#i miss the days of dragon age origins where

[feluka]

so far in bg3 i'm pissing off all my companions except wyll who very quickly became my best friend and occasionally shadowheart when i tailor my responses for her LMAO

[stop-breaking-my-heart-dragonage]

So I went searching for special dialogue for a romanced Alistair, who stayed with the wardens, about a HoF who made the ultimate sacrifice. Specifically for what he says in DAI. For reasons.

I know what he says about her when she's alive in DAI, so I was curious if he'd saying anything about her if she's dead, like Leliana and Morrigan do. After reading through all sorts of forms and reddit posts where most of the answers were "huh I dunno what he says in DAI, I've never done that route," I eventually found out what he says.

Nothing.

Romanced Alistair says nothing about a dead HoF in DAI. At first I thought this was odd? Surely there's something referencing the fact that he and the warden were in love? even if just for fanservice like in DA2? Some of the comments on these posts blame it on Bioware doing bad writing again but it's hard to tell if they actually mean that, or if they're conflating "I don't like this" with bad writing because honestly? I disagree.

Intentionally or not, Alistair not saying anything about his dead lover is completely in character for him. He doesn't know the Inquisitor. Why should he tell them anything about the love of his life that he lost ten years ago? He's not as open about that stuff like Leliana or Morrigan.

You know what's actually out of character? Alistair giving a random stranger he met for two seconds an item that belonged to his dead lover because "she doesn't need it anymore."

Wasn't it enough to ruin his face, DA2? Did you really need to throw in some botched fanservice as well?

Wait a minute, Varric's telling this story...

Alright, new headcanon: Varric is, as per usual, full of shit. Alistair did give Hawke an item because he felt bad that he couldn't help them with the qunari except it wasn't anything special. But that's not interesting enough, so Varric lied and said Alistair gave Hawke an item that belongs to THE Hero of Fereldan for the sake of showing how super special Hawke is.

[strangenocturne]

drawing the egg man reminded me that I have an unfinished drawing of Alistair from 2011 that I kinda wanna revisit… so twelve years ago 💀

(wip)

[ooachilliaoo]

In All But Name - Satinalia

He’d bought her a gift.  

Or rather, he’d commissioned her a gift, since his days of walking into shops and simply buying things appeared to be over.  

It was stupid really. He knew she was dealing with the rebuilding of Amaranthine and wouldn’t be able to tear herself away time for them to see each other around the holiday, but he’d done it anyway.

It was a small thing – a token really – but he’d happened to see something similar being sold in the marketplace when he’d rode through in the middle of the damned parade that had (for some reason) been necessary and it had reminded him of her.  

The version in the marketplace had been green and gold with jewels made of glass. The version he’d had made was rendered in sapphires and diamonds because, void, if he was going to be king, he figured he might as well use his sudden and unexpected wealth to spoil the woman he loved, even if he had to do it in secret.

On the surface it seemed like a simple hairpin. Arguably, the jewels made it somewhat less simple, but still, it seemed like an ordinary hairpin.  

In truth, concealed within the pin was a small dagger. Nothing more than the slimmest of throwing knives really but at the click of a small button on the back the blade would slide free.  

He’d seen her throw knives before. Like a great many things, she was very, very good at it. Of course, he would always remember the throwing knife of hers that had embedded itself in his thigh at the top of Fort Drakon. An insanely precise throw that had stopped him taking the final blow against the Archdemon in her stead.  

Now having seen her in her finery at the ball celebrating the end of the blight, he couldn’t help but marvel at how completely she could inhabit both worlds. She could be every inch the wealthy noble lady one night, and back to the warrior he’d initially fallen in love with the next.  

It was what made the hairpin the perfect present.  

Beautiful and deadly, just like her.  

The problem was, now that he’d got it, when would he give it to her?  

Read the Rest on AO3

Read the full series here

[vigilskeep]

Do you have any wishlist for the main character in da4?

human that’s not a noble. obvious. insane we haven’t had it yet. bioware surely you can’t fuck this up. bioware

city elves!! i miss them

let em be scrappy no overpowered grand destiny pls

honestly the most important thing abt main character origins isn’t what they are but how well it’s done. da2 managed the heartfelt connection and dai gave a choice but not since dao have we had both and players have obviously really felt that lack. i’m hoping they’ll go back to giving the player character a family, but at the very least i’d like there to be an origin supporting cast, and i’d be very very pleased for there to be different origins that involve something playable instead of just being thrown straight into the story, which made a lot of people feel disconnected from the inquisitor. the inquisition origins seem to purposefully make you as distant from the world as possible, forcing you to be from the free marches to play the miscellaneous foreigner card, and not allowing you to be from any of the games’ settings or have any investment in their struggles, whereas the dao origins were designed to give you a uniquely invested perspective on the world and connection to the main quests. that really works well thematically with the central premise of dragon age, a world always presented to you through opinion and bias, where every player’s perspective designs the story they receive. that’s what i’m really looking for, especially as we move to new parts of thedas that we can learn about by living it, just as we first learned about ferelden

if they let me play a mortalitasi i’ll kiss every writer with tongue

[thiefbird]

Ok how about Jack/Stephen (or Jack&Stephen) with the prompt "some part of me must have died the first time that you called me baby." AND maybe like play with the later line "some part of me must have died the final time that you called me baby." Like the first time Stephen refers to Jack so lovingly is the last time??Maybe like one of them is dying or something? Angst?? IDK HOW WRITING PROMPT REQUESTS GO!? OK THANK YOU BYE

Yeah - you got it! I write for Dragon Age too, and they have a thing every friday called Dragon Age Drunk Writing Circle where everyone sends each other asks with prompts and pairings; the idea is that you write them that night and post immediately, no editing! It's super fun and I miss doing it, but I'm not super feeling the DA writing bug ATM, and also work friday nights, so it's not feasible.

But I missed prompt writing, so I'm seeking it out on my own!

And ohhhh this is some delicious angst thank you - I will probably change out "baby" for a more period-accurate endearment but lets see what I can come up with...

[Two excerpts from the diaries of Dr Stephen E Maturin, Esq.: the first dated 29 June 1803 - just after the end of the Peace of Amiens - and the second 23 October, 1847 - the day of Admiral Jno. Aubrey's death. These fragments were first published by his (and Admiral Jno. Aubrey's) 5th great-granddaughter, Diana Niamh Lambert, in a collection exploring Dr Maturin's complex relationship with the Aubreys; there are provided here in both their original encoded Catalan and an English translation.]

[the writing on these pages is hasty and sprawling, but neater than anything dated after 1805]

I hardly know how to write - I am aflutter like a girl. My hand is miserable - it sprawls across the page with no respect for the cost of bound pages - but I must sort my thoughts. JA - he is not yet well, of course, the creature; he will not be for many weeks still, so weak and exhausted is he. But he recovers as well as I could hope, though he is occasionally still delirious for some time after waking. I had thought his endearments to me a symptom of his delirium - perhaps he thought me to be SW, the dear girl, or another of his acquaintance, and so he clung to my hand and called me beloved out of his confusion. And yet today, in his waking dream, he called out "Stephen, my soul and love," when he could not find me. I felt as if I should die to hear it - I had not considered even the idea of my affections returned. I know I am letting my heart run away with my head (a state more familiar these last months than since before the failed Uprising) but- If he should- Will I ask him, when he is well? His friendship means so very much to me that I fear risking it on such a chance - I am ever a coward in affairs of the heart, as shown by MO'C and DV both before now - and yet my breast feels so light at the possibility that I cannot imagine staying silent.

[the writing on these pages show evidence of severe arthritis and tremours, as well as what appears to be damage from tears]

He is gone. Jack Aubrey has breathed his last - SA and the children were with him at the end, as was I; even SP was able to make the trip, having relocated to Ireland with Jack's decline. SP and I sit with him now - there are no Church of England rites to be performed, and SA was kind enough to allow us our heathenish, Papist rituals to-night. I have feared this day for so long - an abstract fear near as long as we have known each other (for the atrocities of war are blindingly apparent to a surgeon), and a far more real horror since the death of my beloved Diana. The Dear knows I did not cope well with her loss; I was not a good father to BA for many years after - for she is so like her mother as to have hurt to look at - and I thank Mary every day for CO and PC and SA for caring for my little bird when I could not. Yet I find age has tempered the pain, though I grieve him more fully than I thought possible. He has not been entirely himself these last two or three years together, and I find myself thankful he regained clarity in his last weeks; we could all say our goodbyes in peace with the man we love. His spirits were not unnaturally high nor miserable - he remembered his grandchildren, even our dear little girl - B and G's darling daughter - and doted upon her most sweetly. [there are a few lines here, blurred with water-damage and scratched over too many times to be made out] Oh, Jack- SA and I will not be long behind you, I believe. She is stronger than I, though, and I fear she will soon be alone; my hands - never truly recovered from the French - tremble and ache so fierce I have neglected my writings for many years, my breath rattles in my lungs. I am dying, my love, my loves; I will see you soon, if the Lord has any mercy in his heart for me. I think, perhaps, I have been dying since last night, joy. SA was so kind to give us an hour alone. You called me your soul, your dearest soul, Jack - you called me your love - and I knew you should never do so again; a part of me died to hear you name me such and know it was the final time. Farewell, my captain; give Diana my truest love, and tell her I shall see you both again in less time than it seems.

