You Can't Save the Spider *and* the Butterfly

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a collage of all her known faces to-date, including two impersonations of Queen Elissa Cousland of Ferelden.)

30.) And finally: Write a letter to your character, from yourself.

Vrania,

When I first met you during the Asunder Creative Writing Challenge, you were almost completely different from the character you’re now growing into. Your passion has always been there, as has your mission, but you were meant to be a one time thing, for that contest only, over and done.

And yet, here I am two and a half chapters into your own story, wondering what the hell I’m doing trying to write two of your time lines together at once. You’re even more difficult than the dual timing makes you, because you won’t show me who and what you really are—or maybe it’s better to say who you were? And on top of that you’re rude, loud, and a complete and total bitch.

I love you, but god damn if you aren’t a headache for me more times than not.

~Brenna

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a collage of all her known faces to-date, including two impersonations of Queen Elissa Cousland of Ferelden.)

29.) How does your character smell? Do they wear perfume or cologne?

Ugh… *she makes a face, and appears to actually be trying not to inhale* I keep telling myself that the stench is just this cell, but I’ve been stuck here roughly a fortnight now. I keep asking the peons that bring me my daily meal if I can have a bath—since I’ve behaved so well since being captured, there’s got to be some sort of reward for that, right?—but so far my request has been ignored.

At least I can look like I’ve had a bath if I wanted to, even if the smell would give me away to anyone downwind. That’s one thing I’m counting on the Knight Commander for. When he recognizes me—and he will, because I didn’t think this costume out as well as I probably should have and only my hair color has been altered—I’m fairly certain that old affections will grant me at least some comforts in my captivity, even if it won’t grant me freedom.

For the first few baths I’m allowed, I’m probably not going to bother with anything more than hot water and whatever rough bar of soap they give me. Once I’ve tested boundaries, though… rose oils in bath water are always nice, but I think I want something more exotic. Maybe something with cloves… when I worked in Rialto I often saved my money for a vanilla and clove oil mixture that was divine.

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a collage of all her known faces to-date, including two impersonations of Queen Elissa Cousland of Ferelden.)

28.) If your character’s life was a genre, what would it be? 

What do you mean “if (it) was a genre”? Like if it were a novel, or one of those moving pictures Brenna’s mentioned? I… *frowning, she seems at a loss for words*

I’m just me, in spite of the faces I put on in order to hide, or later to sneak around and fight in my own way, without being recognized. Some of the others called me an extremist before I left to come here, like Anders was, but I’m trying to help them, dammit.

*huffing, she falls silent for a long while again while her eyes trace the walls and door of her cell*

I guess, considering my circumstances, that if I’m going to get out of here and finish my work this will have to turn into an intrigue of sorts sooner than later. I’m almost certain I can handle the Knight Commander, but I have to get to him first, and then to find a way to get him to let me go. After that, I’ve just got to get the components that Anders used, and find a viable tar… *her eyes widen in realization* …get…

Maker’s breath, I’m in the Gallows! I never figured I’d have a way into the Circle here to access Kirkwall’s phylactery chamber. I always asssumed that I’d have to destroy as many of the others across Thedas as possible, but never that I’d be able to get even near the Gallows’ walls alive, much less inside! I’ll have to find a way to get out and get my components, of course, and then back in… either that, or find some way for the Knight Commander to actually bring them to me, which would be an absolute riot. But once I have them, and I’m back here safe and sound? Kirkwall’s repository is probably the largest outside of Val Royeaux, and those silly Orlesians already let theirs be destroyed.  I couldn’t have asked for better luck!

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a collage of all her known faces to-date, including two impersonations of Queen Elissa Cousland of Ferelden.)

27.) Pick two songs that describe your character at two different points of their life, and explain why you chose them. 

Hm… I wasn’t forced to listen to Brenna’s music as much as Elissa was, but I have heard a few of the songs she plays, and I like her music a hell of a lot more than most of what I’ve heard here throughout my life.

