#dragon age spoilers /

[cussundria-nerd-kneal]

Emmrich's got a nasty right hook and great aim for a mage hahaha!

Mages when they run out of mana 🤣

[madrabbit014]

Coming at Y'all With Another Gut Punch

Lucanis in his (Ice? Crystal?) Prison:

Also someone else has already pointed this out but Spite really did just yeet his ass outta there:

And finally, one of these days I'm gonna pause in time to get the screen shot that proves Lucanis kicks this dude so hard in the dick he gets impaled:

[ruesspam]

Spinning an idea around in my head where my shadow dragon rook after the game is like “I need to stay in Minrathous, I need to help them rebuild (and am also feeling immense guilt from saving Treviso instead of my home)”

And Lucanis is like “of course, I’ll come with you” and Rook just. Short-circuits. Because he’s the first talon! Leader of the crows! Living in a mansion!

And he’s like “wherever you go, I go”

And she’s like “but it’s Minrathous”

“I know.”

And they spend a year or so living in Minrathous, in a dingy apartment, getting it back on its feet, and Caterina definitely isn’t pissed

Eventually they’ll move into Villa Dellamorte, but they get this little apartment to themselves for a bit.

[vaguely-concerned]

the way lucanis looks over at rook when they make the connection/pick up teia's implication that the opal ring could be a message from caterina..... I stand by my assertion that I think rook showing that they're clever might make lucanis feel some type of way now more than ever fhdskjfsd

the little... disney princess ass blinks are fucking killing me

[cussundria-nerd-kneal]

THIIIIISSSSSSSS👆👆👆👆👆

Summerizes all of my thoughts. The fandom is giving the charaters more complexity and depth than the game itself did.

You know irs a freaking problem when Rook - the character who is supposed to be at the center of this heartwarming "found family" group - is more isolated and practically ostrasized than the INQUISITOR-- who had to outright tell Varric that they don't need a follow, but a friend. The Inquisitor who more than half of their companions see as more of a Holy symbol/icon than a person. Who most of the companioms see as 'The Big Boss' and treat as one (albeit a cool boss). And yet, all of those companions have a moment, in their own way, of asking after the Inquisitor. Dorian outright does, regardless if you romance him or not. Hell, even the stagnant NPCs have moments where they ask after the Inquisitor's well being!

Dragon Age has one of THE most complex world buiding and social structuring because of the world building that I've seen. And its... so god awful that they gutted all that realistic, and thought provoking nuance from it. It started in dai. Now its basically gotten erased from the narrative entirely in dav.

Just makes me sick, and angry. I know the devs did the best they could with their batshit insane company policing their every decision. But I'm still so upset.

A slightly deranged review from a long time Dragon Age fan.

What this game promised to be in terms of a Dragon Age game: - Most romantic - Offer a few key world state choices that would have great plot impact, which emphasis on wanting to give players choices that have a visual impact, not just codex. - The most complex, deep companions yet. - Choices that matter.

What I got: [SPOILERS] - The shortest, chastest romances I've ever seen, where the end goal is quite literally sex. The final romance scene is the sex scene, after you've been locked in for some time. No sex before marriage, lol. Even the shortest romance in DAI is longer than the longest romance in this game. It's probably the least sex positive game out of them all. - The only choice that has visual impact is the Solas option, and even that doesn't really give anything major. Solas has maybe one unique line? Otherwise, there is no major change. The other two choices (Did you disband the Inquisition? Did you vow to save or stop Solas?) have no difference, either. It's a matter of do you want your Inquisitor to say "comrade" or "friend." The Inquisition doesn't matter. The South gets nuked off-screen anyway. In codex. So two of the three world state choices we get are mostly represented in codexes anyway. - I have nothing against the companions in Veilguard, but to call them the most complex is somewhat... false. Solas is a complex character. Thom Ranier is complex. Vivienne de Fer is complex. Fenris, Anders, Merrill, Isabela, Morrigan, and Sten are complex characters. They are characters who contain complexities that are not easily swept away. ALL the Veilguard companions are your next door neighbors. They're normal. There's nothing wrong about that, but they don't challenge you. There's nothing to think about. Lucanis isn't going to make you seriously consider your morality, despite being the "prince" of the Crows - hired killers. Neve's standing and possible privilege as a human mage in a magocracy is never commented on. These are just two examples, but the same applies for the rest of the companions. None of them are HIDING anything. I will reiterate that there's not anything necessarily WRONG with that, but it does mean they lack the flare of drama that previous companions had that made them brain-scratchers. - Choices don't matter. No matter what Rook does or says, you're railroaded into a scrappy, heroic person who is always right. The worst thing you can do in this game is just NOT do the companion quests. - Despite being a RPG, there is no roleplaying. It's more action/adventure. But it gets a little slow in places for an action/adventure. And it doesn't have enough roleplay value to be a satisfying RPG. - Pretty much the only reason I can see replaying this game is to see the opposite city routes. You don't have to finish the game to get the full romance, either. - No lore continuity. Elves, qunari, dwarves, and humans just living in peace in Tevinter. Some fantasy where poor communities aren't racist doesn't explain this away. - Orientalism in Rivain? - Reducing what was originally a story about slave liberation and rebellion to "love and murder" over Solas' ex situationship. - The game can understand gender that exists outside a binary but somehow can't understand multiculturalism. - Why does Bellara, a Dalish elf, have white guilt?

