#the mahariel origin goes so hard

[lasandra]

31 Days of Dragon Age: Oct 01 - Introduce your Hero of Ferelden

(Technically a day late, oops!) Using these prompts. (I probably went overboard though, tbh.) Dragon Age: Origins was the game I got introduced to Dragon Age with back in 2010 when I was but 12 years old and so the HoF forever holds a special place in my heart. HoF is, in my opinion, the best example of being allowed to be who you want to be in the Dragon Age series with the most freedom of personality. HoF truly feels like YOUR character and I love that. Here are my favorite Heroes (because I CANNOT just tell you about 1) of Ferelden in no particular order: 1. Lyna Mahariel (Yes, I kept the default name, I liked it for her.)

Lyna is easily my most tragic character (and it was a total accident). Lyna has this habit of everyone she loves dying and leaving her alone. First it was her parents, then it was Tamlen (which really hit her hard as they were very much in love). She didn't even get time to properly mourn him before getting dragged (kicking and screaming) to Ostagar to join the Grey Wardens when she truly would have preferred to remain with her clan and die. She slowly began to recover and though she still mourned, she DID find herself slowly falling for Alistair... WHO she helped make king and then he ended their relationship. Obviously she was upset (as was I because this was the first time, I'd played a non-Cousland lol and I didn't know you could let him just stay with the wardens at the time). She was FURIOUS when Morrigan told her she needed to convince Alistair to sleep with her. Fastest nope ever, let me tell you. She went into the Battle of Denerim with every intention of striking the killing blow against the Archdemon but guess what? This was also my first time NOT doing the dark ritual and I took Alistair with me. He freaking stops her, tells her he loves her and goes and dies all heroically. (This was the first time this happened to me, and I definitely cried). Then comes Awakening and while everyone else makes it out, Anders and Justice appear to be dead. She mourns those sneaky little twits. Boy when she found out what happened... She was PISSED, let me tell you. And of course, later she finds out that her entire clan has been killed by Hawke and Co. Home girl cannot catch a break. She isolates herself now, never allowing herself to get too close to others, awaiting the day she can finally see her loved ones again. 2. Aurora Amell:

Aurora is probably closest to a canon warden that I have as I usually use her worldstate when I load into Dragon Age 2 and Inquisition because I just love the story implications. She was every bit a circle mage and never understood why anyone would ever want to leave (I think being trained by Irving made her that way), but still helped her friend Jowan when that was his wish. When it turned out he WAS in fact a blood mage she was horrified and never trusted him again. And yes. She liked Cullen. And apparently she just had a thing for Templars because she ended up with Alistair (she also had the sense to keep him in the wardens). Wynne was her most trusted confidante, with Leliana as a close second. She got along with everyone fairly well though. For her, the Dark Ritual was a painful and difficult choice, she didn't want to die, she didn't want Alistair to die, and Morrigan offered both of them a way out. She convinced Alistair and you know the rest. During Awakening, Anders didn't just up and disappear on her. She gave him permission. She had always only conscripted him to save his life and with the blight defeated, she didn't see a reason to force him to stay. She did NOT know about the Justice thing however, she'd have thumped him over the back of the head with her stave if she'd known about that. Also, she kept Sir Pounce-A-Lot when he left. Aurora eventually met Carver when he became a Grey Warden and through him she eventually met her favorite cousin, Amelia Hawke. Though Aurora is younger, she is very protective of her cousin, so much so that when she found out Anders had betrayed Amelia's trust and blown up the Chantry, Aurora may or may not have chased him around the room with fireballs until Alistair and Amelia physically restrained her... Aurora and Alistair have a daughter (because headcanons!) named Lydia who is actually going to be one of my Rooks (who I will tell you more about when it is time to introduce my Rooks in the prompts) 3. Elsa Cousland (No she was not named or designed after the Disney Character, I made her before Frozen was even a thing.)

Elsa is my "evil" character (or as close as I come to running evil characters). She is not cruel by any means, but she is rather power hungry and is very manipulative, buying affection, lying to make herself seem better than she is. She had always been an opportunist, looking to advance her and her family's station whenever possible. When Arl Howe killed nearly everyone in her family, she swore she'd have revenge, though that didn't mean she didn't deeply resent Duncan for coercing her into the Grey Wardens (that's how she felt about it). For the first time in her life, she felt resigned to her fate and she hated it, though she of course put on the facade of the selfless heroine. Morrigan was the only one she shared her true nature with, and they quickly became the best of friends. Alistair was strange to her, in more ways than one. Though she found him to be a bit of an idiot, she also recognized him as being genuinely kind, a trait she was not used to in those she knew. As much as she wanted to deny it, she did find herself falling in love with him, even before she found out he was Maric's son. When Arl Eamon suggested Alistair take the throne, she saw an opportunity to get what she had always wanted--the throne. So naturally during the Landsmeet she named Alistair king with her as his queen. She agreed to help Morrigan convince Alistair to do the dark ritual, as it seemed quite practical for her plans to become Queen. During Awakening she almost killed Nathaniel but thought it would be better revenge to have him become a Grey Warden instead. As for what she's been doing since, mostly she's been looking for a way for her and Alistair to have heirs. 4. Rita Brosca (Not to be confused with her sister Rica)

(And no, the background isn't bleeding through her face, I was trying a shading thing out on her and I didn't think to use a different color.)

Rita is the most reckless of my wardens never quite thinking before she acts, luckily she's pretty good at getting away with it (mostly). She thought Duncan was just the coolest dude ever even before he saved her life. When he died, she was almost as upset as Alistair, he was the first person to ever treat her like she was anything more than dirt. She and Morrigan bonded over their terrible mothers. Unlike my other previous Wardens, Rita didn't end up with Alistair. She found him to be more like a brother figure. Instead, she ended up with Zevran. Coming up from similar backgrounds, she could really relate to him and felt like she could be herself around him without judgement--heck if anything, approval! Leske's betrayal wasn't particularly surprising. She was really only surprised she couldn't talk him out of it. Idiot duster. During Awakening, when she found out about Oghren becoming a father, she really worked on encouraging him to get his crap together. To be more than some drunk loser to his child, so that his kid wouldn't end up resenting him like Rita resented her mother. Also she totally stole Anders idea of running away from the wardens. She ran off with Zevran and has been keeping quiet since. They even ended up having a daughter (who, yes is going to be another Rook of mine) named Wynnie (who is affectionately named after Wynne). 5. Ciara Surana:

Ciara is the sweetest of all of my wardens, always helping others and sparing her enemies when possible because she just saw the best in people. The Fifth Blight really didn't deserve her. She was fascinated by spirits and demons, always wanting to learn more about them. Solas really would have had a field day with her. She'd have pestered him non-stop with questions. To mine and everyone else's surprise, she did NOT end up with Alistair, rather with Zevran. Not that Alistair hadn't tried, Ciara was just too oblivious to notice Alistair's flirtations while Zevran made himself very clear. I like to think she had a positive influence on him. When Morrigan told her about the Dark Ritual, she felt very uncomfortable. She did tell Alistair about it but accepted his "no" without argument. Having made Alistair the king, she was determined to keep him alive and so she did not take him with her to fight the Archdemon, therefore it was her who dealt the final blow, sacrificing her life to save Ferelden and the rest of Thedas. I like to think her soul was not destroyed. That instead she was given a second chance at life as (you guessed it) another one of my Rooks, a mourn watcher Rook, to be specific. 6. Elena Tabris:

Last but not least, is Elena. Though she was considered quite the troublemaker in the Alienage, she was actually genuinely looking forward to getting married (and then the stupid shems just had to show up and completely wreck her wedding. Rude). She was grateful to Duncan for saving her when the guards came but was lowkey terrified of the man after watching Daveth and Jory die at the joining. She literally only drank the blood because she watched him kill Jory, before that, she'd been thinking about slinking off and running away. She used to be terrified of spirits and demons (so you know, the circle of Magi was fun for her) but Wynne's circumstance gave her a new perspective. They still give her the heebie-jeebies but she tries to keep an open mind (which is the only reason she was able to recruit Justice in Awakening. Him animating a corpse was deeply unsettling). Though she'd had a brief flirtation with Zevran (it never went anywhere beyond flirtation) she ultimately ended up with Alistair. When it came time for taking Alistair to see his sister, she let him give her money but I headcanon that she totally sneaked back in and stole it back for being such as massive b-- At the Landsmeet, she did not make Alistair king since he had always said he didn't want to be king. She didn't want to force him into anything that he didn't want. Elena had the hardest time with Morrigan's offer of the Dark Ritual, given her past. She also really loved Alistair and didn't want to risk him dying if she could prevent it, which is why she ultimately convinced him to do it. Eventually they had a daughter named Carwyn, who, would you believe it, is going to be another of my Rooks. But not just any Rook. My first Rook. I am very much looking forward to playing her on the 31st! That's it! That's all of the HoFs I want to share! I have played Origins NUMEROUS times and thus have many more, but it already took me all day to make all these portraits and quite frankly, I don't have the patience to do anymore. Thank you to anyone who was interested enough to read all this! You're a real trooper!

[the-dragon-folk]

Super Loose Dragon age Origin OC breakdown sheet

My computer's been dead (and still kind of is) for a month after... the milk incident, so I've only had the opportunity to play through Partha, and I do want to re-run her since she was my first playthrough. All of these come with a grain of salt and a lot of opportunity to be changed Warden Partha Aeducan: True to the Dwarf Noble Origin, kings Alistair, Romances Morrigain (bi rights), and does the dark ritual. The Leader. The World's most cringefail trans girl boss princess <3. She's an incredibly strong and fierce warrior, a real shit brickhouse as far as dwarves go, but also really mentally not doing well, and she expends a lot of energy not confronting this. She's remarkably successful, it's just that she's guessing the entire time and a lot of her choices go against her own, or her friends' wishes, in the name of the "Greater Good," but what that means to her is really unclear. She is so desperate to protect everyone and save Ferelden because she knows its right, but she doubts every choice she makes and so many "good" choices cause a lot more pain. She begins her journey feeling unloved, put-upon and lost and ends her journey feeling unloved, put-upon, and lost <3. She's also batshit a little and spends a lot of time doing really risky shit in a half-hearted attempt to chase death in a very Zevran-esque way aha. She comes out of the Blight an extremely weird unsettling person, and I do spend a lot of time jumping the shark with her. She drinks that weird bottle at Solider's Peak and does The Golems of Amgarrak stuff, if that explains anything. She's a ball of knots and hard to explain quickly. Mingrin: Partha's dog. Really cool guy and good boy.

Warden Judpha: Dwarf Commoner, not Brosca, thruple with Zevran and Killian. Grew up in Dust Town and was the guardian to his niece from a young age and broke when she was murdered. He's effectively ripped apart in Ostagar, and this leaves him short an arm and a leg. His Ostagar trauma makes him entirely unwilling to face the Dark Spawn. Jud start off pretty coarse - particularly with Partha, who he bitterly refers to as "Peace-Keeper" - and he softens up over time. He learns to read and write and becomes the sort of book-keeper of the group.

Warden Killian Tabris: True to the Elf Commoner Origin, thruple with Zevran and Judpha. Killian's a little less developed than the other two, but she's also pretty prickly. She dislikes Partha and Alistair because of their highborn status. She tends to lead a secondary party. I think her story is about her growing from jaded and act-first-questions-later to a more tempered and empathetic leader, as she's left to be Commander of the Grey after Partha disappears. I think Jud and Zevran allow her to soften up and relax a bit. I think she'll probably parallel Partha in a lot of ways. She joins at the same time as Alistair. Warden (Unnamed so far) Mahariel: Likely true to Elf Dalish origin. He'll likely spend a lot of time on the side lines. He joins at the same time as Partha and, when he finds himself entirely alone at Ostagar, goes "why would i die for a bunch of people who don't give two shits about me when I can go home and help my clan??" and immediately high tails it. He comes back up when the wardens come to the Dalish and find him. He gets turned into a werewolf and at the end of it he probably choses to stay and help prepare the Clans for the Dark spawn. He isn't meant to come across as a coward, but just as someone who, rightfully, is more concerned with the immediate future of his loved ones rather than a more abstract Series of Misadventures to Maybe? Save the World. Not to mention, he's alone right off the bat and has no context on how to be a warden.

Warden Surana and Warden Cousland (also both unnammed): Both mostly true to Human Noble & Elf Circle. They're more of a MacGuffin. They're both slightly older wardens than Alistair & Killian. Warden Surana and Cousland survived Ostagar (Likely alongside Killian and Judpha) and immediately went into action. They presume the old treaties are lost with Alistair and decide to go to Soldier's Peak to try and find some sort of hope. When Civil War pressures get real, Cousland makes a plan to use his Nobility status to wed Anora and reign some things back into place. This is what sends Partha on the path to wedding Alistair to Anora. When The Party get to Soldier's Peak, Cousland has been killed and likely so has Warden Surana.

Ameira Surana: Sister to Warden Surana and another Circle Elf. Romances Alistair. She is a prodigious young mage who spent much of her life in her sister's shadow. This allowed her to get away with what she wanted in peace. I forget which exactly was the specific character issue that sent her down her path, but after her sister and Jowan bounce, she does become a practicing Blood mage. she keeps this under wraps for a while and eventually saves Judpha's life with it, so he doesn't say anything about it. She joins the party with Wynne to help the Wardens and eventually falls in love with Alistair, and it's really sweet and smooth up until Partha and Eamon make moves to wed Anora and Alistair. Alistair breaks up with Ameira to try and spare her from everything that is going on. Ameira, devastated by the last 2 years' shenanigans' like every one else, does eventually fireball-blood magic the shit out of Partha and Anora and Judpha is like "hm yeah i guess i should've said something sooner."

[crossdressingdeath]

The lack of origin for the Inquisitor is a crime. And the fact they made the Conclave a menu screen was so disappointing. The Warden's story is impacted by how their origin played out (like a Mahariel does not want to leave their clan but Brosca happily goes with Duncan). We know Hawke's backstory and what brought them to Kirkwall. The Inquisitor? Complete blank slate. And unless you headcanon a lot during the playthrough, they remain such for the remainder of the game.

I mean, we are given a huge amount of freedom with the Warden, which to be fair would be really hard to do with Quiz what with Bioware having to pay four separate VAs to voice each and every line; the Warden not being voiced allows for a lot more varied dialogue than is feasible when you have VA salaries to take into account. Whether or not they want to be a Warden or not, whether they want to be a hero or not, whether they want to leave their home or not, you can take every Warden in any direction you want! Their origin will colour the events of the story, but ultimately it's the player who decides whether they're happy, furious, miserable, or what about the situation. Hawke is considerably more set, I mean they can only have three personalities, and their backstory is pretty well fleshed out in canon (which might be part of why I like them the least of the protagonists). But Quiz really is completely blank. Even the dialogue options are usually pretty bland! You're not allowed to be more than mildly quirky at most! One thing I do like about DAI is that that blankness does create a huge amount of room for headcanoning and writing your own story for your character (I love Alaris just so damn much, Blorbo from my imagined better version of DAI), but if you'd rather enjoy your character in the game you'd better like 'blandly nice and diplomatic', 'blandly funny and sarcastic', or 'blandly blunt and aggressive', because that's all you're getting!

