#tortuosity-writes

And I'm in the throes of itSomewhere in the belly of the beastBut you took your toll on meSo I gave myself over willinglyOh, you got a hold on meI don't know how I don't just stand outside and screamI am teaching myself how to be free

Various Storms and Saints - Florence + the Machine

  “Can dogs live on boats?”, Hawke asked as though it was a completely normal thing to ask without context while having a post-coital snuggle. Isabela kept her eyes closed and continued carding her fingers through Hawke’s hair and waited for Hawke to continue, assuming it was one of those half-asleep nonsense monologues she had a habit of rambling into Isabela’s shoulder on occasion.

“Bela.”

“Mhmm.”

“Please, this is important! Can dogs live on boats?”

Hawke had lifted her head from where it’d been resting on Bela’s boob and she really didn’t appreciate the sudden cold air hitting her titty. Isabela reluctantly opened her eyes a little, ready to complain that no question was worth a cold boob, but Hawke’s sparkling eyes and just-came-three-times flush made her smile instead.

“Yes, sweetie, dogs can live on boats. Just need to train ‘em a bit, get ‘em used to it.”

“Great! Thanks!”

Hawke put her head back where it belonged, immensely pleased with this information for SOME REASON and Bela would also go back to snuggling and falling asleep except…

“Aren’t you going to tell me what this is about?”

“Mhm?” Hawke was about to lift her head again and Isabela would not risk any more cold air, quickly rolled onto her side and then adjusted them until they were lying face to face, the blanket up to their shoulders. Hawke happily let herself be adjusted. “Well, I only asked because I can’t leave Poppy behind.”

Was that an explanation? It didn't make things any clearer for Isabela, that much was sure.

“So… are you expecting any seafaring to happen in your near future?”

 “No, just… the way things are going… if one of us… or both of us have to leave Kirkwall… or if you just want to leave… “ Hawke scrunched up her nose and gave her a sheepish grin. “If you wanted to, I mean… not that you have to, with me…”

“You’d want to come live with me on a ship, with your mabari… “ Isabela was still trying to piece together Hawke’s ramblings but what she thought she’d heard was a thought so wonderful that she couldn’t bear thinking it. Something so bright, she might go blind looking directly at it.

“Not a ship, your ship! You’re the Captain, of course! I’ll be your… first mate? What does a first mate do, exactly?”

“Darling, you get terribly seasick…” Isabela couldn’t keep the wonder out of her voice and as she lifted her hand to tuck a lock of hair behind Hawke’s ear, her fingers were trembling.

“Ah, just the first couple of days. It’ll be fine. What’s a little barf in the grand scheme of things?” Hawke was laughing now, oblivious to the tenderness that had taken a hold in Bela’s heart and made it beat a staccato, oblivious to the hope that formed a lump in her throat and made it hard to speak, oblivious to the love squeezing her lungs…

“You’d leave… with me…”Hawke looked at her now, searched her face intently. Whatever she saw there, made her smile and press a soft kiss to Isabela’s cheek. As she pulled back, her lips were wet… Isabela squeezed her eyes shut, not ready to see her feelings reflected on Hawke’s face instead of hidden away underneath her skin.

“I want to be where you are, love.“ Hawke’s voice left no room for doubt or questions, even though Isabela had so many of those. She couldn’t open her eyes yet, but she could press her face against Hawke’s neck, could draw her closer with arms and legs, could breathe her in and kiss her until it hurt. And then, in the warmth and safety of her embrace, she could whisper…

ANDRASTIAN

Cultures under the Chantry practice cremation just as Andraste was burned, and to prevent the bodies from becoming walking corpses (that is, hosted by spirits). The bodies are cleansed and dressed in white linen. In Ferelden (it is unknown if this is a unique thing or also practiced elsewhere) the deceased wear special jewellery meant to survive the cremation process, which are then passed down within a family line–though this is an older practice that is not as commonplace in current times.

