#she was originally a scrapped tabris

[laurelsofhighever]

Fandom: Dragon Age: Origins   Characters/pairings: Alistair x Cousland   Chapter: 4/?   Chapter Rating: G Chapter Warnings: None Fic Summary: The story of the Fifth Blight, in a world where Alistair was raised to royalty instead of joining the Grey Wardens.

Read on AO3

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Spring evenings in Denerim held a certain kind of peace, the streets not yet malodourous with the bake of long summer days, but warmed enough that the last nip of winter in the lilac air lingered as an empty threat, turning the breaths of the city’s denizens into dragonlike puffs of fog. As a young child, Alistair had amused himself with the image, imagining a set of huge wings bursting from his back, and fire burning in his belly hot enough to stave off the cold that always encroached into his narrow pallet above the stables. He didn’t have to worry about that now, sleeping in a four-poster bed in the palace, among more pillows than he could ever hope to use, but he remembered enough that he always brought blankets with him when he snuck into the alienage.

He tried to shake away the melancholy that lurked after him through the narrow gables and cracked wooden tiles. The elves kept their homes as well as they could – certainly better than when he had first stepped foot beyond the main gate almost a decade gone, before the few reforms he had managed to push past Cailan – but it was still a shabby place compared with the rest of the city. Though he would never admit it, the sight churned his stomach with a guilt born of knowing how close he had come to something similar, a life scraped out of a hovel instead of languishing in a palace. He tried not to dwell on it. Whenever he did, his mind would inevitably stray to how he had become a prince in the first place, and from there down a path of what-ifs that left a sour taste in his mouth.

“I’m getting married.”

He blinked and glanced sideways at his companion. Arthea Tabris leaned nonchalant against the chimney stack of her family home, her large green eyes bright in the gloom as she picked at the grit under her nails.

“To who?” he asked, sharper than intended. “Since when?”

She tossed him the same bored look as when he had first met her, at seven, when he had so desperately wanted to have someone like him that he had agreed to steal kitchen scraps for her and her cousins. In all the years since, sneaking away from the Cousland estate or descending from the palace, she had never shown any sign of partiality to anyone he could recall.

She slipped loose the tie in her hair, and as it fell it splashed like a spray of blood. “His name’s Nelaros,” she huffed. “You haven’t met him so you can stop looking so panicked. He’s from the alienage in Highever.”

His heart jolted at the mention of Highever, but he tried hard to school his expression into something more supportive. “Do you love him?”

She rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Like him?”

“Andraste’s knickers, Alistair, I haven’t even met him – won’t for ages yet. I only just found out but I thought you should know, since you’ll be poncing off to Starkhaven.” With another huff, she scratched a bobble of lint from her tunic and flicked it into the alley below. “It’s an arranged match, like your posh toffs do. Gotta keep the bloodlines strong, you know? There are already few enough of us elves left as it is.”

Not wanting to stoke the irritation in his friend’s voice, Alistair breathed out, leaning back against the warmth of the chimney. He glanced at her, at her frown and the sour pull of her mouth, and realised what he was seeing wasn’t rebellion, but resignation. He recognised the look from his mirror, ever since Bryce had told him he would be going to live with his brother. Passed off again.

“What will you do?” he asked.

A shrug. “Go through with it, I guess. I’d run off and find the Dalish, except nobody else has half a head on their shoulders around here, and I’m used to the smell.”

There was a pause, and he realised she was waiting for a reaction.

“Well then…” he ventured. “Congratulations?”

“That’s really all you have to say, isn’t it?”

He frowned, lost by the sudden bite in her tone. “I’m not sure what it is you want me to say.”

“Ugh.” She threw her hands up. “You’re so dense sometimes.”

There was no argument to that. Without meaning to, his mind conjured the icy sunlight of a winter day, the flash of grey eyes retreating down a gravel path.

“And you’re still giddy over that prissy shem bitch.”

“Don’t call her that,” he snapped, breaking out of the thought.

“Why not? You moon after her and she doesn’t care – she rejected you, for fuck’s sake –”

“That’s not what happened.” But the retort rang hollow. Thinking about Rosslyn hurt, thinking about how he had hurt her and driven her away hurt.

Beside him, Thea sighed and folded her arms around her knees, and for the first time her usual mask of indifference slipped into real vulnerability. “I’m right here, and you don’t even see me.”

“I…” He rubbed a hand through his hair. “Oh. Oh. Thea, I –”

“Don’t,” she muttered. “I already know we couldn’t be together, so just… don’t.”

He opened his mouth to try anyway, before deciding against it. With nothing else to say, silence fell between them, and the little light remaining in the sky seeped away. Between one blink and the next, the stars glittered against the black, in constellations he had learned to trace years ago and which would soon be the only familiar thing left as flotsam in the strange tide of his life.

[scribbledquillz]

OC Approval Gift Tag Game

Tagged by @shivunin to share what the high approval gifts my OCs would appreciate similarly to the gifts given in Origins - Zev's boots, Morrigan's mirror, etc. Thank you so much for the tag! This was super fun to mull over. : )

Revka Tabris

Silverite Daggers - These blades are simple but expertly made, evenly balanced and wrapped in a soft black leather. Revka would mention in passing that she has never owned a pair of matching blades, let alone ones that were intended only for her. All the weapons she has used to that point were bought cheaply second hand, looted or (allegedly) stolen. Being given a set not only of a higher quality than she's accustomed to but also made for her hands specifically would immediately become a treasured possession. Tales of Wonder; A Collection of Fantastic Stories Told Through the Ages - A quite substantial book bound in red leather with fading gilt embossing. The curator's name has been lost to wear and tear, but the contents within promise days if not weeks worth of reading.

When not in the sparring ring or tavern, Revka spends what little free time she has with her nose buried in the pages of a book. She has a particular fondness for fantasy as well as (much to her flustered embarrassment should she be found out) romance. This book has both in ample measure, and once given to her it can always be found in her pack.

Ceral Tabris

Rivani Seer's Crystal - A gemstone the color of pale sunlight the length and thickness of a finger encased in a thin band and chain of gold. There is an unexpected weight to it. In a conversation that comes after his relationship with Love is revealed, Ceral laments the extent of the exertion their assistance requires of him. Not only must Ceral maintain the focus needed to properly mend his charge's ailment or wound, but the connection to his Fade-bound friend as well. He would never complain of the effort - Love's aid in sussing out the source of maladies that are much less obvious to the mortal eye is invaluable after all. But if he had a way to strengthen his connection to them he might be able to work faster, and therefore end suffering more swiftly and save those with wounds or illness that once would have been too far gone for him to heal. The Rivani crystal given to him offers their seers to do just such a thing, and upon receiving it Ceral nearly looses the fight to keep himself from kissing the gifter full on the mouth (or does, depending on the nature of their relationship). A Stray Pup - A young, shaggy coated pup found nosing at the leftovers of the camps' dinner. She backs away shyly from you at first, but is easily coaxed back with a scrap of warm chicken. Ceral will admit that of all the things he could have been jealous of his elder sister for, the one sore spot he holds is that SHE is the one out of the two who ended up with a canine companion when HE had been the one to always beg to bring in one of the strays that wandered the alienage. The discovered pup is scooped up in his arms with a high pitched squeal of delight, and from that moment takes up residence on an old wool blanket in Ceral's alchemy room.

