Heads, Hearts, and Headcanons in Dragon Age Origins

OGHREN: Let's show them our hearts, and then show them theirs.

One of the greatest things about RPGs is how personal they feel, and of course that's by design. They're role-player games by definition, after all, and the best of them, like those in the Dragon Age series, allow us to immerse ourselves in their world, creating characters, atmospheres, relationships, and more. We feel like we're there; we feel like we're them. And that's fantastic.

If you read this blog, you already know I'm a headcanoning fool, and I know from my fellowships with many of you out there that I'm not unique in this! As with the greatest fiction, I love the feeling that I can transport myself and feel like I'm somewhere else while I play—that wonderful sense of escape the moment that opening music starts up, whether it's Inon Zur's haunting and delicate melody, or Trevor Morris's more somber, thoughtful overture. And right away, just from those first few music notes, I'm the Warden, I'm Hawke, I'm the Inquisitor, I have fabulous mage powers, I'm surrounded by a found family of cool, interesting companions, and (of course) I'm instantly attractive, fascinating, and talented. What's not to love?

So let's talk headcanons, and all those little things you find yourself thinking and imagining that add texture to your Dragon Age world as you play. Each of us has our favorites—so here are some of mine!

I'll start with Origins in this post, but I'll be looking at each game to follow, in separate posts, too. I was going to do all of them in one post, but—incredibly!—I am actually not going to put them all in one giant post for once. (I KNOW! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME??)

But onward.

Imagining Origins

I have some odd little headcanons when it comes to Origins. 

First off, when it comes to the effects of drinking from that cup for the Joining, I always felt like it was, a little bit... personal. I felt like, when your Warden undergoes the Joining, that they not only get that connection to the Archdemon that we hear about, but that the Archdemon also gets that connection to you. I mean, personally. That the Archdemon sees you in those nightmares, knows you, and you are now on a very short list. 

That's the reason—to me—for that piercing moment during the Joining when the Archdemon looks right at you. Because it does. It sees you. It hates you. You, personally, among the others on that very short list. And it is going to get you. That's pretty damn terrifying.

I also headcanon that there's a LOT of guilt to Duncan over the Joining, or there should be, because he's pretty morally damn shady there on a number of levels. It's a situation where the Wardens are actively suppressing the actual danger of the ceremony, because (understandably) if it were common knowledge that the Joining was lethal, even fewer would volunteer than already do (although they also conscript people, but that's a discussion for another day). So instead, we get that heartbreaking ceremony where people like Daveth don't survive the sip, or where Ser Jory says, "Um, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? And... er... what are the odds again?!" and then gets skewered to preserve the secret, etc.

And to be fair to poor Jory (who gets a lot of flack from the fandom), I don't think he's a coward. I think there's a world of difference between volunteering for a straight-up fight with a sword against an enemy —and volunteering for a service that also involves undergoing a secret mystical ceremony in which your odds of survival have been hidden from you for PR reasons until now. I always feel sorry for him, and for Daveth, and for poor Mhairi in Awakenings (I adored her), another who simply doesn't survive the sip... and countless others. 

Want a different take on the Grey Wardens? Play a conscripted Cousland—it's an interesting and more complex point of view to play a protagonist who didn't volunteer for this or choose it in any way (although the Circle Mage origin is basically a "do this or die" situation as well). Suddenly, Duncan and even Alistair are a little darker around the edges.

I do appreciate that Duncan is all quietly regretful and nobly sad about Jory and everything, but let's face it, once you get past the hotness and Shakespearean magnificence of Duncan and his beard and voice and general hotness (wait, I said that already), he's still maybe not walking on the side of the angels, here. I just think, knowing  if he's the good man he presents himself to be (or seems to want to be, if we want to talk semantics), that he's probably suffered his share of guilt-stricken sleepless nights. 

(In which case, CALL ME, DUNCAN! Wait, oops, did I say that out loud? Never mind...)

Messages in Roses...

And then there are the companions who become our Warden's family. I definitely headcanon that we see the last vestiges of innocence for both Alistair and Leliana in Origins, and I find that especially moving in hindsight. Leliana might be an experienced bard in DAO, but there's still enough innocence and belief to her that a simple rose can inspire her to an odyssey that will change all of Thedas. And for Alistair, a different rose may inspire his feelings of first love.

