Painting session 🖌

Soooooooo....

I've fallen into Dragon Age: Inquisitions. Here's a piece and some doodles I've been drawing on the side lately.

I'd like to talk about one of my favorite Solas-coded song, "Of Matter - Retrospect" by the band Tesseract. As well as the song that comes afterwards, "Of Matter - Resist". ************ I'd love to get into detail about what it is about these two songs that remind me so much of Solas and his story. The first song (which is actually the second song in the lineup, but I don't feel like the song "proxy" really fits into this narrative as snuggly) has the feeling of someone standing amongst rubble, looking out at the disaster they have cause. (I think, in the context of the actual song, the writer is probably speaking of a damaged relationship, but as art usually is, can be interpreted many different ways.)

"My devotion, tied around your waist, lest you fall"

this feels like it could be Solas's devotion to Mythal, the people's devotion to their gods, or, what I think is closer, Solas's devotion to The People.

"no one seems to sense the strain, no one seems to know", The modern elves are sundered from the fade, and have lost their own history. They don't know the truth, don't know what was sacrificed for them, and don't even know what they have lost.

" I don't begin to proclaim that I know. I can't continue down this road" It's obvious, this world is wrong... Solas will have to make a choice of where to go next.

"Dwelling on what has come to pass no force alive will bring it back I would know I can feel the pressure getting steeper with every life lost"

This verse is pretty obvious, i think. Solas must do what needs to be done, he's seen the horror that the veil has brought.

"You hope that I won't see the light of day in time to come With no conviction founded Just judgement contorted based on lust Give me strength Your assumption brings to a conclusion of no consequence and I refuse to play into your hands for your appeal"

This is where is get's really interesting for me. I wonder who he's speaking to, perhaps Mythal, perhaps Lavellan (this is a romanced Solas) If we're looking at it from a Mythal standpoint, "You hope that I won't see the light of day in time to come" may mean that she hopes he doesn't see her lies, her scheming ( I personally believe Mythal has been coordinating everything, and uses Solas as her fall-man) She hopes he doesn't catch on, which he doesn't. The next line, "With no conviction founded, just judgement contorted based on lust. Give me strength" Perhaps they had an affair? He was obviously very close with her, it is possible. "Your assumption brings to a conclusion of no consequence, and I refuse to play into your hands for your appeal", he's tired of being jerked around, tired of being used like her lap-dog. "Inadequate, I know. I've hoped you'll seen me" This one just makes me sad, honestly. ************** Next up is Resist. This one starts slowly too, similarly to the last one. "Turn back time, reason why. Break neck speed, history. Waiting, waning, exasperating. Unstrung. Tethered, hoping forever" He feels tired, he wishes he could go back, do it all over again. He's bound to this, bound to duty.

My favorite verse is next.

"No! I tried to settle bets with my own soul. Bless my lips for the first time before you don't. Gripping to the last touch of your hand I grow to loathe. Hope that you remember just how far I'll go. I'll spend the rest of my life wishing I'm enough"

This is the most Solavellan of all the verses. He's found someone who has drawn him away from his "purpose", pulled him from his duty. He "loathes" her touch because of how week it makes him, how easily he falls.

And the last line, the most heartbreaking.

"Resist."

He pushes her away.

Seriously, this entire album is one where you listen from first track to the last, but as a Solasmancer, it really does just hit you in the gut. Here is the full three songs, but I started the link at retrospect.

Let me quickly share the lyrics with you. "Burning bridges as I cower beneath Trying to salvage the debris My devotion tied around your waist lest you fall no one seems to sense the strain No one seems to know

I don't begin to proclaim that I know I can't continue down this road

Dwelling on what has come to pass no force alive will bring it back I would know I can feel the pressure getting steeper with every life lost You hope that I won't see the light of day in time to come With no conviction founded Just judgement contorted based on lust Give me strength Your assumption brings to a conclusion of no consequence and I refuse to play into your hands for your appeal

Inadequate, Inadequate I know I know I know I know I've hoped I've hoped you'll see me"

*****************"Of Matter - Resist".

"Turn back time Reason why Break neck speed History

Waiting (waiting) Waning (waning) Exasperating Unstrung Tethered Hoping forever

No! I tried to settle bets with my own soul Bless my lips for the first time before you don't Gripping to the last touch of your hand I grow to loathe Hope that you remember just how far I'll go I'll spend the rest of my life wishing I'm enough