#vallaslin having elves not being dalish

[zaahvi]

finally doodled all my dragon age protags!! now awaiting veilguard to add number four :)

[rivilu]

'what faction will your rook be' 'what class' 'what race' Buddy we dont even have the char creator yet and you expect me to plan? To GUESS? No thanks I will go by the vibes when the time comes like the gods intended

[0alix0]

Rook's backgrounds make no sense or gatekeeping is good, actually

It's didn't sit well with me ever since bioware admitted that all 6 background for Rook can be played by any race you choose

Looking back at Origins it's clear why most of the backgrounds were race-specific. Not only it provided a better understanding of the separate cultures (you wouldn't really understand what dwarfs are about if you were able to play as a surface dwarf commoner) it also established the rules of the world (elves are opressed, you can't become a queen/king cuz the nobles will riot, humans colonize them and inforce their religion and rules on everyone, dwarfs are considered weird)

Now, looking at the veilguard, I can't help but ask:

How can a fully grown dalish with vallaslin be a crow? They buy slaves as a way to get more assassins, usually elves, children, so they could easier ruin their psyche. why the hell would a dalish stand for it?

How can a qunari be a Gray Warden? Wardens don't discriminate, sure, but this far, we haven't even heard of a qunari warden. Rook should be a legend, Rook should be questioned at actually being a warden by NPCs, OR sit in some Warden outpost and being studied by their mages, because no one actually knows how Blight and joining might work with Kossith body instead of running around with Varric.

Veiljumpers were organized by dalish, right? Then why in the world would a human be allowed to join? How and why did they change their minds to accept literally anyone, even if it's a potential threat/thief(Morrigan)/zealot/etc..?

How can a dwarf, someone who isn't even connected to the fade be a Veiljumper?

How can a dwarf be a part of the Mourn Watch? A Mortalitasi, an exclusively MAGE order? What can they even do?? Preform a non magical mummifications with herbs and salts like Egyptians did? Sweep the mausoleum? Be some sort of a funeral organizer/lawyer/genealogist? That could've been really interesting if only the game actually bothered to say anything about it. It did not

"Well it's up to your headcanons!" then why make the backgrounds in the first place??? They don't matter anyway!

I mean, obviously it was just a way to promote the game to older fans. Look, the backstories! The thing you've been craving for is back in game! Only they forgot what actually made them so great. The most important part. They mattered, they created a basis for my character. They gave them families, connections. They changed the way my character is perceived (elves in general) and what they can do plotwise (become a monarch/paragon).

I don't fucking care if 3-5 NPCs might have some additional dialogues for me, cuz they don't matter anyway. I don't even know these people, i never met them before, my character did, but I didn't. And now I don't care enough to know. like, i'm playing as a mourn watcher, but before going to Nevarra i barely knew anything about them, and what i know now is still rather surface level shit

Let alone the fact that all the backgrounds are practically the same. You pissed off some influencial people by doing good and was send away. Bravo.

........if this post gets one like I'm writing my own ideas for DA4 protagonist's backgrounds

[rpgchoices]

Davrin's past and his Dalish clan and his vallaslin (all mentions I could find)

So much in the game is hidden behind banters between companions (which is ahhhh a bit annoying) so I compiled all the banter and information I found about Davrin's past.

Not really plot spoilers, just Davrin spoilers.

At the end I will summarize everything in a bullepoints list.

Bellara and Davrin banter:

Text here (link)

There are also a few other banters I did not record where it is implied Davrin does not care about the gods or some other late game revelations. The only thing he cares about (and mentions again later in game, in a main scene) is how people see Dalish and elves, and how to minimize the risk of humans hating elves even more.

Taash and Davrin's banter (text in description for each image)

Davrin's quests information:

Here are other mentions from Davrin first quest: Rook: How did it go? Davrin: Poorly. They felt like I rejected them. Rook: Did you? Davrin: Yeah, I suppose. Clan life wasn't for me. I had to get away. Rook: So then what happened? You're out in the world, looking for adventure… Davrin: Got my ass kicked. Went broke. Davrin: I couldn't go crawling back to my clan a failure. Doubt they'd take me back. It forced me to figure out what I was good at. Always had a knack for hunting.

Other info we get from the Halla quest is that: Davrin spent summers tending Halla as a kid alongside Eldrin, who is not his uncle, but like an uncle. So this is a case of Davrin wanting to spend time with Hallas, or being made to by his clan. Eldrin's vallaslin is Ghilan'nain:

So it could be that Davrin's new vallaslin might be Ghilan'nain too. But I think it is Andruil's or a mix of the two.

Davrin could have gotten the vallaslin to honor Eldrin (we know he is the only member of his clan - if he is part of his clan - Davrin has no trouble contacting, even if they seem to have not met each other's in a while). But we also know Davrin was a hunter.

Eldrin was also the one who taught Davrin what to hunt basically. In his first quest Davrin says "When I was a kid, I'd hunt just about anything. Rabbits, deer, fox. Eldrin gave that purpose. Taught me the Way of Three Trees. The Way of the Arrow, Way of the Bow, Way of the Wood."

This is from Andruil and if we look at all three vallaslin:

Emmrich and Davrin:

(they have some discussions about Davrin not believing in the Fade or liking it, this is the one which mentions the Dalish clan)

There are also a few other banters at the Lighthouse that mention the Fade and the sky. Mainly they are about Davrin being uncomfortable with the open space and stuff about him disbelieving the Fade: "Good. Because it's not the sky. Emmrich says it's the Fade. Me, I don't know what to think."

