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daughter-of-the-prophet · 6 years

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Leliana

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Class: Rogue

Title: - Chantry Lay Sister

- Left Hand of the Divine

- Spymaster

- Nightingale of the Imperial Court

- Seneschal of the Inquisition

- Divine Victoria

Affiliation: - Chantry

- Inquisition

Specialization: Bard

Family: - Oisine (mother)

Voice: Corinne Kempa

Appearances: - Dragon Age: Origins

- Dragon Age II

- Dragon Age: Asunder

- Heroes of Dragon Age

- Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

- Dragon Age: Inquisition

- Dragon Age: Magekiller

Leliana is an Orlesian bard who came to the village of Lothering to become a Lay Sister of the Chantry. In Dragon Age: Origins, Leliana is one of Ilona Cousland's companions. In Leliana’s Song, she is the main protagonist. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, she serves as the Inquisition’s spymaster and as an advisor to Inquisitor Rosabelle Trevelyan.

Background

Leliana was born in Orlais, and though she is culturally Orlesian, her mother was Fereldan and so she considers herself as such. Leliana’s mother, Oisine, was a servant of Lady Cecilie Vasseur, an Orlesian noble. One of Leliana’s earliest memories is the scent of her mother’s linen dress as they held hands on the terrace of an Orlesian villa with a view of the Waking Sea and gardens of sweet orange and lavender. Though Leliana is uncertain if this powerful memory is real or not, she cherishes the image of her Fereldan mother.

Following the Fereldan victory in the Rebellion, Oisine followed Lady Cecilie back to Orlais. When Leliana’s mother died, shortly after her fourth birthday, she was raised by Cecilie (though she did not likely legally adopt her), and in her care, Leliana learned much about the royal court and Orlesian culture.

Oisine’s death cast a pall over Leliana’s normally sunny disposition, however, and in an effort to cheer the girl her new guardian gave her whatever she asked for; Leliana only ever wanted books. As a result, she quickly developed an obsessive interest in Orlesian and Fereldan stories, ballads and songs, as well as any tales she could learn from Cecilie's elven servants. Tutors were soon called for by Lady Cecilie to foster Leliana’s passion. Leliana often practiced her dancing on the stone terrace of Cecilie’s villa on the Waking Sea, as well.

At sixteen, Leliana made her first trip to Val Royeaux, to attend a soiree with Lady Cecilie. There she met and was impressed by Marjolaine, a wealthy widow, and patroness of the arts. Marjolaine began calling upon the aging Lady Cecilie shortly after the soiree, who often left Leliana to entertain the dazzling visitor.

Leliana was fascinated by Marjolaine’s worldliness and daring, and the two became close friends. On a hunting trip, Marjolaine gave Leliana her first bow. In teaching her how to use it during that trip, Leliana wounded (but did not kill) a hart the hunters were tracking. Too upset to end its suffering, Leliana watched in amazement as Marjolaine efficiently killed the animal.

That same summer, Leliana visited Marjolaine at her Val Royeaux estate, and the widow began to teach her way of the bard: manipulation, subterfuge, and combat. Always her teaching was subtle and disguised, easily assumed to be merely a lady’s idle amusements.

In Marjolaine's company, Leliana met Tug and Sketch and traveled with the pair across Thedas. Leliana's enjoyment of the freedom of these days dovetailed Marjolaine's increasing fear of her student's growing skill and potential to strike at her. Consequently, Marjolaine struck first and had the trio framed, arrested and abused.

With the aid of an Orlesian Revered Mother, Dorothea, Leliana escaped her captors. She and Sketch, as well as a Fereldan named Silas Corthwaite, sought revenge against them and Marjolaine. Upon securing a new, if uncertain life, Leliana found purpose in the Chantry and Dorothea's calm advice.

In memory of Tug, who perished during their arrest, Leliana toasts his memory every year with Antivan plum brandy, pouring some out as well and intoning "Atrast tunsha, salroka." Her relationship with Sketch remains rocky due to Leliana's embellishment of the past, though she seeks his aid to translate messages let by Tug in dwarven.

Ultimately, Leliana ended up in the village of Lothering. To atone for her sins and to hide from Marjolaine, who survived the original encounter, Leliana joined the chantry there as a lay sister, becoming intensely religious.

There, her confession of a vision from the Maker, and discovery of an impossible white rose on a dead bush in Lothering, both made her an outcast and spurred Leliana's passion to aid the Warden in the Fifth Blight. No one could shake her determination to stop this evil and bring hope to the world Ultimately, Leliana ended up in the village of Lothering. To atone for her sins and to hide from Marjolaine, who survived the original encounter, Leliana joined the chantry there as a lay sister, becoming intensely religious. There, her confession of a vision from the Maker, and discovery of an impossible white rose on a dead bush in Lothering, both made her an outcast and spurred Leliana’s passion to aid Ilona Cousland in the Fifth Blight. No one could shake her determination to stop this evil and bring hope to the world.

