#sola fathom

[cinni-kgallery]

Merry The Steam Rises Premiere everyone

[brooklynisher]

Age headcanons for the steambots Youngest to oldest Let's go

Below are my reasonings. There will be character specific spoilers!

Tristan and Daisy are well established to be kids kind of. The way they're talked to and talked about suggest that they are children. Especially because they talk about their childhoods like it was just a year ago. Tristan is still too young to understand how traumatic his childhood was. Daisy is similar but I think she at least sort of acknowledges that her childhood wasn't the best.

Poe and Beacon just seem younger to me. Poe I feel is very knowing for her age, but I think that's due to being raised to scam people. She probably had to grow up faster than most to be able to see everything as a money making opportunity. And Beacon, well, Beacon seems college student age. I don't remember where they were exactly, but it involved rocket-science level machinery and I can't think of many reasons they'd be there if not college. College deals with those sorts of stuff kind of.

Chimney seems like she graduated college not too long ago. Her affinity for roughhousing and drinking just gives off the vibe of a college party. I mean, where else would she find a group of friends like that?

Quincy and Wesley were hard to decide on. All the dialogue I'm getting from Leeway tells me he is a young adult. He's definitely AN adult, but he's not too old considering how new he is with certain things and the amount of times he said "I wasn't even assembled back then!" He probably would've been younger if it wasn't for Wesley. They're established to be "Old friends" which obviously they knew each other in their younger years. And because it's rather uncommon for kids or teenagers to be friends with people noticeably older than them, I figured they'd have to be in the same age range. Wesley is why they're not younger. Considering that he's been in war, has been in higher education, was there with Leeway both when the Submarine was lost AND found(In fact, he found it), I figured, he should probably have some time to do all that. 27 and 29 isn't that old anyway. Sure, I think they still qualify as young adults.

Sola and Crowbar, I had no idea for Sola, but Crowbar seems to be just a smidgen older considering how many how many crews she's been on. Not too much older because she's quite the fickle. Sola was originally going to be the same age as Leeway bc I can see some nerdy 27 year old working at an aquarium or something, but then I remembered there are like 3 people that ship her with Crowbar, and that's a lot considering the number of ships in this fandom, so I didn't want their age gap to be too crazy even if it's technically not that bad bc they're both over 25 years old.

Judy and Cornelius are both well established to be old. If the gray hair doesn't give it away, then it's the talk about their life experiences. Cornelius apparently used to be a super terrible guy, and he thinks he'll need to spend a lot of time apologizing for this. Also I think he used to serve for the Royalists in SWH?? maybe not I'm not sure. Either way, he's done a lot in his lifetime, and apparently most of it wasn't good. IIRC I don't think he feels redeemed even after defeating the Kraken. And Judy talks about her past experiences all the time. She already was something of a hero before she joined the crew and all her dialogue suggests she's super experienced so I'm giving her time to do all that.

[thebaldursmouthgazette]

Okay here’s what I was expecting from worldstate customisation:

Origins:

- gender and origin of the warden, so they could be mentioned offhand in a codex entry or a line of dialogue

- who they romanced, so it could be mentioned offhand or in a codex entry and, if Morrigan was romanced, she could have a line

- whether or not someone died killing the archdemon and who that was, to be in a codex entry or mentioned offhand, or possibly seeing their grave in weisshaupt

- whether Kieran exists and whether he had the soul of an old god, to have a follow up on the implications of that and to add depth to Morrigan

- who is ruler of ferelden, to be mentioned offhand or in a codex entry

Da2:

- gender and class of Hawke, so they can be mentioned offhand or in a codex entry and so can the appropriate sibling

- who they romanced, so it could be mentioned offhand or in a codex entry

- what happened to the surviving sibling, so it could be mentioned offhand or come up if relevant (eg if they’re a warden a possible brief cameo at weisshaupt)

- whether they’d sided with mages or templars, to come up in codex entries or offhand mentions, and to establish how Varric feels about mages because it depends on Hawkes choice

- whether they killed anders or not, so it could be mentioned in a codex entry especially if romanced

Inquisition:

- gender and race of inquisitor

- who they romanced, and the outcome of their romance partners personal quest, so that the route taken would carry through (eg pardoned blackwall vs warden blackwall)

- whether the inquisitor did the mage or templar route, and how, to be mentioned offhand or in the codex

