#if only for the surprise Blackwall lmao | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

nirikeehan · 3 years ago

Note

re: bad things happen bingo - do overdose for cullen. Fucking do it

Okay, you MONSTER. I did it.

lmao actually this is a double feature of pain, combining this prompt with one from @platoonharmonica who asked for "overdose" for Cullen and Samson. This is part one; part two will be out soon!

For @dadrunkwriting and @badthingshappenbingo

Overdose, Part One: A Little Grace

Series: Dragon Age: Inquisition

Characters & Pairings: Cullen Rutherford/Thalia Trevelyan, Cassandra Pentaghast, Raleigh Samson, brief mention of Thalia/Blackwall

Word Count: 4562 - enjoy this hefty serving of whump

CW: This is what it says on the tin, fam. Drug addiction, near death experience, PTSD, it's all in here. I actually put some comfort in my hurt/comfort this time though, so there's that.

Now with an AO3 link if you’d rather read it there!

---

Cullen was not in his office.

Thalia froze, her exuberant pace halted by the empty tower. There was his desk, cluttered with papers; there were his bookcases, crammed with tomes and military treatises. His chess set sat on a low shelf, where he left it after their last game. Candles flickered in their candelabras.

She called his name, to silence. She climbed the ladder to his deserted bedchamber, as neat as always. Thalia slid down the ladder and landed soundly, a lump in her throat. There was no reason to panic. He could have stepped out for a breath of fresh air, or an unexpected issue may have arisen at the soldier camp. Still, something about the thick silence unsettled her. Cullen rarely went anywhere without notice.

Thalia poked her head out onto the battlements, spotted an aide.

“Have you seen the Commander?” She kept her tone light.

“He’s not there?” said the aide, surprised.

Thalia thanked him with a smile and implored him not to worry. If this was some misunderstanding, she did not want to be the hysterical girlfriend who raised the alarm against an imagined peril. She shut the wooden door and leaned against it, shoulders slumping. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. She could still smell him here: the faint scent of elderflower, oak moss and other tinctures he took for the pain. He’s been doing well, she reminded herself.

She crossed to his desk, prickled by guilt. It was unfair to look through his belongings without permission. Admonishments ran in her head as she rummaged among reports and manifests and writing implements. Couldn’t she just trust him? Things had finally begun to settle down after Adamant and Halamshiral, not to mention the nightmare with Blackwall — No, Thom Rainier, she thought, every syllable of the unfamiliar name a jagged edge. Cullen had been there for Thalia through it all, and she for him, during the long lyrium withdrawal and the uncertainty that came with it.

She had even helped him track his old colleague, Samson, once a templar like Cullen, now an agent of Corypheus. It had thrilled her to work beside Cullen on that mission, like a secret blooming between them. Fueled at first by her burgeoning affection, solidified by their deepening mutual feelings, they had stalked the man relentlessly, often pouring over clues deep into the night. Perhaps that was the reason she had never shared her unease with anyone when Cullen ranted about destroying Samson, focused to the point of obsession. She had to gently remind him of the signs that pointed to Samson’s enduring humanity.

He used to be Cullen’s friend, she had marveled grimly. It must be difficult to lose a comrade-in-arms to their sworn enemy, but it still smarted to contemplate getting on Cullen’s bad side — and how easy that might have been, back when he was a templar and she a Circle mage.

Like a conjured spirit, there was the letter from Samson, centered on the desk. Thalia stilled. Cullen had never let her see it at the Shrine of Dumat; he had only summarized its contents with a sarcastic flourish before tucking it away. Why would he still have it? And leave it here, as if he’d been studying it? She had assumed he burned it.

She tilted her head at the messy cursive.

Cullen,

Drink enough lyrium and its song reveals the truth. You ought to put your ear to the ground and listen. The Chantry used us, chewed us up and spat us out, left us husks of our former selves. I still see it in your eyes. I could have saved you, but you refused.

You’re fighting the wrong battle. All your Inquisition’s hollow posturing will lead to nothing but ruin. Your Inquisitor is a false prophet, just like Andraste. Corypheus chose me as his general and his vessel of power. You will be defeated, and I will ascend to the right hand of a god. I would show you mercy, if you only knew how to prostrate yourself and beg.

If you truly believe you are superior, why not face me? Alone. You remember the Wounded Coast, I’m sure. You know where to go.

Samson

Thalia could scarcely breathe. The Wounded Coast outside Kirkwall was a fell place, full of treacherous cliffs and abandoned coves, hideouts for all manner of riff raff. Cullen had lived there for the better part of a decade. If that was where he’d gone, she didn’t know how she would ever find him. Surely he wouldn’t be so stupid as to fall for such an obvious trap?

Something is different with him and Samson. The thought chilled her, but it was true. Cullen was loyal to the Inquisition, but there was a part of him that he kept away from her and everyone else. It stemmed from the horror that had befallen him at Kinloch Hold, but spiraled out beyond that, to Kirkwall and the Templar Order and who knew what else.

I could have saved you, but you refused. Were these truly just the ravings of a madman?

Thalia scanned the letter. One line drew her eye again and again. She read in a whisper, “Drink enough lyrium and its song reveals the truth.”

A tingle of fear ran down her arms and into her fingers. Thalia dropped into a crouch and put her hand on the bottom drawer of Cullen’s desk. Weeks ago, she had watched him lock it and pocket the key, promising he would no longer pull out the small ceremonial box and contemplate its contents.

But there’s still lyrium in there, she had pointed out. She’d wanted to confiscate the bottle and throw it out over Skyhold’s walls, but he hadn’t let her.

I need to know it’s there, he said.

Why?

I need to know it’s there and I don’t need it.

She pulled at the drawer. It slid open. Inside was the box, clasps undone, ajar. “No,” Thalia pleaded. “No, no, no.” She tore at it, nearly snapping off a hinge. She knocked aside the wooden statue of Andraste. At the bottom, the glass lyrium cylinder lay on its side, uncapped and empty.

Thalia jumped to her feet and ran. She went out the door, down the stone steps, across the courtyard, toward Herald’s Rest. “Cassandra,” she screamed as she rounded the tavern. “Cassandra.”

Alarmed, the older woman straightened from hitting a dummy with a practice sword. “What is it?”

Thalia doubled over, gasping for breath. Since their ignominious meeting after the Conclave explosion, she and Cassandra had never seen eye-to-eye — not on the Chantry, nor the Inquisition, nor who should succeed Justinia as Divine. Their only common ground, it seemed, was caring about Cullen. The secret of his lyrium addiction bound them closer than Thalia liked. Once she had chafed under the connection; now she feared Cassandra was the only one who could help.

The words came tumbling from her mouth: Cullen gone, Samson’s letter, the drained lyrium bottle. Cassandra listened with stoic poise until the final detail. Her face darkened with anger, but behind her scowl, fear flashed in her eyes.

“Damn that man and his pride.” Cassandra dropped her sword and grasped Thalia’s shoulders. “Inquisitor, you must calm down if we are to find him.”

Thalia’s eyes filled with tears. “What if it’s too late? What if he’s already gone to confront Samson?”

“That is impossible. Cullen is our commander. There’s no way he could leave Skyhold without anyone seeing.”

Cassandra spoke with such confidence that it did abate Thalia’s panic. She pulled away, pressed her fingers to her forehead, tried to think. “So if he’s still within Skyhold’s walls, but no one’s seen him, where could he be?”

Thalia paced in the grass. Cassandra drew herself up to her full height, and inhaled sharply. “The lyrium stores.”

Panic shot down Thalia’s spine. “You don’t think…?”

“Maker, I hope I’m mistaken.” Cassandra took her by the elbow. “Come. We must be swift.”

The cellar below the armory smelled of must; its damp stone walls muffled the sound of rushing water from the adjacent dungeons. Cassandra led the charge down the stairs, Thalia at her heels. Two Inquisition soldiers stood outside one of many store rooms which housed food, drink, linens, and other bulk supplies for a keep of Skyhold’s size. Only the lyrium stores required an armed guard.

“Have you seen Commander Cullen?” Cassandra demanded with stinging authority.

The soldiers exchanged glances. “Y-yes, Seeker,” said one. “He requested entrance not one hour ago.”

“Step aside,” Cassandra commanded. “And let no one pass unless Lady Thalia or I give you leave. Is that understood?”

“But Seeker Pentaghast, the— the Commander—”

“If he tries to leave, detain him,” Thalia spoke up over Cassandra’s shoulder. She understood Cassandra’s logic, as much as it pained her. “By order of the Inquisitor.”

“Yes, your worship.” The soldiers bowed in unison and moved.

The room was dim, with only one sconce lighted by the door. A cerulean glow illuminated the rest, the bottles stacked in neat rows on the shelves that lined the aisles. There was so much lyrium the air itself hummed.

They found him face down in the back, below a bare shelf, surrounded by empty bottles. Thalia stood transfixed, reminded of the stone shrines she’d seen throughout Thedas: dotted with flowers and trinkets in offering, peaceful and still.

Then Cassandra shouted his name, and Thalia startled out of her daze. She threw herself down beside him, the glass cylinders scattering. “Cullen. Cullen, wake up.”

Cassandra knelt on his other side. It took both of them to turn him onto his back. His eyes were closed, face sweaty and pale, mouth slightly parted. Thalia shook him. “Cullen, please.”

“Maker have mercy, how much did he take?” Cassandra’s dark eyes were huge with horror.

Thalia lowered her ear to his face. Her stomach clenched. “He’s not breathing.”

“What?” Something broke loose inside Cassandra. She rose on her haunches, swung back her arm, and slapped Cullen across the face. “Commander. Stop this nonsense at once!”

His head lolled, but he did not stir. Thalia frantically pressed her fingers to his neck, searching for a heartbeat.

“This is my fault,” Cassandra muttered. “I pushed him into this position, put too much pressure on him to—”

“Cassandra,” Thalia cut in, her voice high and thin. “I can’t find a pulse. We need to do something or we’re going to lose him.”

The words shook Cassandra out of her panic. “I’ll get a medic.”

“Wait, no.” Thalia grabbed Cassandra’s arm as she tried to rise. Waiting for a healer would take too long. They had a minute or two, if that. “Help me get his armor off.”

Cassandra looked at her as if she’d gone mad.

“Electrical charge.” Thalia summoned a bit of magic and held up a sparking hand. “I had a professor at the Circle tell me once that electricity in small doses can restart a human heart.”

