#riddleredcoats

[anneapocalypse]

#interesting #tho i think that Leliana's problem as a whole and why she's 'hard to read' and has this appearing contradicting story is because #Leliana doesn't know who she is#not in a - 'she's finding herself' narrative but more in a 'Leliana has internalised the We Wear Masks part of Orlais too deeply' #she twists and turns according to the situation to fit the mold people expect of her - or that she tries to expect of herself #and she's lost herself so deeply that in DAO DA2 and even DAI - it's not the 'real' her and I don't even think she knows who she really is #because she's lost herself trying to fit the masks. She's absorbed them so fully and does it so often that there is no real her anymore imo #its why she's so lost without having anyone to guide her or being 'above' her #she's what the Marjolaine wants her to be#she's what the Warden wants her to be #she's what Justinia what's her to be #and then she's what she thinks the world needs - no thoughts about its actual impact #i think she's forgotten an essential part of Orlesian culture that Vivienne tells us - there IS supposed to be a real you beneath the mask#when you take the mask off you ARE the real you - not whatever construct you've invented. #Leliana has been so absorbed into her masks - likely in part because Marjo demanded it of her - that she has no real center anymore imo #I think that's why Leliana and Vivienne - though cordial - appear to be on opposite specters #Vivienne has always known who she is even beneath all her masks while Leliana doesn't and simply jumps from mask to mask #it's also why Leliana and Morrigan clash - because Morrigan and Viviene while also on opposite specters have more in common than they'd lik #i honestly think the issue is the same #they are well defined and unmovable no matter what trappings they wear while Leliana only has the dress#to be clear - that is not a bad thing; its very interesting imo #Leliana becoming Divine completes her arc and she becomes the robes of the religion she wishes was so different than it actually is#once again finding purpose in becoming the personification of a construct she has envisioned#either way interesting thoughts#dragon age

@riddleredcoats Sorry to pull this out of the tags but I had to say that I agree with this assessment wholeheartedly! Leliana does not know who she is. She doesn't know in Origins, and she still doesn't know in Inquisition, which is why her personality is still able to be swayed one way or the other by the person leading her despite her not really having the close relationship with the Inquisitor that she can have with the Warden.

This is why, in looking at her rather two-faced behavior toward Morrigan, I don't take either of those faces to be the "true" Leliana necessarily. Or rather in a sense they're both true. The Leliana who calls Morrigan a vile fiend is both as authentic and as inauthentic as the Leliana who wants to convert Morrigan to faith in the Maker and also dress her in velvet and admire her "features."

And a big yes to Morrigan and Vivienne in contrast both having a very strong sense of self that is not easily swayed by others.

This is why I think that a lot of the differences between Origins!Leliana and Inquisition!Leliana are superficial, and can be deceptive. She has not gone on a journey of self-discovery. Even her faith is malleable to her present situation and who she is presently allowing herself to be influenced by. She's still struggling with the same centerlessness and lack of identity after ten years. It's the real tragedy of her character, imo, regardless of how the Inquisitor steers her post-Inquisition.

I cannot help feeling like the tendency to see Inquisition!Leliana in stark contrast to Origins!Leliana has led to some people forgetting what... Leliana is actually like in Origins.

In fairness, as in all Dragon Age games some very revealing character moments happen in party banter which makes it easy to miss. But the gentle-hearted mystic who desires only to draw others unto the love of the Maker has never been all that Leliana is, and it's always been in direct conflict with the side of her that is not only adept at intrigue and yes, violence, but enjoys those things. This is the central conflict of her whole character, and it's not a trivial conflict, because there is not one simple answer to who Leliana truly is. She is both of these things. She is deeply religious and finds comfort in her faith, and thinks it should bring comfort to others as well. She's also prone to gossip and pettiness and all the qualities that helped her thrive as a bard.

There's this one particularly revealing piece of banter with Alistair if the Warden is in a romance with Morrigan:

Alistair: So have you heard? Morrigan and him are... you know. Leliana: Have you nothing better to do than to spread idle gossip? And besides, he can probably hear us both. You're not being very discreet. Alistair: No, look, he's not even paying attention. Leliana: Hmmm. maybe. You don't... think that he's serious about it, do you? The woman is a vile fiend. Alistair: Well, look here, now who's an idle gossip? Me-ow! Leliana: You're the one who started this, I might remind you. And I'm... well, I'm ending it!

I once had the especially entertaining experience of getting this banter, and minutes later hearing Leliana turn to Morrigan to give her the "It's so nice that you're together, isn't love wonderful?" line. But whether or not you have the pleasure of hearing them back to back, I think this dialogue make it pretty clear that while Leliana would like not to think of herself as a gossip, it takes very little prompting from Alistair to get her to slip back into that mean girl persona. And Alistair (who is more perceptive than he often gets credit for), calls her on it immediately, clearly embarrassing Leliana--who realizes that her mask has slipped.

