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Now that I’ve been writing Vauquelin a while I have a better idea of what his baseline opinions of the chess club members would be. Fun for me to chew on.

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I could finagle an AU where Vauquelin was at the Divine Conclave and got the Mark, but that is not an AU where he is Inquisitor. That is an AU where Briala is Inquisitor.

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I cut myself shaving hours ago and it's still bleeding

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REGARDING VIRIEN.

Guide of the Path Pronouns: She/her FC: Huda El-Mufti Inspired by this codex template

VIRIEN WAS BORN IN A sizable village along the imperial highway in Nevarra. Her parents did well for themselves managing a pigeon postal service regularly used by traveling merchants. When her magic began to show, it bent toward those birds. She was unnaturally in-tune with them, understood them better than anyone else, seemed able to track their flights. Their local Mortalitasi identified her as a mage, but rather than have her undergo basic training locally, her family pooled all their resources to see her educated in the College of Magi. She was destined for greatness; they just knew it.

It was hard being so far from family, but she was determined not to disappoint. Her dedication saw her apprenticed to the Guides of the Path. Her upbringing around homing pigeons led to an interest in navigating dreams, the Fade, and pocket dimensions like the Crossroads (though she did not yet know the Crossroads existed). She naturally focused on the study of somniagraphy. She was an exceedingly promising talent, yet her unrelenting pursuit of every project coupled with her drive to make a name for herself concerned her mentor greatly. He feared she would one day try to chart a dream she'd never find her way back out of.

As far as he's aware, that's exactly what happened. She did not so much find the Crossroads as it called to her. Each excursion into its paths undid the work of the previous as if it was playing a game with her. If it was a game it wanted, she would play to win. She spent more and more time there til she disappeared into the Crossroads entirely. Coming into contacts with ancient agents of Fen'Harel (who themselves had not gotten as far as she in unraveling the uncanny labyrinth) gave her further incentive to say. And with the strange way time moved — or didn't move — in that in-between place, years passed without her notice. When it finally came to her attention, she only doubled down on her dedication to mapping and to the agents. She wouldn't let the years be for nothing; she would not return after so long empty-handed. It certainly helped she'd found a community in the Crossroads and believed in the work of the agents.

The Veilguard will find her one of the most focused Messengers, often too intent on her work to socialize. Discussions relating to her field, however, will always draw her attention. Her intensity increases as the Sixth Blight wears on and the Messengers' network grows. News of her village's destruction at the hands of darkspawn spurs her to spearhead their efforts benefiting refugees. It's too late to reconnect with her family, but she won't let the years be for nothing.

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Scanning Emmrich banters for reasons. Obsessed with the series he has with Bellara where she's really into vampires and is trynna get him to investigate them with her lmao

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THE POSTHOUSE.

This post gives an overview of the Crossroads Messengers' base. I'm also going to discuss some ideas on what precautions Solas took before bringing down the Veil. Obligatory disclaimer I won't hold any Solas rpers to this. Rook & co. will be able to visit this location throughout the game.

FEN'HAREL'S AGENTS ACROSS THEDAS WEREN'T solely preparing for his ritual to bring down the Veil — not directly. In fact, awareness of that ritual and what it would entail varied widely across the cells. Fen'Harel was always careful with what he shared. Regardless, a good chunk of their work in the years preceding DA:TV involved doomsday preparation, especially as the ritual drew near. They reinforced the Veil at various locations so it could be brought down more smoothly. They noted what areas would likely be hit the hardest. They identified usable eluvians and corresponding pathways in the Crossroads. They excavated ancient safehouses and established new ones across the continent. They amassed emergency stockpiles such as preserved foods and medical supplies. He had a better idea this time around as to how the world would be changed, and he planned accordingly.

The Crossroads navigators (of whom Vauquelin was an unofficial leader) were spread across the major safehouses. There's only a handful of them really, but that's all you need. Each of the major safehouses would have an eluvian. That eluvian would lead to another location. That location would have a hidden and locked eluvian leading to a central hub. That central hub would have — you guessed it — a locked eluvian, guarded by spirit sentinels, leading to the Crossroads. Each navigator and the leader of the cell they were coordinating with would be able to send messages via the eluvians as well. Ability to access the eluvians, however, would become more exclusive the deeper one went. The idea is to enable them to coordinate during the apocalypse without compromising the whole network.

