#riallan lavellan
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himluv · 8 days ago
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I agree with you on the Solavellan ending. I love the angst and tragedy and I'm eating the idea of Solas and Lavellan having a lot to unpack once in the fade. Dramatic confrontations, tears, breakdowns and a slow road to forgiveness,. Delicious food. But I'm really annoyed with a portion of the fandom that seems to just gloss over the fact that Solas killed Varric, someone who was always kind to Lavellan and was even her friend. And even if you don't like Varric personally he is in canon a relatively decent person who tried to reach out to Solas on a compassionate level. Then he used a blood magic puppet of him to manipulate Rook... IDK the way that seems to mean little to nothing to a lot of Solavellans kind of bothers me. I'm not here to tell anyone how they can or can't play but the takes have been so bad. The infantilization, excuses and woobification of our boy are so egregious. Solas is complex and morally gray. Why would we be going through the effort of redeeming him if he wasn't doing things that would require redemption in the first place? I've felt really disconnected from the rest of the fandom because of all of the softening of his character people have been doing and it's refreshing to hear a take from someone who loves Solas but doesn't want to defang him.
Thanks for this thoughtful reply to this post! Sorry this took awhile, but I've been thinking of what I wanted to say. Long and spoiler-riddled reply below, and I don't even know how relevant it is to your reply, Nonny. Sorry!
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I think A Lot of folks have spent the last 10 years rotating him in their heads like one throws a clay pot, molding him into something he could be based on what we knew about him. But, we didn't necessarily account for the other forms he could take. And some folks are very resistant to who he's canonically become by Veilguard. Because it's not a good form, he got Worse™ in his decade away from friends and love (shocker!), and it's hard to reconcile this version of him with the ones we may have made.
I get all of that. But I also LOVE that. It means he could still surprise me, and I got to experience this weird duality of love/hate I didn't expect to feel toward him. I got to see his lies in real time, know he was lying because I KNOW HIM, and go, "oh, you little shit (affectionate)". Like, that's just FUN! Which, last time I checked was in fact the point of video games.
I love that he is unpredictable and dangerous in this game. That we finally see him go all out, and use every skill and trick he has. That is THRILLING, especially because he's more dangerous and lethal and ruthless than I personally expected. Which... Is my fault. I should have expected it, because look what he did to Felassan. Look how he so easily killed all those Qunari in Trespasser. Look what he did with those spirits of chaos and disruption. Look what he did to the Titans! I should have known better, the games and books showed me time and again what he was capable of. I just didn't want to believe it.
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I've seen some posts talking about how Lavellan approaches Solas at the very last confrontation. How carefully she goes up the stairs towards him. I've seen several interpretations of it, but there's one I haven't seen (which could be because I'm not hanging out in the Solavellan tag much these days).
She takes those stairs slowly, as if approaching a spooked horse, because the last time someone climbed a set of stairs to talk him down from his ritual, he killed them. And I don't think for one second Lavellan believes, if she handles this poorly, he won't do the same to her.
And I think she is 100% right. He would, perhaps on "accident" as he claims to Neve was the case with Varric (debatable - seemed pretty intentional if maybe a bit impulsive from here). But I firmly believe there is a world where Solas would stab his vhenan if he had to and certain conditions hadn't been met (and yes that would utterly destroy him).
She walks up those stairs to him, her vhenan, knowing this is it. Their final stand. She will save him from himself, whatever it takes, and she is prepared to die at his hands if it comes to that. And it so easily COULD HAVE.
I don't know. I just think that Veilguard gave us SO MUCH more insight into Solas and there's so much there to chew on. I think we're going to be able to go back through all the games and codices and so many little details are going to fit together and complete a puzzle we didn't even know we were making.
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After all of this, I still have so much to think on 😂. I'm going to be living in Thedas for another decade at this rate!
Good. I don't ever want to leave.
