8061 réponses à ce sujet

[ejoslin]

I rarely comment on prompts because I don't write them myself... But I really liked all three of these. Zevran, despite everything, DOES have his own morality. I like that -- he does not change to meet other's expectations.

Anyway... I'm enjoying this prompt very much.

Edit: And Payroo, thank you! 

ToP picture...

I dunno, I think he may prefer female dwarves ...




Forgive the bad color.  It was SO dark something had to go when I adjusted it!

Modifié par ejoslin, 21 septembre 2010 - 06:46 .

[maradeux]

@Corker - Yes, the Dalish and Zevran - that would never happen. And I like the way your Vashti thinks and reacts about that. Good answer to the prompt.

@Icevol: Good description. Although his declining has always been something "unnatural" to his character for me. I am sure, in his past it was regardless how many other partners a man/woman of his interest had. I think, only when he really loves you, he would mind, not before. That it just "game mechanic" and not in character for me. I was very astonished when Zevran came with his jalousy-talk for the first time. I just thougt: He of all people...

Thanks @everyone for your kind words about my story. That what you mentioned about the lore and the fact that assassin is one of the "blood abilities" beside blood mage and scavanger. And the epilog, where it is said that Zevran helps the Warden with the Grey Warden recruits, but never joins the order. These all came to my mind when I read the prompt.

@Jenovan and Corker - yes, I tried to describe the "mark of death" skill.

Modifié par maradeux, 21 septembre 2010 - 06:31 .

[Corker]

@ejoslin - you know comments are like crack for authors/artists, right? Feel free to comment! (But don't feel obliged.)

ETA: To be more on topic...  Zevran on Zevran action!



(Not so grate, aktualy)

Modifié par Corker, 21 septembre 2010 - 06:33 .

[Sialater]

TanithAeyrs wrote...


Here's the new prompt:

***Banner by Minaleth***



Prompt: Even as a friend Zevran says he will go to the gates of the Black City with you.  But Zevran has his limits; what would Zevran  be reluctant to do, or even flat out refuse to do for the Warden?  Can be serious, funny, or whatever you want.

Time: 1 hour
 
Formats: All formats of response are encouraged -- drawing, story, image manip, poem, comic, etc.

Deadline: Sunday September 26, 11:00 PM GMT (4:00 PM MST U.S.).  Winner announced Monday September 27th.
 
Prize: Zevran story of your choice. Give me a prompt and/or a character and I'll go with it.  Haven't had much practice at kmeme stuff, but would be willing to give it a go, characters of any orientation okay. 

This is an AU to The Rescue.  I promise this scene occurred QUITE differently in my fic.


Sitting in a well-stuffed, high-backed chair, Moira staredbemusedly into the fire in the room the wardens at  Weisshaupt lent her.  She sighed in tired contentment.  Her friends were safe, the man she loved was safe, both of them, and her stomach was comfortably full from the first decent dinner she’d had in a while and she was cosily warm in the heavy white woolen dressing gown Fiona had loaned her.    But despite her physical discomfort, her emotional turmoil continued.

Both of her men might be safe, but she wasn’t safe from them.  While trapped in the false Fade, she and Alistair had discussed their future. He had no intention of letting her step aside in favor of whatever queen he was forced to marry to procure an heir.  He had never said a word regarding Zevran, but she knew the elf’s feelings for her and knew that her heart was torn between them both.  Could she let the assassin leave, as he told her would?  Alistair would never share her, and she feared forcing the issue would cost her both of them.

The elf in question interrupted her thoughts by slipping in around the heavy door and closing it softly behind him.  He probably could not tell she was in the room at all given that the chair was so large and she had drawn her bare feet up under her.  She knew it was him and not Alistair due to the lack of taint she sensed, that and the fact that
Alistair was never that quiet.  She heard him come to a stop in front of the fire.  “I hear you have two new recruits for your  Wardens?”  Of course, just because he couldn’t see her, didn’t mean he wouldn’t know she was there.

Moira stood and crossed to stand behind the taller elf, “Aye, they both live.”

“And now what will you do?”  He held out his hands to the fire as if to warm them, his posture indicating absolutely no tension whatsoever. The corded muscles in his forearms and biceps, however, belied his seeming relaxation.  

