#i romance anders and well... sebastian wants me to kill anders and my hawke is like 'do i approve of blowing up the chantry? complicated.' | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sweetmage · 1 year

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I was talking to my friend about DAI's treatment of Anders the other day and how it drives me INSANE. This game is SO cruel and uncharitable to him! Firstly, the only time we EVER see his manifesto in canon (as far as I know) is in the house of a crazed murderer with a pile of bodies in his basement. Every single mention is placing the blame firmly on his shoulders. I know some people subscribe to the "Varric is distancing himself from their actions for his/their safety" which I subscribe to as well simply for my own sanity, but it does sometimes become hard to swallow when it's been revealed that (assuming you romanced him) he knew where Hawke and Anders were the entire time yet he continues to let others trash Anders while he chimes, etc. And I DO understand and sympathize with Varric in a way, Kirkwall was his home and when the war broke out there was mass death and destruction and he had to leave. Anders did play a role in that, but he only sped up the process, he was not the root cause and they were heading that direction anyway. Also, he saw Meritdith's red lyrium nonsense firsthand, he saw the cruelty that preceded it, and everything she did aligned with what Anders was so concerned about. The Thedas-wide fighting is not "blondie's mess". I originally had my imported Hawke set to "supported Anders" but I had to change it to "didn't support Anders" in my next playthrough because the supportive Hawke straight up calls him a "monster" so I found the alternative to somehow be the lesser of two evils. In the end, I guess that's more accurate to my Hawke anyway because he was upset that Anders went behind his back and didn't tell him first, he would have liked the time to prepare for the aftermath and all that. But yeah, the "I don't know if there ever was an Anders" from a conflicted but still loyal Hawke is easier for me to roll my eyes and ignore than "he wasn't a hero or a monster, maybe he was both" from a supportive Hawke. But ugh, I digress... As for the other main characters, I do understand that none of them knew Anders personally, they only know him from the big action he took with the chantry and nothing more. So I think it makes sense that they don't necessarily have a favorable view of him, some of them seem rather confused if anything. Not to mention a lot of them did not personally endure the circumstances that led Anders to do what he did. But I really would have loved for there to be more NPCs that supported him, especially when DA2 introduced "The Resolutionists" who seem to align pretty damn well with Anders.

And we got a character that supported Loghain which is a 10+ year old topic but not a single one that supported Anders who seems to be a hot-button issue atm? At the very least, I wish there were at least some people that questioned the whole "Anders did this, this is all his fault" narrative (especially once DAI itself revealed that the war did not, in fact, start because of Anders) or at least SOME differing opinions on him?? As far as I can tell, the only person who has been remotely charitable to him is Solas in this conversation (the thing my friend sent me that got me talking about it):

And the only other mention I could find of people that may have supported him is in the Annexing Kirkwall wartable mission where Sebastian mentions "Anders's associates" who he believes might know where he is. But then again, this is coming from the man who wants to march on a city of innocents for to find a man who probably isn't even there so should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

FWIW I now play with the mod that makes Aiding Kirkwall trigger every time because it better aligns with my HCs for Seb and I will never in my life kill Anders so... I actually like Sebastian even though I don't agree with him most of the time. I get his immediate hurt and betrayal at the end of DA2 because he effectively lost his family again, but I'd like to after 3 whole years of being prince he'd have cooled down enough to uhhh... not march on a bunch of innocents??? Which seems very antithetical to his character and development in DA2?? Annexing Kirkwall is silly, so I do not see it. But I digress, this is an Anders post!!

Anyway, I know I am not saying anything that hasn't been said to death by this point. I love each and every DA companion in their own way, regardless of whether or not I agree with them. But I feel like this is less an issue with them and more an issue with how the writers chose to frame the narrative. I do have to wonder if the fact that so many people hated and were averse to Anders made them think that this is what the people wanted. I have quite a few issues with Anders's writing and handling in DA2 as well, don't get me wrong, but at the very least I enjoyed the ability to support him all the way through.

#jun rambles #probably a million typos in this thing sorry lol #anders #dragon age 2 #dragon age inquisition #these are just my personal opinions btw!#also as stated I love all DA character and I do not cosign any character bashing so please do not put that on my post #thanks <3

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vigilskeep · 1 year

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sorry if you've gotten an ask like this before, but imagine your hawke and warden (any of your choice) got flipped, how do you think they would get along w the companions from the other game? and in general how would they do and feel in the position of the hof/champion, hypothetically?

i just love hearing about your characters ngl i really want to put them in situations

LOVE asks like this pls put my guys in situations

keir as the hero of ferelden... i guess not totally unreasonable, he did fight at ostagar, duncan could’ve picked him up (read: pried him away from his family with the right of conscription.) he’d get along with alistair well enough, though it might take him a minute to warm up to him for near-templar reasons. wouldn’t get along too well with leliana or wynne, and wynne would leave the party after he defiled the sacred ashes, leliana only staying via an intimidation check which is a thing you can do if she’s hardened iirc. fuck the chantry he’s gotta get them reaver powers. not much patience for oghren. would do well with sten, shale, zevran. would kill loghain, no doubt abt that. and honestly, i’ve said before that they maybe had a thing in lothering, keir would romance morrigan and do the dark ritual with her (suddenly just realised the hilarious implication that kieran’s name is loosely inspired by keir possibly in the normal worldstate as well). keir would be fairly bitter about the whole thing and abt the wardens, and his priority would still be finding his family and (if only by virtue of stopping the blight) keeping them safe. he would put alistair on the throne alone, not hardened

it’s harder to see how minerva would become the champion, but if she wasn’t the hero i guess she could end up as an apostate and maybe wind up in kirkwall fleeing the blight like everyone else. if she had the relationship hawke has w varric they’d get along like a house on fire, i’m trying to find a normal way to say she loves when people are obsessed with her AGHASJSKSKK. i cannot imagine her talking to sebastian. minerva and aveline in a room would not go well. she would rival fenris but like still a close important relationship but that means even more tension. friendship with anders but she wouldn’t distract the grand cleric for him even if she would support him in the end; she doesn’t act if she doesn’t know what’s going on and she doesn’t appreciate being asked to let alone what she sees as the attempted emotional blackmail. easily friends with isabela and definitely sleeps with her regardless of romance choice, that happens in dao anyway lmao. friends with merrill, would be such an interesting way to explore minerva’s growing confidence in blood magic. i’m honestly undecided on romance—isabela hits a lot of the same beats as zev’s and thus makes sense for her to go for, merrill would be incredible for her as dalish love interest for minerva makes me insane conceptually let alone a fellow blood mage, fenris would be kind of an unhinged choice for, you know, noted blood mage, but also it’s a different flavour on fen rivalmance because of the shared heritage and i know she’d be into him and like... the drama of it all... anyway minerva would love gaining power in kirkwall as the champion and would lean ambitious, maybe even try for viscount even if it was impossible because of who she is. and in the last straw would be mad at anders for going behind her back—significantly more mad than she is in the canon situation where she is generally highly supportive, actually, because she was right here anders we could have fucking talked abt this and planned ahead—but she’ll support him when it comes to it and she’d never let anyone lay a hand on him

#keir hawke #minerva surana

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persephoneggsy · 1 year

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i found a neat template and wanted to fill it

(elaborations are below)

FIORA COUSLAND, Warden-Commander and Queen of Ferelden

Archer Rogue (bard+duelist); romanced Alistair

Saved the Circle of Magi

Convinced Zathrian to end the werewolf curse

Crowned Bhelen King and destroyed the Anvil

Made Alistair king (with herself as Queen)

Used the Dark Ritual

Main party members: Alistair (lover), Morrigan (best friend), Wynne (surrogate mom)

Will sometimes swap Morrigan for Shale or Oghren

MARIAN HAWKE, Champion and Viscountess of Kirkwall; Princess of Starkhaven

Mage (spirit healer); aggressive personality; romanced Sebastian

Killed the Arishok

Sided with the Templars

Killed Anders

Carver became a Grey Warden

Main party members: Sebastian (lover), Fenris (best friend), Merrill (lover’s best friend (it’s my headcanon leave me alone))

If Carver is available, he takes up the Warrior spot

HILDEGARDE TREVELYAN, Herald of Andraste and Inquisitor

Mage (rift mage); romanced Cullen

Brought the Templars into the Inquisition as full allies

Stroud was left in the Fade

Recruited the Grey Wardens

Celene remained Empress, reconciled with Briala

Drank from the Well of Sorrows instead of Morrigan

Main party members: Dorian (best friend), Iron Bull (best friend’s lover), Cole (sweet baby boy)

Vivienne swaps with Dorian fairly regularly

#my art #dragon age #i need a name for this worldstate......#fiora cousland #marian hawke #hildegarde trevelyan #if fiora's color was blue they'd straight up be the powerpuff girls :P #im just doing a full replay of the trilogy now #making my way through origins

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cyhaino · 10 months

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Dragon sage Romance Opinions

Alistair | I am not immune to cliches. The stupid rose got to me so yeah I romanced him. I only romance him as Amell so he gets the one playthrough sorry my dude

Leliana | what’s hotter than one bisexual? Two bisexuals! Anyways I love her I think her romance is well written and I love seeing her in inquisition

Morrigan | I’m very sorry but I’ve never romanced her because I’ve never played a male warden. I feel for her because people seem to forget her feelings on the dark ritual and the whole thing with her mom. I also like seeing her in inquisition for the most part.

