#Daylen “Rook” Mercar

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Got an interesting Neve comment about nicknames during a party banter.

And a followup about if she had any nicknames.

Neve: There's Slick, but that's just Varric's.

Aww, the delivery on that one.

Neve: The papers call me all sorts of things. So do the Venatori when I'm doing my job right. Neve: For the most part, I prefer Neve.

[whereismywarden]

oh. ooooh. OOOOOOH!!!!

I was trying to figure out some ways Neriah could exist in worldstates where Loris was never taken to the Circle and I started to think...

For this to work, Day can't have been taken to the Circle either.

So what if he's another potential Rook?

What if I make him my Shadow Dragon Rook?

Imagine how juicy the Treviso/Minrathous choice would be, especially considering Neriah would have probably been raised by Day in the worldstates (like, would Loris save his people, or would he think of the daughter he never got to see grow up?)

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Got to Lucanis's "A Murder of Crows" quest.

Oh. Really just skipping that whole talk with Viago beforehand, huh. Just jumping right to the actual rescue mission. No chance to talk to Spite.

LUCANIS. LUCANIS, LET YOUR MAGE FRIEND INTO YOUR MENTAL PRISON.

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Always entertained by Rook being a little grumpy during this bit.

Taash was all "I've already cried once over my mother so I should be done" which resulted in this:

Wow.

Taash is upset and grieving but that is such a wild thing to say to him given that everyone thinks he knows Varric is dead.

This is why everyone else sticks with "Rook is not picking up on hints/responding when we mention Varric so clearly he doesn't want to talk and therefore we will come at this sideways and take him on walks/to various funeral ceremonies and not press him about it."

(I would bet that Harding *does* know about Rook's conversations to thin air in the infirmary because she pretty much walks in on one, but I don't know that she'd tell everyone about that because that's personal.)

Fortunately for Daylen at the time, this just bounces right off him and he chalks it up to Taash being kind of prickly in general and particularly upset at the moment.

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Lucanis's quest to break into the villa!

I thought I remembered a climbing-around-rooftops sequence last time and yes, there was one (Neve made a joke about climbing all over the place instead of using the streets).

No climbing this time because Treviso's all blighted. :(

:(

Everything else was the same (I was briefly horrified by Rook asking about his parents and not knowing what had happened with them but then checked my other run and oh, yeah, Rook - at least friend Rook - only finds out about that during this quest).

Daylen asked Lucanis what he was planning to do with Illario and got the usual silence and then this:

:(

(Last time Spite said, "He is ours! He will not. Escape us.")

Got into a fight with Illario and won!

(Didn't get any "Rook, fall back! Leave Illario to me!" from Lucanis or "Sorry, Rook. Nothing personal" from Illario but fight banter is always tricky, so genuinely uncertain if that's a saved Treviso/didn't save Treviso difference or a Rook-has-low-health trigger or what).

I'm a little bit spoiled for Lucanis's romance (which I'm so doing next run) so screeched a little bit over Caterina's "No one from House Dellamorte kneels" line.

Lucanis was all "What am I supposed to do with this idiot?" and I was fully prepared for the forgive/imprison choice to pop up and GUESS WHAT.

ROOK WHAT where's my dialogue choice

That is fascinating; with hardened Neve there are a couple of points where Rook has the option to try to steer her towards not taking the Threads' deal, being an inspiration; etc and then she disagrees.

Here, the choice literally doesn't even come up. Rook doesn't even make an attempt to argue in favor of forgiving Illario.

Oof. (You can take this option even if you save Treviso; I believe. I do wonder what Lucanis in that scenario thinks of it afterwards if you do).

I have not read Tevinter Nights or Lucanis's novel but from what I've heard, I am not a Caterina fan.

I think he's better off in the Lighthouse pantry. He will probably do well once he's actually really in charge, but with Caterina around - yeah, better off in the pantry.

