doggmaa - Tumblr blog

[doggmaa]

Radahn, Conqueror of the Stars, has loved and lost, and the pursuit of freedom and a promise unfulfilled has kept you two apart for far too long. Desecrated, his soul returns at the Empyrean's bidding, but even Miquella's bewitchment cannot quell his love. You rechallenge him under a gilded sky, intent on freeing the Starscourge from another prison. He answers your challenge with all the glory of a warrior, intent on reclaiming what is and will always be his. You. The Promised's Consort.

Radahn, Conqueror of the Stars, has loved and lost.

But he will not do so again.

[doggmaa]

any thoughts on radahn being a dad? i can totally see him being a girldad with one or two sons thrown in for good measure lol

I think out of all the demigods, Radahn would be the one with the biggest family. A mixture of sons and daughters (more daughters than anything), biological and not but his just the same. There is no distinction. Regardless of lineage, they are his.

Just as Radahn takes pride in being a general, he'd take pride in being a father, too, but felt WAAAAAY out of his depth when he first became a dad. His firstborn is a girl with beautiful eyes like Rennala's. Radahn was bumbling and awkward when they were babies because he's big and his little cubs are smol. Once they get older and not as smol, it's smooth sailing from there.

He'd be quite protective of his cubs, too, and Radahn's children are minimally involved in the going-ons within the family, so much so that outside of Godwyn and the rest of the Carian Crew, they've only seen them a handful of times.

Radahn is very invested in his children and tends to overextend himself sometimes because of what Radagon did, though his consort is there to reel him back in.

Ironically enough, even though he can be stern, Radahn is NOT the disciplinarian of the family. Everyone knows to stay on Uncle Jerren's good side.

[doggmaa]

In Memoriam of the 3 party member system😔, a curated selection of some of my favorite three-way dialogues.

---

100% support the devs on doing what they need to to balance gameplay, and i'm excited to try the new combat system, but I'll miss the surprise additions to chatter.

[doggmaa]

[doggmaa]

Out of Shadow, Into Light (Male!Mage Reader x Carver Hawke)

Any chance we'd be able to get something for Carver Hawke with his (Mage!BF?) making it a point to acknowledge Carver as his own person? Maybe even (With his permission, of course) referring to Hawke as "Carver's Brother" whenever people call Carver "Hawke's Brother"

Carver has sometimes found his brother's shadow to be somewhat inescapable.

After damn Varric and that damn book, there wasn't a person in Thedas that doesn't know Hawke the Champion.

And yet even though his name is mentioned in the book a good number of times (he would never admit to Varric that he read it), nobody seems to consider Carver... well, worth as much.

He'd thought he was used to it.

But when it comes time for his boyfriend to meet the last surviving member of his family (other than Gamlen but fuck Gamlen), there's still that little worry that crops up.

Everybody calls him "Hawke's Brother."

Oh, you're the Champion's little brother, how exciting!

Hawke's brother are you? We couldn't afford the real thing?

He met his lover with the Grey Wardens. A mage, like his brother, but...

The Wardens don't give a fuck who his brother is. Because in a way, all the Wardens share a common blood. Darkspawn blood.

It's been strange. Warden Carver. People praise him for the things he does, and don't compare him to the Champion. Because it's like everyone else exists in a slightly different world. Like the Wardens are halfway in the Fade.

People learned not to call him Hawke. Somehow, his brother's taken that for himself. Carver can't even go by his last name.

But he never had to tell you that. You just called him Carver, and he loved you for it. You speak his name like an incantation, and he supplies the result. A kiss, a smile, a wink.

You pretend like you don't know who people are talking about if they say "Hawke," clarifying with "Carver's brother?"

It never fails to make him smile.

And yet... there's something he worries about. No one's ever seen him as worth anything once they've seen him next to his brother.

He couldn't bear it if your smiles passed on from him and looked to his brother instead.

But he trusts you more than he fears losing you, and takes you to meet his brother.

You're no fool. The way Carver kisses you, holds you like he's savoring his final moments - you know exactly what's up.

So it gives you time to plan out the perfect thing on the way up to Kirkwall.

"So, you're Carver's big brother, right?" you ask the Champion of Kirkwall when you meet him.

Carver and his brother have identical grins on their faces.

"That I am. Now tell me all about my brave brother's deeds - he never tells me anything in his letters."

And you delight for hours in making Carver squirm as you laud his accomplishments to his brother and friends, watching him slowly relax as they praise him.

