✿ Ash // florashark ✿ This is my reblog/fandom blog, featuring a lot of video game-related content, books, monsters, & reptile/critter content. I even draw sometimes :P POPULAR TAGS: bloodborne || venom || dead by daylight || dark souls || dragon age || animal crossing || splatoon || reptiles || my pets
I was really into the signs all over ReptileFest- they all sent home messages of responsibility and the actual challenges of owning different species. Very refreshing- you never see stuff like this at breeder shows (because they want everyone to buy things)!
as someone who has gone long stretches without electricity, let alone an internet connection
BACK UP YOUR WORK---YES, EVEN PHYSICAL COPIES. HAVE OFFLINE RESOURCES. KEEP YOUR LANDLINE. CARRY CASH. DON'T GET IMPORTANT APPLIANCES THAT RUN ON WIFI. LEARN TO READ A PAPER MAP
If you do not have electricity, the radio may be your only source of information!
Local radio will: give weather updates, give updates on restoring power, let you know if you need to evacuate or are on evacuation alert, and as a bonus, it can provide entertainment/music.
y'all sleeping on this post/info. this isn't about "oh, but natural disasters don't happen where i live" this is about
"natural disasters are going to start happening here as the climate keeps changing"
"one shift in government regulations or corporate ownership and essential needs become artificially scarce"
"they haven't updated the infrastructure since the 1940s and it's about to blow"
"one financial downfall and i'm living out of my car"
"i can live without basic needs for a while, but my kids/pets/dependents can't"
also, some of you are living in countries with unstable govts or with conflict right next door and you need to be at least a little prepared in case the unthinkable happens. PLEASE
wound tending is everything. unparalleled intimacy. let me care for you. let me touch the skin around your open flesh. let me stain my hands with your blood. let me get close and breathe in the same air as you and stare into your eyes for a few seconds too long. let me make you think of me every time you see the bandage, or scar
As tradition, my Rook's tarot card 💜 I cannot express my gratitude to the many people who worked on this game's development over the years. The Dragon Age franchise has always been a huge inspiration to me and I'm so happy to say that Veilguard carried that torch beautifully. I can't wait to play this game 10 more times ✨
Tevinter is the heart of slavery in Thedas. This lore has been established in every game, novel, comic, and other extended material in the Dragon Age franchise to date that so much as mentions the nation. But in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, when we are finally able to actually visit this location for the first time… this rampant slavery we’ve heard so much about is nowhere to be found. It’s talked about here and there; Neve mentions The Viper has a history of freeing slaves, as does Rook themselves if they choose the Shadow Dragon faction as their origin, for example. But walking down the streets of Minrathous, you’d never know. Because Dragon Age: The Veilguard, for all its enjoyment otherwise, has one glaring issue: It’s too clean.
The world of Thedas is full of injustices. Humans persecute elves, fear qunari, and belittle dwarves. Mages of any race are treated like caged animals in most places. The nobility is corrupt. Although, Dragon Age has not always handled these injustices well, mind you. Many, many times I’ve found myself frustrated with moments that just feel like a Racism Simulator. But what makes it worth it, is when you can actually do something about it. These injustices are things that a good-aligned character strives to fight back against, maybe even for very personal reasons. Part of the power-fantasy for many minorities is that this fight feels tangible. I cannot arrange the assassination of a corrupt politician in real life, but I sure can get Celene Valmont stabbed to death in Dragon Age: Inquisition, for example. Additionally, these fictional injustices can be used to make statements on real life parallels, like any source of media. For example, no, the Chant of Light is not real, but acting as a stand-in for Catholicism, through a media analysis lens we can explore what the Chant of Light communicates on a figurative level.
