#also it would mean that the whole hawke family would be in origins and inquisition ?? so much potential

[eliphasgraham]

Im seeing a lot of posts lately about our Wardens being the strongest of our characters and i agree, my Modi would destroy Hawke and Aesus by throwing his axe in their forehead before thinking about the consequences but i think we need to address how much some of them would SUCK in the other games...

maybe not everyone play the same way but my warden Brosca would be SO BAD as an inquisitor like WTF is the fade ?? Demons ??? Green vagina on my hand ??? And he would be awful at politics because he would just kill everyone..oh and he would probably try to kill Cassandra during the prologue and either get killed by the inquisition immediatly or later while running away because no way Brosca is trusting anyone with that shit on his hand and in the sky. And i feel all Brosca, Tabris, Mahariel and probably Amell/Surana would be the same ? Because the system fucked them over their whole lives and/or they have no understanding of the world outside their bubble/survival mode ??

My purple/red Hawke would probably manage to become inquisitor but he would also suck at it because he would not take anything seriously and use his influence to make his malewife Anders some kind of new sexy andraste and would just start a war with every Chantry related country for all the blasphemy he would do by using the Herald of andraste card..so, iconic, but Corypheus would probably win with all those political distractions tbh..

Also Hawke is the only one to not have that "war " type of skills ? Like the warden is good at fighting an army and so is the Inquisitor 

Hawke is amazing but against the Kirkwall thugs and one shot invasions maybe ? They are powerful but have 0 discipline to fight in a war imo 

same thing for Hawke as the Warden i think they would be bad at that war thing and they would make really impulsive choices and make a lot of people angry. And they would obviously fuck the whole crew. It could work tho i think they could save the world of the blight but everyone would be so pissed to have to call that clown a hero. Or they would just run away while Alistair is not looking and never come back.

I think maybe the Inquisitor could be not so bad in the Warden's role in theory because i could see each of them ( Adaar, Lavellan..) agreeing to follow Duncan, and they're both good at fighting a fucked up super evil army and doing difficult choices in the moment. I think depending on your Oc personnality it could be really funny to have your inquisitor in da:o but it's so specific i will let that to your imagination ( and i would love to know how your oc would do in this situation PLEASE TELL ME )

But the Inquisitor and the Warden in Kirkwall ?? Depending on your race and choices ?? Oh my god ?? My Adaar would just get fucked by everyone like he is good at being a mercenary but would be so bad in the streets 

and even if you're good at it can you imagine a qunari with his apostates/lyrium infused angry elf and all those criminal friends ?? During the Qunari invasion thing ?? He would just get killed by the people i think like a Salem witch

And for all the non human characters i feel that because everyone already hates you and there is no way you could become a noble you would probably just kill all the bad guys immediatly without having to be carefull politically or you would just never get involved because why would the vicount ask for your help if you're a qunari ?? So no way a non human inquisitor/warden could last 7 years in this city, it would be a lot more violent and faster

Also the warden would have blew up the Chantry themselves.

#i hope my english is not too bad lol i tried #this is really based on how i play maybe your story would be completly different and i am so curious to know what could happen #also it would mean that the whole hawke family would be in origins and inquisition ?? so much potential #carver and bethany both potentialy alive in camp with the origin crew #also a warden/inky without a family to protect in Kirkwall would be so funny and how tf does they end up in this city #i won't write fics about it but someone should #dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age 2 #dragon age inquisition #da2 #da:o #warden #inquisitor #hawke

[imakemywings]

Hi! I saw and liked your analysis of Ambessa & Mel and that you implied in your tags that you don't like bashing either about it - which gives me hope, because I wanted to ask what you think about Flemeth from the Dragon Age series? I think she has many parallels with Ambessa and enjoy her character as well... (I know there are many people with very strong - negative! - opinions about Flemeth because of Morrigan, hence the "gives me hope" part)

Hi Anon, I'm glad you liked it! Arcane has been on my mind again and I've always found Mel and Ambessa fascinating characters with a disappointing lack of analysis in the fandom at large. Unfortunately, there is a lot of hate for both characters, especially Mel, which I think is unwarranted--but that's another discussion.

Flemeth is a great question. I'm going to say I haven't given Morrigan and Flemeth's relationship nearly as much thought as I have Ambessa and Mel's, but I know there are fans out there who have. I'm going to put this in her tag to see if someone else is looking for the chance to give some analysis on Flemeth!

I will say I think Ambessa and Mel's relationship is actually more clear-cut than Morrigan and Flemeth. Dragon Age sort of goes back and forth on the details and the nature of their relationship. Origins seems to make a very clear, obvious case that whatever affection Flemeth might have for Morrigan, she did intend to eventually steal Morrigan's body for her own use. We're also given plenty of fodder for the notion that Flemeth was not a particularly maternal parent and believed that approaching Morrigan's upbringing with harsh realism would keep Morrigan safe later by teaching her not to be too trusting or naive. While Morrigan expresses agreement with this tactic--and strongly disapproves whenever she believes the Warden is coddling someone--she also suggests there were moments that Flemeth's lack of sympathy wounded her in ways that stick with her as an adult and at times seems not to understand her mother as a person.

However, in II, Flemeth appears again as a (chaotic) force of good for the Hawke family and has some kind words for Merrill on Sundermount. Here, she seems eminently reasonable and is a part of the Hawke mythology. Then in Inquisition, Flemeth will tell Morrigan when confronted that Morrigan was never in any danger, and that Flemeth would never have taken her body without permission.

I've seen some fans argue this was simply retconning of Flemeth as a straightforward villain, but putting the Doylist analysis aside, what does this mean within the realm of what we're given as canon? It means, for now, we're left choosing who we think is more believable: Morrigan or Flemeth. Most fans will be inclined to believe Morrigan, simply because we're given a lot more chance to understand and befriend or even romance Morrigan, which is apt to put us squarely in her camp and believe her original analysis of the danger presented by Flemeth was correct.

However, assuming for a moment that Morrigan perhaps overestimated or misunderstood the danger posed by Flemeth, what else can we believably see? If Flemeth does house the remnants or soul of the elven god Mythal (who, from what we're told, appears to be one of the more sympathetic of the Evanuris, the only one whom Solas speaks of with any regard), it would be easy to see why she might not understand Morrigan's fear or connect with Morrigan's feelings about anything. If we're talking about an ancient, immortal god soul, who has lived largely in isolation for at least a generation (Morrigan repeatedly notes how isolated her childhood was, that it was mostly just her and Flemeth the whole time), there's every reason to believe she is virtually incapable of understanding things from Morrigan's perspective--not out of malice, but because Morrigan's mortal life is simply too removed from Flemythal's experience in the world (Possibly comparable to how the citizens of Thedas did not even seem like people to Solas initially.)

It's also possible that whatever danger Flemeth did or does pose, Morrigan misunderstood it by virtue of being unaware that Flemeth houses Mythal's soul--it may indeed be the case that Flemeth is dangerous, but on a totally different scale/in a very different manner than Morrigan thought when she believed her mother was just a witch (Morrigan is shocked to learn about the Mythal connection).

I should probably also address Morrigan's own parenting. In an Inquisition game where Morrigan arrives with Kieran, we get a glimpse at what Morrigan believes is good parenting. While I would not go so far as to say Morrigan is an indulgent parent, she also appears to have softened a great deal from her Origins attitudes. Kieran clearly trusts her and Morrigan appears reasonably affectionate with him. She is extremely protective of him in the Fade. Are these things a sign that she's rejected Flemeth's parenting tactics as too harsh to use on her own child? Arguably. One of the things she says to Flemeth in Inquisition is a rather damning "I will not be the mother you were to me." This is a pretty harsh condemnation of her own upbringing.

But you could parse it with the same analysis used on Ambessa and Mel: How much of what Morrigan and Mel say is truth, and how much is their lashing out with hurt feelings because they misunderstood their mothers' motives? The difference with Morrigan and Flemeth, I would argue, is that Morrigan starts out agreeing with Flemeth--it isn't until later, after Flemeth's (perceived?) betrayal, after Morrigan becomes a parent herself, that she changes her view and decides Flemeth was too harsh with her. Mel appears to have always had friction with her mother stemming from their diametrically opposed philosophies until it culminated in her being sent away, a move she freely admits hurt her deeply, and continues to hurt her.

All of this makes Flemeth a difficult character to analyze, imo. Your analysis of her is likely to be strongly predicated on whether you find her more believable than Morrigan or not. Personally, I'm inclined to believe Morrigan was not totally wrong that Flemeth is dangerous. I would also venture to say Flemeth--at least as she appears in Origins--comes across more selfish than Ambessa, who at least nominally acts to protect her family (even if you believe her methods are misguided). Ambessa, at the crux of her confrontation with Mel in E9, recognizes that Mel was hurt by her actions and offers to bring her home (on a condition...) Flemeth, by contrast, seems more dismissive of Morrigan's fear and hurt. Even if Morrigan is totally wrong, clearly she believes and has believed for years that Flemeth intended her real harm--enough that she made an effort to convince the Warden her mother had to die to keep her safe--but Flemeth does not appear to have much sympathy for any of this (Which again--she may not really be capable of, being Flemythal. To her, these things may all feel so trivial that it escapes her how upsetting it's been for Morrigan.)

So what would Flemeth's motivations be for lying to Morrigan in Inquisition? I would guess three main options:

a) She wants to preserve some remnant of Morrigan's trust for later use (For what? Why? Just as a precaution--don't burn a bridge if you don't have to?)

b) She was actually telling the truth.

c) Whether or not she was telling the truth, she has some attachment to Morrigan's affection and therefore wanted Morrigan to believe the best about her (that she never meant to hurt Morrigan).

It could be a combination of factors. Given her last scene with Solas in Inquisition, I sincerely doubt we've seen the last of Flemeth in this series, and Dread Wolf might force the Dragon Age team to finally pick a lane on whether Flemeth is a villain or not (and to what degree).

Anyone else who has devoted time and thought to pondering Flemeth and her motivations--please feel free to share your thoughts!

#flemeth #anonymous #if you have existing Flemeth meta feel free to share a link to the post! #meta #mine

[vhenadahls]

headcanon whenever: dalish naming customs

I have lots of elven OCs, both city elves and Dalish elves, with names of varying degrees of "elfiness." When I first named most of my OCs, I had not given a lot of thought to their names beyond the given names they use every day. But as I have expanded my additions to BioWare's worldbuilding and added my own OC Dalish clans, I've decided I want to have a more standardized method of naming my characters beyond throwing darts at the wall and declaring "sure!". This headcanon is cobbled together from canon names, my own OC names, what we know of Dalish culture, and what I've added on top of it myself. While most of the elven words used here are from the games/the wiki, the ways I've parsed them out of longer sentences or words may not be how they were intended, and that's okay!

This also does not follow all thoughts given by BioWare writers outside of the games and other actual canon works (ie, this ignores Mary Kirby's tweets about Talas and Mahariel being additional Emerald Knights who helped found Clan Sabrae). While that's certainly one great way to conceive of Dalish names, I like the idea of more of the Dalish having more than just a given name, so I've decided to take this headcanon in a different direction.

Also, there are many other fans who have created naming customs for their own Dalish OCs and their own worldbuilding. That's great, and I love reading about those possibilities. These are simply my thoughts, informed by my own experiences!

Now, to the actual thoughts on Dalish naming customs!

Names are important to most Dalish clans to varying degrees, denoting belonging within the clan and with the larger Dalish and Elvhen world. While many humans and city elves will not have the opportunity to learn the entirety of any Dalish elf's name, most Dalish are proud to carry their names and use them in everyday conversation with other Dalish.

Commonly, Dalish names come in three parts: a given name, a parental name, and a clan name. The word for name is amelin, extrapolated from a conversation between Solas and Abelas, and different parts of the name have more specific words.

Given Name - Las'amelin

While different clans choose given names in different ways, a personal given name is a constant between clans. Known as the las'amelin (literally gift-name) and usually chosen by the parents or grandparents of a child and sometimes by the Keeper or Hahren of a clan, the given name is the primary way to identify an individual. Revealed on the ninth day of a child's life, after one day has been lived to honor each of the Creators, the las'amelin is often used to evoke a value the parents hope a child embodies or the hopes the parents have for their child.

My OC Emmalien's name is derived from the word emma, meaning within (especially within the heart), and a variation of len, child. Having a child was difficult for Emmalien's parents, who very much wanted her, and her name reflects how important her birth was to her parents.

Many clans have rules about what names can be used as given names. For some clans, naming after people who are still living is forbidden, relating to worries that such a practice may shorten the original bearer's life. In other clans, naming after living relatives is common as a method of honoring certain family members or hoping for a closer connection between people. Other clans have lists of names that are commonly used for children of the clan, others tend to name their children after known historical names, and still others have other traditions. Even within clans there are many variations on the traditions, and some parents will choose a different method of naming their children.

My Dalish Warden, Eirwen, has the same las'amelin as their father. It is common in Clan Sabrae to name children after relatives who have recently passed away to honor their memory, and Eirwen carrying their father's name was their mother's choice when they were born.

One of Clan Lavellan's hunters, Ranae, is named after the Emerald Knight Lindiranae, both to honor an elven protector and to profess a hope for Ranae's future.

Parental Name - Vallas'amelin

A common method of denoting direct lineage is the use of a patronymic (father's name) or matronymic (mother's name), known as the vallas'amelin (lit. blood-name). The continuation of the Dalish people is extremely important to most clans, and establishing whose you are is an important step in establishing who you are. While the use of at least one of these parental names is common, different clans have different methods of determining which parent's name is used, whether additional names such as grandparents' names are included, and how the relationship is denoted.

Some clans use the suffix "-iel" on the respective parent's name, which is a corruption of the word len (child/child of). This leads to parental names such as Mahariel (child of Mahar) and Istimaethoriel (child of Istimaethor). This suffix may appear in given names as well, such as Variel, either because a vallas'amelin became used as a las'amelin or because of a quirk of spelling (such as the English name Jason). Other clans simply use the parent's given name, listing it after the child's given name. Such is the case for Marethari Talas, whose mother's las'amelin was Talas.

Different clans also have different methods of determining which parent's name is passed on to a child. In some clans, all parental names are matronymics; in others they are all patronymics. Others use the name of the same-gender or cross-gender parent, and still others use both. Some also will generally use patronymics but use matronymics in situations where the child's father dies before the child's birth. When couples of the same gender have or adopt children or polyamorous families have children, the possibilities become even more complicated. Oftentimes in these cases the name of the parent who gave birth is used, even if this does not follow the standard pattern of the clan. In the case of adoption, the parents may choose of their own volition whose name to use.

My OC Ishren's name is Ishren Ghilaniel, indicating that her father's name is Ghilan, as her clan (Lavellan) traditionally uses the father's name for a child's vallas'amelin.

Every so often, multiple naming styles will appear within the same clan for other reasons as well. This can occur when someone from a different clan marries into the clan, and their children may carry the naming tradition of their parent's origin clan rather than their own origin clan. This is done to indicate that while customs may differ, all Dalish are Dalish and are welcome within each clan. This is why Mahariel and Marethari have different styles of vallas'amelin despite being from the same clan - while both clans use matronymics, Clan Sabrae simply uses the mother's given name (ie, Talas), while the clan Mahariel's mother was originally from used the -iel suffix.

