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[Taiyama]

Well, this topic is mainly to showcase my fanfiction for this wonderful game, focused on my "main" playthrough of my male elf mage, Taiyama Surana. The one-shots I'll write will range from parts in the game to parts I make up that take placing during the game to parts after the game, often jumping between them with little order and mainly as my muse strikes me. I'll update whenever the muse strikes me as well, mostly on weekends, and I can't promise I'll update much at all what with the whole college thing. I don't expect them to be very good--it's been too long since I've written--but I need to get back into practice. I usually tend to write in a mix of both first- and third-person narration, first-person being used mainly in important or emotional events in Taiyama's point of view. First-person narration will be bolded and thoughts will be italicized.

Because I tend to jump around with Taiyama's stories, let me give you a brief summary of the character: At the beginning, he's a sheltered mage who's rather cowardly and with pitifully low self-esteem. As he's thrust into being a Grey Warden after being caught helping his best friend escape from the Circle (which he didn't do because he hated the Circle but because he's quite loyal to Jowan for reasons a later story will explain), he slowly begins to grow as a person. It starts when he, despite his deep fear of danger, has to do things like save the people of Redcliffe and pretends not to be scared to death so the people there don't lose hope. In the Circle Tower when he's thrust into the Fade is when he truly changes and starts to fake confidence to both keep himself from giving up and keep those nearby from despairing or giving up either. From there, he gradually changes from faking confidence to actually having it when he romances Leliana. It's her that gives him the ability to truly believe in himself. I half-jokingly call these two "sides" of Taiyama Moe!Taiyama and Confident!Taiyama with the main changing point being the Circle Tower, despite the fact that it's a gradual change.

Taiyama Post-Circle Mage Tower theme song: Spirit Never Dies

By the way, if you're wondering what I imagine Taiyama's voice sounds like, go here. Taiyama pre-Circle Tower sounds like younger Simon who first speaks at 3:46. Taiyama Post-Circle Tower sounds like adult Simon who first speaks at 2:52.

Anyway, without further ado, let's go!
-------------------------------------------------------
Stories:

The Calling -this post
Friendship and Betrayal
Elven Androgyny
A Strategic Mind
That Could Be Me
A Bond Forged in Fire Part One
A Bond Forged in Fire Part Two
A Bond Forged in Fire Part Three
Interlude-"I'm Always With You"
An Analysis of Taiyama and the Writer Using Tvtropes
A Bond Forged in Fire Part Four
A quote of Taiyama's that explains his personality a bit better.
Interlude: Bon Appetite
A Bond Forged in Fire Part Five
Endings and Beginnings
Rebirth
Notes on Taiyama Surana, Talin Surana, and the Surana Noble House
Landsmeet Chronicles Part One
------------------------------------------------------
The Calling

Tak-clank, tak-clank, tak-clank, tak-clank...

The footsteps of the two Wardens almost matched each other, the soft footfalls of the mage's shoes striking the harsh stone floor alongside the clank of the warrior's armored boots.

Across the long, stone bridge a horde of darkspawn waited, snarling at the two lone figures across. They had felt their arrival and gathered, knowing what was to come. The darkspawn growled and roared at the Wardens, broadcasting their utter hatred for those Wardens. There was the one who helped kill the Dark Master!

The two Wardens remained uncowed by the display. The warrior, a man with dirty blonde hair graying at the fringes and deep, chocolate eyes unsheathed his sword and took off his shield. The elf, who had aged more gracefully than his comrade and still had the same shock of messy brown hair he always had, took out his staff and began preparing himself for the fight to come.

"My, aren't we popular?" Alistair snarked. "Do you think they'll throw us a parade? I love parades."

Taiyama laughed. "Yeah, a parade down the Deep Roads sounds like a great idea. We can throw candy at little darkspawn children and wave out at our adoring fans..."

"This is your fault, you know. If you hadn't gone and killed the Archdemon and saved the world from the Blight we wouldn't have nearly as many down here right now," Alistair said sarcastically, making grandiose gestures with his hands as he did so.

Taiyama fakely sobbed. "Oh, I know. It has haunted me my entire life. I weep every night over the injustice of it all!"

"In all seriousness, though, I'm glad we decided to come down here together. It means a lot to me that we have this one last fight be each other's sides. You've been a good friend...even when I didn't deserve it and treated you cruelly just because you were doing what you thought was right.

Taiyama shook his head. "Are you still on about that, you old fart? The only thing I was the least bit mad about was that you didn't join in the fight for Denerim and I forgave you of that years and years ago. It's all right. I understood how you felt.

