#i imagine solas and sera do not get in at ALL

[surreallyy]

Thinking about how Varric and Solas represent the two sides of Cole...and how that is much that same as Solas and Sera for a Dalish elf inquisitior. Solas representing your elven heritage, your connection to the fade. Sera representing your humanity, your connection to the people around you, the people you need to save. They both see you as being like them in some way but have completely opposite expectations of what that means, and if you lean into your Dalishness you end up disappointing both. Too elfy and never elfy enough.

[fenharel-babe]

I’m sorry but the way Solas, in his letter, says he wanted to stay as Solas with Lavellan just hits me.

In DATV, in my opinion, we see Fen’Harel. We see a GENERAL, someone who knows war, someone who’s using Rook (Mythal literally says it outright, which made me laugh), who is a liar (sprinkling some truths here and there), and is literally using blood magic on Rook. He’s lying and tricking them. We see who he used to be, his skills he kept hidden because they didn’t belong to Solas.

They belonged to Fen’Harel. In my head, Solas is who he was in DAI, mostly. A fade loving nerd who loves to help people and LOVES to answer questions if you ask. I feel like even if someone asked about something other than the Fade, he would do his best to answer because he just loves to see people wanting to know more. It’s why I feel like he’d be such a good dad. Kids are so curious about the world around them, and I believe he would support them, keep them safe and love them while teaching them so much about the real world and the Fade. And I can imagine him, if he ever ran into kids at Skyhold or even helping children slaves or parents, he would be so comforting and good at dealing with them. He’s awkward, since he hasn’t felt love (whether it be companionship or romantic) in so long, but sweet because he knows they’re innocent, curious and he wants to protect that.

I see a nerd that has a little snort when he chuckles, a man that deals with teasing from everyone and pranks from Sera even if they piss him off, and I believe sometimes he would participate in pranking even it it was small. He gets into arguments with Vivienne, yet I believe he would still protect her in the end of things. In my mind anyways. He literally is just a man in DAI who wants someone to understand him, and he’s so awkward when he gets that. He doesn’t know how to react because he hasn’t felt love in so long, and maybe never has. He went through hell when he was dealing with the Evanuris, and his relationship with Mythal was terribly abusive, so I can imagine him not wanting to get close to anyone. Not just because he was lying in DAI, but ALSO BECAUSE OF FEAR. HE WAS AFRAID THEY WOULD TREAT HIM THE SAME AS SHE DID. They wouldn’t see him as a person or someone worthy of getting help. He’s a scared man who wants love, so when he finds it he holds onto it.

I see him as such a good lover as Solas because it’s who he is deep down. He’s caring and doesn’t care about other people’s opinions. In DAI, he cares about Lavellan’s opinion and he wants her to have freedom. Like when you drink from the Well, he’s all upset because now you DONT HAVE FREEDOM. Whether inquisitor or lover, he’s scared. He cares about freedom, people knowing all they can, I feel like he doesn’t like to lie.

I see that as Solas, and it just HITS me when he says in the letter that he wanted to stay as Solas with her. I feel like he would tell her the truth eventually, but mainly keep himself with her. I see DAI Solas as SOLAS. He wanted to stay with her like that. As a nerd who loves her deeply and cares for other people. He didn’t want to be Fen’Harel anymore. Didn’t want to keep lying, hiding himself from others, and ever be a general again.

He wanted to give wisdom, not orders.

He wanted to stay as Solas and love Lavellan with all of him, but his devotion was so deep that he couldn’t. It hits when he says that he wanted to stay like THAT with Lavellan. I KNOW IT’S NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL BUT IT IS TO ME. It just makes me think that he didn’t want to be Fen’Harel ever again. Didn’t want this shit deep down, but he felt like he had to. And I imagine him as leaving clues for Lavellan because he loves her and wants her to stop him deep down. Help him be SOLAS AGAIN. Her Fade nerd that loves people as well and loves to grab ass.

Anyways. I’m overthinking and I love Solas deeply. I can never escape this hole of Solavellan hell and Solavellan heaven.

[ir-abelas-vhenan]

I would give all my critiques (this is a lie) back if at the end of Veilguard we had found out in an extra extra post-Marvel credits scene that it's just been Sandal playing with figurines on the Skyhold war table's map of Thedas all Civil War Buff Dad style.

I wasn't going to do this because everyone deserves to rationalize Veilguard however works best for them, but in the wake of that hilariously dismal end-of-times IGN interview and AMA, I thought I'd share how my best friend and I decided to view Veilguard. Everything below is taken from probably a fifteen minute text conversation we had working through our disappointment together, but by the end we both felt way better about the game.

Picture this. You reach the climax of the game, Solas has freed himself from the fade and is getting ready to cast a really powerful spell and suddenly, out of nowhere, he just gets squished flat and then it immediately cuts to Bodahn in a little fire-lit room saying "Oh Sandal, you crushed another one of the pieces?"

Varric is sitting there alive, well, and BLONDE, and has been playing the whole game with Sandal and says "the kid's got a great imagination." They're all in the home of the Inquisitor.

So how do we get here, you might ask?

*drumroll*

Actually wait no I fear this is going to be long so I'll put a divider thingy in.

So hear me out.

We'll go a year or so after Trespasser. The inquisitor is going through it. Skyhold is still theirs to command because sure everyone and their mother's mother was mad at the Inquisition for taking care of business, but what are you going to do, take their home away? Not if any of the Inquisitor's fiercely loyal friends have anything to say about it (I'm sure Josephine had something worked out to get a title locked down after there being so much uncertainty at Haven, anyway).

So it's become a home base once more, regardless of how intact the inquisition is or isn't under Divine Victoria. Agents are always going in and out, the murals in the rotunda serve as an ever-present reminder of the mission at hand, and Varric visits regularly from Kirkwall to touch base. On one such visit, Bodahn and Sandal accompany him, because they heard there might be a need for enchantments (BOOM).

One night everyone ends up around the map because it's been a rougher week than usual and a game of wicked grace at the tavern just isn't enough, they've gotta treat this like an overdue group project and pull an all-nighter to get SOMEWHERE on tracking down Solas.

Enter Sandal. He's bored, no one is asking him to enchant anything, and Dagna isn't around for them to talk shop (engage in probably illegal/definitely unsafe experiments). And there, amidst the pile of clutter the team has been using when they need to add a new piece to the war table, is a Rook chess piece.

He's seen one before, of course. Varric used to try and teach it to him back in Kirkwall, and Sandal was good in the way that new chess players who go full chaos mode are stellar at driving experienced chess players crazy. His win streak is no joke. So he grabs it, tries to lighten the mood around the war table because no one in a bad mood is going to be requesting enchantments any time soon, and suddenly the tension that's been building up for months starts to ease just a little.

Eventually, everyone gets involved. Much like any great D&D campaign, they fit time in for the adventures of Rook & co in between skrimishes, secret missions, and stressful planning sessions, but that just enables more people to have input.

The Chargers keep making suggestions of all the missions Rook should go on when they pass through, but these all end up becoming Neve's cases.

Bellara was made up by Cassandra who stopped by for a visit from rebuilding the Seekers/wearing her big hat and she was too busy to give anything substantial, but she went with what she knows: a character who loves romance and has a dead brother.

Sera doesn't have the attention span to get too in-depth with it, but she does doodle all over the map of Thedas and add some much needed commentary as the Rook piece moves across it. She also INSISTS that the villains of the story be old and elfy, because they don't get enough representation as villains.

Lucanis loving coffee/it being 75% of his lines comes exclusively from the fact that on the nights they get too invested to stop it's the only thing that keeps them going and he became the character that embodies that particular struggle.

There are so many enchantments Rook can take advantage of because Sandal keeps thinking of new ones he can test with Dagna when she's next around.

Speaking of Sandal again, he tried to kill Varric off in the beginning because he was putting on his author hat and over-narrating. Varric was of course like "wait no why did you kill me I wanted to be part of this" so he keeps interjecting as himself and everyone else is like "shhh you're dead." They only indulge him when they conclude what feels like a major plot point and need someone with an understanding of narrative and pacing to tie all the threads together or give them an idea of where to go next.

The Inquisitor struggles to get into it sometimes because they feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders yet again. Occasionally, they'll sighs heavily and insert their game piece onto the board (Blackwall carved it, so it's as close s a completely different style can be to their true likeness) to be like "so anyways, THESE are the problems happening in Southern Thedas, in case anyone forgot" only for their message crystal to light up and Dorian's voice to filter through.

"I hear you're working on an astounding number of hypotheticals. Do you think it would be feasible to form an undercover group that works to liberate slaves?"

And then suddenly they spend the rest of the night working through how effective such an organization might be (through Rook's eyes, of course), but because Dorian isn't there to stop them they give him an insane new hairstyle and mention it every time they're giving a description of the Shadow Dragon leader. He is horrified.

Harding gets to be a self-insert because everyone unilaterally agrees that a fictional scout wouldn't hold a candle to her skill level. All the not fleshed out dwarven plot points come from their scrambled theorizing, but it does inspire her to look deeper into the mysterious Kal-Sharok during her real travels.

