#solas fascinates me

[misculenica]

Tearing Down the Veil; what do? (theory/speculation)

(trespasser + inquisition spoilers, obvs)

--long-post--

We've all wondered it, those of us who love him, and those of us who hate him. What the hell is Solas going to do? What will happen when he does it?

This will be a short speculation of Solas' plans to tear down the veil and 'restore his people'.

So having spent a little more time of the Trespasser dlc lately, and exploring alternatives for new dialogues. I've become curious about a particular thing. His plan to tear down the veil; and specifically, what that could mean for Thedas (what I've been coming to name 'the corporeal world', in comparison to the Fade 'the abstract world').

We're still not sure what exactly he's up to - in the 2 year gap between base game ending + trespasser, as well as what he's been doing since walking through that eluvian. I can't offer much on this, other than he 'has plans' of some sort, regarding obtaining the red lyrium idol. My best guess is that he intends on obtaining as much power as possible which remains in the corporeal world through magical objects, given he's had (approx. forever) to collect the knowledge of how to go about his plans from the abstract world and his spirit/demon allies. He needs a powerhouse of arcana to bring the veil down, and now I would like to point out this; just how powerful was the foci/orb that SINGLE EVENT was supposed to accomplish his plans, and yet, he's spending years collecting numerous items to accomplish what I assume is the same effect?

Has the single event become a years long task, then? Going by this, could it then be possible that he's already set in motion a new ritual? By which I mean- there may not be a single 'event' we need to stop, it's already happening (perhaps then, disrupting it could cause something far worse to happen, or equally as terrible).

Another alternative I enjoy is that Solas is taking so long because he's purposefully delaying his plans. I doubt this, given the severity of his people's plight (which I believe to be spirits/demons/etc - not the elves- ancient or modern), he would want this to go as swiftly as possible. He could be delaying for 1 of 2 reasons; 1. He wants to be stopped (highly doubt this), or 2. The best way to ensure a smooth transition between veil-postveil world is to take it slowly, so then there would be less death/chaos. (I prefer this out of anything, honestly - as well as the theory that Solas took 2 years to get back to you during the base/trespasser because he was trying to find a way to remove the mark without killing Inky).

-- I would like to make a step-stone note to say my preferred idea (and speculation) is that the veil coming down is already happening. Just very very slowly, so the world has a less destructive transition - this causes major problems for Solas, but I do feel like he would try and make the death/destruction as minimal as possible (for the Fade denizens, as well as the Thedas). He hasn't told anyone about this, because.... Well, Thedas hates spirits/demons, and telling everyone 'btw I'm going to bring them all here, and change the foundations of your reality' is very.... well, I don't imagine it would go well. Have them all chase the single event, this single entity, think there's hope to win or give up along the years. I don't know XD I really like this idea. It puts me in mind of that one quote from some old movie I watched about a volcano (I'll insert it when I remember); 'if you put a frog in boiling water, it will try and jump out, but if you put it in cold water, and raise the heat slowly, it will let itself boil' - the takeaway, if you put someone in a bad situation, they will resist, but if you put someone is an 'ok' situation and let the 'heat rise', they will not notice how bad it gets. Or, to make it fit this situation with the veil. If he brings it down immediately, both sides will react with resistance or shock (and we know this would harm spirits, which Solas doesn't want), but if it happens slowly, there may come a point where neither side even notices the change happen? --

Now, back to the juicy stuff.

What made me want to write any of this?

These Lines from the final confrontation is Trespasser.

"I will save the elven people, even if it means this world must die."

"I would have entered the Fade, using the mark you now bear. Then I would have torn down the veil. As this world burned in the raw chaos, I would have restored the world of my time..."

"If they must die, I would rather they die in comfort."

"I will do what I must, but there is no benefit in allowing harm to come to innocents before it's necessary."

"I intend to restore them, doing so will most likely destroy your world."

I would like to highlight the amount of "most likely" "if" "would have"'s

The feeling I'm getting from these is that he's assuming a worst case scenario of his plans, but they aren't a certainty. It's also interesting to note that he's (throughout the game) more revealing to a negative approval Inky than a positive one, which I feel is very clear even in Trespasser. With the worst approval rating, he states that 'doing the thing will MOST LIKELY destroy the world' not that it will. But to a romanced Inky he will say.... nothing specific honestly, he has his generic dialogue about it, where he implies a lot about his death/destruction than he says will 100% happen. It's just... Interesting to me how he dances around that certainty.

A conclusion I draw from this is that Solas has plans to try and limit the damage, but ultimately he can't control other people's actions, or predict how exactly things will go.

My interpretation is that he's acknowledging his past failures, in implying a lack of certainty with his subtext. He's also trying to frame this situation in a way that will prepare people for the worst case scenario, because, given his track record-- that's precisely how his plans go. So his plans MIGHT NOT (and that's a definitive possibility) cause insane death/destruction, but perhaps this alludes to the significance of player choice throughout the games (and in Dreadwolf?), and how they impact the road ahead. Perhaps not giving that elf in the Denerim alienage in Origins money will ripple effect of messing with Solas' plans? Have you doomed the world by killing or not killing the Forbidden Ones? (I jest! ... Or do I?)

That's... it, I guess. Just some thoughts to through out into the void.

#dragon age #dragon age inqusition #dragon age trespasser #solas #fen'harel #the dread wolf #dragon age dreadwolf #dai #dragon age theory #dragon age speculation #dragon age dreadwolf theory #the veil #solas fascinates me #nae theory

[traaanskimkitsuragi]

so. i played trespasser and i. oh my god

#me before: solas seems so well-meaning i wonder why everyone hates him so much??? #me now: I Know Now. #i knew part of the twist but not the whole thing and holy shit this has altered my perception of him so drastically #still love him as a character tho god hes so fascinating #i actually!! loved all the companions there wasnt a single one that i disliked #and that ending actually felt p gratifying i liked it a lot #esp the drama w solas :) bc my inky rlly looked up to him and cared for him before the reveal #and in general i rlly enjoyed just the. 'hi and welcome to inquisitor trevelyans worst day of his entire life' energy #like my guy was Not having a good time and he had probably his worst snap in the entire game during this bit #i love angst and suffering

[fadedapparition]

a detail i really like is that sera only has low health barks about three characters, and one of them is solas.

they argue constantly, they can be intermittently ugly to one another, but solas is consistent about still seeing sera as one of his own. he’s deeply condescending and treats her like a child, but like a wayward niece he has a responsibility to guide and protect. he wants to be her mentor, and while she’s understandably very annoyed by his attitude, i don’t think she minds him as much as she pretends to.

