#which makes is hilarious that these are the elves we see in inquisition

[anakinh]

update on inquisition: solas broke up with my inquisitor, so she swore at him and then stomped off to lure and fight a high dragon while her companions complained the whole time

[dalishious]

My Five Biggest Fears for Dragon Age: Dreadwolf

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is highly anticipated by BioWare fans. At one point, I would consider myself to be excited for it too, however, unfortunately the long wait with zero information about the game has only wrecked my personal anticipation. Will my hype return once we actually start to get some regular news about the game? Most likely. But until that time comes, all I find myself doing is just… worrying.

These are the five biggest things I worry about.

5. Big, beautiful maps of nothing

In both Dragon Age: Inquisition and Mass Effect: Andromeda, most of the open world maps are very… empty. Instead of creating an adventurous feeling of excitement to explore, it just makes travelling those maps a tedious task. Games like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim or the new Baldur’s Gate 3 have open maps too, but those developers actually made use of their space with level designs. Skyrim is full of caves, ruins, etc. content to stumble upon. So is BG3, as well as introducing new dynamics to a fight depending on which direction you approach the encounter from. These games prove an understanding of how to best equip an open world concept that BioWare has only executed in a few maps across both their most recent RPGs. I do not want to see Dragon Age: Dreadwolf be yet another case of luscious forests where developers spent far too much time making look visually beautiful, and not enough time actually filling with game content.

4. Shoddy attempts at retcon

For those of you who don’t know what “retcon” means, it is short for “retroactive continuity”, and refers to the phenomenon of fiction introducing new information that is inconsistent with past information. The purpose is to revise old material. Dragon Age: Inquisition had more than one attempts at retcon that were terribly executed. For example, the player is told not once, not twice, but three different times—as if repeating it enough will erase all the extensive lore up to that point saying otherwise—that the Dalish get rid of their mages if they have “too many”. This is despite the previous games and extended materials showing that the Dalish practically revere their mages.

Now, not all retcons are bad. For example, in Marvel Comics, the superhero Karma’s real name was recently retconned to be Xuân Cao Mạnh, a real Vietnamese name, after spending years and years with the made-up Vietnamese name, Xi'an Coy Man. This is an example of how retons can be used for a good purpose, like fixing a long-lasting mistake. But what exactly is the mistake in saying the Dalish are good people who don’t hate mages like most of Thedas? That was just a cheap, transparent excuse to villainize both elves and mages further.

Cheap, transparent excuses like that make me lose faith in BioWare’s writing. It concerns me with what other lore they view as needing “correcting�� in order to reinforce their idea of Grey Morality™ where it doesn’t belong.

3. Imposter characters

One of the biggest grievances I had with Dragon Age: Inquisition, was how the Hawke written in that game was in no way the same Hawke I played in Dragon Age II. I understand that it would be impossible to capture the exact customized character, but the Hawke in DA:I was placed into the game with an anti-blood magic agenda, and wouldn’t shut up about it. This is hilarious, considering how many players chose to make their Hawke a blood mage personally!

With this in mind, I am terrified that my Inquisitor, who will very likely make an appearance in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, will be used for whatever new agenda needs to be pushed. I better not hear a single anti-Dalish comment from my Lavellan, is all I’m saying.

2. Whitewashing ahoy

For all the talk about #diversity values, BioWare has a very extensive criminal record when it comes to whitewashing their own characters. Almost every single one of their most prominent visibly non-white characters have had their skin lightened or completely washed out, as well as ethnic features erased, at some point or another. This is why I cannot share any excitement or desire for existing characters to make a return; the fear that we’ll have to see Zevran next looking like Chris Hemsworth next haunts me too much.

But this particular fear runs even deeper than individual characters. Why? Because we know that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be taking place in northern Thedas, which up to this point has been consistently depicted as having largely non-white demographics. I’m not saying there are no white people in Tevinter, Antiva, etc., but I am saying that if I see the same mix of 80% pale tones and 20% “everyone else” we’ve gotten from the last three games, I will absolutely flip shit. White characters should be in the minority for a change. Otherwise, what is the point of shifting focus away from the dominantly white countries in the first place?

1. This will end of the Dragon Age franchise

Is this the most likely to happen of all fears? No; it is probably the least. But after the pathetic failure that was Anthem and the lacklustre response to Mass Effect: Andromeda, I would not be surprised if BioWare is on thin ice in EA’s eyes. (Which is ironic, considering the demands made by EA to chase after multiplayer fads and micro-transactions are what got BioWare into such a mess in the first place.) Electronic Arts is a garbage company run by garbage people. That much has been proven time and again. The executives behind BioWare itself aren’t clean, either. Unfortunately it will be average employee that suffers the most punishment and blame if the game does not meet the likely very high standards set out for it. In some ways, they are almost set up to fail.

It’s not fair, and there’s not we can really do about it, because the gaming industry is run by selfish idiots. It’s because of this that if events come to pass that the Dragon Age franchise was put “on hold indefinitely” so BioWare can work on clunking out an Anthem sequel, I would be very upset, but not very surprised.

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Times are really tough for me, and all my patron supporters are greatly appreciated! If you like my work, please consider becoming one yourself, and I'll be forever grateful!

[creatingblackcharacters]

solas complete context: solas is a trickster god known as the "Dread Wolf" that was said to have imprisoned all the elven gods, good and bad, for killing mythal (who was seen as the benevolent mother goddess). it was revealed in dragon age inquisition that he was a rebellion god that freed the enslaved elves from the "good" elven gods, and eventually imprisoned the corrupted "good" elven gods. in game, he betrays the player and is revealed to have set in motion the events of dragon age inquisiton

iirc, I can't find the source for it since it was like 8 or so years ago (also not justifying the choices), but I vaguely remember reading that his design was changed because he would have been the first and only Black male companion (to date when dai was released, not including davrin) and ended up the main antagonist. people have also pointed out the elves in dragon age are based off of indigenous groups (nothing specific like indigenous American, another form of bad worldbuilding in the game, it is very very generic) and somewhat the Romani (the elves live in traveling caravans that people have pointed out are similar to Romani wagons). in the original concept art, solas did have distinctly more indigenous features and (again, not justifying making him a bald white man) I can kind of see where making the trickster god that betrays you at the end of the game have very distinctly indigenous features could be perceived as being racist. especially since he would have been the only companion to have indigenous features.

again. not justifying the actions or the complete change of solas' concept art. dragon age worldbuilding is a hot mess shit show when it comes to fantasy racism, and the fandom is even worse. we have amazing fan artists, but the fandom is one of the most vile and racist fandoms I have honestly ever been in.

So if I'm understanding you correctly. They said "let's leave the world building racist but make the antagonist white so no one will notice". Which... 😐 it's weird bc it means that someone had some awareness but then somehow not enough to not do the rest of that. Because that's wild that it was already bad and then THAT'S where they drew the line lmao. QA really said "yeah! So progressive!" 🤣🤣 That's so hilariously bad, and not surprising because we see that sort of behavior often in fan spaces. It's natural professionals succumb to it.

[inquisitor-julia]

I mentioned that I had talked A LOT about Wren in a Discord I’m part of so I’m making a masterpost of everything so far! This includes information about Wren, her sister, her alternate LI, and her relationship with Solas as well as aesthetics, playlists, etc. Under the cut because it’s a lot of Wrenformation

I’m hilarious

Special thanks to @noire-pandora​ @kita-lavellan​ @eluvilavellan​ @inquisitor-veowyn​ @mik-arts​ @jespers​ for asking me so much about my girl Wren and for keeping me sane through this whole quarantine thing! Love you all so much!! <3

Part 1: About Wren Wren Development in da:i

Wren is....very sheltered so there's just A LOT that she has to come to terms with in da:i, things she's heard about but never really seen until inquisition and that's on purpose on the part of her clan, they always think she's too weak to handle the worst parts of the world, that her frail shoulders couldn't take the weight. Maybe under different circumstances they'd have been right but her time with the inquisition FORCES her to grow....she's still the little sheltered healer from the dalish for the most part but by the end she can also make the hard decisions and such 

In the Fade at Adamant, what does her gravestone say?

Abandonment; Wren has always felt like a burden to her clan because of her frailty and when she was a child she was almost sent away to another clan because she was a mage, if not for the intervention of her older sister Lyre she would not have been able to stay with clan Lavellan. She's been afraid of people deserting her because she's not strong ever since. 

Tea soon? (Does she like tea/ Her reaction to receiving the birthday card?)

Wren loves tea! Her mom was the clan's herbalist so Wren knows a lot about which herbs can be used for which ailments and which teas to make using some of those herbs, and she can make an amazing cup of tea. Solas still isn't fond of it but it's the only tea you're likely to see him suffer through drinking. Her reaction to the card is covered in my fic i'm writing for her and is (tn spoilers) that she has a panic attack thinking that charter is in danger but then goes to save charter. Wren is also determined to make a cup of tea that even solas enjoys one day.

How do the fearlings appear to her in the fade? 

hmmm her deepest fear is abandonment or that she's a burden because she's weak so her fears would probably be faceless elves with the voices of her loved ones calling her useless or telling her that if she didn't have her sister to hide behind she'd be nothing.

"Your family tried to get rid of you, they knew you were weak." "Scared little girl, what makes you think someone so frail can change anything." "Kindness to cover weakness, you are nothing but a facade to hide your fear." "He will abandon you, little bird, a burden discarded, unneeded, unwanted."

Has she encountered any racism/sexism during her time in the Inquisiton?

Wren has encountered racism during her time in the Inquisition, especially during the ball at the winter palace. It's quite a shock for her because she's been so sheltered and never had to deal with such things before. Sexism is a less prominent issue because most people are more offended by her ears and vallaslin than anything else.

How would your OC want to be remembered?

I don't know that it matters to Wren that she's remembered at all, just that she helped even if no one remembers who she was. At one point Cole says "It doesn't matter that they don't remember, what matters is we helped." or something like that and that's pretty much how I think Wren views things. She's a healer by nature and by trade, if she can make someone's life easier even for the briefest moment that's enough of an impact for her. How she doesn't want to be remembered though, is a different story entirely. Being Inquisitor brings her so much worry that she's using her people, that in their last breaths they'll curse her or worse praise her. She would rather not be remembered than be known as someone who hid behind a war table and sent legions to die for her cause. As far as her reputation she fears nothing more than the blood that her position forced onto her hands being what stains her name in the tales of history

If your OC was a spirit, what kind of spirit would they be? 

Wren would be some kind of spirit akin to "the matchmaker" that Solas talks about. A subtle and shy spirit that would steer people gently toward things that would bring them happiness, but not necessarily compassion like Cole. something closer to contentment than compassion.

What kind of (spirit)/demon would they turn into? 

hmm ok well I still think something like a spirit of contentment would be Wren but as for demon....if her spirit form is her guiding people to happiness i think her demon form would be something like...obsession with the happiness of others? like care-taking but smothering, don't leave me behind, clinging, cloying, suffocating. I think that's a kind of fear demon. It reflects her fear of abandonment and twists her good heart into something that could bring harm. Or at least that's my current thought. 

Do they drink/smoke? Are they a party animal or tend to stay in their quarters? 

she doesn't usually drink or at least not much, and not anything strong, she doesn't really love the feeling of being drunk, it dulls her senses and she's a person who needs to be connected to the little sensations and events around her at all times to be happy. The world is a little tapestry to her and if a drink blocks out some of that she doesn't want it. The only time she drinks is in cold places like Emprise du Lion, when she's got a lot of anxiety and drinks a small amount to calm down, or that one time she drank with bull and ended up sloshed and Solas had to take care of her that night and the next day and she never speaks of it because it's embarrassing. On the whole though she doesn't like alcohol because it's bitter, if she drinks it's going to be something sweet other than that time with bull that we DO NOT talk about. Wren doesn't smoke and she's not a party animal BUT she also doesn't spend too much time in her quarters. She wants to take care of people and usually she's off doing that and exhausting herself and has to be dragged back to her quarters and made to sleep by Solas or Lyre. She spends most of her alone time in whatever the highest possible location is nearby, she loves heights and she'll climb up to ridiculous heights just to find a quiet spot to read

Why did they choose their vallaslin?(colour?) If they romanced Solas, did they choose to remove it? Why (not)? 

She chose her vallaslin because she wanted to give herself something to aspire to, a protector instead of the one protected. She was to become the Keeper and she wanted to be someone who could keep her clan safe. Her vallaslin are red because no ink could be placed under her extremely sensitive skin, only her own blood, magically enhanced to stay bright red. The color fades as the magic does though and after the first application her vallaslin have to be reapplied using a dye (like henna but stronger). They appear white like a scar if this is not done. She does have Solas remove them because of what they mean, and because she's already a protector, her aspiration has been achieved (if only she knew how much more she would have to protect in the future) and she was never fond of her vallaslin anyway. She always felt guilty about having herself marked as an adult while her older sister would never be.

Do they have any pets? If not, would they want one? 

Wren does not have any pets besides her horse in da:i because animals and Wren traditionally do not get along. Not that she doesn't try to get along with them just that they tend to shy away from her. Getting the token of the packmaster and having wolves follow her around and let her pet them? Highlight of Wren's life. She would love to have a pet but finding a horse willing to carry her around thedas was hard enough, finding a pet that would actually be affectionate would be next to impossible....but maybe someday..

Do they gossip? If yes, with who about whom? 

She tries not to call it gossip but she confides in her sister about most everything, that includes any trouble she might be having with her friends or solas. She trusts Lyre above anyone else in Thedas and if she needs to discuss anything or laugh about something that happened it's always her sister that she seeks out.

Do they have any musical or artistic talent? How did they learn it? 

Wren....can sing off-key but can usually hum fairly on key. And that's about the extent of her musical talents. Artistically, she's grown up in a very practical culture: sewing is learned to patch clothing, woodworking arts are practiced by the craftsmaster, there is no real need for a Keeper's apprentice to learn any artistry. In the inquisition she watched solas paint anytime she could, in awe of the way what he saw in his mind just unfolded onto canvas or stone. She learned a bit through observation and subtle guidance from solas but never really pursued it as a hobby, more something she did to feel included in a moment and feel connection to her vhenan. After he leaves the inquisition she spends hours pouring over the sketches he left behind (some of her, some of locations they'd visited, some of their companions, and some of his plans for his murals) and when she left skyhold and the murals behind she took those sketches with her, the only thing she had left of who solas was beyond the Dread Wolf. When the murals were reported destroyed, she dedicated herself to recreating them on canvas so that they would not be completely lost.

