#it was like going on a journey with her like Duncan in a knight of the seven kingdoms

[istaprqsamarmay]

Brienne chapters are a breath of fresh air from all the other POV chapters. she resembles a true knight had that idealised concept of knighthood and thought naively that there are still honourable respectful knights not knowing(at the beginning of course) how that concept is almost extinct by now. With her no matter the horrible situations she went through she never became cruel. always strives to live up to the ideal of a true honourable knight.

[novaursa]

Hello! Would you ever write something for Ser Duncan the Tall?? I don’t have any exact ideas but would love to see something for him ❤️

When the North Calls

- Summary: Duncan and Aegon encounter you in Riverlands, and you unintentionally steal the heart of a knight.

- Pairing: stark!reader/Ser Duncan the Tall

- Note: The plot is purposely changed. Duncan and Egg were not going to join Lord Beron Stark on the Northen coast, and I've also put in how Baelor Breakspear knighted Duncan (I know he didn't) to give a short story more flare.

- Rating: Mild 13+

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @oxymakestheworldgoround

The journey through the Riverlands had been pleasant enough, the landscape a patchwork of autumnal hues. Duncan found himself enjoying the quiet moments between the clamor of camp and the occasional brush with bandits. Traveling alongside Aegon—Egg, as he preferred to be called—was both a challenge and a comfort. The boy’s sharp wit and hunger for knowledge kept Duncan on his toes. This latest company, led by Ser Hormon Peake, was more dubious than most, but the invitation to attend the wedding of a Frey daughter provided a welcome diversion from the usual hardship.

“Ser Duncan, do you think Lord Frey will have enough food for all the guests?” Egg’s voice broke into his thoughts. The boy was riding close, his helmet askew atop his shaved head, eyes bright with curiosity. “He has so many children already. The expense must be staggering.”

Duncan chuckled, his large hand reaching out to ruffle Egg’s cap. “You’re thinking too much on it. A man with as many children as Lord Frey knows how to manage his coffers. You just worry about your manners.”

Egg wrinkled his nose but said nothing, the tilt of his head suggesting he had more questions. They rode in comfortable silence until the sound of hooves and the glint of steel drew Duncan’s attention. A small company approached from the north, a banner he recognized fluttering in the breeze—the direwolf of House Stark, bordered by a band of silver.

“Starks?” he murmured, brow furrowing. This far south, it could mean anything: messengers, exiles, or an army on the move. But as the group drew closer, he spotted a woman at the head of the party, her cloak a deep grey, her hair dark as a raven’s wing. She rode with an easy confidence, her gaze scanning the road ahead as if searching for something—or someone.

“They’re well armed,” Egg observed. “But they don’t look like they’re spoiling for a fight.”

Duncan nodded. “Aye, but best to be cautious.”

As they closed the distance, the Stark party reined in their horses. The woman’s gaze fell on Duncan, her eyes a striking shade of grey, storm clouds before a snowfall. Duncan shifted in his saddle, his heart thudding with an unfamiliar nervousness. She was beautiful in a way that was fierce and untamed, and he felt his tongue tie itself in knots at the thought of speaking to her.

“Ser Duncan the Tall,” she greeted, her voice carrying the crisp edge of the North. “I am Lady Y/N Stark, sister to Lord Beron. What brings you to these lands?”

“Lady Stark.” Duncan’s voice came out rougher than he intended, and he cleared his throat. “We ride to attend a wedding at the Twins. Ser Hormon Peake invited us to join his company.”

Her eyes flicked to the men behind him, and a small, knowing smile touched her lips. “And you trust Ser Hormon Peake?”

Duncan felt his cheeks warm. “I—ah—thought it best to see for myself.”

She nodded, then gestured to her own party. “I’m gathering men of Riverlands to march north. The Ironborn have struck our coasts again, and my brother needs every sword he can muster.”

“We’re heading the same way,” Egg cut in, his voice eager. “Dunk and I—we’re always looking for ways to help.” He shot Duncan a look that was half-amusement, half-daring.

Duncan shifted uncomfortably, feeling every inch the awkward giant he was. “If it please you, my lady, we’d be honored to ride with you. The North’s need is greater than Lord Frey’s feast.”

Her smile widened, and Duncan’s heart gave an unexpected lurch. “You’re welcome, Ser Duncan. I could use a man of your strength—and your honor.” She glanced at Egg, her expression softening. “And you, boy. You look like you’ve a few tricks up your sleeve.”

Egg grinned, straightening in his saddle. “I try, my lady.”

The decision made, Duncan found himself riding beside Lady Stark, the conversation flowing surprisingly easily. She spoke of her home, of the cold winters and the warm hearths of Winterfell, and Duncan listened, mesmerized by the passion in her voice. He found himself speaking more than he had in a long time, sharing tales of his travels and the places he had seen. Each time she laughed or smiled, he felt a strange thrill, as though he had accomplished something far greater than winning a tourney.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the road, they made camp near a small stream. Duncan busied himself with setting up their tent, but his thoughts kept drifting to Lady Stark, her presence a constant pull at his senses. He was dimly aware of Egg’s gaze, sharp and amused as he watched Duncan fumble with the tent poles.

“You’ve got it bad, Dunk,” Egg teased, his voice low enough not to carry. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you trip over your words like that.”

Duncan shot him a warning look, but the boy only grinned wider.

“She likes you,” Egg continued, unperturbed. “She kept looking at you, like she was trying to figure you out. I bet she’s never met anyone quite like you before.”

“Enough, Egg,” Duncan muttered, feeling his face heat. “She’s a lady, and I’m just a hedge knight.”

“A hedge knight who’s been knighted by Baelor Breakspear and fought in a Trial of Seven,” Egg pointed out. “And one who’s honest and kind. She could do worse.”

Duncan didn’t know what to say to that, so he busied himself with tightening the ropes, his mind whirling. Lady Y/N Stark. He couldn’t stop thinking about her—her fierce eyes, the way she spoke with such determination, the ease with which she commanded her men. She was unlike anyone he had ever met, and he didn’t know what to do with the feelings she stirred in him.

As the camp settled for the night, Duncan found himself glancing her way more than once, his heart aching with a longing he barely understood. She was a Stark of Winterfell, sister to a lord, and he—he was just Duncan, a knight without a home.

But as he watched her laugh with her men, her head thrown back, her eyes bright, he couldn’t help but hope, just a little, that maybe—just maybe—she saw something in him, too.

[horizon-verizon]

Comparing Daenerys and Young Griff is so delicious because his protectors essentially raised him to be like who Daenerys is. Young Griff’s upbringing as a “nobody” was artificial. No matter how many floors he had to scrub or times somebody thought he was just a sellsword’s son, he was always promised one day he would be royalty, and was treated as such by his protectors. He never went cold, hungry. He was never a slave, a beggar or abused. He doesn’t have the authentic perspective of someone on the other side of the power scale like Daenerys does.

Daenerys had to learn everything she did for survival. She is empathetic to “small folk” because she may have been born royal but never lived that way until her dragons hatched. Young Griff learned everything he did just to fit a mold.

I think it’s also fun to think of Aegon V too. Unlike Daenerys and Young Griff, Egg knew what it was to live as a royal, he was given the full perspective of the class hierarchy. Him living as someone lowborn was what led him to deconstruct and question all the classism he had been fed. And what’s most important about this is that it was his choice to live undercover with Dunk, to temporarily give his privileges up and he got an experience that was some what in between manufactured like Young Griff and authentic like Daenerys.

As it relates to Young Griff, Egg could’ve quit his game at any moment. All it would take is pulling off his boot and calling his dad or Bloodraven, and he still always had Dunk to protect him. But undercover, he really did get an authentic experience of being low born.

And it’s so interesting how Varys took inspiration from Egg to create his own enlightened monarch by manufactured an Egg journey for Young Griff, but how much value is there in a journey like that when you know the endgame is to be king like Young Griff ?

If the last question wasn't rhetorical:

When Àegon V was walking around with Duncan the Tall, he had not been slàted as the heir nor was he even close to being the royal heir. So he was curious and concerned with how the common people lived, the poor and all that. As a child. And he was considerably more compassionate and inquisitive than Young Griff seems to be, expecting to become King. So much for that. You're bringing an important difference Varys seemingly didn't account for, which seems uncharacteristic--not the part Abt expecting to be king, I don't think that that completely devalues or destroys the mission to make at least a more compassionate monarch. You can still be a noble, not live amongst the people, and still be considerate and actionable towards commonborn or peasants, like Alysanne. It's not common, so sometimes or most of it you need to make a more extreme deed like Aegon and force the noble into that separate life depending on the person. This still goes back to Varys making a mistake--how could he trust that a rich merchant and a noble knight would put this smallfolk-first, "enlightened" king before all other sorts of education? How would one go about explaining this?

[onthesandsofdreams]

The Author [1/?]

Fandom: ASoIaF Pairing: Sansa/Sandor Summary: Sansa Stark knows she is a romantic at heart. She has never been shy about it, she's one of the girls who is in love with love. Who enjoys a good romantic movie or book or song… or her ultimate guilty pleasure: fanfiction. Warnings: None Notes: For my sister @mousedetective, hope it brightens your day a little. By the way guys, she's going through some rogh

Read @ AO3

Sansa Stark knows she is a romantic at heart.