sera is used to being given up on, especially by her elders, social betters, and people who should have been advocating for her interests. an older elven scholar, particularly one who doesn’t identify as dalish, ticks all those boxes. i think she’s caught on to the fact that solas refuses to lose faith in her, even if she feels his arguments are silly and he’s an annoying person in general.

and then he leaves to end the world. sad

#solas mentoring my lavellan and sera is so funny. my lavellan is like ‘how fascinating hahren tell me more’ #sera’s like ‘you are lame and you have no bitches’ #dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age meta #solas #sera

[v-arbellanaris]

da4 doesnt matter to me because as far as im concerned everything is au after da2. sorry everyone

#i still can't believe inq is a real game (derogatory). sorry about it #instead of playing inq i'd rather play gow or gow ragnarok. which i HAVE been doing lmao #i'd rather play bg3 and honestlyyyyy the direction theyre taking da in is sort of. ehhhh to me? and has been since inq sooo #im not really invested. like ill eventually play or watch pts i guess but im still mucking around in dao #i dont think da4 is going to do that for me. i might be wrong but my gut feeling after absolution is just that #wherever theyre taking this is not gonna be super interesting or new or fascinating to me. i feel like they kinda missed that boat w dai #with all their ''gotcha'' plotlines abt oppressive systems and systemic abuse basically blaming ppl for their own oppression #inq would have been better. if they like. didnt even massively change the storyline but just actively have the inq be BAD - maybe even #unapologetically bad. it couldve been an insightful breakdown abt power and authority and things like that but it wasnt #it couldve been abt people but it wasnt. so really in my head im already prepared to be let down in da4 because da has ALREADY #been letting me down lol. and so far the glimpses ive seen does not indicate to me tht theyre going to shift away from what they were doing #in dai. in fact they look like theyre planning to lean into it more. so! idc abt da4 im just gonna play in the sandpit with the blocks that #they gave me from the first few games and content #i do hope solas rips the veil down tho. i think the solas girlies who support him (me) deserve vindication #tbd #bioware critical #dai critical #da:d critical

[rederiswrites]

Feeling mildly surprised that after all these years (insert 80 years meme), Cullen is still my favorite Inquisition romance.

Partly I think it's still because of how much he reminds me of the spouse (conservative by nature, capable of changing but slowly, workaholic with little to no regard to his own health, absolutely relentless when he does start moving, speaks much louder with actions than words, etc.). Partly it's because he's just my brand of scuffed up pretty (and blonde. there's no real degree of plausible deniability that my physical type for dudes is curly blonde, tall, and scruffy). And partly I think his story of trauma, being a (very) unsympathetic victim, and trying to change but also manage the world actively collapsing around him is very compelling.

I totally get that for some people, he's the bad guy in their own personal narratives. That's whatever. But I have a really big soft spot for Cullen Rutherford. Also he's big and I like being little in hugs.

#like narratively? I knew in advance about Solas so #for me that's like my every adolescent fantasy #let's romance the ancient rebel god fuck yes #heavily influenced the speed at which I bought the game #but ultimately I think Solas is the most fascinating as a very dear friend to a non-elf #And the sheer comfort and shared fatigue of the Cullen romance felt so familiar to me

[magilv]

reaver spec my beloved,,,,,,,,     they’re warrior blood mages & i will hear no contrary to that, bioware told me themselves

#sigh it Is the dragon lover in me...... #but also i think it's absolutely Fascinating to enter a hivemind of reaver- & dragon-kind alike through magiced dragon blood #both my cousland & mage!hawke are reavers 😌 #in my da au for her i made bloom a knight enchanter & tho i never got round to picking a spec for alim in prev dai runs #i do intend to have alim specialize as a rift mage; continued conversations w/ solas abt the fade absolutely play into this #(& on a meta level i already gave him the arcane warrior n battle mage specs which ke draws from + looks at walking bomb spells for necro..) #(& hes got the death siphon spell already too so. skjshfg) #like ive said: alim wants to learn Everything of Every field #SHOOT I ALMOST FORGOR i also made bloom a reaver skfjghs #▐█ ▌ ◇ — ( now a warden needs a hat‚ needs a hat‚ needs a hat. )

[fadewalking]

That whole thing should have been an option on the poll

LMAO, Solas/Felassan is an otp tbh, but also by far you gave the best answer in the tags, Elvis

but i want everyone to know that I KNOW that not all of the options were on the poll. Some of y'all need to breathe. Not only did tumblr not give me enough space to add in every single companion, but also, this is for a specific purpose, which is why some ships weren't included.. so like.. deal with it ...

#elvisqueso #sorry elvis that part wasn't for u that was for people being upset at me about the poll LOL #i really appreciated Solas/bat upside the head though #im also fascinated by cullen/dorian but personally i prefer cullen/solas if we're talking rare pairs #i just think those two can be so miserable about the past together <3 #then again solas/fel can ALSO be miserable about the past together #so i guess what im saying is hear me out: thruple Cullen/Solas/Fel #the misery squad #ooc #anyway this is nothing lmao

[mycenaae]

i don’t even know how to describe torchwood to someone who hasn’t seen it but boy fucking howdy it sure changed the way i experienced dragon age inquisition

#solas started talking about rifts and i was like oh there are rifts are there. and people are opening them? #oh and bigass demons are killing everyone?? fascinating this is a brand-new experience for me Character Played By Ianto Jones #nat.txt #tell me more Rift Boy! #when merrill inevitably shows up in da4 that'll be the end of me. goodbye everybody

[ink-asunder]

Okay against my own vows, I'm rereading my dragon age fanfic and I wanna bite people!! This shit is so riveting

#the dynamic between solas (fen harel) and the arisen (the senschel) AND her main pawn is SO! FASCINATING!! #the way the arisen and pawns can Sense that hes an elven god and that the pawns are wary of him #but they all need to keep each others secrets so everyone else is like “why are you guys so bitchy all the time? why dont you like each #other? youre like exactly alike with a lot of commonality #what gives?“ #the way solas slowly starts luring the main pawn away from the arisen to compromise them so they wont be able to interfere with him 👀 #and obvs cant forget cole. how his very existence parallels the pawns to a T and how the arisen would know how to handle him due to #lifetimes of raising and training pawns. #i swore i wouldnt touch this series again but if i could actually break it up into novellas so i can wrote EVERYTHING i want to #i probs wouldnt mind getting into it again. its just so interesting to me

[theheraldsrest]

Hey! I really really love your blog! If I may request, during downtime, how would the members of the inner circle react to find the Inquisitor drawing/sketching them?

“Companions react to Inquisitor drawing/sketching them”

After our *cough* little thing with Bull, let’s have some fluff, shall we? Thank you anon for the ask!

-Lord Lex

Cullen

“You did this? It’s certainly…it’s…how did you even…it’s amazing.”

