#OC: Vanyla Cousland

[aylaaescar]

Ealisay: omg you knew THE Hero of Ferelden?? what was she like??

Alistair, thinking about that one time Vanyla discovered that she was actually expected to pay for things so she threw a temper tantrum, complete with stomping her feet: she was very... unique

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crushing my own heart here today :’) it’s fine :’) we’re fine :’)

also it’s a sick irony that I only finally got this achievement after I finished Vanyla’s game

[aylaaescar]

tagged by the wonderful @aeducanka to make some OCs with this picrew. thank you Karolina!!! <3 <3 <3

top row: Vanyla Cousland, Periella “Perry” Amell middle row: Ramori Surana, Leeva Mahariel, Nadine Tabris bottom row: Bryn Brosca, Farira Aeducan

forever and always nervous about tagging people sjdfgjsg but if you want to, go for it!!

[aylaaescar]

ultimate sacrifice ending makes me sad enough, but then I made myself sadder this morning with "hey Sierra, did you stop to think about how Vanyla was maybe 25 years old when she died?"

[aylaaescar]

a fantastic day to think of my Cousland and be sad about her bc I remembered that she actually really likes kids and would’ve enjoyed being a mom?? and Leliana would be an adorable mom as well?

but also like, I did That (tm) at the end of the game, so. good one, Sierra

[aylaaescar]

dating profiles for my Dragon Age OCs, courtesy of one @reverienne! others are doing some profiles too - feel free to check her blog and see!

Vanyla Cousland, Rosemary Hawke, and Zacharias Hawke, all of whom are in separate playthroughs/timelines BUT they’re grouped together for the DA representation anyway 😌 maybe they will get a date, who knows

[aylaaescar]

Hi hello those ships asks are so much fun!! So here's a bunch: 11, 22, 27 for Vanyla/Leliana, 3+13 for Sky and Atton if you feel like it, 7+24 for Rosemary/Fenris, and 12-15 for Meg/Ashley? <3 WAIT also 1, 23, 30 for Aelisay/Bull

aHHHh thank you!! my blorbos and THEIR blorbos <3 (and right?? these are so fun skdfgj I love answering these, even if they take me a hot minute)

putting under a cut bc I ramble <3

Vanyla/Leliana

11. What good do they bring out in each other?

I think that what Leliana brings out of Vanyla is more obvious than the other way around, for one thing. Vanyla is way nicer and softer when Leliana is around, puts more effort into not being quite so sharp and mean as she normally is. (which, in all fairness, is a thing that she learns in general during the Blight, but Leli brings it out more often lol.)

on Leliana's end, Vanyla helps her to be more accepting and at peace with herself and what she's done. Vanyla is very firm that no matter what Leli's done in the past, it doesn't dictate who she is now, and that Marjolaine's comments were worthless, cruel jabs to lower her guard.

22. What's different about their backgrounds? Do those differences affect the relationship?

so you've got Leliana, orphan who was raised by a noblewoman turned bard turned runaway turned Chantry sister. Vanyla, meanwhile, was a noblewoman who lived in the total lap of luxury until very recently. I wanna say that it affects the relationship, but it also doesn't? as in - obviously they have different backgrounds that shaped their views on the world. I can only speak for Vanny since she's my OC, ofc, but she was deeply spoiled and self-absorbed before becoming a Warden. this woman stomped her foot and threw a fit the first time she had to actually pay for something and didn't have the coin or family name to her name. (Alistair saw it. he's been judging her for that moment ever since.)

so it affects her relationship w Leliana, but it also affects, like, everything about the Blight and her growing up as a person during it, lol. does that make sense?? learning to be less spoiled and arrogant was a big thing for her. listening to Leliana talk about her background might be one of the first times Vanyla gave much of a thought to the lives of her castle's servants, and it was a deeply uncomfortable realization that kept her up that night.