The reason Morrigan acts so out of character is because they're all like "we have no fucking idea what she gets up to when she isn't saving the world, but we know she'd be there in some capacity."

Leliana is busy busy busy but when she hears about what they're doing and that Morrigan is involved, she finds the time to send a letter saying "let's give her different hair :)"

When Morrigan finds out she brings Kieran for a visit (he missed all of his friends at Skyhold anyway) and is like "seems a most inconvenient waste of time..." and then finds out Leliana is the reason her game piece looks crazy and is like...make a character who is nosy and up in everyone's business all the time but still super reserved and afraid to trust others. (Boom, hi Neve).

Kieran gets really into the story and is critical to designing Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain. "She has sooOOoO many arms!" he explains, miming it out over the sound of a muffled voice crystal shaking as Dorian yells "you could've killed me! You could have made me evil! But you made me UGLY?!"

Even the Inquisitor, exhausted as they are, still finds the time to check in and ask if brown-haired Varric is still dead. The answer is always yes.

They all have a good laugh about the idea of Treviso and Minrathous being full of zip lines, but how else are they going to get to the parts they actually care about?

Minrathous gets destroyed instead of Treviso because while they're deciding the stakes for Rook to be faced with, Fenris stops by to check in with Varric because he heard they might need to go to Tevinter. He takes one look at the board and goes "hanging bodies. Everywhere."

"Fenris, that means the venatori will take over."

"...this game is stupid anyway."

Iron Bull definitely said "this story needs a DRAGON HUNTER" so boom. Enter Taash. A Dorian that romanced him sighs heavily and decides to play along if only to get to spend more time with his amatus another way. He models a character after one of his favorite professors from when he was a child.

Solas looks so yassified because the Inquisitor's love interest (or Sera, if they're pining after the Dread Wolf himself) came by and threw his actual war table piece into the fire during a particularly rough evening after his agents thwarted them yet again. To replace him, they let Kieran draw on a spoon and add a new cursed detail every time he pulls some bullshit to try and cheer each other up.

Fenris goes back to Kirkwall and complains about the stupid game Varric is running instead of spending all of his time on saving the world. Merrill overhears and is like "oh! They're incorporating eluvians? That's nice!" until she hears about how many there are and her eye starts twitching.

Harding only dies because everyone over-celebrates when Rook finally gets a win over on the stuffed squid animal being used to represent Ghilan'ain and her game piece topples over. Varric insisted that it be canon because he's tired of being the only dead one.

Blackwall gets Sera to be a little more invested by promising they can make a character together, maybe an elven Grey Warden! She washes her hands of anything too dalish, even though Blackwall makes it clear that there's more to him than that, but insists he should have a loyal griffon friend in honor of his rocking toys.

It's one of the Inquisitor's fondest memories as they prepare to actually find Solas for real, and one of the only unifying threads keeping everyone sane.

[lizzybeeee]

the language being stripped of lore specific terms made it so much worse in retrospect. fr tho Davrin calling Eldrin "Uncle" Eldrin instead of Hahren, like it's okay Davrin you can use elvish around my Rook I won't judge :( I haven't romanced him does he at least call you vhenan??

I could get the use of 'uncle' if Davrin was trying to explain it to Rook who was not elvish (since all elves in this game seem to just instinctively know elvish) since it would make sense to make a connection between the dalish role and familial role for an outsider:

Rook - "Who are we seeing?" Davrin - "Hahren...Uncle Eldrin." Rook - "Hahren?" Davrin - "It's elvish - they're storytellers and caretakers in the clan." Rook - "So...not your uncle." Davrin - "Close enough. He raised me."

Does Davrin call you 'vhenan'? I could have sworn he did in the final love/petting over clothes scene but I did a look up because I couldn't remember...apparently its just my wishful thinking - but don't quote me, maybe it's only in a specific dialogue option? :(

That fact that I can't recall it off the top of my head is telling -> Solas calls Lavellan 'vhenan' so much its burned into my brain, the same with other endearments from other romances. I played as a shadow dragon elf so I was hoping to be able to say 'amatus' - didn't get to do that either.

Which is one reason that the romances in this game really fall flat for me. I loved how different characters had different endearments for you, it made it feel more personal! Bull with 'Kadan', Dorian with 'Amatus', Solas with 'Vhenan', Leliana with 'My Love', and Sera had a 'pick your own' that wonderfully reflected her character!

I assume they were trying to make the language more accessible for new players, but it was never a barrier for me in any of the other games? If anything it always made me more interested/curious in what was going on when I encountered a phrase that I didn't understand. It added to the idea that these characters were from different nations and cultures - they had their own languages and phrases that reflected that -> the world felt bigger because of it!

Even if I didn't understand something, the voice work was always so stellar that even if the exact meaning wasn't understood, I got the intent that it was being said with.

Best examples being Solas and the Arishok - I understand certain words and phrases of each language, but I'm not a translator like some very talented people on this website. Even if I didn't get what was being said I absolutely understood the intent from the emotion and nuances in voice work. Top tier example is Solas and Sera in DAI:

Solas: Our people used to be here. Sera: Pfft, you say that everywhere. Solas: It is more true than you want to believe. Sera: I bet, right? Who wants to think about stepping on dead elves. Solas: Din elvhen emma him? Sera: Oh, you felt that one.

The way that line was delivered was incredible. Didn't understand a word but you could absolutely feel the repressed fury of what Solas was saying - his disgust at what Sera said. Once again, Gareth David-Lloyd coming in with incredible voice work! <3

It's such a strange choice to just...remove that immersion - to have so little of it in-game. Does it require extra work to make certain that the characters language reflects their history and culture? Yes! But what it adds is so immense to the world. I can't imagine not having Solas call Lavellan by elven endearments or having Andrastian characters not say 'Thank the Maker!' or 'Maker's breath!' It was cool worldbuilding! Just like how we say 'oh my god' there's a Thedas equivalent that communicated the very same idea!

Hearing lore specific words and phrases makes me know that I'm playing a Dragon Age game. Playing DATV which severely lacks in those words and phrases made me realize I'm sitting on my swivel chair and looking at a computer screen.

[deadlysoupy]

been thinking about how other people's Inquisitors meet their Rooks and my own can't leave my mind because that is a disaster of a situation

my Inquisitor, Zarya Trevelyan, 48 years old, Josephine's wife, a Soldier through and through, who built her Inqusition on her own blood, sweat and tears, who's so used to command and give orders...

...meets Urchin/Rook (no last name but it's Laidir), the guy who despises authority, likes doing things just because they sound fun, a greedy, swashbuckling pest, who talks back all the time, and lavishes in being everyone's pain in the ass (who reminds her of Sera, but even then Zarya had to get used to her, too)

i imagine their meeting would be... very different to what we've been shown in Veilguard. Zarya would probably have Urchin killed and assassinated in the dead of night, because she can't possibly trust a 27 year old thief to stop two of the Evanuris, right? surely she won't trust this unreliable nobody to lead the charge? sure, Varric hired him, and he and the Inquisitor are on good terms, but trusting this guy fully? never. she'd rather take the sword and go after the Gods herself, not to mention Solas

it's just kinda funny to think about and a good visual to have

[vigilskeep]

what’s Bea’s thoughts/relationships with the companions so far? any interesting dynamics?

yeah i’m having a lot of fun w them!!

she gets along well with solas, her chantry opinions sometimes grate but she’s so inquisitive and he loves to explain. he’s so strange to her, she’s never truly talked to a mage before let alone an elf who acts so unlike the elves she’s interacted with. she’s too young and uncertain to mind at all being talked down to a little bit; she sees him as a scholar and wants him to think she’s worthy of holding intellectual conversations with

she thinks varric is an exciting dashing rogue to hang out with because she doesn’t have the context to realise he’s also a nepo baby. she just read the tale of the champion very wide-eyed

she wants cassandra to approve of her so bad. was definitely not lying about not having heard the saving-divine-beatrix-from-dragons story in order to hear it from the woman herself and definitely did not go into an “oh maker i lied to a seeker” panic after

i didn’t expect her to care that much about blackwall but her mother being a warden changes things a lot. microdosing on my absent mother’s approval by having literally any warden say they like me. he makes her feel safe

a bit nervous around the iron bull, they just met and haven’t fought together yet. free marchers and ostwick in particular have a lot of anxiety abt the qunari so i don’t imagine she’s ever heard much good, but as always she’s also painfully curious

suuuuper intimidated by vivienne. very respectful to her

sera is such a shock compared to everything she knows and the way people usually talk in her presence and she’s also pretty and bea is a little uncertain what to do about any of this

was wary of dorian on first meeting but i think she’ll be pretty close with him after the whole in hushed whispers thing, i see that being a strong friendship. which is interesting i don’t normally bring him out much but gay rich kids who love books flock together ig

[chanafehs]

Okay so saw the ask about Cullen and now I have some more questions cause I love hearing people talk about characters they like. Is there any part of his story throughout the series you wish was explored more? And, how do you think his character progresses post Trespasser?

Me when people ask me my thoughts on Cullen

Thank you for the ask Archi! I will try to answer as best I can.

