I'd definitely be interested in contributing money, at the very least! I missed helping out the first time, and I really enjoyed DA:I/Trespasser.

Have any of you made a Lavellan that you intended to romance Solas with, but it's just weird to see them together? I made one so I could have a Solas-romancing Inquisitor with different decisions than my "canon" Inquisitor, but immediately after making her my brain decided that she was a lesbian that had an unrequited(/not acted upon) crush on my first Lavellan. :S When I got to the Fade!Haven scene I was probably making the face that Solas makes at tea because it was just... really weird to see.

and now i ship my Lavellans together and feel bad for my second one because the first one would be more into Solas/relatively uninterested in romance normally and the second one has a lot of feelings and is only interested in Solas in the universe where she's the Inquisitor because he's the kind of person she thinks the first one would like and why did i inflict lesbian drama on myself like this

Question for those of you who bought the Tower shirt: is it at least decent quality?  Also, how do the ladies' sizes fit?

I really like the quality of my Tower shirt--it's soft and the image looks nice (and it hasn't gotten weird after being worn/washed a few times). No idea about the sizing, though--sorry!

Solas has another shirt in the BioWare store! This time it's the "Hermit" card. (Also, there's a Leliana shirt and you can get Cassandra's "Strength" tarot and the lady elf tarot as giclees, now.)

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Because he's the Colonel, get over it.

Headcanon is always correct, no matter what. If you picture Solas with green eyes and long hair, that's correct too. That's why we call it "headcanon" in the first place. It's your experience and whatever anybody else says, don't let him wind you up for it.

Oh, no, haha. I'm not going to get into the headcanon debate, because I'm one of those weirdos that gets finicky about definitions--if it directly contradicts canon, it can't be headcanon. Headcanon is filling in the gaps; if you're directly contradicting canon, that makes it an AU thing or something else. 

As for the sex thing... like other people have said, it being left to the player is really important for some people due to lack of representation. It lets you have an asexual/demisexual Inquisitor, or an Inquisitor that waits longer than "normal" to have sex. That's why the "naive" comment bothered me; as far as canon goes, it's not naive at all, and saying it is will likely ruffle some feathers. I just wanted to see why he felt that way about it, really.

Because I find it hard to believe a couple that plays grab ass and talks about "side benefits" isn't doing the mattress tango... that's why for me personally, it's naive.

 

Or a better word might be idealistic, if that makes you feel better.

 

And because I noticed that Bioware's pulling the punches lately, and that I know a lot of people would be upset and make a big deal about Solas possibly having influence over the woman he's sleeping with, meaning I don't put much stock in what Bioware tells us in general, over what I actually see.

 

In fact, didn't they say directly that they avoided a scene for that reason? Anyway, I don't think one needs to see a sex scene to know there's sexing going on. In my opinion, the signs are there.

Nah, that was just speculation/people being glad there wasn't a scene for that reason.

You can be very physically close with someone/make sexual jokes and not have sex with them... and since it's not like Inquisition takes years, they really haven't known/been involved with each other for all that long before Solas leaves. I don't think it's unreasonable for a couple like them to not be having sex, whether or not it was planned to happen in the future.

LETS NOT AND SAY WE DIDNT. 

 

Seriously, we had this argument like 1000 pages ago. Nope. Let's not go there again. 

Please don't tell me what I can say or what I can respond to. We're all/mostly adults in this thread, right? Adults should be able to have discussions even if they have different opinions about things. And why is it that I'm getting told to stop when all I'm doing is stating facts, anyway?

I'm not saying it's invalid... I'm saying I find it highly unlikely.

 

Patrick Weekes can say what he likes, but like the broodmother issue, it doesn't really match with what is actually there. In my opinion.

 

You can have whatever headcanon you wish. I still think it's naive. *shrug* It's not like I'm saying you're factually wrong.

Patrick Weekes is the writer for Solas; there is absolutely nothing in game that contradicts someone saying their Inquisitor and Solas never slept together, so I don't see how it could possibly be a "naive" headcanon. Why do you think it's naive?

Lets be real, they said that so as not to upset the masses. Same as how they assured us the taint likely made warden females infertile and likely would be ignored by darkspawn for broodmother candidates, while having a novel that suggests the exact opposite. It's PR.