“I will return to Denerim with Alistair,” Moira told him.  “And you, I hope.” 

He finally turned to look at her, his fine-featured face shadowed by the flickering firelight.  “And why would you want me?  Does someone need killing in Denerim?”

“You are my friend!  Why wouldn’t I want you to come with me?”  Moira cursed the shadows that made him unreadable. 

His full lips tightened into a line, “Just a friend, am I?  I told you once, mi amora, I could not watch you with him any longer.”

Moira felt her stomach turn over and her throat suddenly swell up, “I know.  I’d just hoped . . . after everything we’d been through together, that you would change your mind.”

He stepped closer to her, the sweat and leather and oil and steel he wore like a fine cologne filled her senses and made her briefly light headed with need of him.  His voice dropped into the lower registers that always  promised things he was happy to fulfill, “Do you really think I could be near you now and never touch you again?”

“But –“

He shook his head, once, “No, mi amora.  I will travel back with you as far as Antiva.  After that I take my leave of you. I cannot stay and watch him kiss those satin lips of yours and know I cannot do the same.”

“Zev, please! Let me –“

Again, he shook his head, “No.  I find myself wanting to do anything I can for you in the hopes that I would earn your love away from him.  But that would lead me away from what you have encouraged me to become when I was free of the Crows.   I would even kill for you again.”

She remembered the few assignments she’d asked him to undertake shortly after Alistair had taken the throne.  It had all been in the name of procuring their safety, but for the first time, it occurred to her he’d not taken them
for the gold, but only because she’d asked.  “I won’t ask that of you, Zev.”

A gentle brush of his fingers along her jaw, “If it were a question of keeping him safe, you would.”  Without warning, he crushed her against him, his lips finding hers with bruising force.  He pushed his way in past her teeth and she clung to him, her arms snaking around his shoulders to entwine in his hair.  She belatedly realized his braids were gone as she knotted her fingers at the nape of his neck, trying to stay upright as he eroded the strength in her knees with his tongue on hers.  One of his hands cupped the back of her head, while the other held her tightly against him.  He broke the kiss first.

Wordlessly, he stepped back and looked at her as if memorizing her.  She tried to close the distance between them again, but he spun on his heel and left, the door shutting quietly behind him.

Moira spent the night curled up in the chair, her heart in pieces at her feet.  Zevran never returned and Alistair spent the night talking to the woman who claimed to be his mother instead of spending his first night of freedom with Moira.  When Shale came to find her in the morning, the former golem reported that the elf was nowhere to be found.   

~*~

The leather-clad elf stood framed in the doorway of the sally port watching rain pelt the forest just outside the keep.  His unbraided hair hung damply in his face.  She used to braid it for him.  He heard a light step behind him and without turning asked, “They’ve gone?” 

A woman’s voice answered, “Of course.  Are you sure this is what you want?  She was broken hearted.”  Ah, Fiona, the woman who claimed to be the lout’s mother.  He ignore the wrench his own heart gave to hear about Moira's pain.  It was better this way.  One clean rip.  Why didn't it hurt less?

“If he felt differently about me, then it might have ended another way.”

“Where will you go?” the woman asked.

“The Crows still have a contract out for them.  That is the last thing I can do for her.”

~*~*~*~


That hurt to write.  I'm glad I didn't go that route.

Modifié par Sialater, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:01 .

[ejoslin]

Ouch I like the ending in your fic MUCH better.

Edit: At least it made me happier  Both endings are good, just in way different ways!  This one... *cry*

Modifié par ejoslin, 21 septembre 2010 - 06:54 .

[Sialater]

ejoslin wrote...

Ouch I like the ending in your fic MUCH better.

Me, too.  ~weeps and hugs Zev~

Thanks, ejoslin.

Modifié par Sialater, 21 septembre 2010 - 06:55 .

[maradeux]

Yes, it hurts, but here I can understand him. If he really loves her, he cannot "share" her with another man. It's only consequent. If she is not able to make a decision, the stronger of the two men will do...

[Sialater]

maradeux wrote...

