#and hardened lucanis is just. he's here but he's not.

[utilitycaster]

wasn't going to spend so much time finishing my run today but i am coming down with a head cold and don't feel like doing much (<- girl who has much to do) so I'm up to the last gambit and I must admit. Neve romance is really good, huge fan, but outside of that? Having picked Bellara for the wards and Harding for the sacrifice, the the lighthouse conversations before the final run do NOT hit the same. The party doesn't seem like...fine, obviously; but Taash and to an extent Neve are the only ones who really seem to be taking it hard (and, i must admit. I think that the romance scene should come AFTER that character's regular check-in, just, generally, like it has been wild both times for Neve or Bellara to come to Rook's room, have sex, have romantic pillow talk, and then promptly go to Bellara's room and start freaking out.) Emmrich is sad either way, but he is also someone who has been trying very hard to cope with death as his arc. Davrin is clearly upset but he's mostly determined. And Hardened Lucanis is ice cold about the whole affair; I get it's like, extremely different when his vitriolic bestie dies and his girlfriend is taken and he hasn't spent the past few months repeating the mantra "no one can be relied upon," all of his waking hours (ie, constantly, bc he does not sleep ever) and I hasten to note it doesn't feel out of character, given this run, but my first run I came back and the Lighthouse just felt permeated with abject despair, which really was the vibe I was going for before the triumphant ending.

[mohntilyet]

Personal headcanon about the "you picked the wrong dellamorte" line, I don't think illario actually likes rook outside the context of them being someone close to lucanis. Like rook on their own isn't much to him, but when they meet it's yet another person talking about his cousin (why isn't he good enough for whatever job they're hiring for?) and on top of that they somehow bring him back from the dead (another whole can of worms for illario). Now he starts turning on the charm, but whether he's actually interested or this is just one more thing his cousin has that he doesn't and it gets under his skin, who knows. Either way, rook ignores illario, the guy who lives off his charm, and is instead interested in the guy who's never even dated before and thinks giving someone a knife is how to flirt. Infuriating

NO THANK YOU !! i am genuinely sorry if i have ever implied illario is into rook like i see some takes about it and unless it like ties into your rook's personal backstory i don't seriously think he's romantically jealous. at all. my enjoyment of that line stems from illario's pathological need to make it about himself and not see his strengths but what lucanis has, and therefore what he doesn't. he's annoyed enough to try and goad you in the middle of a fight about the 'wrong' dellamorte and completely blind to the fact that the venatori are at best, a stupid fucking alliance, and at worst, a cult that will devour the crows from the inside out and illario would have been the one to give them the keys. he sees lucanis make allies, needs his own, and instead of charming the other talons/houses as he should, he (probably spitefully) picks the venatori. or maybe he just thought it would be easier. ugh he makes me want to telekenetically throw him around

[copper-wasp]

A Very Good Morning

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Emmrich Volkarin x Female Rook Rating: E Rook and Emmrich shirk their duties to spend a lazy morning together. I posted this a couple weeks ago on AO3 but wanted to add it here as well!

⬇️ Read below ⬇️

A soft kiss to Rook’s temple gently woke her, Emmrich’s voice soft as he called her name. 

“Good Morning, darling.” She opened her eyes, his face slowly unblurring as she adjusted to the light in the room.

“G’morn…morning,” she mumbled through a yawn, her body luxuriating in a long stretch of her muscles. 

“I must get going, but I brought you something to eat, it’s here on your nightstand. Do try not to forget about it, my dear,” Emmrich said, combing through her messy hair with his fingers. He needn’t have warned her, as the rich aroma of Antivan coffee had already filled her lungs.

“Lucanis finally sent more?” she commented, taking another deep breath.

“The post arrived just an hour ago.”

Turning to her side, she reached for the mug, her bare arm and shoulder emerging from beneath the blankets. The rest of her was bare as well, unable to muster the strength to find her nightclothes after the prior evening spent with her lover. 

“I’ll have to write him a letter,” Rook said, making a mental note to send back some blood oranges and chocolates.

She took a grateful sip of the coffee, sweetened exactly to her liking by a most thoughtful necromancer. The same necromancer who had now leaned down to kiss her bare shoulder, caressing the backs of his fingers over her smooth skin. His intentions were always transparent, and she felt a warm blush on her cheeks at the idea that her shoulder was enough to have Emmrich shirk his appointments.

“I thought you had to leave,” she teased, Emmrich’s lips moving towards her neck. “I wouldn’t want your colleagues to blame me for your tardiness.”

He prised the mug from her grasp and placed it back on the nightstand, just out of her reach.

“I will beg forgiveness if I must,” Emmrich said, beginning to unbutton his cuffs. “But I fear I cannot resist you when you present such a beautiful picture.”

Rook snorted, her brow furrowing. “Ah yes, with my hair a mess and sleep dust in my eyes, I’m sure you can’t get enough.” Emmrich paused in his garment removal, kneeling beside the bed to catch her gaze.

“You’re right,” he confirmed, “I am completely enamored of you, dearest.” She cupped his face, still in awe of his devotion and love, both of which she returned eagerly and without hesitation.

“Emmrich,” she whispered, drawing him close for a kiss, soft and slow, basking in the Nevarran morning glow. She felt his tongue entreat entry at the seam of her lips, eagerly allowing him to sample the coffee’s fragrant blend. A gentle moan and Emmrich pulled back, giving her one more teasing peck before he stood to remove the rest of his clothing in a tortuously slow manner. Rook took the opportunity to grab the mug of coffee once again and take another languid sip, her gaze taking a lazy trip over his body.

“I suggest you put that down, darling,” Emmrich said, pulling back the covers. “We wouldn’t want to stain the bedsheets.” She did as he asked, resting her hands on his shoulders after he moved atop her. 

“Such an attentive lover you are,” she teased, tilting her head to allow him to lavish her neck.

“I do try,” he commented, his free hand cupping her breast.

“And succeed,” Rook added, her eyes closing when she felt his lips close around her nipple, warm and wet. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders just a little at the feel of his teeth grazing over the hardened nub, before swapping to her other breast to provide it with the same treatment.

Emmrich’s lips continued down her body, Rook already knowing their destination. His hands lightly gripped her hips, mouth already kissing her mound while he settled between her thighs.

“Emmrich, you don’t have to- oh, Maker….” she breathed, words devolving into moans when his tongue parted her labia, pressing so sweetly against that precious spot of pleasure. He rightfully ignored her half-hearted plea, kissing and licking and sucking with gusto, the taste of her even richer than the coffee he’d sampled from her lips.

Her fingers tangled in his hair, only momentarily thinking about how badly she’d messed his coif before the thought was stolen by her climax.

“Wonderful work, darling,” Emmrich mumbled, licking up her slick. “Absolutely divine.”

Rook chuckled breathlessly, glancing down at her lover, his head resting on her thigh while looking very pleased with himself. He wiped the corners of his mouth, enjoying the last bit of her taste from his fingers as if it was a delicacy. Rook sat up, smoothing her hands over his hair in a futile attempt to smooth it over, giving him a crooked smile before giving up.

“Fret not, my dear,” Emmrich said, adjusting to kiss her, long and sweet. “I have plenty of combs.”

She laughed, caressing his cheek, so very in love. “Well, Professor, allow me to make it up to you regardless.” Rook guided him to lay on his back, swinging one leg over to straddle his hips. 

