153433 réponses à ce sujet

[thaali]

Soooo I stumbled on this song and it reminded me of Solavellan so much I just... I mean maybe I'm crazy but ugh

 

[thaali]

For me it's because it's another example of humans taking anything elfy and making it about them.  Human Herald of Andraste takes the Dread Wolf as her lover!

 

Well I wasn't specifically referring to just a Trevelyan also I am saying what I say based on the assumption that Solas falls for the woman because of who she is not the shape of her ears or what have you.  I couldn't see Solas falling for the kind of human that would agree that what was done to the elves by humans, what is still being done to them, was a good thing.  In fact it would likely need to be someone who was outspoken against such things including any form of slavery the same way he is.

 

But I can see your point.

[Bayonet Hipshot]

I cannot unsee this. Source - https://slayerofkill...y-relationships

 

 

This would explain how the Qunari in Trespasser became petrified with fear & Solas does not want Lavellan to see what he becomes.

[Uirebhiril]

Fanart and stories are just that, and people are welcome to them and can enjoy them if they want.

 

I only get annoyed when it turns into another round of, "It's just budget reasons! There's no reason Solas couldn't be bi/like humans/have hair!" Eh. That kind of dismisses the creative aspect of that character's creation and design and I always feel bad for the writers in that case. Sure, Solas could have been any number of things, and for sure time and budget had to play into it somewhere, as it does with every aspect of a game -- but still, let's try to respect what the character's creator was going for and not just dismiss who that character is because "well they coulda..."

 

Which isn't to say I don't understand people wishing to play a race or gender they prefer and get to romance Solas, but that's how it works sometimes. I played a guy for Dorian and have no regrets.  

[Ghost Gal]

For me it's because it's another example of humans taking anything elfy and making it about them.  Human Herald of Andraste takes the Dread Wolf as her lover!

 

I feel the same way, and it's why I don't trust myself to speak when I see Solas/Trevelyan art.

[NightSymphony]

Taking my dog to the vet, (for skin problems) wearing my Solas wolf jawbone necklace. I wonder if any of the vets or vet techs will know that it is.

[roselavellan]

For me it's because it's another example of humans taking anything elfy and making it about them.  Human Herald of Andraste takes the Dread Wolf as her lover!

 

I can empathise with this. Lavellan was my first elf in the DA world and after experiencing Thedas from her point of view, I'd agree that Thedas seems unfairly human-centric atm.

 

Actually my first character was a Trevelyan - who fell in love with Solas. And I spent an embarrassing amount of time wondering why Solas couldn't romance a human, and the only thing I could think of was perhaps having spent thousands of years with only elves as lovers, he's just not used to seeing a human as a potential love interest? And anyway, at the end of the day, one can't really rationalise physical/sexual attraction.

 

Personally I see a Solas/Trevelyan pairing the same way as I see a female/Dorian pairing; that it wasn't what Bioware had intended, so I wouldn't do it, but I'm not bothered by what others do with their own games. (In DA, that is. Skyrim had some awful mods).

[thaali]

Fanart and stories are just that, and people are welcome to them and can enjoy them if they want.

 

I only get annoyed when it turns into another round of, "It's just budget reasons! There's no reason Solas couldn't be bi/like humans/have hair!" Eh. That kind of dismisses the creative aspect of that character's creation and design and I always feel bad for the writers in that case. Sure, Solas could have been any number of things, and for sure time and budget had to play into it somewhere, as it does with every aspect of a game -- but still, let's try to respect what the character's creator was going for and not just dismiss who that character is because "well they coulda..."

 

Which isn't to say I don't understand people wishing to play a race or gender they prefer and get to romance Solas, but that's how it works sometimes. I played a guy for Dorian and have no regrets.

 

That is my point though.  Do a character sheet of what we know of Solas.  Feels the same about all races.  Sees them all as shells.  Perhaps even dislikes Dalish even more than the others because of how skewed they've gotten history while insisting they are correct.  So it is out of character to me, and I mean out of character from how he is actually written in the game, that he would only have a relationship with a Lavellan. 