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BELLARA D:

I am not mentally prepared for this questline again. :(

Bellara immediately throwing her arm up to stop Rook from doing anything here, aw.

(It doesn't make up for the lack of a hug option, but Rook takes her shoulder or elbow a few times during this sequence either protectively or reassuringly, which is sweet.)

D:

She's so upset during this whole scene.

D: That line always breaks my heart a little bit.

Got back to the Lighthouse and was once again sad at the lack of a "hug Bellara" option, but Davrin was hanging out in her room and trying to help.

He said it seemed like her brother was mixed up with the wrong crowd and she said, "Yeah. I still don't understand."

:( :( :(

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Rook talked to Lucanis and got verbally stabbed. Ow.

Lucanis: *has multiple knives just sitting out*

Yikes. (Rook was all "This is ominous...Something bad, I take it?").

Wow. Hate that.

He's off to Treviso to hunt down Zara.

Rook: You don't have to face Treviso or Zara by yourself, Lucanis. You can count on me.

Which, naturally got an very icy response of "I can? That's good to know."

OW.

(That's way worse than Neve's "I don't expect you to show up for Dock Town, Rook.")

Lucanis is still not convinced ("You don't need to do this. But it will make for a smoother operation...."). So, off to Treviso to find Zara in a chantry.

I am so never saving Minrathous again. (Sorry, Neve).

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WEISSHAUPT TIME let's goooooo

here's hoping non-Warden Rook keeps it together and Davrin doesn't end up being the only person who's relatively calm during this mission

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Neve is correct!

Rook's line about picking Minrathous because the Venatori taking control would make things worse is perfectly fine for a non-Shadow Dragon Rook - and perfectly fine depending on whatever your headcanon is for a Shadow Dragon Rook - but I got that line with my guy and immediately went "Yeah, no, that's not the real reason."

Fought the dragon (fire spells were not very effective! Daylen definitely knows non-fire spells but is gonna start branching out a little more) and went back to Treviso.

D:

Lucanis is so upset and I (and Rook) kind of wish he'd get mad about it. Maybe yelling would help.

Briefly took a break from being sad at Lucanis being sad to bask in the SHEER UNMITIGATED GLEE at the Shadow Dragon option that popped up.

I KNEW that line about the Venatori was such nonsense, Rook.

This is so much worse than Tarquin getting mad if you save Treviso.

Then Viago asked Rook to get help from the Wardens and Rook was all "yes, but they'll probably be busy with the gods."

:(

Aw. Rook told him they were fine. Neve asks something similar - "Treviso's all right? Lucanis?" - if you save Treviso. (Really liking Neve's romance and I'm sure I'll really like Lucanis's romance, but my Grey Warden gal/Davrin and Neve/Lucanis continues to be my canon.)

So! I know what choice I'm going with on all my other playthroughs! It is not this.

And then the game dropped an ice staff, which really kind of added insult to injury.

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One of the final team meetings, with interesting Rook body language:

In all of the previous team meetings, Rook is either sitting or standing and doesn't move around much.

In the meeting about Minrathous, Rook can't really stand still and keeps pacing around the room, which is fun and something I didn't notice last time because I was still shocked about Varric.

Also his default facial expression is basically "I would like to throw fireballs at Elgar'nan and Solas right now."

Shoutout to the entire team for not immediately telling him that five seconds after yanking him out of the Fade.

Oh, man, forgot about that bit. So as far as anyone knows Dorian and the other Shadow Dragon supporters in the Magisterium are toast.

Davrin reported that they're still fighting but 1) the city's blighted and 2) the Venatori sealed the gates so nobody can get it or out.

Neve - who has had a truly miserable few weeks with Harding dying and Bellara being kidnapped and Rook being gone and her city being blighted - said that "even the city's eluvians went dark" and so they can't contact the Shadow Dragons.

Rook was NOT pleased to hear about Solas popping up there.

Davrin: Now people are rallying behind the Dread Wolf like he's the only one who can save them.

Rook paces around some more during his response to that.

