#oc: basilia amell

[pestopascal]

the pale

@geekspren and I were talking a little while back about Medieval Nicknames™ that our wardens would be known as, and I ended up writing this. Figured I’d post it.

A reasonably sized town, not too small, not too large. On their way back from the Brecilian Forest. Damn near overrun when they had arrived, and Alistair wasn’t one to count his few and far between blessings, but these people were. “Stay inside!” he shouts, once again, as he sees a door open just enough for an arrow to threaten it. 

Whatever was guiding these particular darkspawn, it seemed to be another level altogether. Far too intelligent and guided. Even Leliana had been hampered down, taking cover behind a long since abandoned blacksmith. A pit had formed in Alistair’s stomach after their first steps out into the familiar hills of Ferelden’s landscape, and he’d ignored it. Just his luck, it seemed. But that had been days ago now.

Sten was nursing a wounded arm, not that it did much to assuage him in the way of beating a darkspawn bloody with his bare hands. Alistair was mindful of that, making a note to tell the elected (absentee) senior warden that perhaps overexposure to the blood was doing something. If they saw each other again. Be it losing this next fight, or whatever was happening at the Circle Tower, Alistair didn’t know what was going to end them all first. Maybe even the newly adopted assassin would finally put them out of their misery.

Maker, Alistair didn’t know how much longer he had left in him to bleed out. Salves and poultices and bandages were long since gone. That’s why they were in this damn town. Business in the Forest halted because Zathrian didn’t want to work with him, and Alistair knew Basilia was damn more persuasive than he could be when she wasn’t wallowing around. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have turned down the offer to take Morrigan along. Not that he would admit it aloud, of course, but what he wouldn’t do for just the slightest bit of magic now. Hah, some templar he was.

Along the hill that overlooked the town, he could see the darkspawn line then. A three day assault that looked like it was about to be ended on their terms. Well, here goes nothing. Raising his shield, arm almost wavering under the weight, Alistair doesn’t let himself think. At least they got a few good weeks out on the road. Eamon would be disappointed. Duncan would be too, getting himself into a situation like this. At the great shout from the darkspawn there’s a fire of arrows, nearly blotting out the sky. 

“Wow,” Alistair hears himself whisper, as if he was aside, watching from somewhere else.

Except, there’s a snap. A sound Alistair was quite accustomed to, mages and all, one that he had almost hoped for somewhere deep down. And he thought he had grown to actually recognise the particular ways Morrigan and Basilia whipped their magic around, but the third person was different. It’s like a careful, caring hand, finding the point of origin of his wounds, constricting it. 

But it doesn’t stop the arrows. Doesn’t stop how closer they were now, from how high they had begun to fall. Faster, a whistle ripping through the air. 

“Be ready to catch me.” 

Alistair hears the words, not quite processing them in their entirety, until he sees Basilia before him. He forgot how tall she was.

Hands stretched upwards, feet slightly apart. Time did not seem to occur to her, as a sigil spread between her fingers, growing by the second. Larger, wider, thundering. Drowning out the whistles of the falling arrows, a reflected form underneath her feet. If Basilia buckled under the weight, Alistair didn’t notice, slack jawed and admittedly in a bit of awe at the ground moving. Smaller rocks had picked up, floating, the ends of her robes whipping around her legs. 

This magic is not like her others. Everything else is loud and flashy. Bangs and lights, quick to end a fight and move on. There is no colour here, to tell Alistair just which school she had pulled this one from. In his few studies, huddled in corners with books that weren’t his, he had gleamed some knowledge. Not a lot, but some. This magic was muted and dull, but the hairs on his arms stood on end, and if it wasn’t for the fatigue, he might’ve said something in his blood stirred. 

Basilia shouts something, in a language Alistair hadn’t heard before, and forces the sigil upwards. A boom, that practically shakes the foundation of the town. Alistair can only watch, as the shield of pure magic lifted up, absorbing the arrows as it went. Disappearing into the sky with a clap of thunder. And, in a shower of what Alistair could only consider snow, Basilia wobbled.

Catch me. He moved then, barely managing to hold her up in time. He notes, under her feet, that the sigil was burned into the ground, not like the passing moments of previous spells he had seen cast. Basilia blinked, slowly, and wiped at her nose, smearing blood. With a twisted look of displeasure, she pushed herself up, but kept a hand on his shoulder, steadying herself.

“That was the last of my reserves… for a while.” Alistair didn’t have to hazard a guess to figure that one out, nor that it would be hard for her to admit. But also dangerous for a weakened mage to be wandering in such a way. She looked mildly disappointed at her bloody nose, settling for pinching it between thumb and forefinger. Another thought looks like it comes to mind for her, except

Doors to houses slowly open. 

[cdhurricane]

OC Kiss Week 2018 - Day 3

my part of trade with a @hotlineaisui​

Basilia ‘Cissy’ Amell (belongs to @hotlineaisui​) x Frey Mahariel

Day 1| Day 2| Day 3| Day 4 | Day 5| Day 6| Day 7|

[candymayvary]

i know those were games you mentioned but what were all the names? and what are your ocs for them

DA = Dragon Age series, ME/A = Mass Effect/Andromeda series, HP/HM = Harry Potter/Hogwarts Mystery, FC5 = Far Cry 5, FO = Fallout

Uh, as far as OCs go, for DA my main ones are Basilia Amell (DAO), Saskia Hawke (DA2), and Shiral Lavellan and Garahel (DAI). I have way more, but those four are my main ones I guess. There is a very big and convoluted family tree involved too, that spans all three games. And maybe the future. 

