#post here lies the abyss

[lothrilzul]

[dragonknightofsummerset]

Cleared the war table of missions (minus the resources/gold ones that are repeatable) before doing "wicked eyes and wicked hearts" & crying cause of all the new war table missions that appeared

[maternalcube]

okay i might have more than 5 unfinished inquisition playthroughs

[mozzawind]

Familiar, Why is this so familiar? Familiar, like something I used to do. Familiar, Staring up at the Ceiling Familiar...I swear that I know this feeling.

I've been re-writing my Hawke's story and now, After she makes it out of the fade (2 years after Inquisition- during Trespasser) she has no memory of her life before sacrificing herself. the only clue to her past life is a tattered copy of "Tales of the Champion" she carries around. I just thought it'd be really fucked up to see a statue celebrating you but you don't even know it's you.

[daitranscripts]

Varric Cutscene: Here Lies the Abyss

Letters

Varric Masterpost Related Quest: Here Lies the Abyss

The PC approaches Varric in the Main Hall. He’s looking into the fireplace.

Choice dependent dialogue:

Hawke left in Fade [1]

Alistair left in Fade [2]

Loghain left in Fade [3]

Stroud left in Fade [4]

1 - Hawke left in Fade

Varric: Did I ever tell you about the time Hawke was on a Merchant Guild hit list? Hawke’s uncle got into an investment scheme with a couple Merchant Caste businessmen. They took a lot of people’s coin in order to arrange the important of wandering hills from the Anderfels. A delicacy, I’m told.

Varric turns and approaches the PC.

Varric: Their weird, foreign foodstuffs arrived… alive. And one of them, true to its name, wandered off in the middle of the night.

Dialogue options:

Special (high approval): [Hug him.] [5] + Varric slightly approves

General: If it helps, tell the story. [6] + Varric approves

General: I’m sorry, Varric. [7]

General: [They] said goodbye to you. [8] + Varric slightly approves

5 - Special: [Hug him.] The PC hugs him. Varric: Shit… [9]

6 - General: If it helps, tell the story. PC: Keep going. I’d like to hear the rest of the story. [9]

7 - General: I’m sorry, Varric. PC:  I know Hawke was your friend. This can’t be easy for you. Varric (in party at Adamant): I should have stopped [them]. She’d already paid enough/He’d given up enough. Varric (not in party): It’s just… one time, just once, Hawke shouldn’t have been the one making the sacrifice. Just once… [9]

8 - General: [They] said goodbye to you. PC: [Their] last words were: “Say goodbye to Varric for me.” Varric (male Hawke): That son of a bitch. He would do that. Varric (female Hawke): I wish I’d said something… It doesn’t matter. [9]

9 - Scene continues.

Varric: The Guild… traced the shipment to Hawke’s uncle, but as usual, he was so far in debt he couldn’t see daylight. So they went after Hawke instead. They sent guys from the local Carta to Hawke’s estate one night. Five big dusters, armed to the teeth.

Diplomatic Hawke: They kick in the door, and Hawke’s just standing there, fully armed, with me and the guard-captain on either side. Humorous Hawke: They kick in the door, and Hawke yells, “You’re just in time!” and drags them over to a game of Wicked Grace. Aggressive Hawke: They’re about to kick down the door, when Hawke just opens it and invites them all inside.

Varric: Leandra—Hawke’s mother—made them tea and, for the next two hours, tried to get them to make small talk. They wandered out of the house in a daze. No idea what had just happened. Never came back. Hawke just… had that effect on people. I always wanted to tell that one. Thanks. I guess I’ve got some letters to write.

Varric: (Hawke romanced Anders/no romance, no sibling survived): There’s a few people who should know. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Carver alive): Carver should be told. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Bethany alive): Bethany should know what happened. Hawke (Hawke romanced Sebastian): I have to tell Sebastian, or he’ll throw a fit. Hawke (Hawke romanced Isabella): Isabela should know. Hawke (Hawke romanced Fenris): I should be the one to tell Fenris. Hawke (Hawke romanced Merrill): I should tell Merrill the news.

Varric: Excuse me.

Scene ends.

2 - Alistair left in Fade

Varric: So, the line of King Calenhad the Great has finally ended. I didn’t know Alistair well, but he was a friend of a friend.

Varric: One of the Wardens who ended the Fifth Blight. A big hero to a lot of people. He wasn’t the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won’t be the last. This story’s no good for heroes. [10]

3 - Loghain left in Fade

Varric: I guess the Hero of River Dane’s story finally came to an end. Loghain was the Fereldan ideal, you know? The common boy who freed his kingdom and became a teyrn.

Varric: He helped to end the Fifth Blight. The rest aside, that made him a hero. He wasn’t the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won’t be the last. This story’s no good for heroes. [10]

4 - Stroud left in Fade

Varric: I knew Stroud, you know. Not well.

Varric (Carver saved): He saved Hawke’s little brother from the Blight. Varric (Bethany saved): He saved Hawke’s little brother from the Blight. Varric (sibling died in deep roads/never went to deep roads): He led the Wardens near Kirkwall.

Varric: Not many people knew who he was, but the man was a hero when it mattered. He wasn’t the first good man to fall to Corypheus. He won’t be the last. This story’s no good for heroes. [10]

10 - Scene continues.

Dialogue options:

General: At least Hawke survived. [11] + Varric slightly approves

General: We heroes might make it. [12] + Varric slightly approves

General: He will be the last. [13] + Varric slightly approves

11 - General: At least Hawke survived. PC: You must be glad that Hawke made it back in one piece. Varric: Yeah. Closest thing I’ve ever seen to a miracle, there.

12 - General: We heroes might make it. PC: Some of us heroes will make it. We’re just too amazing to die. Varric: Well, if we’re both still standing at the end of all this, I’ll buy the drinks.

13 - General: He will be the last. PC: We’re taking down Corypheus before he takes any more lives. Varric: You know, sometimes when you say shit like that, I almost start to believe it.

14 - Scene continues.

Varric: (Sighs.) Hawke asked me to tell everyone back in Kirkwall where [they’re] going.

