#the more mythic lavellan and solas become

[loredrinker]

Lavellan Joining Solas in the Fade - the Least Risk for Thedas in the Long Run

Solas, as a former spirit, is a man who has to navigate emotions rather than embody them.  

Solas: A spirit does not work through emotions. It embodies them. Varric: But he isn't a spirit, is he? He made himself human, and humans change. 

His life seems to have been one of extremes. And spirits reflect so who he surrounds himself with matters - or lack thereof considering what isolation does to him.  

Like all humans/mortals, Solas’ has to deal with emotions but as a former spirit who embodies and reflects, then the presence of someone who understands him (sees him) is important.

Simply put, he needs help processing his emotions. (Don't we all though?) 

Logically, the best thing for Thedas in the long run is for Lavellan to be with Solas in the Fade. 

In the Atonement ending where Solas goes alone, he enters the Fade with a clear purpose and a healthier state of mind. This is good, yet Thedas is left to trust that his atonement will lead to lasting stability. Even with his resolve, Solas will still be alone in what he sees as a prison of regret. While he may have found some measure of peace upon entering, Thedas can only hope that years of isolation do not erode his convictions.

The Fade is fluid, shaped by thought, belief, and emotion. Left alone, Solas alone defines his reality – so what happens if, over time, his belief in himself wavers? If his purpose falters? 

I believe Lavellan’s presence benefits both Solas and Thedas - she is a safeguard.

By being there, Lavellan acts as an anchor. Her presence prevents him from slipping too far in either direction, giving him someone to share the burden of his emotions - and hers as well. How many times do we feel better when we talk out our feelings with those we love?

Solas created the regret prison – that's how he sees it. But Lavellan changes its nature by refusing to see it as a prison at all. It’s why she tells him it won’t be terrible if they’re together. She reframes his exile, turning it from a sentence into something else - a path walked alongside someone. 

She sees him as a man capable of change echoing what Varric says: "...and humans change."

If she refuses to see him purely as a monster, if she holds to the truth that he can remember his original purpose and find redemption through atonement - then the Fade prison will bend to that belief. Which means eventually, I believe they can find a way out of it. If spirits mirror what they encounter, then being in the Fade with Lavellan means Solas is continuously reflecting someone who loves him, who challenges him emotionally, who refuses to let him forget his humanity. Someone who sees him. 

Lavellan was forced into the role of Herald, then Inquisitor - eventually accepting her path. She made decisions that shaped Thedas, choosing what was best for the world over personal preference or wants.  So how lovely, that a personal choice rooted in love now finally aligns with her role as a leader, continuing to protect Thedas. 

[sunsetwaltz]

[Some personal musings on my fav vg romance]

Been thinking about this lately but I don't believe there'll ever be a more romantic pairing for me than Solavellan. It's the way they tug at your heartstrings and stir your emotions. The way they start off seemingly as two nobodies (maybe even outcasts) finding a connection during a tumultuous time but both become larger than life (in the narrative) and turn into a mythical, all encompassing love story.

There's pain, there's laughter, cute moments of flirtation and unexpectedly steamy kisses - all mixed in a tangled knot of truths and lies. Pining, heartbreak, visits in dreams, a language they come to share and communicate in harmony. It's the tragedy of not being enough, of self-denial and an unwillingness to share one's greatest burdens - until at the very last moment, after being released from their duties, their earthly shackles, it is enough. Their love begins anew with a lifelong, no an eternal promise and atonement. It's not the end, not really, not as long as the fandom continues to thrive - like it has for the past decade - and I believe it'll be a ship that continues to endure for quite some time.

Plus let's not forget it's a relationship where you can ask questions and receive insight (and approval!) about the world of Thedas, about topics no other character has really addressed before - or at least not in quite a meaningful manner. And although we later learn Solas has greater motivations, it felt like a relationship that was connected to DAI's narrative at each turn - from the way Solas repeatedly asks after the Inquisitor's wellbeing and driving motives to how he reacts to events throughout the story. How his reactions colour and give further meaning to what we know and thought we knew. How that carries on into the next game and recontextualises the events of the previous game, giving DAI even further replayability.

I like how Solas is one of the (few imo) characters where it felt like you could have a proper discussion, where he didn't have to have the final word (or at least not always lol), and he could admit when he was wrong. I like how differently one could flavour their relationship depending on their own Lavellan, but ultimately the ending is similar - it's heartbreak or righteous anger then a long long ten years of an agonising what if, what next?

Lastly, I really love how this codex entry comes to encompass them far better than the original intended duo:

Except in Solas and Lavellan's case the impressions don't fade. They linger, they endure, they remain.

[seratlantisite]

god ok Dragon Age Inquisition Au where you stay a wanted fugitive for most of the game,

like you actually have to WORK for things, have to EARN the victory in any kind of way. step one, you aren’t inexplicably handed an army.

Picture it. You, the marked suspect in the divines death, stabilize the rift, pass out. But instead of waking up as the mythical Herald, surrounded by reverence, you are in the jail cell again. Cassandra believes you are innocent, but it's too late to convince anyone. Orlais wants your head. So Cassandra does the right thing, and helps you flee. You are, after all, still the only person who can do anything for the rifts. Solas is interested in the mark, so he comes too and, well, when has Varric ever turned down a good underdog story? Leliana helps you flee and promises to keep them off you.

