dawnwriter

Greetings, fellow curiosity seeker in the Black Emporium! It's that time of year again, when we all come together and make more fanworks for some truly rare Dragon Age pairings. I've tried to think of a bunch of things l'd like to read about, and I hope I can give you plenty to work with to make something for me! Below are some prompts for each request, to give you some idea of the sort of thing I’d like, though of course they are optional details. 

Feel free to use the default first names for all Wardens/Hawkes/Inquisitors listed, or to use your own character’s name and background. 

I do have some themes and elements I’d prefer left out of my gift, unless specifically requested for that pairing. These include: rape/non-con, a/b/o dynamics, character bashing, bathroom stuff, torture, mundane or modern AUs, character death.

And now for the pairings & prompts:

Female Cadash/Crassius Servis or Crassius Servis/Female Trevelyan 
Servis is not a good guy, let's get that out of the way. He's definitely a greedy, power-hungry crumb of a man who helped oversee and manage the Venatori and the Red Templars. He also has gorgeous handwriting, was never particularly loyal to Corypheus, and has a number of useful contacts in Tevinter, having attended the Circle of Magi in Minrathous, has great attention to detail, and is really quite handsome (no, he didn't write this description, lmao). 

I would love a fic with him getting in way too deep with a pragmatic Inquisitor who figures out how to use him to her best advantage, finds him amusing enough to flirt or even have a one night stand with, and doesn't expect to catch feelings (surprise, they both do). 

Calpernia/Female Trevelyan 
For this pairing, perhaps a story where Trevelyan has gone to Tevinter and is desperate need of allies other than Dorian, and Calpernia turns out to be one of her first contacts.

Perhaps they hit it off right away, and Calpernia shows her the sights and explains the political situation, and asks her to stay at her villa, where romance blooms between them. Or perhaps Trevelyan is savvy enough to know what's going on already, and simply seduces her. (the where and how are up to you, though a bathhouse might be fun). 

Cole/Solas
I love these two, and in-game they are very close, and comfort each other frequently while they are both going through some very difficult transitions - Solas waking from a 4,000 year nap and being unable to accept the world he made by creating the Veil, and Cole still traumatized that he couldn't save the real Cole from a horrible, painful death, ultimately taking his form.

Cole has seen everything Solas was and is and is capable of, and still cares about him and wants to help him, even knowing his plans could destroy Thedas. Solas is terrified of Cole being twisted against his nature into a demon and losing himself, and values him as a person when most people think he's a monster. They both just care so much about each other. T_T  

If Cole stays more spirit, how does Solas help him, how does he keep Cole from pursuing him once Cole remembers he tried to steal his memories of him, just how much can Cole forgive? Or perhaps the theory that Solas was also once a spirit comes into play. If Cole becomes more human, does he ask Solas about his choice of becoming permanently physical, or did Solas really have a choice?   

Really just looking for something where the two of them look out for each other when the other isn't aware, and the small affectionate moments they have like this:

Cole: It's brighter here. Glittering. Glaring. Glinting. I can't...

Solas: It's a mild tremor in the Veil. Nothing to worry about. Focus on what is here, in this world.

Cole: But... what is here?

Solas: Feel the ground, the breath in your lungs, fabric rustling against your skin.

Cole: (Breathes.) Thank you.

Solas: It's nothing. It can be overwhelming for anyone.

For a considerably lighter story, perhaps have them watching a show or a movie in the Fade together, on a Fade Date where Solas shows Cole a dream he thinks he would cherish.  
 

Cole/Cullen Rutherford
Cullen has been through a lot in the past ten years, and I'd like a story where spirit Cole comes to him in his worst moments of withdrawal and PSTD to offer what comfort he can. Sometimes it involves sex but Cullen doesn't usually remember, but it's what he needs in the moment. Eventually, Cullen starts remembering him, and waking up in bed with him. Alternately, Cole becomes fully human, and looks to Cullen to try to understand what that means.

Dorian Pavus/Solas
Bringing this back because I adore this pairing. 