Final banter with Davrin:

So basically, the summary of what we know for certain is:

Davrin left his clan voluntarily because he felt restless, he did not care about tradition and lessons, and he wanted to see the world

He felt like he did not fit in his clan since he was a kid

He was also hunting everything he could find until Eldrin taught him the way of the Three Trees and to protect life by hunting darkness (monsters)

Eldrin is like an uncle for him and lives isolated (unsure if he is part of Davrin's clan) and Davrin used to spend summers helping him with the hallas

Davrin feels like he pissed off his clan, he rejected them and both Davrin and Bellara agree it would be hard for him to go back

In another dialogue, he says he actually did not think the clan would take him back at all even if he crawled back asking for help ("Like a failure" he says)

He does not regret joining the Grey Wardens and looking for adventures, but he seems to regret that came at the cost of leaving the clan and not being able to return or keep in contact with them

Also, he says the outside world was different from what he imagined

PART 2 HERE

[smitten-miqitten]

Post-Veilguard Solavellan and Rook headcanons:

Because Lavellan is directly in the Fade with no Veil to separate her from it, it becomes a (relatively) simple matter for Solas to reconnect her to the lost immortality of the Elves. It only works while she's physically present in the Fade however, and at first he has to function as a go-between until that connection is strong enough on its own(like an unused muscle).

Lavellan no longer NEEDS food or drink as a result but being without it is extremely uncomfortable. Feeling like you're starving constantly sucks, even if it might not kill you.

This is fine though, because Rook teams up with Dorian to make a plan. The Sending Crystal Dorian gave Lavellan is infamously always on her person, so can act as a beacon to her location. Dorian gets things sent to the Lighthouse, and Rook facilitates the delivery of the goods via helpful spirits with the Sending Crystal being their guide.

Rook works with Archon Dorian Pavus to crush any black market slave trading that they uncover. The Lighthouse is used to ferry the freed people to safety, as it was in the past.

Rook becomes the new master of the Lighthouse. They end up getting a Sending Crystal pair of their own to share with Solas, and he and they collaborate on things as needed. It's an odd friendship. Bitch to bitch communication. It's scathing but heartfelt. They both know he needs a buddy.

Eventually Rook also is reconnected enough to the Fade to the point they also stop aging, but anytime they enter Thedas proper it resumes for the duration they are there. As a result, they will likely either eventually die like normal, or choose to work via proxies while remaining in the Lighthouse physically.

Lavellan and Solas, wherever their vague-ass destination actually is, end up creating a fairly comfortable home despite how 'terrible' wherever they're at is supposed to be.

Cole warns her when Dorian is about to pass away of age, and she says her heartwrenching farewells in his final dream. Dorian wills his Sending Crystal to Rook, with the stipulation that Rook find Lavellan someone equally charming to chat with so she doesn't lose her connection to the real world. It's...a tall order 😔 Dorian is no less dear to Lavellan than Mythal was to Solas, for perspective.

As the one who accompanied the Dread Wolf into exile, Lavellan becomes a mythological figure amongst the few Dalish who still keep to some of their ways, more or less against her will. Her name, Ellenere, means nothing in Elvish originally but becomes the name of the goddess who serves as the heart and guide that endears The People to the trickster Fen'Harel. Statues of a female wolf are placed outside of camps next to those of Fen'Harel, so that she will placate him and he will not trouble the clan. She and he guard or stalk the dreams of the world... depending on the story.

Clan Lavellan is an awkward guest at the Arlathvhen because of their former-First's new deific status. Members of the clan also no longer choose to receive Vallaslin as adults.

In the far, far future Solas and Lavellan have children. This follows the spinning of myths by the Dalish that claimed they already had, which flustered Lavellan greatly and prompted a conversation about whether such a thing would even be possible, let alone advisable. Being born in the Fade, these children do not lack the connection their cousins in Thedas would and are therefore immortal like their parents, at least until they leave it (they do).

Solas and Lavellan fuck like...a lot. There are Dalish myths about that too, eventually 😂 Like when a thunderstorm is happening, they're being too rowdy. The person who started these myths may or may not be The Iron Bull.

[bardandbear]

This is a PSA, I guess.

You can’t play a Dalish elf in Dragon Age The Veilguard. Somehow. Inexplicably.

Regardless of your chosen background, selecting the ‘Tattoos are important to elves’ option from Varric’s mirror at the start of the game, your character says the following:

"I didn’t grow up Dalish, but they’re not the only ones who have claim on being elven."

Regardless of whether you pick this option or not, your elven character will speak elvhen without prompting. Your character will say they were once jealous of the Dalish knowledge / getting to grow up with their stories without prompting. Other Dalish elves in the game will literally in the same breath condemn their gods, while using their names as exclamations and wearing vallaslin that are never addressed.

You are schrodinger’s elf: possessing Dalish knowledge but not being associated with them. And the vallaslin you may wear? Never mentioned. 

Why do this? (End game spoilers)

The devs in my opinion are getting rid of the Dalish as a group with this game. They are quietly minimising them throughout in favour of the Veil Jumpers, wiping out the entire southern half of Thedas, the Dalish already basically don’t exist in this game, they are nameless NPC civilians. At the end of the game, Arlathan is reclaimed by the Veil Jumpers, not the Dalish.

I don’t know why I’m surprised, they finally managed to one up killing a Dalish clan by erasing the entire group in one fell swoop. The things that made them Dalish - their kingdom in the Dales that was erased by the Chantry, their march from Tevinter after their crusade for freedom with Andraste? Irrelevant, annoying footnotes that will be condemned to history. 

In case it wasn’t clear, I don’t think I’ve been angrier about a choice in modern media. The way the Dalish have been handled is frankly appalling. They could have gracefully given the option to explore that grief/path forward in this game, but they didn’t. Because the Dalish are an annoyance to them they would rather forget. Tevinter and the Chantry won.

[dalishious]

With the Evanuris returning and their evilness being seemingly at least somewhat common knowledge by DATV, would it be respectable for the Dalish to keep their cultural practice of the vallaslin but get rid of the tattoos representing the Evanuris? So like a Dalish elf may still get a bow design vallaslin but it wouldn’t be representative of/designed to honor Andruil. Also maybe new and alternative design styles?

My current thoughts are this: The vallaslin of present day Thedas represents something different than he did in Ancient Elvhenan. And I don't see why the Dalish would have to stop wearing it, just because they were used on enslaved elves in the past. Because hell, instead of honouring the Evanuris, maybe they could be in honour of those who were enslaved?

