Rabbitonfire announced that she would be playing an old-skinned Trevelyan who'd romance Cullen.
THIS HAD TO BE MADE.
Lmao. Instead of the desired affect, I now picture that Aunt of Trevelyan's that is continually mentioned in the game (Great Aunt Lucille? or something) being very creepy towards Cullen when she meets him. 
Has anyone speculated on where Solas/Fen'harel was asleep all this time? I have to admit, I'm rather getting obsessed with his recent backstory....
I was just replaying Act 1 of DA2 and realized that there were ancient elves doing Uthenera on Sundermount, as Merrill mentions, but also, this is the same place where, as Hawke, you summon Flemeth/Mythal with the amulet. When she appears, she talks about needing to keep an appointment one year after she saved you outside of Lothering from darkspawn, and by this, I'm led to believe she's talking about meeting up with Morrigan. Morrigan, as we know, never shows because she thinks Flemeth is going to possess her body and/or take her Old God baby away from her, if he exists.
But, this whole thing about why she was summoned on Sundermount and how Keeper Marithari was able to just know she had to move her clan there at that time is interesting. She claims she knew because she listened to the wind and such mystical things like that. Why would she only go there just for Flemeth's summoning? Not only that, but she doesn't move her clan on to other places, but sticks around for another 6 years (very suspicious).
This led me to wonder if this is where Fen'harel was asleep all those centuries. From a codex entry that had to be decoded, which can only be picked up in Act 3 of the game, you find out that Fen'harel would be awakening with an eclipse, which suggests he woke up during Act 3 (9:37 Dragon). Also, Sandal says some weird crap only during Act 3, which is basically a prophecy that D. Gaider intentionally put in there because he knew where the story would be headed, so he decided Sandal would say something cryptic to creep the player out.
Okay, but why believe Fen'harel was on Sundermount of all places in Thedas? Because D. Gaider also mentioned from the same interview that Corypheus weakened the Veil because of his close proximity to Kirkwall, making the mages very susceptible to being crazy. But, Corphy does not awaken at any specific date that I know of--only between 9:31 and 9:37 Dragon. You get to choose when to go kick his butt in the game. But, Fen'harel seems to have awakened during a specific year that corresponds to Act 3 of DA2, thus 9:37 Dragon.
Added to this that if Fen'harel were also very near Kirkwall, then an absolute awakening of an ancient Elvhen god would REALLY weaken the Veil and cause an explosion of sorts. Sounds like Anders blowing up the Chantry, which happens at the end of Act 3, 9:37 Dragon. The best thing to indicate an eclipse actually occurring in DA2 is when you see that in Act 3 of the game, the sun is dimmer in the sky than it is during the other previous two acts. At least it is in Hightown. I always wondered about this. The sun is not low enough in the sky to justify how dim it is outside. Also, I've finally taken notice of how it magically gets dark outside right after Anders blows up the Chantry. Isn't that weird? Why is it suddenly dark out when not more than a matter of minutes went by from the time you first went the the Gallows and then went back to Hightown?
A full solar eclipse was probably taking place, but the game simply failed to mention it happening and/or the characters were too distracted to even take notice of it. It's Fen'harel awakening near Kirkwall, causing mages and the lone Red Templar to act like crazy freaks, I tells ya!
This is a really well thought out post and very interesting.
However, the Dalish stay in Kirkwall because the Keeper is trying to protect Merrill from the demon (it's a weak plot but it's the reason we were given) and Sandal's creepy prophecy thing is in Act II, not III. I've always assumed that Legacy was meant to be in Act II (given Leandra's involvement at the end, but like you said it can take place in any act). Cornflakes waking up could've triggered all sort of other things (like Fen'Harel waking up).
Skyhold is my bet for where he was sleeping.
I really like the idea of an eclipse in Act III. Makes a ton of sense.
Like solas, I pity sera. Not for the same reason. she just is so stubbornly and ridiculously unwilling to entertain there may be more complicated answers to the whys and how's of life that it became so frustrating. Especially after mythal. that quest was so good and depressing. My lavellan was really having to do some serious soul searching after that and the whole pit of demons of comment really pissed her off.Snip
.
Oooh! Maybe. I really am not sure where the timeline sits for Corypheus. /ponder
Even thought she spoke about it in the present tense doesn't mean it was happening in the present. She does make prophecies. Tenses and mundane things like 'past' or 'future' may not mean much to her.
Oh, oops. Maybe that was the one I was thinking about.
You aren't wrong! Sera will sometimes respond with something like 'you say that about everywhere' to which Solas replies 'it is more true than you realise'
And the 'Sera should be elfy but I'm not elfy' thing is probably because most of the banters were written when it was Trevalyan only. It's frustrating, but it's a small price to pay for getting playable races again.
