#it says so much about gatt

[skyheld]

GATT ON HISSRAD

His state of mind? Am I supposed to say he wasn't angry? Is that what I'm supposed to say so the reeducators can fill him full of qamek and send him off to break rocks with a hammer for the rest of his life? Because he was angry. Of course he was angry, after what the Tal-Vashoth did to those children. He's always been angry.

I remember the day he raided my master's ship and rescued me from the bastard. He butchered them all, and he wasn't calm as he did it. I'd have been terrified if he was. No, he fought with a righteous fury. He was every ounce of anger I'd been pushing down in my fear. He was rage, and I would have had it no other way.

He was angry when I finished my education and join his team in Seheron. He'd smile when he greeted the locals, and he'd banter about the food at breakfast, but underneath it all, there was always the anger. How could he be anything else, after watching his friends die from poison or a knife in the back?

Did you know his last commander became Tal-Vashoth? Of course you do. You've got records on everything, including the attitude I'm displaying right now that will doubtless come up as an area for improvement. Your people will tell me, and I'll sigh, and I'll take it, because I've seen the world outside the Qun, and while I might bang against the walls of this life I'd rather me here than anywhere else.

So would Hissrad. The difference between him and me is that he's never known anything else. He grew up in this orderly world you all made, and it all makes sense to him, people make sense, and he thinks that if he does the right thing, then everything will work. He's been in Seheron for ten years trying to make everything work,telling himself that he's the tool you made him to be, doing the job he was meant to do. He hunted down and killed his old commander. He killed civilians working for the rebels. There are times I'm grateful for those Tevinter mages coming in to attack. At least Hissrad doesn't have to argue with himself after killing them.

Now he killed the Tal-Vashoth who killed those children, and he broke himself doing it. He thinks it's his fault, that he failed to live up to the demands of the Qun. But we all know that isn't really true, is it? Seheron was a mess. We and Tevinter made certain of that. We grind ourselves down until we end up dead or turning Tal-Vashoth, and Hissrad would rather die than do that.

He's a good man. He believes in you. You owe him better than what you've done to him.

-- Post-mission deposition from team member Gatt on mental state of his commander, Hissrad (from world of thedas II)

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Why Fenris could Never Cameo in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

In the run up to Dragon age: The Veilguard, I was almost certain that Fenris would be our main legacy character from previous games. Not only has he been central in the comics released between DAI and DATV, he is an escaped Tevinter slave who's plot revolved around magisters, magic and the structural prejudices surrounding elves in Thedas. Not only that, but he's canonically in Tevinter killing slavers currently so he's geographically in the right place for us to meet him.

About halfway through the game though, it was clear to me: Fenris could never cameo in The Veilguard. Because he'd break it.

How the Veilguard treats Thedas is...odd to me, to say the least. I will be writing another post about how much I adored the expanded big lore in this game (the titans, ancient elves were spirits, where the blight came from etc.) and yet while these large lore expansions worked for me, the actual culture of modern Thedas is entirely softened, its sharp edges filed down until it's a sanitised fantasy world devoid of what made the franchise so vibrant and compelling in the first place.

So let's start with Fenris and slavery. In all three games, the reality of slavery is pushing at the corners of the world. In DAO Loghain allows Tevinter Magisters to enslave elves in order to raise money for his war effort. In DA2 Fenris is fighting to be free from slavers who will not leave him be, let alone the reminders that the city was built by slaves which are everywhere. In DAI one of the two possible mini-bosses is Calpurnia who was a slave, and characters such as Gatt and Dorian both show us how much slavery is tied into Tevinters culture and success.

But DATV the first game actually set in Tevinter where we get to see the famed Minrathous...it's like the game purposefully wants to avoid the issue. I can feel it tilting the camera away to not allow me to see. Slavery is mentioned, but never talked about in depth or as a specifically ELVEN problem in Tevinter. This might have been done to be less problematic, it feels ignored.

We are in DOCK TOWN. We are at the DOCKS. You would think that slaves from all over Thedas who are being smuggled and bought by various groups would be everywhere. You would think that the injustice in dock town would be partly built on the back of ships we've seen in the comics crammed with elves in chains. This is the world Dragon age set up for us. And yet...nothing. zilch. A tiny easily skippable side quest where we free a couple of venatori slaves, but only one of whom is an elf.

None of our Tevinter characters seem to have been influenced by their culture even a little bit when it comes to how they view elves; there is no moment when Neve fucks up and says something prejudiced, no moment when Bellara or Davrin are distrustful of her for being a Tevinter mage.

The same goes for Zevran; a character who epitomised the issues with the crows. The crows have consistently been characterised as very morally dubious assassins who kill for the highest bidder and who buy children on the slave market and torture them as they grow in order to assure that they reach maturity able to withstand torture without giving away a client's name. Zevran is very explicit about the fact that if you fail a contract your life is forefit.

Nobody responds particularly to you if you're an elf. Nobody trusts rook less for it in Tevinter. Nobody treats Rook any differently. Even DAI had better mechanics for this; with nobles in Orlais less likely to trust you as an elf.

Considering one of the main plot points of this game and what makes Solas sympathetic is the fact that he was fighting against the slavery of ancient elves...you'd think the game might want to mirror that in modern Thedas. It might want to show us how characters fighting to end slavery in Tevinter are similar to Solas and how the society Solas fought against was similar to the one that characters we love such as Fenris have fought against in modern Thedas. Maybe we'd want to explore how in a world of slavery like this, how could the answer NOT be to tear it all down? Maybe we should have that option at the end of the game so it really can chose whether we agree with Solas and his plans or not.

Adding Fenris to this game would entirely break the game because Fenris refuses to allow you to look away from this horror. He is a sympathetic character who had to learn to trust mages again because of course he didn't trust them. Of course he didn't. Fenris wouldn't allow the camera to shift focus because he's literally covered in the lyrium scars that show how slaves are used as experiments in Tevinter. Fenris WOULD question Neve on how she feels about elves and slaves. Fenris WOULD have things to say about Lucanis and the crows (let alone the fact Lucanis is an abomonation). So he could never be in this game; he'd drop a bomb on it's carefully constructed blinders to the very society its supposed to be set in.

And yet, in DATV, the crows are presented as...a found family of misfits and orphans? The politician who opposes the crows having absolute power in Antiva is framed as a comically evil idiot who doesn't understand that the crows are ontologically good. Yet...they're NOT. Crows in this game act more like a secret rebel group than an assassin organisation. We see no crow taking contracts with the VERY RICH venatori magisters despite being hired killers. We see crows just refuse to kill people despite having a contract because 'its crueler to leave them alive'. The crows don't feel like the crows here, they feel like a softened version of a cool assassin group who are cool because they wear black and purple.

Our pirate group are also sanitised; the Lords of Fortune are good pirates who only steal treasure that's not culturally significant. Theyve clearly read the modern critiques of the British Museum and have decided to explicitly stop anyone levelling similar critiques at them. There is no faction of the Lords of Fortune who aren't like this, no internal arguments about it. Everyone just. Agrees. And is able to accurately tell what a cultural artifact is vs. what treasure that you can have yourself is. Rather than showing us why a pirate stealing cultural artifacts might be bad (like in da2 where such a situation literally causes a coup and a war) it just tells us it's bad. But also pirates are cool so we still want them in our world.

This issue seaps into Thedas and drains it of any of the interesting complexity and ability to SAY anything that this franchise had before this game. It becomes a game about telling and not showing rather than the other way around. The games have ALWAYS asked questions about oppressive structural systems and their interplay with society, religion and culture and how these things can affect even the most well meaning character. Dragon age at its best IS a game about society and how society functions both for and against it's characters and what happens to societies built on cruelty and indifference. The best bad guys dragon age has given us are those who are bad because they embody these systems or have been shaped by them. Our main characters have had to wrestle with questions surrounding how to exist in these systems, fight against them, learn and grow.

Yet every group you come across in DATV is sanitised and cleaned up to the point of being as non problematic as humanly possible. None of our cast of characters have to wrestle with where they came from or the world that shaped them. None of them have to confront their own biases. They start the game perfectly non-problematic and end it that way too.

And this just...isn't what Dragon Age has been in the past. It isn't why I love the franchise. The whole game just felt, in a way, hollow. And this was a CHOICE and it is why the legacy characters are few and far between. Too many dragon age characters are just too...angry and complex for this game. You can feel them pulling their punches on this one. I have to imagine they did this because they didn't want to be criticised or have too much controversy? But I think it honestly goes far too much in the other direction and just makes it bland.

I can't imagine what I say here will be unique, but it is the basis for a LOT of my other thoughts on this game so I wanted to get it out of the way first. The softened Thedas and characters make this game by far the weakest in the franchise.

[anneapocalypse]

Demands of the Qun, or How the Inquisitor's Choice Answers the Iron Bull's Most Important Question

I was having a chat about the Iron Bull and his personal quest with some friends and one person said in response to something I said that I should make it a Post, so here it is! And a usual disclaimer: this is not about which in-game decision is "correct"--it's an RPG, there's no wrong way to play the game. I just want to talk about the meaning of this decision for Bull's character and for his future.

Dragon Age: Inquisition’s “Demands of the Qun” is, for me, one of those quests where the RPG format of “player character makes major decision for companion character” really works. I do not see this as an example of game mechanics taking away agency from an NPC. I think Bull has agency in this situation.

