#was a chantry sister for 4 years . and shes not even andrastian . she was only there cus 1. pretty women and 2. needed a ton of intel

[asterroses]

i came up w lore for johnnie last night and shes the funniest ever . i love her

[kissingagrumpygiant]

Well now I have to ask about Iseuda because she's sooooooo 😳 and you've left the door wide open for me to invite her in

Well teehee. She will enter 🦇🧛‍♀️

Iseuda is a noble from Starkhaven, born to a highly religious family with deep and close ties to the Chantry. And because of those ties, they simply would not accept that their daughter was born a mage. Simply could not be. Why would the Maker punish and shame us like that. So they would simply ignore it, while attempting every method to "cure" her without templar involvement.

Well, eventually, that just isn't feasible anymore. In her teens, she just cannot control her magic abilities, and Iseuda is pulled from her already limited public life, and rumors are spreading. With the help of a high ranking Templar and close childhood friend of Iseuda's mother, they fake documents of Iseuda being sent to become a lay-Sister in a Chantry in Orlais to explain her absence without risking their reputation. In reality, Iseuda is actually locked away in the family estate's attic, with the Templar creating special wards to subdue her magic and connection to the fade. The family puts her off their minds, and the Templar is the only man Iseuda has any contact with and who takes care of her for the next 4-5 years

Eventually, Iseuda's despair is strong enough to garner the attention of a very powerful Hunger demon, who manages to slip between the wards. Together, the demon and Iseuda hatch a plan to take revenge on her family, and Iseuda becomes an abomination

Iseuda manages to get the Templar under her thumb, appealing to his unrequited pining (and obsession tbh) with her mother and Iseuda's obvious likeness to her. When his guard is down, and he begins to take apart the wards, Iseuda attacks and fatally wounds him. She doesn't kill him, but slowly feeds off his mana for the following week to gain strength and lives in the walls of the house for the duration

Iseuda plants fake evidence in the appropriate places to implicate the now-dead Templar, and sets the entire estate on fire. In the chaos of the family trying to escape, Iseuda personally "takes care" of them, and slips into the night.

Well, being the only surviving member of the Courbis family and only heir, she makes the grueling and oh so long journey back from her lay-Sister duties in Orlais back to Starkhaven and rebuilds the estate after the tragic murder of her family. so sad. 

She quickly garners sympathy and help from the rest of the noble class of Starkhaven, and even becomes a close ally of the ruling Vael family for her good Andrastian nature, and her donations to the Chantry and care of their Templars. So what if every now and then she takes a bite of one for their potent mana. No one needs to know

When the Vael family massacre happens, Iseuda decides its best not to stick around, and claims her former Chantry in Orlais has requested her financial aid and close eye. She moves to Orlais and cements her position there

Now days she's known for hosting large fundraising galas (and every party is a masquerade party in orlais), which she turns into her private hunting grounds. She even managed to score herself an invitation to the winter palace :) <3

[tarasylnin-lavellan]

Justice's Ally

so one of my mutuals characters will be in the next installment the wonderful @w-h-4-t s Harel and she is a HUGE part of this piece since this is very heavily based off of the dialog that she and I ran back and forth for this so thank you lethalan you are amazing

Okay my lovelies here is safe for work recap so that you will be up to speed.

Tara has a terrible dream in which she is chased through a twilight forest. This forest is filled with massive dark crystal formations and trees that seem to stretch up out of sight. She is hunted and attacked by something that resembles the Dread Wolf. After she wakes terrified and half awake she loses the iron control she always keeps. We find out why, she has a spirit bound to her, Cullen reacts badly to this news saying she is an abomination and runs from her.

Tara is left with no choice in order to ensure her own safety she flees Skyhold. She is fleeing for the arbor wilds knowing that she can evade capture there and figure out what in the world she is going to do now.

Now on to the regularly scheduled angst

Dorian had decided that he wanted to read "Draconica the study of Dragon kin." He picked this up rather than the two before it in the stack. "Knowing us we are going to have to fight some scaly monstrosity soon." A small note fell from the pages in the dawn light, and Dorian caught it. His eyes scanned it quickly it was in Tara's precise script. He felt his heart tear at the terse words, "oh no, isa'ma'lan." He felt the outrage rising in him a bitter flame, that bastard ran her off! Dorian stormed toward the tower, people clearing out of his way quickly.

Dorian slammed the door open, and Cullen started violently halfway pulling his blade free. Dorian flicked his hand and all of the doors to the tower locked. "You, bastard if you hurt her so help me," Cullen stood rigid his eyes locked on the younger man. Dorians temper flared " SHE WAS YOUR LOVER, AND MY SISTER!!! THE ONLY FAMILY TO EVER LOVE!" Cullen cut him off his voice harsh and hurt "she is an ABOMINATION!" Dorians face grew dangerous as he looked at the ex templar "HOW DARE YOU!" his hands began to smoke faintly as he clenched them.

Cullen's face contorted in apprehension "You cant even control yourself." He let out a pained breath "maybe Meredith was right, maybe you are all abominations waiting to happen. Cullen looked tired and sad as if he didn't want to believe what he said. Dorians keen eyes caught the doubt in Cullen, he worked to calm the fury and outrage in his heart.

