#for now have a sad davrin

[invinciblerodent]

listen man, i didn't need to be more in love with you, it's okay now, you can give it a rest with your whole face situation, jesus fuck

[raviollies]

I had a lot of things to say but I've seen the same points re-iterated so I don't see the need to throw my hat into that ring BUT a point I haven't seen talked about that profoundly bugs me! Spoilers ahoy

The Varric reveal and how it's a symptom of the writings, in my opinion, greatest flaw.

The writing of Veilguard expects you to care about characters without giving the CHARACTER a reason to care. The game assumes you the player care, which is usually the case, so they just skip the necessary build up for it to work in character.

Varric and Rook have no introduction to each other. We start the game, launched into "they're friends". Rook cares about Varric but I don't know why. I didn't get to see them be friends. It's like i got launched into Inquisition at Skyhold, with my character already knowing these characters and having developed a relationship with them.

I love RP, you guys know this, so I engage with the RP elements to the best of my ability, making a character and trying to approach from different angles. I just didn't feel like I got that opportunity. Rook was already there, they already have a task, an end goal. They're already part of the greater plot without me. Other characters remark on their personality and deeds.

Other games in the series have done this but at least you got a little grace period to get to know them or shortcuts regarding establishing their relationship like them being a sibling ; and the game didn't hinge so much on them. DAO didn't hinge on Shani. DA2 didn't hinge on the lost sibling. They were aspects of the story but they are a small fragment of the plot as a hole. Varric ends up being a MAJOR cog in the story that our character grapples with and it rings hollow because I never saw them show why they care for one another.

If anyone should be mad it should be the inquisitor! Or Isabella! Or Dorian! They KNEW varric, we were THERE for that. We SAW that! But none acknowledge it. No one says anything about how this impacted them. Varric and Dorian have LETTERS back and forth. MAEVARIS IS HIS COUSIN.

Characters that SHOULD care don't. Characters that should care less, care a lot. It feels like the game assumes that the player loves Varric, and moves on. And it does this with a lot of Characters. You don't get to talk to the characters as much in this game, ask their opinion, get to know them, become friends. It's implied this all happened off screen. The characters are nice to you at the start and they're nice to you at the end. I barely saw any disapproval. Rook is one of 3 flavors of nice, and thus the characters are never challenged. I know people are quite critical of DAI but you could get to know the characters views - you could ask everyone on how they view the circles, the templars etc. I feel like I don't know this about Veilguard characters. I don't know where they stand on really anything, outside of being "good people". My Inquisitor didn't end up being friends with everyone but the game left room for that. Some companions did NOT like each other at all and the game accepted that, every game did - the conflict was PART of it. But in Veilguard, everyone is holding hands by the power of friendship.

The game just assumes you all care for one another without earning it, and it feels sad to me, as an RPer. After everything is done I can't even go talk to them and ask what they're going to do now. How they're faring. It's fade to black, and once again, the development is off screen and I am not part of it.

[ab121500]

Listen i'm a big fan of Veilguard. Feel like I gotta start with that.

But can I just say not all origins are created equal?

My first playthrough I did Veil Jumpers. It was cool but there was really no mention or connection to the other Veil Jumpers. You haven't been gone long and yet Bellara doesn't know you? And besides a few little lines theres no real mention of you interacting with the other Jumpers.

Compare that to Crow Rook. Teia missed you, Viago missed you. You hear from gossip with the other crows how Viago is worse when you aren't there. You have fun little conversations with Lucanis. You have a letter from Viago where he calls you Idiot. You matter and were important, only sent away because you had to be but people missed you.

Now i'm not too far in yet but Warden Rook gets fun bits with Davrin. The First Warden hates you even more. Antoine and Evka talk about how you fucked up but they still love you and know you did good.

I haven't done the other factions yet, so I don't know if its the same for them. But the fact that the Veil Jumpers are so lacking makes me sad. Its like you had no impact on that faction. Oh you lost an important map? Well shit. We aren’t going to mention it. Its dumb and I wish there was something for them.

[magesforthedas]

Okay, newest discourse I've seen and want to share my opinion on... Mostly it's about Rook's companions. PLEASE be aware the are Spoilers for late game DAV below!

So, I've been seeing a bunch of people talking about how the companions don't really act like they care about you, because they aren't asking you how you are doing.

We've got some things to dissect here 😅 first off, not everyone's love language is words of encouragement haha. But on a serious note, even if it's true that they never asked "Rook, are you alright?" (Which, I'm pretty sure I got asked that by at least one companion...?) It doesn't mean they don't care about you. The more interactions and companion quests you do, the more you see that care come out.

Davrin asking you to join him for walks? He sees you need a break and fresh air.

Emmerich taking you to the gardens? It's probably the most relaxing thing he can think of.

Neve taking you with her to throw rocks, the thing she does when she needs a break and to clear her mind? She's hoping it helps you too.

Taash taking you to feed the birds? Again, something that helps them clear their head? Makes it easier to think? Also, their comment about you not knowing loss... Haven't you ever said something when you are angry that you know will hurt? Maybe that's how Taash sees you, or maybe they see the haunted look of grief in your eyes every day, and wanted to provoke you into getting mad and talking about it- exactly how they are apt to share their emotions. But Rook knows that comment isn't about them, it's about Taash.

Harding taking you with her to practice her new magic? It's something potentially fun and a little exciting, something brighter than the death and despair everywhere.

Tbh I'm having trouble thinking past romance stuff for Lucanis 😂 but like, making you food, he does check in on you, his quiet care in the way he would talk to you. I'll see on this second playthrough how much stays even when he isn't romanced.

Bellara taking you to check elven artifacts? You most likely have no idea what you are doing, she obviously just wanted you there. Now, it could be because she just wants support, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was hoping some knowledge of how to handle these artifacts rubbed off on you, and wasn't sure how to say that. She's obviously protective, and doesn't always know how to say what she wants.

Point is, sometimes it's words, sometimes it's actions, but they obviously do care. They also realize: you are the one leading this, the one with the most weight on your shoulders. They may be unsure how to actually ease that weight, and not just remind you that you have it.

It makes me really, really sad to see people say that they can't find it in them to care about the companions, because they don't ask you how you feel. Is their worth directly linked to your wellbeing? Is the only correct way of showing care or affection the way you prefer? I cried through multiple companion scenes because of the raw emotions they shared with me. Does that willingness to be vulnerable count for nothing?

Something I honestly appreciate about Rook, is there's a little bit we know for sure about them. You can decide their identity, if they're serious or joking, or optimistic or angry. There's room to fill your backstory. But the core of you is the same, and it's why Varric chose Rook: because you see a problem, you solve it. You see an injustice, you have to do something. Every backstory, you did something that saved lives or helped people and it got you in trouble; you know how to put others first, but without it breaking you.

There are a lot of similarities between Hawke and Rook that I see, the Found Family trope being the biggest. And you know, both families are maybe a little dysfunctional. But while there are similarities, it's unfair to compare how Hawke's friends approached their wellbeing with the Veilguard, because they are all, the protagonist and the companions alike, different people, who would handle and process trauma differently. And in a way that, whether the healthiest or not, kept everyone sane; though there are times when things could slip through the cracks.

My final thought is about Varric, or rather, his death. I saw people talking about how Solas couldn't have kept that ruse going if the companions had bothered to check in with you. Now, sure maybe no one ever said anything because they were concerned if it would help or not. You've been caught in the infirmary a couple times, talking to nothing: maybe that is what helps you cope?

But I think it is completely plausible that the magic Solas was using to make you think Varric was still alive, could also have been censoring outside mention of him. A lot of the time if Varric gets brought up in conversation by someone, they just.... Trail off? What if they said more, but Solas erased it for you? And the companions, well. If you don't want to talk about him, they won't force you. Same with anyone else, like Isabela. Solas is smart, he would know that the people around you would know he was dead, and may very well mention it in front of you. You think he wouldn't have something in place?

