Black Emporium 2023

[skyeventide]

Thank you for writing for me! If you are drawing, just make sure not to include those DNW that would apply to a visual medium and feel free to take inspiration from the prompts I offer. Illustrations or comics or portraits are all good. I very much enjoy some symbolism in art but don't feel bound by that.

 

Please never consider my prompts as "must do", they're there in case you don't have ideas or would like to see what precisely I like about these ships. They're guidelines to make your life easier, not tracks you can't deviate from!

 

Things I like!

 

I'm happiest when stories get into some in-depth character exploration. The plot of your story may be minimal (but if you really like plotty stuff, go for it, I love it too), it may be slice of life, small missing moments, I tend to not care as much as long as characterisation and interactions between people offer emotional depth. For smut, the same thing applies: hot action is good, but I like it better when there's something that happens, in an emotional sense, to the characters involved. This doesn't have to be romantic love by any means, I very much enjoy friends with benefits, conflicted feelings, toxic relationships, and the like. For any less wholesome ships, I am totally fine if they don't live happily ever after.

 

I like: banters between characters, historical attention to details, politics, clashing points of view, complicated relationships, UST, bittersweet endings where not all things are solved neatly. Hope for the future despite everything, moral ambiguity, explored dysfunctionality, love shown through subtlety, love that is not confessed, regret, hard-won redemptions and the distrust that comes with it, power dynamics, characters that won't ever relent in their goals and who feel things strongly and are larger than life. I like the consensual but not safe or sane too, and if you feel like playing with darker themes emotional manipulation is great; loyalty and betrayal themes, rivalries, enmities, even those that aren't entirely solved, and especially those that take a long journey to come to an understanding. Themes of grief and mourning, trauma and recovery, fate, "the narrative", growing past hurts, but conversely also revenge quests, anger (especially towards gods, doom, the universe), generational and religious trauma, situations where everything is awful, sometimes even people, but the love is still there despite that, deep and fraught and ride-or-die. Grey morality, unreliable points of view, deeply fucked up visions of the world and blind spots, ruthlessness, enthralling personalities, sacrificing things (and people) for one's goals, but also unrelenting, honest, down-to-earth goodness.

 

If you want a list of my smut likes that is as exhaustive as possible, you can find that here. This entry is very nsfw.

 

 

 

GENERAL DNW

 

AUs unless requested • No BIG canon divergencies unless requested. • Crack fic. Fluff fic, feel good stories, kidfic, in general stories focusing on cuteness and domesticity. • Focus on pregnancy or childbirth. • Focus on gender dysphoria. • Character bashing. I am happy with characters disagreeing passionately and having negative opinions of other characters, but don't make them into your mouthpiece. Also don't make fun of or belittle characters gratuitously, especially those of the requested ships. • Focus on scat, piss, vomit. I'm fine with mentions of unsanitary things, but no focus on it; as in, nothing that is deliberately trying to squick the reader out or is kinking on these fluids. (Blood is perfectly fine.) • Second person writing. • "Educational" fiction. Some of the characters in my requests can be objectively and patently wrong in their beliefs, we all know that, so please when writing a pov that's wrong/prejudiced in some manner don't insert any "and that, kids, was morally a bad thing" in the text. • No writing out of canon-compliant various -isms or -phobias. If a world area or time period is e.g. homophobic, I don't want the struggles of characters who have to live with it written away. However, if such things are not present in a given situation, don't add them in for the sake of it. • A/B/O, genderswap, alien genitalia, m!preg/cis man pregnancy, sex pollen. • Maggots, terminal illnesses, feederism and eating disorders, soulmates and hanahaki. • Daddy/mommy kink, de-aging of characters, ageplay and infantilisation, diapers, pet play, feet, enemas and urethral plays, insistence on how large a penis or breasts are, objectification. • Medical play and assorted medical kinks, as well as medical situations utilised to emphasise powerlessness or horror (such as unwilling experiments) unless requested or canon to the ships/story/character. • Underage and non-con between requested characters (dub-con is fine but only if requested or canon). Rape experiences or trauma are fine as background or in the story as long as they're not detailed or the focus (but never between nominated characters unless requested or canon). Incest unless requested or canon (cousins okay). • Any variation of the word "come" spelled as "cum". • No X character is secretly a bastard of Y character unless requested or canon (relatedly, no non-canon cheating on a spouse). • Denial of structural power imbalances even/especially in positive and/or consensual relationships. • When a character has a canon love interest but I request a ship with someone else, please acknowledge the love interest/spouse and do not bash them or say the requested character hates them now.

