#i felt this way about my inquisitor and cullen also tbh

[revvethasmythh]

have to say, exceptionally vindicated about my romance choice for this character. "this isn't a good idea"/"sometimes a bad idea is better" and "you like to walk a little close to the edge"/"so do you"/"at least i know i'm doing it" are SO in character. reckless, a little impulsive, maybe too much outward confidence, totally willing to commit to a potentially terrible idea--yeah, it's all coming together

[gxldencity]

4, 7 & 24 for the 🔥🔥 asks!

4. what was the last straw that made you finally block that annoying person?

Tbh I don't have a last straw anymore. I use and abuse the block button liberally. If I see an annoying opinion, I block. Sometimes, I don't even finish reading the post because you usually can tell it's rancid from the first 2 lines.

I've blocked half a fandom at this point bc of the constant negativity. I simply don't care anymore. I'm here to have fun. If you take personal offense to that then that's your problem not mine.

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

Alngksgnw as you're said hate IS a strong word and I don't hate characters really unless there is a good reason for me to hate them.

So when I say I began to dislike Dorian Pavus after seeing how the fandom acted towards him, I don't hate him. I guess I do find him fascinating and relatable to an extent but I also don't think he's written perfectly as some people act like he is. Revisiting Dorian's quest as an adult with a fully developed brain and way more comfortable about my own queerness made me realize that I dislike how Dorian didn't really have agency whether to reconcile with his father or not. I know it's the point of The game to have a choice but Idk a bit more dialogue about the choice could've easily solved that problem for me.

I also have issues with Dorian's Indian coding lmao and have since felt like I was duped. It just feels like a cop-out? Like Gaider and team knew about the complaints people have about his comments wrt Asians in Thedas so they made him Asian—only mentioning it in a forum post or Twitter I think 🫠 so to this day ive seen people still surprised that he's Asian—without considering how to code him as Indian in the game.

Things like his clothing having some influences from the cultures in India or family structures and mannerisms. I mean it could be as simple as Indian coding the people of Quarinus so you don't just have this one Indian coded family in the entirety of Thedas. The Alexiuses could've also been Indian coded.

(An aside there's more layers to this like the unfortunate implications of coding a group of people who own slaves as poc but I could write a whole post about Dragon Age's attempts of trying to put Asians in this game)

Anyway, that's canon lol. Fandom makes this all worse. I could just point at the Orientalist depictions of Dorian in fanart and just end it here but nope it goes deeper. Somehow, Dorian attracted the worst kind of fandom. Like the Solas and Cullen stans maybe louder but I was there Gandalf. I was in the trenches. People were forming cliques around this one BNF and their friends. I was in the clique and it was all good until Tresspasser dropped.

You see this clique hated that Tresspasser ended with Dorian and the Inquisitor being in an LDR—because Dorian was off trying to fix a country—to the point where some of them acted like they broke up. Hello? Okay 1) That is such a poor reading on long distance relationships 2) Dorian...got a phone crystal for the Inquisitor, u know a tech that didn't exist in Thedas so they can stay in touch.

It also isn't enough that they didn't like it. Others have to Not like it as well. I remember talking to the BNF about my Inquisitor and Dorian, how they stayed in touch as Dorian was y'know trying to fix a country and the BNF told me that it was a depressing situation for my Inquisitor and Dorian...even though it isn't and they're perfectly happy.

(An side, not from this clique but I wouldnt be surprised if some of them also held this opinion but I saw some accusations from folks that Bioware is homophobic because Dorian and the Inquisitor are in an LDR. This is how batshit this fandom is).

Anyway, to keep it short, I was 19-20 when all of this happened. I probably said some stupid shit around that time but I should tell you these people were in their late 20s to early 30s. They were affected by a 19-20 year old with just a handful of followers saying stupid shit. They were so affected by the barely adult saying stupid shit that one of them stalked me, vagueposted about me and when I found out they were vagueposting about me, proceeded to gaslight me and told me I was the one stalking them. :)

Not only that, they also harassed one of my friends to not posting their fics ever again, harrassed a friend of a friend for trying to steal the BNF's spotlight 🙄. Come on some of you have fucking children.

I don't think I could look at Dorian in the same way which is a shame because for a time he was important to me but like God, it was rough.

I also have not forgotten nor forgave :) hence why I have the studio behind that chorus game or whatever it's called now blocked :) and would not be playing it. Do not care if David Gaider is the one writing it. I mean he kinda was the weakest link in that writing team imo (and I also hate his prose).

24. topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

Very cliche but anything to do with the mages and templars

[lunchador]

so when do we get the long post about your feelings about dragon age inquisition!!! i dunno if u wanna wait until dlc or not! i am i n t e r e s t e d (also its ok if u dont feel up to it im just!!!! again, interested in ur opinions/feelings)

kajsldkjf PLEASE I HAVE SO MANY DA FEELINGS ALL THE TIME and Inquisition was twice as long as the others so might as well do a word vomit now and I can always do another after the dlc (which several people have assured me are worth playing )

SO

Yeah so inquisition is long. I dislike open world games so a lot of the (super repetitive!!) side quests did grate on my nerves and that docks this game a few points but over all the LORE IS SO GOOD, and it tying in so many choices in from 1+2 is the greatest butterfly effect I ever experienced in video games. I thought telltale + Until dawn were fun for that but good LORD bioware has showed up all of those games and I am really stoked to try mass effect when its out later and play more bw games. I only played Anthem before this and that game seemed...idk, gutted against BW’s wishes.

ANYWAY

Yeah, I managed to go into the whole DA series knowing very, very little, despite how many artists I followed did fanart for it. Once I started playing, I added all the words I could think of to my blacklist but a lot of untagged stuff came through (fair, series is 10+ years old and inq is like what 4-5?). I allowed my friends to pressure me into playing an elf mage for the lore and to romance solas cuz they said he was as important to the story as alistair was. A lot of online followers said I should play how I wanted, which I def would recommend to anyone else, but honestly I can see where they came from and while he never would have been my first choice, I think he actually paired REALLY well with my Inq and how I was playing her. I put her as sensitive but trying to put her responsibility above herself, she was definitely the least funny of my 3 characters, but not incredibly serious. A bit reserved? Just more mature. She’s got faith but she didn’t think she was the chosen one but she’ll do her role the best of her ability. She makes hard decisions and then sobs her chest empty over them because how is one to ever feel like its the right one? I really like how the game lets you choose how you wanna approach the responsibility. Like i said, I wasn’t a reluctant chosen one, but she will do what she can. Versus my friend playing at the same time as me said he played as the second coming of jesus essentially lmfao Having so many characters come back for different roles was so GOOD!!! Like everyone told me Varric was in this one but were like ‘teehee you still cant romance him though’ but you how you play drastically changes your relationships with each person. Tons of characters I met I knew would be personal favorites but I ended up interacting way less because others were more fitting to my inquisitor. So i.e while I love Varric and would’ve smooched him a heartbeat with Hawke, I didn’t get that vibe with Clover. They were really good friends, he was a grounded friend with a sense of humor that was a good escape from everyone else and the ~inquisition~. At least, until the Beyond the Abyss quest. That obviously heavily fractured their friendship and hurt them both :( And i felt that for a long time, until the end. He looked tired. Poor guy is gonna be borderline dead in 4 at this point. But so many side characters you talk to coming back like Dagna and Samson??? Speaking of that quest, I got Stroud because, yeah...Alistair was dead for me and APPARENTLY IT COULD ALSO BE LOGHAIN??? If he stays a grey warden??  wish I did that so def would’ve preferred to save Hawke even if I think the wardens are more important as a concept but like.......i wanted to behead him, so....But yes even tiny details like..Varric wrote home to kirkwall to Carver for me because the rest of my family was dead and I never completed a full romance in 2 lkajslkdjf but the fact that changes based on your play through. BUT YEAH THE way this game weaves all your decisions in and how yeah, overall the story is the same but it makes it so personal to YOU and so different from everyone else ;w;

But I could see my Inq genuinely falling for Solas, and I see her best friends as Cassandra and Blackwall/Thom. Really close to Leliana and the Iron Bull as well. I just loved all their interactions. All the characters were so cool to get to know?? Like I thought I would’ve hated Cullen (hes a dick in O) and tbh I just got into the series as the VA was being a complete shit. But I liked him a lot!! I love the work buddies vibes between the Inq and the advisors. I thought I was going to love Sera!! And like, I did, but she hated my Inquisitor and their personalities clashed a lot. Shes the only one i didn’t get a cut scene for in the end :’) I loved coming back from story quests and having to take like 20 minutes to go around skyhold and make sure I talked to /everyone/ for their new dialogue. You genuinely feel connected to all these wonderful npcs ljkasljdf

I wanted to make Cassandra the new divine but I made leliana on accident and kinda dug it so I stuck with it. VARRIC IS THE NEW VISCOUNT??? h i l a r i o u s.

One of the things I loved the most in this game in particular, and while this is something in all of them it just really struck me in this one, was....everyone gave up so so much to devote themselves to the cause, y’know?? Like, it’s almost heartbreaking how much everyone loses and they’re still looking towards you with their belief and willingness to follow you to the end ;-;

The final fight almost felt, Idk, underwhelming? Dude dragons are way tougher than him asdkjhfkhjd. I even went up a difficulty in this game after feeling like I got the hang of the series. But at the same time, we just spend how many hours knocking down each and one of his advantages so fuck him lol.

But yeah there are so many things I wanted to do but I felt so worn out by mindless sidequests and story being level locked in comparison to the previous games. askdjhflkd

One of the things that blows my mind is so so many people were stoked i was playing DA and they couldn’t wait til I got to Inq, and so I find out most people I know only ever played Inquisition? TBH if I didn’t play O+2 I think I would’ve dropped inquisition and never finished it *shrug* all of the build up just means SO MUCH!!! Everyones argument seems to be the older games are ugly and yeah O has rough battle system but its easy to get over imo. Like, you need the chaos of 2 to get the real weight of the mage/templar stuff?? Theres so many characters and story and dialogue that go over your head without Origins?? Like yes inq can stand alone pretty well but, idk, I’m in love with this entire series and the world building and THE!! WAY!!! IT!!! ALL!!! CONNECTS!!!!!!!!!!!

I love how a quest can go differently by whos in your party, I love you can have more dialogue based on lore you’ve managed to pick up around, I love HOW COMPANIONS BICKERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! The lore of these games are so good. It’s like playing an epic line of novels. It’s so immersive and I don’t think I’ve played too many games to this level.

I didn’t like the skill trees to being a mage in this one, Idk why. It wasn’t nearly as fun for me as 2, but then  again I really fucking liked being a force mage haha. I wanted to be a rogue to complete a diff class per game but everyone said mage brings a lot more interesting story/lore stuff so

but yeah I love having the full context now and seeing other peoples Wardens/Hawkes/Inquisitors and asking people how they played and how their options differed from mine and THERES JUST SO MANY POSSIBLE DECISION TREES!!!!! No wonder the fans play over and over.

but yeah ultimately so much fucking happened?? I’m probably missing a lot of key points.

[ohsweetflips]

1, 7 14 18 and 24 for the inky ask game

1) what is your inquisitor’s name & race?

camris lavellan!! he’s a dalish mage!!! 7) who is your inquisitor’s best friend?

josephine!!!! she was the first person camris felt genuinely safe around at haven and he really appreciated how kind and accommodating she was (and he also had a soft spot for her after she was the only one to greet him in elven). their friendship in haven is very “friendly co-workers bordering on being actual friends” and tbh i think, after “in your heart shall burn,” both when josephine thought camris was dead and camris thought he was going to die, they were both honestly pretty heartbroken bc like, they were becoming friends and it seemed like it was gonna be thrown away so quickly. so, once they get to skyhold and start hanging out more and josephine’s personal quest happens, they’re basically conjoined at the hip!!!! i hc that camris spends some of the most time in josephine’s office just chatting with her. i also hc that he becomes really close with her entire family!!!!!! and then trespasser is really sad for multiple reasons, one of them being that i hc they get into a really bad fight bc josephine’s stress about the council/state of the inquisition does Not mesh well with camris’ stress about everything so they have one big nasty blowout before the reality hits that this may be one of the last times they ever talk and then. oh boy tears everywhere!!! but it’s okay camris lives and (after going through an arc kinda like korra in s4 of lok) he visits antiva and spends some time at the montilyet estate <3 14) which demon is most frightening to them?

ooooh i’ve actually thought abt this a lot!!! i think despair demons would get to him a lot. or rage tbh. is this self projection? kinda! but if i am wearing my heart on my sleeve abt how much of camris is a self-projection, i do think he Goes Through It quite a bit and def has some heightened emotions, so i think both despair and rage demons could end up bringing a lot of unwanted emotions out of him  18) upon first meeting cole, were they afraid of him?