I don't think it follows from this that Leliana necessarily hates Morrigan unilaterally. There's something much more complex going on between them, in my opinion, because they are such distinct opposites in upbringing and personality. Both Leliana's faith and her life of courtly intrigue are nonsense to Morrigan, who neither believes in the Maker nor has much patience for intricate social graces (at least, not yet). Meanwhile, I think Morrigan's outward self-possession and the sense of power she exudes is a source of both fascination and frustration for Leliana, who thinks she understands power, both social and divine--but finds in Morrigan a kind she cannot fully comprehend. (I also think you can definitely feel some sexual tension into their banter, especially the much-beloved banter about the velvet dress.) Ultimately, both of them are very concerned with power, but approach that concept very differently. And Leliana responds to this clash of ideals in a particular way because her own self-image is so conflicted.

As all great Dragon Age foils do, Leliana and Morrigan needle one another, push each other's buttons, challenge one another's sense of self, and in doing so reveal one another in their complexity and sometimes in their ugliness. It is perhaps easy to write this off as the tired trope of women being unable to get along with one another, or conversely to claim that they get along just fine and fandom has fabricated the tensions between them; I think to do either of those things diminishes a genuinely complex and sticky relationship that serves to reveal a lot about both characters.

[sekaithemystic]

scholarship student of orlais university vs that one staff whose absence would turn the university into ruins

[linka-from-captain-planet]

going bananas over this missive Rana sends if you don't complete Neve's personal quest because I have often thought about how Neve's faction isn't really the Shadow Dragons, but Rana

a comparable letter is sent by the leader of every other faction if you don't complete the corresponding companion quest... and in this run, Minrathous was even saved so all the Shadow Dragons are intact... but even if they weren't, Mae, Dorian, Tarquin, and the Viper are all still alive... and yet it's Rana who reaches out to Neve to implore her to "Stay safe. Please."

thank you @riddleredcoats for the food!!!

[pillowfriends]

moiraine hopeful post-series fanworks

there's a distinct lack of post-series happy Moiraine and I'm really feeling that lack right now, so I thought maybe others would appreciate this list! this is not comprehensive, but includes my favorites that are complete or actively ongoing. if you have other fanworks to add, please do in a comment or reblog!

disclaimer: some of these are pretty bleak, because let's be honest the way the series ends for Moiraine is bleak. but they all have hopeful endings at the very least.

disclaimer 2: basically all of these fics have TWs for PTSD, nightmares, and general Finn-induced trauma. some also include discussion of disordered eating, rape, and suicidal thoughts/attempts. check the tags, stay safe, and let me know if you want a more specific list of triggers for any fic.

💙 💙 💙

Moiraine and Siuan (Tear)

of course this section has to start with In This Life, @lakeofsilverpike's 475,000 word (and counting!) story that starts right after the Last Battle and spans years of Moiraine and Siuan healing and building a life together in Tear. everyone lives AU with minimal plot, lots of hurt/comfort and fluff. also lots of mangoes.

if you don't feel like reading half a million words, there's also the fishing boat by iamasecret (6k) with the same vibe. cuddling and prank wars and processing trauma, yay.

here's some beautiful post-LB art by @flo-n-flon. it fits beautifully with the first wind of spring by RiddleRedCoats (32k), which is a Siuaraine retelling of the end of AMoL from Siuan and Moiraine's POVs.

and, because the end of AMoL needs a lot of fixing, there's also Falling Back To You by britomart from Nynaeve and Moiraine's perspective, which also includes a beautiful Moiraine-Lan reunion. spoiler that Siuan spends the whole fic unconscious, so we don't get to see their happy future, but it is a promise that there will be a happy future for them.

the third and fourth scenes of The Proper Care and Feeding of Pufferfish, also by @lakeofsilverpike, tackle Moiraine's issues with food after Sindhol. this one is very special to me.

also, shameless self-plug for jagged shore of hope (1.6k) which is one of my favorite things I've ever written. it's very angsty but ends on a hopeful note.

grounding by @gelphienation (5k) is an absolutely beautiful character study of Moiraine healing and her relationship with Siuan evolving. I've only reread this once because it makes me absolutely batshit, it's so good.

💙 💙 💙

Moiraine and Lan (Malkier)

For All the Perfect Things That I Doubt by MythNinesevenine (15k) was written before the TV show so it's refreshingly unique. Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve are in a poly romantic relationship but I wouldn't say it's a focus of the fic. very cool exploration of Finn magic, and Moiraine pushing herself to the limits as always but being around people who care for her.

pairs very well with this beautiful piece by @pien-art of Nynaeve, Mo and Lan being all warm and domestic in Malkier 🥹

Masks by AndromedaAzure (60k) is one of my favorite fics of all time. only the last few chapters take place in Malkier, but it's a Moiraine/Lan fic about them reconnecting and slowly rebuilding their lives together. this one does have a strong focus on the romance and a few explicit scenes, so DLDR.

