Black Emporium Letter 2020

I hope there’s something in here that sparks your imagination! I’m okay with everything from platonic friendship/fluff to PWP - whatever you’re best at or speaks to you the most. I’d rather have something that you found enjoyable and fun to write than be overly restrictive with my preferences.

If you find you have questions or want clarification, you can leave an anonymous comment and I’ll be happy to answer you :)

Likes:

• Awkward first dates, meet the family
• Humor and friendship, especially female friendship
• Arranged or accidental marriage leading to genuine companionship
• Mutual UST/pining that leads to friends using clue by fours to get them together, already
• Sexual tension bubbling over into their first time together
• Sex pollen/aphrodisiacs ramping up mutual UST until the mutual confession of feelings
• Characters starting from very different positions and eventually finding common ground
• Relationship evolution and building of trust
• Nerds being nerdy together
• “It’s a bad idea for us to be together” angst that eventually gets worked out
• Safe, sane, consensual BDSM- perhaps in the context of an established couple trying something new
• Kink negotiation
• Size kink (in couples where there's a size difference -- e.g. non-qunari with qunari; dwarf with someone taller)
• Alternate history / "what if” AUs
• Post-canon / “what happens next?”
• Custom Warden/Hawke/Inquisitor
• Non-Warden AU with the Warden ships

DNWs:

• Watersports/Scat
• Humiliation
• A/B/O dynamics and other non-traditional reproductive biology (mpreg, etc)
• Modern/Mundane AUs
• Necrophilia
• Infidelity/cheating
• Daddy/mommy kink
• Non-canonical major character deaths
• Unhealthy relationships (unless I've stated otherwise)

Requested Relationships

1. Female Adaar/Shokrakar
Female Adaar/Vivienne
Female Adaar/Sten
(Bucket: Female Adaar/Sera/Shokrakar)

-Shokrakar seems like a pretty cool person - I would love to see her show up at Skyhold, at any point during her quest line (though I think I have a preference for afterwards). Maybe she and Adaar were friends with benefits while Adaar was a member of the Valo-Kass; maybe they see each other in a new light after all the changes that have happened. If you include Sera, I'd be interested in either an established relationship (Adaar/Sera adds in Shokrakar), or Sera and Adaar haven't committed to one another yet and Shokrakar makes things more complicated until they solve things with poly. Sera's VERY into hot qunari ladies, feel free to play that up!

-For Vivienne, I'd love to see her with a mage Adaar -- at first, they don't understand each other since one's an apostate and one's a Circle mage, but they realize that they can complement one another in the field, and find common ground in more than one area. Maybe Viv gives Adaar some etiquette lessons before Halamshiral, which leads to them bonding and eventually falling for one another. It’d be awesome to see the decisive moment in their relationship (when they realize they want to be together) be at Halamshiral in front of everyone.

-Arishok Sten shows up at Skyhold after Iron Bull’s loyalty quest (it can go either way). Adaar greets him cordially, but stiffly, because she is no fan of the Qun. She refuses to budge even an ounce on her convictions. It isn’t until Varric tells her about his time traveling with Sten and Alistair (see: the comics) that she unbends enough to give him a fair shake. Adaar eventually opens up to him and discovers they actually have a lot in common.

 

Sten, meanwhile, is still struggling with the fact that, as the Arishok, he’s supposed to embody the principles of the antaam – but his experiences in Thedas mean that he’s far more tolerant of differing views than pretty much everyone else in the Qun. He’s been falling for Adaar the whole time he’s been at Skyhold, and it all comes together one night. What happens after that? Is it only while Sten is at Skyhold, or does it somehow continue?

2. Fiona/Vivienne
Fiona/Wynne
Flemeth/Wynne

Experienced Mage Ladies FTW! I just want to see them getting together, comparing notes -- maybe they're like two cats circling each other at first, but then genuine respect and liking overcomes wariness. 

For Fiona/Vivienne, I'd prefer to see their encounter at Skyhold. For Fiona/Wynne and Flemeth/Wynne, I'm okay with any timeline. Maybe Wynne runs into Flemeth during her misspent youth? Maybe Fiona and Wynne bond after Fiona is cured of the Taint and returns to the Circle?