Rook: He's using the Shadow Dragons and anyone else he can to give him a clear shot at Elgar'nan. Rook: Then he finishes his ritual, and the whole world drowns in demons.

Rook: *more agitated pacing from Neve's couch over to Emmrich during the discussion about how Solas can't kill Elgar'nan yet and how they need to get the dagger back from Solas*

(Rook really IS all over the place here, wow).

"That's his problem" XD

Everyone is typically going >:| while talking about Solas, aww.

sorry to everyone else but Emmrich is the real MVP on this run.

Emmrich: We did attempt to create a dagger to replace the one Solas took.

ENTIRELY FROM MEMORY.

I don't think anyone says specifically ingame whether it's because a) they love Rook and desperately wanted him back and were going for a "cut into the Fade" plan or b) they needed a replacement dagger to stab Elgar'nan with. Probably both. (I am curious to see what romanced Emmrich says about it, if anything).

The takes I've seen have mostly been about option a, but they also kind of needed a replacement dagger.

Rook: Looks real enough.

(Daylen, like two days later once he has the time and space to process what Emmrich has done, is definitely all "EMMRICH that was amazing; how did you - and presumably Neve - do that").

TRICK DAGGER ENDING incoming

Lucanis points out the "but we can't stab Elgar'nan with it" aspect and yes, that's very true but it's gonna come in handy anyway.

He also said "we lost too much killing Ghilan'nain" and also that they have no idea where Bellara is "or what Elgar'nan is doing to her" which is probably something everyone's been trying to avoid actually saying out loud because yikes.

Awww, Neve worrying about Bellara. :(

And Harding's gone too, as Taash says.

:(

The entire team: :(

Rook: Bellara would never forgive us if we let an elven tyrant conquer the world. Rook: And Harding always believed we should take the shot.

:(

Aw yeah.

A little more agitated pacing from Rook during his final "contact everyone and get your gear ready" speech.

WHOOO Elgar'nan and Solas better look out!

Neve was undeterred by all the angry pacing and checked up on Rook as everyone else took off.

NOPE

He did visibly brighten up when he registered who was talking to him, though.

Rook: No. But I will be.

This is going to manifest itself as "wandering around talking to everyone else" and "setting a lot of feelings about Varric and Harding aside for the moment to deal with after Minrathous" and "setting aside the urge to throw fireballs/punch Solas until he can actually yell at Solas and throw some fire magic at Elgar'nan" and then "sitting on the couch in a weary sleep-would-be-nice-but-What-About-Minrathous haze.

:D

Aww.

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In which Rook is finally done wandering around:

I've seen different takes on it, but my take is that the Varric Rook is talking to here is really Varric.

Fascinated by the possible "I think I knew" option with Varric but I have yet to have a Rook who it suits yet.

Rook: I'm sorry, Varric. Varric: For what? Rook: For not saving you.

Varric immediately scoffing at this ("Didn't you learn anything from this place?") is always delightful.

:(

Probably my favorite Varric lines. D: (My other favorite is the "You've got a knack, kid" pep talk that ends in "On the best day of his life, Solas wouldn't see you coming, Rook").

Varric immediately cutting off whatever argument Rook was going for and generally being all "nope, kid, this is not on you."

There's an option here to go "but why didn't Harding and Neve tell me/they talked to you" - which I went with my Warden gal and which is interesting in terms of lore (Rook's general attitude is "all this time and Neve and Harding didn't tell me; why didn't anyone tell me?" and Varric says "They thought you knew. You're the only one that wasn't in on it" and "Nah. They talked to you. Or to themselves. You just filled in the blanks" when Rook brings up Harding and Neve talking to Varric).

Daylen does *not* say any of that because he is absolutely sure that Neve Gallus - and Harding, but definitely Neve - would have told him if she really thought he didn't know and he's already putting the pieces together about what Solas did to mess with his head.

So instead:

Rook: I'm gonna miss you, Varric. Varric: Gonna miss you too, kid.

