#howetragic

[avrorean]

꧁ @howetragic. "A mage in a position of power is a thing to be wary of."

It should not have stung as it did. 

Ever since she was a child, Nanna had been told what the world would think of her. That it would never accept a mage among normal people. There had been enough horror stories from other apprentices and older mages to prove the rule from the very beginning of her time in Kinloch Hold, enough to see why it was surely neccesary. And why she should always stay safe, for herself and for others, locked away in the Tower. 

So why did this surprise her?

Perhaps she had simply grown so accustomed to the love of her friends, the ones who had seen her and whom she had held so close in her heart, that she had forgotten what the world was. But her friends were gone now, scattered to the wind to the far corners of Thedas to continue their lives with its new lease from the time they had spent together. Nanna would never had wanted them to do less - but as of late, Nanna had begun to wish she had gone with them. Something that every day seemed determined to remind her in the cold, uncertain eyes of her ‘vassals’. The same look in Nathaniel’s eyes now. That he had more reason than most to distrust her did not ease the weight of it.

  Maybe Wynne had been right, after all. No matter what she did, who she saved, or how many corrupted dragons she slayed, in the eyes of the world Nanna would always be a mage, and part of her would always be unwelcome here.

It was wearying. In a way few things even in the Blight had been wearying. She ha only come to Amaranthine to hopefully tie loose ends, but Nanna had begun wishing that she had never come at all.

“I hope,” Nanna began at last. When she turned to him, her smile was tired. “That I will prove able to ease your worries.”

[alitlantern]

"Have you never set up a camp before?"

          ━━━ ANDERS STRUGGLES WITH ONE OF THE ... STICKS NATHANIAL TASKS HIM WITH. He calls it a stick because there are few other words describe the length, but he doesn't exactly ... know what the rogue expects him to do with it.

          ❝ No, not much time to set up something like that when you're actively running from Templars, I'm afraid, ❞ he flips the thing in his hand, though underestimates how far it'll fly ; having to stumble forward several paces to catch it ━━ though he grins in triumph, anyway.

          ❝ No need to worry, though, ❞ he says, handing the thing back to Nathanial. ❝ I'm a quick study. Just ... carry on and I'll pitch in where I can ... hah, pitch ! Like a tent ! Clever, huh ? ❞

[freedomscall]

@howetragic | memes

" you're saying what i'm feeling is just one of your spells? "

" Well, YEAH. " Anders probably shouldn't sound so sheepish when such a question is thrown at him, given how non-mages can apparently always find some threat in the notion of a mage casting something, much less something upon THEM. But Nathaniel and him were part of a team now, so like it or not this was going to be their new normal. More or less, he figured.

❝ It's like… invigorating, yeah? You feel alert, more focused, maybe even a little stronger, right? Described as 'a boost to offenses' by the grimores, if I recall correctly. ❞ It was the first time he'd actually put the Creation spell into action, outside of practice, and surely it was better than some bard singing a little 'inspiring' ditty.

❝ Unless... you're feeling something else? ❞ Because that probably wouldn't be good.

[egoarte]

marian is a nug’s ass hair away from mortification. her upper lip curls like something stinks, but instead of looking at nathaniel, she focuses on the horizon, chin cupped— her body squat by the cliff’s edge.

“you don’t need to go.”

what she’s not saying is: i’d prefer you stay.

a small consolation for her outburst.

“or are you that eager for our next fight?”

@howetragic / cont.

[mercysought]

A kiss of fealty placed on a ring (Anora)

KISSES // not accepting . @howetragic @valorcorrupt + A kiss of fealty placed on a ring (Anora) + A kiss attempting to convince the other party to stay . (Anora)

   "You didn't have to do that." Anora hummed, a softly spoken whisper only to be shared between the two of them. There was no one else in her office to overhear them, but it still felt important, somehow.

They were simply discussing plans for Ferelden's future, after all, nothing untoward was happening. And this was the reason why Inara send him in her stead, was it not? She knew Nathaniel could do more for the Wardens in Amaranthine - and, she would not need to see the King. Not that the King much cared about what Anora did, not that she did much that would warrant the continuous rumour mill. Perhaps that had been new for Alistair, but it was certainly not new to her.

 �� "Kiss the ring." Anora clarifies, seeing the confusion spread over his brow. It softens immediately when she continues "I know you are loyal to me."

It was something that Eamon seemed to enjoy endlessly; asking the Wardens to repeatedly swear loyalty to the King whenever he felt a reminder was needed. And Nathaniel followed suit, kissing his ring yes but immediately after kissing hers. Anora's face did not falter, but she didn't know if it was at all possible to hide the sort of enjoyment that sprouted from her stomach at the act of defiance.

   "I feel this is a trick." he speaks and she cannot help herself from laughing.

