History Fanfic / DragonAgeTheCrownOfThorns

** Also, [[spoiler:the fight against Uldred and his minions. Simply put, the main cast doesn't wait for him to transform. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome]].

* RantInducingSlight: Morrigan manages to land one on the protagonist.
--> [[spoiler:"Well excuse me for not being overly coherent. After all, I only just bled from my eyes and am aching all over, not to mention feeling as though my head is being carved open from the inside and am generally in a sorry enough state that I am actually indulging in a rare episode of self-pity, which, though it feels strangely justified and appropriate right about now, I will most likely look back upon with shame once this is all over, unless I die tonight of course, which is really looking like the second most likely outcome, immediately after irreparable insanity!"]]

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Fortunately, the author didn't hold back and invested bits of the story's massive word count for even smaller people, like [[spoiler:Vartag Gavorn.]]

* BadassBeard: [[spoiler:Raonar's long-dead lover invented the braided style for him. A lot of nobles, including Harrowmont and the assembly steward, shamelessly copied it afterwards.]]

* BadassCrew

** Also, [[spoiler:the fight against Uldred and his minions. Simply put, the main cast doesn't wait for him to transform. RealityEnsues]]

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: Faren actually ''subverts'' this when he [[spoiler:curbstomps the sloth demon that had been, in turn, curbstomping everyone else ''at once'' up to that point, including the protagonist and OneManArmy mage Alim Surana]]. He actually says that he ''doesn't'' need any motivation. Badassery stems from the fact that he gives the speech ''while'' [[FlashStep flash-kicking/punching]] the demon's face/back/whatever. Repeatedly.
-->[[spoiler:"You know, I could say I'm doing this because I don't plan on letting those important to me die. I could say it's because I'm in a hurry to get out of this Fade thing and find out what happened to Kallian. I could say it's because I had a sort of revelation that ever so epically opened my eyes to a sort of higher calling. And I could also start a long, pointless monologue about true strength and a heap of other stuff, during which, truth be told, I may not even know what I'd be talking about half the time. I could babble for hours about nonsense, but the truth is that, right now, I am simply kicking your ass because I just don't like you."]]

* GoodIsNotDumb: The DN is a morally upright strategist in a DeadlyDecadentCourt. Stuff happens.

This fanfic is what happened when a certain [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2410827/Karmic_Acumen fanfic author]] took the massive plot of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' and mixed it with equally massive servings of RuleOfCool, RuleOfFunny and RuleOfDrama, making sure to provide a healthy dose of CharacterDevelopment for everything to meld seamlessly into what is one of, if not the longest of ''Franchise/DragonAge'' fanfictions on the internet.

** Again, while in the Deep Roads, this exchange, similar to one between Gimli and Aragorn in Film/TheLordOfTheRings, occurs:

* JerkassFacade: Averted. The DN reveals that he [[spoiler:did intend to use this tactic on Trian, in order to fool Bhelen]], but ended up not needing to do it because the eldest prince managed to piss him off for real enough that he didn't need to act.

Alternatively, this story is what happens when you take a human noble lady, a [[LovableRogue female city elf]], a male [[PhantomThief dwarven]] [[LovableRogue commoner]], a [[TheStoic Dalish]] [[ArcherArchetype young man]] and a [[BadassLongcoat male elven mage]] and, along with the resident HeroicBastard Alistair and the rest of the canon companions, place them under the command of a dwarven prince who, depending on how one looks at him, can qualify as a WisePrince (GuileHero) and/or MagnificentBastard -though it's pretty obvious at this point that he's is the former. His first act was fundamentally changing the events of the Dwarven Noble origin story, although [[WhamEpisode not in a way that anyone would expect]].

* "NotIfTheyEnjoyedIt"Rationalization: In chapter 51, Alim entangles Morrigan and forces a kiss on her when she tries to get away from him. Of course, the fic doesn't think that Alim is doing anything wrong because she "enjoyed" it, and apparently she wasn't "persuasive" enough when she tells Alim to let her go.