Using a person's vallas'amelin to refer to them, rather than their own personal name, is a mark of respect and high esteem. This is most notable with how even other members of Clan Sabrae begin to refer to the Dalish Hero of Ferelden as Mahariel, rather than using their las'amelin. Keepers and Hahrens of clans are sometimes also given this respect, especially when referred to by those from outside their own clan. It is a mark of saying "while you are not my Keeper, you are a Keeper, and that is worthy of respect." Similarly, Keeper Deshanna of Clan Lavellan signs letters to the human Inquisition with her vallas'amelin, Istimaethoriel, rather than her las'amelin, as a mark both of requiring respect and of distancing herself from human politics.

The vallas'amelin is also used to distinguish between members of a clan who have the same given name. There may be many named Neria or Tamlen in a clan, and the lineage of the vallas'amelin helps differentiate.

While my OC Viranni Lavellan is Second to the Keeper, and as such would likely be the assumed Viranni if no other identifiers were given, she can also distinguish herself from others with the same las'amelin by identifying herself as Viranni Ghilaniel. She and Ishren, mentioned above, are sisters, so they share the same vallas'amelin.

When city elves, who do not have a vallas'amelin in the same sense as those born Dalish, join a clan, they are given a spiritual vallas'amelin when they formally become part of the clan. Oftentimes this references the Keeper of the clan when they join, as the Keeper is the one who teaches the newcomer about Dalish life and determines when they are ready to be considered an adult in Dalish eyes and receive vallaslin.

My elven Hawke, Mihrisel, joins Clan Briathos after the Inquisition. Once she is accepted into the clan, she is given the vallas'amelin Roshaniel, after Clan Briathos's Keeper.

Clan Name - Vhen'amelin

Clan names are not the same as shemlen surnames, but many Dalish elves who travel among humans will use them that way to reduce confusion and avoid humans prying into their business. Called the vhen'amelin (lit. belonging-name or people-name), this name is carried by all members of a clan regardless of bloodline. Many clan names have been passed down since the fall of the Dales from clan founders, who were often nobility or otherwise held in high esteem.

While many people will have the same vhen'amelin their whole life, many others will have more than one. People who marry into other clans, are adopted or traded between clans, or change clans for another reason will usually adopt the vhen'amelin of their new clan.

My OC Elaniel Lavellan was not born of Clan Lavellan, but of Clan Arathorn. Once they were traded as a child when Lavellan needed new mages, they began to use the vhen'amelin Lavellan rather than Arathorn.

Those who leave their clan under fraught circumstances, such as Merrill or Arianni, may not continue to use their clan name because of the heavy association of its use with the idea of belonging. Others may, to mark themselves as Dalish among humans and city elves or simply out of habit. Still others who left a clan for less fraught reasons may also differ greatly in whether they use their clan name among non-Dalish people.

Nataliya Lavellan, my city elf Inquisitor, was never fully part of Clan Lavellan and returned to the city of Rialto before receiving vallaslin. However, she uses the clan name Lavellan as a replacement for a shem surname in human and city elf spaces because she did not previously have one.

Clan names are a source of great pride for most Dalish elves, as they are a direct link to revered elves of the past and to kin of today.

Clan Records - Vhen'lin

While names are of course important for daily life, names also hold a secondary purpose in Dalish culture - that of preserving the clan and wider Dalish culture. Most clans keep extensive written records, meticulously curated by the Keeper and their Second, who serves mainly as an archivist for the clan rather than as a potential successor to the Keeper. Called vhen'lin (lit. people-writing), the clan records are an integral part of a clan’s story and history.

Even in clans that do not include grandparents' names in the everyday vallas'amelin used for identifying oneself, each member of the clan is recorded with their las'amelin and vallas'amelin for three generations (parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent). This ensures easy tracking of family lines, which reduces the possibility of accidentally marrying family members and ensures continuity of Dalish culture.

My OC Emmalien has two children, Aihris and Astith. They are of Clan Briathos, which uses the same-gender parent's name and the -iel suffix for vallas'amelin. The children are therefore listed in the clan records as Aihris Emmalieniel Lioriel Rasheliel Briathos and Astith Arathasiel Ithrieniel Calamariel Briathos.

When members who were not born into the clan join for whatever reason, they are also added to the clan's records. Their las'amelin and all vallas'amelin are recorded, and their previous vhen'amelin is prefixed with inan (was) and their new clan name prefixed with sahlin (now). City elves are recorded as inan'banal (lit. was nothing) and their new clan name is recorded with sahlin as well.

Elaniel Lavellan, the OC traded to Clan Lavellan as a child, is written in Clan Lavellan's records as Elaniel Amaris Sorin Illana inan'Arathorn sahlin'Lavellan, because their birth clan Arathorn does not use the -iel suffix for the vallas'amelin, and they have left Arathorn and become part of Lavellan.

Mihrisel Hawke, the city elf Champion who joined Clan Briathos, is recorded as Mihrisel Roshaniel inan'banal sahlin'Briathos, because she takes her vallas'amelin from Keeper Roshan, was not originally Dalish, and has joined Clan Briathos.

Reciting lineage, especially of notable people such as Keepers, is also an important part of Dalish oral tradition. Keeper lineages may be recited back farther than three generations, and individual families may be able to recite their own genealogies as well.

Many physical clan records are fragmented, especially older ones, and some have been lost due to clashes with humans over the years. Most clans are extremely protective of their records, sometimes allowing only the Keeper and Second access to them most of the time. The oral tradition is a way to ensure that the records are kept in some form even if the physical copy is lost, and even if not everyone is able to access those physical copies at all times.

Dalish names are like a map - used to orient a person in how they relate to their family, their clan, and themself, and how that interrelates with everyone else.

#dragon age #dalish #dalish elves #headcanons #headcanon wednesday #headcanon whenever #thanks for reading!

[sewerpigeonart]

literally no one asked but that’s never stopped me before; my inhibitions are low bc i’ve been awake since 4am and idk if any of this is even going to make sense when anyone reads it but i want to talk about my 𝑓 𝑒𝑒 𝑙 𝑖 𝑛 𝑔 𝑠

having to choose between hawke and alistair in the fade is literally like the most stressful video game decision i have had to make—and actually, considering i’ve done alternate playthroughs where i choose each of them, i still technically haven’t “chosen” because it’s. so. hard.

if Loghain or Stroud are the warden, they’re obviously the expendable option because loghain has no rights and stroud simply isn’t a character the player was given the opportunity to emotionally invest in.  unless you make a specific party decision in da2, you never even meet him. but when it’s between alistair and hawke, now the emotional stakes are astronomical, because not only is it hard for me to pick on an emotional level, even when thinking in terms of narrative for each of these characters it’s hard to decide which is the better option.

we’re invested in both these characters; we traveled with alistair through origins and either romanced him or became his best friend through our wardens, our wardens with whom i think most players have also developed an emotional attachment to because they’re our own characters.  and hawke was our character in da2, and you could sort of “mold” him into one of three general personalities, he’s still a pretty strong character on his own, regardless of if he’s snarky or angry or benevolent.  and sort of opposite the case with alistair, we know that hawke’s friends are attached to him.

so now it’s down to the wire and you gotta pick one. there’s no other way out. it sucks. and i think on one hand i can actually appreciate that because it means the games did a good job of making me care about not only both of these characters themselves, but their impact on the characters around him.  when i think of sacrificing hawke, my mind at once goes to varric, the living hawke sibling, and the love interest.  with alistair, my mind goes to my warden, who in terms of the game itself isn’t a strongly defined character because like most custom protagonists a lot of the emotional investment comes from our own imaginations and projections. but in that regard it’s like the relationship to alistair is more personal to the player themselves, in my opinion.  when choosing who to sacrifice, i think about who is going to hurt.  i literally burst into tears when i played the hawke route and varric comes up to you in adamant and says, “where’s hawke?” like i fuckin lost it man lmao, and when you talk to him later and he tells you the story and they play hawke’s theme sadly in the background?????? im like im going to pass away now but ANYWAY

so not only do i think about the emotional consequences on hawke and alistair’s companions (and myself), i struggle to choose which option is better narratively. because i feel that both of them have a very strong reason to stay behind. for hawke it’s obvious: with corypheus, it’s personal—way more personal than it even is with the inquisitor who is meant to defeat him. it’s literally in hawke’s bloodline. not only did his father cage the magister, but hawke is assuming the responsibility of “releasing” corypheus upon the world. of course he would give up everything remain in the fade and deal this huge blow to corypheus. it’s more than playing hero, it’s about vengeance for him, and you could even say it’s about protecting his family, if his sibling is a warden and if you romanced anders, protecting him too.

alternatively with alistair: all through origins alistair is characterized as believing himself expendable. “i wish i had died instead of duncan, i’ll kill the archdemon so you don’t have to,” etc. and yes he is young and insecure in origins, and it’s clear when we see him again in inquisition or even the cameo in da2, we can see him more confident, more assured, capable of making his own decisions. but—and i acknowledge this is largely headcanon, but this whole post is explaining why it’s hard for me to choose—i think especially with the romanced hero of fereldan still alive, in that pivotal moment in the fade i would assume alistair would be thinking of her, sorry to leave her and knowing she’ll be hurt but confident she could be the capable hands the wardens would need to recover, even if she is sort of in the shadows by that time, i project that the HoF would assume a sense of duty in helping them recover, even from the background somehow if she insists on kind of staying in “hiding.”

i think characterwise, alistair is always going to have some degree of innate self-sacrifice, that when it comes down to it, he’ll be the one to take the blow. so it would make sense that in the fade, he’d say “no, hawke, you go,” maybe no longer from a place of lower self-esteem like in origins, but i think in his mind, especially since he’s literally been a fugitive from the wardens, he makes the decision in a fairly rational state of mind. he acknowledges the wardens have messed up, and maybe this sacrifice can even be the start to redeeming their honor because he cares such a great deal about them. even hawke changes his tone in the final moments, saying yeah the wardens fucked up but they’re not beyond saving. so even then i think alistair would take comfort in knowing whether it be hawke or the HoF or the Inquisitor or whoever, the wardens will be left in good hands.

i know a lot of the alistair stuff is more headcanon than anything, but going off my own world history with the games and my own role play ideas and stuff, these are the associations in my head and how i interpret the cost of his sacrifice alongside hawke’s.  and i’ve even tried jotting some fic ideas exploring so many different post-fade concepts depending on which was left behind to see if i could construct some mental narrative to help me “commit” to sacrificing one of them, and in honesty, i think in the end i would go with hawke, because even though it’s more of an immediately impactful death (VARRIC IM SO FUCKGIN SORRY), it is personal, and i think that motivation is beyond alistair’s more “honorable” motivation. i think alistair could be convinced to help the wardens before hawke could be convinced to step back and let someone else take care of corypheus “for him,” for lack of a better term.

HOWEVER. it may be wishful thinking in order to cope, but i would be willing to bet that in da4, we find out whoever was left in the fade is not dead after all, because if it is hawke you leave behind, or even with alistair, these are both two protagonists that would have rather unceremonious deaths. narratively, that’s kind of lame writing if we were to forgo the closure of their actual deaths. even in the choice tree it says the person will “most likely” die; in the cut scene as the inquisitor and the non-sacrificed character run toward the rift, you see in the background the other character fight the monster and hit the ground under an attack, but we don’t see an explicit “death.”  they are then, understandably, assumed dead.  but there’s no actual confirmation. and i don’t know the writing team personally, who am i to say they’re indisputably above this, but i would like to have enough faith in them to expect they would not commit to such an unsatisfying ending for that character’s story. even with a more “expendable” character like stroud, i think there’s too many questions left behind. 

the introduction of walking physically in the fade and surviving is a huge revelation in-game. it’s reiterated that that literally hasn’t happened since the first magisters entered the black city.  that’s ENORMOUS. and if they’re only going to explore that twice—or more like one and a half times because we get the vague opening cut scene of escaping the fade, then the adamant sequence—it again feels very inconsistent and sloppy. dorian even says that essentially once people realize it is possible to survive the fade physically, they are going to try it, however unwise and irresponsible.  i think the da4 teasers alone (i haven’t followed da4 updates very closely tbh bc i haven’t been able to play trespasser yet bc i only have a ps3 and i’m trying so hard not to get too spoiled beyond the main inquisition ending asjkfd) imply our experiences with the “real” fade are so far from over.  and thus, i feel “comfortable” leaving hawke in the fade because i would like to believe he’s going to come back. i mean, he’s hawke right? and if hawke’s character can come back, that would then further suggest if you left the warden in the fade, they would have to come back too for whatever the da4 narrative might be.

ok sorry this is rly long and disorganized im bad at communicating ideas effectively but i have been thinking about this lately way more than i care to admit lmao

#dragon age #dai #alistair theirin #dragon age 2 #da:i #inquisition #dragon age inquisition #da2 #bioware #da4 #dragon age hawke #grey wardens #warden alistair #dragon age alistair #alistair dragon age

[lunchador]

so when do we get the long post about your feelings about dragon age inquisition!!! i dunno if u wanna wait until dlc or not! i am i n t e r e s t e d (also its ok if u dont feel up to it im just!!!! again, interested in ur opinions/feelings)

kajsldkjf PLEASE I HAVE SO MANY DA FEELINGS ALL THE TIME and Inquisition was twice as long as the others so might as well do a word vomit now and I can always do another after the dlc (which several people have assured me are worth playing )

SO

Yeah so inquisition is long. I dislike open world games so a lot of the (super repetitive!!) side quests did grate on my nerves and that docks this game a few points but over all the LORE IS SO GOOD, and it tying in so many choices in from 1+2 is the greatest butterfly effect I ever experienced in video games. I thought telltale + Until dawn were fun for that but good LORD bioware has showed up all of those games and I am really stoked to try mass effect when its out later and play more bw games. I only played Anthem before this and that game seemed...idk, gutted against BW’s wishes.

ANYWAY

Yeah, I managed to go into the whole DA series knowing very, very little, despite how many artists I followed did fanart for it. Once I started playing, I added all the words I could think of to my blacklist but a lot of untagged stuff came through (fair, series is 10+ years old and inq is like what 4-5?). I allowed my friends to pressure me into playing an elf mage for the lore and to romance solas cuz they said he was as important to the story as alistair was. A lot of online followers said I should play how I wanted, which I def would recommend to anyone else, but honestly I can see where they came from and while he never would have been my first choice, I think he actually paired REALLY well with my Inq and how I was playing her. I put her as sensitive but trying to put her responsibility above herself, she was definitely the least funny of my 3 characters, but not incredibly serious. A bit reserved? Just more mature. She’s got faith but she didn’t think she was the chosen one but she’ll do her role the best of her ability. She makes hard decisions and then sobs her chest empty over them because how is one to ever feel like its the right one? I really like how the game lets you choose how you wanna approach the responsibility. Like i said, I wasn’t a reluctant chosen one, but she will do what she can. Versus my friend playing at the same time as me said he played as the second coming of jesus essentially lmfao Having so many characters come back for different roles was so GOOD!!! Like everyone told me Varric was in this one but were like ‘teehee you still cant romance him though’ but you how you play drastically changes your relationships with each person. Tons of characters I met I knew would be personal favorites but I ended up interacting way less because others were more fitting to my inquisitor. So i.e while I love Varric and would’ve smooched him a heartbeat with Hawke, I didn’t get that vibe with Clover. They were really good friends, he was a grounded friend with a sense of humor that was a good escape from everyone else and the ~inquisition~. At least, until the Beyond the Abyss quest. That obviously heavily fractured their friendship and hurt them both :( And i felt that for a long time, until the end. He looked tired. Poor guy is gonna be borderline dead in 4 at this point. But so many side characters you talk to coming back like Dagna and Samson??? Speaking of that quest, I got Stroud because, yeah...Alistair was dead for me and APPARENTLY IT COULD ALSO BE LOGHAIN??? If he stays a grey warden??  wish I did that so def would’ve preferred to save Hawke even if I think the wardens are more important as a concept but like.......i wanted to behead him, so....But yes even tiny details like..Varric wrote home to kirkwall to Carver for me because the rest of my family was dead and I never completed a full romance in 2 lkajslkdjf but the fact that changes based on your play through. BUT YEAH THE way this game weaves all your decisions in and how yeah, overall the story is the same but it makes it so personal to YOU and so different from everyone else ;w;

But I could see my Inq genuinely falling for Solas, and I see her best friends as Cassandra and Blackwall/Thom. Really close to Leliana and the Iron Bull as well. I just loved all their interactions. All the characters were so cool to get to know?? Like I thought I would’ve hated Cullen (hes a dick in O) and tbh I just got into the series as the VA was being a complete shit. But I liked him a lot!! I love the work buddies vibes between the Inq and the advisors. I thought I was going to love Sera!! And like, I did, but she hated my Inquisitor and their personalities clashed a lot. Shes the only one i didn’t get a cut scene for in the end :’) I loved coming back from story quests and having to take like 20 minutes to go around skyhold and make sure I talked to /everyone/ for their new dialogue. You genuinely feel connected to all these wonderful npcs ljkasljdf

I wanted to make Cassandra the new divine but I made leliana on accident and kinda dug it so I stuck with it. VARRIC IS THE NEW VISCOUNT??? h i l a r i o u s.

