#saemus dumar

Round #1 — Match 72 of 104

Saemus Dumar

“i’m obsessed with how everyone calls it a “kidnapping” in act 1 and then it’s like… no, he chose to be there. he chose to listen. he chose to talk to the qunari like they were people. and the city can’t process that, so it turns into scandal and fear and “someone must be manipulating him.” kirkwall can’t stand the idea that he might have agency.”

vs. Viscount Marlowe Dumar

“i have a soft spot for dumar because he’s basically stuck running a city that’s allergic to peace. qunari crisis, chantry politics, templar power grabs, nobility being the nobility… and he’s in the middle like “can everyone stop making me manage their apocalypse”. also his relationship with saemus is messy and human and it makes his scenes hurt more.”

“marlowe dumar is such an underrated tragedy of da2. he’s a politician, sure, but he reads like a guy who genuinely wants kirkwall to be stable and keeps getting outflanked by people with sharper knives and less conscience. the saemus situation alone is brutal: he’s trying to keep his son safe, the city turns it into scandal, and then it ends in the kind of senseless violence that kirkwall specializes in. by the time the qunari finally move, he feels exhausted in that “i’ve been losing control for years and now it’s obvious” way, and then the arishok makes a point out of killing him.”

From this perspective, Marlowe's angst over Saemus's friendship with the Qunari is not merely that of an overbearing father seeking to mold his son in his own image, or a cynical politician anxious to save face. Marlowe Dumar is a father terrified for his son's fate.

Dumar's reign began with an unsubtle gift from the Knight-Commander: the mangled and blood-encrusted signet ring of the previous viscount who had attempted to oust the templars from Kirkwall, with a note that said, "His fate need not be yours." Marlowe knows. He knows what the Chantry will do to his son if he expresses doubts, if he is known to be a Qunari sympathizer, never mind a potential convert. In trying to dissuade his son from associating with the Qunari, he is trying in the only way he knows to save his son's life.

And his greatest fear is exactly what happens.

I was tagged by @midnightprelude to list my faves from the Black Emporium Exchange 2020! Bear in mind that I haven’t got round to reading everything yet (especially the longer fics), so here’s some I’ve liked so far! ❤️ 

A wellspring of hope (Bethany/Sebastian, rated Teen, 10,491 words): 

The Bethany/Sebastian longfic I’ve always wanted to read for the ship. Excellent and accurate characterisation of both ex-Circle Bethany Hawke and Prince Sebastian Vael of Starkhaven as Sebastian invites Bethany to become an enchanter in his court post-Kirkwall. Sweet and romantic and full of feels; some angst with a happy ending. Cannot recommend this one enough. 

The Chemistry Between Us (Bethany/Isabela, rated Mature, 1,870 words): 

Another of my excellent gifts from this year! Warden Bethany Hawke needs to spend a night in Kirkwall, so she turns up at the Hanged Man for old times’ sake... and Isabela walks in, older yet still so familiar, and suddenly the night isn’t so lonely after all. Just so beautifully and poignantly written. 

Small, Controlled Fires (Varric/Bianca, rated Explicit, 2,010 words): 

Oh man, THIS was an absolute delight for a ship I love despite its enormous unpopularity, LOL! Featuring my OTP as a background mention, too! Set during DA2, Varric goes on a trip to an Orlesian Chateau with Marian Hawke and Merrill just to see Bianca Davri, his secret lover. Absolutely LOVED the fire imagery, and the cloak-and-dagger secrecy that reminds me why I love the forbidden love trope so much. LOVE the Varric voice too – very on-point! 

On a Wing and a Prayer (Bethany/Sebastian, rated Teen, 6,881 words): 

Absolutely fun (and funny!) caper featuring a post-DA:I Warden Bethany and Prince Sebastian as they meet at an auction to bid on an unhatched griffon egg in Val Royeaux. Turns out there is more at stake and they team up to hatch a dastardly plan that involves more than just bidding on an auction. Excellent graphics and gifs that really set off the fast-paced action and dialogue, and I’ve never seen something done like this in fic before. Give it a read! 

They were roommates (Carver/Merrill, rated Teen, 1,382 words): 

Modern AU meet-cute where Merrill lives with Marian Hawke, and Carver needs somewhere to live, so his sister lets him stay in her flat for a bit... although Hawke neglects to tell Merrill her brother is hot and neglects to tell Carver about her cute roommate. I do hope the author decides to continue this fic! 

Tread Lightly (Ashaad/Saemus Dumar, rated Explicit, 10,322 words): 

Absolutely GLORIOUS Ashaemad sex-pollen longfic that I feel truly honoured to have gifted to me! VERY explicit. Contains a sex-pollen trope, size kink (I mean, Ashaad is a Qunari, after all), multiple orgasms, and copious amounts of come. I actually laughed out loud in joy when I read the tags and the fic summary: “You know how everyone says to be careful of mushrooms you don't recognize? Yeah. There's reasons.” GLORIOUS. 

Lyrium and Salt (Fenris/Isabela, rated Explicit, 1,013 words): 

Contains some of the best damn Fenabela smut I have EVER read. LOVE their dialogue and the way they relate to each other – so in-character and I swear I could hear their voices as I read it – and just some of the hottest smut I have read all year. Absolutely wonderful. 

And now for some art recs from the exchange! 

A Successful Rescue (Anders/Karl Thekla, rated General, artwork): 

Absolutely stunning Karl/Anders artwork set in the Chantry, in a canon-divergent universe where Karl was rescued before being made Tranquil. I absolutely adored the soft lighting, and the candles, not to mention Anders and Karl themselves! 

From the chair to the fireplace (Krem/Maryden, rated General, artwork): 

Another gorgeous artwork for a gorgeous ship! Krem serenades Maryden on a lute by the fireplace. Muted colour palette. 

An Assassin, A Spy and a Silken Rope (Zevran/Iron Bull, rated Explicit, comic): 

A comic strip featuring Zevran Arainai and the Iron Bull, beautifully illustrated and explicit featuring Zevran tied up in shibari/Japanese Rope Bondage. Love how the comic was done in grey but the rope is bright red. Very effective. 

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