"Still, thanks. If you hadn't spared Loghain one of us would have died on the top of that tower... I'll just add that to the number of times you've saved my butt." 

"What, you're keeping a tally now?" 

"Yep. Anyway now that the warm, fuzzy part is over back to the ritual dismemberment--it is Tuesday, after all. What do you say to giving one of your little speeches just for old times' sake?" 

"Hah! I'm not entirely sure the darkspawn can understand me, but as you wish, my King," Taiyama responded, giving an overly-dramatic bow and receiving only a snort in response from his comrade.

Taiyama strode forward on the bridge a ways, mirth shining in those bright blue-green eyes of his and wearing his trademark confident crooked smile. He pointed at the darkspawn horde and raised his voice to make sure they heard.

"All right, listen up you darkspawn bastards! I bet you're thinking you're going to finally be able to avenge your Archdemon but I make you this promise: for every scratch you land on us, we will kill a hundred of you! We've traveled through the breadth of Ferelden and the depths of the Deep Roads, defeating a darkspawn for every grain of sand in the ocean! None can stand before us, not the Broodmothers, not the Archdemon, not the Blight itself! We are Grey Wardens of Ferelden! We are the eternal guardians against you and your scourge and I vow that one day our order shall destroy you all! Who..."

"...the hell..." Alistair continued,

"DO YOU THINK WE ARE?!" the two Wardens shouted in tandem.  

With that, Taiyama tured around and walked back behind Alistair. While it was debatable if the darkspawn truly understood the nature and meaning of Taiyama's words, they understood a challenge when they heard it. The genlocks, hurlocks, shrieks, and ogres all charged en masse down the bridge, barreling towards the stalwart duo.

"Inspiring as usual," Alistair commented.

"Hah! Thanks. 'Would have been better had I time to prepare it. Thanks for joining in with my little shout, by the way. It would have been quite embarrassing to have just shouted 'Who...' with only silence following. The darkspawn would have all laughed at me and then I'd start crying and, well, I doubt you want to see that," snarked Taiyama, preparing to cast an area of effect spell ahead of the darkspawn on the bridge so they'd all have to run through it.

Alistair laughed. "Well, it's time. It's been good knowing you, Taiyama. Thanks for everything."

Taiyama began slinging spells as the darkspawn got into range. "I'll see you at the Maker's side, old friend."
****************************
"I found them! They're over here!" a raven-haired Warden shouted.

A man with a shock of messy brown hair, deep blue eyes, and a slightly gaunt face came running towards the man's voice, followed by an assortment of Wardens and Royal Guards. "Really?! You f-Maker's Breath!"

The young man was greeted with the sight of an uncountable number of darkspawn corpses piled on the stone bridge in front of them. Between Taiyama's magic, Alistair's sword and templar abilities, and the natural bottleneck the bridge supplied, Taiyama had been true to his promise to the darkspawn. The man gazed down at the two bodies--slightly mangled but recognizable--and focused primarily on Taiyama, who still wore that confident, crooked smile of his even in death.

"Not bad, Dad..."

Author's Note: Hurrdurr, I made a Gurren Lagann reference. Expect me to make a few of these in Taiyama's lines. He's actually a lot like Simon--which isn't intentional--so I decided to reference that for the lulz.

Modifié par Taiyama, 01 septembre 2010 - 11:50 .

[tallon1982]

I believe that was very well done.

[Taiyama]

Thank you very much, Tallon. I appreciate it. Glad at least someone responded. Normally when I post some of my writing online I never really get many comments. I'm mainly after criticism so I can improve, so if anyone has some criticism I'd appreciate it.

[The Gay Warden]

I agree, this was fantastic. Almost like reading a New York Times Best Seller.



As for criticism--I can't find any.

[tallon1982]

I think you have a good grip on the dialogue that is for sure. The thing I tend to look for when reading other stories is descriptions. Since I can't see into the head of the writer I have to rely on what's being put up there. You can always flesh out what the atmosphere was like. Did it smell like brimstone? Mildew perhaps? It's just something I'm throwing out there for ya.

[Taiyama]

Ah, thanks, Tallon. I need to remember to describe my environments better. That's actually one of my weak points that I've been meaning to work on.

Also, thanks, The Gay Warden, for the wonderful compliment. I truly appreciate it!

Modifié par Taiyama, 24 janvier 2010 - 05:28 .

