#v: davg

[fadewalking]

@atlasveiled liked the Starter Call. // Accepting!

Solas could feel Rook's attempt at crossing into the Fade. They had only spoken like this a few brief times before, but he expected Rook would eventually grow more adept at finding him intentionally. Until then, whenever he felt that press against the threads of the Veil, he helped, pulling on the tether that connected them, shepherding him into place. The moment he appeared, Solas schooled his expression, clasping his hands behind his back in his usual fashion.

"I did not expect you so soon." He admitted evenly, his tone betraying nothing. "Failure? Or have you come to gloat of your victories against the Evanuris?"

[fadewalking]

"From Solas..." he echoed dryly, shaking his head. Rook spoke his name as if it meant something to him. But whatever image he had conjured came from Varric's stories, and Varric never knew him either. No one had.

"It is not a mask when I bare my teeth. Nor is it simply circumstance that divides us. Though, I grant, that is the more obvious chasm." The meta-literal chasm the Fade provided between them proved as much. But despite the circumstance, he doubted he would've otherwise found Rook as someone to place his trust in.

He supposed, at least, he could trust in Rook's hatred of the Evanuris. Not it even mattered; he had no choice.

"Still," He added, flourishing his hand in a vague, open gesture. "You want an audience? You have it infinitely. So ask whatever you like."

"No, not from the Dread Wolf. From Solas." Rook replied easily with a small smile. "Not that I don't appreciate all facets of your personhood. I just find the moments where Fen'harel slips away, when you drop one of your many masks, to be... Hm, it's difficult to explain exactly. There are just moments between us that feel lighter than others. When both of us don't have our hackles raised and teeth bared."

There it was. That painful honesty that seemed easy for Rook at times. He spoke what was on his mind, for good or ill. He looked thoughtful at Solas' posed train of thought, head tilted to the side akin to a curious puppy.

"Hm. I think we both know I've got the more obstacled path." He spoke with a smile. "I know I'm a bleeding heart. Honestly all that matters to me right now is that I trust you want Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain dead. Past that, well things get messy and since there could be no true trust between us the idea of your loyalty is purely hypothetical. In short, circumstance is a bitch."

[melonyfelonyfellonme]

Yeah ik there's something pure sweet about Lucanis feeling safe enough to sleep a full night around Rook etc but bloody hell he looks fucking exhausted 😭

It's honestly all the more impressive he's even functioning, let alone at the high level he is, given how tired he looks

Honestly the day he's had more than one night's worth of a full sleep, it's so over for everyone lmao

[icharchivist]

rattles the bars of my cage with righteous anger

[fadewalking]

Did Solas care to consider Rook? Not truly any more than he had to, if he were being honest. What purpose would it serve? He posed the question genuinely to himself. The answer came as... nothing much beyond that trying understanding Rook might help see the end goal to fruition. Or perhaps it would only make it more arduous in the long run.

He brought himself together. He had spilled out his emotion quite enough already. His eyes flickered, level again, to Rook as he listened to his assessment. It wasn't far off, all things considered.

Was it even worth it to try explaining further? Part of him wanted Rook to understand. Part of him wanted anyone to understand. But it could never be the man standing before him. Rook would never see what he saw.

"I walk the only path there is." And If that was a path carved by regrets, and he knew that it was, then so be it. "But I have never refused to see other options. It is only that every other option is worse. And perhaps you could understand that, if you even cared to consider it."

Solas was quite sentimental, then, wasn't he? That, perhaps, could be something Ogden could use in the future if need be. Solas might be a man of great power and millennia old...

But he was still a man at the end of the day. He could try to keep himself above others, but that was, more than likely, a painfully lonesome existence. The need for connection bled into everyone, no matter what they thought of themselves.

"We're all constructed from contradictions," Ogden pointed out to him. "Even me, if you even care to consider it. Or you can just keep looking at me as brash, reckless, and whatever negative concept you have of me. I am a man made by what I have dealt with and how I learned to contend with it."

