#2 died in the conclave so she only has 2 now

[cityandking]

1, 5, 11, 15, 18 for bran, dai, vesper + narayani!

tyyyyyy // oc asks childhood edition

1. What was your muse's personality like as a kid? How has it changed since then?

BRAN — bran was a happy, energetic, and curious kid, quickly bored with most things except the ocean and the stories that the captains who worked for her family would tell. sometimes she would sometimes sink into bouts of anxiety or displeasure, but she would always bounce swiftly back. since then, she's leveled out a bit, and there's an edge of old grief in her, but for the most part she's still that happy, energetic, curious girl, endlessly eager for the ocean. DAI — as a boy, dai was solemn and helpful and quite grown up for his age, and he made friends awkwardly but cared for them a great deal. he's still all of those things, but he also says what he thinks more and has the sort of assurance and perspective he never did as a kid VESPER — vesper was always a quiet girl, a little lost among the chaos of five older siblings. she was also curious and eager and hungry for many things that she didn't know how to name but included meaning and understanding and friendship. after the Circle, she was also quiet and also lost and also curious and hungry and newly afraid—of the quiet and the loss and the hunger. but she learned how hide the fear, and eventually how to pretend it wasn't there, and as a grown up she's settled back into that quiet curiosity and generally has the grace and patience of someone who knows themself entirely, if only because they had no one else to get to know so well NARAYANI — little rani was stubborn and fierce and deeply dedicated to the clan but also prone to wandering, always with one foot out in the world. as she grew up, she kept the stubbornness and the fierceness and the dedication, but she also wandered more and grew a little distant with her people.

5. Does your muse have any siblings? What was their relationship like growing up? Is it any different now?

BRAN — has a younger brother named ellis, who is about 12 years younger than her. after their mother died, bran pretty much raised him. she hasn't seen him sine she ran away almost ten years ago, but around the time the campaign stopped she heard he was out looking for her and she isn't sure how she feels about that. she wants to see him more than anything, but she was a child when she left him with only a letter and she's afraid of how he must feel about that all these years later, and also afraid of who he may have grown up into without her DAI — dai has no siblings. scratch sometimes calls him a brother, which to be honest is something he's vaguely bemused and touched by. he knows it means a great deal to scratch, but he doesn't know that he really gets it VESPER — vesper has five older siblings (Kit, Helene, Roxie & Rosie, and Jonah). she was closest to Kit (10 years older and her favorite) and feuded with the twins (Roxie & Rosie, 5 years older and desperate to stand out). helene (9 years older) was sent away to live with her future's husband's family when vesper was young, so vesper doesn't remember her well, and jonah (2 years older) was often unwell and doted on by their mother but rarely around the rest of the kids. in the Circle, vesper lost contact with most of them. Kit wrote as regularly as he could, but over the years that went from a letter a month to a letter once or twice a year as he took up more of their father's responsibilities and eventually succeeded him as bann trevelyan. Helene wrote yearly, long letters but a little impersonal. the twins would have ignored her forever, except that roxie went to the conclave and died, which rosie can never un-blame vesper for, so that really sank any hope of salvaging that relationship. jonah became a chantry cleric, and while vesper actually quite enjoyed reconnecting with him, they don't have much in common these days. NARAYANI — rani was raised as a ward of the clan, which means in a sense all the children in the clan were her siblings, but in practice meant she was mostly an only child raised by one of the older clan members.

11. What expectations were placed on your muse as a child? Who had those expectations for your muse? How did your muse feel about them?

BRAN — bran was expected to eventually take up her mother's place at the head of the ar calagri mercantile network and assume all the responsibilities that came with—not just the business and the trade, but also the friendship with the empress and the cooperation with the eye. she was the eldest daughter, it was her birthright, and everyone from her parents to the folk who worked for them knew it. this was a great honor when bran was a girl, but after her mother died and that became a looming obligation—and as she learned more about what exactly it entailed—she realized she simply couldn't do it. part of it was an unwavering moral surety, part of it was just plain fear. she ran away about it. DAI — honestly the only expectations placed on dai as a kid were the ones he put on himself, but growing up surrounded by holy folk in the midst of a war against a tyrant, he held himself to the expectation to become that when he grew up. this was, as far as little dai was concerned, simply The Right Thing To Do, and he went about it with single-minded dedication. (I don't know that he's gotten healthier about that mindset, but he's at least broadened his conceptualization of The Right Thing.) VESPER — one of the perks of being the youngest child was that her family had fewer expectations for vesper compared her older siblings. probably serve the chantry, of course, but she could have found other avenues—marry well, become a knight, even go to university. really the only expectation was that she not bring shame to the family. this was about the only expectation she understood enough to have feelings about, so it was unfortunate when she shamed the family by being a mage. whoops. NARAYANI — the clan's expectations of rani were fairly straightforward: to do right by her people, to follow the word of her keeper, to keep her heart true. it was maybe a little unfulfilling, but rani was content with all of these things—she trained well, she became a hunter young, she gladly took up the duties her keeper asked of her until she had no keeper to ask them.

15. What's one childhood memory that has stuck with your muse over the years? What's it significance to your muse now?

BRAN — when she was about eight or so her mother took her sailing—not just out on the ships in the long, narrow harbor of Rivia but actually out on the open ocean. it was a gift as much as a curse; from that moment on there was nothing else branwen was ever going to be but a sailor. (her mother was the same, and understood; bran's grateful that they had that to share before her mother passed) DAI — during the rebellion, sitting near a fire, watching the members of the order cluster together to speak. they had looked so impossibly enormous in the firelight, armor gold, wearing their symbols of selene and pelor, weary and worn and dedicated to freeing the land from the tyrant king. it was the first time he'd understood what faith was—not the trappings or even the shine, but feeling with his whole heart, that is something worth believing in VESPER — being twelve, in the back of some cart or wagon, turning around to stare at her family as the templars took her away and seeing her father turn his back while the twins grinned, self-satisfied, and kit stared after her in open heartbreak. years later, in all her nightmares about him, her father doesn't have a face NARAYANI — once, when she was maybe twelve or thirteen, the clan stayed a few weeks near an old elvhen ruin, and rani had always understood the weight of their history, the fall of arlathan, never again shall we submit, but she remembers slipping away from camp and walking among the ancient, crumbled pillars and finding a fragment of fresco in the lee of a half-standing wall and understanding the grief of losing this—not just the cohesion and might of the empire, but the little things too.

18. What's one thing that instantly transports your muse back to their childhood? Why?

BRAN — she and ellis baked a lot of cookies in the years between their mother's death and bran's disappearance, and they still bring her back. DAI — it was strange, not necessarily in a good way, to be back in his childhood bedroom after traveling around the void for months. being back there, sitting with his dad after dinner, making him tea and cooking in their kitchen, he felt both a child again and too big for his skin. VESPER — kit. seeing him again, talking to him again, even though they're both older—even though there's a touch of grey in kit's beard—makes her feel like a girl again, unfettered and free. NARAYANI — iravel, the elder who mostly looked after her, would drink this specific blend of tea. rani doesn't drink it much herself, but when she catches a whiff of that particular mix of herbs, it instantly brings her back to that old aravel.

[daitranscripts]

Haven Conversations

Adan

Haven Masterpost

If spoken to before the PC goes to the chantry: Adan: I believe Lady Cassandra wanted to speak with you.

—

Adan: Look who’s back from the dead. Again.

Adan (Qunari PC): I shouldn’t be surprised. You oxmen are tough as old leather.

1 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: We’ve met? [2]

General: Thank you. [3]

General: I’ve had better days. [4]

General: We’re not done yet. [5]

2 - Investigate: We’ve met? PC: I don’t recall meeting you before. Adan: I’d be surprised if you did. You weren’t particularly coherent. Someone had to patch you up after you staggered out of Maker-knows-where, though, so you’re welcome. [back to 1]

3 - General: Thank you. PC (previously investigated): I didn’t realize. Thank you. PC: My thanks for any part you played in that. Adan: Yeah, well. You can pay me back by fixing the world. [6]

4 - General: I’ve had better days. PC: It has been a rough few days. Adan: That’s an understatement. And more ahead if the “weather” is any indication. [6]

5 - General: We’re not done yet. PC: Until the Breach is closed, no one’s safe. Adan: True. I’ll keep the bandages handy. [6]

6 - Scene continues.

Adan: Name’s Adan. I’m in charge of keeping our little band stocked with potions and elixirs. Not that Seeker Pentaghast seems to care whether we’ve got the supplies to actually do that.

—

Speaking to again after the first encounter:

Adan: You’re back. And in one piece.

7 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: You’re a bit cranky. [8]

Investigate: How are things? [9]

General: Need any help? [10]

General: How do I order potions? [11]

General: [Give Taigen’s notes.] [12]

General: Goodbye. [13]

8 - General: You’re a bit cranky. PC: For a healer, you don’t seem particularly nurturing. Adan: I’m not a healer, I’m an alchemist who’s forced to play mother hen. You want something to burst into flame on contact with the air? Done. Gladly. Patching up wounded soldiers is a waste of my time and my talents… but there are few around who can help. [back to 7]

9 - General: How are things? PC: How are your people holding up?

Adan (first time asking, Giselle not met): No one’s declared me a heretic recently, so I won’t complain. [back to 7]

Adan (After meeting Giselle): We’ve got mother Giselle lending a hand now, which helps. For the ones that need comforting more than actual healing, she’s a rock in fast water. Something to cling to. [back to 7]

Adan: There’s no shortage of work, that’s for damn sure. [back to 7]

10 - General: Need any help? PC: Is there anything I can do to help out? Adan: We’re fine as far as raw labor goes. You’ve more important things to do than tend to me. I only wish I’d been able to find Master Taigan’s notes. Old bastard was working on something special. He died at the conclave, and his notes weren’t here. Been too busy dealing with the wounded to look for them. [back to 7]

11- Investigate: How do I order potions? PC: How do I go about having potions made? Adan: Just take a look there and tell me what you’d like. Find a recipe for something better, I can make that too. Scene ends.

12 - General: [Give Taigen’s notes.] PC (did not ask about helping): I found notes by a Master Taigen. I wondered if you might be interested. PC (previously asked about helping): You said you thought Master Taigen was working on something special. If it helps, I found his notes.

Adan: Let me have a look. This should… oh, I see! With a distillate of… Ha! The old codger was on the edge of a breakthrough here, but he couldn’t see it. You want some of these mixed up, you just give the word. [back to 7]

13 - General: Goodbye. PC: Farewell. Adan: Right, then.

[masked-and-doomed]

Wwho is conclave actually because I keep imagining just like . Some generic concave shape.

kats love interest according 2 me

PFFFFFFTTTT ah yes. My lambs..... Certainly a shape...

These 4 bitches. In like 2000 (in the GG universe) they were among the first 5 people to learn magic, from the man that discovered magic, The Original. Funny thing is they got abandoned because The Original put his hopes of humanity into the 5th guy that learned from him, this twink. Asuka.

(this guy's like the biggest war criminal ever btw. But he's genuinely trying his best the world just got his good intentions fucked up hard. Worst thing was like an unethical turning his best friend into an immortal beast so that the guy could have the time in the world to be with his also immortal girlfriend. Anyway this isn't about him)

I'm sure they've gotten miffed about the twink favouritism in some way.

At some point they decided that. Well like. Great power comes great responsibility, that spider.man quote. Y'know what they thought to do with their power, being like top 10 most powerful guys in the world?

"what if we kill all of humanity and make new and better humans." "Yeah that sounds like the best way to push humanity forward"

So um. Okay the stuff of Asuka is related here because. The girlfriend of his best friend, Aria. She turned into a similar immortal beast that was so powerful (and also very angry about being made as a weapon of war to be used by humanity) that she waged a war on humanity for 100 years. She did get killed and her body was kept into a dimensional prison.

So they saw this and was like. Ah yeahhh she powerful we can use this to kill all humans.

So they pull some stuff, they had a tournament done to 'revive' justice. Using bloodshed to power her up or whatever? Which only kinda worked. This was in 2180~ ish..

Back to the writing board for em !

One of the guys die at this point. Baldias. In July 2187. He fucking died in a pachinko game. And he died trying to stop a guy from getting a glorified lightbulb.

So! Now three months after, very late October.

They then learn how to properly revive people, and managed to revive some guy named zat.o 1. There isn't a Zato 2 btw. Idk he's weird.

They revive him, but in a certain way that he does not feel any emotions. And is like empty probably. Rip bozo. Not our problem.

Well! Time to revive the living weapon built for war, and use it for war!!

They had her kept in an egg. Called the Cradle. They were testing(?) the teleportation of it since it was mostly kept in a different plane of existence. So during these testings like 20K people died. Yeah. Even more, there were at least like 5 fleets that were sent to investigate and most of them died also. Rip bozos. But erm. For humanity, right? :)

Though, the leader, Chronus himself says that humanity won't forgive em for this betrayal so. Shrugs?

They teleport the egg holding our war weapon into a castle. Because that castle has a lightning rod meant to attract the biggest lightning strike in ever, that only happens like every 5 years. St Elmo's Fire. And I suppose that lightning strike has enough energy to get the plan started.

They do it, Axus and Libraria fucking diee. Plan failed bad due to the heroes doing their hero shit.

Only one is left out of the four, Chronus! And Doctor Faut found him. They're travelling together now :D

I love them. The funnies. They're sooo fucked up. How did they come to that conclusion. Why. What the hell, man. My lambs... My stupid lambs..

[elfcollector]

the montilyets have, in fact, been in debt for over a hundred years. - debt or no, you appear to be surviving.

[essayofthoughts]

Pinned Post

Call me Essay or Aich. This blog is a mess of interests with some degree of consistent tagging. I post fic on AO3 under the same username, currently for Campaign 1 of Critical Role.

Currently posting fics include:

Ghost Cass - Percy’s not the only member of his family to escape the Briarwoods. He’s just the only one to do so alive. 

[Series] | Arc 1 | Arc 2 | Bonus | Arc 3 WIP

Soulmate AU - Percy and Vex both know what it’s like to have a bond broken against their will.

nor all your Piety nor Wit | Posting monthly.

Delia AU - After the attack, the thing Percy wants most is his family restored to him. It doesn’t happen how he thinks.

Odi | On Hiatus

Tiefling!Percy AU - Based on @blorbologist‘s idea; this has already gotten out of control and may well be more than a oneshot at this stage. Or even several oneshots.

Tell me who I am now (I don’t know) | Might be more later.

Werewolf’s Soulmate AU - AU based on @exhaustedwerewolf‘s excellent soulmate AU. It has maybe got a little out of hand. 

[Series] | echoes on her skin | spelled out on skin | more to come

Kash Backstory Fic - I read Werewolf’s fantastic meta on him and oops I have a problem. (Boy was raised in a cult! He was fifteen!) 

[does your GOD believe in you?] | [Promo Post] |

Other CritRole Fic WIPs & Ideas Beneath the Cut

Listed in rough order of how much I have written/planned out for each. 

Current Projects (AKA, these have a lot written already):

Evilest AU - Percy doesn’t come away quite so intact from his second encounter with Doctor Anna Ripley.

Kash & Zahra fic - See above. How they meet, how their relationship progresses from debt to friendship to family to love.

Side Projects (AKA, I’ve written parts of these already):

Happier Evilest AU - See Evilest AU, above. Now with a tad less angst.

No Briarwoods (Yet) AU - Whitestone has been without a head of the Grey Hunt. Vex applies to try.

Sylas Briarwood Gets To Live, Bitches - Pike has Divine Intervention. What if Sylas was made truly alive and Vecna had no hold on the Briarwoods anymore. What if they had to live and experience consequences?

Perc’ahlia Twilight AU - I read Midnight Sun. I realised Percy is what Meyer thinks Edward is. Also, Vex isn’t a doormat.

Fem!Percy AU - Waking up on a fishing boat, surrounded by strangers, in torn, soaked clothes after two weeks of torture hits different as a girl. Will be Lesbians.

Masc!Vex AU - Similarly to the above, Vex’s flirting comes across very differently with a male character. Also Percy has to directly process the fact that he is bi as all hell.

Magnus Archives AU - What if Percy as an Archivist?

Murder on the Exandrian Express - Murder on the Orient Express but in Exandria and with a dose of crack.

Perc’ahlia Beauty and the Beast - Vex and Vax kill Saundor but Saundor gets off one last curse before he dies. Vex is a tree-creature, just like him, until she gains a heart freely given.

