Arvaarad Ash-Aqun

My role is to hold the leash and hunt the gray ones who leave the Qun. Or bas who have not yet been enlightened.

[makimach]

If every Mage is a ticking bomb ready to explode, shouldn't a player experiment IG the downsides of choosing a Mage, instead of just being told they have to be locked up for theirs and other people's safety.

It is said that Mages are more sensitive to the Fade and that during their sleep are haunted by demons, but that is never shown or talked enough to justify why the Templars would need to lock them up; and, as seen above, as a player this danger is never experienced.

Hawke has the possibility of becoming a Spirit Healer in DA2, thus making them at risk of possession, and yet the game does not talks about this issue while Anders, a literal Abomination, is around.

Bethany's dialogue with Aveline hints to the unpredictability of Mages, and yet it's never properly explored and Bethany's major problem seems more the Templars' relentless search for her as an Apostate than a supposed innate urge to lash out.

Tevinter is an Empire run by Mages, but it's repeatedly shown that what makes it 'evil' is not magic-it's the very corrupt and ambitious people in charge of it that happen to use magic as a tool to grab power.

(Also, their Mages get a proper preparation for their Harrowings, unlike those in Thedas)

If the games want to give us a reason why we should understand that the Mages are inherently dangerous, why all the 'unstable' Mages are so because 1) they were abused by the Templars, 2) they tried to repress their magic with horrible results or 3) are horrible people on their own independently of their capacities?

[notsosecretsolasobsession]

I have the same thought every time I see one of these posts and I don't share it because I don't want to come off as rude or anything, so please know I mean no offense! And this isn't targeting OP. I'm just genuinely baffled by the fandom sometimes and feel the urge to talk about it

People are always saying 'Bioware wants us to think the Chantry is Good and Mages are Bad, but *overwhelming evidence to the contrary*'

But like... If 99% of the people who play these games walk away thinking 'man mages are oppressed' then... That's intentional. Does everyone just think the entire writing staff is super incompetent?? Like they made a great game with intriguing characters by sheer luck but they don't understand their own content? Why does everyone think they're trying to stay 'in the middle' oe side with the Chantry or anything else??

All our lives we hear good things about religion, by people who believe it, to justify the the horrific things that religion has done. We know it's bullshit. And then we hear good things about a (fictional) religion by characters who believe it or justifies atrocities and I guess that makes people think the writers believe it? Or something?

But yeah, no. They're using things that set off our 'hey that's bullshit' alarms because they want us to know it's bullshit. They want us to know that the characters believe in the Chantry despite everything, and we Should Question That.

I just don't get how everyone can walk away with the same thought and think it's not by design. It's the narrative they intentionally put into the game. It's on purpose.

[rippedisgood]

Bull with a smiling eye.

[frillyorlesiancakes-deactivated]

solas/iron bull please

hot damn

Okay okay, hear me out. This is one of those ships that makes absolutely no sense when I try to explain it in any rational way besides “i rlly like it bc reasons.” But it makes sense in my head, under a very specific set of circumstances, with a very specific interpretation of Solas, of which I have many.

We all know Bull will get anyone into his bed, so long as they’re consenting adults, and although I don’t think he likes Solas, I will absolutely not put it past him to have thought of it at least once. Solas may not be pretty like Dorian, but he’s refined, controlled, he’s taller and broader than most elves, probably more than any Bull has had - and a hard nut to crack (har har.) Bull probably had his suspicions about Solas from the get-go, but whether through luck or skill, Solas flew right under Bull’s radar, despite Bull’s training as a spy. He’s a good one, too.

I think that element of mystery would be the first thing to draw Bull in. If he saves the Chargers, he and Solas develop this…not exactly friendship, but a camaraderie and respect that wasn’t there before. Solas, more importantly, opens himself up to Bull, offers him comfort and reassurance, when he had absolutely no reason to. He could have left Bull to stew in his thoughts and doubt his sanity, but Solas didn’t want that, for whatever reason, and drew him out of it. Likewise, Bull tries to get Solas to admit his physical power when he works so hard to conceal it, draws attention to his skill as a mage, asks him about any “hot fade ladies,” all subjects Solas initially dismissed…not because he himself wasn’t aware of his own power, but because Bull was the only one to comment on it. No one else in the party does this, no one looks at Solas and goes “hey, you’re actually really good at this, what’s your secret?” (I can imagine poor Solas sweating nervously under his collar every time Bull brought it up, too.)

