#dragon age veil

[arduousflame]

Perrepatae’s Vintage

Please also read a short Part 2.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Viago bit off the cork of the vial with practiced movements. The acrid smell hit hard as he poured the liquid over the gash on Rook’s arm, the wound bubbling instantly with a whitish foam as it reacted to the poison’s residue. Illario. Will. Pay. Rook flinched, her breaths shallow and erratic, her body twisting where she lay in Teia’s lap.

Pain. NO AIR. Help. Rook!

Lucanis could only watch, helpless, as Viago yanked open a second vial. "Dammit, Gwynn, drink!" he cursed, tipping it to his Crow’s lips. Rook choked, spilling the precious antidote between coughs, fighting those who were trying to save her. Teia tried to steady her, holding her head as Viago tried to pour the antidote down her throat.

-------

It had been a dirty fight. Illario’s treacherous coup to seize the First Talon’s seat erupted into chaos—a fierce clash of Crows against Venatori. It wasn’t unexpected. They had come prepared, armored and ready, after Viago and Teia’s missive. Yet, Lucanis had held onto a shred of hope—that the past year of betrayal hadn’t been Illario’s doing. A shred that was torn to oblivion once they had found Caterina alive and as well as can be as a hostage in her own home.

Rook had been quick on her feet, as always. Her magic humming beside Lucanis as she darted in and out of the fray. She kept the Venatori occupied, leaving him to cut them down one by one. But somehow, Illario had slipped through the chaos, exploiting her unguarded left side while Lucanis was locked in battle with a Venatori magister. She was no trained fighter. A Crow in name only, some would whisper. Yet she had proven she could hold her own in the past few months, with Lucanis at her back.

It had been no more than a shallow nick. But with Illario’s blade poisoned, it didn’t need to be more. Viago’s concoctions were nothing short of deadly—undetectable until the damage took hold. Even for one who spend considerable time in House de Riva where paranoia and poison reigned. No healer’s magic could counteract it without antidote, once it spread through the blood, attacking the heart and lungs.

Viago had named this particular poison Perrepatae’s Vintage, its lethal effects compounding the longer it lingered in the victim’s system. Years ago, he had called it his masterpiece—a special commission from the First Talon herself for her mage-killer grandson. Lucanis knew its power too well. Even he hesitated to use it. Death by this poison was no simple mercy but a brutal struggle to breathe and live. A death even Venatori did not all deserve. Something even Viago would reluctantly admit.

Lucanis had always ensured his own vials were accounted for, keeping them close on his person. None had gone missing. Which meant Illario must have gotten his dose from Viago’s backup stash. Whether through thief or traitor, Viago would have to uncover that answer later. The Fifth Talon would not show mercy on the Crow who had betrayed House and Talon.

Rook hadn’t realized she was poisoned. She wouldn’t have connected the subtle tremble in her hands or her magic depleting faster than normal. Fatigue from battle, she’d have told herself. The shortness of breath and heart pounding in her chest? Adrenaline, nothing more.

She wasn’t a fighter by nature. Drawn into the Crows to settle a debt at an age most already went out on their first contracts. Her skills lay in subterfuge, intrigue and forgery, not with blade or staff. But the months spent in skirmishes against the Evanuris had hardened her into a viable spellblade.

The battle ended with Illario on his knees, defeated. As he was dragged away, Lucanis was declared First Talon. There should have been relief, even triumph, as the inner circle retreated deeper into the villa to celebrate.

But then Rook collapsed, her legs giving out as she gasped for air her lungs could no longer hold.

Teia reached her first, her frantic hands trying to steady her. Viago arrived moments later, biting back a sharp reprimand for her carelessness—until his sharp eyes caught the oil-like sheen glistening on the gash in her arm. That unmistakable sign.

Lucanis met his gaze, their silent understanding instant and grim.

Mierda, Rook.

-------

Spite bristled at the edges of Lucanis’ mind, seething. He fought to stay in control, to suppress the urge to turn and crush Illario’s throat. A hesitant touch on his arm steadied him. Bellara stood beside him, worry in her eyes. "Is she going to be okay?"