Cassandra looked from her to Cullen. His lips were turning blue. “How will you know the correct amount?”

I don’t. “I’ll figure it out.”

“Cullen would not consent to the use of magic on his person—”

“He’s dying, Cassandra.” A sob caught in Thalia’s throat. “I can’t lose him too. I can’t.”

She leaned over, yanked at Cullen’s fur-lined overcoat so she could reach the straps to his breastplate. Cassandra stood stricken, but only for a moment. Then she crouched down and assisted with deft hands. They removed his breastplate and bracers, anything that could conduct electricity. He lay limply in a thin tunic, head canted at an unnatural angle. Thalia had seen him without his armor before, but he’d never looked so fragile.

She slid over to his torso, rubbed her palms together to build up a charge. “Stay by his head,” she told Cassandra. “Be ready to catch him. The jolt might—” She blinked against a vision blurring with tears. “Might make him seize.”

Cassandra pressed her lips together, face blanched and full of doubt, but she did as Thalia said.

Please, Thalia prayed. She wasn’t sure to whom. Faith in the Maker had eluded her for years. Ever since her placement in the Ostwick Circle, he had never answered her pleas. Even the title branded upon her — the Herald of Andraste — she had balked against. She resolutely believed the shimmering figure in the Fade was not the bride of the Maker, or even Divine Justinia, but an opportunistic spirit playing tricks on the eye. In her opinion, people made their own luck, usually at the expense of others.

Yet Cullen had maintained his belief in the Andrastian religion, despite having every reason to spurn it: the abuses of the Chantry, the cruelties of the Templar Order, the shackles of lifelong addiction because of a decision he’d made at thirteen years old. None of it was fair, but somehow he was able to see past the petty affairs of men and believe in something purer — something that involved her. Thalia closed her eyes and prayed, not to her god, but his.

She pressed her palms to his chest.

His torso jumped into the air. Cassandra caught his head before his skull slammed into the stone floor. Cradling his temples in her hands, she gasped, “Did it work?”

Thalia leaned down, listened at his ribs for a heartbeat. Nothing. Maybe she hadn’t used enough.

“Get back,” she said. “I’m trying again.”

A second jolt, and the air took on an ionized scent.

“Please, Cullen. Just breathe, please.” Thalia gritted her teeth. With her ear to his chest she heard only silence. She straightened. “Again.”

“Inquisitor.” Cassandra had her fingers entwined in Cullen’s hair, her face awash in pity. “He would not want you to belabor the inevitable.”

“No,” Thalia snarled. “Get back, Cassandra. This isn’t how this ends.”

“How much more can his body take?” Tears shone in Cassandra’s eyes. “With that much lyrium in his system, and now you’re electrocuting him—”

“I’m trying to save him,” Thalia cried.

“You cannot save everyone!”

“Watch me.”

She gave Cassandra a vicious shove. The older woman tumbled backward. Thalia slammed her palms against Cullen’s ribs and sent forth a shock that reverberated in her bones. He seized violently, and lay still.

It was no use. The certainty of it threatened to swallow her whole: she had come this far on this strange, hellish journey, only to lose the one solid rock she’d had to lean on from the start. She hated herself for taking him for granted, for being distant while Blackwall stole her heart and broke it, for all the things she neglected to do to help him fight. Thalia threw her arms around him and held him tightly, buried her face in his collarbone to stifle her weeping.

Above her head, Cullen took a shuddering breath.

Thalia shot upright. Cassandra grabbed her arm. “Was that—?”

The two women paused, holding their own breaths. Below them, Cullen’s chest rose and fell softly. The color began to return to his cheeks.

“He’s alive,” Thalia whispered.

“He’s alive,” Cassandra agreed.

The guards found them a few minutes later, each hugging Cullen’s unconscious form and sobbing.

---

A cold breeze blew on his face, rousing him. Cullen blinked once, twice. He was in his quarters, in bed. He turned his gaze toward the source of the wind — the hole in the ceiling — and regretted it. The light from outside set off a staggering headache deep in his eye sockets.

He stifled a moan and tried to roll over, but his limbs felt sluggish and uncooperative. He squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again he saw Thalia and Cassandra, each slumped in a chair as if they had been here for some time. Thalia paged through a tome with some High Tevinter title, while Cassandra sat with a hand propped up under her chin, staring at the melting wax on a tallow candle.

Cassandra looked over first. “Inquisitor,” she cried, “he’s awake.”

Thalia fumbled and dropped the book. The thud echoed through Cullen’s skull. He grimaced until the pounding subsided. His mouth felt unwieldy and his tongue as if he’d swallowed sawdust. He tried to find his voice. “Water?”

“Of course.” Thalia uncorked a jug and poured some into a shallow bowl. She pulled her chair closer to his bedside. Cassandra rose and approached, hovering beyond her shoulder.

With great effort, Cullen pushed himself upright. “Easy, don’t overdo it,” Thalia cautioned. He tried take the bowl, but his hand shook so violently she snatched it back before he could spill it. He drank with the bowl held to his lips, and fell back against the pillow in a sweat.

Cullen pressed his palm against his eyes. “What… happened?”

The women exchanged glances. “You don’t remember?” Thalia asked gently.

He shook his head. This seemed to anger Cassandra. Her lips twisted into an indignant sneer. “The medic tells us you drank enough lyrium to kill a druffalo.”

“Cassandra,” Thalia hissed.

Yes, that would do it. Bits and pieces returned — the desperate hunger and the chill, the blue haze lingering at the edges of his vision. And the familiar warmth of the hit, the deep soul embrace, like coming home after so long. The music of it pulsing through him: beautiful, euphoric.

His recollection faltered after that, but the truth was etched on their faces. Shame welled inside him, white hot and ugly.

“I failed you both, and the Inquisition.” Cullen tried to sound poised, but a haggard breath sent him into a coughing fit. When he recovered, he added, “I’ll tender my resignation, effective immediately—”

“Oh, no you don’t,” Cassandra snapped. “You’ve been unconscious for two days, during which everyone thinks you’ve gone to visit an ailing relative. You’ll use your leave of absence to recover and think on your actions, and then you will return to work, Commander. We are too close to Corypheus and his general to hire a replacement now.” She turned to Thalia. “I’ll go tell Leliana and Josephine he’s woken up. Maker knows they’ve been worried sick.”

Cullen said nothing. He watched Thalia, who bit her lip the way she did when holding back a sardonic retort. They remained silent until Cassandra climbed down the ladder and the clomping of her boots faded.

“How many know?” he asked softly.

“Cassandra and I,” Thalia said. “The medic who treated you. And Leliana and Josephine, obviously. We had to tell them, so we could figure out what to do with the… the soldiers who saw you. In the store room.”

Another piece of the puzzle revealed. He had a flash of the glowing bottles on the shelves, singing their siren calls. “‘Do with’?”

“Hefty bonuses and a cushy transfer, far away from Skyhold,” Thalia said. “In exchange for their silence.”

Cullen let out a weary sigh. “Anyone else?”

“Iron Bull,” she admitted. “We had to get you up the ladder somehow.”

Cullen laughed mirthlessly. He scrubbed a hand from his brow to chin, where the razor stubble was threatening to become a full beard. His cheek pulsed with pain, as if he’d touched a bruise. “Why does the side of my face hurt?”

A sad smile crossed Thalia’s lips. “Oh. Cassandra tried to smack you back to life.”

“Back to life?”

He thought she was being hyperbolic, but when she met his gaze tears welled in her eyes. “You almost died, Cullen. I’ve never been so scared. I really thought— I thought that was it.” Her face crumpled. “What on earth were you thinking?”

The accusation in her tone might as well have been another blow. Cullen saw himself as she must: untrustworthy, dangerous, a liability. An addict. He ground his teeth together. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“No, you know who I don’t understand? People like Thom Rainier. People who keep secrets from me when the situation could be resolved if they just told the truth.” She leaned forward and clasped his hand between hers. The warmth of her touch startled him; his own limbs were like ice. “Please, Cullen, don’t shut me out. I want to help you. You don’t have to carry this by yourself.”

She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed the back of his palm. Cullen fought a strange urge to cry. “I don’t deserve you, my love.”

“It’s not about what we deserve,” Thalia said quietly. “It’s about what we do with the time given to us."

He raised his free hand, trembling, to her cheek. With his thumb he traced the curve of the tattoo forced upon her at the Ostwick Circle. There had been a time when he would have praised the practice and the templar who devised it — a fail-safe plan to identify mages in case their phylacteries were ever compromised. Now he worried if he met those responsible, he might kill them with his bare hands.

“Lie with me,” he whispered. “Please?”

She removed her boots and scrambled up onto the bed. She pressed herself against his body. The heat radiating from her felt like it could purge him, make him clean again. She wrapped her arms around his chest and put her head in the space between his chin and shoulder. His fingers found the plaits of her auburn hair, pinned to her head in intricate patterns. He held her and tried not to hate himself for what he had done.

“I have a confession to make,” Thalia said after awhile, muffled by his neck.

“Oh?” Cullen angled his head to take in her blue eyes, watching him with trepidation.

“I — when you were… you know. I used magic to, to revive you,” Thalia stammered. “Cassandra said you wouldn’t give permission to have magic performed on you. Is that— that’s because of Uldred, isn’t it?”

He tensed. It had been ten years, and just hearing the man’s name still propelled him close to panic. “Yes,” he said, with some effort. It was true — and Cassandra knew — that spells in the healing arts were difficult for him to tolerate, for the same reason he often couldn’t breathe in small, windowless spaces.

“I’m so sorry. I never thought to ask. But I… I didn’t know what else to do.” She let out a nervous sigh. “I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“I hardly think you should be the one worried about forgiveness,” Cullen said. “What you did saved my life, didn’t it?”

Swallowing hard, Thalia nodded.

“Then don’t apologize. The fault is mine. I shouldn’t have— lost control like that.” The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. It was grossly irresponsible, wholly selfish — and to have her apologize for saving him? “Maker, I should have been stronger.”

She brushed her fingers along his jaw. “What is it like?”

“Hmm?”

Thalia hesitated. “Needing the lyrium. You said I wouldn’t understand, but I want to.”

How could he explain, how the whole world faded to shades of blue, and everything came second to quelling the desire? That it became a beast that gnawed on him the longer he denied it? “I don’t know if I have the words. When I was in the Templar Order, it was just something we inherently understood among ourselves.”

“Like you and Samson,” Thalia whispered.

