Avvar of Emberhold

Header by @palepinkycat || My main @mimabeann

[catbatart]

Art Fight! Attack for @mimabeann of their lovely druid, Erna!

[mimabean]

I am still absolutely floored by how stunning she looks!! 💖

[mimabean]

Magni & Runa by @rakiah || @wilvarin-chan and I used our Patreon rewards for the month to get these two and we are so in love with how they came out.

[mimabean]

Bosse “Bo” Freyrsen  //  Probably the biggest shock wandering around Emberhold for outsiders is when they come across Bosse. This former arvaarad was nearly killed by his charge and was taken in by the Avvar who found him. He had amnesia at first and slowly became a part of their society, and chose to stay even after regaining his memories. He was adopted by the Hold’s Augur and her husband, Freyr, hence the name “Freyrsen.” He can be rather intimidating, unless his horns are tangled up in a “low” hanging clothesline (again).

[mimabean-art]

Hekla & Sverrir  //  Not sure if I’m keeping this mostly as is, shading, coloring, or actually fully rendering this one yet, but I do love them both together.

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[mimabean]

Hekla Embladotten  //  She’s gone through a few changes, and I just want to talk about her a bit, so here we go.

Hekla is the middle child of Sindri Njordsen and Embla Gale-Singer. Often out shined by her sister, Lilja, in her magical talents Hekla spent a lot of time in the woods testing the different reactions between various types of herbs and saps when ground into a paste. She is the Hold’s foremost alchemist, and has become something of a legend in the surrounding holds. Even though Lilja was the more talented shape shifter, it is still worth noting that Hekla does, in fact have two forms that she can take: the form of a snow white house cat or that of a large white wolf.

She is 32 years of age at the start of the Fifth Blight (in (9:30 Dragon) and is 43 in 9:41 Dragon (when DA:I starts). Her sister Lilja is a good 16 years older than her, and Njala, her younger sister, is only two years younger. She was fairly young when Lilja disappeared off to the Wending Woods but the event left a bit of a scar on Hekla’s psyche… Seeing and knowing the lengths that her sister went to in order to have a child was… Rough. After Lilja passed, she often showed Erna tricks and where to find helpful herbs when she found the time. Her niece never saw her as a mother, but Hekla did still try to show Erna that she cared and was there for her.

Keep reading

[mimabean]

Erna’s Family Tree  //  All the way back to the first shape shifter they know of, a woman named Freyja.

Notes  // This isn’t even a full tree of their connections to the other Emberhold families, especially with me missing the connections to people’s families that married into the family (for instance, Sverrir, who married Hekla is also Magni’s, aka the current Thane’s, father). Syvri, Roana, Ingimar, Ingeborga, Lyall, Einar, and Freika all belong to @wilvarin-chan​! And Uvolla belongs to Bioware, he is an Avvar god of the Wending Wood (and I wouldn’t really call his bond to Lilja a “marriage” but it was definitely a tie while Lilja was alive).

[mimabean]

Worldbuilding: Hinrik

B A S I C S

full name: Hinrik Jökullsen

gender: Male

sexuality: Bisexual

pronouns: He/Him

O T H E R S

family: Lyall (Husband), Morwen (Wife), Hekla (Mother), Erna (Cousin, counter her as his Sister), Njala (Aunt), Freika (Basically his adoptive Niece), Einar (Basically his adoptive Brother-in-Law), Ymir (Adoptive Uncle), Unnur (Adoptive Aunt), Ölvir (Adoptive baby Cousin), Asulf (Counts as a Brother even though they’re not related)

birthplace: Emberhold, Frostback Mountains, Fereldan

job: Hunter, Scout, Warrior

phobias: Doing something that gets someone he cares about hurt, someone dying for him, doing something that disappoints someone he cares for and feeling rejection because of that.

guilty pleasures: Making Morwen and/or Lyall blush when he’s showing off for them. He’s only guilty if someone else is around and says something that makes Morwen look like she’s about to melt a hole in the snow.