I honestly think his relationships between other characters should’ve been explored wayyyy more. One of the downsides of having a character be essentially benched at skyhold or haven for most of the game is that you hardly ever see them interact with other characters. The war table banter is one of my favorite parts of the game because you get to hear Leliana Josie and Cullen all tease each other like siblings - imagine if Cullen had been a companion!

If Solas and Bull were in your party with him, maybe there could’ve even been dialogue with Cullen remarking how either Solas or Bull was going to win with their mental chess game? Sera teasing Cullen? Dorian picking his brain about the Templar order? Vivienne asking about his time in the circle? Blackwall and Cullen exchanging about how they are leashed to duty? Cole sensing Cullen’s thoughts during difficult demon oriented missions? Varric asking Cullen about his hobbies (or lack thereof)? Cassandra and Cullen telling stories about the champion of Kirkwall? Like there is so much we missed out on in regards to Cullen’s relationships with others.

I think the reason why his romance does a lot of credit to his character and makes him feel more fleshed out is because being an advisor doesn’t allow him to get that with other companions. I would’ve chopped off my left hand to have Cullen as a companion during the mage or Templar quest just GAH i think BioWare in a way underestimated how interesting he is as a character.

As for post trespasser:

I think a lot of people disagree with how his redemption arc went in game (I don’t agree with them but that’s besides the point) but I think him having the Templar sanctuary is a good bow to wrap up his arc. Helping Templars leave the order when they feel like they have no other choice is a fitting end to his story across all three games, you have the chantry turning them into mindless zombies through lyrium and Cullen offers a way to break the leash, something he worked towards throughout all of dai. I think he becomes more human, more like himself from before - you could say he went full circle :)

As for romanced Cullen I think he becomes a dad (or a really good uncle) because I am a girl dad Cullen propagandist and him trying to use the commander voice on children who will not listen is funny. I also make him join clan lavellan because I don’t agree with the idea half the fandom has that lavellan doesn’t return to their clan, let us go home!

So yeah these are my thoughts and I hope they made just a little bit of sense sjks thank you!

[daitranscripts]

Vivienne Conversation: High Approval

Let's Talk About Our Friends

Vivienne Masterpost

PC: What are your thoughts on the others in the Inquisition?

Dialogue options:

Dorian [1]

Blackwall [2]

Sera [3]

Cole[4]

Varric [5]

Solas [6]

Cassandra [7]

1 - Dorian:

Not romanced Vivienne: Our dear Lord Dorian is very sure of himself, isn’t he? Let’s hope he doesn’t get his confidence crushed.

Romanced

Vivienne: You of course mean to speak of your Tevinter paramour. I doubt I can be impartial about him. I have been a Circle mage far too long… But he does have a great sense of fashion. I’ll give him that.

Vivienne: You of course mean to speak of your Tevinter paramour. I admit he’s quite charming. I can see how he’s stolen your heart. f0c67cf0-162a-491b-9407-2afbb0200190 [Not sure of the exact trigger on this one]

Vivienne (post-breakup): You want to talk about dear Lord Dorian. You can admit it, darling. I’d heard that you were no longer keeping his company. I do hope everything is all right.

2 - Blackwall

Not romanced, personal quest not started Vivienne: Blackwall is a useful sort of fellow, but he’s perhaps too eager to please. He reminds me of a pup begging for attention.

Romanced, personal quest not-started Vivienne: You seem quite fond of our Warden, Blackwall. I think it’s charming.

Romanced, personal quest started Vivienne: I know you were attached to him, my dear. Perhaps his absence will set your mind at ease.

Post-Revelations, not romanced Vivienne: Blackwall surprised me. I never would have thought him capable of carrying off such deception.

Vivienne (left in prison): He was tolerably useful, but I’m sure we can find someone else to poke things to death.

Vivienne (given to the Wardens): Generous, you giving him a chance at redemption. Let’s see if he manages it.

Vivienne (freed to atone): You were quite forgiving. I hope he fares better as a Rainier than a Blackwall.

Vivienne (imprisoned): A bit dangerous, though, continuing this Warden charade. Let us hope nothing further comes of it.

Post-Revelations, romanced Vivienne: Blackwall surprised me. I never would have thought him capable of carrying off such deception.

Given to the Wardens

Vivienne (broke up during judgement): His betrayal must have stung. It’s very generous of you, giving him a chance to redeem himself.

Vivienne: He is an extremely fortunate man to remain in your good graces after such a lie. I hope he will do well.

Freed to atone

Vivienne (broke up during judgement): You were very kind to him, however horribly he betrayed your trust.

Vivienne: He’s a lucky man. Few women would have forgiven such a lie. Let’s hope he lives up to your faith in him.

Imprisoned

Vivienne: Be careful, my dear. Men are simple creatures. Resentment in his present circumstance could become an issue.

3 - Sera:

Vivienne: Sera I certainly a colorful character. Like a poisonous toad, only without the manners.

Romanced

Vivienne: I would never criticize your choice in paramours, my dear. I’m sure Sera’s affection for you is genuine. She’s nowhere near clever enough to be after you for your wealth or position, so it must be true love.

Vivienne (after break-up): I understand that you and Sera are no longer a couple. Don’t worry, my dear. You can do so much better.

4 - Cole:

Vivienne: Whether Cole is a spirit or a demon is irrelevant. Neither can be trusted, my dear. Remember that.

5 - Varric:

Vivienne: What exactly is Varric’s role in the Inquisition? Aside from irritating Cassandra?

Vivienne: So Varric was spying on us all this time? I’m impressed. I never would have taken him for a player of the Game. I’ll have to watch him more closely from now on. fae0e7ba-1667-413b-9680-10ea0a6f0165 [I can’t find the plot flag for this?]

6 - Solas:

Vivienne: I don’t know what to make of Solas. So much knowledge and so little personal history… I find that… peculiar. Don’t you?

Romanced. Vivienne: Is it my imagination, dear, or have certain… lingering looks passed between you and our Solas?

After Solas has left. Vivienne: It’s strange not having Solas hanging about looking smug. I wonder where he’s gone.

7 - Cassandra:

Vivienne: I admire Cassandra’s determination. If she had a little charm, she could be a remarkable leader.

Romanced Vivienne: My dear, if you want to talk about Cassandra, just say so. I see how you dote upon her. You’re a fetching couple, you know. Or you would be if Cassandra ever smiled.

[wootensmith]

Teeth

(the version where she's angry with him. Is it long? yes. Should it be longer? probably also yes)

The anchor was a physical pulse against his skin, even miles from her. They’d been slogging through the desolate ruby wastes for days before he felt it wash over him. He had expressly avoided asking his companions about the former Inquisitor, though Varric had hinted that she had been kept informed of Solas’s movements in particular and the Veilguard’s generally. Solas had taken it as a warning. That she chose not to intervene. That she had at last abandoned him to his fate after a decade of chasing. He told himself it was for the best. He failed to convince himself more often than not, but he did not truly have the time or liberty to alter what was.

It had taken far too long to ready himself, to ready Rook and the others to face the Evanuris. If he had known what the Inquisitor was truly doing in order to buy them that time— well, he could hardly panic more than he already had. Once they had prepared, it was relatively simple to follow the thickening trails of Blighted creatures and land to their source. At least until the remaining life in the region was simply swallowed by it. Solas had no doubt that a sea of darkspawn lay ahead, but for now, at least, they were alone in the bleak and barren mountains. Except for that familiar pulse.

“Do you feel that?” he’d asked Varric, hours before they reached her. Varric paused to catch his breath, thought for a moment. “What? The red lyrium? Are you already hearing it?” he asked. “No, it’s something else. It feels like— the anchor.” Varric’s expression shifted, closed off immediately. “Don’t feel anything, Chuckles. Maybe it’s just nerves.” The others had noticed their pause and called back to them. He waved to indicate he and Solas were coming.

“Where is she, Varric?” he asked, already knowing he’d get no answer. Varric started walking again. “I don’t know,” he said, and nothing more. “What is she doing?” Solas persisted, dread creeping in as surely as the anchor’s pulse became more certain. “I imagine the same thing we are.” “I’m not going to harm her—” “More.” The word bristled. He wanted to protest. Varric expected a protest, was spoiling for an argument. But Solas knew better. “Yes,” he agreed quietly, “More. But if it is the anchor and I can persuade her to—” “I don’t know, and that’s the truth,” Varric admitted reluctantly. “She knows about us, but it’s not reciprocal. That was on purpose. Last I saw her, she said she was traveling to warn the other clans. To try and prepare them. Whatever you were doing was— changing things. You already know about Harding— there’ve been hundreds of others. Sera was a basket case when she accidentally lit a few of her arrows on fire. The Inquisitor helped her with controlling it. That’s what Sera says anyway. And they realized there’d be more like her. If she could convince the Keepers to begin training and to get ready for whatever consequences your ritual would bring if we failed to stop you— didn’t expect it all to go this wrong. That’s all I know.”