I WAS HOPING I WOULD GET THIS ONE OMG

i think, at first, when haven is collapsing, he is so goddamn stressed that he can’t even Worry about who cole is other than “alright, this kid is bringing us some pretty bad news” and then, once he’s at skyhold, at first he doesn’t think much of cole? like, not in a bad way. just in a “he seems like a nice guy and......... also a spirit?” like he thinks cole is endearing in how he wants to help people so he ultimately doesn’t think much of him at first. and then cole starts poking around in his own head and that’s when camris starts to get pretty apprehensive for a while bc he makes a point to keep a lot of his mental shit locked up (but in the end, he sees cole as a good friend/younger brother of sorts) (i say younger bc i think cole is like assumed to be 20? and camris is 25) 24) what is their opinion on blood magic? would they ever use it, if given the chance?

i think camris, at the start of inquisition, doesn’t have particularly strong opinions on blood magic? he personally wouldn’t practice it but he wouldn’t deny being interested in learning more about it (well okay he absolutely would deny it to people like cassandra or cullen, but with solas he talks more freely about it). i probably have a more complicated answer when i factor in his relationship w/ dorian but, overall, camris wouldn’t practice blood magic but he at least likes hearing solas talk abt it!

[himluv]

Dalish

This was originally posted for some sort of prompt week, but I don’t remember which and, tbh, I didn’t want to dig that far back. So, here it is again. Enjoy!

Riallan knew she should be up in her quarters, that the Inquisitor should only be seen as a source of strength and power. That sitting in Skyhold’s gardens with her back against the big tree trying not to sob too openly was hardly in keeping with her carefully crafted image.

Cullen would disapprove, though he would never say as much to her face. Josephine would understand, but she would also scramble to spin the truth in such a way that the tears proved her strength. Leliana would sit with her and offer tissues, and threaten to kill anyone who ever spoke a word of it.

But Riallan hadn’t given any of her advisors a chance to do any of those things. Suddenly Josephine’s contemplative mood made sense, hanging at the edges of Riallan’s vision as she looked at the war table. Cullen’s drawn expression, the tense line of his shoulders. She’d assumed the withdrawal had hit him hard that morning, but now she knew it was apprehension. Dread.

Leliana let nothing show. Not a flicker of pity in her eye, no gentle quality to her voice. Her hand hadn’t even shook when she handed Riallan the report. She’d read half of it, the only half that mattered, and then let the parchment slip from her icy fingers. It hadn’t even hit the table before she had run from the room seeking the only solace she could.

She needed the sky above her and the earth below. She needed the trees and the grass and the subtle sweetness of flowers in the sun. She needed home.

But she would never get to go back home. She would never awaken in a dark aravel that smelled of fresh baked bread and meat roasting on an open spit, while the clan elders spoke softly at its flames. She would never tease the da’len that crowded around her, telling exaggerated stories of her trials and triumphs at the helm of the Inquisition.

She would never get to introduce Solas to Deshanna. Her Keeper could never know the peace and love she had found amidst so much terror and violence.

A fresh surge of grief rolled over her, and Riallan covered her face in her hands as she wept.

She was surprised to hear Solas approach the tree, his bare feet heavy in the loose dirt. He was naturally quiet, a result of the stillness that clung to his bones. Movement for him was always purposeful and full of grace, even when he wasn’t trying. If she heard him approaching, it was intentional.

He sat beside her, sinking onto crossed ankles so that his knee bumped her thigh. That simple touch, innocent as it was, sent a wave of relief through her. She needed his stillness, the stoic calm that radiated from him always. Within she was all furious storm and pain, she had no capacity for peace. He knew this, and so brought his own to her.

She sobbed even harder.

Without a word he draped an arm over her shoulder, allowing her to collapse against his side and bury her face into his tunic. She could stay there forever, surrounded in his warmth and the sharp cedar smell that mingled with his own natural scent, like sunlight in winter.  And she knew that, today, he would let her.

She cried and he sheltered her from the world until her sobbing turned to sniffles and she felt like she could breathe again. She sat up and Solas adjusted his back against the tree to give her some space.

“What’s the point?” She asked, wiping at her face.

He tilted his head. “Of what, vhenan?”

“Of this.” She gestured to the courtyard, the people milling about, pretending not to be eavesdropping, to Skyhold. “I have all of this, which I don’t even want, and I can’t even protect the people who matter most!” Her words crumbled into new tears, but she continued. “It’s my fault, Solas. I made the wrong choice, I sent the wrong people, I misjudged the situation. No matter how I look at it, how much I pick it apart in my mind, it all comes back to the truth.” She stopped, her body swaying, like branches in a breeze. She whispered, “it’s my fault they’re dead.”

He took her hand, and she was always surprised at how warm his palm was against hers. “Riallan. It may be true that you are not blameless; no leader ever is. But you are not solely responsible for the turnings of the world.” His grip tightened on her hand, steadying her. “Do you believe that tension between your clan and the humans grew by pure coincidence?” He shook his head. “Lavellan is a name known throughout Thedas now, and there are those who bear hearts black enough to strike at you in any way they can.”

The idea didn’t surprise her. Somewhere, in some part of her mind that managed to work beyond her grief, she had already come to a similar conclusion.

“The only question now,” Solas said. “Is what you will do in response.”

Response? This was her response. Sobbing at the foot of the biggest tree she could find and wishing she’d never left the Marches. That was it; she wasn’t capable of much else at the moment.

“I would like to see what’s left,” she said after a moment’s consideration. “I, I need to see it.”

He nodded. “I will tell Josephine. She will arrange everything.” He stood, then bowed down to press his lips to her forehead. It was a rare public display, and it meant everything to her in that moment.

“Solas,” she called as he stepped away from her. He turned to face her, his eyes soft and concerned. “Tell Josephine to send a diplomat with us.”

“May I ask why, vhenan?”

The well of grief that flooded over in her chest suddenly hardened into something sharp and cold as steel. “Because if I meet a single noble in Wycome I will kill them where they stand.”

She wasn’t sure how he would take such a proclamation, but she had seen him after Wisdom’s passing. She had stopped him from lifting a hand against those stupid mages, and now she wished she hadn’t.

Because now she knew exactly how he felt.

[quietlysatan]

First Comes Marriage -  Faylette, AO3

Link: Here!!

Rating: Explicit in The Most Endearing way I have EVER read, and I’ve got over 1000+ bookmarks on AO3 (god only knows how many are actually in my history)

Favorite Quote(s): They do this every five seconds for the rest of the fic. I’m BARELY exaggerating, it’s adorable. 

He took her against his chest, wrapping her in his arms, holding her close. A small gasp escaped her before she fell silent, standing still in his embrace. His hand pressed firmly against her back, feeling the cotton of her tunic, and the wrinkles of whatever fabric lay beneath. But something about the texture of her clothes, about the heat that he felt even through all his layers, about her unsteady breath against his neck — all these minuscule details, so easy to perceive — gave him pause. It became apparent why, despite everything else, his dream lacked its usual haziness and vagueness.

I love him so much, and this is partially why

“Right. I can come to bed with you now, if you wish.” His eyes widened at the sound of his own voice saying those words. “I mean, I can come to sleep with you. No, wait, not with you, just… near you, I suppose. A-And literally sleeping, of course, not…” He shook his head and groaned, mentally punching himself in the stomach to make himself shut up. “Let’s go, then.”

They are both absolutely this stupid in real life, I can almost guarantee it.

“Shouldn’t you at least take off your armour?”

Oh, Andraste’s tits.

“N-No, I… prefer to sleep this way.” Was it really worth his pride to remain so obstinate in front of her? “Old habit.”

Cullen no

“Inquisitor, you look…” What is the word, within the confines of language, that perfectly expresses what he saw before his eyes? Beautiful? Radiant? Breath-taking?

“I look…?” she mirrored his words, prompting him to finish.

“Uncomfortable.”

That probably wasn’t the right one. Josephine looked like she was using every ounce of her willpower not to roll her eyes at his gaffe.

I hate this hoe, but damn does she have great terrible timing

“She does not satisfy you in bed, does she?”

And then he choked and spewed crumbs all over himself.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually did this in the game tbh

“So, how is she?”

Considering the question made him call Evelyn’s image to mind. With all the time he spent with her, day after day, night after night, recalling almost perfectly her face and her voice and even the way her clothes felt against his fingertips was an effortless task. “She is… strong, indomitable, determined. Wouldn’t let anything stop her from something she’s committed to. Extraordinary with a blade in hand. Firm in her leadership, but not obstinate.” He thought of that smile she gives him when he kisses her, bright and authentic, and how he reflexively returns it just at the sight of her happiness. He didn’t realize that the mere thought of it curved up the corner of his lips. “Inspires all those who follow her.”

“High praise from the Commander,” Bull commented. “But I guess I wasn’t specific enough. How’s the sex?”

This’ll come in handy later

“And Cullen,” said Bull, demanding his full attention before imparting his own advice. “You know those really friendly pups you have here that would just lick your face like crazy forever if you didn’t stop them?”

A part of his mind convinced him that he was going to advise getting Evelyn a puppy for some reason, and that was the part of his mind that impelled him to say, “Yes?”

“Do that yourself. But between her legs.”

He’s so fucking earnest how could you Not love this man???

She managed to hold that look for a moment longer, but upon opening her mouth to say something, she instantly cracked up into a flurry of laughs. Instead of relieving her of the need to laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation, doing so only made it harder to stop, and she just kept going even until her eyes were watering and her cheeks hurt from the childish grin on her face.

“Are… are you all right?” Cullen eventually asked, and he did actually sound genuinely concerned as he said that. In light of that, Evelyn tried to calm herself down. Her success was arguable.

“I-I’m sorry,” she paused to stifle a chuckle before it turns into a howl. “That’s just… it’s such a mean prank to pull on you, but—“ She wanted to tell him it was just too funny, but her ability to speak was taken away once again as she tried to hold her drumming abdomen still with her arms. That might have spoken for her, though.

“It was a prank?” She could not see her since her eyes are scrunched closed, but his voice revealed the incredulity that would be painted across his features.

“I’m sure of it. Sera was probably in on it too, somehow.”

*Snort*

“As you were,” Evelyn ordered, her voice just steady enough to have it come off an as order.

“Sure thing, boss,” said Bull. He still watched them with an intent curiosity, though. “Can I ask only one–“

“Absolutely not.”

“Just an author's curiosity–“

“No, Varric.”

Take this as you will

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydrtF45-y-g

Rating change incoming. ;D

I love an author that calls out the weird sexism thing we here in the media, and probably would’ve heard significantly more back then... but also, they’re just, so fucking gentle with each other, and it fucking shows fam

“Then, and I remember this all so well, she says: ‘Evelyn, imagine you’re holding a platter, and atop it is a Feastday pheasant with all the trimmings, as perfect as any Feastday pheasant you’ve ever seen. You have to carry it through the whole of the estate, but you are being careless. Before you leave the kitchen, the cook takes a bite. Then, along the way, the stable boy takes a bite. A guard takes a bite. A page boy takes a bite. A visiting trader takes a bite. The keeper of the hounds takes a bite. The blacksmith and his apprentice take bites from it.

“And finally, you reach the dining room, and place the bones of that perfect pheasant on the table, in front of your husband.’” Her lips pursed, and she was taken aback by how much they had to struggle to continue giving voice to her words. “‘And you will have disgraced him, and us.’”

“That's...” Cullen faltered.

“And I just don't think it can be like that, like it takes part of you away, like it destroys you. It doesn't sound right at all.” Evelyn huffed through her nose, stifling a laugh at the notion, but still feeling its claws grip at her chest, making her exhalation shaky. “But then, sometimes, I think maybe I am just that bird on that platter.”

“You're not.” He told her firmly, as insistent as she'd ever heard him say anything. “You're not,” he repeated, softly.

They’re so wonderfully in love with each other

“You have so many freckles,” he commented, tracing his fingers back up her arms, coming to rest his palms on the sides of her well-speckled shoulders.

“Thank you.” She winced shortly after saying so. It wasn't a compliment, was it?

“I want to kiss every single one,” Cullen told her,

So awkward and wonderful and sweet and well-intentioned they are.

“Do you really put this on every day?” he asked, as if thinking aloud. “I-I'm sorry, I don't know if I'm supposed to speak, or stay quiet or what to say...”

“It's fine, really.” She was trying to reassure herself as much as him, because she hadn't the slightest idea either. “And yes. Everyday.” She paused. “Always feels great to take it off, at least.”

;) ;) ;)

“Hmm.” She scrunched up her face in thought, then meandered through them in speech. “Well, there's no lavender-scented candles, or sparkling Orlesian wine, or rose petals on the bed... or a bed, I suppose. And maybe what happened was different from what I expected.” Reaching out one hand, she ran the backs of her fingers softly along his strong, stubbled jaw. “But the man is precisely how I've imagined him.”

Important lesson kids!!! You are NOT obligated to swallow anything, no matter what media, fanfiction, or even your partner tells you!!! And anyone worth your time won’t Make you do it anyway

“I don’t understand. What are you sorry for?”

“I couldn’t swallow, it felt like it was getting stuck in the back of my mouth every time I tried.”