“What?” Hearing the name on her lips shook him. “What did you say?”

Thalia took a deep breath and met his gaze. “Cullen, I found the letter from Samson. In your office.”

Oh. There it was, the final piece he’d been missing. Sitting hunched over the parchment, reading the words over and over, the fury growing in him. How dare Samson taunt him so, and claim the right of the divine while he was at it?

“Thalia, I… I never meant for you to see that.” The shame coursed through him anew. The commander of an army should not be moved by such petty propaganda, and yet he’d been unable to destroy the letter. For weeks he’d ruminated on it, powerless to dispel it from his mind. Samson had always had that effect on him — he had a way of stating inconvenient truths with crass carelessness. Despite a slip into the delusional, that essence of Samson still shone through in his prose.

“Were you really planning to confront him?” Thalia’s eyes were wide with fear.

Small wisps of hair fell loose to frame her pale face. Cullen wanted to reach out and smooth them, to comfort her, tell her he hadn’t been contemplating a monumentally risky gamble — maybe the riskiest the Inquisition had ever known.

“Not alone,” he said at last.

“Cullen.” Thalia sat up and glared at him. “Are you insane?”

No, he wanted to say. Just an addict. That had been the play: arrive on the Wounded Coast with a well-armed retinue, wait to see if Samson showed. They had the means to weaken his armor, thanks to Dagna. But someone like Samson could not be stopped so easily. For that, one would have to be in peak condition, physically and mentally — and Cullen never was, without the lyrium. It was a glaring tactical flaw, no matter which way he looked at it.

And the perfect excuse.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I thought I could beat him at his own game.”

“How? By taking lyrium?” When he couldn’t deny it, Thalia shook her head angrily. “Has it ever occurred to you that’s exactly what he wanted? To break you, remove you from the board entirely, and leave the Inquisition in chaos?”

Cullen frowned. “No. I don’t think so. He doesn’t know I’ve quit, for a start. Besides…”

Thalia raised an eyebrow. “Besides?”

“I think a part of him means it. Wants me to see things his way… and join him.”

Thalia exhaled slowly. “He’s tried this before, hasn’t he?”

“How did you know?” Cullen asked, surprised.

“He said so in the letter.” She recited it with chilling precision: “‘I could have saved you, but you refused.’”

Cullen cast his gaze to the ceiling. Evening had fallen over Skyhold, the air from outside colder than ever. He wanted to burrow under the blankets and block out everything, especially this line of inquiry. “Yes, he tried. Once. Before I understood what any of it meant.”

Thalia’s horrified expression was difficult to take. “Maker, Cullen, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I made a mistake. A terrible one, and I’m paying for it to this day.” Rage, his old friend, had returned, coiling itself along his ribcage. His tone turned mocking. “The price I paid for mercy.”

She watched him with an expression akin to pity. Slowly, she lowered herself back down at his side. “Tell me what happened. Please.”

Cullen sighed, pulling her close. He had spent so much of his life alone that it awed him sometimes, how natural it felt to have her here, in his arms. “It’s a long story.”

She leaned over and kissed his temple. “Then you’re lucky I’ve got all night.”

Images and emotions floated through his psyche as he struggled to find the words. Too often he locked them up, shut them down, swept them under a mental rug that always looked a bit like the carpet in Meredith’s office.

Meredith’s office, he thought. Well, that’s as good a place to start as any.

Cullen opened his mouth and began to speak.

---

Part Two is now up here!

A few random notes:

Inspired by the absolute terror that hits me when a BioWare NPC is not where they’re supposed to be.

I always found it interesting that Samson left Cullen a letter at the Shrine of Dumat and he refuses to let you see it. It seemed to hit him harder than he wanted to let on. I took the few lines of it from Cullen's dialogue and fleshed out the rest to suit my evil purposes.

What good is having electricity magic if you don’t use it to defibrillate your boyfriend?

#cullen rutherford #thalia trevelyan #cassandra pentaghast #raleigh samson #cullen x trevelyan #fics #dragon age inquisition #dragon age drunk writing circle #bad things happen bingo

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vakarians-babe · 4 years ago

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1 and 3 for the dragon age inquisitior asks about Blackwall, please.

So I know you only asked for 1 and 3, but I like clean lists, so I’m answering 2 as well (and also I’m taking my first break from PhD coursework in like? Forever. So I’m treating myself)

1. Did they suspect his true identity at all? Were they taken by surprise when he revealed himself?

La’ara had her doubts, especially with the way Blackwall avoided Stroud, but she always thought that he was really a Grey Warden. She believed him wholeheartedly, because she saw no reason not to. So yes, she was surprised when he vanished to Orlais and then revealed his true identity.

2. What did they choose to do with him and how did they feel about their choice? Were they guilty about leaving him in cell, if they choose to do so?

She chose to free him, and bring him back to work for the Inquisition. Her feelings about the matter were complicated, but she also firmly felt that he had done his penance and leaving him to die was cruel. In addition, she saw bits and pieces of Cullen’s search for redemption in Blackwall (which I will say is more fleshed out in my headcanon lmao), and part of her leniency was a message to Cullen, as much as it was out of friendship for a man who she had come to care for and respect.

3. Did their treatment of Blackwall change after discovering who he was? If yes, how so?

It did at first, in private, when La’ara was still dealing with the shock of it all. She was angry, and felt hurt that he hadn’t trusted her, and she blew up about it in the war room. She even said some nasty things to Sera, saying that she had to have known because her and Blackwall were such good friends and accusing her of lying about it, which she felt awful for as soon as it happened. She baked Sera cookies for weeks afterwards. But when she went to meet Blackwall in his cell, she realized that he was the same man he always was. The strange guilt she always saw in his eyes made sense now, and it was the fact that she had seen it all along that solidified her opinion of him. After, she made a point to treat him as she had always done, defending him in public and in private. And the first thing she did was to get Sera and Blackwall together and give them mountains of fresh cookies, apologizing profusely for ever having doubted them, because she knew who they were and she let her paranoia get the better of her.

#thebluestofdaisies #dragon age inquisition #ty so much for the ask it brightened my morning #la'ara lavellan

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vulptilla · 4 years ago

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I know they don't give numbers, but I wanna ask a lot, so you'll have to count the bulletpoints of each section sorry not sorry. Katla x Thrask - PRE-SHIP: 2, 4 / LOVE: 1, 5 / DOMESTIC: 4, now Katla x Blackwall - PRE-SHIP: 2 / GEN: 3, 8 / LOVE: 3, 4 / DOMESTIC: 4, now Iliana x Josie - PRE-SHIP: 2, 4 / GEN: 2, 3 / LOVE: 1, 3, 4, 9 (I hope this format helps make things neater, but klgkljdfg it's hard with ask boxes)

Aw yes, thank you! 💜 Loved replying all these, even though it took basically forever.

Katla x Thrask

What was their first impression of each other?

At first, Katla was just as suspicious about Thrask as she would have been about any templar snooping around near where Merrill lived, asking questions about mages. She was mildly surprised when it turned out that Thrask was, in fact, trying to help Feynriel and actually sympathizing with the lad, but that was pretty much it. She agreed to help him, alright, but only because she, too, sympathized with Feynriel.

Thrask, on the other hand, used to frequent the Hanged Man, so it was nearly impossible for him to avoid overhearing Varric’s stories about Katla being busy helping people in need all around Kirkwall. In fact, he had heard about her long before they actually met each other, and it was only then that he figured out that she was a mage. He hadn’t expected it, but it didn’t bother him, either. In his opinion, Kirkwall could always have used more kind and benevolent people, mages or not mages.

If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

I have no doubt Katla would have laughed her ass off at such a ridiculous claim. Even after the two became casual acquaintances of sorts, she couldn’t ever have imagined falling for a templar, of all people, no matter how different he was from his peers or how pleasant company he might have been. She had never really thought about it, not even entertained the idea, until it happened.

Thrask had never thought about it, either, and if somebody had told him that would be the case, it would probably have made him uncomfortable. He would have brushed it off as total nonsense. Not because they were practically on the opposite sides of a brewing conflict, but because she was so much younger than him and, in his opinion, completely out of his league in all imaginable ways.

Who said “I love you” first?

Katla.

Who’s better at comforting the other?

Thrask.

Do they have any pets?

Well, not exactly, but after Katla’s Mabari hound finally accepted Thrask, they got along incredibly well. (I seriously need to pick a proper name for the doggo. I doubt “Katla’s Mabari” is something I want to stick with, lmao. Pet names are tricky.)

...I think I’m going to put the rest under a cut to not clutter everyone’s dashes with my nonsense.

Katla x Blackwall

What was their first impression of each other?

At first, Katla didn’t pay much attention to Blackwall, nor did Blackwall to her, though he noticed that unlike most of the mages he had fought alongside with over the years, Katla seemed to prefer fighting in the front lines. He could respect that.

What was their first kiss like?

Uncharacteristically chaste. The next dozen that followed were less so.

Who gets jealous easier?

Neither, I think. Blackwall isn’t the type. Katla used to have the tendency, but she had mostly overcome her insecurity issues at the point they engaged in a relationship. She’s too old for that shit.

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

They both prefer privacy, but after Blackwall’s true identity had been revealed and most of their companions either shunned or openly despised him for it, Katla would occasionally show her support (and let the others know where she stands) by taking his hand or kissing him in public. He keeps reminding her that she doesn’t have to, and she keeps reminding him that she knows she doesn’t.

What are their favorite things to do together?

They are the kind of couple that enjoys not doing anything in particular. It’s been a rough couple of years decades for them both. They really enjoy their precious moments of peace together.

Do they have any pets?

Katla wanted to spare her old Mabari from the hardship of the journey to Skyhold, so she left him in Aveline’s care. But! After Corypheus was defeated, they retired from active service and moved to Ferelden, where they lived a simple, peaceful life. WITH CHICKENS. (Artwork by the lovely and talented @livia-arida! 💜)

Iliana x Josephine

What was their first impression of each other?

To put it mildly, Iliana was a huge fucking mess when she first met Josie. She had lived an uneventful, secluded life as a Tranquil in the Ostwick Circle of Magi, and now, she was suddenly not just cured of her Tranquility, which is known to leave people in a vulnerable state, but also both accused of the murder of the Divine and hailed as the supposed Herald of Andraste. Everyone either feared or shunned her or impatiently waited for her to make herself useful by closing the rifts, and at first, literally the only one who showed her kindness and patience was Josie. Iliana was eternally grateful for that.

