you might as well live.

cole / ask me about my ocs he/him | 18+ | gay + poly | infp been in my choice of games / interactive fiction era since like 2013 i go through people's tags pages if they have an organised system apologies in advance if i start liking things you reblogged two years ago everything is queued

[nazali]

finally threw together a proper oc page !! most of them have individual pages with links to all their inspo tags, pinterest boards, playlists, etc. newer / less developed characters just lead straight to their tags

there are. a lot. i make a lot of ocs. using the filters is probably necessary .

[nazali]

Dragon Age Oneshots | #3.

challenging myself to write one lil ficlet type thing for each of my dragon age romances per day since i haven't written anything in a few months

day three: bean brosca & morrigan

Bean distrusts the silence of the Crossroads.

Dust Town had never been silent. Even at night, there had been coughing behind thin walls, distant arguments, boots on stone, the scrape of rats searching refuse. Silence meant someone was hiding or something had already gone wrong.

Morrigan's sanctuary possesses a different kind of quiet, one that settles around the mirrors and pale paths like snowfall. Kieran sleeps in the adjoining room, one small hand curled around the wooden nug Bean had carved badly and refused to admit he'd made.

He stands at the doorway for several minutes before Morrigan speaks.

"He is unlikely to vanish while you watch him."

Bean turns. She sits near the fire with a book open in her lap, though her eyes have not moved across the page.

"I wasn't watching him."

"Of course not."

From anyone else, the sarcasm might invite a retort - with her, he only crosses the room and slumps into the seat across from hers.

Kieran had asked him that afternoon what Orzammar was like. Bean had told him about the glowing stone and the great doors, about the Proving and the sound a crowd made when blood hit the sand. He had not mentioned the stench of Dust Town after rain, or Rica hiding bruises beneath powder, or the certainty that everyone he loved could be purchased.

"He'll never go there," he said.

Morrigan closes the book.

It is not a question. It is a promise, one that carries the same violence Bean uses for threats.

"No," she says. "He will not."

Bean's jaw tightens. "And no one decides what he is. Not kings. Not Wardens. Not gods."

There are many things Morrigan could say. That children become who they will be regardless of parental plans. That Kieran is already marked by forces larger than either of them. That Bean cannot punch fate until it yields.

Instead, she moves to sit beside him.

Bean's love is rarely gentle at first contact. It arrives armoured, baring its teeth at very possible danger. Morrigan understands that language. Flemeth had taught her that affection is a weakness to be exploited; Bean, through sheer stubbornness, has turned it into a weapon pointed outward.

She rests her head against his shoulder.

He remains rigid for a moment, then leans into her with great care, as though softness requires more strength than anything he has ever lifted.

[nazali]

Dragon Age Oneshots | #2.

challenging myself to write one lil ficlet type thing for each of my dragon age romances per day since i haven't written anything in a few months

day two: river tabris & leliana

The sounds of the celebration reach them even in the palace garden.

Music and laughter spill through the open doors, rising whenever another toast is made to the Hero of Ferelden. Servants carry trays of wine beneath strings of lanterns. Nobles who had ignored the alienage all their lives now compete to praise River's courage.

She had lasted through three speeches before slipping outside.

Leliana finds her beside a dry fountain, scrubbing at a dark mark on her sleeve. There's no blood left there - the garment has been thoroughly washed at least twice. River's fingers continue to dig into the fabric regardless.

Without announcing herself, Leliana perches on the fountain's edge. The stone is cold through her dress, but the night air is cleaner than the crowded hall.

"They are calling for you," she says, after a while.

"I know."

"You do not have to return yet."

That stops River's hand.

She glances to the palace windows. From here, the figures inside are reduced to colourful blurs drifting behind the glass. Somewhere amongst them, men who had once argued that elves are naturally suited to servitude are drinking to River's health.

"They're happy," River says. "I thought I would be, too."

Leliana reaches for her hand, careful, allowing time for refusal. River's fingers are cold when they fold around hers.

Victory has not changed the shape of the alienage. It has not brought back the dead. River had believed, privately and stubbornly, that once the Archdemon fell there would be a moment in which everything stopped hurting.

Leliana does not tell them that healing takes time. She does not say the dead would be proud, or that River has done all anyone can. Those things may be true, but truths can still be burdens when offered too quickly.

Instead, she begins to hum.

It's an Orlesian lullaby, soft enough that the notes barely carry beyond the fountain. River leans against her shoulder, and the careful rhythm of her breath gradually calms.

When the palace doors open and someone calls their names again, Leliana lifts a hand without turning and closes them once more.

The celebration can continue without them.

For a few minutes, River is permitted to be neither hero nor symbol - only tired, loved, and held.

