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daitranscripts · 29 days

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Solas Cutscene: High Approval

Before the Anchor

Solas Masterpost

Solas: Inquisitor, I was… do you have a moment?

Solas leads the PC to the balcony of their quarters.

Solas: What were you like before the Anchor?

The PC looks at their hand.

Solas: Has it affected you? Changed you in any way? Your mind, your morals, your… spirit?

Dialogue options:

General: No, not really. [1]

General: How should I know? [2]

General: Get to the point. [3]

1 - General: No, not really. PC: I don’t believe so. Solas: Ah. PC: Why do you ask?

2 - General: How should I know? PC: If it had, do you really think I’d have noticed? Solas: No. That’s an excellent point. PC: Why do you ask?

3 - General: Get to the point. PC: What do you think is going on here?

4 - Scene continues.

Solas: You show a wisdom I have not seen since… since my deepest journeys into the ancient memories of the Fade. You are not what I expected.

Dialogue options:

General: I’m just like everyone else. [5] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: You make that sound bad. [6]

General: What did you expect? [7]

5 - General: I’m just like everyone else. PC: I don’t think of myself as different from anyone. Solas: Perhaps not in the form of your body, no. [8]

6 - General: You make that sound bad. PC: Sorry to disappoint. Solas: It’s not disappointing, it’s… (Sighs.) Most people are predictable. [8]

7 - General: What did you expect? PC: What have I done that’s so surprising? [8]

8 - Choice dependent dialogue:

Dalish PC [9]

Dwarf/Qunari/human PC [10]

9 - Dalish PC Solas: You have shown subtlety in your actions, a wisdom that goes against everything I expected. If the Dalish could raise someone with a spirit like yours… have I misjudged them?

Dialogue options:

General: Yes. [11]

General: Honestly, not really. [12]

General: No. I am who I am. [13] +Solas slightly approves

10 - General: Yes. PC: I don’t hold the Dalish up as perfect, but we have something worth honoring. A memory of the ancient ways. [14]

11 - General: Honestly, not really. PC: Most of the Dalish care more about impressing other hunters with a good shot or talking about how awful humans are. There are only a few who seem to care about the old ways. [14]

12 - General: No. I am who I am. PC: The Dalish didn’t make me like this. The decisions were mine. Solas: Yes, you are wise to give yourself that due. Although the Dalish, in their fashion, may still have guided you. [14]

14 - Scene continues.

Solas: Perhaps that is it. I suppose it must be. Most people act with so little understanding of the world. But not you. [18]

10 - Dwarf/Qunari/human PC

dwarf PC Solas: Dwarves are practical. They do not dream. The cannot even imagine a world beyond the physical. But you have shown subtlety in your actions. A wisdom that goes against everything I know of your people.

Qunari PC Solas: Qunari are savage creatures, their ferocity held in check only by the rigid teachings of the Qun. But you have shown subtlety in your actions. A wisdom that goes against everything I know of your people.

human PC Solas: Humans are shortsighted, brutish. Blind to the beauty of the Fade, their minds cast in a duality of black and white. But you have shown subtlety in your actions. A wisdom that goes against everything I know of your people.

Dialogue options:

General: What about our friends? [15] General: I try. [16] General: You were misinformed. [17]

14 - General: What about our friends? PC: I’m just one part of this team, Solas. What about Cassandra or Leliana? Solas: Cassandra separates matters of faith from those of the world, and she above all should understand how limited that is. Leliana has a brilliant mind, but her faith was damaged. To her, it is all a game of tactics now. But not you. [18]

15 - General: I try. PC: I do what I can. Solas: You are modest. So many would use this Inquisition as a blunt instrument in their rise to power. But not you. [18]

16 - General: You were misinformed. PC: It seems everything you’ve been taught by your people has some holes in it. Solas: I have seen enough of the world to know I was not misinformed. Most people are small… petty. But not you. [18]

18 - Scene continues.

PC: So what does this mean, Solas?

non-romanced Solas: It means that I respect you deeply, Inquisitor. And I have disturbed you enough for one evening. Solas leaves. Scene ends.

romanced Solas: It means I have not forgotten the kiss.

Dialogue options:

End relationship: Let it go, Solas. [19]

Flirt: Neither have I. [20]

19 - End relationship: Let it go, Solas. PC: Perhaps you should. Solas: Perhaps you’re right. I will always respect you, Inquisitor. Solas leaves. Scene ends.

20 - Flirt: Neither have I. PC: Good. The PC moves closer, and Solas goes to leave. PC: Don’t go. The PC grabs his arm. Solas: It would be kinder in the long run. But losing you would… He turns, and they kiss. Solas: Ar lath ma, vhenan. Solas leaves, and the PC leans against the doorway. Scene ends.

#dragon age inquisition #dai transcripts #dragon age #dragon age transcripts #dragon age dialogue #dai #long post #dai dialogue #solas

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shift-shaping · 3 months

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yet you love her all the same

solas meets an old friend in the fade.

rating: t

pairing: solavellan (discussed|)

previous fics | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

A spirit could take many forms. On this night, for whatever reason, Wisdom stood beside the water as a large grey heron. Solas watched it quietly, curiously, as it stared into its reflection and tilted its long, sharp head to the side.

"My friend," it greeted him in soft elven as he approached. Its eyes glowed, a mist of hazy blue magic drifting off them. When it spoke, it did so directly into his mind, without moving its beak.

"Hello," Solas replied warmly. The spirit stretched its wings, and he smiled at it. "You have not worn this shape in some time."

"It is comfortable, for now. You should try it."

"I should," he agreed, though it did not truly appeal to him. "Did something specific bring this on?"

The spirit made a chattering noise and retracted its neck before stretching again. "I wish to see what lies beneath the water's surface."

Solas smirked. "By... eating what lives there?" Wisdom hummed. "Why not take the form of a fish, then?"

Though it wore no true expression, somehow Wisdom looked upon him warmly. "How could we talk if I were a fish?"

"The same way we can when you are a bird.”

Wisdom looked back at the water, and drew its beak close to the surface. It was quiet for a time, and Solas gave it room to think. Finally it shook its head, feathers dancing on its crown. "No. I would swallow water and that would be unpleasant." It straightened again and turned to face him fully. "You have traveled so far, lethallin. Why venture to the northern plains?"

"The Inquisitor requested I accompany her on an urgent mission to Wycome. She received word from her clan's Keeper that her family is in danger."

Wisdom blinked at him, and the glow of its eyes was so strong it shown though its eyelids. "What manner of danger?"

"Strange mercenaries target her people." He frowned. "There are whispers of a purge." That a slaughtering of elves was so common there was a specific term for it made his stomach churn.

"A purge," Wisdom repeated. The word echoed around them. "What an ugly word." He looked away from the spirit, but it stretched its neck to look him in the eye. The gesture was so odd he couldn't help but smirk. "Not all suffering is your fault, lethallin. Leave some guilt for the rest of the world."

He exhaled and nodded. Though its words were ultimately false, he appreciated Wisdom's efforts to calm the inevitable downward spiral of his thoughts.

"And you have gone to help. Let that be something."

"I suppose it must be," he replied, but he knew that wasn't enough. Regardless of his friend's words, he knew every hurt in Enaste's life was, in truth, his fault. And not just her: that Sera was apart from her true self, that the Dalish of the Dirthavaren were so impoverished, even that the rebel mages were so damned that an offer of servitude to a Tevinter Magister was preferable to their current state --it was all the result of his actions, his mistakes.

"You must stop this," Wisdom urged. "You accomplish nothing with such thoughts." It nudged at him, jabbing his side with its beak.

"Please stop," he said, gently pushing it away. "Your face is too sharp for that."

"You are not good company like this," Wisdom asserted. It leaned back and flapped its wings. "Cease this misery, or I will find another wayward soul to pester!"

He couldn't help laughing at that. "Really? Who else will listen to your ramblings on Alamarri textiles?"

"An Alamarri craftsman!"

"And how many of those will meet with you?"

Wisdom grumbled and shrank back down, ruffling its feathers momentarily before relaxing. "They are not ramblings. My information is well-organized and presented."

"Of course it is," he replied. Wisdom looked at him sideways, glowing eyes narrowed. "I am sorry, my friend. I do not mean to be poor company."

"You are not. Usually." It straightened, and began to stare into the water again. They were both quiet for a long time, the silence settling from vaguely tense to something warmer, more familiar. That feeling of shifting silence, of nerves settling and relaxing, was something he always missed dearly when in the waking world. Outside the Fade, a stale conversation remained such when it paused. Emotions were more fluid here, and easier to detect as the boundaries from one being to another blurred at the edges.

Wisdom waded into the water, sending ripples flooding outward until they reflected back against the opposite shore. Solas sat in the grass at the water's edge and tried to do as his friend suggested. The spirit was right: this was no place to dwell on shame.

Eventually it spoke again, looking towards him from the water. "Tell me more about the Inquisitor."

“What would you like to know?" It was natural that Wisdom would be curious about Enaste given her sudden impact on the world. He had told it some things already, though, and was uncertain what more there was that Wisdom could not learn on its own.

"A great deal! You have told me facts about her history, her decisions, her allies, but there must be more besides her politics. You think about her so often, more than any mortal I can recall."

"It is not that often," he replied, defensive suddenly.

Somehow Wisdom managed to look at him witheringly. "Lethallin, please."

"She is the leader of the Inquisition and the bearer of the Anchor," he replied, knowing full-well his friend already knew that. "Of course she is on my mind, occasionally."

"Occasionally!" It scoffed. "You embraced her." He averted his gaze and tried not to let the guilt overtake him again. Wisdom cocked its head, genuinely curious. "Why? If you only think of her because of her position, why are your thoughts as often on her lips as her words?"

"There are --it may be difficult for a spirit to understand," he deflected.

It bristled, feathers fluffing so it looked much larger than it was. "Do not insult me."He raised his eyebrows, not expecting such a reaction. "I am Wisdom! Of course I can understand desires of the flesh!'

He snorted, and it deflated quickly when it knew he wasn't intimidated. "How very prideful of you, lethallen." It looked annoyed. He shook his head and sighed. "But still, I apologize. That was unkind of me."

"You are forgiven." It waded out a bit further, watching the water. Occasionally a fish swam by, glittering and quick. Wisdom watched it, rather un-heron-like in its movement. "I only want to understand why she so occupies your mind."

Despite his efforts to avoid a conversation like this as much as possible, Wisdom inevitably drew it out of him. It was to be expected, he supposed --Wisdom was privy to much of his thoughts, and he could no longer pretend Enaste did not take up a significant portion of them. "She is..." But despite how much he thought of her, he found the words impossible to articulate. She was capable, and strong-willed, and confident in her own leadership. She valued knowledge, and expertise, and took advice from those she respected. Perhaps above all she was open-minded and curious, always asking him questions and listening thoughtfully to the answers.

She was also charming, and beautiful, with raven hair and hazel eyes that were warm and deep and wide. She laughed rarely, but more often around him, and the sound was honest and lovely and made his heart race. She was playful when she wanted to be, open in her desires yet embarrassed of them at the same time. Her lips were soft and full, her body pliant yet firm in his hands, her skin--

"Oh," Wisdom said suddenly, and he looked up from the thoughts he hadn't realized had consumed him. "You are in love with her!"

"No," he said, too quickly.

"How fascinating!"

He exhaled and squeezed his eyes shut, centered himself, forcing his mind back to the conversation at hand. "She is not what I expected from this world. I am simply --surprised."

"Why? Is it so hard to think there could be something worth loving in the ruins?" Wisdom waded closer to him, head tilted curiously, the water lapping softly at its feet. "A flower that grows where corpses lie is no less lovely for its surroundings." It paused. When it spoke again, its voice was gentler still. "Perhaps... it is even more so."

"It is a selfish thought to even entertain. I have already hurt her," he said. "I cannot twist the knife by betraying her so personally."

"Yet you love her all the same."

"It is foolish. And ultimately, irrelevant."

Wisdom watched him pensively, and said nothing for a time. When it spoke again, the words sank in his chest like stones in the pond. "What does she want of you?"