Some disorganized additions:

- Tonal whiplash. You go from losing a supposedly beloved companion to the final romance scene (the sex scene) in the space of 5 second. - You can't speak to your companions outside cutscenes. However, you can go around the Lighthouse snooping on your companions having nice conversations amongst themselves. - Not a SINGLE companion bothers to check in on the PC even once. You played as a Grey Warden who lost Weisshaupt? No one cares. Emmrich will check in on Davrin but not you. The only point in the game where they show even a smidgeon of care for you is after the Regret Prison, but they don't actually show it. You're pulled out and it immediately cuts to a war table scene. No emotional reunions. - This is Found Family - but only for the companions. Bellara has the opportunity to see Neve as a sister figure, but not you. This could roll into the lack of roleplay value in this game, but it really adds to the lonely element of this game. - "Okay guys, we lost the big game. Let's all take a step back and do some self-care exercises." But the game is Weisshaupt and the South is getting nuked. - Characters often feel like caricatures of themselves. Oftentimes this game feels like a fanfiction of the story and characters it's representing. Some of the things the characters say are not things that normal people would say. Because Rook never builds more than an entirely superficial relationship with their coworkers, it's entirely believable that the most moving thing Rook can think to say, whenever the obligatory Sad Moment happens to a companion, is "[Insert Name Here], I'm so sorry." - You could replace the Inquisitior with a cardboard cut out and it would have more life. - We already had a story about a disapproving parent who is hurtful to their queer child with Dorian. There was a missed opportunity with Shathann to explore the Qunari's view on gender, but only the Tevinter characters are allowed to talk to Taash about different gender identities. When Shathann talks about qunari gender identity, it's oppression. This game's handle on cultural identity is awful. And then they fridged Shathann. - Did you know Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain, the ancient elven gods (we won't say Evanuris even though that's shorter and more believable to Andrastians who might balk at the idea of ELVEN gods), have escaped from their prison and are blighting the world? The elven gods escaped and they're blighting the world, because they're blighted and escaped prison and are elven gods and are blighting the world, Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain, those gods, who are elven, and escaped and are blighting the world. - This game is Young Adult. This game is YA with all the darker, grittier elements from the previous game filed away, presented as "politically correct" with "ethical piracy" with no continuity in characterization because Isabela Dragon Age 2 would NOT say any of that. It's if Genshin Impact was a Dragon Age game, complete with the canned body language (cross arms). - The villains are one-dimensional. Aelia's "Minrathous dark truth" AKA Batman villain, Butcher dies after 1 moment of glory, the Dragon King is nothing sauce, if Elgar'nan was just a little bit more intelligent he'd have just smashed that moon into Thedas and called it a day, Illario's speech is ripped right from the Lion King. Gone are the days where antagonists had complex reasons for their actions. Gone are the days where characters were put into situations were there was NO good choice for them to make and we could judge them with the nuance they deserved. - Also did you know: Whatever it takes?

On the bright side, the CC is great.

[maabelasdaruth]

"You're being grim and fatalistic in the hopes of getting me into bed, aren't you?" I tease him, knowing the words that should come next as I do.

