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akaraboonline · 2 years

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How To Defend Yourself & Ignore The Haters

Do people frequently refer to you as a "doormat" or "pushover"? Do you allow others to abuse you in both your personal and work life? Stop right now. I'm aware that this procedure isn't always simple, but you'll be happier if you develop a backbone as soon as possible. Although it may seem strange at first, you owe it to yourself. Here are some tips for asserting your rights everywhere. How To Defend Yourself & Ignore The Haters

How To Stand Up For Yourself Without Being Rude

Practice saying no. Either begin saying no to people you trust, such as a parent or significant other, or practice it to yourself in front of a reflection. No matter what it is—dinner with spaghetti or heading out on Friday night—if you don't want to do something, don't. Seriously. Begin modestly. Just get in the habit of saying "no." Understand that “no” is a complete sentence. You typically don't need to provide a justification for declining an offer. The word "no" is a complete phrase. The next time someone asks you to perform a tedious or time-consuming task, refuse and then excuse yourself by stating that you have to depart. You're not required to give an explanation. Don’t be afraid to disagree. You shouldn't feel obligated to chuckle and nod your head when someone says something that makes you angry. It's okay to differ. You don't need to argue about it; just state your disagreement and move on. It's probably not a strong relationship worth having if a friend breaks it off over a difference of opinion. Give yourself a pep talk. Yes, just like in little league, get yourself ready before the game. It's true that this is a very stale and overused allegory, but you get the idea. No matter what, remind yourself that you are amazing, valuable, and that you don't deserve to be treated poorly. Remind yourself that you deserve to be treated well. Whatever errors you may have committed in the past, you are still deserving of a joyful future. We all make errors because we are only human. Because you deserve it, use today to move forward and create the existence you want. Remind yourself of your strengths (even if you don't initially believe them) and the fact that you are deserving of positive things. Reward yourself! Own rejection. Sometimes you're afraid of being rejected or shut down, so you're reluctant to develop a backbone. Take control of it. Since it occurs to everyone, you shouldn't take it personally. Make use of it as inspiration to advance and attempt new things. Start to speak up for yourself. For instance, if you requested for the walnuts to be held when ordering a salad at a restaurant, don't consume it. Please ask for what you initially purchased. Don't always forgive others' errors when they cost you money. Ask yourself, “What would my idol do?” Typically, we admire people who are powerful and self-assured. Channel your hero if you can't be those things for yourself. Consider what they would do and how they would respond, then move forward from there. Once you become one of them, you'll no longer ponder what makes confident women different. Stop trying to please everyone all the time. It won't ever take place. There will always be someone who is miserable. Don't let yourself be that individual. Don't worry if someone doesn't like what you're doing; just do it. It's not an issue of yours. Disengage. Not every issue is worth a battle. When you've finished a situation, move on. Avoid rewarding the other individual with a pointless debate. Give them nothing, please. Time not worth it. Ignore guilt trips. Guilt can be used to influence others. It's BS, but guilt can be a strong incentive. You can't listen to your friend ramble on about how much the kids adore you and how she never leaves the house if she calls and asks you to watch her kids in an hour but you already have plans. Say, "I'm sorry I can't help this time," and keep to that statement rather than caving in. If she is upset by it? Shame on her. Read the full article

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carbonitekisses · 6 years

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Unfinished.

Cersei’s fingertips thrum against the table. Her nails click against the dark wood. She is tired of waiting for men. The world would be better off without them, she thinks. They’re all treacherous scum seeking to feed off of the fairer sex. And once their appetite has been satiated they leave in search of something new.

But a queen? A queen is so much more than a woman. A queen is power. And Cersei will burn anyone who stands in her way.

The Mountain’s towering presence draws her eyes to the door of her solar. Just behind him stands the sorry excuse of a pirate who would call himself her king. As if I would ever suffer another fool by my side. I’ll have the Mountain snap his neck before his breath ever so much as touches me.

“You’re back. Good. Am I to assume you were successful?”

Euron Greyjoy tries to saunter towards her. He only succeeds in repulsing her. The weeks he spent away have diluted her memory of him. He is fouler than she remembered. The odor of stagnant ocean water can not be masked by the, rather obvious, perfumes he has brought back from across the Narrow Sea. Cersei looks towards her shield.

The Mountain strikes out a thick arm to stop his advances. Greyjoy lifts a dark eyebrow at her but doesn’t move any further. Cersei likes this. Who knew she would one day be able to command men with a simple tilt of her head? The Mountain drops his arm but stays standing next to Euron.

“Yes, my queen,” his leer is more than evident in his voice, “I’ve brought back the Golden Company just as we agreed. Now, I expect to be properly compensated.”

Cersei leers back. She is queen, and a lion. She will not be cowed by an irreverent squid.

“Ah, yes. Your compensation...”

It’s certainly not what I was expecting. Not that I know what I was expecting to begin with but... Dany accepts Jorah’s hand as he helps her dismount the finicky Northern mare. Her eyes wander to Jon who is looking towards Winterfell. Nevermind that. I’m sure it is more inviting, warmer, on the inside. Much like its former king.

“It is a sight I did not think I would ever see again. You have made one of my greatest dreams possible, my queen.”