"That... Is irrelevant as well. She would not want anything of me if she knew the entire truth." His voice fell, and he shook his head. "And she does not, and cannot. So we must remain as we are."

"You have no idea what she would want, my friend." Even in its prodding Wisdom was so gentle, so kind; he could almost believe it was right. "Perhaps she might even wish to walk beside you on your path."

He chuckled mirthlessly, unsettled by the thought of dragging her down with him. "That thought is far from comforting."

"Or maybe she is proof that you belong where you are. That this world, however broken, is the one you must accept."

He looked up at it seriously, frowning. "You cannot believe that," he breathed.

"I am Wisdom.” A teasing melody laced its voice. He could now say he’d seen a heron smirk. “I do not believe anything. I only want to know the possibilities."

"Then you know why acceptance is defeat."

"Is it? Or are you too proud to know the difference?"

"Clever," he said bluntly, and stood. "I can feel our time grow short, my friend."

Wisdom waded to the shore, leaving water dripping to the grass. "You are afraid."

"Of what?" He asked as Wisdom drew close. The spirit seemed slightly taller now, or perhaps it stretched its neck up higher. It looked directly into his eyes, in a manner it could tell unsettled him.

"Of her. Of what she could do to you if you let her." He sighed and looked away. "Yet you linger by her side."

He shook his head. "She needs my help."

"You could let her die."

"No, I could not."

"Why?" It asked, tilting its long narrow head to the side. "She will die regardless, in time. Then the mark is yours."

"Someone must stop Corypheus."

"Then kill her and take the Anchor yourself."

Solas balked, blinking at the spirit. "You-- are you seriously suggesting I murder Enaste?" He was genuinely taken aback, uncertain he'd ever heard it suggest something so merciless.

Its eyes glowed brighter. "You cannot murder a ghost, lethallin! Would it not be better, kinder, to sever one thread so the rest can be free?"

"I--" he exhaled and closed his eyes tightly. Wisdom fell quiet, waiting. "I am not entertaining this. I know what you're trying to do, and it isn't helping."

The spirit pulled back, tittering an odd little laugh. "Yes, it is."

Solas rolled his eyes. "We can continue this discussion another time." He sighed. "Or not, preferably."

Wisdom huffed a laugh. "Fine, then. But when you find yourself again in her arms, I will be here to say I told you so."

"You are obnoxious." He scoffed. "This form has made you meddlesome and tiring."

"I will not turn into a tree again. That was a very boring two hundred years."

He smiled at Wisdom, amused despite himself. "On that much we can agree. This realm was lonely indeed without your chattering."

It flapped its wings again. "Then perhaps I will remain this shape a while longer. I enjoy this form."

"So long as you are comfortable, my friend. And..." He hesitated, then gave the spirit a deep nod. "Thank you. In spite of my protests, I appreciate your counsel."

"Of course, Solas." Sometimes Wisdom called him that to tease him, to poke fun at his nature or call him arrogant, but now, like this, it was simply his name. And hearing it, in Wisdom's echoing, ancient voice, was enough to soothe his nerves and slow his racing thoughts. Here, even among such an ancient force, there was great comfort in knowing he remained himself.

<- prev fic | next fic ->

#solavellan #solas #dragon age #glimpses #this took longer than usual because i wasn't sure how to characterize wisdom #i went with silly goose #not everyone and their bird trying to tell solas to stop being weird about enaste lmao #enaste lavellan

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divorciada · 3 months

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"I should go into the dragon age tags I want to reblog some fanart"

post 1: guys if da:vg doesn't have a happy cozy sollavellan focused ending then I don't know if it'll be worth playing I can't live without my babies 🥺 bioware you better watch out 😭

post 2: people who like dorian give me terrible vibes. like they're worse than real life bigots :/

post 3: [actual fanart]

post 4: here's how anders can still win

post 5: solas x inquisitor [spicy] tw: rough, dirty talk, bdsm, dom/sub, sub inquisitor, Dom solas, solas transforms into a wolf mid act, knotting, pregnancy

post 6: [actual well thought out meta]

post 7: dragon age incorrect quotes featuring john mulaney but it's ✨ ChAoTiC ✨

post 8: If you recruited Vivienne I'm giving you the side eye...because theres no way you agree with her views right...she's the worst character ever written and if you disagree I don't want you on my blog

post 9: [only 1/987th of the post has to do with dragon age but op decided to use the tag anyway because it's trending and they need engagement]

post 10: SEe my pu$zy click 0n my LinK 👀👇

post 11: I hope varric doesn't die I hope I can fuck him before he does

#dragon age #yeah yeah at the end of the day im still part of this house. whatever.

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ddarker-dreams · 8 months

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Lock, what DO you love and like so much about Dostoevsky's work? I don't think you've ever talked about that. Please, I want to know !!!

^o^

(christianity mention jump scare below proceed with caution)

i thought this would be an easy to answer but figuring out how to put my feelings into words proved difficult .

the beginning is always a good place to start, so let's go with that. by chance, i happened upon this video on youtube and gave it a watch. about halfway in i decided i had to read notes from underground for myself. i struggled to understand what the narrator was trying to get across. the unique writing style, where the reader is addressed directly, as if in challenge, helped me preserve.

i think part of what makes his work special to me is his depiction of people. and they really do feel like people more than characters, even if some of their characteristics are unique to the era dostoevsky wrote in. everything else about them transcends time. i can see myself in some of them. whether it be the titular idiot, prince myshkin in his naivety; alyosha, who goes from devout to doubting; and ivan, whose bitterness toward religion masks his disappointment at the state of the world.

that's why the brothers karamazov touched me in particular. for some context, i grew up in a christian household and was heavily involved in the church (american northeast white baptist strand of church). around when i was 11 or so, the introduction of left-wing politics through social media had me undergo a looooong identity crisis. these new ideas felt at odds with what i'd spent my entire life believing. what i grappled with the most relates to ivan's anecdote, the grand inquisitor, where the goodness of god is called into question. the bitterness, the disappointment from crushed expectations, all those sensations resonated strongly with me. reading it as an adult who (supposedly) 'healed' from that time period in my life was like opening pandora's box. i'd never seen my thoughts and struggles so accurately described, or treated with more than a 'his ways are higher than our ways' type platitude. i stuffed these concerns of mine away because they only ever served to make me feel worse.

i won't delve deep into the Depressing Lore. the only reason i mention it is to stress how profound an impact the work had on me. throughout the remainder of TBK (and in most of dostoevsky's discography), the best and worst of humanity is shown. our hypocritical nature, capacity for evil; nothing is shied away from or made more palatable. and yet, throughout it all, our potential for good is shown too. whether it be in the little acts or monumental self-sacrifice. sometimes those acts are honored, or ‘worth it,’ sometimes they aren’t. it’s cheesy but whatever i’ll say it — choosing to love and serve others is my greatest joy. i don’t really need a definitive answer to those problems i struggled with. that’s the takeaway i’ve had from his work. it might not seem like a big deal, but not feeling guilty for having certain doubts or anxious over those doubts never fully being resolved was. very significant for me. and healing (for real this time).

so that’s the sentimental perspective GJSDLKFJS from my writer’s perspective, i can only describe him as brilliant. his grasp on the human psyche is incredible. he can accurately describe so many emotions, worldviews, and give the context necessary for each one to feel organic and real. it’s vivid, too, in a way i can’t properly get across. everyone’s unfiltered and messy. characters contradict themselves in the same sentence. they’ll murmur, go off on tangents, tell stories, misquote the bible (or many other significant works), and just be overall disasters. aka how people actually are.

the man’s also funny as hell. the protagonist from crime and punishment has a mental breakdown spanning multiple pages over a sock. yes, there’s context, but that’s still the gist of things. then there’s the issue of the hedgehog in the idiot. hedgehog drama.

ultimately, his work is so very human. there’s commentary on issues that are prevalent to this day, multiple centuries later. the topics he touches on tend to align with what i care about most. whether i agree or disagree with what i’m reading, there’s always something i glean from it. something meaningful that sits with me long after i close the book. i’ll mull over it and bother people in my vicinity until they mull over it too. no one is safe. whether it be a co-worker or my dad who drives noticeably faster to reach our destination and be free of my many questions.

i could keep going but this ended up being long enough GJSKDF i hope at least something here makes sense?>?? i apologize for the incoherent ramblings. it's what the dude does to me.

#dostoevsky fanclub #answered #Anonymous

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thecreaturecodex · 5 months

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Shrine Skelm

Image © Paizo Publishing, accessed at Archives of Nethys here

[The shrine skelm, like all of the skelms, rules, but I didn't like how it doesn't have any ability to magically conceal its alignment. Considering that spells like misdirection and nondetection exist in 2e (although now they have non SRD names like "veil of privacy"), it seems a bit of an oversight to have a monster whose whole deal is deceiving religious figures whose cover can be blown by any 1st level paladin. So I gave it the "feign faith" ability, and some spell-like abilities to synergize with it.]

Shrine Skelm CR 5 LE Monstrous Humanoid This gray-skinned figure is nearly human, except for his yellow eyes and rack of antlers. He wears priestly vestments and expensive-looking holy symbols.

Shrine skelms are skelms that specialize in abusing religious authority. Regardless of what faith they feign, they are skilled at interpreting its doctrines and stories in the most restrictive and cruel lights, using them as excuses for the abuse they heap onto their followers. All of their parishioners are at risk, of course, but shrine skelms focus their ire on those who question their authority, or those who have something that they envy. Exorbitant tithing is often the first sign that a shrine skelm has infiltrated a church. Shrine skelms are skilled at seeming like a wise counselor one minute and a cruel adjutant the next, listening to their followers at prayer and probing their minds to learn their hopes and fears. Worshipers or clergy especially prone to hatred, rage or anger may find themselves groomed to become a skelm themselves, and a church can rapidly be converted into a front for a synod of shrine skelms.

Shrine skelms prefer not to fight themselves, instead letting their minions get their hands dirty while supporting them with spells. A shrine skelm’s most formidable ability is the ability to steal divine spells cast by real clerics, paladins, inquisitors, etc., which can both be used as a combat tactic and to denigrate anyone who tries to display the truth of their faith versus the skelm’s disguises and lies. Once the chips are down and their true nature revealed, however, a shrine skelm is just as hateful and violent as any skelm, using their antlers and fists to gore and bash enemies.

Shrine Skelm CR 5 XP 1,600 LE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +3; Senses Perception +11, scent

Defense AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural) hp 57 (6d10+24) Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7; -2 vs. emotion effects DR 5/cold iron

Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee gore +11 (1d8+5 plus trip), slam +11 (1d4+5) Special Attacks feign faith,seize prayer Spell-like Abilities CL 6th, concentration +11 3/day—aid, castigate (DC 17), command (DC 16), detect thoughts (DC 17) 1/day—enthrall (DC 17), retribution (DC 18)

Statistics Str 20, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 19, Wis 15, Cha 21 Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 25 Feats Deceitful,Dodge, Magical Aptitude Skills Bluff +13, Disguise +13, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (religion) +10, Perception +11, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +12, Use Magic Device +13; Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate Languages Aklo, Common, telepathy 30 ft. SQ change shape (Small or Medium humanoid, alter self),skelm traits

Ecology Environment any land and urban Organization solitary or synod (2-7) Treasure standard (holy symbols, other treasure)

Special Abilities Feign Faith (Su) When a shrine skelm wears a holy symbol, its alignment detects as the alignment of that god, and its castigate and retribution spell-like abilities treat the shrine skelm as a worshipper of that god. A creature attempting to detect the skelm’s true alignment must succeed a DC 18 Will save to do so. The save DC is Charisma based. Seize Prayer (Su) As an immediate action, a shrine skelm can attempt an opposed caster level check to steal a divine spell cast within 30 feet of it. This spell must have a verbal component. If the shrine skelm succeeds this check, both the skelm and the caster take 1d8 points of damage per level of the spell, but the shrine skelm becomes the spell’s sole target. Skelm Traits (Ex) A shrine skelm gains a +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks and a -2 racial penalty on saving throws against emotion effects.