- who was left in the fade, not necessarily to follow up on their fate but just so Varric could acknowledge if his best friend was presumed dead or not

- who is leader of orlais so that the ruler of the biggest country on the continent can be brought up at least in passing/codex entry, with possible cameo

- who drank from the well of sorrows, because yeah actually it is important which of these two characters is bound to the will of an elven god. Especially as it seems that one of them might now be said elven god. I’d expect this to have as much influence as Kieran’s existence did in dai, ie you still get to the same place but you have a slightly different route there. I cannot fathom how this isn’t relevant anymore

- who is the divine, to be mentioned in passing or in codex, but mentioned more in depth if the inquisitor romanced Cassandra who is now the divine because they have a whole situationship going on. It would come up if the divine was a mage.

- whether the inquisition disbanded or remained together as bodyguard of the divine. I honestly don’t know how this is a choice if the divine doesn’t come up

- inquisitors attitude to solas, with room for them to be very negative towards him on account of all the killing and murder and world destroying

You’d be able to customise this through character creator, and you’d be able to choose a default for each game seperately, so new players didn’t have to worry about the other games and people who only played inquisition could ignore origins and 2 and customise their inquisitor.

I don’t think this would have been unreasonable. Most of this is just for codex entries and offhand comments, and the bigger ones are inquisition choices. I get that they can’t have big effects beyond that. But the codex entries and offhand remarks are what we WANT. They’re what makes this world state ours. It would not have been difficult to incorporate most of this, and it would do so much for the depth of the game.

As it is, we have a major character who can’t even discuss whether or not she has a child because that wasn’t deemed important enough to include

[riverwinde13]

I just had an epiphany today that the Crestwood break-up scene is a third act break-up scene so common in romance novels. I despise third act break-ups. I don't find them to be executed well for the most part, and seeing the characters have to work their way back to each other over what is usually a trivial thing just annoys me. But...this one. Solas fell in love with Lavellan by accident. He doesn't know how to cope. He pushes her away. Then, he draws her back in. And then he can't fathom how they could stay together so he sacrifices the last piece of himself that allowed him to be close to another person. In doing so, Solas sets the stage for Lavellan to save him from himself. These two will figure out how to overcome major adversity together rather than Solas attempting it on his own. In saving Lavellan during Trespasser, he sowed the seeds to his own undoing. He knows they are better together. He just can't see how to make it work at that point. So he gives up. And he walks away.

Gah...I need more third act break-ups that work just so well. Like THIS is the whole point of the trope.

[maintitle]

One thing I don't think gets talked enough about with the whole Solas/Morrigan tension is that Solas seemingly is well aware of who Morrigan is.

While yes, Morrigan deserves the backtalk that she gets from Solas in these scenes, I think it's telling of what Solas believes about Morrigan that he responds so vitriolically. What we know about Mythal and Solas' relationship is that, despite their differences, they had a very close relationship, akin to something maternal or romantic in their own way. Yet, when confronted with a woman whom he can easily deduce is her daughter, he treats her with an unrivaled scourn. It's possible that Solas DIDN'T know who Morrigan was until the Eluvian incident, but considering they both bear similar features and considering just how obsessed Morrigan was with the Well (largely because of Flemeth's grooming of her) he might well have known.

I suspect something might be true of Solas that is the opposite of how the player feels; Solas can't accept the reality of Morrigan's confrontational relationship with her Mother, because to do so would be to admit that Mythal is different than who he once knew. She might have been a maternal figure in ancient Arlathan, but to Morrigan she was a monster who abused her and groomed her to be a perfect child, built to do exactly what Mythal would want and not to wander outside of that, raised to be ruthless and cold. I wonder if, from Solas' perspective, those attributes are either too close to a Mythal he doesn't want to believe exists despite having seen that side of her, or is a side of her that grew far worse after they were sealed in the Beyond, and therefor Solas can't fathom that behavior.

Of course it really could just be ego meeting ego, a quiet god annoyed with a humansplaining mage assuming to know all. But I have to wonder if that only compounded his frustrations, but wasn't the basis of it.

[inquisitorsenchanters]

Trembling fingertips brushed past Solas’s cheek as his shoulders fell, a deep yearning settling in his aching chest as he slumped into his herald. Her breathing sounded in his ear, the cool metal of her armor pressing into his skin as he peered down at the woman pressed against him.