Daenerys turns towards the old bear. She can see true thankfulness in his eyes. It is a homecoming for more than one northerner, today. In the flurry of action she had forgotten that Jorah would most likely be reuniting with family. She is glad one of her oldest supporters will soon fulfill their biggest wish because of her.

“My dear friend, it has been a long journey but you are finally back home in the north.” She clasps his arm. “Mayhaps the north will become a home of sorts for me as well.” Underneath her hand she can feel him tense at her words. She knows her bear holds no love for the wolf that is slowly, but surely, melting the ice around her heart. Jorah’s jealousy is flattering but she knows what she wants.

With a smile Daenerys leaves Jorah and walks towards Jon. The white landscape and the cold makes her uncomfortable but she will never admit it. What is a little snow and winter wind to a dragon made of fire? Jon remains facing towards Winterfell when she finally arrives at his side.

“We are almost there. I am eager to meet your family, Jon Snow.”

Jon hums his agreement.

They’ve stopped to arrange any last minute details before arriving at Winterfell. Her children were sent somewhere close to the keep but far away enough to not cause panic. Jon had insisted. She was loathe to part from them but ultimately yielded. He probably knows the northerners better than she. Tyrion, and Varys are discussing some trivial matters with the Unsullied about what to expect in regards to their welcome. Details, details, details. I’m tired of waiting.

Daenerys touches Jon and gently turns him away from Winterfell and towards her. He moves stiffly in the cold. I will be sure to warm him up later in his Lord’s chambers. “You have been awfully quiet. More so than usual. Should I be worried?”

Jon’s eyes slowly warm at her words. The corner of his lips upturn in a reassuring smile. No wonder Jorah is jealous. His worry over her is obvious now. In her very rare moments of worry, or anxiety he is always there to reassure her. She is quite sure he is in love with her. She herself doesn’t love him. Yet. I could. I am in danger of it. I feel it.

“No. There is nothing to worry about. I will speak with the Northern lords and make them understand that you are here to fight with us.” He pauses to collect his thoughts. “They will see you for what you are.”

Those words again. Just like before they light a fire within her. He sees her for what she is. A liberator. A savior. A queen.

His queen.

The breaker of chains looks up at the last King of the North. He looks like he is holding himself back from a great emotion. He must want to hold me now. Daenerys wouldn’t care but he has been adamant in avoiding any kind of public intimacy for fear of repercussion to their political alliance. She admires his patience and fortitude. As mother of dragons she forgets how it must be for the rest of the world. To always have to care what others think or do. To not take without asking. Always waiting for permission. What a bleak existence that must be.

A shout from behind breaks their tension. It is time to move again. Jon nods at her and leaves to mount his horse.

Daenerys watches his cloak flap behind him like black wings. Soon she’ll meet his people. His family. Soon she’ll learn more about the king who gave away his kingdom for love. For me.

It’s cold and the days are getting shorter. Gilly is used to it so she doesn’t complain. Everyone is in a frenzy. A horn of some sort is signaling the arrival of Jon Snow and his aunt. Daenerys Targaryen. The name sounds funny to her but what does she know of queens and dragons?

“Gilly, come! He’s here!”

Gilly looks at Sam in mild bemusement. He sounds like a child in his excitement. Gilly adjusts Little Sam on her hip and follows him to the railing that overlooks the courtyard. There is so much noise that Little Sam squirms in curiosity but Gilly strengthens her hold. It wouldn’t do for him to leave her arms. Not with soldiers and dragons in their midst.

“Where are the dragons, Sam?”

His eyes never waver from the action underneath. “Eh, I don’t know. Perhaps they’re waiting somewhere in the Wolfswood?”

Sam’s words do nothing to assuage her concern. She has never seen a dragon. But she has seen creatures of ice. She isn’t sure that creatures of fire are any better.

There is a change in the air and Gilly focuses on the men and women in the courtyard. There are soldiers in black leather with dark, sun-kissed skin she has never seen before. Exposed skin and no furs? How are they not freezing? Their armor is useless this far north.

A head of white, yellowish hair stands off by the entrance to the keep. She, for Gilly can see her fair features, is surrounded by guards. That must be the dragon queen. Then where is Jon Snow...

Gilly finds him. His head of black hair is walking towards Sansa Stark. Gilly inhales her surprise. The Lady opens her arms and holds Jon Snow in a welcoming embrace. In the small amount of time Gilly has been in Winterfell she has noted how restrictive Sansa Stark is with her affection and touch. Gilly brushes Litte Sam’s hair back. She doesn’t think she has ever seen the Lady of Winterfell touch someone so intimately before.

She wonders where Lady Arya is. If Sam is correct, she was the sibling Jon Snow would talk about the most during their time at the Night’s Watch. It seems she is not here to welcome her cousin home.

“...queen Daenerys Targaryen.”

“Oh.” Sam mutters. “Oh, no.” No one is kneeling in the courtyard. Isn’t it part of their customs? To kneel? She read that somewhere, she is sure of it. But no one is kneeling when Jon Snow introduces his aunt to the people of Winterfell.

Gilly is confused. Is he no longer king?

Little Sam pulls at his father’s cloak until Sam relents and carries him.

Daenerys Targaryen walks towards Jon Snow and Sansa Stark. Unlike her soldiers, the queen is dressed in thick white furs that surely keep her warm. Gilly feels sorry for the men.

