153429 réponses à ce sujet

[Gervaise]

I've tended to think that Solas does have a dual personality as personified in the native American folktale of the battle of the two wolves.    One embodies all the virtues, the other all the vices, of human nature.   When asked which of the two wolves ultimately wins, the reply is: "The one you feed".     So there is a constant war going on in Solas' head between the better side of his nature, as encouraged by his friendship and/or romance with Lavellan, and the cold, ruthless Dread Wolf, who emerges every time he contemplates the state of the world now compared with what it was before.    This is why the romance card shows Solas with a tame white wolf at his side, whereas the alternative has the huge black wolf overshadowing the small insignificant figure of Solas.    It is a pity there couldn't have been an equivalent positive card for a friend, compared with the Dread Wolf for a someone who did not have his respect, as that would have confirmed the dualistic nature of Solas but it would seem that only a romanced Lavellan really has that degree of influence over him since that is the only one whose dreams he haunts with an appearance of regret and who can really hold out any hope of changing the Dread Wolf's heart.

[Ellawynn]

I've tended to think that Solas does have a dual personality as personified in the native American folktale of the battle of the two wolves.    One embodies all the virtues, the other all the vices, of human nature.   When asked which of the two wolves ultimately wins, the reply is: "The one you feed".     So there is a constant war going on in Solas' head between the better side of his nature, as encouraged by his friendship and/or romance with Lavellan, and the cold, ruthless Dread Wolf, who emerges every time he contemplates the state of the world now compared with what it was before.    This is why the romance card shows Solas with a tame white wolf at his side, whereas the alternative has the huge black wolf overshadowing the small insignificant figure of Solas.    It is a pity there couldn't have been an equivalent positive card for a friend, compared with the Dread Wolf for a someone who did not have his respect, as that would have confirmed the dualistic nature of Solas but it would seem that only a romanced Lavellan really has that degree of influence over him since that is the only one whose dreams he haunts with an appearance of regret and who can really hold out any hope of changing the Dread Wolf's heart.

 

I mean, he's a conflicted character, yeah. But I hardly think he has multiple personalities.

[Sah291]

Yeah, I agree, this is in line with how Solas describes spirits, and consistent with the Dalish lore.

The idea of a demon that is just inherently and completely evil (or good) is a foreign concept to the elves it seems...and would be more of an Andrastian type idea I think? Or at least a modern idea.

This was Morrigan's mistake in thinking the statues of Fen'Harel in Mythal's temple were there to serve as a reminder of betrayal. She was clearly drawing a parallel there to Maferath and Andraste. But from the perspective that the spirits/gods had both creative and destructive aspects, it's more obvious his statue is there as a guardian.

[Gervaise]

I thought Morrigan was just showing off her knowledge of elven lore in pointing out that to put Fen'Harel, who is believed by the Dalish to have betrayed all the Creators, including Mythal, at the entrance to her inner sanctum would seem sacrilege.   She doesn't think it is there to remind of the betrayal but just that it shouldn't be there at all. However, the Dalish tend to put a statue of Fen'Harel facing outwards from their camp to ward off evil spirits, so from that point of view she should have recognised that he was there as a guardian, which is how I saw it without any other knowledge.   Naturally my Lavellan was not allowed to say as much to Morrigan.

 

Then of course Solas got shirty with her and we read the codex where scholars say that may be his name indicated a rebel more than a trickster, which is a bit daft because Dread Wolf clearly indicates something more frightening, as Solas confirms when he says that Evanuris gave him the name as an insult and warning but he encouraged his followers to adopt it as it gave them inspiration.    He was a rebel but that had nothing to do with the meaning of his name.  The whole exchange was really manufactured to contrast what the Dalish believe with what is hinted may actually be the truth, plus of course to allow you to give more credit to Abelas' assertion that Fen'Harel was not responsible for the murder of Mythal.

[Sah291]

Really Morrigan of all people should have known better I think, but yeah I guess she was sort of supposed to be the voice of the audience there, to (as you say) contrast the lore with the history, and how these aren't always the same thing. Even still, though, she was kinda putting a human spin on the lore.

[CapricornSun]

Art post.

 

Beautiful Solavellan tarot card by key-of-zee. 

Spoiler

Source: http://emmg.tumblr.c...sioned-from-the

 

Anatomy practice that turned into Solas.