Varric: (Hawke romanced Anders/no romance, no sibling survived): There’s a bunch of people who probably need to know what’s going on. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Carver alive): I’ll have to let Carver know. I’m sure he’ll take it well. Varric: (Hawke no romance, Bethany alive): I should let Bethany know what’s going on. Hawke (Hawke romanced Sebastian): I suppose I have to let Choir Boy know. Hawke (Hawke romanced Isabella): Maker’s breath, Isabela’s going to be furious.   Hawke (Hawke romanced Fenris): Fenris needs to know. Maker, I’m glad I won’t be doing this in person. Hawke (Hawke romanced Merrill): I’ll have to let Merrill know.

Varric: I’d better write some letters. Excuse me.

Scene ends.

[tricksterlatte]

Once again wishing all the Tales of bloggers still following me after all these years, despite my persistent Goro Akechi brain rot, a very lovely evening. 

[thedragonagelesbian]

/sighs fondly/ luc surana.......

[spainkitty]

Tranquility and Free Will: After the Shrine of Dumat

tw: death, neither pro nor anti Tranquility, Cullen's PTSD

Lanil's Pieces Masterlist

It was... a much less easy journey back to Skyhold. Harder to joke. Harder to smile. Maddox had shaken Lavellan to the core. It made her remember that conversation with Cullen weeks ago, the lyrium scattered on the ground, templars and mages and Meredith. Seeing Maddox, his Tranquility, his emotionless yet fervent suicide, his faithfulness to a man who had shown him kindness and wanted to destroy the world.

It was... horrifying.

Heartbreaking.

It made her fucking furious.

She sat on the edge of camp a few days out from Skyhold. She could hear Dorian and Cassandra bickering over spices for the stew, Varric humming softly as he cleaned and calibrated Bianca, Cullen whispering to the horses. The usual sounds of each night. She stared up at the stars, watched her breath fog in the air, and told herself not to scream.

To breathe.

Which was made harder when Cullen's whispering ended and his footsteps approached her. He stood next to her shoulder for a long minute. Silent, too. Maybe staring at the stars, too. Maybe trying not to scream, too.

"Sit or leave."

"I didn't want to impose."

"Looming over me isn't imposing?" Lavellan asked dryly.

"Right, I apologize, I'll go--"

"I wasn't angry about Fairbanks. I wasn't even angry about the blasted halla comment, though it was out of line and you should apologize to the halla."

"Apologize... to the halla."

"Yes. There's a ritual for it. You have to find a temple of Ghilan'nain."

"I could... do that."

"And then weave a blanket of spindleweed and fresh spring grass."

"And if it's autumn?"

"You'll have to go to a country that always has spring grass. Or suffer the terrible, crushing disappointment of halla everywhere."

"So, I find a temple, weave some grass and weeds?"

"And then sing to Ghilan'nain a special Elvish prayer while wearing only the grass blanket."

"So I have to be naked."

"Ask Dorian. He knows all about elves singing flowers into bloom while naked."

Cullen huffed and slowly sat down next to her. "You're teasing me, so I guess you're not upset?"

"Of course I'm upset. I'm mad. I've never been so mad in my life." She said it quietly, voice shaking, arms wrapped around her shins. "I'm mad at Samson for dragging Maddox into it. I'm mad at Meredith for... for punishing him like that. I'm mad at you for saying templars serve a purpose. I'm mad at the Circles for existing. I'm mad at the Chantry for what they put mages through, for what they put templars through, for what they allow and keep secret and destroy, with this facade of doing what Andraste wanted. I'm mad at the whole fucking world."

"I... I get that."

"Thank you." She braced her chin on her knees. "More than anything, I'm... I'm sad. He shouldn't have died like that. He deserved so much better than that. But I'm also... I don't pity him. I'm in awe of him. His faith. His determination. His loyalty. He wasn't a puppet, Cullen. He wasn't an empty shell. He shouldn't have died, but I can't pity him. He doesn't deserve that, either."

"In the end, he made a choice of his own free will. I wish it could've ended better. I wish we could've stopped him. But I won't pity him either." Cullen spoke so softly and firmly. Lavellan was filled with rage, with fear, but Cullen. Cullen was hurting for Maddox. It laced through every word, that empathetic pain.

"That could be me."

"What?" The word ripped out of him with so much shock, so much offense. It made her smile.

"Whoever the new Divine is, they could be like all the others. They'll put mages in the Circles. The templars will get their purpose back. They'll remember everything that happened and they're not all you, Cullen. They might not grow out of the resentment or the fear. Mages will die. I could die. I could be made Tranquil. They'll catch me and throw me in. And when they do, will templars be serving their purpose?"

"Lavellan, it's not the same, it'll be different, it'll have to be different--"

"No. It doesn't have to. You've met Vivienne, right? She's a mage that thinks like you do--"

"That is not how I think."

She startled and slowly turned to face him.

"I don't want that to be a templar's purpose. Why do you think I left?" Cullen said. "Everything was about fear. It made me more afraid, more angry, and I had good reason for it. Kirkwall was...  Kirkwall was worse than the Void. But in the end, it was just fear. Fear feeding fear, going in this violent, murderous circle. Mages pushing at limits, templars hurting them for trying, mages becoming blood mages to hurt templars back, templars pouring lyrium down their throats and losing their minds, and mages summoning demons and losing theirs. Everyone trying to hurt everyone else because they were hurting."

"Explains the explosion. It sounds like everything was a bomb waiting to happen."

"I haven't even told you about the Qunari."

"Don't worry, I read Varric's book."

Cullen laughed softly, so softly it shredded into nothing the moment it left his mouth.

"I knew a young woman, a mage, and elf, like you. She was... I thought I'd never met or seen a girl like her. You remind me so much of her that it was hard to separate you in the beginning."

"Su...rano?"

"Surana."

"Ah."

"She passed her Harrowing at 18. I was there, I held a sword ready to cut her down if she failed." Lavellan's fingers clenched into fists. "I'd been to Harrowings before, I never had to, every time it was over was a relief. I never had to use my blade on these people I swore to protect. After hers... she asked... would I have done it? I told her it was my duty, I had to, but I didn't want to. And she laughed and told me it was okay, she knew all along she'd be fine. She was... so bright." He forced the word out, and it sounded like it tore his heart in two.