What kind of god/goddess would your OC be?

goddess of the night sky, of the moon, of wishes (bc stars), and of navigation (bc stars)

Part 2: Wren ficlets

Wren and Solas and their daughters by @jespers​

the moon and the wolf, twice reflected in the starlit lake, meandered up to a clearing in the nearby forest. the sky was empty, save for the quiet thrumming of thousands of stars. two sets of twin souls settled into a bed of blankets, one set nested between the other. moon, part one, began to whisper tales of valiant knights, of dragons and queens, of a wolf who falls for the moon. da'evune and da'fen giggled as moon, part one, told them of the wolf's dislike of tea - how he'd turn his muzzle up at honey splashed with tea. she told them of how he betrayed the moon once, how he'd turned to the sky to hide him. and yet, the moon loved him still. their love was so great it overcame it all. when the veil came crashing down, it was their love that shielded thedas from the worst of it. it was their love that created thedas' second moon and her sister, the wolf. this pair would the guiding lights - the howl that guides you home, the moon that brightens the night. and when the first pair finally faded, thedas would have a twin souls that would, above all, endure. the wolf, part one, pressed the moon's hand to his lips, and began to tell the tale of the dragon who gave herself so that they all might live.

Wren and Solas by @inquisitor-veowyn​

Solas stood on the battlements, Wren’s proximity to him radiating warmth. He turned his head, admiring her beauty for a moment before reaching out to her. He grabbed her hand, weaving his fingers through hers. Her skin was so soft against his calloused hands, and it felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. He turned to her, weaving his fingers into her other hand. “You mean so much to me, Wren.” 

Solas + Wren + Tea by me

I picture the cup of tea he enjoys being the first one she makes him in the peace after the chaos of the veil coming down or w/e da4 brings. He can rest and be with his love and she still loves him and they can be happy and she hands him a cup of tea in the morning like she used to in skyhold and it's the first cup of tea he's ever really enjoyed. She's so warm with her head resting on his shoulder, the morning light giving her hair a slight golden tint as she sips her own tea happily. Maybe it's his own happiness that makes this cup of tea different.Whatever the case the drink is quickly forgotten as he trades the taste of the tea in his cup for the subtle taste of it on her lips.

Wren dies in the red lyrium future in an AU where she isn’t Inquisitor by me

Hot. Metallic. Seeping between her teeth and splattering against the demon's face when her lungs forced a cough and the terror's claws dug in deeper. The taste and warmth brought to her sluggish mind a memory of someone she'd loved trying to make her tea, metallic because it had been stale, but she'd said it was delicious. Bare face beaming, flaxen hair, it's terrible isn't it sister. Sister. Lyre. She'd forgotten; the red taking her mind from her more each day. The terror ripped its hand cruelly from her stomach, taking so much of her with it, her pooling blood already turning to crystal as she fell to the ground. She wondered which would kill her first, the blood loss or the encroaching crystallization, before her mind wandered back to her sister in her fading moments. Lyre; bright, radiant, the sun to her moon. She'd tried so hard to keep Wren safe and what had happened to her....Wren couldn't remember now as the red tinged shadows pulled at the edge of her vision and her last word fell softly from her lips: asa'ma'lin I'm sorry sister.

Wren + Solas + fluff + dancing (i had to write to make up for the wren death)

The bittersweet flavor of raspberries danced across Wren's tongue as she bit into one of the tarts the cook had made for her. She'd told the woman on many occasions that making her sweets on top of feeding the entire Inquisition wasn't necessary but the only response she'd ever gotten was "You save us all from that blighted Corypheus arsehole and we'll call it even." Yet she sensed a kindred spirit in the woman, a caretaker if a rather grouchy one. She closed her eyes and hummed happily as she took another bite of the pastry, the thin, crisp layers of the tart crunching as she bit down into the raspberry preserve center. With her clan she'd never eaten anything quite so sweet as the desserts she'd tasted since becoming inquisitor, one of the few perks the job offered really. As the sugar coated her mouth she felt like dancing. Sweetness was such a happy flavor, making her heart light and her feet lighter in turn. And suddenly she was spinning, bouncing happily in small, unplanned movements, moving to the feeling of the joy bubbling in her chest. Was it silly to dance because of a simple raspberry tart? Maybe, but she couldn't find it in her heart to care. That is until she very nearly careened into Solas who was suddenly there, the soft expression he reserved only for her lighting his face as he helped her regain the balance her surprise had stolen from her. She wasn't sure how he'd entered her room without her hearing, had she truly been so wrapped up in delighting over her treat? She felt her face redden as she thought of how her gluttonous happiness must look. He offered her his hand and she looked up at him quizzically. "May I have this dance, vhenan?" Her heart floated happily into her throat, buoyant on the warmth his voice always held (for her, only for her). She curtsied dramatically trying not to laugh as she gave him her answer. "Of course ma lath." She took his hand and he pulled her close, letting her lead him in the steps of her spontaneous dancing. The tarts were quite forgotten then, some moments were sweeter than anything the cook could bake after all.

Part 3: Wren and her alternate LI, Haleir

What's the first "date" Haleir takes Wren on, and does Wren realise that's what it is? 

Haven't actually thought about their first date before now but here goes! Before their first kiss, Haleir was content to just follow Wren wherever she wanted to go or to simply be in her presence at her home in kirkwall. After their first kiss (an achingly soft press of her lips to his, her heart was shattered, begging not to be broken again. He did not take more from her than this moment. Just held her close and pressed his forehead to hers, basking in the warmth of her fragile happiness. He would never abandon her.) he lets himself want to show Wren the wonders he knows how to reach through the eluvians. Nothing that would compromise the plans of the Dread Wolf, Haleir is not a complete fool, he knows he may be able to use the eluvians in this way once without Solas finding out. He takes Wren to the ruins of an elven observatory, not so much for the devices that once watched the heavens but for the books that map the stars. The world cut off from the fade can only see so many of the stars, the night sky now a dull comparison to the skies of arlathan. As they look over the star charts together Wren becomes the closest to herself that she's been in years, some of the ache in her chest is replaced by light happiness and the excitement of discovering that there are more stars to spin tales about. She spends hours pouring over the books with Haleir content to watch and listen. When they've spent enough time there that someone might take note of his absence, he notices wren's hesitation to put one of the books back on the shelf. Gently he covers her uncertain hand with his own, telling her to keep the book. Wren presses the precious gift to her chest, holding it as though it might disappear as they travel back through the eluvians. This time, Haleir kisses her.

A Wren and Hal scene I wrote

Can be found HERE

Some Wren and Hal AU smut in progress

Can be found HERE

Wren and Hal by @eluvilavellan​

Hal by @mik-arts​

Playlist for Wren and Hal

found HERE

Haleir in da:i

Haleir in sims3

A very dumb Hal video i made

Can be found HERE

Part 4: Wren Aesthetics, picrews, sims, etc.

Wren sims4

Wren sims3

Wren’s older sister Lyris (Lyre) Lavellan in sims3

Wren playlist

Can be found HERE

Wren flower symbolism

Muscari: Caring Love Mullein: Good Nature Tea: Harmony/Peace/Spiritual Connection/Rejuvenation/Change/Contentment Moonflower: Dreaming of Love/The Moon Blueberry Flower: Eternal Optimism Meadowsweet: Happiness/Peace/Protection

Wren and Solas flower symbolism

Mistletoe: Kisses/Peace/Safety/Poison Columbine: The emblem of deceived lovers Rain Flower: I love you back/I Must Atone For My Sins/I Will Never Forget You Snowdrop: Hope Eremurus: Endure Forget-Me-Not: Don’t forget me, Remember me forever Honeysuckle: Bonds of Love/Lover's Embrace/Clinging

Wren aesthetic by @mik-arts​

Wren aesthetic by @eluvilavellan​

annnnnnd I think that’s everything for now!

If you read this far then bless your soul because this was so much

if you want to know more about Wren her tag is #Wren Lavellan and you can shoot me an ask about her anytime! <3

[sozotohakai]

alt! (sorry for the second time)

I debated for a while which muse I wanted to introduce, I didn’t want to go easy on myself and choose another Incarnation or Mixedblood, and I didn’t want to go with Aryn or Wei Wuxian as they are active muses (I wanted to try introducing a muse that I don’t mention as often). I got stuck trying to decide, but when I finally choose, I had the fun dilemma that I’ve had two versions for them. Three, in facts. Sooo that’s why I’m not doing a IC intro this time (and also because I’m a bit rusty for him), and rather I’m speaking about this muse and how the versions came to me~

This is my version of Mike Schmidt from FNAF, with a whole background about his mother’s family being a line of medium with special powers, and making my canon AU out of the few hints we had back then (there was only the first four games back then). I would actually RP him as “post-game” basically, he had become pretty much immortal while being the lowkey caretaker of a group of ghosts (the children and the other guards), all of them living in the astral plane (and being a bit messed up because their favorite hobby was re-creating the experiences they had, basically, the games).

Because of his immortal status, he grew to use an alias, Mikaela Andersen, as “Mike Schmidt” was marked as a missing person.

Now meet Mika, and Mika started when I first played Dragon Age Inquisition, and I wanted to make an inquisitor based on Mike. But very soon, Mika Lavellan grew as his own muse.

I’ve had two versions for Mika, however, but the second is a, branching off?, of the first.

Read more as it got long!

When I made him a rp muse, I went with a canon au backstory for Mika. He was from another Dalish clan, one that stayed mysterious even to the other clans, and their secret was an artefact that allowed spirits of the Fade to have a physical form and learn from Mika’s clan humans emotions, how humans work. And well, one spirit fell in love with Mika’s mother, and there we have Mika, half elf spirit. Long story short, a while ago, half of the clan split because they believed the artefact wrong, and one day raided Mika’s clan to murder everyone. There were a few humans who knew about this too, and they had tracked the elves, and joined in to try and enslave Mika so they could use the artefact through him. Mika’s magic manifested to protect him, and then later, the Lavellan clan found him and took him in.

So yeah that’s the mostly canon version of Mika. And then, one day I made a crossover verse for him that became easier for me to write (though if I pick Mika up again, he might have both his verses back).

Long story short: in this crossover verse, the day his clan was attacked, his magic manifested against the other elves, but the humans arrived and Mika was scared when they tried to take him, and without really trying to put a clear hc of why, the Ark “grabbed” Mika from his world and threw him in the DGM world.

And by Ark I mean the Black one. So Mika is found by the Earl, who has a strong father urge moment when he sees little Mika all scared and in a bad state. He decides to help Mika, and very fast they bond, the Earl decide to take Mika in and soon adopt him.

This actually happen while Allen is on the run, and as it was inspired by rps, I kept some elements like how Tyki/Allen happens (but I’ve been considering it might become a polyship, there was Joyd/Nea that happened, and I would see the OT4 work out in this verse), and how Allen accepts to meet up with the rest of the Noahs. And yes, the Allen (and Nea) for Mika crossover verse are the ones I play here!

And in short, Mika and Allen lowkey adopt each other as brothers long before Allen gets to know Earl is Mana, and Allen slowly but surely gets a place among the Noah family, while also discovering the truth. Allen and Nea are able to separate, and go through their plan to finally stop the war, with the support of the Noahs (not all are happy, but the Earl wants to so).

Peace does come back, and Mika grows up surrounded by both Noahs and former Exorcists and former Order members, all of those that decided to trust Allen and who worked to have peace rather than “be the winning side”.

Aaaand then I would rp Mika as he’s reached like, 20 year old or so, he goes back to the DAI world to pay a tribute to his old clan, and then details can vary (sometimes he stays for a bit with the Lavellan clan, sometimes he goes straight to the discussion at the Conclave), but Mika ends up at the Conclave and accidentally walk in Corypheus trying to murder the Divine.

He finds it kind of hilarious that the mark/anchor is a green thingy that attached to his left hand. He’s also very, very annoyed, and quite worried because the Rift cut off Thedas from the DGM world so he knows his family going to worry.

Allen is meant to show up and stay with Mika starting a certain point in the DAI plotline (when they physically go in the Fade, since it’ll create a small connection Allen will use). And I’ve always thought it would be glorious, because Allen would of course have recovered fully his spirit powers, even if he would try not to reveal them, and well, he’d be very much like you do not mess with my little brother.

Sometimes I still feel like writing a fic for this crossover.

[autopotion]

da characters: RANKED

LOVE TIER

1. sera. love this rowdy lesbian. neither her writer nor the fandom gets her

2. isabela. pirate with a heart of gold? openly bisexual instead of just being player-sexual? yep.

3. leliana. admittedly bland in the first game (though i have a soft spot for sweet girls with dark secrets), inquisition really sees her take on a cool role that combines her two biggest character traits: faith and ruthlessness. don’t harden her in inquisition though, her murdersona is, like, too grimdark.

4. josephine. seeing an antivan character that is not heavily sexualized and obsessed with sex is a fucking relief, first of all, but josephine is genuinely so lovely and thoughtful while also being very savvy. her romance is a butch fantasy

5. morrigan. she’s hot, she’s goth, and she should have been gay. her whole “i know more about ancient elves than any of you” shtick in inquisition gets old though

6. zevran. oh i love him. lovable, smooth-talking rogue who’s also kind of stupid but very sweet on the inside

7. fenris. we regret to inform you i love the gideon emery character. also his deadpan remarks are really funny, and even though he “supports” the templars it’s less about supporting them than disliking/fearing mages for extremely understandable reasons

LIKE TIER

8. varric. cool gangster bff who becomes everyone’s exhausted uncle. should have been romanceable

9. vivienne. SPEAKING OF CHARACTERS WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROMACEABLE. vivienne is witty, sharp, clever, thoughtful, funny, incredibly warm if you’re her friend, hilariously sarcastic if you’re her enemy. she’s politically engaged and doesn’t even leave the party if she hates you because she believes in the cause, which earns my respect. her take on the mage/templar conflict is more nuanced than other dragon age circle mages, like Grandma Wynne. everyone respect and love vivienne or i’ll kill you

10. iron bull. hilarious that hes voiced by freddie prinze jr. cool take on a qunari character, though i wish his character arc hadnt ended with a narrative condemnation of the qun (considering he turns on you in trespasser if you sided with the qunari, and he feels happier/freer if you side with the chargers)

11. shale. very funny and powerful. didnt realize she wasnt a free dlc so i didnt have her in my first run, a deep regret

12. cole. spooky empath boy who speaks in alliterations. i love empath characters who are a shade shy of sane, and he makes champion of the just an outstanding quest choice

13. sigrun. perky goth dwarf ex-rogue with a heart of gold, of fucking course i love her. only wish she had more material and also that awakening wasnt glitched to hell and back and also boring/sucky

14. bethany. again, soft spot for genuine sweethearts. she doesnt really get outside the “protag’s sweet little sister” trope which is unfortunate. circle mage bethany is my canon bethany but i actually like hardened gray warden bethany more

15. wynne. grandma. refreshing to see an older woman as a companion in a video game whose age isnt her defining trait. otherwise kind of one note

16. dorian. god dorian would be so, so much higher on this list (gay, funny, nuanced) if it werent for that conversation you can have with him about him never thinking about slavery as a problem. its absolutely infuriating and terrible terrible writing to give a gay character of color that kind of dialogue

NEUTRAL / DECENT TIER

17. cassandra. shes hot. stern. not a big fan of her templar stuff but i still like her decently

18. velanna. grey delisle voicing her makes her sound kind of cartoony but i still like her. wish she’d had more material

19. merrill. manic pixie dream girl to the max, and i found her romance meh.

