#i would say so blackwall. i would definitely say so. after all I was there

[deadrocks]

It had been so long since I'd played DAI last, and there have been so many years of thoughtful discussion since then, that I forgot how fundementally frustrating it is to talk to Mme V in Haven and not be able to counter any of what she says about how the Circles work.

[hyperbali]

This seemed to go over well on r/dragonage, so I will also share it over here!

The question was:

Which DA Romances Do You Think Would Be Open To Having Kids?

DAO

Alistair - if he's got that Strong Theirin Bullshit going on, I think he's having a couple kids regardless of if it's with HoF or Anora. He's a great goofy dad but can't discipline worth a damn.

Leliana - Mmh... she would probably prefer to adopt rather than give birth, I think. Even then, she seems more like an auntie than a mother.

Morrigan - Did not ever foresee or want it for herself, but is a pretty decent mom by virtue of not wanting to be like Flemeth. Not a "cool" mom, but would let her kids have their independence.

Zevran - I can only ever see it being on accident, as beforehand he would have absolutely denied it - but once the possibility is in reach, he can't let the idea go. Ultimate Girl Dad.

DA2

Anders - Nope. Back in Awakening he liked his freedom without fetters too much, and over the course of 2 he gets too focused on becoming a martyr. Ain't ever gonna happen.

Fenris - Not something I think he actively wants, but is willing to take responsibility if it happens. He's the kind of stoic dad that it's hard to get an outward reaction from, but he's definitely protective of his kids.

Isabela - HAHA. That's adorable, kitten! (She probably just ends up kind of semi-adopting a galley kid, but in a way one would adopt a stray outdoor cat - leave it to its business.)

Merrill - Kind of taken aback by the idea, but secretly grows on it. I think she'd probably end up more of a mother figure to refugee elves, though.

DAI

Blackwall - Much as it's cute to think of him as a dad, I think what he did with the mercenary company is going to haunt him too much, even if he goes back to being Thom. He's content with the Inquisitor alone.

Cassandra - So long as she's not Divine, she would be willing to consider it - but would only want just one. Hard disciplinarian, but secretly a softie on some occasions.

Cullen - He's gonna end up having to build an entire farm community just to house all the impending kids and dogs. This man wants a BIG FAMILY.

Dorian - The thought of it is instantly repellant to him just on the basis of it having been expected of him for so long. He'd also be quietly terrified of ending up like his own father, hurting his own child while thinking he's doing his best for them... so no, definitely not happening.

Iron Bull - Hadn't ever really thought about it... ever, but if he's Tal-Vashoth, his heart melts when he sees any of his own babies for the first time. Any kid's got him wrapped around their little finger, and a whole host of aunts and uncles in the Chargers.

Josephine - She wants at least two, but preferably three - it simply wouldn't do for any of her children to grow up lonely. Hilariously, she's one of the strictest parents.

Sera - She sort of just wants to keep the Inquisitor all to herself for as long as she can, but if her wife really, really wanted it, she'd shrug and say why not? An alright mom, especially when they're still little, but I think she'd get really frustrated when they hit their teens.

Solas - He would like to say he doesn't wish it were possible, sometimes. He would like to say that.

DAV

Bellara - She would go nuts tracking down every single child-rearing research material she could and generally get herself anxious about it, but she'd turn out to be one of the best moms of the bunch.

Davrin - Willing to adopt after a while, especially once Assan starts getting older and leaving for longer periods of time as he gains his independence. That kiddo is definitely growing up with the best boy bird-cat-dog protector. Bit of a gruff dad, but he means well and can ease up with help.

Emmrich - Either way you shake it, probably not. Either he's content with Manfred and wouldn't want to chance leaving a young child behind when he eventually passes, or he just can't because he's a lich. For the latter, though, I think he'd be a great dadly mentor for the ages.

Harding - The ultimate in mommy cottagecore. TELL me you can't see her hiking through a forest with a bundled baby on her back, a kidlet skipping at her side, singing together as they head back home for the day. Adorable.

Lucanis - Incredibly unnerved by how much pressure is on him by being The Last Man Standing of the Dellamortes and what that means for their legacy, as well as being terrified over the possibility of what Spite could do to a child... but man, the thought haunts him. He wants to feel part of a close family again so bad. He would cry the first time he held his baby.

Neve - Probably not interested in having any of her own, but definitely ends up being kind of the boss-slash-denmother of a bunch of urchins in Docktown. She (lightly) bullies them into eating and sleeping, and they're her eyes from the shadows.

Taash - Their hang-ups over their mom are way too intense for that. Helping other Qunari and/or Tal-Vashoth adjust to a non-Qun life is about as far as that idea is gonna get.

[divorcedwife]

it's not what i wanted to talk about originally but im thinking about grey wardens and relationships cause i actually didn't consider some things until yesterday

until i thought about it for jena, i honestly didn't consider much that a grey warden would not be allowed to tell a not-grey warden partner about the side effects (infertility + early death) of the joining. at least not the real reason why. right? like the joining is secret, and the effects are only explained after it's already done

i didn't consider it before because in da:o, things are really really dire and unusual and it's clear from the start the warden might not live, so concerns about the future feel like a luxury we don't have. i mostly went with alistair anyway, and i don't remember if it's something that's ever discussed with other companions, but i wouldn't find it odd that the warden's friends would know. we break so many wardens rules anyway (like no politics), it's really really dire out there

and in da2, the grey warden hawke can date is someone who has left the order and doesn't care about upholding their rules, and left the wardens on bad terms. and he has so much going on anyway that the side effects are not even in the top 5 of his afflictions at any time... like it doesn't matter too much if anders will die of the calling in fifteen years when he's putting on his black coat and giving away his wordly possessions and talking more ominously by the hour. hawke seems to know quite a lot about wardens regardless, so it's all fine

in dai, the inquisitor knows nothing about warden secrets, and blackwall doesn't explain much, but... well... revelations happen. lol

but if you play as a warden rook and date a companion..... you can't tell them, right? things are bad, but definitely not dire and lonely like in dao. warden rook and davrin have plently of warden people they can talk to about warden issues, they don't need to break order rules to do that. i guess warden rook has been excluded from the order a bit, i guess some people could say that their rook has gone anders mode and will share all the secrets, but not me personally. jena isn't explaining anything to any of them, her heart is with the wardens forever

so i guess it's lucky that i went for lucanis, who already knows all warden secrets cause he killed one... and exclusively uses that knowledge to taunt davrin about his upcoming horrible death. i thought that moment was really funny cause since i was a warden and standing within earshot, it felt really cruel and inconsiderate and unprompted (i didn't say anything mean to warrant this?? im collateral damage....), and since i thought the characters were lacking in negative traits, i was always happy to see something petty like this. now i do wish these little acts of being unconsiderate weren't all directed at rook, but it's something i suppose

[rookinthecrownest]

Discussion about romances + expectations under the cut (I'd put it as like..mildly critical, but also coming from a place of understanding?). As usual, will tag as such so you don't have to engage/read on if you don't wish to. I always invite open discussion, just keep it respectful (as I will endeavour to do so myself).

