#just to remember my first love leliana as well

[lesbianshadowheart]

4h into my origins replay and the brainrot is instantaneous

[vigilskeep]

do you have any refs for Minerva’s relationship with the other dao companions? I did not realize she and leliana was estranged 😭 also if im remembering correctly she makes loghain do the dark ritual? sorry I do like spinning her around in my head and knowing the little details she’s such a great character!!

leliana and minerva did not have a clear breakup in the alistair minerva sense but they did grow apart because of the simple reason that post dao minerva becomes politically at odds with the chantry while leliana is serving its leader. leliana is not a type of person minerva finds very easy to like or trust so while they did grow on each other over the course of dao they never had a simple friendship in the first place

alistair you probably know about bc its kind of the cornerstone of minervaposting but theres a post fully explaining it not much further down in her tag

zevran is her romance <3 i hesitate to use the word “soulmates” exactly but they definitely fit together in a way no other minerva pairing could match

morrigan she has a weird close complicated vaguely homosexual friendship with, i’m sure this is par for the course for f!wardens. they probably could have been in love if morrigan had been willing to pursue it in the start and if minerva hadn’t already gone for someone else by the end, and all that is unspoken but very present in everything about them

sten is i guess kind of the typical high approval relationship as presented in game? not much more unique. a lot of respect a lot of arguing a lot of dry humour. they could hang out in silence comfortably and they’re also both know and respect that they’re very capable of killing the other if their greater purposes ever demand it

oghren she kind of doesn’t pay much mind in origins when she doesn’t have to but he becomes part of the family in awakening. they bond over having their insane shared experiences of the blight, and also over him trying to quit drinking and her trying to quit blood magic which leads to some really wild out of context conversations for the others. and hey, eventually over first attempting to parent at similar times

wynne she has a bit of a sharp relationship with. i think this could vary a lot if i pick her up earlier, but in my main minerva playthrough i picked her up late by which time minerva had absolutely no fucking interest in getting the kind of lectures she grew up with. sorry grandma </3

uhhhh who else. shale idk man im sorry for being a fake fan but shale’s dlc truly does nothing for me it’s unfunny and i dont think abt it at all 💔 this would be written in less harsh terms if i wasnt sleepy

loghain is. well that’s a kettle of fish. minerva spares him because it happens to be a preferable move for her agenda and her way of thinking, it’s not rlly about him as a person at all. she doesn’t absolve him of anything he did, like, she still thinks he’s a bastard it’s just that she doesn’t really believe at all in the concept of justice being done if it doesn’t serve a purpose. when he’s in the party they do build up respect and a weird kind of friendship. he sucks and she’s bitter about what sparing him cost her, but that isn’t relevant, it’s not going to stop her learning from him, or fighting at his side as the best team she can quickly make them, or simply finding him entertaining to talk to. so by the end it’s as a friend that she asks him to do the dark ritual, whatever that means. post dao she agrees with weisshaupt that him being assigned outside of ferelden is wise but they continue to write to each other extremely regularly, mostly on matters of news and strategy but occasionally on the more personal

is that everyone i think thats everyone

[daitranscripts]

Trespasser Conversation

Cullen

Trespasser Masterpost Cullen Masterpost

Married Cullen: There you are. I… I just realized I’m greeting my wife. I rather like this.

Romanced, not married Cullen: It’s good to see you. Cullen: Maker, you’re a lovely sight.

Cullen continued lyrium Cullen: This place never fails to give me a headache. Forgive me—I’m at your service, Inquisitor.

Cullen: Was there something you needed?

1 - Dialogue options:

General (Leliana Divine): Leliana’s back. [2]

General: Is there anything to report? [3]

General: Back at the Winter Palace… [4]

General: How is your family? [5]

General: We’ll talk later. [6]

2 - General: Leliana’s back. PC: Have you had a chance to speak with Leliana? Away from work, I mean. Cullen: Some, yes. Leliana has kept in contact—unofficially, of course—but it’s good to see her again. Arguing with her in person is far more satisfying.

3 - General: Is there anything to report? PC: Is there anything I should know?

Cullen quit lyrium Cullen: We were permitted soldiers here, but our every move is watched. Some things never change. [back to 1]

Cullen continued lyrium Cullen: Our every move is watched and evaluated, though that’s hardly news. There have been a few… “polite” restrictions. We were allowed soldiers, but requests for repairs, lyrium, access to certain places—it’s all highly scrutinized.

Dialogue options:

Special: So, lyrium rations… [7]

[Back to 1]

7 - Special: So, lyrium rations… PC: Do you… have everything you need? Cullen: I had hoped for a contact to—it’s an irritation, nothing more, Inquisitor. I’ve rations enough to fulfill my duties, assuming the talks are not prolonged. If that’s your concern. PC: To fulfill your duties? You do the work of ten people. Cullen: As it were. [back to 1]

4 - General: Back at the Winter Palace… PC: Do you remember the first time we came to the Winter Palace?

Cullen continued lyrium Cullen: The endless small talk—it’s all a blur now. Until that Duchess, ah… Gaspard’s sister… PC: Florianne? Cullen: I remember. (Sighs.) Given how many have tried to kill us, it’s a wonder I remember any of their names. [back to 1]

Cullen continued lyrium temporarily Cullen: The end seemed far away then. (Laughs ruefully.) In some ways, the following year felt longer.

Cullen quit lyrium Cullen: All too well. I’ve already answered a half-dozen questions about my personal life.

Cullen: The reason we’re here is because we made a difference. That’s worth enduring the political small talk. [back to 1]

Dialogue options:

Flirt: I’ll save you.

[Back to 1]

8 - Flirt: I’ll save you. PC: But you’re still glad I’m here to rescue you. Cullen: (Laughs.) Very much so. [back to 1]

5 - General: How is your family? PC: Is there any news from Ferelden? How is your family?

Choice dependent dialogue:

Cullen continued lyrium [9]

Cullen quit lyrium [10]

9 - Cullen continued lyrium Cullen: I’m sure they’re fine. I would be informed if it were otherwise.

Dialogue options:

General: You should visit them. [11]

General: I’m sorry. [12]

General: I miss the people back home. [15]

11 - General: You should visit them. PC: You should visit them when this is over. You’ve more than earned some time for yourself. Cullen: What would I say to them? I’m no longer the brother they remember. Why hurt them more? [back to 1]

12 - General: I’m sorry. PC: If you don’t want to talk about it… I shouldn’t have pried. Cullen: What would I say to them? I’m no longer the brother they remember. Why hurt them more? [back to 1]

10 - Cullen quit lyrium Cullen: My sister Mia keeps me informed. As I understand, she’s training my nephew to best me at chess.

Dialogue options:

General: I’m glad they’re well. [13]

General: Would you lose that game? [14]

General: I miss the people back home. [15]

13 - General: I’m glad they’re well. PC: All good news, then? Cullen: Not all. But most of it is, and that’s good enough.

Romanced Cullen: Mia is eager to see you again. When there’s time, of course. [back to 1]

14 - General: Would you lose that game? PC: I sense a threat to my commander’s chess superiority. I’m sure the defeat will be distressing. Cullen: I… he’s four! You could at least pretend I’d throw the game. PC: (Laughs.) [back to 1]

15 - General: I miss the people back home. PC: Sometimes I miss the people I knew before Haven. We get so busy… it’s easy for time to slip by.

Dalish PC, Clan Lavellan did not survive Cullen: The loss of Clan Lavellan… I’m sorry you carry that still. I fear at best the pain only fades. But you know that. [back to 1]

Cullen continued lyrium Cullen: If what we do means they don’t see the worst, they don’t see the cost… that’s all that matters. [back to 1]

Cullen quit lyrium Cullen: Perhaps. I’m not sure I regret that. I’ve still some time before these years balance those best forgotten. [back to 1]

6 - General: We’ll talk later. PC: I should go. Cullen: Inquisitor.

[inquisimer]

mer's arlathan eXchange works

Creators for the 2024 @arlathanxchange have been revealed and I'm excited to share the pieces I wrote! I was absolutely inspired by the wealth of amazing prompts and had a lot of fun creating all of these.

Check out the entire collection here for more amazing works! Thank you to everyone who created lovely gifts for me💜

a sky full of stars - gift for @about2dance | Rated G, Alistair/Female Surana, 2512 words

what has been forgotten - treat for @kiastirling-fanfic | Rated G, Avexis & Cassandra Pentaghast, 2523 words

show me your thorns - treat for @amarmeme & @kiastirling-fanfic | Rated T, Alistair/Avexis, 2059 words

what time does with us - treat for @kiastirling-fanfic | Rated T, Fiona & Female Surana, 1672 words

gatekeeper of an endless war - treat for the collection | Rated T, Garahel (Solo), 1145 words

I still use velvet gloves - treat for the collection | Rated T, Alistair & Female Surana, 3324 words

summaries and more below the cut!⬇️

a sky full of stars - gift for @about2dance

Rated G | Alistair/Female Surana | 2512 words | No Archive Warnings Summary: On their way to Haven, Alistair and An'da share a moment under the stars. An'da is about2dance's OC and she has SO many layers!! It was an absolute joy to dig into her lore and craft this bit of fluff for her and Alistair. Dorks in Love, my beloved😌

what has been forgotten - treat for @kiastirling-fanfic

Rated G | Avexis & Cassandra Pentaghast | 2523 words | No Archive Warnings Summary: Cassandra seeks an alternative means for the Inquisition to fight the red lyrium dragon. Kia rolled in with SO MANY good Avexis prompts and this one snatched me up right away, I just had to write the Dawn of the Seeker reunion that we never got.