Spoiler

Source: http://artandnotsoar...rned-into-solas

[Addictress]

Anyone know where this screenshot comes from? It takes my breath away.

 

Spoiler

[TheyCallMeBunny]

Anyone know where this screenshot comes from? It takes my breath away.

 

Spoiler

 

It looks like a modified version of this one, but that is all I know:

 

[ladyiolanthe]

^ I like Solas' storm grey eyes, but I notice that a lot of artists seem to like giving him paler blue eyes.

 

I do wonder if he was purposefully given storm grey eyes as an allusion to pride demons, who seem to favour lightning as their element.

[CapricornSun]

Art post again.

 

Strong, tol, and muscular warrior!Lavellan carries her vhenan. 

Spoiler

Source: http://pixellion-ima...tags-of-my-last

 

Harry Potter AU: Lavellan is a free elf.

Spoiler

Source: http://suketchilt.tu...may-have-stolen

 

A lovely Solavellan WIP.

Spoiler

Source: http://anafigreen.tu...-and-solavellan

 

A WIP comic of male Lavellan meeting Fen'Harel during Trespasser.

Spoiler

Source: http://taerellavella...ed-in-this-post

 

Solas being an egg dad to female Lavellan (not romanced). Inspired by this post.

Spoiler

Source: http://artisticallya...wngdseraph-insp

 

Friend!Lavellan chooses to redeem Solas and will have some friend talk time with him. 

Spoiler

Source: http://triaelf9.tumb...-inquisitor-saw

 

A lovely portrait of smiling Solas.

Spoiler

 

Close up:

 

Source: http://artisticallya...-and-right-then

[Gervaise]

I've just been watching a You Tube video of the encounter with Abelas if the Inquisitor is not elven, since I've only ever got this far in the game with elves, so I've always missed his identifying of Solas as "one of our own".     With my elves the focus is on him saying that they are one of those who calls themselves Elvhen but are merely shadows wearing vallaslin.   "You are not my People".

 

The contrast with the references to Solas are really stark.   Solas is "one of our own".   Solas speaks of "by virtue of our shared blood".   Then at the Well Abelas says. "Elvhen such as you."    I'd always picked up on the last one in contrast with what is said to my Lavellan at the beginning but thought the blood thing could have referred to the fact that all elves have some sort of magical signature in their blood.   Now I'm not so sure.  

 

I almost wish they had made it obligatory to have Solas in the party because it better explains why Abelas suddenly seemed happy to just up and leave.   Even if he doesn't recognise Solas as the Dread Wolf, he does seem to recognise the significance of "one of our own" appearing in Mythal's Temple after so long.    However, if he acknowledges Solas as one of the ancient elves, then surely he would also have noticed that Solas had no vallaslin.   Only one group of ancient elves had no vallaslin; the followers of Fen'Harel.    Is this what Abelas was waiting for?    Solas says that Abelas clings to what remains of the past because he lacks the power to restore it.   It is quite possible that all the ancient elves knew the only person who did was Fen'Harel because only he had the key to the prison that had both trapped the Evanuris in the Beyond and the elves in Thedas.    So until Fen'Harel returned they just had to endure.

 

This seems borne out by the exchange between Felassan and Imshael in Masked Empire.   In order to get Imshael to back off and leave them in peace, Felassan wiggles his vallaslin.   This clearly means something to Imshael at the time because he takes the hint.   We know Fen'Harel's followers would normally not have vallaslin, so something about them must be off and Imshael knows it.   Imshael asks if that is a promise and Felassan replies he was going more for a threat but Imshael clearly likes the idea that "Slow Arrow" has presented.     What would appeal to Imshael more than the knowledge that after millennia of absence the Dread Wolf is about to return?    He probably also thought it would result in the removal of the Veil because as Solas admits, that was his original plan.   Imshael probably only got involved with the Red Templars as an interim bit of fun and was likely highly disappointed when it didn't come off.

 

Some people have been suggesting that the Tirashan elves, who appear to worship the Forgotten Ones, would willingly join with Solas.   Dalish legends claim he tricked their gods too, so unless the Dalish got that wrong, would they really join him and if they did, would he really trust them? 

[Elessara]

  Only one group of ancient elves had no vallaslin; the followers of Fen'Harel. 