Imakai Adaar

Dark Wooden Kalimba - Found in the remains of the Valo-Kas camp struck outside the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Somehow this little instrument has been spared the worst of the damage everything around it succumbed to during the blast. While of course grateful for her life, Kai will admit to some bitterness in the loss of her personal belongings left in her tent the day the Breach was made. Among clothing, a few books and magical odds and ends was a Kalimba which had been handed down to her by one of her mothers, having once belonged to her mother in turn. Kai had loved the sound of the little instrument, and had learned to play it when she was a little girl. Having it not only found but returned to her miraculously intact is enough to bring several fat, happy tears to her eyes. Dragon Scale Gloves - Handsome as they are protective, these thick leather gloves covered in dragon scale shine a beautiful bronze color in the faintest of lights. As a primal focused mage, Kai knows all too well the dangers of an errant spell. Her hands are covered in faint scars and burn marks from her early days of learning to control her abilities, and while her skill has grown considerably mistakes do sometimes happen. She is touched to have you remember this complaint when you offer her these gloves, and even more so to see that they were made with the thought of a larger spell caster in mind.

Tagging: @blarrghe, @demandthedoodles, @transprincecaspian, @oxygenforthewicked, @heniareth, @siriskulksnerding, @bumblewarden, @melisusthewee, @raymurata, @wild-houseplant and YOU. <3

[witchyangels]

I need to post something somewhere about how I’m finally, FINALLY, able to play Dragon Age 2 again after not having been able to play it for roughly 4 years.

I need to scream out that I truly missed this game more than I realized— it being the only one out of the current DA games that I wasn’t able to play. One reason was because I was forced to uplift my life and toxic family members put all of mine and my husband’s things in storage while he was still in the hospital. I didn’t get my PS3 back until like 2021.

Before I got the PS3 back, I somehow (by a miracle perhaps) got my laptop, working beautifully, I might add. So I tried to get DA2 on EA Origins. Screen kept going black. Couldn’t do ANYTHING and I’m pretty sure I cried.

Finally got my PS3 back, but my toxic family didn’t put any of the cords with the electronics they belonged to, so I wasn’t able to even start up the PS3 until 2022. Started it up and put in DA2 aaaand the sound on the PS3 stopped working. I couldn’t hear the epic beginning of Cassandra interrogating Varric!!

Needless to say, I was giving up hope on ever playing Hawke again…

Then I find out from a friend that DA2 was on Steam… had been there since 2020?! Steam works beautifully on my laptop, so I had hope!

Hubby and I haven’t been doing great financially… so I held off getting it, even though I wanted it sooooo badly…

My in-laws gave me birthday money and when we were at a place to splurge without it hurting us terribly… I got DA2 on steam and hoped with all my being that it would work.

It works and I can play it again 😭 I can romance Anders again and just have fun again!!

I have a couple of mods— I couldn’t get hair mods to work and mostly got mods to fix dialogues with characters and got the cosmetic mod to fix the elves weird skin tones (and Merrill looks like her DAO version!! She’s so cuuuute!)

I haven’t gotten to the part where Alistair shows up yet, because I have a mod that makes him look closer to DAO version— I’m so excited to see him. He’s a Grey Warden, so I gotta wait until the end of Act 2.

Tried an Anders mod because I missed his ponytail, buuuut it needed another mod (that for the life of me I couldn’t get to work) to make it work, so I scrapped that mod.

I almost recreated Xena Hawke, my very first Hawke, who was a rogue, romanced Anders, and Bethany became a Grey Warden. But, I had another character in mind…

I created Vanessa Hawke, who is based on my OC that’s in DA2, but isn’t Hawke. I basically created the character she would have created while playing the game (yes, this is a Modern Girl in Thedas fanfic, I started it back in like 2018, judge all you want 🤣) and now I’m hyper fixating on DA2.

I already am making plans to play Default Mage Garrett Hawke to go along with the world Vanessa finds herself in. The world state for DAO will be the Martyr one— because it has aspects I like versus the Hero of Ferelden world state.

Atrina Tabris is in no way connected to the DA2 fanfic. It’s easier this way and I don’t have to find a way to tie Vanessa and Atrina & Wanda together.

Vanessa actually retains all of her memories (as of currently) of the modern world. She, however, doesn’t have a photographic memory, so after some time has passed (because DA2 takes place over the course of I think 10 years), she won’t immediately remember that, say… Leandra’s fate in DA2 or things like that.

The story is all over the place right now, but it’s my comfort at the moment when I get a second to breathe, I play/write/draw.

I know I still have commissions to finish/start, and I’m so sorry for the wait. My brain is going all over the place currently so I’m trying to structure my time better.

I had restarted Atrina in DAO, because she gets the sweet story with Alistair, but apparently I want the heartache of Anders in DA2 at the moment. And I’m jumping between my DAO and DA2 fanfics…

I got so burned out on Dragon Age in 2019… but here I go again, deep diving 😅 hopefully this time I’ve learned to pace myself… hopefully

[bearsizedant]

actually my art looks different when i use a hard brush. who knew

[aworldofyou]

HERO OF FERELDEN - CITY ELF ORIGIN KALLIAN TABRIS

     Kallian is the only daughter of Cyrion and Adaia Tabris. She starts of in her story with a distrusting and distase for humans ( as anyone would in their situation ), but the bias is steadfast when it is revealed that her mother was murdered by humans. Likely for standing up and against humans that were picking on other elves. We meet her when she is awakening to her wedding to her betrothed - a City Elf from Highever by the name of Nelaros. Despite being told to not let him know of her training with her mother, she is indifferent toward him finding out about her skill in battle. If they are to be wed, he will find out soon enough.