“I do adore having you like this,” he admitted, caressing down your sides to your waist, delicately enough for goosebumps to prick your skin. Rook leaned forward, his cock pressing delightfully against her belly, stiff and already leaking, Emmrich’s grip tightening on her waist. 

“Enjoying the view?” she asked, making sure he was watching before sinking slowly down onto him.

“The most beautiful one I’ve seen,” he agreed, matching her rhythm, always conscious of her pleasure as well as his own. His eyes roved over her body; the pulsing tendons in her neck, the pocket her clavicles created when she’d hunch her shoulders for a different angle, the way her breasts bounced as she rode him, all burned into his memory.

“So, so good, my darling,” Emmrich said with effort, gripping hard on her hips, directing her movements in that perfect way that had her back arching as she cried out in pure bliss. 

“Come here, love,” he encouraged, pulling her into an embrace, wanting to keep all her breathy sighs close. 

“Emmrich,” Rook whispered, her lips by his ear, teetering on the edge. He kissed down her neck, knowing exactly where to place a gentle bite to make her muscles tense so wonderfully around him. A gasping moan and she was lost to her pleasure, Emmrich fucking her through it until he couldn’t contain his own any longer. He spilled himself inside her warmth, nuzzling his nose against her neck to breathe in her scent, jasmine and amber musk and soap from yesterday’s bath. 

Emmrich pressed a few more kisses to her thrumming pulse, Rook’s breathing starting to slow. Regretfully, she lifted herself up, falling gently onto her side next to him, feeling so light and well-fucked. 

They lay together for a long moment, still pressing as much of their bodies together as they could. 

“You are so very late, Professor,” joked Rook, pressing a gentle kiss to his smiling mouth. 

“I think I’d better just reschedule,” Emmrich relented, “I’ll send Manfred to let them know.”

“Oh, good, I get to keep you all to myself, then?”

“I am all yours, darling.”

Thanks so much for reading! You can find my other works on AO3 here. I am also on bluesky - @copperwasp.bsky.social

[bloodyrook]

I was wondering what Lucanis deal would be after weisshaupt with treviso not blighted and he just comes off as a bitch. Like I could let his blighted blood comment slide in other playthroughs but I really didn't like it here. Like hundreds of wardens have just died don't be talking shit about them like that.

Also found it interesting that we get half the cobbled swan case for Neve. Will be interested to see the difference in Lucanis quests when i actually get them he still feels lacking, especially his romance options. I won't be seeing his romance through far more interested in seeing how the romance with a hardened Neve is repaired.

[virginiathegray]

On Hardened Companions

I've seen some people wishing that Veilguard had more options to harden a character besides just Lucanis or Neve, so some thoughts: Firstly, I had this opinion while I was playing as well, so I absolutely see the appeal and why this belief occurs. However, after thinking about it more, I don't think it would have worked.

When I started thinking about how each companion could end up hardened, I went down the list and tried to figure out what plot-relevant things might achieve this...and I just kept coming up with events that already happen at the end of each companion quest.

Telling Harding to lean into her anger over the loss of the Titans? Making Emmrich a lich? Lucanis choosing to imprison his cousin even if Traviso was saved? Neve becoming Dock Town's Batman even if Minrathous is still standing? You get the idea.

Those seem like the more "hardened" options for those characters, but...are they? The whole point of those choices (to me) is that they are nuanced and don't have one right answer. Including a mechanic to incentivize one choice over another feels like it misses the point of why the choice is there.

I could go on about this forever, but ultimately let's move forward with the assumption that tying a hardened status to the companion quests would be dissatisfying and we're better off without it. If any other characters can be hardened, it has to come from the main story quests (as they did in the Traviso/Minrathous choice)

And I...can't really think of any?

I mean, I can, they just aren't very good. You could let the Dalish be sacrificed during the Venatori rally near the end of Act 2 and harden Bellara. I'm sure we could do something messed up regarding one of the many dragons in the game that pisses Taash off. Rook could tell Davin after Weisshaput that he's right actually, and he really SHOULD have died! Harding's could...involve the ritual site somehow? If we're a jerk about it or tell her to shut up about her powers? I don't know. I can't even begin to think of what main quest story could upset Emmrich to the point of being hardened, though. Peepaw's here for a good time.

Every above option teeters dangerously close to a total character assassination of Rook, in my view. These are not things Rook, in any of their many forms, would do. And truthfully, these things shouldn't make a companion hardened, they should make a companion leave your party. And that's not what this game is about.

Now, if you're one of those folks who wanted to be able to play evil, that's fine! There are games out there that will suit you better than this one. But at that point we get into the larger argument of what a Dragon Age game even is, and how playing an evil asshole was never actually on the table in the first place. If your script doctoring of the game involves a total rewrite that lets you kill Assan or kick Manfred in the shins, we might be at the juncture where we admit that this game isn't for you, and that's ok! Rook is not the protagonist you're looking for. They're a hero. Inexperienced and out of their depth, but a hero all the same. They will never knowingly make the choice to be cruel, which is why the sacrifices they DO make hit harder.

All this to say, the hardened feature works for Neve and Lucanis. It's fun that our choice of which city to save has consequences, and I empathize with the desire to have more of this mechanic in the game. I just...don't actually think the idea holds water once we dive into the narrative implications of implementing the mechanic on a wider scale. Rook DOES make many choices that affect the companions, but their effects aren't so easily spelled out as "softened or hardened" and tbh the game is all the better for it.

[deputyrook]

How would I rewrite Lucanis’ arc? Here are some ideas I’ve been tossing around in my head about one way you could do it.

His arc could become more about identity and independence: not only Lucanis’ identity as a new abomination, but on who he wants to be going forward in his life.

By having a demon forced into him, who is reacting to the conflicting facets of Lucanis’ identity, Lucanis is forced to examine and confront who he wants to be and to remedy his inner conflict over who he is.

1) Lucanis’ resentment about his upbringing with Catarina becomes a central point of contention in his arc. We address in-story that he does not want to be First Talon, and that he feels spite at not just Illario for betraying him, but at how Catarina raised them both to pit them against one another. We can even parallel him with Davrin in this way- is he meant to be the assassin he’s been pushed to be all his life, or could he be something else, if he chooses?

2) Spite actively sabotages Lucanis’ jobs and interactions with the Crows, because he is feeding off of Lucanis’ underlying resentment. Lucanis, deep down, isn’t sure if he wants to be First Talon, and Spite latches onto that. It becomes clear that the reason Spite is being so difficult and lashing out is because Lucanis has been put in an environment where he either needs to change, or his circumstances do.

3) The issue comes to a head with Illario. I think what would work nicely is if Catarina actively wanted Lucanis to take a harsh stance toward Illario’s punishment (as to not show weakness in front of all of the Crows as future First Talon.) If you decide to spare Illario, it is going against Catarina’s wish directly. It is, in a way, protecting Illario from Catarina.

4) Ultimately, to help Lucanis form a cohesive relationship with Spite, you need to push him to become more ruthless and embrace being an assassin (hardened!Lucanis) OR you need to encourage him to embrace mercy and freedom Catarina’s control. Either way, resolving the inner turmoil strengthens his partnership with Spite and allows them to live more cohesively together.