show me your thorns - treat for @amarmeme & @kiastirling-fanfic

Rated T | Alistair/Avexis | 2059 words | No Archive Warnings Summary: Over a cup of tea, Avexis confronts Alistair about his intentions—and finds common ground she wasn't expecting. The Alistair/Avexis ship was another genius idea of Kia's and it was so fun to play in that sandbox! And to see other people there as well :3 I loved the idea of Avexis getting to have some of the first crush/love emotions she lost to Tranquility, and in the process found a link between post-Tranquility Avexis and formerly-Drunk Alistair that just clicked.

what time does with us - treat for @kiastirling-fanfic

Rated T | Fiona & Female Surana | 1672 words | No Archive Warnings Summary: At Leliana's behest, Surana makes a detour through Skyhold before heading West in her search to cure the Calling. Two elven Circle mages-turned-Wardens, one who was somehow Cured of the Blight and the other in search of a Cure? Yeah, this was just another pairing too juicy to pass up. They're so similar!! And Fiona is right there, and Leliana definitely can contact Surana, and you can see how I ended up here. I haven't thought much about Surana as a Warden, since my Surana is not, so this was a fun one to dive into!

gatekeeper of an endless war - treat for the collection

Rated T | Garahel (Solo) | 1145 words | Major Character Death Summary: The Wardens sent him and Isseya to the Anderfels. Garahel would not forget. Even though this didn't quite fit anyone's specific requests, I've been all up in my Last Flight feels since reading the novel a couple months ago and couldn't resist. Garahel, the city elf Warden hero, his legacy of lifting up and protecting the lowest in society lost to a history that didn't want to remember his ears. I broke my own heart a bit exploring how his knowledge of that legacy might have worn him down by the end ;-; (also check out the quote that I used to title this fic because DAMN if it isn't Grey Wardens to a T, especially elven and/or mage wardens)

I still use velvet gloves - treat for the collection

Rated T | Alistair & Female Surana | 3324 words | No Archive Warnings Summary: The Landsmeet wounded Alistair and Catrin Surana in ways only time can heal. This piece was inspired by some of the prompts in this year's exchange, and even though it ended up not quite fitting anyone's requests specifically, I'm still quite please with it! An exploration of the broken friendship between King Alistair & Warden Commander Surana after she spares Loghain, and how they come back together over the years. Not gonna lie, I did not have a Warden Surana OC before I dove into this fic but. uh. now I do 😂 it was a lot of fun to look at this friendship dynamic from a more turbulent angle!

DAFF Tag List: @warpedlegacy | @rakshadow | @rosella-writes | @effelants | @bluewren

@breninarthur | @ar-lath-ma-cully | @dreadfutures | @theluckywizard | @nirikeehan

@oxygenforthewicked | @exalted-dawn-drabbles | @melisusthewee | @blarrghe | @agentkatie

@delicatefade | @leggywillow | @plisuu

[stuffeddrawer]

Love is Stored in the Magic Ring

Rating: Mature TW: Character Death, alcohol Fandom: Dragon Age Word Count: 1844 AN: I swear I was in a daze and a fever at the same time writing this, but it felt so good to get this angst out of my system

MDNI

⁽ᵖᵒˢᵗ ᵈᶦᵛᶦᵈᵉʳ ⁻ ᵃˢᵐᵒᵈᵉᵘˢ⁻ᵖˢᵈ⁾

Gaius knew when he was only twenty-one years old that he was going to die young.

Gaius knew the first Calling was false, but it didn’t stop his panic any. He was angry that they’d all been fooled, angry that the Wardens were led to believe that their death was just around the corner. He believed himself to be safe when Corypheus died. He grew fat and complacent, aiding new Grey Wardens, training them, teaching them as best as he could.

He didn’t say at Amaranthine. He didn’t go back to Weisshaupt like he was called to do so. Because he’d ended the Blight, with just two Wardens, and no deaths, he requested he remained in Southern Thedas, at Adamant, ensuring history didn’t repeat itself. He was aware of the internal conflict going on with the Wardens in the Anderfels, but he’d already done his service – he’d already saved the world - twice. He didn’t dare get involved in a third war. Gaius felt he was too old for another one.

He still remembered all Morrigan told him, still felt her touch, still felt her gaze on his. Even though she was gone from here, that she’d disappeared again with his son, Gaius knew she was still keeping tabs on him. The magic the ring she’d given him years ago (it feels like a lifetime ago, now) was still potent and active, still told Morrigan where he was, and he didn’t dare take it off.

It was a comfort, something he twisted between his fingers when the Calling started again. He focused on it, on the magic inside, on Morrigan’s magic. He took it off the necklace, wearing it properly like he had so long ago.

Morrigan’s ring was a balm, something he rubbed between his fingers when the Calling was screaming in his mind, when all he could think about was that damn song, when he felt like tearing his ears off just wasn’t enough. He felt ghoulish on a good day, and downright monstrous on a bad one. Every joint ached and hurt, but the Calling – oh, the Calling. It was like a thousand voices whispering in his ears, telling him to go left, right, jump, turn around, swing, dodge, roll, go left, over and over again. He felt like he was going mad – did Duncan feel like this, right before the end?

He took quill to paper, one last time, writing two letters, one to Morrigan, wherever she was, if she found his corpse or if he saw her on his way to the Deep Roads, and the other to Fergus, explaining his demise. He thought of Shale and Wynne, wondering if he’d see them again, wondering if he’d be able to have a final conversation with Wynne or if he’d be able to gift Shale another pet rock. He sighed happily at the thought of Zevran and Leliana and Oghren, the times they shared so long ago, the times he and Zevran had gotten drunk enough after the Blight had ended that they were still drunk the next morning, the times Leliana had him laughing so hard he fell and couldn’t stop snorting, the times Gaius walked away with more bruises than before when he trained against Oghren. Finally, he remembered every single fond time and moment with Alistair and Morrigan, cherishing each and every single word, every single stolen glance and kiss with Morrigan, every single breathless sigh. He cherished every single deep conversation he and Alistair had, remembering how they helped each other heal from the trauma they were forced to endure. He missed them all. He knew Alistair had perished during his time with the Inquisition, knew Wynne had died well before, and likely Shale with her. Leliana was the Divine, and in his opinion, doing a damn good job at doing it, Ohgren was on borrowed time like himself.

Gaius decided to write a letter to Zevran, knowing exactly where the old crow was, and explained that by the time he’d gotten his letter, Gaius had died, but he didn’t go without fond memories. Gaius and Zevran were closer than two peas in a pod during the Blight, the both of them looking at each other after it all and realising that they’d made it, that they actually lived.

The letters to Fergus and Zevran were sent, and the one to Morrigan was on his chest, next to his ring. The letter was still on his chest, even as darkspawn ravaged his corpse, taking the shiny things, even the ring she’d given him years ago, its magic as potent as ever and letting her know that not only had Gaius died, but that someone had stolen the ring from his corpse.

Morrigan was in the Deep Roads not long after, anguish tearing at her heart in a way she didn’t understand. She knew people died, they all died, everyone died, in the end. Even her own mother. Not a single one did she shed a tear, but for Gaius? She would have torn the world asunder for him, if she had the power. Instead, she’d give him the sendoff a hero like him deserved.

Morrigan, Hi, lovie. I’m sorry you had to find me this way. I would have tried to find you earlier, but you’re damn near impossible to find if you want to remain hidden. That or I’m blind in my old age. The Calling – the real Calling – it’s terrifying. I felt like I went mad, hearing voices that were both there and not. Call me a fool like you always did, but that ring you gave me ages ago was the only thing keeping me sane. Or held on to whatever was left – never really was sane after all the shit we’ve been through. I know we fought a lot, over tiny things, over Kieran, over letting you go. But I hope you know that I never once stopped loving you. My heart had always belonged to you. I would have given everything up to see you again, to remind you just how much I love you and Kieran. I wish I made a different choice, to follow you into that eluvian ages ago, rather than follow my stupid sense of duty. I wish I helped you raise Kieran, helped you remain safe and hidden. I wish I did a lot of things differently, but… It's weird to say that I’m… I’m happy with the way things have turned out. In the end, I gave my heart to you and that, my love, my heart, my everything, is the one thing I never once regretted. I love you more than there are stars in the sky. Gaius.

Morrigan raged when she saw that a darkspawn stole the ring from his corpse, that another was using the sword he always used. Its glow was dim and the power faded, but it was still sharp as the day it was forged. The ring was covered in darkspawn spume, guts, and gore, but it was back on Gaius’ finger, his sword back in his hand.

Morrigan hated how her vision was so cloudy and blurry with tears, hated how it felt like such a large piece of her was missing. Seeing his lifeless body, glazed eyes and hollow cheeks was a shock. His hands were stiff and cold, not nimble and warm like they used to be. Oh, she’d give anything to have him back.

She brought his corpse back to the surface, not giving a damn about the old and ruined Grey Warden armour littering the place. She knew this was where most of the Grey Wardens died when they heard the Calling. She knew this was where Gaius was going to go.

Morrigan knew the perfect place to bring him, to let this dog-scented country know that its saviour was dead, and died protecting it. She wouldn’t let his body rot with the others down there, damn tradition. This man was her heart, and she wouldn’t let him rot.

The pyre was grand, bright, brighter than the lighthouses at Castle Cousland. As the fire burned brighter, more and more lights in the castle lit up, curious as to why a lone fire was so big and bright, wondering why tonight, of all nights, there was something so big. No one was attacking, no one was fighting, yet Teyrn Fergus Cousland wept as he clutched the letter Gaius sent him.

His cries were soft, but heart wrenching. He should have died before Gaius – if he’d have just fought harder, in the Korcari Wilds, if he’d have just done something different, listened to Gaius when he said that leaving seemed like a bad idea.

All Fergus could do was cry as he watched the pyre from afar, knowing that his baby brother had died.