Cullen raised a brow. “I… didn’t even think you would plan on doing that.”

She raised a brow in turn. “Really?” He nodded. “Huh. It’s what the women in the books always do,” she added timidly.

They’re just genuinely like this and I love how real and honest it feels

“I suppose everything’s all at the ready, then.” At the ready? Was she a squadron about to assault an enemy? Was he trying to sound completely out of his element?

“Sure is,” said Evelyn. “Well, have fun.” A second later, she slapped her hand over her eyes. “I have no idea why I said that.”

“No, I’m sure I will,” he said, as if trying to console her, and somehow becoming convinced that he had to keep going in such an attempt. “I very much enjoy being with you, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy… doing this to… your, ah.” He cleared his throat. “Well.” At that point, he no longer had any desire to stall, because he was certain that his mouth would be better occupied doing absolutely anything besides talking.

CONTINUITY!!!! Something the writers of Teen Wolf have never heard of and I’m STILL salty about it yes

Evelyn was about to head out of the room, and had even begun to argue with herself if she should pretend she hadn’t seen it so he could surprise her with it, when her eyes caught a final part of the room that had not been there before. On the pillow, there was a letter, neatly folded, with her name written on it. She picked it up, unfurled it, and read:

Evelyn,

I know these are not substitutes for the lavender candles, sparkling wine and roses you would have wanted, but I was hoping they would please you all the same. Unfortunately, I will not be able to find out if they will.

saving hte best for last This is what happens when you try to steal a happily married man without his consent kids, just fyi

She wrapped her arms around his neck, sliding her impeccably shaped nails up and through his golden curls. “You don’t know how you’ve made me burn for you.”

“Graciela…”

How pleased she looked to not have to correct him anymore. “Sí, amor?”

“Your hair’s on fire.”

Words & Chapter(s): 67,940 words, and 29 chapters, unfinished and last updated in 2016, but still worth it and we don’t get left on an awkward cliff hanger either

Summary: Inquisitor Trevelyan tries negotiating with nobles while her trusty diplomat is out sick, and accidentally arranges her marriage to a nobleman's son. In a moment of desperation and shortsightedness, she claims to already has a husband: Cullen. It's up to the few who know the truth to sort everything out, but until then, the two are forced to keep up the charade of wedded bliss.

A fill for: http://dragonage-kink.livejournal.com/12449.html?thread=48474273#t48474273

Score: 11

Pairing(s): Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, I choose to believe she’s a rouge but it’s not very certain what her class is.

Warning(s): Graciela keeps trying unsuccessfully to get Cullen to cheat, there’s lemon and it great because it’s so awkward and endearing and honestly I love it, especially since a lot of straight romance, even in fanfiction, is weirdly directed towards Men rather than both partners

Pros: THE SEX!!!! It’s so sweet and earnest and hot and wonderful and my favorite part of this fic is their entire courting thing, from awkward start to satisfying finish, it’s sooooo good!!!!!!!!

I love the other characters too, even Graciela, as much as I hate her, her written character is fascinating and intriguing and UUUUUUUUUGH I love every written here, they all have such HUGE personalities so easily written into the fic that’s it’s almost unbelievable, the way that  Faylette has managed to establish, with ease, who everyone is, what their motivations are, their goals etc, it’s amazing honestly.

Also, the physical description is red hair/green eyes/freckles and that’s all I've noticed so feel free to imagine her as any skin tone you want, much like I always do anyways

Gif Aesthetic: Kinda like this video

But also

[enchantment1385]

OC then and now

I was tagged by the ever lovely @heraldofwho , thanks gorgeous!  This is gonna be a long post... Be warned! 

Faeron & Nico  Lavellan ~ 

Faeron has gone through the most changes since conception, of any of my OC’s with the biggest changing before he ever went public.  Faeron was a sleepless 4 a.m creation, who I just wanted to look ‘different’ to my other inquisitors.  Originally, he was going to be far louder, outspoken, and overly confident, all to mask the troubles he actually had, but, it never made it past his initial creation as it just didn’t ‘feel’ right. Especially after seeing the screenshot that eventually made me keep him. So, he became the gentlest, blushing, and shyest of them all!  He was always going to be a ‘dreamer’ as I liked the idea of tying that to the ‘rift mage’ specialisation tree. It also allowed me to make him a ‘good rival’ for Solas.

Nico was made as Faeron’s twin. She was always going to be his counterpart, and was always going to be the physically and mentally stronger of the two. Not to mention moodier, and bitchier one of the pair. (That isn’t me saying Faeron couldn’t beat her in battle. They spar often and know each others weaknesses, not to mention Faeron can just put people to sleep by willing it to happen. Bioware!! Where are my sleep spells?!)  

In trespasser, Faeron had grown his hair once again, which makes it all the sadder that he’d have to cut it all off by the time the events are done. I just never seem to give this poor sod a break, do I? 

I did try a different style, but, because his hair is dyed via a mod, if I change the style it defaults back to brown/black, which although you might think, wouldn’t look that different, it really, really does.

Run 1 vs 2 -

Last time, Nico romanced Cullen, but then ended up not marrying him in trespasser. With Dorian leaving, she just couldn’t give herself or her time to anyone but Faeron at that point. After I’d finished I kinda questioned the whole relationship choice tbh, just because, Nico is a brash, opinionated, hardass. I just find it hard to imagine her ending up with a chantey boy, who is, at least somewhat, anti-magic, at least to begin with. This time around I’m going to set her up with Bull to see if I think it suits her better, if not, she might just stay single, as alas, there is NO choice to ‘beat the crap’ out of Solas if you date him which IS very much what would happen if he ever pulled that shit on her. Also she’d never get rid of her Vallaslin, even if she knew. Yes, she’d be pissed, but she’d probably be more angry to Solas at that point stating that if that was true, why not say something sooner. Why only tell her and not Faeron.  Yeahhh... It’d be bad...   This as due to me messing up and not switching a mod off! 

I did think about setting Faeron up with someone else, but, honestly, I just feel he’d be so taken by Dorian, I can’t really see it happening, not to mention, who?? Also it’s Dorian who makes the moves on Faeron, as Faeron is hopeless with stuff like that.  Even though in reality, Dorian isn’t a great match for Faeron in a lot of ways. He’s always talking about leaving, which leaves Faeron feeling really insecure, and that he’s not ‘good enough’ or simply an ‘embarrassment’ to Dorian, but he loves him to much to to not be with him. 

In their first run, Faeron came off as a little bit too assured for me, not to mention generally being able to talk Nico round to his way of thinking 99.9% of the time, thus it feeling like a kinda one-sided run on completion. This time around I’d like to add a touch more conflict between the decisions that both would make in the main game, and what Nico wouldn’t negotiate on. I feel it would better help further develop the emotional strain that being in command puts on Faeron.  For example, handing Blackwall over to the wardens, which Nico felt was fitting, this however will have a MASSIVE impact on Faeron.

I decided to keep Faeron looking as close to original as possible, although I’m not sure his scar is in quite the right place, and his lips may be a tiny bit pinker...  I do love him in his eleven armour, and despite the stats sucking beyond comprehension, I am trying to keep him in it, because = <3.  This time round I want his emotionally struggling side to shine through a bit more, especially after drinking from the well of sorrows, and finding out who Mythal really is. Both of which really screwed him up and left him emotionally drained and in a state of depression. If I ever decide to emotionally punish myself by running him through trespasser again, I think he’d be a lot more resigned to not making it through the events, and not caring that he might not make it. 

Nico has had a slight cosmetic change, but nothing too drastic. I made her, ever so slightly darker skinned, to better match Faeron, and of course, gave her a cool new haircut, which I really love on her.  Her personality hasn’t, and likely won’t change all that much. Weirdly, I always knew who I wanted her to be, and it’s never felt wrong. And to clarify, Nico is NOT evil, she does have a good heart, and is very smart, as well as a brilliant strategist, it’s just... A, She doesn’t want to be where she is for quite a long time, as she resents helping the very people who they spent their lives avoiding.  And- B, She knows that the ‘best choice’, isn’t always the ‘right’ one. She can, and will sacrifice the few to save the many, something Faeron just can not do. She is also very slow to trust and (depending on situation) totally unforgiving if that trust is broken. And I’d like to add a bit more tension at the start of her run to show that.  As a weird side note - Nico is incredibly quick footed, and I have thought about  making her a rogue from time to time as I like the thought that she ditched the shield and just picked up another blade instead, but again, her being a warrior just seems to fit. (Damn you for taking away the dual wielding warrior build, Bioware!)

I also dressed them in matching PJ’s this time round because I’m an asshole, who would thinks that shit is cute...  

So on review, more angst, more tension, more gritty, and depressing this time round, but in cute matching outfits... ... Yay?  

No matter what happens, these two will always have each other, and whatever comes their way, they’ll face it together. 

Tagging: @john-cousland @keeperscompanionsdai @tessa1972 @dinah-myles @gugle1980 @sassylavellen  @dreadwolfiscoming @dreadhobo @goldfishfiasco @dickeybbqpit @quizzikemen  Next bit is stolen from @heraldofwho who says it better than I can... (sorry, and thanks, love.)  …if you cannot mod or don’t have any screenies, feel free to talk about developing headcanons or changing face-claims - or changes in backstory… Anything that fits the theme. :-) (No obligation and no pressure, of course, as usual.)

[inkstainedfanfics]

End of the Year Fic Rec!

I started this blog in like March or April of this year, and since then, I’ve written plenty, but I’ve also read tons of work by others. So I decided to take a moment and just list some of my favorite fics/drabbles/one-shots I’ve read this year from the lovely people that take time to write stories for everyone.

I sorted them by fandom, and listed the author only once. So if there’s a few fics that follow an author, then they are written by that author until you see a different username! I hope you all check out and enjoy these stories as much as I do, and send comments to them if you do!

If you’re on this list, thank you so much for taking the time to write your stories. They’ve helped make my days better and have made me smile countless times. Thank you so much, I hope you have a lovely 2018 :)

And if anyone has any other recs, feel free to reblog and add them on. Authors deserve some love, and starting the new year off by giving them some appreciation can’t hurt!

                                       FANTASTIC BEASTS

White Lace - @fantasticnewtimagines: A Prince!Newt AU. Need I say more? Probably not but I will bc this series is wonderful. 2 parts are out, and I’m already shipping Newt x Reader. He’s so sweet but impatient with his role in the world and I just adore him and his interactions with Theseus so much.

Breakfast in Bed: Newt x Reader fluff. Pure fluff that is beautifully described with an adorable guest appearance by the disgusted Pickett.

Come Back: Newt x Reader. 3 recs in and I’m already recommending angst. Fitting. But honestly this fic will break your heart. Mentions of blood so don’t read if you’re squeamish about that I guess but otherwise, I promise you will not regret reading this fic. It’s heart wrenching and gorgeous.

Magical Office - @drdanwrites: The Office crosses Fbawtft. This series is hilarious and moving and a lovely combination of the popular show and the popular movie. I love the characterizations within this, and plenty of the jokes have legit made me laugh. It’s the right balance of goofy with dramatic and I’m hanging on every update.

Too Late - @scamanderson: Newt Angst. Shoot man I’m a sucker for the ‘tries to return to find out the other has moved on, awkward reunion’ trope (v. specific Ik lol) and this fic perfectly captures that idea. It’s sad, depicting the emotions of lost love and anger and regret as well as I think is possible.

                                       HARRY POTTER

Well, Hello There - @losers-witch: Remus Lupin x Reader. Sassy Reader gives me life tbh. “What’s a pretty young thing like you, doing in a bar like this?” “Ignoring you” I love it. + Protective, Confident Remus, something I miss in fics. + it mentions his scars in no way in a negative light, something I really like. + it’s a super cute story that has a chance meeting oooo. Go read it, seriously. You won’t regret it.

Mine: Draco x Reader. Tbh I normally don’t read Draco fics bc they don’t always characterize him like I expect, but this one is different (along with all the other ones she writes about him). He’s sweet in his own, Draco specific way. I like how it tracks the relationship growth in separate times and how we watch them grow together and apart as we read. and it has another confident Reader ahhhhh. I’ve reread it multiple times, also something I rarely do.

Welcome Back - @drdanwrites: Cedric Diggory x Reader. I honestly cannot read this around other people. I flail and can’t stop smiling it’s so dang cute. I love it more than anything. My boy Cedric is horribly underrepresented, and this is a wonderful cure to that. He’s so sweet about how much he loves his S/O and how he misses her when she’s gone and when he’s in the taxi on the way to pick her up??????? You should totally read this if you want your heart to grow like the Grinch’s.

The Climb: Cedric Diggory x Reader. I can’t even with this. It’s beautiful. He’s sweet and cute and you watch the relationship unfold and then there’s a kiss that I will never be over it’s so well written and honestly if you love Cedric and haven’t read this fic, you’re missing out.

