#The Anchor

[loredrinker]

The Inquisitor - The Thread and Key - and Something Else?

A thread runs from Inquisition to Veilguard that makes it hard to believe the Inquisitor walked away from the Anchor unchanged. The evidence suggests a transformation - not just symbolic or emotional, but something metaphysical. Possibly even physiological.

One of the clearest insights into the nature of the Anchor comes during Here Lies the Abyss, from the Justinia spirit/entity: “It is the needle that passes through the Veil, as little else can. You are the thread. And it is the key that locks or unlocks a door to the Fade. It lets you walk in the Fade physically and survive. Without it, Corypheus must find another way to the Black City. It is part of you now, and cannot be removed without your death.”

There are some interesting implications here. The Inquisitor doesn’t just use the Anchor - they are the thread. And threads don’t just pass through - they bind, they weave, implying the Inquisitor is stitched into the Veil itself.

But it’s the spirit’s warning that carries the most interest for me: “It is part of you now, and cannot be removed without your death.” This reads as though the Anchor is too woven into the Inquisitor's being to be severed without fatal consequences. According to this denizen of the Fade, the removal should be impossible.

And while it’s not framed as a prophecy in the traditional sense, the spirit’s words seem to carry truth as only a being of the Fade can speak it. It's a statement of what is - yet, what is doesn't come to pass.

Because the Inquisitor does live after its removal. 

That act of Solas removing the Anchor points to an extraordinary understanding and mastery of magic. If the Inquisitor is the thread, then Solas would have had to have found a way to unstitch and restitch them back together.

Which leads to a lingering question: How has this affected the Inquisitor?

The Thread in Veilguard

In Veilguard, the “thread and key” metaphor returns - but now it’s a statuette, not the Anchor.

When Harding asks where they found it, the Inquisitor responds: “I found it right around the time Solas’ ritual failed, when he was pulled into the Fade. We’ve examined the magic. And it’s tied to the Veil. To him. Somehow.”

That “somehow” feels like something is still there. The Anchor is gone, but how do they know the tie is there? Is the Inquisitor still threaded into the Veil - still connected to the Fade?

And the statuette is significant. No matter how many of them Rook finds, the sequence can’t be completed without the Inquisitor’s, implying they are still the thread that completes the weave, the key that opens the door to Solas.

Morrigan says, “The Inquisitor brought something no one else could.” And it’s not just that they had the final piece - it’s that no one else could have had it. The magic inside it feels personal, like it’s bound to something only the Inquisitor possesses. Maybe it’s the lingering imprint of the Anchor.

Solas’ Unique Magic

Morrigan says: “Solas is ancient, and his magic is part of him in a way far beyond that of mortals.” Solas doesn’t wield magic like a mortal mage. He is magic.

The Anchor was born of Solas’ magic - so when his Orb exploded and marked the Inquisitor, like the statuette infused with his essence, the Anchor forged a connection between Solas and the Inquisitor. Which means the Inquisitor potentially carries a trace of Solas' essence.

Which brings us back to the wolf statuette - why was it meant for the Inquisitor? Perhaps it was reacting to that lingering essence of Solas. Drawn to it. Resonating with it.

The Inquisitor - the Key to Solas

Throughout the games and extended stories, the Inquisitor is consistently positioned as the thread and key - bridging Southern and Northern Thedas, the Fade and the waking world, Solas and those who are looking for him.

And that may not be purely symbolic. The Inquisitor carried the Anchor, manipulated the Fade, physically walked through it more than once, and survived an act that should have killed them. They now stand apart from ordinary mortal experience - threaded into the Fade, impacted by ancient magic. Perhaps even transformed into something new - a liminal being. That may be why a romanced Lavellan shows no fear in following Solas into the Fade at the end: they alone are equipped - physically, metaphysically - to walk that path beside him.

It’s narratively fitting, then, that their story with Solas begins in front of a tear in the Veil, where he says, “It seems you hold the key to our salvation.” Everything that follows gives the line a deeper, almost prophetic meaning because by the end of Veilguard, they stand before another rift. And while this time it's Solas who closes the rift - the Inquisitor’s presence remains essential.