Vauquelin was to stay in the central hub with a small group to maintain it. There he was during the failed ritual. As he establishes an alliance with Rook, reaches out to fellow navigators, builds up the Crossroads Messengers, they operate out of this hub. The group begins jokingly referring to it as the Posthouse and to him as the Postmaster. Alas, it sticks.

The Posthouse itself is a mix of ancient and modern. Located in the Sea of Ash, it was once the last hideaway of a former Evanuris who had tried to usurp Elgar'nan. He responded by scorching the land, raising volcanoes, and transforming the area into a volcanic wasteland. It hasn't recovered in thousands of years. All that remains after so long is the bones of that former Evanuris’ last refuge. Their power left the building intact, but they had nowhere to go and nothing else survived. There was only an eluvian whose twin Elgar’nan controlled. They elected to die there alone. Elgar’nan had a penchant for exiling people there (as is still done by the Seekers of Truth), so the eluvian pathway remained.

Fen’Harel’s agents were able to restore some of the defenses and build up the ruin over the years. It’s not a self-sufficient base. There are very few plants and animals and water sources, and what exists is unsuitable for consumption. A singular deep well was found preserved by the base’s enchantments; this is the only safe water source. Soil and seeds were moved into the building with the hopes of creating a magically-shielded greenhouse, but at least initially, they’re dependent on stockpiles and deliveries via eluvian. However, it’s remote and defensible, making the chances of siege or seizure infinitesimal.

The view is abysmal, but the building itself is quite nice. What started as a purely utilitarian project inevitably had artistic touches interwoven. It’s an eclectic blend of folk art (made by the agents) and fine rugs, paintings, etc. Much of the latter was stolen by Vauquelin over the years. He even smuggled out a prized set of stained glass windows plus the artisans to install it from Serault. (The Seraultine guilds are brutal, treating the members more like slaves in order to protect the craft.) The architecture overall prioritizes alleviating the heat and focusing the eye inward (rather than out on the wasteland); any windows are small, for airflow not the view — aside from that beautiful stained glass.

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Tbh I'm probably gonna be stuck on these NPC profiles for a while. I am simply having fun. They are scratching an itch. The serotonin is here, and brother, I am IMBIBING.

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I think it's so normal for people in the Grand Necropolis to just like. disappear for a while that Virien is still technically a Guide. Or maybe she's still considered to be on some sort of leave. I'll decide the details. But her being "missing" for over a decade is not odd, all the moreso when she was messing with something her mentor warned her away from.

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I swear my brain is just making the Windows power down noise. Maybe I chip away at another NPC profile. Maybe I just go lie in the mud.

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I think there's a world where Vauquelin apprenticed to Lemet which means carriage repair, and I think this because it upsets me

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REGARDING FORERUNNER.

Spirit of Unknown Origin Pronouns: They/them + it/its FC: None; changes shape often template

IT WAS NOT ALWAYS FORERUNNER. Once it was a great spirit of prophecy. From its vantage in the heavens, it watched fate unfurl, and both the meek and mighty took cue from it. Then a tyrant sought to bind it, believing that would grant him dominion over destiny. The mere attempt to force it into a vessel broke it. What remains is only a fragment of its former power — and a fragment that has no desire to be powerful again.

They sought refuge in the Crossroads. With the raising of the Veil and the breakdown of the eluvians, the number of people on the paths dwindled considerably. They could avoid being troubled. They determined never to take clear form, never to inspire prophets, and never to be great.

Its friendship with Fellam blossomed chiefly from indifference: Fellam's own toward the future. They seemed chronically incapable of thinking before they acted, never properly planned for the future, and indeed frequently seemed surprised to find they were a step further than they'd been a moment prior. They complemented each other: one calm and certain, the other excitable and mercurial. When Fellam returned to their work as an agent of Fen'Harel, Forerunner decided: "Why not?" Taking an active role in the future beyond predicting its shape would be a pleasant change.

Forerunner is the Messenger the Veilguard will cross paths with most frequently in the Crossroads, though they often won't notice due to its lack of definite form. When they must interact with strangers and acquaintances, they will appear as a translucent fog. With friends (i.e. fellow Messengers), they're a disembodied voice, a sourceless touch, a mere presence. They never make deliveries to the waking world but handle those within the Fade, the Crossroads, or other in-between places. Though they neither discuss nor label their nature or history, their foresight makes itself known in how they frequently respond to actions yet to be taken and words yet to be spoken. They are also an unparalleled scout and greatly useful in planning sessions.

