#but also like.....i need to make new rooks for davrin and emmrich and also i still need to fix my bg3 game

[mythals-whore]

ASSIGNING THE MEMBERS OF THE VEILGUARD A TAYLOR SWIFT ALBUM BECAUSE I CAN!!!

Harding - Debut

Obviously she’s our Ferelden farm girl so this just makes sense, but let me elaborate anyway. Harding is VERY Tied Together with a Smile/ The Outside to me?? Not to mention i feel like she would love the angrier songs Picture to Burn/ should’ve said no. We know how she gets when she’s angry. And you can’t convince me she wouldn’t LOVE Our Song.

Neve - Midnights

Do i even need to explain this one?? Neve gives such Midnights vibes, vigilante shit/mastermind/midnight rain???? Also SO yoyok coded. i feel like her romance is very Labyrinth/Snow on the Beach. And the woman who pets all of docktown’s stray cats is very “karma is a cat” of her idc.

Bellara - Red (TV)

This one was hard! It was between Red and 1989 to me. I just think Bellara would love the high energy pop beats (22, WANEGBT, Starlight). But i think she would LOVE Treacherous/State of Grace as well. Will help with the fanfic writing 100%. I put TV here specifically bc Better Man & Forever Winter could very much remind her of Cyrian??? And you can’t convince me Bellara wouldn’t be obsessed with ATWTMVTV.

Lucanis - Speak Now

Purple vibes, obvious. But he’s like, very Enchanted to me. AKA loves reading romance novels and the concept of romance but doesn’t know much about it/has never experienced it but wants it badly. Which is also why Electric Touch/Sparks Fly apply here. Don’t think about Lucanis listening to Castles Crumbling when he gets back from the Ossuary to find that Caterina is gone (+ later if you don’t save Treviso). Also Innocent was written about him, Taylor told me.

Shout to passenger princess Spite which i feel Taylor embodied when she wrote Dear John (iykyk)

Davrin - Lover

First of all, he is SO The Archer. “Ive been the Archer, Ive been the prey” “i jump from the train and ride off alone i never grew up its getting so old” “i cut off my nose just to spite my face and hate my reflection for years and years” its so Davrin (also one of my favorite songs maybe ever so this is big news). Also as @pinayelf pointed out, Assan as the Arrow?? Dying. But also Davrin’s romance is so Its Nice to Have a Friend. I saw someone talk about this not that long ago, but he’s very much a friend first?? Like he gives the vibe that as your LI you just hang out and rib on each other. I just i feel like they laugh a lot. + Lover as an album is soft but very anxiously attached?? Which i feel is the whole inner life of “i am a Grey Warden and im not supposed to get to attached bc it can’t last.” Honorable mentions go to Daylight/I Think He Knows/Cruel Summer/ Cornelia Street

Could also be convinced he is Reputation bc Reputation seems hardcore but is secretly very soft.

Emmrich - Tortured Poets (The Anthology)

Emmrich would LOVE the flowery language in this. Would love analyzing the lyrics with his besties. He’d love The Albatross (which, coincidentally is one of my favs, guess he just has good taste) and The Manuscript. Also tbh i don’t know much about his romance but “you know how to ball, i know Aristotle” feels like Emmrich with a much younger Rook (shout out to But Daddy I Love Him as well). Idk i think he’d secretly love it. Also relating Robin to Manfred bc that is his son??? On the sad side i feel like Emmrich is very the Prophecy/Peter because he has that dialogue about how he ‘once thought he’d get married’ like he always wanted love but never found it.

Taash - evermore

This was very difficult but i think the general witchy vibes are very “I’m Rivaini, we’re cool with spirits”. Also Tolerate It feels like when their mom comes to visit and no matter what Taash does it’s not good enough. Laash specifically is Dorothea/Ivy to me. And then of course (endgame spoilers) Marjorie after their mom dies and RWYLM if Harding is also gone. As a fan of the ‘pots and pans’ of Closure, they also get this one assigned to them. Just feels right.

[quilleth]

Now that I've finished da4 i am bereft. adrift. how am i supposed to go back to the office tomorrow and pretend my brain is not full of blorbo thoughts and thoughts of my newest otp snogging?

[bingsoo-jung]

I do Not write video game analysis. However, one thing that I loved about Veilguard that I hadn’t seen people talking about, is that all the companions personal quests mirror Solas’s regrets.

Like Taash is struggling with their mom and identity and what to choose to be in their future. Do they be what someone else wants them to or make their own identity?

Emmrich is trying to deal with a fear of death and if sacrificing the things he loves is worth is for a better future. What’s the cost of never having to experience your greatest figure worth to you?

Davrin’s trying to figure out how to live when he’s always expected he would die. The duty he’s pledged himself to vs following his own nature. Should you sacrifice your life for the duty and happiness of others?

Bellara’s both dealing with the regret of not doing enough to prevent her brothers death, but also trying to decide if progress is worth the price it came at. How do you forgive yourself for your sins and carve a new path forward?

Neve is trying to be a good person in a system literally built for people like her while she has immense amounts of privilege. Do people need someone who will do anything for them? Or do they need a hero to look up to?

Lucanis is figuring out how to deal with the betrayal of someone who you not only trusted, but was your family. The closest person to you. At what point is family who hurt you no longer worth your forgiveness?

Harding is trying to both honor but let go of the trauma and create a future in light of that hurt. How do you create a future despite the trauma of your past?

And Rook! Rook’s entire thing is that they’re self-isolating. They never talk to any of their companions about their stress… except they do talk to Solas, the Inquisitor, and Varric, people who all have power or they see as their leader. They’re actively trying to withdraw from their community and take on whatever mistakes the team makes and whatever consequences will arise from the conclusions of the companions missions.

And this is all wildly clever thing because it creates a really effective way of commenting on Solas and his issues. This is not to say that they were crafted solely to comment on Solas, or to be pale imitations, but by making them have similar regrets and problems to him, it provides this really fantastic bit in the narrative, especially during the team meetups to discuss the murals, where they’re really able to both relate to, or disagree with Solas in some interesting ways because of their issues. It also makes the story much tighter than it would be otherwise, because nothing in this story doesn’t serve this very character-driven narrative about the choices, guilt, and fear and how that hampers or helps your decision making. And I really like it! You can see it in their dialogue around the murals too. Taash for instance specifically talks about the regret of not being able to tell someone you love stuff because you waited too long and now they’re dead. 10/10 bit of character introspection.

[bunabi]

I finished Veilguard btw so here's my long thoughts (be warned I've been writing notes during my entire playthrough so this is very long) for folks who want it:

My favorite parts of DAV:

Best level design in any DA so far. The platforming grew on me, and I think the levels were well-thought out and mostly fun to navigate. Arlathan Forest was exhausting but other areas felt nicely balanced with branching paths, hidden rooms, etc. Exploration in smaller contained maps done right imo.

Mage combat is really satisfying at higher levels. Pure ranged combat is totally impossible unless you have Davrin and Taash popping taunts back to back, but dropping a massive AOE while fighting close-range feels good too.

Being able to auto-equip and compare new gear is great.

Same with the codex entries. Not having to hunt down whatever note I just picked up is a huge improvement.

Upgrading equipment via duplicates incentivized treasure chest hunting, which I would have otherwise skipped lol. It really helped me slow down and take time exploring areas, and I appreciated that.

The final act didn't make the previous 70+ hours feel better, my fault for spoiling most of it for myself, but it was neat. Cool set pieces, cool fights. I was worried Elgar'nan was gonna have the same moveset as the Regrets, but his final battle was great.

Oh, I forgot Felassan! His notes were a tragic delight. Such a good man. Funny too. They didn't need to kill Varric to make Solas less sympathetic...I think Felassan's betrayal(s) serve that purpose well already.

Rook & Their Faction:

Without rehashing what I've said over the past few weeks: this is my least favorite protagonist.

Being a funny and sarcastic and irreverent hero in a DA game is not new. Not having a choice in the matter is. The Inquisitor was pretty fixed in their tone too (cant even choose a personality for them in CC) but even they had better aggressive options available.

Folks say not to judge Rook's depth by a Lord of Fortune playthrough but since factions are asymmetrical on purpose here are my impressions:

The Lords of Fortune didn't contribute to my run in any meaningful way other than getting Emmrich hot which is not unique, as it turns out, to any particular background. In fact, learning Natalene was a galley slave as an aside detracted from my experience. Being a former galley slave, former Circle mage (again: Rivain doesn't have Circles), semi-Dalish city elf with DIY vallaslin is unreal. Especially as characters continuously imply Rook is a young 20-something. The fact this wasn't immediately caught and course-corrected shows -- to me -- how hectic and spread-thin DAV's development really was. :(

Story & Antagonists:

Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain have cackling witch disease. No motivations outside of power. That was a little disappointing. Was also hoping they'd at least comment on Rook/Davrin/Bellara's vallaslin but they're too busy plotting world domination to really notice. Love their designs though. I'd love to hear a deep dive on how they animated Ghil's tentacles.

Veilguard feels like an immediate follow-up to Trespasser, not the ten year timeskip it says it is. I wonder if that's a symptom of adapting the live service story (content that was likely meant to stretch, similar to Anthem and Destiny, over a decade) for single-player.

I miss the politically-motivated meddling. Every villain is allied with the Evanuris. We needed some that aren't. The Right and Left Hand of the Black Divine, corrupt brothers of the Imperial Chantry, the agents of the Archon, a Minrathous street gang, some Rivaini pirates, anything, anyone.

It's crazy how all elven resistance seemed to evaporate with the dissolution of the Dread Wolf Army. As much as I'd hate seeing them duped and betrayed by Solas…I prefer that to just pretending everything's fine now. I could easily see alienage elves and slaves take Cyrian's path, desperate for change no matter the source, especially since oppression is all they've known and there's no end to it in sight. Especially with their gods confirmed as the source of the blight. All downhill from here I fear.

