#my first long term character was a cleric

[wizardofpalmsprings]

Kingston Brown is the first D20 character I really got attached to. There was something about him that really resonated with me. He’s warm, he’s the voice of the city, he’s messy, he still loves his ex, he takes a down on his luck trans man in, he lives with his family. He IS New York City - he encapsulates one of the multitude versions of the true American Dream. December 21st? He’s making breakfast

[squirrelwithatophat]

How the Chantry (and Orlais) Turned Kirkwall into a Police State

One aspect of the Dragon Age series that I’ve always found odd is the way in which rather crucial political and historical context surrounding major conflicts the player must decide tends to be relegated to codices, outside materials (e.g., books), and optional dialogue with minor characters... meaning that many if not most players don’t seem to end up actually seeing it.  Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts (Dragon Age Inquisition) in particular has become somewhat notorious for what it left out, but it’s far from unusual.

With regard to Dragon Age II, there’s a popular perception among fans that the troubles in Kirkwall can be attributed almost entirely to rogue behavior on the part of Knight-Commander Meredith and various evil blood mages.  This is understandable given the overall narrative framing and Bioware’s aforementioned problem of making key context very easy to miss.  But once we take a look at the full picture, it ought to be clear that the Chantry did not simply “fail” in their responsibilities towards the mages or towards the citizens of Kirkwall more broadly — they actively created and maintained the very nightmare they later professed to be dismayed about.

Moreover, despite the running Mages vs. Templars theme, the mages were hardly the only one's who suffered under Meredith's rule. Indeed, Kirkwall endured a brutal 16-year-long dictatorship (9:21-9:37 Dragon) that came into being courtesy of the Chantry and the Orlesian empire and only fell due to the mage rebellion.

Here I’ll describe in detail (with sources and citations) the story of how the Chantry turned Kirkwall into a police state and one that ultimately descended into what the writers themselves termed "genocide."  

The Templar Coup of 9:21 Dragon

Our story begins with the conflict between Viscount Perrin Threnhold of Kirkwall and Emperor Florian Valmont of Orlais.  

With the beginning of the Dragon Age (the era), the Orlais had experienced a major loss of territory and influence.  In 9:00-9:02 Dragon (the exact dates conflict), the Fereldan Rebellion led by Maric Theirin and Loghain Mac Tir overthrew Meghren, the last Orlesian King of Ferelden (personally appointed to the position by Emperor Florian himself), and reclaimed their country’s independence after nearly a century of Orlesian occupation.  These events are described in detail in The Stolen Throne. Emperor Florian, however, remained reluctant to recognize Ferelden’s sovereignty -- with peace between the two countries not being fully established until his death and the ascension of his niece Celene to the throne in 9:20 Dragon -- and may have been eager to reassert Orlesian influence in the region.  Perrin Threnhold, meanwhile, ascended to the position of viscount of Kirkwall (also formerly occupied by Orlais) in 9:14 Dragon.  At some point during this volatile period, Threnhold decided to raise money by charging what the Orlesians regarded as unreasonably high tolls for passage through the Waking Sea, which also controlled Orlais’s sea access to Ferelden and its capitol, Denerim.

For reference, here’s a map with my highlights:

The Orlesian Chantry, founded by Kordillus Drakon I (the first emperor of Orlais), had from the beginning been dominated by Orlesian interests.  According to World of Thedas vol. 1 (p. 56): “The Orlesian capital, Val Royeaux, is home to the Chantry’s Grand Cathedral, the center of the Andrastian religion’s power.  Over multiple Blights, the Orlesians have used the Chantry to expand their influence beyond the nation’s impressive borders, notably to the north into Tevinter territory and southeast through Ferelden.”  The Chantry, not surprisingly, had backed the Orlesian invasion and occupation of Ferelden, most recently under Divine Beatrix III (probably) and Grand Cleric Bronach of Denerim. It should be noted that this is all part of a pattern of highly-aggressive and imperialistic behavior that has persisted for centuries from the early years up to (potentially) the events of Dragon Age Inquisition.

It also cannot be emphasized enough that the Templars are the Chantry’s army and were created by the Chantry in the first place.  They do not simply hunt and guard mages; they fight the Chantry’s wars and carry out its policies.  Quote: “the Order of Templars was created as the martial arm of the Chantry” (Codex: Templars).  According to First Enchanter Halden of Starkhaven (8:80 Blessed), “While mages often resent the templars as symbols of the Chantry's control over magic, the people of Thedas see them as saviors and holy warriors, champions of all that is good, armed with piety enough to protect the world from the ravages of foul magic. In reality, the Chantry's militant arm looks first for skilled warriors with unshakable faith in the Maker, with a flawless moral center as a secondary concern. Templars must carry out their duty with an emotional distance, and the Order of Templars prefers soldiers with religious fervor and absolute loyalty over paragons of virtue who might question orders when it comes time to make difficult choices.  It is this sense of ruthless piety that most frightens mages when they draw the templars' attention: When the templars are sent to eliminate a possible blood mage, there is no reasoning with them, and if the templars are prepared, the mage's magic is all but useless. Driven by their faith, the templars are one of the most feared and respected forces in Thedas” (Codex: Templars).  Likewise, a Chantry official confirms that the Templars are both “the watchers of the mages and the martial arm of the Chantry” (Codex: Seekers of Truth).  In Dragon Age Origins, the (unwillingly) Templar-trained Alistair elaborates, “Essentially they’re trained to fight. The Chantry would tell you that the templars exist simply to defend, but don’t let them fool you. They’re an army... The Chantry keeps a close reign on its templars. We are given lyrium to help develop our magical talents, you see… which means we become addicted.  And since the Chantry controls the lyrium trade with the dwarves… well, I’m sure you can put two and two together...  The Chantry usually doesn’t let their templars get away, either.”

In response to Threnhold’s intolerable restrictions on the Orlesian navy’s movements in its traditional sphere of influence, Divine Beatrix III, an acknowledged “friend of the emperor” (and predecessor to Divine Justinia V of DAI), ordered the Kirkwall Templars under Knight-Commander Guylian to force open the Waking Sea.  Viscount Threnhold retaliated for this obviously-illegal military interference by ordering the Templars expelled from Kirkwall and later executing the knight-commander.  Then-Knight-Captain Meredith Stannard led the remaining Templars to storm the Keep and arrest Threnhold before appointing a weak viscount unwilling or unable to resist her control.

From Kirkwall: City of Chains by Brother Ferdinand Genitivi (Codex: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 4):

Taxes were crippling and Perrin Threnhold used the ancient chains extending from “the Twins” standing at Kirkwall's harbor—unused since the New Exalted Marches—to block sea traffic and charge exorbitant fees from Orlesian ships. The Empire threatened invasion following the closure of the Waking Sea passage, and for the first time, the Chantry used the templars to pressure the viscount. Until that point, the templars had done nothing to counter the Threnholds even though, as the largest armed force in Kirkwall, they could have. Knight-Commander Guylian's only written comment was in a letter to Divine Beatrix III: “It is not our place to interfere in political affairs. We are here to safeguard the city against magic, not against itself.”  The divine, as a friend to the emperor, clearly had other ideas.

In response, Viscount Perrin hired a mercenary army, forcing a showdown with the templars. They stormed the Gallows and hung Knight-Commander Guylian, igniting a series of battles that ended with Perrin's arrest and the last of his family's rule. The templars were hailed as heroes, and even though they wished to remain out of Kirkwall's affairs, it was now forced upon them.  Knight-Commander Meredith appointed Lord Marlowe Dumar as the new viscount in 9:21 Dragon and she has remained influential in the city's rule ever since.

Given that this was written by a Chantry scholar, the self-justificatory rhetoric surrounding the viscount and the Chantry-instigated coup ought not be surprising.  It appears, however, that in Kirkwall itself popular perceptions of Viscount Perrin Threnhold are in fact fairly polarized.

Whereas Brother Genitivi calls Perrin’s father Chivalry Threnhold “a vicious thug who took power through a campaign of intimidation” and Perrin Threnhold “even worse,” an unnamed servant writing 7 years after the coup paints a rather different picture (Codex: Viscount Marlowe Dumar):

What happened to Viscount Perrin Threnhold was a travesty. I served in the Keep, and my blood boils when I hear people call him a tyrant. He was a good man who tried his best to free Kirkwall from the control of those who use power for their own purposes. It's always been that way here, hasn't it? Long ago it was the Imperium. Then it was the Qunari, then the Orlesians, now the templars... when have we ever ruled ourselves? He tried to kick those templar bastards out and give us real freedom, and what did it get him?

Whether Threnhold was an evil tyrant or a nationalist hero (or both or something else entirely) is beside the point, however.  He was not overthrown for mistreating the citizens of Kirkwall; he was overthrown for opposing Orlais and the Templars (acting as an arm of Orlesian imperialism and in defiance of their official duties).  Seneschal Bran, himself no fan of either Threnhold or the Templars (and the only character to ever discuss the coup out loud), points this out in an easy-to-miss optional conversation in Act 3.

Hawke: What happens if they [the Templars] don’t like the [nobility’s] choice [of viscount]?