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Concept: I start a DA multi but it’s just my Crossroads NPCs + the Serault twins

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Beach day tomorrow 🫡

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REGARDING SUSI MELANADA.

Second, then First to Clan Melanada. Pronouns: She/her FC: Lily Gladstone template

CLAN MELANADA CAN TRACE THEIR roots back to a Somniari who lived in the Kingdom of the Dales. She had an especial fascination with the malleability of the Veil and how it might be utilized: not a barrier but a tool. She was one of the first Fade Hunters and pioneered much of the magic employed by that subset of the Emerald Knights. So great was her skill that she drew the attention of Fen'Harel himself. She parried cleverly with the Dread Wolf, learning from him all she could of the Veil. She used the knowledge she gained to create a mask which would allow her to see through and manipulate the Veil — but she soon realized it could be used to destroy it as well. She might have destroyed it then, fearful of the consequences of bringing down the Veil, but Fen'Harel persuaded her not to. He charged her with guarding it instead. She may even guard it from him if she saw fit. But, such a masterwork should not be so easily thrown away.

Thus did the Mask come to be passed down the generations. When the Dales fell, her descendants carried it out. They safeguarded it for generations — until the templars attacked in the Dragon Age.

They hauled away Keeper Yevven to be imprisoned and tortured. His nephew and First, Josmael, tried to step into his shoes with the support of Susi (then the Second). But, Yevven had cracked under torture, and soon after Saarebas came seeking the Mask. He brutalized the clan when they rose to defend the artifact and kidnapped one of their members. Josmael pursued him, leaving Susi and the elders to protect the survivors.

When Josmael returned, it was without the Mask and without their stolen clan member. He took his place as Keeper but not without discomfort. There were those who preferred Susi become Keeper rather than First, but she struggled to shoulder the weight of recent events and doubted she could lead capably. Finally, she chose to travel apart from the clan for a time. Her absence would allow Josmael to better settle into his new role — and allow her to grapple with her own spirit.

She began by investigating the site where the Mask was destroyed. Then she adventured across the Free Marches seeking powerful Elvhen artifacts, as if replacing the Mask could somehow undo what had been done. It was by accident that she found an intact eluvian and fell into the Crossroads. There's no telling how long she might have wandered directionless if she hadn't been found by Forerunner and Fellam. They helped her learn to navigate the paths. Brought her back to the Vhen'Theneras.

Introduced her to Fen'Harel.

She was so terrified upon meeting him that she fell on her face. Surely he would punish her clan — punish her �� for the Mask's destruction. He did not. Nevertheless, she promised to atone with service. Really she was still trying to make right in her heart the pains of the past and thought following Fen'Harel would do that. She even carried word back to her clan with Fen'Harel's blessing. Josmael wished to wash his hands of the matter, but a fraction of the clan followed in Susi's footsteps to become agents.

During the Sixth Blight, she is the Crossroads Messenger the Veilguard will see the least. Rook in particular will only glimpse her at a distance — if that. She is intentionally kept far away from them and from the Vhen'Theneras. She blames them for the failed ritual, Fen'Harel's imprisonment, and all that came after. What's more, she fears this will be a repeat of what happened to her clan. In many ways, it already is. The Wolf's Fang (stand-in for the Mask) has been "stolen". Solas (stand-in for Keeper Yevven) has been imprisoned and tortured. Who's to say the Veilguard won't turn on the Messengers (stand-in for her clan) next? She feels a duty to reclaim the Wolf's Fang and free Solas even at the cost of her life.

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We only see Yevven and Josmael out of that clan in Redemption, and neither of them are wearing vallaslin. This could just be an oversight or a decision that recreating vallaslin would be too difficult, but honestly? I find it conspicuous. They're the protectors of the Mask of Fen'Harel. Not wearing vallaslin could be a deliberate choice on the clan's part in-universe owing to their connection to the Dread Wolf.

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Fellam definitely has something funky going on biologically because, being innovation, they had to on the fly innovate with the body they made themselves