Viago’s reply was clipped. "Not yet."

Teia’s hands trembled as she stroked Rook’s hair, whispering soft reassurances in Antivan. Bellara’s confusion mirrored Spites’ rising frustration. "Why isn’t the antidote working? Were we too late?" Rook. In PAIN. Stop. Pain. HELP ROOK!

Lucanis pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing deeply, forcing calm into his voice. "Because sometimes the cure is worse than the poison."

Bellara tensed, her grip on his arm tightening. He didn’t know if she sought to steady him or herself.

Rook's writhing gradually slowed, her coughing and gasping subsiding. At last, she seemed to relax. Bellara let out a sigh of relief beside Lucanis, but he remained tense, unwilling to let his guard down just yet. “Oh thank..” Bellara breathed. Just then Rook’s breathing stilled altogether.

With this, the waiting game started.

Teia ran her fingers through Rook’s hair over and over. "Come on, come on now, Gwynn." The worry in Viago’s voice cut through the silence, his quiet plea making Lucanis’ heart falter his chest. “Not like this, you idiot. Not now. Breathe., damn you..”

Seconds dragged by, each one marked by the frantic rhythm of his own heartbeat, while hers remained unyielding, unmoving. It was taking too long.

"Viago..." Lucanis started, stepping forward and shrugging off Bellara’s hold on his arm. But the Fifth Talon was already moving. After a brief nod, Viago sprang into action. With a firm but gentle motion, he eased Rook out of Teia’s lap, laying her fully flat on the ground beside him.

Viago moved closer, placing one palm firmly on her chest, the other interlocking on top. His lips moved in a muttered count as he began the compressions, his movements precise and unwavering. Teia scrambled back to make room. Bellara now reached to find her and clung to the Crow with tears in her eyes.

Lucanis knelt down, taking the spot across from Viago. He forced himself to focus, to suppress the rising dread threatening to overtake him. All the while Spite remained silent. A silence that only deepened his unease. He tilted Rook’s head back with practiced care.

As Viago paused, Lucanis leaned in, sealing his lips over Rook’s to breathe life back into her. Please, come back. A first breath, her chest rose faintly. A second, but the stillness persisted.

“Damn it.” Viago resumed the compressions, his jaw clenched tight, the force of his efforts enough to bruise her ribs. This made both men flinch, but Viago did not hold back. A third breath. A fourth. Still, nothing. Panic flickered in Viago’s eyes, mirrored in Lucanis’ own.

They were losing her.

Viago paused again, his shoulders heaving with exertion. Lucanis didn’t hesitate, bending down once more to breathe for her. Just as despair began to claw at him, a faint shiver rippled through Rook’s body.

Then, a cough. A desperate, gasping breath.

“Maker.” Relief crashed over them like a wave. Viago sagged back, as he sat beside Teia, who dropped down with him. Lucanis barely registered the tears in her eyes as he pulled Rook close, murmuring softly.

"It’s okay, Rook. You’re okay now. I’ve got you."

[doctor-aceus-art]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Video Game), Dragon Age - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Rook/Emmrich Volkarin Characters: Rook (Dragon Age), Emmrich Volkarin Additional Tags: Trans Male Character, Trans Rook (Dragon Age), Fluff, How Do I Tag, Comfort No Hurt, Comfort Reading, Mourn Watcher Rook (Dragon Age), Elf Rook (Dragon Age), Making Out, Top Surgery Scars, Body Hair, Age Difference Series: Part 2 of Salvus/Emmrich Fics Summary:

Salvus and Emmrich need to face some of their own insecurities to move some steps forward in their relationship. Will they be able to do that? (Spoiler: they will, this is comfort no hurt after all xD)

[cussundria-nerd-kneal]

I still think he wanted to know more about the Veil. He may have created it, but its creation was an accident. He only meant to create a Prison to cut off the Evanuris from tbe rest of the world. He had no idea his ritual would stretch across the ENTIRE world and split it half, making the Fade, and Material world seperate entities.