And poor Quiz really does get shafted by Bioware's determination to paint the Chantry and Templars as heroes, since it leaves them cut off from the important characterization point of the Warden and Hawke that is "mages or Templars"; either Quiz is a good little Chantry pet (which... gets uncomfortable fast if you play a non-human and/or a mage), or they can at most make a few vague comments about how maybe the Templars aren't perfect and maybe mages aren't pure evil that they'll drop the second they face pushback from one of Bioware's special favourites. It leaves them feeling either hollow and spineless or just not very nice. And a side effect of the lack of any real in-game personality leaves them often feeling vaguely resigned to the situation at best even if you play them as cool with the Herald of Andraste/Inquisitor stuff, which just leaves the whole situation at best only slightly uncomfortable since Quiz never seems to actually choose to take part in the Inquisition (and of course if they try to choose not to take part they're forced into it by the in-universe characters around them and the game never addresses that again, which continues to be just so bad, the fact that Duncan will force the Warden to join up whatever they say, do or want is an important part of his character but Cassandra will all but openly say she'll give you to the Chantry for execution if you refuse and then the rest of the game just goes "Aw she's a big softie really :)" about it, come on).

[sky-fire-forever]

i love orion so here's some questions:

- He's Mahariel, right? What vallaslin does he have? Does he worship any of the evanuris in particular?

- What did he do post-DA:O?

- What was his relationship like with the other companions? <3

Oh my goodness, thank you so much for this ask!!! I love talking about my boy and would gladly discuss him for hours.

- The vallaslin Orion has is the one from the Origins character creator that honors Ghilan'nain! I'll post a picture below! Funnily enough, Ghilan'nain is actually not the Creator he worships the most, as that honor goes to Falon'Din. Though Orion has a deep respect for all of the Creators and worships them all. Falon'Din has always fascinated him, however, as Orion sees him as unshakably kind in bringing about the next great adventure.

^^ Orion's vallaslin!

- Post-Origins, Orion asks for land to be given to the Dalish. His first action is to return to his clan (with Zevran in tow) and to stay with them awhile. He just wants to be with the family he'd been separated from for so long. After that, he goes around helping people. He helps the companions with anything they need assistance with, advises Anora for a time, and becomes a very active voice in the fight for both elf and mage rights. Eventually, of course, he tries to stop the Calling and begins that quest of his.

- Orion's relationships to the other companions are pretty positive!! I'm going to break them down into easier parts

- Alistair: Alistair and Orion get along pretty well. They're definitely friends, though probably not best friends. They're close due to shared experiences and the loss of the Grey Wardens. Orion thinks Alistair is sweet, but dislikes the fact that Alistair threw all of the responsibility onto him without taking any for himself. He hates that Alistair hid the fact that he could be king even though he absolutely understands why he did so. They laugh a lot together as well as cry together. They have a kinship that few can hope to understand.

- Dog: Orion's mabari is named Tammy, after Tamlen! They're best friends, of course. Tammy is loyal and steadfast and Orion adores him. He'd do pretty much anything for that dog. He loves him with his whole heart. They're inseparable.

- Leliana: Orion and Leliana are close. Orion is fascinated by her mysterious past and dark secrets, finding her to be a mystery to unfold. Leliana doesn't appreciate that very much, but she does appreciate the way Orion accepts her as she is now without judgment of her past. He's always supportive of her and lets her move on and be someone new even despite his curiosity. He adores her music and listens frequently. She taught him how to play a few songs, even! They are very dear to each other and would do anything for each other.

- Morrigan: Morrigan and Orion are perhaps each other's best friend. From the moment they met, Orion was fascinated by this Witch of the Wilds and her abilities. He never found her repulsive or anything of the sort. He met her with pure and unbridled curiosity and wonder. They bonded quite a bit over telling stories they'd heard from their parental figures. Orion adores her shape-shifting powers and they made up a game where Morrigan would transform into an animal before hurrying into the woods and Orion would have to find her. It was a fun way to pass the time. They'd do anything for one another. Morrigan was hoping that when the time came for the Dark Ritual, Orion would father her child. But when that proved to be impossible, she still agreed to do it with Alistair and would have done so even if it wasn't for the power she would gain. She would have wanted to save her friend.

- Oghren: Oghren is probably the only companion that Orion actively dislikes. Oghren is loud, rude, and was completely inappropriate towards Orion upon discovering that he was transgender. Orion tried to get along with him, he really did, but it's just so hard when he's such an asshole. He tries to be patient, but he will correct Oghren when he's rude or inappropriate towards someone. They have each other's backs in a fight, but that's the extent of their relationship.

- Shale: Orion absolutely loves Shale. He finds it positively fascinating. He could spend hours speaking to it or watching it. It seems at least a bit interested in Orion in return, though it finds his fascination and wonder exhausting at times. He can joke with it and helps it uncover its past. He values it as much more than just some hunk of rock. He views it as a person and a friend.

- Sten: Orion isn't quite sure how to feel about Sten, if he's totally honest. He's uncomfortable with the things he did in the past, but he believes that people are capable of change. He doesn't know what Sten thinks of him, either, which is a bit uncomfortable. Orion trusts Sten, but that's about all he can say about him.

- Wynne: Orion adores Wynne, at least at first. He thinks she's kind and gentle and would do anything to protect people. She's a healer and a good one, which Orion appreciates. He loves her motherly nature and sees her as a parental figure. He does loose some respect for her once she criticizes his relationship with Zevran, however. He respects her for apologizing, however. He loves her, honestly, and views her as family. She's the one person who, after being recruited, is always in his party. Besides Zevran, of course.

Thank you again for the ask!!

[fiadhaisteach]

Things I’ve Read This Week* - 2020.08.29

New Stories

Faded Desires by MarvelMaven (@marvel-maven) - Solas/Female Lavellen/Cullen - 5,867 words, WIP

In the face of your light, A tapestry of stars by noverture (@noverturemusings) - Solas/Male Lavellan - 1,303 words, WIP

For Goodness Bakes by RogueLioness (@roguelioness) - Solas/Female Lavellan - 3,952 words, WIP

Piece by Piece by apfelgranate (@notenoughdragons) - Solas/Female Adaar - 6,299 words, complete

Rereads

A Singular Shadow by AntlersandFangs - Solas/MGIT, Cullen/MGIT - 236,271 words, WIP

Tumblr Reads

The Clearing by @johannesevans - Original Fiction

I am Here by @katalyna-rose - Zevran/Female Mahariel

future by @apostatetabris (@apostatetabriswrites) - Zevran/Male Tabris

Din'anshiral by @thevikingwoman - Solas/Female Lavellan

Subscription Updates

Unwritten by UnrealRomance (@unrealromance) - Solas/MGIT (Ch. 125)

Fen'Harel’s Teeth, Fen'Harel’s Teeth by hes5thlazarus (@5lazarus) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 8)

the forest is dark and deep and i’ve seen you here before by victoriousscarf (@victoriousscarf) - Solas/Male Lavellan (Ch. 60-61)

Flame of Winter by Ahrorha (@ahrorha) - Solas/OFC (Ch. 29-30)

There Is Only Forward, There Is Only Forward by telanaris (@nerdanel01) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 35)

The Healer and the Dread Wolf by AnaVakarian (@anavakarian) - Solas/OFC (Ch. 53)

Heritage (English), Heritage by Luwan_Kyuu - Fen'Harel|Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 29)

Til It Squeaks: A Modern Girl's Take on Thedas, The Cutting Room Floor by CrackingLamb (@crackinglamb) - Solas/MGIT (Ch. 25)

Brute heart of a brute like you by elo_elo - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 28)

Hero by Tabikat (@tabikato) - Zevran/Male Mahariel (Ch. 9)

A Whole New World by RogueLioness (@roguelioness) - Solas/MGIT (Ch. 126)

The Heart of a God by sun_ray - Solas/MGIT (Ch. 4-6)

It Goes On by Fireplace_Dragon - MGIT (Ch. 13)

In Another World by fenkyuubi (@fenkyuubi) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 36-38)

Shadowed Moon by Heartfelt_Memories (@evuna) - Fen’Harel|Solas/MGIT (Ch. 16)

Til It Squeaks: A Modern Girl’s Take on Thedas, Twist by CrackingLamb (@crackinglamb) - Solas/MGIT (Ch. 47-48)

The Rebel’s Ascension by InArlathan (@in-arlathan) - N/A (Ch. 7-8)

Into the Chaos by Pakhet (@shiver-the-tiefling) - MGIT, MBIT (Ch. 48)

Fade Objects by KeeperSpock (@outragedvulcan) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 44-46)

Shameless With a Side of Egg and Noodles by Cease_Sphire (@csphire​) - Varric/MGIT (the slowest of burns), also Solas/MGIT, Male Hawke/MGIT (Ch. 6)

Mala Suledin Nadas, That's Not Quite an Answer by ModernAgeSomniari (@modernagesomniari) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 1) - complete, series sub

In the face of your light, In the face of your light by noverture (@noverturemusings) - Solas/Male Lavellan (Ch. 33)

Behind the Masks We Wear by AntlersandFangs (@thededfa) - MGIT, Iron Bull PoV (Ch. 6)

Inevitable by HIMluv (@himluv) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 38-40)

Sweet Surrender, Fallen by xRogueWhispersx - Solas/OFC (Ch. 3)

nothing on my tongue by EllsterSMASH (@ellstersmash) - Solas/Female Lavellan (Ch. 15)

» side note - multiple chapters may mean multiple updates; or might just be me refreshing my memory, reorienting myself in the story, or rereading some for fun. 😊

*TIRTW & can recommend

I do a quick search for author tumblrs (if they’re not posted on their fic, or AO3 profile); then assume they either don’t have one, or don’t want it linked to their fic, if it’s hard to find. So if you are a writer who has a tumblr they want linked to their rec, or know someone who is, just let me know and I’ll fix it.

[prince-everhard]

Prince’s Whumptober 2020 masterpost

Gonna have links, titles, summaries, and all that jazz under a readmore because i decided to really push myself and do all 31 prompts separately. Thank you to everyone who liked and reblogged my work; your support means the world to me and makes me want to keep writing! 

multiparters here have been listed in chronological order rather than posting order for ease of reading. 

FAHC

No 1. LET’S HANG OUT SOMETIME Waking Up Restrained | Shackled | Hanging

Title: another duck joins the flock Fandom: FAHC Character(s): Geoff, Michael Rating: T Warning(s): blood, handcuffs Wordcount: 728 Summary: Or how the Fakes gained their most famous muscle. [tidied up/expanded this never-to-be-posted fahc wip for whumptober]

Naruto

No 2. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY “Pick Who Dies” | Collars | Kidnapped

Title: and the worst part of waiting is the anticipation Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Team 7 Rating: T Warning(s): blood, vomit Wordcount: 951 Summary: Team Seven gets captured. [part of the whumptober au]

No 3. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY Manhandled | Forced to their Knees | Held at Gunpoint

Title: A Teaching Moment Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Sakura, Kabuto Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 498 Summary: Kabuto makes her an offer she can’t refuse. [part of the whumptober au]

No 29. I THINK I NEED A DOCTOR Intubation | Emergency Room | Reluctant Bedrest

Title: Graduation Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Sakura, Kabuto, Rating: T+? Warning(s): blood Wordcount: 835 Summary: Kabuto has one more test before Sakura can be considered a true medic-nin. [part of the whumptober au]

No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN Possession | Magical Healing | Science Gone Wrong

Title: Arboreal Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Sakura Rating: T Warning(s): needles Wordcount: 803 Summary: It was only a matter of time before Sakura found something that could help her escape. [part of the whumptober au]

No 9. FOR THE GREATER GOOD “Take Me Instead” | “Run!” | Ritual Sacrifice

Title: no good deed goes unpunished Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Naruto, Teuchi, Kyuubi Rating: T Warning(s): violence against children Wordcount: 972 Summary: Something goes wrong on his seventh birthday. Naruto might never be the same again.

No 26. IF YOU THOUGHT THE HEAD TRAUMA WAS BAD… Migraine | Concussion | Blindness

Title: Degradation Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto Rating: T Warning(s): dismemberment ment Wordcount: 187 Summary: Kakashi knows that power comes with a price.

Dragon Age

No 6. PLEASE…. “Get it Out” | No More | “Stop, please”

Title: Like Dogs Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Tabris, Shianni, Soris, Nelaros Rating: M Warning(s): implied/offscreen rape, violence against women, blood Wordcount: 1640 Summary: It was supposed to be a good thing, getting married. It wasn’t. [this is really just a love letter to the origin that fucking shooketh me]

No 19. BROKEN HEARTS Grief | Mourning Loved One | Survivor’s Guilt

Title: all’s fair but war is not without casualties Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s)/Pairing(s): Female Cousland, Alistair; ex-Alistair/Warden Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 695 Summary: Ten years after the Blight ends, Elissa Cousland runs into someone she never thought she’d see again. It, uh, doesn’t go quite as planned. [mostly canon compliant; Loghain is spared and becomes a warden]

No 11. PSYCH 101 Defiance | Struggling | Crying

Title: Duty Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Cousland, Eleanor, Bryce Rating: T Warning(s): blood, betrayal, last stand Wordcount: 633 Summary: Even without interference, history marches on. A what-if scenario if Duncan wasn’t there to recruit the Cousland. [part of iron & ash]

No 23. WHAT’S A WHUMPEE GOTTA DO TO GET SOME SLEEP AROUND HERE? Exhaustion | Narcolepsy | Sleep Deprivation

Title: To Ostagar Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Cousland Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 545 Summary: Jasmine is determined to get vengeance for her family. [part of iron & ash]

No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING? Branding | Heat Exhaustion | Fire

Title: Consequences Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Surana Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 368 Summary: Surana helps her best friend escape the Circle, and the consequences are more than she bargained for.

No 21. I DON’T FEEL SO WELL Chronic Pain | Hypothermia | Infection

Title: Corrupted Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Mahariel, Duncan Rating: Gen Warning(s): none Wordcount: 192 Summary: It’s a long journey from the Brecilian Forest to Ostagar for someone with blight sickness.

No 31. TODAY’S SPECIAL: TORTURE Experiment | Whipped | Left for Dead

Title: Big Sister Instinct Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Hawke, Unnamed Templars Rating: T Warning(s): torture, violence against women Wordcount: 325 Summary: Marian Hawke would rather die than betray her family. She might even just get the chance to do it.

Mass Effect

No 4. RUNNING OUT OF TIME Caged | Buried Alive | Collapsed Building

Title: never forget to bury your regret (before it buries you) Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Male Shepard, Human OC Rating: T Warning(s): cave-in, blood, character death Wordcount: 450 Summary: Survival training goes south in the ICT.

No 7. I’VE GOT YOU Support | Carrying | Enemy to Caretaker

Title: First Contact Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Turian OC, Human OC Rating: T Warning(s): injuries, broken bones, vomit, vehicular crash Wordcount: 1150 Summary: Decimus isn’t ready to die, but he’s especially not ready to die on a stupid scouting mission to a stupid alien colony. [set during the First Contact War; probably not canon-compliant but idgaf]

No 18. PANIC! AT THE DISCO Panic Attacks | Phobias | Paranoia

Title: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (and what does makes you scarred forever) Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Edi, Tali’Zorah, Garrus Vakarian Rating: T Warning(s): panic attack, open space Wordcount: 662 Summary: Shepard isn’t afraid of getting spaced. No, really. [a closer look at the geth dreadnought mission]

No 28. SUCH WOW. MANY NORMAL. VERY OOPS. Accidents | Hunting Season | Mugged

Title: Torfan Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Major Kyle Rating: T Warning(s): blood, guns, drugging Wordcount: 589 Summary: How the Butcher came to be.

