#arlan lavellan

[transprincecaspian]

@fenharel-apologist94 asked the discord group what gift would give our Dragon Age OCs high approval bonus. Here is my mostly comprehensive list >;3

Mahanon Tabris - Pouch of Herbs; A fragrant bundle of herbs commonly used in Ferelden cooking, freshly picked.

Laurent Surana - Token of Favor; A finely embellished kerchief with roses embroidered around the hem.

Iveani Lavellan - Plush Furs; Warm furs from the south of Ferelden to help one stave off the chill while they sleep.

Naoise Cousland - Stray Arrows; Loose arrows plucked off of darkspawn corpses, able to be reused with poison from their blood.

Trystan Hawke - Needle and Thread; A spare sewing needle to patch up holes in clothes or thin blankets.

Jurian Amell - Storybook; A book of fairytales collected from all across Thedas, in one large leather-bound volume.

Arlan Trevelyan - Empty Lyrium Bottles; Perfect for replenishing with more lyrium—or shiny rocks you might find while traveling.

Nomaris Mahariel - Halla Toy; A toy deer carved out of wood and painted white; it almost resembles the Halla of the Dalish.

Maeve Hawke - Riding Boots; A proper lady would not be seen muddying up her fine dress shoes while riding horseback.

In’nan Lavellan- Fragment of Elvish; A fragmented stone with an old elvish inscription upon it, waiting to be translated.

Uhhh if someone else wants to make a tag game of this feel free :3

#yes I love the gift system actually #I was raised on harvest moon what more do you want from me #also I know this post implies a third worldstate. I’m working on it #absolutely not tagging all of my blorbos in this tho #gift post #cas blorbos #casposting #dragon age #dragon age ocs #my mutuals my beloveds

[car-zari]

two brothers who bugged their keeper enough to let them find how their sister is doing after she survives an explosion then is forced to be a symbol for the humans’ religion in another country

descriptions below 🔽🔽

Adrahel Lavellan

Adanna’s older twin brother by 10 minutes. Originally grew up in an alienage in the Free Marches until he was 7 shortly after his magic manifests. His father took him and his siblings in hopes of finding a dalish clan that would take them in, or at least grant Adrahel a life outside of a Circle. Thankfully they found the Lavellan clan who were in need of an apprentice to the Keeper. Adrahel eventually proved skilled enough to be granted title of First.

A soft-hearted man who daydreams a lot but is willing to lend a listening ear to just about anyone. As nice as he is, his kindness can bleed into naivete by believing everyone has the best of intentions. It also causes him to be extremely indecisive, constantly careful to never upset anyone. He often finds himself having to act as a mediator during Adanna and Arlan’s arguments, though fortunately they have lessened over the years as they’ve all grown older.

Arlan Lavellan

Adrahel and Adanna’s younger brother by 5 years. Only really ever knew life with the dalish since he was only 2 when his family left the alienage. Primarily was a hunter, but showed great interest in crafting weapons. Became very adept at creating traps to catch game, and later learns to make traps to catch people.

While usually quiet, Arlan has a surprisingly sharp tongue and unafraid to share his opinions. He greatly prides himself on always having a plan for everything from years of looking out for his more absent-minded older siblings. Though normally immune to being teased, Adanna has a special skill of getting under his skin, causing them to argue regularly about who is right on any small matter. But overall, he cares deeply about them, regularly helping them in indirect ways like slipping extra poultices into their bags or reminding them what they were talking about when they forget halfway through a conversation.

#dragon age #DA OC #adrahel lavellan #arlan lavellan #adanna lavellan #dai #my art #my ocs

[thereluctantinquisitor]

TMI Tuesday!

Accepting any and all questions about the OCs (SFW or NSFW)! ;D

(Note: I probably won’t answer questions for everyone because the roster has expanded dramatically and I am weak-willed, so please specify or I will just pick and choose randomly!)

#Including the Dawn Squad (represented by the sweet Darren in the image) #and Arlan Ryder the beloved Carrot Son of Andromeda #<3 #TMI Tuesday #Varlen Lavellan #Anacrea Trevelyan #Nyvera Lavellan #Maraas Adaar #Jaime Trevelyan #Hanin Lavellan #Delton #Dawn Squad

[rosykims]

OC INFO MEME | ASHARA LAVELLAN

tagged by: i was retagged by @falkreathh bless <3 tagging: @trvelyans @nordxz @noonvraith @synthzander @denerims @vesuvius @the-elves and u aka the person reading this !!!