"She has always been like that, you ignorant bastard! She is a miracle not a MONSTER!" Cullen slammed his hands on the desk making things jump crazily. "MAGES its always MAGES WHY you blasted mages keep using me." Cullen's eyes welled with tears of grief, and he gritted his teeth hands shaking on his desk. "USE YOU?! she left to save you!" Dorian waved his hand "ah you are impossible, she was born like that she didn't change your eyes did." Cullen looked up frustration and hurt flashing in his amber eyes, "your glib tongue do you no favors mage!" Dorians hands rested on his hips, "shut up, just shut up and listen to yourself. This is Tara, our Tara, you're calling an abomination you washed up chantry fanatic! You want to call her monster, mage killer? We all have things that we would rather others not know. But Tara is.... SHES DONE EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE SHE NEVER FALLS INTO A HOLE LIKE THAT BUT YOU you have..."

Cullen scoffed at the mage "you didn't see her, you cannot tell me my eyes have changed." Dorian scoffed right back "let me guess... she woke up screaming and fell out of the bed. And then hmm let me guess a blue light formed from her skin and her eyes glowed blue white." Cullen's eyes widened in surprise "who do you think holds her after those awful nightmares when you aren't around golden boy? My greatest regret is that she'd sacrifice her stupid selfless beautiful soul for an ignorant bastard like you. My beloved sister ran because she knew you would be forced to kill her, TO KILL HER FOR YOUR DAMNED HONOR. She didn't want to put YOU through that not for the sake of her own life! Knowing her she'd let you kill her," at this Cullen's face paled visibly "I see that I am right the damned fool, offered her life in payment, typical." Cullen growled "Enough!" slamming his hand on the desk again in pure emotion. "How HOW am I to look at her.... when all I see is that THING, HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL!"

Dorian looked at the torn man, "you feel as though she lied to you and used you. We cannot change the fact that Tara didn't tell you of her nature. However we must look at the intent, Commander. Not everything is this rigid black and white you blasted Andrastian's love so much. I will never know the pain you feel right this minute, but I do know that we are missing someone integral in our lives. Someone who has just run to maker knows where to save us." He sniffed in distress " its just like her, isn't it? She loves us so much.... that she would do anything for us....even... at the expense of herself." She would run to her death but she knows, she knows that it would break you to put her down. So she shattered everything she has instead for you. I know the courts Cullen, I know peoples faces from years of living in that snake pit and yours is all too easy to read. You think her cruel for hiding, and terrifying for the albatross. You cannot simply pull all of that love out, you idiot. All those restless nights, up at all hours researching Lyrium addiction and treatments. Her every waking moment, spent looking after your shattering body and mind." Dorian sighed heavily "do you have any idea how many times I had to peel her off her desk because she had passed out there? She is painfully selfless, and in your ignorance and fear you close your heart to her.

In Tevinter she would be accepted she would even be admired for what she is. She is a rare person, a true spirit born, a person who dies but a spirit breathes there own life into to bring back. But here? here she would be killed without question, simply for existing."

"She tried not to love you, the fool, but she simply couldn't help herself. Every day that woman puts up a Fucking WALL, EVERY DAY. And the moment she lets it down you prove her right and tear out her heart. And yet she left for YOU to save you the pain of her death. She would rather you despise her than grieve her. She probably wishes she were truly dead right now."

Cullen's voice was weak and pained "....magic.. exists to..."

"If you finish that sentence, Templar I will have no mercy for you" Dorian snarled. "Don't you dare quote scripture at me, I know spirits, I know those things you call demons. And Tarasyl'nin is not one. Don't. You. Dare. All that wonderful woman has done has been to SERVE others, she asks for nothing in return EVER. You are not out there by her side in battle, she will throw herself in front of anything to protect the innocent. Now tell me Templar is that the actions of an Abomination?"

"STOP IT she lied to me," Cullen barked in response but his heart was wavering desperate to believe. "She lied to protect you, because she adores you. You know our Tara can be a bit abrasive but when she loves, she loves hard. She would do anything for the people she cares for. Why cant you see that? just put the armor and the scripture away for a moment. Take a step back, its Tara, she never truly hid from you, Cullen she only wanted to be loved" Dorians voice hitched on the word loved. "She just wants what all of us want to be loved, for who we are. She tried so hard not to love you, to stay away from you but she couldn't help it. So she tried to protect you to let you think she was...normal. She wanted to protect you from her, HER of all people. The person who would throw herself to her knees and, let you kill her if you thought that was right." Dorians eyes filled with tears and he wiped them away viscously "she knew... the moment that you found out that you would kill her or she would have to run. She made plans to make sure you could never find her." Dorians chest hitched painfully " and now I have lost the only family that loves me." He looked at Cullen sullenly "I wish she had never met you, I tried to warn her damn you."

A heavy silence fell over the pair each lingering in the grief that filled the room like choking smoke. At last Cullen let out a sigh and massaged his forehead, "what is the dem-...the spirit like?"

Dorians eyes widened in astonishment "Pardon?" Cullen let out a slow breath " the spirit, what does it do? or think...or what?" Dorian eyed him warily "you...you actually wish to know?" Cullen looked up at the ceiling "I... rifts are tearing apart the world, A magister god has appeared and I have just learned the woman I love is part spirit. The world cannot get any more mad, perhaps instead of resisting like I have always done.... I... suppose its time to... learn. to get accustomed to this. Besides " Cullen looked down with reddened eyes "I cannot bear to lose the only good thing in my life after so much horror."

Dorian watches Cullen, his eyes discerning and shrewd, "as you wish Commander. Tara told me that she was still born this can happen with twins. Her mother begged the gods for help to save her daughter. Apparently a spirit heard her instead, and a blue white shape wrapped itself around the still child. In that moment she cried out but her eyes glowed faintly blue. The spirit is tethered to her it is all that keeps her alive, it is not so much a voice in her mind as hmm her subconscious. It influences her but cannot control her actions. However it is protective of her much as you beloved hounds are. It will appear in times of great stress and danger, it is the spirits power that she uses in battle. Her power is limited and focused because it is the spirits strength. It inspires her and at the same time, it grates on her taxing her. Think of it as ice melting in water except the ice is melting very very slowly. Its a part of her that is slowly blending into her. She is a living bridge to the fade and all that lies beyond.

