#eleanor cousland

[illusivesoul]

Knowing the lore of Rendon and Bryce makes the whole human noble origin hit different

#rendon howe #couslands #bryce cousland #dragon age #dragon age memes #dragon age meme #illusivedits #illusivesouledits #eleanor cousland #fergus cousland #human noble origin #highever #amaranthine #ferelden #dragon age origins #dao #da:o #da: o

[ajw-post]

I have accumulated enough WIPs over the course of a year or two I felt like I could dump some of them. My little warden commander

HOF hairstyle meme found here!

#slugart #dragon age #dao #dragon age origins #warden cousland #tiaret cousland #alistair theirin #zevran arainai #bryce cousland #fergus cousland #eleanor cousland #for their little cameos :] #ages at the bottom are mine with the year of her bigger design updates. she does not de-gingify as she ages. scrapped the ginger concept. #undescribed #sorry 4 that i feel embarrassed talking about it :[ non oc posts ill try harder on that front

[terendelev]

➔ DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS I REPLAY (4/?)    

“I love you both, so much.”

‘Then live, darling. Become a Grey Warden, and do what is right.’

#da:o #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #dragon age #userophe #userzahrahydris #userrivensbane #i am sooo late but i will finish this replay's edits #my edits

[kanis-things]

ma'am 😳

#dragon age #eleanor cousland #so that my hof doesn't look like an adopted

[lykegenia]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ❤️

Thank you for this ask! One thing it's made me realise is how many fics I have now - twenty new ones since I last counted - and I have no idea how that happened. My five favourites?

On Last Song - Oneshot, Dagon Age: Origins. The last stand of the Eleanor Cousland, the Seawolf. This one I love because it switches up the perspective usually seen in the Cousland origin and lets Eleanor have the hero moment she deserves. The fic actually started with the poem I wrote for the codex entry in the notes, and I'm still really proud of it.

Like Glitter and Gold - longfic, The Wayhaven Chronicles, Leah Kingston x Nate Sewell. The body of a murdered supernatural is found behind a bar, and Detective Leah Kingston must solve the crime (while dealing with the tempestuous budding romance between her and a certain suave member of Unit Bravo). This was the first murder mystery I've ever written, and it taught me so much about plotting and consistency. I also loved getting to explore the relationship between Leah and Nate as they both learn to open up and communicate. Also love for this one because you bound it for me so now it's sitting on my shelf where I can read it like a real book.

The Falcon and the Rose - longfic, Dragon Age: Origins, Rosslyn Cousland x Alistair Theirin. To the surprise of absolutely no one I'm still super proud of my AU where instead of a Blight, the only thing our heroes have to worry about is a civil war. The intricacies of Fereldan politics, the lore and worldbuilding, the relationships between Alistair, Rosslyn, and Cailan, and the fact that I actually finished it are all reasons why this is still my favourite of all the things I've written.

The Things We Hide - longfic, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zutara. An AU where the Southern Water Tribe only fell to the Fire Nation with the help of Sozin's Comet, with Katara taken to the Caldera as a political prisoner where she works to undermine the rule of the Fire Lord from within. More political intrigue, Katara and Zuko both being awesome, classic enemies to lovers. Even if the title still hasn't grown on me, I'll always be fond of this one because I almost, almost didn't post it but people ended up loving it.

Unlocking The Door - oneshot, Dragon Age: Inquisition. An exploration of Cullen's (headcanoned) asexuality. This one I love because so many people responded to it so positively to say they felt represented, and as someone who also identifies as ace that feels important.

#ask game #jabbage #the wayhaven chronicles #dragon age #dragon age: origins #dragon age origins #dragon age inquisition #dragon age: inquisition #eleanor cousland #cousland #rosslyn cousland #alistair theirin #alistair x cousland #nate sewell #twc detective #cullen rutherford #zutara #avatar: the last airbender

[vigilskeep]

It does not matter in the grand scheme of lineages and succession drama but. It is important to me that people know about the Soldier and the Seawolf song. You probably know already. But just in case. Top tier Cousland lore.

it means everything to me

#when i say isabela makes hawke teach her good fereldan sea shanties to make everyone sing in the hanged man this is what i mean #anyway i cant believe she only let him get to great andraste what an ass #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland

[cosmic-darikano]

"When the soldier met the Mistral’s crew

Not a word of their great deeds he knew

And the Seawolf he took for a servant lass

Great Andraste, what an ass!"