#skelm #shrine skelm #shapeshifter #monstrous humanoid #pathfinder 1e #pathfinder 2e

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chronozen · 6 months

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Dissecting Tales of the Empire (Barriss stuff)

So let's break down all the Barriss stuff in the trailer:

There's an Inquisitor Shuttle approaching Our - likely after she is freed from prison

When Barriss is freed from her cell

This little bit is actually quite interesting. First of all Barriss is wearing a prison symbol with the emblem of the Jedi Order on the shoulder.

The clone troopers are Republic Shock Troopers, The Coruscant guard.

Fourth Sister is actually wearing Jedi robes not an Inquisitor uniform, she's already fallen to the Dark side as evidenced by the eyes.

This is suggesting that Barriss is freed from somewhat close to the end of Revenge of Sith

Also the framing of Barriss in prison is very similar to Luminara's hologram in Rebels.

Barriss's eyes are really blue in this scene. Like more so than other ones.

Barriss walking down a hallway

Pretty self explanatory. She's walking down a hallway. She's wearing Robes that a likely Inquisitorius initiate robes. (Or maybe it wasn't Laundry day and Barriss's uniform wasn't ready)

The Clones are just Regs in Phase 2 armour. It looks like Fortress Inquisitorius on Nur.

Speculation: Barriss is giving a little side glance, she's either taking her environment or she's plotting something.

The Grand Inquisitor scene

When then see the Grand Inquisitor leading Barriss into a room with several lightsabers

None of the Lightsabers are Luminara's (Trust me i double checked Weapon's Factory.) They are most likely reused models and generic sabres - because animation and props design is hard and short cuts should be taken whenever you can.

.....but two of those lightsabers are very close to Barriss's lightsaber.

The one in the middle doesn't seem to hold a significance (The bottom of the hilt slightly resembles Ahsoka's Padawan lightsaber, and you could go Green symbolic of Luminara.)

....wouldn't it be just awful if its Tutso Mara's lightsaber?

Inquisitor and Barriss have a sparring session, he tries to get her to use Anger and slams her into the roof, she's noticeably angry.

"Mercy only breeds defeat, i will help you overcome this weakness."

This line is interesting because it's not the usual only your Hatred can strike me down line, the Grand Inquisitor is actually being polite and offering a twisted form of assistance.

Which brings me to a thought - The Grand Inquisitor was right beside Barriss during her big confession at Ahsoka's trial, he's probably going to see her as someone that they don't have to break or torture.

Fourth Sister using Spinning Lightsaber

So this is a very short sequence. The Fourth Sister is in an area with a Rock wall, jumps down, glances around nervously, spins her blade and looks up.

Speculation: Something hasn't gone to plan, maybe the Jedi later in trailer is tougher, or maybe someone else has swapped sides...

The Jedi Fight

This shot opens with Barriss in a proper Inquisitor Uniform and her own useless spinning lightsaber running towards Fourth Sister and an unknown Jedi with a blue Saber

During the fight we can see ITS NOT LUMINARA, this Jedi has a different facial structure, skin tone and likely human.

We can also see who i assume is Barriss looking like she is hesitating on what to do.

We then cut to a different seen of a hooded figure using the force to blow away B2 Super Battle Droids. This implies its during the clone wars and the hooded figure is very likely Barriss cause that silhouette is very similar.

The figure is illuminated by a white glow and it's probably a part of sequence meant to show Barriss before she went nuts - cause its been 11 years so new viewers might not know this character who only appeared in technically 7 eps at most is...

FIGHT TO THE DEATH

Fight to death between Barriss and an unknown initiate.

Grand Inquisitor throws a lightsaber between the two - no its not Barriss's lightsaber

Ray shields go up. Initiate who i'm calling Glup, goes for the Saber. The crystal has been bled so it's red.

Glup and Barriss fight and Barriss goes for the sky high kick or possibly punch to the head.

THE NEW MASTER

'it is time to meet your new Master."

This implies the initiates don't meet Vader until they're full members.

We see Barriss lined up with the other Inquisitors - she's in full uniform. Really hard to tell if her eyes are dark side yellow or not. (They still look Blue compared to Fourth's)

Also it's really funny to me that she's lined up with Bird face Inquisitor, Marrok and Fourth Sister, cause everyone said all of those Inquisitors was Barriss Offee.

They all kneel, Barriss goes down first.

Vader walks past and Barriss looks up slightly and watches him...and she immediately frowns and furrows her eyebrows.

She's plotting something....

Interesting note: Since bird face is alive and has his head perfectly attached to his neck still, This places Barriss's eps of Tales of the Empire prior to Ahsoka's last ep of Tales of the Jedi

Look i can hope for Barriss to escape and then we seen the back of Ahsoka walk into frame....

#barrissoffee #barriss offee #tales of the empire #star wars #star wars the clone wars #trailer analysis #I spent way too much time doing this #inquisitorius #fourth sister #grand inquisitor

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tempestswing · 6 months

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Ranking the Dark Council:

hi! I was writing some notes for a piece of SWTOR fiction I am working on, and decided to create this list as a fun way to share that information.

Dark Council Pre-Shadow of Revan:

12. Darth Aruk - we know nothing about this character, other than that they were head of the Sphere of Sith Philosophy. According to the Wiki, rooting out Revanites was supposed to be their job. What a failure, hopefully they still have a job after Shadow of Revan?

11. Darth Rictus - Also kind of a mystery, which is ironic since he was head of the Sphere of Mysteries. Rictus does appear in a novel called 'Annihilation', but that book is mostly about Theron Shan. All we really know about Rictus is that he's (A) old, (B) dislikes aliens, unless they're murderous enough, and (C) founded the Dread Executioners to take down the Dread Masters. Not enough information to rank any higher.

10. Darth Acharon - at least this guy appears in the game. He's kind of a nothing character though. He defended the imperial occupation of Corellia unsuccessfully. He was head of the Sphere of Biotics. Since he died on Corellia, he would presumably have been replaced by Shadow of Revan, but we don't know who by.

9. Darth Arkous - hate this guy, but he's still technically head of the Sphere of Military Offense after the Hutt Cartel plotline. God, what a bag of dicks he is though. The one good thing about this character is that he's technically Lana Beniko's master? Although she's an advisor rather than an apprentice, so he gets no credit for the existence of awesome Sith wife.

8. Darth Decimus - Also found in game on Corellia! Decimus is actually present in the imperial quests, so you get a lot more interaction with him than Acharon. Canonically, he also trained Krovos! Krovos is really cool, so decimus should get a few points by association. Not enough to bump him up the list though. For the head of Military Strategy, he's not a very good commander.

7. Darth Ravage - You can meet Ravage at the end of the Inquisitor and Warrior storylines, and for all imperials he is present during the cutscenes preceding the Emperor Malgus flashpoints (although does nothing to help?). The main reason I'm putting Ravage so low is that he's a little bit inconsistently written. He'll gladly say "good riddance" to Darth Thanaton's death in the inquisitor plotline, but if you kill Baras in the Warrior plotline, he'll show up at Nathema and be all offended that you claimed power by murdering your master... does he know what a Sith is?

6. Darth Mortis - I have a bit of a soft spot for Mortis. He's got a no-nonsense demeanour which is rare amongst Sith, and he's clearly serious enough about their philosophy to join a secret conspiracy against the alliance if you "squander" the power of the Eternal Throne - a petty move, this man is a bitch after my own heart. He also is the one who snaps Darth Thanaton's silly little neck, which definitely earns him a few points in my eyes. As a point, he's involved in the Macrobinocular missions, which I did not enjoy, but he was a highlight of the questline.

5. Darth Acina - WOMEN IN POWER!!! Empress Acina is better than Emperor Vitiate. Unfortunately Acina is kind of bland, I really don't feel strongly about her either way. I've killed her on Iokath in most of my playthroughs, even if I don't intend to defect to the republic later. I might be lesbian but I just don't like her that much. Her reforms to the Empire are interesting though, I do have to give her credit for making the Empire slightly less racist and Sith dominated.

4. Darth Vowrawn - Silly guy!! This man is genuinely quite funny. He's a blast to spend time with at the end of the Warrior story, after dealing with Baras' grumpy ass for close to fifty levels. His choice to help the Wrath with the Hand on Rishi says... something. He's genuinely an interesting character to me, especially since he maintains that joviality when he becomes Emperor. It's tempered, to be sure, but I think it does show it wasn't entirely an act. Vowrawn could be a genuine friend to the Wrath.

3. Darth Jadus - Sue me, I like unapologetically evil characters. Jadus is not just an evil clown, he's an evil circus. Schemer to the core and melodramatic as fuck. I chose to serve him without a second thought in my agent playthrough. I appreciated the name drop on Iokath and I have 1% chance 99% cope that he will return at some point in the story.

2. Darth Occlus/Nox/Imperius - OCs are fun. No further notes. I should probably drop the lore for my verison of this character, huh... maybe in another post.

Darth Marr - Everyone's favourite tired Dad just trying to keep his society from collapsing as his colleagues bicker about inane bullshit. I reckon he drinks coffee straight outta the pot in the Dark Council's break room. I really wish he hadn't died, but his force ghost shenanigans were neat and I liked seeing him find a measure of redemption. Again, I am on a high dose of copium but if Malgus can return after being killed and abandonded on an exploding space station why can't someone scrape Marr off the floor of Zakuul and rebuild him. I do also low-key ship Marr with Satele Shan?

anyway, that's my totally subjective ranking of Dark Council members.

#swtor #Dark Council #Sith #sith warrior #sith inquisitor #darth mortis #darth Marr #darth acharon #darth acina #darth decimus #darth arkous #darth jadus #darth ravage

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bloodyshadow1 · 7 months

Text

just my feelings on the bad kids and their class levels/classes right now. It's just my opinion, I am not bashing the multiclasses or the players choices

Adaine- Love it, she's an 11th level wizard, i get that multiclassing can be fun, but for some classes it's just better, imo, to just stay the course because having access to upper level spells can be more useful than a multiclass. I'm sure there's a broken wizard multiclass, but I think it just fits her better to stay a wizard throughout. Sometimes with full casters, I could see dipping into monk or Barbarian for the ac buff, but neither would help her so It's probably best for her to stay a wizard since she has access to 6th level spells since leveling up

Kristen- Same as Adaine, I personally like full casters to stay the course and keep on keeping on. again I'm sure there's a broken cleric other class build, like Saccharina from ACOC, but I'm not sure anything other than paladin would fit Kristen. A lot of her issues are mental and Tracker was right about her not wanting to do the boring stuff. I like her having to discover what she wants out of being a cleric rather than her dropping it because it's not exactly what she wants for something new.

Riz- 11 levels of rogue, though from the beginning of the season he's now an arcane trickster instead of an inquisitor which I think is more helpful and just a better fit. He's still a detective, but he's also kind of a secret agent so having access to magic helps and fits his character growth. Also he never really used a lot of the inquisitor abilities that often and his perception wasn't that good to justify the subclass. I'm also glad he is staying a full rogue so far, I think given the mechanics of Junior year so far, it would put a lot of strain on him to try and do more than just a single course track

Now for the multiclassers

Fabian- I think both taking levels of bard and going from champion fighter to battlemaster was the best choice for him. I think overall he was a fighter because he was taught to be one, but overall the boy is a bard at his core. The flourishes the spells, the charisma proficiency, they're what Fabian wants more than what he gets from being a fighter. Fabian has always wanted to be popular and stand out while being a great warrior and a swords college bard fits that better than being a fighter, a class he seems to have very little attachment to. Currently he is a 6 fighter 5 bard, since he was a level 8 fighter and gave up 3 levels to take in bard when he was depressed he has boosted up 2 levels in that class vs 1 in fighter. After the initial class level trading he hasn't decreased his levels in fighter, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does in the future.