It's especially fun for me to think about Alistair's internal journey in Origins too, because he's such a contradiction—someone we really see finish growing up. The Alistair as the story begins is an innocent young man who still has a lot of the boy to him—he's sweetly unsure of relationships and is still full of awe and wonder about a lot of the world. 

But while Alistair is wide-eyed and naive in some ways, he's a contradiction in others. He's lighthearted and funny, true, but there's real sadness underneath—this is a guy who was hated and resented by his stepmother and sent out to sleep with the hounds. 

I'm always affected by the idea that, even in the Blight, part of Alistair is living the dream for much of Origins. At last he's free to be the hero he dreamed of being in all those cold nights, and he's finally free to travel like the heroes he imagined, and stand right alongside his adored father figure Duncan. Being a Warden is all Alistair has ever wanted, and when I think about this, and about the lonely little boy he must have been, it's no wonder that he falls so hard for a female Warden, or bonds so quickly with his companions. I also get a kick out of how quickly Alistair bonds with Wynne as the instant adoptive Mom he probably always wanted but never had, so I headcanon some homely moments at camp like Wynne teaching Alistair how to wash his own socks, or the basics of camp cooking, and more.

I also think about Leliana here... she's someone whose faith is so deep and profound that I have no doubt she's talking to the Maker on the regular in those quiet evenings when she's alone and thinking about her path.

The Quieter Moments at Camp

I always love going back to camp in Origins, and it's where I have the most fun imagining the relationships playing out as our companions evolve through the story.

First off, after seeing his expression during Leliana's song at camp, I absolutely think Sten's tent is always somewhat near Leliana's, simply because he is starved for things like music and art and softness, and he loves to sit and listen to her play or sing, even if he won't admit that out loud. I think the DAO party trails a constant stream of rescued cats and kittens that Sten feeds, pets, and plays with at camp (gruffly, of course, and loudly claiming he is "training" them), and that Alistair is a sucker for Barkspawn—I think he'd always have a fondness for them, so my headcanon is that Alistair would give Barkspawn lots of treats and playtime, while Sten watched disapprovingly, worrying loudly about Barkspawn being "spoiled"—but then of course he'd sternly lecture Barkspawn about all of this later on... and then give him treats.

I also like to imagine that Morrigan's little witchy separate campsite moves closer and closer and closer to the main campsite night after night as they travel, so that eventually it's right there next to leliana's, while she's still loudly protesting that she doesn't really like any of these people, and 'tis laughable that they'd ever accuse her of such madness.

I also privately believe that Oghren is more upset about Branka than he appears to be, and that there may have been some quiet tears in the late nights over at his side of the campsite. This is also why I think he's so constantly drunk, as well—as a way to manage his grief.

Shipping Origins

Romantically, do I have ships? Oh, yes, so many ships. Starting with the fact (and yes, this will shock those of you who read this blog regularly) that Sten means "kadan" in the romantic sense when he uses the word for his Warden. It doesn't help me that not only does he do this, and it's enormously affecting on that front, but Sten also has that ridiculously beautiful voice (thank you Mark Hildreth), which makes it even more swoonworthy.

Interesting side note: I've written a fanfic about this (yes, be afraid, be very afraid), but I will note that while I think Sten loves the Warden (and vice versa), for me there's even a headcanon reason why he's not a romanceable choice in-game. There's a reason he doesn't speak. It's hopeless. This isn't a situation for happy endings. Sten will leave after all of this and go back to Seheron (or Par Vollen). 

I've written about this before, but Sten is an interesting character to me precisely because he is a series of contradictions. He falls in love with the wide world outside of Seheron in DAO, and falls in love with its kittens and cookies and art and new cultures... but he is not a convert. He still sees these things from the point of view of the future conqueror. So he will not stay here. He will go back home. And even if he loves the Warden—he's still leaving if he survives. Unlike Bull, I believe nothing can sway Sten from belief in the Qun.