Something Like A Pattern by aptasi (13k) focuses on repairing Moiraine and Lan's (platonic) relationship, with the help of Nynaeve and Thom. it's incredible but I debated including it because it's one of the most emotionally harrowing fics I've ever read. it's a lot of struggle but ends on a tentatively hopeful note. Mo/Thom is a very present relationship but not the focus.

and for a palate cleanser after all the crying caused by the last two fics, a feeling so peculiar by @flowingtune (2k) is a cozy Mo/Lan one-shot where they cuddle in bed reflecting on life after the Last Battle. it fills in what most of the main characters have been up to, with a focus on the families they've been building.

💙 💙 💙

Moiraine and Thom

(this section is all aptasi and I'm not sorry. I've read some others and none have hit the same way. if anyone is looking, I do have some more specific recs but I can't recommend any Mo/Thom post-series longfics without caveats.)

Too by aptasi is only 300 words but it makes me want to cry for 300 hours, in a good way. Moiraine/Thom relationship is present but not focused on.

Routine (1.3k) is soothing smut. I find it very cute and comforting.

Makings is another drabble I adore, and the final lines are a fitting end to this post:

They did not destroy me. They tried. I may cry when you touch me but I am still me. And we are still us.

💙 💙 💙

[riddleredcoats]

Pairing: Ghilan'nain/Andruil

Rating: T (maybeee M, if you stretch it)

Wordcount: 9,703

Summary: Ghilan'nain thinks she is set to marry one of her father's retainers; she is a dutiful daughter, she will not baulk at the responsibility. Things become complicated, however, when the truth is discovered. Or, in which Ghilan’nain is offered up as a sacrifice to Andruil and someone decides to intervene.

Author's Notes: This started out as something small because I wanted to explore the, in hindsight super obvious, Iphigenia/Artemis parallel in Ghilan'nain/Andruil and it got out of hand. Idek, bros.

[cairhienin]

I loved Faile from the minute she appeared 🫡 and I think she should have blown the horn 🫡

i agree with you and also this is SO @riddleredcoats coded

[anora-mac-tired]

OC Vibe

Thanks @laurelsofhighever for the tag! > Rules: post your OC and then 4 (or more) random pictures with no explanation to convey your characters vibe. Tallon Tabris

@riddleredcoats if youre keen you have some awesome OCs

[amemoryofwot]

Tag Game: 9 Favorite Characters

Tagged by @asha-mage

I’ll do one character per fandom or this would just be nine WoT characters. I love the quotes that asha-mage had so if I can find some I’ll include them

1) Egwene al’Vere - the Wheel of Time

“I’d name you Darkfriend as well, but I suspect that the Dark One would perhaps be embarrassed to associate with you.”

2) Harrowhark Nonagesimus - The Locked Tomb

“Did I sin, lord? Did I kill two of my fathers that day?”

3) Marissa Coulter - His Dark Materials

“It came to me like a thief in the night, and now I love her so much my heart is bursting with it.”

4) Wynona Earp - Wynona Earp

“Make your peace.”

5) Jasnah Kholin - Stormlight Archive

“A woman’s mind is her most precious weapon.”

Jasnah fanart by blacksalander

6) Ellie Williams - the Last of Us

“I’m just a girl, not a threat.”

7) Jasper - Steven Universe

“My diamond, your diamond, Pink Diamond!”

8) Reinhardt - Overwatch

“I have been called. I must answer. Always.”

9) Anakin Skywalker - Star Wars

“I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the Dark Side like you do.”

I’ll tag @cozcat @wheresmulder @clearancecreedwatersurvival @sixth-light @romanimp @riddleredcoats @twicetolivetwicetodie @jaqobis @butterflydm

[siuaraine]

Chapters: 4/4 Fandom: Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Moiraine Damodred/Siuan Sanche

Warning: Spoilers for the Whole Series!

Summary: There was something strange going on in the Field of Merrilor and, despite the amassing armies for the Last Battle, Siuan Sanche was going to figure out what exactly is going on.

[anora-mac-tired]

@riddleredcoats

The Masked Empress Celene 🕊️

[sekaithemystic]

Her hair was black, falling in ringlets around her, and her tan skin spoke of her time in Montfort. As usual, her black eyes were sharp, cunning, a strange echo of Mantillon’s that Briala hated.

that which shatters over and over and still beats, chapter 3 - RiddleRedCoats

An (not really successful) attempt (I guess) at recreating Lady Fleur based on @riddleredcoats's work. I love my queen currently smiling and plotting Gaspard's downfall <3

[theartfuldodger26]

SO, hi! I'm not gonna ask for a especific WIP, because I know how many you have (😂), but tell me about 10,14, and 19!