 

In game he is definitely not bi at all and there is nothing about that which clashes with how he is portrayed and as far as hair to me hair would clash with how he portrayed, especially dreads.  Sorry dread lovers, I could maybe see it on past Solas but not the current one.  What bothers me is the romance thing does clash in my mind with what we know of him and how he thinks.

 

I'm happy they did make him romanceable and like I said I always play elves but honestly, character wise, it almost would have made more sense to make him not romanceable at all than to just have him romanceable by a Lavellan.

 

Actually my first character was a Trevelyan - who fell in love with Solas. And I spent an embarrassing amount of time wondering why Solas couldn't romance a human, and the only thing I could think of was perhaps having spent thousands of years with only elves as lovers, he's just not used to seeing a human as a potential love interest? And anyway, at the end of the day, one can't really rationalise physical/sexual attraction.

 

Ok this is the first statement I've read that could actually make the whole "loves only a Lavellan" make some kind of sense.  Though the modern elves supposedly look different from the Evanuris right?  Or is that headcanon?  I suppose either way a Lavellan would look much more like those he is used to having a romance with than the others.

 

Awesome thinking there, kudos to you.

[midnight tea]

Him being like Ghilan'nain is possible. I guess I just think it's weird that legends of Ghilan'nain's uplifting survive, but legends of Fen'Harel's don't. And it begs the question of what Solas did to get such attention. I doubt being a particularly loyal lieutenant would really cut it - maybe he killed the first Titan, or discovered/invented the Orb (Which is probably that "demense" talked about in that codex entry.) 

 

Well...

 

Spoiler

 

Then there's this, which... I don't know what that really is, but it must've happened BEFORE the Veil dropped, since we find it in Vir Dirthara. And I don't think Solas painted it post-Veil, since he was slumbering, exhausted.

 

Spoiler

[Uirebhiril]

That is my point though.  Do a character sheet of what we know of Solas.  Feels the same about all races.  Sees them all as shells.  Perhaps even dislikes Dalish even more than the others because of how skewed they've gotten history while insisting they are correct.  So it is out of character to me, and I mean out of character from how he is actually written in the game, that he would only have a relationship with a Lavellan. 

 

As someone else stated, people will like what they like. I'm trying to avoid anything that will get people harping about how horrible it is that Solas is only attracted to elves, but if that's what he finds beautiful it doesn't matter how nice or kind a Trevelyan or Adaar happens to be. He's just not going to be into it. I mean, I have lots of friends I love and care for because of who they are, but would not, under any circumstances, want to bed them or be otherwise romantically involved. And we are all of the human race! It makes all sorts of thematic sense for Solas to be restricted to elves. Whether it was budget or time or just because Weekes could not see an ancient elven god falling for a random human, it's still kind of crude to say there's no reason at all he can't fall in love with anyone.

[Qun00]

Considering that the Inquisition is a deeply political organization, does it seem like a good idea to have its leader be someone who still is learning about human society?

Josephine does help, but still.

[Ghost Gal]

As someone else stated, people will like what they like. I'm trying to avoid anything that will get people harping about how horrible it is that Solas is only attracted to elves, but if that's what he finds beautiful it doesn't matter how nice or kind a Trevelyan or Adaar happens to be. He's just not going to be into it. I mean, I have lots of friends I love and care for because of who they are, but would not, under any circumstances, want to bed them or be otherwise romantically involved. And we are all of the human race! It makes all sorts of thematic sense for Solas to be restricted to elves. Whether it was budget or time or just because Weekes could not see an ancient elven god falling for a random human, it's still kind of crude to say there's no reason at all he can't fall in love with anyone.

 

I agree. I've been trying to figure out how to say the same thing as nicely as you have for a while, so I'll settle on saying I agree.