But on to happier ships. Most importantly, when it comes to my internal headcanons, if Zevran does not hook up with the Warden? I think Zevran totally hooks up with Wynne instead. This is a headcanon for me on the same level of belief as Adoribull. It's real for me, and it makes me profoundly happy. Nobody talks that much about somebody's bosom without being actively interested in seeing and touching said bosom. And I think they'd be good for each other. She'd drop some of that overly prim exterior (methinks the lady protests too much), and he'd have an emotional relationship that went beyond political expedience, work, or momentary pleasure.

The other little sort-of romance happening in Origins for me is Shale and her feelings for Sten. Now, this isn't exactly headcanon since it's something that we actually see via the banter dialogue (and it is funny, charming, and oh-my-God so subtly heartbreaking), but that dialogue leads to some headcanons for me, too. We know from those banters that Shale and Sten evolve their friendship to "kadan" levels of comradely affection, and we also know that Shale slips up at a later moment to reveal that she actually has feelings for Sten that not only seem to be romantic, but genuinely physical and sexual.

The fact that she feels these things almost 1200 years after her transformation, with her spirit confined to a hulking body made of stone, is really sad to me, especially because it seems to me that Shale doesn't seem to feel anything on a sensory level, to the point that she casually references being "whittled down" during her time in Honnleaf, for instance. She's truly a prisoner of stone. Since a sensual life is denied to Shale as part of the tragedy of being a golem, the revelation that she does in fact desire Sten physically is even sadder to me.

Which means that I headcanon that there are plenty of nights at camp where Shale contemplates the stars, unsleeping, listening to the small noises of the sleepers around her, and feels ancient and separate... and very, specifically, lonely. Although she will of course never admit it.

(Note: for some reason, the Dragon Age Wiki on Shale is currently referring to her as "it," and I'm very confused by whoever made this change, since Shale openly identifies as female in her dialogue. Or is she now considered nonbinary? In which case, shouldn't her pronouns be "they"? Sound off if you know!)

The Witch and the Bard

So many ships, so little time!

Let's see... yet again, there's the obvious fact that, as with Sten, the game won't let me romance someone I want to romance (Morrigan with a female Warden), which means I immediately ship that, and I always will. I'm still sad about that female Warden/Morrigan romance not being possible, because I do think (as with Cass in DAI) we're given glimpses of an interest in our heroine that goes beyond friendship, at least in moments. And I think there would be something soft and charming to it, and it would illuminate Morrigan in ways that a more stereotypical heterosexual romance (where she seems more focused on dominance and gamesmanship) does not.

Beyond that, I also ship Leliana and Morrigan a little in Origins. They're both so prickly with each other, and Morrigan is so completely over the top in her venom if they're rivals for the Warden that I feel like there's more than simple envy there. Especially since Morrigan relentlessly implies that Leliana is  inexperienced and frigid, and I'm sorry, it seems to me like Morrigan is forgetting that Leliana is a bard, and by her own accounts a skilled one in every sense of the word. She slyly talks about assassinating a mark after taking them as a lover, so Leliana even in Origins is certainly not the blushing nun Morrigan rather hilariously insists she must be. 

But beyond this, I do feel like there's real interest there as well, a spark between the two women. Leliana talks openly about Morrigan's beauty, and wants to take her shopping! I mean, I admit that this isn't exactly "go on a date with me," but come on, shopping with Leliana could totally be a date. Besides, we're in my mind, anything goes.

Meanwhile, while we're talking about ships here, let's face it, there's enough open snark, bickering and banter between Morrigan and Alistair that they're practically begging to be a rom-com and are inches away from realizing that all their arguing was actually just love in disguise. In some other universe, they realize their mutual attraction, throw themselves at each other, have surprisingly good sex for about two weeks, then break up, to both of their mutual relief.

Now none of us has to see the movie! You're welcome.

Schmooples, Barkspawn, and a Dash of Pounce

Meanwhile, I also headcanon that Barkspawn takes a little while to get used to Schmooples, but eventually plays with him, that Oghren is constantly secretly plotting to eat Schmooples, and that Schmooples has to sleep in Leliana's tent with her, curled up at the foot of her bedroll, so that Oghren won't make bacon out of him. Even if/when Leliana hooks up with anyone else in the party.