The Chargers are not Inquisition soldiers. They are mercenaries, and Bull is their commander. If the Inquisitor makes a call he doesn't like, he is free to say "Screw you" and take his people and leave, because they are not soldiers, they're independent contractors, so leaving isn't desertion, it's just quitting. If he were already certain he wanted to leave the Qun, he could simply call the retreat himself, take the Chargers and leave. Similarly if he were certain of his loyalties and willing to sacrifice the Chargers for that purpose, he could do that, regardless of what the Inquisitor says.

He lets the Inquisitor make this choice.

The Iron Bull has had one foot out the door of the Qun for a long time now. But he's gone back and gone back, submitted himself for re-education and done his best to keep serving the Qun, because he believes he needs the Qun. To him, becoming Tal-Vashoth means losing himself, his identity, his purpose, his very sanity, and as the Fade tells us in "Here Lies the Abyss," this is quite literally his greatest fear. Bull could never bring himself to leave the Qun with nowhere to go instead, nothing to give his life purpose and meaning—and no one to entrust himself to should he doubt his own sanity.

But in his work in the south, the Iron Bull has found community and identity and purpose outside the Qun. The very name he has given himself speaks to that, as does his close relationship to the Chargers.

Right from the beginning, there is tension in "Demands of the Qun." Bull remarks that he's gotten used to the Qunari being "over there" during his life in the south. I think Bull has a very potent anxiety when he meets Gatt again on the Storm Coast, and introduces him to the Inquisitor and their party. To me, it very much has the vibes of introducing two friend groups, where you're not only pretty sure they won't get along, but you're also very aware that they know very different sides of you—and neither of them are going to like seeing the other side. Bull's discomfort is visible both when Gatt speaks freely about Bull's work in the Ben-Hassrath, and when the Inquisitor's other companions make disparaging remarks about the Qun. His two worlds have collided, calling into conflict two sides of his sense of self that he has thus far managed to avoid confronting.

And this is likely part of the point. The Qun does not truly respect alliances with any outside the Qun. I wouldn't say for sure that the Qunari set up this whole situation just to test Bull—it's possible they knew exactly how many Venatori would show up, but they couldn't have known precisely how the Inquisition would respond. That, and their desire to root out the Venatori is no doubt sincere. But I do think they are watching Bull's actions very closely throughout this proposed alliance, gauging his loyalty. Gatt tells him outright that many already believe he has betrayed the Qun.

Bull's internal conflict quickly becomes an external one when the Venatori reinforcements show up, and Bull is faced with the decision of whether to withdraw the Chargers or defend the dreadnought at the cost of their lives.

The thing is, Bull is not neutral on this. He tells the Inquisitor what he wants. He wants to save the Chargers. If the Inquisitor says that the Chargers still have time to retreat, Bull agrees. When Gatt tells him they need to hold position, he says in a low, intense tone, "They're my men."

And then, when Gatt tells him in no uncertain terms that calling the retreat will make him Tal-Vashoth, the Iron Bull looks to the Inquisitor.

Again, he is not neutral. He knows what he wants. He is standing there basically begging the Inquisitor with his eyes to save his boys.

So why doesn't he just make the call himself?

Because just as this whole situation is in part a test of Bull's loyalty, this is also a test of the Inquisitor.

What Bull needs to leave the Qun is not simply for someone else to make the choice for him, but to believe that there is a future for him outside the Qun. That he will still be himself, that he will have purpose, and meaning, and that someone else is worth trusting. Bull cannot bring himself to leave the Qun if it means he will be left utterly alone with nothing but his own mind and his deepest fears. And if that's what leaving the Qun means… then in his mind, it would be better to stay.

The Inquisitor's choice will answer that question.

To sacrifice the Chargers leaves Bull with nothing outside of the Qun. He has just watched his closest friends die, and he cannot trust the Inquisitor. With Krem and Rocky and Skinner and Stitches and Dalish and Grim, the new sense of self that the Iron Bull has found in the south also dies.

Of course he turns back to the Qun. He has nothing else left.

But if it's the Inquisitor who makes the call to save the Chargers… Bull can leave. He has friends who care about him. He has purpose. He has someone whose command he can trust. He has hope. None of this makes the choice easy for him. It is quite clearly very painful and difficult, and I don't think there's any way it could be otherwise. But he has a way forward nonetheless. The choice makes leaving possible.

The Inquisitor doesn't force the Iron Bull to become Tal-Vashoth. Instead, Bull implicitly asks a question, and the Inquisitor by their choice gives him an answer.

[accultant]

He's been staring at Iago the whole evening while they do whatever it is they do around camp. Sometimes his eyes seems to glaze over like he's losing himself in thought, and his gaze slides to the ground... but then he blinks, shakes himself, and resumes staring, until--- there's a sudden intake of air. "I KNOW!" He stands up so quickly he knocks over the tree stump he's been sitting on. "I KNOW WHERE I'VE SEEN YOU BEFORE. YOU'RE FUCKING BHAALSPAWN!"

Gatt had been watching them all night, they could see it from the corner of their eye, making them hyperaware of each movement, each casual bit of tidying they were doing, worried they were too stiff, overly casual, oddly unnatural- it was all a bit much to keep track of for the sake of looking Normal and Not Suspicious, so they decided their safest bet would be to hide away for the night and hope whatever interest he had would fade.

Their hopes are dashed by his exclamation and for a moment, they're frozen in their tracks, blood running cold, panic ringing in their ears. It's a blessing they're facing away from him, he doesn't see the terror that flashes across their face. They feel briefly, horribly ill as their fate is suddenly dangling over an abyss ( they really should be used to that by now, but it's their fault for getting a little bit of their hope back ).

Iago's first instinct is to open a dimension door beneath his feet, send him tumbling away to into the woods where no one could hear his accusations. Or perhaps off of a cliff - they think they remember passing by one that would do just the trick. Their hands start to twitch, even, but they curl them into fists before their wild magic makes any rash decisions for them.

Must he be so loud...

Instead, they fix their well-practiced, deadpan glare at Gatt, turning towards him and crossing their arms. Please, please, please, just drop it, I can't let it all fall apart now, it's a mistake, you don't know what you're saying, you don't know that, how would you know that?! Their panic is shoved forcefully down their throat and they speak monotonously, quieter than he, in the hopes he matches their tone before anyone else ( oh, gods, they're so dead, they'll be burned alive, Puck will be burned alive ) is alerted. "What ever are you going on about? Isn't it a bit late to be yammering like this? People are trying to sleep."

[daitranscripts]

Demands of the Qun Pt. 2

Qunari Contact

Iron Bull Masterpost Previous: Letter From the Ben-Hassrath

The PC and Bull arrive on the Storm Coast.

Iron Bull: All right, our Qunari contact should be here to meet us.

Gatt: He is.

And elf walks up.

Gatt: Good to see you again, Hissrad.

Iron Bull: Gatt! Last I heard, you were still in Seheron!

Gatt: They finally decided I’d calmed down enough to go back into the world.

Iron Bull: Boss, this is Gatt. We worked together in Seheron.

Gatt: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor. Hissrad’s reports say you’re doing good work.

1 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Bull is Hissrad? [2]

General: Pleased to meet you. [3]

General: I’m thrilled. [4]

General: We have a common enemy. [5]

2 - Investigate: Bull is Hissrad? PC: Iron Bull’s name is Hissrad? Gatt: Under the Qun, we use titles, not names. Iron Bull: My title was “Hissrad,” because I was assigned to secret work. You can translate it as “Keeper of Illusions,” or… Gatt: “Liar.” It means liar. Iron Bull: Well, you don’t have to say it like that. [back to 1]

3 - General: Pleased to meet you. PC: I look forward to working together. Gatt: Hopefully this will help both our peoples. Tevinter is dangerous enough without the influence of this Venatori cult. [6]

4 - General: I’m thrilled. PC: It’s so nice to hear friends say good things about me in their secret spy reports. Gatt: He does… but they aren’t really secret, are they? Iron Bull: Look, Gatt— Gatt: Relax. Unlike our superiors, I know how it works out here. We’re in this together. The Tevinter Imperium is bad enough without the influence of this Venatori cult. [6]

5 - General: We have a common enemy. PC: I’m only here because we both want to stop Corypheus. Gatt: Indeed. The Tevinter Imperium is bad enough without the interference of this Venatori cult. [6]

6 - Scene continues.

Dorian not in party Gatt: If this new form of lyrium helps them seize power in Tevinter, the war with Qunandar could get worse. [11]

Dorian in party Dorian: Yes. Filthy, decadent brutes, the lot of them. I’m certain life would be much better for all of us under the Qun.

Gatt: It was for me, after the Qunari rescued me from slavery in Tevinter. I was eight. The Qun isn’t perfect, but it gave me a better life.

Dorian: Yes, one free from all that pointless free will and independent thought. Such an improvement.

