#he was in hell every moment when they were at the temple of mythal…….. about to come to blows….

[dragonseeds]

the difference between mythal’s design in the art book and what we got in game is making me suicidal fr like look at this?? imagine if she’d had her long black hair and glowing golden eyes and actually looked like a primordial goddess. i too would’ve leashed myself to her like a dog and compromised myself and all my morals again and again and again until i broke and sundered the world in grief when she died

[elfrootaddict]

Now You Know - Chapter 2/8

CONTAINS SPOILERS - DO NOT READ ON UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED DAI TRESPASSER DLC!

DESCRIPTION: Experience (my first) Lavellan’s thoughts and feelings during the final cut scene of the Trespasser DLC. Including her experience when she loses the Anchor.

Chapter 1 ¦ Chapter 2 ¦ Chapter 3 ¦ Chapter 4 ¦ Chapter 5 ¦ Chapter 6 ¦ Chapter 7 ¦ Chapter 8

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To all those in Solavellan Hell,

I have written this to not only express my emotions but to hopefully capture some of yours, too.

After completing Trespasser, and going through the hell that is the final cut scene, I had to do something. So, to help myself work through it, I’ve written (my first) Lavellan’s thoughts and experiences down during the DLC’s final cut scene.

This is my very first FanFic, so I hope it doesn’t turn out completely terrible. *fingers crossed*

Happy Dragon 4ge Day!

WARNING: Chapter 6 contains a moment of distress and gore. Read with sensitivity and discretion.

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CHAPTER 2

Lavellan steps out of the eluvian.

She turns around and faces the magic mirror - there is no going back now. 

Turning back around she is immediately startled. A Qunari warrior lunges straight towards her, axe in hand - turned to stone. 

After composing herself, she looks passed the Qunari warrior and notices a couple dozen more of the same. All frozen in time by being turned to stone. Every single one posed mid-attack. They were clearly unprepared.

Who did this? I’ve never seen much magic. 

Realising she doesn’t have the time to quench her curiosity, she presses forward and winds her way through the maze of stone-frozen Qunari, looking to see if Solas has also met such an end. 

Don’t you dare die on me, vhenan! Not before I get to tell you how mad I am at you! 

She reaches a flight of stairs, decorated buy two large stag statues on either side. On the horizon, lying between the castle rubble, is another eluvian. It is significantly bigger than the other eluvians she’s passed through. This one is poised so elegantly. It’s so beautiful standing against the sun light. She wonders how many Ancient Elves have walked these paths. And what this eluvian’s original purpose was. 

She could only imagine what Solas would have to say about a place like this. She loves listening to his stories about the Fade and the wisdom he had gathered during his journeys. She would find any excuse to hear him speak to her. His voice always calmed and soothed her. 

“Ebasit Kata. Itwa-ost.” says the only voice that could make Lavellan’s heart stop for just a moment. A voice that could belong to no one else.

Solas!

“Maraas Kata!” insists the Viddasala.

Lavellan starts running up the stairs towards the eluvian. She notices two silhouettes. One being the Viddasala and other belonging to a physique she knows all too well.

Solas calmly replies, “Your forces have failed. Leave now, and tell the Qunari to trouble me no further.”

Lavellan finally reaches the top of the stairs and stops dead in her tracks. The Viddasala, with her back to the Inquisitor, is facing Solas and seems to be hesitating. 

With all her Qunari forces dead or turned to stone, and with the demands of the Qun, she has but only one option left. 

With his arms crossed behind him and steadily walking towards the eluvian, the Viddasala attempts to impale Solas with her spear. Without hesitation Solas stops. Not even making so much as eye contact, he turns the Viddasala to stone. 

Witnessing Solas effortlessly turn the Viddasala to stone causes Lavellan to step back and hold her breath. She wonders how such magic could even exist. How a single mage, such as Solas, could possess such talents and not even mention a word of it to her? 

Had she not earned his trust? Had she not shown where her loyalties lie? What more could he be hiding?

When he told her the truth about her vallaslin, she had him remove it. Being Dalish, he knew what it meant to her and the weight that decision carried. Did that not prove her ability to understand and accept the truth? No matter how hard it is for her to hear? 

The Anchor starts reaching its limit once more and needs to be released. With all that is happening in front of her, she almost forgets about the pain she is going through and how at any moment the Anchor can simply kill her.

Not now! 

