While I do have a regular thread for original-ish plots, this search demanded a thread all for its onsie, so here it is.
Dragon Age: Origins had been released and I had been steadily trophy hunting for Oblivion and unaware of the wonders Thedas held within its plastic box, grasped tightly in the hands of a young child who had been hopeful of a temporary trade. My Oblivion for their DA:O.
Pfft... As if I would allow a smaller human access to the world of Tamriel via my copy, but the twinkle of good intentions melted the carefully constructed ice that had held my heart in place for a number of years at this point. I caved and went to work knowing I needed a break from the devil's device.
My Xbox.
That afternoon, after returning home, I heard it for the first time... Duncan's voice narrating the opening scene and I found myself drawn to the living room where the sound had emerged. There, on the screen was my first exposure to the Darkspawn and the unheard of, (to my ears at least), the 5th Blight. Instantly, I was lured by the story being unfolded before me and while I did continue to go to work the next morning, the matter of sleep was non-existent as I found myself smack dab in the middle of the Deep Roads.
Needless to say, I had finished the game, (I usually run straight through the story quests just to finish the game, then go back and replay though until EVERYTHING is completed), and I began anew...
Fast forward a few years and Dragon Age: Inquisition came out, (yes, I preordered, as any respecting DA fan would do, even after preordering DA:2 and finding it a bit "meh"). After finishing the game, inside and out, the itch to have some sort of closure for my Lavellan became too strong to bare and I sought out a means to gain that closure.
I began writing a sort of "fan fiction" that never got posted anywhere but I had found it lacking, still. I stumbled onto a community on the then, Twitter, and discovered the wonderful world of roleplaying.
I never found my Solas, but I did find an Emperor from the Warhammer world and did a cross over, so that was neat.
I am not looking for a Solas, or Lucanis, but I would like to create an adventure with another in the world of Thedas...
This is getting a bit longer than I had originally planned, so I will leave this here, though I reserve the right to edit at some point in the future... (and there will be edits, just a heads up.)
Thedas is a continent marked by centuries of conflict, shifting empires, and the influence of powerful magical forces. It is home to various peoples, including humans, elves, dwarves, and others, each with their own histories and struggles.
The Dawn of Thedas: The Ancient Times
The earliest known civilization of Thedas was the Elven Empire, a powerful and ancient civilization that spanned much of the continent. The elves were once immortal and deeply connected to magic, living in harmony with nature. However, their downfall began with the rise of the Old Gods, powerful, mysterious beings that offered forbidden knowledge to the elves. This led to the Exalted Marches, a series of conflicts with the Tevinter Imperium, a human empire that sought to conquer the elves and harness their magic.
The Rise of the Tevinter Imperium
The Tevinter Imperium became the first major human empire, founded on the exploitation of magic and slavery. The imperium spread across much of Thedas, especially after the elves were subjugated and turned into slaves. The Tevinter magisters used their dark and powerful magic, including blood magic, to maintain control, and the empire became a force to be reckoned with.
However, the Tevinter Imperium was ultimately weakened by internal corruption, the slow decay of its society, and its overreliance on dangerous magic. Eventually, the elves were freed, though their power had waned, and Tevinter's dominance began to falter.
The Fall of the Elven Empire and the Rise of Nations
After the fall of the elves' ancient empire, the Dales, a group of independent elven states, emerged but were eventually wiped out by human forces during the Exalted Marches. Meanwhile, new human kingdoms and nations began to rise, including Ferelden, Orlais, and Nevarra, each with its own complex politics, cultures, and struggles.
During this time, the Chantry was founded, spreading the worship of the Maker and establishing the Circle of Magi to control the use of magic. This created a system where magic users were often kept in check, leading to conflicts with both the mages and the general population.
The Blights and the Darkspawn
Throughout Thedas' history, the land has been ravaged by repeated invasions of the Darkspawn, monstrous creatures from the Deep Roads, an underground network beneath the continent. These invasions are known as Blights, each heralded by the rise of a new Archdemon, a corrupted Old God. The most famous of these invasions occurred during the First Blight, which led to the creation of the Grey Wardens, an order of warriors dedicated to fighting the Darkspawn.
While the Blights have been defeated, their recurrence remains a constant threat, casting a long shadow over Thedas.
The Dragon Age and Present Day
The Dragon Age refers to the most recent era, named after the return of dragons to the world, tied to the Blights and the resurgence of magic. During this time, various political and religious conflicts have emerged, such as the Mage-Templar War, a war between mages, who are controlled by the Templars, and the Chantry, which sees magic as a threat.
