#serault worldbuilding

[ghostwise]

PLEASE say more if you wish lol… your genius… ;____; !!!! raven and magpie….. 👁

So I think Morrigan values beauty and strength; Liselle is a survivor who has traveled far and overcome great odds and done so with like a level of grace that strikes her, and she can't quite say why

& maybe Leliana is like 'oh she is lovely isn't she <3 (attempts at gay bonding) perhaps you should go say hello!' and Morrigan is like 😑 because what a lot of effort when she's just barely acclimating to being around groups of people 24/7! like there's a reason she makes her camp far away from everyone else lol I just think Morrigan is so perfectly content being solitary, I think it does her a disservice to think her character is improved by her learning to form friendships and relationships and living among people with ease. Certainly, I also think a great deal of her difficulty with relationships is the result of her living solely with her abusive mother for her entire life. She is suspicious of relationships without an ulterior motive. But she's just also... peaceful when alone.

SO this comes about as a very slow burn and I think Liselle comes to know her peculiarities well and respect that boundary

ngl I love Serault, loved The Last Court and all the worldbuilding that went into it, this would be so fun lol. maybe they can drink blood in the forest with the Abbess and that is when they Realize

[stainedglassserault]

*** You may need to open the image in a new tab to get high res ***

... to do that on mobile, I think you click on the image. To do that on desktop, right click and select open image in new tab or something similar.

This reference is made out of a piece of the high resolution map by the wyrd sisters. It has estimated locations of Serault and its neighboring Marquisate town, Alyons. I didn't draw the border between the two but you can imagine it. I have it between Serault and Andoral's Reach, such that Alyons does not have much contiguous land and only has the 3 vassal villages nearby. That Marquisate is currently more powerful than Serault, and has additional lands that are not contiguous elsewhere. I forget what the term for that is, but there is one.

Also featured: the Last River that is meant to flow through Serault and make it a river port, plus some other rivers I made up and many newly named lakes. I didn't name every lake, but I named a lot of lakes if you see an unnamed lake, look for a near lake, add "petite" to its name, and there you go. I realized part way through they should probably be Lac __ if named in "Orlesian" and Lake __ if named in "Common" ... just assume people call them by both depending.

Wherever you put it, it is important that the Last River actually ends up flowing down past somewhere relevant, like near Andoral's Reach, and crossing the Imperial Highway! This is because if it was just a river that went or came from nowhere useful, like the marshes, it wouldn't be passable for commerce to be coming into Serault.

I am assuming the source of the Last is in the Blasted Hills, snow melt or one or more springs or both, and flows south-south west. The River Dawn I have it intersecting with in the Tirashan is a river I made up and it starts with a natural spring and ends meeting up with the Last and then going underground right at that point.

Since making this I have seen people put Serault on the little scrap of river leading into the lake I have named Lake Nahashin. I kind of accept that, because yes that way you don't need to imagine the original canon maps left off a whole river, but really? A passable series of rivers and lakes through a marsh area? I am not a river boat captain or anything so I may be wrong but I assume it wouldn't ever have been popular with trade through a Marsh. Maybe someone who does that is imagining the "Nahashin Marshes" label really only represents scattered marshes between the lakes, and not a major nearly unbroken stretch of marsh. Anyway I like my Last River also because it gives me a good spot to put Alyons that also lets Alyons be relevant and more important than Serault at this point. Also it lets you put Serault actually away from the lakes and marsh, which are never mentioned in The Last Court, and right next to the Tirashan woods, which are repeatedly mentioned as being "right out the back door" from Chateau Serault.

Why is it, and Serault for that matter, missing off the actual official maps?

1) because it's way out west and nobody cares. That explains Alyons I guess, too. 2) it was purged as part of the "Shame of Serault" shunning which would be a few generations back. Alyons got left off too because they took off the Last River to punish Serault and impact its trade. The merchants they still get are hold outs and people really into getting their hands on the best glass. Perhaps authorities felt nobody would follow a ban on Serault glass, so it was better to deter trade and effect the punishment using official map changes.

You can also see I added some made up villages for Serault to have as vassals, each with their own local lord or lady (styled "baron" informally, if they want, even if official petty titles are banned) ... or Ser if a chevalier or general knight.

Find more about those villages, and the draconologist's outpost, Chateau Estival, HERE.