[brekkie-e]

Okay, so the more I sit with it- the more I can see the appeal of the Solavellan "happy ending." The mythological implications. The opportunity for both of them to be free of the pain that their title has caused them. Solas gets to return to the Fade in the only scenario that means he can find meaning and happiness there like he once had.

There is more going for it than I think a lot of people saw at first glance. Myself included.

The thing that still holds me back on it, though, is it feels like it works best for a Lavellan who's clan is dead and presumably removed her Vallaslin. That character is the candidate for this to be her perfect ending. She gains something from this. Where going into this scene- she has no family left and no home to speak of- she leaves with a metaphorical husband and the promise that the Fade will be their domain forever. There's some work that has to go into it first, but the two of them will make a home there.

Lavellan's who have a clan, though? Who chose to keep their Vallaslin out of love for their family/culture? They abandon their family for him. They could have been the First, and they abandon that role as well. He doesn’t even read like he wants her to reach out to him in that moment, and she throws all of it away without receiving a scrap from him.

The whole thing feels like yet another blow to me. It feels like your character is constantly being asked to sacrifice the part of herself that loves her people for Solas. Which is even more frustrating because he gives none of himself to her in return for her sacrifices. There are reasons for that, yes. I have read Weekes' explanations for why Lavellan needs to reach out to him, and I get it. I get the bigger mythological symbolism, and I appreciate it. However, just looking at it in the context of these two characters. In the context of this series as a whole- it gets under my skin a little.

Clan Lavellan is the third clan you can see whiped out in the series. It's not even acknowledged in the game. The fact that the narrative wants so badly for you to reject your characters Dalish heritage, and rewards you the most if you do so is just really disappointing. This game in some ways tries to do better than its previous counterparts with its baked in save the Dalish quest. But the whole thing is messy. There's so much to unpack with how they are still handling the elves in this game.

The thing is "ideal" routes are not new to Dragon Age, or Bioware at large for that matter. So I'm not exactly surprised that this is coming up. I am just a little disappointed that there isn't more in the story to engage with that minimizes some of the "delulu girl throws her life away for the quintessential 'if he wanted to he would (derogatory)' guy while her friends and family look on in horror" energy that it has. Because I think that comes in mostly from execution more than anything. And there are certain play throughs where it looks worse than others. "Certain" being mine and I don't like it 🤣.

[lafaiette]

I'm watching Dawnwhisper's Veilguard video, and Strife and Irelin are shown! You can even hear their voices.

They say Fen'Harel didn't lie about the Evanuris, that them being back is a terrible thing, since they are way worse than he is.

This elven clan clearly know the truth about the elven gods, and yet Strife, Irelin, and all the other Veil Jumper elves wear vallaslin.

I guess they might have gotten them before learning the truth, but Weekes stated Strife got his vallaslin recently, some time after the events of Three Trees to Midnight, and even back then it was clear he and Irelin were more than simple Dalish elves living in the past. So if he already knew, why accept to receive the tattoos?

I don't really know how to feel with this discrepancy - knowing your "gods" were a bunch of corrupted tyrants, admitting and claiming it to be so without problems, and yet still wearing their slave marks on your face.

[ell-vellan]

A random collection of Veilguard Thoughts after completing the game, because I need to vent some feelings. spoilers below!

Firstly: I was going to love this game regardless. I came into it with the fewest amount of spoilers possible. I do love this game. I won't argue with anyone - if we have different opinions, that's fine! I won't tolerate hate, though.

This is my messy stream of consciousness, but let's start with the good stuff!

The Good:

-Gameplay was fun! Combat was fun and inventive, for someone who plays on Storyteller mode and tries to get through combat as fast as possible so I can get back to the story, it rarely aggravated me.

-The maps/puzzles are fun. They were usually easy enough to figure out on my own without looking it up, but just complex enough I felt smart when I got it. I like that the game almost always rewards you for looking around and exploring off the beaten path a bit.

-It felt like a spiritual successor to Mass Effect 2 in the way that you have to build your team up in order to save the world. I loved that.

-The griffons coming back is one of the best things in the Dragon Age universe ever, and I love that we could decide what to do with them. (But I'm kind of concerned that there's only 12, and they're...related? I feel like that's not enough individuals to grow the species back...)

-Letting us pet and hug Assan (with different animations!) over and over was one of the best things they ever did. Also, photo mode was a great idea.

-The little hints about Those Beyond The Sea we keep getting?! Dear God, I hope we get another game and get more lore. I'm dying to know. They've teased this for so long, I really, really wanna know what's up with this part of the world.

-i loved being able to choose our body proportions.

-I'm so thankful we got to make our Inquisitor and keep the same vallaslin and voice actor. I hate the outfit they gave them and how we had no choice in it, and I would have also preferred to have a choice in their prosthetic, but I'm grateful for what we did get. The missives from them were also a nice touch, and seeing the letter from the Inquisitor's love interest was SO HEALING. Tbh, in reality, I think the Inquisitor would have been involved WAY more, especially since the crossroads would have made travel basically instant across Thedas. But I get why Rook needed to stand on their own two feet.

-Morrigan/Mythal was a great touch. It made sense logically, there was character growth, and I'm glad Mythal wasn't gone entirely, but I wish we could know what's become of Kieran.

-All the VAs are so good. the world felt lush, magical, twisted, and fun, with just the right amount of tragedy and horror balanced with hope and love. Arlathan was gorgeous and tragic and horrific and I took SO MANY photos.

-we got more Dalish and more Qunlat words!!

-THE LORE. So many questions finally answered. I kind of thought we would learn that the Black City was actually the prison Solas made for the gods, but hey, maybe next time? I also still want to know if Andraste was real and more about the origins of elves as spirits, but alas...