Time had passed, and the funeral pyre had long since gone out, the timber ash, but Zevran made his return to Ferelden, his hair white with age, body aching and sore and tired from years and years of running and fighting, but he was far too stubborn to stop.

When he’d received Gaius’ letter back then, he broke into tears. The friends he’d made, the family he found for himself – most of them had died, if not all of them. Zevran felt as though he, Leliana, and Morrigan were the only ones left alive, at least until he saw Morrigan’s telltale jewellery on her body, leaning against the same pyre, letting herself go the moment she’d laid Gaius to rest. The world was cruel, taking bright lights like Alistair and Gaius and Morrigan from him, the Maker was cruel for making them His punching bag.

He stood in front of the old funeral pyre, wondering if this was where Gaius had been given a proper sendoff, when his thoughts were silenced the moment he saw the ring Gaius always wore – the same ring Morrigan gave him forever ago.

Like an actual crow, Zevran was drawn to shiny things, but this shiny thing, this one particular shiny thing, Zevran refused to take. This was Gaius’.

“I’m sorry it’s been such a long time, old friend.” Zevran spoke, his voice raspy and shaky, but still Zevran. He saw the bare edges of Gaius’ sword in the rubble, its glow gone and edges dull, power vacant, but it was still a gorgeous sword. He took it from the rubble, thrusting it into the soft earth at the base of the pyre and next to Morrigan. Fereldans would know that this was where their hero was laid to rest. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see you off.”

He sighed, leaning against the old, burnt wood, letting his aching limbs rest for a moment or two, sitting on the other side of the sword.

“But I am glad I was part of the journey that brought you this freedom.” Zevran whispered, closing his eyes and relaxing, finally relaxing, letting his worries and stress and anger slip away.

“Rest easy, Gaius Cousland, hero of Ferelden.”

[ndostairlyrium]

4th question for the ask game: what does your worldstate look like??

Hello!!! Thanks for asking!

And sorry in advance for the length :'D

The ask game

So, um, lemme grab the Keep real quick hahah

I'll paste pics from that, from time to time u-u

This worldstate could be summed up as: we hate dragons, and we're saying "world peace" at the q&a portion of the show

Ela - Walker Hawke - Ankh

Origins:

Elanor Cousland, Warrior, 2H Weapon, romanced Alistair

Honorable, fair, and possibly the stupidest - earnest? Both things are valid for her and can cohabitate lol

-Companions:

-Arl of Redcliffe:

Helped Redcliffe prepare, all townspeople are safe, Isolde is alive, Connor is alive and not possessed, and Jowan was sent back to the Circle. The urn of sacred ashes is pristine ✨ a dragon was hurt in the process tho <<

-Broken Circle:

Supported Mages, Irving is alive.

-Nature of The Beast:

Brokered peace, saved the halla <3 we love our weird goats <3

-Denerim / Landsmeet:

Anora is queen (literally and metaphorically. my warden fangirls pretty hard @ her)

DLCs:

-Awakening:

We sided with the Architect, because she's stupid like that << and full of hope, okay, but mostly stupid

-Witch Hunt:

She let Morrigan go, but didn't follow her. I guess Alistair still blames her for that

-Warden's Keep:

Both Avernus and Sophia are dead, she couldn't drink the drink <<

-

Dragon Age II

Walker Hawke, Entropy Elemental and Force Mage, Humorous personality, romanced Fenris

Joined the smugglers at his arrival (he's quite the silver tongue)

-Companions:

-Act 1:

Going along with the "Blame the fereldan for everything" trend, starting from mom. If you get repeated "it's your fault" constantly, you start to believe it.

Also, the way he's butthurt for poor Ketojan!! Damn!

Will blame himself for handling that quest horribly. He can't understand, literally. He'll bring that experience with him forever

-Act 2:

A classic "my bullshit detector worked, but what the hell is going on anyway?" :'D

Also of course we did the 8 run around the columns << it's a must have in every playthrough!

-Act 3:

Sided with mages, heart of gold confirmed.

Also we hate dragons in this game as well u-u

Anders is alive and well, with a hand stamp on his cheek

-DLCs

Recruited Sebastian (unfortunately) - Sided with Larius (again, unfortunately) - I, huh, can't remember anything of Mark of the Assassin because it was unplayable :'D literally. The dialog wasn't working, it glitched every five minutes, and the game started to crash at a rapid pace after the party. Will watch walkthroughs in the future, because I remember having fun <<

-

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Ankh of clan Lavellan, Rogue Archer, Artificer, slayed all the dragons, romanced Cullen

Stoic approach favored

-Advisors

Prefers a honest approach, when she can. Diplomacy route is her favorite, but when she's dealing with nobles she always talks to Leliana first. The poor Cullen is the last to get attention :'

She denies being chosen by Andraste, Cassandra is veery happy about it /s

Reasons with Leliana about her role in Valence's cloister. Not hardened

Helps Josephine by raising the Du Paraquettes to nobility

Tells Cullen not to use lyrium, but it was more like "what do you want?", "This", "Then I'll help". Anyway, I always disliked how that discussion was handled as an addict myself lol

Leliana is the new Divine

-Companions:

The "friends with Blackwall" happens after a big while after what he did, but I won't say anything else since I have the chapter(s) planned and ready to be delivered lol then I will talk about it freely

-In Hushed Whispers / Champions of the Just

Sided with Mages, Mages are allied with the Inquisition

-Wicked Eyes, Wicked Hearts

This won't bite her in the ass in the future, noooo, like, totally a great decision :'D

The judgment after that was top tier best BioWare moments, I will cherish that experience forever <3

-Here Lies the Abyss

The utmost horrid choice was between Hawke and Alistair. She preferred to give the Wardens a chance, because she understands the weight of their duty - also they saved the world multiple times?

There's much else to say that relates to this decision, and some of it is personal, I must admit. But I'll eviscerate the thing another time, maybe :'D if people are interested ofc

-What Pride Had Wrought

Didn't drink from the well, because Solas made a good point about it lol and after what happened with Flemeth later, well... she's okay with that decision :' thanks Solas!

Oh, and she did the rituals. Good elfie <3

DLCs

-Jaws of Hakkon

I don't really have much to add, other than:

She sees what her role could turn into and that's a pretty scary outcome. She had fun with the bear thing, tho! That was pretty hilarious, plus I have something in mind with a climbing contest but, um

Will say the sayings another time lol

Also we still hatin on dragons

-The Descent

Did stop the earthquakes, enjoyed the trip and all the new info! 10/10 would return for Spring break (I hated it, she had the time of her life. That dlc was hard o-o like, intensely hard what the hell)

-Trespasser

She's gonna slap the god, and then she's gonna treat him with chicken soup and a hug

Also, she always knew that the Inquisition had a limited time, and she did everything she could to make it right. But you can't squeeze a lemon forever and pretend the sauce isn't increasingly bitter (?)

-

That's all I guess? Hopefully it's understandable :'D

[donkeytonk]

Hunger, part 2

(Part 1 here)

In her cell Sula was sleeping, as she always was now, when Crispin arrived for the final time on the fifth day. "Sula, they - Leliana would like to ask you some questions. Can you come with me? Are you able to walk?"

Her mind was blurry. Who was Leliana? He had mentioned her name before. Was she the woman who had ordered Sula to be sent to the dungeon? So, at last, it was time to face her fate, and she was ready for it to be over with even if it meant torture, death, or tranquility. The anxiety of waiting had held its own terror, but now that the wait was over, she was unable to meet it without fear.

“What will she do to me?” she asked in small voice, half whispering because of the pain in her throat.

“Nothing. She’ll just ask you some questions. She won’t hurt you.”

Like a child, she nearly asked him to promise before remembering that it would not convince her. He had lied to her before. Instead she asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure, Sula.”

“Should I tell her – I can tell her that I’m a blood mage. I’ll say whatever I need to say, only don’t let her hurt my Circle! Please don’t let me let them be hurt.”

His face was troubled and he shook his head earnestly. “No, nobody wants you to do that. Just tell the truth, like you did before.”

She nodded and let out a shaky but resigned sigh and accepted his help in standing. Then he stopped her.

“Wait, you’re limping. Sit down and let me take a look at your feet.”

She struggled to remove her sodden boots and stockings until he took over, and the fiery inflamed chilblains on her toes were almost purple.

He let out an involuntary hiss of curses as he examined them. “I’m sorry, I should have treated them sooner. I have some salve that will help them.” She watched, almost hypnotized, as he rubbed a salve on them. He mentioned that there was rosemary in it, but she could not smell it. When was the last time she had smelled rosemary? Were there still lovely things like rosemary out in the world? Perhaps it was just as well in this stinking cell that her sense of smell had been blocked, but she would have liked to smell rosemary one more time. But his hands were warm as he applied the balm, and it felt as if they were the first warmth to touch her feet in years. When he reached for her boots, she shook her head.

“No, I don’t want them.” They were cold, wet, stiff miserable things, as were the blood stained stockings that she had knitted herself. But since she should not walk about with bare and blistered feet in such a filthy place, he wrapped her feet in the remainder of his bandages. And now, finally, it was time to leave the cell for better or for worse. The Templar guard unlocked and opened the cell door for them and she gave him a wary look as they passed. He did not follow them to the door, however. It was only Cripsin and herself.

She jumped as the dungeon door slammed shut behind then, and they were faced with more stairs than she had ever seen in her life, apart from those terror-filled moments when she had been dragged down them five days ago. It felt like an eternity to climb them all, like climbing those wretched mountains again, but they stopped to rest once they reached the top.

“Where is it? Where are we going?”

“It’s not much further. Sister Leliana’s study is here in the chantry. Just a couple more rooms to walk through.”

Sister Leliana. So she was part of the Chantry, and probably not inclined favorably toward apostate mages. “Will there be Templars?”

