breadwolfbakeyoutoo

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

A lurker here, sorry! May I suggest one from the meme too? 'S gonna be a weird one: A5 with Ardyn. Because that's such an un-Ardyn face to make lol.

You can, indeed! And you’re right, but that’s the fun in it, haha. Ardyn buddy what did you do

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

Can somebody just please ship Maruki off to a dude and put it on AO3? I'm desperate.

I'll take any ship. Literally any ship.

Wanna ship Maruki with Sojiro? I'll take it!

Wanna pair off Maruki with Shido? Sure thing pal, sounds great!

Wanna get Maruki in cahoots with Okumura? Fine by me!

Wanna make Maruki kanoodle with cat Morgana? Ok that is weird, let's not go there after all.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'LL TAKE ANYTHING.

Or, if someone wants a challenge, I have an idea in me head that'll never get outta there, because I work around 45 hours a week and because my computer got water damaged. I'll gladly pass my idea out there. Just be warned tho, it's very outlandish.

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

Demon possession in Dragon Age

Particularly Imshael, to be frank.

I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around Imshael’s existence and the way he looks in Inquisition.

According to the Dragon Age wiki page:

As with most spirits, demons crave to join the living. Some spirits cross the Veil because they desire to experience life, either to indulge in an aspect of psyche or to fulfill a purpose they embody. Usually spirits or demons can only cross over the Fade by attaching themselves to something in the mortal world. Demons in particular, cannot make sense of the physical world. They are unable to tell the living from the dead or the very static nature of the physical universe. As such, it becomes very confusing for such creatures who are normally accustomed to a physicality defined entirely by emotion and memory. Thus, demons unable to reconcile with their new reality would look monstrous and wrong in the physical world.

This clearly states that most demons are unable to keep their original form in the real world, and the wiki page later states that those who do actually keep their natural state, are shades. Note that this was said earlier in the article:

Demons do not have genders. Within the Fade, they are able to shapeshift and take a form of their choosing. As creatures of an alternate and malleable reality, a demon's natural mindset can appear insane to a mortal.

However, the article mentions nothing about demons being able to shapeshift beyond the veil, so the only way for them to look human would be possession. Let’s move to Imshael now. Note that I have not actually read the book and I’m going at this with only the knowledge of the wiki article behind me. If someone has contradicting information that comes from the book itself, I sincerely apologise for my ignorance.

In The Masked Empire Imshael is summoned by the Keeper of clan Virnehn to help unlocking the Eluvians. In essence, before the arrival of Michel and Empress Celene, Imshael remains bound to a binding circle, presumably in his true, demonic form. 

When Michel and Celene arrive, Imshael tries to chat with Michel.

The demon then tries to make a deal, suggesting that Michel sacrifice a mortal to serve as a host for it in exchange for influencing the dreams of men

So, to gain a human form, Imshael wants a host. Michel doesn’t give it. Imshael fools everyone and yada yada yada he’s free now, okay. He possesses an elven mage (respectively, the clan First, Mihris, the one we meet in Inquisition near a ruin in Hinterlands. Tries to steal a locket meant for Solas, that sneaky elf), Michel and group finds out, lots of stuff happens but in the end, Imshael remains free to roam the world.

Skip to Inquisition, red lyrium and Emprise du Lion. Michel wants Imshael dead. You go to hunt for Imshael and you meet him in Suledin Keep. Here’s where the confusion kicks in. 

Imshael looks human. In the battle he does shift between various demonic forms, which I assume are related to the fact that Imshael’s “concept” is more complex than a simple desire demon. This is explained in the wiki article for demons in DA. Read it. Or don’t. 

Point is, Imshael has obviously been forced to possess someone. The person in question was not a mage, otherwise we’d most likely see Imshael using magic instead of demonstuff in the fight with him. Who did he possess? At what point? To my knowledge, living people forcefully possessed by demons end up looking something like abominations. True enough, we’ve only ever gained knowledge of mages being possessed, so it’s hard to tell what other, non-magical people would look like afterwards. I assume it would be sort of the same, which I base upon my thesis of abominations resulting in the demon’s presence fighting the will of the host, ending up in a chaotic aftermath.