Zevran | he’s sent to kill you of course I love him my current playthrough of the series I’m romancing him and I’m reminded of how much I love him. Also the fact that I can romance him as a dwarf? Thank you!

Anders | my mutuals love anders. I do not.

Fenris | no. I get the appeal but no.

Merrill | I romanced her once. It’s a very nice but bittersweet romance because of the whole her being dalish and hawke being human and feeling like she’s betraying her clan for pursuing this romance. I love her but all my Hawkes just end up being friends with her.

Sebastian | look I know not everyone likes him but I do and I’ve done one playthrough where I romance him also he’s definitely bisexual I don’t care what bioware says

Isabela | she is the love of my life she is my moon my sun the light that shines in the dark she’s done nothing wrong I would die for her I would kill for her fuck everyone else she is the best romance of all time I just want to see her again bioware stop whitewashing her and ahhhhh

Blackwall | I have no problems with women lying to me but a man lying to me??? No.

Cassandra | written for straight men would probably call me a slur

Cullen | written for straight women would call me a slur behind my back leliana should be able to kill him I played inquisition first and romanced him then went back to play origins and felt disgusted

Dorian | the one good gay romance in bioware

Iron Bull | love him I’ve wanted to romance a quanri and bioware delivered suffers from fandom brain rot though like this man is more than kinky sex he’s a complex character who depending on player choice can become a loyal friend or betray you

Josephine | deserves a fairytale romance and gets it for the most part bioware let me marry her please!!!

Sera | well I like her but romancing her as an elf is oh boy

Solas | see Blackwall

#about me

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goldenwanderer · 2 years

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Dragon Age Playthrough Generator

I recently decided to do a new playthrough of the Dragon Age series, but I didn't want to just play the same way I always do. So I decided to let the dice decide for me.

The results turned out interesting enough that I decided to create a Google Doc to help other people set up randomized playthroughs for themselves.

Basically, if you want to roll dice to determine what your playthrough will look like (gender, race, class, specializations, romance, party, decisions, etc.), then feel free to check out my document, and go nuts.

The Google Doc can be found here.

If you want to see my results, look under the read more. Otherwise, have fun!

Quick Example/My First Results

Warden: Female, Dalish Elf, Warrior (Weapon and Shield), Champion/Berserker/Spirit Warrior specializations, Trap-making skill, Alistair romance Main Party: Morrigan/Zevran/Wynne, Nathaniel/Sigrun/Velanna Main Decisions: Sided with the templars, Isolde sacrificed herself, Defiled the ashes, Cured the werewolves, Harrowmont rules Orzammar, Caridin destroyed the anvil, Killed Loghain, Anora and Alistair rule jointly, Agreed to the Dark Ritual, Saved Vigil's Keep, Spared the Architect

Hawke: Female, Aggressive, Mage (Elemental/Entropy), Spirit Healer specialization, Anders romance Main Party: Fenris/Sebastian/Isabela Main Decisions: Dueled the Arishok, Sided with the templars, Executed Anders

Inquisitor: Female, Qunari, Mage (Storm), Rift Mage specialization, Sera romance Main Party: Iron Bull/Varric/Cassandra Main Decisions: Conscripted the templars, Stroud left in the Fade, Allied with the Wardens, Celene rules alone, Inquisitor drank from the Well, Leliana becomes Divine, Disbanded the Inquisition, Swore to stop Solas

I ended up with a pro-templar run, pretty much all the way through. I also ended up with two romances I've never done (Anders and Sera) and one that I don't usually go for (Alistair).

The Warden and Hawke are going to have really bad romantic lives, by the looks of it (Alistair gets hooked up with Anora, and Hawke kills Anders). At least the Inquisitor should be okay.

Keeping Wynne onside will be tricky. I'll have to do the Redcliffe/Sacred Ashes quests before Broken Circle, or else she'll leave my party, and I can't have that.

#dragon age #dragon age origins #dragon age 2 #dragon age inquisition #gw.text #gw.all #this is just for fun #might do a mass effect one in the future #who knows?

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potatowitch · 3 years

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Sebastian for the character ask :)

Hoo boy asking the real questions here, yikes

How I feel about this character

I don't like him. I can see why people do - I appreciate that he seems to find my purple Hawke's atrocious jokes funny - but he irks me in so many ways. I've talked a little about how some of his conversations about Andrastianism with Fenris just feel off to me, and every time the "we should draw lots on who gets to turn the mages in to the Templars!" banter comes up I am UNCOMFY. I get the same reaction when he tries to tell Anders that "I, too, have been oppressed! None of us have choices!" like bro ... bro. Not the same fucking thing, bro.

And don't get me started on him getting pissed off when I don't execute Anders, acting like Elthina was some kind of damn saint when she was awful and manipulative and abused her position of power, then showing his ass when he straight up invades Kirkwall even though he knows full well neither Anders or Hawke is in the city. Bro! Buddy! My guy! What are you doing?

Just ... ugh. I don't know. The man rubs me the wrong way. His accent is kinda sexy though.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I mean, a Chantry-positive Hawke? Or one who wants to help him get away from the Chantry and back into politics? It would be nice for someone to point out that Elthina is manipulating him and support him through that (because she is manipulating him. She doesn't care about him and that is kinda tragic, because he cares about her so much).

I do kinda love male Hawkes who have a crush on a very oblivious Sebastian tho. That's a dynamic that makes me giggle.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I honestly don't know?

My unpopular opinion about this character

...all of the above? I also don't think he's super prudish - man used to get around, just because he can't fuck anymore doesn't mean he's against other people fucking.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Character hate on main but I wish there was an option to kill him during The Last Straw if you're siding with Anders. Seb straight up says "if you don't kill him now, I'm coming after him to finish the job" and like?? Tell me why a Hawke who is a) romancing Anders or b) close friends with him just lets someone go after he threatens to kill their lover/friend? You can kill everyone else but Varric by the endgame but not Sebastian? Bioware????

(send me a character breakdown!)

#character breakdown #ask game #sebastian critical #don't @ me abt this lmao i am Tired

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tabriscadash · 3 years

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I was asked this on my old blog right as I set about transitioning to this one, so...

The first character I ever fell in love with: for DA:O, dare I say Daveth? What can I say -- I irrationally got incredibly attached to him. otherwise, DEFINITELY Morrigan, and I have crystal clear memories of my first run through Lothering and looking at Morrigan like 😍 the whole time. For DA:2/E, Carver -- unless you count Anders & Justice since I knew of them from Awakening beforehand, in which case probably Justice. For DA:I, it’s a toss-up between Vivienne or Cole -- I technically liked Cole first but SPECIFICALLY in the supporting material (Asunder), and didn’t vibe with him anywhere near as much in the game, AND I got him as a companion after I got Vivienne, so probably Vivienne.

A character that I used to love/like, but now do not: for DA:O, I guess Oghren? I never loved him, but I liked the idea of him because I really liked the dwarves/Orzammar side of DA’s worldbuilding -- but he’s such an unlikeable character that I just.. don’t vibe with him at all. I debate recruiting him every single time now, and I don’t think I ever do his personal quest (in the base game OR Awakening). for DA:2/E, I don’t really have anyone that fits -- but I REALLY wanted to like Merrill and Aveline more than I did, and especially in Aveline’s case, I can’t stand her and genuinely think she’s the unintended, secret Big Bad of the whole game. for DA:I, probably Cole, bc I was really into the idea of a little walking-corpse serial killer animated by a spirit as per the book, but that’s not really the vibe in DA:I, and combined with the somewhat patronising/ableist language and how significantly he is infantilised (including by the fandom) I just got put off him. I do still like him, but not as much.

A ship that I used to love/like, but now do not: for DA:O, I don’t really have one? I guess see my DA:I answer, lol... for DA:2/E, has to be Anders - I don’t think he’s OOC in 2, but I think his writing does so little with him and he feels v. reductive. Where his relationship could be SO interesting and angsty, it instead is written in a really dull and/or cringey way. It would have been nice to see Anders more like the Anders of Awakening near the beginning of the game (rather than random, infrequent and questionably rare snippets), and then see the progression of his relationship with Justice as the game went on -- I want more interesting abominations, PLEASE. for DA:I, listen I cannot express to you HOW EXCITED I was for my planned Lavellan to romance Sera… also I used to be way more tolerant of Cullen x Amell/Surana ships because, like, hey dark ships are fun, right? But since Cullen’s ~wholesome whitewash~ in DA:I, and his fandom clamouring to absolve him of any wrongdoing ever.. it’s boring to me.