27. What interests do they share? For interests they don't share, do they ever participate anyway?

fun fact: they actually first bonded w each other because they were talking about shoes or hair, lol. they're both very feminine and fashionable, they love pretty frilly things and shoes. Vanyla is a proud Fereldan ofc, but if there's anything Orlais does better in her opinion, it's the shoes. and fashion. they go shopping together a lot whenever they're in Denerim or a major city that allows it, and though the Blight probably isn't the best time to lug around some cute dresses like that... it's fine, it's all fine, it's going to a good cause. the cause of looking great. :^)

Vanyla also loves reading and whatever the Thedosian equivalent of brain teasers are, and I would hazard a guess that Leliana enjoys those as well? yeah.

Sky/Atton (rest assured that I am always down to talk about them skdfjg I'm just lazy and haven't added the KOTOR crew to my OC page yet bc idk what to do for images?? somebody remind me to get on that sometime)

3. What's their favorite thing to tease each other about?

idk if they have a favorite thing, but they affectionately tease each other about a fair amount? piloting skills, pazaak skills, Force talents, you name it. Sky's glowing red eyes came up in conversation once when it was pitch black and Atton was able to see her anyway. gotta love the Chiss.

13. How do they express love for each other? Do they have compatible love languages?

I talked about it a bit on my old blog, but a thing before I answer bc I feel like it affects it: they never actually get together. they're in love w each other, yeah, and I think they spend their lives together after Sky returns from finding Revan, but it's strictly in this officially platonic capacity. they're best friends who understand each other and their respective dark sides better than anybody, they're loyal to each other and would die for the other, but there's also... never any romantic resolution to their relationship. neither of them can forgive themselves for what they've done enough to let themself be loved, I think. idk if I'm explaining it well haha. and in Sky's case, she doesn't know if Atton would actually want to be with her or if the Force bonds would make him fall for her. it's complicated.

anyway! to answer the actual question! I would peg them as both being quality time and acts of service - the former bc, well, they spend p much all their time together when Sky gets back from finding Revan and she reconciles with Atton. the latter bc they might never actually say the words "I'm in love with you" to each other and stay officially platonic, but they still do what they can for each other anyway. nobody has their back like the other does.

Rosemary/Fenris

7. What's their most and least favorite thing about each other?

for Rosemary: man, what didn't she like about him? his strength, his sense of humor, his cleverness, she loved p much everything. his stance on mages caused some friction, but they were able to come around and see each other's point of view after a while.

for Fenris: I'd say that he loved her compassion and humor most of all, and that what he liked the least was how much she was unable to stop blaming herself for bad things that weren't her fault. :/

24. How did they fall for each other?

I feel like they were both attracted to each other from the start, but falling in love was a thing that happened gradually over the years as they became friends and got to really know each other. idk if there was any one big event that prompted it, but they both became much more aware of their own feelings and started to explore the possibility of a romance between each other just a bit before act 2 started.

Meg/Ashley

12. What struggle have they seen each other through?

*gestures to the whole Reaper thing*

but that's a cheap answer sdkfghsjgk. Virmire is a heavy one for them both - they were both close friends with Kaidan, and his loss never really stopped being painful. it just became easier to deal with.

Meg had to deal with her former gang on Earth becoming xenophobic as they pushed into space, as well as learning more of the circumstances behind Akuze, and Ashley was present for both of those. Ashley had to deal with the loss of her sister's husband, which Meg was there for. on a much, MUCH lighter note - there was some anxiety and fear about the rules and regulations back in ME1, but by the time ME3 rolled around, they both decided they didn't care. they could be written up when the Reapers were gone.

13. How do they express love for each other? Do they have compatible love languages?

not verbally, for one thing. they'll both say it in big moments, I think, but otherwise they don't say "I love you" as much as other couples might. not that they don't feel it, ofc, it's just not who they are (and Meg in particular has a very hard time verbalizing how she feels). so I'd peg them as quality time and acts of service? spending a lot of time together while going out of their way to do things for the other that'll make her life easier.