He dared to continue.

"And that's what I think you are; a man who had a shit hand dealt with him and you're trying to deal with it how you can. But you..." He sucked in a breath, thinking his words through. "You're so hurt and so trapped but your perceptions, and your belief in, what, self-punishment? Unworthiness mixed with being 'better' than everyone around you? That you refuse to see any other option than the path you, yourself, designed. And that's..." He paused.

"That's a path carved by regret."

[fadewalking]

@reining-disaster liked the Starter Call. // Accepting!

"Rook." Solas stood, as he always did, near the precipice of the chasm that separated them in the Fade of Rein's mind. His hands clasped behind his back, Solas' eyes passed over the other, scrutinizing him.

"You seemed troubled. Moreso than the usual. Speak what preoccupies you. I will help, if I am able."

[broodwoof]

.......thinking about solemm and a particularly tragic version of solemmrook rn bc ig i love pain?? and suffering????

lich emmrich/rook - established couple!

solas/rook - catching feelings and a little bit of weird competitive flirting and The Fucking Hand Touch and all

end game goes roughly as it goes, rook sparing solas, but something happens. slight shift of canon, whatever, the choices, decisions, discussions happen as they do, solas binds himself to the veil, and then smth happens to rook

honestly, maybe a venatori. elgar'nan is dead, the dragon is dead, everyone has begun to let their guard down, and one stubborn fucking venatori manages to get close and targets rook

rook dies pretty quickly, no lingering fading-out goodbyes, and emmrich absolutely refuses to process it. pouring so much into the wound to seal it while solas Completely Fucking Annihilates this one venatori

and the thing is, when rook was struck, both emmrich and solas screamed their name, sounding absolutely wrecked. solas, shaking, lingers above emmrich tending to rook for a moment but he knows, he sees, and there's still the venatori so he steels himself and deals with that

time passes, things happen, burial rites, and one day solas is in the lighthouse again. he and emmrich start talking and emmrich is fucking cold. "I heard you, solas. screaming their name. tell me, were you mourning them? or mourning the loss of your favored pawn?" <- this kinda shit

and solas, grieving, comes close to snapping back but just deflates and takes it instead bc a part of him is like... yeah this literally is all my fault. but he hasn't been able to stop thinking about rook. about how they trusted him in the end

and i think at some point - maybe in that conversation, maybe later - he asks emmrich about them. about why they trusted him? what kind of person were they, that they could do that?

and it's one of those slow and steady things where they're both caught up in the presence-absence of rook and figuring things out and they're mourning together and sometimes they talk about unrelated things and when it circles back to rook, sometimes it is a little gentler, something they can smile about for a moment. total traumabonding situation going on here, but also each of them knowing that the other knew rook in a unique way and selfishly wanting some access to that side of rook they had not been able to see, not really...

at the same time, realizing that it really wasn't different sides. because sometimes solas would smile partway through one of emmrich's stories about rook and finish it for him, and vice versa

and over time their conversations do extend past rook. they talk about mythal and johanna. about arlathan and nevarra. about magic, about the fade, about spirits and demons and manfred and lichdom. about being a teacher and being a fighter. about different faces for different roles

[flowersforthemachines]

People I want to know better tag game

Thank you for the tags @larkinna and @rsenak <3

last song: Deltarune OST - Castle Funk (that song and I are besties now #mysong)

favourite colours: torquiose :) though I'm also very impartial to pastel pink and blue

currently watching: Scilo!! watched an entire episode today in only 2.5 sittings, go me

last movie: I think it was the third Persona 3 movie. I don't watch movies often enough to say for sure

sweet, savoury or sour: sweet!!

currently reading: Book Thief by Markus Zusak

current obsession: clair obscur... deltarune... that niche fantasy game series that kicked the bucket some months ago (I don't know if you've heard of it)...