They trudged in silence for a while.  “If it makes you feel any better, Chuckles,” Varric said suddenly, “I really don’t feel anything. But I’m not shooting lightning bolts from my fingertips either, so maybe I wouldn’t.” He glanced up at Solas. “But if you want to know what I really think— I don’t think you feel it either. You just really miss her.” “I hope you are right,” said Solas, and left it at that, though the anchor’s pulse became stronger and steadier as they walked until he was certain he’d see her just over the next rise of broken boulders and crimson lyrium crystals.

It wasn’t until the bleeding horizon became subtly tinged with a green glow that Varric said, “I feel it now, Solas.” He said it quietly, as if it would alarm the others. As if he, himself, were alarmed. Still, Solas doubted himself. “Did you, before? During our journeys together? Could you feel the anchor? Perhaps it’s only a powerful spell and I mistake—” “It’s the anchor,” said Varric, his expression grim, “Unless there’s something else like it. Couldn’t ever feel it like you probably could but when she’d do that… thing, it felt like this. You know, when everything would slow down except us and it felt like a narrow sphere or bubble where the world just— stopped breathing. Felt like this.” Solas was quiet for another minute, climbing the slope behind Rook.

“Why would she come here?” Solas asked. “The only people we have seen were days ago and they were fleeing. There cannot be clans here.” “Maybe she stopped doing that. I mean, what’s the point in preparing them when the worst has already happened?” “You’ve truly heard nothing since the ritual? If hiding her activity from me were the purpose of your one way communication, surely my imprisonment would have alleviated the need for that.” “Shit, Chuckles, the end of the ritual would have made it pointless, regardless of how it turned out. No, she’s been quiet. I’ve been trying. She didn’t want to be found or— look: Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain are gods aren’t they?” “They aren’t, as you well know,” snapped Solas. Varric held up his hands to calm him down. “I know that’s what you say, and for my part, I believe you. But the Dalish had generations of people teaching them that these are their creators. You don’t just forget that because someone you like tells you so.” Solas shook his head. “No, we discussed it, more than once. By the time all was said and done, she was convinced. And after what’s been done, I cannot think she’d still believe—” “I wasn’t talking about the Inquisitor believing you, Solas. I was talking about the Dalish believing her. Maybe she’s here because the clans are here. Maybe she’s still trying to convince them. Or maybe she has convinced them and they’re trying to do the same thing we are.”

Solas sighed. “I wished to give her a peaceful existence after the Inquisition. Not this.” Varric stopped to wipe his face and drank from his waterskin. “Yeah, well, once you start trying to save the world, I don’t think you ever stop,” he said, passing the skin to Solas, “I mean, look at us. I should be writing a novel or dodging the merchant’s guild. And she should be redecorating Skyhold or torturing nobles with Sera. And you should be… I don’t know, sleeping or something. But here we all are. Maybe.” He squinted at the green light leaking into the horizon. “I guess we’ll see. No idea how far away that light is, but I’d assume we get to it before nightfall.”

They heard her before she came into view, however. Solas could feel not only the thrum of the anchor by that point, but also the frisson of a powerful spell both familiar and exponentially larger than he remembered from her. The emerald of the anchor had long ago pushed back all the wine-red of the sky, banished the Blight’s dark signature and replaced it.  “—implore you not to do this—” her voice threaded in and out of the breeze, raw and exhausted and faint, but undeniably the Inquisitor.  Solas scrambled up the last ridge, the others struggling to keep up.

“We are kin, lethallen. What would it profit me to lead you astray?”  The stamp and clatter of hundreds of feet threaded through her words, slightly more distant but undeniable. Solas emerged at the top of the ridge. Just below on the edge of the plateau marched thousands of elves. An enormous green barrier straddled most of the plateau and the Inquisitor shone like a sun inside its center, her lone arm raised and shaking with the effort of maintaining the spell. A much smaller group stood inside the barrier but did not move. Those outside simply marched toward the sphere of her spell.

  “Shit,” muttered Varric as he reached Solas and stared down at her barrier.  “Sathan, listen. They are not what they seem,” she called. “She sounds— tired,” said Varric. Solas descended down onto the plateau. “Would you slaughter your own family to satisfy those who care nothing for you?”  Solas began pushing through the crowd to get closer, to see who stood with her, why they said nothing even as her voice began to give out. He had assumed it was clan Lavellan, content to stand bodily in the way of the others but not willing to fight. But as he drew closer, he heard her call her own Keeper. 

“Deshanna, you know that they are not gods. You know I do not lie. Turn back, please. Please, Hahren, do not let our brothers and sisters throw away their lives.” A small break in the groups of elves allowed Solas to dart through to the edge of her barrier. The power from her spell was almost painful, pouring even beyond the barrier, pushing, pushing the others backward, but not enough to contain them. He knew he could break through if he forced it, but he did not wish to risk harming her when the spell collapsed. He waited beyond the barrier and watched Deshanna, bent like a wind-blown pine hobble toward the Inquisitor. She, too, stayed beyond the barrier.

“I believe you, da’len,” she said slowly. “And I also know that it doesn’t matter that I do. Whether we worship them or not, they still have the strength to wipe us all away.  Pretenders they may be, but we cannot fight them. Come with us, do not stand against your people.” “You can fight them. We can fight them. Tell them, Abelas, tell them the Evanuris are not invulnerable.” Solas glanced at the others inside the barrier. Abelas and Mythal’s remaining sentinels were indeed among her forces. Hundreds of unmarked elves as well. Even Sera. He even recognized his own agents sprinkled in. It was as Varric had feared. She was trying desperately to stop the Dalish from joining Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain. And failing, if the expressions of the others were any indication.

“I have told them, lethallan. As have we all. If they will not listen to you, who has already defeated a would-be god, why would they hear me?” Abelas’s face was twisted into a furious scowl at the Dalish closing in on them. “The whole world will fight against you, Keeper,” cried the Inquisitor. “And the Blight will take you. Stay with us, let us stand together. Let us protect the little ones at least. Do not do this, I beg you.” Her voice gave out at last, the end of her words little more than a rasping breeze. Deshanna sadly shook her head. “There is nowhere to stand, da’len. There is no protection for any of us. The others go because they believe their Creators have called them, no matter what you or I may say. And I go with them because I would not spend my last hours parted from those I love. It is the only choice we have left. God or man, Elgar’nan will find us, should we disobey. And he will sear us from the land. If we go to him, you are the only threat remaining to us. And your love will stop you from harming us. This, I know. There is still time, fanor, but you are lost to your grief. I hope you will find your way back to us again. I will ink your vallaslin on that day with my own hand. Dareth shiral, da’len.”

Deshanna hobbled around the edge of the barrier and the Inquisitor began to weep. “Don’t do that,” said Sera softly, hugging her shoulders. “Don’t, Buckles. We tried. Can’t help them if they won’t listen. And even you can’t scare ‘em more than those enormous elfy bastards do.” She can’t, but I can, Solas realized. He stretched and bristled, ignoring the horrified cries of Varric and Rook behind him. The Inquisitor’s barrier rapidly shrunk beneath him, his muzzle rising skyward. An intense growl rippled from him ricocheting in booming echoes from the ring of mountain that surrounded the plateau. The elves below shrieked and scattered. All except the tiny figures inside the Inquisitor’s emerald shield. They remained motionless.

Solas’s hackles spiked and sparked and he hunched forward, shielding the Inquisitor’s forces with his massive head. “Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain care nothing for scurrying rodents.” His words thundered and rattled the very stones. “But I delight in hunting ignorant rabbits,” he snarled. He took a few bounding steps forward, careful to avoid trampling anyone too slow to flee his path. “Fly!” he commanded, “And never return. For I have your scent. If you betray me, I shall stalk you to the end of the world. Not even a god will save you.”  He waited, chest heaving, jaws dripping, as the remaining elves retreated as quickly as they could. He expected some resistance, some foolhardy would-be hero to poke his foot, climb his tail, stand defiant before him, but after a few moments, none remained to challenge him. This is not an army, he reminded himself, those trained in combat are my own allies or went to the Evanuris long ago. These are just families driven by fear. Clans desperate to please those they’ve been taught gave them life and purpose. He let the wolf dwindle away. He felt suddenly too small. Smaller even than the elves who had dashed from his sight. And chilled to the bone. He turned, seeking his people and the Inquisitor. Her barrier was gone and with it, the light of the anchor, though he felt it still, drumming steadily against his skin like a second heart. 

One of his agents ran toward him. “Apologies, Ser,” she gasped as she reached him. “We— we lost contact and assumed… the former Inquisitor approached us soon after and persuaded some of us that— well, that our goals aligned, at least for the time. Until you would return, some chose to follow her. If we’d known you—” “How many does she have under her banner?” he interrupted, half brushing past the agent to return to the others. “I am uncertain. We work in cells. I thought— I thought it was something you had taught her. I have seen several hundred in our attempt to dissuade the Dalish from joining the Evanuris, but I have no doubt there are more. Those are only the cells she visited personally. They are positioned all along this ridge. If you need positions I can—” He clasped the agent’s shoulder. “That may be useful later. But you have done well,” he said. He headed for the Inquisitor before he could be further delayed. Several of his own people took rapid steps back as he approached and even Abelas and his sentinels gave way without comment. Solas regretted their apparent fear. Worse, the Inquisitor was visibly shaking as he reached her. He thought, for a moment, that she too, was terrified. Sera scowled when she caught sight of him and her hand clutched the pommel of a dagger. 

