#Serafina Tabris

[enasallavellan]

Gif Convo Monday

Wynne: Wait, how old are you, Alistair?

Alistair, proudly: 20!

Wynne: ...alright how old are all of you?

Leliana: 24

Serafina: Oh, me too!

Leliana: Really?

Zevran: 25 - ha! The oldest of the young!

Alistair: Wait, you're older than-

Morrigan: 22.

Shale: You don't ask a woman her age.

Wynne:

Shale: It's rude.

Wynne:

Wynne: You're all children.

Wynne and Sten:

[highwayphantoms]

shamelessly stolen from @flashhwing: make your DA protags in this picrew

I have, as you may be aware, a lot of dragon age protags so. 😂 here’s one worldstate’s worth of protags. from left to right: R. Tabris, Serafina Hawke (plus a baby Bear), and Rowan

imma tag uhh anyone and everyone. tag yourselves. have fun.

[inquisitor-julia]

Jules’ Dragon Age OCs

Personal Canon:

Elsanna Cousland

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Serafina Hawke

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Nayeli Trevelyan

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Wardens:

Yaretzi Mahariel

Atalaya Tabris

Oksana Aeducan

Sahara Mahariel

Nyx Surana

Amaris Brosca

Lilith Amell

Orlesian Wardens:

Amaya Caron

Fern Andras

Other DA:O OCs

Genevieve Aeducan

Champions:

Maelie Hawke

Ilana Hawke

Kian Hawke

Naomi Hawke

Novaleigh Hawke

Milo Hawke

Olivia Hawke

The Last Court OCs:

Sita

 Henri

Inquisitors:

Wren Lavellan

Katarina Cadash

Rosemary Lavellan

Pippa Cadash

Luca Lavellan

Evander Trevelyan

Yvainne Adaar

Other DA:I OCs

Haleir

Lyre Lavellan

Thorne Trevelyan

[rhunae]

Serafina Lavellan, Rhunae Surana, Marius, Lucretzia Hawke, Anya Cousland, Ghimyean Tabris.

You’ve not heard about Anya yet, but she’s going to be making an appearance in my fic soon.

Fantasy Avatar Maker

[too-many-lavellans]

Contents

Tarot Cards | Comics | Inktobers

Settings:

 Origins | Awakening  DA 2  Inquisition

Little ‘Vellans - Child Lavellans

PreQuisition - Pre-Breech

The Inquisition - Main game inserts/rewrites

Trespasser - Trespasser DLC inserts/rewrites

Post Trespasser - Post Trespasser DLC 

NotQuistion - Alternate Lavellan Inquisitor

Modern AU - Modern Dragon Age

Class Swap AU - Alternate Player Class 

The Veilguard

Kiddos:

Tevhal Mahariel | Warden Mahariel

Avaer Andras | Warden-Commander Andras

Twin Champions

Garret Hawke Marriane Hawke

Andros Lavellan | Inquisitor Lavellan

Cerill Lavellan

Von Lavellan

Wes Lavellan

Shep’lan Lavellan

Pehn Lavellan

Venui Lavellan

Clan Lavellan | Parents:

Keeper Deshanna Asharill Varanar Taerahel Varanar Dehris Lavellan Galen Lavellan Ordina Ariathra Von’arel Ariathra Lihra Gevann Tabris Seranni Lavellan Valaris Nessina Serran Lavellan Semiel Ariathra Cylian Lavellan

Children

Hanin Rutherford Lavellan Castella Pavus Serafina Lavellan Montilyet  Junrian Lavellan

Paragon Adaar

Kieva

Taleah

House Stromae

Hera Stromae Malcom Stromae

Pairings:

Lehariel - Tevhal and Leliana

Nathandras - Avaer and Nathaniel

FenHawke - Fenris and Garret

Vhawke - Varric and Marianne

Bullavellan - The Iron Bull and Andros

Solavellan - Solas and Cerill

Pavellan - Dorian and Von

Pentavellan - Cassandra and Wes

Cullavellan - Cullen and Shep’lan

Montivellan - Josephine and Pehn

Venieva - Venui and Kieva

Seradaar - Sera and Paragon

[enasallavellan]

Antivan Crow Headcanons

So, I have some headcanons about how the Antivan Crows work. Since I wanted to dive more into the Crows' inner workings in my most recent fic, I decided to expand on the whole thing in my little gremlin brain. Now, I've decided, that maybe people as gremlin-like as me can see them too!

Couple of things: I refer to the Crow houses as nests - I don’t know if I made that up or read/heard it somewhere, so you’ll hear me use that term when I’m talking about the actual area/building the crows inhabit. And also, to avoid sentences like, ‘The crows didn’t like when crows blah, blah, blah, I will from here on out refer to the overall group as the Antivan Crows, and individuals as crows. I know it might sound a little weird and repetitive, but I can’t really find a good way to do it otherwise.

SO BUCKLE UP BUTTERCUPS, IT'S GONNA BE A WILD RIDE!

(under the cut, obviously)

Different Nests, Different rules.

This one is very self-explanatory. Each house has a slightly different culture, rules, and standards.  Some nests don’t get involved in certain jobs and hold their Crows to some sort of code.  Most have at least a few hard nos of what sorts of jobs they take and what behaviors individual crows might engage in. For instance, one nest might forbid their Crows from making deaths needlessly painful or prolonged if the mark hasn’t actually done anything wrong, just pissed off a noble. I’m sure there’s at least one nest that is kind of a ‘do whatever, we don’t give a fuck’ house. But most have some sort of hard nos.

The Way Things Stay the Same

So, Zevran mentions that the Antivan Crows put their younger recruits in a building near a tannery, which leads me to believe that they have different paces for different people. So, maybe up until they’re a certain age they stay in the same area as the prostitutes. I’m just gonna guess maybe 8-10ish when you can kind of take care of yourself. They get shipped into a building with as many kids as they can put in one room and with only the occasional crow to stick his head, see if anyone is dead, then leave. As the recruits get older and continue to show promise, their living situation will change.  Older recruits that have survived the first slew of training that tends to kill a lot of recruits, might get a tiny little crackerbox room. Like five feet by five room with a bed, but not just a bed  - a very small trunk for personal belonging and a hook to hang shit with! Too tall for the provided bed? Find a way to get comfortable, because you’re stuck there for a bit. 

Because what better incentive would a kid in this life than to let them go from a shitty place with no privacy (especially as they get older) to a slightly last shitty place where you have a mild amount of privacy in your tiny room and paper-thin walls. (I like to imagine that every so often a few of the recruits are roughhousing and get knocked/fall into an interior wall they just end up on the other side of it covered in debris).

Eventually, you move into the nest proper with similarly small rooms but now it's near the food and you don’t have to walk twenty or thirty minutes to food.

