Text
alright y’all can find Cass under the same URL
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
alright y’all can find Cass under the same URL
10 notes
·
View notes
Photo

these concept panels of Cassandra protecting the Herald from a riot in the prologue
#⊰ holly ⋄ a wild hobgoblin ⊱#I've listened to the cut dialogue plenty#and decided to incorporate it into my canon#but I never paid close enough attention to the artbook to realize there are panels of it too#honestly love that she's stopping a riot by knocking someone into the dirt and intimidating the rest into backing down#didn't imagine it any differently glad to know I was right sdlkjgh#and she just fucking hauls the Herald up lmao#doesn't put a hand out to help them out or check how they are after being clocked with a rock#just YOINK and shove like a windup toy
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
( cursed suggestion // accepting ) THOM [ @standbetween ] WROTE: "You should try to be you."
A WRY SMILE TWISTED CASSANDRA’S lips. ❝Speaking from experience, are you?❞ A few years ago, those words would have been all venom. Now the only sting was of the friendly sort, as if she only referenced a time he’d drunk too deeply. But, he did have some experience in this matter, didn’t he? And, that was why she’d sought his counsel, wasn’t it? Not to reopen old wounds but to have the advice of one she trusted.
She braced her forearms against the stone of Skyhold’s battlements and set her eyes over the brights swaths of snow they’d crossed to find sanctuary. That seemed a lifetime ago. The valley had been barren then. Now that wasteland was cratered with fires, their pale smoke rising like spirits in the dusk.
❝I have never found it difficult to be myself,❞ she said at last. ❝It is impossible for me to be anyone else.❞ She had tried when she was young. Tried to bathe herself in blood and flame until she was reborn, like a phoenix, a new woman ignorant of pain. She would have done as well to treat a cut by flaying her own skin; the grief was too ingrained in her.
❝But, I am not certain that is someone who should sit the Exalted Council. I served as the Right Hand of the Divine for twenty years. In every corner of Thedas, I was the embodiment of her will, from the grandest city to the farthest wilderness. Yet, it is clear to me now that I saw little and prevented less.❞ Bitterness twisted her mouth. ❝I doubt sitting a few seats down at the same table would afford me a better perspective.❞
#⊰ verse | polished shield ⋄ blazing like star shine to battle they charged ⊱#⊰ standbetween | thom rainier ⋄ it's never too late to become more than what you are ⊱#standbetween#Cass asking him for advice about all this is suddenly everything to me
1 note
·
View note
Photo
ANTONIA, A MORTALITASI.
I told you before, Sidony. The people of Nevarra, noble and common, know our worth. They see the value in counsel given by a Mortalitasi. Why, I could tell them the Maker himself willed their daughter to jump from a window, and they would believe me. They would find peace in that. I could say that there’s no point in examining the crate of wine that killed their brother for poison, and they would trust in my wisdom.
#⊰ edits ⋄ whatsoever passes through the fire is not lost but made eternal ⊱#⊰ mortalitasi ⋄ I am full of joy for you and I am full of grief ⊱#made it to this edit again too
7 notes
·
View notes
Photo
The whole country is filled with artistry, from the statues of heroes that litter the streets in even the meanest villages to the glittering golden College of Magi in Cumberland. Perhaps nowhere is more astonishing than the vast necropolis outside Nevarra City. Unlike most other followers of Andraste, the Nevarrans do not burn their dead. Instead, they carefully preserve the bodies and seal them in elaborate tombs. Some of the wealthiest Nevarrans begin construction of their own tombs while quite young, and these become incredible palaces, complete with gardens, bathhouses, and ballrooms, utterly silent, kept only for the dead.
— From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of A Chantry Scholar by Brother Genitivi
#⊰ edits ⋄ whatsoever passes through the fire is not lost but made eternal ⊱#⊰ aesthetic ⋄ the fire enveloped her like a shroud; still she did not cry out ⊱#⊰ nevarra ⋄ but I belong to all of your mysteries ⊱#made it to this edit again#I should make a new one
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
I am tidying up and reposting my “list of topics to discuss”. this post will be altered as needed.