“Winterfell is yours, your grace.” Sansa Stark’s voice carries in the stillness of the moment.

Gilly doesn’t believe her. She has seen this woman care for her keep like Gilly herself cares for Little Sam. Daenerys Targaryen seems pleased, though. “Is Winterfell no longer the Starks’? What is going on, Sam?”

Sam continues to look at Jon Snow as he leads his aunt to the inside of Winterfell. “I‘m not sure, Gilly. All I know is this complicates everything.” Gilly and Sam watch how the dragon queen’s eyes follow Jon Snow everywhere he goes. “Jon, what have you done?”

“He’s almost here.” Bran says. “Observe and take in as much as you can. Go.”

The serving girl leaves the godswood behind her. She picks up her drab skirts and makes her way toward the courtyard. The king is come back with a Targaryen. Her curiosity makes her run fast and nimble as she weaves her way through the soldiers and serving folk.

“Watch it, girl. You near ran me over!”

Anis doesn’t stop. Her hazel eyes drink in everything they can. The horses, the people, the carts. She perched herself atop a stack of empty vegetable crates to get a better view. She anxiously awaits for a sign of dragons in the overcast sky. The Lannister imp is here, as is a bald plump man.

Varys. His name is Varys.

Anis has never met them before. But names are easy to come by. She notices the soldiers are well trained. Even in their poorly made winter garb they show no signs of discomfort.

That must be the Unsullied.

There is another kind of soldier in the courtyard. They are quite different and seem to be faring worse than the Unsullied. Dothraki. They are speaking a strange mixture of the common tongue and a language Anis has never heard before. Nevertheless, she listens and understands a few phrases.

“Cold...Khalessi...Snow”

“...Gold...lions...burn”

“...food...food...food...”

Anis turns her attention towards the king. He has finally returned to Winterfell.

He’s finally here. Will he recognize me after all these years? Do I want him to recognize me?

Anis pushes these strange thoughts away. She is a simple serving girl. She has no ties to the king. She is only here to watch and observe. And so she does.

[ These are little snippets from a s8 fic idea. I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to writing it. But I’ve had it in my drafts for the past couple of months so I might as well post some of it, lol. They haven’t been edited or anything so sorry for any and all weirdness! ]

#Jonsa #jonsa fic #Jon Snow #Sansa Stark #Cersei Lannister #Samwell Tarly #Gilly #Daenerys Targaryen #Not really anti but it hints at pol!jon so #just to be safe #anti daenerys #anti targaryen #anti-jonerys #anti-daenerys #POV trap #S8 fic

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sappho-official · 8 years

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hi i hope its not too much trouble to ask you but i've noticed you reblogged da:i in the past and i just got the game so i was wondering if you have any advice for a beginner? like any helpful tips or tricks will do. (sorry in advance)

Yeah sure! Don’t apologize, I love Dragon Age, so I’m happy to talk about it, as evidenced by how freaking long this got.

I wasn’t sure if you wanted combat or story advice, so like here’s both (I threw lore and combat under the cut because that got LONG), and also I sort of assumed you hadn’t played any other Dragon Age games before by the phrasing in the question (sorry if you have lmao).

When picking between the three dialogue options that don’t have emotion indicators, what they actually are is basically:

Top: Passive and placating, traditionally the most friendly answer. Often wins you over allies in political stuff, and it’s usually the most emotionally-conscious option. Some characters may feel like you’re being too passive, Sera tends not to enjoy this one, for example, whereas Cole tends to. (these are, ofc, situational)

Middle: Witty and curious, most likely to be humorous. May occasionally allow you to ask extra questions as well. A lot of companions tend to approve of this one, though characters like Cassandra may sometimes feel like you’re making a poorly timed joke. Sass the villains! It’s my favorite.

Bottom: Aggressive and direct, a bit more likely to make people mad at you, though that depends on the person. Maybe not the option to pick while trying to comfort someone. Still, being direct is a pretty good trait for a leader to have. Characters like Sera, Cassandra, and Bull really enjoy this one.

(Dragon Age 2 had the personality feature, and each of these options were actually labeled and would affect what your character said even when you weren’t controlling them. It seems like DA:I was supposed to have this feature, but was cut at some point)

The Star option (top left) is the “you did a sidequest/said a special thing!” option that opens up some extra stuff. If it’s an option, I’d usually take it. Sometimes there’s another icon, based on your race/class and other stuff as well, usually fun to take because it’s more unique to your character.

Far left [investigate] lets you ask questions. Do this before picking anything else. Some characters (Solas and Varric) really like when you ask questions.

When it comes to picking a character I’ll tell you quite honestly that playing as a Human (especially mage) or Elf will often give you the most story stuff. Qunari are also pretty rad, but playing as a Dwarf gives you very little story stuff unfortunately. Makes me sad, I like Dwarves.

You’re gonna probably want the Trespasser DLC if you finish the game. It’s $15. You need it to finish the plot+get the lead in to DA4 whenever that’ll happen. Sorry.

The power feature is a load of Bullshit and honestly a feature I don’t enjoy. Basically, just go play sidequests that sound cool! Don’t worry about spending power to unlock new areas, there’s so much fun shit there I promise. Some side quests can be tedious, but each area (except the Hinterlands) has a main quest line. That’ll be the quest that Scout Harding assigns you when you first arrive in an area, and I promise that most of them are really neat. I especially recommend the Crestwood and Hissing Wastes questlines, but the Western Approach is actually my favorite area in the entire game.

