You ever think about how in spite of knowing their exact locations, the game never gives any indication that templar Carver has reported his mage sibling, Merril (a blood mage) or Anders (an abomination) to his superiors?
I do think about that a lot, even though I tend to ignore the Templar Carver route because I know Warden Carver to be true in my heart and soul... but I totally get the appeal of Templar Carver within DA2's narrative, y'know?
It's so fascinating, really. I've never played a run with Templar Carver, I just can't bring myself to do it, so I know I'm missing out on smaller details of it. From what I do know, this drives me crazy in the best way possible.
Deciding whether to bring him or not to the Deep Roads is such an important choice, not only because it affects his fate, but how it affects his relationship to Hawke. He tells you that he wants to go, he makes it very clear that it's important to him that he goes, too... and Hawke can just leave him behind and it hurts him. I don't think that registers enough with some people just because of how Carver is, like it doesn't matter what Hawke's motivations are [staying behind for his safety, not wanting to bring him, thinking someone should stay with Leandra, etc] it still hurts him because it tells him that Hawke doesn't need him, and Carver wants to be needed.
And yes, there are other contributing factors to why he joins the templars, but it doesn't matter what your relationship is to him, it doesn't change the fact that he doesn't turn Hawke or his companions in.
Sure, the meta reason is it's a video game and you're playing the main character. You're never in any actual danger of being captured by templars, and you're not going to lose your companions to them that easy.
But if we look at it through the narrative and Carver's character, that's when it gets interesting. You can max out his rivalry and be an utter asshole to him [there's a point where you can call him a brat and mock him for being stuck in your shadow, like Hawke can be real cruel about it] but it doesn't matter, you're still his sibling. He even makes a remark about how you might not know what that means [referring to leaving him behind] but he does. He refuses to kill Hawke in the end when Meredith makes the order, too.
Which can I just point out that Hawke has the option to let Bethany die in the end if she's with the circle and they side with the templars? Just saying, Carver NEVER does that no matter what, but Hawke has the option to betray Bethany like that and it's fucked and interesting and it makes me want to eat my chair-
As for Merrill and Anders, I think he knows that if he turns either of them in, then the chances of Hawke being brought in as well skyrocket. They're all friends, they're in the same group... bring one in, and you'll probably get the other two.
I also think Carver just genuinely likes Merrill. Yes, I'm a Carver/Merrill shipper, so I have a bias, but even if you remove anything romantic from their dynamic I believe that's true. Of all the companions, Merrill is the only one who doesn't make fun of him, or find him annoying, in party banters. He never snaps back at her, like he's never defensive with her, he's just a little awkward and nice.
Like, HE'S SO NICE TO HER! He tries to find common ground with her! She asks him about "swording" and he's taken aback by her saying he's good at it, but you KNOW that if someone like Anders asked him the same question, he's be all, "shut up, you're stupid, stop talking to me >:["
Think back to that banter Carver can have with Aveline post-act 1 where they're talking about how the guard wasn't the right place for him [hard disagree with you there, Aveline] and Carver says he was a bit of a tit, wasn't he.... and every companion will agree except Merrill. She doesn't say anything, whereas other companions like Anders will be like "ugh maker YES" and if you have a purple Hawke, they'll go on to other ways Carver was a tit like?? I think Carver and Merrill got along and he doesn't want to turn her in because she was nice to him! And she's a blood mage! He knows what will happen to her if the templars get ahold of her! He doesn't want to see her made tranquil or killed!
At that point, he's witnessed what bad blood mages can do, assuming you've brought him along for those quests, but even so. He knows Merrill isn't like that and he likes her, so of course he's not going to turn her in despite that being his literal duty.
Then there's Anders who Carver doesn't like. If you're in a romance with him, Carver will tell him that's why he doesn't turn him in but c'mon Carver, you know that's not the only reason. My theory is Carver may not like Anders and he knows the man's got a spirit of justice inside of him... but Anders also runs a free clinic. If he's ever taken in by templars, then so many people [including a LOT of Fereldan refugees] will be without free health care and will suffer for it. I think in Carver's eyes, Anders might be irritating but he doesn't more good than harm. Carver knows first hand how shitty refugees and poorer people are treated in Kirkwall. Anders' clinic is the one place they can go for help and actually get it, and he's not going to be the one to take that away because the templars say "magic bad."