Seneschal Bran: Do you know how Viscount Dumar’s predecessor, Perrin Threnhold, left office?  He was a tyrant, certainly, but his rule was not ended until he actively sought to expel the templars.  “The good of all” is inexorably tied to what is good for the templars.

It’s unclear whether Knight-Captain Meredith was acting on her own initiative in toppling Threnhold or whether she received prior encouragement from the Chantry, but either way, what is certain is that the Chantry moved quickly to legitimize her actions and bolster the new order.  Moreover, the intent to seize power for the Chantry and its military forces rather than “liberate” Kirkwall from the depredations of a tyrannical viscount can be seen in the way they illegally imposed their own viscount (one kept submissive through threats of violence) rather than allowing the people to choose or at the very least following accepted selection procedures (i.e., allowing the nobility to vote on the next viscount). Indeed, this refusal to let the nobility select the viscount as per tradition is the basis of Orsino's protest at the beginning of Act 3.

In any event, Grand Cleric Elthina, as the highest-ranking representative of the Chantry in Kirkwall (appointed to her position by Divine Beatrix III herself around 20 years before Act 1) and thus exercising authority over its Templars, presided over the show trial at the end of which Threnhold was imprisoned and later murdered in his cell. Then she rewarded Meredith with a promotion.

According to the codex for Knight-Commander Meredith:

She is credited with removing the previous viscount, Perrin Threnhold, from his position after he attempted to have the templars expelled from the city in 9:21 Dragon.  The acting knight-commander was arrested and executed, and Meredith led a group of templars into the heart of the Keep to capture Threnhold. He was tried and imprisoned three days later by Grand Cleric Elthina and died from poisoning two years later. Meredith was subsequently elevated to her current position.

While merely implied here, Elthina is explicitly confirmed to have given Meredith the position of knight-commander in the first place in World of Thedas vol. 2 (p. 193):

Following Threnhold’s arrest, Grand Cleric Elthina appointed Meredith as the new knight-commander.  At Knight-Commander Meredith’s suggestion, a new viscount was chosen: a man named Marlowe Dumar.

Then in blatant violation of Kirkwall’s own laws and traditions -- again, dictating that the viscount be chosen by the nobility -- the Chantry had allowed newly-installed Knight-Commander Meredith to select the new viscount.  If approached in the Templar-occupied Viscount’s Keep and spoken to in Act 3, Seneschal Bran will explain:

Bran: When a line is judged unfit, or ends, we appoint from Kirkwall’s elite.  Or we would, if the situation was normal.  But it is not.

Hawke: Who nominates a new viscount?

Bran: A consensus of the nobility.  Normally.  And a willing nominee.

It seems to be the general consensus that Marlowe Dumar was chosen specifically because he was weak and willing to play the role of Templar/Chantry puppet (a subheading in Dumar’s WoT v2 entry even explicitly calls him “The Puppet”).  Meredith, after all, is not only responsible for his appointment but has been threatening him into compliance from the very beginning.

Again, Brother Genitivi writes quite bluntly: 

Knight-Commander Meredith appointed Lord Marlowe Dumar as the new viscount in 9:21 Dragon and she has remained influential in the city's rule ever since.

And quoting once more from the unnamed servant:

Now the Chantry has chosen Lord Marlowe Dumar as his replacement. After weeks and weeks of arguing, after telling the nobility that they would be choosing their viscount, after everyone saying it was time to use a new title—why not "king"? Why keep using the name imposed by the Orlesians? And after all that, the Chantry chose him. I suppose I can see why—everyone thinks he has the spine of a jellyfish, and it does seem that way.

Truly, he has the templars on one side, the nobility on the other, and everyone expects him to solve all their problems—yet he has no power to actually accomplish it. He keeps the peace as best he can, and I think he does a good job even if no one else does.

Likewise, to quote from Marlowe Dumar’s entry in World of Thedas vol. 2 (p. 184-185):

The new knight-commander, Meredith, appointed Marlowe to the seat, much to his surprise.  Just before he was crowned, he met in private with the knight-commander at the Gallows.  Marlowe was escorted, surrounded by grim templars, to Meredith’s well-appointed office, and there, she explained her reasons for the choice.  Kirkwall was filled with entitled degenerates... “With my help, you will turn this city around,” she said.  “We will be allies.”  Meredith’s message was clear: Remember who holds power in Kirkwall.  Remember what happened to Threnhold when he overreached.  To drive her point home, she presented Marlowe with a small carven ivory box at his coronation.  The box contained the Threnhold signet ring, misshapen, and crusted with blood. On the inside of the lid were written the words “His fate need not be yours.”  Marlowe ruled Kirkwall without incident for almost a decade, in no small part thanks to Meredith’s backing.  During his reign, the templars grew even more powerful, and the knight-commander’s influence was evident in almost every one of Marlowe’s decisions.

And from Meredith’s entry in WoT vol. 2 (p. 193):

Meredith presented Dumar with a carved ivory box at his crowning.  All present witnessed the viscount going white as a sheet as he opened it... It is not known what the box contained, but the reaction from Dumar made its importance to him obvious.  What is certain is that Dumar never openly or strongly defied the templars.  Over the course of his reign, Meredith’s grip on Kirkwall grew ever tighter, and Dumar’s failure to act absolutely contributed to the events that led to the mage rebellion.

According to Lord Bellamy, “a longtime political ally of Dumar’s” (p. 193):

“Dumar had a good heart.  A good heart and a weak will.  On his own he might have made a good leader, given time.  But he wasn’t on his own.  The knight-commander was always there, looking over his shoulder.  She let him know she was watching, that he wore the crown at her sufferance.  Meredith appointed him. This was a nobleman of only moderate wealth, with little influence.  She knew she could control him and there was little he or anyone else could do about it.”

Ultimately, the coup not only secured Chantry control over Kirkwall but furthered their (and the Orlesian Empire’s) geopolitical interests in the Free Marches as a whole. After all, the “Free Marches is [sic] best known as the breadbasket of Thedas. Its farms along the banks of the great Minanter river are the source of much of the continent’s food” (World of Thedas vol. 1, p. 65), and as with many a real-world “breadbasket,” its natural abundance and misfortune of lying between multiple empires had made it the target of one invasion and occupation after another. After the slave revolt of 25 Ancient toppled the Tevinter Imperium’s hold over the region (see Codex: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 2), the city-state of Kirkwall fell to Qunari invasion in 7:56 Storm, then invasion and occupation by the Orlesian Empire in 7:60 Storm, and finally gained its independence about 45 years later in 8:05 Blessed (see Codex: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 3). Prior to the Chantry-instigated coup, Kirkwall had enjoyed independence under a locally-chosen viscount for around 115 years, with Viscount Perrin Threnhold himself ruling for 7 years.

Other city-states of the Free Marches have likewise fallen under the Chantry’s sphere of influence (if not outright control):

Starkhaven is ruled by the Vael family. According to the codex for The Vaels, “They remain devout, dedicating at least one son or daughter per generation to become a cleric in the chantry.” The sole potential heir to the throne of Starkhaven is of course our DLC companion Sebastian Vael, “The Exiled Prince.” To quote from his first codex: “Sebastian Vael is the only surviving son of the ruling family of Starkhaven, which was murdered in a violent coup d'etat. Sebastian cannot forget the irony that he still lives only because his family was so ashamed of his drinking and womanizing that they committed him to the Kirkwall Chantry against his will… Since then, his belief in the Maker and His plan for Thedas have been unshakable. Embracing his new role, Sebastian took vows of poverty and chastity to become a sworn brother of the Chantry... until word of his family's deaths forced him to take up worldly concerns once again.” Elthina appears to have been playing mind games with Sebastian from the very beginning -- first she agrees to have him confined in her Chantry, then poses as a secret benefactor helping him escape from her clutches, with the revelation of her identity as said pretend benefactor leading him to embrace her authority and the life of a Chantry brother with genuine enthusiasm (see the Sebastian short story or his WoT v2 entry for details).  After his family’s murder, Elthina urges him to remain with her rather than reclaim the throne.  Yet when he gives up on seeking the throne and actually does attempt to return to the Chantry during “a crisis of faith,” he is “turned away by Grand Cleric Elthina, who believed he had not yet committed fully to either course” (see Codex: Sebastian - The Last Three Years), leaving him confused and even more under her thrall than ever.

Ostwick is dominated by the devout, staunchly pro-Chantry Trevelyan family. According to the codex for Trevelyan, the Free Marcher: “It is an old and distinguished family, in good standing among its peers, and with strong ties to the Chantry. Its youngest sons and daughters—those third- or fourth-born children with little chance of becoming heirs—often join the Chantry to become templars or clerics.”

Tantervale is certainly... special. According to WoT vol. 1 (p. 71): “Chantry rule is all but absolute in Tantervale, earning the city its dour reputation. The city guard is obsessed with enforcement. A street urchin would get a year in the dungeon for something that would get him a pat on the back in Orlais” (p. 71).

But let us return to Kirkwall, shall we?

"The Puppet”: The Reign of Viscount Marlowe Dumar (9:21-9:34 Dragon)

Viscount Marlow Dumar’s status as an impotent tool of the Chantry and its Templars appears to be common knowledge in Kirkwall.  Various characters, from city guards to lowlifes like Gamlen, casually refer to Meredith as if she is head of state and defer to her authority.