More about the rivers and lakes, HERE.

More about Alyons and its villages HERE whenever I make that post.

[bigfan-fanfic]

Windron (or Val d’Espoir)

Thanks to everyone who helped me decide on a city plan! History of the city and the layout description below!

Windron

History

In granting Lord Inquisitor Tash Adaar his own dukedom in the form of the Ylenn Basin, the Council of Heralds (and, indeed, Celene Valmont, Gaspard de Chalons, and Briala of the Dales) only really gave their approval in appointing the first Qunari nobleman in Orlais in order to piggyback on the overwhelming popularity of the young Inquisitor and appease him so he would turn his gaze away from the Empire’s throne. They gave him the seat at Windron Citadel, a fortress in the Basin that eventually developed a small town around it. A fertile and prosperous place, Ylenn could bankroll the Inquisition on its own. “Let that satisfy the little ox,” they thought.

How misguided they were. 

Working with Ambassador Montilyet, Tash negotiated his rights to rule all of Ylenn Basin as he pleased, within the legislation of the Empire, of course. As Celene, Gaspard, and Briala had kept secret their defeat in the Game at the hands of the young Inquisitor, the Council of Heralds underestimated Tash and gave him written confirmation of his right to rule as he saw fit. 

Tash proceeded to impose his own style and ideology on the city of Windron, which was alternately known as Val d’Espoir, and eventually over all of Ylenn Basin. And any time any noble was foolish or daring enough to complain, Tash or his network of allied nobles would flaunt his charter signed by all twelve of the Council of Heralds at them. 

It was the first region in Orlais to have no alienages, for elves and all non-humans were provided the same rights as human citizens. Ylenn became a haven not only for elves, but for Tal-Vashoth and Vashoth refugees, surface dwarves, and mages. 

The refugees led by the Marquis de Serault took sanctuary in Windron, and Lord Basile de Serault was appointed chatelaine of the city. His sister Sylvie rode through town with a squadron of fighters of all races to defend the region from bandits. In addition, the Valo-Kas have a standing appointment as an occasional supplemental police force, as well as the Bull’s Chargers and the Sutherland Adventuring Company.

Though some flocked to the Divine’s new College of Enchanters, and some to Madame Vivienne’s New Circles, many mages traveled to Windron to gain sanctuary and found their talents were valued by their neighbors. A combination of Serualt glassmakers and free mages were able to recreate the ancient Towers of Light, providing the city with it’s signature glow. These towers sit atop the existing towers on the city’s battlements and shine in a beautiful display when the sun refract light through them, and at night, when mages are utilized to light mage lights.

Tash also offered Windron to Cullen Rutherford as a place where retired Templars needing rehabilitation or residence after getting off of lyrium could live in peace.

In honor of Duke Tash, who brought so many their freedom and created a prosperous and safe haven for all peoples, Ylenn Basin holds three day Carnival of Light each year at the end of the harvest. Those in the hamlets and villages of Ylenn Basin send up paper lanterns (inscribed with a special magical rune) into the air with messages of encouragement and love attached to them and watch them travel through the night sky. Guided by magic, the lantern makes its way to someone else in Ylenn, and they take the message and are blessed by its message for the year.

Layout

1. The Farmer’s District, formerly Catgate, now known as the Golden Ring. A rural district of small huts and scattered buildings where many of Ylenn’s farmers come to trade crops and techniques come harvest time. Also where many elves who have left other cities come to reside. Most residents leave to the nearby fields to farm. The name comes from the ring of golden magic lights that shines at the perimeter of the district, creating a magical barrier during times of distress. Dalish clans often send delegations of aravels to Windron that stay in the Golden Ring during the duration of their visit, in an area now known as the Aravel Park, a well-tended glade of trees where halla are known to graze and are protected from hunting by city law.

2. Noble Residential District, formerly the Old District, now the Lightsquare neighborhood. This district was left nearly abandoned as outraged Orlesian nobles left en masse in protest of not only their new horned ruler but his policies. Which gave Tash the opportunity to provide sturdy and accommodating housing for refugees, allowing elves and Tal-Vashoth to live in the fancy mansions and gilded houses. Lightsquare is known for its group housing, in which multiple families, oftentimes of different races, live in and care for their shared large house. The entire area is lit up by a soft glow, from lights that wrap around the trees, flicker on the fountains, and float past open windows.