My ultimate favourite character™: for DA:O, probably Sten? or Morrigan. They’re both fantastic, and also are significant comfort chars for me. for DA:2/3, honestly, probably my own Hawke -- I feel so hugely proud of her, and can’t imagine I’d enjoy the game anywhere near as much had I not played it as my Hawke. If not her, maybe Sebastian or Carver? for DA:I, I really love Vivienne, as well as Blackwall, and Solas is a great character even if I probably would not say I liked him.

Prettiest character: for DA:O, we all know it’s Zevran. for DA:2/E, I think Aveline -- although her aggressively bland colour-scheme lets her down in a major way (although I respect her dedication to all orange all day every day). There’s just something about her arms -- very Abby from TLOU:2. for DA:I, maybe Josephine? Ser Barris is very pretty, too...

My most hated character: for DA:O, I really didn’t like Alistair, Wynne and Oghren, and of my companions - Oghren is probably my least favourite. He’s vulgar and also profoundly uninteresting. for DA:2/E, it has to be Aveline. There’s just something about ineptitude and a complete, wilful refusal to take accountability for your actions that I can’t stand. It would be okay if it was an intentional character flaw, but the game/narrative treats her like she’s lawful good and it really annoys me. for DA:I, maybe Iron Bull? He was a huge disappointment for me. I also really dislike Sera, Cassandra, and Varric. I’m so sick of Varric - I never want to see him again.

My OTP: for DA:O, I really loved Zevran’s romance -- but I am also very amused by the fact that Leliana got to ‘love’ status with Kallian accidentally, AND I got the ‘love’ glitch for Justice (👀) and Velanna. I do sometimes wonder about an AU where Kallian is forced to make a politically expedient marriage with Nathaniel Howe for diplomatic reasons in order to consolidate her position as Arlessa, and it being an entirely platonic arrangement (it’s not like anyone expects an heir from an infertile Grey Warden) -- and maybe Zev and Nate kiss sometimes, who knows? I also LOVE my Darkspawn Chronicles AU where Kallian and Nelaros are a happy, married couple each hiding their skills with weapons from each other like dumb, cute sweethearts. They shelter Zevran when he fails to kill Alistair and a poly couple evolves. for DA:2/E, I love the IDEA of a Seb romance that isn’t so strictly conditional around the structures that abused him -- he should be allowed to love, chastely or otherwise, but free from the Chantry OR his position as prince/heir. I’d LOVE to actually have a romance with him where you can actually challenge the abuse he’s experienced. for DA:I, Malika doesn’t have a canon romance (although I think when I replay, I’m going to romance Josephine!) but I think Blackwall has an amazing romance. Solas’ is also iconic, it must be said.

My NOTP: for DA:O, I really dislike Alistair in a shipping capacity; he’s immature and says a lot of misogynistic shit and I don’t think he’s the worst for it, but I don’t really vibe with shipping him, having played the game as a female city elf. for DA:2/E, I wouldn’t say I have one, particularly? although I really dislike Aveline’s relationship with her husband simply because it seems incredibly inappropriate, given that they work together and she has power over him -- and because I dislike her, generally, I don’t feel inclined to do something nice for her. for DA:I, I suppose Sera/Lavellan -- although I’m not AGAINST it, it just really isn’t for me, having attempted it. I also don’t really vibe with Dorian x Iron Bull. Something abt the way the game handled BDSM and their relationship banter specifically I don’t really like.

Favourite episode quest: for DA:O, probs Orzammar/the Deep Roads. I really love the dwarven lore! and, of course, Fort Drakon is really funny, even though it’s not canon in my game iirc. for DA:2/E, maybe the murder mystery with the serial killer, where ultimately Leandra dies? I also really enjoyed all the companion quests. for DA:I, The Descent (just, all of it, lmao) and everything to do with the Avvar. Crestwood also BANGED.

Saddest death: for DA:O, it’s frankly a fucking INJUSTICE that Shianni gets murdered if you make her Bann of the Alienage -- the idea of that happening whilst Kallian is in Amaranthine and unable to protect her :( genuinely very upsetting. I go back and forth on who is made Bann, tbf, so idk how canonical it is: I think maybe Cyrion would get it, but I’m also endeared to Soris holding the position, with Shianni as Hahren. for DA:2/E, Bethany. I wish both twins had had the chance to reach Kirkwall :(. Let Leandra die instead. for DA:I, maybe not the saddest death, but the most memorable for me was that one sleeping dragon in the Hissing Wastes.. leave her alone. Stay out of a womans’ business.

Favourite season game: DA:O!

Least favourite season game: DA:I.

Character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but I hate: for DA:O, Alistair. I cannot deal with his complacency and hypocrisy. for DA:2, I really disliked Merrill but I honestly cannot remember why. DEFINITELY Varric -- I hated how the game forces you to be his best friend, and if you’re low approval, you have to endure these pointless pissy little comments with this little anti-dwarf centrist pissant. After the expedition, I literally have no reason to put up with him, and I NEVER take him out. I hate that he plays the same role in DA:I, too. for DA:I, the Iron Bull was hugely disappointing, and I also really don’t vibe with Cassandra. She just seems very wishy-washy and complacent and hypocritical, and many of her comments about other cultures seem snide for literally no reason other than bigotry.

My ‘you’re a piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: for DA:O, lbr probably Sten. Mans is gonna launch a HORRIFYING invasion in the next game iirc and frankly, I’m ok with it. Just wanna see that big bastard again ❤🥵. for DA:2/E, I LOVE Gamlen, ok? for DA:I, I am not sure if I have one.

My ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: for DA:O, if any of you so much as LOOK at Velanna wrong, it’s hands. That includes Bioware. I also feel incredibly protective of and sad for Morrigan. for DA:2/E, probably Sebastian -- I feel so sad for him, and so frustrated by the limitations with the game. for DA:I, I’m honestly not sure.. maybe Josephine? I don’t really feel this way about Sera, but I do think she deserves better from the game and its writing, and also from fandom: there are valid criticisms of her, but the hate she gets is not proportional to any valid issues with her -- and gee, I wonder why that is.

My ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: for DA:O, I did use to find Cullen x Surana/Amell intriguing as a dark ship -- I actually hc that Neria Surana is actually Nelaros’ sister, and have dabbled with it as a dark ship. I also am interested in Loghain/Alistair - which each pretends the other is someone else. Alistair is wooby, hate ships are, in general, fun -- so long as we acknowledge that they are, indeed, unhealthy ships. for DA:2/E, I kind of feel like Sebastian romances are, invariably, kind of dark... and, similarly, Anders romances -- especially with certain red Hawkes, The way it ends is, invariably, bordering on fucked up. ALSO Hawkecest is weird and wonderful: GET WITH IT.

My ‘they’re kind of cute, and I lowkey ship them, but I’m not too invested’ ship: for DA:O, I joked about Velanna x Leliana once and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it ever since… Velanna x Sigrun is also something that can be so personal. Ariane x Finn is adorable and are paid DUST by Bioware AND fandom. I actually am really into Anora x Nathaniel & NO I will NOT explain myself; it’s a crackship but it’s MY crackship. for DA:2/E, Isabela x Fenris is super cute, but I don’t pay enough attention to them to really have super committed thoughts & feelings on them. for DA:I, Blackwall x Josephine is cute as a background ship; I also think Maryden x Cole is sweet.

#meta #mun

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squeaksquawks · 3 years

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tell a lil bit more about your Hawke and your Inquisitor 👀👀

HELL YEAH LET'S GOOOO

I kind of uhhhhhhhh went WILD and wrote POSSIBLY TOO MUCH so!

Athena Hawke entered Kirkwall as a cheeky but kind like 20 year old and left Kirkwall as a shell of a person HAHA. She's a warrior, so she had Bethany by her side and they were INCREDIBLY close, so taking her to the Deep Roads and making her a warden (a choice she made in a panic without thinking of what Bethany wanted) genuinely haunted/still haunts her.

She has the...worst case of RBF and people avoid her on the street when in reality mentally she's like "What should I get for dinner. Chicken? No. I had that for lunch." and Varric absolutely ribs on her for it and calls her some variation of grouch/grouchy which she HATES.