She hesitates. She thinks to not even call out his name. What would she discover once she announces her presence? Maybe he knew she was there and waited to see if she would even say anything? 

She is now staring at the one person, in the whole of Thedas, who holds her heart in his hands. 

He holds his cards so close. She wears her heart on her sleeve. But she is also no fool. And she is going to get the answers she feels she deserves. 

Say his name. Don’t let him walk away again. 

Confident in her decision, Lavellan calls after him, “Solas.”

Solas stops and slowly turns around to face her. 

They lock eyes.

It takes every ounce of her willpower not to run to him. Embrace him. Kiss him. Yell at him and then burst into tears like a child. How often she pictured the day that she would see him again. All the things she wanted to say to him. How angry she has been. To tell him it took everything she had to forgive him for leaving her the way that he did. Before defeating Corypheus, he promised to explain everything. 

Lavellan starts slowly walking towards him. She feels as if she is hunting prey and doesn’t want to scare it off by moving too quickly. She would rather be fighting a High Dragon. She knows what to do with a High Dragon.

His armour reflecting the sunlight immediately catches her attention. It is similar to what Abelas was wearing at the temple of Mythal. How did Solas manage to get such ancient armour? 

And in addition, Solas is wearing a wolf’s pelt flung over his right shoulder and tucked into his belt. An interesting choice. Was this his way of announcing his loyalty to Fen’Harel? Is this what the Viddasala meant?

The armour has this aura of power and respect to it. She begins to realise Solas seems...different. The way in which he’s holding himself. His mannerism and overflowing confidence. He is so beautiful to look at but also carries this air of danger. Why did she feel like she is the one being hunted instead?

Almost at arm's length, the power of the Anchor abrupts and all her pretenses fall away. Using her right hand to support her left forearm, she cries and screams out in pain. Every build up gets worse and more excruciating. Lavellan is now at the mercy of the Anchor once again. 

With still no change in his demeanor, Solas’s eyes illuminate with magic and the Anchor promptly stops as if it is under his command. 

What? How did he do that? 

The pain the Anchor was causing suddenly falls flat. Lavellan manages to stand to her feet and tries to regain her composure. 

Solas looks deep into her eyes and says, “That should give us more time,” and with a slight tilt of his head and a subtle smile of affiliation he continues. “I suspect you have questions.”

[hamingo]

Cyran& Sarya for the ship asks? :)

Ah yes I love these two sm thank you!

How did they they meet?

Their first meeting was just after the conclave, but it wasn’t the nicest meeting. Sarya was confused at everything, the mark on her hand, the hole in the sky, everyone thinking she did it, and Cyran was just pissed over the fact that they were keeping him detained as well even though he had nothing to do with this. Their first interaction was Cyran grabbing onto Sarya as Cassandra walked her out and begging her to explain to Cassandra that they didn’t know eachother, he had nothing to do with her.

Who developed romantic feelings first?

Cyran developed infatuation first, and was in awe of her, and that eventually led to romantic feelings as they grew closer and got to know each other more. Sarya wasn’t far behind though, and they spent an insufferable amount of time pining over each other.

Who is their biggest “shipper?”

I wouldn’t say “shipper”, but literally everyone in the inner circle who was SO DONE with dealing their bullshit pining and wanting them to just get together already

When did they have their first kiss and under what circumstances?

At the winter palace, during their own balcony scene. The adrenaline of the night kind of took over, and Cyran had to basically climb the railing to kiss her. It was sweet though.

Who confessed their feelings first?

I guess Cyran, since he was the one who went for the kiss at the Winter Palace. But there had been so much waiting, so many “maybe moments” that there wasn’t any doubt Sarya liked him back.

What was their first official date?

On the way back from Halamshiral, they ditched the others and had lunch at a little Orlesian cafe together, calling it their first date.

How do they feel about double dates/group dates?

They would LOVE to go out with another couple. All that mushy stuff is right up their alley.

What do they do in their down time?

They like to spend time in the garden together. Cyran has his nature magic and feels very at home there, and Sarya just enjoys the atmosphere.

What was the first meeting of parents as an official couple like?

Sibling meetups first! Mihla had met Sarya before she and Cyran were an official couple, but she knew her brother had feelings for her and it was obvious Sarya liked him too, so Mihla took the typical little sister route and just teased the ever living hell out of him. Yasmiin finally managed to get to Skyhold after Sarya and Cyran became an official couple. While she was dubious at first of this tiny elf boy, Cyran grew on her very quickly.Cyran’s parents took to Sarya right away. While Cyran’s mother was a little upset that he had chosen someone outside of the clan, it was mostly her not wanting her son to have to go through the troubles she went through marrying a human. But when they actually met Sarya, both of his parents almost instantly accepted her as their other daughter.

