idleindy

[idleindy]

I must put this thought out into the world, bear with me for a second-

Buddie Dancing With The Stars AU

Just think, Eddie as the professional dancer and Buck as his celebrity dancing partner! I can picture the idea coming together in my mind...

[idleindy]

Notes on the Lighthouse

Written for @veilguard-appreciation-week, day seven!!! A short codex entry I wrote for the final day, so happy I finished all of these!

Prompts: The Lighthouse, Valour, "We could continue this in the morning?"

Summary: Arlisell's observations on the Lighthouse.

Characters: None technically

You can also read this on Ao3!

(A note in Arlisell's journal on observations about the lighthouse; the date is unclear. Doodles dot the paper surrounding the scribbled text.)

This place is peculiar; I have never seen anything like it. Rooms can appear out of nowhere, much like the Necropolis rearranging itself at will, but that is where the similarities end. There is no cycle of time, the brightness of the fade shining no matter the time of day, the stove is running on some sort of magical energy, and perhaps the strangest of all, a simple desire is enough to conjure things here.

Just the other day, I had been longing for my paints that I had left back in my quarters at the Necropolis before I set out with Varric. I left the room to have a chat with Emmrich and by the time I returned there was a pile of blank books and painting supplies sitting on the table. Lace reported a similar incident with the plants in her room. I wonder what the purpose of this is, and where it is coming from.

This place used to belong to Solas, perhaps that has something to do with it?

I'm not sure, but I will have to compare my notes with Bellara and Emmrich. I suspect there is more to this place than we know.

[idleindy]

Meeting in Minrathous

This was written for day six of @veilguard-appreciation-week! Very very late, but I finally managed to get it done and posted, day seven will be finished and posted by the end of the day.

Prompts: Day Six - Minrathous, Justice, "You know, I think you might be trouble."

Summary: Unfair as she knew her anger was, a part of her still felt justified in it.

Characters: Arlisell Ingellvar, mentioned Inquisitor Lavellan

You can also read this on Ao3!

Making their way through the bustling streets of Minrathous, Harding and Arlisell had scarcely spoke since the left the Lighthouse. The idea of meeting the Inquisitor was nerve-wracking. Arlisell didn't know much about the Inquisitor herself, or the Inquisition as a whole really, beyond the stories and memories that Varric would reminise upon on occasion. She had been but a child of fifteen when the chaos surrounding the Conclave broke out; the Breach, the rifts, Solas. There had been murmurs in the Necropolis about what was going on in Southern Thedas, naturally, and there had been an uptick in discontented spirits and reports of possessions further afield. Arilisell was a teenager, though, and as such she paid no mind to talk of the Inquisition at the time, instead focusing on the much more interesting topic of her apprentice studies.

That she would soon find herself speaking to the woman who was at the heart of this when it all started? Well, it was a daunting prospect, to say the least.

It's just that, maybe just a little, just a tiny little bit, Arlisell was angry with the Inquisitor. Something that she intended to mask when they meet, or she hoped to at least. Her anger was the product of various incidences, the main two being her involvement with Solas as well as the distinct lack of her presence over the last year they had been searching for Solas. That this responsibility was unwantedly thrust upon her, this responsibility to clean up a mess that somebody else started. It was extremely vexing. So yes, she was angry at the Inquisitor.

It was unfair of Arlisell to be angry at her, she knew this, but it was difficult for her to reconcile with the fact of her current situation; leading a rag-tag group of people trying to stop two of the literal elven gods from destroying the world. A job that certainly seemed more suited to one that had dealt with something world-ending once before, no? Unfair as she knew her anger was, a part of her still felt justified in it.

Despite her reservations about the woman, Arlisell still wanted to hear her out. She was perhaps one of the only people who would understand the predicament that she had found herself in, and beyond that, she simply wished to give her a chance. She didn't want her preconceived emotions to fuel her in a meeting as important as this one, a practice that she was well acquainted with from her time in the Mourn Watch.

Finally arriving at the entrance of the Cobbled Swan, she stopped for a moment, looking to the sky and taking a breath. Hopefully, the Inquisitor would have some kind of information that would be useful for them, and maybe they could squeeze in a personal conversation so she could ask her some questions about being a leader. An unexpected one at that; something that Inquisitor Lavellan and she definitely had in common if nothing else.