20. alistair. funny, nonthreatening, but annoying in the way he dodges responsibility

21. sten. i genuinely like sten he just doesnt like, have much going on. also the Stoic Warrior from Exotic Lands is so fucking played out

22. nathaniel. no real feelings about him whatsoever

DISLIKE / HATRED TIER

23. solas. solas is an abusive condescending motherfucker, but i also really enjoy his plot in the story. i hate him but hes high on the hate list because, unlike some of the other characters, i like his presence in the game if that makes sense. the solavellan romance sucks so much though, hes really like a predatory professor grooming his student

24. blackwall. boring. my dwarf inquisitor is close to him though so i put him a little higher on the list

25. carver. idk why people think the “annoying little brother who is constantly picking a fight with you” type of character is deep?

26. aveline. shes a cop. when you talk to her about your mother’s horrible death she goes on a tangent about the death of her own father. like. ok. thanks

27. anders. the way he treats fenris is inexcusable. people hate anders for the wrong reasons. hes not wrong for caring about mage rights; hes wrong for caring about HIS OWN freedom at the cost of OTHERS’ freedom. you get friendship points from him if you send fenris back to his SLAVE MASTER. evil, evil dude. unpopular opinion but i dont like him in awakening either, hes an annoying womanizer. hes only this high on the list because i have enough opinions about him to have feelings about him

28. cullen. uuuuugggggggghhhhhhhhh.

29. loghain. i started reading the stolen throne and you literally could not pay me to give a single shit about him

30. oghren. misogynistic bastard of hell

UNRANKED

dog (i love my dog but he’s not, like. a character.)

sebastian (never got the dlc)

justice (haven’t gotten to him in awakening yet. guess this post is a bit premature but i honestly dont know if/when im going to finish awakening tbh)

[fen--harel]

Alaina Lavellan (Companion)

Here it is !! No one asked for it but here it is !! It took me two days but Alaina was worth it ♥ if anyone wants to do it I got the template from here (and if you do it I want to see :’) )

Inquisitor’s Name: Alaina Lavellan

Nicknames: Lainie, Lanes

Race, Class, & Specialization: Elf, Rouge, Assassin

Varric’s Nickname for them: Doey (dough-we, like a doe)

Default Tarot Card: Queen of Wands

How they are recruited: After arriving at Skyhold, Dorian will mention to the Inquisitor that he had received a letter from an friend who is in need of assistance. If the Inquisitor accepts the request, they will meet with Asiel and Alaina at the Gnawed Noble Tavern in Denerim (only avaliable for that quest). Asiel will explain that he is a runaway magister-to-be from Tevinter and the Dalish elf with him, Alaina, is a friend he met along the way to Fereldan. The Inquisitor has the option of recruiting them in exchange for offering protection to Asiel and Alaina from his family and anyone his family sends or just simply declining to give them safe harbor.

Mini Bio: Alaina was born in Antiva City and lived a small but normal life with her parents. Her mother was a baker and her father was a florist. Although both of her parents had been city elves, they still worshiped the Elven Pantheon and tried to maintain much of their culture and language and passed all their knowledge onto Alaina.

When Alaina was eight years old, her parents were murdered by a group of humans who had been angered by her mother who had refused their advances earlier that day. With no family and being unable to provide for herself, she roamed Antiva City’s streets for a month, surviving by being stealthy, fast, and subtle. She was able to get by by steal most of her meals and conning her way into temporary shelter.

One day she was caught stealing from a Crow and instead of punishing her they recruited her to become one. Alaina stayed with the Crows, learning how to become an Assassin and became friends with the only other elf her House, Elio. When she and Elio were thirteen, they were about to finish their training when they decided they didn’t want to live the life of a Crow. They devised a plan to escape and executed it right before their ceremony. Unfortunately, they were caught and Elio sacrificed himself so Alaina could escape. She headed south and made it into the wilderness between Antiva and the Free Marches where she found by the Lavellan clan who had been passing.

She stayed with the Lavellan clan, and although she was happy and accepted she still felt like she truly didn’t belong. When she turned eighteen she choose Mythal as her personal deity for her vallaslin, and was greatly influenced by memories of her being her mother’s favorite deity. When Alaina was twenty she was out hunting when she found Asiel who had been gravely injured by mercenaries who had been sent to capture him and bring him back to Tevinter. Alaina and her clan took care of Asiel until he was fully healed and when it was time for him to leave, Alaina requested for him to take her with him.

Where they are in Skyhold: At the Herald’s Rest at the bar. (Depending on your choice after her personal quest) In the chair beside Bull.

Things they Generally Approve of: Snarky funny comments, helping anyone in need, supporting/defending elves, flirting with her, doing other inner circle quests, anytime you pick flowers (crystal grace, dawn lotus, etc.) ?? it’s like automatic approval and it’s like god Alaina shut up.

Things they Generally Disapprove of: being a meanie >:(, conscripting the mages or templars, hostility towards elves, racism towards any race tbh, with Alaina it’s really hard to gain her disapproval because she’s so neutral

Mages, Templars, Other?: Alaina doesn’t care which one you choose as long as you don’t force them to join the Inquisition and treat them like prisoners. However, if you have the Templars join she’ll approve but if you have the Mages join she’ll greatly approve

Friends in the Inquisition:

Blackwall: Alaina fully and completely believes that Blackwall is a warden despite the fact that a lot of his responses towards being a warden are so vague. Although she thinks they have a friendly relationship, Blackwall is not very fond of her due to her inquisitive nature and the fact that she’ll constantly ask him questions about being a warden, what he did before he was a warden, etc. so he often tries to avoid her.

Cassandra: Alaina loves Cass and can be often caught biting her lip as she stares at Cass’ arms because oh gosh those guns ??? ♥ Can she lift Alaina with those arms ?? She has a friendly relationship with Cass due to the fact that she is very pushy to spend time with her to get to know her. It also helps that Alaina is also a fan of Varric’s smutty romance novels.

Cole: Alaina is very friendly towards Cole and likes Cole but for the most part her dumbass has no idea what he’s talking about even though he might be mentioning her thoughts and feelings or others’ thoughts and feelings about her.

♦ Dorian: Alaina absolutely adores Dorian, and almost immediately considers him a close friend. She thinks he’s one of the most hilarious and charming people she’s ever met and loves listening to him and Asiel banter due to the fact they have a rival kind of relationship. She loves spending time with him in the library and although she isn’t very good at chess, she’ll play with him. Dorian absolutely loves the fact that Alaina makes her own oils and loves it even more that she makes him his own. Everyday she compliments his mustache at least once and everyday he compliments her hair at least one.

♥ ♦ Iron Bull: The first time Alaina meets Iron Bull she practically swoons. Oh gosh those arms ?? Do you work out ?? After the initial “holyshit he’s so hot” moment, she and Iron Bull are thick as thieves. Alaina loves Iron Bull because not only is he funny and likes to drink and party, but he often helps guide her in many aspects of her life. Iron Bull likes her also because she loves to drink and party, but also because gets amazingly along with the Chargers. It is implied she and Iron Bull have slept together, and if Iron Bull and the Inquisitor or Dorian are not in a relationship with him by What Pride Had Wrought, she and him form one. After What Pride Had Wrought, the Inquisitor can find a Necklace of Kadan equipped in her inventory.

Sera: Alaina likes Sera’s nature and the fact that she just wants to have fun and put things back to normal, because in all honesty so does Alaina. Often Sera will be begging Alaina to participate in pranks with her but the thought of making fun of someone, even if it’s not in a harmful way, makes Alaina want to cry.

♦ Solas: Alaina loves Solas and treats him like he’s a Hahren, drinking up all of the knowledge he can provide her. She can often be found lounging on the couch next to him, listening to his stories of the fade, his opinons on their current mission, previous historical events, and even elves, although he’s learned to be a bit more gentle about that subject with her. Solas also likes Alaina because she is so willing to listen and learn new things, and he loves how her opinion on elves isn’t too extreme due to the fact that not only is she Dalish, but she was born as a city elf so she understands both sides of the track. Solas also loves her kind and gentle nature and how she’s so idealistic, but he’s also afraid how idealistic and naive she is. He believes that something is going to happen to crush that point of view of hers and he’s not sure how he will react to his friend losing that part of her.

Varric: Varric often tells Alaina that she reminds him of his friend Merrill, and every time he says it she practically beams because she can see the fondness in his eyes. The two get along very well, Varric loves teaching Alaina how to play Wicked Grace because she’s just so bad at it and Alaina loves listening to all the stories Varric has to tell.

Vivienne: There has been so many times that Alaina has said that she wants to grow up to be just like Vivienne. She loves the strong and important aura Vivienne always presents and looks up to her almost like a mother figure. Vivienne in turn loves being that motherly figure for Alaina, because she is just so happy and adorable and loves listening to Vivienne. One thing, however, that irks Vivienne is Alaina’s fashion sense. By the Maker, how can that girl just run around Skyhold in an over-sized tunic?

Romanceable: Alaina is romanceable by any gender and any race. After the Inquisitor recruits her and Asiel, and after a couple of flirting options, a cutscene will trigger when you talk to her at the bar where she invites the Inquisitor to her room. The Inquisitor can accept and have sex with her, decline but continue to have romantic advances, or simply reject her all together. If the Inquisitor chooses one of the first two options, after that night Alaina will explain to the Inquisitor that it’s okay for them to have a casual relationship, and that she will not object to the Inquisitor sleeping and/or seeing someone else. It is not until after finishing her personal quest can the Inquisitor make the relationship official.

Small side mission (Sweet Smells): This quest is activated by going into the Undercroft after recruiting Alaina where the Inquisitor will find her sitting on the floor in the corner making oils and soap out of herbs, flowers, and fruit. The Inquisitor will then be given the quest Sweet Smells where they can collect flowers and fruit for Alaina to make her oils. If the Inquisitor completes the quest, it will turn out that it was an oil for the Inquisitor. ♥

Companion quest (At The Bottom of the Bottle):

The Inquisitor will wake up in the middle of the night due to some banging on their door. Opening it, they find Alaina giggling with an almost empty bottle of wine in her hand. She slides her way in, throwing her arms around the Inquisitor, blatently flirting, begging the Inquisitor to take her. The Inquisitor will set Alaina down, asking her what she’s doing. Instead she doesn’t respond and take another drink. The Inquisitor will then ask why is she so drunk and they are very confused because they’ve never seen her like this before. After enough pressing, Alaina eventually breaks down and starts sobbing, telling the Inquisitor she’s not sure how much longer she can take it all. She’s afraid, she’s weak, she’s confused, and she apologizes for feeling this way, because she knows there are others out there suffering more than she is right now. She’s supposed to be strong now, she’s had her suffering and she must learn how to move on but she feels like she can’t do it. She reaches for another drink...

  Option 1 (”It’s okay, Alaina.”): Stop her drinking and console her. Explain to her that it’s okay to be afraid and to have these feelings and that she doesn’t have to be strong all the time by putting on a face, especially if alcohol is something that is helping her do that. Instead she should rely on her friends, including the Inquisitor and trust that they will all be strong together.

Alaina will thank the Inquisitor and if they are in a romance she will tell them that one of her fears is that she loves them but she is unsure if they love her. The Inquisitor can either tell her that they love her back or simply tell her that they wish to be friends. If the Inquisitor chooses to continue their romance with her they will fall asleep together in the Inquisitor’s bed. If they remain friends, or were simply friends before, Alaina will pass out on their couch.

  Option 2 (”Grow up.”): Tell her to get over it and move on and the Inquisition has no time for tears.

Alaina will agree with the Inquisitor and quietly leave their room. The next day everything will seem fine and Alaina will be acting normal. However, throughout Skyhold there will be remarks made by everyone on Alaina’s health and her drinking habits, saying they often find her drunk at the bar. Alaina will then become incapacitated for the final battle due to being too drunk and a cut scene will trigger before then of Asiel yelling with tears in his eyes at Alaina that she has a drinking problem and that they need to fix it together.

Tarot card change

Option 1: Death

Option 2: The Moon

Romance: The Lovers

Cole’s reflection on their thoughts: “Pain. So much pain. But it’s better isn’t it? Better than before. Nothing could be as worst as it once was. I just need one more drink.”

Cole’s reflection on their thoughts if romanced: “You feel like home.”

Comment(s) on Mages: “I wish I had magic! I bet it’s nice to not struggle while making your campfires. New rule! All mages must make the campfires!” - Dorian (if in party): “New rule! Alaina must make all the campfires!” / “Sometimes magic is scary, and sometimes magic is cool! Right now it’s pretty scary!” / “How do mages not trip with their skirts so long?”

Comment(s) on Templars: “They’re so big~ ♥” / “Don’t they get hot in all that armor?” / “*gasp* ... *whispers* metal skirts...” /

When looking for something: “I spy with my little eye!”

When finding a campsite: “Inquisitor, can I take a nap?” / “Is it snacktime ?!”

A non-rogue Inquisitor trying at lockpicks: “Need some help? I’ve been told I have very skilled hands~”

In combat:

And a stab here! And a stab there!

Can’t touch this~

What’s all the fuss?

When the Inquisitor Falls:

Oh no !!

Are you alright ?! Dumb question ! No you’re not !

If Romanced:

Vhenan!

Amore/a!

I’ll be right there, my love!

When they are low on Health:

I don’t want to impose, but i’m dying!

*whine*

When they see a Dragon: “Raah, raah like a dungeon dragon!” / “Woosh !! It’s huge !!” / “*gasp* A dragon !!”

When during their small side quest: “Thank you Inquisitor! ♥”

Default saying:

Low Approval

Uhm, h-hello.