She has never been shy about it, she's one of the girls who is in love with love. Who enjoys a good romantic movie or book or song… or her ultimate guilty pleasure: fanfiction.

It was not that she thought fanfiction was bad, after all, how many classic books had had their origins in legends and spoken lore? Most of them. So, she refused to feel bad about it. It was only a guilty pleasure because the author of this series of fics was her favorite. She would cry if they would ever stop. Whomever it was behind the all of the stories, had a gift. They brought to life stories of knights and maidens, of brave princes and love struck princesses with such effortless grace that she was a bit jealous.

She had dabbled and still did in writing fanfiction, but in her opinion, NotASer was a better writer than her.

Reading and re-reading their stories were a highlight of her day. Hell, one time, NotASer had gifted her a story for her devotion to his stories and her constant comments; comments that were always respectful, but gushing. And they had struck a friendship of sorts, NotASer would comment on her stories, and she in theirs. But she didn't know who was behind the username and she would not be nosy enough to ask. That felt like a breach of privacy, like looking behind the curtain; and while she was curious, she would never do anything that made the writer uncomfortable.

She was doom scrolling when up popped up a notification: NotASer had just posted a new story: Lady Jocelyn's Journey. She rushed to read the story, it was a very good start; the story about Lady Jocelyn Baratheon after Duncan Targaryen had jilted her for a low born girl. The story promised to show how Jocelyn had overcome her grief and grow and find love by herself.

Once she reached the ending of the first chapter, she immediately left a kudo and a comment: Lovely start NotASer! Can't wait to see what you do with the story 😍

To her surprise, NotASer's response came quickly: Thank you, LadyWolf! The next chapter is almost done, so expect it soon!

She squealed excitedly and responded: Yay! Looking forward the next chapter!

She held her phone to her chest and looked at her dog, Lady had lain down at the foot of her bed and had all but jumped the very moment she had let her squeal of excitement out, now, her usually calm and easy going husky (yes, she lucked out, she knows) was giving her sad puppy eyes.

"Come here, darling girl," she said as she patted the other side of her bed. Lady jumped and curled at her side, "I'm sorry I startled you, just… my favorite author posted!"

Lady looked at her mistress, gave a doggy sigh and laid back down. She laughed and scratched Lady were her hand could reach. "I know, it's silly. But it's harmless, I mean, Arya has LARPing, Robb and Jon have video games, Bran also reads and Rickon is always in nature. Let me have my fics."

Lady snorted.

[thewardenisonthecase]

Stars

Alistair x F!Cousland Warden

Read on AO3

Summary: On their path to Denerim, Anneliese Cousland and Alistair watch the stars, as they reflect on their journey.

A/N: This is very short but its something that had been on my mind for awhile. Everytime I go back and replay the battle of ostagar i get this terrible sad feeling because of how things went down. I didn't have much to go with this but yeah.

word count: 873

It was one more night until they reached Denerim, after once again protecting Redcliff and gaining the titles of Champions. 

One more night until she would be faced with the enemy. 

One more night until they hopefully ended this Blight for good. 

Anneliese Cousland had found a nice spot, a little further away from camp, to sit and look at the stars. 

‘Even when everything changes, at least the stars will always stay the same.’ she would tell herself. 

Anneliese should be asleep, but there were too many feelings inside of her to allow for a good night of rest. 

It was not doubt - she had faith that they would be victorious. The dwarves, elves, mages and knights were ready. After all the work she had done to help those people, they were finally returning the favour. After all she had lost…she had come too far to lose at the end. 

It wasn’t anxiety either. Anneliese always knew it would all come to this, ever since she awoke in Flemeth’s hut, even if at times the path ahead was obscure. For a moment, her determination had wavered. They were not getting anywhere near an end and it only seemed like they kept finding problems.

Fittingly, it was in the Deep Roads that she had found the strength she needed. Seeing the Archdemon flying overhead had reminded her of her duty. She would see this battle through, no matter the cost. 

What she felt that night was not anxiety, nor doubt. No, it was the old beast that gnawed at her heart ever so often. The old beast called grief. 

After the attack on Castle Cousland, she thought all she could feel was grief. For her parents, for her brother’s family, for Iona. But she had spent too long mourning them. She lost her home but there was still a Ferelden to save. 

No, her grief tonight was for-

“There you are.” She heard Alistair’s voice as he walked towards her and sat down. “I thought I was gonna have to sleep all alone tonight.” 

When she didn’t reply, he frowned. “What’s on your mind?” 

“Ostagar.” Anneliese hugged her knees, as she continued to look at the stars. “Do you realize it’s been a year since…well, this all began?” 

“I think Wynne mentioned it once or twice. Why?” 

She sighed. “I don’t know, I just feel…we were all different people then.” She looked at him. “Does that make sense to you?” 

“I think it does. I mean, I was just a bastard being raised to be a templar and now…now I’m going to be king of Ferelden.” He let out a heavy sigh. “At least I’ll have you with me.”

Anneliese gave him a small smile and placed her head on his shoulder.

“I keep thinking about that night, before the battle. All those men talking about how it would go. I remember Duncan saying there would be an Archdemon and Cailan doubting if this was even a real blight.” 

“How wrong they all were.” Alistair said, solemnly. 

Even after so long, Duncan’s loss still hurt him - much like her family’s still haunted her. At least, they had recovered his shield, something to remember him by. 

Anneliese closed her eyes. She couldn’t stop thinking about that night. The two of them had complained when they were sent to light the signal. They were young and stupid and they wanted to join in the real fight, not knowing what would happen. Duncan had said he wanted no heroics from them. 

Look at them now. Wherever his soul went, if Duncan was watching, would he be proud of what they achieved? Did he think they died in the Tower? 

“I think we were all a bit foolish back then. No one could imagine what would happen.” She whispered. “Ostagar feels like a lifetime ago.”

“That’s what Loghain said.” 

“I hate to agree but in that regard, he was right.”

After a moment, Alistair said “I think he was, too.” 

Silence befell them again. Even if Morrigan’s ritual worked, there were still a number of different ways that they could be slain in battle. They could be betrayed again, the darkspawn could overwhelm them. Maker, even the Archdemon could prove to be too strong. 

If they survived, they would never be the same. They would be heroes. They would be Queen and King, husband and wife. They would go down in history, whether they wanted to or not. Anneliese could not make sense if this was what the Maker had intended for them all along. 

Once, she felt she was still a girl, wearing a soldier’s facade. Now, she would go to the battlefield as a woman. She wondered if Alistair felt the same, and part of her believed it so. He was still just one year older than her. 

She sighed heavily, leaning more into Alistair’s shoulder. He covered the hands on her knees with his, as he gently placed his head on top of hers. She turned her gaze to the sky once again, feeling the gentle breeze of the air on her face. 

There were many doubts about what tomorrow would bring but for nothing, they would sit in silence and watch the stars. 

.

Thanks for reading! If you liked this fic, please consider reblogging it and leaving a comment, they're extremely appreciated!

[agentrouka-blog]

Some stans say that bcs @ry@ traveled with a big knight(S@ndor) she has paralels to @egon v journey thus going to be queen, unlike sansa who haven't.

Like people! Sansa is definitely going north with AT LEAST Brienne(a VERY likely Duncan descendant) and is very much garanteed to become the Girl In Grey, they really think she will go blindfold?

So, it's going to be Bran, Aegon VI, Arya and Podrick for a crown, then? Podrick is Brienne's squire even! Bran's tall possibly Duncan-descended Hodor may not be a knight, but he's been carrying the little guy around since book one. Aegon VI has Rolly 'Duck' Duckfield, obviously. And there's Arya travelling with a violent, drunk child murderer who used to be Joffrey's sworn sword and kindsguard (but also isn't a knight) after he kidnapped her and until she left him to die. Seems legit and like a good omen, certainly.

Is Queen Arya going to marry King Podrick or defeat him in battle? 🤔

[kimberly-earthfriend]

Meet the Wizards - Rowan Duskhaven

Rowan has changed a lot since the last time I shared them, so I figured I better give an update!

They’re my young wizard, saviour of the spiral, hero from Earth etc etc. Until they aren’t. They started off being kidnapped by Ambrose and told to defeat Malistaire at just 12 years old. But honestly, they didn’t mind all that much. Their home life on earth had been pretty terrible, and school? Even worse. And besides, they quite liked the idea of learning magic and fulfilling a grand destiny (what bookish 12 year old wouldn’t?)

They got selected for the spiral cup, though according to the rules they were far to young to compete. Really, it was just a guise under which they could go to wysteria to meet their new mentor - Kimberly Earthfriend - and recruit her for the fight against Malistaire. This, unfortunately, would turn out to be the worst “decision” of their life, insofar as they were allowed to decide anything as the young wizard.

Things went well for a few worlds, they defeated Malistaire, and then Morganthe showed up. Rowan did not like how uncomfortably familiar the ambitious shadow mage seemed, and began to have some doubts about the quest. They had already seen that Malistaire was just a grieving man, a man who needed therapy, not violence. And now they were beginning to see what could happen if they ever dared to rebel against their Destiny.

