IT IS STILL RACIST IF YOU TAKE A SOUTH EAST ASIAN CHARACTER AND MAKE HER BLACK. IT IS STILL RACIST.

I just realized I haven’t promoted the Taash Trash tumblr community for Taash Week! I’ve been so distracted by all the excellent Taash content!

If you wish to share posts about them all year long, come join the Taash Trash tumblr community!

Now look at this cute screenshot of my Rook & Taash:

Ahh, I remember the day when I decided that my Rook and all of my future Rooks were going to romance Taash.

On Friendship.

After Veilguard, Manfred continues to learn and grow just as he did before, as a being in the living world and also as a mage.

And he starts to gain more independence, and to learn from teachers apart from Emmrich.

And, eventually, he becomes a full member of the Mourn Watch, and then a senior member.

And he takes on his own proteges, spirit and living, and teaches them everything he’s learned.

And, one day, Emmrich dies.

And Manfred, as his son, tends to his body and his grave with the same reverence for the honored dead that Emmrich taught him.

And as long as Manfred remains in the world, he carries on Emmrich’s legacy in his own actions and those of his endless chain of students, each one given the love and care and support that were the foundational gifts his father gave him.

This, too, is immortality.

Okay, let's talk about the coming out scene, because people are saying Taash was the one out of line.

Shathann is a sympathetic character. That does not make her a good person. She saved her child from a life of servitude by leaving the country she loved and tried to preserve that culture in her child. I respect that. I also wish there was a way to encourage Taash to embrace both sides of their culture.

BUT.

From the moment we meet her, Shathann criticizes literally everything her child does. Taash runs an errand for her, and Shathann criticizes their posture, pronunciation, gender presentation, AND sexuality, completely unprovoked, yes, in one fucking conversation. Shathann invites Taash over for dinner and then makes Taash cook that fucking dinner. And this has happened before, as stated in the dialogue. Taash is so affected by this behavior and probably worse they have endured their entire life that they say "you don't get to tell me who I am" at a simple question about their heritage, out of pure instinct.

Now to the actual scene.

Taash invites their mother to their new home and prepares a dinner for her, which Shathann immediately criticizes and has Taash make vegetables to go with. Can you imagine inviting someone into your home for dinner you prepare only for them to shit on it and ask you to cook more. And Taash does so, with a grunt. I'd be like bitch you're in my house, I cooked, eat. But they just do it.

Then they say it. "Im nonbinary." Shathann asks what that means, completely fair, and Taash explains that it means they're not a man or a woman.

Shathann asks if this is because she criticizes their gender presentation. Now listen. I have a parent who thinks nearly everything "wrong" with me is a reaction to their actions. It pisses me off. So Taash is getting reasonably frustrated, and insists that's not why. VALID. They were asked a question and they answered.

Let's talk about the Qun and gender identity. Yes they have a word for people who identify as a different gender than they were assigned. But this is implied to apply to trans men and women, not nonbinary people, so Shathann is asking Taash if they "just" identify as a man, because that's something Shathann can better understand, something more convenient for her to process. Sort of like when trans people come out to someone and are asked if they're "just gay."

No. And Taash says no. They have explained who they are. If Shathann was just having a hard time processing it that would be one thing, but she basically talked over Taash and tried to suggest that they were just a man, which they are not. Taash is being vulnerable. Taash doesn't even HAVE to tell Shathann this, but they want to, they think she deserves to know.

And what Taash says next is not purely to do with this one conversation, as explicit in the text. "why am I never enough for you." Never. Not now. We have seen Shathann critique Taash in every scene they share, and that's with a whole other person present who is not in the family. We don't know what happens in private. Shathann signed her child up for a fucking war without even talking to them about it. What Taash says is the build up of years of being talked over and criticized for everything they do, provoked by offering themselves to that person in a vulnerable position only to be talked over and criticized more.

"Why am I never enough for you."

And Shathann does not answer. She doesnt say "of course you are." Even if she disagreed with Taash's identity, which would be shitty, she could still affirm that they are enough for her. She doesn't.

She fucking leaves.

Maybe she thinks that's what Taash wants. Maybe not. But if someone asks you something like that, you affirm them. You say they are enough. Especially if they're your fucking child. But no, this conversation is too inconvenient for Shathann, she's not getting her way like she did when she signed Taash up for a war without their consent, so she just leaves. She could've said "I don't understand, but I love you." She couldve said anything. But she just left.

I'm sad she died. Im glad she accepted her child in the end. But no, Taash was not in any way out of line in this conversation.

Shathann was.

Like the writing was really good in this game and it’s so frustrating watching people be like “I didn’t get special attention from a character because it’s not a perma horny game so writing baaaaaaaaaaad”

Characters are allowed to be characters. To be fleshed out and have fulfilling relationships outside 'you' the player. I know, we love our blorbos and whatever...but it's not that deep.

Maybe Rook is too distracted to actually put real bonding time into their romantic relationships. Maybe Rook being a boss is an intimidating power dynamic that makes their partner hesitant. Maybe connections are stronger with other people.

I'll just say, the way I connected with my first ever GF, is very different from how I interact and connect with my partner NOW. What is okay with one partner, doesn't mean it'll be okay with the next. The jokes, physical connections, and love languages all have grown and shifted. That's how relationships work.

Some of ya'll really need to understand relationships are complex. And that BioWare doesn't have it out personally for you because so and so companion didn't fall to their knees in co-dependant agony worshiping your Rook.

VEILGUARD ACRYLIC CHARMS AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER NOW!! 🎉

I finished my Veilguard charms awhile ago but I've been dealing with a pretty significant and scary family emergency for the past few weeks so I haven't had a chance to really post about them. Any help in spreading the word would be much appreciated! 🙏

The pre-order for these bad boys is likely gonna end before the new year and I don't know that I'll have very much in-hand stock so if you want one now is your chance!! I'm also offering very limited spots for custom character charms, so if you're interested in getting merch of your Rook or Inquisitor... 👀 I wanna meet them!

P.S. NO one has bought Neve, Bellara, or Taash yet :,) please just one person adopt them 🙏 I worked so hard on their art and also Neve was my first DATV romance so I'm extra :,))) about her!!!

I find it infuriating that nobody seems to like Taash, but loves replacing them in mods for their romance scenes because they know it's hot.

do not claim to be a taash fan if you constantly misgender them