Immediately upon approaching the gates of the city in the first quest of the game, The Destruction of Lothering (Act 1), the following exchange occurs:

Guardsman Wright: So Knight-Commander Meredith wants us to sort you all out. Most of you are getting right back on your ships, though.

Hawke: That's a templar title. Why would a city guardsman answer to the templars?

Wright: We don't answer to her... but she's the power in Kirkwall. Don't know what would happen if the viscount went against something she wanted... But he's sure never taken that chance.

Likewise, if asked about “the word on the street,” Corff the bartender remarks as early as Act 1, “People say Meredith's the real power in Kirkwall, not the Viscount. Even Dumar answers to her.”

Ordinary citizens appear terrified of Meredith, and with good reason.  During the quest Enemies Among Us (Act 1, set in 9:31 Dragon), we get the following exchange with the sister of a Templar recruit:

Macha: I pleaded with him not to join the Order, but he wouldn't listen. You hear dark rumors about the templars and Knight-Commander Meredith. And now my brother is gone.

Hawke: (“Are templars so bad here?”) In Lothering, some templars died protecting villagers. I never heard any dark rumors.

Macha: And those are the stories my Keran adored. But it is not like that here, serah. There is a growing darkness in the order. They prowl the streets in packs. Hunting. And now, they say their duties put them above us, that they have the right to... take people from their homes. It is frightening.

Hawke: (“Tell me about Meredith”) What do people say about Knight-Commander Meredith?

Macha:  Oh, she has many admirers. They laud the service she does in keeping the mages in check.  But others say she is terribly fierce and utterly without pity. That she sees demons everywhere.  It is dangerous even to whisper such things.  People harboring escaped mages just disappear.  Templars interrogate and threaten passers-by.  My friend has a cousin who’s a mage, and she says he was made Tranquil against his will.  You hear more with each passing day.

Of course, Knight-Commander Meredith’s reign over the Gallows was notoriously brutal long before she came into contact with Red Lyrium.  Writing 3 years after the coup (but 7 years before Act 1), in 9:24 Dragon, Brother Genitivi remarks that "Kirkwall has been a tinderbox since becoming the center of templar power in eastern Thedas." As early as Act 1, mages in the Gallows can be heard crying out, “This place is a prison,” and “Knight-Commander Meredith would kill us all if she could.”  When asked if mages are imprisoned, the guardsman replies, “Used to be, back in the Imperial days. They kept slaves here until the rebellion. Now the templars run it and use it to lock up their mages. Guess not much has changed” (The Destruction of Lothering, Act 1).  Karl Thekla’s final letter before being turned Tranquil (with such illegal uses of the Rite having been repeatedly reported to Meredith) “said the knight-commander was turning the Circle into a prison. Mages are locked in their cells, refused appearances at court, made Tranquil for the slightest crimes” (Tranquility, Act 1).  If Hawke questions the truth of these accusations, Anders responds, “Ask any mage in Kirkwall. Over a dozen were made Tranquil just this year. The more people you ask, the worse the rumors become.” (Elthina also appears to be aware at least to some extent of the subsequent ambush, in which a Tranquil Karl was used as bait to ensnare his former lover).

According to the short story Paper & Steel (focusing on Samson): “Under Meredith, freedom was a cruel dream for Kirkwall’s Circle mages. They were often locked in their cells, watched night and day by templars who were told any step out of line was suspicious. All those young magelings, told that magic was a curse, that they were dangerous, and that they had to be shut indoors all their lives looking out through those windows. Some went mad. Others, mad or not, tried jumping.”  And from First Enchanter Orsino’s entry in World of Thedas, vol. 2 (p. 195): “Every time a mage died by their own hand, Orsino would hear Maud’s final words to him: 'This is no life.’ The templars didn’t seem to care about the suicides. Most had the courtesy to say nothing at all, but some would snigger when they thought no one was listening. 'One less to worry about.’ ‘The only good mage is a dead mage.’ Orsino’s anger at the templars grew...” (Note that this began long before Orsino became first enchanter in 9:28, three years before the start of the game). It's also worth noting Knight-Captain Cullen Rutherford quite explicitly attained his position as second-in-command of the Kirkwall Templars position because of his anti-mage extremism, later including violence against those perceived as mage sympathizers and their families.

To name more specific abuses, the Gallows features whipping posts (with dialogue confirming the reliance on whipping) and multiple other medieval torture devices, including a rack, a pillory, and iron maidens.  We also see numerous references to casual beatings, sexual assaults, forced Tranquility and facial branding, long-term confinement in dark cells, and permanent family separation (e.g., Emile du Launcet).  Escape attempts are typically punished with summary execution, according to multiple sources (e.g., Ser Thrask, Ser Karras, Grace). According to Ser Thrask, the most sympathetic Templar (besides Carver), kindness to mages would be a "badge of shame" among among his colleagues. For more, I recommend checking out the “DA2 mage rights reference post” by @bubonickitten​. Again, note that these are cruelties largely occurring prior to or during Act 1, long before Meredith started going insane due to Red Lyrium.

If Feynriel is forced into the Circle at the end of Wayward Son (Act 1), the ex-Templar Samson says, “I hear they got your boy Feynriel locked up in the Circle. Bad business, that. It ain't all templars that're bad. It's hard luck being born a robe, but most places, they make it work. That bitch Meredith runs the Order in this town like her private army. You don't toe the line, you end up on the next corner here in Darktown.  I don't think you got to hate mages to love the Order.  But Meredith don't agree.” Samson, it should be remembered, had been expelled from the Templar Order for passing love notes from the mage Maddox to his lover.  For the crime of “corrupting the moral integrity of a templar,” Meredith ordered Maddox turned Tranquil.  According to Cullen in Before the Dawn (DAI), “Knight-Commander Meredith wielded the brand for far lesser offences, believe me."

Ordinary citizens appear to be well aware of at least some of Meredith’s reign of terror in the Gallows, given that various NPCs (including some who do not personally know any inmates) will refer to it.  During Tranquility (Act 1), for example, a mob of Ferelden refugees threatens the party over fears that the latter intend to turn in “The Healer of Darktown” to the Templars. One exclaims, "We know what happens to mages in this town.  And it ain’t gonna happen to him." Moreover, the knowledge is sufficiently widespread as to have reached faraway countries.  A note dated 9:35 (set between Acts 2-3) from a mage of the Hossberg Circle in the Anderfels expresses utter horror: “I have heard that in the Kirkwall Gallows, mages are locked in their cells with barely room to stretch, let alone exercise.  I can promise you that any mage of the Anderfels would be stark raving mad after a week of such treatment... No wonder Kirkwall has such trouble with blood mages” (WoT v2, p. 173).  

And through all of this, Meredith has the support of the Chantry and more specifically Grand Cleric Elthina.

Not only did Elthina appoint Meredith to her position in the first place (WoT v2, p. 193), but if asked her opinion on Meredith in Act 1, Elthina snaps, “Gossip is a sin, child. Knight-Commander Meredith has an admirable devotion to her duties. It is not my role to form opinions on her character.”  An odd statement to make about a subordinate, since Meredith reports to her directly (as knight-commanders legally do to the nearest grand cleric).  The codex for Knight-Commander Meredith confirms at as of the end of Act 2, “she enjoys the grand cleric's full support and has free rein in Kirkwall as the commander of its most powerful military force.”  According to Elthina’s codex, many claim that Elthina “allows Knight-Commander Meredith more leeway with each passing year.”   According to World of Thedas vol. 2, which tries to put a more positive spin on Elthina’s role, her detractors “say her stubborn refusal to exercise her Chantry-given authority allowed the conflict between the templars and mages to escalate, finally resulting in the disastrous mage rebellion of 9:37 Dragon... Since Elthina was loath to exploit her authority as grand cleric, she refused to order either the mages or templars to stand down when tensions flared.  Many believe that she could have forced one side to retreat by showing her support for their position, but Elthina refused to take sides” (p. 196-197). This is at best an abdication of responsibility to dependents for someone intent on remaining in power.

Moreover, Elthina’s dominance over Kirkwall appears to depend in large part on at least appearing to manage Meredith and her troops.  According to her codex, “People frequently turn to her to mediate disputes—particularly those involving the powerful Templar Order, over whom she holds authority as the Chantry's ranking representative.” So Meredith as military leader rules both the Circle and the city-state through fear and violence, while Elthina maintains her power by playing Good Cop to Meredith's Bad Cop. Both then maintain a pretense of legality and legitimacy by fronting Viscount Dumar as the public face of the regime.

And this dual-power system works quite well for them -- at least until Meredith starts losing her mind under the influence of the Red Lyrium idol.