14. What little things remind them of each other?

Meg re: Ashley: phoenix armor, shotguns (or boomsticks, as they're lovingly called), poetry, discussions of faith

Ashley re: Meg: the color pink, pretty shoes and fashion in general, biotic charges, hilariously deadpan/stoic responses to weird stuff

15. What habits or characteristics have they picked up from each other?

idk if this one counts as a habit, but Meg's become a lot more expressive after she and Ashley have been together for a while. she's still largely a stoic person lol, but she shows emotions more often than she used to. also she smiles more, which takes everybody by surprise the first time that happens.

Ashley feels a little bit harder to pin down? maybe a bit of Meg's rather clipped way of speaking, but that's about all I can think of? 🤔 she doesn't really strike me as the type to easily pick up stuff from others, she's very uniquely herself lol.

Ealisay/Bull

1. What do they think of each other's family? And how does the family feel?

the Ostwick clan just loves that one :^D jk no uh, the Trevelyan family isn't terribly thrilled as a whole? Ealisay's parents would really rather that she agree to marry some nice noble and secure an alliance, but I'm also reasonably sure there's jack squat they can do about it since their kid is LITERALLY the Herald of Andraste. they come to be more accepting over time, and even approve a little bc Ealisay is obviously happy, but it takes a bit for them to get there. Ealisay's siblings are kind of mixed - at least one is the same as their parents, at least one just plain doesn't care and is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ about it, and I know Ealisay has a mage twin brother (you heard it here first, folks) who's happy for her. that said, Ealisay isn't really close to her family in general and doesn't actively seek their approval anymore. she's happy with Bull, and that's what matters to her. I get the impression that Bull probably wouldn't want to get involved with that scene?? which works fine for Ealisay, bc she doesn't really want to get involved anymore either.

long paragraph woo

on Bull's end, obviously biological family is trickier bc the Qun but! he sure does have the Chargers! and Ealisay gets along with them VERY well, they're family as far as they're both concerned. complete with meddling sister vibes as she plays matchmaker for Krem and Maryden.

23. What was their first impression of each other?

Ealisay internally: m u s c l e s

basically that he was A) enormous B) good in a fight C) hot D) BIG MUSCLES. idk if it's been mentioned before but that girl is heart eyes for big muscles. it's hot. she also thought he seemed like he'd be enjoyable to have around, just from his general demeanor, so she liked him p much right away? admitting that he was a Ben-Hassrath didn't really deter her lol, she thought it was nice that he was upfront and didn't really think about that until waaaay later.

on Bull's end, I will assume that he also noticed Ealisay being good in a fight bc that lady is a solid tank lol. also that she was... ehh "silly" isn't the right word, but not as serious as one might assume the Herald of Andraste to be? he knew who she was right away, ofc, but she was a lot more relaxed and playful than one might have assumed a noblewoman turned Herald to be.

30. Where is their relationship the strongest?

w their muscles bc they're both buff warriors 💪🐮💪👩

jk no, I'm gonna say that it's in how plain supportive they are of each other? Bull's is obvious from his romance, how much he goes out of his way to help the Inquisitor feel good and grounded, and I love him for it (as does Ealisay). Ealisay is similar in that regard - she's the first to tell him that he's a good man without the Qun and that he doesn't need it to be a good person, she'll just shrug and pick up the stick and go to town when he's doing those fear exercises, she distracts him so he'll have a nice birthday surprise even tho they both know he knows what the Chargers are doing. they're very ride or die for each other.