“I trust you,” she repeats, voice firm and gaze unwavering.

Solas was a controlled man. Keeping up a front, disregarding his innate desires, those were easy things for him, except for when it came to her. The way Ellana trembled against him and her magic soared in his ears with a strange unfounded excitement sent his mind into an almost animalistic frenzy.

He needed her to the fullest extent of the word. He longed for her in every way their forms could possibly exist. He thought of her wild magic in the fade, her toothy grin and loud laughter in his ears when he met her clan, and before he could even begin to fathom keeping his distance from her, Solas’s hand slid down her waist and around to the small of her back.

Ellana’s breath caught in her throat, the emerald of her eyes sparkling with want even as she let out a surprised gasp of “Solas-“

“Do not,” Solas breathes as he surged forward, capturing his herald’s lips in his own. His free hand slid to the back of her head, cupping it gently as her cold fingertips rested on his chest, her body melting into his.

He would find another way to keep the world together if it meant he get to keep Ellana by his side.

He would even tear down the fade if it stood in his way.

-

I colored it guys-

[lavellane]

solara ending musings

the of solas leaving to "soothe the titans anger" was such a random element of Any Ending At All that i had never anticipated obviously lol but actually it works so much for ashara tbh and makes it easier for me to justify even giving her a happy ending with him. she would to come with him ! because she wants to put her own anger to bed too lol

theres also the "while i still draw breath" element and i think its genuinely just pragmatic that someone come with him to ensure that keeps happening. and im thinking abt the Point of the dalish Keepers/firsts... "to guard the people against the dread wolf" . the idea of her leaving to guard the dread wolf FOR the people is crazy. present-day bioware could not even fathom the connections to their own lore that i have made in the last twelve hours lol

and the main chunk of this which makes me so happy relates to her spirit comparison a la wisdom/pride as ive talked abt before. hers would be love/hate. she loves so so so deeply and her main motivation is her yearning for connection and love and family and friends and whatnot. and the lack of that is what turned her so bitter so early. shes always been disconnected with herself and the ''love'' aspect which is who she truly IS.. bc love was rarely offered to her. and so its either love or hate with her lol she doesnt even know what moderation is !!! does she look moderate to you!!

and thats what i love so much abt this vague "soothing the titans thing". because she would go with him for that even if she didnt forgive him. she would go because she wants to soothe her own anger too. its a great little Thing i can do a lot with bc solas is off to face his regrets and truly ashara doesnt have a lot of regrets ironically. but she does have anger. so it would help her too.

[breadedsinner]

I think maybe Olrun has a martyr complex and that’s why she can’t fathom Solas’s decisions, even as she’s exploring his memories.

She’s willing to do what she does because worse case scenario, she dies.

[shanaraharlyah]

Whatever It Takes

Setting: Dragon Age Inquisition Trespasser

Pairing: Cassandra Pentagast x Hellendil Lavellan

Trigger Warnings: Blood, Dismemberment

Word Count: 952

A short blurb to go with the included renders of my third Inquisitor, Hellendil, and his chosen love interest, Cassandra (boy truly has a hard time making decisions on things, relationships included). Set during the Trespasser DLC in between ending scenes. Contains spoilers if you haven't completed the DLC.

Down on one knee before the towering eluvian, Hellendil clutches his staff, fighting to keep himself upright. He wishes he could follow Solas through the mirror and convince him to stop, but he's just too weak. The anchor has taken its toll and even though it is gone now, he needs a moment to regain his strength. He knows Solas will be long gone by the time he recovers enough to follow. The ancient elf knew exactly where each of these eluvians led and how they worked. He will be impossible to track. The inquisitor takes a deep breath. And another.

Whatever spell Solas used to sever his arm and prevent the anchor from killing him had also cauterized the wound. What remains of his arm continues to throb, only a small amount of blood still oozing and dripping onto the stone slabs of the ancient ruin. He lets out a sigh and summons his strength to pull himself up. Using his staff for support, he cautiously descends the stairs, weaving his way around the petrified qunari. He flinches as he passes the first one, the wound still fresh. Before reaching the inner sanctum, he was forced to take down The Iron Bull, who remained loyal to the Ben-Hassrath and turned on him and his companions.

He wonders just how many mistakes and ill- advised choices he'd made over the course of the last three years. His heart aches at the thought. Maybe the Arl was right. Maybe the Inquisition should be disbanded. But he didn't want to make that choice alone. Especially after everything that's happened the last few days. He needed time to think and someone to talk to.