Avalon. It was the turning point in Rowan’s wizarding journey, even though most would call it Azteca. Together with Kimberly and Anya Silverblood, they sought out the Lady of the Lake so they might be granted the sword of kings to defeat Morganthe. Unfortunately, it would not be Rowan who was granted the sword. Nimue, furious that Merle had put the weight of the spiral on the shoulders of a child, sought out the fates and rewrote Destiny, selecting Kimberly as the bearer of the sword and allowing her to become a knight of the silver rose instead. This did not sit well with the Young Wizard, but they supposed it made enough sense. After all, Kimberly was born and raised in Avalon. Of course the stone would determine her as the rightful ruler. It was just a blip, that’s all. But deep down in their soul, resentment was beginning to grow.

The fall of Azteca was not so much the turning point as the straw that broke the camel’s back. An entire civilisation destroyed, and Rowan believed it was all their fault. If they had just been better, if they had been good enough to get the sword, they could have defeated Morganthe before it came to this. But now they were gone. And Rowan was gone too. They fled Azteca, following the resurrected Malistaire to Darkmoor and beginning to learn Shadow magic. They became obsessed with “fixing” the wrongs they had caused, and wanted to bring Azteca back to its former glory. Malistaire informed them that sadly there was no shadow magic strong enough to stop Xibalba. But he once had dealings with a group who possessed a device that might just do it: the world synthesiser.

By the time Kimberly and the others arrived in Darkmoor under the law of Kan Dvasi, Rowan was long gone. They fled back to Wizard City, cloaking themself in shadows so as not to catch the attention of Ambrose or the other professors. There, they met with Duncan Grimwater and Greta Darkkettle, and began learning of the Schism. They were quickly initiated and began working their way through the ranks, determined to get the attention of the Old One and gain access to his World Synthesiser.

On a journey to Empyrea, they reunited with Micah Stormweaver, the astral wizard they had befriended in Celestia, and sparks flew. They hit it off in no time at all, and now they had a guide to the stormy wastelands of Empyrea.

It was though him that they discovered Mellori. If they caught her and broke the paradox chains, then surely the old one would take notice. Never mind that that could destroy the entire spiral. Their obsession with fixing Azteca had blinded them to the other destruction that they wrought. They no longer cared who they hurt, who got in their way. They just had to fix the past.

As the only person who could walk the Astral plane, it wasn’t hard for Rowan to heal Mellori. The problem was finding her body. Pretending that they wanted to make up for the past and help Kimberly, they offered to walk the Reverie together. But then, while Kimberly was fighting her nightmares, Rowan slipped away, “rescuing” Mellori and carrying her off into the night. Thankfully they were caught and stopped by the Luphilim before they could break the chains, but walking the astral plane and healing the Raven child had been enough. Finally the Old One was listening.

He asked them to the summit in Karamelle, and it was here that he told them of his office in Arcanum, and of Lemuria. If they could check in on Lemuria and get to his secret lab, they would have free reign over the World Synthesiser, and could create whatever they desired, provided it worked towards the final goal of reinstating the first world. They readily agreed, calling Micah to fly them to the Arcanum and sneaking into the old one’s office under cover of night

How they managed to get into the shrunken world of Lemuria, we do not know, but I suppose if anyone can do it, it’s the Young Wizard. They made it to the lab in the centre of Telos and discovered the template for the Scion of the Old One right along with the synthesiser. They donned his armour and decided to play along with his little test, just to prove that they were still a worthy and capable wizard. They joined the team of Lemuria heroes, and when the time came, they finally faced off with Kimberly, revealing their identity in the final battle and attempting to claim the synthesiser for themself.

If they had just listened to the Old One and taken the synthesiser right at the get-go, of course, they could have achieved their goal. But they were defeated, and stayed on in Lemuria, finally seeing the error of their ways and vowing to do better by truly helping the citizens of the lost world

Eventually, Kimberly invited them on a Walkabout in Wallaru, so that they might find themself and find their peace. They departed with Dasein to the Dreaming, finally at rest.

[alexanderkidwell]

Game of Thrones’ Spinoffs and Prequels in the Works

Since the groundbreaking HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones came to what many viewers felt was a lackluster finale, Hollywood executives have been planning prequels, sequels, and offshoots for a lucrative product with a proven worldwide audience. First up was Warner Bros.' House of the Dragon, a series that takes place two centuries earlier than the events detailed in Game of Thrones and centers on a bloody civil war over succession, the Dance of the Dragons, that pits two sides, the Blacks and Greens, against one another.

Premiering in 2022 with 10 million viewers, series one peaked at 10.2 million before gradually declining to 9.3 million in the final episode 10. In an age of often fragmented streaming viewership, this was considered a success, encouraging the production of series two. Premiering on HBO and Max in June 2024, the first episode of series two generated 7.8 million viewers, 22 percent less than the previous season. One reason this rating declined was a continued drop in linear viewing habits.

Interest in "House of the Dragon" has been strong enough that "Game of Thrones" has emerged as a tentpole of Warner Bros. strategy, much like Star Wars and the Marvel Universe at other major studios. This has led to a number of offshoots that are currently or potentially under development.

One of these is the proposed series Aegon's Conquest, which takes inspiration from early passages of George R. R. Martin's 2018 work Fire & Blood, a fictional history of the House Targaryen. The series centers on Aegon the Conqueror's dragon-enabled efforts to take control of and unify the kingdom of Westeros. It also focuses on Aegon's vision of a Great War between the undead "white walkers" and living people, which he terms A Song of Ice and Fire. To save humanity, Aegon envisions dragonfire as a first-line defense and sets about bringing various kingdoms under the protection of Targaryen rulers. As described by screenwriter Mattson Tomlin, the project is similar to fleshing in the life of a great historical figure such as Alexander the Great or Napoleon.

Another anticipated project is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Currently filming, the series takes inspiration from George R. R. Martin's novellas, The Tales of Dunk and Egg. The picaresque concept focuses on a squire named Dunk who dons the armor of his recently deceased knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and passes for him in a tournament. Dunk then takes on a diminutive squire, Egg, and embarks on a "lone wolf and cub" journey across Westeros. The concept is unique in focusing on the effects of constant warring, envisioned by nobles, on the kingdom's common folk.

Presently in development, The Sea Snake/Nine Voyages focuses on Sea Snake, a veteran of many sea battles and a colorful character in House of the Dragon. Drawing on legends detailed in Martin's Fire & Blood, the series delves into the legendary Nine Voyages of the fabled seafarer. Another proposed prequel, Ten Thousand Ships, goes back a thousand years before the events of Game of Thrones. The title references an invading armada of vessels, which are ordered burned by leader Nymeria so that her army cannot turn back and go home after landing and encountering fierce resistance.

One planned project that has been indefinitely shelved is Snow, which did not rely on pre-existing Martin material. The concept was to follow the adventures of John Snow following his exile to the Northern Wall in Game of Thrones. Kit Harington was set to reprise his signature role and was integrally involved in planning, going so far as to bring in his own writing and production team. Harington and his team ultimately could not find a compelling original narrative that warranted a new series.

[cachien]

Don't mind if I do (this is really long I'm so sorry but I don't know how to simplify it)

So the story is based on my recent blue/purple Hawke playthrough, with modifications to separate it enough from the original game that there's no copyright overlap.

Gwen grew up poor with her adoptive mother and half-sister. Her father, rumored to be from her kingdom's capital city, arrived in her small town 20+ years before as a widow with baby Gwen on his shoulder. He captured the heart of a local woman, married her in a private, illegitimate ceremony, and knocked her up. When their baby was also a girl, he disappeared, leaving behind the first baby as well. Gwen's younger half-sister, Rose, is quickly discovered to be chronically ill ("mage sickness," though their village is too rural to know what that is- basically, if a mage doesn't receive proper training, their magic lashes out inside of them and keeps them sick).

Gwen learns every skill she can to keep her family fed and safe: foraging, fighting, carpentry, sewing, cooking. Whatever she needs to do. When the kingdom announces a tournament that will allow non-nobles to join the Royal Guard for the first time ever, she signs up, knowing the pay will make her family's life easier- and that the Guard is stationed in the capital city, where she might find her father.

But as she journeys north and reaches the capital city, she learns that her sheltered upbringing has left her ignorant of the world. She encounters the angry, broody, green-eyed elven man Thorne, servant of her commander and thus usually working among the staff at the garrison, who first berates her for her ignorance about the secret rings of slavery among the kingdom's elites, and later begins to educate her, as Gwen refuses to give up on helping the servants when she can.

She makes friends among her unit, including Elliana (loosely based on my elf warden, a cold and serious elf woman whose fiance died under mysterious circumstances before her recruitment), and Leif, a giant man who's like if Iron Bull had Sebastien Vael's backstory. Through these friends, Gwen learns more and more about the classism and racism that flourish in the world outside her small village.

An incident in the kitchens leads her commander, Baer, to learn about her passion to help the less fortunate. Baer is a powerful man, military advisor to the king, and the person behind the experiment of recruiting peasants into the guard. He begins giving her extra training in secret, intending to use her as a figurehead in impending revolution. (he was initially based on Duncan but takes strongly after Anders in storyline) He's a tricky figure- representative of fighting for a very good cause but going about it in a way that sows more destruction and violence. He's not meant to be purely good or purely evil but just as morally conflicting as Anders.

