#this is about surana first and foremost

[makerscockandballs]

*soaks canon material in hot water to make it nice and bendy*

#this is about surana first and foremost #hes my dilf. none of your dialogue can erase 25 years off his lifespan #but also about game mechanics negatively impacting characterization & lore #esp. in rushed games #dragon age #txt

[crossdressingdeath]

One of the things that gets me about the Hero of Ferelden's (potential) refusal to sacrifice themselves at any point despite that being the Wardens' whole deal is that unless you're playing Cousland or Aeducan, your world has wanted you dead your whole life. Brosca's casteless, Tabris is a city elf shunted into the alienage, Mahariel is Dalish and stuck living on the edges of human society, Amell and Surana are mages; Thedas wants them all dead just for existing. And with a lifetime of that on their heads, when they get into the Wardens and learn that they're now expected to die for the world that hates them, they say no. They're not going to do it. They'll fight for the world, they'll give stopping the Blight all they've got, but they are not going to sacrifice their life or their people for it. Most potential Wardens can look at all the shit the world has put them through already and say you do not deserve my life. And then in Awakening they can extend that; they can look at all the shit the world has put their newfound family through and say "You don't get their lives either" and put them above everything else! Burning down Amaranthine is absolutely not the right call as the arl(essa) of the place or as the Warden-Commander who's the first Warden to run Amaranthine; it's not exactly putting the Wardens in the best light. But the Hero of Ferelden can decide that no, their duty is to their Wardens first and foremost and if Amaranthine has to burn to protect them then they will burn the city without hesitation. I just really love narratives where people who've been treated like shit by the world do not decide to go for forgiveness and compassion, but instead decide to protect their own above all others even if it means letting "innocents" die.

#(this is also why cousland is the only warden i play who saves the city) #dragon age origins #dragon age awakening #hero of ferelden

[dungeons-and-dragon-age]

Hellooo ^^ Long time no see (and also apologies for the radio silence). I've recently been noseying around your OC tag and loved what I've seen of Kalagna Brosca and Neira Surana 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 So, if I may, for them & also for Var'Renan and Noya (whom I already know better but am also pondering from time to time), may I request Friendship and Future? Feel free to pick and choose between OCs ^^ And have a lovely day!!

[ask game]

Heyy, it's good to see you! :D Of course you may, it makes me happy to hear you enjoy them! <33

Friendship: What's your OC like as a friend? How are they at making new friends? What are the most important friendships in your OC's life?

Neira: She is actually Really Bad at making new friends because she usually keeps to herself a lot and worries too much, so her getting on with practically all her travelling companions was quite the change. As a friend she is very supportive and a good listener, always happy to lend an ear and to offer help where she can. On the flip side it can be very annoying to get her to do the same for herself, but well. Honestly all the friends she's made during the blight are important in different ways, but Alistair's friendship is at the top. During the blight they were very close and big anchors for each other, and part of that bond stays even when they start to grow apart. Before that was Jowan, who was her only close friend in the tower.

Kala: Even worse at making friends than Neira lmao but she is entirely fine with this. The few friends that she has are more than enough for her, and she cares about them deeply. As a friend Kala is, first and foremost, unwaveringly loyal. And protective. Not in a coddling way, but in a "i will prioritise your wellbeing over anyone else's Always" way. Rica was by far the most important person in her life, and still is, to an extent. As much as they hated separating, the forced distance actually made their relationship way more healthy. Alistair has become an equally important person in her life, and Zevran isn't far behind.

Noya: She's that proactive friend who tries to get you involved in events or drags you along for shenanigans. Can be A Lot but really just wants to share their excitement and wants to make their friends feel involved. Reactions to her are definitely split; she can be intense and pushy and there were more than enough people in the alienage who gave her her wide berth for her troublemaker reputation. If she likes you though you can be absolutely sure that she has your back. She is very close with both her cousins, although she can't deny that Shianni is her favourite. Yes, even though she fought with her more than with anyone else.

Var'renan: The friend who is dubbed the Sensible friend but is actually just as bad. ...Ok maybe he's a little more sensible. Or at least they have a decent judgement of when to stop before things go Too bad. And then when you go through with it anyway they will stand by and tell you "i told you so." Will still defend you in front of the Keeper though. And yes all of this is mostly in reference to Taren lol. The two of them were inseparable and there were teasing whispers about them boding, but there was never any romantic intention between them. After being conscripted Morrigan was the first person to make them open up and feel less isolated, and he hates that they parted ways on bad terms.

Future: Is there anyone your OC is looking forward to meeting or to seeing again? Who? What might that meeting or reunion look like?

Neira: She never saw Jowan again after Redcliffe, and part of her really wishes she could meet again and apologise. She feels guilty about what happened to him, but she also just. Misses her oldest friend.

Kala: She never got close to many people in the first place so there aren't any people who she misses/wants to see, really. She was desperate to see Rica again after being conscripted and that reunion went better than she could have hoped (she half expected Rica to be dead, so seeing her alive and well and with child lifted a huge weight of her heart)

Noya: After Duncan took her away, the one thing she wanted was get back to her family. When she was finally there, the reunion was... about as bad as she expected, but not in the way she expected? The situation was bad but she didn't anticipate it feeling so bad as well, in that moment. After all that is dealt with, since Warden duties keep her away from home a lot, she is happy to see her father and cousins and childhood friends again whenever she can. And she'd love to get to see Sten again sometime!

Var'renan: Well. The one person they wanted to see again the most was Tamlen, and we all know how that turned out :') Apart from that probably Merrill; if they met Renan would have very mixed feelings about her eluvian project though. Provided they survive, they also have an urge to find Morrigan again after hearing the rumours about a roaming witch. Which.. wasn't something he realised he wanted this badly. He isn't even sure why; revenge? closure? an explanation?

#so many wardens!! >:] perfect timing tbh cos i've been hearing the sirens call of dao again fsjdlfsgfd #i maybe lied a little about jowan being neiras only friend bc ive been rotating an amell in my brain but they arent really solidified y #*yet #but who knows! #also can you tell... i get very attached to the warden origin characters....... #oc ask game/ my answers #my ocs #oc: neira surana #oc: kalagna brosca #oc: noya tabris #oc: var'renan mahariel #ty again! hope you have a nice day too!! <3 #i really gotta catch up on your guys too x'd

[elfyourmother]

💟!

what are three traits that my muse looks for in a partner?

Beauty. “Fly As Me” is one of the most Gisele Surana songs I have ever heard in my life, in the sense that the lyrics are absolutely her philosophy when it comes to dating. Simply put, she is an 11 and knows it and will not settle for anything less than what she deserves, which is someone as gorgeous as she is. Uglies need not apply lmao. BUT I should also point out that Gisele’s standards and definition of beauty are far more expansive and inclusive than people would assume from someone who looks like her and believes this way. And I mean her lovers very much bear the truth of that out: she counts among them ruggedly handsome men (eg. Cid, Raubahn, Gaius), your more classic bishounen types (Aymeric, Thancred), butches (Lucia), and femmes (Ysayle, Y’shtola). She loves hairy people and clean shaven people, chonky people and thin people, tall and short people. There is beauty to her in every race, ethnicity, size, ability, gender identity and presentation.

Intelligence. Gisele’s an educated, intellectual sort of woman and while this really isn’t important when it comes to casual sex, when it comes to more long term/involved relationships she absolutely requires someone who she can actually hold a rigorous conversation with about things besides sex. But as with the beauty example, Gisele isn’t bigoted about this and counts street/experience smarts just as valuable as formal education, probably because of her upbringing. She’ll be the first to tell anyone that she loves Estinien as much for his mind as anything, for example, which surprises people who don’t especially know any better.

Open-mindedness is the other super important thing. Gisele has always been a deeply curious sort of woman (see point 2), one who proudly dances to the beat of her own heart, and she can’t abide judgmental folk or small, narrow minds, it’s a huge turn-off. Anyone who would love her has got to understand that first and foremost. Gisele was the victim of some fairly virulent prejudice and bigotry where she comes from and she absolutely can’t tolerate it. Open minds and open hearts, people who are not afraid to admit when they’ve been wrong and are willing to learn and to grow as much as she does are really sexy to her.

(meme here.)