“No, no. At least…” He frowned, and Sula realized that he was in the dark too. He was just guessing at everything. Everything including the assurance that she would not be harmed. “I don’t think there will be. Just Sister Leliana. She’s Chantry but – I trust her. You’ll be safe. She won’t harm you. And I’ll be there too.”

For most of their brief acquaintance, Sula had come to despise the healer, to blame him (and the Inquisition as a whole) for the deaths of her friends and the injury to herself, but he was also her only ally in the world right now, the only person who had showed her any kindness in this wretched place, and now her only hope. She grasped his hand and blurted out her final plea. “If they do hurt me, don’t let me say the wrong thing and get my friends killed. Please. Don’t let them make me hurt anyone. I can’t.”

He looked down at her with something like pity in his eyes. She believed in that moment that he genuinely did want to help her.

“You don’t need to worry about that, Sula.”

Wrong answer. “Please! Promise me you won’t let me hurt them. Will you stop me? I can’t bear up, I can’t fight against any more pain. I know I can’t.” She was cut off by a fit of coughing. If they were to put her to the question by torture now, she would confess and blame anyone that they wanted. She had no strength to withstand it. Is that why they had waited so long? She spoke again in a hoarse whisper. “Please promise me.”

He turned his face away from her then, but after a moment, he finally nodded. “I promise.”

He would have to kill her.

“But that’s not going to happen,” he added, looking at her earnestly, compassionately. “All right? It’s going to be all right. Just tell the truth.”

She nodded too, and then rose again from the step where she had been resting.

He prepared to open the door. “Are you ready? It’ll be a bit brighter in here. It may hurt your eyes for a few moments.”

When they stepped into the nave, she was dazzled. She had never seen so many candles in her life, and daylight streamed through the windows that stretched high above. After a few steps, she looked down and was amazed to see that they were walking on soft richly worked woolen rugs in red and gold. When had she last seen such beautiful colors? Looking down was preferable to looking up. The nave was far too large and expansive, and she pressed closer to the other mage as they crossed to the other side.

“It’s just through here,” Crispin said as they reached another door. “Are you all right?”

He was looking at her and frowning with concern, which only furthered her own anxiety. Of course she was not all right. She was preparing to die, or perhaps worse. How could she be all right? But she nodded. There was no sense in delaying it any longer.

He knocked on the door and a voice called for them to come in. He entered first and Sula followed. The room was warm, incredibly warm and comfortable, and there was a deliciously enticing fire burning. She realized that she did still possess a sense of smell because she smelled wood smoke and it smelled like home. She wanted to run to the fire and warm her hands and feet and entire body next to it, to curl up on that rug and sleep beside the fire.

She jumped as a woman spoke. “Hello Sula. Sit please.” The woman was standing behind a desk and indicating a chair on the opposite side of it. Sula sat obediently. “Crispin, you may go.”

Go? He was leaving her? He squeezed her shoulder as he moved to the door, speaking words meant to sound reassuring but which she barely heard. He was abandoning her. Again. He had delivered her to judgment again. Again! He was the errand boy of judgment, just an escort guard. Of course he was. And his promise earlier on the stairs was useless.

She was still staring at the door that had closed behind him when the woman spoke again. “You have nothing to fear. Unless you are guilty.”

What comfort was that? Of course she was guilty of being an apostate. That had been thrown upon her without her choice.

The woman began asking her questions, simple ones at first. They were easy to answer. Harmless things, things that she probably already knew the answers to. Sula had to pause for attacks of coughing a few times. She was caught off guard when the woman began asking about their passage across the Waking Sea.

“What happened?” she asked.

“What?”

“You said there were eighteen of you at the fort, but twenty-seven of you had set out originally. What happened to the others?”

Lene with all of her medicines. Magnus taking charge of the food stores. Leath, Ronnie, Mel, and Cromarty with the three apprentices: Margaret, Hebona, Jeanie. Their boatwoman was a friend of the fishmonger that they had traded with for years, as were the other two boatmen. Sula had known Janet fishmonger personally and had trusted her. Their own two boatmen had brought them safely across.

“We lost them,” Sula whispered, fighting the pain in her throat. “I don’t know.”

Sister Leliana moved on, continuously onwards at what felt like a dizzying speed. Sula barely had time to think ahead before another question was fired like an arrow. She could not even remember what she had said so far.

“So you found the soldiers’ bodies in the woods, and you took their uniforms?”

“Not me, the scouting party –“ Sula froze. Was this it? The woman had not even needed to apply pain to get Sula to betray others in her Circle. “I mean, I didn’t see what happened when they found them.”

“You didn’t see, so you don’t know what happened.”

No, no! “I know they didn’t kill them, because we would have heard if there was a battle. We weren’t far away. I was with the apprentices, foraging. And then they came and told us.” She had to pause and catch her breath after another fit of coughing, but she added, “I saw the bodies when we made the pyres, and they’d been dead for more than a day, I’m sure of that.”

But already the woman was moving on, asking about their routines at the fort, about how the remaining soldier Pearson had taught them the way to dress and act like soldiers until the Inquisition came.

“I made a garden there,” she blurted. Then she added in a small voice, “I’m a gardener.”

She had told herself not to volunteer any new information, but it was harmless. Surely the woman would see that they were all harmless, wouldn’t she? Why would evil murderous apostate blood mages plant a garden? Why would they choose such a desolate spot if they wanted a garden and had demons to do their bidding? They were starving. They were homeless and had no more friends or allies in the world, as far as they knew. They had only taken the fort because they needed food and shelter. There were little children with them. They had only taken the uniforms to keep up the pretense so nobody would notice anything amiss. They had treated the bodies with respect, burned them on pyres just as they would have done for their own dead. They ate what they needed for sustaining life. No one else was eating it. Pearson alone could not have eaten all those stores in a year.

More questions about daily routines, and that wretched liar Pearson, more coughing. Sula had not had to speak this much in weeks.

“Crispin.”

Immediately the door was opened and the healer was there.

“We’re finished now. Take her to the new medics’ house. She looks like death.”

Sula could not understand what she was saying. She stared at the woman in dull confusion. What did it mean? But Crispin was helping her to stand again and was guiding her back to the door, away from the terrifying woman and her little room. Sula’s head was swimming. It was finished? She didn’t have to answer any more questions? No questions about blood mages and demons and battles? Finally all of the fear took over her body, and she began trembling as they walked through the nave. Walking, and then even standing still made her lightheaded. She clutched the healer’s arm to keep from falling onto the carpeted floor. He was speaking to her but she could not understand his words. The entire nave was turning dark, the candles just one shrinking bright and blurry spot in the distance.

Crispin caught her in his arms before everything blackened completely.

When she raised her head a moment later, he was carrying her to the large entrance door at the back of the nave. This wasn’t the way back to the cells. They were going out, back into the world. When they moved outside the light was blinding and the sky was enormous. She ducked her head and closed her eyes again, but she could smell cook fires, and she could hear people talking and laughing, and even birdsongs. The air was cold but fresh. She opened her eyes to a cautious squint and could see that they were in a village, an ordinary village with ordinary people, with dazzling snow and trees and houses. She glanced back at the Chantry in confusion. Was she dreaming? But there was no tempting demon trying to get into her mind, not this time. Crispin was carrying her, which was strange, but she was glad she did not have to walk just now. Everything was too big, utterly too much for her senses, and his arms seemed to be a safe, small, confining place for the moment.

“Where are we going?”

"There's a house outside the walls that the healers are using," he told her. "It's a little bit of a walk, but there's warm beds and hot food. All the clean blankets you want."

She coughed out a laugh that sounded like a sob. “And then, when will I have to go back?”

“Never.” His voice was soft but definite. “You will never have to go back there.”

“But they think I’m a blood mage?”

“Not anymore.”

“Are you sure?” The woman hadn’t even asked her about that. Didn’t that mean she still had more questions?

“I’m sure,” he said firmly. “You’re safe.”

"And my Circle?" She frowned, having trouble even remembering the details of the interrogation. It was all a blur. "She didn't even ask me their names. Or how to find them."

“Then they’re safe too.”

It was impossible to believe. Her greatest fear had been that she would implicate someone that she loved by accident or in desperation under duress, under torture. Could she really have escaped that fate? She could not even remember what questions the woman had asked her. But the healer sounded confident, and he was the only one that she could trust right now. And she was so utterly exhausted, her mind in a fog. She leaned her head against him and closed her eyes, still frowning as she tried to remember what had been said in that little room at the Chantry.

When she next opened her eyes, they were passing the city walls. She must have fallen asleep. In this area there were no roads or paths to be seen under all the fresh snow, and no more people at the moment. She could feel the cold snow beneath Crispin’s feet, the same way that she could feel her bees’ wings by placing her hand on their skep hive. Sula had always been friends with water in all of its forms, as befits a gardener born by the sea, but just now she was tired of snow. She set her hand on Crispin’s arm, then rested her head and shut her eyes again.

He continued walking at the same pace, then slowed and looked around, then took a few deliberate steps one after another. He watched as the snow melted and evaporated the instant his foot came near it. He was walking on the bare ground, but only in the space of his footsteps.

Sula opened her eyes, wondering why they had slowed.

“Is that you?” he asked.

His voice was light but she tensed, sudden fear overtaking her with the realization of what she had done. Magic. Simple, small and harmless, but magic all the same. “I’m sorry! Did you feel it?” She had not considered that the skep might not like its use in her communication with the bees. But no, it was worse than that. She looked around in a panic, expecting to see Inquisition soldiers marching towards them. “Did anyone see?” He was going to summon his soldier friends and the Templars and she’d be trudging through the snow again, tether chafing on her wrist, freezing feet, hauled directly back to the Chantry cells, and then…

“No! No, Sula, it’s fine. You’re fine, you’re safe. It’s all right for you to use magic here.”