When starting Dragon Age: The Veilguard and selecting to play as an elf – this should be unsurprising to anyone who is familiar with my bias towards them – I was fully prepared to enter the streets of Minrathous and immediately get called “knife-ear” or “rabbit”. But this did not happen. I thought perhaps it was just a prologue thing, but returning to Minrathous once again, there was not a single shred of disapproval from any NPC I encountered that wasn’t a generic enemy to fight. And even the generic enemies, the Tevinter Nationalist cult of the Venatori, didn’t seem to care at all that I was a lineage they deemed inferior before now. This is a stark difference from entering the Winter Palace in Dragon Age: Inquisition and immediately getting hit with court disapproval and insults. Are we now to believe that Tevinter has somehow solved its astronomical racism and classism problems in the ten years since the past game? Or perhaps are we to believe all the characters who have demonstrated Tevinter’s systemic discriminatory views were just lying or outliers? Because it makes absolutely no sense at all for this horribly corrupt nation to not have a shred of reactivity to an elven or qunari Rook prancing around. But here were are, and not a single NPC even recognizes my character’s lineage. And because this is so different from every single past game, it feels weird.
As an elf, you have the option to make a comment about how “too many humans look down on us” in one scene early in the game. You can also talk to Bellara and Davrin, the elven companions, about concerns that people won’t trust elves after finding out about the big bad Ancient Evanuris… but this is presented as if elves don’t already face persecution. It’s all so limited in scope that it could be all too easily missed if you are not paying very close attention, and coming into the game with pre-existing lore knowledge.
All this made it easy to first assume that the developers simply over-corrected an attempt to address the Racism Simulator moments. And if that was the case, than I would at least give credit to effort; they did not find the right balance, but they at least tried. However, the sudden lack of discrimination against different lineages in Dragon Age: The Veilguard is not the only sanitized example of lore present.
In Dragon Age: Origins, Zevran Arainai is a companion who is from the Antivan Crows; a group of assassins. He discusses in detail how the Crows buy children and raise them into murder machines through all kinds of torture. The World of Thedas books also describe how the Antivan Crows work, echoing what Zevran says and expanding that of the recruitment, only a select handful of those taken by the Crows even survive. When you start Dragon Age: The Veilguard as an Antivan Crow, you immediately unlock a re-used codex entry from the past, “The Crows and Queen Madrigal”, that says the following:
“His guild has a reputation to uphold. They are ruthless, efficient, and discreet. How would they maintain such notoriety if agents routinely revealed the names of employers with something as "banal" as torture.”
Ruthless, efficient, and discreet. Torture is banal. This is what the Crows were before Dragon Age: The Veilguard decided to take them in a very different direction. The Antivan Crows in this latest game are painted as freedom fighters against the Antaam occupation of Treviso. Teia calls the Crows “patriots”. And while I can certainly believe that the Crows would have enough motivation to fight back against the Antaam, given that it is in direct opposition to their own goals, I cannot understand why they are suddenly suggested to be morally good. They are assassins. They treat their people like tools and murder for money. Even as recent as the Tevinter Nights story Eight Little Talons, it is addressed that the Antivan Crows are in it for the coin and power, with characters like Teia being outliers for wanting to change that. It makes the use of the older codex all the more confusing, as it sets the Antivan Crows up as something they are no longer portrayed as.
I personally think it would have been really interesting to explore a morally corrupt faction in comparison to say, the Shadow Dragons. Perhaps even as a protagonist, address things like the enslavement of “recruits” to make the faction at least somewhat better. (They are still assassins, after all.) Instead, we’re just supposed to ignore everything unsavory about them, I suppose…
We could discuss even further examples. Like how the Lords of Fortune pillage ruins but it’s okay, because they never sell artifacts of cultural importance, supposedly. Or how the only problem with the Templar Order in Tevinter is just the “bad apples” that work with Venatori. I could go on, but I don’t think I have to.
It is because of all this sanitization, that I cannot believe this was simply over-correction on a developmental part. Especially when there is still racism in the game, in other forms. The impression I’m left with feels far deeper than that; it feels corporate. As if a computer ran through the game’s script and got rid of anything with “too much” political substance. The strongest statements are hidden in codex entries, and I almost suspect they had to be snuck in.
