Fanfic / A Knight's Tale as Inquisitor

Bare Your Blade And Raise It High

"Spread the word of the Inquisition. Let it be known that I, Arturia Pendragon, Sealer of Rifts and Wielder of the Holiest Sword, will seek to fight the chaos surrounding this land. If you care for your home, your families, and friends, and if you sought the righteous endeavor for this world's future, join our cause. That we may one day sow the sky back together. I care not of any particular character, what I need are men and women who will risk their lives, as I aim to do the same. To band the people all across Thedas, our resolve shall be our sword against the demons. Will you help us?"

— Arturia Pendragon

A Knight's Tale as Inquisitor is a Fate Series and Dragon Age crossover by CrafterofTales.

After being forced to destroy the Holy Grail at the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War for unknown reasons by her Master, Arturia Pendragon is devastated and overcome with grief and regret as she reflects on her own shortcomings in her role as both a knight and king in the Grail War and her reign in her previous life. Arturia then closes eyes, expecting to return to the hill where she had fallen, and wait to be summoned once again for another war.

...Except that's not what happens in this tale.

After escaping some mysterious and otherworldly place thanks to the guide of the supposedly dead Irisviel, the King of Knights wakes up at the start of Dragon Age: Inquisition; finding herself in chains and accused of being responsible for the murder of the Divine Justina V and countless others due to an explosion that killed everyone at the Conclave that was meant to end the Mage-Templar War with her being the only one to have miraculously survive the event.

After managing to stop the Breach from expanding any further thanks to the otherworldly, magical Mark embedded in her hand, Arturia joins the newly-resurrected Inquisition and sets out to put a stop to the chaos that is raging across Thedas and bring order to the world once more, while at the same figuring out just how and why is she here in the first place.

To put it simply, this crossover asks the question of what if you placed Saber in the role of the Inquisitor. This is the result.

The story can also be found on Spacebattles Dot Com here: A Knight's Tale As Inquisitor

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A Knight's Tale as Inquisitor provides examples of:

Tropes #-H

• Action Prologue: This story begins during The Climax of Fate/Zero.
• Action Girl: Arturia, as expected. Cassandra, Sera, and Vivienne as well, who each quickly shows that they are all more than capable of keeping up with King Arthur herself.
• Affably Evil: Magister Remerien Pavus. Despite being a dedicated and high-ranking Evil Sorcerer of a corrupt society which full on endorses slavery, he is nothing but welcoming and accommodating towards Arturia and Dorian when they find themselves sent back in time. He also does what he can to hide the two from any prying eyes that would exploit what they know and does whatever he can to aid them in returning back to the present day.
• Affectionate Nickname: As the story goes on, Arturia finds herself getting fondly nicknamed by some of her companions from the Inner Circle: "Pancakes" by Varric, "Turi" by Sera, and "Sir Arturia" by Vivienne.
• Age Lift: Canonically, Arturia is 25-years old. But here, she herself has stated to be 35, a whole decade older.
• Alchemy Is Magic: After drinking her first Healing Potion, Arturia thinks how they would be praised by the magus back in her world.
• All According to Plan: Before making the trip to the Fallow Mire, Arturia couldn't help but theorize if her being in Thedas is all apart of some scheme Alaya has for some hidden purpose the King of Knights is in the dark about.
• Ancient Evil: Heavily implied with the Elder One, given that they are said to know and wield magic from before the First Blight.
• Anger Born of Worry: During their stay in the Hinterlands, Cassandra was very, very mad that Arturia left one morning without telling anyone, leading to a huge argument between the two, ending with Arturia storming away out of frustration. However, something that is made clear afterward is that Cassandra's anger towards Arturia's action was because she was worried for Arturia's well-being and was deeply troubled at the idea of something happening to her; the consequences of losing Arturia being vivid in her mind. They do makeup later in the same chapter and end it with the two of them coming to a better understanding of each other.
• Apocalypse Wow: Played horrifyingly straight due to the Breach being compared to the Lovecraftian sea-god Caster summoned during the Fourth Holy Grail War, which itself was capable of causing an Class 6 Apocalypse, scaling quite high on the Apocalypse How rankings.
• The Archmage:
  • Solas as he shows far more knowledge and abilities in magic and the Fade than your average mage; something he's more than willing to teach Arturia.
  • Vivienne very much qualifies for this trope due to being the First Enchanter of the Montsimmard Circle.
  • It is referenced that Merlin himself was one, of course. Arturia best recalls him as the prime example of what happens when you combine this and The Trickster.
• As the Good Book Says...: Arturia makes a habit of quoting the Bible before going on an important mission.
• The Atoner: Blackwall aka Thom Rainier, Cullen, Arturia, and many others.
• Back from the Dead: Arturia, by her own admission to Cassandra and Leliana while a prisoner, was betrayed in a war that was coming to an end and thought she had met her end. Then she mysteriously appeared in the Fade and was guided out by a woman of light.
• Back-to-Back Badasses: Arturia and Cassandra during the second chapter, before meeting up with Varric and Solas.
• Badass Bookworm:
  • Varric, being an acclaimed and bestselling novelist, is no slouch in the department of taking names and kicking ass.
  • Arturia is also a good example. As soon as she finds the time, diligently studies both the history and magic of Thedas in order to better adjust to her current situation.
• Badass in a Nice Suit: Arturia still has the suit she got during the Fourth Holy Grail War, keeping it mostly on the fact that she looks damn good in it.
• Badass Teacher: Solas, a powerful Rift Mage in his own right, oversees Arturia's education when it comes the magic of Thedas.
• Bad Liar: Zig-Zagged in regardes to Leliana.
  Josephine: [folding her arms] You are a terrible liar. Which is surprising given your vocation.
  Leliana: [snorts dismissively] I'm actually a very good liar. I'm just terrible at it with you.
  Josephine: Good, and may it ever be so.
• Batman Gambit: Arturia pulls one in the flashback of Chapter 7 when having to deal with both the renegade Mages and Templars and Rifts.
• Beneath the Mask:
  • After spending her entire lifetime under the facade of King Arthur Pendragon, Arturia finally gets to discover and show just who she is truly with a whole new world here and now to provide this opportunity.
  • Empress Celene is alot more remorseful and disgusted at her actions up until now than the literal ruthless and calculating mask she wears lets on.
  • The experienced master spy that the Iron Bull tends to be hidden away by the larger-than-life, Boisterous Bruiser first presented to people when they meet him.
• Beyond the Impossible:
  • By all rights of the deal Arturia made with Alaya at the end of her life after being mortally wounded by Mordred, she should have gone back to the Hill of Camlann and would have to wait til' she was summoned again until she won the Holy Grail. Yet, despite going against all of this reason and logic, the Mark has actually managed to "break" said deal and has given Arturia a new life and body in Thedas. How and why is something Arturia is looking into.
  • Since it goes against the Cardinal Rules of Magic established in Thedas, everyone sees Arturia physically going into the Fade and actually returning back as this since going there is only possible in dreams and has ever only been done once in history by a whole group, but even none of them to the world's knowledge actually came back from there. Many see this as a sign and blessing of the Maker.
• Big "NO!": Arturia, at the end of the Action Prologue.
• Big Sister Instinct: Arturia to Cole, whom she feels like she is talking to a little brother everytime they interact.
• Birds of a Feather: Subverted when Cassandra goes to apologize to Arturia after their big argument in the Hinterlands. After hearing from Varric about her loss of family, Cassandra tells Arturia the story of her brother's death during her apology in an effort to invoke this trope with herself and Arturia. It doesn't take due to the fact that, while Arturia very much does appreciate the sentiment, Cassandra (nor Varric) doesn't have the full context of that statement.
• Black Cloak: Aeden Cousland dons one when meeting with Shroud at the village of Crestwood.
• Blowing a Raspberry: Sera does this twice over: first in response to Arturia's Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness, finding it too stiff of way for someone of her "age" to talk, and second when Solas tries to greet her in the Elf language, since she hates everything Elfy and can't understand it anyway.
• Both Sides Have a Point:
  • Vivienne, quite rightfully, questions the decision of making Arturia, someone who no one in Thedas has ever heard of nor can even find any information on prior to an event that killed countless People. While Cassandra concedes to her being right in that regard, she points out that she and the advisors simply did not have the time to properly check out Arturia's background considering the madness and chaos caused by explosion at the Conclave, the Mage-Templar War, and various other issues still plaguing Thedas that the Inquisition needs to deal with Arturia proving herself to be The Reliable One in the current climate.
  • After Arturia "explains" her life prior to the Inquisition, the argument between Sera and Vivienne presents neither of them as wrong: while Sera is completely right about Arturia deserving to live her life like everybody else and that she should have had a more fitting childhood, Vivienne is absolutely correct to point Arturia gaining such a responsibly from such a young age had led her into becoming a far more mature and experienced person than most her "age" - making her most suited to take on the position of the Herald of Andraste.
  • Deconstructed when it comes to the topic of the Mage-Templar War: due to both sides have legit issues with the other and for fighting, Arturia holds both sides accountable for the damage done to Thedas their war has caused. There's also the fact that both will have to be facing the severe consequences of their actions as both sides rebelled against the Chantry and all that implies from such a severe decision.
• Broken Ace: Just as she is beautiful, intelligent, wise, and kind, Arturia Pendragon is plagued with just as much self-doubt, regret, sorrow, and angst. In fact, her seemingly perfection at everything during her time as King Arthur was what lead many to deem her as inhuman, a HUGE factor in leading to the ruin of Camelot.
• Break Them by Talking: The Envy Demon does this to Arturia when they reach deep enough into her memories. It was close enough to home to send her into a very bad Heroic BSoD.
• Brought Down to Badass: Arturia has lost all the advantages granted to a Servant thanks to becoming a living human again. She still proves to be one of the biggest badasses in a World of Badass.
• Byronic Heroine: Word of God states that she is taking this direction with Arturia's character, liking the irony that someone who tried so hard to be perfect would end up becoming such a flawed archetype. Though she does end up being on the lighter end of this trope as she lacks the more self-destructive traits that usually comes with this kind of character.
• The Chessmaster:
  • The Elder One has had years to craft their plan of taking over Thedas and becoming its new god. Said plan is currently going through some revisions.
  • As the story goes on, Arturia herself is showing more and more shades of this. She is constantly going out of her way to obtain information on past and present events, gathering and recruiting allies and agents to her cause from various locations while journeying all across the world, and making it her mission to increase and spread the Inquisition's influence in order to properly deal with the problems that previously, currently, and henceforth plague Thedas. This trait is so prominent to her that Excalibur lampshades it in Chapter 9.