I think the title, at least, of I Think I’m Paranoid fits me very well, though I’ll admit I don’t listen to the words of the song much so I don’t know if those are appropriate or not. It’s just that the title fits well with how you’re forced to think sometimes as an escaped Circle mage, plus I like the sound of the girl’s voice who does the singing.

As for a second song… there’s one that Brenna has that I like a lot, except I would place myself in the position of the song’s subject, not the singer. In the song, the subject is irresistible to the singer, and the subject is able to get whatever he or she needs from the singer. It’s a very toxic relationship, and apparently that’s also the name of the song. Brenna laughed when she realized I liked this song so much; she says there’s a moving picture (a “video” I think she called it) that was made for the song where the singer changes her appearance similarly to how I do, depending on the situation she’s in.

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a collage of all her known faces to-date, including two impersonations of Queen Elissa Cousland of Ferelden.)

26.) Second day of favorites! Favorite comfort food, favorite vice, favorite outfit, favorite hot drink, favorite time of year, and favorite holiday. 

My favorite comfort food? You mean things that make me feel better when I’m sick or depressed, right? The cooks back in the Circle had a good recipe for a chicken soup with sliders (or dumplings or pastries or whatever) though to this day I can’t get the dough to cook up to the right consistency to make the soup myself. I can’t really think of any vices I indulge in, unless you actually count testing new faces just to see what I can come up with whenever I have a mirror and some privacy.

*she pauses to glare at the tiny window in her cell door and sighs*

I haven’t had a significantly varied selection of clothing in years, so I don’t really have a favorite outfit, as it were. Instead, I think of each new face as a costume—and while there have been many fantastic ones, my favorite will always be the short, pink hairstyle I wore before escaping the Circle. That’s more than a little too easy to recognize, however, and I haven’t been able to wear that one since I left. 

For quite a few years now, I’ve tried to stay away from hot drinks, just because it never quite gets cold on this side of the Waking Sea to enjoy anything warm. When it is chilly enough to enjoy something though, I normally try to settle down with an eggnog or some buttered rum. …That brings me right into the question about time of year, now that I think about it. I miss Fereldan winters specifically because they were opportunities to enjoy warm drinks. I know the cold was miserable for anyone who had to work out in it for any reason, but even after leaving the Tower I always managed to have someplace nice and warm to stay. (It’s actually one reason why I often took kitchen jobs in taverns and manors and such before the war began.)

What was the last question, again? My favorite holiday? *flashes a wicked grin* Why, that would be Summerday, of course, starting on the last night of Eluviesta (Cloudreach in the common calendar) and continuing through sundown the next day. Someone had to make sure all the proper fertility rituals were performed during the festival, or else a village’s entire crop would be likely to fail! It would be terribly irresponsible and ungrateful of me to not come to the aid of whichever village had taken me in the previous winter to ensure their next harvest was bountiful. ^_~

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is just as she’s beginning her Harrowing.)

25.) Describe your character’s hands. Are they small, long, calloused, smooth, stubby? 

My hands were actually something I didn’t pay attention to originally when changing my appearance, although I’ve since learned better. The first time I even thought about it was when I took the form of some old crone—my face was worn and wrinkled, my hair grey and my eyes a bit cloudy, but I forgot to pay any attention to my hands or arms. So while the rest of my appearance matched the disguise I was attempting, my arms and hands were still those of a nineteen year old—smooth and relatively fair, with no sunspots or wrinkles or cancers. It never occurred to me how out of place they were until a vendor in that little village’s market made some comment in passing at “how well I’d taken care of my hands through all my years”. After that I always remembered to match the skin of my arms, hands, and even sometimes feet and calves to the “costume” I wore on my face. I don’t know if a Templar would recognize the difference if one caught the same problem, or would understand how and why my hands didn’t match my face, but that’s not something I take risks with.

