this little anti-dwarf centrist pissant. After the expedition, I literally have no reason to put up with him, and I NEVER take him out. I hate that he plays the same role in DA:I, too. for DA:I, the Iron Bull was hugely disappointing, and I also really don’t vibe with Cassandra. She just seems very wishy-washy and complacent and hypocritical, and many of her comments about other cultures seem snide for literally no reason other than bigotry. 

My ‘you’re a piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: for DA:O, lbr probably Sten. Mans is gonna launch a HORRIFYING invasion in the next game iirc and frankly, I’m ok with it. Just wanna see that big bastard again ❤🥵. for DA:2/E, I LOVE Gamlen, ok? for DA:I, I am not sure if I have one.

My ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: for DA:O, if any of you so much as LOOK at Velanna wrong, it’s hands. That includes Bioware. I also feel incredibly protective of and sad for Morrigan. for DA:2/E, probably Sebastian -- I feel so sad for him, and so frustrated by the limitations with the game. for DA:I, I’m honestly not sure.. maybe Josephine? I don’t really feel this way about Sera, but I do think she deserves better from the game and its writing, and also from fandom: there are valid criticisms of her, but the hate she gets is not proportional to any valid issues with her -- and gee, I wonder why that is.

My ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: for DA:O, I did use to find Cullen x Surana/Amell intriguing as a dark ship -- I actually hc that Neria Surana is actually Nelaros’ sister, and have dabbled with it as a dark ship. I also am interested in Loghain/Alistair - which each pretends the other is someone else. Alistair is wooby, hate ships are, in general, fun -- so long as we acknowledge that they are, indeed, unhealthy ships. for DA:2/E, I kind of feel like Sebastian romances are, invariably, kind of dark... and, similarly, Anders romances -- especially with certain red Hawkes, The way it ends is, invariably, bordering on fucked up. ALSO Hawkecest is weird and wonderful: GET WITH IT. 

My ‘they’re kind of cute, and I lowkey ship them, but I’m not too invested’ ship: for DA:O, I joked about Velanna x Leliana once and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it ever since… Velanna x Sigrun is also something that can be so personal. Ariane x Finn is adorable and are paid DUST by Bioware AND fandom. I actually am really into Anora x Nathaniel & NO I will NOT explain myself; it’s a crackship but it’s MY crackship. for DA:2/E, Isabela x Fenris is super cute, but I don’t pay enough attention to them to really have super committed thoughts & feelings on them. for DA:I, Blackwall x Josephine is cute as a background ship; I also think Maryden x Cole is sweet.

[dalathin]

// Dragon Age Questions

Tagged by: @kaaras-adaar   Tagging: @worthyfate @kinlochfled @dirthahavcn @polyphoniie @ardaaman and anyone else who would like to!

01) Favourite game of the series?  Oof starting out with a hard question. Uhhh... I will go with Inquisition if only because out of all my canon main characters Séaghdha has really become the most important to me as far as emotional attachment goes.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?  I am a long-time fan (?) of Bioware games and have been playing them since the beginning of time. I’ve literally played every Bioware game that exists, or at least this holds true for the time being (I am unsure if I will buy Anthem). My loyalty to the brand is not as strong as it used to be after they were bought by EA, and especially after David Gaider left the company. But yes. It actually started back with Baldur’s Gate II in 2000, which is not a Bioware game, but a game David did writing on and is still one of my favorite RPGs of all time. I followed him to Bioware and was determined to play anything he worked on. Hence, Dragon age.

03) How many times you’ve played the games?  I’ve genuinely lost count but I’ve memorized all three games, so... A lot lol

04) Favourite race to play as?  ELVES. But this isn’t necessarily a DA thing, it’s just a me thing because I am 100000% elf trash.

05) Favorited class?  Rogues, believe it or not. Mages are my second favorite, but yeah I prefer me my sneaky-sneaks.

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?  Depends on what character I’m playing. If I’m replaying one my canon characters, then yes, I stick with their choices. But occasionally I’d replay as some random character specifically to fuck around.

07) Go-to adventuring group?  I always take my character’s love interest because I’m a weenie. But for DA:O: Zevran, Alistair, Leliana. For DAII: Fenris, Bethany/Anders (depends on the act), Aveline. For DA:I: Dorian, Solas, Bull. Needless to say, I died a lot playing Séaghdha because I’m dumb and stubborn and had a mostly mage party most of the time.