Cullen let out an apprehensive breath "what spirit is it?" his hands clenched painfully on the wood. Dorian watched this impassively "It is a strong willed but impartial spirit... Justice... you templars know its darker form I know vengeance. As I recall that fool of a man Anders was possessed by one like it. However the difference is, Tara made no deal she has always been like this. She has grown in the shadow of this burden, she is not some foolhardy apprentice looking for power. She would rather destroy herself, than let the spirit corrupt her, as I fear she may now."

Cullen's eyes fly wide and he pales visibly "makers breath....we have to find her! The inquisition! the.. the... Tara.. she is out there!! Alone!" Cullen franticly tried to gather things, seemingly without direction. Dorian chuckled faintly at the man, "you are proposing that we attempt to find a Dalish woman, in the forest, with a head start no less?" Cullen whirled looking frantic " what other choice do we have? If we send a raven, it will not know where to find her! We... there has to be some way, makers breath if only she had a phylactery." Dorian cut him off "you honestly want to talk about that horrid practice after every thing we just discussed?" "The Inquisition needs her! Cullen interjected and Dorian scowled " never suggest a phylactery again.”

Now thankfully I have already sent out two expert trackers." "Some of Leliana's people?" Dorian waved a manicured hand at the question "Oh void no, people that can sense spirits much better than your Templars or soldiers ever could." "Cullen swallowed heavily "we have to get her back post haste." Dorians eyes glimmered in response "ha, look at you just a moment ago you were screaming bloody murder and now, he has become a knight again, Good show!" His eyes became level in a moment "I need to know that she will be safe, before I even consider letting them TRY to bring her back."

Cullen hung his head and responded "I will not harm her, of that you have my word....I....I just want her to return for the inquisitions sake. Dorian cleared his throat pointedly "....and for mine." "Lets hope Harel and Cole can find her then, I do not wish to live without my sister. Cullen's emotions crowded his mind "and.... I don't want to..." Dorian sighed dramatically "by the black Devine's breeches, you Ferelden men cant take even a little emotion."

[lipstickhawke]

TELL ME BOUT YOUR HAWK AND OCS! then I'll ramble about mine :)

Hello! Thank you so much for the question! I have three Hawkes but since one of them is highly underdeveloped I’ll just talk about my other two! 

Luanna Hawke

The first Hawke I ever made is Luanna Hawke. She has a primarily a purple/blue personality. Her backstory is pretty much the same as the standard Hawke backstory, always on the move, dead dad and stuff. 

1. She worked for Meeran! Luanna gets a whole lot stronger and develops a thicker skin when working with him since she is a very emotional person. Her emotions don’t go away, but she learns how to better mask her emotions with humor to cope. 

2) Luanna was extremely close with Bethany, much more so than Carver. Since both her and Bethany were mages, they often trained together, and Luanna was prone to leaving Carver out of her life. She still loved him dearly but it wasn’t until Bethany died and Luanna realized that Carver’s anger towards her felt justified. This was devastating to her and she tried everything she could to get the two of them to be closer, including taking him to the Deep Roads. Carver became a Grey Warden and Luanna felt like another sibling had been ripped away from her. It wasn’t until the end of the game she felt like she could prove that she loved him and is a good sister. It’s a complicated/bittersweet relationship. She blames herself for both Bethany and Leandra’s deaths. It’s something that continues to haunt her and leaves her with depression and PTSD at the end. 

4) She romanced Fenris! She was drawn to him because Luanna’s self-confidence and will to better herself was extremely low when they met. She found his drive and passion to do things extremely admirable and found herself trying to mimic his strength. Hearing his past made her realize that she could heal from her trauma. Luanna’s compassion and willingness and patience are what drove Fenris to her. They are very soft for each other and I loooove them. 

5) She fought the Arishock for Isabela. Isabela is her best friend next to Varric and there was no way she’d let her be taken away. She faced death in that fight when she was stabbed through the stomach. Anders was able to save her but she was permanently scarred. 

6) She supported the mages! But did not support Ander’s decision to blow up the Chantry. Despite being a mage, Luanna is Andrastian and was very good friends with Sebastian. However, due to the fact that she and Anders were good friends throughout the game, she couldn’t find it in her heart to kill him. 

7) She survives the fade and goes on to have two kiddos. 

Ezekiel “Ez” Hawke

Ez is my rouge red Hawke and was a character I made to see how evil I could be in a game since I personally find it really hard to be mean to anyone lol. Ez was a very sickly child and was often bedridden. Throughout his life, his family never knew what exactly was causing him so much pain so the illness remained. When Malcolm died, Ez wasn’t very torn up about it, he had spent most of his time training with Bethany and Carver while he had been left to lie in agony. Being the oldest boy in the family, he was pleased to be the head of it and would work tirelessly to improve his strength so that he could walk without fainting. When Ez turned eighteen, he decided to do something about the sickness. He confronted a blood mage and forced him to cure him. The blood mage warned him that a price would need to be paid but Ez didn’t care and would do whatever it took to heal himself. The reverse spell cured Ez, but left him incredibly scarred. At the beginning of DA2, Ez realizes that the spell in itself was a curse, and took away the effects of his invisible illness that would eventually kill him, and instead replaced it with a painless grotesque life. His skin starts rotting off. To cover up the damage done to himself, he covers his face in heavy makeup and powder. 