"Was?" she asked, had to ask, even as she shook and desperately didn't want to know.

"She was supposed to be made Tranquil and I helped her escape."

Lavellan finally moved, finally broke from her curled and defensive position, turned her whole body toward him to stare at his profile.

"What?"

"There were blood mages in the Circle. Everyone was fighting, and dying, and I watched the Tranquils... they were some of the first," Cullen swallowed hard and sweat glistened across his forehead. She should tell him to stop. She didn't have to know. But she wanted to know. "I watched them become abominations at the hands of people that called them colleagues, maybe even called them friends. One of them said, this is uncomfortable. That's it. This is uncomfortable."

"Oh... Mythal..." Lavellan breathed out, filled with horror and disgust.

"The thought of her, that laughing, confident girl, waiting to be become something like that, like them... I let her out. Forced her through a door and used a Templar rune to lock it. She was safe and... and the blood mages tried to use her, my memory and my... my infatuation with her, against me. To break me."

"And so you feared mages."

"I hated them. For a time, I even blamed her. For making me weak. It took me years to realize that of all the sorry bastards they tortured, I was the only one that didn't break. I don't know how much of that was me, and how much was her," Cullen whispered it, stared at his gloved palms, shoulders bowed under the weight despite sharing it.

"It could be both." She hesitantly raised a hand. Let it drop. "But I think it was you." Cullen met her eyes and they sat side by side, everything they've seen and been through and what they could have become lying heavy between them. "People say I'm... indomitable. I have a strong will. But I've got nothing on you. Me? I'm an asshole, I bludgeon my way through problems." Cullen chuckled. "But you? You're kind. After all that, you're so kind. You're... you're the indomitable one."

"I didn't tell you about this for praise, Lavellan."

"Call me Lane, remember?" She knocked her shoulder against his arm. Froze, held her breath; had she pushed too soon?

"Lane."

She released a slow breath of relief. "So why did you tell me? Just... draw it out for me. Pretend I'm stupid."

He laughed at last and she smiled.

"Because I don't want that to be someone's future, forced on them against their will. I want there to be a better way. But I need you to understand why I defend the templars, why they're important. Everyone in Kinloch Hold was at fault, everyone was a monster... even me. But we can't pretend like taking away all protections makes us more free, or absolves legitimate reasons for fear. There will always be abuses of power, and they make people like Uldred and Samson."

"But they also make Maddox."

"Yeah. They also make Maddox."

"It's... not an easy fix," Lavellan scowled. "Which is the understatement of the damn century. Millennium."

"No, it won't be easy," Cullen agreed.

"Do you think I could find it? A fix?"

"You're the one person I believe who can."

"You know... I'm not so angry at you anymore."

"What a relief." His whole body sagged as his sigh gusted from him. "I don't still have to dance naked for the halla, do I?"

"Ass." She bumped his shoulder with her fist, grimacing at the metal she hit. "Double ass. Why are you always wearing armor?!"

He got to his feet, and she moved to follow, taking a brief moment to stretch out her legs. He reached out his hand, and... she glanced up. Carefully, she set her hand in his and let him gently pull to her to feet. He was so damn tall, it hurt a little to crane her neck, but she couldn't look away from his face. From that shy, private smile.

Her hand tightened around his when he tried to pull away. His eyes widened slightly, then something happened to his expression. His eyes grew darker, his smile slipped away, but it wasn't anger. It had her heart thudding.

She remembered, out of nowhere, that moment in Halamshiral. The ground shifting under her feet. It was happening again. When his hand moved to interlace their fingers, their hands hidden by their cloaks and his eyes intent on her face, the ground shifted under her, her knees quaking.

"Do you still confuse me with her?" Lavellan asked, wondering where it came from. Wondering why it mattered.

"No. You are..." He searched for a word and Lavellan shook her head.

"I wasn't asking for praise, either. I just wanted to know I... that I'm just me to you. No one else."

"Lane..."

"I'm sure your conversation is riveting!" Dorian called.

Lavellan and Cullen jerked slightly apart, but not far enough to need to drop their hands. In fact, she couldn't help but hold on tighter. Her heart pounded when his thumb brushed the back of her glove. It felt as intimate as if it had been skin to skin.

"However, this stew is long done and you need to eat it before it overcooks."

"You can't overcook stew," Cassandra said incredulously.

"My dear, you can overcook anything."

"C'mon Shortie, Curly, stop being so serious. We've got a long way to Skyhold yet. Your faces will get stuck like that."

"As opposed to what, looking like yours?" Lavellan asked. Varric scoffed.

"You wish you were as pretty as me."

She grinned up at Cullen. "I think we've got good faces. What do you think?"

"I definitely like yours more than his."

"Good answer."

Just a moment longer, they held on tight. Then, slowly, their hands slipped apart, finger by finger, inch by inch, until they could walk towards the fire without a single bit touching the other. For the rest of the night, she couldn't help staring at his hands.

Wishing she could've held on longer. Wishing that after the maraas-lok, she had managed to get to Cullen's office. Wishing she knew what it was like to wake up next to him with his hand holding hers.

Part I / Part II

[n7viper]

honestly the worst part about breaking into a fandom like 8+ years later is that I'm having all of these fucking epiphanies and like, who am I gonna tell? the people who have been playing it all along?

obviously I've decided to scream in discord to my friends who have never played dragon age and only know about it through my insane ramblings

[zurazakis]

hey! welcome to my long post where i complain about dragon age inquisition again 👍 literally don't even worry about it

the lack of even a bit of customisation regarding the inquisitor's origins truly is a downfall of inquisition's & generally the inquisitor kinda feels flat as a character. there are voice options but only two of them & i often find that dialogue options just don't fit what i want really, nor do they help toward making the inquisitor a character of their own. the war table operations related to the inquisitor's background could've easily been made actual quests with the sheer amount of pretty pointless quests that make the game longer & longer with very little reward for it (thinking of the sheer amount of quests just in the hinterlands. in my first playthrough i was stuck there for months because i just Did not want to get through that. it was my first dragon age game & it was very intimidating), but they're just... war table operations. & you kinda get nothing out of that. it's a real shame

the bits of custom dialogue they give to elven, qunari, dwarven & mage inquisitors are bare minimum when compared to the previous games. i enjoy that there are mage-specific choices for sit in judgement but they do kind of invariably suck (though if you're playing a shithole of a person then sure you can probably afford to make alexius tranquil). one of the few good things about these is that iirc you can get on cullen's case about him supporting you, a mage, but the inquisitor also has no real knowledge of what cullen has done & how bad it actually was so it's... yknow. kinda empty. also the way the class/race-specific dialogue is done in inquisition feels... very uh, "nonbinary character who is characterised by saying 'whoa did you just assume my pronouns???' ", which is probably not their intent (at least not fully & not everytime it happens) but it sure feels like it & god is it grating & frankly insulting at times. i'm used to fantasy microaggressions in dragon age games but in inquisition... grr.