It would be within the Antivan Crows’ best interest to keep their recruits and crows in a somewhat central location so they can have as much control over their crows as humanly possible.  Having basically ‘dorms’ for the crows would be a good way to do that.  And you can get some nice places if you get good enough, so there’s still a reason for the recruits not to run away. Just as Zevran says - a crow is well supplied with sex and alcohol, but as far as having a lot of personal freedoms? Well, he did say it was a gilded cage. Granted, there are crows who make enough money and are regarded well enough that they can live some very lucrative lives - some might work much less than others, but because they’re extremely skilled at their job, they only need to take a few big jobs here and there and have no issues.  But the average crow lives a relatively short life and with no way to extricate themselves from the Antivan Crows.

But there are other reasons for all the crows to control as much as they can. They have control over food, which I’ll talk about a little more when I talk about the kitchen girls.

No Idle Children

Younger recruits do simple tasks; bringing written correspondences around the nest, making deliveries, and acting as gofers to whatever a crow happens to need something (just snatch a kid running past for immediate service). As they get older, they do more and more complex jobs. Occasionally, kids might actually assist or participate in jobs.  Acting as bait or a distraction is a great job for the younger ones. A little girl rushing up to a stranger, begging and pleading for assistance, would be a very good way to get the target right where a trap is waiting for them.

This also gives the recruits time to watch things in action. A well-regarded recruit might go to complete a job with a fully trained crow if they’re deemed skilled enough - and may even get a few coins for it. 

Second Generation Crows

They have to exist. The Crows have access to the brothel, there are going to be kids. But this can be a very weird and tricky thing to handle depending on the parent. 

Your average crow is probably not going to give much thought to a kid - and with no pressure to have anything to do with a kid, it’s rare a crow would be remotely involved in the life of their child. Despite this, any concerns about birth control go out the window, since each child born in the brothel is one more potential crow or prostitute. On top of that, most of the Antivan Crow-run brothels have enough prostitutes that having a few here and there not quite able to work isn’t a big deal to the Antivan Crows’ profits. Granted, the women can’t stay out of work too long because if they run out of money to pay their rent, they’re on the streets or dead. So, working as long as you’re able to get jons and getting back as soon as humanly possible would be integral for a prostitute to keep their home and job. 

Now, some women might keep their children a little longer, but the ability to do this is directly impacted by how ‘important’ a prostitute is. And by ‘keep their child’ I mean they keep them in their room to sleep and involve themselves in their lives while they can.

The child of a very high-ranking crow or prostitute might be afforded some smaller comforts the others would be denied. Oh, they’d still be either Crows or prostitutes, but they might have lighter duties or private lessons to give them a boost in their chances of being able to make a life for themselves. There most likely are families (and I use that term loosely) that have been in the Antivan Crows for generations - but at the end of the day, what matters is that the nest is running smoothly and everyone is making money for the organization.

But honestly, I would say that there might be a handful of kids who have ever actually gotten out of the Antivan Crows without being a crow. But for most? There are two choice - three if you count dying, which I will talk about…

The Pipeline: The Crow Path

I mentioned before that I feel like the Antivan Crows would keep all their people in a few general areas, both as a way to keep control as well as monitor certain things. So some sort of staff will be needed.

So, there are two roles that a kid might go - go into crow training or work as staff.

Boys will all go into crow raining. No ifs, ands, or buts. Girl crows are less common but do exist. So if a girl has a temperament and resilience that might have a chance? She gets tossed in with all the others.

Recruits live a life of difficult training, torture (you know, so they can learn to resist it), cutthroat competition, and being subjected to the wills of the older crows - which opens the doors for all sorts of additional abuses. Generally, a recruit can expect a beating if they break a rule, cause problems, or irritate someone enough. Depending on what the issue is and the mood of whoever is doing the beating, it might be getting whacked with a stick once or twice, or all the way up to having a few people wail on you for a while. Denying food and sleep might also be used, as well as isolation in a very damp and chilly room.

 And absolutely, positively, don’t you dare fucking cry. Even the kitchen girls are held to this - crying is weak, and crying gets you beat.

The Pipeline: The Staff Path

Girls begin their work in the kitchens. Now, the life of a kitchen girl seems like a pretty sweet deal at first. Yes, they work hard in the kitchens, but outside of those duties, they have free time.  They also have a degree of respect from the crows - after all, they do have control over the food, and if you want a certain food you need to be on the good side of the kitchen girls.

And you get on their bad side? They might purposively make things you hate, or it’s bad enough, you just might get a plate of overly poisoned food.

Now, all the food has mild amounts of different types of poisons and toxins so the crows can build up immunities.  It’s not enough to kill anyone, but you can imagine the new recruits having a really bad time for the first few weeks. So all it takes is a mild slip and suddenly - oops! You’re either dead or going to spend a while wishing you were dead.

And many of the girls form tight friendships in the kitchens - something denied to crows and the recruits (never know who might stab you in the back). The kitchen girls are also in charge of what goes into the kitchens. They’re sent out to markets to sample what is being sold and decide which vendors to buy from. There’s a crow somewhere nearby keeping tabs on them, both to keep them out of trouble and keep trouble away from them. And one of the kitchen girls is easy to spot - there's a very specific shade of blue that is only made for the Antivan Crows (or else). Girls have two aprons - one that is used in the kitchen and one that is used for going out into the world. And when people see those signature blue aprons - it’s obvious who they are.

So, you’re thinking to yourself - why Lacy, why would they treat these girls so well? Why would the profits-over-everything Antivan Crows spend money on resources on a group that isn’t making them money?

Well, I’ll start off by saying that these little outings of the kitchen girls are not just to let them have a fun day in the market - it’s advertising. Because once that girl reaches a certain age -  I’m sure it varies depending on the nest - they go to work upstairs. AKA, the brothel. 

So all those outings? Picking the prettiest of the kitchen girls to go out where they will be seen? You show off the goods - one day, you’ll be able to purchase one of those girls by the hour.

While some intermingling between the recruits and the staff is inevitable, it’s discouraged. And the girls are definitely discouraged from being sexually involved with anyone. There isn’t a punishment if they do, but they will miss out on a massive boost in money. We all know that there's plenty of people out there who have a weird obsession with deflowering girls. So if a girl has abstained, their first job is auctioned off to the highest bidder. A girl can make good money from that. And unlike kitchen girls, prostitutes have to pay rent to the Antivan Crows - which is taken out of anything they make. As they get older, they get less and less support. If they don’t make enough money, they go back to staff, specifically cleaning. Cleaners don’t have anything near the life they once had as kitchen girls, since they’ve already been used up.  So for the most part, they’re ignored by the rest of the nest (if they’re even seen) and live in bare-bones housing.

But there is one particually chilling danger a kitchen girl faces. 

Every so often.

Maybe once or twice on a bad year.

A particularly pretty kitchen girl might simply disappear.