3. Andraste/Leliana
Herren/Wade
Female Brosca/Sten
(Bucket: Greagoir/Wynne)

-During the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest, while they're at Haven, Leliana gets a visit from Andraste herself. Perhaps it's during the Gauntlet; perhaps it's afterwards after the Warden takes the pinch of ashes (I really can't see this working if the Warden defiles the ashes). Does Andraste wants to reward her faithful follower? Does she want to convince Leliana to cut back on the worship thing? Another interesting time could be after Leliana's personal quest in Inquisition -- maybe Andraste comes to comfort her after she says goodbye to Justinia; maybe Andraste tries to get her to listen to Justinia's words and soften her stance.

-Herren and Wade are such an old married couple, I love them so much. I'd be interested to see how they manage the chaos of Denerim and later Amaranthine, Herren trying to keep Wade aware of the circumstances that AREN'T strictly related to the crafting of armor and weapons.

-Another obligatory "I love Sten" request - how does Brosca break down his walls to reveal the softie underneath, and what does Sten think about this infuriating woman who breaks all his preconceived notions about the world? (Okay, I gave you a bit of a hint there, but I'm still open to other ideas!) I'm ok with either a bittersweet parting at the end of Origins (possibly with Brosca's death) or one of them making a sacrifice to stay with the other.

-It's pretty much confirmed (at least to me) that Greagoir is the father of Wynne's son Rhys, so ... what was that relationship like back in the day? How did things evolve into mutual respect? How does Greagoir feel about Wynne running off to help the Warden during the Blight?


4. Female Hawke/Isabela/Merrill
Fenris/Donnic Hendyr/Isabela/Aveline Vallen
Isabela/Merrill
(Bucket: Fenris/Isabela)

-I see F!Hawke/Isabela/Merrill as being an organic poly relationship rather than a 2+1, if that makes sense. Hawke flirts with them both and refuses to choose, and they’re on board with that. It’d be great to see Merrill getting involved with the Qunari tangle at the end of Act 2 as well as Hawke.

-You can tell that Isabela genuinely cares for Merrill. I can easily see Isabela taking the role of gentle teacher, trying to help Merrill without breaking her optimism and positivity. Maybe it starts as Isabela deciding that Merrill needs to learn a few things about how to please a woman, and ends with Isabela unable to give Merrill up.

-Since Fenris and Isabela get together if Hawke doesn't romance either of them, I'd definitely be interested to see a little more of that relationship. It's implied that it's somewhat of a FWB relationship, but like I keep saying, I love seeing what happens when real feelings start to creep in! 

It'd also be really interesting to see their dynamic when Donnic and Aveline are added to the mix. Donnic and Fenris become friends, as do Aveline and Isabela. I'm interested in any of the combinations of this foursome, up to and including everyone in the same bed, but my only request is that everyone is on board with what happens. Some healthy communication and poly negotiation would be fun.

5. Alistair/Female Cousland/Anora Mac Tir
Alistair/Female Cousland/Leliana
Female Aeducan/Alistair/Anora Mac Tir
(Bucket: Alistair/Female Amell/Anora Mac Tir)

-Power trios time! Alistair and Amell/Cousland/Aeducan get to have their cake and eat it too -- or maybe they weren't together during the Blight, but the process of actually ruling Ferelden brings them together, following Alistair's marriage to Anora. An Aeducan or an Amell has just as much of a potential leadership role as a Cousland. Please make sure that Anora is an equal partner in all of this, I think she's a great character and that she and Alistair would actually get along well after the awkwardness of their situation wears off. 

-For the variant with Leliana, I'd love for this to be another 'organic' poly relationship as they all grow closer together on their quest. Leliana stays with the married couple after the end of the Blight, with some official role at court (Spymaster???), and it's an open secret that she shares the bed of the King and Queen. 

6. Dagna/Female Aeducan
Ser Cauthrien/Anora Mac Tir
Sigrun/Velanna
(Bucket: Anora Mac Tir/Female Tabris)

-Dagna and F!Aeducan have a forbidden romance in Orzammar, both of them dreaming for something they can never have. Everything changes when Aeducan leaves, then comes back – what is their reunion like? How does Aeducan feel about Dagna going to the Circle, and then later working with the Inquisition?

-Ser Cauthrien is extremely loyal to Loghain, which makes me think she's spent plenty of time with Anora as well. Maybe there've been situations where Ser Cauthrien has to guard Anora, which could potentially lead to a bodyguard crush. Regardless of the exact scenario, they're both strong women, and I'd imagine they have more in common than not. 

-Sigrun and Velanna are two somewhat prickly ladies with more in common than not. I can easily see a mutual respect turning into something more. Perhaps you could show them gradually growing closer during the events of Awakening, or maybe show how they forge a new path together afterwards. 

