#scout grandin

[anneapocalypse]

Grandin, Inquisition scout from the Jaws of Hakkon DLC whose best friend (a noble eho maybe was romantically interested in him and was trying to learn anything he could about the non-noble experience from him) dies and he gets so upset about it that he forms a stable case of possession with a local rage demon. And becomes a mage via said possession. I love him, I wanna know more.

The honorable mention goes to the unnamed horse nerd NPCs that hang around Harritt in Haven. They die in the attack, AFAIK, but they live in my head rent free.

YES, oh my gosh, Grandin! Such a sad story, and his relationship with this spirit is so interesting! We don't have many nuanced takes on rage demons in the games, which, fair, they're not the most nuanced of spirits but still! I really like this one.

DAI has so many great chatty NPCs. Every playthrough I hear something I've never caught before.

[carabas]

Hey remember how in Inquisition, in Jaws of Hakkon, Scout Harding asks the Inquisitor to look for a missing scout she's worried about, Grandin, and then you find him and he's possessed but he's still himself, he and his rage demon are in agreement, he just wants to hunt your shared enemies for you, he's grieving, and you can let him live and let him keep working for you killing Hakkonites, and then later you can overhear the Avvar talking about him and he has indeed been killing Hakkonites, and they say he saved a child, and then they also say "But what he did to the hunters…" and they also say "I’d guess he’s god-touched and too weak for it," and you can overhear from Inquisition scouts that they heard he was dead, and you know that's not true but apparently that's the rumor allowed to go around, and Harding says he was good company, that he told terrible jokes but that was part of his charm

Just thinking about Scout Grandin and the way Harding initially reacts to Lucanis, and how she carries a single very expensive enchanted barbed arrow just in case he turns on them, and she says she knows it won't even be his fault if it happens.

[uchidachi]

Oh I remember now the Veilguard prediction poll I wanted to do:

At the end of Trespasser we learn that some elven Inquisition members were secretly Agents of Fen’Harel

Had to combine some to fit them in, & I left off Charter & Fiona bc if it’s either of them I’ll riot. Also I’d guess every single human, dwarf, & qunari in Skyhold before Sera.

Feel free to argue why your choice is OBVIOUSLY the mole/why they could NEVER be the mole in the reblogs/comments/replies but please remember this is for wild speculation only. If you have secret knowledges about the upcoming game NO YOU DON’T.

[dragonageconfessions]

CONFESSION:

As a gay guy in this fandom there is one thing I don't want to see in the next game and that is a repeat of side missions like The Loss of a Friend. And its bad enough they did it again in Andromeda with Avitus and Macen. Just give us a decent romance and non of this lovers-tragedy garbage. I don't think that is much to ask

[butchofthewilds]

Desire demons are so weird to me. Like, spirits’ whole deal is that they center themselves around a feeling or concept (or sometimes, are forced to do so by mortals’ perceptions), and try to embody that as best they can (and this is an active effort, as we see from DAA Justice’s dialogue and certain dialogue paths with Valor in DAO’s mage origins), and sometimes they involve themselves with mortals (whether consensually or not) in order to do so. Like, a rage demon (apparently a extremely unusually powerful one, given that it had been worshipped by the Avvar for a while, and also that it is quite strong and rage demons are usually kind of chumps) possessed Scout Grandin in the Jaws of Hakkon DLC in order to avenge Jace, thus both enflaming Grandin’s rage and acting as/embodying rage (something about rage keeping him from dying always made me think a little of Vivienne’s quote about how rage can keep you going when everything else is gone, or something along those lines). But desire demons…don’t really seem to do that? Like, they definitely manipulate people’s desires to get what they want, but they don’t seem to particularly stoke them, or actually try to accomplish them (like, the demon that possessed poor Connor Guerrin definitely didn’t do anything Connor wanted!). I wonder if that has to do with the nature of desire—that desire is fundamentally unfulfilled, because the minute you achieve or receive something, you cease desiring it…Or if this is simpler than I’m making it and I’m missing something?

[sunnybugz]

3, 9, 10, and 16 for the music asks!!

3 : who is the artist you put on to make you smile ?

the mountain goats, ajj, olivia rodrigo, chappell roan, kimya dawson !!

9 : which artist has been the most life changing for you ?

are we going lifetime-wise? because if so it's 100% trixie mattel. i don't listen to her stuff a ton anymore (though i'm getting back into it hehe) but her music legit saved my life when i was fifteen and coping with my best friends death. it still means sooo much to me and always makes me think of her bc we saw her live in the front row when we were thirteen :'-) i have a signed cd from that show it was the best night of my life

if we're going recently tho definitely the mountain goats-- their music has inspired me sooo much in anorexia recovery and got me through a really bad depressive episode when i was 17/18 that i almost did Not make it through.

10 : you have to get a lyric tattoo-- what lyric is it?

OKAY i have a bunch though i don't actually plan on getting any of them (not a huge fan of mainly script tattoos-- words under a tattoo like my orange one are cool but im just not huge on mainly script)

all lights turned off can be turned on - noah kahan, call your mom

just stay alive - the mountain goats, amy aka spent gladiator 1 (i actually plan on getting a matchbook tattoo bc of this song)

if not by faith, then by the sword, i'm going to be restored - the mountain goats, hebrews 11:40

oh soldier, take your time - trixie mattel, soldier (i also might get a tattoo related to this bc it's SUCH a special song btwn me and said dead best friend)

16 : tell us the name of a song most people probably don't know but you adore

okay i have so many but i'll do like . a top 10 from my recent playlists .

1. broom people - the mountain goats

2. love love love - the mountain goats

3. temple grandin too - ajj

4. i'd have to think about it - leith ross

5. destroyed by hippie powers - car seat headrest

6. sad boys - dazey and the scouts

7. sweet cis teen - dazey and the scouts

8. getting naked, playing with guns - ajj

9. moving in place - shauna dean cokeland

10. best ever death metal band in denton - the mountain goats

PLS SEND ME MORE OF THESE

[theexodvs]

I was a member of a Boy Scout troop whose leader had a heart for special needs young adults. They had the hardest time adjusting to tents in rugged terrain, falling asleep in rain or surrounded by crickets, taking on manual labor, or eating campfire food. I’ve also gone on a number of mission trips where the *regular* folks who went with us had difficulty adjusting to the heat of the desert, the isolation of the countryside, the smell of fish on the coast, and the…wetness of wetlands. People who were obviously on the spectrum had the hardest time. Quacks like Grandin and Baron-Cohen running their mouths and clacking away at their keyboards don’t outweigh lived observations of autistic people and people with ADHD experiencing difficulties anywhere outside the city or suburbs.