*sad hmm*

*singing* ninety-nine bottles of mead on the wall ! O-oh ! Hello...

Farewell: Goodbye.

Neutral:

Aneth ara!

Goooooood morning Inquisitor!

I just love abyssal peach ! ♥

Farewell: Make sure you take me with you when you leave !

High Approval:

Why is it called Skyhold ? Does the sky hold us ? Or do we hold the sky ? Hm...

Hello hello hello !!

Inquisitor ! Have a drink ! It’s on me ! ♥

If it’s the first time hearing the line: 

Alaina: Put it on my tab, Cabot!

Cabot: You don’t have a tab.

Alaina: Oh...

Farewell: Aww ! But i’ll miss you !

Romance:

You are looking so wonderfully wonderful today ♥

*The most adorable and most alluring giggle you’ll ever hear*

Vhenan ! I have a funny story to tell you !

Amore/a, i’m not busy later if you aren’t~

Farewell: I’ll see you later! My room or yours? ♥

Travel Banter with Canon Companions of your choice:

Blackwall:

Alaina: Oh Blackwall that’s amazing!

Blackwall: What is?

Alaina: That your parents named you ‘Warden’! It’s like they knew you were going to become one!

Blackwall: Please tell me that you know my first name isn’t ‘Warden’.

Alaina: Aww...it’s not ?

Alaina: What is it then ?

Blackwall: Er- oh look, it’s one of those flowers that you like!

Alaina: Oh ! Where ?!

Cassandra:

Alaina: Cass you were so amazing in the last battle ♥

Cassandra: Thank you, Alaina.

Alaina: The way you just picked up that guy and threw him?

Alaina: Creators, I wouldn’t mind if you threw me like that ♥

Cassandra: I’m going over there now.

Cole:

Cole: Big arms, strong arms, rough hands, I want to be held, need to be held by those.

Bull (if in party): Alright, whose dirty thoughts?

Alaina: Ooh, strong arms? Where ? ♥

Bull (if in party): Go ahead Alaina, ask me to flex.

Alaina: *giggles*

Cassandra (if in party): Ugh. 

Dorian:

Dorian: Lainie, how do you do that?

Alaina: Do what?

Dorian: Walk around with no shoes?

Dorian: Don’t your feet hurt?

Alaina: Don’t your feet hurt wearing shoes?

Dorian: I-uh...

Dorian: Well played.

Iron Bull:

Iron Bull: Alaina, I have a surprise for you when we get back to Skyhold.

Alaina: Ooh! Ooh! What is it?

Iron Bull: *Laughs* well it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you.

Alaina: Oh please Bull! Who knows how long until we get back to Skyhold!

Iron Bull: Alright, alright, it’s a nice big bottle of Abyssal Peach.

Alaina: *gasp* ! Oh Bull, thank you!

Alaina: When we get back to Skyhold, i’ll give you my peach~♥

Dorian (if in the party): And now I can’t finish my snack.

Asiel (if in the party): Don’t get too excited, she has a peach garden and I wouldn’t be surprised if she gave you an actual peach.

Varric (if in the party): Would the two of you be offended if I used this for my next book?

Sera:

Sera: Oh c’mon Alaina, it would be real quick. Just a small go.

Alaina: I can’t Sera! I would feel awful!

Sera: People feel awful all the time!

Sera: Feel good now!

Sera: Feel good now and with pie! And their face!

Sera: Pie! In! Their! Face!

Solas:

Solas: Alaina, I never asked, but why did you pick Mythal for your vallaslin?

Alaina: Oh! She was my mother’s favorite deity, and now she’s also mine!

Solas: Your mother’s? I thought your parents were both city elves?

Alaina: She was! But we still worshiped the pantheon, and she used to tell me the legends about Mythal.

Solas: I see.

Varric:

Varric: So Doey you got a name for your daggers?

Alaina: Ooh ! I’ve never thought of that !

Alaina: I should name them something cool!

Varric: Yeah ! Something like, ebony and ivory, or thunder and lighting, or-

Alaina: Lefty and righty !

Varric: Ahh, we’ll work on it.

Vivienne:

Vivienne: My darling Alaina, please tell me that’s not your horrid over-sized tunic underneath your armor I see.

Alaina: Oops, haha, yes...

Vivienne: What happened to the new ones we had purchased together?

Vivienne: The ones with the pretty lace?

Alaina: U-Uhm! Well, I didn’t want to ruin it so I left them at home !!

Vivienne: Hm..

[juniper-tree]

Wind and flame, 6 - In the Graves

Rating: chapter is Mature (some graphic depictions of violence), full work is Explicit

Dragon Age: Inquisition - Cullen x Female Lavellan

Link to AO3 - thank you for reading

Summary: Finn's party scouts the Graves for red lyrium smugglers.

***

The bear lay on the riverbank before her, big as an aravel. Finn knelt near the head, and brushed a leaf from the matted fur. It was a shame, she thought, to kill her. But they had come upon her, mouth foamy, swatting and roaring at the Inquisition soldiers scouting ahead for Finn and her party. She had to protect her people.

They were deep in the forest of the Graves, tracking red lyrium. Cullen was hopeful this would lead them to the source, and, in turn, closer to Corypheus. The poor bear's fur reminded her of him, of that shaggy collar he wore. Without it, he was still broad, but so much less imposing. She wondered if his wearing it was a kind of talisman, a source of bear-like strength, and courage, that he needed. Or perhaps he was just cold. She sighed at herself. They had not been at Skyhold for two weeks now. She hoped he was well—reports from him were professional, to the point, no indication of his state of being, beyond existence. She thought of him often. All the time, if she were honest with herself.

Sera and Dorian crouched at the water's edge, washing the bear's blood from their arms and faces in the stream, in agreement, for once, that the water was too cold. Blackwall stood some yards away speaking with the soldiers, giving them orders to tell the nearest camp about the bear. "Fur, fat, meat. Whatever you can get from it, it can be used," she heard him say. Blackwall sent the soldiers on their way and walked to her, his armored boots crunching the riverbank gravel. He leaned on his sword. "I hate having to kill them. Such grand creatures," he said. "But they are easily provoked, and dangerous."

She nodded, but didn't look up. "They're frightened. I fear they've been spooked by the rifts."

He grunted an agreement. "Like all of us."

"This one had cubs," she said. She stroked her hand past the arm, toward its center. "Her skin is saggy here, at the underbelly. She lost all her fat nursing."

Blackwall sighed, scanning the trees around them as if to find the orphaned cubs nearby. They'd be far from here, she thought. "Hopefully she gave enough to make her cubs strong," he said, "so they can survive."

She stared at him, feeling cold, not wanting to argue. "Hope so." When she rubbed her tired eyes, her hands came away red with blood.

She shrugged off an armored vest, lay her twin daggers on the ground, and clambered down the bank to the water. It was frigid, though the trees and land around were vivid green, like spring had freshly awakened. She splashed her face, rubbed her hands clean, brought a handful of water up to pour onto her sweaty neck. She scratched her wet hands through her hair. The air, too, was cold here, and a breeze chilled her scalp.

Sera flopped onto her back, groaning, while Blackwall dipped a cloth into the river, and wiped the blood from his Warden armor with delicate strokes. Dorian leaned back on his hands and closed his eyes, sighing. His face turned from serene to disgusted in a moment, as he scrunched his nose and grimaced.

"What in the Maker's name is that smell?" he asked, looking around him.

"Bronto shit," Sera said from the ground, her eyes shut. "Big pile behind you. Nearly put your arse right in it."

"Oh, for—" Dorian crawled toward Finn, avoiding the pile, and leaned against her. "You couldn't have warned me?"

Sera snorted. "Could've. Didn't. Would've been hilarious." She laughed hard, and Blackwall chuckled, shaking his head at Dorian's glare.

"Trudging through icy water, soaking my shoes in soggy moss, horrible little rock paths that just... end," he said, flailing his hands. "And I can't even trust you people not to tell me when I might sit in shit. This place is awful. The Elves can have it."

"I hated it first," Sera said, raising her head. "Stop agreeing with me, it's getting weird." She narrowed her eyes at Dorian, then laid her head back on the ground.

Finn brushed her wet hair from her face. "You say every place in Thedas is awful, Dorian. Why do I take you anywhere?"

Dorian sighed and examined his fingernails. "Well, I'm a considerably talented mage, I'm wonderful company, and," he paused, staring pointedly at her, "you said you'd drag me through—how did you put it?—every arse-end you could think of to punish me, until I learned my lesson."

"Punish you?" She was utterly confused. "For what?"

"For arguing with you about slaves," he said, reaching toward her to pick a dry leaf from her hair. "You said so, months ago. We were sharing a tent in that fetid swamp. You must have been half asleep." The leaf fluttered from his fingers.

"That does sound like you," Blackwall said, not looking up from his armor, a faint smile on his face.

She did recall now. Recalled how she tried to play it off as a joke, to hide her burning resetnment. Despite his practiced detachment—the wit he deployed like a shield, a defense and an offense—Dorian was kind-hearted. Which made his lack of empathy all the worse. Was he merely thoughtless, or were there walls between them that could not be scaled? Were some people simply too different to be anything more than colleagues, or soldiers at arms together? The idea troubled her, and it was not only Dorian she worried about.

Dorian turned his clear gray eyes up to her, a practiced, plaintive pose. "I've already apologized. And repented, sincerely," he said, folding his hands together like a begging supplicant. "Lesson learned."

Problem was, there was something she loved about Dorian, despite his thoughtlessness—a secret warmth, a tenderness, that she wanted near her. "I release you from punishment," she said, leaning closer into him, catching the scent he wore: sweet spices and musky wood. "What if I bring you because I like you?"

"Ah," Dorian sighed, smiling. "That doesn't make me feel any better."

Blackwall had walked a few paces up the bank, toward the main road, when he paused and promptly returned. "Tracks on the road ahead," he said. "A caravan, not long gone." He swung his heavy sword up to sheath it at his back, and poked Sera's side with his boot. She grunted and rolled over, pushing herself up.

Dorian nimbly rose and picked up his staff. He held a hand down to Finn, pulled her up to him, and brushed her back clear of gravel. She hopped up the bank to retrieve her armor and weapons, then followed Blackwall to the road, pulling on her vest as she walked.

The tracks made two wheel lines up the dry, cracked road for a distance, then veered into a shaded arbor. They followed the wheels as far as they made marks, then took cover among the trees at the edge. Blackwall crouched behind a thick trunk and motioned Finn over. She knelt beside him.

"My bet's the caravan is ahead no more than thirty paces," he whispered, "but they're covered in this grove." His eyes narrowed and searched the trees, but he shook his head. "I'd like to find them before they find us. Can you spot it?" She could see nothing from here, would have to move inward, and listen.

She stood and straightened herself, pulling in her ribcage and holding her arms close, snaking through the slim trees, forward on the balls of her feet, each step near silent. At ten paces she heard a low voice to the east. Moving toward it, at fifteen, she saw the handles of the caravan peek from behind a wide, purple bush, at least ten more paces ahead. She backed away slowly toward her companions.

"You were right," she whispered to Blackwall, pointing in the direction of the caravan. "Twenty-five or so paces, due east." He smiled, satisfied. He was as good a tracker as any hunter in her clan, though his sight was not as sharp. She would have to remember for him later: wolfberries, and an eyewash of luminet.

He adjusted the padding at his neck under his chestplate and looked to her. "How do you want to approach?"

It was her decision to make. She feared she would never be comfortable with these strategic choices, as muddled and nervous as the first time they improbably asked her to choose, on that broken wall when they made their way back to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Some part of her still wanted to dispute it. But another part was hardened now, and stronger after what Cullen had said to her, they way he had said it. His confidence in her. His faith.

She scanned the grove ahead. "They're well-hidden. Probably heard about the other caravans we found by now." Found, she said. Had killed, she meant. "I think I can sneak in and find their orders," she said. "Avoid a skirmish."

Blackwall shook his head. "Why avoid? They need to be put down, sooner rather than later," he said, his voice bitter.

"Because what we need now is the information," she said, her whisper sharp, her fear rising. She took a breath. "Because they're scared. That makes them at least as dangerous as frightened bears."

His eyes searched hers for a moment, inscrutable to her. Sad and deep, and in the next moment almost reverent. "Fine." He stood and motioned for the others to join. "We'll flank you. Make noise if you need us."

Finn took the same path across the arbor to the caravan, careful to step in the same spots, until she neared the bush. There were two men; she could hear the crunch of gravel beneath one's pacing feet, and the creaking shift of a log on the ground the other must have sat upon. She could not hear their weapons but was sure they were close at hand. Reaching behind her, she thumbed open the carved gold cap on the vial of stealth powder she wore on her belt, and scooped some of the black powder into her hand. She took a deep breath and held it in her lungs, then threw the powder against the ground at her feet. A soft crack broke the air, and black plumes enveloped her.

After the dark fog cleared, and she knew she could not be seen, she crouched forward around the bush. One of the smugglers sat on a log, calmly gnawing a burned leg of roast meat, his sword at his feet. Across a cold firepit, the other wore a sheath of arrows and a knife at his waist, but his bow was set on the ground, yards away. He paced angrily, his hands held tight behind his back. The caravan was half-covered by the bush. At least twenty large, black cases rested on its boards, overstuffed and bulging with crystals. The crystals seemed to singe the air around them, with a faint red smoke, a stinging hum. Red lyrium.

On a cracked barrel to the far side of the caravan sat an open scroll, and she knew it contained the orders they were looking for. She would have to cross between the two men to reach it, or go back around behind the bush. Crossing was riskier, but faster, and this stealth powder did not last long.

She moved to a point between the log where the eater sat and his companion wore tracks in the ground. Shifting herself straight again, she made herself take up as little room as possible, hands flat against her sides. Her eyes darted everywhere but straight ahead, keeping an eye on each of the men as she stepped toward the barrel.

The eater wiped his mouth with a greasy hand. He tossed the bone with its hanging scraps toward a pile near the dead firepit. It arced through the air inches in front her. She stopped short, and held her breath. It barely missed her leg. The pacer glanced at the eater, disgusted. "If you keep eating, we'll have to camp down here. And you're taking that pile away, understand? Don't need any scavenger birds around. Loud, ugly things," he muttered, turning away. The eater said nothing, his mouth on another blackened hunk of meat.

Finn breathed again. The barrel was close. When she passed beside it, she would slide the scroll off the barrel's lid, hoping they wouldn't see or hear, then run back to the edge of the arbor. If they chased, her flanking companions could attack from behind. It would all work. She stepped forward.