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?  At this point, Séaghdha is probably the most fleshed out. Méabh, my canon Hawke, and Misae, my canon warden (who is on @exnobis for the record) are both pretty extensively developed in my own personal opinion, as I have a habit of just... getting probably too invested in my characters lol. But Séaghdha gets the most attention, without a doubt.

09) Favourite romance?  Okay so this is tough because Dorian as a character means a lot to me, he is my son and I adore him. But as much as I love him as a character, his romance was not my favorite. Sorry, son. Favorite romance is a really tough choice between Fenris and Zevran, but I think ultimately Fenris is the one who wins out. Both of their romances hit a lot of personal notes for me, but Fenris’ in particular uh... Well I cry every time, let me put it that way lmao

10) Have you read any of the comics/books?  All of the books and most of the comics.

11) If you read them, which was your favourite book?  Ehh... I honestly don’t really have one? I enjoyed them for sure, but my motivation was for the lore and less recreational lol.

12) Favourite DLCs?  For its drama, Trespasser. Overall, Mark of the Assassin. I may not like Felicia Day (sue me) but oh my god that DLC is fucking gold.

13) Things that annoy you.  So many things. But the biggest is probably the inconsistencies and ret-conning of lore and storyline. Whatever happened to the quality Bioware writing I fell in love with... where did it go....

14) Orlais or Ferelden?  Ferelden.

15) Templars or mages?  This isn’t a fair question imo. They both suffer needlessly. 

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?  Typically I default to all my canons being in the same verse. Makes my timeline consistent and easier. However my characters are all obviously adaptable so as to fit with my RP partners and a variety of different plots.

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)  Misae’s mabari was named Finn and Méabh’s was named Cahir. Séaghdha has named his hart Leanathe, elvhen for splendor, glory. 

18) Have you installed any mods?  lmao my games are nothing but mods at this point

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?  Not even remotely. He’s still bitter about it, quite frankly, despite taking quite well to a leadership role and life as a Bard. He’s all about finding that cure though, let me tell ya. 

20) Hawke’s personality?  Blue with a hint of purple when it wasn’t completely inappropriate. Basically, Méabh had a good sense of humor but was ultimately a very compassionate person.

21) Did you make matching armour for your companions in Inquisition?  No but that’s a hilarious idea now that you mention it.

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?  Misae would have tried to do more to save Tamlen, Méabh would have tried to do more to save her family, and Séaghdha would have tried to do more to save... well, everyone. Thanks Solas.

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?  I have some headcanons that alter canon a little bit (like in my personal canon Méabh gets pregnant between acts, etc), but off the top of my head that only really big thing is that Séaghdha doesn’t lose his arm. I mean it gets mutilated and he loses a lot of use/mobility, but he doesn’t actually lose the arm.

24) Who did you leave in the Fade?  Séaghdha leaves Stroud and, believe me, he’s not happy about it.

25) Favourite mount? Easily the Red Hart.

[the-funkiest-penguin]

I JUST REALISED I FORGOT TO ASK WHICH NUMBERS FOR THE DA THING SO HERE U GO: 1,4,5,6,17, 20, 21, 22, 25,26,28, 41-43, 45-47, 49, 51-54, 57, 73, 98-101 !!!

How did you get into Dragon Age? @gaymightynein told me there was a black bisexual pirate captain lady and that was the end of that tbh

What was your first Warden (gender/class/race/personality)? She was a rogue dalish elf (kinda my thing), and she was a sassy hoe, and she was a dumbass hoe who fell head over heels with Alistair (it was me i was in love with him) but yea

What was your first Hawke like (gender/class/temperament)? Well, my first Hawke was called Karis and she was Tired Tee Em. She was exhausted and at some point she kind of just does that John Mulaney bit where he’s like ‘it might as well just happen’ i mean her mother gets murdered by someone who makes his own little frankenstein’s bride LEAVE HER ALONE

First Inquisitor (gender/class/race/personality)? Lunas, rogue, dalish elf, you know the dealio. I imagined her very anti-responsibility and very very sneaky and one day she wakes up and her hand is glowing and there are two ladies yelling at her and frankly she’s kinda yanked along on this adventure that she would most definitely prefer not to be a part of and for fuck’s sake she doesn’t even believe in the Maker why do people keep worshipping her as the Herald?? She didn’t ask for this??? She just wanted to be sneaky?? 

What did you name your Mabari? Pluto!! Because it was my favourite planet, and then i watched a mickey mouse thing and i had to find a new name for my mabari. 