Josephine, on the other hand, felt sympathy (and pity) for Iliana. She could only imagine what it was like, to be dragged along into such a mess.

Who felt romantic feelings first?

Iliana.

Did they have an official first date? If so, what was it like?

They did! During a mission to Val Royeaux, they took an evening off to have a nice dinner in one of those fancy restaurants. It was all very proper, much courtly. Iliana had to do some serious research for it, and she maybe screwed up with the etiquette just a little bit, but it all turned out to be utterly perfect in the end.

What was their first kiss like?

After successfully thwarting a political disaster together, Iliana was overjoyed. She told Josie that she was so relieved that she could have kissed her. Josie told her, coyly, that she wouldn’t mind if Iliana did just that... and that she might even have hoped for it.

Who said “I love you” first?

Iliana.

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

Quite often, in fact.

What are their favorite things to do together?

Walking the battlements at sunrise, braiding each other’s hair, and sailing. Iliana was terrified by the sea at first, but she quickly overcame her fear.

What kind of nicknames do they call each other?

I think they might prefer using names, save for the occasional ‘sweetheart’ every now and then.

#dragon age #my oc: katla hawke #my oc: iliana trevelyan #thanks for asking!!#this took some time but it was very entertaining!#<33333

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hellas-himself · 5 years ago

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Well, shit.

So here’s this little thing I wrote when I finished DAO and DA2. I completely forgot about posting it because Feyrhycien took over my life lmao

I had never met the Hero of Ferelden.

I knew the stories, hell, I’d written about them more times than I will ever admit. The Warden, falling in love with a Crow sent to kill her. It was the kind of love story you’d find the Seeker reading quietly to herself when she thought none of us were looking.

But I didn’t know the Warden, not the way I knew Hawke.

The Champion of Kirkwall.

She would come to the Hanged Man for drinks and games of Wicked Grace, even if she lost most of the time. It was in those moments where the burden her family had placed on her seemed a little less heavy. She would laugh until she cried. Except sometimes, the crying didn’t stop. I know they were her family but they blamed her for everything. And nothing she did was ever enough. But Hawke never stopped trying, never stopped helping.

Hell, that’s how she met Fenris.

I hadn’t expected the prickly bastard to stick around once we’d cleaned out Danarius’s place, but Hawke had said they’d talked, and left it at that. He started tagging along, which wasn’t always too bad if we were choosing between Carver and Aveline.

He came with us to the Deep Roads when Carver joined the Templars. He remained in Hightown, fighting at Hawke’s side no matter where she went. He was there when Bartrand returned and I went to pay my big brother a visit… But you know that, Hawke’s story is the very tale Cassandra used to take me prisoner.

To put it plainly, the broody elf was always around, stealing glances at Hawke.

Everything changed after Hawke fought Hadriana. Their romance ended before it began. Hawke is my best friend, it was only natural for me to worry- but it was obvious the two were in love, they still fought side by side. He was there for her when her mother was killed. Fenris wore a red band around his wrist, the Amell crest- a romance in everything but name.

I’ll never forget the smile on her face after Fenris apologized for walking out on her. And when Meredith was defeated, Hawke and Fenris took off.

Naturally, I didn’t tell anyone where she went. Not even with that damn hole in the sky. And once I met Lavellan, I saw Hawke all over again. I knew I was done for; I was going to follow this girl to the damn Fade if I had to (be careful what you wish for).

I kept everything I knew about Hawke secret because I didn’t want any of this for her, but I didn’t want this for Lavellan, either. Here was this woman carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, and despite how she was treated by everyone, she wanted to help. Wanted to do anything she could to seal the Breach.

She took Ferelden by storm, sealing rifts and helping everyone; from farmers to nobles to the very people who had condemned her without knowing what had happened before she’d stepped out of that rift. Now, I won’t lie, I noticed how flustered she left Curly every time they spoke. I’m sure I’ll regret saying that later. But it was a surprise to see her warming up to Chuckles, asking him question after question about the Fade and his dreams, about elven history. We’d be at camp and she’d sit with him by the fire, talking about the mark. About anything.

But nothing came of it. She went to Val Royeaux. She traveled all over Thedas, coming back with new allies every time. The Iron Bull. The Grey Warden Blackwall. Sera and Vivienne. She took the time to talk to everyone, getting to know us all with every passing day.

And then we met Dorian.

Lavellan asked Solas and I to go with her to Redcliffe, knowing full well it was a trap. Was I really the only one who saw how worried Curly was?

With Leliana’s knowledge of the castle, we three walked right into the trap. It went to shit so fast, I still can’t put to words what it was like to see them just disappear. For Solas and I, she and Dorian had been gone for a few moments. Not even Alexius had moved from where he stood, unsure of what the hell had just happened.

When they came back… something had changed in her. She still made time for us, she still fought with everything she had. But the future she had fought through to come back had cast a shadow on her. I saw it when we sat down by the fire. She would ask about Kirkwall. About Hawke. I told her about Aveline and Isabela, Carver and Anders. Daisy and Curly. That made her laugh, trying to imagine what Cullen had looked like back then. She called him over one night to look at him by the fire and when she smiled, it almost looked like she was herself again.

But I saw the way she looked at Solas when she thought no one was looking. They didn’t talk as much as they used to. ‘I don’t have anything else to ask,’ she said when I’d teased her about it. Dorian managed to make her smile, at least- so did Bull and his Chargers. I didn’t dare to question when she’d just sit in silence by Leliana’s tent, staring at nothing for a time. One look from the Nightingale had everyone walking the other way.

The night she sealed the Breach, I saw the way she and Solas looked at one another before it happened. The worry on his face before she was standing tall, before the cheers erupted in the temple. But at Haven? Nothing. Not a glance. Not a word.

Even when Cullen was sending her out to face Corypheus as he led us out of Haven, she said no good byes. But when that dragon attacked again, she shouted for us to run. I saw the way Solas retreated into himself as we walked farther and farther from her, not knowing if she’d made it.

He showed nothing when she was carried to camp, he said nothing when everyone was fighting about where to go. What to do. But I saw them walk off together. I saw her smile when she came back alone.

And then we found Skyhold.

Lavellan was made Inquisitor and even with all her new responsibility, she made time for all of us. I want to say I saw her as much as Solas did, seeing as she walked by me every time she went to “walk around the library”. But they were talking again.

As she and Solas got closer, she strengthened her friendships with the rest of us. Facing Dorian’s father, hunting down a wyvern for Vivienne. I was surprised she didn’t hit Gatt in the face for the way he talked to Bull, especially after he and Lavellan chose the Chargers over the Qunari alliance. She was hung over for a few days after that, staying up late at night with Bull, drinking with his boys. Lavellan helped Curly through some heavy shit, and he finally seemed to relax around her. He still blushed, though.

There were times Solas did not journey with her, and I would see the way he’d pace around that room a little more than usual. She had gone all the way to the Hissing Wastes without us, taking Dorian and Bull with her. Blackwall had told her not to play matchmaker, but Lavellan had helped him pick out flowers for Josie. He tagged along and said nothing more about it.

They read books together in the garden, sometimes she would sit at the little table and listen to him theorize about elven magic and whatever other fancy shit he talked about that brought the hearts out in her eyes. She would listen to Solas and Bull playing their games while we trekked through the Emerald Graves. She laughed at all my stupid jokes and shared books with Cassandra at camp, not at all afraid to talk about them with all of us there.

Vivienne had called us all into Lavellan’s chambers for us to see the gown she would wear to the Winter Palace. That was probably the first time I ever saw Chuckles a little flustered. Naturally, Josie forced us all into matching outfits that none of us liked, but Lavellan made a joke about it and Solas laughed. Truly laughed.

When Lavellan met Hawke, I saw history repeating itself. And I didn’t feel so bad about pissing the Seeker off. Hawke sent Fenris away to keep him safe. I saw those same shadows haunting Lavellan and I feared of what she would lose saving the world, when Hawke had lost so much by saving Kirkwall.

We followed her through the Fade. The Deep Roads. We hunted dragons and discovered temples that discredited the Chantry and had Solas and Lavellan talking long into the night. I knew it was a fool’s hope to see a happy ending, but every victory, no matter how fictitious left me wondering if maybe she would be the hero who walked away smiling.

But that was a fool’s hope.

After we defeated Corypheus, Solas disappeared. Leliana couldn’t find him, and Lavellan… Well, she had Thedas to worry about. Nobles and stupid political disputes. After all she had done, all she had lost- these bastards had the nerve to demand more of her. I knew she cried for him, I knew she stood out on that balcony, looking out as if she’d see him coming back home. But time passed, and there was no sign of him. The world really didn’t need an Inquisition anymore, but we didn’t know what to do yet. Lavellan walked through the room as if he had never occupied that space. She still flirted with Dorian, but that was safe. Nothing would come from that. He was her best friend and she was happy to see him in love with Bull. I was only allowed to ask about Solas if she could ask about Bianca. She never said I couldn’t tease her about Curly.

Before I went back to Kirkwall, we played a game of Wicked Grace. She won the game and instead of gloating, she just started to cry. Everyone was leaving and she’d be here, alone. I told her to sleep in Curly’s room, it was so small she might fall over in her sleep. She kicked my foot under the table for that, but it got her smiling.

I knew that she would have Josie and Cullen, but I understood. Kirkwall was lonely when Hawke was gone. I don’t know why, but I told her about Fenris and Hawke. About how he had left, how he had come back. They were together again after all this time, despite everything. I wasn’t sure if that was enough, but when we said goodbye, she thanked me for the story.

Two years passed and we were all together again. Lavellan and Curly arrived with Josie, the ease in which they stood beside one another made me hope that maybe she’d found something there, at least a friend. She joked about their clothes, about his hair and how long he’d taken to get ready in the morning. Josie asked them both to promise her they’d refrain from commenting on the Clerics and nobles in attendance. They promised, but I knew Lavellan had her fingers crossed behind her back. They followed Josie inside, the two of them whispering to one another and trying not to laugh.

The fate of the Inquisition was to be decided, and we’d face it together. But of course, shit can never be easy. Not for her.

A Qunari threat. Bodies piling up. And the Eluvian.

I had never seen Lavellan as angry as she was before she went into the Crossroads. But then, I’d never seen Curly look so worried. Everyone was a little more than surprised when he hugged her goodbye.

Once more, I followed Lavellan into the unknown with Dorian and Bull at our side. The mark started to react, worse than before. In agony she fought Qunari and demons until at last… Solas returned.