Their friends might be sad, but there would be no time for all that - there’s kitchen work to do. Everyone knows, nobody talks about it, and it’s accepted as just Something That Just Happens Sometimes.

Sex, fine - love, no.

So it seems a common trend that love is forbidden in the Antivan Crows.  It’s a distraction and a weakness that can be exploited.  So it’s a major, no-go. Sex? They don’t care; have as much sex as you want. Now, this no-love clause goes for crows and prostitutes, but also for recruits and kitchen girls. After all, a bunch of them are probably teenagers and there’s not much use in trying to stop something that’s just going to happen.

So a decision must be made. If one is a crow and the other not, the crow is made to kill the person they love, or they both die. If it’s two crows, then they either pick the more promising crow to do the killing, or if they’re pretty equal they just leave them in a room with a knife and see who comes out. This, in turn, makes something very clear to the remaining member. This especially hits older recruits and younger crows who might not have the foresight to think about the long-term effects of a romantic affair.

Templars, Watch Yourselves.

Mages are great for the Antivan Crows - people who are their own weapons or can patch up their assassins are invaluable. So, the nest will offer those mages protection in exchange for using their magic in some way to make money for the nest. 

For the most part, the templars and the Antivan Crows don’t bother each other, so long as the nests aren’t flagrant about it. 

Now, this is where headcanon ends and my own fic begins, but I’ll tell you about a little thing that I decided went down. 

Templars got sick of perfectly good mages escaping and getting to be safe with a criminal network, so they decided to make an example of a smaller house in Salla. They hired the Antivan Crows through a particularly devout and rich noble, tasking them with quashing a nonexistent rebellion.  Once most of the crows in the nest were halfway across Antiva, the templars made their move. They overtook the nest, and snatched as many mage kids and adults as they could, killing the ones they couldn’t take alive.

Then, to let the Antivan Crows know just how naughty they were by defying the templars for so long - they barred the exits and burned it to the ground. You could count the number of survivors who weren’t taken by the templars on one hand.

The Antivan Crows respond with coordinated attacks on the Antivan templar order. Templars might have some diet-magic and armor and specific training, but the Antivan Crows massively outnumber them - and they’re trained to kill. Not to defend or control or subdue, but to kill.

In other words, the Antian Crows brought the templars to their kness. 

From that point on, the templars leave the crows the hell alone.

Happiness in a Nest

But, it’s not all doom and gloom. As with every situation, people make the best of what they’re given. Whether they admit it or not, most crows have some fair-weather friends and a few might even have friends they trust. Children in the nest find ways to have fun and even play. Older kids find ways to sneak out for a night of fun and bad decisions. When the workday is over, prostitutes socialize and play cards over glasses of wine. 

Good memories are made, even in a nest.

In conclusion.

Life with the Antivan Crows is just like living under the crushing weight of modern capitalism - it only benefits the upper echelon and anyone that can’t make money is deemed useless and cast aside.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Leave a comment/reblog or message me with any questions or share your own headcanons! I look forward to hearing from y'all!

[enasallavellan]

Gif Convo Monday

Taken/inspired by Incorrect Quote Generator here.

Serafina: We need to distract these guy.

Leliana: Leave it to me

Leliana: Centaurs have six limbs and are therefore insects. Discuss.

Morrigan, Sten, and Wynne: *Immediately begin arguing*

Alistair, watching in horror: Oh this. I don’t like this. I don't like this at all.

[enasallavellan]

Gif Convo Monday

Taken/inspired by Incorrect Quote Generator here.

Alistair: Common isn't a difficult language. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.

Serafina, Zevran, Leliana, and Sten:

[enasallavellan]

So I think I'm just going to start posting fic-related things that pop into my head. I think I've forgotten how to write. I was too sick to even think straight for half a year, and as we close in to the second half a year. I miss writing and I'm actively creating it in my head but I just can't seem to translate into anything decent on a page.

So until I can remember how, baby steps.

[enasallavellan]

Gif Convo Monday

Taken/inspired by Incorrect Quote Generator here.

Serafina: I’m in love with someone, but I’m worried about telling you who it is, because you’re not going to like it

Wynne: Just rip the bandage off.

Serafina: It’s Zevran.

Wynne: Put the bandage back on.

[enasallavellan]

Gif Convo Monday

Zevran: Well, well, well... if it isn’t my old friend: the dawning realization that I fucked up bad.

Serafina:

Alistair:

Leliana:

Wynne:

[enasallavellan]

Gif Convo Monday

Taken/inspired by Incorrect Quote Generator here.

Serafina: While I’m gone, Alistair you’re in charge.

Alistair:  Yes!!!

Serafina, whispering: Shale, you’re secretly in charge.

Shale: Obviously.

Alistair:

[enasallavellan]

The Sea, the Stars, and the Albatross

Emotions run high as Cosette's grief consumes her, but the others are quick to comfort her. Henrietta and Serafina find common ground in their own pasts. If you like what I've written, consider reblogging or commenting - I love to hear from ya'll!

TW in tags.

Cosette was sobbing.

Loud, racking sobs that seemed to shatter the air around them. Dark clouds rolled in as though called by her grief, dimming the light to a grey haze.

Ethlam had vague memories of a young girl in his clan who had made the mistake of walking past a wolf lost in madness. It had attacked her with foaming jaws, leaving her with no chance of survival. If memory served, they still burnt the body to stop the illness from spreading to scavengers, but mixed the remaining ashes and bits of bone with fresh soil before planting the tree as had been their own custom. 

But in this cold and windswept place, there was little vegetation to be seen. With some of the urgency gone, Ethlam was able to send a few wardens out to a distant copse of trees to find seeds to plant. They returned with some acorns and a few cloistered pine cones. Ethlam picked out the most viable-looking ones for Hanin's burial but placed the rest in a pouch on his side with a sort of reverence.

"We'll mark it on the map." He assured. "Come back to give proper honors."

Robin held Cosette throughout the endeavor, sometimes needing to hold her up to keep her from falling down in grief. A few of the other Grey Wardens seemed slightly put off by the behavior, and Ulrich was outright disdainful of it. As timid as Serafina was, even she thought of saying something to the young prince. But his glare was so intimidating when she tried, her body went rigid and her throat tightened. He stared at her for a few seconds before huffing and looking away.

But Serafina had no reason to stop Cosette; why would she? She had never been able to properly grieve for her mother, so strict was the nest about showing any sort of weakness, even from its staff. She remembered the long nights spent crying over her mother, curled up on her aunt's floor while her cousin whispered for her to muffle the sound with the threadbare blanket they shared. 

And she knew the loss of someone who had settled so deeply into her heart. Even after eight years, the ache for his presence remained, the wish for his protection from the world that cared so little for her plight. How much she missed his laugh, his jokes, and how he teased, always able to pull her back to the light if she fell…

Even if Cosette had only known Hanin for a short time, the way they looked at each other…

"Will you be alright if I stay with her?" Robin asked, concern etched on her face. "Can you handle packing up our tent on your own?"

