#and who am I going to romance? Iron Bull? Dorian???

[death-rebirth-senshi]

Every once in a while I'm like. Well I should play Inquisition again. Prepare myself for dragon age dreadwolf (which doesn't exist and is never coming out). I barely remember what Solas' deal was shouldn't I refresh. Etc. Well that's the devil talking.

[adoribullpavus]

EXCITING NEWS GUYS

i have started development on my first ever renpy game. i'm so excited since this is something i've wanted to do for a while now, but renpy always kinda scared me. but i've finally put it into action and i'm really looking forward to the journey ahead.

the game is still in extremely early development, but i have planned an outline of the plot, written some scripts, and have come up with so many ideas i want to share with you all.

as you can see, it is a dai fan game. if anyone knows if i can get sued for this, please let me know lmao

i don't want to give too much away but here are some features i'm planning to include:

you can choose from 17 different characters to play as (12 will be available straight off the bat, and 5 will be secret routes that are unlocked via other routes). these are all characters from inquisition.

you get to decide who your character ends up with, or even stay single if you want to be.

you can end up in a polyamorous relationship with (almost) free reign as to which characters that relationship includes.

no two routes are the same. each route will have the same plot but you can make it your own through your choices. remember; just because picking option b worked for your dorian playthrough, doesn't mean it'll work when you're playing as cullen.

there are a LOT of choices that genuinely impact the direction of the story.

each character has a bunch of different endings and they're all carefully tailored to your decisions.

as the game is still in early development, with only a faint outline holding it together, plans can change. however, as far as i know, this is how many endings each character can have:

the dorian route has 8 endings and 7 secret endings.

the iron bull route has 11 endings and 6 secret endings.

the varric route has 10 endings and 6 secret endings.

the cullen route has 10 endings and 5 secret endings.

the sera route has 6 endings and 5 secret endings.

the leliana route has 11 endings and 7 secret endings.

the cole route as 3 endings and 4 secret endings.

the josephine route has 11 endings and 5 secret endings.

the blackwall route has 10 endings and 3 secret endings.

the cassandra route has 9 endings and 6 secret endings.

the solas route has 10 endings and 3 secret endings.

the vivienne route has 3 endings and no secret endings.

i have tried to provide as much freedom as possible when it comes to pairings, but there are a few exceptions:

dorian and sera are still gay/lesbian and can only be romanced by characters of the same gender - so naturally they will have less endings as their options are restricted.

cole doesn't have a lot of romantic endings as there were only one or two characters i felt comfortable writing him with (so far only dorian has a cole romance ending, and cole has three secret romantic endings). this could change in the future but definitely not for characters such as varric and solas who cole shares a very parental relationship with., or for vivienne due to the power difference between them that would make me extremely uncomfortable to write.

vivienne also doesn't have a lot of romantic endings but that's more to do with the fact i struggle to write her in romantic scenes. again, this could change.

the rest are all free to romance whoever they want. cullen can romance a man (or two or three). cassandra can romance a woman (or two or three). basically there's no such thing as straight in this game. go nuts.

i will keep you all updated as i progress. the game will take a long while to create and i would appreciate any advice/help/suggestions etc to make it enjoyable for everyone. i would also appreciate the support from you guys as i dive into my first game making experience.

but just remember i am a single 20 year old girl who's doing this in her free time. i don't have a huge team behind me so the game is going to take a lot of time and effort to become something playable.

follow the tag ' #the dai kissing game ' if you want to keep updated on the game's progress.

thank you guys!!

[heroesvow]

I need to get my thoughts out in the open, so here are my opinions if certain former companions / advisors are gonna pop up in DA4. I could be talking out of my ass here, so don't take any of this 100% seriously I have no idea how the story is gonna go and I could be surprised.

100% Confirmed - Solas ( Duh ) - Varric - Morrigan ( Still riding this high tbh ) - The Inquisitor ( Who knows what their role will be, but we get to customize them when we make our Rook so I'm excited to make my Inkys look tired and hot asf )

80% chance because it just makes SENSE. - Dorian ( We're in Tevinter, he's incredibly popular, and hopefully Maevaris pops up as well because she deserves to finally appear physically in a game. ) - Isabela ( This is my just me hoping tbh, but we're traveling to different places so her ship being our mode for transportation just makes sense to me. She showed up in concept art, and she's also dearly beloved by the fanbase. Bring her back ! )

50% chance because of locations, or possible small one scene moments for fun. - Zevran ( Antivan Crows baby ) - Leliana, Cassandra and Vivienne. ( If the divine appears in a single scene we'll probably get them. I can see Cass and Leliana appearing with the Inquisitor as well, but I don't think any of them will have a LARGE role in the story. ) - Alistair ( If he's a Grey Warden and is still kicking he might show up at Weisshaupt, if he's King he could also make a small cameo appearance during a single scene. Anora as well. He's my all time favorite so I of course want him to show up in at least ONE scene. ) - Blackwall, Loghain, Carver, Bethany ( Grey Wardens, they can show up at Weisshaupt. The Hawke twins are obviously determinant, but it'd be really nice to see them at least once. ) - Cole ( His connection to Solas gives me hope but who knows. ) - Sten ( We'll definitely see the Qunari and deal with them during some story beats. He's the current Arishok, it just makes sense. ) - Fenris ( His large role in the comics and him currently being in the areas from the game gives me hope. Gideon said he isn't in the game, but Claudia also said the same thing so who knows? ) - Shale ( Was in this area last we checked! Could show up! I hope so because Shale is deadass the funniest companion across the three games idc )

30% drinking copium kool aid. - Josephine ( Her appearing in one scene would be so nice, but she's not as popular as other characters so I don't have high hopes. ) - Iron Bull ( The Chargers could appear! But Freddie Prince Jr has said BioWare has no interest in him as a voice actor?? But who knows what their drama is really about. ) - Sera ( Could happen. No reason why she couldn't. ) - Merrill ( Her desire to bring back elven culture would be interesting to see in this story, but I personally don't think BioWare would consider her. I love her though and I would have her in this game in an instant if it was up to me. )

10% not ruling them out, but it's very unlikely. - The Warden ( I have given up hope babes. ) - Anders ( BioWare seems to REALLY dislike him so I don't see it happening. ) - Oghren ( I don't want him and if they choose to bring him back over others I might take drastic measures. ) - Hawke ( Maybe a voice cameo?? We know the person left in the fade isn't being addressed in this game, but if they weren't left behind maybe we'll get something lol )

0% chance these characters show up. - Aveline ( We're probably not going to Kirkwall and she has no reason to not be there. ) - Sebastian ( See Aveline, but swap Kirkwall with Starkhaven ) - Wynne ( She's dead. ) - Cullen ( LMAO he will never physically appear in this series again and I am fine with that. I love Cullen, but his VA needs to fuck off this planet ASAP. He'll probably get a mention by the Inquisitor if he was romanced and that will be it. )

[giraffefeather]

I am indecisive and need help deciding which DAI character to romance next time. Character not yet created, I usually base that off my romance choice.

Trying not to go my usual Blackwall route (but option added anyway because i am obsessed). I've also done Cassandra this past year, and I will not be repeating Solas. Also, I hate Vivienne (and I don't think you can romance her anyway?).

Eventually, I'll play all their routes, just need help with who's next!

[pupkinpumpkin]

BOOM PART 2 OF MY LAVELLAN ALREADY BECAUSE I AM UNWELL

I took a lotta screenshots of her, but I don't have access to that computer rn, so take one of my old playthroughs of her before I changed her a little bit

So, Lavellan basically already learned how to deal with people depending on her and looking to her for everything from being The First, so the Herald of Andraste gig is still incredibly stressful, but she's used to it

I think inherently, she's a very goofy and sarcastic person, but she has just molded herself into being very diplomatic, so that mask slowly comes off as she becomes friends with everyone

She's 25-26 at the beginning of the game

Her eyes glow green anytime she uses the mark, which I really think adds to Trespasser with the anchor freaking out so much and there just being points where her eyes are green for minutes at a time and fully green by the end before her arm gets cut off

She never had alcohol before the Inquisition so she gets drunk very fast

Whenever she is blackout drunk, she gets really good at building or fixing things. Like, she could build accessories to Bianca levels of good. But only when she's blackout drunk.