She romanced Fenris and it was very much a love at first sight of seeing a mans heart torn out of his chest while Bethany was in the background like "Athena. No. NO." She tried really hard to be Cool About It but it just lead to her like, glaring at Fenris a lot and him being like "...?" because, again, horrible case of RBF. When he left in Act 2 she was like "of course, take all the time you need." and then burst into The Hanged Man 20 minutes later like "VARRRICCCCCCCCCCC" in like, TEARS LMAOOOO. Eventually she and Fenris settle down and she finds a lot of comfort in how blunt he is, and I like to think he finds comfort in the fact that she tries to stay kind despite her life circumstances.

She loves Varric, adores Merrill, and would (and literally nearly did) die for Isabela. She and Anders are very co-workers esque and she thinks Sebastian's a drag HAHA

Athena's big thing is that she thinks Literally Everything is her fault and she could have, should have, done better. It informs a lot of her choices and obviously does not lead to the healthiest of mindsets. She also resents the fuck out of being The Champion because she resents that all of a sudden she is in charge of things and how did this HAPPEN (a common thread in my protags in different ways LMAOOO)

I think post Kirkwall she and Fenris shack up for a minute before they get back out there. I like to think all my protags take vacations after their games LMAOO THEY DESERVE IT. She also cuts her hair because it makes her think of her mom and is still keeping it short by the time Inquisition happens.

By the time Inquisition happens, because I love spice and sadness, she and Fenris are not necessarily broken up but they are a bit strained because of Hawke's tendency to throw herself into things even when they could be deadly, which Fenris would Prefer She Stop Doing.

Also, lil fun fact - Athena has a lot of patience and tries to stick to "no unnecessary murdering" until she snaps and goes wild. She IS a reaver, so. Circe........I do not have favorites, but, hypothetically, if I did, Circe Lavellan may possibly be my favorite.

She has the strongest personality out of her, Hera and Athena which was REAL FUN. She DOES NOT WANT TO BE INQUISITOR which is a very fun journey because by the time Samson tells her something isn't her business, I got really into playing as her and OUT LOUD, IN DISCORD, AS HER, I said "I am the INQUISITOR. EVERYTHING IS MY BUSINESS." When anyone would ask her if she thought she was the herald/believed in Andraste she HARDCORE AVOIDED THE QUESTION, just like she hardcore avoided questions about her intentions for the inquisiton after corypheus. (she did not know and she very much was like "we should be focusing on SAVING THE WORLD FIRST, HOW IS THAT NOT YOUR FIRST PRIORITY)

Circe was..............very popular. The way Cullen was animated made it seem like he had a GIANT CRUSH ON HER which my entire discord had a field day with, because for Circe humans are Always On Strike Two. (at some point there was a scene happening and Circe left the room and Cullen watched and my friend went "I THINK HE JUST CHECKED OUT HER ASS I AM NOT KIDDING") This became funnier when Cullen's plan was what ultimately saved Clan Lavellan because she very much was like "I owe this human man a life debt. I hate it here." Solas took her on that whole fade date and she was like "ahaha yes, FRIEND, FRIEND WHOSE FRIENDSHIP I VALUE," and she and Blackwall had a whole Flirty Thing going on until Bull showed up, which really tells you about what Circe's tastes are LMAOOO.

Circe and Bull are..............they...........mean so much to me..........They very much have a murder pact ("If I go mad"/"If I become an abomination") that they openly joke about to horrify people but ultimately would not if possible/would be in great pain if they had to go through with it! Which is fun! Circe would find comfort in Bull being like, a Thoughts Free Zone for a bit and then she'd be like Unfortunately I Now Have Feelings For This Man. She'd be very embarrassed about it all until she finally fessed up and then they'd be DISGUSTING TOGETHER LMAOOOOO. Just UNBEARABLY CORNY. Also, Circe would absolutely let Bull throw her in battle, and since she's a Knight Enchanter it's all very fun and chaotic.

Side note: Cole is absolutely a little brother to her, she dotes on him like crazy and adores being with him. She gets very defensive of him and spends a good chunk of her free time with him, especially after he becomes human and she can track him down more easily

Circe also would become more and more anxious of losing her personhood, of everything she's done be for nothing, of being remembered as a concept and not a living breathing thing - i'm talking like full on panic attacks, unable to sleep, having to be calmed down about it. - ESPECIALLY after Ameridan. She tries to (somewhat) prioritize joy after that, finally visits Clan Lavellan after avoiding them for literal years (I played Descent and Hakkon after the main game to give the game a better sense of time passing before Tresspasser), ect.

By Tresspasser she is Fed Up, not sleeping, not eating, and also her arm is doing That Whole Thing concerning the fuck out of Bull LMAOOO. The ongoing joke was that Bull had DEFINITELY suggested cutting her arm off at multiple points in time, and when it actually happened it felt very monkey's paw HAHA. She definitely freaks out on Solas and is like oh I gotta KILL THIS GUY!! Also, because it feels relevant, she DID NOT LIKE MORRIGAN and drank from the well.

Also! Playlists. Everyone has a playlist! I use these while drawing to get me in the mindset so they're not in chronological order but here's Hawkes, Circes, and Heras which is the most work in progress since I just finished Origins and need to.....maybe take out the MULTIPLE songs about dying HAHAHA

EDIT: also because I played the games out of order and used the default world states for 2 and inquisition due to some Choices I made during Origins Circe is uhhhhhhh going to have either Fenris try to kill her or Hera and THAT'S GONNA BE FUN FOR HER

#I feel like I'm pulling my wallet out and showing you pictures of my kids while I talk about why they should be in therapy #athena hawke #circe lavellan #ask #not art

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shutupaboutandraste · 3 years

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helloooo i know nothing abt ur ocs so go ahead and tell me everything u want ppl to know abt them! also, what’s are their favorite colors?

🤩

Ahhhh thank you for the ask!! I'm gonna go for the ones I have the most fleshed out bc I have... way more than I should.

Got really long so, under the cut!

Wardens

Isadora Cousland - 7ft. Tall Warden-Queen. Alistair romance. Relies heavily on intimidation, especially with people she doesn't like, but is overall a good person. Once broke Thomas Howe's nose for calling her "Her father's half-qun bastard"-- proceeded to become fascinated with the Qunari and solidified her becoming a warrior. Tends to rush into things without a plan. Radically pro-elf and pro-mage. I made up a whole religion based on what we know of Avaar's religion and some irl Celtic inspired mythos for her bc I couldn't see her being fully agnostic but she can't stand the Chantry. Oghren taught her how to be a berserker. Sten and her are platonic kadans. Her favorite color is dark blue!

Michai Surana- As feral as Isadora, but keeps it more or less contained-- very good at The Game and knowing when to speak to his advantage. Incredibly intelligent and gets frustrated if he's outsmarted. Did call Cailin a shem to his face though. Alistair romance (he was my first bi mod) and helps his dear King in court. I have a whole tragic backstory about his first romantic relationship with Cullen that ended in tragedy (bc of the Kinloch stuff). In response, he decided to become everything Cullen would hate-- he outsmarts the desire demon and becomes a blood mage and then studies as an arcane warrior. Extremely close with Anders. Kieran is his son and he and Morrigan are actually very good friends who judge people together. His favorite color is goldenrod.

Jacobi Amell - Extremely shy and soft spoken spirit healer. Considers himself Wynne's apprentice. Immensely kind and empathic, cries easily when something is emotionally moving. Alistair and him are platonic soul mates. They are every bro meme. They are ride or die. Zevran marries Jacobi and basically gets Alistair as an eternal third wheel. Keeps Alistair a Warden and chooses to trust Anora. His favorite color is purple.

Hawkes

Garrett Hawke - Is Garrett really an OC? I feel like the standard purple mage Hawke is kind of his own character but he is a Fenris-mancer Force mage. Carver becomes a Grey Warden (and Isadora's right hand man!) and, while he sends Anders away, he spares him. Grows to regret that as Anders was part of his found family. His favorite color is also purple, based on his personality!

Ash Hawke - Oh Ash. Ash is non-binary mage who is starts purple but has an easy to switch to red temper. They are a force mage mainly. They were super close with Carver growing up and is fiercely protective of him. After they encounter Corypheous, they decide to leave Carver behind when they go to the Deeproads. Rivals Aveline as they blame her for Carver signing up with the Templars bc of her actions that barred him from the guard. Romances Fenris at first, but doesn't wait for him as they're not that kind of person. Ends up romancing Anders and approves of the Chantry explosion. Later, Fenhanders gets together around Post-Inquistion Era. Their favorite color is red.

Aurora Hawke - So. I tend to favor purple mage Hawke and Aurora is no different. Aurora is very good at pretending to be a proper lady like Leandra wants, but she's extremely raunchy and loud with her friends. Somehow, Sebastian falls for this-- though, they are a rivalmance that gets broken when Aurora spares Anders. Another Templar Carver timeline and you can see this and her featured in my fic Winter Rains if you like Canders. She does get left in the Fade. Her favorite color is a fiery orange.