After the Blight, Leliana answered a summons from Divine Justinia V, her old friend Dorothea who had now become the head of the Andrastian Chantry. Returning to Val Royeaux, Leliana agreed to become her Left Hand and spymaster. Leliana assumed mastery over a coterie of her own agents, and once again reinvented herself and resumed the role of the bard that Marjolaine had trained her for.

In this role, Leliana investigated rumors of a mage rebellion in Kirkwall and suspicions of Qunari activity at Chateau Haine, as well as serving Dorothea's will in attempting to quell the Mage-Templar War as well as brewing elven uprising. To this day, even despite the love of her mother Oisine, the nurturing presence of Lady Cecilie and the salvation of Dorothea, Leliana understands that Marjolaine shaped her deeply, in both speech and action. As with Marjolaine, Leliana's enemies continue to move against her, seeking out weaknesses to exploit.

Involvement

Leliana's Song

Marjolaine and Leliana, along with Tug and Sketch, arrive on a secret mission to Denerim. Marjolaine gives Leliana various assignments around the city, which she completes with ease and reports back to her. Marjolaine then informs her of another assignment: to plant incriminating documents at the Arl of Denerim's Estate. Leliana infiltrates the estate with Tug and Sketch, witnesses Marjolaine flirt with the guard commander Harwen Raleigh, and plants the documents in the master's bedroom. Her curiosity gets the better of her, however, and upon taking a closer look at the documents, she discovers that they bear the seals of the Orlesian military.

Returning to their hideout, Leliana confronts Marjolaine about this apparent treason, and her mentor agrees to go back to the estate and retrieve the documents. The alarm is raised, however, and Leliana is forced to fight her way out. Upon escaping, Leliana and her companions are betrayed by Marjolaine, who stabs her lover and leaves them at the mercy of Raleigh's guards. Utterly broken, Leliana almost gives in to despair when an unseen benefactor provides her with the means to escape from her cell. Leliana finds and frees Sketch but discovers that Tug had been tortured to death; another prisoner they free, Silas Corthwaite, decides to accompany them to seek vengeance against Raleigh.

After escaping, the band is brought to Lothering by Leliana's benefactor, who reveals herself as Revered Mother Dorothea. Dorothea explains that the Orlesian documents Leliana had seen originally belonged to her and asks her to retrieve them. Leliana and her companions chase after Marjolaine and Raleigh and finally corner them on an unnamed coast. After dealing with Raleigh, Leliana once again confronts Marjolaine. She then returns the documents to Dorothea and joins the Chantry as a lay sister, having found faith in her ordeal.

Dragon Age: Origins

Leliana first encounters Ilona Cousland at the Dane's Refuge tavern in Lothering. When Ilona and her companions are set upon by soldiers loyal to Loghain Mac Tir, Leliana assists them in the skirmish. Following the fight, she explains that the Maker had sent her a vision which meant that she must aid Ilona in her quest to end the Blight. Despite the Chantry's claim that the Maker does not communicate directly with individuals, Leliana is firm in her belief. This causes Alistair to suspect she was mentally unstable, while Morrigan also doubted her sanity.

To her great delight, Leliana is accepted into Ilona's party and sets out with her from Lothering, having previously obtained permission from her Revered Mother to do so. During the journey, Leliana develops a great friendship with Ilona and even hinted to have had romantic feelings for her.

During the quest to recover the fabled Sacred Ashes of Andraste, the Guardian of the Ashes states that the Maker only ever spoke to one mortal, Andraste, and accuses Leliana of inventing her vision. He proposes that she fabricated the tale for attention as she feared her life would become dull in the Chantry when compared to the thrill of a bard's life. Affronted, Leliana makes a flustered denial of the Guardian's accusation.

Following much discussion with Ilona of her life as a bard, Marjolaine sends assassins to murder Leliana. Upon defeat, the assassins reveal that Marjolaine is in Denerim. Leliana and Ilona thus set out to find her former mentor.

After breaking into her house and killing her guards, Leliana confronts Marjolaine. Knowing that if she was spared, Marjolaine would continue to pursue her for the rest of her days, Leliana kills her old lover, encouraged by Ilona to do so.

After this event, Leliana has a discussion with Ilona back in camp to discuss her crisis of faith. Leliana begins to question if her new virtuous self was just an attempt to run away from her previous life after her mentor's betrayal and that the real Leliana is a worldly bard who loves all of the danger, intrigue, and at times even the killing that goes along with that lifestyle. Ilona reaffirms her faith in the Maker and her new, more virtuous path.

Leliana is present at Alistair’s coronation following the death of Urthemiel and the end of the Blight.

Dragon Age II

Leliana was appointed Left Hand of the Divine by Revered Mother Dorothea, who had been elected Divine Justinia V.