Ok so, through the magic of Tumblr, I have stumbled across this article that's a compendium of everything that Tolkien has written about elves and their sex-lives:
http://www.ansereg.c...ly_said_abo.htm
It's interesting and hilarious, and definitely one of the weirdest thing I've ever seen on the internet
<SOLAS>
Maker! After I finished reading that essay it looped me into a million other essays and I'm now reading:
"What are the Roles of Women in Tolkien?"
and
"Warm Beds are Good: Sex and Libido in Tolkien's Writing"
I have no idea how I ended up reading this but I keep clicking on links so I have all this Tolkien lore in my head now regarding sex in Middle Earth.
I'm actually more impressed to find that Elves think of sex at all and actually do get to bang, to eventually not bang at all after having children and just remember having a libido with fondness. LOOOOOL
Also I learned that Legolas only has sex in our heads. Tolkien wrote Lego as a true bishonen. Never to be touched by the likes of mortals and immortals alike.
AAAANYWAY.....
BACK TO YOUR SCHEDULED SOLAS PROGRAMMING!
-----------------
*BONUS PRIZE FOR THE FAITHFUL VHENANS*
Guest_Faerunner_*
Like solas, I pity sera. Not for the same reason. she just is so stubbornly and ridiculously unwilling to entertain there may be more complicated answers to the whys and how's of life that it became so frustrating. Especially after mythal. that quest was so good and depressing.
Agreed to that. I guess I'm just extra-annoyed by her disdain for everything "elfy" because I love everything "elfy" so much. (Also because the devs made it clear she was their favorite character before the game's release, and bragged about how "she's not your typical elf," so now I'm scared she's actually the devs' mouthpiece regarding their collective stance on Thedas elves.) I also just don't like how she's so rude and dismissive about it. If she just said, "It's not for me, but if you like it go ahead" I could understand and even respect it. But nope. Her attitude is, "I don't like it, therefore it's all stupid and worthless, and you're stupid and worthless for liking it!" Well, F U 2, Sera.
And yeah, one does have to raise Sera's approval to understand where she's coming from. However, by then she's been so rude, dismissive, and closed-minded (especially toward a Dalish) that it's hard to want to be nice to her or get to know her in the first place. Catch-22.
I was deeply annoyed by Solas' attitude towards Sera when I learned about it (I never take her anywhere so I read their banters here) So she can be much more than she is and Lavellan is an ignorant child messing with daddy's tools? Dalish knowledge of ancient elves may be wrong but at least they treat it with respect. *just woke up and is grumpy*
Seriously, right?? (Although I wouldn't say the Dalish's knowledge of ancient elves is "wrong" so much as "incomplete." They're still in the process of learning and discovering, so it makes sense they'll miss many pieces to the puzzle, or believe some pieces go here since there's not the accommodating pieces that show they go there. I'm personally impressed that they got as much right as they did.)
Still, I find Solas' flip-flopping rather irritating. He rebukes Lavellan's attempts to connect with him as a fellow elf and empathize with him over their people's lost past, yet tries to get Sera to connect as a fellow elf and appreciate "our people's" lost past. Meanwhile, Lavellan is standing there like, "Hey! How come I'm not good enough for this, but she is? Also, who's looking at who and seeing 'just a pair of pointed ears' now???"
You aren't wrong! Sera will sometimes respond with something like 'you say that about everywhere' to which Solas replies 'it is more true than you realise'
And the 'Sera should be elfy but I'm not elfy' thing is probably because most of the banters were written when it was Trevalyan only. It's frustrating, but it's a small price to pay for getting playable races again.
Oh, that's a relief!
That actually makes sense. It is frustrating, but I am glad for getting the playable races again. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
While this is very pretty... They were both drinking, weren't they?
Solas never did mention what he actually prefers to tea after all. Now it all makes sense. Giving away the orb, the break up scene....
Idk you guys: Walking Dead or What Pride Has Wrought?
Hey! Thanks for the tip off... Just realised it's airing today in UK...
Agreed to that. I guess I'm just extra-annoyed by her disdain for everything "elfy" because I love everything "elfy" so much. (Also because the devs made it clear she was their favorite character before the game's release, and bragged about how "she's not your typical elf," so now I'm scared she's actually the devs' mouthpiece regarding their collective stance on Thedas elves.) I also just don't like how she's so rude and dismissive about it. If she just said, "It's not for me, but if you like it go ahead" I could understand and even respect it. But nope. Her attitude is, "I don't like it, therefore it's all stupid and worthless, and you're stupid and worthless for liking it!" Well, F U 2, Sera.