Without the Inquisitor, you can’t access Solas’ regrets. You can’t uncover what haunts him. You can’t walk the path to gain Mythal’s essence - and without Mythal’s essence you can’t unlock the final choice: atonement. The game makes it clear - Solas’ path to redemption is unlocked through the Inquisitor.

He said they were the key.

And they were.

[jonasiegenthaler]

The Captain Sets the Tone

Bratter

Can we go back to the very beginning and, what you remember of your first training camp meeting him?

Yeah, it was a little while ago. And obviously he has changed to this amazing person and player and leader that he is today, but I think you could see those tendencies right from the start. He was so, so humble, such a such a great guy, and really hard-working guy right from the start. You saw that he just loved being around the guys. He wanted the best and he really cared for everyone in the room.

And I think that's what makes him such a great leader. He wants this team to [succeed] and he cares about everyone to bring their A game. And he makes himself better every year, he comes back every year [and] he's better defensively, he gets better offensively, and he just continues growing.

In this room, we know how valued he is, how big of a piece he is. Do you think he doesn't get enough recognition from the outside [for] just how big a piece he is?

Yeah. I mean, he's the driving train for this team. I mean, he's the identity of what this team is about. And we rely so much on him.

He's such a such a unique player. So good defensively. And I think a lot of people recognise how really good he is defensively and how hard he is to play against. [But] I think people finally started realising that he really has that offensive skill. He's a goal scorer. He's so easy to play with. He's, I mean, you always know where he is on the ice. He has great skill, great speed, great puck handling. He's got a really good shot and like you saw last game, he really knows how to set up guys as well so. I mean such a such a great player. It's like, you don't come across players like that often.

We talk so much about, you know, being a quiet leader, and I know he's the type of guy who will stand up and say what needs to be said at certain moments when you guys are in the room. But what is it like for a team to follow a quiet leader? Like what draws you in in those moments?

He's kind of like a lead by example type of guy. You know that Nico brings it every day and if you want to be a part of it you got to follow it. And when a player like that who always shows what needs to be done [realises] that our group isn't following, he steps up and says something.

I mean, he's so respected in the group that we all listen. And we all know that when Nico stands up to say something, it's usually because it has gotten a little bit too far and he hasn't really gotten guys to follow his lead, I think that's pretty unique.

Dillon

I know you played a lot of your career in the West, so maybe you didn't know him as much, but what have you learned about him as a player? And then secondly, as a leader?

I didn't really know a whole lot about Nico. You see the highlight reel goals and stuff like that. But I think getting to know him, the person, away from hockey, you know he's a captain for a reason. He's a guy that does his best to have relationships with everyone on the team, young guys, veteran guys, guys with families, single guys. He's an easy and approachable guy on a day-to-day.

And then you talk about the hockey player, all situations you want him on the ice, for a d-zone draw, up a goal, down a goal, power play, PK. Really just an all-situations type of guy. And I think, the highest compliment you can give someone in our game is that everybody wants to play with them, and everybody wants to be with them. I think if you ask any of the forwards, everybody loves playing with him. His ability to compliment everyone's style of game, he's just a complete player.

There are different types of captains and one of the things we hear a lot is, he's a quiet leader, a leader by example. What does that mean to teammates?

Well, you can just tell when it's forced or when it's natural to somebody. As you said, not everybody's a vocal leader, not everybody's the rah-rah guy. You know, Nico's more of a quiet leader that goes out there, does his thing, leads by example, but he's confident enough to speak up in a room, in a team environment, when it's necessary too.

And I think those are the best kinds of communication when it's not every day and it [doesn’t get] repetitive. When he does speak, everybody is listening. […] highest compliment you [can give] someone is that everyone respects him, all throughout the line up and the locker room.

He’s my Selke winner. Just getting to see him every day. Just how impressive he is. Yeah. He's a fantastic player.

Timo

How old were you when you first heard about Nico?

I think pretty young. It was clear that that he was a special player. I played against him, when I was playing U-20 and I went down to the younger group [people my age], and he was playing already. So, I played against him, and we knew back then that he was a really good player, but he was way younger [than everyone else].

