#the marquis of serault

[silvanils]

For your marquis!!!! How do they consciously realize that they like the other character? Does it take them a while?

useful/fun development questions for couples!

I hinted at this a bit in this short fic, but... My Marquis and his Bard are about four years apart in age, and have known each other since they were children, seeing each other occasionally in the Court.

Mouse began to have an innocent little crush on his cool, suave older friend around the time he was 10 (when the Knight's Nephew was 13-14) which grew more intense after the other boy came to his rescue when he got stuck in the Tallest Tree.

Mouse didn't know it was a crush, then, just knew he always felt like a silly, self-conscious fool around his friend. Especially because the older boy liked to tease him about everything.

("Your face gets so puffy when you cry, little Mouse!" or "What's the matter, Cat have your tongue again?")

When he turned 15, the Knight's Nephew began training to become a bard, and by the time he was 16 he was almost always "away." He did return for a bit after the twins turned 13, in part because he'd heard rumors that Mouse was "unwell" and wanted to check on his friend.

And, well. The Bard-in-Training looked even more dashing now than he had before, and poor Mouse's crush grew like a wildfire. He knew what it was, then, and knew he was doomed to suffer alone in silence because his feelings would never be returned.

.

As for the Wayward Bard? He had always loved his friend, too, but there was a moment things profoundly shifted:

Mouse was 20 when he became the Marquis of Serault.

The Bard had been away for several months, then, but he rushed back once the news trickled to him --- about the old Marquis falling ill, about the Huntress disappearing. He couldn't stop thinking about poor little Mouse, who must be so miserable and... all alone.

When he returned, the Bard was surprised to find the Scholar had perfected his public face --- despite the chaos all around him, the Marquis held on to a veneer of grace and serenity while in Court.

But when they drank together that night in the privacy of Mouse's quarters... the Marquis cried until his face was all puffy and red, and the Bard did not tease his friend at all even when he fell asleep and had to be carried to bed.

As the Bard looked at the Marquis that night, he felt a spark of something new.

[proffbon]

My Dragon Age fan lore is that despite being insane about all of my main games romances the only form of art I ever produces (not counting low effort memes) was a fanfic about fucking Wayward Bard and the Marquis of Serault from The Last Court. I've spent like a year in school writing it and it's basically just Bard realizing how down horrendously he is for the Marquis.

These bitches have like 2 paragraphs (BARELY) to their romance in the game.

[redlyriumidol]

Remember the Last Court? I'm glad I got to play that while it still existed, I actually remember it being quite fun. Wayward bard my beloved I miss him ❤️

[ninapedia]

please play this fun little game with me, I'm gonna open it to all my Dragon Age OCs. Links to tags/character names under the cut but I'll put them in the tags too

I have a lot of characters I've only written about but here are the ones I've actually posted anything about on here (except for my rook, he has things queued)

Mainline Canon

Viera Surana

Ramona Hawke

Raventish'an Lavellan

Wren "Rook" De Riva (nothing posted about him yet uou)

Additional Game Characters

Aldwir

Warden Andras

Warden Tabris

Warden Brosca

Marquis of Serault

Bhelen's Mercenary

Champion of Kaiten

Enchanter Storm

Warden Thorne

Enchanter Amell

Other Dragon Age OCs

My other Lavellans

DNDragon Age OCs (some of my friend's OCs are in that Tag

AU Warden

Warden Hallevune Mahariel

DA:I OC codex prompts

(based off of excellent ideas in THIS post)

Have fun!

something written about your OC by the cook

something written about your OC by a shop keeper

writing found in your OC’s trash can

something written on a statue dedicated to your OC

a note/letter found in your OC’s pocket

something written by your OC in response to an honor they’re being awarded

something written by a diplomat who has stayed at Skyhold

something written about one of your OC’s regrets

something written about one of your OC’s proudest accomplishments

something written by one of the advisors about your OC

slander written about your OC

propaganda written in support of your OC

something written about your OC in the two years between defeating Corypheus and the beginning of Trespasser

something written about your OC, post-Trespasser

something written to your OC by a younger member of their family 

something written to your OC by an older member of their family

[dreadfutures]

100 Serault Prompts

Inspired by the atmospheric and enigmatic game, Dragon Age: The Last Court, here are some prompts for art or writing. Don't forget to send the prompt along with the number to help your creator out!

Utterly indebted to the #SaveSerault preservation project, and @silvanils Plot Guide here.

The black ocean of trees seethes under a fretful night-wind.

Nightmares breed like maggots in meat.

Wolves howling in council, or prayer, or song.

Gnomic messages scratched into fragments of bark with a knife-point.