[arto-rhen]

Here's my full post of Rayne which I will direct future related posts to. I will tag her with #TavRayne if anyone wants to start following along with her journey. She is my Tav OC from my first finished playthrough of BG3 and she is a Tiefling Sorcerer with Draconic Bloodline. I had this character made for a dnd game for a while but I never got to play her and then when Baldur's Gate 3 launched, I had my chance of playing her this way and I had lots of fun roleplaying her.

Her backstory was slightly changed between the original dnd story and the BG3 version so that it fits better with the setting, but I kept most of it the same.

It's pretty long, but I decided to put it here in case anyone might like to know about her more. I am not the best with descriptions sometimes and I was still trying to be brief, I also did not make her story while checking if any of it is connected to lore or not, I went along with what I thought was an interesting idea for a character, and the dnd sessions I was part of didn't require full knowledge of all of the books that contain the lore. In case anyone may feel like something doesn't feel lore accurate.

She was raised in her first years by her family that consisted of her father that started her sorcerous bloodline by entrapping the soul of a dragon in secret, her mother that was partly coerced into a marriage with her father and 3 siblings that were close to her age but not allowed to see her.

Although on the surface, it seemed like a family of a powerful Sorcerer that is successful, in reality, Rayne was raised for one purpose only, which she was not aware of yet. Her connections to her siblings and even to her mother were frayed in order for her to train her abilities, and although she received praise an approval for being able to overcome any challenge in her training, she would usually sneak away to play with her siblings as well.

One day, they decide to play a game where they each present something secret to each other, and she decides to bring her father's spellbook which she always sees but isn't allowed to look into. Because she was taught how to write mostly infernal and primordial and mostly spells, once she opens the book and decides to tell her siblings what she found, she finds a lot of sacrificial ritual spells and learns of her father entrapping a dragon's soul and using his successors of infernal heritage that would gain the draconic power to absorb their power and maintain his own, where one successor that has inherited the draconic power would be trained to be the strongest and then used as the primary sacrifice, while the siblings are used as collateral for ensuring the success of the ritual. The ritual also requires a type of lettering on the body of the main sacrifice, and Rayne already had it done. She half doesn't believe that they would actually be sacrificed, but ultimately tries to devise a plan with the siblings to find out more and what they can do in their situation.

In the end, the father was already close enough for the ritual to commence, and when he sees his book missing, he transports his kids in the ritual and starts it. Because the ritual also needs Rayne and anyone in her place to be willing with the transfer, it ruins the ritual and instead makes her powers go haywire and burn down the entire building they were under. She wakes up only to see ash everywhere and nobody in sight, and she stays there for an indeterminate amount of time trying to process what just happened until a fearful group of guard approach and take her away. Some of the inscriptions on her body remain etched into her skin as burn marks, and she remains with some of the marks always on her.

Most people in the vicinity don't understand what happened in that place and believe that she was at fault and the authorities plan to take her to a special prison. By that point, Rayne is heavily traumatized and nonresponsive.

On her way to the prison, a member of a powerful wizard guild shows up and takes her instead after hearing of the incident that her powers caused and Rayne solely accepts because she's given food. That is where she starts learning and realizes that there is more to the inscriptions that she was taught for the ritual and she also learns to read and write common. As she is given better conditions there, she gradually becomes more receptive to others over a few years but she still has a feeling that she might once again be trained in order to be used, so after she starts learning more of the world that she realized she was isolated from by her father, she begins to look into their operation closer, only to find out that they were using different people of tiefling descent in order to harness magical abilities from them, and she ends up making another plan to evade and help those tieflings.

She uses some of the things she was taught for her father's rituals to instead use that power herself and breaks the device that hold the tieflings and harness their powers one night. That night, she helps the tieflings escape on their own and she then runs away being chased by guards and wizards from that guild. This is where she makes her way to a city where she hides. For the game, I made it so that city is actually Baldur's Gate where she winds up for good.

Her life in the new city starts from the very bottom, as she tries to dodge the guards that are after her bounty, and she doesn't have any food or shelter and she is still in shock after the previous events. In the end, she becomes harder to find when sitting among the homeless and sells anything she owns in order to buy food for the small group of homeless people. When she hears some adventurers talk about a failed quest for the retrieval of a special item that the local apothecary needs, she decides to try for herself in order to make some money. Using her innate abilities, despite her still young age, she manages to get the item and deliver it to the apothecary for a reward.

That sparks curiosity among adventurers and people involved and she begins to take on different jobs on retrieving and finding magical and special items, working with both reputable sources and networking around the underground, which becomes her job for a long time in the city. Due to her charismatic nature and ability to always deliver on her quests, she is able to have strong enough connections in the underground of the city to rid herself of the initial accusations due to her past, being able for the first time to live for herself and start once again enjoying using her magic without being reminded of her traumatic past.

At the start of the game or story, she is pretty much in a decent place both in spirit and the house that she owns in the Baldur's Gate, but along with the kidnapping of the mindflayer ship and becoming infected, she finds a group of companions that are more similar to her and each other than they first realize.

For the dnd game, I also noted that the sorcerer father was still alive and could become a challenge in the future, along with the wizard that found her afterwards, both becoming obstacles at one point.

Overall, I really liked playing as her because some parts of her story fit well with the companions. Her experiences with abuse of magic can contrast Gale's nature of being both chill and overly confident when it comes to using magic, but also relates by loving magic just as much. Her story of a father that wants to control her and absorb her power through a ritual and giving her no other purpose can relate to Astarion's story with Cazador, and the idea of his possible apparition really puts her story in the same trope as his. Dealing with a father/authority figure that presents themselves as having her best interests when in reality they are training them to be used can relate to both Shadowheart and Lae'zel, and her sense of adventuring and heroing, can relate to Karlack and Wyll.

Overall, if anyone got to read up to this point, I am looking forward to showing you through a mini comic series different parts of her story with these companions. Thank you for reading up to this point! And if anyone wants to he tagged to future posts, let me know.

[csphire]

Larian, you don't just give us this fine ass tiefling that gives us dreamy bedroom eyes and not let us romance him!

Why Dammon should and needs to become a romance option in a future DLC or Patch:

There are some sparks flying between him and Karlach already. Maybe just of friendship but honestly, I think he's got a little crush on her given some of his lines. It's clear he's concerned about her at the very least, and that could easily bloom into a deep friendship or something more. Letting us romance him on a Karlach origin playthrough could be rather sweet. It could also help shake up that status quo of men being the brawn and women being the brains. At the very least, it would help some shorter guys and taller ladies who pair up feel seen and celebrated.

He's an NPC we see on the regular in all three acts. (Granted he's rather fragile. Seriously Larian, give him more than just 8 hp! Alfira the bard has 20 hp for goodness sake!) Even if he's not made into a companion most of us already make a stop at least once a day at his forge to sell him our stuff. Sure it's business at first. But even in the game currently, he gives the player all kinds of freebies if we bring him the right things. Plus, most of us don't think it's weird at all to support a loved one's time and efforts so him remaining our favorite merchant is not a problem. People have housewives and househusbands they support all of the time, after all. Let us do so with our future forge husband.

Visiting him on the daily is also more than enough time to provide the player with small opportunities to progress in a relationship with him. Once a day he could say something new about his. Or he drops a new tidbit about his past and his passions. The player then could pick a response to up his approval. His merchant approval and relationship approval might be tricky to navigate but could both be displayed when buying or trading with him. He could also pay a visit to our camp on occasion too. Perhaps at the camp party, it starts out as a one-night stand, then rescuing him from the ox later on at Last Light Inn we can admit we do actually care about him.