So yeah, next time something comes up that makes you go, "this is bad writing, I can't like this game, how can you like this game?" Maybe ... Look at it from another angle? A couple angles? Think about what could be happening offscreen? Or if you really just don't like the game or the characters... Why would you want to make others feel bad if they do? Not to be harsh, because also if you have things you don't like, that's valid and it doesn't mean you can't express yourself. But that doesn't mean nobody should like them.

Love you all ❤️

[hyperions-light]

hey I was planning another post today but instead let’s talk about how much I love that there’s not really a ‘good’ ending to the companion plotlines in Veilguard. It reminds me of Leliana and Alistair’s plotlines in DAO in that what you choose says more about the player/protagonist than anything

I just finished Isana Negat a second time, and I did the other ending and I thought it was just as good. Like, yeah, Harding does deserve to be angry! They did fucking get everything taken away from them! It’s so painful and horrific; yes you can, and should, be mad! But also Harding prioritizing her very real love for and compassion towards other people is not wrong. It’s just different! It’s just Rook’s friend/lover asking them for advice, and Rook giving it! You know, like in real life except with huge magical rock giants

And okay I’m never going to kill Illario because I think it would make Luca really sad and he has enough problems, Whoops I misremembered this, I don’t think you can kill Illario actually. I love that for Luca <3 But yk, I’m probably still not going to imprison him. but I can see it! Because the cycle has to end, right? The violence and infighting of the Crows endlessly attacking each other over power is part of what allowed the Antaam to get a foothold in Antiva, because there was like a double agent or something (if I’m remembering right from Tev Nights). Some kind of ending needs to be made to this endless violence. And I suppose it depends on how retributive Rook is, which is a great question to ask of the player (one that is asked repeatedly throughout the game). It’s not like Illario didn’t do anything, you know! He probably deserves punishment. But Rook, as they always can at various points, can be merciful, can choose absolution. Wow no, I’m glad I was wrong I love it more like this.

And oh boy, I LOVED the ending of Emmrich’s quest, don’t even get me started! Like!! I thought it was going to be ‘well obviously we HAVE to save Manfred’, but how Emmrich talks about accepting his death and his sacrifice convinced me! I was like alright man, this is a real choice! I actually did make him a lich last time (made a lot of sense from a Watcher perspective, imo) and not only was the cutscene sick as hell, but the follow-up was so funny and I got some really sad Spite dialogue which fucking wrecked me. It was great— seriously, his plotline is one of my favorites in the whole game.

And Davrin’s! I’ve already expounded at length about how much I like his quest line and how it ties into the Grey Wardens, but I really think both of his options for the griffons are so workable, because you know the Grey Wardens, especially under Antione and Evka, aren’t going to hurt those little guys again! But also the scenes with Eldrin are so endearing, and Davrin’s hope for a brighter future for them is so sweet and genuine. It’s hard to pick! It’s about Rook's perspective!

Neve's I'll admit I don't vibe with as much just because of the like 'trust the authorities' angle, but i haven't tried saving Minrathous yet and I think it would be sooooo involving as a Shadow Dragon especially. Because that's what they're fighting for, right? That better Minrathous where they CAN be sure that if they send the insane cultist lady to prison she’s going to stay there? But there’s always the practical consideration of people’s lives being at stake NOW, of Neve needing her friends safe NOW. And just killing Aelia ensures she will never be an issue again. So I can see both angles for sure

And Taash ;-; oh, Taash. I haven’t posted about them that much yet because they make me very emotional and it’s hard to organize thoughts like that. But I really love their quest, and their struggle to define themselves. And look, I know people wanted the option to tell them they could be both, but like as a person who has lived a similar experience, it really feels sometimes like the world is making you choose. It can feel like you’re not enough of either thing for anyone. And there are parts of your identity that you will have to make a choice on, and I think it’s trying to speak to that. I did the Rivaini one, and it’s like… well, they’re embracing the culture of Rivain, but it’s not like anyone is ever going to look at them and NOT see a Qunari. You can’t get away from that. What you choose to do in response is a real dilemma and I think that if you engage with the text genuinely you can see what Trick was doing. Also, there is a really great dialogue from Rook that I think gives more context to the discussion; they can say that they have been many things, and it’s important to take what works from each experience and make it part of yourself. So I don’t think Taash’s plot is trying to make them throw away any of themselves, just defining priorities. (Sorry, that got long. Feelings, opinions about that one)

And I don’t think Bellara’s is obvious, either, especially with how they involve the Nadas Dirthalen in her personal plot. This is a thing that is really emotionally and culturally significant to her, but at the same time it is part of what hurt her brother and ultimately took him away from her. She’s really preoccupied with not causing harm by her actions; she spends the whole game worried about it! And even though Rook doesn’t see the dangerous elements of the repository, that doesn’t mean they’re not there. The puzzle quest you can find in Arlathan proves that other people besides Cyrian were taken in by Anaris. And also, there’s the plot thread they briefly touched on in the last game which is that the culture the Dalish have built, that they have RIGHT NOW, is not wrong. But it’s also important to remember history, even if it’s unpleasant or could be dangerous, which is another thing you can discuss with Bellara during the game. So there’s no wrong choice! It’s just about Rook and Bellara and what’s important from their perspectives.

Anyway it was super refreshing to have these kinds of choices! It reminds me of the best character choices in DAI and DAO, especially, and I’m so happy they carried those things forward and improved on them.

[felassan]

Snippets. 🐺💜

Corinne Busche celebrates 5 years at BioWare! [source]

Devs Michelle Flamm and Gabe Graziani: "feels weird that 'the last game informer cover game is a game I worked on' is a thing I can say now" / "And all of the exclusive coverage we did with them is just... gone." [source, two]

Jon Renish: "It's just a coincidence but, the last cover for Game Informer is 'Dragon Age: The Veilguard', the last printed Prima strategy guide was 'Anthem'." [source]

John Epler: "christ. seeing game informer shutting down is awful. seeing them shut down literally three months after spending time with them is fucking me up. hope everyone lands on their feet. unbelievable." [source]

Jay Ingram (on GI): "Oh my gosh. It was always so exciting to see what the cover story of a month would be, and then even more so as a dev when you showcase games I've been privileged to work on. This is so sad. Thank you for everything. I wish you all the best. Truly the end of an era" [source]

Derek Wilks: "Seriously hate to see Game Informer go. They’ve been my go to for years. Always loved their magazines. They will be greatly missed. It’s a bittersweet honor to have our game as their last cover story. Wish they could have continued forever. 💔" [source]

User: "Will Briala make another appearance in the future (not necessarily in Veilguard)?" Trick Weekes: "Anyone who didn’t die onscreen could potentially show up again someday." [source]

[Here] is the link to costume builder Ladytoxie's SDCC V-log! Ladytoxie was invited to the DA:TV@SDCC Fandom party, at which they cosplayed Bellara. In the vlog, they discuss their Bellara cosplay, the process of creating it, their experience going by the BioWare booth at SDCC, and their Fandom party experience with the devs. The vlog also includes a bonus short interview with the devs from SDCC. In the vlog you can see that, along with the dragon screenshot, an alternative option for the background of the DA:TV photo booth pic was this tavern screenshot that we've seen. Ladytoxie also mentioned in the vlog that it's clear how much love and work the devs have put into the game [source]

^ The devs talked a bit about DA/the game & characters in the bonus interview. I'm not 100% sure if I heard all these details right, so apologies/correct me if I misheard, missed or misunderstood any of it (listening to the original source first-hand is of course always most advisable!!), but it sounded like: Corinne Busche feels most connected to Maevaris Tilani. Corinne Busche loves the qunari and would cosplay as Taash, as she loves the scale, armor and Rivaini gold. Her favorite companion is Emmrich. John Epler would cosplay as Lucanis, calling him so stylish and suave. It sounded like he said he wrote Bellara and a few other characters. Ashley Barlow would cosplay as Neve, saying that she has [awesome] dialogue, quick wit and is sassy. Parrish Ley would cosplay as Davrin. He said that Davrin has some awesome armor pieces, with the hands and feet being lots of interlocking pieces of metal. Parrish Ley is a big face and hands animator, so when he's animating Davrin's armor, his hands and feet get a lot of focus, so that he looks great in any pose from any angle. [source] <- Check out the vlog here!