Beware of crows.

Painted Masked Goddess in the bluebelled glade.

An inquisitive wind stirs in the woods.

Questing roots crawling over a secret, locking it away against the centuries.

The forest returns to its sleep and its long, green dreams.

Streams suddenly freezing despite the sun.

A laughing wolf.

A pensive bear.

A spider the size of a carthorse.

There are stranger directions than ‘North’ and ‘South’.

Power is a difficult steed to ride. Not everyone can stay in the saddle.

Today's answer could be tomorrow's treason.

A Baker’s Breeze, early in the morning. Upon it, the scent of bread rising in the ovens.

A coy breeze carries the sounds and smells of the market.

Spice. Lies. Laughter. The play of coin.

A grey wind drones in the fireplace.

A slow rain drones on the windows.

A hard wind blows from the east, carrying fat, gloating ravens.

A song of old Serault: the Stag and the Rose.

A star-wind, high and swift, pushes silver clouds to and fro beneath the moon.

The lap of the river upon the castle’s stone feet.

The scent of leaves and nodding barley.

White feathers drift like snow.

Eels in the dark rivers.

The Applewoods are dappled with shadow and filled with succulent midnights. Come closer.

The Biting Wind that Masked Andraste keeps leashed like a dog.

The sun swarms the river.

The Chateau’s four cats stretch out on the roof-tiles.

The wind eddies in corners, making dancing columns of dust. It comes from nowhere, goes nowhere. A Fade-wind, the Dowager calls it.

The Chateau’s pennants crack like whips.

“Payment in Glass” is the Serault motto.

Dappled in gemmy light.

The Green Chapel in the Deepwoods, where wolves go to pray.

A line of grey in the dark; fighting, failing, dying.

A sound like tearing silk.

Burning blue with rage.

Sun as warm as the touch of a hand.

A garland of aster and cuckoo-flowers.

The Masked Andraste isn’t as keen on chastity as her moon-faced sister.

A mage must be a poet, a philosopher, and a butcher.

To see behind the world.

To hold fire by the throat.

Familiar territory, but never quite safe.

Serault’s pride is like her forests: root-deep, thick-skinned, hard-won from the world’s edge.

A bereskarn.

Rune-strewn bones of a fell beast.

A forest victim: flowers sprouting from their eyes.

Hands burned to the blackened bone.

The Tower of Lights, as it never was: scraping the sky, mantled in light.

Weep tears of silver.

Smashing a horned mask of glass and gemstones.

Your true face: a horned mask of glass and gemstones.

The Glassworkers' Guildmaster elections.

This is the Grand Game. Play or drown.

A glass Guildmaster's sword, the hilt spinning fractures of light across the floor.

Freedoms for the Glassworkers: to leave, and leave to marry.

If it doesn't fight back, you drink it.

Secret liaisons with the Lover: Candlelit meetings. Fingers tangling briefly in the corridors. The door to your chambers creaking softly open when the guards change their watch. Stifled giggles as a servant passes.

A change of lovers, and the fallout.

An old tome. Dense, inseparable uncials cram the book. The ink fades. Mold speckles the flimsy pages.

A pig farmer advises the Marquis.

A grin as tight as a gallows noose.

A mosaic floor.

Honor is a game that others play.

Your Chevalier Commander, and her loyalty.

Serault Town: Gold stone, red roofs.

The Horned Knight's hold: a round tower, jagged as a chipped tooth, its floors all collapsed in on one another. A great tree grows within it, spreading a canopy of burgundy leaves where the roof once was.

Grass sparkling with shards of an old, shattered mirror.

Fat partridge, simmering in a pot with sweet onions and pale beans, then a plate of round cakes, peppered with poppyseed and laced with honey.

The mother has eyes of fire; the daughter, a heart of it.

Twilit riverbanks untrod by mortal feet, and rings of tall blue stones that were not raised by human hands…

A hall where the trees walk and the stones speak.

The Horned Knight: clad in armor of forest green, with an ivy cloak that hisses along the flagstones.

Hounds in the kennels, baying for the hunt.

The effects of High Twilight.

The effects of High Peril.

The effects of Rumors of Revolution.

The Dignity of the Huntress, Glass Rose of Serault: deadly, beautiful, adored, dreaded.

The Freedom of the Scholar, who might be the one to bring change to Serault for the good of the common folk.

The apples have interesting properties: astringent... intoxicating.

The Chateau stands on an island in mid-river.