DA:I is a bit tedious, but a game that I think is best enjoyed if you take your time. It makes it feel like you should rush the main questline, but seriously, don’t. The main quest of DA:I is...honestly kind of crappy imo. It’s just a bit generic. Now, the DLC plots? those are awesome.

Some quests will lead you into like, dungeon areas. These are always dope, and often a bit more difficult, so bring lots of health regen potions with you. Some of them are unlocked by doing war table missions, so keep an eye out for stuff that’s like, related to Elven history, since that’s usually where those start. A bunch of them have neat loot at the end! And bring Solas to the Elven ruins, he’ll have some comments. Sera will complain the entire time, which can be funny as well. I like those two a lot tho.

Also don’t spend too much time in the Hinterlands at a low level. It’s massive and you’ll wander into an area that’s for a way higher level. Go mess around on the Storm Coast and Fallow Mire early on. tbh the only reason the Hinterlands is so big is because they wanted to be like “look!! we made an area larger than the past two games combined!!! aren’t we great!!!!!” no bioware, I just got killed by 6 bears at level 2. fuck off. It’s pretty though.

Pay close attention to the War Table stuff, especially the stuff that revolves around your character’s family/friends. I won’t spoil it, but if you play as an elf you can, uh, fuck that up real bad.

Don’t worry about collecting Shards or Mosaic pieces or whatever. Seriously, there’s no point in doing it (I say this as someone who’s like 99%ed this game okay, it’s a waste of time unless you really really want to)

Dorian and Iron Bull can get together if you don’t romance either of them. You’ll need to have them in your party a lot though, because party banter (the conversations your companions have out in the field every 12-17 minutes) is what triggers their romance. If you really want to get them together, just put them in your party and leave the game running.

You don’t have to read every single codex entry, but I would recommend picking them up because it’ll give you experience I think. And it’ll give you stuff to read during loads. And like, during the plot heavy stuff, sometimes there’s neat shit? I like worldbuilding tho. The stuff in the Fade and the Temple of Mythal is the most interesting, I think.

It’s kind of difficult to know how your approval is with companions, but it is evidenced by what they say when you talk to them. If you’re really worried about what a character thinks of you, go take a glance at the Approval part of their wiki page (don’t read the other stuff!!) and it’ll help you figure it out. Certain characters have approvals that are easier to get up than others. (take Iron Bull to kill a dragon, take Varric to destroy red Lyrium, basically do their quests while they are in your party)

Lore and Combat are under the cut.

If you don’t know much about the setting I’d recommend checking the Dragon Age Keep, which lets you change what happened in previous games, and then have someone read it back to you! Full of spoilers for the other two games though, sorry. There’s a few decisions that effect DA:I (Morrigan’s dark ritual, who’s in charge of Ferelden, who tf is Hawke) but over all most of them won’t make any major changes (with the exception of Morrigan’s dark ritual from DA:O).

Steer clear of the wiki, seriously it spoiled a MAJOR thing for me. Also maybe don’t go hunting through my dragon age tags..........uh. There’s spoilers.

Basic Lore:

(some of this is technically wrong, but this is what your average player would know going into DA:I)

The Chantry (the catholic church), and they worship the Maker (god) and his wife Andraste (Jesus+Joanne of Arc) a mortal woman who raised a slave rebellion in Tevinter and was burned at the stake as a result. The Southern Chantry is headed by the Divine (the Pope), presently Divine Justinia. Cassandra and Leliana are her bodyguard and spymaster, respectively. (I say Southern Chantry, because the Tevinter Chantry has a different mentality on a lot of this. Go talk to Dorian about it when you meet him.)

The Southern Chantry preaches that the power of Mages is dangerous, so they should be confined to Circles, where they can study and also not fuck up the world. The Chantry employs Templars (think Paladins) to keep the mages in line. Templars take stuff called Lyrium to give them magic-suppressing powers. Talk to Cassandra and Cullen about Templars. Lyrium is mined up by dwarves, and it’s very dangerous when raw, just not as dangerous to dwarves. Lyrium can also be corrupted into Red Lyrium, which is Really Bad News and makes shit float and makes you go all kinds of loopy and also want to eat it? Bad stuff. Varric really hates it.

Mages get their power from the Fade, which is the dream world. Dreamers are especially powerful mages who have control over dreams. In the Fade there’s The Black City, which is supposedly where the Maker rules from. In the Fade there’s Demons, who can possess you, which mages are more susceptible to, and are all around bad news. There’s also spirits, and if you want to know about them go talk to Solas and Cole.

A bunch of old Tevinter Magisters (Roman Senators but mages and worshipped dragons) a longass time ago decided that the best way to get more powerful was to enter the fade themselves and go to the Black City. As the story goes, the Maker got pissed at them and sent them back to Thedas (earth) with The Blight (kind of like a zombie curse?) which is really bad news. So what was basically the zombie apocalypse (well they’re technically Darkspawn) started, causing the Wardens to be created. Wardens are sort-of blighted destroyers of the Blight. They shoved them into the Deep Roads, which is where the Dwarves live, so the Dwarves have been sectioning off areas to live in that are safe. Ferelden (the country where you are) recently got over the Fifth Blight (DA:O’s plot). Blights happen when one of those big ol dragon fellows (Old Gods technically) meet up with a bunch of Darkspawn and decide to terrorize the surface.