What was their first fight over and how did they get past it?

They also fought at the Temple of Mythal. Cyran wanted to use the well himself, and while Sarya understood he would be the best one for it, they had no idea what it would do and was worried about the effects of it.

Which one is more easily made jealous?

I can’t see either of them as being overly jealous, but I guess if I had to choose one then maybe Sarya?

What is their favourite thing to get to eat?

Sarya looooves sweets, and Cyran loves to get them for her!

Who’s the cuddly one? What their favourite cuddling position?

They’re both the cuddly one. Watch Cyran cling to her like some kind of tiny elven parasite.

Are they hand holders?

All Day Every Day

How long do they wait before sleeping together for the first time? What’s the circumstances?

Tbh I don’t know?? Probably a while, as they try to figure out how it would even work with their massive size difference lol.

Who tops?

Oh fuck oh damn they’re both bottoms why didn’t I think of that when I made them a couple???

Who does the shopping and the cooking?

Sarya does most of the shopping while Cyran does most of the cooking, but they both agree it’s more fun when they do them together :D

Which one is more organized and prone to tidiness?

Cyran is far more organized. It’s not that Sarya’s messy, she’s just… forgetful

Who proposes?

Well, both? Cyran spends months researching Qunari life partner customs before remembering that Sarya grew up amongst humans and throwing away all of his hard work. So then as he’s trying to figure out the proper way to do it for how Sarya was raised, Sarya whips out a traditional Dalish proposal that she’d been doing her research on and Cyran cries a lot.

Do they have joined Bachelor/Bachelorette parties or separate?

I don’t think they really have any? Like they definitely have “Whoo we’re getting married soon!” parties with friends and fmaily but they wouldn’t be actual Bachelor/Bachelorette parties.

Who is the best man/maid of honour? Any other groomsmen or bridesmaids?

Mihla and Yasmiin! Gotta have the sisters involved!

Big Ceremony or Small?

Not super huge. Cyran’s clan, their friends, and the Valos-Kas made for an interesting wedding party but a fun one.

Do they have a honeymoon? If so, where?  

Not really a honeymoon, they just kinda go on adventures wherever they feel like for a bit.

Do they have children? How many?

I haven’t actually planned that, but I’d imagine they do! I don’t even know if a Qunari/Elf baby would be a thing or if they’d have to adopt of what. But they definitely have at least one!

[rhenal]

To the Void with the Void

Few things in Dragon Age lore bother me quite as much as the Void. It appears just about everywhere, in every faith, but what any one teaching says about what it actually IS never seems to be consistent - even in the same set of teachings.

Come with me on this journey, as I go through the Dragon Age Wiki page on the Void and follow every single cite note to the source - and look through those cited sources as well.

It starts with a brief summary, then goes into Chantry beliefs, because of course that comes first. It lists some verses from the chant. 

All that the Maker has wrought is in His hand Beloved and precious to Him. Where the Maker has turned His face away, Is a Void in all things; In the world, in the Fade, In the hearts and minds of men.

Passing out of the world, in that Void shall they wander; O unrepentant, faithless, treacherous, They who are judged and found wanting Shall know forever the loss of the Maker's love. Only Our Lady shall weep for them.

—Canticle of Threnodies, 12:5

So... the void is both a vague emptiness in everything the Maker doesn’t like and the Andrastian version of Hell? Right. How conveniently vague. It never says ‘the Void’ though, just ‘a Void’. 

Next follows some extrapolations. Since I know that fanon and canon tend to intermingle a lot in small, subtle and insidious ways, I shall stick as close to the source material - and only the source material - as the wiki and the rest of my resources will allow for, while mostly ignoring the wiki-specific text. So. Let’s follow the cite notes, in order. 

The first one refers to a conversation with Sebastian in DA II. I don’t have that DLC, because I think that guy is kind of an arse and not worth my money, and after over an hour of searching both the wiki and youtube, I have not found this conversation, so I’m gonna drop that trail for now. 

Second cite note also refers to a Sebastian conversation, but this is one I can actually find. It’s a banter conversation between him and Isabela. 