Ez is extremely vain and particular about how he looks and will not allow anyone to touch him out of fear of seeing under his painted mask. His resentment of mages causes him to lash out at Bethany. Carver’s death was even less meaningful to him than his father’s. For a majority of their relationship, Ez pressures Bethany to find a cure for his deformities. Bethany dies in the deep roads and Leandra’s death was almost therapeutic. A desire to erase his family and start over overcame him. The name “Hawke” belonged to him and only him. 

1) Power became very interesting to Ez, as he was powerless his entire life and he was willing to appeal to anyone who might give it to him. He worked as a smuggler for the first year in Kirkwall. 

2) Ez was never interested in romance or even friendship, just political alliances. The closest thing to romance was his relationship with Isabela, being that she challenged him and made him rethink his ideas on power. Isabela in a way is there to represent the last thread of Ez’s humanity. He throws that away when he gives her to the Arishock. 

3) Ez supported the Templars and ruled as Viscount. He had Anders executed. In my own canon, Ez gets corrupted with red lyrium in the final fight against the mages and is a brutal and ruthless ruler, so much that a rebellion happens against him and he is driven out of Kirkwall. He immediately starts looking for the next source of power to appeal to. He eventually works for Corypheus and spies for him in Inquisition. My Inquisitor in that universe finds out he’s a traitor and leaves him in the fade. He may be chillin in the fade now who knows (;

[ocean-in-my-rebel-soul]

8 OC Facts!

Tagged by @heraldofwho, and this is fun! Who wants to play? @buttsonthebeach, @tk-duveraun, @lyriumyue, @galadrieljones, @ironbullsmissingeye, @absinthianajones, @amaranthine-daydream? No pressure, I just find these so fun! 

If anyone plays along, tag me! I wanna know about your OCs!

Rhiona “Ree” Cousland, from the “Traitorous Hearts” series

1. She’s the middle child; Fergus is a year and a half older than her, and Elissa is seven years younger. 

2. Prefers tea over coffee, and prefers it with milk but no sugar. 

3. Once got into a “disagreement” with Habren Bryland, Arl Bryland’s daughter, over her treatment of Rhiona’s sister. Said disagreement almost ended up with Rhiona punching Habren in the face, but instead she only pushed her into a pond. Bryce had made Rhiona write a long letter of apology to both Habren and her lord father... to which Arl Bryland replied with candy and an apology of his own. 

4. When she was 8 years old, she cut her foot pretty badly when trying to play with one of Bryce’s old swords from the war, after retrieving it from the decorative plaque on the wall of her father’s study. Once she healed and was cleared for activities again, Eleanor started teaching her how to use a sword.

5. She once gave herself a haircut at 5 years old with some scissors, and hated the results. Rhiona cried every time she saw herself in a mirror, and ever since, has had long hair. 

6. Her favorite places in Castle Cousland are the inner courtyard, where the castle guard spar, and the kitchen. Her favorite places in Highever are the docks and the market. 

7. She’s a fan of people-watching. Part of the joy of hanging out at the docks, market, and other places is sitting down and imagining stories for everyone. It’s especially fun when the Couslands have guests or visit Denerim, as the gossip makes it even better. 

8. She’s not exactly a devout Andrastian, but she can’t help but rely on her faith in times of trouble. Andraste’s faith in the Maker, if not the Chantry that sprang up behind her, gives her peace. If pressed, she would argue that she believes in Andraste, not the Chant. (She and Fergus have argued this. He doesn’t exactly call her a heretic, but he finds the Chantry and Andraste too linked to be separate ideas, and is more of a run-of-the-mill Andrastian, himself.)

Well, that’s some facts and tidbits about Rhiona! Tag me in your OC posts, if you decide to play along, friends!

[rhenal]

To the Void with the Void

Few things in Dragon Age lore bother me quite as much as the Void. It appears just about everywhere, in every faith, but what any one teaching says about what it actually IS never seems to be consistent - even in the same set of teachings.

Come with me on this journey, as I go through the Dragon Age Wiki page on the Void and follow every single cite note to the source - and look through those cited sources as well.

It starts with a brief summary, then goes into Chantry beliefs, because of course that comes first. It lists some verses from the chant. 

All that the Maker has wrought is in His hand Beloved and precious to Him. Where the Maker has turned His face away, Is a Void in all things; In the world, in the Fade, In the hearts and minds of men.

Passing out of the world, in that Void shall they wander; O unrepentant, faithless, treacherous, They who are judged and found wanting Shall know forever the loss of the Maker's love. Only Our Lady shall weep for them.

—Canticle of Threnodies, 12:5

So... the void is both a vague emptiness in everything the Maker doesn’t like and the Andrastian version of Hell? Right. How conveniently vague. It never says ‘the Void’ though, just ‘a Void’. 

Next follows some extrapolations. Since I know that fanon and canon tend to intermingle a lot in small, subtle and insidious ways, I shall stick as close to the source material - and only the source material - as the wiki and the rest of my resources will allow for, while mostly ignoring the wiki-specific text. So. Let’s follow the cite notes, in order. 

The first one refers to a conversation with Sebastian in DA II. I don’t have that DLC, because I think that guy is kind of an arse and not worth my money, and after over an hour of searching both the wiki and youtube, I have not found this conversation, so I’m gonna drop that trail for now. 

Second cite note also refers to a Sebastian conversation, but this is one I can actually find. It’s a banter conversation between him and Isabela. 