Wolf Siblings AU - Six Swan Brothers but it’s Wolf Siblings. The de Rolo siblings are cursed to be wolves and Percy travels Exandria with the pack that are his siblings.

Modern Perc’ahlia Fake Dating AU - Do I have worldbuilding and backstory for this set up too? Maybe.

Zahra Backstory Fic - LOOK. Maybe I just have a Problem. And two new blorbos, that too.

Oneshots to finish. One day:

Perc’ahlia Kidfic for @cosmonauthill - I will write it! I promise! A series of snapshots of the early days with baby Vesper.

Rock Band AU for Nell for @nanyoky - I will also write this! I promise! Modern Rock Band AU, mostly fluff, some trauma.

Perc’ahlia Noir AU - Vex would make a hell of a femme fatale, that’s all I’m sayin’.

Emon is Burning - Introspection after the Conclave’s attack on Emon.

Desmond-Cass Fic - Canon-compliant fic where I poke at the similar trauma these two have and why they might each have reason to distrust/dislike Percy and also it may end up very very slowburn.

PercyVex Stargazing AU - Tal’Dorei guide lists Exandrian days of the week. Days of the week usually reference gods or moons/stars/planets. None of the Exandrian gods match, not even elvish ones. Don’t match the moon names either. Ergo: planets or stars. Percy speaks Elvish, Vex grew up in Syngorn. Go.

Elaina Lives AU - One of my first ideas when watching CR was an AU where Elaina lives as a Raven Queen cleric and is present at Marrowglade. Have fun!

Canon Vampercy AU - I’ve read too many Vampire!Percy AUs. Kinda wanna do my own take on it.

Ideas? (AKA, I’ve got an idea. And maybe two lines?):

Modern Uni AU - Oh so much trauma in there. Ripley as an evil professor. Percy and Keyleth as roommates and childhood friends. Vex and Vax as the hot neighbours down the hall. Scanlan is That theatre kid. Grog there on sports scholarship; Pike there doing medicine. Go.

Eros & Psyche Perc’ahlia - The OG Beauty and the Beast. Trapped in shadows and darkness, Percy is slowly pulled into the light by Vex's persistence.

Daemon AU - Adelheid leaves him sometime between his two weeks in Ripley’s care and when he comes back to himself, gun in hand. He knows trauma can Separate a person from their Daemon. He still never thought Adelheid would leave him.

AU PercyRipley Briarwoods Escape - Percy’s at the Lyceum or Westhall Academy in Westruun to study when he realises he’s had no letters from his family in weeks. He returns home worried - and then he isn’t allowed to leave.

VERY AU PercyRipley Fic - I had an idea writing Delia AU. It goes Very AU, involves less-awful Briarwoods and I’ll write this only if I have time.

Delia AU Spinoff: Cabin in the Woods - Percy is aware enough to plan his own escape...

Delia AU Spinoff: What If More Kids AU - A commenter suggested this. My brain went Brrrr.

Kinda want to write... maybe? (AKA, a concept. idk):

PercyRipley Soulmate AU - Soulmates as the love of your life? Done before. Soulmates as people who have an impact on you? TASTY. Percy and Ripley have a bond. That doesn’t stop Ripley from testing it, torturing him, or tearing the bond apart. Percy knew he’d likely not be a good or attentive partner in a bond. It still hurts that even Ripley rejected him.

Hogwarts AU - This would take a fuckload of worldbuilding and might as well just be a whole ass other magic AU but whatever, that was the original idea and that’s what I’m running with. May never get to this one.

Post-That Balance May Return Smuts - Look, the negotiation of sex when there’s trauma involved and all is fun. The matter of consent, of keeping an eye on each other to know that things are okay. The fact that Percy has so many terrible habits when it comes to self-care. TASTY is all I’m sayin’.

Piercings Percy AU for @agarthanguide - Hannah sent me an idea a while back. One day I will write this. Maybe. Probably? I hope I do.

PercyRipley Hatesex - Figuring out how I could make this work is a challenge given... everything. But the challenge is half of the fun. 

Sonnie’s Edge AU - Look. Look. Vex as Sonnie. That’s all I’m saying. Vex. As. Sonnie.

Witcher AU - I just have Thoughts, okay.

Syldor Isn’t A Dick AU - Look. It’d be interesting - just because Syldor isn’t a dick doesn’t mean Syngorn is better. I think it could be interesting!

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Ideas #7: ITFOYL, but make it Dorian/Male Lavellan

Look, you all know I've an unhealthy obsession with time travel fics. I usually end up wanting to write three for any fandom I cross. And after reading some truly wonderful fics involving Dorian and Tevinter culture in general, I find myself wanting a time travel fix-it where it's Dorian that's sent back in time to fix things, preferably with a Dorian/Male Lavellan slant to things.

Imagine this:

In the original timeline, DA:I goes wildly AU just before the Arbor Wilds. Hand-wavy on the details, but whatever happens makes Corypheus the one who eventually carries on the years-long, world-destroying war so many fics assume Solas starts post-DA:I. This is crucial, as for all his foreknowledge, Dorian does not know Solas is the Dread Wolf. No one does.

Regardless of what exactly Corypheus does, after years of fighting Corypheus ends up killing the Inquisitor - maybe in battle, maybe because the Inquisitor is much weakened by the mark after bearing it for years, maybe assassination - and Dorian spends a number of years working with his former mentor to use their time travel magic to go back to the beginning to save everyone.

The Breech, having made all magic unstable, warps their casting so that instead of going back to the Conclave, Dorian is flung back into his 16-year-old body in the Minrathous Spire. Which is better but also worse, because a butterfly flap could make it so that the Blight doesn't end so quickly, or an Exalted March is called on Kirkwall, or Lavellan dies at the Conclave and someone else becomes Inquisitor and Dorian never has a chance to meet the love of his life.

So Dorian decides to game the system.

He still doesn't want to pretend to be someone he's not or live a life of luxurious despair, but he also doesn't really have interest in any of the men around him because 1) Dorian's mentally twice the age of everyone around him, 2) meaningless sex isn't doing it for him anymore after knowing the alternative, and 3) he really is quite gone on Lavellan, having turned back time for his sake. So he throws himself into his studies and on the face of things is exactly the son his parents wanted.

With all his experiences from his first life plus all his studies now, he finds himself becoming a Senior Enchanter by the age of 20...

...which is about the time that his father drops dead, allowing Dorian to become one of the youngest Magisters ever. (He never knows for sure, but he thinks his mother had Halward poisoned once her son was magically strong enough to represent the family, if only so she wouldn't have to deal with Halward herself anymore. He's never sure how to feel about this.)

And for several years it works out, with Dorian being a fairly liberal Magister who knows when to bite his tongue in public (because if he doesn't, they'll kill him and all this will be for naught), until someone reads the wrong thing into him buying large tracts of land along the border with the Free Marches, and they send him to be Ambassador to Nevarra - nominally an honor, but mostly to try to neutralize whatever threat they imagine him to be.

This ends up working out fairly well, because 1) there's only so much Dorian can bite his tongue with the Magisterium, 2) his Underground Railroad can mostly run without him now, funneling slaves into his borderlands estates from which they can slip out to any number of free cities and never be found, and 3) he gets to spend a lot of time researching with the best necromancers in Thedas.

But still the Blight comes. The Kirkwall Chantry is still destroyed. Corypheus still survives his seeming death at Hawke's hands. Dorian can do nothing to stop these things.

All of which leads to the main thrust of the fic: that is, Dorian walking into Haven a handful of days after the destruction of the Conclave and offering his services.

Everyone is naturally suspicious because Tevinter Magister, but they accept - maybe because he admits to the advisors at least that he's lived through this once before, maybe because he prevaricates that he's a Dreamer to explain his foreknowledge, maybe because Liliana figured out he's been playing the long game to reform Tevinter the way she wants to reform Orlais - and things go more in line with how we see them in the game. Mainly, the Arbor Wilds happens and they're able to defeat Corypheus fairly quickly this go around.

I really feel there should be more of this - Dorian still so in love with Male Lavellan, but feeling unable to make a move even after waiting 15+ years for him because 1) he has an unfair advantage already knowing everything that made Lavellan fall for him the first place and 2) he is an actual slave-owning Magister this go around, even if most the slaves that don't get funneled into the Underground Railroad are slaves on paper and paid workers in fact - and angst and general all the wonderful discussions about what it means to be a slave, or a god, or complicit even with the best of intentions in a broken system as in the brilliant In the face of your light by @noverturemusings, but my brain has come up with more backstory than actual plot, as it does.

Also, as much angst as I want there to be, there should be a background thread of everyone finding Dorian just a tad odd, as you'd probably expect from someone who has watched the love of their life die failing to prevent the end of the world and relived 15-odd years of their life trying to undo it. Amongst other things, he's entirely too unsurprised by things he should be surprised by (Skyhold, Corypheus, The Fade etc). He also has weird moments of utterly black depressive nihilism that are completely at odds with his normal DA:I personality that it's concerning in the hide the knives sort of way. It always passes, but, again, concerning.

And... that's really all I have. Maybe the specifics of how Dorian would fix things will come to me in time, but got rather hung up on how he might game the system leading up to that, as it were.

As always, feel free to adopt the bunny, but link me if you decide to do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

[skyerie]

Hey there 💖 For the OC ask:

What’s their full name? Why was that chosen? Does it mean anything?

Do they have any titles? How did they get them?

What do they dress like? What sorta shops do they buy clothes from? Do they wear the fashion that they like? What do they wear to sleep? Do they wear makeup? What’s their hair like?

What are their goals? What would they sacrifice anything for? What is their secret ambition?

What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most?

Hi! Thanks for the ask :) Sorry for the long post, had to really think about which OC i was going to use *sweatdrops* Here's... Leilani Lavellan~

1. What's their full name? Why was that chosen? Does it mean anything?

Leilani Mirwen Lavellan.

'Leilani' was actually given to her by Andraste, and she's kept it ever since. 'Mirwen' was just a random name she picked from the multitude of Elvhen she's encountered over the years, and Lavellan is her current clan name.

'Leilani' means 'she who helps with shining thoughts', Mirwen is 'tenacity, or the will to move forward'.

2. Do they have any titles? How did they get them?

High Priestess, as she is technically the only priestess of Mythal to have attended to the Temple of Sorrow. Got the title by default.

Tarsylnin’sulenelan, storm-singer. She exploded a lot of demons with lightning in her youth, it was very awesome magic and the whispers of her filtered through the ages. An old story. Also happened in Tevinter.

Herald of Andraste. Survived the Conclave explosion with a magical glowing mark.

Inquisitor. Er, well, happened to be there and not care about the danger? Like, really.

3. What do they dress like? What sorta shops do they buy clothes from? Do they wear the fashion that they like? What do they wear to sleep? Do they wear makeup? What’s their hair like?

She likes all sorts of clothes - skirts, dresses, leggings. Fine clothes, fine jewelry - give her something nice to wear and she will wear it to death, even if it turns to rags, if she adores it.

She buys from all sorts of shops - actually enjoys haggling with the more expensive boutiques, but will pay full price for something of lower quality. She supports the endeavors of the 'lower classes', but doesn't make a big deal about it.

(Supports them because as she was an elf in Tevinter, she had wished she had been given the choice to earn her livelihood instead of being treated as a non-person. Also during the Arlathan Empire, too.)

Leilani does wear makeup on occasion, hates putting it on herself because it does take almost forever. That's why she enlisted Dorian during Haven.

As for her hair, an almost-curly black. Wavy, to be sure, but not quite curly. In her youth, it was always cut to her shoulders as part of her position; when Arlathan Fell, she cut it only to the middle of her back. She never regretted it. She loves it long, even more so because she has a choice to keep it that way.

4. What are their goals? What would they sacrifice anything for? What is their secret ambition?

Leilani's goal is... well, first it was to die. She's been the only ancient elf around for two thousand years, she was very tired of enduring.

Now, it's to help this world, to keep people - all the people she can, not just elves - safe, to help and to honor the people who died for Thedas and everything currently in it.

Leilani would sacrifice everything for her kin - her elvhen kin, her human kin, and the people who have earned her trust during her time in the Inquisition.

Her secret ambition? ...actually, Leilani really doesn't have one? She's mostly a 'go with the flow' type of person, and the last time she contemplated taking over the world she decided it would be too much work, so... nah, no secret ambition.

Though that would be her secret ambition. Well, more like former because, let's face it. Girl definitely woulda succeeded.

5. What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most?

Ahhh... Her favorite season is winter, actually. Snow, to be precise, even after Haven. Leilani loves the coolness of it. Also, ice makes for really nice sculptures and even though she could make an ice sculpture literally any time she wanted, there's something about natural ice being sculpted with bare hands that just makes it awesome.

She's actually great in the cold and the heat, but that's also because she trained in the vicinity of a then-active volcano, surrounded by lava and really doesn't think that the Hissing Wastes are all that bad, even canceling out the fact she had a spirit of protection also helping her.

She dislikes the spring and summer. The pollen makes her sneeze.

[poppykru]

This is a collection of my favourite canonverse fanfiction. I actually started reading bellarke fanfiction last year when season 6 premiered so a lot of the fanfics you see are old and popular within fandom. Nevertheless, I love them and they deserve the recognition for how awesome they are. 😊 I went through my bookmarks twice and I am sure I still missed some, but this is getting really big and has now taken me so long to compile so this is the list. I’ll update it once the show is over. For now though, enjoy! 

To all the writers, thank you for your beautiful works! I appreciate you so much! 💖

Most are one shots because that is just my preference for format. Some fanfics are within the universe, but not part of canon (e.g. Ark AUs) so I have put at at the bottom under Canonverse AUs. I tried to list them in order of time in canon but some were difficult to classify. 

One more thing, this is a Bellarke fic rec. If it was a general the 100 fic rec, this would include some great non-ship fics I’ve read or other ships. I might do a mini fic rec with those. (Also, I’ll probably post a big AUs fic rec, because my true love is AUs and i have read some masterpieces everyone needs to read!)

With that I am done. I hope you enjoy my collection and please don’t forget to show all these amazing fanfic writers some love - give kudos, bookmark, comment! Let’s support our content creators! 💖

Single Chapter

Inconceivable by @johnnyjaqobis​

Explicit | 8,798 words

Bellamy and Clarke have to perform a ritual to seal a grounder aliance. It’s unconventional.

Just the Beating of Our Hearts by @hiddenpolkadots​

General Audiences | Fluff | 4,683 words

He leans into it, tilting his body towards her where she still stands between his legs, and they’re so, so close, breathing in each other’s air before his eyes flick up to meet her gaze and then— Abby opens the door and steps out of the supply closet. “Clarke.”

or, 3 times Bellamy gets hurt and one time he isn’t.

Strong as an ox by @wellsjahasghost​

Season 1 | Teen and Up | 5,399 words

Clarke tries to rescue Bellamy from some Grounders holding him captive, but things don’t go quite as planned

Here we go Season 1 The line between love and lust does not exist.

Meet me in the Morning by @argyledpenguin​

1x03 | Explicit |Time Loop AU | 25,375 words

“I guess one of us is messed up,” he said, “and it’s part of our hallucination that the other is, too.” He paused. “Seems appropriately hellish that my mind sticks me with you.” She pursed her lips. “Likewise.” Clarke is trapped in a stupid time loop, and guess who’s trapped with her?

Sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles by @viansian​

Season 1 | Mature | Angst | 10,858 words

“I have spent my entire life afraid of men thought to be gods,” he finally says. “I’ll tell you a secret, princess: these men? The ones who claim to be deities? Their blood isn’t ichor. They bleed red like the rest of us, and sometimes they need to be reminded of that.” or Clarke is abducted by the grounders. Bellamy freaks out.

and just as the sun chases after the moon (i will always chase after you) by @viansian​

Post season 1 | Teen and Up | 12,013 words

He had once gone into hell for Octavia. He wonders at what point he had begun to love Clarke as much as his sister.

In the Silence Between Worlds (that’s where I’ll find you) by @viansian​

Season 2 | General Audiences | Fluff | 12,647 words

It’s a goddamn tragedy that both of them could be so incredibly in love with each other and yet neither could notice it.

aka everyone knows Bellamy and Clarke are in love except for Bellamy and Clarke.

I loved him first by emmaofmisthaven

Season 2 | Teen and Up | Unrequited Love | 1,306 words

Clarke is missing and Bellamy is going after her. From Octavia’s POV.