And when you look at him this year, you've been here obviously a couple of years now. What has been so impressive, particularly this year, about the way he grabbed hold of his offensive game and continues to lead this group

The way he holds himself off the ice and the way he leads in his own way, staying true to the person that he is, that's very special. And then as a player, in key situations he comes through and leads the team not just offensively but defensively. Doing a lot of the dirty work and— he likes doing it. He likes to put the team in front and he's not afraid to do the dirty work like blocking shots, he’s taking so many face-offs. So, all the little things that he does, most of the time they lead to goals or something. But even if they [don’t] he does them so well. I think he's still underrated, how good he actually is.

I know in here he gets a tonne of credit and he's so valued. Do you think he gets enough credit outside?

I mean, that's the thing about Nico, I don't think he cares. He's the kind of guy [that] wants to be as good as possible for the team and that's what's important for him. So, we definitely know, the guys in here, every guy that's worked with him, and I think guys that play against him definitely feel that too. I'm sure he'll get the recognition. He will. But for us, he's such an important player so we're just really happy that he's on our side.

Keefe

You talk about game-breakers. One of those is your captain. Now that you've had close to a full season with him, what have you learned most about who he is as a player that doesn't get appreciated?

I would say just the consistency, just how low maintenance he is. You know as a coach, how reliable and consistent he is, that's really what you want in a player and on your team and certainly in your captain. I've just been so impressed by him and how he's performed this year.

I've acknowledged before, I don't know if I've given him an easy shift on the season. He gets the hard assignments every night, everything from face-offs, the challengers, the volume of face-offs that he that he has to take for us. First over the boards for power play and penalty kill. The matchups. And then to still contribute and produce the way that he has offensively with all those defensive assignments.

And to me, he's helped make us a much-improved defensive team and been an anchor for us that way. It's been a tremendous season that I hope gets the league wide recognition that it deserves. It certainly isn't lost on me what he provides us.

[07.04.25 | Practice]

[broodwoof]

curious about ppl's impression of the anchor and it's impacts on the inquisitor

like... how do yall conceptualize it? is it contained, or does it spread? how far does it spread?

canon and headcanons are both very welcome c: i just love seeing how different ppl approach this, it's fascinating to me...

i'll put some of my own thoughts under the cut!

i tend to picture it as spreading, yes, through 'tendrils' of magic... deeply webbed all through their left hand, wrist, and part of their forearm as the game nears its end, but also with tendrils weaving through their upper arm and possibly even into their chest and neck

i imagine it as existing alongside normal bodily functions at first... and then, in time, displacing and replacing them. solas' magic as something almost parasitical, although he ofc never intended it that way. but it's trying to make a suitable environment for itself, and the longer it is in the inky's body, the more it takes over their body, although it is slow-growing, further slowed by solas controlling it

i think by feeding his own magic into it, he can effectively quell it, because it no longer needs to seek out its own sources of continuation/essentially its own "food". in some ways, i view it as very alive, but not in a conscious sense

[captaintweet]

Another Solavellan comm 🥹

I feel blessed every time I'm commissioned to draw them

[ongshimi]

CHUN WOOHEE and SHIN HAKYUN in The Anchor (2022)

[middle-earth-marauder]

sonadow anthem

listen, I see ya'lls "The Anchor" by Bastille as Sonadow anthem and raise you "Blue Sky and the Painter" also by Bastille

Left a trace on my lips Do you always run away when it gets wild? Bittersweet, fleeting bliss I guess I haven't felt electric for some time

I mean, just fucking-

Wide awake from the breeze How the hell did I get so numb to desire? Mix the paint on the page Because I ain't nothing without joy and sorrow's fire

can i get a fucking break this is too perfect-

Is that a blue sky? Is that a blue sky? It's about damn time, yeah, it's about damn time

[rainworldhourly]

[graepix]

So a while back on TikTok Headlock by Imogen Heap was trending. I had an idea for a blaseball thing and finally got around to making it. And actually I’m surprised at how well it fits. I didn’t change the speed on either the clip or the audio, they just happened to be perfect. I think there’s still audio stuff to be done but I think it’s turned out pretty good so far.

Feedback is welcome, except if you’re going to swap me.