The Acerbic Dowager (Counselor)

The Cheery Baron (Counselor)

The Dashing Outlaw (Accomplice or Bodyguard)

The Elegant Abbess (Counselor or Lover)

The Kindly Knight (Counselor)

The Muttering Banker

The Purveyor of Teas (Accomplice)

The Seneschal (Counselor)

The Silent Hunter (Bodyguard)

The Smiling Guildmistress (Counselor)

The Wayward Bard (Lover)

The Well-Read Pig-Farmer (Accomplice)

His Dour Lordship (Counselor)

The Scornful Sorceress

The Anchoress.

[brood-mother]

sawbones Dragon Age Fic Masterlist

A list of all my Dragon Age fanfics (circa 2014-2018) to keep you occupied 'til Oct 31st. Mostly rarepairs, mostly smutty.

Dragon Age 2

A Little Self-Love Never Hurt Nobody Anders/Anders, E, WC: 2086; "Anders revisits a memory from his wild Circle days in a dream - and gains a whole new point of view." (selfcest, dream sex, PWP) Fructovorous Fenris/Sebastian, E, WC: 1790; "Fenris is his General on the field; behind closed doors, he’s so much more." (footplay, oral, light D/s) Pillowtalk Isabela/Bethany, T, WC: 755; "While Hawke is in the Deep Roads, a heatwave hits Kirkwall." (post-coital, cuddling, mild h/c) Rooftops Isabela/Bethany, G, WC: 931; "Bethany wants to learn how to support herself and her family." (gen, flirting) Tinpot Alley Implied Carver/Cullen, T/M, WC: 2679, "Three Templars went on patrol; one came back." (gore tw)

Dragon Age: The Last Court

Rakish, Reckless Marquis of Serault/Wayward Bard, E, WC: 3436; "The Wayward Bard takes a knife in the back to protect the Marquis. The Marquis wants to know why." (first time, angry sex, mild blood/injury)

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Many Hands Lighten the Load Dorian/m!Lavellan/Blackwall, E, WC: 7429; "All of Skyhold can see the way Blackwall looks at the Inquisitor, even if the Inquisitor himself can't. Dorian comes to realise there are better ways to handle such a situation than petty jealousy." (UST, mutual pining, friends/rivals to lovers) Rectrix Iron Bull/Zevran, E, WC: 1724; "Bull and Zevran met long before the Inquisition." (bondage, caning, forced tickling) Red Sky At Night Samson/Maddox, M, WC: 4450; "The rise of the Red General began with two men and a missed headcount; or, how Samson was lost to the Chantry and found by Corypheus." (hurt no comfort, pre-DAI) Ruby Red OFC/ OFC, E, WC: 3000; "Behemoth, they called her. Towering, terrifying. Where was Jess, under all that red? A twist of metal helm to mark where her head had been, two flat eyes that glinted in the low light. She was still there, Ruby knew it. She responded to her name, or at least to Ruby’s voice. Not any voice, just hers. Only hers." (angst, body horror, red templars)

The above works are all posted on Ao3, but there are more shorter-form fics over at my currently-defunct DA writing sideblog. Comments, kudos, asks, and suggestions for future fics are all very welcome. 🖤

[crossdressingdeath]

Ah, I think what we're getting into here is the difference between Andrastianism and the Chantry. There were a lot of different Andrastian sects(? Cults? Not entirely sure what the right word is, but I'm gonna go with sects) when the Chantry was first founded; most of them aren't around anymore (at least some of them gone because of the Chantry and its habit of wiping out every other religious group it can, see the codex entry on the Daughters of Song for an example; that one's especially nasty since they were pacifists and the Chantry steamrolled over them anyway), but even in the games' time period there's still a couple, most notably Chantry Andrastianism and Tevinter Andrastianism. Orlais chose a very warlike sect to follow right from the start, which might just have been because that's how Orlesians are but it's still a thing to keep in mind: the sect the Chantry came out of was already one that glorified war above most other things. How convenient for an expansionist empire! The Chantry itself was absolutely created from that initial sect with propping Orlais up in mind, and it has stuck to that mandate pretty consistently throughout Thedas's history (even up to the occupation of Ferelden, the Orlesian king put in charge had a Chantry advisor; as far as I'm aware there was no significant Chantry presence among the rebels, at least not in any official capacity). It's also important to me to keep in mind that in the games there is a vague acknowledgement of how Andrastians don't necessarily follow the Chantry and many don't agree with it; Anders is a devout Andrastian, and he understandably despises the organization. Varric is Andrastian, and Cassandra comments he wouldn't be caught dead in a Chantry. Basically the Chantry as an institution and Andrastianism as a religion are not the same thing, the Chantry was created with a specific goal that Andrastianism did not share, and after a point they have to be discussed as separate entities.

