#to tell me shit I SHOULD KNOW. AS LAVELLAN.

[elvhenmage]

morrigan saying the arbor wilds ruins are actually a temple of mythal and LAVELLAN, with the dumbest fucking look on their face, immediately going, “which is?” is my villain origin story. makes me see red every time. the fact that there isn’t even a dialogue option is CRAZYYY what the hell were they thinking with this

[corseque]

On the scale of 1 (Rise of Skywalker) to 10 (Shadowbringer/Endwalker), where would you place Veilguard?

critical post

I’ve burst into enraged tears like 5 times since I finished it, which is not nearly even close to as many times as Rise of Skywalker, but still 5 times too many. Just the shallowness of the writing, the obviousness, the incredible frustration at the simplicity, the ignoring so much of my favorite character in order to make a stupidly simple plot work, the horrendous time I had trying to ignore Rook’s annoying stupid fuckass pov while just trying to self-insert myself into the end of my favorite fictional character of all time’s story after waiting 10 years. I screamed in frustration that I had to hear the painfully obvious commentary these brand newcomer characters who I did not give a shit about, explaining to me like a toddler how I should feel about revelations I have been writing about for 10 years, especially when what they were saying was stupid as fuck. I cried at the thought of so many cutscenes and so much effort went into stories I found very forgettable and went nowhere, while they were able to only scrounge up like 10 total animated shots reuniting Solas and Lavellan. I mourn that I could not make any decisions in a BioWare game. I mourn Solas’ story so much, and probably will for years. I will never get over the way they talked down to him and never listened to him for even a second, lest they actually have to write a branching path into their game. I hate that the theme was regret but Rook regrets nothing ever so (shrugs) regret doesn’t affect them or mean anything to them. I mourn the loss of the voice and point of view of his people, the ones he was fighting for, the ones who are alive. I mourn that it turns out that he’s just a stupid feral dog who is 100% wrong about everything always and he always has been from the beginning of time. I cried that the game said the answer was that Solas should NOT try to help his people and they never even discussed it as a philosophical question or the ethics of it or anything, or playing as a character so dense they never once even wondered if accidentally freeing the gods killed more people overall than the veil coming down would have. (We avoided this question like the plague, lest we feel less like purely Good Heroes who could talk down to the gods with righteous fury). I mourn that I’m never going to know what would have happened without the Veil. I feel so stupid for thinking that elves or spirits as factions would appear in any capacity with lines and perspectives in this game. I’m so angry at how safe and smoothed over everything in the setting is, and how it felt like the main characters never struggled with anything and have nothing to say. I can’t believe Dragon Age is so shallow and unsatisfying and head-empty. I mourn that the story of Dragon Age is Over to me and I will never play another game.

I’ve also cried a few times at the completely separated and individual imagery and music in the last scene. I’ve cried that my favorite character didn’t die in any world after 10 years of being at death’s door. I’ve cried at the thought of him being a little worm spirit, and that I was right about him the whole time. I cried when activating Felassan’s crystal in the final fight and seeing all the buffs. I cried when I turned the page and realized the default inquisitor was exactly the same as my personal Lavellan, down to hair style, eye color, hair color, vallaslin removed. I cried when I realized Solas thought he should have died as a spirit rather than be born. I cried that the main story Dragon Age has been telling the whole time has been about the reconciliation and freeing of my favorite fictional character. I cried that Solas and Lavellan got married in the end, when I genuinely wasn’t expecting either of them to even be alive. They’re both still alive and in love in every single world. I can’t wrap my head around that.

I have no idea where to put it. It’s a few high highs but some intolerably low fucking lows. It could have been so much worse but the bar is on the fucking floor. I go back and forth between moderate enjoyment to just being so angry. It could have been so much more and I do not know who to bite for it.

I have no idea.

[housecantori]

Ngl, after everything that happened in the Temple of Mythal; I think it's not much of a long shot that the Inquisitor, especially Lavellan, could intuit that Solas is an ancient Elf.

This leads me to a few ideas:

1. When Solas tells Lavellan he owes her the truth, she assumes he's about to tell her he's an ancient Elf like Abelas.

2. When he doesn't, this could leave Lavellan feeling like he still doesn't trust her enough to admit what's been made glaringly obvious, and make her angry.

3. Alternatively, Lavellan could intuit that Solas knows she knows, and therefore it doesn't need to be said. In this one, she sees that he trusts her to not need it said aloud, and that he trusts her intelligence to figure it out.

3.5. In this situation, Lavellan would also see Solas as a credible source of information about the Vallaslin, rather than "I saw it in a dream" being his only reasoning

4. He really should have just told her he was and ancient Elf in that scene and then told her about the Vallaslin. You can leave the Fen'harel stuff out for now if you're still not comfortable, but after all that shit you said to Abelas about there being places for elves such as him and you; it's really fucking obvious my guy.

[elfbotanist]

working on my version of veilguard, so far it goes like:

act 1:

exactly the same. inquisitor lavellan hired people who were unpredictable to track down Solas. And they did, untill that plan backfired. Well, shit. Solas is trapped. Evunaris are blighting the world with their two blighted dragons.

Solas continues to advice rook and rook informs the inquisitor. We need the wardens. But the first warden hates the inquisitor as much as he hates rook. Inquisitor is a wise woman, she knows she can talk down first warden so she does exactly that (you can do that as rook in game so why not as inquisitor? I seriously don't know why this game won't work if inquisitor was the protagonist but anyways it is what it is. Let's continue)

act 2: 

after weisshaupt's fall, thousands of wardens dead, inquisitor realises this is not going to work. A group of seven misfits cannot win a war against immortal gods. They had an army, a network of spies and alliances with two nations when they were fighting corypheus... they need that strength once again. So time for inquisition 2.0 (kinda makes sense why different provinces/organisations will be willing to make an alliance with a former hero with a name than a random kid). So rook has some ground work to do while the inquisitor sets up the new inquisition at the lighthouse, which is much easier because they got dreadwolf's eluvian. The lighthouse was the heart of Solas' rebellion and now it's functioning as that once again. Lighthouse servers its purpose. Every adviser is there, inquisitor herself now acts like an adviser and rook gets the job done.

But you cannot win a war against immortal "gods" without having an immortal "god" on your own team, right? You need everyone on your side, even the people you can't trust fully. Inquisitor understands this and some members of the inquisition, that is Cassandra, is more than willing to get Solas out of that prison and have a "talk" about varric. And Cole needs someone who can understand him "i do not understand...the demon behind the crow's eyes is a friend or a foe?". So the inquisitor makes a deal with the dreadwolf. Freedom in exchange of his alliance.

They track down the dragons. With the help of our new dragon hunter, remaining wardens, what's left of inquisition army, the crows/shadow dragons and the dreadwolf himself. Rook manages to kill the dragons and wound Ghilan'nain with minimum loss of life.

In Arlathan, Rook et al infiltrates venatori's ritual. At lighthouse Solas senses that Elgar'nan has trapped Rook and their companions. He informs the inquisitor that he can help...Inquisitor suprised from his eagerness to help rook of all people (whose daily agenda is to annoy Solas to death) is hesitant. Solas says he wants to save the elves just like inquisitor wants to save her people.

"There is no other motive behind my plea other than saving innocents from being sacrificed for Elgar'nan's sadistic whims, like I did during my rebellion...Trust me vhenan. I know his mind"

So rather than Rook just telling Lavellan that "Oh Solas is good. You should totally try to redeem him". I'd rather have Adviser Inquisitor Lavellan and Adviser Solas slowly grow close to each other once again, like they did back in skyhold. A perfect parallel.

We all know he can't help but rizz her again with his fade talk

"Allow me to show you something, Inquisitor"

"You and your sweet fade talk"

"No fade tongue this time"

They relive all dai solavellan scenes... Even the crestwood scene. (These parallel moments with her are important because we know she almost changed his mind. That's why he ran away. Avoided her like plague for last 10 years because she has that power. To change his mind. And reliving dai moments with her is going to be the catalyst when we have to stop him in the end and redeem him)

It's here, in the garden, she mentions the letter he had sent. He finally... FINALLY tells her everything. His past, the titans, the veil, the evunaris, the dagger, the blight... his people... him being a former spirit of wisdom... Everything. Lavellan connects the dots and asks if this is why he was so hurt when his friend, a wisdom of spirit was corrupted, because it was personal, because it was his trauma. All new, faded for her.