Given the (warranted) suspicion given towards the disease denialism found in both Christian Science and Scientology, it can be said that if the claims of the neurodiversity movement were attached to organized religion, they too would be constantly lambasted.

[fancytrinkets]

Cassandra disapproves.

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Dragon Age: Inquisition Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Male Trevelyan, Male Inquisitor/Dorian Pavus, Male Inquisitor & Cassandra Pentaghast Characters: Cassandra Pentaghast, Male Trevelyan (Dragon Age), Dorian Pavus, Trevelyan (Dragon Age), Male Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Grandin (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Dragon Age: Inquisition - Jaws of Hakkon DLC, Scout Grandin - Freeform, POV Cassandra Pentaghast, Spirits, Avvar (Dragon Age), Stone-Bear Hold (Dragon Age), Hakkonites, Mages (Dragon Age), Abominations (Dragon Age), Rituals, Soul-Searching Series: Part 6 of DAI: Knight-Enchanter Trevelyan Summary:

The fate of Scout Grandin. A report on the unfortunate events in the Frostback Basin.

(Part of a series, but can be read on its own.)

[jawsofhakkontranscript]

The Loss of a Friend

Side quest: The Loss of a Friend

Characters involved: Lace Harding, Scout Grandin

Grandin, an Inquisition scout, has disappeared in the Frostback Basin. Grandin's friend was recently murdered and Scout Harding is concerned about Grandin's safety.

(Approach Scout Harding after completing the side quest “Lead the Charge” and initiating the side quest “Jawbreaker”.)

Harding: Did you see Scout Grandin on your way back? He should be on watch, but he's gone. Grandin was a good friend of Jace Turbot, one of the researchers. He was killed by Hakkonites. I'm starting to worry that Grandin's gone and done something... stupid. He was supposed to send word back when he reached his station, but... nothing. Keep an eye out for him, please? For me?

(Ambient dialogue in the Inquisition’s camp)

Female soldier: You've heard about Jace?

Male soldier: (Sighs.) I have.

(Search for Grandin in the Frostback Basin. Follow the trail of carnage. Find Grandin’s orders.)

Note text:

“A brief note, followed by a rough map of the area with key points marked:

Grandin,

Details are below. We need to keep to our patrols—it will allow us the upper hand.

I understand where you're coming from. Word has been sent to Jace's family. I promise you: whoever did this will face justice.

Harding”

PC: Orders for Grandin.

Party comments:

Iron Bull: Looks like he survived the fight with the Hakkonites. Won't get far on his own, though.

Cassandra: And dead Hakkonites. Impressive that he fought them off alone.

Blackwall: And dead Hakkonites. Hope he hasn't run into more trouble.

(After running into a pile of burning bodies near where Note: A Warning can be found, attached to a dagger plunged into a dead Hakkonite.)

PC: These were Hakkonites.

Party comments:

Iron Bull: That dagger has the Inquisition seal. Fair bet our missing scout came this way.

Varric: And that's an Inquisition dagger. Harding said that scout might try something stupid.

Vivienne: One of our soldiers has been through here. That dagger bears the Inquisition crest.

Blackwall: A dagger with the Inquisition seal. Property of our missing soldier?

Solas: That dagger bears the Inquisition's crest. Perhaps the missing scout came this way.

Cassandra: That dagger bears the Inquisition crest. Could it belong to the missing scout?

Dorian: He has an Inquisition dagger in his back. Property of our missing soldier, perhaps?

(After running into another pile of burning bodies.)

Party comments:

Iron Bull: More dead Hakkon warriors.

Dorian: Someone's cut their way through these Hakkon warriors. I can't decide if it's impressive or disconcerting.

Cassandra: More dead Hakkon warriors. Could one man accomplish this?

Blackwall: Maker. More dead Hakkon warriors.

Cole: Too much, too sharp. Something's wrong.

(Enter the Ancient Culvert where Grandin has hidden.)

PC: The Inquisition soldier. Grandin?

Party comments:

Solas: Careful. Something is amiss here.

Cassandra: Something's not right.

Dorian: Something doesn't feel right.

Vivienne: Be cautious. Something feels wrong.

Cole: No. He's different.

(Approach Grandin.)

Grandin: Inquisitor. I've abandoned my post, haven't I? I had cause. Just missing the permission part.

PC: Harding told us about your friend Jace.

Grandin: He was studying at the University. Those Hakkon bastards. Jace wasn't a soldier—he wasn't even armed. After this, he was going to show me Val Royeaux. I've never been. I thought we might... I can't let this happen.

Dialogue options:

General: I'm sorry. [1]

General: I can't believe you're alone. [2]

General: It's never easy. [3]

[1] General: I'm sorry.

PC: I'm sorry, Grandin. [4]

[2] General: I can't believe you're alone.

PC: You've been fighting your way through the Jaws of Hakkon? Alone?

Grandin: (Laughs). [4]

[3] General: It's never easy.

PC: We don't want to lose anyone. Sometimes we have no choice. [4]

[4] Grandin: I wasn't a soldier either, not before this. I lived in the Circle. Never had the skill for combat spells, so I picked up a sword. I wanted to fight for the Inquisition. The Jaws of Hakkon almost ended that, too. I was bleeding out when it saw me. It knows what I know. They will not kill more people. Not like Jace. I will protect them, Inquisitor.

Party comments:

Solas: And then? Will you stop or will the rage take you?

Varric: This is bad.

[5] Dialogue options:

Investigate: You can leave, spirit. [6]

General: Serve as you are. [7]

General: I can't let you go, demon. [8]

[6] Investigate: You can leave, spirit.

PC: It doesn't have to be this way. Release Grandin, spirit.

Grandin: Release? The spirit remains because I want it to. I will protect our people. I want to fight, Inquisitor. [Back to 5]

[7] General: Serve as you are.

PC: Very well. Go.

Grandin: Thank you, Inquisitor. I serve your cause—I swear to it.

(The screen fades to black. Grandin leaves.)

Party comments:

Dorian: No chance of this ending poorly. Spirits can always be taken at face value.

Iron Bull: Hope he sticks to killing those Hakkon assholes.

Cole: Hakkonites hurt people. It wants to kill them. It doesn't know how to stop.

Vivienne: Suffering a demon to live is never a lesser of two evils.

(Report back to Harding.) [Go to 9]

[8] General: I can't let you go, demon.

PC: You're not walking out of here, demon.

Grandin: If you stop me, then I cannot stop them. I won't allow it.

(Grandin turns into a full Rage demon. A fight ensues, Grandind dies.)

Party comments:

Varric: (Sighs.) Better than leaving him as an abomination.