-i loved the inventory system. I wish we could have sold equipment we didn't need instead of just the valuables, but it's a minor quibble. It was so much easier to manage, I didn't have to waste a bunch of time going through everything to find the best items for everyone

-ARCHON DORIAN PAVUS !! He was barely in the game which made me sad, but the fact that he was there at all and so glorious was wonderful. I wonder if people new to the game know or care about the significance of him being in charge of Tevinter, though, since we didn't even really get to have a conversation with him

About Solas:

I played thru DAI on release day. My first Inquisitor romanced him. When Everything Happened(tm) I was PISSED. I wanted revenge on Solas, I wanted to hunt him down. I've thought about him for 10 years, and now I am so wistful for more of him. I want to give him a hug. Moreover I want Lavellan to hug him.

Solas was INCREDIBLE in this. I loved, loved getting to see his memories firsthand - this was more than I'd hoped for - and the banter with Rook was one of the best parts of the game. Seeing him with hair - seeing him change into Fen'harel and fight a DRAGON? him helping us in the fade by baiting Elgar'nan and getting all bloody and beat up trying to help us, thinking he was going to trick us one final time? My wildest dreams came true. He was layered, he was complex, he was incredibly heroic and sympathetic and tortured and clever and absolutely ruthless. He was at turns heartbreakingly sincere and infuriatingly traitorous.

He showed a wide range of emotion; we got to see the real Solas, not the polite pretender of Inquisition. He was the shining star of the game for me. And he was sorely lacking.

We hardly got to speak to him!! It drove me nuts that we couldn't talk to him as much as our other companions. He literally knows the most about our enemies and how to defeat them. And we know he's probably planning some trickery in his lil mind prison. Why are we not checking on Solas at every chance we get?

Learning more about and speaking with Mythal? Chef's kiss. But I so, so wish that a romanced Inquisitor, along with Mythal's release of Solas, was what prompted Solas to realize there could be more to his life than rebellion and penance. He's betrayed everyone he's ever loved, and killed his closest friends, but he didn't kill her. Mythal represents his past, she's the origin of where it all went wrong - I wanted Solas to see a Lavellan that understands and forgives, even after everything, and that universal acceptance is the thing he needs to finally let go of trying to make up for what he's done. (It's fine, I'll just write a fanfic about it, whatever)

My Complaints:

-That we only can choose 3 possible variables for worldbuilding to keep from Inquisition. I think this the biggest, most egregious and disrespectful thing they did in the game, and I'm sure it's been talked about to death, but I'll just add that I hate it. I'll live with it - I'd rather they be vague than ret-con or kill off beloved characters off-screen - but still, what's the point of all of our previous choices if we don't get to see how they shape this world?

-The relationships felt SHALLOW. For a game that revolves around your companions, everything felt surface level. While I loved that almost every time you went to the Lighthouse, people were somewhere different and talking to each other, I HATED that Rook couldn't participate in their conversations. We only listened. I hate that we couldn't really ever initiate any long, deep conversations where we got to ask our companions strings of questions about themselves and their histories. I feel like I barely know Neve or Lucanis. I did like getting a bit more in depth with characters during their missions, but still...I feel like I barely know them, not the deep closeness I've felt with Dragon Age companions in the past. Nobody ever argues or disagrees with you, not really, just a couple times and it doesn't truly matter. I loved the companions. Their designs are so cool. I wanted to know everything about them and talk to them more. Why can't we ask Davrin about his vallaslin (it's obviously Ghilan'nain) and how he feels about it now that we are fighting her, especially if we're also an elf? And Bellara, why can't we ask about her tattoo and where her clan is and how she joined the Veil Jumpers? Why can't we ask Neve about her prosthetic? I loved the references to Inquisition in Harding's design, but since we couldn't import more than 3 things, she couldn't even talk about the Inquisition beyond the most vague things. Taash barely speaks at all. Emmrich has no life beyond the dead.

-The companions are so...one-note. Taash brings up being non-binary at every. single. quest, even though their adaari-ness and crossroads between being Qun and being Rivani was super interesting to me. (more on Taash in a minute.) Lucanis likes coffee. Davrin's personal quests mention "torlum" ad nauseum and the fact that Assan eats a lot. Bellara at least talks about other interests, but everyone else is so predictable. Even their banter doesn't seem to give them a lot of individual personality.

-the body models for female elves felt..a bit odd? My Rook always looked bow-legged. And do bras not exist in Thedas anymore? Lol

-The choice of who dies? HEART-WRENCHING. why was it between those two?! Why isn't the romance scene until AFTER this choice? Why doesn't the thing that happens with Harding and The Stone protect her (I thought it would!) and why don't we get any resolution to that if we lose her? I understand that Davrin was prepared to sacrifice himself as a Grey Warden, but making us lose Assan too...? Cruelty. That's what it is.

-I don't like that there are permanent deaths that happen regardless of our choices. That sucks. I know it's realistic, but this is a game, and I want my happily ever after for everyone, DAMN IT! The twist truly shook me, and I didn't see it coming. I didn't think I'd be caught by surprise and I was.

-The characterization of Rook is all over the place. I played an elven Rook with non-traditional vallaslin (figuring that the newer generation of Dalish Veil Jumpers might blend tradition with their new focus of exploring the Veil.) At various times, my Rook has said these things: "I didn't grow up with the Dalish." "I'm Dalish where it counts. "As a fellow Dalish--" WHICH IS IT? I'm in the most elfy faction, it's not even that I picked something unlikely for an elf with a face tattoo. I don't know what you have to do, what flags you have to trigger in the code, but the game still seems so confused about who our characters are. Pick a lane, Rook!

-While I'm on this subject: it would have been so nice to be able to know from the character creator what every kind of tattoo, body paint, and scar pattern went with what faction. And for the Dalish, which god matched to which vallaslin. It would have blown my mind in a good way if our choice of vallaslin came up in any way shape or form

-I would have loved if our race and faction actually like..mattered more. Walking around the Veil Jumper camp at the beginning and nobody talking to me except Strife and Irelin, that was so boring! Nobody recognizes you or asks how you've been. Just silence. Like everyone around you is a cardboard cutout. I expected more from Bioware.