Between a Racism Simulator and just ignoring anything bad whatsoever, I believe a balance is achievable; that sweet spot that actually has something to say about what it is presenting. I know it is achievable, because there are a few bright spots of this that I’ve encountered in Dragon Age: The Veilguard too. For example, some of the codex entries like I mentioned, and almost all the content with the Grey Wardens thus far. It is a shame there is not more content on this level.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is overall still a fun game, in my opinion. But it’s hard to argue that it isn’t missing the grit of its predecessors. The sharp edges have been smoothed. The claws have been removed. The house has been baby-proofed. And for what purpose?
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looking at any kind of trans supplies focused online shop is depressing because there will either be a complete absence of anything for transfems or like. a really sad transfem section with 5 items at the end of a list full of binders and packers and harnesses
thebreastformstore.com For breastforms + care, shapewear, wigs, shoes and jewlery
enfemmestyle.com For clothing, breastforms + care, shapewear, tucking and wigs
translife.uk For clothing, cosmetics, breastforms and tucking.
I get the frustration, but ultimately if you want stores that do sell things specifically for trans feminine people, searching for them and sharing them is the way to go.
If you are looking for lingerie style bras for a flat chest, those are marketed towards cis woman, who had cancer related breast reduction surgery.
And I get that it is frustrating that a lot of these thing are also marketed towards crossdressers, but the reason for this is the same as to why a lot of binders are marketed as "sports bras": sellers put every (vaguely) related term into their website in the hopes of selling to more people. Which obviously isn't great either, but at least I can better tolerate it, knowing it is marketing bullshit and not misgendering me for the sake of it.
Been a long time since I did the legwork of finding places but here's all my bookmarked lingerie brands that make lingerie for transfems and have transfem models.
Carmen Liu Lingerie - trans woman owned lingerie company that makes bras and panties specifically for transfems, also has plain cotton kids' underwear.
Juniper & Eve - cis woman owned from what I can tell but her starting point with the company was "make lingerie for a trans woman friend" and underwear types are sorted by style (flat front, gaff, or pouch front) rather than by gender.
Origami Customs - I kind of think of OC as more transmasc-focused but since I last checked their site they've added the option to select gusset width on non-gaff undies which I'm pleasantly surprised by. They also do custom sizing at no extra cost.
TomboyX also does breastform bras and tucking panties now but idk anyone who wears them so I can't comment on that specirfically. Just buying their underwear over the years I feel that the quality has dropped off while the prices have doubled. I get stuff on sale only. YMMV.
It’s wild to me to see transvestigator conspiracy theories online that could be so easily explained by natural human variation. That woman has a deep voice? Yeah, sometimes they do. A woman has broad shoulders?? Maybe she plays rugby or hits the gym a fuckton. There’s a “bulge” in her tight pants?? Maybe her vulva is just fat. All the “markers” of trans woman that transvestigators use to harass any woman aren’t even things unique to trans women.
Transphobes talk about women like they’re Barbies. Have you forgotten the existence of cameltoe? Tiny boobs? Narrow hips? Broad shoulders? Why do you think choirs have altos and not just sopranos? What do you think female athletes look like? Do you think a woman that lifts weights and plays contact sports will look like a 90s supermodel? At what point in history did we collectively forget that human bodies have natural variability???
Commission: Loretta Ingellvar and Sylathe Lavellen @spiritsong
I went back and forth on how I wanted to post this, but in the end I want them up together. Some of my favorite pieces that I've done to date. A joy to work on. 💚
Some facts about Emmrich (and also the Necropolis, Nevarra and other related things) gathered from the banters
I went through all companion banters on DanaDuchy's channel after playing the game to write down all facts about companions/the world that I haven't seen brought up anywhere in the game as a writing reference (and for funsies).
Note: This list may not be exhaustive. I might have missed some something or didn't write it down because I considered it common knowledge. If you have anything to add, please DM me or send an ask! (do specify what banter the information is coming from, though)
Note 2: Posts from this series (mostly) don't include information from banters specific to quests or between companions and faction members. I plan to do another playthrough to capture more of those and will add any relevant info to the character posts.