Eight Minutes Against a Tree by @cupcakesandtv​

Season 2 | Explicit | 2,320 words

Clarke and Bellamy use each other to relieve tension.

The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Sky Person by @ponyregrets​ 

Season 2 | General Audiences | Fluff | 2,320 words 

Clarke and Bellamy don’t know how to relationship.

Here be Dragons by ms_scarlet

Post 2x08-2x09 | General Audiences | Hurt/Comfort | 1,121 words

“Well, here we are.” She gestures towards the space beyond the electrified wire in front of them. “We fell from space only to find a pit full of monsters except they didn’t warn us that we’d find them in ourselves.”

All You Have is Your Fire by @hawthornewhisperer​

Post 2x09 | Teen and Up | Angst | 2,402 words

Bellamy didn’t think he could survive Mount Weather. But he did, and somehow the aftermath is almost worse.

Do you look like me? Do you feel like me? by heroic

Post 2x16 | Teen and Up | 511 words

There are some selfish wants Clarke will not allow herself, even when everything is dirt with decomposing bodies.

Gifts by winterwaters

Post season 2 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 4,154 words

Bellarke are at a grounder festival. Clarke is pretty and Bellamy is flustered. Fluff.

What We Have to Do  by ms_scarlet

Post season 2 | Teen and Up | Hurt/Comfort | 4,910 words

As the air turned cooler, the forest burst into color and the leaves started to fall, and all Bellamy saw was death and decay. He realized that Clarke had been gone longer than he’d known her. He’d lived most of his life without knowing her, so it didn’t seem like it should be such a striking realization, but crashing to Earth was such a cataclysmic event, he realized he’d been thinking of it as a new life beginning and now she’d been out of it longer than she was there.

This One’s for the Faithless by @argyledpenguin​

Post season 2 | Explicit | Angst | 22,645 words

“He couldn’t worry about her, about how she’d fare, and whether she’d find her way home eventually, or make a home with strangers, learning to forget the friends she’d killed for. He needed to worry about those friends, to look after their people like she’d asked him to. “She doesn’t need us to go after her,” Raven said. “She knows how to survive.” They’d trust her to return when she was ready, and to look after herself in the meantime.”

who cares if we're trashed by @probably-voldemort​

Season 3 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 2,180 words

"Propose to Bellamy." Murphy said it like it was easy, like she wasn't drunk off her ass, like she wasn't hopelessly in love with him. "Unless you're chicken."

The End Where We Begin by katebishoop

Pre 3x06 | Teen and Up | Kid fic | 10,553

Clarke and Bellamy are tired of war and bloodshed. So they run.

Hungry Hearts by @insideimfeelinpurrdy​

Post 3x16 | Explicit | Hurt/Comfort | 5,663 words

We all swallow lies when our hearts are hungry.

Field Medicine by storyskein

Post season 3 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 3,558 words

Clarke decides that Bellamy needs to learn first-aid because his bandage wrapping technique is pitiful.

I’ve Got You Here by ms_scarlet

Post Season 3 | Explicit | Hurt/Comfort | 18,383 words

“Here.” He thrusts one of the cups at her and she sets the rake aside to accept it. “You owe me a drink.”

Five Years Later by storyskein

Post Season 3 | Explicit | Fluff | 6,845 words

Five years later, and everything is finally right

To the Order of Night by storyskein

Post season 3 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 2,620 words

Bellamy and Clarke hang out after a long day of preparing for Arkadia’s exodus. Drinking, poker, and cuddling ensue.

Soap by @verbam​

Post Season 3 | Teen and Up | 3,571 words

Perhaps because of the late hour, or the heat limiting most duties to half day shifts, the hammam is surprisingly empty when they reach it, their voices going hushed in the echoing room. Clarke realizes as she glances at Bellamy that they’ve never been entirely alone here together. They’ve rinsed off here together before, but that’s easier when they’re surrounded by their friends: Bellamy distracted by Brian snapping a towel at him and Jasper splashing everyone in cold water. Clarke tends to sit with Raven, stretching their legs out on the warmed metal after they’ve scrubbed down and enjoying the steam and hubbub of Arkadians around them.

Right Within Your Heart (This is How It Starts) by @prosciuttoe​

Post Season 3 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 6,270 words

Bellamy has never had a enjoyable Christmas. Clarke seeks to rectify that.

Cold Bones by @insideimfeelinpurrdy​

Season 4 | Explicit | Major Character Death | tw: depression | 4,152 words

The world dies screaming, protesting violently at every turn, fighting for survival. He dies silently, whispering reassurances into the radio, walking fast and with purpose but without hope. The apocalypse can’t be stopped, and there aren’t enough lifeboats. Bellamy decides to take himself out of the equation.

if it was safer underground, we wouldn’t be on a boat  by heroic

Season 4 | Teen and Up | 1,005 words

Did you feel it, too? Clarke wants to go back and ask, lean herself against the bark and look at Bellamy in the night. Do you miss this too, when everything hurt and we still thought we could be better than we are?

And If My Heart Should Stop by @octannibal-blake​

4x06 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 1,905 words

The one where bellamy decides it’s time to tell Clarke how he feels.

Whenever the End by @sometimesrosy​

4x11 | Mature | 2,173 words

It’s the night before the conclave and the end of the world is nigh. Clarke and Bellamy needs to sleep and Clarke convinces him to share her bed. But waking up in his arms crosses the distance they’ve kept between them.

How I learned to stop worrying and love the apocalypse by @kindclaws​

4x12-13 | Explicit | Time Loop AU, Exes to Lovers | 16,407 words

Bellamy and Clarke keep reliving the last few hours before Pramfaya.

Just enough, but not enough by @rycewritestrash​

Post Seaosn 4 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 1,173 words

They’re leaning against the rover, sharing an apple, back and forth, discussing their plans for the day when Bellamy says, “We should get married,” in the same tone he’d use if they were talking about what’s for dinner.

The Silence by @sometimesrosy​

Season 5 | Teen and Up | Reunion fic | 5,872 words

Clarke and Madi stumble upon spacekru, finally returned. Everyone greets her, except Bellamy.

Think of Me as Time of Day by @octannibal-blake​

Season 5 | Teen and Up | Reunion fic | 5,872 words

Three times Bellamy misses Clarke and one time he doesn’t have to.

You’re Just Another Recovering Heart by @prosciuttoe​

Season 5 | Mature | Pining | 10,814 words

Bellamy gets into the habit of writing letters to the girl he left behind in the six years they’re apart. But as it turns out, Clarke’s alive, and she’s read them. Or: the fallout of a love confession six years in the making.

Forty Yards by @the-most-beautiful-broom​

Season 5 | Teen and Up | Angst | 3,825 words

Bellamy and Clarke are caught in the crossfire of an Eligius/Wonkru battle, and in the fury of it all, Bellamy refuses to leave Clarke behind.

I’m so fucking happy you’re alive/swear to god I’m down if you’re down  by heroic  

5x13 | General Audiences | 679 words

He wants to go back there, to press his hands against the bare skin of her back, to breathe her in.

I Feel Like We're as Close as Strangers by @eyessharpweaponshot​

Season 5 | Explicit | Angst | 7,277 words

“This isn’t about Madi," Bellamy tells her, voice even and certain. "It isn’t about me leaving you on Earth." Clarke’s expression is steel but he can read the discomfort off her a mile away. She’s holding her arms too tightly, her teeth clenched like she’s said too much. "This is about Echo." Even though he knows it is, his heart is still belting in his chest while he waits for a response. The knowledge is overwhelming - because if this is about Echo, it means Clarke might…she might… "Why would this be about Echo?" Clarke says blankly, like she’s bored - like he’s way off the mark. He’s not. "You tell me."

Astra inclinant  by @hermesmultivitamins​

Post season 5 | Not Rater | Sharing A Bed | 1,814 words

The inevitability of Clarke and Bellamy is obvious to everyone except themselves. Or, the story of how it took 130 years and two planets for Clarke and Bellamy to realize what everyone else already knew.

Do You Feel the Way We’re Falling out of Touch? by @eyessharpweaponshot​

Season 6 | Explicit | Time Loop AU, Angst | 13,279 words

Clarke and Bellamy are over and he has moved on, it’s just something Clarke has to accept. They have a job to do and that’s what is important now. They spend the entire day at odds with one another, being distant and lying about their true feelings. When they’re stuck in a time loop because of their inability to be honest though, it’s time to start admitting some things - and it turns out to be a little harder than expected.

Bad Moon Rising by @bettsfic​

6x02 | Teen and Up | Angst, Hurt/Comfort | 1,700 words

Afterglow by @queenginnys​ 

Post 6x10 | Teen and Up | Love Confessions | 1,085 words

Bellamy and Clarke have a lot to discuss after Clarke survives Josephine.

Sick of Losing Soulmates by @pawprinterfanfic​

Post 6x10 | Teen and Up | Hurt/Comfort | 4,884 words

Clarke and Bellamy talk after the events at Gabriel's. After almost losing her again, Bellamy intends to not let emotions go unspoken.

Our Own Stars by bellofthetolppl

Season 6 | General Audiences | Angst | 3,477 words

Bellamy gets hurt when he tries to find Octavia after she disappeared in the Anomaly and once Clarke finds out, she goes crazy. Kind of like 6x10 but the roles are reversed and she's worried sick about him. 

feet on the ground, head in the sky by fathomless

Season 6 | General Audiences | Hurt/Comfort | 2,547 words

three times Bellamy kissed Clarke's forehead and one time she kissed his.

Like Being Submerged in Your Contradictions by WelpThisIsHappening

Season 6 | Explicit | Fluff | 4,491 words

She supposes she's not surprised.

Clarke probably should have expected it. After all, her romantic track record is not really all that impressive. But. She hoped. And to say that she's a little disappointed to find out sex with Bellamy is not as great as she wanted it to be is an understatement.

So now he wants to talk about it. Figures.

The House Don't Fall When the Bones Are Good by @ponyregrets​

Post Canon | Teen and Up | Afterlife | Crossover with The Good Place | 6,019 words

Clarke wakes up and has a conversation with a man wearing a bowtie.

We Burned Bright by @marauders-groupie​

Mature

Collection of canon-compliant drabbles

Multichapter

Small Favours by @kay-emm-gee​

8 chapters | Season 1 | Teen and Up | Fluff | 24,203 words

Small favors born out of sheer necessity (part I, part II) forge a unique intimacy (part III, part IV, part V, part VI) that brings forth intense chemistry (part VII, part VIII).

 Or, how Bellamy & Clarke take their time falling in love.

Survivor’s guilt by @wellsjahasghost​

4 chapters | Post season 3 | Explicit | Angst, Kid fic | 102,671 words

“There’s no one else to live for anymore.” Clarke utters those words without too much emotion. They’ve had time over the years to reflect on all the people ripped away from their lives. It’s no longer a fierce, stabbing pain, just a kind of endless ache that surges and subsides with every breath they take. After all their efforts, they failed. The story of the SkaiKru would die with them. “We’re the last of our people.”

Bellamy finally looks up at her tone of voice and after a pause he says, slowly, “We don’t have to be.”

Hold me Still by bellofthetolppl

9 chapters | Season 4 | General Audiences | Angst | 45,863 words

“I can’t see, what’s happening to me?” or Bellamy is blinded in an accident.

The Twelfth Level by @jemleofan​

13 chapters | Canon-compliant until 4x03 | Explicit | 62,085 words

The death wave is rapidly approaching. Clarke and Bellamy make a startling discovery: Cadogan’s cult has survived underground and is willing to shelter Skaikru from the impending disaster. But at what price?

This one’s for you by @andthelightbulbclicks​

48 Chapters | Post season 4 | Slow Burn | 60,535 words

Ficlets glimpsing at those 2,199 days, and after…

The Price of Peace by @chase-the-windandtouch-the-sky​

18 chapters | Season 6 | Teen and Up | Angst, Hurt/Comfort | 11,0987 words

Upon landing in the new world, it seemed like humanity finally had a chance at peace. When suddenly something is taken from them, Bellamy and crew must find a way to navigate this new world when it feels like it’s falling apart.

Bury A Friend, Try To Wake Up  by @talistheintrovert​

7 chapter | Teen and Up | Angst | 75,289 word

A few weeks after settling in to the new planet, Clarke seems to be acting strangely. Almost like she's two different people. Bellamy is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Canonverse AUs 

Single Chapter 

Winners Don’t Always Get Lucky Breaks by @cupcakesandtv​

Explicit | Ark AU, Arranged Marriage, Domestic Bellarke | 23,501 words

Bellamy and Clarke are roped into Abby’s political games and have to get married. 

Just as You Are Mine by @prosciuttoe​

Explicit | Arranged Marriage AU, Grounder!Bellamy | 23,637 words

In hindsight, marrying a total stranger may not have been one of Clarke’s brightest ideas. (Clarke seals an alliance with the Broadleaf clan by marrying Bellamy Blake.)

Darkest of marks by @important-metaphors​

Explicit | Ark AU, Angst | 21,162 words

After Jake Griffin’s prediction about the system failure turns out to be wrong, Clarke is given a second chance on the Ark. Janitor Bellamy Blake may or may not complicate everything for her.

Shadows Run From Yesterday by @important-metaphors​

Explicit | Ark AU | 14,053 words

Thirteen nations have operational space stations at the time of the bombs and Clarke Griffin is among the survivors. When she loses those dearest to her, she finds an ally in the person she least expects.

In My House on the Hill (there is room for you still) by @argyledpenguin​

Explicit | Ark AU, Angst | 24,066 words

“There were nights when the clinic was busy, forcing Clarke to scarf down a snack in between patients. But those nights were rare. Usually, there was time to take a break for lunch, to sketch for an hour, to talk to Bellamy, or to try to. It turned out that Bellamy wasn’t a talker. Or a friendly, pleasant person in general. But she got used to it. To him.” Clarke meets Bellamy on the ark.

Multichapter 

How You Stay Alive by @wellsjahasghost​

3 chapters | Explicit | Reincarnation AU | 88,303 words

You and him will live again by my hand. But whether you fall in love again is entirely up to you.” Nine lifetimes where Clarke and Bellamy meet again, and again, and again.

In his heart of hearts by @bilexualclarke​

2 chapters | Explicit | Ark AU, Enemies to Friends to Lovers | 12,808 words

She looks at him expectantly when he walks in, daring him to say something. His interactions with Clarke since their first day have consisted of “hello” “goodbye” and the occasional glare when he scoffs at something corny she says to a patient. But right now, he can’t help but take the bait. “Mommy pull some strings for you, Princess?” Clarke deflates a bit, and for a second it dawns on him that maybe she was waiting for him to congratulate her? But then, “Go fuck yourself.”

Bound by the secrets we share by troubledpancakes

4 chapters | Explicit | Ark AU | 48,523 words

Ninety-seven years ago, a nuclear apocalypse rendered planet Earth unlivable, leaving only the four-hundred people on the twelve space stations as its survivors. Over three generations, these twelve nations joined together to form the unified Ark Station. To preserve the human race, the leaders of the Ark implemented strict measures including: capital punishment for anyone over the age of eighteen, a ration system based on job placement, and the arrangement of marriages based on genetic compatibility. If the human race was to return to Earth, it had to be strong to survive. Clarke Griffin turned eighteen and celebrated her birthday with a marriage ceremony.

[thethirdamell]

Have you written anywhere how you'd change inquisition?

Cause I'm really curious

It is entirely possible I have written something like this before because I have the memory of a goldfish but here are some rambling thoughts for you. 

We open with an origin story that follows your character and how their particular origin would fare in the Mage/Templar war. The Mage/Templar spans across Thedas and impacts everyone, and remnants of it are felt throughout the rest of the game. (Not just in a handful of throwaway fetch quests to STEAL BLANKETS FROM HOMELESS MAGES). Each origin has ties to a larger part of the story encouraging replayability and pushing some origins to favor some roles over others. 

An underlying current throughout each origin (told in rumors, ambient dialogue, and throw-away codexes) is the belief that there is currently a Blight. While no one has seen darkspawn, they have seen an Archdemon and the mobilizations of Grey Wardens. Either this the Sixth Blight or the Fifth Blight never really ended. (It only lasted a year - the shortest in history. Tensions run high between Ferelden and other countries who believe reports of the Archdemon’s defeat were fabricated.)

