#veilguard shall be no different

[too-many-lavellans]

Rook thoughts, commence

[sneakyneighboururchin]

I saved Minrathous in this run to actually experience the shadow dragon plot and discovered... that there isn't one? What a truly nothing faction. About as bad as the Lords. Like go girl give us nothing!

[contents404]

Surely it would be scandalous if the Inquisitor challenged her fiance to a duel but never gets her hands, would it not?

Would it not? Bioware???????

josephine, after having enough of waiting and screw the “best” time, what she wants is to be theirs and for the inquisitor to be hers and have a big celebration to mark the occasion: will you do me the honor of marrying me?

inquisitor who has assumed some things this past decade: So. I Didn’t Know This Until Right Now. But I May Have Lied On Several Government Documents

[lucianhuntress]

Emmrich x Reader: 58. “Don't get used to it.”

This was super extra special bonus that I came up with in the morning late in the night. No actual Veilguard spoilers in it. Just inspired by the Mourn Watch Rook.

The hallways of the Necropolis hum eerily, reminding of the lingering presence of spirits even when they mischievously stay out of sight. Sometimes the temperature drops uncomfortably as you walk through the stoney corridors to the professor's study.

Professor Emmrich usually treats his pupils equally and you aren't supposed to be any different. However, your enthusiasm in the studies of necromancy has piqued his interest; not only are you excited to learn —you have also shown skill in the simple rituals and ceremonies you have done so far. Obviously you are nowhere near his level, but with his guidance you may reach the pinnacle of spiritual magics one day.

Normally he wouldn't even be so invested in additional tutoring, but the light glimmering in your eyes like a dozen gleeful spirits makes his heart flutter. Spirits enjoy your presence and apparently so does he. 

“Tea?” He asks, musing to himself as he eyes you across the small table while you unpack your bag; a book of reanimation, a quill and a bottle of ink. You are always ready to take notes and he is happy to delve deeper into the theories of magic with you.

He notices how you have filled the margins of your spell book and he knows the act is condemnable; so many books in the library are often found full of illegible scribbles. Instead he finds it cute; another little detail about you and he really shouldn't keep adding any more reasons to find you endearing. It is hardly appropriate to favor one student anyway, much less to actually have feelings for.

“Yes… please. Professor.” you smile at him warmly, causing his heart to flutter. Manfred saunters over to you with a tray and pours tea into a very fancily decorated cup. You inhale the soft scents of the tea, before taking a sip.

“Oh dear. I see Manfred used the finest tea I have,” Emmrich says in a disappointed manner while somehow managing to sound cheerful at the same time. His eternal cheerfulness is something that keeps impressing you even if you are knee deep in femurs, ribs and spines while chanting a spell and holding a candle.

“I-I’m sure I've never had anything like this before.” You stutter slightly as you stare at the cup wide-eyed. “It’s so good, professor!”

“It certainly has such a deep and robust flavor that I rarely dare to drink it myself.” Emmrich sighs and taps his thighs gently, as if to end the tea serving. “Don't get used to it— I think I have to hide the remaining leaves.” He pinches the bridge of his nose, muttering something to himself.

You let out a delighted chuckle, feeling the warmth of the tea spreading across your body. Emmrich studies your expression with bemusement. “I shall treasure this cupful then.”

[utilitycaster]

I am curious if you think the campaign wrap up will perhaps address some of the campaign shortcomings or challenges the cast faced in trying to land this campaign narratively, especially in comparison to previous campaigns? Not that they would disparage the whole campaign - but like a little “yeah this didn’t work as well as we wanted at times?” 

It’s odd because I find myself weirdly optimistic about CR as a whole despite this campaign’s possible lackluster ending, so I guess I’m hoping the campaign wrap up acknowledges that this campaign didn’t always play to their strengths in hopes that their next long form venture does more, idk.

I don't know if it will but. that's precisely the tenor any question I send will have: I don't think the fundamental concept is the issue - hell, I don't even think killing the gods is actually a problem if you appropriately set up a scenario where killing the gods has a motivation other than "mortals were mean to me in their name" [thing that happens irl all the time in a world with zero proof of divinity, in my religiously observant ideologically agnostic and skeptical opinion] or "I have issues with my parents I never worked towards so I've projected this onto The Ultimate Parents instead of like. being fucking normal." But it needed a lot more scaffolding at the VERY least in the prep for this campaign, and actually, to be blunt, if you want to make this a balanced issue you needed to seed this concept through prior campaigns in a meaningful way. There's a reason pretty much everyone who defends this campaign as Extremely Good, Actually is either doing some form of wildly revisionist history of the fandom and the past campaigns that's demonstrably false if you were like. there; or else they started with C3 and decided they were an expert despite being of below-average literacy and deeply below average personality and have to resort to such miserable efforts as "arguing that canon isn't real" and "posting an out of context Le Guin quote over and over in the hopes we won't notice they're actually 511 mice in a trenchcoat who can't actually read". So yeah I hope Matt is like this was an ambitious project and I'd have done many things differently.

I do wonder what's next for CR, because as I mentioned, it feels like the cast is stronger in shorter form; that even the other longform shows are moving to shorter form right now; and that WBN and C3 kind of show the limits/failings of longform. I hope they do another longform campaign at some point in the future, but it might make sense to take an extended break and play in the space for a while. They only took about 4 months between campaigns for the past two and maybe it would be good to take longer and focus on Daggerheart, Candela, and EXU for much of the year and if they do longform wait 8-10 months, especially with the comparatively extensive touring schedule this year.

I also hasten to add, and I mentioned this briefly in talking about CRPGs, but I think there's a Third Campaign Dip that's not inevitable (NADDPod didn't really have it; TAZ switches systems enough that it's not an issue) but definitely hit here, that doesn't apply to a fourth one. Like, for CRPGs (girl who's played Veilguard twice and gotten through the first day of Disco Elysium voice) it feels like the first run is following what seems most fun to you and then the second is playing around with other choices that maybe aren't as appealing just to see what happens, and then for the third and future runs you kind of know the full lay of the land and what you'll like while still allowing for a range of choices. For class-based TTRPGs, the first is the self-insert/thing that's fairly comfortable and easy/character you've dreamed of; the second is what you do now that you know how this works; and then the third can be...an overextension, shall we say. I think after that you figure out, again, the bounds of your comfort zone, how much you can stretch it, and what you don't like, you're in a much more consistent footing.

[dalishious]

Reading Three Trees to Midnight tonight struck me with a realization that the Vir Tanadhal is SO culturally comparatively Mi'kmaq...

We've heard two different versions of the Vir Tanadhal, and both are applicable.