& of course it's all coupled with quests like here lies the abyss which. just make the game not worth finishing. yes i've finished it five times but this isn't about these saves. it was a huge slap in the face to be faced with the alistair or hawke choice as a direct consequence of me doing whatever i could to help alistair keep living the happiest possible life he could have. it felt like a punishment for doing that & i know dragon age direction really likes to just make you regret doing good but this specific quest is the reason all my unfinished playthroughs are unfinished.

the flatness of the inquisitor makes it even more infuriating in that you, the player, have stakes in this but the inquisitor doesn't & cannot because they're just not allowed to have ties to either of them at all? or to have anything other than underwhelming dialogue options really lmao. you can't communicate much of anything during that quest through a character to who hawke & alistair are, yeah some important people probably, but they're still just... not people they really know. (wow haha wouldn't it be nice to have had more quests with them & also to have them as temporary companions... or something... haha..;..) at least having stroud as an easy out if you made alistair king or exiled him or whatever else spared me some anguish in my first playthrough (though i didn't know alistair at the time either so it probably wouldn't have meant anything to me).

also! as someone with ocs who have more specific backgrounds than what has been given to me by the games (like shamir, a formerly tranquil dreamer with a spirit friend - more akin to wynne than anders pre-tranquility but hope merged with him upon reaching for his mind. so basically. someone who could easily get alistair out of the fade. you know, his husband. someone who's also been friends with anders. you know. my hawke's boyfriend.) it does endlessly frustrate me that they're not willing to explore more daring options for what is & isn't possible to do. they literally have so many options to make things less miserable & they just refuse. & it's not even for the sake of narrative satisfaction! very few things in inquisition are narratively satisfying at all! so what's the point? what is the point of it all? if everything ends in misery anyway why did you make me do all this. it isn't cathartic or saddening it's upsetting & downright frustrating. i get nothing out of here lies the abyss

i don't know how to end this post. i'm just very peeved by . all this

[plaguedocboi]

Bottomless Pits

We post holes here, sir.

Sinkholes, pit caves, wells and cenotes all have one thing in common; sometimes they’re bottomless. Not truly “bottomless”, of course, but in appearance, reputation, or of incredible depth. We’ve seen a few of these “bottomless pits” in prior lists such as the Lost Sea in Tennessee or the Devil’s Hole in Nevada, but today we will focus on those strange places in the earth that seem to be endless.

1. Laguna Kaan Luum, Mexico

This one threw me for a loop because I was originally only seeing pictures like the one above, so I was like ‘oh, that’s cool, so it’s kinda like Dean’s Blue Hole, where it’s an ocean sinkhole right off the shore…’

No. It’s not that. Let’s zoom out a bit.

Yeah. This is a lake with one giant sinkhole in the middle! It’s about 2,000 feet across and reaches depths of 278 feet, with the surrounding shallows a very pleasant 4 feet deep! I’m mostly including it on the list because the full image hit me like a bus.

2. Sima Humboldt, Venezuela

Tepuis are large plateau mountains found across Venezuela, often with sheer sides and inaccessible tops that inspired explorers to imagine dinosaurs still surviving on these isolated mesas. Even on their own, tepuis are incredible, beautiful and mysterious. Add a sinkhole with an even more isolated forest at the bottom, and you have all the ingredients for some crazy shit to happen. Sima Humboldt and Sima Martel are two enormous sinkholes at the top of Cerro Sarisariñama. Humboldt is the largest at over a thousand feet across and nearly the same in depth, with a jungle flourishing at the bottom. The sinkhole forests are home to many endemic species of both plant and animals, but so far, no prehistoric monsters have been found in any of them.

3. Well of Barhout, Yemen

The “well of hell” is a massive sinkhole in the desert, measuring about 100 feet in diameter and plunging down over 300 feet. Understandably, there are many myths and legends about this place, including a story about an evil djinn which lives at the bottom and takes the head of anyone foolish enough to climb in. In fact, so pervasive are these legends that the sinkhole was only formally explored in 2021! Luckily they did not find any evil spirits, but they did find stalagmites which reached 30 feet tall, cave pearls, and waterfalls which provided refuge for frogs and snakes.

4. Myakka sinkhole, Florida

This murky abyss is filled with more than just water, it is also home to over a hundred alligators. Due to the poor visibility and very high concentration of large carnivores, it is very difficult to study this pit. Only a few people have ever glimpsed the bottom of this 134-foot deep sinkhole, but apparently we aren’t missing much because the water down there is stagnant and inhospitable to most life. Exactly why this area is so popular among alligators is still unknown, but it’s likely due to a combination of food availability and ideal temperatures.

5. The Pit cenote, Mexico

Like Cenote Angelita, The Pit is a layered cenote. The first 88 feet is freshwater, then there is a “fog” of hydrogen sulfide, below which lies over 300 feet of brackish water. The Pit is a spectacular-looking cenote, with an almost otherworldly quality, which makes it very popular among divers. So far, this pit has been explored to a depth of 390 feet, but unexplored passages extend further.

6. Thor’s well, Oregon

Like a drainpipe continuously swallowing an unbroken stream of ocean water, Thor’s well is often likened to a bottomless pit. However, it is actually only about 20 feet deep, and the drain effect is due to the fact that it connects back to the ocean, not swallowing the water but simply rerouting it. This does not mean that there is no danger, though. The rocks are slippery and sharp, and this area sees a higher than average number of ‘sneaker waves’; waves that look normal as they roll in but are actually much larger than they appear, potentially sweeping people out to sea as they retreat. The true danger here is the ocean, not the well.