ME/A it’s Ursula and Gal Shepard, and Ariel and Lavi Ryder. Both sets of biotic twins, bc idc my universe my rules. 

HP/HM... I do have ocs for HP from way back but that’s embarrassing so I’m living vicariously through my student, Natasha Rhodes. I’m finally at year 4 Charlie Weasley wait for me

FC5 is Willa Ray, my poor, poor junior deputy, wrath incarnate. 

And FO I have Lola (lone wanderer), Ishtar (courier six lol) and Jude and Giselle (sole survivor). 

My OC page is on my main blog here, which includes most of the above ones, just missing quite a few descriptions bc I get distracted way too easy. Natasha has her own page on my HPHM sideblog (which has been untouched as I’ve finally made my way through year 3 rip). I started writing a series mid last year for Basilia and co on ao3.

But yeah. I’m down to talk about other games, but just probably hit me up on my main blog instead of... here. I mean if they’re sent here, I’ll answer them, but I am trying to keep this separate haha.

[pestopascal]

Back in April last year now, I commissioned @blood-magic for a portrait of my warden, Basilia Amell! I was fawning over it today again like always, and remembered I never posted it. So here we go💖

[pestopascal]

A “post-Amaranthine, retired in Antiva for the next thirty years with her husband, five children and all of the dogs” sort of aesthetic board for Basilia. 

(template by @lavellanpls, and thanks to @withthebreezesblown for making the signature transparent for me lmao)

[pestopascal]

1, 4 - basilia and ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) cassian

LMAO alright lets go

1. an overheard conversation about your OC

BASILIA: 

“That was her!”

“Don’t be daft. They’ve been saying for years she’s dead. Ain’t no one seen the Hero since nine thirty three.”

“Who said that? She’s been in Denerim at least once a year to meet the Queen. They’re good friends, I hear.”

“No no, she was in Amaranthine until now. I saw her there too.”

“I’ve passed her on the way to Orzammar a few times. She can’t have been staying in Amaranthine!”

[continued squabbling over where the Hero was, and if she actually died]

“Aha, allow me to interfere, if you will?”

“… Who are you?”

“The good lady’s husband. We have been in Antiva for quite some time, actually.”

CASSIAN:

“We have company.”

“This time of year? Have to be daft, coming this far out in the middle of a war.”

“I’ll go take their order. Stop staring at them.”

“I’m not staring, girl. Hurry up.”

[…]

“So?”

“Human that talks like a Vint, and a dwarf from Rivain. What are the chances?”

“What’d they order?”

“Whatever food we have left, and all the mead too.”

“Huh. Not bad. Boy! Get the fires going! Ask if they need a bed, too. Their pockets look a little full.”

4. a letter from your OC to their love interest

BASILIA: 

Zevran Zev Ser Arainai Z 

It has been months a while since we last saw each other in Par Vollen. I hope you got my last letter about the situation in Amaranthine. Everything is settled, now. 

I miss you We need to talk should talk soon

When are you planning on visiting Ferelden again

[entire paragraphs have been scratched out and are completely illegible]

Something has come up. You need to see me as soon as possible

With all my love Always yours Until the end With love,

B Warden Commander Amell Basilia Amell, Arlessa of Amaranthine Basilia

PS. Greetings, Ser. My name is Nathaniel, and I am sending you this letter on behalf of my Commander. She has been trying to write to you for several weeks now, and as such the situation is growing by the second. At the earliest convenience from whatever you are up to in Antiva, you need to come to Vigil’s Keep.

I am not going to treat this lightly, Ser. Basilia is pregnant, and quite frankly her mental health is deteriorating because of it. She needs you. 

Please respond as soon as possible so we can make preparations for your arrival. Basilia is a great friend and an admirable commander, Ser. She’s spoken of you and there is no denying how much she loves you. 

Regards,

Nathaniel Howe

CASSIAN:

Alhana, Amatus,

You were right about Tevinter, but of course you were. Word of our actions has spread from east to west, and there is a change in the air. For once, there seems to be hope, that something new is coming to my home. It fills me with… I don’t know the words for it.

What was meant to be a small return to the cities has unfortunately extended longer than expected. Marnas Pell remains a desolate place, as it always has (you remember that story I told you about the Qunari forces dying en masse?), but a crew of five of us managed to close the rift before anymore rose from the dead. 

I have yet to make it back to Qarinus, as Vyrantium had reports of rifts. I do wish you were here, Lita, making everything a little more bearable. So used to the two of us on our own for so long… my countrymen are grating on my nerves. How I lasted before meeting you never ceases to amaze me. 

I know we agreed to meet in Qarinus, before returning to the Antivan border, but I’ve gathered some rumours about Nevarra. I had always wanted to visit the country, perhaps we can make a detour? I hear it’s lovely this time of year, demons and all.