-We got so much amazing lore in this game, and I'm really happy about it! But why did Bioware have to take the most marginalized group of people in Thedas, who were barely clinging to their own language and culture and freedom to begin with, and make everything bad that ever happened THEIR FAULT? What was the thought process there? That they used to have power but their leaders were in fact so terrible that they tore themselves apart and now live on the fringes of society? It makes it feel like the elves deserved their present fate, which is...pretty sucky. I'm glad they did not massacre the elves in this game as they have in the past, and that the elves didn't become even MORE the enemy by joining with the gods, but it really feels like the humans are only going to kill more elves in retribution for their gods almost ending the whole world. Also, related: nobody ever gives us sass about being an elf, not even in Minrathous, where elves are almost entirely slaves?!

-i know everything's changing with the lore stuff we typically know, but why did it seem that existing physically in the Fade is just no big deal anymore?

-at no point does Harding mention Varric dying? They don't have a funeral, a memorial? The Inquisitor says nothing, Morrigan says nothing? I know Solas messed with rook's mind, but even after...?

-the fact that the romance scenes don't happen until after the deaths. So it's possible for your love interest to die before that? Cruelty. Also, weird places to hook up, right after I just found out someone I thought has been alive this whole time DIED AT THE BEGINNING, and another dear friend sacrificed themselves, and we aren't sad at all during this? I understand sex after loss is perfectly normal and I understand that. But at least for the scene I saw, there was no "celebration of being alive" feel, it felt...more lustful than loving? Just an abrupt tonal shift.

-it just...ends. there's the typical little wrap up slides, but they're, again, shallow. A few lines here and there. Apparently the whole of Thedas was nearly destroyed, and not a single country went unscathed, but it's all gonna be ok! The bit of hope was nice, but...I don't feel settled at all. And it seems like we won't get DLC? which...ugh. and they fired the writers, which, again, cruel. If they make another Dragon Age, I can't see it being truly Dragon Age without them.

-i decided to make Taash's whole deal and the Qun a separate post lol

All in all - so thankful we got this game, so thankful we got what we did, I'm still processing a lot of it, and the past 3 weeks of my life I have done little else but live inside this story, but I just really need to scream into the void now!!

[selfish-cat]

Veilguard Re-imagined

Given how DAV turned out to be, I think it would've been much more interesting if it was more in line with what Trespasser was hinting at. Spoilers below:

Instead of ooo bad evil gods and bad evil people, the factions could've been so much more nuanced. And you know who would've been super involved? The elves. Elves still struggling with the truth of their Vallaslin. Elves tired of being treated like dirt. Elves who are proud of their heritage.

I'm imagining the main 3 factions would be:

Evanuris: The base of their followers would be the Dalish who have worshipped them for centuries and don their Vallaslin. Whether or not the Inquisitor spreads the news about their tyranny (and whether or not they're believed), as a people who have lost everything time and time again, why would you turn away the chance to regain the former glory your people once had? The gods wouldn't have to try very hard. They were leaders once of course they know how to sway people. Make them sympathetic! Show them mourning their friends and lovers and lost empire. Have them cast doubt over Solas' claims! They can still have their "bullies and tyrants" and their blighted dragons but they would also have the desperate and disillusioned, maybe some of whom you can still reach out to and pull back.

If you want to bring the Blight in, it would be easy enough to blight their followers under the premise of empowerment (Solas isn't the only one who can lie). Instead of throwing a billion reavers at me, give me intelligent blighted creatures who think they're reclaiming their agency, who think they're avenging themselves, their loved ones, and their ancestors by spreading the blight to cities. It would also be a good way to distinguish between the gods' followers and other factions.

You know who wouldn't be joining them? Tevinter supremacists whose Imperium past prided themselves on conquering the elves. Or the Antaam who haven't renounced their beliefs and upbringing—you don't shake off that lifelong wariness of magic unless a lot of people get real chill with a lot of things real fast. I'm not touching the Butcher part because I still don't understand it although confused, lost track of the plot, wanting to turn yourself inside out? Relatable.

Fen'Harel: Rather than being relegated to a troll in the comments, let Solas lead the army he amassed in Trespasser??? All the Dalish and the city elves who are tired of being systematically oppressed and have been for literal ages?? He clearly cares for their freedom, as established in DAI (I had feelings when he finally called the Dalish "our people" but then it was followed by EA/Bioware nonsense). Other than the one line about him breaking the chains of slaves at the beginning, his deeds are never mentioned again other than to berate Rook.

I think his forces would be smaller. More scouts and spirits that specialize in skirmishes. It would be a three-way fight between the Evanuris, Solas, and Rook (with support from the Inquisitor and different implications depending on whether you disbanded or not). I think it'd be very interesting if you established a friendship/romance with Solas' and his forces withdrew when the Inquisitor appears vs. continue fighting if you decide to burn that bridge because choices matter EA. None of the elves in his forces will have their Vallaslin.

Keep the flashbacks. Keep the lore. Keep Mythal. But also keep the character instead of teehee lied to you again why would I listen to reason uwu.

Rook: None of the party needs to change or even the order of recruitment or any of the powers at play. They're all so charming and fun and clearly written with love.

Of course Harding will be there as a rep from the Inquisition. Let her work through her struggles with the Maker and the Golden City lore. Let her explore Titan lore but in a way that doesn't end with welp guess that's that and now let's not bring it up again since there definitely won't be implications with dwarves across all of Thedas. Neve works with the Shadow Dragons and would be sympathetic to the whole situation. Keep Aelia and involve the Venatori that way—strictly in Tevinter and unrelated to the gods. I imagine their forces were severely weakened after Corypheus. They can still kill the Archon in preparation of installing one of their own in if they want because that'd be in line with their established motives.

Bellara and Davrin can help shed a light on their perspective of things. Bellara tries in DAV but given how elf involvement was basically dismissed with "nah they're steering clear of the evil gods and we defs don't have a problem with any of this" t'was rough. It would've made more sense bringing Cyrian back aligned with the gods than suddenly bringing up a Forgotten One (excellent DLC option in the Tirashan though). Davrin struggling to distance himself from his heritage and empowerment via Wardenhood and fatherhood (lol) is very interesting to explore instead of idk being a farm boy even though it'd be awfully hard to farm without a permanent settlement, which apparently was a thing but I digress. Keep the griffons and Isseya but tie her to Ghilan'nain in a sympathetic but warped way (of course Ghilan'nain loves the griffons and is sympathetic to their plight. Why not make them better? Isseya's a city elf but why would she doubt the Mother of Halla?) Also definitely keep that chat with Solas and have more of that!