“I didn’t think! I always – I did it without thinking. I’m sorry!”

He shook his head. “It’s all right, you don’t need to apologize. It’s fine.” He looked concerned, but he offered her a reassuring smile. “I appreciated it, walking without snow for a moment.”

Her treatment of the snow had of course stopped the moment he had mentioned it, and he was walking through the snow once again. After she had begun to calm down, and after a few minutes’ consideration, she pointed at a large rock nearby. “You can put me down right there.”

“Sula, you don’t have any shoes.”

“No, just put me down for a moment. I’m heavy. You can have a rest.”

She was not as heavy as she ought to have been, of course, after several months of privation, but even a little child grows heavy in a mother’s arms after a while. He carefully set her on a rock so she could sit with her feet above the snow, and then he sat next to her. He did look tired, she noticed, unless that was his regular appearance. She had not spent much time in his presence by daylight, apart from following behind him on the march. On some days she had stared at his back for hours.

Quietly, cautiously she spoke again. “Are you sure it’s all right for me to use magic?” she asked, even there was no one who could see or hear them.

“Yes, I promise. You can do anything you like.”

She could tell that he meant it. What a bold thing to say to a recently jailed apostate accused of blood magic and the deaths of dozens of Inquisition soldiers. Did he genuinely trust her that much? Perhaps he just trusted his own strength more. That would certainly make sense, as weak as she was.

She looked across the snowy landscape. “Which way are we going? What direction?”

“That way, by those trees, and then just a little further up. There’s a path, it’s just covered in snow right now.”

“With those tracks?”

“Yes, probably deer tracks.”

It made sense. Wild creatures tend to use the easiest path, just like people. She tucked up her bandaged feet and leaned down to touch the ground with her right hand. The snow cleared before it as it had done for Crispin’s feet. She could feel that the ground was frozen much deeper than she was used to at home, and quite saturated too, but the air was dry. There was an area where the earth was more compact; that must be the path where countless feet had walked. A thaw spread from her hand and formed a long ribbon of mist as moisture puffed up into the air, some of it glittering away as tiny ice crystals in the breeze. Below the dispersing ice fog was left a path of bare earth wide enough for one man’s stride all the way to the trees.

“It’s rocky,” she explained apologetically. It would not have been quite so muddy, but the rocks slowed her down and she was exhausted. Still, it had felt so good to reach out to the Fade and communicate with the soil and water, like stretching cramped limbs and feeling whole again, like greeting a friend after a long absence. Even the fresh mud under her fingernails was welcome.

Crispin was smiling. “That’s wonderful, Sula. That will make our walk easier. I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Yes.” All this time. All those days journeying through the snow that spilled over her boots and froze her feet, sleeping in the snow and waking in a puddle, snowmelt and mud, slipping on the ice, days in that damp and frozen cell, wet boots, wet stockings, the stink of damp straw and piss – she could have removed all of it. She could have swept up all the damp to make a rain cloud over that liar Pearson’s cell, if it weren’t for her terror of the Templar guard. She could have dried her stockings and boots. She could have cleared paths and slept in dry blankets.

But she had not had the power to quench the fire. That was beyond her ability. It had been a fire formed by a stronger mage than her.

“Are you ready to keep going?” Crispin asked. She nodded and allowed him to lift her again.

She was tired and coughing when they passed the trees and she did not have the energy to care about the snow any more. Her eyes were closed and so she was surprised when they stopped in front of a house. He lightly kicked at the door which was opened a moment later to let them in. It was warm and comfortably darker than the sun and snow outside, but anything unfamiliar made Sula wary.

“What’s this place?” Anxiety tinged her voice as she looked around.

“It’s just the infirmary,” he answered lightly. “You can sleep here for now.”

It was so strange to be inside a place that was not made of iron bars and stone. Even the interrogator's room at the chantry had been imposing, everything heavy and impressive, oppressive. Here was simplicity, efficiency, quiet order. There were sick and injured patients, of course, but even they were more welcome company than guards and rats and Pearson. Most showed no interest in her, and just a few gave her the merest glance.

And it was warm. There was a large fireplace on one wall with a bright blaze within that heated the room. She longed to lie down next to it and sleep for days.

Crispin was talking to another woman, perhaps another healer, and she led them to an empty cot. “Here,” he said to Sula as he laid her on it. "Are you all right to lie here for a moment while I find some blankets?"

She nodded in exhausted relief. She could lie here forever.

He smiled. “Good. I’ll be back in a moment.” She fell instantly into sleep. She woke again, warm beneath several blankets, when she felt her cot swaying and moving. She murmured in confusion and looked up at Crispin’s face, upside down, behind and above her head. How did that happen? "We're just shifting you to another room. It'll be a bit quieter there and you can sleep.” He and the other healer carried the cot into a smaller room. It had its own little fireplace blazing, and they set her cot beside it. Then the other healer left and Crispin crouched down next to her. “Are you comfortable? Warm enough?”

She smiled weakly, gratefully, and nodded. She could not remember the last time she had felt so warm, and she had only to turn her head to look at the delightful fire. "Can I stay here a while?"

"You can stay here as long as you want," he told her with a smile, "Would you like some water? Something to eat?"

“Just some water.”

He brought a jug and a sturdy cup as well as some pillows that he tucked behind her, helping her to sit up. He poured the water and set the jug nearby. “Here, and there’s more if you want it.”

She was thirsty, as ever, and the water was refreshing, but it was still a cold shock to her throat. She glanced out the door and gave him a cautious look. “Is it all right if I warm it a little before you drain me?”

He looked stricken, but she could not quite read his emotions. Regret? Pity? Shame? His answer was gentle. “I’m not going to drain you, Sula. You’re not a prisoner.”

She stared at him for a long moment, then looked back at the open door. “And there’s no Templar guard?”

He shook his head. “No Templar guard, no guard at all. You’re free and you’re safe here.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she looked down at the cup of water and it glowed gently in her hand. She drank the warmed water and sighed with satisfaction as it soothed her throat. You just need some water.

He was refilling her cup when the other healer returned, holding a larger cup with a handle. “I thought your patient could do with some soup,” she said. “There’s a fat chicken in it, leeks and carrots and some black pepper too.”

Sula could have wept. She nodded and reached out her good hand to take it. A few eager gulps warmed her entire body from within, and Crispin had to urge her to slow down. It was the best thing she had ever tasted. She had not realized how hungry she was.

When she had finished, he helped her to lie back again. “I’ll let you rest now. I’ll be nearby if you need anything.”

She watched him go from the room, carefully leaving her door ajar as he went; she had not even considered the anxiety of a closed door, but she was grateful for that little gap. She could still see the glow of the outer room, and her own little chamber was warm and dim with just firelight. Within moments she was deep asleep.

[Epilogue]

[leliwardens]

Could you tell us some of your Leliana x Tabris headcanons?

hi new best friend thank you so much for being interested in my hcs! <3 i'm not sure if you meant my warden or not so I opted for just general ones with some i apply to my personal lore/worldstate

being the port town of ferelden with all walks of life from around thedas, tabris would know flecks of orlesian and culture (+ likely others too, like antivan, rivaini, etc.)

in addition while i'm sure nothing really changed from the occupation -> current time for the elves, i'm sure there's veterans of the war, such as the night elves, living in the alienage to add insight into orlais, maybe where tabris first heard about bards enough to ask leliana

tabris, never leaving denerim much less the alienage, is enthralled by the stories leliana tells and the places she's been (and the places they get to go to together!)

leliana in turn is curious about life in the alienage and the whole "it takes a village" community it has (plus i love elfblood!leliana)

date night murdering what remains of the hard line company 💞

leliana remembers adaia and her kind words :)

while it's short lived and not even an option to store in keep, in my heart tabris/leliana power couple during tabris's time as bann of the alienage because whose gonna fuck over the hero of ferelden and their orlesian bard girlfriend

for f!tabris, a quiet visit to highever's alienage to honor nelaros with leliana accompanying her for support

tabris does in fact grow (white) roses around vigil's keep, and then again when the darkspawn attack destroys with orders to maintain the bushes even if they return rarely to it, if at all

once leliana's built up enough of a functional spynetwork, she's gonna find and bring home the elves that were sold into slavery during the blight

until bioware tells me otherwise, leliana has shianni working as one of her best agents (ensuring she's never placed in something she can't handle) as well soris & his gaggle of kids and her father-in-law cyrion are kept safe and well taken care of because that's her family!!!

their villa and/or divine apartments or whatever has plenty of nugs and ravens because of course she was going to keep all of them you can't get rid of baron plucky he's like a son to us

i always imagined the tabris/leliana wedding to be like that scene from wreck-it-ralph where all the soldiers have their guns pointed at the window but for them it's holding a bunch of swords and crossbows

[elderwisp]

YOU LIKE DRAGON AGE??? TASTE!!!! do u have any info about your protags up (and would u like to share some if not 👉👈) another wisp w fr

GOD YES! Such a beautiful game with characters that have rich storylines! I've replayed DA:I so much just because of the feeling it gave me exploring each region and unlocking everyone's backstory! I did some digging around in the old DA Tapestry as well as pulled up some screenshots! The only pictures I couldn't find were from DA2 so that's from the Wiki 💀

DA: Origins: For Origins, I played as an elf mage named Warden Neira. Her romance was Leliana after breaking things off with Alistair. Alistair became king. Uhm, sad news, bestie didn't make it. 😗😗😗 It's weird because this game was super enjoyable for me but I remember it the least. I think I was overloaded by each decision and quests that everything became a bit fuzzy! I'd love to replay it again, I like the idea of different intros based off class and race so it felt very immersive!