No, he literally said he intentionally left it ambiguous so the player could decide whether or not they had sex. If Weekes hadn't wanted it to be ambiguous, he very easily could have made it obvious one way or the other.

Lol I was just calling people who had the opinion that Solas wasn't tapping Lavellan naive... that wasn't specific to women

 

I still think it's naive, but that's just me. People can have their little headcanons, but in a public forum, one's going to be questioned on it.

It's not a naive headcanon if the writer has directly said it could go either way, though.

So many great comparisons! Is it wrong that I want to be able to romance him as well? With that droopy hat, the poor kid looks like he could use a hug.

Do platonic hugs not exist anymore?

How would he even use her first name (unless it's the default)? The user types in a bunch of characters, how should it be pronounced? It might be Japanese or Polish or German or French or whatever.

In fanfiction, not in the game itself. c:

Although... I have played games where you put in your name and the characters will say it. It's not as jarring as you might expect, but it is probably a lot of work for the voice actors and it can be weird depending on pronunciation.

Well people say that's what he says when Lavellan falls in battle. Are you sure he doesn't? I guess we'd have to search the voice files to know for sure. But yeah, it's not his common usage. I'm not sure why they don't have him using her first name. Obviously he can't do that in the game.

Yep! Positive. c: I was running around with just Solas and my Inquisitor once and I accidentally ran into some enemies I couldn't handle and I heard Solas yell about my Inquisitor dying many, many times that day, haha. I felt kind of bad about it...

First name would be nice! Some fics try to use Lavellan's name as little as possible, especially if they're not using the default name. I guess they don't want people to be distracted by the name or something...? But using other things can be more distracting.

Well Solas apparently also says it, though like I said I've never heard that in game myself. And if she uses it, then it's apparently correct usage, unless it's just a Dalish thing. I gave an example up above of a language that repeats a possessive for poetic/ emphasis reasons.

The hahren/ da'len thing would bother me if it's common. I used "hahren" once in my little Solas story, but that was deliberate. If they're using it as everyday then that sounds to me like daddy porn or something. Gross.

He really doesn't, though--and I'm really sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to pick a fight, because I'm not, it's just that he calls Lavellan "ma vhenan" a grand total of 0 times in DA:I. If people are saying that he called her "ma vhenan," they either misheard or remembered something wrong.

It's fine for Merrill, but so many fics only have Solas use "ma vhenan" instead of "vhenan" when he never uses the former--that's why it bothers me. If Lavellan uses it because the fandom collectively decides it's a modern elven/Dalish thing, that's cool, but Solas never says it himself in-game.

Oh, I didn't even think of that sort of implication... D: It's not super common, from what I've seen, but it's common enough that it's become kind of "a thing" in the fandom.

Ah! Speaking of breakup scene, I'm almost there. I'm about to start the Temple of Mythas and I'm aware it happens some point after that, but when exactly? I'd like to get a save file ready so I can go over it again later (you know, when I fancy torturing myself). x)

 

But that aside, that's my gripe with a lot of fanfics. I suppose it's not technically wrong (I think it translates to "my heart" whereas vhenan alone is "heart", but it is inconsistant with what he does say, and it makes me grind my teeth in a weird way. x)

It's right after--as soon as you speak to Solas after getting back to Skyhold, the last romance scene will play out.

Elven is kind of a weird language; I think "vhenan" can be "my heart" as well as just "heart" because it's not meant to be a language you can necessarily translate word-for-word.

I agree - it's not my writing as an FYI.   It does make my brain go "huh" for a second but otherwise I don't get too bent out of shape over it. But to add to your complaint: Request to FF writers everywhere - can he not call he "vhenan" all the time? I mean she has a name. Feel free to use it.  Or not. It's not necessary to put an endearment at the end of every dam sentence.  WE GET IT. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. Christ.

 

ANYWHO -  yeah. I thought ma stood for "you".  And it looks like @Addai clarified - I think it's just BW hasn't really set down the rules to the language yet. It's still kind of...all over the place.  It doesn't irk me so much to the point I can't enjoy an otherwise lovely fic - there are other things like unironically using hahren/da'len - eww.  When I

see that I'm like "BYE!!!" and close the program.

Oh, I know it's not yours, it's just a pet peeve of mine so I used it as a launching point to complain a little I guess, haha. Sorry.