Bull is the only one able to keep up with Solas in a fucking mental game of chess, okay, a master-level game of chess. In their heads. Here’s Bull, whom at first glance is just another Qunari brute, keeping up with a man thousands of years his senior, who has probably written and performed more strategic plans than Bull has in his entire life. They just compliment each other so well, even if their initial views are as polar opposite as you can get. Their arguments over the qun get more heated than any other argument they have with other companions. They both feel so passionately, they’re both highly intelligent, and bringing Solas’ life experience combined with Bull’s creativity into the bedroom would be phenomenal. There doesn’t even have to be BDSM elements in it.

Give these two to me as friends, as enemies, as fuckbuddies, in an AU setting, I don’t care, just give it to me, okay. I NEED IT.

[elvhenmage]

idk how some of y’all are genuinely like “you should hate blackwall instead of cullen!!” when they’re not even close to comparable

blackwall:

accepted a mission where the details were left intentionally vague, which led to the slaughter of an innocent civilian and his family

abandoned his men, who were then taken into custody and sentenced to death

assumed the identity of warden blackwall to hide from his crime

heard about the execution of mornay, one of his men, in val royeux and left the inquisition to confess and take mornay’s place in the execution

was jailed for his crimes (where he will be executed)

if pardoned by the inquisition, he spends his time between the base game and trespasser seeking out his old team and helping them rebuild their lives

also if pardoned by the inquisition, post-trespasser he “traveled across Thedas to give hope to the condemned and the forgotten”

cullen:

begged the warden twice to eradicate all the mages of kinloch hold

was kicked out of kinloch hold after the broken circle quest because greagoir considered him a danger to the mages

“mages are not people like you and me”

advocated for the tranquil solution

was complicit in all of meredith’s actions (abusing/killing mages and/or making them tranquil for “trivial” things)

let meredith run rampant when he had the power to stop her at any time

only swapped sides at the very end when he realized meredith was possessed by the idol and that hawke was going to beat her (and himself by association if he didn’t ally with them)

argues with the inquisitor at least twice for helping the redcliffe mages

has one throwaway line vaguely mentioning his past of “”distrusting”” mages and is never shown to be doing anything to atone for it

he literally calls for an avvar mage (if recruited) to be locked in a room with a templar

he calls himself an “ex-templar” but still wears their sigil?? like c’mon.

and honestly i know there’s stuff i left out but the point is that cullen is not like blackwall. it’s laughable to compare someone with an actual, in-game redemption arc to someone who only got off with a slap on the wrist because fandom/bioware made him their golden boy

[honestlyitsjustsam]

I love her alright? She is amazing and if you hate her, well your lost.

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

//I am very sorry to keep people waiting with replies lately! Work has been super busy and my health has not been the best.

I will try to get some done tonight, but I can make no promises. I lifted a baby today and fucked my entire back, so if I can get my arms to stop hurting I will write.

[concerningwolves]

Full offense but your writing style is for you and nobody else. Use the words you want to use; play with language, experiment, use said, use adverbs, use “unrealistic” writing patterns, slap words you don’t even know are words on the page. Language is a sandbox and you, as the author, are at liberty to shape it however you wish. Build castles. Build a hovel. Build a mountain on a mountain or make a tiny cottage on a hill. Whatever it is you want to do. Write.

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

Once Reilin has drank his fill, Ash-Aqun takes a damp cloth from the Tamassran and begins to wipe the blood away off the humans face. The Viddasala looms over them, a frown on her face.

“So the Saarebas does not lie,“ she says, sounding a bit surprised. “Let us hear your idea then.“

Ash-Aqun crushes down the flair of anger he feels towards the Viddasala on Reilin’s behalf. One would think she would be happy to find a Saarebas unwilling and unable to use their magic to harm people without harming themselves.

“The Saarebas has worked as Tamassran,“ replies Ash-Aqun, glancing at the actual Tamassran. “Servicing others and easing their stress... I know our Tamassrans are uncomfortable tending to Arvaarad and Saarebas, so maybe this Saarebas could fill that role?“

The Viddasala hums thoughtfully, eyeing Reilin as she tries to make a decision.

“Will you be able to guide this Saarebas in this role?“ she ask the Arvaarad.

“Yes Viddasala. I will teach him to be a proper Saarebas and teach him to follow the Qun. He is not my first captured Saarebas.“

“Then I expect your best, Arvaarad. If you fail in this, you will not longer be worthy of your role,“ says the Viddasala firmly, then dismisses them.

