#firstfall

[nrowesims]

So after a fairly brief period of rather intense 'study' Ryan was able to successfully reconnect with his beloved.

Furthermore, his new magical contacts had revealed the existence of a wishing well, hidden away, which could perhaps restore Natasha to life again.

The couple journeyed to the garden and found the well. Rather than resurrect Natasha, it revealed to her the secret of ambrosia which, when prepared correctly, would indeed do the trick.

Ryan was so proud to assist in collecting the necessary ingredients.

Then they had to find someone with the knowledge and skill required to make the ambrosia. Magical contacts in Glimmerbrook directed them to Sabrina Cooke.

Sabrina's aid was enlisted. Natasha watched with great anticipation.

At last it was ready!

Game Mechanics:

Ryan gained acolyte spellcaster level and was able to study the tome to learn 'necrocall' (never mind Natasha's ghost had appeared anyhow..)

The wishing well (placed in a specially built National Park in Glimmerbrook) only gave Natasha an angelfish, one of the ingredients of ambrosia

Death Flower (second ingredient) can be purchased in the magic realm. Potion of youth was legitimately from the rewards store.

Sabrina Cooke is a previous Sim of mine, whom I cheated the requisite cooking and gourmet cooking skills to introduce to this story. Of course, she had to be temporarily moved into the household, but no real matter.

[jaroafavilla]

And so it has happened after years of running 🏃🏽‍♀️ I had my #firstfall glasses 🤓 fogged didn’t see sidewalk down I went thankfully only in 1 knee and my pants didn’t rip and I kept going and did Monday’s workout 🏋🏽‍♀️at Burn Short Pump #runasif #Accountability #Chasingmiles #Motherrunner #Ilovetosweat #Mytherapy #Charitymiles #runhappy #healthiswealth #puravidarep #teamnuun #nuunlife #nuunlove #muuvment #Nuunambassador #attitudeforgratitude #IRunwithJesus #HopeFaithLove #purposenotpanic #Faithnotfear #drinkmorewater #passionplanner #PashFam #PashAmbassador #BurnBootCamp https://www.instagram.com/p/CmWT4HquFUh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[freesidexjunkie]

honestly love whatever the dragon age writers were on because looking at their calendar and all the months have cool thematic names like Wintersend and Drakonis and Bloomingtide and then you get to the eighth month and

it's just August

then nine on we're back to cool names like Harvestmere and Firstfall like that didn't just happen

[thedinanshiral]

Time is an illusion

After trying to calculate an estimate for Emmrich's age, i thought "hey, why not calculate what Dragon Age year would be my birth year?" and next thing i knew i was falling down a black hole.

Unfortunately i don't have the exact source as this was said earily on during the glorious week of reveals and news and we were all so very excited i forgot to take notes then but i remember it was first said the time skip to The Veilguard was of 9 years since Trespasser. Then it was said to be 10 years since Trespasser. And yesterday someone asked Weekes on his socials and he replied he thought they'd said the year was 9:52 but we'll have to wait until someone releases an "official answer".

Well, here is my non-official answer: the year is Harvestmere 9:53 Dragon. But most of the game should occur during 9:54. How did i reach that conclusion? A mix of in-game and IRL time estimates.

First a disclaimer: I believe Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be released in November 2024. I only have my gut feeling and DAI's 10th anniversary, and DAO's 15th anniversary to go by to claim that; this whole thing hangs on a November release.

Ok so I went back to my first point of reference which is The Flame Eternal short story from 2021 which states said story happened "thirty years ago" in 9:22 Dragon. This sets the present of Thedas at that time as 9:52 Dragon.

In Inquisition if you ally with mages, during In Hushed Whispers when asking what year is it in that demon infested future the Inquisitor is told it's "Harvestmere 9:42" and Dorian comments you've missed a whole year. This would mean Inquisition -the game- starts in Harvestmere 9:41 Dragon. Let's say the events of the game take a whole year so it ends in 9:42 Dragon. Then Trespasser makes a jump two years ahead of that, to 9:44 Dragon. This is the year we should center these calculations on. Everything up to that point, DAO, DA2, and even DAI occur asynchronously, meaning they don't happen at the same time we're playing them. That's how a 10 year difference between the Fifth Blight in DAO and Inquisition only took 5 years of ours, and how in the span of a few months of ours 2 whole years passed between DAI the Exalted Council in Trespasser. While we as players experience these events in our present time, they do not correspond to our present time, this is specially clear in DA2 when not even the events of the game happen in the present of Thedas as it's Varric telling Cassandra the story of Hawke. The game begins already letting us know this already happened, more or less as Varric narrates it.

But why should the calendar of a fictional fantasy game match with ours? Well it shouldn't necessarily, but they've set the game roughly 10 years after the previous one, and 10 years have passed IRL as well, and thats enough for me. The short story saying 9:22 was thirty years ago published in late 2021 also matches this. So after establishing that our present and Thedas' seems to be marching at the same rate now, sort of, i took a look at their calendar. Without going into much detail they have 12 months as well and the calendar in use originated in the early Tevinter Imperium, so the months have an original Tevene name used for official records and academia, and a common name used by the people; i'll be using the latter. DAI begins in Harvestmere 9:41, Harvestmere is the 10th month of the thedosian calendar but just because our times kinda match now that doesn't mean Harvestmere is equivalent to our October. It seems it's equivalent to November. The following month, Firstfall, is when thedosians celebrate Satinalia, which obviously sounds awfully much like Saturnalia, a roman festivity that took place during December. Tevinter Empirium is based on Rome, so i think taking this into consideration is enough to say Firstfall is equivalent to December but since we're here the other detail that adds to this is Harvestmere seems to be November also because DAI begins in Harvestmere, and it was released in November 2014.

Following this train of thought i looked at Trespasser's release date, September 2015. If Firstfall is our December, that'd make our September their Matrinalis, so we could estimate then that the Exalted Council takes place around Matrinalis 9:44 Dragon. The All Soul's day is celebrated at the beginning of Matrinalis, so the lack of mention of it during the Exalted Council tells me the day had already passed.

But 10 years after Trespasser IRL would be September 2025, so how do i make it make sense?

If September 2015 coincides with Matrinalis 9:44 Dragon, then September 2025 would do so with Matrinalis 9:54 Dragon, there's a 10 month difference between Sept. '25 and Nov.'24, so that'd make Nov'24 match with Harvestmere 9:53, merely 2 months away from 9:54 Dragon. Nobody's saying the time skip is exactly 10 years down to a precise date so i think just the year being 9:54 should suffice.

This little difference made me look back at the trailers and realize hey, that's not where the game begins, right? Can't be. What do you mean we immediatelt get hired by Varric and go after Solas at Level 1??? Where's the tutorials??? Is Rook always Tevinter or that's just in the case of choosing Shadow Dragons as a faction? What if Rook's faction is the Mourn Watch, what's a Watcher of Nevarra doing in a Minrathous bar fighting Venatori? What's a Veil Jumper from Arlathan Forest doing in a Minrathous bar fighting Venatori? What's a Grey Warden doing in a Minrathous bar fighting Venatori?? Who says "yeah sure let's go" when a couple of dwarves approach them at a Minrathous bar after fighting Venatori like "hey we gotta stop an elven god from taking down the Veil and destroying the world, wanna come?"?????? The cinematic trailer was just that, ilustrative, but the gameplay trailer was more intentional in everything it showed, and what it didn't show at all. We are introduced to a Rook who happens to be of the Shadow Dragons so them being in Minrathous needs no explanation, and they start at lv.1 and immediately thrown into combat with nothing resembling a tutorial ( except for some commentary edited in to present different aspects of the new system, as it's a gameplay reveal trailer).

So my guess is, yeah the game starts in Harvestmere 9:53 Dragon, and in the two months left until 9:54 Dragon maybe we're shown Rook at their home, or where their faction is, maybe establishing some relationships within said faction ( friends, family, rivals, etc) and thats' when we get a quick tutorial and some context because remember, technically one doesn't need play the previous games first to play The Veilguard. New players must have some introduction to the world of Thedas, what's what, who's who, where's where and what's at stake. So i think the two months difference is when all that -plus a trip to Minrathous if they're not already there- can be crammed into so the action truly starts in 9:54, more or less 10 years after the events of Trespasser.

Not saying i'm correct in my estimations here, and as i mentioned at the beginning all this hangs on a November release, and the time skip being of more o less 10 years. If in the end any of that turns out to be different everything i presented in this post falls like a house of cards. But hey, it was fun putting it up.

If you've read this far, thank you and congratulations, you're a very patient person.

[exhausted-archivist]

Thedosian Calendars and Holidays

Thedas has twelve 30-day months and five holidays, or annums. which start at the beginning of the month. Their day lengths are contradictory if not unclear as one instance mentions 24-hour days while all the clocks we've seen in Orlais work in 8-hour increments. Though it should be noted that clocks are dwarven in invention and manufacturing according to lore.

While the Chantry calendar shares some similarities to the Gregorian calendar, due to the placement and functions the holidays in regards to what they mean to the common people; it falls more in line with some versions of medieval calendars, though not entirely. For the common folk in Thedas these universal holidays mark the change of the seasons: letting them know what weather to expect, when harvests must be finished, when to plant, and other seasonal work and activities.

Additionally, it is important to know that Thedas appears to be in the southern hemisphere. It is never explicitly stated in lore or by any of the devs, but the context clues of things such as Tevinter being to the "north" and Orlais and Ferelden making up "southern Thedas" are the most prominent pieces of evidence. Though I will note that sometimes the devs/writers have gotten this mixed up and have referenced things like "birds flown south for the winter".

Thedosian Calendars - General

Of all calendars in Thedas, we know only of three: Chantry, Elven, and Tevinter. For other prominent cultures, we know nothing about the Avvar, Chasind, Dwarven, and Qunari calendars. They are not mentioned in lore, but are likely systems they would have.

Thedas, in its entirety, has converted to the Chantry calendar after the Second Blight. It became the universal calendar, and it's season marking holidays became the five universal holidays - though this doesn't mean they are the only holidays in Thedas. It is also unclear as of now whether the sharing of names and holidays are all the Tevinter and Chantry calendars share. We do not know if that extends to format, twelve 30-day months, or other factors.