This is going to be a bit of a ramble, so I apologize if my thoughts are not clearly laid out like they should be.

I think I've found the reason why I (and maybe others), feel that the romances in Veilguard feel a bit... idk, hollow, at times (not BAD!!! just feeling like there could be MORE). And that's because of the trap of expectations. I may also be speaking completely for myself here.

Anyway, let's rewind to 2014.

Be me, 10 years ago. You're not really a gamer, but indulge in action RPG's casually.

See a commercial for this hot new game coming out called Dragon Age: Inquisition. Be intrigued by the character designs, but know nothing about the world. Come to find out it's part of a trilogy. So naturally, you buy the first two games and play through them before playing the third.

Be amazed, and completely hooked on the characters, the lore, the world, the darker elements and themes. It becomes your favourite game series of all time.

But you had no idea that you could romance any of the companions going into the experience. And man, does it fundamentally rewire your brain chemistry to fall in love with cRPG and get ridiculously attached to your Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor.

So, you romance Alistair first because he's funny as hell, and has a really interesting story/character arc. Then you romance Zevran, and love that too - he's charming and suave and awkward and funny. Then you go onto DA2 and romance Fenris and Anders, and each of those romances pack their own emotional gut punches. Then it's finally time for DAI, and predictably, you go for Solas (a veritable slow burn that spans TWO games), Cullen, and partially (I never finished those playthroughs lol) Blackwall and Dorian.

I had no idea you could romance companions going into these games. It was a pleasant surprise! It always felt like an important part of the story, while not overshadowing the main plot. There was enough material in the codexes, the cutscenes, and party banter to make each romance feel complete and whole and awesome and nuanced.

And then, like some of you I suspect, I read an article that touted Veilguard as "The Most Romantic Bioware Game Yet", and I thought - "Wow, if they're saying this then the romances must be something else", given the quality of the previous romances you've experienced in these games!

But you get to the game - and while you're having fun, it definitely leans more into the ARPG style where romances feel a bit more pushed to the side in order to tell a certain story than the traditional Bioware/Larian RPG experience you've come to love.

Which is fine! Again, once I stopped thinking of Veilguard as a classic Bioware CRPG, and more like GOW/The Witcher, I found I was able to appreciate it a lot more for what it is. Things have to Happen A Certain Way for the narrative to work, and that's not a bad thing. DA2 was similar - it was a harrowing, personal tragedy about the Hawke family and their struggle to survive in Kirkwall.

Just like DA2, there are aspects of Veilguard that make me glad things happened the way they did. I'm not mad that Rook has so much dialogue without a ton of player input and you can't 'be evil' - because the game doesn't make sense if you can. At its core, Veilguard's narrative is centered around Regret, after all - you can't have an evil protagonist running around because Solas' Regret prison would never work (evil people don't generally tend to regret their actions...)!

Now, if you're expecting a long-winded, fully researched academic breakdown of every romance I'm sorry but that ain't happening tonight lol. This is not based in any fact, this is all opinion.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but sometimes it feels like the romances in this game (and I say this with the biggest grain of salt as I've only done Emmrich and Lucanis' - and am going through Neve's now), are just missing....something, to take them from good to great.

I loved Emmrich's romance. I thought it was very well done. I think a lot of people would agree it's one of the stronger ones in the game - doubly so if you play as a Mourn Watch Rook (you get a TON of MW specific lines going this route, it's great). His side romance with Strife if you don't get together is very cute, I enjoyed it. But as superbly well done as it was, somehow, I wouldn't even put it in my top 4 Bioware romances.

With Lucanis' romance - whatever my hangups may be about how it was handled, certain parts of his romance were done excellently (even better than some of the previous Bioware romances, I'd say). You can read more about my thoughts on his romance here which is why I'm not going into detail about it. Unlike Emmrich's, I would put it in my top 4 because I fell in love with the character that much (both in the game but really, I've loved him since Tevinter Nights), and I've grown very attached to my first Rook and him as a pairing. I've seen others share a similar sentiment on here (and I hate to say it but I agree) - sometimes it feels like I fell in love with Rookanis despite the way it was handled, not because of it. I can't say that for many other romances. While it's been fun to think up a lot of HC/write fics/make art about those abandoned concept sketches and parts where I felt the game could have showed us more of their dynamic, I can't help but feel like his (and other) romances would have immensely benefited from even 1 or 2 extra small scenes to flesh it out a bit more if they weren't going to let us freely talk to our companions.

The issue with the romances might also have something to do with the pacing of the game itself. I think Act 2 is where the pacing goes a bit awry, before picking back up in Act 3 (which is great, I love it).

Sometimes I also felt that there was a little too much reliance on codex entries and party banter to tell the story of the romance rather than showing it explicitly through cutscenes. I think that's what makes the romances feel a bit truncated at times, compared to the previous entries? Some of the romance-specific party banter was so good, it probably deserved its own cutscene. But it's also highly dependent on the party you have, and it's easy to miss/not trigger. I remember absolutely living for the cutscenes in the first three entries and I can't explain why I feel like, subjectively speaking, Veilguard just has less romance content (this may not be objective reality - I haven't compared the amount of romance specific content head to head with other games).

I also couldn't tell you why I feel DA2 doesn't suffer the same problems as DATV in terms of romance interaction - because you can't freely talk to your companions in that game either. Yet somehow, it always felt like I was getting enough of them to not notice that. I do miss being able to chat my LI's ear off and ask them questions about their life/their views/etc. like I could in DAO and DAI. I think it's a shame we can't because the companions in DATV are SO interesting. I want to ask them all a billion questions about their lives/stories/etc even if they're not my love interest. The party banter in this game is immaculate but being able to talk to them individually about this stuff would've been SO nice. I feel that I've missed out on SO MUCH of these characters just because I didn't have two of them in my party at the same time!

Anyway, I need to wrap this up.

In closing, perhaps, if I hadn't read that article about how it was going to be Bioware's most romantic game ... maybe I wouldn't feel this way? I think it sent my expectations through the stratosphere, and that's no one's fault but my own. Not Bioware, not EA, mine.

I know that this game's development cycle was a unique sort of hell that the other games didn't suffer. To go from Joplin -> Morrison -> Veilguard. To have so many of the original staff leave the team when Joplin got scrapped. To have to pivot from Live Service and then back to single person RPG. More lay-offs. It's a miracle this game got made. I'm happy I can sit around thinking about it. And I hope its successful enough that we get DA5 so we can all sit around dissecting that in 5-10 yrs time.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the Veilguard romances for what they are. I'm enjoying them more I play and discover additional banter/codex/etc that I missed the first time around. Like any Bioware romance, there are spots where they hit their stride, and spots where they falter a bit. When they hit their stride they knock it out of the fucking park. But when they falter, you can really feel it. Romance is hard to write! And you'll never fully please everyone.