[The Gay Warden]

This is seriously touching--the Wardens fighting until the death in the Deep Roads. Were you inspired by the Warden's Calling trailer? It reminded me a lot of it

[AdorableAnarchist]

I loved this! I agree with Tallon that you can never go wrong with more description, especially with something so ripe (pardon the pun) as the Deep Roads. LOL Would love to see more due to your knack with dialogue.

[Sialater]

I loved the dialogue, but the word "snark" is overused.



And good job on imagining how they'd go out. I don't even want to think that far ahead.

[tallon1982]

The Gay Warden wrote...

This is seriously touching--the Wardens fighting until the death in the Deep Roads. Were you inspired by the Warden's Calling trailer? It reminded me a lot of it

^ He has a point there...In fact it would be a good idea to freeze the trailer at that scene to take a look then put that into your own words if you find it hard to work out images in your head. Sometimes I have that problem and need visual aides...I is special like that lol

The work snark...two suggestions use a thesaurus or omit the word entirely. Also if you do use the thesaurus don't go for the biggest word in there lol.

[AdorableAnarchist]

tallon1982 wrote...

The work snark...two suggestions use a thesaurus or omit the word entirely. Also if you do use the thesaurus don't go for the biggest word in there lol.

Amen!! I remember, back in the ancient days of AOL roleplaying, people would use a thesaurus to help with descriptions... However, they ended up with things like:

"Her violet orbs trembled as they touched upon his visage in a semblance of recognition..."



Vary your words, but don't overdo the SAT words... There is a time and place for large words, but that place isn't every where.

[Taiyama]

@The Gay Warden: Yeah, I actually took the place from memory of the Warden's Calling trailer. Also, I gotta say I love your name. I laughed when I first saw it, very witty.

@Sialater: Ahaha, sorry, my penchant for the word "snark" comes from the fact that I'm a regular visitor to tvtropes.org, where the word is used a lot. I'll cut down on the usage, thanks for mentioning it.

@AdorableAnarchist and Tallon1982: Thanks, I'll be sure to remember that. Apologies in advance, though, if I use too many big words. I've quite the penchant for them and more than one of my friends has had to stop me every now and then to ask me to define one. Be sure to call me out on it when I do.

Modifié par Taiyama, 24 janvier 2010 - 08:53 .

[The Gay Warden]

Well keep up the good work! I got some new chapters in Dawn of the Gods if you're interested. Can't wait for the next tale!

[DalishRanger]

Ah, nice to see you actually write some stuff on Taiyama, rather than just discussing and constrasting him with Legam on DA (though that was fun too )

Very fun to read, and my only critique is the same mentioned above - vary "snark" a bit with other words, and add in a few more evironmental descriptions. The dialogue was spot-on.

I was sad to see no Leliana here, though. Is she still around at this point in Taiyama's canon?

[Taiyama]

@The Gay Warden: I'll check that out as soon as I'm done with the latest story, thanks for letting me know.



@DalishRanger: Hey, thanks, DalishRanger. Leliana will feature more in later stories but yeah, she's still around by the time of Taiyama's Calling. The guy who finds Taiyama's and Alistair's bodies is the son of Taiyama and Leliana. Leliana, unfortunately for her, will live quite a few years longer than her husband. But like I said, have no fear of lack of Leliana. I couldn't possibly not write about her, considering how much I adore her.



All right, I'm now gonna post the latest story I wrote.

[Taiyama]

Friendship and Betrayal

"I helped you once in the name of friendship..." 

"And I betrayed you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"
**************************
It was sunset by the time the templars and I arrived to the Circle Tower. The light of the dying sun glittered off the calm waters between us and the tower, almost hurting your eyes if you looked at it directly. To our right were the crumbling remains of what must have once been a great marble bridge, far larger than any other in Ferelden.All around us were the remains of great structures whose pupose I could only guess at that I imagined must have been the work of the Maker Himself. Surely no man or woman could build something that towered over us so.

What caught my attention the most, though, was the Circle Tower: It pierced the sky like an arrow, surrounded by smaller tower separated by grand arches. The setting sun behind and to the right of it cast half of the great tower in light and the other half in imposing blackness.

I stopped crying then. For a moment, I forgot the Denerim alienage and how all of the elves had ostracized me when it was learned I had magic. I forgot how the children had thrown rocks at me and called me a freak. I forgot my crying mother and angry father as templars arrived to carry me, their only child, away to live in some tower halfway across the country forever. It was the grandest thing I had ever seen and somehow I knew that things were going to be all right in the end.

"Hey there, Sonny, my name's Kester," a blonde-haired man with kind eyes and a face that was just beginning to show advanced age greeted Taiyama, bringing his attention back down to earth. "I'll be taking you across the lake in ol' Lissy. What's your name?"

