#baqoun

[ourinquisitorialness]

Baqoun

“The tide rises, the tide falls, but the sea is changeless. There is nothing to struggle against.”

Age: 54

Lineage: Qunari (Tal-Vashoth)

Class: Rogue (Saboteur)

Faction: Lords of Fortune

Baqoun was born into the Qun but left after becoming disillusioned with forcible conversion and the use of qamek. Now something of a Robin Hood-esque figure and Rivaini folk hero, he works to undo the damage that the Qun has done in Rivain through their forcible conversion of the local population. He has a deep interest in history and folklore, and collects treasures from other cultures in order to return them to their rightful owners.

Despite having rejected Qunari society, Baqoun still carries a strong faith in the core tenets of the Qun — mastery of the self, devotion to purpose, the submission of the self for the benefit of the whole. He reads and meditates on the Qun daily. When asked, he insists that he left because the Qun forbade the smoking of tobacco. He smokes a pipe regularly and brings it with him everywhere.

A fatherly figure, especially to young folks around him, Baqoun is encouraging, jovial, good-humored, energetic, and at times surprisingly competitive in physical contests. He has a deep, rumbling sort of voice and a braided, greying beard. His ears and nipples are pierced and he has many tattoos. His horns are decorated with gold and rare gems, and he wears his shirts open with many golden chains and pendants around his neck.

Baqoun has four children, all by different mothers, with a fifth on the way. He adores them all and regularly sends them gold and trinkets he collects during his travels. He is something of a self-taught minstrel and storyteller and loves to sing songs around the campfire to keep up the company’s morale. He laughs well and often. He has spent some number of years at sea and knows how to navigate and how to keep his sea legs. He is highly empathetic and feels the hurts of others keenly.

[ourinquisitorialness]

With OC kiss week around the corner, I decided to make a little list of all my new Veilguard OCs as well as some of my existing OCs who are around during Veilguard times. Please consider this an invitation to send smooches to any of these lovelies, if you so desire!

In parentheses after each character's name I've listed their age, pronouns, sexuality, and whether they're open to receiving romantic kisses, platonic kisses, or both. 💜

VEILGUARD OCs

Aristide "Rook" Mercar

(28 | they/them/he/him | bisexual | romantic/platonic)

Faction: Shadow Dragons

Lineage: Qunari (Vashoth; raised Tevinter)

Class: Mage (Spellblade)

Found abandoned as a baby and raised by a Soporati military family, Aristide dwells at a curious intersection of social classes in Tevinter. They learned the advantages of adaptability and a quick wit from a young age, and these skills have helped them survive in the ruthless world of Tevinter politics. Their impatience to see change happen can sometimes lead to a stubborn brashness that gets them into trouble more often than not. Aristide makes friends easily and is always ready to welcome a new ally in the fight to bring reform to their homeland, by whatever means necessary.

Anezka, Warden-Commander of the Imperium

(45 | she/her | bisexual | romantic/platonic)

Faction: Grey Wardens

Lineage: Dwarven (Casteless)

Class: Warrior (Champion)

Anezka was born the daughter of a dwarven ambassador to Tevinter, beneath the protective stone of the Minrathous embassy. Due to an incident as a young girl, she was exposed to the sky and stripped of her caste. Rather than live out her life as the shame of her family, Anezka chose instead to join the Grey Wardens. After more than thirty years with the order, she's earned herself a place as Warden-Commander of the Tevinter Imperium. She is blunt and sometimes brutally honest, but she tempers her high demands on her Wardens with a good sense of humor.

Athnarel, Chosen of Elgar'nan

(??? | she/her | pansexual | romantic/platonic)

Faction: The Evanuris

Lineage: Elven (Ancient Elf)

Class: Mage (Arcane Warrior)

Once a spirit of Devotion, Athnarel took a body for herself at the height of Elvhenan and was taken into the service of Elgar'nan. Her loyalty and cleverness won his approval, and she was eventually promoted to a position as the captain of Elgar'nan's elite personal guard — and his mistress. Ever since Fen'Harel trapped the Evanuris, she has spent the centuries guarding the last of Elgar'nan's temples, dutifully awaiting her Lord's return. Ruthlessly cunning and as cold as ice, she isn't someone you want to cross.

Sylvester

(26 | he/him | demisexual | platonic)

Faction: Shadow Dragons

Lineage: Elven (City Elf)

Class: Mage (Spirit Healer)

Once, Sylvester was considered a magical prodigy and promised a better life than any Tevinter elf could hope for. Unfortunately, in Tevinter, such dreams rarely come true. Abducted and sold into slavery, he spent eight years in chains. Since being freed, Sylvester has devoted his life to the Shadow Dragon cause in the hope of helping others escape a life in bondage. He is emotionally distant but his character is steady and reliable, and his skill as a healer and surgeon is unmatched.

Baqoun, Worldly Wayfarer

(54 | he/him | pansexual | romantic/platonic)

Faction: Lords of Fortune

Lineage: Qunari (Tal-Vashoth)

Class: Rogue (Saboteur)

Despite having rejected Qunari society, Baqoun still carries a strong faith in the core tenets of the Qun. He has a deep interest in history and folklore, and collects treasures from other cultures in order to return them to their rightful owners. He is something of a self-taught minstrel and storyteller, and he laughs well and often. A fatherly figure, especially to young folks around him, Baqoun is encouraging, jovial, good-humored, energetic — and always ready for a fling with a new lover.

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EXISTING OCs WHO ARE ALSO AROUND

Telhara Surana, Hero of Ferelden

Thalon Lavellan, The Inquisitor

Florian Amell, Venatori Lieutenant

Ierys Venati, Spymaster to Magister Pavus

Oliver Pentaghast, Ex-Tranquil Mourn Watcher

Talerio Antiochus, Lucerni Magister

Telhara and Oliver are only available for platonic kisses. Everyone else is available for platonic or romantic kisses.

[ourinquisitorialness]

When designing Baqoun, I ran into a problem – I worried he was starting to look too much like another large and beef-like character of mine, a certain Avvar Grey Warden named Momo.

So I decided the best way to handle this was to design both of them and see if I could find a way to make them distinct. Not that you can't have more than one character of a certain body type, goodness knows that's not true, but I like to keep a health diversity amongst my crew when I can.

I started off with three things they would definitely share – long curly beard, long curly hair, and the largest masculine body type available in the CC. (Also, big fat tiddies.)

You can see the results above. I'm very happy with how they turned out! Baqoun has a true dad bod and a broader, heavyset face. Momo is... well... when I made him I had Jason Momoa in mind and I think that's pretty obvious lol – toned muscles, slightly narrower shoulders, and a narrower face.

Two big beautiful buff babes 💪

[ourinquisitorialness]

Quadrate Qunari Horns

A new set of horns with rope accessories for Qunari! Comes in gold, silver, red and teal. Also in a ropeless version

Imagining Baqoun in these horns........I must make it so.