Steeling her nerves, she indicated to Harding that she was ready to go, and together they entered the eerily empty pub, ready to meet this woman that Varric had thought so highly of.

[idleindy]

Arlathan Forest

Taken during the mission 'Blood of Arlathan' in the location, 'Arlathan crater'. For a very late day five of @veilguard-appreciation-week! I really couldn't think of a fic premise for this day so I decided on sharing one of my screenshots that matches the prompt instead :)

Prompts: Day Five - Arlathan Forest, Wisdom, "Sorry! Just breaking things!"

[idleindy]

We'd like to say a great, big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the first ever Veilguard Appreciation Week!!!

You've filled our dashes with so many wonderful fics, so much beautiful artwork, the most thoughtfully compiled screenshots and gifsets, and even physical crafts!! We've been so excited to see each and every new piece, and we're so so thrilled that you decided to share them with us <3

Thank you, also, to every single person who has supported this week!! Everyone who has liked posts, shared them, left comments for the creators! These things are all so incredibly important in fandom, and we're so thankful for each and every one of you.

If you missed this week, or didn't quite finish up everything you wanted to share in time, we'll continue reblogging your creations here until 13/04! We'll also keep the Ao3 collection open until then, too. (We've already got over 50 fics in there which is incredible!!!!)

We'll be making a compilation post once everything closes so that people can navigate the tags we used on this blog more easily, so keep an eye out for that! But in the mean-time, once again, thank you!!! You guys made this week such a success, and it has been an honour to be your mods <3

[idleindy]

This is such a great thing for you to do, I really appreciate it! Here's one of my personal favourites of mine, Weight of the Soul!

Bio(ware)feedback 4.05.25

If you are: 1) in a Bioware fandom, 2) want fic OR ART comments/engagement, this event is for you!

Directions:

Reblog this post with a link to your fic OR ART PIECE

I will reblog that for exposure, and I will leave kudos & comment (like + comment, for art) on your fic (multi-chapters, first chapter only). It may take up to two weeks to get through everyone. On Tumblr, art/fic reblogs will begin Sunday morning, for better exposure. Thank you for your patience!

For the sake of efficiency, I will read the fics from shortest to longest. You may link fics of any length, but short ones will get feedback first.

This will start at noon MST and go until midnight MST. Check the time here!

From this week onward I am requesting that people DO NOT send fics with explicit sexual assault, out of personal preference. Thank you!

That's it! If you're looking for a longer explanation & guidelines, they're here, but I'm trying to keep things short and simple today!

Thanks for sharing your work!

[idleindy]

Hope, undefined.

This was written for @veilguard-appreciation-week, days three and four! I had some trouble with these two days wich is why this is short and very late, but I'm finally happy with what I've written :)

Prompts: Day 3- Hossberg Wetlands/Hope/"But if you say you're an expert? Show me some expertise."

Day 4- Treviso/Determination/"Bitter and sweet, like a kiss goodbye."

Summary: There was something that could be said about hope, such a strange thing as it was. It could be found in the most unlikely of places.

Characters: All companions are alluded to fairly vaguely.

You can also read this fic on Ao3!

There was something that could be said about hope, such a strange thing as it was. It could be found in the most unlikely of places.

It could be found in the bird song that echoed through the trees in Arlathan, their melodic chirping and tweeting flowing like water in the wind. Leaves rustling as light poured through the canopy of trees, magic swirling in the air as a young woman explored some ancient ruins.

It could be found in the crashing of the waves against the jagged cliffs of the coast, the salty air carrying the distinct and refreshing scent of the ocean; a refuge from the uncertainty of the unknown.

It could be found in the subtle curve of a dagger, a Wyvern head carved proudly into its hilt; a simple but much needed reminder that a certain crow was no longer alone.

It could be found in the gentle turning of a page, the scent of old books and incense, or the idle shuffling and clacking that could be heard echoing throughout the room, all comforting companions as one rested next to the soft glow of a fireplace. 