The answer was immediate, "Of course - I'll take care of it."

Robin smiled warmly at her, tinged with sadness, "It doesn't have to be perfect; just get it all bundled up."

Serafina did her best with it, just managing to attach it to her own pack.  Anxiety crept in as she walked alone, twisting her scarf around her worried fingers. She kept to the side of the group, separating herself from the herd of men that permeated the ranks. Her scarf twisted around her worried fingers, soft and cool.

A vaguely familiar voice called to her, and she recognized Daveth. It seemed he didn't see fit to stay with the other recruits, instead spending all his time with the proper Wardens, seamlessly melting into their ranks.

He grinned as he caught her eye, coming over to walk beside her, "Horrible mess, isn't it?"

Serafina swallowed, her gaze fixed on the small distance between them. She nervously fiddled with her scarf, hoping to distract herself from his presence.

"Always fussing with that, aren't you?" He asked, leaning in to inspect it.

She could smell him; sweat and effort, wind and grass. 

"Old, isn't it?" He asked, "Not a good match at all, that old with someone pretty as you-"

Before he continued, Henrietta popped between them, voice loud and filled with laughter as she chortled, "Oh, Serafina, come here, I want to show you something!" Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Serafina's hand and led her to the back of the line.

When they were at the back of the line, Henrietta paused to pull something out of her bag, nothing more than a bag filled with caltrops. Serafina had seen them often, as they were a favored tool of many a Crow. But Henrietta grinned widely, showing her the bag with excitement generally reserved for something much more grand.

"Saw him getting a little too friendly." She whispered, opening the bag up a bit more and holding it up a bit higher, "And saw you going pale."

Serafina traced the lines of the caltrops, her eyes following as they dipped in and out of the shadows.

"I know that look." Henrietta shrugged, "See it a lot in Dust Town."

Henrietta's words seemed quiet and vague, floating in the air around her but not so close as to be heard. She knew she should respond, latching onto a phrase she didn't know, "Dust town?"

Henrietta nodded, "Where the casteless live."

As her heart slowed, the words became clearer. "Casteless?"

"No clan or caste - passes down, you see - mother's side." She grumbled, "As casteless, you're not a person, and we don't even get protected by the law - but they sure will string us up if they get the chance."

Serafina nodded, "Like the alienage."

"See, that's why I like you." This time, her smile was small and a bit sad, "You get it." She paused, adding softly, "Gets you stuck either begging or lawbreaking if you want to eat. Don't let us have businesses or leave Dust Town, so not much else we can do."

Serafina stared at her, slowly beginning to shake her head. Things had always seemed so bad in the alienage, but nothing so awful as that. "That's horrible, Henrietta."

"You said you worked, right?"

She nodded, "Yes, I... I worked for Denerim's arl."

"Some sort of nobility, I bet. A servant, right?"

"Many humans are quite happy with that."

"You're a little stuck yourself, then." She pointed to the tattoo on her ruddy cheek, "Wouldn't have it any other way. Might not be a person, but you can do more good without the laws."

For a fleeting second, Serafina felt a glimmer of a smile, "Sometimes the -" She barely managed to stop herself from saying Crows and quickly amended, "The people I grew up with would do that - going around the laws to do something good. Not many, and not very often - but sometimes."

"Best way." Henrietta crossed her arms over her chest, nodding. "Nobody outside of Dust Town cares what nobles might do to one of our own. So we have to dish out justice ourselves."

"We need people like you." Serafina said.

The grin somehow spread more, and she put her hands on her hips, "That's right! Give me something sharp and people like yours and mine would get bled before they could do anything."

Serafina looked at her question. "Yours and mine?"

"Yeah." Henrietta said with a shrug, "Your guy and my guy."

She had never heard those words quite in that order, but the implication was clear. She wished she could say something better, something with meaning and with heart. But all she could manage was a soft, "Oh…"

Henrietta waved her away, "Happens so much in Dust Town it's not worth much more than that."

Serafina looked down at the scarf, "The alienage, too."

"Don't know much about that." She said, "Don't know much about the surface, had hoped things were different but..." Then, as though they had been speaking of flowers and sunshine, she clapped her hands together, eyes bright and smile wide, "So we're in agreement!"

Serafina squinted at her, “We… are?”

She nodded earnestly, "We hear any talk of that business, we track down the bastard and kill him ourselves."

A month ago, Serafina would have disagreed. Fighting made it worse - there was no sense in making something that couldn't be stopped more difficult.

But… after so long, hadn't she finally done just that? 

She felt herself nod, "Agreed."

Henrietta laughed. "Excellent! Now, let's come up with a name for our team. Give me a couple of days..." She rummaged through her pack and pulled out a bundle of papers. "I'll make a list." And as the words left her lips, her attention shifted to the papers in her hand, mouth moving silently as she thought.

Serafina looked down at the young dwarf. She was so bright and energetic, excited about the prospect of a duo of do-gooders with childlike enthusiasm. 

How young did the Wardens recruit? 

"Don't think that Daveth means any actual harm." Henrietta said after a while, "Might give you some peace, but I know it doesn't matter sometimes." She paused before another smile spread itself on her face, and she scribbled something down, "Fresh?"

"What?"

"Recent."

She suddenly felt very hot and nodded.

"Gets better." She assured before wandering off, still scribbling away.

The chill in the air increased as they walked on, drizzling rain turned into freezing droplets that clung to armor and helmets. Serafina never knew she could feel relief from snowfall. It was still cold, but unlike the soaking rain and clinging ice, it could be shaken off one's shoulders or head. Duncan eventually called for a halt, instructing Ethlam and the other mages to create high and hot fires to keep the company warm. One large fire was made in the center for most of the Wardens to sleep around, with a few smaller fires near the tents. Another fire was positioned farther away for the women to dry their clothes in privacy.

While they waited, Serafina, Robin, Cosette, Henrietta, and Alice piled into one of the large tents. They combined their blankets and arranged their bedrolls closely, creating a surprisingly cozy space. While they waited for their clothes to dry. Robin disappeared momentarily, coming back with a few bottles of wine to pass back and forth between them. Nobody blamed Cosette for drinking the deepest from the bottle whenever it was passed to her, and nobody complained when she was so drunk she needed assistance getting redressed. 

"Getting colder." Robin commented, "I say we all stay here for the night. No sense in being cold."

Alice smiled a bit, "Like a bunch of pups."

"If it works, it works," Henrietta agreed, burrowing under her blanket and giggling with alcohol-driven mirth. "You'll have to drag me out of these covers tomorrow."

Serafina felt the weight of Cosette's head as it dropped against her shoulder. She carefully eased her down to the closest bedroll, "Cosette, too."