He needed to research what he actually created. Like, YES to everything on what OP meantioned, that was also a big part of his researching... but it was never suposed to function the way it does. So, in that case, what did he do wrong, what did he do to cause its creation, and how DOES ot function?

Solas whole Veil Specialist act in Inquisition kills me for real. He spends the entirety of the game deflecting like "Yes the Veil I spend nearly all my time studying the Veil, such a mysterious thing full of mystery" when he doesn't have to learn shit about it, being the one who has created the whole thing in the first place. No, what he is studying when he orders 10000 books about the Veil is 1. how his actions affected the world 2. how people across the ages have interacted with the Veil 3. the state of the Veil now after he messed up with Corypheus and 4. where he'll go from there.

[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

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

Viago, when playing as Rook De Riva: you IDIOT you were my favorite fledgling why did you have to make a mess of this now I have to jump through all these convoluted hoops to keep you safe. Teia stop telling Rook how much I missed them it's not funny they could have DIED. also your room is exactly the way you left it please come home

Strife, when playing as Rook Aldwir: Why hasn't this weird bug i kicked out of our camp ages ago died yet :|

[skelebellie]

the “and now, i die.” line from rook during weisshaupt is one of the funniest lines in the game because it represent how much they are that guy (tm) that just showed up. they know how ridiculous it is that their trying to fight an elven vape cloud god and it’s neo pet. they just are like “well fuck it, we ball”

[cussundria-nerd-kneal]

I've literally thought the same thing. Its going to be bad if the Veil is RIPPED down, the shock would catastrophic to the world as Thedas knows it. But what it could be altered? Changed? What if there was a way to have it slowly fade away so that the transition from Material and Fade isn't so traumatic, bit more gradual?

I would have loved to truly debate the issue with Solas more, and the more conversations Rook has had with others (Morrigan, Emmrich, The Mourn Watch, hell-- The Veil Jumpers) the more dialogue paths you can navigate through with Solas. And through that, you can actually try to disuade him from ripping the Veil.

It just feels... so stagnant and stifling to only say "you're wrong" and never explore the morality of the situation at all. The Veil IS harming the world, that much is undeniable. But Solas' way is not the answer. But killing him/binding him to it shouldn't be the only answer either.

The Veil and the Ad Hominem Fallacy

While there are many things I love about Veilguard, the way the Veil was dealt with was definitely a weak point. We know the devs were worried that people sympathized too much with Solas' goals; hence the choice to have him kill Varric. But I think this demonstrates a misunderstanding of the reasons why people liked and sympathized with Solas.

In previous games, we were shown that the Veil has consistently harmed spirits, mages, and (arguably) elves - three groups who are systematically oppressed and/or have their personhood erased in Thedas. And in Inquisition, Solas was the only person who stood up for spirits, and among one of the most vocal supporters of mage freedom; he was also (albeit inconsistently) critical of the ways elves have been treated throughout Thedosian history. So people who sympathized with those three groups were naturally inclined to have at least some sympathy both for him personally and for his plans regarding the Veil (of course pending further details, since Trespasser was pretty vague about this). It's not the case that people agreed with him blindly because they liked him or because they romanced him; they liked him because they agreed with him, at least about the harms the Veil was inflicting on vulnerable groups. The use of Cyrian as a metaphor is also telling here. Anaris is clearly intended a parody of Solas, and so the mask which makes Cyrian feels Anaris' emotions seems to be intended as a critique of people who sympathize with ancient elven gods due to empathizing too much with them. But again, this is a misunderstanding. People didn't sympathize with Solas' goals just because they think he's tragic, they sympathized for actual reasons based on the canonical evidence for the Veil doing harm.

Having Solas kill Varric was therefore not a good way of addressing this issue, because Solas' personal character and methods are completely irrelevant to the question of whether the Veil should come down or not. The same goes for showing that Solas is largely motivated by regret, or that he often gets his plans wrong - all of this is a classic ad hominem fallacy. Perhaps these things might serve to convince us that it is not a good idea for Solas to take down the Veil by himself, but none of it is relevant to the question of whether the Veil should in fact come down.