Once, when drunk, she said that running her fingers through Cullen's hair felt like petting a baby Halla's fur, something which no one has ever let her or Cullen live down

Varric is the first one to make Lavellan laugh, Sera is the first one to make her snort laugh

Immediately after becoming Inquisitor, Lavellan asks Josephine and Vivienne to teach her about The Game and Fereldan politics

Sera is the first person Lavellan tells about not believing in the Elven gods

Lavellan had a panic attack during Wicked Hearts and Wicked Minds

I like to think that, since my Lavellan is scared of fire, whenever she defeats her first dragon, Iron Bull takes her out drinking not only to celebrate defeating a dragon, but to facing a really big phobia of hers and coming out alive

I purposely have Morrigan be the one to drink from the Well of Sorrows because my Inky has enough religious trauma. Can you imagine having heavy religious guilt over never believing in your religion and then having a bunch of old dead priests from that religion in your head constantly?

Lavellan's best friends are probably Cassandra, Dorian, Cole, and Josephine (Sera and Solas are close seconds)

Cassandra because Lavellan had a big gay crush on her originally which led her to get to know Cassandra better and become very close to her, of course not in the way she originally wanted, but still. They bond out of duty to the people and raise each other up to think about their own happiness for once. Also trashy romance books.

She knows Dorian's gay from minute one and the fact that he's so unwaveringly himself really makes her admire him for being something she could never manage to be. In Dorian's personal quest, there's an option to say that Dorian was very brave for being himself and taking no shit and I really think my Lavellan means that. She hid who she was for so long and being friends with Dorian really helped her walls go down and build her self-confidence. Like, early in the game when you recruit Dorian, I like to think that with everyone else she's very nice and mild-mannered, but whenever she's around Dorian, her real personality comes out which I think confuses some of the companions at first on why she's so different with him, and some see it as them being 'together' but really they both just get each other and their struggles implicitly

(also I love the head canon that Cullen purposely plays chess with Dorian to see what his and the Inquisitor's relationship is, it's so funny to imagine)

With Lavellan being very "I need to put everyone above me and never complain", I think having Cole around would stress her out because he can feel all her hurt she tries so desperately to hide, but she learns that he just wants to help and she often joins him or helps him help others. She eventually gets comfortable enough around him to open up, but I do think she makes him promise to never make her forget anything. Then of course, since I always make Cole human, I like to think she starts playing a more active role in helping him help others since he can no longer make people forget him.

I feel like Josie and Lavellan would just vent to each other a lot. They both need to vent so much and they both have had obligations pushed on them since they were young. Josephine's side quest really pulls them together

And then of course there's Cullen and Solas. So, I romance Cullen every time. I just like him a lot. But I started thinking narratively, and now I flirt with Solas for a bit, then immediately end it after Skyhold and go full in with Cullen. The reason I do it is all very soap-opera-y

So, my thinking is that Lavellan is so conditioned to do whatever her clan wants of her. She needs their approval. Solas is a male Elven mage who she really likes and gets along well with. On the surface level, he is exactly who her clan would want her to pursue. Elven. Male. So, she convinces herself that because she enjoys his company, she must like him because that's who her clan would want her to be with. And he likes her, so, she goes along with it.

And then there's Cullen. A human templar. Just like the rogue templars who killed her lover. Cruel and malicious and evil. But he's not. He's awkward and sweet and yes he's headstrong, but he genuinely wants to reform the Templar order and he's trying to better himself. She tries so goddamn hard not to like him because liking him would be saying no to her clan and she can't. Liking him would be moving past her trauma and looking forward and thinking about herself and her wants and she can't. But she also can't help herself from spending time with him and laughing at his jokes and getting flustered when he laughs at hers.

But as time goes on she feels so bad for flirting with Solas when she doesn't feel that way about him but she HAS to feel that way about him, doesn't she? Because just like with the Elven gods, something must be wrong with her if she doesn't like Solas. So after they find Skyhold and she's in the Fade with Solas. She has to test it. She has to kiss him to see if her feelings are real. So she does. And he kisses back. And it's a good kiss. But it's not right. It doesn't feel right. Then Solas also apparently says this isn't right, so once she wakes up and goes back to talk to him, they agree to end it (She tells him later of course why she flirted with him and apologizes profusely for it, she feels horrible about it for the rest of time, but they stay good friends because they genuinely enjoy each other's company).

But with Solas gone, that means that nothing except her own insecurities are holding her back from being with Cullen. And she is shaking when she asks Cullen to go on a walk with her and she is TERRIFIED when she admits how much she likes him, but god, nothing will ever compare to how she feels after he tells her he likes her too and they kiss. And she feels so...free. She made a decision for herself that wasn't tied to her clan's wants for once. They were 100% completely her own. And she loves it. And she loves him.

Anyway, that got a little fanficy. Basically once the Inquisition ends and she's with Cullen, she is the happiest she's ever been because she doesn't have to deal with politics anymore. She definitely gets stressed introducing Cullen to her clan, but if they don't accept him, they don't accept her, and she learns to be fine with that.

Also she has four kids and a dog with him. One warrior, two rogues (one who specializes in making prosthetics), and one mage, thank you and good night!

[dragonagehumor]

Not sure if you ship Dorian and The Iron Bull from DA:I but have a small scene I thought of for them. Though I feel that you could sub your Inky in if you wanted too.

So not sure if it's a line from a song but I think so. "I'm better as a memory than as your man." Well The Iron Bull says that line to Dorian at some point when the realness of their relationship scares him.

Dorian yells at him. "And why does everyone else always get to decide what's right for me. You will be just like all the others who decided they wanted to be respected so kept me a secret then left me behind with only memories to comfort me. Go ahead The Iron Bull and leave like all the rest of the Tevinter cowards."(yes the tevinter remark is just there as a bard to Bull and not me being confused).

Ironic he says that because he is the one who leaves. Swiftly walks to his private room. The library is now tainted with this new memory.

Bull has to search to find Dorian because he avoids the library. The Iron Bull then proceeds to apologize and admit that he was just scared of how much he feels for Dorian. They hug and/or smooch and/or more.

Random Idea I had at 1 am and wanted to see what others thought of it. So any opinions?

*Asks are sent for fun, no pressure to answer.

Had to look that one up, and you’re correct, it is a line from a Kenny Chesney song song titled “Better As a Memory”.

That kind of fear can be substituted for any other person. Some people are afraid that if they fully commit, they’ll get hurt. And with Bull, he’s had an interesting life, and maybe he thinks he would drag Dorian down somehow if he committed. And Dorian isn’t willing to stick around if it’s going to hurt.

It could be the Inquisitor easily in this scenario. I read a lot of romance books, and it sounds like a typical third act type scene in quite a few of them featuring committment-phobes!

[therookandthecrow]

I've not just one canon Inquisitor going into Veilguard, that one being my Dorian-romancing, Dalish Knight-Enchanter, Aedanthir.

I've also got Eludysia, my main Solavellan who is also a Dalish Knight Enchanter, because I am very creative and very, very open to different play styles. I also headcanon that she's Merrill's cousin, so there's that too.

My Iron Bull romancing Dalish red head Knight Enchanter, Ena'vuna, who is "definitely not a mage" in her own words, despite the fact that she can shoot magic from her hands at will. Whatever you say, Ena'vuna!

Shivana, my Blackwall/Thom Rainier romancing Dalish Mage -- who, you guessed it; is a Knight Enchanter like all three of the above. I wonder what my favorite mage specialization is in Inquisition? Hmm.

[daitranscripts]

Revelations Pt. 2

Missing

Blackwall Masterpost Previous: A Drink Previous: A Drink (Romanced)

The PC goes to the stables to find a note in place of Blackwall.

Inquisitor, ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ You've been a friend and an inspiration. You've given me the wisdom to know right from wrong and, more importantly, the courage to uphold the former. ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ It's been my honor to serve you.

If romanced:

There is little I can say that will ease this pain. Just know that while it hurt to leave, it would've hurt more if I stayed. ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ I am deeply sorry.

Messenger: The spymaster has confirmed it. Blackwall is gone.

Dialogue options:

General: He must have his reasons. [1]

General: Gone where? Leliana must know. [2]

General: Find him. [3]

Flirt: I knew something was wrong. [4]

1 - General: He must have his reasons. PC: He would not have left unless he had a good reason. Messenger: It is not for me to speculate on Blackwall’s motivations.

2 - General: Gone where? Leliana must know. PC: Go on… Leliana knows where he is, doesn’t she? She knows everything. Messenger: She doesn’t know everything. Yet.

3 - General: Find him. PC: Track him down. He’s needed here.

4 - Flirt: I knew something was wrong. PC: When we were together, he seemed troubled. I should’ve seen this coming. Messenger: Here, I have something that may help.

5 - Scene continues.

Messenger: Sister Leliana had us search the Warden’s quarters. Not much to find, except this. It was missing from last week’s reports. I don’t know what Blackwall’s interest in this particular matter is, but it could be a good place to start.

The messenger hands the PC a note and leaves.

Lieutenant Cyril Mornay, one of the soldiers responsible for the Callier Massacre of 9:37, was captured in Lydes. Like the others who were arrested for their involvement, Mornay insists that he did not know who he was assassinating, and that he was just following the orders of his captain. This captain, Thom Rainier, is still at large. Mornay is to be executed within the week in Val Royeaux.

The PC travels to Val Royeaux. They approach the gallows, where a man kneels before a crowd, and an Orlesian guard reads off a scroll.

Bailiff: Cyril Mornay. For your crimes against the Empire of Orlais… For the murders of General Vincent Callier, Lady Lorette Callier, their four children, and their retainers… You are sentenced to be hanged from the neck until dead. Do you have anything to say in your defense?

Mornay remains silent, and the executioner prepares the noose.

Bailiff: Very well.

Party comments:

Varric: Well, this is grim.

Solas: Ah, human justice.

Dorian: Who’s this man to Blackwall? A brother? A friend?

Iron Bull: So we’re just waiting for Blackwall to turn up, right?

Cassandra: Does Blackwall want to recruit this man?

Vivienne: Look at all these people. I thought we were more civilized than this.

Sera: Poor bastard. So! Where’s food? Orlesians always stock these things. Vivienne: (Groans.)

Cole: They’re going to kill him! Dorian: Good grasp of the obvious, this one. Varric: Now now, Cole.

Bailiff: Proceed.

Blackwall: Stop!

Blackwall climbs the stairs of the platform.

Bailiff: A Grey Warden.

Blackwall: This man is innocent of the crimes laid before him. Orders were given, and he followed them like any good soldier. He should not die for that mistake!

Bailiff: Then find me the man who gave the order.

Blackwall pauses.

Varric (if present): Oh, shit.

PC: Blackwall!

Blackwall: No. I am not Blackwall. I never was Blackwall. Warden Blackwall is dead, and has been for years. I assumed his name to hide, like a coward, from who I really am.

Mornay: You, after all this time…

Blackwall: It’s over. I’m done hiding. I gave the order. The crime is mine. I am Thom Rainier.

There is murmuring among the crowd, and Blackwall is escorted away.

Next: Thom Rainier Next: Thom Rainier (Romanced)

[thesummerstorms]

Well... they got me.

Trying to do a new, more-lore/RP focused "perfect" run, as opposed to a "I am a completionist who must master everything and befriend everyone" "perfect" run to set myself up for Veilguard.

Finally gave into a little voice that's been nagging me and removed my inquisitor's tattoos for the purposes of "in universe she was on the run and facial tattoos would be a death trap".

Currently changed her hair to something shorter and practical, with the idea that it grows out and she starts being in a position to wear it in the complicated bun-braid modded style around Wicked Eyes as opposed to when she was on the run. Black Emporium mirror, my savior.

I am not going to cheat and lie to bump Sera and Vivienne's approval this time, and this version of the Inquisitor is dramatically less faithful than she was in 2014. (So am I! Imagine!)

I even changed her name very slightly, from Evanna (like the actress, unfortunately) to Evandre (a very minor Greek Amazon who only showed up to get killed), but I spent a literal decade with the first version, so we'll see what happens.

She's still probably gonna hang out with Dorian, Cass, Cole, Varric, and Solas the most; I don't see that changing. But again, I'm gonna try to RP this in a way I haven't done since my second or third run of her. (To competitive for a single player open world game even!)

And if I'm RPing, she probably won't romance anyone because Cullen has the tropes I like, but the Templar thing isn't gonna work. Josephine is sweet, but the dynamic is wrong for my character.

My inquisitor can't even maintain friends level with Sera because she doesn't get the whole pranking thing and the impulsiveness annoys her.

Iron Bull is again, interesting writing but the wrong dynamic. I can almost see some one-sided interest with Blackwall but nothing that would go anywhere.

🤷‍♀️Maybe I'll make the idea of her and my similarly single Hawke together canon for this playthrough, idk.

[seraandthebees]

Okay here’s the post I promised a while back about how Solas fits into my canon state!

First off disclaimer that I know there are kinda two poles of how people tend to feel about Solas - either loving him as a romance option or hating him. I am at neither of those. I think he’s a really complex character that I really love but in no way is his relationship with my inquisitor romantic (she’s a lesbian). Just putting that out here in case anyone misunderstands the vibe of this post.

Okay that put aside, let’s begin. Like I mentioned on my Introduction to Herah post, Herah values her friends and loved ones above anything else and she will do almost anything to protect them, even if that means going to extreme lengths. Her loyalty is her downfall as it were. So obviously that means she wants to redeem Solas, if we’re going by canon.

However, I diverge pretty far from canon from mid-DAI as Solas reveals of his own free will his true identity to significant other Dorian and best friend Herah. I believe that his character is open to interpretation in a way that, if he can actually be convinced that there are things in this world that he can’t or doesn’t want to lose, he will go back on his plans. Just look at how he talks to an Inquisitor who has fostered a good relationship with him at the end of Trespasser. He wants to be convinced otherwise.

I think I’m just interested in exploring what would happen if he came to the realisation on his own that he could no longer go through with his plans and having both a best friend and a lover at stake, particularly if there are two different people who are disproving his world view. The thing with Trespasser is that he views the Inquisitor as an exception, perhaps at least partially as a result of the anchor. When two pieces of evidence lie in front of you, however, it’s a bit harder to ignore or dismiss your doubts.

To explore this idea further, I wrote this fic on how he tells Dorian his true identity. I will probably at some point write something on how he breaks this news to Herah, narrating her reaction.

Skip to later on and you might be asking how the premise of Trespasser and DA4 would even work if all of this is the case and that’s a pretty fair question. Even without everything I’ve just said, I am a firm believer that DA4 would be done best if Solas is a red herring and the real danger is the Evanuris.

So I wrote a Trespasser fic on this diversion from canon wherein Solas returns just as any other companion does. This one’s a bit longer so I’ll just provide a quick summary in case anyone’s interested but doesn’t have the time to read it:

In the years between the defeat of Corypheus and the start of Trespasser, Solas and Dorian went to Tevinter to enact change. They were invited back for the Exalted Council.

After the discovery of the gaatlok, Solas begins to hear the Eluvian and he and Dorian find it, informing Herah. An extra bit of relevant information is that Solas has still been gathering Eluvians, using them as a means of transporting freed slaves from Tevinter without risking them being caught.

Given the nature of the mission, Herah takes along Solas, Dorian, and the Iron Bull through the Eluvians. As they realise where they're being led, Solas begins to put the pieces together and work out what's going on.

Bull betrays the Inquisitor, returning his loyalty to the Qun. (Important side knowledge: Herah in this version of my canon sacrificed the Chargers in order to save lives by stopping the Red Lyrium from going any further. I'll probably talk about this more later but this isn't the post for that.)

At the end, they are confronted by Elgar'nan who was able to slip through the Breach in the Veil just as demons can. He reveals that he wants to bring back all of the Evanuris, bring back Ancient Arlathan, and get revenge on Solas.

So the threat for DA4 then becomes the Evanuris as led by Elgar'nan, which I like to think parallels the ending of Trespasser well and hopefully will be compatible with the scope of DA4 (although who knows on that front). Solas agrees to join back with Herah to fight against this threat, considering it of his own creation. The Inquisition is preserved in order to divert Elgar'nan's attention elsewhere while Solas and Dorian remain undercover in Tevinter, anticipating that that's the most likely place for Elgar'nan to make his first move.

Herah's friendship with Solas is built on their combined loyalty to one another even when they recognise their disagreements. He plays an important part in Herah's journey throughout, and that's also the reason she sends him away at the end of DAI even though she really doesn't want to because her gut is telling her she needs the space even though she remains loyal to him throughout those two years apart. Part of this is also about protecting Sera, and maintaining the tricky balance of having a girlfriend who's wary of magic, being a mage herself, and having two best friends who are mages, one of whom being one of the most powerful beings in Thedas.

Again, I will at some point make a post about the dynamic between these four (who as a result end up spending a lot of time together) and how they all learn to respect and get along better even if only for Herah's sake.

I feel like I've rambled a lot here, but I think I've said all that needs to be said on this. If you've gotten this far, I hope you enjoyed the read as much as I've enjoyed tinkering with canon over the past few years!

[calicostorms]

hi hello! i'd be curious about 1 and 4 for the veilguard hype q&a you've reblogged hehe :)

hiiii ty for the ask!!

What was the first Dragon Age game you played?

Origins!! It wasn't my first video game experience but I did play it young and it made an enduring impression on me. I think Zevran may have been one of the first bisexual video game characters I'd seen!

4. What does your worldstate look like going into DAV?

Augh I am still working on it honestly? But I think it'll look something like this:

Kahan Aeducan, my uber-aggresive and reddish personality dwarven warrior!

Aligned with the Dalish, killed the werewolves

Isolde dead, Connor alive

Mages supported

Romanced Zevran

Bhelen rules Orzammar (after much agonizing over it), killed Branka

My Hawke is still to be determined right now, I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with that!! Debating between a merrill or fenrismancer right now, though i am very partial to anders as a character.

Nydha Lavellan, a young and inexperienced mage who becomes jaded and angry over the course of DAI

Sided with mages as allies

Best friends with Cole, Blackwall, Iron Bull (and many various OCs)

Romanced Dorian!! Fell for him SOOO fast lmao. He also falls for his bodyguard, who's a Dalish OC

Celene and Briala rule (though he later regrets this)

Softened Leliana! (he later regrets this)

Hawke sacrificed, Wardens stay

Drinks from the well

Disbanded the Inquisition and hunts down those who allowed/caused his clan's death to happen

[scottysketches]

About the Blog ~

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Hey there!

I’m Scotty, a queer writer and artist from the UK.

My primary fandoms that I write for are Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed II / Brotherhood / Revelations / Odyssey and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, however I do also dip my toes into Dragon Age, other Assassin’s Creed titles, Final Fantasy XV, RWBY, Thunderbirds Are Go (2015 reboot), Doctor Who (and its various spin-offs) and Sonic the Hedgehog.

Most of my fanart revolves around my various iterations of Commander Shepard and Pathfinder Ryder (Mass Effect trilogy / Mass Effect Andromeda) and my Inquisitors (Dragon Age Inquisition).

This blog contains/discusses 18+ & NSFW content.

Feel free to follow / ask / message / chill here if:

You enjoy people holding up blorbos like they’re comparing different paint swatches in a hardware store

You want to chat about particular fandoms/pairings that are listed below

You want to know more about me – send me ask/tag games! I love games!

Move on if:

You’re a TERF, paedophile, or promote bigotry of any sort (queerphobic, transphobic, racist, sexist, fascist, anti-choice, zionist, etc.)

You’re under the age of 18 (if you do not have your age in your blog bio or somewhere I can find it, you will be blocked, I am not interested in interacting with minors)

You’re just a troll or an asshole

I’m always happy to receive writing prompts and ideas, but there’s no guarantee if/when I’ll fill it, as I have to be in The Zone for the creative juices to flow properly. So if you do send something but don’t see a response, I haven’t forgotten! I just need to be in the right space for it.

Tags/Links of note:

#scotty’s words – My writing

#scotty’s art – My art

#scotty’s answers – Answers to asks

#kassnat – Everything to do with the Kassandra/Natakas pairing from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (Legacy of the First Blade DLC)

#obitine – Everything to do with the Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze pairing from Star Wars: The Clone Wars

#otp: endless affection - Everything to do with the Ezio Auditore/Sofia Sartor pairing from Assassin's Creed Revelations

#otp: swift and cunning - Everything to do with the Inquisitor/Scout Lace Harding (unofficial) romance from Dragon Age Inquisition

#otp: so excited he set the curtains on fire - Everything to do with the Dorian Pavus/The Iron Bull pairing from Dragon Age Inquisition

My AO3 account – where I publish my longer-form writing/fanfiction

My BioLink

My Main Ships:

Mass Effect:

Shepard/Liara T’Soni (Original Trilogy) Male Shepard/Tali’Zorah vas Normandy (OT) Male Shepard/Miranda Lawson (OT) Male Shepard/Samara (OT) Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian (OT) Female Shepard/Thane Krios (OT) Female Shepard/Jack (OT) Garrus Vakarian/Tali’Zorah vas Normandy (OT) Jeff "Joker" Moreau/EDI (OT) Male Ryder/Cora Harper (Andromeda) Male Ryder/Vetra Nyx (A) Ryder/Jaal Ama Darav (A) Female Ryder/Suvi Anwar (A)

Star Wars:

Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze (The Clone Wars) Obi-Wan Kenobi/Quinlan Vos (TCW) Anakin Skywalker/Padme Amidala (Prequel Trilogy, TCW) Ahsoka Tano/Lux Bonteri (TCW) Korkie Kryze/Amis (TCW) Korkie Kryze/Original Female Character (post-Order 66) (TCW) Cal Kestis/Nightsister Merrin (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla (Rebels) Garazeb Orrelios/Alexsandr Kallus (Rebels) Leia Organa/Han Solo (Original Trilogy, Sequel Trilogy) Luke Skywalker/Mara Jade (Legends) Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker (The Mandalorian)

Dragon Age:

Male Warden/Morrigan (Origins) Female Warden/Alistair Theirin (O) Hawke/Fenris (2) Hawke/Anders (2) Inquisitor/Scout Lace Harding (Inquisition) Male Inquisitor/Dorian Pavus (I) Male Inquisitor/Cassandra Pentaghast (I) Dorian Pavus/The Iron Bull (I) Blackwall/Josephine Montilyet (I) Varric Tethras/Cassandra Pentaghast (I)

Assassin’s Creed:

Ezio Auditore/Sofia Sartor (Revelations) Jacob Frye/Ned Wynert (Syndicate) Evie Frye/Henry Green (S) Bayek/Aya (Origins) Kassandra/Natakas (Odyssey, Legacy of the First Blade DLC) Kassandra/Alkibiades (Od) Alexios/Alkibiades (Od) Alexios/Lykaon (Od) Myrinne/Xenia (Od) Eivor (male & female)/Randvi (Valhalla)

Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase, Trials of Apollo):

Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase (PJO, HoO, MC) Grover Underwood/Juniper (PJO, HoO) Nico di Angelo/Will Solace (HoO, ToA) Sally Jackson/Paul Blofis (HoO, ToA) Frank Zhang/Hazel Levesque (HoO, ToA) Magnus Chase/Alex Fierro (MC)

Other fandoms:

Ignis Scientia/Original Male Character i.e. Comrades avatar (Final Fantasy XV) Noctis Lucis Caelum/Lunafreya Nox Fleuret (FFXV) Prompto Argentum/Aranea Highwind (FFXV) Noctis Lucis Caelum/Prompto Argentum (unrequited) (FFXV) Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long (RWBY) Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos (RWBY) Nora Valkyrie/Lie Ren (RWBY) Qrow Branwen/Winter Schnee (RWBY) Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi (RWBY) Weiss Schnee/Jaune Arc (RWBY) Ruby Rose/Oscar Pine (RWBY) Jaune Arc/Neptune Vasilias (RWBY) Gordon Tracy/Penelope Creighton-Ward (Thunderbirds Are Go - 2015 reboot) Alan Tracy/Tanusha "Kayo" Kyrano (TAG) Virgil Tracy/Hiram "Brains" Hackenbacker (TAG) John Tracy/bagels (crack ship) (TAG) Robert Crawley/Cora Crawley (Downton Abbey) Mary Crawley/Matthew Crawley (DA) Edith Crawley/Michael Gregson (DA) Edith Crawley/Bertie Pelham (DA) Sybil Crawley/Tom Branson (DA) Tom Branson/Lucy Smith (DA) Rose MacClare/Atticus Aldridge (DA) Isobel Crawley/Richard Merton (DA) Charles Carson/Elsie Hughes (DA) John Bates/Anna Bates (DA) Joseph Molesley/Phyllis Baxter (DA) Daisy Robinson/Andrew Parker (DA) 9th Doctor/Rose Tyler (Doctor Who) 10th Doctor/Rose Tyler (DW) 11th Doctor/River Song (DW) 12th Doctor/River Song (DW) Amy Pond/Rory Williams (DW) Madame Vastra/Jenny Flint (DW) Luke Smith/Sanjay (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Clyde Langer/Rani Chandra (SJA) Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones (Torchwood) Owen Harper/Toshiko Sato (T) Gwen Cooper/Rhys Williams (T) Sonic the Hedgehog/Amy Rose (Sonic the Hedgehog) Sonic the Hedgehog/Shadow the Hedgehog (STH) Miles "Tails" Prower/Cream the Rabbit (STH) Knuckles the Echidna/Rouge the Bat (STH) Shadow the Hedgehog/Rouge the Bat (STH) Vector the Crocodile/Vanilla the Rabbit (STH) Vector the Crocodile/Espio the Chameleon (STH) Silver the Hedgehog/Blaze the Cat (STH)

[kayura-sanada]

If it’s not too uncomfortable for you may I ask why you dislike Dorian and Bull together?

Ah. I'm more concerned that it'll be too uncomfortable for fans of the pairing to read my response, and I have to prepare myself to get attacked for this. But if you're willing to hear, then sure, I'll explain.

Though you know I'm going to make this long, the short story is that everything you hear makes it clear this is not a healthy relationship, especially in the original Inquisition, before Trespasser, but yes, even in that DLC.

There are several actual layers to this, so I'll go a bit piecemeal, if I may. Some pieces are very well known and have been spoken of before by those like myself who aren't fans of the pairing, but others are things I haven't heard others speak about. Again, this is just me throwing my thoughts into this response, so if you want this to be perfectly organized, I am sorry, but I am not your girl.

All right! I'm going to try to list the reasons I dislike it in order of Most Egregious to Least Egregious. Please note that these are my subjective opinions and you obviously needn't agree with them. Block and let block, I say.

Reason #1: It Is Unhealthy, Almost Abusive, the Way The Iron Bull Ignores Dorian's Boundaries and Discomfort

Dorian makes it clear on several occasions that he does not want their personal lives bared to the team. Hell, he often makes it clear he's not interested in hearing much of any of Bull's dirty language. Dorian speaks disdainfully if Bull and the Inquisitor joke about their sex lives with Sera. He shows himself uncomfortable, even outright angry, whenever Bull flirts with him - he groans, gets defensive, and even says "vishante kaffas," or "you shit on my tongue," in response. To note: he also says "vishante kaffas" if Iron Bull turns on you in Trespasser. It's the worst curse his mind can think of.

In fact, it disturbs me greatly that Dorian was attacking The Iron Bull for what his people did to mages like him and The Iron Bull turned it into a sex thing. He twisted Dorian's question of whether Bull would want to leash and restrain him, as Bull's people did to all mages, and Bull turned it into a BDSM joke. As someone who very much enjoys BDSM as a concept, I cannot even express to you how unhealthy this is; it goes against every proper BDSM etiquette. BDSM is not about doing something to someone against their will, and it should certainly not be linked to what is essentially racism. Certainly, in carefully controlled situations between trusting partners, such things can be explored as said partners desire, but here? In this context? Hell no.

The entire relationship, actually, which was purely sexual at first, was started by The Iron Bull taking an innocent statement by Dorian and turning it dirty again. He startled Dorian by getting extremely graphic, turning the animosity between their people into something lewd again. He talks about conquering Dorian. He then turns Dorian's very legitimate concerns (considering how this all could end in Trespasser) about Bull into a sexual thing again, and then Dorian goes to him for what I assume is some very rough and satisfying sex. I can understand the way frustration and fear can add to the pleasure during sex. I cannot, however, accept this as a basis for a romance. Quite frankly, it's just plain unhealthy.

And after all this? Bull starts talking about it in front of the team again. Dorian even states how discretion wasn't Bull's thing, and Bull continued, giving very personal information about their activities even after Dorian expressed a desire for him not to.

This is in fact common with Bull!!! He just plain doesn't care about Dorian's boundaries. Which is even worse when you realize he will respect everyone else's just fine!! He speaks up for Gatz when Cole starts trying to help him. He tells Cassandra he'll stop the instant she expresses to him that she's not interested. He shuts up the instant the Inquisitor demands he do so, saying only "she sort of asked" or, if the Inquisitor is with Sera, that the Inquisitor's being "touchy." So why the hell does he not listen to Dorian, even when he says please? "Please stop helping the dwarf," Dorian says, and Bull just keeps right on going. Where's the respect for one's partner? Because I don't see it.

Reason #2: It is Treated As a Sexual Relationship in Nearly Every Interaction, So Why is This Suddenly 'Love?'

This includes Trespasser. Just so you know.

Most of what I could say here, I feel I shouldn't have to. There's no secret that their interactions in Inquisition are only ever about sex. Dorian even notes that he "might come" if Bull leaves his door open, which clearly states they are not together before the act, and Bull's note that Dorian had left his things and perhaps left a trophy for Bull, means Dorian definitely makes that walk of shame out of Bull's room afterward. (Please note that I am a sex-averse ace, as well, so this along with every other 'friends with benefits' relationship makes me squicked out because I just do not understand being with someone just for sex. That's just me personally.)

But what I am going to focus on here makes it even worse. In Inquisition, there is a point where Bull speaks with Cassandra about hitting enemies harder to work off her frustration. If he's in a relationship with the Inquisitor, he'll say he would offer to help her with said frustration, but that he's "in a committed relationship." Guess what he says if he's in a relationship with Dorian? Nothing. Cassandra instead says he'd feel more if she hit him, and he jokes that she should "let it out." The big takeaway here is that he does not mention being in a committed relationship with Dorian - in other words, he doesn't see Dorian as a committed relationship. Period. The fact he doesn't say the same as with the Inquisitor speaks for itself.

But we also get a moment like this in Trespasser! The Iron Bull says he's looking forward to fighting with everyone together again, and then says, "how 'bout it, Kadan?" When it's to the Inquisitor, we get a sweet, "it's a title of honor for the (wo)man I love." He defends it to the team, too, not from the Inquisitor, who accepts the word easily. Yet Dorian responds with a quick, "ah, we're doing the names, are we?" To which Bull responds, "it's a title of honor, kadan!" To which Dorian says, "I need a drink." How on earth is this considered romantic?? Dorian is clearly flippant about the title and doesn't want to carry it. Meanwhile, Bull calls it a "title of honor," certainly, but does not mention love in the slightest! He also mocks the word "amatus," calling himself Dorian's amatus (something that the Inquisitor never does, and something that we've never heard Dorian call him before this moment) and joking about flexing to make Dorian feel better. It's just a weird moment there specifically; Dorian mocks Bull's endearment, Bull mocks Dorian's endearment, and it's considered romantic? If so, then why not have a chance for the Inquisitor to mock these endearments? Oh, yes. Because it's something very serious between the Inquisitor and their romance. But not here, apparently.

This actually harkens back to when Varric brings up the relationship to the two of them in Inquisition and says they had "only love to keep them together." Bull refuted the word love and showed immediate preference to the word "passion." It seems he still doesn't want to use the word 'love,' even as he calls Dorian by the same pet name as he would the Inquisitor and accepts (if mockingly) Dorian's pet name for himself.

Reason #3: These Two Never Seem Happy Talking to One Another When 'Romance' Dialogue Occurs

Dorian once tells Cassandra that he's happy in the relationship with Bull, yet it's clearly in response to her gently prying about the relationship. The exact quote is this:

Cassandra: "If... you're both pleased..." Dorian: "I'm happy, he's happy, everyone's happy."

This doesn't sound happy.

In fact, few of their interactions sound happy. They actually get along best in the interactions that have nothing to do with the romance. They begin to understand each other, even connect with one another, over their issues with their own people and cultures and how they similarly don't agree with everything their cultures tell them to. They mock their own cultures to each other in a very friendly manner.

When it comes to the 'romance,' however, there's nothing but defensiveness, rudeness, and flippancy. The clearly unwanted dirty jokes (which would be recognized as harassment by fandom if Dorian were female... I hope). The insults that go nowhere save another dirty joke, leaving the problems festering and unresolved. Every concern Dorian has is changed to a dirty joke. Even simple customs Dorian talks about - at this moment I'm thinking about Dorian telling Bull Qunari should always wear armor - gets turned into a joke instead of explained or expanded upon. Hell, Bull talks in Trespasser about wanting to get hit with a stick again, and Dorian says he isn't sure whether he wants that to be a metaphor or not. Um, are mentions of a desire to physically abuse each other... a normal joke between them now?

And the tones used between them. Dorian isn't sexually frustrated, he's angry. Bull isn't in love, usually doesn't even sound turned on. He sounds like he's deliberately goading Dorian. Not in a fun way. Hate sex may be fun, but it's not an acceptable foundation for a relationship. Yet by Trespasser, it's all we've seen between them. But suddenly now it's love.

Even when they're (probably) joking, you can never really tell. Is Dorian joking about needing a drink when Bull calls him kadan? Is Bull just playing around with his just being Dorian's good-looking amatus? Does Dorian want to hit Bull?

Reason #4: If We Never See Bull Respect Dorian's Boundaries When Speaking to Him, Does He Respect Dorian During Sex?

Considering how often Bull is linked with BDSM, it does not bode well for anyone to know Bull has a hard time giving a shit about Dorian's boundaries. So, uh... if Dorian said no... would Bull even listen?

Do you have any idea how terrifically uncomfortable it is to realize this? Well, I hope you do now.

It makes it even more uncomfortable to know that, when Varric brings up their relationship and uses the word 'love,' Bull says, "could you make it sound angrier?" Uh... exactly what kind of sex are you guys having? Is it really hate sex? Is there nothing else? "Angrier?" Are you serious? Not 'harder,' 'more primal,' 'sexier,' or several other options. Bull goes for angrier. That is not a good sign.

Reason #5: We Don't See Any Brewing Romance. It Just Suddenly Exists. Like Mold.

What really disturbs me is how everything I've mentioned is matched with the moment when Bull is ordered by the Viddesala to join him. If he refuses, it's the one and only time we hear Dorian call Bull amatus, and the only time we hear them use these terms for each other together. One could read this as the moment they truly accept one another freely, knowing they could trust the other. To me, having never seen them do it before, it feels awkward, out of place, and wrong. Why haven't we heard you guys speak this way even once before? Fake, fake, fake.

We never hear anything sweet between them. Hell, we never hear any teasing that ends with both of them laughing, or even them using the same lines on each other. What some may call quips almost always ends with one of them sighing or groaning or outright snarling in frustration. That's not banter, ladies and gentlemen. It's verbal assault. And yes, that's a real thing.

So... how are they suddenly in love???

...Yeah.

All right. Long story short, Bull sexually assaults Dorian, they have hate sex, and this is somehow a love story. Normally, this would be recognized as the story of an abusive couple.

This could have been done well! I love stories where the couple has to overcome personal and often cultural expectations or roles to get together. My favorite DA romances are Fenris/my mage Hawke and Solas/my Kios Lavellan, after all. But this was not that. What could have been that turned into something much, much less healthy. Something disturbing, hopefully-only-borderline abusive, and far too sudden for me to ever be okay with it.

I would absolutely accept a relationship between Garrus and Tali, or between Fenris and Isabela, far more easily than I would Dorian and The Iron Bull, because the other two couples still share friendly banter and jokes; they still show each other kindness and respect. The instant Bull starts chasing Dorian - and it's definitely a one-sided chase 98% of the time - kindness and respect fly out the window. And that, my friends, is never going to be the start of a relationship I could ever accept or enjoy. Since that's the only relationship growth we see, is it really any wonder I hate the pairing when Bioware suddenly decides they're together romantically?

[suck-on-a-fire-ball]

Letter's to DA Characters - Guidelines

This is a new thing for me as well as my followers, so I figured I would create a little bit of a guideline and maybe some examples for what to send in if you're unsure but still want to do it... this will get updated frequently, I'm sure 💖

For examples, please scroll through here - Letters from DA Characters Collection - and feel free to take inspiration from how others have asked questions! :3

Please respect:

~ These are my takes on the characters, but I always try to be as faithful as possible to canon

~ You can send in your questions through a private message or a comment :3

~ Just because these are open doesn't mean I won't reply to other asks hence:

~ If you send a question to my ask box, please let me know you are sending a letter to a character, which character from the below list you are sending it to, and please make sure to send only 1-2 questions PER ask - but send as many asks as you want! Spam me, go for it. I'm up to the task!

~ Feel free to do your own question or something from the list below

~ Please be aware I am studying a master's and sometimes I might be overwhelmed with deadlines and research - if you are concerned your ask didn't get through, drop me a message but most likely, I am just a little busy at that time 💖

~ I have put OCs down there, but if you want a Hawke / Warden who is romanced with someone particular, a different gender, a different race / class etc, just let me know in the ask :3 otherwise, I will try and be as neutral as possible to ensure I don't force my headcanon onto anyone!

~ If you send a question to a character who might not be interested in replying to said question, that is not ME being uninterested, that is the character being sassy or denying you in their reply - HOWEVER if there's a question I am uncomfortable with personally, I won't answer at all. Hence, please, do spam so you will for sure get a reply from someone!

💖💖

DA Origins: (more will be added with time)

~ The Warden Commander Constance Amell is accepting letters of correspondence!

~ The King of Ferelden, Alistair Theirin, is accepting letters with your desired questions to get to know your new king!

~ The Warden Commander is open to forwarding your letters to these friends:

~ Morrigan, Zevran, Wynne, Oghren, Anders (if she can find him), Justice (if he wishes to, you might get a reply from the Warden trying to answer for him)

💖💖

DA 2: (more will be added with time)

~ The Champion of Kirkwall Marian Hawke has been forced by her mother to reply to letters (she's secretly loving it)

~ Varric Tethras is replying to fan letters

~ Leandra Amell is replying to correspondence

~ Carver Hawke is surprised to find fellow templars giving him letters from interested nobles and Kirkwall residents in love with his upstanding family

~ Guard Captain Aveline is happy to reply to any letters (complaints) from residents of Kirkwall

~ Marian will pass on letters to these friends:

~ Merrill, Isabela, Anders and she will aid Fenris by transcribing and letting him write a sentence or two as practice whilst he learns to read!

💖💖

DAI: (more will be added with time)

~ The Inquisitor (at the moment, feel free to be open with whom the inquisitor is / what class, etc, or leave it open for me to choose) is replying to correspondence

~ The Inquisition's advisors are open to receiving letters of any regard: Josephine, Leliana and Cullen

~ Cassandra Pentaghast is begrudgingly accepting letters after Varric forced her into it

~ Varric Tethras is happily answering questions or fan letters

~ Dorian Pavus is happily replying to letters, especially those that praise him

~ The Iron Bull is open to replying to correspondence after the Inquisitor asked very very nicely

~ Varric will help Cole answering any questions you might have

~ The Inquisitor will search for Sera and make her reply to some questions too

📜Question examples down below the cut for inspiration or help📜

feel free to use these or just have them as inspiration :3 (more will be added with time)

1. Do you have any embarrassing childhood memories?

2. Do you have any embarrassing stories about (insert character of choice. example: warden, hawke etc)?

3. Thoughts on templar / mage rights?

4. Have you had any magical mishaps? Funny ones, embarrassing ones, or bad ones?

5. What is your opinion on (insert character name)?

6. What is your favourite colour and why?

7. What is your favourite song and why?

8. Do you have any random wishes / goals you wish to accomplish in your life?

9. What is a favourite pastime activity of yours?

10. Have you read Varric's tales? 👀 what did you think of them?

11. Do you believe in ghosts?

12. What is an irrational fear of yours?

13. Any place in Thedas you want to visit at some point?

14. Favourite food?

15. A favourite childhood memory of yours?

16. What is your favourite memory with (insert character)?

17. Do you have a crush on anyone?

18. Are you aware of anyone with a crush on you? How does that make you feel?

19. Do you have a favourite animal? If so, why that particular animal?

20. Do you prefer walking or horse riding?

21. How do you like celebrating birthdays?

22. Are you flexible? Physically? 👀

23. If you could title your life, what would it be?

24. What is your opinion on the Fade?

25. What are your thoughts on Elvhen Gods?

26. What is something that makes you feel really safe?

27. Can you tell us about your favourite adventure?

[other-cullen-ficrecs]

MLM!Cullen Fic Rec List

Inspired by this post. Here is my fic rec list of some of my favorite fics with queer Cullen. Happy Pride :)  🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍🌈

Cullen/Dorian

Only True in Fairy Tales by Dragonflies_and_Katydids

Summary:  In which Dorian is a special forces operative, Bull is his partner, and Cullen is the guy they're sent to rescue. Hijinks ensue. // Words: 110150

Modern AU. Dragonflies_and_Katydids makes me read the weirdest stuff. But their work is always captivating. The more ridiculous set up the better outcome, I promise. This one is both ridiculous and absolutely perfect. And somehow one of the very few modern au fics in which Cullen's lyrium addiction is well transfered without making it literal.

Fashionably Late by tsurai

For the tumblr prompt: Cullen/Dorian Soulmates AU? <3 "Maker’s breath, this is absolutely the worst timing, he thinks distantly." // Words: 1038

This is but a tiny thing but I'm a sucker for a soulmate AU. Would I love it more if it was 150,000 words? Yes. But I'm just greedy.

COLD HANDS, WARM HEART by spicyshimmy, stonelions

Summary: Cullen and Dorian's friendship deepens. Cullen is a romantic. Dorian is literally cold. Cullen is no longer certain what he would consider surprising. Mages and Templars working in perfect cooperation, perhaps. Evil and corruption disappearing into the ground along with the blight, blood magic falling so far out of favor it ceased to be. A united Thedas: that would be a surprise. // Words: 25369

I think this is most recced Cullrian fic and for a good reason. Slow burn, drama, all the delights. 

Light In This Darken'd Time Breaks by RamonaDecember

Summary: Cullen wouldn't say he hates mages, not anymore, but he can't see himself ever trusting one again. Dorian is no exception. The mage is off-color, self-important, and all together too much for Cullen to deal with. So why is it that every time Cullen is at his lowest, Dorian seems to be the only person by his side? // Words: 121289

Slow burn with 121289 words, what more do you want?

Cullen/Bull

Jump In by Dragonflies_and_Katydids

Summary: In which Cullen is almost terminally awkward, Bull and Dorian are literally brothers (because why not?), and Bull tries really hard to be good. Or: In which Dorian tries to set up his brother and his roommate, if he can avoid killing them for being so clueless. (You might get cavities from reading it. Don't say I didn't warn you.) // Words: 33700

What did I say about Dragonflies_and_Katydids and ridiculous premises? But if you're as delighted with awkward Cullen as am I - enjoy.

Dragons from Stars in an Empty Sky by Midna_Ronoa

Summary: The one in which Bull takes Cullen dragon-hunting. // Words: 10423

Fluff and smut and dragons!

Stuck on the Puzzle by thespectaclesofthor

Summary: Once, back in Kirkwall, Cullen had an arrangement with a member of the city guard that satisfied his needs. But time changed all things, and he despaired of ever finding a similar arrangement again - that was, until he met The Iron Bull. Problem being that Bull seemed to care far more about sorting out the nitty-gritty of such an arrangement than Cullen ever has. // Words: 235586

No fic rec lists that can involve Bullen canot do without Stuck on the Puzzle. If you haven't read it - please give it a try. As far as I'm concerned - the best fic in the fandom. And definately one of the best fics in general. <3

Cullen/Dorian/Bull

Exit Light by Dragonflies_and_Katydids

Summary: In which Cullen is suicidally depressed, Dorian is a high-functioning alcoholic, and Bull just wants them both to be happy, except when he wants to crack their heads together for being emotionally stunted idiots. // Words: 77427

This premise is actually very close to canon, compared to some other stories by the same author recced here. The angst? Delightful. The smut? Delicious. The exploration of issues? Delectable! Cheff kisses all around.

to burn cool and collected by toomanyhometowns

Summary: Dorian hums. "Here is the function of the spell: Upon invocationne, ye caster's spyryt shal sterte to ye form of whomsoever mofte recently achieved releafe by hys hande." He taps the page in punctuation and looks back up. "And then there's a lot of text about the vast joys we may experience together, et cetera, et cetera." // Words: 16121

Ok, this list shows more than anything that my main delight is issues and angst wrapped in with porn. Anyway - cracky premise (body swap!), and angsty, sexy outcome.

Hold by queeniegalore

Summary: Everyone knows Cullen doesn't trust magic. But he trusts Dorian and Bull, so maybe they can make this work. // Words: 6654

Issues? Trauma? Kink? I'm a one trick pony when it comes to recs.

Cullen/Cole

Okay now that we’ve gotten the obvious out, let’s enjoy the trully unexpected enjoyment.

Into The Light (Cole/Cullen Ficlets) by Sinister_Kid

Summary: A series of what I hope are tasteful Cole/Cullen fics that don't exploit or overly sexualize Cole's developing character. Based on a prompt I filled out of boredom in which I imagined the spirit actually hearing someone's pain like a physical noise in his ears that caused discomfort. Explores the option of making Cole more human, with my own original take on how that affects him as a character, and depicts Cole developing romantic feelings for the Commander as he discovers what it means to be human. // Words: 20454

I admit I don't often read Cole shippy fics but this one stays true to the info in the summary and it is careful and tasteful. Also Cullen learning to speak with Cole properly - <333

Cullen/Varric

Verse & Volley Triptych by boycoffin

Summary: POSSIBLE TITLES: This Shit Was Even Weirder: A Surprisingly Not-Doomed Romance In The Shadow of the Apocalypse The Commander and the Rogue already taken, Antivan maritime smut with an elf girl in it How The Hell I Ended Up With That Guy: A Tale for The People Who Keep Asking Me About It In Bars The Short and Curlies that's just terrible Love Among the tropey garbage A Tale of Two Names pretentious and unclear The Penman's Paramour Memoirs of a Moron (That He's Going to Regret Publishing and Will Never Hear The End Of for As Long As He Lives) // Words: 133354

One of the very few fics in which I can not only accept but love 1st person POV. Crack. Slow-burn. Pennames. Lovable OCs. DELICIOUS. Also a fic that made me start this blog, so love all around.

Cullen/Krem

Last but not least, my delightful fave (maybe, possibly, probably) and involving a shameless self-plug because it’s the month of pride.

Swordplay by orphan_account

Summary: The Bull's Chargers are undisciplined, untested, and unprofessional; but Cullen can't stop thinking about their lieutenant. // Words: 3910

I have a soft spot for whoever Krem being shipped with not knowing he's trans at first. But also oblivious, pining Cullen <3

If you have been starving, a creature of bone by missivesfromghosts

Summary: Cullen is content with where he is. He has a life and a purpose. He’s doing the Maker’s work and he’s cut the Chantry’s leash on him. He barely thinks about the fact that he’s trans anymore. The last person who knew he was born anything different, barring his sister Mia, died during the Blight. This works for him. That is, until he starts falling for Krem. // Words: 769

A tiny thing but I have a soft spot for the idea. Also what's better than a ship with trans character? A ship with two trans characters. Keep that in mind for further recs actually.

Sweet, Merciful Andraste by Tainaron

Summary: PWP. Honestly, Cullen should invest in walls and a ceiling that don't have holes if he's going to keep having such loud sex. Pure, unapologetic smut between trans men who love each other. // Words: 4187

¯\_(ツ)_/¯  What more do you want from me? Sometimes porn is just porn. Enjoy.