7. Vouliagmeni Lake, Greece

This incredibly beautiful saltwater lake has been rumored to have healing properties for thousands of years, and today continues to draw in visitors for its medicinal minerals and “doctor fish”. But this famous lake hides a secret; a labyrinth of caves whose depths have never been fully explored, and whose connection to the ocean remains undiscovered. Passages stretch over a mile into the mountains, with an average depth of 260 feet. The largest of these caverns is nearly 500 feet wide and full of warm sea water. Although a spectacular diving spot, these unknown caverns are best not underestimated.

8. Santa Rosa blue hole, New Mexico

A gorgeous natural swimming hole, this cenote is roughly 80 feet wide and 80 feet deep (in most places) and is a popular destination for tourists. It was also used for diving certification tests, until an incident in 1976. There is one spot in this picturesque cenote that goes down much further than 80 feet; the entrance to a cave. In the dark, twisting passages, two young divers got lost and died, and the cave was later sealed with a metal grate to prevent other divers from attempting to enter. The cave was mostly forgotten about until 2013, when cave divers were given permission to attempt to map the area. The blue hole is at least 200 feet deep, but the bottom of the cave still has not been found.

9. Roaring River Spring, Missouri

This turquoise river bubbles up from a ten-foot wide pool of deep water hidden within a sheer-sided canyon. But despite its peaceful appearance, this spring discharges 20 million gallons of water a day, and the exact source is still unknown. In 1979, divers attempted to map the cave, but reached a point 225 feet down where the passage constricted and had a water flow like “the force of an open fire hydrant”, preventing them from going any further. In 2020, divers waited until the water flow was lowest in the summer and descended to a depth of 472 feet with no bottom in sight, making this the deepest spring in the US!

10. Your Mom.

I jest, of course. Here’s the real one:

Hranice Abyss, Czech Republic

A tiny greenish lake in the forest is the opening to the deepest freshwater cave in the world, deeper than the Empire State Building is high and still seemingly bottomless. It is so deep that scientists think it may have been formed by a totally different process than most freshwater caves; instead of water eroding away the ground from above, it may have been created by acidic groundwater coming up from below. And this water is extremely acidic, able to burn a diver’s skin if not covered properly. This, combined with fallen trees and other debris, poor visibility, and the sheer vertical drop of the cave, creates incredibly dangerous conditions for diving. Because of this, no diver or ROV has reached the bottom yet. But with a recent study using seismic sensors, scientists have estimated that the abyss may be over a kilometer deep, twice what was previously thought.

[kekeke32]

TOUCHSTARVED trailer theme theory??

Hi guys, hi everyone. Hope we’re doing well!

SO the full version of the trailer theme is finally out on YouTube and holy shit??? It goes so HARD!!! Give it a listen here.

After rewatching it over and over again, I noticed something so I’ll map out which lyrics appear with which character for y’all to see:

Wish I could’ve added more ss but I’m on the mobile app 🥲 Anyways, I really don’t think the dev team added the characters photos randomly ‘cause check this out:

In Ais’s part, the lyrics are about a certain weakness (ik the lyrics “my weakness” refer to a person but I chose to ignore that jskdksk) and survival. This may be a reach BUT doesn’t this reminds you of Ais’s official character description? Specifically of this part: “Ais seems capable of curing you...but a sick sense of dread surrounds him. He's beginning to suspect that he may not be as in control of his powers as he thought. Can you save each other, or will he drag you down to the abyss with him?" This so-called “weakness” could be his very own powers and he’ll need the player to help him, to “survive”.

Now, about Vere’s part, I don’t have much to say tbh other than the fact that the lyrics “Cause everytime we touch” appear for the first time in his part and I guess you could say it’s related to his frequenting at the brothel? (iykwim 😏) Oh! And you could also see him being touched by a lot of different hands in the trailer. Besides that, his part ends with the lyrics “need you by my side” sung softly by the singer hmm…

Kuras’s part on the other hand, starts strongly (I suck balls at describing music so pls listen 4 urselves, you’ll know what I mean😭) and at 1:59 mins the lyrics are “Cause everytime we touch” then his face darkens a little and it stars an instrumental interlude. I don’t know what that really means but he’s sus

Mhin’s part is sung very softly as well and the lyrics “We’ve been through them all. You make me rise when I fall” are so sweet more so because I think in their route they’ll open up more to the player after going together through incomprehensible horrors and we’ll learn how to support each other <33

Finally, Leander’s part!! Now, LISTEN. His part is the reason why I even made this post in the first place lmao This mf is way too sus but first of all, the building synth progression at 2:58???? oh my god I got CHILLS. literal chills. *ahem* Moving on, his part, starts strongly the same as Kuras’s part did. Their parts are the only ones sung like that… Weird, huh? Anyway, after the lyrics “I can’t let you go. Want you in my life” at 3:49, the song gets SUPER intense and starts sounding very desperate ig?? (kudos to Dan! love his voice frfr) and Leander’s part ends with “Need you by my side”. Okayy y'all… Y'ALL. THIS IS CRAZY. In his part we have both the lyrics "I can't let you go. Want you in my life" AND "I want this to last. Need you by my side". AHHHH Leander you obsessed little bitch (affectionate)

In conclusion, there’s no fucking way the red spring team didn’t assign the certain parts of the lyrics very and I mean VERY purposefully to each LI. The parts suit them specifically well so I highly doubt it’s random but it could also just be me reading too much into this

Whatever!!! Good morning/Good night to this fandom only ^_^

[thatdeadaquarius]

Okay so-- i was reading some sagau posts and came across this one where the reader was an army vet and my brain just Did Its Thing--

So now I'm here to inflict this on to you--

Would guns be considered as catalysts. And would they only do Phys Damage.

