#on one hand i think he would choose minrathous on the other hand i think he would choose treviso as well

[sunsetzer]

I only got three votes last time so I'm gonna try again lmao. I've explained it a little more so maybe people who aren't playing veilguard but are fans of ff6 can vote too!

In favour of Minrathous: He's a Shadow Dragon. It's his home, and Edgar is of course very loyal to Figaro so it would make sense (even though Rook isn't really a Minrathous native, they were adopted by the Shadow Dragons). He'd want to make sure the Shadow Dragons survive the attack to continue fighting the Venatori. If the cult takes over the government, they could hand Tevinter right over to the gods, which would be Very Very Bad.

In favour of Treviso: There are a lot of defenseless civilians already under Antaam occupation. They have no standing army, and while there's corruption in the Templars, he has reason to believe that in this circumstance they would help defend Minrathous from the dragon and could last longer against it while they help the Crows defend Treviso. The blight getting into the waterways also wouldn't just affect Treviso, theoretically it could travel to other places and contaminate their water as well.

Both are all around a Bad Time and there's not really any right choice to make here which is both great and awful at the same time, thanks bioware.

(Also if Minrathous gets blighted and the Venatori take over, it kinda mimics the events of ff6 following Edgar's decision to protect Terra- I'm thinking about South Figaro's occupation by the Empire and the attack on the Returners hideout specifically).

[vaguely-concerned]

I think there is no better illustration of the more intimate, internal angle veilguard chooses to approach its characters and themes with than the fact that like... listen in this game we get to follow so much pain back to its source, and we find it really does permeate everything in thedas today on a level that evokes a kind of cosmic horror. the bones of the earth itself are broken open and drenched in trauma; the world is mired in suffering down to the core and the marrow. as above, so below. as outside, so inside. on the big scale, and the small. all of creation is a throat gone to bloody shreds from screaming in agony, when you allow yourself to listen. (maybe that's why we usually don't, or can't, bring ourselves to listen.)

...and yet the thing that makes me personally so desperately gnaw-my-own-arm-off sad that it feels like I could die from it is that in a run where you save minrathous, lucanis never gets out from the ossuary in his mind. what's worse, no one even knows he's in there. he's still in there. and there is no rescue on the way, because he's locked down so deep inside himself this time that there's no way for anyone to even understand there's a need for it. would he be able to welcome one, if someone did realize it and tried to reach him? You know him -- you can open the door, but he won't walk through. He won't move. There's nowhere to go. the way he says 'it doesn't matter what I want' with such utter, leaden, final resignation in the wrecked treviso cutscene is going to haunt me forever. it makes perfect sense to me you can't romance him after that, I'm not sure he's ever really here completely in that version of events, at least within the timeline the game takes place. he's just standing in the shitty awful ossuary torture room all alone, and no one's coming to find him.

and what is that, next to the millennia of suffering screaming through all of history and creation? well. nothing, of course, not really. a single plucked string in an endless deafening symphony of despair. one singular trapped and broken soul among the untold millions that have gone before and the untold more that will surely come after, that are being made as we speak in the conflicts and tragedies unfolding through the game. but more importantly it's also everything. to me. and to the game too. the game says this also matters. just as much as anything else, this pain matters and deserves to be loved and comforted. even in the face of all the suffering in the world, beneath the systems perpetuating all the banalities of evil, for good or for ill sometimes, we matter to each other. and what would be the point of anything, if we didn't? that's where hope lives. as long as you're alive, the right key might still arrive to gently open the locks of your mind, the right hand might reach out one day and you will bring yourself to take it. you don't know what tomorrow's going to be. if in the meantime the only thing we have to gain in staying is each other -- isn't that enough? isn't that everything? why does this one guy saved mean the world saved to me, a little bit? hello. hello. hello. there's stuff going on in the deep here.

when I say that the deep thematic spine of this game is so good and solid that the occasional clumsiness and false tones of the writing on top of it simply cannot hurt me... I think this is part of what I mean. works for every single one of the characters of course! lucanis' is the predicament that speaks to me most viscerally. for. uh. personal reasons there simply is no time to get into at this juncture lol. but just as much the idea that davrin can die before he could see the world freed from the blight and the need for wardens, or that harding can get cut down right at the beginning of a great revelation that could change everything and heal things no one had even dreamed could be healed. all of them are like this. each and every one of us has a world and so many stories inside that matter, and it's not to dismiss the larger systemic forces and evils that create so much of the suffering in the world to focus in on that for one installment of the series -- only to view it from a different angle that brings other things to light than what we're looking for normally in this series. it's worth looking at what's actually here.

(have you ever heard the poem 'good light' by andrea gibson? it's very good. you should check it out if you haven't, you can find it on youtube. it has these lines:

Come make it count Our finding each other like we found God Come root for the salt Come believing we can heal it all, even everything Even everything that has ever been done I know how much the pain of this world weighs But I can still tip the scales in light's direction Whenever I have your name on my tongue

and yeah. I think that's basically what I'm trying to say here.)

[thewardenisonthecase]

Moments in Between - Chapter 5

Lucanis Dellamorte x Grey Warden!Rook (Dawn Thorne)

Chapter 4

Read on AO3

Summary: The aftermath of the dragon attack and a certain demon cause a little bit of mayhem.

A/N: I struggled a bit with this chapter as I had to focus on some real life stuff (applying for a masters and had to do a bunch of self tape auditions). At least, I have a clearer vision of where I want to go with this story, I just need to adjust how to tackle it.

What a mess. 

Rook’s first real taste of leadership had ended in disaster. Minrathous had been destroyed in the attack, and the Venatori had used the chaos to make a pass at the throne. 

She brought the whiskey bottle to her lips once again. 

The reality of what they were facing was starting to dawn upon her. 

People would die. Sacrifices were to be made. And sometimes, no matter what you chose, the outcome would still be shit. 

Varric had tried to ease her mind, but it didn’t help her guilt. Could she have done more? She should have had. There must have been some way to save both cities. If she’d been faster with the ice dragon, maybe they could have reached Minrathous in time. 

Rook wiped her tears. She didn’t have the right to cry, it was not her city that was burned to the ground. If Neve never wanted to step foot in the Lighthouse again, she wouldn’t blame her. 

The whiskey tasted bitter in her mouth yet she couldn’t stop drinking. The worst part was that the blissful ignorance of being drunk never arrived. 

In moments like this she cursed her high tolerance for alcohol. 

“Drinking yourself to death will not solve your problems, kid.” Varric said, entering her room. “Trust me, I tried.” 

She sighed “I didn’t realize it would be this hard.” She looked at him. “Being the one who makes the decisions.” 

He walked to her and sighed. “I’m sorry you’re having to take all of this on. I’m the one who should have been leading the team…”

“Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault you got injured.” 

���Stil…” Varric put a hand on her shoulder. “But I know you can do this. You were my second in command for a reason. You’re a responsible woman, resourceful. If anyone can deal with this, its you.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Now, instead of spending your day here until you enter an alcohol induced coma, you need to plan your next steps. If I were you, I’d talk to Solas, see if there’s anything you can take from him.” 

Rook nodded. “I think I’ll do that…after I take a bath.” 

Varric chuckled. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” 

. 

Lucanis hadn’t seen much of Rook. After the dragon attack, she had been busy recruiting new members for their team, planning for what was next. 

The dragon…he didn’t think she would choose Treviso. It was a merchant city that few seemed to care about. It did not haven defenses, and with the occupation going, they’d have even less protection. 

Treviso did not have much to offer in the fight against the elven gods. 

Minrathous was a capital to one of the most powerful nations in Thedas, they could provide an army if things escalated, the Shadow Dragons even had connections to the magisterium. 

And yet, Rook had showed up and helped them fight off the dragon. He shuddered to think how many lives would have been lost - in the attack, and afterwards. 

Lucanis had tried thinking of how he could say thank you. They hadn’t spoken much since, not with Lucanis staying away from the group. Since the dragon, Spite had grown more restless, demanding to be let out.

He couldn’t give voice to the demon, but he also could not control it. He feared what Spite could do to the others, especially now, and so, Lucanis had retreated into his mind even more. 

He stood by the fire, deep in thoughts, not even noticing that others had arrived in the dining hall until they began talking. He hadn’t heard much of what was being said until the new guy, Davrin interneved. 

“Hang on a minute. Not only have you retained the services of a demon assassin, you’re also taking advice from the elven god who attempted to tear down the veil.” 

He turned to the group “Spite is my problem.” He told the warden. 

“That’s what they always say.” Davrin crossed his arms, turning to Rook. “Thorne, what mess have you gotten yourself into? Lucanis is one thing, but do you really trust this Solas?” 

Lucanis frowned at the name. Did she know him from before? The two were wardens after all. 

“I would not call it trust.”

“So you don’t trust him?”

“No.” She replied, bluntly. 

“Alright then.” 

The conversation continued, as they planned on who to contact. Bellara happened to know a professor from Nevarra who could help and Harding would speak with her contacts to find a dragon hunter. 

The others began exiting the room, Rook being the last of them to stay. They exchanged a look, and it seemed as if she was about to say something before turning to the door and leaving. 

Lucanis sighed. As if things weren’t bad enough, now there was a monster hunter on the team. He looked at Spite, who had grown more restless since the dragon attack, demanding to go out. 

He’d need more coffee to keep the demon at bay. 

. 

Rook remembered the first time she met Davrin, five years ago when she was sent to the Anderfels. 

The two of them had been grouped alongside Evka and Antoine to go on a mission. Investigate the appearance of darkspawn in a village and make sure they wouldn’t cause any more trouble. 

The whole situation had turned out to be much more complex than they had expected, and by the end of it, Rook had three new friends. At the time, the only friends she had. 

She was excited when she realized Davrin would join their team. They hadn’t seen each other in long, and the two had been close confidants in the Anderfels. Besides, she knew how capable of a warrior he was. 

Rook did not expect, however, that he and Lucanis would be at each other's throats all of the time. 

It did not matter where they were, at some point, the same conversation would happen: Davrin would bring up the fact that Lucanis was an abomination. Lucanis would bring up the warden's mysterious secrets. They’d talk in circles and get nowhere. 

Maker, the headaches she was getting because of the two. 

It was terrible. She did not wish to intervene as they were two grown men, but one of them was her closest friend and the other…

Well. That was the worst part. Rook believed she was starting to have…feelings for Lucanis, and at the moment, that was the last thing she needed. They had recruited the fade expert, Emmrich, but they still needed the dragon hunter. She had to focus. 

But it was hard to do so when he would look at her with those sad, brown eyes of his and make her chocolate. Or when he seemed to be opening up, even if just a bit, when she was around. They hadn’t spoken much since Treviso, and she did not know why, but it was as if Lucanis was even more closed off than before. 

She did not understand it, but she didn’t find the courage to ask. 

Rook would find an answer soon enough, after their hunter, Taash, joined the team. 

. 

She followed the shouting to the room where the eluvian was kept. Taash stood in front of it, stopping Lucanis and Harding from getting through. 

“What’s going on here?” Rook asked. 

“It’s the demon!” Harding exclaimed. “It’s taken over Lucanis and now he’s trying to leave.” 