It could be found in the lush greenery of the conservatory, thriving and teeming with life even in an environment such as the Fade. A sign that the mission they had been pursuing for the past ten years was not for nothing.

It could be found in the eccentricities of a baby Griffin as he learns and grows. Once extinct, he and his sibling now stand as visions for the future.

It could be found in the mischievous little wisps, impish and inquisitive as they flitted about the room, drawn to the curious energy of Docktown's resident detective.

Hope is a wild thing, unique and undefinable, different for all who encounter it. What inspires hope in some may just as easily instill dread in others. For some, hope isn't worth the inherent risk of disappointment that accompanies it, but with others that very hope is the only thing helping them continue to fight. Hope, though, eventually makes way to determination. Determination to do better, to be better, to make a change in the world and help people. Without hope, that determination feels lost to time.

Hope is the very foundation of everything that they were working towards. The gods, the Venatori, Solas; so many people from all corners of Thedas rallying around a common cause for the sake of their future, hopeful and inspired and determined.

[idleindy]

I need to get caught up on Veilguard Week 😭 Hoping to have days 3–5 out later today, 6 and 7 are on track for being finished tomorrow 🥲

[idleindy]

"It goes beyond dread. It can't be reasoned with or soothed over. It comes without warning, in the dead of night, in sunlit streets. A raw, strangling fear, struck somewhere deep past the heart." A study\redraw of "Death and the Maiden" by Marianne Stokes

[idleindy]

At this point I can't even call my canon Dragon Age worldstate 'canon' lmao

[idleindy]

What gets me is that it's not just bad for Thedas, it's bad for Solas too.

The whole situation with Solas and the Veil reminds me of Cole's companion quest. During it Solas says, "To regain that part of himself, he must forgive," in reference to Cole's anger at the templar he viewed as being at fault for the real Cole's death, and how the death of the real Cole perverted his purpose as a spirit. Cole was intent on getting revenge against that templar, but if you choose to have Cole stay a spirit, he realises that the templar is hurting too. Solas reminds him that he is a spirit of compassion, and Cole then chooses to help the man he had so desperately wanted revenge from, thus accepting what happened to the real Cole and moving past it.

Solas needs to do the same with the Veil. He needs to process what happened and forgive himself, like Cole did with that templar. He himself said that, "A spirit does not process emotions, it embodies them." Solas is a spirit; the only way he will ever move forward is by working through his guilt and accepting what he did. The reality of it is that he created the Veil, and now the Veil's permanent presence in the world is something he also needs to accept.

Honestly, a lot of the advice that Solas gives Cole is advice that he needs to take himself.

love it that people say that bioware didn't fully explain to the players that tearing down the veil is bad when you spend a full game sealing a giant green hole in the sky.

[idleindy]

Lily's and the Lost

Written for @veilguard-appreciation-week, day two!

Prompts: Rivain/Compassion/"I like to listen to the waves crash."

Summary: "Weary, wilted and waiting. My fault. I could have– should have–tried to stop him…

“He’s my friend…I have to try. You couldn't have. He would have done it anyway.”

or, Lace Harding finds herself talking with an old friend.

Characters: Lace Harding, Cole.

MAJOR VEILGUARD ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

You can also read this fic on Ao3!

There was no sun in the fade, no day or night cycle, yet light still poured into the room, bouncing off of the glass roof and creating tiny fractals of rainbows on the floor. It was comforting, this space that she found herself in, despite the unease that she felt about being in the Fade; it felt as though this small conservatory had been made just for her somehow. She supposed that there was a high chance that that was exactly what happened, considering how the plants just appeared out of nowhere a few days ago.

Lace knelt down, wincing a little as she did so, placing her basket of gardening tools down on the ground next to her as she began to tend to some of the plants that had grown. They had grown so quickly, quicker than was normal, so she felt a trim was in order.

It didn't hurt that it also provided her a good distraction for...everything at the moment.

"Weary, wilted and waiting. My fault. I could have– should have–tried to stop him…

“He’s my friend…I have to try. You couldn't have. He would have done it anyway.”