"Um...T-Taiyama Surana, Sir..." Taiyama muttered, looking at the ground at his feet.

"Oh, no need to be so formal, Taiyama. Just call me Kester."

"Y-You aren't angry at me for being a mage...?" 

"Why on earth would I be?" Kester knelt in front of Taiyama and looked him in the eyes. "The Maker gave you a gift, Sonny. Never doubt that. I say if you can't trust Him, who can you trust?"

Taiyama smiled for the first time in days. "Th-thank you, Si-um, Kester..."

Kester stood up slowly. "Now, come on, let's head over to the Tower. I think you'll enjoy it there."

With a nod to the templars and a few kind greetings exchanged, Kester led Taiyama over to Lissy while the templars marched off in the other direction, off to their next assignment.
*****************************
"Maker, I've made so many mistakes, I've hurt so many people! I just want to make things right again!"

"That's commendable...if it's true..."

"I'm glad you think so."
*****************************
Ostensibly, the Circle Tower treats elves and humans the same, without prejudice. The truth is that magic can do many things but it cannot erase racism bred into children from day one by their parents--that is a long, slow process of many years. Normally, for the first few years any elven children form their own social circle until the mutual distrust is eroded by time and familiarity. Such a thing was not possible for me, considering that I had the unlucky privilege of being the only elf in my age group.

Taiyama ducked a book thrown at him and ran off, making his way as fast as he could out of the dining area before more projectiles headed his way.

"Get out of here, you bloody knife-ear!" one of the human boys shouted at him.

"Boys, what are you doing?! You can't treat him like that just because he's an elf!" came the shrill reprimand of Senior Enchanter Malora.

I wonder why she still tries. Taiyama thought as he ran. She gets on to them and even punishes them but it only makes them hate me more.

Taiyama sought refuge in the only place he felt at home here: the library. It was a large, circular room made of stone. Between the high windows and the candles every foot or so, the room was brightly lit to better aid the eyes while reading. In the middle of the room were four pedestals where particularly important books sat, such as Controlling Primal Energy and A Complete Moron's Guide to the Fade. The walls were lined with bookshelves but if you were small enough like Taiyama, you could fit in-between them and get behind the bookshelves. This was Taiyama's usual hiding spot when hounded by boys his age and it was here he sought refuge once again.

"Oh, Maker's Breath, I'm never going to be able to get fire magic down in time for the test..." grumbled a young boy a few years Taiyama's senior who had long black hair about the same length as Taiyama's and eyes with a color to match. He began scanning a bookcase for any book that might be useful. "Come on, there's got to be something here I mi-...huh?" 

The young boy heard the slight sound of sobbing nearby. Following the noise, he poked his head through a gap in-between two of the bookcases and saw Taiyama sitting there, crying as silently as he possibly could.

"What's wrong, why are you crying?" the young boy asked.

Taiyama jumped when he realized the boy was there and quickly qiped his eyes. "S-sorry, was I bothering you? I'm sorry..."

"No, it's all right."

The boy attempted to squeeze in-between the bookcases as well but between being bigger than the younger elf and lacking the grace he did, he barely managed to get through and fell flat on his face in the process.

"Ow..." The boy muttered, sitting up and rubbing his forehead. "Hey, I think I know you, you're the new elven boy around here." 

"Uh, yes... S-sorry if that bothers you," Taiyama muttered, not meeting the boy's eyes.

"Na, it doesn't bother me. It's cruel the way those other guys treat you, anyway. I know what it's like to be treated like dirt for something you can't change..." The boy frowned as he remembered something that was obviously displeasing to him. "Anyway, my name's Jowan, what's yours?" Jowan said, extending his hand.

Taiyama actually looked Jowan in his eyes, absolute shock apparently on his face. It took a few moments for him to regain his composure but he quickly shook Jowan's hand.

"I'm Taiyama Surana," Taiyama said softly, smiling for the first time since he arrived to the Circle. "Um...thank you...very much."
*************************
"So, what now? What do you intend to do with me?"

"I say he can still be of use to us but if you see no use for him, let him go," Morrigan stated.

"What?! But he's a blood mage, you can't just let him go!" Alistair shot back.

"Better to keep him here, better to punish him for his choices? Is this Alistair or the templar talking?" 

"I'd say it's common sense!"

"He wishes to redeem himself, doesn't everyone deserve that chance?" Leliana said.