When Rook looked at him, she saw that his eyes were no longer the same, becoming bright purple, and when he spoke, a different voice than the one she knew said “Smells like…jam and brimstone.” 

Was that what Spite sounded like? 

“Rook, do something.” Lace pleaded. 

She looked at the man in front of her. This was not the first time she had spoken to a demon, but each one required a different approach. She thought of his nature - Spite. Perhaps if she catered to it, he might be more agreeable to letting Lucanis go. 

She had an idea. If he wanted to go through the eluvian, what could be more spiteful than not giving it to him?

A part of her wondered if it was a good idea to aggravate the demon, but between her, Harding and Taash, she believed they could do it. She only feared Lucanis getting hurt. 

With a firm voice, she spoke “Spite, I’m not letting you take Lucanis through there.” 

“I could. If you’d move!” 

“So you can take him to where? A cliff, or worse?”

Rook crossed her arms. “Give it up. It’s not happening.” 

She saw him gnarl, before Lucanis shook his head, blinking. 

“How did…Rook? Taash?” He asked confused, looking around before exhaling. “Ah…”

“You…tried to walk through the eluvian in your sleep.” Lace explained.

“Spite wanted out.” 

Lucanis sighed. “I need coffee.” 

“Lucanis…are you sure you’re all right?” 

“This…could be better.” He said, looking embarrassed. “I must have fallen asleep. It won’t happen again.” 

“What do you mean?” Harding asked but Rook knew why. He had told her long ago. 

Lucanis explained to the others “It’s hard for Spite to take control when I’m awake, so…I try to stay awake.” 

“You can’t just stay awake forever. I think that would kill you.” 

“I’ll be more careful next time.” 

“But you shouldn’t have to live like this.” Rook put her hands on her hips. “Lace is right, not sleeping for so long will be bad for you.” 

He raised a brow. “That is rich, coming from you.” He shook his head. “Just…I can handle it.”

“I know you can but maybe Spite could be reasoned with, so you wouldn’t find yourself in these situations.” 

“He’s ‘Spite’, not ‘Learning’. He doesn’t listen to anyone.” 

“He seemed to listen to Rook just a moment ago.” Taash spoke up.

“He didn’t-” Lucanis sighed. “Don’t worry about it. It won’t happen again.” He said and marched out of the room. 

The three of them looked at each other. 

“Do you really think he could be reasoned with?” Lace asked. 

“Maybe? I mean, he’s still a demon but if he really wanted to hurt Lucanis, he could have done so already.” Rook told her. “I remember him saying they had a deal, but he never said what it was. I wonder…”

Making deals with demons was tricky and there was too much involving Spite that she did not know about. Rook sighed as she shook her head. 

“I’ll think about this later. Lace, you said Morrigan wanted to speak to me?” 

. 

“She. Talked to me. Listened.” Spite said as Lucanis walked. “You. Never. Do.” 

He tried to keep a calm facade as he began brewing some coffee. Spite, however, made it very difficult to keep focus. 

“You’re not. Living. I want. Out!” The demon screamed. “I want. To talk.” 

Lucanis bit his tongue, to avoid answering him. Give the demon some leeway and look at what happened. Maker knows what he would have done if the others hadn’t stopped him. 

He felt ashamed that they had seen him like that. That… Rook had seen him like that. 

It was then he realized. Lucanis put a hand on his forehead, sighing. In his haste to leave, he had forgotten to thank them. 

No matter. He shook his head. He wouldn’t let it happen again.

[i-had-bucky]

Okay, my actual unfiltered veilguard thoughts! Keep in mind this is pretty much overwhelmingly positive. I adore this game; it is pretty much my IDEAL dragon age game.

So, the only complaints I have, I'll get out of the way right off: I wish we could take unlocked transmogs into new playthroughs, and I wish we could customize the inquisitor's prosthetic.

Other than that, though? This is my favorite game. It just edged out Jedi: Survivor. Of note: I played a crow and romanced Lucanis. I have seen the other romances, though I haven't played them yet. Lucanis's romance is my favorite. It's soft and sweet and full of yearning. I think being a Crow makes it better. You have to save Treviso to be able to romance him, which makes complete sense to me because Treviso is DEVASTATED if you choose Minrathous. So I haven't really understood the people saying it feels like a bug. Treviso is far worse than Minrathous if left to the blight and Lucanis is the effective head of the Crows; he's too busy for romance and doesn't trust that you'll come through for him. Also, I heard you don't get the imprisoned-in-his-mind scene if you save minrathous, which explains A LOT of the complaints I've seen about him as a character. To me, that's necessary to understand what he's going through, which is a lot, but if you put the work in, his romance is sooo worth it. It has joined Shakarian in my favorite video game romance.

The story is fantastic. The twist Got Me. Much like Rook, I ignored all the signs that are obvious in a subsequent playthrough because I didn't want to believe it! So it punched me in the gut and made me cry! But the reveal is a beautiful part of the story and definitely one of my favorites. Also, yes, I did sit there going surely the god of lies and trickery isn't lying and tricking me THIS TIME every time. It was great 10/10 no notes; love solas. Yes i did call him a lying flea bag and threaten to stab him. Still gave him his happy ending tho.

Also! The way all the sidequests are important to the main quest!! I love it! I love that decisions you make early in the game have an effect later! I love the reactivity. I love the choices; i love that there are sometimes huge consequences. This has always been one of my main complaints about video games, and dav gives it to me beautifully. Everything felt meaningful, from the side quests to building relationships with the factions, and with the companions.

Rook is my favorite video game protagonist ever. I love them. I was already sold, but the hand puns in Arlathan made it BETTER. I like that they are their own character, that they're kind of silly and snarky, but more than all of that, i love that they struggle! They struggle with the leadership, with building trust among their companions, with feeling like they're good enough. The scene in the infirmary after you get back from the fade prison just. It was so good. Also!! The fact that Rook can be nonbinary and it COMES UP IN THE GAME, IN THE STORY, THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT AND HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO THEM. That in itself would have sold the game for me, honestly. It meant so much to me to have that. I cried about it.

Anyway, longwinded way of me saying I love this game, I will play it forever; it means so much to me. If you're still on the fence about it, I do recommend it. I recommend it especially for anyone who liked mass effect 2 because it felt a lot like that at points.

[broodwolf221]

plans for my as-yet-unnamed rook. major spoilers:

she's going to encourage taash to embrace their qunari heritage - mostly for projection reasons, altho she isn't aware she's doing that. but ik my rook is from an alienage and that she feels disconnected from her own heritage, moreso over the course of the game. she wants to understand what it means to be an elf, but she refuses to think about it so she hasn't gotten to the point where she realizes she is an elf, regardless of what she does or doesn't know. that it isn't a personal failing to not be dalish. so yeah, projection city!

going to save minrathous. don't really have an in-character reason for this sm as i just wanna see what that looks like for both cities, but i'll probably find a way to swing it to be smth that makes sense for her

going to turn the griffons over to the wardens

going to choose neve for the end-game thing

i really don't know whether she's going to choose lace or davrin though.... on the one hand, i want to choose davrin bc i chose lace last time and i want to see the differences. on the other, i'm leaning towards having her romance davrin and that'd be... oof. and on the third hand (ghilly moding it rn) i think that she would romance davrin and she would choose him to lead the distraction team. bc she's a grey warden, too; she knows that they're willing to sacrifice themselves, she knows what he's capable of, and she knows that if he falls, she can still take down the archdemon. and she's not the type to let her feelings get in the way of combat decisions. and i do kinda want to see what happens if you're romancing him and he's killed... but i kinda want to see what happens if you're romancing him and he lives.... ough i want to see it all

[invinciblerodent]

Far into Ver as I am, I'm kinda also having a good time thinking about all the future plans I have for my other characters I plan to play.

I think Tristan and Marcus are both also going to choose to save Minrathous, and Coris and Tanner are going to choose Treviso. (I'm not yet sure about Syl, but her whole Deal is gonna be symbolically choosing between Neve and Bellara, so I'll have to see how she feels once I get there with her.)

Tristan is a Grey Warden. He's no stranger to making uncomfortable choices that hurt people, but ultimately are made in service of the greater good- if Minrathous falls, then the Imperium also falls, and then there's nothing to stop the Antaam from expanding further and further South- first through Tevinter, then the Marches, and if Orlais falls, the entire South falls. It's unfortunate that Treviso has to be the one to pay that price, but... someone has to. In Death, Sacrifice.

Marcus, I'm also thinking of as a fairly pragmatic person- he's on the Mourn Watch, he's gonna be a scholar, and I quite like the thought of him being especially invested in stopping the Venatori in particular. They're the living representation of all the worst things magic can do: they control, they destroy, they enslave, and even beyond the immediate threat they represent, there is an ideological reason for standing against them.

Neither of these guys are thinking about the city specifically, not in the way Verbena did (honestly, to her, what Neve said there was like the fucking icy terror unzipped her spine, and there was immediately no way she would choose otherwise- it was an emotional choice, a personal choice, and one she believes in her heart as well as her mind was the closest to a right choice that she could make), I don't think they've ever even been there- but they both have their reasons for why they'd choose to prioritize it over Treviso.

While Coris, to her, Treviso is as much of a home as it is to Lucanis- and, I'm pretty sure that'll be the first moment when she looks and Lucanis, and doesn't see the hated First Talon's repulsive grandson she's been playing the nice girl for, but him, for the man he is. That'll likely be their first moment of genuine bonding, as Crows, as people, and it'll set a shaky foundation for their future relationship being something genuine, too.

And Tanner, well... I figure that she isn't one for ideology. As a Lord of Fortune, she's going to be thinking about the people, first and foremost- the Blight in the waterways, the innocent bystanders, all those who can't protect themselves. Minrathous is, simply put, far more capable of defending itself. With its military, its magic, its covert militia of Shadows, it simply has a better shot than Treviso is with its handful of assassins and people already straining under the weight of the Antaam.

Treviso is flying on a hope and a prayer, and even though in the metagaming way we can know that Minrathous, too, falls... well, at that moment, it sounds like Treviso needs the help more.

I think I'm satisfied with these choices so far, but I'll be really interested in seeing where Syl falls. She'll be a Veil Jumper, a city elf originally, and from Orlais no less- she needs a lot more developing until I can figure out where she falls in all this.

[apostatively]

Exactly this. It’s what made the most sense to me, based on A.) the undeniable fact that Varric helps Rook escape from the Fade prison, which regardless of the sloppy characterization choices I cannot imagine Solas delegating time and energy towards while he’s very busy infiltrating Minrathous to finish an eons-old fight, and B.) a very specific conversation Rook has with Varric in the infirmary towards the start of the game.

After Rook & Co. retrieve the lyrium dagger from the ritual site, Varric expresses shock at recognizing the dagger. No matter what response Rook chooses they don’t get it. Varric has to tell them that he recognizes the dagger as being shaped from the lyrium idol in Kirkwall. (This also contradicts what the devs have told us, that Varric never tells Rook anything they don’t already know.)