But a small part of me wishes I'd gone in blind, and checked my own expectations a bit.

Maybe you agree, maybe you don't. Tell me about it. What was your experience with the romances? Did you also read that article and get your expectations up?

I hope this makes sense.

Kind regards good fandom folks,

Keep the discussion respectful. And please don't use this post as an excuse to just blatantly hate on the game.

-Rookie

[foxes-that-run]

British GQ - One Direction

This One Direction interview got us death threats

One Direction are the biggest pop stars on the planet and the faces of a 100m commercial empire. They are also the focus of millions of teenage girls' fevered fantasies, a fact we learnt first-hand when we began to receive death threats from fans after our interview below was published. Here re-read one of the most controversial cover stories GQ has ever had...

(x) "It's definitely less than 100... Harry He's been up all night to get lucky" Jonathan Heaf. 24 August 2013

"Two people"

[..]

The rules of The Interview were crystal clear long before my arrival in Fake Disco Narnia: two 15-minute slots, with the five band members split into two separate groups - Liam and Niall, followed by Louis, Zayn and Harry. An application for a proper, grown-up chat with each of the boys was vetoed by their scrupulously efficient PR man: "No time." As I know the dangers of interviewing band members together - their cubbish jovial inter-band mumbling always cloaking any sort of straight answer - I suggest I interview each of the members for six minutes alone. No ball. Which makes any journalist wonder whether the talent has something to hide or, in fact, nothing to give. Aside from the time restrictions, there were two other cast-iron "no-go areas": "In terms of parameters for the interview, Taylor Swift is off limits for Harry. And Zayn will not discuss the story from earlier this year alleging he had cheated."

[...]

It comes as no surprise that Styles is, of course, fiercely protected by the 1D team. And as I'm waiting to meet the three remaining members, I get the distinct impression that the whole group-interview scenario is more for Styles' benefit than anyone else. Of course, the gods have a punchy way to deliver happenstance. And this morning, for GQ at least, it comes in the form of a road-traffic accident inside the Blackwall Tunnel, the main traffic artery from inner London to the O2. This means that although Harry made it through, the other two, Louis and Zayn, are held up. Harry is, at least for a glimmer, all by himself, alone.

GQ: Does this job get any easier?

Harry: I don't think it's easy at all. The fear of it has turned into adrenaline. Definitely the first few shows you're scared as that's when all the mistakes happen. And then once you get your bearings and you know what you're doing you can enjoy it more. Every show is different so you can't entirely relax, although sometimes I do wonder what I'll be having for tea that night. I try to remain focused.

GQ: What do you make of the rumours about you and Nick Grimshaw?

Harry: What rumours would they be?

GQ: That you're an item.

Harry: Oh, really? I didn't even know. We're not dating, no. We're just friends.

GQ: So you're not bisexual?

Harry: Bisexual? Me? I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I'm not.

GQ: Do these rumours feel at all intrusive?

Harry: Some of them are funny. Some of them are ridiculous. Some of them are annoying. I don't want to be one of those people that complains about the rumours. I never like it when a celebrity goes on Twitter and says, "This isn't true!" It is what it is, I tend not to do that. The only time it gets really annoying is that if you get into a relationship and you get into a place where you really like someone and then things are being written in the papers that affect them and how they see you. Then it can get annoying.

GQ: Do you worry about going off the rails?

Harry: No. I'm not a big drinker, really I'm not. I don't go home and open a beer or have a glass of wine to relax, I'm just not that sort of person. I'll drink if I go out with friends and if I've got the day off, yeah, I'll go out. I don't like alcohol enough.

GQ: Are you getting more used to being this famous?

Harry: I don't think you can ever get used to being this famous. I've learnt how to keep things separate or at a distance.

I've nothing to hide. But seeing this as work, like a job, means I can take a step back. It's me right now in front of you and in the papers but it's not all of me. If you give yourself entirely to the business, you'd end up going mad. And I'm not mad. Not yet.

GQ: Do you know how many people you've slept with?

Harry: I know the number of people I've slept with, yes.

GQ: What is that number?

Harry: I'm definitely not telling you!

GQ: Can you give me a rough, ballpark figure?

Harry: No!

GQ: Say "yes" or "no". Less than 100?

Harry: No!

GQ: So higher than 100?

Harry: No, it's definitely less than 100...

GQ: Lower than 50?

Harry: Yes, lower than 50.

GQ: Lower than 30?

Harry: I'm not doing this! You're cornering me!

GQ: Come on you're a rock star. OK, less than ten.

Harry: Yes. Two people. I've only ever had sex with two people.

GQ: I don't believe you.

Harry: Well, that's my answer. Read from it what you will!

At this point, Zayn and Louis walk in. Which is a pity, as Harry is just getting into his stride. He's confident and can handle himself well. He's charming, funny and you can see why the girls (and boys) swoon. If One Direction have ambitions to broaden their audience they are going to have to learn to reveal a little more of themselves - or be allowed to. With the other two in the room the talk reverts back to "band issues".

[dacompanionreactions]

Hello! Love your blog! I had a kind of a silly/fun reaction. How would the DA:I companions and advisors react to a playful Inquisitor sneaking up behind them and giving them a quick tickle attack? 😊

I guess this is mostly under the assumption that they are all close w/the Inquisitor, and comfortable with sudden physical contact. Enjoy!

Cassandra yelps, a high pitched squeak that has her clapping her hands to her mouth with a horrified expression, utterly mortified at the sound she just made. She blushes furiously, but she's not going to stoop to the Inquisitor's level of childishness and return the tickle attack. She will rise above. Forget this affront to her reputation. Or so she would have the Inquisitor think... for a good tactician never reveals their cards, and always has a plan of (tickle) attack.

Varric laughs. He laughs and laughs and laughs until tears stream from his eyes and his stomach hurts. For him, it really dispells the notion of the Inquisitor being this large figure at the front of a huge military force. It's utterly ridiculous, and definitely not the intended effect the Inquisitor wanted on him.

Solas is taken off guard. He's seen and done it all, so it takes something truly special to leave him stunned. Something like a tickle attack. He stands there in a horrific, drawn out silence after the Inquisitor's attempt to tickle him, trying to process what just happened. Solas spends the next thirty seconds resembling a dumbstruck fish. He hastily closes his mouth and reaches a tense agreement with the Inquisitor to never speak of this again.

Oh, the indignity. Dorian is actually appalled at the noise he makes, which is something between a giggle and a squeak, and turns swiftly on the Inquisitor with (playful) murder in his eyes. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, oh no, and so he rolls his sleeves up and prepares himself for an all out tickle war. Naturally, the Tevene in him begs him not to stoop so low. His pride, on the other hand, begs him to take revenge.