The Butcher. Would. That voice and that frame....it purred I fear. But even he was not immune to cackling witch disease. Wish he stuck around longer for personal reasons. My South is under siege and I aint talking about Ferelden.

Combat:

I found myself switching builds a lot, which was nice and kept things fresh. That being said: DAV needed loadouts for skills and equipment and a menu showing active passive skills + enchantments. A QOL update for this stuff would have been amazing. I want to try an archer run, but I dread (🐺) fussing with skill tree nodes again.

After fighting Mythal (my first full dragon fight) I was disappointed how all dragons share her same attack patterns. They didn't have to reinvent the wheel or anything -- this was the case with dragon battles in DAI and I thought it was fine -- but Mythal of all enemies should have been unique.

High-level demons are limited to Rage and Pride. High-level darkspawn are limited to Ogres. I miss those little scrungly lookin' despair demons and nasty ass hurlock emissaries. After 60 hours I did get a little tired of the same handful of mobs over and over.

Companions & NPCs:

The Veilguardians feel like my kids. Except Emmrich who's absolutely convinced he's in an age-gap relationship with my older lady Rook. It's not that they're uniquely dependent or rudderless, it's that their struggles are solved with nurturing pep talks. Reaffirm their worth, give them a hug, and all that inner turmoil is cancelled. Rich coming from the 'I should have been able to influence my companions more in DAI' girl, but Rook's impact on the Veilguard, the way their doubts vanish completely via some life coaching, feels off.

Speculation: I think the companions were originally planned to be NPCs. Their written banter in some of the notes, their verbal banter throughout the Lighthouse, they feel like they're meant to stay in the hub and act as quest-givers in the live service game. Especially with how Rook is excluded. That's fine btw it just helps explains some things. (Just remembered something else: when you talk to quest NPCs out in the world and the camera focuses in on the conversation, you can't see your companions. They chime in with disembodied voices, always hidden out of frame. That also gives me the feeling they were added later. Not confirmed btw just my hunch!)

Torn about Taash. I love them for breaking the 'agreeable companion' monotony but hate the ~animalistic race~ tropes they were saddled with. I've had issues with Weekes' handling of race and culture in the past. I'm disappointed to see it continue a decade later. I'll leave it there. Sten cannot smell ovulating coochie!

I tried to kill Lucanis during the final assault. Had full faction strength but I didn't complete his personal quest. It didn't work. Sorry Zevran!

Shathann's VA was acting her ass off. Great performance. Absolute bars from Taash's VA during their scenes too.

I dreaded (🐺) opening the Lighthouse map to see who wanted to talk. I usually love chopping it up and getting to know my party; that's my favorite part of any DA game. But so many conversations were just spent restating the obvious (Bellara is worried about The Gods and her brother, Harding is worried about her powers and Solas, Davrin is worried about the griffons and Gloom Howler, you know like in case you forgot). Running person-to-person-to-person and feeling no sense of accomplishment or progress for it seriously drained me.

The Inquisitor… I assumed vowing to stop Solas would block my Lavellan from pining and questioning herself after a decade apart and two very clear rejections. She kept asking whether he could still be reasoned with even in the midst of the final operation. I'm disappointed how little that choice mattered in the end. The second-hand embarrassment was crazyyy.

Romance:

Now this part is a little unique. Sorry for what I'm about to say about Emmrich. If it helps: I found him the most fun of all the companions. He's handsome, thoughtful, and has a fascinating past. But I ended up being dissatisfied by the end, and not just because of being soft-locked into a May-December fling, cringe commentary from Rook, and feeling like I was straight-up harassing Emmrich in early flirting dialogue.

The main issue: I don't care for the Mourn Watch. I like the Mourn Watch characters, but the organization makes me crazy. We hear so little about how they function in the context of an Andrastian nation like Nevarra. Summoning the dead in a world that still believes souls join the Maker's side in the Fade is huge. I wanted to really dig into discussions on the afterlife but in the end I'm supposed to go 'waow cool skeletons' and forget that religion is such an important facet of Thedas. I was so bummed!

I made him a Lich because he didn't seem to care either way. Reuniting him with Manfred is morally good, turning him into an eternal protector of the Necropolis is morally good. Emmrich is happy with whatever, so I gave him whatever, and I said 'whatever' when it was all over. My god is that man cute, but the romance overall just didn't do it for me.

Should've known when I saw his rotunda lol Bioware you sly dogs you got me again!

Personal final thoughts:

Well? I don't think I'm sad anymore, but I am left with complicated feelings. Obviously things are a little different for me being an EA Partner and getting an idea of just how much work has gone into making the game exist period. And I think because I can't blame it all on one person, shit all over it, and move on that these feelings are just kinda churning with nowhere to go.

Things could have been handled better. Didn't like the attempt to hide the world states until launch, or the dismissive comments from writers about it. Didn't like the AMA answers. And this isn't really my business but I'll say it anyway: I feel like the community council was thrown to the wolves, having to base their DA4 impressions around the sliver of content they were allowed to see, and having a much more hands-off role than implied.

I hope DAV is taken as an opportunity to refocus, double-down on what makes Dragon Age so beloved, and lean into those strengths unapologetically. Easier said than done -- as much as I loved Swen's speech about creating games free of marketing expectations and mimicking the latest trends that's often times impossible -- but I want to believe it can be done in this case.

Anyway both Sabine & my antibiotics are complete and I'm overcoming my moodiness and getting back to work on commissions! I've cured the Blight in more ways than one! 😄

[flowersforthemachines]

Some facts about Taash (and also the Lords of Fortune, the Qunari, Dragons and other related things) gathered from the banters

Featuring Shathaan's stories about the Crows!

I went through all companion banters on DanaDuchy's channel after playing the game to write down all facts about companions/the world that I haven't seen brought up anywhere in the game as a writing reference (and for funsies).

Note: This list may not be exhaustive. I might have missed some something or didn't write it down because I considered it common knowledge. If you have anything to add, please DM me or send an ask! (do specify what banter the information is coming from, though)

Note 2: Posts from this series (mostly) don't include information from banters specific to quests or between companions and faction members. I plan to do another playthrough to capture more of those and will add any relevant info to the character posts.

Other characters' posts: Bellara, Davrin, Harding, Lucanis, Emmrich, Neve. I'm also planning a post about just the Lighthouse some time later

About Taash

General: 

Taash gets grumpy if they stay inside for too long

Taash may polish their treasure hoard or clean the dishes (even somebody else's) to get out of their head

When Taash is feeling sad, they ask somebody else about how they are doing, so they can focus on somebody else instead of themselves

Taash doesn’t like talking about their feelings because it makes them sad (Lucanis can relate)

Taash doesn't read books before bed because they have a tendency to stay up past their bedtime to finish the exciting parts

Taash seems to care quite a lot about fibre and digestive health (they are so real for that). For example, they enjoy the smell of coffee but don’t drink it because it’s bad for their guts

Taash drinks alcohol 

Taash once requested Bellara/Lucanis to cook them a demon (the suggestion was disregarded) 

Taash liked Lucanis’s deep-fried peppers 

Taash liked Bellara’s stir-fry 

(If Rook is in romance with Taash) A spirit of devotion appears next to Taash after they enter a relationship

Taash doesn’t want to look for more dragonfire tablets because “they are just more orders”, and they already have enough  

Taash doesn’t kill in cold blood and needs to get angry in order to kill someone

Taash has good taste in gemstones, knowing which colours match which (based on the banters where they recommend gemstones for Emmrich’s lich helmet). They say it’s a Lord of Fortune thing, they have to know how to make gems look good 

Taash isn’t afraid of the Fade, because the spirits there mind their own business and don’t try to possess anyone (or anything) 

Taash thinks that even if the Nevarrans almost brought their dragons to extinction, they will still come back eventually

Taash is extremely excited to hear that Morrigan can (potentially) turn into a dragon and wants to ask her about it next time they meet 

Taash doesn’t mind finding no loot when hunting dragons because as long as you survived an encounter with a dragon, you have a new story to tell 

Taash doesn't think of dragons as monsters since they are a natural part of the world and have been around longer than anyone else

On fire-breathing: 

Taash started breathing fire when they were a toddler

Taash needs to eat greens after breathing fire, or they get headaches 

According to healers, fire breathing hurts Taash’s lungs

Taash accidentally set their first female partner’s hair on fire during their first sex

Taash once tried to cook with their dragon breath and accidentally melted a pot and set the kitchen on fire 

On Taash’s sense of smell:  

Taash got their heightened sense of smell after they got sick and couldn't breathe through the nose for a couple of months. After they recovered they could suddenly smell everything

Tassh can smell when someone is ovulating. They can also smell who had been in the room before them, and who is hungover 

Taash could also tell Neve got together with Rook or Lucanis from the smell even before anybody told them

To Taash, Minrathous smells rainy and ‘like rich people hurting poor people’

Early life and the relationship with Shathann: 

Taash learnt to swim before they learnt to walk

Shathann sometimes wouldn't let Taash play/go swimming until they finished their studies (like being able to tell the difference between some pottery shards)

Shathann gifted Taash axes during one of the gift-giving holidays when they were younger. They were simple kindling choppers, but Shathann helped decorate them to make them look like Qunari weapons. During a conversation with Bellara, Taash realises that may be the reason they are still using axes to this day

Axes are also good at lodging between dragon scales and allows them to climb up

Taash grew up poor, though they didn’t realise it because Shathann always made sure they had enough food, even at her expense (like pretending she didn’t want to eat because “Rivaini food is too rich for her”)

Taash spent the money they made from their first job as Lord of Fortune on buying Shathaan a dress. Shathann didn’t appreciate it, instead urging Taash to buy themselves boots or some other useful things 

Shathann hated apples because their skin would get stuck in her teeth (“Evataash, that fruit is stupid!”)