Then there’s, of course, the possession of corpses. Here we have two possible outcomes, and Sophia Dryden in Dragon Age: Origins will serve as an example of both.

Sophia Dryden died at Soldier’s Peak after a painstakingly long siege against her troops. Demons and blood magic were involved. Centuries later, when the Warden returns to Soldier’s Peak, it’s discovered that Sophia Dryden is now possessed by a demon. Here comes the tricky part.

Did Sophia Dryden allow the possession, which then resulted in the demon completely taking over her body (instead of a shared consciousness, like in the case of Anders and Justice), which, in itself, resulted in slowed down decomposition of the body over centuries of time? Or did they share consciousness for a time, until Sophia’s just dropped dead on it’s own (seems unlikely)? Or did the demon take over afterwards, possessing the already dead commander of the Grey Wardens, and the possession itself completely stopped the decaying? Question remains: Why does Sophia Dryden look relatively healthy, given that she’s lain dead for centuries and no sir, you can’t explain this with just ice and snow. 

This brings me back to Imshael. He’s possessing either a body or a living creature. Is he sharing consciousness with the previous owner, or has he... forced it out? If it’s a body, should it be decaying, or does possession stop decaying all together?

Honestly I just wanted to know if Imshael has possessed someone or if he’s somehow learnt to take a human form. It resulted in this brain vomit. Input appreciated!

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

Debate: Why is Cullen so popular?

I would like to get this debate on the reason behind Cullen’s popularity. Because I have a massive problem with it and would like to understand it better from the viewpoint of other Dragon Age fans. 

As most of others, I’ve played my share of DA games and I even romanced Cullen in Inquisition to see what the fuss what all about. My image of Cullen is as follows:

Cullen is a very typical Mary Sue love interest. There, I said it. And while we can argue whether The Inquisitor is a Mary Sue (literally, the inquisitor was made to be a self-insert, so...), Cullen most definitely caters to those most needy of submerging their literal selves into the Dragon Age canon. I personally find those people and their preferred relationships within the game about as deep as a soup dish. Let me get more into detail:

Mary Sue is often designed to hook up with another character, often as a form of Wish Fulfillment. This isn't that bad in and of itself, but Mary Sue accomplishes this without any sense of realism. She just grabs her lover's attention straight away, and their relationship will never face any obstacles or tension; it's straight to true love right away. The biggest giveaway is if the love interest is explicitly the author's favorite character, and she essentially "cures" him of all the angst that ails him (at the expense of his characterization).

Thank you tvtropes.org for writing out definitions for Mary Sue relationships.

This paragraph is the first one of many written out about the Sue relationships. And it’s exactly what happens with Cullen, especially, if your Inquisitor happens to be a mage. 

I would especially like to highlight the last sentence: 

she essentially "cures" him of all the angst that ails him (at the expense of his characterization). 

This has Cullen written all over it. Remember how Cullen was tormented in the Ferelden Circle by the Sloth demon? How he ended up insane and wanted to kill everyone, innocent or guilty. because all mages were a threat? Remember how only at the end of Dragon Age II, when Meredith called for a total annihilation of the circle, did Cullen step up and say she’d gone too far? Until then he’d agreed with imprisonment, extreme conditions, humiliation and tranquillisation (how do I say that? You get my point.) of mages in the Kirkwall circle? Do you remember all that? I do.

I remember that Cullen has no reason to trust any mage, ever. He doesn’t have mage friends. None of his family are mages. There’s literally no reason for him to understand mages in any level.

But your inquisitor, who’s a mage? Nope, all gone. No fear, no deception, no humane reaction what so ever. Cullen loves YOUR mage. He’s cautious of all other mages. Even calls for more templars to be on the site with mages to watch over them. None of that is shown in the romance with Cullen. Nothing. It’s almost like... your inquisitor cures him from his canon angst. 

Cullen would have been an interesting character if he had retained some of that anger and distrust in the relationship with the Inquisitor. But no. The romance is perfect. The only problem your relationship with Cullen faces is his lyrium addiction, and even that is a fucking joke. He gets one temper tantrum in the middle of the withdrawal symptoms, you pet him in the head, have some hot desk sex and everything’s fine.