Now, Solas also knows about the origins of the dagger, since he was the one who would have had to retrieve and reshape it. He could have told Rook this using Varric’s form, but to what end? There is no point to bringing this up, and Varric trails off and changes the subject with no further point except his remembrance of the object. Beyond general encouragement “through” Varric and in conversations with Solas in the prison, we see that Solas is very careful with what information he gives to Rook. He almost never says anything beyond general tactical advice and what he knows to be true of Elgarnan and Ghilan’nain’s natures. It wouldn’t behoove him to give free info to Rook about a magical item that Rook might be able to come to further conclusions about on their own, maybe to potentially use against Solas himself. And it’s also just OOC (for what that’s worth at this point) for him to point out a strange detail just to go “Huh, weird,” and move on.

But this artifact/dagger was tied to one of the most harrowing moments in Varric’s life - the day it changed forever in so many ways. It’s symbolic of a terrible time befalling his city, emblematic of a long adventure that bonded him to his friends, and an omen of ill will for the red lyrium that would soon dominate the South. Varric himself wouldn’t be able to avoid saying something if Rook suddenly appeared with that artifact in their hand. It’s too important to him personally, and thus it would make absolute sense for Varric to point this detail out for no other purpose but his own surprise, and a possible warning to Rook that the dagger is not to be underestimated due to its impact on Varric’s own life.

So the possible reasons for this scene are:

1.) the driving force behind Varric’s apparition changed multiple times throughout production and this is a scene from a more Varric-driven direction that made it into the Solas-driven final cut;

2.) like the rest of Veilguard, the scene suffers from continuity errors and meandering writing that often results in conversations that have no point; or.

3.) Varric/his lingering spirit/a Fade spirit influenced by him/etc. has autonomy in this moment, and possibly beyond this one instance, and is informed by Varric’s true self as much as or more than Solas’ imitation of him.

For my own enjoyment as someone who loves Varric and feels his character was deeply disrespected and literally discarded in this game, I choose to believe the latter for my own satisfaction. I also think it would have been interesting if Rook learned in the Fade prison that some interactions with Varric were illusions created by Solas, and some were Varric’s spirit, and there were little tells which one they were speaking with in a given scene. But there are a lot of things I wish about how this plotline was executed…still, long story long, I definitely feel that we shouldn’t write off the real Varric being captured here in some way.

Fuck. I think the “friend in the Fade” isn’t Hawke…

It’s Varric. Sending a gift to Rook.

[queenaeducan]

We Tame the Sky

Pairing: f!Cadash / Josephine Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No warnings apply

In the quiet before the final approach on Haven, Thora Cadash and Josephine share a moment together in Skyhold's chapel.

Written as a fill for Spronky as a part of the @sapphic-solstice event!

Read on AO3 here.

Sitting in the quiet of Skyhold’s chapel, Thora begins to see why her ancestors favoured the stone so. Being born Casteless she had always been as likely to choose a sun-soaked field over a well-lit cave, but tonight is different. Outside, the light breaks in a sickly green over the Frostbacks, scattering across the sky like a spotlight through the pieces of a shattered mirror. Thunder rumbles without storm clouds, booming with Corypheus’ ambition. Beneath the stone chapel ceiling it's not easy to forget the chaos that threatens to tear their world asunder, but peace seems a little more feasible here. The harsh light of a Breach wrenched open is blocked out by a heavy wooden door, and she sits awash in the scent of incense, beneath the watchful eyes of the Maker’s chosen.

She kneels before Andraste, her hopes and dreams clasped between her palms as they come together in prayer. She sings a prayer for those who will ride beside her into the abyss, perhaps never to return, a prayer for those she’s leaving behind, with nothing but belief to buoy their hopes for the future.

And one for herself, should Andraste have any grace to spare.

“You have walked beside me Down the paths where a thousand arrows sought my flesh. You have stood with me when all others Have forsaken me.”

The prayer for the despairing comes too easily to her, the hymn had played a companion to her countless times through the years, but never had its words rang more clearly in her heart than tonight, as she steeled herself to face Corypheus one last time. She can’t pretend she knows what was in Andraste’s heart as she stood before the gates of Minrathous with her army at her flank, but this is likely the closest she’ll ever come to knowing.

“I am not alone. Even As I stumble on the path With my eyes closed, yet I see The Light is here.”

Though the chant evokes the Maker’s light, it’s no longer His face she sees as she closes her eyes, lips pressed against her thumbs in reverent devotion. Before Him come the faces of her friends, the brilliance of Cassandra’s sword as it cleaves through their foes, the glow of Solas’ staff as he cuts through the Deep Roads’ dark, the soft gleam in Josephine’s eye as a smile spreads her lips. Heavensent or no, those were the lights that had gotten her this far.

“There you are.” The sound of Josephine’s voice startles Thora from her prayer, with thoughts of her so near at hand she’d almost thought she imagined it. She looks over in time to see her step lightly through the door, her slippers just a whisper against the floor. “I had thought to find you in the garden, but…” The distant roar of the Breach completes her thought in fewer words. She’d often take her evening prayers beneath the bows of the maple trees, preferring their sanctuary to the small chapel that harboured most of Skyhold’s believers, but she’ll find no peace under them tonight— nor any night until her job is done. Josephine’s lips turn in a smile, a practised expression Thora had seen persist in the darkest circumstances, but it strains now. “Well, what matters is I’ve found you now.”

Thora’s words stick in her throat, all she can do as she rises to her feet is stare dumbly. There always seems too much to say between herself and Josephine to know where to begin.

Thankfully, Josephine always seems to find a way. “I suppose it won’t be long now,” she says.

“It’s just a matter of time.” She wishes they could find anything other than the oncoming fight to talk about, but it may be asking too much of them both. Corypheus is difficult to ignore even at the best of times, now that the ruins of Haven tremble at their doorstep every thought is stained by his influence. “I thought I’d see if I could get a few words in before we set out.”

This time the smile that graces Josephine’s features sneaks up on her, chased by a short breath of laughter. “If it’s good fortune you’re after, I may have just the thing.” Before Thora can so much as ask, the ambassador produces a flag of cloth from the folds of her doublet, flourishing it with a street magician’s flair. “Do you recognise it? The pattern, that is.” She proffers it forward, supporting the fabric with the tips of her fingers so the image lays flat before her eyes. She doesn’t need long to know what she’s looking at (she’d spent far too many hours looking for the blasted thing to ever mistake it): a proud ship sails across an unruly sea, the bow cutting through choppy waves and rendering them calm.

“Your family crest…”

“Soon its likeness will fly above a fleet of ships that will rival the great houses of Antiva, but this one is yours.”

“Mine?”

She nods. “My favour may not have the same weight as Andraste, but if it can accompany you where I cannot, then I give it gladly. May I see your hand?”

Thora immediately extends her right arm, then draws it back just as quick. “No, wait,” she says, offering forward the other, fingers closed into a loose fist to contain the faint buzz of the Anchor. “This one could probably use it more.”

“Naturally.” She winds the handkerchief up so it resembles a bracelet, coiling the fabric up like a rope and measuring it against her slender wrist before she tries Thora’s. Curled ringlets coil around her ears as she leans over to tie it properly, and in all the chaos of Corypheus’ attack she’s still found the presence of mind to perfume herself. Thora discovers this herself as she breathes slowly, and tries to forget her daydreams. “I’m afraid I’ve little else to offer but my hopes, Corypheus has proven most resilient to my charms.” The fabric slides across the smooth finish of her gauntlets without purchase, and then again, each time reset by the patient hand of Lady Montilyet. At last it catches against the details, winding around dwarven runes that spell the Cadash house words in an alphabet that rarely saw sunlight. The sight of her words and the Montilyet crest winding together around her wrist moves something in her. It creeps up her ribs and into her throat and blossoms. Not for the first time since they’ve met, Thora finds herself grateful you can’t choke to death on love.

She ties the knot once, twice, and Thora thinks she sees some reluctance as they fall away to her sides. “May you tame the sky as we tamed the sea, Lady Cadash,” she says in a trembling voice, her words straining against her fears.

“Josephine, I—” Brown eyes rimmed with tears look up at Josephine. The sharp end to her sentence is a keen reminder that while she can’t choke to death on love, she sure can still choke. “I’m…” What she wants to say more than anything feels selfish to say, now more than ever, when her death is so near at hand. What good would it do her to die with no regrets, if it meant sentencing Josephine to a lifetime of them? She grinds her hopes beneath her heel, and tells herself that, should she live to see morning, there’ll be nothing stopping her anymore.

Even if it’s a lie, it’s a lie that can get her through this moment.

“Thank you,” she manages after a moment of tear-induced silence. “I’m... I don’t- I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” She folds her hands around Thora’s, cupping the armour-clad knuckles between tender fingers, like her glove was wrought with silk and not steel. “Just come back to us, please.”

Her heart constricts with the burden of a promise she may not keep. The sky calls her name, spelling her doom in the air with the ruins of her first failure, but Josephine’s words have worked miracles for her before. “I’ll do my best, I always— oh.” A distant horn blows, signalling her departure, and their farewell. Eyes laced with tears, she turns to the statue of Andraste as though she were a friend forgotten in the tide of the conversation. “I didn’t get to finish.”

The threads of Josephine’s smile start to unravel, grief twisting the manners from the corners of her lips. “I will finish it for you, Inquisitor,” she says in a voice laid thick with tears she wants desperately to dab from her cheeks. “Go with Andraste’s grace.” Her hands tremble as they release Thora’s, only finding stability as they lace together in prayer. As her footsteps echo with her retreat, she hears Josephine’s voice lift in song, words burdened with her weeping but warm with the Maker’s light.

“Draw your last breath, my friends. Cross the Veil and the Fade and all the stars in the sky. Rest at the Maker's right hand, And be Forgiven.”

[electricshoebox]

first lines meme

Tagged by: @poemsfromthealley, thanks so much! This was fun!

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

I’m gonna do those of these that are part of a series in series order, and then the rest in posting order. For a few, I’ve included one or two more lines after the first to put it in better context.

1. A Line in the Sand (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, multi-chapter, complete): 

The first time Deacon lays eyes on Robert Joseph MacCready, he’s sitting at a beer-stained high top table in the Third Rail, because where else would you find someone shady, untrustworthy, and not currently out getting paid for it?

2. Another Shore: Scenes from the Other Side (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, reverse POV and missing scenes from ALITS, WIP)

MacCready knocks back the last of his beer, tipping his head back until the last drop hits his tongue.

3. We Have Not Touched the Stars (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, oneshot, part of the ALITS series)

“Come on, Deacon, she said it was going to start at midnight!”

4. The Eye of the Storm (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, sequel to ALITS, WIP)

“On your left!”

Deacon crouches back behind a splintered reception desk as he shouts across the lobby. 

5. By Any Other Name (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, oneshot, part of the ALITS series)

MacCready drums his fingers on the neck of his beer bottle, once and then again.

6. Only Human (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, oneshot, part of the ALITS series)

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

MacCready shoulders out of the elevator as soon as the doors roll back.

7. Rearrange the Stars (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, part of the ALITS series, WIP collection of oneshots)

Deacon’s not used to gentle wake up calls.

8. Siren Song - Part I (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, noir-inspired AU, twoshot)

MacCready pulls the last of his cigarette to his lips as he reaches the end of the block.