BASICS

Full name: ashara dhavise lavellan ( dhavise is her family name, roughly translated as “kissed by fire” )  Gender: cis female Sexuality: pansexual Pronouns: she / her

OTHER

Family: numina lavellan ( mother, deceased ), arlan lavellan ( father, made tranquil ), mithra lavellan ( twin sister ) nadaia da’eralen ( daughter, post canon ) Birthplace: the free marches, within clan lavellan Job(s): first to clan lavellan’s keeper, leader of the inquisition, and later a professor of elven history at the university of orlais Phobias: she has a fear bordering a phobia for despair demons. they’re what inadvertently killed her mother so she is terrified of her own sadness and the actual spirit of sadness in general. fun times :3 Guilty pleasures: dancing ! she always dances when she’s drunk gthugtrhugtrh. she also likes taboo magics and studying frowned upon topics but she doesn’t exactly feel guilty about it so Hobbies: she loves writing and brings her journal with her EVERYWHERE, and is constantly scribbling down notes and memos etc. she loves reading and practicing magic as well, basically anything she thinks will help to better herself. she also likes ice skating, just because <3

MORALS

Morality alignment: chaotic neutral Sins: lust/greed/envy/gluttony/pride/wrath/sloth Virtues: charity/chastity/diligence/humility/justice/kindness/patience

THIS OR THAT?

introvert / extrovert organized / disorganized close-minded / open-minded calm / anxious / restless disagreeable / agreeable / in between cautious / reckless / in between patient / impatient outspoken / reserved leader / follower / flexible empathetic / unempathetic optimistic / pessimistic / realistic traditional / modern / in between hard-working / lazy / unmotivated

RELATIONSHIPS:

OTP: solas x ashara  Acceptable ships: ashara x alistair, ashara x krem, ashara x cullen ( they have a very brief Thing between inquisition and trespasser ) and ashara x freya who is my skyrim oc but idk, if freya was a da chara they would have such chemistry sorry ( EDIT - also ashara x celandine trevelyan aka maia’s inquisitor who i love more than life itself. they are.....so alike its uncanny and i would die for them ) OT3: hmm i mean romantically non that i can think of, but i really like the friendship between ashara x solas x cole. v cute and good BroTP: ashara x vivienne ! friends that judge together stay together ;) ashara x cole, ashara x leliana which is a dynamic ive only just recently started appreciating NOTP: ashara x blackwall ( they HATE each other ) ashara x sera probably altho they would be a pretty funny/cute dynamic now that i think abt it 

#oc: ashara #this has been going around for ages so feel free to ignore tghgtuhgtru #but i realized i hadnt made one for ashara and i could sleep until it happened #*couldnt #ALSO FORGIVE HER EYEBROWS IN THIS GIF i recorded like 6 hours of footage before i realized they weren't the modded ones i have for her #i was........very mad @ myself

[reliciron]

Playing Dragon Age: Inquisition again, and I decided to redo a pair of my old Inquisitors: 

Archer Assassin Lyris Cadash

Two-Handed Warrior Arlan Lavellan

Of all the inquisitor’s I’ve made, these 2 have the most established backstory, so I always end up coming back to them. 

#dragon age inquisition #lavellan #cadash #inquisitor #relicdraws

[chocolateal]

(I have ur ask saved but still havent had a chance to get to it lol) in da:i, does arlan leave anyone in the fade?

honeSTLY FUCK THE FADE

ugggggghhhhh

Arlan had become pretty good at making quick, important decisions, but damn it all. Deciding who would sacrifice themself for the rest of them to escape was too difficult for her, and she was so close to simply saying that they would all stay and fight together. But everyone was so tired, so scared, and forced to be so brave for her and the Inquisition; Arlan herself was barely holding it together, and her straining courage was taking its toll. It would take a miracle to defeat this thing and get everyone out, and she felt that she had used up her share of miracles. She squeezed her eyes shut against the hideous form of the demon trapping them here, and spat out, “Alistair...”

The warden understood, of course. Hawke was shaking her head, about to continue fighting, but Alistair gave them a quick smile. Of the two, Arlan thought he would have the better chance of surviving; Hawke was a mage, more vulnerable to the Fade than Alistair. And the warden had been to the Fade before, if the stories of his time with the Hero of Fereldan were true. Arlan’s heart ached at the thought of the missing elf mage: she knew that the two wardens were an item, that they had been fighting these ten years so they could finally live in peace, and now she was ripping them apart. She felt the burning rush of shame and guilt wash over her, but Alistair put his hand on her shoulder. He stared intently at her, as though there was too much for him to say. Arlan pushed whatever mana she had into her hands and healed his wounds quickly. Her hands then scooped the remaining healing potions and poultices into his arms, anything she had on her. She shoved a small jar of bees into his belt pouch, frantically restocking him, and her voiced cracked when she ordered, “Live.” 