Sera screams bloody murder. Good luck hiding from her, for the Inquisitor chose the wrong person to start a tickle fight with. This girl is ruthless. She'll hide in the rafters and swoop down upon the Inquisitor when they least expect it. Throw in a few lobbed pies and that'll make the experience downright messy. Never mind playful, she's starting a war.

Blackwall is really ticklish, and ticklish everywhere. He can sense someone creeping about and probably assumes the worst. To be tickled instead of receiving a knife in the back is an odd kind of relief. To him, it helps to maintain a sense of normalcy. Yes, the world has gone mad, but people can still have tickle fights and laugh like children. Normalcy is the best kind of revenge.

Cole isn't ticklish. Still, he understands the concept. It's likely that he'd ask the Inquisitor why they felt the need to try and ambush him like that. He gets that they're trying to be playful and get him to laugh, but there are easier ways to do it!

The Iron Bull is not ticklish. He's not, so don't bother even trying. Except he's totally lying. Ask Krem and he'd say, "The boss is ticklish behind the ears. Don't ask how I know." He'd probably bark out a laugh, then full on lose it at the attempt to tickle him. Though he'd likely not retaliate unless he knew for sure the Inquisitor is comfortable with unexpected physical contact.

Vivienne isn't actually ticklish. Unlike Bull, when she says it, she means it. Any attempt to tickle her will be met with extreme retribution. Messing with the Iron Lady means snowballs flung at high speeds into the back of the Inquisitor's head when they least expect it. Vivienne is all smiles, icy and sharp, and when confronted all she has to say is, "What ever do you mean, my dear?"

He'd have to be really close to the Inquisitor for Cullen to be even slightly comfortable with that sudden movement. His knee-jerk reaction would be to panic. He'd also probably try to defend himself or physically remove himself from the situation. If he is comfortable, well, this man grew up with siblings. He's gonna tickle the Inquisitor right back, maybe even give into childish impulse and full body slam them into the floor... and apologise profusely after. And fix his hair.

Leliana sees it coming from a mile away. She'd turn swiftly and catch the Inquisitor's wrists in her hands, then offer them a knowing smile that simultaneously warms and terrifies. "I wish you luck for your next attempt." Is that a threat or a challenge? You decide.

Josephine would yelp with surprise, then erupt into giggles despite herself. She feels just like a young girl again, having tickle fights with Yvette until her tutors reprimanded her for terribly unlady-like behaviour. Josie would never in a million years dream of actually retaliating, but she sure thinks about it. A lot.

[moontheoretist]

Someone just told me I can't criticise Cullen's redemption arc for being too short and not addressing properly the issue with his hatred of the mages, because I need to take into account the context of the time period the medium was made... I'm sorry but did good and not cut in half redemption arcs that fully adress character's journey to become a better person were invented after 2014? Or am I missing something?

Rant below.

And they were literally responding to me saying that Cullen's arc was not fully done in DAI. Which is an obvious statement of an obvious fact that Cullen's arc is cut in half and that DAI is just a start of redemption journey. My critique was of people assuming that it was a full arc and game treating it as if it was a full arc when it simply wasn't. They keep insisting "they couldn't know due to the time period". Like WTF.

2011 - 2014 is not ancient times! Even if they didn't mean that and instead the historical period DAI is set in, it's a bullshit argument! DAI is not historical fiction! And even if it was, critique can be made still!

And told me to "appreciate media as a result of cultural attitudes of its time" which is such a white cis hetero privileged argument I swear. Oh, yes I should definitely appreciate all the media for their racism and sexism and excuse it because "they're just a product of its time" when the only thing it showcases is the bias of the author at worst and author's desire to explore fucked up things at best. No, thank you.

We knew how to write a full redemption arc in 2014 and even long before that! And when I kept repeating my point that the arc was too short and should be longer, that I'm not saying it out of hate but out of love, they literally tried to blame me for "twisting their words" so I can be right. I didn't twist shit. It was them who didn't want to say what they truly mean by what they said to "avoid spoilers" (as it was a convo under a video of someone who never played DAI) with their "context of the time period" point. Not to mention that this point doesn't apply in this situation. I didn't say that, but even if it was applying here it would NOT be an excuse to act as if what is happening in the game and what Cullen says to your mage in DAI was ok. It just reminded me about all those people who say "grandpa doesn't know better, it was different times when he was younger". Like the fuck, it's not an excuse, and it's stupid argument, because people knew bad stuff were bad regardless of the time period. Those that didn't were in the dark about it because they didn't want to engage with different narratives than the ones that suited them the most, and then when they aged they just kept those opinions and refused to budge, even when they were wrong both at the time of their youth and when they were older. Times change, but some stuff are always the same. People not being able to accept that criticism exists and isn't harmful or malicious is just one of them.

And it all started because I dared to say that Blackwall's redemption arc is better. I didn't say it because it's better written (i.e. it has more content inside the game rather than outside it) or was longer. I said it, because the ultimate goal of a redeption arc is to make the character become a better person and Blackwall when we meet him is already way on his way to become a better person. He didn't just start his arc. He worked his ass for years to be where he was during DAI. Meanwhile Cullen is just starting his arc or at the very least in the middle of it if we count from the moment he was traumatized. DAO was his traumatic experience. DA2 was him doubling down on his hatred to cope with his trauma, so at the end he could switch sides. DAI is when he finally properly starts his redemption journey and actively tries to become better. He stumbles and does bad shit during it because it's a start. But it's still not an excuse to what he says and tries to push for in DAI. It just means that his journey will be long and hard. Treating DAI as a full redemption arc is foolish and tells me more than I need to know.

[blightbear]

17, 35, and 37 from the Inquisitor questions!

hiiiii mo, thanks for asking :D <333

questions for the inquisitor

17. From their inner circle, who is the Inquisitor closest to? Who are their friends?

She was closest to and friends with Solas first. She also became close with Cole, finding a strange comfort in his inflections. Josie and her become pretty close and is someone she finds she can confide in. Dorian it takes awhile, did not start on a good foot at all, but I'd say they become friends and closer within the two years of Solas' absence. She used to whittle with Blackwall and they would sit in a comfortable silence. She was friends with Sera but had a falling out.

Outside of the immediate circle I'd say she becomes pretty fond of Dagna and likes hanging around her in the Undercroft when she wants a place to escape to that would be one of the last places people look (although she finds some of the dwarf's experiments…questionable).

35. What are their thoughts before confronting Corypheus one last time? Are they sure they'll win or are they scared?

I wouldn't say Mo is sure about anything during her whole time in the Inquisition, constantly second guessing things. When it comes to facing Corypheus for the last time, there is the small drop of doubt that seeps in, despite all the preparation. Only so many times someone can escape death's door. There's a bit of resignation, this could be it. There were preparations made to notify the clan first if it came to it. Yet, she's seen the future that plays out if they fail. She'll do anything to not bring about those events to the present day. A mixture fear, exhaustion -- but also a bit of hope. It's time to end things, she'll be sure to make every arrow count.