3. Military Barracks and Mage Tower District, formerly the Castle Ward, now Knights’ Water. The most fortified of the districts, Knights’ Water provides numerous modest homes for the city’s knights and guards. There are also homes for displaced mages, and a mage tower where there is a thriving home for magical learning and experimentation independent of the Circle or College. The mage tower, known as the Obelisk, provides the main decorative feature of Knights’ Water: an eternal waterfall down the walls of the tower, the lights within refracting pleasantly in the square.

4. Peasant and Main District, The Valley.So named for the dip in elevation, the Valley is home to more traditional peasant dwellings. The citizens are mostly those who did not leave Windron, mainly the lower-class Orlesians who were already oppressed by the departing nobles. Enjoying the prosperity brought to them by Duke Tash, they accept his radical new ideology. The Valley is unique in Windron as being the only place where any overtly Andrastian iconography is found, as well as the only Chantry buildings within the city walls. The Valley boasts the greatest number of seedy inns and taverns, and is where the black market resides. The Valley is the least-altered area of the city by Tash, the only major change being the floating lanterns that glide along the streets to light the way.

5. The Artisan’s District, Bright Well neighborhood. Oddly for a town of this size, the guildhalls are all placed outside the city walls. Most of the refugees from Serault also gathered to live in this district, building houses to accommodate themselves. Serault glassmaking has found a new home in Bright Well, along with many surface dwarf artisans, former Qunari smiths, and elf crafters both Dalish and otherwise. A new tradition of crafting and smithing has formed that combines the techniques of all races which comes to be known as the Windron style.

6. Windron Citadel, or Palais du Petit Dragon, Seat of Duke Tash. The towers in the walls around the citadel provide soft illumination to the exterior of the palace during the night hours. The inside is an eclectic mix of decoration from every culture in Thedas that somehow fits together quite nicely, and is also lit well in the same manner as Tash’s Skyhold. The walls are hung with soft blue banners with his personal crest on them.

[felassan]

Random assorted headcanons

I keep meaning to collect these together somewhere so that they’re no longer haphazardly scattered in ones and twos and bits and pieces between my brain and around my blog, so here we go.

these are less big sweeping worldbuilding hcs or in-depth character hcs and more just, like, little things and random connections my brain made. they’re also not to do with my OCs.

the blue parakeet that Argent once had is the same species of blue parrot-like bird we can see hanging out in the Arbor Wilds during What Pride Had Wrought

Cedric Marquette is from Serault (he has Seraultine vibes!)

Neriah, Hero of the Second Blight, was an elf (the name is only one letter off the elven name Neria)

the Emerald Knights wore green armor

the elves which live in the Tirashan's vallaslin-like markings seem to 'move' like Felassan's did, and they have dark sclera like some of the DA elf concept art pieces

Adaia was a Night Elf during the Fereldan Rebellion, which is why she was "a bit wild", something of a trouble-maker and combat-skilled enough to teach Tabris the ways of a rogue or warrior & to attract Duncan's interest as a potential Warden recruit in the past

[black-emporium-exchange]

2020 Pinch Hit #7, dawnstone - CLAIMED

This pinch hit will be due at 12 PM EDT on Friday, September  4th. Please leave a comment on this Dreamwidth post (comments are screened), send a message to one of the mods, or send an email to blackemporiumexchange@gmail.com to claim.

Requested relationships:

Lucanis Dellamorte/Zevran Arainai - Fanfiction

Caterina Dellamorte/Zevran Arainai - Fanfiction

Viago De Riva/Andarateia Cantori - Fanfiction

Sky Watcher/Female Trevelyan - Fanfiction

Frederic of Serault & Rylen - Fanfiction

Brother Ferdinand Genitivi/Philliam Trevelyan/Laudine - Fanfiction

Female Amell/Sten - Fanfiction

Female Cousland/Sten - Fanfiction

Female Aeducan/Sten - Fanfiction

Felassan/Solas - Fanfiction

Desire Demon(s)/Solas - Fanfiction

Solas/Wisdom - Fanfiction

Audric & Myrna - Fanfiction

Cole & Justice - Fanfiction

Jowan/Lily/Female Surana - Fanfiction

Hollix/Original Female Human Lord of Fortune - Fanfiction

Hollix/Original Male Human Lord of Fortune - Fanfiction

Hollix/Original Nonbinary Human Lord of Fortune - Fanfiction

Loghain Mac Tir/Female Surana - Fanfiction

Female Hawke/Loghain Mac Tir - Fanfiction

Loghain Mac Tir/Female Trevelyan - Fanfiction

PH 7 - dawnstone

Request #1:

Lucanis Dellamorte/Zevran Arainai

Caterina Dellamorte/Zevran Arainai

Viago De Riva/Andarateia Cantori

Fanfiction

The Antivan Crows have a big spotlight in the recent story collection Tevinter Nights, and I'd love to see what would happen if either Lucanis or Caterina interacted with Zevran, or if they have any history together.

-Lucanis is willing to go outside the bounds of his orders to help people, which is a big no-no in the Crows. I'd love to see what would happen if he and Zevran either had to work together, or became rivals somehow sexy rivals ;D.

-Caterina Dellamorte is the elderly matriarch of her house, First Talon of the Crows, and also a woman known for beating people to death with her cane. How does Zevran regard her (considering his appreciation for older women), and does she have any weakness to his wiles?

-I wonder if Zevran is actively trying to kill either of them or vice versa.

-As for Viago and Teia, how are they faring after the tumultuous events of Eight Little Talons, and have they come in contact with a certain former Crow?

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

Request #2:

Sky Watcher/Female Trevelyan

Frederic of Serault & Rylen

Brother Ferdinand Genitivi/Philliam Trevelyan/Laudine

Fanfiction

Genitivi/Philliam/Laudine - they're currently on the lam, running from the Qunari and potentially still sending back intelligence to the Inquisition. How does being in constant close quarters, bar-hopping across Thedas affect these literary luminaries? Philliam and Laudine are previous lovers, how does putting Genitivi (who has a very notoriously saucy pen name) into the mix change things?

Frederic of Serault & Rylen - being stuck out in the Western Approach with few opportunities for entertainment and the constant threat of death by monsters and bandits is an excellent reason to stay in a fortified position like Griffon Wing Keep. Frederic stubbornly continues on with his research even after all of his staff have perished, and Rylen decides to keep an eye on him (Heroes of Dragon Age has Frederic as a mage, but you are free to ignore that since it's not shown in Inquisition).

Sky Watcher/Female Trevelyan - F!Trevelyan is very curious about the Avvar and their traditions; after he's recruited, Sky Watcher (you find out his name is Amund in the Multiplayer) is more than happy to teach her. Feel free to use your own Trevelyan or the default.

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

Request #3:

Female Amell/Sten

Female Cousland/Sten

Female Aeducan/Sten

Fanfiction

(The Wardens are obviously not completely interchangeable, but for the purposes of fic what I want from the pairings is the same. I do think F!Aeducan would probably "get" Sten the best, but the conflict in him falling for a mage is also delightful, and Cousland treading carefully while subverting his expectations would be lovely too)

After a Warden gets his approval high enough, Sten starts to call them kadan, which denotes caring about someone deeply. I'd love to read a story where Sten is head over heels with the Warden, and is extremely confused by it. She is the antithesis of everything he believes about women and bas from what he was raised believing in the Qun. His admiration of her is related most to her control of her abilities and/or battle prowess, but also he loves how practical and dutiful she is. She might find his alien point of view fascinating, enjoy carefully drawing out of him more about himself and his people, and learning to understand him better... she's also just generally into how tall and muscular he is.

Sex in Qunari society is supposed to be divorced from love, and when the topic comes up (with Morrigan) Sten seems disenchanted with the act, as well as certain he would harm a non-Qunari partner. It's not important to me if the relationship is sexual (if you can make it work, of course, I would not complain), I'm more interested in displays of mutual caring and affection with these pairings, whether it be defending each other in battle, or sharing some cookies.

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

Request #4:

Felassan/Solas

Desire Demon(s)/Solas

Solas/Wisdom

Fanfiction

Desire Demon(s)/Solas - Solas might say he's not tempted easily, but we all know he crumpled like wet paper the first time he was shown affection. Lacking a friendly/romanced Inquisitor, perhaps he has friends in the Fade who don't mind keeping him company. Or maybe one of them is perfectly happy to help him work out an unrequited crush on someone in the Inquisition. If this is the case, I'd prefer they weren't named or described so that the person is kept ambiguous, and keep it about how he knows it's the spirit/demon feeding on his emotions but it also happily helps him deal. Also, what would happen if the Desire Demon took on a physical form just to pursue him in the Waking World? Would he get angry or feel like he has to guide them like he did with Cole?