5) I would LOVE to see Spite embracing, full-throttle, whatever choice Lucanis makes. If he chooses to lean into being an assassin, Spite becomes more vicious. He’s more spiteful toward Illario, and at anyone standing in the way of his role as First Talon. If he chooses to leave behind the Crows, Spite becomes more spiteful toward Catarina (and the Crows in general?) and overall becomes more interested in helping Lucanis live fully, without regrets (I would say more similarly to the conclusion of the arc that we get in-game).

Even if you ended his arc without him leaving the crows, a choice between making him more ruthless/controlled (but a better crow) or more merciful/independent (but arguably a worse crow) would be really interesting

[loweffortopinions]

Illario & Caterina Confrontation This scene takes place after the First Talon drama has been resolved, leaving Illario alone in a cell for his crimes. His solitude doesn’t last long, though. I hadn’t planned on sharing this initially, but I had too much fun writing Illario as the venomous, bitter little shit that he is to let it stay buried. Update: Thank you for engaging with my writing—it means a lot! I’m still getting used to sharing my work, so any input boosts my confidence and keeps me motivated!

(The sound of a guard’s footsteps echoes down the corridor, followed by the low scrape of an ornate chair being placed outside his cell. Illario leans back against the cold stone wall, his glare sharp as Caterina steps into view. She lowers herself into the chair with practiced grace, smoothing her gloves as if she had all the time in the world.)

Caterina: (cold) "You’ve left me in quite the position, Illario."

Illario: (mocking) "Poor Nonna. Did I shatter your perfect little empire?"

(She doesn’t respond right away. Instead, she leans back in her chair, looking as if his words barely register.)

Caterina: (ignoring his jab) "The Crows won’t take you back—not after this."

Illario: "So. Exile it is then. To a swamp, maybe? No—" (he presses a hand to his chest, his tone feigned with mock theatrics) "—the Anderfels. Nothing says exile like dying of boredom in a blighted wasteland."

(His expression shifts, as though struck by sudden inspiration.)

Illario: "No, wait—you’re sending me to Kirkwall, aren’t you?" (he lets out a low, biting laugh.) "You really are a monster."

(Caterina’s lips curl into a faint grimace, just enough to acknowledge something in his words. His laughter falters, the mocking edge slipping as his suspicions solidify.)

Caterina: "Your death will be staged, of course. A quick knife to the ribs from one of the guards." (She pauses, her eyes finally shifting to meet his) "Then a small funeral—just enough to keep up appearances."

(He rise from his seat, pacing the cramped cell before stepping closer to the bars.)

Illario: "And you think I’d go along with this? That I’d play the obedient grandson one last time?"

(Caterina’s gaze hardens, her disdain barely concealed.)

Caterina: (A single, dry scoff escapes her) "Obedience? From you? But fine, if you’d really waste away in here to prove a point—go ahead."

(Her words hang in the air, offering no room for further argument yet Illario persists.)

Illario: (mocking) "Ah, how generous. Rot in here, or rot somewhere else: What a choice."

(Illario pushes off the bars, and crosses the small cell. The bedframe groans under his weight as he drops onto it.) Illario: (voice low, biting) "Before I decide anything, tell me, Nonna—has your little King of Crows finally warmed up to the throne?"

(He tilts his head, watching her closely)

Illario: "Then again, I suppose he hasn’t had much time to sit on it—still away, running those errands. Funny, how easily he’s taken to playing the hero.” (He leans back slightly) "The First Talon; off saving the world instead of running the House."

(Caterina’s cane taps once against the stone floor, the sound sharp and precise, breaking the brief silence.)

Caterina: “Enough. I chose Lucanis because he has what you don’t. Strength. Discipline. And the will to put this House first.”

(For a moment, something vunerable flickers across his face, but it’s buried quickly under his usual grin.)

Caterina: (cold) "Spare me, Illario. You’ve never been hard to read."

Illario: (pausing, watching her carefully) “You say that, but I fooled you all for an entire year.”

Illario: "But maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m not cut out for it."

(He looks at her, his eyes burning with hate.)

Illario: "Then again—how’s your perfect choice working out for you, Nonna?" (He gestures broadly to the cell around him) "You’ve got me here, rotting away, while the ‘Demon of Vyrantium’ is slowly slipping through your fingers."

(Caterina's expression doesn’t seem to change, but he catches it—the faintest tension in her jaw. It’s enough.)

Illario: "I see it in you." (His grin sharpens) "You keep telling yourself it’s the contract that is keeping him away. But no, Caterina—he left you behind the day you made him First Talon.

(For a moment, Caterina doesn’t move. She sits perfectly still, her grip tight around her cane. Then she rises slowly. Without a word, she turns her back to him and begin to walk away. He calls out to her, one final time, almost desperate.)

Illario: "I used to curse myself for sparing you."

(It works. She stops abruptly mid-step, but doesn’t turn. He straightens slightly, his voice quieter but no less sharp.)

Illario: "I thought it the worst mistake of my life... but watching the empire you built collapse under its own weight? It’s satisfying. Very satisfying.” (He leans back.) "Even from in here."

Caterina: "Enjoy it while it lasts." (Without a glance back, she adjusts her grip on the cane and resumes walking)

Process / Notes (because apparently I can't stop tinkering): This Illario is probably more sympathetic toward Lucanis than the games version. Though, he is it in a very twisted way, I don’t know if that shows anymore since I cut these line:

Illario: "I don’t even regret sending him to the Ossuary."

Illario: (scoffs) "Even that prison was kinder to him than you." (He laughs bitterly) “The man has a damn demon inside him, and he’s still freer now than he ever was under you.”

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Caterina behaving like enough of an asshole here? Is Illario snarky enough?

Should I have kept that Ossuary line just to make things spicier?

Is Lucanis tired somewhere off-screen, sensing this nonsense from afar?

Why do I have to do everything for you? shakes fist at Bioware's writing team

[clairedelune-13]

My favorite characters are always the ones that I don’t expect.

Like I didn’t expect that I would love Emmrich as much as I do.

I literally love him.

That’s part of the reason why I don’t love how we’re forced to use Neve in “Blood of Arlathan”, because it breaks my routine of always having the professor in my party.

He is my Emotional Support Mage, ok? He emanates a comforting aura that Neve lacks.

I mean, she fucking wields ice magic of course she has the warmth of a glacier.

But still, he has a SKELETON SON?!?!?!

And he is an alchemy nerd!

He also has more than one facial expression.

Sorry, Neve, I know you’re a hardened detective, but please try on different emotions.

The assassin emotes more than you!

I need more variety in the characters I choose to obsessed over.

Here, Emmrich is a necromancer who’s terrified of death.

That is fascinating as hell.

The complete opposite of what I would expect of someone like him and I love it. 

Dude, you reanimate the dead, and you are afraid of death itself. I literally love you.

Lucanis is an assassin who gets hired to kill people, yet his heart is made of pure gold and he loves to cook, in fact, it’s literally his love language.

Solas is a former Wisdom spirit, but is a complete dumbass because he is constantly fucking up.

Love him to death.

I think maybe I don’t like Neve as a character because she’s not a paradox.

She is exactly what she was written to be.

She doesn’t take me by surprise.

And that’s fine for some people, if you like the predictability.