Me reading this ask:

😶 😐 🤨 🧐 🧐 😰 🥲 😭😭😭 💀

STOP YOU'VE INFLICTED ME WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DMG FROM THIS ASK 😭

(Also srry took so long to respond, when i didnt realize how short this was/was just sitting over here 😓)

^ For the sake of gun imagery being a lot/maybe staff might hate me for it,

we'll put this gay shit instead (i almost mispelled to "gay shot" lmao)

☆

Sun: Army Veteran Reader, Gender neutral Reader (you/they/them)

Orbit: SHORT Headcanons

Stars: everybody bc i think itd be funny

Comets & Meteors: Content Warnings: gun stuff, mild violence, mild cursing & Trigger Warnings: Gun fun everywhere

THIS ASK HAS ME GIGGLING TO MYSELF LIKE A MANIAC

You're out here having a whole gun they let you take for off-base

And u ofc have a license so u can conceal carry

(idk how non-american gun laws work, but tbh ours are so fucked idk how they work here either, just that an army guy i knew once could have his gun when he got back home)

And ofc ur just paranoid enough (more like it just makes u feel safe)

That when u get yoinked into a portal to a silly little brightly colored gacha game fantasy world, the gun comes with 💀

Id like to add in my silly little "ur in a video game, so video game rules" AU version of genshin so:

The only other gun (ish) wielder (Mika) has unlimited bolts

Sooo I'd think your gun would be the same jfc lol

NO BC YOUD SCARE THE ACTUAL SHIT OUT OF EVERYONE IN UR VICINITY IN A BATTLE

BC GUNSHOTS ARE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LOUD

When u first stumble into abyss monsters/hostile creatures of the realm, u nearly scare off a Lawlachurl bc every shot's like thunder to these bitches😭

So not only the monsters but the vision holders think u fucking summoned lightning

OMG THE BULLETS ARE SO FAST THEYD PROBABLY NOT SEE IT

ESP BC DISTRACTED BY GUNSHOT LOUDNESS

SO U AIM THIS LITTLE BLACK CROSSBOW (???) AND THINGS JUST DIE (OR GET RIDDLED WITH HOLES) WITH NO CLEAR ARROW STICKING OUT

STOPP- you're becoming a witchy god or smth to all of Teyvat bc it just looks like hella high level magic atp to them LMAOOO

Rumors of you get out of hand and say u just point or snap ur fingers and things get wounded/just die on the spot 💀

Oh another difference between Teyvatians seeing ur gun vs. crossbow (what they know)

Is that guns are wayyyy more destructive

Like an arrow would get shot but it'd bounce off of things like rock or wood or metal, maybe dent a little depending on how close

But a bullet goes thru that shit so easy, and leaves a whole little explosion behind, once again depending on range

(I once saw a Mythbusters episode? of them proving bullets would definitely go thru car doors, like movies lied to u, this is why drive-bys acc work like for gangs)

Lmao, the image of you in like full armor with a Teyvat made automatic gun after showing it to blacksmiths

Makes u just more convincing as a god, esp bc military training

(Ppl like Gorou and Kokomi begging for military tactics/training ur world has done)

...

....Ok.

I'll address it.

But only so u dont think im stupid later.

Yes, the Fatui have guns.

No, this not the same as having a glock LMAO

End of story.

(Also, urs runs on bullets, whereas the Fatui rely on magic/delusions to power theirs, plus they dont seem as fast or destructive as urs, more "explosions aimed at you" than real bullets)

Which,,, u leave the managing of ppl copying ur gun to ppl like the Qixing or smth, but make sure to give them advice on good gun laws if teyvat accidentally revolutionizes bc of ur advanced gun that anybody can wield (non-vision users)

Thats the best ive got abt that

Oh, also enjoy being praised as a War god now.

:)

☆

... dammit i had smth i was gonna tell u guys-

Uh what tf was it, it was important

OH

Next post is the Eldritch God Oneshot! Look out for it :) !!

☆

Safe Travels Kid,

💀♒️

♡the beloveds♡

@karmawonders / @0rah-s / @randomnatics / @glxssynarvi / @nexylaza / @genshin-impacts-me / @wholesomey-artist / @thedevioussmirk / @the-dumber-scaramouche / @chocogi / @fallen-starr / @areaderofbooks

If you wanna join a taglist, DM me what for! "Pspspsss, please tag me for [All SAGAU posts, Only SAGAU Language AUs, diff fandom, etc.]!"

(If you ever wanna drop, just DM me! "No more taglists/[specifically this AU/fandom] please!")

[anneapocalypse]

Demands of the Qun, or How the Inquisitor's Choice Answers the Iron Bull's Most Important Question

I was having a chat about the Iron Bull and his personal quest with some friends and one person said in response to something I said that I should make it a Post, so here it is! And a usual disclaimer: this is not about which in-game decision is "correct"--it's an RPG, there's no wrong way to play the game. I just want to talk about the meaning of this decision for Bull's character and for his future.

Dragon Age: Inquisition’s “Demands of the Qun” is, for me, one of those quests where the RPG format of “player character makes major decision for companion character” really works. I do not see this as an example of game mechanics taking away agency from an NPC. I think Bull has agency in this situation.

The Chargers are not Inquisition soldiers. They are mercenaries, and Bull is their commander. If the Inquisitor makes a call he doesn't like, he is free to say "Screw you" and take his people and leave, because they are not soldiers, they're independent contractors, so leaving isn't desertion, it's just quitting. If he were already certain he wanted to leave the Qun, he could simply call the retreat himself, take the Chargers and leave. Similarly if he were certain of his loyalties and willing to sacrifice the Chargers for that purpose, he could do that, regardless of what the Inquisitor says.

He lets the Inquisitor make this choice.

The Iron Bull has had one foot out the door of the Qun for a long time now. But he's gone back and gone back, submitted himself for re-education and done his best to keep serving the Qun, because he believes he needs the Qun. To him, becoming Tal-Vashoth means losing himself, his identity, his purpose, his very sanity, and as the Fade tells us in "Here Lies the Abyss," this is quite literally his greatest fear. Bull could never bring himself to leave the Qun with nowhere to go instead, nothing to give his life purpose and meaning—and no one to entrust himself to should he doubt his own sanity.

But in his work in the south, the Iron Bull has found community and identity and purpose outside the Qun. The very name he has given himself speaks to that, as does his close relationship to the Chargers.