Leliana attends a party at Chateau Haine as a guest of Duke Prosper de Montfort. During the event, she encounters Areida Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall, and Tallis, a Qunari agent of the Ben-Hassrath and former associate of Leliana's.

Following Cassandra Pentaghast's interrogation of Varric Tethras, she rendezvouses with the Seeker outside the Hawke Estate. After confirming that Cassandra was unable to locate Hawke, the two agree to return to their other plan.

Dragon Age: Asunder

Leliana continued to serve Divine Justinia V in seeking a solution to the ongoing conflict following the Kirkwall Rebellion.

She encounters Knight-Captain Evangeline at a ball held for the Divine and is also present when Rhys, Wynne, Pharamond and Adrian are granted an audience with Justinia upon their return from Adamant Fortress. She restrains Lord Seeker Lambert, preventing him from attacking Rhys.

Leliana participates in the raid on the White Spire in order to free the captured mages, and it is her presence that reveals to Lord Seeker Lambert that Divine Justinia is conspiring against the Templar Order.

She later sings at the funeral of Wynne.

Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

Leliana, in the capacity of the Divine's representative, meets with Empress Celene I at the University of Orlais to discuss the continued mage-templar tensions. Although she attempts to maintain anonymity, Celene reveals her knowledge of both Leliana and Justinia's identities and past exploits. The Empress goes on to demand that the Divine make an official statement on the mage-templar conflict within three weeks, or she will be unable to restrain the overeager nobles at her court from interfering. Leliana agrees to take this proposal to Justinia.

Leliana later delivers to Celene the Divine's price for helping to quell conflict between mages and Templars: the empress must end the elven revolt in Halamshiral. By doing so Celene would demonstrate the same control over her own affairs that she had demanded of the Divine. Given her adventures alongside elves in the past, Leliana regrets the repressive tactics employed against the elven population, but bids Celene good luck before leaving.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Leliana joins the Inquisition as its spymaster and leads the clandestine division responsible for espionage and assassination. She provides an effective alternative when diplomacy or blunt force fail, collecting information, dispatching agents and scouts, and signing her letters with an ominous nightingale sigil that leaves no question of its author. Given all she has gone through chronologically since Leliana's Song, the carefree Bard has changed, and with the responsibilities of the Inquisition, even if Leliana wished to show her softer side she cannot.

Leliana's focus in the Inquisition's War Table is "Secrets." She brings her old friend, the Antivan noblewoman Lady Josephine Montilyet, into the Inquisition. Grieving for the loss of her dear friend, Divine Justinia V, Leliana struggles with a crisis of faith following the tragedy of the Breach.

As the war council assembles, Cassandra and Leliana suggest approaching the rebel mages for help with the Breach. Cullen disagrees, suggesting recruiting the templars instead, fearing that pouring too much magic into the Rosabelle Trevelyan's mark may destroy them all. When asked why she's so invested in the rebel mages, Leliana reveals she supported the Divine's plan to use the Inquisition to challenge the tenets of the Chantry so that the mages would be treated more fairly. She believes that mages deserve their freedom, in inspiring good rather than dictating it, redemption of past sins, and in radical reform for the Chantry to stamp out inequality for all races.

Leliana and her group are sent alongside Dorian to eliminate the Venatori and their leader, Gereon Alexius, at Redcliffe Castle, where the mages have made their base of operations, functioning under the guise of the Herald negotiating with the Magister. However, when Rosabelle and Dorian are accidentally sent one year in the future, where the former's absence had allowed the Elder One to conquer southern Thedas, Leliana is captured and tortured for information on how the Herald received the mark. By 9:42 Dragon, she has also been subjected to experiments on Blight sickness and Blight resistance, presumably in order to cure Alexius's son, Felix. As Rosabelle finds her in the torture room, Leliana takes advantage of her interrogator's distraction to snap his neck with her legs. These experiences leave her traumatized and cold towards Dorian and Rosabelle.

When the party confronts Alexius, Leliana murders Felix and helps to delay approaching Venatori and demon reinforcements to buy Rosabelle and Dorian time to get through the time rift and stop this future from occurring. Just as Dorian manages to reopen the rift, Leliana is overpowered by her attackers and killed. Upon returning to 9:41 Dragon, Rosabelle tells Leliana of her future self's sacrifice, she states that she would do so again.

After the Inquisition takes control of the fortress of Skyhold, Leliana spends her free time in the rookery, making it a new home. Leliana is more hardened and is willing to respond to betrayal with vicious reprisal. After the attack on Haven, she also berates herself for the sentimentality she has for her agents, believing they lost Haven because she pulled her agents back when her first lookouts went missing. Rosabelle comforts Leliana and encourages her sentiments on both accounts.

At any rate, she apologizes to Rosabelle for letting her emotions get the better of her during their first conversation.