[calico-callista]

Old artwork of my Trespasser play-through with Rhea. It’s hard when your ex-boyfriend shows up, tells you he’s going to destroy the world and takes your hand in a way you weren’t expecting

[tinkerbitch69]

I find it fascinating that those thedosians, including an inquisitor who embraces the title, who still claim the inquisitor is the herald of andraste even after discovering that they were only bestowed with the anchor because they unknowingly stumbled upon corypheus’ ritual at the exact right moment means they believe the inquistor is, theologically speaking, God’s Perfect Idiot. In this essay I will-

[bastillemxfans]

Sea Sessions 🌊

••The Anchor•• ⚓️😍

[loredrinker]

No Path Leads Home: Frodo & The Inquisitor

Growing up in a household that loves Tolkien, it’s easy to see echos of his world in other works of fantasy.   

I’ve been most fascinated with Frodo Baggins - his journey and the themes of friendship, forgiveness, endurance and sacrifice.  

As I continue writing the story of my Inquisitor in my Dragon Age world state, I keep returning to Frodo. I can’t help but see parallels of burdens and losses between Frodo and the Inquisitor. That even after the battle is won – some wounds never heal.  

The Burden Not Meant for Them 

For Frodo, his burden is the Ring. For the Inquisitor, the Anchor.  Neither sought these burdens but they carry them, thrust into leadership positions in world altering events due to circumstances beyond their control.  These burdens make them essential to the world they live in, yet these burdens cause them both harm and make them targets for evil.

The Physical Cost 

Both wear visible marks of their trials. As the story unfolds, the Ring’s strain on Frodo becomes clear, but he also suffers the Morgul blade’s stab, which never fully heals.  Similarly, the Inquisitor carries the Anchor, a force of ancient elven magic in their body that is slowly killing them. Their body cannot sustain such power and, in the end, they must sacrifice their arm to survive.  Their burdens leave lasting scars, etched on their bodies.  

The Burden of Duty  

Frodo, as the Ring-Bearer, holds a title that few in Middle-earth share - “to bear a Ring of Power is to be alone” - to suffer. Likewise, the Inquisitor, named the Herald of Andraste, is thrust into a role they never sought. Both are marked by fate, not by choice. 

Bilbo passed the Ring to Frodo, binding him to its fate; Solas’s Anchor was forced upon the Inquisitor, binding them to the fate of Thedas, shaping them into a messiah the world demanded. Neither was meant to carry these burdens – yet no one else can carry it for them. 

Fellowship  

The best fantasies have a fellowship – a group bound by purpose, strangers at first usually, but forced to come together to get to their journey’s end.  Frodo begins with a fellowship of eight, each member playing a role in guiding and protecting him.  But the fellowship fractures as time goes by, companions pulled into their own battles. In the end, only 3 stand at the end of Mount Doom – Sam, Frodo and Gollum.   

The Inquisitor, begins with nine companions, their strength coming from the unity of their cause.  By the end of Trespasser, the Inquisition itself dissolves or is taken over control by the Chantry, and many in the Inquisition move on, some to rebuild, some to fight elsewhere, some to disappear entirely. In the Atonement ending of Veilguard, only 3 stand to face Solas – the Inquisitor, Rook and Morrigan (representing Mythal). 

The Trickster’s Influence 

Frodo is guided by Gollum, a creature twisted by his past and obsession with the Ring - a trickster in his own right. The Inquisitor, too, has a Trickster amongst their companions – Solas, a figure of wisdom and pride - yet warped by his regrets.  Gollum leads Frodo to Mount Doom only to take the Ring from him at the final moment. In Trespasser the Inquisitor follows a mystery through the Crossroads, leading to Solas, where he then removes the Anchor. Both tricksters serve as guides, yet their guidance isn’t salvation though their lives might be saved – it's revelation, loss and transformation. 

No Burden Carried Alone 

Frodo cannot destroy the Ring alone. When he falters, Sam carries him, and in the end Gollum’s intervention is necessary. Though Frodo bears the burden, others must step in to see it through.  Likewise, the Inquisitor cannot stop Solas alone – bringing him to his final moment in the atonement ending requires the efforts of many such as Varric, Rook and their companions and Morrigan. Just as Gollum tears the Ring from Frodo’s grasp, it is Mythal’s voice that finally wrenches Solas’ guilt from his hands.  

Both these ‘endings’ reflect the same truth: it is not just about strength or will, it is about the hands that carry you when you fall – no one can bear these burdens alone.  