[mageknives]

dragon age: inquisition heads. rb and tell me in the tags where your inquisitor would be found in skyhold if they were a companion

[nazali]

juniper trevelyan: upper library gallery, near the railing overlooking the main hall

he enjoys books and magical study, but he's too sociable to disappear completely into research. his space would contain open books, expensive wine, several abandoned attempts at serious note-taking, and chairs that other people have dragged over because conversations continually form around him. he could trade remarks with dorian, watch who enters the hall below, and call down to passing companions. his idle animations would alternate between genuinely reading and becoming distracted by whatever's happening beneath him.

briar lavellan: tavern attic with cole

the attic gives her somewhere quiet and partially hidden without removing her from the social centre of skyhold. she could hear activity below without having to participate in it constantly. cole's presence would also suit her - he doesn't demand polished conversation, notices pain without interpreting anxiety as weakness, and would understand why she sometimes wants company without interaction. her corner would gradually accumulate blankets, dried herbs, books, unfinished letters, and small objects cole has brought because he thought they'd comfort someone. she might also use the attic as an informal refuge for frightened recruits or servants who don't want to visit the formal infirmary. she'd probably sit near the window, where she could look down into the courtyard while remaining out of sight.

gem adaar: outer edge of the training courtyard, slightly apart from cassandra and the busiest part of the yard

she'd choose the practical open space between the training area and the stables, where she can practise with a two-handed weapon without attracting an audience. she dislikes spectacle, so she wouldn't be loudly instructing recruits or participating in competitive demonstrations. more often, she'd be checking the balance of her weapon, repairing a grip, or silently watching other fighters. new dialogue could become available after the player spars with her. she'd give extremely blunt feedback and refuse to praise the inquisitor merely for trying. her position would also let her leave skyhold quickly when she wants solitude beyond the walls.

clear cadash: the underforge with dagna

no other part of skyhold could safely contain her projects. her area would look as though dagna's workspace had developed a second, less organised ecosystem. there would be alchemical ingredients, carta devices, crossbow parts, diagrams pinned over older diagrams, and several objects that emit light without an obvious reason. she and dagna would continually borrow each other's tools and then accuse the other of losing them. she'd rarely be standing still when approached. she might be halfway beneath a table, testing a mechanism on the wall, or turning around with protective goggles already lowered and asking the inquisitor to hold something "probably stable".

penowyn lavellan: the garden beside the gazebo

it gives her access to herbs, birds, open sky, and relative quiet while keeping her reachable as a companion. at times, the inquisitor might find a white crow perched on the gazebo roof or garden wall before penowyn resumes her usual form. her space would include star charts, feathers, animal bones, small dalish carvings, and plants associated with necromancy or spirit work. at night, her position would become especially atmospheric because she could watch the stars without the noise and movement of the main keep. because she's deaf, she would choose somewhere with clear sightlines. people approaching through the garden would be easy to see, reducing the likelihood of anyone startling her from behind.

dirthara: the upper rotunda gallery

he'd be surrounded by knowledge without being confined to books. he could study solas' paintings, examine the architecture of skyhold, watch people moving through the rotunda, and move easily between the library and the fade-related space below. it would also give him and solas natural ambient conversations without placing them directly beside one another. his area would accumulate objects rather than conventional possessions - an unusual stone, a broken mechanism, a feather, old coins, copied pages, and anything else whose purpose or history interests him. approaching him might trigger a different observation depending on which object he's currently examining. the rotunda also suits his tendency to observe the waking world from a slightly removed perspective.

blake trevelyan: the chapel

i considered the training courtyard and battlements, but i already said the courtyard for gem and cullen already occupies the battlements as a place associated with military responsiblility. i think his faith, honour, protective instincts, and relationship with institutional duty mean the chapel near the garden makes sense as well. he wouldn't spend all his time kneeling in prayer - he might polish his shield on a bench outside, speak with soldiers seeking advice, help mother giselle distribute supplies, or quietly repair the chapel after storms. it also creates room for his personal arc - early dialogue might find him very close to the altar, certain that the inquisition has divine purpose. as his views become more nuanced, his idle position could shift outside the chapel doors - still faithful, but less dependent on institutions to define what faith requires.

eli: the western battlements overlooking the valley, near one of the trebuchets with a clear view of the horizon

he would need the nearest equivalent skyhold has to the deck of a ship. he would've acquired a spyglass, several maps, a chair taken from somewhere indoors, and perhaps a length of rigging. he'd spend much of his time watching weather patterns, talking to guards, and complaining that the mountains prevent him from seeing the sea. his companion conversations could involve him leaning against the parapet while discussing the scarlet sparrow, his brother, leadership, or how strange it feels to be part of an organisation that can't sail away when circumstances turn hostile. he'd also probably be a frequent presence in the herald's rest in cutscenes.