NPC romances are not a new thing and have been implemented in other games such as in Dragon Age Inquisition with Josephine and Cullen. We also lack a male tiefling option. (Although there are some Zevlor and Roland Stans out there too. Hey, more options with horns and tails the better I say. ^_~)

All the companions have some rather big things on their plate and lots of baggage. At times this can be overwhelming for some players or at least on every playthorugh. What about the Tav or Durge's needs? What if the player is going through some tough things in real life and just can't deal with any more drama? Perhaps Dammon could be an alternative in that he could provide some with more emotional support or comfort. He invites Tav over for a home-cooked meal. Maybe he burns the pizza a little or he could suck at cooking, but it's the thought that counts. Or maybe he's usually a fantastic baker and sends you off each day with some kind of camp supply treat. I'm not saying make him boring but keep his romance a bit on the little lighter side? Why? Some players just overall feel better when their loved one is back at home and relatively safe, and that's valid. Plus during the course of the game, we do rescue him around three times and he's sure to have some baggage from his time in the hells. It would be just nice if he had a little less than most of our companions. If we had a fluffier romance option instead of one that leaves us crying.

He's already a part of the player's story and could help showcase and offer some in-game tutorials for Tinker or Artificer class if made into a full companion or even if he remained an NPC. If shown say any blacksmithing schematics he could provide more information or insight about new weapons and armor. For example, if one misses the sussur bark nature roll he could suggest where to find some if we show him the quest item.

He could provide a story of being biracial. Given his white sclera and other coloring, some are left to wonder if he might have a few elves or humans in his family tree. Granted this might be a rune power keg of a topic but it could be a way to allow many to feel seen and hear a similar story to theirs unfold in a game.

Rumor has it the Voice Actor for Dammon, Frazer Blaxland is all on board at the idea of working with Larian more.

There are a few more reasons beyond the ones given, but these listed here are some of the strongest reasons why Dammon as a new romance option makes perfect sense.

Feel free to comment below about yours! The more reasons the better!

Also, you can submit feedback to Larian HERE. Send them your thrist.

[puredramione]

Links for the Dramione classics you know of? From the bingo board you posted?

Happy Reading Anon, I’m sorry it took a little while to get this list together. Please mind all tags!

Isolation by bexchan - He can't leave the room. Her room. And it's all the Order's fault. Confined to a small space with only the Mudblood for company, something's going to give. Maybe his sanity. Maybe not. "There," she spat. "Now your Blood's filthy too!"

Silencio by - One late night, hate turns to lust.

Apple Pies and Other Amends by ToEatAPeach - It’s not until she’s brought a basil and strawberry sponge cake to Neville Longbottom and his new girlfriend, Hannah Abbott, a dozen rhubarb hand-pies to Luna and Xenophilius Lovegood, and another basket of ganache-covered muffins to Dean and Seamus, that Hermione admits to herself what she’s actually doing: she’s making a thing of this. It’s a veritable PTSD tour. With pastries. And hand-skimmed clotted cream. And she has no idea why she’s doing it, but it’s becoming very apparent that she is.

The Politician’s Wife by pir8fancier - This story is set twenty-three years after the fall of Voldemort. Our main characters are Ministry employees, middle-aged, and the majority of them not very happy.

The Fool, the Emperor, and the Hanged Man by ianthewaiting - Ten years after the fall of the Dark Lord, Hermione Granger leads of life of self-imposed obscurity, that is, until the day Headmistress Minerva McGonagall is murdered and a certain 'hero' is responsible.

Clean by olivieblake - Malfoy's handsome face was contoured into a condescending smirk. "No faith in that giant brain of yours, Granger?" She looked up at him defiantly. "Maybe I don't have faith in you!" she said, raising her voice. Malfoy only looked at her. "You'll find I'm very surprising."

Marked by olivieblake - Two dead. Three missing. The Order is down a leader and another innocent takes the Mark. Where is the Chosen One, and who killed Draco Malfoy?

The Bracelet by AkashaTheKitty - Hermione has everything she could possibly want... Except a life. People are getting sick of her superior attitude, especially Draco Malfoy, who schemes to get her down, once and for all. And then there's the thing with The Bracelet...

Amateur Cartography by worksofstone - That one-night stand with Draco Malfoy was a mistake. Hermione doesn't make mistakes, or at least she isn't supposed to. She's working hard at her Ministry career, however frustrating and pointless her job may be, and she's also got to live up to everyone's expectations as Hogwarts's most famous Muggle-born and a top-tier War Hero. So, why is she still sleeping with Draco Malfoy, ex-Death Eater and infamous pureblood? And why isn't she certain that she wants to stop?

Presque Toujours Pur by ShayaLonnie - Bellatrix's torture of Hermione uncovers a long-kept secret. The young witch learns her true origins in a story that shows the beginning and end of the Wizarding wars as Hermione learns about her biological father and the blood magic he dabbled in that will control her future.

Of Crimson Joy by LittleRobbin - "Life isn't always black and white, Granger. There are just shades of grey," Hermione learns about the price of forgiveness and trust when Draco Malfoy joins the Order, three years in to the war.

The Dragon’s Bride by rizzlewrites - Following their Hogwarts Graduation party, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy wake up in a motel, naked, hungover and tattooed. They also happen to be married. Now all they have to do is undo a binding marriage spell, tell Lucius, survive Snape, and avoid a crazed killer that seems to be targeting them. This is the 20th anniversary special edition of 'The Dragon's Bride'.

The Green Girl by Colubrina - Hermione is sorted into Slytherin; how will things play out differently when the brains of the Golden Trio has different friends?

Aurelian by BittyBlueEyes - Two years after the war, a young stranger pays a visit to the burrow. His arrival alone is baffling, but the news he brings of an upcoming war turns the world upside down. Hermione's quiet, post-war life will never be the same.

What the Room Requires by Alydia Rackham - Hermione is the one who finds Draco weeping in the bathroom. He flees. She chases him into the Room of Requirement, and the room forces them to face their greatest fears together in order to find the door.

The Fallout by everythursday - Hermione learns about growing up through the redemption of Draco Malfoy.

Parade Of The Sun* by everythursday - Floralis Fati is a plant with the power to control time, hidden in the wild, and protected by a magic that strips people of their own while seeking to kill them. Hermione wants it to save the world. Draco wants it to save himself. Sometimes what we want can destroy us - and sometimes it can build us new again.

We Learned The Sea by floorcoaster - Draco Malfoy turns himself in after a very successful career as a Death Eater, then enlists Harry and Hermione to help him in a scheme to bring down the Dark Lord. A story of forgiveness.

Turncoat by elizaye - Switching sides. "I have only one condition, and I trust it won't be hard for you to meet. I want Granger."

Lady Malfoy by 99cherries - "Miss Granger, you are in grave danger," he said slowly. "But the Ministry can offer you a safe place." "Where is this place?" Hermione said shakily. The man took a deep breath and looked into those brown eyes. "What do you know of Malfoy Manor?"

Simply Irresistible by bookworm1993 - Draco gave a cocky grin. "I am going to give you a makeover." "I'm sorry what?" "You heard me Granger, I'm going to give you a makeover that will make every man want you,and make Weasley die of regret. You will be simply irresistible."

Broken by inadaze22 - Draco felt something close to pity for the woman in front of him. While that disturbed him to no end, what really disgusted him was the fact that something had broken Hermione Granger’s spirit beyond recognition.

Hunted by bex-chan - Forced to work together when their old schoolmates start dying, Hermione & Draco must overcome their differences to solve the mysterious deaths. The tension in the office is getting rather...heated.

A Wonderful Caricature of Intimacy by Countess of Abe - Draco loves his son more than anything in the world. So, when his ex-wife plans to take his son away, Draco asks the most unlikely person for help. Hermione must decide whether changing her entire life is worth helping the man she hates unconditionally.

Lady of the Lake by Colubrina - Hermione and Draco team up after the war to overthrow the Order and take over wizarding Britain. They have plans and they'll get power, but the cost of victory may be higher than they expected and more than they can bear.

The Nietzsche Classes by Beringae - The Ministry takes action against the remaining prejudice in the wizarding society and asks Hermione for help. “What do you want? Money? Power? Name your price, Granger. I’m not about to let pride get in my way when an Azkaban sentence is on the line.”

*everythursday works I read in this file. The Fallout is available on AO3. She wrote Parade of the Sun and The Fallout, as well as many other greats! My personal favourite is A Kingdom Beside The Sea. There isn’t a day I don’t mourn the lose of Hawthorn & Vine 💔

Bingo board post.