"Forced to do something against its purpose, fighting... Is that what happened to you vhenan?"

"Yes"

"But you were always wisdom to me. My Solas. My wisdom. Everyday at haven and skyhold...I saw the real you. I saw Wisdom. The self you're always mourning. I loved all of you. I still do."

"Your empathy is a blessing. Your spirit pure and unmarred."

"I am only human, Solas. And so are you"

"That I am. A broken man."

"Not to me my love."

act 3:

Eclipse takes place. Solas and Rook kill Ghilan'nain but Neve/Bellara is lost. With the strength of the new inquisition and its allies, it is much easier to get in Minrathous. Rook and companions along with Inquisitor and Solas fight the blight. Solas tells Rook and Inquisitor the blight can sense him, some intelligence is controlling the blight tendril. They need to get to Archon's Palace and kill Elgar'nan with the dagger, while he fight the archdemon.

"What? On your own?"

"Don't be afraid, vhenan. All these years... My feelings for you, they never changed. Ar lath ma"

There's pain in his eyes, like that night in Crestwood. She's not sure what he means.

"Solas..."

" Now go with rook. When next we meet, let us be standing over Elgar'nan's body!"

"Woooow... Your husband is a... dog?"

"That's a wolf rook and he's not my husband"

"He is huge though"

"And fluffy..."

"Inquisitor, you can dream about petting your wolf husband after we're done here."

"He's not my-"

"LET'S GOOOO!"

If Solas is Wisdom, then he is also Pride. In Emmrich words "He is however, a former spirit. Solas cannot help but listen to appeals to his nature... his yearning for reflection." And his duty to save his people. So one last betrayal from the dreadwolf. Blighted Neve/Bellara informs that killing Elgar'nan will destroy the veil.

"Of course he lied! I knew something was wrong... his eyes. He's a terrible liar"

"Inquisitor what are we supposed to do?"

"We stick to the plan, Rook. I'll deal with Solas"

*outside dreadwolf cries in pain*

"Solas..."

"Inquisitor, Solas will do his part. We must press on forward.

"Yes Cassandra, but I need you and Cole with me."

"I understand. Always with you inquisitor."

Inquisitor, Casandra and Cole fight the blight and darkspawns, helping rook and companions get to Elgar'nan.

But Solas can't win alone. Blighted Neve/Bellara uses her power to free Solas and he kills the archdemon, making Elgar'nan mortal. Rook and companions kills him and the veil starts disintegrating.

"I am sorry for this final betrayal. But when you'll see the old world restored..."

Rook persuades Solas. He relents but it's not enough.

"I cannot. To stop now would dishonour those I have wronged to come this far"

"Even if those you've wronged asked you to stop?"

"Vhenan..."

"You think you've gone too far to come back. But you're wrong! I am here, walking the dinan'shiral with you!"

"I lied. I betrayed you."

"I forgive you. All you need to do is stop!"

"Ir abelas vhenan. But I cannot."

(I had to add my boy)

*Cole*

"They sleep, masked in a mirror, hiding, hurting, and to wake them I must burn down the sky again. Break the old chains. But it's not enough. Never enough. This world is too real."

"Cole?"

*Cassandra*

"You need to stop"

"But Varric...."

"Not your fault completely. Honour the death of your friend. All those years ago. When I asked what do you believe in, and you said you believed in People. We are people. Have faith in us, Solas"

*Cole*

"I long for my home, my people, my world. But here is also home. Here is home. She is home. Vhenan, my heart. Ar lath, ma vhenan. Wherever you are, there is my heart. Wherever you are, I am home. She is home and my heart and a cold fortress in the mountains that shines so brightly because she shines, she has made it home and they were together, the Inquisition, my family.... You are not alone Solas"

*Lavellan*

"Banal nadas. Ar lath ma vhenan"

Solas breaks and binds himself to the veil. Vows to keep it intact, protect innocents and help with the blight.

He's ashamed. So ashamed but he needs her to know his sincerity. Needs her to know that he can be that man she fell in love with. Her Solas, as she has said that night in the garden. So he looks at her finally, in her eyes and says. "I will go now and seek atonement." It's a promise, of a better duty, a better path, for her.

"But you do not have to go alone"

"Ar ghilas vir banal"

"Tel banal ara'ma vir shiral ma'lasa. bellanaris"

"Bellanaris"

~

And now we turn to my beautiful city

Black skies changed into blue

And my love is so wise and so pretty

I no longer dream of her

cause she is real

she is here

she is mine

And I am whole

[bloedewir]

Incorrect and nonexistent Dragon Age: The Veilguard dialogues

Just trying to fit Inquisitor in DA4 party activities for my amusement. It is no less than an act of desperation. (May contain some headcanons).

***

Rook: I need to ask, Inquisitor. Can I trust Him?

Inquisitor: I don't know.

Rook: But..

Inquisitor: I am not you. And you are not me. Decision is yours to make.

Rook: I see.. But do you trust Him?

Inquisitor: ...

Inquisitor: I do, yes. With all my heart.

Rook: Ah!

Inquisitor: It's broken.

Rook: Ah..

***

Harding: Hey, Lavellan, I..

Inquisitor: It's "Inquisitor", Lace. Or any other impersonal word. For your taste.

Harding: Oh.

Inquisitor: I know that look, no need to apologize. It's just.. Do you still remember Ameridan?

Harding: I see.. Yes, I do remember him. I remember all of them, to be clear. Even if the world has forgotten, I remember. Inquisitor.

Inquisitor: That's why I always loved you, scout Harding.

***

Emmrich: I was told you are familiar to necromancy art, Inquisitor. Is it correct, if I may ask?

Inquisitor: Yes. And you are from Mourn Watch? Seeker Pentaghast was telling me about mortalitasi but I still don't know the details.

Emmrich: Ask then and I will be glad to fill in the gaps, so to speak.

Inquisitor: I heard about binding spirits. Is it true?

Emmrich: In some ways, yes.

Inquisitor: Against their will?

Emmrich: It would be irresponsible, if not to say cruel. No, dear Inquisitor. We bind those spirits who are willing to cross the Veil and want to stay.

Inquisitor: Hm. If so.. I guess, you would find common ground. Probably He is regretting being bound with Rook instead of you.

Emmrich: Flattering as it is yet it's for the best. Two academic minds connected by an unstudied kind of magic? A recipe for disaster, mark my words.

Inquisitor: Apparently so.

Emmrich: Although... I would like to discuss some quite capturing matters I have in mind. You think master Solas would agree if I make that kind of suggestion?

Inquisitor: I'm not the person you should ask.

Emmrich: Oh. Yes, I should've thought.. I apologize, Inquisitor.

***

Lucanis: Verdict?

Inquisitor: Benissimo.

Lucanis: Speak antivan?

Inquisitor: Just a few words. Picked that up from ambassador Montilyet.

Lucanis: Accent is terrible.

Inquisitor: Si, lo so.

Lucanis: A mockery?

Inquisitor: Perish the thought, Crow.

Lucanis: Drink your coffee, Inquisitor. Preferably in silence.

Inquisitor: Si.

Lucanis: You well aware I built a reputation on killing people, yes?

Inquisitor: As am I, in a way.

Lucanis: Hm. I think, we'll get along.

***

Taash: I know you hunted dragons.

Inquisitor: Few years ago, yes.

Taash: And you killed avvar dragon.

Inquisitor: I did.

Taash: And Ataashi.

Inquisitor: That one I released.

Taash: What for?

Inquisitor: No glory in victory above trapped enemy. A friend of mine told me so someday.

Taash: Some wisdom I hear in those words. Who was that friend?

Inquisitor: Tal-vashot.

Taash: As I thought. My kin knows much shit about good battles.

Inquisitor: He also loves to yell "Taarsidath-an halsaam!" after every dragon fight. Can't say it's fitting me.

Taash: Ha! I already like that bastard.

Inquisitor: You and me both.

***

Neve: Good morning, Your Grace. Or it's evening? Hard to tell.

Inquisitor: I have no titles anymore. You know it, I'm sure.

Neve: Don't be. You're still quite popular, especially among the venatori. Titles you possesses in Tevinter? Many.

Inquisitor: Heard a few. "Southern mud" or, my favorite, "Dog's slag".

Neve: Surprised those rumors have reached your elitist ears, Your Grace.

Inquisitor: Do we have a problem, detective Gallus?