Markus
everything, esp the coups but everything
Nomi — NPC profile
what being the Hero of Orlais means in practice
thoughts on various major events in Orlais
esp the War of the Lions
a few of the Knights-Divine — NPC profiles
speech patterns and accent
specifically the resemblance to Myrna
Mortalitasi accent, dialect (originating in Grand Necropolis) and Cassandra having this
different accents when speaking the King’s Tongue and Nevarran, reference this post
legacy in the Orlesian Chantry after the Nevarran schism
was almost guaranteed to be Anointed beforehand
not all bad tho actually
legacy in the Nevarran Chantry after the Nevarran schism
goes past Anointed into being considered an angel
angelic status in connection with the Seekers of Truth
especially the remade order in Nevarra
the schism within the Seekers of Truth after the above ^
infiltration from the Promisers
the former Seeker apprentice who became a Promiser — NPC profile
the impact of Trespasser and all of its revelations
not just the Solas stuff but the Fade and Veil stuff that “disproves” what the Chant of Light / Chantry have always taught her
the nail in the coffin from DA:I to shatter anew the faith she was just barely piecing together
her wedding to Sidony
also reception back home
and going to visit the family crypt
rework the thing about her face scars
this post and this post are relevant
there was info from Elisa tho that was v useful
oh here’s the final useful relevant post
talk about the amulet mentioned in this post
some of the songs about Cassandra
feelings on them
bard who followed her around — NPC profile
concept of it being someone she was supposed to be hunting who thought the best place to hide was at her side
wrote some of the best and most famous songs about Cassandra
and some of Cass’ favorite, even after learning the truth
the band of fucking three
the Seekers with Cass in DAII and who also joined the Inquisition — NPC profiles
revisit Cassandra’ gender identity
relevant post
think about stuff learned from Pal
thoughts on the many monuments, buildings, etc. built to honor Cassandra
both in Nevarra and Orlais
probably elsewhere in Thedas too. she’s THAT famous
finally talk about templar hunters
kinda expand on the templars in general
remember that Evangeline hunted down lyrium smugglers
thoughts on the ancestors with whom Cassandra shares a veil name
change some of them to masc names?
add ambient dialogue for Skyhold
consider this further
more details on changes in Nevarra after the Schism and change in dynasty
Anatolius and Aminah — NPC profiles
the Promiser + Seeker mashup that happens in Orlais
#⊰ holly ⋄ a wild hobgoblin ⊱#note to self#this will have a lot more added to it but I shall do that as I go
1 note
·
View note
Text
CHILDREN OF THE WATCH.
This post is intended to give an overview of the Children of the Watch and their history as I view them. Canon has left us with a lot of unanswered questions, so I’m answering them. This is all relevant to my verse for Cassandra, but I will gladly be flexible with the details when necessary.
NOTE that Children of the Watch consider themselves the only true Mandalorians. Thus they exclusively refer to themselves as Mandalorians, not Children of the Watch; that term is used by others. However, I will use it in this post for the purpose of clarity.
THE FIRST CHILDREN OF THE Watch began as members of Death Watch, but their orthodox adherence to the Way of the Mandalore soon led them to splinter off. The conflict that ensued forced them into isolated coverts well before the Purge. While the rest of Mandalore fought over who should rule and how, they focused on keeping their heads down and building up. In particular, they were focused on rediscovering elements of their religion lost to time and laying the foundation of their collective identity. That’s not to say they had no involvement whatsoever, but typically, tribes only involved themselves when the fighting came too close.
The greatest example of this occurred circa 17 BBY. Now installed as the puppet ruler of Manalore, Gar Saxon devised a plan to root out and destroy the Children of the Watch. His plan was ultimately foiled, but it formally brought them to the attention of the empire and forced them deeper into hiding.