[A link will later be provided for Part 2 on Escalation and Direct Rule. If I ever do get to it 😭😭😭]

[dice-sociation]

AP Review: Reckless Attack - Main Campaign

Listen Here: https://www.recklessattack.com/episodes/

Quick info:

Audio Quality: High Quality and Edited, Effects, Music. Vibes: Lord of the Rings, Ghibli, Never Ending Story, Avatar the Last Airbender, Frogs Extras: Discord and Patreon rewards. System: 5e DnD Average Episode time: 1 hour Uploads 1 Episode per week. Campaign/ Show Length: Long Term Campaign Platforms: Podcast, Audio Only. Accessibility: Content Warnings Language available: English Diversity: AAPI/BIPOC Number of Episodes Review is based on: 100 (This is my first review so I decided to start with a Podcast I’m already caught up on) ** If you want the TLDR, scroll to the bottom of the post **

Why Reckless Attack?

I honestly believe that part of the draw of listening to people play a TTRPG is not just the story telling but an assurance that adults can somehow actually and consistently come together, in person, to pull off a full long term game. Reckless Attack is one such podcast. They are a small indie podcast with excellent audio quality and editing. 

But, why should you listen to another high fantasy podcast? Well, have you ever wanted to see what a post-apocalyptic High Fantasy world would look like? The deeper you delve into Reckless Attack, the deeper the lore gets, and we have barely scratched the surface a hundred episodes in. You’ll join the players as they explore a world recovering from an apocalyptic event, ripe with magic and unstable artifacts, an undead army, and frogs.

Starting The Pod

Right out the gate, the listeners are greeted by a Lord of the Rings style opening monologue, giving relevant history and context to the kind of place the characters live in. I personally get the feeling a lot of the world was established in a previous game or between the DM and players prior to the start of this campaign. If, as a listener, it feels like you're missing something, don't worry; you'll get a lot more context down the road, especially once the players make it to the city of Agmar (Episode 15). The first 15 episodes are a nice slow build up. 

Conveniently, the first recap episode covers Episode 1-14! (Though I really enjoyed the first 14 episodes, I know not everyone has the amount of listening time I have). If you are so inclined to start from the first episode, you'll get nicely eased into the characters and their relationships with one another before a lot of the bigger world building really starts to soar.

(My one caveat is that I listen to this podcast at 1.3-1.4 speed since the players and Nathan speak with a good amount of pauses, and that can be a little too slow for me.)

About the Team

Nathan, the DM for the main campaign, paints some amazing pictures of his homebrew world. He has a real talent for creating larger than life NPCs and Big Baddies for his players to interact with. They all have clear motivations, flaws, and personalities that truly rounds out the overall story. When it comes to plot, Nathan kept me on my toes with plot twists that would literally snap me out of whatever multitasking I was doing. And I must recognize how often Nathan opens the floor for the players to build parts of the story and describe longer stretches of downtime. Those moments are like the equivalent of cinematic montages to represent the passing of time.

The players, Sophie, Steve, David, and Jonathan, deliver wonderful descriptions and leave plenty of space for each other to speak, balanced with just the right amount of crosstalk. Each character has a very unique voice which is helpful for listeners (especially because David and Jonathan are twins and have similar voices).

Sophie plays Valeska Carter, the Human * Cleric. "Valeska is a young woman in search of answers. Like, compulsively."* I quickly fell in love with Val, an exhausted nerd who can never have enough notes and organization. If you're the kind of person who is always rescuing animals, you will love her too. 

Steve plays Selv Asterlin, the Dragonborn Monk. "Selv’s years at his town’s icy mountain monastery has trained not just his body, but also his mind and emotions. The large dragonborn seeks to be a peacemaker in conflicts, exuding strength, calm and serenity while straying away from violence and lethal force when possible."* But don't be fooled, Selv is often one for the occasional good prank, and I always appreciate Steve's references even when the rest of the group don't understand them. (I got you Steve) 

David plays Kascorin "Kass" Brightmane, the Dwarven Warlock. "Tomorrow (Kass leaves) this city for the Golden Tree adventuring guild, and in leaving this city, (He leaves his) friends, (his) family, and (his) comfortable life behind."* Kass is very grounded, serious, and focused, until he runs into tasty dried meats. Kass has all the charm of a warlock and the grit of a soldier. 

Jonathan plays Checkers, the Gung Druid, with his trusty pals Mango and Junior. "Joining the Golden Tree adventuring guild on a dare, Checkers and his frog pal Mango are here to prove that it’s better to find your own path than to follow someone else’s. After all, where’s the fun in looking before you leap?"* Checkers is a lot like the characters I personally play. Someone who doesn't stand around for too much planning and prefers to "leap" into action. In my very humble opinion, every group needs an instigator. 

I have also come to really admire the level of trust and respect the group has for one another. They handle both wonderful whimsical beats as well as solemn moments with great care (Episode 108 was magnificent.)

*Quoted from the official Reckless Attack website. You can find this and more at their website www.recklessattack.com. (Be aware, reading the available character sheets may contain spoilers)

About the World

Ryxia is built on a world where long ago, the Gods walked among mortals, but one day they left. As if in consequence, magic in this world seems to ebb and flow, and monsters roam the wilds. Until, the "second of Ryxia’s twin suns disappeared from the sky, the Ultragiants appeared, and the Pentarchy’s great capital city of Narhasur was turned into a smoldering crater." *

You can think of the Ultra Giants as the Titans of this world, being elemental and colossal. These Ultra Giants terrorized mortals until one day, the mortals managed to kill one " wielding their city’s Object of Focus… The object was destroyed, as was much of the army. But strangely, within days, the Ultragiants no longer stalked Ryxia."*

As the mortals re-emerged, they started to rebuild despite the incredible amount of monsters who now roam the lands. 

*Quoted from the official Reckless Attack website. You can find this and more at their website www.recklessattack.com. (Be aware, reading the available character sheets may contain spoilers)

Extras

Aside from the main campaign Nathan has his own series called Reckless A-Talk. This series Nathan or others on the team interview incredible people from all over the TTRPG space. Nathan's style of interviewing is mostly allowing his guest to speak more than he does, followed by the wonderful lightning round questions. I highly recommend listening to these (as a little treat) if you are interested in learning other perspectives and other aspects of the industry. 

Bonus one shots are another part of Reckless Attack, allowing the players to take the reigns.  They serve as fun filler for when you just can't wait for the next episode to drop. 

And if that's still not enough content for you, you can always subscribe to their Patreon for even more content, including the very relaxed Reckless A-Snack.

TLDR

High Fantasy world rebuilding the world after mortals were nearly wiped out.

Listeners will get a good feel of the world within the first 14 episodes. (IMO, the pacing starts to pick up after Episode 14)

Here are "Tale Til Now," recap episodes for those who want to catch up faster. (Episodes 1-14, 14-42, 42-66, 67-84)

Non Player Characters are larger than life, with clear motives and personalities.

The Dungeon Master and Players share a lot of world building and you can feel the love and trust they have for each other.

Recommended listening at 1.3x-1.5x speed if you are one of those people (you know who you are).

Find more details about the world and characters at www.recklessattack.com.

Lots of extra content for those who just need more, including; interviews, one-shots run by the players, and patreon bonus content. https://www.patreon.com/recklessattack/home

Do you have ideas or suggestions? Please feel free to comment!

Special thanks to Artax of Who's Taking Watch for helping with editing!

No Context Spoilers:

[mayakern]

penny, half elf cleric

she was my first ever long term dnd character for a game i started playing in all the way back in 2015. i haven’t played her in years now but she’s still incredibly dear to me.

you can use her design in your home games by becoming my patron!

[thenerdyindividual]

Want stories featuring queer characters in fantasy, science fiction, or horror settings, where being queer is central to the character but not the only thing they have going on? Let me introduce you to my list of podcasts!

To start we have Welcome to Night Vale. You’ve likely heard of it thanks to the tumblr sexy man poll, or if you’re old school tumblr like I am. It’s a classic for a reason, it kicked off the fiction podcast renaissance and was queer from the jump.

Welcome to Night Vale is an episodic podcast taking the form of radio broadcasts from a strange desert town called Night Vale that appears to be in a parallel universe to ours. It follows the bizarre occurrences within the town and the oppressive government’s clumsy attempts to cover them up.

How is it queer? The show also follows the personal life of radio show host Cecil Palmer who met new-to-town scientist Carlos, and “fell in love instantly”. Not only are they now married, they’ve adopted a child together.

Alice Isn’t Dead

From the creators of Welcome to Night Vale, Alice Isn’t Dead is a horror fiction podcast that follows Keisha, a woman who became a long haul truck driver to go in search of the wife (Alice) she thought was dead, but discovered was alive. In the process she uncovers monsters lurking among us and a massive government conspiracy trying to hide the truth.

How is it queer? As stated, the inciting incident is that Keisha discovers that her wife is secretly alive.

Dimension 20: Fantasy High

A dungeons and dragons actual play show. This season is set in a 1980s John Hughes-esque fantasy high school called the Arthur Aguefort Adventuring Academy. It follows six high schoolers starting their first day of freshman year as they form their adventuring party and try to uncover the mystery of why girls at their school keep going missing.

How is it queer? Kristen Applebees is the cleric of the party, and most of her arc in the first season is based in the struggle between honoring her religious upbringing and the god that gave her her magic, and realizing she’s a lesbian. Fig Faeth (the bard of the group) does not have a romance arc in this season, however in season 2 she does end up in a romantic relationship with another woman, and much of her arc in that relationship is based around the insecurities hidden behind her rock and roll persona. Riz Gukgak (the rogue of the group) does not use the term asexual on screen, however it is clear in a conversation in season 2 where he discusses feeling awkward about not being horny when all his other friends are. He was later confirmed as asexual by dungeon master Brennan Lee Mulligan.