“You told me once that no real god need prove himself,” the Inquisitor said when she saw him. But she did not stop trembling. He hesitated, thinking he had miscalculated, that she quaked not from fear but rage. “I am no god and it looked as if they needed proof.” It won him a crooked smile and he clung to it. “Thank you for— the demonstration,” she said. “We have been trying for weeks to turn them back. I feared it would come to violence here at the last. Your display has bought us time at least.” “They will return,” said Abelas. “We will not be able to dissuade them with words and shadows next time, lethallan.” “I know. That is why this must end before they gather their courage again. We must press forward to the true battle.”  “Not until you’ve had a rest. Shake yourself to pieces before we get over the ridge, Buckles,” said Sera, letting go of her dagger’s hilt to grab the Inquisitor’s elbow to steady her.  “Just need a minute. And a lyrium potion,” said the Inquisitor. “Now is the time to press—” “Then let him do it. His mess anyway,” snapped Sera, glaring at Solas. “If he’s even on our side, that is.” “He is. For now,” said Rook. Varric hurried to introduce her to the Inquisitor. 

Solas took a step back, expecting to melt back into the others for the time being while the Inquisitor spoke to Rook. It would give him a chance to gather information from—  “Not as slick as you think, Droopy,” Sera hissed into his ear as she slipped behind him, hard metal touching just above his hip. “Do you truly think a dagger would stop me if I wished to escape?” “You think your growl’s going to stop me from trying? Faster on the draw than Varric, anyway. And he’s managed you just fine, looks like.” “I am where I wished most to be, Sera. And it seems we are all headed to where I am most needed. Save your dagger for Ghilan’nain and I will save my growls for Elgar’nan.” There was no time for more. The crowd around them was rapidly dispersing. The Inquisitor followed Abelas toward the ridge. Her steps were unsteady, faltering.

“Oh no, Buckles,” Sera said. “Where are you going?” “We need to gather the others. We need to buy the Veilguard some time.” She didn’t even turn to look back at them, staggering after Mythal’s sentinels who had already far outpaced her. “Then let me go, Vhenan,” he called after her. She stopped, even as Sera protested. “Oh no, Droopy. You aren’t leaving our sight. You’d make em all run or turn em to stone or summat.” “You’ve had my own agents among you all this time,” he said calmly. “I didn’t need to wait until now to betray you.” “Pfft. Already knew about them. They came to us. After you locked yourself in your own dungeon. Arse. Yeah, Varric told us about that. Told you, your growls don’t scare me. Buckles either.” He saw the Inquisitor’s shoulders rise in a sigh and then fall heavily again and she started trudging forward.  “If you will not let me go in your stead, then let your people. They will reach your other groups with more speed and you are exhausted. It’ll do no good to—” “And who’s fault is that, hmm? She wouldn’t have been holding up your snot-bubble anchor if you’d been—” “Sera—” called Varric. Solas rounded on her. “I was— am trying to aid you. None of this has gone as planned, but even so, I take responsibility for my part. If it makes you feel better to cast me again as the Great Adversary, then by all means—” “Enough!” cried the Inquisitor and she stopped, turned back to them. “If we do not stop the Evanuris and soon, then they will take everyone I’ve ever loved. I will die fighting my own people, regardless of the outcome. I cannot wait while you finish your squabbling. Either help me or leave me the few moments of peace that are left.”

Sera backed off immediately, surprising Solas. “Right. Sorry Buckles. Want you to rest is all. You shouldn’t be here. All of this is— wrong.”  “I know. I’m sorry I’ve dragged you into this.” “None of that. Just— just sit down, yeah? Before you fall apart at the bendy bits.”  “There’s no time. You know where we are bound. I am, indeed, already far too slow.” Sera glanced at Solas and then quickly away. “I’ll go, then. If somebody’s got to. Should be me, I know where they are and can direct the messengers. No reason for you to wear out the mountains going back and forth. But you don’t do this without me, right? And you rest. No matter what— anyone says. Promise.”  The Inquisitor nodded in obvious relief. “I promise, lethallan. I will take care. Varric will force me to in your stead.”

Sera nodded then leaned toward Solas and hissed in a low voice, “You breathe on her wrong and I’ll—” “Please, Sera,” the Inquisitor begged, her voice distressed enough that Varric hurried toward her. “I know, Buckles,” said Sera. “Don’t worry, we’ll all be right behind you.” Sera walked past her and squeezed her shoulder before breaking into a sprint. The Inquisitor turned to Solas. “And you. You scorn your title, your role as our ‘Great Adversary’ but that is exactly who we needed these past months. Years. Lifetimes. We needed someone to oppose the Evanuris. We needed Fen’harel. We begged— I begged you to help and all that met me was silence. You at least left me with some— particle of truth so I didn’t join my clan when they heard Elgar’nan’s call. What hope did any of the others have? There was no one to tell them he was a lie. That all of their prayers and offerings were— were dross. That everything he is promising them is only an illusion covering ruin.” She swiped at her eyes and her expression hardened into a bitter frown. “In all those long centuries of silence, from you, from them, there’ve been no answers. And now there’s only me. So put it aside, then, this title you hate. I will be the Great Adversary instead. I will fight them to save them from Elgar’nan. From the Blight. You can sleep again. Go. Return to your silence and your Fade and your true Elvehn.” 

“I’ve tried. I tried to bring them the truth,” he cried, crushed by the dismissal. He tried to ignore the way Varric flinched at his tone. “When? You’ve had millennia, Solas. You sealed them away and had thousands of years to expose the truth. None of the Evanuris were free to oppose you.” “It took more effort than you realize to keep them contained. Regaining my strength cost many centuries.” “You wander the Fade. You touch the dreams of others. You could have—” “Yes. Many, many dreams. Those who believed them on waking were called mad or fool, just as I was. You have seen the handful who believed me. They’re already with you. Who else should I have told? What else could I have done?” “And what is it you told that handful? The same tiny portion you told me? Something more? You think I just accepted the agents of Fen’harel without asking them what they knew of you? Or do you think I didn’t take your warning when last I saw you? That I just accept whoever wanders into my path? I’ve asked, Solas. I’ve struggled to find what I could for a decade. You’ve told none of us the whole truth. I don’t know if you’re so worried about betrayal that you can’t even warn us, or if you’re truly indifferent to our fates. If it were betrayal— haven’t we proven true yet? The Inquisition at least? You let Corypheus take your power, sear this thing into me and we didn’t betray you then. I didn’t go home as soon as Cassandra took the shackles off because I was needed. And neither did any of the others once the Breach was closed. And we didn’t try to seize that power or make deals with Corypheus or turn against you. None of us. And still you�� it must be indifference. This time, with Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain, it must be that you still do not think we’re real. Or that you have only contempt for us. I even asked you directly, last time that we met. After everything. I asked you how you intended to deal with the Evanuris and you assured me you had plans to thwart them. And here we are. This is worse than just allowing them to enslave us. To consume us. Because now we will slaughter each other in their names. And you couldn’t even spare a word in warning before loosing them upon us.”

Rook cleared her throat. “To be fair,” she said, though Varric vehemently shook his head in warning, “I had an accidental hand in thi—” “Ir abelas,” Solas interrupted, because in his heart he knew it did not matter that Rook’s mistake had resulted in his plans going awry. This was, indeed, his own doing. “This is not what I intended. Tel’nan em.” There was nothing else to say. No other plea he could make. “I wish I could, Vhenan,” the Inquisitor said. “If I hated you, this would hurt far less than it does.” That was all. Just that acknowledgment as if she were utterly defeated. And then she turned to Varric. “May I borrow your shoulder, falon?” she asked him.  “Always,” said Varric, wrapping an arm around her back to support her. “Just for a moment,” she said, walking them slowly back down the slope toward Solas. “I know you and Rook have your own strategy. I’ll let you go in a moment.” “Think we’ve got a ways to go before any strategies kick in, Herald,” said Varric. “And you know as long as I’ve got an arm free to fire I’d give you the other.” Varric caught Solas’s eye as they passed and seemed troubled, but Solas let them go. Followed in her wake as the rest of the Veilguard went ahead of her. His chest ached, but he had no answer for her. For himself.

She was quiet. Varric too. Though the others relaxed into their normal patterns, the three of them did not. Solas was aware that she was slowing as well, dragging herself along with the help of Varric but not recovering in any meaningful way. He tried not to overtake them, wanting there to be some semblance of rearguard, but it was inevitable. “We need to find a place to camp, Herald,” said Varric at last. “No. The people you saw were not the first. There are clans ahead of us. If we don’t intercept them—” “We cannot outstrip them at this pace, my love,” said Solas gently. She seemed to have forgotten he was there, startling slightly. She let Varric go, struggled to stand upright. “Then do not wait for me. You go on, you will make better time than I.” “No, now, you promised Sera,” said Varric. “So let’s find somewhere to camp. These clans that are ahead of us, they’re mortal too, right? They’ll find places to rest.” She started to protest.