If Taash chooses to pursue Rivaini culture and wear Shathann’s horn as jewellery, they have a blacksmith do runes in the old Qunari language along the edges and get a Seer to bless it

Shathann stopped telling stories about the Crows after Taash once climbed on the roof to play as a Crow

The things Shathann taught Taash about the Crows:

Antivan Crows make themselves invisible to dragons by imitating the dragon's shadow

Antivan Crows coat the beaks of actual crows with poison so that the crows can kill people by pecking

Antivan Crows can slow down their breathing until they become invisible

Antivan Crows come through houses at night and kill children who aren’t in bed

Antivan Crows can do a special move that stops their enemy's heart

Antivan Crows can strangle a Qunari with their own dar-saam (but only if it’s tied incorrectly)

Relationships with companions: 

Bellara gives Taash advice on cooking dinner for their mother

Davrin teaches Taash to use buckets filled with water and sand for lifting

Taash has never flown a kite before and asks Harding to teach them

Harding's mother sends Taash a letter with homemade candies after Shathann’s death, calling it “a hug from afar” (Taash appreciated the gesture and liked the candy) 

(If Rook is in romance with Taash) Taash asks Lucanis about what Rook likes to eat, and Lucanis offers to teach them how to make coffee/tea/chiocolata calda 

Taash isn’t scared of Spite, and even convinces (or more like intimidates) him not to talk about how other people smell without their permission

Lucanis agrees to teach Taash how to kill targets with flair (with varying degrees of success when it comes to cool one-liners) and then plans to ask Teia to make a Crow cape just for them (Taash is very excited about it, as they love crow capes)

Taash insists Neve should get some trophy from Aelia (a ring, or an amulet with her name) to show everyone she beat her, and doesn’t understand why Neve isn’t interested in something like that 

Taash offers their blood to Neve for blood magic purposes (Neve doesn’t take up the offer)

Taash thinks Neve’s ‘dresses’ are pretty

Taash thinks nobody can go toe-to-toe in magic with Neve

Taash offers to hook Neve up with their jeweller to get her a discount (in case she wants a new leg) because “Neve deserves nice things”

Lords of Fortune:

Lords of Fortune have a drunk game where they throw a goblet made from fool’s gold into the water for others to find. Whoever finds it gets free drinks for the rest of the night. The game has only one rule: no punching in the junk

There is also another drunk game where drunk Lords jump off a giant cliff. The only rule is not to hit the water face-first

Even if those are “drunk games”, you can participate in them sober, as long as you are willing to be as stupid as the drunk people

The Lords of Fortune pick new jobs by Isabela throwing daggers at a map or racing nugs (the winner picks the job - could be its owner, or the nug itself)

The lords used to blindfold Mateo (the faction merchant) and spin him around in circles until he tripped on something like a map. They stopped doing that because a Seer told them to quit (the whole thing gave Mateo headaches) 

After Shathann is gone, Taash is in charge of appraising Qunari artifacts for the Lords until they find a better expert

The Lords of Fortune work with a Dalish clan keeper Shivanas (Taash calls them ‘Shiv’) who appraises artefacts for them (tells them what’s okay to sell and not to sell etc.) 

After losing his hand, a Lord named Bernst got a lock-pick hand prosthetic decorated with gems

About Dragons:

Different breeds of dragons can mate and produce offspring. That’s how ice- and lightning-breathing dragons came about

The muscles of dragon wings’ are vulnerable behind. Another weakness is the underbelly

Fighting Dragons is all about making them come to you, either by having them see you as a threat (so they come down to assert dominance) or prey (so they come down to eat you) 

There is a dragon called Wildervale Spitter, which can breathe fire or poison gas. The “fire breath” is actually just poison that burns when the dragon breathes. Most dragons always ignite their breath. The Spitter's special for being able to choose whether to light it up.

Dragons have an extra eyelid that they shut while breathing fire in order to protect their eyes

About Qunari etc.:

Eb-ketarra means something like “growing memories.” When you graft someone’s horn onto yours, you also add their strength to yourself

Qunari food uses a lot of oil for frying

Qunari have a much better sense of smell than humans

Qunari can bury their dead with large jars inlaid with a flame pattern. It’s called ‘issalatar’ and is empty inside, representing that the deceased’s body is also empty now that their spirit is gone

The Rivaini armada can hold its own against the Antaam fleet, but only in good weather. They can’t match the Antaam in firepower, but they can outsail them

Isabela is apparently still a captain of the Siren’s Call 

[sunny374940]

Fic masterpost

Hello, I'm sunny and I write fanfic, specifically emmrook (and nothing but, it would seem, as they have taken over my brain).

This here is a list of all my stories so far, for anyone who wants to read them. If you leave a comment, I am certain to respond because I love chatting about those two dorks.

My ao3 is Sunny_Under_Mountain

The latest story is up here, the rest (and boy, is there a lot) under the cut.

Alone with you (chapter 1/?) - Emmrich and Rook leave for their honeymoon and have a nice time. There are flowers and sex (and swimming lessons and wildlife encounters in the future)

Multi-chapter works (links go to first chapter):

May I have this dance (chapters 2/2) - Emmrich and Rook attend a ball and Rook hates it. Until he doesn't. cw: short mention of sexual harrasment, lots of consensual gay sex in the second chapter

I will be waiting with open arms (chapters 3/3) - Emmrich dies at the age of ninety seven and Rook, who is seventy two now, receives one last letter from his love and then they get reunited in the afterlife (bring your tissues to read this one)

Did you hit your head? (chapters 2/2) - a fun little story about Rook and Emmrich pining and Davrin and Assan being the best wingmen

Love and (almost) loss (series):

Our love is not to be hidden - Rook gets badly injured and Emmrich has to deal with his feelings for him

I fall apart without you - Emmrich has a nightmare about losing Rook, hurt/comfort

I will stay with you through all of this - hurt/comfort, little bit of gore at the start. Emmrich almost dies in the process of saving Rook, who is quite upset about this.

Happiness is a noise you make (series):

The sound of your happiness warms my heart - fluff. Emmrich finds out Rook can purr.

Let me hear your joy again - fluff. Rook receives a gift from Emmrich

The family we've found (series): stories about Emmrich and Rook raising their daughter Elanora

Orphans and foundlings - a little story about Rook and Emmrich getting a baby. Fluff, tiny bit of angst

Sleepless nights - Emmrich and Rook comfort a crying baby

Being a father - Emmrich worries about fatherhood, fluff

When I see your light shine, I know I'm home - fluff. Emmrich and Rook get married, the whole gang is here and it's so very sappy

I will teach you all I know - fluff. Emmrich learns that his daughter Elanora is a mage

Your happiness is all I need - fluff, humor. Emmrich’s daughter is not a morning person, Emmrich has to deal

Have you learned your lesson, darlings? - fluff. Emmrich enjoys the snow with his family. There is a snowball fight.

The smut (not a series):

Tell me I'm yours - Rook has a praise kink

Let me take care of you - a little bondage, some feelings. Rook is angry and tries to pick a fight with Emmrich

There is nothing I want more than you - Rook wants Emmrich's attention and he gets it

Is that a new shirt? - Rook wears a crop top and Emmrich is very much into it

Patience, darling - Emmrich makes Rook wait for what he wants.

Why don't we try something new? - Rook wants to try topping Emmrich for the first time and it goes quite well

I would like to make you blush, if I may - Rook is a bit inexperienced and flustered at just about everything. A blowjob happens

Let me show you how beautiful you are - Emmrich is insecure about his looks and Rook shows him how much he adores him.

The hurt/comfort (also not a series):

Don't do that again - Emmrich gets sick, Rook gets worried

You are worth any danger, love - Emmrich gets caught in a building collapse and almost dies, Rook comes to his aid.

Feeling better, darling? - Emmrich helps Rook through a migraine

Nothing will keep you from me - What happened after getting Rook out of the fade prison

I will rip the world apart for you - cw: gore, torture. Rook gets captured by the Venatori and Emmrich comes to the rescue

Don't leave me, please - what Rook was going through in the Fade prison (a lot)

Assorted fluff:

Adventures in baking - Rook wants to impress Emmrich by baking him cookies, but things don't go according to plan

I am yours - Rook gives Emmrich flowers.

Love is stored in the hat - domestic fluff about first snow and gifts

[rook-laidir]

Even more Rook banter!

Rook: Hey, Taash. Do you think you could use your fire to make things move?

Taash: What do you mean?

Rook: If we were sitting on something and it had wheels, and you sat in the back and breathed fire, would it start to move?

Taash: Huh. Dunno. Wanna try it?

Rook: Yes!

~~~

Rook: So what’s your kill count? Do you keep track?

Lucanis: I am a professional assassin. Of course, I keep track.

Rook: So what’s your number?

Lucanis: That depends - are we counting the people I have to kill in order to get to my contract? Henchmen? Lackeys? Antaam who happen to be in the area?

Rook: Point taken.

~~~

Rook: Does Spite have his own kill count or do you share?

Lucanis: If he needs to use my limbs, it’s my kill.

Spite: No fair! My kills!

Rook: Don’t worry, Spite, I know they’re yours.

Spite: More killing!

Lucanis: Mierda.

~~~

Rook: So…we’re spirits.

Davrin: No, we’re not.

Rook: Ancient elves were.

Davrin: We’re not ancient.

Rook: How do you know?

Davrin: I watched you nearly drown in the Treviso canals, Rook. That’s not ancient elvhen spirit behavior.

Rook: Hey!

~~~

Neve: You escaped Tevinter slavery, something the slave owners pride on being nearly impossible, and the first thing you did was join up with the Lords of Fortune?