• Character Development: After the terrible events she was forced to endure during the Holy Grail War and the incredibly frigid relationship she had with her Knight Templar of a Master, Arutria has made the decision to cast off the mask she spent all of her life wearing, wholeheartedly making the effort to become a more open person towards her comrades and allies.
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Completely lampshaded by Arturia herself in the first two chapters. Even though she had no idea where she was or whether or not she should trust anybody around her, she knows for a fact that it is in her nature to help the people dealing with the current crisis. It just so happened that she's personally connected to the current crisis.
• Cluster F-Bomb: Fiona curses up a hell of storm - in Orlesian - after discovering how Alexuis used his time magic to trick her in to thinking her situation was far worse than it actually was.
• Co-Dragons: Samson and Calpernia are the top enforcers of the Elder One, both collaborating with each other in leading and organizing the forces of the would-be god.
• Color Motif: Arturia has two colors that are both associated with her personality and state of mind:
  • Green. Arturia has emerald green eyes and now has the Mark/Anchor as a crucial part of her very person and new existence, which is often described as just a shade darker than her eyes — a 'haunting' green to be specific. It reflects that it is in her nature to keep a calm, professional head on her shoulders no matter how precarious her situation gets. Such tranquility is a characteristic that most others lampshade when they encounter Arturia for the first time or are with her for a prolonged period, most prominently after the first fight in the Hinterlands. It also embodies new beginnings for Arturia due to her being in a new world and having a new life and opportunities there.
  • Blue. Represented by her ocean blue Battle Ballgown (which doubles as an Pimped-Out Dress) and the blue ribbon that she uses to make her iconic Prim and Proper Bun when she's on a mission and the lesser-known Tomboyish Ponytail for when she's off-duty, it reflects Arturia's current Heroic BSoD that she is stuck in as she mourns her fallen kingdom and deals with the great losses in her past life as she tries to move on from her depression in her new one while also visibly showcasing her desire to repent and be better than before in the new world she is in. It also reflects her status as the The Stoic with her being so calm and collected more often than not.
• Composite Character:
  • Excalibur is still the same one from the Nasuverse, but now has the same personality as the one from Soul Eater.
  • Arturia is this by default, seeing as she's taken on the role and place of the main Player Character of Dragon Age: Inquisition.
• Commonality Connection: Fiona and Barris are able to overcome their initial wariness of the other in their first meeting with each other by finding common ground on the fact that they and the groups they represent both almost fell for the Elder One's manipulations for corruption.
• Continuity Nod: Since the setting takes place during Inquisition but after Fate/Zero in this timeline, events from not just the light novel, but the previous Dragon Age games and novels are also referenced In-Universe:
  • During one of her lessons, Josephine brings up the fact that Lord Seeker Lambert had the Nevarran Accord rendered null and void during the events of Asunder, leading to the Templar Order separating from the Chantry and explaining its current state.
  • The Chantry being blown up by Anders during The Climax of Dragon Age II and the resulting fallout is brought up after the first fight in the Hinterlands.
  • During her inner thoughts, Celene is reminded of the time she burned down the elven slums in The Masked Empire to hold on to her reputation.
  • During negotiations at Therinfal Redoubt, Arturia alludes to the "Banquet of Kings" discussion during the Fourth Holy Grail War.
  • During the War Table meeting after the recruitment of the Templars, Leliana recalls a story King Alistair told her, of the time he met Yavana, one of Flemeth's daughters at the Tellari Swamps of Antiva, an adventure Varric confirms to have gone on as well. This story helps back up Leliana's claim that Arturia is one of Flemeth's daughters.
• Cool and Unusual Punishment: During her training in alchemy, Sera and Aden come up with ways to punish Arturia so she can be motivated into not messing up her studies, some of which include having lizards crawling in her trousers, putting her feet in a bucket of ice, and sitting on a stick of butter.
• Cool Teacher: Josephine is this to Arturia. At the latter's request, she has made it her mission to make sure the knight isn't uninformed when it comes to the long, LONG history of Thedas.
• Court Mage:
  • Vivienne is officially an Enchanter to the Imperial Court of Orlais and was even Empress Celene's personal adviser at one point.
  • Merlin was this is to Arturia during her reign back in her world and time.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: What happened when Arturia accepted a challenge in Chapter 10.
  To even call it a fight is to suggest the marquis had a chance in the first place.
• Culture Clash: Subverted. Due to being such a Medieval European Fantasy, Thedas resembles so much like her original era from Earth that Arturia actually feels much more in her element here than in Fuyuki City. At one point, she even muses that she would have assumed Britain was just an ocean away if she didn't already know any better.
• Deadpan Snarker: Varric as usual. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn't one in Thedas.
• Deal with the Devil: In order to save his son from an incurable disease, Alexius has joined the Elder One and their cause to learn the magic to cure Felix, who is sick and dying.
• Death from Above: In the beginning, thanks to the Breach before Arturia and her companions put a stop to its expansion.
• Death Glare: Arturia gives a positively chilling one to Leliana in Chapter 8 when the latter unknowingly hit upon an touchy subject.
• Declaration of Protection: Cullen gives one to Arturia while on the quest to recruit the Templars.
• Decomposite Character: It's heavily hinted that the Elder One is not Corypheus, but instead someone from Arturia's past in Camelot.
• Defrosting Ice Queen: Vivienne, an adamant and ruthless player of the Grand Game, is becoming a more personal and sincerely affable individual as time goes on.
• Destructive Romance: Word of God states that Arturia and Guinevere truly loved each other like husband and wife in this story, and just as in canon, their relationship was one of the major factors that contributed in the fall of Camelot.
• Defusing the Tyke-Bomb: An self-invoked example with Arturia. After spending her entire life in a role she was literally born for, our dear knight is free to find out just who she is by her own, personal volition now that she no longer has to be in said role from the old world, and thus, no longer has any obligations she hasn't personally set for herself.
• Didn't See That Coming: To say the Envy Demon gets caught off guard by Arturia's dragon side is heavily understating things.
  Envy Demon: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!
• Did You Just Flip Off Cthulhu?: From the Elder One's perspective, Arturia has and is still doing this by not only taking the Anchor, the very thing that would allow them total victory, but by also using that very magic to undo everything they have built over the years.
• Don't Call Me "Sir": Downplayed as while she doesn't show it and understands the significance of the title, Arturia isn't comfortable being called the "Herald of Andraste" since it sounds too much like how she was referred to when she was king and feels undeserving of it because of the many failures she believed she caused during her rule. This is something Mother Giselle notices during her first meeting with Arturia.
• Don't Go in the Woods: It has been made abundantly clear that no one from the Inquisition wants to go to the Fallow Mire, and for more than one good reason.
• Downer Beginning: Considering this story starts during the ending of a Gen Urobuchi story, this was more or less unavoidable.
• Dream Land: How the Fade is used by Solas in order to personally talk to spirits and experience moments in history. It also functions as this to all others as well who aren't dwarfs.
• Drinking Contest: Arturia gets into one with Iron Bull and Blackwall during the celebration after sealing the Breach. She wins handedly.
• Driving Question: By virtue of being an crossover, there is one for each respective series, which together make up the mystery that is the main driving factor of the events that occur in this story:
  • For the Dragon Age side: Just who is responsible for the explosion at the Mage-Templar Conclave, which resulted in the huge tear in the Veil?
  • For the Fate side: How is it even possible that Arturia appeared in Thedas and ended up with the Mark/Anchor that took her out her deal with Alaya?
• Eating the Eye Candy: Arturia, understandably, towards Cassandra and Leliana in chapter 4 when she meets up with them. To her credit though, she does manage to catch herself before anyone else noticed her doing so.
• Enchanted Forest: The Fallow Mire is a dark example. Its unusually stormy and supernaturally cursed area filled with hostile spirits, undead, barbarians, disease, and Maker knows what else.
• Enemy Mine: Arturia remembers doing this a lot during the Fourth Holy Grail War, with said event being the most recent in memory for her, and is more than prepared to do so once more when it comes to dealing with the Mages and Templars.