[mcflymemes]

ALISTAIR THEIRIN QUOTES *  dialogue from dragon age: origins, updated version

excuse me while i begin projectile vomiting.

you were the first person i ever spent the night with, and if i had my way... you'd be the last.

do you think you might ever... feel the same way about me?

will you miss it once it's over?

i care for you so much.

i love you. more than i ever thought possible.

i wish i could be better at this.

you know that i've never done anything like this. with anyone.

i guess i was raised not to take this sort of thing lightly.

it's just like being home again.

i can't run away from it anymore.

given the circumstances, things could have been so much worse.

i locked myself in a cage once, when i was a child. for an entire day. ah. good times.

i'm willing to... give it a shot. if you are.

aw, that's sweet.

you're beautiful. i am a lucky man.

i know it might sound strange, considering we haven't known each other for very long, but i've come to... care for you. a great deal.

now's as good a time as any to talk, right?

i'm so grateful that you're... you.

let's get back to... what we were up to before.

i hope it hasn't... put you off.

anyway, uh, sorry about that. i'll take it from you right now.

great. they just love me.

i was just thinking about you! isn't that a marvelous coincidence?

now that i've handled that with my usual deft brilliance, time to move on! and take a cold bath, maybe.

locking the door and throwing away the key was plan b.

is it just me, or did i do really badly back there?

don't look now... but. well. look now!

i don't think we're alone. i really don't think we're alone.

all right! let's go!

oh? you want to... right now? well, who am i to refuse?

um... that sounded better in my head. i just meant to say that i can't imagine having done this without you.

we're not exactly traveling in the lap of luxury here.

you feel that? it's actually colder up here.

is this place even on a proper map?

look at it all!

i'll be... standing over here. until the blushing stops. just to be... uh. safe. you know how it is.

maybe it likes you?

swooping is bad.

what is it, then? rats running amok? cheese supplies running low?

i see you can't sleep, either.

i was just thinking... here i am doing all this complaining, and you haven't exactly been having a good time of it yourself.

why are you smiling like that?

that just seems so excessive.

are you just making these up right now?

now that's dedication!

it's all been death and fighting and tragedy.

make fun of you? perish the thought.

old books. you think any of those might still be readable?

do you get the feeling things are just getting worse as we go up?

more crazy? i thought we were all full up.

i thought maybe i could say something. tell you what a rare and wonderful thing you are to find amidst all this... darkness.

they say you can get anything here. i once got pick-pocketed.

this is where the nobility come to get drunk and debate who's the most self-important of them all.

we get lost, people die, and the next thing you know i'm stranded somewhere without any pants.

now that's just unnecessary.

have you ever licked a lamppost in the winter?

can't... keep my eyes open. someone... pinch me.

where do you think they get all this stuff?

oh! here i am! and there you are! you just disappeared!

why do they call it a brothel? there's no broth. or is there?

we're not going to be mobbed, right?

now that is a big tree.

i hate you. you're a bad person.

i'm not falling asleep again!

we seem to be heading... up? yes. i think these caves are going up to the surface.

can we expect more of those?

what is that smell? fish? and something else. oh. more fish.

uh oh. i'm terrible at puzzles.

i know most guys would probably leap at the chance to be with you, but i don't know if i'm ready for that. it's a big step.

maybe i should touch them. or stand on them?

pleased to meet you. nice campfire you have there.

let's try not to get lost here.

bluff called! damn! you saw right through me!

i think there's something ahead. something big.

you have my condolences.

and here i was going to name one of my children after you.

you seem more "ooh, pretty colors!" than "muahaha! i am princess stabbity! stab, kill, kill!"

i gazed, glanced in that direction, maybe. but i wasn't staring. or really... seeing anything, even.

what? lead? me? no no no. no leading. bad things happen when i lead.

they're really quite tasty.

we take our ingredients, throw them into the largest pot we can find, and cook them for as long as possible until everything is a uniform grey color.

watch as i thrash our enemies with the mighty power of floral arrangements!

i will overpower you with my rosy scent!

i was looking at your nose.

your desire is my command.

i guess that must make me sound like an idiot.

just what every man wants to hear.

now if we could move right on past this awkward, embarrassing stage and get right to the steamy bits, i'd appreciate it.

[wolfofansbach]

Personal thoughts and meditations upon the occasion of the Riverdale series finale. 

Probably like four people are going to read this but I feel compelled to write it out anyway. This show has genuinely been a massive part of my life. I watched the first episode because some high school friends encouraged me to (IRONICALLY, BRO). I was in high school when I started this show. Those friends of course long ago fell away, unable to continue, unable to wacth anymore, but I have kept the faith. All seven seasons. Every. Single. Episode.

I’m not even entirely sure what captivated me so much about the show. I loved the atmosphere of season 1. I genuinely wanted to find out who killed Jason Blossom. Was genuinely fucked up by episode 1 x 12 and the first season finale.

I have such fond memories of watching the first season. I distinctly remember a road-trip I Tok with my friends the summer of 2017, and joking about  maple syrup drug empires and the “weirdo” line back when that was the wildest scene on the show. Joking about how sick of the song ‘Believer’ by Imagine Dragons (2017) we were. 

And then I decided to get involved in a fandom for the first time in a couple of years, and so I revived my old Tumblr, and I began Posting. And reading posts.  

That was my last summer after high school and I was so nervous about college but this show and this fandom helped me get through it. My freshman year I lived in a dorm, and if you wanted to watch TV you had to go down to this common room, so every Thursday I would go down there like an hour ahead of time and occupy the place to make sure the remote was in my hands by 7 PM. A few times I failed, and I missed an episode because of it. But rarely! 

I remember that slowly dawning feeling as season 2 progressed. Scrolling my Tumblr feed and slowly seeing people come to the realization: “wait…is it just me or does this show actually suck.” Was kind of frustrating at the time, realizing that the writers just like…were bad, but in retrospect? Beautiful. Incredible. Legendary. 

And you could even say that’s where the fun really began. Yes, there’s plenty to hate, but also Riverdale is brilliant. The show of all time. For real. No other show has done it like Riverdale. They just haven't, and they never will. The age of the cable television teen drama is ending, and what a hell of a last hurrah Riverdale has been.

The Red Circle. Jingle Jangle. The Gargoyle King. Edgar Evernever and his fantastic rocket. Bret Weston Wallis and Donna Sweett (genuinely cannot say their names without giggling). Jughead getting hit in the head with a rock and faking his death for like…some reason? I genuinely can’t remember, something to do with the Hardy Brothers idk. Tabitha sprinkling the devil with the tears of the Virgin Mary. The normies can laugh all they want about “epic highs and lows” but do they remember the even funnier lines like “if there’s no wedding, that means the gargoyle king has won” or “word of my exploits serving Nick his comeuppance…” THEY NEVER WILL. ONLY THE TRUE FAITHFUL UNDERSTAND. 

And is silly as it all was, I have genuine affection for these characters. Like Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Archie, Cheryl, Toni, actually mean a lot to me. YES they’re fake but I want the best for them (and for Beronica to be canon but you know we can’t win them all). I’m genuinely grateful that this show has existed and been a part of my life for the past six years. 

Moreover, I credit this show for seriously getting into writing. I’ve actually written almost a million words of Riverdale fanfiction. Much of it will never see the light of day, but it exists. Maybe I even have one or two left in me, I don’t know. At the very least I’d like to finish a few uncompleted fics. But I’ve also branched out. Since I started seriously writing in 2017, I’ve also finished several original manuscripts, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll get one published. Stranger things have happened. 

So, thanks Roberto.

And thanks to all of the very cool people I’ve run into in this fandom. I honestly wish I’d gotten to know most of you better, but them’s the breaks. Hopefully this isn’t weird but I’m going to tag a few people in particular. 

@village-skeptic. I know you’re not in the fandom anymore (lucky you), but thank you for, once upon a time, reading every one of the 200,000+ words of a 17-year-old kid’s turgid, indulgent, Riverdale Spanish Civil War fan fiction. I never, ever would have finished that story without you, and I credit it with giving me the confidence to keep writing, and in fact to write everything I’ve written since then. You’re brilliant and awesome. 

@satelliteinasupernova. Thank you for also reading Interbellum (are we noticing a pattern), and more importantly for all of your wonderful drawings. INCLUDING fanart of some of my fics. You have no idea how happy that Strange Death of Elizabeth Cooper piece made me. You rule. 

@sullypants. You were a perennial presence on my feed. Always wonderful to see. I love your taste in art, and I love those ‘penguin classics’ covers you made for a few of my fics. Thank you also for beta reading a few fics for me back in the glory days. And thank you for chatting with me a couple times over the years, including a few times when I was in quite unhappy places. 

@stillhidden. I’m not sure if we’ve ever actually talked, but you like or reblog everything I post and it makes me feel like I’m not just shouting into the void. Same goes for @frauleinfunf Thank God for dutiful mutuals. 

@sonyascomet. I can’t remember when I started following you but you have a really good sense of humor. And I’ll always remember when you kept posting about “Greg” for Succession and I, not knowing anything about Succession, kept imagining Greg Heffley. 

@stillhidden thank you for your world-weary Riverdale posts. You truly understand fandom like few others.

@halcooper. Your devotion to the neglected parents of Riverdale is truly admirable. Every time I see Lochlyn Munro in some weird low budget horror movie I’ll think of you.

I hope I didn’t forget anyone who would be offended by my forgetting, but I doubt it. 