Under ideal circumstances, there are multiple tribes, each encompassing multiple coverts, with each covert being the home of a clan. The Purge greatly reduced their numbers, however, meaning there are now multiple clans to one covert. More than that, each covert typically encompasses one tribe.
The basic structure nevertheless remains the same. Armorers are not simply responsible for crafting the armor, prosthetics, mobility aids, etc. required by their tribes; they also function as a sort of priesthood and can be thought of as the leaders of tribes. That’s a touch simplistic truthfully but not wholly inaccurate. They are greatly respected by their clans and are typically given final say on any matters affecting the tribe as a whole, including the formation of new clans. Certainly, they have the deepest understanding of the Creed and are best suited to advise on how to follow the Way. Nevertheless, each clan has a voice and decisions are made by consensus.
Clans themselves are purely political bodies named for the deed that merited their founding. The concept of Houses present in the rest of Mandalorian society is meaningless to them. They have families, certainly, but a person’s place in society is determined purely by their own achievements, not their lineage. In fact, children, especially foundlings, are raised communally by the clan and broader tribe. That having been said, children do frequently join their parents’ clan. For when a child comes of age, they must swear the Creed, and then embark on a quest to accomplish some worthy deed or acquire some worthy skill — something they can contribute to a clan. This is presented to their clan of choice; if deemed worthy, they are accepted into the clan and given standing. A person without a clan will still be looked after by the tribe, but they will have no formal standing within their society and will be exempt from many happenings. They have sworn the Creed; they are Mandalorian; but they do not have a clan to make them strong.
In the past, when they were more numerous, founding a clan was more difficult. One had to accomplish a deed worthy of story and have a certain number of people willing to join. These days, a person must still accomplish a worthy deed to found a clan, but the strictures on how impressive said deed must be have been relaxed by necessity.
When speaking of what they consider worthy, it should be remembered that the Children of the Watch value their communities and their families above all else. They are bound by the Creed to render aid to all of their fellow Mandalorians, and we have seen that they will stand by one of their own no matter the odds. Whether born to the Creed or a foundling, they are all Mandalorians. They value martial prowess, yes, but not only martial prowess. They value the armorers and other craftsmen who build according to their communities’ needs. They value the poets and singers and artists who keep their history and traditions alive. (Although their tradition is no longer purely oral, there is much that is meant to be heard by voice and some that is never transcribed.) They value those learned in medicine who heal the sick and wounded. A strong spirit and strong mind brings as much to the tribe as a strong arm. Warriors do tend to be at the forefront, but that is because it is their role to protect their communities. They don’t believe the strong should rule the weak; they believe the strong should protect the weak. They tend to be more collectivist than individualist; every person has a role to play and a duty to serve their community, always putting that above personal desires.
Which bleeds into how accommodating they are. Sign language, for example, is a standard part of their education. Armorers, for another example, are responsible for creating and maintaining prosthetics, mobility aids, so on. Everyone has a place in the tribe; the tribe comes before all else. Although living in scattered coverts has impacted how they are able to accommodate all members of their tribe, it is a core tenet of the Creed that they see it done.
That’s not to say the Children of the Watch are perfect. They are hard-line orthodox and incredibly isolated to an extreme that goes beyond necessity. Din Djarin, for example, had no clue he was even a Child of the Watch and that there were other ways to be Mandalorian. And as far as they’re concerned, there is no other way to be Mandalorian. You conform to the strictures of the Creed, or you are not Mandalorian. They are inflexible on this point. In my opinion, this led to some Children of the Watch, prior to the Purge, hunting Mandalorians who were not Children of the Watch and “reclaiming” their beskar, as they believe that beskar should only be the hands of “true” Mandalorians and must be reclaimed at any cost. I don’t believe this was a common or widespread practice, but it very likely happened.