When he reaches the landing, he looks up at the eluvian that will take him back to his friends, his energy nearly spent. As he pushes on through the archway, he drops the staff and grasps the frame of the mirror to keep himself from falling. He groans and grits his teeth as the impact jars his injured arm.

Across the courtyard, his companions hear the scuffle and groan, and look in his direction. "Hellendil!" Cassandra gasps, and quickly closes the distance between them.

At the sound of her approach, he lets go of the eluvian and stumbles into her arms, clinging to her as if he thought he would never see her again. She holds him close as he buries his face in the crook of her neck. "Maker! What happened!?" she whispers, the concern in her voice undeniable.

"I couldn't stop him," he replies, his brow furrowed with pain and disappointment that he couldn't convince the man he'd called friend to abandon his quest.

Cassandra lowers him to the ground and kneels beside him, gently squeezing his thigh. "He did this to you?"

He reaches for her and squeezes her arm, while catching her gaze, "He prevented the anchor from killing me. You have me now for as long as it takes for him to institute his plan, unless we can find a way to stop him." He pauses, knowing how the information he's about to share will sound. There is a pleading look in his eyes as he continues, "They are real, Cassandra. The elven gods are real, and Solas is one of them."

She tries to suppress an incredulous look, but fails. "You are weak and delusional. We must get you back to the Winter Palace and a healer."

"You're right. I do need to see a healer, but this is the truth, Cassandra." His hand moves to cup her cheek while his thumb ghosts over her cheek bone. He loves her dearly, but he knows her devotion to the Maker is making it hard for her to fathom the truth he's revealing. "I've collected enough information here and at the Temple of Mythal to prove it. They weren't some abstract concept, beings above and beyond us, but real people who our ancestors devoted themselves to. Solas was one and he intends to attempt to restore the world to what it was before he bound his fellows. These ruins, temples were built by his followers. You've seen the information we've uncovered here. It's not a trick or a fairy tale.

"Whether you believe me or not, we need to find a way to stop him or convince him to stop before he destroys this world. The anchor. It's what he used millenia ago to separate the fade from the waking world. He's going to use it to tear down the veil. If the breach is any indication of what will happen, the entire world will be thrown into chaos."

Shock is written across her face at this revelation. When she recovers, Cassandra studies his face. She can see that he is both physically and emotionally drained from everything they've been through these past few days. And that he's not lying. She doesn't know how to process what he's told her. She reaches for him, caressing his cheek. He leans into her touch and kisses her palm. Her stoic look melts and she embraces him, fingers curling in his long locks. "I don't know what all of this means, but I am with you. Whatever Solas is, we can't let him succeed. Whatever it takes."

A soft smile brightens his face as he pulls her closer, no small feat considering the armor she's wearing and his weakened state.  “Whatever it takes,” he echoes, his resolve bolstered by her support.  He inhales sharply and allows himself to rest there in her arms.  They will need to get moving soon, but right now he needed a moment to breathe and take comfort in his beloved’s strength.

[yarpharp]

So because I am strange and always fascinated by posing cultural questions when it comes to creating crossover fanfiction, I had this wild thought worm recently for no reason: If you dumped Link (Legend of Zelda) into Thedas (Dragon Age), how the fuck would everyone in Thedas react to him?

I mean, depending on how you interpret Link's character, he doesn't talk. At all. I've always been of the opinion he speaks via some form of generalized Sign Language, but Why Would Thedas Share Any Common Signs? And who's to say there IS a formalized sign language in Thedas? Maybe there is, but it's technically a dead language now. The Elvhenan were fucked up but extremely modernized, so maybe they did have a Sign Language. Maybe the Dalish still have a lot of it, because Sign is a great way to silently communicate and Not Alert The Asshole Shemlen.

Either way, Link doesn't talk. And even if he can communicate via Sign Language, I highly doubt Hylian sign is gonna be understood. So there's one issue.

Secondly: Hylians don't look exactly like Theodosian elves. Modern elves of Thedas are scrawny and small but not too small; eyes bigger than a human and with cat-like night vision. Link? Link is canonically 5'2" and quite fit. Not skinny built and quite healthy, generally soft nonbinary features, bright eyes (at least in recent games; Link's got big fucking blues that almost glow for a nice contrast in TotK/BotW), pointy but not super pointy ears. Compared to Theodosian elves which are designed to look "distinctly fantastically different" in comparison to humans, Link just looks like a very short human with elf ears. So people might get a bit baffled at his looks; he's elfy but to the left.