A spirit posing as Divine Justinia V aids Rosabelle when she comes back to the Fade to recover her missing memories. The spirit aids the Inquisitor in finding the truth of how she obtained her mark and also escaping the Fade once again from the Nightmare demon that serves Corypheus. The spirit once again sacrifices itself to weaken the Nightmare but not before asking the Inquisitor to relay a message to Leliana: "I'm sorry. I failed you, too." After Leliana inquires about the spirit and has its message relayed to her, she responds with a solemn "oh" before composing herself and focusing on her duties. In a later conversation with Rosabelle, she tries to make sense of Justinia's message and the events that led to her death. She believes that it wasn't Justinia who failed her, but she who failed Justinia.

Leliana, along with Josephine, Cullen, Cassandra, Vivienne, and Sera accompany Rosabelle to the Winter Palace for the quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts. There she advises Rosabelle to search for the identity of Celene I's arcane advisor.

Late in the story, Leliana receives a posthumous letter from Justinia, directing her to the chantry in Valence, the place where she met Justinia before she was Divine, so she asks the Inquisitor to accompany her. Arriving at the chantry, they are greeted by Sister Natalie. As Rosabelle finds three hidden mechanisms that unveil a hidden box, Leliana grows suspicious of Natalie, who makes a slip of the tongue, prompting Leliana to put a knife to her throat. She deduces that Natalie was sent by Grand Cleric Victoire, who had secretly disparaged Justinia and is anti-Inquisition, to see what secret Justinia kept hidden. Leliana considered on killing Natalie but Rosabelle talked her out of it convince her to spare Natalie. Leliana then opens the box, only to find it empty, with an inscription reading, "The Left Hand should lay down her burden." Justinia was releasing her from her service because she feared she was using Leliana.

In the wake of the Breach and the death of Divine Justinia V, Leliana had begun investigating all of the late Divine's known enemies. She was scrutinizing Lady Cybile Maronn of Baisne, a minor but exceedingly wealthy noble. Evidence of plots against the Divine led her to socially and politically destroy Lady Cybile despite not being involved with events at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Lady Cybile's only son, seeking to appease the Inquisition, handed over a significant portion of his mother's assets including the Assassin Argent's contract in order to avoid following his mother's fate.

Leliana's pet nug Schmooples appears to have died in the intervening years, and Leliana's new pet nugs Schmooples II and Boulette are being cared for by one of her agents, Sparrow. They also helped to repel an attempt by a rival at her home, intended to discover the Nightingale's secrets.

After the defeat of Corypheus, Leliana is elected as the Chantry’s new Divine, going by the name Divine Victoria. She disbands the Circle of Magi and allows mages to rule their own lives, admits non-humans into the Chantry priesthood, allies with the Inquisition and adheres to the principle of service to others. Divine Victoria is controversial from the start, several new sects arise, resisting her reforms and declaring her rule a threat to the faith. She meets with their leaders, urging unity. Miraculously her words take root, and - for now - the Chantry remains strong.

Trespasser

Leliana reappears during the events of the Exalted Council, two years after Corypheus' defeat. She appears as Divine Victoria. Leliana privately converses with Rosabelle as she tours the Winter Palace- during which she tells the Inquisitor that she can no longer appreciate its majestic beauty knowing that it was built from the suffering of the downtrodden. Lastly, Leliana discusses the fate of the Inquisition. Pointing out the fear and ire the Inquisition's influence draws, Leliana advises that the Inquisition should lay down their arms and find new ways to work for the good of Thedas without the use of soldiers and spies. Regardless of what Rosabelle decides, Leliana tells her that she will be honored to stand beside her. Leliana and her agents continue to support the Inquisition. Though Solas continues to elude her, Leliana relays to the Inquisitor that she has been receiving reports of Sentinel elves being active in the Tirashan. Leliana was the first to notify Rosabelle of a dead Qunari warrior in the Winter Palace, implicating a Qunari conspiracy and handles the removal of gaatlok barrels meant to assassinate the leaders of southern Thedas.

As Divine Victoria, Leliana sits on the Exalted Council representing the Chantry. Though she prefers to be called Leliana by her friends, Josephine and Cullen can't help but address her in a formal manner such as "Your holiness"- much to Leliana's annoyance. Leliana institutes further reforms, opening the Chantry to male clerics and allowing Chantry personnel to marry. Her message of love being the Maker's greatest gift spreads despite opposition.

Leliana also decreed the Canticle of Shartan return to the Canonical Chant, a move that divided Andrastians deeply. Mother Giselle notes that she believes Leliana has won many allies to her cause through her intelligence and her faith.

Dragon Age: Magekiller

Sometime after the Inquisitor first went to the Hissing Wastes, Leliana sends Dorian Pavus and the Bull's Chargers as reinforcements to Marius and Tessa Forsythia to help them defeat Venatori forces in that area.

When they return to Caer Bronach, Leliana personally greets them with a new assignment from Rosabelle Trevelyan. Unfortunately, by the time they arrive at Skyhold, the Inquisitor and her army have already departed for the Arbor Wilds.