• Entertainingly Wrong: So many times.
  • Between Arturia's knowledge, training and the general way of carrying herself, the advisors conclude that she's a daughter of a war veteran, possibly from a long line of soldiers and officers.
  • After Arturia's eyes turn golden due to her encounter with Envy, Leliana concludes that the girl is one of Flemeth's daughters.
• Evil Laugh: Excalibur lets out an wicked one when he sees a templar punch Mother Hevara, knocking her onto the ground.
• Evil Sounds Deep: The Elder One, whose voice is described as ancient and foreboding. Since it is canonically an British accent, it can be compared to Arturia's own contralto.
• Exact Words: Invoked and Discussed. It is actually pointed out by Arturia to Josephine, when the latter reminds her about what happened at the confrontation with Lord Seeker Lucius in Val Royeaux.
  Arturia: It may have sounded that way, but I merely pointed out the contradictions of the Lord Seeker's claims. I planted the idea that they might not actually be living up to what their order stands for despite what they may say to others who see the clear truth in my words. If we nurture and spread that kind of influence already seeded inside the people, we can use it to make the Templar Order work with us. Whether or not they wish to, to not do so will not allow them to go on undamaged in the long run.
• Experienced Protagonist: Constantly lampshaded by various characters. Even with being so "youthful", Arturia is already a seasoned veteran in many areas, demonstrating valuable expertise and knowledge in adaptation, organization and expansion without needing much guidance except in the finer details of knowing the kind of place Thedas is.
• Foil: Word of God states that she considers every advisor and companion in the Inner Circle one to Arturia, finding it interesting to compare and contrast the traits between them all:
  • Cassandra (Religious Bruiser vs Crisis of Faith)
  • Varric (No Social Skills vs The Charmer)
  • Solas (Magic Knight vs The Archmage)
  • Sera (Cultured Warrior vs Lower-Class Lout)
  • Blackwall (Sweet Polly Oliver vs Dead Person Impersonation)
  • The Iron Bull (Beneath the Mask vs Becoming the Mask)
  • Dorian (Heroic Self-Deprecation vs Stepford Snarker)
  • Cole (Older Than They Look vs Manchild)
  • Leliana (Took a Level in Kindness vs Took a Level in Cynic)
  • Cullen (Broken Bird vs Shell-Shocked Veteran)
  • Josephine (Magnetic Hero vs The Face)
• Frontline General: Cullen is the Inquisition's military leader, who isn't afraid to go out and fight along side his men. He's also the one leading the Templar's counter defense and attack at Therinfal Redoubt after discovering the Envy Demon's presence and influence.
• Genius Bruiser:
  • Already setting a new standard for what it means to be an Lightning Bruiser in Thedas, Arturia has also demonstrated to be a very seasoned negotiator, recruiter, and tactician. In addition to that, thanks to the kind of place Thedas is, shows to be fluent in multiple languages. This is whole aspect of her's is lampshaded by Leliana, as this kind of thing very uncommon for someone Arturia's 'age' to be so talented and experienced to the extraordinary level she is on.
  • The Iron Bull is an hulking mass of muscle that's almost as tall as a tree with the battle axe to match. He's also an very intelligent and observant Ben Hassrath - an Qunari spy.
• Genki Girl: Sera, to simply put it, is one young adult sized ball of excitement and liveliness who tends to overwhelm and stump all that cross her path with her seemingly unmatched vigor.
• Genre Refugee: Take an High Fantasy character, make her the protagonist in a Dark Fantasy setting, and you get this story.
• Gentleman Snarker: Even in another world, Arturia still retains all of the courtesy one would expect from a knight...doesn't stop her tongue from being just as witty and sharp as it is eloquent and polite. Which fits the kind of place she landed in.
• Good Is Not Dumb: Arturia Pendragon is what happens when the Knight in Shining Armor operates like a Guile Hero.
• Greater-Scope Paragon: Divine Justinia V. Having already had writs properly signed prior to the Conclave, and briefed her Left and Right Hands on the contingency, the Inquisition was her safety net in case something happened to her and things got even more out of hand. Even though she has died before the start of the story, her actions are the reasons why the Inquisition has come in existence once again and how they are able look for the Hidden Villain responsible for Thedas' current mess.
• Green-Eyed Monster: The Envy Demon accuses the Elder One of being this towards Arturia. The fact they don't immediately deny it but resort to flipping it the question onto Envy (who is literally this) is very telling.
• Grey-and-Gray Morality: After learning about the history between the Mages and Templars, Arturia comes to view their conflict as this.
• The Guards Must Be Crazy: During their secret infiltration of Redcliffe Castle, Scout Harding and her team encounter two Venatori guards drunk while on duty.
• Guys Smash, Girls Shoot: Inverted with the dynamic between Arturia, Cassandra, Solas, and Varric.
• Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold:
  • Arturia, of course. This actually helps to further her image as the Messiah due to the fact that Andraste (maybe) had this trait as well. Played for Laughs when Varric comes up with her nickname due to being inspired by this trait.
  • To a lesser degree, Sera also qualifies. She is the very definition of a Loveable Rogue after all.
  • Cole is a Creepy Good example.
• Happily Adopted: Biologically, Arturia is the daughter of King Uther Pendragon. However, as far as Arturia is concerned, her father was Sir Ector, the one who took her in and raised her ever since she was a baby, even later being the one who taught her everything she knows about knighthood.
• Heartbroken Badass: Cassandra lost her lover, Regalyan, at the Conclave explosion. It explains why she was so hostile towards Arturia at the beginning and currently serves as one of her main motivations.
• Here We Go Again!: The more Arturia finds herself involved in Thedas' current situation, the more she feels like she's done this before.
• Heroic Self-Deprecation: Arturia does not hold herself in the highest of regards thanks to events that precede her current adventure. Scout Harding even observes this, stating there was an "undeserving feel in her eyes" as her name was being chanted after an impressive victory.
• Heroic Vow: Arturia gives one at the end of the first chapter in order to convince Cassandra that she's trustworthy enough to use a sword while being a prisoner.
  Arturia (to Cassandra): I am Arturia Pendragon, I am not from around here, I know nothing of this land, so to everyone here, I am a stranger. But I am a Knight, a Knight who is lost, so I am in need of guidance to this world, and so I am in need of you, and if you would help me, I will give you my thanks by putting my life on the line, and fight beside you, but that is only if I have something to defend myself.
• Hidden Depths:
  • While still big on Honor Before Reason here as she was during the Fourth Holy Grail War, Arturia has shown the capability to be The Chessmaster par excellence throughout the events of this story. And despite being the Big Eater of the Fate franchise, she has the capabilities of a chef beyond compare.
  • Sera more or less comes across as a crude Womanchild to all that has even a single interaction with her. She is also knowledgeable enough in alchemy to create her own potent potions, tonics, and grenades on her own. And despite being more reckless than not, Sera does know the value of stealth as a Red Jenny agent, demonstrating a great talent for hiding within and passing through the shadows without notice for years.
• Hope Bringer: More and more, Arturia is being viewed as this with the current disaster occurring literally above everybody's head. Though some are less willing to admit it than others, there are just as many who are willing to voice her as such.
  Harding (talking to Cassandra): She's like a great, big rock that isn't moved at all in the middle of an intense stormy night. I find it strange to say it, especially about a mysterious stranger, but...even though I don't know her as much as you probably do, I still feel, well, comforted by her being here for us somehow. Even with the Breach hanging high in the sky, she just makes things feel like...it'll work out somehow. That she'll make it work somehow, and I can really believe in her.
• Horrifying the Horror: The Envy Demon, a creature of the Fade that has spent countless years going from one host to another via Mind Rape, is so overwhelmed and terrified by the Red Dragon's heart in Arturia that, for the first time in its lifetime, it wants to vomit out the information it obtained.
• How the Mighty Have Fallen: The Chantry, as per canon. Already severely weakened by the Circles rebelling against them and the Templars and Seekers breaking away from the Chantry, things went officially into complete and utter shit for them when the majority of their leadership got killed off at the beginning of the story. By the time Arturia joins the Inquisition, its unified power that was present throughout the Ages has been diminished into a shell of itself. This is discussed at the beginning of chapter 4 by the advisors and Casaandra.
• Humanoid Abomination: Oddly enough, Arturia of all people qualifies for this. Thanks to a deal Merlin made, Arturia has been blessed with the blood of the Red Dragon when she was born - essentially making her a dragon that happens to look human. However, due to having the Mark embedded into her hand, she's turning - or has been turned - into something else...something Arturia isn't quite sure of what.
• Hypocrite: When the Envy Demon accuses the Elder One of being jealous of Arturia, the Elder One tell it not to throw stones in the house of glass they are living in.