They both run hot and cold (though Solas is more prone to hot), give me conflicted Solas who is besotted and counting the moments until he has to walk away, and Dorian who finds his new lover in turns both enlightening and infuriating. Perhaps a story while they're still in the Inquisition and have to solve a unique problem together with some truly esoteric magic, which one cannot believe the other knows how to do (this instigates some playful teasing). Maybe a tale set Post-Trespasser, where they meet again, alone, after some fraught negotiations between Tevinter and a faction of rebel elves, both of their plans unraveling under some greater threat. I like angst, but I'd prefer both of them to survive and not hate each other, so please keep it to a scenario where both of these things is possible. 

Florianne de Chalons/Leliana/Marjolaine
While training Leliana, Marjolaine holds a small soiree at her estate in Val Royeaux, to which Florianne is invited, and therein a closet full of nothing but shoes is explored. Later, the three of them most certainly end up somewhere sans masks. 

Charter/Leliana
Charter cannot begin to express her relief that Leliana still trusts her after all the reveals and betrayals during the Exalted Council. Now together they have to figure out if there are any other double agents and how to cut off any more leaks. Alternately: Charter is a double agent, but not for who you might expect - and Leliana just can't let her go. 

Shale/Sten
I love these two curmudgeons and how they have a mutual attraction based on battle prowess, their dislike of human society, and how small and squishy most people are. Sten calls Shale kadan, and Shale openly admires his muscles, so there is some fondness between them. For a story, perhaps something set in the Deep Roads before they meet Caradin, with Sten comforting Shale for being nervous, or, perhaps, set much later after Shale has gone to Tevinter, and they meet again there after he is Arishok - maybe he is interested in bringing them into the Qun as a warrior and companion. 

Female Surana/Sten
After a Warden gets his approval high enough, Sten starts to call them kadan, which denotes caring about someone, though not the depth of that affection. What I want is something where Sten is head over heels with Surana, and is extremely confused by it. She is the antithesis of everything he believes about women (cannot be warriors), mages (cannot control themselves or their power), and elves (frail and disorganized). His admiration of her is related most to her control of her abilities and battle prowess, but also he loves how practical and dutiful she is. She might find his alien point of view fascinating, enjoy carefully drawing out of him more about himself and his people, and learning to understand him better... she's also just generally be into how tall and muscular he is.

Sex in Qunari society is supposed to be divorced from love, and when the topic comes up (with Morrigan) Sten seems disenchanted with the act, as well as certain he would harm a non-Qunari partner. So it's not important to me if the relationship is sexual (if you can make it work, of course, I would not complain), I'm more interested in displays of mutual caring and affection with this pairing, whether it be defending each other in battle, or sharing some cookies. 

Cassandra Pentaghast/Male Hawke (or) Cassandra Pentaghast/Female Hawke
With this set, what I'm really interested in is how Cassandra feels about Hawke, and what they mean to her once they're in the Inquisition. What is it like for her finally meeting someone whose heroics she thought were worthy of naming them Inquisitor over? Is Cassandra's fangirling of a larger-than-life Hawke justified, or is Hawke someone a bit less impressive than Varric built them up to be? Is Hawke put off by Cassandra's admiration, or do they take advantage of it? Does Cassandra comfort Hawke about the things they didn't have the power to stop? 

Any color Hawke is fine, though I'm fond of Diplomatic Hawke, any gender is fine, and as far as class goes force mage is the one I'm most familiar with. 

Lysas/Lysette
Honestly, I just thought it was cute that they had very similar names, but one of them is a mage and one is a templar, with all the tension that that configuration can provide. They're both devout Andrastians, Lysette has stated that she wants to protect mages as well as protect everyone from the dangers of magic, while Lysas wants more freedom, but not at all costs. All I'm looking for is some fluff with this skinny elf and his buff knight gf, whether it's a meet cute, or the two of them fighting crime together. 

Lysette/Minaeve
Same as the above prompt, though perhaps you could explore Minaeve's severe abandonment issues and how Lysette helps her deal with them. 