The elven calendar fell into disuse after the fall of Arlathan when Tevinter outlawed its uses and enslaved the elven people. Now, not much is known about how the ancient elves of Arlathan kept track of the passing of time. Only a few notable events have lasted through the centuries to be recorded by modern scholars.

While the Tevinter Imperium did follow the Orlesian Chantry Calendar at some in their history, after the schisms between the two Andrastian cults they chose to return to their original calendar that dated back to the foundation of the Imperium. It is from this calendar that the Chantry took inspiration. It is suggested that elves had some influence on the creation of the Tevinter calendar (though this is only mentioned in the Traveler's Guide in the Origins Collector's Edition Game Guide). The Tevinter calendar is where the high names of the months come from.

The Orlesian Chantry calendar adopted several things from the Tevinter calendar, including the adoption of some holidays dedicated to the worship of the Old Gods that overlapped with their own holidays, and in turn gave them new meaning. Additionally, it is the Tevinter calendar that we inherited the high names and from the Chantry calendar the low names of the months.

Months and Days of the Week

Months

Each month has two names:

a high name - used by scholars and courts

a low name - used primarily by common folk

Most codex and dates shown in Dragon Age use the low name even when it is written in the voice of a scholar or noble, so I have listed them below in Low/High name format.

Wintermarch / Verimensis

Guardian / Pluitanis

Drakonis / Nubulis

Cloudreach / Eluviesta

Bloomingtide / Molioris

Justinian / Ferventis

Solace / Solis

August / Matrinalis

Kingsway / Parvulis

Harvestmere / Frumentum

Firstfall / Umbralis

Haring / Cassus

If the Chantry calendar and by extension Tevinter calendar were to follow the same solar equivalent dates as the real world, the months would land as follows in accordance to the southern hemisphere:

Spring/Vernal Equinox: September 21-23 -> Guardian / Pluitanis 1st

Summer Solstice: December 21-23 -> Bloomingtide / Molioris 1st

Autumnal/Fall Equinox: March 21-23 -> August / Matrinalis 1st

Winter Solstice: June 21-23 -> Firstfall / Umbralis 1st

My only note about this is that Tevinter seems to be predominately a tropical climate that begins to encroach closer to the equator. In the real world, this would usually result in them using a lunar (or lunar-solar) calendar as their seasonal changes would be relatively minimal. Solar calendars are more typical in temperate regions as there are more seasonal changes and they're impacted more by the the decrease/increase of sunlight.

That said, Tevinter seems to follow a more solar calendar that made it an easy port for the rest of Thedas. The likely reason for this might have simply been to keep things simple, as it would make it a little easier to track.

Days

As stated before, the length of a day seems to be 24-hours, though the clocks seem to work in 8 hour increments. Additionally, from what we can tell, Thedas has the same days of the week that we do. Except, there has yet to be any mention of Monday or Wednesday.

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Holidays, Celebrations, Ceremonies, and Festivals

It is noted that there are more holidays in the world than the ones listed in universal holidays. The following holidays/festivals/feasts listed are predominately human and surface, there isn't much on Orzammar and their holidays or celebrations nor the Dalish.

Universal Holidays

These are the holidays implemented by the Orlesian Chantry. These are the holidays called annums. With the exception of First Day, they typically mark the changes of the seasons. All of them fall at the beginning of the month.

With that in mind, based on how they line up with the solstices and equinox they seem to be roughly floating holidays that may range from the 1st to 3rd of the month.

Something to note though, is that the holidays were once mentioned to fall outside of any month. Which would align them more towards the special days you would see in a lunar calendar or some forms of historical calendars. However, this arrangement of the holidays hasn't been mentioned since the (Collector's Edition Prima Guide for Dragon Age Origins in the Traveler's Guide).

First Day, celebrated on the first day of Wintermarch / Verimensis

A traditional start of the year that involves the practice of visiting neighbors and family as well as gathering in town to commemorate the year past.

In remote areas this holiday was once the annual check to ensure everyone was alive.

In some areas, such as Serault in Orlais, it is customary to eat chicken on First Day.

Wintersend, celebrated at the beginning of Guardian / Pluitanis (Potential Spring / Vernal Equinox)

Previously called "Urthalis" and dedicated to the Old God of Beauty, Urthemiel.

Currently a holiday that is the celebration of the Maker.

It stands for the end of winter in many areas.

In the Tevinter, coincides with tourneys and contests at the Proving Grounds in Minrathous.

In the south, the holiday became the day for trade and theater.

In some areas, it is also the day for arranging marriages.

Some places, like Orlais, hold Wintersend Balls during the season.

Summerday, celebrated at the beginning of Bloomingtide / Molioris (Summer Solstice)

Previously called "Andoralis" it was a holiday dedicated to the Old God of Unity, Andoral.

Universally celebrated as the beginning of Summer.

For Andrastians, there is the practice where children ready to come of age don white tunics and gowns before joining a procession that crosses the settlement to the local Chantry. They are then taught the responsibilities of adulthood.

In Orlais, this is a particularly holy holiday.

In some places, this festival is described as particularly showy. To where it would be considered an appropriate level of extravagance to welcome a monarch or ruler.

All Souls Day, celebrated at the beginning of August / Matrinalis. (Potential Autumnal / Fall Equinox)

Previously it was called "Funalis" and was a holiday dedicated to the Old God of Silence, Dumat.

The Chantry uses the holiday to commemorate the death of Andraste, they will light public fires and put on plays that depict her death.

This holiday is also spent in other areas as a day in remembrance of the dead.

In the northern areas of Thedas, people will dress as spirits and parade through the streets after midnight.

Satinalia, celebrated at the beginning of Firstfall / Umbralis (Winter Solstice)

This holiday was originally dedicated to the Old God of Chaos, Zazikel. It now is more attributed to the second moon of Thedas, Satina.

Customary celebration includes wearing masks, naming the town fool as ruler for a day, and wild celebrations. In more pious areas, it is simply a large feast and the giving of gifts.

Antiva celebrates this for a week or more, followed by a week of fasting.

Feastday is part of the Satinalia celebration, incorporating the gifts and pranks practices of the holiday. It is unclear if this term is just for Ferelden.

Ferelden celebrates by serving a specific dish, Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, during the holiday.

Regional Holidays, Events, and Festivals

Allsmeet (Rivain)

An event that happens twice a year where the village seers travel to Dairsmuid to meet in council, gorge trade agreements, and pledge loyalty to the Rivaini queen publicly. These are also times where people will attempt to settle old feuds, but there are feasts, gift-giving ceremonies, musical contests, and other such activities. It lasts a few days.

Andraste's Day

An undefined holiday. One for Andrastians but unclear if it is universal to all Andrastian cults, regional to those following the Orlesian Chantry, or regional to Ferelden.

It is a holiday in which family will come to visit.

Anniversary of Archon Hessarian's Death (Tevinter)

A religious holiday, usually accompanied by an additional feast day for Visitations.

Visitations is a feast celebration of Andraste appearing in the dreams of mages when she crossed into the fade. Celebrated in Tevinter.

Arlathvhen (Dalish)

Its name means "for love of the people".

A celebration of the old ways while lore keepers exchange stories and knowledge, but the gathered Dalish also recount and discuss the sad lessons of the destruction of Arlathan and the Dales.

Barnack Festival (Orzammar)

An undefined festival mentioned by Oghren.

Celebratory Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving held to celebrate an event.

Victors of these provings are rewarded with ceremonial items.

Commission Day (Orzammar)

A celebration for when one receives their military placement, or commission.

Unclear if this celebration is for all nobility of families of import or if it is restricted to the royal family.

Commission Proving (Orzammar)

A proving done during the commission celebration. It is in honor of an individual gaining a leadership position.

It is not clear if this proving and celebration is just for the royal family.

Coronation of the Divine (Chantry)

It is mentioned that when the first Divine was chosen, the festivities lasted a full year.

It is unclear if such celebrations happen every year in honor of the first Divine.

If it were an annual holiday, it is unclear if it would be only an Orlesian Chantry event or if it is also something that was celebrated in the Tevinter Imperium. Though considering the relationships between the two sects, it is possible that they adopted it in the Imperium but in celebration of their first Divine.

If chosen as Divine, Cassandra mentions that "They would love to bury me in ceremony for my coronation". Suggesting that there is at least some level of grandness that extends past a straight forward ceremony for crowning the Divine.

Drinking Festival (General)

Undefined if this is an Antivan specific festival, a universal one, or a joke. It is mentioned by Zevran.

Memorial Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving done during celebration and honor of an individual receiving their military role.

Groundbreaking Festival (Universal)

Held much like events in real life, where they celebrate a building - such as a fort, castle, ect. - being built.

Grand Tourney (Free Marches/Nevarra)

A yearly event described as part circus, part tournament, and part festival. It allows contests, feats of strength, food, performers, and merriment. It travels around the Free Marches, and occasionally outside of it.

It is an event that many are aware of and Orlesian nobles are particularly inclined and encouraged by their families to participate in.

According to the Dragon Age Tabletop RPG (ttrpg), Orzammar sent warrior representatives to the Grand Tourney one year. It is unknown if they continued to do so or if this is held up in current lore.

Harvest Festival (Universal)

Undefined, but mentioned that Honnleath celebrates such an event.

Vinter, a Ferelden town mentioned in the ttrpg, celebrates the year's harvest and bounty in an annual event that lasts for several days. This is a major event of merriment and trade, but also open to the Dalish as well.

Hunt Ball (Nevarra)

Balls held in the winter, a lingering custom from when Nevarra used to have annual dragon hunts.

Memorial Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving done to honor the memory of a dwarf of high stature.

Naming Day (Universal)

Separate from birthdays, there is little information on these parties outside that they occur.

Mentioned by both dwarves in Orzammar as well as found in a box of invitations on the surface.

Solstice Celebrations (Universal)

Avvar have alters dedicated to their favored hold-dieties, they house sacred relic that aligns with the rising sun on the Winter Solstice.

Honnleath celebrates the winter solstice.

Undefined as to which, but stated that the Chantry hold them, at one point for six consecutive years in Cumberland. This seems to be separate from the four holidays that mark the change of the seasons.