I also think Sten would have played with Schmooples secretly (since he's a softie about animals), and we already know he talked to Barkspawn, so of course he played with him as well (which I've already detailed earlier here too). My favorite mental image is of Sten getting Barkspawn to practice fetching in all these sort of gruesome scenarios, like, Barkspawn brings him a skull and he's all, "You are a good and honorable creature. I will boop the nose." 

Still, as far as animal headcanons, my favorite one in all of Dragon Age, however, has to be the mental image of sweet, brave little Ser Pouncealot leaping at the faces of Anders's enemies in Awakenings. Because in my head, he's basically riding around in Anders's backpack, and in battle, he crouches on Anders's shoulder, then jumps right out at people. Mrreowrr! Attack!

Goddesses and Archdemons

I adore Flemeth as a character, although even three games in, I'm not sure if I trust her, so I love every single scene we get with her, and especially listening to the gorgeous combination of violin-meets-rusty-gate that is Kate Mulgrew's fabulous voice. And I especially love her subtle amusement at our complete befuddlement at the greater events of Thedas. I mean, here's our young Warden, who depending on the chosen origin story is varying levels of traumatized, scared, tired, and new to all these great matters, talking to what we will later realize is basically an ancient queen and demigoddess. 

Flemeth sees all of Thedas as a chessboard and, for good or ill, is moving those pieces. Meanwhile, we're just trying to get through all this with a little nightmare-free sleep and a clear idea of the next 24 hours, and most of the time, we're failing at both. Flemeth's operating at a whole other level, and so, it turns out, is Morrigan. Morrigan may hate her mother, but she, too, still seems to serve that larger picture, because even if we kill her mother in her dragon form, she will still show up in the end to offer the Dark Ritual.

When it comes to Flemeth and Morrigan, it's interesting that Flemeth sends Morrigan off as her Official Swamp Witch Representative of sorts, even while knowing (it's pretty clear) that Morrigan will not only betray and attempt to supplant her, but that on some level Flemeth deserves that betrayal. Seriously, listen to the stories Morrigan tells about her childhood. Flemeth was a truly horrific mother, and Morrigan's tearful gratitude over the beautiful little mirror as the first actual freely given gift in her life will always enrage me.

So it's interesting for me to headcanon that Flemeth expects Morrigan's betrayal and may have even orchestrated it as a necessary next step. And whether or not we try to kill Flemeth on Morrigan's behalf (which I pretty much don't do anymore, because the fight's a tough one, and it's much more interesting to talk to Flemeth instead), I always imagine that afterward, when we leave, she goes back into that lonely little hut, and maybe she finally allows herself to realize what she did to her daughter. Flemeth may be ancient and cold, but yes, I think there are tears.

I don't love Anora, meanwhile, although I think she's an interesting character, but her instant pragmatism and willingness to betray us if we rescue her always makes me laugh. There's not even a break in the action, she's just, "Nope! They are not my rescuers, and I am not a part of this in any way!"

Nevertheless, when I imagine the Landsmeet, if Loghain is executed, from the Origins gore that instantly sprays across her face as her father dies, I definitely headcanon that poor Anora went off afterward, had the appropriate breakdown, and thereafter lost most of her taste for statecraft. Or, in an alternate universe, it's fun to imagine the moment sending Anora into a cinematic-level revenge spiral.

Meanwhile, the final battle with Urthemiel is sort of comical for me in some ways, because I spend the entire thing divided between my attacks on the Archdemon and spamming heals to protect my adorable Hot Young Teagan from harm. (I used to protect First Enchanter Irving too, but after Dragon Age II and what Kinloch Hold (keep in mind, reputed to be one of the "kinder" holds) put Anders through, honestly, Irving can fuck right off.)

Aftermaths

Depending on how that last battle goes, I have a number of minor headcanons. We get some sketchy details on life after the events of Origins, and of course most of those are presented as rumors (a very smart choice, once the game became part of a series).

If the Dark Ritual is refused and the Warden dies, like most of us I usually imagine the lives of their Companions afterward—not just the obvious sadness of the romanced Companions who have lost their love, but the effects of that loss on the lives of the others, too. There's some incredible fan art out there that explores some of these, and one of my favorites, by Remington-Zero, involves Zevran talking with the Warden, for instance, and it turns out he's making the latest visit to their gravestone.