Rook: It wasn’t the first thing I did. The first thing I did was cough my lungs out from almost drowning. Then I scrounged up enough gold to buy a sandwich, and then I joined up with the Lords.

Neve: Was that always the plan?

Rook: I wanted to join when I was a kid and by the time I was free, I didn’t exactly have a backup plan. Where else was a charming scoundrel like myself supposed to go?

Neve: “Charming,” is that what they call it?

Rook: No, most people call it “pain in the ass,” but I prefer “charming.”

~~~

Neve: You know, we might have time to stop by The Lamplighter later. Maybe catch one of Cida’s shows.

Rook: Neve Gallus, are you trying to make me like Minrathous?

Neve: Hardly. I’m not wasting my time trying to achieve the impossible. But if you insist on coming back to Dock Town after everything, the least I can do is show you the parts that aren’t terrible.

Rook: And I thought I was supposed to be the sweet one.

Neve: You are.

~~~

Rook: Still have some time to catch Cida’s show? Maybe stop by Hal’s?

Neve: Is this your way of saying you like coming to Dock Town now?

Rook: Maybe I just like the people.

Neve: That’s what will get you every time. The people have a way of sticking with you.

Rook: Here’s hoping.

~~~

Neve: Do you ever miss Rivain?

Rook: Hard to miss it when we have an Eluvian that lets me make a day trip out of it.

Neve: Fair. I meant staying there. With the Lords of Fortune.

Rook: Yes, but no, but also kinda? It’s complicated.

Neve: That’s home for you.

~~~

Harding: So I have good news and bad news.

Rook: What’s the bad news?

Harding: The bad news is Assan ate most of the chocolate chip cookies my Ma sent us.

Rook: Aww, your ma made cookies?

Harding: That was the good news.

~~~

Rook: Hey, Emmrich! Do you think it smells like updog here?

Manfred: *happy hiss*

Rook: No, you gotta wait for him to ask what it is first.

Emmrich: *tired sigh*

~~~

Bellara: Rook, I was wondering -

Rook: I didn’t break it.

Bellara: Oh, no, not that! Wait, what didn’t you break?

Rook: Nothing!

~~~

Bellara: Rook, are you ok?

Rook: What do you mean?

Bellara: Our gods are trying to destroy the world!

Rook: They’re not my gods.

Bellara: I know, but it makes everything about us, elves, I mean, so much more complicated.

Rook: I know. And I know people are going to use this as a reason to treat us worse than they already are. But right now, I just want to stop them.

~~~

Bellara: I know you’re not Dalish, but how come you never…

Rook: Cared about the Evanuris?

Bellara: Only if you’re comfortable answering! Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have asked.

Rook: I don’t really care about any gods, elf or not. None of them ever came when I needed them to.

Bellara: Right…sorry.

Rook: You don’t have to keep apologizing.

Bellara: Sorry. Shit. Sorry!

[blindvogel]