-So surprised, no words. It makes him feel a little special that you’d choose to sketch him but also very embarrassed. In return, he tries drawing you. Might not be as good and there are a few rough sketches that were thrown in the fire, but he wanted to return the favor. 

Josephine

“Oh! Look at the detail and the softness! I wouldn’t have even thought it was me from how stunning it is!”

-Absolutely gushing over it. Josey’s always had a fascination for the arts and to be the subject of the piece from someone close to her? Adores it, even asks to keep it. She has it tucked away in one of her favorite books. Will always compliment your art even when talking to dignitaries.

Leliana

“I commend you on your artistic talent. Though, I’d ask you not to sketch me. Perhaps one of the ravens would make better practice?”

-Like Josephine, Leliana has an eye for art. She loves looking at the little details in your sketches and finds it a surprise that her face is amongst the papers. As much as she appreciates it, she’d rather her face remain a secret. She is your spy master, after all. Though, if she becomes Divine, she keeps the sketch as one of her favorite pieces of her. 

Vivienne

“Darling, as much as I’d like to say you're wasting your talents by leading the Inquisition instead of honing your skills, you are equally talented in both. Most usually fail to make me look this stunning.”

-It might not show on her face or in her words but she loves it. Several times people have been commissioned to paint her yet none come even close to your level of detail. More points if it’s of her smiling or laughing, the lines on her face as well as the wrinkle around her eyes gives her a sense of…normalcy. If she becomes Divine, she commissions you to do her portrait, no one else.

Varric

“You drew me? I think that’s gotta be one of the scariest pieces of your art I’ve ever seen! When you're done, can I keep it?”

-Though it doesn’t sound like it, he brags about it constantly. Even when he’s making fun of his slightly crooked nose or how his eyes might seem smaller than other dwarves, he’s complimenting the skill you put into the very minute details of his face. Varric will try to pay you for it even if you refuse, later trying to commission a drawing of Hawke when they come around.

Cole

“Oh, it’s me! Not really, but it’s Cole. But you’re trying to draw me…I can still remember his face, then.”

-He’ll stare at it for hours, his shoulders down. It’s been sometime since he’d been able to see his own face, forgetting that he even had a face. To see you draw that face, the real Cole, just from looking at him makes him happy. Will ask to look at it every now and then, just to make sure it’s still the same.

Solas

“I must say, you are quite talented and steady with your hands. It does allow others to see how the artist sees. You certainly make me seem…at peace.”

-From one artist to another, he gives you high compliments with very few complaints. It is unusual to see him drawn in such a way since he’s so used to seeing only the mosaics. He meant to get rid of it when he left the Inquisition, but just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Cassandra

“Inquisitor, though your craft is very beautiful and I admire how you can make these pieces, I must ask you not to sketch me.”

-Don’t get her wrong, she loves seeing your sketches but it’s mostly out of formality (and somewhat embarrassment) that she asks not to be your subject. If she becomes Divine, it’s one of the only pieces she prefers over the paintings. Though she does ask you, if you have the time, to draw something for her. When you give her a perfect picture of her brother and her, it’s one of the few times she truly hugs you.

The Iron Bull

“Holy shit. I’m alright when it comes to sketching, but you make it look pretty damn easy while so complicated! You even got my scars and the detail on my patch! Damn, boss!”

-Bull is used to doing quick sketches, usually of small details to make sure he could track someone or to remember something easier. Never had he really seen himself drawn so picture perfect that it completely baffles him. He looks at all the details with a smile on his face.

Dorian

“I can’t believe you managed to get my good side! In all honesty, though, this is remarkable. And not just because it’s me.”

-He had studied some art pieces before and never really found any he liked, but he has now found one of his favorite artists. Constantly asks if you’ve done any new pieces just so he can look at the heart that goes into them. Ask if you could teach him to sketch as such so that he can add better drawings to his research notes.

Sera

“What the fuck! That’s me! How the fuck! How did you do this! You even got my eyes to be lined up! How the hell did you do that?!”

-We all know Sera’s drawing style. She keeps saying the same things over and over again because she’s at a loss for words. Except for cuss words. Along with the rooftop hangouts, she insists that you two just draw together sometimes. Some of the goofiest drawings come from these times, especially one of a cartoonish Coryshit falling from a very detailed tower.

A little speech bubble near it says “Oh shit, I shat myself!”

Blackwall

“I…I’m honored to be one of your subjects. Not to blow my own horn, but this looks stunning. You really are something special, hm?”

-Blackwall has done a lot of sketching himself and finds your art a breath of fresh air. Other than looking at bits and pieces of his reflection, he usually tries to avoid seeing himself. So when he sees your drawing of him, he almost doesn’t recognize himself. You both trade sketches of each other just for fun and even sketch together.

#dai #dragon age inquisition #inquisitor #cullen rutherford #dai cullen #dragon age josephine #josephine montilyet #lelianna #leliana #madame vivienne #vivienne #madame de fer #varric dai #varric #varric tethras #dai cole #cole #dai solas #fenharel #cassandra #dai cassandra #cassandra pentaghast #the iron bull #iron bull #dorian pavus #dai dorian #dai sera #sera #blackwall #thom rainier

[douqi7s]

Top 10+ notable baihe authors currently working today

1. Jun Sola

Jun Sola (君sola)'s claim to fame rests on her tomb-raiding epic Exploring an Empty Tomb (探虚陵), which she began serialising in 2010. It is now approximately 4 million words long and still ongoing. The epic tells of the adventures of sheltered but intelligent cultivator Shi Qingyi and the mysterious Luo Shen across multiple historical periods and into modern times.

A partial (8 out of 300 chapters) fan translation of the novel (historical section) can be found here.

A partial fan translation of the audio drama adaptation for the modern section of the novel can be found here.

2. Ning Yuan

Ning Yuan (宁远), baihe's own multi-genre queen, has been writing steadily since 2008. Her titles range from historical court epic At Her Mercy (我为鱼肉), sci-fi thriller The Creator's Grace (造物的恩宠), VR-themed novel Middle-Aged Love Patch (中年恋爱补丁), and showbiz romance The Show Must Go On (逢场入戏) For 2024, she has promised a historical cyberpunk baihe novel.

3. Ruo Hua Ci Shu

Ruo Hua Ci Shu (若花辞树), who has been writing in the genre since 2012. She is probably best known for her historical novels, of which the most popular is Minister Xie (谢相). Billed (by me) as The Goblin Emperor meets Sha Po Lang, Minister Xie tells the tale of teenage female emperor Liu Zao's indefatigable efforts to turn her (significantly older) prime minister Xie Yi into her wife while trying to get to grips with ruling an empire.