1 note
·
View note
Text
hi I haven’t finished that “how I see the Children of the Watch” post cuz my brain is tired, but I wanna leave a note that tribes embrace all of their members. able-bodied and neurotypical people aren’t the only ones embraced; all members of the tribe are valued and accommodated. of course, the Purge and subsequent diaspora has presented its challenges in this regard, but it’s one of their core values. sign language is a standard part of their education. certain armorers would specialize in prosthetics or mobility aids, and now that their numbers are so dwindled and they have fewer armorers, those few have to be able to accommodate the needs of their tribesmen, even if they’re only able to perform maintenance. those are only a few examples, but y’all get the picture.
#mobile.#we hear warrior culture and have such a narrow view of what that means#but warriors are still people!#they value strength and martial skill yes#but they value poets! they value craftsmen! they value healers!#I think Children of the Watch in particular yes value skilled warriors#but they specifically believe that it is the duty of the strong to Protect the tribe#it’s not about ruling over them and crushing them down#it’s about protecting and guarding them#it’s supposed to be reciprocal — almost feudal but not quite?#but protection is what warriors bring to the tribe#while craftsmen bring armor; clothes etc and poets bring knowledge; wisdom and so on#⊰ headcanon | star wars ⋄ the tempered soul is everlasting ⊱
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
STAR WARS.
The basic rundown for this verse is that Cassandra is a Mandalorian foundling and a Child of the Watch. I’ve made it as flexible as possible to allow for interactions. She is often abroad in the wider galaxy collecting resources or information, frequently posing as a hired gun. For the protection of her covert, she is better known by the Aegis than by her name. Although she works to keep a low profile, she has acquired a reputation for a strong sense of honor and almost terrifying competency.
NOTE that details of this verse are dependent on my interpretation of the Children of the Watch. I’ll always post whatever’s relevant into the appropriate tag, and I welcome questions. I’m really just filling in the blanks to create a more rounded verse.
CASSANDRA WAS BORN IN 35 BBY on the planet of Nevarra. Although born to the prominent Pentaghast family, she and her older brother, Anthony, were raised by their uncle in relative seclusion after their parents staged a failed coup. Nevertheless, Anthony earned enough of a reputation for himself by the beginning of the Clone Wars that the Separatists attempted to use him to gain a foothold on the planet. When that failed, they resorted to a massacre and cut him down before Cassandra’s eyes. She survived that day only because Byron, a Mandalorian and Child of the Watch, accepted her as a foundling.
She quickly found her place among the Children of the Watch and flourished under Byron’s guidance. Still, the pain of her past made her reckless and raw, always spoiling for a fight. Thus, when Byron caught wind of a plan to eliminate the Children of the Watch, he chose to keep her in the dark — or tried to, at least. In 17 BBY, her snooping revealed the truth of what he was up to but got him killed in the process. She worked alongside his ally, Galyan (a Mandalorian but not a Child of the Watch), to thwart this plan. Against all odds, they succeeded, and Cassandra, only eighteen, became the founder of Clan Aegis.
She and her clan subsequently held an important position within their tribe, and played a key role in their survival of the Purge of Mandalore. She has been trusted to scout new locations for coverts, act as a go-between with other tribes, and identify and eliminate any threats to the tribe. Her tribe, covert, clan are always first in her heart, but servicing their interests has kept her on the move.
Then the seeds of change were planted. In 2 ABY, she reconnected with Sidony ( @chantdeath ). A fellow foundling from Nevarra, the two had been very close until Sidony made the decision to leave the Children of the Watch. Cassandra had been devoted to the traditions of the tribe to follow her. However, reconnecting with Sidony caused her to reexamine their hard-line views, to think more deeply on past conversations with Byron and with Galyan. Her tribe’s armorer feared she would stray, so in 5 ABY, she issued a challenge: kill the “false” Mandalorian Sidony and return her beskar to the tribe. Cassandra refused.