37. What are the Inquisitor's thoughts on Solas before and after his disappearance?

Logged It's Complicated on Facebook.

It's definitely confusing for her. They had become so close, yet in an instant he broke her heart -- left her lost, angered, and confused. She thought things were fine, that they were heading towards a place of happiness in such an abysmal time. Yet, that wasn't the case. It was an awkward time to say the least before he left, and an even more confusing time after. She always saw him as someone so kind and wise, but beneath she saw a contemplative darkness, something not meant for her to see. Always there, not always easy to ignore. She just wishes he would've been honest, before he left for those two years. Left a lot of room for some resentment to grow.

Despite everything though, there's still a part of her hear that he still holds. Always a place of tender care that he can return to if he'll only accept it.

[butterflydm]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is almost upon us and one of my shallow-level thoughts is that I hope I vibe best with a lady love interest this time around, b/c my ‘canon’ LIs are: Zevran, Anders, & then Cullen, and that’s a lot of dudes in a row. I did romance Zevran as a male dwarven warrior, so it’s not all m/f pairings but still... a lot of dudes. OTOH, I wouldn’t really change anything because I do really like my canon line-up for how well the story flows for me.

Because my Aeducan ended up... heavily influencing and interacting with Anders in a way that really made a lot of Anders’ more radical choices in DA2 feel like they were lessons that my Warden had taught him about standing up for freedom and not running away from a fight. My Warden didn’t know a thing about mages or elves before he joined the Wardens and I played him as a bit of a naive noble at first when it came to any surface-related, so he learned his politics and opinions about the various issues of surface-world Thedas as he went, which meant that Zevran (love interest) and Morrigan (who he liked a lot as a friend and who he did the dark ritual with) influenced him heavily in his opinions on various issues. He really liked how Zevran could be pragmatic but also had a strong streak of compassion and he liked that it took time to get to know him.

And then when my Warden met Anders, Anders’ flippant-jokes-that-mask-pain routine reminded him a lot of his beloved Zevran, so my Warden was taking Anders out with him pretty much every time he left Amaranthine. He probably wouldn’t even blink at the whole Justice-inhabiting-Anders thing, honestly, because he liked Justice a lot, too, and he’d seen a spirit sharing a body with a human before with Wynne.

Then my Marian Hawke was a mage, and very into mage rights but was primarily a diplomatic Hawke so Anders could say the things that she might think about Templars and the Chantry but usually wouldn’t say. My canon Hawke actually tried very hard not to romance Anders, because he warned her off him! I took the approach that if a companion discouraged me, I wouldn’t push, so after that first flirt where he shows interest but then shuts down the idea of a relationship, she basically pined from afar until Anders made it clear in Act II that he still had feelings for her (yes, she was the kind of woman who responded well to ‘I would drown the world in blood to keep you safe’. I didn’t say she was particularly emotionally healthy, just diplomatic. She will be very happy on the run with Anders tbh -- for me, the key to the Anders romance is to think of it as fundamentally a poly romance, as Hawke really kinda needs to fall in love with both Anders and Justice in order for it not to feel like a tragedy at the end).

My canon Inky is a Lavellan archer and fell in love with Cullen over that lovely game of chess. She was a very very flirty character and I ended up needing to ‘break up’ with Blackwall in order to romance Cullen properly because I’d accidentally soft-locked BW when I got to Skyhold but before I’d decided who she had real feelings for. Like my Aeducan, she was a bit naive at the start, though for different reasons. She was just a really good person who wanted to think the best of everyone and tried her hardest to just make all her companions get along with each other too.

She flirted a bit with Solas at the beginning but saw him as too much of a teacher figure as time passed, so her crush faded and it was just friendship and respect after that for her. I really do hope that choosing ‘redeem’ over ‘kill’ in Trespasser has an impact in DAV because she definitely wants to save him from his own bad choices. She really admired him and discovering the truth about him... complicated that admiration but didn’t shatter it, because he did do so much to help the elven people in the past.

[lasatfat]

how about a little 1, 3, and 25 for Rian/Varric and/or Sigyn/Blackwall from the relationship asks

OC relationship asks

Number 1 spoils a Varric/Hawke fic I've had in the works for five literal years, so I'll put it at the end under a cut.

3 - What's their love language?

I don't really buy into the whole "five love languages and you have one main one" thing, so I guess I went more specific?

Rian/Varric: Kind of an obvious one for Varric, but words. Tale of the Champion is essentially one big love letter. (Rian read the first chapter and realised they hate reading about themself). They’re both big on doing things for people, and I can see that translating over to being generous with each other. Probably also becomes a point of contention at times, whose turn it is to spoil who.

Sigyn/Blackwall: They still leave each other notes. Mostly it’s little “I love yous,” or things the other needs to know, or jokes that they think the other might like.

25 - Do they have any pet names for each other?

Rian/Varric: Rian gets the nickname “Waffles” pretty quick (they’re diplomatic with a sassy edge), but the more Varric falls in love with them, the less he uses the nickname. The same thing happens with Athim, though I haven’t figured out what her nickname is yet. Rian will often call people “love,” and not always as a term of endearment. But they have fun coming up with ludicrously cutesy pet names to wind Varric up.

Sigyn/Blackwall: Blackwall calls Sigyn “my lady” quite often. She always protests that she’s not a lady, but in a playful way. She’s totally into it. Sigyn will refer to him as “my warden.” She’ll use it more often than she uses his name.

1 - Who fell first? Who fell harder?

Sigyn/Blackwall: I have some ideas about this, but I don’t think any of them fit into the “fell first, fell harder” trope. There’s a whole story about how they first came across each other that’s I’m planning to write out properly, but essentially, they started exchanging little notes. They left supplies for each other. They both fell for each other from afar, and quite gradually. It was important to me that they fell in love before they attached specific names to each other.

Rian/Varric: Varric falls first, all those years ago when Rian got them out of the Deep Roads. He kept it close to the chest for over a decade, because he was still involved with Bianca and Rian was in love with Anders. He confesses his feelings after Hawke returns from the Fade, and that kind of pushes Rian face-first into the realisation that those feelings are, in fact, reciprocated. So, I would say they definitely fell harder.

[divorcedwife]

Im especially interested in your opinion of the companions! Did you like any, how would you rank them, how did they compare to other games.

I did enjoy veilguard myself cause admittedly im a combat enjoyer (boo me now) and the combat was great to me. But what is usually good in dragon age/bioware even if everything else sucks are characters and their stories and interactions and that was so bad in veilguard imo.