What makes everything worse by doubles is that Cullen is also a very conventionally good-looking guy. Oh look at those blonde curls, blue eyes, sharp jawline, broad shoulders, oh those arms can bend you right over the battlements yes please commander. BORING. One scar isn’t going to make him interesting.

So here we have a strong male character, pretty as can be. Humble and courageous and yet vulnerable and open. He’s had a dark past that haunts his wake and dreams, leaving him sweating and heaving (mmmmm boi). He trusts only his closest friends. Along the story skips you, an inquisitor, possibly a mage. You have a magic glowing hand. You flirt with this Broody McHotstuff of a commander of yours and he’s immediately baffled, as he’s never received such attention from a female before. You flirt some more and you love it and he loves it. You’re together forever. End of story.

If you disagree with me opinion, go ahead and voice it. I would like to see another side to my view. If you agree with it, well, voice it even more! I’d love to know I’m not the only one who dislikes all this needless Cullen worship.

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

I wish authors in AO3 would stop tagging their work as both F/M and M/M if one or the other doesn’t serve a big role in the story.

Like, if you’re writing Solas/female Lavellan but you briefly mention Dorian/Iron Bull having a relationship here and there, you shouldn’t use both tags.

Honest to maker, I’m looking solely for M/M stories and I get all these Solas/femLavellans and Cullen/femLavellans. Just because there’re minor background relationships that might be a tiny bit gay.

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

Wisdom of the day

When you’re feeling blue and think ill of yourself, just remember, that someone out there thought The Hissing Wastes was a good idea.

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

The endless frustration of rarepairs

I’m indefinitely outraged by the lack of appreciation towards Cole/Solas. (I’m also indefinitely outraged by the lack of proper written Solas, but that’s a topic for another time.) I get that they’re literally the most difficult characters to write out of all in Dragon Age, due to Cole being a spirit and speaking in silly riddles and Solas being an ancient elven god and as a person way too neutral and analytical towards everything, but that’s also why they make such a good couple! They understand each other beyond everyone else. Cole feels Solas’s burden of being the Dread Wolf and not being able to tell anyone, missing the Fade and feeling disconnected, and Solas understands Cole’s confusion of the real world, knows his intentions and encourages them. 

WHY DOES NO ONE ELSE SEE THIS?

Bet someone would say that as a spirit Cole doesn’t have interest in a romantic relationship, and if he’s turned into more human, Solas loses his interest. But on the contrary, both could be made to work. Solas already kind of proved spirits might indeed have interest in both romantic and sexual interaction with people, beyond their essential virtue. Maybe no one has just told Cole that it is possible?  Also, Solas does seem a bit iffy about Cole being turned into more human at first, but later he says that he can already see some changes in Cole, and maybe it isn’t all bad.

Of course I’m going to wash my hands out of the responsibility of writing anything I’d like to read by myself. That’s what everyone does, right? 

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

Some armour practise feat. Witcher!Fenris. And super crappy image quality.

[breadwolfbakeyoutoo]

Pretentious fanfiction

This subject is going to be hard to cover with total politicial correctness, so I assume I might be getting some butthurt comments about it. 

I’ve personally been writing fanfiction for over 10 years and while I’ve had my “angsty” years, thank goodness there are absolutely no evidence of those, written or otherwise. I have fought against pretentious fanfiction ever since I became an adult and overcame the fact that I don’t need to write my own angsty feelings into a fanfic. Guess what? Your own feelings are not valid sources of inspiration for a story, especially not the angsty ones. I’m looking at you, Dragon Age fandom. Not all of you, but most of you.

Do you want to read about me getting dumped and crying over a lost love in the form of pretentiously poetic, wanna-be artistic story? Did you say no? So why the hell would you think anyone wants to read it if instead of my name, I put Anders’ name there? And before anyone comes forth and accuses me of not thinking about those, who use writing as a therapy form, yes, I get it, it’s easier to get things out of your head and view them from the outside, but god, do you need to publish them?

And I’m not trying to be sexist when I say this, but a lot of the times you can tell that the writer is by no means familiar with how the process of thinking with men works. Not even the gay men I’ve been friends with act as dramatically as the men portrayed in a lot of DA fanfics do.

Where can I find some realistic, not angsty-dramatic-poetic-artistic fanfiction.