Maevaris Tilani & Dorian Pavus
Magister Friends in Minrathous Go to Parties, Get Drunk, Save Tevinter.

Mind the "&", I do not want romance with these two. 

Maevaris Tilani/Male Trevelyan
She's a beautiful widow heading up a new political movement in a country full of slavers, blood mages, and rampaging Qunari. He's a one-handed former cult leader who has zero chill, a world to save, and spies for his spies. Together they'd make for quite a team. Tell me how these two meet and fall in love, and how they both help each other fight for what they believe in, in a time of turmoil. Alternately, how their soppy romance annoys the piss out of their mutual friend Dorian.


On the off chance none of my prompts are working for you, here’s a list of some tropes and elements I like: 

• mission fic/case fic where they solve a problem together
• battle couples and/or battlefield romance
• friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers
• age-difference or mentor/student romance
• loyalty kink, kneeling
• ust, resolved ust
• angst and hurt/comfort
• dubious consent
• slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans
• growing old together, fondness, matured relationships
• fluff, smut, fluffy smut, plotty smut, sexy smut
• wild escapes, daring rescues 
• making camp together, cuddling up for warmth
• exploring or expanding on existing canon and lore; worldbuilding

Thanks for having a look at my prompts (I might add some more pairings later), good luck, and I hope you have a great exchange! :D

Dear Black Emporium creator,

Thank you for offering to write for me! This exchange was a lot of fun last year, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.

As far as my requests go, I’ve got a few prompts for each below, to give you some idea of the sort of thing I’d like to read, though of course they are optional details. Feel free to use the canon first names for all Wardens/Hawkes/Inquisitors, or to use your own character’s.

If the prompts aren’t working for you, here’s some other stuff I like: mission fic, battlefield romance, workplace romance; friends to lovers, enemies/rivals to lovers; age-difference or mentor/student pairings; ust, resolved ust; angst and hurt/comfort; slice-of-life, humor & general shenanigans; long-term relationships, future fic; found families; epistolary fic; fluff, smut, & fluffy smut; exploring or expanding on canon/lore.

I do have some themes and elements I’d prefer left out of my gift, unless specifically requested for that pairing. These include: rape/non-con, character death, a/b/o dynamics, character bashing, daddy dom!Solas or Dark!Solas, bathroom stuff, and mundane or modern AUs.

I’d like to note that I am open to receiving art as a treat, but I’d prefer fanfiction as my main gift.

Now onto the pairings and prompts:

Ameridan/Female Lavellan

It makes me sad that Ameridan disappears so quickly after he's freed. I'd like to see him survive and confront what happened to the world, and to his people - with Lavellan helping him with that. Telana was still alive when he went into stasis, so finding out about her death in JoH, would seem like it was just days ago - how does he move on? In a post-Trespasser setting, how would they both feel about Fen'Harel returning? Overall, how would their two drastically different Dalish perspectives clash?

I'm down for any level of romance between these two, from a brief flirtation, to a long-term relationship. Smut, is of course always welcome.

Felassan/Female Lavellan

Again with an ancient elven character, who sadly dies. I love Felassan to bits, and I'm kind of more interested in how he meets her, what she makes of him. If they meet before the events of Inquisiton, does that affect how he treats Briala later? Or, if you want him to have survived, how much does he share about who he is to Lavellan? Are there things he didn't tell Briala? Does he have another name, as is hinted, besides Slow Arrow?

Dorian/Solas

These two clash almost whenever they talk, Dorian trying trying to find common ground, and Solas only eventually grudgingly accepting to talk shop about magic. I like how Solas challenges Dorian, but also how they are utter nerds about esoteric high-level technique and magical effects. Also, despite his otherwise standoffish behavior towards him, when Dorian gets hurt, Solas always sounds so alarmed! Tell me about what he sees in Dorian that he wants to protect him so badly.

For them, I'm kind of looking for a hurt/comfort sort of situation; with smut is good, too. I also would not mind Solas catching feelings and doing exactly what he did to Lavellan, only to Dorian, whom I think would be hellbent on saving someone who still loves him, crazy elf wolf-god or not.