I sort of agree with the "institutions are at their heart the people" thing? But also that only goes so far when we're talking about an institution that is fundamentally not in it to do good, or at least not for anyone who isn't already wealthy and in a position of power. I think the best example is Mother Giselle; she was working in Jader during a famine, and she demanded the Chantry step up and offer aid to the people who were starving. She's the epitome of someone determined to do good within the Chantry and fulfill their supposed mandate of charity. And... the Chantry refused to help. Just straight up refused to send aid no matter how many times she entreated them to help these desperate people. Eventually Mother Giselle fell back on a hunger strike, and that worked (although the Chantry insisted she feed herself and her fellow sisters first, which they merrily refused to do; I have issues with Mother Giselle but this is very good, gotta respect the determination). But the Chantry was so furious with her for "shaming" them and forcing their hand that by breaking that famine she ensured she would never be able to move any higher in the institution than she was already. Mother Giselle was fighting the Chantry the whole way and was punished for succeeding. That's kind of the running theme in the Chantry; there are a lot of genuinely good people who are genuinely determined to help! But outside of the individual level they consistently find themselves stymied and slapped down by the organization they serve, because the Chantry does not actually exist to help and does not actually want to. There comes a point where you can't take the intentions of people who join up as the true purpose of the institution, because the institution absolutely does not agree with those intentions and will do everything in its power to shut them down. (Also I mean there comes a point where it's like... hey if you people are in this to help people why aren't you quitting when it becomes clear the organization is going to demand you hurt people at every turn, Keran DA2 you will always be famous to me.)

FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT. Thank you Dorian for being the best once again and pointing out that hey maybe if the Chantry didn't treat their mages like shit and traumatize all of them they'd get possessed less often.

[defira85]

Thedas Tuesday

Oh boy this is probably my biggest shot in the dark, because this one is entirely dependent on my existing and expansive canon which has a fairly large departure from Bioware canon and revolves around The Last Court, my beloved, and the fact that Lace (and Varric) represent themselves as being aligned with the Inquisition even though it's entirely possible for the Inquisition to have been disbanded at the end of Trespasser

Luciaane de Serault

If Thedas had the concept of a nepo baby, Luci would probably fit the bill. The only daughter of Marquis Ilaane de Serault, the Huntress of Serault, and heir to the marquisate, Luci is beloved by all in the wild frontier city. Serault has always been a peculiarity, only Orlesian due to the shifting of borders, and their Circle Tower has been the most poorly kept secret in all of Orlais. Magic walks the streets of Serault, not the careful displays of extravaganza one sees in Tevinter but true Wild Magic

Luci has three parents - her mother Ilaane, and her fathers Marcus and Lucien. Marcus is the court bard, and Lucien is Ilaane's cousin, descended from The Shame and branded with the same magic. Lucien (belonging to @tiefighter) is a wild mage, who trained under the tutelage of the Lord of Forest and Song, a great forest god and spirit, and he received a vision of the future Inquisitor Corinne Trevelyan - a fellow wild mage - and felt compelled to join the Inquisition to aid her. Luci was around five or six when he left, and with when she visited Skyhold she became the darling of the Inquisition. Corinne very delightedly became her godmother, or at least the Thedosian equivalent

Several years later, in the late 9:40s, Luci went out into the woods to meet with the Lord of Forest and Song and did not come back that night. It was not terribly unusual for members of the de Serault family called to serve the wild magics to wander off for a day or two, so Ilaane did not panic immediately, but when she was not back several days later they sent out a search party - only to be greeted by a young woman in her mid 20s. For the few days that had passed in Serault, almost fifteen years had passed in the Deepwoods, and Luci was now an adult, powerful and wild and rambunctious.

Technically, Luci's faction is the Inquisition because I assumed that we were getting 7 factions to match 7 companions, but obviously some people have world states where the Inquisition got disbanded and that wouldn't work, so in game she's Shadow Dragons. But she's the heir to Serault, goddaughter of the Inquisitor and Lady of Skyvale Corinne Trevelyan, agent of the Inquisition, and favoured apprentice of an old forest god - like I said, nepo baby supreme

I wrote about Luc and Luci and Ilaane here years ago, on the night Serault learns the Divine has been murdered

[valyrianrepublic]

Red Schism AU, All OCS:

Evar Cousland: Prince-Consort of Ferelden, Lawful Evil, charming and funny and using the fact he is a noble of the highest blood to get away with so much stuff, but foundamentally the worst person ever. Only things he cares about are his wife Anora (always been in love with her), his family and Ferelden strenght. Professional Theirin and Orlais hater. Show Tywin Lannister inspired.