The right way to address this issue would have been to actually address the arguments for it! Allow Solas to articulate the fact that the Veil harms spirits, mages and (perhaps) elves. Allow him to tell us what he believes Thedas would look like after the Veil came down. Allow Rook to discuss Solas' claims with knowledgeable people like Emmrich and Morrigan, and assess their validity. Perhaps even allow Rook to talk with the Mourn Watch, the Veil Jumpers and so on about other possible ways to mitigate the harms that the Veil does. Give Rook a chance to convince Solas himself that there are other options!

I'm not saying that the Veil should have come down. There's no canonical answer to the question of whether that would have been a good outcome, since we got no concrete details at all on what Thedas might look like if it did. Nor do I necessarily think that would have been a better story. But I do think the game we actually got would have been strengthened if they'd trusted players a bit more and allowed us to explicitly contemplate the morality of the Veil, and to seek alternative ways of solving the problems it causes.

[hrtiu]

Me until Veil Guard comes out

[mostwantedpotato404]

Queen Taash

PRINT

[shewolfofvilnius]

something i don't think gets talked about NEARLY ENOUGH regarding Dragon Age: Veilguard: If you pick certain options and let enough banters play out, MULTIPLE companions will for all intents and purpose signal their plan to change factions post-game.

Taash can become an honorary Antivan Crow and seems to be legit into the idea by game's end (also Harding like the cape). Like, if they were a returning companion in DA5 I could EASILY see them having joined up (or at least become associated).

Bellara can flat out ask Neve to join the Shadow Dragons. (edit: OR apparently can ask to join the Mourn Watch?!?!)

Davrin can signal he's planning to spend a LOT of time with the Veil Jumpers and the griffons once this is all over (and a big part of his banter sequence with Bellara AND his tertiary content with Rook involve his realizing that the Veil Jumpers' aims are different than the Dalish he grew up with).

Like, that's FANTASTIC. No one is ever permanently any one thing, and I love the idea of some of the companions realizing "hey, actually, this works better" and they've built those connections and networks and so hey, Antivan Crow Taash? Sure, Teia will make them a cape. Shadow Dragon Bellara? Hey, they took the ex-templar Rana, they'll easily take her. Etc.

[nadas-dirthalen]

This complete dissection of triangles made me think of valasslin and where triangles show up in some (not all!) valasslin. And, my friends — I dove too deep.

Walk with me.

I was looking at this picture of Bellara, right?

And I was trying to figure out her valasslin, what it could be. Well, I think, right away, I see Dirthamen. That design on her forehead, to me, looks like two ravens sitting opposite a "third eye." (Forgive the terrible phone-drawing, okay.)

See? Birds. But also, that close, under the branches? Triangles. And under those? Diamonds.

That's what got me thinking about triangles, diamonds, the Veil, and the Fade. All from the above post.

Now, I won't repeat the analysis of the above post (read the whole thing! It's good!) but suffice it to say: I think this valasslin is telling us a story. Namely, Dirthamen is on one side of the Veil — and it's not the Fade side. It's our side, the waking side. (Because triangles in the middle, Dirthamen above, diamonds — the Fade — below).

I think the message to be taken from this valasslin, if there is one, is: Dirthamen is on the waking side of the Veil, and he is watching.

This intrigued me so much, I thought I'd take a peek at my Inquisitor's Dirthamen valasslin. Now, bear with me: the screenshot I used is from That Crestwood Scene, don't judge. It's one I had on hand. (Don't judge the penmanship either, just keep walking with me, that's it.)

For starters, I am interpreting this valasslin as a raven flying down the elf's face. Its beak is on the tip of the nose. Its wings span the cheekbones. Its tail feathers fan out on the forehead, as part of what's inside that (broken) ring. If there is a "third eye" (we'll get to that), it's on the chin.

Once again I'm talking about triangles and diamonds. On the ring that's on the forehead, there is a very notable line of triangles surrounding that (broken) ring. To me, this could symbolize the Veil. And inside the ring? Diamonds, again. To me, this symbolizes that the Fade is inside the ring, which is the Veil.