Felassan/Solas

All the elven rebellion angst for this pair. Tell me how they met, what drove Felassan to join the rebellion, who he was before he was Slow Arrow, how he and Solas became close? What made one fall for the other? Or, closer to the canon timeline, was he there when Solas woke? Did he travel with him even briefly, before the event of Masked Empire happened? I don't mind a little blurring of the timeline if it lets the story happen. Did Solas botch killing him, only for Felassan to show up later to make his life difficult?


Female Lavellan/Male Adaar
Female Adaar/Lace Harding

Both of these play into my love of size-differences in couples, tiny badass Lavellan or Harding with their giant Qunari paramour learning how to fit together just right. I'd prefer either Adaar to be very much raised outside of the Qun, navigating a world where they don't quite fit in, even moreso once the Inquisitor title is bestowed.

In the case of Female Lavellan/Male Adaar, I'm not too concerned about which of them has the mark, just that they both survive the Conclave. Perhaps they met on the way there, and afterwards were inseparable.

For Female Adaar/Lace Harding, just give me tooth-rotting fluff, smut where they have to make the size difference work, or Lace helping Adaar adjust to life after the events of Trespasser.


Lace Harding/Bram Kenric

The professor's crush on her is so adorable. How does this dork make his feelings known? Do they exchange letters? Harding travels a great deal, do they make dates to meet up when she's passing through Val Royeaux? What does she think of his research, and does she send him artifacts and objects of interest while she's out in the field?

Ariane/Finn

World of Thedas 2 has a sidebar catching up with this pair, with Finn confronting his parents after they sent bounty hunters out looking for him. How has being out on the road with Ariane, long-term affected Finn? Has she brought him to meet her clan, and how did they react? How does Finn feel about being an apostate, once it's clear he's not going back to the circles? Was Ariane's interest in shemlen pickles a hint that she was pregnant and craving weird food?

Anders/Female Surana

Anders and Surana knew each other in the Circle, but how well did they know each other? Did they have a fling when they were younger and more carefree? How about later, after Kirkwall? Does Surana come and scoop up what's left of Anders and try to help him? Does she stop Hawke from murderknifing him?

Female Lavellan/Fen'Harel/Female Mahariel/Merrill

Okay, this prompt is kind of weird, but bear with me. Maybe this has already been done, but I'd like to see a story where Solas as Fen'Harel is forced to participate in some sort of Dating Game type scenario, much to his embarrassment and indignation, and to the amusement of all three women. Maybe it takes place in the Fade, or is a post-Veil destruction lark, where the world isn't destroyed, and nothing quite goes according to plan. Now he has to placate the different groups of elves he's leading, by allying with one of their own via marriage. Very much want to see all three ladies ganging up on him, having their way with him and with each other for their own enjoyment. Dalish women conquering Fen'Harel and making him beg for mercy, please. :D


Female Lavellan/Original Male Ancient Elf Character

What I'm looking for here is an elf who lived through all the things Solas and Abelas and Felassan did, but has very different perspective on it all. Perhaps he venerates one of the Evanuris or works for one of them, perhaps he is one of the other Evanuris, perhaps he knows things that Solas does not. As far as the relationship with Lavellan, perhaps Lavellan has been through Trespasser and is looking for allies who know what Solas is capable of. Or perhaps she met her Ancient Elven paramour, when she was still with her clan, and certain things about him only add up after she becomes Inquisitor. Still, she's not going to kick him out of bed.

Caronel/Valya

I love Valya from Last Flight so much! She's shy and curious, and yet daring, managing to discover the secret of how the griffons all died out, as well as rescue the last few survivors. It's subtle, but her Grey Warden companion, Caronel, seems quite taken with her, not hesitating to follow her into a dangerous place where he'd already lost friends. Tell me how these two might get together, maybe doing some bonding while dealing with the baby griffons, or Valya becoming a Warden. Maybe go into how they learn to care for the griffons, or even get chosen to be their riders!