In some areas they celebrate the solstices with dinner parties. Aveline throws one. It isn't clear if this is simply a Fereldan practice or universal.

Summer Festival (Orlais)

A general festival that differs by region.

Celene mentions how youths participate in tests of skill though in heavily padded tunics and blunted blades.

Winterfest (Unknown)

An undescribed event/holiday mentioned by Dorian. He says he was "hoping for a lively Winterfest gift."

Possibly a regional holiday in Tevinter.

Feasts

Feast of Ascension (Orlais)

Undefined if it is a common celebration, nor what exactly the purpose is.

Feast of Urthemiel (Tevinter, Ancient)

A feast that spanned a total of twelve days, it was the grandest celebration of the year during its time. Celebrated at the height of the Imperium when they worshiped the Old Gods.

Unclear if this feast was part of the Urthalis (now known as Wintersend).

Hivernal Feast (Orlais)

Originating in the highlands of Orlais during the early days of the nation. Groups would go out and hunt Hivernals, on a successful hunt they would return and feast before salting the dragon meat and using the rest for potions, armor, and other supplies to help them last the winter. It is a feast still celebrated in some areas of Orlais.

Noble Feast (Orzammar)

A feast had during a celebration, typically one honoring an individual for their military accomplishments or a service done for Orzammar.

Also used to honor the mercy and/or martial skill of a commander.

General Ceremonies

Uthenera Ceremony (Arlathan)

Where an elder's long life and all their contributions to the elven people was celebrated before they moved on to the next step of waking slumber.

Harvest Ball (General)

A ball held during the harvest season.

Unclear how common or well spread these balls are, but they are mentioned as occurring in places such as Ostwick.

Wedding Ceremony (General)

Can be especially lavish for rulers, nobility, or people of import.

Typically overseen by Chantry Mothers in southern Thedas.

Unnamed Holidays, Ceremonies, Feasts, and Festivals

A religious holiday in the Imperium with a ceremony to mark the day a spell is cast to renew the Eternal Flame that is lit and continuously burns in every chantry in the Imperium.

A holiday in the Imperium that celebrates the death of Joyous II, Orlesian Chantry Divine. It is unclear if this holiday is still celebrated.

At Adamant Fortress the residents would have a celebration which included a feast on the day of the first snow fall. Traditions include the residents putting up wreaths, dancing, and other events.

There is a festival that includes a turkey. But there is little information outside of the line mentioning "festival turkey".

In some Dalish clans, there is a special ceremony for when a Keeper anoints a mage as their first.

Miscellaneous and Trivia

There is a practice of giving gifts on the solstice mentioned by Luka.

People have both a Wintersend gift list as well as Satinalia gift list. It is unclear if the Wintersend gift list is a regional/cultural specific practice, a universal one, or if it was simply confused with Satinalia.

Birthdays while separate from Name days are both celebrated universally.

The Qun does not have holidays or annual festivals. They will have celebrations but usually in response to a death in service to the Qun by an individual who did a great deed. They have a celebration that allows for unabashed revelry; this includes drinking, public chanting, and even meditations are abandoned.

The term "holiday", "on holiday", and "family holiday" are used by those in Thedas as opposed to vacation or the like.

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, while a Fereldan traditional dish, is a recipe from the 1974 Weight Watchers.

Sources:

BioWare Blog Weight Watchers: Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Dragon Age Origins Dragon Age 2 Dragon Age Inquisition Dragon Age Inquisition Multiplayer Dragon Age The Last Court Dragon Age Tabletop Dragon Age Tabletop Blood in Ferelden Dragon Age Origins Official Prima Guide Dragon Age Masked Empire Dragon Age Asunder Dragon Age Tevinter Nights World of Thedas Vol 1 World of Thedas Vol 2

Origins Codex: Archdemon Codex: Feast Day Fish A Note from the Honnleath Village Council

Dragon Age 2 Codex: Chest of Unanswered Invitations Codex: Notes on the Avvar Sky Cult Codex: Thedas Calendar

Inquisition Codex: Mad Emperor Reville War Table Mission: A Favor Returned War Table Mission: Rescue the Spy

The Last Court Your Bailiff is Attacked

Want to support this blog? Check out my ko-fi!

[idrellegames]

New Calendar Lore🌙✨

Public Build Patch 2.4. will be released later today! This is a major update that adds additional story content to Episode 2, some UI tweaks and additions, alongside general bugs and other fixes.

One of the more interesting parts of the patch is the addition of updated Astrandium lore and an updated calendar.

Transcription of the new calendar codex entry is under the cut.

Ivernian Calendar

The Ivernian calendar was created during the reign of Ivernia ard Castella, an Arathian empress who ruled during the 8th century IE (Imperial Era). A devout sovereign with strong ties to the Meissandium, Ivernia was fascinated with celestial objects and the cycles of the moons. She funded a number of research academies dedicated to astronomy and her scientists mapped the night sky.

It is the most accurate calendar to date and has been adopted worldwide for the sake of convenience. The exceptions are Calantha, Aos, Aurai, and Valkiria, each of whom use their own calendars.

Division of Months, Weeks & Days

The Ivernian calendar contains thirteen months of 28 days each. In Meissandic countries, each pair of months are associated with a season and a Meissandic god whose festival days fall at the midpoint of the season. The exception is the seventh month, Harrowmere, the midpoint of the year. No festival days occur during this month.

Lunar Cycles

The moon holds special significance in the Ivernian calendar. New moons mark the beginning and end of each month, with the full moon appearing at the midpoint. During Harrowmere, the moon is dark for the full month. It is only then that the planet’s secondary moon, Apokarys, is visible. To the naked eye, Apokarys appears as a cluster of irregular silver-violet fragments in the night sky.

Seasons & Months

Aestival (Summer, Season of Belennor) Month 1 — Celestian Month 2 — Sovereign

Serotinal (Harvest, Season of Metisara) Month 3 — Summermarch Month 4 — Harvestide

Autumnal (Autumn, Season of Antares) Month 5 — Firstfall Month 6 — Stormwind

Tempestal (Storm, Season of None) Month 7 — Harrowmere

Hivernal (Winter, Season of Nashira) Month 8 — Eventide Month 9 — Starfall

Prevernal (Renewal, Season of Adara) Month 10 — Wintermarch Month 11 — Ivernian

Vernal (Spring, Season of Lyrana) Month 12 — Guardian Month 13 — Sunreach

[hiddenbeks]

oc questions tag

tagged by @hibernationsuit !! thank youuuu 💜

tagging @rosykims @aevallare @abetterbeginning @gortash @wrenanigans if u want to do this, no pressure! don't remember who's done this recently so i'm sorry if ur getting spammed with this bc of me hehe

anyway it's celyn time babey.. been thinking abt her a lot lately <3

name: celyn surana

nickname(s): uhhh. cel? i gotta think of some cute descriptive nicknames for her that others would teasingly use but i'm drawing a blank rn. will have to ruminate more.

she only lets Very Close Friends call her by any nickname btw. jowan (being her only friend lol) was the only person in the circle who got to call her cel. only andrale and carver have earned this privilege since (andrale only ever calls her celyn tho). leliana earns it as well ten years later during inquisition lol

gender: cis female

star sign: uhhh she was born on the 27th of firstfall which is the thedas equivalent of november sooo sagittarius??

height: 159 cm. my second shortest oc and the same height as me hehe <3

orientation: bisexual!

nationality: fereldan i guess. she was born in ferelden and raised in ferelden's circle of magi but she doesn't have a strong Fereldan Identity. she's not celyn from ferelden she's just... celyn...

favorite fruit: uuuhh apples

favorite season: i'm tempted to say winter bc her aesthetic is so cold and wintery but i think she would prefer a warmer season. maybe mid to late fall actually. she enjoys the gloom and fall colors and the rainy and stormy weather

favorite flower: i wonder if she's ever even seen a live plant actually. i wonder if there are any indoor greenhouses in the circle. wow i'm suddenly making myself sad thinking abt how she's barely seen any nature in her 19 years of life. anyway uhhh!!! gentians are her favorite actually look at how pretty they are

favorite scent: ghghjgh i struggle with any scent or smell related questions bc i have anosmia so idk what things smell like lmao. let's say uhhh whatever a spruce forest smells like. nice n fresh i imagine

coffee, tea or hot chocolate: she's a coffee gal... had to check if coffee exists in thedas and apparently it does and is a major export of antiva. fascinating. anyway she drinks coffee to stay awake late at night reading and studying (forbidden) magic. she enjoys the silence of the night and is at her most productive during that time

average hours of sleep: during her time in the circle i guess it was like... 5-6 maybe? as i said she tends to stay up late and i bet circle inhabitants are expected to wake up crazy early like 6am or sth. it doesn't get any better after leaving the circle bc andrale also expects everyone to get up and moving crazy early. and after officially becoming a warden it gets even worse when she starts having Warden Nightmares ahah

dog or cat person: cat person! she's a bit like morrigan when it comes to dogs. thinks they're stupid n gross lol. though she does eventually warm up to the dog (named assan by andrale <3) in dao.

dream trip: honestly anywhere is fine she is full of wanderlust... what living in a tower for 19 years does to a gal... the whole blight adventure is a dream trip to her i bet. yes she has to fight darkspawn and a horrible death is around every corner but consider: she gets to see ancient elven ruins and denerim and orzammar... so many sights to see and so many new experiences! she feels so alive! and she gets to use her powers to their full extent!! she gets to hone her skills beyond what the circle allowed!!! not that the circle's rules stopped her from studying outlawed magic in secret but like. now she doesn't have to do it in secret anymore.

a trip to tevinter would also be interesting from a purely academic standpoint. nevarra as well because it's more liberal with magic than most of thedas but also safer for her than tevinter? so basically she would like to see the whole world but especially places where she gets to expand her knowledge on magic...

favorite fictional character: in a real world au her favorite fictional character would be morgana pendragon from bbc merlin. this is not at all influenced by the fact that one of my inspirations for her was morgana pendragon from bbc merlin,

number of blankets they sleep with: hmmmm one

random fact: i'm sharing two random facts bc i can't decide which one of these is more interesting or whatev:

celyn is basically the toph to andrale's katara. they have somewhat clashing personalities and differing views on teamwork and the sharing of camp chores... andrale expects everyone to contribute while celyn only looks after herself. also despite her excitement she's kinda terrified to be out in the real world but she won't let it show!! so she acts hyper-independent!!! unfortunately for her andrale can see right through this facade and she calls celyn out on it (she tries to be gentle and constructive about it but she's had it with celyn's shit and fails). so. yea. my point is they argue a lot at first lol! but they become great friends once celyn learns teamwork and communication and andrale loosens up a little

whenever she does fire magic she makes the flames hot enough for them to turn blue, purely for the aesthetic. she also enjoys other ways of showing off with her magic and she was Very competitive in the circle. she simply had to be the best in her class and let the other students know that she was above them. most of her fellow students could not stand her because of this <3

[inquisitor-julia]

So! not exactly sure how I want to format this but here I am to babble about my OCs starting with the original love of my life: Elsanna Cousland

Putting this giant post under the cut so I don't clog up anyone's dash!

