#heart plays datv

[bardistraee]

DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD (2024) | neve gallus [4/∞] "well, you're not bad so far."

[sotc]

as fun as it is to talk about the sillay crow family dynamics, i'm soo interested in what this means for the crow familia going forward in a darker lens.

im mostly speaking from the perspective of a rook de riva who romanced lucanis btw <3

illario brought the axe down on his own head after failing to take first talon. he's imprisoned except to play house whenever caterina wants to see him around for family dinners before tensions inevitably shove him back into the cage he's been left to like some house pet lmfao. it's actually kinda fucked up and as a certified sicko i love it. especially considering the casualness in which lucanis describes all of this. crows gotta be a little unhinged<3

But!!! while lucanis was right that illario's reputation is ruined forever as a traitor crow beaten to his knees before every house that doesn't exactly free house dellamorte either. Talon houses will want their pound of flesh of illario for nearly trying to put antiva under venatori control. and yet lucanis refused. house dellamorte showed mercy. they are breaking the rules, making exceptions. this is not how the crows operate and there should--WILL be retaliations for it. illario left this house bleeding in his attempt to claim first talon and their blood is in the water now with house dellamorte having a sole heir who blatantly exposed a weakness and seemingly has no lineage to take after him.

and nevermind that we know murmurs amongst the crows will linger about a first talon being an abomination. i know lucanis kind of handwaves it off as at the coffee date like 'there could be worst first talons' but baby boy, you have avoidance and denial issues this WILL become worse of a problem the longer it goes on. <3

more under the cut bc i didn't realize this was getting so long lol

but in comes fifth talon viago de riva. a bastard to the king of antiva who wants to strengthen the crown. a man who has been ruthlessly exacting and meticulous to get where he is now. and the scariest part is that he has ambition, always has, and knows he has more power than the king himself to make plays if he needs to. this makes for a dangerous (and sexy) combination. in comes his protege rook. casting silly family dynamics aside, viago knows this union between house dellamorte and de riva is extremely beneficial for both houses but also very dangerous. even he knows his ties to teia show a weakness in him that other crows may seek to exploit. and while i do think he may be sincere about wanting rook to find their happiness with lucanis as he has with teia - i truly think he will not shy from showing the importance of a 'political alliance/union' especially with first talon house dellamorte struggling from the blow after all is said and done.

and of course, by extension to de riva, house cantori and the beautiful lovely miss teia, will be extending her support to strengthen their houses but also herself from any opposition. as much as i love that she's kind of the heart that brings this fucked up lil familia together, i know she is just as cunning and clever to recognize what this alliance does for her too.

and caterina.. well, without going into a whole thought piece on her, she has built her (and her grandson's reputation) entirely to instill fear in others, even command enough respect to know she's the one running things while lucanis is just a stand-in as first talon. but what happens when caterina is gone? another dellamorte dead just like all the others. all lucanis has left is himself and his traitor brother. how does he handle illario? how does he fair being a leader to the crows when he didn't want any of this in the first place and no longer has caterina to guide him? how does he wish to pursue carrying the dellamorte legacy (if at all)? does he seek a protege of his own to take on after him? i can't remember who says it (viago or lucanis) but there's a line about how saving thedas will make their houses immortal (hot and very sexy) but also how far can that reputation protect house dellamorte, really?

i don't really have a point to all of this, this is all just stuff im simply chewing on and letting out into the ether because the ripple effect of repercussions with what illario did and what lucanis now has to deal with fascinates me SO MUCH.

[covertleathers]

Varric Being a Ghost The Whole Time Was To Let Players Process Him Dying

There's a dialogue option when Rook learns that Varric where they say they had a hunch that Varric was dead the whole time. That they were just in desperate denial. Like us, the fans? We all knew deep down he was dead, but had a hard time acknowledging it.

I fully believe the devs knew they were going to kill Varric but also knew that fans would've gone ballistic. So this was a kinder way to for us to experience it.

[lavellane]

can you fucking imagine if instead of the mourn watch or lords of fortune factions we'd instead had an inquisition and agents of fen'harel faction . personally i have not stopped thinking about it once since finishing veilguard but maybe thats just me

[invinciblerodent]

anyway, I really, really love how, if you romance Davrin, there's that beautiful moment in the final goodbye when he refers back to (at least one of-) the lines that can be said in the main romance scene:

[Davrin: You said you wanted the road less-traveled. Seems like we've got it right here.

Davrin: All I care about is that I'm there with you.]

after a personal storyline that's in large part about him overcoming an aversion of uncertainty, and embracing the potential for change and choosing who one wants to be (like most of the others, but it's arguably even more pronounced in his, as it's reflected through the griffons' story), that's just a really beautiful sentiment.

after spending so long thinking of himself as a weapon, believing one's destiny to be set in stone, even believing himself -and by extension, the griffons- to be "meant" for one immutable thing by their very nature...

it feels very satisfying and touching to know that he's willing to head into an unknown future with nothing truly secure, except for the hand holding his.

[whereismywarden]

oh.

[loverinthesnow]

The letter a romanced Cullen sends the Inquisitor that you find in your Codex had more romantic and emotional beats than the whole of the Lucanis romance. Like it was sweet enough at the end I guess, but it really needed more quiet moments between them. Even some flirty banter while he’s in my party would’ve been nice.

I put over 100 hours in to the game only to come out feeling nothing. Not even a single epilogue slide to give us some closure? Something?? :(

[trevisos]

got sick and had to play this scene again

[crow-of-paradise]

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST THE MURAL REVELATIONS

THE ELVES SUCKED

Bruh playing this part as an elf rook was such a shitty feeling LOL I can’t imagine what it’s like as a DWARF!!!

[pinkfey]

“if i turn from doing what’s right, i’ll lose myself” / “then i’m coming with you” / “i know :)”

[ordainedstillness]

this is crazyyyyyy omg i missed them

[bardistraee]

DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD (2024) | neve gallus [1/∞]

[aymayzing]

Lys Lavellan, you will always be famous

[thelesbianoffrontiers]

hehehehohoho

[lavellane]

"Presenting Her Worship, the Lady Inquisitor Ashara Dhavise of Clan Lavellan, First to Keeper Deshanna Lavellan, Anointee of the Second Inquisition, Herald of Andraste, Right Hand of Divine Victoria, Vessel of the Vir'Abelasan, Comtesse of Kirkwall, Lady of Skyhold, Slayer of the false god Corypheus, Slayer of the false god Hakkon, Slayer of the false god Fen'harel."

[invinciblerodent]

it's like a half hour till the new episode of Vows & Vengeance releases, and I honestly feel kinda ridiculous waiting for it

i'm sitting here, idling away the time like i'm some fuckin medfant maiden who has only ever seen the portrait of her betrothed, and is now anxiously awaiting his arrival so that she may hear his voice for the first time

is he a good man? is he going to make a fine husband? i'm sure, but how can i truly be sure????