[transscr0ogetruther]

Who would your dragon age characters romance if they were the protagonist of the other games? Had a conversation about this recently and I’m curious

[nazali]

i've answered this before but i gave it Extended Thought this time and now i wanna do this in more depth

red mahariel: canon romance - zevran. da2 - fenris is i think the clearest match for red's reserve, self-reliance, directness, and carefully guarded loyalty. neither of them would demand immediate emotional openness from the other, and both of them would understand affection expressed through practical protection and shared silence. red would also respect fenris' refusal to forgive danarius or surrender his autonomy. inquisition - blackwall would suit him bc of his quiet manner, woodland skills, craftsmanship, and preference for useful work over social display. they could spend long periods together without either of them interpreting the silence as rejection. the thom rainier revelation would be tricky - red could understand a violent past and even an assumed identity, but being personally deceived after granting trust would anger him deeply. their relationship could survive IF blackwall accepted that rebuilding trust would be slow and entirely on red's terms, which i think he would

river tabris: canon romance - leliana. da2 - merrill would give her a relationship founded on gentleness, curiosity, and mutual recognition. both of them are elves who are frequently patronised by people claiming to know what's best for them, so river would be careful to respect merrill's intelligence and right to make her own decisions. merrill's warmth could draw her outward, while she would provide patient emotional security without treating merrill's interests as inherently foolish or corrupt. inquisition - josephine is probably her healthiest option, her courtship is considerate, verbally affectionate, and comparatively safe, and her diplomatic approach aligns with river's desire to resolve conflict without unnecessary harm. river would offer her sincere attention and somewhere she didn't need to perform flawless competence, and josephine would help her understand that receiving care isn't selfish

bean brosca: canon romance - morrigan. da2 - isabela bc they share irreverence, appetite, criminal survival skills, suspicion of authority, and a refusal to be shamed by respectable society. isabela would appeal to him bc she's strong enough to resist intimidation and independent enough that winning her loyalty would actually mean something. she would also force him to confront his possessiveness bc any attempt to control her would end the relationship quickly. inquisition - hrrmrmmmm. i guess by process of elimination cassandra? she's physically formidable, blunt, and impossible to bully into submission. their aruments would be insane especially over bean's cruelty and self-serving chioces but she could call him out without appearing weak in his eyes

logan cousland: canon romance - alistair. da2 - sebastian shares her noble background, andrastian faith, measured temperament, and awareness that personal relationships can carry political consequences. they'd understand one another's sense of obligation and the difficulty of separating private desires from public responsibility. inquisition - cullen. both of them are reserved, dutiful, self-critical leaders who've survived catastrophic losses and continue functioning bc others depend on them. logan could offer calm reassurance without infantilising him and cullen would understand the pressure of being responsible for lives on a national scale

ashes hawke: canon romance - anders. origins - alistair's warmth, kindness, awkward humour, and instinct to protect others would probably appeal strongly to him. neither of them would be embarrassed by tenderness. he would give alistair consistent emotional support and a sense of home and alistair would make him laugh and remind him that a relationship can contain pleasure and play rather than only people needing to be helped. inquisition - dorian i think would be more contrasting but very rewarding. he would see beneath the polish and offer uncomplicated affection without trying to reshape him into an acceptable heir, and dorian would actively appreciate him rather than just relying on his care. he'd encourage him to enjoy beauty, humour, and personal attention, which would help prevent him from treating his own happiness as less important than everyone else's

amulet hawke: canon romance - isabela. origins - leliana combines romance, beauty, music, faith, social intelligence, and a much harder history than her graceful presentation originally makes it seem. she'd enjoy being courted by someone who appreciates clothes, stories, gifts, and dramatic gestures. leliana would also recognise that her materialism is partly fear of deprivation and could challenge it without sneering at everything she enjoys. inquisition - josephine i think could work if amulet got some character development and also didn't focus so much on wanting someone exciting. both of them understand fashion, etiquette, public image, gifts, and the social power of presentation, but josephine has a steadier relationship with wealth and status. she could enjoy amulet's extravagance while helping her distinguish security from accumulation and amulet would offer enthusiastic admiration and make josephine feel celebrated instead of just valued for her diplomatic usefulness

ryan hawke: canon romance - merrill. origins - leliana would suit their need for patience, emotional safety, and openly expressed affection. she'd be capable of taking their fears seriously without confirming their belief that they're damaged beyond repair. ryan would listen without judgment to her conflicts over faith, violence, and identity and give her a relationship where she didn't have to be either the innocent bard or the hardened spy. inquisition - i think josephine's courteous, gradual courtship would work for them. she communicates affection clearly, respects boundaries, and wouldn't treat sexual expectation as the measure of intimacy since ryan is ace.

tristan hawke: canon romance - fenris. origins - zevran understands assassination, autonomy, and guardedness. his humour would annoy tristan but zevran is also perceptive enough to recognise genuine boundaries and not push just to prove he can. inquisition - bull is probably one of the few people capable of reading him accurately without being scared off or romanticising his hostility. he understands consent, negotiated limits, and the difference between enjoying control in a chosen context and controlling someone's life. tristan would probably end up respecting his competence and directness. it would only work if bull left the qun though, tristan would never accept being evaluated as an asset by an institution claiming ownership over bull

