aly-the-writer

[aly-the-writer]

zevran just invite your friends to brunch or smt you can't keep using assassination attempts as good excuses to visit them

(commission info // tip jar!)

[aly-the-writer]

The world is in great peril, and you are the unlucky protagonist who must save it! Spin this wheel three times and get your Dragon Age party that you're stuck trying to save it with.

Feel free to reroll repeats. Most are companions, but there are also a few companion-adjacent possibilities. You can assume that you as the protagonist have a basic level of combat competency even if you don't in real life, so don't worry about yourself

[aly-the-writer]

New hobby I've gotten into. This is my 3.5 gallon for my cherry shrimp. Also have some MSTs after one rode in on something and subsequently had babies.

I started this tank in early January after receiving it, the gravel in my favorite color, and the moss balls from a friend who got fed up with me constantly talking about wanting shrimp and moss balls.

I've since switched from a HoB to a sponge filter and added a heater.

I've currently got 6 neocardinia shrimp in there - 4 red cherry and 2 blue velvet. I don't see them as often as I'd like but they seem to enjoy all the foliage. (I know I have a lot of algae but one of my shrimp is due to have her babies any day now so I want to make sure there's plenty of food for the shrimplets.)

Things I'd do differently: I think I'd have used a different substrate, something larger. I also think I would have spread the cardinalis out further from one another. Also I wish I'd been more patient about separating the dwarf hair but I don't think it's turned out terrible yet either.

Side note: I need to consider how to redo the electrical cords so they're safer - they're currently like that since the cat kept turning the entire power strip off via the button.

[aly-the-writer]

Back on my Neve should have been a Soporati shit.

But she SHOULD HAVE been a Soporati. DATV does VERY little in the form of interesting mage lore, and so her being a mage doesn't really add much at all. But her being a Soporati does!!

For one, Neve has the personality of someone who would look at docktown and be like 'the mages are doing absolutely nothing to help this place, and people say you have to be a mage or a Templar to make a difference but FUCK THAT'.

Secondly, it would be a way to really contextualise the poverty of docktown. Docktown is seen as 'poor' in the game but it doesn't really explain WHY or the systematic problems which might lead to this area in particular being poor. but Krem did! Back in DAI Krem talks about how the practice of slavery makes Soporati poorer; Soporati have to compete with mages who can do things quicker and slaves who can do things cheaper which means that they rarely stand a chance when it comes to work they could be doing. So they either a) live in poverty scraping by or b) sell themselves into slavery! It's systematic oppression! It seeps all the way down!

Neve as a Soporati could have talked about that, and how she saw that affecting docktown. Maybe it could even be something which led to some kind of riot pre-game that stopped slaves being brought in as regularly to the docks (because like. Docktown as Tevinters literal dock really should be crawling with visible signs of the slave trade coming from the boats; especially because we know from the comics/da2 that a lot of slaves are transported to Tevinter by sea). The riot itself would then be justification for why there is a political *cough* venatori *cough* presence in docktown at the moment to 'keep the peace'. This could ALSO highlight the stark differences between the templars in Tevinter as they would not be the ones relied upon to enforce order because they're viewed as kind of useless.

And that way, instead of the shadow dragons feeling very much like a white saviour-y, run by powerful, privileged people organisation we could see them as a more grassroots organisation in and of themselves; built up of Soporati who also have a high stake in abolishing slavery not just for moral reasons but because it's affecting them too! And Neve could have been the face of that!

I just. I really wish she'd been Soporati guys. I wish we'd got more lore about the different classes in Tevinter and how they affect your standing and your life.

[aly-the-writer]

Do you think anything you did mattered, Hawke?

[aly-the-writer]

Kidnapped Zuko? Rescued by Gaang who dont know who he is and he has to hide his identity.

Okay, so. There’s already a teenager down in Commander Muttonchop’s brig. This fact is so far past concerning it’s wrapped around to let’s-not-think-too-hard-about-this hilarity, and Sokka finds himself grinning, and offering the guy a good ol’ fashioned Water Tribe wrist shake through the bars. They’re neighbors, after all.