Funerals are typically held in or outside a Chantry. Attendees who were close to the deceased wear mourning garb of black cloaks. The body is placed on a pyre with oils and herbs around them if a noble, and stones if a peasant. When a person of great importance dies, it is a massive affair with public attendance for the burning. Choirs sing and priests pray to the Maker. Then a Chantry mother swings a censer with incense, described as spreading dense blue smoke in Last Flight, and torchbearers light the pyre.

If there’s been a great catastrophe with many deaths, the mass burning of bodies is sometimes resorted to, as the longer the deceased is left the larger chance for a spirit to take the body.

It’s also interesting how in DA:O after the battle in Redcliffe, villagers are seen placing the fallen on floating pyres and sending them out into the lake on fire.

NEVARRA

The only Chantry-dominated culture that is an exception to the above is Nevarra, which has held onto their unique practices and beliefs about death. Cremation is taboo for Nevarrans. They believe that when a soul passes through the Fade to go the Maker’s side, a spirit is displaced, and needs to be hosted in the deceased’s body. As such, Nevarrans do not burn their dead, but mummify them. The mummified bodies are then placed in tombs with their most valuable possessions, in the Grand Necropolis outside of Nevarra City. Nobles may begin building their tombs at a young age, and make them more and more elaborate over the years, to the point where they can be comparable to a palace. 

TEVINTER

In ancient times, Tevinters believed that holding black pearls in the mouth at the moment of death prevented souls from passing through the veil. In doing so, a person became a wraith. It is unknown if this is still practiced/believed in present day.

AVVAR

The Avvar believe in an afterlife controlled by the Lady of the Skies, where the souls of the dead gather. The deceased are given “sky burials,” where the body is laid out and prayers are given. Birds come to pick at the body and will carry the soul to the Lady of the Skies, then most bodies are disposed of. However, it is believed that some rare people are favoured by fate; the Augur reads this from the birds and determines that a piece of the soul remains. These people are given special burials with offerings from three fade-touched animals to Korth the Mountain Father below them, that will enable the remaining piece of the soul to be reborn. Those reborn have no memory of their past lives, but are subtly guided by their past selves. The offerings must be made by blood kin and given to the Huntmatster to prepare, and should the kin be unable to complete the hunt for these offerings, they will loose their family name and familial ties are considered severed.Whether the Avvar of current times still practice or not is unknown, but the Avvar of old had crypts where their dead were kept in sarcophagi, as seen in the ruins below Vigil’s Keep.

DALISH

The Dalish bury their dead with an oak staff and cedar branch to help them stay on the path to through the Beyond, and to keep away the ravens known as Fear and Deceit. Merrill says this is returning them to the earth, and it’s important not to leave bodies unburied. Trees are planted above the grave(s)–known as a vallasdahlen (”life trees”). The Dalish elves do have sacred burial sites with multiple graves, like Sundermount in DA:2 or Var Bellanaris in DA:I; “where hundreds of our ancestors are buried, where those of us who can, still lay our kin to rest.” Otherwise, clans on the move will bury their dead wherever they can.Funeral services are prepared by Hahrens, and prayers are said so that the Creators will know to guide them to the Beyond: “O Falon'Din. Lethanavir–Friend to the Dead. Guide my feet, calm my soul. Lead me to my rest.”

DWARVES

Dwarves that believe in the Stone consider the dead returning to the Stone by burying them in tombs. Nobles and Paragons are given fancy, large crypts, while those of lesser Castes are encased in stone cairns. If this is not possible, they are buried in the dirt, though this not ideal and only done with no other option. The Stone’s blessing is recited: “Atrast tunsha. Totarnia amgetol tavash aeduc.”An honourable dwarf will be embraced by the Stone, strengthening Her, and will join the Ancestors in guiding their descendants, while those that are seen as a shame will weaken Her. The people of Orzammar believe that the Casteless and egregious dwarves are rejected by the Stone. The spirits of those rejected are left to wander the remote caverns as rock wraiths. The deaths are recorded in the Memories, save for the Casteless.The Legion of the Dead have special funerals before venturing into the Deep Raods, in which afterwards they are considered to be dead and have their deaths recorded in the Memories in advance. The unique Legion facial tattoos are applied, they are equipped with gear, and all other material belongings are given up to family.Sigrun describes the funeral to have chanting and toasts, before a final farewell to loved ones. When a Legion member finally dies for real, those who remain wrap the fallen up in cloth and carry them high above their heads, as they sing a dirge in Dwarven. Then they entomb the bodies so the darkspawn cannot get to them.