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himluv · 2 years ago
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*raises hand*
My fic "Inevitable" is a series of canon-compliant oneshots posing as a longfic. It starts with Lavellan closing that first rift and goes all the way to post-Tevinter Nights. It's complete, I'm just procrastinating posting the last few chapters because of *feelings* about it being done.
Hey are there any good Solas x anyone, fanfics out there you want me to read? (please submit yours) I’ll comment on them all, every chapter. 
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himluv · 10 days ago
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It's morning, and I'm still in bed, having pre-coffee thinky thoughts. Mainly about Veilguard lol.
I'm thinking about why I haven't talked about Solavellan in datv much yet. This blog has become an almost exclusively Lucanis Dellamorte blog these past few months 😂. But, I've been obsessed with Solavellan for 10 years. They are my otp. Soooo what's going on?
Under the cut because length and SPOILERS.
1. I genuinely haven't fully processed the Solavellan ending yet. I've done it twice and I sobbed both times and it hurts SO GOOD. But I still feel like I haven't let it get all the way in yet. I'm keeping it at arm's length just a little bit because... Ow.
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2. I'm mad at Solas. We see him at his worst in datv. It's been a decade of solitude and desperation and he is wearing that Fen'Harel mask non-stop. He's lost sight of himself (if he ever had a good grip on the concept in modern times). And... I didn't really understand just how much I loved Varric until this game. Because, now I can't see fanart of him without tearing up. I can't play datv without crying over him. And while that also hurts SO GOOD (and I love tragedies), I also cannot forgive Solas for killing Varric and then LYING about it and USING Varric's memory against Rook. Like... I have a lot to unpack there but it feels unforgivable to me.
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3. But, how I feel and how Riallan Lavellan feels are two different things. She loves him still, after everything. Not to say they won't have some very big serious talks in the Fade and that she isn't mad at him, but she ultimately does forgive him. And, so there's a gap between me and Ria at the moment that's going to take time for me to process before I can start writing them again (I very much want to write them again).
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4. I love my Rook, Embria Aldwir. Like, so so much. And I LOVE Riallan, but she's much more removed from me and my personality than Embria is. When I play DA games for the very first time I usually play as/for myself, then make a second character to RP and actually establish my canon. But... in datv, Embria hit all the right boxes and notes. My first run felt like canon and I have latched onto this girly harder than ANY of my previous DA ocs. I can't wait to explore in fic how Embria and Riallan's paths cross and what their relationship becomes, but I'm not there yet. I'm still cooking.
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4. My biggest reason for not yapping more about Solavellan is that... The fandom around Solas has become incredibly toxic and almost... Invasive. Like, I love him and love seeing gorgeous art of him and Lavellan, but also... The takes are frequently bad and the body swap mods are getting egregious (like c'mon, he would not do that and you know it). I know this is a personal squick, but for me, anything that feels that disingenuous to the character is a complete turn off. Seeing him do things he would. not. do. makes me wonder if people even actually like him? Or just some weird version they've cooked up in their mind these past 10 years. Idk, I'm just seeing a lot of stuff in Solavellan spaces that is actually making me like Solas less, because of how fans treat him AND other fans. Which... Sucks. So, I'm trying to preserve MY Solavellan, my beloved, tender, tragic otp, and to do that I can't really participate in fandom about them. At least, not right now when everything is fresh and feverish.
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So, yeah. That's where my head is at re: Solavellan. I love them. I just have a lot of complicated feelings about them right now. So I'm gonna keep playing and learning with Lucanis and Embria. Don't be surprised if I come out of nowhere with a giant fic involving all of them in like, five years (I didn't start writing Solavellan until 2019, even though I shipped them right after DAI released).
And, if you made it this far and also enjoy tender, tragic Solavellan, I have a fic to give you:
Inevitable
It's complete, and follows Riallan and Solas from the very beginning, to just after Trespasser. Canon-compliant, in-between moments with eventual smut.
It is the fic of my heart. I spent the better part of four years writing it and sobbed when it was done. Please read it if it sounds like your jam.