Dialogue options:

General: Tevinter’s worse. [7]

General: You’re right, Dorian. [8]

General: Neither side is perfect. [9]

General: Let’s focus on the mission. [10]

7 - General: Tevinter’s worse. PC: I’ll take the discipline of the Qunari over the corruption of Tevinter any day of the week. Dorian: Let’s hope you never have to actually make that choice. Gatt: I’m not here to convert anyone. All I care about is stopping this red lyrium from reaching Minrathous. [11]

8 - General: You’re right, Dorian. PC: For all of Tevinter’s problems, at least they acknowledge that people are people. Gatt: Unless they’re slaves. Iron Bull: Gatt, is this really the time? Gatt: I’m not here to convert anyone. All I care about is stopping this red lyrium from reaching Minrathous. [11]

9 - General: Neither side is perfect. PC: The Imperium and the Qunari both have their problems. Dorian: Fair enough, I suppose. Gatt: I’m not here to convert anyone. All I care about is stopping this red lyrium from reaching Minrathous. [11]

10 - General: Let’s focus on the mission. PC: Arguing about the war between your two nations isn’t going to help anyone right now. Gatt: I’m not here to convert anyone. All I care about is stopping this red lyrium from reaching Minrathous. [11]

11 - Scene continues.

Iron Bull: With this stuff, the Vints could make their slaves into an army of magical freaks. We could lose Seheron… and see a giant Tevinter army come marching back down here.

Gatt: The Ben-Hassrath agree. That’s why we’re here. Our dreadnought is safely out of view, and out of range of any Venatori mages on shore. We’ll need to eliminate the Venatori, then signal the dreadnought so it can come in and take out the smuggler ship.

12 - Dialogue options:

Special: Bull, does this work for you? [13]

Investigate: What if the ship has mages? [14]

Investigate: Why not attack at sea? [15]

Investigate: Why use a small force? [16]

General: I’m ready. [17]

13 - Special: Bull, does this work for you? PC: What do you think, Bull? Iron Bull: Don’t know. I’ve never liked covering a dreadnought run. Too many ways for crap to go wrong. If our scouts underestimate enemy numbers, we’re dead. If we can’t lock down the Venatori mages, the ship is dead. It’s risky. Gatt: Riskier than letting red lyrium into Minrathous? [back to 12]

14 - Investigate: What if the ship has mages? PC: There might be Venatori mages on the ship as well. If the dreadnought can’t handle them… Gatt: It’s unlikely there’ll be more than two or three mages on the ship. And they’ll be dead by the third shot. On land, though, a half-dozen Venatori attacking the dreadnought from cover could do some serious damage. [back to 12]

15 - Investigate: Why not attack at sea? PC: If it’s dangerous for the dreadnought close to shore, why not attack when the smugglers reach open water? Gatt: Any decent smuggling ship can outrun a dreadnought on open water. We need to catch them close to shore. [back to 12]

16 - Investigate: Why use a small force? PC: I could have crushed any Venatori resistance with the Inquisition’s main forces. Why not use them? Gatt: Because then the Venatori would have seen you coming and run. They’d schedule a new shipment for later, and our spies might not know when or where. This is risky, yes, but it’s our best chance to destroy the shipping operation permanently. [back to 12]

17 - General: I’m ready. PC: Let’s go hold up our end of this bargain, then. Gatt: My agents suggested two possible locations the Venatori may be camped to guard the shore. There… and there. Gatt: We’ll need to split up and hit both at once. Iron Bull: I’ll come with you, boss. Krem can lead the Chargers. Let me fill him in. Come by when you’re ready to move. Scene ends.

Next: Gatt

[soloragoldsun]

Just gotta stop in and talk about The Iron Bull for a sec. Again.

This time, I’d like to focus on how his whole storyline is basically that of someone either being freed from or doubling down on a cult-like religion. Because that’s what the Qun is. Anything that puts certain people on leashes and has “re-educators” that are meant to “fix” people who start thinking differently is a freaking cult!

Bull is shown to be on the fence when it comes to a lot of things. While he insists on being true Qunari and a follower of the Qun, he also shows discomfort when the Qunari offers the alliance with the Inquisition. He flat out says that he’s grown used to them being “over there.” He even acknowledges that the Qun isn’t the right way for everyone.

If you let the Chargers die, he says that the Qun demanded the sacrifice, but you can see cracks in his armor and how much he hates making that decision both during the battle and after Gatt and the Inquisitor secure the alliance at Skyhold. As a result, he doubles down on his devotion to the Qun. The Iron Bull becomes just a role he plays. He becomes Hissrad. How else can he deal with the guilt of leading the people who had become his family to their deaths? He has to believe that it was necessary, and to do that, he has to believe in the Qun unquestioningly.

If Cole is in the party during his betrayal in Trespasser, he comments on how Bull didn’t feel anything when he betrays the party. I’d bet anything that between the end of Inquisition and the beginning of Trespasser, he submitted willingly to the re-educators, masking his emotions and eliminating what was left of The Iron Bull.

On the other hand, if you order the retreat, he doesn’t hesitate to blow that horn. He smiles when he sees his men are safe. When you correct Gatt and say that his name is Iron Bull and not Hissrad, Bull approves. If you say that there’s still something to do to salvage the alliance, he disapproves. Once he’s Tal-Vashoth, he commits almost immediately and acts as if a weight has been lifted.

He smiles while sparring with Krem. He tells you that, whatever he regrets, he’s where he wants to be. Most of his inner conflict comes with the realization that much of what he believed was wrong, that being Tal-Vashoth doesn’t make one a monster. So, what does that make him, someone who has killed many Tal-Vashoth over the years?

No matter what playthrough I do, I will always save the Chargers, both because I love them, and because it’s the best thing for The Iron Bull. One choice allows him to move forward and become his own person. The other forces him to regress into what he once was as a way to avoid his guilt.

[normiematsu]

26-30 lets go

GATT DAM OK!

26. how do they move? are they clumsy? light on their feet? do they use mobility aids?

sober yuu would be pretty light footed i think. the type of person who accidentally scares people because it's like she just materialized behind them. shes a lil clumsy tho, not super spatially aware so its not uncommon to hear a thud and a groan from the other room cos shes walked into something lol.

blasted yuu... no sense of coordination whatsoever, falling all over herself and anyone/anything in her path. leaves a path of destruction wherever she goes. should be firmly seated the whole time for everyone elses safety 😭

27. if applicable, do they have a favorite sport? do they play any sports or prefer to watch?

not particularly interested in sports but if she had to pick one it would be baseball for both watching and playing! its a low stakes sport you can chill out to for the most part (<- opinion of guy who has never seen the lengths jyushimatsu goes to for baseball)

she won't say no to joining in on people's games regardless of the sport but i think if they know her at all they secretly wouldn't want her on their team bc she'd make them lose.

28. how do they show that they care about someone? how do they express that they don't like someone?

showing she cares - makes a mental note of things her friends/partner enjoy and brings them up. "this reminds me of u!! ^_^" etc... and through physical touch, she likes hugs and patting ppl on the shoulder or back to reassure them/make her presence known! this is gap moe 2 me bc shes shy about it only if its pda... also she likes making cute bento to share.

when she dislikes someone - she tries So Hard to be polite to everybody but her face always betrays her lol. will be saying and doing nice things while unknowingly giving the Yuuchan Stare... sounds polite but anyone can tell shes struggling to stay composed. nightmare world. she doesnt really interact with people she dislikes if she can help it though, to her it makes more sense to save herself the headache of putting herself in an uncomfortable/tense situation

29. are they associated with any particular element (air, earth, fire, water)?

i havent thought about this one much before but she gives off earthy energy to me? most of the time shes like a voice of reason but in a nice way. at the same time though i could also see her as air bc shes kinda head empty and does what she wants when she wants on impulse lol

30. do they smell like anything notable?

yuuchan strikes me as Perfume Enjoyer... nothing crazy heavy, but if u got close enough i think she would smell like something sweet. like strawberries or a mix of soft fruity scent ^_^ all her hair products are 110% strawberry scent.

[blackpilledkremlintsarina5294]

On November 14, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin answered questions from journalists of the Russian news agency TASS about the upcoming G20 summit in Brisbane at Vladivostok.

Question: You are going to the next G20 summit. To what extent is the G20 format still in demand and relevant, and how logical is it that the G20 countries, seeking to cooperate and develop the global economy, impose sanctions against one of the G20 members? Vladimir Putin: Is this format in demand or not? I think I'm in demand. Why? Because this is the place, the G20, or the platform where you can meet, discuss both bilateral relations and global problems, and at least develop some common understanding of what the problem is and how to solve it, and show the way to work together. This is the most important thing because it is absolutely unrealistic to expect that everything that is said there will be implemented, bearing in mind that the decisions themselves are not binding. In part, they are not executed. They are not implemented when and where it clearly does not correspond to someone's interests. First of all, we are talking about the interests of global players. Well, for example, at one of the G20 meetings, it was decided to strengthen the role of developing economies in the IMF's activities to redistribute quotas. The US Congress blocked this decision, and that's it. And the negotiators, our partners, say: well, we would be happy, we signed it, we made this decision, but the Congress does not allow it. So much for the solutions. But nevertheless, the very fact that such a decision was formulated and all participants in international life within the G20 considered that it was correct, fair, and corresponds to today's realities, this already sets up international public opinion and the brains of experts in a certain way, and we have to take this into account. The very fact that the US Congress refused to pass this law suggests that it is the United States that is getting out of the general context of solving the problems facing the world community. Only no one remembers this. Speculating on their monopoly in the world's mass media, this information is drowned out. It already seems to be gone. You see, everyone is talking about some current problems, including sanctions, with Russia, but in fact, in global terms, in this case, the United States does not comply. This is a fundamental thing, by the way. But it is not executed. But that doesn't mean it's a useless format – I've already said why. The benefits of it are there. Question: Should we make these decisions mandatory? Vladimir Putin: It's impossible. As you know, there are no such examples in international practice. Well, except for resolving issues of the Security Council in the sphere of international security itself. But it was developed in very difficult conditions of the bloody Second World War. To imagine that today, such new mechanisms will be developed that would ensure compliance, especially in the economic sphere, is simply unrealistic. But, I repeat, it is still morally political and economic in nature. That in itself is not bad.