By the time you read this, you may very well be sitting on the beaches of Qarinus, and I long to be beside you.

Tuus perdite sodalis amans

C.

[pestopascal]

what foods do your ocs hate?

Basilia really doesn’t like pears. She finds them super mushy, even firm ones like she had in Par Vollen this one time. How to personally offend her? Offer her a pear.

Saskia will eat anything. She’s eaten things on dares. What she doesn’t like is this bread from Antiva she had once though. It might’ve been poisoned, so like, that is a possibility too. But it was really thick and not fluffy at all. Naturally, it’s all that was available in Basilia’s house. 

Shiral just does not like southern food, at all. It’s too heavy, and makes her feel really sick. Conversely, Orlais is just far too sweet and hurts her teeth. Like, Garahel takes the piss out of her about ‘only eating twigs’, but she honestly struggled for a good year or so with food because she had so many difficulties adjusting. How did humans survive for so long on this shit?

And for you... Cassian isn’t entirely fond of meat as a whole. He likes fish, but if he could go without having red meat as part of a meal, he would. Tevinter cuisine involves a lot of seafood, considering they’re right on the water. 

[pestopascal]

basilia

from here: link

01. Full name: Kore Basilia ‘Cissy’ Margot Amell

02. Best friend: everyone? But srsly, probably Nathaniel, Velanna, Sigrun... 

03. Sexuality: bisexual

04. Favorite color: yellow

05. Relationship status: married

06. Ideal mate: mate...? as in friend? Or the other kind of mate lol uh someone whose not nosy, anyway

07. Turn-ons: power, knowledge, muscles, big swords

08. Favorite food: little Orlesian pastries

09. Crushes: she had a thing for King Maric when she was younger, because apparently he was super handsome. Also reading about the knight Aveline? Nice.

10. Favorite music: Antivan

11. Biggest fear: overall now? losing her family again

12. Biggest fantasy: world peace (jks)

13. Bad habits: biting her nails, literally picking up anything and everything and keeping it, being argumentative

14. Biggest regret: letting the Circle take away her children without a fight

15. Best kept secrets: father of her child, father of her cousin’s child, the inner workings of the Circle, how the wardens survived the fifth blight, where she is hiding Anders, where she had been hiding Hawke, uh... 

16. Last thought: whoops or shit

17. Worst romantic experience: her entire Circle experience

18. Biggest insecurity: being tall

19. Weapon of choice: knife stick

20. Role Model: herself lol

[pestopascal]

12 and 21 for basilia and saskia ✨

12. Describe 5 unusual characteristics your muse has

Basilia:

1. Saskia may have overprotectiveness of Bethany in the bag, but it’s honestly Basilia’s terrain. She’s fiercely protective of family and friends, and can border on violently quite quickly. Side effect of losing people in the Circle? Maybe, but don’t ask her that she won’t like it. It kind of comes to a head when she can’t find Velanna again, or when she pretty much eats the slavers who try to take her children. 

2. She was pretty ambitious in the Circle. But in the sense of completely playing up the ‘sweetheart’ and can-do-no-wrong thing she had going on, even after she made Enchanter, but post-Blight she kind of went a bit wild. Whilst she knew Grey Wardens had some sort of autonomy, it’s only after Amaranthine was handed to her, after her return from Par Vollen, that she realised that, hey, I can own stuff. I can do stuff. I can tell nobles off. Granted she has to kill darkspawn every so often, but it really did ignite in her an ambition for wealth, a name, security, etc.

3. Basilia is really fucking wicked underneath it all. And not in the sexy sense, and not in the absolute awful sense, but she hides it pretty well. Ask her tutors about her time in the Circle, and they all parrot niceties. A smothered down part of her, that revels in blood magic. Sure, she’s trying to reform the face of blood magic by using it to help heal some of the worst wounds, but she has maybe played around with people’s minds, planted thoughts and suggestions, made people bleed to fuel her magic. Not people she knows, of course! 

4. Her merciful side kind of died when she left the Circle, if there ever was one. Granted during the Blight, she was more likely to let people go, after either swearing fealty to their cause or just emptying their purse (and maybe dying after that okay). But after the Blight? Less likely to see people who cross her alive (I mean look at Bann Esmerelle). Being merciful and merciless are two sides of the same coin Basilia flips on a constant basis.

5. Charisma came with the territory. Sure, prior to that she had a hand on being persuasive, but being charismatic was a learned skill. Inspiring people to fight beside her, or just charming someone out of coin or help, Basilia had a tough time getting a handle on it. Magic definitely helped, and Basilia thanked the illusion school every day, because if she could keep someone’s eye on her, and be all mesmerising, then that worked too. Being a charismatic leader was not something Basilia thought she would be, but she got there.

Saskia:

1. Loyalty should just be Saskia’s middle name, with how much she put up with. Sure, she’d argue it was because Isabela owed her coin, or because Fenris wouldn’t stop grouching, or Merrill just really needed a hug and some weird elven artefact, but she’s loyal to her core. The negative to that too was letting Anders live. She doesn’t know if she made the right choice, and Saskia sure as the void hated the consequences of her actions, but her loyalty didn’t waver as she dragged Anders before Basilia. It just changed streams.