Fenris Thorne knows nothing about his family, having been kidnapped and sold in infancy, and has tattoos on his face to indicate his owner. Though slavery is illegal in this kingdom, guards tend to turn a blind eye when an elite is suspected to keep slaves. He was trained to fight, to be both bodyguard and mandingo to the human noble who bought him, and finally escaped in adulthood. Slave hunters cornered him and nearly beat him to death, but Baer killed them, saved his life, and employed him. His intention is to use the security of the guard to build up strength and weapons to someday kill his former master, but there's so much chaos, illness, and problems amid the other servants, whom he will do anything to help, that it's been three years now and he hasn't made a move.

Thorne grows close to Gwen, constantly scolding her for risking her reputation by spending time with the servants which is decidedly not guard-like, given that most guards are the children of nobles or knights and the guard faces a lot of prejudice. Feelings grow between them as they fight to resist them; in Gwen's training, as she faces loss and secrets and imposter syndrome, he's always there for her. When her unit is deployed, fighting a foreign war for another kingdom's resources, and one of her first friends dies and she nearly does, too, he's ready with open arms and warm food when she finally makes it to the army's camp. But then she finds her father, and he's the first person she wants to tell. She runs to him with excitement that he at first shares, until she says the name: his former master.

There's a lot of social commentary and "sins of our fathers" and themes of reparations to come throughout the story. It started out as a simple "I want to write about Hawke and Fenris, about the healing of trauma and the 'I love you even when it's hard,' the heartbreak of 'I love you but can't be with you,' and the sweetness of 'if this is how it all ends, at least you're by my side,'" because after playing through a Fenris romance this summer I remembered why he was my first favorite Dragon Age love interest.

Anyway yeah it's got a ton of brutality and blood and the themes are super heavy and then mixed into it is the dormitory-feel of the guards training together and living together, the friends-to-lovers romance of Gwen and Thorne, and the cozy backdrop of lots of fireside meals and gifts and friendship, the positive attributes of Dragon Age games and the sense of companionship underwritten with the tension of addressing socioeconomic turmoil. I'm kind of in love with this story right now and it's my longest original fiction yet and I'm barely 3/4 through the first draft<3

One of the most insane things I've done this year is get back into Dragon Age so hard that it started me on writing a new fantasy novel that started as "I want to write a FenHawke fanfic but make it publishable" and is now 91,000 words in to the most gruesome, intense, social justice-themed book I've ever attempted to write.

[starions]

"no, sorry, you laughed.. ive never seen you do that before, it's pretty" i forgot the exact sentence as i was typing I'm so sorry.....

"no, sorry, you laughed.. ive never seen you do that before, it's pretty" for percistair :)

1219 words (this got away from me)

fluff? first encounters? kind of?

Alistair heaved his sword out of the darkspawn’s corpse with a grunt, watching the lifeless body flop over with a thud. Though he shouldn’t be, he was surprised by just how many darkspawn were in the Korcari Wilds, and this close to camp too. Whether or not this was a real Blight was uncertain—though Duncan was sure of it, and Alistair trusted the man with his life—but one couldn’t deny that the amount of darkspawn here was overwhelming.

The journey to gather darkspawn blood and the Warden treaties was tiring but necessary. The recruits Duncan found helped—somewhat. Ser Jory, a trained knight, was startled at the first sight of the darkspawn, yet soon began hacking them down with ease. Daveth, it seemed, picked up some fighting skills from his years as a pickpocket, and was useful in taking out the grunts of the pacts.

The girl—Percy was the name—had Alistair worried for her. She held onto her twin daggers like she’d never touched them before, and was constantly shaking like a leaf. She wore her armor awkwardly despite it fitting well, and Alistair couldn’t count on his fingers how often he’d saved her from being stabbed to death by a darkspawn sword.

In all honesty, if the Joining didn’t kill her, she might die out here in the Wilds. She was nobility, not trained for a life such as this. Duncan picked her for a reason, though, and he had to respect that decision.

Nevertheless, the group pressed on deeper into the wilds. Often Alistair would check over his shoulder to check on the girl, though she never met his glance. She’d spoken less than a handful of words to him in the small time they’ve known each other, and always had a distant, empty expression in her cold blue eyes. Alistair had heard little of exactly what transpired in her family’s castle, but he knew enough to know that it had traumatized her deeply.

The deeper they walked through the wilds, the more jittery Ser Jory became. “Perhaps we should turn back? We have the blood, and it doesn’t seem like the treaties are here. We should go back. Let’s go back.”

“Quit your whining,” Daveth shot back, “aren’t Grey Wardens supposed to be all high and mighty and brave? You don’t think your pretty wife back in Highever would think you a coward?”

“It’s not cowardly to admit we are walking into a death trap! We got what we need; we can tell Duncan we didn’t find the treaties! What good are we if we die in the wilds, huh?”

“I don’t plan on dying here, ser knight. You on the other hand might if you complain any louder; the darkspawn might think you a crying babe and say ‘Oh! Here’s lunch!’”

The group was stopped now, Alistair and Percy watching the two. Alistair with annoyance in his eyes—he never knew what to do when he led—and Percy with nervousness in hers. She wouldn’t say it aloud, but she agreed with Jory.

Jory’s hand fell to the hilt of his sword. “Do you think I’d let a pickpocket speak to me like that? Have some respect for a knight of Redcliffe!”

Alistair watched as Daveth took a step toward Jory, hand reaching to grab a dagger that was strapped to his back. “I’d sooner respect a nug than a man who abandoned his pregnant wife.”

“Enough!” Alistair said, stepping in between the two with his own sword drawn. “Our task was clear. We return three vials of darkspawn blood and the Grey Warden treaties. We cannot settle for anything else. Is that understood?”

The two men let their arms fall with a huff, and even Percy was taken back by the tone of his voice. It felt like she was being scolded, and she was not the one causing any issue.

Alistair sheathed his sword, running a hand through his hair. “Maker’s breath. You two have me acting like some sort of Chantry sister. Do I need to adorn the robes and recite the Chant of Light as well?”

The two recruits glanced at each other before shaking their heads no.

“Good, because if it comes to it, I will. And my good robes are in the wash.”

The sound of Percy giggling made Alistair look toward her, eyebrows raised in shock. Not that he would be shocked at any woman laughing at his jokes—though it was seldom they did—but he had never seen her smile, let alone laugh. It was a delightful sound, like bells, something beautiful that didn’t belong in the darkness of the Korcari Wilds.

Percy noticed his expression, and her face immediately fell. “What?” She said meekly. “Is something the matter?”

“No, sorry, you laughed… I’ve never heard you do that before,” Alistair said, wincing at his own awkwardness. “Let’s get moving then, the temple that Duncan said the treaties would be in should be just ahead.” Alistair hoped she wouldn’t notice his change of topic.

Percy did notice, unbeknownst to him, but stayed quiet as the group trekked forward into the depths of the wilds. She didn’t know what to make of Alistair, just yet. He was funny, kind, and knew how to lead this small group of recruits, though Percy could see how uncomfortable it made him. He also didn’t pry into her life, even though she knew he knew at least some of what transpired. She appreciated that, at least.

Soon, Alistair was leading the pack, and Percy wasn’t certain she wanted to be walking with Daveth and Jory. They weren’t like Alistair; if she fell behind, they wouldn’t wait for her to catch up. She assumed they forgot she was even present. Instead, Percy picked up her pace to catch up to Alistair, much to his surprise.

He said nothing, though he wanted to, and occasionally glanced at the girl as they walked. Finally, the silence became too much to bear for Alistair, and he cleared his throat. “It’s pretty.”

Percy perked her head up with a hmm?

“Your laugh,” Alistair said, chuckling nervously. “It’s pretty. I’m, ah, I’m glad one of my bad jokes made you laugh.”

Percy blinked in shock, then gave a shy smile. “Oh, thank you,” she paused, “and it wasn’t that terrible of a joke. I’ve heard worse.”

“Oh, you don’t know how relieved that makes me,” Alistar said. “To know there is someone out there with worse humor than I, well I think that just made my day.”

“I know something that will make your day even better.”

“What’s that?” Alistair said with a smile, glancing down at the smaller girl. It dawned on him that this might be the longest conversion that’d had with each other, sad as it was. He had never seen her smile that wide; it made his stomach burn.

“I have an extra pair of Chantry robes you can borrow.”

Alistair’s face broke into a full smile and he laughed so loudly even Daveth and Jory shared a glance. A fleeting thought came and went in Alistair’s head as he gazed down at Percy, with her face covered in blood and grime, apples of her cheeks red and a smile that made her eyes crinkle. If any of these recruits survived the Joining, he hoped it was her.

[nightingaelic]

Do that last one about Drunk weddings for the Sole Survivor, too. I may have my biases, but Fallout 4 can have a little love, as a treat.

Cait: "Don't be makin' so much noise in the back if you aren't going to share, you hear?"

Prior to her journey into Vault 95, Cait is just as stumbling drunk as the sole survivor, giggling with reckless abandon and daring guests to go a round with her outside the venue. She enlists the sole survivor to help her change out of her dress to make good on these bare-knuckle boxing promises, but the two of them wind up forgetting about the whole thing and singing loudly over the music on the dance floor. Post-sobriety, Cait heckles the sole survivor after they pass the point of no return, but she abstains in favor of demolishing Piper's gifted stash of Nuka-Cola.

