153429 réponses à ce sujet

[Garnet]

Why, thank you! It's my little Nia and I love her! 

[midnight tea]

But just in case anyone wants a little ray of hope from me, remember that Solas is at least as much a negative thinker as Garrus from Mass Effect.  He doesn't think anything good is likely to happen.  Maybe it's because he thinks a Dalish can't possibly accept being with Fen'harel.  Or, maybe it's because Solas considers himself so far separate from modern elves that no matter how much he wants to be with Lavellan, it's not going to be possible in the end.

 

That part will probably remain an area of wild speculation (the whole 'what happens when immortal elf meets a mortal, in a world where it's widely believed that elves lost their immortality, by coming in contact with shemlen', etc.) though there's banter with Sera that suggests that they may not be as separate as some may think:
 

Solas: What color is the sky, Sera?

Sera: Hang on.

Solas: It is an earnest question. What color is the sky when you look at it?

Sera: You know, blue mostly. Except for the Breachy bits.

Solas: And when you looked past the Breach? As perhaps you were drawn to do?

Sera: Greenish? Then clear a long ways, and kind of...felt like falling.

Sera: Ugh! Makes my head hurt. You make my head hurt.

Solas: We are not so far apart, you and I.

Sera: We will be.

 

That kiiiiiiinda suggests that modern and ancient elves are still pretty much one and the same. In any case - I was always under impression that the division between them stems predominantly from mindset, as well as things modern elves might have forgotten. This is probably why Solas was so baffled that Inquisitor has shown 'wisdom he's not since since (very long)' and why he titles Lavellans 'lethallan/lethallin' when they're approved enough, or why he tells Sera - his opposite in many respects - that she's the farthest form what she was meant to be.

 

That still leaves the question how easily a mindset can be changed, after it's been set by surrounding culture, preconceptions, stereotypes, and whatnot, or how easy it is for elves to remember, or be taught things they've apparently forgotten about...

[Sabriel.]

I've been leaning toward Briala+Gaspard as my world-state lately. I simply don't trust the relationship between Briala and Celene to hold, not after everything that's happened to them. Briala and Gaspard seem to have a less messy relationship, and the elves of Orlais need more help than most. 

This is my canon and I thought it was really rewarding. The epilogue about it was epic.

 

_{And Briala and my Lavellan are free to rebound together}

[drosophila]

I'm the weird guy who idolizes the people who do the 'boring', grueling work rather than the 'glamorous' conquering and heroics. Bring on the clerks, accountants, secretaries, nurses, and chancellors!   By far my favorite character on The Tudors which I've started watching is Thomas Cromwell, for Melitele's sake. I feel like history sometimes pays too much attention to kings and battles rather than tax reforms and census takers.

 

Yes to this!

[NightSymphony]

Tiny art break

 

Into The Night

http://kaydreamer.de...Night-551256801

 

Palette Practise

http://kaydreamer.de...ctice-551257364

 

Behold the Mighty Egg

http://hammerandhem....Solas-551294635

[Colonelkillabee]

Oh I love your new tattoo!!  It's awesome. It's nice to see you.

 

 

We joke about the DLC drought often enough, but we've also had new and returning folks in those months. It's still fun enough to keep stopping by.

 

Love the tattoo.

Thank you both And I hope they hurry up with the dlc... it's almost been 9 months, I could have had a kid by now and all we got were some junk armor and qun swag, and a dlc filled with never ending npcs to fight and a handful of actual lore to go with the fifteen dollar dlc with an expansion price tag. And a separate avvar content dlc after that... which was already focused on avvar and should have come with it....

 

Grrr.

[Renmiri1]

anyone posted this here yet ?

 

NSFW

Spoiler

http://andauril.tumb...st/125872678785posting a commission by http://riku-noiro.deviantart.com/

[Brass_Buckles]

You're not the only one.

Karl Marx, for example, hated Earl Grey. After all, all proper tea is theft.