We know very little about the time Rook is stuck in Fade prison. Only that it is weeks and that the team crafts the fake dagger in the meantime. We never really learn what everyone feels or how they find Rook in the end. I think it is called the Lighthouse for a reason. So. Part two. Emmrich.

~~~

Its shape the absence of you (Part 2 of 3)

The memory has burned itself into his mind, plays on repeat every time he closes his eyes. Kamari, right in front of him, just a couple of steps away. Falling forward, reaching for the dagger in Ghilan’nain’s chest, he’d called to her to pull it out. And then she is gone. Just like that. Swept into the greater Fade with not even a trace for him to find. 

Other details are hazy. Davrin bodily dragging him away, down to the beach. The heat of the fire as Elgar'nan’s rage consumed the island. The silence of the Lighthouse.

When Emmrich opens his eyes the morning after there is a heavy weight sitting on his chest. Its shape the absence of her. 

She pins him down, like a butterfly in a box or a flower pressed between pages. 

This weight, it is seeing her face as it twists in anger and pain. Pain he caused her because he is a coward. It is the shake in her voice as she tries to stop him from breaking something beyond repair. Because he is a coward. It is the knowledge that the last memory he has of her will be this because he let his fear win. 

He’d been so afraid of the possibility that she would leave him in some nebulous made-up future, so afraid of causing her pain with his own death should she stay, against all odds. So scared of the what-ifs and the maybes. Of his own feelings. 

And nothing of this matters if he’s lost her. Just like this. Before he could repair what he had broken, before he had the chance to say how truly sorry he is. How much he needs her. How much it scares him if she should not feel the same way. 

Except- she does. Did. He simply had been too scared and too stubborn to believe it until it was almost too late. Is too late now. 

Emmrich is no stranger to loss and grief, to regrets. He has learned to carry them and not break, but he can feel the cracks. The rituals, the habits that he has picked up and created for himself after he joined the Mourn Watch have supported him through the darkest days. They do so now too even if it is a struggle. A clean shave, the proper dress, every piece of jewelry is a piece of stability, of armor against the pain. 

He has days where this works, where he can be a functioning member of the team. Go over news from Minrathous, work on theories and ideas how to stop Elgar’nan without the dagger - how to make one. 

It’s an idea that first sparks hope - trying to find Kamari in the vastness of the Fade by his usual means had yielded nothing, not even the smallest trace of her. But with the dagger they might be able to do something. 

He latches onto that idea, to that work like a lifeline. He spends days working out the details, the composition and crafting methods, and manages to procure the materials. He works on it feverishly, painstakingly. Yet when it is finished it is nothing but a bauble, a mere trinket, and not his salvation. 

Emmrich also has bad days. They all do. Kamari was not the only one that did not make it off the island. They lost Harding, Bellara. Both Taash and Neve take it hard, and he tries to be there for them with an open ear - he is a Watcher, it is part of his duty after all. 

But it is hard on the bad days, when he wakes up with the memory of her on his mind and that weight on his chest, when nothing he does can ease it. 

Then all he can do is sit in her room, one of her journals in his lap. She’d shown them to him once, her thoughts and feelings committed to paper, interspersed with pressed flowers she’d found on her travels with Varric. Emmrich knows there are also her thoughts on him in there - but he is still too much of a coward to read them. The page is marked with a Shroud’s Kiss. 

He also has not informed Myrna or Vorgoth. He knows he must, eventually, as is his duty. But it would be so final to put it to paper, like dousing the last flame of hope he keeps alive in his heart. 

It had been bad enough trying to explain it to Manfred when he had turned to him and simply asked, “Kamari?” 

“She is gone, Manfred. We’ve lost her to the greater Fade and I’m afraid it will not be as easy to bring her back.”

“Alive!”

“Oh I hope so, my boy.”

Then he had sent him out on an errand so Manfred would not see him cry.

It is a bad day when he finally opens the journal to the page with the pressed white flower - her favorite non-color as she had teased him after his little pedantic outburst during their date. White like fresh snow. The moon. Kamari, in an Old Nevarran dialect. The only thing she had ever received from her parents. He’d felt foolish then but she had just waved it away with a laugh, with such grace. 

Now his fingers tremble as he lifts the flower so he can read the words below.

I’m glad Manfred is back. It will make many things so much easier for Emmrich. He doesn’t really want to admit it, perhaps not even to himself, but he’s felt lonely without him. Without his family, his son. He waved it off when I suggested as much but it’s so clear to see. 

With Manfred back it’s going to be easier to convince Emmrich that he is braver than he gives himself credit for. That his fears are not everything, will not consume him. With time, he’ll see what I see. A wonderful, kind, loving man that has faced so many things thrown at him and not wavered in who he is. 

The strength of that conviction, that we must believe in kindness - it’s what gives me hope that we will get through this. It’s what I love about him.

The first tear falls onto the back of his hand and he quickly closes the journal, not wanting to smudge her words and lose this last thing he has of her. The reason he cannot give up hope. 

He cries himself to sleep on her couch that night, the journal pressed tightly to his chest. 

When Emmrich wakes in the early hours of the morning with a pounding headache and his heart heavy, it is to the sight of the Caretaker hovering in front of him. 

“A new path has opened, dweller. The Lighthouse will show the way as it has always done. A beacon to the lost.”

Then they disappear before he can ask any further questions. 

Emmrich stumbles to his feet and out of the room, out into the Library where there is a door that has not been there before. It leads to a spiraling corridor ushering him up and up and up, until he arrives at what must be the very top of the Lighthouse. Gemstone windows encircle the entire room, shimmering in every visible color and some that can only be felt. And in the middle of the room a light, warm and bright and a doorway beyond. 

His senses reach out to it, through it. It is as if he has become a lighthouse, his searching gaze traversing the Fade farther and faster. Somewhere, she is out there somewhere, he can feel it. 

He doesn’t know how long he stands there. Eventually there are Neve, Lucanis, Taash at his back. Asking questions, bickering. Still he searches, unwavering, until- 

“There, a light!”

“We’ve got something?!”

Emmrich reaches into, through the doorway. His fingers wrap around a wrist, his other hand finds the upper arm. Then Taash and Lucanis are beside him, reaching and pulling until there is no more resistance. Until she stumbles out of the Fade and into their arms. Whole. Alive.

Then Kamari pulls away, stumbles back with her hands raised, her breathing shallow, her eyes pressed shut. “Please. A moment.” 

Neve is faster. “What’s wrong?”

It takes Kamari a moment to answer. He can see her deliberately drawing breath, using a technique every initiate learns to deal with panic and pain to calm herself. His heart twists. 

“Too many sensations at once. Too bright, too loud, too much. I can feel… everything.” 

Then she opens her eyes and her gaze finds his, and for a moment he forgets how to breathe. What he sees there, a moonrise.

[hyperions-light]

Rook’s notes on the Lighthouse/Caretaker for the codex ask!

Thank you for asking! [Codex prompts here] These are very fun so far!

- This place is alive? Moves to accommodate guests, changes layout. Many places accessible using acrobatics. Some inaccessible currently (tried, dangerous).

- Seems to have assigned me Fish Room. Think they are watching me (good?). Able to rearrange furniture but not request more. Annoying.

- Solas lived here? Depressing. No wonder he’s so miserable. Found weird, sad little room with his stuff in it. Going to ask him if he’s bored in the Fade Jail next time. Maybe he will be less annoying if he has something to do? Can try to mentally recreate books, maybe.

- There’s a. Ghost? Demon? Spirit? Asked Bellara, she says spirit. Very turquoise, many eyes, bad clothes (do spirits wear those? Ask Solas). Seems helpful? Provides gondola rides and is more polite than gondoliers in Treviso. And it’s free!

- Spirit is in Lighthouse now. Very cryptic, even more than Solas. Wonder if that was a requirement in Arlathan (ask Solas). Still not dangerous. Seems to help with accessing new parts of Lighthouse. Asked why I couldn’t just go everywhere now, got vague nonsense. Ugh.

- Should bring random Crows + civilians here to see if it does anything. Viago? Might be funny!

- Found out Library is covered in depressing murals of things Solas regrets. Probably impolite to bring up. Does he like being miserable? I don’t cover my walls with all the missions I fucked up. Strange, sad, bald man. Going to ask him if he wants to play cards next time. Maybe letting him win would cheer him up.

- Manfred is my new best friend. We’re exploring the Lighthouse together.

- Who’s Felassan?

- Solas says to stop contacting him about unimportant things (no).

- Spent indeterminate amount of time trying to convince Lighthouse to replicate animal habitats. Did not work and Davrin looked concerned.

- Was having Davrin show me how to carve animals (looks fun) but got distracted by Assan and impaled my hand. Davrin was upset about this. Said it was fine, but he insisted we visit Emmrich. Discovered Lighthouse speeds magical healing. Worth it.

- If I start bringing cats here will it make a room for them?

- Tried bringing cats. One almost floated away. Do NOT bring Neve’s favorite.

- Bellara and I were using the magical floating ornaments above her room for target practice, and one of them suddenly exploded! Practical applications?

- How come no one else ever visits Varric? Tried to ask Harding if she’d been to see him, but she didn’t hear me? Strange. Visit more-- maybe others will come with? He must be lonely in there.

- Remember to ask Solas if he needs to eat. Think I could manifest Lucanis’ paella if I tried hard enough.

- Taash and I are going to try and build some traps. Borrowed explosives from Antoine. Think Lighthouse is sentient enough to identify intruders if I talk to it.

- Tried to ask the fish about Solas. Maybe they saw him while he was here?

- One of the wisps left Neve’s room suddenly, so we followed it around-- they are DEFINITELY the ones moving people’s stuff. Also maybe causing books to appear? Neve says we need more evidence.

- Emmrich said Harding made the plants grow because she loved them (of course she did). Going to ask her to make me taller via caring about me.

- Sat in the pantry for a while trying to talk the Lighthouse into manifesting a new bed for Lucanis, now that Spite isn’t a problem. Convinced nobody can sleep on that thing. No luck. Try carrying couch from library?

- MANY, LOUD objections to Taash and me building traps. Still think it could work, but promised Davrin I’d return explosives. No one here lets me have any fun (except Taash, Bellara, and Spite).

- Spent a while trying to see if the Lighthouse would let Harding move any of the giant floating chunks of rock. Also attempted exploding arrows + asking politely. No luck.

- Emmrich brought Johanna’s skull here! Amazing! Asked Emmrich to carry my skull around with him after I die so I can see new stuff. Did not understand the reasons he said he couldn’t. Will keep bothering him.

- Friends keep leaving things in my/the fish’s room. Need more drawers.

- Lace says Taash and Bellara can put up memorials to Cyrian and Shathann in her garden, if they want. Think it’s a good idea. Emmrich agrees.

- Made it to the top of the Lighthouse! Made Assan promise not to tell the others how to get up there. Reminds me of the rooftops in Treviso.

- Makes sense now, why Varric never got his own room. Going to put his stuff in Lace’s garden. I think she would have liked that.

[livefromthedas]

Surviving Purely Out Of Spite

By ClickClickBoom

(Also here on AAO3)

Chapter 4: Mummy and Daddy are Fighting

Summary:

Happy New Year, yah beauties. Have a new chapter.

Having Lucanis Dellamorte as a dedicated cook for their motley little team was both a blessing and a curse. True, most days it was a blessing - The man was exemplary in the kitchen, and enjoyed the relaxation the labor brought him. Even better, he had both exquisite (and expensive) taste in food and both the skills and, it seemed, the pocket book needed to make them a reality.