Gorgug- this is where I get a bit critical, I don't really know if Artificer Barbarian is a good multiclass. I've seen some people say it's amazing while others say it's terrible, I have no clue. from what I can tell it doesn't look like it's super good, it's a support class and a tinkerer so it does fit Gorgug, but I don't think it really is that efficient with the Bad Kid's party comp. Fabian and Gorgug were the front line fighters, Gorgug being the tank and DPS while Fabian was a striker dps with a good hp pool and ac, but Barbarians soak up damage better than any class. It's also hard to be a caster (even a half/third caster like Artificier, and be a barbarian because you can't cast spells or even concentrate on them when you rage which is obviously a problem. It's just hard to imagine gorgug as an battlesmith, which I assume he is, since other than the steeldefender it doesn't give him anything he doesn't already have as a barbarian. We also don't know any of his infusions so it's hard to really be attached to Gorgug as an artificer when we don't really seem him artifice. That being said, he's Zac's character so whatever he wants is gonna happen. Since Gorgug has been trading an additional level in barbarian for artificer (6 barb/5 art) I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually drops barbarian all together. I think a barbarian is more useful, but I can understand why Zac would want Gorgug to go down the artificer path instead and I support it.

Fig- Honestly, Fig's multiclassing is the strangest to me because I can't really wrap my head around it. She so far only has 2 levels of warlock to her 9 of bard, even last level up she took another level of Bard, the two levels she took of warlock were in freshman year and she never really looked back. That being said, from the recent eps, it seems like she likes the warlock classes better, she isn't even sure if she wants to be a bard anymore. which I find kind of a shame because she also liked the 1 bard class she took. Emily is a master multiclasser so I'm sure Fig is gonna be great whatever and will be who Emily wants her to be. I'm hoping she doesn't become a paladin because, even if it's to replace her levels in Bard, despite hexblade being one of the best combos with paladin. It just feels like Fig as the character took levels/are planning to take levels in other classes to make other people happy. She became a warlock because she found her devil father and wanted to be closer to him, she offered to become a paladin for Cassandra to help out Kristen, but I think that's selfless, but it doesn't help her as a person. Sometimes you can be too selfless to a point where it's bad for you. Emily can of course do whatever, but I'll be a bit sad if has Fig giving up on being a bard. Like with Kristen it seems like Fig just doesn't want to do the uncool stuff and that's gonna be with anything she tries. I think she's running away from what she wants herself to be to make things easier/more exciting and I think it's going to backfire.

I will also say, it's not exactly fair for Brennan to poison her bardic abilities. I'll say more on the topic on another post but it's still how I feel.

#fantasy high #fantasy high spoilers #fantasy high meta #fantasy high junior year #fhjy #dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #d20

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noeasyisnoisy · 6 months

Text

‼️TBB EP 10 & 11 SPOILERS BELOW CUT‼️

ep 10

who tf are these people

ykw good for you emerie

ARE WE FINALLY GONNA KNOW WHAT THE EMPIRE IS DOING

“YOUR responsibility” hemlock is setting her up for something

kids?

OH MY FUCKING GOD ITS INQUISITORS I THINK

omg those poor kids :(

why is bro smirking like that HELP

oh my god they’re gonna take that child.

BANE AGAIN??

poor baby omg MY HEART

i have a soft spot for kids i’m sorry

EVA IS ADORABLE

“when i’ll be going home.. can you find out for me?” IM IN PUBLIC IM GONNA START CRYING STOP

i don’t trust this green kid

CALLED IT

omg he just wants to go home IM GOING TO SOB

“i was following protocol” = “good soldiers follow orders”

why did i know his name would be jax

am i psychic or have we heard it before and i’m js forgetting

nala se 💔

“there is nothing i can do” YES THERE IS BE SO FR

NO NOT TARKIN

ngl i’m kinda surprised tarkin doesn’t know abt the project

OH MY GOD

PHEE

omg what if (if he’s tech) she snaps him out of it.

“how many others like this have you captured?” oh honey you have no idea

i can’t stop thinking about the baby and his mother and THIS IS REALLY SAD

DID THEY KILL JAX???

“we just wanna go home” STOP.

SHE KEPT THE HAY LULA

AND GAVE IT TO EVA

SHE KEPT THE HAY LULA AND GAVE IT TO EVA!!!!

i’m rooting for you emerie

ep 11

where are we

PHEE!!

oh my god phee. (i remembered the convo w maybe tech)

IS THIS A TRAP

ITS A TRAP

I CALLED IT

PHEE WATCH OUT

i’m trying so hard not to get up my hopes that it’s tech rn.

what did he grab 🤨

tbb’s location or smth maybe??

SHE KNOWS

sneaky bitch

maybe tech’s ship reminds me of padmé’s ship a bit

not exactly but kinda similar? maybe it’s js the general shape

PABU

pabu’s gonna be gone

NO THE CADETS

oh god are they gonna leave right before pabu’s attacked

TECHS GOGGLES.

GET OUT

STOP

AND LULA

OH MY GOD

i’m currently bawling my eyes out

notice how the island is completely in the dark

god i love lighting

HUNTER KNOWS

NO HE SEES HER

OMG NO

WRECKER KNOWS

holy fucking shit.

HOLY SHIT

HE BETTER BE ALIVE

IF THEY KILLED HIM ISTG

CAN I NOT CRY FOR TWO SECONDS

hunter knows

HOLY FUCK

I KNEW IT

PABUS GOING DOWN

ok this music slaps though

maybe tech feels like tech but the voice (accent, tone, everything) is SO different

my heart hurts omg

OMEGA SWEETIE NO ITS NOT YOUR FAULT

“i’ve barely done anything yet” first of all BE SO FR second yep oahu is a goner

ok but protective crosshair hits different every time

BATCHER STOP

if they kill batcher.

OH THANK GOD HES ALIVE

JENNIFER YOU SCARED ME.

why was hunter taking out that trooper kinda..

EAT HUNTER

GOD HES HOT

maybe tech no.

STOP

omgomgomgogmogmg

HES ALIVE BUT IM STILL SOBBING JESUS

I NEED TO CALM DOWN

OMEGA YOU ARE NOT GETTING CAPTURED

STOP IT.

she’s smart but it’s too risky

she’s grown up so much holy shit

“then you never should’ve come here in the first place” I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA KILL EVERYONE OMG

crosshair your hand better not start shaking.

HIS NOISE

HIS SIGNATURE NOISE

IN THE MUSIC

ITS BACK (it might’ve been back for a while but i didn’t notice it)

THANK GOD HUNTER

WET HAIR HUNTER⁉️⁉️⁉️

IM TOO HURT TO APPRECIATE FULLY THOUGH

update: i rewatched and that hair is NOT wet 😔

BATCHER!!!!!

oh my god hunter’s gonna be PISSED

i’m crying again

NONONO

HUNTER SAVE CROSS NOW.

omega what do you know

is she meditating

THE FORCE???

IS SHE GONNA TAP IN AND TELL THEM BC IDK WHAT ELSE THEYD DO

ok so my final thoughts are i am HURT and still crying WHAT THE FUCK JENNIFER

#star wars #tbb #the bad batch #clone force 99 #tbb season 3 #the bad batch season 3 #star wars tbb #tbb spoilers #tbb season 3 spoilers #tbb s3 spoilers

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foxblood · 11 days

Text

The Threads of Memory: VII Confession

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25

Noelle’s stone gray eyes looked up from her tea in the parlor as Gale entered with an armful of books. Her baby babbled on her lap. Gale set the books down on the coffee table to ruffle the boy’s hair, the same velvet brown as his mother’s. He giggled around his thumb and reached for the brass buttons on Gale’s coat.

“Good to see you, Noelle,” he gestured to the stairs, “I assume mother filled you in.”

“I’m minding Del and Dot while she’s running errands,” Noelle sighed, “they act like you’ve gotten them a puppy and will not allow them to pet it.”

Gale chuckled. “I highly doubt Velim would tolerate petting. Have you seen them?”

She shook her head no and adjusted her son on her lap. His pudgy hand reached for her teacup, but she kept it expertly out of his reach. “In your room all day. Resting, I’d imagine, though they did have Tara retrieve some things for them earlier.”

“And Tara?” Gale gathered his stack of books back into his arms.

“Playing sentinel.” Her son whined, reaching for the pretty cup. Noelle picked a wooden cup off the table and handed it to him. He promptly began chewing on the lip.

“Thank you, Noelle. Will you be joining us for supper?” Gale asked.

She shook her head again. “Evrett and I have a previous engagement, but I will be back to help you pack tomorrow morning.”

“Does Evrett know?” Gale shuffled his feet.

“No. You know he’s a terrible gossip,” Noelle flashed him a tired smile, “would you please convince your dragon to reveal themself to Dot and Del? Del is becoming unmanageable, and Charrel is running out of chores to busy her with.”

“I’ll do my best,” Gale assured her, hauling the books up the stairs to the bedrooms. He stopped in front of his bedroom door and knocked.

Tara poked her head out of the porthole set high on the wall. “Mr. Dekarios, there you are.”

“Hello Tara,” Gale greeted as she hopped down, “should I leave the books?”

“They’re awake, if you’d just give them some time to compose themself,” Tara scolded, rubbing against his ankles, “how did your meetings go?”

“Very well. They already sent an inquisitor,” Gale clutched the books to his chest as the orb tightened, “even so, I worry about the attention it might attract if I was connected to it. I’ve asked them to keep my name out of it.”

“Will they?” Tara asked.

Gale’s expression tightened. “I don’t know.”

“What did you bring them?” Tara stood up against his knee and sniffed at the books in his arms.

“Just some reading material. I can’t imagine my old schoolbooks are Velim’s preferred mode of entertainment,” Gale knocked on the door again and leaned in to call through it, “Velim, I understand if you don’t want to see me. I’ve brought you some things, I can leave them at the door.”

Tara tsked and twitched her tail at him disapprovingly as he set the stack of books down and massaged the deadened ache in his chest. He laid his palm on the door.

“Are you going to introduce them yet?” Del demanded from her door at the end of the hallway.

“Cut it out, Del,” Dot hissed, “leave them alone.”

“I’m not going to leave them alone, they’ve been up for hours and we haven’t seen Gale in a gods-damned year,” Del yanked her arm away from Dot, “are you going to introduce us, or not?”

“Enough eavesdropping,” Tara hissed, cutting Gale off before he could scold Del himself, “put yourselves away and leave them be.”

Gale pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes, Del, be patient.”

Del put her hands on her hips and set her feet. “What do you mean ‘be patient’? You bring a stranger into our house, they wear our clothes --”

“They are borrowing Noelle’s clothes, which she does not use,” Gale countered, “it is none of your business, Del.”

“None of my business?” she scoffed indignantly, “I live here!”

Dot wrapped her arms around her sister’s waist and Del squealed as she was hoisted off the floor and dragged back into the bedroom. Dot peeked out as she was closing the door.

“Sorry Gale.” She smiled apologetically, then locked the door behind her. The arguing continued behind it.

Gale sighed, accepting that Velim would not be making an appearance following the ruckus Del caused, and began walking away.

Velim pressed their forehead to the cool wood of the door and sucked in a steadying breath before swinging it open into the hallway. They picked up the stack of books on the floor, leaning them weight on their uninjured arm.

“Gale, wait,” Velim watched the floor, unable to look up at him. They gestured into the room with their head and retreated.

Gale followed, closing the door softly behind him. Velim set the stack of books on the desk with their back turned toward him. Black scales with a liquid shine crept up the nape of their neck following the tense lines of their back, and their jet black hair fell behind them in a glossy braid. They drummed their claws on the worn wood of his old desk. When they turned the desk chair around and sat facing him, he noticed the puncture marks on the skin of their throat and his heart clenched.

His eyes drifted down, resting on the twisted scaled-over scars running the length of their collarbones down their sternum before vanishing into the low neckline of the shirt. They grimaced, flashing their jagged teeth and pulling the neckline of the shirt closed.

Gale averted his eyes, staring down at the worn carpet beneath his feet. His stomach took a plunge off the edge, the room taking on a surreal quality with the muted arguing of his sisters behind one wall and the dragon sitting in his desk chair. They cut a sharp, dark shape out of the space that he couldn’t bring himself to reach for, but he forced himself to meet their eyes anyway. He owed them at least that much. Their eyes looked back at him roiling acidic green, set deep and ringed with inky scales, and they burned away his thoughts.

Velim dropped their gaze to their hands, pressing down on the puncture wound between their thumb and forefinger until it ached.