Isabela: So, I've never understood why the Chantry says if you're good, you'll be taken up to the Maker's side. Sebastian: Those who die with the sins cleansed from their souls will walk beside the Maker in eternity. Isabela: That doesn't sound fun! Isabela: If they really want people to be good, shouldn't they offer an afterlife with... lakes of wine and a dozen naked virgins? Sebastian: Anyone who wants that will be going to the Void. Isabela: Sounds like that's where all the good parties will be.

So, Andrasian hell. K. Still doesn’t tell me anything useful.

Next few cite notes are grouped up. These unfortunately refer to books that I do not have access to at the moment - World of Thedas vol. 1 and the Dragon Age Origins official game guide - so I’ll simply settle for sharing the statement on the wiki.

The sinners are lost, endlessly wandering the Fade or even returning to the "ether" (the primeval matter of the Fade) from which they were made.

So, conflating the Void and the Fade now, are we? The next sentence references the Canticle of Threnodies, saying that it says that the Void is a place within the Fade. Time to check out what’s available of that Canticle myself...

Huh. Oh, that’s a lot. Yet after reading it all, the only mention of the Void I could find is in 12:5 above. “Where the Maker has turned His face away, Is a Void in all things; In the world, in the Fade, In the hearts and minds of men.” I think that can be interpreted in a lot of ways. It doesn’t quite say “The Void is a place in the fade” to me. It just says that there is an emptiness - a Void - in everything that the Maker found fault in. And he certainly found fault in the Fade, according to earlier verses in that very same Canticle. I don’t know, but this instance seems more figurative to me. Maybe I’m wrong. 

Moving on. Up next is another Chantry verse. 

Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity.

—Canticle of Andraste, 14:11

I can’t help but notice how ‘abyss’ isn’t capitalised in this verse. I checked in game - it’s not capitalised there either. 

This verse bothers me. When reading further into the codex entry of “Here Lies the Abyss”, there is some musings by Revered Mother Juliette accompanying the verse. They read as follows:

Chantry sisters have long debated this section of the Chant of Light. It is tempting to assume that the "well of all souls" is a literal well, but such imagery appears nowhere in Andraste's other works. An examination from Threnodies 1:4 yields clues:

From the waters of the Fade you made the world. As the Fade had been fluid, so was the world fixed.

It is possible—even likely—that the "emerald waters" Andraste refers to are the substance of the Fade, which began as an "ocean of dreams" (Threnodies 1:1) and was reduced to a well—bottomless but limited in scope—by the Maker's creation of our world.

Is Andraste urging the listener to come to the Fade? Should we take "From these emerald waters doth life begin anew," as literal evidence of reincarnation—or even of life after death, as the Cult of Spirits suggests—or as a figurative benediction indicating that the Maker is the source of all life, and in finding His embrace for Eternity, we will only be returning our souls from whence they came?

Vague, is it not? Juliette seems as confused as I am. 

Now, I remember when The Descent came out. When seeing The Wellspring at the end of that story, a lot of think-pieces popped up in the Meta community about how it looked an awful lot like what Andraste might have been describing in that Canticle of hers. Note how, in the Wiki page for the above-mentioned codex entry, there is a trivia section with a quoted passage from The Calling? 

"It’s where Andraste goes to speak to the Maker for the first time. It’s where she convinces him to forgive mankind. It was supposed to be this beautiful temple deep under the earth surrounded by emerald waters."

Interesting, no?

If anything, it seems safe to say that The Chant doesn’t seem very interesting in defining just what either the Void or this abyss is in the first place, and anything further simply seem to be interpretations by various Chantry people, which is hardly a reliable source of anything.

Continuing down the Wiki page on the Void, we have the Elven beliefs section. Something something The Forgotten Ones dwell there - the cite note leads us to Codex Entry: Elven God Andruil. Well. Not beliefs of modern elves, then, since this entry is found in the temple of Mythal, but that’s splitting hairs. 

One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking The Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss. Yet even a god should not linger there, and each time she entered the Void, Andruil suffered longer and longer periods of madness after returning.

Andruil put on armor made of the Void, and all forgot her true face. She made weapons of darkness, and plague ate her lands. She howled things meant to be forgotten, and the other gods became fearful Andruil would hunt them in turn. So Mythal spread rumors of a monstrous creature and took the form of a great serpent, waiting for Andruil at the base of a mountain.

When Andruil came, Mythal sprang on the hunter. They fought for three day and nights, Andruil slashing deep gouges in the serpent's hide. But Mythal's magic sapped Andruil's strength, and stole her knowledge of how to find the Void. After this, the great hunter could never make her way back to the abyss, and peace returned.

—Translated from ancient elven found in the Arbor Wilds, source unverified

Here is a much more clear distinction of the Void as an actual, tangible thing. Abyss is still not being capitalised, though. Abyss speaks to me of something deep down below. And the ancient Elves were actively encouraged to seek the deepest parts of the Fade, as seen in Codex Entry: Vir Dirthara: The Deepest Fade.

The pages of this book—memory?—are instructions on how to reach the deepest parts of the Fade, realms so far removed they're unmarked by Dreamers:

"Epiphany requires a mind smooth as mirror glass, still as stone. Put aside ten years for practice, and the next hundred for searching. What others have learned will ease your journey. Those who never manifested outside the Fade will find it easier to find its stillest roots, but it is rare the compulsion overtakes our brethren of the air."

Andruil roaming the Void was considered a bad thing by the Elves, yet seeking the deepest parts of the Fade was encouraged. That says to me that they are not the same. That says to me that the Void is not found in the Fade. 

The Andruil codex entry also says that “all forgot her true face” and that because of her actions, “plague ate her lands”. The idea that it was Andruil who caused the Blight has been around for a long time. This codex entry is the source of that theory. So far, I am inclined to agree that it certainly sounds like that may be the case. So. Quite possibly, according to this tale, if this plague is indeed the blight, it can be concluded that the Blight came from the Void.

