Written by: alix | wishforhome
Illustrated by: magpiebee
Rating: Explicit
Content Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Fandom(s): Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Dragon Age - All Media Types
Major Pairing(s)/Character(s): Viago de Riva/Rook
Vero Solano is living every hockey-obsessed kid’s dream: they’ve clawed their way to the Thedas Hockey League. When Vero is traded to the Antiva City Crows, they’re preceded by a reputation as a loner. To everyone’s surprise, they connect with Viago de Riva, a reclusive goaltender whose on-ice brilliance has earned him respect despite his eccentricities. When he begins offering Vero post-practice advice, it evolves into something that looks dangerously like friendship – and maybe more.
More from alix | wishforhome: @wishforhome | AO3
More from magpiebee: Instagram | Other | Other
YAAAY it's finally here!!! I had the amazing opportunity to participate in this year's dragon age big bang and I truly lucked out with the coolest writer! give the fic a read/kudos/comment!! and check out the art I did for it, linked in the fic itself ;3
✨A little something for my friends who completed their work for The Dragon Age Big Bang for 2025...✨
✨But wait, there's more!
Since tumblr will not allow me to add both files, you can see the entire collage with this video and a 2nd congratulatory video from Gareth David-Lloyd (and some of our other friends) HERE on cameo.
✨Special shoutout to my beloved friends: @dayntee, @mabelaart, @sky-blue-siha, @priya-san, @ingellvarphd, @elynnism, @crittadownunder, @aliceis-dead , @manuzillust, @christinabindon, @bitch-queen-of-angmar , @kithsana, @goobigoombi, @elfyroot . It has been such a privlege and fun time to get to know you, your craft, and to be able to enjoy everything that you've made! 💖
(and so should everyone else!)
✨Note/Disclaimer:
✨I am in no way affiliated with The Dragon Age Big Bang and this is not an official part of the event. I did NOT send anything to the VAs nor ask that they look at any creations, nor should there be any expectation that they will. This is just something I wanted to do because anyone that makes of themselves to give to others, especially with fic/art, is an actual saint in my eyes and you deserve ALL THE GOOD THINGS!
✨Alix did ask to be tagged in Inquisitor-related works you may like to share, but please use discretion and be respectful—if your piece contains explicit or adult material, do not tag them.
Valentine's might be for romance, but for these prompts, feel free to celebrate platonic as well as romantic love! The collection on AO3 is live if you want to add your works to it, and we have a canonical tag too!
This year, I made sure there were more than 14 extra prompts for people who want to celebrate all month. Special thanks to people who submitted their own ideas for the event! 🎉
Use #Love of DA 2026 for this event. Prompts can be used after the event if you like!
No hate speech, play nice with others, tag your works accurately, etc. Basic internet stuff.
All media formats are welcome. Make a Solas-shaped pancake if you want. Draw a heart around it with maple syrup. I'm here for it.
Remember that tumblr has built-in community labels, and please use those if you need them. On that note, NSFW content is permitted. Just tag and label it.
You don't have to participate in every single prompt. This is just to give people a selection.
You won't like every work you see, and you're responsible for curating your own experience. Keep criticism to yourself unless expressly asked for feedback. I'm trusting you folks to be respectful, so don't let me down.
I'll try to reblog your works, but I've got my own stuff going on, so it may not be prompt and I might not catch everything. @ this account in your post as well if you'd like (since event tags can be different if you type yours with or without spaces, etc).
Please comment on works from others participating in the event! 💖
We had a good round of people commenting on one another's pieces last year, and I'd like to fold that into the event if I can.
The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!
Local Artist Shocked to Find Deadlines Mean Projects Should Be Completed
Magpiebee and Dema talk OCs as a means of self-exploration, a favorite Inquisitor, and character tarot
Dema: When did your love of Dragon Age begin?
Magpiebee: Some time around 2017, I think! I was in college then, and one of my good friends had played DA2 and was obsessed. She constantly tried to get me to play it. We were also getting into D&D around this time with some of our other friends. Once I finally decided to try DA, it was with Inquisition, iirc. But once I started playing I realized I had a LOT of lore to learn so I put down Inquisition in favor of starting from the beginning with Origins, then DA2, then Inquisition and now DAV! I've been obsessed ever since.
Dema: And Inquisition is your favorite of the franchise?