#my art #dragon age #dragon age origins #dao #Eleanor cousland #pov you are Bryce cousland and you done fucked up #careful for the cliffs good sir #I am thinking a lot about how cousland’s mom was just a pirate raider and that’s just normal #This is why Couslands are so badass thanks to her

[puffy-shirt]

The Couslands of Highever

From left to right:

Fergus, Eleanor, Mason, and Bryce Cousland

A family portrait of my Warden Mason's family taken when he was little. Something that was miraculously saved after Castle Cousland was sacked, now it hangs in the Royal Palace at Denerim.

I was trying to do something a little different and out of my comfort zone with this one! I worked on it on and off over a couple months and never really felt great about it but that is OK! I also wanted to redesign the Couslands with a more historical costuming... IDK how I feel that went for poor Bryce x'D

In the future I would like to do an accompanying piece of Mason's family with Anora.

Commission info

#dragon age #dragon age origins #dao #cousland #cousland family #dragon age oc #dragon age fanart #art #fanart #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #mason cousland #fergus cousland #digital art #painting #digital painting #reniassance #portriat #family portrait #roarts #my art #grey warden #da #da:o #historical

[laurelsofhighever]

Fandom: Dragon Age: Origins Characters/pairings: Alistair x Cousland Chapter: 3/? Rating: T Warnings: None Fic Summary: The story of the Fifth Blight, in a world where Alistair was raised to royalty instead of joining the Grey Wardens.

Read it on AO3

--

Cloudreach, 9:29 Dragon

The Couslands ate breakfast together every morning, by tradition. Compared to the dinners in the great hall it was an informal event taken in the library, at a round, walnut table draped with embroidered linen, with the morning light streaming through windows that looked north over the sea. After setting the places, the servants retreated to have their own meal, and, left to the privacy of each other’s company, the family helped each other to platters of eggs, cooked meat, and fruit. The dogs – Bryce’s Mallard and Rosslyn’s Cuno, still with the gangliness of puppyhood – also had their place, tucking into their own breakfasts on leather mats laid out to save the priceless Rivaini carpets from the ravages of slobber and grease.

If not for their grand surroundings, the Laurel motifs decorating the furniture and the rich weave of their clothes, they might have been any ordinary family, with ordinary squabbles. The battle on this particular morning raged around Oren, who had inherited the strong Cousland jaw and his mother’s onyx-dark eyes. He sat high in his cushioned chair, digging through his bowl of porridge for the dried apple slices hidden in its depths and ignoring the entreaties from both his parents to behave.

“I’m three-and-a-half,” he insisted, when Oriana dipped her own spoon into the bowl to try and coax at least one proper mouthful.

Across the table, Eleanor levelled a disapproving stare at her grandson. “When your father was three-and-a-half he knew the benefit of eating everything on his plate,” she told him. “How do you think he got to be so tall?”

Oren’s eyes went wide, turning on his mother. “Is it true?”

“Yes, pequeño,” Oriana replied, ever-patient. “We want you to grow big and strong.”

“And Aunt Rosslyn too?”

Rosslyn glanced up from her book. She had taken to bringing one to breakfast in recent months to keep her own company while the rest of the family got on with their business – there was no one else to talk to, after all, and if she kept herself occupied with such volumes as The Travels of Ebullient Ser Claremore of Stannis it distracted her from the reason why misery gnawed at her like a mouse, stopped her dwelling on the fact that it was her own bloody fault no letters had come from Denerim since the Landsmeet.

“All Couslands eat their porridge,” she replied mildly. “Haelia and Mather started the tradition when they drove the werewolves out of the North.”  