9. On the Rocks - Part II (Fallout 4, Deacon/MacCready, noir-inspired AU, twoshot)

When the knock comes on Deacon’s door this time, he doesn’t ask who it is. He knows, even before it gets elbowed open on its own.

10. Broken Masks (Critical Role, Caleb & Nott friendship, oneshot)

She doesn’t deserve this.

She wraps herself in rags, and he covers himself in dirt, and they move through the streets like shadows where the lights can’t reach.

11. Between Sunset and Sunrise (Red Dead Redemption 2, Arthur/Charles with past Arthur/John, oneshot)

The dark tents scattered around the hunching ruins of Shady Belle light up at the sound of hooves on the foot bridge.

12. In the Shadow of Dreams (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, Inception AU)

Sand. He felt it under his fingers, against his cheek, scraping beneath his horns as he turned his head.

13. Counting the Cost (Dragon Age 2, Orana/Merrill, oneshot)

For a long time, Orana simply stood on the threshold. Behind her, there was a clatter of wood crates and the heavy clink of metal as the alienage merchants shuttered their stalls for the evening.

14. To Have and to Hold (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, Trespasser oneshot)

The first time Dorian’s parents brought him to a wedding he was eight years old, and it rained.

15. The Lady Herself (Dragon Age: Inquisition, The Randy Dowager/Female Dwarf OC, oneshot)

Petra never grew tired of the sound of her own heels on marble. Even all these years later, when silk curtains and shining floors had long ago lost their novelty, the crisp echo always made her feel so important. 

16. Resolution (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, oneshot)

The last night of the year fell on Skyhold with snow.

17. Till the Stars Fall Out of the Sky (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, oneshot)

Evening is falling when the Bull reaches the winding lane that leads up to their villa.

18. Dawn (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, oneshot)

Minrathous fell still in the hour before dawn, as the sky turned the heavy gray of a night yielding.

19. Something Sweet (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, oneshot)

Autumn comes quickly to Skyhold. The handful of snowless weeks that pass for a summer yield easily back to crisp, frostbitten winds, and whatever green crept into the foliage flees again, the trees turning gold and brown.

20. May This Night Keep You Here (Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dorian/Iron Bull, oneshot)

Dorian finds Bull on a stool by his hearth, his greataxe resting across his legs, his head bent to the task as he cleans the dust of Redcliffe from it.

Well, what I’m learning is in my older pieces I relied a lot on weather and time of day to open things and set the scene. And now I tend to tie my openings to physical actions, or two start with dialogue, things that almost make it feel in medias res. I’d like them to have a little more impact and interest in the future, so this was an interesting exercise to kind of examine that! I think my favorite is the opener to To Have and to Hold. 

Tagging: @adventuresofmeghatron, @molliehaswords, @velvet-verve, @valkyriejack, @diredigression, @desynchimminent, and anyone else that would like to! No pressure as always, this was just for fun. 

[jackdawyt]

Well, punch me in the teeth and call me the Dread Wolf! BioWare have already revealed another trailer for the next Dragon Age this year! The Game Awards 2020 premiered a beautiful-cinematic trailer that showcased many locations, factions, characters and foes we’ll witness in the next instalment. As per usual, we have many thoughts, theories and tinfoils on everything this trailer revealed!

However, before we break down the trailer, we have two descriptions of the next Dragon Age game shared separately on YouTube and Twitter.  

On YouTube, the trailer’s description said:  

“The world of Dragon Age needs a new hero – someone who can take on the evil forces threatening Thedas. Get a first look at some of the new locations you’ll discover and the factions fighting by your side in the next chapter of Dragon Age.”  

And shared on Twitter, the post said:  

“The world of Thedas needs you, a new hero. The next #DragonAge will see the return of Solas… and an old friend.”  

https://twitter.com/dragonage/status/1337198092957839365

Of course, the old friend no doubt refers to Varric who narrated this brand-new cinematic trailer. That’s right, the one, the only, our storytelling-chest-haired dwarf is coming back in the next Dragon Age, so we’re already going to have some familiarity in the next adventure.

With that said, let’s breakdown the entire contents of this new trailer and what it means for the next Dragon Age!

Meredith & Corypheus

The trailer started by revealing the first piece of a brand-new stone-etched mural.  

Knight-Commander Meredith was shown, infused with red lyrium, holding her sword “Certainty”.

Followed up with Corypheus holding Solas’s orb towards the heavens. During this point, Varric said: “I’ve faced tyrants and would-be gods.”  

These two shots clearly showcase the previous events of Dragon Age that have somehow circulated towards Solas’s scheme to destroy the Veil and deal with the Evanuris.  

Meredith took the Red Lyrium Idol and forged it into a sword, the idol itself apparently belongs to Solas, and he cares for it and recognises its depiction. Meredith was turned into a thawed red lyrium statue, and the red lyrium idol was found and retrieved inside her statued body. The idol’s current whereabouts are unknown.

"The Dread Wolf wants that idol, and he’s not afraid to get his hands bloody to get it." (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 490). “He intends something for the Fade, and if he wants the idol, then whatever he intends will be terrible.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 498).

Whereas Corypheus intended on using Solas’s orb to usurp the throne of the gods for himself. Solas, banking on the magister’s failure, sought out to regain his orb after Corypheus unlocked it, and died doing so. In this ideal situation, Solas would then use his orb and destroy the veil.  

However, that didn’t happen. Instead Solas’s orb was destroyed by crumbling rocks with Corypheus’s defeat. The elven god strives to find alternative ways to destroy the veil.

Both these foes at the start of Solas’s new mural show that what’s coming next will be much worse than any catastrophe in Thedas and that these events have always been set in stone for the Dread Wolf. It’s like he’s drawn Corypheus and said, you thought he was tough, wait till you see what I can do.  

Two Evil Gods

The trailer continued with the next pieces in this mural, two carvings of very enigmatic figures. The first engraving has an arched headpiece, red eyes, a spiky torso, and wavy lines coming from their head, with a haloed sun or moon behind them.

Immediately, this spooky figure reminds us of the evil god shown in BioWare’s Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development. However, we believe the figure shown in this book resembles the elven goddess “Ghilan'nain, the Mother of the Halla” who created giants, monsters, and beasts that spanned across the sky, water, and earth.

While this depiction of an evil god is concept art, there is one key difference between the two figures - the evil god in the concept art has four arms, whereas the mural figure has two arms. So, are they depicting the same god? We’ll certainly come back to this figure later on.  

The next figure has a very curved headpiece, elven ears, and clawed-looking shoulder pieces. With another haloed sun behind their head, this leads us to believe this is yet another evil god.

Personally, this figure reminds us of Dirthamen’s statue we saw in Inquisition, but this could honestly be anyone... And we’ll touch on that when we get to the finished mural.  

While these two figures are shown, Varric said: “Seen friends lose life and limb, but there’s always someone bent on breaking the world.”  

Obviously referring to allies previously lost, like potentially Hawke, and even the Inquisitor’s anchor. However, the enemies bent on breaking the world paint the figures shown as evil and malevolent. Of course, it’s not Dragon Age without someone trying to destroy the world.    

BioWare Logo

In the next sequence, a golden BioWare logo appears with a sun behind it, perhaps this relates the previous figure to Elgar’nan considering Elgar’nan was said to be born of the sun?

Anderfels/Grey Warden

Taking our minds away from the mural for a moment, the trailer began to explore iconic locations and factions that are going to feature heavily in the next Dragon Age.

The first location is a blazing desert with rough sands, cobblestone, and huge puddles. We think this is the Anderfels, Thedas’s blighted western lands. Over the horizon are multiple, huge reptile creatures. They look like turtle monsters similar to the Ankylosaurs, which is a kind of armoured dinosaur with a clubtail.

During this sequence, Varric said: “It’s time for a new hero.” As grey boots entered the shot. No doubt, referring to the next protagonist. The boots are instantly recognisable as a Grey Warden’s. You can see a dark blue tint on their leggings, as grey and blue are the Warden’s colours.  

Not to mention, the biggest indicator that this character is a Warden, is the location. A Grey Warden being in The Anderfels makes complete sense considering Weisshaupt, the Warden’s headquarters are located there.

More importantly, the fact that Varric said: “it’s time for a new hero” while showing this Grey Warden, and the trailer continued to show different factions, while still talking about the idea of a new hero. We think this indicates to the overall message of this trailer, being that perhaps this time around we can choose the faction our new hero belongs to. Like origin stories, our hero can choose between at least 4 or more different factions within Thedas.

While the Grey Wardens and many other factions will join our fight as key roles in the story like “Davrin” who was hinted at in the Gamescom trailer, having the choice to choose where your hero is from would make for an epic RPG, and a great callback to the series' roots.

Antiva/Antivan Crow

The next location revealed the most elegant nation of Antiva, looking absolutely stunning with its gold accents, and regal aesthetic. When compared to the Behind-the-Scenes concepts, we can certainly see the similarities between the early concepts and the CGI reveal. Most notably, the Disney-like palace that encompasses every shot.

Still sharing about our new hero, Varic said: “No magic hand, no ancient prophecy.” As a zoom-in shot of Antiva City revealed an Antivan Crow stirring a goblet of wine. The palace behind the goblet had magical energy emerging into the skies.

The shot pulled back, and revealed an Antivan Crow sat on the rooftops of Antiva, looking over the city. With Varric talking about the next hero being a nobody, with no magical anchor, and no ancient prophecy, can we choose to play as an Antivan Crow?

If this Crow is not showcasing the option of a new hero, then perhaps this is a Crow who will join our journey, like one of the Antivan Crow Talons. I see a lot of similarities with this cinematic shot and the recent short story - “The Wake,” which was all about the Talons mourning their lost friend.

Antiva as a whole, looks astonishing, from the rivers flowing through the city, to the picturesque sky, the city looks like a delightful place to take a love interest. However, we’re most curious about the magical energy emerging from the palace. Perhaps Antiva City prepares for the imminent Qunari Antaam invasion?

Tevinter Imperium/Siccari

The next location revealed the most prideful, gothic nation known as the Tevinter Imperium. This beautifully macabre shot is most likely showcasing Tevinter’s capital city, Minrathous.  

Once the motherland of the ancient elves before the veil’s creation, Tevinter was founded on the ruins of the elven kingdom, we can see many magical marvels and wonders in this cinematic shot. For instance, we have magical neon lighting guiding you through the city and the floating structure that stands in the centre.  

Perhaps this haunting structure is the Magisterium, or Minrathous’s Circle Tower? Regardless, the ferocious architecture and dark themes truly define Tevinter as a remarkable, and otherworldly nation. A lot of these undertones look similar to one of the concept art pieces shown at Gamescom.

Followed with this shot, Varric said: “The kind of person they will never see coming.” As a new hooded-character was revealed pulling out a winged-dagger ready to attack a blurred figure in a Tevinter alleyway. Not to sound like a broken record, but again, Varric is mentioning the new hero, so is this character one of the potential factions we can choose, and if so, what faction?

Well, because it seems like we’re in the streets of Tevinter, we think this character represents the Tevinter Siccari. This faction was recently introduced in Tevinter Nights, they are the Imperium’s best shadow network, made of highly skilled and secretive agents who each come from slave families, they are formidable and honourable warriors.  