But if you are a complete paradox a character, not to mention a total fucking disaster (Solas and Anders), I am guaranteed to fucking love you till I die.

And this isn’t meant to upset anyone that actually likes Neve. If you like her, great. It’s always good to have a character that draws you in, because it adds to your enjoyment.

I just personally don’t find her interesting.

I don’t appreciate being bullied about that either.

If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine. Just don’t climb into my comment section and start railing on me. It does you no good because I really do not care.

[heliomanteia]

This is so not me starting an argument, I promise, but can you explain why Nevecanis still makes sense in the Treviso is Blighted timeline? Isn't he in a pretty bad place, to be starting a romance with anyone?

Hello! Worry not, I'm fine explaining my personal point of view as long as it's approached in good faith (which I believe you did).

Important: this is my personal view after two Minrathous > Treviso playthroughs.

I think when it comes down to blighted Treviso & Nevecanis, there are a few factors to consider.

One of them is Rook's personal involvement vs. Neve's lack of it. Unlike Neve, Rook is the sole leader making a hard decision in the situation where either of the choice options are horrible scenarios with its own consequences. There's a degree of power dynamic that does not, to me, appear in the scenario where Treviso is saved. We have to remember that the question of autonomy and ability to navigate his own life is very important to Lucanis: he loses this trust he might have obtained in Rook having his best interests in mind, but he never has the chance to lose the same trust in Neve, a person who, ultimately, is in the same boat with him.

Another aspect is how Neve is as a person and what she brings into the relationship. Now, blighted Treviso, within the game's narrative, is the story where Spite and Lucanis do not reconcile. Lucanis voices actively seeking out a way to separate himself from the spirit-demon. Neve is a talented mage that (as we learn via codex entries) has continuous conversations with Lucanis on the matter. She is helping him go through with his choice in the same way Rook in saved!Treviso scenario helps him go through reconciliation. There's nothing lost, so to say.

Aside from that, Neve is a deeply empathetic, emotional person who knows boundaries and limits. She is observant, smart, and non-pushy; she would be able to give him the space he needs while also keeping an eye on him. She's just... as good a partner as saved!Treviso Rook is, the path to healing is simply different— and complicated with outer trouble I am not mentioning here.

Lastly, Neve and Lucanis share a common ground. It is rather emphasized through their build-up that each of them understands the other's pain over seeing their city burn. This is not an aspect that Rook understands. A Crow!Rook is the only origin that would understand the pain of losing Treviso— but a Rook de Riva picking Minrathous is just a double blow to Lucanis' trust.

And to finish this on a note of understanding: Personally, I do believe that Lucanis is in a very bad mental place in blighted Treviso scenario. I ranted to a few mutuals that his life seems to be hooked on a tragic end in this scenario. Hardened Rookanis would be an unequal resentment-filled relationship with an unstable man with a demon holding a grudge. A relationship with Neve, in my opinion, is not going to hurt him. Would it last? Would it lead to actual separation from Spite? Would she be able to help? I don't know. But I don't think she would be the reason for his doom; if anything, she could light it up a bit.

I hope it makes sense? I'm not picking a fight either btw! I'm actually excited to drop my thoughts on this and thank you for the opportunity!

[seriouslyseravellan]

more veilguard ramblings, in no particular order. it has a death grip on me.

- I LOVE THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BELLARA AND NEVE HOLY SHIT.

- really wish that bioware didn't just decide to use morrigan as a tool to tell the story they want. i love her and she deserves better.

- i was expecting davrin to be the dude actually in charge of the griffons, so him actually just being the bodyguard who has to now grow into the role of a mentor and trainer is actually delightful to see. he's getting there, albeit slowly lol.

- poor harding really can't catch a fucking break. my girl is STRESSED.

- lucanis needs therapy. this is no surprise to anyone.

- emmrich is so caring and sweet! such a kindly old gentleman necromancer. he and my mourn watch rook are getting along splendidly.

- very sad about neve being hardened bc i couldn't be in two places at once. i guess i get it but like. still. gonna have to try to build more trust with her now going forward.

- neve is even better than i imagined btw. i love her. gonna reread tevinter nights after i finish this playthrough.

- i love how many tevinter nights characters were incorporated into the game. it's an absolute delight to see.

- BELLARA being herself. i love. everyone here is neurodivergent.

- i'm not hating the combat as much as i was expecting, but it definitely doesn't feel like dragon age to me. it's also not very accessible to physically disabled gamers, which sucks major ass.

- i really don't like how they did the skill trees (mage specifically). i thought it would be improved from inquisition's very simplistic "fire, lightning, ice" shit, but NOPE. WHERE IS MY ENTROPY?? SPIRIT??? CREATION???? I CAN'T EVEN PLAY A FUCKING HEALER?????? bioware can go fuck themselves in the ass.

- you! can play! rock paper scissors! with manfred!

- solas is much more intriguing in veilguard than in inquisition imo. we're seeing a truer side of him and i think it's fascinating.

alright alright. TAASH. OMFG TAASH. i am SO excited about taash they are SO HOT they are ABSOLUTELY AUTISTIC they are PERFECT and i LOVE THEM.

- i really like how taash genuinely understands dragons and cares about them as much as they care about other people. and they very much do care about other people, just not in an overbearing way.

- taash's first romance scene btw. is um. SO HOT????

- so much more to say about taash and gender and them being nonbinary, but brain isn't making words very well right now, so that's a post for later.

[dustdeepsea]

extended author's notes | castling

castling (Lucanis/Rook/Spite, DA: Veilguard, explicit): AO3 link

I wrote one of these notes for another fic (Nine Lives), and I really enjoy looking back at a completed project and talking about it. Here's the DVD commentary + my process notes for anyone who's interested below the cut!

An evolving story

castling was written after a 6-month writer's block. I talk a little about it here, but basically, it started out as a drabble that I kept adding on scenes to, and it changed along the way.

The original planned theme of the story was mimetic desire. Basically—do we value a thing for what is, or because others desire it greatly as well? In an OT3 this leads to interesting dynamics that I wanted to explore.

As I wrote and played more of the game, I found my second theme: acceptance of the shadow self. This eventually became the main theme I focused on, so I'll reproduce my fevered tags here:

what if the parts that you've been taught are ugly or wrong your whole life manifested as a literal demon

but that demon also gave you the strength to do what was required to survive

what if your trauma taught you survival mechanisms to keep you alive?

what if someone understood they were as much a part of you as everything they loved about you

what if they loved them just as much as the rest of you

what does forgiveness and letting go look like?

2. Remixing canon

I didn't want to do a straight retelling of the canon Rook/Lucanis romance (lots of authors have done a fantastic job of it! I don't know what I would add!)

The challenge I set myself was to branch off from the "Minrathous is saved" decision point. In this world state, Lucanis and Rook have been flirting gently up to "Coffee With The Crows", before things get messy. I wrote a few guiding statements and motivations:

Lucanis is hardened and becomes avoidant of Rook.

Rook must win back his trust through words and deeds ("Bloodbath").

Spite is fascinated by Rook, maybe even to a worrying degree. (To him, she is Determination personified.)

Spite has autonomy and wants to separate from Lucanis.

Rook reciprocates Spite's attentions. More importantly, she acknowledges his autonomy.

Lucanis cannot tell where is his desire for revenge and his attraction to Rook arises from—or he knows but is afraid to confront it.