User: "bioware, it is now the second of august." Dev Jess: "Soon 😄" [source] User: "On my knees groveling for more information on Taash" Jess: "soon :)" [source]

User: "Coming back to say Thank you so very much for Veilguard! Coming back to Thedas feels like Home!!". Derek Wilks: "It’s absolutely our pleasure. We’ve truly made something that we love, and hope you all love it too. 🧡" [source]

User on Fenris in DA2: "coolest character introduction ever". Derek Wilks: "So far 😊" [source]

[askfordoodles]

my sad whimpering noises about a certain Dragon Age: the Veilguard moment (endgame spoilers)

ASSAN BABY NOOO 😭😭😭 I GET THAT IT'S PROBABLY A TURLUM THING AND YOU WANTED TO GO IN AFTER UR DAD TO TRY AND SAVE HIM, BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO 😭😭😭 U WERE UNHARMED U COULD'VE SURVIVED ALL OF THIS!!! I DON'T THINK DAVRIN WOULD HAVE WANTED YOU TO JOIN HIM IN DEATH EITHER 😭😭 BABY BOI COME BACK. NOW I LOST A FRIEND AND A SON, I WOULD HAVE RAISED U, BOI

WHO AM I GONNA BOOP NOW 💔💔💔

[sampirism]

talkn bout my opinions on rook and varric and roleplay and feeling disconnected (roleplay in a game sense not the freaky sense. sorry) - SPOILERS FOR ENTIRE GAME, BEWARE. this post is WAY too long. sorry about that too.

it's very evident that bioware/EA wanted an action/adventure game first and an RPG second, but let me type at you.

i hate to say that i didn't feel particularly sad about varric's fate, due to the structure of the game. it is, in hindsight, completely obvious that he was not alive! i just hadn't been thinking about varric much at all the entire game because you have limited opportunity to talk to him in the infirmary or when he plops around barefoot when everyone decides to sit at a table and talk about how fucked we are. i genuinely forgot he was there otherwise.

he barely feels like a guy himself. because there's no personalized worldstate, any specific mentions to events or characters might be jarring to the player who may have made a different choice along the way.

no one talks about how sorry they are about varric because they CAN'T or the twist is completely revealed. even with another DA2 character in the game (who my hawke romanced. who is now dead in the fade. glad to see you're LIVING IT UP ISABELA!!! (I'm jk. a little.))

there's no response rook can say to condolences outside of "oh, thanks" without the game fully revealing its Twist, because "I'll tell him you said hi" and "he'll be up and walking in no time!" are only reasonable responses from a Mourn Watcher, and even then, should still cause your companions to be a little alarmed. the closest we get to this is the inquisitor making reference to lost friends, and rook visually registers it, but its swept under the rug and moved on from immediately.

(i know we're all mentally unwell in this lighthouse repressing our feelings but jesus christ)

despite spending two games with him and enjoying him as a character, I struggle with feeling much for his loss AS my rook, because i found there to be no meaningful connection between him and rook. i was only told i was supposed to have one.

the game wanted so badly get the ball rolling with an immediate threat, its at the expense of roleplay. you could argue that da2 and inq also started with Immediate Threats but you are also very limited in the choosing of your backstory in those games.

rook was deliberately designed to be more open-ended, with more similarity to origins, but still gave you a prequel where you felt what your life was before The World Began To End.

there's this conversation you can walk in on with lucanis and davrin, where they're talking about their worst jobs. there are three dialogue for rook I think and i can only remember two but they were "I don't want to talk about it" or "man I have the dreadwolf in my head". (I... honestly think the third option was very similar to the second one but I have a very bad memory. sorry)

i played a mourn watcher mage. i had to have done some messed up spirit stuff. some bone shenanigans. not able to mention my Down With Nobles rebellion at all. i halfway expected it to be revealed that my rook was just like a shitty pawn (haha) and actually all her memories are fake and not real. but obviously you meet people from your shared backstory and they do know OF you but they don't really know you

in mass effect 1, there were some unique missions related to both the backstory and psychological profile you picked for shepard. they were short, and nothing happens like that in 2+3 that i remember, but they are unique to your character and are something at least.

no one really asks you much more about yourself! mourn watcher rook is literally Found In The Crypts as an Infant, an incredible mystery that you have to fill in the blanks yourself, which could be something someone wants-- but i personally like my characters a little more predefined in a game such as dragon age. vague history worked for me in games like skyrim and fallout new vegas, even baldurs gate! but makes me feel wholly disconnected from the story and group here.

there was a fair amount of dialogue choices for mourn watcher, especially with Emmrich-- talking with emmrich was one of the few times my rook felt like A Person-- but there were other times that my companions seemed to think emmrich was the only necromancer/watcher on the team. (i even specialized in death caller!)

by containing all the dialogue with companions to ! markers and outings, it's weird to be unable to have any conversations without being able to provide personal insight, whereas some NPCs in inquisition actively asked you about your past.

its particularly noticeable because of lucanis, whom my rook romanced. the dude has a lot to say about nevarran culture and the necropolis and such, and we can have zero conversations on the matter lol.

maybe this is like, really a mourn watcher thing? maybe it feels better as a crow or a warden. but if you offer me the choice to be a freak crawling around in a tomb. i am going to be.

TLDR: i really feel that a prequel mission, a recruitment by varric then a timeskip, a personal quest tied to the consequences of your backstory, something, anything, to make rook feel like an actual part of the world, was a necessity and sincerely a missed opportunity. if you actually read this far, thanks!

[andersons-bayonettes]

Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance... The podcast that you are...

It's mediocre.

Now, let me explain. Vows & Vengeance was never meant to be an absolute amazing podcast, it's as supposed to make you hyped for Veilguard/show you the companions. A little teaser to bridge the waiting time until release, that it did pretty well.

However. I loved the story of the podcast up until Episode 7-ish. I still liked episode 7, but I could tell it was going somewhere I probably didn't want it to go. Episode 8 was... Episode 8 exists.

But let me actually get to critique it, before bashing it.

I listen to Podcasts a lot. Some of them Lore Podcasts, other Story Podcasts, with or without narration, talk podcasts, amateur and professional. This one felt like it wanted to be professional - while not quite being there - but still felt amateur enough to be a little off-putting. I don't mind most voices (including Nadia's, I think she's fine.) yet tge acting/writing was sometimes whacky at best. I felt like most voices were just way too similar. I often, especially at the start, got confused who is speaking. It got better, of course, but you don't want your listeners questioning who of your main characters is speaking.

Additionally, the podcast was meant to bring some characters closer to you, it was supposed to be a "hey, look at this, this is what they will be like, are you excited yet?" Kinda thing which worked for some. Mainly, the episodes featuring Lucanis, Emmerich and Taash did a really excellent job characterising them. I am ABSOLUTELY down to see more of them. Bellaras was fine, could be better, could be worse. The episodes with Davrin and Neve were... Not well for characterisation. And don't understand me wrong, you get to meet them, yes, but while most characters showed multiple layers, Neve and Davrin both just seemed like you just met them. I forgive them for the Lace Harding episode because we already know her from Inquisition.

Now, I don't mind Solas not showing up often. I think it's fitting. At the end of Inquisition, they out a heavy emphasis on the fact that if Silas doesn't want to be found, you can not find him. He was supposed to be that sliver of danger lurking all around, but where exactly, you'd never know. Thus, Nadia chasing Solas for weeks was absolutely fitting. Even if I think it's funny how Silas's plans have been ruined twice now by people he used as a pawn, doing something he didn't anticipate.