There wasn’t much time left. The Nightmare was getting impatient with them, and was making grotesque sounds. Arlan clasped her hands over Alistair’s, this brave, sweet man she had barely gotten to know, and told him again, “Live.” Then she gathered the rest of her companions and rushed them towards the rift, covering their escape while the warden began his charge. She and Hawke lingered for just a moment longer, one foot in the rift each, both turned towards him. As he cut his way through the flesh of the demon and they lost sight of him, Arlan cupped her arm around the other mage and brought her through with her. 

#da:i #arlan lavellan #i honestly could not bring myself to answer this when i first got it so sorry bun #i hate here lies the abyss #anonbunny

[transprincecaspian]

This is the hub for my characters and worldstates! For now, I’m only linking to my Dragon Age OCs. Click on the name and it will take you to the relevant tag! Worldstate One - “To the Victor Go the Toils”

Mahanon Tabris - My original Warden, his story is about themes of death, life, rebirth, and the blood of the baptism. His story is focused on gender, gendered violence, identity, and the resolve to live despite all else. You can also click here to go straight to his fic on AO3!

Elyon Andras - When Mahanon abandons the Grey Wardens in the aftermath of Origins, it is Elyon who is selected to take his place as the Warden-Commander of Vigil’s Keep. Elyon’s story is one of hope throughout despair, motherhood, and the loneliness of never being able to return home.

Laurent Surana - a Veteran of the Blight and a side character in Mahanon’s story throughout Origins. His focus picks up during the events of Dragon Age 2, as an unlikely companion to my Garrett Hawke in Kirkwall. His story focuses on romanticism, chivalry, knighthood, intrigue, and the lies one has to tell. His fic is on the way!

Iveani Lavellan - My Inquisitor, a Dalish somniari and rift mage who has slowly been blinded by his Dreamer abilities. Relying on his staff–all at once a magical conduit, a cane, and a polearm–he leads the way for the Dalish in the rapidly shifting political environment of Thedas. Worldstate Two - “Blood of the Covenant, Blood of the Womb” Naoise Cousland - The Warden I’m currently playing, his story focuses on the themes of loss, grief, vengeance, toxic masculinity, and politics, both noble and gendered. Not yet sure how his story ends, so join him along the way! Trystan Hawke - The parentified eldest sibling of the Hawke family, Trystan must take his father’s place in protecting Bethany from the Templars and dangers of Kirkwall. Angry, jealous, and demanding of the world and what it owes him, his relationships with his friends–and Anders–will shake the very foundations of Thedas. Jurian Amell - The younger cousin to Trystan, Jurian is everything that could be wanted in an Amell grandchild. A gifted mage, clever, and lovely to look at, his story is built off of the folktales of Fereldan into an epic saga that Kirkwall won’t ever forget. Arlan Trevelyan – The youngest child of the faithful and devout Trevelyan family, Arlan being a mage was a stain upon their honor and faith in the Chantry. What he knows about the inner workings of Thedosian politics will shape the Inquisition and its dealings for years to come.

Cas Meta – This link takes you to all META thoughts about all of my characters or the Dragon Age series itself, if you want to dig through my analyses and headcanons without the character spam!

#organizational tag #dragon age #cas meta

[transprincecaspian]

My DA Worldstates

uhh this is just notes for me to keep everything straight because i have two worldstates now and i'm notoriously stupid

Worldstate One

Elves

HoF: Mahanon Tabris; transmasc/warrior/kills connor/saves the mages/kills werewolves/puts bhelen on the throne/defiles the ashes of andraste/reaver arc/spares loghain/fucks off immediately after the epilogue and disappears with his goth gf Morrigan Warden-Commander: Elyon Andras; transmasc/warrior/dalish/estranged husband/dead kid/orlesian courts/arl of amaranthine/recruits all the wardens/lets the city burn and returns to defend vigil's keep

CoK: Garrett Hawke; transmasc/mage/purple+blue/friendmances Fenris/sides with the mages/spares Anders(?? still working on him)

(featuring Laurent Surana, who romances Sebastian and tags along as a companion arc)

HoA: Iveani Lavellan; transmasc/rift mage/dalish/somniari/partially blind/recruits the mages/makes briala the puppet leader of orlais/does not disband the wardens/does not try to redeem solas he's not stupid