A white lie, but the renowned twins, heroes even among the famed and fabled ranks of Cousland ancestors, had held Oren’s imagination like little else could since he heard the story, the illuminations in the family book weaving him tales of wild chases through the forest and daring battles waged against fang and claw.

“I wish you wouldn’t read at the table,” her mother chided, as if she had only just noticed.

“Aldous wants me to broaden my horizons.”

Her father’s eyebrow lifted, amused. “I doubt Aldous meant for your studies to get in the way of your table manners, Pup.”

“It’s not like anyone’s here,” Rosslyn pointed out. “And besides –”

The door to the library opened, cutting off the rest of her protest to admit a human page in a woollen surcoat of deep Laurel blue.

“Calmett?” Bryce turned at the intrusion.

Calmett bowed. “Forgive me, Your Lordship, but a letter just arrived by courier. I thought you’d want to read it.” He offered over a square envelope of thick, cream-coloured paper on a silver tray and Rosslyn saw the flash of a scarlet seal on the back when her father took it.

“‘To His Lordship, Bryce Cousland’,” he read.

Fergus, who was closer, peered at the direction. “That’s rather formal for Alistair.”

The air squeezed from her lungs. She did not miss the curious glance her brother sent her across the table, nor how Oriana’s brow furrowed; it would be one thing for the king to write to the teyrn himself, formal and aloof, but Alistair knew them as well as family and had long since grown out of the shrinking need to call his foster-father by his title.

Cheeks warming, she dropped her gaze to her plate of half-eaten jam toast, though not quite fast enough to avoid catching her mother’s eye. It was a steady look, a shared confidence; it reminded her of the noble’s mask she had been taught, the blank face required to stare down your worst enemy and make them flinch first. She straightened her shoulders. As her father read the letter she watched with a face of mild, polite interest, taking in the downward pull of his brows as he went on, the way the corner of his mouth flattened into the greying edges of his beard.

“Well? What does it say?” Fergus asked.

Startled, Bryce looked up. “He’s being sent to Starkhaven. From Denerim. King Cailan wishes him to be an aide to the ambassador.”

Fergus clicked his tongue. “Surely Cailan would have allowed him to travel from Highever if he had asked.”

“It isn’t for you to second-guess the king,” Bryce chided, his voice unusually severe. “There might be any number of reasons why the ship left berth at Denerim.”

For a moment, the table stewed in the tension chafing between the teyrn and his eldest child, until Fergus turned his head away with a nod and a sigh and picked up his spoon again. Unnoticed by either of them, Rosslyn frowned at the paper in her father’s hands, the guilt that churned in her stomach for driving Alistair away aclash with a growing anger at his lack of loyalty, his cowardice. Ever since he had first gone to Denerim, no correspondence had ever come back to Highever without at least a small note addressed to her. Did he think no one would notice the change? Did he fear her so much, or put such value on his injured pride that he would shield himself behind the king’s will to neglect his duty to her family?

“May I see the letter?” she asked.

Her father gave her a long look, but passed it to her all the same, as gently as if the paper itself might bite. Curbing her annoyance, she unfolded it and scanned the lines. The unmistakeable scrawl that Aldous had tried so hard to smooth out in their lessons was unchanged, the words short, signed at the bottom with a formality out of place for the person she knew. Despite this, glimmers of humour shone through the stiff, careful style, pulling a traitorous twitch from her lips as she read:

Your Lordship –

I hope you’ll forgive me for bringing you this news in a letter instead of coming to tell you in person. King Cailan has requested that I go to Starkhaven to assist the ambassador there, and since he requires no delay, I’ll be sailing from Denerim as soon as the ship is loaded and the tide is with us. It’s likely I’ll pass by Highever at the same time this letter reaches you – just in case, I’ll wave from my cabin and keep my eyes towards the castle.