Curie: "Do not indulge too much, mon glaçon. Excess of drink is the cause of many health problems."

Curie, ever the picture of innocent poise, laughs politely when the sole survivor starts making outbursts at the party, then corners them in the bathroom when she's free and insists they drink several glasses of water and eat some mirelurk cake hors d'oeuvres in front of her. She enlists Danse to help her carry the sole survivor to bed when they finally wear themselves out, and she does it all without staining or ripping her dress.

Danse: [speechless, awkward blushing]

Paladin Danse turns beet red when the sole survivor climbs onto a chair to get the party's attention for a toast, and dashes to their side when they start to wobble. To him, a wedding is no reason to let down his guard and drink, but the rest of his Brotherhood brethren don't share that viewpoint: Particularly Proctor Teagan, who is just as far in as the sole survivor. Once embarrassed, Danse tries to stay on the opposite end of the room, and steers his new spouse clear as well. He will give up his avoidance tactics if asked to dance, though.

Deacon: "Everyone drink up, we're trying to erase any memory of this get-together in case the Institute captures us and demands to know what menu and color scheme we picked."

Given his career and his own personal history, Deacon insists on having a small affair with close friends over a large shindig. He's mostly joking about forgetting the party- or is he?- but either way, he's handing out bottles of Bobrov's Best like it's going out of business. Valentine keeps side-eyeing him and calling him an "enabler," but Deacon couldn't care less.

Hancock: "Cheers to you, cheers to me, cheers to us and the whole fucking Commonwealth!"

The sole survivor's drunk? Good, so is Hancock. Like Deacon, the mayor of Goodneighbor is handing out bottles of booze left and right, along with palming chems to anyone in the Third Rail who looks too mellow. Whitechapel Charlie complains loudly when the groom and the sole survivor start dancing on the bar, but Hancock does not care one whit about property damage on his special day. That is, unless someone starts getting fresh with Magnolia.

MacCready: "So when I said partnering up with you beat drinking myself blind in Goodneighbor, that wasn't me saying we should switch spots, boss."

MacCready is too overwhelmed with disbelieving happiness on his big day to care if the sole survivor is wrecking shop. He's too busy staring at his new spouse holding Duncan and laughing with joy to notice the sole survivor spilling drinks on other guests, but he will perk up if they manage to hijack the jukebox. He'll roll his eyes, switch the song back to something more to his taste, and then drag the sole survivor onto the dance floor to work off some of their excess energy.

Valentine: "Gonna water that battery acid down with anything, or do I need to tell Vadim to cut you off?"

The synth detective takes in the sole survivor's antics with a wry smile before pulling them aside to make sure they're going to behave for the rest of the night. Any further shenanigans will earn them a withering frown from across the party. Rather than leave his new partner's side, he enlists Ellie and Piper's help in strong-arming them away from the moonshine supply and out into the fresh air for a bit.

Piper: "Really, Blue, on my wedding day? I don't do many editorial cartoons, but I think this might warrant one."

Piper has roses blooming in her own cheeks from drinking, but she'll insist the sole survivor switch to Nuka-Cola, park them in a chair next to her and toss tongue twisters at them until they can recite them back to her straight. Like MacCready and Danse, she will also accept some impressive dance moves as penance for their crime of disrupting the celebration, but if she starts dancing too, she'll slip quickly into the same territory of overdoing it.

Preston: "No thanks, but you keep going. We'll see whose head feels better come sunrise."

On the opposite end of the scale from Deacon, Preston doesn't want to forget a second of this day and is therefore abstaining. His Minutemen compatriots aren't though, so the sole survivor fits right in with the crowd. Ever the model of manners, Preston will join in on their drunken rendition of Dion's "The Wanderer," but he'll just as quickly bow out to go grab his new spouse a drink, chair, snack or anything else they might need.

X6-88: "Strange. The sensation leaves me unbalanced, but... warm. Perhaps the SRB was right to restrict substances such as this."

The Courser is puzzled the first time the sole survivor hands him a drink, but he accepts it and downs the lot admirably, shaking his head at the taste. He likes the way it makes him feel for a little bit, but learns quickly that if he keeps going, he'll wind up draped over the nearest furniture like the former vault dweller. Once the sole survivor is hiccupping and incoherent, he easily hoists them over his shoulder and deposits them as far away from the liquor supply as he can, ignoring the impressed cheers of Deacon and MacCready.

BONUS!

Gage: "No, I don't care if it was brewed in a settlement, that stuff'll knock you on your ass just as well as the beer that's been sitting still for 200 years."

Porter Gage has been dry for decades, and his own wedding isn't going to be enough to ruin that streak. Seeing as he's pals with a whole bunch of raiders, he can't well keep the rest of them from indulging, but he can sure as hell protest if the sole survivor tries to push a bottle on him. Repeated inquiries will earn them a black eye, but he'll let them steal his eyepatch for the rest of the night as condolence.

Longfellow: "Here's to full glasses an' fulsome lasses, ain't that right, honey? Bottoms up!"

There's not much to do on the island when you live alone, other than get really good at your hobbies and drink. Old Longfellow lives accordingly, and he can out-swig anyone attending his little party, including the sole survivor. By the end of the night, those who dared to pick up a glass around the man are under the table, while Longfellow is still singing sweet, fully-coherent lullabies to his new gal beneath the glow of the bottle lanterns. Knowing him, she's probably just as seasoned at drinking as he is.

Maxson: "Dull senses make for poor soldiers, but I suppose we can set our weapons aside for one evening."

Any Brotherhood of Steel Elder's marriage is a huge deal, and subsequently warrants a huge celebration. Alcohol flows freely at such parties, and any drunken behavior on the sole survivor's behalf is probably drowned out by hundreds of other Knights, Scribes and Lancers acting foolish too. Like Longfellow, Maxson holds his own in contest with everyone else, but doesn't push those around him to keep up. Anyone counting his drinks can't help but wonder where he's putting it. If the sole survivor's not too far gone, they can spot him dumping his glasses after a sip or two to keep up the mythic image, but he'll swear them to secrecy.

Desdemona: "Being able to take a moment to breathe can be just as vitally important for an organization as resupply missions or exterminations. Stop touching my hair."

The Railroad leader appreciates being able to cut loose, but she's still too paranoid to trust any glass handed to her and favors the flask inside her ballistic weave-armored dress that she fills herself. Once relaxed, this is the only time she'll allow the sole survivor and friends to get rowdy and fawn over her in the least. Liquored-up compliments on her outfit, her leadership abilities and her organization are fair game, but any probing into her personal background will result in her simply standing up and walking away.

[felassan]

Extended thoughts on the Dark Fortress preview pages [spoilers at link]

(Would I be an MJ if I did not do this? This post is under a cut due to spoilers.)

I like the preview pages a lot, I’m excited for release - roll on March 31. There’s a lot packed into just these limited pages, so I’m looking forwards to seeing the issue and its contents in their entirety. 

A flashback to the Battle of Ostagar all those years ago is the last thing I was expecting when coming to this comic and it hit me with a one-two of feelings and nostalgia. Up there just off-screen, the Hero of Ferelden and Alistair have just lit the beacon in the Tower of Ishal. In these panels, the rain, the lighting, the atmosphere - it’s surreal (not in a bad way) seeing these fateful events again, back where it all kinda began really, and that page does a good job of replicating that cutscene and the heavy feel of it in a different medium. It’s a nice touch seeing surprise/unsureness and even conflict on some of the soldiers’ faces as Loghain gives the order to retreat. A couple of them even seen disconcerted as they walk away (looking at one another in askance). I like this take on Ser Cauthrien, and I wonder if Aaron ever encountered Aveline, Wynne, Carver or non-mage Hawke at Ostagar before the battle...?

Loghain’s words “He must do what his honor compels him to do” almost feel like a bit of metacommentary, i.e. on Loghain’s character in addition to obviously being about Ser Aaron.

In-universe before now, there have been varying accounts of Ser Aaron’s experience at Ostagar. Did he miss the fight, did he kill two ogres, etc. Now we see the truth of the matter is exactly as he told Vaea, which speaks of the trust and close relationship between the two. I’m not going to lie, the “I am coming my king” and subsequent panels make me cry on this re-read. Aaron reaching out for Cailan in his sleep with his other fist clenched, jerking awake from a nightmare in a cold sweat.. Aaron is so brave, he was the sole or one of the few soldiers in Loghain’s company to make this kind of stand (and you can see that there was a moment when he did turn to leave and considered it before turning back), and these panels convey the extent of the trauma that he experienced on the field of battle that day. I’m positive that in panel 2 here, it’s the exact moment when he sees Cailan die. It also hurts to think that not far from there, Duncan is seeing the same thing. They’ve done a good job integrating the new characters’ pasts with previous canon events with things like these. It’s like, expanding on things, but without anything conflicting.