Aingheal Hawke - I'm including her bc while she's less fleshed out, she's my warrior Hawke. Fiercely protective of her sister Bethany who ends up in the circle as well as her wife Merrill. While she sides with the mages, she kills Anders in an effort to keep them safe which... like none of my other Hawkes do. Her favorite color is black.

Inquisitors

Shiva Cadash - From hardened killer to long suffering mom friend. Dwarf dual-wielding rogue. Shiva was trained to be an assassin from birth and doesn't know how to really relate to people at first. Varric especially helps her learn to be a person. She grows close with Cole, Dorian, Varric, and Bull but Vivienne becomes like a sister to her, with Vivienne buying Shiva her first dress something she never had before. Vivienne does end up becoming Divine. At first she has a strange relationship with Solas who isn't interested in her that way and eventually she pulls away as she catches on to his "even though you're a dwarf" attitude towards her. To both her surprise and his, she and Blackwall fall in love. Her favorite color is emerald green.

Asaara Adaar - Asaara lies about his origin, honestly. While he is Tal-Voshoth, his Tamarassan discovered he was a sarebaas at a very young age. She steals him and another imekari who was always protective of him away and names them Asaara and Arug (Arug is actually my friend's Inquisitor!). She marries another Tal-Voshoth who becomes their father. Is smart and hates being considered stupid and will verbally rip people a new one. Everything about Asaara's story tends to be about first impressions vs reality. On principle, he likes Solas and despises Cullen when they first meet. Iron Bull and him don't exactly get along at first. Dorian and him get off on a rocky start being a Qunari and a Tevinter. So on and so forth. But as he gets to know everyone and see their true colors, his opinions change and he even falls in love with Dorian. His favorite colors are turquoise and mauve.

#ask #the warden #hawke #the inquisitor #isadora cousland #michai surana #jacobi amell #garrett hawke #ash hawke #aurora hawke #aingheal hawke #shiva cadash #asaara adaar

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stop-breaking-my-heart-dragonage · 1 month

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Are there any companions you can't stand?

I wouldn't say I have any that I can't stand. Something that's so engaging to me about DA is that the companions have good, bad, and a lot in between. Honestly, I don't hate any of them. There are companions that I have more issues with than others, but I like them all; even, and sometimes especially, the ones that tend to be heavily hated on by the fandom.

The only companion that might fall into this category for me is Sebastian, but I totally acknowledge that I've yet to make an effort to use him when I play DA2. I legit just forget about him. How am I supposed to have a good grasp of his character when I don't engage with him outside of his companion quests? Plus I usually romance Anders so Sebastian always leaves my party in the end with threats of bringing an army down on Kirkwall for not killing Anders, soooo... yeah. Not the greatest impression he's left me with.

I would like to have a more well-rounded opinion of Sebastian because the concept of him is interesting; he's this chantry brother who is also a prince, but his family was murdered so he puts up a bounty on the chantry board [which admittedly is SO funny] and his companion quests are about avenging his family and helping him decide if he should take back his lands or remain a chantry brother. But then I talk to him, I listen to him talk to the other companions, and it's like... oh, the chantry has become his entire personality because the dude was brainwashed and now he's saying shit like the maker was actually the one who freed Fenris from slavery, and when Fenris tells him a story about how Denarius killed a child in a ritual for more power, Sebastian just doubles down that the maker has his reasons, like....babe, c'mon now.

I feel like I've read pieces about him written by fans who love him that are more compellingly written than he is, if that makes sense. Really, I would love to be educated by those who love him, especially Sebastian romancers because of all the love interests in all of DA, he's the one I look at and go, "....okay but why?" I have a lot of fun with character discussions and other perspectives so I mean that sincerely.

Also I think it's worth noting that when I play, I tend to get super into the roleplay of my warden/hawke/inquisitor, but while they have party members they can't stand, I have opinions that are separate from them, y'know?

For example, since I've talked about it a lot recently, my mage Hawke and Aveline butt heads constantly. By the end of Act 3, they're rivalry is heated and Ed's surprised Aveline even sided with him in the end because THAT is how much their relationship deteriorated over the course of the game... but then there's my warrior Hawke who adored Aveline. The two of them were best friends and Aris always gave her the benefit of the doubt, like she had Aveline's back through and through.

I've complained about Aveline a lot in my posts so it probably does sound like I can't stand her, but that's not true. Aveline's actually a companion that fascinates me, like she makes me go, "God, you're such an asshole, tell me more right now." and it drives me crazy how she and Carver are foils, like I love it so much, I could go on and on about how foiled they are, it makes me want to bite something.

It's very easy to look at Aveline and think she's just a bitch, she's a cop, she's a bad character, #Aveline-critical, bad companion, etc. I see it all the time, and not just with her, but with every companion in dragon age, y'know? I'm not saying that's wrong or anything; some characters just don't vibe with you or you have legit reasons for hating them and that's fine. I'm just saying some of it's very surface level unless you make the effort to elaborate.

If you don't like a character, you're less likely to make an effort to understand or see anything positive about them. You're more likely to have confirmation bias, so whenever they do or say anything, you go looking for the worst interpretation. I try not to do this just because for me, that's the "boring" approach to games like this but as we've seen, I'm not immune either... y'know, Sebastian.

But Carver gets this a lot, too, and I think I've made myself clear that Carver is my favorite, I love him, the Hawke twins are S-tier companions and I would throw everyone in Kirkwall into the ocean if it meant Bethany and Carver's happiness.

Now that I'm thinking about it, the characters a lot of fans can't stand are some of my favorites?

Like a lot of people shit on Sera, and I'm like "Nah, that's my girl! Listen, she's got a LOT of internalized issues, but we're working through them okay! She's getting better!"

And Vivienne? Oh, don't get me started on Vivienne, I have a whole deal about her. She's also an asshole and I love her.

My canon inquisitor is Surana who escaped the circle and joined the dalish, becoming Lavellan. Vivienne is a reflection of what Ash could've been if she hadn't run away with Jowan. She played the game of the circle, she stepped wherever she needed to step because Ash knew she was at a disadvantage by being an elf, for one, and for two, not coming from a family with wealth that would give her special privileges. Her downfall was buying into her own hype and believing she couldn't be wrong about Jowan, believing that she could either prevent them from making him tranquil or help him and Lily run away, and believing she was above punishment because she worked her way into being Irving's favorite. Yet it all bit her in the ass and she had to run… so then years later after living outside of the circle and realizing just what the chantry is, how it conditions and abuses mages and shit, she meets Vivienne who also played the game well and came out on top, who now spouts the same shit Ash used to spout and it's makes their dynamic sooo chewable.

Then there's Cullen who's not a companion but I lump him and Josephine in with the companions anyway. They're advisors, they're in the inner circle, they count.

He's such a spineless ass in DA2 like believe me, I get all the criticisms he gets... but he's also fairly polite to Hawke even if they're openly anti-templar, he's softer spoken, and he's unwell after what happened to him in DAO and Meredith's clearly taking advantage of his state... but then he becomes an advisor in DAI who is so done with people's bullshit and blatantly honest about it, like he looks at Chancellor Roderick like "this fucking guy again" and he's so ready to just go for it, y'know? Well... unless you're a pretty lady who bats her eyes at him, then suddenly he doesn't know how words work. Like sometimes I feel crazy because I find him to be so funny in DAI, and overall a compelling character that I enjoy interacting with even when he's being a total asshole. Yeah, there's issues in his writing but I appreciate the vision the writers were going for, even if they stumbled... except for Sheryl Chee, I don't appreciate her contribution of those few posts on the DA forums that everyone uses as a smoking gun to "prove" awful things about him. Nothing gets under my skin more in character discussions than bad faith arguments and there's so much of that when it comes to Cullen.

Actually, while we're on that, can I just add a note that when I first got into this fandom, I saw someone's post about Chee doing an interview where she said all those bad things about Cullen wanting to assault the mage warden and I was like, "What? An interview? What interview?? Where??" and I couldn't find shit until much later when I read another anti-Cullen post that cited a DA forum as the source for her saying those things... so not an interview. I went digging for the forum, went into the way back machine to find it.... only to discover that this smoking gun comes from a fanfiction forum where Mary Kirby was also talking about Sten and catgirls and y'all expect me to take that seriously?

We can have discussions about whether or not Cullen's a bad person or a bad character, but the moment you bring Sheryl Chee into it, I know you're here in bad faith and your argument is void.

Sorry for the tangent and the long answer but this is the stuff I enjoy. I could talk about the characters of DA for ages unprompted that when someone does throw me a bone, I will discuss and gush about them all.