Robin nodded, sighing, "Yeah, poor girl."

Henrietta rolled over in the bedding so only her face was exposed, "Gonna strap her on your back, mama?"

Laugher burst out of Robin, "She wouldn't be the first." 

Alice tilted her head back to polish off the last bit of wine, "Mama - that actually fits."

"What can I say?" Robin laughed, "Mama bears run in the family."

"Big family?" Alice asked.

Laughter bubbled up as she said, "Eight brothers!"

Serafina looked down at Cosette as she slept, suddenly feeling exhaustion settling on her shoulders. She wondered how much wine she had drank - she certainly hadn't intended to drink much, but she partook without thinking each time it was passed to her. It made her feel restless, unable to think clearly or move smoothly. But Alice and Robin continued to talk, comparing families and trying to decide if it was worse for Robin with her seven brothers all irritating each other or Alice with her single brother who had only her to torture.

The world blurred as she lay down beside Henrietta, darkening as she pulled the heavy blankets over her. Heavy like the ones in the Arl's estate. Not so plush or soft, true, but so heavy she had to heave them off the bed while doing her morning work. But everything in the beds of nobility was like that. Pillows and mattresses were stuffed with the most delicate of feathers, allowing them to sink deeply into comfort. And the sheets - always so soft and light as she stripped the beds, not even the smallest of picks in the fabric as they smoothed over her fingers.  

But she felt her nose wrinkle as her fingers brushed against a crusted stain. It wasn't as though she'd never seen such a thing, but the sensation of this particular one made her stomach turn, and she hurriedly tossed the entire bundle into the waiting basket. She rolled her neck and shoulders, arching her spine forward and back to soothe her sore muscles. Maid work indeed used different motions than kitchen work. But she had been pulled from the kitchen a few days after she had started working. She would drop the sheets by the laundress, then continue cleaning the bedrooms while the family indulged in their usual elaborate breakfast.

Eyes stared at her from the doorway, and her gasp was much too loud. The apology came in Antivan, flowing out of her. She knew she had done something wrong. It wasn't like in the nest - servants here were meant to be neither seen nor heard, like helpful little ghosts. 

The man laughed at the clumsy apology, "Ah, yes. The new girl from Antiva."

She swallowed, and her heart started to pound, trying to remember how to speak Common.

"Good." His eyes roamed up and down her, "I'm glad I could save you from the heat of the kitchens. Really no place for you."

She tucked her head downward, eyes glued to the floor, "Apologies, I will leave you to-"

"No. Stay."

Serafina grabbed the basket with the sheets, "I apologize that I bothered you. I will leave you to your -"

He didn't say anything else until she went for the door, but he side-stepped to block her, grabbing her wrist and sending the laundry toppling to the ground, "I told you to stay."

The world seemed to shake, almost in a rhythm, as she heard her name being whispered. She was suddenly very alone, wrapped in a chilly darkness. The rhythm intensified a bit, and her eyes snapped open in a gasp. 

A soft voice shushed her, and she felt a gentle hand on her back - rubbing small circles like her mother had once done. She finally recognized Robin's voice, "Just a bad dream, Fina. It's okay, just a bad dream."

Serafina wiped away lingering tears and sat up, surveying the tent. In the darkness, she could see Alice and Cosette sleeping peacefully. On one side, Henrietta's pile of blankets rose and fell with her breathing. On the other side, Robin sat up, easily recognizable by her broad shoulders and short hair.

Serafina looked away, picking at a string on the blanket, "I didn't mean to wake you."

Robin's shoulders shrugged in response, "I woke up with a bad dream myself. Heard you and I thought I'd pull you out of it."

She swallowed - her uncle had once told her she talked in her sleep, always complaining about her nighttime whimpering, "What did I say?"

"Couldn't tell." Robin yawned, "I think you were speaking Antivan, but it was all mumbled." A hand rested on her shoulder, "Had no idea what you were dreaming about. Just didn't sound good."

Tears threatened to resurface, but Serafina managed to stifle them, covering herself again with the heavy blankets. She rested her head on the lumpy pillow of her bedroll.

"We all have bad dreams - especially Grey Wardens." She laid back down with another yawn, "You wake me up if you think I'm having one, okay? I'll do the same for you."

Serafina couldn't stop herself from sniffling - it was that or drip all over the bedding. But she managed to stop the flow of tears as she covered back up, head resting on the bumpy pillow of her bedroll. 

"Deal?" Robin murmured.

The world blurred and quieted again, but now it seemed warm and comforting. Before sleep took her again, she barely managed a soft, "Deal…"

Read the full fic from the beginning at my A03 here! If you’re willing and able, feel free to donate to my ko-fi or drop a tip in the jar to help me afford my many medications to keep the crazy at bay!

[enasallavellan]

The Sea, the Stars, and the Albatross

Serafina and the other recruits arrive at the Ostagar camp and Duncan sends the recruits to their respective teams. But when Serafina is tasked with finding Alistair, she finds herself alone and unsure in the buzz of the massive camp.

If you like what I've written, consider reblogging or commenting. And feel free to message me with questions, prompts, or just to say hello - I love to hear from ya'll!

The rocky trail they traversed was littered with stones, gaining shape as they walked. Smooth lumps of rock sharpened into corners, building up to dilapidated walls and columns.  The further they ventured, the more defined the structures became—crumbled walls climbed into towering pillars and arched doorways, while tumbled piles of rocks transformed into ancient buildings adorned with intricately carved gargoyles. The gargoyles glared down at the small troop of Wardens with their stone eyes.

Serafina found herself walking close to Robin, feeling uneasy under the stony glares. "Is this Ostagar?" she asked.

Robin nodded, "The very same."

Henrietta chimed in with a laugh, wiggling her fingers, "It's awful dramatic. Like whoever built it was trying to make it as spooky and creepy as possible."

"It's Tevinter," Robin explained. "They ruled almost all of Thedas back then, and Ferelden wasn’t even united, just a roaming bunch of tribes. That’s why it was built on the edge of the Kokari Wilds - to keep the tribes from encroaching on their territory. 

"Oh, the crazy magic people." Henrietta said, looking at Serafina and grinning, "Not normal magic people, like crazy, let's-make-deals-with-demons-for-power magic-mwahahahah!" She threw her head back, cackling into the air and earning a few looks of concern from the other wardens.

Duncan stopped at the edge of a bridge leading towards the camp and called the Wardens to gather around. "Wardens, report to the King's camp for your orders. Recruits, a moment of your time."

Robin hesitated, glancing between Serafina and Duncan. With a reassuring smile, Duncan nodded, "You may stay with your charges a while longer."  Serafina didn't mean to sigh in relief, but the sound rushed out of her nonetheless.

The other Wardens had already begun crossing the bridge, their chatter and laughter sounding less like they were heading to war and more like they were on their way to a picnic.