Neve: Not sure yet. I'm just interested, where was your glorious Inquisition when people needed it? And by "people" I don't mean those false orlesians and their fancy soirees.

Inquisitor: I was a bit busy trying to patch a hole in the sky. I'm so sorry my actions offended a few grocers in Minrathous yet I can't imagine how they would've helped me to defeat Corypheus.

Neve: Profit isn't the only..

Inquisitor: Not to mention I have no interest in dealing with Tevinter Imperium. Or helping. It must be "saved" by those who love the place and I don't. My interruption is hypocrisy in that matter.

Neve: Well, that was a more honest answer than I expected. Accepted, Inquisitor.

Inquisitor: Case closed?

Neve: Not entirely, but I can call it a progress.

***

Inquisitor: I bring some "normal" food. Left it in kitchen.

Davrin: Assan is not a kitten, lethallan.

Inquisitor: I've noticed. There's no harm in feeding your friend with some treats instead of ripped enemies' limbs.

Davrin: Maybe.. but do not spoil him! Griffon isn't a halla to be treated so gently.

Inquisitor: I never took care of hallas. And probably never will.

Davrin: About that.. I'm sorry you were cast out.

Inquisitor: Arlathvhen spoke their word. If they've decided I'm harellan, let it be.

Davrin: Clan isn't everything, you know. I'm handling, as you see, so you can too. And.. for all that matters, I still think you're lethallan.

Davrin: I.. Thank you. Lethallin.

***

Bellara: No, no, I understand. I really do, but.. please, tell me I'm not the only one who sees a potential here?! A tragic love story between a rebellious god and his..

Varric: Don't go there, Bunny. It's.. complicated.

Rook: But the profit? I can bet nobles would discuss your book a whole season. Maybe two? There will be enough gold to build another Lighthouse to the east.. or west? I can provide you a few spicy details, huh?

Varric: You can? Pfft.. nug shit, Rookie. Chuckles would rather drink a pint of tea than tell you anything about it.

Rook: Well, maybe it's only a guesses but..

Varric: AH! Inquisitorialness! Finally decide to join us?

Inquisitor: Don't interrupt your conversation on my account. I just went down to drink.

Lucanis: I made coffee a few minutes ago. Interested?

Inquisitor: Much appreciated.

Varric: So, and.. Ha. Can you imagine, I just lost my thought! Let's talk about anything else?

Inquisitor: If you need an assistance, you just discussed how to take the most painful memories of mine and transform it into vulgar porn novel to entertain nobles.

Varric: Oh. You heard.

Inquisitor: I lost the arm, Varric. Not my ears.

Bellara: Varric didn't agree anyway.

Rook: He didn't agree either.

***

I know none of it will be canon but

[cpattersonevans]

A Love Letter to My Inquisitor

As my first ever post, I felt compelled to write a love letter of sorts to my Inquisitor Lavellan. I have been playing RPGs for a long time, but have never been very good at the 'role playing' aspect. Until recently I had always played Dragon Age as a female human, struggling to make decisions that I would not make in real life. Prior to the announcement of Veilguard I had not played a DA game in probably 6 or 7 years, but to reacquaint myself with the world I decided to replay them (starting at DA2 because my computer hates DAO). This time, I was determined to play as an elf for the first time ever in Inquisition...and romance Solas for the first time ever. I enjoyed the Solas romance. I knew going in that it would not be a happy ending, but I knew nothing of how it would actually develop. I absolutely loved this playthrough. So much so, that right after I finished it the first time all the way through to the end of Trespasser, I restarted a new game to play as Lavellan again, willingly choosing to slog through each collection quest (maybe I'd finally find that one last mosaic piece - I did not). Not because I wanted to relive the romance, but because I missed HER.

In Inquisition, my Lavellan was cold and stoic at first, angry at those who blame her for something she knows nothing about...she literally woke up like this. However, she starts to show her true self to those who slowly go from mere acquaintance to respected friend. She was somewhat tactless and blunt, not having much experience interacting with the human world. She was reluctant to accept the position as leader, always asserting that she is NOT the Herald of Andraste. Seriously, how many times does she have to say this! She continues to express her anger and reluctance when the title of Inquisitor is thrust upon her. She never wanted this! She gets shit done, always focused on the task at hand. She hopes that once she fixes everything, she can go back to her old life. Oh how she was mistaken. As time went on she leaned more into her Dalish identity and enjoyed making decisions in favor of the elves (bye bye Celene). She realized that, although she never wanted to be Inquisitor, she may be able to take advantage of this opportunity for the betterment of her people. Dorian, Cassandra, Varric and Iron Bull became her besties (Sera never stopped thinking she was too elfy). As for the romance. She (me) was not attracted to Solas at first, I still found myself very much liking Cullen (had romanced him and Blackwall previously as female human). I even laughed that Cullen is probably the one people would tell her she should be with, but Solas ended up being the one she was fated to be with. Over the course of the game she realized her attraction towards him was growing. The more conversations they had, the more missions they found themselves in relying on each other to survive, they slowly grew closer and fell in love. Plus...that voice. This relationship was different than any I'd experienced in a game before. It felt like, for them, more was expressed in what wasn't said...or how it was said. I could feel the passion between them. When the break up came, she was ANGRY. I will take any chance I get to yell at Solas in Elven. But, she had a mission to complete. She was fine.

Then Trespasser came. Two years later and still the leader of a massive political organization. How did she get here? She never wanted this. She could still care less about politics. Everyone, please stop asking her about Solas. She doesn't want to talk about it. She is fine. Except...she's not. The closer they get to Solas, the more those repressed feelings come to the surface. Solas was HeLpInG us with the Qunari all along! Face palm. I hated this delulu response, but had to do it. When they finally meet face to face, turns out she's still ANGRY. Cue more angry yelling in Elven. HE SHOULD HAVE TRUSTED HER. Not understanding the full extent of his plans, she offers to help. He won't let her. She vows to save him, this isn't the only way. Bye bye hand. Angry Inquisition book drop. Bye bye Inquisition. She never wanted this.

Now comes Veilguard. I will preface that I have not read any fanfiction. I have only been a solavellan for about 4 or 5 months, so I understand this influences my perspective on how things play out in Veilguard. I had no headcannon. I had no expectations for both the Inquisitor's reappearance and the possibilities of closure. I, of course, hoped her and Solas would reunite, but also knew there was a very strong chance one or the other (or both) could die by the end of the game, because Dragon Age.

I actually liked how Lavellan was portrayed. I don't think it's fair to judge how she has lived for the past 10 years based on the few moments we have with her in the game. I don't think she sounds pathetic or sad. To me she sounds, wise, mature, and like someone who has just seen too much shit. Her voice was filled with sorrow. She has had 10 years to ponder everything that happened during Inquisition, replay every moment, every conversation had with Solas. At first she was so so angry, but over time that anger turned into understanding, then forgiveness. This is not to say that the anger is gone completely, sometimes anger reappears when we least expect it, as it often does when we mourn what was lost, but it does not drive her. Over time, she learns how to manage it, to navigate it, to accept it so that each time it hurts a little less. This is the closest they've been to catching Solas. She finds a memory statue of his. She can feel him, feel that it has something to do with him. It is after this that all those feelings, emotions, start flooding back to her. She never stopped loving him. However, the world has gone to shit. She never wanted this, but knows her title, her position, still carries some weight. She steps up to lead once more in the South. To be the person that people need her to be. She doesn't fully express her feelings about Solas until after she hears about the events that occurred in Arlathan, that he helped save Dalish elves from Elgar'nan. Hope returns, maybe, just maybe, the Solas she knew is still in there somewhere, but...she has a world to save first.

The atonement ending is a great ending. I had no expectations, but I wasn't expecting this. I don't think a game ending as ever made me cry so much. It was very cathartic. Maybe because I had played all of these games back to back then straight into Veilguard, so emotions were high.

Lavellan was never going to turn Solas from his path on her own. Her appeals to him didn't work in Trespasser, why would that be any different now? But she vowed to save him from himself, and those that knew him from the Inquisition truly believed he wanted to be stopped. That it was his pride, himself, getting in his own way. She had to try, but this time she has back up. Solas is released from his duty, he is free. She reassures him that there is another path forward, together. Sure, she could have walked in there, spewing more angry Elven at him, but she is not the same Lavellan she was 10 years ago. She is wiser more mature. This does not mean that this anger won't come up later, but she understands that this is NOT the time for that. It's not about her in this moment, it's about him. It's about saving the world. She accepts her fate. Before joining the fight in the North, she made sure all of her duties were appropriately delegated in the South. When her best friend asks her if she will be leaving again after all of this is over, her reply - "something like that." She knew. She joins her vhenan in the Fade to heal both each other and the blight. I do believe that the Fade prison will not be as bad with them together. She will help him confront his regrets and one day they will be able to leave just like Rook did (Rook's regrets honestly pale in comparison, so it will take him more time), but they will have calmed the blight in the process. Someday they will be able to travel the Fade freely and visit old friends, both spirit and corporeal.