“Hello, Fellow Prisoner. What are you in for?”

“I, uh,” says Fellow Prisoner, who is clearly undersocialized from his time in here. He’s looking a little grimy around the edges of his all-black outfit, and the bruises on him have had time to get newer, fresher bruises on top, which is just. That is all kinds of reassuring. Oh, and the giant fiery facial scar. Also reassuring. Though at least that one’s a few years old. So… inflicted when he was, what, Aang’s age?

So reassured, is feeling Sokka, for the Fire Nation’s upcoming hospitality.  

“Uh,” repeats Fellow Prisoner, who is uncoiling a little in the direction of Sokka’s offered hand. As if Sokka was trying to coax him out, and hadn’t just sort of forgotten he was holding it there while his thoughts were doing their downward spiral. But hey, one man’s desperate attempts to keep his cool were another man’s offer of friendship. Fellow Prisoner grasped his wrist and shook it, in both the most technically correct and least experienced Water Tribe wrist clasp Sokka has ever experienced. 

“Zhao thinks I was stealing military correspondence,” the guy says.

“Were you stealing military correspondence?” asks Sokka.

“Only his,” scowls Fellow Prisoner, to whom Sokka takes an immediate liking. “...What did you do? To get arrested. But not killed. He doesn’t usually…”

So, so reassured.

“Oh, you know,” Sokka says, continuing to shake wrists, because it is becoming clear that Fellow Prisoner has no idea how long this is supposed to last and Sokka isn't going to be the one to stop him. “The usual. Found the Avatar. Became traveling companions. Got captured doing something definitely heroic that did not in anyway involve excessive screaming of an unmanly pitch.”

“...The Avatar?” says Fellow Prisoner, who clearly knows how to focus on the important points.

“I’m bait,” says Sokka.

“For the Avatar.”

To be fair, Sokka is still a little stuck on that point, too. It’s been a few weeks, but he still wakes up too-hot in the night and wondering why the stars above him aren’t quite right.

“Yep,” he confirms.

Fellow Prisoner’s face does a thing. A sort of processing, processing, processing thing that involves progressively more scowling. “The Avatar left you? I knew the old man must be a coward.”

“So,” Sokka says, “about that.”

Fellow Prisoner drinks up Sokka’s story like a man who’s spent three years in a desert searching for water. 

- - -

(It’s been two and half years.)

- - - 

Their escape involves a significantly higher swords-to-escapees ratio than Sokka had anticipated, which is distractingly epic. 

Also, the last-minute bison save is both the stupidest thing his little sister could have possibly done and very welcome, which means that Sokka is going to catch his breath and let some of his adrenaline fade before channeling his inner Gran-Gran for a lecture. 

Fellow Prisoner sheaths both his swords. And kind of stares, rather than sitting down, so Sokka pulls him over before the bison turbulence (read: catapult dodging) can do the job. This does nothing to interrupt the staring. 

“Hi,” says Aang, looking back from Appa’s head. “I’m Aang! What’s your name?”

“...Li?”

Under the sunlight, Fellow Prisoner’s eyes glint gold. He is… very Fire Nation-y looking, now that there is enough light to see him. And he is warmer against Sokka’s side than anyone not feverish should be, even in the ridiculous heat these northerners call ‘winter’.

“Are you a firebender?” asks Aang, like that question hasn’t spent decades earning its status as an insult.

“Uh,” says Li.

“Great!” says Aang, who has already figured out Li-speak. “I need a teacher!”

On the deck below them, Zhao has gone from shouting to laughing. 

Sokka continues to be reassured.

[aly-the-writer]

Wishing I was better at drawing people - an Emmrook "The Mummy" (1999) AU would be a lot of fun. Gonna go see if there's anything on Ao3 for this sort of idea since I don't wanna write this one myself.