So yeah, I'm not as informed about the Templar Carver route, but I do think about how if I did do that route, he wouldn't betray Hawke or their companions no matter what and what that says about him.
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hngh. okay first rant post I just think amoneki is so insane especially for how much they care and respect for each other right up until the very end like???
okay first of all there's obviously the way that they outright say (even if it's not directly to each other) that they don't want the other to die
Also the fact that Amon tells Kaneki to take a Break. In the middle of a fight. (Which also adds him to the pool of characters that are trying to tell Kaneki to tell him to just let himself rest for once (who he does Not listen to))
Also the fact that when Kaneki deals his first (and only) potentially fatal blow to Amon Ever, instead of feeling betrayed by the fact that he was trying to avoid attacking him before or thinking "Oh so this is where he finally tries to actually kill me" Amon just calls Kaneki strong. He Cut Off His Arm and Amon's first thought is just to say that he thinks he's strong, even if this should technically be a sort of betrayal to all their previous encounters and a Contradiction to what Amon observed at the beginning of this fight about how Kaneki really wasn't planning on killing him (it's like even though this happened he knows deep down that it wasn't with a real killing Intent).
He doesn't even think about himself or that he might Actually Die he's just thinking about Kaneki even right then and afterwards
(ohhh my god I hate Amon (/affecionate) I have so many Thoughts about him especially thoughts Specifically about how he has a sort of idealized version of Kaneki in his head from the few times they've interacted I could talk about it for Hours (but then I'm gonna be here for ages and I will get So off track) )
And it's also about the fact that. In his final thoughts/words in tg Kaneki opens up with Amon's words; these are his words that have been stuck in his head ever since he first heard them and they are some of the last words he clings to before he's "erased". (When I first saw that line near the opening of the final chapter I almost lost my Shit) Like,
It's about how even up until the end they're thinking about what they said to each other at that first encounter by the river
It's about how much impact they've had and Continue to have on each other even when they're basically Dying (and it's partially the others' fault)
It's about the actually Insane amount of parallels and the flipping of their situations between their first encounter and their last (in the original series)
It's about how neither of them deal the killing blow in an "unfair" fight (when the other is basically disarmed) but once they're on equal grounds that's the closest they've come to Actually killing the other and even then they don't want that to Actually happen and both hold onto that same thought
It's about how the natural thing would be for them to just fight and/or kill the other without a thought but they don't because "This guy's Different"
Enemies to It's Complicated. Enemies to you-have-impacted-my-worldview-in-irreversible-ways-and-I-wish-I-could-just-sit-down-and-talk-with-you-but-can't
Enemies to I-should-hate-you-because-you-(technically indirectly)-caused-the-death-of-someone-I-cared-about-but-also-your-words-won't-leave-my-head-and-I-want-to-know-more-about-you-also-I-don't-want-to-kill-you-but-you're-not-leaving-me-much-choice
Amoneki divorce has me so fucked up
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Stitched lips
Content warning: slavery, implied sexual slavery (no actual discussion of any of it here but it is what it is), torture, body modifications, dehumanizing language.
Shout out to @whump-in-the-closet for giving me motivation to finally write this scene down with their wonderful prompt.
“…you can go fuck yourself! You, and your fucked up fantasies and your bitch of a wife, you can all go fuck yourself! Fucking monsters in a human skin, when I get out, I’ll make sure you survive for years until you fucking beg me to stop and then never listen, you pieces of fucking despicable shit!”
Ayzan panted, gasping for air after a tirade that was met with heavy silence and an even heavier gaze. It hurt — everything did — their jaw from being forced open with a gag most of the time, their throat from how each word felt like shards of glass across too dry and overused skin, their back and left arm where patterns of cuts and burns coiled around their skin, still fresh, crossed out by chaotic lashes made by a less caring hand, their knees from kneeling and joints from being forced to bend too far for far too long. It hurt, and had hurt for so long they could barely remember the before.
Emrose watched, face contorted in deep displeasure. He tilted his head when no more words came and Ayzan felt the belated panic rise up in their throat, chocking whatever they could add before they even attempted to speak.