Worldstate Two

Skywalker-level Dysfunction

HoF: Naoise Cousland; transmasc/rogue/duelist/kills isolde/saves the mages/barters peace between elves and werewolves/puts bhelen on the throne/does not defile the ashes/does have a threesome with Zev and Isabella/keeps Alistair as a warden/Anora rules alone/becomes warden-commander with long distance bf Zev

(featuring Jurian Amell in the Awakening era; apostate/mage/shapeshifter/pretty boy era/prettiest boy dare i say/says people wrote poetry about him/mistaken as one of the swan-swain/is out to steal your girl)

CoK: Trystan Hawke; transmasc/warrior/red+purple/possible andersmance/andersmancers don't get excited its not gonna go the way you want/still working out details

HoA: Arlan Trevelyan; transmasc/mage/FUCKING ANXIOUS WRECK THAT'S ALL I KNOW FOR NOW

ok ty bye :3

#yes all of my ocs are transmen #leave me alone #auhghhg #akira!!! #i love my elves sooo much #worldstate two is also hilarious just for the fact that its like #they're all somewhat related cousins in my headcanon #like naoise and arlan are SO FAR REMOVED #but still technically cousins #iconic chefs kiss #if anyone has questions i'm happy to elaborate #this is just a little point of reference for me hehe #dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age awakening #dragon age 2 #dragon age inquisition #cas meta #cas worldstates

[transprincecaspian]

I was tagged by @greypetrel and @idolsgf to do the “They’re A Ten, BUT….”

Tags below the cut!

Mahanon Tabris: He’s a ten, but he hates cis men. And you’re pretty sure the blood on his armor isn’t his.

Elyon Andras: He’s a ten, but he’s not over his estranged husband and dead kid.

Laurent Surana: He’s a ten, but he keeps breaking down in sobs every time you guys talk about the Hero of Ferelden.

Iveani Lavellan: He’s a ten, but he let everyone play Twister for thirty minutes before reminding everyone that he’s blind and can’t really make out the colors he’s calling.

Naoise Cousland: He’s a ten, but he keeps forgetting that the rest of his friends aren’t in the same income bracket as he is.

Trystan Hawke: He’s a ten, but he’s insanely insecure and keeps a hand in his boyfriend’s back pocket every time they go out with friends.

Jurian Amell: He’s a ten, but he’s obsessed with birdwatching and sometimes he talks exclusively in weird poetry.

Arlan Trevelyan: He’s a ten, but he supports Christian nationalism.

Nomaris Mahariel: He’s a ten, but he’s obsessed with women’s rights. He’s an eleven!

Maeve Hawke: She’s a ten, but she cares more about her horse than you.

In’nan Lavellan: He’s a ten, but he’ll bite your arm until it hurts if you piss him off or show too much friendly affection. Like a cat.

Tagging @demandthedoodles @bitchesofostwick @daggerbean @flashhwing @grandpasauce @gvnseylike @hannahrama @nightmarist @fenharel-apologist94

#tag game #they’re a ten but #cas blorbos #dragon age #dragon age ocs #my mutuals my beloveds

[car-zari]

3 lavellan siblings getting used to navigating human towns

2 of which havent set foot in one for 25 years (Adrahel & Adanna) and 1 that literally never has (Arlan)

(guy in first pg is adrahel, his twin inquisitor adanna, and their bby bro arlan)

#dragon age #dai #i drew multiple armors and backgrounds for a meme :'^) #for quick context the twins left the alienage at 7 #arlan was 2 so he has no memories of living in a human city #adanna lavellan #adrahel lavellan #arlan lavellan #i still need to make a ref pg for the bois

[chocolateal]

Those sketches look adorable!!! Which god does Arlan have a vallaslin of and why did she pick that one?

Sylaise! ((meta version is that my first Warden and first Inquisitor had that design i think and i’ve always liked it so pop it went on her face)) Sylasie was a protector, someone who was dedicated to domestic arts but absolutely vital to survival: she had been the one to give fire to the elves. As Arlan grew more comfortable with her magic, it was the flames she elicited from the Fade that felt the most natural to her; as the dalish did before lighting a fire, she would send a quick prayer to the goddess before shooting fire from her hands. When it came time to get her vallaslin, she barely had to think before naming the goddess she wanted to honor. She felt that getting the blood writing in Sylasie’s design would be like constantly saying a prayer to her, so she could freely use fire magic without having to evoke her name each time. (she told herself it had nothing to do with her old friend and everything to do with honor and protecting her clan)