Then, of course, there were mornings like this, when the pressure they were under got to be just the right amount of “too much” and someone said or did something stupid. On days like these, Lucanis basically living in the dining hall meant a possible confrontation came between Rook and Food.

She took her sweet time readying for the day - A solid hour of cool-down time would do them both a favor, she reasoned. It was nearly ten by the time she strolled on into the hall.

Rook could tell the vibe was off the second she was in the room.

Most of the team was present and chatting away around the table - Davrin manned a chair nearest the door, one hand keeping hold of a toy that had Assan distracted and playing while he ate. Taash lounged at the far end, fully distracted by her bacon. Bellara, Neve and Harding, meanwhile, had clustered together on the other side of the table - The chattering between them snuffed the moment Rook came striding for her usual placement.

“Good morning!” Bellara smiled as Rook tucked in.

“We got word from Antoine and Evka overnight,” Davrin announced.

“And another letter from Kal-Sharok,” added Harding.

“Figured we can go over everything in the library after breakfast.” Davrin concluded.

Rook opened her mouth to reply when a plate of eggs and meats was thrust unceremoniously in front of her, with just a bit more force than necessary. More suspicious still, Lucanis didn’t say a word to her - just strode back to the stove.

“Oh,” Neve said with smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes, “I knew it.”

“Knew what?” Taash asked past her eggs.

The Detective bit at a manicured nail for a beat, before musing, “Mummy and Daddy are fighting.”

“Nobody’s fighting,” Lucanis said from the kitchen a little too quickly.

Rook had gotten distracted by the opening of the Dining Hall doors. Strife was here again - All ready? - trailed closely by Emmrich. Rook felt a gut check of worry - Was something wrong with the Veil Jumpers?

“We’re fine,” she said to the others, though clearly distracted. “Everything’s fine.”

“Right, what was I thinking?” Neve teased, “This is totally normal behavior.”

“You’re here early,” Rook reached to stop Strife on his way by, “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, I never left. Everything’s fine though,” Strife said nonchalantly.

Rook squirmed awkwardly the moment Strife was out of eyeshot, earning a giggle from Harding.

“Pay up,” Neve whispered to Davrin.

“Aaah,” the Grey Warden scoffed good-naturedly, before relinquishing a trio of sovereigns to Neve.

“I’m calling it,” Rook muttered. “Today is already a wash.”

She stood and beelined for a carafe of wine. By the time she returned to her seat, Strife and Emmrich were taking their own places at the table, plates of food in-hand.

Strife looked from the carafe to Rook and back, before stabbing at his breakfast with a fork, “Day drinking? Really?”

“Yeah,” Davrin mused, before leaning to pull the carafe out of reach, “We’re just going to not.”

Rook knocked back her glass of wine before Davrin could get to that too, and gave him a Look.

She would have gotten more irritated, had it not dawned on her that having people from both sides of her life be cautious around her drinking habits was probably not the best personal indictment. (Rook, famously, could not hold her liquor to save her life.)

Any joke Rook may have had in response to her companions’ laughter was distracted by the young Crow who stepped in through the Dining Hall doors. Rook recognized him as a Fledgeling from House Dellamorte - Valentín - who seemed to have become a point-person for transporting messages between Lucanis and the Cantori Diamond. Rook guessed he couldn’t be older than fourteen.

She watched curiously from her peripherals as Lucanis met the boy by the stairs, spoke briefly, before sending him back on his way.

“They have word on Illario,” he said simply as he sat beside Rook at the table.

Rook was actually surprised he was talking with her. She nudged a cup of coffee his way for good measure.

“You up for a trip to the Cobbled Swan?” He asked her from over his drink.

Rook crooked an eyebrow, “Why Minrathos and not Treviso?”

“Probably a contract. But, also, none of our business.”

“Fair enough,” Rook conceded. “Bellara, you have some time?”

Rook’s fellow Veil Jumper smiled sweetly. Much like Emmrich, she was always just delighted to be included, “Oh, you bet!”

———————-

Within the hour, Rook, Lucanis and Bellara were traipsing through knee-high grasses in the Crossroads, toward the Minrathos Eluvian. By then, Lucanis seemed to have finally shaken off the day’s rather stressful start.

“I mean, it’s kind of impressive,” Bellara was saying, “Spite doesn’t usually seem like the type who bothers to, you know… listen to people all that often.”

“He usually isn’t,” Lucanis admitted, before teasing at Rook’s expense, “And to be fair, it’s seems less impressive when you consider the trained killer woke up in a strange place next to a body he didn’t fall asleep with. I nearly slit her throat.”

“Oh,” Bellara gaped, “My goodness.”

“I mean…” Rook side-eyed the Crow, belly churning with nerves, but unable to resist a joke anyway, “It was kind of hot, though.”

Taken completely off guard by the comment, the assassin barked, nearly choking on a laugh.

“Yeah,” Lucanis admitted quietly a moment later, his attempt to stifle a smile doing little to hide the mischief in his eyes, “It kind of was… Meirda - We are not well.”

“Heyyyy,” Bellara piped up, waving awkwardly from behind them as they laughed, “Still here, guys.”

Rook stepped through the Eluvian completely cracking up.

[felassan]

hey fel, as always i'm so appreciative of the work you do to aggregate info for the fandom! you're the first place i look for all news, and once i have disposable income i'm totally going to send you a kofi.

i've been confused by the companion classes for days and i'm hoping you can help me out—i keep seeing taash with dual wield axes, which, given information that warriors have only 2h weapon and sword and shield as weapon options, suggests she's a rogue... but that leaves only davrin as a warrior? surely not, right?? we have three mages in neve, bellara, and emmrich, and harding is of course a rogue, lucanis being a rogue would make the most sense but i'm not sure it's confirmed?, davrin has a sword and shield so he must be a warrior, and then taash....??? help have classes been confirmed somewhere i'm so confused

hello! ◕‿◕ tysm for the lovely message and feedback, and that is super kind but pls don't feel obligated to do so, it's all good either way!! We know that Bellara, Neve and Emmrich are mages. Based on DA:I Harding is a rogue. it's assumed Lucanis is a rogue and Davrin is a warrior (agreex2). Taash is assumed to be a warrior (also agree). dual-wielding as she does could easily be part of her unique skill tree/abilities or something**. also, there is this comment from Trick Weekes: "I'm a little gun-shy on confirming anything that hasn't been said officially, but please assume we would not give you a game with only one warrior companion. Somebody has to draw aggro for my Mage Rook." [source] so we will definitely not have only one warrior companion. by process of elimination as well it looks like that other warrior would be Taash. so the class breakdown seems to be:

Harding, rogue Bellara, mage Davrin, warrior Lucanis, rogue Neve, mage Taash, warrior Emmrich, mage

hope this helps. :)

** it was said in the Discord Q&A that:

Q. Will the companions have unique specializations? A. The “companions will have abilities that are truly unique to them, but also, they do fall into the archetypes of mage, rogue and warrior. For instance, because she has a bow, you might be surprised to hear that Bellara is in fact a mage, and I love that”. The bulk of the companions’ abilities are based on their own unique ‘personality’. For example, Neve is the only mage that is an Ice Mage, so she has related abilities that are distinct to her, but because she is a mage she does have access to abilities that all of the mages share, like Time Slow. The devs are really happy with this balance, a good mix of representing their archtype, their class, and also their distinct "specialization or personality, whatever you wanna call it.” “Each of these characters exists, each of these characters have a history, has a story of how they became who they were. Part of that was finding the intersection between narrative and gameplay”. They want to serve the needs of gameplay but also allow the characters to breathe as their own people both in conversations and out of conversation.

[queenmuzz]

Five Stages of Grief: Chapter II: Anger

Warning: Post Tearstone Island Spoilers

Read it HERE on Ao3

He grips the bridge of his nose to stop the impending headache.  Worry and stress have no doubt played a large huge part in it, but a lack of sleep and a diet of nothing but Lucanis’s coffee (that’s how he knows things are getting bad, when his tea no longer can sustain him) aren’t helping.  And now the rising arguments coming from his companions is making the possibility of a headache into a certainty.

There’s a loud thud that echoes through his skull as Taash pounds their fist on the table.  “This is bullcrap!  It’s been what, four days?  And we haven’t done anything to get Bellara or Rook back!”

Emmrich bites his tongue, suppressing the urge to inform her that he has read more books in the last four days, researching everything related to the Fade, its pockets, and ancient elvish history than he has in an entire year (and possibly more books than they've read in their lifetime, but he wisely bites his tongue).  Because he knows the answer to what their next question would be:  Has it helped get them back?  And the answer is a resounding no.

“Everyone is doing the best they can, Taash.”  Harding rests her small hand on the Adari’s fist, “it’s just that these things take time”. Harding has been hard at work too working her inquisition contacts to the breaking point, not to mention attempting to mediate between the ever increasing arguments that threaten to boil over anytime the group meets to update their progress.  She’s doing her best, but Harding doesn’t have the same talents as Rook, she doesn’t know when to stand firm, instead of agreeing with every idea to keep everyone happy.  It’s not something he blames her for, as if he were in her tiny shoes, he’d probably do the same.  The loss of the three has left a giant bloody wound in the group, and an infection of feverish anger is beginning to set in.  It needs to be cleansed and stitched together in order to begin the healing process, and without Rook, there is no hope of it getting better.

“There’s also the issue of Minrathous,” Neve interjects, taking her pipe out of her mouth, which Emmrich has disapprovingly noticed she’s been puffing on much more lately. “The few Shadow Dragon contacts I still have have informed me that the Venatori have drastically increased their subjection of the city, and are seemingly preparing for… something.”

“Mierde,” mutters Lucanis, but Emmrich is close enough to hear Spite raging.  “LESS TALK. MORE DOING. FIND ROOK.” He can’t disagree with that sentiment, but the problem is that no one knows where to start.  It’s just more bad news after bad news. 

“Sorry to break it to you, Neve,” Taash says as they spear a sausage from the central platter, “Minrathous is kinda not really important right now. Rivain’s in an uproar, the Antaam are running like a bull in a pottery shop… uh… wait, is that the correct term?  Anyways, if you’re outside the cities, you’re fresh meat to those bastards, and it’s only gonna get worse.”

Neve’s eyes darken as she puts out her pipe with an ices hard.  “You think MY city, which has already been attacked by a blighted dragon and taken over by the Venatori, isn’t important?”

“I’m not saying that, Neve, I’m just saying it’s not our highest priority.  We already knew the place had gone to crap way before Tearstone island.”

The air around Neve drops central degrees, and Lucanis twitches, no doubt attempting to contain a VERY agitated Spite, who is chomping at the bit to let them all know what his position on the matter is.

“TOO LOUD.  FIND ROOK”

“Even if we were to find Elgar’nan, what could we do except chuck rocks at him and insult his hairstyle?” Taash continues, as Harding attempts, and fails to shush them, “He has an Archdemon we gotta kill first, and Davrin’s not here to help.  Not to mention the whole ‘Lyrium Dagger’ thing we don’t have.”

That brings something to Emmrich’s mind.

“Wait,” he says, as he places the coffee cup down. “Bellara said Rook allowed her to make a detailed study of the blade.  And knowing how diligent she can be with ancient elvish technology, she must have made detailed notes about it.  Perhaps, if I can study them, and with enough lyrium I may be able to recreate the blade, complete with the enchantments that make it so powerful… But,” he stops himself, remembering his younger colleague, whose boundless energy to learn as much as she could, was not with him, “It would require me to go through her notes, and I don’t feel…” she’d always been welcoming to the ‘Professor’ whenever he paid her a visit, but now with her gone, the thought of entering her little workshop to look for notes makes him feel like a burglar.

“I’ll go with you,” Neve offers, her voice softening, the agitation in the room slowly settles down, as the two of them slowly get out of their chairs.