 

Cut everything but the part I'm replying to ...

 

I was under the impression that *slaves* had vallaslin.  Nobles (and other possible non-slaves) did not.  I believe Solas says in the Crestwood scene (and we have no reason to disbelieve him) that the nobles would mark their slaves with the symbols of the gods they followed.  Unless he was simply speaking in a metaphorical way and when he said "nobles" he meant "Evanuris".  Or I'm remembering what he said incorrectly.  Too lazy atm to go look it up.  =p

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

Cut everything but the part I'm replying to ...

 

I was under the impression that *slaves* had vallaslin.  Nobles (and other possible non-slaves) did not.  I believe Solas says in the Crestwood scene (and we have no reason to disbelieve him) that the nobles would mark their slaves with the symbols of the gods they followed.  Unless he was simply speaking in a metaphorical way and when he said "nobles" he meant "Evanuris".  Or I'm remembering what he said incorrectly.  Too lazy atm to go look it up.  =p

No, you're right. Its slaves that had vallaslin. Now, exactly how many ancient elves weren't slaves, we dunno. But he does say "A noble would mark his slaves to honor the god he worshiped."

 

I assumed Felasan "wiggling" his vallaslin was just a hint it was fake, which is something that would ID him as a follower of Fen'Harel cus his group *is* the only group of ancients who'd walk around with fake vallaslin on. Not having vallaslin at all was not an identifier of Solas' people on its own, though.

[Gervaise]

I'm not entirely sure about it being only slaves.   Abelas is not a slave but a servant of Mythal, part of her priesthood and he has vallaslin.    Why would it so upset him for Lavellan to have vallaslin as slave markings, if they could also simply be the mark of a faithful servant, particularly if she was displaying the vallaslin of Mythal.   Surely not all the elves who fled to Fen'Harel's sanctuary were slaves.   Yet the picture shows him removing their vallaslin.    I'm pretty sure it is a sign of allegiance to one of the Evanuris; he regards all who follow them to be no better than slaves and thus he doesn't want anyone who is free to be marked in that way.    I suppose it is possible the nobility did not have vallaslin but I just had the feeling that everyone was marked with their god to show their allegiance. 

 

Still if it were the nobles who did not have vallaslin, then at the very least Abelas would have recognised Solas as a noble from their time. 

 

Also has anyone tried actually translating what he says to Abelas in elven rather than what he claims he said.    Solas says he hoped he finds a new name but from what I can cobble together:  Melas = time; Amelin = keeper/guardian; ne = your; halam = end.   So what Solas is really saying is: "Your time as guardian of this place is at an end." 

 

Openly he says "There are other places, friend, other duties, your people yet linger."  Which is when Abelas says: "Elvhen such as you", to which Solas replies "Yes, such as I".     Followed by "There is a place for you, lethanlin, if you seek it."    I wonder if the elvish phrase is a specific ancient one, even perhaps such as Mythal might have used.   At the very least I assume it convinces Abelas that Solas is speaking the truth and his People do still endure.

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

I'm not entirely sure about it being only slaves.   Abelas is not a slave but a servant of Mythal, part of her priesthood and he has vallaslin.    Why would it so upset him for Lavellan to have vallaslin as slave markings, if they could also simply be the mark of a faithful servant, particularly if she was displaying the vallaslin of Mythal.   Surely not all the elves who fled to Fen'Harel's sanctuary were slaves.   Yet the picture shows him removing their vallaslin.    I'm pretty sure it is a sign of allegiance to one of the Evanuris; he regards all who follow them to be no better than slaves and thus he doesn't want anyone who is free to be marked in that way.    I suppose it is possible the nobility did not have vallaslin but I just had the feeling that everyone was marked with their god to show their allegiance. 

 

Still if it were the nobles who did not have vallaslin, then at the very least Abelas would have recognised Solas as a noble from their time.  

I think it'd be cooler if everyone was marked to show their allegiance, and I know fandom about ancient Arlathan in fics tends to treat it that way. But it isn't what's been said, technically.

 

On a tangential note, I also think it'd be awesome if properly applied vallaslin imparted some sort of gaes (cus blood magic) that the Evanuris could activate on command and that was why no one had succeeded in rebelling against the Evanuris till Solas started removing them. And maybe this gaes could still be activated on Dalish clans nowadays b/c they managed to replicate the old ritual accurately enough. I think its canon that magic is involved in the preparation of the blood ink, right?