#da:i #arlan lavellan #another short one! #anonbunny

[chocolateal]

lol That last one you wrote was precious, Teal. What does Arlan wear to the Winter Palace? Does she wear the uniform or something different? :3

((thank you ahhhh!)) She does indeed wear something different! She was very interested in the idea of wearing something fancy, and she utterly balked at the sight of the uniforms. So Josephine ordered a pretty navy dress with light, airy fabric that floated deliciously around her legs and arms, but with a strong bodice woven out of dark leather in the dalish fashion, all embroidered or accented by gold, of course. It was so pretty that Arlan almost started crying when she saw it, but it made her feel better than wearing that bright crimson foolishness when she knew she was going to have to be sneaky. 

(she 100% endorsed Bull wearing the coat, though, as the sight of him in finery was quite attractive, thank you very much)

#da:i #arlan lavellan #not hiding this one since it's nice and short! #also i want to do a proper drawing of her winter palace dress since that one doesn't look as nice as my original sketch #anonbunny

[chocolateal]

Did Arlan have any lovers before becoming Inquisitor and meeting Iron Bull?

Before she became First, actually before she really got any sort of magic flowing out her fingertips, there was another girl in her clan. There were many girls, but this one was special. Kalle was just a few months older than her, leaving the two of them within the same age group and more time together (her clan had all the elflings born within the same year grouped together, to let them bond and learn from each other). Arlan and Kalle spent a lot of time together, easily each other’s best friend, and confided in each other. 

Early one morning, just as Arlan was waking, Kalle slid into her bedroll very quietly, although she was brimming with a strange energy. “Kalle? What is it?” Arlan questioned around a yawn. She didn’t bother lifting her head from her pillow, and Kalle quickly rested her own head on the soft cloth as well. 

“You will never believe what I just did!” Kalle had pressed her face close to her friend’s, the heat from their proximity making them flushed. 

“What? What did you do?” Worry nibbled at Arlan’s stomach. 

“Watch this!” Kalle wiggled her hands up in front of her face, and within seconds they were coated in a thin layer of ice. Arlan reared back, sliding her head along the cotton of her pillow and brought her own hands up to her mouth. Eyes round, she stared at her friend as Kalle continued to show her the ice and her grin. Gold eyes curious, Arlan leaned back in, inspecting the magic. 

“You just did this?”

“Yes! My hand got too close to the fire and ice came out before I even thought about it! No one saw it, so I wanted to show you first,” her voice lowered. “You’re the only one who knows.” 

Arlan felt her heart beat faster. “We need to tell the Keeper.” 

“Wait!” Panic crossed her friend’s face. “Not yet.”

“Not yet? Kalle, think about what this means! You could become First! Think about all the things you could learn!”

“I know you really like learning things, Arlan, but I don’t want that. Not yet, at least. I want to have more time before I have to study stuff.” She made a face at the very idea of it. She ducked her head even closer to Arlan’s, her grey eyes meeting golden ones. “Promise you won’t tell anyone until I feel I’m ready.” 

Arlan looked physically pained at the idea of not taking advantage of knowledge, but nodded. Who knows, maybe she’d turn out to be a mage herself as well. She would probably find out within the year. Kalle smiled brightly, and landed a quick kiss on Arlan’s lips. 

“To seal the promise.” Arlan looked at her in alarm and confusion. “Some shems told me they do that when making a promise to someone they really care about.”

“We aren’t shems, Kalle.” Her lips were tingling.

“Yeah, but still. Promise is a promise.” 

A couple weeks later, and still no one outside of the pair knew about Kalle’s secret. She began using fire magic when no one was looking, lighting candles for Arlan to read by. To everyone else, nothing had really changed between them, but Arlan felt the echos of the kiss every time she looked at her friend. More days passed, and with a child’s curiosity and courage, she turned to her friend when they were alone. It was dark out, and only the barest light of the fire could reach them as they walked through the forest, gathering more loose wood. 

“That...thing the shems taught you,” Kalle looked at her questioningly, “The promise thing-”

“Kissing. You know elves do it too, sometimes.”

“I-I know.” Kissing and related things weren’t really discussed in the clan, or maybe just not around the children. Arlan felt a spike of rebellion, knowing she couldn’t be considered a child for much longer. “I was wondering if they told you if they used it for anything else?”

“Anything else?”

“Besides making promises, I mean.” 

“Oh.” Kalle stopped walking, and Arlan felt nervous turning to look at her. “Well, I know what else it can be used for.”