And the raven is breaking free. Breaking the circle, flying downward.

Now look close. There's a triangle on each wing. There's a triangle in the beak.

And, on the chin, where I haven't written anything? The largest triangle of all is at the bottom of the face, resting under that third eye. Potentially pushed down by it — or, in my interpretation, pushed outward by Dirthamen's magic/wisdom.

To me, these two valasslin tell a story. The Inquisitor's valasslin is its first chapter: Dirthamen breaks free of the Fade. Bellara's is the second: Dirthamen roams the waking world, and he is watching.

Honestly, the fact that Bioware have explicitly said Bellara is a knowledge seeker, regardless of if that knowledge comes from the Evanuris, makes me wonder about this theory even more.

Bellara is a knowledge seeker. She wants to find out what's true, what's not; she wants to find the pieces of who the elves used to be and really understand what their story was, where they came from [...] but also to maybe find a little bit more of who they used to be. Because again, you're dealing with these elves that were around millennia ago that have now reemerged into the world, and who better to teach her who the elves used to be than them.

I'd love to know if any others agree! I'm relatively new here, so if I'm missing lore of any kind, please let me know!

All Frescos: Symbols in Dragon Age Art (Part 1)

When is a triangle not a triangle?

So….Tevinter Nights!  Still reading it, but you know me and maps.  I kind of like them.  And while the book’s map is short on details, it had one very interesting image that caught my eye.  

Let me zoom in a bit for you.

What an interesting depiction of the Veil!  Complete with spikey projections!!  Then I thought…we’ve seen those triangles before. Here they are clearly labeled as a visual representation of the Veil.  And if they represent the Veil between the Fade and the Mortal World then…

….it is very likely that they mean the same thing here.  

So this image may well be meant to show Solas creating the Veil.  

Now that alone might not be groundbreaking.  I think many of us thought that the triangles could represent magic or the Fade, but it seems to be more specific than that.  These triangles are the Veil in Solas’ art.  

Taking this as a working theory, then some interesting tin-foil hat analyses of the his other frescos is possible.  Here is what I am thinking:

Keep reading

[nerd-elf]

I really wish Lucanis listened to Spite sometimes

[requiemforthestars]

I cannot help but feel very sad that Bellara and the Veil Jumpers are out there discovering ancient elven artifacts and playing with them meanwhile Merrill was SO punished by the narrative for wanting to do the same

[karawek]

Veil Jumper 🤸‍♀️

[cussundria-nerd-kneal]

Askin the real fucking questions here.

The point about there being Rifts outside of Southern Thedas-- YEAH! Why did the Inquisitor never travel to the other areas?? I'm sure Nevara, Antiva, the Andrfells, ect would have been crying out for this miraculous Rift Closer to come help out their areas?? It's one of the biggest plot holes in DAI for me, is there was seemingly no reason why the Anchor could have gone out of control as fast as it did. I totally thought in my first playthrough that the reason why the magic kept growing was because in the 2 years after the main game, the Inquisition HAD visited the other countries, and the Ibquisitor close their Rifts. So... there was no other way for the Inquisitor to use the magic within the Anchor. It came as a huge shock when I learned that wasn't the case, and I just sat there like "HUH?????" Like. Sure, the Inquisiton can hang up their official mantle, but they should still be traveling to the other countries??? Inky's job of being Professional Veil Repairer wasn't truly done? If the Anchor was flaring up that bad, you'd think Josephine and Leliana would scramble to get the dying Inquisitor over to a Rift so they could quell the Anchor, expend the magic, keep their friend alive, ect. The Inquisitor was seriously set for a long endeavor to travel around the world. I can understand why Solas would still take the Anchor from the Inquisitor, nip that problem in the bud, and keep the Veil as damaged as possible so it wouldn't be as big of a headache to tear it down-- but the sole reason being to save the Inquisitor from dying? Because they closed all the Rifts in Southern Thedas? When we haven't even touched upon the rest of the world!