“I have heard many things of the Tevinter Siccari,” the Mortalitasi added, “but I have never heard them called cowards or traitors. Most of them come from slave families, and those families are kept safe as both promise and threat, ensuring the Siccari never flinch from their duties. (The Dread Wolf Take You, page 503). ““Tevinter’s intelligence network declined to answer our request.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, page 485).

This hooded-figure has what-looks like keys on their chest, along with a very golden logo on their shoulder, which looks like an owl? The dagger also looks to have a winged bird on its helm.

If this figure doesn’t represent a faction the player can choose between, then perhaps they’re a shadowy Tevinter character from an unknown faction, or they could be someone like Neve, who was introduced in Tevinter Nights as a private investigator working out of Minrathous. However, we feel like Tevinter Siccari is the best bet, because they’re literally the Imperium’s spies.

Executor/Ancient Elf?

Followed by that, a most intriguing character appeared walking through a snowy forest. The figure has a three-horned headpiece, with trims of red on their outfit, holding a bow made of floating triangles.

The location of this area is the exact same as the sexy tree we witnessed at EA Play, the gloomy, midnight snow graveyard, with infected red lyrium and Ferelden architecture. The tree appeared on the right, as this mysterious character shot their enigmatic bow. With the location being the same as the tree, it can be anywhere close to the equator where it can snow, like southern Tevinter, northern Nevarra, or it could literally be anywhere in the mountains. The Ferelden architecture really throws us off though.

This new character is also a mystery, who exactly are they, and what faction do they represent? Well, we've never seen anyone like this before, so they could totally be something brand-new.

However, we can piece a few things together, like the magical, triangle bow. We saw this exact design in a concept piece at Gamescom, with many thinking that this design was ancient elven. On top of that, in the “Ruins of Reality” short story art piece that featured the Starkhaven elf known as Strife, he wore a red cloak with floating triangles on it.

However, even more intriguing, his cloak had the Executor’s logo on it - “a downward-pointed triangle with two wavy lines drawn through it.”

So, does this new character represent either The Executors, or an ancient elven clan? The Executors are mysterious beings who come from beyond the sea, they’ve been described to wear “dark robes of Vyrantium samite, with a thin mesh dropping down to cover the hood.”

I see a gold trim covering their face, but I don’t know if that headpiece constitutes as a hood? Even so, we don’t know what Executors look like.  

If this character represents an ancient elven clan faction, that would explain why they have this magical bow that fires as if projected with Fade magic, also illustrating the more alien look to this character.

Regardless, we think this character is quite the enigma, they could just as easily represent a Tal-Vashoth clan, a new Nevarran faction, or something brand-new that hasn’t been explored in the games yet.

Varric Tethras

During this entire sequence, Varric said: “We’ve got your back, I’ve got your back.” By, “we’ve got your back” we assume he’s speaking on behalf of the Inquisition’s remnants like the Divine, Scout Harding, Charter and company, who’re pursuing after the Dread Wolf. However, even more than that, Varric said, he’s got our back. So, Varric is coming back in the next game as a pivotal role it seems, hopefully, this time around we can romance our chest-haired friend, please?

Fen’Harel

Varric followed that up and said: “Demons, dragons, darkspawn, even the Dread Wolf.” As the next sequence revealed a very familiar Fen’Harel...

Solas is pressing one of his hands on this fresco that depicts him as the Dread Wolf rising. He’s touching the mouth of the Dread Wolf, as the beast’s teeth appear red, most likely to resemble red lyrium? Does Solas’s plan involve ingesting red lyrium? The substance does weaken the veil after all, so is Solas going to become blighted in order to fulfill his scheme?  

As Solas approached, we can see he has clothed himself in ancient elven robe-like armour with varying tints of green. He looks very stoic, but also a little bit sad.

New Mural

The cinematic mural that featured behind Solas was posted as a painting on the Dragon Age website, so we can take a greater look at it, and decipher its meaning.

https://twitter.com/Nthornborrow/status/1337521623084093440

Straight up, we can see the Dread Wolf with six blazing blue eyes, previously the Dread Wolf was depicted with red blazing eyes, however, this time around, his eyes are blue? This clearly has something to do with lyrium Maybe the Dread Wolf’s eyes will turn red once he has become tainted? Or Perhaps there’s a chance we could stop him from becoming tainted before it’s too late?

As stated, the Dread Wolf has six eyes, exactly like his description in Tevinter Nights. A Mortalitasi mage witnessing the Dread Wolf explained the description of a lupine, monstrous six-eyed Wolf the size of a High Dragon.

“Lupine in appearance, but the size of a high dragon, with shaggy spiked hide and six burning eyes like a pride demon.” (The Dread Wolf Take You, Page 496).

With the proportion of his eyes, there could be some significance to them, or it could honestly just be an art style. However, I wouldn’t deny anything relating to Old God souls or the amount of Evanuris left. But we feel the size of each eye shows us that the Dread Wolf is dealing with some sort of distortion with his appearance, like absorbing Mythal’s power metamorphosing him to become more draconic.

The Dread Wolf is bursting through the Black City which is imbued in red lyrium.

We can see the Dread Wolf has destroyed the Veil by the representation of the spheres that have exploded with a roaring fire. With its destruction, the Fade and the waking world of Thedas have become one. With the world burning in the raw chaos, Solas could then restore the time of the elves.

Two Evil Gods Identity  

These statues are old. Better shape than anything I've seen on the surface. Many of them are for Mythal, though. And Fen'Harel. Not in a spot of honor, but guarding, attending.

Protector and All-Mother, why are you honored here, so far from the light of the sun? And why was the Dread Wolf at your side? — Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads

The two evil figures on the left and right side look like the eluvians and statues from the Vir Dirthara, the ancient elvhen Library. And according to Tevinter Nights, there are many elvhen libraries throughout the land of Thedas like the one near the Imperial Highway. These ‘headpieces’ the figures have are slightly different and differentiate each member of the Pantheon from one another.

it’s honestly hard to tell who these figures could be Pantheon-wise, but here are some of our tinfoil bits that can correlate to their appearance:

When we reacted to this trailer live, we stated that these two figures could resemble the elvhen twins Falon’Din and Dirthamen. Their statues look very similar to these figures, but now that we have studied it, the figure on the left looks more feminine with long hair so this could be Ghilan’nain who has been mentioned a lot recently in the Dragon Age’s short stories and Tevinter Nights. If that figure on the left is Ghilan’nan, then the right still has to be Dirthamen who we know has a closer relationship with Ghilan’nain through Dalish and ancient elvhen legends.

"His crime is high treason. He took on a form reserved for the gods and their chosen, and dared to fly in the shape of the divine. The sinner belongs to Dirthamen; he claims he took wings at the urging of Ghilan'nain, and begs protection from Mythal. She does not show him favor, and will let Elgar'nan judge him." — Old Elvhen Writing

On the other hand, these figures could represent Elgar’nan and Mythal, who are closely related to Fen’Harel’s redemption to break the Veil.

“Long ago, when time itself was young, the only things in existence were the sun and the land. The sun, curious about the land, bowed his head close to her body, and Elgar'nan was born in the place where they touched.” — Codex entry: Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance.

“And that night, when the sun had gone to sleep, Mythal gathered the glowing earth around his bed, and formed it into a sphere to be placed in the sky, a pale reflection of the sun's true glory.” — Codex entry: Mythal: the Great Protector.

We could say that the masculine figure represents Elgar’nan who is represented as a sun. And Mythal, who represents the moon. If these two gods are side by side with Fen’Harel, then the Emergent Compendium’s reference could come true:

‘Two shadowed spheres among stars, an eclipse as Fen’Harel stirred’  

However, this could be a stretch knowing that Solas already has the remaining power of Flemeth, and Elgar’nan also has barely been mentioned, it is worth knowing that these figures have a similar reference to these gods either way...

Another connection these figures could resemble are the remaining old gods that bring forth the blights.  

In our Dread Wolf Rises mural breakdown back in 2018, we talked about the centrepiece of the artwork, with the massive moon that had two golden circles still lit, while 5 of them were greyed out. Most certainly referring to the past and future blights.  

In our new mural, behind these two figures there are the same golden circles. If we are comparing these two murals together these figures could be the two remaining Old Gods left who aren’t blighted, Razikale and Lusacan.

According to Solas, if there is any chaotic event in Thedas, spirits will pull against the Veil, weakening its forces. So, if Razikale and Lusacan were to become Archdemons at the same time, that could potentially tear the Veil hence the Dread Wolf rising in the moment to change the world once again.

Razikale is the only Old God to be confirmed female, so according to the mural, this theory might not be far off from this depiction. These Gods have not been tainted and have been left somewhere sleeping for centuries, to awaken them will require most of Thedas to become blighted in order to escalate the timing of two Blights happening at once.  

However, that’s just a theory, as we know, evil gods have Thedas in their sights, it really just depends which gods we’re talking about. We lean more to the Evanuris in this mural, however, the old gods are not out of the picture yet, as shown in The Dread Wolf Rises mural. We feel a double blight is in store for the future of Thedas.

Dragon Age New Font

Anyhow, the trailer ends with a new Dragon Age font and colour, I wonder if gold is going to be the main tone of the next game.  

Varric ended the trailer, and said: “This is your story.” No doubt referring to the fact that the narrative will be shaped by your choices and consequences.

Regardless, this trailer was amazing, and we’re so happy we actually had another look at the next Dragon Age game! We want to know all of your thoughts and speculation down below, how excited are you knowing that Varric is coming back?

[moinsbienquekaworu]

I was not expecting such enthusiasm but I'm glad you like the idea too!!

I'm actually a bit of a 'what kind of a normal guy can I make that still fits with my aesthetic sensibilities' person, so I tend to make Some Guy. I love Just Some Guy™s very much... but by virtue of making a guy up for a grand story they have to end up more of a specialest boy :'). I do think making up a guy who would have the hardest time possible is a great guy-making-up philosophy though, I'm sure that leads to super interesting stuff.

For your viewing pleasure: the sillies!! So you have a better idea of who I'm talking about 😌

I'm not usually particularly into body-swapping, it's fun when I stumble upon it but it does not particularly live rent free in my head as a trope. But these two... They're really not doing the same thing, and they're not really the same person that much, but I made them with similar sensibilities and I played the games they exist within for similar reasons, and so they're similar facets of me. And of course all the characters I make that are facets of me should know about each other in some way or universe, because this is how I have fun.

Honestly I'm not particularly meaning to make it a story, it's what I think about to fall asleep to pleasant thoughts, and so when I was first thinking of it I fully imagined both of them would come out and just say "hi I can tell you like whoever I'm supposed to be so you should know, that's not me!". They're from universes with magic and they're friends with wizards and such, both of them could probably come out and say that, people would believe them and also be able to suggest solutions. (and they would have different eyes because I Think It's Cool - Constant's black sclera with Solaros' purple and pink irises) But now that you mention it, it doesn't have to be like that 🤔

I think it would be fun if they both independently decided to run with it. I imagine the first instance of it happening would be early-ish into the game, so I'm putting it after the grove party (which of course Constant helped save and not destroy, I couldn't just get the tieflings killed) and after recruiting everyone at the lighthouse and choosing to prioritize one of two cities during simultaneous bad guy attacks (Solaros went to Treviso because um. Well I want to romance Lucanis. Sorry Neve and Minrathous, it's not that we don't like you, we feel very bad about it).