Lucanis and Crow lore. Imagine debating with him about practices of kidnapping and torturing children to train them. Characters can grow and learn (look at my best boy Dorian) and when he gets promoted to First Talon, maybe he'll keep your words in mind if your bond is high enough. Taash and Emerich had more personal things to deal with which is great. Not every character arc has to be directly tied back to the Big Bads. In DAV's case, it would've made more sense if they were just standalone issues instead of trying to be like "yeahh y'know, Venatori support. Yup."

And if you play Rook as an elf, there should definitely be a city elf and Dalish option because they're different cultures EA. You can't just have options like "I'm Dalish where it counts" and say "Our Gods" and "Your People" in the same scene because what even does that mean EA. Very good posts about this stuff here and here and here

Ending: At the end of this power struggle, where the gods are inevitably taken down, instead of a uwu everyone lived happily ever after except those who died, there are! Ramifications! Those were elven gods that almost destroyed everything! Why would they just let elves be and the Dalish chill and settle in Arlathan Forest (nvm why they were allowed back in the first place given how the Dalish treat the Dales and how they expect people to react to their presence there)?

Depending on how you play all your games (or a neutral score for new players), I think this is where you see the results of your choices. Did you garner sympathy and support from leaders? What leaders did you put in place? Will things return to a tense status quo? Will there be another Exalted March where they're driven even farther away? Or will there be introspection and understanding maybe resulting in a new Halamshiral for the Dalish somewhere and more rights for city elves?

As for Solas, I think his outcome would depend on the Inquisitor's choice in Trespasser. Do you kill him, leaving any future attempts to breach the Veil a risk? Do you fade into obscurity with him to live out a peaceful life in secrecy? Or do you convince him to give Thedas as is a second chance now that the gods are gone? He can disappear, maybe he occasionally has visitors or visits those he considers friends while keeping an eye on the world and the Veil (he'll be the new Veilguard which would make that ending line make more sense)?

[5queerducksinatrenchcoat]

can't decide whether my inky's clan should make it out of wycome or not. cause on the one hand, i feel like it would definitely lend more weight, in her eyes, to choosing to keep her vallaslin, along with meeting ameridan. but on the other, for fuck's sake does she deserve something good. also the idea of there being a city in the free marches run by a mixed council of dalish, city elves, and humans is fucken rad as hell. and, i mean, the whole thing with ameridan is very much enough on it's own, and will be a core driving force, for her to be like, "no, im keeping these." history erased the whole-ass identity of the last inquisitor. he was just like her and she had no idea, nobody did. and she'll be fucked if she makes it easier for them to make her just like him that way, too.

and, the way she sees it, whatever vallaslin use to be back in ancient times couldn't be further from what they are now. not having them didn't ensure the elves their freedom. they fought for their freedom. they fought for whatever bits and scraps of their history and culture and language they could find. they were given a home for their part in the fight against tevinter, and they took those bits and scraps and made something new with them. they found these markings of their ancestors and made them into symbols of independence and pride.

the vallaslin are their resistance to and rejection of the humans who keep trying to take what's theirs and break their spirits literally written across their faces.

anyway, if her clan's gonna survive, i'd do joh before i get the last war table mission in the quest line. it just feels right, narratively, because first she meets this elf who's just like her, from a land that's no longer his, and then her clan fights for their lives alongside local city elves and humans, and suddenly find a home in this city. a real, physical home. a land that they belong in as much as anyone else and they didn't have to sacrifice their identities.

she's a dalish elf and her home is in wycome. her family and friends live in wycome, freely. not in an alienage or on the outskirts. as do the city elves, and as do the humans. they live there together, and run it together, and take care of it together.

(this is basically just me rambling about an oc, at this point. also, her twin brother would survive either way, im not a fucken monster.)

[plasticfreckles]

more solavellan think thonk HEEEEEEEYYY

The thing that got me during my zillionth replay of the final trespasser cutscene, that really got me:

Solas has agents that do things relatively recently. Agents that lead the Venatori to his orb, agents that aim to claim Briala's eluvians.

And he doesn't strike me as the type to wake up and check up on progress like the sleeper teams on Andromeda's arks.

At least not to this level.

So, the agents of his time (=pre-Veil) must have inevitably endured in some form.

And some of them MUST have ended up in Dalish clans, or at least instructed someone in a clan.

I don't think Solas would've focused on just city elves. That seems too narrow a margin for his plans to operate in.

Maybe his agents ended up in/as some backwater clans that don't do vallaslins and are into the Forgotten Ones (I don't have much recollection of that wiki and do not wish to deepdive into it rn but for shits and giggles, the Forgotten Ones generally agreed with Solas.)

But imagine if Lavellan was of one of those clans.

Not that Lavellan knows Solas is Fen'harel. Not even that he's this close to the Inquisitor. Just a vague thing there's more agents of Fen'Harel in the Inquisition than just Lavellan.

[insert here OP's OH MY GOD gasp of biblical extent]

Imagine if Lavellan wasn't even Inquisitor.

They would've found each other even without the anchor, bc as far as they "know" they're just two agents of Fen'Harel in the Inquisition.

Solas would still eventually leave them because of his big boy Dread Wolf Responsibilities (TM), but still.

This sort of works into my thing I have in Trespasser where Lavellan agrees with the whole "the Inquisition should dissolve" sorta vibe, because being on their own and a bunch of loose, unaffiliated agents would make it that much easier to find Solas again.