Dimension 20: The Unsleeping City

Another story with the same players as Fantasy High. This story takes place in a fantastical New York City where the waking world intersects with the world of dream and magic. The story follows six adventurers as they struggle to keep the two worlds in balance with each other, and prevent the big bad from ruining the world of dreams forever. It’s Brennan’s love letter to New York.

How is it queer? Pete Conlan (the sorcerer of the group) is a bit of a dirt bag drug dealer who is struggling to learn to take on the responsibility of being the voice for the dreams. He is also a trans man. His awakening into the magical New York occurs because his dad attempts to deadname him, and he uses his magic powers to fill his dad’s mouth with bubbles and blast him away.

Not Another D&D Podcast Campaign 1

This is another dungeons and dragons actual play set in a more traditional D&D world. It follows the story of three adventurers living in the shadows of the saviors of Bahumia that came before them. Only to realize one of those saviors might not have retired, and is up to no good. They will have to save Bahumia from one of its saviors.

How is it queer? Beverly Toegold The Fifth (Paladin of the group) is the fantasy equivalent of a Boy Scout and ends up in a romantic relationship with another boy from his troop. (They’re both meant to be 16 by the end of the campaign I believe.) Moonshine Cybin (the Druid of the group) is just generally horny for everyone and anyone that impresses her, but she does also spend her last night before the final battle hooking up with Hardwon’s (the third party member) sister in law.

Not Another D&D Podcast Campaign 2

This story is set in the world of Eldermourne which delves heavily into the aesthetic of gothic horror. It follows three adventurers as they go in search of a missing witch that will help them protect Eldermourne from the conflicting factions of gods and religious extremists each trying to take the world and remake it in the way that suits them.

How is it queer? A major thrust of the story is that Fia Boginya (the wizard and cleric multiclass of the group) once saved her dear friend Irina from execution, but they end up needing Irina’s magic to protect the world. The party goes in search of her, and Fia admits to having always been in love with Irina, even when they were just children.

The Adventure Zone: Balance

Another D&D actual play. This one is set in a fantasy world that draws heavily on both fantasy and other aesthetics. The three adventurers encounter an extremely powerful and destructive magical object, and manage to capture it. In doing so they are inducted into the organization called the Bureau of Balance, and are sent on missions to recover the other objects of power that have been scattered across the land. There is more to the characters than even they know.

How is it queer? Taako the Wizard (one of the adventurers) ends up in a romantic relationship with the Grim Reaper who in this world is a man. There is also a romantic relationship between two women who are also members of the Bureau of Balance that hangs out in the background of the story. A trans woman is also prevalent in the story, but explaining anything else about her reveals major spoilers for the campaign, but trust me she is narratively important.

The Adventure Zone: Amnesty

This is another actual play show, but it uses the Monster of the Week system that was created using shows like Scooby Doo, X-Files, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is set in the fictional town of Kepler, West Virginia and the Monongahela National Forest. Cryptids are real and they all hang out in Kepler. Three friends band together to stop monsters with ill intent from destroying the town, and learn more about the world that parallels theirs. It is Dungeon Master Griffin McElroy’s love letter to the West Virginia town he and his brothers grew up in.

How is it queer? Aubrey Little is the magic user of the group and identifies as bisexual. She ends up in a romantic relationship with a vampire girl in town.

Campaign Skyjacks

It is another role playing game actual play. I’m not entirely clear on what system they are using, as a lot of it is the creation of the game master. It is set in a fantasy world where crossing the oceans has become too treacherous, so pirates, privateers, and sailors alike have all taken to the sky in airships. The story follows four crew members of the ship the Uhuru as they try to make the ship profitable all while trying to hide from the rest of the crew that the captain has long since died and the doctor has been puppet-ing his corpse for weeks now.

How is it queer? I am still in the early stages of the podcast so there may be more queer characters later, but off the bat there is Gable who is the quarter master of the ship. Gable is non-binary.

These are not the only podcasts that fit the bill, but these are the ones I listen to. I’d also like to give a special mention to most other seasons of Dimension 20. There are a ton more, and you’re likely to get at least one queer character per season. However, I wanted to keep it to things you could find for free. Fantasy High and The Unsleeping City are both free on YouTube, but all other Dimension 20 seasons are on the streaming service dropout tv (which I do recommend getting because they do a lot of other good shows too.)

Feel free to add more shows in your reblogs!

[eddieintheocean]

have two 2020 era drawings vs the redraws i did today :) this is my first ever dnd character for a long term campaign, loki the trickery cleric changeling

[alt-wannabe]

MCSR D&D

after a long LONG time, i've finished up mime's character sheet!

Knowledge Domain Cleric 15

i was gonna wait to post this but i'm currently trapped in airport purgatory so i have time to write this all out

more below the cut!

Wisdom needed to be cranked bc cleric but I knew I wanted Intelligence to be high as well. After that it was just luck of the dice since I roll the ability scores. I didn't put tooooo much thought into how I scored the other abilities- just knew I didn't want charisma lowest bc I personally find Mime funny af.

So sorry for how huge that photo is- taking a screenshot of a non-multiclass spell list is HARD. Any spell that says "Always Prepared" came with the Knowledge Domain and honestly I think they're all spells I would've picked for Mime anyways. They emphasize organization, scouting, and acquiring intel aka Mime's spreadsheet nonsense. In terms of playability spells that a cleric needs, I picked Guidance, Resistance, Spare the Dying, Bless, Cure Wounds, Enhance Ability (also inspired by Captain Mime leading HBG through bedrock MCC), Mass Healing Word, Revivify, Spirit Guardians (fun fact my fav spell in the game), Mass Cure Wounds, and Heal. Speedrunning related spells include Detect Magic, Locate Object, Locate Creature, Divination, Find the Path, and Plane Shift. For other picks we've got Sending (just like sending chat messages in game), Banishment (generally just a good spell to have- sends something to another dimension), Flame Strike (I realized he didn't have many damage spells + his mini has fire in it), Create Undead (deadass minecraft zombies is the only connection here), and Word of Recall (fully acts like a stasis pearl/pearl hang- teleports you/allies to a previous location).

This is what he's got equipment wise. In MY mind that Hat of Disguise is a beret so that's what it's gonna be. Face paint is annoyingly not an item so I've got the Marvelous Pigments and the Disguise kit as a janky dupe for mime face paint. Wings of Flying = elytra there's not really much more I can say there. Crystal Ball and the Atlas are both spreadsheet-esque research based items which inspired their pick. The mace is partially because he needed a weapon other than the cleric's starter weapon and partially because that specific mace is closest to the super cool gothic one on his mini.

Here are some class features from the Knowledge Domain! The domain as a whole/the spells are more why I chose knowledge but the class features aren't unfitting for Mime either. Knowledge of the Ages specifically is a feature I like- Mime typically has his shit together on all fronts.

This is the first time the background I picked has taken any effect on the character sheet (and I just bought a new sourcebook so suddenly I have a lot more options lmao). This Researcher feature just screams Mime to me.

That's the finished character sheet! I'm not entirely sure who's gonna be next. The campaign is taking a TON of work and I've barely made any progress so that may take a lil more focus than character sheets. I will say I have druid K4 in the back of my mind so possibly that next? We'll see! Hope y'all liked this :)

[petalpierrot]

Hey remind me of your ocs! Idr exactly about them/what they look like. I remember vaguely the whole "make a dunk tank of strahd and ireena joking to vasili he should dress up as the strahd for dunking" and "rahadin baking genius". (I believe those were both from your shenanigans)

I love lore dumps

(If you would rather just message me go for it.)

Thank you so much for the ask! Well, I'm in a solo game with 3 characters (for balance reasons and because I wanted to try out some subclasses)

I have Eidys Silvermoon, Moon elf Bladesinger wizard: (accidental Rahadin smoocher and an overall delight to play) She has kind of become the face of the party and is generally very sweet, even to the point of befriending literally every other evil creature, it's a joke at this point. (For a good-aligned character she definitely keeps strange company)

I have Veshen: Shadar-kai Grave cleric of the Raven Queen.

He's been all over the material plane and is very knowledgeable about different creatures. He feels that it is his calling to put restless undead to rest and is always glad to do some grief counseling/provide funerary services to those in need. In our game, Ireena adopted him as her second brother because he's been in Barovia the longest and Kolyan was a big help to him when he first arrived in the village (providing shelter/information etc)

And finally, I have Dris my Drow Monster Slayer Ranger (my beloved loser)

He's like my blorbest blorbo, a character I have played for the longest and will always have a special place in my heart for. His job is forest and he is a survivalist. (he is blue because he has moon elf ancestry) Originally he is a merchant from a homebrew drow city. His family sells poisons. His expertise in terms of monster slaying is undead and humanoids.