When Gale found his voice, it was low and rough. “Did Tara tell you we were looking for you?”

“She said something like that.” They croaked around their sandpaper throat. They pulled the collar of their shirt closed again until the fabric sat tight against their neck.

“I am so sorry. About all of this,” Gale’s voice shuddered, “this shouldn’t have happened.”

Velim’s head tilted. “The parasite in your chest, how did it respond to my blood?”

Gale’s heart leapt into his throat. “Wh-what?”

“The parasite,” they cleared their throat, “the thing in your chest that needs regular doses of weave. I know Lonzok was handing out vials of my blood to interested buyers. I know you didn’t find me because you were looking for me, so indulge my professional curiosity.” They studied the color rising to his face and the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He kept meeting their eyes and then looking away again.

Gale swallowed hard. “I should have known better.”

Velim’s heart fell, filling in the remainder of the statement: I should have known better than to let you live.

“You would have unraveled me on your own, given enough time. Gods know you were already well on your way. I should have told you sooner, but I was,” he coughed around the tightness in his throat, “I was afraid it would drive you away.”

Their heart shot back up and their ears went hot. “My investigation unraveled us both, then. But the parasite, how did it react? I really do want to know.”

“It ended the episode,” Gale rubbed the orb, which had settled into a dull ache, “but you deserve the full story.”

Velim leaned forward and nodded to encourage him.

Gale’s eyes rested on their hands, talons filed down, and thought better about reaching for them. “I was once Mystra’s chosen, and walked at her side on the heavenly planes of Elysium. Perhaps Elminster let slip as much at the masquerade,” he glanced up and felt their gaze pierce him, soft and focused on him in a way he had never experienced before. Gale wondered at how much the illusions flattened their presence and expression, it seemed so obvious now. He felt a pang of inadequacy -- He, of all people, should have recognized the limitations of a disguise spell long before this point, “she showed me the landscape of the weave, taught me how to play upon it, encouraged my research into Netheril’s fall for the sake of understanding -- well, I suppose I never understood the hubris of Karsus. Not really.”

Velim’s gaze drifted, settling on his shoulder where a pale red stain soaked through the fabric of his shirt. Discharge, they recognized, from a large chemical burn on his upper arm. They wondered if he would let them fix the wrapping.

Gale noticed their focus shift. He tugged at the fabric of his shirt. “Yes, I deserved that, as well. I seem to have a bad habit of harming those I cherish most.”

That brought some color to Velim’s cheeks. “You cherish me?”

“Gods, more than anything,” Gale breathed, “you’ve been a light in the darkness these past few months. I was only so desperate that,” he ran a hand down his face to compose himself, “you were gone, and the orb -- it’s a fragment of Karsite weave, no point in keeping that from you now -- it pained me so badly that I couldn’t look for you properly. I needed a quick solution.”

“So, when you were offered access to Tiamat’s spawn…” They trailed off and waited for him to finish the thought for them.

He saw again the needle mark in their throat and wished with irrational fervor that he could return the blood he’d already used. “I only needed enough to find you, I swear, my intention was never to kill you.”

“Only to harm,” the corner of Velim’s mouth pulled into the hint of a mirthless smile, “but if you had the opportunity? If it hadn’t been me?”

Gale fell silent. He clasped his hands in his lap and stared at the lines of his knuckles, terrified that Velim would see the answer in his eyes if he looked up. A knot tightened in his throat.

As he squeezed his eyes tightly shut, the impulse to reach for him struck Velim again. They cocked their head to the side, thoughts drifting, and returned to Gale’s silence already reaching for him. They covered his clasped hands, which opened until he cupped their hand in his palms. He studied it, dragging his thumb down the scales until the bandage across their hand interrupted the progress.

“You had more to tell me,” Velim prompted.

Gale sniffed and wiped his eyes with one hand. “Yes, the Karsite weave. I’m sorry, I -- it’s the consequences of my own actions. When Mystra brought me into the fold, I sought nothing less than to be her foremost pupil. There were doors she would not open to me, for good reason, but I thought that if she just understood my adoration for her and her works that I might cross that threshold into her innermost sanctuary. If she just knew how much I could truly learn from her…”

Velim wondered if they were lovers, or if he simply spoke of her in the nearly pornographic ways devotees describe their gods. Based on their own experience, gods seemed inordinately fond of metaphorical penetration.

“So I sought a fragment of the magic Karsus stole away. I wanted only to return a single tiny diamond to an imperfect crown, and prove my adoration to her,” Gale sighed bitterly and touched his free hand to his heart, “and I proved only my own fallibility in her eyes.”

“What did she expect from you, exactly?” Their eyes bored into him with the same heat as the orb in his chest.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Gale cleared his throat, “she expected restraint, wisdom.”

“Curiosity? Exploration?” Velim filled in, “the most predictable qualities in mortals,” they leaned in, their nose scrunching up in satisfied disgust, “Lady Mystra looked at Gale Dekarios and expected no grand gestures?”

Gale dropped their hand. “Be that as it may, I am no longer in her good graces.”

Velim accepted the separation, pressing mindlessly on the wound in their palm. “Has your mother spoken to you about the house?”

Gale sighed, relieved for the change in subject. “Yes, she has. I never thought I’d see the day that blasted place was anything but a burden to her. Does that mean I’ve no need to convince you? I had quite the speech prepared.”

“I’ve already decided to go, but you can still say your piece if you’d like.” Velim pretended at disinterest by studying their claws, but couldn’t suppress the smile. They forgot the throbbing ache in their body.

Gale straightened up, imitating the conversation he had expected to have. “You may have heard tell of my father -- whom I have never met -- the illuminated Lord of Willow Valley Manor set upon the moon-drenched moors of Reddenhyde. A magnificent structure that has housed not one, not two, ben ten generations of Devons. A place dripping in history, set on the very borders of Low Netheril, beautiful in the severity of its landscapes, and so remote that none will be able to follow us.”

“And surrounded by frozen swamps a black dragon might easily disappear into, should conditions deteriorate,” Velim added.

Gale chuckled. “I hadn’t considered that, though I sincerely hope you’re not planning to leave me alone in a very haunted manor.”

“That would be up to you.” Velim nodded to him, the energy draining out of their body again.

He watched their shoulders slump, and the pit in his stomach opened again. “Gods, you must be exhausted,” he stood up, “I’ll leave you be.”

“Yes, I have to contact Peiotr. I’m sure he’s worried sick,” Velim said.

“I’ve already taken care of that,” Gale assured them, lingering in the room.

Velim’s eyes went wide and frightened. “Gods, what did you tell him?”

Gale held his hands up. “Just that you were safe. I couldn’t be certain how much he already knew, I swear to you I told no one.”

Velim’s head bowed and they ran a smoothing hand over their braid. “Thank you.”

“The least I could do, Vel.” Gale closed the door behind him, hearing the last breath of their sigh intertwine with the creak of the hinges. Down the hall, a door slammed. He stalked towards Del’s room and shoved open the door with his shoulder, pushing past her as she tried to hold it closed.

“Delores, why do you insist on being difficult?” Gale demanded, panting with the exertion, “Velim has been through quite enough without you dogging their steps.”

Dot covered her face as she laid back on the bed. “Sorry Gale.”

“Dot!” Del hissed, “Don’t apologize to him! He hasn’t even bothered to speak to us in a gods damned year, and now there’s a dragon in his bedroom? Where’s your spine, girl?”

“Velim is not a dragon,” Gale protested, “they are draconic, there is a difference.”

“‘Draconic’, oh please,” Del rolled her eyes, “I know damn well mother didn’t set you up with a dragon.”

“Not intentionally,” Gale argued through clenched teeth.

“My gods, she did!” Del laughed, “I told you the matchmaker gambit would work, Dot.”

“I told you, actually,” Dot corrected.

Del waved at her dismissively. “I’m sick of waiting for you to get your shit together. Are you going to fill us in, or not?”

“Allow me to fill you in,” Velim smiled at Gale from the doorway when he turned around.

Del opened and closed her mouth. Her face flushed red. Velim leaned against the doorframe while they waited for her to gather her thoughts. Dot got up from the bed and offered her hand to Velim.

“Dorothea, I’m sorry for bothering you,” she introduced herself.

Velim took her hand. “Velim, and it’s fine.”

Del regained her composure. “I have questions.”

“You must be Delores. You can ask three,” Velim dropped Dot’s hand.

Del scoffed. “Ten.”

“Delores,” Gale found his voice and put it to work warning his sister off.

Velim bowled over him. “Four.”

“Seven,” Del countered.

“Five, final offer.”

Del reached for Velim’s hand, but had to switch which she was using when Velim offered their uninjured left hand. It made the shake weaker and less sure than Del wanted it to be. “Deal. Are you actually a dragon?”

Velim shrugged. “It’s complicated. Technically.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Del demanded.

Velim held up two fingers. “It means that my body is fully draconic, but I can’t be a dragon because I’m not yet strong enough to maintain that form.”

“How did you meet Gale?”

Velim held up three fingers. “Through a matchmaker. Your mother didn’t tell you?”

“I told you so,” Dot sing-songed.

“Shut up Dot,” Del snapped, “She did so tell me. Why were you going to a matchmaker?”

“Research for a book.” Four fingers.

“You’re a writer?” as soon as she asked, Del’s face twisted in dismay, “No! Don’t answer that, it’s not my fifth question!”

Gale had sat down on the bed with his hot face in his hands. Dot sat next to him cross-legged. Velim tapped their injured hand with four raised fingers, waiting for Del to think up her final question.

“Are you going to marry Gale?” She asked with full serious sincerity, her face going redder when Velim laughed.

“Gods,” they held up their open hand, “that’s five. No.”

“Why not?” Dot piped up from the bed, then dropped her voice to a stage whisper, “are you worried about Mystra?”

“I said five questions,” Velim reminded her.

“Not to me,” Dot countered, “come on, what’s wrong with him?”

Gale groaned in embarrassment. “Dot, please.”

“Fair. Nothing’s wrong with Gale. I already tried marriage once and it didn’t work out,” Velim crossed their arms over their chest, “acceptable introduction?”

Gale straightened up, still flushed. “Yes, I think that’s quite enough,” he stood beside Velim, a warm presence between them and the twins, “I’m sorry, Velim, they can be true terrors.”

Velim shrugged.

“I’m a terror?” Del laughed, “Velim, did you know Gale blew up the house when he was seventeen?”

“It was technically just the kitchen,” Dot corrected, shrinking when Del shot her a glare.

Velim knocked into Gale with their shoulder, blocking his path out of the room. “Did he?” They caught a whiff of sour herbs and iron from the stain on his shirt. Their brow furrowed.

“He tried to make the kitchen automatic for mother’s birthday,” Del explained, “but he blew the place up instead. She came home from market and the house was on fire.”

“I’ll have you know, I very nearly succeeded! There are archwizards who would struggle with that kind of complex multi-spell circuit work, and I accomplished it at the tender age of seventeen.” Gale set his back defensively.

“You accomplished it until the stove exploded.” Dot nodded sagely.

“It was not my fault that one of the burner circuits was set in the wrong direction, I did not enchant the stove,” Gale insisted, “it would have worked just fine if whoever enchanted the burners in the first place was not an utter buffoon. And should I remind you that I spent the next three years doing nothing but tutoring talentless hacks at Blackstaff to pay for the rebuild.”

Del opened her mouth to say something else, but Velim took Gale by the arm. “Forgive the interruption, but I’d like to take a look at that burn before it gets infected,” they nodded at Del and Dot, “it’s good to meet the two of you.”

Gale brushed his shoulder, pulling back his fingers when he felt the damp through the cloth. “I -- yes. Of course.”

“See you at dinner, Velim.” Dot waved, and elbowed Del to do the same.

“Yeah,” Del said reluctantly, “see you.”

Velim’s face fell as they pulled Gale into his childhood bedroom and closed the door. They pointed toward the bathroom. “Take off your shirt. Did Charrel treat your burn last night?”

“Oh, you were serious?” Gale pulled at the fabric sticking to the soaked bandages.