So to start off, just the basics:

Status: Alive and well, Queen of Ferelden

Name Meaning: “Powerful Sparrow”

Full Name: Elsanna Norette Cousland [Theirin]

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Date of Birth: 15th of Firstfall 9:12 Dragon

Age: 18 (at the start of Origins)

Class: Rogue (Dual-Wielder)

Specializations: Duelist, Assassin, Shadow

Romance: Alistair

Shares World-State With: Serafina Hawke and Nayeli Trevelyan

Height: 5'8"

Family: Eleanor (Mother)(Dead), Bryce (Father)(Dead), Fergus (Older Brother), Oriana (Sister-In-Law)(Dead), Oren (Nephew)(Dead), Cassia (Sister-In-Law), Eleanora (Niece), Bryson (Nephew), Vilaida (Mabari)

Children: Alessandra (Daughter)

MBTI: ENFJ

Astrology: Scorpio [3rd Decan]

Pinterest Board

Playlist

Romance Playlist (for sure needs updating)

Her in game decisions:

she recruits and keeps all of the available companions

she’s friends with all of her companions

her mabari is named Vilaida

sided with the mages

protected redcliffe

helped connor with the help of the circle of magi and isolde and connor lived

did not defile the sacred ashes

made peace between the elves and werewolves

Avernus allowed to live and continue experiments humanely

did not drink Avernus’ potion and did not destroy it

destroyed the anvil and sided with cairidin

Bhelen rules Orzammar

“killed” flemeth (by which i mean she absolutely fought flemeth but obviously flemeth isn’t actually dead so…)

Loghain was executed by Alistair

Alistair rules Ferelden with Elsanna as his Queen

The dark ritual was done by Alistair

Elsanna killed the archdemon and lived

Elsanna became warden commander and arlessa of amaranthine

recruited all awakening companions

friends with all awakening companions

protected both vigil’s keep and amaranthine

killed the architect

let morrigan leave through the eluvian

Some posts I've made about her previously

Aesthetic Post

Infodump Post

Short Fic

Elsanna and Four Colors

16 Factors Test

Wedding Dress

Warden or Queen Ask

Sad Cousland Headcanon

Elsi and Alistair Gifset

Feelings About Loghain

Excuse You I Am Your Queen

Feelings About Wardens

Hogwarts Aesthetic (no i don't engage with HP anymore but i still like this post)

Eamon vs. Alessandra

In Five Gifs

Leliana and Shale

Happy Ending

Kiss, Marry, Get Drinks With

Dog and Ser Pounce

How Deeply She Feels

Elsanna's Theme

Dollmakers 1 2 3 4 5

Art of her:

by changelingsandothernonsense

by paranoidfactors

by junie-junette

by mirandemia

by me

by deeplord

I know this post is really just links but this is just to start me off talking about her! I have more info written down (somewhere) that I'm going to post and I'm open to any questions! :)

[andnatiabrosca]

WIP Wednesday

(taking inspo from @greypetrel and making myself tagged for WIP Wednesday)

& since @dungeons-and-dragon-age always tags me in these - turnabout is fairplay

I'm working on Nat's timeline to scaffold my longfic ('love knows life') on:

9:30 Dragon 10 Wintersmarch - Lunar Eclipse 14 Wintersmarch - Nat's Proving 19 Wintersmarch - Nat is Conscripted 22 Wintersmarch - Nat Surfaces Wintersend - Nat's 23rd Nameday 16 Guardian - Arrive to Ostagar 2 Drakonis - Enter Korcari Wilds 8 Drakonis - Joining 15 Drakonis - Battle of Ostagar 17 Drakonis - Wake at Flemeth's, Leave for Lothering 22 Drakonis - Arrive to Lothering 28 Drakonis - Solar Eclipse 30 Drakonis - Leave for Brecilian 9 Cloudreach - Enter Brecilian 13 Bloomingtide - Leave Brecilian for Denerim 22 Bloomingtide - Zevran 29 Bloomingtide - Arrive in Denerim 7 Justininan - Leave for Soldier's Keep 11 Justinian - Arrive to Soldier's Keep 13 Justinian - Leave Soldier's Keep for Kinloch Hold 27 Justinian - Enter Kinloch Hold 11 Solace - Leave Kinloch for Redcliffe via boat 13 Solace - Make landfall, need to walk to Redcliffe 15 Solace - Arrive in Redcliffe 18 Solace - Corpse fight in Redcliffe 30 Solace - Leave Redcliffe for Orzammar 8 Matron - Nat gets pregnant 11 Matron - Enter Orzammar via Hall of Paragons 14 Matron - Reunite with Rica 4 Firstfall - Leave Orzammar for Haven 10 Firstfall - Lunar Eclipse 17 Firstfall - Arrive to Haven 22 Firstfall - Leave Haven for Redcliffe with Ashes 4 Haring - Arrive back to Redcliffe 6 Haring - Wake Arl Eamon with Ashes 11 Haring - Leave for Denerim with Arl Eamon 16 Haring - Arrive to Denerim 30 Haring - Landsmeet 9:31 3 Wintersmarch - Leave Denerim to muster at Redcliffe (23 weeks pregnant) 16 Wintersmarch - Muster night. Kieran Conceived (Nat 25 weeks pregnant) Wintersend - Battle of Denerim (Nat 27 weeks, Morrigan 2 weeks) 10 Guardian - Nat wakes up 8 Drakonis - Coronation, Shooting star 2 Bloomingtide - Gwinna Born!

This is out of date of my current notes, but I haven't pulled the current segment off donjon yet. Need to get Witch Hunt and Awakening scheduled in yet, then will put da2's timeline into the same calendar & dai as well, then Nat's "missing years" can be put in, in reference

[bumblerhizal-art]

Conal Tabris/Surana! (depending on the verse)

Conal was born Firstfall 9:25 to a Circle mage and taken away to a Chantry orphanage before his mother could even hold him. He was told he had no living relatives.

Magic developed young. He was four years old when he accidentally summoned a shower of sparkles onto his fellow wards. The Sisters had been watching him closely and sent him away to the Jainen Circle with great haste where he stayed locked up until the dissolution of the Circles.

I have to be very careful when i think about him or else i’ll get too tempted by the idea of his Hero of Ferelden father finding out he exists and doing all he can to rescue him from the Circle.

[nrowesims]

They also moved apartments. After all, if you've been dead (and magically resurrected), you can hardly just pick back up and explain to the neighbours

[nightmarist]

if *I* were to make a dragon age calendar id probably go with a solar calendar, sure, or a harvest/seasonal calendar since most of Thedas seems very season-dependent.

The official stuff does say they have four seasons and 365 days but that's boring. Let's have some fun.

Thinking in terms of, this is a fantasy world with two moons and a sun, and technically a non-earth planet, the calendar could move slower or faster, and the seasons and axis could be different from earth.

Also, the fact it has two moons... One, as we see in The Hissing Wastes, is huge. Or rather, very very very close to Thedas. It probably causes lots of very strong tides and storms on the waters nearest to it on the other side of the world, but I also don't know where it moves, and if it gets farther away at different times of the year.

Satina, according to DA lore, is the specific moon that is celebrated. I don't like the "Satinalia" obvious Saturnalia reference so maybe calling the celebration Satinatum or similar if its based off Tevinter (and therefore a filtered/bastardized Roman Latin thing happening). They should probably also name the other moon.... There could probably therefore be Two special celebrations of the moons.

The "seasons" they seem to primarily talk about and experience are: Winter, Summer/Harvest, Rain, Funeral(?). The occasional references to Summer but Summer and harvest season are sometimes in the same breath.

I think/assume the Rainy season is in between Winter and Harvest, and Winter marks the beginning of their year.

Winter -> Rainy Seasons (everything is melting and is wet) -> Harvest (things have grown from the rain, time to harvest before Winter, and mixed in a bit of rebirth symbolism for funerary and other rites).

Each culture could have a slightly different calendar, but with Tevinter colonization it could have converted many over to the Tevinter calendar.

Because of the obvious Roman Latin influence on Tevinter, we can probably bastardize some Latin for flavoring up the names.

Maybe something like, Glacelis, Luvelis, and Messis (ice, rain, harvest, loosely).

OK so we have 3 seasons now for general Thedosian peoples.

We can probably keep 300 days, but rather than make it exactly like earth's 365, we'll give it a good round number. Just 300 sounds fine. 3 seasons, 100 days each. 100 days split in 2 is 50, split those 2 more you get 25.

You can still have 12 "months" by making them 25 days each. maybe, every end-month is a 5 day celebration, and the extra special 5-day celebrations are the liminal weeks at the end of a season.

DA wants to have 5-day weeks so it works out that way anyway.

If you want to really get fucky with etymology, we could change "week" to something else (but its not necessary since "week" just means "a set").

1 round of the sun = 1 day/dae. 5 days = a Daeset 5 Daesets = 1 Solset 4 Solsets = 1 Season Final Daeset at the end of a Solset = Feast Days

Not changing too much bc you'll accidentally invent a whole language + it still needs to be understandable to like. Players. lmao.

