#house husband lucanis dellamorte

[sorcerly]

ok but what if neve and lucanis get together during datv, break up because they're both working through their damage on top of having a fuck ton of new stressful responsibilities, and don't see each other for a year, two, five?

they try to write messages to each other, but - they're both important people. they just don't have time. they might share stories once in a while through the post, sure, but any important things they have to say to each other... it's difficult to write it all down properly, in ink on paper like that. most attempts perish as crumpled parchment thrown into a fireplace.

there's a stretch of many months, maybe even a full year, when they don't hear from each other at all. until SOME twist of intrigue brings them elbow-to-elbow in the shit again.

I think for Lucanis it's a surprise, that he can feel some glimmer of ease again when he's around Neve (she was always the one who could make him feel safe, comfortable). The time since the veilguard has been nothing but the stress of carrying on the Dellamorte name and answering to Caterina's expectations and trying, trying so hard, to be who he needs to be as First Talon - putting his head down and slogging through all the parts of the job that he hates, dreads, never wanted in the first place.

I think for Neve it's a bit of a shock, because she actually does not recognize him immediately. and it's not because he's changed his appearance - he still wears his hair in that neat mullet (though now with some gray in the black), dresses smartly in crow leathers, keeps his beard trimmed. truly the way he carries himself hasn't changed that much either (he's always been guarded, careful). but his face. his eyes.

Neve remembered relishing every unguarded glance she caught from him. those eyes that shone so brightly in the light of the kitchen candles when they were both up at ungodly hours. even though he had seen so much pain and misery and death, Lucanis' eyes showed his heart; still soft. open. welcoming. easy. dark and warm like shadows cast by firelight.

when she sees him for the first time in years, those eyes are cold. hard. closed off. even though he slept so little at the lighthouse, Neve can't help but feel that she has never seen him look so, so, so tired.

and i think it likely doesn't take long for Neve, greatest detective in Thedas, to see the way he interacts with the other Talons, with Teia and Viago, with Caterina - and put together exactly what's been going on. And I think she'd stop at NOTHING to try and fix what she sees as a terrible mistake made by the veilguard, including her. they aren't to blame, of course not, how could they have known? but even so - when the veilguard ended, Lucanis was left to the snakes and the dogs.

so maybe she makes a pact with Teia and Viago, who had almost given up on Lucanis when Neve showed up again. maybe she finds a surprising ally in Illario, who has always known what First Talon would mean for Lucanis. maybe she calls on Davrin, Rook, anyone else from the team who might be able to help. one things for sure tho. Neve and Caterina fucking hate each other.

and then neve and lucanis kiss

[tiiracotta]

My brain for the whole of January: what if Lucanis but Gokushufudou Way of the Househusband

Some screenshot redraws and other things

Starring: Lucanis as Tatsu, my Rook Eranto Aldwir as Miku, Spite as Gin, Viago as a Former Yakuza Boss, Viago's Snake as Yakuza Boss' Dog, Assan and Manfred as random animal neighbors and Strife and Emmrich as Rook's adoptive parents(?) for some reason.

[cherrypikkins]

I did it. I figured out their dynamic.

[sketchbeast]

Am I right?

[gxldencity]

what I'm getting from lucanis treating being an assassin as a 9-5 job and doesn't actually like being The assassin nepo baby is that he needs to be a house husband

[cybershock24601]

I made a little jokey post a while ago about Caterina disapproving of Lucanis’ relationship with Rook but I do lowkey think that after losing Rook at Tearstone Isle, that Lucanis could in fact be pushed into leaving the Crows if grandma ever tried to mess up his relationship with Rook. Goodbye First Talon Lucanis Dellamorte and say hello to Rook’s doting house husband who is experiencing more emotional fulfillment in life taking care of a small household then he ever did as the feared Demon of Vyrantium

[vigilskeep]

Can we hear about the soap opera style second de riva?