She and Sidony, along with several members of Cassandra’s clan, have thus splintered from the tribe. Although Cassandra still follows the Way, she no longer considers herself a Child of the Watch and is reevaluating what it means to be Mandalorian. She longs as well to return to Nevarra and confront the ghosts of her past. In the meanwhile, she continues her “public” work as a hired gun to provide for herself and her clan.
4 notes
·
View notes
Photo
and i kissed her, i fucking kissed her like her neck was a river, and i’ve been so thirsty. i kissed her like our lips were two lost souls who just found each other.
i kissed her hard, cause we both knew i’ve been wanting to do that for a very long time. - Maa
#⊰ edits ⋄ whatsoever passes through the fire is not lost but made eternal ⊱#⊰ reflection ⋄ let the blade pass through the flesh; let my blood touch the ground ⊱#⊰ people ⋄ within my creation none are alone ⊱#⊰ sidony ⋄ like the ashes of ash I saw eyes in the heat ⊱#⊰ chantdeath | sidony ⋄ if I was born as a blackthorn tree I’d wanna be felled by you held by you fuel the pyre of your enemies ⊱#chantdeath#self-care is making ship gifsets#truly do love that this scene is supposed to be normal kissing#but because it's modded it turned into neck kisses
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
( dragon reborn // accepting ) ALANARI [ @weptfreedom ] WROTE: ‘you are even ruder than I remembered, cassandra.’
DEATH HAD NOT PUT HER in the best mood — or whatever the appropriate term was for her most recent ordeal. She could not think of a singular word that encompassed someone’s soul being braided with a lover’s until a miracle returned them to life. She couldn’t even put the events in order in her mind. She recalled so little, and was thus forced to rely on the accounts of others to fill in the gaps. Mostly she remembered bewilderment, panic . . . helplessness. Worst of all was the helplessness. She would rather be dead than helpless.
Her current circumstances did little to alleviate that feeling. Though her body had been preserved by Faith and Sidony’s magic, resurrection was nevertheless a taxing ordeal. She’d been largely confined to her bed, only rising because she was too stubborn to stay still. Their hosts were generous, and she did all she could to remember her gratitude, but she was restless and irritable. She snapped at others like a venus flytrap, all carnivorous instinct.
She was poised to snap at Alanari, too, but their admonishment forced a pause. She pursed her lips to hold back her barbs, looking not unlike a frustrated child tapped for retorts. Finally, she huffed.
❝I am being rude, aren’t I? We have had our differences —❞ She halted and cracked out a laugh. ❝Who am I kidding? We still have our differences. Still you helped me in the moment of my greatest need. I would be dead without you. And, Sidony . . .❞ Her gaze grew distant, thoughts wandering down a path she would not follow far.
❝We both have much to be grateful for.❞ Hm. That hardly constituted a proper show of appreciation. ❝So, thank you.❞
#⊰ verse | polished shield ⋄ blazing like star shine to battle they charged ⊱#weptfreedom#now all I'm thinking of is#Cassandra: I owe you my life#Alanari: pass. I've seen your life. I'm not impressed.#⊰ weptfreedom | alanari ⋄ face full of teeth white but not smiling; all teeth but not smiling ⊱
3 notes
·
View notes
Photo
collection of prompts / starter sentences taken from the cursedsuggestion blog
“ tell me we’ll be safe at least for a little while ” “ no one can hear you and no one can help you ” “ ruin my life and never leave me ” “ haunt me , fucker ” “ leap off the precipice before anyone can shove you ” “ now you know how i feel about you ” “ think of me when you want to come home ” “ you made your choice so live with it ” “ don’t look back on it ” “ family does not guarantee safety ” “ you were an adult for most of your childhood ” “ you’ll be okay somewhere in that vague future tense ” “ what i’m saying is what happened was fucked up ” “ you’re crushed under the spine bending weight of yourself ” “ you fell in love with yourself and projected it onto me ” “ i’m the one with the power this time ” “ i bite off more than i can chew ” “ you ruined your own