Anders doesn’t take things like the feeling of rain on his skin for granted. All too aware of what it is to be denied such simple experiences, he savors them whenever he can.
These are my personal choices and they are mostly in no particular order, except for number one.
10. Cassandra Pentaghast: I mean, those cheekbones, her hidden romantic side, her voice, her loyalty, what’s not to love?
9. Morrigan: I love my bog witch wife. She is a bad bitch and I love her so much for it. She is an awesome mother and I love my son, Kieran. Plus, shapeshifter.
8. Cullen Rutherford: He has some problems, I will admit. But, I am a sucker for an awkward romance and his is just so sweet. Plus marrying him gets you a mabari, so…
7. Sera: You want an adorable romance? Look no further! Plus, she is all about sticking it to the man and helping the everyday person. Plus, all the pranks.
6. Isabela: My pirate queen. She is beautiful, deadly, and knows how to have a good time. I love her and will sail the high seas with her.
5. Alistair: Remember I love awkward romances? Well, Alistair is equal parts awkward and ridiculously smooth. His jokes and flirting are adorable and, as my first DA love, he will always have a special place in my heart.
4. Josephine Montilyet: She is sophisticated and talented and can ruin a person with a well placed word. Plus, she looks like a Disney Princess. I will duel for the right to love her any day of the week.
3. Dorian Pavus: I love this nerdy necromancer so much. He loves books, magic, and changing things in his homeland for the better. He has great fashion sense and he is almost perfect. I love him.
2. Zevran Arainai: I love my murder husband. His romance arch is so sweet. When you are with him, you both learn to love and he deserves all the love.
1. Fenris: I love, love, love my self-freeing, glowy, murder elf. He is strong and good and his romance kills me every time. #1 DA romance, always.
Really, I enjoy all of the romances, but these are my favs.
Josephine in yellow and blue 1950s dress
Sera in greaser style with leather jacket and plaid pants
Velanna describes her youth as “all skin and bones and sour expressions–a thoroughly unpleasant child.” This was in stark contrast to her sister Seranni, two years younger, who was affectionate, mirthful, and well loved by everyone in the clan. Velanna had no resentment for Seranni, though. She called it her love for her sister her “one virtue.”
Velanna preferred the company of scrolls and quils, as when playing with the other young elves, Velanna was often cast cast away from their games for pointing out loopholes and flaws in their rules, logic and fantasies. Every time Velanna would sulk in the family aravel and promise Seranni she would try harder to “play better with others,” but every time the same thing would happen. Eventually Seranni could no longer convince the other elves to let Velanna play with them.
When Velanna was nine years old, she first discovered her magic, what was the self-described proudest day of her life. She always dreamed of being a mage, wanting to be like the ancient elves, and one day after years of hoping and reaching her mind out to the earth around her, she produced a small flame in her hand.
Velanna brought the flame to her Keeper Ilshae and declared that she would be the Keeper’s First. Ilshae was both stunned and impressed with her boldness, and agreed.
Velanna felt that her magical training was the first time she belonged. She threw herself into her studies, and magic became her refuge. Ilshae became a second mother figure to her.
The more Velanna learned about elven history, though, the more she became sensitive to all the knowledge lost to slavery and genocide. She grew bitter. Ilshae found her deepening hatred for humans troubling, but disregarded her feelings as part of Velanna’s severe personality.
One day when the clan was camping close to a human village, the humans turned violent in order to protect themselves from ‘the threat,’ and set the woods where the clan resided on fire in attempt to drive them out. While the clan escaped, they lost aravels and several halla to the fire.
Furious from what was inflicted on their clan and the needless destruction of nature, Velanna proposed they retaliate. Keeper Ilshae, however, said that they should continue fleeing and take better care to avoid human settlements in the future. Velanna argued that running would be another victory for the humans. Ilshae argued that the more important thing was the clan’s survival. This led to Ilshae giving Velanna an ultimatum: if she wished to seek justice, she would be exiled from the clan.
Velanna was heartbroken but too proud to back down, and so she left the clan. A few others who felt as Velanna did followed her, as did Seranni in hope she could convince her sister to give up.
Seranni was kidnapped by the Architect, and the rest of the clan members died trying to defend her. Velanna flew into a rage, “missing a piece of her own heart.” She began lashing out at any humans who crossed her path, thinking they were the ones that took Seranni.
Nathaniel grew up idolizing his father, enamoured with all the stories he was told of how he fought along side King Maric in the Ferelden Rebellion. He spent hours in the family’s trophy room, fantasizing about growing up to wear his grand-uncle’s armour and fighting with his father’s swords.
As he got older and his relationship with his parents worsened, the trophy room became his refuge from them.
Into his teens, his father decided Nathaniel needed to learn the arts of war, and his mother suggested he be squired under her cousin Ser Rodolphe Verley, a chevalier and member of the Vael family’s court in Starkhaven.
Nathaniel protested this arrangement, bitter that his father favoured his younger brother Thomas while he was being sent away. The protests were futile, and Nathaniel was forced onto the boat to the Free Marches.
Ser Rodolphe was a grim and serious, harsh taskmaster who did not tolerate any insolence or mischief. In the first week under his command, Nathaniel was made to carry buckets of water from one end of the castle grounds to the other for making fun of Rodolphe’s armour.
Nathaniel squired with Ser Rodolphe for eight years. His days were “a grey blur of drills, chores, and boring history and military lessons.”
One of the lighter moments of his time in Starkhaven was with the watchmen archer who taught Nathaniel how to use a bow. Ser Rodolphe disapproved of archery, calling it cowardly, but Nathaniel continued to practice his skills on his own time. His daily routine of shooting fruit off castle walls was a reprieve for him and a nuisance for everyone else.
After two years passed, Rodolphe was invited to the Grand Tourney in Tantervale, and Nathaniel came along. This was Nathaniel’s most enjoyable time with Rodolphe, and overall in his life.
Nathaniel himself participated in the grand melee, at Ser Rodolphe’s behest. While he was knocked out of the competition by an Orlesian warrior, Ser Rodolphe was proud of his performance, and rewarded him with a purse full of gold.
Nathaniel spent the entire bit of gold on ale, cakes, a replica of Hessarian’s Sword of Mercy, and a small mechanical musical bronto that played music when wound up.
While intoxicated, he wandered onto the archery field, and was nearly shot by an elven woman, “Erina, or maybe Avina,” competing. He angrily declared that he was a better shot than her, and she handed him a bow and told him to prove it. Despite being under the influence of alcohol, he matched her performance, and the two spent the rest of the day together, including missing Rodolphe’s jousting performance. He lied and said it was astounding, which fortunately it actually was, and Rodolphe came in fourth place.
After living in the Free Marches for nearly a decade, Nathaniel grew to love it, and no longer had any interest in becoming the Arl of Amaranthine, instead wanting to be a wandering knight and archer.
By the time Nathaniel heard the news of his father’s death, however, and that Vigil’s Keep was now in warden hands, the name Howe had become synonymous with traitor. In order to save his mentor the embarrassment from associating with him, Nathaniel left Ser Rodolphe. He then vowed to have vengeance against the Grey Wardens. He booked passage across the sea back to Ferelden.
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