rowan hawke: canon romance - sascha (an oc). origins - zevran's rejection of imposed authority, irreverence, resilience, and fierce loyalty once freely given would appeal to him. both of them understand being shaped into something useful by violent systems and then choosing another identity. zevran could puncture his self-seriousness without dismissing his cause. da2 - aside from sascha i think either anders or isabela would work. he and anders are already best friends and partners-in-crime and he has a fwb deal going on with isabela. anders and he are very similar, share a cause, work together on the chanty which already means there's trust and understanding there in the sense of anders not feeling the need to hide his plans, but they are also pretty unhealthy for each other bc they feed off of each other's anger and do Not hold each other back. isabela on the other hand would not be able to avoid politics if she was in a more serious relationship w him but she is also very good at lightening his mood and reminding him not to be so serious all the time. inquisition - him and dor political debates. intelligence, wit, magic, and political debates. both of them want liberation for mages but rowan favours revolutionary destruction while dorian believes institutions can be transformed from within which i think would be a central disagreement. dorian would force him to articulate what comes after the rebellion while rowan would challenge dorian whenever reform became too comfortable or distant from those suffering now

juniper trevelyan: canon romance - dorian. origins - zevran matches his wit, flirtation, appetite for life, and ability to disguise pain beneath entertainment. i think they'd be good at seeming socially effortless and being emotionally more serious in private. da2 - his support for mage freedom and instinctive sympathy for people crushed by institutions would draw him toward anders. their banter and magical interests would create immediate chemistry

briar lavellan: canon romance - josephine. origins - leliana's gentleness, faith, warmth, and willingness to express affection clearly would reassure her. she could encourage briar's confidence without demanding that she become forceful or commanding, and briar could give her deep empathy and a place where her moral uncertainty could be spoken without judgment. da2 - merrill is probably her best match anywhere outside josie. they share dalish roots, magic, kindness, social awkwardness, and the experience of being underestimated. she would respect merrill's intelligence without automatically endorsing every risk she takes, and merrill's optimism could help her become less afraid of her own choices

gem adaar: canon romance - sera. origins - she would respect morrigan's intelligence, self-sufficiency, bluntness, and refusal to perform conventional femininity. neither of them would require constant conversation or sentimental reassurance. she wouldn't be frightened by morrigan's magic or moral unconventionality and morrigan would appreciate a partner who didn't try to rescue, reform, or control her. da2 - isabela i think narrowwwwly beats out merrill. like sera, she would bring noise, movement, teasing, and irreverence into gem's self-contained life.

clear cadash: canon romances - blackwall, sera & casually harding. since she's poly i'm gonna sayyyyyy origins - zevran & leliana. zevran would match her flexibility, criminal experience, humour, curiosity, and comfort with unconventional relationships, and leliana would offer warmth, stories, faith, and a more emotionally expressive bond. da2 - isabela would suit her appetite for freedom, experimentation, danger, and irreverent fun, and merrill would connect with her magical curiosity and fascination with things everyone else considers inadvisable. i think she'd enjoy both the high-energy adventures she shared with isabela and the absorbed, exploratory conversations she shared with merrill

penowyn lavellan: canon romance - cullen. origins - morrigan's shapeshifting, knowledge of obscure magic, independence, and distance from conventional institutions would immediately interest her. they could explore old magic together without either of them treating the other's curiosity as dangerous by default. she would also respect morrigan's privacy, though she wouldn't appreciate being manipulated or deliberately kept ignorant. da2 - merrill shares her dalish pride, interest in ancient elven history, willingness to investigate forbidden magic, and comfort with subjects others fear. i think they could have a quiet but intellectually lively relationship - she would take merrill seriously and wouldn't infantilise or condemn her for using blood magic

dirthara: canon romance - solas. oigins - morrigan would fascinate him through shapeshifting, ancient magical knowledge, her connection to flemeth, and her willingness to question every accepted moral or religious framework. he would approach her without fear or conventional expectations. morrigan might initially see his curiosity as intrusive but she'd probably appreciate someone capable of following her more complicated ideas. da2 - merrill would recognise him as a person without needing him to imitate a mortal man perfectly. she's curious about spirits, ancient knowledge, artefacts, and lost histories, but also emotionally sincere, and he would genuinely delight in her work instead of treating it like a regrettable obsession

blake trevelyan: canon romance - iron bull. origins - alistair, both of them are honourable, dutiful men who want to protect people and are uncertain about how much trust to place in their own authority. alistair's humour would soften blake's seriousness and he would provide the steadfast reassurance alistair often needs. da2 - sebastian fits his faith, martial discipline, nobility, and belief that authority should be exercised responsible. they would understand each other's religious language and public obligations

eli: canon romance - cassandra. origins - he and zevran would connect through humour, adventure, freedom, and the use of storytelling to control how others see them. he'd appreciate zevran's ability to turn danger into entertainment and zevran would recognise the serious captain underneath his charm. neither of them would try to make the other one respectable. da2 - he actually already knows and gets along really well with isabela in his backstory so definitely her, they share maritime life, piracy, improvisation, irreverence, and a deep attachment to freedom. underneath the banter both of them are fiercely loyal to a chosen crew. ...they would just need to fight over who captained anything they shared

[kurczakmarty]

does the fandom need another auggy standing around in a cute outfit? YES! I needed to do a warm up and they are my fave subject!