So on one hand there's Constant, who want to be dependable and reliable and is willing to lie a little if it'll help the people they care about (think parents softening up bad news for kids), in a position where a few people are counting on whoever they are in difficult and upsetting circumstances; and on the other there's Solaros, who cares about saving people a lot and just had to make a choice with no good answer, in the shoes of someone's who's on a comparatively cute little quest. I figure Constant would try to pretend a little because clearly these guys don't need another problem, and only bring it up after a little while if it looks like they're stuck like that with no solution, and Solaros would resolve to take maybe a day of not having to save the gods immediately and then try to figure out a way to get back (he's not going to abandon his companions, but you can't keep going forward unflinchingly all the time).

I think what would arouse the most suspicions beyond the classics like not answering to a different name or not remembering events they weren't here for is their combat styles. Constant is a land druid (maybe stars druid on a replay 👀) and Solaros is a mage I play mainly orb and dagger because that's what I think is fun to play, and those aren't diametrically opposed but they also don't really work the same. I think it would throw the BG3 companions for a loop if Constant, who's never used anything but a quarterstaff, switched out to a dagger for the day and struggled to cast spells, and same thing for the Veilguard companions if Solaros kept saying incantations when he neither needs to nor has ever done it before. Also opens up a path for them to realize it was mutual when their respective companions ask them about the weird way they fought yesterday that they aren't sticking with today... !

As a last addition (because I could keep going for a while on minute little details) here's the things they both do the same without realizing and that would unknowingly help sell the ruse: Solaros doesn't always ask dozens of questions like Constant but he does like to know what's up, and they both prefer talking their way out of trouble (and they both tend to manage it when the game gives you the opportunity). They both spend time with their companions on a story level (and not just mechanically to get quests! I have a whole list of what kind of things Constant does with their companions and I'll have to think of stuff for Solaros once I get to know the Veilguard companions better). If someone important tries to start shit with them they just stand their ground but if it's with their companions they'll let them handle it but also like. It's on sight. And I think they both like tea :) (Solaros canonically because you get to say that in the game, Constant because he likes plants)

ANYWAY so I like my characters a normal amount 😌 once again thanks for encouraging and listening to the OC show and tell!!

Hello, mutual reporting in for "doing whatever they want to you" duty 🫡 what I want to do tonight is tell you about my specialest little guy main characters I made for two video games 😌

On one hand we have Constant, my BG3 Tav, tiefling druid who likes being there for people, predictability and routine, and is very curious. On the other hand we have Solaros, my DA:tV Rook, an elven mage who's still Becoming Someone because we're like three quests and maybe 10h into the game, but who's shaping up to be a bit of a freak who prefers talking things through before getting into a fight and gets snarky when he maybe shouldn't. And they were both made with "what is coolest to me" as their main design criteria, as is the tradition when making my first character in a video game where you can make your guy (this means yellow-orange-y tiefling for Constant, pink and purple heterochromia elf for Solaros, and magic users for both)

Knowing this about them, I will set the scene that I've been daydreaming about for a few days on and off: imagine you are Some Guy who was just chilling at home, but then you get kidnapped by aliens and now you're on a quest to not turn into a weird tentacled alien, and also help some people along the way, because apparently you and the like six weirdos you're friends (??) with are adventurers now. And so you're about to go explore an abandoned temple, or a cave, or free a kid from harpies, whatever, and you got to bed after a quiet evening getting to know your travelling companions. And then you wake up, and you aren't in your tent, you're in a bedroom you've never seen, and you look like an elf with strange scars on your face, and when you get out of that room there's strangers sitting around a table talking strategy, and they and call you by a name you've never gone by, and act like they know you, and look up to you to lead them, but you've never met them.

Imagine you're from a race widely enslaved, but you were rediscovering your ancient magical culture up until last year, where you got recruited to help prevent one of your ancient gods (who's also some guy?) from messing with the fabric of reality, before succeeding but not 100%, and now you're recruiting people from all over the world to help with killing a few gods to maintain the fabric of reality. And so you're about to go make some headway on stopping the gods from fucking up the whole world, and you go to bed after a nice dinner where you talk about silly stuff with your new buddies, to get to know each other. And then you wake up, and you've got horns and a tail, and you're in a tent in a camp full of people who call you by a name you've never gone by, and act like they know you, and look up to you to lead them, but you've never met them.

Anyway so I think they should have a Your Name-esque thing going on except they're mostly just buddies. Because on top of being protagonists who are running around with their half-dozen of kooky companions trying to fight god(s), they are actually kind of similar! Constant was presented with the singular deity ("deity"...) of an alien race one of his friends belongs to, and they waved to her, and Solaros would do the same. Solaros was told by a high military authority he was spreading dangerous rumors and that he'd be sent to prison, and he went "um, no", and Constant also would "nuh-huh" someone like that.

Also they have the same taste in men (because I romanced my favorite companion with them both and I have a specific type in men. That type is "I can fix him", rogue type, traumatic past, acespec, "there are many straight women who want them to be daddy doms but I think they should get a hug and a blanket". Y'know, Astarion and Lucanis) And they're both not cis (Veilguard lets you do that!! meaningfully!! I'm roleplaying a trans guy!! in the game!! not just cosmetic top surgery!! he's talking about it in dialogue!!!). They should have weird bodyswapping shenanigans going on for a while and then they should be buddies, is my point.

Anyway so hi, hello, that was the pilot episode of me doing whatever I want to you. Tune in next time if we get the green light for... well, I can offer more OCs, or media opinions, or a doodle or two, or you can start on a specific topic if you'd like. Bye bye, a good timezone to you, and thanks for the space to type out my thoughts 😌

It's like reading a light novel, I want to steal your people and ideas now! I've got no experience in Dragon Age and I've played maybe a couple hours of BG3 at most, but it all sounds absolutely fascinating!

Obviously, every OC, especially game OCs, should follow the "what's coolest to me" rules. I usually go for whichever person would experience the most struggle in any given setting myself, and I love making characters extreme underdogs that have to rely on unconventional methods of achieving their solutions.

I love body swapping stuff, especially when the people don't know each other. I don't know why but it has always had a major appeal to me (probably because of memory loss or something idk) so I really really like the direction you're taking this story. Especially with people that act just similar enough that their peers wouldn't fully believe that they weren't just having an off day. The more I think about your story, the more I start to get in the mindset, it sounds awesome and like it'd be full of metaphors and that it'd make a great piece of written or spoken work, I'm in love <3333

Please continue to share anything and everything, I think it's all so fascinating and amazing and I want it injected into my bones <3333

[tryvyalsynnes]

Wip Wednesday

I was tagged by @midnightprelude, @elveny, @faerieavalon thank you! Tagging forward! And also @serial-chillr, @slothabed, @fandomn00blr, @johaeryslavellan, @pikapeppa, @oftachancer and whoever else wants to do the thing.

On the way to the Merchant’s Guild, Anders bought himself a few apples. He was munching one contentedly when he picked up Varric’s letter.

He liked Nevarra. He’d always hoped he’d be able to see it, and all the places like it, places steeped in history, where mages had a place outside a circle—he’d spent many happy hours walking the streets, looking at the statues, and touring the Necropolis, meeting the wisp-inhabited corpses, talking to the Mortalitasi. He felt a pang of regret when he walked down its avenues; so much would have been different, if only he had been born someplace else besides a farm close to Kinloch Hold.

Regrets—he had lots of those. He’d spent the time since Kirkwall running and hiding, staying out of the way, recognizing if he showed his face anywhere, it would hurt the slow acceptance of mages in Thedas. At least he had his friends; reconnecting with Varric and the others, lending a hand when they needed it and he could get away with it, was one of his few joys. Excitedly, he cracked the seal and began to read, smiling.

He was smiling through the first paragraph; he could almost hear the dwarf speaking—Varric was doing well, starting a new book, thinking of becoming Viscount of Kirkwall. The new Divine was cleaning house; things were going to improve. The Circles of Magi were going to be disbanded, the Chantry reformed.

Anders knew this; the talk in the taverns had been all about Sister Nightingale’s upheaval. He'd been in shock for days when he'd first heard it, jubilant… and sad... his life was not going to change. His smile dimmed.

Then it disappeared altogether. Anders clutched the letter, squinting at it, the half-eaten apple forgotten.

Fenris had been recaptured. He was in Tevinter. Varric had it on particularly good authority; Fenris was in the Imperial Palace awaiting trial for crimes against the Imperium. Anders folded the rest of the letter, stowed it in his pack—he’d read it later—and threw away the apple.

Within minutes he was back in the Guild, withdrawing all the money he’d invested. It was a sizeable fortune for a mage, almost fifteen sovereigns.

Within hours he was part of a wagon train bound for Tevinter; he’d decided to throw caution to the wind and hired on as one of its outriders—he’d bought himself a horse, a new cloak, boots, robes, and filled his pack with essentials for a long journey.

He was not exactly sure what he could do, but he had to do something. Unlike Hawke’s other companions, he plenty of time on his hands. He was due to die soon anyway, of the Taint, like all Wardens. He had a spirit of Justice in him—on its own, an excellent motive.

He’d always felt bad about the way he’d treated Fenris when Danarius had come; it all seemed so petty now, petty, and downright evil, to wish a companion back into slavery just because of his beliefs, considering they were justifiable, and Fenris was only mortal…

The right of ownership was almost sacred in Tevinter. The right to own another person was inalienable; it was a foundation of the Empire. No one could interfere with it. Could it be as easy as walking up to whoever had Fenris and demanding the return of his ‘property’?

Anders was going to try; it was the only thing he could think of to do. If he was laughed at, tossed out into the street, and told to go play elsewhere, then he’d think of a real plan; he’d know better what to do once he got to Tevinter.

Three days later, the caravan paused at the border to resupply.

Anders got paid; he stared at the three new sovereigns in his hand. Other than getting outfitted for the journey, he’d had no extra expenses. He had sixteen sovereigns now. What he’d started out with was four years worth of scraping and begging.

Was mercenary work always this lucrative? If—when—he saw Fenris again, he would have to discuss it with him. The work was certainly dangerous—they’d been attacked by bandits twice, and two of the wagons had been set on fire—but he had everything he needed to become an excellent mercenary: a powerful weapon and years of battle experience.

It was illegal for a non-citizen to work in Tevinter. Anders and the other southern mercenaries were given a choice. They could accompany the caravan, but instead of pay, they would get papers with time against the ten years of indentured servitude needed for citizenship. Anders took the offer.

The journey overland to Minrathous was uneventful. At the Merchant’s Guild in Minrathous, Anders went to get his writ. The merchant had a small office in the Guild; Anders stood in front of the desk, pack slung over his back, staff in hand, ready to leave as soon as their business was done. Until this moment he had been ‘healer’, ‘mage’, and ‘Hey, you’; there was no reason to learn the names of people who were hired to die in combat.