If all goes well and I don’t make a complete fool of myself stepping off the ship at journey’s end, it may be some time before I can return to Ferelden, and so this is – for now – a farewell. This is a great opportunity for me to ‘cut my diplomatic teeth’, as my brother keeps on telling me, but I could not leave without at least writing to thank you for everything you have done for me. Without your kindness I don’t know where I would have been by now, but it certainly wouldn’t be here, and I will be forever grateful for that. I hope in return I’ll be able to do you proud.

In my own hand,

Alistair Theirin

It took two days for a courier to take a message from Denerim along the coast, maybe less if the relay used good horses, but half a day less still to cover the distance by water. He would be out on the open sea by now, with Ferelden a smudge of green on a distant horizon.

Starkhaven. It was a place she knew by reputation and court gossip more than anything else. Nate had spoken of it well enough since leaving to become a squire to one of the knights there, and in his own quiet way had painted a picture of exotic markets and gilded palaces merry with the splash of fountains. At least he would be a familiar face to help Alistair orient himself, such a long way away from home.

She wished he had written to her.

#dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age: origins #alistair x warden #alistair x cousland #alistair theirin #warden cousland #cousland #rosslyn cousland #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #fergus cousland #oriana cousland #oren cousland #da:o #dragon age fic #dragon age fanfiction #my writing #as the world falls down #highever #cousland feels

[saltlordofold]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Duncan (Dragon Age), Male Cousland (Dragon Age), Bryce Cousland, Eleanor Cousland, Oriana Cousland, Oren Cousland, Original Characters, Alistair (Dragon Age) (brief appearance) Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Suicidal Thoughts, lore dump, Child death (mentioned), Animal Death (Fish), Highever (Dragon Age) Summary:

My telling of Duncan's brief's stay in Highever, and the bloody events that unfolded there.

“As a general rule, Duncan seldom allowed himself the complacency of optimism. Too much of it, life had taught him, often proved counterproductive: not unlike a healing salve, optimism had a tendency to dull the senses against incoming dangers. It lulled the unsuspecting mind into illusions of security, which in turn could fester into over-confidence - and over-confidence, in his line of work, had always proved to be risky business.

In Highever's great stone hall, however, bathed in the warmth of a dozen fires, with a full cup of wine in his hand as he stood watching three young couples’ hands be joined in marriage, Duncan searched his heart for at least a sliver of the perilous sentiment. On the eve of battle, he had decided, a morsel of hope was the most fitting gift he could think of offering the newlyweds.” 

(Read more)

I finally lore dumped about the Couslands and life in Highever right before, uh, you know what.

#dragon age #dao #dragon age origins #dragon age: origins #duncan #aedan cousland #cousland #male cousland #highever #oriana cousland #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #fic #salt’s writing

[dameaylins]

Lord Bryce Cousland, a decorated young military commander, joined the Bann’s fleet and led a contingent of soldiers from the deck of Eleanor’s ship, the Mistral. Bryce and Eleanor’s first meeting went so terribly that it was immortalized in the famous sea shanty called “The Soldier and the Seawolf”. Although Eleanor and Bryce initially came into to conflict with each other, the two worked well together. Together, Eleanor and Bryce destroyed a dozen warships in the Battle of Denerim Harbor, and the two soon became good friends. Shortly after the battle, Bryce Cousland’s father, Teyrn William Cousland, died of an illness, and as his only son, Bryce was forced to deliver the body from South Reach to Highever.  […]  It ultimately took Bryce four months to claim his seat as teyrn of Highever, and every day as he waited he sent a letter to Eleanor, some days Bryce even sent more than one. The two eventually met face to face once more at King Maric’s formal coronation in the capital. At the coronation, Bryce attempted to propose to Eleanor by singing all ten verses of the Soldier and the Seawolf, he only got to three when she accepted his proposal.

#daedit #daedits #dragon age #cousland #dragon age origins #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #eleanor mac eanraig #and they lived happily ever after and nothing bad ever happened to them after that #fonts are angel wish and ancient both on dafont

[illusivesoul]

Why Rendon Howe is evil

This is a little theory thats been going around in my head for several days.