Other characters' posts: Bellara, Davrin, Harding, Lucanis, Neve, Taash. I'm also planning a post about just the Lighthouse some time later
About Emmrich:
Family and early life:
“Volkarin” is a commoner’s name. Emmrich’s father was a butcher, and his mother was a cook
When Emmrich was around 5 years old, his neighbours had a pig named Lucy. He was very fond of her, and she’d always let him hug her around his neck
Emmrich grew up poor (clocked by Neve based on the way he always saves his candle stubs, shows up first for meals and never leaves food on his plate)
Emmrich grew up hearing that all dragons were so hostile they had to be slain and is surprised that Taash has found ways to deal with them peacefully
General:
The gold Emmrich’ wears is called “grave-dowry” (or “grave gold”). It’s a Nevarran custom to wear precious objects one would like to take to their grave
Emmrich’s bracelet (not specified which one) was gifted to him on the day he became a full Watcher. The ring with a large stone was the last gift from his father. The skull pin doesn’t have a story, he just likes it
Emmrich isn’t fond of the Nevarran nobility
Emmrich’s shaving cream smells like potash (at least to Taash)
Emmrich uses moss perfume with flowers
Decades ago, Emmrich used to see an Orlesian woman who was an art appraiser
If Emmrich wasn’t a watcher, he would like to be a botanist
Emmrich displays some interest in Ferelden, mentioning that many of its heroes greatly shaped the history. Harding says that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said about her homeland
Emmrich doesn't like beer because it's bitter
Emmrich prefers tea (he mentions purchasing a Brynnlaw curled-leaf blend in Nevarra), but he can also drink coffee
Emmrich doesn’t eat meat (seafood and insects included), but he indulges in cheese. It seems to be a Watcher thing - he says that each Watcher must decide what they will and won't take a life for, and meat crosses that line for him
Emmrich likes melons, mushrooms and pineapples. He also enjoyed a plate of fried leeks and potatoes at Halos’s stand in Minrathous
Emmrich always thought he’d get married one day
After a Minrathous merchant sells Emmrich fake charms, he causes him to see skeletal faces on the windows and hear spirits whispering that false goods endanger lives as punishment. Emmrich agrees to stop once Neve tells him that she can convince the merchant to get back to selling linen if the visions cease
On magic and studies:
Some deaths may leave emotional imprints so intense Emmrich may feel them decades later
Emmrich thinks the magic of old Elven artefacts is “rigid”
Emmrich isn’t very good at figuring out Elven artefacts (by his own admission)
Emmrich’s first published work was A Monograph on the Vagaries of Determining a Body's Time of Death
Emmrich is roughly familiar with the dragon anatomy
Emmrich knows a lot about how bodies work (muscle-wise etc.) from the time he performed autopsies
Watchers study the death practices of other cultures. Emmrich knew about Eb-ketarra and the Rivaini traditions even before Taash performs them at the end of their questline
On life in the Necropolis:
When Emmrich fell for another boy during his youth, he showed him a corpse he was allowed to practice dissection on. The date was ruined by a passing wisp possessing the body and causing it to sit up and ruin the mood
Emmrich tutored Dorian during his term in the Necropolis (“Tremendous potential, but appallingly flippant towards the dead”)
Emmrich and other watchers live in the Necropolis (Emmrich has a flat there)
On life at the Lighthouse:
It took 8 skeletons half a day to bring that slab of marble into Emmrich’s room
He didn’t bring his entire collection of books to the Lighthouse (there are more)
Emmrich talks to skulls in his room
Lighthouse kitchen reminds Emmrich of the mortuary
Relationships with companions:
Emmrich offers to introduce Bellara to Audric, the Necropolis librarian (who appeared in Tevinter Nights’ Down Among the Dead Men)
Emmrich calls the Archive spirit a work of art