Was everyone loyal at the end? Hmm. Hmmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Wait, for DAO or DA2? Bc DA2 everyone loved me but for DAO Alistair leaves me and becomes a drunk or something. Why? Because he’s an idiot. 

Did Hawke side with the Mages or Templars? …. Templars. But my logic was that it would be easier to save mages if you pretended to be on the Templars side, but i forgot that it’s a game that treats any complex decision like it’s black and white. i was entirely neutral up until that point. 

Favorite DA2 party combo? izzy, Merrill, Seb/Varric. Or Izzy, Anders, and Varric. Not necessarily useful, but the party banter was 10/10. Fenris i didn’t really appreciate until my second playthrough. 

Favorite DA:I place? SKYHOLD. I LOVE SKYHOLD TO BITS. HAVEN CAN SUCK MY TIT SKYHOLD 4EVA (the wastes are also pretty but fuck it’s annoying)

Did your Inquisitor choose the Mages or the Templars? … TemplARS I CAN EXPLAIN- 

Which did you leave behind (Abyss)? lol first time i accidentally clicked hawke and i went back and i re-did the boss bc i don’t want to live with that kinda responsibility

Inquisitor’s feelings on being the Herald of Andraste? ‘YoU KNOw Who elSE can SUCK MY TiT-?’ She was a proud Dalish elf, of course she hated it, and she kept saying it until it got exhausting. I remember there’s this castle fort thing in the hinterlands where there’s a woman that’s like “You can’t be Andraste’s Herald, you’re an elf!’ and first playthrough I was like ‘CoME AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE’ and the second playthrough I was like ‘This woman gets it, everyone listen to her.’

Who did you romance in your first playthrough for each game? Ahem. Alistair. Isabela. … Cullen. I know I hate it. 

Who do you wish you could romance that you can’t? DORIAN. God I love him. 

Favorite romance overall so far? Yeah, okay. So I like Alistair. And what. Fight me. 

Which 3 DA characters would you want as your best friends? Varric, Varric and Varric. Also maybe Izzy, but mainly Varric. 

A character you’d love to drop in a volcano and forget about? DA2 Anders. Awakening Anders was the fucking best. 

Best antagonist in the series?  Ehhhh, I guess Anora? All the other villains are kinda shitty, and Anora is at least a vaguely interesting back-stabbing whore. 

Worst antagonist in the series? Solas. He antagonised me, okay? 

Something you do in EVERY DA playthrough, no matter what? Be a rogue. Like me some stabby stabby. 

Favorite Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor headcanons (any or all)? Inquisitor is obsessed with dragons. She loves them an unhealthy amount, and she loves/hates killing them. Hawke is an alcoholic but she’s good at it. She can count the amount of times she drank Isabela under the table, and remembers at least one of those times. Another Hawke one is that Varric deals with her love life with a devastating efficiency, and that’s why they are best friends. All my Warden headcanons are sad. 

Favorite non-Player Character headcanons? Sandal is a God. 

That One Headcanon that hurts to think about? How long it took Hawke to leave the house after she found her mother dead? Inquisitor coming back from the Fade like ‘yes we won but everything is awful’ and coming home like ‘at least i have someone who loves me’ and Josie is like ‘yoooo i am engaged haha what’s up with you’? Warden not caring if she died in the battle in Denerim bc what’s the point? Eh, take your pick. 

Fluffiest headcanon ever? Aveline is a panic baker. They all found out about this the day before her Guard Captain test.

Who would you date if you could (as you, not your OC)? Yeah, Alistair. Seems the healthiest option tbh. And that is saying A LOT. 

Who has the best character arc overall? Varric. 

Who was written really poorly? DA2 Anders come here and fucking fight me

Favorite OST song(s)? I am a slut for In Your Heart Shall Burn, i just think it is the sexiest battle music in existence (it’s not even the proper thing, it’s like a build-up, a foreplay if you will, and it just kinda really get’s me going, even if it is really short.)

Did you get someone into DA? I know you didn’t ask this but heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh

If you could be any non-Human DA species, which and why? Elf. Because I love em. They are great.

Where would you live (Fereldan, Orlais, Free Marches etc?) ANTIVA BITCH YOU SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL ZEV AND JOSIE ARE HAVE YOU HEARD THAT ACCENT HAVE YOU FELT THE LEATHER BOOTS

Circle, Templar, Chantry, Guard, Seeker, Inquisition, or none? Eh, if I had to I would choose the Inquisition. 

If you could meet your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor, what would you say? You did good, buddy. You did good.

Took a few months don’t mind me I am procrastinating and in a mood  i love you ben