Yes, it hurts, but here I can understand him. If he really loves her, he cannot "share" her with another man. It's only consequent. If she is not able to make a decision, the stronger of the two men will do...

And for love of her, he'd go back down a path she'd encouraged him to leave behind.  Damned if they do, damned if they don't. 

You didn't say whether you liked it, Maradeux, but thanks for reading!

Modifié par Sialater, 21 septembre 2010 - 07:19 .

[maradeux]

Sialater wrote...

You didn't say whether you liked it, Maradeux, but thanks for reading!

I liked it. It was sad, but in character. I could completely understand him...

[wildannie]

@Sialater - that's so heart wrenching and completely believable within the context... I like it alot!

[ICevoL]

maradeux wrote...

@Icevol: Good description. Although his declining has always been something "unnatural" to his character for me. I am sure, in his past it was regardless how many other partners a man/woman of his interest had. I think, only when he really loves you, he would mind, not before. That it just "game mechanic" and not in character for me. I was very astonished when Zevran came with his jalousy-talk for the first time. I just thougt: He of all people...

I thought it odd the first time I got the "jealous talk" from Zevran as well, but actually, I ended up loving that he does it.  I doubt I would like the character nearly as much if he was willing to cheat with no qualms unless he was "in love" (particularly with how late in the game the trigger comes for Adore -> Love with Zevran).  In his dialog, if you try to keep both Zev and Ali, he will say something along the lines of "I have been many things in my lifetime -- a killer, a thief, a lover, but never a cheat."  (don't have an exact quote, but that's the gist of it).  While his surface behavior leads the player to think he will take such things lightly, there is the sense of honor there that won't let him be romantic with someone who is lying to another partner.

I haven't followed this exact path in Castielle's playthrough (since I'm not at that point yet), nor have I done the same at this point in the plot with another character, so I could be wrong about him refusing to even sleep with the character before forcing a choice.  I may be doing a canon!fail with that, but it made the most sense for the story I wanted to tell.  This has been confirmed as a canon!fail, so Zev is apparently an AU version of himself in my story LOL

Modifié par ICevoL, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:41 .

[Sialater]

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

[ICevoL]

Sialater wrote...

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

Thanks for the info, Sialater!  My story is definitely canon!fail then - ah, well 

Edited to add: Your story is wonderful, but it broke my heart... *weeps*

I haven't read the original yet, so maybe I need to go do so and thus prevent myself from crawling over to a corner to whimper 

Modifié par ICevoL, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:18 .

[Sialater]

ICevoL wrote...

Sialater wrote...

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

Thanks for the info, Sialater!  My story is definitely canon!fail then - ah, well 

Edited to add: Your story is wonderful, but it broke my heart... *weeps*

I haven't read the original yet, so maybe I need to go do so and thus prevent myself from crawling over to a corner to whimper 

It's a much happier outcome to my triangle in the Canon Universe.  I promise.   The link's in my sig.

Before "love" it's just a tumble in the hay, no matter what you've got going on with Alistair. 

[ICevoL]

@ payroo, Corker, Minaleth, wildannie, jenovan, ejoslin, and maradeux -- thanks for "reading and feeding" my little story -- much appreciated

Castielle is a real byotch and has a major hate for the Chantry. She doesn't like the Circle much better (thus the whole "prison" comment). After finding out about Alistair's background and connection to Arl Eamon, she latched on to him as a way to keep out of their clutches. Even being a Grey Warden doesn't feel like much protection to her, since there's exactly TWO of them in the whole fricking country after Ostagar LOL.

This is my first try at a Warden who's not noble in any sense of the word, and I've gotta say, it's a lot of fun. The hissy fit Wynne threw when Castielle came back to camp after defiling the ashes was shocking but *priceless*

Edited to add:

@ Corker -- I do feel a little sympathy for her, given how much she hated the Tower.  She is definitely using Alistair, but she has reasons.  She's still a nasty piece of work, though *EG*

@payroo and jenovan -- Yeah, as I said in response to maradeux above, I like that Zevran won't cheat (even though the order of events in what I wrote is canon!fail and he would have slept with her first *giggle*).  It makes him a deeper character and not the man!ho he comes off as when you first talk to him.