Of course, we can also end Origins not just with the loss of our hero and avatar, but with the potential loss of so many of our friends—with the loss of Alistair or Sten as companions, with the deaths of Sten, Leliana, Wynne, Zevran, Shale, or poor Barkspawn (NEVER HAPPENING! Don't "at" me!), and in every case that loss is potential fuel for imagined grief.

We do know some of the fates of our friends who survive, and see many of them again in later game story chapters. Among those we don't hear much about... among the aftermath stories I imagine with Origins is the idea that Shale goes and finds the secret to unlocking her dwarven female form again, and while I don't think she goes and romances Sten and finds true love or anything, I do like to think that she meets up with him again in some far-off time and place, probably after he's Arishok, and that he smiles when he realizes who she is, and hugs her. (Yes, I headcanon that Sten hugs people, albeit grudgingly, and that he gives great hugs, although no, probably not quite at The Iron Bull-level of hug greatness).

As far as Barkspawn, after I saved him (since I always save him) I imagine that he had a long, long life, and that even as a Grey Warden canine, he was old but still alive at the time of Inquisition's events. I also absolutely know, with certainty, that after all the adventures of Origins are done, that when he returned to Par Vollen, Sten carried a rescued cat in his satchel... as well as a recipe for cookies.

What are your favorite Origins headcanons? Please share them in the comments!

Beds, Bedrooms, and Where Everybody Sleeps (Dragon Age Inquisition)

Andaran atish'an! I thought it might be fun to do a lighter post on something fun that always occurs to me when playing Dragon Age: Inquisition, both during the initial period at Haven, as well as later on at Skyhold.

In a nutshell, where does everyone sleep?

And please note: I've got hours and hours of screenshots here, and encompassing several of my Inkies (not just my canon little one), so don't let that throw you. Also, as I'll note below, I was initially inspired for this idea by a post by The Emerald Halla, so it was their idea first!

Also, please excuse the varying picture quality. I've been working on this post forever, I meticulously screenshotted EVERYTHING in Haven and Skyhold, but then with some hard drive issues, I lost a lot of the additional Skyhold screenshots I'd taken, and in fact had to be bailed out by wonderful reader The Dread Potato in one case, as you'll see below.

Sleeping Arrangements at Haven

Please note that I was inspired to research this by a wonderful post by The Emerald Halla. I just took the idea and tried to expand it a bit, so thank you Emerald Halla!

Inquisitor

The little cabin where the Inky wakes up is also, not surprisingly, their home while Haven is headquarters. For those of us who love headcanons or who write fanfiction, it's so much fun to explore every little detail here. Obviously, they have taken over someone else's hut here. Whose was it? It's someone somewhat high up, because it's a hut and not a tent, and they are part of Leliana's raven messaging network.

Cullen

Cullen's tent appears to be the one with a drape of fabric with the Inquisition logo on top, very close to where he hangs out and watches the soldiers. It's slightly off by itself. It makes sense to me that Cullen would be out here just steps away from his troops and where they practice.

Leliana, Cassandra, and Josephine

There's a big, handsome room in the Chantry with three beds in it, one of which has the Chant of Light on the bedcovers (as PuppyPopcornPizza surmised over on The Emerald Halla's original post, I'd agree that it is very likely Cassandra's).

Vivienne

As she does at Skyhold, even early on here at Haven, Viv captures a picturesque and rather opulent space for herself in the left side of the Chantry. Yet here, there is no sign of a bed. So where does Viv sleep at Haven? Inquiring minds!

Solas

Sola's small cabin is precisely behind where he stands for conversations with the Inquisitor. Again, it's interesting to remember that this hut is, again, filled with items that are not Solas's (for the most part). He is almost as newly arrived to the Inquisition as the Inquisitor is, themselves.

Dorian

Dorian has a small hut similar to Solas's, directly opposite him, with Adan's potionmaking quarters between. Dorian can be found lounging at the right-hand exterior quarter.

Blackwall

Blackwall's quarters are implied to be just to the right of where he can be found next to the forge area at Haven. There's a hut that's right up against the stables there, with two beds in it!

Varric

It's pretty obvious that Varric's tent is probably the one directly behind him at his campsite.