“Thank you,” he replies, and he means it.  Neve and Bellara have a very close bond, and it’s probably best that she accompanies him.  Deep down, he knows the young elf would never mind him going through his notes, and in fact would be thrilled, but he can’t seem to bring himself to do it without someone’s permission.

He barely hears Lucanis mutter as he leaves “He didn’t even take a bite of the breakfast I made him….”

-------

There is only the sound of the rustling papers as they go through stacks and stacks of notes.  The bust of Anaris sits there, silently mocking them with its smug face, and Emmrich has to resist the urge to knock it over.  His nerves must be fraying, he realizes, if he is contemplating destroying the work of a colleague.  The problem is, Bellara is a copious note taker… of EVERYTHING.  Coupled with a habit of being a little scatterbrained, and no doubt the wisps mischievously moving everything around, it’s not an easy search.  Twice, he catches himself asking,  “Bellara, where did you put those notes on Rook’s dagger?” before realizing she can’t answer.  How many times had he asked her to stop calling him ‘Professor’ and to just simply call him ‘Emmrich’.  What he’d give to hear her call him ‘Professor.. I mean Professor Emmrich… I mean, sorry, Emmrich!’ right now.

“Aha!” Neve crows in triumph, as she holds up a sheaf of papers.  He can make out a rough sketch of the lyrium blade, and squiggles that approximate writing.  She walks over and hands them to him.  His heart jumps in his chest.  Yes, with these details, his studying, and a substantial amount of precious lyrium, there was a chance he could recreate what had been lost, or rather stolen from them.  Deep inside he hopes that it could even bring back… her.

“Yes, this will do nicely…”  he murmurs more to himself than Neve.  For the first time in what feels like an eternity, he feels hope.

“I’ll need time to study this.  This will be an undertaking few, if any mortal has ever accomplished.  I don’t know how long it will take, but I will do my best."  He begins to walk out of the room, fully intending to make a beeline to his study, but Neve stills him with a gentle, but unyielding hand.

“Emmrich,” she asks softly.  “You know you don’t have to do this alone.  We know how much Rook means to you…”

He knows that she means well.  That it all comes from a place of friendship and concern.  But right now, he needs neither, nor does he need her pity.  Especially her pity.

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine.” It’s not a lie.  A lifetime in the Necropolis has given him ample opportunity to work with only the dead for company.  He can take care of himself, and he refuses to be a burden to anyone else.

“Emmrich…” she persists, and there’s pity laced in that name.  It disgusts him.

“Leave. Me. Be.”  His voice hisses like the wind that blows through the Great Hall, bringing along the grit of grave dust.  He doesn’t need anyone right now.  All he desires is the time and solitude to study and study a way of recreating Solas’s blade.  And coffee.  Lots of coffee. 

------

He storms off towards his room, leaving a very concerned Neve standing there.

The next three days consist of never ending study of Bellara’s very detailed notes, deciphering her… unique… handwriting (he’s grateful that he had so much practice during their correspondence that feels like ages ago) taking notes and coming up with, and scratching out multiple theories.  There’s occasionally a short nap (which he makes sure to wake up from before the dreams start)  and then the coffee.  And more coffee.

Any interruption, save for Manfred’s delivery of the strongest stuff Lucanis can brew, is met with a glare, as in the case of Harding, who wanted to check for a status update, or a growl, like when Neve came in to ‘helpfully’ inform him that Elgar’nan had made his move and invaded Minrathous.  None of which matters to Emmrich right now.  He’s making good progress on which enchantments need to be applied to the blade, for how long, and in which order, but it still needs time.

Johanna’s skull and the table she’s bound to are shoved in a closet.  It only took one single jab, a sarcastic ‘Oh how the mighty Volkarin is stumped by some formula created by an uneducated forest elf’, before he decided she needed to be banished from his sight and hearing, lest he do something that he would regret. He is a Watcher still, even if he is a failure at everything else, and he has a duty to protect her, even if its from himself.

Manfred is also wisely staying out of his way.  He tries his best to be helpful, bringing Emmrich books when requested, or yet another cup of coffee, but even the sound of his jawbone clacking, or his occasional hiss is enough to start a raging headache in the man.  

Day four (seven days since Zea was taken from him) of his studies, and he’s finally come across a working theory of how the blade is able to puncture through the protective enchantments of the gods.  It requires the lyrium to be both a conduit, and an inhibitor of magical energies, depending on what the balance of magic is.  If the object has more magical energy than the blade, the magic will transfer to it, leaving the would-be god, or Veil vulnerable to a mundane cutting action.  Like a drop of water being absorbed into a dry cloth.  It’s able to go the other way too, if the blade encounters something with very low amounts of magic, which may explain what happened to Harding.  But that’s not important right now.  Now, he must construct, and implement the enchantments needed to sustain said charge, and that will be the hardest part of the whole thing.  Every moment spent on a dead end, every wasted moment dozing off or even sipping his coffee is a moment he could be getting closer to bringing her back, to apologizing to her, to begging for forgiveness.

So it's no surprise that he’s less than pleased when he’s interrupted by a plate of flatbread, layered with goat's cheese and sundried tomatoes being placed in front of him.  He lifts up his head to angrily demand why Manfred should disobey his order to not be disturbed, and comes face to face with Lucanis, holding two coffee cups.

“I didn’t ask for food.”

“I know, but you must think I’m stupid to think that I haven’t noticed you haven’t come down for meals as you once did.”

“I’ve been sending Manfred to fetch meals for me,” a lie that the younger man instantly catches on to.

“The only thing he’s been asking for is yet more coffee.”  He sees Emmrich’s eyes dart immediately to the cup in his hand, and pulls it back, clicking his tongue.

“No… the only way you’re getting another cup is after you clear this plate.”

Emmrich is astounded.  Does Lucanis think he’s a child, who has to be cajoled into eating their supper?  He contemplates flipping the plate off the desk, flatbread and all, before realizing that yes, it would indeed make Lucanis think he’s a child.

It’s Spite of all people, that makes him acquiesce. “CURIOSITY IS WORRIED. WITHOUT ROOK HE IS LOCKING CURIOSITY OUT.  AND CURIOSITY CANNOT GET BACK IN”   He hears Spite’s voice, while Lucanis nods in agreement.  It’s a low move, to use Manfred’s worries as a weapon to get him to eat, but… what they say comes from a place of concern and care.  Manfred is too pure hearted to guilt him into eating, and no doubt went to a fellow spirit for aid.

He sighs, and begins to nibble the edge of the bread.  Like most of Lucanis’s cooking, it tastes divine…or at least it would if it wasn’t bringing back memories of the last time he last ate something similar to this.  He half expects Zea’s hand to snatch one of the tomatoes off the bite he's about to take, popping it in her mouth, giving him one of those grins that would immediately melt his heart, and instantly forgive her.  But no such hand, not the left one, with the calluses he knew by heart, nor the right, with the slightly shorter pinky finger, (an embarrassing accident, she had explained) appears.  So he dejectedly eats, the food tasting like ash in his mouth, and forming a lump in his throat every time he swallows.  Still he powers through, and to his eternal annoyance, Lucanis is right.  He hasn’t been eating much, and it's affecting his body and mind.  He seems more focused, the words on the page no longer running together as he attempts to read, his hands (almost) stop their trembling.

Satisfied, and more than a little smug, Lucanis sets the cup of coffee in front of Emmrich.  He mutters his thanks and begins to sip.  He really hates the taste, even under the expert brewing of Lucanis, but it’s the only way to keep going, to push the need for sleep away, to where he knows he will be beset by nightmares.

“This is the last cup I’m making you,” the assassin announces, after taking a sip of his own, no doubt to bolster his own courage. “I’m cutting you off. At least until you get a good night’s sleep.”

Emmrich is outraged.  Yet again, he’s being treated like a naughty child who has stayed up too late.

“Lucanis, you wouldn’t dare…”

“I can… and I am.”  His eyes soften.  “I’m not doing this to be cruel, Emmrich.  I of all people know what a lack of sleep can do to a person.  And I was trained for it.  You are not.”  He places his empty cup down, and places a hand on his shoulder, no doubt to offer support, but it burns, like a slap to the face. “You need to sleep.”

“It’s easy for you to say,” he shoots back, barely containing the rage boiling within him, “You have someone to go to bed with…” 

He regrets those words, even as they come out of his mouth.  Lucanis’s reaction is immediate, and yet subdued.  His eyes flash purple, and Spite lets out a single growl before it’s clamped down, and the haunting dark eyes return as the assassin regains control.

“I know you want her back, Emmrich.  Perhaps more than all of us put together.  But you cannot kill yourself to do so.   You know she would never forgive herself if you did.” 

Emmrich ought to apologize.  Andraste’s Sacred Flames, he wants to apologize for such a crass insult.  But he can’t bring himself to do it.  Not yet.  Only when she’s back in his arms, can he truly offer apologies.

“Get some sleep, Emmrich” Lucanis repeats, and it hurts that his voice doesn’t even have well deserved anger.  The man ought to be furious with him, he ought to be barely resisting the urge to slap him, but instead he slowly retrieves the plate, and begins to make his way out of the room, before stopping at the threshold.

“Once, I thought I could deal with the pain on my own.  But there was- is,” he hastily corrects himself, “a woman who helped me reach out, who opened doors.  Take the advice she once gave me, that isolating yourself will only cause you more pain.”  He vanishes, leaving Emmrich there with only a cup of coffee for company.  

Lucanis means well, he knows.  He’s trying to help.  But until he finds Zea, he cannot let up on his research.

But, his body can only handle so much before it needs more coffee, and now the only other source is the ‘coffee’ that Neve brews.  He’s not that desperate.

Yet.

[amaryllis-sagitta]

The writing the writing I need to rant about the writing

The issue with companion quests and rendezvous is that they're, to a great extent, conversational, with some very basic mechanical filler to give player the illusion that they're doing something. So the brunt of character development falls to conversations we have with them. This wouldn't be the problem if conversations themselves weren't sooo all over the place.

I wrote before that the beginning suffers from severe first draft syndrome and most conversations could have been singular lines. Early exchanges between Neve & Harding are just fluff, and taking note of their differences could have been a single line. It... gets a little better in Act 2, but it's still padded with generic conversation fillers and painfully repetitive about the only points that matter. I swear I've had so many conversations where the same expository sentence was said to me twice or thrice about 2 paragraphs apart.

It's like they want to say something, they are able to pepper in some genuinely touching moments, but then the dialogue wheel minces it all into the blandest mix of responses you've ever seen, or it unnecessarily polarizes issues that already have buildup into simplistic choices. Examples: we encourage Taash to embrace a syncretic, multicultural identity and BAM! A CHOICE APPEARS LATER that further polarizes it in a way that's totally uncalled for. We build Harding up to overcome her fawning tendencies, to embrace her anger and to let herself feel justified in it so she can handle the bond with the Stone, or we can make her feel weird and unaccepted with her new abilities - and BAM! CHOICE because what would we do without reminding survivors that compassion and forgiveness are the socially expectable ways to go? I fear Emmrich is going to feel the same, after lichdom is built up as the pinnacle of his expertise and his greatest dream, only thwarted by the terrifying risk of him permadying in the ritual (because the risk of corruption of character, like it happened to Johanna, is quickly dismissed as something OOC for Emmrich). Choices that pop up in the middle of otherwise fairly linear arcs feel manufactured.