4. Jiu Nuan Chun Shen

Jiu Nuan Chun Shen (酒暖春深) shot to dizzying levels of fame on the strength of the action thriller Miss Forensics (我亲爱的法医小姐). The novel features a push-pull relationship between a forensic pathologist on a one-woman crusade of vengeance and justice with a self-destructive streak a mile wide and a police detective whose stubbornness is a match for hers. Its popularity is such that it even has some degree of mainstream awareness.

A partial (5 out of 144 chapters) fan translation of the novel can be found here.

5. Qi Xiao Huang Shu

Qi Xiao Huang Shu (七小皇叔) had been toiling unnoticed in the word mines for a few years before earning acclaim with her Republican Era tomb-raiding novel Reading the Remnants (问棺). The novel focuses on the adventures of five tomb-raiders: Li Shiyi (a veteran of the trade), Song Shijiu (a creepy fast-growing baby found in a tomb), A-Yin (a tomb-raider turned courtesan), A-Luo (the Overseer of Hell), and Tu Layao (a small-time hustler).

A partial (8 out of 115 chapters) fan translation of the novel can be found here. A second partial (10 out of 115 chapters) fan translation of the novel can be found here.

The author has since released a trio of contemporary romances — Pat Me on the Back (帮我拍拍), Evening Tide (晚潮) and Kissing a Gardenia (都什么年代了啊) — set in audio drama production and acting circles.

6. Min Ran

Min Ran (闵然) specialises in contemporary romances, all of which have been popular enough to attract print publication and audio drama (and sometimes manhua) adaptations. Her two most notable works are the contemporary age gap romance For the Rest of Our Lives (余生为期) and the showbiz novel (with a dash of rebirth) Waiting for You (余情可待).

7. Yu Shuang

Yu Shuang (鱼霜) writes primarily contemporary romances, and is particularly known for her showbiz novels. Notable works include the showbiz novels The Light (微光) and Those Long Divided Must Soon Be United (分久必合)

8. Yi Zhan Ye Deng

Yi Zhan Ye Deng (一盏夜灯) is another specialist in contemporary romances. Her best known work is probably the age gap romance Feelings Speak for Themselves (桃李不言), which has been adapted into both an audio drama and a manhua.

9. Qing Tang Shuan Xiang Cai

Qing Tang Shuan Xiang Cai (清汤涮香菜, literally: Clear Soup with Coriander) is known for her mostly-fluffy, slice of life contemporary romances. Her best known work is Fascinating (入迷).

10. Shi Wei Yue Shang

Shi Wei Yue Shang (时微月上) she came to the attention of the wider baihe audience with her 2021 infinite flow novel Players, Please Be On Standby (玩家请就位), followed by the transmigration xianxia novel Incantation for Subduing a Dragon (降龙诀).

Honourable mention #1: Tai Yang Jun 

Tai Yang Jun (太阳菌) is a favourite among fans of the wuxia subgenre, which is under-represented within baihe. She is probably best known for the two wuxia novels Jianghu Demolition Squad (江湖拆迁队) and Song of Everlasting Regret (长恨歌), as well as the xianxia novel The Dragon (见龙).

Honourable mention #2: Misterande

Your one-stop shop for dark deranged toxic lesbians, Misterande's best-known work is the dark thriller I'm More Dangerous Than You (我比你危险), featuring a cat-and-mouse game between a serial killer and a writer of suspense novels. The manhua adaptation has an official English translation, which can be read here.

Honourable mention #3: Xiao Bao

Xiao Bao (晓暴), known affectionately as 'CEO Bao' to her fans, has written upwards of 20 novels, most of them featuring high levels of explicit sexual content. Her titles include Bait (诱饵), an omegaverse novel featuring a mostly consensual poly relationship, and A Young Girl's Fancy is as Lovely as a Poem (少女情怀总是诗), featuring a daughter/mother relationship with (at least initial) noncon/dubcon.

For a fuller version of this post, see the DW entry here.

#baihe #chinese gl #wlw #i have listed all the fan translations i'm aware of that are NOT mtl #please can people start translating these (other than the one i'm planning to translate lol) #i want baihe fans to finally be able to read the good stuff #when i say 'start translating these' i mean using human brain and not mtl lol

[dankinthedas]

varric: This reminds me of a story.

inquisitor: Shocking.

varric: It’s about an impossibly handsome dwarf and his friend who get crowned King of the Nugs.

inquisitor: A nug king, really?

varric: It’s not as good as it sounds. Nugs mostly just shit on the floor and roll in it. Welcome to the Deep Roads.

blackwall: Always wondered if I’d die down here.

inquisitor: You’re not dead yet.

blackwall: The day’s just starting.

solas: Dwarves cannot dream, yet they devise the most fascinating inventions.

inquisitor: Not all ideas come from the Fade.

solas: True. But these designs must be inspired by something.

~WELCOME TO THE DEEP ROADS

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dai #thedas #the inquisition #solas dai #solas da3 #solas dragon age #blackwall dragon age #blackwall dai #varric dai #varric dragon age #varric #varric tethras #the deep roads #dwarves #dwarven ruins

[vigilskeep]

not sure if anyone has asked you this before but do you have any josephine headcanons you want to share?

gets viciously sea-sick and is hugely embarrassed about this due to her family’s history as seafaring merchants

the background dialogue implies she gets along well with solas and that’s interesting to me. of course our diplomat would ace a fairytale situation where a powerful guest arrives in humble disguises. i think they should be having their equivalent of verbal chess matches too. it makes me wonder if josie has any history with apostates (i suppose her familiarity with court enchanters accounts for a lot of her ease) though it’s clearly also his political ability she respects and i’m fascinated by what conclusions she must have drawn

very fastidious when it comes to cleanliness. in a medieval way, of course. she does things like carry a pomander and she always smells of perfumes and spices

since the end of her short-lived bard career, may have slightly ignored the “accomplishments” and the arts expected of a noblewoman in preference for her political acumen. loves music but hasn’t practised any herself in years

i expect a certain buried resentment for her parents when she’s doing so much to salvage her family’s fortunes and rein in her younger siblings and is struggling to do both at the same time, unable to be in two places at once. why is the heir in her 20s trying to handle both these things and not them

prefers orlais to antiva, despite the relative cold

observes the many and varied holidays of thedas with efficiency and precision

uuuuuuuuum. i think she’d really enjoy macbeth

#thats what i can scrounge off the top of my head! #josephine montilyet

[daitranscripts]

Solas Conversation: Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts

Court Intrigue

Solas Masterpost Related Quest: Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts

Solas: There are spirits hovering by the Veil to observe the thrones of powerful nations. The machinations, betrayals…. After our time in Halamshiral, I understand why. I had forgotten how I missed court intrigue…

Dialogue options:

General: Glad you liked it. [1] +Solas slightly approves

General: You’ve seen this before? [2] -Solas slightly disapproves

General: I didn’t like it. [3] -Solas slightly disapproves

1 - General: Glad you liked it. PC: I’m pleased you have a good time. Solas: Political gambits, broken promises, half-truths? It is a place full of motivation. And motivation is where great things happen.