[midnight tea]

That is my point though.  Do a character sheet of what we know of Solas.  Feels the same about all races.  Sees them all as shells.  Perhaps even dislikes Dalish even more than the others because of how skewed they've gotten history while insisting they are correct.  So it is out of character to me, and I mean out of character from how he is actually written in the game, that he would only have a relationship with a Lavellan. 

 

Headcanon romances with Trevelyans or else aside, I sort of look at it in a different way - his appreciation of Inquisitors of all races strengthens his romance with Lavellan.

 

I mean, aside from the fact that he can truly appreciate all the things in other Inkys that he does in Lavellan (we get very little approval from romance/flirt options themselves, most of it stems from actions every other Inky can make too), it also means that his evaluation of her and his feelings are genuine; it's not just him looking at her through rose-tinted glasses, or putting her on pedestal, or justifying him being with her and mistaking his baser desires for friendship and love.

[midnight tea]

 

Considering that the Inquisition is a deeply political organization, does it seem like a good idea to have its leader be someone who still is learning about human society?

 

It's not like Heralds become leaders of Inquisition the moment they wake after explosion. The fact that people began spinning legends about them shortly after they survived the Conclave and them being the only ones who can close rifts aside, they have to prove themselves in eyes of people and advisers by gathering power and influence for Inquisition, securing the alliance able to close the Breach and surviving Haven after rescuing its people.

 

After that, during the Skyhold cutscene, you can actually ask Cassandra whether them being leaders is a good idea, since they're mages/elves/dwarves/Qunari, and she'll respond to you that them overcoming the hardships that come with their 'unfavorable' race or magical talents is only a bigger sign for followers that they were truly chosen.

 

Of course, it's not like all people buy it. There's a reason why non-humans and mages start with lower court approval in Winter Palace and have to deal with more rumors and dismissive comments.

[roselavellan]

Awesome thinking there, kudos to you.

 

Thanks, glad it made sense to someone

 

As someone else stated, people will like what they like. I'm trying to avoid anything that will get people harping about how horrible it is that Solas is only attracted to elves, but if that's what he finds beautiful it doesn't matter how nice or kind a Trevelyan or Adaar happens to be. He's just not going to be into it. I mean, I have lots of friends I love and care for because of who they are, but would not, under any circumstances, want to bed them or be otherwise romantically involved. And we are all of the human race! It makes all sorts of thematic sense for Solas to be restricted to elves. Whether it was budget or time or just because Weekes could not see an ancient elven god falling for a random human, it's still kind of crude to say there's no reason at all he can't fall in love with anyone.

 

Yes, that's probably what it comes down to. I was originally going to bring up Cullen being only attracted to humans and elves, but then I remembered that came with its own controversies as well.

[CapricornSun]

Art break. 

 

Gorgeous traditional artwork of Solas.

Spoiler

Source: http://aiwa-sensei.t...ent-im-doodling

 

 

'Bad Puppy'.

Spoiler

Source: http://aiwa-sensei.t...24230/bad-puppy

 

 

Solas sketch by thaali.

Spoiler

Source: http://solaslover.tu...art-of-a-bigger

 

 

Lovely papercraft of the Solas, Cassandra, and Dorian tarot cards.

Spoiler

Source: http://just-hjarta.t...-cards-in-paper

 

[Cee]

Considering that the Inquisition is a deeply political organization, does it seem like a good idea to have its leader be someone who still is learning about human society?

Josephine does help, but still.

 

It helps that Lavellan, as a clan, has had ties with and relations with humans. I don't see Lavellans as novices, though some might be in a better position than others. Firsts, but also Keepers, and people like merchants. I headcanon Nirwen's father as a merchant, and figure she grew to have much experience with humans in specific circumstances having traveled with him sometimes. And this, to me, was a major part of her preparation when it came time to choose someone for the Conclave task.

[random_michan]

Art break. 

 

Gorgeous traditional artwork of Solas.