Ignis Hawke: Red Hawke, Blood Mage, Demon Summoner, Pyromancer, Force Mage, General of the Mage Rebellion, Bearer of the Mark, the personification of all the Chantry fears. Unlike Evar who is charming and evil, he is incredibly grumpy and aggressive but Chaotic Good. Helped Mother Petrice cause a Second Chantry Schism, defeated an Exalted March, kidnapped the Divine, nearly got executed for having caused the breach, proved he did not cause the breach, retired after killing Corypheus to be a magic teacher and chill with his husband, incredibly bad at politics.

Gladius Octavian Tullius: son of General Tullius, Dragonborn, Legate of the IV Legion of Skyrim and General of the Imperial Explorative Legion that landed in Thedas, later Emperor of Tamriel. Lawful Good with hints of neutral. Has a tendency to believe the Empire is the best solution for everyone and is a convinced monarchist, but genuinely wants to help people and despises racial discrimination. Half of his body has burn signs he got from fighting Alduin, despite this causing him heavy ptsd and dissociative episodes when smelling burnt flesh he kept putting himself in war situations all his life seeing it as part of his duty. Ally of the qunari, political rival of the free marchers. Married Cassandra Pentaghast.

Melkior Lavellan: NOT the Inquisitor (there is no Inquisition nor Herald, altought Ignis is the one with the mark) but instead a dalish first that joined the shem'lens war against the Chantry to give the elves rapresentation. Weak magic, but strong diplomatic and debate skills. Became Captain during the Mage Rebellion and occupied Ostwick robbing House Trevelyan. Used the money to invest and join the political scenario post war of the free marches, being a firm proponent of the idea of an marcher unification. When the United Marcher Alliance was founded, became the UMA Ambassador in Skyhold, getting in a diplomatic pen duel with Lady Josephine Montelyet and later courting her. Stopped an attempt of Octavian and the qunari to intimidate the UMA in dissolving during Iron Bull personal quest, gained the political capital to become President of the UMA. Served for a decade before retiring shortly before Veilguard. Disbanded Alienages across all Free Marches, strong indipendentist, entered trade relationships with Morrowind to counter the Empire of Tamriel. Lawful Good.

Amèlie Du Serault: Lesbian orlesian marquesse of Serault with an homoerotic relationship towards canon dragon age character Lady Cromwell aka the Elusive Iconoclaust. They were friends and gay for each other but the social difference was too much especially when the Iconoclaust started campaigning against the nobility. Unlike canon giving this npc a minor role in a minor game, in Red Schism the fall of the Orlesian Empire allows the Iconoclaust to spread her message and take power, taking out the guillotines. To avoid the revolution chopping her head off too Amèlie closed her borders and declared indipendence from Orlais. Married her political rival the Marquis of Aloyns that she was keeping chained to her dungeons to join their lands and protect their noble status, founding the Grand Duchy of Serault. Used to be in an inappropriate scandalous relationship with Florianne De Chalons at some point. True Neutral

Aventus Aretino: aka Rook 1, yes he's the same Aventus Aretino of Skyrim fame. When Octavian destroyed the Dark Brotherhood Aventus said "I'll do it myself", travelled back to Riften and killed Grelod. But being like, ten years old, he wasn't able to avoid being arrested. Riften authorities were not sure what to do about him considering his age, so he got uncerimoniously conscripted to work on a ship for basic food and roof hoping it would "straight him up". When the ship visited the newly discovered Thedas for trade he immediately ran and disapperead in Antiva City, joining the crows and taking the name Aventus De Rivia. By Veilguard he's in his early twenty and absolutely determined to make Solas regret being in his head. Denies having trauma (has trauma). True neutral

"Sarah" Sarebaas Thorne: aka Rook 2. Since Veilguard treated the qunari lore horribly, I decided to make an actual Qunari capital Q oc. Sarebaas was a strong mage since infancy, which is why of course she immediately got to wear chains and a mask as the Qun does. But when Sten became the Arishok and started reforming the teachings of the Qun, she became one of his biggest examples of "this is proof that Sarebaas can control themselves on their own by finding strenght in the Qun". Sarebaas was sended to the Wardens by Sten-Arishok to serve as an example of his theory and due to his big respect of the Wardens as a group when blight related problems kept surfacing. The other wardens nicknamed her Sarah to simplify her name to their understanding and she was later recruited by Varric. She genuinely embraces the Qun as part of her culture and meditations, while being a nightmare for darkspawn and the evanuris with her magic. Lawful Good.

[v-arbellanaris]

2, 4, and 7 for the da questions?

from this ask meme!