@jenovan -- I'm wondering what she'll do at that point, too LOL -- While character-wise, it makes more sense for her to keep Zevran in the "friend zone", I as a player have a really hard time not getting romantic with him.  As payroo said (RE: ejoslin's dwarf kiss mods), the dude is kryptonite.

Modifié par ICevoL, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:35 .

[ejoslin]

Sialater wrote...

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

He forces the choice at Adore, not Love.

Edit: I find it an interesting conversation, because he IS lying in some of it.  He's trying to act uncaring (some of the lines he's supposed to not quite succeed -- his facade crumbles a bit), and like it's all about the other person, but the fact that it happens when HE hits adore I think is pretty telling.

Modifié par ejoslin, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:39 .

[Sialater]

ejoslin wrote...

Sialater wrote...

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

He forces the choice at Adore, not Love.

Ah, a bit earlier then.  But he'll sleep with your Warden long before that, though and not force the issue of a choice, right?


ETA:  And you're right.  It is telling.  Just like his refusal to sleep with the Warden after hitting a certain point, too.

Modifié par Sialater, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:41 .

[ejoslin]

Sialater wrote...

ejoslin wrote...

Sialater wrote...

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

He forces the choice at Adore, not Love.

Ah, a bit earlier then.  But he'll sleep with your Warden long before that, though and not force the issue of a choice, right?

Right.  He will sleep with the warden at 26+.  He doesn't force a choice until 71+.  So at 65 (care) he is fine sleeping with you, even if you're in love with someone else.  Once you hit adore, however, he is NOT going to share.  I thought for a long time it was because he was lying, to himself perhaps, about being jealous, and that really is probably part of it; not so much in a sexual way, but not wanting to share affection.  I think another part of it is, though, is he is all about the warden, and what is best for them. That whole conversation tears him up, and when the choice is between him and Alistair, he actually sounds like he's holding his breath if you choose him.  It's obvious, though, that he expects to be dumped, and he really is very sweet about it if he is, saying he has nothing to offer the warden.

*grin* At least, that's the way I see it.  I haven't really thought about it for awhile.

Edit: As his lover (or at least with the romance open) there's another choice that happens when you hit Adore with him.  Taliesen.  If you are romancing him, when you're confronted, if he's lower than adore, he will choose not to fight his old lover, instead warning you you're about to be ambushed before walking away.  At adore, there's no question, he chooses the warden.  Of course, as a friend, he will always fight against Taliesen, but that's a different dynamic I think.

Modifié par ejoslin, 21 septembre 2010 - 08:49 .

[ICevoL]

ejoslin wrote...

Sialater wrote...

He doesn't force the choice if he sleeps with you before "Love." It's after that he forces it.

He forces the choice at Adore, not Love.

Edit: I find it an interesting conversation, because he IS lying in some of it.  He's trying to act uncaring (some of the lines he's supposed to not quite succeed -- his facade crumbles a bit), and like it's all about the other person, but the fact that it happens when HE hits adore I think is pretty telling.

Ah, OK.  Thanks for clarifying this, ejoslin.  I did some "relationship tinkering" using a mod on a character I've since deleted, so I didn't have a reference point for the jealousy dialog to load up and check myself.  I was fairly certain that I'd gotten the dialog before the Taliesin encounter, but all of my current Wardens are (serial) monogamists, so I haven't seen jealousy dialogs for a while *G*.

[Sialater]

Yeah, I got that with Moira. And then gave him a gift, got him back up to love and didn't talk to either of them again (accidentally -- I REALLY didn't mean to do that, I just wanted to finish the game) other than to tell Al not to dump her at Landsmeet so I got the mistress ending with Zev giving her all the 'love' dialogues except the earring. I haven't gotten this bug to repeat, if, in fact, I didn't imagine the whole thing.

[ejoslin]

Sialater wrote...

Yeah, I got that with Moira. And then gave him a gift, got him back up to love and didn't talk to either of them again (accidentally -- I REALLY didn't mean to do that, I just wanted to finish the game) other than to tell Al not to dump her at Landsmeet so I got the mistress ending with Zev giving her all the 'love' dialogues except the earring. I haven't gotten this bug to repeat, if, in fact, I didn't imagine the whole thing.