Spoiler

Source: http://aiwa-sensei.t...ent-im-doodling

 

 

'Bad Puppy'.

Spoiler

Source: http://aiwa-sensei.t...24230/bad-puppy

 

 

Solas sketch by thaali.

Spoiler

Source: http://solaslover.tu...art-of-a-bigger

 

 

Lovely papercraft of the Solas, Cassandra, and Dorian tarot cards.

Spoiler

Source: http://just-hjarta.t...-cards-in-paper

 

 

 

The colored trad art is gorgeous, and the papercraft tarot cards are . (I want 'em all!)

[thaali]

As someone else stated, people will like what they like. I'm trying to avoid anything that will get people harping about how horrible it is that Solas is only attracted to elves, but if that's what he finds beautiful it doesn't matter how nice or kind a Trevelyan or Adaar happens to be. He's just not going to be into it. I mean, I have lots of friends I love and care for because of who they are, but would not, under any circumstances, want to bed them or be otherwise romantically involved. And we are all of the human race! It makes all sorts of thematic sense for Solas to be restricted to elves. Whether it was budget or time or just because Weekes could not see an ancient elven god falling for a random human, it's still kind of crude to say there's no reason at all he can't fall in love with anyone.

I'm sorry that came off as crude. My biggest issue with the whole thing has always been how staunchly some people are against the any non-Lavellan Solas romance when, to me, it does not seem that unlikely given how I see his character in game. You will note I did concede the point made a couple posts back that it could be he just prefers elves, as you said also here, because of looks or because that is what he had always known.

I'd also like to not that budget, time, and lore were all things I said could be reasons behind it in a previous post I put and I condemned none of them. They are all valid.. What I am basing this off of is if we look solely at what we know of his character, what we are shown and don't look at budget, time, or later lore things that would require a Lavellan.

[Ellawynn]

 

Well...

 

Spoiler

 

Then there's this, which... I don't know what that really is, but it must've happened BEFORE the Veil dropped, since we find it in Vir Dirthara. And I don't think Solas painted it post-Veil, since he was slumbering, exhausted.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Yeah, that's what I was thinking of when I made the post. I guess it's not really confirmation of anything - showing him killing a Titan doesn't mean he was the first to do it, or that it got him godhood.

 

The second picture's weirder... although, I can't help but notice that little sunburst in the middle looks a lot like the Chantry's. (Also that little shadow on the left side of the big semi-circle looks like a little man going "Oooooooh, no he didn't.")

 

As someone else stated, people will like what they like. I'm trying to avoid anything that will get people harping about how horrible it is that Solas is only attracted to elves, but if that's what he finds beautiful it doesn't matter how nice or kind a Trevelyan or Adaar happens to be. He's just not going to be into it. I mean, I have lots of friends I love and care for because of who they are, but would not, under any circumstances, want to bed them or be otherwise romantically involved. And we are all of the human race! It makes all sorts of thematic sense for Solas to be restricted to elves. Whether it was budget or time or just because Weekes could not see an ancient elven god falling for a random human, it's still kind of crude to say there's no reason at all he can't fall in love with anyone.

 

Solas does say to a Lavellan-romanced Sera "It's natural that you'd be drawn to another elf." Make of that what you will.

 

Alternatively, maybe he just says that because of whatever's going on with Sera, and not because they're both elves.

[Sifr]

So having gone through Trespasser again recently, one thing still kinda confuses me.

Now, possibly, Solas didn't want to go through his long and elaborate backstory, but it didn't seem implied that he was once one of the Evanuris. Rather, that he was (assuming Cole's dialogue was referring to Solas) a servant of Mythal who removed his vallaslin and rose up in rebellion. Maybe he was one of Mythal's highest ranking servants and went rogue, while she provided support. Maybe he was just a regular elf that liked to travel. But his beef with the Evanuris seems more personal than overthrowing the local feudal overlords.