self ” “ i never say the right things ” “ you didn’t outgrow your misery , you grew into it ” “ i look after me and mine ” “ we’re twin souls ” “ you molded me into something terrible ” “ i’m too rigid to bend back ” “ no one’s coming to fix you ; put yourself back together ” “ i’m not even a real person ” “ you don’t love , you just devour what i give ” “ why do you expect others to treat you better than you treat yourself ? ” “ you should try to be you ” “ sometimes fixing something is stopping it from breaking further ” “ you don’t say what you mean , just what sounds good ” “ all you do is watch ” “ i’m a bad habit with a bad attitude ” “ everything you are shown has a purpose ” “ someone else wears your face ” “ my soul is a bit fucked up ” “ i’ll burn the sheets when you go ” “ there is no god that i can see ” “ love isn’t an excuse ” “ scream into the universe until it screams back ” “ i wanted you to stay ” “ the past is with you , for better or worse ” “ this hate keeps me warm in the winter ” “ i’m a wrong number ”
2K notes
·
View notes
Text
dragon reborn ( the wheel of time book three ) - robert jordan sentence starters change tenses/pronouns as needed !! some lines have been edited for clarity / length / ease of roleplaying tw : death , violence
‘a corpse is not dangerous to anyone.’
‘it is not treason to do what must be done. and even blasphemy can be tolerated for a cause.’
‘it is possible to oppose evil without doing violence.’
‘violence harms the doer as much as the victim.’
‘what is wrong with wanting to live your life without all this upheaval?’
‘death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.’
‘just because fate has chosen something for you instead of you choosing it for yourself doesn’t mean it has to be bad.’
‘there are ways to change things. ways to avoid even fate.’
‘I will fight the best I can. because there’s no one else, and it has to be done, and the duty is mine.’
‘i’ll fight, but I do not have to like what I have become.’
‘men! too blind to see what a stone could see, and too stubborn to be trusted to think for themselves.’
‘you must learn there is a time to speak all of the truth, and a time to govern your tongue.’
‘the world is strange, and all things change.’
‘should and would build no bridges.’
‘I hope you realize you’ve climbed into a pickling cauldron with me, and the fire may be lit.’
‘nobody is threatened by someone they can order about.’
‘of course I am afraid. I am not a fool. but not afraid enough to quit before I have even started.’
‘a flapping tongue has killed more men than sudden storms ever did.’
‘most of those we call heroes only did what they had to do.’
‘once you decide to gut a fish, there’s no use waiting till it rots.’
‘this is what I want! why can’t I have this, too?’
‘I have built a bridge out of straw. worse than straw. wishes.’
‘who’s out there? you’ve rustled enough leaves to wake the dead, so you might as well show yourself.’
‘you are even ruder than I remembered, (name).’
‘if a woman does need a hero, she needs him today, not tomorrow.’
‘two chances I’ve had, more than most, and I threw them both away.’
‘I don’t know anything. I suspect more than is healthy for me, but I know nothing.’
‘kill a man who needs killing, and sometimes others pay for it.’
‘nimble fingers and nimble wits will take you a good deal farther than a sword and muscles.’
‘do not question me. you do know know what questions to ask, and you would comprehend less than half the answers if I have them. which I will not.’
‘death comes for us all. we can only choose how to face it when it comes.’
‘what you say comes near truth, yet misses it entirely.’
‘for the young, death is an enemy they wish to try their strength against.’
‘for those of us a little older, death is an old lover, but one we are not eager to meet again soon.’
‘i’ll help anyone who can pay. only fools in stories do something for nothing.’
‘if I ever look like acting the hero again, you kick me.’
‘you speak as if you are already dead.’
‘times change. people change. too much change for me.’
‘what is said in anger is often repented.’
‘men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget.’
‘we must live together, or we will surely die together!’
‘is this a story I want to be in?’