[aylaaescar]

I miss Vanyla so a post about random facts for her:

very much in denial of being a lesbian back when she was still a noble, since it was kind of expected that she was gonna marry and have babbys (Fereldan nobility seems like it’s still largely. heteronormative, tbh.) her first major crush was a visiting merchant’s daughter when she was 14, and her way of dealing with it was basically that “get out of my school” tweet lol.

made her parents’ life a nightmare when it came to finding her a husband, once again courtesy of being in the closet. insisted she would only marry for true love, and that no man had presented himself as being worthy of her yet. very big Jasmine from Aladdin energy.

idc what they showed in-game, my girl’s bedroom at the castle was a room w at least two closets for all her dresses and shoes, a four poster canopy bed, and a cozy fur rug. also whatever books from their library she was reading that week.

also, big on reading. if Thedas has brain teasers and jigsaw puzzles, she’d like them too? I imagine her way of relaxing was taking a book out to the gardens and reading in solitude, or with her mabari Yeralt with her.

saying that she was unpopular at the castle is a bit like saying water is wet. my girl was a spoiled rotten brat who stomped her foot and threw tantrums if she didn’t get her way - probably her family and a handful of the staff were the only people to like her. when she’s developed and seen the world outside of her privileged experience during the Blight, she regrets how nasty she was.

“you can’t fight crime if you ain’t cute” femme with a love of pink, makeup, and hair braiding. Leliana was the first person in the group she liked thanks to that convo they had about Leli missing Orlesian fashion lol.

I like to imagine that she escapes the castle even if Duncan isn’t there! just kind of shoved out of the servants’ passage by her parents in that timeline. :( since she doesn’t have Duncan to take her to Ostagar, that version of her is a rogue on the run who kind of needs to take a crash course in learning to fend for herself while hiding from Howe’s men.

still becomes a kinder and more empathetic person in that ‘verse the same way she does as a Warden, and has some Robin Hood esque qualities. steal and give to the poor.

[aylaaescar]

would but that I could draw, for I would draw the incident where Vanyla had to pay for something and didn't have the money or status to get out if it (rich kid stuff, ya know) so she threw a fit and stamped her foot while Alistair stood there and judged her the whole time. he's never forgotten this incident and he never will

[visionmarred-archive]

I finally find the perfect hair for her after I finish her playthrough. go figure.

hair color though... I think I’m just gonna have to accept that I’ll never be 100% happy with her looks in-game skdfgh

[visionmarred-archive]

she’s my darling so this hurts either way, but it especially hurts since she almost went through with the ritual. she doesn’t want to die. but then she started thinking on her way to Alistair’s room, and the doubt creeped in. it was Flemeth’s ritual, how can we trust what she wanted? what’s going to happen to the baby? is it worth it? she definitely doesn’t think saving her own life is worth it if it potentially puts others at risk. so Vanyla changed her mind.

this is gonna crush me

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bbg avenging her family, getting hugged by her gf (ty mods), and finishing the landsmeet

endgame after I finish return to Ostagar,,,,,, I will be so sad :’)

[visionmarred-archive]

really just sat there for a few minutes like “I should make an Orlesian commander sometime, because I haven’t had a proper one in years. I wonder which Warden of mine would least want to be the Warden-Commander in Awakening so I can create said Orlesian” only to remember that I sure did kill off my Cousland so :) there’s an opening :)

[visionmarred-archive]

tagged by the lovely @aeducanka to create some OCs in this picrew, thank you!! <3 elected to go with just a few of my Wardens for now, on account of me being supremely picky with how some were coming out ksdjfhsdf. I’m terrible at tagging people so if you want to do it, go for it!

top: Vanyla Cousland (she/her), Sidane Amell (they/them) bottom: Ramori Surana (she/they), Farira Aeducan (she/they)

[aylaaescar]

I'm horrible to my OCs bc "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight" came on the radio and my brain went to Vanyla and Rosemary, as if the only thing I think of w them is that they died in-game

but then "Heaven is a Place on Earth" came and made me think Katrina/Sebastian so does that cancel it out. probs not

[aylaaescar]

ngl seeing Archibald the Archdemon hits a little differently in a world state where the Warden performed the ultimate sacrifice

:/