currently working on: Belasara making out fic <3 also, the V-neck set mod for DAVG that is sort of almost kind of finished but still needs some finishing touches. also, always in search of new useless facts (Did You Know you could submit useless facts to me for a chance to be featured in one of my posts?)

tagging @cute-ellyna @whispersleo @pinkvbay <3

[fadewalking]

The touch was unexpected. Solas’ fingers twitched with the instinct to retreat, but he resisted, letting the motion die before it began. His eyes dropped to Dorian's hand. The gesture seemed platonic, but something about it still felt... complicated. Even after all this time. Oddly, he found that complexity comforting. That even in the face of horror on such an apocalyptic scale, there could still be room for something as simple—and as tangled—as whatever had existed between them.

Hindsight had always been sharper for Solas, though that was a convenient excuse. He had not been oblivious. He remembered the lingering glances—some of them shared—and the double entendres dressed up as clever quips.

Cole had seen it too. He had practically begged Solas to let him help, to let him reach deeper and share the pain so Cole might soften the edges of Dorian’s confusion. He never did. Maybe Solas had been right to spare him the agony of this moment, it was painful enough without the burden of a deeper intimacy. Or perhaps it had been easier to build a wall from the sins of Dorian’s ancestors than to let himself see the man behind it.

Who was he to judge Dorian for lingering on past regrets? Maybe the truth was that Solas avoided that particular mirror because he knew he would not like the reflection. It was too easy to see his own flaws. Cowardice. Like with so many other things. Dorian deserved better. He had proven it, not that he ever should have needed to.

But none of these confessions mattered. Not anymore. Maybe in another life, something brilliant might have existed between them. Solas had ruined this one.

Yet here Dorian still was, hand on his, offering him comfort when, if anything, the roles ought to be reversed. Who was he to be soothed? Much less forgiven.

The sentiment was kind but hollow to him. Forgiveness was not Dorian’s to give, nor Solas’ to grant himself. These regrets were meant to be carried, borne like millstones around his neck until they crushed him. It was only right.

If he could not atone, he could at least suffer.

Here, again, was the mirror Dorian held up to him. This time, Solas did not look away. His eyes found Dorian's again. Solas remembered the conversation, of course. And he had been right then—nostalgia was pointless. As was wallowing when it was time to act. He would carry his regrets, but he could not let them sideline necessity.

He was almost reluctant to give up the comforting weight of Dorian's hand, but he offered no protest. His fingers curled inward slightly, a gesture to self-soothe, as he pulled himself back to composure.

"Thank you, Dorian. I... have never made anything easy for you. I would acknowledge that, at least." He dipped his head in a vague motion, as if nodding to words unsaid.

"But I have always admired your resolve for change, your defiance against what others deem immovable. And you are right, as you often have been. It is a mistake to walk forward while looking back." He pressed his lips into a thin line, a tense, tired smile. The best he could do.

"The Veil must come down... and it is my sincere hope that whatever comes after does not break that resolve. This world needs you. And for all my plans to restore what I have broken, I would hate to see it bear losing you."

Dorian listened, and while he listened, he could not hide the surprise in his eyes at the first relevations. Solas? A spirit ? All elvhen were spirits? Made physical through Titan's might. He understood now what Solas meant with the danger of such knowledge. However, it made much more sense with ancient scripture he had read. Where time had forgotten part of History and filled it with things that did not make sense.

As he was listening to a tale that had made Thedas what it was, he noticed how vulnerable Solas was, from the eyes down, from his hands so tight he thought he was going to break the table. This was not the man he had first met 10 years ago. This was someoen who never had a chance to live, only served and tried his best to fix behaviours that weren't his to fix.

There was a beauty in the tragedy that was spoken before him. His heart tightened. Old longings were coming back. He wanted to hold him, he wanted to show him that he was not alone , in a way he knew how. Dorian , however, did not move. Scared to scare a delicate creature away. And he did not hold Solas' heart. As Cole told him - in passing - Dorian did not have the right ears. So he never pursuit whatever brewed in his heart, despite longing to . So , he simply always engaged in highly technical magical questions and debates. So he could enjoy how animated and with a hidden excitement Solas explained his views of the world.