And of course, it comes with a playlist. Enjoy!
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himluv · 6 months ago
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Reunion
Just a little (incomplete) exercise in what I think Solas and Riallan's reunion in Veilguard might look like...
If you like this, read their entire story Inevitable on AO3.
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“Solas.”
He flinched at her voice, even though he knew she would come. He knew the moment she entered the Crossroads, felt the echo of her footsteps the instant she set foot in the Lighthouse. And still, he could not bring himself to face her.
“Inquisit–”
Trembling arms wrapped around his torso, Riallan’s face pressed between his shoulder blades. A shuddering breath and then, “you’re safe?”
Solas gripped her wrist, not to remove her arm from his chest, but to anchor himself in her familiar warmth. He’d been such a fool, in so, so many respects.
“I am safe,” he promised, and it was the truth. While he might be frustratingly trapped in a prison of his own design, he was safe in this corner of the Beyond. Of course, as real as their shared dreams always were, Riallan was not there physically with him now.
She was safe with this Rook and their companions in the Lighthouse. The lancet of pain at the thought of Riallan in his home, perusing his books, eating at his once lonesome table brought a sting to his eyes.
“I am so sorry,” he said.
She heaved another sob, her ribcage expanding against his back, but she nodded. “Me too.”
They stood like that for a long moment, Riallan crying against him and Solas holding her hand firm to his chest. Slowly, her breaths evened out and that familiar determination steeled her voice. “We’re going to get you out of here.”
Solas turned to face her. “Vhenan–”
He had not looked upon her face in so long. Too long. Long enough that the creases at the corners of her eyes startled him. He stood dumbstruck by the evidence of their years apart etched on her face. The creases yes, but also the laugh lines around her mouth had deepened, promising years of smiles and laughter he would never know. But the most stunning change were the threads of silver in her hair, now long and curling, tamed in a thick braid down her back.
His hand shook as he cupped her cheek. “Ria.”
Fresh tears pooled in those emerald eyes and she gave him the softest little smile. “You haven’t changed,” she said.
He brushed a thumb under her eye, tracing her cheekbone to reacquaint his fingers with the feel of her skin. Still soft, but not as smooth as the last time he’d been permitted to touch her this way. He blinked, surprised by the wetness that spilled onto his cheek.
She shushed him, wiping away his tears. But somehow that only made it worse. Even after more than a decade in this world he could not comprehend the passing of time. He’d misjudged the weight of years on mortal bodies and with every reunion he felt the cost of his failures more acutely. First Varric, and now her? His heart?
“I’ve wasted so much time,” he whispered.
Riallan shook her head, though he knew she didn’t disagree with him. “That doesn’t matter now,” she said. “All that matters is that you’re safe and that we find a way to get you out of here.”
Solas’s stomach dropped, his jaw clenched, and it was enough for her to notice. Those emerald eyes bored into him, demanding answers once more. “Ria…”
“You can be released,” she said, as if simply claiming so would make it true. “If you can enter this cage then you can be released from it.”
“Yes,” he said, but there was no hope in his voice.
“Then, what?”
He swallowed against a fresh wave of emotion that swelled up from his chest. “The only way to release me back into the physical world–” he took a deep breath and looked her in the eye “–would be to destroy the Veil. Completely.”
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himluv · 2 months ago
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Tonight I'm thinking about how I've spent the last five years writing Riallan Lavellan. How she's spent a decade honing her ability to mold her dreams. How, by the end of Inevitable, she's able to recreate a cottage she has only ever dreamed, that does not exist in the waking world, so that she can dream of a life with Solas.
A life where it was just the two of them. Where she could have him, just him. And they could be happy, together.
I finished that fic in March 2023. When a dream of a cottage in the Fade was just that. A dream.
And now, impossibly, it's canon? She's gone into the Fade with him, where it won't be terrible, not if he's with her. Because she knows exactly what to do and how to make their corner of the Fade a home for two.