However, that is a whole lot of conditions. A lot of ‘if’s.

Next up, there’s talk about the legends of Fen’Harel and The Great Betrayal - which we know for certain fact by now is a lot more complicated than the legends make it out to be. However, I don’t remember there being any mention of the Void or an abyss - or even the Forgotten Ones - being mentioned in our conversation with Solas in Trespasser. Sometimes I wonder if the Forgotten Ones are just a trail that Bioware wants to drop, but then I remember that their most explicit appearance in all the games so far is as recently as Jaws of Hakkon. Well. Back on track. 

The cite notes here only lead me to Arlathan: Part two and the Dread Wolf codex entry - both tellings of the Dalish legend, which tells me nothing new. The Forgotten Ones were allegedly trapped in the abyss. Might be good to point out that these legends also appear to imply that the Forgotten Ones came from the abyss, or at least that it was their home. “[...]if only the Forgotten Ones would return to the abyss for a time.“

Hmm. The Void wiki entry next says that The World of Thedas includes accounts of the Evanuris being trapped in the Eternal City. I thought that was just a theory. I really need to get that book. Clear some things up.

On to the next cite note, which leads me to the codex entry Elgar’nan: God of Vengeance. Another Dalish account, but this one brings up something interesting that I’ve not paid attention to before.

The sun, looking down upon the fruitful land, saw the joy that Elgar'nan took in her works and grew jealous. Out of spite, he shone his face full upon all the creatures the earth had created, and burned them all to ashes. The land cracked and split from bitterness and pain, and cried salt tears for the loss of all she had wrought. The pool of tears cried for the land became the ocean, and the cracks in her body the first rivers and streams.

Elgar'nan was furious at what his father had done and vowed vengeance. He lifted himself into the sky and wrestled the sun, determined to defeat him. They fought for an eternity, and eventually the sun grew weak, while Elgar'nan's rage was unabated. Eventually Elgar'nan threw the sun down from the sky and buried him in a deep abyss created by the land's sorrow.

A deep crack in the earth - a crack referrenced to as an abyss no less - created by the Sun’s rage. 

Perhaps, this instead is a reference to the war in which the Evanuris were generals. The war that enabled their ascent to presumed godhood. And this chasm was opened by the battles waged in this war. 

My mind wanders to The Abyssal Reach in the Western Approach. You know the one - the ginormous black chasm? The one that you fall into during Here Lies the Abyss?

The Wiki entry on the Western Approach says that “This area was the site of a major battle during the Second Blight. The darkspawn swarmed out of the great chasm to the south named the Abyssal Rift and corrupted the land beyond recovery.” Note that it doesn’t say is that the chasm was created during the Second Blight. It would appear that it was already there. 

I’m thinking that this chasm is the same as the one referenced in Elgar’nan’s legend. 

Although - nothing about this says that this chasm and the Void is the same thing. But I suspect that they may be connected. 

Continuing down the Void wiki page, all that’s left is the cult of the Empty Ones - who worshiped the blight - as well as a fairly lengthy trivia section. Nothing I find here is new. The Empty ones say the Darkspawn came from the Void and that the Void is a place of nothingness. General mentions of a hungry, yawning void - which doesn’t really say anything because that’s a pretty general turn of phrase. The Staff of the Void’s description talks about a void as an absence of something, which once again sounds more like a turn of phrase than anything substantial.  

There is always the Anvil of the Void - the thing that the Dwarves used to forge Golems. Since it essentially functioned by transferring the soul of a dwarf into that of the Golem, it could imply that the Void is somehow related to souls - or at least Dwarven souls - which would support the verse from the Canticle of Andraste mentioned before. But then, we also know that Elven souls come from the Fade - or at least that is what is implied, considering their close kinship with Spirits before the Veil. 

And there is still the whole thing about where we have absolutely no idea where the Humans even came from in the first place...

So far, I’ve seen a lot of fairly interesting thinking points - but absolutely nothing that would really lead to any real consensus to what the Void even is - IF it even is. I can’t help but feel that despite the frequent use of the terms Void and abyss in both Elven and Chantry lore, none of these references are similar enough - or substantive enough - for me to be able to be able to safely conclude that the Void even is a special place or thing at all. It sounds to me like metaphorical speech far more often than it does anything else. A metaphor for deep underground or something. The Deep Roads. I don’t know. 

But then I remember The Descent again. The Wellspring. The ‘lake’ that seemed almost like a sky. The Dwarf legend of the king who dug so deep down that he and his entire thaig “fell into the sky”. It makes me wonder...

In the end, all I feel I can really conclude for myself is that whatever it is, the Abyss is mostly deep below, and the Fade is mostly up above. I don’t think they are the same. Also that the Blight probably comes from the Void in one way or another. 

But honestly, any more than that, the lore just doesn’t seem to converge into anything substantial anywhere. There is simply far too little to go on to make any solid conclusions, and what little lore there is appear to go into different places more often than not. We can assume, we can theorise, we can extrapolate - but what real lore there actually is tells us surprisingly little.

If anyone has any thoughts about this that are more coherent than mine, I’d love to hear them, because it feels like I’m thinking in circles.

[daughter-of-the-prophet]

Known Divines

Known Andrastian Devines

Justinia I: The first Divine. Appointed by Emperor Kordillus Drakon I in 1:1 Divine. Chose her name to honor the disciple who recorded Andraste's songs. Before her coronation, she was the only female general in the Orlesian army. She was known as the "Warrior-Priest" and her version of the Chant of Light has survived with few changes to the present day.