Champions of the Just by Tainaron

Summary: En route to Griffin Wing Keep before the battle of Adamant, Cullen falls prey to an injury that reveals a shameful secret about his trauma with magic. As Cullen struggles with his past, his duty to the Inquisition, and his love life, he becomes increasingly uncertain if he’s the target of an assassination attempt or just his own personal demons. // Words: 67885

Well, I also have some plottier and angstier fics in my rec disposal. This one actually explores the problems Krem and Cullen could encounter in their relationship and all within the canon plot line. Plus bonus points of Cullen actually interacting with other Chargers.

cabbage: a love story by psikeval

Summary: Krem’s grin fades into a quiet smirk, his eyes warm and amused, and Cullen does not forget how to move his legs because he is a grown man, a leader of soldiers, commander of the Inquisition’s army. He breaks the silence by coughing loudly, because he is also an imbecile. // Words: 18932

Creme de la creme of Krem/Cullen fics <3 Fluff, crack, porn <3 This delightful series has it all! 

[bish-0-p]

Pinned Post

I just realized I have never made a pinned post, so here we go! I’m Bishop and I use he/him pronouns. I’m neurodivergent and thus there will be random bouts of certain fandom posts out of nowhere. I’m bish0p on AO3. I am always open for asks on my OCs and my writing, so please send something in my inbox!

Below is a short list of all of my tagged OCs, in case you run across a post of them and want to know a little bit more!

Dragon Age

Amaara Adaar (She/Her) - Amaara is my Inquisitor, and she is a qunari mage (specifically a knight-enchanter). She was a healer for the Valo-Kas, taken in by Shokrakar after her parents, Hissera and Kost, feared for her life during the Mage-Templar War. She is a 19 year old lesbian and “romances” Lace Harding. Amaara is close with pretty much all of her Inner Circle, as they are her disaster found family. Amaara is also a botanist, and keeps a journal of plants she has come across in the world. She tends to use diplomatic or thoughtful options, but also uses sarcasm when it calls for it. Her favorite party roster is Varric, Iron Bull, and Solas or Dorian.You can find her playlist here.

Elyce Hawke (She/Her) - Elyce is my Champion, and is a duelist rogue. She is bisexual, romances Fenris, and is 31 by the events of Inquisition. She uses a pretty even mix of sarcastic and diplomatic dialogue options. Elyce has ADHD and is a compulsive lair; she wears mask upon mask to protect herself, and rarely lets anyone she the true her. Her favorite party roster is Fenris, Varric, and Merrill.

Mirwen Tabris (They/Them) - Mirwen is my warrior Hero of Fereldan, and they were only 18 at the time of the Blight. They are pansexual and in a polygamous relationship with Zevran Arainai and Leliana. In the first half of the game, they mostly use aggressive or sarcastic options, as their childhood issue with anger issues resurfaced after they saved Shianni from the humans. Their favorite party roster is Alistair, Zevran or Leliana, and Morrigan. They did the ritual with Morrigan, and so they have a son as well! They see Kieran on the weekends /j

Silvhen Lavellan (He/Him) - Silvhen is a hunter from Clan Lavellan. He started using his bow at a young age and became a prodigy among his peers, though struggled with learning close quarters combat. He is transgender, and began transitioning when he was a teenage with the help of his sister, Emith, who is the Second of the clan by the time of Inquisition. Aside from Emith, Sil also has a younger brother, Inaene. When he doesn’t have the role of Inquisitor, he joins as a scout. He is in his mid 20s and romances Dorian. Sil’s favorite party roster is Dorian or Vivenne, Iron Bull, and Varric.You can find his playlist here.

Fallout

Kieran Brooks (He/Him) - Kieran is my Sole Survivor. Before he was drafted, he was working on his computer programming degree. In the military, he was a sniper. He is bisexual and romances MacCready. He is also the General of the Minutemen and an agent of the Railroad. For companions, he most often takes out Preston, Piper, and Nick Valentine. You can find his playlist here.

Molly Brooks (She/Her) - Molly is the twin of my Sole Survivor, and the second half of my Two Soles AU. She did one tour in the war, mostly piloting Power Armor. She was also an engineer for RobCo, though she was unaware of the company’s practices. She is an agent of the Railroad and spent some time in the Brotherhood of Steel, mostly spying for the Minutemen and the Railroad. She is a lesbian and I like to think that she’s in a relationship with Glory. She is also in a QPR with Deacon, though it is strictly platonic. Her most frequent companions are Deacon, Hancock, and Cait, though she often joins Kieran and his friends as well. You can find her playlist here. 

Wanda Soriano-Li (She/They) - Wanda is my Lone Wanderer. She is aroace so I don’t ship them with anyone, but she is very close with Charon and RJ MacCready. In fact, she’s watching Duncan for him during the events of Fallout 4. Wanda became a ghoul after they sacrificed themselves at the Purifier, and was consequently kicked out of the Brotherhood of Steel as soon as she was well enough. She uses a modified baseball bat and an assault rifle. Her mother, Catherine, was the younger sister of Madison Li. You can find their playlist here. 

Ynes Najera (They/Them) - Ynes is my Courier, and they were 17 when they were shot by Benny. Like Wanda, I don’t ship them with anyone. They most often use Arcade Gannon and Craig Boone for companions. They are an independently-aligned Courier, and help New Vegas stand on its own. They are talented with repair and pretty good with science, and use a hunting rifle. You can find their playlist here. 

Eliazar Najera (He/Him) - Eli is Ynes’ older cousin by twelve years, and he helped raise them. He’s not a courier but is instead a companion character. He has major hatred for the Legion and the NCR, and prefers an independent New Vegas or one run by Mr. House. He’s a little but of an idiot, but his heart is in the right place. He runs into Ynes again at the Strip and is pissed that they got hurt so bad that they don’t remember most of what happened in their life. Eli doesn’t really act as a cousin to Ynes, but more of an older brother. I think he’d get along best with Cass and Raul Tejada. He’s very stealthy and good with weapons, but he sucks at talking to people. He’s also very risk-prone and impulsive.

Skyrim

Gruumsha gra-Dushnikh (She/Her) - Gruumsha is my main Dragonborn OC. She is an orc barbarian, and pretty much only uses greatswords. With her, I did the Companions questline. She adopted Blaise and Lucia, married Marcurio (though she had a fling with Lydia at one point), and was on the Imperial side of the Civil War. Her main companions are Farkas, Teldryn Sero, and Lydia.

Marth the Bowman (He/They/She) - Marth is a bosmeri archer, and is a non-Dragonborn OC. I did the Thieves Guild questline with them, as well as part of the Dark Brotherhood. They don’t really use travelling companions often, but when they do they travel with Erandur. They don’t get married or have kids, but make frequent donations to the orphanage in Riften. Their main companions are Erandur, Cicero, and Mjoll.

Dungeons and Dragons

Irein Flenn (She/Her) - Irein is a half-elf, and is both a bard and a sorcerer. She was raised by her older sister, and after she was murdered by an anti-mage crowd, was taken in by a tavern singer.

Azrael (They/Its) - Azrael is an archangel in my D&D universe, but I also play them as a paladin. They are known as the Archangel of Justice, and was gifted with an all-seeing eye of truth by the king of the gods.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Shu Ling (She/They) - Shu Ling is my ATLA OC, and the sister of Longshot. They were apart of Jet’s Freedom Fighters for years, becoming an expert marksman just like their brother. They left the group after Jet blew up the dam; in some universes they join Team Avatar, in others they wander around. Shu Ling is 16, autistic, and is selectively mute. They are bisexual, but I don’t ship them with any of the characters in the show.

The Walking Dead

Cassandra Torres (She/Her) - Cassandra is a 43 year old survivor of the zombie apocalypse. She worked as a pediatrician before the end of the world, sharing custody of her daughter, Claire, with her ex-husband. In the first few months, Claire was killed during a confrontation with another survivor. Since then, Cass has avoided groups as best she can. Cassandra is withdrawn in herself, and when surrounded by others she can be combative and stubborn. She is also very loving, and fears getting attached to someone when she knows they'll probably just leave her too.