“No single person can halt an army,” said Solas. “Ir abelas. I know it is the wrong thing to say, but I can think of nothing elegant just now. If we pushed forward to the end, what could you say when you arrived? What could you do that you did not try back on the plateau?” She hesitated. “That was not meant as a challenge,” he said and held out his hand to her. An offer. A hope. “I understand the urgency but this exhaustion and pain is unnecessary. I have made this mistake a thousand times over. Please, Vhenan, take the lesson I could never learn. Let your allies help you.” “But the clans who join the Evanuris in the meantime will die.” “No—” started Varric. “Vin. They will die,” interrupted Solas. It did no good to lie to her. “And if we continue rushing recklessly in to stop them, then all the clans who have not yet arrived will also die because we will not be there to save them either. All that will change this fate is the end of Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain. You cannot face them like this. I cannot face them like this.”  Please, he willed her but kept it trapped behind his lips. He held his breath as she finally reached for his outstretched hand. Varric barely waited for her hand to close around Solas’s.

“I’ll find the others. Hopefully they’ve found a cave or someplace out of this… lyrium trash,” he said, kicking a small red crystal nearby. He jogged off before the Inquisitor could protest. Solas doubted she would have. Her hand still shook even hours after her barrier had collapsed, though he knew it now as exhaustion instead of terror or anger.  “Lean on me, emma lath,” he told her, “There is no one watching but me and we are both too tired of pretending at strength.” She did, letting him pull her along for a minute, her shoulder and hip pressed against his.  “Do you ever feel,” she asked suddenly, “that if you give in, if you sit for a moment, let the mask fall in the quiet when nobody is there, that when it is time to get up again, you will find your legs betray you?” He stopped their movement. Brushed the dust caked hair from her face and pressed a kiss into her temple. “Vin,” he said. She did not flinch or pull away and he slid his arm around her fully and half-carried her over the next ridge. 

“I did not keep back the truth because I did not care about your fate. I am ashamed that I cannot claim to never have had contempt for the Dalish. For- for you. But that feeling withered long ago. When I met you,” he said, pausing until they could catch sight of the others ahead.  “So betrayal then. Yet here I am, standing in your stead as best I can. All these years and you still thought I would turn on you. That does not soothe me—” “No,” he said, curling his hand a little tigher around her. “I do not believe you would betray me. I feared— I feared that I would betray myself. It would have been so easy to walk away from—” he waved toward the cluster of red lyrium crowning a small clump of boulders. “If I had told you all, I would have allowed myself to be persuaded to abandon my plans. I could not. I realize, in light of all that’s gone wrong, that it seems the wiser course but it is not so. Whatever you think of me, Vhenan, I cannot bear for you to doubt yourself.  You are beloved. If it were truly my choice alone— if this world were mine to give to you, to abandon for you, I would have done so ages ago. It is only now, when I no longer have the means to turn aside, that I can tell you.”

“I would not have asked for the world, Solas, only the truth.” “I know. And yet, if I had held more of the truth back, perhaps you would not be here now.” “I would be. I’d just be marching with my clan to Elgar’nan’s side. A few days from becoming a shriek.” Her voice broke and she sagged, releasing him to slide down onto the stony ground. He followed her, kneeling beside her.  “Ane vindhru. Lanaste. Alas, I cannot undo what has passed.” “Then what has this all been for?” she cried. “If that was not your aim, why are we here, emma lath?” The dry wind blew scarlet dust across the rocks. Varric was a small shadow beyond them and the rest of Rook’s party a cluster of shadow melting into the craggy outcrops farther up the mountain. Solas wished he had a decent answer. “I asked you once, what you would do if you found that the future you had created was worse than what came before. You said you would keep trying to fix it. I cannot undo what I have done, but if I can ameliorate the consequences— If I can make what is to come easier, kinder, less horrendous, then I am obligated to try.”

She raised her hand to his cheek, at last touching him, at last reaching to comfort him. “The mistake was not in trying, fanor. The mistake was insisting on doing it alone.” He leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. “I know. Forgive me, forgive me, Vhenan.” “Ir abelas,” she said, wiping tears from his cheek, “Forgiveness is not mine to give or withhold. I am just one person in all this.” “I know. I do not ask you to forgive me for the state of the world, but for the wrongs I have done you, my love. For— for the anchor. For the omissions. The silence.”

“The truth then, from here on, promise me.” “Vin.”  “We are going to our deaths, aren’t we?” she asked very quietly.  “It is likely.”  “But what we do— it can save the others? Our people? Our friends? All the innocents who remain?” He wanted to answer easily, to affirm everything she desperately wanted. But it was not the truth. “I hope that it will. I wish that I could promise it, but I cannot.” She let out a shaky breath between them, her thumb smoothing his cheek gently. “Whatever the outcome, we go together. Swear to it.” “Yes, this too.” She leaned back slightly, grasped his jaw and stared intently at him. “Then find your teeth, Dread Wolf. I cannot defeat them alone.”

He clasped her arm where it ended and the anchor flared and bathed them in a halo of green light. “It was never my teeth that were lacking. There are times—” He paused, took a shuddering breath. “There are times I feared all that remained of me was teeth and rage and cruelty. It was my heart that was lost. But I have found her again. If she can forgive my carelessness in misplacing her. If she will take me.” Her hand loosened around his chin and she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I leave forgiveness to the world, my love. But you, Solas, I take for myself, teeth and all,” she said.

[zundely]

Playing DAI again and I have some thoughts about the Varric/Solas banter. Those aren't entirely nice thoughts however so so be warned if you don't like hearing negative takes about DAI, which is totally cool btw, this is what is coming under the cut.

So what I feel like most often gets praised about the banter between Varric and Solas is that they perfectly encapsulate their opposing wirldviews. Varric who embraces change vs Solas who can't let go of the past. And I do get that. I think the old man on the island part is great.

What is not so great is... a lot of their banter leading up to that part. I am not a fan of Solas asking questions about dwarves, dwarven culture- some of which I would love to get an actual answer to- and Varric just shrugging and going "Dunno don't care, all the dwarves that care are stuck up pricks" and then Solas marveling at him being not like other dwarves.

And the thing is- that is kind of the point like, Varric not caring much about past and embracing now is the core part of this philosophical debate. Embracing the change is the key element of Varrics prespective. What I dislike is how we end up putting all of dwarven culture on the chopping block to drive that point home.

I already made a post once about how Varric's approach to his heretige is very close to Sera's. And, even if Sera is not the most perfect representation of internalized racism... there is only one Sera, and there are 6 other elven companions, all of whom have diffrent perspectives on their culture. There is less then half of that for the dwarves, and no other dwarven companion in Inqusition meaning Varric is the only point of view on the dwarves we get. Imagine if through both DA2 and DAI the only elf companion we got was Sera.

Now why do I care about that. Because the "people who care 'too much' about their traditions and culture need to chill out" narrative is something that perminates a lot of Dragon Age writing about minorities. The elves do get it most often and the worst, but other races like dwarves and qunari aren't getting off the hook either. And with dwarves it annoys me specifically for quite some time now- because the racist and kind of anti-semitic writing in dwarves slips under the radar a lot of the time, especially since the writers did make a point to state the Jewish inspiration in Andrastian Elves openly and they get a lot more focus in the narrative.

So we end up with Varric, whose internalized racism not only goes unexamined, it is something that earns him praise and awe from an elven god. The message, however (hopefully) unintended is "Rejecting your cultural roots in the name of assimilation is a better way to be then worrying and caring about what you might be loosing ". And idk, I just. Don't like it. I think it sucks.

[thekingofwinterblog]

Varric Tethras - The Proud Dwarf

So it's not a big secret that the best companion Bioware ever created was Varric Tethras, the lovable rogue, crossbowman, author and handsome Viscount of Kirkwall.

There are ao many reasons to love Varric, but one I don't see much discussed, is the subtle, and contradictory relationship Varric has with his own race, the Dwarves of Thedas.

Varric makes it a point of always putting his seeming disdain for his own people out in the open, always making it clear how much he dislikes the traditional Dwarven culture, wqy of life and so on.

He describes Orzammar, one of the great wonders of the world as cramp tunnels filled with shit and body odor, he never fails to mention how much he hates the deep roads, and he often mocks dwarven pride at any opportunity with his usual wit and charm.

On the surface, Varric might seem like he has a lot in common with Sera and her racist views on all elvhen kind, but that really, really is not the case.

Because under that exterior of seeming disdain, is a man who both understands Dwarven Culture in all it's flaws, but also loves it and hates it in equal measures.

Varric has always made it clear how much he loved the Hanged man, and essentially made his room there his office, his real home away from the uber dwarfish merchant guild.

And do you know what he fills it with?

The dwarfiest architecture you can imagine. Varric has a dwarf table, a noble dwarf chair, dwarven artwork on the wall, and even a dwarven stone bed.

All expensive and traditional stuff which he would have had to had personally paid for to transport into this room out of his own pocket.

Varric for all his harsh words on the Dwarven people, WANTS to live in a home that looks utterly Dwarven.