DA: 2 I played as a rouge for Marian Hawke and romanced Fenris. It was my first time playing a rouge in the DA series but after knowing how being a mage and romancing Fenris brings up different dialogue, I've always been curious! I did uh,m, k*ll Anders after the whole debacle. I just- After like processing everything I was like DUDE!! Isabela stayed with us while Bethany became a grey warden. I actually loved the romance in this game, especially the intensity of Fenris colliding with a sarcastic Hawke LIKE THAT WALL PIN WAS EVERYHTING-

DA: I Inquisitor Thalionelle specialized as a Knight-Enchanter. Ok so this was the first game I played, so a lot of the decisions I made, I look back and SCREAM! I took the route of Champions of the Just. In Here Lies the Abyss, Hawke was left in the fade... (I absolutely hated myself after play DA: 2 I WAS LIKE U BASTARD!!) In What Pride Had Wrought, Morrigan drank into the well. Cassandra became divine. The wardens rebuilt annnnnd I declared for the Inquisition but we disbanded after Trespasser. I was friends with every companion and completed each quest. (Iron Bull didn't try to kill me in Trespasser, thank glorb!) Hmm so romances, because it was my first time, I didn't progress them in a linear sense. So I romanced Blackwall first but then I broke things off and stayed friends. Then there was Solas and I was like pfft, what could come from this? He practically hates me- Anyways bro literally ripped my heart and ran off with my arm!

[theheraldsrest]

Hello! First of all, I'd like to say I love your writing and the blog/posts organization is just so neat.

I wanted to know if you write things with trans characters? If not that's completely fine too.

If yes, here's my request: how about the Inquisitor coming out as a trans man? As in, he already passes as a man, but somehow the companions learn about it, like them seeing surgery scars and the Inquisitor coming out or something similar.

The characters I'd really like to see would be Dorian, Cullen, Solas.

If it helps, my Inquisitor is Lavellan and mage.

This is a pretty self indulgent request lol but feel free to change anything in the it if it helps in the writing!

“Companions react to Mage!Lavellan!Inquisitor coming out as Trans(Male)”

Got a bad joke for yall. “What did Andraste keep losing at her wedding? The Veil, it kept Fading away.” Not sorry.

-Lord Lex

Cullen

-Panics over your scars because WHAT KIND OF CREATURE WOULD CAUSE THAT SORT OF TEARING?! After a a quick explanation, he is a little embarrased but respects that. Will still call you sir and what not. What? He respects anyone who wants to fight, no matter who they are. He’ll defend your honor and stand by you if someone tries to pry or make comments on it, no matter what

Josephine

-Concerned and asks if the scars were meant to be there or if something happened. Coming out to her, you just get a “Oh! Understandable,” and goes about her day. She won’t say anything more about it but, if she does have one or two questions, she might ask privately and if you’re alright with answering. Wants to make sure you’re alright.

Leliana

-First thought was that someone tortured you and that she needs to go out for blood. Telling her, she’ll calm down and go about her business. She’s very neutral about it. Doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, if you can stab something, you’re good.

Vivienne

-Oh, congrats darling! She thinks you look perfect but does excuse herself since you didn’t have the chance to tell her how you wanted to. Is curious on who did it for you because it is some exceptional work.

Varric

-Already respected you but it’s a new found respect. Good for you for being who you want to be. Knows a few people who’ve been through the same, some with similar stories and some with different. Well, some don’t get as easy a chance but that’s why he’s happy for you. You made it so far.

Cole

-He knows. I mean, he’s always known like everybody else, right? You became yourself a long time ago. What people see is you but they don’t know that there was another you. The one that you had to be, not wanted to be. There are scars there, to prove it, but they don’t see the ones that he does. The painful ones, the hardened ones, the once-loved ones. He sees you.

Solas

-Huh. Interesting. Solas will then excuse himself for intruding on you. What? That’s your business. What you care to share with him is up to you. He can only choose how he responds and he responds by complimenting you on this change. Though he is a little curious on what others might think, he’ll be there if you need someone. Or even taking it to the grave. He’s a very good liar, trust me.

(Personal headcanon: I think elves just don't care. I don't mean that in a rude aspect. I mean they'll respect you for your choices and how you treat your people and others.)

Cassandra

-Has to pause for a solid minute to comprehend. She’ll be very flustered and a little red in the face as she looks away to give you privacy but she will also have you be very exact on how she should address you. It’s not hard for her to remember, but she just wants to make sure she hasn’t been fucking up this entire time and calling you something you rather not be called.

The Iron Bull

-...Was…was he not supposed to know? If this had been his first time witnessing this sort of thing, he might have made even less of a deal about it. Bull’s from the Qun, after all. They don’t care about that. But having known someone who’s had to go through something similar, he treats it with caution and makes sure to know what you’re ok with. It’s important to know who’s on your side and how they see you, to know you got people in your corner who will respect you even when you share something like this.

Dorian

-Fuck yeah! Good for you! Good on you for being who you want to be and not letting some arse holes choose for you! This calls for drinks! Kidding, but he will pretend he doesn’t know so that you can come out on your own terms to him. And then you’ll get drinks. Gods help the poor fool who tries to make a rude comment on it or just be a complete buffoon when addressing you. You both still laugh about the one noble’s butt catching fire.

Sera

-It quite surprises her. At first, she thought it was some sort of joke tattoo about boobs. Until you tell her what they really are. Perplexed and a little fascinated, she just starts bombarding you with a bunch of questions. If you don’t want her to ask much about it, she’ll stop and respect your space. She’s a heathen so she knows when to step over some lines, but she also knows when to draw the line.

Blackwall

-Oh, nice scars. He’s got a few on his chest as well. There’s this one from a battle a few years ago, there’s this one from a misunderstanding, there’s- Wait, what. You come out to him and he sits there for a tic, processing. But you’re male right? Yes, you tell him, but you weren’t always. But you are now? Then that’s what matters. He’ll still call you sir and such because that’s who you are.

[morganaseren]

While I would love to ask about all of your WIP's how about just The Magic Floating in the Air?

Pairing: Leliana/Niamh Cousland/Bethany Hawke

Rating: General

AU: The Magic Floating in the Air

---

"You once told me that you met my lovers before I did."

Cassandra's lips pursed, immediately suspicious even as she tipped her glass forward for Leliana to pour more wine. "Yes... what of it?"

"Well, you never bothered to elaborate on that point."

"For good reason." Her frown deepened. "For that matter, why are you not asking them about this yourself?"

"I did!" Leliana insisted with a laugh. "But Bethany merely sighed at me before muttering that her brother and sister still tease her about the incident. She told me I was better off asking you. Niamh said much the same."

Granted, Niamh had been in far better cheer at the inquiry.

Leliana could still remember the way those ghostly-grey eyes seemed to gleam with amusement as they stared at her over the rim of a tea cup. "You are a storyteller beyond compare, Leliana; I would never dare to measure myself against you in that regard. In this instance, however, I assure you the tale would be best told from the Seeker's perspective..."

Perhaps plied by the alcohol--a truly rare vintage seldom found outside of Rivain--and the fact they were alone in the sitting room of Leliana's villa, Cassandra sighed before reluctantly speaking.

"I was asked to help track down a dragon that had been terrorizing the borders of Perendale. Ages ago, the Hunterhorn Mountains were a favored breeding ground of the beasts. That they were seen again in recent memory was thought to be an ill omen by many of the locals there. Sightings reported the dragon to be rust-colored with what appeared to be red crystals growing out of its hide like an infestation." She swirled her glass thoughtfully as she pondered upon the memory.

"My party and I set off for the forested mountainside, deep into the territory the creature was said to have made its nest. Of course, it was not to immediately be found there, but rather than wander about aimlessly in unfamiliar terrain, we opted to wait for its return. By some fortune, our attention was soon caught by the beating of wings overhead." She paused. "Do you recall the description I gave of the dragon?"

"I do."

"Well, as luck would have it, the dragon we saw circling about the mountainside didn't at all match the eyewitness accounts given to us. Immense as it was, it wasn't difficult to see that it was black-scaled rather than red." Cassandra's eyes darted to her then before continuing dryly. "'With eyes that only moonlight could envy...'"

She blinked, momentarily surprised her colleague had remembered something she had said in passing some years ago when Leliana had realized just how deeply infatuated she was with Niamh. Still, she couldn't help her smile as realization dawned on her. "You didn't."

Cassandra winced. "I did... and I nearly lost my head for it. No sooner had I ordered the first array of arrows shot, I heard something rampaging through the forest just beyond the clearing my party and I were in. I had thought it perhaps the original dragon we were sent to hunt, looking to defend its likely mate. Instead, an axe flung itself out of the foliage."

There was a long pause before Leliana watched in amazement as the imposing warrior almost seemed to shrink against the chaise lounge with her continued recollection.

"...Honestly, until that moment, I'd never known Knight-Enchanters could summon spiritual weapons beyond swords."

Her lips quirked up into a smirk, recognizing one of her lovers' trademarks. "Bethany, I assume?"

Cassandra sighed. "Yes. And I'm sure you've long known now that both Lady Hawke and Lady Cousland have siblings--all warriors no less."

She arched a brow as she sipped at her wine, waiting for Cassandra to continue.

The other woman averted her gaze, shifting awkwardly in her seat. "Even with their combined force, they almost weren't able to stop Lady Hawke from trying to attack me..."

---POV SWITCH---

"Oh, you were in quite the predicament, no?" Leliana chuckled. "Angering Bethany is almost as rare as enraging Niamh."

"I'm aware..." Cassandra groused.

Lady Hawke held a revered position as a Knight-Enchanter much like her mentor, the illustrious Madame de Fer. She was a level-headed woman, whom preferred using her magic to tend to the various patients in her clinics rather than for violence.