"I am grim and fatalistic," he says so beautifully, "getting you into bed is an enjoyable side benefit.'

It's exactly as rehearsed and I have my counter sentiment, translated into elven already.

"Telanadas. Mana amelin in bella'vunin."

(Nothing is inevitable. There is hope in everyday.)

I let the ancient elven echo in the space between us, seeing how his eyes flash at the sound of his native tongue. The look of loving and longing on his face is mixed with pain and unspoken regrets as he stares in wonder at my statement. Though his trademark paternalistic condescention begins to creep into his face the longer I let his thoughts run without interruption.

Finally, I ask my question.

"Which is it ma lath, banal nadas o nadas'shivanas?'

(Which is it my love, no fate or the fate of duty?)

The poorly covered surprise and sudden suspicion in his face as he stares at me makes me realize I may have pushed too far with this one. I could have made a joke about coming back to bed for an enjoyable night with me tonight. But I wanted to push him, wanted to show him that I see him. Wanted to get closer to the truth even if it hurts. I still could pivot back to fliriting but I don't want to yet. In the discomfort of the moment I can feel his growing uncertainty underneath all our lies and I hope it is not just a projection of my own.

"Ameli na shirala bana'asal," He speaks finally as he tucks a piece of hair back behind my ear, I lean into his touch.

(Hope is found with great difficulty.)

As he says it I realized his nickname for me has simply been the noun for my name. In the small moments of the night when he kisses my lips and cheeks and body and calls me, ma lath, ma vhenan, ma Ameli... My love, my heart, my hope...

"As difficult to find as it may be, hope never truly abandons you," I speak it like a vow as I interrupt the wanderings of his mind, "I'm a sucker for the dark and brooding type anyway so there's no need to decide today."

Fate and duty. Love and hope. I was the one who wanted a romance for the ages after all. I pull closer to him, pressing my body against his I reach up on my tippy toes and nibble on the bottom of his left ear.

"There's always tomorrow," I whisper into his ear, "and after an enjoyable night together I find my mind much clearer."

Or I'm just deeper bought into the lie of this? It is truly clarity or a tunnel vision that comes over me with the fading of everything else in the world beyond the two of us— It's a pleasure and a pain in every kiss, knowing that I have choosen this. Knowing that I actively choose this path. Knowing that everyday I continue to choose him. Knowing that no matter what I do, no matter how much I want him to choose me too; I have no control over his choices.

He may still choose duty over love.

I can only do the best I can. As I look up into his eyes so full of love and lust, I can only hope it's enough.

Telanadas. Mana amelin in bella'vunin.

(Nothing is inevitable. There is hope in everyday.)

[eurodynamic]

"You like to walk a little too close to the edge..." "So do you."

LUCANIS DELLAMORTE ❤️‍🔥 Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024)

[fanfoolishness]

Just losing my mind at the implications that the companions have all been trying to help Rook grieve Varric, and Rook doesn’t know

Emmrich, wise and long-familiar with grief, being told by Neve and Harding what happened; understanding why sometimes he overhears Rook’s muffled voice in the Infirmary, talking to no one. He takes Rook to the Memorial Gardens and mentions he talks to his parents, thinking Rook might be comfortable with the same. Rook lights candles and rings bells but Emmrich watches, sorrowed, to see Rook still seems in deep denial.

Neve takes Rook to the Wall of Light; a Shadow Dragon Rook knows just what this means but any Rook can understand the solemnity, the power of remembrance. Neve reenergizes Brom’s light and looks to Rook, hoping Rook will mention wanting to make one for Varric. Rook is kind and comforting to Neve, but Neve is lost in wondering why Rook doesn’t take the chance to open up. She can’t figure it. Maybe Rook just can’t face it, not yet. Maybe Rook does something privately. She isn’t sure but it nags at her.

Davrin’s not big on talking about feelings. He’d rather just move on. But he sees the way Rook seems a little hollow sometimes, a little distant; he sees how Rook takes so quickly to Assan. “Hey Rook,” he says, and invites them to come with him and Assan to safe places in Arlathan, where the woods are clean and green and growing, where real sunlight dapples through the trees. Rook always seems to love these outings, seems lighter afterwards. But Davrin feels a little confused in that Rook never seems to realize the outings are mostly for them.