M O R A L S

morality alignment?: Chaotic Good

sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath

virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: He loves people. Like really. The man is a golden retriever. He knows some people aren’t as into that though and knows how to settle down to let his introvert friends relax.

organized/disorganized: Surprisingly, he knows where things are pretty easily. Part of that at this point is Morwen helping him stay more organized, but even before her he had a system, even if it wasn’t the most logical one for others to figure out. He values ease over tidiness.

close minded/open-minded: He’s open-minded until someone he cares about (or a child/someone defenseless) is threatened and then there’s very little room for argument with him.

calm/anxious: Calm in a very excitable and easily side-tracked kind of way. He’s only been anxious about a few things in life and most of them revolved around confessing his feelings to the loves of his life.

disagreeable/agreeable: He’s easy to talk into things and have very little impulse control, so yeah. Be warned.

cautious/reckless: No impulse control, a bit of a daredevil, and easily excitable sums up most of Hinrik’s ideas.

patient/impatient: He knows he requires a lot of patience to deal with sometimes and he likes to extend the same courtesy to others, and he’s very good at making them feel like there is no reason to apologize for needing him to be patient with them.

outspoken/reserved: He has no filter 90% of the time and he just kind of blurts things out, unless he has a very good reason not to.

leader/follower: He jumps into things head first but almost always wants someone to take charge of decisions when they’re hanging out.

empathetic/unemphatic: He’s a very caring guy and he’s very good at relating to and comforting others.

optimistic/pessimistic:He’s full of boundless optimism and he generally takes the “if things won’t get better on their own, I will make them better” approach. Which often ends with hims pulling a silly stunt and getting people to laugh. But he’ll take that over everyone being all mopey any day.

traditional/modern: Traditional, even if he’s helping forge some new traditions. The ways of his people mean a lot to him.

hard-working/lazy: He’s someone that most things don’t come easy for and he’s constantly trying to better himself. He’s almost always trying to do something for someone.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: Hinrik/Lyall (I can only say this because he and Lyall were together before Morwen came into their lives, but once she does and they get together, there is no going back from Hinrik/Morwen/Lyall)

ot3: Hinrik/Morwen/Lyall

brotp: Hinrik & Asulf, Hinrik & Erna, Hinrik & Wulfrun, Hinrik & Ymir, Hinrik & Bosse, Hinrik & Ölvir, Hinrik & Lyall, Hinrik & Morwen, Hinrik & Dalla, Hinrik & Ingrid

notp: Honestly, Hinrik with anyone other than Lyall or Morwen.

Notes  //  Lyall, Freika, Einar, Ymir, Asulf, Dalla, & Ingrid belong to @wilvarin-chan​

[mimabean]

Roselle  //  It’s Rose appreciation hours.

[mimabean]

World Building: Morwen

B A S I C S

full name: Morwen Ragnadotten (she left her Fereldan last name and any claims that might have come with it when she ran away, and she adopted her new last name after the Hold’s augur adopted her).

gender: Female

sexuality: Bisexual

pronouns: She/Her

O T H E R S

family: Hinrik (Husband), Lyall (Husband), Ragna (Adoptive Mother), Alfarr (Adoptive Father), Adoptive Brothers (Esben, Hallbjörn, Bosse), Rose (Adoptive Sister), Hekla (Mother-in-Law), Counts as Family (Erna, Njala, Magni, Eir, Askr, Freika, Dalla, Bryn, Einar, Ymir)

birthplace: Denerim, Fereldan

job: Scout, Huntress, Leatherworker

phobias: Someone from her old life finding her/dragging her back. Something bad happening to one of her husbands.

guilty pleasures: Curling up in between Lyall and Hinrik and being under multiple blankets, even if it’s borderline too warm for her husbands, it’s usually very warm and cozy to her.