“I am. Let me take a look, then I’ll set you free for whatever it is you’ve left to do. It shouldn’t take more than a minute.” Velim dug for a new roll of bandages in their coat and extracted a pair of silver-handled scissors from their roll of surgical tools.

Gale shed his shirt and sat at the edge of the stool. Velim dragged the water basin over and studied it -- drained of dirty water while they weren’t looking, but they couldn’t find the mechanism to refill it.

“Allow me.” Gale touched a rune on the side facing him, and fresh water filled the basin.

“Thanks,” they dunked their hands in and scrubbed them thoroughly with soap first, then emptied the basin and refilled it with fresh water again, “chemical burns like that aren’t treated the same way as a heat burn you might get in a kitchen. Charrel had no way of knowing, but the balm will do more harm than good if we don’t wash it off.”

They slid one blade of the scissors under the soiled bandages and cut them away. Gale’s pulse raced at the chill of the metal against his skin, then the cold air of the bathroom on the burn. The sour balm mixed with the copper stink of blood plasma. Velim dunked a clean towel in the water and waited for it to saturate, then guided Gale by the elbow until his shoulder was positioned over the basin. Gale hissed as they wrung the water out over the wound. They repeated the process until the basin was cloudy, and blotted the cleaned wound with the towel.

“Did you really put together multiple spell circuits at seventeen?” Velim asked, “I nearly destroyed my apartment when I tried to put two together.”

Gale sucked in a pained breath through his teeth as Velim wrapped his arm with fresh bandages. “Yes, I did. It was an ambitious and stupid thing to do. I didn’t realize you were studying arcane circuitry?”

They tucked the bandages flush and washed their hands again. “Just a curiosity. Perhaps I’ll explain more once I’m less anemic, but my notes may as well be gibberish to me right now.”

“I’m more than happy to teach you,” Gale picked his shirt off the counter and waved his hand over the stain. It vanished, “we’ll have plenty of time to get your magic skills up to par at Willow Valley, if you’d like.”

Velim studied his face, and Gale became aware that he was half-naked before them again. He hastily pulled his shirt over his head, and they turned away to organize their surgical tools. “That sounds like a good use of our time.”

“Unless you have a better use for our time in mind?” Gale regretted the question as soon as he heard it in his own voice, cautiously hopeful and fully not what he meant to imply.

Velim chuckled. “We’ll see.”

“Right, well, I have much work to do. We leave in the morning, should I grab anything for you?” Gale asked, “should I have Tara grab anything for you, I mean?”

They patted their coat. “I’m always packed.”

“Good, good!” he ran a hand through his hair, “I’ll see you at supper tonight.”

“Yes. Gale,” they waited for him to turn, “drink some water. Burns like that dry out the body, you’ll need more fluids than you’re used to.

He nodded. “Thank you, Velim. I’ll stop by the kitchen before I go.”

Velim turned in after supper, along with every other member of the Dekarios family exhausted by the breakneck pace of last minute travel arrangements. They spent the rest of the evening watching the window, staring into slivers of dark and then the gray dawn until Dorothea knocked on their door and called on them in a voice heavy with sleep. They rolled out of bed and made it to the sitting room downstairs with their coat and boots on before Gale was out of his housecoat. He sipped blearily on a cup of coffee, and Charrel swept past and handed Velim one of their own.

They stood next to Gale, who was slumped on a sofa, and picked a hand-written pamphlet off the coffee table. Charrel’s neat handwriting laid out the travel plans with meeting windows, arrangements for rest, and contact locations for changes in transportation. Seven at least. Velim sipped the coffee, letting the warmth chase away some of the dread of a complex travel schedule before dawn.

“Your carriage will arrive in some twenty minutes,” Charrel said, “you got the travel plans, good!”

Velim nodded. They watched a sequence of women emerge from the depths of the house and bid Gale goodbye, the last his mother who held his hands and spoke low and seriously to him. Del and Dot gave him a simultaneous hug that threatened to yank all three of them to the floor, and Noelle was called away by her son crying upstairs before she said her proper goodbyes. She made Gale promise to write, even though the letters wouldn’t arrive until the roads opened again in spring, and Velim piled him into the carriage. Within minutes, he had dozed off in the seat beside them.

By the time the sun rose on the fallow fields, the city of Waterdeep receded behind the carriage. The sky turned red before the carriage, painting the world in golden light. Gale snored softly beside Velim, eyelids fluttering when the wheel hit a pothole. Velim checked the travel itinerary again, trying not to think about their city behind them.

#bg3 fanfiction #gale bg3 #bg3 gale #galemance #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale x tav #bg3 tav #tav bg3 #threads of memory

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daitranscripts · 29 days

Text

Solas Conversation: Investigate

Tell Me About Yourself

Solas Masterpost

PC: I’d like to know more about you, Solas.

Low approval Solas (conscripted mages): And let slip where I might hide when this is over so your soldiers can drag me back to the Circle in chains? No. Solas (allied templars): And let slip where I might hide when this is over so your templars can hunt down the apostate elf? No. Solas (pre-IHW/CotJ/allied mages/conscripted templars): There is little to tell. What I learned in my studies may help you. My childhood in a village to the north will not.

Solas: The fate of this world depends on you, Inquisitor, and to that end, I offer my aid. But my life is my own. Scene ends.

asked before Solas: All right. What can I tell you? [4]

first time asking, neutral approval or higher Solas: Why?

Dialogue options:

General: I respect you. [1]

General: Do I need a reason? [2] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: I must know I can trust you. [3]

1 - General: I respect you. PC: You’re an apostate, yet you risked your freedom to help the Inquisition. Solas: Not the wisest course of action when framed that way. PC: I appreciate the work you’re doing, Solas. I just wanted to know more about you. Solas: I am sorry. With so much fear in the air… what would you know of me? [4]

2 - General: Do I need a reason? PC: Why not? Solas: Privacy? Caution? Concern about the direction of this Inquisition once our work is done? PC: Then don’t tell me. I wasn’t asking as part of the Inquisition. Solas: I am sorry. With so much fear in the air… what would you know of me? [4]

3 - General: I must know I can trust you. PC: You’re an elven mage. Not from the Circle, not Dalish. You’re an unknown element.

mage PC PC: If I’m to trust a self-taught apostate with my life, I need to know more about him. Solas: I don’t see myself as self-taught… but then, since I have not told you, you’d have no way of knowing that. All right. What can I tell you? [4]

non-mage PC PC: I wouldn’t trust my life to a blade before I’d tested its balance. Solas: Nor would I. All right. What can I tell you? [4]

4 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Why study the Fade? [5] Investigate: Where have you studied? [6] Investigate: Do you work with anyone? [7] General: Goodbye. [8]

5 - Investigate: Why study the Fade? PC: What made you start studying the Fade? Solas: I grew up in a village to the north. There was little to interest a young man, especially one gifted with magic. But as I slept, spirits of the Fade showed me glimpses of wonders I had never imagined. I treasured my dreams. Being awake, out of the Fade, became troublesome.

Dialogue options:

Special: That sounds dangerous. [9]

[Back to 4]

9 - Special: That sounds dangerous. PC: Did spirits try to tempt you? Solas: No more than a brightly colored fruit is deliberately tempting you to eat it. I learned how to defend myself from more aggressive spirits and how to interact safely with the rest. I learned how to control my dreams with full consciousness. There was so much I wanted to explore.

Dialogue options:

Special: Clearly, you woke up. [10]

[Back to 4]

10 - Special: Clearly, you woke up. PC: I gather you didn’t spend your entire life dreaming. Solas: No, eventually I was unable to find new areas in the Fade. PC: Why? Solas: Two reasons. First, the Fade reflects the world around it. Unless I traveled, I would never find anything new. Second, the Fade reflects and is limited by our imaginations. To find interesting areas, one must be interesting.

11 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Is that why you’re here? [12] +Solas slightly approves

General: I hope that works. [13]

General: Weird, but good for you. [14] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: That’s unnatural. [15] -Solas disapproves

12 - Investigate: Is that why you’re here? PC: Is this why you joined the Inquisition? Solas: I joined the Inquisition because we were all in terrible danger. ㅤㅤ ㅤ Solas (at Haven): If our enemies destroyed the world, I would have nowhere to lay my head while dreaming of the Fade. [back to 11] ㅤㅤ ㅤ Solas (in Skyhold): If Corypheus destroyed the world, I would have nowhere to lay my head while dreaming of the Fade. ㅤㅤ ㅤ high approval PC: Ah. Solas: Inquisitor… that is why I joined, not why I stayed. [back to 11] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 13 - General: I hope that works. PC: I wish you luck. Solas: Thank you. In truth, I have enjoyed experiencing more of life to find more of the Fade. PC: How so? [16] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 14 - General: Weird, but good for you. PC: Well, it’s not the worst reason I’ve heard to go out and enjoy life. Solas: I am glad to hear it. In truth, I have enjoyed experiencing more of life to find more of the Fade. PC: How so? [16] ㅤㅤ ㅤ 15 - General: That’s unnatural. PC: The only reason you live your life is to be able to see more of the Fade? Solas: Yes. PC: That’s no way to live. [16]

16 - Scene continues.

Solas (warrior PC): You strengthen your body to deliver and withstand punishment. The muscles are an enjoyable side benefit. Solas (rogue PC): You train to flick a dagger or an arrow to its target. The grace with which you move is a pleasing side benefit. Solas (mage PC): You train your will to control magic and withstand possession. Your indomitable focus is an enjoyable side benefit.

Solas: You have chosen a path whose steps you do not dislike because it leads to a destination you enjoy. As have I.

Dialogue options:

Flirt: You like my side benefits? [17]

[Back to 4]

17 - Flirt: You like my side benefits?

warrior PC PC: You find the muscles enjoyable? Solas: I meant that you enjoyed having them, presumably. PC: Ah. Solas: But… yes, since you asked. PC: Hmm. [back to 4]

rogue PC PC: So you’re suggesting I’m graceful? Solas: No, I am declaring it. It was not a subject for debate. PC: Hmm. [back to 4]

mage PC PC: Indomitable focus? Solas: Presumably. I have yet to see it dominated. I imagine that the sight would be… fascinating. PC: Hmm. [back to 4]

6 - Investigate: Where have you studied? PC: You said you’d traveled to many different places. Solas: This world, or its memory, is reflected in the Fade. Dream in ancient ruins, and you may see a city lost to history. Some of my fondest memories were found in crumbling cities long picked dry by treasure seekers. The best are the battlefields. Spirits press so tightly on the Veil that you can slip across with but a thought.

Dialogue options:

Special: Which battlefields? [18] +Solas slightly approves

[Back to 4]

18 - Special: Which battlefields? PC: Anyplace in particular? Solas: I dreamt at Ostagar. I witnessed the brutality of the darkspawn and the valor of the Fereldan warriors. I saw Alistair and the Hero of Ferelden light the signal fire… and Loghain’s infamous betrayal of Cailan’s forces.

Dialogue options:

Special: Tell me what happened! [19]

[Back to 4]

19 - Special: Tell me what happened! PC: I’ve heard the stories. It would be interesting to hear what it was really like. Solas: That’s just it. In the Fade, I see reflections created by spirits who react to the emotions of the warriors. One moment, I see heroic Wardens lighting the fire and a power-mad villain sneering as he lets King Cailan fall. The next, I see an army overwhelmed and a veteran commander refusing to let more soldiers die in a lost cause. PC: And you can’t tell which is real?

pre-HLTA Solas: It is the Fade. They are all real. [back to 4]

during HLTA, Alistair/Loghain is Warden contact Solas: Perhaps Alistair could tell you more, yet even that is just another perspective. Solas: Perhaps Loghain could tell you more, yet even that is just another perspective. [back to 4]

post-HLTA Alistair/Loghain was Warden contact Solas: A pity you did not ask Alistair earlier, yet even that would have been but another perspective. Solas: A pity you did not ask Loghain earlier, yet even that would have been but another perspective. [back to 4]

7 - Investigate: Do you work with anyone? PC: Have you always travelled and studied alone? Solas: Not at all. I have built many lasting friendships. Spirits of wisdom, possessed of ancient knowledge, happy to share what they had seen. Spirits of purpose helped me search. Even wisps, curious and playful, would point out treasures I might have missed.