[nazali]

Dragon Age Oneshots | #10.

challenging myself to write one lil ficlet type thing for each of my dragon age romances per day since i haven't written anything in a few months

day ten: briar lavellan & josephine montilyet

Josephine decides Briar needs dancing lessons before Halamshiral.

Briar decides that dying in the Arbor Wilds might be preferable.

They practise in Josephine's office after the keep quiets. The furniture has been pushed against the walls, leaving a narrow floor between the desk and fireplace. Josephine stands poised in a simple evening dress, while Briar regards her own feet as though they have personally betrayed her.

"The first step is backward," Josephine explains. "Then to the side. You need not look down."

"That seems dangerously trusting."

"You routinely turn into a wolf."

"Wolves do not attend balls."

Josephine's smile widens. "Orlais would be much improved if they did."

She positions Briar's right hand at her waist and takes the other gently. Briar's shoulders are rigid beneath her formal coat.

Josephine begins to count. Briar misses the second step, corrects too sharply, and nearly collides with the desk. She apologises at once.

"My love, no one has been injured."

"I stepped on your dress."

"It has survived far worse diplomatic incidents."

They begin again.

Josephine does not tell Briar to relax, as though anxiety were a posture she has chosen incorrectly. She explains each movement, repeats it without impatience, and gives warning before changing direction. Gradually, Briar stops trying to anticipate every possible mistake.

The dance becomes something shared rather than performed.

"You make this look effortless," Briar says.

"It is not. I have simply practised for many years."

That matters. Josephine's grace is learned, not bestowed by some certainty Briar lacks. Competence can be assembled step by step.

Briar moves backward, then to the side. This time, she does not look down.

"There," Josephine says. "Perfect!"

"It was one correct step."

"Most journeys are made of them."

Briar's expression softens. She tightens her hand around Josephine's and allows herself to be guided into another turn.

At Halamshiral, hundreds of people will watch the Inquisitor for signs of weakness - but in the quiet office, she can simply follow someone she trusts.

[nazali]

Dragon Age Oneshots | #1.

challenging myself to write one lil ficlet type thing for each of my dragon age romances per day since i haven't written anything in a few months

day one: red mahariel & zevran arainai

The Blight is over, but the stench of smoke still clings to Denerim's walls.

From the balcony of the temporary Warden quarters, Red can see labourers clearing stone from the streets by torchlight. The palace behind him is crowded with nobles eager to thank him, question him, or tell him what Ferelden requires next. He'd escaped before the third bann could begin to explain the political significance of his marriageable daughters.

Zevran finds him with a map spread across the balcony wall.

"Plotting your escape?" he asks.

"Yes."

The answer is so immediate that Zevran laughs. He wanders closer, expecting to find Amaranthine marked as Red's destination. Instead, the route carves westward, toward the Brecilian Forest and the last known location of Clan Sabrae.

Red had spent the entire journey speaking of his clan as though they were never more than a few days away. He'd carried their stories, songs, and anger with him. Now that nothing prevents his seeing them, Zevran had assumed he would become an intrusion upon his plans - a remnant of the human war Red had never wanted.

"You should go," Zevran says, lightly. "I imagine your people will be relieved to have their wondrous hunter restored to them."

Red's gaze cuts to him. "You dislike forests?"

"Only the damp, the insects, and the unfortunate lack of Antivan wine."

"There will be damp and insects."

"A grave concern."

Red drags one finger along the sketched-out road. Two bedrolls have been marked beside the first stopping point - the notation is small, practical, and entirely deliberate.

Zevran's smile falters.

"My clan may not trust you," Red says. "You were trained by humans, and you have lived amongst them. Some will consider that reason enough."

"How encouraging."

"I will tell them that you are mine."

The possessive should have sounded like a claim. From Red, it does not. He means that Zevran is someone for whom he has accepted responsibility - not as property, but as chosen family, defended with the same certainty he gives his clan.

Red folds the map into quarters and holds it out to him.

"If you wish to come."

Zevran has been invited into beds, schemes, and temporary arrrangements. He has rarely been invited into a future.

He takes the map.

"When shall we leave?"

"Before the bann with the daughters wakes."

Red's expression remains solemn, but Zevran sees the slight shift at one corner of his mouth. He leans in and kisses it before it can fade.