Dwarf (Any Class): A member of the Carta, you have close ties to the templars as a result of generations of lyrium smuggling. Since the war, things have never been better. Business is booming and you don't have to work in the shadows anymore, but greed is an insatiable mistress. Your operations take you to Valammar, where you've heard tales of a different kind of lyrium.

*This origin encourages you to side with the templars from a narrative perspective. You’re introduced to Barris.

Elf (Any Class): A member of the Dalish, your clan is visited by Mihris, First of your sister clan, Virnehn. Her clan was massacred by a demon unleashed by Michael Chevin, a Chevalier in service to Empress Celene. She comes to ask your clan to help aid the elves of Halamshiral, seeking refuge in the aftermath of Celene’s massacre. In exchange, she promises ancient knowledge of the Eluvians. 

*This origin provides the background of the Masked Empire that was hidden in the books. It encourages you to side with Briala. 

Human (Non-Mage): You are a templar. Your family gave you to the Chantry at a young age, and it's all you've ever known. You've never had much of a choice about anything in your life. Even your break from the Chantry is forced, your Knight-Captain having killed your Knight-Commander in a bid for power. Your first real choice comes when they hand you the red vial: drink or die.

*This origin encourages you to side with the templars from a narrative perspective. You’re introduced to Samson.  

Human (Mage): You are a mage. When your Circle called for the right of Annulment, you ran, and you've been running ever since. The First Enchanter is dead. Most of the Senior Enchanters are too. The Venatori come down from Tevinter are the first friendly faces you’ve seen in months. Then they start killing the Tranquil. 

*This origin encourages you to side with the mages from a narrative perspective. You’re introduced to Calpernia. 

Tal-Vashoth (Non-Mage): You're Tal-Vashoth. You and your brothers were separated from the antaam during the siege of Kirkwall, and have been branded as deserters. You've made a living for yourselves working for Gaspard de Chalons as mercenaries, though some of you still hope to find your way back to the Qun. He gives you a new contract to protect a Revered Mother on her way to the Conclave. 

*This origin encourages you to side with Gaspard and possibly the Qun from a narrative perspective. 

Tal-Vashoth (Mage): You were saarebas. You’re not sure what you are now. You were separated or escaped from your avaard during the siege of Kirkwall, and you’ve been on your own ever since. A retinue of templars finds you, but you’re saved at the last minute by a group of Grey Wardens. They tell you they’re on their way to their Calling, but offer to take you to the Conclave before they go, where you might find a place for yourself among the mages. 

*This origin encourages you to side with the Grey Wardens and possibly the mages or the Qun from a narrative perspective. 

The Conclave is called and serves as the ‘Ostagar’ of Inquisition. You spend time in Haven and meet the larger than life characters. You also have the option of encouraging or discouraging some of your companions from your origin to accompany you up to the Template of Sacred Ashes. (Anyone who accompanies you will die.) Demons swarm the Conclave. You fight towards the heart of the conflict. Then you get the Anchor and everyone with you dies. 

Back in Haven, you wake as a prisoner. Varric is in the cell beside you, and provides you with a quick overview of what you missed while you were unconscious. You can attempt to convince Varric to help you escape, but he will decline. You are given the option of attempting to escape on your own or attempting to plead your case

1. Escape - You can theoretically make it out of Haven but it is almost impossible to do so without being caught. If you successfully escape, you can continue as normal to help close the breach, or leave. If you leave the game ends with a bad ending circa early 90’s games. 

2. Plead Your Case - You fail miserably. You are kept a prisoner and used to close the breach and then taken to trial before the Chantry. If you’re successful in pleading your case then you’re released into the Inquisition’s service. If you’re not successful Leliana will save you and recruit you into the Inquisition’s service. 

Unsuccessful Plea - You are given less choices on the order of your next few quests. (Impacts what you have available when Corpheus attacks Haven)

Successful Plea - You are given complete choice on the order of your next few quests.  (Impacts what you have available when Corpheus attacks Haven)

Escaped and Closed the Breach - You are still made to plead your case before the Chantry but it is extremely unlikely you will be unsuccessful. All companions except Casandra are extremely impressed and receive a boost to approval. 

From here the game focuses on the formation of the Inquisition. You can make a case for Varric to be granted freedom or be left a prisoner. If left a prisoner you can come visit him and he will not begrudge you any. He can be freed at a time by speaking with Casandra with at least a modicum of approval, or by speaking with Leliana with high approval. 

You are more or less an indentured agent of the Inquisition. Your incentive as a player for completing your quests is the promise of freedom if you help close the Breach. The type of Inquisition you form is up to you in terms of who you recruit, the message you put out, and the army you create. You are not necessarily labeled the Herald of Andraste, just the Herald. What you are the Herald of depends upon your backstory and choices and can change over the course of the game. 

I.E. : Herald of the Qun, Herald of Mythal, Herald of Andraste, Herald of the Stone, Herald of Death, Herald of Freedom, etc. 

When the Inquisition is relatively stable, you are given a choice of who is the Inquisitor among your companions / advisors. You do not have to be the Inquisitor. You can also reject the idea of an Inquisitor altogether. 

After completing your choice of a few main quests, Haven will be attacked by Corphyeus. ANYONE can die on the attack on Haven (companions, advisors, etc.), and your army will also take losses that can be mitigated by mounting a solid defense. The individuals you save exist as recurring minor characters and don’t just evaporate when you get to Skyhold. 

*If Varric is still a prisoner at this time he will die. 

When dealing with Skyhold, you actually have to repair it and build up defenses by recruiting troops and companions for a final ‘lead them or fall’ suicide fight with Corphyeus akin to ME2 which many other folk have written much better than I ever could so I’ll skip that. 

For the main quests, the Templar/Mage War is the main priority as you attempt to restore stability to Thedas. Unfortunately no one believes you about Corypheus. They also find their own matters to be more pressing, and will not help you until you help them. The consensus is it is just another Blight, and that you should consult the Grey Wardens about it. 

You’re presented with four options for the mage/templar war: Mages, Templars, Broker Peace, or Ignore the Conflict.

1. Recruiting the mages can result in having Fiona, Calpernia, or both as allies. 

2. Recruiting the templars can result in both Samson, Barris, or both as allies

3. It is not possible to broker peace if all four leaders live. Some leaders will refuse to work with others. Some leaders will refuse certain conditions. This is where you get a choice of conscription versus recruitment and what the new framework of the Circle looks like, if you’re not pursuing pure independence for one side or the other.

4. Ignoring the conflict will give you more time to focus on the rest of the world. The war will continue to ravage the countryside without you, and depending upon other choices one side will win and offer to assist you later. 

Beyond the war, the game focuses on convincing the countries surrounding the Breach to focus on it as the real threat. World leaders are more concerned with the Mage/Templar War and with the possibility of a new Blight than they are concerned with the Breach. The general consensus is that it is a side-effect of the Mage/Templar War brought about by the mages. There are (possible) civil wars taking place in the Free Marches, Ferelden, and Orlais. The game primarily spans these three locations. 

Orlais - The civil war is as seen in the game between Celene, Briala, and Gaspard. How quickly you stop the civil war determines how many forces are alive in the final fight against Corphyeus. How you choose to fight in the civil war swings the outcome in favor of one leader or another. Winter Palace will not trigger until one side is ready to capitulate. The choices you’ve made during the war will strongly influence your score in the Winter Palace and your ability to sway the nobility to your side. (Similar to Landsmeet)

Ferelden - The civil war in Ferelden is conditional to your world state. If Anora is made Queen without Alistair, a civil war is started in his name whether or not he is alive, though it is much weaker if Alistair is dead or if Cousland is King. How quickly you stop the civil war determines how many forces are alive in the final fight against Corphyeus. (Arl Eamon leads the civil war and can be persuaded to end it immediately if Alistair is recruited as a Grey Warden). If Anora is removed from the throne and NOT replaced with Alistair, Ferelden is significantly weakened and not able to provide aid in the final battle. 

If the Warden was a mage and requested freedom for the Circles, this has been granted in Ferelden. Any leader will automatically provide shelter to the mages, and in the event you ignore the mage/templar conflict, this strongly pushes victory in favor of the mages. This also makes it easier to recruit both Calpernia and Fiona if Fiona knows the mages have somewhere safe to turn that isn’t Tevinter. 

If the Ferelden Circle was destroyed and you ignore the mage/templar conflict, this strongly pushes victory in favor of the templars. This also makes it easier to recruit both Samson and Barris if they know the templars will have the support of the Ferelden Crown after the war is over. 

Free Marches - If Anders was spared, a civil war takes place between Starkhaven and Kirkwall. How quickly you stop the civil war determines how many forces are alive in the final fight against Corphyeus. 

If Hawke sided with the mages, and in the event you ignore the mage/templar conflict, this strongly pushes victory in favor of the mages. If Hawke sided with the templars, and you ignore the mage/templar conflict, this strongly pushes victory in favor of the templars.

If Hawke sided with the templars, and spared Anders, this greatly increases Kirkwall’s chance of victory in the civil war with Hawke as Viscount. 

If Sebastian was rivalled and encouraged to reclaim his throne, this greatly increases Starkhaven’s chance of victory in the civil war. If Sebastian is not rivalled, this decreases Starkhaven’s chance of victory in the civil war, but increases Templar/Chantry support of Sebastian. In the event you ignore the mage/templar conflict, this slightly pushes victory in favor of the templars.

*Some templars will not side with an Inquisitor who supports a Hawke who spared Anders. 

*If Anders was killed, he is seen as a martyr by southern mages. Some mages will not side with an Inquisitor who supports a Hawke who killed Anders. 

At any point in time you can seek out the Grey Wardens for help who actually know what they are doing and have an excellent plan to use demons to defeat the Archdemons before they all go to their Calling that has nothing to do with Venatori influence and is just a solid plan. They have done nothing wrong ever in their lives and everyone loves them. Upon being informed that the Calling is fake, they agree to help you against Corphyeus, because YOU ARE NOT A MONARCH AND HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO EXILE THEM.

That’s all I got for right now but I could add to it / clean it up if you thought it was a fun read.

[fitztrevelyan]

Verse: Inquisition

This is a in-depth description of Mistral’s role in the Inquisition and her personal POV on it. 

Iorveth is a character from the witcher series (all rights belong to  Andrzej Sapkowski & CDProjekt) translated into the Dragon Age universe (all rights belong to Bioware and EA).

More under the cut

1 - A hole in the Sky:

Mistral has just fled from Kirkwall. She’s trying to get a Tevinter mercenary company off her tail. While heading toward Orlais, she makes a stop-over in Heaven for supplies. It is only by chance that she eavesdrops on a conversation between a customer and the innkeeper about the conclave and the people who’d be attending; her half-cousins are in the list. Mistral ignores the cheering exchange of the men about the flow of gold that the event has brought into their pockets. She just drops a small coin pouch on the counter, stashes her supplies, and readies herself to leave silencing the emotions that stir in her stomach.

She is crossing the threshold when an explosion makes the sky turn green.

2 - Stuck

The hole in the sky wouldn’t be a problem per se, she could just ignore it and be back on her way... if only the bloody thing wasn’t vomiting demons and a large variety of other shit... 

There’s a group of religious fanatics that are enlisting voluntaries to help the poor sods who survived the explosion here. They speak of riots spreading like wildfire, much like the voices about the explosion to be intentional. Everyone is in shock at the assassination of the Divine. This is exactly the kind of hot mess where the Tevinter guys would never go looking for her... Interesting.

3 a- The Herald 

Masses are fickle. Opinions have the lifespan of a fly. Today you are accused to be a murderer? tomorrow they may just well call you a hero. Masses are nasty, nasty beasts, unpredictable; they need to box people in stereotypes to feel safe: mages, Qunari, Dwarves, Elves. Ah! Those little labels! They are just so reassuring when things turn sour...

And now the crowds have just anointed one of those freaks ODDITIES “the Herald of Andraste”. Mistral’s enjoying this madness more than she anticipated, watching the spectacle from her corner. Adan’s grumpy remarks on the events are a breath of fresh air and the guy knows his stuff about explosives. Until he’s around, stirring potions for the wounded and gathering herbs won’t be too bad. 

3 b - Saint Trevelyan of Ostwick

This is unexpected and potentially disastrous. Her cousin has been anointed by the crowds a savior and champion of Andraste. She’d laugh if the situation wasn’t so grotesque. She has no interest in reconnecting with the Trevelyan but at the moment she has no other option than to stay, trying to blend into the crowd. Working with the apothecary might be low-profile enough. She also might want to use her Rivaini name, for the time being, unless the spymaster manages to uncover her past. That damn girl knows her shit. 

4 - An unexpected turn of events

This is still a WIP. Adjustments are to be expected.

( I’ve been discussing this point with a friend who’s given me interesting prompts on the matter, so thank you mate for your valuable insights! The organization of Fen’Harel’s spy network is definitely based on your hc’s so thank you twice.)

It’s official, we’re in politics. The Inquisition has a fortress, an army, a good share of followers (more like devoted), and a spy network. A bloody good one too. Mistral has drawn the spymaster’s attention. She assumes that working for Leliana will allow her to control what information about her origins will fall into the former bard’s hands.  A gross miscalculation. It took quite some time, yes, and hard work too but in the end, Sister Nightingale managed to find out about Mistral’s connection to the Trevelyan family.

That poses three major problems: 

1- her cousin might expect her to be in their service much like grandfather did because back in Ostwick, that’s the way of things if you are a bastard. And Mistral isn’t into this option at all. 

2- The Trevelyan might feel threatened by the bastard daughter of Gallant; even more so because his wife, Lady Pandora Anaxas of Nevarra, has never stopped looking for the girl. If the wife of the rightful heir decided to adopt the girl, she would have a claim to the title of head of the house. That would mean only one thing: soon enough, the Crows of Antiva would be signing a ridiculously rich contract on her life. Not a risk she’s willing to take

3- Problem 1 and 2 aren’t mutually exclusive.

Everything points to an inevitable ending. Mistral wants to go back on her way but unexpectedly someone reappears from her past. 

Iorveth her friend, partner, and occasional lover has joined Leliana’s network. But there is more.  In time, the elf tells Mistral that, in fact, he is working for a broader plan involving the wellbeing of the elves and a shift in power. Mistral warns Iorveth he's walking a dangerous line: Leliana is extremely good at her job, not even she managed to throw her off the scent. Iorveth insists that the organization he's working for is vast, well networked, and secure. Different units with different tasks and different leaders; each leader reports to the higher ranks. The members of a unit don't know those of other units.

That's a lot to take on trust, the woman concedes, but Iorveth is determined in his argumentation. This is not some random raid against slavers ships like those they did when they worked together in Kirkwall. This is an actual chance for his people to take control over their own destiny.

When Mistral asks him why he's telling her all this, Iorveth, who's always been in love with her, reveals that he means to recruit her as a counterspy for his organization, but Mistral turns him down. Too many risks, and too blurry the ultimate end. Iorveth tells her secrecy is a necessary requirement but he can vouch for the nobility of the purpose.

Iorveth was always an idealist. She likes that about him as much as she is disillusioned about power, politics, and machinations. No revolution is fair unless your job is writing history books for those who have won the war.

They part in good terms. Mistral leaves Skyhold at night. She hasn't gone far when three Crows ambush her and try to kill the woman. Blackthorn is seriously wounded to defend her human sister. They would have died hadn't it been for Iorveth and his bow. Mistral is injured but safe; Blackthorn, on the other hand, needs urgent tending to her wounds. The only solution is to go back to Skyhold. In the process, Iorveth risks being uncovered as he carries stolen documents that he was supposed to deliver to his elven superior. Mistral manages to distract her fellow agents and puts the documents back in place (not without taking a peek).

Now she's the only one knowing the content of those papers. Her first job as an (unwilling) agent of Fen'Harel. The first but not the last.

Although the woman refuses repeatedly to enter the counterintelligence with Iorveth, she'll find herself time and again involved in the Dread Wolf's plans... 

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #78: Artoria (Lancer Alter)

Today on Fate and Phantasms, we’re making the King of Storms (as well as the King of Being Drawn with Way Too Thin Legs Seriously What Are Those) Artoria Pendragon (Lancer Alter)! You’re the one Artoria that chose to fight for herself, rather than a larger cause, and to reflect that in this build, this is the one Artoria that won’t have a single level of paladin or warlock in her, even though that build would be a lot easier to make and play.