~~

as far as those events you mentioned, they were ideas I pitched for my DM for festival games (because the festival in vallaki was approaching) but yes most of those made it, it has been a long while. Our Rahadin's hobby is baking so he won a baking competition during said festival. it was definitely a nice break before they really started to work towards dealing with Strahd.

[bittsandpieces]

now i wanna hear about your dnd characters. my favs so far were named Subaru Forrester and Linguini Maldrago

Extremely good names lol

My first long tern character was Calreth Diviana Godeviir III, but everyone just called him Cal. He was an early teens drow druid who ran away from his family home in the underdark to a: escape the underdark politics his family was heavily involved in, and b: he'd read about nature and trees and shit and really, really wanted to know what was up with that. He's my special little autistic self insert who did not know how to communicate emotions to other people and I miss him always

My second long term character was Farwin Saltor, a sailor who's ship was burned down by pirates who had it out for his captain, trying to hunt down the rest of his crew who may have survived. He was a halfling gunslinger and the campaign we were playing was waterdeep: dragon heist, which was a fantastic setting for him!! He would've been my super charismatic slut character (that's what I intended) but he informed me that actually he had a childhood sweetheart in his hometown that he was fully devoted to :/ you create a guy and he won't even do what you want, smh...

Other characters include Remnants of Dawn of the Rising Caves Clan (tabaxi sorcerer), Mira Lutgehr (half orc, half dwarf fighter, I worked with my dm to blend racial stats for the two), Delian Goldthorn (human cleric), and finally Robo-Clyde 420, the joke concept gearforged monk cowboy who had a gearforged horse named Steel Beam Butterball, who turned into a deeply serious and philosophical character

[abigailmoment]

I found A Dream Of Silence a couple days ago and I've been playing it nonstop since, it's so good! I love how I was still finding new content after multiple playthroughs.

At the end I saw that you mentioned a few classes were lacking content, and since druid and cleric are my fav I thought I'd give some ideas:

For druid I think it would make sense to incorporate wildshape in somehow. Maybe with higher levels of speech we could mimic a mouse squeaking to draw more mice to the crypt for Astarion to eat? Or with higher levels of touch we could be a purring cat in his lap, I know that always calms me down. And if we get REALLY high levels of touch we could be a big fluffy wolf or bear to provide some tactile comfort.

As for cleric, I was thinking it would make sense for them to be able to heal him a little? Maybe not his actual health, but like slowly over time be able to heal the wounds on his hands? And maybe we could pray instead of whisper at lower speech levels (which I imagine would annoy Astarion at first, but eventually he wouldn't mind as much)? And maybe a cleric (or paladin!) who has sunk a lot of points into speech should be able to banish the nightmare?

And this is just pure self indulgence, but you mentioned you wanted to know how our character would act in Act 2. I really like the idea of my druid being able to tell him he'll see the sun again, maybe even conjure a little sunlight with magic (and they're either weak enough it doesn't hurt him, or because he technically is still tadpoled it doesn't hurt him and he's surprised by that)

^ All of this is just suggestions though, and I'm looking forward to Act 2 no matter what! <33

"I was still finding new content after multiple playthroughs."

Yesss. This is the goal!

Oh, I ADORE the idea of animal sounds being possible for druids! That's so utterly lovely. Especially the purring. And that makes sense because it's just the sort of very faint application of their power that's appropriate in this scenario. I very much want to use that.

I am letting paladins smite the Bastellus. Which is an act that has short term consequences, but there's a possible long term payoff. I've had some very kind cleric players chatter with me about incorporating prayer. I think I'm going to do it in a very sad way.

We are all about self-indulgence here. A conversation about the sun is a lovely idea. I know you're Anonymous, so absolutely no pressure, but if you would like that to be an achievement for your druid particularly please feel free to send me their name.

[fantomette22]

Could you share your thoughts on Logarius? Who do you think he was back in the day, and what of his relationship with the other characters?

Of course! 

I didn’t speak about him a lot it’s true, my mutuals who… appreciate a lot more the character, already said lot of things and that’s enough for me generally XD I share a few things here too. It was quite a while ago!  But I had a bit more ideas since then.

First have a lil drawing of him!

Now, I think he’s either a pthumerian or half ptumumerians or smt and many of the pthumerians like church servants, the giants in Yharnam etc originate from the same place. His ancestors realized that pthumerians crowning themself leaders instead of the great ones was not a great ideas and only death and suffering happened. Because of this so they decide go get the hell out from Pthumeru a bit before Queen Yharnam show up. (Or when she was here idk) And they didn’t all become crazy and died so cool 👍 

One day Laurence, Gehrman and Maria (maybe with other people but those 3 for sure) went to explore some old pthumerians labyrinth/ ruins somewhere in search of the antic « pthumerian pick weapon »(that will become the church pick yeah!) and found some not crazy pthumerians! And Logarius who tried to kick their ass at first XD he was concerned they were here to hurt his clan, he was their leader and defender but thankfully they weren’t there to harm them and managed to communicate.

The lil (and big) pthumerians were really intrigued with the hunters who got old blood in their veins + Gehrman’s burial blade, Laurence who’s a cleric who basically want to bring back the old religion of the great ones (the one they have). Maria’s share ancestors with them and is literally a pyromancer and they can feel it a bit so they were really intrigued (she read them stories too!).

Still, Logarius was a bit reluctant at first but ended up warming and opening up to them. And yes he’s the welder of the famous pick they were looking for! (And yeah basically Laurence evangelize him and his group)

So the young healing church took care of the pthumerians in question (& ended up experimenting on them later on but shhhh) but what changed not to long ago for my headcanon is Logarius relationship with Cainhurst!

In other term they wanted to get in touch with each other lost heritage and work together for a few years! 

He did his homework he know Cainhurst branch of the pthumerians line is quite out of the norm😅(or even heretical lmao)  but all these wars against both each others were a really long time ago and they share ancestors! So yeah Logarius hang out with them and it actually went well. He had good relationship with most of the noble and even Annalise! (But don’t speak about the Cainhurst’s chalice dungeon expedition where he joined the royal guards, that was a mess XD (it’s just Charles, Vledemyr and Logarius arguing all the time for everything🤣)

But then hm Cainhurst stole the forbidden blood for Byrgenwerth, Annalise got a consort and they decided to go a certain way with the corrupted blood that Logarius didn’t appreciate at all… too reminiscing of what happen with Queen Yharnam and the end of Pthumeru. So yeah he preferred to go with Laurence afterwards and stay with the church.

In the mean the radiance rune was discover etc Years pass mess happened, tension happened, propaganda happen and then Vilebloods & Church began to attack and kill each other. Not clear if it was a misunderstanding or who began. Cainhurst state that a Vileblood killed a blood drunk/ half transformed hunter but the church said that actually it was a perfectly normal human that the Vilebloods murder to get blood… so the executioners began to repressed the « wrong used » of the blood with quite extreme measures too. And well you see how that ended…

I still need to figure if Maria was still around when it happened but in my notes : I have a scene where she stand between knights and church members/executioners because they are to 🤏 this to throw hands (when she’s working at the research hall). A bit later on Maria’s death really didn’t helped on the matters and relationships between the church & Cainhurst declined even faster 💀

(Legit I imagined Cainhurst was like : the bastards they kill her! » and wanted to go send smn to kick some ass, even poor gehrman had to send a letter confirming she killed herself and they could talk about it if they needed more details & recover some of her stuff. Hell Lawrence write the « official letter » to them and he felt so horrible doing it… he really push himself because it would have been worst if the info was leak and if it was not him who informed them of it. He knew they wouldn’t take it well in all cases…it pained him at the time..)

But really I am conflicted with Logarius being either quite a crazy psycho at the point of the Cainhurst massacre (bro literally bath in Vilebloods blood depending the translation like wtf and could have killed children ahhhh) and actually « it’s for the greater good » but worst and than Laurence.

Basically Alfred loosing it but always calm and composed. So not like Alfred loosing it. But could maybe do the same thing (that mean crushing people. But not laughing like a maniac? Oh idk…)

Also the bastard! You see how Cainhurst seem to have been taken by surprised? (How did they get in it’s a freaking fortress?!) Well I don’t have the detailed yet but I guess they invited Logarius to reconcile/peace or they didn’t know he was the LEADER of the executioners but he went to found some secret paths for later or literally open the gates with a few infiltrated persons to everyone else 💀 yeah a total mess.

Also he killed my Cainhurst OCs!!!!! (Yes with his own hands!! Not telling who… for now T_T) Sorry I am emotional just thinking about it ;-; … 😭 hgifbfFHNIhfnvvir WHY

Ok sorry to have sidetrack now Logarius and his relationships with others 🤔 Sorry not gonna be super develop I didn’t thought about it too much.

Well first Logarius and Laurence. I guess he kinda simp- I mean he’s really devoted to Laurence even if our dear Vicar can’t really hold him back his impulsivity… still it’s hm useful at times. But yeah I guess it’s a strong relationship and besides the other executioners the one who mean a lot for Logarius.