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himluv · 7 years ago
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Because I don't have enough prompts already...
* hurt prompts
‘ are you bleeding? ’
‘ take it easy. you hit your head. ’
‘ where does it hurt? ’ 
‘ sit still and let me take a look! ’
‘ how did you get that black eye? ’ 
‘ you should see the other guy. ’ 
‘ did i say you could get out of bed? ’
‘ that’s going to leave a bruise. ’
‘ i’ll get some ice. ’ 
‘ that’s what you get for picking fights. ’
‘ are you trying to give me a heart attack? ’
‘ what’s wrong with you? ’
‘ you can barely stand. ’
‘ did you throw the first punch? ’
‘ that’s a nasty bump. ’
‘ get in the car. you’re going to the hospital. ’
‘ at least bandage it. ’ 
‘ no, you’ll get an infection. ’ 
‘ wet floor signs are there for a reason, you know. ’
‘ you’re lucky. that icicle could’ve killed you. ’
‘ where’s your gratitude? i rescued you! ’
‘ i’m calling the nurse. ’
‘ was that stupid dare worth it? ’
‘ what happened to you? ’
‘ sit down. i’ll make some hot chocolate and fix you right up. ’
‘ are those bandages? ’
‘ you need stitches. ’
‘ look out for that tree branch. ’
‘ i’ve got you. just stay awake. can you do that for me? ’
‘ lean on me. ’
‘ you got two choices: let me carry you, or die out here. take your pick. ’
‘ shit, you’re burning up. ’  
‘ you’re not dying. it’s only a sprained ankle. ’
‘ lie down. ’
‘ i’m sorry. i know it hurts. here, hold my hand. ’
‘ you’re in no condition to be walking around. ’
‘ wake up! wake up! ’
‘ i don’t feel sorry for you. ’
‘ look at your face! ’
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himluv · 2 months ago
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Just finished my 2nd playthrough of Veilguard. I'd hoped it would be a little less emotional the second time around, but uhhhh. I still cried a lot. Not as hard, I wasn't outright weeping this time. But still definitely had tears streaming down my face.
I made basically all the same decisions and I'm still just not sure I'm ready to make different ones 😂. But, now that I've got my timeline and notes for my Lucanis fics, I can go back to my Neve romancing Mourn Watcher lol.
Here are some screenshots I liked from today:
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1. In which Embria feels *very* small
2. A family can be a woman, her assassin lover, and his literal demon, and I think that's sweet
3. They moved. The moon.
4. Tearstone Mythals
5. Pre-battle coffee is a must
6. The Wrath of Heaven
7. "I'm by your side."
8. More like Elgar'bitch
9. Whatever it takes (love, it took love)
10. Riallan Lavellan, I will always love you.
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himluv · 7 months ago
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I'm just sitting here imagining Riallan, nine years older, and all the things Solas would notice. How the lines around her eyes are clearer now, without her vallaslin to hide them. How her cheeks are a little thinner, the last of her youth having wicked away to leave a maturity clinging to her jaw. How there are a few threads of gray in her dark hair, now long and braided as a reminder of the last time she was bare-faced.
How a life without constant travel and threat to life and limb has softened her, let her hips carry a little more weight than when he last placed his hands upon them.
How she is at once familiar and new and how much that kills him.
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himluv · 3 months ago
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Since I'm posting spoilers now, here is Riallan in all her glory. I love her so much 😭😭😭😍.
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himluv · 4 months ago
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Indulge me, for I am in my feelings:
Riallan's favorite flowers are crystal grace. Which symbolize parting (I did not know this at the time).
My Rook's name is Embria, because I wanted a flower name based In-World. And, well, Embrium... soothes a sorrowful heart (which I just learned on my read through of DA Day stories).
Which means Embria Aldwir is getting Ria and Solas back together if it's the last thing she does!