Something slammed into her, hard. She felt it before she saw it. The pacer had paced into her, had turned the opposite way, and she hadn't seen. His eyes searched the air in front of him, wildly, but could not see her. Then, he could—in an instant, the air cracked again and the black fog reappeared, erasing her stealth cover. His eyes widened in shock. Finn was frozen in place, huffing sharp breaths. They stared at each other.

The eater, she could see out of the corner of her eye, spit a mouthful of half-chewed meat and picked up his sword. He did not move toward them, but held his sword at waist-height, waiting.

Then the pacer lunged at her, and sharp pain shot down her neck. He had her hair in his fist and jerked her face close to his. "Who the fuck are you?" His eyes darted over her face, his snarl exposed a mouthful of broken teeth. "Can't be you what's taken our other men. Not by yourself," he said, pulling harder on her hair, scanning the surrounding arbor for threats.

She set her jaw hard against the pain, and hoped he could not see her fear. She could try for one of her daggers, but he might get to his first. Delay, then, hope she could live long enough for someone to come. "It was me," she said, loud enough for her companions to hear. "I killed your men, and destroyed your lyrium. Just like I'll do here." Her voice shaking, she was not even convincing herself.

He snickered, never taking his eyes from her. "Doubtful. But I think Samson will want this one. Get the manacles," he said to the eater. He threaded his hand further into her hair and unsheathed his knife. Still snarling, he pointed the tip against her side, inched it deliberately up her body, dragging it across her breast, until it found the exposed skin at her throat.

She heard the arrow sing through the air, felt the draft it made on her face, for no more than a second. His body lurched with the sudden force of it. The arrow had pierced his temple, and thick blood streamed down his cheek. He coughed wetly, then crumpled to the ground at Finn's feet. His hand was still caught in her hair, and she stumbled with him, swatting him away. She slipped onto her backside in the dirt.

The eater panicked. He started toward her, sword outstretched in a shaking hand. She stared up at him fearfully and scrambled backward on her hands. He looked not at her, but all around them, hoping—in vain, Finn knew—to find where the archer was hiding. But the archer found him first. An arrow sank deep into his fleshy neck. Blood spurted from the wound like a spitting snake. He dropped to his knees, then slumped over face-first, his sword skidding across the ground, a hand landing with a greasy clatter in his pile of discarded bones.

Finn stayed down, panting. This had not been a good plan.

She heard heavy footsteps and Sera's laughter as her companions approached. Sera hopped over to Finn, swinging her bow on its sling behind her, kicking up dust. Smiling, she stood over Finn and folded her arms across her chest, pleased and proud. "Saved your arse, didn't I, elfy?" The setting sun flared behind her head, her shaggy hair pointing every direction.

Finn squinted up at Sera. The frenzy of the moment was fading. "You definitely did." She sighed, catching her breath. "Thank you."

Sera looked away, hiding a smile. "Yeah, all right. It was worth it to plug these pissbags, anyway." She looked toward the caravan heavy with lyrium, grimaced, and backed away further into the grove. Finn pushed herself to standing, and rubbed the sore spot at the back of her head where one of the pissbags had pulled her hair. Sure she'd find a clump missing, it thankfully all seemed intact.

Blackwall squatted next to the eater's body, examining the arrow in the neck, and gave a low whistle. "Nicely done, Sera." He turned the body over onto its back and picked through its pockets. He seemed to come up empty-handed and joined Sera among the trees.

Dorian was at the barrel reading the scroll. The scroll, which she'd all but forgotten while she was hoping not to die. "What does it say, Dorian?"

One eyebrow raised, Dorian handed the scroll to her. "Some very strange things, I'm afraid." He stared at the caravan. "And let's rid ourselves of this as soon as possible, shall we? Back far away, please." She stepped into the grove with the scroll, and, leaning against a tree, saw Dorian send a bolt of fire from his staff at the cases of lyrium, then walk swiftly away. Sooth flames engulfed the caravan and the cases in seconds. The crystals hissed and popped, their biting song strangled. The lyrium cracked and melted in a veil of red smoke.

As the lyrium burned, she looked over the scroll. —frothing and screaming—  —buying anyone who gets sick—  "To make something better of him."  She shivered. The Templars she had seen, had fought, who were infected with this lyrium were... corrupted. Monstrous. Like Corypheus himself. They writhed within their own bodies, in agony. Killing them was a mercy. Was this "something better" for Corypheus, and his followers? Did he feed on the pain of his slaves? Her head ached.

"It's growing dark." Blackwall stood beside her, concern creasing his brow. "We should head back to the camp at the steps soon." She nodded. He watched her for a moment, then gently squeezed her forearm. "You're all right," he said. It wasn't a question; it was a reminder.

"Right." She gave him a small smile. He nodded to her deferentially, then headed toward the road.

As she followed him and folded the scroll into her hip pack, Sera fell into step beside her. "Get what you were looking for?" she asked.

"Yes. Cullen will be pleased."

Sera giggled. "I bet he will." She draped an arm around Finn's shoulders, and leaned into her ear. "Oh, Inquisitor," she whispered, in a ridiculously deep, breathy voice, "I need you to bring those to my desk, straight away. And bring yourself to me..."

Her cheeks burned. "Sera, stop!" she hissed, and shoved her away, but Sera was already running ahead, laughing. No one else seemed to have heard. She was unsure what embarrassed her more: Sera's teasing, or that the scene she painted was a fantasy Finn had already indulged in. And likely would again that night, alone in her cold bedroll. In her mind, where it was safe, she could feel his skin under her fingertips again, imagine the solid weight of him hard against her. He would never know all the ways she dreamed of him.

His body, his scent, his voice, all were fleeting sensations in her imagining. They came easily, were sweet, then faded. But what she felt in her heart, the depth of that feeling she feared she still did not know—that she planted, buried, within her. If the seed sprouted, it would not reach the light.

A pale green glow lit her periphery. It was coming again, this time a rare, but welcome, warning. Raising her arm to watch, she held her breath in her throat, steeling against the imminent pain. And it hit, at first a warm wash of sparks from her palm, almost pleasant. Then the searing charge of light boiled down her arm, following her veins like a map, burning, erupting from her hand. Her palm felt split in half, the anchor like an axe through her skin. She nearly dropped to her knees, but locked her legs tightly. This would not fell her. Not every time.

A rift had opened. The anchor sputtered and stung. It pulled at her. Northeast, it said, like a compass.

***

At Briathos' Steps, the soldiers were asleep, the guards on night watch yawning and shuffling at the edges of the camp. Dorian held Finn's hand in his and shrouded it in a flowing, blue mist of ice. She winced when he kneaded her palm, his fingertips frozen. The cold numbed the pain, but chilled her to her core. She inched closer to the campfire.

All were exhausted after the rift, unwelcome at the best of times, a nightmare at the end of a long day. Two despair demons left them choked and slow, like they were fighting through quicksand. And now, quiet around the fire, they shared the relief, and contentment, of a fight not just won but survived. They could all breathe again. Blackwall idly polished his sword, as he did every night, and stared into the fire. Sera lay on her stomach near the fire, writing in her journal.

"Elfy," Sera said, not looking up from her scribbling, "I saw that table where all the little pieces get moved around."

"The war table," Finn replied, stretching her shoulders. "What of it?"

"So do you and Cullen move your pieces there too?" Sera stared up at her, wide-eyed, but far from innocent. She was trying, and failing, not to smile. Finn shook her head, a warning.

"Is his piece big?" She spun onto her back, snorting laughter, and hid her face with the journal.

Finn slumped forward, defeated, but Dorian pulled her arm to straighten her. Through gritted teeth, she said, "It's really not like that."

"No?" Dorian asked, casually, as if you had told him the kitchen had no oats for breakfast.

"No," she insisted.

He searched her face, as if he expected to find a lie in her expression, but his eyes were kind. "I'm sorry to hear it," he said. But he would not miss an opportunity to join in teasing her. "Cullen is good-looking, of course," he said in that clear, dramatic tone so everyone could hear, "but he's terribly dull. Absolutely no sense of humor." He smiled at her, wickedly.

"No, he's quite funny, really," she said, and realized even as the words were coming out that it was not a statement to help her case.

Sera and Dorian glanced at each other. Even Blackwall looked surprised. "Sera, you may be onto something," Dorian said, laughing. "Although, to be fair, humor may be a new concept to the Dalish."

"You—" She bit back a flustered reply, which would only egg them on. She huffed a short breath. "Perhaps you just have to get to know him," she said, unconvincingly, even to herself.

"Don't want to know him like you do," Sera said.

She laughed, but it was frustration, it was nerves. There was nothing funny about how exposed she was, feelings and thoughts she could barely voice to herself turned into a fireside joke. "I told you, it's nothing like that." Trust me, she thought.

Sera groaned crossly, and pushed herself up off the ground. "Oh, why not? He's good as anybody else. Better than some," she muttered, tramping across the campsite to sleep, her journal held tight against her chest.

"She's right there." Dorian tenderly placed Finn's hand in her lap, and patted her head like a small, sad dog. He dug out a book and a flask from a pack on the ground, and followed Sera to the tents. "Sweet dreams," he called over his shoulder.

Then it was quiet. Finn slumped now, free to rest, to try to dull her thoughts with the sounds of the night—the humming fire, the hooting owls.

Blackwall interrupted. "I know Sera teases, but," he said slowly, "if it were true, he would be a lucky man." He was kind. He sounded like a father. It irritated her.

"I didn't think you'd join in this nonsense, Blackwall," she said, more harsh than she intended.

He held back a smile. "Forgive me, my lady. My years alone have made me lose my manners. I did have them, once."

She sighed. "I am sorry. It's been a day."

"Don't be," he said. "You'd do well to stop being sorry for how you feel."

He stood and sheathed his sword in one smooth motion. "If I may patronize you a little more..." he said, folding his arms tight across his chest. He eyed at her, inscrutable again: half judgment, half pity. "By the time this is through, you will stand among the mightiest of all Thedas. Everyone will know your life. Or want to know it. So make it a good one."

He did not wait for her to respond, making his way to a tent on the far side of the fire. She had no response, in any case. The mightiest of all Thedas. It was an absurdity. Finn was not eager to sleep, not ready to face the lonely bedroll, or her dreams. She watched the fire's steady, rhythmic blaze, listened to the owls in the trees, calling to their mates.

Chapter 7: Wounds  ➳

[cakelanguage]

Dragon Age Kink Meme got me again, but now with young!Dorian joining the Inquisition! This is the set up chapter so enjoy the feels between Felix and Dorian.

You can also read it on AO3

First//Previous//Next

Dorian wasn’t sure what was going on with him. Not in that way, he knew about puberty just as well as any other boy his age. But it was the warmth that filled his cheeks when one of the boys in his class complimented him, and the way butterflies seemed to swarm in his stomach when he asked Rilienus to tell him one of his tales from his Circle. It was all that and his disinterest in girls.

They were all well and good, the girls he knew tended to be well-mannered and pretty. As time passed their breasts swelled, giving them a more womanly shape and still Dorian wasn’t interested. Not like the other boys in his class who whistled and gossiped about the fairer sex. Dorian thought they were the same as before, still girls, still just as intelligent and magically inclined as before, just growing up. He didn’t see the big deal.

But with the boys, he noticed their broadening shoulders, the way their voices cracked and deepened, the hair that sprouted on their bodies, everything. It came as a startling realization to him and the day he realized it he’d gone to Felix.

Half a year ago he’d been named Geron Alexius’ apprentice which was when he first met Felix. He was strange to Dorian; Felix had a limited talent in magic but he was so happy. Happy without magic as an heir to an ancient household, happy playing and advancing his knowledge in mathematics. And when Felix had met him, he’d received the warmest smile and a heartfelt greeting thanking him for wanting to work with his father and then asked him if he’d like any cake. He could honestly say that he’d never been closer to someone before Felix, only Maevaris Tilani came close. Mae not only stood against the masses to be true to herself but liked sending him books and pretty clothes. Why wouldn’t he love her?

Felix though, was like the brother he’d always wanted, but was never going to get if his parent’s relationship was anything to go by. He was always willing to help him and listen to his troubles, even the small ones. Which is why he came to Felix with his newest problem.

The grounds of the Alexius household were lavish yet homely, with date palms and orange trees tucked into neat rows in one corner while sprigs of spices were nestled just outside the kitchen window. There was plenty of room for practical demonstrations of magic and relaxation. He found Felix seated on one of the stone benches near the fruit trees and quickly made his way over.

As usual, Felix greeted him with a smile and held out a section of the orange he was eating. “Took a break from your research, huh?” Felix asked. “You keep studying like this and you’ll need glasses before you’re fifteenth birthday.”

“Hold your tongue,” Dorian said, putting the orange in his mouth. The juice from the fruit was sweet and tangy, probably the best outside of Minrathous. “I- uh well the thing is- I’ve been thinking-“

Felix patted the space beside him. “Why don’t you sit and we can talk.”

Dorian nodded his head and sat down a little away from Felix. The man snorted and pulled him closer before slinging an arm around Dorian, tucking him into Felix’s side.

“That’s better, now what has you all flustered and mopey?”

Dorian huffed. “I’m not mopey.”

“Dorian.”

“Yes, alright, it’s just that I’ve come to a realization today and I don’t know how to feel about it.”

Felix gave him a sympathetic look. “You found out about the vegetables in the sweets I’ve been bringing you, didn’t you?”

“What? No, that’s not it, but you’ve been putting vegetables in my sweets?”

“Well sometimes, but what did you really want to tell me?” He gave Dorian a reassuring look. “You can tell me anything, I promise I’ll keep it quiet.”

Dorian took a steadying breath and slowly let it out. “I don’t think I like girls,” Dorian said.

Felix chuckled. “Think they still have cooties?”

Dorian shook his head. “No, I don’t think I like them like them.” He sent Felix a lost look. “At all. I just don’t see the attraction. They are certainly beautiful but I don’t get that feeling when I look at them. The butterflies, the awkward feeling of both excitement and embarrassment? I don’t get them when I look at girls,” his voice grew to barely above a whisper, “I get them when I look at boys.”

Felix didn’t say anything for a moment and Dorian felt his eyes start to swim. He shouldn’t have said anything.

“Is that so bad?” Felix asked finally.

Dorian ducked his head, trying to prevent the tears from falling from his eyes. “But I’m not supposed to want boys. I’m supposed to want girls.”

“There are other men who like men, Dorian. Most of them just hide their desires.”

“But I don’t want to hide who I am, Mae doesn’t, why should I?”