2. Which Dragon Age game is your favorite so far?

it's definitely hard to choose between da2 and dao. dao does have my favourite character but i think, overall, i'll have to say da2! da2 is such a comfort game to me, running around kirkwall and knowing exactly where everything is and all the banter and the COMPANIONS and i love the dlcs and and and!!! i love the central conflicts, i love the layers of the story, and i love even the parts that make me so mad about it.

4. What does your worldstate look like going into DAV?

i've been waffling about which worldstates i'll be plugging into datv, because i want to do a few! i wanted to do my canon worldstate which is evadne -> mage!hawke -> marya, but i also wanted to do kal -> warrior!hawke -> isra alternate worldstate and then i definitely want to do one run with aedan -> joan -> iskandar "well shit" worldstate... but i was ALSO waffling up pro-mage evadne -> mage!hawke -> isra worldstate... and all elven kal -> moon -> marya worldstate...

ultimately, they all symbolise different things! like my "well shit" worldstate is basically a world that refused to change at every precipice, a world that really plays into the way bioware keeps "re-setting" the changes in the world we try to make - a world that has stubbornly stayed oppressive of mages, of elves, over the last decade, through the various decisions of the pcs. a low approval iskandar and an anti-mage, anti-elf worldstate would be the darkest timeline - and likely, the timeline solas feels most justified in because people don't grow or try to be better, and he's not friends with the inquisitor, and the pendulum of change swings to stagnation.

on the other hand, the other two worldstates are worldstates where things get better. kal -> warrior!hawke -> isra worldstate is also about revenge and regret and clawing for change, and it's about how stories make you seem larger than life, how stories immortalise you, so there's the obvious appeal in bringing that worldstate into da4. the evadne -> mage!hawke -> marya worldstate is a really good one where it's like change is possible! change happens, bit by bit and there are as many downs as ups, but it's possible, and people are committed. and of course, it's my solavellan worldstate, so obviously i wanna import that!!! but i'm not 100% sure yet :(

7. Which character from the previous games or other media are you most hoping will make an appearance in DAV?

WELL OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS ONE. i'm betting on a teia and viago appearance (from tevinter nights)! it feels very unlikely too but i'm hoping to see yavana back, fenris, carver hawke, and maybe even the marquis/e of serault since morrigan went there to study serault glass (which she is using to research the eluvian!)

[ardentblossomings]

Ask!

S H A R E

(Previously on "ask games" . . .)

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon

Velanna and Sigrun (Dragon Age) start a relationship during the course of their adventure. Finn specializes in Elven magic, as Arianne is not a mage and thus cannot make use of their findings. If Merrill weren't so innocent, Isabela would've started a relationship with her; Sebastian would like to marry Bethany, but the mage-templar conflicts put a pin in his plans. As previously mentioned, my Hawke is definitely elf-blooded, as is my Marquis de Serault.

H - What is your favourite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?

To absolutely no one's surprise: Dragon Age. Anything Dragon Age goes for me. Aside from that... I honestly don't know. If we consider "10 Things I Hate About You", where I liked both movie and TV show, it'd probably be Taming Of The Shrew, though I didn't particularly care for it.

(Using the "K" from "Ask" due to previously answered letters)

K - What character has your favourite development arc/the best development arc?

Zuko from Avatar. I guess I could count multiple Avatar characters here (not Aang, however), or even Dragon Prince characters (though some less so), but... eh. Too easy? But it's not about redemption here, so... also Damon and Bonnie from Vampire Diaries, and likely other characters I cannot think about right now.

[proffbon]

[silvanils]

hey Knight! for some fluffy serault freeform (maybe) this Friday, maybe something about the literal warmest moment of the marquis' childhood?

@dadrunkwriting​

Because of reasons, it’s not ENTIRELY fluffy... and it’s set at the very tail end of what Mouse would consider his childhood, but I had a lot of fun working on it!

Rating: G Word count: just over 1,100 words.

Summers in Serault were warm, not hot. The winds seldom went still long enough for the air to grow heavy and humid, except during the “dog days” in the middle of Solace, when old superstitions claimed the White Wolf himself held the winds back.

Mouse wasn’t sure he believed that particular superstition, but… confined to the castle as he was, he could find no true reprieve from the heat. Even after stripping down to only a pair of shorts and a thin silk robe, he still felt like he was going to burn up.

Through the open window, he thought he could hear the distant sound of laughter. Splashing. Just last year, he and Cat had spent these days playing in the rivers and (at Cat’s insistence) the very edges of the shade-filled woods.

This year was different, though.

They had turned thirteen in the spring — which made them too old to be considered children any longer, at least according to the Rules of the Court. They were expected to wear masks any time they were in public, now, not just at formal events.