Ambrosia II: Reigned during the Divine Age. Wanted to order an Exalted March against her own cathedral after protesting mages barricaded themselves inside.

Hortensia I: Reigned in 1:99 Divine. Named the Glory Age.

Renata I: Reigned during the Glory Age. Declared the Exalted March of the Dales (2:10—20 Glory). Ordered the establishment of Alienages afterwards. Also ordered the destruction of all Chantry art in Orlais depicting elves, save a single original mural of Shartan with his ears docked. (An un-besmirched copy exists at the University of Orlais.)

Galatea: Reigned during the late Glory Age. Was a commoner who was elected after the electorate became locked in a gridlock. In 2:83 Glory she granted the Right of Annulment to all grand clerics to purge any Circles of Magi ruled to be irredeemable.

Innocente: Consecrated the newly constructed Grand Cathedral of Val Royeaux In 2:99 Glory and declared that the Chant of Light be sung continuously there so that Andraste's message would always be heard by the faithful. At the start of the next year, she declared the Towers Age in honor of the twin towers of the Grand Cathedral.

Amara I: Reigned in 3:41 Towers. Established a Conclave that declared the Canticle of Silence to be too reminiscent of propaganda supporting Archon Hessarian's actions, and was not sacred enough to remain a part of the official Chant of Light.

Joyous II: Reigned in 3:86 Towers. Her issue being with the Maker's second commandment, she attempted to bring Tevinter in line with Orlais, declaring all members of the Tevinter clergy heretics when they refused to comply. This proclamation led to the schism in 3:87, during which the Tevinter clergy completely broke away from the Orlesian Chantry and named their own Divine. Died in 3:99 Towers.

Beatrix I: Elected in 3:99 Towers. Named the Black Age. Declared an Exalted March against Tevinter, although the actual invasion was delayed for 40 years due to the devastation of the Third Blight.

Clemence I: Reigned in 4:46 Black. Commissioned the writing of the Litany of Adralla.

Justinia II: Reigned in 4:99 Black. Named the Exalted Age.

Hortensia II - Died in 5:16 Exalted.

Rosamund: Elected in 5:16 Exalted. Died in 5:71 Exalted. Born Lilette Montbelliard, a granddaughter of Queen Asha Campana. Lilette was groomed from birth by Divine Hortensia II to be her successor, and at the age of 20 she became the youngest Divine in history. Reigned for 55 years and was well known for the large quantities of erotic art and literature in which she was featured.

Amara III: Elected in 5:71 Exalted. Died in 5:85 Exalted. A sister of Emperor Alphonse Valmont, Amara III's election was controversial because of her close connection to the Emperor, and the fact that she had never even attained the rank of Revered Mother. Was known as both a tyrant and a sadist who enjoyed bonfires fueled by the bodies of maleficarum. Eventually died under suspicious circumstances, leading her brother to commission a witch hunt to find her killer, to no avail.

Theodosia I: Reigned in 5:99 Exalted. Named the Steel Age.

Theodosia II: Gave birth on the steps of Val Royeaux's Grand Cathedral in front of a crowd of devout Andrastians. Was removed from her position shortly afterward for violating her vow of chastity.

Hortensia III: Reigned in 6:99 Steel. Named the Storm Age.

Faustine II: Reigned in 8:99 Blessed. Planned to declare the Sun Age, but abruptly declared the Dragon Age instead after a high dragon rampage occurred.

Beatrix III: Reigned in the beginning of the Dragon Age. Died in 9:34 Dragon.Used the templars to pressure the Viscount of Kirkwall. It is stated that she held the office for almost 50 years which however is conflicted with the reign of her predecessor.

Justinia V: Elected in 9:34 Dragon. Died in 9:41 Dragon.

Victoria: Elected in 9:42 Dragon.

______________________________________________

Other Andrastian Divines 

These Divines cannot be placed chronologically or their existence has been implied by the names of other Divines (for example, there could not have been a Justinia V without a Justinia III and IV), but no other information is provided about them.

Amalthea I

Amalthea II - Created the Conclave of Cumberland to determine a canonical version of the Canticle of Andraste.

Amara II

Ambrosia I

Aurelia

Beatrix II

Clemence II 

Faustine I

Hortensia IV

Joyous I

Justinia III

Justinia IV

______________________________________________

Known Imperial Divines

Valhail: The first Imperial Divine. Elected by the Imperial Chantry in 3:87 Towers.

Urian Nihalias: A magister who became the Black Divine in 9:27 Dragon after a coup against his predecessor.

[pestopascal]

hawke and the last 3 1-5

for sassssssskiaaaaaaa! my gurl who I've had since day one (if only her name changed once). and u said last three but carver kinda died sooo i did anders instead bc his name was above sebastians

questions from here

Anders.

1. How did your Hawke feel about Anders’ clinic? Did they ever spend time there?

Saskia liked the idea of it, despite how it seemed kind of a permanent thing. Like, sure, Kirkwall was supposed to be a permanent move for her family because her mother was so insistent on reclaiming some greatness attested to her family but like. It was definitely a permanent idea in Anders’ head (which she wouldn’t get until much later). Yeah, she spent time there early on, definitely before being a Champion. And before things got... weird. Just used to sit in a corner and stare out over the harbour while Anders worked, sometimes played at being bedside nurse. Whatever.

2. What did your Hawke think about Justice/Vengeance possessing Anders? Were they unsettled?

Yeah, she wasn’t too fond of the whole sharing a body thing anyway, because she may not have been a mage but her father taught her a thing or two about spirits and stuff. And watching Anders just get worse as the years went by... unsettled is the lightest thing they were feeling.