Thedosian Solsets: Wintermarch, Guardward, Dragonwatch (Or Drakonfound*), Cloudreach, Bloomtide, Justiniapoint, Solacement, Andrasteworth, Kingsway, Harvestmere, Firstfall, Haringrise

*Drakon was one of the original founders of Andrastean, the original month was called Drakonis but welt somewhat out of place name-wise. Likewise, it's usually good (and historically accurate) to rename things that are similar as means of easier conversion, so an old Thedosian name for the month could be Dragonwatch (perhaps a time of dragon mating season or hunting etc?) be renamed to Drakonfound. Also I just liked having a giggle at "Dragon Watch... Dragon.. FOUND"

You could also divide it evenly via weeks/daesets. There would be a total of 60 daesets, and thus still 20 daesets per season if you want to divide it perfectly even (100 days each season still), but if you make daesets only 3 instead of 4 or 5, that makes an interesting number.

15 daesets in one seasons could equal 3 solsets/months, with 1 daeset of celebration at the end of a season instead of one at the end of each solset. That would therefore make 9 total solsets instead of 12 (and frankly I think the last 3 months of the original DA calendar feel/sound kind of useless to me).

So that would make, instead: Glacelis: Wintermarch, Guardward, Drakonfound Wintersend Celebration Luvelis: Cloudreach, Bloomtide, Justiniapoint Harvestmere Celebration Messis: Solacement, Andrasteworth, Kingsway Day of immolation*

*A celebration to send off and honor lost souls, rather than "All Soul's Day" the way it was originally named. It's obviously supposed to be All Souls, Dia de los Muertos, Halloween, etc shoved together with costumes and funerary rites. Initially it's intended purpose in DA is to honor Andraste's burning. I would probably liken it to those kinds of celebrations where you burn an effigy, like The Burning of Zozobra.

Taking that into consideration, I think the Immolation would be a sort of thing where you burn old things you don't need/want, burn things for luck, burn prayers to reach The Maker or Andraste, etc. It would also be culturally relevant since in my new calendar it marks the start of Winter, so burning fuel to stay warm fits secularly (such as the many fire-associations during Christmas and our other real-world winter holidays)

Renamed a few other months just to sort of keep the flavor of how the months are named.

I assume the Avvar being Norse-based have a sort of two-season Winter-Summer split calendar, or perhaps because they are a more animistic they could have a calendar based on animal hibernation and migration, which may sound like it'd be the same but they could have ever so slight variances. Perhaps they would have months called Crowsflight, Bearsleep, Beespring, etc. I'd have to do more research on where, exactly, Avvar live and what the wildlife they have near them are.

The solsets could be used to keep track of the seasons, but I don't see why there couldn't be lunar calendars for Thedosians as a whole, sort of like the two calendars in mexica, a sun calendar and a ritual calendar. Certainly I assume at least a few cultures would have them, there are two moons. That feels culturally significant. There is supposed to be a special holiday to celebrate just one of the moons. Maybe there are two separate sets of lunar calendars for different holiday celebrations.

I would also wonder how the moon phases differ from one another, and if it is possible to track when they are the same, or if they eclipse one another. I'm not as knowledgeable on lunar calendars so I'll have to look at real world lunar calendars to see how they divide months, years, celebrations, and maybe things I havent thought of (if I ever feel the feverish need to do this again haha)

Anyway, I got tired but here are my zany thoughts about dragon age calendars.

[greypetrel]

Ok because I'm falling down the Aisling x Fenris hole with you - could I ask for affection meme #29 - Meeting eyes across a distance and knowing what the other is thinking?

You are all enabler!

(and I want to thank you. x°D Really I was so anxious at posting that fic, I’m so glad it got some appreciation)

(reminding you all that this is much an AU, don’t worry, we’re staying in Cullen territory in Canon. … She has a kink for Templars and bisexual disasters tho. You can mock her.)

Also it’s coming in more parts! Because why suffering twice when we can all suffer more.

Soundtrack!

And Part 1 if you missed it

If I Make it to the Morning

( Meeting eyes across a distance and knowing what the other is thinking )

*Between Hasmal and the Tevinter border, 9:41, Firstfall.*

At first, the voices and tales of the Herald of Andraste didn’t caught Fenris’ attention. He just shrugged them off, not paying attention to the latest imposed saint and saviour there to solve everyone’s problems. He had spent his time in Kirkwall with the Hawkes, not enough to have him stay, but enough to learn that one person was but one person, and couldn’t be held responsible to solve the World.

He learnt about the Conclave, learnt that the Herald was an elf, and a Dalish one. But after a fleeting thought, wondering if he crossed their eyes at the Arlathven, all that time ago, he took his sword and was on the road again, after the next slavers.

He had no interest in joining the Inquisition, and if Varric needed him, he knew how to find him and contact him. It was none of his business, after all, three years with a clan and two days at an Arlathven didn’t make him a Dalish.

There were weird groups of mages, lately, crossing the border in the middle of the night and with no cages. It was clear, tho, that they weren’t exactly up to much good. The first group that Fenris ambushed didn’t look that assuming. He admittedly just saw Tevinters acting suspicious, followed them and attacked when it was clear that they were up to no good, interrogating their chief.

Venatori, he called their group. At the service of the Ancient One to restore Tevinter’s glory. Add the usual slurs and empty threats, Fenris just ended him and got on with his work, gathering documents and the informations he could. He didn’t fully understand what was going on, there definitely were some pieces of the puzzle he missed -first and foremost who this Ancient One was-, but the mentions to Red Lyrium were enough for him to catch on that Venatori meant, too, kill on sight. He sent word to Varric as soon as he got back to Hasmal and his informators, attached the document he found, and got on with his life.

*Close to the Tevinter border, 9:42, Wintermarch.*

It passed a month before another attack to another group of Venatori almost ended in disaster. He thought he had counted them all, tracking them down as they crossed the border and made their way out of the beaten path, hiding the way hahren Oshyn taught him, minding his steps not to make noise, blend in the environment. It was useful for spying as well, observing the enemy without being seen, and he was grateful for the effort the Lavellans put up with him. Except, this time he miscalculated.

He didn’t see that there was a second group, bigger, further back on the path, that descended on him as he was almost finishing the first. He cursed, thought back on his strategy. They were too many, and he was getting tired: his chance was falling back -dodge a fireball, parry another, jump back when there’s the crack of lightning, plant your sword in the ground and your hands away, shut your eyes and close your ears, the way she told him to- and retreating back in the trees, hoping he still remembered Oshyn’s teaching enough to lose them in the woods.

And then, an arrow struck a soldier. Another felled the next. Barriers were casted as a contingent of soldiers and scouts came out all around him, telling him brashly to just move.

They sported Inquisition insignia, a flaming black eye in white field, cut in half by a sword. He stared, not understanding what they did so far north. Far beyond the reaching of the Chantry. If they crossed the border and entered in arms in the Imperium, it would have caused a diplomatic disaster, and for what he knew, the Inquisition wasn’t so politically sound to withstand offending Tevinter, Herald of Andraste or not.

When the battle was over, he approached what looked like the Officer in command, and asked. They were kind, and treated him as equal. Mistook him for a Dalish, but it wasn’t the first time it happened, and he often took it as covering, not bothering to correct the mistake of seeing a tattooed elf and going for Dalish.

“We’re here on the Inquisitor’s personal orders, hunting slavers and Venatori. You shouldn’t engage neither on your own, particularly the Venatori: they’re dangerous and the prisoners are taken for experiments.”

“So close to Tevinter?”

“Yes, it’s a conjunct operation. The Inquisitor’s Tevinter advisor has contact in Minrathous. Magister Tilani joined forces with us for this operation.”

He frowned. A Tevinter advisor in contact with a Magister? He heard of Tilani, she wasn’t high on his list of targets, but still… Maybe he should have paid more attention to the Inquisition, after all, if its hand reached so far north and its leader had… Such sympathies. Weird.

“Can you tell me more about the Inquisitor? With a Tevinter advisor?”

The scout laughed, shaking her head. He followed her around, helping how he could in searching bodies and retrieving documents, orders and everything useful.

“Forgive me the laughter… You’re not the first to have doubts. The Lady Inquisitor was the Herald of Andraste, and much like her patroness, she doesn’t look at provenience, if the intentions are good. Whoever wants to help defeating Corypheus has a place.”

A Dalish elf with sympathies for Tevinter. It could… No. No, it couldn’t be. She was one of many, and she wanted to stay in the clan. He shooed that thought from his head and made another question.

“Who’s this Corypheus?”

“The Ancient One, yes, the one that the Venatori follows.”

“So, a Magister.”

“So they say. Some rumours say he’s darkspawn too, tho… But he was the one who opened the Rifts and the sky, and destroyed Haven, Lady Lavellan tho closed the Breach and dueled him in Haven… She’s the best bet against him.”

“… Lavellan, you said?”

“Yes, didn’t you know her name? I thought the Dalish knew. Do you know her?”

“… she’s a mage.”

“Yes, but-”

He thanked the Scout, a little too brashly for politeness, and was out of the clearing before she could ask him who he was exactly. And thinking back, really, how many weird elves could he think of that would have welcomed a Tevinter noble as advisor? How many elves were so prone in getting caught always in the weirdest shit so gloriously?

He needed to get South.

*Exalted Plains, 9:42, Guardian.*

It took him way longer than he would have liked to reach her.

He had considered tracking the Lavellan, just to ask… Anything, really. Because the idea of facing the Keeper and the whole clan, after almost 8 years since he left without even a goodbye was still more appealing than facing her, after leaving with yes, a goodbye, and also a conversation that left her in pieces and took the light away from her eyes.

But he owed it to her, at least. He owed it to come personally, not go looking for voices and rumours from people who knew her, not write and ask Varric how she was faring and if he believed she needed help.

He hadn’t been thinking straight, but he felt his heart in his throat and a sense of dread. He had to go and check. Even if it meant having her tell him in his face that he went way past her stupidly wide boundaries and she hated him. Just a quick detour. Check if she was fine. Offer his sword if she needed it. He owed it to her. She has just saved his life. Yet again. He was free, now, and he was done running.

But, by the time he reached Skyhold, not difficult to find once he crossed to Ferelden and found forward camps and bases flying the flaming eye all around the Storm Coast and Crestwood, drinking anecdotes and informations he could find and hear, she wasn’t there.