20 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Wisdom and Purpose? [21] +Solas slightly approves

General: That’s amazing. [22] +Solas slightly approves

General: Can they be your friends? [23]

General: Spirits are not your friends. [24] -Solas disapproves

21 - Investigate: Wisdom and Purpose? PC: I don’t know of any spirits by those names. Solas: They rarely seek this world. When they do, their natures do not often survive exposure to the people they encounter. Wisdom and purpose are too easily twisted to pride and desire.

Dialogue options:

Special: Those are demon names. [25]

[Back to 20]

25 - Special: Those are demon names. PC: You’re saying that you became friends with pride and desire demons? Solas: They were not demons for me. PC: Meaning? Solas: The Fade reflects the minds of the living. If you expect a spirit of wisdom to be a pride demon, it will adapt. And if your mind is free of corrupting influences? If you understand the nature of the spirit? They can be fast friends. [back to 20]

22 - General: That’s amazing. PC: I’m impressed that you could become friends with spirits. Solas: Anyone who can dream has the potential. Few ever try. My friends comforted me in grief and shared my joy. Yet because they exist without form as we understand it, the Chantry declares that spirits are not truly people. [26]

23 - General: Can they be your friends? PC: You trust these spirits not to possess you the first time you accidentally make a wish? Solas: Do you trust your friends not to turn on you? PC: Well, yes, but they’re people. Solas: Ah, of course. PC: You know what I mean. Solas: Are people only people because they are flesh and blood? [26]

24 - General: Spirits are not your friends. PC: When I asked if you were with anyone, I meant other people. Solas: Ah. “People,” as opposed to spirits. We are flesh and blood, so we are real. [26]

26 - Scene continues.

Solas: Is Cassandra defined by her cheekbones and not her faith? Varric by his chest hair and not his wit?

Dialogue options:

General: Yes. Spirits are people. [27] +Solas approves

General: You need a body to be real. [28] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: Spirits lack free will. [29] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: I’m not arguing this. [30] -Solas disapproves

Flirt: I enjoy getting to know you. [31] +Solas slightly approves

27 - General: Yes. Spirits are people. PC: I hadn’t thought about it that way, but I see your point. Solas: I… thank you. Few are willing to entertain such a notion. [back to 4]

28 - General: You need a body to be real. PC: They’re not defined by their bodies, but they do have bodies. You need one to be a person. Solas: A demon possessing a corpse has a body. PC: A living body. Solas: A demon possesses a living mage to become an abomination. PC: They didn’t make that body. They just took it over. Solas: Technically your mother created your body, with some help from your father, one assumes. PC: You’ve thought about this. Solas: On occasion, yes. [back to 4]

29 - General: Spirits lack free will. PC: Spirits are bound by their nature. You said it yourself. They’re shaped by contact with real people. Solas: Just as Leliana was shaped by contact with Divine Justinia, as those who serve the Inquisition are shaped by you. If I change your mind in this conversation, does that mean you’re no more real than a spirit? PC: You’ve thought about this. Solas: On occasion, yes. [back to 4]

30 - General: I’m not arguing this. PC: I’m certain you have some rhetorical trick ready to counter anything I say. Solas: It’s likely. I’ve had a lot of time to discuss the question with people. Or “spirits,” if you prefer. [back to 4]

31 - Flirt: I enjoy getting to know you. PC: You have an interesting way of looking at the world, Solas. Solas: I try… and that isn’t quite an answer. PC: I look forward to helping you make new friends. Solas: That should be… well. Herald: That isn’t quite an answer, either. [back to 4]

8 - General: Goodbye. PC: We’ll talk later. Solas: Goodbye.

#dragon age inquisition #dai transcripts #dragon age #dragon age transcripts #dragon age dialogue #dai #long post #dai dialogue #solas

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shift-shaping · 2 months

Text

stay like this

solas and enaste share a quiet moment.

rating: t

pairing: solavellan

warnings: vague reference to attempted sexual assault

previous fics | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Enaste crouched to arrange her bedding, and would have been tempted to take an afternoon nap were she not determined to spend as much time with her family as possible. Harea would certainly press more honeyed tea on her, but that was a fair trade-off if it meant they’d believe her little white lie and let her relax. It was much easier to claim she’d caught a cold than it was to explain what had actually happened.

There was a knock on the wood of the aravel. She turned, expecting one of her clanmates, but saw Solas standing there instead. She couldn't help but smile. He smiled too –small, yet warm. The surreality of him being here, in her home, in the place she’d called her own for so long before the events at the conclave, was still a bit overwhelming. How many of her clanmates had sought her out in just the same way? He was entirely separate from them, yet stood in their place all the same. "Come in, lethallin," she said, just as she had to so many before him. But as he entered the aravel he ducked his head to avoid hitting it on the entryway, and that was a much rarer sight.

He took in her humble sleeping space with raised brows. "I see now why your quarters at Skyhold were overwhelming."

She held out her arms, gesturing to the small space with the same smile. "It has everything I need."

"Which is..." He looked around, amused by her spartan home. "A bed."

"And some gifts!” She showed him some of the things her clanmates had made for her: a beautifully carved box for her clothes that she’d received upon becoming First, an embroidered satchel for herbs that Harea made for her twenty-second nameday, a weird dried sea creature her brother brought her from a hunting trip years ago, and various clumsily carved halla and painted parchment and hanging knotwork from the clan’s many children. She had installed shelves to hold more of her knicknacks, and some of them clung to the ceiling. Then, of course, her most prized possession: a hinged wooden box filled with her fly tying supplies, including a vice and a collection of thread and random materials. The box and vice had once belonged to Harea’s father, who passed away while Enaste was still in her teens. He knew Harea preferred big leatherworking needles to tiny flies, though, and had willed it to Enaste instead. The materials inside were gifted to her from many different clanmates, over many years.

“What more do you need?" She asked, and he conceded that she obviously had more than he’d initially assumed. So much talking made her throat even sorer, but she tried to ignore it, even as she felt her voice getting weak. "Sorry for volunteering you to go with Lady Volant. I'm --not trying to get rid of you, I promise."

He shook his head. "I know, Inquisitor. It was a clever suggestion." As always, his kind words warmed her. "And I am admittedly curious to see what is causing this alleged plague." He paused then, suddenly frowning, and stepped closer to her. It was an incredibly small space, so it was difficult not to be close, but with each inch lost between them her heart leapt. "Speaking of illness." He reached up and touched the end of Cole's scarf.

She sighed. "I..." She had lied instinctively to everyone else, not wanting them to worry. But though she knew he'd worry too, she didn't want to lie to him. Besides, she had a feeling he would learn what happened sooner or later from Cole. "The fight I had with the mercenaries did not go quite as… smoothly as I made it seem." Embarrassment warmed her ears; he had taught her better than this, hadn't he? She should have been able to handle it. He’d taught her so many strategies for keeping enemies off her in a fight, and yet she’d forgotten it all when she needed it most.

"May I see?" He asked quietly. She nodded, but hesitated. The scarf was thick and soft against her skin. She took the end of it, felt its weight between her fingers. A shaky exhale left her lips. Then she unwound it from her neck, and it felt like taking her armor off too soon. His eyes widened, and the bruises felt warm under his gaze. "Enaste..."

Shame sat thick in her mouth. She forced an awkward laugh. "It hurts, but it's fine, really." Her voice rolled against the ache in her chest. She cleared her throat.

"What happened?" She feared he'd be as disappointed in her as she was in herself, but his voice was low and soothing, and there was no judgment in it. She'd seen him like this before, speaking with Cole when he was overwhelmed, or aiding refugees on the road, but she'd never felt the full intensity of his concern. Was he like this while she slept after the explosion at the Conclave? Did he look at her as gently, as kindly, as he looked at her now? Or was this the first time he’d shown her this kind of compassion?

"They, um, it..." She fidgeted, looking away from him. He said nothing, let her put the words together, but she came up empty. She shook her head, frustrated and ashamed and half-wanting him to agree she’d made a mistake.

Instead he reached for her, hands hovering in the air on either side of her neck, asking for permission to help. She nodded, and he very gently put both hands on her neck, just below her jaw. It was always a rush to feel his skin on hers, even now when he did it to heal a hurt. There was an undeniable intimacy to this, to his hands cupping her face so softly, to his eyes locking on hers. For a second it stung, but then his cooling, healing magic spread through her skin. It sank into her muscles, into her throat, and shivered through every burning nerve until it cooled to a distant, tolerable tenderness. She exhaled shakily, closed her eyes; the feeling washed over and through her.

When she opened her eyes again he was looking at her with that same gentle concern, but also something else, something harder to read --fear?

"Thank you," she whispered. The pain was reduced by so much she hardly felt it at all. It was such a sudden and sharp relief that the absence of the pain was as tangible as its presence had been. Though the spell was complete, he did not take his hands from her face. She leaned into his touch, let her eyelids droop, and noticed –for neither the first time nor the last– the smattering of freckles on his cheeks.

"Did they hurt you anywhere else?" He asked quietly. She thought of their threats, of what they obviously intended to do when they talked about keeping her for themselves. She knew what he was asking, and she shook her head. "Good," he said softly. They stayed like that, gazes locked, their breath so loud in the quiet aravel it was all she could hear save the pounding of her heart. His hands were so gentle on her face. He had such handsome hands.

His thumb stroked her cheek, from her jaw to the very edge of her lips. Its trail lingered like a ghost on her skin.

She ought to pull away, but she couldn't. Instead she slowly moved closer to him, and when he gave no protest, wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him tightly. His hands fell from her face, hesitating, before they found their place on her waist. His hard arms tightened around her, holding her close.

He was so warm, and strong, and when she leaned her head against his chest she could hear his heart racing. "You are safe here.” The wool of his shirt was surprisingly soft against her cheek. “Just breathe,” he said. Given his own heart rate, she wondered if she should say the same to him.

But she couldn't find the words, so she just squeezed her eyes shut and hugged him tighter. A voice in her head said this was unbecoming of her, that she was probably wasting his time, that she ought to be stronger on her own, and for a moment it was like she felt the hand on her neck again, squeezing her throat, stealing the air from her lungs.

He soothed her, shushing softly. "Breathe. Focus on what's in front of you." His voice tickled against her ear and sent a shiver of need down her back. What kind of need, she wasn't sure. Perhaps just to stay like this, in his arms, until she could no longer stand.

"You're in front of me," she said breathlessly, in spite of herself, and though she felt him smile against her hair, he said nothing.

She could have stayed like that forever. She wanted to stay like that forever. He was here, knowing her hurt, holding her so tightly that she could lean into him completely and knew he wouldn't falter. She kept her eyes closed, felt the fullness of his body against her, and took his advice to breathe and be present.

Eventually they pulled apart, but she hesitated at arm's length. Her hands lay against his smooth, warm abdomen. He was close enough that she could kiss him, just as she had in the Fade, and even her knowledge that someone looking in at the right angle could see them failed to kill the urge. His hands lingered on her sides, pressed gently to the curve of her waist.

Then he stepped away, still smiling at her, even as he let her arms fall to her sides. "You can always come to me," he said. "You know that, don't you?"

She stared into his eyes --grey, violet, brown?-- and nodded. Creators, he was easy to look at. "Thank you," she managed. "For everything. For coming here, for..."

His hand moved, her heart jumped --but then it fell back to his side, and he gave her a tight-lipped smile. She stepped back, giving him space. "Of course, Inquisitor. I am --you have done well." He paused, then slowly shook his head. “And you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

"Thank you," she said again, and though his words were short, they settled hope in her chest. He lingered a moment longer, watching her, then gave a single nod before he left her in the aravel.

She turned back to her bedding. Her body felt strange, like it only partly belonged to her, but not in a bad way. Despite her earlier determination, she was overwhelmed with the sudden realization that the pile of furs constituting her bed looked like the most comfortable place in the entire world, and she was very, very tired.