Felassan/Solas - Yeah, so I don't mind if the story takes place before or after the events of Masked Empire, but if it's after, there has to be some mention of how Felassan survived (he'd have to have been Tranquil for at least a little while), and how he manages to forgive Solas. If it's before, something set right after Solas wakes from uthenera would be nice, or if you want to delve into their relationship during the time of Ancient Elvhenan and the Evanuris, and potentially their days as servants to Mythal or during Fen'Harel's rebellion, that would be cool.

Solas/Wisdom - Wisdom cared deeply for Solas, but the greatest thing keeping them apart romantically would have been their natures in that he was a physical man and she a spirit whom he wouldn't want to twist against her nature (likely into a Desire demon instead of Pride). They are both ancient, so it can be assumed that they found their roles satisfying enough, though it's suspected that Solas was once a Wisdom spirit as well, and perhaps wishes he could go back to being one. I'm generally just curious about how they would spend their time together. Just how long did they know each other? After she dies, Solas looks for her in the Void and finds stirrings of her remains - would he try to put her back together from memories?

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

Request #5:

Audric & Myrna

Cole & Justice

Jowan/Lily/Female Surana

Fanfiction

Audric & Myrna - I am still a bit confused about Audric's nature, and just how much of him is still him but I suppose so is Audric - Myrna seems to believe his mortal soul is still remarkably intact. Down Among the Dead Men is Audric & Myrna's origin story, so I guess tell me more about how he adjusts to his "afterlife" working with her and the Mourn Watch, and how she helps give him purpose.

Cole & Justice - Two spirits who had very different experiences once pulled into the Waking World. What would Justice think of Compassion, and vice versa, how would they interact and what would happen if they had to work together. What would Justice pick up on that Cole wouldn't, what would Justice think of Cole creating his own form instead of possessing something? I'm very curious about how they would bounce off of each other.

Jowan/Lily/Female Surana - Perhaps they came together while apprentices, or they were always close friends, but it became something more after the Fifth Blight and Surana tracked them both down again. Maybe she and Jowan have to rescue Lily from Aeonar and things develop from there. If she's not a blood mage, how does Surana come to terms with the dark power Lily and Jowan are willing to use?

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

Request #6:

Hollix/Original Female Human Lord of Fortune

Hollix/Original Male Human Lord of Fortune

Hollix/Original Nonbinary Human Lord of Fortune

Fanfiction

So who are the Lords of Fortune, you might want to know?

Well, without recapping Tevinter Nights too much, they're a faction of mercenary adventurers, treasure hunters thieves and seekers of wealth and fame based out of Rivain, who can be of any race or background. They take odd and dangerous jobs from anyone who can pay the fee and have standards, so no working with slavers or punching down against the common folk. A lot of fans believe that our next protagonist in DA4 will be a member of this faction. And well, Hollix is a Lord of Fortune, though don't be deceived by the "Lord" bit, their gender is fluid and they are confirmed as nonbinary by their writer.

Hollix gained their name from Dorian after Hollix crashed a card party he was holding while attempting to spy on him - read "Luck in the Gardens" from Tevinter Nights if you want their whole story.

Writing for one of these pairings is going to require an OC and you can make them however you like, as long as the OC is from Thedas and becomes romantically entangled with Hollix. Hollix is already taking jobs from Dorian and has met Maevaris, so it's not a stretch that the new character would meet via their patrons through another such job - or perhaps they simply met in a tavern much like the one where Hollix tell their story. Go crazy, do worldbuilding, make predictions about the next game, have them do a heist, I'm all ears. :D

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

Request #7:

Loghain Mac Tir/Female Surana

Female Hawke/Loghain Mac Tir

Loghain Mac Tir/Female Trevelyan

Fanfiction

F!Hawke/Loghain - In the very unusual instance that Loghain survives to see Inquisition, he can be Hawke's Warden contact. I'd love something about how they met and Hawke's feelings about this man who did so much damage to the country she grew up in, but also who has worked to make restitution in the Wardens. They're both a bit adrift and away from home, heroes whose stars have diminished or fallen. How do they come together, and who ends up staying in the Fade?