She left the world she knew, left behind the title of Inquisitor. She never wanted this. In Trespasser, Cassandra tells her "Being Inquisitor has brought you good things. Many good things. But only a few have been by your choice. Take what happiness you can from those, and do not let them go." And she doesn't.

This turned into a long post, but all this to say...Lavellan holds a special place with me - for not only being a wonderful, bad ass, protagonist, but for finally allowing me to fully embrace the world of role playing games. I have had an amazing time going on this journey with her, one I will surely repeat many times. I love her.

[espace--positif]

A Dragon Age Newbie's First Impressions of Inquisition Companions [Part 1/?]

SO. I've acquired ye olde Dragon Age brainrot after completing Veilguard and starting Inquisition. I have a lot of Thoughts and Ideas TM about both games, so while I decide whether I should make a separate blog for DA, enjoy this messy post on my first impressions of all the Inquisition companions. I also wanna be able to look back at this and see whether my judgments were right or wrong lmao. Yes this is what I'm doing instead of writing fics.

Spoilers for... I don't know where I'm at in Inquisition man. I just got to Skyhold and did a few missions. And MAJOR DAV spoilers, probably. Under the cut.

Cassandra

CASSANDRA PENTAGHAST THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE.

she honestly grew on me a lot. I knew I wanted to like her from like, the opening scene. she just exudes intensity, and you can immediately tell that she cares. she, however did not like my Lavellan one bit, and disapproved of every single choice I made for a while 😭

early game Cassandra whenever Lavellan breathed:

but she honestly feels like the realest, and maybe most good-hearted character in all of DAI. conflicted, caring, under far too much pressure, and with a cold exterior that isn't just there for the sake of being unapproachable. she second-guesses all of her choices, which I believe is HEALTHY for someone who has that much power.

as I progress through the game and get to know her more, I just end up liking her even more. she also knows how to disagree with you, on small and large things, while keeping an open mind and trying to understand your reasoning - that also encourages me to hear her out. I truly enjoy that about her! her VA is also STELLAR, I just love to hear her talk!!

overall, 10/10 no notes.

Solas

oh you motherfucker.

so DAV Varric (or whoever it was who said this) lied when he said this rat egg man doesn't lie to your face and only lies by omission.

"I know about the fade because of my studies in ancient ruins" "I know about spirits because I befriended them in my dreams"

what if I punched you in the throat? ok but in all honesty. I'm trying to do the Solavellan ting and, well, he's got game. I'll give him that. I was positively shook at the first fade dream thing. they teach you how to rizz up dalish women in those ancient elven ruins? 🤨

speaking of dalish. why is he so mad that Lavellan is dalish LMAO. my ass chose the "proudly dalish" option and he DISAPPROVED. it's not Lavellan's fault that that one dalish clan threw rocks at you when you told them you were fen'harel! damn...

overall? I need to see how badly he betrays her to make a better judgment. will it be worse than the DAV betrayal? probably. will I eat it up? absolutely.

Varric

VARRIC MY GOAT!! THE REALEST MF IN ALL OF THEDAS!!!

I love Varric so much. it obviously helped to play DAV before, so I kinda knew him... for like, 20 minutes, I guess...

anyway, I'm really looking forward to getting to know him some more. as always, he's the only mf who cares how your character is feeling, who bothers to check in on you because everyone just tells you to roll with all the Crazy Shit TM that's happening. everyone keeps asking WHO is the herald of andraste, WHERE is the herald of andraste. no one ever asks HOW is the herald of andraste. except Varric.

he's caring, hilarious, compassionate, but also extremely REAL. cause yeah, Varric, you SHOULD'VE run the other way the moment Cassandra set you free. this breach shit is crazy! but you're literally too good of a man to do that 😭

I also cannot stop laughing at his reaction to Cory being alive. "shit, we stabbed him a bunch, I can't believe he's alive"

Varric continue to be your best real self, I am your biggest cheerleader as you are mine ❤️

Blackwall

ok so Blackwall is great. just a chill dude. super chill actually! however. he's kind of not very helpful at all, is he? "why did the wardens disappear?" "idk. can i join your inquisition?"

you're in luck, we actually take anyone because we're desperate!

but what can he actually do. him being a warden doesn't seem to help very much, because he literally never displays any warden expertise. when Stroud (?) mentions how all the wardens hear the calling now because of mr. Cory, he goes "oh shit yeah me too". and you just forgot to mention it? world's chillest warden, I guess.

I like him! but I just don't know why he's there especially when Iron Bull absolutely clears him when it comes to warrior combat.

anyway thank you Blackwall, very cool!

---

This post has been long enough, so I will make a Part 2 at some point thanks bye!!

[crossdressingdeath]

Morrigan as the self-proclaimed "elven lore expert" doesn't even work with a human Inquisitor because she doesn't really know what she's doing. She brings to mind someone who discovers some ancient room, and the mere discovery of it makes her think she's special. Bonus points if she also found some trinkets, and by finding them, she considers herself the rightful owner and "expert" on all things about them. Like, no real knowledge, just a desire to preserve ancient stuff that she has no idea what it does. A human Inquisitor should be able to question her knowledge like any Dalish elf, but no one is allowed to, so.. she gets to flaunt her non-existent knowledge and it is irritating.

It's an annoying thing that applies to a lot of DAI's writing, where... Morrigan being so full of herself and thinking that stealing one book from the Dalish made her smarter than them could've been fine as a character flaw! Hell, the game even gently nudges at that with the moment where if Quiz has the arcane knowledge perk—which has the description "A detailed study of magic and the places and creatures that interact with it"—their training allows them to immediately clock that the Well has a magical geas on it, something Morrigan is completely flabbergasted by because she had no idea. There's also a moment earlier where Morrigan is confused by the presence of wolf statues outside the temple; Lavellan and Solas aren't, but if Lavellan explains why the Dalish do that Morrigan completely dismisses it as silly Dalish superstition and so meaningless even though "okay this is the reasoning that has been passed down to me, so it's the best guess I've got for why my ancestors did it" is in fact way better than anything Morrigan can figure out (which is... nothing), a solid line of reasoning to follow, and a decent guess in general. We haven't heard the full reasoning at this point but based on what we know about Solas and Mythal and the Evanuris the Dalish story probably isn't far off the mark! But instead of any acknowledgement of that Morrigan's complete dismissal of Lavellan's explanation as worthless superstition that has nothing to do with the decisions of Lavellan's ancestors is allowed to stand unchallenged.

And it really drives me nuts that the game just lets Morrigan's claim that she's a real expert stand, because it could have been really interesting if they'd done something similar to what they do with Solas's spirit friend where Lavellan can understand the dialogue but no one else can because it's in elven. It makes sense for a human, dwarf or Qunari to take Morrigan at her word; they're told she's an expert, and elven religion and magic aren't things they likely would've studied. But Lavellan should absolutely be able to recognize she's full of shit. Especially mage Lavellan, I will never be over the fact that Dalish mages are priests but mage Lavellan has nothing exclusive to them to say about visiting the temples of their gods (not that Lavellan in general gets to say much about visiting Evanuris temples but y'know). I made a post a while ago about how great it would be if Solas and Lavellan could fuck with Morrigan by lying outright about what the writing in the temple says and watching her go along with everything they say because she absolutely cannot read more of it than the ancient elf or the Dalish elf who seems unusually fluent in the language (and unusually fluent for a Dalish elf is insanely fluent for anyone else) and doesn't want to admit that she can't tell what it says.