 

 

For the earlier Orlesian question, I have a love/hate relationship with the Orlesians. They're definitely entertaining, I just enjoy the occasional smackdown by Fereldans or Nevarrans.

My main problem with Gaspard isn't that he's a warmonger, because Josie can curtail that, it's that he's in his sixties. (If I remember correctly, he doesn't have any children either.) Another succession crisis seems likely. Maybe they'll be another Valmont with the right skill set that Gaspard can name heir. 

While expansionism was common for a reason, I think a certain Siggy Reuven explained how boring but awesome peacefully building a prosperous nation is to Geralt. 

I'm the weird guy who idolizes the people who do the 'boring', grueling work rather than the 'glamorous' conquering and heroics. Bring on the clerks, accountants, secretaries, nurses, and chancellors!   By far my favorite character on The Tudors which I've started watching is Thomas Cromwell, for Melitele's sake. I feel like history sometimes pays too much attention to kings and battles rather than tax reforms and census takers.

It seems to me that Orlais, with her warmongering, has managed to make lifelong enemies of Ferelden for their unprovoked invasion and abuses during the occupation, as well as earning the resentment of the Free Marches, the wariness of the Imperium, and the ongoing power struggles with Nevarra. They'd be well served by consolidating all of the gains they've made, and getting at least a few friends to back them up. Celene made a decent overture of turning Ferelden into an ally, but the marriage proposal probably wouldn't have gone unprotested by the banns.

I've been leaning toward Briala+Gaspard as my world-state lately. I simply don't trust the relationship between Briala and Celene to hold, not after everything that's happened to them. Briala and Gaspard seem to have a less messy relationship, and the elves of Orlais need more help than most. 

 

I doubt if Briala + Gaspard is all that stable either.  Briala really wants the power.  She's smart enough to use Gaspard, but Gaspard himself is a clever person and could weasel his way out from under her thumb.  Moreover, Gaspard hates elves, or at least he has no desire to treat them well.  Whether this is to exercise and maintain his power or because he hates them is unclear, but he's quick to blame the elves for every problem when you meet him in DA:I--even if he's saying these things to an elf (which is kind of foolish of him, but there's no accounting for that...).  He's also stated as being an expansionist and warmonger, true.

 

Briala's not a peaceful sort either, and I agree that she and Celene would not necessarily be a stable pairing to lead the country.  If possible, I'd prefer to make them all rule together and whoever ultimately won the upper hand would run the country.  I guess that's cold and uncaring of me, but I have demons and Corypheus to worry about.

 

If you're worried about peace and want a leader you can keep under your thumb, Celene is your go-to lady.  She will court favor with the Inquisition for as long as she rules.  The problem is she's clearly bad for the elves--so if you like elves, she or Gaspard are bad choices.

 

Really it's not an easy decision to make no matter what you do.

[Brass_Buckles]

 

That part will probably remain an area of wild speculation (the whole 'what happens when immortal elf meets a mortal, in a world where it's widely believed that elves lost their immortality, by coming in contact with shemlen', etc.) though there's banter with Sera that suggests that they may not be as separate as some may think:
 

Solas: What color is the sky, Sera?

Sera: Hang on.

Solas: It is an earnest question. What color is the sky when you look at it?

Sera: You know, blue mostly. Except for the Breachy bits.

Solas: And when you looked past the Breach? As perhaps you were drawn to do?

Sera: Greenish? Then clear a long ways, and kind of...felt like falling.

Sera: Ugh! Makes my head hurt. You make my head hurt.

Solas: We are not so far apart, you and I.

Sera: We will be.

 

That kiiiiiiinda suggests that modern and ancient elves are still pretty much one and the same. In any case - I was always under impression that the division between them stems predominantly from mindset, as well as things modern elves might have forgotten. This is probably why Solas was so baffled that Inquisitor has shown 'wisdom he's not since since (very long)' and why he titles Lavellans 'lethallan/lethallin' when they're approved enough, or why he tells Sera - his opposite in many respects - that she's the farthest form what she was meant to be.