And yeah, one does have to raise Sera's approval to understand where she's coming from. However, by then she's been so rude, dismissive, and closed-minded (especially toward a Dalish) that it's hard to want to be nice to her or get to know her in the first place. Catch-22.
This! I'm replaying my Lavellan PT again and I'm still finding it impossible for me to fully like Sera when I play a Dalish elf. 
(I love a lot of "elfy" things as well) With a Trevelyan, I'm fine with her (I even got the cookies-on-the-rooftop scene) but as a Lavellan? Pffft! I really wanted to strangle her after the Temple of Mythal (and after she laughed at my face about the removal of my vallaslin). Sorry, Sera fans, I can't help the way I feel about her.
Still, I find Solas' flip-flopping rather irritating. He rebukes Lavellan's attempts to connect with him as a fellow elf and empathize with him over their people's lost past, yet tries to get Sera to connect as a fellow elf and appreciate "our people's" lost past. Meanwhile, Lavellan is standing there like, "Hey! How come I'm not good enough for this, but she is? Also, who's looking at who and seeing 'just a pair of pointed ears' now???"
As much as I love Solas, yes, this part of him is rather irritating. 
I wanted to say more about this, but I think other people have already explained it better than I ever could.
Agreed to that. I guess I'm just extra-annoyed by her disdain for everything "elfy" because I love everything "elfy" so much. (Also because the devs made it clear she was their favorite character before the game's release, and bragged about how "she's not your typical elf," so now I'm scared she's actually the devs' mouthpiece regarding their collective stance on Thedas elves.) I also just don't like how she's so rude and dismissive about it. If she just said, "It's not for me, but if you like it go ahead" I could understand and even respect it. But nope. Her attitude is, "I don't like it, therefore it's all stupid and worthless, and you're stupid and worthless for liking it!" Well, F U 2, Sera.
And yeah, one does have to raise Sera's approval to understand where she's coming from. However, by then she's been so rude, dismissive, and closed-minded (especially toward a Dalish) that it's hard to want to be nice to her or get to know her in the first place. Catch-22.
Seriously, right?? (Although I wouldn't say the Dalish's knowledge of ancient elves is "wrong" so much as "incomplete." They're still in the process of learning and discovering, so it makes sense they'll miss many pieces to the puzzle, or believe some pieces go here since there's not the accommodating pieces that show they go there. I'm personally impressed that they got as much right as they did.)
Still, I find Solas' flip-flopping rather irritating. He rebukes Lavellan's attempts to connect with him as a fellow elf and empathize with him over their people's lost past, yet tries to get Sera to connect as a fellow elf and appreciate "our people's" lost past. Meanwhile, Lavellan is standing there like, "Hey! How come I'm not good enough for this, but she is? Also, who's looking at who and seeing 'just a pair of pointed ears' now???"
Oh, that's a relief!
That actually makes sense. It is frustrating, but I am glad for getting the playable races again. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I'm doing a Sera-romancing Adaar at the moment and, wow, she's much easier to befriend as a non-elf. Flirting with her and asking her about herself gives much higher approval, and you don't lose approval for asking about elfy-stuff. It's giving me a different take on her character.
Sera is interesting as she's the only elven companion who doesn't see herself as elven (Velanna, Merrill and Ariane were all Dalish, Fenris identified as a city elf if his banter with Merrill is to be believed and Zev may not see himself as Dalish or a city elf but he clearly identifies with elves and see them as his people). So she really isn't typical. I just wish her romance with a Dalish didn't end with 'me or your faith' and you could get her to accept some of who you are. It feels like Lavellan has to do everything to accommodate Sera and her views. Solas may not agree with the Dalish but keeping the vallislin doesn't change his feelings towards his lover.
I just really wish that there was more elfy dialogue between Lavellan and Solas. If Lavellan had the option to jump into banters between the two of them and take one side over the other, that would be interesting.
That got rather rambly. Sorry.
I'm running on 2 hours of sleep, so my mind is not all there..I hope this makes some sense...
My Lavellan thought of Sera as a little sister. A very annoying little sister. She tried to teach her some elven stuff, but quickly gave up. They never had the cookie roof top scene but did run around and pull pranks on everyone. She never took Sera with her anywhere and they never really talked much. Lavellan went to Sera when she was in a silly mood and didn't want to deal with elf stuff or Inquisitor stuff...which actually wasn't very often.