Check out the build breakdown below the cut, or Artoria’s character sheet over here!

Race and Background

Artoria may be a human, but she also leads the wild hunt now, and... living people don’t do that. As a Revenant, she gets +1 Strength, Constitution and Wisdom, and she has a Relentless Nature. As long as her goal isn’t complete, she gains 1 hp at the start of each turn while bloodied, and she returns to life 24 hours after dying. She also always knows the distance and direction of any creatures related to her goal. Upon reaching that goal, she dies, so... no hurries on that.

She’s also a Knight of the Order, giving her proficiency in Persuasion and Arcana. You’re more lucid in events, and those are usually very strange magical events, so.. that checks out.

Stats

There’s a lot of multiclassing requirements, so you might want to play it safe and just take the standard array this time around. Regardless, make your Strength as high as possible- we need it for multiclassing and stabbing. We’ll also need plenty of Dexterity; you might spend most of your time sitting on a horse, but you charge into battle in mostly a bikini, so you’ve got to be good at not getting hit. Your Wisdom should probably be lower than it is, but we need it for multiclassing. Your Charisma isn’t that strong- you’re usually too out of it to be convincing, but again, we need it for multiclassing. We’re not dumping Constitution, so that leaves Intelligence in the lowest slot. You’re can’t tell if you’re in a dream or not most of the time, and while that would be a wisdom dump, it also  means you’re not thinking about things too hard.

Class Levels

1. Barbarian 1: We’ll switch to another class in a bit, but the extra HP from starting as a barbarian is nice and we can get all the skills we need anyway. When you become a barbarian, you gain proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, as well as Animal Handling and Intimidation to corral your horse and your enemies, respectively.

You also gain your Mana Burst a.k.a. Rage, which you can activate for up to a minute as a bonus action twice per long rest. While raging, you have advantage on Strength checks and saves, bonus damage to strength based melee attacks, and resist bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. To balance this out, you can’t get these bonuses while wearing heavy armor, and you can’t cast or concentrate on spells while raging. On top of that, you have Unarmored Defense, gaining an AC based on your Dexterity and Constitution scores. Those aren’t good right now, so I’d suggest just keeping some medium armor on for now. Also, your Lance is a bit awkward right now, but we’ll fix that soon enough.

2. Ranger 1: Bouncing over to ranger nets you a ranger skill, and your Insight proficiency will help you determine if someone you’re fighting is a worthy hero (hint: if they’re controlled by a player, they’re probably worthy). 

We’re using the Revised Ranger, meaning at first level you gain a Favored Enemy in Humanoids. You get a damage bonus when attacking them, and have advantage on checks to track and recall information about them. You’re also a Natural Explorer, letting you ignore difficult terrain, giving you advantage on initiative, and you have advantage against creatures who have not taken a turn yet. You also have several traveling bonuses for long distance treks.

3. Ranger 2: Second level rangers get a Fighting Style, and Dueling will strengthen your lance even more, once Llamrei shows up. You also learn how to cast Spells using your wisdom. 

For your spells, Beast Bond will grant you a telepathic bond with a friendly animal, and Hunter’s Mark helps you track a target and deal even more damage to them for a very long time.

4. Ranger 3: At third level you pick a conclave, and the revised Beast Master conclave is the only way we’re getting a horse outside of paladin or bard levels. With 8 hours of work and 50 gp, you can summon an Animal Companion to help you. Typically you have to pick one from the list, but you can beg your DM for a horse if you want to, and we want to. You can also re-summon the same animal for half the cost if it dies, so your horse is as immortal as you are. Your Companion’s Bond means your horse uses your proficiency bonus, and also adds that bonus to its AC and damage. It also gains proficiency in Perception and Insight, and is proficient in all saving throws. Whenever you level up as a ranger, your companion gains an extra hit die, and when you gain an ASI in the ranger class, so does your companion.

You also gain a Primeval Awareness, letting you vaguely communicate with animals and sense any favored enemies nearby. (Since you are one of your favored enemies, the answer is always yes.)

Finally, for your spell, grab Fog Cloud. We are still in London, after all.

5. Ranger 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to become a Mounted Combatant, gaining advantage on attacks against creatures smaller than your mount, the ability to force attacks targeting your mount to target you instead, and giving Llamrei evasion, so failing a dexterity save means it takes half damage, and succeeding negates all damage. Also, improve Llamrei’s Dexterity to make their AC better.

6. Barbarian 2: Moving back to Barbarian gives you a Reckless Attack, granting you advantage on attacks for a turn in exchange for advantage on attacks against you until your next turn. This doesn’t do much if you’re on Llamrei, but she can’t be around all the time. You also gain a Danger Sense, giving you advantage on dexterity saving throws.

7. Barbarian 3: Setting down the path of the Storm Herald gives you your first taste to being a real King of Storms, granting you a Storm Aura that extends 10′ around you while raging. The sea aura strikes a single creature with lightning when you begin to rage and as a bonus action while raging, forcing a dexterity save to dodge the strikes. The save DC is based on your constitution, which... isn’t good.

8. Barbarian 4: Use this ASI to bump up your Constitution for stronger lightning and more HP and AC, and also bring your Charisma up to multiclassing standards.

9. Barbarian 5: Fifth level barbarians get an Extra Attack with their attack action, as well as Fast Movement, adding 5′ to your movement speed when not wearing heavy armor. You’ve been on a horse for four levels though, so it’s probably not all that useful to you.

10. Ranger 5: We got everything we need from barbarian, so now let’s bounce back over to ranger one last time for a Coordinated Attack. When you take the attack action, Llamrei can react to make one attack at the same time. Friends who slay together stay together.

Also pick up Darkvision; stormy nights tend to be dark ones, and you’re a human with dumb human eyes.

11. Ranger 6: Sixth level rangers get a Greater Favored Enemy; you’re not a huge fan of gods, so you now have advantage on saves caused by Celestials, and deal an extra 4 damage to them and humanoids.

12. Ranger 7: Our last level of ranger gives Llamrei Beast’s Defense; as long as she can see you, she has advantage on all saving throws. This does bring up an argument about whether or not she can see you while you’re riding on her, but horses have good peripheral vision, so she probably can.

You also get Barkskin, which is like Mage Armor, but it’s tougher and a concentration spell. Use it on Llamrei so you can stop taking all her hits for her, or yourself if you want to use the tits out armor style, it’s up to you.

13. Sorcerer 1: Beast Masters and Barbarians are deathly allergic to being interrupted when leveling up, which is why we haven’t gotten any real storm power yet. You can sprinkle these levels in earlier if you want, but that changes now. 

Storm Sorcerers can speak Primordial thanks to Wind Speaker, and Tempestuous Magic lets you fly 10 feet as a bonus action before or after casting a spell. Cast a buff on Llamrei, then fly yourself into her saddle, it’ll be sick. Speaking of, you also get a new Spell list, which uses Charisma to cast. Since you’re multiclassing spellcasters now, you’ll have to check out the multiclassing table to find out how many spell slots you have at each level.

For cantrips, Booming Blade, Gust, Shocking Grasp, and Thunderclap give you some long overdue storm-based attacks. Mage Armor isn’t great for you, but it’s awesome for your horse; by the end of this build she’ll be rocking an AC of 21 with it. For your own protection, grab Shield.

14. Sorcerer 2: You become a Font of Magic, giving you a number of sorcery points equal to your sorcerer level that you can use to make new spell slots. We’re long overdue to give your horse flight, but use Jump for now to triple her jump distance.

15. Sorcerer 3: Third level sorcerers get Metamagic, special ways for you to customize spells using sorcery points. Extended Spell costs 1 point to double the duration of a spell to get the most out of your slots, and Quickened Spell costs 2 points to reduce a casting time of one action to one bonus action.

Speaking of spells, Misty Step will help you keep your distance to prevent the awkwardness of your lance from being too much of an issue, though because you’re not a paladin you can’t take Llamrei with you.

16. Sorcerer  4: Use this ASI to bump up your Strength; you’ll need it for stabbing. Also, pick up Lightning Lure and Warding Wind to help your storm pick up speed. Worth noting: Warding Wind makes difficult terrain for everyone except you; that includes Llamrei.

17. Sorcerer 5: Fifth level sorcerers get third level spells, meaning you can finally help Llamrei Fly. Use this with Lightning Lure for all sorts of OSHA violating fun.

18. Sorcerer 6: You become the Heart of the Storm: You resist thunder and lightning damage, and casting non-cantrips that deal that kind of damage causes you to explode in thunder or lightning, dealing half your sorcerer level in damage to creatures you choose within 10′ of you. You’re also a Storm Guide, letting you stop the rain in a 20′ radius around you, and control the wind’s direction in a 100′ radius, both as bonus actions.

You might have noticed you don’t have any spells that trigger your Heart of the Storm, so let’s fix that with Lightning Bolt.

19. Sorcerer 7: Seventh level sorcerer get fourth level spells. Sickening Radiance lets you unleash your lance’s true power in a 30′ radius, dealing radiant damage and exhaustion damage to creatures that fail a constitution save in the area.

20. Sorcerer 8: Your final level gives you one last ASI. Use this to bump up your Constitution for more health, better rage lightning, and better concentration.

You also get your final spell, Storm Sphere, which creates a stormy sphere that deals bludgeoning and lightning damage.

Pros:

Being on a horse makes you very mobile. Being on a flying horse is just really cool, and also really mobile. The added movement speed can help you attack squishier enemies and escape before the tougher ones can do anything about it.

Did you know almost 100% of player characters die at some point? But you’re already dead, so you can use you Immortality to your advantage. You’re kind of immortal, your horse is kind of immortal, it’s a good deal all around, except for the rest of the party.

Your spells aren’t powerful, but they are flavorful, and if your DM rewards creative play you’ll have a lot to work with. Blow some wind through the trees to copy the wild hunt, and use your flashier spells for intimidation more than actual damage.

Cons:

Your spells are terrible. Every stat that even looks like a spellcasting modifier is, at most, a 14. Save your spell slots for buffs; the rest probably won’t be much help if the enemy has any sort of proficiency on that dexterity or constitution saves.

Using your buff spells might also not be a good idea, because you’ll have to choose between spells and raging. Flight is great, but is it worth not being able to rage? I mean, yes, but your other spells might be more difficult to answer.

Your horse has roughly the same problem as Okita. Great saves, good AC, terrible HP. An enemy with magic missile or some other unavoidable damage will very quickly destroy Llamrei, and without her a lot of your kit becomes much less useful. She’s still much stronger than the horse you’d get for being a paladin, though.

Next up: Five Elements Total Landscaping

[daitranscripts]

Cassandra Cutscene: From The Ashes

I Should Have Known

Cassandra Masterpost Related Quest: Here Lies the Abyss

The PC approaches Cassandra at Skyhold.

Cassandra: Have you met this “friend” of Varric’s, Inquisitor?

PC: Not yet, no.

Cassandra: It had better not be who I think it is. I will wring that little bastard’s neck.

PC: Why? Who do you think it is?

Cassandra: Someone Varric claimed he could not contact. Someone the Inquisition—indeed, all of Thedas—desperately needed. I’ll reserve judgment until I know for certain. No need to have that rogue screaming “persecution” yet again.

After the PC meets Hawke, they come upon Cassandra chasing Varric around a table in the upper floor of the armory.

Cassandra: You knew where Hawke was all along!

Varric: You’re damned right I did!

Cassandra: You conniving little shit!

Cassandra swings at him but he ducks out of the way and runs to the other side of the table.

Varric: You kidnapped me! You interrogated me! What did you expect?

Dialogue options:

General: [Intervene.] [1] + Varric approves

General: [Stay out of it.] [2] - Varric disapproves

1 - General: [Intervene.] PC: Hey! Enough! Cassandra: You’re taking his side? PC: I said enough! [3]

2 - General: [Stay out of it.] The PC crosses their arms and shakes their head. They remain silent. Cassandra: I expected you to tell the truth! I told you what was at stake! Varric: So I’d just hand [them] over on your say so? “It’s okay, Hawke! This zealot isn’t crazy, I promise!” Cassandra: (Cry of rage.) Cassandra flips the table, and Varric runs to the PC. Varric: Look at her! She’s finally lost it!

Dialogue options:

General: Stop this fighting! - Cassandra slightly disapproves PC: All right! You’ve both made your point. [3]

General: This is funny. - Cassandra disapproves PC: (Chuckles.) This would be funny if it wasn’t also kind of sad. [3]

General: Leave me out of this. + Cassandra slightly approves - Varric slightly disapproves The PC steps back and shakes their head. [3]

3 - Scene continues.

Cassandra: We needed someone to lead this Inquisition.

Cassandra (HoF survived DA:O): First, Leliana and I searched for the Hero of Ferelden, but [they] had vanished. Then we looked for Hawke, but [they were] gone, too. We thought it all connected, but no. It was just you. You kept [them] from us.

Cassandra (HoF died in DA:O, Hawke sided mages): Hawke was our only hope. [They were] the Champion of Kirkwall. The mages respected [them].

Cassandra (HoF died in DA:O, Hawke sided templars): Hawke was our only hope. [They were] the [Vicount/Vicountess] of Kirkwall. [They] commanded respect.

Varric gestures at the PC.

Varric: The Inquisition has a leader.

Cassandra: Hawke would have been at the Conclave! If anyone could have saved Most Holy…

Dialogue options:

General: Cassandra, back off! [4] - Cassandra disapproves

General: Varric’s not at fault. [5] + Varric approves

General: What’s done is done. [6]

General: Varric, you bastard. [7] - Varric greatly disapproves

4 - General: Cassandra, back off! PC: You’ve made your point! [8]

5 - General: Varric’s not at fault. PC: Varric’s not responsible for what happened at the Conclave. [8]

6 - General: What’s done is done. PC: You can’t change the past, Cassandra. Cassandra: So I must accept… what? That the Maker wanted all this to happen? That He, that He… [8]

7 - General: Varric, you bastard. PC: You did that out of spite? [8]

8 - Scene continues.

Varric (friends with Hawke): I was protecting my friend! Varric (not friends with Hawke): What do you want from me?

Cassandra: Varric is a liar, Inquisitor. A snake. Even after the Conclave, when we needed Hawke most, Varric kept [them] secret.

Varric: [They’re] with us now. We’re on the same side!

Cassandra: We all know who’s side you’re on, Varric. It will never be the Inquisition’s.

Dialogue options:

General: We need to work together. [9] + Varric Slightly Approves

General: That’s unfair, Cassandra. [10] + Varric approves - Cassandra disapproves

General: Varric’s earned his place. [11] + Varric approves - Cassandra disapproves

General: I’m well aware. [12] + Cassandra approves -  Varric disapproves

9 - General: We need to work together. PC: Attacking him now won’t help us, Cassandra. Varric: Exactly! PC: And you better not be keeping anything else from us. Varric: (Sighs.) I understand. [13]

10 - General: That’s unfair, Cassandra. PC: That’s unworthy of you. [13]

11 - General: Varric’s earned his place. PC: Varric’s earned his right to be here, Cassandra. Varric: Thank you. [13]

12 - General: I’m well aware. PC: You don’t need to tell me that. Varric: Oh, like I have no reasons to help the Inquisitor finish this? PC: For the moment. Varric: Fine. For the moment, I’d like to do what I can. [13]

13 - Scene continues.

Cassandra (med/high approval): He did bring Hawke. Late, perhaps, but Hawke is with us. As are you.

Cassandra (low/neutral approval): I must not think of what could have been. We have so much at stake. Go, Varric. Just… go.

Varric goes to leave, but pauses at the top of the stairs.

Varric: You know what I think? If Hawke had been at the temple, [they’d] be dead, too. You people have done enough to [them].

Varric leaves.

Cassandra: I… believed him. He spun his story for me, and I swallowed it. If I’d just explained what was at stake… If I’d just made him understand…

Cassandra sits.

Cassandra: But I didn’t, did I? I didn’t explain why we needed Hawke. I am such a fool.