You become the Fugitive. or something less nerdy

So you end up in the Hinterlands, and boy things sure are a mess down there, huh? So maybe you start taking out some bandits and rogue templars on your way. It’s kind of unavoidable. And the locals start to take notice. The more you help, the more they lie to the Chantry to help you. And you still need to try and close the breach, so you start wondering if the one of the factions could take a side trip from their war to help you. You have to pledge yourself, really work to earn the aid of either the Mages (x) or the Templars if you want to do an evil run idk, and of course they aren't without their own problems, but you get there. They trust you.

And on the way you keep finding fellow wayward scrappy do-gooders who want to help you. Madamme de Fer herself joins you, as you are the only practical way to Do Anything to help the world right now. And the Iron Bull well ok, you absolutely Cannot afford him but he wants to help, so for tax purposes you join the Chargers, technically, and Krem wont stop affectionately calling you guys the B-team.

So you take your faction and your team and you sneak into the mountains, which is easier if you befriended the lyrium smugglers, and if you convinced leliana’s contact Josephine to manoeuvre the nobility’s forces away from haven, and you do it! You stop the breach! And then a fucking dragon attacks you.

You buy your team time, and you flee. Corypheus wants you dead, so you need to hide. Fourtunately, Solas knows a secret place in the mountains, right between Fereldan and Orlais. Perfect place to sneak into both countries as needed. And cue the rest of the game, launched from your decrepit castle secret-base in the mountains.

(The rest of the game under the cut DA:I is so long.)

The war? Well the faction you chose seemingly fell with you, are hidden in Skyhold with you, so the other side seems to have won. Until they become visibly corrupted and start aiding Corypheus, and suddenly the people know who they trust more. The ones who Chose to help you.

Exalted plains? No longer a pointless mission for something your troops should really be handling, because there’s literally just you and your scooby gang to handle things. And well, lets say if you want to recruit Dagna you have to fight through it to find her because that whole area is so pointless as is.

You don’t get to “claim” landmarks and keeps but hey, at least peasants stop throwing fruit at you.

Wicked Eyes Wicked Hearts? Oh you better be ready to WORK for that invitation to the ball. Josephine has the to-do list for you, get ready to suck up to nobles. Or have Sera sneak you in if you really suck at it, but it’ll make things harder because no one knows who you are.

Adamant Fortress? Well if you settled the Orlesian throne you’ll have troops to assault it for you. Or you can jump the gun and try to STEALTH YOUR WAY IN. Get ready for the fight of your LIFE if you make even one misstep

The Temple of Mythal? There’s so much other weird magic in Thedas for Morrigan to be your magical advisor on - the forbidden oasis, the red lyrium and Samson’s armour. But when it’s time to go to the temple, Varric’s like “I know a gal” and Merrill comes to save you all and explain her culture and take the well (unless Lavellan really wants to). (and later there’s this really bad ass moment where Merrill and Morrigan nod to each other like “We got This” and fly off to fight the dragon together). And just for fun, let’s say if you argued for the wardens to stay, then either Hawke or the Warden leads the troops. Otherwise it’s some obnoxious Orlesian general.

And then. The final final battle. All your hard work Finally comes together. I personally am a fan of The Siege of Skyhold approach by @dont-fuck-me-gil. But the point is, you Earned this force with your own blood sweat and tears.

[defunct-ao3feed-adoribull]

Corrupted Devotion

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2UZGJ3e

by Kitty_Grell_Laufeyson

Thedas is safe again. There was a Blight, a rebellion, a mad Knight-Commander and an undead magister hell-bent on becoming a god, but she was safe again. For three years, after demons and assassination, the late air of peace was welcomed.

Until one night in the middle of November...

Words: 523, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Dragon Age (Video Games)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M

Characters: Dragon Age II Companions, Inquisition Agent(s) (Dragon Age), Fenris (Dragon Age), Isabela (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras, Female Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Carver Hawke, Male Hawke (Dragon Age), Merrill (Dragon Age), Sebastian Vael, Fen'Harel | Solas, The Iron Bull (Dragon Age), Dorian Pavus, Sera (Dragon Age), Vivienne (Dragon Age), Cassandra Pentaghast, Cullen Rutherford, Josephine Montilyet, Leliana (Dragon Age), Anders (Dragon Age), Zevran Arainai, Bianca (Dragon Age), Oghren (Dragon Age), Justice Anders (Dragon Age), Cole (Dragon Age), Blackwall | Thom Rainier, Alistair (Dragon Age), Original Grey Warden Character(s) (Dragon Age), Elf Warden (Dragon Age)

Relationships: Male Hawke/Aveline Vallen, Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus, Blackwall/Isabela

Additional Tags: Blood and Gore, Violence, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Dragons, Lots of dragons - Freeform, evil mages, Evil Templars, I dont know how to tag, my apologies, warning: ooc abound, ship tags added upon reveal, Racism, templar bashing, Chantry Bashing, mage bashing, Elvhen Pantheon, Elvhen Language, Sassy Dorian Pavus, Protective Iron Bull, Flirting, Garrett is an idiot, So is Dorian, Drunk ass mages, Fenris is sooo done, Varric Tethras' Chest Hair, BAMF Aveline Vallen, Vivienne (Dragon Age) is a Bitch, Dats my bitch tho, Sera Being Sera (Dragon Age), BAMF Merrill (Dragon Age), Mabari, Cullen Needs a Break, Sex, More Evil Magisters, More evil Templars, A rot or two, Did I mention Werewolves?, I Tried, Parent Solas, Past Female Lavellan/Solas, Solas Can Be A Dick, just saying..., God Powers Activate, Solas (Dragon Age) is Grim and Fatalistic, Again I tried..., spelling errors, Unbeta'd, Attempt at Humor, Carver Is A Whole Child, Josephine Is Nosey, Suicide Attempt, Triggers

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2UZGJ3e