M O R A L S

morality alignment?: Neutral Good

sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath

virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: Introvert, big time. She doesn’t like crowds really and gets tired after being around too many people.

organized/disorganized: Usually pretty organized but not in a stressed about it kind of way, her spaces look very lived in, even if most thing seem to be put away there are usually a few out that she tidies when it’s convenient.

close minded/open-minded: She’s pretty open to new ideas/thoughts/processes. She’s learning a whole new set of customs by joining the Hold.

calm/anxious: She starts out very anxious and definitely still has her moments, but as she gains her confidence back, she exudes calm.

disagreeable/agreeable: She’s pretty easy to get along with and doesn’t usually push back on suggestions/ideas unless she has reason to.

cautious/reckless: She takes risks when necessary, but generally she’s pretty cautious and careful. Someone has to balance Hinrik (and occasionally Lyall) out.

patient/impatient: She’s very patient and willing to wait politely for things. She’s they type of person that tells people that apologize for making her wait that it’s no problem and she understands.

outspoken/reserved: She’s very reserved. It took a few weeks before she spoke in full sentences around Lyall and Hinrik after they rescued her. This was in part because of the traumatic events she went through and in part because she’s very soft spoken and won’t speak really until she trusts people.

leader/follower: She doesn’t typically like leading and definitely prefers to follow. She will occasionally take charge of a situation though (like when someone knocks on her door in the wee hours of the morning and wakes her baby up or if her husbands are getting way too out of hand).

empathetic/unemphatic: She feels very deeply and that extends to other people as well.

optimistic/pessimistic: She’s sure if there was hope for her after everything she went through, there’s hope for anyone.

traditional/modern: Definitely not traditional by Fereldan standards and very new to Avvar traditions, but she’s learning. So it’s a bit of a toss up. And even by Avvar standards, her situation is a bit non-traditional. Most of the Hold sees it as forging a new tradition though.

hard-working/lazy: She doesn’t like feeling like she’s not being useful and often finds ways to keep herself busy, even when she’s told she doesn’t need to.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: I would say just Morwen/Lyall or Morwen/Hinrik, but honestly, the ot3 owns my heart, okay? And she wouldn’t want to split them up, ever.

ot3: Hinrik/Morwen/Lyall (yes, she demanded to be in the middle like she usually is when they’re sleeping)

brotp: Morwen & Erna, Morwen & Dalla, Morwen & Wulfrun, Morwen & Hinrik & Lyall, Morwen & Askr

notp: Morwen/her abusive ex

Note  //  Lyall, Dalla, Einar, Freika, and Ymir all belong to @wilvarin-chan​

[mimabean]

Morwen  //  Fereldan from birth, but like Roselle, she found her way to the Frostbacks and Emberhold and ended up being adopted into the Hold by the village’s augur, Ragna. Morwen’s journey there was unintentional and the reasons that brought her there were a lot less pleasant to put things mildly, but at the end of the day she found two people that had her best interest at heart that make her feel safe as well as a whole Hold full of people she now counts as the family she never had growing up.

[emberhold]

Of Avvar and Shape-shifting

An excerpt from Lady Roselle de val Montaigne’s notes before she stopped reporting on her findings regarding the Avvar of Emberhold and the surrounding areas.

It has come to my attention that some of the people within the Hold are capable of some rather astounding feats, I’ve never seen a Circle mage attempt anything quite like it... And I’ve seen them attempt quite a lot. The most notable of which so far is the ability to change form! There have been countless legends and tales of Avvar deities such as Imhar preforming such feats, but never did I think to witness a person attempting it! I’ve counted at least three women within the Hold that are capable of it, all are related. And I’m told that there is a family in the neighboring Hold that can as well.

The interesting bit is that it seems to be passed only through the men or only through the women of the families that are able. And one such family swears it is impossible for their women to give birth to daughters without outside... Help. Help beyond that of doctors and a few well placed prayers. But that is all they will say on the matter.

The most talented shifter I have met so far is a young woman by the name of Erna, she shifts freely between different forms and can even combine them if she so desires, taking the head of one animal, and body of another, it seems almost as effortless as breathing. But for the others of the Hold that can, it seems as though they only have one or in some cases two forms that they can take, animals that often hold great significance to them.

I have yet to venture too far outside of Emberhold yet, but I met a pair of brothers that were passing through that are from a long line of shape shifters as well. Both men were able to take the form of two different animals, though neither seems to be as skilled as Erna. They were very guarded about their family secrets and a bit less than forthcoming with me, but nonetheless, it is worth noting that this phenomena does not seem tied solely to Emberhold and its people, there may be some stock to the rumors of the fabled Witch of the Wilds being able to shift as easily as Erna can as well. I dare to wonder if these Avvar families could trace their roots back as far as these tales’ origins.