“Healer.” The dwarf dip a pen in ink and looked up at him. “What name do I put on the papers?”

“Anders of Kirkwall.”

“By the Paragons. Seriously?” The caravan master stared at him coldly. “Unwise. ‘Anders’ is worth money, Ferelden. This will be your only opportunity. Choose another.”

“It’s Anders. I have to be ‘Anders’ when I get to where I’m going.” Anders shifted uncomfortably. “It can’t be that uncommon of a name.”

“Venhedis. Maker preserve me from mooncalves; I hope your contacts are sound. You have contacts? Tell me you have them, and no one will be coming to ask questions.”

“Of course I do!” Anders lied, beaming.

“If it were not for your healing, I would not bother with you, but you have a place if you need to return.” The merchant signed the paper and stamped it. “Here, fool. Do not lose it. It is all the countenance you have. Without it, you are just another beggar and possibly an escaped slave.”

He waggled his eyebrows at Anders meaningfully. “Understand what I am saying. Andraste preserve you, healer.”

[bornpariah-a]

NECROMANCY is a topic minimally explored in the world of Dragon Age, and only became a true specialization with Inquisition. Notably, many of the spells in the necromancer tree existed in the games prior in the ENTROPY tree, as per Origins and II. What we know of necromancy is that it has a relatively negative reputation overall. It’s only Nevarra that views necromancy in a positive light, calling their necromancers the mortalitasi and giving them a good measure of power and high societal standing. It stands to reason, then, that it’s sensible for the Inquisitor to learn necromancy from one of these mortalitasi.

Never mind that Dorian is literally right there. ( no, i’m not bitter at all, what would have given you that idea? honestly !! )

Nonetheless, what we know of the necromancer specialization route in Inquisition is this : you find a specifically Nevarran skull, bind a recently dead necromancer spirit/soul to it, and it’ll teach you. Alright, not the strangest thing I’ve ever heard of by far, yet I couldn’t help but think that surely magic varies depending on the region. And, furthermore, specializations must carry a different weight. And even beyond that, that the path of specialization must differ between, for example, Nevarra and Tevinter. Thedas is a relatively large place, and though Nevarra and Tevinter are neighboring countries, I couldn’t help but think that there has to be a difference.

And thus : this monster.

Necromancy is, literally, death magic. In Dragon Age, it pertains specifically to the utilization of spirits and, furthermore, spirits drawn to death. That is one of the key points to necromancy as a whole, and heavily influences the following.

In the Imperium, magical specializations and the furthermore ability to specialize are seen, somewhat, as a status symbol. Being powerful enough in one subject to be able to master it, for all intents and purposes. The concept that specializations are almost like guilds, cohorts of mages who come together for a common purpose/reason/goal and henceforth have certain sets of skills that can be utilized in order to accomplish jobs and whatnot, isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility. In a society as mage-heavy and magically inclined as Tevinter, that seems to be the only possibility, given that Circles are learning institutions and jobs requiring magic must exist.

But I digress, as that’s more a topic to delve into another time, but it’s essential to understand this : Dorian was marked by Death and chose to walk the path of the necromancer ( ha ) in part because of that. Specializing in necromancy is a difficult choice to undertake, and very few mages are able to truly complete such a path, and in fact must have a predilection for death on some metaphysical level. Furthermore, specializing in much of anything in Tevinter requires something like a benefactor, similar to what Alexius acted as for Dorian. That’s the first step. To be chosen, quite literally.

Dorian was chosen by a mage named Melinoe. A skilled necromancer in her own right, and the informal ( or perhaps formal ) head necromancer in Tevinter. The story of their relationship spans many years, beginning when they first crossed paths when Dorian was six years old and visiting Minrathous with his father for official business. They, quite literally, crossed paths on some random street between some random buildings and Melinoe sensed about him an incredible aura of Death. Something that drew her notice, and thus the notice of necromancers in Tevinter.

The process of a mage choosing their specialization or, I suppose, their specialization choosing the mage in a great deal of the cases is one frankly akin to courting. Mages attend Circles to gain their magical education as Dorian did ( running amok through every Circle in Tevinter, as well all know ) and there are a great deal of events surrounding mages coming into their magic. Some are strictly high society, the ones that Dorian partook in, naturally. Others are far more akin to parlours, public forums that allowed mages to find mentors, meet with others, and generally networking. Through these opportunities is the chance to prove your potential for a certain specialization, if a mage chooses to do so.

Now, Dorian’s only offer ( so to speak ) wasn’t just the necromancer specialization given the fact that he is a mage of prodigious skill, and therefore had generally vast potential. That being said, none of them particularly caught him at first. Not even necromancy.

Dorian didn’t choose his specialization until he was nineteen, in the care of the Alexius family, and had found Melinoe again. Or rather, she had found him.

The path of specializing in necromancy in the Imperium is a well kept secret, as is most specialization in general, passed from necromancer to necromancer. It is very much a process and a ritual, and an arduous one at that. First you must be chosen, and then you must choose to walk the path. Dorian decided to out of curiosity and because of the draw that he felt towards it ——— and the challenged that laid within. Necromancy is death magic, something that seems unnatural and fearsome to the living, and difficult to master besides. Dorian, an arrogant young man at the best of times, wished to best it, in some ways.

Once a mage decides to walk the path of the necromancer, which is a very spirit heavy specialization ( akin to spirit healers, in some ways ) they must prove themselves further. Not to their peers nor their mentor, no. To death spirits, themselves. Spirits of death. Spirits drawn to death. And so on and so forth.

as a mild aside, spirits drawn to death naturally are as follows : spirits of death, spirits of fear, spirits of peace, spirits of faith, and, of course, terror demons.

This process is one underwent by inscribing glyphs onto a mage’s body, with variable locations. Dorian chose the back of his neck, but it tends to vary depending on the mage. This marking includes some ancient sigils, as well as the words non mortem timemus, nascentes morimur in Ancient Tevene. The words translate to we do not fear death, for from the moment we are born, we begin to die. Morbid, certainly, but it gets the point across.

The glyphs are drawn into the skin with ink and there is a potion ingested that is called e morte vita. From life, death. This potion is created from blood lotus, prophet’s laurel, and death root. The candidate has this glyph drawn into their skin and ingests the potion, which puts them in a state suspended between life and death ——— all in the hopes of drawing a death spirit to them. A spirit will choose them if they have enough potential, quite frankly, and if the mage succeeds the glyph becomes etched into their skin and they awaken with a faint connection to a spirit of death. Or a spirit drawn to death, perhaps.

Dorian underwent this process, and when he drank the potion he awoke very soon after. Far faster than most who go through this process, but the side effect was a state of dissociation where he was neither in the Fade nor on the proper side of the Veil, and he remained that way for a short period of time. The spirit who chose him was not Death ( as Death is not a spirit, per say, but that’s another subject for another time ) but was a very powerful spirit of death who had been drawn to him for a great deal of time.

Following attracting a spirit to your person, aka convincing it somehow that a mage may be worthy to learn death magic wholly, there is something of a quest that is underwent. This is a quest done only by the mage wishing to become a necromancer, and is led by the spirit who they have forged a connection with. Naturally, this means that the mage only gets directions in their sleep. You can see how frustrating that may be. Nonetheless !! This quest can take a mage anywhere, quite frankly. To any corner of Thedas, over any ocean, etc. It’s entirely directed by the spirit, and brings the mage to a grave, or a crypt, or a tomb, or something of that nature, wherein they will dig / generally defile the sight at the behest of the spirit, to obtain the bones of someone deceased.

It’s unknown if this corpse had been the spirit, while they were alive, or had any particular significance. This is a mystery to all necromancers, and something hotly debated in the Imperial school ( so to speak ) of necromancy. Nonetheless, this is a journey undertaken by all necromancers-to-be.

Dorian’s spirit took him to the far corner of Rivain, entirely over land, a long and winding journey that was incredibly frustrating to him. It culminated in him finding a long forgotten tomb that had been constructed, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere and was unmarked, for all that it seemed to radiate old magic. Not ancient magic, mind you, but magic that was several Ages old, at least. Upon unearthing and opening the stone entrance to the tomb, he found a singular corpse, nearly all bone by this point in time. The logistics behind which were, theoretically, impossible lest there was magic involved. And thus, he took these bones, and returned to Minrathous. By ship, this time, thank you.

The next step in this path is the creation of a necromancer’s staff. The lore that I have behind staffs and magic in the Dragon Age universe is something for another time, but this magic is meant to be a conduit for death magic specifically, and it’s created via an ancient ritual that involves the femur of the bones taken from the grave site chosen, carved to form the primary hand-grip of the staff. It also involves rune inscribed leather, with death runes specifically, fade touched cloth, phoenix scales, to symbolize and empower the cyclical and natural nature of death and the use thereof, and veil quartz, to act as the primary conduit of magic at the head of the staff.

Once the staff is created, the spirit that has a tenuous connection with the soon-to-be necromancer trainee must be bound to it in a process that both parties are aware of, agree to, and utilizes the remaining ground bones of the body taken, and the mage’s blood. Not much, just a little bit of it, but this is a process that can occasionally go wrong and cause ABOMINATIONS to be formed. Dorian, at this age, saw no problem in minor blood magic, given the status of it in Tevinter and his spirit of rebellion, so to speak.

The binding ritual, for Dorian, was more complicated than he thought it would be, what with his youthful arrogance. The spirit had chosen him and agreed to it, but the stipulation was something along the lines of total equality to him, and while he had seen spirits be bound before, and had taken part during his times as a reckless and wild idiot, frankly, in the Circles, this was an entirely different process altogether. Gaining the notice and almost ( though not quite ) trust required for such a thing from a spirit is difficult ——— this is, in fact, where many people fail, if not at the first engraving to garner the notice of a spirit, to begin with. Dorian succeeded, in the end, and through that gained the understanding of the true will of spirits. Or the extent to their will, that is.

Nonetheless : the spirit is bound, and the creation of the staff is finished, and that mage walks the path of the necromancer from there on. The mentor, who often chooses the inductee, begins training the person properly, with heavy emphasis on the funerary and otherwise traditions that Imperial necromancers tend to take part in.

More on that in another headcanon, I think. This one is... far too long.

[lorspolairepeluche]

I submit to you: ↖

↖ - The diary entry from the day our [characters] met.

19 Wintermarch (Verimensis), 9:42 Dragon.

I hated that. I hated every second of that. I wanted to kill that magister every time his hands wandered on his slaves, even as he lined them up for my “inspection.” I wanted to take the one I was there for and run, run out of fucking Minrathous and back to Skyhold and never look back. Fucking Tevinter. And here I was thinking that it was a noble heritage to have, that I should be proud of the Tevinter blood in me. I’m not so sure anymore. Maker, I hope whatever family Mama came from, it wasn’t the Scaevolas. Thinking I could be related to him makes me want to vomit.

Off the topic of him, the one we rescued is healthy, save for the mutilation scar that Scaevola mentioned to try and make us choose another one. But this is the one the Inquisitor wanted. His brother’s friend.

He called me “mistress” after we left Scaevola’s house. I think I was too sharp when I told him not to call me that. I will never make him flinch like that again.