Felix shook his head. “I’m not telling you to hide it, Dorian. You can love whoever you want and I will happily stand by you and I’ll interrogate them to make sure that they’ll be the best partner for you.” Felix squeezed Dorian’s side and made Dorian tip his head up to look at him. After gently wiping Dorian’s cheeks with his sleeve he smiled. “You could even love a Qunari and I wouldn’t think any less of you.”

Dorian let out a watery laugh. “Felix, don’t be ridiculous, I wouldn’t fall for a Qunari.”

“You sure? You wouldn’t want one to carry you around so you didn’t have to walk? I’ve also heard they’re quite warm.”

“Oh ha ha, you’re hilarious, Amicus. I’m sure carrying me would only happen after my body was a useless pile of mush on the ground.”

“They can’t be all bad, you’d just have to give them a chance.”

“I think I’m more likely to be with an elf than a qunari.”

“An elf?”

Dorian shrugged. “I don’t see what the big deal is, I used to play with all the elves back home and Father used to give me this look every time I asked if they could enroll in school with me.” He heaved a sigh. “Slavery is so weird to me, they’re people like anyone else, but Father and even Mother would just say it was the way Tevinter was. Ridiculous if you ask me.” He gave Felix a shy look. “Don’t tell Father I said that, he doesn’t like it when I question him about it.”

“Only fourteen and already so many ideas,” Felix said with a grin. “This is what happens when you place out of the Circles at a young age.”

“What can I say, I’m gifted.”

Felix laughed and rubbed his hair into a mess. “You’re a brat is what you are.” Dorian giggled and tried to fix his hair. “But in all seriousness, it’s okay that you like men. Father won’t care either, I can reassure you of that. After all, Father married for love not status. But you tell him when you’re ready, alright? For now, it’ll be our secret.”

Dorian nodded his head and let himself relax into Felix’s side. Felix could always make everything okay. He would tell other people when he was ready. As long as Felix was here, things would be okay.

 And then the Alexius’ family was attacked by darkspawn on their way back from Val Royeaux. A group of Hurlock large enough to incapacitate Alexius, kill Livia and injure Felix.

The letter Dorian had received about the tragedy was brief and didn’t tell him how Felix was doing, if he was healing or not. After begging his father to let him return to the Alexius estate, his father relented and sent him off to them. The trip was a blur as Dorian couldn’t focus on anything but the anxiety clawing at his throat at the possibility of Felix not being okay.

When he arrived, he ignored his ingrained manners and bypassed the front door to enter the estate through the kitchens. The few elves he passed had sullen faces which did nothing to help Dorian’s state of mind. He dashed into the grand entry and up the stairs two at a time, as fast as his legs would take him. Only when he was in front of Felix’s door did he pause.

There was a muffled noise that sounded like two people talking and Dorian knew it must be Alexius and Felix. With no small amount of trepidation, he knocked on the door. He heard a sigh come from inside the room followed by the tale-tell sounds of someone getting up and walking towards the door. Of course it was Alexius that opened the door.

His face was paler and gaunter since Dorian had last seen him and the dark circles under his eyes were accompanied by a puffy red quality that could only have been from tears. His face softened minutely as he stared down at him.

“I-I got your letter,” Dorian said. “I cannot tell you how sorry I am for your loss.”

Alexius nodded his head. “Livia was a true gift to the world,” he sighed. “No finer wife or mother.” Dorian could agree on wife, but he was impartial to his own mother, no matter how absent she was from his life. Alexius focused back on him and gave him a sad smile. “But you aren’t here for Livia.” He held his hand up when Dorian opened his mouth to object. “You’re here about Felix.”

Dorian shuffled his feet against the marble on the floors. “Is he alright?”

Alexius took a shuddering breath and shook his head. “N-no, I’m afraid not. Felix has been infected by the taint.”

He felt his eyes widen in horror. “No.” He looked desperately up at Alexius and tried to look into Felix’s room. “Please tell me you’re lying to me.” He had to be. Felix couldn’t—Felix had to be okay.

Alexius pursed his lips and closed his eyes. “Go talk to him, I’m sure he’d enjoy the company.”

“What’re you going to do?”

“Figure out how to fix this.”

With that said, Alexius slowly walked towards his study, taking a moment to look back at Felix’s room before continuing on. Dorian gathered his courage before entering Felix’s room.

The room was how it always had been, books lining the shelves, strange devices for Felix’s advanced mathematics on his desk, paper tucked haphazardly between pages and stacked crookedly on his desk. The desk chair had been moved to beside the bed. And then he looked at Felix.

Felix’s face was pale, his once olive skin tone now a pasty white. His face was slimmer, not by much, but enough to be noticeable. The real kicker was his hair. The almost shaggy locks had been shorn close to his scalp aging him at least five years.

“Felix?” Dorian asked after sitting down in the chair beside Felix’s bed.

The man slowly blinked his eyes open, disorientedly glancing around the room before his eyes settled on him. “Dorian,” he murmured, his voice gruff from sleep. “How are you?”

Dorian gave him a bewildered look. “How am I? Felix, you’re the one who’s hurt! You’re the one who- the one who has…” Dorian felt tears start to gather in his eyes and he hastily wiped at his eyes.

Felix made a shushing noise and slowly grabbed on of Dorian’s hands. “Please don’t cry, Dorian, it’s-“

“Don’t say it’s okay, Felix because it’s not.” Despite Dorian’s best efforts, tears began to drip down his face. “It’s not okay. It’s- you have the taint.” Saying it aloud made his heart clench. “You’re going to…”

Felix nodded his head. “I know, but everyone dies, Dorian, it’s how life works.”

“I’m well aware, Felix!” Dorian snapped. “I know that everyone dies, I know, okay? But you- you’re my best friend, Felix.” His voice grew softer and he stared at Felix with doleful eyes. “You’re my brother, Felix. You can’t just leave me. You can’t.”

The other man gave him a watery smile. “I’m your brother?”

“Of course you are!”

“I’m glad,” Felix said. “I’ve always wanted a brother.”

Dorian nodded his head. “And I’m here, you just have to stay, okay? I’ll- Alexius and I will figure out how to fix this. We will.” We have to.

“Oh Dorian,” Felix weakly pulled Dorian, who dutifully moved to sit on Felix’s bed and lay beside him. “As wonderful and talented as you both are, I don’t think you can fix this.”

Dorian’s hands trembled as they clenched at Felix’s shirt. “But we have to.” He moved his face so it was buried in the crook of Felix’s neck. “I don’t want you to die.”

Felix rubbed soothing circles into his back. “I know, I’m so sorry.”

And just like that the dam broke and Dorian was sobbing pitifully into Felix’s neck. He didn’t care that he was soaking the collar of the other man’s shirt. He didn’t care that his legs were laying awkwardly half on the bed and half off. He just didn’t want this to be real. He didn’t want Livia to be dead, or Alexius to be sinking into despair. He didn’t want Felix to be sick. He didn’t want Felix to die. He wished that it could have happened to anyone else besides Felix. But it didn’t. This was the reality of the situation and Dorian could only search for a cure with Alexius’ help, nothing more and nothing less.

“I’m so sorry, Dorian,” Felix mumbled as Dorian’s cries began to dissolve into shaky, gulping breaths.

He and Alexius could fix this. They had to.

 The longer Dorian stayed and tried to find a cure for Felix, the smaller his hope grew. Everything he and Alexius tried failed to produce any results and Felix was growing weaker by the day. It was truly a miracle that Felix had lasted this long. It was on one day where their latest theory had provided no results that Dorian breached the topic of stopping their research.

“Alexius, this isn’t working,” Dorian said, his gaze directed at the piles of paper that were spread across his desk.

Alexius shook his head. “Don’t worry, Dorian, we’ll figure it out,” Alexius tried to reassure.

Dorian pulled his lower lip between his teeth. “And if we don’t?”

“What?”

“If we don’t figure out a cure?”

Alexius’ shoulders tensed. “Don’t say that, we’re making progress.”

“Are we?” Dorian stood up from his desk and approached Alexius. “Alexius, how much time have we spent with Felix since he got the taint? How much time have we wasted fruitlessly searching when we could be spending this time with him?”

“It isn’t wasted, none of this time has been wasted.”

“Alexius, we—I don’t know if Felix is going to get better.”

Alexius turned to look at him. “You don’t mean that. You’ve been listening to Felix’s pessimism again, haven’t you he-“

“Alexius,” Dorian stared at his mentor with sad eyes, “we need to spend this time with Felix.”

“I don’t have-“

“Time? Alexius, Felix is going to die.” The statement made his heart clench painfully in his chest. “Our time needs to go to him now, we—we can keep him company—“

“Time,” Alexius muttered. “That’s what I need: time.” The man turned frantically back to his desk and began shuffling through papers, shoving glassware off his desk in his search. He knocked an ink pot over and cursed vehemently, using the sleeves of his robes to mop up the spill. Dorian had never seen his mentor in such a state.

“Alexius, what are you-“

“Our theory, Dorian! It’s exactly what we need. Oh bless the Maker, Dorian, this is it!”

“Alexius, our time magic was just a theory.”

“But what if we could get it to work, Dorian?”

“I—well I suppose but we talked about the repercussions of time magic and how it would affect the timeli-“

Alexius sent him a glare. “Dorian, if you aren’t going to help, you’re to leave.”

Dorian stared at his mentor. “What?”

“I don’t need your doubt, Felix’s I can understand, he doesn’t want to see us under pressure, but you,” Alexius shook his head and his face turned into a sneer. “I expected more from you, or have you decided you don’t love Felix anymore now that he has the taint?”

Dorian blanched at the accusation. “I—no, Felix is my brother—“

“All the more reason to try then!”

Dorian shook his head. “Alexius, please you aren’t making sense, we—it was an interesting theory, but to try and put it into actual use outside of battle purposes is just…” Dorian racked his brain for the right words but none would come to him.

Alexius suddenly let out a sigh, his shoulders drooping. “Sometimes I forget you’re only a child,” he scoffed. “Go see Felix, say your goodbyes, you can return once you’ve come to your senses.”

“Goodbyes? Alexius, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying you are to leave this house and may return when you’ve decided to help me save Felix.” Alexius turned away from him and began reading the notes Dorian himself had written out on their time magic theory.

Dorian stared at him dumbfounded, not believing that he’d been cast from Alexius’ house. His heart was heavy in his chest and he felt the guilt gnawing at him. He took a few tentative steps towards the door, knowing that arguing would only make it worse. He knew better than to argue with his elders, or at least to do it as little as possible. Father wouldn’t be happy to hear if he’d been a brat.

His goodbye with Felix was too short and too full of his sobbing. He didn’t know if he’d see Felix again if he left, but he couldn’t in good conscious approve of what Alexius was going to do. Felix promised to keep him informed and sent as many letters as he could. Dorian knew it wouldn’t be enough, but thanked Felix all the same.

And then he returned home, heart heavy and longing to go back to Felix’s side. 

[impossible-rat-babies]

#30dayDAchallenge

Day 18: Companions!

This one is gonna be hella long folks!

Darva Lavellan: 

He’s got his handy dandy relationship chart!

Darva has a lot of feelings about all of them and he’s honestly one to love a lot folks and be close to a majority of them.

(Also that is how he writes his name. He can’t read or write worth shit.)

(This chart also came from trashwarden who is a great individual yo.)

Josephine: She’s really smart and clever to him. She’s really good at her job and makes dealing with nobles a much easier task. He thinks the Inquisition would be long gone if they didn’t have her to make sure they had a good appearance to the nobility. She taught him a great deal with social graces and dealing with people since he wasn’t very good at it beforehand. He also just loves her a lot too. (Assassins to deal with the contract on her life.)

Cullen: He’s good at what he does and he respects and trusts his ability to lead the troops. He’s probably a little more serious than Darva is used to, but he still jokes with him and teases him. He has a very lowkey crush on him that wouldn’t get anywhere for a whole host of reasons. (Cullen isn’t interested in him like that and they’re two different people that wouldn’t work well together like that.) (Cullen stopped taking Lyrium.)

Leliana: He has a ton of respect for her as an accomplished spymaster, bard, and Veteran of the Fifth Blight. Her knowledge is invaluable and they Inquisition would be nowhere without her. He also thinks she’s of her as a close friend and confidant. They can also push aside the professionalism and joke around with each other and have a good time. There’s also a level of mutual respect that makes their relationship that much stronger. (Softened Leliana)

Cassandra: He’s closest to her next to Dorian and Sera. She’s hasn’t always agreed with him, but she’s supported him nonetheless. She always has faith in him and that they’re going to succeed. She sees what they must do when he gets hung up on the details. She motivates him to do better and be better. He’s also there to help her when she needs it and be her confidant. They both helped each other so much and are very close as a result. He will unashamedly tell people that he loves her; it’s a very close and queerplatonic relationship between the two. (Tracked down the missing Seekers and left their fate in her hands.)

Solas: He never really liked him. He always was very aloof and pompous to him; he always seemed to look down on him in a really negative way that made Darva’s skin crawl. They were cordial to each other when needed, but they never end up close. When Trespasser happens, it just turns to utter hatred. He’s destroyed the Inquisition and undermined his faith in them doing good, he’s vaguely the reason his hand is trying to kill him, and he’s going to destroy the world. He hates Solas a great deal for good reason. (Didn’t save Solas’ friend; didn’t even get the quest.)

Varric: He’s friends and has a lot of respect for him. His stories make him laugh and he’s always willing to play Wicked Grace with him. I think when he gets too fidgety with his hands, he looks for Varric so they can play. He messes with the cards rather than his hands. After Trespasser, they end up much closer. Varric spends a lot of time looking out for him and his recovery despite his duties as Viscount. They’d play cards a lot. After Darva recovers from scarring his face, he spends more time helping Varric out around. Darva is technically a Comte, so he can stick his nose in all of the business to help. (Helped Varric track where the red lyrium was being smuggled from.)

Sera: They have a complex relationship as the whole business moves forward with the Inquisition. They do grow very close to each other; Darva understands how her thoughts work when other’s don’t really get it or don’t bother to understand it. He wants to be friends with her because he likes who she is; her network is useful and she’s has good skills that he respects, but he likes who she is. However, after the Temple of Mythal they have a falling out. He’s upset that she sees it all as demon rubbish when it’s his culture and his past staring them in the face. They got some very important information not only to defeat Corphyeus, but elvhen history. She doesn’t see it that way and they get into a nasty fight. (It’s also not long after Darva has lost the clan, so her being all gross about it is just another log on the fire of him feeling Utterly Awful.) They do make up after taking down Corphyeus and they aren’t quite the same as before, but they are better. They’re much better off by the time Trespasser roles around and there’s nothing they wouldn’t do for each other. (He let her kill Harmond.)