The lord didn’t touch them. He only turned around and left, not sparing a single word of explanation or a threat, and it was so much worse. Ayzan thrashed in their binds the moment the door closed, testing the ropes to the new jolts of pain from where they dug in their skin, grating it red and raw. Nothing gave. They whimpered, overwhelmed by fear, helpless in the face of it. Whatever was going to happen, it was too much. They couldn’t go through that. They just wanted to go home — why had Kiris still not found them? Why, why, why, why?!
They heard the voices before the steps before the creak of the door. Feedali’s tilting phrases, sweet and light as they always were, urging the lord to think again. She begged him to reconsider. To not do to Ayzan whatever he was planning. They thrashed again even as it led to nothing but more pain.
“Please,” they begged the moment the couple came in. “Please, I didn’t mean it— I’m so sorry, I won’t speak like this again, please, I didn’t— I’m so— please don’t hurt me again, please please please—”
The lady spared a quick stroke down their cheek as the two passed them by, and Ayzan leaned into the touch. They hated it usually, hated the fake comfort she always gave before sliding a knife across their skin, how she always wiped their tears when the burning pain got too strong but never stopped no matter how they screamed and begged. They needed it now. Needed her to convince Emrose to change his mind. They felt like they were drowning, body fighting for breath so hard they chocked on the air.
“Dear, you see how scared it is. It really knows what it’s done wrong!” Feedali chirped, following the lord. “Perhaps something less permanent is a better idea? You can lash it as much as you’d like! You know how much I love when it sings for me.”
“I’m tired of it’s incessant talking,” Emrose cut her off. He brought a small table closer and placed something on it. Ayzan craned their neck, pleading words falling from their lips without ceasing. No use.
Something metal glistened in the lord’s hands as he pulled it out of the box. He put it at the table and took something else instead. “Open your mouth,” he threw an order. Ayzan immediately clenched their teeth. The ropes didn’t let them back away no matter how much they wanted and tried. “Open,” Emrose repeated. Ayzan shook their head, trying to catch Feedali’s eyes, to beg her silently to please please please please stop this. Emrose pinched their nose shut and painfully squeezed their jaw with another hand.
“Dear, you wouldn’t spoil all of my fun like this, would you?” Feedali hugged him from behind.
He shook her arms off, “Shut up, you too. It’s not like I’m stopping you from playing with it. It just needs to learn its lesson first.”
Ayzan saw her nose crinkle in disappointment at that as their lungs contracted in search of oxygen. They blinked back tears and clenched their jaw tighter even as Emrose’ fingers dug into the skin around it with bruising strength. Feedali stepped closer, brushing hair off of their forehead. “Come on then, pet. You’ve heard your master — you need to learn your lesson. It would only be easier for you if you relax. Come on.”
They didn’t. They held on, through the growing burning and the black spots before their eyes, through the pain and terror they refused to relax. They didn’t want a lesson. They didn’t want to know what was in store for them. They wanted it to end. Needed it to end. Gods, why couldn’t it already be over?! They couldn’t couldn’t couldn’t go on like this any longer!
It felt like they blacked out, and the moment their grip on their body faded just a bit, it acted against their will, gasping for breath. Fresh, tasty air finally flooded their chest, and immediately after they felt their jaw forced wide open something pushed inside their mouth, filling it and pressing their tongue down.
They couldn’t breathe again — they gagged, throat spasming to push the intrusion out, but there was no use as now their mouth was kept shut by the same unrelenting hand. Their lungs tried to suck in air again, and the fingers finally lifted from their nose. It only made the gagging worse. Half-delirious, they felt Feedali’s fingers on their cheek, caressing and tagging on something. They heard her voice, low and soothing, “Shhhh, you’re okay. You’re okay, just breathe, come on. Come on.”
Ayzan did, or at least tried their hardest, with slow and careful breaths, trying to force their body to relax. They felt fingers on their nose again and panicked, but Feedali only helped them blow it. They sobbed, grateful for her gentleness and overwhelmed by it. Tried opening their jaw, only to feel something hold it in place. Some sort of a strap? Was this it? Was it over?