2. Maybe it’s because she’s Ferelden, but Saskia is stupidly courageous. Plucky was another word she’s quite fond of because it sounds cute, but she’s the one to dive headfirst into danger. Need a dragon killed? Time and day and she’ll be there. Elven myths? She made friends with a varterral, whatever man. Undead and demons and blood mages and red lyrium crazed templars? You know who to call. The only time she wasn’t, was when her name got put forward to duel the Arishok. But it’s kind of a defence mechanism too. If she’s throwing herself at danger, then she doesn’t have time to think about anything else, right? Right.

3. Probably a point of contention, and she doesn’t really interact with a lot of the conversations, but Saskia is quietly religious. Not to the extent that perhaps the Chantry would like her to be, but she is. There’s no real definition as to why, and maybe it stemmed from joining Bethany in Lothering’s chantry back in the day, or even long before that to a place she can’t pinpoint, but she finds some comfort in her religion, even if she hates it too.

4. Saskia has zero respect for authority. She’s awfully disrespectful, and normally it’s only directed to those in positions of power, but as the years go on everyone kind of begins to cop it a bit. Immediately conflicts with her personal beliefs because those in charge of Kirkwall are templars, being all ‘word of the Maker guides us’, but she has respect for Aveline. Everyone else? Prepare to meet a whirlwind of rudeness, lack of tact, and just not-giving-a-shit. It’ll tone down one day, just today is not that day.

5. She’s obnoxious. Loudly obnoxious, running around Kirkwall like she owned the place, but flipping it off at every second because she’s so horribly Ferelden. Her friends may find it a charming aspect of her sparkling personality, but Saskia has no time to be pleasant and well mannered, much to Leandra’s chagrin, when she could just hoot at the templars in the Gallows, do cartwheels through the middle of procession, and maybe decide to paint the statues of Andraste. And that’s her on a nice day.

21. Your character has been granted 3 wishes; what would they wish for and why?

Basilia:

1. To find out what really happened with Andraste, and if she was even a real person. It may seem pretty trivial and contradictory to her, in some ways, but Basilia just has a few theories she wants to prove about the woman they’re supposed to be under the eyes of the Chantry and well, she has to know.

2. That she’d been able to raise her children (Myra, René and Haytham). René found her when he was late teens, and a Grey Warden. At least she found Haytham when he was eight. But Myra? She’s in her twenties by the time Basilia meets her. She’s missed out on so much with her kids and it fucking kills her.

3. Quietly, a third wish that she debates on a lot of the time: that she wasn’t a mage. It seems obvious, and sometimes silly, and she knows just how much she’d have to give up for it, but if she hadn’t been a mage, she would’ve stayed with her mother in Kirkwall. 

Saskia:

1. Rewrite the events that happened in Kirkwall. Divine intervention should’ve happened, and it didn’t, and Saskia had a crisis of faith she didn’t need, she lost two people that day she loved dearly, and she hasn’t quite recovered. Don’t know if she ever will.

2. It’s not really a wish, because Basilia tells her constantly that she had the option to either not have Gaius, or be with him all the time, but just the name is a wish enough. Gaius. What does Saskia actually wish for, when she looks at her son? He’s being raised happily with Basilia’s little clan. He would find a better life there than she could ever give him. But she regrets bringing him into a world full of misery and awfulness. She doesn’t know what she feels, and maybe that’s what she wants to be made clear.

3. Carver. She wants Carver back. She just wants her shitty little brother and his shitty little opinions and his dumbass ideas and she wants him so she can hug him and hug Bethany and they’ll all be okay and everything will be fine again and maybe she wants her dad back too because she misses Malcolm so damn much every single day, and now Leandra is gone and it doesn’t get any better. She wants Malcolm to explain what happened in the Vinmark mountains, and she wants Carver to tackle her to the ground and sulk over not having a mabari, and she wants all of them to drink in the Hanged Man while Bethany moons over Sebastian or something. 

She wants her old life back. 

[pestopascal]

why is basilia's name in brackets?

Uhh... stems from like. Her parents and shit. I vaguely referenced it in one of my fics and have been meaning to explore it more but...

Kore: her actual first name, however it’s not recorded and therefore the Amell family doesn’t consider it her legal name. Enea, Basilia’s biological father, gave her the name, and Revka would only call her that in complete privacy because of Aristide. Basilia doesn’t really end up reclaiming the name until she’s older and after meeting her dad properly. It’s a little too late for her to take to being called it, but it’s something that connects her to her dad, so she’s not wholly against it.

Basilia: her legal first name, as provided by the Amell household. Named after a notable member of their household, who was so fucking Tevinter the irony does not escape Basilia at all, it was Aristide’s attempt to remove Enea from the picture (he failed, clearly). Generally what she’s called, except by a few specific people who refer to something or other. 

‘Cissy’: a nickname from the Circle Basilia earned. Not always endearing, diminutive form for a girl who tried to make herself bigger than life. Only a handful of people still alive call her that, mostly because of Harrowings, average Circle life, and the years leading up to the Conclave. She’s not opposed to it, but it kind of has a lot of bad memories tied to the name, and she’d prefer to move on from it now. 