But as for my hands normally? My palms are fairly short and stubby, at least when compared to my fingers. I’m almost obsessed about keeping my hands clean, but there’s only so much I can do when they’re stained instead, from working with herbs and the like (especially when I used juices to color my hair, instead of magic). The skin itself is a bit calloused, but not so much as it would be if I used a staff, and are especially smooth when compared to those of a warrior using a sword or axe all day. More than calloused they’re a bit raw, since my most recent job before quitting and coming here was as a scullery maid in Hercinia. I suppose I could have tried for a cook position at the manor I was serving, considering my time in Rialto a few years ago, but I’ve always tried to avoid taking on the exact same role in one city as I had in another I’ve been forced to leave.

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is from the Cullen romance mod.)

24.) What might your character’s ideal romantic partner be? 

Aw, how adorable. “Romantic partner” they ask. *rolls eyes* You think we really get much choice in such things as mages? We chose who we sleep with, if we’re lucky, but that’s the most any caged mage can hope to expect. Anders got incredibly lucky finding my cousin, and I’m sure he knows just how lucky he is.

Now then, since I know better than to choose based on “romantic” ideals, let’s look at the physical.

For men, a warrior is a near must—there’s just a certain musculature that comes from wearing full armor all day, every day, that I just can’t resist. I don’t mind more… nimble… physiques from time to time, but other mages are more or less a last resort only—there’s very little strength or flexibility there. *eyes get distant as she smiles* Anders would have been an interesting exception to the rule, if Ria hadn’t gotten there first. He managed to swim Lake Calenhad, after all, and being such a strong swimmer normally implies well-built shoulders, back, and arms, as well as plenty of endurance. Not to mention that you hear all sorts of stories about the stamina of the Grey Wardens. Perhaps if I can find her someday I’ll pester her for all the wicked details.

Ah, but I digress. For women, physique is less important; mostly because I believe we as a collective are physically more attractive than the vast majority of men as a group. More or less curves here or there just add to the painting, so to speak, where too many curves on men seem to imply a drinking problem more often than not, in my experience.

…Then again, most of my experience since escaping the Circle has been spent hiding in taverns and whore houses, so perhaps my perspective is a bit skewed. Nonetheless, it’s what I’ve grown to expect, and to like or not like, respectively.

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a generic “Kirkwall!Vrania” portrait.)

23.) Is your character superstitious? 

*laughs* No, I leave jumping at shadows to the Templars and anyone else without magic. Because while some of those things that superstitious fools panic over are legitimate reasons for concern, I understand the reasons for much of those things occurring or existing. It doesn’t make some possibilities any less horrible—a corpse that’s buried rather than burned becoming possessed, for instance—but knowing why takes away a considerable amount of the fear such a possibility presents.

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a generic “Kirkwall!Vrania” portrait.)

22.) If your character could time travel (or otherwise return to any point in their own lives), where would they go? 

One might say I already have. In a manner of speaking, of course…

Start by naming your character, the fandom he or she is from, and (optionally) any background that might be relevant:

Much of Vrania’s history is a mystery at this point. She was captured by a templar patrol as she exited the dilapidated Hawke estate roughly two years after the destruction of Kirkwall’s Chantry, and though she was recognized as an apostate not even the templars are aware of her true purpose there. All that is known about her is that while she was obviously trained in one of the Circles, no phylactery can be found for her.

(Vrania is an alternate Amell mage origin from Dragon Age that exists alongside my Elissa, though to my knowledge the two never meet. She also has the unique ability to change her appearance, which is why different pictures of her will be used at different times. Today’s image is a generic “Harrowing!Vrania” portrait.)

21.) Does your character have a single underlying passion or trait that influences all aspects of their life?

*Vrania’s eyes narrow suspiciously at the question* You know what I am, yet you ask this?  By the Void, you know me better even than these fool Templars do after all these questions. But if you insist on having an answer, then no, there is no passion or trait that influences all I do in my life. Needs and actions, yes, but no passions. It isn’t as if I decided as a child that I wanted to paint, and trained until I became a renowned artist, driven by some passion for messy canvases and stained fingernails. I am what I am regardless, and I act only to survive.