The hope shuttered the moment Emrose stepped into their field of view. Ayzan saw the glistening of metal. They jerked back and whimpered and struggled and failed to speak. Feedali cooed at them. Emrose was not impressed.
They didn’t manage to see the instrument clearly before the lord was lifting their chin up and pressing something cold to their skin. Ayzan couldn’t get away — they couldn’t get away, couldn’t even beg them to. Tears streamed down their face and were brushed aside. They struggled to breathe through their nose.
The needle pierced through their lip with no warning.
Ayzan’s eyes flew open, Emrose tugged and demanded, “be still,” and they felt a string move through their flesh. The second wave of piercing pain came all too soon, as did the third.
“You’re not doing it evenly!” Feedali complained.
“Then do it yourself,” the lord snapped.
Ayzan barely processed the shifting before them, the pain and fear pulsating through their body. Their head was momentarily released and they desperately shook it, groaned and prayed to be understood. They’d learned their lesson. Please, they had, it was not necessary, please please please, why couldn’t they just let them go.
“Hold it for me, dear, won’t you?” Feedali asked and Emrose obliged. Ayzan stared at her as she smiled and turned the needle around before their eyes. “Hold still,” she addressed them sweetly. “We wouldn’t want to do it all over again if you thrashed around too much, would we?”
They didn’t want to do it even the first time. They hated it. They needed it to stop. Gods, please, why couldn’t it just stop.
Feedali cooed and smiled and talked comforting nonsense at them as the needle went through their lips mercilessly, up and down and then tug until it’s tight, and tug again to secure it with a knot. Up and down and tug, up and down and tug, and in the end they had no strength to even whimper, just crying in silence, body shaking with each puncture.
“Leave a gap for it to drink,” Emrose advised. Feedali agreed enthusiastically. She went to the very edge of their lips, tugged and tied it and Ayzan thought it was over. They hoped it was over, it had to be over, it had to.
The needle pierced them again, farther from the edge. “It’s a better pattern like this, isn’t it?” Feedali commented cheerfully. Emrose said something Ayzan couldn’t catch, but he also sounded satisfied. Ayzan cried and prayed for it to be over.
It went on slowly. It ended abruptly. They couldn’t remember half of it, and came to only when Feedali patted their cheek and praised them. They moved their mouth a bit and were met with a sharp pain. They cried.
“It must be thirsty,” the lady guessed. They didn’t catch the discussion that followed after. They heard laughter.
Something pressed to their lips — hurt, hurt, it hurt so much — past it, pushing them apart — hurt — just enough to squeeze through. “Open your teeth,” Feedali asked. Ayzan tried to. Their lips moved and it hurt. “Suck,” she encouraged them. They tried to — it was hard, with their mouth still filled so they couldn’t move their tongue even a bit. They gagged again, and they coughed when the water went down the wrong way. It hurt. They couldn’t even drink. They struggled to breathe. They hated it, hated it, hated hated hated hated it.
They barely felt the ropes around their limbs loosen and would have fallen over if not for someone’s arms lowering them down gently. “Look at it,” Ayzan heard Feedali coo above them. “So exhausted! I must admit, it was an ingenuous idea, dear. They’re so cute like this! And the gold looks so nice. I will definitely miss their voice, though.”
Ayzan’s hands were free. They moved one up, to their face, and felt thick blood caped around their chin. They moved further, to the lips. Ran a finger across them, pausing at each stitch and barely conscious of the pain that came with each movement.
Their lips were sewn shut. Barely a gap to press anything through anywhere but in one place, and even there barely a bigger straw could fit. They tried to force them open, and then tugged at the metal thread, scratched and tried to force the gag out, and wailed, and pulled so hard something tore, warm blood pouring in their mouth and down their chin both.
They felt their hands pried away from their face and tied together behind their back once more.
They curled up, crying helplessly, wretchedly, wishing only for this to be over. Clinging to the last bits of hope that it could be over, one day. That Kiris would find them. That they could survive until then. It had to end. It had to, had to, had to, had to. They needed it to end. It hurt so much.
A lash fell heavily, cutting across their back and their tied arms, and a few times more.
“Bring it to the dungeon until it remembers how to act,” Emrose demanded, voiced overflowing with disgust.
Ayzan felt something crack in them. They didn't resist being dragged away.
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