* AFatherToHisMen: The DN acts like this in the origin story and, later, when he assumes position as warden commander, although one could say it's more of a brother to his men, since he's not that old.
* AGlassInTheHand: See DramaticShattering below.

* DeathFakedForYou: The major diverging plot point compared to Canon. [[spoiler:Raonar fakes Trian's death and paints himself the murderer on purpose. The eldest is none too pleased because it happens against his will, and so totally out of the blue (for him anyway) that he has no idea what the frak happened when he is confronted with the situation.]]
* DealWithTheDevil: [[spoiler:Raonar makes one with a Pride Demon in Chapter 48, then uses a LoopholeAbuse to get his part of the deal without consequences. Granted, he does almost die in the process, but it was all according to plan in the end.]]
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Averted. Raonar and Faren [[spoiler:gain each other's trust by having a duel that the former starts out of the blue, right in the middle of Dust Town's slums. It is an aversion because they end up having too good a time and, after reading each other's hearts by exchanging blows, so to speak, they both collapse to the ground and start laughing their hearts out because of how great they're both feeling.]] All in front of Gorim too...

* GoodIsNotDumb: The DN is a morally upright strategist in a DeadlyDecadentCourt. Stuff happens.

* FromACertainPointOfView: Raonar makes sure he can say this about ''every single statement he makes''.Ever. Anything he doesn't want to lie about is phrased as a question or hypothesys. It's what allows him to actually remain the arguably most honest and upfront of all characters in the story, even though he still manages to mislead and make people believe whatever he wants them to. Of course, it helps that the things he is willing to do [[spoiler:for the sake of others and his ideals,]] like his [[spoiler:ZeroApprovalGambit,]] are generally outside the realm of what people consider possible.

* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Frandlin Ivo]] pulls one after getting a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech ''and'' a YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre speech. He is currently a triple / quadruple agent, depending on whether or not readers see his ''own'' interests as separate from those of [[spoiler:his house, Orzammar at large, Bhelen and, of course, the dwarven noble protagonist.]]

* HeroicBSOD: The protagonist gets several.
** Faren goes through one after they escape Lothering, although the one caused by [[spoiler:the Fade nightmare]] is close to an outright AngstComa that he goes through while ''still standing''.
* HeroicRROD: The dwarven noble falls into a coma and his mind and body begin to break down, literally and figuratively, after [[spoiler:the second psychic clash with the Archdemon.]] The only reason he doesn't die is because [[spoiler:Alim, Sten and Leliana go BigDamnHeroes at the telepathic level]], of all things.

* FromBadToWorse: Even though what the main cast does never stops being awesome, things seem to be getting more and more complicated and, for Raonar at least, [[spoiler:bad enough that he's ''bled from his nose and eye sockets'' two times already.]]
** Looks like the most recent [[spoiler:psychic clash]] between the protagonist and the Archdemon concluded with the latter [[spoiler:becoming more self-aware and smarter,]] whatever that implies.
* JerkassFacade: Averted. The DN reveals that he [[spoiler:did intend to use this tactic on Trian, in order to fool Bhelen]], but ended up not needing to do it because the eldest prince managed to piss him off for real enough that he didn't need to act.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Isolde gets one.
** As does Bhelen, [[spoiler: ending with Raonar refusing to become a kinslayer and offering Bhelen a chance to kill him in front of the entire council.]]

* TheStoic: Theron (mostly) and Sten.
* TakeAThirdOption: Or, in Raonar's case, '''make''' one.
* ThirdOptionAdaptation: [[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter Which Warden origin is the main character(s)?]] All six of them.
* TemptingFate: Raonar does this by accident in [[spoiler:chapter 23 and is called out on it by Faren later]]. He avoids doing it afterwards.