No 25. I THINK I’LL JUST COLLAPSE RIGHT HERE, THANKS Disorientation | Blurred Vision | Ringing Ears

Title: Rest Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s)/Pairing(s): Female Shepard, Anderson; referenced Shepard/Vega Rating: T Warning(s): blood, character death Wordcount: 1018 Summary: A father-daughter moment after they open the arms of the Citadel. [part of Alder]

No 5. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING? On the Run | Failed Escape | Rescue

Title: they found you on the floor Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard Rating: T Warning(s): alcohol, vomit, underage drinking Wordcount: 348 Summary: Like mother like daughter; Shepard deals with her trauma after Mindoir. [part of Gloria Shepard]

No 22. DO THESE TACOS TASTE FUNNY TO YOU? Poisoned | Drugged | Withdrawal

Title: there’s easier ways to die Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Ashley Williams Rating: T Warning(s): DTs, vomit mention Wordcount: 368 Summary: Shepard takes a stand against her own demons. [part of Gloria Shepard]

No 17. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING Blackmail | Dirty Secret | Wrongfully Accused

Title: you crawled up on your cross Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Jacob Taylor Rating: T Warning(s): alcohol Wordcount: 645 Summary: Shepard gets a morale boost from a crewmate. [part of Gloria Shepard]

No 16. A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Forced to Beg | Hallucinations | Shoot the Hostage

Title: Cornered Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Garrus, Female Shepard Rating: T Warning(s): broken bones Wordcount: 1281 Summary: Garrus gets into some trouble. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE Lost | Field Medicine | Medieval

Title: Ancient History Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Garrus Rating: T Warning(s): injuries, death, self-destructive/suicidal actions Wordcount: 1223 Summary: Jane is an enigma and Garrus just wants to figure her out. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

No 8. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO? “Don’t Say Goodbye” | Abandoned | Isolation

Title: After Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Garrus, Female Shepard Rating: T Warning(s): injuries, death Wordcount: 440 Summary: Jane comes for Garrus after the gangs’ assault. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

No 30. NOW WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Wound Reveal | Ignoring an Injury | Internal Organ Injury

Title: Debt Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s)/Pairing(s): Garrus, Female Shepard, Mordin; mutual pining Shakarian Rating: T Warning(s): painkillers Wordcount: 590 Summary: After the gangs’ assault, Garrus overhears something. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

Undertale

No 13. BREATHE IN BREATHE OUT Delayed Drowning | Chemical Pneumonia | Oxygen Mask

Title: Drowning Fandom: Undertale Character(s): Toriel, Asgore Rating: T Warning(s): character death, child death Wordcount: 156 Summary: Asriel brought Chara home one last time.

[replacing no. 27] Alt 7. Found Family

Title: The Door Fandom: Undertale Character(s): Frisk, Papyrus, Sans Rating: Gen Warning(s): none Wordcount: 357 Summary: Just a little look at what could be a meeting with Gaster

Red vs Blue

No 12. I THINK I’VE BROKEN SOMETHING Broken Down | Broken Bones | Broken Trust

Title: Being a twin is a Hard Thing Fandom: Red vs Blue Character(s): South Dakota Rating: T Warning(s): psychological trauma Wordcount: 281 Summary: In the days before Wash finds them, South gets… introspective. [canon compliant? taken from a wip I was never going to finish so I fleshed it out for whumptober instead]

Original Fiction

No 10. THEY LOOK SO PRETTY WHEN THEY BLEED Blood Loss | Internal Bleeding | Trail of Blood

Title: please leave a message Rating: T Warning(s): blood Wordcount: 537 Summary: A detective’s work is never done. Antonia deals with the news that her most famous case’s subject is on the run again. [original fiction]

No 24. YOU’RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE Forced Mutism | Blindfolded | Sensory Deprivation

Title: Secondary Location Rating: Gen? Warning(s): kidnapping Wordcount: 143 Summary: Antonia wakes up on the wrong side of the city. [original fiction]

[official-cisphobe]

i highly admire your worldbuilding skills. can you tell us more about your OCs and their universe?

this is probably gonna be a bit lengthy so strap in! (edit: it is very lengthy)

the basics of Voidverse, like I explained earlier, is that there is a group of people tethered to each other by fate and higher forces, the purpose of the Alts is that they are a sort of keeper of balance between worlds and each of them is a sort of savour or hero in their respective timeline/universe. They weren't always aware of each other but when a great danger threatens all multiverses and all life they have to come together to defeat it—they do this with the help of someone called Katalin Huerta who has an ability called The Bridge ie she can create 'bridges' to other timelines/universes from wherever she is.

Technically the main character of Voidverse is Classic the Demon aka Classic, who is sort of a butterfly effect to get both the Alts and the end of the world running. but more about that later, I'll explain the other characters first.

anyway this ended up being super long so added a Read More to not take oevr anyone’s dash akdhsfsfg

Jojo - already explained

Leoh Yu - Leoh aka Badger is probably the most normal Alt out of all of them concidering he's not a demon or any sort of supernatural or sci-fi creature. Leoh grew up in Dazhai, China in the late 1970's to late 1980's with his mother and grandmother where they owned a farm and a bakery. His life took a turn when his mother got very sick and his family couldn't afford good doctors or treatments. at some point in the way of making money Leoh at 18-years-old was approached by a group of hitmen to recruit him, which after some time and thinking he accepted. Leoh worked as a hitman for about 30 years before retiring at age 40 to get married to his now husband Nico Mahariel as well as adopting a babygirl named Qing-Qiu. Leoh's past, however, will not let him go that easy but that's a story for another time.

Tuyja - Tuyja was a prophet of the Goddess Ghalme in an ancient civilisation called the Weykha. the Weykha lived in a sandstone kingdom and it is rumoured that they are where the legends of mermaids and Atlantis came from. Tyuja however was not of the Weykha people, instead she was born from the stars with ocean blue skin and horns made from spacedust. She was regarded as a sort of next in command from the Royal family and was basically treated as an extention of the Royal family (if not even higher than them), which infuriated the jealous Weykha prince. Tuyja had also fallen in love with a servant girl called Muza, which the Prince had used as leverage against her and turned the Weykha people against her, telling them that Tuyja would steal all their gold and jewellery and give it to a servant girl, that he had heard her say she would strip the skies of moon and star so that Muza would shine the brightest, that he had seen her tame ocean waves so that the servant girl could pick sea shells from the sand below. Tuyja had become a threat to the people who had praised her and come to her for guidance, they had banished her into the sea for 5000 years.

Quiet - named after one of my friends because I really like teir name and I've had difficulties naming this character for years, Quiet was born and raised in a lab where they were subjected to varieties of cruel and inhumane experiments going as far as getting permanent damage to their ribs and lungs. in canon Quiet only got their name after joining the Alts, Jojo who became their closest friend nicknamed them Quiet because they're,,, well,,, really quiet. ngl their story and character arc is on the undeveloped side

Lotus Draqon - Lotus is a half-human half-dragon who grew up outside his pack of origin because his mother Jupiter wasn't sure how the Matriarchs would react to Lotus' half-human trait. The dragons are an ancient people of long ago with vast magical abilities and lived in harmony with mortals, sharing their magic with them—until an evil was awakening and the Gods began to tear down entire cities. Mortals expected and begged the dragons to help them survive but the Matriarchs decided to abandon them, priotising the dragon's survival. They lived in isolation and hiding, shielded in a deep forest by magic for thousands of years. until Lotus as a young adult decided it was time for him to leave the nest and see the world. Jupiter was reluctant but Lotus was determined to never again live in fear. In time Lotus would become a very important figure to both the dragon and the mortals inhabiting the lands as dark forces began to matirialise and the Matriarchs became restless, declaring war against mortals.

Voidkeeper - demons are very hard to kill creatures, no regular blade or bullet with damage them much beyond cuts and bruises. the most efficient way to kill a demon is for one to end their own life which by Satan's rule is forbidden. It has happened technically two times but the first one was by a demon now known only as the Voidkeeper. After ending their own life as punishment their horns and tail were cut off, their magic taken away, and they were banished to the Void forever. Slyly they managed to grab some of their depleted magic and put it into a magical stone for safekeeping, it is only a very limited amount but can do very wondrous and powerful things things. The Void grants the Voidkeeper clairvoyance as to what is going on in whichever timeline and universe, they are a sort of silent watcher and will never interfere with the goingonabouts of the mortals. the Voidkeeper has a very minor but very important part to play in regards to the Alts and the saving of all life in the multiverse but for now they are patiently waiting and watching.

and finally there's our boy Class whose story is undoubtedly the most developed out of all of these so let's go through it:

Classic is a minor demon and was born at a time when the Underworld and the Human world were not so separate. He was born in a tiny demon village of about 15-20 inhabitants. His father had left him and his mother when Classic was about three years old and has not been seen since, Classic doesn't know if his father is dead or alive and doesn't really care about it either. Classic was an only child and pretty much a mama's boy, although he had a few friends in his village. Unfortunately his life changed forever at 12 years old when human soldiers pillaged his home, killing everyone—Classic would have been dead as well but his mother used her dying breath to save him with magic.

Classic had been knocked out during the raid but when he awoke he witnessed the aftermath of a bloodbath. Scared and alone and unsure of what to do he ran away from the scene and travelled days across the country until he stumbled upon a town of humans. Wrath overcoming his senses he murdered the entire town, leaving no human alive, going as far as tearing down entire houses and setting the entire place on fire.

Classic was later found in the ruins of that town crying by a group of angels. He was taken by them to a city in the sky and adopted by a family of angels. He wasn't generally liked by his neighbours but the angel child he lived with became his best friend for years to come. They grew up together, learned to use their different magicks together, Classic learned he could even materialise wings and fly albeit badly at first.

But as history has shown, wherever Classic goes, terror follows.

Classic had been having nightmares for months, very terrible ones, of dark forces beyond his understanding. They felt familiar and cruel, almost mocking.

Before he realised what he had done, the angel he spent his childhood with was dead and there was blood on his hands. Just like before, as if on instinct he ran away from the city of angels and went into hiding. Multiple years had passed by now and the human world was very different from what he remembered. It was no longer that easy to stay out of the radar of humans, since they were pretty much everywhere with cameras and police.

To say he was causing issues in the human world would be an understatement. He would steal, break into houses, even kill to survive. Random fires would start and radiation with no apparent source would appear all over.

This is where Katalin Huerta comes in—see, she is a commander of a very special branch of task force, it was her own creation. Her people dealt with supernatural oddities and threats, it was govrrment funded but entirely indepentant from their meddling albeit they can be difficult to please. Katalin was born with special abilities, a sort of family tradition—at birth her soul was bonded with that of a powerful spirit that had once been one with the soul of Katalin's mother. The spirit gave her the ability to control and create fire but her own speciality was her Bridge ability.

anyway, Katalin had taken notice of the strange indicents around town and taken some of her people to go check it out, only to find a teenaged demon crawling in an abondoned factory. She could tell the demon was just afraid and lost and decided to help him. Which is how Classic joined her task force.

Which honestly was probably the best thing that had happened to Classic, Katalin taught him to fight and better utilise his demon magic as well as taught him to use a sword (Classic has never understood guns and will never attempt to). Learning spells with a human was a difficult task but eventually they figured it out. Classic's natural abilities worked very strongly as illusion based magic as well as materialisation, although the latter has been more tricky to master even after all these years so as we speak Classic's only materialisation spells are his wings as well as his sword and teleportation.

Eventually the darkness haunting Classic began to rear its head again, Katalin catches wind of this and fortunately can help him keep it out from his head yet it still lingers in the air and grows stronger.

until now Classic had never before talked about the darkness. but at this point he was cornered and Katalin wouldn't take no for an answer.

At that point in time all Classic knew about the darkness was that it was some sort of ancient entity, it wasn't a demon because its presence felt entirely different from at least the demons Classic was used to. He nicknamed it Ash, as all he could remember from the times it has appeared are the ashes left by roaring embers.

In reality the darkness is one of the five forgotten gods of an ancient people. It was cast aside by the Creator and exiled from the land of gods. The darkness hates mortal life because of the gods' love for them, so it seeks to destroy all that is living. in its weakened state it needs a vessel to succeed and has been corrupting Classic and molding him into that vessel since that day he turned 12-years-old.

Only the Alts can defeat the darkness, whether Ash stays defeated is only a matter of time.

[jawsandbones]

The Evening Red - Chapter Three

Rating: E

Summary: The blighted plague at your feet, and ghosts at your bedside. Those things that go bump in the night? They follow behind you. If only you had someone to protect you. A late-Victorian era re-imagining of Dragon Age Origins.

Pairing: Zevran x Female Warden

AO3 Link: Click Here

Chapter Three: Contention

Her eyes are slow to open. She frowns as she buries her face deeper into the pillow, her fist wrapped in the blanket. The window above her bed is unkind to sleeping, but it’s a far better alternative to the stale air of her flat. Noya rolls over, a hand flat over her chest, and looks up through the curtains to the blue sky outside. The breeze moves it this way and that, the sunlight playing on the blankets. The floorboards creak underneath her steps, and she can hear her neighbors above also moving around their flat. She kneels on the bed to pull back the curtains, and attempts to close the window once again.

She pays the price for having it open, the sagging frame unwilling to accept it back. As early as it is, the streets have already begun to fill. There’s the cacophony of horses and taxis, conversations overlapping and overpowering one another. The factories will be in full swing soon enough, and smoke has already begun to billow from the stacks. With a painful retch, the window finally closes in place. A flick of her finger is all it takes for the latch to swing over, lock in place. Save for the stack of books beside the bed, there isn’t much to suggest someone lives here.

It’s sterile, as clean as it possibly can be, and almost wholly empty. One of the cheapest places she could find in Denerim, and a single room was all she needed. A bed in the corner, a table in the middle for everything else. The kitchen is small but functional, and the same could be said for the rest of it. She fills up the kettle with water, lights one of the burners of the stove as she begins to change. The nightgown falls around her feet as she goes to the closet. She finds something simple, a blouse and a skirt, and that’s good enough.

She pulls the kettle from the stove when it begins to whistle, in time to hear the knock at the door. “Good morning,” he says, when she opens the door. Noya steps aside as Alistair enters, a basket under his arms. He throws his cap onto the table as he settles at one of the chairs. She pulls a few eggs from the basket and gets to work. It’s become routine, more or less, for them to have breakfast together every morning. Particularly once his stove stopped working. The landlord said he’d fix it – but then, that’s what landlords always say before they increase your rent.  

“Did you sleep well?” he asks as she puts a plate in front of him, one at the other side.

“Zevran didn’t visit me last night. If he did, I would tell you,” she says, cutting straight to the heart of his question. She takes a seat, crosses her legs as she pushes a cup of coffee towards him. Alistair seemingly barely registers her answer, too busy inhaling the eggs and bacon. He fixes her with a stern look after a moment, washes down the food with a hearty gulp. It’s as though he doesn’t even feel the burn of it. She settles a hand on the table, her index finger pricking at the flat of her thumb. She moves from one finger to the next, begins again.