#gisele surana #oc memes #askbox memes #dandelionofthanatos #ask bisho

[yetanotherlesbianonthiswebsite]

The following few thoughts are my justification of my writing choices for the templars in general and Cullen in particular as secondary villains in the first arc of my Revolution!AU. Please be aware of the content notes below.

I want to preface this by saying that fanfic writers have a certain room to decide on how to portray Cullen, especially in AUs. This is a value-neutral statement. I’ve seen some fans of color address the problems he has in canon and giving him actual and meaningful redemption arcs or removing him completely from his canon characterization. Run Home, one of my favorite fan artworks in general, falls into the latter category, completely removing the problematic aspects of him. Such decisions are fair, there is no required way to interpret Cullen.

In DA:O, the canon after which my AU diverges, Cullen is a part of an armed and battle-ready organization that he canonically believes has a divine right to subjate an entire part of the general populace and place them in buildings they are not allowed to leave to keep the rest of the population supposedly safe. You can interpret the circles as cults, and I have certainly unloaded some of my cult trauma onto my Surana, or you may read them as prisons. The political allegory I have imbued into my AU interprets circles as first and foremost prisons, templars as cops, and centers the mage revolution storyline as a way to explore circle abolition as prison and police abolition.

My partner has already done an extremely intricate analysis on why circles can very well be called prisons (and every time I read one of their meta pieces, I fall more in love and awe with them; like, this is such a dedicated and focused analysis of the topic at hand and they write so many of these meta pieces). However, I am aware that circles do not map perfectly onto the modern carceral state. The modern carceral state in the United States stands as  a successor to slavery in the context of specific and structural criminalization of Black and Latin-American communities and the prevalence of prison labour. This isn’t something the allegory formed from canon can easily encompass, and it isn’t my place to fictionalize this intergenerational trauma and systemic violence. What canon does contain is constant unsupported and flimsy arguments for why the templars maybe contain a few bad individuals but are necessary as an institution to protect the general populace from violent groups and individuals. The potential my AU tries to explore within the templars is what is even in canon close to fantasy copaganda. I have chosen to use the templars to explore why arguments in favor the police as an institution are meaningless and simply propaganda to violently upkeep the status quo.

Cullen, especially given how I have come to know him with my Amells and Suranas, does have an extreme aura of a man who is convinced that he holds the right to kill and oppress the inmates of the prison he works for. It is canon that he has thought in detail about and mentally prepared for killing Surana/Amell. Now, given this man that canonically believes his immense power and option to violence is imbued into him by a god, how do you think would he react to that power being suddenly taken from him and him being declared a simple soldier? This is the most obvious point of divergence in my AU: Queen Anora gambles with high stakes when she goes into negotiations with the Sunburst Throne to disband the Fereldan branch of the Templar Order, make the circles self-governed and dissolve the templars into the army of Ferelden to make up for losses in the Blight. She pays for it with her life as the templars rise up when they get wind of their power being challenged. I do not think it is far-fetched that a man like Cullen would turn violent upon the prospect of losing his status, and BioWare desperately wants him to be a military leader, so he leads the Fereldan Templar Uprising of 9:31 in my AU.

I do not think the most pressing question for prison abolition movements is how to deal with crime when cops no longer exist. That cops don’t combat crime, but rather stand as one of the indirect to direct causes of societal violence, isn’t a new idea by far. There are many lived, renewed as well as traditional concepts by Black and Indigenous communities that show that society has no need for cops and states, from neighborhood patrols and community caretaking to community accountability. I establish and try to explore something similar with the reformed Order of Fade Hunters under Velanna’s guidance, something that happens at Imerati’s ascension to the throne but won’t be explored in detail until I get my ass to finish the first half of arc 2. The allegory I am aiming for is also why so much of my AU is concerned with humanizing former circle mages. In the process of police and prison abolition, formerly incarcerated people are no danger to the public, but fanatic ex-cops are a hazard to be reckoned with. That’s my point in villanizing the templars and, in turn, Cullen in TRoT.

#anti cullen #cullen critical #cn incarceration #cn carceral states #cn cops #cn cults #cn slavery #cn systemic racism #my writing

[dalishious]

How much do people know about the Harrowing? The codex just says it's a "test of skill," so I wonder if anyone outside the First Enchanter and a few Senior Enchanters even know it involves summoning a demon. I can't see even the worst Templars being ok with that if they know.

Every templar and every full-fledged mage knows about the Harrowing. The mages because they all go through it and survived, and the templars because they participate--and by participating I mean standing ready to kill the mage being harrowed. Cullen in DA:O tells Amell or Surana that it was his job to cut them down had they failed. He also mentions that he didn’t even fucking know what he was looking for as a sign of being an abomination to a male PC:

Cullen: Greetings. I'm glad your Harrowing went well.

Warden: Who are you?

Cullen: I am Cullen. I was to strike the killing blow if you had... become an abomination.

Cullen: I am glad you didn't.

Warden: But you would have if it was called for.

Cullen: (Sighs) it is my duty.

Cullen: Some templars I know discuss such things with glee. I don't share their enthusiasm.

Cullen: I try to serve the Maker first and foremost. As long as I am guided by His commandments, I cannot go wrong.

Cullen: Honestly, I've never seen an abomination... or been called on to slay one.

Warden: So you could have made a mistake?

Cullen: Greagoir would have guided me. Something must... happen.

Cullen: But what if it's not obvious? Could abominations be walking among us right now?

Warden: I'm sure there are no abominations here.

Cullen: This is still new to me.

Cullen: Maybe one day I'll be as dedicated and driven as Knight Commander Greagoir.

Alistair mentions that as a templar recruit, he witnessed a harrowing. It’s part of their training before they are even actually inducted into the Order. 

Warden: Have you hunted many mages?

Alistair: No. I never actually became a full templar. Duncan recruited me before I took my vows.

Alistair: I was only present during one Harrowing. That was all I needed, too. I don’t know how anyone could get through that.

Alistair: The girl they tested… she had a demon put inside her, to see if she could resist. And she couldn’t. We had to… end it quickly.

Alistair: I have to say I didn’t have much interest in becoming a templar after that.

The Harrowing is just kept a secret from the apprentices.

#harrowing #Anonymous #ask

[pro-anders]

Pro-Anders Week

Pro-Anders Week is a week dedicated to the amazing revolutionary of Dragon Age 2. Our goal is to give Anders the appreciation he deserves! The event is running from October 10-17, 2019.

We are tracking #proandersweek

Rules:

What is this? Who can participate?

This is a week appreciation for the character of Anders. During this week, the Dragon Age fandom is invited to post positive content about him. From artists to writers to cosplayers, everyone is welcome to participate!  We ask you to tag your post with #proandersweek so that we can reblog your work.

What We Accept:

Loving and cherishing Anders in all forms of art; fanfiction, gifsets, edits, fan videos, screenshots and anything else you could come up with. Nsfw is welcome, but should be tagged accordingly.

What We Don’t Accept:

* Abosolutely no Anders negativity. This is a Pro-Anders event * 

Racism, anti-blackness, homo/bi/transphobia, bi-erasure, antisemitism, anti-native, anti-Romani, Islamophobia, whitewashing, graphic depictions of violence, rape, abuse, pedophilia. No character or ship bashing. No ship pairing him with ANY Templar. This is first and foremost an appreciation week so we want to make sure to make it a safe environment for everyone.

Themes for the week:

Day 1 - Life in the Circle | Ships 

We all know that Anders deserved better than life in the Ferelden Circle. What can you tell us about his time there? What antics did he and Sir-Pounce-a-Lot get up to? What happened on his many escape attempts? Was your Surana or Amell close with him? We’re ready to hear from you! Alternate Theme: What are some of your favorite ships that include Anders? Please include your platonic ships as well!

Day 2 -  Grey Warden Anders | “Why I Love Anders”

Anders wasn’t destined to end up a Grey Warden, but do you have anything to say about his time in Amaranthine? How was his relationship with the Warden-Commander? What stories did he weave while wandering the Deep Roads? What did he really think about life after the Joining? We can’t wait to hear from you! Alternate Theme: Give us more reasons to love and support Anders!