One of the things I loved the most in this game in particular, and while this is something in all of them it just really struck me in this one, was....everyone gave up so so much to devote themselves to the cause, y’know?? Like, it’s almost heartbreaking how much everyone loses and they’re still looking towards you with their belief and willingness to follow you to the end ;-;

The final fight almost felt, Idk, underwhelming? Dude dragons are way tougher than him asdkjhfkhjd. I even went up a difficulty in this game after feeling like I got the hang of the series. But at the same time, we just spend how many hours knocking down each and one of his advantages so fuck him lol.

But yeah there are so many things I wanted to do but I felt so worn out by mindless sidequests and story being level locked in comparison to the previous games. askdjhflkd

One of the things that blows my mind is so so many people were stoked i was playing DA and they couldn’t wait til I got to Inq, and so I find out most people I know only ever played Inquisition? TBH if I didn’t play O+2 I think I would’ve dropped inquisition and never finished it *shrug* all of the build up just means SO MUCH!!! Everyones argument seems to be the older games are ugly and yeah O has rough battle system but its easy to get over imo. Like, you need the chaos of 2 to get the real weight of the mage/templar stuff?? Theres so many characters and story and dialogue that go over your head without Origins?? Like yes inq can stand alone pretty well but, idk, I’m in love with this entire series and the world building and THE!! WAY!!! IT!!! ALL!!! CONNECTS!!!!!!!!!!!

I love how a quest can go differently by whos in your party, I love you can have more dialogue based on lore you’ve managed to pick up around, I love HOW COMPANIONS BICKERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! The lore of these games are so good. It’s like playing an epic line of novels. It’s so immersive and I don’t think I’ve played too many games to this level.

I didn’t like the skill trees to being a mage in this one, Idk why. It wasn’t nearly as fun for me as 2, but then  again I really fucking liked being a force mage haha. I wanted to be a rogue to complete a diff class per game but everyone said mage brings a lot more interesting story/lore stuff so

but yeah I love having the full context now and seeing other peoples Wardens/Hawkes/Inquisitors and asking people how they played and how their options differed from mine and THERES JUST SO MANY POSSIBLE DECISION TREES!!!!! No wonder the fans play over and over.

but yeah ultimately so much fucking happened?? I’m probably missing a lot of key points.

[inkprintedfox]

OC Study

Tagged by @advena87 to fill out -THIS- OC question prompt.

I tag @starsandskies @1orweth @kanawolf

This is time consuming so I can understand if you guys don't want to do it, so no pressure. I spent roughly a week and a half, almost two weeks on this? No regrets, mostly took so long for me because I work full time and I tend to space out a lot and ramble. Lol

It is quite a bit of fun and a good exercise to help develop your characters so I do recommend It! Don't recommend doing more than three OCs at a time though, three was hard for me and usually I'm an over-achiever. Go easy and dont burn yourself out! Also would be a good exercise if you're writing with a canon character and want to get a handle on working with them.

I wanted to answer this in character originally but it would have been twice as long and probably taken me a month or more. 😅 Perhaps I'll do something like that one day....

Dragon Age OCs per usual for me.

Warden-Commander and Hero of Fereldan (DAO & DAOA)

Growing up in the Denerim Alienage has made Feiell a very bitter, angry, and agressive person. Biting and scrabbling to survive she also had to fight to keep her family and neighbors safe from the rich humans that liked to exploit the destitute elves. She gained a reputation as a protector but also a very hard woman.

She redibly accepted her conscription into the Grey Wardens, not only to escape the persecution of the law, but also to escape the narrow world of the Alianage. Collecting the people that would later be affectionately called "The Blight Brigade" exposed her to many new adventures as well as lifelong friendships, love, and personal growth that could not have happened otherwise.

The Champion of Kirkwall (DA2)

Laid-back, vain, and honestly somewhat lazy, Aiden has never wanted to be anyone's savior let alone a whole city's. Family has been the only thing that mattered in his life and after his father's death, he naturally took on the role of protector and main provider for his mother and siblings. This also made it very natural to take in the stray band of misfits that became almost like family and also why it is so natural for Aiden to constantly help people, even at times he would rather not.

His bleeding heart drags Aiden into the center of conflict far more often than he likes and he constantly berates himself for it. This automatic altruism has jaded him which fuels his sarcastic and sometimes bitter, self-deprecating humor. A tad over dramatic at times means that while he rarely, it ever, says no to aiding someone in need, it certainly doesn't mean he has to be quiet about it either.

The Inqusitor (DAI)

Max has been fortunate for most of his life, from growing up in the wealthy Trevelyan family, to his good looks and, quiet frankly, fantastic smile it's easy to assume he'd be another spoiled rich brat. You'd be giving in to a stereotype that doesn't, quiet, fit him though. From a young age Max has always been outgoing and adventurous which made him a handful to raise. His father frequently grappled with finding things to keep his youngest son occupied in ways that he hadn't had to do with his previous three children.

Born with a naturally sharp mind and quick wit, Max picks up new concepts quickly and with ease. Which means he often grew board with tutors, burned through the family library in a handful of years, quickly became very competent on horseback as well as the breeding and rearing of them (part of the family business), and often terrorized his siblings as well as the hired staff. Once he exhausted most of the interesting things at home he started running off to search for new adventures. Boredom and frequent arguments with his father often lead to habitual bouts of running away from home. Hence where Max got to truly learn about the world and open his eyes to the kind of privilege he's been so lucky to be born with. Unfortunately this also has ingrained his habit of running away from problems he doesn't see a forward solution to. (*cough*theinqusiton*cough*)

OC Study

Featuring:

Warden-Commander Feiell “Fe" Tabris

Champion of Kirkwall Aiden Hawke

Inquisitor Maxwell “Max" Trevelyan

1. Is your OC easily bothered by things?

Feiell – Small things don’t really bother her but she is a tad hot-headed so if you give her a hard time you might not be in for the best experience. She also has zero tolerance for idiots or assholes.

Aiden – He’s a petty bitch that mostly whines and complains to annoy his friends. Also whining about petty things is a good cover for the bigger worries and anxieties he hides underneath.

Max – Mostly an easygoing, carefree type. It takes the numerous responsibilities of the Inquisition weighing down on him all at once before he starts cracking.

2. How easily does your OC make friends?

Feiell – Most defiantly not a people person. Her natural stoic demure and biting sarcasm keeps people at bay. You have to spend quite a bit of time around her before she warms up to you.

Aiden – For reasons he doesn’t really understand people like Aiden. It’s probably his easy smile and sense of humor which he uses to get what he wants or needs out of them. Not really manipulative just doesn’t feel like he deserves the attention. The humor mostly hides his pain and keeps people at arms length, mostly unintentionally. He hates to burden those he loves.

Max – Max loves people, mostly entertaining, or teasing them. His signature charming smile and good looks usually put people at ease which makes him very likable. It also lets him get away with the mischief he often gets into.

3. Does your OC go beyond what they have to do or do they usually do just enough work to get by?

Feiell – Has almost literally killed herself to get where she is. Her work ethic is legendary and she’ll do almost anything to support her family and friends.

Aiden – Will do the barest minimum to get by. Her lazy as hell, even though he is incapable of saying no when someone needs help.

Max – Believes in doing things right the first time and if not the first time then defiantly the second time. Whatever the job needs to get done he willing to do and if it’s a favorite project he can lose himself in it indefinitely.

4. Is your OC respectful of others?

Feiell – She will be as respectful to you as you are to her, but will out match you if you’re a dick to her or her friends.

Aiden – Respectful enough to not cause trouble and get people to leave him alone.

Max – Perfect manners, and ridiculously charming. He believes everyone deserves respect unless they prove otherwise.

5. Is your OC imaginative or more down-to-earth?

Feiell – Defiantly no-nonsense and down-to-earth. She believes in hard work to active your goals.

Aiden – More of a day-dreamer but pulls a practical side together to care for and help family and friends. Dreams are nice but plans put food on the table.

Max – Total idealist, truly believes even the most impossible is attainable if you work at it long enough. Most of that idealistic optimism is broken after Trespasser, but that’s a long story.

6. Is your OC comfortable with themselves?

Feiell – She’s always been comfortable with who she is and has never felt any shame for it. She owes that to her parents and cousin.

Aiden – Feels like a constant failure and a burden despite how hard he tries not to. Doesn’t feel comfortable with opening up about his feelings and weighing others down with them. Is also terrible with expressing more painful emotions.

Max – Is mostly comfortable with himself. Always felt like a disappointment to his family because he never had the kind of goals for his life he thought they would want from him. Also never really saw himself as reliable but the Inquisition changed all that.

7. Does your OC plan things and stick to it or do they make it up as their go?

Feiell – Always has a plan and is a master of adjusting things on the fly if needed. Prefers to stick to the plan but has accepted how rarely that can happen.

Aiden – He’s been winging his whole life and it somehow hasn’t killed him yet.

Max – Usually has more of an outline than a hard plan. Trial & error are his best friends and somehow he’s still alive, that’s probably because he uses educated guesses more that throwing things to the wind.

8. Was their life eventful before the start of the story, or was it more dull?

Feiell – Depends if living in poverty and oppression is dull to you. I guess since it was normal for her it was boring.

Aiden – The stress of hiding a mage father and sister was more than Aiden ever wanted. He would have preferred boring.

Max – While the constant mischief Max got himself into means things were never dull they certainly seem boring when compared to life in the Inquisition. Josephine certainly had her hands full going through all of Max’s past exploits.

9. Do they have the habit to insult other people?

Feiell – Is a salty, little bitch so defiantly yes. She has a sharp tongue.

Aiden – Bit of a smart-ass and occasionally he can’t help it so it gets him in trouble.

Max – Mostly no, it takes quite a bit to get on his nerves enough to make him snap at you. Usually very polite.

10. Would your OC be described as “the life of the party”?

Feiell – She can be described as the death of the party.

Aiden – Likes to think he is.

Max – Is the actual life of the party if he wants to be. Usually he is.

11. Are they critical of others?

Feiell – To a degree, yes

Aiden - Mostly critical of himself

Max – Not really, he’s pretty non-judgmental

12. Do they like art? what is their favorite type (paintings, songs, fashion, etc)?

Feiell – The art of war perhaps, but music is good too.

Aiden – He considers Fenris a work of art if that counts.

Max – Paintings, music, nature, pretty clothes (mostly on Dorian), Max loves it all. He was especially fond of watching Solar paint his murals.

13. Are they more accepting or more controlling of the people in their life?

Feiell – As long as you’re not bothering her and no one gets hurt she doesn’t really care what people do.

Aiden – He has no control over his own life let alone any one else.

Max – Very accepting of people but not above a subtle nudge to do things he feels might benefit them.

14. Is your OC a good listener?

Feiell – She listens more than she talks, so yes.

Aiden – The one who’s always there to listen when you need him.

Max - Yes, he also has a great memory so he's very good at keeping track of all the drama in life. Lol

15. Are they opinionated or more willing to change their minds?

Feiell – Pretty opinionated but not impossible to change her mind, not that it is easy to do so mind you.

Aiden – Too changeable at times and mostly keeps his opinions to himself.

Max – A few solid moral opinions that he won’t move on but open-minded on nearly everything else.

16. Are they the kind of person who’s always on the defensive?

Feiell – Much less than she use to be but definitely yes.

Aiden – Only when he feels blamed for everything, which he is often.

Max – No, he dose his best to own up to his mistakes and rarely takes things personally.

17. Do people like hanging around them? do they have a positive, friendly energy?

Feiell – I will file this under HELL NO. She scares the crap out of most people if she doesn’t piss them off. It can take quite awhile for friends to warm up to her, if at all.

Aiden – People love Aiden, but the older he gets the less Aiden likes people. They demand too much from him but he’ll never be able to say no, or miss a chance at a passive-aggressive joke. Or a regular bad joke for that matter.

Max – People love Max almost from the moment they meet him. There is just something about him that puts everyone at ease and makes it easier to trust and smile. Must be the charming smile, yeah, has to be. He’s not bad looking either.

18. Is your OC a procrastinator? if they are, what’s an example of how much?

Feiell – People die if she puts things off, so no. Some days she wishes she could put many things off though. Like dying anytime soon, there’s too much to accomplish.

Aiden – What is productivity? If nobody is dying or it’s not dragging him, kicking and screaming, by the hair then its probably not getting done. At least no time soon. Guilt trip him hard to speed things up.

Max – Important things get done but if it’s not a pressing issue then it often can be temporarily abandoned for more enjoyable activities. Even if it’s set aside, the thing will still be done in a reasonable amount of time. Unless he forgets, which can happen frequently.

19. Do they tend to panic in certain situations or are they more calm?

Feiell – Always calm, if something bothers her you’ll never know.

Aiden – Panics constantly. Somewhat hides it well…somewhat…

Max – Takes most things in stride, the sudden dump of responsibility and people’s lives was really stressful but he adjusted to it.

20. Are they vengeful?

Feiell – I literally made a post of her being a deity of vengeance lol.

Aiden – Petty or bitter, perhaps, but not full on vengeful.

Max – Yes, touch the people he loves and see a whole different side of him.

21. What are some skills your OC has a talent for and what are some that they worked for?

Feiell – She’s has a natural flair for swordsmanship, her mother started training her and Fe kept up the practice even after her mother’s passing. Her leadership skills were…a little more rough. She had to learn how to organize and lead people on the fly because of the Blight but luckily she learns quickly.

Aiden – He’s scary good at lying, not even Varric can catch him in one. (Honestly most of his book is just Varric's best guess on Aiden's thoughts) Knife throwing took quite a bit of practice though. He can now nail someone at 100 pages and is unmatched at darts.

Max – Politics and navigating the Great Game are weirdly natural for Max even though he kinda hates it. His archery skill is something he is extremely proud of because he’s practiced relentlessly to be as good as he is. And he really is good, until a natural like Sera comes and shatters his ego. Lol

22. Are they more socially awkward or socially confident?

Feiell – Awkward, but in the way that she doesn’t care what people do or say. She dose her own thing and ignores everyone else.

Aiden – Smooth on the outside, tired wreak on the inside. Not that anyone will ever know.

Max – Social chameleon, and life of the party. Until he slips away unnoticed somehow.