Sera: Stupid demons and what they frigging do.

Blackwall: Poor lad.

Cassandra: Harding will inform the family of the death... if not the details.

(Report back to Harding.) [Go to 9]

[9] Dialogue options:

General: I found Grandin. [10]

[10] General: I found Grandin

PC: I've news about Scout Grandin.

Harding: Maker. Don't tell me. He's dead, isn't he? [11]

[11] Subsequent dialogue options:

General: Yes. [12] (If Grandin was killed.)

General: Not exactly. [13] (If Grandin was allowed to live.)

[12] General: Yes.

PC: Yes, he is dead.

Harding: Another one gone. Just like that. You never get used to it, do you? [14]

[13] General: Not exactly.

PC: He's not dead. Technically. He's actually possessed and taking revenge on the Hakkonites.

Harding: I was not expecting that answer. I... I need some time. But he's as good as dead, isn't he? [14]

[14] Harding: Maker. I'll miss him. The boy was great company. Terrible jokes, but that was part of his charm, you know? [Exits the conversation]

[doctormage]

i rly thot the first time i played the JoH dlc that i did maybe like, a little over half of the stuff you could do in the frostback basin? turns out i did the literal LEAST amount you can lsdfjlskdj i have encountered like 7 side quests in the last 2 hours that i had zero fucking clue existed

[non-toxicdragonageconfessions]

Confession: I would love if Grandin came back as a party member in the next game. Him and his demon seem to be in agreement, and what they want isn’t exactly bad. If his demon was purified in to a spirit of justice or love, he would be a beautiful foil to Anders.

[amarmeme]

New chapter update! A Trick of the Rain

CH 21

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: F/M

Fandoms: Dragon Age - All Media TypesDragon Age: Inquisition

Relationships: past Female Lavellan/Solas - RelationshipFemale Lavellan/SolasFemale Lavellan/Michel de ChevinCullen Rutherford/Lysette

Michel searches for Scout Grandin at the request of the Inquisitor. When he finds him, he's determined to not let history repeat itself.

[mdelpin]

The Red Dragon - Chapter 32

AO3 | Tumblr: Ch1 | Ch31.5

Chapter 32

Something was wrong.

Natsu could feel it in the wild flux of emotions that had flooded his soul bond since he’d arrived at Drak Aast, but he had no way of knowing what was causing it.

He’d felt nothing unusual before he left, so he’d dismissed it as nothing more than Gray getting used to his absence. It hadn’t seemed all that strange to him, given that it was the first time they’d been apart since their reconciliation. More than anything, he’d felt happy to know their bond had grown robust enough that he could make it out clearly despite the distance that separated them.

Natsu figured it would sort itself out, so he’d focused on getting through all the tasks Belserion had set aside for him. Once he’d finished those, he’d shifted his attention to transporting the dragon slayers to their requested locations and removing their memories of Drak Aast, sometimes their magic as well. The entire process had felt infuriatingly slow when there was nothing he wanted more than to get home, but at least it had provided him with a welcome distraction after his confrontation with Sting.

But through it all, he could still feel the odd shifts in Gray’s mood. It made little sense to him, and it only worsened with every passing day, feeding into his fear of what Sting and Rogue’s return might do to their relationship. It was maddening, like an itch he couldn’t scratch, and he couldn’t leave the island fast enough, impatient to discover what could be behind it.

His one attempt at asking Atlas for information had netted him nothing more than a vague Gray was moping without him. Not that he’d expected much more, Gray and Atlas weren’t exactly at the chatting about feelings stage of their relationship.

Now he and Happy were finally on their way home with the remaining dragon slayers. They were still hundreds of miles from Talos, despite him casting liberal amounts of magic to speed them along. And as much as he wished they could go faster, he knew it wasn’t possible. Happy wasn’t used to carrying passengers for long distances, and though Natsu had tried to lighten his load, he’d insisted on taking half the passengers.

Natsu could see the strain it put on the young dragon and knew they’d have to stop for a rest soon. He kept his eyes on the ground, scouting for a place to stop, preferably one that would provide them with a water source and suitable cover.

“Let’s call it a day,” Natsu announced, feigning a cheerfulness he certainly didn’t feel. He pointed Happy at a spot along the river they’d been following. “That seems like an excellent location to set up camp.”

“I can go for a little longer,” Happy protested, well aware of Natsu’s desire to get home.

“I know you could, Buddy, but Gajeel is still heavy as hell, and I could use a rest.” Natsu lied, hoping Gajeel wouldn’t trample on his attempt to bolster Happy’s self-confidence.

He descended slowly, mindful of the passengers he was carrying. A stop was probably for the best, anyway. There were many things that needed to be discussed before they arrived in Talos, and so far they had spent most of the trip in tense silence. The only real sounds having been that of Wendy’s tears at being separated from Grandine once again, followed by Oliver’s soft words of comfort.

That had taken him by surprise. He hadn’t known they were a thing. And though it was still hard for him to think of Wendy as anything but the little girl who had been terrified of the dark, he understood those days were long past. It heartened him to see she’d wrested some happiness out of the last few years, and he’d interacted with Oliver enough times to know he was a nice guy. Not to mention brave, few men would relish the idea of dating a girl with four overprotective older brothers.

Well, three and a dragon.

That was another thing. He’d have to come clean about everything before they arrived home. He sighed, not looking forward to Gajeel and Wendy’s reactions.

Once Happy had landed with Sting, Rogue, and Irene, the dragon slayers set about making camp, while Natsu flew off to do a quick sweep to ensure they were alone.

He reached out to Gray with his mind, hoping to find out what was going on with him, but the distance between them was still too great for him to get through. It was frustrating, but he buried his worries as best he could, knowing he couldn’t afford the distraction.

By the time he returned to the camp, food was already cooking over the campfire, and everyone sat around it. Natsu landed and sat next to a rather sleepy looking Happy, not knowing what to expect from the long evening ahead of them.

It had been a long time since they’d all been together like this, and it made him feel nostalgic for those simpler times. During the war, the dragon slayers had remained separate from the dragons. So outside of Wendy, he’d mostly seen his friends when they went out on missions with him. He probably could have made more of an effort to seek them out, but there had always been the danger of the other dragons finding out what he was, along with the guilt he’d felt at hiding what was happening to him.

After the war, his frustration and pain at losing his human form, as well as his issues with Sting, had made him feel like he didn’t belong with them any longer. So whenever Natsu was in Drak Aast, he’d made a point of keeping himself busy, rarely staying in the cave that was supposed to be his home.

He still loved his friends dearly, but being with them was yet another painful reminder of all the things he’d lost.