Gehrman used to trained and teach stuff on the chalice dungeons to Logarius so they used to have a good relationship. Until after Maria’s death where Gehrman never really move on. Even if the old hunters didn’t agree with the all the Vilebloods ways of doing things he sure dislike more the stuff the executioners were doing. That create some tension and if Gehrman wasn’t « Laurence old friend » he would have been in serious trouble. Well he save lil bloody crow back in the day (the kid was wondering into town and went in front of some executioners or smt 🙄 yeah my friend inspire me for this) and you know he wouldn’t mind repairing Cainhurst weapons ahahah + know to make the difference between people… unlike some…

I guess Logarius & Ludwig had quite a camaraderie perhaps? Idk didn’t really thought of it.

Didn’t really though much of his relationship with Maria I guess it was mostly positive until he began to have a really close minded view on Cainhurst. Maria dislike many things on Cainhurst but she always hate when people can’t make the difference between people and insult every citizens of Cainhurst and her family/roots without distinctions.

Ans I supposed he meet Caryll and the scholars (Mico, Rom etc), for the runes yes but also how pthumerians were, to share history cultural stuff idk

I guess there’s his complicate relationships with Annalise and the rest of Cainhurst, Vilebloods & Maria family… really pass from « this people are my closet « relatives » I guess we could even become family! » To well freaking genocide them 💀

(Ok my friend inspire me again) yeah maybe 5 people/hundred wish he could besides be a good consort or smt lmao XD  Logarius : hm idk I will think of it but I wish to be devoted more to religious you see 🤔 and it’s a lot of responsibility too Annalise : not really thrilled by the idea

And to finish I guess his relationship with other pthumerians could be interesting too 🤔 but I didn’t thought of it much.

Oh he created the wheel weapons too. Why idk but pretty violent. It had similar magic to what the old family of executioners of Cainhurst used (see executioners gloves) The king consort family cough cough. (Yeah Logarius' clan is linked with their ancestry too).

And well that’s it for now. Hope that was ok! Logarius is quite interesting actually and it’s quite a shame we don’t know more. But hey my brain isn’t super fixated on him not like 2-3 of my mutuals lol XD so I don’t mind that much I guess. Plus with what he did euhhh yeah can’t really « like him » like I love some characters. 

But yeah cool boss fight XD I hate it at first he was so hard! (Really the way to go to him is so annoying why ahhhh) but on my ng+ 2 tries! So it’s ok now ^^

Leaving you on the great bloodborne quote :"Acts of goodness are not always wise, and acts of evil are not always foolish. But regardless. We shall always strive to be good."

[jhezan]

The Play Times Octopath Traveler II

Play Time: 9️⃣0️⃣Hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 10/15/2024

I didn't 100% the first Octopath Traveler, and I just finished the last chapters of the 8 traveler's. So, it's nice to see the little crown in the title screen—that shows that you're done with the game. I finished all of the quests in II, but I didn't bother to 100% it. Besides, there's no percentage progress indicator in the game, so as long as you just finished all the quests, I think it's completed—or maybe "beaten" is the right term—already. I didn't bother to purposely trigger all the banter scene, collect the music, steal and scrutinize all NPCs, search every corner for chests, etc. Octopath Traveler II is definitely much better than the first one, but no one can take the spot of my Favorite Octopath Traveler Character—Therion. It might be nice if there's a DLC where we can interact with the first eight travelers in the first game, but I don't think they're with the same setting? A multiverse-thingy maybe? Anyway, the QoL, and mechanics are definitely gotten better compared to the first one. And hopefully, in the Octopath Traveler III—let's just hope that there will be a III—more QoL and mechanics, and more interaction between the eight travelers. More collectibles, and more content. I don't care how much long would it take to beat the game, as long as it's enjoyable, that's what's important.

My Favorite Traveler: Throné Anguis🗡️

I like assassin-type character, and what's the most assassin-like class in the game?—It's the Thief. That's why I choose her as my main character (the first chapter that I finished). Her story is good, but it has a little impact on me—I love mystery stories but not dark. Her skills are mid, because she's probably built for being a debuffer unless you've unlocked the Aeber's Reckoning which hits really hard as long as you have enough Phys. Atk. and Speed. Her Latent Power is the most awesome to all though in my opinion—two turns in one wave is a game-changing mechanics, especially in late game where the boss is too thick. Overall, I love her.

My OTP: Temenos X Crick (If only he lives...)

I love the chemistry of this two. The brain and the brawn. But when I researched about this two, I saw that Temenos' canon age is 30, and Crick's 22. Well, who cares about a little of age gap. Besides, Temenos doesn't looks like 30 at all! Gender doesn't matter, but I think we should consider the age... but 8 years gap is probably not that high—as long as it's not 18 and 10.

Ranking each Traveler, in terms of:

Design Partitio - Look at his drip! You'll know the reason why. Castti > Hikari > Throné > Osvald > Temenos > Ochette > Agnea

Story Temenos - I love murder-mysteries. Partitio > Throné > Castti > Agnea > Hikari > Ochette > Osvald

Character Personality Mama Castti - Oh, to have a mother like Castti. Temenos > Throné > Partitio > Osvald > Hikari > Ochette > Agnea

Overall Strength Throné - She's just over leveled in my case, because she never left my party, not once. In short, this is just biased-ry. Castti > Temenos > Hikari > Agnea > Ochette > Osvald > Partitio

Others Best Physical Damage Dealer: Hikari (Next is Throné) - I don't like Hikari that much, but I can't really lie that he's not strong, just because I like Throné. Best Elemental Damage Dealer: Temenos (Yes, Not Osvald) - And then after Temenos (w/ Alpione's Amulet and 1 HP and a lot of SP) uses his Sacred Effulgence to one shot all enemies, he proceed to says: "Fighting is... not what I do." Best Support: Castti - Everyone can be a good support with a proper Secondary Job—the best one is Cleric in my opinion, because of Aelfric's Blessing which grants you the ability to act again at the end of a turn. But no one except Castti has the Concoct ability, which is overpowered and good for bosses.

[lutethebodies]

LTB Tav Tuesdays: Olinitza Cuel, the Silent Sentinel

My fourth Tav is one of two rangers, and a fave among faves in both 5e and BG3. Olini is my current tabletop character, stomping all over my brother's unique homebrew game (Magic as deteriorated AI! Perma-storms hiding secret islands! Mad underground bioengineers! Dragons on the moon!) as a half-drow planar-warrior-wielding Horizon Walker ranger who was (unwittingly at first) working for a patron that once helped cause an apocalypse.

Her name is a very loose translation of (as I understand it) "she who moves quickly" from Nahuatl. In 5e she has the Investigator background, and was sent by her superiors in the big city to investigate war crimes (and their cover-up) committed by commanders of the same unit she used to scout for in the wilderness. Discovered, she was run off the frontier as a traitor and, at the game's start, was back in the city taking up the righteous yet thankless task of petitioning bureaucratic authority for justice.

Olini is a natural explorer annoyed by civilization's limits and rules, driven to seek justice on her own terms, and will push any boundary to do so. Her ideals are 1) freedom; she relishes her self-appointed role as the spear-tip protecting innocents from abuses of authority; and 2) people; she respects like-minded friends more than powerful titles. When not seeking righteous retribution against the war criminals who cast her out, she is sentimentally attached to her spyglass and scimitar, mementos of her childhood and long-lost ranger father.

Her flaw is an insufficient patience with nuance or the gray realities of life; she is quick to react and judge if it confirms her priors. This can curdle into selfish denial if unchecked, and earned her the ironic moniker of "silent" after frequent outbursts as she raged against incessantly-postponed audiences with corrupt power brokers. That temper caught her future patron's attention, who promised her help in exchange for temporary silence and other vague "services yet to be named." Eager to clear her name, Olini readily agreed.

In BG3 Olini is translated to a Gloom Stalker with the Soldier background, which in addition to being insanely overpowered, fits a bit better with her backstory and half-drow lineage. An ex-Fist who witnessed first-hand that unit's incompetence in Chult, she was in Baldur's Gate seeking an audience with Ulder Ravengard, but missed him by a few days when the Grand Duke left for Elturel (and his subsequent fate). Put off by Blaze Portyr and ignored by Gortash, she was back in the wilderness seeking Ravengard's party when captured by the Nautiloid.

I've played her for years as a belligerent force of chaotic good, with many sources of inspiration but most recently the character of Evangeline Navarro from True Detective 4. Navarro fits Olini to a T, complete with the "haunted by her dead mother" bit. She fights hard (she nearly killed Absolutist-Minthara on the spot for calling her "half-breed") and loves harder, which got awkward with Karlach (who's unrequitedly down bad for her) and got her into bed with Shadowheart (who did indeed become her romance).

Metagame tidbit 1: I haven't explored their romance yet beyond superficial commonalities (shadow magic, caring for animals, half-elven lineage), but I like the idea of Olini learning subtlety and tact from Shadowheart, and our favorite cleric learning self-assurance by example from someone like Olini, who's so comfortable in her own skin. Metagame tidbit 2: Olini is also the first character for whom I've kept track of long rests; she defeated the goblins and hit Level 5 within 8 in-game days (which has pretty much become my standard for subsequent runs).

Tune in next week for another ranger-ific Tav!