At the end of the day Morrigan is an "expert" just because very few people know anything about the eluvians. I don't know how active the Veil Jumpers are at this point in the timeline, so the only people I can say with confidence understand anything about them (discounting ancient elves like Solas and Mythal) are Merrill and Briala. And I mean... Merrill repaired and purified a Blighted eluvian on her own (Morrigan, for context since The Last Court was taken down and not everyone played it, required the help of the incredible Serault glassworks and her eluvian wasn't even Blighted as far as we know) and Briala from what I understand (still haven't read TME, I keep meaning to) controlled a decent chunk of the network for at least a while. Both of them make Morrigan look at best unimpressive in comparison; look at them, and then remember that Morrigan's claim to knowing more about the eluvians than the Dalish is that she found one and fixed it... using a book... that she stole... from the Dalish. It's a combination of the bad vibes of this human woman claiming she knows more than the elves about their own history, the fact that the only knowledge we've seen her collect on the subject is one book that she stole from the Dalish, and the way Quiz can show her up with basically zero effort and the game just brushes past that without acknowledging that it's a massive blow to her credentials. If they'd acknowledged that she clearly doesn't know as much as she thinks she does or had her admit that to some extent she's figuring it out as she goes (and fucking listen to the people around her who know more than her, the way she belittles the Dalish when Lavellan offers an explanation for why there are Fen'Harel statues at the temple—which is more explanation than Morrigan offers, by the way—really makes me want to punch her) it would've been fine! Either acknowledge that her being so sure she knows best is a flaw in her character instead of trying to pretend she's right or have her admit she doesn't know what's best but does know more than a lot of people and wants to help as best she can; the way they handled it is just incredibly messy and really put me off ever seeing her in a game again.

[nadas-dirthalen]

vir in theneras suledin. (1)

solas/lavellan, rated M.

synopsis: Immediately after the events of Tresspasser, the Dread Wolf is gone—and in his wake, the Inquisition is brought nearly to its knees, to say nothing of its Inquisitor.

Yet Ithalia's dreams tell a different story: one where gone is not truly gone, and a forest in the Fade speaks more truth than she dares let herself believe.

author's note: These chapters are short at first! Bear with me, I promise I'm going somewhere lol <3

content warnings: canon-typical violence mention, canon-typical depiction of severe injury, canon-typical amputation depiction, canon-typical profanity, canon-typical depiction of depression.

ao3 link!

When the Dread Wolf turns, her teeth clamp down until blood’s taste blooms on her tongue.

Ithalia shoulders the burden, the pain past all hope of comprehension. She feigns that the tears in her eyes are from parting—parting to the doom of everything alive—and not from the fact that she, herself, is…

No: she waits to move until his foot is through the last eluvian. Then his knee, next to vanish. His waist. His arm. His shoulder. She holds still until the last piece of him—an ear—ripples through the pane.

Gone.

She looks down at last, and then—only then—does the scream rip through her throat.

She is coming apart at the arm. The pulse of the Mark’s magic—his magic, the Dread Wolf’s magic—pushes out from her veins, sears her nerves, splits the skin.

It tastes the air and then fades into it. The world tilts as she watches it. Spins. Her lungs lose their understanding of how to breathe without wailing.

This is wrong, her mind signals dimly, too slow. This is wrong. An arm shouldn’t…

An arm shouldn’t peel away, blazing shuddering green and then…

Green and then gone.

Her stomach roils. Her vision blurs.

A voice erupts in this garden of stone.

“Is she—where the fuck is she…?!”

“She stumbles and falters, she begs him, why—”

“Dear boy, please. Just once. Is that to the left or right of us?”

The Iron Bull. Cole. Dorian.

Run. Run. Run.

But why should they? The threat is gone.

Gone.

“She is bare-faced—”

“Cole, darling, now is truly not the time—”

“There!”

Ithalia fights to turn, trying to will her back to move, but her head won’t turn. Her gaze is pinned to the crumbling ruin of her arm. Slick with gore, magic and skin fraying in unison.

Wrong.

Her head swims. Arms shouldn’t do this.

She forces her gaze to the grass around her, and then its green—lush, soft—rushes toward her face.

A white-hot burst of pain stops her fall. She shrieks, and it isn’t enough for the fire in her lungs.

“Shh—shit, I know,” the Iron Bull’s voice comes down from above. Two pillars—his arms—keep her from toppling. The sky above him, somehow still a carefree blue, whirls overhead.

Then all sears white again, an explosion of pain from where her wrist is ceasing to be.

“No, I—shit. Shit,” he stammers, strained. Ithalia fights to narrow her eyes. His brow is pinching. The sunlight haloes his form.

A tear glistens on his cheek.

“The Iron Bull,” Cole interjects. He is tremoring, somewhere Ithalia cannot see. “She is bare-faced. She… she is bare-faced and embarrassed…”

“Lift her!” Dorian calls over him. Then, “Maker’s breath, I might be sick.”

“What can we do?! She isn’t bleeding—not that I think. Fuck. Fuck.” The Bull grunts, and then the ground is gone from under Ithalia. They’re rising—he lifts her. “You need a healer. More than that. A miracle, maybe. Dorian, do you have anything to…”

“No! This isn’t—she isn’t dead, amatus. Like this, there’s nothing I can… A miracle is right.”

They all need so much more than that. They are all going to die.

“Of all the times you’ve had some quip, some move, now is when you stand still? Move! I’ll beg if I must!”

The Veil will come apart, and then they will. They all will.

It’s a fight for Ithalia to remember the bounds of her mouth through the ache ripping holes in her awareness.

“Solas,” she forces out, hardly more than a groan.

Dorian’s voice breaks down below. “We know.”

“He… I… He was here. And now…” She swallows—saltwater on her lips, bile down her throat.

“Save your strength,” the Iron Bull urges, arm hooked tighter around her shoulders, squeezing ribs.

“No.” A futile gasp. Each step the Iron Bull takes is a crack of lightning up her entire left side. The sky whirls overhead. “He was here, and now he—he is…”

“She is real!” Cole cries behind them. “She is real, and it means—it meant—everyone could be—could perhaps have been—”

“By Andraste’s left tit,” Dorian bellows, “not now!”

But all she hears is the thunder of the Bull’s charging steps. The break of every pained sound up her chest.

“It’s alright,” the Iron Bull says through the storm, between one eluvian and the next. “We’ll get you home.”

“No. Lost. Gone,” she gasps, eyes rolling. Then, as if the words will reach through a pane of glass and an impossible distance away, “Var lath vir suledin—ma ghilana, ma ghilana—la melana mir vhenas bora—”

“I know,” the Bull says, though he cannot possibly. “Hold on. Hold on.”

She does, she tries, but the dark comes chasing her frayed nerves before the next eluvian, and she falls helpless into its jaws.

[thechildofmythal]

I’ve been replaying Inquisition with my Lavellan (not Solasmancer, but a Cullenite, if you will) and I really feel like Lavellan should have been able to TALK with people about the temple of Mythal and Mythal herself.

So, here’s a Lavellan rant. Imagine her rant post- Trespasser, right?

Inquisitor Lavellan: UH HI WE NEED TO TALK

Everyone: Who’s ”we”?

Inquisitor: Idk like everyone, listen up, I need to vent

So I got to go to the TEMPLE OF MYTHAL like last week and remember how fired up I was about that?

Everyone: We remember. *eyeroll*

Inquisitor: The more I’ve been thinking about it the less it makes sense in the context of what my people know and think.

There was a dude who was AN ANCIENT ELF and he was acting like an entitled bitch and YOU SOLAS MISTER ’I KNOW MORE ABOUT ELVES THAN YOU SILLY DALISH PEOPLE DO’ REFUSED TO SAY A FUCKING THING

So what was that? What do you know, Solas? Why won’t you tell me?

And then there was the Well of Sorrows that had all the information the ancient elves held, and you drank from it, Morrigan, and all you can tell me about MY PEOPLE in YOUR HEAD is ”I hear voices ooOooOOo” so fuck you too

And speaking of you Morrigan, and your creepy son - I’m sorry Kieran I’m pretty sure it’s not your fault - I’ll tell everyone now what the fuck just happened, ok?

So i’ve been in the Fade in the flesh once before, and that was like the biggest deal ever, right?

Well guess what, people, I was in the Fade FOR A SECOND TIME like ten minutes ago! Yes, you’re right to gasp! Because Morrigan’s creepy son apparently opened the eluvian straight into the Fade! Yes, Cullen, you’re right to groan and facepalm! Like who can DO that?

Ok, so I go after Morrigan and Kieran and who should we meet? WELL FUCKING GODDESS MYTHAL WHOSE TEMPLE WE JUST VISITED!