Now about the fact that some G20 countries are imposing sanctions on Russia from the G20 side. Of course, this contradicts the very principle of the G20's activities, but not only the G20's activities and the principles of the G20's work, it also contradicts international law, because sanctions can be imposed within the framework of the United Nations and its Security Council. And, moreover, it even contradicts the principles of the WTO, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade – the so-called GATT. The United States once created this organization, but now it is grossly violating these principles. This is harmful and, of course, causes us some damage, but it is also harmful for them because it, in fact, undermines the entire system of international economic relations. I very much hope that this will eventually be understood and left in the past. Question: Do you expect to raise this issue at the summit, or will it serve as a background? If only it is discussed, will you say so? Vladimir Putin: If it comes up, of course, I will say so, but I am not going to raise these issues for discussion myself – it seems to me that it is useless. Everyone already understands what they are doing, those who impose these sanctions. What will I pay attention to and ask for? It's useless. Such decisions are made at the bloc level, at the national level, based on how our partners understand their geopolitical interests. I believe that this is a mistake even from the point of view of their geopolitical interests. Unfortunately, the world today is living in a very limited planning horizon, especially in the political and security spheres. Everyone lives from election to election. This is a very small planning horizon and does not allow you to look ahead to a more distant future. It's bad. But I expect that we will talk about it. And now we were at APEC-we discussed all international and bilateral issues, including the sanctions issues that you just mentioned, with almost everyone who was there. Question: The G20 now has a certain balance of power: on the one hand, the G7, on the other hand, the BRICS countries and some of their affiliated states. Based on the fact that, as you said, everyone defends their own interests, how do you see this balance of power?: is this the argument that will give birth to the truth, or is it a fundamentally new confrontation between the two blocks? Vladimir Putin: First of all, I think it would be very bad if we started creating new blocks. This is very unconstructive and even harmful to the global economy. We're talking about the economy right now, aren't we? Question: The G20 now has a certain balance of power: on the one hand, the G7, on the other hand, the BRICS countries and some of their affiliated states. Based on the fact that, as you said, everyone defends their own interests, how do you see this balance of power?: is this the argument that will give birth to the truth, or is it a fundamentally new confrontation between the two blocks? Vladimir Putin: First of all, I think it would be very bad if we started creating new blocks. This is very unconstructive and even harmful to the global economy. We're talking about the economy right now, aren't we?

[crackinglamb]

WIP Whenever

Tagged by @theluckywizard, thank you! 💕

Tagging...anyone who's writing something these days. Yes, I mean you.

I'm supposed to be resting (lol). I've been sick, and I've gotten three major fics all finished in a ridiculously short amount of time. But the Muse has been on fire lately, so of course, I've been heeding her wishes. ItC may be closing out, but the next fic in the series is only halfway done. Have a bit of it.

---

The Ben-Hassrath camp was cleverly hidden in the undergrowth. The canvas tarp blended in with the trees and she nearly didn’t see it. But Bull had sauntered up as if he knew right where every pair of watching eyes was and she forced herself to relax. This was a meeting, not an ambush.

“All right,” he said. “Our Qunari contact should be here to meet us.”

“He is,” a voice said from behind a copse of trees. The small elf walked out, head tilted and hands open. “Good to see you, Hissrad.”

“Gatt!” Bull exclaimed. “Last I heard you were still in Seheron.”

“They finally decided I’d calmed down enough to go back out into the world.”

Bull turned to her, his expression jovial despite the cautious gleam in his eye. “Boss, this is Gatt.”

She blinked at him; he rarely called her that. It was a verbal cover that implied their relationship wasn’t known to the Qun. Not that she actually expected that to be true. She nodded to the elf politely.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor. Hissrad’s reports say you’re doing good work.”

“I’m glad he says nice things about me in his secret spy letters,” she said lightly.

“He does...but they’re not really secret, are they?” Gatt’s tone was tinged with something almost like censure. For her or him? She remembered belatedly that she could have questioned ‘Hissrad’ and had a whole thing about them explaining what it meant. It hadn’t occurred to her since she already knew. She wondered if Gatt was suspicious now because of that. He was Ben-Hassrath in his own right, and she shouldn’t underestimate his powers of observation.

“Look, Gatt…” Bull started. Gatt waved him off.

“Relax. Unlike our superiors, I know how it works out here. We’re in this together. The Tevinter Imperium is bad enough without the influence of this Venatori cult.”

“Yes,” Dorian drawled. “Filthy, decadent brutes, the lot of them. I’m certain life would be much better for all of us under the Qun.”

“It was for me, after the Qunari rescued me from slavery in Tevinter. I was eight. The Qun isn’t perfect, but it gave me a better life.”

“Yes, one free from all that pointless free will and independent thought. Such an improvement.”

“Gentlemen, it’s already raining. We don’t need to add a pissing contest to the mix. Back to business, if you please.”

[greypetrel]

Iron Bull and I’m pretty sure you said Tolkien too?? If so, Elrond and Tommy Bombadilly —Koko

Hi Koko!

Somehow I knew you would have been asking Bull xP Just a sixth sense! And yes I said Tolkien to! :3

The Iron Bull:

First impression: I remember I was caught for the character design, the visible imperfections and how he's not canonically handsom... And yet he counts as he is. After the design, I was... A little taken aback by him admitting that oh yes he's a spy and he will spy on you. Like... What? Are you sure you want to tell me, man? xD Instant interest.

Impression now: I know he has flaws and that by all means he's the one person you shouldn't be trusting in all the games. But, he's the huge mom friend, which is also why he's so good at what he does if you ask me. I think he's the better liar because he will admit he's lying... And still will make you forget he is. But yeah, I haven't yet played with a character who wouldn't save the Chargers, and so he could go and live his best life free of being the biggest mother hen ever.

Favorite moment: He brought Dorian's handkerchief for him because he knows he would have forgotten. Big mother hen. No, also the way he just looks at Krem after his personal mission and just... "Never mind, you're doing fine". Basically, whenever he lets himself show he's a big big softie. Also him carrying Sera on his shoulders in battle, yelling "Mayhem!".

Idea for a story: As for Dorian, I'd love love love to write, sooner or later, some expansion of this ficlet and expand that dynamic. I'd also seriously love to read something about him and Krem learning to work together. Some Chargers origin story.

Unpopular opinion: Again, he's another character who doesn't betray you, in my opinion. Even if you sacrifice the Chargers, in Trespasser... He told you from the start he was a spy working for the Qun, right? He was always very open about him being Ben Hassrath, Gatt told you he was called "Liar". You know he lies. As much as you know that Varric lies. Bull's just better at making you forget but... Is it really a betrayal if you were told whose side he was really on from the start? If you were really told he never liked the Tal Vashoth as a concept, if you ask him about Seheron? Not a betrayal, you just forget he was never on your side, if you cut away the one reason he had to change his loyalties (yes I'm including if he's in a romance with either the Inquisitor or Dorian. I like his character so much because a romance is not enough to make him change his mind and become something he clearly say he hates. His men, the life he build for himself, relationships he grew in years are, and if you take that away... He may call you Kadan, you're still just one person and love is not enough on its own.)

Favorite relationship: Him and the Chargers, hands down. They were collectively his way to express himself and find himself and heal after the Horrors, and he's just... I don't know you can see he struggles to give back what he got and it's just so precious.

Favorite headcanon: Plus size, soft bellied Bull still lives rent free in my head. As above, Bull the mama hen taking care of the inner circle. I also still remember Bull the HR manager in Skyhold that @shivunin devised and I had to draw and... Yes.

Elrond:

First impression: I remember I was suspicious of him at first because I already saw the Matrix, and he was the villain, so at 9 I thought that he must have been evil there too. xD

Impression now: I have distinct opinions on book and movie Elrond. I love the first trilogy dearly, but amongst the choices they did I like less and less, the "Let's make Elrond a helicopter dad" is the one that leaves me MEH. But that's on me, the "star-crossed lovers" is a trope that I have extremely little patience for. Still the way he just looks at Aragorn in Minas Tirith, moved and in happy tears... Aaaaaw. I love him I LOVE HIM. and I love how he was written in Rings of Power, give me more Elrond content please, he has so much to give as a character, think of what he has seen!

Favorite moment: The patience and restraint he showed in not kicking Isildur in the volcano with a vengeance. Respect, bro, I would have tossed the jock right into cursing his name and calling him for the asshole that he is. And in Rings of Power, the heart-to-heart talks he has with Durin.

Idea for a story: More Elrond being the weird uncle for Durin and Disa's children. More Elrond dealin with three children on his own. More Elrond and Elros dealing with what the fuck happened to his parents Oh ok now mom is a seagull that's... fine.