...but there was no denying Lady Hawke's ire had been provoked terribly that day.

Callous fingers tugged uncomfortably at the collar of her tunic at the memory, recalling the heat of the other woman's fury, which radiated from her form even at a distance. Cassandra had almost been convinced she'd be roasted inside her armor. She likely would have if the dragon hadn't swooped down into the clearing then. The warrior was all but prepared to fight a two-front battle against the furious mage and the great beast until the latter seemed to... melt in place.

No.

Cassandra frowned as she still struggled to put into words what she saw so many years ago.

The creature did indeed shrink in size as it neared the ground, but it was like a gossamer veil of pitch and silver had wreathed itself around the dragon as it did so. Massive wings transitioned into flowing sleeves of darkened robes while the great sets of horns that crowned its head wilted to become raven-haired tresses that fell down in gentle waves to frame soft, Fereldan features. Concern was apparent in the woman's expression, but it was not for herself despite the earlier attack on her. Rather, it was for the Knight-Enchanter whose rage almost couldn't be contained. Yet, it took only a few quiet words murmured by Cassandra's would-be prey while framing the mage's face between her hands did the tension finally seem to bleed away from her.

"Well, seeing as you're here to still tell the tale, you seem to have gotten away unscathed."

Cassandra found herself drawn back to the present at Leliana's words, but she couldn't stop the small huff that escaped her as she recalled what had followed after the incident. "Yes, but my uncle gave me quite the earful for it afterward."

"Oh?" That actually seemed to surprise the other woman. "How odd. Niamh's not one to hold grudges if there was truly no ill intent meant. I would have assumed she'd have diffused the situation."

"She did; however, Lady Cousland was his guest speaker for Nevarra's Mortalitasi Symposium that year. That, and he'd also been trying for the better part of a decade at that point to have her accept tenure as a professor at one of the country's premier universities for necromancy. While you and I both know that she'd never truly consider accepting residency anywhere away from you and Lady Hawke, my uncle is more than half-convinced I had undone any progress he'd made in that regard. He continually reminds me of the fact that I've denied him a worthy successor." She stared irritably into the depths of her wine glass. "He had long accepted the fact that I would never give him any grand nieces or nephews, but now he bemoans that I've sentenced him to working until the end of his days, especially with his advanced age... He even went so far as to tell me he'd seal his spirit in the podium of his classroom if he could not find a candidate to replace him before his passing. That, of course, means I now have half the university board after me in the hopes I might be able to dissuade him. They believe he'll frighten away any prospective students outside of Nevarra."

When she didn't immediately receive a response, Cassandra drew her gaze away from her glass to see that Leliana had pressed a hand over her eyes. Cassandra also couldn't miss the other woman's smile as she bit her lip, trying very hard not to laugh if the shaking shoulders were any indication.

Not that she could be faulted.

Still, Cassandra sighed. "Laugh if you wish to. I will not say anything."

Peals of laughter soon echoed across the walls of the room, causing Cassandra to roll her eyes while she drained the rest of her wine. Her uncle's eccentricities aside--along with the fact that her first meeting with Leliana's lovers could be seen as rather humiliating--Cassandra supposed it could have been far worse.

Had the three women been in an established relationship together back then, Cassandra could only imagine the utter hellfire Leliana would have unleashed upon her. She knew how protective her colleague could be over her lovers, especially if they had been harmed in any way.

Cassandra could only count her blessings, thankful that fate had chosen to be kind to her that day.

((Sorry this took so long, friend! I gave you an extra scene since I was undecided on whose POV I liked better for this. Hope you like it!))

[traxanaxanos]

I'd love to hear about one random headcanon you have about Greskrendtregk, if you'd like!

You know how in some videogames certain actions will get you a little "Clementine will remember that" or "Leliana <3 (+10)" message that pops up in the left hand corner? Please envision a "Traxanaxanos was so excited to answer this all day at work +100 Tumblr delight" message in the top left of your screen right now. Thank you for asking me about my favorite non-character, my specialist guy, Greskrendtregk Wildman.

Five facts exist about him in canon: his name is Greskrendtregk (name which has been passed down for five generations), he's a Ktarian, he's married to Samantha, and he was aboard Deep Space 9 when Voyager left. Samantha phrases it as "my husband is still at Deep Space 9" in Elogium, which I think was meant to imply more of a Starfleet assignment than him just chilling there as a civilian, and beta-canon then makes it explicit that he is enrolled in Starfleet as well. So - Deep Space 9 assignment:

Greskrendtregk is an engineer, but not the kind of Starfleet engineer we typically see involved with the engines and the warpcores of starships. I think he's much more interested in the immediate biological needs of living in space: the environmental controls, humidity and breathable air and comfortable temperatures, the structural soundness of bulkheads and walls. He's an HVAC guy, he does structural and mechanical engineering, he's who you call if life-support goes down, or if the ambassador from Betazed somehow accidentally sets the whole station to a relative humidity of 70% instead of just her quarters.

While this is of course a useful skill-set on starships, he's more interested in environemnts that are much more oriented towards long-term or permanent habitation, and preferably stationary (and boy after Samantha goes missing on a two week expedition does this sedentary tendency increase a thousand fold), such as space stations, nascent colonies, and far-flung research stations, which is why he was assigned to Deep Space 9.

Also, because I love him and because I love this ask: a bonus second headcanon!

This is an image I have seen around tumblr. I think it is from Chainsaw Man (?), but to me it is pure Wildmancore.

Greskrendtregk and Samantha's first date was probably her taking him to like an aquarium or a birdblind or something and just infodumping about an animal for way too long but at minute 4 of 26 Greskrendtregk is already like

<<<:3 *planning their wedding*

She does realize she's doing it eventually and tries to ask him his thoughts on the animal to give him a moment to talk and he's like "I have never once before considered the existence of this animal but now I understand it is a wonder of evolution and will look for it everywhere and treat it with the appropriate awe when I see it. What are your thoughts on [species of mold that evolved to fill the ecological niche of Jeffries tubes]?" and then Samantha also starts planning their wedding.

[vigilskeep]

Hii <3 I was the bethy anon ! Don't wanna spam too much , but i do tend to ramble when it comes to my favorite birdie tbh ... Oh but i was wondering what do you think her "canon" (canon in quotes bc always picture both twins living) choices after being made Inquisitor would look like ?? I know she believes in the maker , but would she believe she's truly Andraste's chosen ?? oooo other biggie i always think about is her top contenders for romantic interests !! I'd love to see her interactions with Sera, omg or Krem ?!

Thanks again for your time :) Hope you're havin a lovely day ! !

my stance towards bethany believing she’s andraste’s chosen is less would she and more how could i push her to that point, because i think a little religious delusion can really only improve her whole vibe. i don’t think she would necessarily jump right to claiming it—far too self-conscious, for one thing—but i don’t think it would be that hard to make her believe it, either, because bethany loves a good Narrative, and believing her gifts are from the maker is really important to her. is getting one more power from him really so hard to believe?

i’m most familiar with circle mage bethany, who would free the mages. i think she would probably keep celene on the throne, and i wouldn’t be surprised if she exiled the wardens. what are the other choices in this game i can’t remember

i’d be rlly fascinated to see bethany and sera’s relationship but i don’t know if it would work romantically. they both try so hard to be what the other is desperately trying not to be and do not take well to people picking at their pretences. my first choices for bethy to romance someone would be josephine (bethany loves fairytale romance. and rich people), blackwall (in the instance she lets being called a lady go to her head), or, as a bit of a wild card, the iron bull (bethany does not trust the qunari but her curiosity always gets the better of her and honestly i just want to see what happens with these two in a room). i’m also up for bethany/leliana and bethany/morrigan but really we could be here all day

[herald-divine-hell]

My Journey Through Thedas

As Veilguard downloads on my PC, I thought to give my journey through the Dragon Age games and what BioWare's fantastical world has meant for me over the years.

Let it be known, I have been critical with aspects and elements of Thedas' worldbuilding, as well as routes I thought have been fascinating to delve into but BioWare either did not think or were incapable of actually implementing in game (Leliana/Inquisitor). Despite this, Dragon Age is one of my favorite series of all time, and this is my first ever Dragon Age release! So, why don't we go down along memory lane.

I first played Dragon Age in the summer of 2015, at my aunt's house in Texas (at the time, I had lived in New Jersey). While waiting for my family to get ready to get ice cream, I asked my aunt if I could hope onto my cousin's PlayStation 4, because of how terribly bored I was. Thankfully she agreed, and while going through his game sections, I noticed this really cool dragon covering, with a man weilding a sword and shooting a something like a green lasso at the dragon. On it, it read Dragon Age: Inquisition. I was, and still am, a huge fantasy fan, so the sight of that looked really fucking cool. So I hoped in, and went on my cousins save, and there he was at, seemingly just having arrived at Skyhold. I was utterly confused, so I went back and started - as I should have done - a new game.

And oh, boy. Was I excited. The character creator (despite nowadays a weird revisionist take that somehow DAI's character creator was actually bad - I'll give the hair tho) was absolutely fantastic, and since I love nobility I picked a male Trevelyan mage...who was white with violet eyes. (I can't recall if that was the time I started to like Dragon Age, but I played mostly white characters). And oh boy, I was in for a treat.

The opening cutscene was amazing, and there I saw the greatest thing that has ever graced my screen - Leliana, hooded and beautiful. At the time, I thought she was actually Muslim, because I thought her shawl was a hijab. Silly dumb fourteen year old Tim, lol. But I fell instantly in love with Leliana, especially when she stopped Cassandra from beating my ass for someone I had no idea I did. ("She likes me!" No, child Tim. She just wanted info. "No, she loves me.")