Spite will never knowingly hurt Rook.

From there, it was easier to figure out the scenes I wanted to write, and everyone's behaviours. For example:

Spite becomes the obvious "wingman", manoeuvring situations to bring him (and Lucanis) closer to Rook.

Rook becomes the more active partner who initiates romantic gestures. There is no "almost kiss" scene in the pantry. Instead, Rook initiates a hand-kiss.

Spite uses "we" in the waking world but "I" in the Fade to refer to himself (special cookies for you if you spotted this :)

"Inner Demons" never happens in this world state. Instead, Spite and Lucanis learn to work together because of Rook.

3. In character

Ada "Rook" Aldwir

Rook's personality is pretty well defined in the game so I tried to stay true to it. ("Heroic nonsense saved your grandson and is rescuing you now.") She is outgoing, intuitive, and direct but ultimately well-meaning. Rook is a Veil Jumper—and no one goes into the haunted magic forest willingly if they love the modern city and systems they live in. (She hints at this in chapter 4, and I would love to explore it in future.) This affinity for the strange and liminal makes her sympathetic to Spite. Rook is more of a cipher in the earlier chapters, but I think she came to life in the sparring scene. The way she fights barehanded was inspired by wushu and the Monk class from DnD, focused on her element of lightning. (In Veilguard, she is a Spellblade.)

Spite

Spite is sarcastic, demanding and mercurial. I took a few liberties with this character, including picking he/him pronouns to add to the blurring of boundaries with Lucanis. Spite speaks much more eloquently in-game in the Fade (in Inner Demons), and I preferred that style. He begins castling by taking over Lucanis, but once he finds equilibrium (through them both agreeing on their feelings for Rook), they start sharing the pilot seat. I knew that I wanted Spite and Rook to have a connection, apart from Lucanis, so the Fade was the natural place to set their "bottle episode". As I wrote about Spite and Lucanis' imprisonment, I realised that for a spirit who was content in the Fade, being ripped away and trapped in a limited form would be horrific. I didn't need to write elaborate, graphic torture after that—the implications for them were terrible enough. (Most of chapter 5 was me sobbing over this.)

Lucanis (I know he's everyone's blorbo, and I'll try not to step on any toes here!)

Lucanis is cautious, charming and kind. I chose to write him not as demisexual, but tied up in knots about sex and violence because of the nature of his work. I didn't want him to be an afterthought to the Rook/Spite relationship. He kept running away so much at the beginning, I was genuinely worried we would have no story, so I deliberately wrote chapter 4 from his POV. After that, Lucanis was surprisingly the easiest character for me to inhabit while writing. He's also such a naturally sweet character that his almost silly overprotectiveness of Rook just happened. I really enjoy the way they both play off each other, because Ada is such a Creature in so many ways, and he's simply moonstruck. It's one of my favourite dynamics that appears in my other stories as well.

4. Recurring motifs I enjoyed discovering

Not all of these were planned, but in no particular order: the knife to the neck, electricity, spirits/angels and demons, small repeated gestures (a lover's vocabulary), awareness of the breath, restraint/self-denial as torture, hand holding, the body as both a site of violence and pleasure.

5. In closing

If you made it all the way down here, thank you for listening to me ramble! I hope you enjoyed reading castling as much I did writing it: I learnt a lot, and I exorcised a lot of hang ups about my work in the process. I definitely have thoughts about how to improve the story (crucially, the Lucanis/Spite relationship is missing here), but I'll take that energy into the next piece.

I realise most of this is about the "framework" of the story; if you'd like to know my thoughts around any particular scenes please feel free to send me an ask anytime <3

[lynnerdo]

* Deadly Encounter *

Lucanis Dellamorte x BloodMage!Reader

Slow burn, angst, aggression, enemies to lovers, death threats, OOC!Lucanis, blood and injury, slow romance, threats of violence.

Current chapter - Shadow Next chapter - First chapter - Arlathan On A03

***

The silence that filled the lighthouse was a heavy one, punctuated only by the distant wooshing of wind surrounding it. The air inside was thick with an unspoken tension, one that had grown ever since you had joined their group.

Rook had anticipated Lucanis’ reaction, but that didn’t make the task of convincing him any easier. He had spent hours talking, arguing, trying to get Lucanis to see reason. You had stood by and listened to their voices, knowing that your presence was a catalyst for a conflict that none of them needed right now.

"This is reckless, Rook. You’ve brought her here while lying to me? A blood mage? Do you have any idea what you’ve done?" His voice is sharp, the disbelief evident in every word. His eyes flash with mistrust as they briefly flicker toward you before returning to Rook.

"I didn’t make this decision lightly, Lucanis." Rook’s tone is calm, though firm. He steps forward, trying to maintain control of the situation. "She’s skilled, she can help us. We need her. Lest I remind you she also has connections to the Inquisitor?"

"We need her? Or have you forgotten what blood magic does? It’s forbidden for a reason. Mages like her are dangerous." Lucanis gestures toward you without looking directly at you, his voice tinged with suspicion and anger.

"It’s not that simple." Rook steps in, his voice steady but slightly exasperated. "She’s not a monster, Lucanis. Neve and I vetted her. She’s not like the others."

"They all say that until they’re lost in it. The power is too tempting—no one can control it forever. We can't risk the safety of everyone here for a mage who could turn on us at any moment."

You stand there quietly, unable to speak, feeling the weight of his words as his distrust settles like a heavy cloud in the room. Rook glances at you briefly, but his focus is on Lucanis.

"She’s already saved lives. We know this! That should count for something, shouldn’t it?" He lowers his voice, trying to appeal to Lucanis’ logic. "She's a healer, not a killer. We’re better with her, not against her."

"I’m not denying her skill, Rook. But skill doesn’t outweigh the risk." Lucanis’ expression hardens as he folds his arms across his chest. "The blood is addictive. It takes over. And if she falls, she won’t be the only one in danger—we all will. I won’t stand by and watch that happen."

"Then don’t stand by." His tone becomes more insistent, almost pleading. "If you don’t trust her, keep an eye on her. Watch her. But don’t throw her out just because of what she could become. You know better than anyone that people aren’t defined by their past or their magic. They’re defined by their choices."

"And her choice is to wield blood magic. That says plenty." Lucanis scoffs.

There’s a long pause, the tension between the two palpable. You feel the weight of the conversation pressing down on you, Lucanis' sharp eyes finally meeting yours.

"Is this what you want? To be part of this? To risk everything just for power?" He finally addresses you, his tone cold, questioning your motives.

"I’m not here for power, Lucanis. I never wanted it." Your voice is steady, though you can feel the tension in the air. "I was in Arlathan gathering intel on Solas, helping Inquisitor Lavellan. I’ve faced Venatori, suffered for it, and survived. I’m here to help—not to control or threaten anyone."

"You say that now, but blood magic…" He shakes his head, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "It always starts with good intentions. What happens when things get out of control? What if you lose yourself? You think possession won’t happen to you?"

"Come on, Lucanis. Don’t turn this into a lecture. You’ve been around enough to know that someone’s past doesn’t dictate their future. She's not reckless, and you know damn well what the Venatori can do to people." Rook’s defense is firm, and there’s a slight edge to his tone, hinting at how personal this is becoming.