14 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: What if it had been different? (selecting this will remove the flirt option) [15] + Cassandra slightly approves

General: Don’t blame yourself. [16] + Cassandra approves

General: We’re all fools, Cassandra. [17] + Cassandra approves

General: We need to do better. [18]

Flirt: I still like you. [19]

15 - Investigate: What if it had been different? PC: What if you hadn’t believed him, and you tracked Hawke down? Cassandra: Honestly, Hawke might not even have agreed to become Inquisitor. Cassandra (Hawke sided mages): [They] supported the mage rebellion, after all. [They] wouldn’t have trusted me for a second. Cassandra (Hawke sided templars): [They] supported the templars in Kirkwall, but [they] had so many enemies. I could have been one of them. Cassandra: But this isn’t about Hawke, or even Varric. Not truly. I should have been more careful. I should have been smarter.   I don’t deserve to be here. [Back to 14]

16 - General: Don’t blame yourself. PC: You’re too hard on yourself, Cassandra. Cassandra: Not hard enough, I think. PC: You can’t believe that. [20]

17 - General: We’re all fools, Cassandra. PC: Have you looked at our Inquisition, Cassandra? We’re all fools, here. Cassandra: (Choked laughter.) Is that supposed to make me feel better? PC: More at home, maybe. [20]

18 - General: We need to do better. PC: We can’t afford any more mistakes. Cassandra: You think I don’t know that? PC: I’m making sure. [20]

19 - Flirt: I still like you. PC: Good thing I still like you. Cassandra: I’m serious! PC: You think I’m not? [20]

20 - Scene continues.

Cassandra: (Breathes deeply.) I want you to know, I have no regrets.

Cassandra (HoF is alive): Maybe if we’d found Hawke or the Hero of Ferelden, the Maker wouldn’t have needed to send you. But He did. Cassandra (HoF is not alive): Maybe if we’d found Hawke, the Maker wouldn’t have needed to send you. But He did.

Cassandra (med/high approval, have flirted): I don’t know how it will end, but I would have it no other way. Cassandra (med/high approval): I don’t know what’s to come, but… you’re more than I could have hoped for. Cassandra (low/neutral approval): You’re… not what I’d pictured. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I know less than nothing.

Scene ends.

[argylemnwrites]

Fight or Flight - Chapter 7: Resignation

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)

Book: The Royal Heir (canon divergent from the end of book 2)

Word Count: ~4200

Rating: R (language only)

Summary: Thirty hours since The Walker Absconding

Author’s Note: What day of the week is it even? Oh well, here’s a chapter, hahaha. This series follows the Walkers, their friends, and Cordonia as a whole after they flee the country with their daughter during Barthelemy Beaumont’s attempted coup. To catch up on this series, check out it’s masterlist. (link can be found via my bio - sorry, Tumblr is once again not putting my posts with links in tag searches)

“My fellow Cordonians, it is with a heavy heart that I speak to you today.”

His words echoed in his mind, over and over again, his speech something that was likely to stay burned into his mind for the rest of his life. After all, he couldn’t predict anything quite as memorable as having to announce his loss of title to his citizens and the world at large happening to him at any point in the future.

“I never anticipated having to bring this news to you, but even though I am no longer King of Cordonia, I have no intention of yielding the power of the crown to anyone who I feel is a threat to the safety and prosperity of this country.”

Stefan was following the media coverage of his speech that he gave this evening that provided an overview of the day’s events, including his removal from the throne, Bridget’s ascension to queen-regent until the Conclave, and his intention to name a regent for her tomorrow. Liam knew he personally should be watching to see how people were responding, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do so. His emotions were frayed, raw, and strung out. It felt like everything was spiraling out of control. He hadn’t felt like this in a very long time. Not since Father died, in all honesty.

The weeks surrounding his father’s death were sort of covered in a surreal blur whenever he reflected back on them. Not only had his relationship with Father been more complicated and fraught than it had ever been before at the time of his passing, making his loss a thorny storm of emotions, but he’d barely even had time to mourn in any capacity. His country had been in the midst of an active terrorist threat, plus he’d been processing true heartbreak for the first time in his life. He had somehow gotten through those days, those emotions, those struggles though. He knew he would get through everything happening now as well, but at the moment, that seemed like an impossible task.

“I know that this is an unprecedented combination of events, comparable to nothing that has occurred in hundreds of years of Cordonian history. But I have seen the strength and resilience of our citizens first-hand, and I am confident that we will emerge from this Social Season stronger than ever.”

As far as next steps went, naming Rashad as Bridget’s regent was really his only option. Thankfully, in spite of the man’s ambivalence when it came to his noble title, he’d agreed to fill the role and was coming to the hearing in the morning to allow for a rapid transfer of power. He was one of the only truly neutral parties available who was appropriately titled and qualified. Liam had brought Hana with him to broach the topic with Rashad, but her gentle powers of persuasion proved unnecessary. The only point at which the conversation was anything but pleasant and agreeable was when Rashad wanted to schedule a meeting with Riley and Drake to discuss how best to handle legal and physical custody of Bridget in ways that would be in accordance with the results of the no-confidence vote, but Liam had been easily able to convince him to table that topic until he was sworn in as regent.

“No matter my title or role, know that I will always serve the citizens of Cordonia in whatever way they require.”

He half-heartedly pulled more documents from his desk drawers, trying to focus on the task at hand. He needed to determine which pieces of information were private, and should come with him to Lythikos, versus those that he needed to leave behind as essential information to allow Cordonia’s next leader to govern. In all honesty, he probably should be creating a sort of quick-guide, a makeshift introductory pamphlet with the most important pieces of information required to lead the country to ease the transition of power. However, another part of him felt like that would be a mistake. Maybe he should allow things to be rough initially, giving the people a chance to miss his leadership. It’s not like Rashad was completely incompetent, so it shouldn’t cause a dangerous power vacuum if he just left Rashad without any formal instructions. And, after all, didn’t a no-confidence vote indicate he shouldn’t be attempting to wield any power at the moment? If this was the wish of the majority of the major houses, maybe he should just let their little scheme play out and backfire on them in spectacular fashion. But was it fair to subject the common citizens to engage in such a game of political chicken?

A wave of loneliness and isolation washed over him as he weighed his options. This dilemma was just one of many he was facing at the moment that he wished he could discuss with Drake. Over the years, Drake had, more often than not, served as his sounding board, devil’s advocate, and unofficial advisor. The countless instances they’d sat in this office at the end of the day, sipping whiskey while Liam solidified his stances and bounced ideas off of Drake had helped him prepare to face political opponents, foreign negotiators, and skeptical members of the press time and time over. Now, he had to make decisions on his own, without his most trusted friend and ally.

For perhaps the tenth time that evening, he pulled the slip of paper Hana had given him out of his pocket and stared at Drake and Riley’s phone numbers. He could call Drake to talk, he supposed. But he was struggling to work up the courage to do so. He couldn’t just pretend nothing had changed and ask Drake to listen as he worked through his thought process. Drake had different priorities now. That much was wildly apparent.

There was also the small matter of the fact that Liam knew he would need to hide some of his thoughts and feelings from Drake at the moment. He’d done it before, back during Drake and Riley’s engagement, but part of doing so involved keeping his distance from Drake at that time. Drake just knew him better than anyone and could more easily read through his diplomatic mask. It was really only in the past six months or so that it seemed things had fully returned to normal, Drake’s marriage to Riley no longer a point of awkwardness between them. Now, for Drake to flee in the middle of a coup, it felt like the foundation of their friendship was being torn apart yet again.

A few sharp taps on the door interrupted his thoughts. A second later, the door swung open, revealing Olivia with a bottle of wine in her hand.

“I thought you might want some company,” she said as she strode across the room, grabbing two wine glasses off the bar cart before flouncing into the seat across from him. “I won’t even make you switch seats with me, even though the monarch’s desk should technically be mine tonight.”

Liam forced a smile as she sat down and moved to uncork the wine, noticing the vintage of the bottle for the first time.

“Olivia, that bottle is worth over ten thousand Euros.”

She grinned at him as she poured them both a glass. “Exactly. This fine wine was procured by a member of the Rys family, and therefore if anyone deserves to drink it, it’s you.” With that she handed Liam a glass and picked up her own. Liam could only shake his head lightly before tapping his glass against hers gently.

“To the end of Rys rule in Cordonia,” he said with a little shrug before taking a sip. He saw Olivia raise her eyebrows over her own glass.

“Liam…” she started as she set down her glass on the desk.

“It’s nothing, just a bad joke,” Liam lied, waving his hand through the air. “Would you mind terribly if I asked you which documents you think are the most important ones to leave for Rashad?” he asked as he placed a stack of paperwork on the desk between them, trying to divert the conversation.

His question was met with silence, so Liam glanced up from the documents. Olivia was staring at him intently, and she took another sip of her wine before she responded.

“I can certainly help with that, but Liam… are you… shit, I don’t know what to say. This fucking sucks, doesn’t it?”

He let out a little snort at that. “Indeed, it does.”

“I can’t believe those assholes are trying to pull this bullshit. Like fucking Barthelemy would make a better king than you. You’ve given up everything for this country.”

“It feels that way sometimes. I was happy to do so for so long, too. I always knew that leading Cordonia was an honor, and after my brother’s abdication, I never resented needing to prove to my people that I would be a worthy king. But now…” he trailed off, unable to vocalize the rest of that thought. After everything he’d done to be a good king, a better king than his paranoid, ruthless father ever was, and this was how the universe chose to repay him.

The tense silence hung in the office for a few moments before Olivia spoke again. “Speaking of your brother, I hope you don’t mind, but I gave Leo a call and told him what was happening. I figured this isn’t the sort of thing he should hear about on the news. I think he’s flying back. He seemed pretty upset over the whole thing.”

Liam just hummed at that. He loved his brother, but he wasn’t sure if the man who willingly chose to shed his title of Crown Prince would be able to sympathize with his personal pain of having his title stripped from him. Maybe he could help provide some nice distractions, though. Leo was always good for that.

“Thank you,” Liam finally said with a nod, “I planned to call him tomorrow.”

“No problem. I just figured you and Drake might have… a lot to discuss.”

Liam gave a weak smile and shook his head. “I actually haven’t spoken to him yet.”

Olivia narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly at his comment. “Well, that needs to be addressed.”

He frowned, taking another sip of the admittedly very excellent wine before he responded. “Quite frankly, Liv, I don’t know that I want to discuss my reasons for not calling him with you. At least not tonight.”

“Tough shit. You have no reason not to call him anymore. And seeing as he’s been your… confidante,” she said, clearly taking a moment to decide how to describe their relationship, “for decades, it strikes me as pretty concerning that you didn’t rush to call him at the first chance you got.”

Liam sighed heavily. He didn’t really want to get into this all, but she was clearly not going to let him brush this off. “I don’t know what to say to him. He left, and I just…” Liam trailed off, unable to fully vocalize the pain he felt in regards to Drake’s actions.

Olivia pursed her lips for just a moment, her bright red nails tapping rapidly against the stem of her wine glass. “I can’t figure out if you are attempting to punish him or protect him here.”

Her response caught him off guard. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you clearly are all sorts of angry and frustrated with him at the moment. I just can’t tell if you think that’s justified, and this is some sort of passive aggressive punishment, or if you realize you aren’t being fair, and you don’t want to make him feel any guiltier.”

“Are you saying that my irritation with him isn’t justified?”

“Irritation would be fine. But I don’t believe for one second that you would avoid talking to Drake if you were merely irritated with him.”

Liam was expecting some sort of sly comment about how surely talking to Drake was always irritating, but it didn’t come. Instead, Olivia continued on, serious and solemn.

“You must be insanely upset with him if you haven’t given him a call, and I’m going to be honest, that scares me. I’m backing you at the Conclave, Liam, and I intend to throw the Nevrakis name behind a winner. So that means you need to be emotionally ready for this fight over the next couple of months. I can’t have you caught up in some petty bullshit with Drake fucking Walker.”

Her statement was a surprising one. “I would have thought you would have been the one person who might understand my rather complicated point of view on this subject.”

She shook her head. “Drake and I may not see eye to eye on… a lot of things, actually, but I still think you are being absurd here.”

“This critique strikes me as slightly hypocritical, as I am having a hard time picturing you not being at least fairly angry with the mess they have created here. A mess that could have been avoided if they’d stuck to your plan, I might add.”

“Of course I’m angry with them! They put almost zero thought into this, and I’ve been scrambling for more than a day straight to try and prevent this all from spiraling into total disaster. But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand why they did it. This was all in service of keeping their family together, Liam. You have to know that.”

He did understand that intellectually, but somehow her assessment just didn’t sit right with him. “Yes, Olivia. I can comprehend that their motivations are the safety and security of their daughter, but what I cannot bring myself to do is approve of their decision to commit treason and abandon the citizens of Valtoria they took an oath to serve.”

Olivia took a long sip of her wine before she replied, “Do you want me to pretend that I believe your last statement there, or do you want someone besides Drake to call you on your bullshit? I can do either, you just need to tell me what you want.”

“Of course I want you to be honest with me, Olivia,” he said, completely baffled by her assertion.

She just raised her eyebrows and stared at him, giving him one last chance to ask her to lie, apparently. All he could do was raise his eyebrows right back and take a drink from his own glass, almost daring her to do her worst.

“You aren’t pissed that they are shitty nobles who just abandoned their posts without a second thought. You are pissed that Drake isn’t here to serve as your emotional support.”

Liam opened his mouth to retort, but Olivia shook her head and just kept going.

“It’s understandable, really. He’s been the one you could always turn to, and now it feels like you can’t rely on him at a time when you really fucking need that kind of support. But you need to at least recognize that personal pain as the source of your anger here and not hide behind indignation over the way Drake and Riley fulfill their roles as duke and duchess.

“Those two have always been shitty members of the nobility, and you have never had an issue with it up until this point. In fact, you seemed to tacitly approve of their antics as you granted them power that other dukes and duchesses could only dream of.”

Liam frowned, the blood pounding in his ears as he tried not to let Olivia’s words anger him. “What do you mean?” he breathed out, focusing on not letting this situation escalate. A defensive Olivia was the last thing he was mentally and emotionally equipped to handle tonight.

“Liam, you essentially handed them the reins when it came to the Auvernal negotiations.”

“Those negotiations all centered around their child. It felt wrong to not grant them a certain amount of control given the circumstances.”

She tilted her head back and forth for just a moment. “Sure, I get that. And I’m really not trying to make you defend your decisions here regarding that whole mess. But you have to admit that Drake and Riley have kind of always just done whatever the hell they wanted, and until today, you never had anything to say about it.”

Her assessment echoed through the room as Liam leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of wine. He didn’t want to think he was being solely motivated by his emotions here. He’d worked for years and years, since he was a young boy, to ensure that he kept any feelings in check, guarded and secured for private moments. But Olivia did have a point - Drake and Riley bucking tradition and proper conduct for members of the nobility had never really bothered him before. 

“Liam, I’m not trying to kick you while you’re already hurting. It’s probably natural to feel hurt by Drake’s decision here. I just think you will be able to move past this a little easier if you are honest about why his actions bother you.”

Liam glanced across the desk, meeting Olivia’s gaze. “I sometimes just…” but he couldn’t complete his thought. To vocalize that he just wanted the most important person in his life to care about him on a personal level above all others would be immature and selfish. Drake had a wife and child to think about. Of course they warranted more of his consideration than Liam did. But it was just one more thing he lost in the past day or so, that one person around whom he didn’t need to censor himself, the only individual who gave him honesty without question of motive.

Olivia reached across the desk and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “Like I said, being upset is pretty natural here. If it makes you feel any better, I wanted to reach through my phone and stab them both in the gut when Drake told me they had no intention of returning, even if it meant treason charges.”

Liam let out a little chuckle. “How are you so… calm about this now?” Using that word to describe Olivia in any situation felt out of character, but there was literally no other way to describe her at the moment. She looked at ease, sipping thousands of Euros of wine like it was nothing.

“I’m not sure if ‘calm’ is the right word; it’s more like I’m… resigned, I guess. They are both stubborn as hell, and they made this choice because they thought it was best for their kid. Even I can’t fight that.”

“I just wish they would have gone to Lythikos. Then we could be fighting this from all angles together.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe? That was your whole plan, and it still seems better thought out than their fugitive act.”

“From our perspective, sure. But we are worried about Cordonia as a whole. They are just worried about keeping their daughter. And given that Rashad already brought up wanting to meet with them to discuss custody, it seems like they were at least a little bit justified in their concerns.”

Liam frowned. Hana must have filled in Olivia of the details of their conversation with Rashad. Liam had gotten the impression that Rashad wanted to find a way to keep Drake and Riley as active participants in Bridget’s life based on the way he requested that meeting, not tear them apart from their child. “Do you really think Rashad has any interest in keeping them from their daughter?”