"He's your friend," Alistair said, turning to Taiyama. "You know him best."
***************************
"So, uh, what you have to do is...focus all you can on the candle. Try picturing it in your mind then picture your magic setting it on fire. The clearer the image in your head, the greater the chance you'll succeed," Taiyama instructed.

"Like this, right?" Jowan said, focusing all he could on the candle. He called upon the primal energy of fire, pictured the candle in his mind's eye, used the magic...

...and set the curtains behind it on fire.

"OH, NO!" Jowan yelped.

"Those are Senior Enchanter Gloria's favorite curtains!" Taiyama exclaimed. "What are we gonna do, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna doooooo?!"

"Ok, don't panic, don't panic!!" Jowan said. "Let me think!" There was a pregnant pause as Jowan wracked his brain for a solution. "...I've got nothin'! NOW PANIC!!"

Taiyama looked around for anything to put the fire out and, seeing nothing, acted completely on instinct. He pointed his hands at the flaming curtains and an ice spell far beyond what others his age could hope to accomplish flew from his hands, freezing the curtains solid.

The two stared at what Taiyama had wrought for a few moments that felt like an eternity. 

"Whoa..." came Jowan's eloquent remark.

We stared at the curtains for a few more moments until I noticed something. The added weight of the ice was causing the frozen solid curtains to come loose from what held them up. Time seemed to slow down as we watched the curtains fall from the window towards the stone floor. They hit the floor with a loud CRACK and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" the two apprentices shouted in tandem.

Unbeknownst to them, they had been watched this whole time by none other than First Enchanter Irving. Irving, sensing itw as time for him to make his appearance, strode forward behind them silently. Taiyama was the first to notice him. He quickly turned to Irving, looking like he wanted nothing more but to hide in the cracks between the stone tiles of the floor.

"F-F-F-First E-En-Enchanter Irv-Irvi-Irving! I-I-I..." Taiyama stuttered.

"It was like that when we got here, I swear!" Jowan said, lapsing into his sometimes compulsive lying.

Irving merely laughed. "Oh, calm down you two, it's all right." He looked at Taiyama. "I must say, Taiyama, i haven't seen a boy your age be able to accomplish an ice spell of that magnitude in many, many years. What do you say to letting me tutor you personally from now on?" 

"I...I...what?" Taiyama said. "I, I mean...yes, I would be honored, First Enchanter!"

Irving, sensing Jowan's self-esteem would be rather deflated if he merely left it at that, turned to Jowan next. "Nice try with the fire spell, my boy. You've got potential; you merely need to work on your aim." He kneeled down next to Jowan with a conspiratorial look in his eyes. "You know, all of us hated those curtains except Gloria. You've actually done the Circle a great service today," he whispered.

Jowan blinked once, twice, then chuckled. "I...I live to serve, First Enchanter."

Irving laughed and stood up. "Well, now, get out of here, you two. I won't tell Gloria who froze her curtains. I'll see you later in my office at 4:00, Taiyama."

"Um, yes, Sir. Thank you, First Enchanter!" Taiyama responded, smiling widely.
*******************************
Taiyama flung the door of Jowan's prison cell open. "Out," came his curt order.

"Out? You're letting me out? What do you intend to do with me?" Jowan asked.

"You're coming with me."

"I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, I want to help, but I don't think I want to go into danger with you." 

"Then help! Just don't make things worse!"

"I will, I promise. Thank you for this!" 

"Is this wise? I mean, he's a blood mage!" Alistair said.

"Shut up!" Taiyama snapped.

All of the others there, especially Jowan, did a double-take at that. Taiyama had never told anyone to shut up before, even in all the years Jowan had known him.

"Whoa..." came Jowan's eloquent remark.

"My, my, it seems you've finally decided to grow a backbone! I'm impressed..." Morrigan said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You shut up too," Taiyama shot back.

Taiyama led the group of four ahead, leaving Jowan behind for now. He would only follow after they had cleared the way.

"Um, Taiyama, is something wrong?" Alistair asked. "I've never seen you act that way before."

Taiyama sighed. "Alistair, you said Duncan saved you, right? Saved you from a lonely existence were people hated you just because of who you were. It's the same. What would you do if Duncan used blood magic and betrayed you and you later found him locked in that cell, begging to be given a chance to redeem himself?"

"I...I..."

"Exactly."


Author's Note: The scene in Redcliffe is set before the Circle Tower, meaning we're still dealing with the doormat!Taiyama. Jowan's return simply put him in a bad mood. Also, if you're wondering, the part with the curtains takes place about a year after Jowan and Taiyama meet, not right afterwards. The time gap between Taiyama coming to the Circle and him meeting Jowan is about...three months? That's subject to change, though.