Loghain/F!Surana - What made Warden Surana spare Loghain, and when do they realize they're in love? Does she convince him to do the Dark Ritual, or does one of them die against the Archdemon? Do they fall for each other in Vigil's Keep, after she's Warden Commander, or do they end up travelling to Weisshaupt together after the events at Adamant (and having survived yet again against all odds, Loghain tells Neria he's in love with her)? I'm open to any of these scenarios or anything else you might come up with.

Loghain/F!Trevelyan - The Inquisitor's work is nonstop and Loghain has a small window where he's at Skyhold and then he's either lost to the Fade or on his way to Weisshaupt. When and where do they manage to squeeze in a relationship, and what happens to make them realize their attraction? I'd love to see the reactions of the other followers, and if they are apart maybe them teasing Trevelyan a bit about her DILF paramour.

Likes:

-mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem

-loyalty kink, kneeling

-ust, resolved ust, friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers

-pwp smut, dubcon

-angst and hurt/comfort

-friendship, fondness, matured relationships

-slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans

-wild escapes, daring rescues

-making camp together, cuddling up for warmth

-exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

-anything post-canon

DNWs: Rape/Noncon, Modern AU, Character Death, A/B/O Dynamics, Character Bashing, Unrequested Backround Pairings, Crossovers

[stainedglassserault]

Colors of the Serault heraldy mentioned in this passage:

"Your guards draw their swords, a narrow line of Serault green-and-silver against the pressing tide. Your chevalier-commander spurs her horse forward. The sea turns. Parts. You follow her between the crush of faces, twisted as the gargoyles perching on the chantry, and up to the Chateau."

[stainedglassserault]

On the Map of the Serault region

That map can be found HERE.

And here it is again

Village bases for the vassals of Serault, from north to south:

Castanafeu - very old settlement right up at the forest's edge. The biggest concentration of charcoal burners are right here. Some saw mills. The name is from Castana, a figure from Orlesian (or Ciriane) history, mother of Kordillus Drakon, and then the French Orlesian word for fire. Suggestion would be, this is where Castana had a campfire once, I guess. Not much going on here. The "lord/lady" is just a chevalier-knight, acting like a sheriff in "keeping the peace" and collecting taxes. It is somewhat hereditary but mostly appointed again out of local chevaliers by Serault when the old one dies or retires. Might call her/himself " Chevalier __ de Castanafeu"

Guenoles - this one is actually just about canon! Not its location, though I think it makes sense to put the more important villages on the River Last... but rather the name. Both the Muttering Banker and his sister the Elegant Abbess are given the surname "des Guenoles", and are said to be a local noble family. The Banker is just the heir, not the current baron/knight of Guenoles so you can choose who their parents are. I say it's the Kindly Knight, and that the family includes the Wayward Bard too. The Bard is the canon nephew of the Kindly Knight, so this would make him noble but not in line to inherit, and the first cousin of the Abbess and the Banker. Anyway whatever you decide, it's just about confirmed that Guenoles is a village and vassal of Serault.

Pastulaire - this is a canon confirmed village, it's just also abandoned and occupied only by bandits, and the encroaching trees. This is the "lost lands" of Pastulaire the Acerbic Dowager is upset about. They were hers, and her late husband's, who is implied to be the one with the de Pastulaire title by birth and she married in. She claims he was too soft on his subjects and was murdered in some kind of take over by bandits or something like that. It has to exist somewhere near the woods, wherever you say it is, so I chose this spot north and a little west of Serault.