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himluv · 27 days ago
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The Magician: What are Rook's thoughts on Solas? Do they change as the story progresses? And The Hierophant: Is Rook religious? How do they feel about the religious organizations that impact their life the most?
Yessssss! Thank you for asking! Find the list of Tarot-themed questions here!
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The Magician: What are Rook's thoughts on Solas? Do they change as the story progresses?
A: Oh. Boy. So! Embria starts off feeling pretty soft for Solas. She's read Varric's book about Inquisitor Lavellan and Solas (titled Freckles & Chuckles Save the World), and has been a bit of a fan of Lavellan's ever since she saved the world from the Breach. And she's had six months of Varric telling stories about his friend. So, she's pretty invested in trying to redeem Solas at the onset. But, she's a quick learner, and she knows he's a Trickster, so her distrust grows over the course of their story. She still does everything in her power to convince him to keep the Veil in place and she's so happy Lavellan gets her "happily ever after," but by the end, Embria did it for Lavellan, not Solas. Some of his actions she'll never be able to forgive.
The Hierophant: Is Rook religious? How do they feel about the religious organizations that impact their life the most?
A: Growing up in an Alienage, Embria had a pretty mixed religious upbringing. She had the fragmented customs of her people and the Chantry. She never liked attending Chantry services and by the time she was a teen she refused to go. Then she left and joined the Dalish, where she learned more about their Creators. She worshipped them along with her Clan, taking her vallaslin for Dirthamen. But then she learned of Lavellan and the Dread Wolf, and as more of the People's ancient history came to light, she stopped worshipping anyone at all (except maybe a little hero worship for Lavellan!).
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himluv · 2 months ago
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Okay okay okay. While I've been drooling over Lucanis, my brain has been percolating about Riallan in Veilguard.
(this is mostly for me to dump out of my brain so I can put it in fic later 😂)
Obligatory Spoiler Barrier
My biggest question mark was always going to be, what has she been up to for the last decade? She disbanded the Inquisition, her Clan is gone, she's bare-faced and alone after everyone clears out of Skyhold.
So what's she been doing? Veilguard gave me some clues.
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1. Her Elvhen in Veilguard is WAY better than it was in Inquisition. She always spoke such halting and broken Elvhen. She spoke the fragmented language of the Dalish. But by the end of Veilguard, she speaks beautiful, lyrical Elvhen. She speaks like Solas. How did she learn ancient Elvhen?
2. She and Morrigan seem MUCH closer than I would have expected from where their relationship left off in Inquisition. They aren't just friendly or civil, they are... Conspiratorial? There's a sense of complete trust between them, which to me means there's complete HONESTY between them. Something has occurred between them in the past decade.
3. When Rook mentions the gods have escaped, Strife and Irelin immediately know that Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain are bad news. That they're worse than Solas. How do they know that? What's changed in the past 10 years among the Dalish?
4. We also know that, in Trespasser, Varric gave Lavellan a house in Kirkwall (to Bran's dismay). So that's been her home base since operations at Skyhold ended.
So. My little brain has been processing all that in the background and produced this headcanon this morning and I am RABID for it:
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After Trespasser, Riallan goes to Kirkwall, where she meets and becomes bffs with Merrill. Meanwhile, Varric and Dorian sort of take point with Inquisition stuff because they think Ria's connection and love for Solas is a weak link he can exploit. She doesn't disagree and steps back from any major leadership responsibilities (such as they are after the Exalted Council).
So, she's got a lot of free time. She starts working on her ability to manipulate the Fade in her dreams. She'll never be a Dreamer, but if Solas visits her in her sleep she wants to be good enough to notice it. No more surprises.
Then, the issue of elves becoming Agents of Fen'Harel starts. And Riallan realizes that, if elves are joining Solas, it's because he's told them something they liked to hear. But she knows him, and knows he would only tell the bare minimum to get people to his side. They don't know the whole truth.
She knows the truth as he told it to her in Trespasser, and she does believe him. But to get others to believe her, she needs a better source of information. That's when Morrigan pays her a visit, reveals that she now carries Mythal, and that she thinks Ria might be the only one who can stop Solas.