My Trevelyan also thought of Sera like a little sister, but they actually got along rather well. She didn't understand elf stuff and also thought some of it was rather silly. She believes in The Maker but that's about it when it comes to religion. Sera and her threw cookies at people and talked about helping people and did lots of Red Jenny stuff together. My Trevelyan never got to be a little girl growing up..it was always fancy parties and learning how to be a lady. Sera let her bring out her inner child.
Sera's basically a twelve year old girl. I might like a twelve year old girl, might care for her a lot, but I still can't take her seriously as a peer. I did try to like the character but didn't succeed. On my last game, I didn't recruit her and didn't miss her at all. It doesn't really help that her personal quest is... ugh.
I think Solas' interactions with her can be explained by the fact that Lavellan is always Dalish. You might not be elvhen as he remembers them, but you had more of a chance than Sera did, as he sees it.
She's worth recruiting for the beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.
Her personal quest ended badly the first time I did it. I asked the guy too many questions and, well, Sera ended up getting kicked out of the Inquisition.
Heh, I usually forget my rogues have bombs anyway.She's worth recruiting for the beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.
Her personal quest ended badly the first time I did it. I asked the guy too many questions and, well, Sera ended up getting kicked out of the Inquisition.
I have a fanart problem. I need a self-help program.
Also I HAVE THE SADDEST HEAD CANONS, GUYS. THE SADDEST.
Beautiful!
And share the sadness! 
Guest_Faerunner_*
This! I'm replaying my Lavellan PT again and I'm still finding it impossible for me to fully like Sera when I play a Dalish elf.
As much as I love Solas, yes, this part of him is rather irritating.
You don't have to tell me twice.
My beau has only played DAI as non-elves, so Sera is one of his favorite companions. He could not for the life of him understand why I found her anti-"elfy" comments so abhorrent. He felt she's not that interested in elfy things but doesn't hate it, and I could tell he felt I was being the racist I was accusing Sera of being since I didn't accept that she's just not that into elves. I finally had to show him some Youtube videos of Sera saying insensitive things to a Dalish Inquisitor (particularly the post-Temple of Mythal ultimatum to denounce your faith or get dumped by her) before he understood and backed off.
I'm doing a Sera-romancing Adaar at the moment and, wow, she's much easier to befriend as a non-elf. Flirting with her and asking her about herself gives much higher approval, and you don't lose approval for asking about elfy-stuff. It's giving me a different take on her character.
Sera is interesting as she's the only elven companion who doesn't see herself as elven (Velanna, Merrill and Ariane were all Dalish, Fenris identified as a city elf if his banter with Merrill is to be believed and Zev may not see himself as Dalish or a city elf but he clearly identifies with elves and see them as his people). So she really isn't typical. I just wish her romance with a Dalish didn't end with 'me or your faith' and you could get her to accept some of who you are. It feels like Lavellan has to do everything to accommodate Sera and her views.
Yeah...
Like I said above, my boyfriend and I had vastly different reactions to Sera's character, since his first playthrough was as a Qunari (then Dwarf) while mine was a Dalish. On the one hand, it's great story-telling and characterization since Sera's strong views really do come across differently for protagonists of different races. If you aren't an elf, her dislike of elves isn't so in-your-face. If you are, her prejudice hits you full in the face every time since it's your face she's hitting and not the others'. On the other hand... it can make her not-so-endearing to elf and Dalish-lovers. (For example, for all her talk of disliking human nobles, she accepts a Trevelyan way more easily and quickly than a Dalish Inquisitor. I guess she really does hate her own kind that much.)
Solas may not agree with the Dalish but keeping the vallislin doesn't change his feelings towards his lover.
Agreed to that.
Removing the vallaslin is a very popular choice, and a lot of people comment how they love "magic hands" Solas.
While I can see the appeal, to me nothing compares to how he says, "You are perfect exactly as you are" and means it.
Especially poignant since Solas has made it very clear he doesn't like the Dalish at the best of times, can't stand slavery or bondage of any kind, and likely cringes every time he sees Dalish wearing their slave markings with pride. A Lavellan he falls in love with who potentially subscribes to the Dalish culture would also be hard to look at, since every time he looks at her face he's reminded of "what those cruel marks represent." Yet, if she chooses to keep it, he's not only able to "see past" the marks and what they represent, but fully and completely accept them as part of who she is. He accepts her for who she is, vallaslin and all. 
I just really wish that there was more elfy dialogue between Lavellan and Solas. If Lavellan had the option to jump into banters between the two of them and take one side over the other, that would be interesting.
That got rather rambly. Sorry.
Oh, not to worry. You're talking to the queen of rambling.
And I agree, they would have been so interesting to jump into the middle of. As it is, the only bit of Sera and Solas "elfy dialogue" we can jump in is the romance dialogue, when Sera says, "Come on! Drop 'em and rebuild the empire!" Eh, better than nothing.