Ash-Aqun cradles Reilin to his chest, easily lifting the weakened human. As he starts to walk out of the building, to take Reilin to have his yoke fit, the Arvaarad whispers “Fear not, Saarebas. I will help you find your place here with us and no one will make you use your magic again.”

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

Bound By Their Being

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

“This dance depicts the roles of Arvaarad and Saarebas, as well as the bond they share,“ Ash-Aqun patiently explains as he corrects the mistakes in Luto’s stance. “It is not our personal dance.“

Ash-Aqun guides Luto through the entire dance so far, adjusting and correcting as the elf goes. He doubts it will be difficult for his sweet little Saarebas, but Ash-Aqun wants them to be perfect. Needs them to be perfect, if only to prove he is ready for a Saarebas again.

“But maybe, if you are good, we can make our own dance.“

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

Not far from the battle that had taken his brothers and Saarebas, Ash-Aqun sits on the ground beside a grave. He had managed to dig out a resting place for Salen a few days ago, but once his Kadan was in the ground, Ash-Aqun couldn’t find the will to leave.

He knows he should return to base and inform the other of the loss of his Karataam, report Tevinter Battlemage movements and be assigned to a new Saarebas... But he can’t. He doesn’t want another Saarebas. He wants Salen back.

He ran out of food and water two days ago, but can’t find the drive to get up and restock his rations. He’s more than willing to sit and let his body shut down. To resist call of the Qun and find his way to his Kadan. 

Salen’s collar and control rod sit in the Arvaarad’s lap, and he strokes them absentmindedly while watching Salen’s grave with a far off look in his eyes. He can still hear the elf’s low, husky voice if he listens hard enough,

The giant Qunari only twitches when he hears the wolf’s howl, lifting his bowed head to look around, but is otherwise unconcerned. Maybe if he is lucky, the beast will find him and send him to Salen.

When he finally spots it, Ash-Aqun cannot deny the wolf is beautiful. He has never seen one with its colouring before, streaked and speckled with grey and white, with sleek black legs. He’s sure red would make the beast even more striking.

But the eyes catch Ash-Aqun off guard. A rusty colour with far to much intelligence gleaming in them for this wolf to be simply a wolf...

“Are you a demon?“ asks the Arvaarad, voice rough and cracking from going without water for so long. “Have you finally come to kill me?”

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

Rei is 5'0 😂

Oh shit, what a cute lil muffin! This height difference is real convenient tho >:)

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

//Add Ash’s horns to his height, and the dude is about 9ft tall lol

In Par Vollen, he is just a tall guy. In Thedas, he is a freaking giant! 

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

↕ Kaaras is 6 foot 7

How the hell did Ash not knock Kaaras on his ass when they bumped into each other? Ash would have fun wrestling Kaaras down.

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

↕ 6ft 1

The perfect size to cuddle up under Ash’s chin if Anders were to curl up in his lap :)

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

5'5!!!

OMG THE DIFFERENCE! Their gonna end up like that hamster eating a banana pic lol

[lcvelymemes]

» send me ↕ + your muse’s height

I will compare your muse’s height to mine using this website.

[arvaarad-ashaqun]

“It is standard practice for Saarebas to be leashed both in public and in private,“ explains Ash-Aqun, huffing out the words in frustration. “It helps sooth the peoples fears of Saarebas, as well as keeping the Saarebas from wandering off and causing trouble. You will become accustomed to it in time.“

Ash-Aqun leads Dorian back through their spacious apartment and to the kitchen, hearing the deep voices of his new Karataam coming from the kitchen and dining area before they get there.

One is busy in the kitchen, the other sitting at the table with lunch and a cushion for Dorian ready and waiting. The rich smell of spicy seafood stew and fresh bread makes the Arvaarad’s mouth water and he hopes he’ll get to enjoy his meal without a fuss from Dorian.

Unlikely.

Ash-Aqun nods to his new brother, greeting him in Qunlat before taking a seat at the table. The other Kossith, a man who almost matches Ash-Aqun in size, greets him the same way, but eyes Dorian up and down, nose wrinkling in displeasure.

Bracing himself for the fight he knows is coming, Ash-Aqun tugs on the leash until the human is standing by the pillow set out for him.

“Kneel Saarebas, and I will feed you. Eat everything, and you will get your poppy milk.“