Modifié par Taiyama, 25 janvier 2010 - 12:38 .

[The Gay Warden]

*Claps clowly*



Again, I'm very impressed, Please--keep it up!

[tallon1982]

I like the flashbacks! Keep it up!

[DalishRanger]

Very nice! Looking forward to more Taiyama stories.

I caught a typo somewhere, though. I think you goofed and put "itw as" instead of "it was"; minor issue, but I thought I should point it out.

[Avaraen]

Nicely done. I'm terrible at writing reviews, but I did enjoy Irving's humour in the second installment, and the emotion at the end where Taiyama vented at Alistair. The first installment I think was well-written, but it was difficult to really feel it because there was no context for the character; I think it will be a more meaningful read (for me at least) after you post some more chapters from earlier in Taiyama's life.

[Taiyama]

Thanks for the kind compliments, ladies and gentlemen.



@Avaraen: Yeah, that's a good point. I probably should have held off on that particular story until later. Thanks for reading!

[Taiyama]

Elven Androgyny

Taiyama coudln't help but cough as that now-familiar scent of mud and squalor assaulted his nose. He, Wynne, Alistair, and Leliana were just leaving a large house in Orzammar's Dust Town (well, large for Dust Town at least) where they had defeated some of Jarvia's thugs. Taiyama, being the merciful man he was, had spared the leader in exchange for the bone key he now carried with him.

Suddenly, to his left Taiyama heard a dwarven female say, "You know, if I were tall and pretty like you I'd get a lot more work..."

Taiyama turned towards her, raising an eyebrow. His first instinct was to think that she was aiming her statement at most likely Leliana, maybe even Wynne but sure enough, she was looking right at him.

"Um..." Taiyama muttered, lost for words for a moment. "You know that I'm a guy, right?" 

The dwarf looked genuinely shocked. "Oh, you are?! By the stone! My apologies, sir." 

Alistair was the first one to start laughing his head off. Leliana soon followed up with that mischievous giggle of hers that normally so melted Taiyama's heart. Even Wynne, try as she might, couldn't keep herself from laughing herself to tears. Taiyama tried to pout or glare at them but couldn't keep from smirking a bit himself.

"Oh, shut up, all of you!" Taiyama said, storming off and motioning for the others to follow.

It wasn't until they arrived at the bustling marketplace in Orzammar Commons where Taiyama was buying provisions for the assault on Jarvia's base that his comrades finally managed to control their laughter, having received strange looks from the native populace during the journey.

"Are you quite done?" Taiyama asked, looking over the price list for poultices.

Leliana wiped some tears from her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, my love. We couldn't help it, it's just too hilarious."

"You know, she didn't really get a good look at me when she said that," Taiyama stated defensively.

"Of course," Alistair said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Did she sound drunk to you? She sounded drunk to me. She was probably drunk."

"Definitely drunk," Alistair "concurred".

"'Cause I don't look like a woman, that's just silly."

"Perish the thought."

Taiyama whirled around and pointed at Alistair. "Ok, you? You can just shut up."

"Why, my friend! I have done nothing but agree with you this whole time!"

Taiyama mocked him by repeating his words but intentionally making it sound very stupid and then continued by saying, "At least I'm not a virgin anymore, Royal Bastard."

This elicited new peals of laughter from Wynne and Leliana while Alistair feigned a hurt look.

"Oh, see, now you've gone and hurt my manly feelings!" Alistair exclaimed in an overly dramatic heartbreak scene. "All one of them."

Leliana giggled. "Oh, don't worry about it so much, Taiyama. You're very cute and not womanly at all, I assure you."

Taiyama turned to Alistair and stuck his tongue out at him, receiving the latest in a long series of bewildered looks the shopkeeper had cast at them. There was something about Taiyama and Alistair thatr made the two act like total children around each other.

Author's note: Ah. Alistair and Taiyama. Theirs is a snarky bromance. There's actually a story behind this. See, you get different things said to you by this one female dwarf in Dust Town depending on your gender. While I was replaying Taiyama recently, I ran up and talked to her for the lulz, expecting to hear the usual response for a male--"Hey there, honey. Two bits for a tumble, a silver if you all want to go at once."--which I had gotten the first time I played Taiyama but this time, in a case of a Good Bad Bug I got the reply for women, which you can see up there. I laughed thinking about how Taiyama would respond to this case of confused gender and decided to write this for you lot.

Also, I'll probably have a few more short stories like this up later tonight. Definitely one, maybe two.