Isabela: So, I've never understood why the Chantry says if you're good, you'll be taken up to the Maker's side. Sebastian: Those who die with the sins cleansed from their souls will walk beside the Maker in eternity. Isabela: That doesn't sound fun! Isabela: If they really want people to be good, shouldn't they offer an afterlife with... lakes of wine and a dozen naked virgins? Sebastian: Anyone who wants that will be going to the Void. Isabela: Sounds like that's where all the good parties will be.

So, Andrasian hell. K. Still doesn’t tell me anything useful.

Next few cite notes are grouped up. These unfortunately refer to books that I do not have access to at the moment - World of Thedas vol. 1 and the Dragon Age Origins official game guide - so I’ll simply settle for sharing the statement on the wiki.

The sinners are lost, endlessly wandering the Fade or even returning to the "ether" (the primeval matter of the Fade) from which they were made.

So, conflating the Void and the Fade now, are we? The next sentence references the Canticle of Threnodies, saying that it says that the Void is a place within the Fade. Time to check out what’s available of that Canticle myself...

Huh. Oh, that’s a lot. Yet after reading it all, the only mention of the Void I could find is in 12:5 above. “Where the Maker has turned His face away, Is a Void in all things; In the world, in the Fade, In the hearts and minds of men.” I think that can be interpreted in a lot of ways. It doesn’t quite say “The Void is a place in the fade” to me. It just says that there is an emptiness - a Void - in everything that the Maker found fault in. And he certainly found fault in the Fade, according to earlier verses in that very same Canticle. I don’t know, but this instance seems more figurative to me. Maybe I’m wrong. 

Moving on. Up next is another Chantry verse. 

Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity.

—Canticle of Andraste, 14:11

I can’t help but notice how ‘abyss’ isn’t capitalised in this verse. I checked in game - it’s not capitalised there either. 

This verse bothers me. When reading further into the codex entry of “Here Lies the Abyss”, there is some musings by Revered Mother Juliette accompanying the verse. They read as follows:

Chantry sisters have long debated this section of the Chant of Light. It is tempting to assume that the "well of all souls" is a literal well, but such imagery appears nowhere in Andraste's other works. An examination from Threnodies 1:4 yields clues:

From the waters of the Fade you made the world. As the Fade had been fluid, so was the world fixed.

It is possible—even likely—that the "emerald waters" Andraste refers to are the substance of the Fade, which began as an "ocean of dreams" (Threnodies 1:1) and was reduced to a well—bottomless but limited in scope—by the Maker's creation of our world.

Is Andraste urging the listener to come to the Fade? Should we take "From these emerald waters doth life begin anew," as literal evidence of reincarnation—or even of life after death, as the Cult of Spirits suggests—or as a figurative benediction indicating that the Maker is the source of all life, and in finding His embrace for Eternity, we will only be returning our souls from whence they came?

Vague, is it not? Juliette seems as confused as I am. 

Now, I remember when The Descent came out. When seeing The Wellspring at the end of that story, a lot of think-pieces popped up in the Meta community about how it looked an awful lot like what Andraste might have been describing in that Canticle of hers. Note how, in the Wiki page for the above-mentioned codex entry, there is a trivia section with a quoted passage from The Calling? 

"It’s where Andraste goes to speak to the Maker for the first time. It’s where she convinces him to forgive mankind. It was supposed to be this beautiful temple deep under the earth surrounded by emerald waters."

Interesting, no?

If anything, it seems safe to say that The Chant doesn’t seem very interesting in defining just what either the Void or this abyss is in the first place, and anything further simply seem to be interpretations by various Chantry people, which is hardly a reliable source of anything.

Continuing down the Wiki page on the Void, we have the Elven beliefs section. Something something The Forgotten Ones dwell there - the cite note leads us to Codex Entry: Elven God Andruil. Well. Not beliefs of modern elves, then, since this entry is found in the temple of Mythal, but that’s splitting hairs. 

One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking The Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss. Yet even a god should not linger there, and each time she entered the Void, Andruil suffered longer and longer periods of madness after returning.

Andruil put on armor made of the Void, and all forgot her true face. She made weapons of darkness, and plague ate her lands. She howled things meant to be forgotten, and the other gods became fearful Andruil would hunt them in turn. So Mythal spread rumors of a monstrous creature and took the form of a great serpent, waiting for Andruil at the base of a mountain.