It was, honestly, impressive to see what she had accomplished: the tall, imposing fortress bustling with life and activities, the camp in the valley. Oh, he knew she was highly intelligent, and would have been a good leader, once her time would have come… He never expected this. As he never expected to find back from Kirkwall Knight-Captain Rutherford – now Commander, and underlining heavily how he was no more Knight-Captain- to burst his cover of “Former Lavellan member”.

It took him too many explanations to let him, Sister Nightingale and Lady Montilyet to agree and tell him where the Inquisitor was. Varric barged in, fighting guards, to vouch for him, and yet fell surprised when Leliana asked him if it was true that he knew the Inquisitor. He couldn’t answer, because he never told him which clan he knew, never told them all more than “I hid three years among the Dalish”, when Merrill noticed some idiosyncrasies he picked up and she instantly recognised. Luckily, Cullen didn’t forget he was in the Gallows too, fighting against Meredith, and it was him, in the end, who convinced his colleagues. It calmed him to see she had people around that were protective of her. The actual her, not the Inquisitor mask.

He tagged along in the next supply caravan, headed to the Exalted Plains. It wasn’t a long trip, at least.

He was welcomed by destruction. Trenches in shambles, a countryside on fire, soldiers from both parties of the civil war gathering to burn corpses, Inquisition forces working hard to keep everyone supplied, the roads safe from bandits, clean up what they could.

They pointed him North, saying the Inquisitor hadn’t been back from a couple of days. That was busy, as the Inquisition’s forces repaired the bridge to Citadelle du Courbeau, helping a Dalish Clan that was camped in Halin’Sulahn. She was bound, tho, to be at Fort Revasan in three days time, to cross the river and go check the situation in the Citadelle. Voices ran of more zombies and demons.

He sighed, not surprised that they kept having such a bad timing amongst the civil war and her fulfilling her duties to the People. As the great First that she was. He headed north, leaving the beaten path, spotting traces he didn’t really like and felt familiar from the last three, aimless years.

He climbed to the top of a low hill, facing down to a flatter strip of land where a tall, dilapidated elven building still stood and he saw it: a small camp, lit by a couple of fires and tents with the Tevinter snakes painted on top. Very unwise, to make themselves so visible and recognisable. Particularly because they were so few, all but five people, two of whom lying asleep.

He unsheathed his greatsword and slowly walked down, laying low and hiding behind fallen rocks. The position wasn’t the best, just a turn of a head and he’d be spotted. Nonetheless, he trudged on hiding until he couldn’t anymore. He was spotted and then he ran. He faded through a tent, stabbing down to the sleeping mage there, right in the middle of his chest. One less.

He faded again through a fireball, charging one of the mages, the one that alarmed the others. It wasn’t difficult, he just had to pay attention and care for his surroundings, ducking and dodging and taking his time. He had energies to spare, the long journey left him eager of getting back to work. One Venatori less, throat sliced neatly.

The third had him retreat, casting a rain of icicles he had to jump back to dodge. Not a problem, he could circle him, maybe drag the assassin they had with them in the fire, or over one of the ice mines that were casted -as if he didn’t know what they were, the idiot didn’t even put some effort in making them inconspicuous to the warrior elf glowing blue with lyrium. Amateurs.

A snap of wood behind him signalled one of the rogues, he girated around, swinging his sword –

Swiiish.

The assassin screamed in pain, as an arrow struck him right in his eye. He heard a feminine laughter, very nasal, from behind him, but didn’t stop to look, slicing through the soft belly of the assassin and leaving her on the ground to die, turning again to parry another fireball thrown at him with the flat of his weapon.

“See? I got the bull’s eye, Bull! Got it? Ah ah!”

The same voice of the laughter cheered, followed by a booming one, a laughter hidden behind every syllable, from right on his left.

“Great job, Sera-baas! Move, broomstick!”

The ground trembled, as a Qunari run after him and sliced the mage he was aiming at as if it was butter. The mage jumped behind, wounded badly but apparently not down, more resistant than one would think, or with a better armour hidden in flowy robes. The Qunari yelled. “Crap!” as he jumped back, too close to fully avoid the fire that was thrown at him. He hissed, swinging his axe to get distance, ignoring the pain and the burn. Fenris didn’t lose time, jumping right at him, zig-zaging to avoid being targeted too easily. He killed that mage by stabbing him in his chest, deep, but it left him open to the last warrior, his sword stuck in the leather brigandine the mage was clad in.

“Boss!”

He heard the Qunari yell again, as he struggled -damn Tevinter clothes with their too many straps- to free his sword and himself.

He felt it, then.

The air crackling in static all around, buzzing with energy and the distinct smell of ozone. Noise of hoofs, a horse neighing. And then-

It thundered, loud and strong. It had been eight years, but Fenris’ body, apparently, remembered, closing his eyes and letting go of the hilt, staying impossibly still where he was as the air filled with light and thunder, the woosh of flames adding up and warming the air on his face was new, and then everything quieted again. He opened his eyes and the last Vint was lying on the ground, unconscious and burnt from the lightning that just hit him, twitching jerkily as the electricity ran through his nerves, his clothes on fire in more than one part, hair completely burnt down.

They were younger, in a carefree day, years ago. It was spring, the air was full of the smell of fresh grass and flowers. He was sitting against a tree with a book she had lent him to exercise, as she slowly padded her way in the underbush, staff held tight in her hand and steps overly measured, toes checking the ground for twigs before placing her weight on it. She wasn’t a hunter: she may be not so bad when she asked him to teach her to wield a sword, but… The tongue out of her lips, the overly concentrated expression betrayed her uneasiness, long hair splaying all around, leaves stuck in the locks. She launched a rock in the undergrowth, quickly falling into position and calling on her mana as three rabbits ran away, scared. He closed his eyes and averted his eyes, not moving one bit as she told him, as thunder fell from the sky, precise as an arrow, and shocked one of the running rodents dead. She turned with a big smile on her face, expression lit up by more than the speckles of the sun that filtered through the canopy, proud of herself and looking at him for recognition.

“What for?” He had asked, barely containing a smile. He was there from a couple of years, they were unlikely friends, and he found it was difficult to stay grumpy and angry when Aisling was looking at you with that level of enthusiasm.

“Dinner, silly!” She laughed.

She wasn’t catching dinner anymore, but the precision, dead-set and carefully gained through a lot of methodical exercise, was still unmistakably hers. And yet, she wasn’t laughing anymore. She wasn’t alight with enthusiasm, and her hair weren’t long and with leaves or flowers decorating them.

She sat on a pinto horse, staff in her hand, looking straight at him with a hard expression on her face he didn’t think she even had in her. Her hair was shorter, brushing her shoulders and left loose, parted on top of her head so some stray locks covered her brow and her Vallaslin. Which was weird per se. She was very proud of her tattoos, always had been, and most often she braided her hair back to show them. Her face had lost the last roundness of childhood, her mouth had a harsh turn to it. She still wore leg wraps even with clothes and a leather cloak that were unmistakably human in cuts and materials, toes free on the stirrups.

Their eyes met, they kept looking for a long time. He notice briefly the other elf on the saddle with her, an archer taller than her that was glaring suspiciously at him, the second Mage in flowy white robes and moustaches that Fenris remembered from another life, or the Qunari of before asking questions he didn’t hear.

There she was. Aisling Lavellan, looking at him in the eyes.

Eight years had passed, but it was just like it was yesterday that they spoke for the last time. There was something he couldn’t recognise, but he still believe he knew, roughly, how to read her. He had spent a lot of time learning it, after all, and put his effort into it. With suspect at first, because she was a mage and she was eager, striving to get better, curiosity later, because she was careful and loved what she was doing, and a youthly, foolish and thought unrequited first love, lastly. They were both older, now… But she was still her, and he was still him.

He stepped forward, not breaking eye contact, until the archer rose her bow, the Altus got his staff in position and he had the Qunari’s axe at his throat, forcing him to held his chin high.

“Bull.” She just said, assertive. Her Keeper’s tone.

“Are you sure, Boss? We don’t know-”

“I knew him.”

He didn’t lose how she clicked her tongue on her palate, making the horse move without any other movement, stopping him in front of the Tevinter. Protectively.

She didn’t have to ask him, he didn’t have to answer, they still communicated silently as well as the day he left, after all. There was old hurt, distrust, and incomprehension. And yet, something steely in her eyes, that was maybe not her, but the Lady Inquisitor. He contracted his eyebrows, knowing she was reading him as well.

She lowered her eyes, nodded.

And then he spoke, for the others more than for her.

“I came to offer my sword to the Inquisitor.”

And then, someone punched him, hard, right on his right cheekbone. He fell to the ground, hissing in pain and scrambling to the side, to face-

A very angry, seething with rage, Radha Lavellan. Sharper to the corners, hair considerably shorter, daggers sheathed and hands still clenched in punches. If looks could kill, he would be dead and buried right there and then.

“Radha.” Aisling called, a note of tiredness in her voice.

The Rogue stepped back, without saying a word, still casting angry glances at him. 

“Who is our new guest, darling?” A soft, low voice came, still from behind the horse.

“A person we once knew. He won’t hurt anyone, let him come.”

There was that, at least.

*Skyhold, 9:42, Spring and Summer.*

She wasn’t angry with him. She didn’t seem so. But, she wasn’t the bubbly, friendly person of before.

She accepted him in the Inquisition, leaving to Leliana and Cullen to decide how better to take advantage of his abilities after he explained that he had spent the last 4 years after Kirkwall to hunt slavers down, on his own.

He didn’t expect to find both Raina and Garrett Hawke there, greeting him with Varric as one would an old friend. Even if he was the one of their rag-tag group that fought alongside them for the shortest time. But, they at least were welcoming.

Aisling avoided him, polite when they needed to interact, with a coldness she never had, not getting closer. He tried to speak to her, but she wasn’t reachable anymore. She didn’t want his apologies, she told him that he could be free, she didn’t need his help and didn’t want for him to stay if he didn’t want to, or if he just felt like it was his duty. He professed his wish to… Make amend, somehow. She just refused him, saying there was no need, nothing to amend for. Things happened.

He disagreed, and he stayed. Not that she seemed to mind much in good or bad.