Because "Yo Solas-Agent-of-Fen'Harel, some other agent would like to relay intel to you and Fen'Harel as well by association" would imo be much more likely to let Solas let himself be talked into being tracked down than "Yo Solas, your scorned lover from the Inquisition wants to talk to you"

And finding him would also be easier if Lavellan weren't the head of a newly dissolved pseudoreligious cult, though I think even an Inquisitor Lavellan on their own could disappear into the shadows sufficiently.

Or maybe the angst wouldn't happen at all outside of Solas omitting Just How Close he really is to Fen'Harel himself bc they're ultimately working for the same goal but that's no fun

idk im procrastinating on my thesis which is due in like 3 weeks I'm on a ROLL

[bloedewir]

I failed to remember but instead I decided to recreate the "dream" theory (it was done once so presumably I can do it again).

The main point was: the only difference between modern elves and an ancient elvhen is a spirit.

(It does make sense in a way it possibly can explain the power of magic, knowledge now lost and forgotten, and longtime life close to immortality).

Some doubtful arguments:

If ancient elvhen have a connection with spirits it can explain why Cole isn't surprise to meet Fen'Harel and didn't ask any questions. It's not strange but quite normal to him and needs no explanations. In fact, Cole is far more excited about Cassandra: "Oh. That makes more sense. ... I'm a spirit that touched a body, you're a body that touched a spirit. We're the same but backwards!" because it isn't a common thing among humans.

Breach feels different for the elves. It affected them more than humans, dwarves or qunari.

One of Sera's comments is:"It just feels like I've seen this. Exactly this. It happens" and then: "Have we been here? I mean right here, doing exactly this? It feels weird" and Cole responded: "Yes. But not how you mean. In the soft thin places, spirits push with memories that didn't happen. Or did. Or might".

Another dialogue with Solas about the colour of the sky, Sera answers with: "Greenish? Then clear a long ways, and kind of...felt like falling".

Cole also said: "Pushing through (the Veil) makes you be yourself. You can hold onto the you. Being pulled through means you don't have enough you. You become what batters you, bruises your being".

And with Solas': "You are the furthest from what you were meant to be" it can be trancrypted as 'spirit whose purpose was perverted'.

Not so convincing is it? Could be a coincidence.

Enough of Sera. What about other elves?

City elves are more far from their roots than dalish. But dalish have vallaslin, so as ancient elvhen had.

Vallaslin is the blood writing. For what purposes does blood magic exist among others? Summoning demons.

Cassandra' comment: "I knew demons and spirits were similar". Solas' respond: "Not similar, Seeker. The same. ... The nature is, and always has been, grey. A spirit is a purpose. A demon is that purpose perverted".

Vallaslin is the blood mark, carved into a flesh permanently. But not in a rage or desperation and by different purposes. Dalish think it's a privilege and a tradition, Solas said it's a slave markings, but what if there's another meaning?

Could it be possible that a certain vallaslin represents a certain group of spirits? A noticeable enter sign so to speak?

Also Tevinter Imperium (famous stealers of elvhen culture and advanced enthusiasts of blood magic) using spirits as servants. Dorian asked: "Do you use spirits as servants, Solas? You'd have no trouble capturing them". Solas: "No. They are intelligent, living creatures. Binding them against their will is reprehensible". Where did Tevinter learn how to capture spirits? I suppose it could be another ancient elvhen technique they discovered once.

If vallaslin is for summoning a certain type of spirits, it presumably means each evanuris had their own type of servants depending on their goals or purpose. (Solas/Pride or Abelas/Sorrow)

We've seen Mythal. Let she be an example. The Great Protector who also can be vengeful. So.. justice and vengeance. Sound familiar.

Once again, Cassandra: "I knew demons and spirits were similar". Solas: "Not similar, Seeker. The same. ... The nature is, and always has been, grey. A spirit is a purpose. A demon is that purpose perverted".

In that case each evanuris could be a manifestation of a strongest idea/feeling. And such things as Hunger, Fear, Justice, Desire, etc can't be just removed from the world because the idea itself is strong enough. You can't just delete Fear once and for all.

Solas: "You met Mythal, did you not? The first of my people do not die so easily".

So, if the elvhen "gods" are some kind of a strongest ideas it would explain: their immortality; invincibility; the fact they didn't actually die during the time they were trapped in the Fade; their need for slaves/admirers to keep the original idea strong.

Yet Fen'Harel raised against them. As a guess, because they became too perverted from an original purpose. Went too far from the balance and it isn't supposed to be that way.

And the Veil is some kind of a try to bring the balance back. Instead, the world became a "tranquil" as Solas sees it because strong 'feelings' are gone, trapped behind the Veil and Thedas gets just an echoes of those 'feelings'.

And if the Veil will be off elves can bring back their original essence and become they meant to be. A vessels for a strong feelings/ideas having understanding and knowledge. A purpose.

So by that Solas can fulfil his original purpose: "[I believe in] cause and effect. Wisdom as its own reward, and the inherent right of all free willed people to exist".

If so there's almost zero chance to talk him down, because, firstly, he won't allow to pervert his purpose (and disapproves when Inquisitor 'perverted' Cole's purpose by making him more human), and secondly, "While the world may exert a pull in one direction or another, the choice is ultimately yours" (dialogue with Cole).

I don't know if I'm right on something or utterly wrong but anyways it was an interesting topic to speculate with.

[dreadfutures]

The Devil.

The vallaslin were chains, once, after all.

Halevune Mahariel | Hero of Ferelden

Details and process gif (x). Full version (x). Symbolism below.

The Devil. (x)

When the Devil card appears in a reading it usually shows that you are not in control of your life, sometimes as a result of your own actions, but more often as a byproduct of inaction. This loss of control often leads to loss of hope, and a lack of faith in your own abilities.

Your own mindset is a critical factor when the Devil card appears. If you think darkness has won, it has. If you are willing to let others exploit and restrain you, then they can and they will. But no one has power over you unless you give it away. If you are willing to release yourself from the chains of ignorance, you can do so, and you can step into the light. See how much you can accomplish when you believe you can.

UPRIGHT: shadow self, attachment, addiction, restriction, sexuality

REVERSED: releasing limiting beliefs, exploring dark thoughts, detachmen

Halevune Mahariel is not dead, but sometimes he thinks the world wants him to be.