You Are My Happiness: Seamus Finnegan Soulmate AU. Another boy that’s totally underrepresented. I haven’t read any other fics for him, so finding this was a miracle. The friendship between the two is adorable and seeing the two’s thoughts about each other is flipping adorable idk. You should 100% read this to make your day better.

                                       CRIMINAL MINDS

Gingerbread - @bookofreid: Spencer Reid x Reader. Soooooooo sweet. The final sentence gets me. Spencer’s so adorable and I love him and this drabble only fuels that love further and further. I still swoon and “awwwww” even after reading it at least six times. Short and sweet and worth your time 1000 times over.

Christmas Cheer: Spencer Reid x Reader. For some reason the line “Christmas with the Reids” gets me. This one involves Derek. Another short and sweet story that I love. The author has tons of shorter ones like this and Gingerbread, and I’m slowly but surely making my way through the list. The author has a wonderful grasp on the voice of the characters, and not once have I felt they said something ooc. Definitely check out and (I recommend) follow bookofreid bc the blog’s pretty great too.

The Ramblings of an Introvert: Spencer Reid x Reader. Okay, I’m a few parts into this 7 part series, but it’s gorgeous. It captures Reid’s voice really well, and I like the idea of him writing letters since that’s actually addressed in the show as something he would do. It’s an interesting way to relay his feelings, and I think the author executes it really well. The language use is exactly how I think Spencer would write, and the expression of his emotions is well done. Really lovely story that I’m certain I’ll be rereading in a while.

We All Fall Down - @criminal-minds-fanfiction: Spencer Reid angst. Another series that I’m only a few parts into. Honestly, I don’t read long series often, and I believe this one is over 20, but I read the 1st part and I had to continue on. The writing is descriptive enough that you get the scene but aren’t overloaded with details. It’s extremely engaging and sets up a story with a hook better than almost any other fic I’ve read. It also involves an intriguing relationship between Spencer and Reader, one that keeps you guessing and reading. Plus Will makes an appearance and I live for his accent and sweet attitude.

                                       MARVEL

Night Out - @wolflhards: Clint Barton x Reader. All right, this is my only Marvel entry bc I don’t really read for the characters EXCEPT Clint and I’ve found very, very few Clint stories *sobs*. I like this one though for how mischievous Clint is in the beginning. I think it really captures him. Then he’s sweet and goofy and ahhh so many emotions bc I love Clint so much. + a Corvette is involved, an undeniable plus. + THE END if you love Clint you’ll die. It’s such a wonderful last couple of paragraphs there to tie up a beautiful story.

                                       SUPERNATURAL

Dean Checking In - @supernaturalfreewill: Dean x Reader. Super short, a drabble, but still super cute. We get to see how Dean and Reader text, and then Dean smiles and I love that and Idk man I don’t have super in depth ideas for this, it just made me smile and swoon and I figure everyone should have the chance to read it and have that reaction.

Protective Dean: Dean x Reader. Another super short drabble but I have a thing for Protective!Boy fics, so this one is a favorite of mine. Dean’s so dang swoonworthy help.

Dean Sees You in a Towel: Dean x Reader. Dean’s so startled and he starts stammering and he’s showing his dorky, embarrassed side. Such a cute glimpse into a small situation.

Shut Up and Dance: Dean x Reader. They meet at a wedding Dean crashes, and the chemistry is amazing. I adore the dialogue in this, and could only ever wish to write Dean this well. Perfectly captures him and how he acts, and sets up a beautiful meeting that I just want to continue to read. Plus the ending is so gosh dang cute you’ll never get over it. Dean’s met his match :D

Impact - @kaz2y5-imagines: Dean x Reader. I will never be over this fic. I think about it all the time. It’s haunting, and Dean’s reaction to the crash has me swooning. He cares SO MUCH for the Reader, evident in his begging for Reader to return. And the end. Ugh. I love this fic so much. One of my favorite Dean fics I’ve read ever.

                                       DRAGON AGE

What You Did was Stupid - @jawsandbones: FenHawke. Okay, jaw is my go-to Fenhawke/ZevxWarden author bc all the works are beautiful. The author’s writing style is like the opposite of mine with short sentences and concise descriptions, but I’m jealous bc it’s so wonderfully done. A master of writing, I read everything that’s posted. This drabble in particular broke my heart. I requested it, and didn’t expect to literally tear up, but I did and now I’m here, recommending it to you all so you can have your heart shattered into millions of tiny pieces. It’s worth it, though, for the beauty of the tale and the tenderness of the emotions.

I Care About You: FenHawke. I don’t normally like fics that include mage!Hawke bc I always play as a rogue, which is fine, obv, authors can write what they want, I just usually scroll past it. But I didn’t scroll past this one, and thankfully so. It depicts a moment, one that is held out, one of terror meeting calm, need meeting warmth, worry finding a hand to help. I just love it. It’s short like the one above, but still rich with emotions and tentative, uncertain feelings that plague the beginning stages of a relationship. Idk I just love it. Highly recommend checking out her other works.

All in a Name - @kierarutherford: Cullen Rutherford x Inquisitor Baseball!AU on AO3. I don’t like baseball, but I’m partway into this series and I love it. I really enjoy how various characters have been included and written while Cullen’s still the focal point. Diana is independent and tough, but not obnoxiously so. I haven’t finished it yet, but the pieces I’ve read are interesting, the details really well described. I can always hear/see the scene vividly. The author’s super talented and wrote tons of stories this year, and I think y’all should check her works out bc they’re awesome.

[icharchivist]

still, for all that is about DA that is kind of just “I play it like that because that’s how i feel”, and the fact my characters all have a rather Neutral Good moral compass, I still love that I can really feel the difference between my characters?

Long OCs ramble bc I can wouhouh!

Kurai, my very first Warden, a Dalish Elf, was probably the character I thought the least about because she was my very first character and I was suuper confused by the story. But still, she was a good person. She had a huge sense of honor, and she was respectful until people weren’t with her, in which case she would end them. She was a warrior, she was upfront. She was kind and compassionate, but she was also probably my most moral character. Since she was saved by the Wardens, she has great respect for their order, knowing she could have died. So to her, fighting for the greater good is an honor. While realizing how much work is ahead, she stood proud and wasn’t afraid. She had to do it. That’s probably why her and Alistair ended up being an item, they work out of each other there.

Laven, my second Warden, a City Elf, was much more cynical. She was bitter, she knew the world wasn’t fair. She wanted to do good, but if she had to get her hands dirty, she would. She would fight for the underdogs, and she would insult those she deemed unworthy. She was a free electron in her own way (which in a way is why it doesn’t bother me in dai that she did leave alone with Zevran to find a way against the Calling without warning anyone, seems like her). Also, ye, her romance with Zevran just fits her so much, since the ending of Awakening having her running away with Zevran in Antiva to fight the Crows by his sides is 100% her. And in the end, she mostly did everything because she was dragged into it for the worst way possible and there was no way she stood by when the world was falling apart. She would fight with her frustration and anger, but wasn’t scared. Too bitter for that.

The best parallelism between Kurai and Laven is how they both handled meeting the King and arriving to the Landsmeet. While Kurai didn’t like Shems, she knew she was out of her elements meeting the King, so she was respectful, knowing she was living by others people’s rules. In the Landsmeet, despite her dislike for Loghain, she stayed contained and calm knowing the stakes. Laven, however, insulted the King the first time she saw him because she was angry at how everything was in Denerim, and she was bitter. She’s been taken away because she brought justice, she won’t be any nice now. The fact the King showed regrets touched her in a way, but she was still angry. And in the Landsmeet, she made all the aggressive comments possible against Loghain and Howe, because her blood was boiling, and damn the consequences. She has come this far, it won’t be for Shems to take it away from her.

In a way Laven is probably my most ruthless character - and despite that she still was quite kind and nice. I still did every morally good things I could. But i also picked up all the stealing and stuff quest because that’s how much she didn’t care. She became the Dark Wolf too, which is neat.

Alma, my Hawke, was a Green/Diplomatic/Helpful Rogue, and she was just. Trying so hard. My reasoning was always that, she was always there for her family. She was overprotective, she took all the burden she could. She would get aggressive if you threatened her family. She’d get charismatic in order to distract people from her world falling apart, or to distract them from her sister. So she was cracking jokes from time to time, she was easy going, but always full of duty. She ended up being extremely involved in mage’s rights because she would have done everything for her sister. Once she was taken by the circle, this became even a stronger feeling.  So it did lead her to get close to Anders more easily because she felt strongly about his plight. And why the ending of the game hurt her this much, because it wasn’t the way. She was respectful and kind, sometimes snarky, aggressive if you hurt what she loved, she was taking the burden of the world on her shoulders, and ended up being defeated by it. In a way, Alma was positive. she knew from the begining she was in a corner, and tried to fight her way out of it with a smile on her face, and the world did everything to have her crumble until she couldn’t take it anymore. She’s by far the most tragic one.

And finally Laena, my Inquisitor - She was anxious from the start. None of it was ever meant to happen. It’s not like she liked the Circle, but she had a place and a very small world to take care of until the rebellion. Hell, the fact the Circle was such a small world isolated her, she was in no way ready to deal with the Whole World, she wasn’t meant to. Her survival at the Conclave is a miracle, and immediatly after that, she was asked to stand and fight. She realized she had no choice pretty quickly, but she was devasted from the start. A survivor’s complex in a way, she was the only one who made it out - and people would say it was because she was chosen and it freaked her out. She wasn’t worth choosing. She didn’t want to be chosen. The revelation that all was just dumb luck is even worse, because she doesn’t consider herself special, she didn’t walk this path willingly, nothing prepared her for that. And now so many people lay her hope on her, and it scares her. She has to act strong, to help everyone, people are expecting so much of her, and she knows she can’t show weakness. But she was completely unprepared for this mess, and even now that all is over - especially now that all is over - she is completely lost. Where to go now, how to make it all work? This is frightening. And she has to stay collected, to give people’s hope, but at what cost? But she will always feel like it’s not her place, like she cannot judge, that she wasn’t made for this. And, that’s why I could see her fall for Cullen too. As an advisor he was always giving her advice, always helping her doing so. She could let her guard down around him, she could tell him how she only felt terrified, and he would reassure her. He brought her reassurance and stability, and she knew he wasn’t expecting of her to do everything on her own. He brought her the comfort she needed. His own fears of not being strong enough, of fucking up again, of letting people down, resonated with her and they could help each other out. It brought comfort.

I played all of my characters to be rather nice, pick good choices, fighting for those who needed it. And tbh I was kinda scared that maybe it made them all too similar but I end up thinking about it, and no. They are all so different.

Kurai was proud and strong, and even if slightly scared at time, she stood tall and her bravery took over everything. She knew she had to do what she had to do and she did it.

Laven was bitter and furious at life. She did what she had to because there was no way she was going to show defeat. She wasn’t scared, she was angry, and if her life hadn’t defeated her until then, it’s not an archdemon who will.

Alma was optimistic, sweet and kind, funny and gentle, but the world around her did everything to break her. To make her unable to carry it on. Alma ended her journey sad, and left alone. Also in my timeline I had her kill Anders, her lover, so it’s like, kind of horrifying for her too. Everyone and Everything pushed her world to fall apart, and the whole World blamed her for it. She went from optimistic to defeated, sad, heavy, wondering if it even mattered, if how much she sacrificed was even worth it.

Laena was anxious from the start - scared. She was unsure and still is unsure. Nothing reassured her, everything just added weight on her shoulders, weight she was never meant to carry, something she knows happened just because of her compassion and dumb luck. So now she’s trying to hold it all together because that’s what people need of her - and she realizes that the world needs her, even if she doesn’t know how. More than all the others, she relies on the people around her. She tries to stand tall, but unlike Alma who did it to convince herself it’ll be okay, she does it solly for people’s around her.

And I really like that, despite their similitudes, I feel so strongly for each of them. I am proud of each of them so much.

I was also kinda scared I self projected on them in a way, since it always end up happening creating ocs, but their differences make up for what I think. It’s kinda funny dkjhdjfk I see a bit of myself in all of them. Kurai’s gentleness, Laven’s frustration, Alma’s trying to handle the world crashing down with a smile while she’s herself crumbling, and Laena’s anxiety and urge to carry on when she never asked for it, despair contained by her duty to others. I love them all.

[fthechantry]

@queer-amann​ So this is going to be a kinda lengthy reply and I had to copy and paste your original reply to answer some of it, Sooooo I am putting it under a cut for space’s sake.

In regards to what you said about Fenris and Blackwall, does it mean you play more as self-insert than roleplay/can't roleplay characters with values that are very different from yours? (that's all valid, it's just interesting to see how different people play the games and how many play styles these games actually allow)

So, I don’t intentionally self-insert when it comes to these games. (I know I end up doing it though) I have played through DA2 with a Pro-Templar agenda, which is the complete opposite of me, and romanced Merrill and hit on Anders as a Red!Hawke. It was difficult though, because I didn’t agree with my own decisions.