* WhamLine: Oh yeah, the protagonist did it.
-->[[spoiler: '''Raonar:''' Ladies and gentlemen… I have just made the Archdemon smarter, and if it was not self-aware before, it definitely is now.]]

* {{Badass}}: The entire main cast, companions included, although the whole world of Dragon Age seems to have been given a [[TookALevelInBadass level in Badass]] just for the sake of awesomeness. This includes antagonists, especially demons and the like.
%%%
%%%% Please leave each badass trope at the single bullet point and respect alphabetical order.
%%%%

* BadassAdorable: The protagonist and Kallian Tabris imply that Faren qualifies as this. Granted, they do it mostly to tease him, but it holds truth anyway.
* BadassBoast: One would expect the protagonist to get these, but it looks like Faren [[spoiler:The Dark Wolf]] wins this.
* BackToBackBadasses: [[spoiler:Faren and Raonar during the proving, for a short while at least.]]

It is a relatively common occurrence for an original work or fanfic author to start on a tale that quickly or eventually proves to be too much to handle. Issues may arise in regards to the setting, the plot, the characters and everything else that a tale needs. If one were to disregard the cases when the whole project collapses upon itself because of either or more than the above, authors can still reach the conclusion that it would take too much time or too many words to pull off properly. In other cases, writers may just be swamped with work or other real life events and they end up having to give up on the project. As such, many stories never see the light of day, while others might get completed but fail to reach their true potential.

[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6072033/1/Dragon_age_The_Crown_of_Thorns Dragon Age: The Crown of Thorns]] is an example of a massive undertaking that did not meet such an unfortunate end.

** CulturedBadass: Being a prince, Raonar is, understandably, this.
*** Alistair also appears to be turning into this,[[spoiler: thanks to the tutoring he's been getting.]]
** BadassLongcoat: Alim becomes this [[spoiler:after they first get to Denerim]].
** BadassNormal: Gwen and Theron... [[spoiler:for now anyway.]] Oghren and Sten fit here as well.
** BadassAdorable: The protagonist and Kallian Tabris imply that Faren qualifies as this. Granted, they do it mostly to tease him, but it holds truth anyway.
** TookALevelInBadass: The only one of the six Origin wardens that hasn't, so far, received one is[[spoiler: Gwen.]]
** BackToBackBadasses: [[spoiler:Faren and Raonar during the proving, for a short while at least.]]
** BadassBoast: One would expect the protagonist to get these, but it looks like Faren [[spoiler:The Dark Wolf]] wins this.

* [[CrapsackWorld Crapsack Nation]]: May or may not become a DefiedTrope. Orzammar seems to be the third kind [[spoiler:after the succession arc]], ergo Immutable CrapsackWorld. However, the primary protagonist vehemently refuses to settle for anything less than type four/mutable,[[spoiler: [[{{Determinator}} even when saddled with a stigmata-like skewered arm and heart that defies any sort of healing.]]]]

* CulturedWarrior: Raonar, Alistair (or so he says), Gwen (probably) and Sten, even though he doesn't quote the Qun much.

** [[spoiler: The one the protagonist gives to Bhelen is not only devastating psychologically to the point where the latter can barely think or speak at all, it actually goes on for about two or three chapters.]]

-->[[spoiler:Trian Aeducan was a prince. The Crown Prince of Orzammar, last, proud city of the Dwarves. He had been drilled on protocol as he grew up and knew well all the manners suited to one of his status. As such, he most assuredly did ''not'' start gobbling up the absurdly delicious food like some starved, uneducated peasant, knowing that no one was there to see. He remained perfectly civilized and satisfied his immense hunger steadily and with the utmost temperance, never exceeding the top speed that spoon-feeding ca manage without spilling the contents everywhere. He was the epitome of aristocratic grace each and every moment of it. Really.]]