2 - General: You’ve seen this before? PC: You miss court intrigue? When were you at court? Solas: Oh. Well, never… directly, of course. An elven apostate is rarely invited to speak with empresses and kings. But from the Fade, I have watched dynasties form and empires crumble. It is sometimes savage, sometimes noble. And always fascinating.

3 - General: I didn’t like it. PC: If I go the rest of my life without ever dealing with the Great Game again, I will die happy. Solas: Sadly, as the Inquisitor, it is unlikely you will live without further courtly machinations. Unless the rest of your life is very short, in which case I doubt you will die happy.

4 - Scene continues.

Choice dependent dialogue:

Briala lives/rules [5]

Briala discredited/executed [6]

5 - Briala lives/rules

Solas (Celene and Briala reconciled/public truce): In any event, Celene should now be a steadfast ally, and Briala as well, thanks to your efforts on her behalf. Solas (Gaspard and Briala rule): In any event, Gaspard should be a steadfast ally, and Briala will keep him in check… and look after the elves.

Dialogue options:

General: I hope it helps the elves. [7]

General: It worked out for everyone. [8]

General: We needed the elves. [9]

General (Dalish PC): I hope it helps the elves. [10]

General (Dalish PC): It worked out for everyone. [11]

General (Dalish PC): Our people had better help. [12]

7 - General: I hope it helps the elves. PC: I hope Briala uses her position to help your people. Solas: How would helping Briala help… Oh, you mean elves! [14]

8 - General: It worked out for everyone. PC: I liked it. The Inquisition gets a valuable ally, and perhaps your people will get better treatment in Orlais. Solas: How will mages get treated better? Oh, you mean elves! [14]

9 - General: We needed the elves. PC: The Inquisition needs help wherever if can find it. Your people had better come through for us. Solas: My people? Oh, you mean elves! [14]

10 - General: I hope it helps the elves. PC: I hope Briala is able to use her position to help our people. Solas: Our people? Who are—Oh, you mean elves! [14]

12 - General: It worked out for everyone. PC: I like it. The Inquisition gets a valuable ally, and perhaps our people will get better treatment in Orlais. Solas: Our people? Who are—Oh, you mean elves! [14]

13 - General: Our people had better help. PC: The Inquisition needs help wherever it can find it. Our people had better come through. Solas: Our people? Who are—Oh, you mean elves! [14]

14 - Scene continues.

Solas: I’m sorry, I was confused. I do not consider myself to have much in common with the elves.

Dialogue options:

Angry: You should consider it. [15] -Solas disapproves

Sad: That’s tragic. [16] -Solas slightly disapproves

Pleased: I agree. [17] +Solas slightly approves

Stoic: Who, then? [18] +Solas slightly approves

15 - General: You should consider it. PC: You are an elf, and a powerful mage as well. Have you ever considered trying to help your people? Solas: How? By attacking Orlesian nobles? Should I skulk around the Dales mourning my lost heritage?

16 - General: That’s tragic. PC: Your people gave lost so much of their history and culture. To not even think of yourself that way…. Solas: I think of myself as “me.” That’s all I’ve ever needed.

17 - General: I agree. PC: Nor should you. You’re not defined by the shape of your ears. They’re not your people. Solas: No, they are not.

18 - General: Who, then? PC: Who do you have much in common with? Who are your people? Solas: A good question.

19 - Scene continues.

Solas: I joined the Inquisition to save the world. Regardless of who “my people” are, this was the best way to help them. As for the elves of Orlais, I believe Briala is doing quite well on their behalf. She is an admirable woman.

Dialogue options:

Flirt: I admire you. [20] +Solas slightly approves

General: I agree. [21]

General: You really think so? [22] +Solas slightly approves

General: She’s shortsighted. [23] -Solas slightly disapproves

20 - Flirt: I admire you. PC: You’re an admirable man. Not many people know who they are the way you do. Solas: Thank you. Both for saying that and… for seeing that. Few in this world can see me… instead of just seeing a pair of pointed ears. Scene ends.

21 - General: I agree. PC: She’s done good work. Hopefully, with out help, she can help them even more. Solas: Yes. However much I identify—or fail to identify—with her people, Briala’s efforts have been remarkable.

22 - General: You really think so? PC: So you don’t have anything in common with elves, but you admire her for fighting for them? Solas: I admire many people whose interests I do not share.

23 - General: She’s shortsighted. PC: Briala only cares about elves. Solas: True. It is not her vision I admire.

24 - Scene continues.

Solas: She organized resistance against a powerful enemy, using only her wits and the resources at hand. That demands respect, especially in a world where most would look at her… and only see a pair of pointed ears.

Scene ends.

-

6 - Briala discredited/executed

Solas (Celene rules alone): In any event, Celene should now be a steadfast ally, especially after helping her neutralize Briala. Solas (Gaspard rules alone): In any event, Gaspard should be a steadfast ally, especially after delivering him both Celene and Briala.

Dialogue options:

General: I’m sorry about Briala. [25]

General: Is Briala’s fate a problem? [26]

General: I’m not sorry about Briala. [27]

25 - General: I’m sorry about Briala. PC: I hope you know that I didn’t turn over Briala lightly. If I’d had another option… Solas: What? Why would I disapprove of… oh, because we’re both elves? [28]

26 - General: Is Briala’s fate a problem? PC: Am I sensing concern over how we dealt with Briala? Solas: No? Why would I disapprove of… oh, because we’re both elves? [28]

27 - General: I’m not sorry about Briala. PC: Briala brought it on herself, Solas. I did what had to be done. Solas: All right? Why would I disapprove of… oh, because we’re both elves? [28]

28 - Scene continues.

I’m sorry, I was confused. I do not consider myself to have much in common with the elves.

Dialogue options:

Angry: You should consider it. [29] -Solas disapproves

Sad: That’s tragic. [30] -Solas slightly disapproves

Pleased: I agree. [31] +Solas slightly approves

Stoic: Who, then? [32] +Solas slightly approves

29 - General: You should consider it. PC: You are an elf, and a powerful mage as well. Have you ever considered trying to help your people? Solas: How? By attacking Orlesian nobles? Should I skulk around the Dales mourning my lost heritage? [33]

30 - General: That’s tragic. PC: Your people gave lost so much of their history and culture. To not even think of yourself that way…. Solas: I think of myself as “me.” That’s all I’ve ever needed. [33]

31 - General: I agree. PC: Nor should you. You’re not defined by the shape of your ears. They’re not your people. Solas: No, they are not. [33]

32 - General: Who, then? PC: Who do you have much in common with? Who are your people? Solas: A good question. [33]

33 - Scene continues.