Emmrich and Davrin disagree on parenting methods. Emmrich thinks Davrin should better discipline Assan and teach him boundaries, while Davrin suggest Emmrich should let Manfred learn more on his own (e.g. let him fall so he learns how to get up)
Emmrich turns to Neve when he needs help acquiring some reagents he can't get his hands through normal ones, and she agrees to help him out (smuggling is involved)
Emmrich isn’t too thrilled about Neve taking over the Threads, questioning of what’s going to become with the organisation and the future and thinking it may become corrupt (sort of mirroring the way Neve is apprehensive about his lichdom)
Taash likes Emmrich’s lich helmet. They are not usually fond of skulls, but that helmet is fine because it’s on fire
Taash thinks that gemstones like amethyst or green opal would look good with the lich helmet
Emmrich doesn’t seem to like unrealistic books as he criticised Harding’s “Gore-Knight” novels for their incorrect interpretation of magic. He is worried about people misunderstanding magic and spirits
Emmrich calls himself Harding's 'de facto physician'
On Manfred:
(If Rook chooses to save Treviso) Manfred brings Neve tea by his own volition. Emmrich thinks it's because Manfred sensed she might need a friend
Manfred is as aware of his surroundings as most people (to a certain degree)
(If revived at the Necropolis) Manfred learns to say Emmrich’s name
(If revived at the Necropolis) Manfred becomes much more talkative
Manfred likes boiling tea because he is fascinated by steam
Emmrich suggests Manfred tries tending to plants in Harding's garden
Manfred is curious about Spite and wanders into Lucanis’s room at night
Spite and Assan miss Manfred if he’s gone
On Lichdom:
Emmrich smells fine to Taash even after he becomes a lich
Emmrich’s lich helmet burns with veilfire. He once tried using it in combat, but the flame ended up blinding him
Emmrich thinks Strife would no longer be interested in a relationship after he becomes a Lich. That doesn't prove to be true
Lich!Emmrich doesn't need to eat but still comes by the kitchen for company
The energy of Emmrich’s magic changed after he became a lich
Other liches call lich!Emmrich “Young Volkarin”
Lich!Emmrich no longer has muscles, but when he tries out Taash’s pull-up routine, he can still feel something like “a spectral memory of flesh”, as if he had pulled a tendon
Emmrich starts seeing more books in the Lighthouse library after becoming a linch
About spirit, demons, and the Necropolis:
There are spirits of Temperance and Diligence
The Watchers avoid using the word “demon” because it creates bad expectations and can negatively influence spirits
Some in the Mourn Watch suspected that elves originated from spirits, though it was just one of many theories, and not a particularly popular one
Chambers in the Necropolis can go missing (according to MW!Rook, they turn up, eventually)
Even after the despair demon is banished from the Necropolis, the halls remain cold. However, the effects will abate with time
There are horses on display in the Necropolis
Watchers rarely get possessed thanks to the special wards of the Necropolis. Possessions also don’t happen as often because the necromancers already provide spirits with bodies, so they don't need to possess anyone by force
Bellara calls the background magic of Necropolis tidy and quiet
There something called “The Deep Necropolis” featuring sections like “The Unspoken Valley” and “The Charnel Bridge” (which has something called “nightmare fog”) that hosts all kinds of entities. Bellara is very excited to visit once the nightmare fog clears
Vorgoth ensures that the transgressions of those who use magical to cruel and abusive means will not be tolerated (whatever that means)
About Nevarra:
Many great Nevarran artefacts have been lost to time, including the Skull of Sabinar, the Key of Dead Dreamers, and the Crown of the Moon
There are strict rules about selling enchantments in Nevarra. You can’t sell anything without a licence and an inspection from the mage Circles
A Tevinter poem “Faustina's Song”, a romantic epic from the Steel Age, is very popular in Nevarra, and its quotes are used on ‘more than one’ epitaph in the Necropolis. Neve is surprised people even read it outside Tevinter