‘if I live through this, I will make you pay.’
‘this time we do not run. we dare not run. this time, we fight.’
‘I will not pretend I am not afraid. but I swore I would be one of you, and I will.’
‘perhaps you are too stupid to know when you are defeated.’
‘it is a tight roll of the dice any way you look at it, but my luck runs good. you could do worse than betting on my luck.’
‘you were ever a fool, ever ready to follow your heart before power.’
‘I thought you were neatly out of the way. no matter. you were only an annoyance’
‘you have come to the point now, and there is no further time for learning.’
‘I came to bloody rescue you.’
‘you can explain why you look as though you’d been fighting bears later, if you want.’
‘perhaps you are not entirely to blame. we can apportion guilt later.’
‘until you do understand, I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself.’
‘as much as it pain me to say it, (name), you are right.’
‘I saw what speaking earned you. I am no fool.’
‘nothing is done for you, yet.’
37 notes
·
View notes
Text
I really should switch it up and use they for Cassandra because I’ve hced for a while that they also use they pronouns. the trouble is I am projecting here, and I think she’s like me in that she legit doesn’t realize when her pronouns switch. like, they’ll be in a they headspace without realizing it until someone calls them she and it’s like being doused with cold water, or she’ll be in a she headspace and someone will refer to her as they and it’s like “oh shit those are also my pronouns”
#⊰ holly ⋄ a wild hobgoblin ⊱#mobile.#idk how to explain but this is My experience I am projecting onto her#like I will not register I’m vibing as they#then I’ll go back and read something where I refer to myself as she#and will be like ‘who the FUCK — oh me lmao’#and vice versa! it’s surprised pikachu also being doused with ice water#so I feel like it’s also unconscious with Cassandra#she doesn’t notice when it switches#which it makes it difficult for me writing her to suss out when to switch
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
( enable my rambling // always accepting ) @valorcorrupt WROTE: How does Cassandra deal with "admirers" of hers that have heard her stories and want to gush about it all?
OH SHE HATES IT SO much lmao Which makes it hilarious when she does the same to Hawke. Frankly, she’s never considered herself a legend or her acts to be legendary. It’s not modesty or self-deprecation so much as it is these events simply being normal to her. This has been her life since her teens, and her life before, growing up in the Grand Necropolis, was hardly “normal” either. Further, she was at the heart of every tale and knows all the mundane details that didn’t make it into the songs. Along with all the pain and bloodshed and loss and regret. Her greatest legends are also her most painful ones, making it difficult for her to speak on them in detail.
She tries to be polite, though, if she can tell someone is an admirer. Well, polite by her standards. She doesn’t tell them off or shove them away or make jokes at their expense, but it’s impossible for her to hide that she doesn’t want to engage in the conversation. Most of the time, she’s found it’s enough to allow them to talk themselves tired. Other times, she can excuse herself in the name of duty and make her escape. If they ask for her to tell a tale, she answers frankly that all her skill is with the blade, not the word. And, she is truly self-conscious about her ineloquent tongue. Doesn’t matter that she’s actually quite well-spoken; she thinks she isn’t.
But, it is possible to get some magnificent (and hilarious) tales from her if a person asks the right questions. Asking her directly for a story won’t get them far, but if they ease her into it with questions like “have you ever been here?” “have you ever seen this?” etc, it’ll yield wondrous results. For best results, this should be attempted by someone with whom she’s comfortable and/or in a setting where she’s comfortable.
#⊰ headcanon | primary ⋄ the tempered soul is everlasting ⊱#valorcorrupt#she's so relieved if the Inquisitor hasn't heard about the Day of Black Skies lmao
1 note
·
View note
Text
( enable my rambling // always accepting ) @valorcorrupt WROTE: How would Cassandra respond to a War Table operation that attempted to help Orlais usurp control over the mining area? How would she approach an Inquisitor that helped Orlais in such a venture?