Even their lessons had been expanded. Both twins were expected to be able to run the province smoothly in the future, so they were being taught how to rule Serault and defend her borders — though Mouse skipped his combat lessons as often as he could, usually by swapping places with Cat so she could sneak in extra practice while he ducked off to his favorite hiding place to read.

He was there now, curled up in the window-nook of the Tilted Tower. It looked over the river that cut between Serault Town and the forest. There was a section near the square that he could see was full of people — swaying like a great tide themselves.

Mouse sighed, pressing his head against the cool stone. If only, if only.

“Would the little Mouse like a little time out in the sun?”

The voice startled Mouse, making him jump a little — but of course he immediately recognized the young Bard even before he turned to face him. He looked dangerous, now, with sharp daggers strapped to his thighs and tight leather armor… not to mention the stupid smirk he was wearing as he pinched one side of his little mustache, if the sparse line of hair on his upper lip could even be considered one.

Mouse huffed as he turned away. “I can’t go out,” he said. “I’m…”

Not sick, not really — the lie his family had been telling stuck in his throat as sure as any cough, though, and tasted as bitter as the apples from the woods. They should have just sent for the Templars, Mouse thought. Keeping me locked away here is no better.

The Bard tsked softly, his tongue clicking against his teeth. “Not well? So I’ve heard. I’m led to believe your affliction isn’t contagious, however… and your sister insists that you join us for a picnic today, by the river.”

His footsteps made as little noise as a cat’s paws as he crept closer, but Mouse ignored him until he felt a hand gently grasp his shoulder.

“So, fancy a little mischief?”

Mouse’s cheeks felt like they were burning, and his face only grew hotter when he realized he’d been caught without his mask on. Stupid, stupid. As if the Bard would care. “Mother will be furious if she finds out — ”

“If she finds out,” the Bard repeated, grinning as he offered Mouse his hand. “I promise to take full responsibility.”

“Alright, then,” Mouse said, smiling as the Bard helped him stand. “I’ll come.”

.

Cat had set the picnic up beneath a tree on the western bank of the river. The elfroot that grew around it’s roots fluttered in the wind, glinting slightly in the sunlight. Mouse noticed she had forgone her mask for this outing as well, but she did wear a light dusting of powder around her eyes.

“Took you long enough,” she said, arching an eyebrow.

“There were guards to avoid,” the Bard said, smoothly moving to lounge beside her on the blanket. “I had no trouble slipping by them on my own, but your brother’s stealth skills could use a bit more work. He tripped once, nearly went tumbling out in front of a patrol!”

“Perhaps he should skip fewer hunting lessons,” Cat said, flashing him a knowing grin. “At least he had you there to rescue him. Again.”

Mouse wished he could dart behind something and hide. He felt like he was on fire, and the sun-heated air was not helping. Belatedly, he realized exactly where Cat had set up the picnic — this was, in fact, what they had dubbed the Tallest Tree. Three summers ago, Mouse had tried to climb all the way up it’s great trunk, higher and higher, hoping he could see past the Greenwood and catch a glimpse of the Deep…

He’d gotten stuck, though, when a branch had poked right through his shirt. The Kindly Knight’s nephew (now known better as the Bard) had been the one to sneak up and untangle him from the tree’s clutches. Mouse had never felt so flustered in his life, and Cat would never let him forget about it.

Especially because she knew why —

“Mouse? Are you feeling alright?” The Bard asked, a hint of genuine concern in his voice, though his expression was infuriatingly unreadable beneath his mask. “Perhaps this excursion was too much for him, Cat? He seems a bit overwhelmed.”

Mouse huffed and took a seat, plucking an orange out of the picnic basket. He tore away the bitter peel to get at the juicy flesh. “I’m not made of glass,” he spat out. “I’m tired of being treated like some… delicate… thing!”

As he bit into the fruit, he glared at both of them. Cat was still grinning, but the Bard’s mouth hung open in stunned silence. Good. He wiped his mouth off. His cheeks still felt like they might turn to ash any minute. “I’m no different than I was before,” he finally said, quieter. “You should both know that.”

The Bard sat up, studying Mouse. Quietly, he reached up to shift his mask away from his warm, walnut-brown eyes. “Mon douce petite Souris,” he sighed. “You’re right, I do know better.”

.

They went swimming, after, in the tree’s shade. They dried off quickly in the heat, though it would be impossible to pretend they had not both spent the day out: their hair was tangled and full of river-plants, their skin still hot and reddened by the sun. Mouse didn’t care, though. To have made such wonderful, happy memories…

That was worth any trouble that came later.

[ninapedia]

i am done... all my Dragon Age PCs from every “canon” Dragon Age game in the order they would’ve appeared in in the DA Time Line.