Duncan addressed the remaining recruits, "Each of you will have tasks vital to becoming a Grey Warden. You will be divided into groups, each led by an official Warden. They know what all know what must to be done, so I ask that you follow their orders as you would mine. Do we all agree?"

Heads bobbed in silent agreement, except for Henrietta, who offered a mock salute and exclaimed, "Aye, aye!"

Duncan chuckled, "Your enthusiasm will be an asset, Henrietta. I would like you and Lady Alice to report to Warden Theo. He is our liaison to the King while I am away, so he should find him near the King's tent. I'm sure someone can put you in the right direction.”

“Aye, aye!” Henrietta repeated with a grin.

Ulrich snorted, "That's for ships, dust-”

Duncan interrupted the impending argument, "Cosette and Ulrich, you will report to Warden Arilya. She should be by the kennels."

"I knew there were dogs!" Alice burst, "Mabari?"

He chuckled,“Given your status, I assume you are familiar with them.” 

She nodded excitedly.

Another soft laugh rumbled out of Duncan, " After you complete your tasks, I'm sure you'll have some time to become acquainted with the kennelmaster."

Serafina shivered with a sudden chill as she scanned the other recruits. Henrietta with Cosette, Ulrich with Alice, that left her and…

From across the group, Daveth flashed a grin and started toward her, "Should consider myself lucky, me being with you."

She took a step back, but Robin caught her before she could go far, “Don’t worry, Duncan's going to put you on Alistair's team. He's sweet - a bit of a muppet sometimes - but sweet. He won't let anything happen to you." When Serafina didn't answer, she leaned in and whispered, "Besides - he's practically a baby - just turned twenty, I think."

She didn't care how old he was.

Daveth laughed, "Worried about the camp? Don't you worry your pretty head; I'll watch that back, I will."

“Come on,” Robin whispered, hurrying her towards the bridge, “Try to ignore him. He's harmless, just thinks he’s the Maker’s gift to women. Tried that nonsense with me, if you can believe it.” She chuckled, “Don’t worry - I’ll take him down a peg after the Joining.”

It was of some comfort, but her anxieties grew as they crossed the bridge, drawing closer and closer to the camp. The earth beneath the bridge plunged, sending Serafina's stomach into anxious flips. Daveth walked beside them, his words blending into the general rumble of the camp ahead. A few pebbles skittered down a cavity on the edge of the bridge, and Serafina unconsciously watched their progress along the stone and down into the void below. She hurried to still-intact side, heart pounding.

"Afraid of heights?" Daveth commented.

"No." She said quickly.

"Well, I don't mind them at all - I'll put myself between you and those drops, yeah?"

"I haven't been here in a while." Robin interjected, “I think this whole place was full of buildings - you can still see lines of stone in the ground sometimes, and there are still paving and arches in some places."

"Grand place, it must have been," Daveth said with a nod.

More troops were arriving behind them, and the bridge seemed to vibrate with the footfalls of men and horses alike. Even in the Crow's nest, Serafina had never seen so many men in one place - and each and every one of them was armed with blades or bows.  Serafina quickened her steps and Robin kept pace beside her. Being back on solid earth was a relief, but her nerves knotted back up when she saw the tents before her. Tents, tents, and tents, stretching through the entire area and extending past the ruined walls to the hills behind, looking almost like a painting from this far off.

"Tennyson!" Robin called out as they neared the singular guard into the camp. 

The man blinked at her a few times before a lazy smile appeared on his face, "Warden Robin - good to have you back. Your children are in the King's camp further back. Not sure how well they're behaving, but I think they survived without you."

"And I come bearing more." She said, gesturing behind her.

The guard nodded, "I saw that. Got a good crop of 'em." He leaned past her wide frame to look at them, "Wardens come in all shapes and sizes, yeah?"

Robin nodded, "When you're a Grey Warden, that sort of thing doesn't matter so much." She looked around, "Have you seen Warden Alistair? He's going to be mentoring Serafina here."

The man leaned on his polearm, saying woozily, "I think I saw heading towards the mage's tents. Looked a bit miffed."

Robin groaned, "Is the Revered Mother still weaponizing that poor boy?"

"You know how it goes." He droned.

Robin snickered, "Found a way to sleep like that, eh?"

He nodded, "People have to go through two gates before they get to me - I'm a little on the useless side, might as well enjoy it."

Robin snorted, "Consider yourself lucky." 

He leaned around Robin again to look at Serafina, "Mages' tents are just to the right, walk a minute or two and you'll see the fancy tents and templars clanking around. Always gotta make an impression, the Circle."

"You're not lying." Robin chuckled, putting a hand on Serafina's shoulder, "Look hard, and you can already see a bit of it - see that purple tent top?"

Serafina squinted, "Yes I think so." 

"Just walk straight towards it, don't worry about anything else going on around you. Just straight to that purple tent." 

Serafina had almost forgotten that Robin wouldn't be going with her.

“Look a bit nervous, there.” Daveth said, “Could I interest you in an escort?”

Robin slung her arm around Daveth's shoulders, "Actually, I'm coming with you to meet Ser Jory - I want to see what all the fuss is about." When Daveth looked back at Serafina, Robin started to walk, pulling him with her in the most jovial abduction Serafina had ever seen, "Oh, Daveth, she's a big girl - she can tie her boots and everything. I think she can handle a few hundred yards” She jostled him, "Now come on, let's go meet the infamous knight."

“What about after?” Serafina asked softly.

Robin smiled - though this time it seemed a bit sad. "That's going to depend on this next bit. Once the Joining is finished, we'll talk a little more about that." She patted Daveth roughly on the back, "Now let's get going. Give the girl some space."

Serafina watched her go, her chest tightening as Robin walked further and further away. She looked back toward the tip of the purple tent Robin had pointed out. It wasn't that far, not really. She looked this way and that, examining the people around her. Everyone seemed too busy attending to their own business to notice her. Again, she focused on the tent, watching a small tassel rustling in the wind as she quickened towards it. It was the same walk she always performed as she passed the Chantry on her way to and from the Arl's residence. As the memory reared up, Serafina lowered her head, shoulders hunching as she rushed forward.

Finally, a smattering of tents came into view. Many of them were colored like the one she had been following, purples and yellow and greens, many with patterns or other embellishments. But the pretty colors and waving flags seemed to disappear as she spotted a templar - and he was looking right at her.

"You, there." He said gruffly, "State your business."

Serafina eased towards him, keeping out of range of his hands, "I… I was told to come to the mages' tents and-"

With an annoyed sigh, the templar droned, "The mages are not to be interrupted. Move along."

"Oh…" She looked at her boots, mudded and scuffed from the long journey.

"Move along." He grumbled.

She swallowed, looking up at him, "I'm looking for a Grey Warden named Alistair - I was told he went in this direction."

"Not sure - ask the tranquil. He sees everything."