Unpopular opinion: I like a lot how he was portrayed in Rings of Power. Yes included his haircut, let him have his Patrick Schwayze phase.

Favorite relationship: Him and Arwen and him and Durin.

Favorite headcanon: We all know he's a big softie when it comes to his children, right? And to children in general. I picture Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen doing shenanigans when they were little, and him... Just sighing and telling them to go to their room, totally unable to even go as far as grounding them. Arwen looked at him with those big blue eyes and he just... Couldn't do anything else.

Tom Bombadil:

First impression: Hey dol, Merry dol! / Ring a dong dillo 🎶 I think I wasn't really understanding what was going on, but I was 9 and I enjoyed the little shenanigan with this weird person who had a wife he loved and sung a catchy song. I didn't question him that much.

Impression now: Still as above, I like him being there, just to show the Hobbits that the world isn't all dark and evil, there is something good to fight for. LOTR is about hope and finding hope when everything around you is dark, and he just does that. If you just go with the flow and don't question him much, take him as just "a quirk", there are some lovely descriptions to be found and a lovely, lovely way to see nature. (which again, is such an important theme in Tolkien's work!)

Favorite moment: That fucking catchy song stays in my head for LONG. Right now I'm humming it. Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo! 🎶

Idea for a story: A meeting between him and the Ents. Which will be... 1000 pages of nothing at all. But come on. It'll be fun.

Unpopular opinion: As above, he's not evil incarnate and pointless in the story. He's a moment of breath with the purpose to remember that the world isn't all scary and that there is some mystery to behold, that doesn't require an explanation, that would make everything worse if he was explained.. There's good and there's light... And there's always something to look at in wonder in the world.

Favorite relationship: He and Goldberry are the ultimate couple.

Favorite headcanon: I think I read somewhere a theory according to whom he's really a Valar? I think he was Aule and Goldberry Yavanna in disguise? Well, Tom Bombadil a Valar is an headcanon I stan. I don't remember where I read it or if my brain made it up right now, but still. (... I could keep the idea for my fic tho. MMMMMH.)

[dailyaudiobible]

12/15/2022 DAB Transcript

Micah 1:1-4:13, Revelations 6:1-17, Psalm 134:1-3, Proverbs 30:1-4

Today is the 15th day of December, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It's great to be here with you today. It's great to be here with you every day or any day, and I'm glad that we have this place that we call the Global Campfire to…to be together and take the next step forward together. Yesterday, we were able to experience the book of Jonah in its entirety, which means that we get to move into some new territory yet again today and that territory will be the book of Micah and we'll get to camp out here for a couple of days.

Introduction to the Book of Micah:

Micah is the sixth of the 12 minor prophets. And since we’re going through the entire Bible, then will go through all 12 of the minor prophets. So, we’re kind of approaching the halfway point through the minor prophets. We don't know very much about Micah, outside of the book of Micah but we do know some things. Micah's name means who is like God and we know from the text, he was from the town of Moresheth and many scholars associate that with Moresheth Gatt which would put him in the lowlands, the Shephelah among the southern villages in the kingdom of Judah. And as Micah begins, we’re told that the Lord gave His message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem. But that gives us a bunch of information. The capital city of the northern kingdom was Samaria, the capital of the southern kingdom was Jerusalem, and the time of certain kings is named. So, we know who he is speaking about, and we know roughly when and that would put in probably in the early decades of the eighth century BC. We also know that Micah has a brief mention in the book of Jeremiah and that's like a century later, so that lets us know that Micah's prophecies were preserved and were still being referenced a century later. And Micah will follow the same general pattern that many of the prophets do; there are first prophetic utterances about doom and destruction and judgment, followed by a message of hope and restoration. In Micah this happens three times and within the text of Micah are promises of a coming deliverer, and that coming messianic deliverer is associated with Jesus. So, for example, in the book of Matthew, Micah is quoted, “but you O Bethlehem Efratah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah, yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past will come from you on my behalf.” And even Jesus, our Savior, quoted from the text in Micah describing…describing his own ministry, and the disruption that it brings. He says don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth, I came not to bring peace but a sword. This is Jesus quoting from the book of Micah. And what we’ll see in Micah is that God is angry, like He is very displeased with corruption, idolatry, rebellion and the exploitation of the less fortunate. He's very displeased about it, but He's even more passionate about putting things back together, about bringing hope and restoration for those who keep the covenant. So, with that, let's begin the book of Micah, we’ve been reading from the English Standard Version this week, which is what will continue to do, Micah chapters 1 through 4 today.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word, we thank You for Your kindness, we thank You for Your love, we thank You for our lives, we thank You that we have the Scriptures, and they point us toward You, and that we have been welcome into an intimate relationship with You. We are beyond grateful. Words fail us. There is no vocabulary that can describe anything but a mere glimpse of Your power, Your might, Your Majesty. And yet You know each of us by name and are fathering us and leading us, and part of the way You are doing that is allowing us to come together and feast upon Your word each and every day. And we are grateful for this. And so, Holy Spirit, plant what we have read today into our lives, into our hearts, today and every day, that it might cleanse us and correct us and direct us forward, on the narrow path that leads to life. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is home base and that is the website and its where you find out what's going on around here. There's always stuff but it's Christmas time and so it's Christmas that's going on around here. And so, I will mention just for the last couple of days until well, until it's Christmas week, that the Daily Audio Bible Family Christmas Box for 2022 is still available and we’ll still be shipping it. We’ll do are, kind of last Christmas shipping, at the very, very beginning of next week. And so, we're down to these final days. And I invite you to check out all the stuff we've crammed into the box for this year. You can find it at dailyaudiobible.com or in the app by going to the Shop and in the Shop is a Christmas category and the Christmas box is in the Christmas category. And so, check that out. And our annual Christmas party is…is coming soon, within the next couple of days. So, watch out for that. That will just, that will just show up right where you go to get the Daily Audio Bible every day. That will just show up as an additional episode and so excited for our annual Christmas party. And so, try to get that out here with the next day or two if possible. So, watch for that.

And lastly, if you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible. If moving through the Bible in community around the Global Campfire has been life-giving this year. Thank you, humbly for your partnership. We wouldn't be here if we weren't in this together as a community and so thank you, humbly. There is a link on the homepage at dailyaudiobible.com. If you're using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is P.O. Box 1996 Springhill, Tennessee 37174.

And as always if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app, that's the red button up at the top or you can dial 877-942-4253.

And that's it for today, I'm Brian, I love you and I'll be waiting for you here, tomorrow.

Prayer and Encouragements:

Hey DAB family, this is Danny from Southern Oregon. I have been just saturating myself with Hardin family. Brian, I am so glad that you mentioned Jill's song Do You Hear What I Hear because I’ve never listened to it before and wow! Oh my gosh, it is so good. It’s the best rendition I have ever heard. And it's so exciting, I just get, I just get like full of energy when I listen to it. Oh, and then I love her, O Holy Night too. I've been listening to that, since it came out and been going to sleep with Max’s Christmas album. And you know, our roads are pretty icy and snowy and it's a little bit tense driving and so, I've been putting on your heart album while I'm driving and it just calms me, relaxes me, reminds me that God is with me, no matter what and I love it. And I'm also loving the sleep album. So, just want to thank you, whole family for everything that you do to make our lives better and bring us closer to Jesus. You guys are so amazing. Thank you.

Hello DAB family. Guess what, Dr. John from Jordon, New York and I am grandpa Dr. John. Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Sarah had Ezra Keegan Scott Allie on November 27 after three days of induction, they elected to do a cesarean section, which was likely a really good idea because he was 9 pounds and 13 ounces. That little chunk-a-roo came out with the wrist roles. He is so stinking cute, and I see lots of babies and I know cute and he's like pegging the cuteness scale. So anyway, thank you all for your prayers. Sarah and Ezra are both doing well. And Papa Joshua is popping buttons. So, as is Papa, I'm going by Papa and yeah, it's awesome. So, thank you very much. Dr. John signing off, bye bye.

Hello fellow members of the Daily Audio Bible family. It is I, Lawrence the Slow Boat. Sometimes, I get behind but not lately. Sometimes, I actually turned the boat around and revisit prayers and people that I've stared on the DAB app. In doing this, I am struck by the troubles of man and especially our young men and by the anxieties, helplessness, and the deep grief of those who love them. Believe me, I have lived through this. So, I want to start by encouraging Mikayla from Gloucester for the love she shows her nephew Taylor. And I pray for Betty from Hamburg in the turmoil of her son Nathan's mind after his period of catatonia. And also, for Rich in Arkansas, who on October 15th had not had one good word in the past week and cries out for help. And for Yolanda and her son bullied and beaten so cruelly. And for Kevin displaced to the United Kingdom, wondering if God has forgotten him. And for Brian and his son Mitchell, oh Brian, I know, I hear your torment as you feel you can do nothing for Mitchell. For the man, just released from 23 years in prison and who now feels so alone, my prayers for you be incense rising up to God's throne.

Hello Daily Audio Bible friends and family. I’m Israel from Lancaster and I'm calling because I need prayer. I just got COVID and have been fortunate enough not to catch it, until now. However, I am concerned. So, I'm reaching out to my family in Christ. And I thank you in advance for your prayers. And just know, that I also pray for your petitions. And I want to thank Brian and the whole family, for what they do in this great ministry. I appreciate every one of you and love you as well and I thank you.