Oh, no, you missed the best part of the romance if it went THAT way.  Where he declares his feelings (it's a slightly later conversation -- and perhaps a second offer of the earring if you turned it down the first time which can be taken as a proposal).  The first time I heard that, I was so completely blown away.  I cried, seriously, I was THAT amazed.  I've been a Zevran fangirl ever since.

[Kaioku]

HI. IT IS I, THE UNFAITHFUL ONE.
BUT I BRING ZEVART, YES? SO NO STONING PLZ.
----------
"Give me that, Warden. Don- don't crush it, please, pick another one, good, thank you. Very well. Now, put your palm on top of mine. Not... not like that, careful. Slowly, softly - yes, just like that. Now I want you to concentrate on the surface of the leaf, what do you feel? Exactly, very good.  This is how you can tell the Beruna from the common Jelfawn - that is, given the plant has developed its poisonous adult state and is ripe for the picking. And if it isn't... well, then you needn't bother telling them apart, anyhow. The Jelfawn may be harmless, but of no use to anyone but perhaps the occasional caterpillar. It is about as delicious as a Genlock looks, trust me.  Hmm, what was that? Yes, I suppose you could have used your own hand to hold the leaf, but, my dear Warden, where would be the fun in that? Look at us, holding hands. So much progress!"
----------





Have I mentioned lately how much I hate armor?
I hate armor.
I hate it more than mage robes.
As a matter of fact, I'm friggin' BONDING with mage robes over our mutual dislike of armor.
Which is why my Warden is wearing a leather-dress-thingy, yes, because I hate armor, and now this couldn't possibly get any cheesier. x)
I just noticed a few days ago I hadn't drawn Zevran in a while. And it's a shame, because I've gotten much better at coloring.
And then I got this idea, Zev teaching the Warden a thing or two about poison, wrote a couple of lines and went at it. :>

WHY IS THERE A LELIANA AND A MORRIGAN ADD-ON AND NONE FOR ZEV?! I MUST PROTEST!!! Heterosexual fanboys are getting their share, yay, but what about me? I have no patience to speak of, and demand my DLC! D:
Yeah, back to the pic;
No photo references, approx. 20 hours (maybe a little more, I screwed up a lot), drawn and painted in Adobe Photoshop CS5 with a Wacom Bamboo Fun GT.
Why is Zev wearing BlueJeans? Jesus, that DOES look kinda weird. Well. Will be fixed when I fix the background.
Haha, speaking of which, if the background looks like it was done by a lazy monkey, it's just because it -was-. Now give me a banana.

:3

Full view:

www.deviantart.com/download/180062217/zev___aren_by_sixthdeadlysin-d2z7cw9.jpg


~Kaioku

Modifié par Kaioku, 21 septembre 2010 - 09:13 .

[ejoslin]

Yeh, I have a few theories about why Zevran didn't get a DLC, and why the ending of the romance was changed in Awakening... Most have to do with a very vocal audience who cannot stand the thought of two men having a loving, healthy, lasting relationship.

Because, you know, I think they're targeting an audience who would rather play as a darkspawn and kill their old companions rather than play a DLC about a gay elf :/

I'm speaking as a heterosexual woman here. And I could be off base.  But, hmmm, I could be dead on right too.

One thing that has me worried about DA2. EA would like to have a game that people play a couple of times -- good enough to get good ratings, and then move on and buy a new game. DAO, really, many people just play over and over and over. This is NOT good from EA's perspective.

I'm sure DA2 will be good, even with no Zevran in it (and I doubt he'll even get a mention anywhere). But I probably won't want to replay it as much as I've replayed DAO.

Oh, am I ranting again? Sowwy!

Modifié par ejoslin, 21 septembre 2010 - 09:15 .

[Sarah1281]

Corker wrote...



She would not bring the taint back to her people.

I don't quite understand this. She has to know that the taint isn't contagious in a GW so is it about now wanting the darkspawn that can sense her to follow her back to them and put the Dalish in danger?

[Giggles_Manically]

I will put down good money right here and say that there is not going to be any homosexual romances in DA2.

Sad but EA is nothing if not predictable.