[dawnstone]

I'm not entirely sure about it being only slaves.   Abelas is not a slave but a servant of Mythal, part of her priesthood and he has vallaslin.    Why would it so upset him for Lavellan to have vallaslin as slave markings, if they could also simply be the mark of a faithful servant, particularly if she was displaying the vallaslin of Mythal.   Surely not all the elves who fled to Fen'Harel's sanctuary were slaves.   Yet the picture shows him removing their vallaslin.    I'm pretty sure it is a sign of allegiance to one of the Evanuris; he regards all who follow them to be no better than slaves and thus he doesn't want anyone who is free to be marked in that way.    I suppose it is possible the nobility did not have vallaslin but I just had the feeling that everyone was marked with their god to show their allegiance. 

 

Still if it were the nobles who did not have vallaslin, then at the very least Abelas would have recognised Solas as a noble from their time. 

Abelas says to the well-drinker "You are bound as we are bound."  They might have gone into service willingly, but it was at a cost of their free will, which is what Solas tends to take issue with. Also, Solas is almost always portrayed as a wolf in the statuary and mosaics we see of him until the Vir Dirthara. It may be that he used that form while serving Mythal, thus, Abelas would never have seen his face as an elf (or they totally did recognize each other, and Solas managed to do some secret elfy handsignals that we did not see).

[Ellawynn]

I'm not entirely sure about it being only slaves.   Abelas is not a slave but a servant of Mythal, part of her priesthood and he has vallaslin.    Why would it so upset him for Lavellan to have vallaslin as slave markings, if they could also simply be the mark of a faithful servant, particularly if she was displaying the vallaslin of Mythal.   Surely not all the elves who fled to Fen'Harel's sanctuary were slaves.   Yet the picture shows him removing their vallaslin.    I'm pretty sure it is a sign of allegiance to one of the Evanuris; he regards all who follow them to be no better than slaves and thus he doesn't want anyone who is free to be marked in that way.    I suppose it is possible the nobility did not have vallaslin but I just had the feeling that everyone was marked with their god to show their allegiance. 

 

Still if it were the nobles who did not have vallaslin, then at the very least Abelas would have recognised Solas as a noble from their time.  

 

I don't recall Abelas getting upset... I recall him saying that the Dalish are "Shadows wearing vallaslin," but it's hard to construe that as anger. It seemed less like "How DARE you wear my face tattoos? " and more like "Having pointy ears and vallaslin does not mean they are my kin." If you're referring to some other comment Abelas made, which one?

 

Also, it's not like that singular mural with - what, four or five people in it? - was the sum total of everyone who came to Fen'Harel. He may very well have had free, unmarked followers. But why would he stick them in a mural showing him removing slave brands? They wouldn't have them to begin with.

[AlleluiaElizabeth]

 (or they totally did recognize each other, and Solas managed to do some secret elfy handsignals that we did not see).

I feel like I need a comic of this, now.

 

Though, seriously, considering that the Well of Sorrows gives you the password to call off the spirit sentinels in Fen'Harel's sancutary, at least one of the priests who imparted their knowledge into that well knew who Solas was. Wouldn't surprise me if Abelas did, too. Since Mythal and Solas were so close, wouldn't surprise me a bit if she was aiding and abetting his rebellion discreetly (likely part of why she died), and some of her most loyal, like Abelas, may have occasionally rendered aid/turned a blind eye to Fen'Harel's doings. 

 

Also, it's not like that singular mural with - what, four or five people in it? - was the sum total of everyone who came to Fen'Harel. He may very well have had free, unmarked followers. But why would he stick them in a mural showing him removing slave brands? They wouldn't have them to begin with.

You think he had nobles on his side? Cus to be unmarked when they come to him, they'd have to not have been slaves. I mean, I suppose its also possible there was a middle class, so to speak, and we just haven't heard about them yet.

[Ellawynn]

I think it'd be cooler if everyone was marked to show their allegiance, and I know fandom about ancient Arlathan in fics tends to treat it that way. But it isn't what's been said, technically.

