#that man loves the warden

[aricr0cs]

So I'm getting ready to go rescue Anora and something occurred to me.....

Here me out ghgbg

HEAR ME OUT GBGBGBGG

I've always wondered this entire time.... I watched my gf play dao (see pinned post). And I've always wondered....

Morrigan is antisocial. She sleeps away from everyone else in camp.

Shale too. She's off a bit. Near Bodahn and Sandal.

Zevran Oghren leliana Wynne and Alistair are far more social and are all grouped near the fire. It just makes sense.

So why? Tell me why Sten is so close?? It would make sense for him to be distant too. Even if for no other reason than not wanting to talk and a barasaad compulsion to check camp fortification.

I've ALWAYS wondered why he chose to stand so close to that little social circle.

But seeing him here in the warden's room in Denerim......

Yall I'm swooning so hard. I'm grasping at straws with unmitigated joy.

"It is not every warden that can say she has her own Barasaad."

"What is your wish, kadan?"

Yall I find this big grumpy man choosing.... of his own volition, to lump grump in the warden's room in Denerim (side note but Morrigan is there too and don't think for a second that another distant person in camp choosing to lounge so near to the warden isn't every bit just as meaningful to me.....)

You go to speak to him and the first thing he does is complain about Denerim's fortification.

"But they will do." Said by this giant grump that's choosing to spend his time essentially watching over where the warden sleeps as he has since he became a companion.

After my gfs Dalish warden's first dream of the archdemon she woke up near the campfire. That was my first taste of camp. And there he was. Not off being distant as I'd expect him to be. And not right next to her like Alistair. But still only a short distance away.....

And you know he heard her tossing and crying out every night with those dreams.

As pissy as he is..... the warden took him out of his prison in Lothering. She found his Asala. He called himself "her own Barasaad." He called her kadan. In my playthru he did not fight her in Haven. Merely said his piece and moved on. He's the most vulnerable in fights and still my warden drags him everywhere and painstakingly shoves the majority of healing potions down his reluctant gullet (he really does sometimes curse when you select a poultice for him ynhnhh).

And now he's here. In my warden's room. Worried about fortifications and choosing to spend his time watching over the warden's dreams as he has since the beginning. As steadfast and routine as any good soldier in the Barasaad.

My dwarf warden is in a romance with Alistair. And he's over with the Arl. Nothing wrong with that. The fate of the world and his own obligations to the throne and to Ferelden make this an understandable necessity.

Simping aside I find it so so meaningful that the two most socially distant companions have chosen to spend their Denerim time near the warden. Literally more close to her than any other companion.

I've seen people saying that Sten is a wooden character. Or put in to ignite interest in the qun and begin that part of game lore. And this he certainly does do at least for me.

But this man isn't wooden at all imo. Just because he doesn't talk much doesn't mean he doesn't have thoughts and opinions and reasons for the choices he makes.

And I friggin love him to pieces gnybgbg

BIOWARE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID

[tigerjpg]

warden mahariel ⚔️

[critterbitter]

Sometimes, you realize how long somebody’s been there for you and you want some emotional vulnerability as a treat.

(Bonus)

Link to the rest of their shenanigans!

[secretsimpleness]

Sometimes I want to bring Morrigan but then I remember I play as a face-tanking rogue and I bring Wynne. Warden Cousland, Morrigan, Wynne / Dragon Age Origins (c) Bioware

[cartoonishreal]

Anyway yeah the strange specimen

[boar-cry]

he's about to offer you a berry and safe passage out of the cave

[alolantikibar]

I need to just post this or else I'm gonna keep trying to fix things. :^)

I wanted to attempt a sumi-e style painting with Warden Ingo. I'm always trying to keep clean lines for my drawings but I much prefer being able to be kind of 'loose' with it, so this was a ton of fun to paint.

[housederiva]

POV your name is Carver Hawke and you're haunted by the ghosts of both your sisters every time you see your boss

[ghost-bard]

I think at least some of varrics issues would be fixed if he looked into bisexuality and thats all i have to say on the matter

[rubberbandgirlme]

mamma mia here i go again with another chapter from my leander thesis 🤓 please accept my humble input on mc's curse, the importance of reading between leander's flirting lines and rss's wonderful storytelling details.

ngl when i finally chose not to touch leander's hand first (can you blame me, i'm weak for that man) i was bewildered at how strikingly different the options in this scene play out, and i, strange as it seems, like this one much better.

first of all, it's a parallel (even if it's not intended, the connection is still there) to the opening scene with a deranged traveler: the touch, the sensations, the (foreshadowed) strangling:

leander is definitely affected by the curse — possessed even, i would say, as if he was being told to strangle mc. notice how his actions line up with the traveler's, only in slo-mo, because leander was fighting to take back the control. and when mc calls out for him, he either snaps out of it or gets to the exact point when he takes a hold of the curse. this brings up a question: could mc's curse be sentient? alter the minds, you say? (more under the cut because it got long)

i've seen people speculating that mc's curse might bestow the enlightment but that's not true: mc was told that (and that's why this origin has me by the throat (pun absolutely intended): imagine living with so much guilt, thinking you were doing good, but in fact driving people mad… mmm tasty). it ties perfectly into every origin path where mc was being lied to, deceived and betrayed. however, there's definitely something more to the curse's nature that's yet to be disclosed.

my favourite moment though!! is this nuanced character storytelling!!

the very hand that was inches away from choking mc to death is quickly disguised as caring and soothing. wonder why? to gain mc's trust (non-verbally), to show that leander's in control, he's strong, he's there for mc, he'll take care of them. of course, leander, being a leander, downplays the whole experience of being possessed/affected by the curse, but he's being honest at once. he doesn't lie to mc — and that's also how he's gaining trust, verbally this time.

one more question that begs to be asked: why the hell all of this doesn't happen if mc touches leander first? it seems that the quality of the touch (😭) also plays an important role here:

leander must have felt the power of the curse, but he wasn't possessed by it, he could control it right away — why? because the touch was fleeting? or because it was mc who was touching him, not the other way round?

now hear me out (i might be wrong on this one, because i can't remember any more examples off the top of my head, but i feel like it's definitely a thing. let me know if something comes up!): we should pay closer attention to how leander says the truth (or half-truth), but it could be understood differently at a flirting angle (it's slightly different from this one, where he covers up his misstep). what i think he means here is that he controls the curse, but it sure is a difficult thing to do. "not due to your power" my ass, his need to look strong and heroic and weak at the same time is ridiculous, someone cure this man (ivolunteer.gif)

one more and last thing that's bothering me (it might play into the previous point btw): if you keep touching him, he tells mc that fissures on their hands match his golden pin. why??????? that's such a dumb thing to flirt about, such a weird comparison. what kind of connection is there? it's so out of place, it definitely means something more. leander spill

[socialprawn]

taint

[ferrylazy]

Tumblr sexyman x tumblr sexyman

[patchespremium]

Ngl I would do this. I just enjoy being around Ingo in Legends Arceus<3

Inspired by the drawing trend of drawing this (so feel free to draw your own!!)

[drathe]

circle losers

[julsera]

Vasa & Alistair

Attack on @shurikkai 's Surana. You know he's going to stand over there until the blush goes away.

[mythalenansal]

“that homeless looking chap”

“the veil is fragile here”