      There is no questioning of the wedding, it is how things are. And she trusts her father’s judgement. (had she been against the whole act, there would not have been a celebration before). But as the story goes, the wedding is interrupted and she and others (Shianni, and Carwen - @copiesofher -) are forced into the castle. (all not coming out unscathed)

        After witnessing so many killed, and so many hurt, the guilt she carries for not arriving in time to stop it all follows her, and she grows more bitter by the time the events are through, and she is faced with the guard. And deciding that enough is enough, that she will do what she can so no one gets hurt again, she steps forward by herself to claim killing the son of the Arl. And thus, Duncan - the Grey Warden- enacts the right of conscription.

      td;lr she is hardened, but softens as time goes on. And through meeting and traveling over the next few years throughout Thedas, she learns that the world is not so simple. And the hardest decisions have yet to come. Decisions Made, but often can be adjusted according to chemistry:

The Broken Circle: Supported the Mages. The Arl of Redcliffe: There is no blood ritual, both Connor and Isolde survive, though there a optional tension when it looks like Kallian actually considered the ritual. Nature of the Beast: the Curse is Broken, both werewolves and elves are sided with. The Urn of Sacred Ashes: the Ashes remain untainted. A Paragon of Her Kind:  Sided with Caridin, Bhelen is crowned King. The Landsmeet: by default, Alistair is made King, but there are both canons available where he is and isn’t King. The Question of whether or not the Ritual is performed depends entirely on the person I am writing with, persay if it is a Morrigan who has it in their canon, or a discussion plotted between the writer and I. THERE WILL BE AN INQUISITION VERSE FOR KALLIAN: because in the original intent of Inquisition it was suppose to be the Hero across from Hawke, and due to engine problems they scrapped it and put Alistair in the Heros place. So a verse will be available for Kallian here.

THERE WILL ALSO BE A VERSE AVAIABLE FOR OTHER HERO OF FERELDENS IN WHICH KALLIAN NEVER UNDERGOES THE JOINING: and she can be found in the Denerim dungeons, awaiting her fate after the events of her Origins story. You will have the option to free her and help her commit justice, or kill her where she stands.

[ravenqueen89]

evening’s shadow

further @ockissweek offerings: this one is for @princessbatteringram featuring her absolute queens Lia Tabris and Firiel Lavellan. In this slight AU, Lia did the Tabris origin but was recruited by the Red Jennies rather than the Wardens and later joins the Inquisition as an agent. Firi remains the Inquisitor. I am in love with them so my feelings ran wild here in the form of making out against a stone wall.

fandom: dragon age

rating: teen and up

cw: very oblique references to the Tabris origin.

word count: 979

There is no hierarchy within the Red Jennies, but Lia Tabris is a legend among their ranks. Sera tells Firi all about her sometime before dawn, slumped over a table at the Herald’s Rest, several empty tankards on the table between them. Firi thinks there is an element of myth at play in the retelling, but then Lia appears at Skyhold, walking in right after sunset with the evening cloaked around her shoulders. The Red Jennies are never identified by name, but Firi can see why Lia retains hers the moment their eyes first meet. She is not someone who can remain in the shadows of anonymity.

They talk in cautious bursts the first few times Lia visits Skyhold to bring reports directly to Leliana but Firi finds herself seeking Lia’s company whenever they both coincide within the fortress. She doesn’t bother trying to mask her vivid interest in spending time with Lia because something keeps pulling her towards the other woman, like a tether, like a plea.

Lia offers few words but never refuses her company and Firi wonders whether they both recognise the steel in each other, whether they are both attracted by the promise of that glint. She doesn’t know. She doesn’t question it. She continues to ask for scraps of information about Lia’s whereabouts. Her heart races every time she anticipates Lia’s next arrival. It is foolish. It is a distraction. It is what gets her through expedition after expedition and frustration after frustration. It is what makes the politics of humans bearable.

One evening, Firi is attacking the practice dummies, her movements frenzied and chaotic and defying every step of her training. She is so tired of Corypheus, so tired of her duties, so tired of the barely-whispered insults aimed at her back every time she crosses the Great Hall. The world needs her but it will never respect her, not truly, and that knowledge is bitter on her tongue.

It takes her far too long to notice Lia watching her, but she’s too exhausted to care about the absence of her instincts. She stands her ground, waiting for Lia to walk towards her in the shadows of torchlight. When Lia is close enough, Firi sees something written on her face, something dangerous, something unleashed. She realises that there is a shared understanding between them only a second before Lia’s hands are on her hips, only two seconds before her breath rushes out from her chest as her back meets the wall behind her, the cold air between them misting in the absence of space. Lia’s right hand grabs Firi’s left wrist and the mark on her hand flashes, reflecting in the sharp green of Lia’s eyes. Lia watches her like she’s waiting, but Firi has nothing to say that Lia hasn’t already read on her. Firi is angry and tired and she wants, she wants, she wants. Her right hand cups Lia’s face, thumb tracing her cheekbone. A faded scar crosses Lia’s cheek, barely there, and Firi’s fingers linger over it like they’re trying to erase it.

‘The first man I killed left that for me. He wasn’t the last,’ Lia says, and Firi knows the name of that man but she condemns him to be further forgotten.

They look at each other and Firi’s skin is clammy with anticipation, her weapons on the ground.  Lia’s leg finds its way between her thighs and Firi pulls the hood of the cloak off her to bury her hand in her hair. She maps Lia’s piercings with her lips, from Lia’s eyebrows to her ears, to her nose, to just under her bottom lip, and then she breathes, and she waits. Lia smells like smoke and metal and snow, and there’s so much strength in her hands, so much strength in her eyes. Firi’s hair has escaped its braid and it’s falling in front of her face but it doesn’t matter because Lia presses herself against her, pushing her up, the stone wall and Lia’s thigh and Lia’s hands the only things supporting her. Firi tries to take a breath but the attempt is lost to Lia’s mouth, like the sound that tears itself from Firi’s throat at the contact. They both kiss each other like they’re running out of time, like the world is chasing them, but for now they’re hidden in the shadows and Firi feels herself shivering, feels herself burning. The hand Lia had on her hip slips under Firi’s shirt to trace skin and the other slips over Firi’s palm, allowing their fingers to entwine. Firi’s hand is still tangled in Lia’s hair and she kisses with no finesse because there’s no coherence left, there’s just hunger, there’s just this.

She has her mouth on Lia’s neck while Lia’s leaving the mark of her lips over Firi’s collarbone when one of the guards patrolling the battlements coughs loudly above them. They part immediately even though Firi knows they can’t be seen. The courtyard is too exposed a place for the Inquisitor’s moans, but Firi already mourns the loss of Lia’s mouth, already feels the absence all over her skin.

They’re both breathing heavily but Firi focuses instead on running her hands over her shirt to smooth it. Her movement is interrupted when Lia lifts a hand to Firi’s face again, fingers tracing the vallaslin like she’s trying to discover the story behind it. Firi’s lips ache with the need to kiss, but Lia moves away before Firi can hold on to her again.

‘My report. I’ll come find you when I’m done,’ Lia says, already pulling the hood back over her hair, already leaving.

Firi’s heart is beating so quickly it almost hurts, but she composes herself, picking up her weapons. She says ‘you know where I’ll be’ and then she finds herself alone again with only the memory of touch.