Tropes I - P

• I Did What I Had to Do:
  • How Celene sees her actions up to this point. Not that she's proud of it.
  • According to Arturia, this was Kiritsugu's mindset for all of his actions, and she isn't wrong.
• I Just Want to Have Friends: As noted by Josephine, and later Varric, Arturia is someone doing her best to be a more personal person despite not looking very approachable.
• I Need a Freaking Drink: Iron Bull's first thought after his first meeting with Vivienne.
• Iron Lady: Vivienne, oh so much. Even her Red Baron, "Madame de Fer", translates to "Lady of Iron".
• Jerkass Has a Point: While coming across as a bit too rude and pushy, Vivienne's questioning of making someone whose past life and origins are completely unknown to all The Face of your organization does seem unwise and ill-advised.
• Just a Kid: How Calpernia views Arturia, thinking there's some mastermind behind her liberation of the Hinterlands. Samson begs to differ.
• Kleptomaniac Hero: Sera, who is Just Like Robin Hood and has absolutely no qualms about Robbing the Dead.
• Kid Hero: How everyone sees Arturia. Actually, an Averted Trope, see Older Than They Look below.
• Kidnapped by the Call: By her own admission, this is how Arturia ended up trapped in Thedas.
  Varric (curious): Really? So you just came at the wrong place at the wrong time?
  Arturia: It's more like I've been pulled into this without my say.
• Knight in Sour Armor:
  • Arturia, very much so is this. While she does try her best to live up to her title as the King of Knights, the events of Fate/Zero have clearly left their scars on her.
  • Cullen is still clearly dealing with the personal effects from witnessing both the Fereldan and Kirkwall Circles fall like they did, but is still dedicated to doing his job as the Inquisition's commander to the best of his ability.
• Lady Looks Like a Dude: Thanks to disguising herself as a man with Merlin's magic for practically all of her life, Arturia comes across as more handsome than beautiful, which results in this trope more often than not. This is something Vivienne notes of her when she sees her for the first time at her salon, outright calling her "Handsome bastard" and personally dubbing her "Sir Arturia" after Vivienne agrees to officially join the Inquisition.
• Large Ham: Excalibur, which really shouldn't surprise anyone.
• Lecture as Exposition: What Arturia's lessons with Josephine essentially are for her. Knowing for a fact that she'll need to be up to date and as knowledgeable in order to better solve the conflicts currently occurring, she gets the Antivan to give her the information she needs to help with this, even specifically choosing her over the other two advisers since, as the Inquisition's official diplomat and ambassador, she'll teach the education Arturia needs as unbiased as possible.
• Living Emotional Crutch: Apparently, Excalibur functions as this to Arturia. And for good reason.
• Living Weapon: Due to the effects of the Mark, Excalibur has become this.
• Logical Latecomer: Ever since arriving in Thedas and getting a proper grasp of just what the hell is going on, Arturia has had alot to say about the Mage-Templar War, the Chantry, and the other issues the world is facing due to the lack of rationality and common sense demonstrated by certain powers and leaders.
• Love Hurts: Though she's quite excellent at hiding it, Arturia very much feels the absence of the wife and queen she had when she was still King Arthur, Guinevere.
• Magic A Is Magic A: As she listens to how the Fade works in Thedas, Arturia makes the distinction between on how magic works from her world and in Thedas:
  • From what she has learned from Merlin, the magus from her world use magecraft known as Thaumaturgy. By processing and infusing Prana into the Magic Circuits they are born with, power flows freely and allows for the magecraft to occur. The more circuits one magus has, the more energy one can has to channel, in addition to other factors such as the quality of the circuits a magus has and the skill of the magus in channeling the Prana.
  • As explained by Solas, the mages of Thedas are essentially weak points in the Veil, undergoing an education in order to learn how to make the proper connection to the Fade. With that connection, the mages are able to change the very fabric of reality, which varies from person to person depending on how strong the individual is. This has the side effect of attracting all sorts of spirits and demons.
• Made of Iron: Arturia. During her first fight with an Pride Demon, she tanks an blow from it head on and gets buried under a huge pile of rocks, yet is still able to force herself to get back up.
• Magic Knight: Being both an excellent sword user and quite adept at using her prana to increase that fighting prowess dramatically, Arturia qualifies as this. Since she is already an Master Swordsman by the start of the story, she is seeking to further her knowledge in the first part of this trope through the Mark. She actually always has had the potential the to be a traditional magus but decided not to take that pathway due to her responsibilities. She officially starts using a magic staff in battle as of Chapter 17.
• Magnetic Hero: Arturia repeatedly shows that she's earned that Rank B Charisma, easily gaining support and allies through the sheer, natural magnetism and experience of her character.
• Manipulative Bastard: As told from the perspective of the Elder One, they present themselves as a figure for their subordinates to rely on after their Dark And Troubled Pasts to secure their loyalty. This is showcased in detail by the fact that they are using Alexius' love for his son to make sure he moves forward unhesitatingly with The Plan and doesn't mess up the spell he is working on before scheming to take advantage of the Templars' addiction to lyrium to bring the renegade order completely to their side.
• Mark of the Supernatural: Thanks to whatever the Mark has done to her, Arturia now has jagged, dark jade lines that covers her entire torso. This is an sign to show that she is no longer mortal at all.
  • The magisters that ruled over Ancient Tevinter are revealed to have markings on their hand, representing the blessing of the Old God they represent. The ones on Remerien's hand matches the one on Arturia's chest.
• Mass "Oh, Crap!": Cassandra, Cullen, Josephine, Vivienne, and Sera all share one when Leliana presents the possibility that not only is Arturia a daughter of Flemeth, but the latter is also The Woman Behind The Woman, being the one who sent Arturia to the Conclave in the first place.
• Merlin and Nimue: Solas and Arturia have a more platonic example of this trope. Bonus points for Arturia having already been mentored by Merlin. Something Solas himself is very much aware of.
• Messianic Archetype: Discussed during the first meeting between Mother Giselle and Arturia, when the latter questions why everyone is so quick to label her as their savior.
• Misery Builds Character: When Mother Giselle first meets Arturia, she notices how the latter's eyes speak of wisdom - wisdom that could have only been gained through tragedy.
• Mirror Character: Both Barris and Fiona are struggling with leading their factions - the Templars and the Mages respectively - in the aftermath of being led astray by someone who they thought had their best interests.
• Mood Whiplash: Chapter 32 in a nutshell. It goes from a light hearted party to Haven getting ravished by the forces of the Elder One.
• Moral Myopia: Utterly deconstructed by Arturia herself when she calls out Lord Seeker Lucius for being party to the very things he just accused the Inquisition of. Add to the fact that one of the Templar Order's own punch an Revered Mother of the Chantry in front of an large crowd and then the Lucius himself insulting said crowd for no good reason other than demanding the "respect" he feels he's entitled to, this heavily damages the Templars' credibility in the face of the public at large. Which, as the next chapter reveals, is exactly the kind of response Arturia was going for.
  Arturia: How do you claim our nothingness to be true? When I have heard no Templar doing anything to help calm and subdue the hell that has broken loose in Thedas?