Day 3 - The Kirkwall Medic | Justice

It must’ve been difficult for Anders to set up a healing clinic in Kirkwall, how do you think he did it? Do you think many Kirkwallers didn’t believe Meredith’s lies about mages? What are your headcanons about this time before Anders met Hawke? Alternate Theme: Maybe you’re feeling philosophical! What is Justice to Anders?  What does justice mean to you? How does this relate to Anders? 

Day 4 - Activism | Headcanons/AU

We all know that Anders took many actions before that fateful day at the Chantry. Tell us about them! Alternative Theme: What are your favorite headcanons for Anders? Bioware did him no favors in Awakening or in 2. Or maybe an AU? Share them with us!

Day 5 -  Manifesto | Neurodivergent Anders

It’s not discussed much but hinted at Anders Manifesto that he is writing for ages before 2 and throughout the game. We don’t get to see it, so this is why we came up with a day dedicated to it. What do you think it looks like? What would you write if you were Anders? Share your ideas with us! Alternative Theme:  Neurodivergent Anders. They don’t have a word for it in Thedas bc they don’t have modern medicine like we do, but its obvious he suffers from mental illnesses and PTSD. This is an important fact to many fans of his. How do you feel about him being ND? And how he is treated by other companions? How would you change the writing in the games?

Day 6 -  Inquisition | Pride Day

Inquisition was a mess on how they treated Anders.  If it was up to us the  writing would have been more favorable. What would you have like to have seen and heard from Hawke and Varric? If Anders was in inquisition how would you write him?Alternative Theme: Pride day! Anders is bi! Isn’t it wonderful! Something that is hidden from fem!Hawke but, thankfully, not us. How would you have changed the writing? How do you relate to him? Explore it all on day 6.

Day 7 - Post-Game | Free day

What is Anders up to these days? Is he happily settled with your Hawke or is he too busy helping out his fellow mages? That is up to you. Alternative Theme: If you want, you can just let your imagination run wild and come up with your own theme! Anything goes!

#anders #dragon age 2

[october-rosehip]

30 Day OC Challenge, Day 3: Inventory

Macsen shouldn't have been surprised.

They'd hurried all day, carrying their packs because it made no sense to make Bodahn run his pony cart back and forth between the Circle's docks and Redcliffe when he could fleece the Redcliffe citizenry for a few days, instead. (Macsen tried not to judge.)

Anyway, after stopping an undead uprising, discovering Jowan so badly hurt in the Arl's dungeons, drinking too many lyrium potions to deal with the constant drain on his magic, and now jogging, burdened, well into the evening to save time; Macsen felt badly prepared for doing much of anything useful. Nevertheless, he'd tried.

Paper was far too precious outside the Circle to waste it when he was too stupid from the lyrium, heartsick from everything, and exhausted from constant fighting to even spell his name correctly. He sighed, and wrapped his treasured notebooks in oilcloth. He placed them deep in his pack, surrounded by clothes. He should really just go to bed.

Macsen arranged his pack at the head of his bedroll as an improvised pillow. He stretched. His shoulders popped luxuriously. He looked over to ask if Zev still needed the light from the wisp.

Zevran leaned comfortably on one arm, regarding him.

Macsen blamed the tiredness for the fact that he hadn't felt Zevran staring. “Were you going to ask me something, Zev, or just watch me for the fun of seeing how long it took me to notice you?”

Zevran smiled. “Can I not do two things at once? Truly, I wondered what it was that you had been so studiously working on? You treat it much more carefully than you do the other notebook, which I supposed to be your journal.”

“My journal is pretty important. I've outlined my plan for the Blight in case anyone finds it who needs to... take over for me. Well, I've tried. We're sort of winging it ourselves. They'll get the gist as well as I could spell it out. But this is much more precious to me. I guess it would depend on your perspective.

“I was in trouble with the Revered Mother again. I always was. One time, she punished me by making me sort through a closet full of outdated books nobody had opened in decades, probably. In with the hymnals from the Blessed age and outdated alchemy textbooks, I found books of elvish lore. Many of them were in elvish! It took me forever to translate it. I speak it but never read it, til then. I'd never found anything more important in the library. I read them all over and over.”

Zevran's eyes widened the tiniest bit. “I can only imagine how that would feel! I suppose it might have felt like the spring monsoons falling in the desert?”

Macsen smiled at the poetic way of saying things. “If you mean my brain was thirsty, yes, just like that. I learned so much! My clan didn't have much time to teach me of elvhen things. The shemlen caught me when I was a tiny da'len. I'd take whatever I could get, now.”

“How many elves could consider such a thing a treasure? Many have had even less to do with things elvish.”

“I thought the same thing! So, I copied them all into my own hand. I made them look like diaries, then I hid them. The tower is- it's such a mess right now.” He paused to let the wave of grief crash over him a moment. It took his smile with it. “I am luckier than I deserve that they were where I left them, and unhurt. The books I put in front of them shielded them. Maybe the creators helped. I'm sure I was meant to bring this knowledge out of captor hands, to those who might not have it. I added to it, too. One of the books is every song or story or recipe or bit of craft I could get from the elves who came from the alienage raids. I can't deal with thinking that they might have been taken for nothing. What they went through is part of the elven story.”

Zevran “hmmm”ed and ran a finger over one of the strange metal studs in the unique belt he wore. “Some of these stories might be very important indeed, I would think? I do not suppose that...” The customarily confident man lost his footing. He usually looked directly into a person's eyes far more than Macsen was used to, but he looked away, now.

Macsen understood. “Do you want to read them?”

“Would you allow this? I understand if you have important plans for them, and there will be no hard feelings if not.”

“I do have plans. I meant to give the writings to my clan when I find them, but then I thought there should be more copies. It's not like Clan Surana are the only elves. So I started a second set. Anything there are two copies of, you can read without me staring over you. Actually, how's your handwriting?”

Zevran laughed. “Passable. I was not trained as a forger. Now there is some penmanship, eh?”

“Wow, I never thought of that before. Bet you're right.”

“But you... wish me to copy these for you?”

“With me. We can get them done faster that way.”

Macsen guessed he'd said something right, as Zevran shot him such a warm smile that it lit up something in Macsen's core as if someone had set a fire in the hearth.

Zevran sat up straight, evidently so he could use his hands more easily to talk. “I consider myself an Antivan first and foremost, yes? It is where I am from, and I share a culture and a history with all the other people of the land, do you see? But... my mother was Dalish. I have had little enough opportunity to learn of her or her people. She died during my birth. My first victim, as it were. So, she was not there to teach me, and who else was there to do it? I think it will be a good thing to remedy some of the gaps in my knowledge. But, if I may ask, Warden, why go to the trouble to copy everything? Why did you not take the originals? Surely, you do not think the Circle came by such things honestly?”

Macsen clenched his fists. “No. I suspect they came by them about as honestly as they came by me. Everything elvhen in that tower is stolen, I'm sure of it.”

“Then, my question stands. Why do you go to such trouble? Surely, you deserve those books more than those who did not even bother to read them?”

“Yes, I do. But I don't deserve them more than the next stolen child who might take comfort in them.”

Fang chose that moment to shove his giant doggy body through the tentflap, circle the foot of Macsen's bedroll three times, and flop immediately into contented, snoring, sleep.

“Yeah, you're right, boy,” said Macsen. He felt grateful for the massive dog hogging most of his space. He'd sleep warmer. It happened sometimes that others bribed Fang away for a night with whatever treats they could find.

Macsen looked over at Zevran. “I was going to ask before. I'm headed for sleep. Do you need the wisp for light anymore or can I send it home?”

“Haha! I am half tempted to stay up reading which is a very unusual thing for me to wish to do. But, morning will come too soon, will it not?”

“Yes, it will. Goodnight.” Macsen sent the little glowball home to the fade until the next time he should call.

They settled down to rest, but nobody's breathing changed. Fang stayed asleep, Zevran stayed awake, and Macsen's thoughts spun in circles.

“Zev?” he whispered, after a while.

“Yes, Warden?”

“Macsen. Keep trying, please. You know how the Circle is full of stolen elvhen things?”

“We spoke of this perhaps a half hour ago, yes? Alistair's shield did not crack my skull so badly as that.”