Good morning DAB family. This is Consider It Pure Joy in Ohio. Got the four mutts here, with their jiggling collars in the background. And I'm convicted by the fact that on December 6, I didn't pray for People On the Water. You see, my 23-year-old, getting ready to graduate from college, has a very similar struggle. It’s not a struggle, it's…it's maturity. Has the process that she's going through, and she's looked around the last four or five years, seen a lot of people who call themselves Christians, not be very Christian-like. She has been around relationships that have disappointed her. She’s seen really bad things happen to really good people. She's just struggling with her purpose and what I thought I planned, and what God's intent really is. Tate, I I appreciated your comments around meeting someone with skin on. What a statement, what a comment. So, today, People On the Water, Tate, your family, I’d say all of us, pray for this generation that has had to go through so much over the past four or five years, in a time that is so foreign to us. And I pray that their…their eyes be open, that their hearts be changed, or in People On the Waters case, encouraged. And I pray that we be those people to do that. So, God bless you all. Love you all, you’re fantastic. Thank you, Brian. What a ministry. God bless. Bye Bye.

Trying to be the man that I though you wanted me to be Caused me not to be the man I should have been But women are just one of the many of weaknesses of men I’ve allowed many things in this life to set the standard for my own validation And when I failed to measure up, they became a source of frustration, aggravation, worriation as well as pride, ego and self-esteem deflation And I really can’t blame anybody else for the things that I do Even though all of us are victims, it’s true We’re all dealing with forces outside of our control Trying hard to rob us of our eternal soul And we often can’t even see it because we’re too full of ourselves Trying hard to dodge our daily past, present and future hells That’s why I thank You, Father for giving me eyes to see That all we really need in this life, is Thee And you created us to lead, not follow, to taste but not swallow Because it’s the Holy Spirit, our constant friend Comforter, counselor, that still small voice within Telling us to seek first the kingdom and everything else will be added Because we serve a High Priest that’s already had it Jesus said He had a cross to bear and that we would have one too And every day that statement is being proven true Father, please, give us wings and eyes of faith So we can rise above and see beyond those places that the world is telling us are safe Blindtony1016@gmail.com And once again Brian and the Hardin Family, thank you for this wonderful podcast, for God’s Holy Spirit to flow. Keep it flowing ya’ll. Alright, bye bye.

[skyheld]

@accultant x

Well, then they can stop fucking looking at him.

...but he'll admit he'll probably feel better not covered in blood, once the feeling of wanting to peel his skin off wherever their hand has brushed it wears off. It's not that he likes being covered in gore, it's just that he could've gone a bit longer before doing anything about it.

"...go on then. If you have to." He has noticed their discomfort, too. The way they pause every once in a while, breathing deep, the way their hands aren't entirely steady. Gatt may not seem like he'd notice much of anything - he's got that dumb barbarian look down pretty well, a no-thoughts-head-empty kind of expression, but it's a facade, really. He keeps an eye on things. He keeps an eye on Iago, because they're weird and he doesn't like weird, or at least he tries to. Sometimes it's like he just forgets they're there.

In a way it's... comforting to see them nervous. It makes them less weird, more human. Or as human as they can be with those unsettling black eyes which, fortunately, he doesn't have to look at right now, and so fades to the back of his mind like nothing.

"It was satisfying", he says, after considering for half a second. "Been wanting to do that for a while. Not to her, specifically, but. In general." Fun isn't the right word, but it's not entirely wrong either. It was fun in the moment. Fun in the sense it made him laugh. Fun in the sense it's wearing off and leaving him empty.

"People like her don't deserve to live. I'm doing everyone else a favour."

[platoniccereal]

bull saved gatt when the latter was of age 8. an enslaved kid among other slaves and probably other kids – just not so many remained to live under the qun. and bull says “last i heard you were still on seheron”. and it's no secret they're friends.

bull knows this man since this man was a child. he saved the kid and then, i reckon, very actively inquired about his well-being. probably so many times that they've become friends. it's like the habit that led to creating the chargers. i don't know how encouraged or condemned this is, probably the latter, he must've asked about the kid from time to time even though gatt was under the supervision of tamas and maybe when he was in par vollen, he must've found him on seheron (i guess, still a teen) and made friends with him.

jfc i love him so much. he's such a gentle and caring giant. he cares about them all.

[nomouthtospeakof]

bro i was reading a fic and it was fine up until this one scene that pissed me off SO much oh my god. like the rest of it was fine and then fucking THIS ugh my god.

anyways. gatt is not a bad person and i will die on this hill.

in bull’s WOT entry we see he explicitly defended bull and his emotions when he finally cracked in seheron, straight up saying to his superiors “YOU did this to him. he did JUST as he was told and it broke him. he deserves better” knowing and acknowledging he was gonna get in trouble for it. even just in the game he tells you he has issues with the qun, but he won’t leave because then he wouldn’t be able to try to help reform it!!

and yes he’s jealous and angry towards the inquisitor and others, of course he is!! this is his friend he’s about to lose!! not just that, BULL is the one who brought him into the qun. if his mentor loses faith and abandons the cause that he’d originally gotten gatt to dedicate himself to, where does that leave gatt?? OBVIOUSLY he’s gonna be angry (and keep in mind the game explicitly tells us gatt’s anger is a trauma response from everything he faced under his master as a child, and less explicitly from the qun not allowing him to ever go back to find his family and sticking him in seheron instead. he’s not throwing a temper tantrum here, he’s most likely upset and scared and might even be having a crisis of faith).

so yeah. before there was krem, there was gatt. he’s as much of a victim as bull is, find someone else to turn into a strawman.

[lavellander]

hello im feeling extra “touch the stove”-y today so. i was looking for any dialogue where solas just straight up lies and (of what i could find online/transcribed, obv) i didnt find anything that was 100% untrue. he’ll completely avoid the question, change the subject, give part of the truth, etc etc etc, but nothing was just Entirely A Lie

what really gets me is that there’s a handful of convos where someone infers something from what solas says, and he will even point out that he didn’t directly say that. like, he tells people how to see through his shit, lmao

here is an embarrassingly long ass list of examples, all sorted by what kind of not-lying he’s doing lol, just bc i am unhinged<3

*note that some of these are cut from longer bits of dialogue or have been split up from one conversation into different categories*

literally just Not Answering The Question lol

Dorian: How much “will” do they have? They’re amorphous constructs of the Fade. Solas: Hmm.

Dorian: Solas, have I offended you? Solas: If you have, why would it concern you?

Dorian: Solas, what is this whole look of yours about? Solas: I’m sorry? Dorian: No, that outfit is sorry. What are you supposed to be, some kind of woodsman? Dorian: Is it a Dalish thing? Don’t you dislike the Dalish? Or is it some kind of statement? Solas: No.

Dorian: Let me get this straight, Solas. Dorian: You’re an apostate – neither Dalish nor city elf – who lived alone in the woods studying spirits. Solas: Is that a problem for you?

Solas: [has a whole tactical moment about the red jennies lmao] Sera: Where d’you get all this, then? Solas: Do you wish to be unnerved by another tale of my explorations of the Fade? Or do you wish to learn something?

Vivienne: You must be pleased with what was revealed at the Temple of Mythal, Solas. Solas: Why should those ruins please me, Enchanter?

changing the subject before he backs himself into a corner

Gatt: I don’t see any tattoos, but you’re carrying a staff. Are you from a Chantry Circle? Solas: No. And I would prefer not to discuss it.

Solas: I find the fall of the dwarven lands confusing. Varric: What’s so confusing about endless darkspawn? Solas: A great deal, although that is a different matter.

giving the truth, but not the whole truth

Blackwall: Skyhold. How did you find it? Solas: I looked. Blackwall: Now you sound like Cole. You looked? Solas: This world is full of wonders for those who seek them.

Blackwall: You spoke of seeing death and destruction. Did you fight in a war? Solas: There are struggles across Thedas at any given time. I doubt you would have heard of it. Blackwall: An elven skirmish? Solas: In a manner of speaking, yes.

Cassandra: Solas, have you always lived alone? Out in the wilderness, as an apostate? Solas: For the most part.

Cassandra: Have you ever encountered templars before? Solas: Only at a distance. I am an apostate, after all. Cassandra: And they never caught you even once? Solas: I am a very careful apostate.

Dorian: We found elves, living ancient elves, at the Temple of Mythal. Does that bother you, Solas? If Inquisitor allied with the Sentinels: Solas: I am pleased we were not forced to kill them, if that’s what you mean.

Iron Bull: You’ve got an odd style, Solas. Your spells are a bit different from the Circle mages or the Vints. Solas: That comes from being self-taught. Solas: I discovered most of my magic on my own, or learned it from my journeys in the Fade.

Vivienne: So, an apostate? Solas: That is correct, Enchanter. I did not train in your Circle.