Margot: An addition to her name her step-father gave her. He’d been out of Orlais for a supremely long time, and kind of gave it to Basilia after his mother, to like tie her to his legacy and make her seem a bit more likely to be sired by him as opposed to Enea. When he meets Basilia again, it’s actually what he calls her instead of Basilia, which catches her off guard because like two people in the world know of her middle name - who she’s told, anyway.

So there you go! In some things I do refer to her more as Kore than Basilia, but she’s Basilia, pretty much. That’s the name she puts at the forefront of minds with her actions, and even if there were malicious intentions surrounding her general upbringing thanks to haughty family members, she’s taken their ‘gift’ and made it her own. 

[pestopascal]

first things first

pt1 of basilia and ambrose. kind of origin fic ig

Basilia didn’t know what the time was, when the doors to the Harrowing Chamber finally opened. Strung between two templars — one she recognised as Cullen, the other still wearing their helm — was Ambrose. Ashen and not at all conscious, head lolling to the side at the call of his name. Forbidden to speak of the Harrowing, and Basilia had tried as hard as she could to prepare him for such a thing, but they must have known, to bring it on so suddenly, and so late at night.

Only hours before, several of the other apprentices had rushed to her quarters, waking up not only Basilia herself, but those sleeping nearby. When the youngest of the group, Trisha, finally managed to get a word in about Ambrose, Basilia had dressed in half the time it had taken, and rushed off with them not far behind. Had it not been for Tarquin, allowing her through the Templar quarters with little more than a bow and a ‘stay close’, she would not have made it at all.

And now, she trailed after the templars, catching only a passing glance from Irving as she did so. Perhaps Greagoir was going to make some comment, about how she had managed to get through the fourth floor unscathed, but Basilia had no time for such things. No magic could touch Ambrose, it would be his own willpower alone to wake himself from the slumber after.

“Be careful with him,” she found herself reminding the templars, as they went down the stairs. Ambrose was not the skin and bones he had been when first brought to the Circle, but a bruise was still a bruise. A broken bone was still a broken bone.

There’s no response, not even a grunt that she had been heard, and perhaps any other day, Basilia would’ve been annoyed at the indifference. But they were getting closer, and those who had woken her were readying Ambrose’s bed in the hopes that he would return. He needs a haircut, she could only muse, a smile managing to make its way onto her face, when she noticed how his hair brushed his collar.

Finally, they made it to the Apprentice Quarters. Basilia picks up her pace, walking ahead of them now, hands throwing the doors open. Thankfully, only a few faces seemed to turn from the bunks, the rest maintaining a careful silence. The templars may not notice the dozens of faces, staring at them from under their blankets, holding their breath and waiting for them to leave, but Basilia did. Cullen and the other templar moved to the bunk Basilia pointed out, and she quickly waved one particular apprentice down. Don’t draw attention, she had told them earlier. Pretend to be asleep.

“Leave. I’ll finish this.” Maker, from the way they were struggling to get Ambrose down, it was like they had never heard of the concept of a bed. Thankfully, the other nameless templar said a particular series of curses, but left. Basilia almost didn’t notice Cullen still lingering, as she went to remove Ambrose’s shoes, until she heard the clink of armour.

“I told you to leave.”

Cullen, in his defence, was likely not expecting Basilia to be waiting where she had been. Hands raised, a sign of peace and no offence, enough to draw a series of noises from apprentices who should have still been pretending to be asleep. “I’m sorry, I just. I wanted to make sure…”

“We’ll find out in the morning, Ser Cullen. It would be best if you left now.”

There were only so many ways Basilia could tell him to leave, short of an absolute threat, but that would not bode well for anyone. “He needs to rest,” she reminded him, unfolding the blanket over Ambrose. It was the best she would be able to do, short of stripping him and dressing him herself, but she didn’t want to deal with the argument from Ambrose later, that he was no longer a child.

No, she thought gently, holding a hand in her own, thumb running lightly over the back of his, no, he wasn’t anymore.

“Leave, Cullen. I won’t say it again.”

If he went to say anything else, he decided against it. A bow, that spoke more of his age than any understanding of his position, and the door shut behind him. Basilia counted exactly to twenty; twenty steps for the sound of templars to fade away, before half a dozen apprentices swarmed on her.

Despite her attempts to hush them, lest they draw attention from any templars on patrol, they continued to clamour over each other. “He won’t wake,” Basilia insisted, tucking the blanket around Ambrose. “We have to be patient.”

Placing her hand on his forehead, Basilia could feel how his skin remained cool. Brows furrowed, Ambrose was deeply asleep, not at all responsive to the commotion around him. Questions fired, some about how long it would take for him to wake, others about the Harrowing itself. It was a slow start, a worry that spread from one of the younger ones, to others, more excited to prove themselves.

Basilia bites her tongue. Not allowed to confirm or deny such talk was hard enough as Ambrose’s Harrowing had drawn closer. Her student, as much as she loved him dearly, was a nuisance. Believing himself to have passed the age of which a Harrowing was acceptable, Ambrose had been by her desk for the last two weeks, throwing every argument in her face about how he was ‘ready to prove himself’, that Basilia herself was thrown in so young so why shouldn’t he be, and coupled with a comment or two about showing those in the Circle what an elven mage was capable of.