 

That still leaves the question how easily a mindset can be changed, after it's been set by surrounding culture, preconceptions, stereotypes, and whatnot, or how easy it is for elves to remember, or be taught things they've apparently forgotten about...

 

 

I kind of like the idea that it's about being elven and that being elven is a mindset, but I can't really put myself behind that theory even though I like it.

 

Others have speculated that this is an elven thing Solas is trying to point out to Sera, too.  However, at some point Sera demands of Solas why he keeps asking her these things and not the Inquisitor.

 

And, Solas isn't the only one to keep questioning Sera.  Dorian and Vivienne do the same.

 

I tend to fall into the group of people who think Solas is trying to push Sera to realize, not her true elven nature, but that she is actually a mage.  Could be totally false, but since the other mages also tend to question her along certain lines, maybe they sense something about her that non-mages can't.  Who can say?

[drosophila]

 

That part will probably remain an area of wild speculation (the whole 'what happens when immortal elf meets a mortal, in a world where it's widely believed that elves lost their immortality, by coming in contact with shemlen', etc.) though there's banter with Sera that suggests that they may not be as separate as some may think:
 

Solas: What color is the sky, Sera?

Sera: Hang on.

Solas: It is an earnest question. What color is the sky when you look at it?

Sera: You know, blue mostly. Except for the Breachy bits.

Solas: And when you looked past the Breach? As perhaps you were drawn to do?

Sera: Greenish? Then clear a long ways, and kind of...felt like falling.

Sera: Ugh! Makes my head hurt. You make my head hurt.

Solas: We are not so far apart, you and I.

Sera: We will be.

 

That kiiiiiiinda suggests that modern and ancient elves are still pretty much one and the same. In any case - I was always under impression that the division between them stems predominantly from mindset, as well as things modern elves might have forgotten. This is probably why Solas was so baffled that Inquisitor has shown 'wisdom he's not since since (very long)' and why he titles Lavellans 'lethallan/lethallin' when they're approved enough, or why he tells Sera - his opposite in many respects - that she's the farthest form what she was meant to be.

 

That still leaves the question how easily a mindset can be changed, after it's been set by surrounding culture, preconceptions, stereotypes, and whatnot, or how easy it is for elves to remember, or be taught things they've apparently forgotten about...

 

 

I think ancient elves losing immortality by coming in contact with shemlen is a misunderstood piece of history. It was in the same codex that blamed Tevinter for the fall of Elvhenan.

 

At this point modern elves and the elvhen are two different nations that were once the same. I could bring real world examples, but since we could all come from all over the world here and it could be a sensitive topic, I'll abstain. It probably is mostly mindset, but I don't think either side would be willing to be assimilated by the other. Elvhen will not "fall to the level" of modern elves, and modern elves will not give up their culture. Just like Corypheus changed the Inquisiton by attacking it in Haven, centuries of oppression or alientation have changed the modern elves into what they are now. I think the solution is either let the two groups develop independently or bring them together, but to create an entirely new culture.

[midnight tea]

Others have speculated that this is an elven thing Solas is trying to point out to Sera, too.  However, at some point Sera demands of Solas why he keeps asking her these things and not the Inquisitor.

 

And, Solas isn't the only one to keep questioning Sera.  Dorian and Vivienne do the same.

 

That question is relatively easy to answer - because Sera openly denounces 'elfiness' and thinks there's nothing that really makes her (or other elves) different from humans. It's all a fancy dress for her.

Her case is interesting, because it clearly showcases that she has a special link to the Fade - like all elves have - despite being very much against that idea AND by being raised predominantly by humans and therefore not really knowing what 'elfy life' entails.

 

She freaks out at things like deja vu and tries to deny that this is an 'elfy' thing when Solas implies that this is indeed a thing experienced by elves (neither Solas or elf Inquisitor is shaking after experiencing it, because they're used to it and were raised in a culture that accepts those things as natural). She also freaks out at Cole when he says that her marksman abilities stem from her being Fade-sensitive. She really doesn't have to be a mage - the fact that she's an elf is enough for her to be 'speshul' in that regard.