THAT’S RIGHT I MET AN ACTUAL GOD OF MY PEOPLE TEN MINUTES AGO

and to top that

SHE’S MORRIGAN’S MOM

and to top that

MORRIGAN IS NOW BOUND TO MYTHAL, HER MOTHER, BECAUSE SHE DRANK FROM THE WELL OF SORROWS AND MYTHAL LIKE OWNED THAT SHIT

And Morrigan has been repeating over and over again that her mother said that she cannot take over anyone unwilling

YOU WERE SUPER WILLING TO DRINK FROM THE WELL MORRIGAN

DON’T YOU FUCKING GET IT MORRIGAN

Also! Also! KIERAN was apparently carrying a soul of AN OLD GOD meaning another one of MY PEOPLE

AND MYTHAL TOOK IT? WHAT?

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON

and also bring me Orlesian tiny cakes and Cullen I need cuddles please because I’m having a breakdown and a crisis of faith ok

Cullen: Get me the cakes, NOW!

Everyone: *scrambling to get cakes and to save themselves*

[mneiai]

For the DA prompts, DA:I - anything that deals with the way you can screw up table missions until the elf inquisitor to lose their entire clan. (And a table mission being the ONLY TIME THIS IS ACKNOWLEDGED OR MENTIONED IN THE GAME OMFG.) Your choice of characters but even years later I'm salty about BioWare dropping the ball BIG TIME on this and will seek out any and all opportunities to redress this CRIME OF STORYTELLING.

Omg I hate those missions! The fact there's like one right choice each time or else they and/or a bunch of other people die and even if it basically worked the last round it kills them the next time you choose it or vice versa fills me with fury every time! How are those even equivalent to shit like some Trevalyn cousins pretending to be closer to the Inquisitor than they are and everything basically working out regardless of your choice? It's like top 3 worst advisor choice moments.

Request Post Is Here

So, the first time I played an elven Inquisitor they were a female elf romancing Cullen and that's sort of always stuck in my head.

This is set immediately after the results of the last choice.

XxX

News of Clan Lavellan's fate cast a sober air across the Inquisition. Cullen still sent troops on the off chance that some of her clan yet survived, but Ellana had little hope.

She had been cautious, over and over again, choosing more often than not to avoid using their troops in case her clan thought they were under attack or the people decided to retaliate against them once the troops were no longer there, but now she wished she hadn't.

In her dreams, she sends twice the number Cullen would have. And Elven scouts before them so Deshanna was warned. A letter would be sent back, scolding her for being so overprotective, but with undertones of love.

Ellana would never receive another letter from her clan. She'd never hear Deshanna's gentle voice or the laughter of the children or....

Spread around her on the floor of her room was every piece of correspondence, every note and recommendation her Advisors had given about her clan. She could trace the horrible path of destruction and distrust, could see exactly where, suddenly, she'd had too much hope. Too much faith.

She'd been spending too long among the shems, had internalized too much of her position and titles.

"There's no telling if it would have gone differently." Cullen's voice pulled her from the downward spiral of her thoughts and she looked up to see him at the top of her stairs, Cole peeking at her through the railing lower down them.

"They would not have attacked the Inquisition! Some of these cities are Inquisition allies!" she gave the protest that had been swimming in her head for hours, since the news had first reached them.

He walked forward, kneeling on the floor on the other side of the pile before he was too close and looming too tall. Perhaps all of his time praying had made him sensitive to such things and she still had enough reason left within her to appreciate it.

Reaching out, hesitating just long enough that she could have stopped him, he took up one of Leliana's recommendations, smoothing down the wrinkles Ellana had made as she gripped it. "Though a lie might bring you comfort, I cannot offer one. You will never stop second-guessing your choices in this. The pain will become duller, less pronounced. Eventually you might go days, even weeks without thinking of it. And while it does not help now, at least you will have the comfort in knowing you were trying to do what was best, to save as many lives as possible."

"By hesitating, by using shem diplomacy when I should have shown my power," she bit out, her hand back on his final recommendation, the one she hadn't taken.

Cullen shook his head. "When this first started...do you remember, those weeks ago? I recommended sending troops in immediately," he gave a wry, humorless smile, "I fear that is my answer to most anything these days. In retrospect, I know that would have been the wrong choice. If...if it was the right choice this time--and we cannot know that--you were still not wrong to hesitate."

She let herself dwell on those words, remembering the recommendation he spoke of as she had only just reread it. He'd backed down as soon as she pointed out that her clan might react poorly to shem troops marching towards them. And she still knew she'd been right on that account.

"You each offer advice based on your expertise and I don't push you for more. You're no diplomat, but if I'd had you reach out to the other city-states instead of Josie, it might have gone differently." She knew he had close contacts high up in Kirkwall and Starkhaven, ones who might have been willing to leverage their own connections in the rest of the Marches.

"I...don't know." He wanted to say more, she could tell, could imagine him wondering if the people he knew had done less than their best because it was a stranger asking--she had not meant to give him another reason to blame himself, they both had more than enough of that.

When she'd pulled out these notes, she'd seen files upon files of other ones. All of the records of the important missions were kept in the same place, at least the ones that wouldn't give too much away if spies got ahold of them. It had reminded her of other choices she'd made, of other results they'd had.

How many people had she gotten killed over the last year, by doing what felt like the right thing?

Horribly, none of that mattered as much as this time. No one else mattered as much as her family had.

She was expected to save the world, but she couldn't even protect the people who mattered most to her.

"Ellana." Cullen interrupted her thoughts again.

His odd shem eyes were bright with unshed tears--for her grief, for her pain. She crawled across the strewn papers to push into his arms, uncaring if the hesitant thing between them allowed for such closeness. For now she just needed to soak up the warmth in his broad form and pretend like her world wasn't falling apart while she was tasked to keep everyone else's together.

[monsterthalia]

It’s Friday Thalia!!!! How about “A quiet sigh as they turn away” from the sensory prompts, for whoever you think fits best?

I swear this came from this prompt, it just... got a little lost. Iron Bull, Krem and Rowan Lavellan are in the Herald's Rest post-Demands of the Qun. Bull decides to give the two some "privacy".

For @dadrunkwriting Rating: T for language Pairing: Krem/F!Lavellan Words: 1203 One of Bull’s favourite tricks was to pretend to pass out. No-one thought twice about it, even though it should have been obvious to a nug that he was far too large for that quantity of alcohol to knock him out. Everyone saw what they wanted to see, and what they wanted to see was the big stupid Qunari being big and stupid. 

Big being the key word there - no-one would try to drag him outside either. So he’d just get to lie there and listen to conversations continue around him.

He didn’t use it often. Only in emergencies. But this was an emergency.

“Is Bull okay?” he heard Rowan say from the table.

“Oh, he’s fine,” Krem replied, and Bull felt a sharp kick in his ribs, like Krem didn’t know he was doing this for his own good. He’d tried every other way of getting Krem some time alone to talk to the Inquisitor, and if he’d found a way that meant he didn’t have to lie on the filthy floor of the Herald’s Rest, he would have taken it. “Just had one too many. Starting to feel it more in his old age.”

The little shit. Catch Bull doing him any more favours.

“It’s been a busy month, I guess,” Rowan was saying, and fuck, but he wanted to be watching her face whilst they talked so he could read her facial cues, instead of just listening so hard from the floor his ears might damn well pop out. “And it’s our first time to stop and breathe since, well -”

She trailed off. “The Storm Coast,” Krem finished for her.

They both sat in gloomy silence, probably reflecting on depressing things like the failed alliance with the Qunari, or how close the day had come to disaster, or anything else besides the fact that they were both young and alive and attractive and were somehow not already screwing on every available surface in the Inquisitor’s suite. 

… Sure, perhaps if Bull wasn’t fake-unconsciously matchmaking from the Herald’s Rest floor, maybe he too would be struggling, but he was, and the least they could do in return was make it work.

“Why did you choose us?” Krem said suddenly.

Bull felt Rowan go tense. He went tense. What? This wasn’t in the script?

“What?” said Rowan.

“Varric told me. You threw away an alliance with the Qunari.” Krem sounded… confused? Damn, he normally had a better read on his lieutenant, but maybe even Krem wasn’t sure what he was feeling. “Why sacrifice a giant navy and all those Ben-Hassrath reports for a bunch of mercs? Why make an enemy like that just for - for, what, me, Skinner, Dalish-”

Ah, Bull was satisfied, he knew where this went. Earnest assurances that he meant more to her than any navy, followed by blushing, stammered confessions, kiss, kiss, and Krem turning up at his door in the morning asking how he-

“Because it felt like a trap,” Rowan said simply.