She squinted at him, "Tranquil?"

The other templar shook his head, "We have better things to do than answer your questions."

"Move along." The first ordered.

Tucking her chin to her chest, she managed a nod, hurrying in the direction they had pointed. She spotted a man standing idly aside. The mages were practicing and training just beyond the camp or in the Circle the templars guarded. But this man stood alone, back ramrod straight and head held high. He didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular, but when Serafina came close, his eyes focused on her, "Good afternoon, young lady." His voice was quiet and vague, as though floating on a light breeze.

Serafina looked him up and down - he stood so still he could easily be mistaken for a well-crafted sculpture. His gaze was piercing and intent - and stayed locked to her own eyes. They didn't wander or stare, just gazed straight at her in silent question.

"Are you…." Serafina worried her hands, but she didn't reach for the scarf tied around her hair, not quite as afraid of him as he was of the others, "Are you tranquil?"

He nodded, "I am one of the tranquil, yes."

She examined him, spotting the brand on his forehead. She recognized the raised, silvery scar - she had seen Crows put hot iron to their skin to adorn themselves with another testament to their resilience and stoicism. But that didn't seem to fit this man,

"Are you alright?" She asked.

He didn't smile, but the question in his face smoothed, "Your concern is most kind, but I am in no distress."

She looked around - nobody else seemed to pay attention to the man. "Are… are you sure?"

"You are concerned with my behavior." His voice stayed in one tone, never deviating. "I can no longer cast spells, so I spend my time enchanting. It is a satisfying endeavor. It provides wealth for the Circle, as we receive very little from charity."

Serafina had heard many things about the Circles. Sometimes she wondered which would be worse - her life in Lord Vaughn's claws or at the mercy of the templars. But she had never heard of a mage who couldn't use magic.

"But you're in the circle." She said.

"My magic and will was weak." He explained, "I was made tranquil to prevent possession. My mind was severed from the fade." His face didn't change as he added, "I am no longer dangerous. I no longer fear demons."

Serafina slowly shook her head, eyes wide, "They… took everything from you."

He shook his head, "You need not be concerned. They took nothing from me. I was given a gift - my life is peaceful now. I am alive, productive, and a danger to no one." He shook his head, "Perhaps we may speak of something else? Do you need assistance?"

She started to shake her head, wanting nothing more than to be away from this unsettling man. She felt sorry for him, but his detachment from his own situation sent chills down her spine. "Oh - yes. I was told you might know where Warden Alistair is?"

Without a pause to think, he raised one arm, pointing towards some ruined stairs. Serafina forced a smile, "Thank you." and quickly bustled off. 

The ruins were more complete here, with floors, columns, and edges of a steeped roof. She looked around, spotting a man in the tell-tale blue warden armor talking to one of the mages. The warden's posture was relaxed, and his grin held a mark of humor. The mage, on the other hand, was clearly irritated. Serafina hovered out of sight from them, not wanting to interrupt.

After a few more seconds, the mage stormed away, and Serafina quickly rounded the corner, hoping they didn't notice she had been hiding there. As she drew closer, her scarf twisted in her hands, the silk's whisper reassuring. If this was Alistair, he might be young, but he was big. She swallowed, anxiously waving her hand in an awkward wave, "Excuse me?"

The man looked down at her, laughing, "Aw, you're late - you missed the whole show!" He grinned, "It was top-notch - my favorite part was the parade."

That was utterly bizarre.

"What?" was all she managed.

He leaned against the nearby wall, "Delivering messages between the Chantry and the mages. Awkward." He squinted at her, face exaggerated into an obvious joke, "I don't suppose you happen to be another mage sent to scold me?"

Her heart dropped, and she took a step back.

"Oh!" He said, "Maker's breath, I apologize. I meant it as a joke - fell flat, that one."

"Ah." She said noncommittally. Vague was better when dealing with someone this big and well-armed. "What were you two fighting about?"

He sighed, "The Chantry is upset that we're bringing mages into the war. So they've been working very hard to show the mages how unwelcome they are. I'm sure the Revered Mother meant it as an insult, sending me."

Desperate to avoid her fear taking full grip on her, she asked, "How is sending a Grey Warden an insult?"

He sighed, shaking his head, "Because before becoming a Grey Warden, I was a templar-"

It was a trap.

She took off towards the camp proper, panic seeping into every step and every breath.

But he was behind her, shouting after her.

She tried to go faster, but fear had made her clumsy. Her foot caught on some debris, and she tumbled to the ground, scraping her hands and bruising her knees. She scrambled up to escape but noticed Alistar had stopped. He was kneeling a few feet from her, hands up in surrender, "I'm not going to hurt you! I'm not a templar anymore, I promise - I didn't even want to be one in the first place!"

Serafina scooted away from him, putting more distance between them. She examined him, still crouched. He wasn't frowning or sneering, there was no wicked glint in his eye, and his hands were open and empty. 

She didn't run - but she was ready to.

"The Chantry raised me." He continued, "Becoming a templar was a decision made for me long ago."

His face showed no sign of lying, but she remained wary. "So… you won't take me to the circle?"

He shook his head rapidly, "As soon as I was given the change, I left. Duncan saw I wasn't happy and figured my training against mages could double for fighting darkspawn. It was the best thing that's ever happened to me."

She couldn't think of an answer, still watching every movement.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He repeated, getting up and offering a hand, "Need help?"

How hadn't she noticed that he had gotten closer?

"I apologize for scaring you." He said, "And for the badly timed joke about you being a mage."

Maybe he wasn't so scary after all.

Serafina took his hand, shaking as he helped her up. She stepped away from him as soon as her feet were under her, looking down at the ground, "I'm sorry."

He chuckled, "Don't apologize, I would have been a rubbish templar anyway, Too likable and charming."

She darted her eyes at him and back to the ground, nodding vaguely.

Alsitar squinted at her, "Wait a second - you're one of Duncan's new recruits, aren't you?"

She watched her scarf as it wrapped around her fingers and silently nodded.

He winced, "I should have recognized you from his letters. I apologize.

She fussed with the scarf more, "How?"

"Well, he didn’t exactly send any sketches, but he said there were two mages, and since you were sent to me, I assumed." He tilted his head, "Now… are you Cosette or Serafina?

She opened her mouth to answer, but Alistar waved his hands.

"No, no, no, no, let me guess, let me guess!" He looked at her face, "Your accent is definitely not Ferelden - and you've got that, I-live-in-a-warm-and-sunny-place complexion. I'm guessing Antivan?" 

"Half." She heard herself say - she hadn't planned to answer, but the smile on seemed to pull the words from her, "My mother was Ferelden, but I grew up in Antiva."

“So, Serafina or Cosette… Cosette sounds a bit Orlesian, doesn't it? So I'm guessing you're Serafina."

She nodded,

"Yes!" He said with another grin. "You've witnessed the rare event in which I'm right about something."