• Motor Mouth: Sera is able to open her mouth easily enough...actually closing it takes more than a bit of effort. And despite his disapproval of her attitude, Excalibur seems to be on the same boat.
• Mysterious Past: To everyone in Thedas trying to find anything on her, Arturia has this.
• Never Heard That One Before: Arturia mentally and sourly reacts with this when Chancellor Roderick refers to her as a "little girl", having already heard this label on her from the man and others before and just knowing she will hear this countless more times in the near future. This is even more particularly frustrating to hear since she's a 35-year-old who looks like an 15-year-old.
• New Life in Another World Bonus: Due to taking the place of the Herald of Andraste/Inquisitor in Dragon Age, Arturia has been receiving the full benefits and advantages of the Mark/Anchor and some more that wasn't present in canon, which includes knowing every single language present in Thedas.
• Nightmare Sequence: Arturia is put through one by the Envy Demon in an attempt to take over her body. She's able to escape it with Cole's help.
• No-Sell:
  • Thanks to having such high magical resistance, Arturia can't be harmed by any magic that isn't on the level of an archmage.
  • A more mundane example occurs during the siege of a fortress during the first visit at the Storm Coast, where one random soldier of the fort punches Arturia's face...and only succeeds at turning her face the other way.
• No Sympathy: Vivenne towards Fiona and the Mage Rebellion's situation after getting banished by King Alistair and Queen Anora. While she makes it clear that she does empathize with them and their cause, Vivenne thinks they were reckless and in over their heads for starting the rebellion just right after the Chantry explosion at Kirkwall.
• "Not So Different" Remark:
  • How Iron Bull comes to view himself and Arturia by the end of their first conversation.
  • Chapter 16 explores the toll weighing on each side of the Mage-Templar War, showcasing that both factions are having struggles and problems as a result of the war through the POV of Grand Enchanter Fiona and Ser Delrin Barris.
• Not So Similar:
  • What originally caused the first huge disagreement between Arturia and Leliana was how disturbingly similar the latter's methods were to Kiritsugu's, who Arturia has had an very poor relationship with. However, Leliana soon shows that she's more than willing to listen to the problems of her way of doing things and strive to be better as a result, something that sets her apart from Kiritsugu, who was so inflexible in his beliefs and refused to even consider his way of reaching his goals was wrong which it ended in complete and utter tragedy.
  • After learning that the Templar Order originated from the previous incarnation of the Inquisition, Arturia is able to match up the similarities between the two groups - most noticeably that they both broke away from the Chantry due to their respective beliefs pushing to do what they must in order to succeed in their mission and the Church of the Maker were unable or even unwilling to support them. However, Josephine is quick to point of the very important line that overall divides the two groups: the Inquisition splintered from the Chantry in order to complete Divine Justinia V's will and directive, while the Templars didn't agree with Justina's ways and decided to split off from the Chanty in order to deal with the Mages their own way.
• Obsessed with Food: The one thing that can break Arturia of her calm and calculating professionalism? Food and eating it.
• Obfuscating Stupidity: The loud, bombastic persona the Iron Bull displays does an excellent job at masking the calculating and keenly observant long-serving Ben-Hassrath spy. Varric even admits he would have never guessed if Bull hadn't come out and said it before joining the Inquisition.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • Aeden Cousland has one when Warden Shroud reveals that Warden-Commander Clarel de Chanson is having dealings with a Tevinter Magister.
  • Cullen gets a comedic example when he realizes Josephine left him Madame de Fer herself.
  • The random soldier whose point of view we temporarily see through gets one when he punches Arturia straight in the face...and does nothing but turn her face.
  • Sera gets when the group encounters actual undead while journeying through the Fallow Mire. The same thing happens with the Iron Bull but he's able to be more subtle about it.
• Older Than They Look: Arturia is in actuality an 35-year old that looks 15-years old thanks to getting Avalon, which she lost shortly before the Battle of Camlann.
• Omniglot: In addition to the multiple languages she knows from her world that translate well into this one, Arturia finds that her Mark has given her knowledge of several languages resident to Thedas, including Elvhen, Orlesian, and Qunlat.
• Outside-Genre Foe: Arturia is this to her opposition as a result of coming a different world with a completely different set of rules despite her original time having a similar environment to her current one.
• Oxymoronic Being: Harding and many others observe Arturia as this thanks to the her not looking her actual age.
• Papa Wolf: The Elder One invokes this trope, reminding Alexius of his son's sickness in order to give him the proper motivation to make sure the upcoming plan succeeds.
• Passive-Aggressive Kombat: Josephine and Vivienne engage in a very subtle example during their first conversation with each other. The latter later engages in a canon one with Solas while traveling through the Fallow Mire.
• Percussive Prevention: The Inner Circle rejects the idea of Arturia staying behind to prevent the Elder One's forces from following the rest of Haven's residents to the hidden passage Chancellor Rodrick knows about, with Cassandra being the most adamant about them following her back into the fight. Arturia's response is to punch the former Seeker of Truth out before making it clear to the rest of the group that she's going, with the heavy implication that she'll do the same to the rest if they try to stop her. They don't.
• Please, Don't Leave Me: Played for Laughs
  Excalibur: Unbelievable! Leave me here while you alone enjoy luxury?! This is cruelty! I demand you get back here and take me with you!
  Arturia: Nay.
• Plot Magnet: If getting dragged away from the ending of one story and into the very beginning of another that takes place on an completely different world doesn't count as this, then just what does?
• Poor Communication Kills: Completely defied and averted by Arturia, who is doing her best to avoid this since she sees this a major factor that caused her partnership with Kiritsugu to end up going so badly.
• Power Glows: The Mark, which is described as an "haunting green" whenever it lights up.
• Pragmatic Hero: While she doesn't agree with recruiting both the Mage Rebellion and Templar Order in order to deal with the Breach, Vivienne still does all she can to help make the alliance go as smoothly as possible.
• The Prankster: Sera is this at full force, staying true to her canon characterization.
  • Though, her Practical Jokes can backfire at times, as shown when one of her pranks accidentally lands on Leliana, resulting in Sera joining the Templer Order recruitment venture in order to avoid the spymaster's wrath.
• Properly Paranoid: When he first encounters them during their time in ancient Tervinter, Magister Remerien goes out of his way to make sure to hide Arturia and Dorian's very presence to the best of his ability, even telling his servants not to mention their time staying with him in anyone in anyway, knowing there are those in the Imperium would try and exploit everything they know, regardless of the long-reaching consequences.
• Protagonist Title: Arturia is the knight/inquisitor described in the title of this story.
• Protagonist Without a Past: Arturia can seen as this from everyone else's perspective except for Solas and the Elder One.
• Psychic Link: Arturia and Excalibur have one, which they use more often than not due to how the people in Thedas would view the latter's sentience.
• Purple Prose: The entire fic is written like that. Yes, even perspectives like Sera's, who most people would expect to use more down-to-earth language.