The ending was very, very, very lackluster. The funeral was nice, the demon battle was okay. I don't understand why they had to squeeze in this "I've been haunting you since you were little" crap, it was absolutely and entirely unnecessary. It's sad we spend so much time wanting Nadia & Elio to be back together, rooting for them to finally get a happy ending and all we get is "I killed him, anyways, lemme kille you now". One last talk maybe would have been nice, or let the demon, in one last attempt to stop Nadia, transform back into him. I know it's cliche, but it's cliche because it works.

Or, have the demon kill Elio in front of her. Let's say teh demon used Elios connection to Nadia to cross over, let him kill Elio and the ending would have been a lot cleaner in my opinion. Semantics and personal preferences aside, if they ever make another Podcast, I do hope they find someone who has experience in how to do them. The actors were good. They absolutely were, I assume it's a directing issue.

All in all it was a decent podcast. It has a lot of issues, but it also has a lot of good aspects, makingbit overall, well, like i said, mediocre.

[lightan117]

Come back to me

**I needed my angst fic. Yeah, once again, I have no idea what is going to happen, and this is just what has been replying in my brain before I go to sleep, as I lie in bed. Angry and worried Lucanis over my Rooks well-being**

***Anyone else questions what happens when the healer is down in your party? Do you scream oh fuck or just chug a shit ton of potions until you notice there isn't any?**

**Btw, italics is Spite talking**

Warnings: Blood/Injury/Getting impaled/Angst/Near-death experience/violence/Necromancy coming in handy

Pairing: Lucanis x (F)Rook Mourn Watcher

~oOo~

Everything happened too quickly.

Hardly any time to react at all.

If anyone questioned Daisy after all was said and done, if she did it again, she would answer with a smile and a yes. There would be no guilt in her answer, as she wholeheartedly believed that the life of someone she cared about was worth ten times more than her own life. During times of war, there are always casualties. You never know when you will have a final breath or moment. Daisy promised everyone she cared about that she would do her utmost to keep as safe as possible to ensure everyone could still smile at the end of the day. There was enough sadness in the world. At the time, she didn't understand why fear had crippled her for just a moment. Lucanis can take care of himself along with Davrin, but she worries when her eyes notice the hidden mage. A feeling tickled the back of her neck, her hair stood on edge, and this wave of uneasiness washed over her like a cold bucket of water her bullies used to pour on her. What followed was a faint whispering she heard as a child while learning how to commune with spirits. Like an itch at the base of her skull, the words she couldn't make out, but it was a warning.

A warning that something was going to happen.

Two of her skeletons were already engaged, so she was the only backup for her team. With a wave of her hand, she sent a barrier over her comrades before sending a shockwave toward the hidden mage. He was flown back a few feet before suddenly he was pouched on by one of her skeletons. When she heard a shout, she turned to see that Lucanis was having a little trouble. Daisy moved in closer when suddenly a shadowy figure appeared a few feet behind Lucanis. The whispers she had heard were not about the mage—she wasn't listening—they were about the rogue. Now, they were yelling at her to move. Emmrich would scold her for not listening to the spirits, telling her how important it was to pay attention; such an apprentice move on her part.

Without thinking, she ran forward.

There was a sharp pain in her stomach. Daisy could make out a wicked grin that was moving, but the world went quiet. This loud hush deafened the world around her as this blooming pain continued to grow. She slowly looked down to see a dagger impaled through her.

Realization kicked in that she had taken the stab for Lucanis, the rogue standing in front of her with his other armed hand coming closer to her. When the second white hot, searing pain came, she quickly took hold of the rogue's arms, eyes locked with anger. The venatori, at first, was gloating about driving his daggers deep into her, but that gloating quickly wore off once he could start to feel the prickling of the air around him. "Despair." Purple, ghostly hands floated from around Daisy; fingers outstretched toward the man as waves of decaying stench flooded his senses. Fear gripped the man's chest as he released his hold on his weapons, cowering back at the sight. Strange laughing could be heard inside his head, causing him to scream, drawing the attention of Lucanis, who took the chance to throw one of his daggers into the man's eye socket.

Daisy fell to her knees as her breath came out in short huffs. There was a scream, and maybe someone shouted her name before Daisy felt her body suddenly go cold momentarily. The daggers stuck out of her as she continued falling to the floor. Her cheek met the ground, and the taste of iron flooded her mouth.

Sounds came and went as she continued to lie there for what felt like forever. Her thoughts drifted back to her life, her mothers, her friends, the spirits she's helped, to him...oh...why was she thinking of him like that now? Why could she see his face so clearly in her mind, this frown on his face for being so careless? He'd warned her countless times before to be careful, but why did it hurt so much now? He always said she should wear more armor under her robes or at least carry a dagger, but Daisy always said she didn't have to worry if he was around. Daisy's following thoughts were of her mothers with the same frown; they had told her to watch after herself and to contact them should she need anything. They would be so upset to learn how she died. She was dying, right? This is how someone dies?

"Daisy!" The voice was clear and harsh as she was brought into someone's arms. Above her was Lucanis, cradling her closely to him while being mindful of the blades sticking out of her. "Mierda...why did you do that?! You shouldn't have done that; I could have taken the blow." He hissed and tried to decide on the best course of action, but deep down, he was panicking. Lucanis Dellamorte doesn't panic. At this moment, he was. Oh, now you're worried about her? You keep denying that you don't have feelings, but here you are, losing your head. She's going to lose her head, too. She's dying. She's losing too much blood. Lucanis growled at the demon, its thoughts weaving around in his mind.

"I didn't want you to get hurt...just..moved when I saw the rogue appeared behind you." Daisy huffed out as she tried to calm her breathing as much as possible, but panic started to set in. "I've been impaled...spirits, it hurts."

"Lucanis!" Davrin had just finished the last vint when he made his way over to the pair. "Shit. Maker, that's not good."

"You think?! Give me a potion and some bandages." Davrin knelt and retrieved a health potion and bandages from his pack. "Drink this; it will slow the bleeding." Lucanis directed Daisy, practically forcing the liquid into her mouth. She struggled and fought him for a few moments before her brain caught up to what was happening before choaking what she could down. "We must get her to a healer or back to the Lighthouse. I cannot help her here." The blood from her wound was starting to seep between his gloved fingers as he did his best to stem the bleeding. Maker, it was everywhere. Lucanis worked desperately with the bandages around the daggers until Daisy found the sudden surge of energy to move her arms.

"Just pull them out; I can heal myself," Daisy said, but at a sudden movement, she cried out. Tears blurred her vision as she could feel the steal shift inside her. "Pull them out! Please!"

"We pull them out, and you will bleed faster." Lucanis cradled her jaw in his hands so that she would look at him. "Focus on me; you will be fine, yes?" Daisy nodded her head. Spite appeared on the other side of her, the demon glaring at Lucanis, his hands clenching and unclenching. Help her! YOU should have been watching her! Why weren't you paying attention, this is all your fault! "Quiet you!"

"There is a healing house not that far away. Do you think she'll make it?" Davrin asked as Lucanis got to his feet, jostling Daisy in his arms until he had a better grip on her. He winced at every cry that came from her mouth as he moved her but continued to push on. Spite was beside him, yelling at him to move faster.

"She must. I'll follow you." Lucanis nodded at Davrin to lead on; the pair took off. "Keep your eyes on me, Daisy."

"Not like there is anything better to look at. You're at least pretty to look at." Daisy joked with a huff that turned into a cough. Blood slid down her chin, her one free hand confirming it when she wiped what she thought was spit away. "That's not good, is it?" Lucanis said nothing but tried to pick up the pace behind Davrin, who was shouting at people to make way. "My head feels heavy, Lucan..."

Lucanis looked down to see Daisy's eyes start to close, so he gave her a good shake, even if it made her cry out in pain. "I'm sorry, Tesoro, but you need to stay awake. Talk to me." What's the point in saying such soft words to her? She's not going to make it. She's dying, you fool.

"What about? Noth' to talk about..." Daisy looked up at him; he looked so worried. She's never seen that worried look on his face except when they returned from his rescue when he learned about Caterina... "Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

"You look so sad." Daisy reached out with her free hand to touch him, her fingers slightly grazing his cheek before a sudden jolt caused her to cry out in pain. "You always look tired or angry, or you have this look, but you're never sad. When you smile...it's so much better."