When Andruil came, Mythal sprang on the hunter. They fought for three day and nights, Andruil slashing deep gouges in the serpent's hide. But Mythal's magic sapped Andruil's strength, and stole her knowledge of how to find the Void. After this, the great hunter could never make her way back to the abyss, and peace returned.

—Translated from ancient elven found in the Arbor Wilds, source unverified

Here is a much more clear distinction of the Void as an actual, tangible thing. Abyss is still not being capitalised, though. Abyss speaks to me of something deep down below. And the ancient Elves were actively encouraged to seek the deepest parts of the Fade, as seen in Codex Entry: Vir Dirthara: The Deepest Fade.

The pages of this book—memory?—are instructions on how to reach the deepest parts of the Fade, realms so far removed they're unmarked by Dreamers:

"Epiphany requires a mind smooth as mirror glass, still as stone. Put aside ten years for practice, and the next hundred for searching. What others have learned will ease your journey. Those who never manifested outside the Fade will find it easier to find its stillest roots, but it is rare the compulsion overtakes our brethren of the air."

Andruil roaming the Void was considered a bad thing by the Elves, yet seeking the deepest parts of the Fade was encouraged. That says to me that they are not the same. That says to me that the Void is not found in the Fade. 

The Andruil codex entry also says that “all forgot her true face” and that because of her actions, “plague ate her lands”. The idea that it was Andruil who caused the Blight has been around for a long time. This codex entry is the source of that theory. So far, I am inclined to agree that it certainly sounds like that may be the case. So. Quite possibly, according to this tale, if this plague is indeed the blight, it can be concluded that the Blight came from the Void.

However, that is a whole lot of conditions. A lot of ‘if’s.

Next up, there’s talk about the legends of Fen’Harel and The Great Betrayal - which we know for certain fact by now is a lot more complicated than the legends make it out to be. However, I don’t remember there being any mention of the Void or an abyss - or even the Forgotten Ones - being mentioned in our conversation with Solas in Trespasser. Sometimes I wonder if the Forgotten Ones are just a trail that Bioware wants to drop, but then I remember that their most explicit appearance in all the games so far is as recently as Jaws of Hakkon. Well. Back on track. 

The cite notes here only lead me to Arlathan: Part two and the Dread Wolf codex entry - both tellings of the Dalish legend, which tells me nothing new. The Forgotten Ones were allegedly trapped in the abyss. Might be good to point out that these legends also appear to imply that the Forgotten Ones came from the abyss, or at least that it was their home. “[...]if only the Forgotten Ones would return to the abyss for a time.“

Hmm. The Void wiki entry next says that The World of Thedas includes accounts of the Evanuris being trapped in the Eternal City. I thought that was just a theory. I really need to get that book. Clear some things up.

On to the next cite note, which leads me to the codex entry Elgar’nan: God of Vengeance. Another Dalish account, but this one brings up something interesting that I’ve not paid attention to before.

The sun, looking down upon the fruitful land, saw the joy that Elgar'nan took in her works and grew jealous. Out of spite, he shone his face full upon all the creatures the earth had created, and burned them all to ashes. The land cracked and split from bitterness and pain, and cried salt tears for the loss of all she had wrought. The pool of tears cried for the land became the ocean, and the cracks in her body the first rivers and streams.

Elgar'nan was furious at what his father had done and vowed vengeance. He lifted himself into the sky and wrestled the sun, determined to defeat him. They fought for an eternity, and eventually the sun grew weak, while Elgar'nan's rage was unabated. Eventually Elgar'nan threw the sun down from the sky and buried him in a deep abyss created by the land's sorrow.

A deep crack in the earth - a crack referrenced to as an abyss no less - created by the Sun’s rage. 

Perhaps, this instead is a reference to the war in which the Evanuris were generals. The war that enabled their ascent to presumed godhood. And this chasm was opened by the battles waged in this war. 

My mind wanders to The Abyssal Reach in the Western Approach. You know the one - the ginormous black chasm? The one that you fall into during Here Lies the Abyss?

The Wiki entry on the Western Approach says that “This area was the site of a major battle during the Second Blight. The darkspawn swarmed out of the great chasm to the south named the Abyssal Rift and corrupted the land beyond recovery.” Note that it doesn’t say is that the chasm was created during the Second Blight. It would appear that it was already there. 

I’m thinking that this chasm is the same as the one referenced in Elgar’nan’s legend. 

Although - nothing about this says that this chasm and the Void is the same thing. But I suspect that they may be connected. 