“No, not exactly. But I also think that coming to live at the palace as Bridget’s nannies or guardians or whatever Rashad plans to throw out there as a way to obey the letter of the law when it comes to the no-confidence vote is a far cry from being recognized as her parents fully. At the end of the day, I just think they aren’t willing to compromise on any aspect when it comes to being a family.” Olivia pursed her lips and glanced into her lap before she continued, “It kind of makes me wish my own parents would have felt that way.”

Her confession was so vulnerable, so honest, it nearly took his breath away. When they were younger, Olivia had sometimes talked about her fears, her pain, her neglect, and Liam had always been willing to lend an ear and supportive shoulder for her to lean on. But as the years marched on, those conversations had dwindled and eventually ceased. Olivia became more defensive, not allowing herself to be perceived as weak by anyone. And in some regards, she thrived. But clearly, that pain from her childhood was still a part of her.

Liam could identify with her in some respects. Father had always devoted more time and energy to Leo. After all, not only had he been the Crown Prince, but he acted out more, drawing more attention nearly every step of the way. But that had largely left Liam to spend time with Mother, who always tried to balance his formal lessons with genuine warmth and affection. And even though she’d been killed and taken from him when he was still quite young, he at least had her guidance and devotion for a while. That was more than Olivia could say about her parents.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized that Mother might have made the same choice as Drake and Riley, had she been placed in that position. He didn’t recognize it as a child, but looking back on her words now, he saw her concerns, her worries, and her desire to keep him safe. Did she regret her station? Regret raising her son in such an environment? Or did the fact that he’d never known her as an adult mean that he just saw her actions through the rose-tinted glasses of a child?

“Bridget is lucky in that respect,” Liam eventually said, reaching across the desk and refilling both of their wine glasses. “I suppose that’s why royal lineage tends to be emphasized and protected for generation after generation. It’s the only way to battle that instinctual urge to protect one’s children and instead force them to carry massive responsibilities.”

Olivia shook her head. “Or generations of people who strike up primarily political marriages just eliminates all love and empathy from the gene pool.”

“What would you have done, if you were in their position?” Liam asked before taking another sip of wine. The more he thought about it, he wasn’t sure what he would have done if it was his own child. All the options that worked their way into his mind seemed terrible.

Olivia paused to take a drink as well, her free hand tapping a rapid pattern against the surface of the desk. “I don’t know. I’d like to think I would be able to plot things out rationally, but I might have violently lashed out. I don’t think I would have run, but that’s just never been my style. But I don’t know exactly how it would unfold.”

“It’s hard to imagine, acting on that gut emotional response, isn’t it? All our lives, we’ve been taught to negotiate, to employ diplomatic tactics, to foster alliances to protect our titles.”

“You might have been taught that,” interjected Olivia, “but I was taught to fight to protect the family name to the death,”

“Touché,” said Liam, a real smile forming for the first time that day, “but I think my point remains. I don’t think I could let my child be taken by another, but at the same time, it’s as if I cannot imagine myself being guided by my emotions, even if it would make sense to do so.”

“You would protect your kid, Liam. You would figure it out if you were put in that spot.”

“I hope so. I think you would as well, and with minimal bloodshed, I believe.”

She laughed at that, dropping her head back, causing a few strands of red hair to fall loose around her face. “Well, let’s just be grateful we don’t have to find out the truth of that assessment, but it’s getting late, and we still have a lot to do before we need to vacate the palace in the morning. Do you want some privacy to talk to Drake? I can sort through those-” she said, gesturing to the stack of papers left between them on the desk “-while you give him a call.”

He nodded slowly. “Yes. I still don’t know what I’m going to say to him, but…”

“You’ll figure it out,” she said with a shrug, gathering the papers in one arm. “Just meet me in my quarters when you guys are done.”

Liam gave her a little smile as she left his office, pulling out the paper from Hana and staring at it for a few seconds before pulling out his new, prepaid cell phone and calling the number on the top of the page. It was time to talk to Drake.

Permatag:  @walkerswhiskeygirl   @riley--walker  @bebepac @ravenpuff02 @oofchoices @octobereighth @drakewalker04 @kimmiedoo5  @mfackenthal  @thequeenofcronuts  

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir: @ao719 @mskaneko @katedrakeohd @jovialyouthmusic @marshmallowsandfire @axwalker @kingliam2019 @sirbeepsalot @texaskitten30 @princessleac1 @ladyangel70 @dcbbw @yaushie

Drake x MC: @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria  @iplaydrake @gibbles82 @drakewalkerisreal @notoriouscs  @drakesensworld @drake-colt-lover-99

Fight or Flight: @masterofbluff @burnsoslow @bobasheebaby @shz256 @iaminlovewithtrr​

[aenwoedbeannaa]

Forest Fires Pt. 6 | Geralt of Rivia x Reader

Warnings: None, for once. Hmm.

Summary: Geralt is tied to her by destiny, and you are tied to her by guilt. Now that you’ve chosen to stop outrunning the inevitable, you are going to need some help from one of the Continent’s most powerful sorceresses.

Word Count: 2,444

A/N: The plot thickens. Hope you all enjoy! And hopefully I have everyone who wanted to be tagged on the taglist, it’s a bit hard to keep up with, but I am trying my best! (I will be making a specific post/page on here to keep my taglists up-to-date hopefully this week.) Thanks to @salmonbutter​ for the original request/idea. 

If you enjoy my work, be sure to follow to stay up to date and maybe reblog if you’d like (it always helps out)! And if you’d like to be added to my taglists, either comment or message me. Thank you all for reading!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Masterlist

In Search of Aid

“The Temple of Melitele?” you ask, eyebrows raised in suspicion, “You cannot be serious.”

The Witcher looks at you with an expression that indicates that he is in fact quite serious. It has been two days since the Nilfgaardian unit descended upon your home, and the two of you are still picking your way through the forest. You are tired from walking and sore from sleeping on the forest floor – not to mention cold down to your very bones. The weather is unnaturally cold for this time of year, which seems only reasonable considering the state of things—Nilfgaard threatening the Northern Realms via indirect means, using Scoia’tael and other non-humans as guerrilla armies, sending hundreds to their deaths for the sake of expanding its borders north of the Yaruga.

Your life as a recluse in the forest had suited you well. You’d never cared for politics; even when you’d been a court mage in Nilfgaard. It was nothing more than a group of powerful men making decisions for the whole of the Continent; moving humans and non-humans alike as if they were nothing more than pieces on a chessboard. And, while Nilfgaard was certainly your current and most pressing pursuer, you were far from fond of any of the other nations, either. They were all the same—tyrants with too much power and too little care for the citizens whose lives they were supposed to protect.

So, when the Witcher suggests that the two of you head for Temeria, specifically Ellander and the Temple of Melitele, you are more than wary. You remember Aretuza, the things you learned there – the way it was run. You expect the Temple of Melitele is much the same despite the difference in course material.

“Why not the Temple?” Geralt challenges, “Do you have any better ideas?”

“Mhm,” you mutter noncommittally, “Going somewhere less… populated, for a start.” You narrow your eyes at him, not wanting to admit that you don’t have anywhere specific in mind. You’d been hiding in the forest too long; you hardly knew where was safe and where wasn’t.

So, instead, you launch into a list of reasons why the Temple of Melitele is a bad idea. “It’s in the middle of Ellander, right off the main road.”

Geralt is quick to cut in with a response, “Yes; and the Scoia’tael rarely attack along the main roads. And running to Nilfgaardian troops is even less likely; they aren’t stupid enough to march the main roads of Temeria.”

“So, you think,” you say rather bitterly. If there is one thing that you are certain of, it is that you can never guess what Nilfgaard will do. You’d never expected them to attempt to kidnap the child eleven years ago, and yet they had—and they would have succeed had you not deserted.

And they still might succeed, since you left her there, you remind yourself bitterly. Who knows where the girl is now. She could very well be in Nilfgaard. Hell, she could have died in Cintra for all you know.

One thing you do know is that the Witcher’s calm demeanor – usually so comforting – is pushing you over the edge of irritated to downright livid at alarming speed. He sounds so sure of himself it’s maddening. But then again, if the Law of Surprise is real, and his fate is interwoven with the girl’s, perhaps his intuition should be trusted. You, after all, are bound to the Princess of Cintra by guilt rather than by faith.

Yet you cannot bring yourself to trust that Geralt will not lead the two of you stupidly and needlessly into a trap. You’d been on your own for long enough that you’d forgotten what it was like to have to talk to and compromise with other people – to consider other’s opinions. Until recently, whenever you’d wanted to do something, you’d just done it. You’d needed no one, and no one had needed you. But now, as you found yourself hopelessly tangled with the stranger who’d turned up out of nowhere right in your backyard. There was no way around it – the two of you would have to reach some sort of decision – together.

“Why?” you demand, not particularly wanting to hear his reasoning but knowing that you needed to.

“Because,” he responds, still giving no indication that he is anything but collected, “I have a friend there, Mother Nenneke. She’s in charge of the Temple, and she’s never turned me away.”

“And pray tell, Geralt, what help a nun would be in a time of war,” you scoff. “If Niflgaard turns up at the gate, I doubt a gaggle of nuns would be much help.” The idea of being shut up behind stone walls pressed like a weight on your chest, reminding you of your years spent in Nilfgaard – years you would rather forget. Even if it was not the same as being shut up behind the walls of a castle with a king and court of fools, it would still mean being stuck behind stone walls surrounded by other people. Too many eyes and ears; too many who might profit from informing Nilfgaard of the two strange guests.

Geralt actually smiles at your comment despite the fact that you were very much serious and not at all in the mood for hearing jokes, much less making one, “You’d be surprised.”

However, some of your anger evaporates when you see a sudden smile and the flicker of memory in his eyes. You are curious now, what exactly this Mother Nenekke could have done to surprise a Witcher. Your gaze softens a bit and your words lose a bit of their edge, “So these are warmongering nuns?” you ask, eyebrows raised, “I didn’t know that they teach sword fighting and battle strategies at the convent.”

“I once watched Nenneke turn two knights around in their tracks,” Geralt says, another flicker of memory flashing warm in his eyes, “Though she used words, not a sword.”

You have to admit, the woman does sound rather intriguing, and perhaps the Temple wouldn’t be a horrible place to stay. It was unlikely that Nilfgaard would go looking for a Witcher and a former court mage at a temple – perhaps it was not the worst idea. Still, you do not like the idea of travelling to a major city, nor do you trust that everyone within the Temple is as loyal to Nenneke as Geralt seems to think. If there is one thing you learned at Court, it is that people are not to be trusted; especially in places like that.

“Hm,” you must, eyes screwed up in thought, “In theory it seems like a good idea,” you tell him, “But I just don’t see how you can trust that no one there will spill secrets to the Nilfgaardians.”  

Of course, you know this is a risk that the two of you must take no matter where you end up. Trust was hard to come by in the best of times, and even more so during times of war. One could never be sure who was on whose side, and how long they would remain an ally.

“Nenneke has no interest in spilling secrets to the people who’d gladly see her goddess burned away in the Eternal Fire,” Geralt says.

You pause, chewing your lip as you consider his words. It made sense enough, you supposed. At least it would give the two of you a destination, which was better than aimlessly wandering the woods. But, before you can voice your thoughts, Geralt is speaking again.

“I also know of someone who is rumored to have headed there – a powerful sorceress.” He looks at you for a moment, eyes focused on your crystal necklace. Of course, the Conclave would have some interest in this whole situation. They had a hand in everything.

“Who is this sorceress?” you ask, sounding much more eager than you’d expected to. It had been years since you’d even allowed yourself to think of your sisters from Aretuza, and you had to know if this was one of them.

“Yennefer of Vengerberg,” the Witcher answers.

“Yenna?” you ask, eyes wide. The last you’d heard of Yennefer; she’d left her job as a court mage in Aedirn to live on her own. It had taken time, but you’d eventually followed her lead. And now, somehow, the two of you ended up tangled in this mess anyway.

“You know her?” the Witcher asks.

You nod slowly, lips twitching up to form the ghost of a smile. “We were at Aretuza together,” you say, “But I’ve not seen her in a lifetime.” You pause for a moment, remembering the headstrong girl you knew at school before continuing, “I just… Yenna at the Temple of Melitele? Are you certain?” It was hard to believe she’d be anywhere where there was someone in charge who was not her.

“Not certain, but the information is from a good source,” the Witcher says with a sideways glance as the two of you pick your way through some especially dense brush.

“Did this source happen to mention why she’s there?” you question, quite dumbfounded by the whole thing. “And did this source give you any reason to believe she will help you?”

“No, they didn’t,” Geralt said with a shrug. “But she’d at the Temple and not tied to any kingdom, which makes her infinitely better than any other mage or sorceress on the Continent.”

You know Geralt didn’t mean it as a dig at you, but you cross you arms anyway, “Right. The rest of them are absolute garbage.”

Geralt stops walking and turn around to face you, blocking your path. “Oh, don’t pout,” he says with a half-smile.

You roll your eyes and take a step to move past him, but he catches your arm to stop you. You turn back to look at him, gnawing at your lower lip. You have no reason to be upset – hell, you’re excited to see your old friend. But there’s a small part of you that worries that the only reason Geralt has paid you any mind at all is because you’ve been the only human contact he’s had in weeks. The comment had brought your anxieties to the surface.

“Just because I don’t do magic,” you say evenly, “Doesn’t mean that I’m incapable.”

Geralt’s expression sobers as he looks down at you, catching your eyes with golden-yellow. “I don’t recall ever insinuating that,” he says in a tone that is somewhere between apologetic and annoyed. You can’t figure out which.

You sigh, frustrated with yourself more than you are frustrated with him. Yennefer was the most talented in your class – she had this way with magic that most of the girls at Aretuza didn’t. There was always this strength in her that you’d envied. And naturally, you’d envied her having been sent to Aedirn rather than Nilfgaard. It took you several years, but you’d eventually realized it didn’t matter much which of the kingdoms you were sent to; they were all pretty shite.

You lower your eyes, staring at the muddy ground as you take a deep breath in and out again before finally flicking your eyes back up to meet the Witcher’s. “A Witcher and two rogue sorceresses,” you say with the slightest bit of humor, “This poor child.”

A small smile breaks out on Geralt’s face, erasing the clouds from his eyes. The world was truly descending into chaos; and despite it all there were reasons to laugh.

“Now, I’m going to need you to picture the Temple as clearly as you possibly can,” you say, quickly turning back to the matter at hand. You are tired of freezing to death out here, and it could take ages to reach Ellander on foot.

Geralt, on the other hand does not look enthused. He even let’s go of your arm and takes a step back. You almost laugh at the sight. Somehow, you don’t expect him to be afraid of anything, but Geralt is clearly afraid now. You cross your arm once more, cocking your head to the side and smirking up at him, “Oh, come on, Geralt,” you say, “It may have been a while, but I certainly still know how to portal.”

Geralt’s face has gone deathly pale, and he only shakes his head, “Not the quality of your portals I’m worried about,” he says, “Just portals in general.”

“Portals,” you laugh, “Portals are your great fear?”

“You say that as if it’s ridiculous!” Geralt responds.

You take a step toward him, shaking your head, “Because it is ridiculous.”

Of course, you know plenty of people do not like portals. You’d been terrified of them initially, but Tissia had broken that fear rather quickly. It was impossible to be a sorceress and have that fear hanging around. Aside from the fact that magic was far too easily sensed and traced, there was no better way to travel. Traversing the Continent could take insurmountable amounts of time, but portals shrink that to a few seconds.

Geralt grumbles something under his breath as you wrap your arms around him, but he wraps his arms around you anyway. For a moment, you just stand with your head resting against his chest, breathing in the scent of him and just enjoying the feeling of being so close to him; enjoying the last few moments of being completely alone with him.

But you can hear his heart beating more quickly than usual, truly unusual for a Witcher. So you take a deep breath and squeeze him a bit tighter. You’d only been to Ellander once, but you gingerly open your mind to reach into his. You can see the stone walls, the bright gardens. You can feel the warmth of the sun on a summer day and smell wood smoke wafting in from the village.

But visions of Ellander and the Temple of Melitele are not the only things his mind reveals. You feel slightly wrong – you shouldn’t be probing his mind – but you know that it is necessary. There’s no way you’d get the both of you safely from this place in the woods and to the Temple without him. But still, you can’t help but smile into his chest as you squeeze your eyes shut and let the magic flow from you, wrapping the two of you in ribbons of shadow and light.