"I am not sad; why do you think I'm sad?"

"'Cause I didn't listen. I even heard them warn me, but I didn't listen...shoulda listened...now you're sad." Daisy muttered as she looked up at him. "Spite probably is angry at me too...don't like making people upset."

"We are not upset, Tesoro, I promise you. He's yelling at me for not watching you."

"You were busy not getting stabbed as well. Not your fault. Spite...needs to back off for..." Daisy coughed another bloody cough, the iron taste making her want to throw up, "What does that mean?"

"What does what mean?"

"Tes, tes-o-ro-o? Tesro? Never heard that before. Never called me that." Lucanis tried to hide the shock with a smile and a cough.

"Maybe I will tell you once you are well enough to remember this conversation?" Lucanis smiled. Davrin called back to them, pointing to a door before rushing ahead. "We're here, Daisy; they will help you."

There was a flurry of shouts and demands that followed shortly afterward. Daisy was crying out weakly at every jostle of her body; the blades were barely staying inside her. The bandages did the best they could, but there was just too much blood. Daisy could feel the cold steel shift and move inside her with every twitch and movement. She thought someone was speaking to her, but her head felt so lightheaded and heavy that she couldn't understand some words. Daisy screamed when she was finally released from Lucanis's arms, one of the blades sliding out, followed by the other before they rolled her onto her side. There was more cursing and shouting, of course. Daisy just wanted the pain to stop.

"Please...someone...make it stop..." Daisy cried out, tears now freely falling as she struggled to breathe. Lucanis knelt next to her, taking her hand in his tightly. There was that look again; the panic and the worry all rolled into one behind his eyes. "Lucanis..."

"Hush, Tesoro. The healers will take care of you now. Please keep your eyes on me." Lucanis almost sounded like he was pleading with her, but that didn't sound right to Daisy. Why would he plead with her? She's the one causing the issues currently. He should be angry. Davrin should be angry, too. They all should be angry with her. Daisy could make out Davrin talking off to the side, but it was so much harder to hear. There were too many hands on her, pulling and tearing at her, fingers poking and prodding. A sudden rush of fear washed over her as her childhood memories replayed in her mind, the memories of the beatings she used to take as a child. The fear made her afraid, so she clenched her eyes tightly shut, trying to wield everything away, to make everything disappear. All the screaming they did, all the teasing and harmful words they told her. All the time, they would rip her clothing and call her a dirty whores daughter. "Daisy!" There was a call of her name so loud that she looked to see Lucanis even closer to her now. "Eyes open."

"I'm scared, Lucanis." Daisy whimpered as she gripped his hand tighter. Lucanis reached over with his free hand to brush back her hair, ensuring her ear cuffs were firmly in place so they couldn't fall off.

"I'm here." He gently whispered to her. "I'm here."

The poking and the prodding went on for what felt like forever. Daisy could lightly feel the healing magic wash over her, but she could barely feel it. Lucanis stayed by her side while Davrin was busy talking to the proprietor of the healing house, but they were getting a little bit heated. One of the aids to the healers suggested to Lucanis that he might want to step in before they would be forced to stop, whispering that the man in charge was a greedy bastard who didn't care if people lived or died here. Daisy squeezed his hand and told him to go. Lucanis nodded, asking the aid to take his place while he sorted out what was going on.

Daisy felt Lucanis leave, and a part of her wanted to call out, to tell him not to leave her, but she couldn't find the strength to. Her fingers and toes had long since gone numb, and she just felt so heavy. The bed beneath her was so soft and inviting that she didn't notice her eyes slipping close. The aid holding Daisy's hand looked at the healer with a grave expression before they turned their heads towards the doorway where her companions were not far away.

In the other room, Lucanis was going to murder the proprietor.

That is, if Spite doesn't gain control, does it. The rat-face man Davrin and he were talking to couldn't be the real person in charge; there wasn't a caring bone in his body from where Lucanis stood. Corruption was everywhere in the city they were in, but he didn't expect even a local healing house to charge people help before, let alone charge such prices. Davrin was starting to lose his cool when the comment of elves and other backhanded comments. The rat-face man went on about how, in these challenging times, they never knew if someone wasn't going to make it, so they 'changed' their policy that payment needed to be made upfront before anyone helped them.

"Our friend is dying in the next room, and all you care about is coin?!" Davrin got in close to rat-face, fits clenching as he stood firm like a brick wall. Davrin's gray warden stance towered over the man. "If she dies, you will not see tomorrow."

"You see, threats like that will only ensure your friend receives no help. Now, before I must kindly ask you to leave, do you have payment or don't you?" Lucanis could feel Spite beside him, the anger radiating off him like the pulsating headache coming on. If Sunshine dies, it will be on him, not you, which is no fun. Tell him to help her; he needs to help her. Lucanis glanced at Spite behind the man and felt a mutual agreement that should Diasy die, it would give him an actual reason to kill the man.

"You will receive payment once she is stable," Lucanis taking hold of one of his arms before he punched the man. The Crow moved silently in front of the rat-faced man, getting nose-to-nose with him. "And should she not survive due to your neglect, then I have no problem taking yours for her life." Before Lucanis could continue, there was a crash and scream from Daisy's room. The rat-faced man was pushed aside as Daisy's companions rushed to her side.

What they were welcomed to was the healer, standing over Daisy at the foot of the bed, healing her with a worried, scared look on her face. The aide was on the other side of the room and was getting talked down to a ghostly-looking woman. The woman was see-through like a spirit but didn't appear to be one. Another ghostly woman sat next to Daisy, her hand placed over Daisy's as if she could touch it. Daisy's face was paler now than it was when Lucanis left the room. "And who are you two?! Why is this hack healer not doing all they can for my daughter?!" The aide cowered and ran past the two men. The woman who shouted was a tall, heart-shaped face woman who held a certain coldness, but there was something...deeper to her. She was concerned, and her eyes betrayed her with how much. The woman kneeling next to Daisy was of a softer complexion.

"Who are you?" Davrin asked.

"I am someone you will do best not to continue to anger, young man. Now tell me why my daughter's heart stopped and what she is doing lying in such a state!" The woman moved closer, the stool in front of her passing right through her as she walked. The healer went to make a sound, but the woman rounded on her, telling her that until she was spoken to, she was not to stop.

"Her heart stopped?"

"I wouldn't be projected here if it didn't! Now, where is that rat-faced man I was told about?" The woman walked right through them and into the next room. Davrin went with her while Lucanis stayed behind, standing on the opposite side of Daisy. Looking at the woman, Lucanis could see that she was crying silent tears as her thumb stroked the back of Daisy's hand as if she could feel it.

"I thought she was silly putting that stone on Daisy's gift before she left. She told me that I would rather have her body back than get no notice. Seeing her like this...my sweet baby." The woman softly spoke, not really to Lucanis but not really to Daisy either.

"You are her mother?" Lucanis asked.

The woman chuckled sadly, "I helped raise Daisy. Valentina, the woman who just walked out, can be a bit standoffish regarding children and is not the warmest person to know, but she loves Daisy. It doesn't matter if they are related by blood or not." The woman moved to try brushing some of Daisy's hair to the side, but of course, she couldn't. Lucanis saw this and did it for her; the woman gave him a grateful smile. "What happened?"

"We were...fighting, and she stepped in front of me. She shouldn't have done that; I would be the one lying here, not her." Lucanis said. He could feel the guilt start eating him away as he continued to look at her, pulling his hands away. You always hurt others; it's always your fault. Look at her, dying.

"You must be important to her if she did that. I agree; she shouldn't have done that, but Daisy always puts others before herself. It doesn't matter if she gets hurt as long as everyone else is fine." The woman smiled softly at Lucanis. "Don't blame yourself. Just give her a stern talking-to once she wakes. Please sit; there is no need to stand." If she wakes, suppose she decides you're not worth talking to anymore. You almost got her killed.