Version one, spoken aloud by Ilen in Dragon Age: Origins -

"The first is the Vir Assan—the Way of the Arrow: to reach for our goal, unrelenting. The second is the Vir Bor'assan—the Way of the Bow: to bend, but not to break. The last is the Vir Adahlen—the Way of the Wood: we are as ancient as the forests, each tree a part of the greater land."

Version two, first introduced in World of Thedas vol. 1 -

"Vir Assan, the Way of the Arrow: Be swift and silent, Andruil taught. Strike true; do not waver. And let not your prey suffer. Vir Bor’assan, the Way of the Bow: As the sapling bends, so must you. In yielding, find resilience; in pliancy, find strength. Vir Adahlen, the Way of the Wood: Receive the gifts of the hunt with mindfulness. Respect the sacrifice of my children. Know that your passing shall nourish them in turn."

This is literally just recycled concepts like M'sit No'kmaq, Wejisqalia'ti'k, Netukulimk, and Etuaptmumk!

M'sit No'kmaq means all my relations. It is the understanding that all living beings are related to one another. Even things that would not by western views be considered living; everything with a shadow has a spirit, and all spirits should be respected as you respect family. Just like the Dalish talking about being part of a greater whole.

Wejisqalia'ti'k means from this earth we sprouted. It is the understanding that we are a part of Mi'kma'ki; we are a part of our homeland, just as much as the land, the sea, and the sky. Just like the Dalish talking about being as ancient as the forests, and nourishing Andruil's children in death.

Netukulimk means seeking a good living. It is the understanding of how to maintain a sustainable relationship between the People and the Earth. When you gather or hunt or fish, you do not take more than what you need, and you always offer thanks for what the Creator has provided, honouring what you have harvested. Just like the Dalish talking about respecting the sacrifice of Andruil's children, and being mindful of the hunt's gifts.

Etuaptmumk means two-eyed seeing. It is contemporarily used to describe the relationship between combining western views and Indigenous views, but in general refers to the way in which people must seek understanding from each other, to grow but not assimilate. Just like the Dalish talking about finding strength in pliancy, but resilience in yielding; to bend, but not break.

Whenever I get around to writing the second edition of my great big Indigenous Coding in the Elves of Dragon Age essay—at some point after the release of The Veilguard in case there are new comparisons—I will definitely be including this.

[xaphii]

Beware: Spoilers for Veilguard and Inquisition (just in case)

I'm replaying Inquisition after playing through Veilguard twice and as much as I think Veilguard its over-hated and that the popular critisims aren't even its actual issues I don't feel as strongly about it as I do inqusition, and maybe it's just nostalgia but I think it comes down to two things for me - Motivation and Music.

There are many moments but I want to just single out one quest - The entire In Your Heart Shall Burn quest is amazing, you go through all the feels. You finally close the breach and go hurray we did it! then a bunch of angry red templars/mages go hey fuck you and then you cause an avalanche and you think maybe we're out of the woods considering we just covered the entire army in about 5 metres of snow BUT THEN an ancient magister and his archdemon turn up and go hey fuck you and you go wellllll we're fucked better go out with style.

"All we can do now is make them work for it" is such a chilling line from Cullen, because at this point everyone is pretty certain that you're all gonna die.

And the MUSIC? The entire fucking score during INYHSB is such an absolute BANGER especially the corypheus confrontation and then you nearly DIE and have to crawl your way through snow and you're cold and potentially dying and then you're lost in the mountains and it turns into high school musical for 5 minutes and then 'Journey to Skyhold' is playing and you're filled with hope and then your on the steps of Skyhold getting made inquisitor and yelling about something and it FEELS like you have just overcome something great. You can see all these people working for you and towards this goal you have. And the last hour of gameplay goes from hope to desperation to hope again and finally to determination and all the while the musical genius that is Trevor Morris helps fuel those feelings.

And Veilguard has its moments absolutely, Weishaupt is one, but I didn't feel as invested as I did for Haven and the only quest that came close to that investment was the dual dragon fight, these things attacked your people they deserve to burn, there's a moment where Rook has to get to a ballista and fire it at Ghil'anain and it almost felt like the herald firing off that trebuchet at Haven after talking to Coryphyshit but that was it, no other quests felt like that. And to top it off, I did not feel moved by a single track in the soundtrack the way the entirety of Trevor Morris' score did. And I'm fully aware I may be biased, please correct me if you think it's the case, I just can't reconcile the differences I see and feel after playing them both so close together.

As much as I'm having fun in my heart I feel that Veilguards best moments have nothing on Inquisitions.

[lafaiette]

Inspired by some posts going around, saying Rook should be able to flirt with Lavellan to make Solas super jealous 😂 (but also to help him stop being stupid and finally go back to her!)

There are nuanced spoilers from Veilguard, and my own idea regarding Rook and Solas' connection, since we still don't know how it works exactly.

----------------------------

"I have an idea."

Neve raised her eyes from the notes scattered on her desk, giving Rook a flat, unimpressed look. She knew, by know, that their ideas weren't always the best.

Sometimes, she feared the things their brain came up with.

"What kind of idea?" she asked, hoping it would be different this time, that they would surprise her, that this wouldn't be like that time they had sneaked upon Lucanis and almost got stabbed.

"I'm going to flirt with Lady Lavellan."

"Oh, goodness." Neve took a deep breath. So much for her hopes. "Well, you're going to die, I guess."

"Not for real!" Rook had the audacity to grin at her. "As a joke! Just to unnerve our Dread Wolf a little bit."

"Why would you do that?" Neve shook her head in disbelief. "Do you even hear yourself? If what Lace said is right, he could kill you in your sleep."

"Nah, he won't. We're almost friends at this point - and besides, he wouldn't risk ruining our mission."

"He would for Lady Lavellan."

"Come on!" Rook's grin came back, happy and excited. "I'm curious to see how he'd react! He's always so serious and grim, you know? But Varric said he was a completely different person when he was with the Inquisitor, and the rumours I heard..."

"He's in contact with you, is he not?" She tilted her head, studying their face. "Isn't he listening to this conversation right now?"

"Our connection is severed most of the time. There are moments when I can feel him being present, but they don't last long, and I always have to update him on our plans." Rook scratched their neck. "I have no idea how much he's able to glimpse from that prison he's stuck in, to be honest. It doesn't look like a great place to be in."

"It was a prison made specially for mad elven mages." Neve sighed, going back to the more pressing topic. "Seriously, Rook, this is a terrible idea."

"Hey, he deserves it! Haven't you seen how kind and gracious Lady Lavellan is? If anything, I'm going to help them get back together! Trust me, this will help them. I'm basically doing them a favour!"

"You're going to scare that poor woman." Neve glared at them, almost disappointed. "I won't let you be a creep."