Felran. I should call him by name. Reinforce that he’s not a slave anymore. We’re getting him out of Tevinter and back to Skyhold, and he will never have to fear Scaevola or any other master ever again.

- an excerpt from the personal journal of Halla Trevelyan, then Inquisition agent, about the mission she led to rescue Felran Lavellan (who would eventually come under her command as a member of her crack team) from Magister Scaevola’s ownership

diary entry prompts

[rookinthecrownest]

Hey anon I just realized I was pulling questions from a different Rook questionnaire list and it's probably not the one you're referring to (I forgot I had this other one in my queue LOL) so I'm just going to answer both.

23: What do they do after an absolute crisis?

Madeleina has a bad habit of isolating herself after a crisis. She worries that if she can't maintain her composure, she'll be seen as weak. This was sort of drilled into her by her military upbringing at the hands of the Mercar family. The ability to remain calm, focused, and lead with a clear mind no matter what crisis may befall you was a value ingrained to all the Mercar children by Legatus Charon Mercar.

As such, sometimes she's afraid to let her companions she when she is struggling. After choosing to save Treviso, and seeing the devastation in Minrathous, she's more reserved and withdrawn, not wanting the Veilguard to see her fall apart. She knows intuitively that it's not a healthy way to handle a crisis, and wouldn't dream of considering her friends weak for falling apart if they were in her shoes, but old habits die hard.

In the Mercar household, their motto was very much, 'toughen up, deal with your shit, get back in the game, don't let them see you falter. When you command legions, you can't afford to show weakness.'

20: Would they side with Solas or fight him?

Madeleina would fight Solas if he truly couldn't be swayed to stop his plan to tear down the Veil. She doesn't see how drowning the world in demons and causing mass hysteria/chaos would help anyone. Although she, like Solas, dreams of a better world, she doesn't think that tearing down the Veil is the way to do it.

She does end up redeeming Solas in the game, convincing him to uphold the Veil with Harrehn Lavellan at his side. So she doesn't actually end up fighting him.

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments?

Her father was a bard, who knew how to play many different instruments. His favourites were the Lyre and the Lute. He would teach her how to play both here and there before he left for work in the evenings. She wouldn't say she's particularly proficient at either of them, though. She had some further musical education at the hands of Livia Mercar, but found it was hard to make any headway into proficiency with how much her life revolved around combat training and magic.

She has a novice-level of ability with the Lute, Lyre, Fiddle, and Piano-forte. Just enough to play a little ditty that sounds good, but not enough to really be considered proficient.

23, 20, and 10 for Madeleina!

23. What does Rook wear in the off hours? Do they like dressing up?

Madeleina's usually wearing the purple Shadow-Dragon pyjamas. Purple, surprise surprise, is one of her favourite colours (*cough* Lucanis *cough*). And Lavender, her favourite flower, is her favourite scent as well. She prefers practical and comfortable clothes over fashionable clothes because she was partially raised in a military family. Much of her adolescence was spent learning hand-to-hand combat on top of mastering her magic, so she was usually in some kind of training ensemble (lightweight, breathable, plain). Eventually she was sent to the Circle in Minrathous where she was afforded very few chances to dress up (she basically lived in Mage's robes here) so it's not something she ever got into. That being said, I imagine at some point, after the events of the game when things have calmed down, she starts enjoying herself as she explores different styles of dress and fashion. I think this would partially come about because of spending more time with Teia (I can see Teia showing Mads her wardrobe and her falling in love with everything in it).

20. What's it like to see them smile? Laugh?

If you ask Lucanis, he would describe her smile as wide, warm and inviting. Her eyes seem brighter, and they crinkle at the corners because she tends to smile with her entire face. Her laughter is infectious because similar to her smile, it's completely unrestrained. If Madeleina thinks something is hilarious, she's laughing with her whole chest, and maybe even snorting too. She had a lot to unlearn after leaving the Mercar family to join the Circle and the Shadow Dragons. Growing up there, one couldn't be too loud, too smiley, rambunctious, too anything. They were disciplined in all things, so there was rarely a time for her to express how she was really feeling. But with the Shadow Dragons and her friends in the Veilguard, she's learned to let go a lot, and you can tell when she laughs/smiles it's quite genuine.

10. Does Rook know their history? Do they know of the HoF, Hawke, and the Inquisitor?.

Madeleina is fairy well read on both world history and military history, so she does know about all three heroes. But she is the most familiar with the Inquisitor, Harrehn Lavellan. She thinks it's kind of cool that all three heroes are female mages, like her (Serafina Amell, Marian Hawke, and as mentioned, Harrehn Lavellan).

It was actually through reading about Dorian Pavus' contributions to the Inquisition, and his later efforts to establish the Lucerni to bring about change in Tevinter, that inspired her to join up with the Shadow Dragons. Dorian is a bit of an idol/mentor to her. One day, she catches him outside the Magisterium after a session and asks him how she can help. He ends up connecting her with Tarquin and Viper. Dorian helps her maintain a 'cover' for a time, as she's both a Circle Mage and a Shadow Dragon until she's graduated. He makes excuses to her preceptors in the Circle for her long absences so she can go on missions. Her life gets tremendously easier once she has graduated the Circle and can dedicate herself more fully to being a SD.

[pikapeppa]

Unpublished Snippets Meme: Fenris/f!Hawke

Tagged a million years ago by @charlatron - bringing this meme back around now!

The game: I know I can’t be the only person who has tons of half-finished snippets that, for some reason or other, just didn’t make the final cut. But surely our nonsensical snippets need love too, so why don’t we share some?

From a piece I started writing for some early Act II Fenris/Rynne Hawke, from before they have sex. I stopped because I wasn’t sure where it was going. Maybe I’ll pick it up again someday. 

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Hawke rubbed her hands together with relish. “All right. When Mother’s away, the mice will play. Diamondback all night long, that is.” She grinned at Fenris. “That’s how the saying goes, right?”

Fenris raised one eyebrow and leaned back against Hawke’s kitchen counter. “Something like that, I’m sure.” He glanced idly around the kitchen. “Remind me again why I am here?”

“You’re helping me pick snacks, that’s why!” She opened a kitchen cupboard and peered critically at the contents. “If we need anything, Bodahn will need to go to the market sooner than later. Now come on.” She flung the cupboard doors wide open and gave him an expectant look. “What should we eat to sustain ourselves for a debauched night of gambling and drinking?”

He tore his eyes away from her ever-present smile and gave the contents of the cupboard a cursory glance. “I’m not picky. Choose what you like.”

She shot him an annoyed look. “Come on, help me out. What are you in the mood for?”

“It doesn’t matter. I will eat anything.”

Hawke paused with her hand in the cupboard, then shifted her weight to one hip and folded her arms. “All right then. How about fruit and nut mix?”

He hesitated, then shrugged. “That’s fine.”

She punched him playfully in the arm. “Nice try. I know you don’t like raisins.”

He frowned. “How - what makes you think that?” In truth, Hawke wasn’t wrong; he didn’t like raisins, and he never had. But he wasn’t sure how she knew such a thing.

“You barely chew them when you eat them,” she said. “You basically swallow them whole. It’s like you’re trying to get it over with.”

He stared at her for a moment, surprised and slightly unnerved by how observant she was. Then he smirked. “You’ve been watching me eat, have you? Nothing more captivating to waste your attention on?”

She gave him a slow, lascivious smile. “Fenris, I watch you as much as possible,” she drawled. “I could watch you yawning and scratching your ass and it would still be mesmerizing.”

He cleared his throat loudly. “Yes. Well. I… you are not wrong,” he admitted. “I am not fond of raisins.”

Hawke chuckled and settled against the counter beside him. “I don’t know why you don’t just leave the raisins out. No one’s forcing you to eat them.”

He stared at her, lost for words for a moment. It had honestly never occurred to him to not eat something just because he didn’t like it.

Meals weren’t always a given in Danarius’s household. As Danarius’s favoured slave and bodyguard, Fenris was meant to be fed regularly. But in practice, his receipt of meals had varied widely. When they were at the mansion in Minrathous, Hadriana would frequently withhold his meals for the cruel joy of seeing him suffer. If Danarius had dragged him along on some blasted trip, Fenris sometimes received only scraps as an afterthought.

And then there were the days when Danarius showered him in rich meats and exotic fruits and expensive wine. These were the days that Fenris dreaded the most, as they often were a prelude to some kind of sick seduction fantasy on Danarius’s part. On those days, Fenris forced himself to eat despite the nausea that roiled in his stomach. He forced himself to remember the days when he received no meals at all. He forced himself to think of the less fortunate slaves who were starved to death by masters who saw them as expendable, and he forced himself to eat.

Food was a precious commodity. It wasn’t something that Fenris could ever afford to take for granted. The idea of not eating something simply because he did not like it…

The suggestion would be laughable if it were at all a laughing matter. The fact that Hawke was suggesting it now just spoke to how vastly different their lives had been.

He pursed his lips and shifted away from her slightly. “I eat what is served to me,” he said flatly. “Whether I like it or not matters little. I don’t waste food.”

Hawke gave him a funny look. “Of course it matters. You should enjoy the food you’re eating. I’m not going to just plonk a bowl of raisins in front of you and expect you to eat them. I’m not that much of a bitch.” She lifted herself up to sit on the kitchen counter and idly swung her bare legs. “Come on, Fenris, take your pick! Choose something you like! It’s your choice.”

He glanced at her cheerful, expectant face. Then he slowly approached her wide-open cupboard.   

“If we’re missing something you want, I’ll get it for you,” she said.

Missing something? She had so many snacks it was nearly obscene. He stared at the jars and bins and sacks of food that filled the cupboard. So much food representing so much privilege, and he was supposed to just… pick something?

He toyed uncomfortably with his gauntlet. This shouldn’t feel so difficult or strange; all he was doing was selecting a blasted snack. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized something odd: Even after leaving Danarius’s side, he’d continued to act as though he had no choice. Even in Seheron, he had done as the fog warriors had done, following their routines and eating as they did - happily, yes, but still without question.

Had he been doing this with Hawke, as well? Following her whims and her ways without thinking twice, just because it was as he’d always done?

“I don’t… I have not done this before,” he said slowly.

Hawke frowned. “What do you mean?”

He folded his arms. “Choices such as this… It is a privilege enjoyed by those with power. It is a boon. I have never been so spoiled before.”

She smiled slowly at him. “Are you calling me spoiled?”

He smirked at her, and she laughed before kicking her foot playfully at him. “Choosing what you want to eat is the best! And it’s not just for fancy people. You’re trying to tell me you’ve never chosen what you want to eat?”

He shrugged again. “Not that I recall.”

Her smile faded slightly. “Seriously?”

He returned his gaze to her cupboard. “It is not a slave’s place to have opinions about what he eats or drinks,” he said quietly.

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I nominate: @aban-asaara @thevikingwoman @galadrieljones @iarollane @faerieavalon​ @blondepomeranian​ @schoute​ (I KNOW IT’S ALL UNPUBLISHED BUT STILL LOL) @obvidalous​ @wardsarefunctioning​ @therarefereldancatlord​ @lyrium-lovesong​!