THE QUN

The Qunari believe that when someone dies, their soul goes to the Fade (which they call the Land of the Dead) and leaves the body as a husk. They don’t have any known special funeral practices, probably because of this. There is a known Qunari Prayer for the Dead, however: “Shok ebasit hissra. Meraad astaarit, meraad itwasit, aban aqun. Maraas shokra. Anaan esaam Qun” (“Struggle is an illusion. The tide rises, the tide falls, but the sea is changeless. There is nothing to struggle against. Victory is in the Qun.”)

SOURCES:

Dragon Age: Origins + DLCs

Dragon Age: II + DLCs

Dragon Age: Inquisition + DLCs

Codex entry: Nevarra (DA:O)

Codex entry: The Holy Brazier (DA:O)

Codex entry: Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide (DA:O)

Codex entry: Legion of the Dead (DA:O)

Codex entry: King Maric’s Helm (DA:2)

Codex entry: Rock Wraith (DA:2)

Codex entry: Third Legionnaire’s Journal (DA:2)

Codex entry: Corpse (DA:I) 

Codex entry: Vallasdahlen (DA:I)

Codex entry: A Nutty Affair (DA:I) *Warning: This codex is transphobic

Codex entry: A Tradition of Rebirth (DA:I)

Item Description: Fenced Ferelden Jewellery (DA:O)

Item Description: Elven Prayer for the Dead (DA:O)

Item Description/Use: Qunari Prayers for the Dead (DA:O) 

World of Thedas Vol 1

World of Thedas Vol 2

The Stolen Throne

The Masked Empire

Tort!!! I’m so, so happy we got to connect and become friends over the past couple of months! I have nothing but admiration for you - your authenticity and your desire to better yourself are so inspiring, and I’m so happy we got to become friends. It’s always lovely chatting with you, whether it’s about writing or K-pop/J-rock or books, or whatever else. :D And you and your wife are relationship goals, seriously.

I ADORE your writing, and obviously I’ve always loved Isabela, but your take on her is so complex and rich and nuanced it’s made me gain a whole new appreciation for her. Songs totally made me fall in love with DA2 all over again. Plus you’re good at ... everything? Dialogue, descriptions, introspection, action scenes, you name it. It’s incredibly annoying. :P And there’s so much emotion layered in your writing all the time I never know when the feels are going to creep up on me (or whack me behind the head, whichever.)

Hey! Hey Ashley! You’re wonderful and lovely and I’m glad I met you too.  (Also, I know you would, and that means a lot to me.  I hope that there is never a war on my account though.  That sounds dreadful, lol)

With regard to fandom stuff, I think it goes without saying that your writing is splendid.  It’s so vibrant and powerful, and it’s so obvious that you love the characters you write and the stories you tell!  Your Isabela is canon.  Your Aveline is also canon.  It isn’t up for debate.  Oh, oh, and your portraits are excellent as well.

Oh my goodness a;sdjf;lkjds;f this is such a wonderful message to receive and has cheered me up immensely ❤️ Thank you so much, and honestly? I could say exactly the same about you! 😄 I’m so glad I met you all those months ago (early this year, right?) and got reading the wonderful “Songs Of The Pirate Queen” and then got chatting about F!Hawke/Isabela over Tumblr! ❤️ 

Many thanks!

critic: what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about writing?

doing it. i always thought it sounded trite and that writing when you’re not feeling it was counter-intuitive, but it turns out the discipline of it plays a huge part in not getting massively blocked. 

trope: what’s a pet peeve you have about writing?