“Y-yes?”

“Pleasure.” The word sent a charge through the air, and chills ran down Arlan’s spine, quick and merciless. 

“Oh,” her voice faltered. “Um-”

“Do you want to try it?”

“What?”

“With me, um, kissing. With me. Kissing me. Ha, I mean, you don’t have to, but if you want to know, then-” her rambling was cut off by Arlan’s eager mouth, neither moving for a few moments. Arlan pulled away, dim firelight making only part of her face clear, but her nervousness was apparent. 

“Was that-” Now it was her turn to be cut off as Kalle surged forward, this time moving her mouth against Arlan’s, who followed suit. They dropped whatever wood they were carrying, grasping at each other’s necks and faces in an awkward hold. The kisses were sloppy, harsh, and probably bad, but neither of them really cared. Hearts thumping, they separated only to find they were in complete darkness, the fire having faded so much. They laughed quietly, and tried to pick up the wood they had dropped before making their way back. When they reached the edge of the fire’s glow, Arlan gave her one more quick kiss, very soft, before any one could see them. 

They didn’t have much time to explore this new relationship. Kalle accidentally outed herself as a mage at breakfast about a week later, as she tried to subtly poke more flames under a cooking pot and the keeper caught her. She was taken under her instruction that very day, leaving Arlan alone for what felt like the first time ever. Every day became like this, as Kalle was taught how to control her magic, and the struggle of keeping herself afloat under all the new knowledge drained any extra energy she had. She and Arlan still spent time together, but it was usually Arlan helping her relearn things after dinner, and Kalle often fell asleep on her. 

When Arlan’s magic formed ice in her waterskin one day, she headed straight to the keeper to show her. Kalle was there, as usual, and looked delighted as her friend (lover?) proudly demonstrated her brand new skill. Their keeper looked troubled, however. 

“Now that you have awoken to your powers, we have six young mages in our clan,” the keeper told her. 

“Is...is that a bad thing?” Arlan questioned.

“No, da’len, your powers are a gift, and we all welcome such blessings,” she smiled, but quickly turned somber again. “However, there are clans with no mages at all, and no one to take over for their keepers.” She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and continuing, “They will ask me for one of you to join them, to become their First.”

Arlan felt panic shoot down her spine and mix in her blood. Leave the clan? For strangers? Leave everyone she loved, her peers, her keeper, her Kal-

“I will go.”

The keeper and Arlan turned to Kalle, who looked back with determination. “I will join another clan. While the others may have shown their magic earlier than me, I am the oldest.” She smiled then, sadly. “It would be my duty to our clan to go.”

Arlan felt tears welling in her eyes, and she began to shake her head before the keeper smiled, “Thank you Kalle. You do our people proud with your selflessness.” Kalle bowed slightly. 

Later, after they had fought about it, about who should go, about having one of the others go instead, Kalle was packed and ready. Their clan had gathered to say farewell to her, except for Arlan. 

Arlan waited at the edge of camp, where she knew Kalle would have to pass in order to leave. She was not disappointed as she spotted her atop a halla, with her bag flung across its back with her. Arlan waited, and as Kalle passed her, she dismounted. Standing facing each other, neither knew what to say. Arlan pressed a book into her hands. “It’s about Sylaise. I thought maybe she could be an inspiration to you.” Hands now empty, she didn’t know what to do with them. She looked away, suddenly embarrassed. Kalle smiled fondly, sadly, and leaned in to press one last kiss onto her friend’s lips. They lingered, until Kalle moved away to remount her halla. 

“We will meet again, Arlan, don’t worry.” 

Although they wrote to each other for the next few years, they never saw each other again. 

((i shouldn’t be allowed to write anything romantic, i’m sorry. this is the only thing that comes close to her having a lover, besides possible one night stands when she’s older.))

#da:i #arlan lavellan #listen #the girl ain't straight #this is long haha #anonbunny

[chocolateal]

'Lbr fuck bioware' is my gaming & writting motto. After Arlan becomes Inquisitor, is there any major moment in her story that happens very differently from canon?

gdi my cat walked across my keyboard while i was answering this and shut down my browsers AUGH 

She keeps pretty well to the canon, the biggest difference is that she has Gaspard stay in Orlais after putting Celene and Briala on the throne. She’s not really fond of any of them, but she likes Briala best; getting her and Celene to reconcile made the other elf happy, but Arlan didn’t want to let go of Gaspard so easily. In all honesty, she felt like she was dealing with a bunch of spoiled children as Celene commanded that Gaspard be either executed or exiled (”NO ONE is exiling ANYONE. Just let him do something important and get over it.”) 