Serafina's smile was a bit forced, but she hoped it conveyed some goodwill.

"Right - well, no need to be so nervous. I grew out of biting random strangers years ago."

Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"So," He motioned and started walking, "I suppose I should Introduce myself as late as we are into the conversation." He tapped his chest plate," I'm Alistar, one of the newer Grey Wardens." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together, "But not for long, with more of you coming through."

She shifted her weight, "Duncan said you would be mentoring me?"

"That's right." He said brightly, "You've been put on the best team, I'll have you know." Then he leaned down, saying in a loud stage whisper, "Don't tell the others - they can't know Duncan has favorites."

"Oh…okay?"

He put a finger to his lips, "Just, shhhh."  

It was almost ridiculous enough to make her smile.

Almost.

"So…" Alistair began, "Duncan saved me from a life of prayer, boredom, and devising ways to be the worst Templar I could be. You?"

She worried her scarf around her fingers, "I worked in a noble house in Denerim for a long time and I… finally killed his son. So they were going to hang me."

"Finally?" Then his mouth opened a bit as if to say something, but instead he nodded slowly, “I…. see." He quickly reverted to a smile, "Well, Duncan obviously saw something in you - he spoke highly of you in his letters.”

She shook her head, lowering her eyes, "He felt sorry for me."

"I doubt that." He chuckled, "He has a good eye for these things."

She wasn't sure she believed him, but she nodded anyway.

He glanced down at her as they walked, taking a dramatic step away and holding his hands up again, "Alright, alright, I understand. Keep my hands to myself and no falling madly and suddenly in love." He nodded, "Message received, considered, and approved."

She blinked in confusion, "What?"

He waved his hands, "You're not even my type - I have a soft spot for redheads. I'm terrified of brown hair, you see - reminds me of tree roots. I sometimes mistake brunette for sylvans, and it's very upsetting." He let out a sigh, wiping an invisible tear, "I'm sorry to break it to you like this, but it simply couldn't work between us.

She had never felt a rush of relief than in that moment. He could still be lying, true, but he was so explicit about it - and there was sincerity behind the jokes.

But…

"Thank you." She felt herself say.

He chuckled, dragging out the last word as long as he could, "Of course, buddy."

Her mind screamed for her to run, to not trust his man. But somehow, despite all of her logic to the contrary. She did trust him. So she steeled herself and nodded, "Thank you, Alistair."

"Good." He dusted his hands off, 'Now that that's out of the way, we should go see Duncan. The busier we are, the quicker the heartbreak will fade."

She smiled nervously and followed him. And as she listened to his neverending chatter, she suddenly felt safer.

Read the full fic from the beginning at my A03 here!

If you’re willing and able, feel free to donate to my ko-fi or drop a tip in the jar to help me afford my many medications to keep the crazy at bay!

[enasallavellan]

Cast of Characters

Hey guys! So I saw a really cute picrew here, and I wanted to share some of the images of my favorite OCs from my fics. OC from my new fic is below the cut (so this post doesn't stretch on and on for mobile).

Enasal Lavellan:

Inquisitor in my first (still incomplete) longfic. ADHD out the wazoo and has some weird behaviors, but her sincerity and eagerness to do something good wins people over.

Shiral Lavellan:

Enasals older sister. After being forced into a parental role of her sister at age 12, Shiral both deeply loves her sister but also has some resentment toward her. She worries about her and wants to protect her from the world, but unfortunately, the worry comes across as controlling and mean - she tends to infantize Enasal and still thinks of her as a little girl. Can't stand Cullen and accuses him on multiple occasions of taking advantage of her sister. Many of the denizens of Skyhold have some degree of fear of her.

Annason Garette:

Originally hired to make a dress for Enasal for a meeting with nobility. The twittering and overexcited young Orleisan is a borderline worshiper of Enasal, pleading with Josephine to become her attendant after she and Enasal spend some time together. Eventually, the worship turns into a legitimate friendship.

Serafina Tabris:

My Warden for my newer fic. Serafina was born in a crows nest in Antiva, but when templars raided and burnt the building down, she and a few other survivors were sent to her aunt's nest for five years to work in the kitchens. After an order came down for her death, she was smuggled out of Antiva and sent to her maternal uncle in Denerim. Incredibly timid and with exactly zero self confidence.

Warden Robin:

BAMF with a heat of gold, Robin acts as Duncan's second in command during the search for recruits. She quickly takes to Serafina and does everything she can to boost her confidence and help her feel safe in the camp full of men. It quickly becomes evident that this is a pattern for her, as she helps some of the other recruits with the same gentleness and skill as she does with Serafina.

On the other hand, will rip out someone's throat with her teeth if she thinks it's come to it.

Henrietta Brosca:

My usual dwarven commoner when I play DA. This trouble-making do-gooder loves nothing more than to tease and cause a ruckus. Complains about her companions' complaining by muttering, "Bicker, bitch, and bellyache." Very high energy and can be a little much for some people, but is actually incredibly smart and has a talent for lockpick and trap making.

Hanin Mahariel:

Snarky and a little bit of a pot-stirrer, Hanin tends to have problems with knowing when to stop talking and can ask some pretty obnoxious questions without really thinking them through. An expert with a bow, he can almost keep up with Leliana (though he never actually beats her) and absolutely demolishes Zevran when he quips about knowing how to shoot as well.

Cosette Amell:

A soft-hearted mage who holds tight to romantic and divine ideals. She is a skilled fire mage and delights in using her magic to set darkspawn ablaze. She is very sensitive and would be a pescatarian if she could. If catastrophe strikes her first thought tends to be, "But what about the animals?!"

Bonus:

Lorenzo Araiani:

Lorenzo -who probably won't appear in the fic, is Serafina's cousin. He's grumpy, generally dislikes people, and would really be happy if everyone just left him alone. It might have something to do with being a mage with stupidly strong mind-reading abilities - to the point he can hear all the thoughts of all the people around him. Gets migraines a lot. Likes a total of two people (one of which he sometimes wonders why he continues to let them breathe) and occasionally loses his shit when the headaches get bad enough,

Feel free to ask questions about any of these guys - helps me get to know them better, too!

[enasallavellan]

Keep thinking about Enasal and Zevran in the same room.

Technically, Enasal and Serafina's world state is different (Alice is the HoF in Enasal universe), but it popped into my head.

The chaos.

The mayhem.

The unending 'hold my beer' competition.

They'd get along like a house on fire and would make it everyone else's problem.

Which leads to an image of Serafina sitting beside Cullen, patting his hand and saying, "It's useless to stop Zevran when he gets like this - it would seem Enasal is the same. Have some tea, we can watch the chaos from here, *try* to enjoy the show."

En and Zevran are currently seeing who can do the most backflips off one of the battlements and Serafina is just:

And poor Cullen: