#disaster Templars

[elvenforestwitch]

Reshaded/colored an old piece of Anders my love

Definition of skrunkly <3 mess of a human being <3 sleep-deprived far beyond sight of healthy <3 so very traumatized <3 unbelievably queer <3 absolute fucking disaster <3 and I love him for all of it <3

Click for full resolution blah blah you know the drill thanks tumblr

[anli-rambles]

No bc the 18th century assassins were actual shit and I'm not just talking about the Colonial branch, like-

The British brotherhood let a Templar GRANDMASTER run off with the son of one of their master assassins after his death and never did anything to save him. Years later that boy grows up to be a Templar, climbs up the ranks of the Order at lightning speed, and kills one of their assassin masters after stealing his hidden blade. And how do they respond to that ? They send one of their novices after him on a ship to Boston to kill him. Alone. And that novice, instead of going the assassin way and stab Haytham in the back or something, tries to defend him from getting killed by some other guys on deck before engaging him in a fucking sword fight during which he gives Haytham, A MASTER SWORDSMAN, HIS OWN GODDAMN SWORD, LIKE WHAT IN THE-

Then you have the disaster that was the Colonial Brotherhood. Achilles, the last student of Ah Tabai, goes on to do the one thing Ah Tabai spent the entirety of Black Flag warning Edward against (tampering with Isu sites) and becomes mentor to absolute psychopaths. They were working with gangs who were harassing civilians for protection money and developing chemical weapons that they planned on unleashing on entire cities, not to mention that they caused two earthquakes that killed hundreds of thousands and were going to do it a third time (and probably would never have stopped) had Shay and Haytham not intervened. Also, instead of talking shit out with an obviously traumatised Shay, they demonised him, shot him off a cliff, and left him for dead without even checking if he'd died or not - they were so bad that they made Shay, the most un-Templaresque person ever, defect to the Templars, which inevitably led to their downfall and you can't even blame the Templars for massacring all of them bc they were an absolute menace to society. Plus they were allied with the Fr*nch and it should be common knowledge that this is the worst crime one could ever commit

AND SPEAKING OF THE FRENCH ! Those bitches were also completely brain dead !! Like, they knew what happened to Haytham and how the man turned out, but they still let the Templar Grandmaster adopt Arno, the son of one of their master assassins, just like the British had done with Edward. Like, they should have known it could end in an absolute disaster. And they banished Arno, probably their most promising recruit since Charles Dorian's death, for doing his fucking job as an assassin just because he broke some rules, which is so dumb coming from people whose motto contains the lines "everything is permitted", I just- ☠️

Ratohnhaké:ton was legit the only 18th century assassin with a functioning brain cell istg

[demigoddessqueens]

Gonna give the poor boys a heart attack but imagine how absolutely TERRIFIED Haytham, Shay, Connor, Arno, Ezio, Altair, and Malik would be if you got kidnapped. ESPECIALLY if it was by the other faction.

I mean, Haytham's sister was kidnapped, I think that's reason enough for him to absolutely panic if you were as well. The assassins know what the Templars are capable of. Especially Malik and Ezio. Shay always seems like he'd be extremely protective anyways.

And if you were hurt by your captors? Even tortured? Heads would probably roll and you probably aren't leaving your poor boyfriend's sight ever again.

First off, how dare you??! 😭💔

Second, oh boy , buckle up

haytham

he feels like his chest is about to cave in from how rapid his heart is beating when he hears the news

It’s all hands on decks to look for you and find you

when he finds you, he rushes to your care immediately and the stern facade falls as silent tears fall

shay

if this was when he’s an Assassin, he’s INCREDIBLY impulsive and hot-headed and will do anything to get you back

Templar-wise, it goes the same way only there’s more of a vicious element to it because it’s the Assassins he once knew

ultimately, when you are safely returned, he refuses to leave your side at all times

connor

There will be no remaining Templars who know peace for the short time they have remaining

This man will go above and beyond to find you, even against the better judgment he knows of what will be a dangerous situation

the moment he has you back with him, he insists to help you with anything, everything and refuses to leave your side

ezio

Oh why torture this poor man?? All of Italy and the Borgias will know his wrath!!

He REFUSES to let what happened to Cristina happen to you

As soon as you’re returned home, it’s all hands and allies on deck to help you recover, all under Ezio’s watchful eye

arno

Everything feels like it’s crashing down and he’s barely hanging on by a thread

Also a disaster like Ezio but amped up more, sobbing flashbacks between seeing your face and Elise’s

Once you’re back home, he’s always there to help you through the nightmares and gets emotional when you try to sleep or help replace your bandages

malik

Livid and so afraid for you, but he hides it behind barking orders

Altair knows better than to interfere but does all he can to help his friend

Once you’re back home, Malik constantly holds to you and worries for your safety

altair

He is livid!! The entirety of Masyaf and Jerusalem will be scoured by every inch to find you. Behind closed doors those golden eyes betray his heartbreak

No Templar is safe from his blade and he cuts them down easily

Having you back home requires all of his attention when you recover, heal and the Flying Eagle himself never letting you go far at least not without him

[arioloyal]

Could you please write a fanfiction based on previous request of obsessive insecure Baldwin IV with female reader

I'll accept this idea since all of you are in love with his obsessive mood but I warn you, it's angst :) but don't worry, I'll do fluff one next time♡

(King baldwin iv x reader one shot)

Warning: angst, mention of blood and d🥀eath

:"I thought that you kept me by your side until now just because of your interest in me"...

:"It's not what you think, I have kept you until now so that I can keep the peace between Jerusalem and your father's empire . Believe me. It's good for both of us."

:"How could you be so selfish like your father?...

:"I'm not!...

"Please... let me go. I have to go back to my family. My father is surely mad with that. I beg you."

:"what about me?"...

Teardrops appeared like a shaky curtain in front of y/n's large and beautiful eyes. Her mouth was open and ready for another protest, but no words came out.

While holding both of y/n's hands in his own, the half-life king, in a sudden movement, weakness overcame his strength and fell to his knees.

"You thought I would let you go? I will never let you be separated from me.

:"I...it really breaks my heart to think that I've only been here as a hostage until now. I swear I'll get out of here anyway."

:"I am ready to k*ill you with my own hands, but I will never let you leave here. Your whole body and soul belong here. And also to me. Only me."

.....

:" god help me!... My legs can't take it anymore. How much left?...

"My lady! Now we are approaching the gate of Damascus, but the front of the gate is full of guard knights. It seems that the king has heard of your escape."

:".....

"My lady, do you have any idea?"

:"We have to wait for a convoy so that we can impersonate them and pass through this gate. A convoy is coming from far away. Hurry up and tell them that we will join them from now on. don't Tell them our real name. Hurry up."

:"Obeyed, my lady."

They finally managed to convince the head of the caravan to join their trade caravan. It wasn't long before the sound of fast hooves could be heard, kicking up dust on their way. After the guards finished inspecting the convoy, a man's loud voice broke the silence.

:"Stop! Nobody move!"

And that was the exact moment that panic sent shivers down y/n's spine. her eyes widened. This was the voice of Tiberias who had come here with his knights. There could not have been a worse disaster.

:"What happened, Lord Tiberias?! It's usually very rare to see you among the caravans!" The leader of the caravan stated with an almost mocking and sweet tone.

:"We're looking for a lady! She's tall and fair-faced. With dark,long curly hair. Have you seen such a person here? Has she asked you for help? If so, hand her over to us, or I'll confiscate this caravan and get you all in prison."

His strong words and threats caused a wave of protest and panic among the people who were there. Y/n would never let innocent people be sacrificed for her. There, she gathered all her courage and surrendered to God's will. she suddenly came forward from the crowd and shouted...

:"Wait!..." y/n took off her veil and black turban. For a few moments, breaths caught in their chests and all the knights stared at their king's lover in surprise.

..

Finally accompanied by Tiberias and his knights, Y/n arrived at the entrance gate of the palace. That palace was like a hell that had no escape and the owner of such a beautiful hell was a masked ghost whose blood stained eyes were visible under the mask.

Soldiers and knights were lined up on either side of Baldwin, all the templars, lord Lusignan and some nobles were also there. Was this a greeting? Or a trial?

:"my lord. We found Lady y/n trying to escape from Damascus Gate. This was her third failed attempt to escape."

Baldwin IV didn't seem to pay attention to what Tiberias was saying and the whole time he was staring at y/n who was now helplessly looking down at the ground.

:"Didn't I tell you some time ago that I won't let you go?"

:"My love for you was undeniable. But you abused my love and chose selfishness. I will never stay here as a hostage. I won't stay where I don't belong."

Everyone present witnessed their conversation when suddenly y/n turned away from the leper king and looked towards the exit gate. ready to leave for good.

:"STAY THERE!" His loud and scary voice made the heart beat in everyone's chest. In an unexpected move, he took Tiberias's sword with his good right hand. Everyone there looked in horror at the king approaching y/n and now standing in front of her. No one dared to speak.

:"If you take one more step..." The hand that was holding the sword started shaking. he wished this wasn't the last resort.

Unfortunately, y/n moved forward without listening to him. A tear fell from her eye at the last moment...

That was the moment...

y/n's scream echoed there. No thoughts, no words. just pain the pain. just pain.

There was nothing she could do but helplessly hold her hand to her stomach to stop the warm, red liquid from running down her long dress. The king's sword was stained with blood...

Her knees was getting weaker by the minute. Y/n was hugged by baldwin iv before she fell to the ground. The king, who was now out of his instincts, just realized what a disaster he had caused. He had sent his lover to d*eath.

:"No...n...no! I..I didn't mean to...I was wrong...forgive me. Please...forgive me my y/n. My beautiful white rose, Forgive me..." he sobbed nonstop and begged like a little boy.

:"Still... I still love you... poor you... poor me..."

:" Y/N!!"....

[cippicat]

What happened to Arno Victor Dorian after the events of Unity and Dead Kings ?

Following Elise's death at the end of Assassin's Creed Unity, Arno falls into a deep depression, finding little to live for.

He is also no longer part of the French Brotherhood.

In the DLC "Dead Kings", Arno is contacted by Marquis de Sade, who tasks him with finding a manuscript in the tomb of Louis IX.

Reluctantly, Arno agrees to this mission, and travels to Saint Denis to find the manuscript. During his search, Arno meets a young thief named Leon.

While the two work together, Leon's perspective on the world starts to break through Arno's grief, slowly showing him that there is more to live than the tragedies he's faced in his past.

What happened after Dead King is in the O.Bowden's novel.

I don't like his novels.

I will not summarise Oliver Bowden's novel.

But in the final chapters Arno found Elise's journal, and also Jennifer Scott Kenway's letters, where Elise requested him to seek unity for the two Orders.

It didn't go well obviously.

Arno rejoined the French assassins but we don't know when or how.

I have few theories:

Arno was extremely talented as an Assassin and his skills were too valuables

The Brotherhood forgive him after Germain's death and the rescue of the sword of Eden

The french assassins saw Napoleon's increasing influence over France and they need Arno to keep an eye on him. They became allies even though Napoleon's ideas were closer to those of the Templars.

Over the years, Arno earned the rank of Master Assassin and eventually the rank of Mentor (but he wasn't a bureaucrat as Mirabeau).

He took Leon under his wing and adopted him. At first Leon was wary of calling him "Father".

Arno presumably got married and had other children, as he is directly related to Callum Lynch, the protagonist of the Assassin's Creed movie*. Arno made a brief appearance in the movie.

He named one of his children Charles (or Charlotte) after his father and another François (or Françoise) after Monsieur de la Serre.

Did Arno and Ratonhnhaké:ton ever met ? (Reminder: Ratonhnhaké:ton is only twelve years older than Arno)

I think that Ratonhnhaké:ton became aware of Arno's actions during the French Revolution. They may have exchanged letters but they never met in person (and Connor had a big family to took care of and a very sweet daughter who was gifted by the spirits).

Did Arno find out who killed his father?

YES

He knew about Shay but he didn't hunt him down because revenge only leads to a bad path (and probably he thought that Shay was already dead which could be true).

Did Arno met Ethan Frye? Yes, it's possible due to the proximity of the French and english's brotherhood. Arno should be around 65/70 yo (if he was still alive).

We don't know when or how Arno died because Ubisoft never gave us answers (again)

I think that Arno passed away before the birth of the Frye twins, in 1847.

*I have a theory:

AC Unity should have been the gateway to a new present with Callum Lynch (and his ancestors like Aguilar de Nerha) as a new protagonist. But the movie has been a complete disaster so Ubisoft abandoned the idea.

[calwyne]

All Mentions of the 'Demon' Beneath Minrathous

In Tevinter Nights, a remaining group of Venatori are attempting to break a being of terrifying power from its prison beneath Minrathous. Supposedly, Corypheus had a backup involving its release. 

‘If Minrathous wasn’t ready to kneel, the demon would make sure it did. The Hour of Minrathous’s Return.’

Here I will list the collection of significant moments in the story Streets of Minrathous that stood out to me, informing on its nature and power.

He’d left me the necklace. The clay seal fit in the palm of my hand and was seated in a polished black shell attached to a gold chain. A long, thin dragon with four wings was etched on the front, rising from a dark sea.

-

I placed the necklace on the scarred wooden table. The man scooped it up. I could feel his magic reaching to unlock the nature of the four-winged dragon’s enchantment. “Blood magic,” he said.

“Yes, I gathered that.”

“No, not like this. Not since Corypheus…”

“What does—?” But I didn’t get to finish the question.

“Get out,” he said, slamming the seal back to the table and shoving it toward me.

“Wait. What is—?” I tried again, but he wasn’t having it.

“I don’t know, I don’t care, I never saw it.”

A moment later I was back on the street. The man in the shop had seen a lot of things—worse than I could imagine, I’m sure—but this had him scared.

-

“There’s a demon sealed beneath the city. If it’s let out…” He made a dismissive gesture, as if tossing Minrathous aside. “Corypheus would rebuild. That was the plan.”

“Minrathous has defeated demons before,” I said.

“Not like this,” Flavian said. “I’m not even sure demon’s the right word. It’s something only a god could summon.” 

-

“If Minrathous wasn’t ready to kneel, the demon would make sure it did. The Hour of Minrathous’s Return.”

-

The walls were largely plain, though even here there were echoes of the ornamentation found on the buildings above—a pillar carved like a dragon, a fresco meant for almost no one to see. A faint vibration ran through the ground beneath me and I stopped admiring the art. It wasn’t long before I could make out the flicker of orange light up ahead. A voice echoed back to me off the stone walls. Another vibration ran through the ground and I felt a strange buzzing in my head. It was thick with a feeling I couldn’t understand and an expansive need for emptiness.

-

Aelia herself was focusing all her power into a large stone obelisk. It rose the full height of the catacomb and there were deep cracks in the stone at its base. Below the obelisk, a shadow moved at odds with the lights that cast it. Looking at it caused the buzz in my head to grow louder. Whatever I was looking at, it was the edge of something deeper. If this was a demon at all, it was older and larger and more nameless than any demon I’d ever heard of and so much worse besides. If that thing rose, there wouldn’t be a Minrathous left.

-

The shadow heaved as the templars fought the Venatori. It was darker now, thicker, too, but still formless. I saw a steel-haired Venatori stumble near the writhing darkness. Before he could straighten back up, the shadow was wrapped around his wrists. The cultist jerked to his knees. His body convulsed. Silence fell suddenly on both sides, broken by the screams of the old man as he sunk from view.

-

I sent a wall of ice up and over the obelisk. It wouldn’t hold back disaster on its own, but it was enough to hold secure until the justicars sent experts smarter than me to deal with it.

[mel-0n-earth]

Phantom (96237 words) by MelOnEarth

Chapters: 16/27 Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Inquisitor/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Lavellan/??? Characters: Solas (Dragon Age), Dorian Pavus, The Iron Bull (Dragon Age), Varric Tethras, Leliana (Dragon Age), Josephine Montilyet, Cassandra Pentaghast, Cullen Rutherford, Vivienne (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, retelling of Phantom of the Opera, Drama & Romance, No Corypheus, Love Triangles, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Crisis of Faith, hidden identity, Obsession, Devotion, author has a great love for dramatic irony; masks; and loving the monster

Summary: A ghost was behind the disaster at Skyhold. Following Divine Justinia's baffling decision to move the Conclave to a mysterious fortress in the Frostbacks, an accident involving a chandelier leaves the Chantry faithful on edge, whispering rumors of a ghost roaming the castle. Soon after, even stranger events begin to unfold, all surrounding a seemingly unremarkable dalish woman, whose reasons for attending the Conclave remain conspicuously secret. The Divine's inner circle searches for connections between these incidents and the Mage-Templar war. However, their resident elven apostate quickly realizes that there is more to both the Phantom and his protégé than meets the eye, and soon finds himself tangled in a tale of love and limerence spanning not only ages, but disparate planes of existence, all spun together by a relentless obsession that nearly tears the world apart by its seams in the sky.

---

A Dragon Age retelling of the Phantom of the Opera, in which a young keeper Lavellan, doomed by the narrative, brushes with godhood while being haunted by more than one ghost of a distant past.

[beevean]

I think I made a similar post a while ago, but I'm having another thought about how different NFCV and IDW Sonic are in adapting the source material.

I would say the game characters in IDW Sonic are superficially similar to canon, and if you let yourself be swayed by the "vibes" you won't notice anything wrong, but the peel soon comes off if you stop and actually analyze the dialogue and expressions. They're OOC in an uncanny valley way, all while pretending to be canon compliant.

In NFCV, somehow, every character from the games was reversed in personality, to the point that after a while it almost looks intentional:

Game Trevor is a charismatic, friendly man who accepts without hesitation to help humanity against Dracula despite being shunned by fellow humans, although he can be hotheaded and act before thinking, which spells disaster in CoD; nevertheless, he earned his title of Legendary Belmont. N!Trevor is cynical, snarky, antisocial, allegedly rude, and holds no love for humanity at first due to his past, although he reluctantly helps to uphold his family legacy; he also has no real successes under his belt until his encounter with N!Death in the very finale, including not being the one who effectively kills N!Dracula.

While very little was established about Game Sypha, we know she is a witch raised by the Church after he fellow witches were killed (she was reimagined into a cold, aggressive knight templar in Judgment, but while the concept makes sense, I don't consider that game canon). N!Sypha is a "Speaker" who, like everyone else, holds contempt for the Church, she has by far the least amount of trauma in the cast which makes her generally sheltered, and her personality is more or less "peppy braincell holder".

Game Alucard is broody and curt, but cares a lot about his friends (especially Trevor, as shown in GoS), and sees his bloodline as a curse to protect the world from, as per his mother's wish. N!Alucard is sarcastic, antagonistic and outright rude, insulting towards Trevor, and most troubling sees vampires as "his people". To say nothing of what their outfits convey about their personalities...

Game Dracula is the terrifying but worshipped Dark Lord, and also a cold, petty man who became a violent force of nature, whose grief is sympathetic but his actions go too far and harm everyone around him, actually best seen in Lament of Innocence with Elisabetha's death. N!Dracula starts off the same, but by S2 he succumbs to depression and becomes so apathetic and ineffectual that his castle can be conquered by external forces, as no one bar N!Isaac respects him, and he seeks emotional support from his servant; worse, he's painted by the narrative as "not so bad after all", best example being the people in Targoviste who get hit by the Idiot Ball and don't heed his warning, so that they "deserve" what they got. On top of this, while game Dracula is eventually stuck in a cycle of death and rebirth that strips away all humanity in him until Chaos' influence on his soul is severed, N!Dracula simply decides to stop his rampage not even a year after his death because his wife was resurrected.

Game Lisa's last words were begging Alucard to not harm humanity, "for theirs is a hard lot", and she clearly cared about her son and his mental wellbeing. N!Lisa is condescending towards her fellow peasants, and her last words were begging Dracula to not harm humans, urging him "to be better than them"; when revived, she also decides to abandon her son to his grief to "give him closure".

Game Hector is a melancholic, sharp man filled with guilt and self-loathing, prone to emotional outbursts and susceptible to the corrupting effects of the Curse, who nevertheless understands that he can be more than a tool for destruction and learns to appreciate the value of humanity, and that's why he runs away from his cruel Lord and finds love in the human world. N!Hector is stunted, a "manchild" so alienated from mankind that he agrees to the idea of culling humans without thinking much about it and never learns how morally wrong he was, passively going along with any proposal presented in front of him, and constantly stripped away of his agency and dignity to be less than a tool for other people, until his final act is choosing to stay with his latest abuser... who would rather kill herself than stay with him anyway, leaving him in the exact same place he had started from.

Game Isaac is flamboyant and larger than life, clearly reveling in his most evil actions and without pity towards humans, but also embittered by his own inferiority complex and desire to be a good tool for Dracula: his descent into madness due to Hector's betrayal and Dracula's death is tragic and horrifying, but the narrative never justifies his vile revenge, and eventually there is no escape for him. N!Isaac is deadly serious, prone to philosophizing, fully convinced to be a good person surrounded by evil and petty humans despite the atrocities he commits, and eventually decides that he wants to live for himself and have agency, rising to a new position of king. They both start out as simps, but that's the extent of their similarities. In fact, N!Isaac has infamously more in common with Hector than Isaac.

(as further note, in the games Hector was favored over Isaac due to his better abilities, although both of them were relatively respected; in the show, N!Isaac is massively favored over N!Hector, to the point where N!Dracula calls the former his friend and hired the latter through a lie because "he's easy to lie to")

Game Saint Germain is a whimsical, unflappable time traveller who tries his best, with the limitations imposed on him, to stop Dracula from being brought back. N!Saint Germain is certainly eccentric and capable of dimensional travel, but he's also plagued by grief over one woman and through it he's eventually manipulated into reviving N!Dracula instead (insert "god is going to have sex again" line here).

Game Death is Dracula's most loyal servant and confidant, affably polite but unswerving in his desire to bring his Master back over and over. N!Death only cares about feeding on souls and was ready to make Dracula suffer undescribable pain to use him as a pawn, all while infamously talking like a drunk sailor. The few things they have in common are their manipulation skills and ability to assume a disguise to blend in.

Game Carmilla is another vampire devoted to Dracula, responsible for his resurrection in CoTM; N!Carmilla despises Dracula and everything he stands for, more or less hijacking his role as the main antagonist.

Game Richter in RoB starts out as a hotblooded, enthusiastic young man eager to fight and uphold his legacy... which leads him to a dark path later on when he succeeds and has nothing legt going for in his life. N!Richter is just as enthusiastic, but starts his story suffering from the trauma of his mother's death that makes him prone to panic attacks, and has little legacy to uphold.

Game Maria is a bubbly, cheerful, innocent young girl who doesn't even understand Dracula's talk about power. N!Maria is a surly, bitter teenager only concerned with political matters.

Game Annette is a perfectly normal woman in love with Richter, but braver than she lets on, shown in the cutscene where she attempts to slit her own throat to reject Dracula's advances. N!Annette has literal godly powers, is unique in the show's environment as a runaway slave, her bravery is actually rashness that often causes problems, and she's mostly furious at the world and everyone around her, especially N!Richter for being "a child" and "useless as fuck" (though this is set to change as they are bound to fall in love).

Game Juste is shown to be protective towards his loved ones to a fault, best seen in the good ending where he wants to deny the truth of Maxim's actions to Lydie. N!Juste abandoned his family after Maxim and Lydie's death, and has completely given up on fighting evil, having become cynical and despondent (it's possible that this, too, is set to change).

As you can tell, some game characters were deeper than others, but that is no excuse. If the writers wanted to, they could have done what thousands of fans do, and fleshed out the characters starting from the base lines canon offers. The elements are there! It's just a matter of a little effort and respect towards canon! But there weren't. Instead, the characters were more or less flipped on their head, turned into OCs in all but name, because it's easier and allows them to reap the praises from the fans who think the games need to be "fixed".

I'm mostly just amazed by how consistent the pattern is. It's as if no character was deemed good enough as they were. As if the show went into IDW's opposite's direction and strived its best to be as far away as canon as possible... and better, ofc.

[coldgoldlazarus]

This thought has been on my mind again, so I'm making a poll. If we did get more official Bionicle, I would hope for it to be good, of course, with Lego probably outsourcing the storytelling to other groups like Advance or Templar Studios. But assuming that's off the table, and assuming it wouldn't be a catastrophic disaster either, which scenario would be the lesser of two evils in y'all's opinion?

(By successful enough, I'm defining that less by the story and more by its sales performance and ending off on a decent note, instead of whatever happened with G2.)

[tobythewise]

happy friday and welcome to dadwc!! how about some handers (or justhanders?) this week with the prompt: “You said you loved me last night.” “Drunk words don’t mean shit.”

happy writing!

Thank you so much for the prompt!! :D written for @dadrunkwriting I hope you enjoy!

Content: Handers, Mentions of drinking/being drunk, Mentions of Fenris and Merrill smooching, Getting Together, Sexual Content alluded to

Anders wakes slowly, cursing the pounding of his head. What the hell happened last night? 

He remembers being in Varric’s suite. He remembers cards. He vaguely remembers sitting in Varric’s lap? Wait no, that was Merrill’s lap. Or was it Hawke’s? 

Everything is fuzzy as he tries to think about the night before. Did he kiss someone? Anders is pretty sure he remembers watching two people kiss, but it doesn’t make much sense. There’s no way Merrill and Fenris locked lips. It’s more likely that Fenris would pull out Merrill’s heart than smooch her. But still, why can Anders picture it perfectly? 

How did he get so drunk? Usually between Justice and the taint he can’t get drunk so why does it feel like he’s been hit by a templar’s smite? And why does his mouth taste like cottony ass?

Anders blinks an eye open, finding himself shoved against the wall on his mattress. He groans before freezing, realizing with stark clarity that there’s a body pressing against his back.

What. The. Fuck.

If he turns around and finds Sebastian spooning him, he’s going to scream.

He searches his memories for anything that’ll tell him who the hell ended up in his bed last night but everything comes back blurry or blank. He’ll have to turn around and face whoever it is eventually but for just a moment, he revels in being close to someone again. 

It’s been so long since he’s allowed himself this type of closeness. 

Anders wants to stay here all morning, snuggled up to someone. He wants to allow himself to relax, but he can’t. He has far too much to do and he’s already starting to feel guilty for not being at the clinic already. He already had the night off yesterday, he can’t also take off all day today. 

There’s too much to do. There’s too much to plan. 

Just as Anders is working up the courage to turn around or scoot out of bed, a strong arm wraps around his waist, tugging him back against a broad chest. By Andraste, this feels so nice. It wouldn’t hurt anyone to stay just a little longer, right?

Anders looks ahead, trying to get some sort of bearings. He realizes with a start that he’s not in Varric’s suit any longer. Instead, he’s somehow found himself in Hawke’s bed. He might not be a detective but it’s not hard to figure out that the person spooning him is Hawke. 

How the fuck did he get here? 

Anders gets a vague impression of himself riding on Hawke’s back all the way up to Hightown. He didn’t really do that, did he? Oh fuck, he just barely keeps himself from groaning in embarrassment. 

This is why Justice doesn’t usually let him drink. 

Hawke’s hand finds a spot under his shirt, touching the bare skin of his belly and Anders shivers. Soft lips press against the back of his neck and Anders bites his bottom lip. Oh. That’s lovely. That’s everything he’s ever wanted. But he can’t actually have this, can he?

“Umm,” he says, clearing his throat. “Good morning?”

“A very good morning indeed,” Hawke says back, his voice somehow even deeper and gravely than usual. Oh no, he’s so hot, how the fuck is Anders supposed to push him away and get to the clinic now? “I could get used to this.”

Anders hums because he’s not sure what the hell he’s supposed to say. He’s starting to panic. He’s starting to think about how as much as he loves this, it’s going to end in disaster. 

Anders carefully flips over to his back and Hawke shifts along with him. He leans on his elbow, hovering over Anders. His face is usually so serious, but right now, the scowl is gone, replaced by a soft smile. Anders’ stomach flutters with butterflies. He feels like a young boy, before the templars tried to stomp down his spark. He feels full of possibilities, full of life. He feels free. 

“What happened last night?” Anders asks softly. “I don’t really remember a lot and the things I do are super blurry and confusing.” He stares up at Hawke for a long moment before asking, “did Merrill and Fenris kiss last night?”

Hawke chuckles. “They did but only because Varric dared them to.”

“Oh. Right. Of course. That makes perfect sense.”

Leaning down, Hawke kisses Anders cheek. Anders holds completely still, not wanting to break the moment. “Do you remember coming home with me last night?”

Anders lets out a long breath. “No.”

“Last night you kissed me.” 

“Was it a dare?” Anders asks slowly and Hawke shakes his head. His eyes are achingly fond. It makes Anders want to twist and twitch, feeling so unsure, so out of place. “Oh,” he says, not knowing what else to say. 

“You also told me you loved me.”

Fuck. There it is. It’s out in the open and sober Anders can’t take back his drunk words. Mostly because they’re true. 

“And how did you react?”

Hawke tilts his head. “Isn’t it obvious?” Instead of saying more, he leans down once more but instead of kissing his cheek, this time he kisses Anders’ lips. 

Anders freezes for a moment in complete shock but he quickly changes that. He wraps his arms around Hawke’s back and kisses him back with the same intensity that Hawke is kissing him. Hawke might not have said how he feels with words, but this kiss makes it hard for Anders to get it twisted. He feels the same. 

“Drunk words don’t mean shit,” Anders says, breathing heavily. “So let me make things clear now. I love you, Hawke.”

“That’s good to hear, Anders, because I feel the same. Now, do you want to keep talking about it, or can I find something more interesting for your mouth to be doing?”

Anders smirks and starts scooting down the bed in response.

[pavus]

ooooh a Trevelyan solasmancer, so rare 👀 I wanna know more!! (that hawke x dumas too ??)

emerence (and, by extension, the emerence x solas in general) is everything to me, oh my god. i've always been a really big into solas x trevelyan, but i've finally taken the plunge and made a trevelyan of my own to get close to our favorite disaster elf. she's the most andrastian — eldest daughter, chose the path of a templar rather than remaining her father's heir, very very dutiful almost to the point of blindness. she's in her mid-40s during inquisition and manages the role of herald and inquisitor with an elegance and gravitas that drives solas absolutely insane. she frustrates him to the point of distraction, but when he looks at her for a moment too long, he gets lost in the thought of her.

and yes, yes, anais!! she's one of my oldest hawkes, truthfully, and i've always been absolutely obsessed with her dynamic with dumar, considering she's a blood mage and an openly practicing one, at that. she saves his son and pulls herself into his atmosphere in hopes of vertical growth for herself and her family. she fully does not expect to fall in love with him, but alas, some stories just turn out to be love stories, as well as tragedies. 🤷‍♀️

[leggywillow]

The Path of Most Resistance (3070 words) by leggywillow Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Carver Hawke/Female Surana, Carver Hawke/Female Warden, Anders/Female Hawke (Dragon Age) Characters: Female Surana (Dragon Age), Female Warden (Dragon Age), Female Hawke (Dragon Age), Carver Hawke, Male Trevelyan (Dragon Age), Anders (Dragon Age) Additional Tags: Warden Carver Hawke, Grey Warden Secrets, Trevelyan is Not the Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Mage-Templar Dynamics (Dragon Age), The Taint (Dragon Age), Established Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added Series: Part 3 of The Mistakes of Men and Monsters Summary: After (supposedly) killing Corypheus alongside her partner Carver Hawke, Warden Adara Surana is determined to cure the Taint that dooms them to an early grave. When Anders blows up the Kirkwall Chantry, however, her plans are thrown into chaos. Carver rushes to Kirkwall to help his sister, Champion Vivian Hawke. With a startling new surprise of her own, Adara rushes after him.

Templar Dacre Trevelyan is lost and grieving. He’s determined to drag Anders to Starkhaven to face justice, and he’s willing to go through Vivian Hawke—and anyone else—to do it. He crosses path with Adara Surana instead. It’s kind of a disaster.

I'm back at it! I've started Part 3 of my Dragon Age series, and I'm excited and nervous about it!

DAFF Tag List: @rakshadow @rosella-writes @effelants @bluewren @dreadfutures @breninarthur @ar-lath-ma-cully @ir0n-angel @inquisimer @crackinglamb @theluckywizard @oxygenforthewicked @nirikeehan @exalted-dawn-drabbles @melisusthewee @blarrghe @agentkatie @delicatefade @about2dance @warpedlegacy

[nirikeehan]

Dragon Age Lore Prompts 

Bits of lore compiled from codex entries, letters, and other marginalia found throughout Thedas.

In the Mists: The Windline Marcher. A ghost ship. Still, the story continues to be told, its intent to chill, amuse, or even titillate. As a consequence, the tale has grown more colorful over time. In many later versions, the "Marcher" is manned by a crew of stunningly beautiful spirits, who can fulfill one's deepest (carnal) desires, should one succeed in boarding the ship.

The Lost City of Barindur. A city lost to time or disaster. Swaying grass hid flocks of birds so vast that when they took flight, their numbers blocked the sun. This, our guide informed us, was the great city of Barindur, wonder of the ancient world, famed for its fountains which were said to grant eternal youth.

The Pyramids of Par Vollen. Structures of unknown purpose pre-dating the Qunari. Par Vollen's distinctive pyramids, looming from the overgrowth, have remained largely intact, even if their intended purpose has been lost. They do not seem to be tombs, though some chambers contain bodies that have been carefully preserved. Amazingly, the pyramids' proportions are mathematically perfect. 

Confessions of a Lyrium Addict. Rare first person account of the Templars' plight. But the ration's too small. If they don't give you enough, your hands get cold. The sky starts to press down on you. Little things slip away. So you have to stay.

The Aeonar. Mage prison found abandoned by Seekers, with no sign of violence, during the Mage-Templar war. Accused maleficarum and apostates are held in the confines of Aeonar. Those who have a powerful connection to the Fade, and particularly to demons, will inevitably attract something across the Veil, making the guilty somewhat easier to tell from the innocent.

Notes on Methods of Enchantment. Ancient notes on enchanting eldritch items. Using up the last of the stock was well worth it, as I explained to it as a courtesy before final work began. Adjustments to the underlay were a great success, and will allow the recipe to be made with material taken from lesser animals, if the need arises.

The Hand That Cuts. A unique ring. This ring grows unusually warm when slipped onto a finger. It pulses slightly and steadily, as if in time with the wearer's heartbeat.

The Eye That Weeps. A unique amulet. This amulet is heavy for its size, and the metal is clammy and sticks jealously to the flesh. The gem in the center contains a liquid that glowers a sluggish red in bright light. Condensation slowly forms on the gem's outer surface, no matter how many times it's wiped clean.

The Bind that Guides. A unique belt. No matter how loosely this belt is tied, after a few steps, it warps itself snugly around the waist. The stitching, while fine, is of a strange, thin thread that resembles hair and can't be cut with even the sharpest knife.

The Skin That Stalks. Unique armor. The leather of this armor gives off a faint, living heat. It is heavier than it looks, but the weight and warmth are somehow comforting. The armor makes little noise in motion, and after a surprisingly short time, wearing it feels quite natural.

Chronicles of a Forgotten War. An account of encounters with mysterious Scaled Ones in the Deep Roads. A robed Scaled One stood before the altar. Its voice was different from the others: softer, almost feminine. It chanted and raised a basin of blood towards the altar. The other Scaled Ones bowed low. The robed Scaled One produced fire from its palm and mouth and ignited the blood.

Grim Anatomy. A book on animal dissection and demonic possession, by an unknown author. It's not wearing the creature's skin. It has become the creature: its mind, its senses... its blood.

The Hedge Witch. A witch who transformed herself into a giant hawthorn bush. She possessed only a modicum of magical power—enough to draw the templars' attention, but not nearly enough to defend herself from them. As the templars closed in on her, Saramish worked a spell of transformation. No one knows what her intentions were, but the outcome could not have been to her liking. 

Arboreal Fort. Creative solutions to uncommon problems. Flatten the area? —Cullen. Of course the commander suggests hitting the hills until they forget they're hills. —L I was joking. Meanwhile, have you threatened to cut out anyone's tongue today? —Cullen Thinking about it right now. —L

A Compendium of Orlesian Theater. Fascinating cultural practices from the artistic heart of the empire. If a director believes they can sell the part, men can play dowagers, women can play dukes, and even an elf can play a king. Once donned, the mask is understood to be absolutely them. None of the actors I spoke to could explain to me the history behind this tradition, but bristled when I suggested other nations find it strange. 

She of the Highwaymen Repents. A song unsung for a dead man walking. For know my crime was cruel, and all my pain deserved. I stand here as a fool, despite my brother served.

The Silver Knight. The final verse for a fallen knight. In lost verses of a song, painstakingly unearthed, I found the answer to my question. Who could bear the weight of a people destroyed by his hand?

The Executors. Those across the sea. “Remember that, for the moment, we are not your enemy.”

Constellation: Visus. The Watchful Eye. The early Inquisition took Visus as the symbol of their holy calling when they joined the Andrastian faith: the Eye representing both their search for maleficarum and the Maker's judgment upon their actions. When the Inquisition ended and became the Seekers of Truth and the Templar Order, the templars took the sword while the Seekers retained the eye.

The Lover's Alcove. To be seen not being seen. Dignity of course requiring that one does not also make use of the darkness for actual physical gratification. This has, of course, never occurred.

[demigoddessqueens]

Hi! How are you doing? Can't believe it's 2024 already! I hope this isn't weird or random but I have to ask.

In a headcanon sense; what would happen if like Ezio, Connor, Shay or freaking Haytham were in a star-crossed lovers with their s/o? Like Romeo and Juliet kind of classic romance.

Maybe they can ask Arno lol

Hope you're having a wonderful start of 2024! Have a good day, afternoon, evening and night! 🥰

Hey Silver!! Thank you so much 😊 💞 I’m having a great start and I hope you are too!

Arno would be like “I had a love once…🥲💔🥺😢”

Ezio

Oh he would be eating this up like there’s no tomorrow!!

despite the flirtatious attitude, he cares so much and as we’ve seen before, is SUPER emotional and always wants to spare a second for you

Always wants to see you, always touch you, kisses you like he needs air

Connor

He’s such a sentimental sweetie about it all

Always wants to see you, checks up on you, and constantly invites you to the Homestead to spend time

if you are a part of the Brotherhood, he feels so lucky and honored to know you

Shay

He’s so much in denial at first but can’t help it

never been one to follow the rules (strictly) but toes that line between keeping to his Templar allegiance and wanting you

Utterly lost in you, just wants to spare seconds to appreciate any sliver of time visiting with you

Haytham

The biggest denier out there! This man will scoff, deny, make excuses and completely disregard every physical and/or emotional response he has to you

Falls harder than Shay and he’s a disaster with his feelings, pouring over everything in his diary and even sometimes rambles about it

The moment™️ he realizes what this truly is, he loses it. Wants to find you, no NEEDS to find you, tell you everything before it’s too late

[inquisimer]

the answer will be an echo

Day 4 of @tranquilweek! As Cadash & Avexis investigate Redcliffe Village, they learn what became of the other Tranquil.

read it on ao3 here!

Avexis & Female Cadash | Rated T | 1139 words | CW: implied/referenced abuse, chantry critical

-

Cadash liked picking locks. It made Avexis wonder, as they waited outside the dilapidated shack in Redcliffe, if that was why the dwarf was always carting her places. She was a puzzle, an oddity—she wondered if Cadash simply saw her as a lock that could only be picked over time.

Well, she mused, thumbing the hilt of her dagger, hopefully she figures something out.

Being in Redcliffe made her itch. There were mages everywhere and odd magic on top of the rifts. It set her teeth on edge. The whole place was a disaster waiting to happen. Or maybe it had already happened. It was hard to say.

Their fear was as palpable to Avexis as her own. It hung in the air like a dense fog, coating her throat when she breathed and sitting on her skin like a cold, sticky sweat. Fear of the Templars, fear of the Breach, fear of the Tevinters and what their presence spelled for the mage rebellion.

Cadash grunted and the door clicked open, creaking ominously. Within, the cabin’s dirt floor was dappled with sunlight through the rotting roof.

“Why was it even locked?” Varric huffed.

They found out soon enough. Over a dozen skulls watched them from makeshift shelves, their empty eye sockets gleaming with Fade-touched crystals. Pointed stumps with odd runes etched into their ends were stacked against the wall and tipped over on the floor. When Avexis brushed her fingers across the runes, they flared a bright green.

For the briefest moment, she saw a face—square jaw, blank, gray eyes, freckles that sprayed up to the sunburst brand that marred his brow. Before she could dig up a name, or even where she knew him from, the vision was gone; the part of her mind that she knew was Cole slipped between her and the magic and whatever it meant.

And that meant only one thing. “Something's not right,” she murmured, skittering back a few steps. Cole was matching her rising panic with soothing comfort, but it was a cycle—the more he soothed her, the more she feared what, exactly, she needed soothing for.

She flinched at the too-loud crunch of parchment in Cadash’s fist. “That is fucked,” the dwarf hissed.

“I had noticed their disappearance, but imagined nothing like this.” Avexis could hear Cassandra’s scowl and that defensive mix of guilt and shame that the Seeker usually directed at her. A horrible realization was coming to her, sinking in her mind like boots in cold swamp mud. As if in a trance, she paced back to the shelf of skulls.

Varric coughed pointedly; she could feel his gaze boring into her. “Maybe we shouldn’t—“ he began loudly.

“It’s them, isn’t it?” she whispered. One hand cupped the smooth arch of a skull, thumb tracing the sharp edge of the dormant crystal. “We found the Tranquil.”

No one answered, not that it mattered. Their silence was all the confirmation she needed.

“Avexis—“

“Don’t,” she choked. Before she’d even taken a breath, her eyes glossed over with tears. She made no move to stem their tide. Her grief fell in heavy drops, each one sending poofs of dust up where it landed on the earthen floor.

Her other hand clasped the same skull and she stared into its empty sockets as though she could divine their identity that way. Who were you? she thought desperately. Did I know you? Is anyone missing you?

Of course not. No one missed the Tranquil. That was how this had happened; how the evidence of it existed right under the noses of the mage rebellion, and yet no one cared enough to know, or even ask.

Avexis trembled, an inappropriate laugh bubbling from her lips as anger ripped through her like an earthquake.

That should be me. Then, out loud: “I shouldn’t have— that should be me, too.”

“No.” Cassandra’s voice was closer than she’d expected and Avexis flinched. Her gloved hands caught the skull where Avexis’ grip left it bare and she slid it gently out of the mage’s grasp. Setting it back on the shelf, the Seeker put herself directly in front of Avexis instead.

“It should not have been you, and it should not have been them either.”

“Why don’t we mean anything to anyone?”Avexis whispered. She clenched her fists. “Why doesn’t anyone care?”

“Hey, we care.” That was Varric, and Cadash, coming closer as well but—thankfully—leaving the path to the door wide open. “We’re here, we see you. We care.”

“You see me,” she repeated, shaking her head. “As I am now. Would you still see me if I remained Tranquil? Would you have noticed that I was gone? Because apparently no one—” she gestured angrily to the shelves “—noticed them.”

Cadash caught Avexis’ fist in her roughened palm. “Hey. You’re right.”

“I—what?”

“You’re right,” Cadash said again. “The Circles used the Tranquil because they were conveniently controlled. Because the comfort of those in power was more important than those lives. Because they could.”

Her voice was steady and grounding. Though Avexis' sorrow remained heavy, the tension wound in her relaxed. She pressed her palm flat against Cadash’s and curled her fingers down over the dwarf’s blunted nails. As she searched her eyes for answers and assurances, the filtered sunlight shifted and caught the casteless brand burned into her cheek.

“But the Circles are gone,” Cadash said firmly. At her back, Cassandra scowled, but wisely bit her tongue. “We’re not putting them back unless we’re sure they can do better. For the mages, the Templars, and the Tranquil.”

Avexis exhaled slowly. She knew that was what Cadash thought, but it was good to hear her say it anyway. And yet—

“They’re still gone, though,” she whispered, nudging her chin toward the shelf of skulls. “They still died like that. Were murdered like that. It’s not something we can fix.”

“They were. And it’s not.”

“That hurts,” Avexis whimpered. She ground her teeth together. “It hurts, and I want it to stop hurting. How do I make it stop if I can’t fix it?”

“Sometimes, you can’t.” It was Varric who answered, but Cadash nodded. “Sometimes you just have to sit with it. It might never go away, but you’ll go on. And eventually, you’ll grow around it, instead.”

“That bloody sucks.”

Cadash snorted. “Yeah. It does.”

“Can we…” Swiping at her eyes, Avexis took a shaky breath. “I don’t want to leave them here. Not like this.”

“There is a Sister up the hill—“

“No.” Cadash cut Cassandra off. “We have time, and they deserve better than the Chantry’s biases. We’ll take care of them ourselves.”

Relief flooded Avexis where she hadn’t realized she’d grown tense. “Thank you,” she murmured, ducking her head. Cadash laced their fingers together and squeezed.

“Let’s go.”

[dark-elf-writes]

Aren't mages locked up in a prison-tower and brainwashed / tortured in the hope that they'll never get possessed by a demon until their souls are basically burned down into creepy soul-smushed shells? Or is that a different setting?

First thought: someone trying to go "hey its a mage, get 'em" only to face down at least one walking natural disaster.

Second thought: hoooo boy are the Demigods gonna have a Reaction when they find out about the soul-smushing.

I mean sort of but at the point that they would be in Thedas the circles (tower prisons for mages that are supposedly not prisons but like are) have all revolted m and the Templars (anti magic police) defected from the Chantry (Fantasy Church™️) to hunt the mages down which is what the Conclave was for as they were trying to make the two sides reach a compromise.

That being said it would be interesting to see what Templar powers would do to the demigods because of their connections to the fade. Particularly Nico. Becuase their powers are so innate that cutting them off from them even temporarily could be Real Bad.

(On a more lighthearted note this also opens up the conversation of if demigods are affected by lyrium like mages and what Magic Energy Drink™️ would do to a collection of the most adhd kids alive.)

But yeah Percy absolutely sides with the mages there’s no way he’s going to what is essentially the cops.