Other than that, she had her clan come and visit at Skyhold pretty soon after the biggest repairs were done. She had just started thinking of the place as home, a weird concept to her, and decided she wanted to share that with her family. She asked Leliana to get in contact with them and send an invitation (Leliana’s scouts could find them faster than she could, she figured), which Leli seemed delighted to do. The next day, Josephine cornered her in the Main Hall and started asking all sorts of questions about Clan Lavellan: what sort of traditions did they uphold? Did they have a particular diet? Would they prefer to sleep inside or outside in tents? Would anything at Skyhold offend them? In the slew of inquiries, Arlan could see Leliana standing in the doorway leading to the War Room with a shit eating grin on her face. 

It became an unofficial festival, the visit of the Inquisitor’s clan ((since Bioware hates elves, this obviously wouldn’t happen, but i thought about it one day while playing and i fucking loved it so here we are)). A few people were nervous or against the idea, Sera being the loudest (”A buncha elves up here? Like really elfie elves? Are you mad? They’d probably start... I dunno, doing something really elfie here! Make us pray to their gods or whatever!” “Sera, I don’t make you pray to my gods.” “Yeah, but you’re different!” “These are my people, Sera. They raised me.” “What, so they’re all like you? Good with other religions and shite?” “For the most part. You can put bugs in the bedrolls of the ones who aren’t.” “This, this is why I like you.”) at least for a little while. Others were very...into it. Arlan walked in on the Chargers rehearsing a puppet show about the Elvhan gods, directed by Dalish. Bull had painted trees onto his horns to be scenery while he had his hand stuck in what looked like a mini wolf. She started mentally screaming so loud that Cole stuck his head over the railing by his nook and asked them to, please, stop, you’re hurting her. (They still put on a show for the very younglings, far away from Arlan)

When her clan had actually arrived, there was quite a bit of fanfare and exclamations from the people. They crowded toward the main gate in order to get a look at the Inquisitor’s family, yelling welcomes all the while. Her clan, poor things, had never had such a positive welcome, well, anywhere. Especially not by a bunch of humans. Arlan had to push her way through the crowd in order to get to them, and was surprised to find Solas conversing with her keeper already. In Elvhen (of course he was, the show off). They broke off their conversation when her keeper spotted her, and rushed toward her to gather her in her arms. Surprised by the show of affection, Arlan almost pushed her away until the older woman started crying: “I’m so sorry, da’len, if I had any idea of what was going to happen, I would have never...! You should have stayed with your people, we should have all stayed far away from that place, and yet I sent you to them! Oh!” She held onto her even tighter.

 It grew quiet as she continued crying, Arlan completely stunned. She looked to the rest of her clan to see most of them crying and smiling at her, some of the children looking like they wanted to hug her too. Arlan, who was rarely taken seriously, Arlan, who spent most of her time training and studying and reading, Arlan, who was apparently so dearly loved by her clan that they were moved to tears by the sight of her alive and well. She couldn’t help it. She started crying too. The sight of their Inquisitor crying sent many people backpedaling in order to grant some sort of privacy, but a few stepped forward. Solas leaned into the two women, still crying and clinging to each other, and began whispering in their language. He told her keeper how proud everyone was of Arlan, that she had accomplished so much and was burdened to do even more, but by the gods she was a blessing. When they finally separated, Cassandra was waiting to, awkwardly, welcome them. “I cannot tell you how proud I am to fight alongside Arlan. She is an inspiration to us all.” Similar comments were made by her friends as the day progressed. Everyone was eager to tell some story about her bravery or her skill or her intelligence. She spent the entire day near tears. 

She spent the night in the newly erected tents in the courtyard, spacious things of dark green canvas filled with plush pillows and furs. Josephine said it wasn’t very much, that if they were Orleasian she would have to spend 10 times as much, but Arlan’s clan was still awe-struck. After they had eaten and settled a little, they pulled Arlan into their midst and refused to release her, piling around her among soft blankets. They had her tell them what happened; what she remembered of the Conclave, the Breach, Haven, everything she had done since she left them and then they told her of their time. They had stayed safe from the trouble brewing in Thedas, thankfully, and she fell asleep to the children talking about the different flowers found in the Free Marches. 