Solas: I joined the Inquisition to save the world. Regardless of who “my people” are, this was the best way to help them.

Dialogue options:

Flirt: I admire you. [34] +Solas slightly approves

General: I still want to help them. [35]

General: She was short sighted. [36] +Solas slightly approves

General: She didn’t impress me. [37] -Solas slightly disapproves

34 - Flirt: I admire you. PC: You’re an admirable man. Not many people know who they are the way you do. Solas: Thank you. Both for saying that and… for seeing that. Few in this world can see me…

35 - General: I still want to help them. PC: Even if we couldn’t help Briala, I hope we can make life better for Orlesian elves. Solas: Stop Corypheus. That will do for a start. It speaks well of you to feel for the oppressed. Help them for that. Know them for what they are.

36 - General: She was short sighted. PC: Briala had a perfect plan, if you wanted everyone to kill each other. I’m trying to avoid that. She could have focused on actual threats. Solas: Easy to say. Harder to remember when few people can see you.

37 - General: She didn’t impress me. PC: If she were more admirable, she wouldn’t have failed. Solas: The world at large will judge her on success or failure alone. We who knew her, even briefly, have the luxury of looking deeper. To judge her strengths and flaws…

38 - Scene continues.

Solas: …instead of just seeing a pair of pointed ears.

Scene ends.

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dai transcripts #dragon age transcripts #dragon age dialogue #dai #long post #wewh #wicked eyes and wicked hearts #solas

[psalacanthea]

this is an old thing, a little during DAI Solas-perspective Solavellan for anyone needing something sweet this Saturday.  For all my ‘nah, they totally boned there’ Solavellans.  NSFW at the end.  2.8k.  (i might put in on AO3 later, unless I forget [i will forget])

...

Solas had a feeling that if he asked Ellana to stop, she would.  No, it was more than a feeling.  A certainty.  Whenever he paused, she pulled back, whenever he resisted, she stopped.  To the outside it might look as if she was aggressively pursuing him, but he knew she would cease in a split second if he asked her to.

And yet, he did not.

It was a surprisingly pleasant thing, to be hunted in this manner.  He knew she was skilled, but the talent extended to other areas besides her grace and the deadliness of her bow.  After the kiss in the fade - still a sweet, stomach-clenching memory – she had allowed him all the distance he desired without a word of complaint.

Then she started courting him.

It was merely small things at first; she would see Leliana and afterwards bring down the books he'd asked for from the library.  Cakes pilfered from the kitchen with an impish child's humor were presented to him proudly.  They would have given them to her if she'd asked, but she seemed to find endless delight in thievery.  

Her unflagging brightness, her sheer determination to find joy in her circumstances was admirable, and it amused him as well.

That alone was a revelation, the way she brought a smile to his lips even when she was absent.  He would find a small note she'd written him slipped between the pages of a book, generally biting, witty commentary about the tome itself.  She was sharper than the edges of her arrows, and he found it endlessly fascinating.  The way she'd laugh and charm the people they met and then turn around and make some sort of sly, dark comment about it all.  

There was no naivete in her humor, no denial; she saw her circumstances for the great and terrifying farce that they were.

Sometimes flashes of vulnerability would show through it all, depths of sorrow that she hid behind a smile.  He could see how much she hated it all, the titles, the worship of the Andrastians.  She flinched, every time someone called her Herald.

At first, in her posture, and then when she tempered that, he could still see it in her eyes.

Self-mockery and pain, and a bitter resignation.

He understood.

She kept it from him apart from the occasional dark and sarcastic joke, until the first note appeared anywhere but a book, left inside his bedroll as they camped at the outskirts of Crestwood.  It had been folded into a small bird, and he smiled and admired it for a moment before carefully unfolding it.  It almost seemed a shame to do so.

The words within were a shocking vulnerability, a heartbreaking confession.

Sometimes I wonder if they know how terrifying they are.  How horrifyingly cruel and brutal.  They say to me, 'You are the Herald of our greatest martyr', and they expect me, her victim, to be glad of it.  I should be honored to be raised so far above my people, to be allowed to murder for them instead of being murdered by them.  I laugh because it is easier than crying, or screaming.  I wonder if they will burn me, too, when they are done with me.

I hope they choke on my ashes.

That was the first night he wrote her a note in return.  He folded his into a star.  It seemed appropriate.  Not that the new vulnerability meant she had stopped pursuing him.  If anything, she grew all the more flirtatious.  

And indiscreet.

Solas became intensely aware that Dorian and Sera were very tired of her sighing about him over her drinks.  Gossip traveled, and quickly.  He struggled to hide his flushes as Dorian complained at him about it over the railing, reciting some of her more choice phrases with absolutely no shame whatsoever.  It seemed she was very fond of his legs and had waxed poetic about them.  At length.  And his jaw, apparently, and nose, freckles, eyes, lips...it was getting to be a bit much, but the second-hand flattery was undeniably pleasant to hear.  If embarrassing.

He did not ask her to stop, though Josephine did.  Repeatedly.

After a week of this new assault, the next letter appeared, on his pillow in his chamber.  

No one had seen her enter or leave, but his window had been open.

They say I should behave.  But I will not, until you tell me to.  Is it inappropriate?  I wonder. They need me, so I will keep doing as I like.  Dorian says that you smile, and so I think that you don't mind, even if you haven't said anything to me.  I wonder about a lot of things.  What your lips would taste like if I kissed you, what sort of sounds you would make if I snuck up behind you as you stand at your desk and slid my hands down the front of your pants.  Do you moan?  Would you say my name? You kiss as if you might.  You kiss as if you might suck all the air out of my lungs, and make me glad to die of suffocation.  I will remember it tonight, when I touch myself.  Sleep well.

That note, he kept in a book next to the bed.  

And then, for the next week, she had the oddest habit of popping up behind him while he was working.  Innocent, oh so innocent her expressions, asking curious questions, smiling winsomely.  There was absolutely no one who wasn't aware now that she was interested in him by then.  Of all people, Cassandra seemed utterly invested in it all.  She would ask the most prying questions, watch them with a hawk's gaze when they were in the field.  It was not a threatening gaze, if anything it seemed soft.

Hopeful.

All of her wicked machinations, all of this playful and overt courtship, and she had yet to even touch him.  If she was planning to drive him mad, she was doing a rather good job of it.  She chipped at the edges of his restraint, slowly whittling it away.  Eventually it was curiosity, more than anything else, that kept him from saying anything about it all.  What would she do next?

She, apparently, asked him to dance.