Magpiebee: Ohh yeah! I'd always been a fan of rpgs like the Fallout series. Games I could really dive into and lose myself in. Classic gamer escapism, haha. The storytelling just absolutely stunned me, and I fell in love with the Inquisitor I developed in my game over time. I think I saw some of myself in him. I also, at the time, had been questioning my sexuality but not really confronting it out of fear. Dorian's storyline really struck me because of that. I also loved his confidence – I wanted to be like that. My Inquisitor fell for him just like I did, except he actually got to kiss Dorian. That game is so massive I could talk about it forever lmao.
Dema: Tell me about your Inquisitor!
Magpiebee: His name is Sulahn Lavellan! Dalish mage, very sweet person that absolutely knew nothing about leadership before the events of the game. He went through a lot of growth over the course of the game – at first he was shy, wanted to learn healing magic and help people but never made the effort for big change. He has a twin named Theneras who he's extremely close to, but Theneras was always more bold, assertive and adventurous. Sulahn ending up at the Conclave was NOT supposed to be as dramatic as it was haha. He's always been sweet and caring, so making friends was easy, but dealing with the hardships of war wore on him quickly. But, as he had no other choice but to continue because of the Mark, he pressed on – he became more confident as he learned not just his importance as the Herald or Inquisitor, but as a person. He saw how his values and morals grew his relationships. He learned how to be in love, which he had never experienced before. He'd always been too scared and shy to pursue anything romantic with anyone, always felt like he needed time to figure himself out. I think being in the situation he was in allowed him to embrace his queerness, his confidence, and helped him feel like he had a purpose. I found out a lot of this about myself as I played the game over the course of a year, too.
Dema: I love him already! I noticed you made a tarot for him – the ace of cups? Was there particular symbolism for that card that made it a good fit for Sulahn?
Magpiebee: Ooo yes! The ace of cups has a lot to do with feelings of joy, compassion, and love, as well as new beginnings. It struck me in particular with the idea of new beginnings. There was so much NEW that Sulahn had to face in DA:I, most of which was not his choice. He chose to pursue this responsibility with joy. I personally try to be that way, too. It's one of the reasons I feel so close to him as a character. I also just loved the imagery of water in the card, the free, flowing, shining clear waters pouring out of a cup in his hands. I've always loved and related to the saying "you can't pour from an empty cup." The reverse of the ace of cups is the opposite- pain and sadness, isolation, unrequited love. Sulahn did his best to avoid those feelings whenever he could, but the growth he went through over the story made him face those feelings. Personally I've struggled a lot with recognizing and accepting my difficult emotions, and a lot of newness was thrust on me over the last few years. Even though I finished my DA:I playthrough years ago, I keep finding reasons to develop Sulahn as well as look back on him before these recent years happened and how he taught me so much.
Dema: Since you were starting to play D&D when you first picked up Dragon Age, did that character creation process inform how you approached your DA characters? Or do they feel pretty different?
Magpiebee: That's a great question! I don't think so, mostly because I've been making OC's for my entire life. I was always a day dreamer and had oc's for everything from Sonic the Hedgehog to Pokemon to Fallout – basically any media I consumed growing up was not safe from my imagination. But, I've always loved creating. I also do personal writing as well as my own art. I've written fanfic and original content, and once I got into D&D it was like, eye opening, being able to step into the place of someone else in real life like that (I have always played D&D in person, and a few times over discord calls). I actually have thought a lot about this over the last two years as I began examining all my different D&D oc's. I think both consciously and unconsciously, I embedded bits of myself into all my characters, including all my DA oc's. I feel so connected to all of them and I've genuinely learned about myself through them – like Sulahn and his experiences gaining confidence and embracing his queerness.
Dema: That is so beautiful! I love how creative expression can teach us so much about ourselves, and about the world and our place in it. We've talked a lot about characters so far – would you also describe yourself as primarily a character artist?
Magpiebee: Definitely, though I'm trying to branch into different avenues like doing more environments, full scenes, and comics. It's actually the reason I joined the DABB and applied for other projects like zines this year. It's really been pushing me creatively to do more and I've been learning so much. Hopefully I can publish my own stories via webcomics someday.
Dema: Ooo I hope you do! So does this mean you are stretching past your normal process for the DABB piece?