Tropes Q-Z

• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Lord Seeker Lucius tries to do the same "The Inquisition is nothing!" speech from canon, but Arturia takes it and turns it around by pointing out the deeds of the Inquisition in the Hinterlands and the Templars' lack of contribution to quelling the chaos there. She asks him what he has done to earn any of the respect he demands and then essentially declares to the world that it is the Templar Order that is of no worth.
• Reconstruction: One can consider Arturia one for your typical isekai protagonist that comes from our world. This is due to the fact that, unlike most other main characters who more often than not were random nobodies before they got transported, Arturia isn't some average no name, but someone who has already left her mark on our world's history long before she ever got transported to Thedas, meaning that she's already got a lot of life experience to work with that greatly helps in handling these new challenges, which results in her being far quicker to adapt and thrive in the new world she's been sent to than otherwise if she wasn't already so accomplished beforehand.
  • There's also the aspect of averting the typical Culture Clash or other common problems that comes from being transported into a Standard Fantasy Setting. This is due to the fact that Arturia isn't from the modern-day of our world, but from The Time of Myths of Earth, meaning that the only thing that really puts her off at all are the other races that are native to Thedas - which comes across as the average reaction of meeting a person that isn't a human for the first time in this world.
• Red Baron:
  • Arturia has four, two from her previous life and two from her current one: "King of Knights", "Once and Future King", "Herald of Andraste", and "The Maker's Chosen".
  • Vivienne is dubbed as "Madame de Fer" by the Orlesian courts.
• Redemption Quest: How Arturia views her current adventure in Thedas after failing to win the Fourth Holy Grail War.
• Renegade Splinter Faction: As with canon, this trope tends to pop up a lot:
  • The Inquisition is denounced as this by the Chantry at the beginning.
  • As detailed in the events of Asunder, Lord Seeker Lambert has the Nevarran Accord annulled, allowing the Templar Order to break away from the Chantry to allow them to deal with the Mages their own way.
  • The Venatori and the Red Templars are this to the mages and templars respectively, with both groups serving under the Elder One as enforcers.
• Robbing the Dead:
  • Defied by Arturia in Chapter 2. At the sight of a dead soldier, her companions suggest she takes off the armour and put it on to better protect herself and avoid using up her healing potion so quickly. Despite seeing the logic behind their advice, Arturia refused to do so due to being too noble to desecrate the corpse like that, finding it too disrespectful. Luckily, she finds a shield floating on the nearby river.
  • Sera, meanwhile, plays this totally straight without shame.
• Rousing Speech:
  • Arturia gives this during her time in the Hinterlands when gathering recruits to the Inquisition's cause.
    Arturia: Together, we will fight as one against all those who threaten our homes and families! I will fight for you and the future that is in peril, so fight for the Inquisition and for yourselves!
  • Cullen gives one to the Templars at Therinfal Redoubt, after The Reveal that the Envy Demon has been posing as the Lord Seeker Lucius this entire time.
• Sacrificed Basic Skill for Awesome Training: From the start of this adventure, it is made very clear that Arturia Pendragon, for all of her years of ruling and experience in her past life as King Arthur Pendragon, is more or less clueless when it comes to being with others as just a person. Understandably, one can put the blame on just what Merlin's training of Arturia during her childhood focused on being the perfect king - not actually learning on how to directly interact with others like a regular person.
• Saintly Church: The Chantry is presented as Zig-Zagging between being this trope and a Corrupt Church. While it absolutely does do its best to be a helpful, inspiring, righteous force for Thedas, inside and outside politics causes its members to act equally as self-important, intolerant, and extremely brutal, especially at the most nebulous of times.
• Sarcastic Clapping: Adan gives quite the mocking one in response to one of Sera's childish insults.
• Science Hero: At the behest of Solas, Arturia is developing into this by learning how to make her own potions, tonics, and grenades from ingredients of all kinds. She is wholehearted aided by one of her companions, Sera, who is of the Tempest class and is fully capable of creating, tweaking and perfecting her own various flasks by herself.
• Seeker Archetype:
  • As in line with the canon story, the Inquisition's main goal is to finding out just who is behind the current turmoil plaguing Thedas.
  • Cassandra can be considered a literal example of this, being a (former) member of the Seekers of Truth.
• Shades of Conflict: As with the canon of Inquisition, multiple factions are in Conflict with each other, affecting the world of Thedas as a whole, creating the central plot of this story:
  • The Inquisition, whose main directive from the late Divine Justinia V, is to restore order to the world.
  • The Chantry, whose issues are responsible for the Mage-Templar War occurring in the first place.
  • The Circle of Magi, whose (sympathetic) rebellion against status quo is how this strife escalated so much.
  • The Templar Order, who separated from the Chantry in order to properly deal with the Mage Rebellion.
  • The Elder One and their group, who are the reason for the plot going as it is so far.
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: Cullen, which is something even Arturia notices.
• Sherlock Scan:
  • Iron Bull performs one on Arturia during their first meeting. He very much can tell when he's on the receiving end as shown during his first encounter with Vivienne.
  • Befitting the Inquisition's Spymaster, Leliana herself has demonstrated the advantages of having the power of observation multiple times throughout the story, allowing her to pick up important details others may have missed.
• Ship Tease: While discussing the Inquisition members, Dorian brings up the idea of Arturia having a crush on Cassandra. Arturia's response is to barely avoid doing a Spit Take and doing all she can to not have a Luminescent Blush.
• Smarter Than You Look: Arturia's opinion of Scout Harding.
• Smug Smiler: Surprisingly, Arturia herself indulges in this when showing off her culinary skills to Sera and Vivienne.
• Snark-to-Snark Combat: Solas and Vivienne, despite their professionalism, do not hesitate to snipe at each other, most noticeably shown in the Fallow Mire.
• The Social Expert: Josephine proves herself as this. She is easily able to figure out just how, what, and why a person she is with is acting in a certain way within just a few moments of a conversation, which includes the likes of Arturia and Leliana.
• Socially Awkward Hero: Downplayed with Arturia, who is generally well-spoken, but as other characters have noted, she seems to be quite inept when it comes to dealing with more, let's say, personal matters. This is a result of her way of ruling back in her world when she was King Arthur.
• Spanner in the Works: For the Elder One, everything was going All According to Plan and was as close to victory as possible...until Arturia arrived onto the scene.
  The plan went off the rails when that blasted King of Knights appeared.
• Spotting the Thread: Leliana is able to tell that Blackwall is not really a Warden when she asks him about Oghren.
• Spy Versus Spy: Discussed among the advisors when Leliana(the Inquisition's Spymaster) assures the others that she can handle watching over the Iron Bull(an Ben-Hassrath of the Qun) while he is at their home camp.
  Josephine: Do you actually find it enjoyable in having a spy of the Qun within your reach? I would think it would be even trickier having to spy over another spy.
  Leliana: Well, I DO enjoy a good challenge, Josie.
• Sole Survivor: As with the Featureless Protagonist in canon and having been placed into that very role now, Arturia is the only to have mysteriously survived an explosion that killed thousands at the Mage-Templar Conclave with the power to close tears in the Veil in her hand, and has absolutely no memory of how any of this even happened.
• The Spook: Arturia is a very justified example. Due to the fact that she's from a completely different world, there is absolutely no record of her in any way prior to the Conclave explosion. To everyone around her and the world at large, she is a very gifted teenage girl wielding the holy sword to end all holy swords, who has powers that fly in the face of everything known in Thedas, and being both an problem none of her enemies know how to deal with while also acting as an beacon of hope, sanity, and understanding in a world plunged into darkness and turmoil sent by the Maker himself to everyone else.
• Stealth Expert: Cole is introduced properly in the story sneaking around in Therinfal Redoubt without anyone noticing he's even there.
• Stiff Upper Lip: Arturia Pendragon hails from the land of the Britons in the late 5th and early 6th centuries and barely emotes to the various occurrences unique to the new environment she landed in...no matter what situation she gets herself into next.
• Storming the Castle: Chapter 14 features Arturia and co. performing a siege on a fortress in the Storm Coast the day after meeting and recruiting the Bull's Chargers, with Arturia displaying her well-earned credentials as The Strategist after a lifetime of doing this kind of action many times over, with her even knowing the necessary and proper procedures of what comes after performing a siege.
• Supernatural Gold Eyes:
  • Flemeth and her daughters have those, complete with reptilian slit pupils, akin to that of a dragon's.
  • Arturia sports these after surviving the Envy Demon's Mind Rape session. The similarity to the above example is pointed out.
• Supreme Chef: Arturia turns out to be this. Though the reason she doesn't like showing off this talent is that she doesn't like sharing the food she makes. She is very proud of this fact and gets offended when Vivienne suggests she cannot make food of the same quality as Orlesian cuisine.
• Switching P.O.V.: Whenever Arturia encounters and recruits a new companion for her journey, the story switches to their personal point of view when the meeting and following conversation occurs.
  • The last part of Chapter 26 follows Scout Harding's perspective.
• Sword and Sorcerer: Calpernia and Samson provide an villainous example.
• Talkative Loon: Excalibur naturally. Sera also gives off this impression towards during the first meeting with her at Val Royeaux.
• Tantrum Throwing: Fiona is reduced to this after being informed just how much Alexuis used his time magic to gaslight her and her group.
• Tears of Remorse: Arturia throughout the whole first part of chapter 1 to the point of actually running out of them, ending up with Dull Eyes of Unhappiness until her arrival in Thedas.
  • After calming down from her short rampage, Fiona can only fall to the ground and cry.
• Technically a Smile: The Elder One "smiles" while discussing their knowledge of Arturia with Samson and Calpernia, but it only highlights just how completely inhuman they are.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Lampshaded by Cullen after Arturia expresses her wishes to meet and bargain with both the Mages and Templars.