Letting out a steadying breath, she turned her head to look at the voice. It was a boy with a very large hat, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Cole,” she acknowledged quietly, turning back to continue tending to the plants she had been working on. “I wasn't expecting to see you here.”

“I help heal the hurt,” he replied simply, his hands twisting around themselves.

“I don’t think there’s anything you can do to help here, Cole. Not with this.”

There was nothing that anyone could do. Not her, not Rook, not Cole, not Varric.

"An accident, the tide tilting, and then--" He gasped. "Roiling regret, necessary but sorry. He did not mean to; it was an accident."

"Varric believed in Solas, believed that he could still listen to reason, and now he's dead. Solas can be as sorry as he wants, accidental or not, he killed Varric. No one else. Him."

Silence enveloped the space, the only sound being the gentle shuffling of leaves where Lace continued her work. She didn't mean to be so short with Cole, she knew he was only trying to help, but what happened to Varric still felt like a raw wound left untreated and exposed to the world. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready to face that.

“I am sorry he is gone. He was my friend too.” Cole murmured after a few more minutes of silence, voice soft and tinged with sorrow.

Lace closed her eyes for a moment, the grief that she had been trying so hard to push down welling to the surface. "I know, Cole," she whispered, voice slightly choked up, "I'm sorry too." She turned her head once more as she stood up, intending to apologise for being short with him, but he was nowhere to be found. The only evidence that he had ever been there was the swaying of the vines, as though a gust of wind had blown through, and the potted plant that now sat by the window—a Peace Lily.

'This will help,' read a lone scrap of paper left lying in the dirt of the pot.

Lace smiled despite herself; Cole always did manage to find a way to make people feel better.

[idleindy]

if you have OCD that moralistic post it not about you. keep scrolling. i love you

[idleindy]

New Beginnings

Written for @veilguard-appreciation-week, day one!

Prompts: The Grand Necropolis/Curiosity/"Close your eyes. Take a breath."

Summary: She was found as a baby laying upon a grave in the Memorial Gardens, but how did she come to be there? That was a mystery that, it would turn out, was a lot more complicated to unravel than one would initially have thought.

It has been nearly twenty-four years, and still no one knows how she came to be at the Necropolis.

At this rate, she's beginning to think she'll never figure it out.

Characters: Arlisell Ingellvar/Emmrich Volkarin

You can also read this fic on Ao3!

It was quiet as they walked through the memorial gardens, the only sound being the gentle hum of some wisps roaming around the area. Being in the gardens always brought Arlisell back to her childhood. She had spent hours as a child wandering around and tending to the plants; sometimes, she would even visit just because of how peaceful this area of the Necropolis was.

"I was found here, you know." She stopped next to a grave that read 'Enid Ingellvar', letting out a breath as she laid the flowers she had collected during their walk down against the grave. Emmrich followed suit, kneeling to place one of his own flowers down to join the others. For a while, the silence enveloped them, and though no words were spoken, she felt the great comfort that he was providing by merely being by her side.

"It was when I was a baby," she started after a while, "I was in a basket and wrapped with a blanket embroidered with my name, no one knew where I came from." She turned her gaze from the grave, taking a breath as she seemed to steel herself a little. "No one even knew how old I was, I just..." she trailed off for a moment, "Oh, you probably know the story already, I can imagine it caused quite the conversation around the Necropolis when it happened."

"A baby being found inside of the Necropolis was unheard of, it did indeed cause quite a stir," Emmrich replied as he turned to face her, "But Darling, I want to hear it from you, regardless of what I've heard through idle gossip." He gently took ahold of her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You need not tell me if you do not wish to, however."

"Alright," Arlisell said after a while, casting a glance back to the grave they stood next to, "but not here." She inclined her head towards the direction of some stone benches some ways away from any of the graves, in their own separate little section of the gardens. 

"One of the undead found me, swaddled in that basket, sitting on the grave of Enid Ingellvar, and took me to Vorgoth,” she began once they both settled on one of the benches. “The circumstance was strange, certainly not one that any of the Mourn Watch had ever found themselves in before. The only thing that they knew about me was my name, and they could only guess at my age. The only other lead they had to go off of was the place I was found."