But, she assigned him to missions, never ordering but always asking, mindful even after all that time of not making him feel trapped or forced. Radha slowly stopped looking at him as she would have stabbed him in his back, if it wasn’t for Aisling. It was something.

They danced around the other, gravitating, as they had done when the Lavellan brought him in. He knew she was observing him, he could see her looking at him from time to time. He was doing the same, both looking and not approaching. Space was what they had, space was familiar and a good compromise, as Fenris did his best to show her he was there, and he was not running, not leaving her to face a weird darskpawn-Magister alone. He could do that for her, and it wasn’t all that unpleasant.

The company was good, he got along with the Chargers -he knew the Iron Bull was familiar, after he named Seheron he knew. They never spoke about it, but they both knew. Varric… Was Varric, a knack for making you feel welcomed everywhere. He called her Lucky. It was, indeed, still Aisling Lavellan, the weirdo who thought people were good. She collected quite the rag-tag group, still making friends first and foremost with the most unlikely people around. Magisters and Altus -those were hard to accept, he stuck around as she and Dorian experimented, as Alexius joined them sometimes. He stuck around, a dagger at the ready, refusing to leave when she asked him, once, and even after she told him that Dorian had her utmost trust. Little by little, at least, he saw she was right, that the Altus really seemed to care, and the old Magister had no more bite to him. The Spirit, Cole, was the second on his list of curiosities that unsettled him: because of course she would have made friend with a Spirit in human form that read minds. And then Sera, whomever she was -he quite liked her, tho-. A Ben-Hassrath agent, and a good one, that acted like a mother cat and corrected her form with her spirit-blade. The ex Knight-Captain of Kirkwall lent her books, and they laughed together -he didn’t know Cullen was able to laugh. Apostates and Templars and Orlesian nobles charmed by her. She made it work, and he was admired.

Admired, and sad, because he knew her when she was young, and she never was that demure, and calm. Maybe it was just him and Radha that could see it, but he saw it: she was keeping her distances, keeping always three steps away from all her inner circle, save from Dorian.

She smiled more with him, as they spoke Tevene between them and experimented on magic. On that, she was still brilliant, as much as he was, and he had to admit, as much as she didn’t trust the man, they worked well together, filling each other gaps and spurring each other on. She has always been talented and elegant, thinking outside the box and, at the same time, controlled. But with him?

They made rain on the Keep. A real, true rain that filled the reserves of drinking water and saved people a long and hard trip to fetch it. And, as they travelled across Thedas, helped people as well.

As the months passed, as they found a comfortable rhythm around each other, they crossed eyes again, from time to time. Aisling started speaking to him again, unsurely and tentatively. She never touched anything much personal, always kept her distance. But, she asked about how he was. Asked him for his opinion on matters that weren’t work. Suggested him a book she thought he may like. He made a detour from the kitchen, when he passed and saw they had just taken out of the oven a tray of lemon cookies, and brought them straight to her in the library as a thank you, because he remembered she liked lemon sweets best.

One day, she told him she read about Danarius in the Tale of the Champion. That she was happy for him. And for once, her smile was sincere. As many, many times before, she tugged back the small, shy smile she had just for him. He smiled back, for old time’s sake. He hoped she saw that, in spite of everything, he was proud of her. And he regretted every single day he didn’t get back after Danarius found him and he put an end on the story, winning his freedom.

There was distance, still, a huge, gaping hole of eight year of absence, with not a word. They could work around it, falling into the most innocent of their old habits -like, he would sit in the library, reading, as Dorian taught her maths and to put magic in theory and they bickered, ten miles per hours in a mix of Tevene and Common following some weird line of thought.

He wanted more, he regretted many things. But if that was all that there could be, all that she had left to give him, he would have taken it. Work. Fixing problems together, on different sides of the same room. Exchanging glances and knowing, still, what the other was thinking. Avoiding to speak about the regret, the longing, that at least he started to feel again, after some months. That was left for sideway glances. She could concentrate on finding another person. One that wouldn’t have left.

*Adamant Fortress, 9:42, Kingsway.*

She didn’t want him in his party. It was predictable. She invented an excuse, but he really didn’t need one. He followed Raina, as he had done in Kirkwall, up the battlements.

They fought, they crossed path with Aisling, in her Keeper armour, making thunder rain from above in that way she and Dorian had to weave spells together, drawing together from the Fade to enhance each other’s power. She had Dorian and Solas with her, with the addition of the Iron Bull. As the Battlements were freed, she stopped them to assess the situation and instruct them further.

“We need to get to the inner courtyard and stop Erimond. We’ll head there, Raina and Stroud with us.” She instructed them, turning to him, Radha, Sera, Garrett and Varric. “You stay here, keep the battlements free for our soldiers, cover them as they climb. Garrett, you know what to do to call me if another Rift opens up here. Ok?”

No, it wasn’t ok. He frowned at her, and for the first time since he arrived, he spoke up to her.

“Let me come with you.”

He told her, looking at her in the eyes. He didn’t need to say why or explain, he knew she knew. He had experience with Magisters. He had known Erimond. He was the best suited, had personal grudge against the man and the category. She knew. She steeled her gaze, tho, furrowing and not budging. A challenge.

“No.”

She stepped back: Fenris didn’t realise he had stepped so close to her.

He sighed, nodding, understanding it was not a matter of ability. It was clear as day on her face.

She didn’t trust him at his side, after all.

He let her go, did what she asked. He wondered if she knew his heart went with her nevertheless.

---

When the dragon came flying, tho, he said fuck it to the plan.

“Broody!”

He heard Varric shouting behind him, as he left his flank open – but he saw Radha running his way, and he trusted that the elf would have covered for the dwarf. She was good and protective, the person you’d want covering your back. And yet, she had no experience with Magisters either, and he did. And Aisling was against a crazy Magister -he saw him, buzzing with power- on his pet Archdemon, and his feet took flight. He ignored Radha yelling at him to stop.

He opened his way, one demon after the other, heart in his throat, as the dragon destroyed old walls with his tails, his roars almost covering the thunder that rained on the Keep.

He turned and ran, ignored his lungs begging for air, muscles twitching.

A flash of green, and the Archdemon in front of him retreated, hissing in pain. Whatever the Anchor was on her hand, it was, apparently useful. Except that it made the dragon even angrier. He jumped, stabbed the reptile’s hind leg deep in the muscle. The dragon kicked, and he was too tired to duck in time. He rolled, coming to a stop against a wall, cursing how the sword was tossed in another direction.

He was about to run after his weapon, when the dragon stomped, hard, making the bridge they were standing on tremble. A loud crack, and the stones began to fall.

As the dragon flew away, Fenris was left with a choice. His weapon, on the right. Aisling, on the left, running on falling debris. She was quick on her feet, but not enough. It wasn’t really a choice.

He didn’t think and jump after her, grabbing her tight and rolling them around, not caring for much else than giving her a chance more. He heard her cursing, arm circling his chest and holding tight, instinctively.

Another flash of green, brighter than any of her lightnings. Brighter than her smile right after he kissed her back. He didn’t think it was even possible.

---

She brought them in the Fade and she got them out.

She had to leave Stroud there. Fenris offered to stay, because that’s what he could do. It wasn’t enough, not after reading on her gravestone, in the realm of the demon, that her deepest fear was Abandonment. He knew he hurt her, deeply. He had hoped he hadn’t fully break her. And then, seeing it written, a full certainty…

She refused, her quiet, mistrusting distances instantly ablaze with anger. She yelled at him not to say anything of the sort to her ever, ever again. He never saw her angry before. Once, she would have cried. Now, she didn’t. She said to Stroud to get out, she would have stayed. She couldn’t ask him to do something she wasn’t ready to do.

In the end, the last one to get out from the Fade Rift was, indeed, Aisling, stumbling on her feet and almost losing balance. Fenris didn’t know if the Warden pushed her or managed to convince her. What he did know was that in her eyes, as she rose up and crossed his eyes, looked for him, and especially him, there was anger. Hate. The same hate he felt and told her about, that night at the Arlathven. Hate masking desperation.

It wasn’t him who did this to her. But he understood.

He nodded to her, gravely.

She turned against Erimond and extended her fingers, casting lightning without her staff. Hit the Magister right on the mouth of his stomach, snaking in the tightening nets of his barrier right before he closed it. The man fell on his back, three meters away, unconscious, body twitching.

The battle was over.

And yet, it was not.

---

He found her again early in the morning, as the battlefield was cleared and soldiers moved to the infirmary. Radha thanked him for helping her sister, which was as much as a peace offering he would have gotten from her.

He found Aisling outside the infirmary, bent on herself, hands stained green, trembling like a leaf even if the sun was quickly fending the chill of the night away.

His heart broke.

“You can go, if you need to. I’ll remember you, tho. I remember everyone that leaves.”

She told him, bent on her thighs, hugging her legs with her face hidden between both knees. She was trembling like a leaf, as the night slowly left place to the dawn, vulnerable as ever and still naked under what had been his sheets, the sinewy lines of her Vallaslin he had traced with kisses and caresses few hours prior in full view, hair still tousled from their activities spraying all around.

He had no words to give her, except that it was too much for him to bear. The memories, the intimacy… No. He had been stupid, he hadn’t been as scared in his own life as he was in that moment, terror crippling him. It was too much. He couldn’t stay. He told her all the wrong words, with anger she didn’t deserve and that wasn’t even directed at her. Not really.

She hadn’t cried, she hadn’t said a word more, or even looked at him.

He had been stupid, he had been a coward, and he had gone.

She wasn’t crying, she was still clothed and her hair still neatly plaited behind her head from the battle. And yet, as stoney and sure-footed she had proved to be as the Inquisitor in the last six months, she was crumbling on herself, façade cracking, closed in a protective bubble, hugging her thighs.

Fenris shouldn’t be the one to do that. He knew she didn’t trust him anymore and she had all the reasons. But, he had come full circle now, and as many flaws as he had… He liked to think he could learn.

He knew she hated to crumble before others. She knew she spoke her affection in touches. Or at least, with others. She never touched him without his consent ever since he told her he didn’t like it, and she hadn’t even asked him why. Just accepted the thing, acted accordingly.