Rendon Howe. Evil personified. Probably one of the most despicable and hated characters in the Dragon Age series. One of the characters thats most easily defined as being just plain bad and evil, with good reason. Even in the game itself no one likes him (with 1 exception that I'll mention later in this post)

In the game, we really aren't given many reasons as to why he is the way he is and why he does the thing he does beyond saying he's evil, power hungry, and like he himself says as he dies, "I deserved more!" But recently I started to become curious about him to try to find out what had made him become like this, cause I prefer villains to have some complexity that goes beyond just "He's evil just because".

Rest of the analysis under the cut.

.

My main theory of why I think Rendon became "evil" is cause he may have suffered brain damage due to his injuries while fighting against Orlais with Maric and his rebels. My first thought for this came cause historically, Henry the 8th of England suffered several brain injuries during sporting events, and its believed that his injuries led to him having a severe personality change, which led to him become more radical, tyrannical and murderous.

After the death of his father and the Howe family joining the rebellion, Rendon joined Maric's forces and became close friends with Bryce Cousland, future Teyrn of Highever, and Leonas Bryland, future Arl of South Reach. The 3 of them fought together in the Battle of White River, which was the worse defeat the rebels suffered in the war against Orlais, and only 50 of the initial thousand soldier strong fereldan army survived.

Rendon was very badly injured during the battle, and Bryce and Leonas had to dragged him away to safety as the rebel army was crushed by the orlesians. Bryce was injured in the arm while trying to save Rendon from a chevalier. They got Rendon to Redcliffe and stayed with him for a month while he recovered before leaving to rejoin Maric and the rest of the rebel forces. While Rendon recovered in Redcliffe, he was tended to by Leonas's sister, Eliane, until he eventually recovered months later. He eventually proposed to her and they got married.

And here is the first bit of evidence we get of Rendon's attitude and behaviour completely changing after that battle and his wounds. From the wiki: "Leonas had become concerned by the changes in his friend's behavior since the battle and attempted to prevent the marriage." And some other quotes from Leonas that we get to her in dao: "Rendon Howe was no friend of mine. The boy I knew... died at the Battle of White River" and "That he didn't die years ago is the only thing worth mourning here." Leonas cut all contact with Rendon after he told him that he was only marrying his sister for her dowry and connections.

This goes back to what I mentioned earlier about the one person that seemed to care for Rendon. That person is Bryce Cousland.

Bryce and Eleanor were the only people that attended Rendon and Eliane's wedding, and even though Rendon was treated as a pariah by almost everyone in fereldan nobility, Bryce still maintained a friendly relation with Rendon, and seemed to have an almost protective attitude towards him, which contrasts greatly with how Leonas feels about Rendon. And this is where I came up with another theory about why this is. I believe that Bryce feels personally responsible for the injuries and near death that Rendon suffered during the Battle of White River and feels that he is somehow obligated to look after him. I can only hc why these could be, but maybe Rendon got injured while protecting Bryce, or maybe Bryce's actions during the battle led to Rendon's injuries. Maybe that's why Bryce seems to have keep pushing for the friendship that he once had with him, even though he clearly no longer was the same person. Cause Bryce felt responsible for the way Rendon had turned out.

Its possible that Rendon was just always like this, and those months he spent recovering just made him become super resentful against everything and everyone, but I do believe that the near death injuries he suffered during that battle, including possible head injuries and brain trauma, led to his personality changing and to him becoming the sheer villain we see ingame.

And to finish, a bit of background as to why Rendon would have hated Bryce even despite of this, here's a bit of info about them and about the relation between Highever and Amaranthine.

Rendon's father, Tarleton, supported Orlais during their occupation of Ferelden, and was eventually hanged by the Couslands before the Howes officially joined the rebellion. Adding the fact that Highever was once part of Amaranthine before they rebelled to gain their independence and annexed a good part of southern Amaranthine after winning their independence war, it adds some context to how Rendon could have seen this part of his greater vengeance against the Couslands and Highever for killing his father and taking away land from Amaranthine.