All this to say this show has been a genuinely huge part of my life for six years. SIX YEARS. I graduated college, my God. I wish I could say I became a millionaire or a successful author in that time, but nah. Maybe one day, but for now I’m just kind of vibing. And unfortunately, I’ll have to vibe without Riverdale from now on. 

But as I sit myself down to watch the very last episode of this show, I remind myself that we’ll always have the memories. And I’ll always be an unapologetic Riverdale enjoyer. As a great man once said, snakes don’t shed their skins so easily. 

[dailycharacteroption]

Races Among the Stars 8: Kobolds

And we end off this week’s special with your, mine, and the internet’s favorite: Kobolds. Those delightful little draconic scamps that have wormed their way into our hearts (and other bodily organs) over the years.

Kobolds weren’t initially in Starfinder officially, partially because when the system first launched, the writers had trouble finding a niche for them in the setting that already had so many small-sized lovable scamp species in it, ranging from old classics like gnomes and halflings, to the recently promoted core option of the ysoki, and of course the Pathfinder staple of goblins, it’s hard to justify yet another such species, or so goes the claim. Personally the fact that there’s literally a planet in the Pact Worlds with an entire continent of dragon-ruled nation-states seemed like the perfect basis for me, but that is just my two cents.

In any case, kobolds are back, first appearing in the Alien Character Deck along with other Golarion staples, and later being expanded upon in Interstellar Species!

But kobolds have changed a bit in the millennia since the days of Pathfinder, so let’s go over that real quick-like!

When the Gap ended, kobolds were… conspicuously absent from the multiverse, and many assumed that they shared the same fate as the missing world of Golarion.

However, a century later (which is still several centuries before the current point in the timeline), the first experiments with witchwarping magic began, and while those first forays mostly brought into existence strange machines that seemed to be non-functional within the constraints of local physics and reality, with them came reptilian humanoids which were apparently, by all analysis and their own admission, the missing kobolds, leading to an entire population of them inhabiting Absalom Station and beyond.

Where things get especially strange, however, is the effect these first-generation kobolds had on reality. They had in their possession keys to empty apartments that somehow nobody had noticed before, credentials for jobs that seemed not to exist before. It was as if reality was bending to give the kobolds a place in the world. Whether this place was folded into the main reality when they arrived or existed before and was obscured is another mystery.

It seems apparent that during the Gap, kobold-kind, or at least some of it, saw whatever even the Gap obscures coming and use advanced reality warping technology and magic to shunt themselves off into a pocket reality somewhere between another universe and a demiplane, perhaps the border of the main one, until the event had past and further witchwarping events and experiments called them back. Of course, wherever they were, they did not escape the effects of the Gap itself, and have no memory of that time.

The result is an origin that is one part an excellent way to give kobolds a new refreshing backstory in this far-future age, as well as a funny meta-joke about literally injecting kobolds back into the setting.

However, it should be noted that while that first generation warped reality around themselves, kobolds born into the setting’s universe properly have not manifested nearly as many strange, reality warping events, though the secrets of witchwarping are now heavily associated with kobolds in the same way that draconic power and magic is.

Starfinder-era kobolds were introduced after Pathfinder Second Edition came out, meaning that they have the distinctive appearance from that edition, which I was not a fan of, but the design has grown on me over time.

Kobold are small reptiles with somewhat oversized craniums covered in scales that come in a variety of colors ranging across the rainbow and even rare metallic shades, reflecting the traditional colors of chromatic and metallic dragons and plenty in-between. Additionally, they also possess horns, most commonly two oversized backwards-sweeping ones, though some sport up to 8 smaller horns. They also possess sharp teeth and a long tail for counterbalancing their craniums, though their small size and unimpressive physiques usually make these unappealing options for self-defense.

It is also notable that most kobolds also go through rare periods of flux, their bodies changing as the witchwarping magic that infuses them makes changes. Usually these are benign, things like bouts of nausea, developing a new allergy or repelling pathogens, but others are more extreme, manifesting dramatic spell effects. The most disruptive are thankfully rare, but aspiring witchwarpers use them as the basis for their magic, developing and controlling these warps.

Kobolds are a communal species, and so they often seek to aid their communities whenever possible, and a kobold child can be expected to be raised not just by their parents but by the whole community. However, kobolds also have a deep pride as a people, stemming from the truth that they know in their heart of hearts: kobolds are dragons, and the fact that their forms a diminutive and weak is one of the universe’s great injustices. Plenty believe that in whatever reality they were in before returning, they wore the mighty shape of true dragons, while others believe that this is a convenient folktale. Either way, this has birthed several philosophies, including those that seek to unlock their draconic heritage, those that seek to reclaim the power and wealth they believe they deserve, and of course those that seek to ignore all that and just live their lives in the reality they find themselves in.

Kobolds are agile and passionate, but frail.

That being said, their scales provide some decent protection in a pinch.

With their keen minds, these tiny reptiles have a special knack for engineering and physics, true to their long history of trap and weapon building.

The colors of a kobold’s scales are not just for show. Indeed, that coloration indicates some genetic similarities with various forms of dragon, granting them resistance to acid, cold, electricity, of flame to match.

Kobolds have a lot of fun options as characters. Their charisma and association with the art makes them excellent witchwarpers, not to mention other charisma classes like solarian, envoy, and the like. Their agility also makes them good picks for operatives as well as most any ranged combat build, including ranged soldiers, evolutionists (particularly those seeking a draconic form), and so on. Their love of building and intricate devices also makes mechanic and technomancer thematic choices as well, and biohackers might seek to unlock the secrets of dragonhood in their genetics. They also have a history of magic, making mystic and especially precog good choices as well. Their only real weakness seems to be their con, making nanocyte, vanguard, and any especially tanky builds somewhat difficult, but not impossible. Additionally, beyond classes, the Interstellar Species book has lots of feats meant to represent kobolds unlocking their draconic potential, ranging from wings, a breath weapon, and outright gaining a draconic alternate form!

And that’s it for this week! Through a curious accident of how I’ve been picking which species to cover, this week has been mostly species that are relics of the fantasy origins of the setting, which is neat to point out. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it, and look forward to more options next week!

[exitpursuedbyavulcan]

The Silver Dragon (11/?)

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Original Female Character

Word Count: 3034

Story Summary: Lady Arianwyn Targaryen, the Lady of Runestone, was seeded by her father, the Rogue Prince Daemon Targaryen, in an act of unbridled hatred, and borne of her mother, the late Lady Rhea Royce, as a desperate grasp at revenge.

Ignored by her father, and alone following the death of her mother, she is raised in King’s Landing alongside her cousin, Prince Aemond Targaryen. As they grow, the two find themselves indelibly bonded. But their lives are far from the fairy tales they read, and as tensions in the family rise, they find their paths may diverge.

Will they be pulled apart when the dragons dance?

Chapter Summary: As Arianwyn adapts to her new surroundings, and Aemond heals from his wound, the pair take comfort in the letters they exchange.

Warnings: None.

Series Masterlist

Taglist: @thelittleswanao3,@trap-house-homiecide

Author's Note: This one came to me quickly! I hope y'all enjoy. And bonus points to anyone who can correctly identify the historical source of the phrase "dearest friend!"

Also, there have been some questions about the timeline in this chapter - it doesn't match either the books or the show, so I feel the need to clarify. Before I started writing this, I went over both the book and show timelines thoroughly. However, neither really made sense to me in terms of the appropriate ages for characters for the story I wanted to tell. So, I sat down and made my own timeline! It is very different from both the show and the books, but it is the best fit for my story. Maybe once I wrap this up I can share it with y'all, if that would be something you're interested in!

I'm sorry if these discrepancies bother some of you. But it is, after all, the mantra of fic writers that canon is only a suggestion!

Dearest Friend

Aemond,

I am sorry it has taken so long for me to write to you. So much has happened since I watched you fly from Driftmark on Vhagar.

Oh, what a sight that was! I had not been able to appreciate her fully in the moonlight. From where I watched in the tower – the very one you flew from – I could truly grasp her massive size and see her scales gleaming. Truly, the gods must have a sense of humor, giving you the bronze dragon and me the black.

Emrys was distressed when you all left without us. I could hear him wailing for Dreamfyre from my rooms. But I cannot blame him; I felt very much the same. I miss you – all of you – very much.

We did not linger for long at Driftmark after Ser Laenor’s funeral. It was not as grand an affair as Laena’s. I had the sense that Corlys and Rhaenys were eager for us to leave – I do not think they like either Rhaenyra or my father very well. I cannot blame them. Neither has said a word to me since we arrived on Dragonstone five days ago. I suppose it is the best outcome I could hope for, for I know Daemon to be capable of much worse.