“Fair. I was just thinking about something the Circle's Quartermaster had for sale when I restocked before going in. He has a beautiful old leather belt. It's been really well cared for. The designs were elvhen, and looked like it honored Andruil, goddess of the hunt. He didn't have that before that I can recall. Maybe I'm being too harsh but it bothers me, you know? It looked so ancient, that I doubt any elf would have traded away something so historic. I think its old owner is dead, and this shemlen didn't even know what it is, really. I mean, I don't even know what it is. Someone's treasure is just in there with the potions. He wants like a hundred gold for it.”

“And this pains you?”

“Yeah, it does, very much.”

A moment passed before Zev continued. “I can understand this. I mentioned my mother, yes? I had her gloves. She was a whore in the city, working off her dead husband's debts, but she had kept that one token from her previous life. They were of traditional Dalish make, and beautiful. I treasured them, and kept them safe. When the Crows bought me, I had to keep them well hidden, for they do not allow such personal things. But, how could a child keep a secret in a house full of experts on secrecy?”

“So they found them?”

“Of course. How could they not? They were my only link to my history, but to my Master, were they any such thing?”

“No, I suppose they were just a broken rule, and a bit of coin.” Macsen rubbed the ironbark pendant that had been his mamae's.

“Just so. I suppose you know this dance?”

“I do.”

“Things like this... they are memories made solid, do you not think so?”

“That's exactly right. Oh, I'm sorry about your gloves, Zev.”

“Thank you, but it is in the past, no? And the morning is a fast approaching future.”

“True. Good night again, lethallin.”

“Buona notte.”

Macsen stared at the fabric above. Lethallin was a word for close friends; who shared a link. He hadn't thought about it before it was out of his mouth. It was true. They were the same. Macsen understood. The Circle had stolen him and kept him for itself, and he had thought it happened only to mages. But no. Zevran had also been stolen, for all he insisted he'd been paid for. It didn't sit well with Macsen. Who said the brothel had the authority to sell him? People could be owned whether they were mages or not, evidently, and possession was most of the law. Who'd argue for them when their own families didn't or couldn't stand up and say “no, this person belongs to us”? Macsen rubbed his face in tired frustration. There was nothing else for it. Their families hadn't been able to help, the Wardens were gone, the Crows were hopefully distant... who owned them now? They had be one-another's clan.

Macsen took too long getting to sleep, but the next day he felt decent, anyway. Maybe it was the lack of fighting on the road so far, he mused. Or maybe you found the energy you needed somehow. He always had.

They arrived at the Circle later that day. Macsen had no idea what to expect from the First Enchanter. It was a terrible, selfish risk coming back to the Circle for help with Connor's demon, but if Jowan killed someone- a noble!- with blood magic, he would die. Macsen could not stand that certainty.

Irving stood in the entry hall, surrounded by bloodstains in the stone, as though nothing at all were the matter. He agreed to help the possessed child, and even Greagoir said nothing about it. Maybe he realized they needed more mages, and more tranquil, immediately.

Irving invited them to stay while the mages prepared for travel and gathered the ingredients for the ritual, but Macsen had meant it when he'd said it- he would never spend another night on this island. They set off again even as the sun set.

Zevran appeared at Macsen's side several miles on from the docks. He held out a wrapped bundle.

“Hm? What is it, Zev?” Macsen felt a bit blurry round the edges. They had traveled too far, too fast.

“If you unwrap it, you will know, yes?”

Macsen did. A heavy, supple, well maintained leather belt, tooled intricately with elvhen symbols fell into his hands. “The blessings of Andruil fall upon me”, Macsen read before he fully grasped what was happening. It's even more beautiful up close, Macsen thought.

“Zev... you didn't... buy this, did you?” Macsen asked, stunned.

“Did I have a hundred gold on my person or in my things when you searched me?” Zevran laughed.

“No.... OH! Well that's all right, then.” Macsen handed it back to Zevran.

“No, I intended it for you, if you would like it. One thing the Circle has lost, for another.”

Several things happened at once. Macsen felt his face light up like a rod of fire and he found he'd turned to Zev without any conscious decision on his part, and kissed him. They were still kissing, and Macsen had no idea how that had even begun but Zev's hands felt right on his waist and...

A giggle sounded from behind them.

Dammit, Leliana.

But the world returned. It had to, once brought to mind.

And then Macsen's stomach fell.

He learned slowly, at times, but he did learn. In the Circle, Macsen had always said yes, when asked. He didn't know until later that he couldn't have said no. A yes meant nothing from someone whose no meant nothing.

I am your man, without reservation.

Zevran had offered “bedwarming” as a service provided with his vow. His no meant nothing. So his yes, the yes Macsen felt on his lips at that very moment, meant nothing. He broke away with remorse.

He knew a Trade when he saw one. In Zevran's position, Macsen would have been angling for favors, too.

He wouldn't apologize, or make it awkward. Macsen simply took a step back. “Thank you, Zev. I'll put it to good use. But I guess we should keep going.”

And so they did, until exhaustion made them stop, too late for talking. Too late for anything but a hasty meal and sleep.

Macsen sought distance from that wonderful moment. He would not take advantage of Zevran's complicated yes.

#dragon age #Macsen Surana #zevran arainai #Rosehiporiginal #zevran x warden #30 day oc challenge #long post #It really got away from me

[carterhaughs]

vir lath sa'vunin

The end of the Fifth Blight heralds a new dawn for Ferelden and her peoples, but consolidating support for the young new king will not be easy, and rebuilding would be an arduous task even without the threat of residual darkspawn and fresh new horrors lingering in the wake of the Archdemon. Aelinor Surana and Alistair Theirin will need all the strength, savvy, cunning, and knowledge they can muster if they are to heal their country's hurts. With help from friends new and old and their love for each other, they will face down adversity as they always have: together.

Read @ Ao3

Note: "Vir Lath Sa'vunin" is a line from Leliana's Song - the one she sings to the warden after Zathrian and/or the Lady of the Forest die during the Nature of the Beast quest line. It is an old elven song that Keeper Lanaya may share with you in the form of a codex entry. The line means "we love one more day."

Chapter 1: The Vhenadahl

The Denerim vhenadahl budded with new growth in the low summer sun, slathered with a new layer of pale red paint that reflected the light of the candles at its base as they flickered in the evening breeze. Aelinor Surana stooped to pray there, smiling as she quietly thanked Andraste for having seen the alienage through the Fifth Blight and for suffusing it with a life that had all but left it under Loghain’s tyranny.

She remembered another oak tree bent double on itself in the cramped confines of the Lothering alienage walls, aching to stretch its limbs but holding itself back, for their sake. “As a mage, you are like this tree,” her father told her when the templars came to take her away. “You always held yourself back, that you might remain with us. Go now, and learn all you can of it so nothing can confine you.” She was seven years old and the Alienage’s best kept secret, outed as a mage when she had frozen a drunken human solid mid-assault on the elderly Hahren Elora for her daring to ask him to leave the elven quarter. Her father’s words had held more truth than he could possibly have known. If only he had lived to see them take shape.

Aelinor stood up and smoothed out her traveling robes, fine enough that she could wear them in court and unobtrusive enough that she felt comfortable wearing them among the common people of the city. The mark of her order was evident without ostentation, a griffon emblazoned in detailed stitching on the back, pale grey on dark blue. The man at her side dressed simply enough himself, though the leathers he wore were of obviously fine make. His short-sleeved jerkin and linen tunic were hardly the garment of kings, however, and of course that is why he chose to wear them. She turned to him.

“Why is it that we meet here today, Your Majesty?” Alistair winced at the formality, but he knew that she was determined to make their relationship as professional as possible in public.

“There’s someone here to see you. Two someones. Shianni arranged lodgings for them in Cyrion Tabris’ old place.” She raised her eyebrows at him, sorely tempted to peck him on the cheek. She still couldn’t believe Fereldan had a king who took such an active interest in elven affairs the likes of which the country had never seen in living memory. He knew the names and history of nearly every family here now, more so than she herself did given how often she had to range far afield in her duties as a sort of Warden ambassador in the aftermath of the Blight.

“Who might they be?”

“You’ll see.” He smiled, eyes lit by the spark of mischief she’d missed so dearly when she’d been away. Aelinor followed him to the house and knocked. After the Blight, the home of the well-respected Tabris family had become a sort of community center as well as a memorial, the better not to let a good living place go to waste after the Tabris daughter had died in the uprising. Aelinor had not given up hope on tracking down the Denerim elves sold into slavery under Loghain’s regency and had sent Zevran and some other covert operatives to follow up on any leads they might gather as to the whereabouts of Cyrion Tabris and the other captives she herself did not arrive in time to rescue during the Blight. They had been gone for months, but would send word by raven should they locate anyone who might be saved. In the meantime, however, his niece Hahren Shianni assured the alienage that this is what Cyrion would have wanted.