Lud-Dans-La-Brume - it is clear Serault has more vassals at a few points in the story so I made up more than a few. This one is a reference to Lud-in-the-Mist . And by "reference" ... I translated it into French Orlesian using an online translator. It may be a bad translation, though because it seems the French version of the book was published as Lud-en-Brume. This is good to me though, because I was going to be posting with the Lud-Dans-La-Brume tag and I don't want to drown out whatever few posts of book discussion there are about it in French. It just seems like a place that could be right there next to Serault, with the kind of provincial mysticism and storytelling. Its River Dawl as you can see is present, and the River Dapple has become the Pommelé. I put it marsh-side and surrounded by rivers for maximum mists. The goal will be to re-read the book and figure out what a more medeival and more Orlesian/Dragon Age version of Dorimare would be like, and make that this place. The family currently in charge are going to be new to it, and settling uneasily among older, local families who were passed over to let an Orlesian-Antivan family move in and become the 'barons' here -- a choice the mother of the current Marquise made for reasons I'll get into in the story. This family's surname? Mirelees/Mirlez/Mireliez. Former occupation, gentry and merchants, specializing in sugar cane. They can now style themselves as "de Lud-Dans-La-Brume" or "de Lud" for short. The daughter of the current baron de Lud is a poet and author...

Plaine Dorée - means golden plain, I think. Wanted a village there and figured the flat looking space between those rivers was probably a plain. If it is planted with wheat, which this very forest and marsh heavy Serault area sorely needs, it would look golden. Bread basket village when things are going well, but doesn't control the port and so is dependent on Serault. Also haven't chosen the name of the ruling vassal family yet.

Champlevé - stole this name from an approach to enameling on metal, which maybe is related to glassworking a little. Perhaps in Thedas the Champlevé style exists, but it is named after some crafts person from this place. Literally I think it means something like "field surveyed" (translator) but really I don't know and am not finding much. Field surveyed would work well for a village, too. I decided to make this the seat of the Cheery Baron but he could be anywhere, as long as it's not too remote and is near the Tirashan. So he would (informally) style himself Baron de Champlevé.

Gothivallon - an 'old name' village. On the wiki page on the Ciriane, one of the precursors to the Orlesians, I read they had two similar sounding words for female chieftain or queen. One was Gothi. So that's one part of the name, and then vallon (allegedly, according to looking it up) means "dale" in French. Looking at the map, I picked a dale-looking spot and put it there. Queen's dale. Or, Female Chieftain's Dale. I assume there isn't much going on here. Just another meeting point for collecting grain, taxes, having a tiny market, see maybe 1-3 travellers a year from people trying to access that part of the Western Approach by going south through the Nahashin Marshes. Which queen? Nobody agrees on that. The Gothi river is nearby, branching off the Champlevé which in turn came from the Last. Again, haven't decided the name of the vassal family overseeing it.

Bellitaneaux - here I put an -eaux ending on Bellitanus, the Thedaosian constellation also called "the Maiden" and associated with beauty, and therefore the old god Urthemiel, who we can assume the Urthemiel Plateau is named after. Maybe this place used to be called something even more old god-y and they sanitized it post conversion to Andrastianism, perhaps it never really was founded as an outpost until later, and even if the plateau already had the name Urthemiel they weren't going to name a village that, so they went with the related constellation name. I think this is a small village, with some very unlikely people living (or hiding out) there. Probably more ranching and herding than farming, beyond subsistence. I made this to be the "long distance travel" vassal village the Acerbic Dowager can be sent out to visit and straighten out as a favor in The Last Court. The name of that family? TBD.

Not a regular village but also on the map:

Chateau Estival, a curious collection of Orlesian academics and their staff -- Draconologists, led by Frederic of Serault. I think Frederic is actually de Serault, as in of the latest generation of the de Serault family. He is just the youngest, and a mage who was sent away to the Spire, and so can't inherit.

Despite Chateau Estival not being much more than an outpost, it gets put on the Important Vassals map made within Serault because it is a de Serault of the main line running it. Frederic is named its lord, its "Baron" even though that is untrue not only because lesser titles are abolished for everyone, but because as a mage and therefore can hold no lands directly. I'm making that up but assume it would be true in Orlais.

Good reputation, good conduct (and noble name and donations) earned him leave to travel away from the Spire, but being seen as unreliable as a descendant of the Shame meant at first his research got no official funding. Lucky for him, his mom (then the Marquise) set him up with Chateau Estival and initial funding. The quality of his dragon scholarship subsequently convinced the University, Spire, and crown to collaborate and fund it in full.

Though neither the Huntress or Scholar may realize it, it was actually the extraordinary academic work and reliable of their younger brother that went a long way toward cleansing the Shame in the minds of the regular nobles and bureaucrats of the capitol, which was a good step in the direction of the Divine being politically able to visit Serault.