Have you heard that Daemon and Rhaenyra were married? It happened only two days ago. I was not in attendance at the ceremony. I almost wish I was, as it was done in the Valyrian tradition. It would have been fascinating to see in reality what I have only read about and imagined for so long. But I could not have stood to be around my father for so long – to witness him in a moment of joy. I would have been sick, I think.

I have been settled in rooms in the opposite wing from the rest of them. For this, I am grateful, for it means I do not have to see my sisters, or Jace and Luke (who are now my brothers, I suppose), more often than is necessary. While I am allowed to break my fast and take my luncheon in my own rooms, I am still required to attend dinner with the family.

The first few meals, Jace and Baela tried mocking me. Baela talked about how she wished for the cuts on my face to scar so that I would never forget what happened that night. Jace tried to goad me by heaping praise on his brother for what he did to you. Though I wished to shove the entire table down their throats, I pretended not to hear them. Like Aegon, they lost interest once they realized they would get no reaction from their victim.

So now I simply sit in silence and eat my food – which on this barren island consists mainly of fish, which you know I hate. As soon as the meal is done, I retreat back to my rooms. Though it is lonely without Brynna and the rest of my companions from King’s Landing and Runestone, it is better than facing Daemon and the rest. I never thought I would, but I find myself praying for my father to continue ignoring me.

But oh! I am selfish. I have not asked anything of you. How was the ride on Vhagar? Have you ridden her since? Surely she cannot fit in the Dragonpit, so where does she lie?

And most importantly, how is your wound? Are you reading this letter yourself, or is Orwyle reading it for you? If he is, let him know how much I appreciate him, and that I hope he is treating you gently.

Please write back to me soon. I have not yet been brave enough to try and find the library here, so I am near to going mad with boredom.

Arianwyn

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 19th day in the third month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Arianwyn,

I am immeasurably glad to hear you are unharmed. My mother, Helaena, and I were so worried what Daemon would do once you were in his grasp. We will continue to pray that you remain safe and well.

Do not apologize for not writing – my happiness should be the least of your concerns while you are living among enemies. My mother has written to your cousin, Ser Gerold, and Lady Arryn, your Godsmother. Our hope is that they will come to the capital to petition the King for your return, and that they will be able to succeed where we could not.

I am pleased that you were so impressed with Vhagar. I have not been able to ride her since we arrived back in the capital, as Maester Orwyle continues to insist on my drinking tremendous amounts of milk of the poppy to numb my pain –I am not even sure I have any pain; he has not given me a chance to feel it. He is treating me gently, overbearingly so. He treats me as if I am a helpless, petulant child!

Your guess is correct. He is reading for me. And writing. And every other damn thing. It is only my eye that is wounded, and yet he acts as though I have been rendered incapable of even independent thought.

Arianwyn, please forgive my interjection into the Prince’s many complaints. If I indeed treat him as a “petulant child,” it is only because he acts like one. Be assured, if I did not place such restrictions on him, I am sure he would overexert himself and end up injured worse than he is now. – Orwyle

Enough about overbearing Orwyle. You asked about Vhagar.

She is so wonderful, Aria! Aegon was right, she did not need a single command from me to make her way back to King’s Landing. I think she was happy to return to the land of her youth, after so long across the sea. She flew around and around the city, frightening all the small folk, and even the nobles in the castle – they were not expecting to see such a massive dragon!

She did try to enter the Dragonpit, but you are correct, she is much too large. She has instead taken residence in the empty Tourney Grounds. Where she will go when we actually have a tourney, I have no idea. As soon as Orwyle lets me off his gods damned sedatives, I will take to the skies once more.

You did not mention how Emrys was. Have you been able to ride him? If you are so permitted, perhaps we could arrange a place to meet. There must be some clearings in the Kingswood large enough for both our dragons. Or you could just return to the Keep – come home. With me and Vhagar to defend you, surely Daemon would not try and force you to return.

Perhaps this is the milk of the poppy speaking. But I miss you very much. There are so many people at the castle, but it still feels empty without you. Even the library doesn’t feel right when you are not here to read with me.

I asked my mother about my sending you books, or some of your things from your rooms here, but she said no. It would require a great cost, and we cannot be sure that Daemon would not turn the ship away.

I am so sorry for your loneliness. I wish there was something I could do to give you comfort.

Aemond

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 24th day in the third month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Aemond,

Your words give me great comfort, which is increasingly hard to find. I have read your letter over and over again, for when I read your words, it feels for a moment as if I am not truly alone.

I have heard from my cousin. As I write this, he is sailing for King’s Landing. Lady Arryn will be not far behind him. I have never met her, but it warms my heart that she cares so much for the memory of my mother that she would make such a journey for me.

However, I am hesitant to hope that their words will sway the King. From what your mother told me, he was sincere in his absurd belief that my presence will soften Daemon. And now that he is wed to Rhaenyra, I fear he will be even less likely to bring me home. Besides, I am hesitant to trust him after the way he treated you at Driftmark.

As for your daring plan for my escape, I am afraid it will not be possible.

I had not the courage to approach my father with the question of my mounting Emrys again. But I mentioned my desire to ride him again to my maid, a woman by the name of Kiyara. I have suspected since I arrived that all my servants were reporting my every move to Daemon. My suspicions were confirmed when the next morning, I received a note from him as I broke my fast. It said:

“I am almost impressed by your boldness. But I must not have made myself clear. You will not leave this castle until I say otherwise. You needn’t fret for the little black dragon. He has been made comfortable in the volcanic tunnels. He is unrestrained, and has been spotted flying across the bay to hunt with Vermithor. He is most happy amongst the other unclaimed dragons.

If I knew how to reach Emrys, I would burn this whole wretched island to the ground.

My ignorance is my greatest weakness. I am utterly lost in this monstrosity of a castle. Were it not for the guards leading the way each night, I am sure I would get lost trying to find my rooms after dinner.

I feel so helpless, Aemond. I thought that as long as I had Emrys, I could endure whatever Daemon did to me. But now, I am a Targaryen without a dragon, and a Royce without armor. How will I ever survive?

Arianwyn

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 31st day in the third month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Arianwyn,

Just send word and I will fly Vhagar across the Blackwater and burn the island down for you. Curse of the Kinslayer be damned. It would be worth it to save you and Emrys.

But I speak in anger. A righteous anger to be sure, but still anger. To do so would have consequences beyond my control and comprehension.

All I can think of to do is pass on the note from Daemon to my father when Ser Gerold and Lady Arryn arrive. Even he cannot deny the cruelty in denying you your dragon.

The fact that you have not even seen Emrys since you arrived makes me hesitant to mention my progress with Vhagar. But I know you will want to hear – perhaps it will cheer you.

I have at last been able to ride her again, now that Orwyle has given up on being my jailer. It is just as wonderful as it was that night. Why did you never tell me how thrilling it was? Yes, you told me of the wind in your hair, the sight of people and towns below shrinking to nothing as you climb higher and higher, but you never told me how it set the blood ablaze. When I mount Vhagar, I feel as though I could conquer the world.

But I don’t want to conquer the world, Aria. I just want to save you.

Aemond

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 6th day in the fourth month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Aemond,

Let us write no more of my escape. Until we know it to be true, or at least have reason to truly hope, the thought serves only to sadden me.

Instead, tell me only of happy things – things to bring me light and joy as I sit alone in my gloomy tower.

How is Helaena? She and Aegon will be married soon. I wish I could be there to help her prepare. I had great plans for her gown. She has shown me so many of insects over the years, though I often wished she hadn’t. I was going to embroider the prettier ones on the skirts of her wedding gown. I thought that if she had them with her, she would not be so afraid. Perhaps you can ask your mother to do it for me.

What are you reading now? I have at last found the library here, but it is a pitiful thing. What books there are concern mostly warfare and its history. That is of no interest to me. And while there are many books on Old Valyria, they are only what we have already read. There are only a handful of collections of fairy stories. I will soon devour them all, and I have no idea what I will do then.

Please, do not hesitate to tell me more of Vhagar. If I cannot ride Emrys, your stories are my only way to the skies. I always told you that you would be the fiercest dragonrider since Aegon (the Conqueror, not your brother, obviously). Consider that now a promise. When I see you next, I want to be awed by what you and Vhagar can do together.

Arianwyn – the girl in the tower

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 10th day in the fourth month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Arianwyn,

I pray we will find that hope soon. Ser Gerold and Lady Arryn arrived today. My father will hear their petitions tomorrow. With luck, you will be home in time for the wedding.

My mother says she will begin embroidering Helaena’s dress for you. She says that she is sure her work will not be as beautiful as yours would be, but she has fallen out of practice in recent years. Helaena is very excited to see the finished gown, but that seems to be the only thing that interests her about the wedding. I don’t blame her, I would not want to marry Aegon either. But it is their duty, and we must always perform our duty.