There was no excitement at all now. Only a bitterness for all involved. At the end of his explanation, Dorian rached a hand to put it on Solas'. " Solas, you were faced with impossible odds, and tasked to find a way to fix it. You did the best you could with what you knew at the time. " The mage licked his lips. "Do you remember, when I apologized for Arlathan...what you said to me ? " he asked. His blue eyes were still on his friend, warm, still not seeing him as an opposing force. "Empires rise and fall. Arlathan was no more innocent tan your own Tevinter in its time." he repeated, Solas' voice echoing in his mind. " Your nostalgia for the ancient elves, however romanticized, is pointless. " He paused. "Then you told me that if I wisehd to make amends for past transgressions, to free the slaves of all races who lived in Tevinter...I wasn't sure I could...and you said...how sorry was I ?"

A small smile painted itself on his lips. "I did ...free the slaves. " He squeezed his hands. Yes Solas had put him on that path. He wanted to share this with him. However, he also wanted to remind him of his own words. " You were gone for a 1000 years , you never had a chance to live your real life, Solas. What mankind did , what the elves have become , those are the choices of past generations - not yours. If you think like this, then the creator of all things should be blamed to have created all - this realm - the fade- the spirits. "

He let go of his hand. "Solas, I forgive you - I know you can't forgive yourself. If you must tear down the veil, then please do it for the future, not for the ghosts forming the shadow of your guilt behind you. "

Banter referenced in DAI:

Dorian: Solas, for what it's worth, I'm sorry.

Dorian: The elven city of Arlathan sounds like a magical place, and for my ancestors to have destroyed it...

Solas: Dorian... hush.

Solas: Empires rise and fall. Arlathan was no more "innocent" than your own Tevinter in its time.

Solas: Your nostalgia for the ancient elves, however romanticized, is pointless.

Solas: If you wish to make amends for past transgressions, free the slaves of all races who live in Tevinter today.

Dorian: I... don't know that I can do that.

Solas: Then how sorry are you?

[sarasa-cat]

I don't have a lot of time for playing video games even though it is now February so I finally have *some* time.

Feeling undecided.

I could start plowing through my backlog of indie games. That would be a good idea for many reasons.

I'm feeling very conflicted about my current Veilguard run. I don't like a choice/option that was cut off from my Elven mage Shadow Dragon who is situated inside my primary canon world. Actually, I just ... idk. So I haven't felt compelled to pick it back up after 30-odd hours of slowly collecting all of the companions (but not much more).

So, for big budget games, trying to decide if I want to:

CP77: Do a full playthrough of CP77 with my preferred/canon V but now with all of the (no longer) new stuff that dropped ages ago. Also, my initial run of CP77 was less than completionist and there is a lot I still want to do in that world but very much starting from the beginning.

DAI: Finally play all of the DLCs and take more time to explore things I never touched 10 years ago. And do it with my Merrillquisition because I feel I need to see the Solasmance disaster before going any further in Veilguard.

DAVG: Ignore choice above and back up my Shadow Dragon by, idk, about 12 hours of play? By a bunch. Make different choices, then go forward, yada yada.

DAVG: Restart game entirely and mentally attach it to one of my other world states that I am interested in but less attached to. Create a Mournwatch rook for Emmrich. And then slam through it ONCE without too much concern over the key choices in game.

BG3: Return to my long ignored BG3 playthrough? I didn't get very far -- probably 20 hours in for the character who made it the furthest?

Something else? There are so many BIG games in my pile of shame.