[aly-the-writer]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Lucanis Dellamorte & Rook, Lucanis Dellamorte & Spite, Davrin/Rook (Dragon Age), Davrin & Lucanis Dellamorte Characters: Lucanis Dellamorte, Rook (Dragon Age), Warden Rook (Dragon Age), Female Rook, Named Rook - Character, Spite (Dragon Age), Davrin (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Grey Warden Rook (Dragon Age), warden dreams, Archdemons (Dragon Age), Origins-era Lore mentions, Domestic Fluff, Late Night Conversations, Coffee, Spite Being Spite (Dragon Age), Possessive Spite (Dragon Age), Avvar (Dragon Age), Avvar Culture & Customs (Dragon Age), Avvar Rook, Pre-Dragon Age: The Veilguard Quest - The Siege of Weisshaupt Summary:

Just a late night conversation between Lucanis and Rook where he learns a little more about his new friend - and about the Avvar and Wardens in general - brought on by Blight-fueled nightmares that indicate more trouble on the horizon for their team.

[aly-the-writer]

my worldstate is pretty fun

[aly-the-writer]

Rook Codex Writing Prompts

A list of 30 writing prompts inspired by other DA codex prompt lists. Contains no plot spoilers for Veilguard.

A letter to Rook about their exile

An entry from Rook’s journal

A letter from Rook to someone in their faction

A note from a companion to Rook about the Lighthouse

A conversation overheard between Rook and a companion

Healer’s summary of treatment for Rook’s wounds

Something written by a character from a previous game about Rook

A future historian’s analysis of Rook’s actions (Bonus: featuring a relevant primary source)

Rook’s shopping list 

Note found in Rook’s pocket

Report summarizing what is known about Rook by an allied or enemy faction

Rook’s daily schedule

A message between two companions about Rook

A letter from a faction leader to a companion about Rook’s actions

Rook’s packing list for travel to a quest location

Letter from Rook to their love interest

Rook’s notes on the Lighthouse/Caretaker

Notes between a companion and Rook regarding a personal quest

Inventory of personal belongings Rook left behind when they left their faction

Something written about Rook on a historical plaque

A letter from an enemy regarding Rook

An entry from an encyclopedia/travel guide about an aspect of Rook’s background (Bonus: followed by a note from Rook supporting or refuting its accuracy)

Excerpt from a play dramatizing Rook’s actions (Bonus: include a review of this play)

A letter from Rook to a faction leader

Notes taken by Rook when they were young/in training

A letter to Rook from a family member or close friend

Analysis of a piece of art created for/about Rook

Propaganda for or against Rook

Something written to Rook post-game

A note/letter that Rook never sent

[aly-the-writer]

So. Crow considerations and headcannons -

- Oriana Cousland is Antivan and teases about being knowledgeable of poison comfortably with her husband. I've always HC'd her family was Crow-adjacent if not straight up Crows and "Wealthy Antivan Trader" is the polite cover the family maintains because brazenly admitting to being powerful and wealthy due to assassinations would be uncouth.

- The reason a Crow house is actively working against Rendon Howe and Loghain is because of her and Oren being murdered. Most Fereldan nobles wouldn't jump to using Antivan crows when a free lancer is probably cheaper and more available in Ferelden. That house is also actively opposing Arainai interests because Crow politics.

- Lucanis gets very shifty when discussing the Fereldan Crow activity and how many Talons ended up dead because of it.

- The timing works out for Oriana to be one of Caterina's dead children.

Therefore with all of these points I have decided Ignacio is a Dellamorte (though not family-family). Lucanis and Oren were cousins, which makes Warden Cousland that very distant and vaguely terrifying relative that no one wants to acknowledge because they insist on taking that damn Arainai with them everywhere. Bonus points if Lucanis falls for Rook and then finds out they're actually a Cousland.

[aly-the-writer]

get his ass

[aly-the-writer]

Y’all seen these videos

[aly-the-writer]

as usual, please reblog for sampo size!

[aly-the-writer]

arvel mahariel - he/they

pt 2 of this previous comic

[aly-the-writer]

Dyslexic adventures!

Follow me on WEBTOONS

[aly-the-writer]

mr thrill of the chase