But only she went after him, not believing that he had betrayed her. Betrayed us all.

Waiting for her to come back felt like an eternity, Dorian wanted to walk through to find her but Bull wouldn’t hear it. But she came back to us, stepping out of that Eluvian, clutching her left arm- what was left of it. He’d had the nerve to say he loved her still. But she didn’t cry, she asked Dorian to patch her up. Once we made it back to the Winter Palace, she let Vivienne adjust her sleeve.

Shadows no longer haunted her, they’d become a part of her. And she commanded them. I saw it in the way she argued with the clerics, with the nobles, with everyone who had demanded everything of her. The Inquisitor, our Herald of Andraste- she had enough.

She started by disbanding the Inquisition.

Those of us in the Inquisition left Skyhold, leaving room for those who had no where to go. A safe haven. That was all Lavellan requested for before she disappeared without a trace. Word had it that Curly was living in some cabin in the Hinterlands, but I looked into it. There was a cabin, but no sign of Curly. Some Inquisition soldier named Jim was living there, and he said he hadn’t seen the Commander since he was riding out of Skyhold by himself- after Lavellan left.

Months later, I was having dinner with Fenris and Hawke. Daisy was there. So was Isabela. Carver showed up with flowers for his sister and for Daisy. Aveline and Isabela’s insults to one another were said with smiles. We didn’t talk about Anders.

Right when we were moving on to dessert, a knock came onto the door. Everything seemed to pause until I was handed a note in a familiar hand. I had to smile, I should’ve known.

I now sit by a fire, Leliana is looking at a map. I don’t know how the hell Cassandra is here, but she is, and she’s just as pissed as she was the day she met me. Dorian and Bull “went to bed” and Sera is messing with a jar of bees. Cole is hiding somewhere and Warden Blackwall brought Josie flowers.

I see her, standing by Curly, her arms crossed as she listens to Vivienne wax poetic about Orlais’ latest fashions. And yeah, you heard me right. Arms.

With her mind on the Blade of Tidarion and all the notes she took after meeting Fenris once in passing, Dagna created an arm band made of silverite and lyrium. The band is always visible, but the ghastly blue arm appears whenever Lavellan wills it. A lyrium ghost arm is what Dagna calls it- I didn’t have to ask what inspired the name; I saw The Tale of the Champion amidst her many books on lyrium and magic.

Lavellan smiles when Curly brushes his fingers against the back of her hand, because she can feel it this time. Dagna is sitting on the ground, observing Lavellan and how she takes Curly by the hand, jotting down her findings.

I notice everyone is observing them. Cassandra has hearts in her eyes and Leliana is actually smiling. There is hope on Blackwall and Josie’s faces. Sera makes kissy sounds which leave Curly blushing but Lavellan smiles, leaning closer to him.

I told her once how Fenris had come back for Hawke. How they’d run off together when the world didn’t need them. Solas isn’t coming back for her. She knew it before any of us told her. But she came back for us, for Cullen. She ran off with him when the world believed it had no need of her.

We’re going to find Solas. We’re going to stop him from tearing down the Veil.

After that? I’ll be writing about Commander Cullen Rutherford and how he won the heart of the Herald of Andraste.

Cassandra is going to read the shit out of this one.

#Dragon Age #varric tethras #warden x zevran #fenris x femhawke #solavellan #cullen x inquisitor #cullen x lavellan #the champion of kirkwall #dragon age origins #dragon age 2 #dragon age inquisition #herald of andraste

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romancable-tabris · 5 years ago

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Curls & Creams & Dreams Such as These, pt 2

Rating: Teen Description: The party arrive in Orlais and Lanarís finally discovers what it is Vivienne needed to pick up. They're happily surprised when they find out. Author's Note: So here's part two I guess????? I wasn't meant to make a fic out of this yet here I am lmao

The carriage arrives at Vivienne’s address at noon. The party all stretch the moment they get out of the carriage. Before they head inside Vivienne talks to the carriage driver who smiles widely after she’s finished. He rides off, leaving the four to look up at Vivienne’s home.

“Welcome to my personal Manoir De Fer. If you’ll follow me please, we have no time to waste! We have a whole day ahead of us.” She walks on in nearly leaving the other three behind as they scuttle along behind her. When they arrive at the door, Vivienne made swooping hand motions and they heard various clicks within the door which then opened for them.

“Couldn’t have gotten a bigger place could you?” Bull joked.

“No, this is actually one of the smaller ones in Orlais. I like them quaint.”

Quaint indeed. Vivienne’s private mansion is nothing short of astounding in both decor and size. She has art displayed all over the entrance hall, the walls were beautiful, dark wallpaper with orangey-gold accents. It was simply beautiful. The floor was so shiny they could near see themselves in the tiles.

“Come now you three, I want to get started as soon as possible.” Vivienne strided down the hall.

They hurried after her down the hall, hearing the front door click again as they left.

“Madam, if I may ask,” Blackwall spoke.

“You may.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the bathroom.”

“The bathroom- surely we should wait outside?”

“No, I’d quite like for Lanarís to be in there with me. You two, I will direct to the living room where you can make yourselves at home.”

“The vagueness is getting weirdly funny now.” Bull whispered to Lana who stifled a giggle.

They couldn’t see it, but Vivienne’s excitement was beginning to bubble up and out of her, a wide smile ever present on her face.

✧

They arrived at her bathroom and Vivienne directed Lanarís inside while she escorted Bull and Blackwall to her living room. The bathroom was as clean as they could’ve imagined. A fluffy white rug decorated the floor. The floor tiles were a professional looking dark blue, with yellow diamonds patterned in. The walls were white with an impressive sheen and two strong white marble pillars stood inside. While Lanarís was admiring the porcelain bath, fit with lion shaped feet Vivienne reemerged in the room, floating various bowls and glasses from a basket over to her bathroom counter.

“If you would would turn your attention to the counter.” She stood proudly next to the collection she had set out.

“What.. is all this? Beauty products?” Lanarís looked up at Vivienne and back at the bottles all with engravings and titles and things on them.

Vivienne picked up a bowl and held it in front of Lanarís’ face.

“Smell this.”

Lanarís smelled that.

“What does it smell like?”

“Like… The fruits of the south. It smells so good? But what for?”

“This my dear… is going in your hair.”

Lanarís squinted momentarily before a dawning realisation struck them.

“You… brought me all the way out here to Orlais… to pamper me?”

“Yes, I did. I’m hoping to teach you how to look after yourself and your hair.”

Lanarís just stared at her in silence. Vivienne, in her confidence, continued.

“I noticed that you rarely seem to do anything special with your curls. That and quite a lot of the time it seems to have quite a lot of foilage and such stuck in it. I know big hair can be hard to keep and I thought perhaps that is why you haven’t really been looking after it? Because it’s troubling?”

Lanarís still said nothing. Vivienne felt the creeping sensation begin in her middle. She acknowledged it and left it as acknowledged. No need to feed into insecurity after all.

“Am I right in my judgement? Tell me if I’ve stepped over a line and I’ll call the carriage driver to take us back right away-”

“I cannot… possibly have the words to thank you madame,” Lanarís started, really looking at Vivienne for the first time since she started speaking. “I have no words..” Tears welled up in their eyes.

Tears were not Vivienne’s domain of knowledge, but she put a hand on the Inquisitor’s back none the less. They left her feeling helpless, tears did. Somehow she always wished she could magic them away, but it was not so simple as that.

“You needn’t say anything. I simply wanted to help you. What with you being so far from home and your clan being nearly untracable I figured some time off might help.”

Lanarís nodded softly and wiped their eyes.

“You do live up to your name Vivienne, but I should think Madame La Cherie would be a suitable one as well.”

“Oh please, Inquisitor. I am only doing my bit.”

“Lana, you may call me by my nickname madame.”

“Then in the same breath, should you wish, you may call me Cher.”

“I would love to!”

Vivienne smiled softly, and though the world had seen her smile before, only the Lanarís and Bastien had the luck to see this very special one.

✧

Once Vivienne had helped Lanarís choose the products they wished to use; all of which seemed fruity in smell, Vivienne showed Lanarís the beginning of what would come to be a succesful hair care journey.

She presented Lana with a round brush, with teeth both long in length and short, towards the base.

“This brush is going to be your new best friend.”

“Oh?”

“When I used to grow my hair long, this brush was my saviour. I’ll show you when we come to doing your curls. Now, would you like to have a bath before we start? You can call for me when you’re done and I’ll help you with your hair.”

“Actually… Could you stay with me?”

“You… want me present? While you bathe?”

Lanarís stumbled, “Please? This room is so big and empty and I’d prefer to be in your company than without.”

Vivienne was quiet for a moment. She looked at Lanarís and their hair and nodded once.

“Alright. I supoose there’s no real harm in me staying if it makes you more comfortable”

Lanarís sighed, relieved. Vivienne left briefly, allowing Lana to set up their bath and fill it up on their own.

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witchdoodle · 6 years ago

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🤞 🥚 🦅

**i meant 🍷 instead of egg in the first one whoops lmao

character opinion meme

🤞 BLACKWALL

"...Blackwall. Or is it Thom? Fenedhis. What a mess.

I'd like to say I think I knew something was wrong but decided it wasn't my business and that he'd tell me when he was comfortable -- and maybe I did, but I think it's likely I didn't. Which troubles me. I've known a lot of liars, and the best ones are good at it because they make it so mundane. But if my insight is not good enough to have detected that, that's a problem. I know more about shems now. Maybe that will help.

... he made a mistake, a selfish, greedy mistake, and then a long series of mistakes every day for years until he turned himself in. I don't believe in punishment for punishment's sake. I don't believe simply causing someone to suffer because they inflicted suffering on someone else is just. He took lives for profit, then damned others by abandoning them to the law. Joining the Wardens -- actually joining the Wardens, not being a pretender -- is a death sentence, but a necessary one; his presence there will save lives. And I believe he has changed, or I wouldn't have ordered it. The Thom Rainier who ordered a carriage full of children to be executed would have run as soon as they unlocked the manacles. The Blackwall I know was ready to give his life in service to others to atone for what he had done.

But you know what actually drives me nuts is I can't get past his bloody poker face. I can never tell when he's joking."

🍷 HERO OF FERELDEN

"She's, uh, small. I was expecting her to be bigger. ...I hear that's what they say about me.