Modifié par Taiyama, 30 janvier 2010 - 11:48 .

[Taiyama]

A Strategic Mind

Redcliffe was all in an unnatural bustle. The streets were filled with people walking to and fro, preparing for the next undead attack. Archers practiced, the mayor handled logistics, knights prepared fortification, and the militia was busy getting roaring drunk in the tavern for free thanks to Taiyama's persuasive abilities.

Taiyama, frightened out of his mind though he may be at the prospect of facing legions of the undead, contributed to the bustle. He couldn't abandon these people and did everything in his power to help them help themselves. He had just gotten done paying an exorbitant sum for a sword to a young woman whose brother he had found, much to Morrigan's consternation. He was about to track down Dwyn and persuade him to aid in Redcliffe's defense when he overheard Bann Teagan and Mayor Murdock talking amongst themselves while studying a map of the city. Taiyama walked over unnoticed and looked at the map.

"We only have a limited amount of wood and no time or men to devote to getting more," Murdock stated. "Do you have any ideas with what we have?"

"Hmm..." Teagan mused, running the problem through his head.

"Um, excuse me..." Taiyama muttered softly--too softly for the two leaders to hear him.

"Well, one option is to completely encircle the area here with a low wall but we run the risk of the undead simply climbing or leaping over them and coming at us from all sides..." Teagan said.

"Pardon me, but-"

Once again not hearing Taiyama or noticing him behind him, Murdock responded. "Maybe we could build a high enough wall if we make the semi-circle small enough...but that might constrict the men too much."

"Sorry to interrupt, but I-"

"I agree, that might turn it into a killing zone if the militia can't even draw their bow strings to fi-" Bann Teagan stopped in the middle of his sentence, having finally noticed Taiyama after he had tapped Teagan on the shoulder a few times. "Oh, hello, Warden. Forgive me, I didn't see you there. Can I help you?"

"I'm really sorry to interrupt but I have an idea if you want to listen to it," Taiyama said. "But if you don't, that's ok. I'm not exactly good at these kinds of things..."

"Well, the two of us are stumped. If you have something to add then by all means go ahead. Do you know what theh problem is?" 

"I was listening to you, so yes..."

Taiyama took a pen that lay on the table and began sketching out a semi-circle in front of the entrance to the Chantry with periodic breaks in it. He then added besides each chunk of the line measurements for the walls to be built to.

"I think that if you do it like this, the walls will be tall enough to keep the enemies from going over them and forcing them to attack via these holes in the wall," Taiyama stated, calling the undead "enemies" because he was afraid he'd show how scared he was if he called them by that name--he had been trying not to show his fear around the villagers so they wouldn't lose heart. "That way the enemies will be funneled into a small space that the archers can concentrate their fire into and do more damage... Sorry if that's not a good idea, though. It's just something I thought up."

"No, no, no..." Bann Teagan responded, looking over the measurements and imagining the wall in his mind. "That's definitely a good idea. I daresay that's genius, Taiyama. The thought hadn't even occurred to me. Thank you very much. Murdock, give the order to build the wall to these specifications."


Author's Note: You know, in the Landsmeet no matter who you choose, the new ruler will name you the general of his/her armies. I figured that it would be a very silly thing to do if the Warden didn't have strategic experience so I've written Taiyama as having a very great talent for generalship and tactics. It's here in Redcliffe where he first shows his natural talent. He eventually in my mind gains enough experience leading that he becomes a general on par with Loghain. I kinda have this thing in my mind where Taiyama is sort of the new Loghain to Alistair's Maric.

Modifié par Taiyama, 30 janvier 2010 - 06:38 .

[Taiyama]

That Could Be Me

"I'm going to undo the barrier, are you ready?" Wynne said.

"Sort of, I guess," Taiyama responded. "Go ahead and undo it." 

"All right. Be ready for anything when we go in there."

Blue energy flew from Wynne's hand and hit the barrier in front of them, causing it to disappear slowly into nothingness. Taiyama tentatively led the way through the hallway. If his memory served him, the main library was coming up--not the one he usually hid in when he was young, though; that had been a smaller library.

Sure enough, the ruins of the great library were in the next room. "Ruins" is an apt term because the place was ransacked, a shell of the great library I remembered. Bookshelves were toppled, books flung everywhere, tables broken, and bodies of templars strewn here and there across it. Most of the bookshelves still stood, however, lining the walls and jutting out into the room forming three equidistant "walls" that blocked view of the rest of the library and only allowed you to pass by walking on the left side of the room.