Carver just knows you're the one. You've met his brother, and your eyes are all for him. He's in love all over again.

So you spend the night, just you, Carver, and Carver's brother, and talk until morning comes.

[doggmaa]

A Stolen Kiss (Male!Reader x Cullen Rutherford)

Can I request a fic where Cullen mets the reader when he was in the circle tower and they kinda live this forbidden love, sneaking back to kiss, but during the blight, the reader escapes the tower and they just meet again during the Inquisition. Cullen, however, is kinda embarrassed to talk with him again because of how he treated mages in Kirkwall but they eventually date again, please?

He tastes like mint.

He just likes to be fresh when you get to kiss, so he makes a habit of chewing on the mint leaves he can pilfer from the greenhouse rooms where the mages practice their plant magic.

There's an alcove where the patrols rarely go. It's hard not to feel like it's a betrayal when you take him there, but it's love, in this dark tower, it's a blindingly bright light in a life where you have none, so how can you resist?

Everything has been taken from you. Family, life, freedom. So when Cullen lets you take the lead, when his lips part at the slightest prompting from your tongue or teeth worrying his lip, it almost feels like the Maker giving you everything you missed out on.

You've never seen him without his armor, nor he you without your robes - there are whispers that the Templar recruits train shirtless outside the tower, but the windows start on an upper floor, and they don't let you see the sun. And yet there's something about it that makes this feel so intimate.

Your fingers tangle in his curly hair, and he moans when you tug it, just rough enough not to be considered gentle, but not rough enough to cause any pain.

"I love you" is said, because how can it not be? This is the only kind of love you'll ever get to have in this tower. A forbidden, clandestine love with a man who tastes of mint, who kisses you desperately, who cannot let himself lose control and gently bite you without uttering a prayer to the Maker and Lady.

But he finally finds a way, pulls you into a discreet broom closet and asks - more like begs, really - to touch you.

It's awkward and uncomfortable in there, but you get his armor off and marvel at him and his tanned skin and his muscles, and he gently removes your robes and what you two do cannot technically be called making love, because it's over too quickly, but you two hold each other close and it's even better, your lips finding his skin, your body protected and warm in his embrace.

He whispers "I love you" against your skin so many times you lose count...

but then, during the Blight, there's a chance. An opening as demons overtake the Circle, and you flee.

Even ten years of apostasy later, you still can remember that first time touching grass on the outside.

The Inquisition needs the help of mages. That's why you go. Not because it's pretty famously Cullen that's their armed force commander.

You accept that he's busy, but after a few weeks go by, it's pretty obvious that he's avoiding you.

So you go to find him.

He looks at you with a bit of... shame? Fear?

"Cullen... it's been a long time."

"I... you haven't changed a bit."

"Really? I feel like I have."

"You still light up a room the way you always have when you walk in."

He blushes after blurting that. Such an honest and eloquent response.

"You knew I was here."

"Yes, but... I wished to respect your distance."

"Distance?"

"I'm sure you... heard of what happened. In Kirkwall... and Kinloch. What I did. What I proposed to do."

"I did. But I also heard that you've... that the Inquisition was helping mages."

"Against my recommendation, I'm sorry to say."

"And you're still forthright to a fault, I see."

"I looked for you. At Kinloch. I thought you were dead."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you did. My fear of magic... of mages. It's... I need to make an effort. To know mages. To understand that - that maleficarum and abominations are an exception and not the rule. That mages are just people. Just people trying to survive, like everyone else."

"Do you still dream of me, Cullen?"

"Yes." he breathes. "Often."

"Look, Cullen. It's been a while, I know. How about... we get to know each other. Outside of the Order. Outside of the Circle. Just us."

"I... would appreciate that chance. Though it may be short-lived, with our battle with Corypheus on the horizon."

"Then let's make the most of it."

"As always, you are right."

You whisper "I love you" as you leave, eager to start your second chance.

Unbeknownst to you, he whispers it at the exact same time.

[doggmaa]

he who walked the abyss

[doggmaa]

Quality Ardbert and Meteor content

[doggmaa]

you got blood on your hands and i know it's mine i just need more time

[doggmaa]

In your darkest hour, in your blackest night

[doggmaa]

I think it is unironically funny how much meteor has progressed from being protagboy stand-in (see: stormbloods trailers) and moved to truly become the devs oc to the point of having facial features not available in-game. Also it is really obvious how much of a personality they’ve been giving him with recent promotional material (like the items released in the fanfest having him as the model and not just a random group of characters as usual.)

