#dalish-ish

Late Night Dragon Age Sketch Hour  —– where I try and learn how to sketch faces

If you’d like for your Dragon Age character to be drawn, feel free to go to THIS document and fill in the requisites so I can draw your DA character well.

This is from the 1st of september 2019. Characters included are, from left to right, top to bottom:

Tagged by @dalish-ish , though I didn’t see this tag until Monday... D: Oops!  I... am not sure if there are any rules other than “post a bit of a thing you’re working on”, so that’s what I’m operating under.  Here we go: 

------------------------

Hana was assigned a role, as all Tranquil were.  But when she received it, she disputed it.  Aide to one of the lesser Sisters of Val Royeaux.  Carrying books, delivering messages, ensuring the appropriate vestments were adorned for the appropriate occasions.  

In such a role as this, Hana’s skills would be wasted, and therefore she would be without sufficient purpose.  The Chantry, as well, would not benefit nearly so much as they could.

Hana told them as much. As a resource, she should be used properly.  As a being possessed of a sense of self-autonomy, she would ensure that none used her to any lesser extent.

Silence met her pronouncement, telling of their shock, and Hana was unsurprised to find the delegation process stalled.  

It had not, after all, been intended to be a conversation.

One of the elder Sisters – Sister Flore – recovered herself and turned urgently to the others in attendance, “Are we sure the rite was successful!?”  She made no effort to soften her tone, nor quiet her voice. Nevertheless, Hana politely said nothing, as the words had not been directed at her.

“Yes, Sister, the rite was performed appropriately, and there was no misconduct,” another, Sister Camille, replied firmly. “She is… as she should be.”  Sister Camille waved a hand, as though brushing her companion aside, and locked a steady scrutinizing gaze upon Hana.

She had been one of the attending Sisters at Hana’s undergoing of the rite.  Hana remembered her for her rather inflated sense of self-importance. Her confidence, if she recalled correctly, outstripped her competence.

Sister Flore—there really was no better word for this particular motion than “fluttered.”  Her hands shook and she waved them again at Hana.

“But this—she shouldn’t be—how—!”

It was then that the third Sister in attendance – Sister Mary – stepped forward.  Her features were smooth, her expression unruffled, and she spoke with a calm and unassuming cadence.

“Revered Mother, if I may,” she began, bowing slightly and waiting for the Revered Mother to allow her interruption. “Perhaps it would be well to assign her to me?”  She looked around the room, head inclined with what Hana supposed should have been respectful deference.  The Sisters, seeming not to think so, fell to discontent grumbling, but the Revered Mother listened in silence.  

Sister Mary continued.

“As a scholar, I believe it would be a great benefit to have an aide on my travels, and one with a firm temperament besides.”  The Sister smiled, polite.  “She could keep my research focused, and help ensure that I’m quick to gather necessary resources.  Of course…” Her smile grew politer still.  “If the Chantry wishes to put her to better use elsewhere, that is entirely its prerogative.”  

There was tension to the silence that followed, and Hana took the opportunity to consider the possibility.

It would suit her skills better, she thought, to be always applying her mind actively.  To be an aide to a traveling scholar of the Chantry would most certainly allow her to do so.

The traveling itself would keep her active as well, and ensure her exposure to those things of which she was ignorant, allowing her to expand her knowledge and experience.  

A much more suitable purpose to her skills than being an errand girl.

“Revered Mother, this proposal is agreeable to me, if I may offer my input,” Hana offered into the silence. Sister Flore’s eyes widened. Sister Camille’s narrowed.  The Revered Mother said nothing, gaze moving first over Hana, then over Sister Mary.  When she took in a breath to speak, all eyes snapped to her. 

“You believe having a Tranquil with you wouldn’t hinder you, Sister, nor affect your travel adversely?”

Sister Mary inclined her head in the negative.  

“Not at all, Revered Mother. Anything she doesn’t know which she needs to know we can teach her.”

At this, the Revered Mother raised an elegant eyebrow.

“You are neither templar nor chevalier, Sister,” she said harshly. “What makes you think you can defend her in moments of peril, should she be transferred to your charge?”

The Sister bowed again at the waist—deference for the sake of earning capitulation.  “I can defend her well enough, Revered Mother.”

No.  This was the wrong answer.  Again, Hana turned to her masters.  

“I can be taught to defend myself,” she posited. “Additionally, I have some familiarity with bows from before my time in the Circle.  I am confident in my ability to relearn and add to this skill.”

------------------------

This is a long snippet, but eh, I wanted to post it because I am excited!  Have more of my blatant twisting of Tranquil lore rules, and have the introduction of my scholar-Tranquil duo, Mary and Hana!  I hope to do more with them later (like actually finish this mini-fic...) but I figure this is as good a start as any.

I would totally read about a web developer who loves to garden and hoards books, FWIW. (Actually that sounds like a pretty standard premise for a cozy mystery...)

That poor Chantry boy has no idea how dreadfully he's objectified. (...keep up the good work!!)

Not our fault he’s delicious :-)