You know, people talk about the Hero of Ferelden, but they hardly ever mention that she's one of the People. I knew that -- her name is Surana, mythal'enaste -- but maybe I didn't really know that because I was still surprised to see it. All the statues in her honour are just of griffons and stuff, because gods forbid anyone make sculpture with pointed ears. And she's a lot younger than I thought, too. She's not that much older than me. But she was raised in one of those awful towers and I always sort of think you can tell. They've all got the same sort of bruised look to them. They expect it can all go away at any second.

Leliana sent for her after the disaster at Adamant and she finally came. (She says Cullen used to be a bit smitten with her, but I couldn't tell. She said something like, 'thank the Maker someone else finally turned his head.') Anyway. Surana gave me some advice, which was helpful, but when I told her I'd rather follow her example and just up and vanish for ten years, she laughed. She sounded very sad."

🦅 HAWKE

"You want my opinion about Hawke? Here it is: there's too bloody many of them. You turn around and look back and they've multiplied. First it was the Champion, and then it was Isabela's wife, which was a disaster and I still can't find the pair of trousers I was wearing when we walked into the Herald's Rest, and then there’s another one at Adamant and then I take two steps in Kirkwall and there's another bloody Hawke. And this one's an elf! I don't believe Varric that there's only five. There are more of them. Hiding... lurking... waiting to strike.

The Champion of Kirkwall is what you expect to find when you go looking for a hero. He's all... tall and dark and handsome and such -- look, don't tell Bull I said that, he's after an, um, you know, nevermind -- but he has a singular talent for saying the most effective thing to piss off everyone in a room, and then stand there waiting for applause. He got on famously with Dorian, you can imagine. His sisters -- the two shemlen ones -- the older one's a spitfire and the younger one, she seems... worn out. I hear she worked a lot with the apostates in the Marches. Can't have been easy. Carver’s the Warden; he fought at Adamant -- on our side, that is -- but we didn’t meet. I was, um, a bit busy.

The youngest one? Well, she's one of ours. Inquisitive -- ha -- and bright. And much more sensitive than the others. A grown woman and they still treated her with kid gloves, like she'd break. I think she'll surprise everybody.

Everyone always asks if we'd met before, the Hawkes, I mean, which is ridiculous to me. Yes, of course, they were famous. But I'm Dalish; when we heard about the mess the Chantry was making of things there, we gave it a wide berth. We weren't exactly hanging around in Kirkwall, chatting up nobles. Wouldn't even go to Sundermount for years, which is how it took me so long to meet Merrill.

And I can talk shit about the Champion of Kirkwall all day, but his voice got very soft when he spoke about Fenris."

#padraig lavellan #memes #lord of thunders

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bi-mirandalawson · 6 years ago

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5, 6, 13, 15 & 31 for now? owo

REALLY LONG BC I LIKE THESE QUESTIONS SO IM ANSWERING THEM FOR ALL FIVE INQUISITORS

5 i already answered

6. Who did they romance and why?

cirhys romanced sera bc sera swooped in and stole her heart like so many breeches. she is so funny and she keeps cirhys from taking everything too seriously. she thinks sera is noble, and deserves more respect than she gets for all the work she does with the jennies and with the inquisition.

mellona romanced iron bull and also blackwall. she respects iron bull bc he is a good leader and they work together. bc he shows that he can be trusted. blackwall she really is only attracted to after she sees his dynamic with iron bull. they are like the three musketeers ?? she sees him as a good guy who is motivated by what is right. and she thinks he is very upfront with her (lmao) and she values that.

rivaas romanced dorian bc hes So Fucking Charming. he’s witty and funny and always has a quip about everything and rivaas fucking loves it. they have really good Banter. rivaas really falls in love when he starts to see the softer more emotional side of dorian.

ev romanced josephine bc she’s so pretty. she’s pretty and smart and so good at The Game and diplomacy in general and she works so hard all the time and the way her hair falls around her face ?? ev first flirted with her bc she was pretty and after getting to know her better, she could literally spend all day talking about things she likes about josephine.

romelos romanced solas because i wanted her to suffer he is smart and soft spoken mostly and she actually swooned the first time he did the rhyming thing. because he was there from the beginning and he saved her life. because she values his perspective and knowledge. because they talk for hours about magic and the fade. because he helps her make sense of things.

13. What did they thing of Solas?

cirhys is indifferent ?? she is grateful for his advice and knowledge, and of course, for the fact that he saved her life after the conclave. but personally she doesn’t care much about him ?? trespasser is an awful surprise and it hurts but only bc she thinks its her fault for not realizing who he is and what he wanted to do.

mellona does Not like him. she thinks he is full of himself and talks too much. she likes people who are straightforward and he always takes so fucking long to say anything and she’s so tired of talking to him. (my first mellona playthru is the only playthru where i got the chance to punch him)

rivaas likes him. he actually specializes in fade magic bc of solas. he sees him as a friend and mentor. likes the meandering conversations with him. not best friends but enough for him to take it personally when he finds out the truth in trespasser

ev considers him one of her closer friends. he reminds her of rivaas except older and not as ?? friendly ???? she likes his companionship bc he is pretty much always available to talk. takes his betrayal Super Personally and is really angry and hurt about it for a long time. she tells herself that she will stop him by any means necessary but i dont know if she actually would.

romelos is in love with him. tragically. after the bit with the vallaslin she kind of has to hate him for a while to get over her hurt and not let it consume her or distract her (and she hates that bc thats what solas told her - to harden her heart to a cutting edge and use the pain) trespasser fucking hurts because she thought she was super over him and moved on with her life but she starts putting together the pieces and by the time solas shows up she Knows and she’s starting to understand why he left her like that but she has so many questions and feels so guilty because she should have been able to change his mind and also why wasn’t she good enough to change his mind. she also wants to think that she will stop him by any means necessary but she wants to try to save him. she doesn’t want to kill him unless she has to.

15. Our of the followers/companions, who are they most comfortable around?

other than romances ??

cirhys’ best friend is iron bull and she adores cole. other than sera, they’re the ones she spends the most time with and feels most herself around.

for mellona its iron bull blackwall and vivienne. maybe with a side of dorian. she isn’t really ‘comfortable’ around anyone else? she keeps everyone at a distance and these are really the only people she gets close to in any meaningful way.

for rivaas its cassandra. solas a little but he feels like he can’t quite relax around solas ? he feels like he needs to sit up straight and make eye contact when they’re talking and shit. but he loves hanging around cassandra (especially when its him and cassandra and dorian omg they’re all bffs its great)

ev is most comfortable around sera and blackwall. sera especially. blackwall is a little intimidating to hang out with at first just bc he practically kisses the ground u walk on and she doesn’t want that all the time but with sera he can let himself let loose and ev can leave all the inquisitor stuff behind.

romelos is most comfortable around iron bull. she is practically a charger t b h. (hey if sera can make you a red jenny then iron bull should make you a charger ??) she feels more accepted with them than with anyone else. she doesn’t worry about disappointing them or not working hard enough or whatever.

31. Did they let Solas kill the mages?

so only ev and romelos got close enough for him to even come to them with that problem ??

ev lets him kill them bc she thinks they deserve it tbh.

romelos stops him because she doesn’t want to be accomplice to a murder. and she thinks they’ve been scared enough to learn their lesson and not do that shit again.

#my inquisitors #oc: cirhys #oc: mellona #oc: rivaas #oc: ev #oc: romelos #vamppeach

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carcinoaquarium · 7 years ago

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alright kk, don't say i didn't warn you lmao: Dearest Karkat, I am the anon whom you blessed with that dragon age tangent and i was bettered for it bc that tangent was great. When I played da:i I knew jack-all about the characters and literally only chose to be an elven female bc she had the most romantic options and I was going in thinking 'hell yeah imma romance the first available qunari of the series, you kidding me?' (1/7)

And then i chatted w solas and the literal first 'flirt' option w him is to tell him you aren't going to harass him for being an apostate and that was so /sad/ to think about, like he's so...lonely? Not to mention his greatest fear is dying alone?? Also he was hella intelligent and had interesting conversations and was suave as fuck, and I ended up being like "iron bull who?" and got my hEART RIPPED FROM MY CHEST, OW because solas has gotta be one of my fave villains in media to date. (2/7)

Also loghain, whom I didn't really appreciate until after I'd beheaded him. Whoops. Actually, I'd love to keep talking to you about dragon age?? i haven't been able to chat w a new(ish) fan in ages and these games have such depth. (also, dorian was absolutely my inquisitor's moirail, too, tbh. Although that's technically a romantic relationship, and Dorian is gay...? They're def BFFLs, tho, once Dorian was less racist against elves. Everyone in dai was kinda racist against elves.) (3/7)

Actually, elf Inquisitors kind of got a really fucking short stick in da:i. Not only did all of thedas hate them for being an elf, but there wasn't a single elf in that party that didn't challenge and beat on their religion (which is worse if they weren't already questioning it, as my inquisitor was), and even the people you can date don't seem to comfort you once your entire understanding of the world comes crashing down around your eyes. (4/7) (shit, i might hit the ask limit)

To a lesser extent this happens to the dwarves, too! Like, idk if you played the Descent dlc, but spoiler-free the dwarven religion is kind of picked apart and in the Tresspasser sequel we find out the ancient elves did a lot of shitty subjugating of the dwarven race, and not to mention the qunari are implied to be a race made through scientific genetic SPLICING of human and/or elven genes with fucking /dragons/, and it's like?? Man, give these fantasy races a break. (5/7)

Humans were the only ones who weren't really fucked with, they just kinda showed up from the north and invaded thedas while all that other political stuff was going on. But playing as a human's always seemed so boring to me, lmao. Did you play DA:O and DA2, too? (6/7) I feel like 200% nerd power right now,but the amount of effort and heart bioware put into these games is fascinating and i can't help but love dissecting it. Feel free to respond in private if u don't wanna clog ur blog w DA. (7/7)

YES. LET’S DO THIS. PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LONG REPLY SO I’LL READ MORE THIS SHIT.

ALTHOUGH I ONLY PERSONALLY PLAYED THROUGH ONE ROMANCE I OF COURSE HAD TO WATCH ALL OF THE COMPILATIONS ON YOUTUBE BECAUSE THAT’S JUST THE KIND OF GLUTTON I AM. SO YEAH. I AM FAMILIAR WITH SOLAS’ ROMANCE ARC. AND MAN I HAVE TO SAY YOU HAD TO BE MASOCHISTIC AS HELL TO RIDE THAT ONE OUT AND ENDURE THE MOST HEARTBREAKING OUTCOME OF THEM ALL. BLACKWALL WAS BAD ENOUGH, BUT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, IT GETS BETTER IF YOU CHOOSE IT TO.