Solas: You are a man who made a choice... possibly the first of your life. Iron Bull: I’ve always liked fighting. What if I turn savage, like the other Tal-Vashoth? Solas: You have the Inquisition, you have the Inquisitor... and you have me.

from cutscene at beginning Inquisitor: [mentions the anchor closing a rift] Solas: Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake – and it seems I was correct.

from cutscene at beginning Solas: [to a Dalish Inq] You are Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clan. Did they send you here? Inquisitor: What do you know of the Dalish? Solas: I have wandered many roads in my time, and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion. Inquisitor: [Crossed paths? dialogue choice] Solas: I mean that I offered to share knowledge, only to be attacked for no greater reason than their superstition.

from “I’d like to know more about you” convo in Haven Inquisitor: What made you start studying the Fade? Solas: I grew up in a village to the north. There was little to interest a young man, especially one gifted with magic. But as I slept, spirits of the Fade showed me glimpses of wonders I had never imagined. I treasured my dreams. Being awake, out of the Fade, became troublesome.

actually telling the truth but no one picks up on the gravity of it

Solas: [...] I believe the elven gods existed, as did the old gods of Tevinter. But I do not think any of them were gods, unless you expand the definition of the word to the point of absurdity. I appreciate the idea of your Maker, a god that does not need to prove his power. I wish more such gods felt the same. Cassandra: You have seen much sadness in your journeys, Solas. Following the Maker might offer some hope. Solas: I have people, Seeker. The greatest triumphs and tragedies this world has known can all be traced to people.

Cole: No, inside. I don’t hear your hurt as much. Your song is softer, subtler, not silent but still. Solas: How small the pain of one man seems when weighted against the endless depths of memory, of feeling, of existence. That ocean carries everyone. And those of us who learn to see its currents move through life with their fewer ripples.

Cole: You didn’t do it to be right. You did it to save them. Inquisitor: Solas, what is Cole talking about? Solas: A mistake. One of many made by a much younger elf who was certain he knew everything.

Solas: Empires rise and fall. Arlathan was no more “innocent” than your own Tevinter in its time. Solas: Your nostalgia for the ancient elves, however romanticized, is pointless.

Solas: Our people used to be here. Sera: Pfft, you say that everywhere. Solas: It is more true than you want to believe.

Vivienne: You must be pleased, apostate. With the Templars dissolved, your rebels will be most difficult to pacify. Solas: My rebels? Am I an agent for their cause, whispering poison into the Inquisition’s ears? Solas: How comforting. Vivienne: You enjoy seeing yourself as a villain? Solas: No more than any other clever man who wonders what he could do if pushed.

Vivienne: [about the Temple of Mythal] Now you know the elves were once a mighty nation. Solas: I always knew, Enchanter. The Temple of Mythal is just another reminder of what was lost.

(in the Emerald Graves): These forests have changed much since I was last here.

during the Fade!Haven cutscene Solas: It seems you hold the key to our salvation. You had sealed it with a gesture... and right then, I felt the whole world change. Inquisitor: [romance option] “Felt the whole world change?” Solas: A figure of speech. Inquisitor: I’m aware of the metaphor. I’m more interested in felt. Solas: You change... everything.

pointing out that people assume he means things he did not directly say

Cole: There is pain though, still within you. Solas: And I never said there was not.

Solas: You may well become fully human, after all. I never thought to see it. Cole: When did you see it before? Solas: I did not say that I had.

Iron Bull: We’ve got the alliance with my people. Given how much you love the Qun, I figured... Solas: I might scold you? Berate you for your decisions? Iron Bull: Hey. The Chargers died as heroes for the good of the mission. Solas: I never said otherwise.

Sera: Don’t you start. Solas: I’m reasonably certain I said nothing.

Vivienne: [talking shit about grey warden mages] Solas: I never claimed mages should be above the law, Enchanter. Vivienne: No, darling. You merely implied it, while offering no viable suggestions for improvement.

after infamous “side benefits” dialogue Warrior Inquisitor: You find my muscles enjoyable? Solas: I meant that you enjoyed having them, presumably. Warrior Inquisitor: Ah. Solas: But yes... since you asked.

diminishing things he does actually know by saying he he “believes” or “thinks,” or that things were vaguely “said” or “told”

Solas: I say what I believe to be true, even if it gives offense to those who prefer the lie.

Dorian: That orb Corypheus carries... are you certain it’s of elven origin, Solas? Solas: I believe so. Why do you ask?

Solas: It is said that we lived at a pace that sustained us for... ages.

making it sound like he’s talking about something/someone else, but it’s just him lmao

Cole: Do you know a lot about wolves? Solas: I know that they are intelligent, practical creatures that small-minded fools think of as terrible beasts.

Solas: No man can kill so many people without breaking inside. To survive... those you fight must become monsters. Iron Bull: The ones that kill innocent people, yeah. The rest... I don’t know. Solas: The mind does marvelous things to protect itself.

during In Hushed Whispers Inquisitor: I’m glad you understood what he just said because I’m not sure I did. Solas: You would think such understanding would stop me from making such terrible mistakes. You would be wrong.

misc

this one i wanted to include because it’s the only circumstance (that i came across) where someone directly asks solas to lie and he literally says he can’t

during the fucking crestwood breakup scene Inquisitor: [angry option] Tell me you don’t care. Solas: I can’t do that. Inquisitor: Tell me I was some casual dalliance so I can call you a cold-hearted son of a bitch and move on! Solas: I’m sorry.

*also note that most of these are banter transcriptions from the wiki; some are cutscene / other dialogue posted by either @/daitranscripts or u/karinini on reddit; it’s not all his cutscenes obv, but I’m not about to look up every single one individually sdlkfj*

[petite-ely]

Afraid // JJ Maybank

three - family heirloom

Pairing: JJ Maybank x fem routledge! reader

Warnings: cursing and other sorts of bad language, mention of a dead body, underage drinking, idk if there’s something else besides some typos

Description: a fun trip to a thrashy motel leads to many discoveries for the pogues (buckle up buckaroos this one’s a bit long) (also I’m very sorry for not putting a read more thingy but I really don’t know how, sorry :(

Previously next

Afraid Masterlist

Song recommendation:

gif found on pinterest all credits to owner

When John B fell into the the water, the anchor held against his chest, y/n didn’t expect him to come back with anything valuable. Maybe something that would have revealed the identity of whoever owned this boat, but nothing really big. So she was very surprised when he came back with a motel key in his hand. It was not much, as expected but the pogues knew what to do.

The little group had tried to report their findings to the authorities, in hope of receiving some kind of reward. Unfortunately, the plan had failed. Because of the hurricane, the coasts guards were so busy they couldn’t even spare one minute for them.

Instead, they all agreed to go investigate the hotel room. Y/n had been reluctant at first, but her curiosity took the lead, so she agreed. How could she not?

“I thought the château looked bad.”

“This place is a shitshow.”

“Motel or meth lab?”

Y/n’s face scrunched up in a grossed out expression at the sight in front of her eyes, plugging her nose as she caught the horrible smell that went with it. The motel itself wasn’t that bad. Except maybe for the roof, and the window and probably also some kind of hygiene issue. The yard was the worst part. It was filled with debris brought by the storm and it was covered with a bunch of old mattresses. It was not a pretty sight to see.

“Y/n are you staying with me and Pope or..” kie wondered as they landed.

The Routledges exchanged a look. John B didn’t show it a lot, but he was very protective of his sister. He preferred to have her by his side at all times, where he could protect her and assure that she was always safe. It was his way of showing he cared.

“Nah,” she jumped off the boat, her feet joined together, “someone has to look after these two knuckleheads.”

JJ laughed at her words. “Knuckleheads, who even says that.” “Dude I was talking about you.”

“What.” She rolled her eyes.

“Hey,” Pope addressed the girl “don’t let him do anything stupid.” He pointed to JJ.

“Oh, we will.”

“I can’t make any promises.”

Kie handed the key to John B. “Be careful, okay. I mean it.” Y/n grinned at her friend’s words.

The trio then headed towards the direction of the room. Somehow y/n ended up taking the lead, with the two boys walking behind her. She felt a pair of eyes looking at her.

“JJ I know you’re looking at my ass, stop that right now,” she warned. “Dude!” John B slapped him on the chest.

“Um for your information I was looking at the bruise on your thigh.” “Yeah right.”

(He was actually really looking at the bruise. He hated to know she was hurt in any kind of way, it pained him)

“And even if I was, whatcha gonna do about it? Beat me up?” “Don’t underestimate me Maybank, I could easily take you down.” JJ scoffed. “Pfft as if.”

He left her side to go join John B, who had voluntarily distanced himself from their bickering. The blonde grasped his friend’s shoulder. “Just be so careful, John,” he said, imitating Kiara.

John B pushed him off. “God, you’re so weird.” “Dude, what the heck was that all about.” “I don’t know, I guess she wants us to be careful.”

Y/n now walked alone behind, kicking a small pebble whilst silently listening to the conversation.

“Since she heard you’re being threatened with exile, she’s just been like ‘oh! Be so careful John B’” “Get off” “just give me that John D already.”

“Like, when are you gonna swoop on that, man?”

y/n cringed at his words. “Ew, don’t sexualize her like that, it’s gross, j”

“Bro, you know the rule. No pogue on pogue macking.”

Stupid rule. It was the only reason why y/n had never admitted her feelings to JJ. That and her fear of being humiliated ( and the fact he would never feel the same way).

“Besides you’re the one always hitting on her.” Y/n scoffed.