Adding onto this, my gf hyper-focusing on making her meteor alt perfect has made us learn a couple things:

White boy has a custom face in the benchmark that gives him slightly more defined brows, but not his official art scar.

White boy also has a custom skintone in the benchmark, its a slight reddish tannish skintone compared to the regular ones in the UI.

This is the first time his hair has been dyed from his regular brown to a slightly darker, purpler brown with the old lighter brown as highlights. You can see it more clearly in the launch trailer as well.

They also brought back ardbert to voice him in the trailer. His singular voiceline. I like that they keep doing this.

The benchmark also makes the meteor and the ardbert faces vastly different, now the one with the five-o-clock shadow is also more visibly aged.

Also, in general, this is the first time he shows a purely confident, cocky smile and is truly enjoying himself. The trailer puts a lot of emphasis on him. He hasnt truly smiled like that since stormblood! And he had a horrible haircut in that one!

Anyways yeah, hes a full character now :D im so excited for dawntrail im sick in the head

[doggmaa]

i'm in a trance suddenly

[doggmaa]

Final Fantasy XIV be like, "Yeah, we've subtly given your character, the Warrior of Light, a leitmotif. It sometimes plays in a somber tone, but generally as a more bombastic one as you kick bad guy ass."

"Oh? What's it most known as?"

"The Maker's Ruin."

[doggmaa]

FFXIV MSQ-related asks

As a community, we don’t talk nearly enough about how the MSQ impacts our muses’ life and what better than a meme to remedy that? Feel free to reblog to your heart content.

(Huge thanks to @flood-of-shadow for helping me with the questions and proofreading.)

Prior to ARR/General questions

Where was your muse when the Calamity happened? Did they lose someone because of it?

What is your muse’s opinion about Ishgard’s refusal to join the Alliance in Carteneau?

What is your muse’s opinion about the Elementals and the Greenwrath?

Does your muse think that Garlemald is a bigger threat to peace than primals?

How does your muse feel about war?

How aware of geopolitics is your muse?

If there was only one lesson from the past people should remember, what would your muse pick?

Does your muse have nightmares or specific fears born from the Calamity?

In what way did the Calamity affect your muse’ way of life?

What does your muse think of all the ruins the Calamity unearthed? Are they or were they tempted to see them for themself?

A Real Reborn

Does your muse trust the Grand companies?

What does your muse think of the Scions? Would they consider joining the organization if offered? Alternatively if your muse is already a Scion, what motivated them to become one?

Is your muse satisfied with the way their city-state is governed? What would they change about it if they could?

How did they receive the news about the Black Wolf’s death?

Did they know about the Bloody Banquet? If yes, did your muse still trust the WoL or did they think the WoL was a traitor? If you’re playing a WoL, how do they feel about the Banquet and its consequences?

Heavensward

What is your muse’s opinion of Ishgard and why?

Did they think that sending contingent in the Sea of Clouds was a wise choice or was it a waste of resources better used against dragons?

How did they react upon learning the truth about the true origins of the Dragonsong War?

Would they trust a dragon now that the Dragonsong War is over?

For muses from Ishgard, how much resentment do they harbor toward dragons, nobility and/or the Church?

Is your muse welcoming foreigners in Ishgard or, on the contrary, feeling like there are too many of them now that the borders are opened again?

Stormblood

How does your muse feel about Ala Mhigo and the refugees?

Do they think the Alliance should have helped their neighbor sooner?

How does your muse feel or would feel if they knew about Ilberd’s actions and sacrifice?

How would your muse treat Fordola if they met her knowing full well what she’s done?

Would they pay the Ruby Tithe or try to sail through the Confederacy’s waters without giving the pirates a single coin?

What do they think of how Hingashi deals with foreigners?

What does your muse think of the Naadam? Do they think it was right for foreigners to participate?

Magnai is looking at your muse in the eyes and, after a short hesitation, asks them if they’re his Nhaama. How do they answer?

Was your muse in favor of the two doman revolutions against the Empire?

What does they think about the destruction of Doma Castle?

If, before the events of Stormblood, someone told them Doma would eventually prevail against the Empire and regain its freedom, how does your muse would have reacted?

Shadowbringers

What are your muse’ feelings about the Crystal Tower? Does they know its story?

Would your character play the role of villain if it meant doing the right thing?

What are your muse’s belief about the beginning of the world?

Do they believe someone is pulling the strings and influencing the star’s history?