As far as romancing Fenris or Blackwall, my roommate said that she doesn’t think I can romance Fenris because he is too like me? which I think is only part of the issue. If it was the whole issue, I wouldn’t be able to romance Anders and I adore him. I think it really is just that I can’t roleplay an anti-mage stance. Even in my Pro-Templar playthrough I romanced Merrill, so I still had mage love in there. Blackwall, he just doesn’t interest me at all. I also don’t think he is bisexual? I usually play as a male!Inquisitor and don’t change that. The only thing I change is my race. I also usually play as a mage, but have played as a M!Rogue Lavellan before. He was one of my faves.

I see what you mean with Josie and Alistair. They're cute when you want some fluff and that's definitely some people's jam, but it's not for everyone and not at every moment of your life. (though you CAN have intense psychological damages from Alistair's romance if you make bad decisions. Not that it happened to me or I'm salty or anything 🤡)

I definitely pissed Alistair off by killing Isolde one time and he went off, but he was super easy to calm down. I felt like I was gaslighting him or something.

Sera's romance is very complicated if you don't want power play or abuse from one hand or the other. It sucks that their first lesbian character fits the toxic sapphic trope Bioware loves so much and you have to headcanon your way out of it so much, like with many DA2 LIs.

The best thing I saw about the Sera romance though is going through and telling everyone that you are dating her and Dorian, Vivienne, and Cullen’s responses are *chefs kiss*

I refuse to believe anyone in the Circle is straight tbh (yay toxic representation with the Templars). He would've definitely been more interesting if he had been bi. He *ahem* needs to open up more. Kinda reminds me of Tali in ME2, who is very intense with femshep and they hug and then she goes "no homo tho" lmao that's cold. Maybe it's my chronic consumption of queer medias that give me a brainrot, but yea, I think you're good and he's indeed hitting on M!Inquisitor or having a small crush and then they cut it short because they didn't have the time to make him bi or something (funny how they always have the time to make their characters a straight option tho).

RIGHT He definitely did then. He is all like “as I was saying” all sultry-like to the M!Inquisitor. 

I also don’t think anyone who came from the Circle is straight. I got that idea when they brought Anders back in DA2 and he was pansexual. The fact that he was a womanizer in Awakening and then this HUGE shift to falling for Male Hawke the second he saw him and Cullen just being Cullen in DAI, I was like… oh they all gay in Kinloch at least.

What happened with Solas that put you off and how come it didn't work with Bull, if I may ask? (I mean I definitely see how a certain Tevinter being around and stealing the spotlight doesn't help lol. We all have a bunch of characters we're Very Normal about)

So, when it comes to Solas, I have an extreme dislike of him. His story and his interactions with the Fade are interesting for sure, but the romance bored me to death. The chaste romances are always super boring for me. I kinda need the “implied” sex haha.

Bull… I was having issues flirting with him. Every time I hit on him he would just say like “uh huh” or “why” or he would get offended that I was protecting him and stuff.

Zev was like, the most unexpected character of the list tbh! I would've thought he would have caught your attention! Did you just got bored with him?

With Zevran I actually just had no interest in progressing his romance past sleeping with him. I have since learned that his romance is actually incredibly interesting, but like the game mechanics for DAO are bad for me now. The fighting kinda takes you out of the game (by not controlling each swing of your sword etc) that I just can’t really replay it. I have tried since then. I can only replay Awakening, much shorter.

I like the mental image of the Warden trying to stealthily get out of Leli's grip and thinking she's completely insane, it's beautiful.

I had a fight with Morrigan and broke it off with her and went after Leliana. Leliana told me she loved me after sleeping with me and then like.. was trying to say we would be together forever and stuff. So I broke it off with her and talked to her again and she was saying the same things! I couldn’t get away from her. I actually had to reload a save and get my relationship with Morrigan back.

The Isa approval fuckery definitely didn't happen to me last playthrough djfjfkf. Though there's a vibe about Hawke being dumped by their wife on front of everyone and divorced but nobody has done the legal papers and now you need a court order to get back the overpowered items you gave to her before she left

Based. There's a mod that fixes that on PC, thanks the Creators.

I play on XBOX so no mods. I just lost Isabela and couldn’t get her back in that game. I frequently forget about her approval level and think of her as Varric and everything is just kinda cool with them. So I lose her a lot.

I'm a sucker for Hawke who have a very unsubtle and unrequited crush on Cullen. Garrett-dear likes Circle sandwiches and we stan. What is your HC about it? Did Hawke flirt with him? If so, how did Cullen react? How does Garrett react to Cullen in DAI (and the DAI companions, if you want to expand on it and still need some distraction)?

My HC about Garrett having a crush on Cullen is that he and Anders would have a competition for who could get Cullen to crack/blush first. Hawke would show up with his biceps exposed for Cullen to see and try flexing to get his attention. Anders would just be as provocative as possible towards Hawke and like try making out with him in front of Cullen to get his attention. What finally gets Cullen to crack is Garrett showing up in just his smalls and shoes and he catches Cullen’s lingering glance. Cullen never outright acknowledges the crush, but he definitely is not opposed. He’s the Champion of Kirkwall for Maker’s sake!

Garrett actually didn’t realize until super late that Cullen was even with the Inquisition. When he joined Varric outside the War Room is the first time he found out that he was there. At this point, his crush has subsided and he is totally comfortable with his relationship with Anders while on the run, so Cullen no longer has an effect on him.

Garrett’s reactions to Companions:

Dorian- Good guy to get a drink with, very attractive, loves his confidence. He has stories for days and he thinks Dorian needed to meet Fenris and Anders and watch the debates that follow.

The Iron Bull- Not well received considering he is who killed the Arishok. He is very weary of the Iron Bull and the Ben Hassrath because of his interaction with Tallis. He slowly begins to notice that Bull is different from the other Qunari he has encountered and by the end of his time there, he is on okay terms with him.

Vivienne- Hates her. He thinks she is a bitch and that she is just using the Inquisitor to further her own political goals. He doesn’t trust her and doesn’t like her love for the Circles, especially since it is my HC that he actually did help with the Chantry Boom and Varric lied to cover it up on Anders’ behalf.

Solas- He has a feeling that Solas has ulterior motives, he just isn’t sure what they are. The way he speaks is off from the other apostates/Dalish he has encountered and he writes to Merrill with a description of the man with both of them feeling nervous about him.

Blackwall- He thinks he is a good man. He knows he isn’t a Warden though because he doesn’t answer any of his questions that he got the answers to from Anders already.

Cassandra- He basically hates Cassandra because she kidnapped his BFF and wanted to beat the shit out of her. He would lose that fight though because he is a mage, and she can basically light him on fire from the inside out.

Varric- He knows Varric lol

Sera- Thinks she is annoying and she doesn’t trust him and his mage “shite”. He stays away from her.

Cole- He sees Cole as a potential option for Justice. If he can find a way to separate his love from Justice, then Justice could be his own sentient being outside of Anders. Seeing Cole gives him hope for his future.

Are there any LIs you never romanced in the DA franchise? If so why?

Also does any of your OC has a unrequited crush on a character?

Oh there are plenty @queer-amann, like a shocking amount considering how many times I have played these games. I am adding a 3rd option to this because there are quite a few that I have just... failed.

Never romanced:

Origins~

Alistair- I couldn't really tell you why except that maybe it is because I had already seen the romance? My roommate, and best friend, played the games first while I watched her. She is a strong Alistair-mancer and so I don't need to see it again? If that makes sense. Overall, I think his romance is cute, but boring.

DA2~

Fenris- I like his character arc. I think it is really interesting. I am very pro-mage though, so we clash on opinions a lot.

Inquisition~

Sera- I have watched her romance on Youtube to see how it was. It was cute, but she annoys the shit out of me. I couldn't do it.

Blackwall- I can't get behind romancing someone who's entire identity is based on a lie. I also clash opinions with him.

Josie- Another one that is too fairytale. Much like Alistair, I find it boring. Not enough at stake. I like my people slightly insane.

Cullen- I have only played as a female one time and that was to play a Solas romance so I could see what other people were talking about. My roommate has romanced Cullen before. The entire thing is cute, but not for me. I probably would be more open to romancing him if the bisexual coding had been left in. I mean he hit on my Inquisitor? or maybe I misread his intentions, idk.

Failed Romances:

Solas- I got bored. Not gonna lie, I cannot stand Solas so that is probably why we didnt work out.

The Iron Bull- I was having issues getting him into the romance phase. Eventually I gave up and went after Dorian again before abandoning this playthrough.

Zevran- I honestly just wanted to sleep with him to see what he said. I didn't take it further than that.

Leliana- She got super clingy in Origins which skeeved me out. I backed away slowly on this one.

Isabela- I was romancing her, but then forgot to get her approval high enough and she left after Act 2. Whoops.

Sebastian- I hated playing as a female Hawke. The animations for her walk was way to feminine and it drove me insane.

(Edit: forgot a failed romance)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As for unrequited crushes, the only one who comes to mind is Garrett. Garrett Hawke has a huge crush on Cullen and wants to destroy him. He wants him and Anders to let him "Know why mages are feared" if you catch my drift.

(Send me an ask to distract me!)

[pirateisabela]

hey there!!! can you tell me a bit about miri lavellan? (or any other ocs that you'd like to!!) i remember you said that you were working/developing more about her, and i love hearing about people's ocs!!!

Yes, I love talking about my ocs x)(I’m just going to do all my Inquisitors because I’m That Kind of Guy™)

Miri Lavellan- Miri is an elven mage. She’s too nice for her own good. Like, it’s sickening how nice and thoughtful she is. She and Cole get on really well because of it. She helps all those in need, and she will not turn her back on anyone who needs help. She’s a very trusting person, but she finds it hard to forgive someone if they betray her or lie to her. She gets a crush on Cullen while still in Haven and fumbles her way into being married to him (with a little too much help from their mutual friend Dorian tbh). She’s really awkward too, making her practically a perfect match for Cullen x)

Jaras Lavellan- Jaras is a rogue archer with the tempest specialization. He has a Tragic Backstory™ that results in a hesitation to embrace his feelings for Dorian, and even after, he’s always afraid that something will go wrong. Also, because of his Tragic Backstory™, Jaras doesn’t have a strong connection to his clan other than his immediate family, though he’d still be terribly distraught if they died because they are the only connection to his past he has left and of times before things went awry. He is conflicted about the Creators and whether he believes or not, but he tries to tell himself that he hates everything to do with it that way it is easier for him to deal with it if none of it is actually true.

Venowen Tabris- Venowen is my Warden who becomes the Inquisitor through…unusual circumstances. As in the world can never fix itself and she just so happens to be the lucky person that the universe tends to crap on. In the City Elf Origin, she didn’t want to marry her fiancé (because free will and fuck traditions and what-not), but she couldn’t make herself hate him as a person. The attack by the nobles was unexpected and only fueled her rage towards humans, the attack on Shianni and the death of her fiancé making it ten times worse. She had a sliver of respect for Duncan only because he tried to help, but other than him, she was as cold and distant to humans as much as possible. She hated Alistair for how nice he was and felt the same towards Leliana later when she met her and found herself gravitating towards Morrigan for a time, the cynical and sarcastic mage a nice relief from the cheerfulness of the other two companions and the stoic Sten (who was feet taller than her and v intimidating already). Eventually, she warms up to Leliana and Alistair, but she still has trouble with other humans, especially authority or people who don’t treat her like a person. She romanced, and later marries, Alistair, but Leliana is a very important person in her life, too, along with her cousin, Shianni.

[ashesfade-a-blog]

Here is a random headcanon dump from Dayne’s old blog; @fadedrosepetals.

                • Dayne pretty much never wears shoes while at Skyhold. She enjoys being barefoot and since it would be considered improper for her to do so outside of the walls, she takes advantage of it by doing it literally anytime that she can. Josephine and Blackwall often tell her that she needs to wear something on her feet because of the colder temperatures but Dayne brushes them off as if they were nothing and continues to do so happily, even if it does cause her to fall ill from time to time.

                • She spends most of her time in the garden, hiding amongst the bushes of flowers. She tends to have her nose buried in a book or into her own journal while there is normally a spread of sweet snacks laid out on a small piece of frilly fabric, as if she were having her own private picnic. She enjoys the gardens and the flowers because it is full of pretty things and most of the time people are happy while visiting the gardens. And she is a big fan of happy things. Like FLOWER CROWNS that she makes for the Inquisition, flowers chosen specifically on each individual’s personalities.

                • Dayne will often ask Iron Bull for piggy back rides and he gladly allows it every single time. While she is getting the piggy back ride, she almost always is tying flowers around his horns and he always pretends he doesn’t notice.

                • Her relationship with Cole is one of the most important ones that she has (and it’s probably one of my favorites). Imagine all of these beautiful things for a moment. Dayne and Cole would whisper kind thoughts about their companions into each other’s ears. Everyone around them would simply think that they are up to no good when in reality they are just being kind. She speaks to Cole the most often. The two platonically hold hands and cuddle while taking naps together. Dayne appreciates Cole’s ability to see through any sort of mask she might be wearing without her having to express her feelings with words. He brings a special kind of comfort one could only find in a friend that knows you inside and out.