"Ma" can mean "you" and "my/mine;" in that way, "ma vhenan" is technically not incorrect as a rule, but for Solas it's wrong. It bothers me because it's just not what he says, which means I start doubting how much attention the author has paid to Solas, and then I get extra nitpicky about characterization and it ruins it for me. :S The "hahren"/"da'len" stuff does the same thing--Lavellan and Solas address each other like that once and never do it again in-game. Some fics use it as the only form of address other than "vhenan" and it gets weird.

It's not a mistake- Merrill says this if Hawke falls in battle, and allegedly Solas does, too, though I've never heard it so can't verify.

Merrill says it, sure, but Solas never once does. If someone's writing a fic about Merrill and she calls someone "ma vhenan" I wouldn't mind, but Solas only ever uses "vhenan."

Solavellan Hellspiraling - Seriously this is sad...but good?  Feel the pain I feel.  SFW - death(fair warning)

http://houndinghell....olas-x-lavellan

Augh, why do people keep having Solas say "ma vhenan." I can't trust a fic's characterization when they make such a basic mistake--Solas literally calls Lavellan "vhenan" at least three times*, plus more if you pester him constantly (when he's in the "hello"/"my heart"/"vhenan" cycle of greetings). He never once calls her "ma vhenan."

* Less depending on certain dialogue choices**, but he still never calls her "ma vhenan." 

**

1) "Ar lath ma, vhenan." (second romance scene)

2) "Don't concern yourself, vhenan. She is... apart from herself." (Sera banter, if you choose the angry response to her)

3) "Please, vhenan." (last romance scene, if Lavellan chooses the sad option)

I don't know if there are any other times, but I keep seeing the "ma vhenan" mistake everywhere and I don't know why. @_@

I don't want to open that insanity again(regarding the racegating) - but I'm curious - how will your Lavellan's react?

Mine rolled her eyes at all the Dread Wolf mumbo-jumbo. She is NOT religious in any way shape or form.  She appreciated them as stories and nothing more.

 

So I think when she finds out she's going to be like 'Huh...what now?' She's first going to think he's lost his mind - she'd believe the ancient elf thing. That would make sense to her, but she would struggle to accept he was actually Fen'Harel. 

It really depends on how it's revealed. She's met Mythal, so it's not like meeting the Creators is anything especially new to her at this point... I think no matter how it's revealed she's going to be a little hurt that he never said anything, even if she understands why he would keep it a secret. She's also going to wonder if that's why there were wolves everywhere (his necklace, the walls of his room) and then feel a little stupid for not putting the pieces together herself, even though there's no real reason for her to suspect anything from him like that.

Mostly she'd be curious and only a little wary. She trusts him.

My other Lavellan, on the other hand, would react terribly. She would be incredibly angry, feel like she had been lied to/toyed with, and she'd be afraid because she is a pretty firm believer in the Dalish tales of the Creators. It would end poorly. :c

 Spot on. Tbh all of them could somewhat fit Solavellan xD

@Avajajed, according to this thread http://forum.bioware...personal-quest/ the quest happens only before What Pride had Wrought but it can apparently not trigger if you never had BW in your party when you collected his artifacts.. Didn't know that.

This is from a few pages back, but I just want to say that this is absolutely not true! o: I have proof in the form of screenshots of my Inquisitor frowning at Blackwall during his personal quest, sans vallaslin.

For me, it took forever to trigger because Blackwall apparently felt the same way about my Inquisitor that I felt about him--"meh." If you haven't collected all of his Grey Warden artifacts, bring him along to grab some and then go to the Storm Coast and kill a bunch of Darkspawn. That should bump his approval high enough to get the quest. c:

This is beautiful! I really love the colors and the overall shape to it. 

Yes!  I was really excited when she showed me the sketch because it was a lot more than I was expecting, haha. I love her art.

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i really hope this doesn't show up enormous like it looks in the preview... >_> Also, it's not on her Tumblr yet, but that's the artist!

I see this as people settling in other words, when we could have more. If Solas had a romance with a human woman, would that not be a win for everyone since you could see another side of him? It doesn't even have to necessarily go well. The race thing could come up as a problem, like the dalish thing was for Sera. That was realistic for her character and this would be for Solas.