So, they team up with Merrill to get her Eluvian working and connected to the Vir Dirthara (c'mon, if anyone can, it's these three). And they spend YEARS learning. Ria learns Elvhen and they piece together memories like archaeologists recovering a shattered pot. They fortify sections to keep it from crumbling further, and they confirm the truth of what Solas told Ria in Trespasser.
My girl got receipts!
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So THEN, she starts going to the Clans. She's famous among the Dalish — a Dalish woman who rose to one of the highest stations in Thedas, saved the world, AND fell in love with the Dread Wolf? Come on, she's a huge elven celebrity 😂 — and they listen to her as she shares what she's learned.
The whole truth about the Evanuris, the vallaslin, and the Dread Wolf. About who the People were, what they've lost, and what that means for who they can become.
And it works. The Dalish start calling her Dirth'hahren (her maela called her Dirtha'len 😭), they spread the word, and some Keepers are even brought to the Vir Dirthara. Riallan never got to become Keeper of Clan Lavellan, but she basically becomes Keeper to all Dalish — she gives them knowledge and guides them away from the Dread Wolf. (This makes me so fucking happy I could cry, it's all she ever wanted).
And that's what she's been doing up until Rook disrupts Solas's ritual.
I will be writing all of this in a fic I'm tentatively calling "In Between" (already got to Trespasser so it's actually happening), so I hope you'll read it when it's done!
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himluv · 6 years ago
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I am dead.
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You've made me want to go back and re-read my stories! I am so thrilled that you found them so inspirational. I adore these collages. They are amazing and I'm going to use them as my backgrounds on my phone. Have I said thank you? Because seriously, thank you. You're the best sprint buddy and an even better secret admirer. Happy Valentine's Day!
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“The truth is never precise - regardless of where you are” - Solas
Happy Valentine’s Day part 2 of 2 to the wonderful @himluv!! This collage was inspired by all of your incredible stories featuring Solas and Riallan Lavellan, who is absolutely terrific. I was so intrigued by the way dreams and waking mixed in your stories featuring them, so I decided to have that be a predominant theme in this collage.
Solas’s in-game quote about the truth being precise was my theme and your fanfic my inspiration. What is real and what is dream? What version of Solas is true? Is he the wise apostate who paints murals and dreams in the Fade? Or is he the Dread Wolf of fearful legend? Are those fleeting dreams of him just idle fancies or is he closer than Riallan can imagine? I wanted to include little references to your fanfic, like the tree where Riallan dreams they shared a private moment alone together. Although I regret I couldn’t find a model with better hair for that green cloak picture, haha.
My dear, it has been an absolute pleasure to be your secret admirer! I have had a wonderful time getting to know you, your characters, and your writing. Thank you for being you, you’re absolutely wonderful. Lots of love from me to you. :)
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himluv · 3 months ago
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Well hello there Riallan. The past decade has been kind to you... Other than the whole boyfriend-stole-your-arm-and-is-intent-on-destroying-the-world thing. That's rough, buddy. But you look great!
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It took me FOREVER to feel like I made her even somewhat correctly, but having now seen her in action, I'm very happy with how she turned out.
This conversation was one of the first moments I genuinely felt a little weepy. (To be clear, I've felt A LOT of things in game so far, just not sad yet.)
I can't wait to see her again, and replay this game and take ALL the screenshots.l!
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himluv · 4 months ago
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MINOR VEILGUARD SPOILERS BELOW!!!
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*whispers* did anyone else cry during the IGN video when Lavellan (Alix Wilton Regan) said, "It's good to see you again." ??? Anyone????
Because I sure as fuck did.
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himluv · 7 months ago
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I spent a lot of today thinking about Riallan's look in DA4... The only thing I know for sure is that she's grown her hair out, and it's curlier than anyone would expect 😂. She's a braid girlie now.
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