                • Her relationship with Dorian is another one of my favorites because he is basically the kind of brother she wished her brother actually was. He is kind to her and instead of criticizing her every move, he is understanding and encouraging. When she feels sad, he is who she goes to for comfort with tear stained cheeks and reddened eyes because he doesn’t make her feel foolish for having a soft heart in a cruel world.  

                 • Leliana and Dayne spend a lot of time together talking about Orlais. Josie would join them and they discuss pretty dresses, balls, fashion, boys and anything under the sun. They often slip into speaking Orlesian when they want to discuss something private and it almost always happens when Cullen is around. Dayne would keep an eye out for pretty things that remind her of them and will often surprise them with gifts, denying they were from her. #girlgang tbh

               • Her relationship with Blackwall is very father/daughter like. She goes to him with her problems because she knows he will see reason and will help her understand all possible outcomes. He watches out for her like a hawk, specifically with Commander Cullen.  

                • In the aspect of her canon story and marrying Cullen, Blackwall would give her away. Cole would be the ring bearer. Leliana and Josephine would be bridesmaids and Dorian would stand as her man of honor, right at her side.  

                • Dayne, unlike the typical inquisitor, was not trained in battle and actually had no skill at all for protecting herself, let alone all of Thedas. Since she was thrown into the role, needing the ability to fight, she approaches Cassandra to teach her how to yield a sword and a shield. Cassandra would not go easy on her. Cullen would watch from a distance, wincing / holding his breath / hoping she doesn’t get hurt and Dayne would be giggling most of the time.  

                • Music is something she thoroughly enjoys and will often visit the taverns so that she can hear the minstrels sing their songs. Dayne has no problem with getting up and dancing, even when looks are disapproving. She will shed her shoes and twirl and twirl.  

                •  She doesn’t understand why she has to be decked out in armor all of the time. It was never a necessity before she became inquisitor and the transition has been difficult for her. She would much rather wear pretty dresses. Dayne would have saved up her money to commission an armored dress with engraved floral designs and hidden lace so that she could still wear pretty things while also being protected.  

                • Upon arriving at Skyhold, while everyone else was mortified by the state that it was in, Dayne felt nothing but excitement because it meant she could have this huge decor project. Before anyone could explain to her that the aesthetic of Skyhold needed to convey the Inquisition’s message, Dayne had thrown up lace curtains and white throw rugs with lots of pink hued decor items throughout all of Skyhold. Cullen is the one to break the news to her that the decor must change because Josie and Leliana don’t want to hurt her feelings. Dayne is more than happy to change everything because it means all of the decor she has can be used in her chambers (and some likely ends up in Leliana’s, Josephine’s and Cullen’s as well.)  

                • Platonic affection is extremely important to her. She showers everyone in cheek kisses, forehead kisses, nose kisses, hand holding, cuddles and all of the hugs in the world.  

                • Because of her lack of experience in the ways of war, Dayne suffers from severe anxiety. She can go from being the happiest girl in all of Thedas to panic attacks leaving her breathless and in tears within moments. When she has an attack, she will lock herself away in her chambers for hours refusing to let anyone inside. I imagine Cullen sitting outside of her door so that he can be the first that is there for her when she comes out. Dorian, Leliana and Josephine would tear down anyone who said that because of this, she was unfit to lead them. Cole would say comforting words without making her feel stupid and Blackwall would simply kiss the top of her head and offer her a hand to hold. But she would come out of the room looking as though nothing had happened, refusing to acknowledge that it ever happened because that is not who she is or who she wants to be.

                • She leaves kind notes for her companions to randomly find throughout all of Skyhold. There are probably encouraging words, compliments and uplifting phrases strewn on the neatly folded paper in girlish handwriting. // I like to believe that before the battle with Corypheus, she writes goodbye letters to all of the companions and hides them just as she would her other notes for them to find someday after she’s gone because she knows she won’t make it out of there alive. But she does and she forgets about the letters, laughing it off when Josie and Leliana get upset with her for even thinking such a thing could happen. Explaining to Cole how she felt like that would be it for her and that she wanted him to know that it was okay. Having to have a sit down with Blackwall so that he could explain that he understands why she felt the need to write it. But her finding Cullen in tears, clutching onto the piece of paper with clenched fists – feeling horrible for even the thought of him having to go through it.  

                • Dayne is a lover of all animals and will always stop to pet something if there is a chance that she can. I imagine her keeping little treats in her armor to give out to the animals she finds.

                 Dayne is a very down to EarthThedas sort of individual. She enjoys the simple things in life. In her down time she spends her time listening to music which always results in long winded solo dance sessions because she rarely can convince anyone to join her or she is alone in her chambers. She is also a pretty big book worm. I touched on this a little bit on my previous headcanon dump post earlier. She tends to have at least one book on her persons at any given time. Her favorite kind of books are love stories, but not the kind that Cassandra is into. She likes her knights in shining armor protecting said damsel in distress. Dayne is also a huge napper. She really loves her soft bed and will spend a ridiculous amount of time just laying there. I think she probably has difficulties getting out of bed in the mornings. And last but not least, horseback riding. It gives her the opportunity to do something that was a huge part of her life before the Inquisition. It helps her forget, even for just a little while, the weight that is on her shoulders.

                 Dayne is a devout Andrastian and has been her entire life. She studies the stories of Andraste and The Maker religiously (pun intended). She has never once doubted in a higher power and the holy writings. When she is given the title ‘Herald of Andraste’, she struggles with it and never truly doesn’t. She does not believe that she was some chosen holy entity and instead believes she is just a girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the beginning, she gets a little angry and upset when people refer to her by that name but as time goes on she tells herself that it is just something that people need to believe and so she allows it without every really believing it herself.

                 In all honesty, Dayne’s biggest regret was accepting her invitation to the conclave on behalf of her parents. Initially, she had been so excited to take part in such a historical event but it ultimately altered her life and forced her to forget any type of normal future she had hoped for. Dayne really wanted to be courted just as a noble woman would have been. She’d wanted to find a proper husband who would care for her and provide for her and love her and give her the children she’d always dreamed of. She wanted a modest estate with a large garden and a library full of books for her to bury herself in. Going to the conclave was what changed it all.

                Despite having no real ties to either the templar side or the mage side before the Inquisition, she has always felt sympathetic towards the mages. Dayne is all about giving chances (multiple chances if we’re being honest) and the fact that mages aren’t even given a chance before they are tossed into the Circle breaks her heart. She understands why there was severe action taken and in her canon, places leliana as the divine and disbands the circle.

                 Solas and Vivienne are background noise to Dayne, which sounds absolutely terrible but the bottom line is that they are probably two of the most judgmental characters we see throughout the game and that is just a no go for precious little Dayne. She is cordial with the both of them but will literally walk away in the middle of a conversation when it starts to turn rude or “I’m better than so and so”.

                 As I stated in a previous headcanon, baths are one of Dayne’s favorite things. She likes to take extremely warm baths so that it takes a little longer for the water to cool just so she can lengthen her time spent in there. She is very into sweet smelling things and brings in special soaps from Orlais along with flower petals to soak in. She sings while she is bathing and sometimes ends up falling asleep in there. When she gets out of the tub, she likes to air dry in the sun rays that come in through the windows at Skyhold. She likes to watch the light reflect off of the water droplets because they remind her of glitter and prettier things.

                 She was a lady, living up to the stereotype of a fair maiden. She enjoyed her moments alone and the quiet life she had in her family’s estate in Ostwick. With the comfort of never having to worry much about not having enough, she was raised to be proper and suitable for a nobleman or someone of higher rank. Dayne was a carefree bookworm and lover of all living things. She would spend a lot of time in the stables with the horses and is/was the type of person who would stop and pet any creature that would allow her to. Soft-spoken, intelligent and extremely feminine. She wanted to please her family and hoped for a life similar to the one she had been already living with whomever her future husband might be. She enjoyed going to balls, flirting with suitable men and frilly, girly things.

[athena1138]

DA Question Meme

Literally nobody asked for this but I don’t wanna do my homework so HERRRRRE WE GO! edit: doing this made me realize just how attached I am to the same 4 names lmfao. #creativity i guess. 

01) Favorite game of the series?

I like a lot of things about all of them. I like the companion interactions from Origins, the story from DA2, and the character creation and map of Inquisition. But they all have things I don’t like, too, so I’m not really sure I have a favorite. I think DA2 and Inquisition are tied, tbh.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?

My roommate had been (trying) to play Origins for a while so my interest was piqued. Then, I was sitting in my Spanish class and realized PSN was having a hella sale so I went looking for some games. Inquisition GOTYE was on sale for like $70 with all the DLCs so I was like, “Hm. Yeah. Aight.” I then proceeded to get 89 hours banked in the course of like...5 days. It was insane. There was much coffee and little sleep. (I said trying because her Xbox 360, both of them, absolutely refuse to let her finish it before the console corrupts something in the data.)

03) How many times you’ve played the games?

Origins 1 1/2 times. I got all the way to the end with my elf before Alistair broke up with me to be king so I said, “AW HELL NAH” and literally started over just so my Warden could be queen. 

DA2, 2 full times and I’m on my 3rd for “fanfiction research” purposes. 

Inquisition, once all the way through the main storyline, started again, then started again. 

04) Favorite race to play as?

Ya girl loves her some elves. I was a Dwarf as my first ever character, but the lack of romance options in Inquisition turned me off to them. I do like them a lot, though. 

05) Favorite class?

Rogue. Seriously, lockpicking should be a universal thing. Otherwise, mage. 

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?

I try. Most of the more personal decisions I have a hard time changing. Like, should Cole be human or more spirit-y? I can’t. I always make him human. But I intentionally try to change major story arcs. Both my Hawke mages and my mage Inquisitor have supported the Templars where I supported mages 100% before. 

07) Go-to adventuring group?

Origins:  Alistair is almost always a must. My first playthrough, he literally went on 100% of my quests with me. Then usually Wynne and Zevran, but I try to switch it up where I think I can spare having a healing mage. Shale and Oghren are my buds. 

DA2:  Vikara Hawke--Fenris, Anders (li,) then either Varric or Isabela. Belladonna Hawke--Fenris, Carver then Avaline, Varric (hc li.) Titania Hawke--Fenris, Bethany then Merrill, Isabela (li.)

Inquisition: Oh boy. I just. I just love them all. Just so fucking much. Picking my group is painstaking, man. Gemma Cadash--Iron Bull (li,) Dorian, Cole. Vikara Lavellan is tricky because she’s a mage, but Dorian is my literal best friend and she romanced Solas so?--Solas (li,) Dorian, Iron Bull or Blackwall. If it’s a tricky area or I need a lock picked, I’ll usually switch Dorian with Cole. Vanaya Adaar--Blackwall, Dorian, Vivienne or Sera. (Josephine LI)

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

So, I had no fucking idea what Inquisition was about. You can go find my “first playthrough” posts for proof, so I was just going with the flow. But starting completely from the start, I think I put a bit more effort into my Wardens, and most definitely my Hawkes and now my new Inquisitors. 

09) Favorite romance?

Cullen. #1, always. Honestly. I know, basic, but you know what? He’s a goddamn tormented cinnamon roll. I also really love his v.a.. Like I’ll listen to the romance while doing homework to keep me focused. Is that creepy? Shit. That’s creepy. But in Origins, idk. Alistair is adorable, but Zevran is just...damn. I want to try Leliana’s romance sometime. Da2: Fenris, but I’m just so goddamn in love with Varric, man. I know it’s not a romance but IT FUCKING SHOULD BE. 

10) Have you read any of the comics/books?

Bruh I don’t even read my homework.

11) If you read them, which was your favorite book?

12) Favorite DLCs?

For, like, functionality? The Black Emporium lmao. I like to change my appearance as the game progresses. But for fun? I like the Deep Roads DLC for Inquisition, the Legacy DLC for DA2, and tbh I haven’t played many DLCs for Origins yet, just the one for Shale and the one for Morigann. I think I’ll like Leliana’s, though, and Awakening. 

13) Things that annoy you.

Can’t change companion armor in DA2

No voice for Origins. (I understand it, but starting from Inquisition, it’s frustrating. Plus, I’m blind, and the biggest subtitles are still hella small.)

You can’t just go strike up a conversation with companions in the field aside from Origins. 

Dwarves can’t be mages

THERE ARE NO DWARF ROMANCES

The Qunari just felt really..underwhelming til Inquisition? Like. Sten is just a large, stoic human essentially. All the Qunari in DA2 have the exact same face, and nothing about their titles or names are explained. They’re a giantass plot point and you’re telling me not even the Arishok could get some different horns or maybe a face lift or something? 

When your companions break up with you. Like goddamn. Rude. 

The Dark Ritual. 

Forcing Alistair to be King so I don’t have to choose between him or my Hawke. He’s so unhappy as a ruler, but it’s better for his safety. Such a dick move, guys, really. 