Cole

If he appears at Haven in your playthrough, Cole seems most likely to have one of the tents opposite Varric's, near where he can be found for conversation.

Iron Bull

Iron Bull's tent at Haven is refreshingly obvious, since it's got to be the one directly behind him. Since Krem can be found only a few steps away, it's certainly likely that he and Krem may share the tent, although I would imagine this might get a little awkward during Bull's many romantic conquests... or maybe they just go find a place? Because in the overheard banter about his night with the Chantry sister, she seeks him out, then leaves at the end of the night. Hmmm... 

Or maybe Krem does NOT bunk with The Iron Bull and has a separate tent elsewhere. Because the other concern I have with Krem and Bull bunking together is that the tents aren't that big, and Bull is a big guy. So—logistically—this might be another reason for our Chargers captain to have a tent to himself, if they all look like what we see.

Meanwhile... it has to be said... no matter WHERE Bull is having All The Sex at Haven, let's face it, sex in a tent is not all that private really, I mean, unless people are REALLY QUIET, and no, I don't think that would be the case here on either side!

So... for Bull's sexytimes, maybe they just go find one of the spare bedrooms in the Chantry? Personally, I'd pick the very plush-looking one down in the Chantry prison. It's awfully nice and would be pretty damn private.

As always, I am obviously overthinking this.

Sera

It's no surprise that, after her secretive life in which I imagine that she's constantly on the move in running the Red Jennies, Sera loves to plant roots in taverns, so it makes total sense to me that she's found there not only at Skyhold, but in Haven as well. We don't see a room, but she's got one here somewhere.



Sleeping Arrangements at Skyhold

This is where things get interesting, because the number of visible beds dwindles rather alarmingly at Skyhold proper, although of course there is also that huge external main campsite we can see from the battlements for housing all the other main troops and Inquisition members. Still, it's fun to try to hazard where they all sleep, so here goes!



The Inquisitor

Well, this is one bedroom we can certainly identify, and those quarters are magnificent, and found all the way down the hall at Skyhold, with the entrance to the left. On the down side: ALL THOSE STAIRS. Seriously, people, the Inquisitor must have the most magnificent hindquarters in all of Thedas. No wonder so many companions are panting for a date!

Meanwhile: What makes this more interesting for me is that I think it's also where Solas slept, once upon a time. There are secrets in those paintings, people!

Solas

Solas is easy to find, in the flawless and beautiful little glowing circle of the ground floor of the Skyhold Rotunda. While I still find it intriguing that the master of the Fade doesn't have a visible BED, he does have a beautiful golden couch.

But I still say that's a lousy bedroom for a Dreamer, and sometimes I really suspect he's got an invisible or hidden bedroom somewhere we simply don't see. I mean, I know Solas is abstemious, and he does talk about sleeping in all sorts of odd and wild places in the dialogues at Haven, BUT... would Solas really sleep comfortably in the open space of the Rotunda, in open view of two overlooking floors above (plus those who use those side stairs and exit through his room to the main Skyhold Great Hall? I don't think so.

Cullen

Cullen's bedroom is located directly up the ladder from his office, which is most easily accessible via a corridor along the battlements that goes directly from the back of Solas's Rotunda to his door. His bedroom is sort of absent-mindedly messy and charming, complete with hole in the roof.

Leliana, Josephine, Cassandra, Dorian

Are some of the following probably the rooms of our other companions and advisors? These are other rooms we find on the second level at Skyhold, below. Who do you think has which room?

Note: Huge, huge thanks to the wonderful @Tardisfeathers ("The Dread Potato") for the following screenshots, since I need to do a reinstall of Inquisition, and couldn't grab them! Tardisfeathers, you are fantastic.

Okay, the room above, to me, HAS to be Leliana's. For several reasons: We see the bow on the dresser, and the scales on the table. We can't quite read the book, but I'm betting it's the Chant of Light.

Of course, if it is Leliana's, the mystery depends, because what's with all the PIES? There are pies on the scales, as we can see above, a pie on the table, and, yes, pies in the barrel next to it.

And yet again... more pies. WHY? So, so many pies! The thing is... if this were truly Leliana's room, wouldn't we see more SHOES than pies?

