#before and after ostagar* oops

[anakinh]

lasted approximately 2 hours into a new playthrough of Dragon Age: Origins before I downloaded a mod. god those mage cowls are ugly af

[bumblewarden]

I want so bad to do an Oops All Origins for the worldstate of Mr Novhen Tabris, but it may end up just him, Amell, Brosca, and maybe Cousland

I've already sacrificed Aeducan for the drama. He and Brosca have too strong of a conflict between them, and i thought it'd be the most fun to make them mutually exclusive companions. If you try to keep them both in the party for long enough, eventually they fight and only the survivor will stay with you. Brosca, in this case. Yes, this had just happened to me in Baldur's Gate right before i came up with this. Xzar and Montaron had it coming. Why do you ask?

Surana and Mahariel might be next to get booted. Surana has already suffered from too many applicants to make herself stand out, but the reason they're both on the chopping block is that Novhen needs to feel isolated. After 20+ years in Denerim's alienage where he could only rely on other elves, he's now being ping ponged wildly between the wilderness and (usually non-elven) courts with his predominantly human party whose only other elf was hired to assassinate him. Even if he and Zevran have different relationships to being an elf (although there's definitely a degree to which Zevran is downplaying whatever relationship he does feel), it was absolutely a factor in Novhen's romancing him. For that part of the story to remain untouched, Novhen needs to feel isolated, and in general, his loneliness gives more to his story than it takes

Cousland is a maybe. I have a vague personality for her. Main issue with her is i don't like playing warriors but want her to be one. Second issue is Nathaniel needs Novhen to be Howe's killer, but it's too important for Cousland's story for her to not kill him. Novhen rightfully wants revenge for the purge, but it's her central arc. I have a comic draft where Novhen incapacitates him but lets her get the final blow. That would be the best compromise arc-wise, but then fucking Nathaniel (Disclaimer: love that guy) has to go and fuck it all up. It's just hard to make it narratively satisfying to keep them both on board. If i do kick her out, i'm thinking of having her show up in the dungeons somewhere

Yes, Ghilana exists, but a drawback of using many smaller fics without orbiting any central longfic is that it becomes difficult to include any OC whose not already based in one of the PC origins. Still, pre-quest, Ghilana is going to identify as Qunari before elven by a mile. Might also make him a later addition to help balance it out

That's not to say all my excluded Wardens will be totally shunted to the void. Aeducan gets a couple Deep Roads scenes during Paragon of Her Kind before Brosca on-screen murders him (good for her). Surana might briefly appear during Broken Circle or the Battles of Ostagar or Denerim, and she grew up with Novhen prior to her encirclement. The party might meet Clan Sabrae after Nature of the Beast, and Novhen would respect it if Mahariel wishes to die in the arms of their clan. If Cousland gets kicked next, i might have her and/or a male Cousland appear in the cells of the arl's estate of Fort Drakon after surviving the attack on their family's castle. I don't know if a non-Warden Cousland retains their status to vote in the Landsmeet on behalf of their family, but they can at least speak against Howe and Loghain

[rhunae]

Day 8 of the 5 minute prompt is Sear

Crouching down, Rhue gazed over the scorched earth where fire had once ravaged and seared the ground in a blaze of flames. But when her fingers touched the ash, there was a faint surge of power, blighted energy that she recognized now.

“Looks like darkspawn,” Duncan crouched beside her but didn’t touch the black ash.

“Yeah, they’ve been through here. I can … feel it. The echo of magic here.”

They stood together and looked over the remains of the town. Burnt out husks of buildings still smoky within the charred remains. Wherever the people were, they weren’t here.

Rhue hoped they fled. She had a queasy feeling in her gut that said otherwise.

[sapphim]

The travels of my wardens in my headcanon multi-warden worldstate, aka, the gang walks in circles around Ferelden until everything is somehow solved. (prequel)

Nature of the Beast

The gang leaves Flemeth’s hut and arrives at Lothering, where Leliana and Sten are recruited.

Howe dispatched assassins to take care of any remaining wardens immediately after hearing news of the battle from Loghain, so Zevran is recruited on the Imperial Highway between Lothering and Denerim, because, I want to take him on every main quest, so there.

By this point Mahariel has long since won the fight over where they’re going next, so they head off into the Brecilian to locate the Dalish clan that had been camped somewhere north of clan Sabrae.

Tabris and Soris, who found refuge with the Dalish after fleeing Denerim and are entirely done with werewolves at this point, join the group here.

Broken Circle

The gang cut north to Denerim, where Soris leaves the party and Cousland - in search of allies in the fight against Howe and concerned about the lack of news from Redcliffe - joins.

Following up on a tip from Levi Dryden, the gang goes to claim Soldier’s Peak before continuing to Lake Calenhad and Kinloch Hold, where Wynne joins the party.

The Urn of Sacred Ashes

The next stop for the party is up Gherlen’s Pass to Orzammar, where they find Orzammar has been closed and no word is getting in or out. Brosca and Aeducan aren’t really all that broken up about not having to deal with that bullshit at home yet.

The gang continues to Haven instead. By this point Sten is entirely done and to be honest so am I but I don’t know how to make Eamon’s entire questline suck less aside from cutting all of it entirely.

The Arl of Redcliffe

Finally Cousland gets back to Redcliffe where her mother is waiting for her and it’s, uh, unexpectedly bad!

Shale is recruited in Redcliffe, as was originally intended, because who wants to schlep out to Honnleath. Not me.

The Landsmeet

Eamon Guerrin goes ahead to his estate in Denerim to rally as many allies as he can for the Landsmeet.

The group follows after him, but take a quick detour to return to Ostagar first.

They go to Denerim, rescue Anora and the alienage, do some politicking, Alistair and Anora get married, Loghain is recruited. Pretty much nobody’s happy with how this all turns out, but as long as Eamon is unhappy, I’m happy.

A Paragon of Her Kind

Things are said, feelings are hurt, Alistair stays in Denerim to figure out how the fuck to be king and to prepare their armies for war, while the warden gang heads for Orzammar to kick down their doors and demand to know what the fuck is going on.

The wardens disappear into the Deep Roads for like a month and a fucking half lmao. Alistair goes through every stage of grief at once, if every stage were anxiety.

On the way back they head through Cadash Thaig and find an exit to the surface, which makes the return trip very slightly less dreary.

(There’s actually no reason Shale’s personal quest has to be completed before the Archdemon is killed, but it actually does shave a few days off their return trip, so let’s just say they had an exit marked on their map there and didn’t just drag Sten kicking and screaming even further out of the way for no clear reason.)

They kick down the doors of Orzammar again and Aeducan crowns herself queen because fuck you that’s why.

The Battle of Denerim

They finally send word to Denerim that their armies better be fucking ready to march because the forces of Orzammar will be meeting them at Redcliffe as soon as possible. Alistair cries tears of relief.

They get to Redcliffe. There are no teeming hordes of darkspawn there? They run into the united armies marching from Denerim (there is hugging while Alistair cries more) and figure that the archdemon has attacked Denerim while it was left undefended. Oops!

They go kill the Archdemon. At some point prior to that moment somebody does a weird blood magic sex ritual to make an archdemon baby.

Everybody lives happily ever after or some shit.

[prince-everhard]

Prince’s Whumptober 2020 masterpost

Gonna have links, titles, summaries, and all that jazz under a readmore because i decided to really push myself and do all 31 prompts separately. Thank you to everyone who liked and reblogged my work; your support means the world to me and makes me want to keep writing! 

multiparters here have been listed in chronological order rather than posting order for ease of reading. 

FAHC

No 1. LET’S HANG OUT SOMETIME Waking Up Restrained | Shackled | Hanging

Title: another duck joins the flock Fandom: FAHC Character(s): Geoff, Michael Rating: T Warning(s): blood, handcuffs Wordcount: 728 Summary: Or how the Fakes gained their most famous muscle. [tidied up/expanded this never-to-be-posted fahc wip for whumptober]

Naruto

No 2. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY “Pick Who Dies” | Collars | Kidnapped

Title: and the worst part of waiting is the anticipation Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Team 7 Rating: T Warning(s): blood, vomit Wordcount: 951 Summary: Team Seven gets captured. [part of the whumptober au]

No 3. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY Manhandled | Forced to their Knees | Held at Gunpoint

Title: A Teaching Moment Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Sakura, Kabuto Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 498 Summary: Kabuto makes her an offer she can’t refuse. [part of the whumptober au]

No 29. I THINK I NEED A DOCTOR Intubation | Emergency Room | Reluctant Bedrest

Title: Graduation Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Sakura, Kabuto, Rating: T+? Warning(s): blood Wordcount: 835 Summary: Kabuto has one more test before Sakura can be considered a true medic-nin. [part of the whumptober au]

No 15. INTO THE UNKNOWN Possession | Magical Healing | Science Gone Wrong

Title: Arboreal Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Sakura Rating: T Warning(s): needles Wordcount: 803 Summary: It was only a matter of time before Sakura found something that could help her escape. [part of the whumptober au]

No 9. FOR THE GREATER GOOD “Take Me Instead” | “Run!” | Ritual Sacrifice

Title: no good deed goes unpunished Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Naruto, Teuchi, Kyuubi Rating: T Warning(s): violence against children Wordcount: 972 Summary: Something goes wrong on his seventh birthday. Naruto might never be the same again.

No 26. IF YOU THOUGHT THE HEAD TRAUMA WAS BAD… Migraine | Concussion | Blindness

Title: Degradation Fandom: Naruto Character(s): Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto Rating: T Warning(s): dismemberment ment Wordcount: 187 Summary: Kakashi knows that power comes with a price.

Dragon Age

No 6. PLEASE…. “Get it Out” | No More | “Stop, please”

Title: Like Dogs Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Tabris, Shianni, Soris, Nelaros Rating: M Warning(s): implied/offscreen rape, violence against women, blood Wordcount: 1640 Summary: It was supposed to be a good thing, getting married. It wasn’t. [this is really just a love letter to the origin that fucking shooketh me]

No 19. BROKEN HEARTS Grief | Mourning Loved One | Survivor’s Guilt

Title: all’s fair but war is not without casualties Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s)/Pairing(s): Female Cousland, Alistair; ex-Alistair/Warden Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 695 Summary: Ten years after the Blight ends, Elissa Cousland runs into someone she never thought she’d see again. It, uh, doesn’t go quite as planned. [mostly canon compliant; Loghain is spared and becomes a warden]

No 11. PSYCH 101 Defiance | Struggling | Crying

Title: Duty Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Cousland, Eleanor, Bryce Rating: T Warning(s): blood, betrayal, last stand Wordcount: 633 Summary: Even without interference, history marches on. A what-if scenario if Duncan wasn’t there to recruit the Cousland. [part of iron & ash]

No 23. WHAT’S A WHUMPEE GOTTA DO TO GET SOME SLEEP AROUND HERE? Exhaustion | Narcolepsy | Sleep Deprivation

Title: To Ostagar Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Cousland Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 545 Summary: Jasmine is determined to get vengeance for her family. [part of iron & ash]

No 14. IS SOMETHING BURNING? Branding | Heat Exhaustion | Fire

Title: Consequences Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Surana Rating: T Warning(s): none Wordcount: 368 Summary: Surana helps her best friend escape the Circle, and the consequences are more than she bargained for.

No 21. I DON’T FEEL SO WELL Chronic Pain | Hypothermia | Infection

Title: Corrupted Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Mahariel, Duncan Rating: Gen Warning(s): none Wordcount: 192 Summary: It’s a long journey from the Brecilian Forest to Ostagar for someone with blight sickness.

No 31. TODAY’S SPECIAL: TORTURE Experiment | Whipped | Left for Dead

Title: Big Sister Instinct Fandom: Dragon Age Character(s): Female Hawke, Unnamed Templars Rating: T Warning(s): torture, violence against women Wordcount: 325 Summary: Marian Hawke would rather die than betray her family. She might even just get the chance to do it.

Mass Effect

No 4. RUNNING OUT OF TIME Caged | Buried Alive | Collapsed Building

Title: never forget to bury your regret (before it buries you) Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Male Shepard, Human OC Rating: T Warning(s): cave-in, blood, character death Wordcount: 450 Summary: Survival training goes south in the ICT.

No 7. I’VE GOT YOU Support | Carrying | Enemy to Caretaker

Title: First Contact Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Turian OC, Human OC Rating: T Warning(s): injuries, broken bones, vomit, vehicular crash Wordcount: 1150 Summary: Decimus isn’t ready to die, but he’s especially not ready to die on a stupid scouting mission to a stupid alien colony. [set during the First Contact War; probably not canon-compliant but idgaf]

No 18. PANIC! AT THE DISCO Panic Attacks | Phobias | Paranoia

Title: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (and what does makes you scarred forever) Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Edi, Tali’Zorah, Garrus Vakarian Rating: T Warning(s): panic attack, open space Wordcount: 662 Summary: Shepard isn’t afraid of getting spaced. No, really. [a closer look at the geth dreadnought mission]

No 28. SUCH WOW. MANY NORMAL. VERY OOPS. Accidents | Hunting Season | Mugged

Title: Torfan Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Major Kyle Rating: T Warning(s): blood, guns, drugging Wordcount: 589 Summary: How the Butcher came to be.

No 25. I THINK I’LL JUST COLLAPSE RIGHT HERE, THANKS Disorientation | Blurred Vision | Ringing Ears

Title: Rest Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s)/Pairing(s): Female Shepard, Anderson; referenced Shepard/Vega Rating: T Warning(s): blood, character death Wordcount: 1018 Summary: A father-daughter moment after they open the arms of the Citadel. [part of Alder]

No 5. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING? On the Run | Failed Escape | Rescue

Title: they found you on the floor Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard Rating: T Warning(s): alcohol, vomit, underage drinking Wordcount: 348 Summary: Like mother like daughter; Shepard deals with her trauma after Mindoir. [part of Gloria Shepard]

No 22. DO THESE TACOS TASTE FUNNY TO YOU? Poisoned | Drugged | Withdrawal

Title: there’s easier ways to die Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Ashley Williams Rating: T Warning(s): DTs, vomit mention Wordcount: 368 Summary: Shepard takes a stand against her own demons. [part of Gloria Shepard]

No 17. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING Blackmail | Dirty Secret | Wrongfully Accused

Title: you crawled up on your cross Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Jacob Taylor Rating: T Warning(s): alcohol Wordcount: 645 Summary: Shepard gets a morale boost from a crewmate. [part of Gloria Shepard]

No 16. A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY Forced to Beg | Hallucinations | Shoot the Hostage

Title: Cornered Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Garrus, Female Shepard Rating: T Warning(s): broken bones Wordcount: 1281 Summary: Garrus gets into some trouble. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE Lost | Field Medicine | Medieval

Title: Ancient History Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Female Shepard, Garrus Rating: T Warning(s): injuries, death, self-destructive/suicidal actions Wordcount: 1223 Summary: Jane is an enigma and Garrus just wants to figure her out. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

No 8. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO? “Don’t Say Goodbye” | Abandoned | Isolation

Title: After Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s): Garrus, Female Shepard Rating: T Warning(s): injuries, death Wordcount: 440 Summary: Jane comes for Garrus after the gangs’ assault. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

No 30. NOW WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? Wound Reveal | Ignoring an Injury | Internal Organ Injury

Title: Debt Fandom: Mass Effect Character(s)/Pairing(s): Garrus, Female Shepard, Mordin; mutual pining Shakarian Rating: T Warning(s): painkillers Wordcount: 590 Summary: After the gangs’ assault, Garrus overhears something. [part of the omega non-reaper au]

Undertale

No 13. BREATHE IN BREATHE OUT Delayed Drowning | Chemical Pneumonia | Oxygen Mask

Title: Drowning Fandom: Undertale Character(s): Toriel, Asgore Rating: T Warning(s): character death, child death Wordcount: 156 Summary: Asriel brought Chara home one last time.

[replacing no. 27] Alt 7. Found Family

Title: The Door Fandom: Undertale Character(s): Frisk, Papyrus, Sans Rating: Gen Warning(s): none Wordcount: 357 Summary: Just a little look at what could be a meeting with Gaster

Red vs Blue

No 12. I THINK I’VE BROKEN SOMETHING Broken Down | Broken Bones | Broken Trust

Title: Being a twin is a Hard Thing Fandom: Red vs Blue Character(s): South Dakota Rating: T Warning(s): psychological trauma Wordcount: 281 Summary: In the days before Wash finds them, South gets… introspective. [canon compliant? taken from a wip I was never going to finish so I fleshed it out for whumptober instead]

Original Fiction

No 10. THEY LOOK SO PRETTY WHEN THEY BLEED Blood Loss | Internal Bleeding | Trail of Blood

Title: please leave a message Rating: T Warning(s): blood Wordcount: 537 Summary: A detective’s work is never done. Antonia deals with the news that her most famous case’s subject is on the run again. [original fiction]

No 24. YOU’RE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE Forced Mutism | Blindfolded | Sensory Deprivation

Title: Secondary Location Rating: Gen? Warning(s): kidnapping Wordcount: 143 Summary: Antonia wakes up on the wrong side of the city. [original fiction]

[m-m-m-myysurana]

tell me about neria!!! what are her impressions of the different party members? also what is her favorite food and her favorite smell?

Asking the hard questions here :3

Favourite food? Blackberries. I hc they used to grow wild in the place her clan returned to each summer. (Before she went to the circle of course) She and her brother would go pick and eat them by the handful, heedless of the scratches they’d get all up their arms. So lots of good memories come to mind whenever she eats them. Favourite smell? Pine forest after its rained. 

Companions in order of recruiting:

Neria’s reaction to Alistair is basically to immediately make him her little brother. She see’s him so depressed after ostagar and losing duncan and takes it upon herself to protect him from everything. Which is why she doesn’t harden him and doesn’t make him king. She couldn’t do that to him against his will.

Morrigan is a tricky one. Neria found herself feeling a little intimidated by her, and felt like she needed to put up a really tough façade in front of her, even though on the inside, she was blushing. Honestly if Zev hadn’t have showed up Neria would 100% have found a way to woo Morrigan ;) They have a complicated relationship and disagree on a great many things, but eventually form a lasting bond.

Leliana does eventually become her friend, but she probably took the longest for Neria to trust. She doesn’t believe the story about the maker and is very iffy about her unwillingness to share anything about her background. Of course when her wariness turns out to not be without cause, this doesn’t help Leliana’s case.

Sten was an addition to the group that Neria seriously doubted was wise, but both Morrigan and Leliana insisted. He quickly shows himself completely dedicated to wiping out the blight, so she trusts that determination at least. She earns his respect after she defeats his challenge, and they become friends, albeit wary ones. 

Wynne was one of Neria’s teachers and mentors in the circle. Neria looks up to Wynne, but her mothering tendencies wear on her. They fight about Neria’s relationship with Zev, but eventually Wynne apologises, realising it wasn’t her place and they reach a point of mutual respect, if not friendship.

Neria loves Zev eventually, obviously. But her first reaction to him is a huge mix of  attraction duh, distrust, and an oddly strong urge to protect him when she realises he is basically a run away slave. She stands up for him against basically all of the other companions, even while attempting and failing to keep a wary distance from him. 

Oghren and Neria become friends almost instantly because she just sits down and drinks with him, making sure he’s comfortable before getting him to tell his story. Of course she’s under the table before he’s finished the tale, serves her right for trying to keep up with him. Helping Oghren is the main reason she goes into the deep roads, (the politicians can hang for all she cares, she doesn’t like either candidate for the throne of Orzammar.) The others don’t understand why she puts in so much of an effort with him, but she continues helping him to recover from his trauma and he becomes one of her most loyal friends, following her for a long time after.

And last but not least, the dog :3  Duncan (name insisted upon by Alistair) Was Neria’s only sleeping companion for quite some time, since her nightmares made her so restless. She loves that pupper and if anyone ever hurt it she’d lose her shit. Eventually when Zev starts sharing her tent too, he quickly has to accept that the dog is going to be there too <3

Oops that became long, and wasn’t necessarily restricted to first impressions... oh well! Thanks for the ask though lovely <3

[secretsfromwholecloth]

Hey. Hey, everyone. I don’t have to be back at work until the 31st, so LET’S AGE SOME MOTHERFUCKING DRAGONS WHOOOOOOOOO.

You know, between my unimpressive eyesight and the godawful lighting in all of DA’s character creation screens, I’m not actually sure what color any of my babies’ eyes are.

No goddamn lie, I would commit actual murder for another dozen bun/updo/tied-back/braided hairstyles. This is probably the main philosophical difference between me and the creators of all the hair mods out there.

I’ve already used the single and double buns for other characters, and I envision this one also having fairly long hair that she binds up, so Baroness hair it is, I guess. *sigh*

If you expect me to create a character in DAO without pushing up the cheekbone sliders at least one or two notches, you don’t know me very well. I did restrain myself and only push them up a little bit this time, though.

Anyway! Everyone, meet Isaura Amell. Most of her personality will have to reveal itself to me as I play, as the plans I have are mostly a) fairly nebulous and b) for later in the game.

For the record, I think her eyes are gray. Who the fuck knows if I’m right, though.

Fine, Valour, Isaura will play your game...Oh, what’s that, you’re just handing her a staff? Very nice of you.

You tried, Mouse. Thanks for the lesson.

Jowan gets less whiny when he’s out of this specific situation, right?

Goodness, that’s what Niall looks like outside the Fade.

Now that I get a good listen to him, yeah, I can hear that he shares a VA with Serafen from Deadfire.

Ah, hello, Duncan. Is it good to see you? I think it is.

Jowan, I swear, you get the worst ideas sometimes.

Hello, Cullen. Apparently you’re 19 here, though I’d be hard-pressed to say you look it. You know what, I was a total shithead when I was 19. I get it.

Isaura is going to call Cullen’s bluff and offer to “continue the discussion” in private as much because it makes her feel in control for once as anything. Maybe she understands deep down that someone wanting to fuck you isn’t the same as having power over them, though I don’t think she’s yet had to learn it the hard way, but when you live in a Circle tower, you take your happiness where you can.

Also, there’s no way she’s older than maybe 23, probably closer to 20 or 21, which is still a good age for shitheadery.

She really just wanted to toy with Cullen, and I doubt she was thinking far enough ahead to have a plan for what she’d do if he took her up on her offer. The running away part was an amusing if unexpected bonus.

Keeping Jowan and Lily’s secret, and helping them out (which of course means they owe her and know it), is a similar “being in control” kind of thing.

So the Storage Caves are like a tiny little mini-Deep Roads, huh?

Huh, this is the first time I’ve seen the tower basement outside the context of Witch Hunt.

Whee, time to murder our way through the basement!

Oh, hello there, Eleni Zinovia.

Oops, got caught, time to play dumb.

Isaura certainly had an idea Jowan was dabbling in blood magic, but she didn’t think he was quite foolish enough to go and do that in front of Irving and Greagoir. Really, Jowan. The worst ideas, Jowan.

Hello, Cailan. You’re very enthusiastic for someone about to have such a very, very bad day.

Isaura has had enough of antagonizing the powerful for one week, so she’s going to be polite and deferential to Cailan and laugh at his jokes. We’ve all been there.

A “secret ritual”, huh, Duncan? Isaura just wants to know if she’s going to have to fight any more demons.

Ooh, my first crash! Luckily for me, I saved a couple of seconds before, knowing it’s always a risk when I cross the bridge into Ostagar for some reason. And it didn’t take the whole computer with it and wipe out all my typing.

Hello, Wynne. Fancy seeing you here.

The glitchies already? The Ostagar quartermaster’s clothing textures aren’t loading.

Hello, Alistair. Meet your future girlfriend.

Oh, look, a baby Templar. Well, some kind of former baby Templar. Quite possibly still a baby Templar at heart. Isaura can play with him like she used to do with Cullen, and then get all surprised when she grows to really, genuinely like the guy. (What? He’s sweet. Stop looking at her like that.)

Alistair, dearie, the woman wearing Circle robes and carrying a staff slung across her back “[doesn’t] look like a mage”? You didn’t think that one through, did you?

Hello, Morrigan. *sigh*

Part of Isaura wants to be friends, part of her wonders if there’s really room in her world for another young mage woman who spent her youth shut away from the bulk of humanity and who has a tendency to talk like a book because of it.

But as long as they’re the only two women around, “let’s be friends” will win out. Anyway, she doesn’t know any of this yet.

It’s so weird seeing Flemeth without her hair and makeup done.

“Your woman’s mind”—at this point, I just wonder what she’d ask of male Cousland, who’d have nothing to distinguish him from the other three in terms of gender, species, or magical ability.

Tower of Ishal time!

What, I don’t get a rogue for this part? Dammit. Well, it was worth asking.

I sure do love Flame Blast.

Flaming Weapons doesn’t look too shabby either.

Well, time to clean the place out like we’re not on a deadline.

Ha, the ogre went down like a chump. I love Winter’s Grasp, too.

Well, that’s done. To Lothering!

Oh, hello, doggie. Now, what do I name you? Hm, how about Rashvine?

And after the first of many, many conversations where Alistair and Morrigan snark at each other a whole lot, I’m being forced to pack it in for the night, so more in the morning.

[inquisitor-julia]

🌲 How deeply does your OC feel? Are they typically empathetic or do they have a hard time connecting with others in this way? What are they like when offering support and comfort to someone they care for? OC of your choice!!

I'll do this for my canon warden Elsanna Cousland then! Thank you for asking! :)

before she lost her family I don't think Elsanna felt things very deeply, I think she had the capacity to but she just wasn't very emotionally experienced since she'd led a pretty sheltered life. That's not to say she didn't have very real feelings about the people, situations, and things around her because she definitely did I just...feel like she didn't recognize how deep her emotions really ran until later.

When she lost her family, her home, her childhood friend, and her entire future to Howe she felt so deeply that her heart caved in on itself and she numbed herself to survive. For the time she travelled with Duncan she was reserved, barely speaking, just existing from day to day.

In Ostagar she met Alistair and his easy humor brought a small smile to her face. One that quickly vanished, the expression feeling foreign to her now. This was really the beginning of her opening herself up to feeling again.

After Ostagar and on the journey to defeat the blight, Elsanna began to regain herself emotionally, and fast. For a time all of her emotions were intense, sharp, overwhelming but she tried not to let that show.

She eventually became much the same as she was at the beginning of her story...or as close to that version of herself as she could be. The sharp edge to her emotions never really went away though. Everything to her since losing her family has felt like something she had to hold onto so I'd say she even does that with emotion, clinging to it and afraid to let it go. It's something she works to deal with during the blight and afterwards. I do think she feels things more deeply now or is at least more aware of the depth of her feelings.

Elsanna is typically an empathetic person and her version of comforting someone is typically catered to whatever kind of comfort they tend to enjoy (if that makes sense) like if doing things for them or making them food will help she'll do that, if listening is what they need she's there. She's very good at reading people and knowing what they need.

As for when she needs comfort...the most important thing to her is another person's presence. Something to remind her that they're there and real.

That...got kind of long and confusing oops ^^"

[griffonisms]

          {  @cousllnd asked:  “Oops.” oops indeed   }

   ~ Send “Oops.” for your muse to walk in on mine changing.           or send “…” for mine to walk in on yours. 

     Ah, it was but barely sunrise...and he could no longer sleep. He’d tried for a long time, but slumber would not come to him, fickle a thing as it was for the former warden commander these days.       He’d long since decided to remain awake. And undisturbed in the quarters given to him, he leans against the windowsill for a long moment, distracted from the task of dressing by the view... and he simply... breathes. He fills his lungs with the cool air of the dawn. Goosebumps threaten to cover his bare body upon contact of the open window’s air, but he simply stays where he is. Watching the sky, how the green tinge of the breach mingles with the sun rising in the horizon, clutching a garment he’d intended on stepping into but moments before he was distracted.  He had a lot on his mind.

     Given his... occupation that would forever Taint his soul... one would think that he would have noticed another warden approaching his room. He did not. Perhaps it was the train of thought he’d been caught in, or perhaps it was the gentle pull of the calling in the far reaches of his mind, lulling him into an oddly sedated state....  But he did not realize that there was someone in his room until they had caught... an eyeful.  An eyeful indeed.       There Duncan stood-- caught mid-thought, hair loose and swayed by the gentle breeze, with his scar-littered back still facing the doorway. The back of a warrior; broad in it’s musculature. The back of a man, who should have died from the scars gained by the wounds inflicted upon him in the battle of Ostagar.  And he turns to her after realizing her presence, holding the garment in front of him to spare her a full 360 view of himself as he peers over wearily at her.      Brows furrow and his jaw sets when neither party speaks first-- and he clears his throat quietly, deciding not to address the somewhat embarrassing situation they’d both come to find themselves in.  He arches a brow at her, both in curiosity and concern. It was unlike her to enter his chambers before knocking. Perhaps, he pondered, she was simply tired... or perhaps there was something wrong.     Nevertheless-- he breaks the silence. Trying his best to appear as unbothered by the intrusion as he could, despite the sudden warmth rising in his face (in spite of the cold air on his skin).   “ I... was not expecting company.” he murmurs, eyes set intently on Roslin... as if trying to figure her out. Why was she here so early? What was so urgent?  “Please allow me a moment, and then we can speak about why you came.” 

[jchb32273]

30 Day Dragon Age OC Challenge - Day 19 and 20

Courtship and Conclusion

(Yes, still behind! Swear I’ll catch up!)

This segment will contain MAJOR SPOILERS for my fic!! You have been warned! 

Doesn’t mean I don’t want y’all to not read it... but... you know... 

*As a side note, I am combining Day 19 and 20 into one post here, because after I re-read it, I realized I covered more than Day 19 had asked for originally! Oops... but at least it’s a good oops. ^_^ 

I think I can honestly say that I fell for Alistair from the very first smile that he gave me when we first met at Ostagar. Here I was a newly Harrowed mage, outside the Tower, and in the real world for the first time. Then I meet this goofy man (with a great smile) who says to me, “You know, one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together.”

Next thing I know, we were fighting for our lives at the Tower of Ishal, while a battle between a thousand troops and probably twice as many darkspawn was raging in the valley below.

We had no idea that the end result would be the death of everyone… except for us.

Suddenly, the two of us were on the run, not only to avoid the blame that Loghain put on us – saying that we were responsible for the massacre at Ostagar – but also to try and recruit our new “army” to help battle the Blight!

Who had time for romance?

And yet… we found it.

Two lost souls. Two Grey Wardens.

The last Grey Wardens in Ferelden.

Love?

No. Not at first. But the spark had definitely been ignited.

Alistair gave me a rose shortly after we had saved Lothering.

We shared a tentative kiss by the shores of Lake Calenhad before saving The Circle.

By the time we reached Redcliffe, it was clear that we were falling for each other – even after Alistair revealed that he was the bastard son of King Maric.

We saved the town from a plague of undead that was being summoned by Arl Eamon’s demonic-possessed son, Connor. Then we freed him from the possession by getting help from the Circle. Alistair and I then traveled all the way to Denerim to find Brother Genetivi. He had been looking into the whereabouts of The Urn of Sacred Ashes, which the arlessa believed could cure her poisoned husband.  

It was a lengthy journey to Haven (which Alistair did not take with me) but I successfully returned with a pinch of Andraste’s Ashes.

Arl Eamon was saved, much to everyone’s relief.

That night, Alistair came to my room. We took that final leap in our relationship.

Maker, the things he made me feel that night.

Perhaps we should have been more careful, but you can’t control love… and since Alistair didn’t seem to care… why should I?

The following months were some of the sweetest I had ever savored. Our torturous weeks in the Deep Roads only ended up strengthening the bond we felt with each other.

But no relationship is perfect. Dealing with the aftermath of Ostagar caused some stress between us, and once we had returned from our journey there, a fight caused us to separate.

Those were some of my most miserable weeks.

Time – as they say – heals all wounds. Including ones of the heart and soul.

Satinalia was a special holiday for me that year. Alistair and I rekindled our relationship (boy, did we ever!)

After a lengthy stay in Denerim, we assisted the Dalish. They agreed to send us troops for the Blight. Now that all of our Grey Warden treaties had been honored, we returned to Redcliffe.

From the frying pan and into the fire.

Arl Eamon had kindly asked that Alistair break off his relationship with me months ago. He wanted to have Alistair step up to his birthright. To become the rightful King of Ferelden, he would need to find a wife with noble blood. When Eamon found out that we were still together… the proverbial shit hit the fan.

We were forbidden from having contact with each other.

Our only small comfort was that Alistair and I had a method of being able to communicate without having to be physically near each other. It wasn’t much, but it helped through that difficult time.

The day of the Landsmeet finally arrived. We were able to expose Logain’s crimes. He and Alistair fought, which resulted in Loghain’s execution.

And it was done.

Alistair was going to be King… if he survived the battle with the archdemon. In the interim, Eamon would serve as regent, though Alistair did make the stipulation that if he fell in battle the crown would go back to Anora.

We traveled back to Redcliffe to meet up with the gathering armies as it seemed that the darkspawn were heading in that direction. With us, was a Grey Warden that I had found and rescued from Arl Howe’s dungeon. His name was Riordan.

Once back at Redcliffe, Alistair and I met with him one evening. He explained to us that the only way to permanently stop the archdemon – and the Blight – was one of us would have to die.

Riordan, as the eldest Warden, volunteered to take that fatal blow… but if he failed then it would be up to Alistair… or me… to end it once and for all.

Then more bad news.

The archdemon had tricked us.

The horde was descending on Denerim!

We’d begin the forced march back to the capital in the morning. It was that night that Eamon found Alistair in his room, praying and crying. Alistair told Eamon what our final fate may be. Hearing this, Eamon relented and let Alistair and I have some time alone… to say goodbye.

As we made our way to capital, I made a decision.

I was not about to let Alistair die.

If Riordan failed in his task to slay the archdemon… I would do it. I’d make that final blow and end the Blight.

The battle was long and bloody. We lost a lot of good people… Riordan included. So I did as I’d promised myself. I slew that damned dragon. The day was won. However, something strange happened.

I was alive.

So was my love.

Weeks after that battle, the citizens and nobles of Ferelden wanted to celebrate our victory. Not wanting to take the chance of losing me ever again, Alistair did something I was not expecting. He stood in front of those nobles, every bit a magnificent King, and said he was going to marry me.

“If the very woman who saved all of our lives is not worthy enough to be my wife, then no one will be!”

Naturally, there were protests. I was a commoner! I was a MAGE! I couldn’t be a Queen!

After much deliberation and arguing, the nobles finally relented… I could marry my love, the King, so as long I had no claim to the throne myself. I agreed. I could be his wife, consort to the King, and potential mother to his heirs, but no more.

This was fine by me. I just wanted to be with my love… for however long we would have together.

Many nobles, though they did allow our marriage, do not believe it will work out. After all, we still both bear the Grey Warden taint in our blood. What is the likelihood of an heir? They figure that Alistair will leave me in favor of a woman who can bear children.

They don’t know their King very well.

He and I have already discussed the situation and we believe our love will find a way.

Love… and perhaps a touch of magic.

[azarland]

a note about the pre!landsmeet conversation with loghain & howe regarding what azriel says to them, which turned into just. a transcript with tweaks oops  :

eamon: loghain. this is...an honor, that the regent would find time to greet me personally. loghain: how could i not welcome a man so important as to call every lord in ferelden away from his estates while a blight claws at our land?? eamon: the blight is why i’m here. with cailan dead, ferelden must have a king to lead it against the darkspawn. loghain: ferelden has a strong leader: its queen. & i lead her armies. azriel: considering ostagar, perhaps we need a better general. loghain: & who is this, eamon?? some new stray you picked up on the road?? & here i thought it was only the royal bastards you played the nursemaid to. alistair: well, you’re admitting the “royal” part. that’s a start. azriel: a shame you’ve forgot we’ve met, but it has been a while. i am azriel. cousland. one of the gray wardens who attended the last war council at ostagar. loghain: you have my sympathies on what happened to your order. it is unfortunate that they chose to turn against ferelden. azriel: i don’t accept the sympathies of deserters & regicides. loghain: you should curb your tongue. this is my city & no safe place to speak treason. for anyone. there is talk that your illness left you feeble, eamon. some worry that you may no longer be fit to advise ferelden. eamon: “illness”?? why not call your poison by its true name?? not everyone at the landsmeet will cast aside their loyalties as easily as you & these...sycophants. loghain: how long you’ve been gone from court, eamon!! don’t you recognize rendon howe, arl of amaranthine, & teyrn of highever?? howe: & current arl of denerim, after urien’s unfortunate fate at ostagar. truly, it is an embarrassment of riches. azriel: that’s a lot of titles for one man to have. i sincerely suggest you enjoy them while you may. cauthrien: you are either very bold or very stupid to threaten the teyrn before witnesses. loghain: enough, cauthrien, this is not the time or place. i had hoped to talk you down from this rash course, eamon. our people are frightened: our king is dead. our land is under siege. we must be united now, if we are to endure this crisis. your own sister, queen rowan, fought tirelessly to see ferelden restored. would you see her work destroyed?? you divide our nation & weaken our efforts against the blight with your selfish ambitions to the throne. azriel: bold of you to speak of efforts when you outlaw the gray wardens instead of standing with them. loghain: cailan relied on the gray warden’s prowess against the darkspawn, & look how well that ended. let us speak of reality, rather than tall tales. stories will not save us. eamon: i cannot forgive what you’ve done, loghain. perhaps the maker can, but not i. our people deserve a king of theirin bloodline. alistair will be the one to lead us to victory in this blight. alistair: oh, is that all i have to do?? no pressure... loghain: the emperor of orlais also thought i could not bring him down. expect no more mercy than i showed him. there is nothing i would not do for my homeland. azriel: except set aside your pride & ego, it seems. see you at the landsmeet. [with a bow, not breaking eye-contact] my lord.

[herooffereldencousland]

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Dragon Age: Origins Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Female Cousland/Cailan Theirin Characters: Cailan Theirin, Anora Mac Tir, Eleanor Cousland, Female Cousland, Bryce Cousland, Loghain Mac Tir Additional Tags: Romance, Angst, Friendship Series: Part 1 of Life Before Ostagar Summary:

Long before she was the Hero of Ferelden, Evelyn Cousland was not the typical noblewoman that she was raised to be. Even from her early childhood, she marched to the beat of her own drum and did as her heart bade her to. This story covers her short lived life at court nearly 6 years before the events of Dragon Age:Origins.

Just uploaded Chapter 4. After a year long hiatus... oops.