“This reminds me of when we left home with Atlas,” Wendy said, warming her hands against the fire as the night air turned chilly. “I can’t believe it took us all these years to return. Everyone must have been so worried.”

“They were,” Natsu agreed. “I told Atlas you were coming home, so I’m sure they’ll have a party waiting for you when we arrive. You know Erza.”

“I can’t believe Lyon and Erza finally got together, that’s so wonderful!”

“Yeah, they got married earlier this year.” Natsu said, smiling as he remembered how happy Erza had seemed the last time he’d seen her.

He snuck a peek at Irene, curious to gage her reaction to Erza being mentioned when Wendy blindsided with a question he hadn’t been expecting.

“What about you and Gray?”

Here we go...

“Uhm, yeah, we got married a couple of years ago, but there’s-”

“I’m so happy for you!” Wendy squealed, interrupting the rest of his explanation in her excitement. “I always knew it would all work out. Does that mean you’re living in town now?”

“No, Gray moved into the cave, actually. But as I was trying to-”

“He moved into the cave?” Wendy furrowed her brows. “But why? It’s so hot in there, that’s gotta be so uncomfortable for him.”

“It is, but I didn’t really fit in his apartment so-”

“Gray is living with you in the cave?” Rogue’s eyes bored into him. “I don’t understand. You said you took away his memories. And what about the dragons?”

“Took away his memories?” Gajeel asked, looking from Natsu to Rogue with a puzzled expression. “Why would Natsu do that?”

“It was all my fault.” Sting said, and even though his voice trembled, he kept his gaze level as he continued. “You already know what I did, but it turned out even worse than I’d feared. When Acnologia attacked, Gray-”

“Do you want to know what happened or not?!” Natsu snapped, becoming more and more irritated by their constant interruptions.

He used the time it took them to respond with sheepish apologies to think about how much he wanted to share with them.

“It all started with Acnologia’s attack. We were almost to Talos when we saw him approach. Gray refused to sit the fight out, so I had no choice but to change into my dragon form in front of him. We both rushed into town and Gray joined the rest of the guards while I fought Acnologia off as best I could, but then he went after Gray and I-”

Natsu had to stop for a minute. It was still hard for him to think about how close it had all been. Acnologia had evaded his attack and gone straight for Gray. He could still hear the awful snapping sound Gray’s bones made as he’d slammed into that building. The panic he’d felt as his mate’s pain flooded their bond was not something he’d ever forget. And when Acnologia had sought to finish him with another attack, Natsu had rushed to intercept it, putting all of his considerable strength and will into getting there in time. And he had. Acnologia had rammed into him, but if he’d been off by even a second, Gray would have-

“Natsu?” Wendy startled him out of his reverie, and it surprised him to find he was shaking. She reached out to pat his snout, and he nuzzled against her hand, needing the comfort she offered. “Why don’t you change back for a bit? We’re safe here, and it’s been so long since we’ve seen you.”

“He can’t.”

“What do you mean he can’t?” Gajeel turned to Sting, pinning him in place with his glare.

“Wait, I’m confused. Change back into what?” Oliver looked from one dragon slayer to the other as he tried to make sense of the discussion. “Are you saying Natsu’s a renegade?”

“No, of course not! His mother was human. He’s been able to take both forms since he was little.” Wendy explained, stopping long enough to peer at Natsu with concern.

Natsu remained silent, allowing Sting to explain, knowing it was something he needed to do as part of his attempts to make amends.

“You remember how strangely he was acting during the war?” The dragon slayers all nodded, and Sting continued. “Atlas said it was because his dragon nature was attempting to override his human one. The more time he spent in his dragon form the more difficult it became for him to change back, and that only got worse after his injury.”

“Oh, Natsu, that’s terrible!” Wendy covered her mouth, even as her eyes filled with tears.

“You knew about this all the way back then, and you didn’t think to tell us?” Natsu heard the fury in Gajeel’s words and flinched in response.

“Telling you wouldn’t have changed anything. It would only have made you worry, and that could have gotten you killed.” he hurried to explain. “I just wanted to keep you safe.”

“We already were worried, you dumbass! The way you were acting, not to mention all those crazy missions Belserion sent you on. Every time you left, it terrified us that you might not come back.” Gajeel yelled at Natsu, but soon turned towards Sting and Rogue to include them in his rant.

“And you two knuckleheads, you knew about this and kept it to yourselves?”

“Rogue knew nothing about it back then.”

“For fuck’s sake, Sting, you’re just as bad as Natsu. I oughta wring both your necks.”

“You need to stop hiding things from us.” Wendy pleaded. “I won’t pretend to understand how all the mate stuff works, but all of us together, we’re still a family. When you do things like this, it hurts all of us. Can’t you see that?”

“I know, you’re right.” Rogue said, “But we didn’t feel it was our place to reveal Natsu’s secret. Especially when it was our fault he’s like this.”

“You really can’t turn back?”

Natsu shook his head, “The only exception seems to be during the Summer Solstice, although we don’t know why. And even then, I have no control over it.”

“I’m sorry, Runt.” Gajeel lowered his head. His hands tightened into fists as he added, “That really sucks.”

Natsu shrugged, “Yeah, but there’s nothing left to be done, so I’ve made my peace with it.”

“There’s one thing I still don’t understand. How did you get the Ice Freak to come around?”

“He did that mostly on his own, I just went around making a mess of things.”

“No surprise there,” Gajeel snorted, and Irene joined in, with Wendy putting in a token protest.

Natsu pouted, but it’s not like he could argue the point, so he shrugged it off and told them about Gray’s rejection after the attack and tampering with his memories so he wouldn’t remember. He described how he’d woken up on the field months later in his human form, with Gray by his side. How he’d hoped that everything would go back to normal only to discover it was only for that one day. And he told them about his time as Fukou, and how that had helped pave the way for Gray’s change of heart. He almost left out how he’d tried to destroy their bond and gone off to look for Acnologia on his own, but he figured he might as well own up to everything. By the time he’d finished telling them about Gray going to the cave to look for him and finding Igneel instead, and how they’d ended up going to Isvan and the spot where they’d first met to talk things out, all the slayers had goofy grins on their faces, even Irene.

“That’s so romantic,” Wendy sighed, “I’m so glad you guys worked things out, even though I know it’s nothing like what you envisioned.”

“You really are an idiot.” Gajeel groaned, “But I suppose there’s no point in yelling at you about any of it now. I’m sure Red has already laid into you.”

“I haven’t seen her much since I returned,” Natsu admitted, “I don’t really know what to say to her.”

“I don’t either, but we’ll figure something out.” Irene said, rising from her spot next to Wendy to pat his head before settling in between him and Happy. “We owe her that.”