[emberhold]

Cautionary Poems of Emberhold

Erna often told stories to Hinrik and Asulf when they were little. And sometimes had poems or songs for them too, usually to teach them lessons or remind them of things. This was a common one that she liked to recite when they were going on a walk through the forest with the boys.

The danger in the wood is not what you’d think, There’s monsters and magic but they’re not what they seem, They’re less of a threat given proper respect, No, the real danger here is the land, we forget.

The water we drink — Can become icy and jagged, Impossible to tell ice’s thickness from a glance, The water below is a chilling reminder That in the race against time there are no survivors. But cold ice's wrath isn't the only danger here, Even a swift moving creek holds danger, I fear, When wading in, be sure your footing is firm, Or current will take you, no matter how learned.

Then maybe the forest, is safe, perhaps you might deem — But don’t forget to watch your footing, The roots grow wild and can be treacherous. And sometimes, I fear, looks can be deceiving. Did I come this way, or was it the left? Always mark your way home your way so you don’t forget, The forest has claimed many victims who’d lost their way in a fret.

Those mountains, so majestic that we stop to reflect — The mountains are old, and they’ve seen their share of wear, They’ve taken out those that are the most comfortable there. Weather changes swiftly the higher you go, And you don't want to risk a tumble to the rocks down below.

Remember not to fear the land, We need it to survive. We are strong and we are Avvar, This is where we live our lives. But remember to give the ground you walk the respect it is due, It has been here longer than and will be here long after you.

[mimabean]

Happy belated birthday!!! 💗💗💗

I love one (1) woman 👉🏻👈🏻

[mimabean]

Character Profile: Erna

Because I love her and I need to spend more time actually getting her to let me write for her.

Name: Erna Swift-Form or Erna Liljadotten, take your pick. She uses the latter less frequently these days. Face Claim: n/a, I have yet to find someone that really captures her face structure like her in-game model. Age: late-20′s/early-30′s but the specific number of years isn’t really something she keeps count of. Height: 5′8″ in her human form Species: Human, shape-shifter Gender: Female Birthday: The day itself is lost to her, but her mother always celebrated her birthday during the first snow of the year, and this is a tradition Erna holds to. Residence: A cozy cabin built mostly from wood with intricate carvings etched into the wood, some have remarked that the carvings look a bit like runes, to which they receive a mischievous smile and a chuckle “Aye, ‘t would seem.” Marital status/Love interest: married to Einar Volkersen Alignment: Chaotic Good Good Drink: Ale, mead, herbal teas (especially mint) Food/snacks: Fresh baked bread, venison jerky, fresh berries, cheese Day or Night: She likes both, but probably nights the most, especially when Einar and Freika are home and she can curl up with them both. Pet: She doesn’t have one, but the local foxes often hang out around her cabin and she’s on very good terms with most of the local wildlife. But if you see a cat in her window, it’s probably her. Colour: White, or earth-tones. Flower: Blood Lotus Sexuality: Heterosexual Body Type: Athletic Eye Colour: Magenta Hair Colour: White

[wilvarin-chan]

Rules: bold what always applies, italicize for sometimes, somewhat applies, and strikethrough for never.

WINTER holiday lights | cuddling by the fireplace | snowball fights | fingers blue with frostbite | yuletide carols | bundled up in a thick coat | ice cold wind | a devastating blizzard | a warm cup of cocoa | boozy eggnog | candied fruits | sliding on a patch of ice | watching your breath billow from your lungs like a cloud of smoke | half-drunk family reunions | watching your loved one’s eyes light up when you give them a gift | the steady drip of a melting icicle | silent snowfall

SPRING a leftover chill in the morning air | dewy grass | budding flowers | rebirth | baby animals | a picnic in an endless field | rose wine | caressing flower petals | walking through a well-kept garden | ivy climbing a stone wall | butterfly wings | the smell of honeysuckles drifting through the air | a crisp breeze| a dragonfly hopping from lilypad to lilypad | sunshine warming your skin after a harsh winter | tall grass brushing against your bruised knees | a clear, blue sky