The door opened and Aelinor, not knowing what to expect, wasn’t quite sure who the tired, greying elven couple who answered her knock was at first. But one look at the man’s shaggy mane of red-gold hair and the woman’s bright green eyes, so like her own, and she knew them for her parents. She could not move, unable to believe her eyes, and for a moment, neither could they.

“But...Lothering was destroyed...y-you couldn’t possibly be–” Her mother took her in her arms and embraced her tight enough to hamper her breathing, though that might’ve just been the rapid beating of her heart. Over his wife Oriane’s shoulder, Ilven Surana took Aelinor’s face in his hands as carefully as if she were made of porcelain, as if he held her too ungently she would disintegrate.

“Aelinor. My daughter. You are here, and you are free. I hadn’t dared to hope...”

Her mother wept openly and stepped back, the better to take in the sight of her. “Our child, a woman grown, and the Hero of Fereldan! It wouldn’t matter how we got you back, but to meet you in such a way...!”

As if breaking out of a trance, the two of them abruptly turned to Alistair and bowed low. “Your Majesty, how can we ever thank you? For the return of our most precious daughter we owe you our lives.” Alistair chuckled.

“Believe me, I should be the one thanking you. But we can talk more inside, sers, so shall we?” He clasped Aelinor’s hand firmly in his own and opened the door wide to admit her. She flushed at his sudden gallantry, hardly unexpected given his typical chivalrous behavior but somehow a surprise to her every time.

He closed and latched the door behind them, and Aelinor embraced both of her parents herself this time, tears coursing down her cheeks. “I prayed every night that I might find you. Every night in the Circle I clung to what memories I had of your faces, lest I lose what little the Circle hadn’t managed to take from me. And when the Blight began and Lothering was lost, I thought you gone forever...”

“So you did,” said Alistair. “And I knew it was a comfort to you, to think they were well and truly gone. As a mage and a warden you knew nothing but loss, and uncertainty only makes the hurt that much keener. I know the feeling myself, and you helped me work through it. Doing the same for you was the least I could do.”

Her father stepped back and held her at arm’s length, still clinging lightly to her sleeve as if she might dissipate into nothing were he to let her go. “Lothering elves lived at a crossroads, Aelinor, and we often heard more than the humans that passed through there, or perhaps we just listened harder. We knew which way the wind was blowing and even though a Blight was never our prediction, we knew that whatever the outcome of the fight, the first refugees to suffer are always the elves. So we took to the road well before Ostagar and lived as hired hands and servants wherever we could. News traveled slow and as you know, we cannot read and would have found it difficult to find a literate elf to dictate our letters to in order to reassure you we still lived. But His Majesty sent a red-haired young woman to look for us, Leliana was her name. I half-remembered her as a storytelling lay sister at the chantry who sometimes visited the alienage and sang about the old tales to the children there. She even knew the lays of Garahel and Ser Aveline. You keep good company.” He beamed at her proudly, grasping her shoulder. “And you have your friends to thank for this reunion. I don’t know how, but she found us on the road and brought us here.”

“Mother, father...I don’t know how much of my story you know the truth of because there are so many wild tales about me now, but I should tell you first and foremost of all that Alistair and I have tried to keep between us.”

Her mother smiled at them, though her brows creased with concern. “Is he...? Are you...?”

“She is the love of my life,” Alistair affirmed her mother’s unspoken assumption in no uncertain terms. “I owe her everything. I can’t even begin to explain how much. If it weren’t for her I wouldn’t be alive, much less a king. She taught me my own worth and never forgot her own and it got us this far. I have no reason to doubt it will ever fail us.”

He reached for her hand again and clasped it tight. Ilven frowned slightly.

“That is all well and good. You’re one of the few humans of any caliber who’s proven himself friend to the elves, that’s for certain. But you are Ferelden’s king and she can never be your consort. Not in this nation, or any nation in Thedas.”

Aelinor met her father’s flinty gaze with her own, steadfast and sure. “We are loyal to each other in all but marriage. Before we moved forward with our plan to unite the nation as best we might through Alistair’s claim, we spoke of this.”

“I will never love another woman as I do her,” he said firmly. “Though I may have to marry, I won’t under any circumstances other than the purely political. She has my heart, and that will never change. But someday perhaps Thedas itself might, and I can marry her in earnest, though she doubts it.” He smiled wryly at her. “Aeli, my dear, you hardly know what you’ve started.”

“It’s true,” her mother said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “What the two of you have done for Ferelden, for our people...never think it goes unfelt. Your father and I can walk in the marketplace without half so many of the leers and sneers we were so accustomed to, and it has been months since the alienages in so many towns and cities lacked for sufficient food. Perhaps marriage between two people who love each other isn’t too much to hope for.”

Ilven raised an eyebrow skeptically but nodded. “That’s always possible, if unlikely. What I will say of the matter is this.” He looked Alistair up and down and extended a hand to him, which Alistair shook in all seriousness after looking briefly nonplussed. “I trust you with her heart. But you must swear in Andraste’s name never to break it.”

“You have my word, ser. She is my comrade-in-arms, my closest advisor, and my wife in every way that matters. I’d never have it otherwise.” Oriane Surana placed her hand over both of their own. “May Andraste bless your union and keep you both. If it’s not too presumptuous, ser, we hereby take you into our own family. From this day on, you may call us parent, and we will call you son.” Alistair was left speechless for a moment, and looked to Aelinor with a softness in his eyes she thought she understood. She squeezed his hand, the four of them united bodily in that moment through their hold on each other.

“During the Blight, we neither of us had family. We were more than content to find that in each other, but it seems that out of the infinite generosity of Andraste’s grace, she saw fit to give us even more.”

#alistair theirin #warden surana #female warden #alistair x warden #alistair x surana #my writing #i can't wait to write more for them!

[loveydoveypiperwright]

SOUL COLOR TAG

Thank you @tevinter-amatus and @lavellanlov for tagging me earlier!! Sorry I took so long!! ‘Twas busy looking for the right screenshot. I’ll tag @medievalrat (Sorry if I keep tagging you and you don’t like it) and @radicalmahariel !! The descriptions to the colors are stated below the cut. The quiz can be found here!

·Ayesleigh Surana·

Never short of affection, patience, or understanding, those with a pink soul color are energetic and respected. They are seen as nurturing individuals, and they attract many people who feel misguided in life. They tend to always find the good in every situation and inspire others to do the same.

Pink soulcolors are highly in tune with their emotions and the emotions of others. They believe all feelings should be acknowledged and dealt with in a healthy manner. They look out for those who don’t look out for themselves, often spreading themselves thin and crashing in the process.

While friendly, this color is introverted and shies away from social gatherings. However, it’s not uncommon for them to accompany a friend out into a social situation or be a wingman if needed. Their friend circle comes first and foremost, whether it be large or small, and they will attempt to make time for everyone even if they are spent.

This color is also drawn to doubt and question if they’re doing enough. They like to conform and know that they are accepted. This leads them to try and be something they’re not, and they often grow disappointed or disgusted with themselves should they deceive themselves and others for too long. They are also bad at keeping promises, setting goals they can’t achieve, and unintentionally disappointing those they wanted to impress.

·Lucille Hawke·

Loyal, down to earth, and friendly, the green personality type lives a “live and let live” lifestyle. They are calming to be around and choose to listen and observe more than they speak. This type tends to be a shoulder to cry on in times of need, and they often take care of others before themselves.

When working, they see the big picture instead of little details. This makes them lose faith in their projects if they’re moving too slow or not achieving what they want, and they often jump from topic to topic without meaning to.

Green soulcolors are emotionally intelligent, and they pay attention to body language and verbal cues. If you’re lying, they’ll be the first to know. They are honest about themselves and their motives, being the most sincere color out there. However, they are less likely to give themselves credit and often brush off compliments.