 

DRAGON AGE DNW

 

Secret half-elven parentage for characters for whom it isn't canon. • Half elves having obviously elven traits, the Dalish presented as a uniform culture that agrees on everything. • Unquestioned or endorsed national stereotypes on the part of the author (e.g. Fereldans are always honest and good, Orlesians are always deceitful). • Stories set in Tevinter where all the "good guys" are foreign and all the "bad guys" are local; relatedly, stories where the point of the narrative is that enlightened and cultured foreigners bring wisdom and civilisation to the backwards/helpless/uncivilised/evil locals. • Bashing Anora, fem!Cousland married to/shipped with Alistair, Alistair ruling alone. • The Chantry depicted as unquestionably right. • Focus on Cullen; any ships involving him and a mage, even in the background (templar/mage ships are fine and can fall under requested dub-con. I just don't want this one in particular). • Adoribull mentions. • Miriam/Hira as endgame. • Switching DA:I advisors with another character (e.g. Morrigan with Merrill) unless requested. • Preference for canon backgrounds for PCs and no canon-breaking PCs (e.g. the Inquisitor becomes Divine) unless requested. • If writing a PC, please give them a name and don't refer to them generically only by surname. Even default names are fine, just make them an actual person, i.e. no blank slate/default PCs. • Anders written as if Justice never turned into Vengeance/there was no symbiotic and, by the end, difficult and destructive relationship between them.

 

Preferences and state of the world: What I really don't want to read is in my Dragon Age DNW, so you can consider other things free game. I'm purposely not adding notes on any of the PCs, since I find it personally really difficult to fulfill someone else's expectations with OCs and always go with my version of things; so feel 200% entitled to exercise the same freedom. I have a playthrough for almost every possible iteration of the worldstate, chances are that I have at least a game where your canon matches with mine. 

 

OCs and adding characters: I love some OCs and to see the world populated. If you're writing a specific relationship and think it'd be great to throw in other people who would live and act around them, both original and canon, that sounds great to me. You're also free to mix requests if you want, if they lend themselves to it. Usually I just care that the nominated relationship takes centre stage, but the more the merrier. I only ask not to put emphasis on unrequested PC romances, though you're good to mention them as long as my DNWs are respected.

 

Prompts!

• Rowan Guerrin/Loghain Mac Tir/Maric Theirin, Loghain Mac Tir/Jean-Marc Stroud, Gereon Alexius/Loghain Mac Tir
  

This is all about Loghain's mess of a relationship with Maric and Rowan. I am absolutely down to polyamory explorations of their entanglement, including poly readings of his marriage. This man is hopelessly bisexual and his loves are a chest of wonders. I am also totally down, however, to read less simple situations, where their canon entanglement is not at all solved, everyone suffers, everyone has feelings that they don't quite explain to each other. Go wild. 
For Loghain and Stroud, what would it be like for Loghain to feel some kind of kinship, or interest, for one of his Orlesian comrades? What if something happens between them before DA:I, and maybe they flee together to meet the Inquisition? Strained relationships that become friendlier and friendlier is good stuff and I'd be curious to see what you can do there.
As for Gereon and Loghain, I saw that and was just kinda... what if guy who hugely fucked up recently meets guy who fucked up some time ago? Maybe Loghain comes to Skyhold and meets Gereon working for the Inquisition. They talk, spend some time together? Maybe Loghain can understand doing bad things for love, be it country or child.

• Female Adaar/Blackwall, Female Adaar/Vivienne 

For Adaar and Blackwall, what attracted me to the prompt is Adaar being part of a mercenary band, and for that reason potentially understanding what Blackwall did and why. A lot of it depends on how you imagine Adaar though, so I'm very open to any kind of dynamic depending on how you write her. Surprise me! 
For Vivienne, my thought was that they might find some kind of understanding in representing something that people fear and using it to their advantage (a mage, a Qunari-shaped vashoth). Or even embracing it. Anger, ambition, ruthlessness, strength of will, care buried deep within. Could they find kinship there? Or, if you have other ideas, I'm open to hearing them.