3. What was your Hawke’s relationship with Anders like before the Chantry explosion? How did the explosion change their perception of him?

They were friendly. A lot of things they agreed to disagree on but there wasn’t any bad blood between them. Sure, harping on about left out of each other’s business, and at one point Saskia would say they were close close (not romantically, ofc, she didn’t go there), and then things got weird. And then the chantry exploded and Saskia didn’t know if she was just so blind to what Anders himself was capable of or what lengths he would go to but betrayal was what she felt.

4. Who did your Hawke back, mages or templars, and what became of Anders?

She backed the mages, out of loyalty to Bethany, out of what she had seen in the Gallows, and out of memory of her father. Also, knowing her family largely steeped in magic blood helped there. He lived, if only so he could live with the consequences. Where he is now only she and a handful of other people know. Namely her cousin. Rip him.

5. Did your Hawke believe Anders’ solution to the mage-templar problem, the chantry explosion, was the correct action? What would they have done instead?

Saskia doesn’t know what she would’ve done. She’s thought about it a lot. It wasn’t the right action, and it probably wasn’t the only action, but it was something. Some days she hates herself because she thinks Anders was right, and other days she hates herself because she feels like she was too cowardly to do anything. Saskia feels powerless, and that explosion made her feel it all the way down to her toes. She’s just a girl who can swing a sword in a world of magic, what could she have honestly done to change things?

Sebastian.

1. How did your Hawke respond to Sebastian’s devout faith? Were they Andrastian themselves?

Devout faith meant committing her sister to a horrible life. Saskia didn’t spit on his faith but she certainly didn’t like it. The only time he would catch her dropping the Maker’s name was to swear it out. And as the years went on, it just got worse.

2. Did your Hawke push Sebastian to retake Starkhaven? What motivated their decision?

They did. Saskia saw no point in hiring people to take revenge only to let Starkhaven go. It just didn’t make sense for Sebastian to suddenly back off on committing to a path that he quite literally paid for. Everything was stained in blood long before he came to Kirkwall looking for revenge. Saskia might not have phrased it that way, but that’s how she saw it.

3. How did your Hawke feel about Sebastian’s relationship with Grand Cleric Elthina? Did they respect the Grand Cleric themselves?

On one hand, Saskia saw it as some sort of seeking motherly affection thing out of Sebastian. When he divulged stuff about his family, she got it. She got the need for a mother’s approval (definitely). But man, she did not trust that Grand Cleric at all. Didn’t want her to go the way she did, but neutrality only gets someone so far these days.

4. Did your Hawke choose to kill or spare Anders? Did their relationship with Sebastian change depending on their choice?

Saskia spared Anders, and cost her relationship with Sebastian. It was already on the rocks anyway, but Sebastian threatened to hunt the both of them down. Saskia is always ready for a challenge, and Sebastian was free to chase her as far as he wanted by that point.

5. Was your Hawke friendly or hostile towards Sebastian and why?

Oh they were friendly. Those years where Fenris dropped her ass and left her to mope and drink her relationships away were the lowest. Sebastian was there to pick her up. More than once she had considered just going to Starkhaven and handing herself over, but there’s too much at stake. 

(also, their kid, the one Sebastian doesn’t know about? Yeah, didn’t wanna risk his life either, even if she still hasn’t figured out how she feels about her son)

Bethany.

1. Did Bethany become a Grey Warden or die of the Taint or was she taken to the Circle? How did your Hawke react to what became of her?

Bethany became a Grey Warden. The idea was, take Bethany out of the city for a while, throw the Templars off her scent. Perfect, right? Wrong. Saskia was already struggling by that stage, but watching Bethany be taken away by Wardens to be ‘saved’ was the worst. That was the absolute rock bottom point she had hit. Most people think it’s times after that, but failing to protect her sister after everything really did keep the wind out of her.

2. How did Leandra and/or Carver’s death affect your Hawke’s relationship with Bethany?

Losing Carver hurt. Saskia knew Bethany never recovered from the loss of her twin, and she didn’t know how to make it stop hurting. Didn’t help she decided to give Bethany over to the Wardens (Carver’s dream) and made her live that life. Leandra’s death was a nail in a coffin. For what though, Saskia didn’t know. Bethany was closer to Leandra than she would ever be, and that was only because Bethany had to stay at home all the time when they were growing up. Saskia didn’t even know their mother. She didn’t get a response to the letters about Leandra’s death.

3. Due to Bethany being a mage, was your Hawke influenced by her when making the choice between mages and templars?

Not that Saskia would admit it, but there was no way she was going to throw Bethany under once more. She had enough of letting her down. Saskia would’ve supported the mages more than likely anyway, but Bethany was definitely the biggest and most absolute reason.

4. How close were your Hawke and Bethany before they fled to Kirkwall? Did they grow closer or drift farther apart once they were settled in Kirkwall?

Saskia and Bethany were close, but not? Bethany was the one trained by Malcolm, while Saskia and Carver sat at the back, swinging their swords and firing arrows. Sure, Malcolm gave them martial training too, in some form, and did teach them some stuff about magic, but Bethany had their father and their mother. Saskia protected her sister as she did her brother, and she would like to believe they were close. 

Kirkwall broke them all a little bit. Whatever fractures made themselves apparent when they went into the Deep Roads, it would be years until they repaired.

5. Did your Hawke stay in contact with Bethany after the mage-templar decision in Kirkwall?

Oh yeah. Saskia made sure Bethany was somewhere safe and secure and well protected. They wrote and visited frequently, as Bethany was one of the last and only connections Saskia felt like she had to anything or anyone.