23. What is something really dumb that irritates your OC a lot?

Feiell – Dumb questions about her hair: “How long is it?”, “Why do you keep it that long?”, “Is it really that red?”. Usually answered with “Why do you care so much, it’s not your hair.” Also people touching her constantly, she doesn’t see the need to constantly clap people on the shoulder or grab their arms when somethings funny.

Aiden – Orlesians, if you don’t know anything about DA then I’m sorry, this probably doesn’t make sense to you.

Max – Assuming he's stupid or that because of his wealth that he doesn't do any work. He's a natural busy-body so assuming he sits on his are all day is really irritating.

24. Do they tend to see the good in people?

Feiell – No, she’s had too many bad experiences before so distrust is her default until proven otherwise.

Aiden – Sometimes, mostly sees people in shades of grey. No one is 100% good or bad.

Max – He sees the good in people as often as he can and tries to pull some good out of those who are sometimes a little lost.

25. What does it take for your OC to trust someone?

Feiell – Doing what you say you will, not hiding things, sticking up for others when it clearly has no benefit for you, and give it a few weeks….or months and she may trust you.

Aiden – Help him out in a hard spot, or help family/friends.

Max – If you’re not openly malicious or he doesn’t feel like you’re lying/hiding anything his default if to trust until proven otherwise.

26. Do they have a lot of mood swings?

Feiell – Not really, she’s not a very emotional person. Unless you count her temper which can light like a matchstick.

Aiden - Known to be moody, to the point of it being a well known joke among friends. On bad days he can even out do Anders.

Max – Only if the stress is overwhelming him or he’s pretty sick. Otherwise he’s pretty even tempered.

27. Do they like to be the center of attention or do they prefer to be in the background?

Feiell – Hates being the center of attention and would rather be left alone. Unfortunately she’s had to get use to the attention after becoming Warden-Commander.

Aiden – If people could forget who he is it would be really nice. Likes being the center of attention among friends and family, doesn’t like it with crowds of strangers.

Max – Loves entertaining people and making them laugh which makes him great for parties. He grew up attending big gatherings and is an expert at navigating them, which means he's also very good at slipping away from them when he tires of the crowds.

28. Do people think they’re pretentious?

Feiell – Sometimes, her natural expression can give that impression but most of those people that make this mistake are racist shems that don’t like the power she has. Or the fact that she could kill them without breaking a sweat.

Aiden – No, his face is too friendly and if that doesn’t do it the self-deprecating jokes do.

Max – Yes, it’s easy for people to assume that since he comes from money. He’s never thought himself better than anyone though and tries to dispel that impression, but you can’t control what people want to think of you.

29. Is your OC detail oriented or do they focus more on the big picture?

Feiell – Details, details, you add them all up and that’s how you get a bigger picture. Other words, very detail oriented.

Aiden – Big picture. How you get there is a mystery though.

Max – Big picture first then an outline of the main details to get there.

30. Which high school movie stereotype would they fit best?

Feiell – The ice queen/The strict, scary teacher.

Aiden – Class clown/Troublemaker/Weird but laid back teacher

Max – The jock that befriends the weird kid/Hot science teacher

31. Are they good giving advice?

Feiell – Defiantly not, she’s better at giving orders.

Aiden – Only ask if you want to get in trouble. Ok, that’s not completely true, occasionally he can give good advice. Particularly to help cheer someone up.

Max – I would say yes, he’s gotten quite a bit of good advice over the years and likes to pass it on.

32. Which one of the 7 deadly sins fit your OC more? do they see it as a flaw?

Feiell – Wrath: Only a flaw if you think beating your enemies is a bad thing.

Aiden - Sloth: Regrets this flaw. If he had acted sooner on many things they might not have escalated the way they did.

Max – Pride: A flaw he has worked hard to temper over the years. Was more of a problem when he was younger than now.

33. Is your OC more likely to keep their feelings to themselves or to share them?

Feiell – Keeps them mostly to herself. A couple close friends may get a glimpse but only Zevran knows her well. He’s learned when to prod to get her to open up.

Aiden – Doesn’t like to burden others so keeps his feelings to himself even when he shouldn’t.

Max – His oldest sister is his best friend and confidant, she gets to hear everything. Max has started to lean on Dorian in this way too. Basically immediate family and good friends will know what’s up.

#tag game #oc study #my ocs #oc asks #maxwell trevelyan #aiden hawke #feiell tabris #My OC: Feiell Tabris #My OC: Aiden Hawke #My OC: Maxwell Trevelyan

[vecna]

Oohh for the fandom meme! Dragon Age?

Send me a fandom!

Oh boy, this is going to be spicy.

It’s also very Anders-negative, so apologies up front.

The character(s) I first fell in love with:

I’m actually not sure which was the FIRST, but it’s a tie between Morrigan and Alistair. I saw fanart of them going around at the time Origins first released, and that’s what got me to try the game! 

Alistair was a breath of fresh air, because at the time, I was used to warrior men in games being all Edgy and Rough, and he was the total opposite and a sweetheart.

And Morrigan was just instantly my goth wife, and had Claudia Black as a VA, so I was sold immediately.

Both still hold a special place for me!

The character(s) I never expected to love as much as I do now:

Loghain is the main one. He does a lot of truly reprehensible shit in the first game. But once I sat down and read the prequel novels about young Loghain, plus saw what he’s like if you recruit him, he grew on me A LOT and now he’s a top fave.

Nathaniel I expected to hate as soon as I saw his name + who his father was, but then the expansion came out and I ended up loving that dude almost immediately. I really wish he was around more after Awakening, and also really wish he’d been a romance option, especially for a Cousland haha.

Merrill is a weird one because she was totally uninteresting to me in DA:O, so when they announced her as a companion in DA2 I was like, “Ehhhh.” Then they punked me by making her adorable and sweet and now I love her.

Plus a bunch of side-characters like The Architect? I liked him a bunch in the novel + Awakening – although I found his Plan in the novel much more appealing. But as the years have gone by, I keep surprising myself at just HOW disappointed I am he’s never appeared again haha.

The character(s) everyone else loves that I don’t:

There’s a few, and all of them will get me yelled at, but here we go.

First: Isabela. This one’s a bit complicated, but it really just boils down to her attitude towards how you play your character. I actively dislike characters who are super sexual – regardless of gender. But Isabela in particular bothers me because she’s constantly pushing her lewdness and sexual humor on you, and when you try to discourage it, she admonishes you with, “Well, you’re no fun.” Her whole character is just… like that for me. Super pushy, overly lewd, gets uppity when you don’t have the same ~liberated~ opinions she does, and this is all played up in the writing like she’s this Empowered Woman the player absolutely must love, especially if they’re playing a male character lol. I hate her for the same reasons a lot of people hate Liara in Mass Effect, but with the addition of pushy lewd jokey characters always rubbing me the wrong way.

Second: Iron Bull. I’ve written a lot about why he makes me more uncomfortable than any fictional character I’ve ever encountered, and I just outright hate him, he makes my skin crawl. If you want details, feel free to DM me, I don’t really want to rant about it again publicly.

Third: Anders. Again, I’ve written a lot about him before, but. I hated him in Awakening, for a lot of the same reasons I hate Isabela in DA2. But the changes they made to him in DA2 are just kinda :/. While I absolutely agree with him about Mage Rights, the level of preachiness they added to him drove me nuts, and the fact that you’re painted as a Bad Guy if you don’t like him blowing up the chantry. And from a purely OOC standpoint: He’s become a figurehead for all the aggressive Discourse people in the fandom, and if I see someone list Anders in their sidebar bio, I know pre-emptively that their blog is going to be full of 6 page long essays of meta about how everything is Problematic, and no thanks.

To a lesser extent, I’m also not fond of Zevran. But in his case, it’s not anything major like the others, I’m just tired of Bioware’s habit of making the bisexual characters overly lewd sex-focused rogues/deviants.

The character(s) I love that everyone else hates:

Loghain, lol.

But also Sebastian Vael? There’s so much about him that I find genuinely fascinating, especially regarding his backstory, and his struggles between his feelings of responsibility to his family vs his dedication to the Chantry and bettering himself. He’s such a dear character to me, and such a pivotal part of any playthrough, I’m always blown away when I remember he’s a DLC character and many people don’t have him.

HOWEVER Anders being the fandom darling means that people tend to unfairly shit on Sebastian for reacting poorly to the Chantry explosion. People also like to label him as a poster child of a White Straight Church Boy, while refusing to acknowledge he’s… not straight, and not exactly a church boy either lol.

Also Vivienne, but I think that one’s really self-explanatory. I love her, and she gives a really needed perspective on the Circle, since most of the mage companions previously were apostates. But of course, she gets written off as a Chantry apologist, and an uppity bitch, when people would def love her for the same traits if she was not black lol.

The character(s) I used to love but don’t any longer:

Justice. And by extension, Anders. A lot of people like to rant about how Justice ruined Anders, but I always saw it the other way around.Justice was my favorite character in Awakening. The whole concept around him, that he was a Fade spirit who took human form and was experiencing life for the first time was SO fascinating. I felt like there was so much to explore there with his character.

Buuuut then they had him merge with Anders. With the narrative being that he WAS a spirit of Justice, but the moment he connected with Anders, it corrupted his entire spirit into something he wasn’t anymore. So essentially, the character I used to love no longer exists, thanks to Anders. And it reminds me of that phrase recently, about how the destination is so terrible you can no longer enjoy the journey? I can’t even appreciate Justice in Awakening anymore, knowing what happens to him.

To a lesser extent, Corypheus. He was SO COOL and the premise of him was AMAZING when he first appeared in the DA2 DLC, but then Inquisition had to go and turn him into a weird shallow mustache twirl villain.

The character(s) I would totally smooch:

None? Idk I don’t really have the Smooch Fictional Character gene.

The character(s) I’d want to be like:

MAEVARIS TILANI. May I one day finally have the confidence in my identity that she does, and also marry a sweet bear man who adores me.

The character(s) I’d slap:

Too many to list, really. Probably Anders.

The pairing(s) that I love:

THERE’S SO MANY. And most of them are with the PC, because I generally don’t ship NPCs together. But my top 3 are:

M!Hawke / Fenris is my ultimate OTP in the Dragon Age series, by a long-shot. Not even sure where to start on how much I love it, but two damaged guys leaning on each other to work through their respective loneliness and trauma is MY JAM. And lmao I love silver-sideburned Hawke chillin in retirement somewhere but being a supportive husband while Fenris goes off hunting the Bad Guys, it’s great.

Solas / Lavellan is a close second, with the caveat that I increasingly prefer it with a male Lavellan. Having the Inquisitor in love with Solas just changes the entire tone of the game for me, for the better, and him actually being the villain trying to end the world while in love with this normie elf is just (chef kiss). Too bad I’m burned out by how overly spammed it is.

Dorian / Inquisitor is in third, I will just always be fond of how it’s a story of the Inquisitor helping Dorian be happy with who he is, escape an abusive family, and realize that he’s allowed to be loved. Good shit good shit.

Some others:

Warden / Morrigan is probably my favorite Origins ship, and that only intensified with the way she talks about the Warden in Inquisition, esp if they’re Kieran’s other parent. What a cute goth family, regardless of the Warden’s gender, cause you can pry Bi Morrigan from my cold dead fingers.

Cassandra / Inquisitor might have a lot of Romance Cliches, but I adore it – although, similar others, I increasingly prefer it with a female Inquisitor. I actively dislike the weird no-homo rejection with her, and come on, a lady Inquisitor being her Knight In Shining Armor is just good storytelling.

Cullen / Inquisitor, for a lot of the same reasons as Cassandra. I love me a cliche romance, but I’m also fond of the narrative w/ him of someone he loves helping him heal through the lyrium withdrawals and take time to rest.

Josephine / F!Inquisitor is just adorable all around, and wholesome, and great.

Varric / Hawke COME ON HOW WAS THIS NOT AN OPTION.

On the rarepair end:

Sebastian / Hawke doesn’t seem like it would be a rarepair – you’d think everyone who loves Cullen/Inquisitor would love this one too. I do! But alas. That said, I’m also pretty aggro about this one with a male Hawke because SEBASTIAN IS CANON BI. WHY WAS HIS ROMANCE STRAIGHT.

Maric / Loghain is a rarepair I will take with me to my grave LOL. Never forget the scene where Maric thought Loghain was leaving, and bolted across the camp with almost no clothes on to beg Loghain to stay. Come on.

Nathaniel / Cousland is dear to me, and I love it so much more than Alistair / Cousland haha.

Greagoir / Wynne, I can’t believe this got validated in canon ahhhh.

The pairing(s) that I despise:

Again: THERE’S SO MANY.

Iron Bull / Dorian is my least fave by a longshot. Again, I have written about why I hate this pairing a great many times, but it’s awful and toxic and makes me deeply uncomfortable, and I could happily go the rest of my life without seeing anything about it ever again. Please keep poor Dorian away from that man. He deserves someone that doesn’t sexually harass him until he’s finally worn down into dubious consent (while drunk) and then outted to everyone about it.

Isabela / Fenris. Sorry, but it’s just bad writing that Fenris bails on Hawke because the physical intimacy triggered his PTSD and he needs space to process, but then will turn around and have a casual sex relationship with Isabela instead. Yikes.

Anders / Fenris. Aveline / Isabela. Alistair / Morrigan. All of the DA2 Hawke/companion rivalmances. I don’t enjoy “these two people hate and antagonize and want to kill each other… but they fuck” in any form.

Cullen / Amell. Yikes.

And basically ALL of the canon wlw pairings in this series suffer from the fact they have men writing them, and as a result they’re almost always some kind of abusive or racist, and skeeve me out. See: Celene / Briala, Leliana / Marjolaine, Branka / Hespith, etc. Please Bioware, I’m begging you to consult some actual queer women. It’s insane how badly they’re treated compared to how the canon mlm couples are written.

FINALLY, I recognize this will be the most unpopular of all, but. As much as I love M!Hawke/Fenris, I just honestly cannot stand seeing F!Hawke/Fenris. There are some pairings where I’m so attached to the m/m or f/f version, I cannot deal with the m/f version anymore, and that’s one of them. (The others are mainly non-Bioware.)