"If she wakes," Lucanis whispered as he returned to the spot he was once at.

"She will; Valentina will make sure of it. Daisy never asks for help from us anyway; it's the least we can do for her." The woman watched him, her eyes flickering to the healer who stood firmly at the foot of the bed, arms stretched out. "Are you Lucanis or Davrin?"

"What?" This is interesting.

"Daisy sends me letters. Keeping me up to date with whatever she's doing. She mentions meeting...friends recently. From the list of names, I'm guessing you must be either Lucanis the Crow or Davrin the Gray Warden. I'm leaning more towards the Crow now that I'm looking at you." The woman softly smiled.

"Ah...yes. I am Lucanis Dellamorte. Davrin was the one who walked out." Lucanis could start to feel his heart hammer in his chest. "She's written about us?" Why is your heart beating so fast? She's talked about everyone else, not just you. You're not special; why would she find you any different than everyone else? Davrin at least showed that he cares, unlike you. Coward.

"Of course! Daisy hasn't stopped writing about you! Ah-I mean all of you! I am not too pleased about elven dead gods returning, but hearing about the friends she's made helps that she's looked after." The woman reached over to touch Lucanis to reassure him, and he swore he could feel some heat in her spectral hand. "Please don't blame yourself. Daisy will feel worse if you did."

"What does she say when she writes about...us? If I can ask?"

The woman's grin made heat rise to his cheeks. "Nothing grand, little bits of information. She's asked for advice on talking to...friends, but she's nervous about speaking out about certain feelings. Daisy has had a rough beginning, so connecting with others raised alongside the dead hasn't always been a strong suit here. It doesn't help that her mother never really gave her a talk about what to do in these situations. Spirits knows if I did, she would kill me." A wicked smile graced the woman's face. "Just don't tell her I've said anything to you about this. She hates it when I try to meddle."

"I promise, my lady, I will keep your secret."

"Good. I feel more at ease now that I've met you, Master Dellamorte. I know our girl is in good hands. When you can, you should talk to her about how you feel. You might just be surprised." The woman smiled a motherly smile at Lucanis, which caught him off guard. Caterina was never a caring woman; that is undeniable, as she never showed any caring affection towards him growing up. The woman in front of him helped raise Daisy, who has been nothing but kind and understanding since they met. Lucanis could see where she learned to smile so softly at others. Valentina then returned to the room, stating that nothing would impair Daisy's healer now that everything was taken care of. The woman looked at Lucanis and Davrin, saying that should the rat-face man give them any trouble, they were to contact her through the sending stone that was hidden in the charm Daisy attached to her ear cuff.

Then she was gone.

The other woman stood, gave them a bow, and then disappeared.

"Well...that was strange," Davrin spoke before turning towards Lucanis. "Who was the other woman?"

"A friend of her mother's, but she never gave her name. The other woman was Daisy's mother if you didn't figure that out."

"When she said daughter, I assumed so!" Davrin protested, his eyes then moving to Daisy. Some color had returned to her face, but not much. The healer, who had remained in the room the whole time, stopped healing to say that the immediate danger had passed. Daisy would still require healing in a few hours, but she would prepare a paste to put over the wounds in the meantime. "We should get washed up then now that she's stable."

"You go first; I will remain here until you do." Lucanis didn't even bother looking at the Gray Warden, his eyes never leaving Daisy's face.

"Alright. I'll also send a message to the others to inform them of what happened. Emmirch or Bellara could lend the healers a hand so that Daisy could be moved back to the Lighthouse sooner." Lucanis nodded his head, and Davrin left.

Now that it was just the two of them, Lucanis moved closer to Daisy. As his hand moved towards her, he noticed he was still wearing his gloves, stained with Daisy's blood. He removed them quickly, tossing them to the floor without a car. Lucanis double-checked that her earcuffs remained secured while gently brushing away stray hairs from her face. Her hand felt clammy on his own but didn't feel as cold as before, which was a good sign. He gently moved her hand to his lips, kissing softly on the back before resting his forehead.

"Come back, cara mia." Lucanis whispered softly, "Come back to me. Please ask me again what that word means. I wish to see you smile again at me, as greedy of a man I am." He kissed her hand again, eyes clenched shut as he felt the sting of tears. "Come back to me, I beg you."

~oOo~

*Some weeks later at the Lighthouse*

"I'm tired of this, grandpa!" Daisy yelled from where she lay on the sparing ring. Davrin and Lucanis are watching with amusement on either side of her, not even breaking a sweat from their training session with her. Emmrich was sitting not that far away, sipping tea while Manfred was standing behind him.

"Unfortunately, my dear, that is too bad. You are the one who decided to get impaled and worry everyone with your near-death experience." Emmrich said to her with an amused smile. Once Daisy was back on her feet, everyone had officially put their foot down, with Daisy not wearing more armor, let alone not carrying a secondary weapon. Davrin and Lucanis both volunteered to help teach her.

"They're going to kill me!" Daisy said, getting to her feet with a huff.

"Not if you don't keep your arms up!" Davrin shouted before rushing at Daisy again. She screamed before turning around and running away, taking shelter behind Lucanis.

It was going to be a long training session.

[calibratemehard]

Alrighty folks I finished the game. I will put non-spoiler thoughts here and then put my spoiler thoughts under the cut. Again, these are MY OPINIONS. I am happy to hear your thoughts but I'm not arguing with you because you won't change my mind.

* holy shit this is a big game

* Mournwatch is the best faction in my opinion. Idk they're just cool and not problematic lol

* there is some retconning of established facts, but I take it this way: it's been a long time since the original trilogy's events. Origins was canonically sometime almost 20 years before Veilguard - think of life 20 years ago, it was very different. A lot can change and gods coming back changes a lot. Factions grow and change and become something different. Also this is NORTHERN Thedas, an area we've never played in. With few exceptions we've always had companions from the south and learned information about the north second hand. I think that's important to keep in mind when people complain about things not staying the same or 'lore accurate.'

* I still recommend picking the same faction as your projected romantic interest

* The cameos are ... Fine. Again, it's been a long time in game. Are you the same person you were 10 years ago? 20 years? I think Morrigan is the most disappointing but my headcanon is that motherhood has really suited her, also a decision she made off screen that is explained to you during the course of the game also made her personality make a little more sense

* I think I liked this game because I went in with an open mind. I have always loved Bioware games for the writing and the companions and this game has those in spades. I loved how fleshed out the characters were though it doesn't approach the levels that say, Baldur's Gate 3 reaches. But overall it was an enjoyable experience, around 65 hours for me to finish just about everything. Though maybe shave off about 5 hours for the character creator, which was great.

Okay so now for the spoilers. DO NOT OPEN IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!!

* I maxed out all of my companions and factions and nearly 100% every area. There was no quest undone. I think that's why I got a good ending, namely Solas agreeing to bind himself to the Veil, sharing a big kiss with Lavellan, and walking into the Fade together. I did lose one member, Harding, and that fucking sucked. I haven't looked into spoilers so I don't know if switching her and Davrin would have made a difference cause Davrin is a Warden and would have fared better against the blight idk. I'll have to look into it. Overall I was happy though.

* I ... Should have seen the Varric twist but I wasn't looking for it so it just passed over me. I was devastated, but I think that it was well done and well earned. Still sad though. That was the second time I cried during the finale, after Harding.

* This felt like a Bioware game to me. It felt big, it felt complex, and the humor was always there. The QoL improvements and expansion of classes and abilities made this so much fun.

* I felt the romances were lacking a bit in content, though Emmrich had suuuuch a sweet and gentle romance. I loved it so much. They banged in a graveyard in what I assume is a coffin. A+ love him, love Manfred. I just wish I had kiss options a la BG3. I got spoiled. 😅

* I'll play this again. And again. That's how my brain works. I think they need to patch a sort of 'golden nug' option into the game and a new game plus to make things better. If there are DLC, I'll happily play them.