This is how they’d appear in the time of DA4 maybe possible idk when that game is set. Why does Odile look older than characters older than her? Well, y’know, Grey Wardens live a hell of a life, y’know?

commissions open tho

[crossdressingdeath]

wren--bee Saaaame. :( I wonder if how she is about elven history and lore in DAI was a holdover from when there was only going to be a human protagonist? Which would be a different version of “yikes” but, especially with Solas around maybe it could have been addressed. I’m not the biggest fan of returning characters unless there’s a really good reason tbh (and “some fans want it” isn’t one imo) but if I made a list of characters I actively don’t want to see again Morrigan would be high on the list.

Fingers crossed it is just a holdover and she'll be better in DAV, but like... I don't trust it.

Personally I'm all for returning characters as cameos. Seeing Zevran, Nathaniel and Alistair in DA2 is delightful, and King Alistair in DAI is fine (leaving out the way they bleached him and also him still acting like a child in the text of the war table mission he shows up even though he's thirty years old and has been king for over a decade). I also really like the Serault war table chain if you've finished TLC, Marquis de Serault my beloved. Even the carryover companions are fine, the games have for the most part managed the balance of giving them enough attention to be worthwhile as returning companions without letting them overshadow the rest of the cast (I'm also really looking forward to companion Harding, it'll be interesting to see how they manage a secondary character making the jump to companion) although I'm still mad about Anders not caring about Warden-related stuff (what gives, Anders, I thought you loved me). I really want to see characters like Dorian, Merrill and Fenris make an appearance in DAV given it revolves around places and topics that they would play into nicely. My issue is when the returning characters overshadow the main cast of the game. DAI is absolutely terrible about this. Two of your advisors are returning characters along with the usual carryover companion! Multiple quests revolve around the presence of returning characters! There's a quest that's largely just the game going "look how smart Morrigan is" instead of letting your elven expert and (potentially) Quiz themself talk about their people's history! Hell, the emotional climax of HLtA centres on the question of which returning character you love more! And DAV featuring Morrigan so heavily in the release date trailer and making such a big deal about her presence has me worried that it might be going the same way, especially after so much of the pre-reveal trailer marketing revolved around LOOK VARRIC AND SOLAS ARE HERE AGAIN. Bioware please, please keep the returning characters to minimum plot presence... you have such a promising new cast, I want this game to be about them, not The Returning Character Show Plus Sidekicks... We've seen more of Morrigan's dialogue than most of the companions, this is not a good sign!

Not gonna lie, I am... not happy to see Morrigan again (I could've sworn Claudia Black confirmed she wasn't in DA4 ages ago? Guess that was a fucking lie). Like, I hate her in DAI. She's awful, she just talks down to the elves about things that she doesn't actually seem to understand (see how Quiz immediately understands the Well better than her just by looking at it if they have the arcane knowledge perk) and takes a role that was much better suited to certain elven blood mage established eluvian experts I could mention. I really, really didn't want to see her again. I will hold on to some cautious optimism that Bioware's learned something in the past decade and will handle her better and this does mean there'll probably be Well-related shenanigans (let's be real, without the Well Morrigan's place in this story is well (heh) and truly gone now that we have the Dread Wolf himself on speed dial), but like... why. The fact that she's so prominent in the trailer feels like a bad sign also.

[felassan]

Stupid question, do you know of a map that shows where that marquis in orlais is from that text game they got rid of? And/or where anyone put together lore from it?

hello! ◕‿◕ not a stupid question at all! I really love TLC, Serault and Serault lore, it was really intriguing with its own unique character.. Dragon Age: The Last Court you will always be famous (˶◞ ‸ ◟˶)

to my knowledge/recollection there was no map of the Marquisate of Serault itself. but we do know where the Marquisate of Serault specifically sits on the larger map of Thedas proper thanks to the War Table in DA:I -

here you can see exactly where it sits in relation to the Nahashin Marshes and the Tirashan. there were also descriptions in the game of various locations in the Marquisate and (a bit) on their geographic relations to each other, as well as descriptions in the game relating that the Marquisate itself is in the far west of Orlais ("far west of the civilised world") near the Tirashan ("Look west, to the Tirashan Forest").

The Last Court resources:

Dragon Age: The Last Court preservation community project archive (a Google drive of screenshots of 99% of the game's contents)

Detailed plot guide on A03 (the info in text format, not screencaps)

Ghil Dirthalen video - TLC overview

Ghil Dirthalen long video - Playing TLC

Dragon Age Wiki pages on TLC: TLC, Serault, an index of the cards etc

hope something here helps ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