And from there it grew. I went and bought DA:I on my Xbox, and began to read Dragon Age Fanfiction, specifically Leliana and Inquisitor. One of my favorite fanfics was actually the Leliana/Inquisitor Trading Secrets by dats__gayyy (who never wrote that Trespasser epilogue :() Shoutout to them for introducing me and giving confidence to write my own fanfic. But at the time, I noticed a heavy leaning toward women, so I thought it was only fair that my first real Inquisitor should be a women rather than that prototype Trevelyan on my cousin's PS4. And in that year, the Hamilton soundtrack came out, right before they went to broadway. It was a match made in heaven. Hamilton - Trevelyan - they sound similar, no! And as I read Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton, images and thoughts of Alexandra appeared before me. A hyperactive, bisexual mess who loves to write and refuses to sleep? Perfect for Leliana! And from there, Alexandra Trevelyan, dearly beloved for so many of my friends were born, scarily pale skin and green-golden eyes all!

And from there, Dragon Age saved me. Without Dragon Age, I don't think I'll be alive. I certainly wouldn't have made a Tumblr and met all my lovely friends who provided a safe and secured space for me to explore and recognize my depression and anxiety, and who loved me despite my many, many faults. There were tough times in this fandom, and great times too, and though I may share my frustrations, I still remember going through Haven for the first time to reach the Breach, and seeing Leliana's face, and a very sparkly-eyed Tim whose heart was going to burst from his chest at the sight of her. Can't believe next year will be ten years since I fell for that Orlesian bard, lmao. Now I understand the Warden's pain.

No matter if this game is good or bad, thank you BioWare for making this. Thank you to all the developers unjustly let off by EA after Veilguard's development was over. Thank you all for existing! Now, let's go crack some eggs!

[deviija]

Alright, let's do thisss. Here's my Rook!

Name: Renga Jettine "Jet" Adaar

Codename: Jet Barracuda

Faction: Shadow Dragons Agent

Role: Infiltration & Espionage Specialist

Age: 20

The adopted dwarf daughter of my Inquisitor, Red Bear Adaar, and his husband Iron Bull.

1.

Jettine is a girl in her rebel yell phase of life, coming into her own, figuring out who she is outside of growing up with her two dads and the Inquisition. She's a little cocky in her own abilities, and is in the militant anti-authority mindset that comes with being a young passionate 20 year old with something to prove. Someone that is freshly on their own for the first time, and thinking they know everything and have it all under control.

This extends to her views on nobility, royalty, the power structures involed. She's against it but knows from her soft-handed diplomat papa, Red Bear, that you get more flies with honey and an open dialogue. She grew up watching him and how he moved in negotiations, diffusing hostility with kindness, and navigating a world prejudiced and wary of Qunari. Sometimes you just have to 'play the game,' as her mentor Leliana said. Beat them at their own social webs, outmaneuver them, crack the system from within little by little. And don't get caught.

2.

While not religious, Jet has taken on an agnostic viewpoint like her papa (Red Bear). She believes in the/a Maker, but not necessarily what is written in books and sold by Chantries or the Dalish or the Avvar.

She definitely isn't a believer in the Qun, but appreciates being brought up in a home where it and the politics of it were openly talked about. She learned a lot on the Qun from her dad, Iron Bull, and found the ways Leliana spoke about the Maker and faith (and the struggles of having it) to be deeply meaningful. She desires to believe it all has meaning, that it is all worth something, and that they're not all just flailing in the dark without purpose. If it all amounted to nothing… well, that's more frightening to Jet to even consider.

3.

The biggest motivation in Jet's life right now is to 'make it' on her own, embracing this new free phase of her life, deciding for herself what she wants to do and who she is going to be. Figuring herself out, proving herself (to herself, to her dads, and to the world at large), and doing good along the way for the Greater Good. Being part of the Shadow Dragons, helping to free slaves in Tevinter, sabotage 'experiments' and relics used on innocents, and fight the good fight against ruling oppression, is a big part of that.

Her dream is to be… a somebody. To have left a positive mark on the world, one her dads would be proud of.

Also to kiss a lot of hot girls.

4.

Jettine is an orphan. Her family was killed by demons outside of Redcliffe during the events of the Breach and the demon rifts that opened up across the countryside. Jet was 8 years old at the time. Trying to flee to safer pastures, her birth family (mom, dad, two sisters) moved in with her grandfather on his little goat farm he had outside of Redcliffe. One night, a rift opened right outside and the worst fiery nightmare of her young life happened. Being so small, her sister pushed her into a clothing cupboard to hide when the massacre happened.

The ceiling and stones caved in, trapping her in the cupboard but also keeping her safe from the demons. She spent three days in the dark before Inquisitor Red Bear, Iron Bull, Dorian, and Sera came along to seal the rift and pulled her out of the rubble. She became like a barnacle on Red Bear and Iron Bull after that. Officially they were able to adopt her in Trespasser. Dorian became her godfather and Sera became Auntie Sera. Her adopted family means everything to her. They're all very close.

5.

Card games. Jet loves to play cards - and is something of a card shark pro. One of the only thing she remembers about her birth mother is getting a gift of cards and being taught how to play. The cards had hand painted locales of places from across Thedas, and it instilled within her a desire to see the world for herself. And to carry those cards, and this memory of her mother, with her to all the places she dreamed about.

Playing cards also helps her to focus, organize her thoughts, and strategize. When she needs to think something through or clear her head/decompress, she'll start shuffling. She also has hypermobile joints, can guess any seasoning spice in a dish, and is a great whittler.

6.

Jet's scent is a mix of patchouli, leather, and caramel, with top notes of almond and mandarin orange.

She could eat her weight in spicy almonds.

If she were a meal, she'd be an almond pear tart or an almond stew (Khoresht Badam).

7.

Jet's ruled more by her heart. Her passions set her course, and her dogged determination and sheer willpower carries her through more than logic. Heart, spirit, head, in that order. Despite being highly trained and capable, she's still young and going to make mistakes when passion overrules thought on the crossroads of recklessness and thrill seeking/something to prove.

Her persuasion, diplomacy, and (spycraft) emotional manipulation style is 40 percent Ethos, 30 percent Pathos, 30 percent Logos. Though it can veer more toward 60 Ethos, 30 Pathos, 10 Logos.

8.

The biggest flaws for Jet: the drive to prove herself, being young and overeager and overconfident at times, biting off more than she can chew. Jumping into missions that can end up way above her head in terms of the ripple effect or geopolitical ramifications. She's focused on the short-term, immediate objectives and can lose sight of the much larger picture's butterfly effect.

Irrational regret: She has survivor's guilt and lives with an internal dialogue about how she should've done something to save her family. It doesn't matter that she was only a child. "If only I were smarter, faster, stronger…"

[daitranscripts]

The Left Hand of the Divine Pt. 4a

Rebirth

Leliana Masterpost First: A Message Previous: Natalie’s Fate

The PC finds Leliana in the rookery.

Scout: Grand Cleric Victoire has offered the ambassador support for the Inquisition.

Leliana: Ah, Natalie is as persuasive as ever.

The PC approaches.

Scout: I’m told that Ambassador Montilyet is pleased with the… restraint you showed in Valence.

Leliana: Ugh, she’s positively beside herself. I will never hear the end of it. “Niceness before knives, Leliana! Haven’t I always told you?”

Scout: Will that be all, my lady?

Leliana: For now.

The scout bows at the PC before leaving.

Dialogue options:

General: How are you? [1]

General: Ah, new friends! [2]

General: Trouble? [3]

1 - General: How are you? PC: How have you been feeling since Valence? Leliana: Good. Wonderful. Valence was something of a rebirth for me. [4]

2 - General: Ah, new friends! PC: I love making new friends, don’t you? Leliana: It was a gamble, Inquisitor, but it paid off. [4]

3 - General: Trouble? PC: Are we having trouble with Natalie? Leliana: Not at all. It seems we will benefit from sparing her after all, and I have you to thank for that. [4]

4 - Scene continues.

Leliana: If you hadn’t been with me at Valence, I would have killed Natalie. I’d have told you that I didn’t have a choice, but there is always a choice.

She looks down at the box.

Leliana: I am more than this. I am more than what Justinia made me.

5 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Are you quitting? [6]

Investigate: Are you angry with Justinia? [7]

General: You’re more than even she was. [8]

General: Did this monologue help? [9]

General: Then forget her. [10]

6 - Investigate: Are you quitting? PC: What does this mean for my Inquisition? Will you still be my spymaster? Leliana: Of course. I would not give up my post, not after everything we’ve built. I just know now that I shouldn’t ignore my heart. Mercy is not always a weakness.

Dialogue options:

Investigate: Are you angry with Justinia? [7]

General: Justinia did well in the end. [8]

General: Did this monologue help? [9]

General: Then forget her. [10]

7 - Investigate: Are you angry with Justinia? PC: Do you resent Justinia for what she did? Leliana: How can I when there is so much between us, when she gave her life for peace? No, I believe her intentions were pure. Most intentions are. [back to 5]

8 - General: You’re more than even she was./Justinia did well in the end PC: You’ve exceeded her. She could never have imagined the power you now hold. Leliana: And now I will know how to use that power wisely. I have to stay true to who I really am—before a spymaster, Left Hand, or bard. [11]

9 - General: Did this monologue help? PC: Does saying all this out loud make you feel any different? Leliana: Yes, actually. Giving the thought a voice forces me to admit what Justinia did to me. I have to stay true to who I really am—before a spymaster, Left Hand, or bard. [11]

10 - General: Then forget her. PC: Then put Justinia behind you. Remember you’re Inquisition now. Leliana: Of course. I won’t forget my duty, and I won’t forget that it is not all I am. [11]

11 - Scene continues.

She looks at the box again.

Leliana: I almost lost myself.