Third: Hyrule isn't anti-magic. Magic is so inherently tied into everything in all the Legend of Zelda games, we the players just accept it. Link can wield magic rods and staves with no issue. Gerudo can use fire magic or summon lightning storms. Link can use magical items to summon winds, or devices that can magically transport him far distances. Rito can summon gales instinctually. Zora have water/ice magic and healing powers. If Link dodges correctly, he can seemingly slow time for a moment to deal a flurry attack. He uses Rauru's arm's magical abilities without blinking. The Master Sword is literally the ultimate magical item with a spirit inside of it.

Can you imagine Link losing his weapon in battle and just picking up a staff without thinking, but WHOOPS Thedas is kinda religiously anti-magic and someone is watching him just SUDDENLY THROWING ICE SPELLS (thinking about those magic staffs in BotW/TotK with the default AoE ice spell) without any hesitation? That is Not Normal for them like it is for Link. And Link himself like... Serves a powerful princess with the bloodline of a goddess. She literally tosses around light magic and time magic and shit. He probably can't begin to fathom a society that shuns something that so integral to Hyrule/Hyrule's safety in the face of Ganondorf's machinations.

Idk this was a bizarre thought worm I had. Maybe I will write a fanfic. Maybe I won't. It's interesting to think about in an extremely nerdy way, lol.

(also Link would HATE Solas but LOVE The Iron Bull and The Chargers. Prove me wrong, I dare you.)

[supoctosss]

31 Days of Dragon Age

Based off this post

The past 5 days have been hell, HOWEVER, I am finally getting out of it and forced myself to get up and get ready for Veilguard tomorrow (it’s currently downloading while I’m typing😭) so speedrun off all the days I missed

Day 26- Favorite DAI NPC

The return of Alistair as a Warden or King, Hawke, and besides the obvious ones I would say Either Alexius or Maddox bc I love a good tragic ending, and Alexius is such a nuanced villain and Ketheric from BG3 reminds me a lot of him

Day 27- Favorite Scene/Dialogue

So many, Morrigan's "I will not be the mother you were to me" makes me sob violently, it hit such a deep part of soul that I had to take a break from the game, combining that with Morrigan freaking out seeing her son with Flemeth and not being able to do anything bc of the well. It's why I will always drink out of the well bc I could not fathom being at the beck and call of someone you have been running from.

Day 28- Favorite Lore/Codex Entry

For just small things, the letter from HoF and the Dalish camp war table saga. Big things are definitely all the Dalish lore, especially in Trespasser, Lyrium being titan's blood (therefore making all magic blood magic) everything we learn about the Qunari, and Cole in general

Day 29- What I love about Dragon Age

The companions and people you meet along the way, each character is incredibly nuanced and no matter who they are or what they feel you can clearly see where it came from. Each character is full of love, and it's really where BioWare shines, so many backstories, lines, even cameos evoke so many emotions from me it's astounding. I also really like how there's someone for everyone, every person who plays has that one character that they just resonate with (Morrigan) and it really makes me feel seen and not alone.

Day 30- What I am most looking forward to

New choices, I've played every DA game at least 15 times, and I feel like I know every line of Dialogue by heart, I know every gifts in Origins and who they go to, I can do a completionist run of the first 2 without looking a single thing up and most of it's just muscle memory, and I wish I could experience seeing Loghain betray Cailan, or Anders blow up the chantry, or Solas' reveal just one more time for the first time. So, I am incredibly excited to see something new that I have no idea of, I'm also going to keep off all Wiki's until I finish my first run so I can see everything blind

TOMORROW TOMORROW TOMORROW

I will come on here just to do my LAST DAY of this and will be dead silent until I finish the game (as I suspect many of my mutuals will be too) I am genuinely in such shock that I currently have DRAGON AGE 4 downloading, that tomorrow I finally get to see Davrin and make my Rook

[vivispec]

Happy Friday! For DADWC: "I had no choice..." for Viera Lavellan / Solas?

thank you for the prompt! ngl i got super sleepy halfway through but hallelujah it is finished.

i went for post-game, concerning their dreamer daughter. since vie isn't a mage, i like to play around with her dreams a bit. now, it is time to sleep.