"You expect me to trust her after a few kind words and good deeds? Blood magic is reckless. She might not want to admit it, but one slip, one loss of control…" His gaze falls back on you, still suspicious but maybe softening, ever so slightly. "She’s a danger, Rook. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But one day." He keeps his gaze steady, staring into your eyes while he says it. 

"I’ve been through more than you know. The Venatori used me, broke me, but I’m still standing. I’ve learned control the hard way, and I’m not going to lose it now. If you’re afraid of possession, you don’t need to be." You step forward, meeting his gaze with your own. "I’m here to help. I wouldn’t risk everyone’s lives—least of all my own—just to chase after power I never wanted in the first place."

"Control, huh? That’s what they all say." He seems like he’s about to argue more but stops himself, his jaw clenching. After a moment, his voice softens, just slightly. "I don’t know your whole story yet. But if you stay, and I sense anything… off—" His tone is serious, but there’s a begrudging acceptance in his words. "—I won’t hesitate to take action."

"Fair enough. But at least give her the chance to prove it, Lucanis."

There’s a pause as Lucanis looks between you and Rook, his eyes still filled with caution, but he doesn’t push back any further. Instead, he gives a short, sharp nod and turns to leave.

"We’ll see." The words hang in the air as he walks away, leaving you and Rook standing there.

In the end, Lucanis had relented, though the reluctance in his agreement was palpable. His eyes had never left you since, every movement you made met with a scrutinizing gaze that sent a chill down your spine. You felt like prey under his watchful eye, a feeling that you couldn’t shake no matter how hard you tried.

Despite this, you managed to find some solace in the company of others. Emmrich, the necromancer with a heart of gold, had been kind to you from the start. His gentle demeanor and warm smiles were a stark contrast to the cold, calculating presence of Lucanis. Over time, you found yourself relaxing in Emmrich’s company, even daring to share a laugh or two.

But tonight, the lighthouse was quiet, too quiet. Emmrich had retired early, and you found yourself alone in the kitchen, the dim light of the moon filtering through the narrow window. You were preparing a simple snack, the repetitive motions of cutting and stirring calming your frayed nerves.

Then, you felt it—a shift in the air, a presence that set your senses on high alert. You looked around, but the room was dark, the shadows playing tricks on your eyes. And then, there they were, glimmering in the moonlight—two eyes, watching you from the shadows. Lucanis.

Your heart skipped a beat, your grip tightening on the knife in your hand. He moved with a predatory grace, his footsteps silent as he approached. His eyes were locked on you, and in that moment, you were reminded of just how dangerous he was—how dangerous he was to you.

“Can’t sleep?” His voice was a low rumble, a mockery of casual conversation. He didn’t stop moving, his presence growing larger, more intimidating as he drew closer.

You forced yourself to remain calm, to keep your voice steady. “What do you want, Lucanis?”

He didn’t answer right away, just kept coming closer, until you could feel the warmth of his breath on your skin. His proximity was unnerving, his presence overwhelming. "You know, blood mages shouldn’t be allowed around sharp objects." His voice cuts through the silence, low and teasing, but there’s an edge to it. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, his tone deceptively light, “about what I’d do if you tried anything." He looked down at your hand, your knuckles white from the pressure you were exerting on it. As he glanced to the knife you were holding, you looked down at it. Possibilities endless. "Blood mages are unpredictable, after all.” He looked back up at you, inches away, almost daring you to lash out at him. He sought for answers in your eyes, but you didn't give any.

Your pulse quickened, your mind racing with such ideas. You could feel the tension between you, the threat that lay just beneath the surface of his words. His lips quirked up in a smirk, but you couldn’t shake the fear that he was serious. You stared at his lips and back up into his eyes, fiery and filled with murderous intent. You swallowed, trying to keep your voice from trembling. “And what have you decided?”

His hand reached out with deliberate slowness, the backs of his fingers grazing your cheek as he brushed a stray strand of hair from your face. The sensation sent a shiver rippling down your spine, like an electric current you couldn’t quite control. Your breath hitched as his fingers lingered longer than they should have, leaving a trail of heat where they touched.

Lucanis leaned in closer, his face inches from yours, his scent—leather, steel, and something darkly alluring—filling the space between you. His eyes locked onto yours, intense, unreadable. His presence was overwhelming, a storm you had no hope of weathering. You could feel the weight of him, his proximity pressing down on you like gravity, forcing you to stay rooted in place.

“I could kill you,” he murmured, the words sliding off his tongue like silk. His voice was soft, almost teasing, but beneath the surface, there was a razor-sharp edge. The darkness in his tone made your heart pound, your body instinctively tense. The threat, veiled as it was, hung in the air between you, thick and heavy.

He tilted his head, his lips brushing the shell of your ear as he whispered, “Or maybe... I’d just keep you quiet.” The last word was a breath, soft and dangerous, ghosting across your skin. The way he said it sent a wave of something primal through you, something that made your pulse quicken and your mouth dry.

Fear twisted in your stomach, real and raw, but there was something else, too. Something deeper. You tilted your head to look better at him and you couldn’t look away. His gaze held you captive, ensnared in the intensity of the moment, and it was as though you were teetering on the edge of a precipice—unsure if you should step back or let yourself fall.

Your body betrayed you, stiffening in response to the closeness, to the threat in his words. Your toes curled against your own will, gripping the floor for stability, any form form of grounding would do. The knife in your hand, once a source of comfort, now felt laughably inadequate against the force that was Lucanis Dellamorte. You gripped it tighter, as if the cool metal would ground you even more, but even that felt insignificant now. His presence loomed over you, overshadowing everything, and the room seemed to shrink around him.

For a moment, the world was just the two of you. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of your shallow breathing and the pounding of your heart in your ears. His thumb grazed your jawline as his hand came to rest under your chin, lifting your face to meet his gaze fully.

His eyes searched yours, scanning for the spark of defiance he had come to expect, the sharp retort that would give him reason to push further, to continue the dance of taunts and veiled threats. But instead, something shifted. A crack appeared in the armor you wore so carefully, the weight of constant fear and relentless scrutiny pressing down harder than before. Your chest tightened, and the pressure was too much.

Your shoulders slumped as if you could no longer bear the weight, and for the first time, you dropped your gaze from his. The words tumbled out before you could stop them, soft and trembling like a confession you’d been holding too close for too long. “Why do you hate me so much?” The question hung between you, fragile and aching, your voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t choose this. I didn’t ask for any of it.”

The room fell eerily still. Lucanis, who had always seemed so assured in his menacing proximity, hesitated. His smirk faltered, slipping from his face like a mask that no longer fit. He watched you, eyes narrowing as if trying to decipher what had just happened, as though your sudden vulnerability confused him—disrupted the script he had been following.

You couldn’t see it. You were too wrapped in the moment, the heavy ache in your chest swelling with each second of silence that passed. All you could feel was the exhaustion, the constant gnawing fear that had become a part of your everyday life since you joined them, since you became part of this strange group that never fully trusted you.

His teasing, the way he lingered too close, the threats laced with dark humor—it had all built up inside of you, brick by brick, until there was nothing left but this overwhelming sense of isolation. It hit you now, like a wave crashing over you, sweeping away any shred of resistance you had left.