[bhaalble]

Could you tell us a bit more about your Tabris?

Me, vibrating at the speed of sound: I MEAN IF YOU WANT I GUESS ITS WHATEVER

To keep this somewhat on topic I'm just gonna cover the major points in her life and her basic temperament.

Alright. So my girl, Sythia, right?

This girl

So, to cover the origin: Sythia is the middle Tabris kid, six months younger than Soris and 4 years older than Shianni.

These three were thick as thieves, growing up, and were also the biggest troublemakers in the Alienage. Adaia passed down her combat training to Sythia, and bits and pieces of it to the other two. That arrow in their quiver made the three of them feel almost invincible. Obviously they couldn't do too much: humans had the law on their side. But they werent as helpless as so many around them were forced to be by the ban against weapons in the Alienage, and that granted a certain kind of freedom.

They would scrap with human brats that came into the Alienage to start trouble, hijack wheels from noblemen's carriages, mess with guards. Red Jenny would have been proud. Shianni usually instigated, Sythia would provide the muscle to back her up, and Soris would talk them out of trouble at the end. They managed to keep their noses juuuust clean enough most of the time but it seemed like nearly every week one of the Tabris kids was being dragged into Valendrians home for a long talk. They didn't mind. They were strong, clever, and fearless, and it felt good to take something back from the humans.

All that changed when Adaia disappeared. Sythia was 16 when her mother was taken by humans, never to be seen again. It changed everything for all three of them. They weren't idiots, they had always known there could be consequences. But suddenly it all felt so viscerally real. That they could disappear someday, and no one outside the Alienage would give a damn. And with Cyrion spiralling around his own grief, Sythia was forced to grow up very quickly. While her father eventually managed to recover, she had to step in to fill Adaia's shoes, make sure Shianni was taken care of, make sure everyone was safe and fed. It took a lot of the fight out of her: she learned to not look a human guard in the eye unless necessary. To take whatever was thrown at her and not answer back. To bite down at all costs. Her combat skills lay dormant and useless for a good 6 years

At least until her wedding day reminded her why she carried it in the first place.

Basic outline of her temperament:

-extremely loyal person. She doesn't connect easily with others, but when she doesn't you couldnt get her off with a crowbar. She would do anything for her family, and nearly anything for her friends.

-Strong sense of responsibility, usually to the point of neglecting her own needs. Sythia is constitutionally incapable of not throwing herself on every sword that presents itself to her. When she feels that something needs to be done, she can't feel really at ease until she does it herself. It's a valuable trait, but often it can make her wary of other people. She knows that once she bonds with someone, she won't be able to draw strong boundaries: their needs will become a part of her world, and she will need to meet them.

-Freedom oriented. She doesn't enjoy being told what to do or telling others what to do. Sythia doesn't really believe that "order" is in itself a good. If liberty has to come at the expense of chaos then she'll happily take the chaos. And there is nothing on this Earth that justifies violating someone's autonomy unless they are actively posing a risk to others. Tends towards open-minded.

-Indecisive. Hates being forced to choose, especially between two people

-Forgives, but rarely (if ever) forgets

-Actually pretty funny, but doesn't think that she is

And finally, Romances

Morrigan: So Sythia had a crush on Morrigan pretty much the second they met, but they danced around those feelings forever. Like I said, Sythia places a high value on autonomy. She eventually came to understand that Morrigan enjoyed her company more than she let on, but trying to get past the sixteen locked doors between what Morrigan says and what she feels felt....violating, somehow. She flirted with her a bit, yes, showed genuine concern for her well being, but Sythia held back the actual depth of her affections for most of their journey because she wasn't really sure they'd be wanted. Ultimately it took them till the panic that was the night before Landsmeet for them to confess to each other. It's a relationship with a lot of back and forth: Morrigan is often frustrated by Sythia's reluctance to look at the bigger picture and not get lost in the concerns of individuals. But it's a relationship founded on strong mutual affection, respect, and trust. Both of them would do anything for each other.

Zevran: On face value the elf assassin's easy breezy covergirl approach would seem like the last thing Sythia would want. But after a few months of it seeming like everyone in the world needed her to be in charge, in control, something with no strings attached seemed like an appealing idea. Just her luck she ended up developing feelings for the guy.

She liked Zevran pretty much immediately when they met: it was rare for her to see another elf seem so unbothered by the world. He was fun, and more than that didn't particularly need her to be the savior against the Blight. They hooked up early in the journey, with the relationship steadily maturing and evolving in the intervening months. Zevran finds her to be anchoring without binding. She is able to let him be vulnerable while still accepting there are parts of him he may never be up to sharing. Sythia, meanwhile, finds him to be exactly what she needs to lighten the load. He doesn't try to pep talk her into greatness. He simply stays by her side, and, when the wreckage is all around them, still finds energy to quote bawdy poetry.

Doesn't hurt that he's got the best ass in Thedas.

If you have anymore specific questions lmk ajsjdhd I love talking about my girl

[hawkesvarric]

For my own reference (and because my dumb monkey brain refuses to let me think about anything other than Dungeons and Dragons), here’s my Dragon Age oc’s as D&D characters!

👑 WARDENS 👑

Shaene Tabris

Class: originally Rogue -> Ranger. I’ve always pictured her as this urban ranger type, like that introductory scene of Aragorn in the tavern? Yeah.

Subclass: Gloom Stalker. Listen.

Background: I think urchin would be the closest fit?

Wesley “Wes” Cousland

Class: originally Warrior -> Fighter. Boring, I know, but I really can’t picture him ever bothering to learn magic. He’s just a big dumb idiot with flouncy hair and a shield. I love him.

Subclass: Really, the Cavalier fits, but I like Champion as well. Ehh, I’ll say Cavalier.

Background: Noble. Obviously.

Camriel Surana

Class: originally Mage -> Wizard. He is all about acquiring knowledge and learning every spell possible.

Subclass: As much as Necromancy fits purely for the aesthetique™, I know the true answer is War Mage. He would never specialize in only one type of magic first of all and secondly he wants to be so powerful that no one can ever cage him again. War Mage makes sense.

Background: Hmmmm. A heavily modified Cloistered Scholar?

Pola Brosca

Class: originally Warrior -> Barbarian. She’s been forced to fight her entire life so, of course, she is skilled at it, but her anger over having to do so for every little scrap of peace she owns sometimes spills over.

Subclass: *Clerks voice* BER-SER-KER!!!!

Background: Gladiator. Fighting in the Provings, hello???

⭕ HAWKES ⭕

Tatiana Hawke

Class: originally Rogue -> Rogue. kjlglkf it just? that’s her true soul class?

Subclass: Swashbuckler. and, NO, it’s not just because she romances Isabela! She’s just quick on her feet and all about that pizzazz.

Background: Cormanthor Lothering Refugee.