#asks #dragon age #dao #da2 #dai #sebastian vael #aveline vallen #carver hawke #dai sera #cullen rutherford #vivienne de fer #i have to stop myself before i go on tangents about morrigan and wynne and anders and isabela and merrill and dorian and varric and-#literally everyone sksksks i can't help it #also on the flip side of this type of discussion i also love looking at characters that most people adore and discussing their flaws #like i love alistair he's my favorite companion in dao BUT it's easy to forgot that he can be just as petty and selfish too y'know?#if you don't execute loghain he can straight up just abandon you and leave and you'll find him in da2 as a drunk like... babe really left #and let you deal with the blight because he was so blinded by revenge and thirst for loghain's death and that's not great??#not really something that gets brought up because it's unflattering it's an ugly part of his character but it's there mingling with the goo #and if you have a good relationship with him but don't know how he'll react when you spare loghain that can be devastating too #but it's also super understandable WHY he reacts like that WHY he leaves even if it's a selfish move on his part and hurts you #i dunno i think sometimes we're scared to talk about the ugly parts of our favorite characters because we love them #and don't want them to be wrong especially in fandom with a lot of pissing matches and bad faith arguments y'know?#i dunno this is my spiel of the night: i love all my companions except sebastian who is just a character that exists to me #i wasn't joking when i said i'd like to be enlighted about sebby and his romance like....... explain elaborate educate

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vitosscaletta · 3 years

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tell me more abt not liking the da2 companions 👀

well... i don’t remember everything from the game because it’s been a long time since i completely played it (maybe 4-5 years??) so this is just from the top of my head... Sorry this won’t be as petty as it could be :(

I bet there’s a lot more to say that i’d find out if I actually played it again BUT i think most of the da2 companions kind of suck?? I saw a lot of people acting like they were all best friends who hung out at the hanged man and made fun of cullen together back in the day but I personally got the feeling that they all hated each other & were constantly at each other’s throats. Those people would kill each other if it weren’t for Hawke -_-

The companions that bother me the most are Aveline and Anders lol, Aveline... well the post i just reblogged explained it, she’s just your regular entitled corrupt person working in law enforcement, albeit a fantasy one. Like. she’s not your funny responsible mom friend, she’s just bad... Like the post said she SUCKS at doing her job, ignores whenever citizens actually need them, is corrupt and blames Hawke for things that were her job to avoid and will literally beat the shit out of them if they criticize her. She’s rude as fuck to the other companions for literally no reason (the thing with Carver trying to join the guard.. slut shaming Isabela all the time, to name a few examples).. Idk like the way I played it my Hawke had no reason to hang out with her after they got to Kirkwa, she just asked them to do her job and ?? idk got mad no matter what they did.

Anders like I said sucks too, I don’t dislike him as much as Aveline but still. He’s rude af to everyone too for literally no reason, will slut shame Isabela too (like. do you remember that cutscene when he’s like “haha don’t come to me next time you get one of THOSE diseases XD” like BITCH that is your job??), will shit on your Love interest for no reason.. got i think he’s so annoying if you dont romance him in general. He tells Hawke not to pursue him bc it will end badly and he’s a monster or whatever and when they get with someone else he’s like. Um they suck, surely you’d want someone else uwu. His romance too actually, the way he’ll just manipulate you into blowing up a whole building <3. SO yeah, Anders is really one of those companions who dont get along with anyone either but. hang out with the rest of the crew bc they’re friends with Hawke somehow. There’s a lot more I hate about him but like I said I havent played the game in a long time.

Fenris is... idk he’s there, I think he’s kinda annoyingly rude but whatever. I don’t have much of an opinion about him

Sebastian I honestly forgot about until i checked the wiki to see if i’m not remembering someone.. uhhh idk i don’t like him, I dont have anything against his character but i used to follow people who were really annoying about him so i dislike him by association now, sorry :c I don’t actually dislike him I just. Don’t actively like him if you know what i mean

Thats it i guess, Merrill, Isabela, Varric and Carver are cool, they’re innocent in this. i hate some things about isabela and merrill's romances but I do like them

#Anonymous

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lunchador · 3 years

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ok but!!! what happened!!! im screaming!!! you finished the game but there are no details!!! friend i need details!!! who sided with who!!!! im just!!! so excited about ur playthru and i need any and all details about how u feel about anders rn especially!!! i think there was less different paths because funding but i still would like to Know

SO!! MUCH!! HAPPENED!!

It was funny, cuz, y’know, in comparison to DA:O where the END OF THE WORLD is hanging above your head at all times, I felt the pacing was considerably more relaxed in 2. And in retrospect, it definitely was building up in ways you weren’t quite piecing together (Or am I dumb? That’s usually the case) as you aren’t even sure why you have the derogatory title from cassandras mouth of Champion. Champion, of fuckin what? I do chores for people.

So like most of the game feels like you’re chilling. Talk to some people, do some small quests, learn some lore.

Then like, the qunari attack happened. Which, I assume happens regardless, correct? Man that statue of me looks douchey as hell. Flaming sword?

ANDERS CAN SUCK SHIT. That fucker lied to me? and made everything OH SO MUCH FUKIN WORSE. Oh boohoo I want to rid justice, distract her so I can MURDER PEOPLE ACTUALLY INSTEAD?? Like, MAN, I really like him on paper, healer of the needy, activist, cat lover. But he is so warped in his thinking and self hate. Also I know I joked about this somewhere but our second conversation ever (first one being when I met him) he gives me a big speech about how he could see us together but how he’s so bad he’s a monster boohoo so i need to stay away from him romantically and I’m standing there like.......yeah ok man.

I SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM - I was legit SO mad he did that. Everything was bad as is, and he made it worse. If I hadn’t have helped in that quest would it still have happened? AUGH. Almost everyone wanted him dead but I still felt bad. Of the companions, I think i bonded with him and sebastian the least. I tried really hard to side with the mages, cuz, i’m a mage, i dont think magic is bad but bad people can have magic, and Meredith IS a dick and instigated it, BUT THERE IS SO FUCKING MUCH BLOOD MAGIC IN KIRKWALL, WHY.

AND FUCKIN SEBASTIAN - SO MAD - was like if you let him live i’m coming back with an army to attack. like...bro what happened to being a peaceful monk or whatever the shit? I thought I told you taking the crown wasn’t worth it if you don’t want it? fuckin jude law looking motherfucker. But i barely played with him and i figured anders healing would be useful for the end. so, i took anders with me. So now I guess I’m gonna hear in inquisition about this dude coming in to attack kirkwall later idk SIGH

So yeah, I tried to side with Orison. Then that bitch ass gave in to blood magic too and turned into that disgusting abomination. I HATE when you try to defend someone and they too turn into a jackass. Fuck you, man. And Meredith of course is off her rockers with red lyrium. I hate all of these people. I tried to save the decent mages where I could and that bit me in the ass with one of them at the end FUCK YOU, UNGRATEFUL.

A N Y W A Y S,

since I’m sooooooo good at these games (how am I so so so bad??) Hawke basically...lost everyone. I didn’t officially romance anyone. Though in the epilogue, it says everyone eventually splits from Hawke except Isabela. I figured she had a soft spot for me. I think I couldn’t fully romance her because I didn’t get her the boat? Idk. I didn’t like the romance system in this game. Like, yes it makes sense for story plot reasons but it’s terribly confusing for someone not in the know and I hated looking at guides because they had spoilers.

My mom got murdered by a serial killer blood mage, r.i.p. My sister is dead. I am SO surprised Carver sided with me in the end. I thought he was genuinely about to pick being a templar over me and fight. I TRIED TO BE SO NICE TO THAT FUCKER.

i’m surprised cullen sided with me too. the few interactions you have with him in origins and here he’s kind of a dick. and i know all that shit going on with his VA so i am not stoked for him in inquisition

I tried/failed to romance Fenris. Man, I got SO attached to him?? He tries so hard to be grumpy but you get under his skin. Every time he called me his friend or smiled I was like YES, YOU FUCKER, YOU LIKE ME. But being a mage is such a cockblock. FUCK. I’m definitely kissing him next time. But I can at least brag that I guess I did his companion quest correctly enough and he was maxed out cuz he didn’t leave me. He seemed begruding that he was gonna defend mages but he was gonna do it for ME. BFFs til the end.

how the fuck did fenris turn around and settle for compromise while anders was still pissy as hell? I guess anders just feels so much for others. also the whole tranquil shit was sooo fucked. Also I love they’ve known each other for 6 years and they’re still disgustingly snippy with each other - FIGHT!!!!

MERRIL TRIED TO CONFESS FEELINGS FOR ME. HOW? I kept pissing her off by not supporting the blood mage shit. I HAD TO PULL THE LIKE A SISTER LINE. MERRIL IM SO SORRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYY. She’s so sweet, yet her quest was incredibly fucked up oh my god?? We had to kill the dalish group and I FELT AWFUL. WHY SO MUCH BLOOD MAGIC????????