At the end of Dragon Age 2, the Mages started up a rebellion because they were basically being imprisoned. The Templars got mad and fought back, and succeeded from the Chantry, starting the Mage and Templar war. The title screen is the Conclave (peace conference run by Divine Justinia), at the Temple of Sacred Ashes (where Andraste’s ashes once were). Your character is attending the Conclave.

There’s also a civil war in Orlais between Grand Duke Gaspard and Empress Celene. Also, there’s this lady named Flemmeth, or Asha’Bellanar, who’s a major figure in Elven mythos and can turn into a dragon. She’s Morrigan’s mom and shows up in every game and is sort of immortal.

Combat Basics:

When it comes to combat, I think DA:I has the easiest but least intuitive combat system out of all of the Dragon Age games (there’s a casual mode and don’t worry about starting out with that mode if you haven’t played any Dragon Age games before).

Early on it’s totally a great idea to try out switching between different characters to see which class fits your playstyle best (I think that rogue archer is the simplest for a beginner), and if you want to recreate your character early on that’s totally rad (it took me three tries to realize that I really love 2 handed warriors the best, for example). Basically, here’s a breakdown of playstyles:

Warrior, sword+shield: melee tank, not built for damage. Best with the Champion (Blackwall) or Templar (Cassandra) specializations. One of the better AIs, so don’t worry about switching onto your tank as much. Would recommend having one of them in the party at all times tbh.

Warrior, two handed: melee AOE, built for damage. Basically just stick your two-hander in the center of everything and they’ll kill a bunch of people. Not as good against single-enemy fights (like dragons). Best with the Reaver (Iron Bull) or Champion (Blackwall) specializations.

Rogue, Dual Dagger: melee critical-based, does the most damage out of any build but fairly easy to kill as a result. Good with any of the rogue specializations, but really really good with Assassin (Cole).

Rogue, Archer: ranged damage, does the most ranged damage. Big bonus is the fact that you can move while attacking, which mages cannot do. Leave Varric as an archer, and upgrade Bianca a lot and he’ll become pretty strong! Sera also makes a pretty good archer, but she does pretty well as dual-dagger as well. Good with Artificer and Tempest specializations.

(you don’t get specializations until level 10, at which point you’ll get to pick your own for your character! Lot’s of fun ones, I recommend Reaver, Assassin, Tempest, and Rift Mage as my favorites to play, but just go with what sounds cool/fits the character tbh. Necromancy is a bit glitchy, just a heads up. Also you might need a guide for the quest, depending on which specialization you pick it can be a pain in the ass to figure out)

Mages have a lot more variety to them, and I recommend picking two trees for each mage (+their specialization once you get there). I personally go for Spirit+one type of damage for each one, and it doesn’t matter which type of damage you go for for each mage, since their specializations don’t change a ton of their playstyle. I would recommend having at least one Winter mage and one Inferno mage, so that you can fight dragons/tough enemies with the opposite type of element (there’s no Spirit dragons, and Storm is the least useful against big enemies anyways.)

Spirit: The most useful skill tree in the game, I promise. Barrier, dispel, and whatever the resurrection spell is are some of the most useful spells in the entire game. Also, dispel can be used when a rift is about to spit out more demons and like, you can see the lil circle-y bits on the ground, you just cast dispel on one of those spots and boom, the demon won’t show up! The AI for spirit mage is pretty alright I guess, I usually switch onto my main spirit mage during big difficult fights (dragons especially, dragons are Tough), but honestly I don’t enjoy constantly having to pause to cast barriers so I don’t play it myself.

Winter: CC, does the least amount of damage but the slows/freezes are So Fucking Useful, I swear. If you’ve got a pretty heavy damage team, Winter is great for a purely support mage. I basically build my favorite mage (Solas) to be Winter+Spirit, which is the best combo for playing what is basically just a healer that does very little damage. Also has the fantastic spell, Fade Step, which allows a mage to FWOOOSH across the battlefield to get out of trouble. If your mage is taking a lot of hits, switch onto them and move them out of the way with this.

Inferno: DOT, some AOE. I think Inferno and Storm are sort of tied for damage, but Inferno does more damage to individual enemies. Can also terrify enemies, which is a little bit annoying if you’re playing as a melee character. Just mostly damage, all around pretty solid. Makes my PS4 lag a bit when the entire screen is on fire.

Storm: AOE mostly, can also shock enemies. Basically allows you to chain attacks between multiple enemies. Super neat but my least used mage tree tbh? Not sure why. Does damage, not as useful against big enemies (especially dragons. I feel like I talk about dragons a lot, but there’s like, 12 dragons in the entire game? I just liked fighting them bc A. it’s Dragon Age and B. my character literally drank dragon blood okay, it was sort of badass and C. I like dragons)

I would have to look at my old skill-trees if you want advice on which kits work best together, I couldn’t tell you off the top of my head.