You stepped back, pushing past him, your body brushing his as you moved, and though he didn’t stop you, he watched, unmoving. He wasn’t used to seeing you like this—so vulnerable, so tired. To him, you always seemed composed, if a bit haunted, but this was different. Now, in this moment, you looked utterly drained, like the fight had been sucked out of you, and all that remained was the exhaustion of trying to prove yourself day after day.

“I’ll stay out of your way,�� you muttered, barely able to keep your voice steady. The words felt like a surrender, and they tasted bitter on your tongue. “Just... leave me alone.” You couldn’t bear to say more. The rawness of it all—the way you had bared yourself—made your chest ache, made the air feel too thin to breathe.

Lucanis remained silent behind you, his presence still looming but less imposing now, his expression unreadable. You didn’t see the flicker of something else in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or confusion. You couldn’t have known that your words, your quiet pain, had struck him somewhere deeper than he cared to admit. All you could feel was your own heavy heart as you walked away, leaving him standing there in the dim light of the kitchen, with only the sound of your retreating footsteps to fill the silence.

Lucanis didn’t move, didn’t say a word as you left the kitchen, your footsteps echoing in the empty hall. He stood there, frozen, replaying the last few moments in his mind. He hadn’t meant to upset you, hadn’t realized that his words—meant as a half-serious, half-joking threat—had cut so deeply.

He didn’t realise how threatening he actually was sometimes, realising this now, he didn’t know why he cared for a blood mage all of a sudden. Maybe it was the expression on your face, how truly exhausted you were because of him. He realised he could possibly tone it down with the pestering of sorts.

It wasn’t until Lucanis returned to his quarters that the soft murmur of voices near Emmerich’s room pulled him from his thoughts. His steps faltered, curiosity and something more gnawing at him. Quietly, he followed the sound, each step slow and deliberate, until he stood just outside the door. A faint crack in the wood allowed him to see inside, the scene unfolding like a blow to his gut.

You were crumpled in Emmrich’s arms, your frame small and trembling. Your shoulders shook with silent sobs, your breath ragged as you tried to steady yourself. The sight of it—of your pain laid bare—was a shock to him. He had seen you fight, seen you stand firm, but this… this was different.

Emmrich’s voice, calm and soothing, carried through the space like a gentle balm. “You’re safe here,” he whispered, his hand rubbing slow, comforting circles on your back. His presence seemed to offer a steadiness that you clung to. “I won’t let him hurt you.”

Your words, raw and filled with vulnerability, broke through the silence. “I’m scared,” you confessed, your voice trembling, the weight of those words heavy with emotion. “He’s always watching me, waiting for me to slip up. I can’t... I can’t keep doing this.”

Lucanis froze. The pang of guilt that shot through him was sharp and unexpected. He had prided himself on his ability to remain cold, detached—ruthless, even. His life demanded it. But hearing your voice, so fragile, so filled with fear, twisted something inside of him. He wasn’t prepared for it. He wasn’t prepared to feel the sting of regret or to recognize the weight of the damage he had inflicted.

From his vantage point, he could see Emmrich tighten his embrace around you, holding you as though to shield you from the world. “You can stay with me tonight,” he offered gently, his tone protective, filled with quiet assurance. “You don’t have to be alone.” His gesture was small but profound—a comfort that Lucanis had failed to provide.

Lucanis watched, unable to pull his eyes away, as Manfred came in with blankets and began preparing tea, his movements careful and deliberate, ensuring every small detail was perfect. You nodded weakly, grateful, your exhaustion palpable. You curled up on Emmrich’s sofa, your form small and vulnerable, as he sat beside you, ready to watch over you through the night.

Lucanis lingered in the shadows, his back pressed against the cold wall as he listened to the silence that followed. His mind raced, torn between anger at himself and something deeper, something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a long time.

He hadn’t meant to push you this far. He told himself that blood mages couldn’t be trusted, that your past with the Venatori left too many questions unanswered. But as he stood there, the truth settled over him with a heavy weight. He had gone too far—pushed you too hard. He could see now that his fear of what you represented had morphed into something crueler, something that had crossed lines he hadn’t realized until this moment.

Lucanis glanced through the crack one last time, seeing you finally drift off to sleep, your chest rising and falling in peaceful surrender. Emmrich stayed close, keeping a quiet vigil over you, his presence reassuring.

The frown deepened on Lucanis’s brow as he stepped back into the corridor, the shadows swallowing him once more. He hadn’t intended to hurt you like this, hadn’t realized how deeply his actions had scarred you. Now, as he made his way back through the darkened halls, his mind weighed heavy with the guilt he couldn’t shake, he realized he had a choice to make.

Lucanis Dellamorte, the man who trusted no one, had to decide if he could live with the consequences of his own cruelty—or if he would dare to fix what he had broken.

[miragecounseling]

tehe look at her ♥ this was so much fun, ty to @cmndrshepardofficial for the template and icons!! try it out here :) now time to ramble

1). neve girly im SORRY lmao i put you through HELL this playthrough. but i saved ur city so, ur welcome. I fully picked minrathous bc i wanted to lock myself out of lucanis' romance so i wasn't tempted lol

2). before i had seen any spoilers or even played the game, i decided i wanted to romance davrin. then i started really loving lace, so i decided to make ivelle date both of them. imagine my surprise :) when i have to pick one of them :) to die :) what the fuck ! :) anyways she's not rly dead she's gonna come back don't wanna hear it

3). my (loose) backstory for ivelle is she grew up in minrathous and was close with neve. they'd had a fwb deal for a while before deciding to just be friends. they're still each other's closest companion and they trust one another with their lives (maybe neve shld stop considering the choices made this playthrough.....)

4). bellara and ivelle are besties too tehe. bel and vel forever ♥

5). ivelle is super sarcastic, loves to joke, has a hard time being serious UNLESS it's involving the wardens or helping someone. but she still might throw a few jabs or punches

6). i feel good abt all of my companion quest choices. - she wouldn't want bellara to obsess over the archive or it end up in the wrong hands and bel blames herself, so she suggested destroying it. - as much as she loves the wardens, the horrors they found... it's made her want to take a step back and uncover all the other shit they've been hiding. maybe, in the future, they can revisit the griffons rejoining but... for a lot of people, joining the wardens isn't a choice. the griffons don't deserve that treatment. - manfred................ sorry he can't die. fuck being a lich baby ! - OFC she's convincing lace to go with courage, not anger!! - i think 9/10 times i, the player, would tell neve to go with justice. but ivelle knows how much she's been through, the toll it's taken on her. justice is nice but... hope? hope is priceless. anyone can throw a sword in someone's hand and say fight for good, but select few can inspire people with hope and make them want to fight for good. neve can do that, ivelle knows it. - lucanis was hardened so no choice 4 me lol - taash's was hardest bc ivelle doesn't know a ton about the qunari and she didn't want to be so quick to say leave it behind. but she knows they're a forward thinker and felt embracing their rivaini culture would be best.

[punkins-place]

DRAGON AGE THE VEILGUARD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Seriously, do not read if you don't want possible spoilers.

So I'm working on a fanon Rook au that will NEVER EXIST IN GAME, but I will probably create it in CC sometime. These are all ideas bounced around in the Lucanismancers discord server!