@dadrunkwriting Viera'vun / Solas words: 1010

She was pigment and plaster, dried and cracking where once she’d been gold.

  This…it was familiar, brushstrokes she knew. Her eyes followed the length of the blade beside her, up into the sky, where at its haft a lidless eye bore down upon her. Wolves howled, and she stumbled back into jagged mountains. 

Looming, winged and fanged, shifting just beyond sight. From the clouds there came a head, and that one eye opened into many—six, red and glowing, centered upon her. A shadow fell upon her, feet bloody where they stepped upon broken peaks, but she could go back no further. She pressed against the barrier at her back, and faced him with chin raised. She faced him, and straightened.

Something brushed against her fingers, and when she looked they were solid no longer, but soft; flesh, where before she’d seen stone, and at their tips was a figure she recognized. A wolf, gray with eyes of blue like lyrium. He stepped back as her eyes cleared, and so did she.

Then, the wolf shifted and changed, until a man stood before her. Viera hardened herself.

“I’ll admit, I’m surprised you actually came.”

Solas tucked his hands behind him. “No more so than I,” he said, appraising the room her dream had composed for them: his rotunda with its frescoes, somehow breathing and alive. “I figured, however, that you would not call me as you did, if not for good reason. I was quite surprised, to hear such a request from your daughter.”

How easily, he admitted his fault. Out of the corner of his eye he watched her, gauging her response while maintaining that placid air he used like a shield. It almost made it easier to think he cared so little, even if she knew the truth.

Almost, but not quite. She sought the words she’d practiced while waking, the questions so carefully tailored to pick him apart, but found they all failed her here. This, all of it, was too near her heart to be scripted. Viera pushed breath through her nose, and shed her pretense.

“Solas,” she landed on as she found again her voice, “what is it you think you’re doing, truly, hanging around her dreams?”

He didn’t answer right away, mulling over his words carefully. “It was my intent only to watch over her, until she could navigate the Fade on her own.”

“And yet she wakes in the morning to tell tale of the wolf in her dreams, as much a friend to her as the wisps and Curiosity.” She scoffed, and shook her head. “Tell me, how does this possibly end?”

“I had no choice.”

“No choice? You’ve always had a choice.” With the rising of her voice the walls seemed to ripple, like raindrops disturbing otherwise tranquil waters. “Even if that choice is to stubbornly turn away from any option that might bring you happiness, and then covet the very thing you left behind. If you wanted to be her father, her mentor, there was a place at our side, even so long after you turned your back on me. You made the choice to never share your burden, and walk your path alone.”

“And it is a choice I must stand by,” he uttered, eyes locked still upon the roiling pictures before him, shaped by his hand, maybe, but given life by her thought. “Regardless, she is a Dreamer. There are dangers within the Beyond for one such as her, should she lack proper guidance. In this, I had no choice.”  

“I know this. We’ve taken steps to protect her, she’s in good hands—”

“Hands that protect, maybe, but do not know. Ones that cannot fathom to teach.” Finally, he looked down and away, and though he held his voice steady still she saw the hollowness within him. He’d seemed to overflow with passions, once, even before they’d lain beside one another. Such spirit had since been drained. “Viera’vun, do not think I’ve deluded myself into believing I can walk beside her any longer than I have. Already she knows the pathways well, and has found fast friends to lead her down it,” he clarified, “but she is young still, and trusting. Had she not called for me, I’d have never stepped from the shadows where I watched her.”

“But where does it lead?” He blinked, eyes flicking away to find stone again. “Already your charm protects her. Can’t it be enough, that she carries a piece of you? Must she, too, carry the pain of knowing the wolf she called ‘friend’ is the same who’d break her world?” Silence. She breathed, deep into her core, and placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling him tense beneath her. “There isn’t any hiding, I know you see it. She’s bright. Observant, and stubborn, too. Let the lessons you’ve taught be enough a foundation, and let her find her own path.”

“And if the charm is not enough? If she were to wander into a danger it cannot fend against, on her own?”

“What ifs and chances, whereas I know all too well where the path at your side leads.” She squeezed, and the figures etched onto the wall seemed to slow, and deflate. Its luster dulled, as if aging eons in mere breaths. “Please, Solas, for both your sakes: don’t come for her again. In her dreams, at the very least, let her know peace.”