"Oh, Neve, who do you take me for?" Rook was at the door, ready to leave, ready to start their diabolical plan. "I will be the perfect gentleman, just like Emmrich."

"He is a gentleman, while you're acting like a mischievous nug!"

Rook left with a booming laugh; Neve stared at the door, trying to squash her morbid curiosity under a sense of professionalism and dignity.

But a part of her was looking forward to the consequences of Rook's insane prank.

----------------------------

"Lady Lavellan." Rook smiled at the elven woman, Solas' presence like a burning itch in their brain, right behind their eyes. "You look stunning this morning."

They even bowed to her.

Davrin and Harding stared at them as if they had gone mad. Lady Lavellan blinked, eyes wide, then replied, as prim as ever:

"Thank you?"

"Should you need anything, please don't hesitate to call upon me. It shall be my honour to serve a wonderful, beautiful person such as yourself."

Davrin made a weird sound, a noise between a snort and a choking gasp. Harding covered her mouth with a hand.

Lady Lavellan's shock only grew - but her background as an important political figure was indeed evident, for she didn't let it colour her next words nor her reaction.

"Thank you, Rook. You're very kind."

She even smiled a little, even though she still looked a bit perplexed.

Rook grinned at her, then left. The burning, the presence inside their head, felt like a roaring inferno now.

----------------------------

"Here, my lady - I heard you like these particular berries. I made sure to buy some from you while I was in Treviso."

Rook filled her plate with sweet, red berries, and Lady Lavellan's face did light up, her eyes filled with wonder and joy.

"Oh, thank you! It's been so long since I ate these!"

"Only the best for you." Rook bowed their head at her, then turned to pass a jug of water to Lucanis, who was sitting next to them and had heard their exhange with the Inquisitor.

The Antivan Crow was looking at them, studying them, his lips slightly curled upward.

"Yes?" Rook grinned at him.

"Spite says you're going to die soon, my friend."

"Oh, Neve said the same thing!"

----------------------------

"Oh, Rook, here you are! Lady Lavellan and I were discussing some matters related to the Mourn Watch. Would you like to join us?"

"Of course, Emmrich." Rook accepted the cup of tea Manfred was diligently handing them, thanking him with a nod of their head. "I'd love to spend more time with you and our beautiful guest."

Emmrich almost choked on his tea. Lady Lavellan kindly offered him her handkerchief.

"Has someone ever painted you, my Lady?" Rook sipped the hot beverage without a care in the world, even raising their little finger. "I can't believe no one has. Such a gorgeous, dazzling smile should be preserved for eternity."

"Well, uh... Solas painted the frescoes in the rotunda at Skyhold. And..." She looked down, into her cup, suddenly quiet and timid. "He made some charcoal portraits of me."

Rook felt bad, guilt squeezing their heart. They hurried to improve the mood.

"Charcoal portraits are well and good, but your beauty and kindness should be painted on gilded vaults. Or perhaps sculpted, to fill the world with your grace!"

She snorted, the prelude to a giggle. When she left to check on Varric, Emmrich sighed and stared and stared, until Rook had to speak up.

"What?"

"My friend, why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you have a death wish. We could have talked about this sooner."

"I don't have a death wish!"

"I know these are hard, frightening times, but you must let death come to you, not the other way around. You have your whole life ahead of you!"

"Emmrich, really..."

"Why don't we start some therapy sessions? We do it all the time in the Mourn Watch - it's a very taxing job on the soul, after all."

"Therapy sess-"

"Manfred, my boy, be a dear and fetch me some ink and paper. Now, Rook, lie down and tell me when your suicidal intentions have first started..."

----------------------------

"Rook."

"Taash. Bellara."

"Oh, Rook." Bellara sniffed, pushing back tears. "It's been an honour."

"Wait, what? Are you two leaving?"

"No?" Taash frowned. "You are."

"And quite soon, I fear. The Dread Wolf isn't the merciful type." Bellara nodded sagely.

"Hey, hey, I'm not leaving! Solas and I are getting along swimmingly!"

"The only swimming you'll do will be in a neverending nightmare, my friend." Taash said, patting their shoulder. "Well. It's been fun."

----------------------------

"Goodnight, my Lady."

Rook kissed Lady Lavellan's right hand - no, not really. They didn't even touch it with their lips, not wanting to creep her out, and they knew the Dread Wolf would really smite them if they even dared think about touching her.

"Oh, uh... goodnight."

"Your beauty and brilliance eclipse the stars." Rook continued. "I can see now why both Ferelden and Orlais adored you so."

She watched them for a second, confused and embarrassed, then realization shone on her face, and a bright smile appeared on it.

In that moment, Rook knew she knew the real reasons behind their silly behaviour. She even looked happy, as if Rook had done something good.

"Goodnight, Rook." Her smile was amused, now. "Say hi to Solas for me, please."

----------------------------

Rook fell asleep, excitement and apprehension creating a churning cocktail in their stomach. Perhaps Emmrich was right; perhaps they really had a death wish. No sane person would ever tease the ancient elven god of rebellion by flirting with his beloved vhenan.

The prison was darker than usual. They could barely see their feet, and the ground felt shakier, almost crumbly, as if they were standing on sand.

Beneath them, endless darkness, a pit of shadows and oblivion.

"Solas...?"

Then they felt an overwhelming pressure, their head splitting in half, ash in their mouth. Rook groaned, gritting their teeth, and squeezing their eyes shut.

"Oi, cut it out!"

"Your beauty and brilliance eclipse the stars." Solas' cold voice echoed, reaching Rook from all directions; but they couldn't see him, couldn't find him, and the pressure on their head only increased.

"You should be sculpted, to fill the world with your grace."

"It's true! She's quite graceful!"

A growl, then suddenly the pillar of earth and sand on which Rook was standing trembled, and for a moment they truly feared Solas was about to cast them down.

They saw him, then: standing just a few paces away, fire in his eyes, his teeth gritted into a snarl, fists clenched. Poor fellow.

"You disgusting little...!"

He took a deep breath, but Rook could see the vein throbbing on his forehead. When next he spoke, Solas sounded only slightly calmer.

"Leave Lady Lavellan alone. She has no time for your inane words. You are embarrassing her."

"Are you sure? Because I think I saw the prettiest of blushes when I..."

The pillar trembled again, and Rook had to hold onto it to avoid falling down. When they raised their eyes, Solas was gone, and they heard his voice coming from behind.

Very close. Extremely close, so much they thought he was finally standing on their same level.

But they also felt something else, a huge presence, as tall as a mountain, where there should have been only a bald elf. They didn't turn, their instinct telling them they would see too many eyes, and fangs, too.

"Leave her alone." Solas' voice said, sounding the same as before, but also not, an undercurrent of fury and pain hidden beneath every word. "This will be my last warning."