“That doesn’t mean anything, JJ hits on every girl he ever sees.” JJ frowned at her words. “He would hit on a plant if it even slightly ressembled the body of a girl.”

“Hey, that’s not true,” he defended himself. “I don’t hit on you all the time.”

“Says the guys who was just looking at my ass five minutes ago.” “No, I wasn’t.” “You so were!”

“Hey guys, I hate to break up your little fight but uh,” he pointed the door in front of him “this is us. 29.”

JJ knocked on the door. “Housekeeping,” he said, his voice pitched way higher than normal, making both his friends laugh at his actions.

“Should we try it?” Questioned John B. “No power- no security camera. No one’s gonna know.”

The door opened with a small creaking noise. It was a small dark room with two beds. The trio looked around for clues. They still didn’t know who owned the boat nor what they were doing out in the middle of a hurricane. They were hoping for some answers.

“Check the bag, see if there’s a name on there.” “Gotta a jacket-“ “Denim slides-“ “No name on the jacket. It’s a nice jacket though.” “Definitely over 50 he’s got new balances.”

“Yo, dude come here.” JJ found some papers and books stacked on the night table between the two beds. He pointed to a map. “Maybe this is where they were fishing.” “ let me see.” “Right there.”

Y/n peeked over their shoulder, standing on the tip of her toes, to try to see what they were talking about. “Nah, that’s off the continental shelf. Big swell, no one fishes there.”

Abandoning her previous idea, she crouched down and flashed her light under the first bed. “Nothing over here.” She turned to the other bed. Her eyes caught a strange shape, on the opposite corner. “Wait.” She slipped underneath and crawled to the object. “Ah ha!”

“What? You found anything?”

Disappointment filled the girl’s mind as she noticed it was only a shirt, grey and smelly. “Uh, not really. I thought I did but it’s only a dirty shirt.”

“Ew there was a spider on it.” She brushed the bug away as she got up. She turned towards John B, noticing he had successfully opened the safe. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

The words left her mouth without her noticing. She was just too astonished. The safe was filled with multiple stacks of money and well, a gun. There was so much of it, it’s like she didn’t know where to look.

“Uh, JJ, you’re gonna wanna see this.”

JJ’s eyes doubled in size as he noticed the firearm in the safe. He immediately picked it up. “You grabbed the gun,” John B sighed.

“This is a SIG Sauer.” He was swinging it in the air, playing with it as though it was just a toy. “JJ put the fucking gun down, you’re gonna hurt someone,” y/n hissed at him.

“Put the gun back, JJ.” “This is a fucking spendy gatt, man, just.” He pretended to shoot someone in the distance. “Bam! Bam!”

“JJ, this is not a toy you can just play with, put it back!” Y/n’a voice was louder now, angrier and harsher too. “Just take a pic of me.”

“You want me to take a picture of you?” “Yeah dude, like-” JJ struck a pose, the gun in one hand, his flashlight in the other. “Make our own incriminating evidence is that what your talking about?”

Y/n’s attention drifted away as she heard the sound of something hitting the window. She spun around and drew the blinds open, only to find Kie and Pope jumping up down. “What?”

There were clearly trying to warn her about something but she couldn’t hear what they were saying through the thick glass that separated them. She lifted the window slightly. A single word left their mouth in a loud whisper. “Cops!”

“Fuck.”

“What is it?” Y/n turned her body to the two boys. She opened her mouth, about to reveal what danger would soon fall upon them when a knock came from the door.

“Kildare county, sheriff department,” a stern voice announced.

“Shit, shit, shit.”

The girl yanked the rest of the window open. By chance, there was a small step, a ledge, where they could stand and hide from the police officers.

Y/n’a hand flew to her neck, as she noticed the necklace she always wore wasn’t on her neck anymore. “Fuck!” It was very precious to her, leaving it there was not an option.

Her father had actually given it to her on her 14th birthday. It belonged to his mother and her mother before her. It was a family heirloom and the only thing she had left of her father. She always wore it, even to bed.

“Y/n, what the fuck are you doing?”

She scanned the room quickly, her stress level growing as she heard the door rattling. Her eyes finally landed on the shining necklace, tangled under the first bed.

“My necklace fell off!” she whispered-shout. “There’s no time!”

Luckily for her living on the cut had taught her to move quickly, without being seen. She swiftly slid under the bed, grabbed the golden chain and slipped out of the window, all before the door opened.

“That was close,” JJ whispered softly.

Y/n removed one of her hand from the wall to place her index finger against her lip motioning for JJ to stay silent. They both turned their attention back to the room, observing the cops as they entered.

There was two of them. Shoupe and a woman y/n didn’t know the name of. They were looking around for clues just as the three kids had done minutes earlier. Shoupe opened the door of the safe. Y/n’s eyes followed as he handed the other officer some evidences. He then handed her a stack of money, which she put in her pocket.

“The fuck?” the girl whispered, glancing at her brother on the other side. JB looked at her with wide eyes, he was just as shocked as she was.

She lost her balance for a quick second, her foot sliding down, making the loudest noise ever made. JJ’s hand caught her before she fell, bringing her body closer to his. She heard footsteps getting closer. She could feel and hear JJ’s breath getting heavier by the second, her heart pounding in her chest. She scooted even closer to him, her hand gripping at the back of his shirt so she wouldn’t fall once more.

“All right, let’s go. No one’s here.” Shoupe said from inside.

A heavy sigh left her lips as she heard the door close behind them. “That was so fucking close.”

“Jesus Christ, y/n what was that all about, you almost got us caught!” John B snapped.

“My necklace fell off, I couldn’t just leave it there. It’s the only thing I have left of dad! Plus they would’ve known I was there, it would’ve got us caught!”

John’s face fell slightly, she was right. Still he couldn’t help but worry at the thought of her getting caught. He was her brother, it was normal for him to want to protect her form getting hurt. “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t mean to yell at you, I was just, I was just worried okay? I don’t want to lose you too, y/n/n.”

“I’m not going anywhere, bird.”

>>

After the little trip to the motel, and almost getting caught by the cops, the group had decided to head back to the château. Y/n let out a sigh of exasperation. She was, once again, seated on the dirty sofa on the porch. This time her head was hanging upside down, her shoeless feet rested against the window. She was exhausted. This day had been filled with nothing but surprises, following one another without getting a chance to take a breath. And the day wasn’t over yet.

First there was their discovery of the boat in the marsh, then John risking his life for a motel key (okay maybe risking his life was a bit of a stretch but yeah, y/n still thought it was dangerous). And then they tried to report the boat but failed, so they went to the motel and we’re almost caught by Shoupe (and saw him stealing money) and stupid JJ who stole the goddamn gun.

And that wasn’t even the most shocking surprise of the day. The body of Scooter Grubbs was also found (and y/n really wish she could erase that image out of her memory) and shocker, he was the owner of the Grady-White. So the marsh was closed until the authorities would find the boat.

“Ugh,” y/n rubbed her tired eyes, feeling a headache coming as the blood rushed to her head.

“You’re gonna get brain damage if you stay like that for too long,” John B said motioning to his sister’s position. “Can’t be worse than it already is,” she shrugged, moving herself so her head now rested on Kiara’s lap.

Pope came rushing, the screen door slamming behind him. “So, um we didn’t see anything, we don’t know anything.” He was still slightly panting, and he seemed very stressed, anxious even. “We need to have complete and total amnesia.”

“Actually, Pope’s right. For once.” y/n scooted closer to Kie to make room for Pope to sit and turned her head back to JJ who was getting up from his seat. “See I agree with you sometimes,” he pointed his index finger on each of his friends. “Deny, deny, deny.”

“Guys we can’t keep that money.” “Not all of us have unlimited data plans, Kiara.”

Y/n frowned at JJ’s words. That was low of him. The Carreras might hav been a lot richer than the average pogue, but they weren’t kook rich either. Business was hard for everyone and The Wreck wasn’t spared of the occasional struggle that went with it.

“Well I hate to be a party pooper but she’s right. It’s not our money, it wouldn’t be right for us to keep it.” declared the Routledge girl. “Yup, we have to pass that money off to Lana Grubbs. Otherwise it’s bad karma.”

“It bad karma to be implicated in a felony too,” added Pope. “We gotta go dark.” “If that means we get to keep the money then I agree.”

John B gave a small pat on JJ’s shoulder. “I don’t agree.” “What, why?”

“Just think about it, this is Scooter Grubbs we’re talking about,” he started. “Same dude that’s buying individual cigarettes at the porthole. Shit, one time I saw him begging for change in the save-a-lot parking lot because he needed gas. We’re talking about a dirtbag marina rat who’s never had more than 40 bucks in his pockets and all of the sudden he’s got a Grady-White? Just saying..”

John B was right. It was indeed kind of shady. Square groupers? Smuggling? Contraband? Y/n had no idea what she was getting herself into. It was a strange situation and she had no idea what to do about it, so she followed her friends ideas. They all agreed to lay low and act normal, which could only mean one thing. There was going to be a kick ass kegger on the boneyard. And y/n couldn’t be more glad.

Taglist:

@drewswannabegirl @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @im-a-stranger-thing @lasnaro @poguestyle17 @thoughtsofthestars @briandaflores19 @lunaposey @allycat449-blog @ifliwtd @kitty084

this means tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you :(

If you wanna be added or removed just tell me!!