But then why stop at humans? Why not add qunari and dwarves as well? And then why stop at female Inquisitors? Etc., etc. Basically, they have to stop somewhere, and the point they did stop at works well the way it is (IMO). Solas is a good pick for race-gating because he's Fen'Harel/his elf stuff/etc. (IMO, again). Otherwise, you might as well let everyone be romanced by everyone, which means you're probably only getting three or four romances total because that is a ridiculous amount of work for BioWare, with four races and two genders to do work for.

I have to admit, every time the bisexual chars of DA2 are referred to as "playersexual" and whatnot, I cringe.  And as much as I love Zev, the idea that his sexual preferences are tied to his promiscuity bothers me on a personal level.  The entire personality=sexuality thing always bothered me deeply.  All these things are why I kinda hate when the subject of gating comes up.  I've accepted it, and I agree with some of the reasons, but all the negativity on the sexuality of the DA2 characters tends to hit home a little too much.

Oh geez, I am absolutely with you. They've been confirmed as bisexual by Gaider; even if they hadn't been, Anders and Isabela at the very least are definitely not straight (or gay, or "Hawkesexual"--hell, Merrill is the only one of them that doesn't express sexual attraction to someone other than Hawke). And I was reaaaaally hoping there wouldn't be another promiscuous, extroverted bisexual/pansexual character in DA:I, because there's been one in every game so far. :/ It's disappointing.

That's where it then goes back to personal preferences and attraction. Sure, he respects a human or qunari inquisitor just the same, but if he doesn't find them physically attractive or they are not his sexual preference, all the respect in the world won't make him slip them the Fade tongue. And that's perfectly acceptable and part of what makes him who he is.

 

Though I expect someone, somewhere is shipping Solas/Varric anyway...

Hell yeah, that's my OTP.

Okay, actually, that could be interesting. I don't really ship it, but I could understand why someone might. Besides, fanfic/fanart/whatever is completely separate from canon; if someone wants to ship 'em, it's not hurting anyone else or actually changing the game. c: That's why even though I really don't like Solas/Trevelyan, I'm not going to condemn others for writing the stuff. I just won't ever read it. /shrug

Personally, I fully agree with the line of thinking that making someone gated by race, sexuality, etc is perfectly 100 percent fine. I don't think a person ever has to explain themselves based on that ever.

 

My only worry about this is they do it with a dwarf or something later in the future, which while I do get the appeal, I always wanted to romance a dwarf as a human... I suppose like everything else I'd just get over it.

 

Being biracial might make me a bit put off to the idea too, especially when I see comments like "it's more special because (x)".

 

Not saying anyone meant it that way, just explaining my possible bias.

Well, races IRL and races in Thedas are pretty different things. In general I don't have a problem with human/elf relationships--mostly*--but in this specific case, having the romance be elf-only feels "right" to me.

* I played as City Elf first in Origins, so I'm always going to be a little leery of human/elf relationships (especially when the human is a noble/in a position of power), but I've got Hawkes that romanced Fenris and I don't think anyone that romanced Zevran with a human in Origins is bad or anything. :U

Okay, then how about this. Do you like that Solas is racially barred off or would you have liked to romance him as a human too?

 

Personally, I don't think it was necessary, and I think that it'd be interesting to see the dynamic since he admits to not seeing the dalish as "his people".

 

I don't think Solas' romance was able to be good specifically because he was barred off, since Cass isn't barred off (though it feels like she may as well be). I think that the devs just bit off more than they could chew, and with the romance coming in later, and the females already having three options, this was just easier and allowed the romance to have enough content to it and not be generic like Cullens. (I went there!)

I like that it's elf-only. It allows for the vallaslin scene, for one (and nothing that meaningful could be shared between humans and elves; it'd be double the work to find/make something different for human Inquisitors as well), and since Solas is Fen'Harel--partially responsible for the downfall of the elves and their current place in modern Thedas, no matter how unintentional the results of his actions were--I think it's more meaningful with a Lavellan. I do wish he were available to both male and female Inquisitors, though.

I have more reasons I like the romance being elf-only (I've been thinking about this lately), but I'm sick and I can't think of them at the moment. :S

Well, if you're like me and made the mistake of romancing Solas (still crying), Cass comes out and has a nice convo with your Inquisitor. My Quizzy in that play through was friends with her though, not sure about if Cass doesn't like them.

At the very end? Right before the credits?

(Asking because I think you might be thinking of a different scene and if you're not, I'm jealous and want to talk to Cassandra too. >:C)