#LONG POST #REALLY LONG #SORRY #misc: text #misc: asks #misc: meme #series: dragon age #gen: bioware #utopianoverlord

[greensconnor]

i’m asking about your dragon age characters

molly i would KILL for u im ur personal hitman now

anyway i said my city now because the entire bioware writing team sucks shit xoxo and i’m so much smarter than all of them but also fully incapable of having a normal amount of ocs for anything (see: the time i made 20 rwby ocs in less than two weeks) so i have. five worldstates here r some assorted thoughts

uhhh so the worldstates r as follows

eira mahariel (two-handed berserk/champ spec), rhett hawke (two-handed berserk spec), alas lavellan (mage knight enchanter spec), romanced alistair/fenris/dorian respectively

shiv tabris (dual wield duelist/assassin spec), radella “rads” hawke (mage spirit healer spec), kat adaar (two-handed reaver spec), romanced morrigan/isabela/cassandra respectively because im a pc gamer and i think i should be able to date whatever video game woman i like because im infinitely better than cishet men

this world state said yeah i respect mens rights. mens rights to shut the fuck up

twins bronson (sword/shield reaver spec) & bryant cousland (archer ranger spec), carmine hawke (archer assassin spec), syracuse trevelyan (dual wield tempest spec), romanced zevran/anora/josephine/bull. if ur wondering how that works my city now and the warden, hawke and the inquisitor should all meet and so they do because i Said So

riva amell (mage arcane warrior/battlemage spec), graham “gray” hawke (mage force spec), hellathen “hela” lavellan (archer assassin spec); romanced cullen/anders and later blackwall because hawke only likes men who will break his heart. hela doesn’t have a romance because she’s literally 20. who let her lead the inquisition (me it was me). also it should be noted the version of cullen i have in my head only vaguely resembles actual cullen because i write better than dragon age writers ever could and i gave him an Actual Cohesive Narrative and he gets bullied relentlessly for being scrawnier than his mage boyfriend

malien “mal” surana (mage spirit healer/keeper spec), jules hawke (sword/shield reaver spec), ash adaar (mage rift spec), romanced leliana/merrill/krem because i should have been able to kiss krem and its a Crime that i am not allowed to

knight enchanter is a Very op specialization and by Very op i mean it makes a mage with their built-in low constitution stats able to solo the biggest baddest dragon in the game on nightmare mode in under five minutes so like. alas lavellan fist fights dragons for fun send tweet

i think lavellans should be able to hit ppl with bricks for all the shit they endure. thus solas gets pranked by mahariel and alas by which i mean they just tip buckets of water onto him from the rookery

kat might be my only competent inquisitor but she did also try to knock out the right hand of the divine and attempt to gap even tho there’s fucky magic burning up her hand so does she have a brain cell? you decide

also its fantasy land and i do what i want so kat has blue/gold sectoral heterochromia

gray “mage rights” hawke is best friends with fenris which surprises literally everyone. their friendship started because they got into a fist fight and then they were like okay i respect u now. hawke is like hey fenris give me ur sword i have a fun trick to show u [uses his sword as a foci to zap carver in the ass with lightning]

i am Always thinking abt like how cullen could have been one man anti-chantry propaganda machine if he hadn’t so blatantly been shoehorned into every game past origins so anyway bioware forgot about a wholeass moon i can write what i like. [holds up cullen by the scruff of his stupid armor] not only are you bisexual you are also a bottom

i also Hate the whole uwu mage haters get fixed by romancing a mage

unlocked secret dialogue option where my inquisitors verbally cuss out dorian’s dad instead of whatever sympathetic narrative the writers were going for cuz its bullshit.

riva is a showoff and a Menace about being as good as he is because he unabashedly loves being a mage and hes like oooh look at me im sexy i dont need to use my hands to cast magic because i’m just that good ;)) and you know what. hes right.

gray, on the other hand, does Not want to be mage. he wants to be a druffalo farmer and retire in the hinterlands and be left the fuck alone. unfortunately he is gay and has one brain cell and terrible, terrible taste in men. ribbed relentlessly for this by riva (altho does he have room to talk hes been hung up on cullen since he was like 13)

shiv is trans n kieran is the result of doing the dark ritual with her wife and he looks a Lot like shiv (dark skin pointed ears, shock-white hair) and morrigan always just Assumed she dyed it or did something magic with it so seeing their kid come out like that was a WEIRD time for her

leliana almost Murdered by cassandra in worldstate 5 because the warden is Actually There The Whole Time, but its been 10 years, mal’s cut off all her hair and gotten full facial tattoos and she’s like “no one will know its me its fine” and she’s right. she gets away with it. only cullen like, Knows, because he knew her before the blight but he doesnt have a death wish n he like. will Not piss her off

shes dalish by birth n she was stolen from her clan by templars and thus is vehemently anti-circle and anti-chantry in general

uhhh the vallaslin (elf face tattoos) of my 4 dalish characters are:

eira = ghilan’nain (chose em cuz shes rlly interested in the navigation aspect of the goddess)

alas = falon’din (god of the dead n he picked them because he’s Also the god of fortune and alas is like tee hee fun but also he can and will kill u if u fuck with him so yk its fitting)

hela = june (god of the craft bc she likes to Make things but june is also the god who taught the elves 2 hunt and hela is. a hunter.)

mal = elgar’nan (allfather/god of vengeance bc. she is Vengeful. she is Angry. but yk fucking with shem politics and fucking their divine is like. mal may have little a retribution. as a treat.) yes she has the full half-face solid colour tattoo she does NOT fuck around.

bronson and bryant r not genetically identical but they Look similar enough 2 anyone who doesn’t know them well enough 2 play spot the distance. anora and bronson think this is a super fun game to play, especially when nobles realize they’ve swapped out the king but they’re too nervous to say anything

eira mahariel has two hands. one is for holding hands with alistair and the other is for throttling elven gods, apparently. she’s killed one before so solas she’s coming for your bitch ass next. watch urself.

speaking of eira and alistair are married thru dalish tradition and humans don’t recognize it n alistair loves 2 re-propose to her with random things. he’ll just pick up like. a bit of cheese and be like “marry me ;)” and she’s like GASP but whatever will the chantry say!!!! all of their friends r sick of them

“vhenan if you love me bring me a sword” “you think i could do better than a sword made out of space rock?” “:)”

eira is my youngest hero at 18 at the start of her game and kat is my oldest at 32 at the start of her game.

none of my hawkes are under six foot. rhett is the tallest (6′8″) and rads is the shortest (6′2″).

syracuse trevelyan would have been the Perfect inquisitor if he were not a pretty boy himbo and a gay bastard who does Most Things just to spite his parents.

[corypheus pointing at syracuse’s visage in his crystal orb thingo] i want that twink obliterated

i love the companions from older games return thing i truly do so i make it a point for Every companion to return in inquisition so the gang rlly is all here because i am a Slutte for found family

i lie in my keep worldstates because i dont want to choose between hawke and alistair during here lies the abyss but i never make him king and every time i play inquisition and cole has the wicked grace line it makes me Scream. alistair baby im so sorry i did this to you but i didnt actually do this to you

yes this is my everyone lives au but like. all the time. i have never left hawke in the fade and i do not intend to.

fuck whatever nonsense about wardens not being able 2 have kids. by sheer divine power (me) anora and bryant have three daughters; eleanor, sabina & cecelia n both bronson and zevran make Excellent uncles because i think anora deserves good things because i’m tired of bioware being like women bad, actually,

so like most of the time i have the warden & hawke turning up after the move to skyhold n then staying on, with the exception of bryant, carmine & mal. mal is as mentioned previously just There the whole time with her girlfriend. bryant steps in as king of ferelden w/ interests in closing the big hole in the sky spewing demons in2 his kingdom yk. carmine shows up because she wants to help & she wants protection for bethany but she outright says she’d rather die than be inquisitor so cassandra is shit out of luck.

“CHANGE HER MIND VARRIC” “she once doubled down on insisting amaranth was a shade of blue because she didn’t want to admit to being wrong. no one’s changing her mind seeker”

alas is the middle child of eight and is thus very good with children and also bossing around people older than him. 2 of his older siblings come to the inquisition when stuff in wycome has been settled

i left ash with the basic canon background with Some variation (he grew up under the qun and left of his own free will when his magic was discovered n he realized he couldn’t take living as a saarebas

kat on the other hand was raised tal-vashoth and has bounced around basically all over thedas and leads her own merc company when the conclave blows up. she also speaks multiple languages. is there a language she doesn’t speak? probably not

just realized how long this got so im gonna like. stop my general rambling now but lmao yeah theres some basics. waves hands.

#sol.txt #sol.orig #long post #late night followers im SO sorry for this #but also like. #i love them so yall just have 2 cope w/ it #no thoughts head dragon age #peonydarling

[lotsofthinkythoughts]

25 Dragon Age Questions

Tagged by: @lavellenchanted

Tagging: @fogsblue and anyone else who’s played the game and wants to do these

01) Favourite game of the series? This one’s tough, because I love all of them. Even Dragon Age 2, which is by far my least favorite, I love. Probably Inquisition, because of the characters and I prefer the combat to that of Origins. 

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?  My friend Em, played them and I was like... Hmmm, this sounds neat, so I got Origins for the PS3 which I had at the time and fell in love. 

03) How many times you’ve played the games? ... NO. I’m not gonna look in my saves folders to count. More than I should admit to XD. Enough to romance almost all the options at least once at least soooo yeah. And one of those options is actually a mod

04) Favourite race to play as?  In Origins, human, because I like the rawness of the conflict with Howe as a noble. In Inquisition, give me ELVES OR NOTHING.

05) Favourite class? I usually play Rogues Archers in Origins and then Mages in the other two. I love basically anything ranged. 

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time? I try to vary things up, but I do have a lot of repeat decisions. Like I rarely ever side with the Templars at Therinfal Redoubt. I’ve DONE IT, but I tend to go mages, and I tend to play Hawke v. pro mage as well, which leads to my Dragon Age 2 playthroughs all looking a lot alike. (I also have a severe case of ‘must do all the quests’ syndrome, which means once I know a branch leads to more quests I always must pick it or it gnaws at the back of my brain that I broke the quest chain)

07) Go-to adventuring group? Alistair, Wynne and Zevran in Origins, Fenris, Varric and Bethany (far as long as I have her) and then Isabela for Dragon Age 2, and Varric, Dorian, and Iron Bull for Inquisition.  I tend to choose my companions based on banter and just how much I like them even though I do try to have at least one of every class, so sometimes I’ll swap out Cassandra for Bull, or bring Cole instead of a warrior in Inquistion, and I party swap a lot in Origins though, because Oghren is funny, if terrible and I love Leliana and Shale and Morrigan is so fun to hear needling Alistair. Alistair is... always in my party though. He arrives and he stays. XD

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into? Hmmmm, I have a Diplomatic Lady!Hawke (she’s named in game because I... honestly just forgot to rename her at the time, and didn’t think I’d get so attached, but now she’s THE Marian so.. yeah) She wasn’t super well thought out at first, but by the time the end of the first chapter hit, I’d really fleshed her out in my head; her motivation for doing whatever it took to keep her sister safe (she’s my ONLY rogue Hawke too, so there’s that) after losing Carver, her need to have other people like her because of how her mother reacted to Carver’s death. So probably her, I’ve got a whole... emotional mythos in my head for her that goes with her and her entire relationship with Fenris.

09) Favourite romance? Cullen. He’s just such an adorable dork. (I also love Alistair for this reason) But also Dorian. God Dorian’s romance is SO GOOD. And even Solas’ is very good and emotional. And to represent DA2′s options, Fenris. Who I love dearly. He’s such a prickly angry guy and I just love seeing him open up over time. (Isabela is also compelling, I like the ‘this is casual WHOOPS I’ve caught feelings’ aspect both her romance and Zevran’s have) 

So... basically ALL OF THEM?

10) Have you read any of the comics/books? One of the comics, though I forget the title right now as it was a couple of years ago now. I’ve never gotten around to reading the books, but I keep meaning to.

11) If you read them, which was your favourite book?

12) Favourite DLCs? Hmmm, Well I like the companion DLCs, so Stone Prisoner and Exiled Prince. I don’t like that they ARE DLCs, but I enjoy the characters, yes even Sebastian, so probably those. Awakening and Trespasser are both also brilliant and I love them for giving me extra story. 

13) Things that annoy you? That you have to have your dog as a party member in Origins. That’s so dumb. I also hate that they decided to HIDE the relationship meters in Inquisition. I get why, but I liked knowing how much everyone liked me or disliked me. So -shrug-.

14) Orlais or Ferelden? Ferelden. What kind of question is this?

15) Templars or mages? Mages. I... am actually not going to explain this, I started to but decided this is not a debate and I don’t care what anyone thinks soooo. Yeah. 

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one? Both? Parallel in the playthrough, but there’s definitely a universe in my head where I’ve got like... seven wardens kicking around and Hawke twins and ... well actually there’s only one Inquisitor in that one too, and that Ellana Lavellen who Romances Cullen, because she’s my OFFICIAL Inquisitor but like the others are kicking around, as people, so like Adaar’s mercenary company ends up at Skyhold along with the Chargers and that sort of thing. It’s all very messy, but a lot of fun. 

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc) I admit after heard the dog was named Barkspawn in the Darkspawn Chronicles I stole that and used it forever more, because I’m terrible and it makes me giggle. I don’t usually name my summons, I’m very bad at the game and they die too fast lol.

18) Have you installed any mods? -shoves mods in a closet- -shifty eyes- No. -closet bursts open and buries me in mods- OKAY YOU CAUGHT ME.  

SO MANY. SO SO MANY.

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden? No, with the exception of my Dwarvish Noble Princess. She was stoked because the Wardens are cool and the Deep Roads suck. (And like for the others, it’s more... being a Warden is preferable to dying, but none of them want to have to leave their lives and families behind)

20) Hawke’s personality? I tend to play Hawke as a snarky diplomat depending on who she’s dealing with. With a side order of angry Hawke when people are particularly stupid. (Sooo throw it in a blender and mix well? Tends to come out as sarcastic in the imports)

21) Did you make matching armour for your companions in Inquisition? No, they all have their own color schemes. Cole is in blues, Dorian in reds, Solas in green, that sort of thing. And then I color coordinate with whoever I’m romancing. XD

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change? For Lisbet (my Human Noble) it’s the deaths of her family. She misses them a lot. For one very unlucky Lavellen, (who is so unlucky I’ve forgotten his name, because after this happened I noped right on out of that save) it’s the death of his whole clan. I looked up how to correctly do that quest chain quickly after that so none of my other Lavellen’s had to suffer such pain. 

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon? I mean... probably but I honestly at this moment can’t think of any. Except that my Warden Queen didn’t just disappear into thin air and totally comes back to Denerim at least once a year while she’s on her quest to cure the Calling, which she does, because Lisbet doesn’t know how to fail. (Also babies. She and Alistair have babies and canon can fight me about it.) Soooo those I guess. 

24) Who did you leave in the Fade? Depends on who is there, Sometimes Hawke, Sometimes Stroud, Loghain in the one playthrough I’ve ever done where he was made a Warden. 

25) Favourite mount? The Red Hart. So pretty.

#Dragon Age #ask game

[pikapeppa]

Dragon Age Question Meme

Tagged by @galadrieljones - thanks lethallan!  This is a long one - I’ll continue it under a cut. 

Tagging forward to @schoute @viktuuri-fluff-saved-my-life @thevikingwoman @buttsonthebeach @charlatron @mrscullensrutherford @oops-gingermoment @iarollane @aban-asaara @irlaimsaaralath @wardsarefunctioning and anyone else who wants to play!

01) Favourite game of the series?

I haven’t played Origins yet, but between DA2 and DA:I, Inquisition is my jam! I’ve played it 3 times already and I’m not yet tired of it! So many places to explore, and I still haven’t heard all the banter yet, and the lore is just so rich, so many codex entries, yes yes.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?

Basically all my Horizon Zero Dawn friends insisted - INSISTED - that I play Inquisition. For some reason I thought I wouldn’t like it, like “ahh everyone says it’s so great, how great can it be.” WELP LOL. I have no regrets, but my HZD friends might, given how HORRIBLY OBSESSED I have become LOL. 

03) How many times you’ve played the games?

- Origins: 0 times, but looking to rectify that this year! - DA2: 1.5 times. Ughhh Act 2... - DA:I: 3.5 times and still loving it!

04) Favourite race to play as?

Elf. Hands down. I played a Trevelyan once and was like MEH BORING.

05) Favourite class?

MAGE. MAGE MAGE MAGE. Although I’ve been playing as Fenris a lot in DA2 and it’s surprisingly fun!! Good thing too since I’ll have to be a two-handed warrior during my Fenquisition playthrough

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?