"Fine, fine! I was just joking, and she knows that!"

A moment of silence, then: "... What?"

Rook laughed, the pressure behind their eyelids finally subduing.

"You're still deep in it, huh? Don't worry, she feels the same. Every time we talk about you, she gets this soft look on her face. Oh, and she says hi, by the way."

The huge presence also vanished, and when next Rook blinked, Solas was standing before them again. He looked surprised, but also curious, eager to hear more, hope and sorrow written all over his pale face.

"What, you really thought I was trying to hit on her? She's a great person, but she's not really my type. And I know she has eyes for you only... even though I can't understand why. No offense."

Solas looked away, sorrow winning over hope.

"I often wonder the same."

"Try not to be an ass once you're finally out of here, yes?" Rook grinned at him, feeling their consciousness return in the waking world. "She's been waiting for you."

This time, only hope shone on Solas' face, chasing away the shadows of pain.

----------------------------

Time later, at the apex of their fight against the Evanuris, Solas found himself finally free, walking the corridors and rooms of the Lighthouse as he had done millennia ago, ready to stand against his mortal enemies one more time.

Things were a bit strained between him and Rook's companions. There wasn't - there couldn't be - the same sort of camaraderie he had had with his companions of the Inquisition.

He apologized to Varric, of course. He could barely look him in the eye, so vast was his shame - but the kind dwarf waved off his apologies, an easy smile on his face. And Solas knew he had been forgiven, even though he could scarcely believe it.

And then there was Lavellan, his vhenan. She smiled at him whenever they met in the Lighthouse, or at dinner, eating at the same long table with everyone else.

At first, he tried to be distant, not wanting to hurt her, not sure she actually wanted to have anything to do with him, despite Rook's reassurances.

But then he couldn't stay away from her any longer. He kept looking at her, saw her stealing glances, too, and he finally decided to listen to his heart.

"Good morning." He greeted her one day, when he bumped into her while heading to a quick breakfast.

"Good morning." she replied in kind, her smile soft and luminous like a wisp of the Fade.

"I..." Solas cleared his throat, moving closer to her. He looked at everything but her - her prosthetic arm, the ground, the view from the windows - then he finally found the courage to lock eyes with her.

"You look beautiful, vhenan."

Her smile widened, and an adorable blush coloured her cheeks. Behind her, Scout Harding and Davrin let out a soft "aww".

"Thank you."

"There... There is a balcony overlooking the Fade behind those doors. Would you..." He cleared his throat again, feeling his own cheeks burn. "Would you like to have breakfast there? Together?"

"I'd love to."

Solas returned the smile, a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He offered her his arm, and she took it, letting him guide her.

They were so busy smiling, lost in each other, they didn't see Rook watching them from the railing just above their heads.

"Hah!" Rook shook their head, a fond grin on their face. "Knew it would work."

[loredrinker]

The Role of Freedom and Choice in Solas's Fate

Thinking about choice in general and how the freedom of choice impacts a person's evolution and transformation.  And how each of the endings reflect that.

Veilguard spoilers below - and a long post.

The only ending that truly allows Solas the freedom to choose is the Atonement ending.  

Freedom and Choice are Important to Solas

Solas, a man who fought to free his people from slavery for hundreds of years, values freedom and choice. 

Solas hates ignorance and being mindless - because ignorance is not freedom.  There are a lot of great lines in one of his arguments with a low approval Inquisitor: 

He's also willing to kill if ignorance has destroyed something he values (All New Faded for Her).  

True freedom involves the ability to make informed choices.  

Wisdom flourishes in freedom - this allows for choices to be made that lead to transformation and change.   

Pride, in contrast, can be rigid, defensive, and resistant to change. When choice is removed, pride can fester because there is usually no space for reflection or growth.  

Take away the freedom to choose, and you start to strip away someone’s humanity.

Allowing choice and agency creates fertile ground for change and shifting perspectives. Which is strengthened through connection with others.

We saw this shift in Inquisition: 

Perspectives are shifting. 

In Trespasser, a high-approval Inquisitor can tell Solas they’ll prove he doesn’t need to destroy the world, to which Solas replies, “I would treasure the chance to be wrong once again, my friend.” He’s open to the possibility of another path, of a different choice. 

I see proof of this shift in Veilguard. 

In Trespasser, Solas tells the Inquisitor that saving his world will destroy theirs and sounds like he's talking absolute destruction. But in Veilguard, he tells Varric that he’s taken precautions to minimize damage and confesses to Rook that while thousands may die, he’s working to preserve as much life as possible.  

Personal opinion: Some people claim that Solas lies all the time - to himself, to others. Yes, he lies, but all the time? That feels like (to me) a simplistic and one-dimensional view of this character. I love Solas because he embodies duality. He tells the truth and he lies, but his lies are never straightforward. They’re strategic, carefully worded, lies of omission or half-truths.  Saying “he just lies about everything” is too easy. Solas invites us to discern for ourselves, to see him through the lens of the story we choose to believe about him. The game acknowledges this duality when (depending on dialogue choices), Solas tells Rook, “I am, after all, remembered as the god of lies, treachery and rebellion.” When Rook responds with, "Depending on the story.” Solas follows with, “And what story shall we tell now?”  I LOVE that line - it’s like he’s turning to us, the player and asking, What are you going to believe? We have a choice here. 

Back to the main point: is Solas lying about having spirits at the ready? Maybe. But we know Solas is friends with spirits (All New, Faded for Her), and he led spirits in battles against the Evenuris, he spoke with spirits trying to convince some to fight back. 

And Emmrich says to Solas: 

So why is it so hard to believe that he did ask spirits to stand by and help?  

Solas admits that while destruction is inevitable, he’s trying to minimize the damage. Yes, it's still morally questionable, but it shows a shift - a choice to preserve life where he can. 

Choices Shape Us 

The good, the bad, and the ugly - Solas’s choices define him. Prideful Solas makes destructive, terrible, morally grey decisions. He tries exerting force over Rook, manipulates, and attempts trickery. He tries to take away Rook’s own choices when it suits him. 

But we also see Wise Solas guiding and helping Rook. I love this ongoing dance between Wisdom and Pride throughout Veilguard. Which wolf will be fed? 

Freedom to choose is complemented by relationships - connections with others that encourage reflection. Just as Solas’s connections in Inquisition helped him reflect and shift, his connection with Rook - a new mirror for him - will also help him shift. The question is, will it be for the worse or the better? 

So We Get to the End... 

Elgar'nan has been defeated, Rook holds the dagger and now Rook has a choice...which will set the stage for which Solas enters the Fade – wisdom (spirit) or pride (demon).  

Trick Weekes mentioned on Bluesky in answer to a question about Solas's trauma being tied to the dagger. 