#dragon age #leliana #sister nightingale #bards #chantry sisters #divine #divine victoria #inquisition #Sister Nightengale

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thenugking · 6 years

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30 Days of Dragon Age OC Challenge Day 30!

Day 30: Free Day!: Is there anything about your character you wanted to say but didn’t? Their favorite outfit? What their Pokemon team would be? Which Hogwarts house they’d be in? Tell everyone about it! (Can be anything at all, serious or not!)

I didn't know what to do with this but I decided to just talk a bit about my three favourite moments for them all. Or three of my favourites, it was very hard to pick. Many of which I've already talked about before, oops. But it felt like a nice thing to finish the meme off with.

Isaline

The start of the Zevran romance; when she feels suicidal and goes off to pick herbs with him alone, hoping he'll kill her and thinks she's being subtle but Zev is Well Aware this is a suicide attempt. When Zev isn't sure he wants to live himself, but he doesn't want to see someone else feeling as terrible and worthless and self hating as he is, and just finds himself trying to make her feel better. And they talk and begin to open up to each other and just really enjoy being in each other's company and they both make a real friend when they've both alone for so long, and both end up wanting to be alive right now. It's a lovely moment that begins their relationship, and both of their recovery arcs and I just love these two damaged, hopeless people saving each other. I love them.

The end of DA2. Isaline's in the Gallows for months before then, secretly working to destabilise the templars and teach mages to fight them, but appearing powerless to the templars and not feeling as if she has much more than she's showing. If she fights back too early, that could backfire and have a negative affect on every mage in the Circle. And then the Chantry blows up, and the templars run round in panic, and she smiles and fucking destroys them and calmly walks through the Gallows tossing aside every templar who tries to stop her and is a terrifying unstoppable force. And then as the fight against Meredith begins, and Cullen has a Convenient Last Minute Change Of Heart, she turns to him in a wave of magic and tells him to run and he does. And she follows, blasting countless spells at him as she calmly lists his crimes, and all the mages he's hurt. She tells him this is justice for all of them, for every mage, but most of all, it's for her. And she kills him. And I love that she's able to put herself first there and to finish him for every time he's hurt her and finally be free of him. And I just really like mages fucking killing that noodle.

When she comes back from Here Lies the Abyss and her daughter Sindony runs to her in such excitement to show her that look she can do magic now. It feels like the final part of her recovery; it no longer hurts so much to think of when she developed her magic herself, and her fear and shame about it, and the way her parents abused her. How can that memory have a hold over her now, when her own daughter's here showing off her own magic, so proud and happy? Now that she has children to raise and love and give a better life than the one she had. Maybe magic's still not fully accepted in Thedas, but they've come so far from her own childhood, and there's a world where her daughters are able to grow up loving themselves and loving their magic. And that is so, soimportant.

Corinne

It's maybe not as serious as Isaline's (I mean. It's really not as serious as Isaline's) but one of my favourite Corinne moments is the scene in Mark of the Assassin, when Hawke and Tallis are trying to get into the Chateau and Hawke can give a funny overdramatic speech about how they saw someone wearing the same outfit as them, and it is the most terrible thing that could possibly happen, and they simply must get inside at once. Except that when Corinne does it, she is 100% deadly serious. There's someone wearing the same dress as her and it is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to her and could ruin her reputation. The jewel is nothing compared to this. I'm really proud of how I made Corinne so unlike how Hawke is "supposed" to be, and this scene I feel kind of sums up the difference really well.

The Chantry Boom. When Sebastian tells her Anders needs to die and she breaks up with the love of her life. I just adore the moment when she realises romantic love is not the most important thing ever, when she realises she has to stand up for something for herself, when she chooses her friend over her partner. It is such a big deal for the girl who's written a dozen novels where people sacrifice everything for true love, who wants to be a fairy tale princess and live a happy ending with her handsome prince. I'm so, so proud of her. And she's able to wipe the tears from her eyes and hug her friends, who are still here, who still love her, who are still important, and go and fight for what she believes is right. Because she's not just the prince's princess anymore, so it's time to take control of her own destiny at last.

Crashing Josie's wedding. It's not the most deadly serious scene, it's a Terrible cliche, but it's so Corinne. She knows it's a cliche, she loves the drama of it, the fact that she's realised there are things more important than romance doesn't mean she's not still an utter romantic who wants to kiss in the rain and ride off into the sunset with her love or, you know, crash a wedding to declare her love. But doing that is still brave and important and how she feels is still serious. Corinne's never made the first move in a relationship before and she thinks it's awfully rude to actually interrupt a wedding and she's only just fully come to terms with the fact that she's into women and her last relationship ended with her and her husband ignoring ways in which they clashed For Love until they ended up declaring war on each other's cities, and now she's approaching love with a wiser, less rose-tinted perspective and she's scared of what that means for the relationship. But she knows she loves Josie, and even if there are things more important than that, her love is more important than her fear. And she gives the most sweet and sincere declaration of love to Josie and Josie runs to her and kisses her and they do the -pick-josie-up-and-twirl-her-round thing, and Otranto tells everyone to clap because he's great and it is Best Romance Scene. It just makes me really happy.