This color is people oriented and loves to be friendly. They are also people pleasers and don’t like to stir up conflict, and they will often choose to go along with an idea they hate as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. Since they are so loyal, they don’t tend to see the bad in those they care about, and it often gets them into trouble when dealing with toxic people.

·Saar Ataash Adaar·

Those who bear a purple soulcolor are responsible, conforming, and grounded. They prefer predictability over instability and do not take to change well. They prefer to follow a daily schedule to keep themselves motivated and on the path to success, and they don’t stray from their daily chores often. While they don’t like conforming to society, they also don’t like to stand out.

History and tradition are a big part of their identity. They hold family close to their heart, whether they are found or by blood, and have a high moral standard of themselves. They prefer to be supporting roles in people’s lives, often doing the hard labor to make sure everything falls in place.

Since this is a serving type, they tend to become community service members and are most likely to volunteer to help their community. Despite their need to help others, they are highly introverted and keep a close closed off circle of friends. It’s hard to break through their wall to become part of their circle, but it’s rewarding.

Purple soulcolors are always worried about the “what ifs” and are more drawn to pessimistic or realistic outlooks on life. They are cautious around new situations and never expect they’ll succeed. They often feel misunderstood by society, since most types tend to lean on the optimistic side of life, and only want to point out things that may hurt others, but this causes them to appear like the “party pooper” of the group.

#natty rambles #ayesleigh surana #lucille hawke #saar ataash adaar #Natty's OC Bits

[gnanajyothi-blog]

Why select pinnacle B college in Bangalore to enroll For Masters Programme?

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  most of the B-schools in Bangalore have a high-level of prestigious requirements compiled to supplying high-quality schooling. those B-schools have created a getaway opportunity for many aspirants that draws engaging profession options at a corporate business world. B school equip students to show unique principles of business control research through each theoretically and almost mastering manner. It provides applicable competencies that assist them to achieve competitiveness in the company business global.

  Key prospects of a B-school

A graduate or submit-graduate commercial enterprise diploma from B school offers a really perfect platform to discover numerous possibilities.

  despite the fact that B college gives each undergraduate and put up-graduate programmes, its primary awareness is at the MBA programme.

B faculty empowers students to awareness on wonderful regions of enterprise, a pathway in the direction of the advanced stage of career.

B faculty leverages expert practice and builds ethical values.

B faculty provides up critical improvement skills that be counted the most at the industry and company degree businesses.

It exponentially offers a chance to expand professional networks both at a countrywide and worldwide stage.

topics presented at the B-faculties

maximum of the topics presented at diverse B-colleges are just like the expert academic curriculum supplied for the scholars. Accounting, business, and Finance are some of the main components of the topics which might be protected within the B school. there are various other subjects which might be included by means of the pinnacle B college. advertising and marketing, Organizational Behaviour, records, generation for management, Entrepreneurship & Ethics, corporate Tax planning & control. global commercial enterprise and Human useful resource are some amongst the famous topics taught on the B faculty.

  points to don't forget in choosing the pinnacle B school

There are numerous options to pick a number of the high-quality b faculties. Prestigious commercial enterprise control college, faculty of enterprise, and enterprise management university are different kinds of b faculties that provide programmes in Accounting, business, and Finance.

  however, choosing the top b school in Bangalore calls for attempt, time, and research that matches your expectation tiers. there are numerous things that makes an excellent enterprise college that attracts many aspirants to sign up for the master programme. some of the matters that you want to analyze and shortlist can determine the right choice of your profession preference.

  First, and the foremost element to take into account is the variety of applicants which can be making use of for the business management route.

To apprehend the recognition of the commercial enterprise college, inclusive of ranking, affiliation, and popularity.

To understand the course catalogue that provides flexibility for the scholars to pick out a course from the listing of electives, consisting of core and soft competencies guides.

apprehend the best teaching fine delivered by using certified and talented school who have an inspiring teaching and studies history.

To become aware of your profession dreams by way of aligning with the position mobile and site information of the particular B college.

Campus visit makes you feel the effectiveness of the studying surroundings, that's the essential criteria in selecting the proper choice.

  For more information about B college programme and Admissions details method, visit Surana university - PG direction branch, Bangalore.

best school in the bangalore

[shannaraisles]

All OC's: when did you realize you loved your SO and why?

Callum Hawke: She’s right here. I can’t answer that.

Rumor: Seriously? You think I don’t know you love me by now?

Callum Hawke: It’s embarrassing.

Rory: You guys are adorable.

Doshiel: I must agree. For all your bickering like children, you are charming to watch.

Callum Hawke: Not helping.

Fabs: (laughs) I do not mind going first.

Iselan: Oh, please do. I would love to know just when Alistair forgot to be a dunce and made you love him. 

Fabs: (smiles almost shyly) I did not know I loved him until I believed he was to marry someone else. I was one of many who hoped to be chosen by the king to be his queen. It was not until I grew to know him better that I found myself wanting to be his wife. I thought him very charming, very handsome, a far greater man than he allowed himself to be. I even allowed myself to hope that perhaps he might feel something for me. But I did not know that was love, until I was sure there was no hope of finding a place for me in his life at all.

Iselan: But there was hope, wasn’t there?

Fabs: I - [Author’s edit - that’s enough spoilers, thank you] (laughs quietly) What of you, Lady Surana? You loved a rogue, did you not?

Iselan: I-I ... (blushes) He was a little relentless. And, and oddly shy. I had never known anyone like him. Zevran is everything I am not - confident, handsome, accomplished, brave. I don’t know what he saw in me that made him so determined, but ... I am glad he did not give up. He taught me a lot, about myself; about who I wanted to be. But, um ... I’m not sure when I knew I loved him. It came on so gradually, and I needed to feel loved so much. I loved the idea of him first. But I truly loved him when he came for me in Fort Drakon. I was so sure I was going to die without ever smoothing over an argument we’d had about an earring, of all things. And suddenly there he was. (laughs awkwardly) I deeply embarrassed Alistair by crying all over Zev for a good ten minutes while he dressed me in my armor again.

Rory: That’s so beautiful.

Rumor: Are you crying?

Rory: Yes! I know what - [Author’s note - again with the spoilers]

Iselan: It was nice to be loved.

Doshiel: I have loved twice in my lifetime, but I think this question is about ... Josephine? (waits for confirmation, and nods) I knew when I was certain I was going to die alone. I had faced down a dragon, a monster, survived an avalanche. But I was alone, in the mountains, in the snow. I was freezing to death. I thought of my children, my Eliana and Ilvin, but the face foremost in my mind was Josephine’s. Her smile, her voice, her mouth; the details of her hair, her dress ... I focused on it all. I wanted to find her again. (laughs a little bitterly) I cared nothing in those hours for the survivors, for the war. I wanted to see my Josephine again, to know she was alive. I never expected her to care for me in return. I never told her, until after Corypheus was defeated. She is peace personified, and I am a warrior tired of war. She is everything.

Rumor: (leans over to Callum) This is all a lot more romantic than our versions.

Callum Hawke: (whispers back) We should make something else up.

Rory: You know we can hear you, right?

Callum Hawke: (looks innocent) What? Were you speaking?

Rumor: Oh, yes. Do tell about when you knew for certain you were head over heels for Commander Curly.

Rory: (snorts with laughter) Like it isn’t blindingly obvious I was halfway in love with him before we ever met! (bites her lip as she sobers) It’s hard to put an exact moment on when I knew I loved him for sure. I mean, I did a lot of lying to myself about it. No, actually ... this is going to sound daft. I knew I loved him when he tried to throttle me in his sleep.

Callum Hawke: WHAT?!

Doshiel: Again, please.

Iselan: (smiles sadly) I understand.

Rory: (shakes her head with a warmer smile) It’s not as bad as it sounds, and none of your business, anyway. But ... well, even after that, I just wanted to help him. I was the one all beaten up, but he needed me, and I needed to help him. In hindsight ... that’s when I knew I loved him.

Fabs: (raises her hand tentatively) Mistress ... he tried to throttle you, and that’s when you knew you loved him?

Rory: (rolls eyes) I’ll explain later, your highness. Hawke and his super-secret-spy-girlfriend owe us theirs.

Callum Hawke: Uh ... (blushes, and tries to cover it up by scratching his beard)

Rumor: Oh, for ... Fine. (sighs heavily) I may have been in bed with someone else, and may have moaned his name by accident. Happy?