SUMMER

the smell of chlorine/sea salt in your hair after a swim | lounging in a sunbeam | a cookout with family | ripped shorts | melting ice cream | the slap of flip-flops on concrete | sweat running down your scalp | stargazing on a warm night | a mini-umbrella in your drink | martinis with friends | slathering on sunscreen/tanning oil | summer thunderstorms | sitting on the porch with your grandparents | golden sunlight | throwing a friend in the pool the river | thundering laughter

AUTUMN carving pumpkins | the smell of cinnamon | crunching leaves beneath your boot | haunted hayrides | gathering around a bonfire with friends | taking your kids trick-or-treating | beanies and hoodies | earthy colors | lanterns lighting a dark path | hiking through the woods | jumping into a pile of raked leaves | reading by candlelight | pumpkin spice | seeing a specter out of the corner of your eye | a thrill up your spine | the hairs on the back of your neck standing up | a shrill scream | cats meowing beneath your window

[mimabean-art]

Werewolf Friday? Werewolf Friday!  //  My avvar werewolf girl, Wulfrun, howling at the moon ~

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[mimabean]

World Building: Cuán

B A S I C S

full name: Cuán “Moonsen” (he grew up raised by the Chasind healer in his clan, he didn’t have a formal last name when he joined Emberhold, so Magni suggested “Moonsen” since he’s “a son of the moon.”)

gender: Male

sexuality: Demisexual

pronouns: He/Him

O T H E R S

family: Ingrid (his wife), also counts Ingrid’s siblings and mother/step-father as family, Wulfrun and Varg have adopted him into their pack, also counts Erna as family.

birthplace: Deep in the Frostback Mountains

job: Stay at home dad, “part time” werewolf, forager, occasionally knits things that people need

phobias:Hurting someone he cares about, losing Ingrid

guilty pleasures: Belly rubs and ear scritches in wolf form, snuggling into bed with Ingrid after he’s been out running around (still in wolf form), eating steaks extra rare.

M O R A L S

morality alignment?: Chaotic Good

sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath

virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: He likes people, but he’s especially skittish around new people and really just likes staying around his close friends that don’t drain his social energy as much. Curling up with Ingrid is probably his favorite way to spend the day.

organized/disorganized: He honestly has very few things that he keeps personally, a good chunk of them are things Ingrid has given them and he takes care to make sure they’re all displayed where he can appreciate them and find them when he needs them.

close minded/open-minded: He’s not usually fast to judge (with a few exceptions), generally he’s pretty laid back.

calm/anxious: He’s all nerves when he’s in a stressful situation and is often very fidgety/jittery.

disagreeable/agreeable: He’s not a confrontational guy and if he trusts the person well enough he’s likely to go along with them.

cautious/reckless: I want to say he thinks things through but when he’s stressed he runs purely on instinct and it gets him into trouble sometimes.

patient/impatient: As long as he’s calm, he has the patience of a saint, if Ingrid is in trouble/at risk though? He’s all nerves, pacing, and super worried.

outspoken/reserved:Definitely reserved, he doesn’t often speak up unless he’s comfortable and knows he’ll be listened to.

leader/follower: He doesn’t like leading. And he’s often worried about being in charge of anyone really, he will do his best, but he really prefers for someone else to lead, or at least co-lead with him.

empathetic/unemphatic: He tries to understand other people whenever he can, living in more of a village is newer to him, there are certainly more people in Emberhold than he grew up with, or at least he’s interacting with more of them than he did where he’s from and he wants to help.

optimistic/pessimistic: He’s usually the sunny optimist, trying to find the silver lining in any situation.

traditional/modern: Doing his own thing, though always willing to work around and learn his wife’s customs.

hard-working/lazy: He tries so hard to make sure he’s carrying his weight and not being a nuisance, and he puts a lot of time and energy into this.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: Cuán/Ingrid

ot3: n/a

brotp: Cuán & Wulfy, Cuán & Varg, Cuán & Ingrid, Cuán & Erna

notp: Cuán/anyone but Ingrid (he’s hers through and through)

Note  //  Ingrid & her family belongs to @wilvarin-chan​