[problematic-character-tournament]

ROUND 1 — Match 204 of 276

Nick Furcillo (The Quarry)

Problematic because: "ooogggh i could talk about him forever. okay so his “problematic” reputation mostly comes from what happens after he’s infected. once the werewolf infection starts taking over, he becomes more aggressive, jealous, sexual, possessive, and verbally cruel toward abi and everyone else, including snapping at her in the pool house and saying things that sound nothing like the awkward, sweet guy he was before. depending on choices, he can also attack and kill abi when the infection fully takes over. BUT - that’s the infection. that isn’t “nick’s true self coming out.” the whole point of the werewolf curse in the quarry is that it changes people, strips away control, and makes them dangerous, it turns their worst traits outward - in nick's case his insecurity about himself. nick before that is mostly shy, insecure, passive, and easily pressured. he has a crush on abi, he struggles to make a move, he goes along with things when other people push him, and he doesn’t always handle embarrassment well, but none of that makes him an asshole or an abuser. he’s a nice person who gets infected and then loses himself to something supernatural. so basically he's problematic less because he is actually a bad person and more because fandom treats liking him like a red flag and misunderstanding his character. he gets blamed for things the curse did to him, while his actual personality gets flattened into the worst moments he had under supernatural influence. i'm mostly submitting him because everyone ELSE is constantly telling me he's problematic (despite me disagreeing) to the point i've been called a rapist for him being my favourite character so like FINE" Propaganda: 1. "nick is not an incel or abuser, he is a sweet insecure person who got werewolfed. his infected behaviour is not his real personality. liking him should not be treated like a moral scandal." 2. "Nick is one of my favourite Quarry characters because he’s such a normal, believable guy before everything goes wrong. He isn’t a big dramatic personality, he’s not the loudest, funniest, bravest, or most confident person at camp, he’s awkward, sweet, insecure, and clearly interested in Abi but not sure how to handle that without needing a push from everyone else. That’s what makes what happens to him sad! The infection doesn’t reveal that he was secretly horrible all along, it takes someone gentle and makes him unsafe. I like Nick because the contrast matters!! Pre-infection Nick is not some hidden monster, he’s a boy who wanted to be liked, wanted Abi to like him back, and didn’t have enough confidence to stand firm when the group dynamic got messy. The fandom treating him like his infected behaviour is his real personality misses the point of the curse and takes away a lot of the tragedy." 3. "the fandom discourse around him is so fucking annoying, honestly. he’s not perfect, but his actual flaws are very normal. he’s insecure. he’s passive. he goes along with the truth or dare stuff instead of having the confidence to shut it down. he clearly likes abi but needs other people to push him because he’s awkward and scared of rejection. that is not the same thing as being secretly dangerous or entitled. then he gets infected and suddenly people act like every awful thing he says under werewolf influence is proof of who he “really” was. i HATE that read. the infection is the POINT. it changes him. it makes him aggressive and cruel and frightening because he is LOSING CONTROL, not because the game is revealing that nice shy nick was fake. i like him bc he’s soft, nervous, cute, and kind of painfully real. he deserved more screentime, more sympathy, and way less “actually he was always toxic” nonsense from people who apparently forgot this is a game about werewolves"

vs. Ian McKinley (Final Destination 3)

Problematic because: "Hes a goth teenager who survives the Devil’s Flight roller coaster disaster, then spends a lot of the movie acting like the only person in the room smart enough to understand death, meaning, and probability. Some of that is genuinely useful - he’s one of the people who actually engages with the “design” idea instead of just dismissing it - but he’s also smug, nihilistic, and kind of a dick about it. At Ashley and Ashlyn’s funeral, he makes a scene after the minister says everyone is equal in Death’s eyes, and at the hardware store he and Erin mock Wendy and Kevin’s warnings right up until the death chain starts happening around them. The worst part is after Erin dies - Wendy saves Ian from being impaled, but because Death skips him, Erin gets killed by the nail gun instead. Ian’s grief turns into blame almost immediately, and at the tricentennial fair he confronts Wendy, saying she caused Erin’s death and blocking her when she tries to get away. When he hears that Death might use him as part of Wendy’s death, he leans into it rather than backing off, basically deciding that if he’s been dragged into the pattern, he might as well make Wendy pay for it." Propaganda: "He’s annoying, but he’s also one of the few characters in Final Destination 3 who feels like he’s thinking about the premise in a different way. He isn’t just scared of dying. He’s fascinated by the structure of it, the logic of it, the idea that maybe there’s a pattern underneath everything. And honestly, I can’t fully blame him for losing it after Erin. From his perspective, Wendy and Kevin show up with a terrifying warning, everything goes insane, Wendy pulls him out of the way, and then the person he loves dies instead. He’s wrong to blame Wendy, obviously, but grief doesn’t make people fair. That’s why I like him - he’s smug and mean and theatrical, then suddenly very human in the ugliest way. He wants someone to blame because “Death’s design” is too abstract to punch."

Who should advance?

Nick Furcillo

Ian McKinley

Voting ended onJul 5

(Disclaimer: All text above was sent in by submitters and not written by OP.)

[problematic-character-tournament]

Tie-breaker poll!