* XanatosGambit: [[spoiler: Whether or not he fools Bhelen into thinking he bought into his lies, the evening prior to the mission the dwarf noble has a final talk with the king and Trian, exposing Bhelen's machinations. If Trian/Endrin believe him, perfect. If they don't, he intends to give up on the shield search half-way and intercept whatever mercenaries are hunting Trian. Either way, regardless of everything else, and in case Trian gets himself killed, the DN warden makes sure Baizyl Harrowmont in his army just in case someone needs to vouch for him (someone with much more credibility that Frendlin Ivo). In any event, there is no way he can be framed and no greater danger for him to get killed than the one posed by the darkspawn.]] True to form, he wins. [[spoiler:Well, mostly. He still went with the exile. On purpose]].

** While in the Deep Roads, while fighting [[spoiler:Pride]], Raonar channels focused magical energy into a "[[{{Naruto}} palm-sized ball of energy, vaguely blueish, spiraling under his intent, compressed to the limit, this somehow only accelerating the movement.]]"

* BigBadassWolf: Anor, the wolf who partners with Theron. He is [[spoiler:found wounded in the Korcari Wilds while the would-be wardens are looking for the treaties. They heal him.]] A couple of days later, he [[spoiler:saves their lives by gathering his pack and taking out some darkspawn stragglers that had followed them when they retreated from the hopeless Ostagar battle.]]

* OhCrap: Happens a few times.
* OneManArmy: Alim, especially during [[spoiler:the battle of Ostagar.]]

** BadassDamsel: Kallian, as Zevran was forced to learn.

** [[spoiler: Raonar can go from just glowing eyes to shining white from his whole body, all the way to looking a lot like an ascended being from [[{{Stargate}} Stargate]], since that's what Honor more or less is. Unfortunately, the more power he uses, the more painful and likely to cripple him it gets.]]

** Again, while in the Deep Roads, this exchange occurs:
--->'''Faren''': "[[TheLordOfTheRings Toss me.]]"

--->'''Faren''': "[[TheLordOfTheRings I can't jump that far so I want you to toss me.]]"

--->'''Faren''': "[[TheLordOfTheRings Wait... don't tell the]] [[{{LovableSexManiac}} Antivan.]]"

* DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent: [[spoiler:Frandlin Ivo]] of all people. [[spoiler:He starts off by wanting to gain glory and, eventually his own command. Then Bhelen comes along and either threatens or bribes him and his family. He joins his scheme against the DN, despite wanting to be a good guy. Then he joins the DN's expedition, where he fights to the best of his ability just so he can get him over to where he gets framed or murdered with his elder brother. But wait, the DN always knew of his involvement, and after a HannibalLecture and YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre, Frandlin joins him... and his role is to ''continue'' to work for Bhelen by framing the DN for Trian's murder, all the while concealing the fact that the heir apparent is very much alive and well. So, to sum up, Frandling Ivo is working for the Ivo family, Bhelen and the dwarven noble protagonist (and, by extension, Lord Harrowmont and Prince Trian), with the main motivator being his own wishes: to be a good guy and continue to have a choice in his actions.]]

* HannibalLecture: Raonar is a master of this. It's probably good for the world that he doesn't do it often and mostly with the goal of helping the one on the receiving end. Unfortunately, he sometimes goes too far.

* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Frandlin Ivo]] pulls one after getting a HannibalLecture ''and'' a YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre speech. He is currently a triple / quadruple agent, depending on whether or not readers see his ''own'' interests as separate from those of [[spoiler:his house, Orzammar at large, Bhelen and, of course, the dwarven noble protagonist.]]

* GambitRoulette: Raonar lampshades this trope during his ShutUpHannibal speech to Bhelen.

This fanfic is what happened when a certain [[http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2410827/Karmic_Acumen fanfic author]] took the massive plot of DragonAge: Origins and mixed it with equally massive servings of RuleOfCool, RuleOfFunny and RuleOfDrama, making sure to provide a healthy dose of CharacterDevelopment for everything to meld seamlessly into what is one of, if not the longest of DragonAge fanfictions on the internet.