Gabriel Hawke

Class: originally Mage -> Sorcerer. Innately gifted with magic, just a raw power that he has troubles controlling sometimes. I feel like he’s multiclassed into fighter as well. Him big.

Subclass: I know it’s Unearthed Arcana, but Stone Sorcery is just so fitting it HURTS. You know that one spell in DA2 when you go force mage and it’s a giant rock fist that punches the everloving fuck out of your enemies? Yeah, that’s Gabriel’s favored spell.

Background: I guess also Lothering Refugee lol.

📗 INQUISITORS 📗

Margot Trevelyan

Class: originally Warrior -> Paladin is by no means my favorite class but I’m honestly kinda digging this tiny little gremlin girl being a mighty two-handed-sword-wieldlin’ Paladin.

Subclass: I kinda like Oath of the Crown for her? I guess the Crown in question would be the Inquisition itself although lol at the fact that she ends up disbanding it to go be a Red Jenny with Sera. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Background: Noble.

Herah Adaar

Class: originally Mage -> Warlock. She had some innate abilities before (probably a level of sorcerer) but would certainly be giving of herself if it meant the ability to help her friends and others.

Subclass: Celestial. See above for reasoning.

Background: Mercenary Veteran. She was part of the Valo-kas so.

Dhaveira Lavellan

Class: originally Rogue -> Blood Hunter. It’s not too far-fetched to think of a group of Dalish who want to protect their people at any cost enough to tamper with something like this. Especially Dhaveira.

Subclass: Order of the Mutant. She was a Tempest rogue, so she’s proficient in the use of alchemy and would want to use it as a tool to enhance her own abilities.

Background: Modified City Watch. More like Clan Watch.

Edric Cadash

Class: originally Rogue -> Artificer. That was his original subclass anyways and he’s quite good with his hands (a fact Cassandra can attest to ayoooooo).

Subclass: Gunsmith. Imagine Edric walking up to Coryphetits and Cory being all “what’s that you’ve got in your hands, little dwarf?” while Edric with a dramatic flourish cocks it and replies, “You know what it is, bitch.”

Background: Criminal. Litcherally part of the Carta so I meeeean.

Yara Lavellan

Class: originally Mage -> Druid. Absolutely.

Subclass: I’m torn between Land and Shepherd. I’m leaning towards Shepherd for the totem aspect and also I’m biased and it’s my favorite so.

Background: Outlander?

Helene Trevelyan

Class: originally Mage -> Cleric. She might be my only actual Andrastian inky now that I think about it. So it would fit, her praying to Andraste and receiving her blessing which people would interpret as more evidence to the whole Herald business.

Subclass: Life. Yeah.

Background: Hermit??? She was shipped off to a Circle so it’s not 100% but she also isn’t nearly as studious as Sage or Cloistered Scholar would suggest.

[lavellanlove]

Meta: city elves vs. flat-ears

City Elves

Elves living in the city would never think to identify themselves as “city elves”. 

To them, they’re just elves.

Even among humans, unless their village/town/city is frequented by Dalish, there would be no purpose for the distinction. Even then, it would be ‘elves’ versus ‘Dalish elves’, as the elves in their immediate environment would be the default in their cognitive schema. 

The only group with reason to distinguish elves from the city as “city elves” would be the Dalish themselves. 

This could either be done innocuously -- a note that an elf’s origin is not of the Dalish -- or as a more intentional effort to distance themselves from their city-dwelling counterparts.

It would be a false equivalency to compare the term ‘city elf’ to the term ‘Dalish’. The nomadic elves of Thedas self-identify as ‘Dalish’ as a demarcation of their unique culture & religious beliefs, whereas the term ‘city elf’ would only be othering to an elf who had only ever thought of all their people as one.

Flat-Ears

Flat-ear, on the other hand, is a derogatory meant to imply that the elf is more like a human than a true elf. 

But it not unique to the Dalish as a term for city elves. 

In fact, Sarethia, the hahren of the Highever Alienage, uses the term to describe those elves born in the city who choose not to live in the Alienage.

This leads me to believe that the term is not a pejorative term for city elf, but rather a relative term for betraying elven culture, however it is defined.

The schism that occurred after the fall of the Dales and the truce with the Chantry left both groups of elves struggling to maintain a sense of identity and develop a new sense of culture. Even ~720 years later, the widespread oppression and persecution of elves has left them continuing that ongoing quest. 

When a Dalish calls someone a flat-ear, it is because they view the willingness to subject themselves to second-class citizenship and mandated Andrastianism a betrayal of their shared heritage. When an elf from the city calls someone a flat-ear, it is because they view the desire to leave a tight-knit community of elves to live among humans an abandonment of elven identity and camaraderie.

(Supporting codices below the cut.)

To illustrate the use of “City Elves”, consider how the codex of the same name changes in DA:O based on origin (bolding is mine):

Human author, Non-elf!Warden codex text:

When the holy Exalted March of the Dales resulted in the dissolution of the elven kingdom, leaving a great many elves homeless once again, the Divine Renata I declared that all lands loyal to the Chantry must give the elves refuge within their own walls. Considering the atrocities committed by the elves at Red Crossing, this was a great testament to the Chantry's charity. There was one condition, however--the elves were to lay aside their pagan gods and live under the rule of the Chantry.

Some of the elves refused our goodwill. They banded together to form the wandering Dalish elves, keeping their old elven ways--and their hatred of humans--alive. To this day, Dalish elves still terrorize those of us who stray too close to their camps. Most of the elves, however, saw that it was wisest to live under the protection of humans.

And so we took the elves into our cities and tried to integrate them. We invited them into our own homes and gave them jobs as servants and farmhands. Here, in Denerim, the elves even have their own quarter, governed by an elven keeper. Most have proven to be productive members of society. Still, a small segment of the elven community remains dissatisfied. These troublemakers and malcontents roam the streets causing mayhem, rebelling against authority and making a general nuisance of themselves.

--From Ferelden: Folklore and History, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar

Dalish author, Mahariel!Warden codex text:

It is hard to tell our children about those of our people who have decided to live in the shemlen cities. They ask, "Why would anyone want to be treated like that?" And sometimes I do not know what to say. I do not understand it myself. They were freed, but they have returned to live in the service of their former masters. They are housed like animals in walled sections of the shemlen cities. They do the meanest of tasks and are rewarded with nothing. Why? I do not know.

We tell the children that the elvhen are strong, that we are a proud people, but they hear of these city elves who choose to toil under the humans' heavy hand. How do we teach them pride when they know there are others who would allow themselves to be trampled into the dust? So we tell them that these city elves are to be pitied, that they have given up on their people, given up their heritage. We tell them that some people are so used to being controlled that, when freed, they know not what to do with themselves. They are weak and afraid--afraid of the unfamiliar, afraid of our life of wandering. Above all, they are afraid even to hope that one day we may have a home of our own.