When Aaron reaches for his alcohol skin I’m pretty sure his hand is shaking. Vaea is so tender and understanding/supportive at this part and it’s a really poignant and soft moment for them.. Aaron’s nightmares are a regular occurrence it seems. I love her and their relationship so much.. keeping watch over him while he sleeps a bit away from the others and the fire. ;; Also Autumn’s ears here, she’s lying down but still listening to what’s going on with and between her people. ;;

Brief pause here: I always appreciate getting a good sense where different events are taking place in the additional media. Also we now have in-universe confirmation that in the timeline we’ve now reached 9:45, as opposed to only external word-of-god. Do you guys ever think about your Wardens and how it’s been 15 years for them?

Aaron is like a father to Vaea 😭

Fenris has two daggers now in addition to his twohanded sword. The better for ending Danarius’ bloodline my dear 🔪

Have they tweaked Fenris’ hairstyle a bit, compared to Blue Wraith? Possibly also his skintone and eyebrows, compared to Blue Wraith? (I find this kind of thing hard to tell. If I’m incorrect here please feel free to correct me.) He looks good in this preview.

Poor Francesca. Tessa is really kind at this part and it’s nice to see more moments like these between female characters (women supporting one another). It reminds me of the moment in a previous issue where Vaea hugs Francesca on the ground. Tessa makes a great point here that true strength isn’t necessarily being stoic and unemotional, it’s standing up for what you believe in and for the greater good, even at great personal cost. It’s not 'not crying' and hiding your sadness. That’s a nice message, and again, Fran has really grown on me.

I also think it speaks well of Fenris and his character development after all these years in-universe that he was looking for a way to help Aaron, then immediately thought to go speak to Francesca when she was upset to see if he could help her in turn.

hhh brooding silent Marius staring broodily and silently into the flames and not responding to Fenris’ attempt at making conversation tho, the gentle lampshading..  That’s so true to his character. These might be my favorite panels in the whole preview. Fenris’ dry wit and facial expressions, the general composition, Fenris peacing out like “ok bye ig” lmao. You also get the sense that Fenris is reeling a bit and feeling abandoned since Hawke and co split up. After trying to do something to help both Aaron and Fran above, he then tries to make conversation with Marius. He’s trying to lighten the mood but also to connect after being alone for some time. He has missed having a group around him, and I suspect this group with its varying troubles and issues reminds him a lot of Hawke and co. That both the humor aspect and this characterization comes through in these 3 panels is pretty brilliant.

We reach the titular dark fortress! If ever there was a fortress for a bad guy, huh? x) The narrow exposed causeway being the only approach is a smart line of defense, strategically. Also, the realization that this is where Fenris lived while he was a slave of Danarius’ :| It’s a horrible-looking place and will be full of bad memories for him.

If this is how stormy the Nocen Sea gets in places - well, it reminds me of the lore that in Thedas naval exploration beyond the known map has been historically limited by different factors like pirates, Qunari dreadnoughts, stormy seas and sea creatures etc.

Characters speaking their native languages in places is always a nice touch. Now we’ve heard “By the Maker!” in Orlesian.

Aspects of the style and architecture of the Tevinter buildings in this preview, like the window shapes and the red lights and stuff, echo or remind me of what we’ve seen of Minrathous in the most recent trailer and some of the recent pieces of concept art for the next game. Neat.

We have our name and identity for the mage on the cover! Tractus Danarius, bastard son of Danarius. Danarius fucked around huh. “Tractus” has a Latin root, fittingly for a Tevinter name. Its different meanings are quite interesting: being dragged, extracted, plundered, an anthem sung in some masses, an elongated area or abnormal passage... I wonder if one of them will come into play somehow, the name possibly having been chosen for a reason? I also wonder how young Tractus is relative to Fenris, and if their paths have ever crossed in the past.

Tractus makes his entrance with two elven slaves or servants in tow. Like on the cover, his eyes are red. The head of his staff is a red sphere, also. Can we assume a connection to red lyrium, then, given these factors and the villains’ interest in using red lyrium to power the sarcophagus? I would guess that as normal magic was required to make it work with blue lyrium, the thing required to make it work with red lyrium is blood magic? A blood magic ritual. My guess is that the thing Tractus shows Marquette and Nenealeus is probably a chained up dragon or similar, which they plan to sacrifice and use the blood/power derived from that to fuel the magic/ritual. This is considering blood as a theme in this setting, blood as a source of power mechanically and the dragon-like beast on one of the covers which has clearly at one point been shackled and collared. (Here’s some previous speculation about Dark Fortress based on the covers.)

Although Tractus’ relative youth and inexperience compared to Nenealeus comes across in these pages, I get the feeling that Nenealeus will regret talking down in this manner to Tractus later in the comic.

It seems Tractus paints his nails dark. His commitment to aesthetic I give 5/5 stars

Remember the fall of Ventus/Qarinus to the Antaam invasion in TN? The Antaam must be progressing through Tevinter if people fear that Neromenian may soon fall also.

I appreciate that everyone’s horse is different! It’s a nice touch. A lot of the time in media groups of people ride identical horses like they’re clones or automatons as opposed to actual creatures.

Tractus’ smile when he’s asking if they’re going to wait for Qintara to arrive is slightly manic, lol, he’s giving off “Are we there yet?” car journey energy here. The doorway in this panel - is that a portcullis-style door? It seems like it has spikes at the bottom which would sink into the floor, and that there’s some kind of mechanism running along the floor towards it. Presumably to contain the [dragon?]?

I forgot Nenealeus has a sword - I guess then he knows magic artforms similar to those of a Knight-Enchanter or Arcane Warrior. Also here, Marquette echoes the Executor in TN, with the sentiment that Qintara fell with Ventus. Nenealeus is then referencing Gaius, the impersonator Qintara, right? That’s interesting; Gaius’ true master was Fen’Harel, on whose behalf he accessed important information about the world. This means then [?] that some of the time when Gaius believed himself to be working on behalf of Fen’Harel, he was really being manipulated by Nenealeus. Poor Gaius, at different points Fen’Harel and Nenealeus were pulling his strings. Does Nenealeus’ manipulation refer to Gaius trading it away to House Danarius for information?

Marquette references the red lyrium idol, and suddenly my Dragon Age 4 ears are pricking the way Autumn’s do. x) He mentions that it makes weapons, referencing I assume Meredith’s lyrium sword, Certainty and the ritual blade that pops out from the base of the idol during The Dread Wolf Take You. I wonder when the events of this comic take place in relation to the stories related at the spy meeting in TDWTY? Is this before or after the events of the Mortalitasi’s tale? At any rate, Marquette voices something we’ve been obsessing over: what else can and does the idol do specifically, beyond just making weapons and being Ominous and Powerful? Because whatever it is, it’s key to Solas’ ongoing plans, and Solas obviously knows.

So it seems that the villains’ plan is to use the red lyrium idol’s sword part with the sarcophagus, red lyrium, a ritual and [the thing Tractus shows them in that panel - the dragon?] in order to transform Shirallas into, essentially, a Red Wraith, a Red Lyrium Fenris. And then to arm him, under Nenealeus’ control, with the sword.

Does Shirallas still have his vallaslin - is it just the lighting and the angle in that panel? Also, that panel with Shirallas and Nenealeus looks so ominous and foreboding 😭 .. (and reminds me somehow of Fenris and Danarius when Fenris was still his slave and bodyguard) Shirallas, we really are in it now 😭 This is a really cool panel btw, like the composition, the lighting, the dramatic-ness. 

Nenealeus is motivated by a desire to route the Antaam from Tevinter (like the mage in the Mortalitasi’s tale in TDWTY) and reconquer lost lands in order to restore the glory of the Imperium (which reminds me in a way of of Aurelian Titus, who also wanted to restore the Imperium to greatness). Classically Tevinter here.

“Danarius the Lesser” is a sick burn. I’d guess Tractus’ life thus far, as a bastard, has had themes and struggles with inferiority and consequent lack of power but desire for it (being disrespected, but craving respect, being connected to a certain world but not really part of it, in fact rejected by it). Venatori connection confirmed. That the Venatori had to be convinced to accept someone as a Danarius - implications for the role of the Venatori remnants and their role in Tevinter and things in general going forwards? Lightning flashes overhead as Tractus and Nenealeus have this face-off in that panel, emphasizing the tension between the two. I wonder what the magic in the fortress and in the courtyard can do? It’d have been no mean feat to escape from this place as a slave, it seems, especially bearing in mind there’s only one proper way out, that causeway (passage not included). Tractus’ staff-head lights up when he’s making a threat (uh-oh), and then wow! Shirallas moves so quickly, in the blink of an eye suddenly appearing out of nowhere and startling the guard-mage onlookers. He’s fast and formidable.

I wonder about Tractus. Is he a “half blood” because he’s a bastard and his mother wasn’t an Altus, or even wasn’t a mage, or because he’s a bastard and his mother was an elf? Or both?

Will we see a face-off between perrepataes (Marius and Shirallas)? Will Marius face-off against his former master, Nenealeus? Perhaps a showdown between the Blue Wraith and the “Red Wraith” is on the cards?