Estella

Being cured of Tranquility. She goes to the Conclave with the group of templars that she's been a slave to for the past three years, just because it's useful to have a slave around. One of them decides he wants a quick fuck before the Conclave starts and leads her off to find a back room. He hears a commotion, and the Divine calling for help, and bursts in to see what's going on with his Tranquil behind him. He pulls out his sword, instructs his Tranquil to grab the thing the Darkspawn just dropped. And Estella picks up a ball of Fade and it reopens her connection to it and everything she's ever felt comes rushing back and she's standing there staring at one of the men who's spent the last several years abusing her and raping her and treating her like a thing and she can do magic again. The templar hears the noise she makes as she grabs the orb, part yell of shock, part gasp of amazement, part snarl of anger, part shout of joy, and turns in confusion. He sees her face full of an overwhelming amount of emotion, and lightning sparkling at her fingertips and has a moment to feel terrified before she kills him.

Later on, Vivienne tracks down the two templars from the group that weren't at the Conclave when it exploded, and ran in the chaos. She has them brought to Skyhold's dungeons to await Estella's judgement. Estella is surprised and suspicious, because Vivienne talks like Circles are good and tells Estella she's wrong about everything and steals her furniture and snaps at Estella when Estella sets her furniture on fire in retaliation. But Vivienne says they should face justice for abusing their power, and Estella wants to look the templars in the eye and watch them squirm, and she wants them to not be alive any longer. She goes to see them alone, with Bull waiting outside the dungeon so she can call if she needs help. The first sneers at her, reminds her of all the abuse and degradation she suffered, however well she's doing now. People may see her as a Herald, but she's a mage, she'll always be nothing, is she really pretending to forget that before she was a Herald, she was a slave, a pet, an object? But whatever he says, he has no power now, and he still screams as she kills him. The next one is terrified, and begs her to forgive him, to spare him, tells her he's sorry. But he was never sorry before. Estella watches him beg, tells him to do it more. Kills him anyway. She comes out of the dungeons shaking, she hugs Bull, and runs to find Amelia and holds her tight and reminds herself she's safe now. She goes to Vivienne later, and tells her what happened and thanks her. Vivienne is disappointed she didn't put them on trial, let the world know their crimes, that templars like this will not be tolerated any longer. Estella understands, but she couldn't have dealt with a public trial, with seeing them again in front of other people. Vivienne understands that. They sit together for a while, and try not to talk about things they'll fight over today, and start to wonder if maybe they could be friends.

When the Breach in the sky seals up, and whatever disaster people wanted zir to solve this time is apparently averted, Hawke decides that maybe it's time ze and her husband and kid stopped hiding out in the Anderfels and finally reply to the letters saying The Inquisition requests their presence. So Hawke and Anders and a child they rescued from the Gallows go South, and are escorted up to the main hall, and Anders is almost knocked over being suddenly and enthusiastically hugged by someone he last saw standing in the Gallows courtyard with no expression on her face, unable to feel anything near enthusiasm. They talk about what they've been doing the last seven years, and about mage rights, and Estella eagerly tells Anders everything she's been doing, and how they're going to have a mage Divine now, and Anders is amazed and delighted that the Herald of Andraste everyone in awe of is a mage. The people in power finally care, and there are mages in power who can change things. It's really important and meaningful to Estella to have Anders there at the end; he inspired her to fight, and was the first one to really change things. Her hopeless crush is gone by now - and she tells him about it and they laugh about it - but he's still one of her oldest friends, and her hero. And Inquisition ends with the two of them happy and hopeful for the future, and yelling "For mage rights!" off the top of Estella's balcony for all of Skyhold to hear, and it's a really good ending.

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wineanddinosaur · 5 years

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Château du Champ des Treilles ‘Vin Passion’ Bordeaux 2016

Bordeaux is full of good wine values, and if you try enough of them in the under-$20 range, you’re bound to find a few that you’ll go back to time and again. While this is certainly true of Bordeaux’s endless supply of red wines, it also applies to the region’s whites.

Like the reds, white Bordeaux is almost always a blend, with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon the two main grapes, and Muscadelle sometimes added to the mix. The three varieties are used in equal measure in Château du Champ des Treilles’ 2016 ‘Vin Passion’ Bordeaux, an outstanding value at about $15.

The vineyard, a small property of 24 acres in Sainte-Foy in the southeast corner of Bordeaux, has been run for 20 years or so by Corinne and Jean-Michel Comme, who farm organically and biodynamically, harvest by hand, and use only natural yeasts in the fermentation of their wines. Their property became one of the first organic vineyards in Bordeaux, a region where the method has been relatively slow to take hold.