You Can’t Go Home Again 

The rest of this post is where I move into headcanon, as I’ve spent a long time thinking about my canon Inquisitor and her journey – there and back again. And ultimately – there is no going back again.

“How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand... there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep.”  ~Tolkien

There are some wounds that time cannot heal.  Some burdens that, once carried, never truly leave.  Can time restore what was lost? Certainly not for Frodo, and not for my Inquisitor Lavellan. 

Both Frodo and the Inquisitor are swept up into something grander than themselves, their identities consumed by the roles thrust upon them.  They become ghosts of their former selves, shaped by suffering that others cannot see.  It does not mean they can't find connection or love their friends any less, it just means the world in which they exist is forever altered.

That's the story I've chosen to tell for that character.

The Fellowship returns home – but Frodo cannot.  The people of Thedas move on, but the Inquisitor remains trapped. Ever the Herald of Andraste, her role diminished but the burden still heavy. Whether the Inquisition is disbanded or not, she is called back into war. 

And for a Lavellan who loved Solas? There is another pain, carried alongside memory and loss – because the only person in the world who can truly understand what was taken from her...is the one who took it.  Just as Gollum was the only one who could truly understand Frodo’s suffering.  

Departure into another World 

In my world state – Lavellan, like Frodo, leaves. 

Frodo sails with the Elves to the Undying Lands, seeking healing beyond the shores of Middle-earth.  Lavellan, steps beyond the known world, passing through the Veil with Solas into the Fade, leaving Thedas behind.   

She does not leave just for love, but because mending the greater wound will mend her as well. In walking this path with Solas, they become each other’s fellowship, a reminder that even at the end of the road, neither must walk alone. Through restoring what was broken, Lavellan hopes to find her own healing as much as she seeks to help Solas find his. A journey that will ultimately lead to something greater - the healing of the Blight, the Titans.

Frodo and Lavellan’s stories do not end in defeat, nor do they end in returning to the lives they once know. They both end in transformation – a truth that to have loved, fought and suffered for something greater than oneself is to be forever changed.

Another thank you to @lotsofthinkythoughts for our Tolkien and DA chats.

[deesixteen]

stealing him stealing him

[bugdatabase]

some camp doddles i happen to have on me ! thought i'd feed yall ^^ 💚

CHARACTERS:

- Eric Worldwind (first 3)

- The Mask (Wine Glass)

- Maggie Strangefelt (Digipet beside The Mask)

- The Anchor (Fishy sapphire)

- Star Maxwell (lollipop in a blanket being held by Mask)

- Topaz Francis (BOOOOOOO FUCK THIS BITCH BOOOOO , the fountain pen with a scarf)

- Patton Colton (The clover !!)

- Gabe Casteric (The Canteen with a bag)

MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE

I've been doing MUCH MUCH BETTER SINCE LAST TIME IVE STATED MENTAL STATE. Thank god. I got through the year, shit's gonna get dandy when Band Camp kicks back up. lets make life good and hype. shits gonna be okay, and it actually feels that way. 💚 lets go babyyy

[oliolioxenfreewrites]

Introducing my OC: Mach, The Anchor, The Father of Gravity

Mach is the quiet force that holds the universe of Novaxiom together, a presence so integral that his influence often goes unnoticed until its absence threatens to unravel everything. He is not a creator like Aųrolis, nor a counterbalance like Taciraia, but something deeper and more essential: the rhythm that ensures the song of existence does not spiral into discord.

Without Mach, Aųrolis’ symphony would shatter itself, exploding outward into endless, unsustainable chaos, and Taciraia’s silence would consume everything, collapsing creation into an eternal void. He exists in the spaces between their opposing forces, not as a mediator but as the invisible structure that allows both to coexist.

In the earliest days of existence, Mach’s role was to tether Aųrolis to form, giving her explosive energy a rhythm to follow. Her boundless symphony, wild and uncontained, threatened to dissipate into meaningless noise, each note clashing against the next with no foundation to hold them together. Mach’s presence introduced a beat—a steady, constant pulse that shaped her chaos into coherence.

Every surge of her creation found its pause in him, every crescendo its fall. With his guidance, Aųrolis could craft the world of Novaxiom, each mountain, sea, and star moving to the rhythm they built together. In many ways, he was her partner not only in existence but in creation, the quiet architect behind her vibrant artistry.