The most obvious moment that puts Varric's love for his dwaf ancestry on full display is of course the act 2 quest from da2, where he and an insane(temporary lucid) Bartrand has a heart to heart where both puts their real feelings on the tragedy of their situation on display.

Varric chastises Bartrand for in his madness having thrown away every bit of his dwarven nobility and honor on a stupid trinket, and Bartrand ends up begging his brother not to let house Tethras fall with him, in this display of utter madness and dishonor.

The entire thing is a deeply tragic display where the two brothers show that deapite all their differences, they really did love each other deeply, as well as the fact they had a shared love of their ancestry as Orzammar Nobility.

Of course Varric almost never comes out and says it nearly this clearly anywhere else, as showcased in another side quest where you give him back the Tethras family signet ring that Bartrand had to pawn to finance the expedition.

He doesn't come out and say it, instead focusing on the bad aspects of Orzammar in this quest, but unless hawke is rivaling him when he gives him the quest, varric has a huge approval boost in response to getting his family ring back, showing the thing really did mean a lot to him, despite his disparaging it and Orzammar in said quest.

Later, in Inquisition, Varric never misses a chance to badmouth Orzammar and tradition, but he reacts with incredible sadness at the prospect of Orzammar one day possibly falling.

When Solas asks him about Dwarven literature, and whether there is a lot of Dwarven tricksters, varric gives a smartass remark summing it up as Dwarves tend to write how they want the world to be, while humans write how they think the world is, eith the latter being clearly superior.

It's a good scene, but it has a deeper meaning that ties into Varric's deeper views on Dwarven culture.

Varric knows how Dwarves write, because he has read Dwarven liturature, and understands it completely as both a dwarf, a reader, and a writer, and how it in turn differs from human literature.

For all his grumbling on dwarves in Orzammar being obsessed with their ancestors, he himself is the exact same way as shown in legacy when you find the original Tethras and gives him to the stone, able to shortly remember every bit of his own family lore on the spot and being moved to tears by the tragedy of it all.

Varric defends both surface dwarves and Orzammar dwarves against Solas accusation that they have given up against the darkspawn threat, though in his usual way, he makes it out like surface dwarves are clearly superior.

Varric genuinely loves and cares about so much of Dwarven culture and history, and he understands it deeply.

Which in turn also is the reason he genuinely hates so much about it.

Like all of the DA2 companions, Varric has something he is deeply, deeply obsessed with, something that drives him as a person, and motivates his actions through the entire story. The difference between him and everyone else, is that this obsession never reached a conclusion, because Varric doesn't get to actually face it, and confront it.

That obsession is, of course, the Dwarven Merchant Guild.

Varric HATES the Dwarven Merchant guild, and though he uses his regular humor to portray it, in this case it's actually the opposite of the way he will always be critical of the Dwarven people. Because Varric hates the guild far, far more than he ever pretends to hate Orzammar.

Varric always talks of how shitty the guild is, how it embodies the absolute worst parts of dwarven culture, and essentially how it ruined Bartrand from ever being able to function as anything other than a cutthroat businessman. He time, and time, and time again, refuses to interact with the guild, breaks the law hard to not have to participate, and all in all cold shoulders them and their cutthroat culture completely.

There is a very important, significant moment in act 3, that is incredibly easy to miss, but completely recontextualizes varric's entire motivation for wanting the deep roads expedition.

Varric talks about the real reason why Bartrand wanted to go through with the expedition, of how it represented the one chance he had to get AWAY from the guild forever, just by being rich enough he no longer had to deal with them anymore.

Varric portrays it as Bartrand's big wish and motivation, hut it's incredibly obvious if one pays attention that this was a wish the two brothers actually shared, a mutual desire in the world. Which in turn is one of the reasons why Varric is so incredibly angry at his brother when he goes off the deep end due to the idol and betrays them.

Him and Bartrand got into this venture to finally, once and for all get out of having to deal with the worst parts of surface Dwarf society, and here his brother seemingly willingly turned his back on all of that, showing the only thing he ever cared about was pure greed.

In other words, everything both he and Bartrand hated about the Merchant Guild.

Varric hates the Caste system. He hates the division between surface and "regular" dwarves, and he thinks Orzammar's nobility has a collective stick up it's ass. And yet despite all of that, he loves the Dwarves. He loves the idea of nobility and the ideals it is supposed to represent, he loves Dwarven architecture, their grand ability to make shit, and the incredible grit and romanticism about the Dwarves long, unending struggle against the darkspawn.

The only part of Dwarven society Varric has no love for, is the Merchant Guild. It is Orzammar's nobility without anything resembling virtues, nobles who lost their caste, and yet still enforces a brutal hierarchy of blood, and cares for no ideals, no honor, no cause, except for the clink of money.

Varric is such a deep character, and I really wish that in the future, we get to see this aspect of him fleshed out even more.

[bloedewir]

Avowed is slowly killing me with every news I get

Note: It's set in Pillars of Eternity world. And y'all remember Aloth Corfiser don't you? But if you don't know who he is just imagine Solas (Dragon Age) + Gale (BG3) + voice inside his head is like Oghren/Sera (Dragon Age).

Ok, back to topic. As we know Avowed won't have romance options at all.

And then they introduced the companions:

Giatta (ocean human, wizard)

Mara Junot (Ikora Rey in 'Destiny 2', Zuri Abara in 'Starfield', Player in 'Remnant II')

Marius (mountain dwarf, ranger).

Scott Whyte (Player in 'Remnant II', Rathma in 'Diablo IV')

Yatzli (hearth orlan, wizard).

Anjali Bhimani (Commander Natara in 'Starfield', Rampart in 'Apex Legends')

Kai (coastal aumaua, fighter).

Brandon Keener.

Garrus freaking Vakarian

WHAT IN THE HELLS you're doing to me XBOX?

You gave us Brandon Keener's voice after all these years and for the second time the character isn't romanceable?

(First one is Sharp-as-Night, The Elder Scrolls online Argonian companion).

Am I back to Mass Effect 1 frustration issues? Again? Oh Eothas have mercy...

And if you ask yourself how tf it is related to Bioware answer is simple: Garrus Vakarian is from the Mass Effect series, as is Liara T'Soni. Liara voiced by Ali Hillis who is also the voice of Lace Harding in DA4 (and shaper Valta btw). Boom, dots connected.

[lanafofana]

put a fanfic trope in my inbox and I will tell you:

how likely I am to write it

what character(s) or pairing I’d most likely write it for.

How about betrayal fic, crack fic, or crossover? 💕

Hello and thankyou for the ask!! 😘💖

There's a lot to cover so let’s fucking goooooo

Betrayal!

Friend, I have never before thought about writing betrayal (outside of the misunderstanding trope) before but ooh this ask has my gears turning!

I think if I was going to tackle this it would be in one of these types of scenarios:

Astarion x Durge - What if at the end of BG3 Durge attempts to pull his massive betrayal BUT is unsuccessful and now Astarion has to move on from that point. Falling in love with someone and trusting them so much all to find it was for naught? Holy angst batman 🤤

Tav x Durge- you know me and my TavxDurge brain rot, but what if instead of Durge (arguably the one with higher likelihood of pulling a sudden Judas) doing the betrayal it’s Tav? Ooh and what if it pushed him into a more unstable state where he’s even more on the cusp of embracing those dark urges? Yeeeee

Crack

I am 10000% likely to write crack. Crack is some of my favorite stuff to write. There's a lot of freedom in just writing whatever unhinged nonsense flits across the brain and I enjoy imagining dialogue that just goes completely off the rails. And crack treated seriously? Yes yes yes yes. Give me absurd situations to put my blorbos in. Let them say the most hilariously off the wall stuff but in context, still make sense.

As for characters/pairings? Probably almost all of them. No one is safe from me.

Crossover my beloved!!!!

A Lana crossover original? It's more likely than you think!

Guess who has been quietly writing a Baldurs Gate Three/Dragon Age Inquisition crossover? Is it crack? Yes.

Because when I started playing DAI I kept thinking how fucking funny it would be for Shadowheart to lose the Sharran Wound only to end up in Thedas and immediately get the Mark of “Andraste.” Like???? My girl cannot catch a fucking break 🤣 And for pairing? I’m still working that out.

Aside from that, I love a good crossover. I also played around with the idea of someone from Thedas dropped into Faerûn which, as a concept, I fucking love. But I have not had the time to really pursue it much (yet).

Possible pairings thoughts?

Dorian x Gale. Do I even need to explain this hello

Tav x Varric. LET ME LOVE THE DWARF BIOWARE YOU COWARDS

Inquisitor x Wyll. Because that's what heroes do (each other).

Sera x Lae'zel. No shut up, I'm right. No, I will not be taking questions at this time. Thank you.