Hey! Thanks, @riddleredcoats for the ask and the compassion! ;) To my credit, tho, I’m trying to focus on one or two WIPs these days, in order to be more submersed in the plot and characters, and to preserve any dignity I have left. 

So, here it goes. 

10. Do you have an outline? Do you stick to it? 

Yes, I usually do. It’s easier to write something that has a distinct start, middle and end. Chaos and uncertainty unsettle me greatly. 

Even fics that involve characters just working on their relationship by talking to each other will have an endgame. Said endgame could be a shift in a relationship that they cause consciously or unconsciously, a major change in the canon plot, or just a joke I find funny and fleshed out the entire fic around it (whispers this is the case more often than you think). 

Usually, the outline is not written right away, because I’m young and innocent and every time is like the first time. Then, at about the end of the first third of the fic I’ll realise that the separate scenes I had in mind actually need to be linked together by coherent plot, so that’s when I’ll take my notebook out and visualise stuff so I don’t throw the entire computer out the window. In fact, most of my abandoned projects went into cold storage when I couldn’t fill in those gaps. 

On the other hand, I also get very stressed out when I’m coming up with plot-points, which means many good ideas strike me out of the blue later, while I’m writing or taking a shower or not paying attention in class. This is not a huge disruption to the outline most of the times, it just makes the story richer/more insightful/poignant, because the idea probably came with the original ‘endgame’ in mind, but it change some things, sure. 

I’m eager to free-style on a multichap where I’ve only got a vague idea on what I want to happen, but it scares me, not to mention that the only other fic I tried this is now sitting in the Recycling Bin. Maybe when I have more time it’ll be the project to tackle. 

14. Tell us about an upcoming scene in your WIP, what you’re excited about. 

I’m not in an excited mood right now, but I would really like to see two scenes unfold. 

The first one is about the Slytherin parafernalia, like the snake pin and ring, where Bella gives Voldemort her set because he never had one, and in return he gives her back a Muggle object (which was your fantastic suggestion, @riddleredcoats), even if Idk what the object is going to be. 

The second is from the Harry-finds-out-about-Bellamort fic promised to @thelastdarkstar, where Harry is surrounded by all the trinkets Voldemort’s collected throughout his life. I want it to be like a chest of memories married to a  cabinet of curiosities, plus Bella’s sexy pictures ;) 

Wish I could be more specific XD

19. Do you know how your story ends before you start writing?

That’s a good question, because it touches on the reason many of my fics exist:  the ending is my point. It’s what sparked the story to begin with, and the question was, rather, where do I start in order to give the right concept. (Now I’m rereading this I’m starting to think this might actually be the root to some writing problems I’ve been facing as of recent, so, um, thanks :) )

Other times, with more character-interaction fics, the ending is something like: ‘and they rode away, as the sun was setting’ or just smut, because I’m unoriginal like that. In those cases I know it’s going to be anticlimactic and just put a full-stop when it feels I’ve had enough. 

As mentioned in q.10, not having an at least vague plan for the fic is what prohibits me from making progress in writing, especially when it comes to the ending. It’s one of the reasons the Harry-finds-out fic is moving so slow: Idk how to end it. 

And that’s it! Thanks again for the ask, hope it was interesting or even helpful. :)

[sigurdjarlson]

@riddleredcoats nice! Thank you for the help! :)

[failemyfalcon]

tags by @riddleredcoats omg THANK YOU i knew there had to be a whistle somewhere but I didnt keep watching to check!!

is that padan fain?? something about how quickly and the timing of him walking into frame caught my attention.

[terapsina]

35 and 54!

35. Which do you prefer to write: longer or shorter fics?

I love writing longer fics because they're fun to get into but they get decidedly LESS fun once they turn into the dreaded WIPs. So one shots are probably BETTER for me.

54. Do you usually like what you write?

Yes. Right up until I post them. And then again 6 months later when I reread them.

[askweisswolf]

I was tagged by @the-rebel-archivist and @ohmypawsandwhiskers for this particular meme, and I can finally respond to it since I’ve been working on a new fic tonight! Thank you both so much for the tag!

Rules: In a new post, show the last line you wrote and tag as many people as there are words.  

Mary supposes she owes her that much, at least.

@jellydishes, @kittlesandbugs, @floirida, @pip-n-flinx, @molliehaswords, @lexa-griffins, @maburito, @gisellasmoonflower, @riddleredcoats