On his website, which traces the vineyard’s evolution away from chemical interventions, Jean-Michel speaks about a “viticulture of respect” and “authenticity” in the wines — familiar talking points, to be sure, in the organic-biodynamic playbook. But the wine bears this out, revealing a “soul” that is not easy to find in the sea of wine that is Bordeaux.

The “Vin Passion” has unusual texture, length, and purity of fruit. The tastes reminded me of stone fruits, green apple skin, and citrus, with subtle floral and herbal notes, including a touch of mint. There’s a slightly creamy quality, from several months of aging on the lees in stainless steel tanks, that makes for a soft landing, so to speak, as the wine goes down.

The overall impression is one of freshness and complexity, in a sophisticated white wine that deserves a place among the best for the money in Bordeaux.

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source https://vinepair.com/good-wine-reviews/chateau-du-champ-des-treilles-vin-passion-bordeaux-2016/

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iforgottohitplay · 1 year

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farehamwinecellar · 2 years

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Chateau Margaux 2004, Margaux 1er Cru Classe

Chateau Margaux 2004 presented in a 75cl bottle.

Chateau Margaux is quite simply one of the most famous wines in the world. It is classified as a Premier Cru (first growth) in the historic Bordeaux Classification of 1855. The other four first growths are Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion and Château Mouton-Rothschild.

Chateau Margaux is located in the commune of Margaux itself on the left bank of the Garonne estuary in the Médoc region. Historically, Chateau Margaux can trace its roots back the the 16th century. In the estate’s more recent history, the French grocery and finance group Félix Potin, headed by Greek businessman André Mentzelopoulos, bought the property in 1976. He was responsible for restoring Chateau Margaux to former glories with programmes of restoration, replanting, improved drainage et al. Since 2003, André’s daughter Corinne has been the sole shareholder of Château Margaux.

Today the estate comprises 262 hectares with some 87 hectares under vine. The vineyards are planted with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, with 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. There are also 12 hectares Sauvignon blanc to make the Chateau’s dry white wine.

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cophilentin · 5 years

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La démocratisation de l’Afrique