“Now, when I knock at your door, I worry that all I’m going to find here is a body,” he says, reaching for the toast. Noya chuckles dismissively, her gaze moving downwards as she shakes her head. Three hard swipes with the knife and the butter scrapes across the bread. He downs it as quickly as all the rest. There are crumbs in his stubble. He wears an old grey shirt, the buttons undone at the collar. There are a few odd color stains – from grease, and the bleach mistakenly used to remove them. Suspenders and a belt, and his trousers are in no better shape than his shirt.

“He’s dangerous,” Alistair says to her silence. Noya reaches for the napkin, brings it down to her lap. She turns it in her hands, folding it this way and that.

“I’m quite aware, I’m not arguing otherwise.” she says.

“You should have someone stay with you,” he says, “or stay somewhere else.”

“That would be breaking the terms of our agreement, and we owe him,” she says.

“We owe him nothing,” Alistair says, shaking his head.

“Yes, we do. You of all people should know how much of a risk it is to give us his blood. People won’t understand what he is. All they know, they know from folk tales and stories meant to frighten children in their beds. It’s more complicated than that,” she says.

“Is it?” he frowns. “I of all people know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. You’ve been lucky with what you’ve seen and who you’ve met. Zevran is unlike Morrigan, Wynne and I. Vampires are – I just don’t understand why you’re acting so naïve with him.”

“Don’t mistake me for an innocent,” she says harshly, before relenting. Noya reaches across the table, taps a finger against his knuckle, before she pulls back. She sighs, “Zevran needs to trust us. Better to think us naïve than suspicious. If a vampire’s blood holds the key to the cure, then we’ll need more, and a lot of it. I don’t imagine anyone would be volunteering for that. We need him.” They both look towards the door when they hear the voices outside of it. The building is beginning to empty, and the footsteps echo in the hallway. Alistair stabs the last egg with his fork.

“He’s a murderer, the same as the rest of them,” he says after a moment.

“Maybe so, that doesn’t change anything.”

“At least have Morrigan or Leliana stay with you,” he says, the fork settling against the plate with a metallic tap. He leans back in the chair, one thumb wrapped around a suspender. “Then he might be less likely to eat you.” The noise of the city invades their conversation. She glances towards the window, firmly shut. Denerim invades from all sides. She drops the napkin on the table as she stands, moves towards Alistair, and brushes the crumbs from his cheek.

“I understand your concerns, but it’s a risk I have to take,” she says. Her words end with a tone of finalization. It isn’t the first time they’ve had this argument. It won’t be the last, she knows. She doesn’t resent him for it, but her patience wears. Alistair collects the plates, the cups, cleans them and puts them on the rack as she collects her jacket, her keys, finds the single book she needs from the pile.

“Have you seen Tam lately?” Alistair asks as he takes his cap, fits it on his head. She locks the door behind them.

“I haven’t had much time,” she says as they make their way down the stairs, avoiding the people who loiter there, “but I was planning to go see him tonight.” Navigating through the crowded streets is much easier by Alistair’s side. His height and width incline others to step out of his way, and all Noya has to do is stay slightly behind him.

“Well, tell him I say hello and that he still owes me two gold,” he says.

“I’ll be sure to mention it,” she says as they rush across the street, to where the steel works await. They stop at just the side of the entrance gates, and huddle together. “Be careful today.”

“I always am,” he says, putting his hand on her arm, “you too. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” He gives her a gentle squeeze, before turning away. They go in separate directions, with Noya focused on heading towards the University.

“Good morning Wynne,” she says when she finally makes it to the classroom, hanging up her coat. Wynne has her glasses perched at the edge of her nose, the scalpel in her hand as she dissects the arm on the operating table. Wynne looks up and smiles as Noya places the book on her desk.

“Good morning Miss Mahariel. Are you finished already? Did you answer all the questions?” she asks, as she looks back down at her work. She has a bloody apron wrapped around her waist, covering her skirts. The theatre will fill with students soon, all prepared to learn from Wynne.

“I did. Whether I got them correct or not remains to be seen,” she says as she approaches the table. Wynne chuckles under her breath as she carefully moves the vein, begins to pull at the radial nerve.

“I’m sure you did. You’ve a mind for riddles,” she says.

“Nerves today?” Noya asks, as she peers over the table at what Wynne is doing. Wynne opens her mouth to answer, but is stopped by the door to the classroom flying open. Morrigan is breathless as she pulls the scarf from around her neck, tosses it with her jacket onto Wynne’s desk.

“Your class is to be cancelled – and we are all to be summoned,” she says, the hurried and points steps of her heels echoing in the empty space. Wynne raises her eyebrows and puts down her scalpel, takes off her gloves. “We are to speak with the King himself.”

“About the blight?” Noya asks.

“There can be no doubt,” Morrigan says.

“Ah,” Wynne says, pushing up her glasses, “I don’t expect they’ll ask any complicated questions. They will want to know if we’re close to a cure, and that’s all.” The voice of experience.

“This is our chance to impress upon the King and the Court that the blight is not to be taken lightly. We need more funding, more space to research – more everything. Thus far they have looked upon it as though it is no more than a common cold,” Noya says, the frustration coming through clearly in the latter half of her words.

“I would not expect the King to properly listen,” Morrigan says, “presumably he will promise us something, and his advisors will look into it and find there is nothing in the coffers to aid us.” She waves her hand in the air dismissively.

“Hush,” Wynne says, glancing towards the door. Sure enough, a figure soon fills the frame. Imposing, but not unkind, Duncan scratches at his beard as he smiles at the three women. The Dean of Medicine, Noya has only met him once before. Wynne, on the other hand, is the only one to smile back.

“Should I even bother, or has Morrigan already told you?” he asks.

“Is he coming here, or are we meeting him elsewhere?” Noya stands at attention, her hands clasped behind her back. They squeeze each other tightly, her knuckles white, fingers pressing into each other. She keeps her attention on Duncan, doesn’t look away.  

“You’re to come to the Chancellor’s office when you’re ready. I would suggest leaving the apron behind,” he says. Wynne is untying it already.

“Thank you Ser Duncan,” she says, before he nods, leaves the way he came.

“He does not come here, or to our offices to see our research. ‘Tis disappointing already and we’ve not yet met the man,” Morrigan says, as she turns to the others.  

“If it doesn’t touch one of the nobility or someone else of importance, then it’s overlooked. It’ll be printed that he visited and spoke to us about a cure, and that will be enough to placate the masses until it gets worse,” Noya says. Wynne folds her apron, tucks it underneath her arm.

“There’s no point in arriving already furious,” she says. “We’ll be polite, we’ll answer his questions and we’ll try to inform him of the importance of funding. There’s nothing more we can do.” Noya squeezes her hands together tighter. It takes them only a few minutes to get ready, make their way across the campus. Even then, they’re left waiting outside the Chancellor’s office. Noya puts a hand over her knee, to stop her leg from bouncing. It’s Duncan, once again, who retrieves them, brings them into the office. Chancellor Irving is sitting, his cane resting against the desk, his hands folded on top of it.

“King Theirin.” It’s a chorus that moves from one to the other, as they each curtsey in turn.

“Ms. Aequitar,” Cailan says as he stands to meet them, his hand already extended towards Wynne, “what a pleasure it is to see you again. I hear you’re doing wonderful work to make the University proud. To make all of Denerim proud.” He raises her hand to his lips, presses a chaste kiss against her knuckles.

“Your Majesty, I didn’t expect –”

“The King to take an interest in medical research? How could I miss all the fun,” Cailan says with a wide smile. He’s personable, at least. Noya shifts her gaze from Cailan to the one behind him, a much sourer personage. “I take it these are your new ‘recruits’?” He lets Wynne’s hand go gently, before turning to the others.

“Allow me to introduce you, your Majesty. This is Noya Mahariel and Morrigan Connobar. They give me comfort to know that when I retire, the students will be left in their capable hands,” she says.

“I assume they are assisting you in finding a cure for this illness they’re calling the blight?”

“That’s correct, your Majesty.”

“Excellent, I’m glad to hear it. These things are common to large cities, are they not? I hear that most of it has already been quarantined. I’m sure that –”

“Excuse me your Majesty,” Noya says, stepping forward, “but have you seen the sick?”

“You’re asking if your King has been to a dangerous and infectious place,” the man behind him states dryly.

“Hush, Loghain. I haven’t. Please, go on,” he says, turning attentively to Noya. She clenches her jaw, shifts her frown away from Loghain.

“Then you don’t know what’s happening to them. This sickness robs them of their humanity. It strips away their morals, their rationality. They are violent, dangerous, and yes – contagious. It moves slowly through their system, taking a piece of them as it goes. If we do not find a cure, we can never return those already sick back to their loved ones. They will die, and it may be a mercy. If the blight takes any more, it will expand from Denerim throughout Ferelden,” she says. Cailan continues to smile.

“You make it sound so dire! I know how capable Ms. Aequitar and Ser Duncan are. I’m sure that together, all of you will find a way to stop this blight in its tracks,” he says.

“You say it turns them violent.” Loghain plays with the fraying edges of the armrest. His dark hair is slicked back, his suit subtly expensive and neat. “How so?”

“They lash out and attempt to kill any close to them, ser,” Morrigan says.

“You think this blight came about naturally, or could it have been manufactured?”

“Oh Loghain, please. Orlais would never do such a thing,” Cailan says. Loghain fixes him with a silent stare, before he looks back at the others. The three of them exchange a glance.

“There is a possibility that the blight isn’t natural,” Wynne says slowly.

“Please accept my apologies Ms. Aequitar, Miss Mahariel, Miss Conobar. Lord Mac Tir is getting quite paranoid in his old age,” Cailan laughs, but there’s an edge to it; a warning. “I’m sure we’ve taken up enough of your time. I’ll discuss things with my advisors and see if we can’t get you more funding, hmm? I have faith you’ll find a cure soon enough.”

“Thank you, your Majesty,” Wynne says, putting her hand at Noya’s back. This is also a warning. It silences her, and her mouth shuts with a clack of teeth. Duncan opens the door for them – and they’re dismissed as quickly as they were welcomed. Outside the closed door, Morrigan laughs mockingly.

“As we said. Disappointing,” she says.

--

Noya makes her way quickly down the street. Most of the city attends to their supper, and the streets aren’t quite as busy. Even more so down the route she takes. She keeps her hands in the pocket of her coat, and her steps are fixed ever forward. A superstitious lot, most people cross the street instead of walking in front of the hospital Noya now stands in front of. She’s met with familiar nods, greetings from the nurses and orderlies she passes. Down the stairs, into the basement, where a guard stands with a key.

The sick mask does nothing, she knows, but it does make them feel better. She puts it on, signs her name in the book, before the guard unlocks the gate. They’ve made the basement a prison. Patients writhe as they’re strapped to beds, bits in their mouths, wrapped around their skulls. Their eyes stay wide, bloodshot and frenzied. A few nurses make their way between beds, cleaning up what they can. Noya drags a stool from a corner, towards a single bed. She brushes back his hair, checks his neck. The discoloration has already started. “Hello Tam,” she says softly. Tamlen only bucks underneath the straps, his hands trying to reach from her. Drool spills down his cheek, salivating at the sight of her.

Noya takes the cloth from the table, dabs at his mouth gently. “Alistair says hello. He hasn’t forgotten about the bet you lost yet. Give it another week,” she says. She speaks as though she doesn’t see him bite at the tack in his mouth. She pretends he doesn’t look at her without recognition, and that his whole body doesn’t ache to attack her. She leans in close, her elbows on her knees.

“I’ve found one, Tam. We’re studying his blood now. I know there’s answer. It’s going to be alright. I’m going to find a cure,” she whispers. Hesitantly, she rests her hand on his arm. He’s cold to the touch, almost dead. His grunting grows louder, his thrashing fiercer. Only when he begins to scream through the bit does she take her hand away. She smiles as she clenches her hand into a fist. “You’re going to be okay, I promise.”

Her visits are never long. They’re for her, not for him. “Coming back soon?” the guard asks as she leans over to sign the book once again, noting the time of her exit. She sighs as she undoes the mask.

“Tomorrow, most likely.”

“See you tomorrow then, Miss Mahariel.”

She walks slowly, leisurely, without direction. Her brows knot together, her every thought occupied. She pauses when she feels the hair at the back of her neck raise. She presses her hand against her nape, and turns. She looks down the street, sees people laughing and smiling together. Some share food, others talk loudly, while others walk in silence. There is nothing and yet – Noya cannot shake the feeling she is being watched.

[allmywardensaresafeandsound]

Multiverse : Introduction

Duncan finds Kamela Mahariel fighting for her life, first, and saves her. Then he discovers her begging for her death, for a casket next to her companion, for a place to rest next to her clan’s, and still, he saves her. Through the curses, and her eyes like grey moons, and the wolven growls of her denial, and the cutting edge of her words. And he takes it. He will haul her over his shoulder kicking, will endure the bites of her pack, but she will survive, she will heal and she will mourn. But she will thrive, and he promises so. Marethari looks in his eyes, and understands. 

Kamela walks the way out of her forest, her home, with steady feet and a broken heart. She doesn’t turn back, knows she can’t, and as her wolves howl her loss in her stead, as she raises her eyes with more bravery than Duncan has seen in entire armies, he knows it was a bargain worth making. 

Ilsramel Cousland escapes Howe’s attack, escapes the promises he made, the hopes he had and the boy he was. If he weren’t pulled through the secret tunnel by Sir Gilmore, heart hammering with shame, with fear, with a yearning so strong he thinks he’ll grow deaf from it, then he would still be hugging his nephew’s corpse, he would be begging his mother to hold him tighter as he cried. His lungs are filled with anguish, guilt and smoke, but the dry, burning air of his past in flames awaken his heart with fury. He knows what his duty is, the blood in his ears singing of vengeance, of retribution. He will reach his brother at Ostagar, will have to say the words and stand the claim justice for his family’s blood with Howe’s head.  

Mephis Tabris awaits his sentence for Vaughan’s murder in a dark cell. Suddenly there’s commotion outside, sounds of fighting, shouting. Then his lock clicks open. When he moves the corridors are empty, littered with dead guards, and a note stabbed to a wall with a dagger whispers of a way down the sewers, signed RJ.

He slowly works his way South and meets Cousland and Gilmore on the road. Stabbing happen, quickly forgiven, and he is convinced to travel with them, to seek safety with the Wardens.

When they encounter Mahariel, Alistair and Morrigan outside out the Korkari Wilds it’s only to discover they were too late, but adversity tied them together, and thus they go forward.

Korinn Brosca is exiled to the tunnels, condemned for getting Orzammar rid of its Carta leader and for making the Proving Grounds’ Champion a Duster. She would almost find it ridiculous, but she’s too busy killing darkspawn with her fists aching, finally managing to loot a rusty sword from a corpse- too busy surviving. She survived so much already, she’ll survive this as well; no filth, no brawl, no fate worse than what she’s been through her whole life.

Portia Aeducan walks the tunnel with a relic of a past burned in betrayal, her only possession now. She plans to die with dignity, may her blood to the Stone cleanse the Aeducan shame. She doesn’t expect it when she raises her sword to a shadowy attack, meeting eyes that aren’t corrupted by the now-familiar milky, lifeless glaze of taint. Her hand stills just as the stranger's does, and the clash of the fight quiets, and flickers instead the flame of new hope. Together, they make it out of the tunnels, right where flows a river of corpses. Darkspawns, and humans dressed with griffon insignias, under the pale light of the sky-ceiling and the shadow of a fortress so high they can barely see the tip of it without their eyes aching. 