At the heart of these tensions lies the Inquisition, an organization formed to combat growing threats to Thedas, including rogue mages, Darkspawn, and political instability. The events of the Inquisition marked a turning point for many nations, uniting forces in the face of an increasingly uncertain future.
The world of Thedas remains in a fragile state, with old alliances tested and new powers rising, while the threat of Blights and dark forces still lingers on the horizon. The history of Thedas is one of cycles, with old struggles resurfacing and new challenges always looming.
If one had a hankering for some good old canon, we could take a trip as the two that survived, along with Alistar of course, but it would be up to the individual who accepts this challenge. Knowledge of the goings-on would be most helpful with this one, as it would follow that game, sort of with a lot more twists and turns. Or if one just wanted to play a canon character, I would not mind doubling up as Lelianna or Morrigan for the right partner.
I had this idea a while back, though it never went anywhere: Two Wardens who had survived their Joining are sent on a mission during the events of the 5th Blight. Tasked with heading into the Deep Roads, they are on the hunt for the archdemon, instructed with only finding its hiding place and reporting back to their commander. While gone, they are oblivious of what had happened to Duncan, possibly only learning about Ostegar through the grapevine. I am open to input on this one.
Mostly, instead of the Hero, or it could be that one of us were the HoF, sent to Amaranthine to investigate the weird stuff that had been taking place after the end of the 5th Blight. Either way, the Warden and partner venture forth and discover The Architect and learn more about the Darkspawn and how they are created. (If one has read the novels, one already knows what happens to them once they embark upon their Calling and we can discuss all of that via PM)
This idea would take place in Kirkwall. I do not truly enjoy playing canon characters, but would not be opposed to taking up the roles if another wished it. Isabella had been a favourite, where Merril tried my patience with her Dalish bs and the eluvian, (I adore the Dalish, don’t get me wrong, but good grief… it was evident that mirror was corrupted! )
More can be discussed via PM.
The reason I found this hobby… I wouldn’t mind playing as just an agent of the Inquisition, so I am open to ideas on this one. I am open to playing as Morrigan, Cassandra, since I adore those ladies and tend to write a bit more firm and sassy characters and they are a comfortable fit. If I could find a Solas or even a Cullen type character, I would be pleased to the edge of the Sol System and back, but it is not a must have.
Again, I would rather write as an OC against an OC, so there's that.
The events of the game would be going on, but that doesn't mean that the Inquisitor hasn't sent our characters off on some sort of mission elsewhere.
This idea I had revolves around the Red Lyrium aspect. In DA:I, we learn about the 'red lyrium' and while it is explained later on, it is unknown and in need of studying early on. Our characters would be tasked by Cassandra to find where the red lyrium comes from. We learn that it is Blighted, later on, so as the creator's of this adventure, we would have some sort of angle to weave an adventure through different parts of Thedas.
While this game had only just been released back in October, it has received a wide rage of criticism for various reasons. And rightly so. (Everyone is entitled to their opinions... just sayin'.)
I did log an obscene amount of time on this edition through Thedas, but while I had just recently zero'd out the game, my first playthrough had struck the Muse with a desire to write something faaaaar better than the rp aspect of the game itself. They did leave out quite a bit from previous games and while they did touch on a few things, reveal a lot of others, and change a fuckton of lore, there are holes that need to be filled, (plot holes, you pervert! ), and I aim to write something that the creators of the game failed to do.
The writing was pretty horrible in some places and while I, myself, did enjoy some parts of it, I truly missed the in-depth interaction between the characters and would adore to write something where my character isn't a feckin' therapist for her team. Hell, my character doesn't even have to be Rook! Maybe we are a pair of Shadow Dragons who are trying to find out a few of the secrets of the Venatori? Maybe we are a pair of Crows, trying to navigate around the Antaam in Treviso and are the eyes and ears for Viago and Teia? (they had a muuuuuch bigger role in Tevinter Nights... I cannot say again how much one can learn from the books... They are soooOOooo good!!)
Either way one spins it, I would adore any sort of Dragon Age tale.
"I can see you... and I remember who you are. Why is that? Has something changed? You've changed. You can see me and remember me because you want to die." ― David Gaider
The two that are listed are not the only characters I have created. I do not mind creating something else, but these are the ones I have actually taken the time to flesh out, because that's what we all do, amiright? We all create some sort of Backstory for our characters, whether they're the Hof, Inquisitor, or Shepard... (better believe my next bump will be for Mass Effect, just sayin')
Without further adieu, here are the ladies I have created thus far...