Continuing down the Void wiki page, all that’s left is the cult of the Empty Ones - who worshiped the blight - as well as a fairly lengthy trivia section. Nothing I find here is new. The Empty ones say the Darkspawn came from the Void and that the Void is a place of nothingness. General mentions of a hungry, yawning void - which doesn’t really say anything because that’s a pretty general turn of phrase. The Staff of the Void’s description talks about a void as an absence of something, which once again sounds more like a turn of phrase than anything substantial.  

There is always the Anvil of the Void - the thing that the Dwarves used to forge Golems. Since it essentially functioned by transferring the soul of a dwarf into that of the Golem, it could imply that the Void is somehow related to souls - or at least Dwarven souls - which would support the verse from the Canticle of Andraste mentioned before. But then, we also know that Elven souls come from the Fade - or at least that is what is implied, considering their close kinship with Spirits before the Veil. 

And there is still the whole thing about where we have absolutely no idea where the Humans even came from in the first place...

So far, I’ve seen a lot of fairly interesting thinking points - but absolutely nothing that would really lead to any real consensus to what the Void even is - IF it even is. I can’t help but feel that despite the frequent use of the terms Void and abyss in both Elven and Chantry lore, none of these references are similar enough - or substantive enough - for me to be able to be able to safely conclude that the Void even is a special place or thing at all. It sounds to me like metaphorical speech far more often than it does anything else. A metaphor for deep underground or something. The Deep Roads. I don’t know. 

But then I remember The Descent again. The Wellspring. The ‘lake’ that seemed almost like a sky. The Dwarf legend of the king who dug so deep down that he and his entire thaig “fell into the sky”. It makes me wonder...

In the end, all I feel I can really conclude for myself is that whatever it is, the Abyss is mostly deep below, and the Fade is mostly up above. I don’t think they are the same. Also that the Blight probably comes from the Void in one way or another. 

But honestly, any more than that, the lore just doesn’t seem to converge into anything substantial anywhere. There is simply far too little to go on to make any solid conclusions, and what little lore there is appear to go into different places more often than not. We can assume, we can theorise, we can extrapolate - but what real lore there actually is tells us surprisingly little.

If anyone has any thoughts about this that are more coherent than mine, I’d love to hear them, because it feels like I’m thinking in circles.

[kaoruyogi]

First Lines Meme

I got tagged by @thevikingwoman, @galadrieljones, and @princessvicky01. Thank you, ladies!!! <3

Rules: List the first lines of your last 10 stories. See if there are any patterns. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

“Fucked Up” - How to Win Wars and Influence Nobles (Ch. 19) (coming really soon!)

Belle had bad habits. She had bad habits and she had vices. She touched her mouth too much. She occasionally talked for the sole purpose of filling the silence. She enjoyed cheese more than any one person had the right to do. She had a quick temper. She held grudges. She could be brutal and unreasonable.

She yammered on and on and on about her argument with Cullen as Dorian watched her pace. Unconcealed laughter danced in his gray eyes while she blathered about how angry she was, how obtuse Cullen was being, and how fucking stupid the entire fight had been. She would not allow the mage a word of counsel or retort as she recounted the play-by-play of the entire event in excruciating and undoubtedly biased detail. It was only when she collapsed in a cross-armed huff into the chair opposite his that he managed to ask her a question.

“Cake” - Cullen and Sera Friendship

“Eat it.”

“What did you put in this?”

“Things. And other things. Eat it.”

“Why did you bring this to me?”

“Maker’s hairy danglebag, just eat it, Commander Fuzzy Shoulders! It’s good, yeah? So put it in your face.”

“Oh Give Me a Home (Ch. 1)” - Old West/Wild West AU

The weight of the six-shooter on Cullen’s hip grounded him. He rested his right hand on his belt, fingertips brushing against that dark metal and ivory handle. A part of him hated standing out in the heat and the dust waiting for the daily stagecoach, though he did it every afternoon like clockwork.

He stood there, sweating under his hat, the wide brim of which bore the small mercy of keeping the sun from his amber eyes. He could feel more sweat beading under his arms, and he shuffled his stance to prevent the moisture from touching the smaller pistol tucked against his ribcage. The windless heat bore down on him like an old corpse, rank and heavy and stale. His office would not be much better when he returned. It would have even less airflow, if that was possible. He could not voice these complaints, however. Such was the nature of Solace in the Western Approach. Such was the nature of midday in the summer months. Such was the nature of his position as Sheriff of Val Sable, a small city named for its expanse of sand. Fitting.