She cannot stop her hands from brushing the hair from his face, smoothing the growing frown before it became stuck. Ambrose would show them, of course he would. Mages were looked down on, feared, awed. But the elves? Those with such innate abilities that humans would never quite understand their differences, were a whole other field of — what exactly? The envy in some of the other enchanters’ voices was common, a nasally complaint of ‘they managed that then, why haven’t I?’. Or, it was the classes later at night, theorising with others of the same interest, on Tevinter’s preoccupation with the blood. Always under watch, of course, lest they stray into territories not approved.

Pushing herself to stand, Basilia pats the head of one of those closest to her. “Come find me when he wakes. Until then, back to bed. All of you.”

Basilia does not leave the quarters until all of the apprentices were back in their bunks, huddled under their blankets. Eyes eventually wink out in the candlelight; a farewell until tomorrow. Under her hand, etched into the wood, was her name. Next to it was Ambrose’s.

With a wave of her hand, darkness falls over the room, and she finally takes her leave.

[pestopascal]

For the ask meme: Basilia and The Moon tarot card!

THE MOON: When has your character’s path been unclear?

Well... uh

All under the cut because this thing big.

Around the age of 16-17, honestly. By this stage, she really doesn’t remember her parents, her siblings, and Kirkwall (it’s only vague memories that are ‘did I make that up or did it actually happen’ sort of things). She knows what she’s missing but at this particular point in her life, she’s read the books on those places, but she’s got her Harrowing done. She’s assisting teaching with other enchanters, very much the flick the hair kind of girl going on...

And then she falls pretty hard for one of the new, young templars in the Circle. And, it leads to a lot of things, most of which Myra. And, well, Basilia’s young. The kind of impact of the whole situation (Tarquin being sent away for a while, Myra being taken away at birth, pretty damn vilified and gossiped about) doesn’t really hit her. A slow sort of cracking at this perfect life she’s carved in the Circle thus far. Or, has been carved out for her, if you will. 

Also stemming from my personal beliefs that... the Harrowing is like a coming of age thing, or graduation, but it’s thrown on certain mages too just to make sure they’re not those damn dirty blood mages (shakes fist). Her going through it early meant she was more mature and older than the others, and separated her from a lot of people her own age, but put her in that weird gap between people older than her too. And with the whole everybody was kissing everybody kind of Circle that Anders waves Ferelden off as... Basilia was not in a good frame of mind anyway. Anders wasn’t the best influence on her. 

So she kind of just... lives with her middle fingers up but her face absolutely blank. She doesn’t get a chance to speak about her feelings towards anyone, she still hasn’t quite figured out how she felt about carrying and delivering Myra either, but they give her more responsibilities in the hopes of basically diverting her from any more unwanted actions, and for three or so years, she just lives in a bubble. 

It pops, eventually, before resuming a sort of glaze. René being taken away was a little more traumatic because she knew what would happen and try as she might, René just held on to staying in her until he was ready. Years later again, she’s a wreck when she loses Haytham. And the bubble finally shatters completely. It took her ten years from first losing Myra for her to open her eyes and realise that the life she had been living up until meeting Tarquin wasn’t all rainbows and flowers and rose coloured. 

It was awful and controlled. Like they all know the Chantry controls them, but Basilia had never honestly considered it in such a capacity as what she’s been living through. She’s 26ish after having Haytham. She’s a well respected Enchanter. She’s got friends in other Circles, and has been a live-in mage in Highever for some time. 

And she just remembers her mother. 

So when Ambrose goes through his Harrowing, and the wardens are at the Circle, and Basilia’s been kind of craving freedom to find her own place in the world, and her kids, and her siblings and her parents, but not too much that the templars will look at her. She goes through the basement with Jowan to help Ambrose out, because he’s the closest person to a child she’s raised and it sort of kills her too just having that relationship with him.

But Basilia doesn’t want to tie herself to the wardens just to get freedom. And yet it’s the only choice she has.

[pestopascal]

the dating sim thing... basilia pls. she's such a boss i want her to step on me

EVERYONE SAID BASILIA LMAO 

srsly i have like 4 other ppl saying Basilia and its like. god....

In the Circle, her route would probably have like three bad ends, one normal end, a good end, and like the secret best end lmao. Don’t get caught by the templars! You may accidentally friend zone urself after sleeping w her bc she’s over getting feelings. Woo her and she’ll be dedicated 5ever. Just tell her she’s fucking pretty honestly she was a brat in the Circle. 

As for stepping on you? She’s fond of rope. She probably would step on you if you asked nicely.