Name: — Nova Namanni —
Race: — Dalish Elf/ Elvhen—
Age: — 20-25 —
Class: — Mage —
Height — 5'7" — Weight: — 135 —
— Body Type —
Leithe, slender with some muscle definition
Nova has a casual and fun air about her and is only serious when working, and even then, she tries to keep the environment light. She despises being the Inquisitor, for she knows it will only put her people in harm's way, but for the moment, she is content knowing her clan will be protected as long as she is in charge. Though a Magic user, she doesn't shy away from a fight. Learning the Way of the Knight Enchanter enabled her to charge head first into battle, Spirit Blade drawn, and lead the Inquisition into whatever evil they must defeat.
Nova was the 1st to the Keeper, a role she was none too thrilled to inherit. Her parents were killed by human raiders, which inspired the clan to move further north, passed the Free Marches. When news had reached the Keeper that a Conclave had been summoned, he knew then what must be done.
As is common among some of the more isolated clans, upon her birth, a prophecy was issued. She would one day, raise an army of ALL the races which inhabited Thedas, and defeat a threat to the entire world. Of course, prophecies are usually misinterpreted, so her parents, though uneasy, chalked it up to an old woman's crazy musings. Little did they know that sometimes prophecies should be heeded.
Being tasked with the observation of the Conclave, and strictly ordered not to interfere, she set out to the Temple where it all was to take place. The last thing she remembers from that fateful day, is a strange woman, reaching out to her, and a whole lot of running.
Waking in chains with a glowing hand, was something definitely not on her to-do list, and surrounded by humans… Maker, what had she gotten herself into? Being questioned by these humans was making her head hurt, knowing they would find her guilty despite being innocent, especially because she was a "knife-ear".
To her surprise, they release her. She finds out the glowing hand was actually useful, though it tingled almost uncomfortably. A flash of something that happens causes a change in Cassandra, and the Inquisition is formed via her orders. With help from the Mages, they were able to close the Breech and, in doing so, discovered the being behind the destruction of the temple.
Corypheus, a form of Darkspawn, claims to be of Ancient Tevinter, a priest no less and reveals his plans to ascend to Godhood.
Upon the destruction of Haven and the discovery of Skyhold, Elindra is named Inquisitor, Leader of the Inquisition, and her status as Herald of Andraste seriously takes flight. She blames her confession to Cassandra for her elevation to Leader. If she hadn't of admitted to her about believing in the Maker, and her Elvhen Gods, maybe they would have chosen someone else to lead. Anyone else…
Within months, her ability to lead and do so justly gained the Inquisition momentum, and as word spread of her Heroism, her forces grew. Her mind and ability to navigate the Nobility and their silly Game, earned her renown as a "Woman unable to be bested".
And this, my dear reader, is where I shall end my dear Lavellan's story.
For the rest is still waiting to be written...
While Nova has the whole "Inquisitor" written out, I am definitely not opposed to changing her story. This was basically a copy and paste with a few bits changed, as I had built her story while I had been searching for a "Solas". I would much rather use her as more of an OC with another OC and as an agent of the Inquisition rather than the leader of it.
Same with the following character...
— Name — Lady Rayne Trevelyan
— Race — Human
— Age — 20-25
— Class — Bard/Rogue
— Height —
5'7"
— Weight —
135
— Body Type —
Leithe, slender with
some muscle definition
The Lady Rayne Trevelyan... the name is from the game, although I do not mind changing it for other purposes. Regardless, were the events of DA:I not in play, it could be something before that time, the Lady Rayne had been noble-born, and with the rumours of the Blight and all that went with it on the lips of everyone in Fereldan, her father, Lord Trevellyan, with his ties to Orlais, sent his daughter away, in hopes to keep her safe from the Blight and its cursed Darkspawn.
What he did not know, however, was that she would also prove to be a useful asset in her Bard training. Having found a sponsor within the walls of the Winter Palace, Rayne, like Josephine, had danced and played whilst listening in on the loose tongues of the ruling class. "A pretty face and bouncing bosom work wonders at keeping others distracted," she used to joke to Josephine on several of their outings. But when it came time for serious play, her go-to was her twin blades, and she danced better than most of the people trained on the floor.
After years of practice, the Lady Rayne had proven herself to be more than an asset and her own goals sharpened to that of the House of Repose. She wished to be one of the famed assassins who held true to the words of others and followed through, no matter what transpired.
So, with that, I give you the Lady Rayne. Asset to the Orlaisian Empire, proud contract protector of the House of Repose and famed Bard with a heart of gold...
And this, my dear reader, is where I shall end my dear Trevelyan's story.
Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)