“Brother Mine” - Cullen and Mia Rutherford Childhood

The first nips of autumn chilled the sunset air as Mia made her way toward the lake. She took all her shortcuts through wheat fields and herds of sheep and goats. She ran from the mean gaggle of geese in front of the Woodridges’ house, and they chased her for a little while, honking and shouting until she ducked through the far fence. She wished her feet were bare, but she remembered the last time she left muddy footprints in the house and wore her shoes.

“In His Arms” - Cullen Rutherford Fatherhood

Cullen’s neck was sore, but it was not sore enough to stop him from looking down. He had been watching his infant daughter sleep since her birth-swollen eyes had drifted shut. Tiny snores rattled out of her as she slept, and her small chest rose and fell beneath her swaddle.

She was perfect. Down to the speck of a mole on her cheek, she was perfect. She was perfect and she was his.

“Salt Air” - Cullen and Cassandra Friendship

The Waking Sea was not the largest sea in Thedas. Cullen knew that well enough. Their voyage would only last another week. Cullen knew that well enough. His entire life would be changed when they made landfall. Cullen knew that well enough.

Still, his nerves would not be calmed. Perhaps it was because he got seasick. Perhaps it was because he knew that he would stop taking lyrium once they made it to Haven. Perhaps it was because he was expected to command an army following his crushing failures in Kirkwall.

“Among the Bound” - Baby Templar Cullen

The library was, far and away, Cullen’s favorite place in the Circle tower. It may have been his favorite place in all of Ferelden. The sight of it and the scent of it and the way the air seemed to change when he crossed the threshold gave the place a grandiose mysticism that made his heart race. He grew closer to the Maker the closer he came to those books.

In the Circle, time was as material as it was immaterial. Cullen’s life was lived in a series of unvarying rituals and routines. As much as time passed, as much as things always seemed just on the cusp of changing, nothing ever really did. Every moment was planned and accounted for from before dawn until well after the fall of night. There was a time for reciting every Canticle of the Chant. There was a time for every meal. There was a time for every duty.

“The Blood of the Wicked” -  How to Win Wars and Influence Nobles (Ch. 18)

Hauling Samson from the Arbor Wilds to Skyhold was proving more problematic than Cullen had anticipated. The first problem was the limited cadre that would allow them to travel fast enough to get to Skyhold before any of Samson’s information became useless to the Inquisition. Due to their diminutive ranks, the soldiers alternated watch and guard shifts with the members of the inner circle who had not gone into the Temple of Mythal with Max. Not only was it a logistical complication, but Cullen was constantly forced to intervene when Sera decided she was going to kill Samson after he ran his mouth during her guard rotation.

And Samson did run his mouth. That was the second problem. It was all too likely that the man sought to get himself killed by one person or another before reaching Skyhold where his knowledge of Corypheus’s plans would be plucked from his skull by whatever means Max deemed appropriate. Samson pecked and gnawed at everyone around him, and was spat on an punched more than once for his efforts.

“War is Hell (And It’s Not Just a Fucking Cliche” -  How to Win Wars and Influence Nobles (Ch. 17)

Forced marches could suck a fucking dick. Better yet, they could suck two dicks and a left nut.

Belle’s entire body ached from tip to tail. Her head ached more the further south they marched because, apparently, there were still allergens in Thedas to compress her sinuses. Her neck, back, ass, crotch, and thighs ached from riding in the carriage and riding on horseback. She walked when she could, but she almost snapped her ankle on the third day and had to stop trying.

“This Happened Once Before” - Cullen x Belle Dream

“You should not be in here.”

Belle startled beside the kitchen fire, sending her half-eaten Orlesian bread roll hurtling into the fireplace and slamming closed the massive tome between her thighs. Her hand flew to her chest. “Jesus balls on a bike!” She hissed in a breath. “Fuck.”

Things I Noticed: I tend to start with dialogue or scene-setting. Sometimes, with the chaptered fic stuff, I’ll use the first few paragraphs to fill in the gaps between chapters. But it looks like I really like to paint a picture with the first few lines/paragraphs. I want the feeling of it to set in before we go too far. If there’s hear or exhaustion or inertia, I want my reader to have a sense of it.

Hmm.

It looks like most everyone I can think of at the moment has already been tagged, but if you haven’t and you wanna do it, I tag you!!!