Natsu knew she was right. Gray had already gotten on his case about it more than once, and it’s not like Erza could really do anything to him. He was a dragon, for fuck’s sake. But no matter how logical that sounded in his head, he still dreaded seeing the hurt in her eyes at having been kept in the dark all those years. That made him think of Sting, who had an equally difficult conversation with Erza in his future when he arrived in Talos. Natsu glanced in his direction.

On a night like this, Sting would usually have been the life of the party. He would’ve cracked jokes and flitted around, while a seemingly irritated Rogue attempted to get him to settle down. But there was no sign of that tonight. Instead, Sting and Rogue sat slightly apart from the others.

Natsu finished by telling the dragon slayers about all the changes they could expect to see in the town and in their friends. He answered all their questions as best he could, leaving Happy to update them on Igneel and Atlas.

Now that the conversation had ebbed, Sting was silent, alternating his gaze between the ground and Natsu. Rogue held his hand, occasionally murmuring something in his ear. It felt so unnatural to see Sting acting like this, and Natsu couldn’t say he liked how it made him feel to witness it.

He knew Wendy was right. They were still a family. He’d definitely put that to the test more than any of them. Over the years, his friends had nagged him, fought him when they thought he was wrong, and watched over him. Even when he hadn’t wanted them to. And when he had shown them what he was, they’d accepted him almost without question.

A lot of things were going to change when they got back home. They were all adults now, and with the dragons in Drak Aast, there was no need for them to live together in the cave as they had before. The slayers would move into town and start their new lives.

Sting and Rogue could have started over somewhere else, but they had chosen a much harder path. They would probably spend the rest of their lives trying to make amends for putting the town in danger, and despite the rest of the slayers and Anna supporting them, Natsu knew that wouldn’t be easy. Not everyone would understand their reasons or forgive them for putting their families in danger.

Their presence also created a conflict within Natsu, and not just because of what he feared it could do to his relationship. It had been so much easier to hate Sting when he could focus only on his betrayal and how it had affected him and Gray.

Because Sting had kept everything he’d wanted intact, Natsu had allowed himself to believe that he’d somehow remained untouched by the effects of his choice. But ever since their showdown in Drak Aast, that illusion was crumbling, and it forced him to confront the things he’d avoided thinking about.

Sting was hurting too, and unfortunately for Natsu, he still cared enough for that to bother him. The truth was, Sting had kept Natsu’s secret safe for years and had offered him unwavering support throughout the entire war. And it wasn’t like Natsu was blameless, either. All he had to do was glance over at Rogue’s legs to acknowledge his own failures.

Could he still hold on to his anger knowing that? It wouldn’t be the first time he’d fought off his dragon instincts. And hadn’t he wanted to cling to the vestiges of his humanity however he could? If forgiveness was all that remained of it, shouldn’t he embrace it?

A wave of sadness washed over him as he thought about the first time the two of them had met. Sting’s welcoming grin had been the one thing to give him the confidence to move away from Anna and join the others. It had been reckless and inviting, and he’d seen it time and time again over the years. Usually, right before they did something incredibly fun, but worthy of getting yelled at by both dragons and humans. It was the same one that had gotten him into more trouble than he could count over the years, and now it was nowhere to be found.

Maybe nothing had turned out like they’d thought it would when they first left Talos to go fight with their dragons, but there were still plenty of things to be thankful for. They had all come out of it alive, and they still had each other.

As he drifted off to sleep, Natsu thought that even though it might be foolish to believe that he could ever move past what Sting had done, maybe he should still try to.

0-0

Gray put his pencil down and studied the drawing he’d been working on for the last day. It had started as a way for him to stay out of Atlas and Igneel’s way while they made their final preparations. But once he’d gotten going, he’d warmed up to the idea. He’d already decided to leave Lyon all of his drawings, but he’d liked the idea of doing something special for him.

So he’d drawn the best likeness he could of Lyon and Erza standing together by the lake, as they often did. Satisfied with the results, he added his signature to the paper and carefully placed it inside his sketchbook for Lyon to find.

He stood up and stretched, looking around their bedroom for any other items he thought Lyon might want. There really wasn’t much. Gray had never been one to buy a lot of stuff, but he owned a few books he thought his brother might enjoy. He grabbed them and placed them inside the box that sat on his bed, along with the sketchbook and all of his savings.

Tonight was his last night as a human, and he wanted to spend it with the people closest to him. He also wanted to tell Erza what he was doing, and offer a proper goodbye. If he hurried, he could get to their house before sundown.

He stopped by Igneel’s room to let him know he’d be leaving for a few hours and found him writing on a large piece of parchment. Having a good idea of what he was working on; he told his father-in-law where he was going and left quickly, not wanting to distract him from his last words to Natsu.

He still felt conflicted by what they were planning to do, but he’d made his choice and all he could do now was hope for the best outcome.

The evening air felt cool against his skin, signalling a break from the oppressive heat of the last few weeks and easing some of his tension as he walked down to Talos for the last time.

When he’d first convinced Lyon to move here, he hadn’t known what to expect. The only thought in his head had been to search Natsu out, motivated by a need that had never quite left him. And although things had been difficult from the moment they’d arrived, he’d never regretted his decision.

He’d been proud to use his magic to protect the town from danger for the last six years, and he cherished the time he’d spent with his friends before they all left. But it was time for him to move on and embrace a new chapter in his life. And with the slayers returning the next day, he knew Talos would be in excellent hands without him.

The sun had just begun its descent behind the mountains when he arrived at Lyon’s house. The corner of his lips curved into a smile as he admired the recently planted rose bushes so reminiscent of the home they’d once shared with Ur. He made his way to the front door, putting the box down on the steps so he could knock.

A moment later, Anna opened it. “Gray! Come in, come in, we've been expecting you!”

“You have?” It surprised Gray to see her there, but he tried not to show it as he picked his box back up.

“Yes, Lyon was sure you’d come tonight.” Anna said, moving aside to let him get by. “How have you been? I haven’t seen you lately.”

He entered the house, pushing the door closed with his shoulders. “Oh, well-”

“What do you think of these?” Erza came out of her bedroom carrying several dresses and showing them to Anna, saving him from having to answer. Noticing Gray, she grinned. “You’re here!”

“Hey Erza.” He placed the box on the coffee table and walked over to her to give her a hug.

“What about me? Did you forget about me already?” Lyon complained, coming out of the kitchen to greet him.

“I don’t think I could ever forget that,” Gray snickered, pointing at the pink apron his brother was wearing over his bare chest.

“Please,” Lyon waved away his comment. “We both know pink is your favorite color.”

“True enough.” Gray laughed.