[kitterkat100]

My thoughts on Dragon Age: The Veilguard

So, I finished datv yesterday and now have time to sit and think about it. Now, obviously this is just my subjective opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. I am going to start with the good and go into the bad and then finish with more good (that teacher training coming in). Also, I learned how to do a read more for this.

I am going to start with the combat. I have made another post about this, but that was like 3 hours into my first playthrough. Veilguard has the best combat in the series. Usually Dragon Age games have combat that is a slog to get through, so much so that many people in the fandom say they don't play the games for combat but for the story. I have never been a fan of the real-time with tactical pause, I find it a little boring. I am not a big fan of turn-based, to begin with ( that is one of the reasons I still have not finished Baulder's Gate). In the past, if I wanted to play a good story game with fun combat, I would play Mass Effect. But I have fun just fighting enemies, if DAI's combat was this fun I would replay it more often.

Next the art direction. Now, I am no artist and I know next to nothing about anything. But I really like the art. I think the environments are beautiful. I like the character models. I know people were complaining about the models having small heads in the lead-up to the release, but I think it was because the game doesn't use heroic proportions. And you don't notice in-game at all, at least I didn't. Also the brought back some reused assets from the Inquisition, and some of the paintings that have been around since Origins.

Okay the companions. I might write a longer post for each companion later on. I am going in alphabetical order.

Bellara: I romanced her, and I love her so much. She has some strong Tali vibes with a strong dose of ADHD. I am a little sad that we did not even kiss until after the final battle, but I just read that as her being ace or demi (like me!).

Davrin: He is such a bro. I love him and Assan so much. His banter with Emmrich is so funny. The ending to his story line is a little weak, but I will talk about that in his own post.

Emmrich: I think Emmrich is one of the best companions in the whole series, flat out. I love this man, he going to be my next romance (Female Qunari Grey Warden).

Harding: Harding is great. I really liked all of the Titan stuff in her storyline. I did get her killed, so I am not sure what her ending is like. I did think her romance with Taash was cute.

Lucanis: I'm going to say it. I think Lucanis is the weakest of the companions, I don't dislike him. I don't if I missed a lot of content because I saved Minrathous instead of Treviso or if it was because his writer got canned during development. And what he did have felt bare bones. I thought we would be dealing with Spite a lot more. I will say his recruitment mission is a blast.

Neve: I played a Shadow Dragon so my character had a lot of in common with Neve. I like her, but I don't have any strong feelings towards her one or another. Her romance with Lucanis is a thing that happens. I might change my mind when I get around to romancing her.

Taash: I am cis, so take this with a grain of salt. But I think their storyline about being non-binary was oddly paced. I did like everything past that, I think it was much better paced. I do like them a lot. Also, they are really cute with Harding. I do wish there was more of a reaction to me getting Harding killed on Tearstone Island, but that is a writing complaint.

Speaking of the writing. It is really a mixed bag. Some of it is great and then some of it was giving slop comics from the mid-00s. The first several hours are story slog, some of that is because of all the lore dumps, and some of it is because it is oddly paced. The writing gets progressively better throughout the game. From the point of no return to the credits it is the strongest writing, maybe not in the whole series but definitely since the last third of DAI. That after-credit scene was a choice. I will probably talk about that more after I figure out how I feel about it. I think Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nan are the strongest villains since Loghain, it really helps that they are present throughout the game. There are definitely moments where you feel that Rook is HR, but not a lot, but enough that I understand why that made it into some reviews. I don't think it is any more quippy or Marvel-like than any other Dragon Age game, "Swooping is bad" comes to mind.

Finally, some random thoughts. I think this game really nailed the horror of the Blight, I can't get the image of Bellara wrapped in Blight tentacles during the final section out of my head.

I played a non-mage elf shadow dragon, and there was a lot of reactivity for the shadow dragon part, less the elf part. I know I missed a conversation with Tarquin about it, but still. It's like no one even noticed the pointy ears.

That's it for now. I might add more as think about it.

8/10, I had a blast.

[seriouslyseravellan]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[invinciblerodent]

yeah, you know what, I nuked this post last night because I got very uncertain about the room immediately after posting, but after some further scrutiny, I'm reposting it now with some slightly calmer, more hinged commentary lol

consensus seems to be (from the tweet I initially was going off of about the view from his room, and the qunari paraphernalia and training equipment in the basement-room kind of confirming that that one must be Taash's, despite this one having a lot of dragons in it) that this IS indeed Davrin's room, and I wanna talk about some (though not all) parts of interest in it!

Overall the room looks very airy and open, but cozy and warm, if a touch on the sparse side- I'm getting a little bit of a hunter's lodge vibe, which is fitting for a monster hunter like him.

1.) he apparently loves nugs. and dragons. and bears. and animals, and learning about animals in general, if those diagrams are anything to go by. and I love that for him.

2.) no seriously there are six wooden nug bobblehead-looking things visible just in this one snapshot in his room. this man is INTO nugs. (I hope he and Leliana get to meet. he deserves to pet Schmooples XIV.)

3.) his carving station! it seems to be a fairly common Warden hobby, and he seems to take it seriously too- just look at that dragon's wing and how thin the part it attaches to the body with is, he's very skilled!

he was making something in this piece of promo art too!

3.5.) please ser Davrin please i want a little carved nug as a little gift i would cherish it forever i wouldn't ask for anything else for the next 20 birthdays i have please

4. Assan's "landing pad", maybe? I like the thought of him taking little nightly laps around the Lighthouse, but geez, it looks so dangerous to have the wall just open like that- must feel the most like sleeping under the open air though?

4.5.) from this and Taash's open ceiling I'm guessing that it just fully does not rain at the Lighthouse, which is great, no wet griffon smell in bed

5.) really loving that Veilfire sconce on the wall- it looks exactly like the asset from Inquisition, and it could be a pretty subtle hint to something Dalish going on!

6.) the clothes/blankets/whatever those are on the cozy chair seem to mirror the colors of his outfit, the Warden blue and the light brown leather- is he perhaps prone to leaving his clothes strewn about? 👀 both Wardens and the Dalish should be used to traveling a lot and living light, so it would make sense for him to not be a super neat person overall! (maybe the only reason the room isn't a right mess is that he doesn't have many possessions, they don't even fill both bookcases)

7.) god if Rook doesn't get to cuddle with him in his cozy chair by the fire (or on those furs, I'm not picky) and watch the sunrise together after a night of vigorous lovemaking that tests the limits of even that fabled Grey Warden stamina, I am going to be very, very sad

8.) Davrin darling. why do you have this. and does it really need to watch. ..... can we turn it so it faces the wall at least. god, Dorian was right (among various other things) about the horrible little feet nugs possess.

anyway the trend continues and everything I learn about this guy makes me want to eat one (1) more brick altogether until i assemble a castle in my stomach from which he can rescue me like the charming knight he is, thank u for ur time

[nerdanel01]

Okay, so Agnes, Emmrich and the Veilfuard squad are now supposed to be helping with the unstable Veil down in the Neceopolis, right?

...

Have we considered what happens when Varric, inevitably, decides to visit the Necropolis and check up on their field work, discovers the Agnes/Emmrich unresolved tension and starts dropping hints that he'll feature their divorce drama IN HIS NEXT BOOK?

What would be Agnes, Emmrich and Johana's reactions to THAT, I wonder???

Have a great day 💚💀

Inquisitor + Rook, 600+ wc below the cut *very slightly spoilers for the unwritten conclusion of There Is Only Forward if that matters to anyone

It occurred to Agnes that this might be the last time she set foot in the Lighthouse. Ghilan’nain was once again imprisoned, Elgar’nan defeated. Though she had welcomed this conclusion—longed for it, even, in moments when she was not sure she would live to see it—she could not deny the fact that something about it made her sad. She had spent over two decades in the Grand Necropolis without making any real connections to her fellow Watchers, save of course Emmrich; in less than two years, she had become so attached to the other members of the Veilguard that the idea of them all going their separate ways was tugging terribly at her heartstrings. After they finished cleaning out the Lighthouse, packed their things and departed, Agnes was not sure she would ever see any of them again.