  Cullen: Especially after what you said to the Templars, if we are to consider walking towards that solution, you'll have to drag both leaders in kicking and screaming if you desire them to be in the same room, and that's only if we can prevent either of them from killing each other when they meet face to face.
  • Due to the sheer amount of radically different backgrounds and philosophical distance between them, Solas and Vivienne simply tolerate each other with their dislike for one another made quite clear in the narrative.
  • Discussed between Vivienne and Cassandra in Chapter 30, with the former assuring the latter that she's already very experienced in working with people she outright detests, so there won't be any issues when Fiona and her faction arrive to help to seal the Breach.
• This Is Gonna Suck:
  • Cullen has this reaction when Josephine leaves him with Vivienne.
  • This is the general reaction among the group of Inquisition companions when they are informed that they are going to the Fallow Mire. This is emphasized by this discussion coming from Varric's perspective.
• Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth: Thanks to being born with the blood of the Red Dragon, Arturia forces the Envy Demon out of her mindscape during her emotional breakdown due to that part of her being too much for it to handle, to the point that the aftermath of this encounter causes it to vomit uncontrollably.
• Tragic Keepsake: The blue ribbon that's a significant part of Arturia's hairstyles was a gift from her First Love Guinevere, and is the only thing she has left of her former wife/queen.
• Transformation Sequence: Once she gets Excalibur back, Arturia pulls one off that causes everyone to watch in Stunned Silence.
  Varric (as he reloads Bianca): She really should have gotten that sword sooner.
• Tranquil Fury:
  • Apparently, the Elder One has settled into this state of mind after losing their shit due to Arturia's interference.
  • Arturia herself is more often than not prone to seasoned, cold-blooded anger whenever she's truly upset or enraged by something.
• The Trickster: Merlin's personality is described as such by Arturia.
• Unknown Rival: Played With when it comes to Arturia and the Elder One:
  • While the former is very much aware of the world-shattering danger the latter poses to Thedas, she has absolutely no clue just who or even what they are and why they truly caused the explosion at the Conclave. It isn't until Chapter 24 when she gets a name to go on.
  • Meanwhile, it has been made clear that the Elder One knows exactly who Arturia's true identity is, with the implication being that they are even someone from her past from before she was ever summoned to the Fourth Holy Grail War and that things are very personal between the two.
• Used to Be More Social: Arturia is an inverted example. Back when she was King Arthur, she made an effort to keep her distance from most others in an effort to become the perfect king, coming across as inhuman as a result. Now in Thedas, Arturia aims to interact with her companions and peers in an effort to become a more personal human being.
• Vocal Dissonance: It has been noted that Arturia, despite her adolescent appearance, has a deep and commanding voice.
• War Is Hell: This is how the Mage-Templar War is depicted when the group reaches the Hinterlands, getting a first-hand look at how terribly bad it has gotten at this point, even after they managed to defeat the renegades running amok.
  However, there's no claim for victory, the after-effects being far too bitter. Though it was expected for soldiers to suffer burns and wounds, the innocent were dragged into this as well. A very unlikable sight. All around the area, the sight of many limp, others voicing cries, some immobile, and most that are alive wished no part in the war.
• We Need a Distraction: In one of the flashbacks of chapter 7, Arturia could seal any of the Rifts due to mages, templars, and demons running amok. So, through some quick thinking, she and her group uses the former two to distract the latter away from the Rifts.
• Wham Episode:
  • Chapter 4: Arturia discovers that she has a massive Mark of the Supernatural all across her upper body, signifying that she's not mortal at this point and time.
  • Chapter 5: Solas, a.k.a the Dread Wolf, is very much aware of Arturia's past and identity.
  • Chapter 6: The Elder One also knows exactly who Arturia is, even hinting that they are someone from her world and past.
  • Chapter 23: The Envy almost manages to break Arturia's will, only for the Red Dragon's heart and blood in her to react — throwing the now-traumatized demon out of her mind and changing her eyes to golden reptile eyes.
  • Chapter 24: After recruiting the Templar Order to their cause, the Inner Circle speculates on Arturia's origins — specifically, Leliana raises the possibility that she is Flemeth's daughter and maybe even her Unwitting Pawn.
  • Chapter 27: Arturia and Dorian find themselves transported into the past, to the height of the Terventer Imperium's power, while being taken in by a Magister who is Dorian's ancestor. The chapter ends with Artoria performing a Time Stop through the Mark in her hand.
  • Chapter 29: Dorian informs Arturia of the existence of an eighth Old God before they both return home where Arturia's eyes go back to normal. Remerien Pavus reveals that he has markings on his hand that match Arturia meaning that said Old God might be connected to what's going on with her. Back in the present, after subduing Alexius, the Inquisition manages to recruit the Mage Rebellion after they get kicked out of Ferelden by the king and queen.
• Wham Line:
  • Chapter 10 has one from Grey Warden Shroud, whose last sentence reveals how much of its own tangent this story is going off on:
    Shroud: I certainly can't do this alone...I hope that we will unravel what is happening, before it's too late. Until another time; Aeden.
  • Chapter 11 shows just what pathway our protagonist is going to take:
    Leliana: Although, I can imagine Arturia would rather not deal with the Templars, with what she had experienced firsthand and said at the capital. I suppose you would prefer speaking to the Mages then, Herald?
    Arturia: No. It is my wish and desire to speak with both members.
  • Chapter 23: When Arturia is trying to convince her companions that hasn't been successfully body-snatched by the Envy Demon, Sera drops this line:
    Sera: Yeah? Is that why your eyes are glowing all weird like?
    Arturia: ...What?
    Sera: As far as I, and everyone else, know, our Artie's eyes are green, not gold!
  • Chapter 24: Leliana drops one when she mentions where she's seen Arturia's new, golden eyes before:
    Leliana: Morrigan and her mother, Flemeth, the Witch of the Wilds.
• Wham Shot:
  • Chapter 4: When Arturia looks under her clothing to see any scars from her battle with the Pride Demon, she instead sees markings all over her torso that do not belong on any human body whatsoever.
  • Chapter 18: While discussing those unnatural markings, Arturia looks over a book sent over by Josephine in hopes to discover their possible origin. The book is titled: The World Before Ours, When Dragons Ruled: a Study of Ancient Times and the Reign of the Old Gods.
  • Chapter 23: When Arturia looks at the reflection of the blade at her neck, she sees that her eyes have gone from emerald to gold with a dragon's slit pupil.
  • Chapter 29: Magister Remerien reveals that his hand has markings that represent the blessing of an Old God - with his markings matching the ones across Arturia's chest.
  • Chapter 32: Arturia finally meets the Elder One face to face after willingly choosing to delay the invading forces by herself in order to give the survivors of Haven enough time to escape.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • When overhearing an order from Leliana herself to kill a disloyal soldier, Arturia immediately calls her out for wanting to kill the traitor so quickly without trial or considering the knowledge he might have a The Mole. This is more notable since this way of operating reminds her too much of Kiritsugu.
  • During the trip to Val Royeaux, Arturia calls out Lord Seeker Lucius, and by extension the Templar Order as a whole, for his complacency to the madness currently going on in Thedas and the Jerkass actions and words he's been doing and speaking the moment he stepped into the capital.
  • Arturia delivers a whole speech to the Templar Order in order to convince them to actually make peace with the Mage Rebellion. Considering there was an uproar at this suggestion after they all just finished killing the Envy Demon and all of the Red Templars that infiltrated their organization, this is well-deserved.
  • As per the original storyline, King Alistair and Queen Anora call out Fiona for allowing Tevinter mages to take over Redcliffe before kicking her out.
• Wise Beyond Their Years: Subverted and justified with Arturia, who is as smart as one would expect from someone her age. It's just that she doesn't look her actual age.
• Wrong Context Magic: Due to maintaining her skills and powers from the Naruverse thanks to the Dragon Core she was born with, Arturia displays abilities that tend to fly in the face of what is common in Thedas. Most noticeably is her Magical Resistance, which allows her to completely No-Sell any magic that isn't on the equivalent level of A-Rank or preferably higher in Thedas.
• Xanatos Speed Chess: With The Plan more or less Gone Horribly Wrong, the Elder One is quickly diverting their schemes to make sure they can still reach the main goal.
• You Are Not Alone: Cole gives this speech to Arturia in order to give her the inner strength to break free out of the Envy Demon's Mind Screw dimension.
  Cole: You won't need to do it by yourself. It doesn't have to be right now, but you don't need to be alone anymore. Whenever you're ready, they'll be waiting. They won't see you any different, not as king or herald. They'll see you as you if you'll let them.
• You Can't Go Home Again: Arturia, for many, many complicated reasons.
  Varric: You don't have a home?
  Arturia: Not anymore.
  Varric: Family?
  Arturia: Gone. Nothing to do with the Conclave's destruction.
• You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: From Arturia's point of view, this is how things ended between her and Kiritsugu.
  Arturia: ...He betrayed me. I don't know why, and I demanded to know, but...he simply bid me away as if I was nothing more than a tool for him to discard...like what he always saw me as I suppose.
• You Make Me Sick: After getting a front row seat to the Templar Order's Moral Myopia at Val Royeaux, Arturia has zero qualms saying this to Lord Seeker Lucius's face, especially coming off of the heels of the latter's It's All About Me speech.
• You Remind Me of X: Deconstructed with Leliana, whose way of doing things reminds Arturia too much of Kiritsugu. Remembering how badly things went between the two of them, Arturia is planning on doing her best to make sure Leliana doesn't follow his path.
• You Wake Up in a Room: As with what happens in canon, after she escapes from the Fade, Arturia wakes up in a room, bound in chains and surrounded by armed solders, with no memory of how she even got there in the first place.

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