They follow the roads carefully, but greedy with curiosity, with the inebriation of freedom, and lands on the borders of their first human city: Lothering.

They meet all that remains of the Wardens, and Aeducan has sworn war to the Darkspawn since she was still her father’s daughter and pleads her cause with no fear of condemning her life. Brosca had to renounce to a sister, but won’t do it twice, and joins the company with a smile and a thirst for more.

Malaad Surana was always defective. Conte Amell had kept her alive more than once, had kept the Templars away from her failures, had kept her company in the longest nights, hidden in a nook of the library, practicing twice as long to make sure she was ready to be tested the day after. He was there when the thought of Anders alone in his cells for weeks made her choke for breathing, made her hands and arms stiff with a sheen of uncontrolled ice. He was the warm hearth to her cold fears, but the night of Uldred attack he is not there, and she is drowning. 

She loses herself somewhere in misty skies, between changing groves, in the depth of the oceans she only ever read about in books. She never had legs and fingers and arms in her dreams, only wings, and shells, and paws and fins. Never bothered by demons, never noticed, never chased. She is safe. But a voice whispers for her and slowly she is back, ice changing back to skin, water to blood, his warmth hers again. She falls into Conte’s arms, and when he rushes her to go, now, now that they aren’t paying attention to who survived the Tower and who didn’t, to go with the Wardens, the Saviors, and he will cover for her. He will find her, he promises. 

She goes, for him, for their promise, for the Harrowing everyone expects her to fail. She finds the elf with the markings on her face and the griffon on her shoulder, the golden man with kind smiles and a lute on his back. She sees the red elf, with black eyes like coals, as sharp as the blades by his side, the two dwarven woman, as different as they can be; one as straight and hard as stone, the other quick like a cat and bright like the first ray of sunshine after the rain. They see her, dangerous like the first kiss of winter, wild in a way that seared the bars of her prisons on her skin like scars. She’s one of theirs before she even speaks.

clearly inspired by @laurelsofhighever ‘s incredible post here, I only hope it doesn’t look to plagiarizing, I just loved how it managed to find a way out for every origin (omg the Jennies saving Tabris, omg my heart). I JUST LOVED IT AND IT MOTIVATED MY TO COMPOSE THE MULTISTATE TO BEGIN WITH so omg thanks. ;3;

[tserofweald]

My Dalish Warden headcanons

I journal my headcanons about my Dalish Warden Atheline Mahariel, but my hand is seriously giving out on the heavy writing. I have two other characters in development, Lethel Lavellan (she’s the first one I worked on).

This is for the sake of documenting my current development of Mahariel, and I apologize if I get any of the DA lore wrong :) They’re not really headcanons but more so going over my characterization of Mahariel.

Atheline Mahariel, Athy for short to her friends. She was 20 years old at the beginning of the Fifth Blight. She’s a warrior specializing in two-handed weapons. 

She’s stupid strong despite her short stature even for an elf. She’s very careless in battle and is the one to set off all the traps during combat. Zevran literally trains his ass off to up his lockpicking skills to disengage all traps beforehand. 

She and Zevran eventually get into a friends with benefit relationship. She had never experienced sex, and was never really interested in it until getting to know Zevran. She was pretty eager to give it a go, and really enjoyed it with him. 

Though Zevran was really on the idea of them just being friends with intimacy involved, Atheline had developed special feelings for him, though she didn’t really understand that she had those feelings at the time. She was satisfied with keeping things between them as just “friends.” 

Atheline wanted to explore her sexual experience more through sleeping with other people. Though she was definitely satisfied at the Pearl, she ended up reserving this space solely for Zevran. She didn’t understand why, but she felt some sort of a spark with Zevran but none with her other encounters (later on, she realizes it’s because she loved him). 

Though she reserves herself to engage sexually only with Zevran, she didn’t mind Zevran engaging with others than herself.

Atheline is proud of her Dalish heritage, but not in the sense Lavellan is. My Lavellan is interested in uncovering the truth of elven lore/history, whereas Atheline focuses more on her people standing up against slavery enforced by Tevinter. She takes the most pride in her people’s bravery and fortitude, fighting against forced human religion and exploit, knowing the consequences. 

Atheline was initially not a religious person. She didn’t really care to pray to the Creators, for she knew they wouldn’t be able to hear her prayers. But when Tamlen went missing and she had to enter the shem world as a Grey Warden, she prayed relentlessly to Mythal and Andruil for guidance. 

She got the same Vallaslin as Tamlen and didn’t put much thought into actually picking a god to draw strength from. No matter what god it represents, a Vallaslin is a Vallaslin, right?

The biggest value she learns from her culture is creating a close, familial connection with everyone in the clan. This is why Mahariel is so well accustomed to welcoming anyone who wanted to join her in her journey. She was able to create deep, personal bonds very quickly and easily with those around her.

Keeper Marethari also taught her clan that yes, learning more about their elven past is important, and they should continue to find supporting artifacts that’d expand their knowledge, but no knowledge is at the cost of a clansman. Safety and well being of individuals came first. Atheline really took that to heart, though she’d often forget this lesson in place for dangerous adventures.

Despite her deep love for her clan, she also craved adventures beyond the forest. She wanted to know what the world was like beyond the Dalish, beyond the elves. She’d sometimes sneak out of camp with Tamlen and Merrill to visit a nearby village. There’d be a summer festival, with food, music and dancing. She was so intrigued to see human traditions. Tamlen would tease she’s gonna become one of the “flat-ears.” They’d regularly sneak out to nearby villages every time the camp relocated, though Ashalle had caught them at some point and scolded them for it.

Mahariel never thought she’d be “adventuring” in the outside world at the cost of Tamlen’s life and feels guilty for becoming a Grey Warden. Why was she saved in place of him?

Tamlen and Mahariel were best friends since birth, and they met Merrill when they were 10 years old. While Merrill was timid and strict with herself as she was the clan’s First, Tamlen and Mahariel would try and help her relax and engage in fun stuff together. Tamlen and Atheline would invite Merrill out on hunting together, and the two hunters would compete who had the best kill. Merrill would be the mediator during these competitions. 

When entering their teen years, Merrill and Tamlen began having romantic feelings for Atheline. Merrill and Tamlen knew that they shared mutual feelings for Mahariel, and thus their relationship became strained and distant because of it.

Merrill stopped joining in on sneaking into villages with the duo, for she felt that her relationship with them were weaker than the bond between Tamlen and Atheline. She slowly continued to distance herself from the two, and eventually Atheline confronted her about it. Merrill simply says she wanted to focus more on her training as the next Keeper, and that she shouldn’t let such distractions keep her from her studies. 

“That’s bullshit, Merr. What are you doing pulling on Fenharel’s dick for? I’m sorry if I did anything to upset you, but I can’t change if you don’t tell me.” 

“It’s because I’m in love with you, you twat!” 

And there it is, Merrill blurted out the one fear she had, loving Mahariel, loving another woman. In my hc because there aren’t many Dalish people who can preserve the elven gift left by their ancestors (magic), having Merrill was a miraculous gift to the clan. And to keep the old magic alive in the clan, Merrill is expected to produce another bearer of magic. Being with another woman was not an option for Merrill. Merrill not only distanced herself because she knew how Tamlen felt and thought that she had no chance with Mahariel, but she also knew that her clan would never let her be with Mahariel. 

On Atheline’s part, I would like to think that she had feelings for Tamlen but was too late to realize it. She didn’t understand her feelings and was never really bothered to understand them, other than the fact that she cared really deeply for him, but she didn’t think it was any different from how she felt about Merrill (which is why she has a hard time understanding how she feels for Zevran). Atheline ends up rejecting Merrill’s confession, saying that she doesn’t feel the same way, but she always cares about her as a friend. This breaks Merrill’s heart and asks Mahariel if she’d instead be with Tamlen, to which Atheline doesn’t reply because she doesn’t know how to. Merrill and Atheline’s relationship become pretty strained because of it (this will be around the time Dalish origins starts).

Atheline only realizes her feelings when she sees Tamlen as a ghoul and when she was forced to kill him. 

Sadly, Tamlen and Atheline never discussed about his feelings for her. She wasn’t clueless; she knew he had something to say, but he’d just treat her the same as how he always had, and with how it ended with Merrill, she didn’t have the heart to force an answer out of Tamlen either. If he had confessed to her, she wouldn’t have known what to do. Reject him like how she rejected Merrill? Ruin the brotherhood they had together because she couldn’t sort out her feelings?

Tamlen knew how Atheline felt, which was why he decided not to speak to her about it. And they would never speak about it until he reappears into her life as a ghoul. 

“Always…loved you…”

Tamlen and Atheline wanted to go into the cave to find anything interesting to bring back to Merrill in hopes of mending their friendships, for they knew that Merrill was always delighted to discover new elven artifacts. They thought they could do the same with the mirror. 

When Atheline becomes a Grey Warden, she didn’t give up on searching for Tamlen. She made it her life mission and commitment to find him and save him. She didn’t believe Duncan and the clan when they said that Tamlen is dead. She found no body. He must be alive. And he was. 

She blames herself when Tamlen goes missing. She had let her arrogance and thirst for adventure get the better of her. The Dread Wolf had guided her this entire time. She blamed herself for Merrill’s heartbreak, for Tamlen’s unrequited feelings, and for the torture he must be going through with the taint.

Because of this, she becomes extremely protective of her party members during combat. She lets no one step into an unknown area until she examines it first. She’d take an arrow for her teammates when she can, causing her to take on the most injury out of the party. She’d tank her way through it if it meant letting her friends go unharmed.

Many of her companions thought she was arrogant and condescending because of her “I can do it myself” attitude, but when she takes that first hit for a companion, they realize it’s because she’s terrified of having any one of them injured.

It was finally during the trials to find the Urn of Sacred Ashes when Atheline finally accepts the idea of Tamlen being gone. It was when the spirit had taken the form of Tamlen and had said, “Goodbye, my friend. We will never meet again.” That she finally let herself think that it’s okay to forgive herself for this tragedy. 

But then he comes back. He comes back and she can’t save him. She regretted not telling him how she felt. She regretted letting him die without telling him how sorry she was she took too long to realize her feelings.

She does him one last favor and kills him instantly so that she may end his pain. She only feels empty. Alistair is the first to ask if she’s alright, that this was the only way and that it had been a mercy to him. She just wanted him to shut up. 

Mahariel goes into the forest by herself, with Tamlen’s body in her arms, wanting to give him a proper Dalish burial. 

Zevran followed her into the forest, and with not a single word, helps her bury Tamlen. She allowed herself to sob and cry relentlessly, and Zevran would simply wrap his arms around her.

After recovering from Tamlen’s death, she confesses to Zevran that she loves him out of the blues, completely startling Zevran and him rejecting her confession outright because an assassin cannot love. 

“And that’s fine. Just because someone loves you doesn’t mean you need to love them back. You don’t have to do anything at all, really. But I don’t want to make the same mistake I did with Tamlen. I love you, and that’s all there’s to it.”

This completely flusters Zevran and he has no idea what to do with it. He’s been growing fondly of her day after day and had become even more protective of her, but to have her tell him outright that she loves him is just….weird. Incomprehensible. 

[bisexualryder]

Okay dude i’ll bite, can i know more about your trio wardens au ? Like how did they meet ? Who did they romance ? What happens to them after dao ? In da2 ? Dai ? (Sorry im just a huge fan of ocs and i love the wardens)

Ahhh, first off - thank you for asking! I’m happy to gush about my trio of idiots wardens :D Secondly - don’t apologize for asking! I love talking about my OCs, I’m just bad about keeping up with posting and such lately (but hope to fix that soon, especially if I make this extra sideblog). ANYWHO, gonna jump in and apologize now if this gets long, lol.

—

SO I’ll hit romance first since that’s quicker and easier. Rylee and Ise (eventually) become a thing - they’re married by the time DAI rolls around. Typical grumpy asshole falls in love with ray of sunshine and doesn’t want to admit it at first. She tries to play it cool and ends up playing it too cool until she gets some help from the couple companions she befriends (mostly Zev, since Sten doesn’t care that much, but he offers his insight on what qunari do). But they don’t actually, like, really become a romance-y thing until after ghoul!Tamlen shows up and oof that one is painful.

Eleri I… don’t know yet, to be honest. She was a re-imagining of my old Cousland, who romanced Alistair, but with Eleri I’m actually leaning a bit more toward Zevran. But uh, still not sure yet, I’m mad indecisive on this one. tbh even Nate is in the running for her *shrug emoji*

On to the rest!

DA:O

They don’t all join the standard way, I guess, but they do all meet at Ostagar. Ducan officially recruits Rylee and Isethari, Eleri recruits herself, lol.

Rylee is recruited first. Standard Tabris origin there and it’s on the way to Ostagar that they plan to stop and see the Dalish elves and that’s when they find Isethari half-dead in the middle of the woods (it was sheer luck, really). Duncan sends Rylee, carrying the nearly-dead Ise, to the camp and goes to investigate the area. Other than Rylee wandering around the Dalish camp like an awestruck idiot, most of the Mahariel origin is the same. Rylee stays behind in the camp, though, when Ise and co. are sent back to the ruin where they run into Duncan. Once they leave, Rylee earns herself the duty of ensuring that Isethari doesn’t run on their trip to Ostagar, bc let me tell you Ise is not happy about leaving without finding Tamlen.

Now for Eleri, she escapes the castle with only her mabari after her parents sacrifice themselves to buy her time to get out. She manages to make it to the stables for her horse and rides as hard as she can to Ostagar, desperate to find her brother. When she basically gets told that he’s out scouting and she likely won’t see him before the battle, she asks about the wardens and is pointed toward Duncan. At that point, she goes up to him like: “I just slaughtered my way through an army of men trying to assassinate my family. I have nothing left but this dream, please.” He asks clarification, she provides, he eventually agrees and sends her off to gather the other recruits and report back with Alistair. It’s at that point she meets Rylee and Isethari, who are hanging around close together by the quartermaster (after Rylee nearly kills Daveth for hitting on that one woman, you know the one). 

From there up until the start of the fight, it progresses as it normally would in canon. They all get their quest, go out into the wilds, etc. etc. And once they survive the Joining, they have a pre-meeting meeting thing. Alistair and Eleri join the meeting as per canon, and Duncan assigns Rylee and Ise to the remaining warden forces. So from there, canon-typical for Eleri. Go to the tower, light the beacon, get almost killed and then saved by Flemeth, etc.

Rylee and Ise, however, have a much more trying experience. Rylee takes a genlock to the face (claws? blade? idk lmao) for Ise to protect her - this being around the time they can see the battle is going south. Duncan’s already been killed at this point and Ise starts to panic (she hates fighting as it is) and manages to half convince, half drag Rylee from the fighting and they flee the battle to the nearest town (naturally, Lothering). They end up meeting up with Eleri and Alistair (and Morrigan) again and explain what happened from their perspective and then work with Eleri and Alistair to come up with a plan of action.

Eleri takes up the role of warden-commander (since Alistair and Ise don’t want to lead and everyone knows Rylee leading is a Very Bad Idea™).