“What do you have there?” Lyon peered at the box with interest.

“Oh, that’s for later.”

“Well, why don’t you come help me in the kitchen while these two figure out what they’re wearing tomorrow.” Lyon suggested, already making his way back. “Unless, of course, you fancy giving opinions.”

“Sorry, ladies.” Gray said before rushing to join his brother in the kitchen.

“Don’t think for a moment that either of you are off the hook!” Erza called after them.

“I didn’t realize Anna would be here.” Gray said, watching as his brother checked on various pots. “I’m sorry for intruding.”

“What are you babbling about?” Lyon handed him a knife and pointed him at a pile of vegetables. “Go cut those up and make yourself useful.”

Gray did as he was told, used to the routine after years of living together. Lyon continued his preparations, grabbing the chopped up vegetables and placing them into different pots. It seemed like a ton of food for just the four of them.

“Are you expecting someone else?”

“Nope, just figured I’d make all your favorites.”

“You didn’t have to do that for me!” Gray protested. “What if I hadn’t come?”

“Yeah, like that would happen,” Lyon snorted, handing him a glass of chilled white wine. “Face it, little bro, you love me.”

Looking a little more serious he added, “Plus, I knew you wanted to talk to Erza.”

“They’re really excited, huh?”

“Yep, Erza’s going to dye Anna’s hair after dinner. They both want to look their best for Irene tomorrow. What about you? How are you doing?”

Gray thought that over, taking a sip from his wine.

“I’m ready, and I’m not?” He drew in a long breath. “I guess mostly I just want it to be over with, but I’m also kind of terrified of what comes after. There are things I’ve found out that make the whole thing harder.”

“What kinds of things? Actually, hold that thought.”

Lyon poured wine into three more glasses, taking two of them into the living room to Erza and Anna. He soon returned and after a quick check of the stove, turned back to Gray. “Okay, shoot.”

So Gray told him about Igneel, the mist that seemed to be a part of his dragon magic, the strange markings, and his encounter with Juvia. He left out that he’d have to go up against Acnologia someday. He was sure Lyon was already worried enough.

Lyon whistled and refilled Gray’s glass. “Damn. I never imagined it would be something like that. Poor Natsu.”

“Poor Natsu? Is that all you’re going to say?”

“Well, yeah. What else would I say?” Lyon shrugged. “Igneel is doing what he thinks is best for his kid. Your parents did it for you, and if it had ever come down to it, I bet you anything Ur wouldn’t have hesitated to sacrifice herself for either of us. Parents are like that.”

“I gotta say, dragons are nothing like I ever imagined,” Lyon said after a long pause.

“Yeah.”

They chatted for a few more minutes, with Lyon tasting the food and adding some seasonings in.

“Food’s almost ready. Can you set the table? You know where everything is.”

Gray finished his wine and set about collecting all the necessary items from the cupboards and drawers. When he entered the dining room, Anna was holding her hair up with her hands while Erza zipped up her dress.

“I think that’s the one,” Erza said, admiring the results and turning to Gray. “What do you think?”

Anna faced him, looking unsure. “Isn’t it a little too revealing?”

He could see what she meant as soon as she turned around. The dress Anna wore featured a large cutout in the chest area, accentuating her well-endowed breasts. And while she looked stunning, it was a stark contrast to the outfits she usually wore.

“I think Erza knows best,” he answered honestly, averting his eyes and immediately busying himself with setting the table. Poor Irene wouldn’t know what hit her.

“See?! He can’t even look at me,” Anna complained.

“That’s why it’s perfect.” Erza grinned. “It’s not meant for him, anyway. Do you want me to call Lyon in for a second opinion?”

“No!” Anna squeaked, grabbing her clothes and fleeing into the bedroom to change for dinner.

Erza giggled and moved to help Gray. “I’m glad you came over. I haven’t had many chances to see you lately.”

“Yeah,” Gray said, keeping his eyes on the table. “There’s something I kinda want to talk to you about later. Anna too, I guess.”

“Is it about Natsu?”

“Sort of? It’s more about me, though.”

“Alright, it’ll give us something to talk about while we wait for the dye to set.” Erza tried to sound unconcerned, but he could feel her tensing up next to him. He offered her a smile, and that seemed to appease her somewhat. They joined Lyon in the kitchen, helping him bring the food to the table.

Dinner was fun. There was much laughter as they exchanged stories of jobs they’d taken that hadn’t gone as expected, while Anna filled Lyon and Gray in on some of the trouble the dragon slayers, Natsu, and Erza, had gotten into when they were little.

“It’ll be good to have them all back,” Anna smiled, grabbing some plates and taking them to the kitchen. Gray followed suit, while Erza went to prepare the dye for Anna’s hair.

“Gray and I can clean up,” Lyon told her, taking the plates from her and placing them in the sink. “You guys should get started on your hair.”

“Thank you. Erza is very lucky. You’re a wonderful cook.” Anna complimented, taking her leave when she heard Erza calling for her.

“She’s right, y9ou know.” Gray said, laughing as he suddenly remembered a time many years earlier when he’d tried to impress Natsu with his cooking skills. “I tried cooking for Natsu once before we started dating. It was a disaster, and he spent the entire night mocking me.”

“Fucker.” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest in mild annoyance at the memory.

Lyon laughed along, grabbing a dirty plate from the pile and washing it. He handed the clean plate to Gray for him to dry. It was something they'd done hundreds of times before, and the familiarity of it was comforting.

“Ur taught me. She was especially adamant about it once she became ill. Probably figured you’d starve on your own,” he added with a chuckle that soon turned somber. “I’m glad she did, though. It let me make her last days a little easier.”

“I-,” Gray couldn’t continue, getting a little teary-eyed as he thought about both Ur’s last days and all the things Lyon had done for him over the years.

“Don’t even start. Remember this isn’t goodbye,” Lyon said, forgetting the dishes for a moment as he gazed at Gray with an affection that was unmistakable. “I don’t care what body you’re in, you idiot. You’ll always be my brother.”

Gray nodded, taking a deep breath and handing him another plate. They finished cleaning up and moved to the living room with another bottle of wine to wait for Erza and Anna.

“Do you think the slayers will be allowed to rejoin the Guard when they return?”

“I mean you’d have to ask Erza, but I don’t see why not. I imagine the bigger question is - After everything they’ve been through, would they want to?”

That was a good point, but Gray had an idea that Sting at least would feel the need to.

“Of course they can rejoin. The Guard is their home, it was created for them in the first place.” Erza said, entering the room with Anna following closely behind.

Erza stretched out an old blanket over the sofa to allow Anna to sit comfortably while the dye in her hair worked its magic.

“Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Erza asked, pouring some wine into her glass and sitting next to Lyon with her legs tucked underneath her. He draped his arm around her shoulders as she cozied up to him.

“I’m not really sure what the best way to tell you this is but, tonight will be the last time you’ll see me.”

“What do you mean the last time I’ll see you?!” Erza leaned forward, her eyes boring into him.

“At least like this,” he amended as he realized from her reaction that his words might have sounded more final than he’d intended.

Lyon blinked at him in disbelief. “Wow, you suck.”

Gray frowned, but even he had to agree that likely hadn’t been the best introduction. So he tried again.

“It’s kind of complicated but it boils down to Atlas and Igneel figuring out a way to create a dragon body and move my soul into it.”

“They’re going to turn you into a dragon? How does Natsu feel about this?” Anna said, her forehead creasing as she stared at Gray intently.

Gray gawked at her, not having expected her to be the one to respond to his explanation. And of course she’d homed in on the one thing he’d hoped they wouldn’t ask, if only because it would lead to questions he’d rather not answer. He felt like he was dangerously close to losing control of the conversation, but he also didn’t want to lie to them.

“Uh- well, Natsu kind of doesn’t know we’re doing it.”

“And why is that exactly?”

Like that one, which Erza hurled at him with barely disguised suspicion.

Both of them were staring at him now and he struggled to come up with something they’d accept when Anna’s eyes suddenly went round and she looked away.

“It’s something to do with Igneel, isn’t it?”

Gray nodded his agreement, and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were glossy. “I think I understand. He’s always been a reckless fool.”

“Well, I still don’t understand a thing.” Erza complained, “Why wouldn’t they tell Natsu? Wouldn’t he be thrilled?”

“Magic has certain limits, but nothing is truly impossible. All that’s required is a sacrifice. That’s something that Natsu’s father explained to me a long time ago. Every day he remained in human form cost him some amount of his life force, and he kept it up for four years. He would have done it for longer if Porlyusica hadn’t died giving birth to Natsu. I’m guessing Igneel plans to sacrifice his remaining life force so that Gray can become a dragon and he and Natsu can have a more promising future.”

“Yeah,” Gray whispered, anticipating their disapproval.

Anna grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. “Igneel has wanted to return to Porlyusica for a long time, and this way Natsu can also have what he wants most. I understand why he would choose this path, and I think with time Natsu will too. I can’t imagine how hard this must feel for you, but I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thank you.” He bowed his head, both in appreciation and to hide how her words had made him feel. Anna might have meant to bring him comfort, but she’d only reminded him of what Igneel was giving up for them.

Erza continued to stare at him, her expression unreadable. He didn’t know what to do or say, and when he went to open his mouth Lyon shook his head slightly, advising him to stay silent.

She finally spoke, long after the silence had stretched beyond the realm of comfort. “Make sure you don’t take this opportunity for granted, Gray.”

“And be nice to Natsu, I’ll be sure to tell him the same when I see him.” Erza’s expression softened into a half-smile that tore at his heartstrings as she repeated words she’d often said whenever he and Natsu had fought.

“Yeah, I will.”

Erza got up from her seat and gestured for him to do the same. She hugged him, giving him a kiss on each cheek before letting go. “Thank you for telling me, and good luck.”

“Thanks.” He gave her one last hug, and then she and Anna said their goodbyes, leaving to remove the dye from Anna’s hair.

“That went better than I thought it would,” Lyon commented after they were out of earshot.

“I guess.”

“One last drink?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

0-0

Igneel put his pen down, scratching his nose horn as he carefully read the letter he’d penned for Natsu. He knew it would never be the same as speaking to him face to face, but it would have to do. It was important to him that Natsu knew he’d been thinking of him during his last moments, even if it would take him some time to understand and accept his actions.

He moved away from his desk, examining the room that had been his home since they had moved from Desierto with a frown. It felt so strange to think that he’d never return here. That in just a few hours’ time he’d cease to exist, rather than make his way to the Dragon Eyrie as he’d always thought. And he felt guilt-ridden for what he was about to do to Porlyusica.

He closed his eyes, calling on the same magic he’d used to show Natsu what his mother had been like weeks earlier. Once he felt it take hold, he opened his eyes, his breath catching at the sight of his soulmate.

It had been twenty years since her death, but his feelings for her hadn’t diminished in the slightest. She seemed to scold him about something and he had to laugh, even as it pained him to feel the yearning. For all that he cherished the sweet moments they’d shared, it was when she was riled up and full of passion that he’d loved her best.

“I’m so, so sorry, my love, but I can’t come with you,” he whispered, reaching out with his hand as if he could touch the woman in front of him. “I wonder if you can forgive me.”

“Of course she will.”

Igneel turned his head to see Atlas had entered his room, but soon switched his attention back to watching Porlyusica. “How can you be so sure?”

Atlas sat next to him, glancing at the hologram for a few moments before answering. “We never agreed on much, her and I, but we both loved you more than anyone else ever could. And I’ve already forgiven you for leaving, so I have to believe she would too.”

“I’m sor-”

“Don’t.” Atlas waved away his apology. “I’m the one who should be sorry. It’s your life. You have every right to decide how to end it, and I have no right to give you grief about it. It’s just, you’ve always been here, you know? I don’t know how to be alone.”

“But I’ll learn.” Atlas raised his snout and stretched his wing to drape it around Igneel. “If Natsu hadn’t needed you so badly, you would have left me twenty years ago. So I choose to stop acting like a selfish ass and look at that extra time as a gift.”

“Thank you.” Igneel rested his head on Atlas’ shoulder briefly.

It astonished him to realize how much his brother had changed since they’d moved to Talos. Atlas had never been one to talk about feelings or even express them, but having taken an active role in helping to raise Natsu, and later on the dragon slayers, had transformed him. Rather than focusing only on his magic and Igneel, he’d learned to look outward and become more open in his relationships with others.

Igneel was so proud to see how much his brother had grown, and he was confident that even though Atlas would be sad after he was gone, he’d be alright.

“Hey, you want to fly around for a bit?”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with her longer?”

“Nah,” Igneel said, releasing his spell and getting up. He pointed at his heart. “She’s always with me.”

Atlas shrugged, and they made their way to the back of the cave and took off, flying away from the town as they always did. They returned hours later, and Atlas went off to get some rest to prepare for the morning’s spell.

Igneel stayed up all night, not wanting to waste any of the time he had left sleeping. He sat atop their mountain and gazed up at the stars, letting his thoughts join with snippets of memories.

He watched his last sunrise with unabashed awe, mesmerized by the burst of colors that bloomed in the early morning sky. A soft breeze rustled all around him, caressing his scales lightly, while the sounds of nature awakening for another day prompted him to smile wistfully.