Taash is another person not big on feelings. But they know how much feelings can twist you up and mess with your head. When Lace tells them about Varric they feel badly for Rook, and think to how they feel when they’re struggling. Epic fights, dragon fights, drinks with the Lords. Taash is perfectly capable of doing all that on their own. But maybe bringing Rook along will help get them out of their head a little bit. Does it help? Taash isn’t sure.

Bellara’s double-versed in grief after what happens to Cyrian. Rook helped her through trying to reach him, and Bellara wonders, in her own pain, if she can help Rook a little bit too. Especially if Rook is elven, teaching Rook about the braziers and the challenges is another tool she can share about her or their people, another way that might help Rook with their grief. Neve’s told her that the Wall of Light didn’t seem to help Rook much, but maybe a different funeral tradition could help them instead. Rook helps her light the braziers and Bellara feels her heart lightening, though she wonders at Rook, who seems more moved by Bellara’s reactions than anything else.

Lucanis is nearly as allergic to dealing with feelings as Davrin is, but he immediately clocks how Neve and Harding are acting, and asks what happened before he joined them. They tell him about Varric and that they’re worried about Rook, that Rook seems to just be shoving those feelings down without dealing with them. Lucanis is no stranger to that, but while it’s fine for him, he doesn’t want to see someone who risked their life to save him share that struggle. He brings Rook to Caterina’s funeral planning to show Rook it’s okay to admit the loss and honor it. When that doesn’t seem to make a dent, he falls back to his standard - lavish meals, small gifts, coffee. He knows it would help him. He just wishes it helped Rook too.

Lace hurts the worst after losing Varric and Lace is where Solas’ magic comes the closest to faltering. Rook can see Lace is down, she’s quiet, she’s afraid after what happens with the gods escaping; but Solas’ magic holds and Rook can still never see quite why. Lace would love to sit over drinks one night and share stories about Varric, but she sees that Rook doesn’t seem ready, and she doesn’t want to push. Instead she writes letters to Ma, to the Inquisitor, to Cassandra, to Aveline, maybe even to Hawke. She writes out her stories with Varric’s old quill and she carries a bolt of Bianca with her. A dozen times she goes to talk to Rook about him, and when she tries Rook turns away or changes the subject. It hurts, but Lace knows she can’t make Rook talk about him, and she hopes in time it will get better.

This just absolutely crushes me the more I think about it 😭

Edit: Varric’s death is Rook’s personal companion quest every other single companion tries to help them with, and can’t 😭😭😭

[lunammoon]

After much self reflection I have realized that the character I am asking for is "Merril crossed with Bellara and Emmrich"

I stand by what I said. But I know what I'm asking for clearly now.

A part of me kind of wishes that Solas didn't turn out to be Fen'harel. bc the guy Solas pretended to be is SO much more fascinating to me personally as an enjoyer of deeply strange little guys than the truth.

Like, when the explanation for why he's like that is "Oh he's immortal. He lied about seeing things in the Fade. He was actually there. He's a figure that the Dalish consider a trickster God" it just makes me go "oh.ok then."

He would be far more interesting if he still did everything that he did, maybe even trying to tear down the veil but he was still Just A Guy. Maybe he's an agent of Fen'harel. Maybe it's like Morrigan and Mythal.

Whatever. I wish he had been a normal elf because "guy who loves to explore the land of dreams and only travels the real world because if he doesn't his dreams will be boring" is such a FACINATING concept for a type of guy to me. Like when I first played the game (bc i managed to play the game for the first time in 2024 without getting spoiled at all) I heard him say that and was like "Wow. That's so interesting! That sounds like something that would happen." Another absolutely fascinating aspect of his character is the whole "learns about historical events from the POV of spirits" because like, spirits can change nature based on what people know about them right? so i was always thinking like "well how can you trust that you're getting an unbiased opinion" but the answer is obvious he can't, but neither can you really trust the living.

This point would hit twice as hard after the reveal about the first Inquisitor too.