FIRST POINT OF ORDER IS that Cassandra is allergic to secular politics. The trauma of the Nevarran Purge and their uncle subsequently driving it home that they need to keep their heads down has made the blight a more welcoming prospect to her. This is compounded by her hatred for the corruption, self-interest, and general convolution it all entails. She’s only been able to stand being at the heart of Chantry politics because she’s mentally divorced it from the concept of politics entirely; it’s religious, not secular, and therefore different. This means she truly does not want to get involved in the bad blood between Nevarra and Orlais.
Not that she’s always had a choice. The Perendale War (Perendale being the mining area in question) happened back in the Blessed Age, but Cassandra became Right Hand of the Divine only a year after Nevarra attempted an invasion of Orlais. There were also campaigns in Perendale that Rainier took part in, fighting on the side of Orlais; although we don’t have details about that, we can assume these were early in the Dragon Age. The important point is this has been a long period of bloodshed between the two nations. Being a Nevarran and a Pentaghast at that in such a prominent position was hell for Cassandra. She was already having a terrible time, and this compounded it. She avoided the politics as well as she could but ended up acting as a sort of champion for Nevarrans living in Orlais, especially Val Royeaux. This has resulted in her having a better understanding of how these battles affect everyday people and chiefly framing the consequences of war in those terms.
With this hypothetical operation taking place during DA:I, her conviction that this is a terrible idea would outweigh her aversion to secular politics. In the end, it has nothing to do with whether Perendale should belong to Nevarra or to Orlais or be an independent state. It has to do with the chaos raging across southern Thedas, slowly spreading northward. This war table mission likely wouldn’t come until the War of the Lions had been resolved, meaning the Mage-Templar War has also been resolved, but those are still very recent occurrences. Not to mention Corypheus is still on the loose and the Chantry + its branch organizations are still in shambles. Even if it came up between DA:I and Trespasser, that wouldn’t be better. This is a time of such grief and chaos and division. What Thedas needs is not another war — for this would definitely spark another war — but peace and healing.
Not to mention Nevarra isn’t someone the Inquisition wants to piss off. Cassandra wouldn’t recommend pissing off Orlais or Ferelden either, but the chaos of recent circumstances enabled the Inquisition to take great liberties, and Cassandra felt it was necessary to take those liberties for the greater good. Interfering with Perendale isn’t remotely necessary and would result in Nevarra, a major power, marking the Inquisition as an enemy, if not fully declaring war on them alongside Orlais. No matter how subtle the Inquisition is, preventing anyone from discovering their involvement would be nearly impossible. Particularly considering part of the Grand Game is leaving hints of who was behind a scheme — ideally without leaving hard evidence. Even if the Inquisition left no trace, their Orlesian allies would, including traces of their alliance.
Thus Cassandra cannot countenance this course of action. She’s not even thinking long-term; even just short-term it’s a bad idea. She’d be irate at any Inquisitor who so much as considered it. The death-toll alone . . . If this is later in the Inquisition timeline, when her faith has been completely shattered, she would go behind their back to thwart their efforts. She’s had enough of following orders she finds distasteful. She used to find loopholes in the Divine’s directives; she has no issue doing the same with the Inquisitor, if not flat-out disobeying depending on the Inquisitor in question. And, she’s not a subtle woman. Her efforts could very well ruin the Inquisitor, and she wouldn’t care.
If this was earlier in the timeline, before her faith was shattered, the Inquisitor would still find her an obstacle. She would be unlikely to directly work against them, but they would be having several loud arguments in barely private spaces. This goes double for a low-approval Inquisitor. The only way to keep her from bucking against this would be to conceal it from her entirely, but I find it unlikely none of the advisors would inform her. She’s good friends with all of them.
#⊰ headcanon | primary ⋄ the tempered soul is everlasting ⊱#valorcorrupt#long post cw#have I told you recently that ily and appreciate the questions you send
1 note
·
View note