I thought this game was going to end with assigning a new viscount. ANd I was like man that sucks, Sid isn’t the type for permanent responsibility like that but like, if it’ll get everyone to shut the fuck up ok. But...that wasn’t the ending. I hope that gets addressed in inquisition? I felt like that kinda got cliffhanger’d. Also I’m assuming Aveline had to run too being she was associated with me so the guard is probably in shambles too.

oh my god what about dominic? D:

anyway, I would die for varric, and while I understand the story reasons for not letting him be romancable, it still sucks cuz he pairs SO well with a snarky Hawke, sigh

but yeah there may have been less big decisions but there certainly were a lot of smaller ones I felt I fucked up. I’m just.......so good at that. I got so many people KILLED.

def some replay value in there!! I tried to do a lot more sidequests in this one than origins. so we will see how inquisition goes. It’s been super hyped to me and I’m told it’s pretty long

Its just crazy all the shit hawke got caught up in without even particularly trying. Like the warden is there because, yeah, they’re a grey warden, one of the few, but in 2 its just kinda like..............oops lmfao.

#dragon age

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the-redlion · 4 years

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Why do you hate Anders?

For starters, I DO NOT HATE ANDERS. Yes, I do not agree with him, and he drives my Hawke and I crazy... but I do not hate him. Not agreeing with someone doesn’t equal hate or the extreme opposite (not understanding this is the root to a lot of problems. In fandoms, games, and rl.)

To give you some background on how I play my characters, I’d say my views are close to that of Vivienne de fleur. Though, I know she has a controversial opinion as well. (I can go into my exact opinion in a later post if you desire.)

To start off, I DO agree on the front that Mages should have a lot more freedoms then they currently do.

I DO NOT agree with them going completely unchecked. I feel like that’s irresponsible (“with great power comes great responsibility” and all that).

Not to get too much into it, I think the biggest problem Thadas faces is the Chantry. I believe it’s the core to the abuse of both Mages and Templars. I think the Chantry started with good intentions but as history has proven over and over, the road the hell is paved with good intentions. But the Chantry debate and what changes I’d like to see is a debate for another time.

Now, for Anders. I understand WHY he did what he did, but I do not justify it. I agree that change DID needed to happen and I also understand he felt like he was running out of time. But I believe his actions were too extreme. You can’t preach against the Templars for killing and abusing innocents when you’ve turned around and slaughter innocents as well. Even with that said, I do understand his reasonings behind the extreme actions. I’ve personally been in a position where my hate and hurt has blinded all else. My family has experienced loss due to racism, so I know that dark passion he’s felt/feels first hand.

A lot of people argue what he has done has made things better for Mages. I don’t believe this is so. If Corypheus and the Inquisition had never happened, I believe THEN you’d have a better gage to view the outcome of his actions. But as it happened, it’s a pretty big gray zone. I personally feel the resulting shift for Mages in DAI was from the Inquisition fixing the mess.

Finally, although I do not agree with his actions, I actually LOVE Anders as a character. I actually believe many do not appreciate how much he has given to the Dragon Age world. I argue he’s probably as important to the story as any player character. I even appreciate the dynamics of a relationship with Hawke when they are of apposing opinions. When I had my first play through, I romanced him and was completely heartbroken by his betrayal (yes, lying is a betrayal to me). So much so, I killed him. But after I had time to really think it over, I left him alive in further play throughs. Even when I romanced Sebastian. I felt it was important Anders see the fallout of his actions. I also felt it was important for him to be active with fixing or correcting the world. I felt like it was a miss opportunity not having him involved in the inquisition. I understand it could have been a nightmare for Josephine to handle, but I think it would have been important as a redemption for Anders. After all, he DID kill innocents. I get so frustrated when people have double standards when it comes to that aspect of Anders. I think that’s where I find the most conflict with Anders’s fans. I’m not say there aren’t reasonable fans but, I’ve run into several who are quick to justify Anders actions of slaughter... but judge Templars hard for the same damn thing. Not saying either side is right, but murder is murder. Innocents are innocents. I think Anders needs to atone but I don’t think he is a bad person for wanting to protect what he cares for. Even if that means self sacrifice.

Disclaimer: this is MY OPINION and how I viewed the game. I will respect any civil debate but I will block/ ignore any ignorance or disrespect. I’ll gladly debate Anders with anyone, in fact I welcome it. But I will not respond to “I’m right, your wrong” BS. Remember this is a VIDEO GAME!

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gremlinquisitor · 4 years

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5 Questions: RHWG edition

I was tagged by @aban-asaara! These were fun questions, with some stuff I don’t know that I’ve ever talked about here for Recreate His Worldly Glory, so I thought I’d go with this one.

1) What was the idea that started the story?

I was really bothered by Anders’ dialogue in the conversation after Hawke helps him infiltrate the Chantry. Hawke pushed for more information and kept asking questions, and he got defensive and manipulative and was cold in his replies afterwards if you clicked on him while out and about. It was upsetting, and the stuff in the story about Anders saying that she shouldn’t ask questions if she loves him, as well as Sebastian warning her about him, come from game dialogue. After Hawke killed Anders, Hawke got the romance dialogue from Sebastian, and then got more excellent banter when I played through Mark of the Assassin. (That little chuckle he does when Hawke asks if he’s gonna leave her for the Qun? Please.) So my brain starting spinning in the idea of “What if Sebastian’s been in love with Hawke for a while now, but couldn’t do anything about it because of Anders?” And now here we are.

2) Did you make an outline? Did you stick to it?

Eventually! I didn’t do it at the start because I thought this would be shorter than it turned out to be, and because I’m not used to outlining. I wrote scenes I knew I wanted to see and had a vague idea of the plot I wanted, but eventually it got too unwieldy to navigate without some sort of outline. After I set it up, though, I did stick to it.

3) What’s the favorite part of your story?

Any time I can just let Sebastian and Hawke talk, I think. Their conversation about Anders, there’s one coming up in Ch 12 that I think a lot of people will enjoy, Ch 25, 26, 34... There are several. Second place for this would be Sebastian navigating his grief.

4.) Who is your favorite character and why?

Sebastian seems like the obvious choice and it’s very true, but I also really like how Goran turned out in this story. He’s kind and sympathetic, and part of me wishes he could’ve stayed on as an adviser, but I don’t think he would’ve wanted that.

5.) Did anything happen that surprised you as you were writing?

Hawke was supposed to be much more of a flirt. I don’t want to say pushier, but more suggestive and physically flirtatious with Sebastian, particularly after their relationship status is more sorted out. Every time I tried to write it, though, it felt weird and off and forced, so she’s toned down significantly from my original plan.

tagging @cullenlovesmen @barbex @hollyand-writes @lucyrne @lauraemoriarty @joufancyhuh @wickedwitchofthewilds

#recreate his worldly glory #sebastian vael #my fic

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tauristar · 6 years

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Okay, as far as I can tell, everyone’s been here. Everyone knows this whole debate of Cullen vs. Alistair. However, I wanted to investigate it myself, and bring to light what makes them so different.

(And yes, their appearances count as a difference. Inquisition Alistair’s design was not the Alistair I know. I Do Not Like It. Bioware why.)

So, what makes them similar? They were both sent to the Chantry and were both to become Templars. Beyond that, there’s... Not much else. I think I could find more similarities in Anders and Alistair, or Sebastian and Cullen. Though since that’s completely irrelevant, let’s go back to that one similarity and expand on it to show just how little of a similarity it is.

Alistair’s case:

He never wanted to go to the Chantry. He was sent to the Chantry by Arl Eamon at age 10 because he had nowhere else to go.

Furthermore, he despised being sent away to the Chantry so much that in a fit of anger, he threw his mother’s amulet at a wall and shattered it.

He didn’t take his Templar training as seriously as he could of.

He’s not even that particularly religious, regardless of being taught by the Chantry. (This is noted in a conversation between him and Zevran.)

Does he actually become a Templar? No.

He doesn’t regret leaving the Chantry, or the Templar Order in that matter.

Cullen’s case:

He asked the Templars at the local Chantry every day if he could become a Templar, and they convinced Cullen’s parents to let him train at age 13.

He wanted to be a model student, no matter what. So, he took his training incredibly seriously, in hopes that he would become the best Templar Thedas had seen.

He is a religious man.

Cullen actually completed his Templar training, Alistair did not.

The only reason he left the Templar Order was because after Kirkwall, he didn’t want to be associated with them, and the Inquisition was doing more good than the Templars were at the time.

That’s just on their basis of which they got their Templar training. The only similarity they have, and there are a handful of differences to counter it. Now, to further prove how different they are, let’s move on to: their different views on mage rights and the treatment of mages.