 (Here is the original Tumblr post which is a great read) 

With that in mind, let’s examine the endings - and Solas’s mental state - through the lens of freedom to choose. 

The "Normal" Ending 

In this ending, Rook has taken the time to help their companions, resolving their issues so they can make meaningful choices and become stronger versions of themselves. This collective strength allows Rook and the team to overpower Solas. However, Rook chooses not to offer a choice to Solas. Instead, they stab him, forcibly binding him to the Veil, against his will.

The image following this ending shows Solas in his Veilguard outfit, falling backward almost like in a spiral. To me this visual conveys a sense of being out of control - surrounded by darkness and a swirling storm. His mind is clearly not in a good place (he refers to himself a god now). Solas is trapped by force, and left in a dark, chaotic state.

The "Good" (Trick) Ending 

The Trick ending is intriguing. What’s interesting is that it’s called a "good" ending, and I think that’s because, in this ending, Solas still makes a choice. 

Rook and the team outwit Solas, forcefully binding him to the Veil once again. However, within this act of force, there’s a small glimmer of hope - Solas chooses to accept his defeat. He bitterly admits he was bested and calls himself a fool. While Pride may have the upper hand here, his Wisdom isn’t completely lost symbolized by the bright background in the final image. 

Though the image shows Solas falling again, he doesn’t appear to be struggling against it in this one. This tells me that, despite his defeat, Solas’s mindset might still have a chance to recover and evolve down the road. 

The "Bad" Ending 

The bad ending is fascinating to me on a few layers. It's described as the default because it requires the least effort. In this path, Rook neglects their companions’ personal quests, chooses not to help them resolve their issues (which would enable them to make meaningful choices so they can grow, so they can choose their paths going forward.)  Relationships are sidelined, and everyone dies. 

Solas’s state reflects this. He’s snarling, sneering, and fighting, stabs Rook, is consumed by anger, desperation and resistance. Rook chases after Solas as he tries to escape, grabs him from behind, preventing him from moving forward, pulls back on him slightly - then the Fade grabs them - pulling them both back to the Fade (as seen in this video).

He's being pulled - not enough of him to be him. He becomes what battered him, bruised his being.

And the image following this?  Just an image of a memorial.  No peek into Solas's mind, no commentary on it from Varric.  My interpretation? Wisdom (Solas) is gone. 

And Rook?  Not looking good.  The text following says that this "cost many lives, including Rook and the team". This implies Rook didn't make it. 

This ending triggered a visceral reaction in me. To me the message is clear. 

Rook’s decision not to support their companions means the team is unable to grow, leaving them unprepared to face challenges, weakening their collective strength. The absence of meaningful connection (which I highlighted earlier is a part of growth) results in a failure to create the unity needed to overcome Solas - and Rook and the team pay the price for this. For Solas, this lack of connection mirrors his descent into Pride.

Without the influence of reflection, compassion, or alternative perspectives from others, he remains trapped in his own rigid mindset. 

The "Best" Ending (Atonement) 

Despite Solas constantly trying to screw Rook over, Rook chooses to turn the other cheek – and offers him another chance.  Rook also holds Solas accountable, reminding him that by tearing down the Veil, he’s taking away everyone else's freedom to choose - because it’s what he wants. 

Solas is reflective here, mirroring the energy he’s met with. When confronted with ego, he responds with ego; when met with understanding, he opens himself to it. Rook’s willingness to forgive (this offering of another path is an act of forgiveness) and to challenge him, continues nurturing the chance for further change, allowing other voices, like the Inquisitor’s and Mythal’s, to influence him as well. 

But the choice is still Solas's.  

And when Solas CHOOSES to uphold the Veil: 

In both endings where Solas enters the Fade - whether alone or with a romanced Inquisitor - the Fade is bright. In the solo ending, Solas appears to be taking purposeful steps forward, looking like a wise sage. In the romanced ending, he holds the Inquisitor in an embrace, symbolizing connection. 

Both endings show a Solas looking like he was in Inquisition, a reminder of how his time with the Inquisition mattered. The relationships he formed shaped him, helping him build a foundation to move forward, to shift perspectives in order to make new choices. 

As Solas says to a friend Inquisitor and Rook, “Thanks to you, I see another way.” That realization came because Rook and the Inquisitor reflected that possibility back to him. 

And when Solas chooses atonement, he starts envisioning a better future - a world where the Blight is soothed and even the Titans might have a place. But being forced into the Fade? Who knows how long it might take for him to see that path (if at all), or if the resentment from being forced will taint his perspective. 

The Atonement ending reminds me that people can change, but real change requires freedom, open-mindedness, connections with others and the opportunity to choose. Solas’s transformation happens because he’s given the space to choose his own path - not because he’s forced into it. Along the way, the people who challenged and engaged his Wisdom guided him back to his core essence, allowing him to reclaim his purpose in the end. 

But again, this is just my interpretation (and still evolving).

[drowsybowser]

Get to Know You Better Challenge

First of all, I’d like to thank @introvertedfangrl for tagging me and taking my tag challenge virginity 😂🖤 this post shall be dedicated to you!

Last song: Moonlight / Kali Uchis (luv her sm)

Favorite color: black and purple

Last book: can I say something embarrassing? I haven’t read an actual novel since I graduated. Oops. But I would eventually like to buy and read some horror novels!

Last movie: Piece by Piece, the Pharrell Williams Lego movie at the theater (bf’s choice, but I still enjoyed it! lol)

Last tv show: I recently finished Bridgerton and have been watching Great British Bake-off since then. I don’t really watch a lot of tv shows honestly, I will more often end up on youtube watching playthroughs, cooking videos, and other random stuff

Sweet/savory/spicy: my sweet tooth is out of control honestly. I have something sweet like every day. And sweet/savory is often my favorite combination. I have like zero tolerance for spicy 😭

Relationship status: happily dating my best friend for 6 years, known each other 10 years now. we’re basically high school sweethearts except that we met through an online game and never dated long distance.