   "Wise." a pause, her expression comes to a more neutral state as both of her hands rest on her stomach. Her head tilts to the side, she lets her eyes linger on his for a moment "Perhaps it is."

Placing the circlet down on the pillow that had been left for it, she gets up slowly. Nathaniel is quick to mirror her act, assuming that this meant their meeting was over. And it was, for the night, as much as she would love to extend their time - and despite Alistair seemingly not caring - she knew what would be best.

   "Would you consider staying in Denerim for a little while longer?" she asks, daring to glance in his direction. Her voice still low as they approached the door. Her heart beat erratically in her chest and she controlled her breathing, hoping to retain some level of calm as she continued "There are some matters I wish to finalise before you" her eyes fall on him, down to his lips and then towards the wooden door that quickly approached. She adds "and your wardens return to Amarenthine. Some letters I need sent to the Free Marches."

Her left hand touches the door, right one on his forearm, sliding down to his hand "That I would prefer to be kept in hands I can trust."

She turns to look at him, holding her breath steady despite the closeness. It would be easy, so easy. His hand is warm against hers. All she had to do was slide her hand from the door to his chest, a slight tug closer.

   "Of course, your majesty." he speaks and she smiles. Relieved to have been broken out of the moment.

Saddened all at the same time.

Her hand releases his and she leans in to give him a small kiss on the cheek. Ignoring how his head tilted to the side, as if he had expected her to aim somewhere else. Ignoring the warmth in her stomach. The hand at the door slides down towards the handle.

   "Thank you."

[coldjustness]

"They tell me you're a detective. I need your help. Detecting something."

"They say a lot of things about me." She starts with a smile, brows lifting with the growing smirk. "But in this case they're not completely wrong. You've indeed come to the right place." She continues, with a small nod toward the chair in front of her. "Come, have a seat. I'm guessing you have a story for me."

@howetragic / aye? I'm excellent at DETECTING.

[natecousland]

@howetragic asked: "Ridiculous. Perhaps we could call you something else." || Accepting name change suggestions!

Really? Nate looked up from the stack of papers on his desk, were they going to have this conversation again? How many times was Nate going to have to tell Nathaniel that they could both have the same first name. It was pretty common up north to be called Nathaniel... or so Nate assumed. I mean it must be right? They were both called Nathaniel. "What's got you so pressed? I'm Warden Commander Nathaniel, it's not like people are going to suddenly mix us up." Nate pointed out. He shook his head. He gestured to his short hair and to Nathaniel's longer hair. "You're Nathaniel with the long hair and I'm Nathaniel with the beard!" "Most people call me Nate anyway, unless you want to be called Nate." Nate squinted at Nathaniel. He didn't really look like a Nate, no he was diffidently more of a Nathaniel. "I guess I can be Nate one and you could be Nate two? How does that sound? Or you could be Nathan!"

Though Nate wondered if he should go by his middle name, William instead... no he couldn't give in to Nathaniel's ridiculous demand. And he didn't look like a Will... maybe he looked like a Billy if you squinted hard enough. "Have you considered changing yours? I think you'd make a fantastic Robert! Robert Howe! Our dear and beloved friend and comrade Bobby Howe!"

[littlehoundthings]

@howetragic: "I won't tell if you don't."

Unprompted Starters! {Always Accepting}

Okay. So MAYBE on a list of things that could've gone wrong today, accidentally sliding a hurlock covered in pointy, metal bits that scrape against stone and cause sparks into a POWDER KEG STORE was pretty low on the list.

Ashe watched the rising smoke from the explosion, before slowly looking over at Nathaniel.

"....We were never here," he agreed with a nod. Maker knows the world needs ANOTHER mage with a reputation for blowing up buildings-- accidental or not.

[high-as-hope]

from @howetragic

"Why the sour face?"

The Warden-Commander looked up from the scattered stack of papers in front of her, blinking as Nathaniel's voice pulled her out of her own head. Sighing, she pushed one of them forward towards him.

"Just more bullshit from the nobility," she grumbled.

Elsa regarded Nathaniel quietly for a moment, crossing her arms. She seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.

"Nathaniel, you're a Howe," she stated, as if it wasn't already obvious to him. "Maybe you could have some... tips or advice for dealing with this sort of thing?"

[nobroth]

Thanks to Pal both Alistair and Nathaniel ( @howetragic ) are available at Weisshaupt in Veilguard as prisoners being held in the belly of the place that can be released and join up with the Crew

[freedomscall]

stop squirming! you're going to be fine!

@howetragic | patching up wounds

After everything he's experienced, Anders is still shocked he doesn't have a higher pain tolerance. Or maybe it's more of a realization that there are things more painful in his world now than just lashings that bite deep into the skin of his back. He's squirming because he took the brunt of a Sharlock Shriek assassin's focus, the foul creature sneaking up on him while he was distracted weaving lightning between friends and foes.