This world was beautiful, and he was grateful to have been a part of it. There was just one last thing he wanted to do before it was time to go.

A/N: There will be three more chapters after this one. They'll post every Sunday thru August 22.

I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know if you do. I know you guys read chapters in one sitting but for a story like this it sometimes take me weeks to write and get a chapter to a state where I am satisfied with it.

@khaoticvex​ released a new art last week for Gratsu Day so if you haven't seen it yet check it out. Let her know if you like it, she has done a lot of work to illustrate this story! Thank you to @oryu404​ for all their help, and advice on this one!

[dragonageconfessions]

CONFESSION:

I played JoH many times and most of the time I would find Jace’s letter talking about Scount Grandin, but this is the first time I noticed him pinned to the wall near his letter, and now I understand why Grandin snapped as badly as he did…

Credit: Screenshot provided by Confessor

[dalishious]

How do apostates conceal themselves throughout thedas? is it possible for someone with magic to train as a warrior or rogue?

By hopefully not having a Circle phylactery that templars can use to trace them, and by being discreet in their magic usage and/or avoiding civilization as much as possible. It’s harder for mages to hide if they’re untrained, though. If you think about the most successful apostates, they’ve all been taught how to control their magic by whatever means, be it family, the Circle, or alternative education (like among the Dalish or Avvar for example.)

It’s entirely possible for mages to train with weapons! There’s a quest in Jaws of Hakkon where Scout Grandin is revealed to be a nondescript mage who picked up a sword instead. Hell, that was one of Archon Tidarion’s claims to fame:

“Archon Tidarion was of indisputably low birth. He learned swordplay and tactics at his Legate father's knee before his magical talent drew attention and Archon Almadrius took him as an apprentice. When Tidarion inherited the throne, the Magisters declared him unfit to rule: a soldier's son, with no Dreamer blood to speak of. In the civil war that followed, Tidarion took to the field with a blade like a commoner and casting spells as only an Archon could. He carved and burned a brutal path across Tevinter before he died on the battlefield, sword in hand.” --Item description: Blade of Tidarion

And I mean, there’s a whole Arcane Warrior / Knight Enchanter specializations. 

[felassan]

Endless DA4 BtS vid thoughts

The speed lines around the rogue in “Action Shot” remind me of like, passive rogue skills/abilities that increase movement speed or evasion chance. Or maybe a mage has cast Haste?

The elf guy’s staff is quite simple and not really being wielded in a mage-archtypal way. The thing I’m reminded of here is how Irian Cestes, a rogue-like elf from Tevinter Nights, is an expert staff-fighter. She also taught Vadis, a mage, some staff-fighting tactics.

About the airship shot: doesn’t the giant statue head bear a bit of resemblance to this one, which is located in the crypt of a wealthy Nevarran? I’m also reminded of the Dead Hand, a big stone hand which is a landmark in the Exalted Plains in the Dales. According to the lore, it is “something of a mystery”. It’s assumed that “it is a piece broken off from a larger whole”, a much larger sculpture. But where was the rest of the statue? “It is difficult to imagine how something so large could go missing.” The Wiki presents 2 theories about how the hand got there (see Trivia section). The second one is especially notable given the elfy-ness of and floating objects in this piece of concept art and the fact that we know floating objects from the time of Arlathan fell when Solas raised the Veil and disrupted the magic (ambient dialogue in Trespasser etc).

While we’re on the subject of that shot - floating, floating.. Some objects like chandeliers and buildings float in Tevinter. Levitation magic is part of established lore. It’s also a hallmark of the Fade, ancient Arlathan, the Crossroads. But also! In Descent, Renn tells a story of a soldier of his that once got lost in the Deep Roads for three days after falling down a hole. After they found her, she spent a whole day telling them of the strange things she had seen: “A golden longboat floating in the air... packs of hairless children hunting nugs... a giant skeleton on a throne”. They never found out if it was true, and she had forgotten it all when she woke up the next day. Floating longboats?

On reflection, if Warden Davrin is a companion, I think I’d like him to be a rogue rather than a warrior. In main games, we’ve had warrior Warden companions (Alistair and essentially Blackwall) and a mage Warden companion (Anders). Rogue pls to complete the set. (Awakening expansion notwithstanding). If he’s a rogue, could he be the third from the left figure in the lineup?

According to Google, “Bellara” is an Australian town/place name, a word of Aboriginal origin. The meaning is apparently “good”, or “magnificent / majestic” (India), but I can’t say how reliable that information is. I can’t really find anything for Davrin (not that there necessarily would have to be anything obviously).

If Skellington is Audric: Audric as an entity is a “higher dead”, seemingly a spirit that needed to find balance between its two aspects, Curiosity and Anger, or else he’s “caught between two spirits: anger and curiosity” (compare our previous experiences with Justice/Vengeance, and Wisdom/Pride in All New, Faded For Her). When I was thinking about him though I got hit by the nostalgic memory of speculating about Cole, pre-release but after he’d been confirmed as a companion. His personal quest ended up being a more Spirit vs more Human choice, but I remember speculating if his arc would involve turning more to Compassion or to Despair depending on, for example, the PC’s actions (good choices vs evil choices). Rage might not be the same as Anger, but: in DA lore, Rage demons are noted to be simpler and less devious than other types of demons. At first thinking about the idea I was like ‘hmm’ because that doesn’t sound like a very exciting concept, but then I remembered Scout Grandin in JoH, Harding’s friend who went missing. He, a mage lacking in talent for magic, willingly allowed himself to be possessed by a Rage demon after Hakkonites killed his good friend and attacked his patrol. When you meet him he expresses a wish to fight for the Inquisition, stop their enemies killing more people, and protect the Inquisition’s people. Solas asks him “And what then? Will you stop or will the rage take you?” You can allow him to serve the Inquisition’s cause rather than killing him, and he swears to it. This Rage entity was more complex than the usual ones we encounter, and at the time I found him pretty interesting. I don’t really know what my point is here, especially since Audricuriosity is a very good bean, but there’s an example of how that side of it could work on the PC’s side, and also, yeah, I’ve been punted back into the days when I wondered if Cole’s arc or ‘choice’ in-game would be Compassion vs Despair, and am thinking about Curiosity vs Anger as the dual aspects in maybe-Audric, and what that could be like to explore in a character arc.

And I might have said this somewhere already, but the Grand Necropolis would make a fantastic candidate for a critpath story-heavy mission setting like our explorations through the Temple of Mythal in DAI. I’d be here for them utilizing it in such a way and us discovering tasty lore and !!! revelations and stuff on the way.