So what's with Fen'harel iconography being everywhere? If one of Mythal's former top guys, that would make sense as an extension of her authority. Dirthamen would acknowledge Mythal's authority over him without the embarrassment of another god's image in his temple. But if not, then the wolf statues everywhere is kinda odd. What does everyone think Solas's relation to the rest of the Evanuris was?

 

The thing we need to remember is that the Ancient Elves were immortal, so the span of time that including Solas going from a nobody to a general, joining the ranks of the Evanuris and finally rebelling in the guise of the Dread Wolf, could have taken centuries, millennia or even aeons to occur.

 

I suspect that Solas' humble nature in the present, comes from having a lot of time to recognise that he once as a much more arrogant and selfish man, something he even alludes to at several points in banter and in dialogue. The reason for his iconography in many Elven structures could be because for a very long time, he embraced the role as a member of the Evanuris and felt that becoming a God-Emperor was sufficient reward for all he'd done to end the terrible war he alludes to.

 

Obviously something changed. What we don't know or if Mythal had anything to do with it, but it could have just been having had centuries to come to realise how shallow being treated like a God was, how much the common people suffered under the yoke of his kinsmen and that any nobility the Evanuris might have once possessed had been lost in their zeal and lust for more power.

 

This could be why he warns so much about the inherent corruption of organisations and institutions that last too long without change, having had witnessed it happen to his own friends and comrades after they let their own self-gratification after winning a war go to their heads.

 

I don't think Solas began as a rebel and that his loathing of the Evanuris (save Mythal) was always there. It seems more to me like he'd underwent some self-realisation over time that he didn't like the people his former friends and himself had become and feels shame and disappointment that they'd let power corrupt their once good intentions as much as it had.

 

His close bond with Mythal might be because they both realised they shared doubts over what they'd let themselves become and felt that things needed to change. Perhaps they conspired so that Solas would be the rebel, outcast and abolitionist, while Mythal would be his spy on the inside, feeding him information... and perhaps the discovery of the latter is part of what prompted them to eventually murder her?

 

Overall, I think Solas probably was once no better than the Evanuris, but something changed that led him to take up arms against them, as much to free the people that suffered under their heel as a means to atone for his own misdeeds as one of them.

[DiannaK]

 

Well...

 

Spoiler

 

Then there's this, which... I don't know what that really is, but it must've happened BEFORE the Veil dropped, since we find it in Vir Dirthara. And I don't think Solas painted it post-Veil, since he was slumbering, exhausted.

 

Spoiler

 

I don't know about the first picture but it looks to me that the second represents the accession of solas from spiritual (left) to corporeal (right) form and if you obsserve the circles the spiritual is yellow and we know powerfull spirits in the fade (spirit of faith) glow yellow and the corporeal is blue which is the color of solas eyes every time he unleashes his magic (mythal to)

[TheyCallMeBunny]

You take a mini-break from the thread for a couple of days and of course you guys start several interesting topics! 

 

First of all, welcome to all the new posters!    

 

On a side note, I haven't been as active her as I was before Christmas because I managed to contract several infections, which the past two months have given me quite a bit of pain and a lot of discomfort. It took the doctors a couple of weeks to figure out why I was feeling so bad, but now I seem to be finally on the mend! Fingers crossed everybody! 

 

Now, as for the whole "Could Solas ever have fallen in love with someone other than a Lavellan?" I think my answer is - mostly yes. Obviously Solas is the kind of person that seem to value the inside, the "spirit", more than any outside qualities. For this reason I think he might have fallen in love with a human/dwarf/qunari. At the same time, I do think there may be more lore-related reasons for why this is not so. Either way, people can head-canon what they want as far as I'm concerned. 