 

 

I kind of like the idea that it's about being elven and that being elven is a mindset, but I can't really put myself behind that theory even though I like it.

 

Well, think about it that way - when Cole is made more 'spirity', Solas says that he's like that because 'he shed his self-imposed mortality'. So the idea that a lot of what a person is in Thedas is shaped at least in some part by someone's mind and beliefs is not a far-fetched one. In fact, I have a feeling that this will be something that will be brought and play an important part later, even if not necessarily in DAI, but later titles.

 

Then there's, of course, a writing in Temple Of Mythal left by Abelas (translated "Untranslatable Elven Writing"): 

"The ones born here do not understand the keenness of what we have lost, or why so many of their elders weep as they enter uthenera. The new ones are faithful to Mythal, but do not understand what she was in her fullness. Without the wise to lead them, they will lose what they should have been."

[Ulv Elskeren]

You're not the only one.

Karl Marx, for example, hated Earl Grey. After all, all proper tea is theft.

 

....

 

....that was terrible.     hee.

 

 

That kiiiiiiinda suggests that modern and ancient elves are still pretty much one and the same. In any case - I was always under impression that the division between them stems predominantly from mindset, as well as things modern elves might have forgotten. This is probably why Solas was so baffled that Inquisitor has shown 'wisdom he's not since since (very long)' and why he titles Lavellans 'lethallan/lethallin' when they're approved enough, or why he tells Sera - his opposite in many respects - that she's the farthest form what she was meant to be.

 

Following the theme of "the longer the DLC drought, the crazier the theory", I wonder whether the writers might be sneaking yet another layer of meaning into that comment.   Andruil may have originally occupied a position in the Pantheon almost like Old Testament-era Archangel Michael: a biddable weapon to be wielded against any and all who might oppose their dominion.  Instead of fighting for the downtrodden and oppressed, she would have essentially been the means of oppression- a literal Goddess of Sacrifice whenever Elgar'nan was displeased.  

 

Probably taking "you are the farthest from what you were meant to be" to an unreasonable extreme, but... *shrug*  

[midnight tea]

Karl Marx, for example, hated Earl Grey. After all, all proper tea is theft.

 

Well, we're all commies in Eastern Europe, so.....

[drosophila]

Well, we're all commies in Eastern Europe, so.....

 

You're Eastern European?

[midnight tea]

You're Eastern European?

 

Poland, to be exact

 

I suppose we could have a discussion whether this is Central or Eastern Europe, but since at some point Poland WAS part of USSR I generally hear these parts of Europe being called Eastern.

[drosophila]

Poland, to be exact

 

I suppose we could have a discussion whether this is Central or Eastern Europe, but since at some time Poland WAS part of USSR I generally hear these parts of Europe being called Eastern.

 

No, no discussion needed, you're welcome to the gang I hear it's beautiful. 

[midnight tea]

No, no discussion needed, you're welcome to the gang I hear it's beautiful. 

 

We may be lacking what some may call "dramatic vistas", but overall isn't too shabby-looking

 

Also, this - http://www.buzzfeed....and#.obB4QnqW4R

 

(haha )

 

I live in a very rural part Poland - good for health and decent mood, especially in case of sheltered introverts who like nature, though somewhat limited in terms of stuff and activities to pursue or things to discuss for an open-minded, artistic type... hence I spend a lot of time on the Web  Still, it's not a horrible place to live in and hopefully one that keeps getting better and better

[drosophila]

We may be lacking what some may call "dramatic vistas", but overall isn't too shabby-looking

 

Also, this - http://www.buzzfeed....and#.obB4QnqW4R

 

 

A friend who went to Poland forwarded me this before. She only saw Warsaw but she loved it.