Back to our team in the tavern! There’s a looot of great character content packed into these pages, which is really cool. Each brief character interaction conveys a lot, and in general this sequence is just well-executed imo. How troubled and tired Aaron looks at the bar (my heart.. it hurts); Fran worrying for Aaron; Vaea knowing that she can’t pressure him too much because that’s just not how it works when it comes to folks who struggle with issues like these; Vaea asking after Fran’s wellbeing; Fran struggling to come to terms with what happened to her father; Fenris watching the door waiting for news (he’s so vigilant isn’t he? safety, an escape-route..); Marius Broods Harder; Vaea’s [relative] pacifism being highlighted; Vaea engaging Marius looking for reassurance; and the choice of having Marius break his silence now is meaningful and impactful in that it shows what happens when one becomes ‘numb’ to the constant murderizing of people, so to speak. Fenris then rightfully points out that becoming numb to killing and violence isn’t really a good thing and is worse, really, than being ‘soft’ or uncomfortable with it. I wonder if he’s speaking from experience here, given the hundreds of people Hawke and co kill their way through during the Kirkwall years, for example. Then Vaea’s concern for Aaron and his state of mind, and Fenris’ uncanny insight into that, of a man he’s only recently met.

Tessa looks so cute when she comes in the door! I love Vaea’s lil “:D” face when she sees her, and I wonder what the tavern food on the table is.

Those two panels, when Fenris talks about Hawke and Leandra, are the biggest emotional gut-punch in the preview pages 😭 omg.. I’m not strong enough for this.. bls... bruh... This is then compounded by (hitting me when I’m down!!) the look of sheer... fear, fury, alarm, upset, shock - that appears on Fenris’ face as soon as he hears “I found Danarius”. Seriously, look at his eyes here. He (understandably) still has a trauma-response associated with the name/man.

Bless Tessa. 

I have to say, it’s very Metal of Fenris that not only did he kill Danarius in DA2 (in those universes), but he has also been going around Tevinter since then killing all of Danarius’ [adult] heirs, and that his response to learning there’s still one remaining is to grab his sword and go to march off with the aim of ending the bloodline a second time. Very metal

I love the final panels in the preview as well! Vaea’s sense/smarts and how she wasn’t afraid to tell Fenris no, Autumn’s giant ears, how Autumn also moves with Vaea to step in front of Fenris to stop him (SHE! HELPED!!!), Autumn’s Happy Face and furiously wagging tail and agreement with Aaron, and Proud Dad Aaron rising from his slump to praise Vaea with the most Proudest Daddest expression that you ever did see...  ( ´•̥̥̥ω•̥̥̥` )

[ginmo]

Favorite theories regarding Brienne’s mother?

You didn’t ask about MY theory BUT IMMA SAY IT

I think it’s very possible her Dunk ancestry is through her mother which, imo, is the most straightforward route to explain everything. 

Brienne is a major POV character. 

(Before I get a hater going LMAO YoU WiSh ShE wAs A MaJoR PoV LoLLLL ---> [x] )

This is the over-explainer GRRM we’re talking about. If we don’t know who the mother is to a high born major POV character, then it’s probably because her identity is a spoiler somehow, whether it be a spoiler in the series or spin off series. Brienne is the only high born major POV character with only half of her identity known. She’s an heir, will inherit special titles, and we don’t know half of her political ties by birth. It’s very uncharacteristic of GRRM - the king of unnecessary detail. 

And it’s not even like her mother was never mentioned. There were dozens of opportunities for a one-off name drop, or even a mention of just her mother’s surname as she passes by the 3475305988 towns on her journeys, reminding her of a connection. Absolutely nothing. Not even in A World of Ice and Fire. Just, “my mother.” I can’t help but come to the conclusion that such an easy-to-include layer hasn’t been written because her mother’s identity is intentionally being kept hidden. 

Which makes me think her mother is attached to Dunk, a character in his other unfinished series. Refusing to name her could be him playing it safe in his gardening style of writing, because maybe he hasn’t decided how he wants that half of Brienne’s ancestry and history to be. The whole butterfly effect of that decision. OR her name is legit a massive spoiler for Dunk’s story. 

Hopefully we’ll find out eventually, though! In 2016, a fan asked GRRM,  "Will we ever learn how Brienne descends from Dunk?" GRRM replied, "Eventually. All will be revealed in time." [x] Imo that reply strongly suggests we’ll find out during one of the future installments of Dunk and Egg. HER ANCESTRY IS A SPOILER TO HIS OTHER SERIES, MY SWEETS, WHILE HER MOTHER IS AN UNNECESSARY MYSTERY. 

**Now HOW is her mother a descendent?**

I don’t know. But here are timeline details: 

Ser Duncan the Tall

Born: 191, 192, or 193 AC 

First known mention of him as a KG knight is  236 AC

Lord Commander by 252, 253 AC

Died: 259 AC at Summerhall 

Assuming he stayed true to his KG vows, some time between 210 AC and 236 AC he had a child. 

This Dunk situation is really confusing, because he was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard when he died. So was his child a bastard? Did he abandon mother and child? If so, why would his shield be passed down? Was he married and then his wife died and his child or children were already married off so he joined the KG? 

I’m leaning towards the latter. 

If his child was married by the time he joined the KG, then that means he had a child most likely between 210 AC (in 210 he doesn’t have a kid) and 220 AC, since the first mention of him as KG was 236 AC. I wouldn’t put him in the KG any earlier than 233 AC (the year Egg became king and Dunk helped Aemon leave for the NW). 

Let’s go in the middle and say Brienne’s grandparent was born in 215 AC. That means her grandparent was 15 - 20 years old when married. 

Brienne’s mother is then maybe born in the 240s or 250s. Selwyn Tarth was born in 245/246 AC. Brienne was born in 280 AC. 

SOOO, with this scenario, I think Dunk was her great grandfather on her mother’s side. 

Dunk married

His wife had a child/children

a) His daughter was married into a family - spoiler name that GRRM won’t give to Brienne’s mom. 

b) His son married and got the shield. His son had a daughter and that daughter married Selwyn. GRRM doesn’t give us a name to her mother, because it would be even MORE spoilery, since his Targaryen son would have whatever surname would be associated with Dunk or take on the Targaryen name of his Targaryen wife)

He joined the KG later in life, after the death of his wife and marriage of his kid

But WHO DID DUNK MARRY AH

Well… 

An interesting nugget from AWoIaF

The Sapphire Isle, as some call it, is ruled by House Tarth of Evenfall Hall—an old family of Andal descent that boasts of ties to the Durrandons, the Baratheons, and more recently to House Targaryen.

Considering Dunk’s story is super closely tied to Targaryens, I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that “more recently” is GRRM nodding to Dunk and his Dunk and Egg series and “more recently” is Brienne herself - the current heir to House Tarth. Putting all of the pieces together, including narrative purpose for Mystery Mom, Brienne would be the one carrying the “recent” blood ties to House Targaryen, not Selwyn. His connection would be through marriage. 

Brienne’s sister had a strong Targaryen name - Alysanne. Something about the random non-heir daughter inheriting a Targ name while the first born son gets a famous Tarth name sounds to me like the Targ name came from her mother. But there’s no evidence for that…    

Targaryen Wife Candidates: 

Dhaella Targaryen 

Born in 199 AC (a few years younger than Dunk) 

She was married and had at least one child. The names of her spouse and children are unknown. Her death is unknown. 

Rhae Targaryen 

Born 201 - 209 AC 

She was married and had at least one child. The names of her spouse and children are unknown. Her death is unknown. 

I’m going to put my money on Dunk being the mystery spouse for one of those two sisters.

BUT how can Dunk be a member of the Kingsguard if he had a child? Dunk having a child is fact. So he either had a kid before he joined the KG or when he was a member of the KG. Some members had bastards. Men with children have also joined the NW even though they aren't supposed to have children. Obviously the KG is different, because family allegiances could be a problem if there are conflicts of interest between their King and their children, BUT……. Dunk was very close to Egg, and if Dunk was married to one of Egg’s sister’s that died, and his child was a niece or nephew to Egg, then Dunk’s family would be the Targaryen family… the only problem would be if his child or descendants decided to usurp Egg. But Dunk was so loyal to Egg that I doubt there would be any concern. So I don’t think Dunk fathering a child and being married before he joined the KG later in life would have been a problem. 

It’s possible Dunk went against his KG vows and fathered a daughter (Brienne’s mom) while a member, and in that case it’s actually possible he’d be Brienne’s grandfather instead of great grandfather, which would be even EXTRA spoilery if we knew who her mother was. If that were the case, then Dunk didn’t marry one of the sisters, because he would have been in the KG and couldn’t marry, so it wouldn’t have been Rhae or Dhaella, since they had spouses, unless the child was a bastard and he had an affair. But then the kid would have probably been passed off as the spouse’s and the shield wouldn’t have been passed on. OR he had a kid with someone else. I find all this less likely. 

SO:

Her connection to Dunk is a spoiler.

Dunk was very close to a Targaryen

Literally everything about her mother has unnecessarily been kept a mystery.

“more recently” Targaryen ties

And yeah, the Targaryen connection and Dunk connection don’t have to be from the same side of her parentage. Or Targaryen on both sides, Dunk on one, Targaryen on one side, Dunk on both. But I wouldn’t understand why, from a narrative standpoint. It would feel a bit much. 

The Targaryen and Dunk connection could be through Selwyn. But… I just don’t find it a coincidence that the mother to a high born major POV is a huge question mark, her ancestor is bffs with a Targ, it’s an ongoing unfinished series with Dunk’s baby making being an actual spoiler for future books, and then GRRM goes off with “more recently” in AWoIaF like he’s lounging back, sipping that tea, dropping some sort of subtle Dunk and Egg promotion through a fun hint.  