TL,DR: Rendon Howe suffered grieveous injuries during the war against Orlais, including possible brain injuries which may have led to a complete personality shift and to him becoming the person that we see him being in the game.

#dragon age #dragon age meta #dragon age lore #rendon howe #illusivesoulrambles #nathaniel howe #delilah howe #couslands #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #ferelden #maric theirin #denerim #amaranthine #highever #the landsmeet #dragon age origins #dao #da:o

[heniareth]

I've played through the Cousland Origin and man.... Bryce and Eleanor Cousland saying goodbye made me tear up

#warden cousland #cousland #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #dao #dragon age

[transprincecaspian]

I’m chewing on so many thoughts for Naoise. One of my mutuals informed me that Eleanor Cousland has the sexiest backstory ever and intentionally kept it from her children so we don’t even get to KNOW in game that Cousland has a pirate grandpa and that Eleanor once pushed Bryce from a cliff because he mistook her for the help.

Naoise might not have grown up knowing this his mother “might have dallied as a battle maiden once”, and not the fact that she sailed up and down the Storm Coast to prohibit the feasibility of moving Orlesian soldiers into Ferelden, but he CERTAINLY resembles her in his looks and in his mannerisms that I think people who know her history do a double-take when they cross paths with him.

Eleanor and Bryce’s son? The youngest? The one who rarely left Highever and who reportedly is Eleanor’s spitting image in facade and spirit? Well, I do think I shall get right out of your way now, Ser…

Naoise is cunning and clever and wily, and everyone who says he doesn’t have any diplomacy or tact is wrong; he does, and he gets his way quite a lot, but he’s unafraid to ruffle feathers to do it. He’s not APPEASING, is the difference Arl Howe makes when he remarks on how fierce Bryce’s boy has become.

Naoise is the spoiled second child, quick to brattiness and indignation, and his stubbornness means that he refuses to yield when he doesn’t get his way—but is that such a bad thing, when you can read people like a book with a few quick quips? Sure, he might be annoying to travel with and hearing him bemoan the loss of his house can be tiresome (if sympathetic, as the grief is fresh), but it’s that same rigidity that pushes him on. If he desires his vengeance, he will receive it.

#this wasn’t meant to be so meta #but oops #I just love him and the Cousland background #I love fantasy politics #they’re so fun #give me more #ask me about my blorbos too #please please please #text post #casposting #dragon age #dragon age origins #Naoise Cousland #Eleanor Cousland #bryce cousland #Cousland origin #warden Cousland #dragon age origins cousland #Naoise meta #Cas meta

[slugandthorn]

Further Cousland propaganda for the Dragon Age Dad Poll, my old Cousland parent redesigns I'm never going to finish. Vote for Bryce Cousland comrades

#dragon age #bryce cousland #eleanor cousland #im so bad at campaigning but so desperate to win tumblr polls #does not go on my main blog because i am not finishing. captain #hope you enjoy the edits i made on my phone

[crossdressingdeath]

speaking of cousland, i read that eleanor complains about her daughter's training and how it will affect her marriage prospects but doesn't complain about her son training. this is coming from a woman who can fight, will fight, and will be offended if you say she shouldn't fight.

Only if you're playing a warrior, and it's not exactly? complaining? But she does make a snarky comment about her friend's handmaiden calling Lady Cousland pretty after she was out training and said handmaiden saw her all sweaty as if women who've been working out aren't the hottest thing imaginable. And you're right, it's infuriating that Eleanor, who was a goddamn pirate who took down an Orlesian warship at the age of fifteen and is pissed if you suggest she shouldn't fight to defend her home, grumbles about her daughter training to fight and talks about the "gentler arts" netting her a husband. Like, if your man doesn't love you for your piracy he doesn't deserve you, ma'am. And it doesn't make sense that anyone in Ferelden, which supposedly has gender equality, would be bewildered or upset by a woman who fights? But especially not Eleanor Cousland the former pirate.

#dragon age origins #eleanor cousland #asks #anon