 

 

I live in a very rural part Poland - good for health and decent mood, especially in case of sheltered introverts who like nature, though somewhat limited in terms of stuff and activities to pursue or things to discuss for an open-minded, artistic type... hence I spend a lot of time on the Web  Still, it's not a horrible place to live in and hopefully one that keeps getting better and better

 

I grew up in such a place, I miss it sometimes. I am "apart from what I am", lol.

 

Dude, how are you still awake?

[midnight tea]

A friend who went to Poland forwarded me this before. She only saw Warsaw but she loved it.

 

I have quite a few family members living there In fact, my grandma's sister went to live there right after WWII and - in her small way - helped in efforts to re-build it, as 85-90% of the city was entirely razed to the ground during the famed uprising (http://culture.pl/en...r-being-rebuilt)

 

Did you know that its entire Old Town has been re-built based heavily on Italian painter's paintings??? It was one of few things that survived. Yet it was done so well though that the Old Town is now on UNESCO's World Heritage list

 

 

 

I grew up in such a place, I miss it sometimes. I am "apart from what I am", lol.

 

I was  actually born in US, but my parents missed the country and after communism collapsed they've decided to return. I was 4 back then, so I consider myself to be pretty much raised entirely over here. It will always be a part of me

 

 

Dude, how are you still awake?

 

Delayed sleep phase disorder will do that to a human. It's not insomnia, but it means that I just can't fall asleep during "normal" sleepy hours for most humans, as I am pretty much most alert past midnight (hence the nickname!).

It's part of me as well, ever since I was little, and since I have a very flexible schedule I've 'let it loose' in past few years, haha (hence the reason I also tend to spend more time in US internet-sphere, rather than Polish one)

 

Well, that... and today I'm waiting for EA conference and figured I might as well not sleep tonight ;P

[Bayonet Hipshot]

You know, if Solas hates tea, what do you think he will feel about coffee ? Heh.

[drosophila]

I have quite a few family members living there In fact, my grandma's sister went to live there right after WWII and - in her small way - helped in efforts to re-build it, as 85-90% of the city was entirely razed to the ground during the famed uprising (http://culture.pl/en...r-being-rebuilt)

 

Did you know that its entire Old Town has been re-built based heavily on Italian painter's paintings??? It was one of few things that survived. Yet it was done so well though that the Old Town is now on UNESCO's World Heritage list

 

Thanks for the article! I didn't know this, and it's incredible, both the extent of destruction and how it was rebuilt. 

 

 

Delayed sleep phase disorder will do that to a human. It's not insomnia, but it means that I just can't fall asleep during "normal" sleepy hours for most humans, as I am pretty much most alert past midnight (hence the nickname!).

It's part of me as well, ever since I was little, and since I have a very flexible schedule I've 'let it loose' in past few years, haha (hence the reason I also tend to spend more time in US internet-sphere, rather than Polish one)

 

Sorry to hear that But I'm glad we get to talk real-time

 

 

Well, that... and today I'm waiting for EA conference and figured I might as well not sleep tonight ;P

 

Will probably sleep through it. European dwellers, you will let us know, right? Fingers crossed!

[Kaydreamer]

Delayed sleep phase disorder will do that to a human. It's not insomnia, but it means that I just can't fall asleep during "normal" sleepy hours for most humans, as I am pretty much most alert past midnight (hence the nickname!).

It's part of me as well, ever since I was little, and since I have a very flexible schedule I've 'let it loose' in past few years, haha (hence the reason I also tend to spend more time in US internet-sphere, rather than Polish one)

 

Well, that... and today I'm waiting for EA conference and figured I might as well not sleep tonight ;P

 

I usually maintain normal sleep cycle, but I do naturally drift toward nocturnal-ism when left to my own devices. Over the school holidays I find myself going to bed later and later, until eventually it's about 4am before I'm asleep.