Solas x Halsin. Because why wouldn't Halsin want to fuck the drea(I am forcibly removed from the podium)

[baphometsss]

Its 3am and I'm getting emotional about siphonophores and dragon age spirits

So we make a lot of jokes about the spirits in da looking like glow worms or whatever and I personally am obsessed with this idea for various reasons. When I drew solas as a spirit I was drawing on siphonophores and other deep sea creatures for inspiration

The problem is that I am a tree hugging dirt worshipper and creativity for me is a deeply spiritual experience. I realised that most people don't connect with nature in this same way so I figured I would explain my understanding of the spirits in dragon age through my unhinged pagan savage lens

So siphonophores are sea creatures that live in open water. They're beautiful and delicate and often bioluminesce. Most jellyfish are siphonophores. They can't live too close to the shore because their bodies are too delicate for coastal waves and sediments. This is v much like spirits in dragon age. They can't leave the Fade because the world is too real and intense for them and it twists them from their purpose too easily

Siphonophores also grow in a really weird way and this is kind of how I understand the relationships of spirits/manifested spirits. Siphonophores don't grow bigger, they basically create another one of themselves entirely and they live stuck together. Like if you imagine that instead of growing as a person from birth you just replicated another baby and stayed attached to it. But the cool thing is that each new body will have a specific purpose, like eating or breeding or moving, and they'll only have the parts necessary for doing that.

This is kind of how spirits see each other I think. We know that in TES (which dragon age draws fairly heavily from), the et'adda or original spirits were born from the blood of anu and padomay as they fought their divine fight. In other words, the et'adda were born from divine sparks and thus embodied different facets of these two gods.

When solas says 'my strength is our shared heart' in the elven poem banter with Sera, he's essentially alluding to this. The spirits are divine sparks, possibly from the maker. But they embody individual facets of the divine, like wisdom, justice, valour, purpose, etc.

Like siphonophores replicate themselves in a v similar way. Except they all stay attached together. But imagine if you were one of them !! You'd love them like family, because you know you're stronger as one, a shared heart where everything sings the same

You are the universe, experiencing itself as a human for a little while -- Eckhart Tolle

[noblemalone]

This is not about DAV this is just about solas and the bio ethics course i took in university and why i disagree with him

And i think it begins with... Acknowledging or at least discussing Solas' skewed self-perception. Solas insists he is not a God, just a Man. He says he is no more important or special than anyone else, and yet... He believes he has the authority to change the fabric of the world, right his wrongs in a way that will prove deadly for many, without their assent or input. And sure you could say that that's true of the inquisitor too, of any Leader of a Movement... But idk for me there's a paternalistic quality there paired with a myopic hypocrisy... And if i were to view him thru a lens appropriate to his context, where so many people's lives are at the whim of rulers and leaders, would i be kinder to him? That's why Sera is such a good foil to him...

But at least the kings claim the Divine Right of Kings as reasoning for their ability to make those kinds of decisions, right? At least Gods acknowledge they are Special and Above and that Gives Them The Right. I have to wonder, if Solas sees himself as typical, average, just a man, how does he justify his plan? Is it just the Utilitarian idea that the Goodness of tearing down the veil will outweigh the death and suffering it causes? It must be it must be that for him to believe he is Just a Man and also In The Right, right?

Like... The narrative my prof used was, imagine you could end all suffering, bring about a utopian world of joy, but to do so, you had to assign all suffering forever to one child. Everyone else gets to live happy fulfilling lives but that child who is whole innocent must, by necessity, suffer and only suffer, forever. I think Solas would unequivocally agree that that child is a necessary sacrifice.

But is tearing down the fade a guaranteed end to suffering? Or just an end to the world Solas finds himself out of step with, one he personally does not find appealing. Was it better then, or just different? Better for who? And after a thousand years of wandering and dreaming and reminiscing, is his judgement not clouded by nostalgia? If he is no god but mere man, does he not suffer from imperfection of memory? And if it was better, what gives him the right?

And there's that thing where like.... I cant for the life of me find it but it's about abortion but i feel it applies here... Like, if we nuked Australia today and killed all Australians, that would be Wrong and Bad... But if we went back in time before anyone ever lived in australia and blew it the fuck up, that would be fine right because there would Be No Australians to deprive of land or life, right? Because they were never born because Australia didn't exist. Like... It's wrong to take a life but there's nothing wrong with removing the possibility of life from some theoretical person who wont have it yk... Like

I think this is a more apt comparison than the trolley problem when it comes to Solas. If we take the Australia thing, flip it twist it... Is it ok to deprive some people of the life they know so that some others may have a life better than they currently know? Like, Solas is the only one who knows what everyone else is missing, hes the only one who knows it could be better does he really owe it to the unaware to bring things back to the way it was? If we could create Australia would we owe it to the potential Australians to do that?

And i guess the black box here or the the the missing piece is how the Spirits on the other side of the veil factor into this. My own personal bias is not to value them as highly as the humanoids (dwarf elf human qunari etc) who are our point of view reference characters and most similar to the people i know and think about in my own life. And how does a spirit of mischief or justice or pride or wisdom or whatever, how does it stack up? Are they owed a lifting of the veil because they are as full and sentient as humanoids? Or are they mere elements of ourselves? How do fuckin souls or whatever part of us wlaks the fade when we dream, how do they factor in?

Are the spirits in the fade the children we've condemned to suffering, not for a utopia but just for a status quo? And even if they are, is it fair to make the masses who have no idea or choice pay the price to tear down the veil? Is there no way to slowly thin it, to quell the angry spirits with a slow fade (haha pun get it)?

Like I'm not a dragon age scholar I'm not 100% certain of what exactly the danger of tearing down the veil is other than all the demons that will kill ppl and the general unrest and violence that will happen as things reset to how it was before... And even then how long will it take for that to happen? If no one dies anymore will those who survive have to live for all eternity remembering their own Before, the familiar life they had and how it was upended to fulfill some guy's expectation of what "Better" is? Like is their suffering worth it? Is subjecting them to short term suffering for a future you never asked them if they wanted worth it?

And like... How much can you respect them or care for them or see them as equals if you never asked them? Its condescending, I think, to decide that what you want, the history only you know, is objectively Better for Everyone and I just...

I think it all boils down to... One of the things i value most, the thing that to me is a direct result of respect, is autonomy. And i just cant square how Solas could say he respects people, sees himself as one of them and not above them, if he is willing to impose his will upon them like ... Perhaps it is the trolley problem. Allow people to scrape by, but they are free within their oppressive system, or free them from their oppressive system by forcing them into a new reality that is more familiar, comfortable, and better to you.

I think if Solas really wanted to atone for what he did, putting up the veil, he would find a way to Hurt People Less. He would sacrifice himself. Or maybe instead of of of doing what he thinks is best, he'd give the elves of today the tools and opportunities to make their own decisions and seek their own liberation...

Or maybe he just cares about the spirits more than the people on our side of the veil. After all, maybe he relates to them more...

Anyway... Yeah i just... Solas is a great guy he makes great points i don't doubt his heart is in the right place but i think he's... He's too proud. He's got too much of an ego and it makes him paternalistic and that, for me personally and my morals and values, is something I can't sit with something I dont agree with. Maybe I think the freedom to choose is more important than freedom from suffering.

Yeah i think that's it.

[dareactions]

This might be convoluted but please stay with me. Imagine: Warden is the Inquisitior. Don't ask me how, but they contact the Arishok (Sten from Origins), and he shows up at Skyhold. He still calls them Kadan. People's reactions to that. Especially Bull.

djwklae Sten calling me Kadan gave ME LIFE. my husband, love of my life. he holds my hand when i kill things w my blood magic <3 this is now canon to my warden!inquisitor, thanks

Iron Bull: There are moments in everyone's life when they see all the choices they've made laid out before them. To Bull, this is when the Arishok walks in and looks at the Inquisitor with fondness in his eyes, and the words 'kadan' leaves his lips. He isn't sure how to feel whatsoever, how the hell is he expected to feel? He just stands there with his mouth agape like a fucking idiot for ten minutes straight until he get spoken to. He needs alcohol, stat.

Cassandra: She is considering handing in her resignation, a little bit. There are only so many things she can handle and this is for sure not entirely one of them. What is she supposed to do beyond act polite? If the Inquisitor catches her glaring at them, that's her business.

Blackwall: I would love to write some really in-depth thing here but I think he literally just emotionally clocks out and calls it a day.

Dorian: Dorian is laughing his fucking ass off behind closed doors. He pats them on the shoulder and goes 'good job', because not everyone can score an Arishok- as a friend or lover for that matter. He keeps almost laughing every time he looks at Bull and he feels dreadful for it but it's so funny.

Sera: She feels a bit weird about it? Like the Qunari have always been a mixed back and apparently, the Inquisitor is like- in a relationship with one, right? That's what that means? She thinks, at least. The guy also looks intimidating enough that Sera knows better than to make any comments so she just stands there before deciding its very much not her problem.

Varric: He thought Hawke had questionable taste and now he has to write apology letters to them.

Vivienne: She doesn't even want to think about the political implications of this.Vivienne just keeps her mouth shut unless asked in which she still keeps her mouth shut. The Arishok is a frightening man and not someone she even wants to dare to comment on the relationship of if he is in the same building.

Cole: I honestly don't think the lil man cares. He is just happy they're happy!

Solas: Honestly, any thoughts he has is overshadowed by the amusement he feels when everyone freaks out a bit. Sure, it's not what he expected but- fair enough? It does make him question how the hell he is going to go forward with his other plans but he'll figure it out.