You are smiling because the last string of thoughts that stream from Geralt fill you with warmth despite the stomach-turning speed with which you slip through the universe—

“Fucking hell. She’s lucky I love her.”

* * *

To be continued.

Taglist: @dark-night-sky-99, @pantrashtic, @lilred254, @cilorawr, @blackravena @keithseabrook27, @danielarlington, @jesseswartzwelder@fairytale07 @divaroze, @evyiione, @salmonbutter, @godsaverosemary, @dontforgetthepieh  @little-miss-emmalie, @hookahpop @haru-ririchiyo; @unnamedmaincharacter @geeksareunique​ @lazilyscentedwerewolf​  @boogeywoogeywoogeywoogeywoogey​ @alwayshave-faith​ @stretchkingblog97​ @alienemilyyyy​ @hufflepupperino​ @curlyhairedandconfused​ @nikolanna​ @divineslipcast @p3nny4urth0ught5 

[let-me-write]

The Truth Untold

Find chapters 1 2 here

Chapter 3: The Consequence of What-ifs

Kit Herondale stood in front of the towering old cathedral, wondering if his presence here was warranted. He had been deliberating under this street lamp for what felt like hours.

Tessa had opened a portal from Devon for him. He sighed now, opening the gates to the gothic building...it was time to go in. They would be waiting for him.

The New York Institute never failed to awe him, despite his several visits. It was magnificent in its height, overwhelming even in the dusk light. It donned an air of mystery that pulled you in, while its eerie facade terrified you from any thought of approaching it.

Kit couldn't help but compare it with the only other institutes he was familiar with: The Los Angeles and London Institutes. All three churches, except, the latter two somehow blended with their surroundings. This one though stood out like a sore thumb in the busy Manhattan neighbourhood.

In one of his past visits, he had thought that this would be the obvious abode of a sinister supervillain in a low-budget thriller. He had been almost right... He had learnt later from Simon that the mundane facade of the institute, had indeed been the backdrop for a few indie horror movies.

He opened the door to the Institute and was greeted with the familiar voices of Jace and Clary.

" Jace, calm down. It's not a big deal. This is not Kit's first time. Stop it or I'm calling Simon to record this...you wouldn't like one of those edits again would you? "

"I'm obliged to acquaint him with the traditions of our legendary family, Clary. Not even you could stop me..."

Kit exhaled heavily.

He wasn't ready to take in his cousin's shenanigans now. He moved further ahead, before stopping near the landing where the heads of the institute were busy arguing, oblivious to Kit's presence. He cleared his throat and said, " Hello Clary, need some help? "

Clary turned around surprised, " Kit !! You're here. I'm so glad to see you ", she patted his arm excitedly. She continued, " Well, yes, I need your help" and gestured at the head of her fiancé.

Jace was wearing a ridiculous headgear, with a monstrous-looking duck adorning it. Of course, he was...

Jace had taken it upon himself to sensitise Kit to the sacred traditions of the Herondales since he had learnt that Kit - to his absolute horror- loved ducks. He is yet to cease in his campaign to dissuade Kit from the "demonic birds".

Kit wished he had a normal cousin; except not really...then who else would be capable of distracting him-so spectacularly-from his worries. He felt a flush of warmth towards Jace.

Jace was leaning forward to hug him now. Kit reciprocated with a quick hug.

Jace then looked at him up and down while commenting, " Christopher, I see you have buffed up since I saw you last. I'm glad my mentoring has worked "

Kit shrugged nonchalantly.

He took that as an affirmation and grinned all self-satisfied. " I've made all the necessary arrangements for your stay here. You will have a splendid time, well, apart from the mission " he assured.

Kit just stared.

He raised his eyebrows, noting Kit's quiet demeanour and shared a look with Clary. He said " We had planned to have a take-out dinner. Why don't you join us? "

Kit smiled at him with a nod, before reaching up to pull the duck hat from Jace's head and donning it on his own. He said with a cheeky grin, " Thank you, Jace, for such a thoughtful gift. You have satisfied my adoration for duck collectables of all forms. Get me a dragon duck next time "

Jace groaned aloud, while Clary burst out laughing.

...........................................................................

The dinner had been a quiet affair, after which Kit had been introduced to his room at the Institute. He sat there on his new bed, pondering over his observations of the night.

He had noticed that the residents of the Institute were quite exhausted, in spite of their enthusiasm at his arrival. It was evident from Clary's dark circles and Jace's wild hair. There was a tense nature to their stances, ready to spring at the slightest hint of danger.

It was to be expected since they were helping Alec's Clave-in-exile, besides dealing with the new development in the streets of New York.

Downworlders were getting killed in the past few months, in isolated incidents. The only clue was that the modus operandi matched the murder of a downworlder couple three years ago.

The Conclave of New York had strengthened and increased the frequencies of their patrols to prevent further losses. Special patrols under the Downworlder-Shadowhunter alliance had been constituted for the purpose. In fact, Clary and Jace had gone for the same tonight.

They had declined Kit's offer to join, citing his unfamiliarity with the city. Besides, he could start his patrols for the mission once the others arrived, they said.

The others...the Centurions, would arrive early tomorrow.

The thought made Kit almost queasy.

He would be meeting Ty after a long time. He didn't know how they would get past the awkwardness between them.

He wondered if Ty would even recognize him.

Kit fiddled with the paper in his pocket. He took it out and smoothed the worn-out edges.

Ty had sent the message a week ago. He had been curious and slightly concerned when he had realized it was Ty's.

He had read it numerous times since then...

He reread now while tracing each word with his finger:

Dear Christopher,

I have been assigned my first mission in New York, to investigate mysterious energy emanating from the Shadow Market there. I believe there's a link between Barnabas Hale and this phenomenon.

I trust you will understand me when I tell you, I couldn't help but think of you. I remember your familiarity and ease in dealing with the denizens of the Shadow Market.

Hence, as the leader, I am requesting you to accompany us on this mission. Your inputs would be highly appreciated and you would be a valuable addition to the team.

Besides, it is not an exclusive mission for the Centurions. Students of the Shadowhunter Academy will also be a part of it...Dru will be there.

I'm not sure if you would read this or would even consider coming but I hope you do.

If you do, please come to the New York Institute next week.

Regards,

Tiberius Blackthorn

It was the most formal, any communication between them had ever been.

He had hated it; hated that Ty was distant now and that he was needed only for a mission by the other boy.

It had made him feel miserable.

But, he couldn't help the tiny hope that arose in his heart, at a chance to meet Ty again and the thought of Ty needing him for something, even as trivial as his familiarity with the Shadow Market.

He sighed, disappointed with himself...his innate desire to be a part of Ty's life, to mean something to him...it had never disappeared.

After he had received the message, he hadn't been sure if it was real or just a manifestation of his wishful thinking.

He had then stayed cooped up in his room, holding onto the message, keeping a watch so that it didn't disappear.

Logically, he knew he shouldn't go. He had a life at Devon with his loving family, untouched by any harm courtesy of his legacy.

Unfortunately, his mind had refused to budge from the What-ifs...

What if this was his last chance to meet Ty in the flesh? What if they ended up never talking to each other till they died? or worse, What if he didn't get to see Ty ever again?

Those had terrified him.

Then, he had been haunted by a particular memory, when he had believed he was dying, after the encounter with the Riders of Mannan. He had tried to ask Emma then - with what he had believed to be his last breath - to " Tell Ty that I am sorry "

Dread had filled his mind: What if he fails to ask Ty for his forgiveness, for not being a good friend, for letting him endanger himself, just because Kit didn't want to be left out and for making him cry with his harsh words?

It was long overdue and Ty deserved to know, except Kit was clueless on how to act on that.

He had decided then that his participation in the mission could be the first step towards it, at least, in opening up a dialogue between them.

It wouldn't be an easy task, it would hurt him to be so close to Ty.

But Kit was willing to try, to act, which he had failed to do in the past years.

It was hard at first, to convince Jem and Tessa. They were concerned at his sudden interest in a mission and feared for his safety.

To them, Kit's safety was the priority and they worried about him attracting dangerous attention if he left Devon, alone.

Kit had assured them that it would be a short mission and besides " Where else would I get to show off my Shadowhunter training? I think it will be a good opportunity, Jem " he said.

They agreed, but only after confirming that Jace and Clary were in the Institute and would take care of him, for they were one of the few who safeguarded Kit's dangerous secret.

He had packed lightly and waited for Tessa to open the portal for his departure.

The previous day, Tessa had done her best to place a shield on his powers. His hereditary faerie powers were transient, having appeared only intermittently since that day at Idris.

He had trained with Tessa to wield it but all to no avail, since he couldn't even voluntarily manifest it in the first place. Tessa, however, had told him she could sense the power in him, dormant and waiting for an outlet.

Even though the dark origins of the power let Tessa and Magnus feel it, they were yet to decipher its nature and extent. She was able to only place a shield, a minor deterrent on its volatility.

During the time of departure, Mina had hugged him close and murmured " I will miss you Gē-Ge", with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. He had rubbed her head lovingly while assuring her that he would be back soon and that he would say 'Hi ' to Max and Rafe for her. Tessa had asked him to be good and return safely. Jem had just smiled and hugged him before sending him off through the portal.

At present, lying wide awake in an unfamiliar room, with its blank wooden walls and the Manhattan skyline visible from his window, Kit missed his family.

He was anxious to meet Ty and even Dru tomorrow. At the same time, he wished that the time would pass by soon and that the dawn would arrive...he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

He closed his eyes and played one of Jem's compositions on his iPod. It calmed his nerves and brought in a sense of familiarity.

Kit drifted towards what would most likely be a restless sleep, with the words 'I couldn't help but think of you ' lingering in his mind. He looked forward to a day that was bound to be, vastly different from the ones of the last three years of his life.

...........................................................................

Please reblog if you like it. Your comments are welcome too!!

[sly2o]

The reason for the season

Alright friends, I’ve been sitting on this meta for two seasons and I’m finally (updating it and) hitting publish on it.

Each season of The 100 is predicated on a central Aesopian lesson that is the root of all conflict for that season.

Or in plain English: each season has a “moral of the story” that is woven into the main plot line.

And - that “moral of the story” is always in (some) way the name of finale.

--

Season 1

Finale title: “We are grounders”

English idiom/saying: “I’m only human”. 

What it means/moral of the story: All humans make mistakes, or can be tempted into making bad decisions.

Examples from the season:

Clarke’s accusation of John Murphy as Wells’ killer.

Finn cheating on Raven with Clarke.

Bellamy shooting Jaha.

Bellamy’s efforts to prevent the Ark from contacting those on the ground.

Octavia and Lincoln falling for each other despite it being against their best interests due to them being on opposite sides of a war.

Other reasons:

A lot of the issues of this season were centred around base human trappings and weaknesses. 

Repeatedly throughout the season we start the episode with the Clarke voice over saying “we will be tested by the earth, the secrets it hides, and most of all, by each other.”

Season 2

Finale title: “Blood must have blood”

English Idiom: “An eye for an eye (makes the whole world blind)”

What it means/”moral of the story”: If you take out vengeance on others, they will turn around and take out vengeance on you, and everyone will be left the poorer. 

Examples from the season:

The “on the nose” sci-fi twist of this being that Mount Weather is literally stealing blood from the grounders, and now the grounders are demanding blood in return.

The Grounders demanding that Finn be killed after killing the village of grounders.

Abby being whipped in front of all the Arkadians to make up for her crimes.

Clarke, Bellamy, Monty, activating and using the lever to kill all of Mount Weather to stop them from killing more of their people.

Season 3

Finale title: “Perverse Instantiation” 

English Idiom: “The ends don’t justify the means”

What it means/”moral of the story”: As Becca put it in the show “how you get there matters”. This scientific term has a particular spin to talk about unintended consequences.

Examples from the season:

Lexa’s accidental death - where Titus thought he was just going to kill Clarke but ended up killing Lexa by accident. This was a perverse spin on what he wanted to accomplish - ending the positive treatment of Skaikru by the grounder leaders.

Bellamy, Pike, and others, choosing to murder the Trikru guard as a means to protect themselves. This action, which they thought would help keep them safe, actually resulted in putting Skaikru in more danger.

ALIE’s motives for bombing the earth, as explained by Becca in the finale. 

Other comments

It is perhaps the greatest irony that Lexa’s death was an in real life form of “the ends don’t justify the means” due to the backlash it caused - because the story’s goals didn’t justify revisiting a harmful LGBTQ+ trope. 

Season 4

Finale title: “Praimfire” 

English idiom: “Playing with fire”

What it means/”moral of the story”: The full idiom is that “if you play with fire you’re bound to get burned”. Or that if you take big risks/are reckless, you are bound to hurt yourself.

Examples from the season:

Clarke lying to her people to convince them to praimfire-proof the Ark, and the being exposed by Monty that she was actually making a list.

Clarke lying to Roan about praimfire-proofing the Ark, and then being exposed and having to negotiate even less space for her people in the Ark.

Clarke/Jaha stealing the bunker when they were convinced Octavia wouldn’t win the conclave, resulting in having to gas and remove numerous Arkadians from the Bunker.

Illian in the most literal example of this burning down the Arkadia station - where his short sighted needs hurt the entire human race by taking away the one option for survival they knew about at the time.

Clarke choosing to stay behind in Praimfire was a huge risk - but one that did pay off since she did survive. 

Comments: 

The alternate possibility for this season is that it was meant to be more about Prometheus - both the Greek version and Frankenstein (or known as its full title: “Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus“). This would be because:

Octavia is described as “stealing fire” - in a way, the baton wasn’t passed to her, but she stole it. 

Clarke does the Frankenstein version of Prometheus where she even literally turns herself into “a monster” by injecting herself with nightblood serum.

Season 5

Finale Title: “Damocles”

English idiom Literary reference: the sword of Damocles

What it means/”moral of the story”: Positions of leadership come with perilous circumstances. 

Examples:

The entire Blodreina arc. Octavia was psychologically tortured by the decisions she was forced to make as a leader. This turned her entire regime into one where perilous circumstances surrounded her (and Wonkru) at all times. 

Charmaine Diyoza being outed from her leadership position by McCreary

Clarke going to drastic lengths to prevent Madi from becoming Heda.

Bellamy being sentenced to death by Octavia when he chose to be a leader, rather than follow her commands. (Also Indra, Gaia, and Clarke).

Comments:

This was the first full season written after the big blowup when Lexa died. A big part of why this season fell apart at the end is because they seemed to at the last minute decide in rewrites to not commit to this lesson with Clarke. (Aside: Jason has revealed in old interviews that they did some rewriting after they found out that the actress cast as Diyoza was pregnant). 

Confronting Clarke’s fears related to the perils associated with leadership would have made MUCH MORE SENSE for her aversion to giving Madi the Flame (as opposed to the weakly given “mama bear” lines in and out of the show). Instead they last minute deviated from the plan, and the end of the season didn’t really show Clarke learning this lesson and how to move on from it. Instead she just had a sudden change of heart that made no sense, and then she was backseat to the story for the rest of the season.

Season 6

(Note: I am posting this before the finale goes live so I miiigghhhttt be wrong on this)

Finale title: “The Blood of Sanctum”

English idiom/saying: “The Blood of the Convenant is thicker than the water of the womb”

What it means/”moral of the story”: The bonds formed in friendship are stronger than familial ties. (note: this idiom is frequently misquoted as “blood is thicker than water”, inferring the reverse)

Examples:

Bellamy’s huge rescue mission to save Clarke - one of his found family.

Bellamy saying “you’re not my sister” to Octavia and kicking her out in favour of his found family.

The Primes of Sanctum literally changing the blood of others to help turn them into their family is the sort of... “on the nose” sci fi twist of this saying. It’s like they said “well, why not both?”

Kaylee Lee recognized Josephine immediately when she took Clarke’s body (yes, she was goaded, but still). Bellamy recognized it wasn’t Clarke nearly immediately when Clarke’s body was stolen. And yet, Abby didn’t notice Josephine was in Clarke’s body, and Russell didn’t notice Clarke had taken back her own body from Josephine right away.

A last note on idioms

As I went through possible idioms for the the seasons where I didn’t quite have it figured out I stumbled upon a ridiculous amount of other idioms referenced in the show.

“Bob’s your uncle”

“It’s not rocket science”

“knocking on heaven’s door”

There’s literally been an 800 lb gorilla on this show.