What?

“A trap,” Krem echoed.

“It felt weird to me. Gatt was too insistent that there was no other way, that it had be you or the dreadnought. He didn’t even try to think of anything else, or suggest we wait and see what happened, or anything. He was far too ready to ask Bull to make that decision between the you or the Qun.” Rowan fell silent, and Bull was itching to jump to his feet and ask her what the fuck. “It felt like a trap. For me. For Bull. And to get rid of you.” 

As she went on, she slipped into a voice Bull was getting to know well - the voice she used when laying out a strategy, when telling her companions how they were going to win. 

“They must have known he was never going to be fully theirs whilst you were around. So - they make an offer the Inquisitor can’t refuse. Inquisitor orders Bull to let his Chargers die rather than lose the alliance. Bull loses the only people he cares about outside the Qun, at the hands of the only other person he might have loyalty towards - deal with two problems neatly, and get Hissrad back under their control.”

Silence. Krem must be as stunned as he was. “You’ve-” Krem’s voice broke a little, and he coughed to clear it, continued. “You really thought of all that in the moment?”

“Er, not so clearly.” Suddenly Rowan didn’t sound like the cool, competent strategist any more, but the slightly awkward young woman she only remembered to be around Krem. “In the moment, it was more that I had, er, a gut feeling. That it was bad. I… figured out the rest later.”

Krem whistled, impressed. “That’s - well - that’s one loud gut.”

If Bull was allowed to facepalm, being unconscious, he would have done. Hundreds of years of lovers and love poetry, and Krem goes with ‘that’s one loud gut’.

But Rowan laughed. Laughed. “I guess so,” she replied.

“Well,” Krem went on, and Bull heard a drink being poured, “Thanks anyway. And here’s to loud guts, I guess?”

“To loud guts,” Rowan repeated, even as Bull fervently wished Stop talking about loud guts - “Besides,” she said suddenly, “You know Bull wouldn’t have let you die?”

A pause, filled with unspoken things. “Dorian said he looked to you for orders,” Krem replied in a level voice, and Bull felt something - something, in his chest, at the doubt underneath it.

“Of course he did, I was his commanding officer,” Rowan was saying. “He’s been raised as a Ben-Hassrath, I can only imagine it’s a reflex like - like covering your head when something’s flying at it. Something goes wrong on the battlefield, look to your commanding officer. But I didn’t give him the order to save you, Krem.” Her voice had turned gentle and - dare he say? - intimate? - was it too much to imagine she’d reached out to hold Krem’s hand? - “I just gave him the freedom to do what he already wanted to do.”

Silence fell, and Iron Bull was just about ready to jump up and flip the table. Were they holding hands?? Were they gazing into each others’ eyes?? Was he overly invested in this as a distraction from his own emotional distress, of course he was, he could deal with that tomorrow?? 

He could just hear Krem saying, “Thank you, Inq- Rowan,” in his own soft, gentle voice, like they were all alone rather than in a busy pub, and if they did not start kissing in the next five seconds-

“Ah! Inquisitor!” Dorian’s voice rang out loudly, and a chair scraped out from under the table, “Mind if I join you? Has Bull had one too many?”

Rowan and Krem snapped back to normality, and were chatting and joking with Dorian in no time, like nothing had happened. And Bull could only lie there, refusing to ruin his ‘pass out’ trick just for the sheer satisfaction of dragging Dorian out of his seat and punching that moustache off his face.

He fully expected the Ben-Hassrath assassins to arrive within the next few days, daggers poisoned with saar-qamek, but the suffering would be nothing compared to this.

[esseastri]

DAV asks! 4, 7, 8, 11, and 12?

yessssss thanks, babe

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

A MESS!!!! I mean, only sort of, there is only one that's really canon though, the others all have fun deviations. Yours are so neatly sorted, I've just got: Canon, Wardenquisitor, and A Mess.

Canon: Liarora Cousland/Aliena Hawke/Nyeni Lavellan: Teeeechnically, Elarien should be my canon Warden, since she's the one that got liveblogged, but uh. It's Ro. It's always gonna be Ro. Besides, this way I've got one each of warrior/rogue/mage. Relevant info... Ro is Warden-Commander (in the Fade, looking for her husband who is co-Commander), Aliena (purple) romanced Isabela and kept Anders alive, and Nyeni drank from the Well, was friends with everyone, and disbanded the Inquisition. I cannot remember who ended up Divine, but I want to say Leli. We're gonna stab Solas.

Wardenquisitor: This one is entirely your fault, and I'm still obsessed with it. Poor Ro can't catch a break. Aliena is still Hawke because I have like. sixteen other Hawkes but Aliena is the One True Hawke.

Non-canon: Any of my other Wardens/Ren Hawke/Gydha Cadash and Tieran Lavellan: All the other Wardens are a mess and none of them really follow canon, but I can make any of them work. Ren is my singular mage Hawke who romanced Anders. Gydha is the least-canon of my quizzies ("romanced" Varric) and Tieran is my Dorian-mancer. I want to do fun shit with any or all of these characters depending on what happens/who we see in DAV. (If Dorian makes an appearance, there will be Tieran content.)

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

[chanting that slowly grows louder] maevaris maeVARIS MAEVARIS

I also will die if we go to Minrathous and Dorian is not there. Like, what even is the point.

I'd love to know what Sutherland and Co are up to. Same for Charter. Gimme all the random Inquisition agents and where the heck they are now that the Inquisition is no more.

And if there is magic dwarf shit and Dagna doesn't get to participate, I WILL RIOT.

8. What faction are you most excited to learn more about?

Wardens, obviously. Tell me everything there is to possibly know about them so I can make Ro even sadder muahahahaha!!! But also the Lords of Fortune, because I'm a sucker for pirates, as you well know.

11. What’s one thing you’d really like to see in this next game?

Aforementioned magic dwarf shit. I've been hustling for Dwarf Lore since game one, and I know we're going to be elf-centric again here, but I'd love for even a scrap of dwarf content.

12. What’s one thing you’re hoping we DON’T see in this next game?

I'm SOL on this but: weird Ghilan'nain creatures a la Horror of Hormok. They are coming, there will be many, I do not want any of them, thanks.

[totentnz]

for the alternate love intrest ask game: athras and iron bull? >:)

Send me an OC + an alternate love interest for them and I’ll tell you what I think of the idea

ok let me preface this by saying i have NEVER played the iron bull romance and did i just watch a video to get a grip of it? absolutely (side note: i hated hearing the inquisitors voice again bc athras! does! not! sound! like! that!) but anyway: (this turned into somewhat of a liveblog so i'm putting it under a cut lmao

my initial thoughts before watching it are: i cant see a romance happen, i have never had bull high up on my approval list but they might fuck casually (she would totally peg him) HOWEVER

ok after watching it (and clearly losing my mind and track a few times) the answer is basically the same: romance? no. casual sex? maybe

this was a fun thing to do!! thank you so much for asking bunny 💜💜💜

i have always appreciated it when bull pulls the inquisitor to the side and shows them what the soldiers think of them and athras would appreciate that as well (not that she would ever admit to it)

the tavern scene after the dragon fight? hell to the nah, i enjoy that scene personally but it always frustrated me because athras would not act like any of the options lmao but you know she might take the first sip and after that? who knows! winky face

ok the scene on the battlegrounds? where you hit him with the stick? she'd indulge him at first but would be dismissive towards the end (not good for romance is it?) she understands people deal with their fears differently but that whole scene has a weird (to me) sexual undertone (even before the flirtation) and i don't vibe with that (though "you like it rough huh? only from you" is pretty s tier i gotta admit and athras would like it)

being introduced to the chargers? love that (like many lavellan players it annoys me to hell and back that bull tries to explain the dalish to me, but that's not really his fault) she also appreciates that he took a dalish in after they were cast out (funfact: dalish and athras have the same vallaslin ingame (my hc is that each clan has different ones but dirthamen yes) i also love that interaction with stitches, athras is a self proclaimed potion expert so they would get along (or they would hate each other - her and the guy where you brew potions at the start of the game had a bit of a feud going on bc she thought he didn't know shit about potions) "it's a poltice, ser, you're not supposed to drink it" is ENGRAVED into my memory (ok now im just talking about athras instead of the romance, i apologise lmao)

sidenote: since bull keeps talking about redheads, athras has a sister (also with the inquisition) who is a redhead so that's actually pretty funny to me and i have never thought of it before