This time, he wasn’t a coward, and he didn’t turn his back at her. Instead, he got closer, slipped his hands under her knees and held her back as he hauled her up, holding her close. She started to wiggle immediately, trying to push him away. Hissing and pushing and making the hair crackle with static. It was like holding a wild cat, but he didn’t let go, knowing perfectly she wouldn’t have hurt him. He brought her to a small passage between two buildings, narrow and hidden and left free of rubble, miraculously. They would have been alone there.

He let her go, letting her scrumble away on the ground, heaving and panting. She looked around her, eyes spirited, full of panic, ending up on his. He nodded, knowing what she was thinking, and turned his back, sitting close but not looking at her, shielding from the outside. After a minute, she started to cry, breath ragged, sobbing out like a wounded animal.

He knew her, tho, and knew that… Maybe…

He turned to look at her, legs crossed below her, arms hugging her and swinging back and forth as she cried, breathing heavily through her mouth, still trembling.

She hadn’t moved back, tho, hadn’t sought more distance. So, he tentatively turned back to her and moved closer. Closer. She let him approach. She let him circle her shoulder with both his arms and drag her on his lap, close to his chest, holding her as she cried. She smelled of ash, and of elfroot. She always smelled of elfroot.

“G-go now if you don’t mean to stay. Please, I- I could’t take it one more time.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He told her, squeezing her tighter. “I should have got back years ago. I’m here, now.”

He didn’t move, waiting for her to stop crying. She didn’t, slowly and tentatively shifting her head to slip in the crook of his neck. She didn’t seem to care much if he still had his armour on, and clutched to the border of his breastplate with a hand, holding close.

“Why did you get back?”

“What do you mean?”

“I… You were right. You were right all along.” She sobbed. “About magic. About… About me. I left a person in the- I- I wanted to make Erimond suffer. Slowly. I still do. I… I did blood magic.”

It made her cry more, and he didn’t lie. It was a stab.

“What happened?”

“Vyrina. Two months after you left. The baby… The baby was with his feet down. She would have died, they both would... I- I moved him. It was…”

He had found it weird that she didn’t heal with magic anymore in these months, and all that praising the 1000 qualities of Elfroot. She never did it before, she was learning Spirit Healing, and the Keeper said she was good at it. With those reasons, tho, he really couldn’t say much. It was her and she still didn’t have one bad bones in her body. She wasn’t possessed, that much was clear.

“I was wrong. About magic. It wasn’t about you, it never was… I was a fool, and I was scared. I thought it better if you hated me, I deserved no less. I projected things you didn’t deserve. I didn’t mean you. I never meant you. When you fell, this night, I…”

“I am a killer.”

“Aren’t we all.” He snorted, mirthlessly.

“Then, why…” She sobbed, folding again onto herself, voice pitching. “… Why did you leave, Fenris?”

He sighed, heavily. Six months it took her to ask. He owed her an answer. Particularly because she still, somehow, cared.

“… I thought about the answer a thousand times.”. He started, tentatively. He felt her moving, but it was his turn to just… hold her a little closer, placing a hand on her head. His gauntlet caught on her hair, he untangled it as delicately as he could. But she got the message that he didn’t want her to look, and stayed where she was. “The pain, the memories it brought up… It was too much. I was a coward. And I hurt you, more deeply than you would admit.”

She sniffed, shifted a little to get more comfortable against his armour. He settled them better as she took her time to reply. She had stopped trembling, at least, as well as sobbing. He turned his head to look at her, and what was left of the messy braid she tied her hair before the battle, locks spreading all over.

“Why returning now? After all these years?”

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

“I was hoping you could forgive me. And to tell you…” He swallowed. “… And to tell you that if you could, and you somehow felt as before, that if I have to be a future nothing could be worse than the thought of living it without you.”

It was as close as he could trudge. She stopped, perfectly still. It was out, he was on the clear.

“Why are you telling me this, now?”

“Because I thought you would have died, and I couldn’t bear the thought of you not knowing. You still have battles to fight. You need to know that it wasn’t your fault.”

“I understand.”

She was back to cold mode. He slumped, fear rising back again, as well as regret. Gone was the giggling, gone were the embarrassment. She didn’t move from where she was, tho, hot breath fanning over his neck. He didn’t want her to go, ever, but… He felt her move, and let her slip away. He knew better.

“Thank you. For coming back. And for jumping after me. But…”

“It is too late.”

It wasn’t a question. He knew her. He didn’t need to even look at her to guess. She closed her fingers, slowly, over his, squeezing.

“I am sorry, Fen. But…” She was, tone of voice sweet, under hurt, old pain resurfacing. “… I don’t know. I think… I think it is.”

She kept her hand on his, not letting go. He moved and held her hand back, not saying anything else. He understood. He had stayed away so long convincing himself that she hated him and didn’t want to see him. He didn’t expect her to swallow everything or forget. They stayed there, silently mourning what was lost to bad timing, and trauma clashing badly together.

“I’d… I’d be glad if you stayed. If you want to. I… I am glad to have you around, even if…”

“You don’t trust me.”

She sighed, deeply, shaking her head in denial.

“I trust you with my life, Fen. I wouldn’t want to have anyone beside me in battle but you, Radha and Dorian, Bull and Sera.”

That much was true, she didn’t hesitate.

“I can’t trust you with my heart, tho.”

She moved forward, tentatively as she already did, but less nervous. She asked him to look at her, when she was close enough.

“One for the road?” She asked, smiling. She was crying.

“One for the road.” He smiled back, nodding.

She pecked a last kiss on his lips, no teeth this time. It was bittersweet, and she tasted like salt and ashes, and some lingering elfroot from the last healing potion she dranked. She dragged it on, and then interrupted it, moving back and letting go of his hand.

“Thank you.”

She said. It encompassed everything. Fond memories they had, young people learning to find common ground, growing together, him learning about peace and quiet, she peeking her nose in a bigger, wider world. A bigger, wider world that suited her and she was shaping.

“No. Thank you, weirdo.”

It could have been.

But, the timing was wrong.

[calicostorms]

Melitta codex prompt 4 👀please

4: a letter from your oc to their love interest

Codex: A Bloodstained Letter

[A letter written in a sharp, blocky script and dated 18th of Firstfall. There are several noticeable spots of dried blood near the bottom.]

Lark,

You'll be pleased to hear I'm using the healing potions you snuck into my bag again before this journey. My cuts are all wrapped and I'm drinking the tea blend you want me to try for the blood loss. It tastes like shit. Tell Eljin I'm bringing back a special treat from this mission, courtesy of a local hunter here.

Unfortunately, the darkspawn here mean my magic is more limited than usual— they don't exactly have blood for me to use against them or anything. It sucks. Rion is worried about getting infected; for once I agree with him. I'm taking precautions and whatever just in case.

I miss having you beside me, in bed or otherwise. Your scolding has become comforting and Eljin has taken a fondness for me that intimidates people. When I return I look forward to kicking your ass in the sparring ring and [several words here are scribbled out, as if the writer was embarrassed] I'll come back safe, if a bit waterlogged and dirty.

Yours,

Mellita Trevelyan

[jessicamariana]

CHANDI KADER : angry goddess female : she / her  |  rogue : assassin 30th firstfall 9:04  |  kal-sharok, the deep roads

[ladyisabel0052]

Pocket Guide to the Magdal Isles #2 - Timekeeping tools

This one's a more pure worldbuilding tidbit. Just a blurb about how time works and how the denizens of the Isles structure their calendars.

Time and Calendar

The Magdali Calendar is the most common in the Isles. Its first year honors the arrival of King Viriathus I and his invading army from the Western Wolfsea. Unlike other Calendars, the Magdali Calendar separates time by Centuries, each one hundred years long. At the end of each Century, Magdali Seers name the next. To do this, they look to the current State of the Isles and watch for Omens from the Gods to help predict what will come.

Currently the Isles are on their Fifth Century of the Magdali Calendar, named as the Century of Blades. It was predicted to be a Century of great changes in Governance and Political Assassinations. This prediction has been proven correct so far, with the Baetican King Samir having been assassinated 20 years ago. Anything prior to the year one A.A. (After Arrival) is known as the Ancient Era, and the years, counting backward, are designated with the tag B.A. (Before Arrival).

Centuries

There have been Five Centuries since the Arrival of King Viriathus:

Century of Arrival (1 A.A.-99 A.A.): Named after the Arrival of the Lusitani King Viriathus I and his invading army into the Isles.

Century of Conquest (100 A.A.-199 A.A.): Named for predictions of grand conquest of the Isles into the Lusitani yoke.

Century of Glory (200 A.A.-299 A.A.): Named after predictions of grand rebuilding from centuries of war, after the defeat of Alshamal.

Century of Kings (300 A.A.-399 A.A.): Named after the fracturing of the Lusitani Kingdom into the three separate Human Kingdoms, Lusitania, Baetica, and Insula Magna.

Century of Blades (400 A.A.-Present): Named after predictions of Great Changes in Governance and Political Assassinations. The Alshamali Heir was found dead with several daggers in his chest in the first year of the Century.

Months

The current four seasons and twelve months that make up a year are rooted in the early years of the Alshamali. Except for the addition of Lusitani religious holidays after the Century of Arrival, the months and primary seasonal holidays of the year have remained largely the same for thousands of years.

Each thirty-day month has a low name, usually used among the common classes, and a high name based on the old Lusitani and Magdalene names. The high names are usually only used by scholars and some members of the ruling class.

1  Wintermarch (Furan)

2  Puritas (Februa)

3  Firstseed (Nabia)

4  Cloudreach (Lucubo)

5  Secondseed (Conventina)

6  Warden (Reue)

7  Solace (Solis)

8  August (Bandus)

9  Hearthfire (Endovelicus)

10  Harvestmere (Aernus)

11  Firstfall (Berobreus)

12  Adage (Cassus)

Days of the Week

Each week lasts for seven days. The first and seventh day are traditionally considered to be days dedicated to rest/worship, though that may vary from place to place depending on local traditions.

1  Bandua

2  Secondfair

3  Thirdfair

4  Fourthfair

5  Fifthfair

6  Sixthfair

7  Endus

< Previous post Next post >