Vivienne: He thinks she’s a powerful mage who has done much in politics for herself and her fellow mages. He has a great deal of respect for her even though they don’t see eye to eye on politics. He doesn’t entirely trust her and their relationship is certainly a more professional one. (Gave her the Snowy Wyvern heart.)

Iron Bull: Darva thinks he’s hilarious and that he’s the tallest person he’s ever seen. Like Darva is only five foot two, so most people are taller than him, but Bull is by far the tallest. Like wowza so tall. He’s actually kinda terrified the first time he picks him up purely for the sake of picking him up lol. They do get closer after dealing with the alliance with the Qunari and saving the Chargers. I think they grow more into a personal relationship rather than one of professionalism. Darva can always use his gross, self deprecating humor around Bull because he knows he’s just being funny about it and that if he has actual issues, he’ll seek them out. Also, Darva has a lowkey crush on a lot of people, including Bull. (Saved the Chargers.)

Dorian: Tomorrow we’ll get a whole day of me screaming about the two of them and their relationship, so we’ll save that for then!

Blackwall: He has a great deal of respect for him as an accomplished fighter. Their relationship is a little awkward since Darva’s humor comes out the most when people are trying to be serious, which is in conflict with Blackwall being all serious. After Revelations, Darva does feel lied to and cheated. But he didn’t lie for a bad reason; he had good intentions. But what he did in the past was awful. However, Darva knows from personal experience that he’s saying worse things to himself than he ever could. (He frees him to let him make up for his mistakes.)

Cole: Darva finds Cole really, really interesting. How he thinks and looks at the world is bizarre, but not bad. He isn’t particularly keen when Cole looks to him to start trying to help him solve his issues. It’s a source of conflict, particularly with difficult issues that Darva would rather shove under the rug or not deal with with Cole being all in his business. Ofc, Cole doesn’t always let him do that, so conflict. Still, he wants to help Cole and be close to him. (I made Cole more human.)

Eth Tabris: 

Alistair: We’re gonna have a whole day about their relationship tomorrow!

Dog (Dorrun): She would die for her dog and she loves him so much. She loves Dorrun so much. He’s her first love and she HATED leaving him at the gates knowing they’d never see each other again. With Awakening, she misses him and Alistair the most. It’d be a lot better if she could have her dog with her.

Morrigan: They were close to each other despite their differences and Eth’s tendency to go out of her way to help those in need when there were more pressing matters. Still, I think Morrigan admires her strength and tenacity to get things done. Eth is understanding and fulfills her requests because they’re friends and that’s what friends do. Their relationship falls apart after Eth rejected the ritual and they never get to say goodbye or make up for what happened. I think Morrigan really regrets what happened with that.

Leliana: They are super close and kinda gay. Like very queerplatonic with each other. There’s nothing they wouldn’t do for each other. With Awakening AU, they grow very close and Eth spends a lot of her time with Leliana after the darkspawn mess is dealt with. They’re inseparable for many years after the Blight until Leliana’s duties took her away and Eth left to deal with her own mess. With Inquisition, they spend much of their time together and Leliana is a bit of a mediator between others and Eth when things aren’t working out. She was next to Eth the whole way through Halamshiral, talking to nobles on her behalf and making sure she didn’t make a fool of herself.

“You’re awful at this Eth…” “Well, last time I was in a courtly setting was Vigil’s Keep, but we don’t like to talk about those days. And before that, I cut off a man’s head and chose the Ferelden throne. I’m just not used to so little bloodshed.” “The night is still young.”

Sten: He’s even taller than Alistair and she’s astounded. She also doesn’t understand the whole Qunari way of life, but she tries to understand and maybe get Sten to understand her way of life. Although, when he calls her badass she just swells up and is all like: “DAMN STRAIGHT STEN!” Everyone is worried the darkspawn are going to find them because she said it so loudly. Sten is kinda impressed such a loud voice came from such a tiny body.

Wyne: God, Wyne becomes such a motherly figure with all the trappings of a motherly figure. Wyne supports her, cares for her, trusts her, respects her, loves her, worries over her and Eth is just one big ole teary eyed “SAME.” She actually makes her think a lot about between her and Alistair and ending the Blight. She thinks about it a fuck ton and it comes crashing down on her again after Riordan tells them how an Archdemon is killed. She has to sacrifice herself to save them. She has to make that choice that she said she couldn’t make. It’s really, really tragic.

Zevran: They are bound in sass, bad jokes and the shared struggles of city elves. They’re really close to each other from early on despite that he did try to kill her and Alistair. He can’t be that bad and she knows if he tries and kill her, she will kill him first, no doubt. But, that never happens and they will make jokes at Alistair’s expense and the expense of each other. Deep down, they really do care deeply for each other.

Shale: So big, much sass. God, Eth loves them even though Shale doesn’t call her by her name and thinks she’s just a pile of squishy goo. Albeit, a strong piece of squishy goo.

Oghren: A whole lotta nope. She helps him with his transition to the surface and other such issues, but other than that he can stay the complete other side of camp. He can give her bad reminders of her days in the Alienage. She still tries to be civil however hard it is to do.

[thatoneoboegirl]

Thoughts on Andromeda

Now that I’ve gotten in roughly ten hours of gameplay, I’m starting to develop more concrete opinions, as unpopular as some may seem, about the game.

1. I am really impressed by the combat system and abilities. It’s obvious Bioware spent a lot of time honing in on this portion of the game. For the most part, abilities are fluid, the combo system is really fun to match with, and the abilities to build your own personal class of Ryder with the different ability loadouts is awesome. So far, I’m a pretty big fan of the charge-nova combo to get into the thick of battle and the pull so I can stay well enough away and let my team handle the rest. The only thing I really have to complain about the combat system is the pin-point accuracy of the enemies even while you’re dodging. I’m playing the explorer class, which has a dodging ability that allows a small amount of teleportation. IMO, I think it’s ridiculous that I’m getting hit with the utmost of accuracy by computer generated enemies on normal when I’m dodging and even backing well out of fights. 

2. I expected the writing to be pretty rough this game after hearing that a couple of the lead writers had left Bioware. Part of what made 1-3 so amazing was the detail of the writing and story that made the characters lovable and believable. Right off the bat, I was not impressed with the writing for the characters of Andromeda. I had no real connection with my team until about now, and even then it’s only for one or two members of the team. A lot of the writing takes the same sob-story for each character and hammers it into the players’ heads the certain quirks of each teammate. For example, I’m about sick and tired of Cora always talking about how she was in the asari commando. I’ve watched a couple of scenes during my bf’s game (he’s much farther in the story than I am), and even then her first bit of conversation in almost every dialogue scene is “I served with the asari commando”. Like, we get it, Cora. What I loved about the original trilogy is each character developed per game in conversation. You follow Tali through her pilgrimage and learn about the quarian culture while also learning her place in it in the very first game. None of this beating a dead horse about what commando unit you were in or how hard life was raising your little sister all by yourself.

3. I’m not impressed by the angara. I understand their purpose in the game, but I feel like they are a very shallow culture. To me, they are a replacement for the quarians while also having a very Prothean-like story (the whole being genetically changed into a new alien species that’s evil and taking/attacking colonists). I feel like a lot of thought went into them as far as shoulder-up design and their weapons, but they feel very lazily written, modeled, and scripted. They are described as being a very emotional race, but from what I’ve seen, nothing that Jaal or any of the other angara have done are much different from the Milky Way Galaxy races.

4. Expanding on lazy model designs, I am outrageously disappointed by the turian designs. The only turian I have seen thus far who has had good sculpting, shading, and over-all a more finished effect is Vetra. Everyone else seems to be very lazily rendered, and not a lot of time was put into them. So many of the turians look as though they’re wearing styrofoam or really badly done prosthetic make-up. They remind me very much of Gothmog from the Return of the King, as far as coloring, shading, and texture:

That all being said, the thing I’m most angry about is the change of design for the bottom half of turians. Their legs/hips absolutely infuriate me. From 1-3, the turians always looked like they could fuck someone up because of how sturdy and built they looked. In Andromeda, they look like someone could break them in half very easily. They look like the sentinel elves in Dragon Age: Inquisition, which I think design-wise was a very poor attempt at making people look small, yet muscular. Their hips look out of place and their upper thighs look bulbous in comparison to their bodies and lower legs. Pics for ref:

(can’t find good reference pics of turians in Andromeda, but just by looking at the above pic, you can see what I mean). To me, the redesign of turians was like the redesign of elves from Dragon Age Origins to 2: why?

5. I’m a huge fan of some of the hilarious Mass Effect glitches outside of combat. The head turning 180 degrees, sending your crew to faceplant in lava, it’s great, and some of those hilarious glitches have found their way into Andromeda. I had Drack reproduce asexually in my kitchen during a cutscene and all of a sudden I had 2 Drack’s standing there. What I don’t like, however, are the glitches during the combat, which is something I’ve already stated that Bioware did a good job of developing. There have been many times where I’m fighting and my game freezes, or I’m running and all of a sudden I come to a complete stop despite having the running function clicked. I like least of all having to press a single button multiple times before it finally activates. I expected glitches, hell, all games have glitches, I just don’t like when glitches interfere with what I’m doing.

6. If you look at any of my maps for Witcher 3, Dragon Age Inquisition, and any of the Assassin’s Creed games, you will see that I unlocked every single main quest, side quest, and collectible mission available. I’m a completionist, and I love the fact that Mass Effect has expanded into a bigger world that you can not only navigate through, but also build up XP from interacting with all the other things the game has to offer. My bf has been mostly doing story missions, and last I saw, he was level 29. I just reached level 25 with my Ryder by almost restricting myself to side quests and collectible missions. Obviously, I’ve done some main quest story, but having much better weapons, more upgrades and augmentations, and skill points has really helped when I get to the main mission fights. Plus, I get the sense of I’ve finished a lot of little things in order to get to the next big thing.

7. I love that femRyder has some better hair choices. More than 8 or so would have been nice, but you know what, I’m not complaining, I have a choice of having longish hair that doesn’t look terrible for once. 

8. The little references to the original trilogy warm my heart. I’m still looking for my femShep to show up somewhere in the Codex or storyline, but what I’ve seen so far are wonderful little surprises.

9. I’m going to start off with this next point by saying I hated the Mako. Hated it, everything about it, and what it stood for. Hated it. I was happy to get the Firewalker missions in ME:2 so I could have a flying combat ship that was maneuverable, fast, and packed a lot of power. It really came in nicely for my insanity runthrough, being able to dodge was so nice and something I couldn’t do with the Mako. I started Andromeda already not liking the Nomad because of my experience with the Mako and because I couldn’t get it out of the first map point on Eos without running into literally everything. However, it was easy to get used to the feeling of driving the Nomad, and I started actually growing an appreciation for it when I installed about 8 upgrades to it. I don’t like that it doesn’t have weapons (yet maybe?), but at the same time it serves its purpose: an exploration and research vehicle. 

That’s what my thoughts are so far, I’m still trekking through Andromeda and learning more about my crew and what all the game has to offer. I’m sure my opinions on certain things will change the further into the story I get, but that probably won’t be for a while, considering I’m not able to play it as often. 

[mistralrunner]

Trespasser Liveblog, Part 1: Ruins and Reunions

I decided to post my reactions to playing Trespasser with my Inquisitor, Menel Lavellan, cause why not. I watched @inner-muse​ play Trespasser with her Trevelyan when the DLC first came out, so I’m spoiled for a good portion of it, but considering I forgot things, didn’t read many of the codices, didn’t have the context at the time to notice some details, and my Inquisitor is rather different from hers, I’m hoping to be surprised by some things.

The game starts out swimmingly as Menel Lavellan’s face isn’t fully loaded and looks derpy for the opening scene. I reloaded.

Negotiations at Halamshiral are always a kind of punch in the face for a Lavellan

I’m so powerful and yet I still can’t get a Dalish homeland.

The march parade thing is two competent diplomats and Cullen, but his whining is very useful for exposition and probably getting the general Inquisition member pov.

Ahh the theme. Ahh the anchor. It’s really happening.

Mother Giselle: The Dales are finally recovering Menel: *knows he should be happy the shemlen aren’t suffering and somewhat is but considering their homes are on land stolen from his people* *is polite and gracious anyway*

I am so happy I get to reference that conversation about the Inquisition putting down their swords in game yesss. I have a fondness for that sort of thing.

Varric you are the best for negotiating a deal with Wycome’s council, especially with cities like Starkhaven around.

I’m honestly surprised they referenced Clan Lavellan’s fate since Inquisition did such a poor job of tying in character origins. Happy, but surprised.

All hail Viscount Varric he who does not wear the silly pointy crown

I wonder what happens if your Hawke took the Viscount position in DA2 though. Cause Tamara Hawke avoided that route like the plague.

I hesitated re: where to go next and then headed over to the tavern cause new songs. Who are these diplomats that I should probably be speaking to first?

I do not regret making Cole more human cause it made sense to Menel and also fit with Menel’s character arc but I do not ship this ship. It came out of nowhere and the implication that romance is a part of becoming human kind of rubs me the wrong way. It’d be nicer if they were just buddies roaming about making people happy. At least Menel’s reaction mirrored how weirded out I am.

Hehehe Menel you nerd distracting Bull are you even taking this seriously. The Veil as a vibration repelling the Fade part is interesting though given what’s to come.

I just realized Dalish and Menel have the same hairstyle. Huh.

Serraaaaa <3

Menel is no Jenny but he is there to be a friend always.

Sera’s journal is a mix of humor and feels as always. I do wonder how obvious Menel’s pain is to the general populace, and not just observant people like Sera. I headcanon Vivienne and her tailor fashioned formal attire for Menel that cloaked the glowing to some extent.

Josieeee my diplomat buddy

I’m so happy she takes a break and that she considers me enough of a friend to invite me.

Glad to see it’s still Leliana despite the silly new hat. Wanting to borrow Scout Harding to find more nugs, and not hiring anyone without first observing them in a room of baby nugs.

Why is there floating cheese?

It’s just hanging in the air near the palace entrance.

For context I should mention I headcanon that Menel was already in talks with Ferelden about disbanding the Inquisition and relocating members and Ferelden is covering it up by acting buffoonishly belligerent cause the Orlesians will absolutely believe that. Of course things are still tenuous cause the Inquisition has power and Ferelden is probably concerned they’ll be betrayed.

Arl Teagan: Redcliffe remembers its savior. Me: Which one?

Aww I can read Alistair’s letter in his voice wait what how dare you

"Someone, presumably His Majesty, has drawn a stick figure weighed down by an oversized crown at the bottom of the page."