Uhhh, key highlights of what they do I guess would be:

Sided with the Mages

Irving saved, Uldred dead etc etc

Put Bhelen in power

Branka’s killed

sent Dagna off to study ofc

Sided with the Dalish against the werewolves

two elves with one being Dalish and the other violently racist made it a simple choice for Eleri to lessen a headache later (she had way too much else to worry about than argue with them)

Helped Redcliffe and saved Conner

demon killed w/Jowan’s help (he does the ritual and Morrigan is sent in to yeet the demon out)

Isolde’s alive

side note: didn’t poison the Urn

Anora rules w/ Alistair

Loghain alive & recruited as a warden (recruited post-final fight)

Alistair still performs the ritual with Morrigan

Awakening

Not too much of note here. Rylee is the one that finds Nathaniel, though, and it does not go well for him. It’s only Ise that stays Rylee’s hand from killing him. When they bring him to Eleri, she immediately recruits him when she realizes it’s her old friend. He’s still pretty ticked, but softens about the whole thing a bit when he realizes Eleri is around.

With more wardens, they’re able to more easily protect the Keep and Amaranthine. And the Architect does live (much to Rylee’s great annoyance).

DA2 & DAI

Sometime in here is when Rylee and Ise get married. They have two ceremonies - one in the Denerim alienage to honor Rylee’s culture and then again when they find Ise’s clan outside Kirkwall.

Hawke and co. do run into Ise and Rylee in the Deep Roads during the expedition (as they are canon with Ashley Hawke, there’s not a twin to save). BUT the two of them help Ash and crew gtfo and back safely to Kirkwall. Turns out they saw Bodahn on their way into the Deep Roads to investigate and got a tip to keep an eye out for some lost members of the expedition (the whole leaving suddenly without them thing didn’t sit right with him).

Later on, in that mission where you run into Nate? Eleri’s with him, though doesn’t actually advertise herself as the warden-commander while chatting with Ash. Ash isn’t dumb, though, (not always, at least) and gets a feeling Eleri might be kinda more in charge than she was told. So when wardens start disappearing, she takes a chance and makes contact. It ultimately pays off when Eleri sends Rylee and Ise to help the Inquisition.

During the events of Here Lies the Abyss in Inquisition, it’s Rylee that stays behind to buy everyone time to escape. And, much like when Ise was taken from her clan, she has to be dragged out - this time by the Inquisitor herself (Olivia, for the record) - kicking, screaming, and utterly sobbing that they’re leaving her wife behind.

BUT because fuck canon, Rylee survives and kinda wanders around the raw Fade until she finds another open rift. This ends up dumping her into the ass end of Orlais somewhere and it takes her a while to make her way back to Skyhold, but dammit! She and Ise do get a happy ending. It does take a while though, it really does. And for that duration, Ise doesn’t leave Skyhold for anything after they get her back there. Resigned, more than anything, she usually perches on an empty wall away from the hustle and bustle of the main areas near the stables. She also doesn’t eat much, only what small bits that Cole brings her.

As for Eleri, she - along with Nate, Velanna, and Sigrun - are searching for the cure. And I really haven’t thought much beyond that.

MAN this got long, I hope you don’t mind! I had a lot of fun thinking about this and gushing a bit about my girls and what they do :D So thank you, again, for asking! One day, I think I plan to write something detailing their journey from start to finish in DAO and maybe beyond, but it’d probably be a series of drabbles? I struggle with long fics and flowing from one chapter to the next, but maybe.

[sylkana]

1. 2. 3. and 20. for the ship meme~

1: talk about the first ship you ever had.

ok wow i'm going to take you back 16 years, to a tiny 5 year old me who is currently hiding under her blanket bc she's watching her favorite movie, beauty and the beast, and is deathly afraid of the scene where beast is introduced. BUT DESPITE THAT, i always rooted for him and belle, always. i've loved them for as long as i can remember and i feel like they've shaped how i see and make relationships, they're my go to, they're the kind of relationship i crave i just....... when beast lets belle go near the end and you can HEAR THE PAIN IN HIS VOICE i can't it's too much... and then you have belle trying to hold back tears as he's dying and telling him everything is going to be ok bc they're together now ..... DISNEY REALLY FUCKED WITH MY CHILDHOOD HEART. THEY JUST RIPPED IT STRAIGHT OUT OF MY CHEST AND STOMPED ON IT. of course they brought him back, BUT I HAVE SHED TOO MANY TEARS OVER BEAST'S DEATH SCENE TO EVER FORGIVE THEM. also the live action one sucked, so i don't forgive them for that either

2: talk about three of the most important ships throughout your life.

ok obviously belle and beast are number one and i've already talked about them but uh the next one that comes to mind is dorian and aelin from throne of glass (pls don't anyone come for me i'm soft ok) i just...... i can't get myself to ship rowan and aelin, i can't i had a taste of the sweet life that dorian and aelin offered and i can't go back (especially not after reading the original throne of glass that maas had uploaded to fictionpress back in the day) they make my heart ache. i've cried myself to sleep over them, i'm not exaggerating, ask my best friend. i've sent her plenty snapchats of me crying over the fact that THEYRE SOULMATES THAT DONT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT they balance eachother so well and that one scene in queen of shadows where they're holding hands and using their magic and then WHEN THEY LET GO AELIN FALLS TO HER KNEES AND HER MAGIC BASICALLY IS CRYING OUT FOR HIS IDC WHAT MAAS SAYS IDC WHAT MOST OF THE FANDOM SAYS THEYRE IN LOVE AND NOBODY CAN TELL ME OTHERWISE. also dorian x aelin x fenrys is my maas ot3. wow ok i rambled about that too much um..... let's see.. i'll most definitely get hate for this one (maybe) but the other ship that i feel was important in my life is hans x anna from frozen, yes i know he's garbage ok i get it but he's my garbage alright. and they reignited my love for shipping, after i saw frozen i got so immersed in the world of fanfiction and fanart again and the very first piece of fanfiction i ever wrote was hanna related!! it was beautiful and i miss being in that fandom but it's just so...... gross :/ not the hanna fandom itself but moreso the frozen fandom, people can't just let you live and like different things and i don't need that kind of negativity in my life bc as i've said many times before i am a baby

3: what's your current otp?

ohh this is kind of hard, i usually obsess over a couple at a time but at this moment i'm particularly soft for hawke x fenris

20: talk about a ship you feel alone in shipping.

well :/ hanna to an extent, but honestly that fandom is bigger than one might think so !! this honor goes to dorian and aelin, there's a few of us yes but..... not so many now, not after maas killed our ship for good and i feel like i can't even go into the throne of glass fandom bc there are some rude as fuck people in there that think if you don't ship the main ships you're the worst person ever! and making a ship out of nothing!! (i'm looking @ you anti manon x elide shippers) i get we can't all ship the same thing but i feel like fandoms should be welcoming to everyone and from what i've seen the maas fandom isn't

bonus: i really like the thought of mahariel and fenarel???? you know that one elf from the dalish origin that's there for maybe 5 minutes? idk i started shipping my mahariel with him and made up a whole story for them and now i love that ship but i don't think i've ever seen anyone else talk about it

(send me otp asks)

[impossible-rat-babies]

DA 20 questions!

I was tagged by @acepavus! Thank you darling!

I’m gonna tag: @apostatetabris, @dirthara-mama, @wicked-eyes-and-wicked-hearts, @star--nymph, @red-wardens, @vvakarians, @trans-aloth, and anyone else who wants to do this! Sorry if I’ve double tagged you all!

--

01) Favourite game of the series?

I gotta go with Inquisition. I love all the maps and the characters I’ve gotten to make through the games. It’s a beautiful game.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?

I saw art of Dorian around and figured out he was from dragon age and that he was gay and I was instantly hooked on wanting to play the game. I hadn’t ever seen a video game before with a gay man in it and I was desperate for LGBT content and validation. Dorian has been immensely important to me in helping me realize my identity.

03) How many times you’ve played the games?

I’ve played origins all the way through four times I think. I’ve played da2 three times, twice with my main Hawke and then another Hawke. I’ve played inquisition at least six times with Darva and I’m playing Dimitri for the fourth time. I’ve played that one the most by far.

04) Favourite race to play as?

Elves! I love the elves of dragon age so much

05) Favourite class?

Dual wielding rogue by far along with archers. Rogues are one my favorite classes ever. I do have a soft spot for mages and warriors thought

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?

I try to make little sorts of different choices. I’ve both allied/conscripted the templars and mages before on different little games and I’ve both banished and kept the grey wardens. I’ve never put Gaspard on the throne himself, but I’ve done all the other ways Halamshiral can end up. I’ve only ever not drank from the well once and the was because I was playing a human. I try to mix it up a little each play through for variety sake. Plus I love Calperia’s story so much more than Sampson, so I do side with the templars on occasion. But I am a mage loving gay.

07) Go-to adventuring group?

My Origins go to gang for Eth is Shale, Wyne and Alistair and Slivayn is usually Wyne, Shale, and Zevran. DA2 is a whole grab bag of people, but I usually have one mage, one warrior and a rogue + my mage Hawke.  My crew for inquisition depends on who I’m playing. Darva mainly roles with Cassandra, Vivienne and Dorian while Dimitri runs with Iron Bull, Sera and Solas.

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

Dimitri and Darva are at a big ole tie with Eth coming in second place. Dimitri is my ever evolving kiddo mainly bc I play a TTRPG with him as my PC, but Darva is like that comfort character where I truly see myself in. Eth is my precious little complicated warden child who I revisit on occasion because I forget how much I do enjoy origins.

09) Favourite romance?

Oooo it’s a hard tie between Bull and Dorian. Dorian was really like that gateway--along with dragon age in general--into me making gay characters explicitly and having them represent me. He made me feel okay with who I am and seeing that blatant love between men was something I had never seen. It was kinda the same with Bull, but he was also like that shattering of men having to preform to a certain degree of manliness to be seen as valid. Bull is manly af, but he loves the color pink. Masculinity doesn’t have to be as society defines it.

10) Have you read any of the comics/books?

I have read the Magekiller comic, but that was about it. I wanna read the books, but having the energy to do it. Does reading the TTRPG book count? Or the World of Thedas books? lolol

11) If you read them, which was your favourite book?

I haven’t read any of the main book tbh

12) Favourite DLCs?

I loved the Return to Ostagar DLC. That one was full of a great atmosphere and just generally quite sad. I liked Mark of the Assassin best out of the DA2 DLCs because it was humorous as well as having good drama going on. A very fun time even though it was a bit of a pain. Trespasser is probably my favorite DLC for Inquisition mainly because of the run through the elvhen ruins at the end of the DLC to get to Solas. It’s throwing everything you have because this is the end at the enemy and I love that.

13) Things that annoy you.

Ehhh most of my annoyance come from the lack of mlm romance options in the game and the treatment of characters like Sera and Sandal who are coded as neutroatypical. But, most of my qualms come from fandom and the rampant homophobia, transphobia, racism and white-washing everyone does. Ya shitty fandom.

14) Orlais or Ferelden?

Ferelden, personally.

15) Templars or mages?

Mages as always.

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?

I have multiple characters across two world states, my canon one being Eth Tabris, my dual wielding rogue warden who romanced Alistair, Bryn Hawke, my force/blood mage, who romanced Fenris and Darva Lavellan, my dual wielding rogue who romanced Dorian. I also have other Lavellan's that go along with Darva like Fisk and Livonah. Then I have an alternative world state with Slivayn Mahariel, an archer rogue who romanced Zevran, then Farlan Hawke, my two handed warrior who romanced Anders, and then Dimitri Enallasani, my mage elf who romanced Bull. Dimitri only has Daniel as his other sort of important character.

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

Eth named her Mabari, Witt, after her brother who was sent to the Circle when she was 16. I cannot remember for the life of my what Bryn named his Mabari, rip. Darva ends up with a Mabari in Kirkwall just named Da’len. Slivayn named his Mabari Tamlen after his clanmate and lover. I can’t remember what Farlan named his Mabari, RIP. Dimitri has an Anderfels Hart he raises later on named Ghilan after his Keeper’s old Hart and he has a great horned owl named Falon who he rescued.

18) Have you installed any mods?

Nope! I play all my games on console, so no mods for me. I do want to get a good gaming computer after I graduate from college so I can indulge in some mods for Dimitri and Darva and learn fly cam. I would really like to have Dimitri’s vallaslin in the game and more dalish outfits for my kiddos. Alas, I am stuck with what I have for now.

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?

Wanting to become a Grey Warden wasn’t something Eth thought about wanting or not wanting. She was ready to die for having saved Shianni and that would have been enough. She kept her safe and that was her duty. Duncan thought she was worth the risk and she accepted that if this was going to be her new duty, it was going to be her new duty.

Slivayn didn’t want to be a Warden at all. Duncan had to conscript him and even then he hated Duncan for a long, long time. He didn’t get to see if he could save Tamlen at all so he was intensely grieving and he was torn from the only home he had ever known. Ostagar was his first experience with humans who weren’t out to kill him and his family.

20) Hawke’s personality?

Bryn is firmly in the Purple Hawke camp, but strays into Blue on occasion. Farlan is a firm divide between Red and Purple.

21) Did you make matching armor for your companions in Inquisition?

Yes, omg yes. My quizzies have their own color palettes I work off of. Darva alternates between Bear Fur + Plush Fustian Velvet + Infused Vyrantium Samite + Blue Vitriol and Great Bear Fur + Darkened Samite + Silk Brocade + Blue Vitriol. Dimitri’s changes from Snoufleur Skin + Drakestone + Darkened Samite + Higher Weave to Great Bear Fur + Darkened Samite + Dragon Scale. aka, Darva wears a lot of deep browns, blues and greens and Dimitri is a lot of reds, blacks and oranges.

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?

Eth wishes she would have done more to keep Shianni safe along with the rest of the Alienage. Her biggest regret is that she allowed what happened to happen.

Bryn wishes he could’ve saved his family. He covers up a lot of his grief with humor and deflection, but he hurts a lot for what he did. Part of him wishes he had done better with his mother, but he wouldn't admit it.

Darva wishes he could’ve saved his father; he knows he was only fourteen and that he would have gotten himself killed, but at times he thought that a better fate than having to deal with his mother and her all encompassing, smothering grief. 

Dimitri wishes he could’ve saved his clan. He goes over what happened as much as he can, trying to piece together what he could've done to save his family. It’s his life’s biggest regret.

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?

Oooo could Darva being trans be one? Idk, that's a headcanon that doesn’t much go again canon. Biggest one for him would be him leaving the clan at 18 and traveling around Thedas. 

Dimitri’s whole origins and magical usage is a big middle finger at the canon for the dalish inquisitor considering he is sort of his own sect of elves who are drastically different than their southern counterparts.

24) Who did you leave in the Fade?

Ooo Darva leaves Alistair in the Fade because I can’t bear to leave Bryn behind, rip. But Dimitri ends up leaving Loghain in the Fade. I can’t give up my Hawkes.....

25) Favourite mount?

Me personally? I love the Pride of Arlathan mount. Darva mainly uses that mount and it’s his favorite. Dimitri loves his horse, the Amaranthine Charger. But, later on he gets his Anderfels Hart--which is a sandy colored breed of Hart that is larger and tougher than others of it’s breed. They bond with only one rider in their lifetime and will stand their ground, full of as much conviction as the elves who originally bred them.