Nick Furcillo

Ian McKinley

Voting ended onJul 16

[johnnycrass]

[childanddamselfly]

[the-uncanny-dag]

[seracadash]

the thing i loved most about dao is indeed the origins. having a different start for everyone. making one of the main missions more relevant to your character (orzammar to aeducan/brosca, mage circle to surana/amell, etc etc). That playing with a Brosca in the first run can be so "oh man chosing the king of orzammar is the most important thing ever and it's going to affect my family" and then meeting howe like who's this random guy ok lets kill it vs playing with a cousland being like "ok dwarf politics whatever !! the blight!!" and then going like "oh howe my biggest enemy i would never forgive you" like that's the good shit. that depending of your origin your first impression of duncan could change so much. and it was wonderful!!! i love this sooooo so much,,, and then no other game had even tried to do this ever again ú_ù becaue apparently making 6 different tutorials is very hard

[thewardenisonthecase]

i think its important to remember that everything anora does is literally dependant on the player. like her ""betraying"" (i dont think its a betrayal but i dont have a better word for it) the warden to cauthrien only happens if the player outs her to cauthrien (AFTER anora has explicitly said that youre not supposed to do that). anora only marries alistair if the warden brings it up and even then you have to pass a check AND convince alistair to do it as well and also im pretty sure loghain has to be alive too. plus anora explicitly says she doesnt want to marry alistair (he looks to much like cailan which would be hella weird, she doenst want to do that whole 'hes the king and im rulling on the shadows' shit again + if the warden is in a romance with alistair, she even brings up that she does Not want to marry a man who has eyes for someone else). she only sides with loghain if the warden doesnt agree to side with her, and mind you, you can tell her you'll side with her and then not make her queen, so you're not even obligated to keep your word to her you can just do it to win the landsmeet. even if she asks for alistair to be executed (which is REASONABLE he is an active threat to her throne after all plus this was not uncommon irl), the warden can say hey dont do that and boom alistair is fine. she can literally stand AGAINST HER FATHER. her asking for him to do not die is the most reasonable thing ever bc again that is quite literally her dad. she can agree that what he has done was bad, but of course she doesnt want to see the man who raised her die if there is an option and even then you can still choose to kill him anyways. so. being angry over anything anora does is weird to me because she....only does things based on the player's choices/actions. but again, fandom misogyny so 🤷‍♀️

[cafffine]

my prof just explained on the syllabus that he’s included more pionts in the class than we needed to pass, so we could skip up like?? 20 small assignments/quizzes/participation!! and still get a very high grade!!

the idea was that we could focus on assignments that played to our strengths - only do the participation stuff if we like to talk out loud - only do the quizzes/readings if we want to do the class remotely - only do online discussions if we like to talk and share opinions but struggle with anxiety in class ect.

and that’s cool enough but then he pulled up DnD character sheets with drawings he’d done of these hypothetical student player classes and how our various accessibility needs could be gamified to ‘max out’ different aspects of the class to get high grades and like!!!!!

hell yeah!!!! let’s treat accessibility in higher education not just as a necessity but as the fun, engaging, and creative aspect of learning that it is!!! I love this!!

[cafffine]

other profs: sobbing and screaming bc someone needs to take notes on a computer

this dude: I record and upload every lecture for the paladins, monks, and rogues, but barbarians can watch them too I guess. Bards you only get one participation point per class, even if you talk multiple times, it’s only fair.

[sapropel]

Apolitically killing bandits and savages in my video game with no messages

[diet-poison]

asked the skyrim bandits why they were living in a cave and they explained the war effort has buried the economy so they can't find work and lost their homes. I use my shout to blast them across the cave and find a preeeetty nice sword among their belongings

[orthusisintheforest]

Hi this reminds me of the skyrim quest I always think about constantly.

It happens during the whole vampire questline. It's not related to vampires. I may misremember details so forgive me for that. But you have to go through old dwemer ruins and you meet the last living snow elf in Skyrim. You know, the snow elves. Who were enslaved by the dwemer and went blind and feral and still live in the ruins long after the dwemer are gone. The falmer is what they're called now. Here's the last one who's in their original form.

And oh hey, to get to where you need to go you have to take a path that's an old snow elf coming of age rite of passage. And he's going to take you through it and you're going to learn about this dead culture, this culture that was killed.

And now you've got what you came for and there's one way out. Now that you've learned what the falmer used to be, where they came from, what was lost because of the dwemer enslaving them, you have to go through a falmer village.

It's a narrow canyon lined with huts. There's no way to avoid it, in order to get through you have to kill them. They attack you because that's what they do to people invading their territory. You're invading their village. You have to kill them or they'll kill you. It's the only way out. You feel terrible.

If you stop to loot one of the huts on your way out you'll find a book full of unreadable text. Take it to the winterhold college and give it to the librarian and he'll tell you that it's a remarkable find because it's evidence that falmer have retained intelligence. They're not just mindless feral monsters. They have this book, they've kept this book even though they can't see. They have a culture. Maybe they still remember what happened to them. Maybe that's why they're so mad.

You just killed so many of them. You're going to have to kill many more.

Anyway.

Video game with no messages.