Last video game played: Veilguard, of course. I’ve started my second playthrough and I am severely in love my second Rook. btw @introvertedfangrl his name is actually Kalais I misspelled it when you asked me before 😭

Last thing I googled: literally “why is flanking in Veilguard so hard” LMAO and my explanation for that is: my second rook is a rogue, and while it’s not that different from the dagger/orb mage combo, I’m just generally struggling with it more. The rogue’s “mana” is stacked from successfully attacking without taking damage, but if you take damage, it depletes some of the charge you just built up. What makes this more annoying, for me personally, is I suck at blocking. Dodging is fine, but sometimes I end up out of range to attack. It’s also really annoying that enemies will aggro on Rook much more often than they will aggro on a companion. I’m consistently ending up with 2 or 3 enemies aggro’d on me and I’m trying so hard to dodge and get in a single attack and will go almost whole fights with only getting one ability off. I spent half of a fight just trying to get behind an enemy, for flanking, but it feels impossible lol. They’re spinning just as fast me!! okay rant over lol

Current obsession: dragon age in general, but paying special attention to Cullen and Dorian bc they’re my comfort ship

Looking forward to: I have plans for getting my car fully paid off so my bf and I can get our own place again. just trying to manifest a happy and peaceful future for us haha

I challenge @reiconcorpse @cullenssweatyballsakk and @littleraeofsunshineda and anyone else who might see this and have fun 😇

[darkurgetrash]

What Is It That Stays My Hand?

Rook/Solas — Mature — Read on AO3

Rook believes in redemption; Solas is grim and fatalistic. He refuses to give in. She refuses to give up.

Tags: slowburn, enemies to lovers, eventual romance and smut, angst

This story takes place during the events of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

—*Chapter One: Disrupt and Conquer*—

“Is that—? No… it can’t be…”

Cold air coils around Rook, biting at her ears as she sprints toward the ruins, her boots crunching heavily in the snow. Ahead, an elven man donning Mythal’s vallaslin addresses a crowd, his voice fractured by the wind—Spirits? Circle?—but the meaning is clear enough. Whatever he’s commanding, the elves hang on every word, their breath suspended in both air and anticipation.

As she nears, realisation hits her like a stone in her chest. Beside him, hands clasped behind his back, surveying the onlookers with practiced detachment, stands a figure she knows all too well.

Solas.

But something is… different. For one, he has hair. For another, there’s a strange uncertainty in the way he carries himself—a hesitation that feels unlike the man she’s unfortunately come to know.

Though his face is almost the same—the same etched lines of frustration, lips curved into a habitual scowl, his brow furrowed with equal parts determination and anguish—there’s an unfamiliar weight in his posture.

He shuffles slightly, kicking the snow at his feet. Then, as the man beside him addresses him, ‘Dread Wolf’, his hands curl into fists at his side. He turns to the crowd and his lavender eyes, soft in colour but always burning with hatred in her memory, now seem dull and detached, scanning the faces before him without truly seeing.

There’s no fury, no scorn—only cold indifference.

“The false gods, the Evanuris,” Solas booms, his voice every bit as commanding as his general’s. “They have overreached. I shall humble them.”

“We’re seeing the past—a memory!” Emmrich whispers at her side, his tone alive with fascination.

She forces a small, wry smile. “I figured. Pretty sure Solas hasn’t been able to call himself ‘humble’ in centuries.”

Bellara leans in, equally enraptured. “He must think we’re one of these spirits,” she murmurs, her voice vibrating with excitement.

Rook stays silent, cold dread gnawing at her. While her companions brim with curiosity, all she feels is a rising tide of nausea.

“Within their citadel lies a relic with the power to imprison even a god,” Solas continues, speaking over them. “With it, I can bring their tyranny to an end forever.”

Rook exhales sharply, the words like ice in her veins. She already knows how well this plan works out. Could she warn him? Could she tell this version of Fen’Harel that, in a thousand years or so, a hapless reject from the Mourn Watch would undo his work—freeing the Evanuris and plunging the world into chaos—all because he was dead set on destroying it?

Or, perhaps, she could tell him how that very same novice would be his only connection to the world and—in a cruel act of injustice and terrible luck—the only hope of putting things right. Even if he was insistent on acting like her life was created for the express purpose of ruining his.

She scoffs inwardly. He’d never listen. He’d probably laugh. When did Solas ever appreciate advice—or anything, for that matter?

Read more on AO3.

[iniziare]

Some 'randomized' Solas tidbits, some of these are things in DATV that I default to (though I will change as to accommodate decisions made from the Rooks I will write with within reason: example being that I'm not open to all endings), and others are just random thoughts I wanted to touch on. Ah, sometimes I get a little sad that I need to put all of this under a read more, but I don't want to spoil anything for people. Here we go!

— The ending. As a writer of Solas, I can't do anything other than default to the 'best' ending, which includes Solavellan, and the choice to use Mythal's essence. Which is not to say that I will force Solavellan onto everyone, and it actually is not even the main reason as to why I choose it (though my heart does, every time) as my default. It's simply that the inclusion of Mythal is incredibly fundamental to him being able to atone for his 'sins', that you will have to bribe me with kilograms of chocolate to have me waver from it. I can and will do it if you insist, but then it is important that you know that he can not, and will never properly 'atone'. No other ending will get Solas to that state of mind, and 'insisting' on it as you see in the 'bad' (/worst) ending will simply fetch the intense reaction you would expect from going so firmly against the embodiment of pride, rather than wisdom (I'll write a separate post on how this works in a bit, and link it here for reference.)

— Solavellan. On that note, yes, I'm an intense Solavellan shipper, and the ending that includes her is, in my opinion, most fitting to his character, and is the one that I choose as, shall we say, 'my canon'. I will not force this decision on anyone, but in threads with others where Lavellan is mentioned, unless we've decided differently in our plotting, I will default to it in the same way that Bioware has decided to do with Veilguard's release. It's simple: Solas has, does, and will always hold feelings of great love for her.

— Emotive expression. It is noted that spirits feel incredibly deeply, and we notice this from Solas as soon as the second regret memory where we hear him speak to Mythal. He speaks softly, and earnestly, he reaches out to grasp, to touch, and you hear a deep sense of something akin to defeat in his voice when she refuses his offer, and him. Of course, this is emphasized even more by the memory of him as a spirit of wisdom. It is for this reason, that it's important to note that the best way for this to manifest in mortal form, is through artistic expression, and that it wasn't only specific to the timeline of Inquisition. The music room is a treasure trove to me, and through the note that we find there, we know that it was a spot of great importance to Solas himself, and that memories held therein are precious to him. I will go into details in a separate post for it as well, but it's not just the musical instruments that are important in here, but the mural plays an equal part. Did you see it? The mural that holds the symbol of the Inquisition? Not only does this tell me rather firmly that Solas returned to the lighthouse at some point after the events of Inquisition, but it isn't just any Inquisition insignia. No, if you look closely, and remember: it's a recreation of Solas' frescoes from his rotunda in Skyhold. Not only that, but it is in the place that serves as something akin to a museum or memorial to his regrets. Go ahead, tell me what that says to you, and how much it breaks your heart. Any way, back to the... original purpose of this bullet point: Solas' way to cope, or his way of expressing his emotions, is through the stroke of a brush (Spotify decided to ruin me at the worst of moments:"If I sway my brush, will I capture thee?') a chord engulfed by silence, or writings to parchment, but is not relegated to just these things.