When it comes to building a balanced team, my go-to is:

One Sword-and-Shield Warrior

One Two-Handed Warrior or Dagger Rogue

One Archer Rogue or Damage-y Mage

One Support Mage

So like, pick some favs and build them to fit into that pretty much. Mix up your party though! Some characters, like Sera and Solas, have strange perspectives that can be hard to understand at first, but are really interesting once you get to know them, so stick them in your party!

And I think that’s it? I’m sure I’ve got tons more advice I could share with you (I’ve introduced a few people to the series now so this is almost all stuff I’ve already told them) but this is already like a bajillion words. Also I have to do homework still. whoops?

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age inquisition guide #long post #why did i write so much i still need to finish these storyboards tf am i doing with my life #i just love dragon age so much you guys......#wordbarf #cyekic

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royal-sailor-reyva-tale-blog · 7 years

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[RoyalTale] Chapter 1: The Eighth Royal Child

Summary: Frisk falls into the Underground and is swiftly adopted by the royal family. As the new Princess of Determination, she has a lot to get used to.

It hurt when Frisk fell from the top of Mt. Ebott.

She landed face-first on a flowerbed that seemed unusually soft and springy. Her entire body ached, as though she had belly-flopped face-first into frigid water. Groaning, she pushed herself up, then flopped back down as pain shot through her body. Something had to be broken, or at least cracked. Nonetheless, she could pick her head up to look around at the area. Aside from the golden flowers she laid on, the area was poorly lit. Her eyes gave her little information as to where she had landed. She had heard tales of the Underground beneath Mt. Ebott, where monsters supposedly had been sealed; while it was probably safe to conclude that she had landed there, she wouldn't be completely sure until she saw a monster in the flesh.

She could hear footsteps now, accompanied by faint humming to a tune she didn't recognize. Soon, the source of the sound appeared: a tall, white, goat-like monster, clad in a green and gold tunic, black pants, and a purple cape. The monster seemed surprised at the sight of Frisk; he cut off his humming and sprinted over to her. "Howdy!" he said once he got close, kneeling down to get closer to Frisk's eye level. She could see that his eyes were a vivid green. His low, loose ponytail hung rather close to her face when he bent down. "You've fallen down, haven't you?" Frisk nodded; that was one way to describe what had happened. "Here. Take my hand. I'll heal you." Frisk accepted the hand offered to her. A tingle ran through her body, and the pain faded away completely.

Awestruck at what had happened, Frisk slowly sat up, prodding various places and flexing her fingers to confirm that the damage had indeed been undone. "Feels better, doesn't it?" her savior asked. He offered his hand again to help her up, and she let him pull her to standing. "I should introduce myself... I'm Asriel, Prince of Monsters. Don't worry about any formalities. Just Asriel is fine." The phrase 'prince of monsters' confirmed that Frisk had indeed landed in the Underground. Though she was certainly out of her element, she couldn't bring herself to be more than slightly anxious. At the very least, she had lucked out and the prince of the region was friendly; perhaps others would follow his lead.

"Why don't you come with me?" Asriel asked. "I'll take you to the capital and help you get settled. Maybe we'll meet Connie on our way there." Frisk opened her mouth, intending to question what the prince meant by 'getting settled,' but he answered a different question instead. "Connie is the princess of the Ruins. She was actually the one who fell before you. She's kind of the baby of the family." He looked over his shoulder. "I'll tell you more as we go. Let's get moving, shall we? Mom and Dad will be happy to see you." Frisk decided to follow Asriel, not seeing any better paths to take.

The two proceeded through a large door, and the scenery changed. A purple labyrinth lined with red leaves sprawled in front of Frisk, and she tried to take in the sights as she walked. It seemed that she had to focus more on Asriel than her surroundings, as he had an awful lot to tell her. "The other princes and princesses and I... we're kind of like one big adoptive family. There are other humans down here, too, like Connie. When they fell, Mom and Dad decided to take them all in. So... there are eight Royal Children total, if you include me. Nine, if we include you too." Frisk's brows knitted in confusion at being included, and she tapped Asriel on the shoulder to get his attention. He looked back at her, his expression gentle. "Mom and Dad will probably want to take you in, too. That's why you make nine Royal Children. I know it's a lot to accept... but we'll make sure you get taken care of."

Frisk decided to stow her objections for the time being. It seemed like she was about to have some intriguing experiences, and it didn't seem like it would hurt to meet the others and get to know her new surroundings better. As the two advanced through the Ruins, Asriel pushed rocks onto switches and pulled levers. Even as he did this, he never stopped talking. "You look a bit older than most of the others were when they fell," Asriel said. "How old are you? Seventeen?" Frisk shook her head. "Sixteen?" Again came the negative. "Eighteen?" This time, Frisk nodded. "Ah, that would make you the oldest to fall, then. I mean, some of them are your age or a bit older, but they were younger when they fell. And that makes you my age, sort of! Monster aging is kind of complicated, and sometimes time passes oddly down here."

There was a large patch of spikes in the middle of the ruins. "All right, stay behind me through this one," Asriel said. Frisk did so, and the spikes lowered around them in a set path. "Puzzles are an important part of the Underground. They make things complicated sometimes, but they're a tradition." From there, more leaf-lined pathways appeared, and Asriel led Frisk through a particularly dense cluster of them. "I never get tired of how the leaves sound when you step on them. They're so crunchy. It's like getting to eat Popato Chisps without actually eating them."