"Enid Ingellvar's grave..." Emmrich supposed.

"Exactly. Except for the fact that they knew that any familial relation was impossible, given that the last known Ingellvar passed over eighty years ago. I was a mystery. Then there were the wisps," she explained, a fond glint of exacerbation in her eyes.

"Wisps?"

"Half a dozen of them, all crowded around my basket. They followed me when the undead brought me to Vorgoth; Vorgoth said that the wisps stayed with me for days after I was found, hovering like they were looking out for me or something." She shrugged. "At first, it was thought that I had been abandoned. I mean, how else would I have gotten there? You know the Necropolis, though, there are people everywhere, if someone had carried a child in such a basket all the way to the memorial gardens, someone ought to have noticed. But no one did. It was as though I appeared out of thin air."

"Ah," He stated simply. "This bothers you, I presume?"

"Yes, it does. Deeply, and for many reasons. I didn't think about it much as a child; Vorgoth had taken me in after I was found, and along with some of the other Watchers, they raised me in the Necropolis. I was given the family name of Ingellvar because of where they found me, and my 'birthday' was officially recorded as the day I was found. It wasn't until I got older and started asking questions that it began to weigh on me."

Weigh on her it did. Honouring your ancestors was one of the most important things one was expected to do in Nevarra, and how was she supposed to do that if she didn’t even know who her ancestors were? So she left flowers and paid her respects to the woman whose grave she was found upon. It was the closest thing she had to a connection to any sort of ancestor, it didn’t matter that there was no blood realation. She carried this woman's name, the least she could do was honour her.

"Have you ever attempted to investigate your past any further?" Emmrich’s voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"I've thought about it," Arlisell admitted after a moment of deliberation, "but each time I try to look into it, I hit a wall. The Mourn Watch have extensive records, yes, but for the Ingellvar's there was nothing more to uncover. Enid Ingellvar passed away eighty-four years ago, as a widow with no children; the records have been checked many times now. It's a dead end."

"And what of the wisps? Do you believe that they may have had a part to play in your past?"

"Surely they must have," she replied instantly, "if they were there when I was found. I still see them around the gardens sometimes, those very same wisps that have been with me ever since that day. Even as a child, I felt that I had some sort of connection to them; it’s the nature of that connection which puzzles me. I’ve always had an aptitude for spirits, even before my magic properly came in, but the connection that I feel to them feels like more than that somehow."

A thoughtful look was cast her way as Emmrich took a moment to consider his next words. “What holds you back from reaching out to the spirits?” he asked gently. “Fear of what you might uncover?”

“I think so,” she sighed. “What if I discover something that changes how I see myself? What if I find out that I have no connection to anyone at all, that I’m just an orphan drifting through the world alone?” She was spiralling now, her words coming faster and tinged with anxiety. "I feel like I don't fit in anywhere, with anyone."

"Close your eyes," Emmrich gently interrupted her anxious rambling, his voice calm and steady. "Take a breath, my Darling." He encouraged patiently.

Arlisell hesitated for a moment before following his instruction, focusing on his voice as she took a deep breath, exhaling slowly a few seconds later. Together, they went through the initiates' breathing exercises, an act that never failed to calm her when her thoughts became so frantic. After a few minutes of this she opened her eyes again, only to discover that the very wisps she had just been telling Emmrich about had crowded around them.

Emmrich turned to face her more and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes never wavering from her own slightly watery ones. "These wisps have remained with you all this time, haven’t they?" He gestured towards them. "They choose to accompany you whenever they please. Perhaps their presence is a sign that you’re not as alone as you fear." A tender smile crossed his face as he spoke. "And I can tell you, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that you will always, always , have a place here with the Watchers. With Vorgoth, with Myrna, with me . No matter what your past reveals, I promise you."

As Arlisell listened to him speak, a wave of gratitude washed over her. The sincerity in Emmrich's voice made the tears that had been gathering in her eyes finally fall. She had always been one who seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders; she often kept to herself or stuck to Vorgoth's side, away from the whispers and the gossip about her. But in this moment, she felt a sense of relief, as though all her burdens had fallen away, if only for a moment.