From granting self-governance to the Denerim alienage to giving the Dalish their own land in Fereldan to becoming Teyrn of Gwaren himself, you'd think Halevune Mahariel's legacy would be unforgettable--the changes he's made, irrevocable.

And yet they are being forgotten, and undone, even a mere year after the Blight. His friend, now-King Alistair, made promises about protecting the fledgling alienage, about making reparations for Loghain selling them into slavery...and yet they seem to be empty promises.

As the world grinds its heel into elves across Ferelden, and then mages everywhere, Despair eats at Halevune just as the Taint in his blood eats at him. All Hal can see are his failures, the evils of the world. All he can feel is the weight of his losses: his clan, his youth, his legacy...and soon, his family. He can hear the Calling coming for him in his dreams, and all he wants to do is spend time with his young son and his bond mate, Morrigan.

Halevune can no longer see the light. He is being held back by the chains of his past, by the fear of death, and by a Despair of his own making.

For Hal must remember... The world will never change if he stops trying.

The Vallaslin - Falon'Din is the God of Death in Hal's culture, and Hal is now keenly aware of his mortality as a Warden who underwent the Joining after already being infected for a while. His time is limited on this plane, and he is haunted by the marks that he wears on his face for that reason. But one day he will also learn the truth of Falon'Din and the Evanuris, and Despair for another reason.

The Raven Feather - Represents Morrigan and Kieran, the only lights in his life. They are the torch, temptation, for him to abandon his duties and responsibilities. All he wants is to go to them, and spend his limited time with them.

But...

The Cobwebs - Hal is already dead, dying, decaying, forgotten. Ferelden would relegate him to a historical figure if they could. The common folk are tired of his empty promises and his failures to secure change for them or protect them, now that the Blight is over. And the nobles are tired of him trying.

The Hands - Hal's clan is dead, and many others are dead, since he became a Warden. He has no one to rely on, no one to go back to. Only ghosts. Hal feels like he is alone in the world besides Morrigan and Kieran, though he does have friends. He just can't see them through his anger and despair.

[thekrazykeke]

Title: Lay Me Down (Gently)

Pairing(s): Rook x Davrin. Solas x Female Lavellan (background).

Rating: T+

Warning(s): Light flirting, overthinking. Diet light voyeur tendencies. City elf Rook, Shadow Dragon Rook. Vague spoilers for Inquisition. Slice of life content, maybe?

So I wrote this flash fic before watching the twenty-minute gameplay trailer today. At the time, I was only getting little spoilers on Tiktok and even then, I avoided it because I wanted to go into the game fresh next month. I made that mistake with BG3 and I didn't wanna do that with this game too. That being said, I have a backstory/headcanon for Rook that will be adapted when it goes live. I just couldn't contain myself over Davrin anymore and had to write something. Davrin's behavior is my hc'd idea of how he'd be romanced. IT IS NOT CANON SO DON'T @ ME.

If you enjoy this, please like, reblog, and comment! ~

The Inquisitor has a white chrysanthemum in her long, black loc’d hair. 

Watching surreptitiously as they are from the window, Felasalin can begrudgingly admit that duo must have made a striking couple back in the day.

Solas with his pale skin, high cheekbones that could cut glass, bald head, full pink lips, grey-blue eyes, while radiating danger and power is definitely the stuff of any human’s sordid fantasy. 

Contrastingly, the Inquisitor, (“Call me Atisha, please,”) is just as good looking, if not more so. According to both Bellara and Davrin, she bore Mythal’s vallaslin, something not many Dalish elves did. The golden marks under her dark brown eyes resembled roots and curved up each cheek like wings, complimenting her deep brown skin. 

If Solas radiated power and danger, Atisha personified quiet strength and an indomitable spirit.

“You’re spying on them again,” Davrin’s low baritone caressed the shell of Rook’s left ear. His strong arms easily wrap around their middle and he dodges her flailing limbs. 

“Easy… easy, Lili,” He teased. “We need to work on your awareness, again, clearly.” The groan this joke earned is expected but no less heartwarming. 

“Don’t call me that,” Nose scrunching up in exaggerated disgust; leaning back against his chest, sinking into him almost, Felasalin huffed out a laugh. “…wasn’t spying,” The words are grumbled and halfhearted. Glancing down, Felasalin realized that their fingers were clutching at Davrin’s forearm and released him belatedly, a word of apology on their tongue but Davrin simply intertwined their fingers together.

A simple but intimate gesture.

Stupidly, the thought that the two of them look good together teased her brain. 

His skin is a deeper shade of brown than hers. Slightly scarred from adventures new and old. His hands were rough and calloused, but comforting. 

“Mmhm, you were definitely spying,” Davrin chuckled, squeezing her around the middle as he spun them away from the window gracefully. Then he let go and took a step back. An action which made Felasalin keenly aware of his distance, small as it is. “Do you want me to guess-?” 

Hands going behind their back to stop the instinct to clutch him close, they rocked backwards on their heels, head tilted to the side. 

“…I just don’t get it,” Davrin hummed, encouraging her to continue. “There are rumors about the Inquisitor and the Dreadwolf but I mean…” Unwillingly, her gaze went back to the older elven woman. Catching sight of Solas’ expression, how such a larger than life figure could manage to look equally devoted and pining while looking at towards another person is…humbling. Confusing.

“I thought it was a lie.”

“…Well, we should probably let them work it out in peace,” Davrin commented, tone both apologetic and teasing again. Gently, he tugged at the sharp point of her ear, finger grazing on down from cheek to neck feather light.

Embarrassingly, a soft moan escaped their lips. Davrin chuckled softly and just moments later felt his lips lightly brush the corner of her mouth. Not quite a full kiss and on autopilot Felasalin chased after him, whining as he pulled back teasingly. “And you can tell me, while you’re in my bed, exactly what label we’ll be using for us…” 

As Davrin crooked his finger, beckoning them forward, Felasalin didn’t hesitate to follow.