Doshiel: (laughs quietly) Hardly original.

Callum Hawke: Who were you in bed with?

Rumor: (gives him a Look) Isabela, if you must know.

Rory: (guffaws with laughter)

Rumor: (rolls her eyes) I don’t do mushy. Look at him - was there ever even the slightest possibility I wasn’t going to fall in love with him? He’s annoyingly wonderful.

Callum Hawke: (preens under the praise) Well, I knew when your mother wanted to pay me for saving her life.

Fabs: (blinks) I feel I have missed something.

Callum Hawke: Merc for hire.

Rumor: He wasn’t the Champion back then, just a grubby little scrounger with more money than sense.

Callum Hawke: I still have more money than sense.

Rumor: That’s what you have me for, love.

Callum Hawke: You didn’t have to say that out loud.

Rumor: (pats his hand) No, I didn’t.

Rory: (laughs) I wish I’d written you guys into my story now! (all eyes turn to her) ... oops.

[My OCs Meme]

#jayrose252 #ask answered #my ocs meme #askbox meme #iselan surana #callum hawke #rumor #rory allen #doshiel lavellan #fabs

[naiatabris]

10, 17 and 18 from the angst meme for Mei?

Yes! A Mei Surana ask! Thanks @ellenembee :)10. What were the character’s parents like? What was the affect the parents had on the character?

Mei was an orphan who never knew her parents. She spent her earliest years in a Denerim charity home, but was given to the Circle around age 7 when her magic manifested. Lacking a family structure this way made her reluctant to see the problems with the Circle, and kept her bound to it even as she grew to resent the way her freedom was curtailed no matter how hard she worked. 

17. Is your character afraid of death? Why/why not?

She is afraid of death because the Fade seems like such an unfriendly place. She’s not entirely sure the “next great adventure” would be an enjoyable one. But she is also pragmatic about death--it is going to happen someday whether she likes it or not. 

18. Would society call your character a good guy or a bad guy? what would they say they are?

I feel like Mei’s society would see her as a mage first and foremost. She is a “good” mage by the standards of her society because she plays by the rules, but being a mage always means she’s seen as dangerous, never entirely one of the “good guys.” I think Mei doesn’t see herself as heroic, but she knows what she’s capable of and if she thinks she can help in a bad or dangerous situation, she will jump in with both feet.

[renegade-mage]

Salty asks: 4, 5, 7 and 8? Love your blog btw x

this is such a huge compliment from a renowned anders/fenders lover like you??? thank you !!!

4.Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?I… I don’t like Cullrian, which is popular and I don’t know why. But it’s more like a “eh” *scrolls past*. I also don’t see Solas’ appeal, so i’m not into solavellan i guess. but i’ve never tried his romance either so i put that on hold.what I really don’t like is Cullen x Amell/Surana. It’s creepy on so many levels I don’t even begin to describe. When I first rolled a Surana I too thought it was cute, but then the circle quest happened; if that wasn’t enough DA2 really shed a light on circles and Cullen’s views in particular. And just, no. let’s not.

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?Nu-huh. Fandom won’t take anything from me that I don’t intend to give up willingly. It made me reconsider some things sure, like Cassandra/Varric. I still ship it, first and foremost I broship it, but I don’t care. I love relationship that sprout from bumping starts and differences and grow to be strong, stable and loving through understanding and personal growth.

7. Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?Hmm, that Cullen x Amell/Surana that I mentioned. More broadly, I think feminine representation or portrayal of male/masculine characters, especially in mlm ships. For the simple reason that that particularly brand of femininity is so often attached to an inherent weakness or need of protection and that just grew nauseating for me. Feminine things typically associated with women are not inherently anything, but most of all are not an indicator of character and/or attitude. I used to like character of any gender playing freely with clothes, but continuously being subjected to this trend made me wary (this is specifically something I noticed in the DA fandom and a few others I dipped my toesies into).This is salty, now.

8.Have you received anon hate? What about? Not yet??? I feel left out :( I feel like I haven’t been properly baptized as an anders-positive blog yet if I don’t get any hate. like please I’m small angry and always ready to fight (ง •̀_•́)ง

tbh tho i try to keep my salty business to my own posts because i don’t want to give anders fans a bad name…I mean, everyone’s entitled to their opinion on fictional politics…….. even if they’re……. wrong and all…………………………..

#dovabunny #thanks i had fun!! #id reciprocate but i dont see your ask button? #dragon age #cullrian critical #i mean #i just dont dig it #and those other ships.... i mean man idk its 6 am im going to bed #just shoot me an ask if you want it tagged my brain just turned off

[aroberuka]

Evens for writers ask meme?

2. Where is yourfavourite place to write?

Either the kitchen table, which is the perfect height for my laptop & the only place in the house that gets sunlight in the morning, or my bed tbh.

4. Do you have anywriting habits/rituals?

Not writing habits so to speak but I do have a getting ready to write ritual that mostly consists of dragging myself out of bed and going for a walk.

6. Favourite characteryou’ve written?

Mouse!Surana, hands down. I kinda just made her on the spot for that one oneshot and as a result she ended up radically different from my usual OCs (they’re not usually this… driven xD), which made her such a blast to write.

8. Do you have anywriting buddies or critique partners?

@coppercaravan​ has been both for a little bit over a year and they’re such a pleasure to work with tbh.

10. Pick an author (orwriting friend) to co-write a book with

1) @coppercaravan we should stick our OCs together and see what happens, y/y?

2) That being said it’s super easy to get me to write with you literally all you have to do is drop into my inbox like “hey we should write a thing” and be very patient with my spoonie ass.

12. Which story ofyours do you like best? why?

Honestly it’s the quasiplatonic solavellan fic. I love Tathas, I put a lot of work and also a lot of me into it, I have a lot of thoughts about what’s coming next and I really wish I could finish it already esp since it wouldn’t be that long (like. 8-10 chapters tops, not counting a potential Trespasser sequel) but I haven’t been able to get in a DAI mood for forever x_x

14. What does it takefor you to be ready to write a book? (i.e. do you research? outline? make a playlist or pinterest board? wing it?)

Ideally I’d need the stars to align perfectly on a week with two Mondays, but more realistically what I need is:

-a playlist, or at least a couple artists that’ll put me in the right mood

-character sheets with some basic info + relationship charts + their stake in the plot

-a rough chapter by chapter plan that will inevitably fly out the window by the time I finish chapter 1.

16. Cover love/dreamcovers?

Not really, no.

18. Tell us about thatone book you’ll never let anyone read

So back in January there was that self-insert month thing, and I figured why the hell not, but b/c I’m apparently unable to write self-indulgent fluff and also I was in a Mood it turned into a writing as therapy thing and now I don’t know what to do with it b/c on the one hand I do want to write it & I think it would help me deal with some stuff but on the other idk that I would ever be able to let anyone read it, let alone post it online.

20. Any advice foryoung writers/advice you wish someone would have given you early on?

Length is overrated, short chapters are fine and the only good piece of writing advice is that there is no such thing as universal writing advice.

22. Tell us about thebooks on your “to write” list

… I’m not gonna give you a full list b/c it would be ridiculous but the ones that are on my brain atm are:

-- Présages aka The Novel aka that one story about ghosts that turned into a story about the importance of healthy communication & a good support system.

-- A novella about an aromantic protag that was supposed to be a subplot of the previous but is now its own thing so I can give it the attention it deserves.

-- A fantasy novel that started with me listening to too much critical role and is basically a thinly disguised metaphor for fighting against depression.

(All of them are depression books tbh and I’m not even a little bit sorry.)

And then there’s the fics:

-- A post Akuze longshot feat. Leo, grief and politics.

-- A Leverage/HP crossover feat. pre-canon Eliot, wizards and poor attempts at dragon smuggling.

-- A CCS/Naruto crossover that I’ll probably never write tbh b/c the sheer size of it is terrifying to me, but I like to dust it off every other month anyway b/c I put a lot of thought into it.

24. Do you remember themoment you decided to become a writer/author?

I don’t remember the moment I started to write – that was a long long time ago – but the moment I decided to become a writer I’m pretty sure was when I read The Princess Bride, b/c I very distinctly remember closing the book and going “I wish I’d written that”.