[commanderofthegrey]

fiadh/hawke/v but call me whatever i don't actually care lol / 20 / it/its + any neos / white

this is the main blog that i use but it is a sideblog

i try to describe any images i post but i am very tired these days. if i do add an ID to your post, please put it on the og post, i do not care about credit.

i will no longer reblog/respond to screenshots of my own replies/tags if it doesn't already have an ID on it. the copy and paste function exists.

contrary to the rest of this post and my entire blog, this is not actually a dragon age blog i just never shut up about it. other interests include bnha, undertale/deltarune, doctor who, and mediocre tv dramas

be warned i overall dislike dai and davg (though i think less of the latter than the former)

i do not tag crit, spoilers, or nsfw jokes/art/etc

bluesky | dreamwidth (i do not use these two first ones this is just in case) | artfight

Main DA Worldstate OCs

Origins

in-depth post here

Paz Amalda Surana - The Hero of Ferelden, Chancellor of Ferelden, Commander of the Grey, Arlessa of Amaranthine / born 9:10 / Mage / Arcane Warrior, Blood Mage, Shapeshifter / Protagonist of Origins.

Seran Aeducan - Follower of the Architect / born 9:02 / Rogue / Duelist, Legionnaire

Hav Amell / Opportunity - The Dark Wolf / born 9:07 / Mage / Spirit Healer, Blood Mage

Whilternia "Wil" Cousland - Teyrna of Highever / born 9:07 / Warrior / Guardian, Spirit Warrior

Aedlin Tabris - The Dark Wolf / born 9:08 / Rogue / Duelist, Assassin

Lindiranae "Linae" Mahariel Sabrae - Warden-Ensign / born 9:10 / Rogue-Mage / Ranger, Shadow

Ilan Mahariel Sabrae - Tranquil Mage / born 9:10 / Mage / Necromancer

Isana "Karshol" Brosca - Carta Leader / born 9:12 / Warrior / Beserker, Champion

Awakening

Jeanne Caron - Warden-Acolyte / born 8:95 / Mage / Knight-Enchanter

Elyon Andras - Warden Archivist / born 8:99 / Rogue / Shadow

Eram Kader - Constable of the Grey / born 9:00 / Rogue / Bard

Cathaire ban Harafer - Warden-Ensign / Warrior

Hessle Varen - Warden-Ensign / Warrior / Reaver

Kahina Ghilas - Warden-Acolyte / Mage

Mand Wolf / Need - Warden-Ensign / Rogue

Sulum Nuvenis - Warden-Ensign / Warrior

Tavus - Warden-Ensign / Rogue

Two/Exodus

Maeve Hawke / The Champion of Kirkwall / born 9:05 / Rogue / Assassin, Shadow

Inquisition

Oloris Lavellan / The Carnifex, Killer of Divine Justinia / born 8:89 / Mage-Rogue / Tempest, Shapeshifter / Protagonist of Inquisition.

Kaid Cadash / Carta Member / born 9:13 / Warrior / Beserker

Anatolia "Ana" Helen Isabelle Maria Trevelyan / The Herald of Andraste, Inquisitor / born 9:18 / Mage / Knight-Enchanter

Veilguard

Win Kyi Mercar / Rook / Warrior / Templar

[melonyfelonyfellonme]

TOMORROW??? NEW DRAGON AGE TOMORROW? Nah I'm sorry it still doesn't feel real, how is it the 31st tomorrow???

All that waiting done, tomorrow

What the fuck

[fadewalking]

This was not an argument Serafín was going to win. He knew that. He could tell by the particular steel in Viago's voice that always came out when things were truly dire. To make matters worse, he was probably correct that things could have been much worse for him.

"I can do what I'm told." he argued, but his voice had most of the heat drained from it now. Still, there was a tight tether to his conviction. "But given the option to save people, or turn the other cheek?" he shook his head and gave a half-shrug.

I am what you made me. He almost said it, but bit back the words, fearing they would come out wrong.

"I made the right call." he would say it just as adamantly now as he would if he were staring down the tower of Velabanchel.

"So, fine. Is there a punishment? I'll take it. Whatever to please the Talons. Just don't expect me to regret it. I don't."