I’ll answer for Inquisition. There are some things I always do the same (e.g. Bull saving the Chargers, allying with Abelas, making Solas APPROVE OF ME LMAO), but other things I alternate. I’ve gone with the mages and the Templars twice, respectively; I prefer picking the mages, it just makes more sense and is more “ethical” to me, but I ADORE COLE and I think the whole envy demon storyline is very interesting, so I quite enjoy siding with the Templars too. I have done something different each time at the Winter Palace, and this time I plan to do something different yet again. I strongly prefer Cole as a spirit, but I’ve had him as a spirit and as human twice each. 

My Fenris-as-Inquisitor playthrough will be interesting. I’ll be playing in character as him, so it’s going to be quite different than what I canonically do, and I’m quite interested to see what happens. Solas is going to hate me oh god

07) Go-to adventuring group?

- DA2: FENRIS and Anders, and then I alternate my rogues. I love both Varric and Isabela, but depending on how far into my Fenris romance I am, I often have to leave Isabela behind because I HATE WATCHING HER FLIRT WITH MY MAN <sobbing> - Inquisition: SOLAS, Cole and Blackwall is my favourite group, but I also love bringing Cass instead of Blackwall - I love Cass and Cole’s banter. But Solas and Cole are my FAVOURITE PAIRING. I could listen to their incomprehensible chatter forever.

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

Damn. Umm... I put equal amounts of thought into Elia Lavellan (romanced with Solas), Athera Lavellan (romanced Abelas) and Rynne Hawke (romanced with Fenris). Before I started writing those ships, the question I had to answer was this: Why would Solas/Fenris/Abelas love her? I know why Elia loves Solas, and I know why Rynne loves Hawke and why Athera admires and eventually loves Abelas. But what is it about those OCs that those men fall in love with? I build my OCs around the men in their lives, not the other way around. 

09) Favourite romance?

URGH WHY MUST YOU ASK ME THIS. GOD FINE. Fenris rivalmance, ok?? But I also love the Solasmance and the Blackwall romance to the point of swooning so just FUCK RIGHT OFF WITH THIS QUESTION THXBAI~

10) have you read any of the comics/books?.

Yes! Masked Empire and Asunder.

11) if you read them, which was your favorite book?

Masked Empire. I really liked getting more background on Celene/Briala and Gaspard (i.e. WHY THE FUCK I SHOULD GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE WINTER PALACE MISSION AT ALL). I loved Felassan and Briala’s dalen/hahren relationship. And it was just better written than Asunder.

12) Favorite DLCs?

Must agree with Gala here; Trespasser is bae, and Jaws of Hakkon is just beautiful (and also AMERIDAN <sob>). But I also liked Mark of the Assassin quite a bit! So amusing!

13) Things that annoy you.

The fact that it takes a MILLION YEARS to get banter in DA:I, and also that you can’t just click on your companions in DA:I whenever you like if you just want to hear their voice. I KNOW I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO CLICKED ON FENRIS CONSTANTLY TO HEAR HIM SAY “I enjoy following you”, OKAY? LIKE ALL I WANT IS FOR SOLAS  TO SAY “vhenan” TO ME WHILE WE’RE WANDERING THROUGH THE BLOODY WESTERN APPROACH

14) Orlais or Ferelden?

Ferelden? We seem to spend more time there. But I’m kind of neutral I guess.

15) Templars or mages?

Mages. Hands down. Sorry Templars.

16) if you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?

All parallel universes. None of them coexist. Rynne Hawke doesn’t even coexist with any of my Lavellans because Fenris becomes the Inquisitor in my headcanon

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

I have only one pet, Hawke’s mabari, and his name is Toby. 

18) have you installed any mods?

Console only <sob>

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?

n/a - haven’t played Origins yet!

20) Hawke’s personality?

PURPLE HAWKE, with a healthy dash of Isabela-level flirtiness. But Rynne (over?)uses humour to deflect pain and agitation and anger.

21) did you make matching armour for your companions in Inquisition?

...Maybe. 

HAHAH so I made matching colour armour for Elia and Solas, yes. And I generally like to dress both Cole and myself in black and red!

22) if your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?  

Ohhhh.... fuck. This is tough. - Elia Lavellan (romanced Solas): ...surprisingly, nothing really. She’s got a pretty zen kind of ‘what will be, will be’ attitude. In her darkest moments she might regret falling for Solas, but overall, she doesn’t really regret anything. - Arya Lavellan (romanced Blackwall): nothing. She is very confident.  - Athera Lavellan (romanced Abelas): honestly, she questions half of her decisions half the time. After Trespasser, she regrets not dissolving the Inquisition. (I haven’t decided yet if she eventually does dissolve it after all; perhaps we’ll see what DA4 brings us).  - Rynne Hawke (romanced Fenris): a LOT of things. She regrets letting Bethany attack that ogre. She regrets not bringing Carver to the Deep Roads, because maybe then he wouldn’t have joined the Templars to spite her. She regrets not following up more closely on Emeric’s murder investigation because otherwise maybe her mother wouldn’t have died. She basically blames herself anytime anything bad happens with her family (including the Merry Band of Misfits). 

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?

I actually quite enjoy sticking to canon for the most part, and expanding on facts that we already know. The one canon-ish(?) thing I don’t love is the idea of Dalish Inquisitors understanding or speaking a dialect of Elvhen that’s mutually intelligible with the dialect that Solas and Abelas speak. I let it slide in my Solavellan fics, but I mean, it’s been THOUSANDS OF YEARS between Arlathan and the Dragon Age. Dalish Elvhen (even if they have many many dialects, which is most certainly the case) is very unlikely to be mutually intelligible with ancient Elvhen. I’ve been meaning to write a full post about this for like a year oops

24) Are any of your character(s) based on someone?

They all contain some elements of self-insert, so... me, I guess? XD

25) Who did you leave in the Fade?

The first time I played Inquisition, I had not played DA2 yet, so I left Hawke in the Fade for LOGIC REASONS OK - Stroud was like the only senior Warden left, I thought they needed him! I’ve left Stroud there every time thereafter. 

26) Favourite mount?

Well, it WOULD be any and all the harts, except for that FUCKING HORRENDOUS SOUND THEY MAKE. I thus prefer to ride dracolisks for the Coolness Factor™. 

#tag meme #ask me anything #tumblr game #dragon age #fun times!

[seigephoenix]

DA OCs

Questions from this post: http://gothzenyatta.tumblr.com/post/145321138317

My Elaina Cousland, Guinevere Hawke, and Niyra Cadash for this one.  Under a cut because of length.

1. What would your Warden generally think of your Hawke and your inquisitor?

Elaina Cousland - I have met Guinevere Hawke.  I doubt she remembers me, it was just after the events of Kirkwall.  She's…  Best taken in small doses if you dislike crass personalities.

Niyra Cadash is a practical businesswoman who I respect.  While she's not the most diplomatic leaders, she knows her weaknesses.  And Lady Montilyet is a lovely woman to speak with.

2. What would your Hawke generally think of your warden and your Inquisitor?

Hawke - The Warden lost everything, was a wanted criminal, and rose beyond that to become Ferelden's fucking queen.  Hell yes I respect the hell out of her.  She's got a very nice ass too.

Niyra Cadash wouldn't have been my choice for Inquisitor.  I mean, this is supposed to be a religious organization, and she's not only a dwarf but a Carta dwarf.  Impressed with how she runs things.  Don't get into a drinking contest with her.  Skyhold is really cold, don't ask how I know...

3. What would your Inquisitor generally think of your warden and your Hawke?

Niyra Cadash - The Warden has my respect.  She's helped turn that country around and deals with whining nobles all day without stabbing one.  Impressive.

As for Hawke.  Can't hold her liquor for shit but after what she went through?  Hard not to respect a woman trying to atone for past mistakes.  Plus she's Varric's best friend.  The man may have questionable taste in certain things but he can judge a person very well.

4. What would they think about each other’s love interests (if they romanced someone of course)

Cousland - I've no doubt that Fenris is a lovely man.  He's definitely an impressive warrior.  And as for Isabela?  *smiles sweetly*

Hawke - You've slept with Isabela too?  *laughs*  Well, I mean.  It's obvious the King of Ferelden is still head over heels for his queen.  Ball and chain my ass.  As for Cadash's love interest?  I still wanna know the story from Varric.  He's kept his lips shut regarding his relationship with the Inquisitor.

Cadash - The King of Ferelden is still a fierce warrior who loves his queen.  What can I say?  I am a closet romantic.  Fenris and Isabela compliment Hawke, and I think their relationship works for them.

5. Is your inquisitor jealous that both the warden and Hawke have a mabari hound?

Cadash - Nah.  I have my own pet nuggalope.  And a dracolisk.  Kinda hard to top those.

6. What would they think of each other’s combat skills/techniques?

Cousland - Hawke's impressive on the battlefield.  Have you seen her lift that bastard sword?  As for Cadash, she's as in your face on the battleground as in the ballroom.

Hawke - Cousland's still a top notch archer.  She didn't train to be a Bard for nothing.  And Cadash hits hard with that shield.  Enemies underestimate her and she takes full advantage.

Cadash - Hawke's hot on the battlefield with that sword of hers.  Cousland's never gone soft on the throne.  Pretty sure most of the nobles know it too.  *laughs*

7. Are all your protagonists the same combat class? And what specializations did they take?

Elaina Cousland is a rogue archer that specializes in Bard.

Guinevere Hawke is a two handed warrior that specializes in Reaver.

Niyra Cadash is a sword and shield warrior that specializes in Champion.

8.What would your inquisitor and warden think of what happened in Kirkwall? Would they have supported Hawke’s decisions?

Cousland - Was there ever a right answer?  Too much has happened to say if what Hawke did was right or wrong.  She says she had no idea Anders was going to blow up the Chantry.  I believe her.  I cannot publicly make a comment you understand, but I don't see how she could have been wrong.  She did what a leader does, stepped up and made a choice.  Then lived with the consequences.

Cadash - Hawke made whatever decision she felt was right.  No one else was going to step up and do it.  She did it and lives with the guilt.  She's endured enough.  I would've supported her in Kirkwall for sure.

9. Would your warden or Hawke have actually accepted the role of inquisitor if Cassandra had located them as she’d planned to? Would they have been a good leader for the Inquisition?

Cousland - I'm afraid not.  Alistair would likely have a fit if I did.  But I wouldn't regardless, my time is done.  I'll lead my country until it's time for the next generation.

Hawke - You're joking right?  Me as the ‘Herald of Andraste’.  *dissolves into laughter*

10. Do your protagonists share the same opinions on the Chantry?

Cousland - While not perfect, it gives believers hope and guidance.

Hawke - It can kick rocks.  Though I'm okay with how the new Divine is running things.

Cadash - I'm a dwarf…  *pauses*  Let Leliana rule that department.  I've got nothing to say on the matter.  The ‘Herald of Andraste’ isn't exactly that religious anyway.

11. Do your protagonists share the same opinions on mages rights?

Cousland - We freed the Circle in Ferelden.  The mages govern themselves with scholars from universities and the Chantry alongside them.  It's worked for us.

Hawke - If I hear mage rights one more time. *shakes fist*  Look, no one deserves to be shackled.  No one.  But without some way of keeping balance corruption happens.  On both sides.

Cadash - Eh.  I let Viviene and Leliana handle that.  As long as it's balanced and fair I stay out of it.

12. Do your protagonists share the same opinions on blood magic?

Cousland - There are certain benefits if it is used without malice or a lust for power.

Hawke - Too much temptation.  Glad it's outlawed.  Nothing good has come from it that I've seen.

Cadash - I imagine it can be used like a tool.  In experienced hands, it can create masterworks.  In inept hands, disaster strikes.  I can't use magic so I prefer to leave it to the experts.

13. Do your protagonists share the same opinions on The Game?

Cousland - *sigh* a necessary evil if one wants to barter with Orlais.

Hawke - Fuck the ‘Game’.

Cadash - I hate it.  I'm not a diplomat so it was a disaster in Halamshiral.  Josephine almost throttled me after the incident in the garden.

Hawke - WHAT INCIDENT IN THE GARDEN!?  DID IT INVOLVE VARRIC!?  TELL ME WOMAN!

14. If they’d been in each other’s places would they have made the same or different choices? And who would they have romanced, if anyone?

Cousland - I believe I would in Cadash's shoes.  We both tend to look at the bottom line before making decisions.  *whispers* I might also have flirted with Cullen.  *clears throat*  

Hawke - I dunno about Cadash but pretty sure I'd make similar choices regarding Cousland.  Though I'd go for the witty assassin myself.  You're sure Morrigan isn't into woman?

Cadash - Who knows?  I probably would have in Hawke's shoes.  But my tastes run towards sarcastic dwarves that have a tendency for bad puns.

Hawke - Maker's balls, tell me how you and Varric got together!

15. Would your protagonists have the same character alignment?  

Oh definitely for all three.  That's who they are.  Though Niyra would be a bit more rough around the edges.  She'd have been 27ish in Origins and no one fucked with her at that age.

16. Would your protagonists have the same Hogwarts house?

Hahaha no.

Cadash - Slytherin.  

Cousland - Gryffindor

Hawke - Slytherin

17. If Origins and Inquisition had the 3 personalities (Diplomatic, Sarcastic, Aggressive) which would your warden and inquisitor have predominately been? And what one did your Hawke have?

Cousland - Diplomatic for sure

Cadash - Sarcastic/Aggressive

Hawke - Pure purple baby.

18. What is the biggest similarity between your protagonists?

Err their gender?  There isn't much too similar between all three really.

Cadash and Cousland are slightly more diplomatic than Hawke, so they share that in common.  They see potential benefits to making nice with nobles versus telling it like it is.

Hawke and Cadash both prefer to just say what they need to say.  Cadash's is tempered a bit with diplomacy and knowing the opponent.

19. What is the biggest difference between your protagonists?

How they view the world and deal with problems.

Cousland has seen war and what it does to men.  She's been betrayed and didn't let it destroy her ability to trust in people.  She's not the whole epitome of sunshine but she's definitely not the burn it to the ground types.

Hawke is a burn it to the ground types.  She's bitter about the events in Kirkwall and the betrayal from Anders was a slap in the face.  Carver had almost been a casualty of the Chantry, if he hadn't late thanks to Varric he would've been in the Chantry that night.  So she's got some major bitterness leftover.  It makes her less inclined to play nice.  Her found family in Kirkwall are the only exceptions to this.

Cadash balances diplomat and smartass.  Sometimes she prefers to be the smartass over the diplomat regardless of the outcome.  Overall she isn't a burn it to the ground unless all other options have been exhausted.  Then?  Then you'd better watch the fuck out because you won't see her coming.

20. Who handles responsibility the best? And who handles it the worst?

Cousland handles it the best.  She's used to it at this point.

Hawke the worst.  She isn't the best at handling it, and never wants anything heavier than what's for dinner anymore.

Cadash hates responsibility and pawns it off whenever she can if it doesn't benefit her.

21. Do they share any of the same hobbies?

No.  

Cousland - is a musician

Hawke - has learned how to forge weapons.

Cadash - writes in her spare time.  Don't tell Varric.

22. Would you ever ship any of them together?

Ah no.  They're too different to get along in a ship.  

Hawke - Mmmaaayyybbbeeee a one night stand.

Cadash - Well considering I'm the only one that hasn't slept with Isabela, I think that should be rectified.

Hawke - Don't tell Varric.  He'd write it into his books.

23. How old were each of your protagonists at the start of their respective games? Do you think their age affected the choices they made?  Looking back would they have done any major action differently?

Cousland - 19 at the beginning of Origins

Hawke - 24 at the beginning of DA2

Cadash - 38 at the beginning of Inquisition

24. How do each of your protagonists handle loss?

Cousland - She's lost so much that she's learned to keep it inside until in private.  She mourns by having a good cry and then talking about it.  Even if it is just to her faithful Mabari when Alistair isn't there.