He's squirming still, a whine high in his throat, because the adrenaline had finally worn off after he quite literally bludgeoned his surprise attacker into submission following a blast to throw them back. There was now nothing else left but a heavily bleeding wound about the left side of his waist, one that caused the mage to grow light-headed, sick and dizzy, before he collapsed. And then there's Howe, telling him he's going to be fine when he feels anything BUT as body flinches away from the tight, PAINFUL pressure of the archer's hands against the source of the blood that soaks the side of his uniform.

" In my pack, " Pained voice, eyes scrunching shut as he wavers further, " Potions, powders to stah--- stanch bleeding." Anders feels like he's DYING and the notion is reflected in the way he acts--- voice an octave higher, quick and stammering. Impatient, terrified. " For Andraste's sake, HURRY UP, Howe! "

[egoarte]

@howetragic | cont.

evelyn spares a glance over her shoulder — really? — before peering through the abandoned home’s slimy, rotting slats. they were holed up somewhere in the blackmarsh, its stench like a second skin she couldn't shake.

“quiet. i think i see it.”

[mercysought]

the moon is beautiful, isn’t it? (Anora)

YOU ARE EATING AN ORANGE // not accepting . @howetragic @valorcorrupt

   "Quite."

It was, indeed, beautiful. It was almost painting worthy. It stood in the space between the largest trees in the Castle's gardens, as if it had been drawn there to fit a specific scene and mood. Anora didn't quite know enough about art to really give the feeling the words it required, but there was something about them just sitting on one of the gardens, wrapped in furs to keep the cold night chill, and watching the brighter moon as it waned. Satina was not currently visible anywhere in the sky, the Queen noted.

   "I suppose that traveling so often you must bask in its beauty rather frequently." light eyes fall onto Nathaniel, giving him a smile that was hidden behind the furs in her neck. The way that her eyes wrinkled around her eyes would be proof enough of the quirk of her lips "I, on the other hand, can only catch a good view when it is in that" she leans towards him, showing him with her indicator the left side of the far most tree and then pointing towards the one on the right "specific space in the sky."

Otherwise the light was mostly hidden behind the foliage. Or, depending on the phase of the moon, completely gone. There were stars, yes, but there was little reason to visit the garden at night in that was the case. Not that she had many reasons to visit, even when the moon was as beautiful as it was now. Except today.

   "It is really nice when you visit, Nathaniel." even if it wasn't necessarily proper. And she was sure that Eamon would find a way to turn this against her too. He needn't concern himself though, she was waiting until he dug his hole enough. His time would come too. Her eyes lower to her own hand. She gives him a small smile and then glances to the moon, sighing "I really appreciate the company."

[alitlantern]

THREADS

My RP tracker broke so I'm going analog. If at any point you'd like to archive our thread, please just let me know through a comment on here or a DM! I will take no offense to it, I'd just like to know for tracking purposes. Alternatively, if we have a thread and it isn't listed here, please let me know! I'm extremely forgetful and I promise it was an accident.

On-Going

@nobodyexpectsthe - main verse / da2 verse / pirith companion verse / piri getting blighted

@valorcorrupt - clearing out the basement

@ofandrastes - healing elliott after the deeproads

@aurouze - salt tea weirdo

@bannsparkleberry - dance me to the end of love / meeting garret at the circle

@howetragic - refusing to be annoyed by nate's skepticism

@rcgueprince - first time seb comes to the clinic / saturnalia / dancing in the clinic

@muutos - meeting cullen at skyhold

@bolyde - meeting lucanis at some point in vg

@lone-blade - meeting carver at skyhold

@juneforged - theron in awakening

@theharellan - solas at skyhold

@spirehaunting - chatting with cole

Archived

@breathandshadow - lucanis comparison

@herewizem - vg recruitment

@mournwatchingprofessor - yapping in the necropolis

@relentlesshunger - chain talk in the necropolis / meeting feral connor

@captins - banting the clinic

@detectice - buddycop in the hanged man

@fvrtvne - vg

@magefell - teaching cece healing / yapping at the hanged man

@kirkw4ll - yapping at the hanged man (sad in 4k)

@circlefled - post chantry boom at ostwick

@divinesleft - inquisition starter

@skyheld - yapping in the garden with gatt

@totyranny - meeting gortash at skyhold

@magistheir - glowstick

@spitedriven - comparing spirit

@perditus - being hilarious with taash

@mahawllan - magically healing fenris / nonmagically healing fenris

[blightoath]

there's also something really funny to me in knowing that feyn's spending most of the fight against the evanuris dodging his feelings of guilt over releasing them (a warden causing a double blight he's officially the worst warden of all time) and just his grief and heartache that he's been running from his whole life. and once he is finally made to confront all of that, one of his thoughts is definitely, "inara (@valorcorrupt) would be so pissed at me. i'd have latrines duties for the rest of my life. nathaniel (@howetragic) will kill me."