WAH.

Rook: What happens now? To you? Varric: I'll disappear. Go back to just being a memory.

It's easier to see ingame than in a screenshot but Rook does tear up here so that's. that's great. :(

Rook asked about Solas and Varric was all "you talked to Mythal; you saw the memories."

Rook's >:| face here. DOUBT.

Varric: But it's easier for him to play the villain.

Not sure if Daylen will end up doing that - he is definitely going to come out swinging during the initial Solas talk in Minrathous (definitely going for that "Murderer!" paraphrase option) and I don't remember exactly how the last convo goes, but if he does take a crack at it, it will definitely be for Varric and for Harding.

:D Emmrich ("This way. It's thinner here!")

(Given that the fake dagger "can't cut through enchantments like the real thing," my take is that Rook gets out due to processing regrets/having the team as an anchor and Emmrich didn't end up putting the entirety of his "what if we create a duplicate lyrium dagger and just slice a hole in the Fade to get Rook out" plan in place).

I assume the gang's all there despite not everyone getting lines.

OH NO at Rook's but-this-means-leaving-Varric face.

:( :( :(

Varric: Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

(I like to think that Varric would at least appreciate the cleverness of the trick dagger ending, even if it's not the ideal outcome for Solas).

There's a "Rook!" from Lucanis at this point (AWW) which helps a bit with the whole not-being-sure-if-Lucanis-is-dead thing.

MY HEAAART

It's definitely a team effort (Taash is all "Heave!") but HIIII to the team's resident Fade expert.

EMMRICH HI (I did not realize that was him last time, aw).

And then everybody yanked Rook out of Fade prison and back to the Lighthouse and after sorting out the resulting pileup, Rook definitely immediately hugged Neve.

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More chatting in the Crossroads and key item acquired through the funniest possible option:

Technically - as far as I know - this is a "Rook is human" + "finished Neve's questline" option.

In the context of the romance? Very funny. *slams the "Neve protects Dock Town" button*

Also I'm not even going to use the fragment of Mythal because I'm going for the trick dagger ending, but I had to do this. XD

Rook: She laughs at people's stories and gives coin to people who need a meal. She pets the cats.

(Rook sounds so fond of Neve here; I bet this is really sweet with friend Neve too).

Rook: And she always pays for the fried fish even though Hal tries to give it to her for free.

SUCCESS! Mythal fragment acquired by singing Neve's praises for five minutes!

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Through the Shadows aftermath (which is only pain):

:( :( :( (They both deserve so much better, aaaaaaaaahhhh).

:( :(

Cyrian thanked Rook (who was sadly off to one side presumably with Neve and giving the siblings their moment) for "helping Bellara...and for helping me."

Rook: I wish it hadn't ended like this. Cyrian: I made these choices. No one else.

:(

Cyrian: Bellara. One last favor...to ask... Bellara: What is it?

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Neve's title changed again :D

:D

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Team meeting time, oddly enough with half the team missing and Harding wandering in looking for Rook at the end like she didn't know what he was up to. So presumably this was really a "check in on Lucanis and Davrin at the same time" meeting.

I was really concerned that not saving Treviso would somehow mess up Lucanis and Davrin becoming friends, and that doesn't seem to be the case.

Aww, Bellara.

Daylen is definitely convinced that his "drag Lucanis and Davrin along together through the Wetlands for days for some bonding over killing darkspawn and investigating the Cauldron and generally having to hike through a swamp for days without killing each other" plan has worked.

Rook: Sounds like you're getting along now. Better than before, at least.

Lucanis: Typical Warden.

Okay, so dragging Lucanis and Davrin along together through the Wetlands for days mostly worked.

(With my Warden gal, Lucanis followed up the "typical Warden" jab at Davrin with "Ah. No offense" at her, which was pretty funny.)

Davrin: If we let that getting in the way of stopping the gods... Lucanis: We won't. We cannot.