"I know," she whispered, her voice choked up. "Thank you." She took another deep breath, the knots of anxiety that had gathered in her chest beginning to unravel. "I appreciate you coming here with me, Emmrich, you didn’t need to.”

“Nonsense,” he chuckled good-naturedly, wiping away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks, “I value the time we spend together greatly, Lisell, I will always be happy to go with you anywhere.”

“You’re such a sweetheart,” she teased with a tentative smile. “We should get going, we’ve sat here talking for long enough and as much as I would love to spend the whole day here like I did when I was a child, we unfortunately have other things to attend to today, and we should visit your parents before we leave.”

“Quite right.” Emmrich acknowledged as they both stood up, still hand-in-hand. “Though I suspect we may have some company for a time.”

Just as he said those words, the wisps that had gathered zipped around them both, radiating warmth. Arlisell giggled as she let go of Emmrich’s hand to cup one of the wisps in the palm of her hands. “They’re happy to see me,” she said fondly, “They’ll follow us around the gardens, maybe back to the lift, but they won’t follow us outside of the Necropolis.”

Holding out his hands, mimicking the way Arlisell did, caused one of the wisps to land in his hands also. “Come then, we shall pay respects to my parents and then be on our way.”

As they made their way over to the graves of Emmrich’s parents, accompanied by six excited wisps, they passed Enid Ingellvar’s grave once more.

“I truly believe that you will find the answers that you seek, Lisell,” Emmrich whispered to her earnestly as they passed by.

Sparing one final glance towards the place where her life as she knew it began, then looking up at the wisps that surrounded them, and the man that was with her, a sincere smile graced her face. “I know I will,” she replied, voice quiet but sure, “but if I don’t, I’m happy with what I have now. I wouldn’t change this for the world.” She slipped her hand into his once again, resting her head against his shoulder as they walked. As they laid down flowers at his parents’ graves, Arlisell found that while she desperately wanted to know where she came from, she meant it when she said that she truly, honestly, would not trade this for anything.

[idleindy]

The UpDAte 3/25/2025

Hellooooo, Dragon Age Darlings~ ✨! Thought I might try something new? I can't promise that this will happen every week, but I thought it might be helpful to have a summary of what's going on in the DA fandom soon, both 'locally' (smaller events run off of personal blogs) and more widely! Let me know if it's useful, and I'll try to keep up with it, when I can!

Locally

Monday Rook Into Hour is up, and there will be one on Friday, March 28th!

WIP Wednesday Thursday will run on Thursday, March 27th!

@thedissonantverses put another Writing Challenge Weekend up last Friday, and another will go up this week on March 28th!

@biowaredisasterbisexual put up her Sharing Sunday post for last week, and submissions are open for the next one until March 29th!

@becausedragonage has started a fun new game for Tuesdays! I believe she is still taking entries? Reflection Ruesday rules here!

@pixiedurango is still running the Antivan Postal Service! Get a letter from your favorite Crows!

Greater Thedas

Ongoing/Repeating Events

@thedasweekend runs weekly! [Instructions]

@dadrunkwriting is also weekly, on Fridays! [Instructions]

Events in Preparatory Stages

@handers-time is currently open for signups until April 5th!

@arlathanxchange is taking tag nominations until March 30th!

@worldofthedas-vol3 is taking contributor applications until April 11th!

@raraaviszine is taking contributor applications until April 5th!

@dragonageannual has an interest check open until April 6th!

Currently Happening/Beginning This Week

@veilguard-appreciation-week begins March 31st! [Prompts]

@transthedasfest will reveal works on March 31st!

@dragonageterminuszine is open for preorders until March 31st!

And, of course if you want to know the full scope of everything happening in Thedas, dragonagefanevents is your one-stop shop, including instructions for hosting your own event!

Disclaimer that I'm not affiliated with most of these events, and I haven't talked to most of the mods-- just thought it could be useful for people around here to have everything on one place! If YOU do something/are planning to and I missed you, please lmk! (mentions are for ease of nsvigation-- no need to rb, and if you'd rather I not mention your event, please lmk!)

[idleindy]

"One last battle, my love.." ❤

[idleindy]

They’re multiplying