roguelioness

[roguelioness]

First Talon,

As requested, my thoughts on the new de Riva girl.

She is spirited and determined, with a crude tongue that can be honed to vituperation. With her strong instincts towards the preservation of life she yet struggles with the notion of murder, but it is nothing the training cannot fix. I would not call her a prodigy, but she has spirit and determination. She has a fierce desire to survive. That will be to her benefit.

I believe she will reach full Crow status.

As to your other inquiry, while she would make a worthy asset to any House that contains her, I do not recommend stealing her away from House de Riva. Her loyalty to Viago will not so easily – if at all – be broken. Better to let her remain where she is, so one day the Crows will have another sharp blade.

Respectfully,

Heir

[roguelioness]

when i mention solavellan please know i'm also including solvelyan, soladash, soladaar and all combinations

that man is is not an exclusive elf enjoyer, I will die on this hill

[roguelioness]

Fanfic writers, we have been blessed this day.

[roguelioness]

I like ships that use mortality as a theme and which are pressurized by the looming, mundane certainty of death, challenging each lover to embrace this day, as there may be no tomorrow.

[roguelioness]

Okay here we go! Starting with @vivanightcity and @drysia's Rooks.

More to post tomorrow 😎

[roguelioness]

estiniEEEEEEEEEEEEN

[roguelioness]

[roguelioness]

First Talon,

As requested, my thoughts on the new de Riva girl.

She is spirited and determined, with a crude tongue that can be honed to vituperation. With her strong instincts towards the preservation of life she yet struggles with the notion of murder, but it is nothing the training cannot fix. I would not call her a prodigy, but she has spirit and determination. She has a fierce desire to survive. That will be to her benefit.

I believe she will reach full Crow status.

As to your other inquiry, while she would make a worthy asset to any House that contains her, I do not recommend stealing her away from House de Riva. Her loyalty to Viago will not so easily – if at all – be broken. Better to let her remain where she is, so one day the Crows will have another sharp blade.

Respectfully,

Heir

[roguelioness]

sadu with a bird. ref below

[roguelioness]

The loyal guardodg of Lord Commander

[roguelioness]

Zenos

[roguelioness]

'Come to me, darling…'

Cazador compelling his fresh spawn; heavily borrowed from/a study of a few illustrations by Harry S. Clarke for 'The Telltale Heart' as well as a striking poster for the film adaptation of 'The Oblong Box'.

[roguelioness]

One of the sketches for a graphic novel, but I’m making it as a series of storyboards for a movie or TV series as an experiment 🙃 #astarion #bg3 #baldursgate3 #darkfantasy

[roguelioness]

[roguelioness]

frantically shoving the entirety of veilguard aside thinking about the sheer clownery of Isobel and Lucanis

on one hand there's i-dont-trust-the-crows-i-trust-viago Isobel, who already dislikes Catarina for having accused Viago of murdering Talons, who knows of the-first-talons-favorite-child Lucanis and dislikes him on principle (if Catarina likes them, they must be Insufferable) (and all that's without the dagger history)

and then there's i-sent-a-dagger-to-viago-because-i-have-a-crush-on-him Lucanis who is vaguely aware of the Fifth Talon's for-all-purposes younger sister who has Temper Issues (mostly because Illario has a crush on her) but isn't a fan of her because she's "broken" his cousin's heart

and then they finally meet in the ossuary. instant dislike (for aforementioned reasons), but they know it's not the time to act on it so they make their escape. Lucanis can't sleep that night, for many reasons, one among which is the fact that he's indignant about having to thank her for rescuing him... meanwhile Isobel can't sleep because she's trying to think of a way to stab him with the dagger he sent to Viago without it causing a Crow war

and then

and then

they end up falling for each other

and they're both so mad about it. of all the people in the Crows. of all the people in Treviso, in Antiva, in Thedas. why did it have to be them??

it's just. so funny to me. crazy for each other but so annoyed about it.

[roguelioness]

Thinking about my Rook not in a veilguard context though

Six year old Isobel, chestnut brown hair in pigtails, learning the basics of tailoring at her widower father's knee. He sings to her of lush fields and blue skies, of birds gliding in the air. Her stubby little hands are deft as they weave the needle and thread through the cotton. She looks up at him when he stops, asks him to sing again. He does.

Ten year old Isobel, surly and sullen, hiding a younger child behind her to protect them from the orphanage caretaker. She tells the little boy to flee as she's gripped by the wrist, screams and swears as she's dragged towards a stern, waspish-looking older woman. She hurls insults from a swollen, split mouth as she watches coin be exchanged, kicks and flails as she's carried to a bar-lined carriage. A second slap sets her to silence.

Eleven year old Isobel, still sullen, still surly, still suspicious and feral but silent as she watches a silver blade slice across a man's neck. It's wielder frowns as he looks at her. "You are a loose thread I did not expect," he grumbles. She shrugs. "Threads can be used in many ways," she replies, enjoying the way his brows rise, the surprise on his elegant features, stares unflinchingly back at him even as he threatens her.

Fourteen year old Isobel, body bruised black and blue, jaw clenched and hands curled into tight fists as she glares at the Crow trainer. She stands her ground even as the whip cuts yet again and again across her back, teeth gritted to keep in the scream she wants to make. The tears fall when she's alone beneath the sheets, bites them back when she hears Viago enter. He works the salve into her skin in silence; the door is a fraction of an inch from fully close when she hears his quiet words. "You did well." She feels his pride as if it were her own.

Seventeen year old Isobel, newly dyed blond hair long enough to pull a look of distaste from the First Talon, face blank as she is welcomed into the Crows as a full member. She does not think about the way her target had begged and pleaded at her feet, at how loud the silence after the kill was, at the red that stained her palms and yet lingers beneath her nails. When she returns to the de Riva mansion, Viago is waiting for her. He does not speak as he folds her into his arms and neither does she, but her composure shatters when he hums the tune her father had sung to her all those years ago. "I am sorry," he says. She does not respond.

Thirty year old Isobel, sipping on questionable wine in a crowded Vyrantium bar, rolling her eyes as the stories of the Demon of Vyrantium grow ever more unbelievable. She observes the two dwarves entering from the corner of her eyes. Masks her surprise as they shuffle through the crowd towards her, nods when they ask if they can join her. The older dwarf - she recognizes him as Varric Tethras, wonders what he could possibly want with her - has a glint in his eye she doesn't quite trust. "What do you say to saving the world," he says and though his mouth is lifted into an easy smile, his gaze is somber and serious. She finishes her drink, signals the waiter for a refill. "Tell me more," she says, leaning back in her seat.

Thirty year old Isobel, dazedly staring at her own blood on her palm, desperately wondering when and how it had all gone so wrong...

[roguelioness]