Hawke - Doesn't deal with it well…  She likes to pick a fight with someone and just lash out as if a physical wound can help replace the emotional one.

Cadash - She gets quiet and retreats to a safe space.  Only a few trusted individuals are allowed close when she's grieving.

25. What is/was their relationship with their family like?

Cousland - was close to her family.  Is still close to Fergus.

Hawke - is close to Carver and Bethany.  Wasn't as close to Leandra, she always felt like a disappointment to her mother.  

Cadash - is as close as you can be in a Carta family.  Her mother and grandmother are the two matriarchs of the family and found it fucking amusing their grand/child was the head of the Inquisition.  She keeps in touch regularly.

26. Do any of your protagonists marry and/or have children?

Cousland and Alistair marry.  They have one child together after six years married.  A complete surprise.

Hawke never marries her partners but they all remain together.  No kids though.  They don't feel like kids belong in their little family, they each have too much baggage.

Cadash and Varric get married eventually.  He has to talk her into it because at first she thinks it's a joke.  No kids as they claim to be too old at that point for kids.

27. What would their fears on the graves in the fade during Here Lies The Abyss be?

Cousland - Betrayal or Succumbing (to the Taint)

Hawke - Failure

Cadash - Loss of Self

28. What is their favourite location within their own game and what would be their favourite in each others?

Cousland - Castle Cousland.  It's home.  But away from that?  Virgil's Keep.  I'd love to visit Skyhold.

Hawke - The Hanged Man, end of story.  The Herald's Rest in Skyhold.

Cadash - Skyhold for sure.  Though Varric tells me The Hanged Man doesn't serve mead that tastes completely like piss.  So we'll see.

29. How do they each feel about the Deep Roads?

*crickets* Probably better off not talking about that one with them.

30. Out of your Warden, Hawke, and Inquisitor, who is your favorite?

I can't decide.  I really can't.  Elaina was going to be my sunshine OC but she developed into a strong leader.  Cadash is my older OC (I'm 34 myself), so I can identify with her.  Hawke though…  Hawke is the closest.  I made her when I was in the depths of hurting and just wanted to lash out at how unfair my life was.  Then she stayed because I wanted to see if she could get out.  

So Hawke out of these three.

#dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age inquisition #female warden #female hawke #female inquisitor

[mahalzevran]

DA 20+ Questions

Tagged by @antivan-surana​ thanks! Tagging @situationnormal​ @the-dread-doggo​ @acepavus​ @aroundofgwent​ @lakambaeni​ @kxnways​ @fuckbioware​ (no pressure ofc) and anyone who wants to?

The rest is under a read more because it’s long

01) Favourite game of the series?

Origins, only because you got less and less op as a mage as the games went on. I love all the games tbh.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age?

My friend got my sister into it. They kept talking and talking about it so finally I was like “ok lets see what the big deal is” and here I am now

03) How many times you’ve played the games?

I’ve done Origins twice fully, DA2 four times fully (omg I didn’t realize this until now lol) and DA:I just once fully. I have one unfinished playthrough of Origins with a Cousland, and I’m in the middle of maybe two of DA:I. I think I’ve gone back and replayed certain parts of both Origins and DA:I plenty of times.

04) Favourite race to play as?

Elf I guess? Though I’ve only fully played as a human and elf. I’m in the middle of a dwarf playthrough and I’m thinking of doing a qunari one in the future. It might change idk.

I just really liked playing as an elf in Origins so that’s why I got into elves. But the funny thing is, I wasn’t even thinking of playing as an elf when I played for the first time. I wanted to play as a human. I just did it on a whim.

05) Favourite class?

Mage, hands down. Realistically, they’re the most versatile class. They can do range and melee since anyone can learn how to fight with weapons. But the last two games won’t let you so :)

Also, this stems from the fact that I’ve been a harry potter fan since I could remember.

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time?

In my full, proper playthroughs that I’ve finished, it’s slightly different but still the same basic ideas. Sided with mages, agreed with Anders, etc.

But I am planning to try an evil playthrough in the future so

07) Go-to adventuring group?

DA:O (I have two)

Leliana, Wynne, Shale - the OG crew; they were my main crew in my first playthrough and it was a pretty even party

Zevran, Leliana, Alistair - the elf crew; esp. with Rhian they’re all elves because I saw a theory that Leliana is half elf and I’m down

DA2

It’s a mixed bag. If I’m not playing as a mage, I usually take Anders a lot because we need a healer and Merrill can’t heal. I tend not to take Sebastian as much after I max his friendship. After Sebastian, I take Aveline the least. Other than that I just mix it up. Unless I’m romancing someone, then I take them every time.

I’d love to take Anders, Fenris, and Merrill out more often but I hate how mean they all are to each other (looking @ u bioware 👀)

DA:I

My first playthrough, I mixed it up a lot in the beginning but then I ended up bringing Solas, Cole, and Blackwall a lot near the end for some reason?

I love taking Vivienne, Dorian, and Solas out, especially if I’m playing a mage, because it’s such a pretty fireworks show

In general though, if I’m romancing someone I take them with me almost always.

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into?

I think it’s a tie between Rhian and Lu.

09) Favourite romance?

To no one’s surprise, it’s Zevran :3

Solas is second because I just really like that angst.

10) Have you read any of the comics/books?

I’ve read The Silent Grove, Those Who Speak, and Until We Speak (because someone gifted me the Omnibus) and The Calling.

I also have Hard in Hightown, which I should probably read lol, and the art book of inquisition.

11) If you read them, which was your favourite book?

The Calling solely because of my mom Fiona and my dad Duncan. 

12) Favourite DLCs?

Awakening because I love everyone and its also really funny that Rhian, who is 19 at that point, had to basically babysit people older than her and also run a whole arling.

I love both Legacy and Mark of the Assassin. Mark of the Assassin was really funny (though I hated the stealth part). I love Legacy specifically because when I was fighting Corypheus, both Varric and Anders K.O.’d and it was just me and Carver. It was a special family moment bringing down a whole entire magister together. I also hc that that was canon and it brought Kaia and Carver closer together.

13) Things that annoy you.

I’m gonna talk about the game bc if this is about the fandom, then that’s a whole other thing.

Anders’ writing for one. It doesn’t make sense that he’d approve of giving Fenris back to Danarius. And also that he wouldn’t tell f!Hawke that he’s bi? Then there’s the fact that Anders, Fenris, and Merrill all don’t get along when they have a lot in common.

Anything that was written by Lukas Krisdkjsdhkdk. Aveline, Sera, etc. he did a really bad job.

Also didn’t like that mages got less OP in the last two games.

There’s also the tone-deafness? Dorian, a brown man, saying slavery is ok. And also there’s the dialogue between Solas and Vivienne where Solas supposedly “owns” Vivienne. I think he says something like “may you learn”? Solas, a white person, saying this to Vivienne, a black woman, when there’s obvious colorism in Thedas? I think not.

There’s probably other but I can’t think of them right now.

14) Orlais or Ferelden?

Orlais is too snooty and Ferelden doesn’t season their food. I pick Seheron and Laysh because that’s where the Asians are at.

15) Templars or mages?

Mages

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one?

Originally, my canonverse was Rhian, Kaia, and Luwalhati. Alden and Bolin were part of an AU. Then Alden finagled his way in there, then I decided to have Bolin in there too. So now i have twin Hawkes and Bolin is part of the Inquisition (if he’s a companion or not, I haven’t thought about)

I have plenty of other OCs that I’m planning on, but they’re currently sorted into a different universe.

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

Pikamon for the Origins mabari. It’s a mix between the names of my two dogs, Pikachu and Cinnamon

Cinnachu for the DA2 mabari, also a mix of Pikachu and Cinnamon.

Lu’s mount is the royal sixteen (hart), which is given to you by Clan Lavellan if you manage to keep them alive iirc, and its name is Luntian, the tagalog word for green which is her favorite color. (In a teen!Lu AU, her mount is the bog unicorn bc she’s an edgelord)

18) Have you installed any mods?

It would be more surprising if I didn’t. How else would I manage to have my characters look like the’re poc?? And also get rid of whitewashing and have some continuity. I usually just do cosmetic mods if it’s my first playthrough. Then I do like “cheats” after I finish the game fully.

Fun fact, I once spent like 2+ hrs modding Origins to have the Zev romance the way I want. I also stayed up until like 5am trying to make Solas look like his concept art lol (it didn’t really work)

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden?

Rhian didn’t not want to become a warden. She read about them and thought they were an honorable order, but she didn’t expect to ever have a chance to become one. Her goal was to just go up in the Circle hierarchy, maybe even become First Enchanter. Then when the time came, she didn’t really have much of a choice.

20) Hawke’s personality?

Kaia is blue and Alden is purple

21) Did you make matching armor for your companions in Inquisition?

At first, I didn’t get what the big deal was with crafting. It didn’t seem fun at all lol. Then I tried it and was hooked. I don’t have them matching, but I do tend to try to match my Inquisitor with their LI in some way.

My usual procedure for armor in Inquisition is like this. I make everyone wear heavy armor and pick the materials that have the highest attributes, not caring how ridiculous the colors are. Then I go to tint them using a guide for each companion’s color scheme. This is the same for helmet but I usually have them turned off or have no one wearing one.

The only exception is Varric, Cole, and Blackwall. I have Varric wear the rogue armor that looks like his DA2 outfit, and Cole and Blackwall wear the Grey Warden heavy armor. I tint the grey warden armor using a guide for its color scheme.

I have Bull, Vivienne, and Cole wear their unique helmets.

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?

Rhian - She’d probably want to re-do how she told Zevran that she wasn’t exactly dead.

Kaia - Taken Quentin’s threat more seriously and killed him before he got to Leandra

Alden - He has no regrets

Luwalhati - wouldn’t have taken Sam and Wis with her so they wouldn’t have had to have died in the conclave explosion

Bolin - None, all of his decisions led him to Dorian and he’s happy with that.

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon?

They’re all at least part Seheron?

I also hc that neither Carver nor Bethany die because Kaia was able to cast a barrier on both of them before the ogre got them. Then they both became Grey Wardens because Carver contracted the taint in the expedition and wouldn’t join the Wardens unless Bethany came with him too.

Another hc I have is that Sebastian didn’t leave when Anders was spared and stayed to help out. But he went his separate way after because he still didn’t approve of sparing him.

Oh shoot, I almost forgot. The most against canon thing I’ve done probably? Rhian didn’t do the Ritual but she did slay the archdemon without dying. Rhian’s an arcane warrior, so when she slayed it, she was partway in the fade. Being partway into the fade was enough for her essence, I guess, to survive it. But she’s not mortal anymore and kind of a spirit now? So she periodically has to chill in the fade because being in the real world takes a toll on her.

25) Who did you leave in the Fade?

In the game, it was Stroud. I killed Loghain and no way is Alistair gonna be trapped in there. Fiona will be sad. So I made Alistair king in the game only, so Stroud was the one that was left.

This is another off canon thing I did. In my actual canon, Alistair is the warden contact. The Hawke that comes to the Inquisition is both Kaia and Alden. Alden brings Fenris with him because he doesn’t go anywhere without his Boo-Boo. Bethany and Carver also come because Weisshaupt was being weird and it seemed like they would be safer in the Inquisition. Lu + her party, Alistair, Kaia, Alden, Fenris, Bethany, and Carver all come to Adamant. Because there’s so many people, everyone was able to escape the Fade. No one is left behind.

26) Favourite mount? The nugs! All of them :) 

Though I don’t really use the mounts lol

#tag meme #whew this was really long omg #thanks for tagging though! #about me

[haloneshiral]

Where did you get the inspiration for Laidy?

Laidy is actually an old OC of mine! The same goes for my Warden, Hawke & Inquisitor actually lol but she’s actually the most developed of the 4, since the other 3 revolved around brief concepts I never got to delve into.

With Laidy, however, her story was played out and written pretty extensively over the course of 2 years’ worth of active roleplaying. I had this whole arc planned out (which we never got to play) that pretty much had her story set from start to end. 

Buuut, instead of mirroring set events in her life, I try to retain key themes from her original verse and let things play out as I headcanon with @honquisitor   (Inquisition Agents & siblings, Aidan and Honoura)

(Oh boy this ended up being quite the long read lol have full art under the cut)

(hoooo old art)

Old Backstory: I knew from the beginning I wanted to roll a class I didn’t usually play, so I went for a dancer. It would have been easy to go typical ~flirty~ tropes, but I didn’t want to oversexualize her. I also didn’t want to portray her as a haughty ice queen type or anything, and somehow I ended up with a motherly figure with a heart of gold. And for the longest time the RP group saw her as that before I revealed the truth— that I didn’t stop there. I wanted there to be more layers and depths to such a bright and bubbly person.

Key Themes

1. Identity - Duality

The division in her identity (as Adelais Vitalis, Tevinter mage, and Adelaide Sprye, barmaid) leads her to feel as though she’s living half-truths. With her “truer” self (not wanting to fulfill her ‘obligations’ as heir) considered unacceptable to the Imperial society and her family, and with her considering her own past (blood mage, Tevinter etc) to be unacceptable for people in her current life.

Interestingly, Laidy may be considered “nice” but there is more depth to it. For example, Letheia Lavellan also similarly exudes kindness and warmth but it’s a lot more natural and subdued. Laidy actively acts the way she does, deliberately showing a cheerful face, acting overly familiar etc.

Basically, in Laidy’s case, she gives the acceptance she craves from people in her life, but her own judgment towards herself prevents her from giving herself that same acceptance. :,^)

2. Motivation - Recognizing she could forge a path of her own

Laidy’s theme revolves around learning to break away from expectations, whether it was set by her family, by common Fereldan opinion, or by herself. She knows what she doesn’t want, but she doesn’t know what cause or purpose to devote herself to. Partly because she was in a very sheltered environment prior to venturing out (this manifests in her well-meaning naivete and ignorance most of the time.) Even in fics I write about her, she still somehow needs to follow a path someone else set for her. Arriving at Skyhold would have granted her freedom but she still chooses to follow in the Inquisitor’s path and manner (being the beacon of kindness and mercy of the Inquistion). Which is a pretty tall order.

3. Not choosing power despite having it

Laidy, across all her incarnations, will always be a powerful lightning-aspected mage. It’s a combination of rigorous training and extensive study. 

It will never be showcased or used in grand fights, except in maybe in under extreme conditions in the form of an outburst. She associates magic with the evils of the Token Evil Magic Empire she grew up with, and with her family. As a result, she’s basically sworn an oath never to use it again and to become someone else.

#thanks for the ask!! i hope that wasn't overkill lol #joufancyhuh #about: adelaide sprye

[stitchcasual]

I’m going to put what Dragon Age means to me under a read more (and not tag the tag) because, well, it’s more of a personal reflection than anything. I just wanted to write something out since I’ve been having all sorts of Feelings about it today.

What Dragon Age means to me is...honestly pretty complicated. While on one hand it’s given me some of the best friendships I’ve ever made that have lasted for nearly the entire time I’ve been in this fandom (something over 2 years), it also introduced me to people I don’t talk to anymore for reasons that are beyond the scope of this post. So while there is joy and love here, there is also some pain and bitterness too.

I wouldn’t trade it for the world, though (well, maybe if it were the only way to avoid our planet slowly crumbling under the weight of climate change, but I digress).