He had fully turned away from her, now, as if so much as looking at her pained him. Her grip loosened, lingering before it freed him, and fell back to her side. She’d wanted for an answer, or any sign that he’d taken her words to heart; as it was, she’d little indication that he hadn’t turned to plaster and pigment himself, outlined as he was by the many eyes of the fresco, boring down around him.

It couldn’t be helped. Viera turned, and left him there amongst the ghosts of their past. She only hoped her words would echo there in the rotunda around him.

[wildmelon]

playing with salsh again and like yeah i just rly can't do it with solavellan personally. i enjoy the drama and tragedy of it all but i rly struggle to enjoy the dynamic bc of solas' attitude towards the dalish. it's so condescending and arrogant and removing her vallaslin is so... speaking for salshira, the fact that he genuinely thought she would want it gone just shows how much he still doesn't care to understand her. i can't even decide if canonically she lets him remove it bc it's just too sad. the framing of the dalish is pretty poor in all inquisition so i'm willing to excuse some things but the way solas frames it rly disgusts me. poor simple dalish you clueless wannabes have no idea what you're wearing... like solas you study culture why can u not fathom that meanings change with time and it obviously holds a completely different significance for the person standing in front of u and that's not to be belittled. i like the angst and solas is a well written character and everything this'll just never be my ship to die on.

[amoebab22]

The only Isekai stories I'm interested in are ones where a) the protag doesn't know the world they're in (I need this specific dramatic irony) and b) they romance Solas because like, he's like got all this near infinite knowledge and power and I feel like you could interrupt his ritual by walking up as an Isekai'd Lavellan and being like Solas

Solas: I cannot stop, vhenan

Isekai Lavellan: oh I'm not here for that

Solas: what?

IL: yeah I was here to get you to schlonk my shit silly style before I die in this world rejoining.

Solas, his brain stuttering to a complete stop: *drops the knife* I'm sorry what the fuck?

Like, I cannot even fathom how hard you could cause a forced reset on his brain by randomly dropping the weirdest slang and memes imaginable.

IL: you heard me

Solas: I heard something but I do not think they were words.

IL: oh right, sorry, I keep forgetting you're old. Right so I'm here to sit on your face until I'm so wet it counts as waterboarding and then I want you to fuck me into next year, possibly literally. I want to get paralyzed from the waist down from that dick. Just utterly obliterated. Then I don't really care what you do. Go off, I guess.

Solas:

IL:

Solas:

IL: soooo.....

Solas: ....fuck it.

Then Varric shows up all ready to stop the ritual, Harding and strangers in tow.

Varric, Rook, and Neve rolling up: the ritual hasn't started oh thank-

Varric: well

Varric: that's one way to postpone the ritual

Rook: who-what-?

Varric: That's the Inquisitor. Well, former Inquisitor. She quit.

Rook: the...chosen of Andraste?

Varric: actually since it was an accident with Solas's orb, she's more Solas's chosen than anything.

Neve: I'll say.

Harding, joining them: is that-

Varric: yeeeep

Harding: huh. I thought she was joking about that.

Varric: Dorian owes me 50 gold

Rook:.... What is wrong with you people?!

Varric: I mean right now, nothing. World's not ending, I'm not having to kill my friend, I'm not dead. Pretty good outcome.

Rook: clearly he'll start again at some point

Harding: nah, the Inquisitor's been looking for him for a decade.

Varric: yeah actually let's go get dinner and a beer. This'll be a while.

[moonlightheretic]

Possible sequel to The Heretic

Well, never thought I would be contemplating this.

Actually never thought I would be writing more than a one-shot here and there since I ended it.

But all this news...has me so inspired. At first I was rejoicing but then I started to mourn as Bioware's game took shape in trailers, articles and teasers. I AM fundamentally overjoyed that the game is coming out this fall. But I must admit that the game feels so far nothing like what I thought it would, but that is to be expected.

I got lost in my own Head-Canon for nearly 10 years. That just isn't reality for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, it just never will be. It is a process of accepting and letting go for me. Not that I had hoped DATV would look anything like The Heretic, but more so I couldn't fathom the game itself without it. Perhaps that sounds pretty stupid, but I wrote my fic to fill in the vast void Bioware left over these years and now it is time to yank my head-canon out of that void and replace it with what Bioware has cooked up. Its just, well, a lot at the moment.