--Gisharel, keeper of the Ralaferin clan of the Dalish elves.

Alienage author, Tabris!Warden codex text:

The humans tell tales of Andraste, and to them, she was a prophet. To our people, however, she was an inspiration. Her rebellion against Tevinter gave our people a window through which to see the sun, and we reached toward it with all our strength. The rebellion was brief but successful; even after the death of the prophetess, we fought on for independence as the human Imperium began to crumble. In the end, we won freedom and the southern land known as the Dales, and we began the Long Walk to our new homeland.

There, in the Dales, our people revived the lost lore as best we could. We called the first city Halamshiral, "end of the journey," and founded a new nation, isolated as elves were meant to be, this time patrolled by an order of Emerald Knights charged with watching the borders for trouble from humans.

But you already know that something went wrong. A small elven raiding party attacked the nearby human village of Red Crossing, an act of anger that prompted the Chantry to retaliate and, with their superior numbers, conquer the Dales.

We were not enslaved as we had been before, but our worship of the ancient gods was now forbidden. We were allowed to live among the humans only as second-class citizens who worshiped their Maker, forgetting once more the scraps of lore we had maintained through the centuries.

--"The Rise and Fall of the Dales," as told by Sarethia, hahren of the Highever Alienage

Alienage author, Codex entry: Alienage culture

There have always been alienages. They have been around for as long as elves and shems have lived in the same lands. Ours isn't even the worst: They say that Val Royeaux has ten thousand elves living in a space no bigger than Denerim’s Market. Their walls are supposedly so high that daylight doesn't reach the vhenadhal until midday.

But don't be so anxious to start tearing down the walls and picking fights with the guards. They keep out more than they keep in. We don't have to live here, you know. Sometimes a family gets a good break, and they buy a house in the docks, or the outskirts of town. If they're lucky, they come back to the alienage after the looters have burned their house down. The unlucky ones just go to the paupers' field.

Here, we're among family. We look out for each other. Here, we do what we can to remember the old ways. The flat-ears who have gone out there, they're stuck. They'll never be human, and they've gone and thrown away being elven, too. So where does that leave them? Nowhere.

--Sarethia, hahren of the Highever alienage

Dwarven author, Codex entry: Common curses

So, lad—you're getting your sight straight in your first days topside, so here's some advice: you're not just trading with kin. You're selling to all kinds of folk now, with different customs and tongues. As I've learned here, the most important part of any language is the cussing. It gets you trust. It gets you coin.

Most elves you see in the city are servants, and a human looking for a fight might call one "knife-ear." If the elf returns with "shem" or "quick," blood's about to spill. Those Dalish elves use "flat-ear" to insult the ones who live with humans—like our unenlightened kin below calling us Stone-blind up here.

Even the humans who pray to some woman they burned alive—and her god they call "the Maker"—say something when they knock their shins. It's a curse to say "Andraste’s..."—well, any body part, really. "Maker's breath!" might get you in with a swaggering fool, but the lady priests won't be pleased. Chantryfolk also don't like mages. If you hear a mage called a "spellbind," hide anything flammable.

Then there are all those beautiful words that just mean "Sod it!" When that loose cobblestone flips and the ankle cracks, an elf will cry, "Fenedhis!" while a human might, "Damn it!" A Qunari will mumble, "Vashedan!" I've even heard a couple Tevinters yell, "Kaffas!"

If any of these get aimed at you, hopefully all that gets killed is a sale.

—Note from Hardal, a surface merchant dwarf, to an apprentice adjusting to life outside Orzammar

[hamingo]

18 & 19 for everyone (or 3 of your choice)

So I had planned on doing all of them, but it was taking so long I just stuck with the first three. Oops.Thanks for asking :D18. What is the most recent thing you’ve discovered about your OC? 19. What is your favourite fact about your OC?Jaydin18: I’m not really sure about the wording of this question, so I’m going to interpret it as the most recent development I have made for them. So my most recent development for Jaydin is that he is still in contact with Jowan (who he helped escape from Redcliffe btw. Canon is wrong). They like to meet up and joke about what shitty excuses for blood mages they are.19: Definitely his character development.  Like, the development with Jaydin is 100% the best characterization I have ever done and I am so proud of that. He grows so much as a person over the course of really, all three games, and I didn’t realize that I could do development like that until I looked back at the person he is during Trespasser and compared that to who he is during the Magi Origin sequence.(I could spend forever talking about his personal growth but don’t worry. I won’t.)Neria18: Her life as a child (pre-circle) was probably so much worse than I originally thought? I just played the Tabris origin yesterday and like damn. The Alienages (at least Denerim, where she comes from) have it so much worse than I originally thought19: She was technically my first Dragon Age character. I played DA2 first, but Marian is… eh. And then I borrowed Origins from Paige, and I had planned out a vague idea of a female healing mage that I’d play as and I’d romance Morrigan. Paige then proceeded to ruin my dreams and tell me that Morrigan was straight. So prototype Neria was scrapped and Jaydin was made. I brought back this idea of a female healing mage and turned her into Neria later on.Natalia18: She never becomes an official Mom. However, she and Sera kind of adopt every kid in Val Royeaux. Or at least, their doors are always open and they always have extra food and blankets and comfy things for the kids to sleep on whenever they need it.19: Natalia is “the protector”. She likes to give off the vibe that she’s selfish and does things for her own good, but literally, everything she’s done has been to protect someone. Growing up, it was protecting her brother. Then she joined the Inquisition, and it wasn’t just him anymore, she had a whole fortress full of dumbasses to protect.If she’s not super comfortable with someone, she won’t be as open about her protection, but it’s still there.

[steampoweredstrawberry]

Is it too much to ask you all those questions?

*Rubs hands together*

1. Your first OC ever?

I probably had OCs as a kid. Probably a Sailor Moon one or a Harry Potter OC (Most likely had a Harry Potter OC. The only one I can name for certain though was a witch named Caroline with an affinity for fire magic.

2. Do you have a personal favourite among your OCs?

Right now? Claudia Hawke. I love talking about her and drawing her and writing her. Plus, she has a super cute boyfriend who I also love talking about and drawing.

3. Have you ever adopted a character or gotten a character from someone else?

Lol. Yeah. I have a few of @mikagesshoku‘s OCs now. The first was an ancient vampire named Mark (not his real name, but what he goes by in modern times). She liked how I wrote him and characterized him, so he became my son. Her Hawke, Quentin, is also now my Hawke (and Claudia’s big brother). She also prefers how I write her Mahariel.

4. A character you rarely talk about?

Of my DA OCs? Aeducan and Brosca. Nothing against dwarves, I just haven’t fleshed them out very well.