Brienne’s mom being both the Targ and Dunk connection holds the most narrative weight while also being the least convoluted way to explain it all. 

[sapphim]

think I prefer this itinerary for Duncan more than the first version I posted

Jowan’s escape in the circle origin has already happened, because the Jowan-Loghain-Eamon timeline needs to simmer for a looong time to make sense. It’s fine, Rowan and Spiro manage to break out with Anders and they go after Lily and spend the entire blight having their own wacky adventures slightly out of frame.

Duncan and some wardens, including a newly-recruited Alistair, head to Orzammar to attend the proving and then journey into the deep roads to confirm that the blight has started. Rozi’s recruited after the proving and Eydis is recruited later when they encounter her in the deep roads.

Highever is hosting a large tourney for knights from all across the land. Gwen and Rory both perform very well in the melee but Jory is recruited here which I still think is a suspect decision on Duncan’s part but ok fine.

Denerim is after Highever. The hahrens had plenty of advance notice due to the tourney that Duncan would likely be snooping around the area so they could bump up the wedding plans. Duncan stops by for a visit but there’s no drama to intervene in at Rafael’s wedding since Vaughan Kendells was conveniently stuck home on the shitter with explosive diarrhea that day. >:] Daveth is recruited here.

The wardens and their growing posse of recruits return to Ostagar, where warden scouts inform Duncan of a suspicious amount of darkspawn activity that he goes to investigate. Here he finds and destroys the eluvian and recruits Sulina.

Oh also Gwen and Eleanor manage to also save Oren before they escape Highever, so he spends most of the blight in Redcliffe with Eleanor and Connor and Connor’s new demon pal. :) Fun!

[blue-mint-winter]

Dune trailer reaction/analysis

Paul’s vision

Paul’s whispering voiceover resembling Lynch’s Dune (also Leto II My skin is not my skin. Something’s changing in him, something’s happening.)

seeing Chani in casual outfit first, very nice. She’s a woman and she’s special to him. Though it is also total opposite of her book introduction in which when Paul first saw her in a stillsuit, he thought she was a young warrior.

kissing scene - looks tender and with chemistry + stillsuit is very prominent in it

the trailer promises an emphasis on their romance in the film which is good because this wasn’t done well before in previous adaptations (or the book itself lol because they just got together and that was it, no extra drama.)

the eyes of Ibad! and she calls him - his destiny calls

he wakes up in the dark, and the headboard of his bed is gorgeous!

also this is literally “The sleeper must awaken”

but the contrast between the dream full of light and waking in the dark bedroom, mmmm nice

“there’s a crusade coming” - Paul knows what’s up, the vision of him looking at war and devastation with Chani is very foreboding - AND it doesn’t say what’s this war about and who’s fighting which is a clever set up - if you don’t know the book, then you know all of it XD. But this gives the plot the sense of mystery and danger and stakes.

GOM JABBAR

I am gushing over the symmetry of that shot in the dark room, with Paul at the center and HIS LEGS. Look how he’s standing!

His face when she asks him about his dreams!

that Atreides sign on the collar! He looks so good!

“From director Denis Villeneuve” and the cut to above clouds and a lightning - a storm is coming. Also a shot VERY reminiscent of his work on Arrival and those clouds.

The most famous, iconic, first scene of the book is in the trailer - well, it makes sense to use it to get people interested.

I LOVE Gaius Helen Mohiam’s costume design in this. I think it might be the best ever. Also, her voice, her acting, it all fits. She’s mysterious, hides her face, she’s dangerous, she’s fast, sharp, dangerous, wise. It is her.

Caladan

Flying boxes - ships/drones/tech because this is still the future despite the feudal system

Paul on the shore on Caladan

I really LIKE the music here. Gives me PoP vibes :)

Anyway, the whole idea of making Caladan the total opposite of Arrakis by making it so dark - that’s different than what I’m used to. I always imagined it as a very green, fertile world, abundant with water, life and plants. Traditionally Giedi Prime is the dark planet. BUT I can see the logic behind making Caladan so sunless, cloudy, water and stone kind of planet - illustrates the stark military nature of Atreides rule just as well as Paul’s uniform-style clothing. They are war-like. And it is very opposite to the scorching sun of Arrakis and lack of water on the desert. And the similar austerity of both is thematically appealing. We get a sense from those surroundings and gom jabbar scene that Paul wasn’t just a duke’s spoiled son.

“You inherited too much power” - hmm, that does sound ominous, GHM wants him gone!

THAT training scene with Gurney!!!!!!

first of all, the actor looks just right, I think it’s Josh Brolin? I like that I didn’t immediately think Thanos when I saw him,  instead I recognized it’s Gurney!

They made the fight FAST!!! And it looks awesome! The issue is that in the book those fights are slow because they use the energy shields, but it would look stupid on film, so instead making it fast was a stroke of genius - visually great and also makes you think the characters are total badasses (which they are)

Is Paul looking at a sunrise or a sunset over the ocean? My guess is sunrise, but it’s pretty ambiguous, could be either and fit the theme of him leaving Caladan/beginning his journey towards destiny. And he looks so handsome in this shot.

Atreides Family

Paul needs to surpass his ancestors - and the shot on some ancient sculpture with Greek writing referring to the mythical Atreides he’s descended from. Awesome, really awesome since his powers as Kwisatz Haderach are based on the ancestors.

Oscar Isaac introduced as Duke Leto and the shot of the palace on Caladan - nice, looks very much like fortress, surrounded by sea and protective stone

Greek style pottery in the palace too

Jessica too! she looks worried

seems that Leto is putting a hand on her nape, an intimate gesture but also kind of... possessive?

Arrakis

They arrive, Paul smiles

more foreboding despite everything looking fine, they have an army, they look strong and prepared

freaking Jason Momoa as Duncan greeting Paul LOL - but this had a right, genuine emotion to it. Very nicely done.

Stilgar! Harkonnen troops! Rabban! Baron!

Doctor Yueh, at last

More foreboding and Duncan being Duncan, but Jason Momoa style - he’s kind of “if Ronon was cocky and loud”. Alright. I had concerns about him, but he might work out in this role. I just don’t see him as a heartthrob knight type honestly. Really wonder how he and Jessica would be done. And I don’t know about him and Alia or the ghola fuckery in later books. (They would have to get a different actor for Duncan in Heretics, there’s no way Momoa could work.)

Paul in stillsuit, ok.

Back to gom jabbar and Chani - he sees she’s real!

The chorus sounds good with the explosions

Ornithopters look like dragonflies, I like it.

Baron... in a bath??? Is it spice bath?

some other iconic scenes from the book only hinted but who knows, knows what they are :)

SHAI-HULUD!!!

Paul in full stillsuit gives me life. Cover up completely, because you gotta save all the water

Final thoughts

This is an amazing trailer. THE HYPE IS REAL. This movie might be the definitive Dune adaptation. I love the visuals, costumes, scenery, designs, cinematography, music. Actors seem to fit well in their roles. Especially Paul rocks.

The focus on Paul and his journey is good, but I am a little worried about Jessica, because she’s barely in the trailer and in the book she’s the character we start with. She’s a co-protagonist and I would hate for her to get sidelined like in Lynch’s film. I am hoping they’re saving her for the best.

Also, no sight of Alia? Is she going to be in the movie at all? She might not if this is adapting only the first half of the book.

Anyway, I am very excited. As far as trailers go, this was awesome. It gave enough info but didn’t try to explain everything about the world and the characters. We get the basic premise and some of the characters, but it left out most of the surprises. As an ad, this is solid and gives us a taste of what it’s going to be like to watch this movie. Good job, Denis Villeneuve. I knew you could do it.

[swordmaid]

What would you most like to happen in the Brienne storylines, what do you least want to happen, and what theories you would be open to but wouldn’t be sad if they didn’t happen?

honestly what i don’t want to happen is brienne getting pregnant with jaime’s child, him dying and she’s just left ot care for it on her own. i never liked storylines like that and if it happens, i’m going to be writing ESSAYS. anyway, i think i’m kind of open about how brienne’s storyline. obviously there are things that i would LIKE to happen, but if something different happens I won’t be too mad just as long as it makes sense. what i want the most, however, is for brienne to be seen as a hero and I think that’s where her character is headed and that’s what her role is going to be in the endgame. there’s that quote in her affc chapters -  [When she slid Oathkeeper from the ornate scabbard, Brienne's breath caught in her throat. Black and red the ripples ran, deep within the steel. Valyrian steel, spell-forged. It was a sword fit for a hero. When she was small, her nurse had filled her ears with tales of valor, regaling her with the noble exploits of Ser Galladon of Morne, Florian the Fool, Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, and other champions. Each man bore a famous sword, and surely Oathkeeper belonged in their company, even if she herself did not.] i think that alludes to how her character is going to be by the end. i want brienne to be remembered as a hero and a true knight by the end of the story similar to how everyone remembers duncan the tall as a true knight. i think the choices she will make throughout her journey, and the choices HAS made (like defending the orphans in the inn) is leading up to it, and i want her to have one iconic moment in the endgame like slaying a dragon or something (since ser galladon DID slay a dragon) that immortalises her legacy.