[sassylavellen]

OCs Then and Now

I was tagged by the amazing @enchantment1385​! Thanks for the tag! I loved the one you did of this! Mine is also gonna be a bit long just because I have a LOT of OCs and most of them have had a lot of little changes. I’m also going to limit this to my Wardens because otherwise this would be a novel lol

I had a ton of fun doing this, and I’m going to tag: @amanda-digs-okay​ @gugle1980​ @elevanetheirin​ @shannaraisles​ @inquisitorsmabari​ @tabrishawkelavellan​ No obligations, of course! I’m just being nosey and I love learning about all your beautiful characters <3

Sophia Cousland:

Sophia Cousland hasn’t changed a whole lot from when I first created her. I wouldn’t necessarily say she’s changed so much as she’s developed. She was my very first Warden, and she didn’t have too much of a distinct personality when I first played as her beyond the fact that she willingly joined the Wardens, she was at least somewhat religious, she always tried to do the right thing, and that she made some misguided decisions.

The second time playing as her I started to refine her character. I made her super young, 18 years old, with a bit of a pride problem. She was very confident in her abilities and genuinely believed she was better and could do anything she set her mind to, but in the end she had to learn her place and find out the hard way that her overconfidence was hurting herself and others in her party.

In my original story, she was afraid of dying and Alistair killed the archdemon. This began a downward spiral of failures for her culminating in the events of Awakening. She was not very popular with the Wardens after that. She began to develop PTSD and some serious guilt issues that are bad, yes, but they do help her become stronger and more considerate as a Warden later in life. On the second run through, I wanted to keep this part of her story intact, but I also wanted Alistair to live, which was the big deciding factor that all my OCs lived in the same timeline and went on their adventure together, because Tara Tabris was always going to make the sacrifice herself. Adding Tara into Sophia’s story was the final icing on the cake, and they both had a huge boost in development based solely on their troubled relationship, but I’ll expand on that when I get to her.

I put Sophia into my Inquisition story twice; once in Haven where she has to see for herself that her wife Leliana is okay and second when she shows up at Adamant fortress. At that point in her life, she had given up on the Wardens and was off trying to cure the calling, but when she heard about Corypheus and the ritual, she came back to aid the Inquisition and to try to save the Wardens from their own stupidity. She didn’t want to be a Warden anymore, but she knows that the world needs the Wardens and doesn’t want to see them get destroyed.

Gillan Mahariel:

Gillan was never intended to be part of the story and was a late addition. She was created as a joke originally, but then she grew on me. Personality wise, she never changed. She was always the nervous one, but also the book-smart romantic. The only thing about her I can think of that significantly changed was her sexuality. She started out heterosexual but the more I developed her, the more sense it made for her to be ace.

Gillan also has a brief cameo in my Inquisition story, showing up at Adamant. She doesn’t want to be there but Sophia talked her into it. She was also a contact for Hawke and Stroud, since she was more or less a researcher at Weisaupt for years after the Blight.

Tara Tabris:

Tara went through a lot of changes. She was always the more aggressive one, but there wasn’t any motivation behind it back when I first created her. One tragic backstory later, Tara is a failed mother with the weight of the world on her shoulder and she doesn’t know how to react. Her lover left her after she found out she was pregnant, she lost her son in childbirth, her aunt and uncle were killed, and she adopted her cousin as her own daughter, her mother died, and then on her wedding day, her betrothed died and her cousin was raped. She was more or less forced into the Wardens against her will.

She’s the oldest of my characters (even though Alyssa Trevelyan and Jodi Cadash are techincally older when they go on their adventures, Tara was still born before both of them). On top of that, she’s old enough that Sophia Cousland is the same age her son would have been. This creates a tension between her and Sophia. There is a LOT of tension between them. Tara doesn’t like her because she thinks Sophia is a spoiled little noble kid who doesn’t understand what’s really happening and just pretending to know. As their journey goes on, Tara more or less becomes a reluctant mother figure to Sophia, and by the end Tara willingly takes Sophia’s place to sacrifice herself to the archdemon.

She’s the only one of my wardens who had a cosmetic change. She was originally a redhead, but I didn’t want her and Gillan to have the same hair color. Since Gillan was based on actress Karen Gillan, she kept her red hair and Tara’s hair color was changed to strawberry blonde.

Shila Amell:

There’s also a character who got removed from my story. I originally had four warden characters who went on the journey: Sophia Cousland, Tara Tabris, Gillan Mahariel, and Shila Amell. Shila was dropped fairly early on, not long after Gillan was added. There were a lot of similarities between Shila and Gillan’s personalities, both were bookworms and a little nervous. In the end, I felt there was more potential for Gillan’s character to flourish than Shila’s. I was also a little afraid that her face was too similar to Sophia’s.

There is a part of me that’s considering bringing Shila back as a different character with a more unique personality, maybe even as my DA4 protagonist when that comes out. There’s no place for her currently. We’ll just have to wait and see.

[feministlarxene]

The Forging of a Warden: Prologue

Title: The Forging of a Warden

Chapter: Prologue

Rating: T

Fandom: Dragon Age Origins

Summary: Those who come before us help us pave the way for the path we take in life. The path we forge paves the way to the future, leaving lasting impressions on all we meet.

Notes: Character Death; Mahariel/Tamlen; Mahariel/Zevran

Beta credit for this chapter goes to @aicosu

Prologue

The trees rustle past as a fleet of aravels make their way into the Brecillian Forest. Fennas sits in the lead with his clan’s elder, the First, and a few other older members of the clan. Paivel is asleep in the back and he takes great care not to disturb the man as he shifts in place, rolling his shoulders to relieve the tension that has built up from being in one position since they had set off to continue their travels earlier that morning.

“Mahariel!”

The man’s attention is pulled quickly from his thoughts. In his lap sits a well-loved wooden staff covered in intricate carvings of the varying scenery they see moving from one camp to the next. He pushes his dark bangs from his face and leans to the front of the aravel where Marethari sits. The woman clicks her tongue at him, shaking her head in amusement. “Keeper Fennas, you must learn to stay grounded,” she chides. “One of these days I am certain that you are just going to float off with your thoughts into the Fade. What a way that would be for me to take over as Keeper.”

He lets out a laugh, setting his staff aside as he moves to sit beside her. “And what a way that would be for me to go, my dear worrisome First. Now- what is it that needed my attention so badly that you would take me away from whittling my staff down to nothing?”

Marethari lifts a flap on the front of the aravel and gestures to their surroundings. “We’re coming up on one of the human cities fairly soon. Do you want us to make camp in the Brecillian Forest again? I believe our last camp was not too far from here.”

The genial look on his face changes to a more serious one. As Fennas silently surveys their surroundings, he gestures for the aravel to be brought to a stop and slips out. On nearly silent feet, he disappears into the surrounding woods. Five, ten, fifteen minutes pass as Marethari waits for him to return, her worry only growing the longer he’s gone. The fleet of aravels that had been trailing behind them now sit hidden amongst the trees until their Keeper returns.

And he finally does.

Nearly an hour later.

“What took you so long!?” Marethari has to struggle to keep her voice down but the anger and concern in her voice is ever present as she chastises him. “You should have been back in half the time it took you! Did you run into humans?”

He shakes his head and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “No, but I did want to make sure I checked in all directions that there weren’t any humans camping nearby. We don’t need a repeat of what happened when we were in the Frostbacks. I’ll never understand humans and their propensity for going on death-defying trips. Who would have thought that we would run into anyone that high in the mountains? In the middle of winter, no less!”

She lets out a sigh and leaves the aravel to join him, handing Fennas back his staff. The man is going to drive her to an early grave, she is certain. “And I take it your return means we can settle in to camp?”

“But of course.” A wave of his hand signals to the rest of the caravans to start moving again. He directs the lead aravel to a clearing not too far from where they stop, calling out to his clanmates to take their time getting settled.

Setting up camp is slow going, but with the whole clan pitching in, the task is made a little easier and bearable. By the time night begins to fall, most of the aravels have been converted from travel spaces to living spaces and dinner has been started. Unfortunately, months of travel have shrunk their food supply to the bare basics and whatever leftover salted meat they still had. It will be at least three days until he can send their hunters out to find food, but Fennas is confident in the hunters’ ability to quickly replenish their food stock.

“Perhaps you should stop for the night, Keeper.” The gentle voice of his friend Ashalle cuts into his thoughts, standing over him with a modest plate of food. She holds it out to him, gesturing to a now roaring fire that the clan is gathered around. “Even Marethari is getting ready to finally turn in. You should too.”

He takes the plate from her, tearing a bite out of a sweet roll. “I still need to check our remaining supplies. See if there’s anything we need immediately so I know if I need to go trade with the shemlen or not.”

“The shemlen will still be there in the morning,” she assures him with a laugh. Fennas opens his mouth to protest, but she quickly silences him. “And I will help you to look through everything in the morning to make sure you don’t miss anything. I won’t even insist that you send Marethari to trade with the shemlen in your place this time.”

He huffs out a sigh, defeated, and nods. “Very well. You’re lucky you’re my friend, Ashalle. You know no one else would get away with that.” He wags a finger at her teasingly. She laughs again and waves him off.

“Of course, because you are so strict. Finish your dinner and get some sleep, Fennas.”

He retires a little while later, but not before making sure that his clanmates that are on first watch for the night are also well rested enough to stay awake. He fusses over them for at least five minutes each, but when a worn out Marethari insists on him going to one of the aravels to get some sleep he finally gives in and is out as soon as his head hits the pillow.

***

The next morning, Fennas is one of the first to be up and about aside from those who had taken the second night watch. He doesn’t bother trying to wake Ashalle despite her offer to help him look over their remaining supplies. Early mornings like this he prefers to keep to himself and be alone with his thoughts. So much of his day is spent helping his clan with this and that, it can get hard to breathe. Not that he resents being Keeper—he knew responsibility like this came with the territory. And certainly, he has Marethari to help him shoulder the burden, but there are times when he would rather have someone outside of just his First and his friend to share it with.

Ashalle likes to tease that he is too much of a romantic and if he would stop being so stubborn; he could look to his own clan for a partner. Or if he was feeling particularly brave, at the Arlathvhen.

He lets out a sigh, leaning against his staff for a moment. It isn’t that he doesn’t love his clan or the people in it, but he just knows them all already. And while some might argue that would be a great foundation for a budding relationship, he just finds it so...boring. Spending his remaining years with someone he’s known since childhood that he already knows everything about? Why would anyone want that when they could meet someone new and find reasons to care about and love them everyday?

“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re up already.”

Marethari’s voice comes from behind him, startling him from his thoughts. “Ah—yes. I was just going over what we might need to get from the shemlen. The city isn’t too far from here. I figured I should be able to get it done quickly.”

“Of course. I can come with you—”

“No, please. I need someone here to look after the clan. I can handle the big, bad shemlen city by myself.”

“Fennas, Denerim is not the safest. You know that. At least take Ashalle with you?”

“I will think on it, but I make no promises. Perhaps, I may even leave without telling anyone!”

She lets out a long suffering sigh, putting her hands up in defeat. “I am only concerned for your safety, Keeper. But I know I cannot make you do anything you don’t want.” She clicks her tongue and gives him a pointed look. “So stubborn.”

“Ah, but you would not have me any other way.” Fennas beams at her, earning a little chuckle in response. “But please, don’t worry so much about me. If I need to, I’ll go take shelter in the alienage. Surely that offers you some assurance as to my safety.”

A look of distaste comes to Marethari’s face for a moment. “It assures me that you will be safe from the shemlen but I cannot say how our city-dwelling brethren will take to you. You know it varies.”

He waves a dismissive hand, slinging his staff across his back. “Nonsense. If anything, it is how we take to them. I remember seeing at the last Arlathvhen the way some of the other clans treated the elves from the cities that had run away to be with their people. It was awful.”

“Of course, but you must understand that they are not raised the same as we are.”

“Because they do not have the same access to their roots that we do? Marethari, we barely have a culture to cling to. I don’t see what’s so wrong with offering that to city elves who want to know where they come from.” He pauses and sees that she wants to protest again, but gives her a stern look. “I don’t want to continue discussing it. I need to finish checking over our supplies.”

“Of course, Keeper.”

Fennas runs a hand through his hair, puffing his cheeks in irritation. He hates arguing— especially about the city elves. But it never fails to come up every time they stop particularly close to a city. And while right now they are still far enough away from Denerim to avoid being mistaken as part of the city’s elven population, he doesn’t see why there must be such a strong demarcation between the Dalish and the city elves.

His grumbling eventually draws Ashalle’s attention as she makes the rounds handing out breakfast to the clan. “Something on your mind?” She offers him a sliced apple, a roll, and a gentle smile. “Marethari looks...perturbed.”

“We were talking about my going to the city.” He purses his lips at the food before taking a slice of the fruit. “I told her I would stay in the alienage if need be and, well…” He made a vague gesture with his hand.

“She’s only worried for your safety, Fennas. You remember what happened the last time we encountered flat ears.”

Fennas bristles a little at the words, his frown deepening. “You know how I feel about that phrase.”

“Ah—I’m sorry—! You know I don’t mean anything. I’m just so used to—”

“And therein lies the problem, doesn’t it? You shouldn’t be used to insulting your own people.”

“Of course. I…” She sighs, shaking her head to herself. “I have no excuse. Just try and be safe. Don’t do anything stupid to draw unnecessary attention from the shemlen.”

He relaxes some and nods. “I will. And let Marethari know I will be leaving soon. I should be back...three days tops? Accounting for travel and any unforeseen circumstances notwithstanding.”

“Very well. Dareth shiral, Keeper.”

“Ma serannas, Ashalle. I’ll see you soon.”

***

Traveling to Denerim is rather uneventful. Fennas reaches the city by early evening and any hope he has of getting anything done vanishes as the shops begin to close with his arrival. As he walks through the city, he makes sure to keep the hood of his traveling cloak up to conceal his ears and hide his vallaslin as much as he is able. Fortunately, no one seems to pay him much attention.

He manages to get a room at the local inn for the next couple of nights and is grateful that the innkeeper doesn’t give a second look to the branch strapped to his back. Before he departs to see if the alienage has any sort of night market, he leaves the staff behind and sets off again.

The town isn’t nearly as crowded as it would be in the middle of the day, but the lights in the tavern and the Pearl indicate where most of the populace has gathered for the evening. Fennas takes his time getting to the alienage, but when he does arrive, the heavy iron gate is firmly closed and closely guarded.

“Eh....excuse me?”

One of the guards’ gaze snaps to him instantly. The man narrows his eyes at him, already suspicious. “What is it?”

“I, ah, was hoping to enter the alienage. Is it...closed or something?” Fennas curses himself silently for sounding so anxious in front of the shemlen. It’s only because he doesn’t understand in the slightest how the alienages work. They vary so much from city to city that it’s hard for the poor elf to keep track.

“No visitors to the alienage after sunset,” the guard says stiffly. “There’s a curfew in place. I suggest you come back in the morning.”

“Wh—! That’s so—!” When the suspicion on the guard’s face increases, he stops himself from verbally tearing into the man. Instead, he just exhales loudly and puts a pleasant smile on his face; not that the guard can likely see it, but the sentiment is still there. “Of course. I’ll be back in the morning.”