This room above is obviously still in a state of renovation. What's under the fabric in the corner? It looks rather person-sized, so is it a suit of armor? We don't actually see those around Skyhold, so... what is it? For some reason, I think this one ends up being Cassandra's. Mostly because I don't think she'd care much if the room she was living in was being cleaned up while she was there.

This little room above is fascinating. The smaller bed, to me, implies someone perhaps more modest, someone who not only doesn't mind a smaller room, but who perhaps isn't terribly focused on sleeping with anyone in that bed. This, plus the lovely scarf tossed there, makes me wonder if it's Josie's (I headcanon that Josie is ace), although this is NOT to imply that anyone on the ace spectrum necessarily wants or needs a smaller bed. 

Dorian is always to be found in the Skyhold library on the second floor of the Rotunda, but despite its cozy alcoves, his conversations with Bull during their flirtations imply, however, that he has a room to himself.

With this in mind, for very few logical reasons I can name, I think this room above is Dorian's. The casually thrown pillows and blankets, the plate of fruit... There's just a rather careless opulence to it that makes me think it's Dorian's. 

And what the heck is this thing above? I don't have a clue. It almost looks like an Orlesian mask had a baby with a rabid Fereldan moose. Anyone?

Vivienne

At Skyhold, Viv has, not surprisingly, picked out a charming and sumptuous alcove on the second level, just around the corner from the Rotunda library. Her area includes a beautiful sleigh bed, so we know that this is where she likely sleeps.

From a character standpoint, however, I do question whether Viv would live in what is basically an alcove, not a room. It feels a bit odd to me that Vivienne wouldn't commandeer an actual room for herself. However, I will say that from a strategic standpoint, there is probably very little that she misses from her current location—either inside or outside Skyhold.

Blackwall

Blackwall can always be found over by the Skyhold stables, and he has a pallet spread over some hay bales off to the side on the opposite side where he sleeps (and where he later sleeps with a romanced Inquisitor.

Varric

Varric is constantly to be found in the sitting area off the Skyhold Main Hall, but that cannot be where he actually sleeps... so where is it? My gut says that he probably sleeps in a room we don't see off the tavern. Varric just feels like a "room in the tavern" guy to me.

Cole

Cole keeps a sweet, sad, cobwebby little corner to himself on the second level of the Herald's Rest tavern. In my fanfic, my Inky finally got him to go stand around in a bedroom in the Herald's Rest, even if he didn't sleep in the bed ("So many feathers! The birds are sad.").

Iron Bull

While Bull may lounge comfortably against the opposite wall of the Skyhold tavern whenever he's not sparring, training, or fighting, (Krem loyally watching over the area to the left, in Bull's blind spot), he seems to sleep in that room off the upper area from Cole's corner in the Herald's Rest. It's most notable for that ax in the footboard.

From the view of the stairs outside, this is definitely where Bull and Inky are interrupted later on (it's cleaned up a bit by that point) by Cullen, Cass and Josie.

I don't know, though. It doesn't quite work for me in terms of my perception of Bull as a person—? While I get that Bull is a free spirit, I just don't think he'd live in that kind of chaos day to day. Bull strikes me as too compartmentalized to be that messy in his actual living quarters, to me. It would be difficult to be a functioning, much less brilliant, spy, in that kind of chaos.

But I also may be, again, overthinking this. Bull is certainly ALSO perfectly capable of having an incredibly messy, chaotic room not only because he doesn't care that much about order at this moment in his life, and perhaps because it's how he sees the "role" of The Iron Bull? Or because he's messy.

Or he may simply be messy in real life right now as a deliberate show because it's 100% against what is expected under the Qun.

Sera

Sera's adorable, bohemian little nest off the second floor of the Herald's Rest is one of the most charming living spaces we encounter in the game.

Other Beds and Sleeping-Places

There are also other beds in little nooks and crannies all over Skyhold to accommodate multiple sleepers. These include locations in the Tented Barracks outside between the Herald's Rest and the Great Hall (which also include outdoor campsites for the Surgeon early on), above the Armory, in the Infirmary, above Morris's Requisitions area, plus of course the Prison area and Tower (depending on your upgrade choice).

But what have I missed here? Where do YOU think everybody sleeps in Dragon Age Inquisition? Sound off in the comments!