Let's not, and say we did.

A blog dedicated to all my favorite fandoms. Mostly Dragon Age. Occasionally I also like to write and draw. Besides that, I love fantasy books, games in general, folklore and cute or spooky things. Currently obsessed with Ariane/Finn from Dragon Age Origins Witch Hunt.

[nessacousland]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Title: The Long Way Home

Pairing: Ariane x Finn

Summary: He'll go back to the tower, eventually. 

(Chronicling one intrepid linguist's descent into apostasy.)

Hi, I’m new and I just wrote 15k+ words on Ariane and Finn from the Witch Hunt DLC, because I love them. ❤️

[kozh-lucium]

Dalish gunmetal and mage spell telling the aldebrants' hired guns to leave in order to engage in an act of self-gratification

Comms for @fatamatryoshka , based on @nessacousland 's steampunk character design of Ariane and Finn.

[nessacousland]

Ahhhhh, this is the most gorgeous art ever, I am beyond excited about this!!! Absolutely incredible!

[nessacousland]

(it's only anon bc I'm shy)

Okay so. You're the only person who I saw love Finn and Ariane so and as much as I. Kinda went batshit about them a while back. The main thing about them for me is that they wouldn't survive a day in the current canon. Nah they wouldn't even exist because their core personality traits don't match their roles in a way that's hilarious on purpose and in this essay I will-

Hii, thank you for reaching out! I'm still really batshit about these two and love talking about them! <3

I'd love to read the rest of your essay, though, because I'm not sure what you're getting at, exactly? It might be because I've been marinating in my own headcanons about them for too long, but I always felt Ariane and Finn struck a very neat balance between being wholesome and funny and yet grounded in the world of Thedas. In fact, as DAO characters, they're almost a little too edgy for the most current "save the world with the power of friendship" canon, imo. Ariane doesn’t apologize for being a Dalish elf a single time and takes no shit from the player or Hadley about it. She also broke fingers as a kid without an ounce of remorse, which is Not Nice. Meanwhile, Finn has zero hesitation to use a "grey area" blood magic spell when blood magic is pure devilry not to be used by heroes in the current canon. He's also very clearly a Circle mage, embedded in that world, and not some nebulously unattached "professor" of magic.

Sorry, that is my bitterness talking, and I don’t mean to direct negative vibes at you. Still, I'm very curious why you think they wouldn’t survive a day in the current canon. I do agree that their personalities play off their archetypes in a very endearing way, and that they probably wouldn’t have been written like this today. That's why I love that we got them when we did! :)

[princesszeldazbyebye-deactivate]

this is the funniest thing I’ve seen in any review ever

[princesszeldazbyebye-deactivate]

[pidgefudge]

[brambeag]

compels me tho

[agirlwithachakram]

The best couple in dragon age is the dramatic gay blacksmith and his loving demon husband who is just trying to make sure they don't starve.

[agirlwithachakram]

desire demons are like “i’ve ensorcelled this templar and will continue to suck out his energy until he dies believing I’m his wife and they will find his body unmoved from this spot” and “kill all of your friend’s family for POWER and bewitch your own family” and “let’s stick some demons into templars, that would be fucking hilarious” (okay, it was) and “i will possess this CHILD for funsies” and “i will possess this other child for funsies” and “I WILL GROW RED BLIGHTED LYRIUM CRYSTALS INSIDE OF PEOPLE, CAUSING HORRIFIC AGONY, AND I WILL TELL THEM I CAN REVERSE THE PROCESS--WHO KNOWS IF I’M LYING OR NOT--IF THEY SUBMIT TO SOMETHING EVEN WORSE, presumably demonic possession”

then there’s this guy, and the extent of his manipulations is, “Hi! Please stop bringing my husband fancy orders you won’t pay enough for, we need him to make sellable things so we can afford to pay the grocery bill.” and then doing a full turnaround like “Oh! Warden Commander, we are SO pleased to be at Vigil’s Keep--stop grumbling, dear--we’ll help you with anything you need.” while his husband goes behind his back to get cool commissions for his own gratification.

[big-ass-magnet]

We only know he's a demon because in the Darkspawn Chronicles DLC, when the darkspawn invade Denerim he transforms and teleports Wade to safety. He could have just left and saved his own skin (ether? ectoplasm?) but he didn't. He took Wade with him.

A demon is what happens when a spirit is denied its original purpose. Maybe Herren was a spirit of inspiration or creativity drawn to Wade's mastery, but got so frustrated by Wade underselling his work he turned into a desire demon "I desire you to make A LIVING".

[angrykittybarbarian]

I was today years old when I found out Herren was actually a demon/spirit.

[starrythroat]

i cant throw it out my head after multiple origins origins

[petitelappin]

The boy version of this!

Alistair & Zevran were trickier bc their starting gear is armor, so instead I did a little riff on one of the commoner clothing outfits for Alistair and Zevran's outfit is based off the red-orange noble clothing he's in during the post-battle ceremony.

[sha-brytols]

i think about that "they hated that blond freak so much they nuked his entire profession" post constantly because just double checking. we all agree thats why they changed mythal's virtue from justice/vengeance to benevolence/retribution right

[sha-brytols]

literally what happened man

[tinkerbitch69]

Always appreciated the simple but firm delivery of Sten’s “No.” when you ask him if he could tell you about the qunari. It’s always unintentionally funny and I appreciate a companion who will just say no and refuse to elaborate. More games should include one.

[natjiren]

Magister

[sabalmirss-deactivated20210627]

Vivienne

[astrariums-archived]

DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS (2009)

The Harrowing Quest

"Mouse"

[bunabi]

Thanks again @p243568 for commissioning me. A very cathartic piece for me personally. I hope the wait was worth it. 😭⚔️

[weenwem]

Isabela

[s1ithers]

shapeshifting lessons with the gf

[apollohour]

spin the wheel for a genre!

You are now the main character of this genre, how are you managing?

THIS IS LITERALLY MY DREAM COME TRUE AAAAAAAAAA

I was made for this role, I am the optimal main character and I am flawless

I'll try my best, make some stumbles but I'll get to a satisfying finish

I am a lucky bastard and will somehow succeed in a genre-defying way

I'm trying my hardest but what the fuck

This is not the genre for me man, I was made for greatness but what is this

I will grit my way through it, desperately trying to subvert every trope

I end up just, killing a bunch of people, I don't think I'm the mc anymore

I immediately give up and just let the dirt consume me

INSTANTLY DEAD, WHAT THE FUCK OP

My interpretation of this prompt is too complex for this small-minded poll

Results/I simply do not

Voting ended onFeb 5, 2025