 

On a tangential note, I also think it'd be awesome if properly applied vallaslin imparted some sort of gaes (cus blood magic) that the Evanuris could activate on command and that was why no one had succeeded in rebelling against the Evanuris till Solas started removing them. And maybe this gaes could still be activated on Dalish clans nowadays b/c they managed to replicate the old ritual accurately enough. I think its canon that magic is involved in the preparation of the blood ink, right?

 

The issue with having everyone wear slave brands is that it makes it difficult to identify the actual slaves, which is what slave brands are typically for. (Although I have no doubt that the ancient elven variety also had some magicky stuff going on.) Say you're visiting a fellow nobleman, and encounter one of his staff. Whether said staff is a slave or a freeman will likely change how you treat  them (And how you're expected to treat them.) But how are you supposed to know which is which, if they both wear the same brand? What's to stop a slave from impersonating a noble, if they're both marked the same? How's a slave catcher meant to quickly identify a runaway in a crowd of common people, if everyone's got slave brands?

 

The Evanuris may very well have considered everyone in Elvhenan to be their slaves, but the people of Elvhenan themselves still had some degree of stratification. The brands were probably needed to distinguish who you had to treat nicely, and who you could order around without a thought.

 

And also magicky stuff, too.

 

 

 

You think he had nobles on his side? Cus to be unmarked when they come to him, they'd have to not have been slaves. I mean, I suppose its also possible there was a middle class, so to speak, and we just haven't heard about them yet.

 

 

I dunno. Like I said - he may very well have. But that's not saying he did, or that I even think he did, just that it's not impossible.

[ladyiolanthe]

Abelas says to the well-drinker "You are bound as we are bound."  They might have gone into service willingly, but it was at a cost of their free will, which is what Solas tends to take issue with. Also, Solas is almost always portrayed as a wolf in the statuary and mosaics we see of him until the Vir Dirthara. It may be that he used that form while serving Mythal, thus, Abelas would never have seen his face as an elf (or they totally did recognize each other, and Solas managed to do some secret elfy handsignals that we did not see).

 

My take on the Solas and Abelas exchange is that they totally could recognize each other and no hand signals were necessary because I kind of think that Elvhen can actually see the spirits inside each other. Have any of you ever played Changeling: The Dreaming (the original version?) I imagine it's a little like the Kenning skill that allows Changelings to see faerie and Dreaming stuff in the real world. I like to think that Solas really could see Lavellan's spirit when he tells her she has a rare and marvellous spirit in the sad break up option. But that's just what I like to think. I am probably completely wrong.

 

I was a huge fan of Changeling: the Dreaming so... I am biased towards the idea that Elvhen have dual natures similar to Changelings in the White Wolf game. 

 

*snip*

 

Though, seriously, considering that the Well of Sorrows gives you the password to call off the spirit sentinels in Fen'Harel's sancutary, at least one of the priests who imparted their knowledge into that well knew who Solas was. Wouldn't surprise me if Abelas did, too. Since Mythal and Solas were so close, wouldn't surprise me a bit if she was aiding and abetting his rebellion discreetly (likely part of why she died), and some of her most loyal, like Abelas, may have occasionally rendered aid/turned a blind eye to Fen'Harel's doings. 

 

*snip*

 

With that whole knowing the password thing, I am suspicious... Considering that Solas says (emphasis is mine) "The mark will eventually kill you. Drawing you here gave me the chance to save you… at least for now" just before the end of Trespasser, and considering that he has some part of Mythal, I kind of wonder if he has some influence over the Well of Sorrows and used it to make your passage to him easier by giving you the password so you don't have to fight his spirit guardians.

[Melbella]

With that whole knowing the password thing, I am suspicious... Considering that Solas says (emphasis is mine) "The mark will eventually kill you. Drawing you here gave me the chance to save you… at least for now" just before the end of Trespasser, and considering that he has some part of Mythal, I kind of wonder if he has some influence over the Well of Sorrows and used it to make your passage to him easier by giving you the password so you don't have to fight his spirit guardians.

 

Doesn't he say that whether you drink from the Well or not, though?

 

Throwing the qunari through the eluvian into the Winter Palace is how he "drew" the Inquisitor to him, in a roundabout way. Honestly, he could have taken out all the qunari on his own without involving the Inquisition at all. But he either a) wanted the Inquisitor to do his dirty work or b.) wanted to remove the mark to save the Inquisitor, or c) both, or d) all of the above and then some.