The world state is custom because heres what the sitch is. I may write this au at some point, but I also might not

Rook is a factionless character. So just some rando who got into some big trouble, got out of it, and caught Varric's eye. So, it turns out, this Rook is Varric's DAUGHTER from a fling in kirkwall way long ago. (Shes like 25) and he has NO idea that they're related.

Obviously, she gets with Lucanis (who am I, someone who knows variety?) But there is a liiiiitle difference in the rest of the companions. EVERYBODY GETS A ROMANCE (except Neve because she's hardened, and I don't think they should be able to romance when hardened in the first place. Gotta focus on Minrathous girlie.)

So Emmrich still gets with Strife. They originally learned of each other from Bellara's letters, and then they met and it was a cute relationship.

Davrin and Bellara get together, Davrin protects the Griffins in Arlathan and Bellara and him research them and find out how to breed more. Bellara comes with him on Warden business sometimes, and she invents gadgets for him to use in battle. She knows all the Griffins by name, and they love her. Now that Bellara has been infected with Blight she can sense it where it's thickest and help Davrin root it out.

Taash and Harding still get together, but Harding does die, unfortunately, in this au. I couldn't think of a way to save her that wouldn't be kinda cliche.

Rook doesn't find out until after she learns varric has been dead the whole time that he was her father, and she laments the time lost with him and the time gained. She wears his necklace as tribute.

That's all the ideas so far for this au, I may expand on it later though.

[vyrandemon]

thinking about how spite says there are three types of people in the world - family, enemies, and contracts. i choose to believe there is a rough grey fourth option for people he doesn't know well enough to categorise, something like 'potential contract', but Lucanis' mental and physical health really does often depend on successfully and accurately putting people into buckets, and Spite picks right up on it. it's how he reconciles a generally compassionate nature with some people with being a murderer for hire and having a demon of Spite in his head - people he can be free to be affectionate with go in one bucket, people who die go into another, and as long as the two never mix, he can cope.

starting with contracts, these are people he will not rock the boat with, but he certainly will not show his back to either. a crow without contracts is penniless - he needs to garner some goodwill with contracts. the veilguard starts here. lucanis will tell Rook that he's in the pantry for choke points against their enemies, but truth is, he puts himself opposite the door and wants one entrance to guard and one entrance only in the event the veilguard turns on him. his domain is the kitchen, which also has two entrances, but they're both in his line of sight with the way the kitchen is set up, and he can trust no-one is coming from behind. at the same time, he makes concilliatory gestures to every member there, bonds where he can - the gifts are about compassion, but more than that, they're gestures that say 'I am no threat to you'. if Rook does not step in for Treviso, then here is where they remain - it's why his romance closes off and he hardens.

family are people he cares about. the crows are all family, regardless of house, though of course fellow dellamorte crows are the closest. he has a particular blind spot for illario (because come ON lucanis, illario is about as subtle as a mardi gras parade), but in general, he can relax most around them. That's not to say they're safe, he was raised by Caterina and her cane, but their cruelties are, for lack of a better word, predictable. the Veilguard is here by the end of the game if Treviso survives. it's what throws him so badly about Illario - politicking for the position of First Talon is expected, and if it had just been that, Illario's betrayal might have slid on by. Siding with Venatori is not. Those are Enemies, and Family and Enemy are seperate buckets, Damn It, Illario.

enemy is pretty obvious. they are objectives. they stand against contracts and his family. this requires a good deal of dehumanisation from Lucanis - he can't see contracts as people, because he couldn't operate as an assassin if he did. the reason you can talk Lucanis into sparing Illario is because he can't put Illario here without a good push from someone like Rook, his family. It requires him to strip thirty-odd years of personhood from someone he loved, and he can't. Zara goes here, the Butcher can go here, the Ghilan'nain and Elgernan can go here.

Note; there is no bucket available to Lucanis for 'safe' people.

[appolojustice]

I've been thinking a lot. Probably more than I should. About Lucanis' arc and how it differs depending on whether Treviso is saved or not. And maybe I'm just salty but none of the explanations for the romance cutoff or the loss of Inner Demons as a quest or him deciding to split from Spite Definitively and Exclusively in a Saved Minrathous worldstate ever worked for me, because they aren't even consistent with the game's own logic (I don't think it's in-character for Lucanis to be truly angry at Rook for choosing Minrathous, and he's clearly not too broken to fall in love if he dates Neve later on anyway. Wanting to split from Spite makes sense if Inner Demons is not completed, but as far as I can tell the absence of Inner Demons if Treviso is blighted is arbitrary???).

And part of me can appreciate having one big decision that completely changes how a character works. But I just feel like, in this case, it isn't really conducive to letting the player role-play and have agency in the story. Especially considering it doesn't seem that Neve has this problem. Especially seeing as it seems to fuck over Shadow Dragon Rooks, specifically.

And the thing is!!!! We have seen the Dragon Age series itself handle player agency in big decisions like this with more nuance than this. We've seen them gameify complex things like this before and it worked better then imo!!! I'm thinking specifically of earlier hardened companions and of the Divine Victoria choice. Like, when you choose to harden or unharden Alistair, it doesn't automatically mean he's going to become king or stay a warden. It just pushes him more towards one than another. A Hardened Alistair is more willing to become king, while an unhardened Alistair is happier in the Wardens. And in DAI, you don't get to choose who Divine Victoria is, but the game—unbeknownst to you— tracks your choices for hours to determine how that story line will go.

So imagine you have Lucanis. He's had Spite attached to him unwillingly. In the background, the game keeps a running tally of Lucanis' relationship with Spite, influenced by you. Maybe a scale of -100 to 100, with -100 being they are always at odds, they will split at the first opportunity; 100 being they are very in-sync and working well together, they have a deal and plan to stick to it.

You're constantly making little choices that are affecting the numbers. The game gives you the opportunity to express alarm, disgust, fear towards Spite (negative points) or try to empathize with Spite and recognize what he brings to the table (positive points). Certain companions will comment on Spite, how you express agreement and disagreement gains or loses you points.

The thing is, losing Treviso gives you a big old -50 right off the bat. But if you're a shadow dragon rook, it's only a -30, as Lucanis recognizes you needed to help your city. It's a -70 if a crow rook abandons Treviso. (I imagine the opposite holds true for saving Treviso. +50, with extra points if a Mercar steps in for the city and slightly less if De Riva does what's kind of expected of them)

The Inner Demons quest gives you another huge chance to add or remove points from the tally, depending on how it shakes out. If you miss the quest entirely, it's a HUUUUGE hit in the negative direction.

And I picture this running separate from Lucanis' approval and romance, but a Lucanis who has a better relationship with Spite is easier to gain approval from and much more likely to accept flirtations, as he doesn't think of himself as a threat to your safety as much when at peace with Spite.

I'm not necessarily criticizing the game here. I don't wanna fall into the trap of saying that the Devs should have dont thing differently and fucked up by NOT doing it. It's very clear that Veilguard had a lot of road bumps in the development and frankly I think it's sort of a miracle we got a single-player story-focused da4 at all. Also, I have nooooo earthly idea what it would actually constitue to implement somethign like this, but I'm assuming its fucking hard.

But I do think... We can afford to play a little bit more with the canon than I've seen so far. We can add that nuance back in ourselves, a bit. I think it's totally fair to look at Lucanis and just decide. No. This is how I think he'd react here given the circumstances of my worldstate and my Rook. And fic accordingly