Still I liked Davrin and Emmrich and Bellara myself, rest were very mixed, and these three also suffered from bad dialogue and Bellara also from some overt cutesiness.

hehe noooooo i wouldn't boo you! this game really made me realize that i prefer video games as a form of interactive storytelling rather than purely for gameplay, but i mean, i feel like im the weirdo here if anything. video games are games first... as much as i like the combat (especially when it's in big open fields, with opportunities for cover ; god is it satisfying to slowly take down a mob of enemies through clever dodging and hiding, i wayyyy prefer that to spamming the flashy special moves), it feels empty to me if i dont feel connected to the world. ideally, i'd love to play games where i enjoy both, but if i have to pick, i'll prefer a game that i find unfun to play but where i like the writing

i think it's a pretty weak cast, yeah. individually, but also as a group, they lack chemistry to me. most of them get along just fine, but not in a way that's particularly fun or exciting. their relationships aren't interesting to me because they're very samey, both in that most people are friendly and also that they start out friendly and end up friendly. dai isn't a game i love, but for all its flaws, it definitely had fascinating character interactions to me. blackwall's friendship with sera is so different to his friendship with cassandra or with solas, and he's initially wary of cole but grows to like him after a while. and these people all have their opinion of blackwall changed forever by revelations. that's what's lacking to me in companion relationships! growth... change... i did enjoy davrin and lucanis's bickering at least. i also did like how emmrich talked to companions, his therapy talk was actually charming every time i liked emmrich and davrin the most! my only problem with davrin is how often he felt shackled to assan, like the writers felt the need to remind us that he has a cute griffon every three seconds in case we were losing interest. but as a character, i found him really cool. i like how level headed he is, i love how he can't tell when lucanis is messing with him on purpose, those feel like great warden traits. emmrich, i really liked that he had the flaws to match his qualities - i love it when he complains about needing to teach TEN students (gasp!), or when davrin asks him if he knows how to wash dishes and he responds like someone who hasn't washed a dish in ten years, and so on. that's definitely what i found lacking in most companions - actual flaws! it's mind boggling to me how much of the lucanis banter i heard was spent clarifying how unproblematic he is. like he doesn't kill children, doesn't kill people who acted in self defense, doesn't kill innocents. what??? he doesn't even have flaws from growing up rich in a mansion... or being the ultimate nepo baby.................... that made most of the companions feel pretty shallow to me, like they were born right before the game began and had lived nothing

lucanis has enough little things about him i like that i would still say i liked him, but he's not getting honours from me. i like his design (it's very satisfyin to draw somehow), i liked spite, i liked the idea that he's trapped in the ossuary in his mind, i loved going to the mansion and seeing how barren and sad it is there. but i think his romance is my least favorite of any i've done in any dragon age games, and i would say that he was a worse boyfriend to have than the one who tried to kill me and also than the one who turned out to be an axe murderer in disguise, cause at least these two liked talking to my characters! lol

i'd put neve next but if im being honest with myself, i disliked more about her than i liked. i liked her bitter cynic pessimist traits, but i found her somewhat inconsistent on that and generally too friendly. the remaining characters, i didn't find anything compelling about them, i dont remember any moment that i liked with them :-( i really wish i did! i gave everyone as fair a shot as i could, i didn't start out this game looking for things to hate, but they really didn't do anything for me. i think bellara suffered from the fact that i dont really like all the technology in this game, i prefer low magic sad unwashed fantasy. at least she was very beautiful so she does get point for that

[imdoingaokay]

Hey, I hope you’re having a great day. If it’s alright with you then can I ask for a Dragon age inquisition companions react to essentially having an inquisitor that’s completely similar to Guts from Berserk? I genuinely believe that if Guts happen to exist in the world of Thedas he would most definitely tear that whole country a new asshole. Alongside who do you think would pin for a Guts like inquisitor?

First off, excellent ask. Second off, this is a tough one.

For starters, I think all of the potential romances would eventually pine after the Inquisitor. It depends on how fast they fall. 

I would say Iron Bull is one of the fastest when it comes to sexual attraction. He immediately wants to test out how strong the Inquisitor is. Of course, his feelings turn romantic after a while, once the Inquisitor starts showing a softer side to them. 

Sera is the same if the Inquisitor is a woman. She looks at them, goes “awooga,” and then falls head over heels when the two start getting close. Of course, the whole quest where you have to figure out how to make Sera know you love her, it’s a bit different. Less of the Inquisitor sounding like a schoolkid in love, more like a slightly confused warrior who has no idea what the fuck they are supposed to do. Same energy, but more badass, you know?

Josephine and Dorian have the slowest start, finding that while their drive and stupendous will to bring justice to the world is admirable, they are a bit too harsh. They’ll see them as a brute in the very beginning, and while they won’t be necessarily looking down at them, they assume that the Inquisitor will be more brawn than brains. Of course, The Inquisitor will show them that they were incredibly incorrect to think that way, mainly once the Battle of Haven happens. That’s when they both start developing feelings. As their quest comes to a close, especially if Dorian was told about the letter and was supported in the conversation, they’ll realize that their feelings are far more. Truly a slow burn, and what hurts is that they believe that the Inquisitor has no feelings for them in return. It’ll take someone to give before they confess, so the Inquisitor might need to speak to them first.

Now, in general, Cullen, Blackwall, and Cassandra will have a great deal of respect for The Inquisitor from the get-go. Seeing the way they handle most situations swiftly and on point is something that will impress them. But once the Attack on Haven happens, they’ll realize that their feelings are much more profound than they expect they'll hide their feelings for all of them, but do it way worse than Josephine or Dorian. Eventually, someone will call them out. If that’s the Inquisitor… it’s going to be a weird conversation.

Solas would also have some respect for the Inquisitor, but he would keep his distance. He’s more hesitant to start a romance with an elven Inquisitor, due to the Inquisitor’s more black-and-white worldview. Especially with how they seem to cut down anyone in their way, Solas seems a little turned off at it all. Of course, the literal second The Inquisitor shows Solas their soft side and asks him about the fade, he’s mush. If the Inquisitor’s origin story is very similar to Guts, he actually really sympathizes with them, and he feels kind of awful about how he thought of them earlier.

[nirikeehan]

Fanfic Self-Rec Challenge 

@fandomn00blr tagged me to rec five of my own fics a whole month ago apparently 😅 December was sorta crazy, okay, but I figured this might be a decent year-end fic recap, so here we go!

I got deep into the abyss of multiple WIPs this year, just a warning. Also, these are all Dragon Age. 😊

A Little Grace, and Some Elegance. (2 chapters, 10k, M, complete). I think this is my favorite thing I've written this year. A deep dive on lyrium addiction and Cullen's backstory with Samson as I imagine it. Thalia and Cassandra play a role, but it's really about Cullen and Samson and how their friendship fell apart over the years.