-I'd be interested to see a non-Warden Tabris interacting with Anora, perhaps after Anora becomes Queen and starts improving conditions in the Alienage. If you want to go with a Warden, Tabris probably has a bit of a chip on her shoulder because of Loghain's involvement with the mess in the Alienage - maybe Anora starts trying to show that she won't do the same thing that her father did, maybe she angrily accuses Tabris of confusing her with her father. Or, really, anything that gets these two growing closer together :)

7. Isabela/Josephine Montilyet
Female Cadash/Josephine Montilyet
Leliana/Josephine Montilyet
(Bucket: Female Adaar/Josephine Montilyet)

-I would love to see Josephine being charmed by her clever, roguish suitor, whether that’s Cadash/Adaar or Isabela. Both of them would ham it up during the duel, IMO, and make sure that they stay with Josie in the post-Inquisition/post-Trespasser period. (Isabela and Josie go pirate?)

 

-With Leliana and Josie, you can tell there’s an enormous amount of respect and friendship between the two of them. Being in such close proximity during the events of Inquisition… it becomes more than just simple friendship.

8. Leliana/Josephine Montilyet/Cassandra Pentaghast
Female Hawke/Isabela/Aveline Vallen
Bianca/Vex'ahlia (Critical Role)
(Bucket: Leliana/Morrigan)

-Lady Power Trio: Skyhold Edition! The three of them worked so well together, again I'm all for that mutual respect/friendship gradually evolving into something more. Or maybe they're just blowing off steam (and it gets serious on them). 

-Aveline and Isabela bicker all the time. Hawke tells them to get a room. She doesn’t expect them to actually do it, nor to have them invite her to join. Alternately, it’s Aveline who makes the crack about getting a room to F!Hawke and Isabela (either before or after they hook up for the first time).

-Bianca/Vex'ahlia is extremely self-indulgent Laura Bailey appreciation. Vex finds her way into Thedas, somehow (handwaving is totally ok) and meets up with Bianca. An appreciation for how clever the other one is leads to things getting hot and heavy.

-Leliana and Morrigan didn’t get along at all during Origins, but they find themselves moving in similar circles by the time Inquisition comes around. They’ve both matured and changed and find their old bickering doesn’t matter anymore. Leliana gives the Inquisitor a positive review of Morrigan instead of a negative one, and respect turns into something more.

9. Female Cousland/Nathaniel Howe
Bethany Hawke/Nathaniel Howe
Nathaniel Howe/Velanna
(Bucket: Nathaniel Howe/Sigrun/Velanna)

-Nathaniel and Cousland knew each other growing up. Maybe they fooled around a little, and maybe it was serious. Maybe their parents had just about finalized negotiations for their marriage. But everything’s completely changed when Cousland finds Nathaniel in the dungeon. She’s wondering where the sensitive boy she used to know went; he resents her for destroying his family. Lots of angst and misunderstandings that eventually culminates in them winding up in bed together – which makes things even *more* awkward for a time, until they get it straightened out.

 

-Bethany and Nathaniel joined the Wardens because they had no other choice. Both feel somewhat the un-favorite in their family. They start to bond over their shared experiences and it becomes serious.

-I would love to see Nathaniel and Velanna get the full relationship treatment. They definitely seem like they’re edging towards mutual respect and even a little admiration. How does Nathaniel help Velanna with her sister’s fate? What does Velanna think of Nathaniel’s sister? Do they stay at Amaranthine after Awakening, or go somewhere else?

-Velanna’s torn between Nathaniel and Sigrun, and decides she wants them both. It might take some time, but eventually everyone’s on board.

10. Dagna/Female Aeducan/Female Brosca/Female Cadash/Lace Harding/Sigrun
Female Adaar/Female Hawke/Isabela/Josephine Montilyet
Celene Valmont/Vivienne/Morrigan
(Bucket: Leliana/Josephine Montilyet/Cullen Rutherford)

-LADY DWARF STACK. I don't care how you get them all in the same place at the same time but just make it happen. Smut? Fluff? Both?!

-Established Adaar/Josephine and Hawke/Isabela decide to mix things up a little bit while Hawke and Isabela are at Skyhold.

-Morrigan has made herself invaluable to Celene, which is a position that Vivienne once held/aspired to hold. Vivienne attempts to get back in Celene's good graces at Halamshiral, and finds out that includes buttering up Morrigan. They don't really get along, but somehow that doesn't matter with Celene to bridge the gap between them.

-War Room Sandwich: Consider this a free space to write whatever version of these three your plotty/smutty heart desires :)