 

I do find it interesting that although all the Evanuris (except Solas and Mythal) seem to be bound/hidden/chained/whatever somewhere, we have barely heard anything that would indicate what Sylaise or June might have done to deserve their punishment. Fallon Din was obviously bloodthristy, Andruil had a spat with Mythal, Elgar'nan seemed ready to blow at the slightest provocation, Dirthamen was shady had one of his followers corrupted, Ghilhan'nain appears a bit deranged... but what of Sylaise and June? Why so much silence regarding them? It makes me think that they are probably the masterminds behind Mythal's murder. 

 

Now, there has been a serious lack of bunnies the last pages!

 

 

Edit* Of course I get top page! It's times like these that I wish I had Sunnie's talent for finding beautiful pics! So have Solas without shrapnel in his face! 

 

 

https://www.tumblr.c...t gives bioware

[Caddius]

 

Excellent points as usual, Sifr.

 

The Codex entry in Vir Dirthara, the one that's a warning from the Evanuris, strikes me as interesting. I couldn't find it in a quick search because my Google-fu is weak, but it warns of a man appearing among them, dressed humbly, but knowing a hell of a lot more than he should. Solas's knowledge could be attributed to being a Dreamer, but so were the Evanuris. Solas's intimate knowledge of the Evanuris and their practices is probably the only way he could evade them as he did. 

 

I'm a subscriber to the theory that elves and spirits were, to an extent, interchangeable, and that the first elves were simply spirits who became else, in a smoother version of the transition we see Cole make. I also think that Cole's dialogue about someone being called forth and burning it off his face is Solas, a spirit of Pride/Wisdom, being summoned into Arlathan to work for Mythal, and eventually burning off his vallaslin and taking up the rebellion's cause. *shrug* But a lot of this is just theorizing off of too little information.

 

Anyone who has an appreciation for the visual arts want to do an analysis of the murals Midnight posted?  I have zero talent for visual analysis.

 

Another question, where are the elven ruins in Trespasser located? They're in mountains, they have fields of strip-weed, and I think the forests are deciduous. The Hunterhorn Mountains are, outside of the arm between the Anderfels and Orlais, relatively uncharted, the Frostbacks is possible because his base was at Skyhold,  and the mountains near Arlathan is a (less likely) possibility. 

[Elessara]

Excellent points as usual, Sifr.

 

The Codex entry in Vir Dirthara, the one that's a warning from the Evanuris, strikes me as interesting. I couldn't find it in a quick search because my Google-fu is weak, but it warns of a man appearing among them, dressed humbly, but knowing a hell of a lot more than he should. Solas's knowledge could be attributed to being a Dreamer, but so were the Evanuris. Solas's intimate knowledge of the Evanuris and their practices is probably the only way he could evade them as he did. 

 

I'm a subscriber to the theory that elves and spirits were, to an extent, interchangeable, and that the first elves were simply spirits who became else, in a smoother version of the transition we see Cole make. I also think that Cole's dialogue about someone being called forth and burning it off his face is Solas, a spirit of Pride/Wisdom, being summoned into Arlathan to work for Mythal, and eventually burning off his vallaslin and taking up the rebellion's cause. *shrug* But a lot of this is just theorizing off of too little information.

 

Anyone who has an appreciation for the visual arts want to do an analysis of the murals Midnight posted?  I have zero talent for visual analysis.

 

Another question, where are the elven ruins in Trespasser located? They're in mountains, they have fields of strip-weed, and I think the forests are deciduous. The Hunterhorn Mountains are, outside of the arm between the Anderfels and Orlais, relatively uncharted, the Frostbacks is possible because his base was at Skyhold,  and the mountains near Arlathan is a (less likely) possibility. 

 

Honestly I think those ruins could be *anywhere*.  They don't even necessarily have to be within the bounds of the map of Thedas that we have.  We don't know what (if anything) are across the mountains to the west or the seas to the east and north - although I think there was a codex entry regarding what's south of the Korcari Wilds and iirc it was fields of ice and snow.  It seems entirely likely that the elven empire encompassed the entire world and not the small part we've been exposed to.

 

Edit to add:  And I think Cole says that the eluvians can even go to places that aren't anymore.