— His connection to Mythal. This is an incredibly complex and very nuanced topic that I will be going into on a regular basis on this blog. I will never say that Mythal should be glorified, or forgiven (I'd say the opposite), but what I think doesn't matter, for what matters on this blog is what Solas thought, and thinks. Sifting through Morrigan's reaction to being asked to talking about them and having such a deep reaction to it, to the conversation that Rook had with the potentially 'oldest' and least 'evolved' (and so the closest to what Solas once knew) fragment of Mythal, I can't say that they are not complicated. From 'What should I have done when Solas turned against me after all we had been to one another?' to 'Can you even understand what it is to battle with someone and love them even still? That is what Solas and I are to one another.' To Morrigan's 'Yet Solas was once beloved of Mythal.' And finally, the note found in the music room. And those lines? They are from the side that I think is much more complicated than the other. Regardless of how it came to be, I think that the nature of Solas' intense emotional (as I elaborated on in the previous point) perspective of Mythal is undeniable, and it served as the driving force for everything that he committed himself to doing, including going against his nature as a spirit of Wisdom over, and over, and over. And yet, with each day that passes, I think that the nuance is much deeper than I first thought on day one of finishing Veilguard. Mythal did terrible things, but it's paramount to remember what Solas, himself, was like and still is, because a lot of answers can be found in that. I'm sorry, perhaps not everyone will like my future analyses of this despite the fact that I am very far from a Mythal apologist, and never will be, but I insist on critical thought and nuance when I seek answers. And yes, I think that all of this only empowers Solavellan.

— Fade Prison. 'Regret, like all emotions, is a powerful thing. (...) Regret is even strong enough to serve as the lock on a prison built to hold gods'. It is, in fact, a prison of regret. And for it to be able to hold Rook captive instead of Solas so that the latter could escape it, Rook's regret, for that moment in time, had to outweigh Solas' own. But by that same token, I raise a different, and very important topic: Varric. 'When you disrupted my ritual, the magical energies pulled me here, into the Fade.' Focus on the words, he got 'pulled into' the Fade, unintended, not of his own accord. Now, as of the moment that the struggle between Varric and Solas comes to an end, which leaves the former stabbed, over twenty to twenty-five seconds pass during which Solas could have gotten 'pulled into the Fade' and yet was not. So I ask: why not? If it is, as he says, a prison of which the lock is held by the intensity of one's regret(s), then I think that it can only mean one thing. Now, if you let the scene play out, you notice one thing, and that's that Solas is only pulled into the prison, directly after Varric actually dies (which Solas is turned towards, and thus witnesses). To me, it's always been clear that Solas created, and fostered bonds within his time in the Inquisition, but I think that this moment is proper evidence of that. He who called him 'Chuckles' wasn't just an ally, but he was someone that Solas regarded fondly enough, that witnessing (and being ultimately responsible for) his death, was ultimately the pivotal thing that the prison needed, and used, to pull him in to it, which in turn set loose both Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain.

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

🦄 Is there a new POV you'd like to try writing?

🐌 What is one of your smallest writing goals?

💖 What is your primary writing goal for this year?

thank you!!

🦄 I've tried 'em all at one point or another! but I do mostly tend to favor 3rd person limited, especially for things I actually share/post. For me as a writer I definitely value convenient ways to hide things from the reader, and also make the reader do the work of interpreting emotions/motivations/thoughts of the non POV chars from context clues. I think I use 3rd person omniscient mostly in shorter pieces where I don't have as much room to get the point across more slowly.

I used first person for the various "letters" fanfics I did--Letters to Fenris and A Letter to Zevran. I don't do a ton of epistolary stuff but I will say I came up with another Sad Letters scenario I thought about exploring after playing Veilguard...... we shall see. Besides those, I can think of at least one other 1st person fic i never posted (because it was for MEA and i never finished it, though i liked a lot of what i wrote), and a few original stories.

Second person I mostly wrote in for twine games! A format I stopped doing when my computer got outdated (because i would have to redo the whole thing in a new twine language which. uhhhgggg. i spent so long making my map of boxes look beautiful and i DONT wanna do it again). But I think I like second person best for interactive works rather than something static, though I'd absolutely use it for a shorter length work i intentionally want to be weirder, or in an interaction where the 'you' the character is speaking to is not the reader but a different character.

🐌 Smallest writing goal... huh. I feel like most of my goals are big ones (that I then struggle to meet). I guess it'd be to make more time for it despite The Horrors (grad school, the world, etc). I really fell out of writing the last few years and I do miss it.

💖 Primary writing goal... oof! Hm. I feel like at all times this is "continue my WIPs". But beyond that, I think the idea that's been rolling around my head the most is making companion piece(s) for my DAI Solavellan prose-poem Like Teeth Against His Heart. I would like to make a Veilguard and maybe also Trespasser component. I haven't started yet but might brainstorm/outline this more fully over winter break.

these are from this ask game :)

[lucianhuntress]

Day 28. Ayato x Reader: 14. “Please don’t tell me you filmed that.” “Of course I filmed it.”

Finishing these prompts slightly late because thesis had to be done, veilguard came. And then my back decided to die.

Vacation is an idea that is not so easy to associate with lord Kamisato. He is constantly working and running Yashiro Commission business and evenings are the only time of day when you can actually have a chat. So when he asked you to join him on a short trip to Natlan’s famous hot springs— you hesitated. What about work? Who's going to deal with Commission matters during his absence?

Those thoughts were instantly bashed out of your mind after seeing him wearing only swimming trunks, his pale skin nearly glowing against the sea in the background and a towel hanging loosely over his shoulders.

Sure. Ayaka can handle the Yashiro Commission for a few days.

His lips curl into a mischievous smile when he notices your eyes appreciating the sight slightly longer than appropriate for someone like you, but he doesn't stop you either. Your relationship is somewhat complicated; his tone often becomes suggestive when it’s just the two of you, but nothing has happened between you… yet.

“It would be beneficial to our little vacation to experience the hot springs to the fullest,” Ayato speaks deep in thought as you two walk on the wooden walkways. Stalls full of bathing and swimming equipment, not to mention the local souvenirs, dot both sides of the walkway, creating a trap for tourists.

“Should we get something for lady Kamisato?” You ask from him. If you were completely in private you wouldn't mind using the first names of your superiors, but while working they remain lord and lady to you. And knowing him, he is clearly working on vacation.

“An excellent idea,” he replies in a calm manner but you catch a hint of amusement in his tone as he stops by one of the stalls, “the local craftsmanship is quite different from Inazuman.”

“We could take photos too,” you suggest and take out a new kamera you bought during your trip to Fontaine. It's a small handheld model that can even capture video footage.