For the rest, I guess that's what headcanon is for.
She's worth recruiting for the beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.
Her personal quest ended badly the first time I did it. I asked the guy too many questions and, well, Sera ended up getting kicked out of the Inquisition.
This is literally my only motivation for recruiting her now. I obviously HAVE to have these. And they're very good too. But after that, she can go bye bye. This is no place for children.
Seriously, right?? (Although I wouldn't say the Dalish's knowledge of ancient elves is "wrong" so much as "incomplete." They're still in the process of learning and discovering, so it makes sense they'll miss many pieces to the puzzle, or believe some pieces go here since there's not the accommodating pieces that show they go there. I'm personally impressed that they got as much right as they did.)
Still, I find Solas' flip-flopping rather irritating. He rebukes Lavellan's attempts to connect with him as a fellow elf and empathize with him over their people's lost past, yet tries to get Sera to connect as a fellow elf and appreciate "our people's" lost past. Meanwhile, Lavellan is standing there like, "Hey! How come I'm not good enough for this, but she is? Also, who's looking at who and seeing 'just a pair of pointed ears' now???"
This. So. Much. Here, have all my likes!!
I had to read a character analysis of Sera from a romance standpoint (a colleague linked me) to really understand her. As a Lavellan, we did not get on at all. She never opened up and I was left totally annoyed with her personality. I found her interesting as a character but impossible to befriend as the inquisitor I was roleplaying. I was very close to giving her the boot. My Lavellan had no patience for Sera's petty revenge games. She did end up playing pranks with her towards the end. I was surprised about that. But they never became friends.
Btw, here is the nice character study I read:
http://shouldbewriti...oes-out-to-sera
To me Sera is actually one of the most interesting characters. Definitely not your typical elf, but her sad fate is probably not an uncommon one for a shunned minority. Like others have said here, I too have the impression Solas is rather kind to Sera because he understands she never had a chance. To him, her ignorance is easier to deal with than the foolish arrogance of the Dalish. The Dalish wallow in their self-pity and it disgusts him. They do nothing to change things for the better. They simply isolate themselves and accept the slow death of their people. Sera may be as far removed as can be from what she was supposed to be, but she is a fellow rebel at least. She tries to do something about what she perceives wrong with society. Solas can appreciate that. They have an interesting dynamic.
I agree that she's a child in a woman's body. I don't know if I'd feel comfortable romancing her. It looks like she'll grow emotionally dependent on you AND forces you to repress part of yourself if you're a fellow elf. That's definitely not a healthy relationship. But I'd like to explore her character more. She's far more interesting and complex to me than, say, Blackwall.
To be perfectly fair, I don't really buy in to the idea that Solas, himself, is the one who made the mark permanent. I rather like the idea that it was the orb's choice and that Solas just kind of understood that. I accept it as canon, along with the thought that he said something like "well, at least it attached itself to this hot chick."
Edit: the theory that Solas did it himself just reminded me of the conversation about it being deliberate.
I figured that the ritual was building up the power around the orb for whatever Coryfish was trying to do a bit like static electricity and when the Inquisitor picked it up it grounded itself through them. It was that unintended discharge that caused the explosion and the breach rather than it being the intended result of Coryfish's ritual.
Which does rather make it all the Inquisitor's fault
My first PT was a Trevelyan and I couldn't stand Sera from the very first moment she opened her mouth. I guess I haven't enough patience to put up with her childish rudeness so I can see what's behind it. I also think her utter despise for elves is absurd. You can disagree with Dalish elves way of life, but despising your whole race because of it seems to me stupid extremism. I mean, I'm Spanish and I don't spend the whole time dancing flamenco and cooking tortilla de patatas; should that mean that I despise the whole Spanish people and be utterly disrespectful to those who like flamenco and won't touch international food? I don't think so.
I'm not going into the full "Dalish are/aren't douches" argument, but I still can't understand Solas stance towards them. They may be shadows of what they were, they may have forgotten so much. But he wilfully forgets that they are people with no land, trying not to die either from wilderness dangers or human attacks. I guess what the human nations response would be if the Dalish even tried to form a united league of clans. Try preserving an ancient culture amongst all of that. At least they are trying, Sera is just hating. And Solas condemns the whole Dalish people without taking into account that they are individuals and therefore with different views and opinions. Everyone here roleplayed their Lavellans with different degrees of identification with the Dalish, even the game allows you to reflect that in some dialogues.
I think Solas is projecting is self-hatred onto the Dalish, and he feels closer to Sera because they share that self-hatred.
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