26. What’s the mostresearch you’ve ever put into a book?

It’s kinda hard to tell tbh b/c my research, like everything else, tends to be scattered in short bursts over months/years, but my most recent research-heavy project has been the Leverage/HP crossover, which has led me to a lot of reading on poaching/smuggling as I tried to figure out how one would go about smuggling a dragon.

Turns out there’s no actual book on dragon smuggling but I ended up learning a lot about butterfly smuggling, which as it turns out is

1)a thing

2)very serious business.

28. How do you stayfocused on your own work and how do you deal with comparison?

I don’t. I don’t stay focused on anything, ever. I also deal very poorly with comparison even tho the only one doing the comparing is my own self.

30. Do you like to readbooks similar to your project while you’re drafting or do you stick to non-fiction/un-similar works?

I do! I find it very helpful esp. when I’m writing in a genre/style I’m not used to. I try to avoid it with fanfiction tho so as to avoid accidentally absorbing other people’s headcanons into my own work.

32. On average how muchdo you write in a day? do you have trouble staying focused/gettingthe word count in?

Tbh I usually count in ‘pages’ (quote/unquote b/c I’m using my own format which is considerably shorter than what you probably think of when you hear ‘page’), and I’m trying to get myself to two pages a day for The Novel but I’m considerably slower when I’m not writing in French b/c language is hard.

34. Unpopular writingthoughts/opinions?

-- Character death is overrated.

-- The idea that conflict is necessary to tell a good story is highly subjective and even if it wasn’t a good conflict shouldn’t just boil down to ‘characters being horrible (or downright abusive) to each other’/‘characters being forced to commit or witness atrocities’ over and over again.

-- Romance is boring and so is smut.

-- Young/aspiring writers need positive feedback way, way more than criticism, constructive or not; constructive criticism overall is overrated (which isn’t to say that it’s never useful but like it’s not The One True Way For A Writer To Improve that a lot of ppl try to sell it as).

36. Post a snippet

She’s always been lucky is the thing.

Lucky to find the Reds when she needed them, lucky to lose them when she no longer did, lucky to get caught by the right people at the right time, lucky to be offered military service instead of prison, lucky that Anderson had seen something in her no-one else ever had.

Lucky to survive doesn’t feel so special.

38. How do you nailvoice in your books?

Honestly that is one thing that comes p much naturally to me? Like whenever I write in a character’s voice I can usually ‘hear’ what I’m writing so to speak, which makes things considerably easier tbh.

40. Do you look up toany of your writer buddies?

What kind of question is that I look up to all of y'all??? I’m not even kidding here y’all are amazing and talented and I’m so thrilled I got to meet all of you?

42. How many drafts doyou usually write before you feel satisfied?

I’d say 2-3 though it’s kinda hard to tell b/c I don’t strictly speaking work in full drafts, I tend to go back and forth between paragraphs instead.

44. Why (and when) didyou decide to become a writer?

I must have been like 16 or something. Hell if I remember why except I love stories and it seemed like a good idea at the time?

46. Past or presenttense?

I actually prefer past tense despite my current inability to write it (idk why all my fic end up being present tense but I suspect English).

48. Do you prefer towrite skimpy drafts and flesh them out later, or write too much and cut it back?

I mean most of my fics are already under 500 words long can you imagine if I actually cut stuff from them? :p

50. Do you share yourrough drafts or do you wait until everything is all polished?

I tend to wait until everything is polished but also, again, it’s super easy to get me to share rough drafts or even outlines with you b/c I am weak and crave validation.

52. Who do you writefor?

Me. Always.

Like listen the fact is actually talking openly & honestly about personal stuff even to people who have been there for me in the past is literally the hardest thing for me to do and I got so damn good at avoiding it I don’t even have to think before I do it anymore, and sometimes it feels like writing is the only way I can actually properly communicate anymore. So yeah I’d be lying if I said I didn’t care about ppl loving what I write but it will always be first and foremost something I do for myself.

54. Favourite firstline/opening you’ve written?

already answered here

#ghouliissh #marti #marti why i thought we were friends #i didn't even reread this i'm just kinda assuming i didn't leave any answer unfinished

[humanspectre]

Romance Ask Meme! 5, 15, 30

♥ Do they wait to be intimate until after marriage or break all the social rules?

Arlise’el Lavellan

While on the Clan, Lise was very careful to keep her distance. While her mother and Keeper were plotting to marry her off, Lise stood her ground and refused. Her complicated position inside the Clan--being both an Outsider, daughter of a flat-ear, and First--makes Lise push away any and all possible relationships. So sex only happens when Cullen comes into the picture.

She didn’t even think marriage is on the table when she decides to have sex with Cullen. In fact, marriage isn’t something she thinks she can do: for one, she’s a mage, for another she’s Dalish. 

She does understand, though, that furthering her relationship with a human will cause friction with her Clan. So, in a way, it’s a bigger decision than having premarital sex.

Laleal Surana

Lea is a Circle mage, so marriage was never a possibility to begin with. She’s sixteen when she first has sex with an apprentice she had a crush on. It was the closest she had to a romantic relationship, one that was cut short when the girl doesn’t pass her Harrowing. It’s a very traumatic moment of Lea’s life. 

While sex isn’t nearly as common an occurrence in her life as would to be expected when teenagers confined together are a thing, she doesn’t mind fooling around here and there, even though she’s careful, and she rarely bothers seeking it (and then there’s a young Templar full of long looks on her way, and Lea is maybe a bit interested. Nothing of consequence happens though).

When she meets Alisair (and Zevran), she also doesn’t entertain any delusions of an actual Andrastian, Maker-blessed marriage. She does sleep with Zevran before sleeping with Alistair, even. She’s pretty blasé about sex.

♥ Do they enjoy talking to their partners before going to sleep or is it straight to dreamland?

(okay, so maybe I got overexcited answering this one. Bear with me)

Arlise’el Lavellan

Lise doesn’t sleep with Cullen as often as she wanted to. She’s out traveling a great part of her time, and Cullen is late working most nights. When they do manage to make their schedules meet, they try to enjoy all the time they can together. Before they have sex though, it would be more often than not staying up until it was unreasonably late, and then each would go to their corner to sleep.

Eventually Lise grew brave enough to just ask Cullen to stay the night (and sleep. No sex just yet). So they get ready to bed, talk, and then cuddle together.

After the Breach is closed, and Corypheus defeated, they take a while to talk about their day to each other, before sleeping.

Laleal Surana

During the Fifth Blight, sleep was a commodity they weren’t about to throw away, so once they hit the bedroll it was to sleep. Still, it was fairly common for the group to sit around the fire and talk for hours before sleep.

Lea is insomniac though, and she would often stay up late on guard. She would strike conversation with whomever was awake at the time. It was often Zevran. 

So Lea did spend time with both Alistair and Zevran, talking about everything and nothing. When Lise starts sleeping with Zevran, their relationship is slightly too impersonal for pillow talk, but with time, it warms up and they talk a lot. For a while, Lea or Zevran would return to their tent. Eventually, they stopped, and would just spend the night together.

When Alistair and her talk things through (when push come to shove, and Lea has to choose who she wants to be with), things are a bit more romantic. Alistair would often ask Lea to sleep with him--actually sleep, and they would talk.

Afterwards, when they establish themselves as a triad, each has their own bed time habits, but talking about their days is absolutely one the trio share.

♥ Would they leave the person they love if it meant saving their life/giving them a better chance at life?

Arlise’el Lavellan

Yes. Lise would endure, she would suffer, but she would never keep Cullen from a better future or safety just because she loves him. She would break to pieces, but she would ensure his happiness first and foremost. 

Laleal Surana

Depends. Lea refused making Alistair king because she knew it meant losing him forever. She is selfish, and she knows it, but Lea couldn’t bear the idea of losing Alistair, not when he actually didn’t even want the throne. 

She regrets it, at times. Lea knows Alistair is happy, she knows she is good to him, as much as someone can be sure of such thing. But she can’t help but feel guilty about her decision. A decision she feels it was never hers to make, to begin with.

But if it was a direct choice, if she was facing a moment where she needs to leave or else, she would.

Relationship & Courting antics Asks.

#thank you so much for asking #these were fun to answer #so much to think about! #arlise'el lavellan #laleal surana #my ocs #radicalmercy26 #message for you ser