The two of you make your way to the beach. Tourists and locals both enjoy the fresh sea breeze while soaking up the rays of the blazing sun. The hot springs are not far from the shore, making it easy to switch between cool and hot water. Ayato grabs your kamera and takes a few photos of you against different backgrounds; sea, hot spring and some stall selling their local speciality: a pizza made using Grainfruit.

“Maybe we should find a Koholasaurus!” you suggest after you have taken plenty of photos of him. Your fingers were slightly hesitant as you tried to capture the best possible pictures of your lord. 

“A Koholasaurus?” he mutters, his expression becoming rather unreadable. You never know what he is truly thinking, “we do not have saurians back home, so researching this matter would be good for the future relationships between Inazuma and Natlan.”

“And they are cute!” you clap your hands together, beaming excitedly. You had been eyeing those saurians from a distance.

After walking around the shorelines you manage to find a lone baby Koholasaurus playing in the shallows of the beach. 

“Can you stand next to it? I shall take a nice picture of you and that Koholasaur.” Ayato prompts you, making you feel suddenly embarrassed. More than a half of the pictures taken are of you. 

“Fine, but I will take one of you as well!” you groan as you walk over to the Koholasaurus that keeps eyeing you rather cautiously, its playtime rudely interrupted. 

Ayato readies the kamera and waits for you. You stand next to the cute baby saurian, trying to look nonchalant about it, but somehow you feel nervous and the creature can sense your anxiousness. In only a matter of seconds it douses cool sea water on you and hops deeper into water to swim away, while you squeal in surprise and fall back. You end up landing in the shallow water with a glorious splash.

You hear a somewhat amused chuckle coming in front of you and you lift your eyes to meet his light purple ones.

“Please don’t tell me you filmed that one.”

“Of course I filmed it,” he replies with a tiny, mischievous smile that you are so used to witnessing back at the Kamisato estate. 

“Are we off duty, sir?” you ask as you grit your teeth.

He hums deep in thought, “I suppose we are.”

“Then…” you draw in a deep breath, “I am sorry.”

He never has the chance to ask you why or what. Because as soon as his smile fades, you begin firing him with sea water as a revenge.

[contreparry]

happy friday! I would love to see what you do with "(Reverence) Macabre beauty of bones".

I really debated over filling this prompt today or waiting until next Friday when Veilguard is out and we've met all the characters. But the temptation was too great, so I decided to write Emmrich Volkarin for @dadrunkwriting!

He loved his work. There was always something new to discover when you worked with the Fade, spirits, and the dead, and Emmrich had ever been a lover of learning. There was always something to learn when you speak with the dead- or the spirits who inhabit the dead.

Death never frightened him, and neither did the unknown. Instead, he was enthralled by the lure of knowledge and the temptation of being able to solve a good mystery. He delighted in hosting the dead- and the spirits within- for tea. Perhaps it would be better to say it was a sort of tea, for they did not embibe food and drink, but it was always at tea-time and he provided refreshments for his guests both living and dead. He loved to pepper the dead with questions, and answer their questions in turn. He collected data- though it was not nearly as clean and clinical as numbers in a ledger, at least not for him. Perhaps for others it was different, but Emmrich loved his work.

It did not make the work easy, especially when it was tragic. Emmrich held up the skull (white, picked clean, empty sockets staring back at him pleadingly) and sighed heavily.

"I am afraid," Emmrich informed the investigator. "That there is little I can divine from his skull." There was little he could do with a skull, a femur, and a patella. He could tell it was from the same person, a poor soul who had been unearthed from underneath the paving stones of a courtyard of a nobleman's estate, but beyond that... Emmrich could tell that his living guest was most displeased by this turn of events. She clicked her tongue impatiently and glowered at him, the bones, and poor Manfred who came in with the tea tray.

"Can't you just..." the investigator waved her hand at the bones. "Ask?"

"A spirit must come willingly to inhabit the deceased. If they do not wish it, I will not force the matter," Emmrich said firmly. That never led to anything good, at least in his considerable experience with the dead. He looked down at the skull. It was beautiful, it its own way, a reminder of their fragile mortality. Someday this shall be you.

"But let him remain here for some time, and I shall see what can be learned from this," Emmrich promised, which seemed to make this investigator happy. She almost smiled, and she deigned to take tea with them. She didn't linger overlong- too much work to do, for this was a murder case no matter how old- but Emmrich was glad for the living company before he returned his attentions to the dead.

[atomically99]

not to expose one of my other special interests, but specialshipping dragon age inquisition au while i am (im)patiently waiting for veilguard news

as is per all my aus i create in my head (i have a lot), yellow is of course the inquisitor. i see her as a rift mage lavellan. lavellan bc yellow being integrally connected to nature like the dalish are is important to her character. i see her as a mage for spirit healing and the fact she has legit powers in canon (telekinesis and such) and rift mage to represent her connection w pokemon as a connection to the fade/spirits.

red is definitely warrior. i see his character as a similar role to cullen. cullen is a seasoned templar who is a solid leader and trains troops (one can see green (m) in this role but this is a special au and not a feeling one lol). red is the de facto leader of the dex holders and that carries over. cullen and red’s physical trauma (lyrium addiction/withdrawal and paralysis of wrists and ankles) has a similar carry over.

in my mind, each gen would have one of each class (mage, rogue, or warrior)

i do think that the kanto quartet should serve as the inky and advisors but while i think blue could be good in leliana’s spymaster role, i don’t think green makes for a very good josephine. josephine is a diplomat who does all of the talking for the inquisition. i do think green would do good at this especially considering he is a public figure both as a dex holder and a gym leader. i think the personality difference is keeping me from really seeing it

i can see blue and silver as rogues. with blue as an artificer (traps and gadgets) and silver as an assassin. i could also see-story wise-them as apostates who fled the circle (led by pryce) and were on the run before the mage rebellion.

gold is def warrior and crystal i do see as a mage. i’m stealing this from dragon age 2 but crys would make a solid force mage. gold would likely be a champion.

i have kinda more abt the other gens but the one ill say is the lowkey equivalent of interpol for rakutsu would be the qun. he was raised in interpol and goes undercover for their interests. it has a similar energy

okay back to specialshipping, can you imagine the angst from this au?? in your heart shall burn??? adamant???? trespasser?????? there’s so much to choose from.

considering clan lavellan and kirkwall are both in the free marches, there could be a whole moment pre-inquisition where they meet. he could save her from a tal-vashoth attack. she could heal him after he deals with abominations or demons. and they meet again after the conclave, under stressful circumstances

is this clear and concise and makes sense? no, but i’ve been lore binging dragon age so i had to do it. if any of you spe and da fans have thoughts or just hate this, hit me up i wanna talle about dragon age