Why was Serafin always like this? Viago grit his teeth, counting to ten in his head to try and delay the inevitable explosion.

It didn't help much.

"I don't know why you think you should be told about Talon plans," Viago snapped. "Or why you you think can handle more responsibility, when you can't even do as you're told."

Although Viago would admit, quietly, to himself only, that if this hadn't interrupted a talon operation in the works, Serafin may well have been considered justified in acting as he did. Killing as many antaam as he had was no easy feat, and managing to get all the hostages out alive?

Viago would, begrudgingly, admit he was impressed. But it didn't matter how impressed he was when the other talons were breathing down his neck about it. Teia had managed to soothe their ire for the moment, but who knew how long that would last.

"You should consider yourself lucky you haven't been shipped off to Velabanchel by the other talons already."

[quidquid]

My official review for DAVG is: was it a little corny and clunky? yes. did I fall off cliffs and drown 1000x? yes. but it was overall v fun and I finished it. Really liked the companion quest lines and Solas' regrets should have been a main quest, I can't believe it wasn't especially considering how it all ends and glad I ended up doing it.

The biggest ick with the game was how YA novel it felt and for a rated M game, I really hope this isn't a sign of where the industry is going with writing. There was a hallmark cheese quality to it at times.

[fadewalking]

@nekrotisch liked the Starter Call. // Accepting!

"You have returned, and so soon. Curious." Solas lifted an eyebrow, the faintest hint of a smug smile tugging at his expression—subtle enough to miss, but unmistakably echoed in the sarcastic drip of his tone.

"Either your battle against the Evanuris fares worse than even I had imagined, or your victories leave you with little else to do than to commune with me. Which is it, I wonder?"

[fadewalking]

There was definitely something.

The faintest scratching sound behind the catacomb's rock walls. It could have maybe been mistaken for one of Dock Town's many rat denizens, were it not for the sickening twist in Melchior's gut that raised his hackles.

The moment Lucanis drew his rapier, he mirrored with his greatsword. Seeing that otherworldly glow in Lucanis' eyes always had a way of unsettling him. But he trusted Lucanis. That was all that mattered.

The stench, as it hit, thick and almost viscous, was disorienting on its own. The accompanying screeches, blood-curdling, immediately shot adrenaline through his veins. Lucanis bolted past him in a blur, and he steeled himself.

If Melchior had to choose between Venatori and Darkspawn, he might have preferred to save the Venatori for last. Better left with the devil you know.

On the other hand, maybe it was more practical to take them out first. They were the more cunning danger, even despite the alarming spike in intelligence the Blight had shown lately. Melchior, unfortunately, did not have the luxury of time to weigh strategy.

He cut down the small roguish darkspawn that sprung immediately out in front of him. Like slicing through some kind of grotesquely diseased butter, he thought. That left two Venatori gladiators in his sights. In practiced formation, they raised their tower shields and advanced.

"I've got these guys!" He called to Lucanis. "Get those mages!"

@fadewalking - "listen. did you hear that?" - For Lucanis from Melchior

question prompts // always accepting

Lucanis rests his hand against the wall, feeling for any subtle vibrations that might give additional details. Melchior’s words make him pause, his brow furrowing as he tries to decipher the sound coming from down further into Dock Town’s catacombs. There’s an itch behind his eye that indicates a change in the veil but it’s Tevinter - it’s not entirely unusual. 

          “ There may be more darkspawn from before we might have missed ” Lucanis’s voice is quiet, the man rising to his feet once more. His hands drop to his side to unsheathe his rapier, eyes narrowed slightly as he begins walking forward. Lucanis’s eyes flicker purple for a moment as the demonic energy courses through him, Spite prepared to assist as needed. 

     That’s when it hits, the sudden smell before the howls of darkspawn and venatori suddenly permeate the area. Lucanis darts forward, blade clashing with the claws of a darkspawn before he successfully removes said claws. 

          “ The Venatori first! ”