Right from the beginning, there is tension in "Demands of the Qun." Bull remarks that he's gotten used to the Qunari being "over there" during his life in the south. I think Bull has a very potent anxiety when he meets Gatt again on the Storm Coast, and introduces him to the Inquisitor and their party. To me, it very much has the vibes of introducing two friend groups, where you're not only pretty sure they won't get along, but you're also very aware that they know very different sides of you—and neither of them are going to like seeing the other side. Bull's discomfort is visible both when Gatt speaks freely about Bull's work in the Ben-Hassrath, and when the Inquisitor's other companions make disparaging remarks about the Qun. His two worlds have collided, calling into conflict two sides of his sense of self that he has thus far managed to avoid confronting.

And this is likely part of the point. The Qun does not truly respect alliances with any outside the Qun. I wouldn't say for sure that the Qunari set up this whole situation just to test Bull—it's possible they knew exactly how many Venatori would show up, but they couldn't have known precisely how the Inquisition would respond. That, and their desire to root out the Venatori is no doubt sincere. But I do think they are watching Bull's actions very closely throughout this proposed alliance, gauging his loyalty. Gatt tells him outright that many already believe he has betrayed the Qun.

Bull's internal conflict quickly becomes an external one when the Venatori reinforcements show up, and Bull is faced with the decision of whether to withdraw the Chargers or defend the dreadnought at the cost of their lives.

The thing is, Bull is not neutral on this. He tells the Inquisitor what he wants. He wants to save the Chargers. If the Inquisitor says that the Chargers still have time to retreat, Bull agrees. When Gatt tells him they need to hold position, he says in a low, intense tone, "They're my men."

And then, when Gatt tells him in no uncertain terms that calling the retreat will make him Tal-Vashoth, the Iron Bull looks to the Inquisitor.

Again, he is not neutral. He knows what he wants. He is standing there basically begging the Inquisitor with his eyes to save his boys.

So why doesn't he just make the call himself?

Because just as this whole situation is in part a test of Bull's loyalty, this is also a test of the Inquisitor.

What Bull needs to leave the Qun is not simply for someone else to make the choice for him, but to believe that there is a future for him outside the Qun. That he will still be himself, that he will have purpose, and meaning, and that someone else is worth trusting. Bull cannot bring himself to leave the Qun if it means he will be left utterly alone with nothing but his own mind and his deepest fears. And if that's what leaving the Qun means… then in his mind, it would be better to stay.

The Inquisitor's choice will answer that question.

To sacrifice the Chargers leaves Bull with nothing outside of the Qun. He has just watched his closest friends die, and he cannot trust the Inquisitor. With Krem and Rocky and Skinner and Stitches and Dalish and Grim, the new sense of self that the Iron Bull has found in the south also dies.

Of course he turns back to the Qun. He has nothing else left.

But if it's the Inquisitor who makes the call to save the Chargers… Bull can leave. He has friends who care about him. He has purpose. He has someone whose command he can trust. He has hope. None of this makes the choice easy for him. It is quite clearly very painful and difficult, and I don't think there's any way it could be otherwise. But he has a way forward nonetheless. The choice makes leaving possible.

The Inquisitor doesn't force the Iron Bull to become Tal-Vashoth. Instead, Bull implicitly asks a question, and the Inquisitor by their choice gives him an answer.

[mozzawind]

Pouring one out for those we've lost.

constantly thinking about the DA2 companions and their reactions to Hawke's sacrifice in the fade. I refuse to believe Varric wrote ONLY to Hawke's love. He had to have told the rest of them.

[daitranscripts]

Dorian Cutscene: Here Lies the Abyss

Trite Propaganda

Dorian Masterpost Related Quest: Here Lies the Abyss

The PC approaches Dorian as he goes through the bookshelves.

Dorian: You have remarkably little here on early Tevinter history. All these “gifts” to the Inquisition, and the best they can do is the Malefica Imperio? Trite propaganda. But if you want twenty volumes on whether Divine Galatea took a shit on Sunday, this is evidently the place to find it.

Dorian tosses a book.

Dialogue options:

General: What are you looking for? [1]

General: Not to your standards? [2]

General: Stop whining. [3] - Dorian slightly disapproves

Romance: Such a critic. [4]

1 - General: What are you looking for? PC: If I knew what you were looking for, I could help you. Dorian (mage PC): Because you’re a mage? Considering education standards in the South, that’s hardly a recommendation. Dorian (non-mage PC): You? I rather doubt that. The PC gives a look. Dorian: (Sighs.) I apologize. That was unworthy. [5]

2 - General: Not to your standards? PC: I see. My library isn’t up to your exacting standards? Dorian: It’s alarmingly chaotic. I found a copy of the Aureballian in what seemed to be the Antivan Classics section. PC: How scandalous. Someone alert the Magisterium. Dorian: You laugh, but in some places there are punishments for that. [5]

3 - General: Stop whining. PC: Then find another library. Don’t whine to me about it. Dorian: I’m not whining! PC: Yes, you are. Dorian: Fine, perhaps a little. I’ve good cause. [5]

4 - Romance: Such a critic. PC: That’s the Dorian I know: critiquing every book in my library. Dorian: I wouldn’t have to if you could find some rebellious heretic archivist to join the cause. PC: Are there rebellious archivists? Other than you, that is? Dorian: If Corypheus ever starts burning masterworks of literature, I’m sure a few will pop up. [5]

5 - Scene continues.

Dorian: Did I see something by Genitivi here? I could have sworn…

PC: What is this about, Dorian?