La démocratisation du droit de ponctionner est telle que la corruption sévit à tous les niveaux de la société. Une partie du tissu social et culturel s’articulant non pas autour d’institutions impersonnelles, mais de rapports sociaux privatisés, marchandage et micro-arnaque sont devenus la norme. La corruption est devenue un véritable système de redistribution sociale en même temps que le facteur structurant des inégalités entre régions et tribus. L’instrumentalisation des institutions étatiques et de toute parcelle de pouvoir et d’autorité a des fins personnelles, familiales et tribales étant devenue la règle, la lutte politique est réduite à une lutte pour l’accès aux gisements de corruption. Les rapports de faveur priment sur la loi. Tout, systématiquement, peut être vendu ou acheté. D’où l’étiolement de toute notion de service public. « LA DÉMOCRATISATION DU DROIT DE PONCTIONNER EST TELLE QUE LA CORRUPTION SÉVIT À TOUS LES NIVEAUX DE LA SOCIÉTÉ. LES RAPPORTS DE FAVEUR PRIMENT SUR LA LOI. Parfois pour ne pas dire le plus souvent il peut être la conséquence d’un passage au froid qui peut être tout aussi délétaire si la pâte n’est pas remise à température avant d’être enfourné. Remontons aux origines dle madeleine pour en savoir plus. La légende de la madeleine est une histoire aussi rocambolesque que bien des histoires qui caractérisent les pâtisseries françaises. On prétend que c’est le fameux roi Stanilas Leckzinski beau-père de Louis XV qui viva en exile en Lorraine au chateau de Lunéville qui popularisa ce fameux gâteau. Cette douceur aurait été conçu par Madeleine Paumier, ancienne cuisinière, de Mme Perrotin de Barmond. À ce jour, rien ne prouve que la légende reflète la réalité. La madeleine s’écrivait alors madelaine. Malheureusement pas de trace de la madeleine dans les livres de cuisine du XVIIIe siècle. On l'a d'ailleurs congédié pour avoir dénudé le roi. Il faut désormais cogner, en dessous de la ceinture si l'on veut, pour obtenir le vacillement ou le k.-o. Quels seront les principaux programmes? L'esprit de cette télé sera-t-il proche de celui de l'université populaire de Caen? Dans un média classique, ce qui est visé est moins l'information, vraie ou fausse, que le spectacle susceptible de créer le buzz. C'est d'abord le média de l'université populaire. J'ai souhaité reporter le lancement de ce média de juin à septembre parce que les interventions de mes amis de l'UP n'étaient pas prêtes à être mises en ligne. J'ai préféré commencer plus tard, avec ma trentaine d'amis, plutôt que très vite, avec moi seul. Je souhaite par la suite créer des rubriques autonomes pour mes amis qui souhaiteraient s'exprimer aussi. La famille avant tout. Christophe Castaner, porte-parole du gouvernement, a répondu à un questionnaire élaboré par Paris Match, ce jeudi 3 août, n’hésitant pas à révéler quelques bribes de sa vie intime. Presque sans s’en rendre compte, tout en souhaitant rester discret, il a formulé une jolie déclaration à celle qui partage sa vie, la mère de ses deux filles : Hélène. Une façon de montrer, aussi, qu’il place sa famille en tête de ses priorités. A la question, « Avec qui n’aimeriez-vous pas être fâché ? », celui qui s'est récemment fait remarquer pour une blague sexiste sur Rihanna, a directement répondu : « Avec la mère de mes filles, je serais mal sinon ! » Une réponse qui montre bien à quel point la complicité qu’il entretient avec sa compagne est importante à ses yeux. Tous deux se sont rencontrés au lycée, et ne se sont plus quittés. Entre eux, c'est du solide. D’ailleurs, en mai dernier, le beau barbu avait évoqué sa femme en direct sur LCI, là encore avec beaucoup de tendresse et de reconnaissance. Un peu plus loin dans l’interview de Paris Match, alors que le journaliste lui demande où il se voit dans dix ans, le proche du président lance sans une hésitation : « Auprès de ma famille ! » Et lorsqu’on lui demande quelle est sa plus grande fierté, là encore, pas d’hésitation : « Mes filles ! », répond-il. Plus de doute possible : son univers tout entier semble tourner autour des trois femmes de son clan. Il aperçoit un compte de soutien à François Fillon interpeller François Bayrou sur le passage du livre de Corinne Lepage, qui accuse le Modem de recourir à des emplois fictifs. Bayrou dément. «Là je prends une photo de ma carte de l’Assemblée et je l’envoie en réponse. Je me dis que ça va dynamiter le truc. Et il ne s’est rien passé», se remémore l’ancien collaborateur en sirotant un verre de vin rouge. C'est pas beau de mentir, François. Agacé, Nicolas Grégoire contacte alors les rédactions. Avec du recul, il se dit qu’il aurait dû faire comme l’ancien collaborateur de Jean-Luc Bennahmias et passer par la justice. «Je n’avais pas confiance», se justifie-t-il. «Soit ça n’est pas passé, soit on m’a ignoré, soutient-il à voix basse, avant de reprendre plus fort. L’étudiant médiocre fait son droit et milite dans les clubs Forum de Michel Rocard. Avec Hélène, bien sûr. «Je suis rentré au PS par et pour Michel Rocard. Il m’a toujours fasciné.» Défenseur de la deuxième gauche, il soutient François Hollande mais tique lorsque le futur président explique que son ennemi c’est la finance ou qu’il va taxer à 75% les plus riches. Quand son ancien patron Michel Sapin le canarde, il préfère l’ignorer : «Je ne veux garder que son intelligence, pas ses attaques.» Au PS déjà, il accumulait les surnoms : «Kéké» (Sapin), «Simplet» (entourage de Cambadélis). Du «parisianisme condescendant», observe-t‑il. Il avoue que les attaques sur son accent l’ont parfois blessé. Cet été, il n’a pas aimé lire une citation -attribuée à un conseiller de l’Elysée- rapportée par «Le Monde», qui le qualifiait de «bouseux de Forcalquier». Son cuisant échec aux régionales de 2015 apparaît comme une libération. Son coup de gueule aura donc fini par payer. François Bayrou semble avoir remporté son bras de fer avec En marche ! Il obtiendrait finalement "un peu plus d’une centaine" d'investitures en vue des élections législatives, selon les informations du Monde. Un chiffre qui n'a été pour l'heure confirmé par aucune des parties. En attendant, la brouille de ces dernières heures semble déjà loin. 13 mai, Benjamin Griveaux, le porte-parole d'En marche ! Il reconnaît qu'il y avait "des difficultés" dans "quelques endroits" mais "c'était une tempête dans un verre d'eau". Dès vendredi soir, le président du MoDem avait retrouvé le sourire, à la sortie du bureau politique de son parti. Il déclarait avoir trouvé un projet d'accord "solide et équilibré" avec La République en marche. Il y a du mieux, donc, dans les relations entre Emmanuel Macron et le président du MoDem. Elles s'étaient dégradées ces dernières heures. François Bayrou s'estimait lésé dans les investitures rendues publiques, jeudi, par le mouvement du nouveau président. Le compte n'y était pas. Le maire de Pau souhaitait qu'on lui réserve 120 investitures pour les législatives. Dans la première version, il n'en disposait finalement que de 35. Un contretemps que le maire de Pau avait du mal à digérer. L'Obs. Tout cela semble donc (déjà) du passé.

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