He did not know she would have handled the Winter Palace with such grace.  Knowing her fear and hatred, he was staggered at how flawlessly she had navigated it.  When she stopped to speak with him, he could feel the tension in her, the exhaustion and wariness that she let show in her eyes.  He wanted nothing more than to sweep her away to a quiet corner and let her relax, but they both knew he couldn't.  That such luxuries could not be afforded.  Instead they shared quiet, wry words about the artifice and intrigue, enjoyed what there was to be enjoyed.  She made some cutting remarks about a some particularly egregious gowns, just to make him chuckle.

He saw her shoulders relax as he laughed for her.

Later, leaning against the railing of the balcony outside, he watched her slump as Morrigan swept away, releasing it all.  It was then that he finally broke that distance between them, in the only way he could think of at that moment.  The first time they had touched, apart from accidental brushes in the heat of battle, or when he healed her wounds.  He gently placed a hand on her back, offering comfort in that moment when she let her vulnerability show in more than little hidden notes.

It was if that single touch, and then the dance that followed had broken some wall inside of her.

Suddenly her hands were everywhere, when she had been so careful not to intrude on his space before.  Pressing too close when she passed him in a cave, the curve of her hip nudging between his thighs, making his breath catch. She'd smile in the low light, and then move on before he could decide if he would reach for her.  She sat next to him around the fire, thighs touching, arm brushing against him when she leaned forward.  

Large things, small things.  Light touches on his arm when they spoke, a playful push against his shoulder when he offered a sly joke.  And then, one particularly pulse-pounding afternoon at the base of a circular stairwell, when she poured herself against his chest to whisper a message from Josephine in his ear.  Utterly ordinary, that little report, something that could have been sent with any servant in the fortress.  Instead, she lazily murmured the status of his book requisition in his ear, a hand to either side of his chest, voice a breathy little sigh.  

He nearly grabbed her by the thighs and pushed her up against the wall right then and there.

When it had turned to love, he didn't know, but he recognized it at some point when he was watching her, so serious and calm, lean over the war table with her braid spilling over her shoulder.  Or maybe it was when he'd caught her delaying their departure from Skyhold to indulge in a game of chase and catch with the small gaggle of children that belonged to the servants.  She looked so happy then, free, free of the weight of their titles and expectations, free of his mark that burned like a brand in her palm and poisoned her veins.

It made his heart ache, the knowledge of it, and then the acknowledgment of those feelings.  It was the most unwise thing he ever could have done, falling in love with her, but how could he avoid it?  She was...everything.

He hadn't known what he was going to say until they were on the balcony, but he knew he had to say something.  Something to express even a fraction of the change she had wrought in his life.  And again, she charmed him, until he almost found himself saying what he had decided halfway through their conversation not to.  He simply couldn't.  It wasn't right, it wasn't wise...

“Don't go.”

Her fingers caught in the curve of his elbow, a beckon that only asked, didn't demand. Never had she demanded anything of him in all this time, but nor had she stopped pursuing.  He hadn't stopped her.

He wouldn't stop her.

The inevitability washed over him, the weight and knowledge of it crashing down on him as he turned and drew her in to him.  He knew then, at last, how her lips tasted, how it felt for her to be as desperate as he had been all this time.  The crush of her body, the way she gasped in against his lips as he pulled at her, her hands against his back.  It was...

His body pulled back, but his heart stayed, escaping his lips in a confession of what she doubtless already knew.

He loved her.

Space.  Time.  He needed both, to try and decide what this all meant.  The kiss had roused something in him, young and impulsive, and it was nearly impossible to cross those few feet to the stairs, especially with her bed out of the corner of his vision, inviting.  A constant invitation, never withdrawn.  An offering of comfort and peace for both of them.  Even if only for a moment.

And then he made the greatest miscalculation in all of this, a mistake that would haunt him every night thereafter.

He looked back over his shoulder.

Ellana stood there, a hand on her hip, leaning against the door with the smuggest expression on her flushed face.  Hair tousled, lips swollen and ruddy, the feline satisfaction in the look she was giving him was unmistakable.

She'd won.

He'd made the first move.

How had she tricked him?  It left his mind blank for a moment, a laugh startled from the depths of his chest at being outmaneuvered by her, trapped into a corner until he had no choice but to react.  What could he do now? She hunted, and he had been caught.

The fragility, the melancholy of his feelings for her shattered, leaving behind a fierce and uninhibited affection.

What a horrible vixen she was.

It was as if a dam had burst, as he succumbed to it, to her.  She was so sweet under his lips, under his hands, and he took it all.  There would be time for tenderness later, for now there was only the frantic need she'd been forging for ages now, that she'd sharpened to a hunger so acute that he was starving for her.  

It was unwise to fill a starving belly too quickly, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Somehow they found the bed, leaving tangled clothing behind, both of them tripping at one point or another.  They fell onto it in a tangle of limbs, her with her shirt still half on, him in his leggings, pulled partway down his hips.  They were laying the wrong way across the bed, but it was big enough not to matter, though his feet dangled down as he bit a line up her breastbone, making her back arch.  She whimpered, and he found it absolutely fascinating.

Suddenly, his own need wasn't so intense.  He heard say his name in protest, but breathy and moaning, token noises and not any desire for him to stop. His hands slid up the underside of her thighs, feeling the muscles shift under his palms, before he pushed her knees up, and then up again, letting them spread to either side of her chest, her stomach rolling in a smooth arch.

He knew she was flexible, he'd seen her fight.  It was hard not to gloat over her like this, his torturer, all red cheeks and hazy eyes.  Exposed, with her swollen, slick arousal so plain to see.

“You had to know...” he murmured to her, words breathed out between her thighs. “That you would eventually pay for all your wickedness, vhenan.”

And then, with tongue and lips, and his fingers firm around her knees, he found just what sorts of noises she could make.  It was very little surprise that he found them all as captivating as her whimpers, especially when they involved his name.

He loved the way it slid off of her tongue, sinuous and breathy, preceded by a quavering intake of air.  The way it became more and more frantic, until she lost the syllables in a cry of ecstasy, whole body shuddering.  The strength in her lithe frame was astounding, the spasm of her hips so dangerous that he was forced to pull back.

How could he resist it?  

She was so close, so exquisite, on his tongue and under his hands.  Her hands were pulling down his leggings as his own slid over the curves of her calves, moving for her ankles, encircling them.  He held her legs to his chest as he felt her fingers slide along the length of him, guiding him to her.

And then he took her, claimed what she'd been offering, sinking deep into her in triumph and surrender.  There would be regret, and he didn't care in that moment, she was too wet and warm and alive, her vitality setting his nerves afire.  She was all smooth, toned lines, but he could make her shiver and squirm, and so he did, watching the tumble of her hair, the bounce of her breasts.