Leandra just straight up forgives Gamlen for blowing the entire fortune? Nah, Ma. He’s dead to us now. 

Carver’s such a dick, man. 

Caves,caves,caves,caves,caves in DA2. Like goddamn. 

I have soooo many more but I have to get up in 4 hours lmao

The dog in Origins counts as a companion

Even if Hawke is a mage, Fenris doesn’t cool it with his anti-mage shit. Ever. 

Anders is a dick, man. A beautiful one, but a dick. 

14) Orlais or Ferelden?

Kirkwall.

15) Templars or mages?

Mages, always. Supporting the Templars makes me so frustrated with myself. 

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?

So, cross-games, they’re in the same universe. But as for, like, all my Inquisitors? Idk. I’ve never really thought about it. I don’t HC that I have like...6 Inquisitors or even sibling Inky’s running around, but I don’t see a reason why they wouldn’t keep existing just because one of them got the Mark. I do try super hard to connect all my main characters as closely as I can, just for funsies. 

Like, my new Lavellan was from the same alienage as my Warden except she got swept up in that slave-trade business at the age of like 10. Then she lived as a slave in Kirkwall til she ran away at 15 and was taken in by Merrill’s clan. She and an older hunter were out hunting when the massacre happened, so he ends up taking her up north to meet up with another clan he knows is fartin’ around there. (Lavellan.) So, she remembers Varric and Hawke from their few trips to visit Merrill’s clan on Sundermount. 

Shit like that, y’know? 

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

Random things, usually. My current Hawke’s mabari is called Wrex, last one was Oberyn. I don’t remember any of my Wardens’ mabari names.

18) Have you installed any mods?

I fucking wish I could. Console only over here my dude. 

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?

Vikara Tabris--No, absolutely not. She just wanted to stay in her alienage and take care of her family. She didn’t want to get married, and when the noble dude kidnapped them all she just straight up wrecked them, so she didn’t have a choice. She’s pretty bitter about it all, but Alistair makes it better. 

Titania Cousland--Hells. Yes. From the moment she heard Duncan was coming, she was like a fucking dog with a bone begging that her dad let her join. 

20) Hawke’s personality?

Vikara Hawke:  Kind, peaceful. Blue? I think? The colors represent the dialogue wheel, right? Idk, man, the nice shit. 

Belladonna Hawke:  Sarcastic af. 

Titania Hawke: Agro to others but not her friends. 

21) Did you make matching armor for your companions in Inquisition?

Look, fam, there are only SO MANY GODDAMN PIECES OF LIGHT ARMOR AVAILABLE. AT SOME POINT, WE ALL FINNA LOOK ALIKE IT’S NOT MY FAULT so like yeah

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?

oh jesus

ORIGINS-        Vikara Tabris--so much, man. The most important thing? I think she would’ve put Anora on the throne instead.         Titania Cousland--She would’ve tried to use her connection to the king to make him see reason, make him see that the war was suicide. 

DA2        Vikara Hawke--She would’ve tried to sway Anders away from the terrorist side of things more, had she not been too blinded by love to see what he was doing.          Belladonna Hawke--Would’ve rather taken Bethany’s place with the ogre because she can’t live with the guilt.           Titania Hawke--Corypheus. If she’d have just paid fucking attention, she might’ve noticed how weird Larius was acting, she might’ve been able to do something before the literal sky opened up. 

Inquisition          Gemma Cadash--She straight up wishes she was never at the fucking Conclave. If she’d have just stayed in the Carta, doing what she’s good at, this all would’ve been someone else’s problem. She has a hard time dealing with all the pressure and the stress and constantly fears she’s doing the wrong thing. The only thing that gets her through it is Bull.           Vikara Lavellan--Loving Solas. She wishes she’d seen the signs more clearly, seen where they were going with it. But, loving Solas lead her to Cullen, so in the end? She guesses it was worth it.            Vanaya Adaar--She would’ve tried harder at Haven, to save more lives than she did. If she’d have just been a little faster... 

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?

For my Inquisitors, usually something will be anti-canon, but my Hawkes are usually pretty satisfying to me, and the Warden has enough options I think it’s alright. But like...Vikara Lavellan has almost no faith to the Dalish despite being one. She got her vallaslin because she had to to stay in clan Lavellan. I also sometimes HC that she spent time in the Circle so when Vivienne gets all snotty about it not being so bad, she can be like “uhm, scuse you.” Same with Hawke and Anders, but Idk how it would work. Maybe she was there during his solitary confinement but broke out with her phylactery and that’s when her family moved to Lothering? Oh. Shit. Yeah. That works. Hey, new headcanon! 

24) Who did you leave in the Fade?

First, Hawke, because I hadn’t played DA2 yet, but then I saw how hurt Varric was and I died inside. So, Stroud usually. 

25) Favorite mount?

Cadash--the Avaar War Nug Lavellan--Tirashan Swiftwind Adaar--Hunter Shade Dracolisk

[ashesfade-blog]

Headcanon  Dump  for  Dayne  Trevelyan.

Dayne pretty much never wears shoes while at Skyhold. She enjoys being barefoot and since it would be considered improper for her to do so outside of the walls, she takes advantage of it by doing it literally anytime that she can. Josephine and Blackwall often tell her that she needs to wear something on her feet because of the colder temperatures but Dayne brushes them off as if they were nothing and continues to do so happily, even if it does cause her to fall ill from time to time.

She spends most of her time in the garden, hiding among the bushes of flowers. She tends to have her nose buried in a book or into her own journal while there is normally a spread of sweet snacks laid out on a small piece of frilly fabric, as if she were having her own private picnic. She enjoys the gardens and the flowers because it is full of pretty things and most of the time people are happy while visiting the gardens. And she is a big fan of happy things. Like FLOWER CROWNS that she makes for the Inquisition, flowers chosen specifically on each individual’s personalities.

Dayne will often ask Iron Bull for piggy back rides and he gladly allows it every single time. While she is getting the piggy back ride, she almost always is tying flowers around his horns and he always pretends he doesn’t notice.

Her relationship with Cole is one of the most important ones that she has (and it’s probably one of my favorites). Imagine all of these beautiful things for a moment. Dayne and Cole would whisper kind thoughts about their companions into each other’s ears. Everyone around them would simply think that they are up to no good when in reality they are just being kind. She speaks to Cole the most often. The two platonically hold hands and cuddle while taking naps together. Dayne appreciates Cole’s ability to see through any sort of mask she might be wearing without her having to express her feelings with words. He brings a special kind of comfort one could only find in a friend that knows you inside and out.

Her relationship with Dorian is another one of my favorites because he is basically the kind of brother she wished her brother actually was. He is kind to her and instead of criticizing her every move, he is understanding and encouraging. When she feels sad, he is who she goes to for comfort with tear stained cheeks and reddened eyes because he doesn’t make her feel foolish for having a soft heart in a cruel world.  

Leliana and Dayne spend a lot of time together talking about Orlais. Josie would join them and they discuss pretty dresses, balls, fashion, boys and anything under the sun. They often slip into speaking Orlesian when they want to discuss something private and it almost always happens when Cullen is around. Dayne would keep an eye out for pretty things that remind her of them and will often surprise them with gifts, denying they were from her. #girlgang tbh

Her relationship with Blackwall is very father/daughter like. She goes to him with her problems because she knows he will see reason and will help her understand all possible outcomes. He watches out for her like a hawk, specifically with Commander Cullen.  

In the aspect of her canon story and marrying Cullen, Blackwall would give her away. Cole would be the ring bearer. Leliana and Josephine would be bridesmaids and Dorian would stand as her man of honor, right at her side.  

Dayne, unlike the typical inquisitor, was not trained in battle and actually had no skill at all for protecting herself, let alone all of Thedas. Since she was thrown into the role, needing the ability to fight, she approaches Cassandra to teach her how to yield a sword and a shield. Cassandra would not go easy on her. Cullen would watch from a distance, wincing / holding his breath / hoping she doesn’t get hurt and Dayne would be giggling most of the time.  

Music is something she thoroughly enjoys and will often visit the taverns so that she can hear the minstrels sing their songs. Dayne has no problem with getting up and dancing, even when looks are disapproving. She will shed her shoes and twirl and twirl.  

She doesn’t understand why she has to be decked out in armor all of the time. It was never a necessity before she became inquisitor and the transition has been difficult for her. She would much rather wear pretty dresses. Dayne would have saved up her money to commission an armored dress with engraved floral designs and hidden lace so that she could still wear pretty things while also being protected.  

Upon arriving at Skyhold, while everyone else was mortified by the state that it was in, Dayne felt nothing but excitement because it meant she could have this huge decor project. Before anyone could explain to her that the aesthetic of Skyhold needed to convey the Inquisition’s message, Dayne had thrown up lace curtains and white throw rugs with lots of pink hued decor items throughout all of Skyhold. Cullen is the one to break the news to her that the decor must change because Josie and Leliana don’t want to hurt her feelings. Dayne is more than happy to change everything because it means all of the decor she has can be used in her chambers (and some likely ends up in Leliana’s, Josephine’s and Cullen’s as well.)  

Platonic affection is extremely important to her. She showers everyone in cheek kisses, forehead kisses, nose kisses, hand holding, cuddles and all of the hugs in the world.  

Because of her lack of experience in the ways of war, Dayne suffers from severe anxiety. She can go from being the happiest girl in all of Thedas to panic attacks leaving her breathless and in tears within moments. When she has an attack, she will lock herself away in her chambers for hours refusing to let anyone inside. I imagine Cullen sitting outside of her door so that he can be the first that is there for her when she comes out. Dorian, Leliana and Josephine would tear down anyone who said that because of this, she was unfit to lead them. Cole would say comforting words without making her feel stupid and Blackwall would simply kiss the top of her head and offer her a hand to hold. But she would come out of the room looking as though nothing had happened, refusing to acknowledge that it ever happened because that is not who she is or who she wants to be.

She leaves kind notes for her companions to randomly find throughout all of Skyhold. There are probably encouraging words, compliments and uplifting phrases strewn on the neatly folded paper in girlish handwriting. // I like to believe that before the battle with Corypheus, she writes goodbye letters to all of the companions and hides them just as she would her other notes for them to find someday after she’s gone because she knows she won’t make it out of there alive. But she does and she forgets about the letters, laughing it off when Josie and Leliana get upset with her for even thinking such a thing could happen. Explaining to Cole how she felt like that would be it for her and that she wanted him to know that it was okay. Having to have a sit down with Blackwall so that he could explain that he understands why she felt the need to write it. But her finding Cullen in tears, clutching onto the piece of paper with clenched fists – feeling horrible for even the thought of him having to go through it.  

Dayne is a lover of all animals and will always stop to pet something if there is a chance that she can. I imagine her keeping little treats in her armor to give out to the animals she finds.

Dayne is a very down to EarthThedas sort of individual. She enjoys the simple things in life. In her down time she spends her time listening to music which always results in long winded solo dance sessions because she rarely can convince anyone to join her or she is alone in her chambers. She is also a pretty big book worm. I touched on this a little bit on my previous headcanon dump post earlier. She tends to have at least one book on her persons at any given time. Her favorite kind of books are love stories, but not the kind that Cassandra is into. She likes her knights in shining armor protecting said damsel in distress. Dayne is also a huge napper. She really loves her soft bed and will spend a ridiculous amount of time just laying there. I think she probably has difficulties getting out of bed in the mornings. And last but not least, horseback riding. It gives her the opportunity to do something that was a huge part of her life before the Inquisition. It helps her forget, even for just a little while, the weight that is on her shoulders.

Dayne is a devout Andrastian and has been her entire life. She studies the stories of Andraste and The Maker religiously (pun intended). She has never once doubted in a higher power and the holy writings. When she is given the title ‘Herald of Andraste’, she struggles with it and never truly doesn’t. She does not believe that she was some chosen holy entity and instead believes she is just a girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the beginning, she gets a little angry and upset when people refer to her by that name but as time goes on she tells herself that it is just something that people need to believe and so she allows it without every really believing it herself.

In all honesty, Dayne’s biggest regret was accepting her invitation to the conclave on behalf of her parents. Initially, she had been so excited to take part in such a historical event but it ultimately altered her life and forced her to forget any type of normal future she had hoped for. Dayne really wanted to be courted just as a noble woman would have been. She’d wanted to find a proper husband who would care for her and provide for her and love her and give her the children she’d always dreamed of. She wanted a modest estate with a large garden and a library full of books for her to bury herself in. Going to the conclave was what changed it all.

Despite having no real ties to either the templar side or the mage side before the Inquisition, she has always felt sympathetic towards the mages. Dayne is all about giving chances (multiple chances if we’re being honest) and the fact that mages aren’t even given a chance before they are tossed into the Circle breaks her heart. She understands why there was severe action taken and in her canon, places leliana as the divine and disbands the circle.