[thefringespod]

Welcome back to another #AudioDramaSunday! There was a lot to listen to this week so let's get into it

Starting it off with @re-dracula and the reading of the burial rites and I cried so much. Also shout out to Giancarlo Hererra, gotta be my favorite Quincy Morris ever

Tiny Terrors continues to be one of my favorite shows and the fact that they're releasing daily episodes this month continues to spark so much joy

Favorites from this week

-The Carin

-Mannequins

-Haunted Apartment

-Corpse Singer part 2

Caught up on @thewyrdside and it took so many turns I was not prepared for. I am. So worried about Aiden. And worried about Kitty. And just worried in general. Its SUCH a good show

@doyoucopypod has once again ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it on the ground in the dead zone. They were SO CLOSE!! Its like if Eurydice had told Orpheus to turn around so they could both die together. Cody Heath did a fantastic job and I will be crying forever

At Tot and Tay's rec, my new long-term listen is @woebegonepod and I'm already obsessed. 21 episodes in and probably would've been double that if I didn't have to work. This show is a bit fucked! And I do mean that as a compliment! Someone PLEASE help Mike Walters avoid bodily harm

On the Fringes front I have written the penultimate episode of s3 :) Shifted to writing out of order so I could get all the PlotTM out and all I'll say is :) I'm also still editing s2 and my gods y'all this cast is absolutely phenomenal you're going to adore them

And for @forgedbondspod I'm still writing and inundating Tot and Tay with what I am doing to their characters :) I'm enjoying the writing process for this show so much and cant wait to share it with yall!

That's all for this week! This time last year I was taking part in Phonic Fiction Fest (idk how a year has passed where has the time gone) If you want to check out my first and only (so far at least) foray into horror, you can do so here

[satancheeto]

PLEASE tell us about your oc then I'm fascinated by him already just by what you've said

👁️ u 👁️

You have activated my trap card dear anon omfg

TWs that I’ll try to keep things just mentioned but: child abuse, military/war, homophobic violence, mentions of sex

Bexon is my D&D character Human/Fighter long sword specialist (2e). Cisgender, homosexual. He’s Brown (equivalent of Indian), 6’6.6”, super hairy, and built like a fuckin truck. He’s very scary looking. And he’s a sub.

He starts out True-Neut to vaguely Neut-Evil, but by now is True-N or N-Good. His special interests are swords, sword fighting, and horses :3

He has major problems with paranoia and PTSD, plus general anxiety and depression. Bexon is also autistic, so he struggles with social situations, but also a lot of his stereotypical naive autistic person traits are mostly due to his sheltered childhood. He also has very severe internalized homophobia, masculinity complex, perfectionism, etc. because of his upbringing.

This giant terrified ex-soldier (human) ends up in a crazy slow burn relationship with the hypersexual nonbinary elf twink cleric who is his total opposite (except he’s also got major depression).

I will a fuller explanation and pics under the cut in case people don’t want to see my essay about my beautifully fucked up boys. Thank you so much for asking about him though!!! He’s a very complex and interesting character, and I love putting him in emotional turmoil.

So his name is Bexon Cavaldier, he grew up in an extra evil tribe of warriors that served the already evil army of The Empire (Humans) waging a 100+ year long war against the Elven people. He was a high ranking military official and the favorite of 8 children, until he wasn’t. From a very young age, he spent much of his training to eventually be in the army.

Bexon grew up majorly sheltered in this environment, and knew nothing outside the military, in terms of what people actually thought about the war, how socialization and relationships normally work, etc. He had major blind faith in everything he was told about why the army had to commit war crimes, as well as the idea that everywhere else outside of his tribe and the military had the exact same experiences he did. To the point where he genuinely didn’t know that your parents are supposed to love you and whatever.

When his dad ended up finding out that he was gay at the age of 20, he violently hate crimed Bexon and another guy. His parents never spoke to him after that except for necessary military business (he wasn’t demoted bc they didn’t want anyone else to question what had happened and tarnish the family name). Less than 2 years later, Bexon runs away after an incident where he suddenly decided to try and save two elven children from a house (that he set on fire…). He gets them out, they also save his life somehow, but then a fellow soldier kills the kids anyways. Things finally click and he realizes every single part of the war is bad and even if you try to do good in it, it’s not possible.

Bexon is now in hiding, since there’s a chance is family is hunting him down to kill him for deserting. He basically lives as a hermit, often surviving on his own in the woods. He changes his hair and wears bulky clothes to cover up all his military tattoos. After 2 years, the war finally ends, and after 5 more years is the start of the campaign!!

Bexon has had 1-2 occasions where he’s tried sleeping with a man, but mostly hated it bc he was just so ashamed and scared. He tried once with a woman which was also awful bc he is very repulsed by the idea of being with a woman at all (partially due to misogyny). But eventually he decides to try again, and quickly gets hit on by this elf twink at a tavern, who also immediately clocks Bexon as very submissive (military instinct lol), and he ends up bottoming (also kinky sex and with an elf) for the first time. This absolutely blows his minds, the way this guy is so loud and upfront about his sexuality, and he hadn’t even considered that it was possible for a huge guy like him to bottom.

But this is a one night stand and Bexon especially never wants to see this guy again now that they know he’s gay. But being in a good mood for once, Bexon decides to help out as a bodyguard to help some people travel between cities. Unfortunately, the twink, aka Obediah, cleric of Dionysus, had already agreed to help these people as well. The two of them are forced back together along with a bitchy 19 year old wizard and a paladin farm girl who believes in always helping people and doing good (all these guys are also awesome I’m just trying to condense everything 😣). Bexon and Obediah “pretend they don’t know each other” but it’s super obvious and they are still occasionally fucking when they get the chance. Their initial “friends” with benefits is very toxic as they’re both desperately afraid of relationships for different reasons. Bexon is also just a major asshole a lot of the time because he’s very new to interacting with other people and is terrified of everyone.

It takes Bexon and Obi 2-3 years of desperate yearning, fighting, being on and off intimately, and unhealthy sex from terrible communication (and Bexon’s inexperience) for them to actually get together after the wizard finally yells at them to actually talk bc they’ve been being so annoying about this.

There’s a bajillion million more things I could tell you, but I’ll give you that and if you actually are curious about any aspects I’d be overjoyed to tell you more!! Sorry if this is way more than you expected, I don’t know how to be brief with him lol.

[vestigialpersonality]

6 Songs - Keres

Doing separate pre- and post- tadpole for The Inevitable since his life was drastically redefined with the brain scrambling, long-term disabilities, and, well, everything. Plus some people only read only one side of the action or the other.

Meet The Inevitable (pre-tadpole), also known as Keres, Chance, Nuisance, Thomas, Sterling, Crane, Riot, Lily.....the list goes on. Chance is the closest thing he has to a name, the only one he ever picked for himself that wasn't just another mask. He is a man of many faces and is sub-optimally dual classing as a Cleric/Bard (he got good rolls, screw point-buy). I associate him with depressing jrock. I'm making an active effort to pick a variety and not just link the entire Kokyu album by Lily Chou-Chou despite the fact that it, specifically, is what helped me define him as a character.

picrew here

Other Song Selections: Post-Tadpole and Garrett

1) An event that defines your character's past

自殺願望 (Suicidal Desire) by Dué le Quartz

If our fleeting time together withers away I hope it turns into a flower that keeps giving you love. If my body could rise up and become a beautiful rain and carry the gentleness left behind all the way to you.

Leaving home to become something new, with nothing but ashes in his wake.

2) How your character sees themselves

記憶 (Memory) by See-Saw

The memory pooling into the empty shell of my body is shaping and filling me up a little at a time That is the way humans take shape by stashing the feelings they don't want to forget in their hearts

A perpetual inability to let go and move forward. His family, his friends, every single life he's taken, are marked permanently on his skin so he cannot escape them.

3) How others view them

Beast of Blood by Malice Mizer

Along with the scream from the death throes Sharp claws are shining brighter Dually obscene breaths continues And rips apart the silence of the night

This is more of an encapsulation of his urban legend that has circulated through Baldur's Gate since the late 1470s than a perception of him specifically.

4) Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)

青道 (Blue Road) by STANCE PUNKS

It's up to the individual to stop or go The weak-hearted will collapse there Throwing away all shame We continue to walk this path

Hopeful, but also violent and off-key. A risk to everyone around him. The sentiments definitely evolve greatly over time, but I wanted to give him a good moment in this list instead of just depression. I specifically picked the live version because the extra scratchy vocals and the mosh pit view fit better than the studio recording. The relationship started as Experiment in Love by Lily Chou-Chou and ended as The Final by Dir en Grey. I'll give you three guesses as to who this is about and the first two don't count.

5) A major fight scene Again, interpreting this as his personal boss fight music.

翼をください(Give Me Wings) from the All About Lily Chou-Chou OST

What I dreamed of when I was a kid. I still have the same dream in my heart.

I realized only while trying to find this link that Evangelion apparently did this in 2.0. Oops. But they used a piano arrangement instead of acapella.

6) End credits song

エーテル (Ether) by Lily Chou-Chou

I was trapped without being able to escape If my cracked, sleeping heart is connected The Ether will revive Revive

This is unequivocally the end of his story, the last days of the first half of his life. It's been his final song since the day I started drafting any pre-tadpole fics.