• Sten/Female Tabris, Male Aeducan/Zevran Arainai

Look, I just think Sten romance would have been an incredible idea. I have no idea how that could work out, but I would love to see it work out. It all really depends on how you envision Tabris, but I'd really be curious to see them frame each other through their respective views of the world (the Qun, alienage life). How do they find mutual respect? Is this a love thing, is there sex, is more or less platonic but sexual? How does Tabris react to Sten's refusal to follow her up a mountain and the fight that ensues? I'm open to any combination and interpretation here.
The way you write Aeducan/Zevran can also vary so much depending on the personality of the PC, but I do have a weakness for the concept of a fallen prince "enlisting" the help of a professional assassin. How would that look like? How does the relationship shape up? I'm not necessarily looking for fluffy here, so you're really welcome to do whatever you enjoy the most for this potential dynamic. 

• Delrin Barris/Female Trevelyan, Delrin Barris/Leliana

This could go a great many different ways, depending on Trevelyan's personality, class, and choices, so I'm open to almost any interpretation. Barris is a very interesting character and I'd love to see how he interacts with the Inquisitor, especially depending on alliance or conscription, and the Inquisitor's general beliefs. Mage Trev is also okay, and given her position she can claim to have power over him; it'd also be cool to see this shuffled mage/templar situation explored in all its subtleties.
For Barris and Leliana, I'm interested in how two people who look at the Chantry and the Templars and think that they could be better would hit it off. Would this be during Inquisition, while they collaborate? Maybe they talk about faith and the future and how ot achieve their goals. Both a hardened Leliana and an unhardened one might work, and maybe Balris helps her along the unhardened path? Or maybe Leliana is now Divine, and she makes Barris the Knight-Vigilant, or one of her Knights-Divine and her right hand. How would they navigate their relationship now? Any pining involved? I'm interested in the Vibe they have.

• Female Hawke/Meredith Stannard, Female Hawke/Loghain Mac Tir, Gaspard de Chalons/Female Hawke 
  

Maybe Hawke should get to tap a MILF, what can I say. I only want to see a Templar-siding Hawke here, but I'm ok also with a mage Hawke. I would like to see how the danger or delusion or self-hatred might feature in a relationship with Meredith. Is Hawke very ambitious and in it for the prestige? Is it a sexual attraction thing? How does this work with regard to Hawke's morals and family history? Is... Meredith domming?
For Loghain and Hawke, how about the DA:I period when they're on the run and fighting the fake calling and the other wardens, or how about they're both stuck in the fade to fight the nightmare, orrr other adventures afterwards? There's enough creepy stuff in Thedas to come up with something really wild.
Okay this is the Hawke bangs an older person selection clearly. Listen to me about this one. Hawke killed Duke Prosper de Montfort. Who at best aided and at worst was directly involved in the assassination of Gaspard's wife, Calienne de Ghislain. So what if, Gaspard knowing this, he... invites Hawke over? Huh. What if he does that. 

• Female Cousland/Anora Mac Tir, Zevran Arainai/Male Cousland, Male Amell/Male Cousland

Listen I know there's the canon Male Cous/Anora where the PC can become her husband, buuut what if she hits it off with fem!Cous instead? They cannot be married, but they have so much they could build a relationship on. Either Cousland saved Loghain and conscripted him, or Alistair killed him, or Loghain died fighting the Archdemon (no ritual), or survived. With any of these scenarios, they could share something; saving Anora's father, bonding over a dead father, etc etc... but also, they were both raised as nobility, perhaps raised to rule, and might well understand the difficulties and burdens they both face; especially if Cousland has become Teyrna of Gwaren. They could provide each other support, understanding, and perhaps physical release, all wrapped in those juicy politics and duties to the country. Please don't have Loghain killed in duel by Cousland (I'm indifferent to Alistair's fate, as long as he doesn't have a romantic relationship with Cousland.)
For Zevran and Male Cous, the idea of a ruler/leader type and an assassin (maybe ex assassin) together really intrigues me. The loyalty in that, and the passion... The vibe just calls to me. Even a Cous who became king is good, just enjoy yourself with it.
Amell/Cousland is a similar vibe as above, except Amell could be something of a court mage instead of assassin. It doesn't have to be about loyalty, Amell could also be some kind of grey eminence? An ambitious Circle Mage? I'm good with a multi-Warden state here, but I'm also interested in situations where one of the two is a "companion" and didn't do the joining. I'm sort of mentally defaulting to Cousland being the Warden, but don't feel bound by that. Any configuration here is good, and they could meet at Ostagar, during Broken Circle, or anywhere else.