 

I'm still not clear on why he needed spies in the Inquisition in the first place, when he can see pretty much everything going on via the Fade. Unless it was for sabotage but what would be the point of that? It's likely he would have much better chance of achieving his goal if he'd taken out the qunari on his own and not given the Inquisition any hint as to what he was up to. But, most of what Solas does makes no sense.

[Ellawynn]

Doesn't he say that whether you drink from the Well or not, though?

 

Throwing the qunari through the eluvian into the Winter Palace is how he "drew" the Inquisitor to him, in a roundabout way. Honestly, he could have taken out all the qunari on his own without involving the Inquisition at all. But he either a) wanted the Inquisitor to do his dirty work or b.) wanted to remove the mark to save the Inquisitor, or c) both, or d) all of the above and then some.

 

I'm still not clear on why he needed spies in the Inquisition in the first place, when he can see pretty much everything going on via the Fade. Unless it was for sabotage but what would be the point of that? It's likely he would have much better chance of achieving his goal if he'd taken out the qunari on his own and not given the Inquisition any hint as to what he was up to. But, most of what Solas does makes no sense.

 

I mean - Solas would've had higher chances if he hadn't sat there and monologued at us about his evil plots, too. But he did, so clearly he's not concerned about the Inquisitor trying to stop him, either because he wants to be wrong, or because he doesn't really consider them a threat. Or because he simply believed that they deserved answers after being strung along for so long, regardless of his opinion of them.

 

It does leave the question of why he didn't just take care of the Qunari himself. Maybe he just had better stuff to do? He didn't seem to be making a concerted effort against them after all, just taking pot shots at their forces as he passes through.

 

As for having spies - Solas said himself that the Fade is somewhat inaccurate. Relying on it for information probably isn't a smart idea. 

[LobselVith8]

On a tangential note, I also think it'd be awesome if properly applied vallaslin imparted some sort of gaes (cus blood magic) that the Evanuris could activate on command and that was why no one had succeeded in rebelling against the Evanuris till Solas started removing them. And maybe this gaes could still be activated on Dalish clans nowadays b/c they managed to replicate the old ritual accurately enough. I think its canon that magic is involved in the preparation of the blood ink, right?

 

Given how the Dalish have been treated in TME and Inquisition, I'd honestly rather not see them treated as cannon fodder for the Evanuris because of their vallaslin.

[CapricornSun]

Art.

 

Aimo's 4" x 6" artwork of Trespasser Solas and Lavellan is now available for purchase on her online store.

Spoiler

Source: http://aimosketchcar...olas-inquisitor

 

Lavellan and Solavellan sketchcard by aimo.

Spoiler

Source: http://aimosketchcar...st/146789036201

 

Trespasser Solas drawn from memory.

Spoiler

Source: http://destinyaposta...-couldnt-access

 

A lovely Solas card.

Spoiler

Source: http://dark-spy.tumb...st/146761513194

 

Modern AU Solas playing the cello from the modern AU Solavellan fic Cellovellan. 

Spoiler

Source: http://smuttine.tumb...achromystic-for

 

Solas.

Spoiler

Source: http://tfwshems.tumb...299/have-an-egg

 

Lavellan yelling "May the Dread Wolf take you!" to her enemies while Solas tries to keep cool.

Spoiler

Source: http://lennydotdotdo...to-cuss-out-her

 

Lavellan and Dorian gossiping. Also starring Iron Bull and Solas.

Spoiler

Source: http://what-is-this-...rom-her-ass-she

 

What Cullen (who romanced Lavellan) would have done with Solas towards the end of Trespasser.

Spoiler

Source: http://triaelf9.tumb...trange-question

 

Varric was a good influence on Lavellan.

Spoiler

Source: http://valalin.tumbl...nfluence-on-her

 

200 subscribers comic starring Falon'Din, Dirthamen, and Fen'Harel.

Spoiler

Source: http://domnorian.tum...cant-believe-it

[ladyiolanthe]

Doesn't he say that whether you drink from the Well or not, though?

 

He does, yeah. But that doesn't negate the possibility that if your Inquisitor drank from the Well, he used Mythal's power to influence the Well to give you the password to make it easier for you to get to him.