After some more twists and turns, Asriel and Frisk stood in front of what was either a very small castle or a very large house. "And here we are," Asriel said. "The castle of the Ruins. There's an elevator here that'll take us to the capital. If I see Connie, I'll introduce her to you." Frisk followed him in through the double doors. The foyer of the castle seemed more like a large living room than anything suiting a castle; there was a simple rug covering most of the wood-paneled floor, and a number of couches and armchairs could be found throughout the room. Though it was tempting to ask for a break from the walking, she said nothing and continued to follow the monster prince as he led her to a dim room in the back of the castle.

"Hmm, no sign of Connie. I guess she stepped out for a bit," Asriel mumbled as he fumbled around for something in one of his pockets. Soon, he pulled a small green crystal out and held it to a hexagonal plaque on the wall. The plaque lit up, a section of the wall slid away, and an elevator door was revealed. "Here we are. Ladies first!" Frisk hesitated at first, but then decided to step into the elevator. She had come too far to turn back, and even if she did turn back, it was highly unlikely that she would be able to get anywhere. Asriel entered after her and pushed a button, and the elevator hummed and vibrated as it traveled through the Underground. Eventually, with a cheery "ding," it stopped, and the doors opened.

The elevator opened into a stone pathway. As Frisk continued to follow Asriel, she saw that the path opened to her left, giving her a good view of a city with stone towers and streets. She could even see people going to and fro around the area. "This is New Home, the capital of the Underground," Asriel explained. "It's where my family lives and oversees everything from." From there, a door led to a glimmering golden hallway, with stained glass windows lining the walls. The windows bore a peculiar insignia: a winged circle over three triangles. Asriel noticed that Frisk's attention was lingering on those and gave another explanation. "On the windows is the Delta Rune. It's kind of like our family crest, but it's also a symbol of a prophecy about someone who will free us all." Frisk continued to dutifully follow Asriel to the end of the hallway. They passed through a large door, and the next area was quite different.

The foyer of the castle seamlessly blended a homey atmosphere with a castle's spaciousness. The floors were polished wood, while the walls were an off-white that gave a comfortingly bland feel. In some places, tapestries and paintings decorated the walls. A few monsters of various types, from a humanoid made of blue flame to a floating eyeball, milled about; some called greetings to the prince. Asriel led Frisk up the thick purple carpet that was spread across the middle of the room. "We're almost there," he said. "Brace yourself. Mom and Dad can be a little, um, overbearing when new humans come, but they mean well." The wood flooring transitioned to grass around the carpet, and then to a swath of golden flowers. Up ahead, two monsters resembling Asriel sat on thrones next to each other, one with a glorious golden mane and beard and the other in an elegant purple dress. "I'm home," Asriel called to them.

The more masculine of the pair stood up. "Welcome home, son!" he boomed with cheer. He stood up, and the feminine monster followed.

"Welcome home, my child," she said, her voice warm. She tilted slightly to look behind Asriel. "Ah, but who is this? Has another one fallen down?"

"That's right. Mom, this is..." At that moment, Asriel's face fell. "Oh no. I never even got your name. I'm sorry."

"Frisk," Frisk said softly. "It's okay."

"Well, Frisk!" The manly monster chuckled. "Welcome to the Underground. I am King Asgore Dreemurr. Beside me is my lovely wife and Queen, Toriel. And of course, you've met our wonderful son already."

Toriel cleared her throat. "One of them. Asriel, have you seen Chara since you left?"

Asriel shook his head. "I'm afraid I haven't, but I'm sure he'll be home for dinner. You know how he is."

"I do indeed," Toriel said before looking to Frisk. "Chara is one of our Royal Children. In fact, he is the first human that fell into the Underground and the first one we took in. All of our children are precious, but Chara still holds a special distinction."

"He's my little big brother," Asriel said with a chuckle. "He came after me, but he's older."

"At any rate, we should get you settled," Asgore said. "Tori, do you think Frisk can help out in the Ruins? I think it would be a good start, so that Connie isn't there all by herself."

"I see no problem with that," Toriel said with a nod. "But first, I do believe that we should get Frisk properly outfitted, should we not?"

"But of course. After all, as one of the Royal Children, you need to look the part!" Asgore gave a high, piercing whistle, and two hummingbird-like monsters flitted in, along with a small cyclops-like creature wheeling in a strange device that looked like a goat skull placed on top of a television. "First, we would like to see your Aspect. It's a piece of you that dominates your spirit and colors your soul. For example, Connie's Aspect is Patience, and her soul is a bright blue. Chara's Aspect is Determination, and his soul is red. Let's see what yours is."

The goat skull pointed itself at Frisk, and an unsettling rattling noise filled the room. After some mechanical whirrs and clicks, there was a "ding," and a red heart showed up on the television's screen. "Another child of Determination!" Toriel exclaimed. She walked over to Frisk and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Chara will be interested in this news, I am sure. Now, please, come with me, my child. What you are currently wearing may be fine on a slow day, but you should have at least one nice dress." Taking Frisk's hand, she led her out of the throne room and down a hallway to the side of the foyer. The two flighty bird monsters followed along, and eventually they ended up in what appeared to be a tailor's studio, complete with dress forms and mannequins. "Here we are! Our royal tailors will handle everything from here. I will be waiting outside if you have any questions."