 

Unfortunately, when the holidays end and I abruptly need to start dragging myself out of bed at 5am, it's like self-inflicted jet lag. And because I like getting home early in the afternoon so I have time for drawing and games, like an idiot I stuck my hand up to conduct all the before-school choirs and bands. I'm like the opposite of a morning person.

[drosophila]

I was typing something and forgot what it was, the fade is calling Hope I wake up to some news!

[midnight tea]

Thanks for the article! I didn't know this, and it's incredible, both the extent of destruction and how it was rebuilt. 

 

You're welcome! It's definitely one of those things that not that many people know about, but interesting historical fact to learn, no matter in what country it happened - not everyday people re-build entire cities

 

(also - you hear that, elfies? It can be done, yo  !)

 

 

Sorry to hear that But I'm glad we get to talk real-time

 

Will probably sleep through it. European dwellers, you will let us know, right? Fingers crossed!

 

Sure will

 

 

I usually maintain normal sleep cycle, but I do naturally drift toward nocturnal-ism when left to my own devices. Over the school holidays I find myself going to bed later and later, until eventually it's about 4am before I'm asleep.

 

Unfortunately, when the holidays end and I abruptly need to start dragging myself out of bed at 5am, it's like self-inflicted jet lag. And because I like getting home early in the afternoon so I have time for drawing and games, like an idiot I stuck my hand up to conduct all the before-school choirs and bands. I'm like the opposite of a morning person.

 

I'm only a morning person only in a sense that I fall sleep during mornings

 

When there were periods (like school) when I had to wake up early, I managed to do it, but still I paid a price for it by frequently being terribly sleepy and unable to focus during classes. I was pretty much a zombie back then!

My art school/art academy period was better, due to not-so-early class hours, but I still didn't manage to go to bed or fall asleep before 3-4 am, which is kind of a threshold for me, in terms of how early I can fall asleep while maintaining semi-tight schedule.

 

Now? Oh gawd, sometimes I have hard time falling asleep past 8-9 AM, even if I go to bed much earlier. Melatonin and relaxing cups of mint or other herbs with sedative properties do help, but only to an extent. I am very lucky now that I do have a flexible schedule, but if that changes, I'd have to think of something more drastic.

 

Good side of this? Well, aside from being able to chat with many fine people living across the ocean and not suffering from any daily distractions (meetings, phones, appointments, visits, etc), when I focus on either some creative endeavor or else, I've read of some studies (https://www.psycholo...t-morning-larks, http://www.medicalda...-success-244753, http://www.huffingto..._n_5877272.html) that had found a positive correlation between intelligence and being a night owl ;D (that's not to say that morning people are stupid! Just that there's a slight tendency in general populace).

[Cee]

 Delayed sleep phase disorder will do that to a human. It's not insomnia, but it means that I just can't fall asleep during "normal" sleepy hours for most humans, as I am pretty much most alert past midnight (hence the nickname!).

It's part of me as well, ever since I was little, and since I have a very flexible schedule I've 'let it loose' in past few years, haha (hence the reason I also tend to spend more time in US internet-sphere, rather than Polish one)

 

Well, that... and today I'm waiting for EA conference and figured I might as well not sleep tonight ;P

 

I'm on the east coast of the US and I am often around and awake until very very late in part due to working independently. I have sort of always been like this. I remember staying up all night as a child and sometimes sneaking out to see the sunrise or to step outside when the bakery would start preparing the morning goods. 4am or so, and it was the most delightful smell.

 

This bread at 4am and the being up nights actually wove its way into some of my really short Solavellan fics (I made a series called Awake, appropriately enough, made up of short scenes). I headcanon her as having some insomnia (which isn't my issue either) and she finds a small peace in the less-demanding pre-dawn.

 

I am having an Earl Grey blend at 1am, so I may just make the EA conference after all. I'd choose something without caffeine but I really want Earl Grey now. Power of suggestion.

 

 

You know, if Solas hates tea, what do you think he will feel about coffee ? Heh.

 

Coffee might just rival blood magic for how badly it affects your connection to the Fade.