Magpiebee: Yeah! I'm making it into a comic page, kind of a standard comic book page size ratio with just a few small panels and a larger panel with the characters in the middle as the focus. I'm pushing myself to do background elements and props like the [redacted] and [redacted], stuff I wouldn't normally think to draw outside this project. I’m not sure just yet but I reeeally wanna do something dramatic with the lighting, but I gotta look at some examples first I think haha.
Dema: Gunna redact that a little bit for spoilers but it's ok hahaha.I'm sure your writer is thrilled by your plan. Have you done many collaborations like this?
Magpiebee: Only a few, and it was primarily with close friends! I helped my friend with her final graduate project, which was mocking up a book she wrote parts of – I did the cover and some other smaller elements. I also have participated in the Superbat Big Bang years ago, but I never collaborated with my writer as much as I have been with the DABB!
Dema: That's so cool that you've done another Big Bang! Since you also write, would you ever consider doing one as a writer?
Magpiebee: Definitely! Though, since I tend to be a slow writer, it would definitely push me a lot, but I would love to try! I was actually thinking of joining as a writer for the next DABB… but we'll see.
Dema: Regardless, I do hope we see you in the event next year! In our last couple minutes, I am asking the artists to write a sort of click-baity or "Florida Man" style headline for themselves.
Magpiebee: HAHA, okay, lets seeeee... “Local Artist Shocked to find Deadlines mean Projects should be completed,”or something like that XD
Dema: HAHAHAHAHAH! MMMMMMM this could also apply to me.
Magpiebee: I think many could relate.
Dema: WELL. Thank you for accidentally spurring me to get to work today! And for taking the time to chat, it has been lovely interviewing you!
Magpiebee: Thank you, Dema! Great chatting with you!
Attention 🚨 The schedule for the 2025 Nancy Drew Speedathon is live! This year we're raising money for Advocates for Trans Equality! Make sure to tune in on July 25-27 on our twitch, twitch.tv/nancydrewspeedathon
I've offically come full circle a decade later since I'm back hyperfixating on the Arthurian legend distracting myself from everything and listening to the same music as my 14 year old self was. But hey at least I have the confidence in drawing them now.
I love them so so dearly I'm going just a little insane, I'm sorry to everyone who doesn't know me beyond my usual fandoms, you have to put up with what rearranged my brain chemistry when I was a kid.
This started as just a few of the knights, Lancelot, Gawaine, and Galahad and then it became: "Oh but then I should draw __" and here we are. My designs are all over the place and I cannot be bothered to actually draw armor I'll die i just want to draw pretty patterns. But I think the mismatch of clothing styles and all that makes it cohesive?
And I'm going with Malroy and T.H White influence as it's what I know best, that being said all the boys have their coat of arms alluded to in some way but you might have to squint.
(my laptop absolutely hates me for this one. imagine exporting a file and then having to manipulate the sizing 3 times for it to even be able to upload anywhere, couldn't be me. I don't even know how to show the full thing..)
CONTRIBUTOR APPLICATIONS FOR THE SPEEDATHON ZINE ARE OPEN!
Calling all artists and writers, you can apply now through Feb 13th to be a contributor for our zine! More details can be found on the contributor info doc here, and you can fill out the application here!
Mod applications open for the inaugural Nancy Drew Speedathon fanzine!
We're opening mod applications from today until Jan 15th at 11:59pm PST for the following positions:
GRAPHICS/FORMATTING MOD (1 person): As graphics/formatting mod, you'll be needed primarily to design graphics for social media posting and format the zine as a digital PDF before the Speedathon. We'll also need you available to respond to any contributor inquiries about zine dimensions and formatting their pieces to ensure they are a high enough quality for use.
ART MOD (1 person): As art mod, you'll oversee all artist contributors by ensuring every contributor checks-in during the three required check-ins and submits a finished piece by the deadline. You will also handle any critiques or assistance that artists request on their WIPs.
Previous zine experience is preferred, but not required. You can find the mod application here and more info about the Speedathon zine here!
These applications are for moderators, not contributors. If you're an artist or writer looking to join the zine, hold tight! Contributor applications will open in a few weeks.
someone: hey I noticed this thing you did in your writing!
me, kicking my feet up flirtatiously: oh??? do you want to hear my thoughts on why I did that? do you want a play-by-play of the language choices in every related sentence? do you want an exhaustive breakdown of The Themes???
2087
baratheonpilled
origamiaround
pixelskylines
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
jbbartram-illu
jacobvanloon
ellievsbear