Through a Glass, Darkly. (6 chapters, 24k, M, WIP). Definitely the most ambitious project I started this year. Imagines a nightmare future AU where the Inquisition lost. Main pairing Thalia/Cullen as they struggle to put the pieces back together. Also, Samson lives up to his full Disney villain potential in this one and I'm having a ridiculous amount of fun with it.

Kingdom Come. (5 chapters, 11k, E, WIP). A post-Trespasser second chance romance fic between Thalia/Thom Rainier after Thalia is widowed. Mostly an exploration of grief so far, with some smut. 👀 I started writing this as a challenge to the flippant statement I once made along the lines of, "The only way Thalia would end up with Blackwall is if Cullen died, haha." Because I'm a monster.

One For Sorrow. (1 chapter, 4k, M, complete). Probably my favorite Thalia/Blackwall piece I wrote this year. So much pining and doomed relationship stuff in this one. Plus I liked adding Cole and Dorian as the supporting cast; they added a nice depth. Also, I don't usually mess with hallucinations/dreams as a plot device, but I did it as a challenge to myself and I liked how it came out here.

Temperance and Templars. (3 chapters, 10k, M, WIP). A weird little fic that was born out of being dared to do a bodyguard AU for Thalia/Cullen, and here we are. The premise is Thalia was never sent to the Circle and her parents have hired Cullen as a private Templar to keep watch over her. I've had a lot of fun adding world-building to the Templar Order to make the premise plausible, and this is meant to be — dare I say — one of my more light-hearted fics??? We'll see if that bears out...

That's it!! Tagging the following people if you are interested:

@anneapocalypse | @rakshadow | @warpedlegacy | @oxygenforthewicked | @highwayphantoms | @monocytogenes | @inquisimer | @bluewren

Happy new year!!

[officious-seeing-eye-bitch]

I think my point can be best summarized in one of the first things you mention, i.e. Taash calling Emmerich a skullfucker. Because the thing is, Taash doesn't get /to finish the word/." They're cut-off before "fucker" leaves their mouth. To me at least, that feels very sanitized, and very Marvel.

And what really is the long-term pay off of Davrin and Lucanis' fight? To me, it feels patched over /so quickly/. Like the devs were too concerned with having actual character conflict that they wanted them to make up quickly and cleanly.

Isabela's sexuality isn't a flaw, just like Lucanis' isn't a flaw. However, Aveline's misogynistic language and disparagement of Isabela is a flaw of Aveline's. It isn't so much as "their personalities don't mesh," but rather Aveline actively choosing to be rude to Isabela because of her sexuality.

To address your second reblog:

Merrill did put herself and her clan at risk through her actions and blood magic. This could be seen as a flaw, even if Merrill's intentions are good.

Her greed, her stealing of a priceless religious artifact, and her hiding that are all what could be called "flaws." Even Isabela feels sanitized in Veilguard, as it feels the Devs wanted to shy away from making the Lords of Fortune actual plunderers, when Isabela was, by definition, plundering. They (the Devs) were scared of making the Lords anything other than cool treasure hunters, and didn't want to deal with the socio-political implications of what treasure hunting implies.

Anders is flawed, primarily in his inability to attempt to relate with Fenris (which Fenris is also guilty of). His self-righteousness for his cause does lead him to ignore others, ignore help, and ultimately got many people killed. (And this isn't about whether or not his actions were justified bc THAT is a can of worms).

Aveline's flaw isn't being awkward (that's hardly a flaw, that's a personality trait), but rather her treatment of Isabela. And her inability to run her own guard due to personal attachments (ex. getting Hawke to handle things she doesn't want to put guards on).

The thing about Alistair is he CAN hate your guts. He is able to act and respond to the decisions your Warden makes. Your Warden /can/ be the flawed one. His reactions make more sense, and are more impactful than what I see in Veilguard, where it feels like people /have/ to like Rook.

Solas and Dorian are /not/ the only flawed characters in Inquisition. Blackwall is actively lying to you after murdering a family. That is a /very/ serious crime, infinitely more serious than say Bellara not trusting herself. You can expel Blackwall from the Inquisition for that. Sera has extreme internalized racism, and a very black and white way of picturing the world, to the point where it alienates her from potential friends and other possibilities. Dorian is not totally anti-slavery, and his privilege is a flaw. Cullen was actively a part of a repressive order that tormented people. He regrets it, but it still happened, which is a flaw for him to overcome.

What I am getting at here, is that all of these characters had MAJOR things that impacted their story, and the games. It impacted how you, the player, viewed them. It made you love them, or hate them. I love Solas' flawed nature of pride and ego, I hate how Anders approves of selling Fenris just because they disagree. What of that is there in Veilguard? No one makes, or has made morally wrong decisions that would make me feel strongly about them. They're middling and /safe/. And to me, that is a little boring. I don't want only good characters who do nothing wrong, ever, and when they do it can be fixed in two conversations.

I think one thing that bothers me about the Veilguard companions is that while they're fun, none of them are flawed in a way that matters. Like in Dragon Age 2 you've got Aveline calling Isabela a slut, and Anders approving if you sell Fenris back into slavery. In Veilguard, you've got to decide how many books Emmerich should bring camping, or say it's not a big deal that Bellara ate the last cheese stick.

And that's NOT me saying that I miss the misogyny of Aveline/Isabela's dialogue, or think Anders approving of selling Fenris is a "good" thing for his character, but rather it was that the characters had things that were genuinely dislike-able about them. I mean all you had to do was look at the fandom from the past decade to see some truly awful discourse about Cullen, Anders, Aveline, or even Dorian.

There just are no prominent character flaws in the Veilguard companions, which can make them fall a little flat, imo.

[theheraldsrest]

“Romanced Companions reacting to asexual Inquisitor”

Ayyy! Asexual bros! Cabot, this one’s for you! *distant sound of Cabot saying No* Nevermind, it’s for me! I hope I don’t butcher this! I gotchu, boo! 

-Lord Lex

Cullen

-It may come as a small shock to him, but gets over it fairly quickly. He already knows he loves you and that you love him, why would that change? Honestly does freak out a bit over certain moves he makes like putting his hand on your waist. Ask constantly if it’s appropriate or if he’s overstepping. Just wants to make sure you’re not uncomfortable and that he’s doing this right. Sometimes respects your space too much that it looks like he’s trying to hold up to the COVID “6ft apart” rule. (Cullen: What’s a koved?)

Josephine

-She’s well versed with the different sexualities people choose so she’s familiar. She was a bard for the courts and had to know who she was talking to for Andraste’s sake. That doesn’t stop her from enjoying her time with you either way. Mostly the same as pursuing her romance, the only difference is she just enjoys cuddling you and being near you. She tries to do so many small things to show her love instead with little gifts, reading with you, or even just walking around, hand in hand.