<- prev fic | next fic ->

#solavellan #dragon age #solas x lavellan #solasmance #hurt/comfort #it's so hurt/comfort you guys #enaste lavellan #glimpses #this is so soft #this might be my favorite of these yet #it's just very soothing and gentle #things are going to get worse and then they're going to get better and then they're going to get really bad #so this is a good moment of happiness for them both

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tremendouskoalachild · 5 months

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anyway since a lot of it might be getting overwritten soon now that filoni is revisiting the inquisitorius characters (i assume he is? he wrote basically all of tales of the jedi right): here's what i understand of the inquisitor lore outside of the rebels show

Palpatine was keeping an eye out for Jedi who seemed at odds with the Order and/or susceptible to the dark side during the war (and likely earlier, much like with Anakin), either in person or using various agents (can be assumed and is shown in Rise of the Red Blade). this likely includes Jedi with specific knowledge or skills (the implication i got from Cere in Jedi: Fallen Order)

the groundwork for what would become the Inquisitorius was already in place by the time of the war's end

the Grand Inquisitor was a former Temple Guard who felt held back by the order and had a grudge against Jocasta Nu specifically (pretty sure this comes from Rebels and shows up in Darth Vader 2017). he was recruited at some point prior to Order 66 by Palpatine personally and promised leadership of the organization. this happened before Vader's conversion, and neither Vader nor the GI were informed of each other's existence at first (DV 2017).

several former Jedi were recruited willingly (eg. the GI, Iskat Akaris/13th Sister, Prosset Dibs/10th Brother, 5th Brother according to Battle Scars, Reva Sevander/Third Sister)

most (?) inquisitors were recruited by force, specifically torture upon being captured, usually during Order 66 (eg. Trilla Suduri/Second Sister (JFO), Seventh Sister (described as feeling broken in the Force in RotRB), Tualon Yaluna (RotRB), Masana Tide/Ninth Sister (JFO))

their primary purpose seems to be killing Jedi survivors rather than expanding their ranks by recruiting them. although it is a fear for those hunted by them, the inquisitors rarely try it, even if they do taunt their prey with the possibility (Masana's dialogue in JFO). this may have changed in the later years as the inquisitor numbers dwindled (i'm pretty sure they were actually trying to convert Ezra during Rebels. please correct me.)

they do, however, often try to kidnap Force-sensitive children too young to have been pre-Empire Jedi. this appears to include any age group and be the continuation of Palpatine's project during the clone wars. (i believe this is expanded upon in Rebels? it's a plot point in DV 2017 with Eeth Koth's infant daughter. also, i might have made this up but it seems to be the implied threat in Jedi: Survivor.)

the numbered titles appear to reference the order of initiation, with the GI being implicitly the First but never referred to as such. the numbers do not change over an inquisitor's tenure and do not seem to be replaced when an inquisitor falls. there do not seem to be duplicates (except for the Third Brother, who appears in a reference book written before Obi-Wan Kenobi and whose existence seems to have been overwritten by the Third Sister's. her character's age and implied backstory do not fit this naming assumption, however.)

if the naming is sequential, then siblings 2 through 10 join very shortly after Order 66, and number 13 gets initiated within months (RotRB). we still don't know 11 and 12.

there is some number of active inquisitors without a numbered title, who still go by their old names. these seem to have similar duties and authority to their numbered colleagues and are also referred to as "brother" or "sister", at least by other inquisitors. (Tualon in RotRB)

there might (?) be some hierarchy to the numbers, with lower numbers corresponding to a higher position. or not. (Third Sister seems to think she's next in line after the deaths of Grand Inquisitor and Second Sister as per Obi-Wan Kenobi. there's a confusing exchange somewhere in Rebels where Seventh and Fifth pointedly emphasize their titles to each other while having a disagreement but i have no idea what that means.)

inquisitors do occasional solo missions but mostly seem to work in pairs or small groups. the chain of command during these missions seems ambiguous, possibly intentionally so. Darth Vader joins in for some missions, where all inquisitors defer to him.

originally recruited inquisitors are not trained after joining outside of sparring with each other, which seems entirely voluntary. sometimes Darth Vader drops in and tests them, often ending in mutilation. they are allowed and perhaps even encouraged to study the dark side on their own time, though they do not have many opportunities to do so, possibly by design. (RotRB)

inquisitors are not Sith, and are not officially intended to become Sith, though as dark side adepts they are a potential source of replacement apprentices. (i believe this is fan speculation and out of universe material more than actual text but would love to be proven wrong)

Inquisitorius personnel have authority over some other Imperial forces, and have a long-term rivalry with the ISB (JS). they are generally an unknown force.

the organization was founded on Coruscant and headquartered there for about 5 years after its founding. (DV 2017) afterwards, its HQ transferred to Nur. however, that facility was already in heavy use immediately after and possibly before Order 66 (backstory in JFO).

the members get killed off pretty quickly. 6th and 10th die within a year, 2nd and 13th (along with her bf without a number) within 5 years, 3rd and 9th 5 years after that (Reva actually leaves, as we know). the ones that make it to Rebels die in that show. Fourth Sister is unaccounted for.

inquisitors tend to die by Vader or Ahsoka and Maul.

#inquisitorius #please tell me everything i don't know from rebels. i don't want to watch that show

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katyspersonal · 3 months

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OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH HGJGTFH GUYS I LOVE SOTE SO FUCKING MUCH AAAAAAA I got back to playing it and it was so much fun today I HAD A HUGE BLAST TODAY GOD LET ME JUST share a log (probably a two parter)

1) So I continued on my way through the woods!! I was not wrong about how these guys were invincible too! By that time @val-of-the-north woke up and confirmed that you only really can sneak past them by crouching in the bushes! In fact, there were preset notes from the devs with the hints and I just haven't payed attention.. т.т So the stealth quest took me Eniugh attempts

2) I intentionally got close to this plant because from the looks of it I thought it was a collectable material or something:

Turned out that it actually was a bell that instantly alerts the Untouchables and attracts you to them ;-; Well you fuck around and find out I guess XD

3) I then found the mansion!!!! This took me a while too, this forest is SO confusing! I will never EVER talk shit about Forbidden Woods from Bloodborne again ;-; But on the bright note, although I am extremely bad at confusing open world locations and maps in general, I managed to strain my mind and actually remember which turns I've already visited and not! Conquering my weaknesses!

4) I was surprised to find..... this

There is a line of headless corpses like this before the entrance. I assume their heads exploded from Frenzy of course?

5) Instantly was interested because of the amount of thrown and burnt books everywhere here! I was thinking, so was Midra a huge nerd then? 🤔 How the painting was the only non-ruined and unburnt thing here was cool too. I told Val "damn the art in this setting really IS the magic".. and, well, it kinda is? When you examine the paintings in artist shacks, they do mention how the soul is dwelling in them still or something like that

6) The painting also depicted the Manse when it was still thriving and the land wasn't afflicted by Frenzied Flame!

I wanted to take a better screenshot of it by zooming in...... and accidentally hit it instead and it disappeared 🤡 It was an invisible wall! I swear only I could have failed in such a dumb way gfhggvn

7) THIS IS A SURPRISE TOOL THAT WILL HELP US LATER:

Turns out that this is an in-universe hint for how the Aging Untoucheable actually CAN be killed! But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself.... -_-

8) So basically 'how there are THIS many books everywhere' continued. They are literally everywhere. And then even more because there is a library. Damn, this guy could compete with Micolash on the subject of 'insanity displayed by books tossed everywhere chaotically'!! I was already curious!

9) Speaking of curious, I really wondered why Midra himself didn't have the horns! From prior descriptions and a dialogue by another ghost by how they and Midra are of the same brethren as the Hornsent inquisitors that hunted them, I assumed he should have been the Hornsent himself and maybe earlier I didn't see it clearly on the portrait. Heck, the ghosts in the Manse also have horns!

But nope. There were no horns on the portrait, and then I was extra sure during the cutscene..

10) aaaaand I fucked up and COMPLETELY forgot to take the screenshots during his battle ;-; When I got to this post I thought maybe I snapped some during my many deaths, but no I didn't. I forgot. I got too caught into it..

11) I already heard that he would be a boss, so when I first met him as just an enemy I needed to kill I knew it was just a lead up for the battle xd Though I didn't dodge his grab attack in time and it felt.. odd when he howevered over Tarnished and laughed already 🤔 And.... siiiggh..

12) friends: Katy Katy Katy oh my god you really should find the Frenzy guy in the DLC you will like him so much we just can tell!!!

me: Get LOST with this guys, I am not interested in some random guy parasiting on Shabriri lore, besides unlike you CASUALS I do not simp for taken characters so he can get kicked into the same nonsimpable box as Rykard and Rellana! Also, still picturing you guys as CASUALS, no Aldrich married to Rosaria is different as it isn't simping but reverence!!!

me: *spends next ~40 minutes being absolutely lost in this boss' vibe to the point of literally drooling, gets overall absolutely helpless and just watches his dance-like moves and legit can't recall a more intimate experience with a Soulsborne boss. it wasn't this way even with Maria.*

me: I am booboo the fool

13) No, but seriously though.. My initial reaction was a slight annoyance! I ran to Val complaining that I deadass had no idea how the HECK I could survive even a couple of his attacks! I just felt so incompetent after several quick failed attempts, even saying that it seemed like I've reached the point where I have to watch the vids of the bosses I could not beat to know what happens next!

No, Val didn't tell me to git gud, no gfggf He should have though He just gave me a hint that the bleed might help! So I went to change strategy again and reborn with a bigger healthbar and overall different states, took Mohg's spear the old reliable, used talisman of Cleanrots that powered up continuous attacks + Mohg's one that made bleed stronger and went with it. It was really hard, but I had no choice but to adapt

And like... I know that "this battle feels more like a dance once you get into it" is a compliment thrown around very often with Soulsborne bosses, but this boss deserved it the MOST I swear. It is impossible to put into words how I was starting to feel over time, just.. inexplainable beauty in how he was moving for attack, you could tell he was enjoying it :') I didn't feel the same level even with Malenia's battle! The way this battle felt weirdly intimate also absolutely fits the way Frenzied Flame functions; one of the incantations refers it too? And the way his movements and grabs were weirdly calming considering the context felt the same as what was earlier stated about Chaos bringing sense of peace after burning victim's eyes! Just how, HOW they made it so good? They've nonverbally put the same information into this encounter. And the music was absolutely the biggest banger, what the fuck?

14) Okay I can write much more paragraphs trying to grasp what exactly was this feeling and still not be able to overcome my complete lack of verbal communication skills lol gghggh I start to understand why @heraldofcrow at times can't put her feelings into words and uses that gif of sad girl in the rain gfggjhnh

15) Still, the battle was beautiful but HARD! I decided to call @jarognieva to help me and while she needed "just three minutes" to get ready I decided to go and kill time by still trying to defeat Midra anyway, and.....

I ACTUALLY DID IT???? GGTFHHHGHH GODDAMIT I ACTUALLY DID IT AAAAAA I LEGIT FELT AWKWARD, I guess relaxing upon knowing that the help was coming was the missing piece ahahdgfg! (Jara did help me with another boss later though but about this in the next post xD)

16) .....and satisfaction left in literal seconds. Instead I felt so devastated and angry at the fact that there are no boss resurrection option in this game. :/ While I was struggling with him it felt so hard, although I wasn't giving up and studied his patterns... But instantly I felt regret about defeating him too fast and no longer getting to have that fun with that incredible music... Experienced reverse of Skill Issue, basically.

17) Something something May Chaos Take The World something

18) To think of it, Midra as Lord of Frenzy is as much a himself as Malenia is herself when she turns into Goddess of Rot though 🤔 The vibe before and after is different. Both characters are very much on their way to become husks of former selves, or rather, vessels for a different entity that represents an Outer God! (+ funnier how Shabriri and Gowry likewise have identical functions as "bringers" of this godly figure but not becoming it)

.......but that makes it even more captivating 😳

19) After this point I really didn't know what to do, it felt like enough for today so I just decided to complete the lose ends like items I didn't collect yet in this area!

^ Also answers the question as to why Torrent was too scared to go here.

(So yeah, misc items in the next post it is just 1 AM here and I've lost the track of time playing sorry gfhygh)

#elden ring #elden ring dlc #sote spoilers #screenshots #gameplay log

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