Cullen, admittedly, has been through hell. He’s been tortured for days on end because of Uldred and the other blood mages in the Fereldan Circle, and he watched as countless other Templars succumbed to a fate he tried so hard to resist. Then, hoping that things couldn’t get much worse, he was sent to the Kirkwall Chantry and Circle in hopes of helping establish a sense of peace and control there. Lo and behold, blood mages were coming up all over the place, treatment of mages reach terrible heights, and then the Knight-Commander he was meant to trust goes crazy from red lyrium. Yikes.

But! Does that trauma excuse his anger with mages? To go as far as to state that “mages aren’t like you and me”?

Absolutely not. And that man can’t go back on his word, either: yes, you can romance him in Inquisition as a mage, but even then he seems nervous about it. He still clings to the Templar way of life even when he’s trying so desperately to let it all go. I mean, if he really wanted nothing to do with that life, wouldn’t he have just stayed right out of the choice between Mages and Templars when it came to sealing the Breach the first time? He instead defends the Templars when questioned about their abilities -- “I was a Templar. I know what they’re capable of.” He still wears the title like a badge of honor.

This could be put down as bad writing; it’s incredibly inconsistent, especially if we’re supposed to believe Cullen wants nothing to do with that life.

However, considering it is canon, it goes to show his character. He clings to the Templar life as it’s the only thing he knows, and he distrusts the mages so much that he counters their (theoretically sound) method of helping seal the Breach with the Templar (speculative) method. And have you heard him speak within a five mile radius during Origins and 2?

As a mage Warden, he says some harsh things upon your return.

“You are a mage and I, a templar. It is my duty to oppose you and all that you are.”

Warden: “Is it so surprising that I’ve returned? This was my home.” Cullen: “As it was mine. And look what they’ve done to it. They deserve to die. Uldred most of all.”

Warden: “You need to stay strong.” Cullen: “And to think I once thought that we were too hard on you.” Warden: “We’re not all evil, Cullen.” Cullen: “Only mages have that much power at their fingertips. Only mages are so susceptible to the infernal whisperings of the demons.”

“You can’t save them. You don’t know what they’ve become. They’ve been surrounded by blood mages whose wicked fingers snake into your mind and corrupt your thoughts.” (At this point, if you have Alistair with you, he comments: “His hatred of mages is so intense... The memories of his friends’ deaths is still fresh in his mind.”)

If you tell him that you refuse to risk killing innocents, he says: “I am just willing to see the painful truth, which you are content to ignore.” He also ends the conversation with: “Maker turn His gaze on you. I hope your compassion hasn’t doomed us all.”

... Yikes, buddy. I know your friends have been murdered by blood mages, specifically Uldred, but Yikes.

Oh, he also accuses First Enchanter Irving of being a blood mage. Since, of course, if one was corrupted in the line of Enchanter titles then he must definitely be, since he’s the First Enchanter, right? It’s a narrow thought process, but it’s an understandable one since he just went through a traumatic experience. The thing is he had no evidence in the matter, so his accusation is empty and uncalled for. I have to admit, I hated how Cullen pulled off that stunt.

But if you’re wondering about Dragon Age 2 quotes, there’s plenty in the limited interactions you can have with him:

“Mages cannot be our friends. They must always be watched.”

Hawke: “I got friends who are mages. Are you saying that they need to ‘always be watched’, as well?” Cullen: “I was at the Circle Tower in Ferelden during the Blight. I saw firsthand how templars’ trust and leniency can be rewarded. I still have nightmares of Uldred’s depravities.”

Hawke: “Not all mages are like that.” Carver: “Brother/Sister, not now.” Cullen: “True, not every mage gives into temptation, but none are ever free from it. At any time, any mage can become a monster, from the lowest apprentice to the most seasoned enchanters. Mages cannot be treated like people. They are not like you and me.”

“They are weapons. They have the power to light a city on fire in a fit of pique.”

Hawke: “There’s fault on both sides. We must find a way to live in peace.” Cullen: “Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps mages need better education as to why the Chantry functions as it does.” (Me @ this I... Don’t think that’s what Hawke meant.....)

Overall, he really... Can’t take back what he’s said in the past here. He’s clearly uninterested in the mages and their needs and / or wants after the incident at Ferelden, and doesn’t seem to want to be interested. There’s a level of genuine understanding here, because it can easily be seen as a traumatic experience he can’t move past, but it still doesn’t excuse him for his words / actions.

I would also like to add this quote: “I’ve seen the suffering magic can inflict. I’ve treated mages with distrust because of it, at times without cause. That was unworthy of me. I will try not to do so here.”

Okay, so Cullen at least acknowledges his treatment of mages as horrible and says he will try not to do that again. Try. The key with words is that if you use the wrong word, it creates an implication that you’re not aiming for; Cullen’s choice to use the word “try” in that last sentence proves that although he acknowledges what he has done in the past, he’s only going to try and change it. And, does he really try? Does he really?

He literally continues with: “Not that I want mages moving through our base completely unchecked. We need safeguards in place to protect people, including mages, from possession at the least.”

So, he acknowledges that he had distrusted mages in the past because of his awareness that magic can cause suffering -- especially since he endured torture for days on end thanks to magic. But then, instead of taking a crucial baby step to truly redevelop a better relationship with mages, he wants to place so-called “safeguards” to watch mages to try and stop possession. He can say this to the face of a mage Inquisitor -- can you imagine if the elf Inquisitor or the qunari Inquisitor could respond to Cullen’s suggestion? It’s as though he still refuses to trust them, even a little bit, to move freely through a base without scrutiny.

Overall, his original statement seems void. His choice of words devalue the meaning behind his half-promise; if anything, he should have avoided using the word try if he was being genuine about his attempt.

As for Alistair?

His view is very different. In Origins, he can talk with a mage Warden and express sympathy / empathy for them, when he asks if they ever lost someone close to them:

“That must have felt a lot like when I got sent to the Chantry. You mages don’t even get a say in the matter, after all.”

He genuinely sympathizes with the mages because he has an understanding on what it feels like to be sent away without a choice. The only reason he didn’t was because where else could he have gone? But Alistair recognizes and perfectly understands the situation in which mages face in the Circles. In a way, this really shows his character in one line: he cares. He treats the mages as if they’re like any other person in Thedas, which they are! But that’s not how Cullen sees it, as demonstrated in his quoting.

In Dragon Age 2, as King of Ferelden in Act III, you can go and meet him with Hawke and then walk into him and Meredith having a heated debate. There are two versions of this:

Alistair: Let me guess: that's your final answer? Meredith: Three mages have fled to Ferelden, and you have intervened to protect them as if it is your right to do so. What other answer did you expect, your Majesty?

Alistair: Let me guess: that's your final answer? Meredith: You declare your Circle of Magi free, as if its your right to do so, and thus stir up every mage outside of your kingdom. What other answer did you expect, your Majesty?

He actually protects mages fleeing into Ferelden, and probably being completely aware of what Meredith has been doing to the Kirkwall Circle mages. (Surely a king can gather information on that. Plus, it’s not like it was that big a secret.) Or, if your Warden was a mage and asks for the Magi boon, then the second option plays. He’s genuinely trying to give more freedom to the Circle of Magi, giving them the chance to live as any other human would.

This is one of the most obvious differences between Alistair and Cullen. And it doesn’t end there, either: if Hawke questions him on what happened between himself and Meredith, this is the answer given.

Hawke: You were having an argument about mages? Alistair: Yes, well, apparently I don't feel the same way about mages as the Chantry does. So we're in disagreement. That means they get nasty. They're like that.

Furthermore:

Hawke: Sounds like the Circle is better off in Ferelden. Alistair: You'd think so, wouldn't you? Sadly, I don't control the Circle. I can only deal with mages outside the Circle... of which there aren't many.

And after Alistair says to Hawke to protect Kirkwall, this can be initiated with the Diplomatic option:

Hawke: Protect Kirkwall from what, exactly? Alistair: You ask me, the biggest threat to this city just walked out the door. But maybe that's the ex-templar in me talking.

He’s commenting that Meredith is the biggest threat to the city. Knight-Commander Meredith, who Cullen trusted until the last minute, when she started wielding her sword infused with red lyrium and lost her sanity. Maybe we can’t fault Cullen for that, but Alistair has genuine concern about mages fleeing into Ferelden, mages having actual freedom, and recognizing that Meredith is one of three threats to the city falling apart (the other two being Orsino and Anders, respectively, but that’s incredibly complicated).

These are the two main differences between Alistair and Cullen, and though one can love either one of these characters, the other, or even both of them, it’s very important to know that they’re not both “Chantry boys”. That, and their views are very different particularly when it comes to mages.

(If anyone has anything else to add to this analysis of character, feel free to extend on it! The goal here is to remain neutral to both characters, and instead focus on the writing choices of Bioware and how this expands on the character’s faults, flaws and views that make them different. This may paint Cullen or Alistair in a negative light at times [which is inevitable in Cullen’s case due to his views on mages], but ultimately this is to challenge the character development of both characters and pick out their differences.)

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