Choice dependent dialogue:

Dorian low/neutral approval, not in party at Adamant [6]

Dorian in party, or med/high approval not in party [7]

Dorian in party, romanced [8]

6 - Dorian low/neutral approval, not in party at Adamant: Dorian: When everyone returned, they told us bout your tumble into the Abyssal Rift. [You] went into the Fade. Physically went in. [13]

7 - Dorian in party, or med/high approval not in party: Dorian: What else could it be about? What happened at Adamant, of course. [You/we] went into the Fade. Physically went in. [13]

8 - Dorian in party, romanced: Dorian: When we fell into the chasm, into the Fade… I thought you were done for. I don’t know if I can forgive you for that moment. [13]

Dialogue options:

General: I’m sorry. [9] + Dorian slightly approves

General: It wasn’t on purpose. [10]

General: You were with me! [11]

9 - General: I’m sorry. PC: I’m sorry you had to go through it with me. Dorian: I’m not sorry I was there with you. I thought I’d lost you. [12]

10 - General: It wasn’t on purpose. PC: I didn’t open that rift on purpose, you know. Might be handy if I could. Dorian: Certainly! Let’s tear holes in the Fade willy-nilly. Historically, that has worked out well. PC: I’m here… and alive, aren’t I? [12]

11 - General: You were with me! PC: Forgive me? You were right there with me the entire time! Dorian: For making me think you were dead! [12]

12 - Scene continues.

Dorian: You sent me ahead and then didn’t follow. For just a moment, I was certain you wouldn’t. I thought: “This is it. This is where I finally lose him forever.” [13]

13 - Scene continues.

Choice dependent dialogue:

Dorian medium/high approval [14]

Dorian neutral/low approval [15]

14 - Dorian medium/high approval:

Dorian: Are you… all right?

Choice dependent dialogue:

Not in party [16]

In party [17]

16 - Not in party:

Dialogue options:

Sad: We lost [Alistair/Loghain/Stroud/Hawke].

Anxious: It was horrible.

Pleased: I learned so much.

Stoic: I don’t want to talk about it. - Dorian slightly disapproves

Sad: We lost [Alistair/Loghain/Stroud/Hawke]. PC: [Alistair/Loghain/Stroud/Hawke]… is gone. Dorian (not romanced): The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That you made it out at all is a miracle. Dorian (romanced): Ah, it’s as I thought. The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That you made it out at all is a miracle for which I’m profoundly grateful. [15]

Anxious: It was horrible. PC: It was like walking in a nightmare, but everything was real. I couldn’t… Dorian (not romanced): The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That you made it out at all is a miracle. Dorian (romanced): Ah, it’s as I thought. The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That you made it out at all is a miracle for which I’m profoundly grateful. [15]

Pleased: I learned so much. PC: I learned a surprising amount. What happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, for one. Dorian: Regained your memories. That’s good, then? PC: I think so. [15]

Stoic: I don’t want to talk about it. PC: I’m fine. Dorian: You walked into the Fade, lived to tell the tale… and you’re fine? PC: Yes. Dorian: Well, bravo. [15]

17 - In party:

Dialogue options:

Sad: We lost [Alistair/Loghain/Stroud/Hawke].

Anxious: It was horrible.

Pleased: I learned so much.

Stoic: I don’t want to talk about it. - Dorian slightly disapproves

Sad: We lost [Alistair/Loghain/Stroud/Hawke]. PC: [Alistair/Loghain/Stroud/Hawke]… is gone. Dorian: The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That any of us made it out alive is difficult to believe. Dorian: The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That any of us made it out alive is difficult to believe. That you made it out? A miracle. [15]

Anxious: It was horrible. PC: It was like walking in a nightmare, but everything was real. I couldn’t… Dorian: The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That any of us made it out alive is difficult to believe. Dorian: The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there… beyond description. That any of us made it out alive is difficult to believe. That you made it out? A miracle. [15]

Pleased: I learned so much. PC: I learned a surprising amount. What happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, for one. Dorian: Regained your memories. That’s good, then? PC: I think so. [15]

Stoic: I don’t want to talk about it. PC: I’m fine. Dorian: I was there. I saw it. You’re just… fine? PC: Yes. Dorian: Well, bravo. [15]

15 - Scene continues.

Dorian: You do realize this feat hasn’t been performed in over a thousand years? Corypheus and his contemporaries entered the Fade and began the Blights. In comparison…

Dialogue options:

Romance (in party): I’m glad you were there. [16] + Dorian slightly approves

Romance (not in party): I wish you’d been there. [17] + Dorian slightly approves

General: That’s poor consolation. [18]

General: I should be proud? [19]

General: I was lucky. [20]

16 - Romance (in party): I’m glad you were there. PC: At least you were at my side. Dorian: (Chuckles.) No offense, but I’d almost rather I hadn’t been. PC: No sense of adventure? That’s surprising. Dorian: I’ve not your talent for survival, and not everyone is as discerning as I. [21]

17 - Romance (not in party): I wish you’d been there. PC: It would have been easier if you’d been with me. Dorian: Without question, but I’m rather glad I wasn’t. PC: No sense of adventure? That’s surprising. Dorian: I’ve not your talent for survival, and not everyone is as discerning as I. [21]

18 - General: That’s poor consolation. PC: That’s not exactly comforting, Dorian. Dorian: Nor should it be. [21]

19 - General: I should be proud? PC: So… I should be happy I accomplished something so grand? Dorian: Concerned, more like. [21]

20 - General: I was lucky. PC: You’re right. I was fortunate. Dorian: Indeed, although there is cause for concern. [21]

21 - Scene continues.

Dorian: If you can walk in the Fade, others will try to follow. Who knows what secrets Corypheus has revealed? Not all of them will be so lucky as you. What they could unleash… My advice? Keep this quiet. Let them speculate. Too many will see this as a challenge.

Dialogue options:

General: I agree. [22] + Dorian approves

General: Not my problem. [23] - Dorian disapproves

General: You don’t? [24]

22 - General: I agree. PC: That’s a good idea. [25]

23 - General: Not my problem. PC: Why should that be my concern? Dorian: Because if it’s not just part of your legend, if they think it’s real, they will come for you. Fear them or not, as you choose, but you’ve enough problems. [25]

24 - General: You don’t? PC: You don’t number among them? Dorian: It’s… tempting, but I am no fool. [25]

25 - Scene continues.

Dorian: There are enough idiots in the world who think if they just use enough blood magic, their problems will vanish. It’s exactly the sort of thing I want to stop back home. This… this I don’t need.

Dorian turns back to the bookshelf.

Dorian: What I do need is a copy of the Liberalum. I’ll wager I can find Corypheus’s real name. If I can prove he was a gasping ankle-biter with no family to speak of? The luster would come right off. Wish me luck.

Scene ends.