[ninawolv3rina]

[gwinaesfer]

"The Veil Guard didn't actually care about Rook" the Veil Guard was so desperate to get Rook back from the prison they tried to make a ritual dagger of their own to rip the Veil apart and look for them

Rook wasn't their boss, Rook was their home

[houndvoice]

I am sure this has been done somewhere before but I drew it just in case

Bonus: Rook immediately before ripping up all the couch cushions in a panic

[cussundria-nerd-kneal]

This is interesting! Been listening to Epic lately and of wished there were Dragon Age x Epic content. A few points I think reach a bit... especially sinxe Epic! The musical and the actual Odessy are very different. I don't think Solas' story is purposefully inspired by Ody's journey... but Western culture is saturated, founded, and built upon the themes and stories of Greek myths. All stories are inspired from other stories.

Solas = Odyssesus?

I only know the Odyssey through the Epic musical, but as I was listening to it it kept sounding more and more like Solas?

A man reluctantly leaves his home (Ithaca/the Fade) and his family (Penelope/Spirits). He believes in kindness, mercy and second chances.

He is guided by an incredibly powerful goddess (Athena/Mythal) and attempts to win a war through intelligence and subterfuge (Trojan Horse/Lyrium Dagger).

He goes against the goddess' guidance and shows mercy (Cyclops/Elvhen Rebellion), but the goddess refuses to accompany or help him further.

He becomes desperate to go home, growing less and less convinced of goodness, kindness. He stops showing mercy (Sirens/Spirits of Chaos and Destruction).

He reaches a point of no return in which he sacrifices the lives his own people (Odysseues' Crew/The Veil).

Upon returning home (Ithaca/Modern Thedas) he discovers that it has changed, his family (Penelope and Telemachus/Elves, Mages and Spirits) threatened by violent men (Suitors/The Chantry, The Qun, Tevinter Slavery, Poverty).

He (attempts to) kill (Suitors/Tearing down the Veil) in cold blood to protect his family, refusing to show mercy because he believes the world is too hostile for kindness to prevail. He hopes the future (Telemachus/Tearing down the Veil) will be kinder so that men like him will no longer be necessary.

Other plot points that didn't fit both of the overarching plots:

The goddess (Athena/Mythal) attempts to convince the other gods (Greek Pantheon/Evanuris) to side with him.

His second in command (Eurylochus/Felassan) is his rock, but his mistrust of the world leads him to withold information, leading to the breakdown of the relationship and an eventual betrayal.

I don't know, I thought it was interesting. Maybe it was intentional, maybe someone else has pointed it out, but I haven't seen anything suggesting that so here's my input!

[herssian]

did they intend to give solas and rook three times the chemistry they gave solas and lavellan in the base inqusition game or am i witnessing the funniest possible thing bioware could've done

[ruesspam]

An idea that’s in my head constantly is my shadow dragon Rook and Neve having their big head to head after Rook saves Treviso

Rook gives her space for the most part, and lets Neve make little comments about Minrathous, because that’s a fair reaction. Her home was just attacked and a fellow shadow dragon didn’t help! She saved a different city altogether!

Then it gets to a point where it can’t be avoided any longer, and if they’re going to fight the gods, they need to communicate. Rook shows up in Neve’s room like “okay. Let’s talk.” and gives her reasons for saving Treviso. “The crows had just lost their talon. Their military is weaker than Minrathous, Minrathous is more well fortified…”

Eventually, Neve says, “Look. Reason with yourself all you want. Don’t try to make me believe it, just because you’re in love with Lucanis—”

Rook is shocked. ��Look. I get that I made a painful choice. But if you think that I put the lives of people, people I love and care about, on the line for the chance to, what? Be with Lucanis?”

And afterwards, Neve is like “I know you’re better than that. It was an impossible choice to make. I’ll try to forgive you.”

And it still takes work and plenty of time, and Rook dedicates a lot of time after the gods have been dealt with rebuilding Minrathous, but eventually I’d like to think they end up really close and always there for each other.

(Plus, added angst from Rook wanting to be with Lucanis, but feeling like she’s betraying the dragons or proving Neve right, thus enhancing the slow burn? I need my phone taken away)

[warden-anders]

i do love that the first thing lucanis does when he arrives is make a grocery list. then he cleans the kitchen, sets the table, and starts the kitchen fire. then he goes to the market and gets everyone a personalized Little Treat. then he gets his Own little treat in the form of a coffee. then he just stuffs himself into an actual cupboard and broods. he just hangs out there. in the dark. im obsessed with him. this man was imprisoned for the past year with nothing but a literal demon for company and his first instinct is to care for and feed the party. his second instinct is to be emo. iconic behavior.