Frisk opened her mouth to speak, but changed her mind as Toriel made her exit. The two birds fluttered towards her with a tape measure, and all she could do was stare with a befuddled amusement as they gathered her measurements with a peculiar precision. After doing so, they fluttered off somewhere, leaving Frisk alone to wonder what was going to happen. A series of bizarre, disjointed mechanical noises jolted Frisk out of her brief reverie, and with another "ding," the noises stopped. The birds returned, holding up a beautiful red dress with transparent sections along the hem and bust, and a large bow on the back. Two fluffy white dogs also scurried in, one carrying a pair of red heels and the other carrying sleeves to match the dress that were puffy at one end. While the outfit was certainly showier than anything Frisk was used to, even she couldn't deny that there was a certain appeal to the getup, and so she let the birds help her into the dress with their little pulls and holds. When she was done, the dogs nudged a tall mirror over to her, her eyes went wide. Just a change in clothing seemed to overhaul her entire appearance for the better. Clothes really did make the man, so to speak.

At that moment, Toriel knocked on the door. "Frisk? Are they finished with you yet?"

"Yes, come in," Frisk called back.

The door opened, and Toriel stepped in. When she saw Frisk, she gasped dramatically. "You look beautiful, Frisk! Our tailors have done a wondrous job once more." The Queen took Frisk's hand. "Let us go back to the throne room. I am sure that Asriel would like to see your transformation." That last sentence made Frisk raise an eyebrow, but she voiced no objection.

Once Toriel and Frisk returned to the throne room, Asgore clapped his hands together. "Stunning! You really do look like a Princess of Determination," he said, beaming with joy.

Asriel was somewhat flagrantly gawking at Frisk. "Wow. You wouldn't think just a dress would do so much for a person, but it does." Frisk ignored his staring and nodded, and he regained his composure. "Mom and Dad are having some provisions sent to the Ruins for you, so it's time we headed there to get you set up. Maybe Connie will be in this time around, and you can finally meet who you'll be sharing the area with." As he walked by Frisk, he bid his parents farewell. "Mom, Dad, I'll be back in a bit."

"Safe travels, son," Asgore called after him. With that, Asriel and Frisk exited the throne room and headed for the elevator that brought them to New Home.

As they went through the hallway that led to the elevator, a masculine voice made Asriel stop walking. "Asriel." When the prince was unable to find the speaker, the source hopped out of the shadows, revealing himself to be a young man with shaggy brown hair, a tunic similar to Asriel's, a red cloak, and a rather rosy complexion. "Heh. All this time and you still can't figure out where I'm hiding when I do that to you?"

Asriel exhaled heavily. "All this time and you still don't get the hint that I hate when you do that," he said. Despite himself, he chuckled. "Still, glad to see you're home from wherever you wandered off to."

"Thanks," Chara said, patting Asriel on the shoulder. "And this fine lady is Frisk, I take it?"

"That's right," Asriel said. "Meet sister number four, Frisk, Princess of Determination."

"Ooh, another one with Determination. I think we'll get along," Chara said, flashing Frisk a charming smile. "Be nice to my big little brother, okay? He may be all handsome and strong now, but he was a real crybaby when we were kids. Still is, really."

"Knock it off," Asriel grunted.

"What's the matter? You don't want me to embarrass you in front of the new girl? That's too bad, because I've got a good one. Remember that time I dared you to eat a whole pie, and you did? Man, that was-"

"You ate everything else in the fridge before I even got three quarters of the way through," Asriel said. "We both got super sick, so I don't even know why you picked that story."

Chara laughed Asriel off. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Frisk, I take it you haven't seen him eat yet? This guy is practically a bottomless void. Between him and Dad, I'm surprised there's no bites taken out of the dinner table."

Frisk giggled, and Asriel sighed. "Why do you always pick on that?"

"Because it makes you squirm," Chara said. "Anyway, before you get too far, I should warn you about something, Frisk," he added, his expression becoming serious. "There's been whispers of a rebellion against the Royal Children. The rumors have been around since Connie arrived, but now that you're here, I wouldn't be surprised if things got more intense around here."

Asriel nodded solemnly. "It's true. I've been doing the best I can to investigate, but I haven't found a single lead."

"it's hard to go off aimless whispers," Chara said, his gaze fixed on Frisk. "But they definitely exist. Do you know why anyone would want to destroy our happy family?" He barely let her answer before he continued. "The barrier that keeps us trapped here could be broken with the power of seven human souls. With you here, we have eight. So... anything can happen now."

"Chara, she just got here. Why are you trying to scare her before she's even had the opportunity to do anything?" Asriel said.

Chara held his hands up as a gesture of surrender. "You've got a point. Monsters are nice people, and they're fond of the humans that are already here, so I'm sure they'll like Frisk too." He took a few steps past Asriel and Frisk. "Well, I'm going to go check in with Mom and Dad. Go get Frisk set up."

"Right. See you." With that, the brothers parted ways, and Asriel heaved a heavy sigh. "Don't mind him. Chara's a great brother, but he likes to tease. Anyway, shall we move on?"

Frisk nodded, and with that, she took the elevator with Asriel back to the Ruins.

#undertale #fanfic #alternate universe #au #royaltale

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