SO the dreadnought huh? ofc athras saves the chargers - she's not as loyal to the inquisition as she should be but she never wanted the position as inquisitor anyway (much like she didnt want to be first and eventually keeper to her clan) also hissrad meaning keeper of illusions/ liar and athras having dirthamen (god of secrets) vallaslin??? iconic maybe i do need this romance in my life lmao

god that fucking fight on the battlements?? where bull gets poisoned? another memory that's drilled into my skull, very iconic also that scene made me realise that maybe solas and bull aren't all that different (we know this but sometimes it's good to experience it again)

ok i see we are getting to the actual interesting parts that i never got to see lets gooo OH BOY OH BOY we don't like that one LMAO "you don't know what you are asking for" and him being all dominant? athras is not into that but we will see, we will see 👀

OH NO not legit admitting to manipulate people (i know what he means and this is all flirty but bad vibes bad vibes (don't get me wrong im into it personally but athras sure as shit isn't (yes as a solasmancer i'm putting on my clown makeup right now)))

i do like the setting rules and a safeword interaction though HOWEVER if it ever got to that point athras would laugh in his face ("don't quote the old magic to me, i was there when it was written")

OH I LOVE that dragon tooth thing, that's cute

BRO DID HE JUST-- i like that sneaky romance and so does athras but BOY does she hate pda

CULLEN i remember this from back in the day, athras loves bullying him so this is amazing all of their reactions are so fun i love it I SEE YOU JOSIE BUT YOU ARE TAKEN (by fisara, athras' sister, which makes this even more awkward lmao) OH THE BOSSINESS FROM THE INQUISITOR i am stanning so hard right now

also this fucking portrait has me cackling

NAH BRO NAH BRO not kadan meaning "my heart"

YES YES YES BALCONY SCENE HERE WE COME ok that scene was kinda underwhelming but i guess that scene was always better in my mind

i will never get over the fact that at the end of the game you are actually on the balcony with your LI like AAAA can you imagine my face when replayed it for the cullen romance (i dont wanna talk about it) ??? complete and utter shock

ok that scene was good, the lovebite? the compliments? chefs kiss (though athras wouldnt be into being "marked" like that she's usually the one marking others)

oh god it's trespasser time oh no

oh i always liked the dragon skull scene and i gotta admit it works better with the romance! but again.... athras would be even worse at this than the lets her be

bro not the exchange of "i love yous" in the face of uncertainty!! im gonna combust (once again not athras style, she'd rather leave things unsaid than say them in a situation like that)

god im so glad they didn't show solas in this video, i would have gone insane

he kept the necklace! ofc he did but that's still a good thing :) sure hope he won't betray us or hasn't betrayed us before :)

[lyriumlullaby-ao3]

HI i have thoughts about this!! so i’m gonna add on :)

playing through the solas romance, right after he dumps you in the waterfall cave you can get a party banter between him and Cole where Cole asks him why he left Lavellan. Solas tells him he can’t heal it and to please stop, but you can have Lavellan ask for more details. if you do, Cole says,

“They sleep, masked in a mirror, hiding, hurting, and to wake them...” before he cuts off with a gasp when Solas manages to conceal the hurt from him.

So obviously this is something he hid from Cole because he needs others not to know his plans yet, right? Consider this comment from Cole, then, that he gives when at central supply in the deep roads during Trespasser, right at the edge of the overlook where all the lyrium glows (which if you haven’t examined, you SHOULD):

"They're all singing. Coffers, coffins, corpses that aren't dead. A song crying out in the dark."

And then you look down there, and there are indeed a SHIT LOAD of coffins down there, at least 32 by my count, interspersed with the lyrium. And there’s one coffin set aside from the rest atop a raised dias—someone very important, clearly.

So here’s my theory: based on the statuary you find in the deep roads, i wonder if this isn’t Mythal’s mortal resting place. Solas says “The first of my people do not die so easily,” right, and i wonder if he’s taking Mythal’s soul back to her original body.

i wonder if he’s not trying to restore her, too.

(i also have some thoughts about Urthemiel’s old god soul, whether or not that’s a piece of this, Solas says things about the Wardens and the Archdemons throughout the game and Cole says other things in Trespasser and The Descent that make me wonder about the Archdemons, but i’ll make my own post sometime for that one when my thoughts are more cohesive lol)

People keep insisting that Solas ‘killed Flemeth/Mythal’ in that last scene but I don’t know if that’s actually true? I feel like what happened in that scene was more ambiguous than that.

We don’t actually know how involved Flemeth/Mythal is with his plans, only that she’s deffinetely in on it. We know the because Flemeth herself insists that she intends to avenge Mythal in ‘a reckoning that will shake the very heavens.’ Idk about you but to me that implies very violent intentions.

It contrasts directly with what Solas intends. He wants to restore the world to its natural state for the sake of his people. Whereas Flemeth simply wants to punish. She wants to punish The Evanuris. And there’s some dialogue between her and Morrigan which implies that she wants to punish Solas as well, she just needs him to complete his task first.

Flemeth is basically unkillable. She knows that, and there’s every possibility that Solas knows that, too. The way I read that scene, I think this may have always been the plan. At the very least it was a contingency, one the two of them were both aware of, and which Solas clearly wanted to avoid. I think the reason he was so upset when The Orb was destroyed may have been because he knew he’d have resort to that contingency.

Flemeth isn’t stupid. And she’s not particularly selfless either. In fact she is explicitly very selfish, as well as being a manipulator. Whatever went on in that scene—I have my theories—Flemeth was well aware it was coming. She was counting on it. It somehow benefits her that this took place, otherwise she’d have never allowed it.

Before it happens, she says, “I’m sorry, too.”

What is she sorry for? We don’t really know, but my interpretation is that she’s apologizing for what’s about to happen. This was her plan. Solas didn’t want to do things this way, but the events of DAI have forced his hand.

One of Solas’ greatest flaws is his assumption that he has more control over any given situation than he actually does, and I think that applies to his relationship with Flemeth/Mythal as well. Again, Flemeth is a manipulator. She’s been manipulating the people and events of Thedas for centuries, maybe longer. I think Solas is no different. When I look at that end credit scene I don’t see two equals. I see one person who clearly has the upper hand, and another with a deeply mistaken idea of what their relationship actually is.

I agree, although for a long time I definitely thought he 100% killed her, but she has a way of surviving and is just... too big to have just been quickly killed in a brief epilogue?

oooh I didn't know about/catch that dialogue! that's so interesting... changes the dynamic a lot if she actually wants him to fail on some level. running with that, one might even go so far as to assume she aided corypheus' surviving opening the orb. letting him wreak brutal havoc across thedas and tear open the veil (vs. solas' pulling it down) is a good way to 'shake the very heavens'.

yeah, her apologizing doesn't really fit as a response to letting solas kill her, but apologizing for what she's about to put him through? the chain of events she may well have incited somehow? that seems more apt. and I do believe she cares for solas to some degree, but not enough to not use him for her own ends. as you said, she's a master manipulator, that's a core part of her character. she's not going to drop all that just because a sad wolf comes to her door.

and I love your point about solas' assumptions of knowledge and control, because that's so accurate. he always assumes he has the power in a relationship because of his knowledge, his age, his experience... he thinks he knows more, understands more, and sees more, and he trusts his interpretations of events, but even within dai we see him have to face that those interpretations are flawed a number of times. he didn't expect the inquisitor to care about spirits - understandable, considering the general opinion of them, but still an assumption. the whole balcony scene, whether or not you romance him, is about confronting his assumptions not only about the inquisitor, but their entire species - and by extension, all people. the banter between him and the companions, particularly the man on the island banter with varric... there's so many times he's forced to confront his assumptions, but he continues to subconsciously hold that he still knows more, that his initial interpretations are right unless/until they're plainly proven wrong

he's so interesting i love him so much... and ty for this! such a thought-provoking ask, i love talking about him <3

[elvesofnoldor]

i forget if its a tweet or a post but like, i vividly remember this rando posting about the one time where they were having sex with their boyfriend and their stomach growled and their boyfriend stopped mid track, looked down and asked them if they are hungry and if they want him to make something for them. Anyways, that....post/tweet, the person is finley lavellan and the boyfriend is dorian after they have dated for a year or so