I wonder if that letter is different with a warden romanced Alistair, since technically my canon is that @inner-muse’s Cousland and my Mahariel were wardens together and her Cousland becomes queen.

Oooh the landscape is so pretty.

And that makes Menel sad. Cause Halamshiral.

Fitting the journey ends here at the place named for journey’s end

DORIAN

PFFT CYRIL'S THE NEW DUKE OF CHATEAU HAINE PFFT

All references to Chateau Haine amuse me.

Ugh I really hate the reuniting Briala and Celene option. All the options stink but maybe I should have gone for the triumvirate instead. It was out of character to put a warmonger like Gaspard in power for Menel and I headcanoned that the romantically reuniting dialogue didn’t really happen and it was more like Menel and Briala cornered Celene politically but ugh. The commentary is disgusting even without what I know of The Masked Empire and is hard to listen to.

A fountain with Orlesian lions is such a great commemoration for a Dalish elf

Leliana's right next to a chessboard wow

That Leliana conversation was so good on so many levels. Bonus points for the hand focus

"You and I have come so far through the darkness together. It is time for us both to live in the light."

Thanks Leliana I didn't expect these feels

Now can you please please repeat this speech to Rhovan Mahariel

Pupppyy

I'm still angry we didn’t get a mabari. Menel respects the mabari's intelligence and finds it typical of Orlais to abandon one but doesn't understand my resentment

The line about how the mabari should know where they came from is so Dalish

I forgot the dog treats gave you a constitution bonus!!

My initial reaction to said bonus was tied between “Scary mabari magic” and “Honestly Menel will need it”

Dorian needs a hug

Aaaaah creepy purple smoke things even before the Eluvians that spooked me

Okay there are chessboards everywhere. Even more fitting considering who we’re seeing at the end of this DLC.

Spa day with Vivienne! Admittedly I headcanon Menel has full body vallaslin so seeing him in the swimsuit is weird. .

Hehe Sera in the background steals the show.

Glad to know Vivienne still ships Cassandra and Menel

Love how Leliana has her own guard, nice helmets too, oh they still have the same weird face belt thing as Sebastian

I had a weird feeling about that guy and he vanished right in front of me in creepy smoke like the last one

Saved talking to Cassandra for last. I know what Varric tells her in the case of other romances, but would he really lie about a proposal in this case?

Probably

Casssaaaandraaa she’s so adorable when startled and would probably kill me if I said so

Seriously Varric. Not surprised at all, but seriously.

The awkward silence was excellent.

I really like how this was handled. Cause this is not the right time, they’re busy with their respective duties, Menel is increasingly concerned about the state of his hand, and an Orlesian council isn’t really that romantic to either of them, and they both recognize it and accept that.

But her line about not even the Maker can keep her away coming from Cassandra

You know, Varric technically wasn’t wrong. Cause a quasi proposal did kind of happen in the sense of a conversation about are you okay with a proposal sometime in the future

Okay meeting time, which is clearly not going to be interrupted.

Really Teagan those comments about the wardens were unnecessary

The exile meant that there were very few wardens to combat the Blight, which by the way nearly destroyed your country about a decade ago as opposed Sophia Dryden messing things up hundreds of years ago.

I get we have a tenuous secret arrangement but slandering the wardens is not the way to cover it up.

I kind of just want the Hero of Ferelden to barge into the Council cause that would be hilarious.

Also Menel seriously in pain and struggling to cover it up during these tense talks and Josie's look of concern

Nice, this time they actually have guards blocking off the area rather than just no one noticing the obvious bloodstains in the Winter Palace

Eluvian!

*Rhovan Mahariel’s furious screeching in the distance*

*touches the glass and it makes a fun splooshing noise and pretty light effects* *touches again*

Rhovan “DON’T TOUCH THE GLASS TAMLEN” Mahariel is so done right now

The Crossroads is so much prettier as an elf all the colorsss

I don't have to fight the guardian spirits I am so happy. I could only parse some of the elvish but I feel like it’s cheating to look up an official translation if there is one?

We can't imagine why the Qunari think the Inquisition is in cahoots with Fen'Harel it can't possibly be because the Inquisitor talked to the spirit guardians activated by an agent of Fen'Harel and they attacked the Qunari but let the Inquisitor pass

Huh Vivienne is the first to suggest the Fen'Harel as the deceiver thing is propaganda, fitting considering she knows courts

Constant glowingggg Anchor yes

Sera: The Dalish. Are going. To shit themselves. Menel, a Dalish: ...

Cullen shut up Josie's job is important

I'm so sorry Josie. Our plan is falling apart and I'm not helping. You’re so talented but you should not be carrying this weight alone.

Where is the Tirashan where elves like Sentinels supposedly are

I forgot how much I love Cole’s cryptic lyrical statements. All the alliteration makes me happy.

“Your hand hurts. A heartbeat, not yours, hammering the beat of a song in its final verse. I’m sorry.”

“The spirits have fled, flying, fluttering, fast to the farthest Fade. They’re afraid of the Veil tearing again. ”

Also not concerning at all, nope.

Glad to see Sera still ships Menel and Cassandra, even if her humor is admittedly crude.

"Elf-loovians" pfft

Sera: Are you all right with it? The...Creators? Menel: I don't think I am, Sera. Sera: I...don't know words that fix things. But you have friends. We're real. Please remember that.

Excuse me as I cry

Aaaah Sera says the Jenny near Wycome says my clan is doing well aaaaah

Eluvian, part II!

I already know it’s the Deep Roads, so looks like I’m bringing Varric along!

I am really intrigued by this Dalish elf writing these notebooks, and also the fact that there was another misplaced Dalish in Kirkwall besides Merrill and Feynriel’s mother. Admittedly Merrill didn’t really engage much with the alienage community until much later.

I really do appreciate the Qunari ingenuity in finding people who know things and extracting information and then building upon it. The independence and unwillingness to cooperate with anything they don’t control not so much.

Yeah the Fen'Harel and Mythal in cahoots thing is unnerving to Menel. Also it’s been two years and the Well of Sorrows failed to mention anything about that until now? And elfy ruins underground feels so wrong.

[tavis-of-bannorn]

dragon age: inquisition relationship scale

the scaling goes from one to five, with a heart indicating potential romantic interest (or sexual partner) repost // don’t reblog!

blackwall ★☆☆☆☆

//He is indifferent towards blackwall really but they don’t really dislike one another. Blackwall finds Tavis to be ungentlemanly, slimy and doesn’t really trust him. The mysterious and misleading aspects of Tavis make Blackwall wary. Tavis knows Blackwall is lying about/hiding something but he doesn’t really touch on it... and he may poke fun at Blackwall far too often. He may think every opportunity to mess with him is fucking hilarious.XD

cassandra ★★★☆☆

// At first their relationship is full of a lot of scowls and smirks. Tavis likes to make really bad jokes just to get a reaction... or flirt just to get a reaction. Cassandra is really too easy to get reactions from for Tavis to resist teasing and being a total dork around. She doesn’t like this of course... she finds him to be skeezy, impulsive and untrustworthy, at first. Over time though... he starts showing his more serious sides and she realizes that Tavis isn’t all jokes and flirtation. He likes her well enough too. He actually comes to like Cassandra a lot the more they interact and god he finds her groans and scowls to be adorable. I think I can go as far to say they have a weird adversarial relationship similar to her and Varric? Eventually it becomes a bit cute and he gets to see what people like her are like... her faith and he grows from it.

cole ★★★★☆

//Tavis is one of the few people that really likes when Cole goes off on one of his mind reading things (unless it’s about his blood magic stuff which he promptly informs Cole to be careful with because he doesn’t want to be... y’know... murdered on the spot). He really really likes Cole and moreover Tavis is extremely curious about him. He has never really had the chance to just... chat with a spirit before so he seeks Cole out a lot. Cole tries to heal his hurts and he is like “NO NO NO like... just tell me about bunnies and kittens... it’s fine”. He spends most of his time asking Cole how he can help while picking Cole’s brain. He just wants to know EVERYTHING about this kid.

cullen ★☆☆☆☆ 

//Cullen is an ex-templar who still somewhat adheres to the order... Tavis doesn’t even try to get to know him... he avoids Cullen as much as he can. He likes his personality, he thinks Cullen is nice but he doesn’t risk his safety in getting to know him better. It is too dangerous... considering Tavis is y’know... a secret blood mage and also does super illegal stuff that the Templars would kill him for and destroy all his work if found out. So... nope... he isn’t going to try. Cullen can stay over there with his pretty face and Tavis will politely ignore him and flirt with him when they happen to play wicked grace.

dorian ★★★★☆ ♥

//Potential romance. In our main verse canon they have done it and gotten pretty close to... romance-ish? But... it isn’t really a romance like Dorian would have with the inquisitor. It is odd tbh... I wouldn’t call them fuck buddies they actually become pretty close emotionally and then it trails off. Tavis cares greatly for Dorian and Dorian him but it doesn’t end up going with the route that Dorian probably wants. Tavis can’t be that... Tavis is a blood mage and has a life of his own where he pretty much needs to hand his life over to to it and involve no romance (especially of a potential Tevinter magister). And... once he finds out about Dorians father and Dorians problem with blood magic... Tavis distances himself for Dorian’s sake alone. It is... actually really sad... it makes me sad because they get on so well. But Tavis doesn’t want to hurt him after that and Tavis just... does his whole... ‘they will forget about me’ thing. It makes me so sad GAHHHH He cares about Dorian a lot but it just... doesn’t work out in the successful romance spectrum. It is full of pain. Maybe with a muse it would work but... in our headcanon it is sad and doesn’t work. They go their separate ways and only converse on occasion as good friends. But there is always that... what came from the troubles of life and social constraints thing.

iron bull ★★★☆☆

//I don’t put him down as an LI because idk!!! Tbh... they have this kind of casual relationship. Tavis might eventually get kinky with Bull but it wouldn’t really go anywhere... it would just be fun because... that is how they are as friends. They don’t get that close emotionally. That being said!... They are really good friends! They get along so well! Tavis loves picking Bull’s brain for info about Qunari and getting his perspective because it’s so incredibly different from his own. He just wants to learn all of the things but Bull hits on him all of the time because he is well... because he is Tavis lets be honest... XD The change in perspective actually excites him and he wants to learn pretty much everything there is about Bull’s people and the Chargers and about Bull himself.On the field he just asks Bull loads of questions concerning Qunari and also flirting with him shamelessly. These two won’t ever stop flirting with each other... it is just how they interact. That doesn’t mean they’re fucking... this is just their banter rofl. Tavis + Bull banter ... Other companions = are you guys doing it... Tavis and Bull... no... but we should. Raise your horns!!! *high fives*

josephine ★★★☆☆

//Poor... poor Josie...Tavis kind of has her wrapped around his lil finger. At the same time he really likes her but haha he is so good at getting her to talk and so good at getting her to consider his requests. He really does take advantage of his charms with her sometimes and it is god damn shameless. Leli see’s this and threatens to beat the ever living shit out of him. (I don’t blame Leli.) But Josie isn’t an idiot... she see’s the genuine aspects within him. She is good at that and they work together a lot actually. They... actually become pretty close.

leliana ★★☆☆☆  

//Legit the ONLY person in the world that scares Tavis. Tbh... he would probably be one of her secret agents just from that aspect. He RESPECTS Leli... so much omg. He thinks her work is underestimated and constantly... (quietly) tells her how he respects her efforts. She still scares the shit out of him though. They could never be friends but business partners. Leli is the only one who knows about his work in the Inquisition btw. He has considered asking her to be one of her confidants as she is the only one (depending on verse) that really knows what his work entails. She still supports him. That was enough to gain his support in turn. But srsly.... She has said multiple times if Tavis leads Josie on she will literally chop his parts off and send them to his best friends. He applauded her for gusto and smirked of course. ... He still flirts with Josie because he can’t help himself. XD But he tries to tone it down because Leli scares the shit out of him.

sera ★★★★ ☆

// Hahahaha it’s hilarious later on. Sera ignites the childlike wonder in him and he gets to just be... an absolute dork with her at all times. It is refreshing and he can just be silly. She really thought some dumb elfy elf would be more elfy. But... Tavis is the least elfy of all the elves in the Inquisition. He doesn’t even shout random nonsense at her like Solas does. When Solas does spout random elven at her ... Tavis knows what it means and quips back giving her a high five. Then promptly plans pranks on Solas with her like lizard bedrolls and putting whipped cream on his head when he falls asleep at his desk.

solas ★★★★☆ 

//Alright so they have some differences at first. Tavis thinks Solas is a pompous asshole even though he himself eschews the traditional Dalish way of thinking it really irritates him how Solas speaks against the Dalish and most elves in general(from his perspective). Of course... this makes it really interesting. Because Solas assumes Tavis is Dalish and Tavis doesn’t deny it because he finds the assumption amusing. That is literally his reasoning. He simply doesn’t deny it and then later is like... no I’m not actually Dalish. Eventually... Tavis is like... yeah I don’t really follow Dalish practices and have do things to actually help my people not just the tattoo’d ones. Then it gets really awkward and Tavis is like jfc Solas... I also can understand pretty much all of the elven you speak... Tavis: "I lied... I can actually understand nearly every elvhen thing you say" Solas: "Truly? I doubt that." Tavis: "You are very sassy." Solas: <sighs> Tavis: <smirks> Like that time you told Sera to stick her lizards up her ass. Solas: <silent> Tavis: <is pleased with himself> Tbh their relationship is one of my favorites because Solas’ biases really get to him but at the same time they can have really interesting conversations. They both have inquisitive and philosophical minds.They love going on about philosophy, history and stories once they get past the personality difference.

varric ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

//Hahaha omg they have so much fun! THEY HAVE SO MUCH FUN! They play cards a lot actually. They hang out a lot. Tavis pretty much drools over his stories and Varric... (lets be honest) loves the attention. They quip, make silly jokes and really fuck with people whenever they can... especially Cassandra. Because how could Tavis pass up that opportunity. He is such an ass. Really these two just mess around and enjoy life together. Tavis and Varric are the nightlife in Skyhold. They gather people together and form the stories.

vivienne ★★★☆☆

//Hehehehe ahhhhhhhhh. They went shopping together once. Just for the winter palace. Vivienne really doesn’t like Tavis at first (no shit).... Is it that surprising rofl... he is wary of her but is willing to experience her weird world, learn and have fun fucking with her.  He loves their shared salt though... he cherishes it. She knows this ... So it is kind of a back and forth mean girls salt fest between them both.