DON’T GET ME WRONG, IT PLAYED OUT BEAUTIFULLY. BUT SADFPSDHFHSDF I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE SEE THAT THROUGH.

AND I SERIOUSLY DID NOT SEE SOLAS’ TURN COMING. IT WAS AMAZING. HE WAS SO CONVINCING THE ENTIRE TIME. JUST THE BOOKISH APOSTATE ELF WHO LIKED TO PAINT MURALS AND FANBOY OVER THE FADE IN IAMBIC PENTAMETER. FUCKING. IAMBIC. PENTAMETER. THAT WAS PRETTY AMAZING. ERIDAN APPRECIATED THAT. ALTHOUGH IT WAS HARD NOT TO THINK OF SOLLUX WHEN WE SAID HIS NAME. ESPECIALLY ERIDAN.

fuckin sol

BUT HOLY SHIT. I NEVER SAW IT COMING. AND YET WHEN YOU PLAYTHROUGH A SECOND TIME YOU SEE ALL THE LITTLE HINTS. MY SECOND PLAYTHROUGH WAS FULL OF ME SCREAMING AT THE SCREEN

“OOOOOH, SUUUUUUURE. TELL ME YOUR VAGUE ASS REASON FOR BEING HERE AGAIN, YOU LYING PIECE OF SHIT.”

“I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE, DREAD WOLF. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE.”

“YOU KNOW WHAT? THE FADE IS BORING. SPIRITS ARE BORING.”

“MAYBE I SHOULD SKIP THESE ELVEN PUZZLES THIS TIME, EGGSPONGE. OR MAYBE PISS IN THIS WELL. OR FIGHT THE IMMORTAL ELF DUDE. HMMMM??"

“I’M RUBBING MY BULGE AAAAALLL OVER THIS FEN’HAREL STATUE. YEAH. THAT’S RIGHT. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT??”

“WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GIVE YOU A *HAND* WITH THAT QUEST??? OH I BET YOU WOULD.”

SERIOUSLY THOUGH I THOUGHT THE WAY SOLAS’ CHARACTER ARC UNROLLED WAS MASTERFUL. THE WAY HE PULLS THE INQUISITOR ASIDE NEAR THE END OF THE MAIN GAME TO TELL THEM THAT THEY EXCEEDED HIS EXPECTATIONS AND THAT HE TRULY VALUES THEM AS A FRIEND... I DON’T THINK I’LL EVER REALLY KNOW IF HE MEANT IT BUT I LIKE TO THINK HE DID. AND THAT IT GENUINELY SURPRISED HIM THAT THE PERSON HE WAS OUT TO MANIPULATE NEARLY CHANGED HIS WORLD VIEW IN THE END. THAT’S HOW YOU WRITE A THREE DIMENSIONAL ANTAGONIST.

FFFF. THE RACE SHENANIGANS. DRAGON AGE AND SKYRIM REALLY LIKE TO PLAY UP THE DISCRIMINATION AND OUTRIGHT PERSECUTION OF ELVES, WHICH STANDS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO THE TOLKIENIAN LORE IT ALL STEMS FROM WHERE ELVES ARE (MOSTLY) POWERFUL AND RESPECTED AMONG HUMANS. I LIKE IT THOUGH. IT’S AN INTERESTING SPIN. THE DWARF HATE TOO. I FUCKING LOVED THE WAY THE ORLEASIAN COURT NOT-SO-COVERTLY THREW SHADE AT YOU IN THE WINTER PALACE FOR BEING A DIRTY LOWBLOOD INFERIOR RACE. IT MADE PUTTING THEM ALL IN THEIR PLACE A WHOLE LOT SWEETER. AGAIN. WISH FULFILLMENT.

I HAVE TO AGREE THOUGH THAT THE GAME SOMETIMES KIND OF DID A SHITTY JOB OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE ELF AND DWARF INQUISITORS’ PERSONAL STRUGGLES WITH THEIR RACE, AND I GUESS THAT COMES DOWN TO THE SHIPLOAD OF DIALOGUE CUSTOMIZATION THE DEVS ALREADY HAD ON THEIR PLATE. I REMEMBER BEING ESPECIALLY PISSED OFF TALKING TO DAGNA WHERE SHE FUCKING SEEMED TO FORGET NELLIE WAS *ALSO* A DWARF HALF THE FUCKING TIME.

AND THEN OTHER TIMES THE GAME WAS RANDOMLY REALLY GOOD IN THAT REGARD. IT WAS HIT AND MISS. ERIDAN DID AN ELF PLAYTHROUGH THAT I SAT IN ON AND I REMEMBER HOW COOL IT WAS BEING ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THE DALISH CLAN IN THAT INSIDER KIND OF WAY. BUT IT’S TRUE THAT PRETTY MUCH NONE OF THE ROMANTIC INTERESTS GIVE YOUR RACE MORE THAN *ONE* PASSING MENTION. CULLEN’S ROMANCE WITH A MAGE PLAYS WAY MORE HEAVILY INTO THINGS THAN SAY THE FACT THAT MALE LAVELLAN CAN DATE A GODDAMN *TEVINTER* ALTUS AND THE SLAVE THING IS BROUGHT UP A GRAND TOTAL OF ONCE.

AND AS A SIDENOTE THE FACT THAT IF YOU CHOOSE THE NECROMANCER MAGE SPECIALIZATION, DORIAN-THE-GOD-DAMN-NECROMANCER HAS FUCK ALL TO SAY ABOUT IT. EVEN IF YOU ROMANCE HIM. WHICH AMPORA DID. AND HE WAS PISSED.

SPEAKING OF AMPORA, HE ACTUALLY DID ROLL A HUMAN AT FIRST, BUT FIVE MINUTES IN HE WAS SO BORED WITH HIS CHARACTER HE ALMOST GAVE UP THE GAME FOR GOOD. SO YEAH. I FEEL YOU THERE.

BUT YEAH. THE SUGAR COATING ON THE CONFECTIONERY ITEM IS DEFINITELY THE FACT THAT THE GAME HINGES ON BASICALLY SOLAS DESTROYING DALISH LEGITIMACY. AND AS A DALISH INQUISITOR IT’S LIKE. OH. OK. SURE. MY LIFE WAS A LIE. NO BIG DEAL. NOW WHO’S READY FOR A VACATION IN TEVINTER BECAUSE BOY HOWDY ME AND MY QUNARI FRIEND ARE DOWN FOR SOME FIRST CLASS NORTHERN HOSPITALITY.

AS MUCH AS I CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT A LOT OF IT I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I NEVER PLAYED THE PREVIOUS GAMES BUT I ABSORBED THE DRAGON AGE WIKI AND I THINK I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WENT DOWN. I HAVE DA:O AND I DO PLAN ON PLAYING IT SOME TIME.

THE SADDEST PART IS THAT IT SEEMS PRETTY CERTAIN THAT THE SERIES IS PERMA-DEAD. AND I ACTUALLY WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WHERE THEY SEEMED TO BE TAKING IT. IT’S A FUCKING SHAME.

#DA:I #DRAGON AGE #KARKAT VANTAS #INQUISITION #saccharineomens

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taerellavellan · 8 years ago

Photo

@chaitea09 tagged me to do this, thank ye~ <3

Originally made by @trashwarden and the template can be found here! ^__^ I just spiffed it up a little in photoshop for my own use.

Tagging @thereluctantinquisitor @saltquizzy @zevmaellavellan @sketchyelvenass @smuttine @ryuchanwings @leothelionsaysgrrrr but only if you want to ^__^ And everyone else who sees this, consider yourself tagged as well if you want to do this!

So Taerel gets along with most of the Inner Circle! Descriptions under the cut.

Solas has the most colors, surprise surprise XD I would have added black in there because there’s definitely hate involved post Trespasser, but I decided against it for this.

Of his Advisors he gets along best with Josephine (she’s too sweet, how could anyone not like Josie??? <3333) and for both Cullen and Leliana he has a healthy dose of respect but it’s a business relationship. They’re not friends, and while he definitely does trust Cullen, Taerel still has difficulties with his templar past even though he realizes he has nothing to fear. Hence the tiny bit of purple.

Cole he likes plenty but it’s no more than that. Same with Sera, though I was contemplating on adding a bit of yellow in there... the thing is they do argue a lot and she’s so blunt and forward about the things he does that she disagrees with, I feel yellow would be too much.

Cassandra he likes as well, and respects her for the strength and brutal honesty in all things. That earns her bonus points.

Dorian, Varric and Bull all fall into the respected best friends category, but Bull has a bit of the crush color in there. Because yes, there was a crush in the early days of Haven, but it’s also a nod back to Taerel’s original days as a hardcore Bullrider :D Did two playthroughs of that before I settled on Solas. For that same reason I could have added the crush color to Dorian because I also did a Dorian romance with Tae, and while it was awesome and fun and I love Dorian, I can’t see him and Tae together like that anymore.

Blackwall... eh... I think in the beginning Blackwall fell into the respected friends category, but then the truth came out and... yeah.

Morrigan (I think it’s supposed to be Morrigan anyway, I honestly can’t tell lmao)... there’s respect but also distrust and it overshadows any possibility of developing something more friendly between them. Plus, her know-it-all attitude about the Dalish and insistence she drink from the Well definitely didn’t help. But there’s no denying that she’s isn’t knowledge and powerful, and Taerel believes that she is genuine in her attempts to help the Inquisition.

As for Vivienne... I wish I could like this character, I really do. And I did in the beginning but the more I talked to her, the more... yeah, no. I cannot STAND her condescending attitude and how she always refers to the Inquisitor as ‘my dear’, and it pushes ALL the wrong buttons with me. Plus I disagree with pretty much everything she says, and I have shamelessly projected all of this onto Taerel ^___^ She’s the only one I won’t recruit.