He departs reluctantly, returning back to the inn for the night. The next morning, he doesn’t immediately return to the alienage. While he would much prefer to do exactly that, he figures he shouldn’t keep his clan waiting on him too long and heads to the Denerim marketplace to pick up the few things they are still lacking after their travels.

The market, unsurprisingly, is bustling with activity. Even though he doesn’t have the coin for it, he still browses a few of the more expensive stalls, eyes drawn in by the various glittering things they have set out for sale.

“Oi! You’ll pay for that, elf!”

The sound of what must have been a display being knocked over pulls Fennas’ attention away from the stall full of glittering jewelry and toward an angry merchant. No one else seems to pay much attention as he continues to yell at a woman who is apologizing profusely and attempting to help right the display again.

“Look a’ that! You ruined ‘alf my stock!”

“I’m sorry! Really— I didn’t mean—”

Her grip slips on what looks to be a carved wooden mug and  it crashes on the cobblestone street.

“...oh dear.”

Before he knows what he’s doing, Fennas has already made his way to the stall to intervene. The shemlen is raising his voice again and the elf woman looks like she just wants the ground to swallow her up.

“Whoa, hey, what’s going on here?” he asks. He glances back to the woman, who has already stooped down to pick up the mug she had dropped. “Is everything alright?”

“That elf there knocked my stall an’ sent ‘alf my stock flyin’!” The man clicks his tongue, glaring around Fennas at the woman. “This is why elves oughta stick to buyin’ from your own shops! Not fit t’ be out amongst civilized people.”

“Well now, that’s a bit uncalled for isn’t it?” Fennas lowers the hood of his cloak some so his distinctly elven features can be in full view. He hears a soft gasp of surprise from behind him as he does so and turns to face the woman. He offers her a little smile and holds a hand out for the mug. “May I?”

She hesitates a moment before nodding in response and hands the mug over to him. “Ma serannas. I’ll take care of this.” He turns the mug over in his hands a few times to inspect it. For all the fuss the man is making, it doesn’t look like too much of his stock is completely ruined. The mug itself only has a few minor scratches, but nothing that theoretically couldn’t be fixed with a skilled hand.

“Ser, I think you’re overreacting a bit.” He sets the mug back on the display and smiles. “I understand your concern for your wares being damaged, but it seems to me that you have done well to ensure they’re extremely sturdy. A less practiced hand would have seen their wood carved objects splintered.”

The man looks surprised at the compliment, blinking a little in confusion. He looks like he wants to be angry at Fennas, but can’t bring himself to say anything. Instead, he grumbles under his breath, snatching his things up from off the ground and inspecting them closely as he does. “What would an elf like you know ‘bout wood carvin’?”

“Quite a bit, I’d like to think!” Fennas replies cheerily. “My people craft many of their own weapons from wood, so I think I would know a bit about what constitutes a practiced hand. You seem to have been working at your craft for years, yes?”

“I...well, yes.” The man puffs his chest out a little, pride evident in his face. “‘Course I have! How else would I be sellin’ out here if I wasn’t good?”

“My point exactly. Now, I’m sure you could easily fix the few things that got knocked off your stand. This young lady didn’t mean any harm, I’m sure. It looked like an honest mistake from where I was.”

The merchant frowns, but Fennas’ smile doesn’t waver in the slightest. If he is going to have to deal with shemlen, it will be with unwavering civility.

“...fine,” he says, finally giving in. He turns his attention to the elven woman, eyes narrowing. “But you best watch where yer goin’ next time, elf. Not everyone’s gonna be so forgivin’ as I was ‘bout somethin’ like this.”

The woman nods quickly, her face still flushed with embarrassment. “O—of course. I’ll just—I’ll be on my way.” She looks to Fennas for a moment, about to say something before deciding against it and turning to leave.

Before she can, a gentle hand on her shoulder stops her. “Are you alright, miss? That seemed…” He trails off, unsure how to finish his sentence.

She chuckles softly and nods. “Yes, thank you, um….”

“Fennas.”

“Fennas. Well, I can’t imagine what sort of spectacle that might have turned into if you hadn’t intervened. The shems...they don’t like us very much. I’m sure you know that.”

“Tsk. I certainly do. I’ve been to Orlais before. Not to say that you have it good here but this is a walk in the park compared to what I saw for the short time I was there.”

She shudders at the thought. “I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re alright and that I was able to help, ah...I’m sorry, I don’t think I ever caught your name.”

“Eris.”

“Eris? Well, lovely to meet you. Perhaps I’ll see you again. My clan will be nearby for quite some time. If you ever want to run off into the forest, that’s where I’ll be.” Fennas gives her a little wink and waves, before disappearing back into the crowd of the Denerim marketplace.

[red-wardens]

Red-Warden’s OC Page

Because this is all on my OC Page (that I have a link to on my sidebar), but is therefore inaccessible to those who using tumblr app or tumblr from their non-computer devices, I am copy and pasting my OC Page onto a post for anyone interested :) My Warden Squad + Hawkes + Inquisitors 

Under the cut because pictures + descriptions = long post.

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Picture Credits: Isseya Mahariel (@Vasirah), Kieran Tabris (@noquiethere), Ronan Aeducan (@blue-spectre), Nora Brosca (@chillyrose), Cassian Cousland (@varrric)

Ages: Start of Origins (Dragon 9:30), Start of Inquisition (Dragon 9:41)

Blue Surana: the Leader (my “canon” Warden Commander) and Most Powerful Warden on Squad 

5'4, silence and duty and eccentricity; elf mage, Fire mage (Specialization: Arcane Warrior/Spirit Healer/Battle Mage), royal blue eyes, expressionless face, seldom talks but when she does her voice is very toneless; strong sensitivity to loud sounds/bright lights; generally has a physical touch aversion; True Neutral, Virgo

During Blight: age 18, bobbed white hair tied back and straight-across bangs; has difficulty processing emotions and understanding feelings/actions of others; generally keeps to herself, somewhat scary/spooky aura; 

During Inquisition: age 29, waist-length white hair and straight-across bangs; sclera of eyes is darker and some of her veins are black/blackening due to the taint (affects her more than most Wardens)

LI/sexuality: mutual pining for Sten; Asexual/Grey-romantic

Creator Notes: Though there’s no official word for it in Thedas, in Modern AU Blue is diagnosed as a child with high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder. She is also half-Middle Eastern, half-Indian coded.

Hero of World State 1 (survives Archdemon)

Blue’s Aesthetic Tag

Isseya Mahariel: the Second in Command and the Arlessa of Amaranthine

*also Becomes Warden Commander when Surana steps down to look for Cure for The Calling

5'7, sternness and skill and pride; Dalish Archer, Rogue (Specialization: Ranger), dark green eyes, beautiful but often looks annoyed/disapproving, alcoholic tendencies; low key really likes halla; Lawful Neutral, Capricorn 

During Blight: age 19, thick black hair in long thin braids, impatient but not impulsive, prone to yelling, very prideful and sure of herself, generally unsentimental 

During Inquisition: age 30, the Grey Wardens are her life (married to job trope, but also married to Zev), scars from archdemon fight, firm but fair; wants kids but the Warden taint makes it hard; lost faith in Elven gods but still respects Dalish culture   

LI/sexuality: Zevran Arainai; Heterosexual 

Creator Notes: In Thedas her Mahariel parents are from Rivain; in Modern AU she is Kenyan-Japanese mix coded with predominantly Kenyan culture (understands Swahili). 

Hero of World State 2 (survives Archdemon)

Isseya’s Aesthetic Tag

Alyss Amell: the Healer/medic of Squad; generally non-combatant beyond setting glyphs and in-fight healing

5'2, sweetness and hope and tears; human mage, Creation Mage (Specialization: Spirit Healer/Blood Mage/Rift Mage [by Inquisition time]), pale blue eyes, half-Orlesian and fluent in the language, loves reading/studying, shy and gentle, blushes easily; Chaotic Good, Cancer

During Blight: age 21, light brown hair slightly past shoulders and tied back with a pink ribbon; kind but timid, no self-confidence and no “fight-or-flight” instinct only “freeze and cry"; huge affinity for sweets and breads

During Inquisition: age 32, still kind-hearted but braver and more sure of herself, still shy but can speak up in front of others now, hairstyle now the “bisexual bob”, new hair ribbon is a pale blue 

LI/sexuality: Leliana; Demisexual/Biromantic

Creator Notes: In Thedas her father is Orlesian so her mom Revka Amell decides to keep her maiden name to make it easier on her children; in Modern AU she is French-American coded and was diagnosed with Severe Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder at age 14. 

Hero of World State 3 (dies slaying Archdemon)

Alyss’ Aesthetic Tag

Kieran Tabris: the Vanguard, always first to charge into battle

5'9, candidness and loyalty and a fiery temper; City elf, Two-Handed Sword Warrior (Specialization: Templar/Reaver),  motivated by spite and aesthetic (also attention), talks about his mom a lot; Chaotic Neutral, Aries

During Blight: age 20, pretty but petty with a loud foul mouth, has never had a single chill in his life; raging hatred towards humans (except is neutral to human mages), idiotic tendencies, a pain in the ass to Mahariel 

During Inquisition: age 31, has obtained some chill but not much

LI/sexuality: has a son with Morrigan (one night stand, never sees her again, doesn’t want to), was in an on-and-off relationship for a couple years with Velanna but they eventually broke up for good; Bisexual/Grey-romantic (strong aversion to humans). 

Creator Notes: In Thedas he and his mom came to Ferelden from an island to the East of the Amaranthine Sea. His mom married Cyrion after Adaia and City Elf Warden (the real Tabris Warden) both died. Kyung-jae is his real name and “Kieran” was the name he adopted in Ferelden while learning Trade language. He is not blood related to Sorris or Shianni; in Modern AU he is Korean coded and diagnosed with ADHD and ODD when he was 9. In any AU he has poor eyesight. 

Not a ‘Hero of Ferelden’, exists only in Multi-Warden AU

Kieran’s Aesthetic Tag

Ronan Aeducan: the Battle Strategist of Squad; the Lazy Genius™ 

5'0, naps and brilliance and easy-going neutrality, dwarf noble, Two handed Battle Hammer Warrior (Specialization: Berserker/ Spirit Warrior),  great at sketching and painting; good at remaining impartial towards things; Neutral Good, Aquarius

During Blight: age 27, man-bun and many earrings, avoids responsibilities but is chill to talk to; huge guilt complex and overthinks things but keeps anxiety and intrusive thoughts to himself

During Inquisition: age 38, generally the same but slightly less lazy; has reconciled with his past and mostly found peace

LI/sexuality: n/a; Asexual/Aromantic

Creator Notes: In Thedas, while his brothers look like their father, Ronan looks like his mother. Modern AU he is Indian coded and can speak Hindi and English.

Not a ‘Hero of Ferelden’, exists only in Multi-Warden AU

Ronan’s Aesthetic Tag

Nora Brosca: the Wildcard of Squad; great in battle, not so great at taking orders

4'8, laughter and blades and boldness, dwarf commoner, Dual-Wielding Axe Rogue (Specialization: Assassin/Legionare Scout); Chaotic Neutral, Leo

During Blight: age 22, medium-length wild red hair and freckles, jokes and puns; solves problems with murder, kleptomaniac tendencies and habitual liar; brave but not loyal (self-preserving)

During Inquisition: age 33, shorter red hair and more freckles, even more jokes and puns; has had casteless tattoos removed; nugs are now friends not food; now deeply loyal to friends/wardens

LI/sexuality: Sigrun, Lesbian

Creator Notes: In Modern AU she is German coded born and raised in Brazil, speaks fluent Portuguese. 

Not a ‘Hero of Ferelden’, exists only in Multi-Warden AU

Nora’s Aesthetic Tag

Cassian Cousland: the Tank of Squad; the “Stay Behind Me” Hero

5'11 (slouching) 6'1 (prosper posture), kindness and justice and passion; human noble, Sword and Shield Warrior (Specialization: Champion/Guardian), moves his hands a lot while talking, laughs easily, passionate romantic, will always do The Right Thing™ but often struggles deciding what the “right thing” is; Lawful Good, Libra

During Blight: age 24, scruffy hair, adopts all the dogs, long scar from top to bottom left of face from Rendon Howe; likes to journal everything and write stories,

During Inquisition: age 35, slightly longer scruffy hair, adopts more dogs and orphans of Mage-Templar War, has published some of his books

LI/sexuality: Nathaniel Howe; Gay

Creator Notes: In Thedas his mother’s parents are from Antiva and he can speak Antivan, moderate PTSD from his experiences during the Blight; in Modern AU he is Mexican coded and speaks fluent Spanish and English. 

Not a ‘Hero of Ferelden’, exists only in Multi-Warden AU

Cassian’s Aesthetic Tag

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Aesthetic Boards: Click here to see their pretty aesthetics!

My OC’s Summarized in 5 GIFs: Click here!

What they each think of The Taint/The Calling: Click for Mild Angst

If they each had 1 Pokemon: Click to see their partner!

My OC’s Zodiac/Astrology Sign Explanations: Click if Curious

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Claira Hawke: the “Champion” of Kirkwall; the Hot/Cold Mess

5'5, conversation and anxiety and adaptability; Blue-Red Hawke, human, Dual Sword Rogue (Specialization: Shadow), Alyss Amell’s cousin; dynamic but fickle, brave but get panic attacks, literally runs away from problems, changes demeanor depending on who she is with; Neutral Good, Gemini

Fled to Kirkwall: age 25, good intentions but has no clue what she’s doing, fumbles around and gets by on more luck than skill (sometimes wit), weary around strangers but won’t shut up around friends, her mabari’s name is Bear.

During Inquisition: age 36, takes Anders (and their 3-year old son Silas) to the Wardens to hide them there with her cousin and her friends while she goes help the Inquisition 

LI/sexuality: Anders; disaster Bi

Creator Notes: In Modern AU she is English coded and has had Panic Disorder and several eating disorders since she was 13. Loves cats but is allergic to them (and to many other things).

Champion for World State World State 3 and the Multi-Warden AU

Important Headcanon: In the Multi-Warden AU, both twins live (Varric lies to Cassandra that Carver died to keep his whereabouts hidden) - Carver becomes a Warden and Bethany a Circle Mage; but in her canon World State 3, both of the twins die (Carver is killed by the ogre, Bethany dies during the Deep Roads Expedition)

Click for 5 Facts

Click for Faceclaim

Claira’s Aesthetic Tag

Henley Hawke, The Champion of Kirkwall; the Insomniac Goth 

5'10, tired eyes and sharp edges and blunt apathy; Red Hawke, human, Spirit/Primal focused Mage (Specialization: Blood Mage), tattoos to hide dark-eye bags, rude and anti-social attitude mostly because she’s so exhausted all the time from her insomnia; Neutral Evil, Taurus

Fled to Kirkwall: age 25, cool, capable yet completely uninterested in anything but making gold and keeping her rivaled brother Carver and her mabari “Better Carver” (“BC”) alive. Very “I’m not here to help anyone or make friends,” (Varric is literally her only friend)

LI/sexuality: Sebastian Vael (Rivalmanced); pan-romantic/asexual

Creator Notes: In Modern AU she is Irish coded and still has chronic mediation-treated insomnia. Also she’s very goth punk and dyes her hair often. In Thedas she uses magic to make it that color of burgandy. 

Champion for World State 2 

Described in 5 Gifs

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