Solas and Vivienne are background noise to Dayne, which sounds absolutely terrible but the bottom line is that they are probably two of the most judgmental characters we see throughout the game and that is just a no go for precious little Dayne. She is cordial with the both of them but will literally walk away in the middle of a conversation when it starts to turn rude or “I’m better than so and so”.

As I stated in a previous headcanon, baths are one of Dayne’s favorite things. She likes to take extremely warm baths so that it takes a little longer for the water to cool just so she can lengthen her time spent in there. She is very into sweet smelling things and brings in special soaps from Orlais along with flower petals to soak in. She sings while she is bathing and sometimes ends up falling asleep in there. When she gets out of the tub, she likes to air dry in the sun rays that come in through the windows at Skyhold. She likes to watch the light reflect off of the water droplets because they remind her of glitter and prettier things.

She was a lady, living up to the stereotype of a fair maiden. She enjoyed her moments alone and the quiet life she had in her family’s estate in Ostwick. With the comfort of never having to worry much about not having enough, she was raised to be proper and suitable for a nobleman or someone of higher rank. Dayne was a carefree bookworm and lover of all living things. She would spend a lot of time in the stables with the horses and is/was the type of person who would stop and pet any creature that would allow her to. Soft-spoken, intelligent and extremely feminine. She wanted to please her family and hoped for a life similar to the one she had been already living with whomever her future husband might be. She enjoyed going to balls, flirting with suitable men and frilly, girly things.

[bioshvcks]

da:i + trespasser dlc thoughts

i’m chiming in here three years late with my reactions to inquisition + trespasser after finishing it for the first time. if ur interested, i put it under the cut:

DA:I:

okay what....was that. no really. that game was endless and so BIG. i was constantly impressed by the lore & level of details but not by much else tbh

this game was too long. there was too much. there was no atmosphere except for “big” and “exhausting.” there was so many side quests (or even a few main quests) that could’ve been cut out for all the difference they made. so much of this game was a chore to get through, it ended up hindering my enjoyment of it and just made me frustrated & bored in a lot of parts.

so yeah, there’s really no replay value for me, bc it’s just way too long. it’s kinda disappointing.

i don’t want this to be all critcism - i thought the characters were good - cassandra & dorian were two of my personal faves, but once again the interpersonal relationships between the npc’s were still a lot of fun - varric & cassandra were so much fun, KREM AND IRON BULL, also surprising friendships like sera and blackwall which were rlly sweet

i never felt that connected to my inquisitor or to half the people in my party - there was a certain apathy present even when it was abt characters i cared about. everything was so vague when it came to the inquisitor, i know it’s what it’s about (How did they get to the breach, where did the mark come from, etc) but i didn’t feel too connected to my character unlike in the other two dragon age games and i don’t know why

also the final battle was super, SUPER, anti-climatic (the whole end was really) 

and i never really once ever cared about the plot or corypheus or any of that really

Okay and this is the part that gets it’s separate paragraph: THE ELVES. THE WARDENS. AND WORLD-BUILDING

again....what?? firstly, i played this game as a dalish elf. but.....everyone acted like i wasn’t dalish or even elven. it felt like this game wasn’t rlly made for a dalish elf player & it often disregarded that aspect altogether which was rlly frustrating bc i was looking forward to seeing how that would play out but ultimately....it didn’t. and honestly? just generally i’ve always felt like the politics w elves, and even b/w the chantry, templars & circle of magi (though that’s a whole other topic) has always been handled REALLY poorly. i think da:o came closest to really exploring it in a better way but in this game it was just all over place....

and that brings me to the wardens which i was actually mad about....it feels like EVERYTHING we’ve ever been told abt the wardens was disregarded or thrown under the bus and revamped as “unnecessary agents of chaos.” it was really bizarre & disappointing tbh and there was so much potential there but like.....rlly that’s what they went with? also i thought the wardens were heroes yet suddenly no one likes them??? ughghghgh

also WHERE IS MY GREY WARDEN

some of my “big” choices: 

romanced cullen - which i was unhappy with & regretted INSTANTLY i only did it bc i didn’t know who to go for. like i said i didn’t feel invested in too many characters, and i wish i’d gone with josephine, i didn’t rlly care about cullen. i think this game’s strength was friendships and i enjoyed those way more than any of the romances that were possible tbh

i didn’t leave hawke in the fade, i’m not a MONSTER

i was close friends w everyone, i didn’t have any falling out’s or rivalries

cassandra became divine, mostly bc the decision for leilana to be divine comes way, way later than cassandra. it definitely seemed like the game was pushing for cass, which i was happy with anyway

solas was a character who i could never fully take seriously all that much, but his friendship was really rewarding, way way more than i think a romance would’ve been

MORRIGAN: i let her drink from the well. i regretted it straight away, also i wanna say fuck this game for binding her to her mother after all that and everything she went through??? thank god solas killed her at the end there jfc

i disbanded the inquisition  /shrugs/

my last thought about the main game is that really.....this seemed like basically a prequel to the trespasser dlc. i heard so many people say that the dlc was basically the real ending of the game, which yeah i agree with. but honestly this game was...fine. it was average, but it was a lot of time & effort to put into an “average” game, and most of the praise i can offer is towards the obvious work put in & expansiveness of the game. i don’t think it worked well in the almost open-world-but-not-quite-style, it made all the side stuff meaningless bc the story is so linear, so you spend a lot of time running around for not even a little payoff (or only occasionally). 

TRESPASSER:

okay i’m gonna keep this way more short and sweet:

this was far better than the main game

it was less vague, more personal, the world stakes were still high, the lore was reduced & succinct & easier to take in, honestly the main game felt like it was just building up to this

(which is rlly disappointing tbh)

solas & my inquisitor were bff’s so when i found him it was.....horrifying. the tone of his voice, the way he talked, the way he justified the destruction he’s intent on he was absolutely he convinced he’s right. he absolves himself by “letting” people live and not directly killing them now bc they’ll die later. as a great man, jake peralta, once said:

“cool motive, still murder”

also is he a god? isn’t he? who knows

otherwise the party banter was good, dorian essentially giving the inquisitor his skype address was wonderful & broke my heart a little, taking a SPA with vivienne, etc etc, it was the most dragon age either this or the main game ever really felt

this all seems very negative but at the end of the day i am glad i got play & experience inquisition. not sure that i’ll ever do another playthrough but i did enjoy parts of it, i just think that it was too long for a game/story like this.

[icharchivist]

OKAY so a Champion of the Just completed later, after hearing a lot of people recommanding it over In Hushed Whispers because it's "better to play" i finished it and i must admit i'm disappointed.

Okay so big thoughts eventually, and it may be full of bad faith because I really like IHW and when people compare something i like to something I don't know my bias become stronger, but those were basically my Hot Takes (NOTE: all of it is biased af, i mean it as "pros for Me" "Cons for ME" this is not a judgement of the quality of the quest in general)

Also under the cut bc damn i love complaining

Pros:

-The Concept of Envy. As a demon, it is incredibly cool, and I am mesmerized by what it can mean, of how many Envy Demons may actually exist, this kind of things. The gameplay inside of Envy's world was amazing, and the scenes to manipulate the Inquisitor were all really, really chilling. (but i'll go back on it more later for others reasons). Makes me want to see another Envy Demon in game, in a plotline that is more accessible.

-Cole's scenes. Cole introduction was great, Cole coming to help was great, Cole coming at the war table was amazing. All was fun and I love how his speech patern present itself. He's such an interesting characters in general.

-Ser Barris. True mvp. He was sweet and kind and I feel like he represented more what the Order should have been about instead of what it ended up being. Although i'm upset he can legit die this easily fuck this.

-Overrall nothing new is learnt tbh, but I am chilled by the line about "they often make us test different kind of lyrium" about the templars habits. This bring a whole new level of fucked up to the whole thing.

-Some of Envy's manipulations were actually very insightful on my character and made me understand her a little better, which i always appreciate. Being able to explore my character is always a welcomed thing.

-Bull has a very funny line when it comes to talking about Envy when you don't take him along.

-Cole's feeling toward the breach are kind of interesting, and i don't think it's that much mentioned when he comes after you closed the breach in the IHW run.

Eehhhhs (Not Pros but Not Cons either):

-The whole gameplay with the Templars holding the barrers. I've seen people complain that IHW had a dull playthrough and i think it may be because it's compared to that. Indeed, that was an interesting idea, but i hate going against the clock and in the end it didn't bring anything too interesting.

-Thematically speaking, the Envy quest tries to do with Cullen what the Future Quest did with Leliana: ie, showing the player how they would react to catalystic events reminding them of desperate times. Leliana was her loss of faith after the tortures she endured and her "failure" (it's not your fault bby), and Cullen was how, after he rebelled against the Envy!Inquisitor he feels he deserves to suffer if it is that he was too blind to realize he was serving another tyrant.. Both are things that can resonate a lot with both of those characters. Thematically it's coherent.

The problem though is that for Leliana, it was the Future: it was FACTS. It was actually happening. And by sacrificing herself to have you get back in the past, she gained her faith, at least in you, again to help you.

For Cullen, it makes absolutly no sense Envy shows that (more in a moment) and it doesn't actually happen to Cullen but to an illusion. So the impact is completely dull, even if i think it was intended just as much as fact value as Leliana's.

Cons:

-Here I go: Envy is a freaking moron oh my god. That destroys absolutly the full amazing concept, Envy is so much a moron.

Envy is supposed to serve for exposition the same way the timetravel quest does, but it backfire so badly. Alexius ended up making you travel in time because he wanted to erase you from the timeline, and if i recall, you weren't sent too far in time thanks to Dorian. Anyway, Alexius didn't expect it to happen this way - what you learn in the future are actual facts of the plans of Corypheus: you learn that he murdered Celene, that he unleashed demons, ect... but you learn them because /It happened/. Plus there are the chilling moments with the sky being clearly opened. ("It used to be that only dwarves were afraid of the sky, now it's just common sense")

But in this plotline, Envy is just a goddamn moron??? the justification is that Envy wants to see how you'll react to the things he shows you so he can impersonate you better but..... Then.... he ends up revealing the whole plan of Corypheus... just to see your reaction... while he's still planning on being a tyran at your place anyway so it's not like he'll be in character doing that.

This is SO STUPID and it takes out of the experience completely to me. Because it's just that Envy is such a moron, how did Corypheus trust him with anything??? that's so stupid, oh my god, so stupid.

Like, I don't completely fault the writting per se, bc I do think Envy would be that stupid (the concept being that he always wants more to impersonate someone, ye, makes sense) but it removes a lot of the weight you get in IHW.

In IHW I was terrified that this future may happen. In CotJ I was just angry that Envy believed it could happen, and that he would think no one would notice him being an idiot.

-Cole's involvement. It kinda sucks since I just said i loved his scenes, but this is just..... so weird. Dorian was involved in the mage quest because his Master was the one who put this trouble, and he wanted to help the mages. Cole was there for reasons totally indepedant from the templars, and his involvement is completely about helping you against Envy and that's it. Even him coming back later feels a little out of place and a little forced?

Or at least it feels so when the alternative is known. IHW feels much, much more natural, with him coming because he realized the threats, felt it, and tbh I find him being confusing even worse when the Templars are basically assaulting us - and him being a support for Roderick makes so much poetic sense in a way that it wouldn't as much with Dorian (especially with Cole reminding Roderick his own thoughts and all).

So in CotJ it just feels.... a little out of place in general?

-The companions almost bring completely nothing to the plot orz. I had Cass, Viv and Solas and Cass and Viv had a few little sidecomments that were neat, but in comparaison to IHW this was lacking. 

-Hell the whole emotional impact of the Future of IHW is far better.

-The templars involvement was weird. The Red Templars were antagonists sure, but since the focus was so much on Envy it was really distracting from what was happening to the Templars. It was more balanced out in IHW.

-I still hate the Templar Order and this quest didn't make me like it at all. The result of having them joining the inquisition are underwhelming, but that's mostly bc i dismantled them. Still though I've never felt this disliked by the Advisors, yet three out of four of the advisors were against me allying with the mages and they were much more graceful about it than they were with the whole dismantling the Templars thing. 

-I went from them being sweet and soft with me to them being disappointed with me the templar run is hell.

-Speaking of bad, something i mentioned before, but ti's basically confirmed that even while dismantled the Templars are still looking for ways to controle the mages even against Cullen's and Cass's orders. I hate the Templars so damn much. It remplaces a scene which were just showing a mage complain because they were cold. Kinda shows their priorities.

Long story short, I think it is definitly worth a try in term of gameplay because there are some interesting stuff, but even without speaking about how i'm morally against the templars and that IHW is just more Morally Right, it just feels like it's less coherent in the narrative. Interesting to /play/ but not interesting to live in a timeline i'd say.

That's my Hot Take and i'm probably too harsh because I really liked IHW and saw a lot of people compare the two, and that i've played it non stop just to be just "that's.... it?" about it, so i guess i point out the flaws too much.

But ye, IHW ftw and now i get back to this real, better timeline thank u for your attention.