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fourth-axis · 8 years ago

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DA:I and a whole lot of elfy shit (previously)

Leading the inquisition as a pointy-eared mage felt a bit like putting on two left shoes and your armor backwards, a deeply ill-fitting suit further cemented every time someone asked if you BELIEVE and the options on your table were to: - conform - dodge the question - tell them to stick the Maker up their ass

but then, BUT THEN the Arbor Wilds happened and hooo boy! *stuffs Sera into a trunk* let’s talk elfy shit.

the REVELATIONS, the minds BLOWN, history SHATTERED, gods TALKED TO!! bullet list time:

i’m pretty certain that singularly devastating moment in the beginning when you inquisitor asks what a temple of mythal is, is a glitch and a bug and i will accept no other alternative

also Morrigan schooling me on eluvians....... where was my elfy “i know this shit” option?

the fall of Arlathan was caused by ancient elves warring among themselves and Tevinter pretty much just swooped in to feed on a corpse ahahahaHAHWHAT

at this point i’m assuming the elven pantheon was just a bunch of really powerful mages. lbr here, there’s no gods around, Andraste herself was probably a mage too and “the maker” a spirit from the fade

and i’m MAD CACKLIN at the possible irony of Tevinter molding itself into a slavedriven mageocracy after the old elven empire because--

the face tattoos are slave markings

??????

???????????

exchanging local slavers for foreign slavers. oh man this race has 0% luck! Trespasser better hold some answers here. i like them markings, they look cool :<

Flemeth carries to soul of Mythal

“You cannot posses the unwilling.” Well if that doesn’t point to Morrigan being the next vessel then i don’t know what does

and by next vessel, i mean right there in the epilogue where Flemeth is interacting with the eluvian

don’t even talk to me about Loki Solas rn, i don’t know what to think other than painful betrayal and a thousand questions

when she’s all you do The People proud, i’m like tears in my eyes bro, this is monumental

the all-around best use of inquisition points was grabbing history knowledge and arcane knowledge. the utter satisfaction of summing Flemeth’s story in one sentence and having her sarcastically comment on it was The Best™

that awkward moment when no one in your party gives a shit or likes that you performed elven rituals, except for an Ancient Egg and a Vint....... y’all.

...NO I’m NOT done! i built you Andrastean fucks a chantry in the garden, i gave you a place to practice your religion while i had no love for it, and they can’t even muster decency when their inquisitor enters his own place of worship? get off!

we’re totaly ignoring that ppl were dying outside while i solved puzzles. absolutely irrelevant.

ok but telling Solas and Morrigan to get a room when they tried to outnerd the other 8′D lmao perfect

figuring out who get’s to drink from The Well of Freaky Shit was a doozy, and it’s gonna keep haunting me through every playthrough

i refused because RP reasons, but it probably would have been the best fitting choice to drink. but when the Egg gives you such a stalwart NO then you know something’s rotten here. and it kinda was. kinda.

and yet, it also fits very nicely with Morrigan from a player perspective

also it gave me a chance to say “LOL now you gotta listen to your mom haha ;D”

i love my character so much, he even threw bear puns in Stone-Bear Hold. Cassandra’s groan was music to my ears

speaking of bear puns, the Jaws of Hakkon dlc was a wild loretastic ride that gets two thumbs up and more fuel for my chantry disdain

oh, what’s that? the first inquisitor and founder of the Seekers of Truth was an elven mage too? and history the Chantry buried all knowledge of him? and they abused his rite of tranquility to lobotomize mages?

oh wow. what a shock. i am truly surprised. ಠ_ಠ

the descent was good too. the moment i saw lyrium veins looked like actual cardiovascular veins i was screaming “we’re WALKING INSIDE A TITAN!” it took my character a while to catch on but boy was i glad to hear him say it

Titan blood! but who killed it--them? the elven gods? lyrium hunger intensifies and all that??

????

Coryphishit was such a steamrolled battle though, i barely even felt it. after such a hype train of lore discovery, his end was so anticlimactic, and the game’s (first) end was so... happy? it just didn’t feel right. it wrapped up with a bow too nicely (minus Solas, wtf man...) and i didn’t even lose an arm. I was mourning that arm the moment it got the anchor so imagine my surprise when the game “ends” and not only is my hand still there but it’s not even killing me? that i know off... clearly the true ending is in Trespasser but that doesn’t erase the fact that Coryphilulz was just not a good villain. He needed more screen time post Haven destruction.

The final party was v nice and a bit sad, as more than half of your inner circle had that “we’ll be leaving soon” vibe :< listening to Varric talk of Kirkwall made me so Hawke-nostalgic, Leliana would be off to murder the Chantry into a new era of tolerance, Cass i hope goes to rebuild the Seekers proper, Blackwall on one of those redemption journeys, Sera off to do Jenny shit probably, Cole and Bull might be sticking around at least, and Curly and Josie. that’s a nice thought. Viv is def going back to Orlais to play some stone cold games and eat fancy cakes, and Dorian is off to get political in Tevinter.

...that’s a one way ticked to assasiantion if i ever heard one. good intention bro, but i can’t let you do that *inquisitor rolls 20 on emotional blackmail* Dorian: well i guess i could stay a little longer Damn right you will.

the last shot you get in the quarters, that balcony sunset hug triumvirate, it made me want to fling myself into the fucking sun. it was just so---so---*clenches fist* cute.

i gotta say, at this point (game finished, minus Trespasser) i can’t imagine any other race filling the shoes of the inquisitor with quite as much payoff as an elf mage.

#this is long and rambly #and i didn't even mention half the shit i wanted to #da:i #dragon age inquisition #games #shitpost #i'm not even finished and i can't wait to play again

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nirikeehan · 3 years ago

Text

Interview with a Fic Writer

Tagged by the lovely @monocytogenes!

How many works do you have on AO3? I've got 17 to date which is really amazing, considering for the longest time I had like, 2. Joining DA Drunk Writing has enabled me to write a lot more short pieces that I then post on AO3 for posterity. I'm at least one behind on that score, too.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? ... 178,475. Holy shit, lmao. It is about 60% all one fic, though.

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos? The Force's Will, the aforementioned fic that makes up 60% of my word count, is ahead by a mile, at 193. It's a canonverse post-The Last Jedi Reylo fic started at the height of SW sequel trilogy fandom, before The Rise of Skywalker came out, so that doesn't surprise me.

Next is Stealing the Light at 52, a shorter fix-it Reylo fic I wrote for an exchange shortly AFTER TROS came out.

Third is a short Dragon Age: Inquisition fic called The One That Got Away at 41. It's mostly an introspective piece of Blackwall doing some disgusting pining for my Inquisitor, Thalia Trevelyan. I think it got targeted by some sort of kudo bot that artificially inflated the number. I'll take it, though.

Fourth is back to the Star Wars sequels: Iron, my bizarre experimental Hux/Kaydel ship fic. One day I'll continue this fic, even if I'm like the only person writing for this pairing. This one has 30.

Fifth is another experimental SW sequel fic, Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife, set several years before The Force Awakens and has a younger Hux meeting a child Rey on Jakku. They form an unlikely friendship and he recruits her into the First Order. Another idea I would like to continue playing with, if I can ever find the spoons. This has 25 kudos.

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Every single one on AO3 for sure. Those are precious gems. I find comments harder to reply to on Tumblr because of the site's janky UI, and a lot of people like to add commentary in tags, which is difficult to know how to acknowledge properly. But I'll talk with you all day long about my writing nonsense on AO3, LOL.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? Oooof boy. That one probably goes to Surrender, my latest DWC entry. I wrote it in an AU timeline where the Inquisition loses. Cullen does very little else besides suffer in that one. He finds out Thalia might still be alive though, so it's not completely bleak? I honestly want to continue that timeline so badly, just to see where shit goes in the nightmare au.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending? That one probably goes to Stealing the Light. That one is definitely an "everyone lives and everything is going to be okay" story. It was the least I could write after the abomination that was TROS, lmao.

7. Do you write crossovers? Rarely and not recently enough that I have any I can share. I keep threatening to write a Star Wars/Dragon Age crossover in which Thedas exists on some backwater planet in the SW universe, but I haven't made good on it yet. Maybe one day if I ever finish my current longfic WIP.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic? No, everyone has been really positive and encouraging, which I am so grateful for.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? 👀 I used to not write any, then I decided I wanted to be the smut I want to see in the world. I only have one explicit fic posted at the moment, though. But if you like Blackwall x Trevelyan, love triangle drama, and enthusiastic consent, uh, here you go.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen? If I have, I don't know about it! lol.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated? I don't think so. That would be rad, though. If I had my shit together maybe I'd work on translating my own fic into Russian for practice, but... lol I definitely don't.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Sort of? Nothing posted online, but there has been various contributions I've made to the worlds of my gaming group's Star Wars and Pathfinder campaigns over the years.

13. What’s your all time favourite ship? I usually gravitate back to Reylo even if it's been awhile. It's a pretty popular and reliable ship. I like an assortment of Star Wars ships, though, so that's definitely not a mutually exclusive pairing.

In the Dragon Age realm, I've been favoring the Blackwall/Thalia side of the Love Triangle That Never Ends recently. I think I just like star-crossed lovers and disgusting, angsty pining, IDK.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will? I will finish The Force's Will, goddammit, even though it's been three years. I mean, what?

15. What are your writing strengths? Characterization and dialogue, generally. I have a more recent affinity for setting and try hard to incorporate a sense of place in what I'm writing.

16. What are your writing weaknesses? Writing anything short. Finishing the long stories. Endings are difficult to land sometimes, too, probably because I have less experience with them since I love starting long projects and have rarely finished them!

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? Unless it's a conlang, I don't see much of a point in doing it. Usually when I see it in fiction (fic or otherwise) it's being done as an indicator of cultural exoticism and is frequently misused. I generally don't bother unless a word is difficult to translate into English without losing its meaning.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Ironically? Star Wars. Original trilogy, though, in notebooks when I was like 10. This shit's been in my blood a long time.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet, but want to? I've been contemplating Rey/Poe aka Damerey a lot recently for some reason. I've also wanted to try my hand at Gingerrose (Hux/Rose Tico) for ages now and have not had inspiration properly hit me yet.

20. What’s your favourite fic you’ve written? The Force's Will is the obvious answer, as it's the "Star Wars EU novel I've always wanted to write meets Disney canon" magnum opus. However, I'm really partial to A Little Grace, and Some Elegance right now. It is an intense 10k word-long character study of Dragon Age's Cullen Rutherford, his history with addiction, trauma and the Templar Order, that I wrote in a fever dream-like deluge a few months ago. I think I was channeling some real life catharsis into that one.

Tagging it forward in case anyone wants to do this:

If you would like to be added or subtracted from these tags just let me know!

#writing nonsense #star wars sequel trilogy #dragon age inquistion #shameless self promotion

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