It was in this state of melancholy that former-Inquisitor Lavellan found her, sifting through the various personal effects strewn across the Lighthouse common room, sorting things into piles: a bottle of fine Antivan brandy that no doubt had come from Taash; drawings and schematics in Bellara’s hand of ancient elvhen artifacts; Davrin’s whittling knife and the not-quite-finished carving of Assan he’d been carefully chipping away at, night after night. So engrossed was Agnes in her task that she did not hear Thanduwen approach.

“I have something for you," she said, easing herself into the green, tufted sofa beside Agnes.

Agnes furrowed her brows, took the brown-paper-wrapped parcel out of Thanduwen’s hand. "How kind. And how… unexpected.” There was no animosity between her and Thanduwen, but they had not exactly become close.

“Well, I didn’t think Varric had told you,” Thanduwen said as she leaned back on the sofa, propping herself up on what remained of her left upper arm and draping the right casually across her lap. “I figured you ought to know, now that everything is over.”

What did this have to do with Varric? The furrow between Agnes’ brows only deepened as she slipped her fingers beneath the paper, tore the parchment away to reveal… a book. Varric’s latest publication, it seemed, from the way his name was stamped in gold-embossed letters on the book’s spine and the bottom of the front cover. Perhaps out of denial and disbelief, it took her a moment to recognize the black haired figure on the cover (the illustrator had taken liberties, made her much more buxom than she was in real life) and the silver-haired gentleman behind her, who was all-too-sensually sliding the sleeves of the woman’s blouse past her bare shoulders. The title on the cover, also embossed in gold:

Romancing Rook.

“Wendy,” Agnes began, fighting to keep her voice calm, “what the fuck is this?”

Thanduwen let out a little sigh. “Inevitable, I’m afraid. Varric did tell you he was working on it, didn’t he?”

“Varric says a lot of things,” Agnes said, through gritted teeth, opening the cover and flipping through the pages, “most of them lies. I didn’t think he was telling the truth, didn’t think he’d actually do it. He writes detective stories, adventure novels…” Her eyes went wide and her stomach dropped through the floor. “There’s smut in here!”

“But not falsehoods,” Thanduwen said, unhelpfully. “As far as I am aware, Varric did not write anything that your other companions would not confirm to be true. You were not particularly secretive about your affair. And based on what little time I spent in the Lighthouse, you weren’t exactly quiet about it, either.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Agnes said, with exaggerated sarcasm. “It didn’t occur to me at the time that anything Davrin might have overheard in the late hours of the night—“

“And often in the morning,” Thanduwen interjected. “And sometimes, time permitting, the afternoon as well.”

“—that does not mean I thought it was going to end up in mass-produced paperback!” Agnes slammed the book shut and set it down on the table, raising forefinger and thumb to pinch the bridge of her nose. It wasn’t even the smut that bothered her, really. It was the idea that this might turn her into more of a celebrity than she already was—and she did not care for what little notoriety she had already gained. Worse still if the book made her out to be some kind of sex symbol. “Were you secretive and quiet about it, when you were with Solas?”

“No,” Thanduwen said, with a chuckle. “But Skyhold was a lot bigger than the Lighthouse; I had a whole tower to myself. And thank the Creators, really—” she stopped, shook her head, corrected herself: “sorry, forgive me, old habit—because it was hard enough for Leliana to convince the rest of the Chantry to let me be her Left Hand, after everything that happened at the Exalted Council.” An amused smile played about her lips as she adde, “If there had been a scene of me pegging Solas in All This Shit Is Weird, I doubt even the Divine would have been able to redeem my reputation in the eyes of the Chantry.”

That was more information about Solas than Agnes had ever cared to know. She hunched over, propping her elbows on her knees, running her hands through her hair. “When I get my hands on that dwarf…”

"You will not lay a finger on him," Thanduwen replied, sweetly. “Not without going through me.” Despite the threat, still she reached out, offering Agnes a sympathetic pat on her back before she rose off the couch. “Anyway, share it with Emmrich. You may be upset about it, but I doubt he will be.”

That had her eyes flying open, her head snapping back up to look at Thanduwen. “What is that?” 

“Did I stutter?” Thanduwen replied, grin widening. “He had no problem sending you down to breakfast bowlegged more mornings than not, from what I hear. Somehow I think this might please him tremendously.” Tapping her fingers on the book cover, she concluded, “Chapter 14 is especially titillating. You can tell him to just start there.”

—---------

Johanna would read the whole thing in one sitting and then buy extra copies to leave around the Necropolis for the rest of the Mourn Watch to find. She would probably also write to Varric’s publisher to see if she was entitled to royalties because, quote, “I love them but those two are idiots and none of that shit would have happened without me.”

[ignitesthestxrs]

i'm nearly done with veilguard and like. there have been some stand out narrative moments! it is, in general, a much better game and story than i feared it was going to be able to be post-anthem, and shaped much more like the game i wanted it to be once we got the news that it was going to be single-player only.

but. ultimately. it's sooooooo Player Choice Focused and so so so scared of making any big narrative calls one way or another that it has resulted in this game where the mechanics themselves take agency away from each of your companions and hand it over to your protagonist.

sobbing deeply like it should not be Up To Me to decide for a character What Their Culture Should Be, and honestly it's deeply fucked up that the game is making you make this choice regardless. as an example.

like the game offers you a plethora of choices, but there aren't actually consequences for any of them in a way that impacts you, the player, emotively or narratively. the big choice that might harden one or the other of your companions is like, a coin flip that the game is very careful to stress doesn't reflect on the...morality or world beliefs of your character?

what i mean by this is that in da2, if you make pro-mage choices in front of fenris, he'll be annoyed with you. if you talk shit about blood magic in front of merrill, she'll get mad. the choices you make are reflected in how your companions respond to you over time, however clumsily implemented mechanically they are able to be in a game made in 2011.

meanwhile this game made in 2024 has chosen to go the route of Everything Rook Says, Goes. this is articulated most clearly in the conclusion to davrin's quest, where he literally says 'i can't make this choice, but i trust rook to'. whatever rook says goes.

so while the choices you are presented with over and over again seem on the surface significantly weighted because it changes what events occur, they ultimately leave me feeling cold, because there's no emotional fallout in the wake of making them (maybe with the exception of treviso vs minrathous, but even then the issue is like, well i had to pick one and you lost the coin toss).

even if i do have opinions about the outcomes of one choice or another, the game assures me that those opinions don't have to come into the decision. because whatever you choose, in the wake of that choice, the specific companion will assure you that you made the right choice. even if they're mad about it, they understand that you had to do x thing. there's nothing you can do, or say, or believe, that fundamentally clashes with a character's world view. only bad luck that forces you into an untenable position, or the ability to convince any companion, eventually, that you were right.

idk i just think that narrative choices are only meaningful if you have to defend why you made them in some way - not because of their outcome, but because of what that choice says about the character your playing. if i decide to leave a shitty mayor to die and he comes back later as a monster to kill a bunch of allies, that's just a quest i'm ticking off when i kill him.

but if i then get confronted by a companion with opinions on restorative justice in the wake of that choice, now i have to actually contend with the impact of that decision i made in early game. now someone is mad at me, or disappointed. having to kill one more dude in a killing dudes game is not a consequence. the whole point of having companions in a narrative choice game like dragon age should not be to have 6 besties who agree with you and each other all the time, but instead a way to help figure out how you want to navigate the game world, story, and the choices you're going to make about it.

ultimately it feels like this game is terrified of interpersonal conflict in a way that sucks a lot of the joy out of playing this kind of rpg, and i'm sad about that. veilguard wants so badly to assure me that i'm doing amazing sweetie that it's ended up creating a world where i can only do amazing.

that, or i'm just so great at video games that i have won every interpersonal conflict in the [mumbled] hours that i've been playing veilguard. that seems likely.