Origin: Born as a slave in Minrathous - after her magic awakened and she realized she was a spirit medium, she was smuggled out of the city by her mother - stranded in Rivain, the Lords of Fortune took her in - through her strong connection with spirits, a Seer took her in and trained her
Personality:
Ava is a quiet person—the kind of person who doesn’t immediately stand out in a room and generally prefers to stay in the background. The spotlight isn’t for her, and too much attention quickly makes her nervous.
She often comes across as somewhat emotionally reserved—which she explains by saying she prefers to experience strong emotions through her role as a spiritual vessel.
However, if you take the time to get to know her better, you'll find that behind the reserved façade lies a bright and curious woman with a fondness for bad jokes and meaningful conversations.
The template is by @otherpigeon! You can get it on their Ko-Fi Page.
Instead of simply answering the writing prompts normally, I write little scenes that answer the question directly or indirectly.
This way I want to try out whether I like writing stories and fanfiction in English
Do Emmrich and Ava have different cultural backgrounds? If so, do they ever share parts of their culture with each other?
Thank you @zennihilation
[...] Ava’s fingers closed a little tighter around Emmrich’s adorned hand. Though they stood close—so close—hand in hand amid the sea of blossoms in the gardens of the Grad Necropolis, her attention was not, as it so often was, on the dashing necromancer beside her. No—her gaze lingered elsewhere, drawn with quiet wonder, and perhaps a shadow of unease, to the procession slowly drifting past.
Figures in flowing gowns and fine cloaks. Faces veiled, or lost in the shade of broad-brimmed hats. Graceful and solemn—an almost theatrical rendering of the final journey to the grave.
It was not the first funeral procession Ava had witnessed. Of course not. It had been more than three moons since she began living in Nevarra with Emmrich and Manfred. But never had she been this close—close enough to read the sorrow on the mourners’ faces. And never had she seen a burial held within one of the crypts of the Necropolis itself.
She had grown up in Rivain, after all. There, the dead were given to flame. The rites surrounding the practice varied from one region to the next—but in the end, nothing remained to bury. These customs here should have felt foreign to her. Strange. Even unsettling. But as she searched within herself for such feelings, she found none.
Instead, there was only a quiet reverence. A hush. And beneath it all, a melancholy sort of beauty—something solemn, something tender, in the way death was handled here. As though grief itself might be softened by the care with which it was carried.
The quiet, all-encompassing hope that, after all is said and done, something remains—something more than endless silence.
And with that feeling came her own quiet hope: that, in learning to understand these unfamiliar emotions, she might, in turn, take away a little of Emmrich’s fear of the end. [...]
Thank you to: @teamtakagi, @virenasalin, @knowlsey, @larknnightingale, @tiravi and @superk191
I'll just sneak in number 1 because it goes well with number 2!
Buckle up! It's a long one.
Was Ava born in Rivain, or Tevinter? If not, where were they born?
Ava was born around 9:17 Dragon in Tevinter, in the city of Minrathous itself. Her mother was a slave owned by a yet unnamed magister, which meant that Ava was also born into servitude.
Were Ava raised on the sea, in a city, or somewhere else entirely? Did she grow up with her parents/family?
Ava spent her early childhood in Minrathous as a slave. As soon as she was old enough to walk steadily and hold objects, she was put to work performing simple tasks. It didn’t take long for her to learn the cost of disobedience. The lessons left their mark—quite literally—etched into her skin in a web of scars that remain visible to this day.
Her time in the capital of the Imperium came to an end around 9:23 Dragon, when her magical abilities first manifested. While there are indeed slaves in Tevinter who possess magic, Ava's mother was determined to give her daughter a chance at a better life. Risking everything, she managed to smuggle Ava aboard a ship, where the girl hid as a stowaway bound for Rivain.
What became of her mother afterward remains a mystery to Ava to this day.
When was Avas magic discovered? Were she sent to a Circle for training? Were Ava trained in secret? How was she affected by the Mage Rebellion? Was Ava affected by the Annulment of Dairsmuid’s Circle in 9:40 Dragon?
Ava’s magic first manifested when she was six years old—relatively young, though not entirely uncommon. Alongside her magical abilities, she developed the rare gift of being a spirit medium. It was likely this very talent that drew the attention of a seer in Dairsmuid, who took Ava in. Without that intervention, she might have vanished into the city’s underbelly like so many other abandoned and orphaned children.
In the beginning, Ava was trained like many young girls within the Circle of Magi in Dairsmuid. But her path toward becoming a seer was all but predetermined—her deep connection to spirits and demons made it inevitable.
The Mage Rebellion itself had little direct impact on young Ava. However, she narrowly escaped certain death during the Annulment. She had been within the city when the Seekers arrived. Her first instinct was to rush to the aid of her newfound family, unaware of the true nature of the chaos unfolding. It was sheer luck that a group of Lords of Fortune found her before she could reveal herself to the Seekers. Though they had to drag the frightened, flailing child away with some force, Ava quickly came to understand that the mercenaries had, in fact, saved her life.
Afterward, the young seer-in-training was secretly taught by a mage who maintained close ties to Isabela.
How did Ava learn about the Lords of Fortune? Did she always have an interest in treasure hunting?
Ava was, in many ways, raised by the Lords of Fortune. After the Annulment in 9:40 Dragon, she was trained by a mage and seer who shared a close friendship with Isabela.
Though Ava herself was never exactly a natural-born treasure hunter, she did everything she could to support the Lords in their endeavors.
Did Ava have any specialisations/specific talents within the Lords of Fortune? What did she enjoy doing most for the Lords?
In the past, Ava worked alongside the Lords of Fortune. Her role often involved communicating with spirits or demons that haunted ancient ruins and forgotten caves.
It was her role as a seer—and all that came with it—that brought her the most fulfillment. She took joy in sharing her body with spirits and in being a spiritual guide for those who sought answers.
How does Ava feel about being reprimanded by “many Rivaini leaders”? Are she upset at being forced to leave for a while? Do she agree with the decision, or do she think the Lords should have let her stay?
Ava’s initial reaction was, above all else, fear. She knew all too well the wrath of the nobility and wanted nothing more than to avoid drawing their attention. Even if this time it wouldn’t lead to whippings or being denied food—like it had back in Tevinter—the mere thought of being noticed was enough to fill her with dread.
Still, she wasn’t truly upset about the Lords’ decision. Her entire life had been shaped by others—where she should go, what she should become. This was hardly any different. And besides, as much as she had enjoyed her time with the Lords of Fortune, it had never truly felt like home. She had never felt fully Rivaini, nor had she ever believed she belonged among a band of heavily armed mercenaries and treasure hunters.
Does Ava like travelling with Varric & Harding? What do they think of each? What do she think of the mission to stop Solas?
It likely took quite some time for Ava to warm up to the two dwarves. She had to slowly come out of her shell before she could show the qualities that would later earn Varric’s deep trust.
From the very beginning, however, she was like a sponge when it came to new knowledge. The two world-wise dwarves likely taught her much about life in other parts of the continent—things that may have been second nature to Varric and Harding, but that Ava had to learn from scratch.
Even though she knew little about the mission at first—and perhaps didn’t even want to know—she soon came to understand just how important it was to stop Solas. She realized what it would mean if the Veil were destroyed—not only for the mortal world, but also for the denizens of the Fade, to whom she felt an even deeper connection than to anyone else.
And so, it wasn’t long before she gave everything she had to the mission.
Thanks again for the questions!
This was my first time answering questions about my OC in this way, and it was more fun than I thought it would be!