Bioware really shot themselves in the foot with how important they made the Inquisitor's story. The Warden and Hawk both had their stories wrap up nicely, they both felt like proganists, but they aren't the most important person to walk Thedas levels of main character, right? We've still got NPCs running around in the background that could take up that spot. But the INQUISITOR? The "Herald of Andraste?" The bearer of the Anchor? The Closer of the Breach? The Maker's Voice? The Survivor of the Conclave? Hooolllyyyy nut balls, is Inky giving off MASSIVE main character vibes. ESPECIALLY if you also romance Solas-- AN ELVAHN GOD. An individual so amazing, that she caught the eye and earned the affection of an ancient enity! The Inquisitor is border-line a Mary Sue! But, of course, through the course of DAI, we get see why the Inquisitor isn't, and we get to see their struggle- come to a abrupt, climatic cliffhanging close. Story wise... it made no sense to start a new PC when our Inquisitor was still kicking, and being active in the world, and chasing after Solas. It's so jarring. There was still a well spring of content they could have expanded on with the Inquisitor. Traveling to the other countries to help out with the Rifts was the BIGGEST one.

Heck, it could have also explained why it took them 10 years to find Solas! Cause they were busy closing Rifts still tearing the world apart! It was such an easy way to expand upon the world outside of the South!

Veilguard could have really expanded upon this, we could have travelled to these new lands and interacted with the people sufferimg from these Fade Rifts, spoken with the Inquisitor, game planned with the Veil Jumpers (who I could see comimg about in actuality by crazy nut jobs just... jumping INTO the Rifts themselves, and finding ancient relics and the rest is history). Veilguard could have told the history of the world through traveling to these new countries, because YEAH. THE TITANS!

It's kinda implied they were everywhere, and not just a localized entity? But it would have been really cool to get subtle answers to these world building questions! And how do these different areas react to Spirits? The Fade? How far reaching does the Veil go? Its still implied that the Veil isn't special to just one local, but it covers the whole world. Every culture will take a natural event and react to it different, after all. Nearly every culture has a Trickster God, but every culture has them behave slightly differently. Every culture tries to explain Earthquakes, but every single one will come up with different answers. What are the other countries answers to the Veil? To their Rifts? To the Blight?

I don't know, Bioware literally created a world that could rival Game of Thrones with it's level of world building and social machinations... Its why Veilguard is such a sad tale in it's creation. I want all the lore in Dragon Age. I want to explore every corner within Dragon Age. I still have so many questions ... but alas. I doubt we're ever going to know. Even the hope of the writers expanding upon the lore through official published books is now off the table. We're never going to get an answer to these questions.

The thing about there being continents outside of Thedas that fascinates me is not the 'oncoming storm' or the 'executors' or whatever. It's more.

Look. There are things happening in southern Thedas alone during the course of our games which should have huge consequences (and which DATV should have touched on really). I'm not talking politics here I'm talking the rifts; which Leliana confirms in banter are happening outside of where we can reach in inquisition.

The rifts are presumably causing a HUGE headache for the nations we don't visit in DAI. Nevara, Tevinter, Antiva, The Anderfells, Rivan...how are they all dealing with rifts which are UNCLOSABLE TO THEM. and what affect does it have when they appear. And the rifts supposedly linger after the events of DAI so...are there just a bunch of weak patchwork hot spots for the veil locals have had to find ways to self contain or abandon?

And at least they know what's going on...what about nations outside of Thedas. But also...

The veils creation. The Titians sundering. The blight??? Presumably these things all happened across the sea; but without the context of why.

Or were titans unique to southern Thedas? Are DWARFS unique to southern Thedas? If that's where elves became elves for the first time maybe even ELVES are unique to southern Thedas. Maybe there are entirely different races on other continents.

But presumably the veil is not unique and that affected everyone but how? How did it affect other non ancient elven cultures? How has it shaped the way they exist today?

Idk man I have so many questions I think would be fun to explore about the world across the sea without needing some oncoming storm or some ret-con agency-removing executors u know?

[blossomhead]

anyone else make a bunch a rooks before playing the game only to later realize half of them look exactly like existing npcs?