[pestopascal]

what is one fact about basilia that no one knows yet

she’s Vain with a capital V. i may write her as quite self sacrificing and very caring towards family (made or otherwise), but she’s got a pretty damn high opinion of herself. pretty damn High.

one of the fastest records of completing a harrowing, enchanter at a pretty young age (not the youngest but, you know, pretty young), tutored by irving, got herself quite involved in the use of practical magic and travelled to other circles before the blight for research opportunities. only ever had one student and he was pretty damn recognisable in later years. a noble house in highever actually utilised her as well when it came to helping one of their young sick kids and delivering a child. enchanter in anora’s royal court, and somewhat of an advisor. warden-commander, arlessa, dark wolf, champion, hero, basalit-an etc etc etc. 

so like, post blight. she’s got a name and wealth. her face might not be recognised anymore but people remember the name. maybe she’s even got a teyrnir. girl would be outta her mind with happiness that she has access to things that would improve her image, her worth. flaunt her vanity a little more. i mean during the blight, she was careful with her hair, her clothes, her stuff. her abilities. if there was a means to progress further, she took them. helped morrigan, studied with velanna. helps her self-image. 

i guess in one way its a means of giving herself something, considering that being in the circle under the circumstances she entered, with no understanding of the amell family, nor her father’s life, kind of hurt her as she grew up. she’s around other people who are displaced, some too young to really understand and accept the circle, other’s who may have been older coming in, or just never quite adjusted. she’s the latter party. 

so her vanity, while sometimes bringing out the worst in her, brings attention to herself. and well, if it helps people to seek her out, there’s no harm in it, right?

[pestopascal]

for basilia! leliana 1-5

ok here we go

questions from here

1. What was your Warden’s position on the Chantry? Were they wary of Leliana due to their religious beliefs or lack thereof?

already answered that one: here

2. Was your Warden curious about bards? If they had the opportunity, would they choose to become one?

Honestly Basilia’s only knowledge of bards was super romanticised in cheesy saucy novels that she traded between other mages in the Circle so like. She was curious, definitely. The whole intrigue and backstabbing thing? Sign her tf up. Singing and performing is a bit eh... like she can hold a tune but she wouldn’t say that she could perform overly well.

3. If your Warden received Leliana’s personal quest, what did they choose to do with Marjolaine and why?

Basilia encouraged Leliana to kill Marjolaine. One: I kept getting knocked tf out (in my first runthru and ever since then Marjolaine doesn’t know what hit her), so like in some manner I believe that Basilia was quite done by the end of the fight, and two: she didn’t want some demon stalking Leliana until the end of time. She might not like Leliana a lot of the time, but she does care about her wellbeing (this does count as caring, right?). 

also one less orlesian spy with too much knowledge in the world

4. Did your Warden believe that Leliana was telling the truth about her vision from the Maker or were they skeptical? 

Honestly? Basilia can’t say. She was one of those crowd who believed that Andraste was probably a mage, just because of the miracles and visions and stuff they’d heard about - not that they advertised that fact in the Circle. Like, it was a totally plausible thing to her. Just having it in her face a lot made her opinion sour. Basilia’s first reaction was: oh, neat. So, yes and no. Skeptical but believable. 

5. How well did your Warden get along with Leliana? What was their relationship like?

Leliana’s intensity got to her, but Basilia did care for her (most of the time). But Leliana got herself too wound up in Chantry business for Basilia to reach out, as not only was she herself supposed to be a neutral party, the whole of Thedas was getting a little too rocky on the business of mages and templars. Basilia pulled away - quite literally far away to Antiva - and very rarely kept in contact. During the Blight, it was pretty solid terms. Almost dying next to each other is definitely one way to stay friends. 

[pestopascal]

for the companion asks. warden and zevran 5 leliana 1 oghren 1-5 loghain 1-5 and dog 1

idk which warden u r referring to so basilia amell, amantius mahariel and gwion aeducan (questions from here)

Zevran: 

5. How well did your Warden keep in contact with Zevran after the Blight? Did they ever see him again?

Basilia married him and they have two children together. I believe that means she kept in very close contact with him.

Amantius pretty much disappeared off the face of Thedas because he couldn’t contend with still being alive post archdemon. Last anyone saw of him he’d gone North in an attempt to find the Sabrae clan. Zevran keeps out eyes and ears for him, if only for Basilia’s sake, but it’s not looking hopeful.

Gwion welcomes Zevran any time he comes to visit Orzammar. It’s more out of respect for his participation in the war and how they helped him regain his life than for his character, but if Zevran writes, Gwion responds. 

Leliana: 

1. What was your Warden’s position on the Chantry? Were they wary of Leliana due to their religious beliefs or lack thereof?

Leliana met three people of varying power who had been bent under the Chantry, had no idea about it, or detested it in some way. She had a rough time.

Basilia doesn’t respect it at all. Once, when she was younger, she did. But the Chantry took away her life and any children she had in the Circle, and meeting Leliana (who is remarkably younger and reminded Basilia a little too much of herself like that), blindly quoting canticles and whatnot… it didn’t go over well at first.

Amantius is a Dalish elf. He knows, well, the Dalish versions of everything that happened. Leliana did open his eyes a bit more to just how thoroughly erased throughout history elves have been, but it also did make him see the trees from the forest, so to speak. Granted, his entire time away from his clan was just one big eye opener, but this definitely gave him a bit more perspective. Still doesn’t like the Chantry, of course.

Gwion is a traditionalist in a sense of religion, but a modernist in a sense of society (Bhelen, if only you had asked your older brother for support…). He respects ancestors and paragons and the stone, and the Chantry just rubs him the wrong way for some reason. What was that? Blind faith? Never heard of it. Whilst he didn’t have quite the existential crisis nor the faith crisis that Amantius had, he regained the Stone when he was let back into Orzammar. It was kinda rocky there for a while after being taken out of the memories. Chantry could’ve had one more supporter. 

the rest under cut!