• Flavius & Radonis (Dragon Age)

I loved both Flavius and Radonis the moment they appeared in the comics. Radonis seems a very ruthless man who however recognises the dangers of extremism and nationalism, who knows what kind of threat Tevinter faces with the Venatori and the Qunari both. He doesn't seem opposed to taking matters in his own hands, though always with a political mind (and he's the one Josephine suggests for an alliance). Flavius seems to be his personal slave; he shows pride and disdain for Tessa when she opens the door for him, and doesn't change tune until Marius is in the picture, switching around from scorn to obsequiousness; he finds the two outside of the country, having gone seemingly alone, spins a story about human sacrifice that they fall for, and then leads them to the little trap Radonis set up for them. He shows cunning, autonomy, and loyalty. But of course, he's still a slave. His position is really interesting, probably distorted in his mind as to how good it actually is, but Radonis trusts him. Maybe Flavius has been with him for a long time? Maybe he's Radonis' main agent? How did that loyalty come about? I would love to see it explored. I think Radonis is a first name (like "Empress Celene"), and for a surname I've used Medon in the past, but feel free to make something else up if you don't like that one. Please no heavy, excessive shows of psychological abuse, and no physical abuse at all, though I'm okay with a relationship that is, at its core, unhealthy and unbalanced given the circumstances.

• Rezaren Ammosine & Miriam & Neb, Rezaren Ammosine/Tassia

Love me some dead dove sometimes. I would love to see their relationship explored pre-Neb's death, and/or how it changed afterwards. Rezaren's mother was called Enrichetta according to dub credits, so you can use that if you want to include it. I'm interested in seeing the fucked up kind of affection that Rezaren felt, the power dynamic, how their perspectives differed. 
As for Rezaren and Tassia, tell me how that relationship began, how they grew close to one another. Or tell me how Tassia feels after his death, how she feels about what happened. If and how he deceived her about blood magic before. I'm just really interested in their dynamic.

• Felix Alexius & Dorian Pavus & Maevaris Tilani

Maybe we could see something during their younger years, their developing friendship and relationship. Their old political ideas that will eventually turn into the Lucerni. Maybe Maevaris is with Felix when he goes back to Tevinter to live out his last days (you can mention that the taint is like a terminal illness here and ignore the related DNW), and they receive letters from Dorian or send them to him. I would just like to see their deep friendships and how they intersect, the idealism and beliefs, their personal strengths and pains filtered by mutual affection.

• Architect/Corypheus, Architect/Male Surana

Cory/Architect is one of my fave ships. If you go the sexual/romantic route, I have some preferences for it, namely the Architect topping and Cory needing to let go of some of that stress and anger by submitting, but if that goes strongly against your headcanons I'll read something different too. I'd love to see this relationship during their human years in ancient Tevinter, when Cory begins convincing the other that they need to break into the Fade, but I'm down for some darkspawn action as well. I am partial to the hc of the Architect being very gender non-conforming. For ancient Tevinter, be my guest with the worldbuilding, it's delicious. You could explore what they did to reach the golden city? Also I like the name Callistus for the Architect, feel free to use it.
As for Surana, clearly the warden had one hell of a time in the mines where the Architect was hiding, I would love an exploration of that. You can even go AU, decide that the warden is staying there. Maybe there's mutual fascination in what the Architect is doing? I would love to see a "collaboration" route, rather the warden as a victim, a descent into whatever they're willing to do to study the properties of their blood. Maybe Surana returns after the end of Awakening, and creepy stuff happens? Maybe Surana is a blood mage scientist and really likes how the Architect's mind works. You can go for body horror and ignore the medical stuff DNW for this request.

• Gaspard de Chalons/Michel de Chevin, Michel de Chevin/Male Lavellan

Michel and Gaspard have a lot that could be used. Perhaps something happens during the ending of Masked Empire, when they travel together, or, with an Emperor Gaspard, Michel returns to court after leaving the Inquisition and shenanigans ensue? It would be fun to play with their soldier background, and perhaps with Gaspard's show of trust in keeping Michel's secret.
On the other hand, what if Michel remains with the Inquisition? He obviously hides his half-elven status for many valid reasons, but what if Lavellan heard of it from someone, perhaps Celene as part of "payment" for saving her? Or maybe Lavellan doesn't know at all, and that relationship must be navigated thinking he's a fully human chevalier. What about Michel's pov in this? How does he react to the power Lavellan is building? Maybe they spar together, if Lavellan is a warrior too? I'm okay with this relationship not having a happy ending or not even becoming explicit, if that is easier for you!

