#breaded replies

For the longest time I've wanted to write a fic giving my personal spin on the romanced Inquisitor freeing Blackwall. If you have the "Underworld" perk you can get him out that way, which, I play as a Cadash so I just interpret that as Carta connections, but what happens exactly, and how do she and Thom move past it?

I've never been one for clever plots and have been coming up dry for a long time, but I started thinking about it again. I started developing headcanon for Thom's childhood, about the things he didn't lie about.

Also I have grown so tired of stories where the Inquisitor is heartbroken about the lie and says he can rot, and just focuses on their feelings. I just think it does Thom a disservice. Again, since I romanced him as a Cadash, I think she would have a very different perspective on the whole thing.

So @persephoneggsy and I have been going back and forth about this AU where her Hawke, Marian, develops an affinity for necromancy and runs away from home, this being a catalyst for several changes in the canon. Bethany becomes "Hawke"/the Champion, Sebastian never goes to the Chantry and is killed with the rest of his family.

Around the beginning of DA2, Hawke as established herself as a powerful player; in my mind it's a mix of Vivienne's situation and the Sorceresses from the Witcher; they are powerful, feared, and people want to try and use them for their own gains.

Hawke hurries to the site of the massacre with her pupil, Dorian, who thinks they are only there to investigate. Unbeknownst to him, though, is that Hawke's drive and power reach beyond the limits of normal necromancy, and is able to pull Sebastian's spirit out of the Fade and back into his body, healed by Hawke sharing her life and her pain with him. It has benefits, but also great costs.

I wrote a little fic on it, and she illustrated it here!

No, it's ok, I don't think I ever stated it plainly. Thank you for the question!

Judy is very much a dutiful eldest daughter. For most of her life, she defined herself by what she could do for them, protect them. That's why when she lost them all, she was a wreck, didn't know what to do with herself.

Slight change in canon; Malcolm came from Ferelden but left home at an early age, was abandoned by his mercenary group, and lived in the Kirkwall Circle before running off again, this time with a pregnant Leandra. Both parents were very loving, but struggled a bit with the day to day duties of humble village life. Judy became that key, and eventually succeeded her parents in more practical skills.

She liked hearing their stories, of adventures on the road or in noble court, though--and this might have been Judy's own machinations--sensed a tinge of regret. That maybe she ruined everything. She would have to make up for it.

Both parents paid a lot of attention to Bethany. Malcolm for the magic training, and Leandra because the younger Hawke sister took better to more feminine things, and had a much greater fascination with Leandra's old life. Judith was Ferelden, through and through; she would ask Malcolm about his youth, but he never revealed much.

So that said, for a long time, she and Carver were the best of friends. They were the "little soldiers", they received lyrium and martial training together, inseparable. Sadly when Carver was a teenager, he wanted to find his own way, and struggled with the role, whereas Judy took the mantle proudly.

Actually I think her complicated relationship with Isabela had a long lasting impact, because the two had just different general philosophies and very different responses to trauma. Judy is a perfectionist and Isabela prioritizes herself.

It took a very long time for them to understand each other, but they were better for it. Amongst their differences, there was a crossroads; an inability to be vulnerable. Isabela accepted that she was worth protecting, and Judy accepted that it's not a personal failing to want things for herself.

Rota is already afraid of magic and demons (it's why she went to the Templars for help first, she didn't think about should or shouldn't, just there's Magic Happening, and Templars are supposed to suppress that) so the Nightmare didn't have to work very hard.

By necessity, Judith studies etiquette and history once she buys back the Amell Estate.

Thank you!

18) The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

Already answered! Isabela giving me the most trouble, but I’ll actually give second place to Blackwall. Which, weird, but… I have no actually written him in much detail before! I might be psyching myself out a bit, thinking so much time has passed, can I hope to do it? But I’ll keep trying.

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27) What do you listen to while writing?

Already answered, but let me give you another personal favorite.

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29) Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

Already answered, but I will give you another one I liked! I do love alliteration.

“With every passing moment, the pain of her Mark spread and splintered, like a series of switchblades snapping under her skin. She squandered all of her chances to leave and now she was paying the price.

And for what? Did she get complacent? Did she really start to think she could actually accomplish what people thought the Herald of Andraste could do? Did she think she could kill a few demons and Red Templars and it’d be over? Or worse, was she actually developing a conscious?