Oghren:

1. What did your Warden think of Orzammer? Were they impressed or did they become disillusioned with the city, like Oghren did?

It reminded Basilia of the Circle in some way, all inclosed and not much else. 

Amantius didn’t like the feel of it, how he couldn’t feel life under his feet, save for magma. It was a different sort of darkening feeling. 

Gwion was definitely disillusioned up until that point where he was slapped in chains and thrown in the Deep Roads. That was kind of a deal breaker for him.

2. What were your Warden’s feelings on berserkers? Were they frightened of them? Were they a berserker themselves?

None of them honestly care. Sure, Basilia and Amantius kind of side eye how it’s done and how it’s probably not a healthy solution to a pressing issue but don’t say anything out of respect for Gwion.

3. What was the fate of Branka? If she was killed, was your Warden regretful? How did they act around Oghren afterwards?

Branka died (and every time I’ve done that fight Oghren has always had the last blow lol). Amantius and Gwion, definitely, were regretful. 

Amantius because of the amount of bloodshed that had happened so far anyway (and would likely continue to happen) but Gwion because he knew Branka. Like he had actually lived and met and been around her in some capacity. It was a personal regret.

Basilia was a little more mournful in a sense that she hadn’t thought much of a woman who trapped and attempted to kill them. She felt angry for Oghren to had lived through such a thing.

As far as how they all acted... well there was a lot of tender walking around Oghren for a while, until he took down an ogre by himself.

4. What was the relationship between your Warden and Oghren? Were they friendly or merely reluctant companions?

Amantius surprisingly got on well with Oghren. Like, they were very good friends and Amantius seemed to just bond with him. Over what, he never said, but they were close.

Basilia was friendly, and was the one who openly welcomed him to join them anyway. Although she didn’t think Oghren should’ve joined the Amaranthine wardens, she didn’t say no to help.

Gwion maintained the respect for Oghren he had since he was younger, and that didn’t stop him from trying to get a conversation out of Oghren. Considering that he was no longer Aeducan, and disgraced too, they had something to bond over. Not as close as Amantius or Basilia, but close enough.

5. Did your Warden stay on good terms with Oghren after the Blight? If Oghren got back together with Felsi, did your Warden ever go to meet Oghren’s child, who was named after the Warden?

They all did. Oghren named his child after Amantius, who was the one who encouraged him to reunite with Felsi during the Blight. Basilia visits Orzammar frequently anyway, as with the Circle, so she runs into Oghren either there or at Kinloch Hold. As for Gwion, there is a place amongst his family (not just his guard) for Oghren should he ever want to return.

Loghain.

1. Did your Warden respect Loghain’s experience as a warrior, if not as a ruler?

Basilia respected the stories. Sure, his experience was invaluable, as they did map the art of war and how he had come up with some odd strategies, but a ruler leads with support. Being on the other side didn’t help.

Amantius had only heard whispers of Loghain whenever clans would convene and tell stories. Apparently he had met Dalish. But a lot of people claimed that. As far as a ruler went, well, he wasn’t impressed.

Gwion didn’t care. Just plain and simple. Humans are weird with their fixations on a past achievement as if that excused a current mistake. He was happy to take Loghain down a notch.

2. How did your Warden react to Loghain’s fierce love for his daughter? Did they share a strong sense of loyalty to their own family?

It did kind of hit Basilia a little too close to home, considering she had lost three children by the time the Blight rolls around (one only six years prior), but she had also found out what family had done to her and her siblings, so… there was a momentary pull of heart strings. 

Amantius just felt… sadder than usual. Why didn’t his parents love him so fiercely they would give up everything for him, short of dying? That revelation before becoming a warden was not the best thing, and it still weighs heavily on him.

Gwion… well his child just got welcomed back into the Aeducan household. He’s nervous as anything considering that. Not sure if he will have any interaction with his own son. And well, his family all died within the space of a week soooo…

3. What did your Warden think of Loghain’s suspicion and dislike of Orlesians? Did they consider it to be ill-founded or accurate? 

Basilia didn’t blame him, considering that he was raised in a war, but it’s 9:30 dragon. There’s a Blight! Worry about invasion once the giant dragon was killed, please!

Amantius thought it was futile to be so hung up on what could be support. So many of them nearly died at Ostagar for nothing, and people keep telling them they need wardens. Why not just let them in?

Gwion: what’s an Orlesian?

4. What was your Warden’s opinion on Loghain’s decision to abandon King Cailan and the Grey Wardens at Ostagar? What did they think of Loghain afterwards?

They were all unimpressed but especially Basilia and Amantius as she was in the Tower of Ishal and he fled with the crowd bound of Lothering. Kind of cemented some sort of negativity in all of them that they were much safer inside their own homes at one point in their life, their point of origins. Gwion especially was not impressed with the killing of a King, and voiced such a thing loudly.

5. Did Loghain survive the Landsmeet? If he did, why did your Warden choose to let him live?

No. He had nothing more to offer. His execution was a private one. 

Dog

1. Who’s a good boy?!

Lusacan is!!!