• Blackwall/Josephine Montilyet/Female Trevelyan
  

For Blackwall and Josie, I love their little courting game; I know Josephine says it wasn't meant to go anywhere and it's a little courtly romance, but does anything change if Trev is romancing either? How does this addition shake things up? Maybe the courtly game moves into more serious territory, with feelings, or maybe it remains a very peculiar chaste involvement, even though the Inquisitor is in a relationship with both/either. I'm also interesting in how this might change post-revelation, or even afterwards, during Trespasser.

• The Iron Bull/Male Trevelyan/Vivienne

I saw this throuple and was really intrigued. Bull and Vivienne have a very cool relationship, and they both read people; I would like to see how throwing in Trev would change up the dynamic. Viv could be a domme for Bull, so how does the third person fit into this? Bull after all offers an escape from power and duty by "letting go" with the Inquisitor, and Vivienne embodies the want of power and holding onto ambition. How do these things interact? What kind of dynamics develop? Do Bull and the Inquisitor have a sexual relationship with Vivienne at all, or is it just a psychological kind of exploration of their attraction? Is Vivienne going to be the Divine, and how does that play into it all? Does this develop around the Snowy Wyvern heart quest? Feel free to explore any of these. Though, please acknowledge that Vivienne loved Bastien.

• Crassius Servis/Male Trevelyan 

For Trev/Servis, the man just looks really *pretty* somehow? Those lips? Also is very mercenary, a little devilish. In a scenario where he now works for the Inquisition, I would love to see how they trip into bed together. Eventual feelings? "Friends" with benefits? A one night stand? An attempt to win Servis' actual loyalty? Or conversely, to get more benefits from the Inquisitor? Go wild. You are also welcome to write the female Trevelyan version of this ship, also in the tag set. It just didn't make it into my requests lol.

• Bianca Davri/Varric Tethras

We know a bit of this relationship, but we don't know everything. I would love to see the in-betweens, the missing moments, like Bianca giving Varric the crossbow, all those things we're told about them in WoT but in more details. Give me the angst of a love that couldn't really be and didn't end well. I would love to see Bianca's POV here but feel free to go with whatever inspires you the most. I also don't need to see a healthy and happy relationship or faultless personalities, but no bashing of Bianca, including hints that "he'll find someone sweet and good for him eventually when he's forgotten this evil hussy" or "Bianca is abusive actually" takes.

• Grace & Ser Thrask

In my humble opinion not making both survive is an incredible wasted opportunity. I think Thrask is one of the single most interesting templar characters in DA2, with his hypocrisies (hiding his daugher while still participating in the system for example) but also his righteousness and his belief that he's doing good. His need to reconcile what he's been taught with the truth of things, of the Gallows. And then his willingness to act on what's wrong, his desire to build an alliance with mages to remove Meredith from power. Unfortunately I feel like the game wanted to push that all mages can be bad etc, so Grace killed him, but ideally I love the idea that Grace resents this middle ground, resents his kindness and helps, and is further radicalised by the Gallows and the cruelty shown in them. I would love, though, to see them build a relationship — of trust, cooperation, and yet always so complicated, to see her anger at the system but having Thrask as sole target of it. And him winning her trust but not yet quite understanding that the problem isn't Meredith per se, it's the Circle system as it stands. Anyway I'm fascinated by them, and I would also love to see an AU where they both survive and somehow meet each other again, have to talk, walk through it all again. Inquisition timeline AU?

• Female Cousland/Varel (Dragon Age), Male Caron/Varel (Dragon Age)

What if, hear me out, lord/vassal but there's also age difference? I really like the idea of Cousland settling into her own after all that mess of the Blight etc and trying to take a hold of things and of the new menace of talking darkspawn, while also finding support in this very loyal and steadfast man. Varel is a super cool character, and whatever your Cousland's personality (ruthless, tired, dry humour, aggressive... whatever calls to you!), I feel like she could have in him solid support. Plus, of course, the power dynamic. (You don't need to emphasise the age difference if you don't like that route, I'm just signaling that I'm ok with including it!)
So I'm an absolute sucker for the political and possibly emotional turmoil of Caron becoming Commander and Arl in Ferelden. I really enjoy Varel's very loyal and competent personality, but that takes on new nuance with an Orlesian Warden. How does their relationship develop? How does Varel navigate having to mediate between the commander and the nobility? Or maybe you want to start midway through Awakening, that would be fine with me too. Either way it'd be good to see how they get to the point of Varel saving the Warden, especially considering the various options of personality (and background!) for Caron. I don't recall if there's a stated background for him, but if not, feel free to play around. Something like Chevalier would be very juicy.