Solas

-Completely understands this and, in a way, feels the same. Being with the person you love and respecting who they are is more important, only ever seeing the more intimate things as being a continuation of one’s blood line or even just a primal thing. Only things he does differently are the delicate kisses he’ll place on your forehead, cheek, or to your lips. You’ll find no complaints from him as he just enjoys your company and you wanting to be with him. Grows even more attached to a point that he almost gives up on going through with a certain idea.

Cassandra

-A bit confused, but she’s got the spirit. Thought it would lessen the embarrassment but, oh ho ho! She couldn’t be more wrong. This just means the romantic antics are increased tenfold and it takes her a bit to catch up and try to reciprocate. She’s more of a blushing mess, to which Varric definitely doesn’t forget to point out. Didn’t really see the necessity with stating that you were asexual but it does increase her protection of you from some degenarates. Loves that your more private time together is spent being near each other, either reading or just talking.

The Iron Bull

-Fine by him. He understands, some people just don’t have that drive for sexual pleasure or just no interest at all. Hell, he does it for fun or to unwind. Everything is pretty much the same just with less sexual tension. You couldn’t believe it, but he was a little embarrassed after he pinned you to the wall and went through his whole “you want to ride the bull” spiel, only for you to tell him that you didn’t want to “ride” but rather enjoy his company further. Time with him just seems much more...calmer and sweeter.

Dorian

-With most of the relationships he’s been in, this comes off as a surprise for him. Didn’t even know it was an option, especially knowing you were interested in him. But not for sexual pleasure? He’s baffled but overtime kinda enjoys it, even brings some joy to him. You don’t want him for his body or because he’s “also into men,” but because you like him for him. He does try to stop himself from seeming to be inappropriate, such as touching your thigh or running hand down your waist, but you know it’s just him reminding himself you’re real.

Sera

-What in the goddamn-? Kidding. Seriously though, there’s more schtick to sexuality? Argh. At least she tries to wrap her head around it. “So you like me? And like kissing me? But still don’t want sex? You feel nothing towards it? What are you, a saint?” Doesn’t seem like it but she does take it a bit seriously, watching what comments she makes about you or stopping herself from going too far. It’s a bit scary to see until she pulls another prank and you know it’s still your Sera. God help the poor soul who makes an inappropriate comment about you.

Blackwall

-He’s ok with that. Since becoming “Blackwall,” he stopped having a lot of nights with women in his bed, repressing any urges he might have. He’s not that informed about asexuality (most sexualities for that matter, no one is. And if you say you are educated in all sexualities, then you’re lying to yourself) but he respects that. There’s so many other ways he can show he cares, beginning with spending more time with you and placing fuzzy kisses to your cheek. He tries to not overstep any boundaries you might have. Chivalry isn’t dead, you know?

(God I regret everything she says. Please forgive them, I can’t even explain them. -Cabot)

[dacompanionreactions]

How would the companions react to finding out the inquisitor is a teenager and not an adult? Maybe the inquisitor is having an argument with Casandra and she yells at them to "stop being so childish" and they yell back " I'm only 16". This would need to happen later in the story, maybe after adamant fortress? They all thought the inquisitor was a young adult. How would they feel knowing a child is carrying the weight of saving the world and had to grow up fast to deal with the stress?

Cassandra blinks at the Inquisitor. She regrets the words immediately. Of course they were being childish - they are a child! She actually has to sit down to take it all in. They've seen many horrible things, had to make decisions no teenager should have to make... Cassandra apologises to them, and though she was protective over them before, she's ready to accept the role of mama bear. From then on she's always putting a comforting hand on their shoulder, and if they need it, a warm hug. "So, this is how Anthony must have felt..."

Varric breaks the quill he's writing with. His heart is already heavy with the loss at Adamant, so when Josephine tips him off about the Inquisitor's age, it makes him feel even worse. "Alright kiddo, if you need anything, just ask." Varric is determined to keep the kid happy with jokes (including awful puns) and updates on his newest stories. He considers himself their 'Uncle Varric' and is always ready to give them a hug. It's even better if the Quizzy is taller than him.

Solas mentally berates himself for not realising it earlier. Even with all his knowledge and experience, he still has much to learn. Immediately he feels terrible. No one should have to go through what the Inquisitor has, and yet they have, and because of him. He's usually very careful not to let people get close to him, but the Inquisitor is not yet 17 years old... so naturally, he becomes rather protective over them. Solas tutors them in matters of the Fade or magic, and if they are a mage, teaches them how to control their magic.

Dorian had an inkling. Their behaviour reminded him a lot of his own teenage years, and now he sees why. It's abhorrent, the things they've seen. Dorian discovers a strange paternal instinct when it comes to the Inquisitor. He wants to protect them from all harm, especially after Adamant. He cares deeply for them, so he's always got a barrier ready to cast when they're out on the field or a spare healing potion. Or a hug. Definitely a hug. "Kaffas, Inquisitor, what have you done to me?"

Sera puts her head in her hands. She joined the Inquisition to stop things like this happening to the little people, and yet it happened anyway. To the person leading them all, no less. "Anyone who's got a bad word against this little Quizzy's got an arrow or two headed for their gob." And she means it. Shit gets hard, Adamant included, so she bakes cookies for the Inquisitor in her spare time. They're lumpy, slightly hard, and definitely appreciated. She sees herself as their big sister, and hopes they feel the same. They do.

Blackwall sits down and fights back tears. Momentarily he's reminded of his younger sister. She never made it to teenagehood, but if it were her as the Inquisitor, he'd want her to have the best big brother looking out for her. He stands up, nods to himself. That's that. The Inquisitor needs someone to look out for them. He can be that person. He's always offering advice (though he doesn't know what he's saying half the time) and hugs. "Hey, I'm proud of you." Blackwall says it all the time. After a difficult quest, after a simple meal, after making a new painting, doesn't matter what. He just lets them know he is proud.

Cole knew. Of course he knew. He knows everything going on in the Inquisitor's head, including the anxiety and stress. So he does things. He makes them their favourite tea. He leaves flowers on their window sill. He makes sure the windows are opened so they can hear the morning birdsong. And he always makes sure they have someone to talk to. "You are so young. So was I, once. I can help."

Bull grumbles something under his breath and goes to find the rest of his Chargers. He reminds them not to swear around the kid, then finds the Inquisitor. "You're officially the youngest member of the Chargers." He claps them on the back, leaving them off balance. Bull laughs heartily about it, then does everything he can to tell the world the Inquisitor is part of his Chargers. He's proud to have them there, and maybe it'll be a nicer distraction from, well, everything.

Vivienne gets visibly upset, something that is rarely seen in the iron-willed enchanter. She composes herself, then goes to make preparations. Potions that help with sleeping and anxiety, tutors that can help with decorum and a historical analysis of Thedas, and some spare money to go towards what ever the young Inquisitor would like. She smiles brightly as the requisitions arrive and lets the Inquisitor know they can come to her any time.