Night just doesn’t happen anymore. It’s been nearly a month and the sky is bright no matter the hour of the day, strange monsters have appeared everywhere and you’ve heard about entire continents being swallowed by a huge wave of light. What do you do?

If your muse had been attacked by a sin eater and knew they’d eventually turn into one themself, what would they do?

After a century of perpetual daylight, the night is back. What’s your muse’s first thought?

Pre-Endwalker

How does your muse feel about the current state of the Empire?

On the other side of the Ghimlyt Dark, Werlyt is fighting for its freedom. Has your muse heard about Gaius Baelsar’s involvement? What do they think or would think about it?

You’ve heard that tempered people can now be cured…by flying pigs. Any thought on that? Any hope?

The remaining moon is changing color. Since Calamity followed last time it happened, is your muse worried? If yes, do they take concrete steps to prepare “just in case”?

City-state leaders all over Eorzea are reaching out to beast tribes to make amend and make peace with them. Is your muse in favor?

There’s been rumors about ominous towers all over the world, or maybe your muse saw them with their own eyes. What’s their theory about how they came into existence? Do they worry about them?

Another battle at Carteneau, this time side-to-side with the beast tribes against Garleans and primals. Did you muse hear about it? What’s their opinion on the subject?

[doggmaa]

Forever obsessed with how brilliantly Shadowbringers constructed WoL's interactions with Emet-Selch.

Players were not just given the feeling that there's crucial information they do not know, which is easy to do by simply denying the player information.

They were instead given the far more difficult to instill feeling that there's crucial information they do not know but somehow should know. The player is put perfectly into the shoes of WoL who is being constantly poked and prodded for the barest hint of recognition or recollection.

The lead up to Mt.Gulg is probably my favorite bit for this. It's, at least in my opinion, where Emet-Selch starts getting very heavy handed with his nudge nudge wink winking toward WoL and it really starts to click that something is being danced around that you really ought to know and you just don't. It's frustrating in the perfect way.

[doggmaa]

I get a kick out of how nobody ever recognizes the Warrior of Light. I mean, there are widely circulated newspapers, but mass distribution of information is still in its infancy. People will be like, "You there! I need someone to shovel shit for me!" and the WoL is just like "sure, fine with me." Then they realize they have someone who literally saved the world shoveling manure and fall all over themselves apologizing. Or they'll be like, "Watch out! There are bandits on the road!" And the WoL will just smile cryptically like "They don't know I kill gods."

[doggmaa]

The symbology of the Convocation of Fourteen is just... one of my favorite details in ffxiv. And yeah, I know they have zodiac signs because Final Fantasy Tactics had zodiac signs and FF12 had zodiac signs, but 14's spin on them is inspired, and I don't think that gets enough appreciation.

Each of the Ascians is characterized to at least superficially match their sign. Emet-Selch seems like a Gemini, seemingly on both sides of every issue. Fandaniel seems like a Leo who wants to be the center of attention. Lahabrea, The Creator, seems like an artsy Pisces... just...y'know, a horrible one.

And it's not as if "terrible, messed-up version of Zodiac symbol" is new here. Tactics definitely had that already. The thing ffxiv adds to the trope is the presence of the Sun.

Azem's symbol being the sun and not a constellation tells us exactly what their role in the Convocation was supposed to be. The sun's path through the constellations is what gives all those signs their meanings. You can't be a Gemini unless the sun is in Gemini. The sun's passage through the zodiac is supposed to illuminate the best way forward. This is why Emet-Selch calls them both "Shepherd to the stars in the dark," and "Counsellor to the star's people." They're meant to inspire people to become their best selves. This is inadvertently what WoL does in numerous places and times across the game, (and one of the ancients in Elpis even comments on it) because apparently repeatedly dying at the hands of their coworkers and friends for eons did not get them out of having to do their job.

When the sun protested their unspeakbly terrible plan, they went all in on their hubris by casting it down forever. They never replaced Azem. They don't even want to remember they ever had a sun. They don't have the light that illuminates their best selves, their better future. So they can't find it anymore. They don't know how to be themselves anymore, in Azem's absence. In Elidibus' case, literally. He is so desperate for the guiding star he can't even remember having, that he constantly, instinctively, seeks out Azem in different forms. Wearing Ardbert's corpse, and wandering up to WoL for awkward chats, and looking back to the heroes of the past who were definitely Azem shards.

The sun, torn from the heavens, leads to the maker's ruin.