5. If you could make only one of your OCs popular/known, who would it be?

Claudia Hawke. Her being popular and people wanting me to write/draw her would come with the ulterior motive of getting to write/draw Anders.

6. Two OCs of yours that look alike despite not being related?

Claudia Hawke and Elira Bassat. Elira’s a bit taller and her hair is straight, but they’re both sassy, dual-wielding red heads. My old RP buddy actually confused one of my first drawings of Claudia for Elira (Claudia’s since had some cosmetic changes to make them look more different).

7. Are your OCs part of any story or stories?

Yes! I write for Claudia a lot.

You can find her here, here, and here. (Note: All of these contain graphic depictions of sex, so read at your own risk)

8. Do you RP as any of your OCs? If you do, introduce one of your RP OCs here!

Elira Bassat was my OC that I RPed the longest as, but don’t anymore. She’s a sassy, dual-wielding red head, she’s nb, but generally prefers she/her or them/they pronouns (occasionally he/him). She’s also a big fan of vigilante justice.

9. Would you ever be willing to give any of your OCs to someone else?

Hypothetically, yes. I couldn’t name which one, but if their new parent was going to treat them well, I would.

10. Introduce an OC with a complicated design?

I generally try to keep them toned down or believable in appearance. But, there’s Rhyann Tabris, my tiny elf baby with snow-white hair (I say the quickening still effects elves and it made her hair go white as a child). She’s got a billion freckles and carries around a big sword.

11. Is there any OC of yours you could describe as a "sunshine"?

So, an optimist? I don’t know if I have any of those with my DA OCs. Probably Solona Amell. She’s the most likely to keep her chin up and try to cheer up the others.

12. Name an OC that isn't yours but who you like a lot

I absolutely love @kirkwallgirl‘s Jay Hawke and @misterwiggums‘s Mads Hawke. They’re both super cute and love the mage!

13. Do you have any troublemaker OCs?

Claudia Hawke. She’s best friends with Isabela. They get into lots of trouble.

14. Introduce an OC with a tragic backstory

I think of my DA OCs, I think Rhyann Tabris has a very tragic backstory. I relate to it on a personal level, which was why I chose her (they’ve all got super sad backstories, hers just resonates with me).

15. Do you like to talk about your OCs with other people?

YES! Oh my God, if you guys want to ask me about my OCs, please do! I’d love to hear about all of yours, too!

16. Which one of your OCs would be the best at biology (school subject)?

Solona Amell. She’s a healer.

17. Any OC OTPs?

With other OCs? I don’t know. Neria Surana and Solona Amell (as part of a polymance with Jowan, but he’s not my OC). With non OC characters, Claudia Hawke x Anders and Rhyann Tabris x Alistair Theirin.

18. Any OC crackships?

I don’t have any with just OCs. With OC x canon, I’m planning on writing a Claudia Hawke/Karl Thekla/Anders bi polymance in the future. Not really a crack ship (though I guess it is if you HC Karl as being gay; I’m in the he’s bi/pan camp), but I never thought I’d be pairing Claudia up with Karl before the idea struck me.

19. Introduce an OC that means a lot to you (and explain why)

Rhyann Tabris means a lot to me because she was my first OC in a Dragon Age game, my first playthrough, and her origin really resonated with me.

20. Do any of your OCs sing? If they sing, care to share more details (headcanon voice, what kind of songs they like etc)?

Originally, Elira Bassat was a singer and she was supposed to sound a bit like Sara Taylor/Chibi from The Birthday Massacre, but I scrapped that.

Claudia Hawke enjoys singing, but she isn’t particularly good. I imagine she sings a little bit of everything, though I like the idea of her dramatically singing along to Helena by My Chemical Romance.

21. Your most artistic OC

Probably Elira Bassat. She isn’t an artist, but she’s pretty damn good at costume makeup.

22. Is there any OC of yours people tend to mischaracterize? If yes, how?

I don’t think anyone mischaracterizes them.

23. Introduce OC that has changed from your first idea concerning what the character would be like?

Sophie Cousland. I was originally going to romance Alistair with her, but I was too attached to Rhyann x Alistair, so Sophie became Aro/Ace.

24. If you could meet one OC of yours, who would it be and why?

Claudia Hawke, because she’d bring Anders with her.

25. The OC that resembles you the most (same hobby, height, shared like/dislike for something etc?)

Elira Bassat shared my build, height, and hair color at the time (I’m no longer a red head). But, I’ve given Rhyann Tabris a lot of my facial features.

26. Have you ever had to change your OC's design or something else about them against your will?

I’ve renamed OCs in the past. Can’t think of any off the top of my head, though.

27. Any OCs that were inspired by a certain song?

Like, did I base them off a song? I don’t think I have any OCs like that.

28. Your most dangerous OC?

Claudia Hawke or Rhyann Tabris.

29. Which one of your OCs would go investigate an abandoned house at night without telling anyone they're going?

Probably Solona Amell. She wouldn’t want to trouble anyone with her curiosity. Claudia would go too, but half of Kirkwall would know she was going.

30. Which one of your OCs would most likely have a secret stuffed animal collection?

Rhyann Tabris. In a modern AU, she probably saves every stuffed animal Alistair has ever gave her or won her at a carnival and loves them all.

31. Pick one OC of yours and explain what their tumblr blog would be like (what they reblog, layout, anything really)

Solona Amell’s would be a lot of quotes from book, pictures of pretty cups of tea/coffee, plants, and the occasional cute animal. Mostly aesthetic.

32. Which one of your OCs would be the most suitable horror game protagonist and why?

In a survival/horror, Rhyann Tabris because she fits the personality archetype they use for those sorts of games (timid female protagonist).

33. Your shyest OC?

Rhyann Tabris. She’s extremely shy, and tends to avoid most human men until they earn her trust.

34. Do you have any twin characters?

Sophie Cousland has a twin brother named Jarak. He’s a bit flirty, but is overall a good person.

35. Any sibling characters?

Claudia Hawke has an older brother named Quentin. He’s a mage and she’s extremely protective over him.

36. Do you have OC pairs where the other part belongs to someone else (siblings, lovers, friends etc)?

Rhyann Tabris is the cousin of @mikagesshoku‘s Lyna Mahariel and Misali Mahariel. Claudia Hawke is also friends with Lyna.

37. Introduce an OC who is not quite human

All of my elves/dwarves/qunari? I’m in the mood to mention Thaliah Lavellan, though, given she’s a Dalish elf. She also hooks up with a Qunari.

38. Which one of your OCs would be the best dancer?

I say Claudia Hawke is a former ballet dancer in a modern AU. Though, I imagine Sophie and Jarak are pretty light on their feet, given they’re nobles.

39. Introduce any character you want

I’m world building for an original story in some of my free time, and the main character is named Lilika, though she goes by Lily for most of the story. She’s a seer raised by a wlw couple since she was around 10 years old and she’s blind in her right eye.