I thought I would begrudge UI explaining to me what my choices mean, but I started to need it at times, becuse the dialogue options by themselves fail to inform me what I'm about to do half the time. I'm in romance with Neve but the only input Rook has ever given in the Flirty options was "We have problems... but we are not alone..." I have genuinely no idea what the dynamic between characters is there. According to the Character tag line, Neve has "fallen unexpectedly".

Maybe it's because Rook feels completely disjointed from whatever is happening to them. The Zara/ Illario twist almost makes them stupid on purpose because the plot can't advance yet. My Shadow Rook had nothing to add when Zara almost uttered "amatus" once before Illario choked her, no, that exposition had to happen on Emmrich's dissection table.

I also don't understand this game's urge to summarize everything for the player after the proper conversation -- not just in the UI, not in the mission quest summaries, but also in the final cutscenes in Lighthouse after most our rendezvous. These are always the most awkward, low effort reiteration of the conversation that was held minutes ago. I feel like this was supposed to be the space to form some logical conclusions, but all they do is revert whatever poignant points have been made before to very superficial takes on the problem.

I also roll my eyes on the later Lighthouse "quests" where Rook is the HR department for companions' petty grievances that can be solved by minor communication adjustments. Only the Davrin/ Lucanis conflict feels like it has any meat because it involves ambitions tied to the main quest. Taash calling the old man Skullfucker is funny but it boils down to both parties needing to be better listeners. And why would Harding and Emmrich plan a trip to Ferelden that is being consumed and ravaged by the Blight to end all Blights in real time??? Did no-one proofread this???

My point is, I wouldn't be mad if companions were generally agreeable. I love hanging out with the girlies and nonbinaries because they get along so well. The banter heard throughout the map traversal is so, so, SO much better in this regard. It's structured like relational mini-arcs that feel really satisfying to witness. The Lighthouse mini-conflicts feel manufactured in comparison.

It's like the moments that matter occasionally poke their heads above a nondescript sea of grey goo and get dragged right back down by the ugly, eldritch tentacles of filler and redundancy.

It really, really, REALLY does not defeat the allegations that some points game wanted to make through that writing were explicitly prompted as a guideline... while everything else was left to a complex form of algorithm... that combines random generation... with imitation of holistically preserved states... of complex statistical operations... done on pre-collected source material...

[stayatsam]

onto a big thing about the companions...the roleplaying opportunities for Rook as a whole in the game are super fun, very varied, and i was not expecting the sheer amount of origin-based content i was going to get out of this (if context helps i'm playing a warden mage)

the COMPANION writing is very odd in Veilguard and definitely all over the place. Davrin and Neve are my opinion the ones who most consistently feels like "this is a dragon age companion" compared to previous games, with Davrin''s conflict with Lucanis especially good

i...feel bad. i don't really like Emmrich a whole lot, i was expecting to, but he's not a dragon age character. as i've progressed his questline i'm confused as to why we're chasing this mad scientist in big steampunk goggles instead of doing what's most pressing, like fighting the blight. i feel like Sten in DAO right now: "Why are we doing side quests lets go kill the archdemon!"

his group lines boil down to "we can't do anything about the biggest blight in the world until we solve our PERSONAL problems" which almost feels like the game holding my hand TELLING me to do the companion quests. which is you know, sure! it's a game i'm going to do them, but the dialogue feels off, and his entire character is out of touch with the setting sadly. i wanted to like him but the mourn watch quests remind me of fallout 4 settlement requests. "Rook, there's another haunting on the otherside of thedas we need you to kill"

i don't really feel very strongly about Bellara, not gonna lie. i wish they gave her a little more to chew on, i feel like there's good potential there and she got the short end of the interesting-stick

Harding is a weird one. i like her as a companion, but she feels like a new character wearing scout Harding's skin. i..admittedly don't take her out a whole lot though

i like Taash lots and not just because they're trans, it's cool to get a more inside look on Qunari customs and their family dynamics. their dialogue with Lucanis is probably what makes me like both of them lots.

the thing that does kinda irk me with Lucanis and Taash though is the way Spite isn't taken all that seriously, well overall i feel like. in DA2, Anders is seen as a constant threat by the rest of the party for being possessed, but there's a scene in Veilguard where Taash talks to spite like they're talking to a bad dog and not a literal demon that wants to KILL KILL KILL. this is also why i think Davrin is one of the best written companions since he's the one who reacts as a Thedas-based character WOULD to a demon-possessed assassin. and you DO get to see the two of them make amends despite their differences. the Lucanis-Davrin relationship is well thought out in my opinion

companion writing is overall pretty weak? it's hard. i like each companion individually and don't actively dislike any of them, i'm neutral at worst on a couple. i think what made me mostly resentful was having to hear Emmrich basically summarize "we can't save the world! i'll be too distracted thinking about my mad scientist ex-colleague and everyone else's drama etc. etc." like damn

i think after playing all day today i've bumped it back down to a 7/10...i have a feeling my final rating will probably be 6/10 or stick at 7

[elcor-thespian]

The rule is for every hour I clean my house, I can spend one hour yapping about my digital children. SO:

I'm doing Rook and partner questions for each of my Rooks. One question at a time.

6) What are their favorite things to do together? Do they share any hobbies? Do they teach each other their hobbies?

Here are the couples:

Nephele Mercar (human rogue) - Lucanis

Nasreen Aldwir (elf mage) - Emmrich

Aleksei Laidir (elf rogue) - Bellara

Brenna Thorne (human warrior) - Davrin

Elspeth de Riva (dwarf warrior) - Harding

Konstantin Ingellvar (Qunari warrior) - Neve

Paloma (Qunari mage) - Taash

Nephele and Lucanis both cook, although she doesn't let him know that until they are officially together. Nephele is from Rivain and her cooking style reflects that, so they spend a lot of time experimenting in the kitchen together showing each other different recipes and techniques. Nephele has never been a good baker however, so Lucanis is trying to help her get better (it's not going well). But Nephele also sews, and she's trying to teach him and that's not going well either. She get's bored when trying to learn to knit and it doesn't make sense anyway because they live in Antiva WHEN are they going to wear all of these scarves and sweaters. Lucanis points out that she doesn't need to make her own clothes anymore either because they can pay someone to do it.

Nasreen because a rabid reader when she meets Emmrich. She's never felt one way or the other about reading, she just hasn't had consistent access to books. But she starts burning through his library and WHAT DO YOU MEAN that this isn't your full library? There's more?? As she's reading she's coming to him with questions which turn into long conversations and eventually (as she learns more) debates. What do you mean debating isn't a hobby? It is if you're doing it right. Also they both have an interest in plants, although Emmrich prefers flowers and she prefers poisonous and carnivorous plants. Nasreen also plays guitar and sings. Emmrich doesn't have any musical ability but he loves listening to her.

Aleksei is functionally illiterate which initially made him feel pretty out of his depth with Bellara. But he's not a quitter so he used it as a way to get closer to her and now they're working on hie reading and writing by writing stories together. He is however, naturally gifted in alchemy and chemistry, which is a fancy way of saying he can make shit that explodes. He also tinkers around with mechanical things. How did you think we got the gun for the Saboteur specialization? Bellara and Aleksei's first date.

Brenna and Davrin are that annoying ass couple that work out together and hike. I mean good for them. Just can't relate.

NEVER forget that Lace Harding was an official member of the Sing-quisition. NEVER. Can Elspeth sing? Not in the slightest. NEITHER of these idiots can cook, so most of the time they go out to eat and try new food in whatever city they've ended up in. Elspeth is really in to wine hand has a share in the Dellamorte Vineyards post-Veilguard (Lucanis was like, of sick, you want to take some of this responsibility off of me? Done.). She's not good at gardening (they are fighting for their life trying to keep a single succulent alive, so Lace helps with that aspect.

Konstantin is a talented charcoal artist and poet, but he absolutely does not share this. Neve finds out eventually, and shows him her doodles in her notes (you know the ones). Once he is officially assisting her detective work (He is her Watson and is THRILLED about it), he does composite drawings of suspects, sketches of crime scenes, etc. He also does a lot of reading (mostly history), and will read to Neve to help her relax.

Paloma and Taash is hard because they really are opposite people and I haven't played through the romance yet, and Paloma is the character I've played the least. Paloma and Taash do meditate together (for different reasons and with different results). I think Paloma does also get into the dragon stuff. I think it would be really hard to date Taash and not be in to dragons.

[invinciblerodent]

I'm a very decisive person and I need genuine help because I'm like. straight up unable to choose one myself 🥲

Propaganda:

Tristan is very direct and "thinks in straight lines"- he's very much an "ends justify the means" person, which both makes sense for someone who's been possessed by a spirit of Purpose since he was just 17, and will create an interesting dynamic with Solas. (Doesn't leave a lot of time for gathering relationship experience though, so he's going in blind on that front- which, the undead/necromancer thing is just...! Chef's kiss.) Cons, he's a warrior like my first Rook, and him making a key choice with this "greater good" mindset will create a similar overall game.

Coris has a very specific plan heading into the story, which she will fail spectacularly at step one by catching legitimate feelings for her target- definitely something the Crows would discourage. She's a bit less tied to the main plot, but for her worldstate I rolled a solavellan one, just to see, and rogue gameplay has been new and a lot of fun in the short segment I've played so far. (plus, there's the thought that "no one in house Dellamorte kneels", but she's a dwarf, so that's the only way she and Lucanis can actually see eye to eye, which I like a lot.) Cons, I just finished an run in which I played a female character and romanced a male one, and I kinda want some change on that front.

Marcus has a lot of gender-thoughts (he/him nonbinary), a gentle affection for the strange or macabre, and a knack for getting himself into trouble in all new, and excitingly strange ways despite meaning well. His affinity with loss and grief is also going to work really sweetly with Bellara's romance path (it'll give me a chance to stretch my philosophy muscles), and I'm kind of excited to finally try out a mage- so far mage gameplay has never jived really well with my style, but this one feels dynamic and pretty fun so far! Cons, he'll probably make a lot of the same decisions as my first character, just by virtue of being nice (and maybe even somewhat naive). (Pro, he's, like, really pretty.)

Tanner will need a severe redesign, if not a complete reroll, because I'm not really in love with the face she currently has, but I'm still a sucker for her anyway. She's 500 pounds of whoopass in a 120 pound bag, a definite knife enthusiast, and one who, in her poetry, will likely exchange imagery of rolling waves likened to the curve of a lover's hip for that of a star-filled, infinite sky like an inverse map of freckles. Cons, there's a part near the ending that is going to be really, really difficult emotionally for her story specifically, and it'll probably color the entire experience somewhat. (My partner is also planning a Harding-kisser f!dwarf for his second run after he's done with his first, Neve-kissing run, so that dings Tanner's score too.)

.... And all Verbena needs as propaganda is 1. she's a Davrin-kisser (and now that I KNOW how that goes I can get more purposeful with it for fic-fuel), and 2.

helplessly gesturing at her pretty, pretty face