Villages that are vassals to Alyons and are in their immediate region (I am imagining Alyons, not being shamed, but being as-yet unable to pry territory away from Serault, has acquired more vassal territory elsewhere, not contiguous with their main borders)

Val Colline, mentioned as being in need of saving from Venatori in DA:I, appears roughly on the wartable map where I am putting it on mine. It appears on the cool original map by @chantry-scholar which is how I realized it was missing from mine. I had put a village called "Contrefort" there so I just replaced the name. Maybe Contrefort is a nickname for the region, which is after all in the foothills of the Blasted Hills. It is ruled by a baron as it says in the mission text, so it makes sense for it to be a vassal to a marquisate like Alyons. You could imagine it belongs to Andoral's Reach but this is the choice I made.

Lys-en-Champs, I mean this to mean Lilly in the Fields and it is so named in part due to the association of lilies and Alyons, with Chauvette de Alyons (who married the Shame before leaving him and remarrying) being called the Lily of Alyons. Maybe Alyons has a lily in its heraldry I don't know yet. It is near Lake Lys.

Ton Chemin, means "your way" or "your path" in French. I haven't decided much about this place yet other than it's a vassal of Alyons and clearly it's stuck in a dry spot surrounded by lake and marsh. Fishing and eeling (is that a word?) is their main focus I guess. It is in the middle of Lakes Lys, Alyons, and Ignorance. Yes there will be a backstory about why a lake got called Ignorance (which is the same in French and English as it turns out). The village is called your path because it's your only path on dry land through this area.

[stainedglassserault]

Stained Glass

Link to ao3

Summary:

On the surface, the latest Marquise is as mundane as they come. But there are signs: Dreams, more than a few curious cases “miraculous” escapes from certain death on her forest hunts. And the voices… her blessed Masked Andraste, certainly, but more. And less. Whispers. Indistinct; as easy to dismiss as tricks of the wind. This happens to everybody. Good instincts. Gut sense. Hunter’s guile. Romantic flights of fancy in the woods. Better to not speak of it, though. A characteristic of Shame is to forcefully forget... but also to always remember, and never escape. Momentous events lurk beneath the twilight haze that envelopes Serault, but of course the smoke is expected; fires in the Glassworks are always busy. This will be a narrative following the events of The Last Court, with a few departures from the canon I will note, & cuts to other stories if I can follow leads from characters entering and exiting town. Some text is lifted directly from the game, some is altered, and a good amount is new.

Chapter 1: Prelude in a dusty river-side inn with tatty mustard-green curtains and dark cider...

...just north of the village of Guenoles, which slumbers within the Serault marquisate midway between Alyons and Serault, uncomfortably near the Nahashin marshes and a particularly swampy bend in the river Last, villagers and weary travellers rest at the Maison de Marais. The moon is high and the marsh frogs, loud.

An agent of many parties suspects one or more may have lately not been frogs at all not long before offending the inn's latest mystery transient. Will he dare risk the same fate just for a bit of classic 'bardic showmanship'? Probably.

[stainedglassserault]

Val Colline & my Serault region map

just added Val Colline to the map... replacing "Contrefort" which tbh I wasn't that about as a name anyway. I swear this is the last major change. Val Colline in canon is covered here: https://dragonage.fandom.co/wiki/Save_Val_Colline_from_the_Venatori

I don't think it appears on the regular maps and doesn't come up anywhere else.

I am making it a vassal of Alyons.

Looking it up, Val means valley in French so I guess all the Val So-And-So places in Orlais are in valleys or very nearby.

[stainedglassserault]

Rivers around the Serault Marquisate

Find the map HERE.

River Last

River Dawn

River Dawl

River Pommelé

River Alyons, the branch off the Last by Alyons

The branch that goes off by Champlevé is just called River Champlevé and then the branch off that that goes by Gothivallon is called River Gothi but it's too crowded there so I didn't label them.

The rest, that go into the marsh, may be locally named various things but nobody making maps would bother with them. If anything it would be called the Nahashin delta or something, I think.

The bulk of the Last turns and goes into the Tirashan where it meets the Dawn, which is why the name turns and goes with that portion.

While Champlevé and Gothivallon certainly get enough water to power mills and make ponds and fish, it isn't as passible and the land is getting much more marshy except where it has been drained. This is part of why Serault is the riverport Marquisate and they are the vassal villages.