I don’t know that I can be called “fierce” yet. After so long firmly planted on the ground, adapting myself to the skies can be, well, a little frightening. Vhagar is used to more daring riders than I, so she likes to fly in an equally daring manner. I am now convinced that her dive on the night I claimed her was her going easy on me. She has since flown me in ways I could have never imagined.

She has a particular fondness for flying upside-down! The first time she did so, I screamed as loud as I could for her to right us – I was afraid I could not hang onto the saddle – but she did not listen. I could only hold to the horns as tightly as I could until she at last swung around. As soon as we landed, I immediately ordered more straps to be added to the saddle to spare my aching arms.

She will make me fierce, there is no doubt about that. But with the blessings of the Seven, you will see me again before I can become the “fiercest dragonrider singe Aegon.”

Aemond, the novice dragonrider

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 17th day in the fourth month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Lady Arianwyn,

I wish I could write to you with better news. Lady Arryn and I were unable to secure your release from Daemon Targaryen and Dragonstone.

We were able to convince the King to make some concessions – threatening to move the armies of the Vale against Daemon will do that. He will immediately send a raven to Dragonstone to command that you will be allowed access to your dragon. The note Aemond gave us to show him did enrage the old man.

He is a clever boy, that one. He took me to your chambers in the Red Keep to show me the work you two have done deciphering the Runes. I am immensely impressed. I will be asking your Maester Orwyle to make a copy of your translations, that I may take it back to Runestone with me for our own library.

Speaking of Runestone, Lady Arryn and I were also able to convince the King to send your attendants from the Vale to Dragonstone. Their presence was a crucial part of our original agreement, and it will continue to be enforced now that Daemon has you. You may not be able to return to Runestone just yet, but it will still be with you through them.

I am so sorry that I was not able to free you from that man. The King still foolishly believes that his brother can still be saved. You and I know the truth: Daemon is a monster.

You are strong, my dear. Perhaps even stronger than your mother. I have no doubt that you will survive this, and when you at last return home to the Vale, no one will ever be able to command you again.

Ser Gerold Royce, Lord Regent of Runestone

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 20th day in the fourth month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

Aemond,

Never stop writing. It is all I have.

You are my dearest friend.

Arianwyn

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 22nd day in the fourth month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

-

My dearest friend,

I will write every day. So long as I am alive, you will never be alone.

Aemond

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 25th day in the fourth month of the year, 131 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Next Chapter

[lanaevyssmoved]

do u have any game recommendations that have character creation? besides bg3 ofc

gonna be real i wouldnt recommend bg3 for a character creation game because you can only use preset faces ...... bro but if you mean it in an oc way......

i would recommend.............

heavily modded skyrim, if you don't wanna do it yourself use wabbajack, some of the modlists on there are designed for graphics or high end systems and have very pretty characters. there's also ones not like that with rougher characters or more vanilla characters. lots of choice! do not get into the community though, this is a warning

following on from that, any elder scrolls game - morrowind is the best and one of my all time favourite games

you can follow on from that with fallout if you like the setting. i recommend fallout 1 and 2 the most as i'm not the hugest fan of bethesdas fallout but that is not a common opinion that be a hot take

heavily modded final fantasy xiv, you can fully mod on the free trial version as far as i know - be warned this is an extremely slippery slope because it has a modding community to rival skyrim and many customisation mods are paid for however there are ways around that. anyway you can get mods from here, here and here as well as the nexus

elden ring, dark souls 3 - the other dark souls but those character creations look like dogshit ass but still fun to make ocs in imo.. demon souls if you own a ps5....... i do not

pillars of eternity, tyranny, while visually quite limiting the character creators are still very neat from a roleplay pov - tyrannys has a lil "post character creation" game you get to play where you make "post game" choices and i uh, used to play that all the time for fun without intent to keep playing.....

a good follow up to that would be dragon age, all three of them but specially origins, i used to play the origins and not continue the rest of the game for fun! now be warned all of these games suck terrible dick in terms of modding because it's awkward and annoying and easily broken! i recently replayed dao and dai and so much of that time was spent troubleshooting...... joyous

have to kind of mention mass effect after? but ur kind of always making the same character..... ive always struggled with mass effect personally. maybe its the setting?

you can also look at starfield since that's got actually a pretty decent cc but i did find it quite limiting. but i've not really played it for more than an hour cuz bg3 exists so i can't say much

back to crpgs, the two pathfinder games! again limiting on the character side but roleplay side very very strong. i've not played wotr but i have mutuals who act like it is gods gift to gaming and i believe them. i really liked the first!

the outer worlds could be a good choice, i really like that games aesthetic but it's another space game and i think we're seeing a pattern that i'm just not that into those. hm. it was bethesda style gaming in space before starfield exists with the personality of fallout, kind of ?

this ones going far out there but crusader kings iii has an insane character creation and my favourite ruler ever was this old witch woman cannibal who slowly but surely turned her whole corner of the globe into a witch worshipping cannibal cult. i miss her

age of wonders 4 has a really cool cc, you can even make dragons with the dlc like Actual dragons.... i have made so many characters in there and gave them their funny little lores.. age of wonders has real cool lore and it is Completely ignored by tumblr afaik and that sucks

encased is a really cool rpg it's another sci-fi-y one.. it isn't as polished as you might expect cuz it's a very ambitious game but a small indie studio but i would say if you enjoy fallout 1 + 2 you will enjoy encased

dragons dogma! you get to make two people in this just like in bg3! i made a lil girl and her big brother and i was so fucking emotional over them that i was crying constantly even when nothing was going on. i played dragons dogma to fucking death on the ps3 and i think its interesting and rich enough to sink ur teeth into

i have to mention greedfall as the owner of the greedfall url.... greedfall is very interesting as its a double A title akin to a dragon age game.. it might make one feel a tad uncomfortable because it comes across as colonialism the rpg but it does get very interesting and it has neat as hell characters and magic and big monsters who fuck hard

wasteland 3! kinda again has the fallout type of vibe it is violent and full of dark themes and twisted themes but its also extremely comical its true black humour at times and you get to make two characters again and you can even make TWO MORE CHARACTERS so i had a bunch of custom characters.. u can get really wild in the cc as well and builds are SUPER fun....... v good game

spellforce 3!!!!! i love this game, the cc is again like another crpg one but spellforce 3 has very deep lore spanning many games .. its not typical crpg in that its also like a strategy war game too but i think it does the mixture very well and i LOVEEEEEEEE the lore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

uh i forgot to mention divinity original sin 1/2 because .. bg3 should lead you right there but uh. play them both! the first is so good in coop i feel cuz of the natural banter between the protagonists. if you don't have friend the second is very good single player just. be warned i don't think it has good endings but the ride is worth it!! and divinity lore fucks hard. i also recommend divinity dragon commander because its so much fun

can i say stardew valley? mayhaps sun haven too? if ur crazy like me you can turn these into prime oc generators. also mods

oh, monster hunter world and by extension wild hearts. monster hunter world lets you make a cat and while ur character themselves doesn't get to do much story wise i did get very obsessed with my character and wanting them fight cool monsters. wild hearts is similar though your character does feel a bit more special- be warned this game is known for running like ass on most systems, its pretty good for me but be warned all the same

TEEHEES.... KENSHI!!!!!!!!!!!! i was holding back on mentioning kenshi but i can't. you can make a whole fucked up lil squad if u want. u got weird alien races. u got a billion fucking mods. u can have ur buddies limps removed and give them robot ones. u can make an army of weirdos. bro i got so invested in my kenshi squad i was writing FANFIC. i was dreaming of them. i was unable to sleep about them. i miss them so fucking much dude!! kenshi doesnt really have a story beyond what u make it. that shit is a SANDBOX.. and i love it so much. everyone should play kenshi. its kinda like rimworld if u want a comparison. i think its Perfect. the best game to exist ever (lie) its so wonderful....... man........its also broken as shit cuz its the most ambitious game to exist ever and it was made by 1 dude so

oh if u like anime games i have to mention code vein (souls like) and god eater (monster hunter like ?) they have very good ccs and i know people super into the lore and stuff. i only played code vein and i liked it a lot honestly

uhhh i mentioned 1 mmo so i should probably mention guild wars 2, the cc is very good, the whole games end game is about fashion and looking amazing. the lore is also super duper neat! i haven't played it for a long time now but i did play it on launch and i had a blast for a few years

if you like d&d i would recommend solasta! it has a very good cc i think honestly and it feels the most like this is d&d in a video game out of every game i've ever played, and it translates the system very and faithfully (as opposed to say bg3 who changed things for game reasons). solasta is also best with friends because its so in that vibe of this is a silly lil d&d party. its much fun

lol i got the block text limit popup

kotor 1 and 2, it might be hard to get into the lore and characters if you're not into star wars but i found it pretty ok to as not a huge star wars fan. i also think they deserve to be played despite that as well because they are fantastic rpgs and some of the best bioware ever made

vampire the masquerade bloodlines!!! i am not a vampire fan really, a small one, but this game captivated me.... very easy to get into making a character i feel and ur given enough to make characters that align different ways easily. the combat did not age well..... but the story and roleplay absolutely did

ok.. im gonna stop here.. but i will say give games like icewind dale and arcanum a chance.. look at old as hell crpgs and try them. this includes bg1+2 which i still need to play myself but will be soon! they are classics because their stories are fantastic, and shouldn't be missed out on!!!!!