In all honesty, though, I didn't pay much attention to this at first. What I was focused on were two...monsters standing in front of me. Flesh, sinew, and muscle wove together in a grotesque fashion to create a reddish humanoid creature that was a pale imitation of an actual human. They didn't appear to have any mouths and the only eye that wasn't covered by their horrible flesh was fixed on us. The tattered remains of mage robes still clung to their forms, leaving no doubt that these had once been elves or humans.

"A-AAAAHHHHH!!" Taiyama yelled in fright, instinctively backing off until he was behind everyone else. "What are those things?!"

"Abominations! Steel yourself, Taiyama!" Wynne responded.

The two rage abominations immediately charged at the party, the sound of their feet striking the stone floor resounding across the room as a loud "Thump!" noise. Leliana was the first to attack, raising her bow and striking one of the abominations right where a normal human's heart would have been with an arrow. The abomination didn't even flinch in its charge. Alistair took out his sword and shield and charged forward to meet them, blocking the two abominations' strikes with his shield. He slashed one of the abominations on the hip but failed, like Leliana, to even make the abomination flinch. He continued to hold off the abominations while Leliana and Wynne held back, using ranged attacks.

Taiyama was frozen. All he was doing was standing there, staring at the abominations--he hadn't even grabbed his staff off of his back. He was shaking like a leaf and his eyes were wide as saucers as he watched those horrible, horrible things attack his best friend again and again and again without mercy. He wanted to run, wanted to get out of there. He wanted to flee back to the great door and bang on it, begging the templars to let him back out. He was frozen in fear, though. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get his body to move.

"Hey, Taiyama, you feel like making with the magic??" Alistair asked as he blocked one abomination attack only to get hit from the side by the other. "You know, maybe some zapping or some boom-boom, I'm not very picky!"

Despite Alistair's call to fight, Taiyama did not move for the rest of the battle and the other three had to fight without him, their greatest damage dealer. Eventually, after Leliana had filled it with enough arrows, one of the abominations collapsed to the floor. Wynne then hit the other with Stone Fist, knocking it to the floor as well and Alistair finished it off by stabbing it through the head and twisting the blade. With a long sigh, he sheathed his sword and put his shield away.

Taiyama stepped forward awkwardly, almost stumbling his way forward. He fell to his knees and looked into the single eye of one of the abominations, which stared back at him lifelessly--gone was the primal rage that had filled it earlier.

It was the most horrible thing I had ever seen. And the worst part...the worst part is that they had once been mages, maybe even friends of mine. Could one of them have been that elven man whose light I had gotten in front of? Or maybe one of them was the Enchanter who trained the new initiates? It could have been any of them...any of them...

"Haaah...haaah...haaah...haaaah..." Taiyama's breathing quickened to the point of hyperventilation. He couldn't break his gaze from that horrible, horrible eye and the monster that was once a mage of the Circle.  

"Hey, Taiyama...you all right?" Alistair asked.

His entire body wretched and Taiyama vomited all over the floor. Not just once but for the next thirty seconds he vomited in-between coughing fits.

"Taiyama, are you ok? What's wrong??" Leliana said, running over beside him but being careful not to step into the mess.

Taiyama felt Wynne's calm, reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Try to calm down and breathe deeply, though don't hyperventilate yourself like you did. Don't worry, I had a very similar reaction my first time. Just give yourself some time.

"That...that could be anyone... That could have been any mage I know..." Taiyama muttered. "Just one slip...just one slip, that's all it takes... That could have been anyone...

"That could be me..."

Author's Note: I'm kinda fascinated with the idea of a mage's reaction to first seeing an abomination and here is what happened to Taiyama when he first saw an inhuman abomination in the Circle. I get the feeling that this isn't as well-written as my other stories, maybe because it's so late right now but I wanted to get this done for you guys as soon as possible. What do you think? Better? Worse? The same?

Also, Wynne's last sentence there could be very humorous if taken out of context.

Anyway, I've got a few ideas on where to go next with these stories and I want your opinion. One thing I've been thinking about is really exploring Taiyama's relationship with Leliana--basically when he meets her, as they fall in love, etc. Another is I could go through the mage origin and show Taiyama's thoughts and actions there. Yet another idea is to do the same with the Fade section of the Circle Tower and the fight with Uldred, showing how much that experience changes Taiyama and such. So guess what? You get to decide. Vote on where to go next. Though I'll very likely write all of these, whichever gets the most votes is written next.

Modifié par Taiyama, 30 janvier 2010 - 08:42 .

[The Gay Warden]

Ah, another good short story... well done. I love the diologue.