But Mach’s role extended beyond creation. As Aųrolis birthed the Auxilaries to carry her symphony into the world, Mach was the force that ensured their powers did not spiral out of control. His influence is subtle, felt in the way the Auxilaries’ domains interact: the way Ceryth’s winds temper Ignirath’s flames, or how Azylith’s stasis prevents Thyronis’ solidity from becoming unyielding.

He does not command or intervene, but his gravitational pull keeps them in orbit, their powers balanced in a delicate dance that sustains the world. Even the mortals who arose from these elemental forces—Sonorians, with their loud, vibrant magic—are unconsciously guided by Mach’s rhythm, their chaotic creations falling into patterns they cannot explain but inherently follow.

Taciraia, however, introduces a complication to Mach’s existence. Where Aųrolis’ chaos finds harmony in him, Taciraia’s silence creates an opposite tension—a pull that threatens to unravel even his steady beat. Yet, unlike Aųrolis, Taciraia does not fight Mach’s rhythm. She flows with it, her stillness amplifying his constancy in ways that Aųrolis cannot.

His Daughter’s presence in the universe is a quiet rebellion against her mother’s overwhelming energy, and Mach, uniquely, understands her need to exist. He sees Taciraia not as an aberration but as a vital counterpoint, her silence giving meaning to Aųrolis’ song. This understanding makes Mach the only being in the universe who can truly connect with both mother and daughter, even as their tension threatens to tear him apart.

His love for them is his greatest burden. Aųrolis, radiant and consuming, demands his attention and loyalty, her existence a constant, overwhelming presence that he cannot escape. Yet Mach loves her deeply, not just for her beauty but for the life and energy she brings to the universe. Taciraia, in contrast, is quiet and withdrawn, her love for him unspoken but no less profound.

Mach’s connection to Taciraia is not one of duty but of genuine understanding—he sees her in a way that Aųrolis cannot, offering her the unconditional love she craves but will never admit to wanting. This dual devotion splits Mach’s essence, forcing him to remain eternally caught between their opposing forces, unable to fully commit to one without neglecting the other.

Beyond his relationships, Mach’s role in the universe is both practical and metaphysical. He is the force that keeps the Frequencium in motion, ensuring that its vibrations flow in patterns rather than chaos. Where Aųrolis generates endless waves of sound and energy, Mach shapes them into rhythms that mortals can understand and wield. This rhythm forms the foundation of Sonoric Sorcery, the magic that defines Novaxiom.

Every spell, every note of power, follows the patterns set by Mach, whether its practitioners realize it or not. Even the Psinorians, who draw their strength from Taciraia’s silence, rely on Mach’s influence to give structure to their absence, their stillness a reflection of his rhythm rather than a rejection of it.

Mach’s influence extends to the physical structure of the universe as well. The orbiting moons of Novaxiom, the steady rise and fall of its tides, the predictable movements of its celestial bodies—all of these are manifestations of his gravitational presence. He is not a god of flashy miracles or grand displays but of the quiet, unyielding forces that make life possible. His stability is felt in the way mountains hold firm, in the way rivers carve their paths without chaos, in the way the seasons turn with steady precision. Even the harmauna, the living creatures of Novaxiom, move to Mach’s rhythm, their migrations and behaviors subtly guided by the invisible beat he provides.

For mortals, Mach is both a comfort and a mystery. He is not worshipped in the same way as Aųrolis or Taciraia; there are no grand temples in his name, no hymns sung in his honor. Yet his symbols appear everywhere, carved into the foundations of cities, etched into tools and weapons, woven into the patterns of everyday life. Mortals instinctively turn to him in moments of chaos, seeking his steadiness even if they do not fully understand it. For those who study the Frequencium, Mach is the key to unlocking its secrets, his rhythm the cipher that makes its complexity comprehensible.

‘Mach is the anchor in every sense of the word’

He’s the presence that binds the universe together, giving it form and meaning. Without him, Aųrolis’ symphony would collapse under its own weight, and Taciraia’s silence would stretch into an endless void. His existence is not one of glory or recognition but of quiet, unwavering purpose, the force that ensures Novaxiom’s song plays on.