[felassan]

A few more snippets of interest and insight from Mark Darrah, from an older Mark Darrah on Games YouTube video where he was livestreaming playing Dragon Age: Origins some months ago -

Chat asked "Why are there no Desire Demons in DA:I?". Mark said "I think they need a visual redesign and there wasn't time for them, and they're not, they require a combat rethink in terms of how they're used in combat, and a visual redesign, so it was basically just de-prioritized."

[please note this video streamed 4 months ago] "I'm not worried about DA:D not having been at TGA 2022. I mean they're doing it probably because they don't wanna date themselves. Their earliest launch date would basically be end of this year [2023], so it's rational for them not to be at TGA 2022. I assumed they would be mainly because of just the way the marketing campaign has gone, but the fact that they aren't is actually a strong signal that they've decided to regain control of their marketing campaign, which is actually probably smart. Yeah, they're not out of beta yet." Chat commented here "I'm kinda relieved to hear that because I was afraid they would push the game beyond Q4 24." Mark said, "No I don't think so. For them to go to TGA 2022 would have meant having full gameplay and they probably just didn't wanna polish it up. I should've clued in when they released a whole cutscene from the game on DA Day 2022 that they weren't gonna be at TGA 2022. That was a pretty strong signal. For them to do both wouldn't have been. There's no way that Geoff Keighley was gonna let them put that cinematic trailer on the stage at TGA 2022. So what they have is this sort've, too little for TGA 2022 but it's a big drop for DA Day, so that was the thing that I missed."

[following on from the previous point, and when chat was discussing feeling drip-fed] "It's just, I mean, for reasons that make sense for the project but less sense for the marketing. DA:D has been announced for a very long time. You wouldn't voluntarily announce a game so early if you didn't have external reasons. Also, harder to cancel an announced game."

"Cullen's story is done in DA:I."

"We've recast people before, for sure"

Chat said "I feel like DA fans have this tendency to cling extremely tightly to existing characters. Like, there will be a ton of characters introduced in DA:D that we will fall in love with, and not really miss people from previous games." Mark replied, "Yeah, you're right about that. That's exactly what happens, is people want stories with the characters that they know to continue but once they feel that they've seen new characters then they're a lot less concerned."

"I mean the general rule is, you don't bring back followers who are romances or who could be dead. So Cullen kind of doesn't meet any of the criteria for coming back. The quantum on DAII characters is really high. I guess there are a lot that don't die, but."

"My feeling on Absolution, I think everyone else is a bit too under-played and Qwydion is a bit too over-played. If you like brought her done one notch and everyone else up one notch it would be okay. But yeah, she does stick out a little bit for sure."

Chat asked "Was there any thought given to bereskarn in DA:I?" Mark replied, "I think the problem is the artists don't really like the visual design of bereskarn. I think there's a cool model to be had there, but they just don't have it at the moment. I think there's a general desire to move away from just generic wilderness creatures as combatants, like wolves and bears and stuff, so maybe they'll make a reappearance."

Chat asked "Who does everyone think the 'default' Divine is?" Mark said "Interesting question, I don't know."

Chat asked "Do you think that the Architect will make an appearance in DA:D?" Mark replied, "I don't suspect, I think they'll let the Architect just be, the place for the Architect to appear was DA:I, I don't think he will appear in DA:D. I think the reason why he doesn't appear in DA:I is because he could be dead." Chat commented, "Wouldn't he have the same powers as Corypheus though, and just come back?" Mark replied "Well that's true, that's a good point. I don't know that we established that by then or not but I don't know, maybe. He could've linked himself to a, could've been body-hopping."

Chat asked "Do you see DA continuing as a franchise after DA:D?" Mark replied, "Oh yeah, I don't think they're done with DA."

Chat said "We saw Hira in Absolution using a flying magic disc. Do you think they will implement that in DA:D as a new form of magic?" Mark said "Yeah, I don't know. It was interesting because when Hira uses it the first time she uses it to lift someone else, which is sort've how I imagined it working, but then she actually flies with it later. I don't know if that was just poetic license given to the anime creators or if it's an actual plan for going forward. It's definitely presented as quite an awkward way to fly."

[source]

He also talked more generally about DA:O and the franchise and things in general. These bits are collected under a cut due to length -

"I think you can always see the Black City in the Fade, I think that's been said/is correct"

"I like that in DAII the darkspawn have a consistent visual. They don't in DA:O. So I'm pro-that. A lot of the darkspawn in DA:O have like orc plus zombie equals question mark"

"They did lose the grab animation from enemies in DAII. I don't think DAII had any sync animations"

"Stun on the player is not a fun ability. It's not so bad if you have a party fully controlled by the player (you can switch to another party member to try and break it) but only one party member, it's not fun for sure. You definitely need some sort of range attack otherwise you just end up kiting like the Arishok fight in DAII"

"DA does have a tendency to use the Pride demon model as 'generic high tier demon'

"I don't regret putting Cullein in DA:I , the characters are not their voice actors"

"Oghren is kind of a caricature in Awakening"

"Lore in DA is always presented through someone's interpretation"

"In Awakening the Children don't really fit in with the rest of the design up until this point"

"The official response to Leliana's death retcon in DA:I is that the only way Leliana can die in DA:O is at the Urn of Sacred Ashes, so the Urn brought her back. The only way she dies is a weird, specific choice, you're making a choice if you kill her in DA:O for sure. It's not a common choice. Desecrating the Urn doesn't make any sense, I don't think there's a rationale given for why you do that. I can see 'destroy it' but I don't know why in the world you would desecrate it so. Very few people are able to, Renegade in Mass Effect is actually not widely chosen"

"Golems of Amgarrak DLC is there to [just] be there [basically]. Most of the DLC in DA:O doesn't have any particular goals. It was just to make DLC. Like Leliana's Song doesn't really expand Leliana very much. Darkspawn Chronicles is just kind've a fun thing to exist. In DA:O DLC was pretty much still a new concept, at least big pieces of DLC. So kind've trying to figure out what people wanted"

"Awakening is an old-school expansion pack in a time when expansion packs are gone basically. So that's why it feels so big"

Chat asked, "As Executive Producer, did you have any say on the story and direction of the lore?" Mark said "I'm always involved in that kind of stuff, I'm not the one dictating lore but I'm influencing it for sure"

Chat asked "Any chance of the DA tactics game actually being made at this point?" Mark replied "There was not really any chance of a DA tactics game being made. It's pretty antithetical to everything EA believes in"

Chat mentioned that golems in Awakening lack a 'gap closer' move. Mark said "that's why they got chucking rocks in later games"

"Strategy guides used to be a big money maker for games. Not so much anymore"

"The models got new bones in DAII"

Chat asked "Is there a reason why the Legion of the Dead don't automatically just join up with the Wardens?" Mark said "Politics I guess"

[source]

(pls note that in places there is a bit of paraphrasing of the info, the best source is always the primary source with full quotes in their original context)

[vigilskeep]

the facts are that while i am enjoying aeducan greatly and experiencing orzammar as aeducan was some of the most fun i’ve ever had playing dragon age, it simply does not quite ring true for me the same way surana does... maybe surana just got to me early idk!! i don’t know that i necessarily mean minerva surana, although i do miss her terribly and she might work for me with a bit of a redesign (Again), but surana just is the warden to me... which means, in the nonsensical inner workings of my mind, mage trevelyan is impossible to canonise, because it covers way too much of the same ground, i literally chose circle mage warden in the first place because what i originally wanted to play was circle mage inquisitor. i’m not super interested in playing lavellan especially with an elf warden already, and definitely not adaar, and i already did half the game as non mage trevelyan and dont feel super strongly abt it so... cadash?? so i can still have beloved dwarf lore which i now have a much better basis for. and probably a dual wielding rogue because i already did warrior and i don’t find dai archery any fun. and i HAVE new and old concepts that are coming together for me and a weirdly clear idea of a character voice

and all this is to say that this hilariously ends me up exactly where i was to start with back when i was playing nina, god knows how long ago, and i kind of desperately want this to be the take that wins just for this entire journey you have been on with me since then to be a full circle