Her clan stayed for a couple weeks before they set out again, promising to visit again and to send her updates on their location if she could ever come to them. It nearly broke her heart to see them go, but she knew they couldn’t stay. They had business to get to, and she worried that they would want to fight for her when the time came (a few of the hunters asked to stay and join her ranks, but she refused them. They were more valuable to the clan, and they could protect them for her, please). When she couldn’t see them anymore, she turned to find her friends waiting for her, watching. No one was really sure what to say, so she just smiled and went to join them. 

#da:i #arlan lavellan #i didn't realize i've been waiting to write this #I LOVE THE ELVES OKAY #anonbunny

[chocolateal]

Any length is good length :) What typebof relationship did Arlan and her clan's keeper have? Did they get along well during her training?

Istimaethoriel was something else, even compared to other dalish keepers. She had allowed humans to trade with the clan openly, letting Arlan have exposure to their customs from a young age. However, the keeper was always ready for a warning about the humans, emphasizing their history of oppressing their people, of how they hurt clans. Arlan went back and forth on believing these stories for many years, since she saw humans often and none of them had tried to hurt her. It wasn’t until she became First that she understood. She was now privy to more information, especially about what happens in other clans. She heard about elves her own age who were hunted like animals by humans, templars, and hurt in unspeakable ways. Every time her keeper told her of another crime against her people, not what had happened in the past but what was happening now, she felt herself grow icy towards the shems. Her keeper, satisfied that Arlan wasn’t going to leave with the humans one day in search of more knowledge, began teaching her in earnest. 

Arlan, ever the student, enjoyed her lessons. She wished she could choose what to learn, but she understood that she had to know about things she didn’t really care about in order to be keeper one day. The idea of being keeper though... she wasn’t sure if it was what she really wanted. Arlan liked taking care of her people, liked talking to other clans, but the responsibility of being the official person to do that was daunting. Her keeper knew this, even if it was never spoken aloud, but continued to groom Arlan anyway. Since she was a mage, Arlan was one of the few who could take her place, and she was of the right age and had a passion for helping. She didn’t really have a knack for leading yet, which made things difficult. Her keeper had an air of grace and control about her, something Arlan admired deeply, and also resented. How was she supposed to be like her? She was ignored when she tried to talk about politics or important issues. No one looked at Arlan the way they did with Istimaethoriel, with utter respect. Arlan felt like all this training was pointless, that she would never be a capable keeper.

Her keeper still tried to keep (haha) her interested in the lessons. She traded furs for human books, adding to Arlan’s library of knowledge, and as a subtle bribe to keep her going. Of course, Arlan knew what she was doing, but never said anything. Despite her self doubts, she still did her best to be a good First. The magical training was, at least, incredibly useful, and she was good at it. 

When word of the upcoming Conclave reached clan Lavellan, the keeper breathed in deeply, calmly, and settled down by the fire. She dismissed the messenger, thanking him, and watched the flames for a few moments. It was dark enough outside now that the trees were pitch black against the navy sky. She looked up into the stars and wondered how many were to burn out soon. She called for Arlan, who came to sit with her in silence. 

“Da’len,” her keeper started, still staring up. “There is something I need you to do for me.” She paused. “For your people.”

“Keeper?” Arlan was nervous, and knew that whatever was going to be asked of her was not good. 

“I need you to go to the humans and protect us from their war.” 

#da:i #arlan lavellan #look i know that clans 'officially' don't have more than two mages but lbr fuck bioware there are more than that in Arlan's clan #anonbunny

[chocolateal]

Does Arlan have a favorite season/enjoy a particular time of year? :)

Like most Good Dalish Elves, Arlan likes summer. Specifically, she loves summer rain. Not the heavy downpours that soak a caravan and leave everyone sliding through mud for days, but the light drizzles that are barely heavier than morning dew. She loves the sound of trees rustling in the wind, lush green leaves making music that no instrument could hope to reproduce. Even the heat on cloudless days makes her smile, warms her fingertips (if one of the clan children complained about the heat, she would coat her hand in ice and slide it around the back of their neck, laughing as they jumped). She is a child of the sun, loving any time where she can be bathed in its light: summer just happens to be when they get the most sunlight. 

Summer is also when there’s more of everything. More plants, ready or almost ready after growing through spring. More animals, both to hunt and to play with. More unions, as love struck elves confess under a full summer’s moon. Summer has been ingrained as a season of peace and fruition for Arlan, and that carries with her even as she becomes the Inquisitor.  

With the Inquisition, the only place they travel to for business that feels like her pleasant summer is the Emerald Graves. There, it’s green and full and warm every time she visits. 

#da:i #arlan lavellan #this is p short and vague sorry #anonbunny