However, instead of ripping up my Head-Canon in preparation for the game this fall, I am thinking up an audacious idea. What if I bridged the gap between them? A mini sequel that leads up to The Veilguard?

If you read The Heretic to the very end then you will be wondering "Wait, what? How? I thought----"

MAJOR SPOILER UNDER THE LINE...

Moon'Hwa is dead. But the Inquisitor is coming back in DA4 (Which holy fuck yes!!! This is confirmed!!) So um how is that going to play out???"

Well, you are correct, she is dead, very dead and her spirit is repurposed inside the ever-growing Wolf monster Solas keeps just beyond the Veil. And Solas has promised the Circulum to Mythal...

Here is the thing, Varric and co. didn't promise anything to anyone, perhaps Solas has accepted the fate of Moon'hwa but certain former Inquisition companions have not. See where I am leading with this?

and what if Solas has preserved Moon'Hwa much like he did for her father 26 or so years ago...tucked away in his sanctuary he now has to leave for Arlathan forest...unattended. *screams*

Honestly, one of the main reasons I killed her off was to accept the new protag in the new game. Because like 7 years ago Bioware said that the Inquisitor's journey was over and that they would NOT be coming back. Yep, well that fucking changed. Sorta wish I hadn't killed her now. I am however not bringing her back for convenance. I do think I could write something compelling that bridges The Heretic and DATV together nicely, while building my new character for Rook.

Okay well anyway. I have the very very rough opening to this possible sequel. CW for * dead, decaying birds. *

"I knew you would come."  Leliana croaked as she caressed the black feathers of the deceased raven. “This little bird slammed its body against the bars of my window.” She held it aloft, spreading its wings with her thumb and index finger. “A little warning wrapped up in twine.” She kissed its bulbous skewed foot. “So many little warnings.”

“I would not sully myself by sharing your air." Candlelight swept viciously over his face as the wind ushered its fury into the hollows of the stone.

"Yet here you are. Desperate like any other man searching for something lost. Your most powerful weapon gone and dead. Oh, what will you ever do?"

"Where is she?"

The former spymaster snaked a gleaming grin, "The mighty Dread wolf chases his tail. The rumors said you couldn't be fooled. Did you spread that yourself so that no one tries?"

Solas's eyes fell, downcast upon the decrepit stone flooring, scanning the plucked feathers and accompanying avian bones strewn about aimlessly.  "Such a waste. What will you do with so much guilt?" "She deserved to die!" Leliana lashed out, the dead raven husk snapping in her fingers. "As do you, but you will suffer first."

........................................................................

Y'all am I insane? I think I am insane.

[teamdilf]

🐚 🪲 🥐 mwah

🐚 ⇢ do you like or dislike surprises?

As a reader/writer? Absolutely! I love a well-thought out twist. In real life? Not as much - I’m a quiet introvert who loves to plan ahead.

🪲 ⇢ add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here

Have a bit more than 50 words, from the BG3/Dragon Age crossover!

Dorian’s expression shifts to something resembling a mix of horror and awe. “I’ll be fighting gods. Makes me wonder if landing a proper blow will be enough to win my mother’s approval or if that’s a permanent non-starter. You begin work to abolish slavery after coming out to your parents one time and you’re a pariah through to the end of the world.” His tone is joking but Petra gets the sense there is genuine pain there. 

“Iris adores you.” 

“She and my partner are all I need, really. Suppose Solas can tag along too. Bit of a strange family but they’re mine. Mind taking us shopping? Not today - I think Iris and Solas need a break they’re unlikely to give themselves, but I have mastered the art of a good hard stare and Iris crumples like a house of cards if she thinks she’s disappointed me.” Dorian pauses, as if realizing something. “Maybe… don’t tell her I told you that. Especially since she’s been acting like she’s harder than she actually is around the two of you. Her heart is soft, and it gets her into plenty of trouble.” 

“Oh, I knew that. It was obvious from her taste in men,” Astarion says, laughing to himself, but Dorian doesn’t laugh. 

“I hope one day you’ll be able to see her at her best and not at her worst. I’ve said it countless times, but she’s going through sorrow I cannot fathom and I appreciate your patience with her, and the kindness you’ve shown her, even if she can’t express it herself.” 

🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh 

I’m so fond of the meme from the Community episode “Remedial Chaos Theory” and it always gets a chuckle out of me.