[willgrahamscock]

I love seeing my mutuals in my notes because it confirms they’re not mad at me. yet

[dykieran]

luckily my good friend Alistair Dragonage will never abandon me

[dykieran]

luckily my good friend Loghain Dragonage will never abandon me

[problematic-character-tournament]

ROUND 1 — Match 204 of 276

Nick Furcillo (The Quarry)

Problematic because: "ooogggh i could talk about him forever. okay so his “problematic” reputation mostly comes from what happens after he’s infected. once the werewolf infection starts taking over, he becomes more aggressive, jealous, sexual, possessive, and verbally cruel toward abi and everyone else, including snapping at her in the pool house and saying things that sound nothing like the awkward, sweet guy he was before. depending on choices, he can also attack and kill abi when the infection fully takes over. BUT - that’s the infection. that isn’t “nick’s true self coming out.” the whole point of the werewolf curse in the quarry is that it changes people, strips away control, and makes them dangerous, it turns their worst traits outward - in nick's case his insecurity about himself. nick before that is mostly shy, insecure, passive, and easily pressured. he has a crush on abi, he struggles to make a move, he goes along with things when other people push him, and he doesn’t always handle embarrassment well, but none of that makes him an asshole or an abuser. he’s a nice person who gets infected and then loses himself to something supernatural. so basically he's problematic less because he is actually a bad person and more because fandom treats liking him like a red flag and misunderstanding his character. he gets blamed for things the curse did to him, while his actual personality gets flattened into the worst moments he had under supernatural influence. i'm mostly submitting him because everyone ELSE is constantly telling me he's problematic (despite me disagreeing) to the point i've been called a rapist for him being my favourite character so like FINE" Propaganda: 1. "nick is not an incel or abuser, he is a sweet insecure person who got werewolfed. his infected behaviour is not his real personality. liking him should not be treated like a moral scandal." 2. "Nick is one of my favourite Quarry characters because he’s such a normal, believable guy before everything goes wrong. He isn’t a big dramatic personality, he’s not the loudest, funniest, bravest, or most confident person at camp, he’s awkward, sweet, insecure, and clearly interested in Abi but not sure how to handle that without needing a push from everyone else. That’s what makes what happens to him sad! The infection doesn’t reveal that he was secretly horrible all along, it takes someone gentle and makes him unsafe. I like Nick because the contrast matters!! Pre-infection Nick is not some hidden monster, he’s a boy who wanted to be liked, wanted Abi to like him back, and didn’t have enough confidence to stand firm when the group dynamic got messy. The fandom treating him like his infected behaviour is his real personality misses the point of the curse and takes away a lot of the tragedy." 3. "the fandom discourse around him is so fucking annoying, honestly. he’s not perfect, but his actual flaws are very normal. he’s insecure. he’s passive. he goes along with the truth or dare stuff instead of having the confidence to shut it down. he clearly likes abi but needs other people to push him because he’s awkward and scared of rejection. that is not the same thing as being secretly dangerous or entitled. then he gets infected and suddenly people act like every awful thing he says under werewolf influence is proof of who he “really” was. i HATE that read. the infection is the POINT. it changes him. it makes him aggressive and cruel and frightening because he is LOSING CONTROL, not because the game is revealing that nice shy nick was fake. i like him bc he’s soft, nervous, cute, and kind of painfully real. he deserved more screentime, more sympathy, and way less “actually he was always toxic” nonsense from people who apparently forgot this is a game about werewolves"

vs. Ian McKinley (Final Destination 3)

Problematic because: "Hes a goth teenager who survives the Devil’s Flight roller coaster disaster, then spends a lot of the movie acting like the only person in the room smart enough to understand death, meaning, and probability. Some of that is genuinely useful - he’s one of the people who actually engages with the “design” idea instead of just dismissing it - but he’s also smug, nihilistic, and kind of a dick about it. At Ashley and Ashlyn’s funeral, he makes a scene after the minister says everyone is equal in Death’s eyes, and at the hardware store he and Erin mock Wendy and Kevin’s warnings right up until the death chain starts happening around them. The worst part is after Erin dies - Wendy saves Ian from being impaled, but because Death skips him, Erin gets killed by the nail gun instead. Ian’s grief turns into blame almost immediately, and at the tricentennial fair he confronts Wendy, saying she caused Erin’s death and blocking her when she tries to get away. When he hears that Death might use him as part of Wendy’s death, he leans into it rather than backing off, basically deciding that if he’s been dragged into the pattern, he might as well make Wendy pay for it." Propaganda: "He’s annoying, but he’s also one of the few characters in Final Destination 3 who feels like he’s thinking about the premise in a different way. He isn’t just scared of dying. He’s fascinated by the structure of it, the logic of it, the idea that maybe there’s a pattern underneath everything. And honestly, I can’t fully blame him for losing it after Erin. From his perspective, Wendy and Kevin show up with a terrifying warning, everything goes insane, Wendy pulls him out of the way, and then the person he loves dies instead. He’s wrong to blame Wendy, obviously, but grief doesn’t make people fair. That’s why I like him - he’s smug and mean and theatrical, then suddenly very human in the ugliest way. He wants someone to blame because “Death’s design” is too abstract to punch."

Who should advance?

Nick Furcillo

Ian McKinley

Voting ended onJul 5

(Disclaimer: All text above was sent in by submitters and not written by OP.)

[problematic-character-tournament]

Tie-breaker poll!

Nick Furcillo

Ian McKinley

Voting ended onJul 16