40. Any fond memories linked to your characters? Feel free to share!

Whenever anyone leaves nice comments/tags on artwork I do of them! I’ve had a couple people comment that Claudia and Rhyann are very pretty, and it makes me so happy (especially with Rhyann because I gave her some of my features that I consider ugly).

41. Has anyone drawn fanart of your OCs? If yes, maybe show a picture or two here (remember sources & permissions!)

I sadly don’t have any pictures on my current phone of it, but my nephew drew Claudia Hawke and one of his characters from the comic books he likes to draw hanging out. It was really cute.

42. Which one of your OCs would be the most interested in Greek gods?

I’m really tempted to say all of them and leaving it at that, but I’d bet money that Neria Surana went through a very intense Greek mythology period of her life.

43. Do you have any certain type when you create your OCs? Do you tend to favour some certain traits or looks? It's time to confess

YES. I like tall girls with red hair and who are also the more dominant partner in a relationship. I’ve been getting better with it. But I do have at least five red heads, most of which are tall, and most of which are the more dominant partner in a relationship.

44. Something you like about your OCs in general

I love them all and how they all have various facets of me. I try to make them all a little bit like me.

45. A character you no longer use?

I used to RP as Nikolai (a vampire) quite regularly, but I haven’t in years.

46. Has anyone ever told you that you treat your OCs badly?

Yes. My old RP buddy used to tell me all the time that I was being mean to our OCs, but in a you’re being mean, but it makes the story so good way.

47. Has anyone ever (friendly) claimed any of your OCs as their child?

The same RP buddy from number 46 did. He’d call our OCs our “children”, so his were my children too.

48. OC who is a perfect cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure

Solona Amell. She’s a precious child who deserves love.

49. Which one of your OCs would most likely enjoy memes

Claudia Hawke, Quentin Hawke, Neria Surana, Jarak Cousland, Elira Bassat. Most of them.

50. Give me the good ol' OC talk here. Talk about anything you want

Claudia Hawke and Sophie Cousland are named after characters from The Chipmunk Adventure. Claudia was the name of the villain and Sophie was the name of her dog. Quentin is named after a character from a book and his appearance is based somewhat off the same character.

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

WORLD SWAP! Zofia is now in Thedas, what race and class, and... uh... pick a disaster child and put them in Mass Effect, and what class and paragon or renegade? (You can also do origins if you want/see one that really fits)

ahhhh omg this is such a good question I love it

Zofia I see fitting best into Origins - you’re one of the only people who can stop a coming end-of-the-world except everyone else is too busy politicking to listen to you and do something about it, and you’re authorized by nature of what your title is (Spectre/Grey Warden) to do what you must to get the job done.

Honestly, Zofia and Iveta would be a pretty clean switch. They’re both two of my colder, more calculated, “ends justify the means” type kids. Zofia’s definitely a warrior, sword and shield, that she gets in there and tanks everything. And the Cousland origin, with that whole “everyone you love is dead horribly and you survive the massacre, have fun with your life” runs similarly to the colonist origin in ME, which is what Zofia is. 

Although, it’d be interesting, I’d probably make Zofia younger if I were to put her as the warden, and right after the death of her family - she would probably be more brash and impulsive and less calculated than I play her as Shepard. Whereas Iveta, at the age that Shepard is, would have evened out some. She’s still calculated, sometimes seeming ruthless or harsh, but she gets the job done and she does have a place where she sees yes, that cost is too high. 

The big difference I’d see between them is that Zofia is a soldier first, while Iveta is a politician first. They both play at both - Iveta is a better soldier than Zofia is a politician - but when it comes down to it, Zofia looks at things in terms of force and short-term, while Iveta plots out more of the long game and works more with the value of alliances and appearances and reputations. Like the big choice at the end of ME1, save the Alliance ships or save the Council. Zofia saved the Alliance ships, because yeah shit’s gonna go down for letting the Council die but that hardly matters if they don’t defeat Sovereign now, and they need hte Alliance ships for that. Whereas Iveta is going to count a little more on, yeah we can defeat Sovereign in some way, and saving the Council endears us more to them, in the long run gets us more power and gets us more places.

Iveta would be just a soldier, I think, no biotics or tech or anything, and I’m thinking the spacer origin - parents were military as well, Shep is following that legacy - and.... sole survivor, I’d say, leaning a little more towards that than ruthless for the psych profile. She would be a weird renegon mix - renegade out in the field, whereas back on the ship or the Citadel, very paragon when dealing with the Council, superiors, etc., but a lot of it wouldn’t be sincere paragon.

After this huge analysis of my two terrible daughters, consider this other thought for the world swap:

Catalina Tabris Shepard, earthborn war hero, started from the bottom scrapping in the streets and suddenly dumped into the spotlight for saving everyone, now has to do it again. Mostly paragon, wants to help and save everyone, but absolutely has a penchant for cursing people out, has a short temper, and enjoys kicking assholes out of windows. She and Wrex are the fucking dream team by which I mean they’re an absolute nightmare for anyone to deal with. Absolute best bros who you can’t turn your back on or else they’ve started ten fights, gotten banned from three bars, and won leadership of a mercenary gang by terms of “you break it you bought it” when they killed the last leader. If possible, no one thought it could be but it seems to be, she and Grunt are even worse.

[steampoweredstrawberry]

7, 25, 54, and 97 for the dragon age asks! :)

7. Favorite DA:O backstory?

My favorite Origin is FTabris. She was my first Dragon Age character ever, and my heart went out to that tiny, battered child. As far as companions/NPCs, I’m so tempted to say Alistair. I may be Grade A Anders trash, but I do love Alistair so much.

I’m just going to say it’s Alistair and forgo trying to find a character whose story I like better.

25. Favorite DA:I place?

This is a tough one. All of the environments were so gorgeous throughout. I think I’m going to go with Chateau d'Onterre, though. It’s such a beautiful place, and the haunted house aspect was really neat.

54. Fluffiest headcanon ever?

Anders runs a veterinary clinic within his regular clinic. Animals just seem to like and trust him, not just cats. Refugees Kirkwall natives alike bring their furred, feathered, and scaled friends alike to him. Anders, of course, is happy to help. Especially if these friends are of the cat variety. Strays even know that there is a safe haven and a dry place to sleep within Anders’ clinic. Plus, a friendly face willing to share what little scraps he has and a hand for petting.

97. What’s your favorite DA mod?

I seriously have about 50-60 mods that I use/have used. And I’m really leaning towards Skip the Fade.

I hate the Fade in DAO just because of it being so long and so tedious.

But, I have to say the Anyone Can Marry Alistair mod is my favorite. I prefer romancing him with Tabris, but I also refuse to leave him a Warden because of DA:I.