It was over too quickly, greedy thrusts that made that fascinating rear end slap against his thighs, hunger that had settled too deep for anything but devouring satiation.  Her sweat-slicked, supple body folded under his as he pressed over her, hilting deep, his hands finding hers and pinning them against the bed as he shuddered and let his hips grind against her.

The satisfaction that followed had been worth it all, he decided, as he tried to catch his breath while she nuzzled against him.  He would have been content to hold her then, savor it all, try to understand just what was happening and what it meant...but he learned then, as he would learn in the weeks to come...

He had taken a step that there was no coming back from.  She only gave him fifteen minutes to kiss and caress her before she pushed him on his back and kissed down his stomach.  That night he learned a very sobering lesson, that he wished he had known before he'd looked over his shoulder that day in her chambers.

There was no escape now that he'd let her in.  She was irresistible.

And she was insatiable.

#Solavellan #Solas x Lavellan #I am all for ace Solavellan and I think a lot of the fics I've read are better than sexy ones #I just know my Lavellan and she would fuck that old man

[broodwolf221]

fic rec list!

been seeing a lot of these today and it got me thinking about making my own :o tumblr urls added whenever possible if you happen to know an author's tumblr url that didn't get listed, pls rb this and @ them! i'm not trying to keep my recs or praise any kind of secret from them :')

keep your hands on me by LathboraViran (cullen/solas; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: Cullen is bad at card games, and Varric doesn't always play for coin. The cost of a lost game of Diamondback? Cullen has to kiss Solas. It goes both better and worse than he had expected.

my notes: i really loved this - both cullen and solas are written incredibly well. it's hot, nuanced, and feels so true to both of them and how they could come together meaningfully

With the Tide by desiredemon (jazzmckay) ( @jazzmckay ) (fenris/m!hawke; rated T; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: In the wake of their final fight for Kirkwall, Hawke and his friends escape the city together. They've been through an ordeal, the future is uncertain, and emotions are still running high--in the aftermath, the dust settles.

my notes: jazz is an extraordinary writer and they managed to get everyone's voices down so, so well. this is a compelling look at what happens after the events of da2, with all the inherent complexity intact

Power, Intrigue, Danger, and Sex by Hezjena (andruil/fen'harel/ghilan'nain; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: When Solas later recalled the evening, he liked to imagine it was the result of careful manipulation, a triumph of his skilled diplomacy and a delicious trickery where he allowed himself to be underestimated… rather than the result of too much ice wine and morbid curiosity. *** That time Solas accidentally-on-purpose has a threesome with Andruil and Ghilan’nain in Ancient Elvhenan.

my notes: okay, i am head over heels with how everyone is written here. solas' characterization is perfect, and both andruil and ghilan'nain are utterly fascinating - as individuals, in their dynamic with each other, and in the way they interact with solas in this. it's hot and messy, mind the tags, and a wonderful examination of arlathan's culture

let me wrap my teeth around the world by wizardlover ( @wizardfvcker ) (solas/varric; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: “Aren’t we friends, Solas?”

This seems to startle him enough that he turns to look at Varric. In the dimness of the tent his eyes reflect the light from the fire outside, like a wild animal.

“I would call us that, yes."

“Then won’t you share whatever burden is pressing you down with me? That’s what friends are for, you know.”

“Not this one." Varric sighs.

“Come on, Chuckles. I’ll get back out there and get the Inquisitor to spill it, but it seems like a waste when I’m already here.”

Solas is quiet for a long moment—he has shifted around again, so Varric can only see the rise and fall of his back as he breathes, carefully controlled.

“I am… compromised,” he says. Varric waits. “That damned plant, combined with an errant spell—I have… urges. And I can’t—it is—” He cuts himself off, frustrated, and isn’t that a wonder, Solas out of words? And then,

“Urges?” Varric stifles a laugh. “Do you mean—”

“You know what I mean, dwarf,” Solas hisses, and Varric realizes that his neck is red and the tips of his ears have gone pink, and that the air in the tent is warm and stuffy and a little heady, all of a sudden. He clears his throat.

my notes: i am, of course, always so thirsty for solas/varric content - the world needs more of it - but also this particular fic is delightful. i love the writing, particularly the way varric describes solas' behavior and staring - i've come back to read this multiple times because it's just... really, really good. also hot!

The Switch by playwithdinos ( @playwithdinos / @dinoswrites ) (f!lavellan/solas; rated E; creator chose not to use archive warnings)

author summary: Lavellan usually lets Solas take charge when they're alone, but she's back from slaying the Fereldan Frostback and she's not in the mood to bow to anyone.

Fill for this kink meme prompt: http://dragonage-kink.livejournal.com/13696.html?thread=53207680

my notes: love this one soooo much - lavellan is fascinating here and the way she takes charge is delightful, i particularly enjoyed how it began so much earlier than in the bedroom - and solas is written so well, love his characterization here. it's very hot and another i've definitely come back to

That Time of the Month by bluebeholder ( @wanderingnork ) (f!adaar/solas; rated E; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: Kubide gets her period. Solas offers a suggestion for how they might have some fun.

They're going to have to burn the sheets when they're done.

my notes: love this one so much - every line is just rife with characterization and depth, absolutely love the way kubide conducts herself and her reactions throughout, the physical descriptions are wonderfully done, and overall it's super hot and makes their feelings for each other incredibly clear.

In the Blue Morning by rosieofcorona ( @rosieofcorona ) (f!lavellan/solas; rated G; author chose not to use archive warnings)

author summary: He wants to stay like this forever, wants the sun to forget to rise, wants the castle to sleep and sleep in an endless dream.

But the light keeps coming, every moment. The castle will wake, and they will see.

And this will cost them, in the end.

my notes: this was such a delight when i first read it, and still such a delight when i just reread it now ;o; the way everything is described is really beautiful, and the balance between them, the juicy foreshadowing, everything, it's so good. a soft moment that acknowledges what is to come

Master and Apprentice by ar_lath_vhenan ( @arlathvhenan ) (f!lavellan/solas; rated T; no archive warnings apply)

author summary: He was playing with her then, just as she had played with him only moments ago. He’d seen through her thinly veiled flirtations—her shameless assault on his composure—and finally settled on a counter offensive now that he possessed the upper hand. The tricky bastard. — In which Solas teaches Lavellan to paint

my notes: i really, really enjoy this fic - the intimacy alongside the uncertainty is wonderfully complex, and the descriptive language for how they manuever around/with each other has never failed to impress me. love this lavellan too <3

#fic recs #dragon age fic recs #i have more i could add but this post is already quite long lmao #might do this again tho! it was nice revisiting fic i rly enjoyed :')