Dragon Age is the thing that got me writing again, truly writing (200+k words in just one fic and thousands more in others). I’d essentially given up writing by about halfway through my creative writing English degree, deciding to focus on editing instead. So I did and I graduated and I got a job in my field. And then around the time I started feeling like my job was imploding and I needed to get out of there, I started playing Dragon Age.

I started with Origins. My sister had played Origins and recommended it, and since I’d recently played the Mass Effect trilogy three times in a row on her recommendation, I figured I should give this Dragon Age a shot too. Hours of really difficult and frustrating gameplay later, I finished the game. I moved right on to Dragon Age 2.

I played Dragon Age 2 three times in a row. Part of that was waiting for Inquisition to go on sale so I could get it too, but part of it was I had just absolutely fallen in love with Kirkwall and Hawke and that whole disaster party. I played a purple Hawke first, then a red Hawke (who would turn into my canon Hawke), and finally a blue Hawke. Two warriors and a mage. I romanced Anders and Fenris (and accidentally Isabela one time so I had to reload). I sided with the mages and with the Templars. I loved it all.

I was already on tumblr at this point so I started reblogging things and I started reading fics. I quit that job I’d started to hate and began working retail, and my brain was full of one very particular idea as I opened boxes and sorted Halloween decorations in May/June. And then in July 2016 I started writing a fic. I wouldn’t post it until a month later, when I had nearly 12 chapters written and foolishly thought I could stick to a writing and posting schedule.

That fic is Albatross, my 200+k word baby and bane/love of my life. It is also more or less directly responsible for both the best and saddest things I’ve personally experienced in my time in this fandom. If I hadn’t written this fic, one of my very darling friends wouldn’t have clicked on it in a fit of insomnia and sent me such wonderful comments I had to find and stalk her on tumblr. If I hadn’t written this fic, one of my other very darling friends wouldn’t have found it (somehow, still not sure how) and left me a comment whereafter I realized *holy shit this is one of those famous Dragon Age writer people and they hhnnnnnnngfoundmyficohgodhelp* and we wouldn’t ever have bonded over mutually adoring each other. If I hadn’t written this fic, another person wouldn’t have found it and given me the most unending and overflowing support for it and all my other writings before certain events happened and they then left my life for good.

While in this fandom, I have seen some of the kindest people here, helping others, supporting and lifting them up. I’ve also seen the reverse, people who are so mired in vitriolic hate that they can’t see the forest for the trees. I’ve seen people who somehow manage to be both at the same time.

I’ve seen ship wars and mage/Templar wars. I’ve watched people I know get attacked for daring to express support for one side versus the other or post (properly tagged) nsfw art or breathe one “incorrect” word about someone’s favorite character.

This fandom has been incredibly draining at times. It’s also been incredibly lovely to be a part of at times. I’m so thankful I’ve, in general, managed to find those corners and people who are loving and kind, supportive and not prone to the Discourse(™).

All of this to say, I suppose, that Dragon Age means a lot of different things to me, depending on the day, but mostly it means home and family and that’s how I’d like it to be.

[trulycertain]

Alistair’s Parentage, and why I go a bit Tru Smash

OK, it’s time to talk about why I aggressively dislike the “Alistair’s bloodline” retcons and how they come up in the comics. *sigh* I do try to keep this a positivity blog, but I thought as character arc analysis it might be worth saying. I’ll just thank @aphreal42, @celeritassagittae, @withthebreezesblown, @nanahuatli, a few others. I know we’ve talked about this.

*coughs, shuffles papers* Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Sorry again about the... everything.

On Maric

I was frustrated to see the centering of Maric in the comics, and mention of the hunt for him in Inquisition. It’s something that happens even if you’ve kept Alistair a Warden. And this is my question: Why?

I mean, why should Alistair be hunting for the father who couldn’t be bothered to raise him, when it’s not going to save Ferelden or Thedas? Yes, there’s some vagueness about it, an unrealistic dream of “maybe Maric can go on the throne and be better at it than me,” but that just makes it look like he hasn’t been allowed to learn anything or adapt as king, that he’s still desperately running from it, that he’s still reduced to his bloodline rather than his own choices and personal growth. 

We’ve had this arc of him desperately trying to abdicate responsibility of any kind; we had it in Origins, when he was twenty and green. It’s been ten years. Often, smart, perceptive people like Alistair grow rather a lot in ten years, despite or even because of their own fears.

So we’re right back to the daddy issues. And back to the bloodline. Healing is not always a linear process, but it cannot, by definition, go backwards and plonk you right back to the progress you’d made ten years ago. That’s not healing, and it’s not an arc - it’s a circle. Narratively, it’s not a very interesting circle, either. 

The frustrating thing? BioWare’s story folk can do realistic, beautiful “healing is not linear and sometimes people have days where they look back and want to undo everything because oh god what if they got it wrong” arcs about parentage. See Dorian’s or Hawke’s. Both of those have some big issues (I will never, for instance, be comfortable with how much you can hide from Dorian, or how heavily you can push him towards reconciliation, and have issues with that being a player choice at all), but they’re far more emotionally genuine and allow for nuance. More on that later.

Why do Maric’s growth and arc, considering he’s basically been dead for nigh-on fifteen years by the time of the Silent Grove comics, have to come at the expense of Alistair’s?

And why do we assume Alistair needs dragon blood to be awesome, when he’s been awesome pretty much forever for reasons of his own choosing?

(And OK, this one just bugs me for petty reasons: why does Maric have a less-fun version of Alistair’s self-deprecating humour in the novels? (Though all right, quite fond of the bit about falling off horses; forgive the nested brackets.) There’s a clear “like father, like son” thing there, but they met... what? Twice? Three times? I’m just fascinated by a fantasy world where there exists an “awkward quips” gene, because I must have it in spades.)

On Fiona

Fiona herself is a mid-tier character I don't mind. She has some interesting aspects but we don't see enough of her for me to have a strong opinion. Even the novels are a bit half-baked and inconclusive on her arc.

Fiona as a character with difficult choices to make and ambiguous, pragmatic motivations? Yeah, OK. She’s not one of my favourite DA chars, because she barely appears and unlike Maric, we’re not given much after-the-fact canon, dialogue and extra codices on her (*sigh*, because Daddy Issues are always more important), but she works. Fiona as a Very Special Warden Who Got Blight-Cured and another aspect of Alistair’s "well, he can't just be normal" story? Goodness no. It does both characters a disservice.

The only aspect that interested me with Alistair’s king-as-father relationship was the class stuff and the terror of responsibility. Other than “a fascination with magic” (which I find way more interesting as something he developed himself, as a non-mage but one with basic empathy and a curious mind), Fiona's motherhood hasn't really contributed much to his arc. The deep loneliness was there already. Yes, he has one more person who let him down for at the time seemingly justified reasons. OK. We’ve heard that... a lot of times already.

So Fiona, who already had a serviceable story arc of her own, ends up with it partly centred around Alistair’s for... reasons? I guess? in order to prop up his story, but not to do it in any way that really affects it or offers closure and just makes a hash of hers?

Narratively, I simply don't get why he has to be her kid, or be a half-elf. My interest is in how utterly bloody ordinary he is, because that's what makes him special. Both the "my bloodline is ultraspecial because Maric" and "my bloodline is ultraspecial because Fiona" stories bored me equally. He for all intents and purposes still looks human, and his story already has a pretty big focus on oppression. There’s no reason to pile “have we also mentioned half-elf and abandoned by one more person” on top of it. It’s just... overseasoning.

On Alistair

For me, the entire appeal of Alistair’s arc was that he made himself. His pain and his abuse were a major part of his story, but he chose strength. He chose to centre himself around being a Warden, around helping people. Someone who went through that could have easily wanted to watch the world burn, but he didn’t. He is not his parents, or his blood. That's not why his story is interesting.

Growing up, Alistair’s most formative influence wasn’t his parents; it was the lack of them. Or of family in general. 

If you want to pick major figures in his life, I suppose Maric could be one of them. Fiona? No, he isn’t even allowed to know she exists.

The formative influences we’re given, ones he remembers and mentions and seem to have imparted lessons:

Duncan, the almost-father he idolises, and the first person to believe in him

The idea - rather than the reality - of his mother, a serving-maid whose death he blames himself for; he clings to the idea she would have loved him, hence the amulet

Eamon, who was the nearest thing he had to a father and left him, which clearly affected him, and who continues trying to use him, albeit maybe with some real concern in there

Isolde, who helped seal that he was a dangerous tool or leverage, not a person, and started the chain of events that led to the Chantry

Teagan, who was ultimately ineffectual but made him hope for more, and was one of the few sources of kindness in his life

The Chantry bullies, perhaps

Goldanna, who reinforced that “you’re nothing but an inconvenience” mentality and was his last hope of a loving family

The Wardens, who were the nearest thing he had to a family

The people he meets during the Blight, the Warden in particular but definitely Morrigan, Leliana, Zev and the dog, who all make him question different aspects of himself and broaden his horizons a little

There are a ton of stories to tell there, and certainly, the Warden and their relationship with him - good, bad, indifferent - gets the spotlight, as do Eamon and Teagan. Heck, even Cailan gets a look-in, and Duncan has his moment. So why, ten years later, are we back to the twin spectres of Maric and Fiona?

Look... making an abused, neglected kid still be defined and unable to get away from the parents that walked out of his life, and not letting him have his own story? I don't know, that... bugs me. To put it mildly. OK, I’m probably overstating it and drawing parallels where there shouldn’t be, but it does rather feel like that’s the case. This way, he's never allowed progress, growth or agency. And I just... can't. I can't enjoy a story like that, it's too bloody sad and cheap.

He was an neglected kid who was told, over and over, that he deserved the bare minimum. When you've had no love at all, even a half-hearted grain of it is enough. And that has defined his story so much, but there are other stories to tell with him; one of the reasons I like him is his complexity. I want it to stop defining his story. He shouldn’t have to be hunting that family spectre. It may be something that still hurts him, which would be realistic enough, but it’s not all he is, and it’s not what he is to Thedas.

We have so many stories out there where kids are defined by difficult parents. We have so many reconciliation storylines about the sins of families being forgiven, or accepted. (See also: Dorian’s story, depending on how you play it, and definitely Hawke and Leandra’s. I could write a whole meta post on those.) 

How about some counter-narratives? Maybe the world needs more “Sometimes family isn’t a matter of blood, and sometimes your parents didn’t do enough and it’s OK to walk away from the unanswered questions. You’re not broken or static, you still have stories to tell, and you can still grow” arcs. Because life isn’t a Hallmark card, blood doesn’t equal love, and, to quote Dorian on this one, “Sometimes love isn’t enough.” That could be a healthier, more realistic kind of fiction, but also a more interesting one.

...OK, now I’m getting off-track.

tl;dr: I am totally with Alistair that his bloodline is the least interesting thing about him. You go guy.

#alistair theirin #maric theirin #fiona #dragon age #meta #ie me rambling #look i'm awkward and english #i always have to preface any hint of negativity #with at least three 'i'm so sorry's #bioware critical #i... guess? #i dunno?

[nilesdaughter]

Dragon Age Questionnaire

Tagged by the ever-lovely @lakambaeni​! I’m sorry it always takes me forever to get to your tags.

Tagging: @battlefox​, @tyishi​, @aurianavaloria​, and any other DA fans that follow me! But, as always, there’s no obligation to fill the tag :)

01) Favourite game of the series? I think DAI is my favorite in the series, because it was the one that really pulled me into the fandom.

02) How did you discover Dragon Age? As is usual for my entrance to fandom, it started with blogs I follow starting to share content about the game. (This was a little bit before DAI dropped.) It seemed cool, and @likhoradka​ had made a quick Handers comic that amused me, but I didn’t really get into it until @battlefox​ lent me a copy of DA2 so that I could see what all the hype was about.

03) How many times you’ve played the games? I’ve played all three games through to completion once; with DAO, I played most of the DLCs that were concurrent to the base game, but I only played the vanilla games for DA2 and DAI. HOWEVER, I have started several additional playthroughs, to the point where I have a small army of characters.

04) Favourite race to play as? Elves! Though, to be fair, this is a bias I generally have in fantasy settings.

05) Favourite class? Mages, because, again, the bias followed me from the fantasy setting in general.

06) Do you play through the games differently or do you make the same decisions each time? I try to play to each character, but I still usually end up making the same decisions (so far).

07) Go-to adventuring group?

DAO: Alistair/Dog, Leliana, Zevran

DA2: Varric, Fenris, Anders

DAI: Since this is the one that I have the most characters in, this is more varied depending on the playthrough, but my PERSONAL favorite combination is Varric, Dorian, and Iron Bull.

08) Which of your characters did you put the most thought into? Definitely Enansal, even though she’s just a glorified self-insert. I just write about her the most.

09) Favourite romance? Probably Cullen, but that’s because I’ve done that one twice.

10) Have you read any of the comics/books? I haven’t got a chance to, yet! I did buy myself a copy of “Asunder,” but I haven’t had time to actually read it.

11) If you read them, which was your favourite book? TBD ;)

12) Favourite DLCs? I mean, I do love “The Stone Prisoner,” because it gives you Shale, and I love them so much.

13) Things that annoy you. Mooostly the fandom. This is why I keep to myself and my little corner amongst the lovely people behind @dadrunkwriting and @asiansofthedas.

14) Orlais or Ferelden? Ferelden, because it’s always given me Celtic vibes and therefore reminds of Ireland :)

15) Templars or mages? Mages.

16) If you have multiple characters, are they in different/parallel universes or in the same one? I personally have them existing in parallel universes. However, I like the idea that all of the DAO characters end up joining the Wardens at some point or another. I also do have two separate Tabris playthroughs that have become my “Tabris twins” headcanon.

17) What did you name your pets? (mabari, summoned animals, mounts, etc)

Veleda’s mabari is Rowan. Since my first playthrough with Sylvia was with the vanilla game, she didn’t have her mabari, so I still haven’t thought of a name. Enansal and Cullen name their mabari Buster. Most of my other playthroughs have named mabari, though, but I have way too many to name them all haha I also never named any mounts, probably because I didn’t know that they could be named!

18) Have you installed any mods? I wish I could, but I definitely don’t have the space or know-how to install them.

19) Did your Warden want to become a Grey Warden? Veleda definitely did not. She was actually more than happy to stay in the Circle, because she definitely started out as a huge Loyalist, and was upset that she was basically forced into leaving with Duncan. She was eventually glad for the opportunity to live in the “outside world” though.

20) Hawke’s personality? Sylvia ended up being true blue lol

21) Did you make matching armor for your companions in Inquisition? No. I usually prioritized stats (and sometimes individual colors).

22) If your character(s) could go back in time to change one thing, what would they change?

Veleda: She wouldn’t have betrayed Jowan. Being away from the Circle made her realize that she should have put more value in his friendship.

Sylvia: Even if it ultimately spared his life, she always regrets NOT taking Carver to the Deep Roads with her, because she hates the time that they spent apart.

Elera: She never would have left her Clan prior to the events of DAI.

Enansal: She wishes she never had gotten involved with Aaric.

23) Do you have any headcanons about your character(s) that go against canon? Not particularly? I’d say my biggest canon-breaking content is my Tabris twins and my Kremquisitor playthrough.

24) Are any of your character(s) based on someone? Aisling Tabris, Sylvia Hawke, and Enansal Lavellan are all self-inserts, technically >_> Nan is the one that is most like me, though. Ash is my go-to persona when I make new characters, and Sylvia is really only a self-insert in the sense that all of her dialogue choices were based on what *I* would do in that situation.

25) Who did you leave in the Fade? Stroud, because holy frick, I could not break Varric’s heart like that.

26) Favourite mount? N/A

#tagged #tag meme #dragon age