oh sure

she’s the human mage daughter of the previous talon de riva and she’s also illario’s arranged married wife

viago killed her dad in order to replace him. she’s not angry abt this, actively. (she doubts anyone who had met her father could be angry about it.) but there IS underlying tension, how could there not be? viago could have killed her too, and instead has in some ways become like a brother to her. but in another world where he hadn’t gotten there first, house de riva might have been hers

illario did not want to marry her, she was picked out for him by caterina, to strengthen their house ties. to illario, it reads like an insult: she’s not a match meant for a future first talon, she was passed over and disinherited in her own house. she’s also a mage, which despite all caterina’s claims of it being a new era under the new divine and house dellamorte moving with the times, he suspects would be used against their branch of the family inheriting anything. he didn’t even want to get married in the first place, because he’s a chronic flirt here for a good time. and nobody is dragging lucanis back from tevinter to make him get married like he’s a pawn you can afford to sacrifice

his dissatisfaction means he continues to be a chronic flirt, with other people, after they’re married. she’s professionally humiliated, which is as good as personally humiliated for a crow; charm and beauty were skillsets of hers, she can’t even win over her own husband when it’s required to maintain the alliance in treviso, and everyone knows it? viago’s furious because it’s an insult to house de riva’s honour, too. (he’s being a protective big brother. which would be nice, if he could express it or indeed if he had acted on some of those instincts before agreeing to her being married off. read the contents of these brackets in teia’s voice.) all this is why she is still referred to as a de riva, because she kind of went back home to soothe tensions but without actually getting a divorce

she was obviously normal and rational about all of this, as she always is, a good, composed, collected crow, who has never lost her cool in training or on contracts or with her own father’s murdered body before her very eyes. she would like to clarify that the above events had no effect on her eventually lashing out at a certain antaam patrol and setting several things both metaphorically and very literally on fire. unrelated.

lucanis, on his return, immediately knows exactly what illario was like about it and is intensely mortified on behalf of his family, because he is a man with Romantic Standards. she thinks this is endearing and restrains herself from playing on his heartstrings about it too often. the deeply obvious thing to do here is have them fall in love for drama, that would be the maximum soap opera move, and to be clear i DO think it’s funny for illario to suddenly decide he does actually want his wife as soon as lucanis wants her, but honestly i just want lucanis to have one decent family relationship and this is how i can make that happen by force of will. and now not only is illario’s own wife siding with lucanis in the power struggle, but lucanis is replacing illario with her! we actually don’t need romance to make this deranged

thus i’m still debating the most amusing option on the veilguard team to sweep illario’s wife off her feet. i would love to see where almost any of them are going with this. emmrich, for example. and davrin with lucanis’ sister-in-law is obviously amazing (though i actually don’t think he’d go for a wealthy married human woman, i think he’s got more sense and/or self respect 😭). ultimately neve absolutely has a noir detective’s prerogative to win over a femme fatale with a rich husband who doesn’t treat her right so she would get dibs

[mrsdellamorte]

kindness is a strength

a conversation between caterina dellamorte, and her new granddaughter-in-law.

Thea paced her way through Villa Dellamorte, unable to find sleep in her new home. The last time she walked through the villa, Venatori blood stained the marble and carpets, which took months to clean. She walked slowly with a small fire orb behind her, the warm light flickering with each step. Crossing her arms, Thea ascended the long stairwell back to the family wing, where Lucanis and Amalia were fast asleep.

Moonlight peered through the windows, basking the upper hall in it's ethereal light. Thea’s eyes wandered to the new portraits hanging in the corridor. She smiled, remembering how happy Lucanis was to put the paintings back, much to his grandmother’s dismay. With so much loss behind them and the promise of a new future ahead, the new First Talon wanted to be sure his family was honored and remembered.  The generations of House Dellamorte were displayed in their Crow splendor, embodying elegance, grace and just a hint of smugness. Thea took her time, studying each face and name, trying to find the little similarities between Lucanis and his ancestors.

At the end of the hall, two portraits hung side by side, adorned with fresh flowers and two crow masks. Thea motioned the orb higher to get a better look, the flicker from the flame caused a glare from the golden plaque beneath the frame.

Alessandra and Emiliano Dellamorte.

Lucanis’ parents.

Thea’s heart couldn’t help but feel heavy, seeing her husband in both of his parents. Emiliano had a warm smile, dark eyes and a freckled completion, with a sense of style that was unmatched. Alessandra’s portrait commanded attention, but there was a certain softness to her. She had a smile on her face, with dark cascading hair and beautiful warm brown eyes.

Those same brown eyes belonged to Lucanis, which made Thea smile. She began to imagine Lucanis with his parents, until the tapping of a cane pulled her from her thoughts.

“I have not seen that smile in some time.” Caterina’s voice was almost soft as she approached Thea, her eyes fixated on the painting above. She leaned against her cane; her expression was sorrowful as she looked away.

“I am glad, I suppose, that Lucanis rehung them. My poor Alessandra. It was just yesterday I gave her my opal ring, and now...”

“Losing your children… your family in that way… For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” 

“Thank you.” Caterina responded quickly.

An awkward silence filled the space between them as they both looked at Alessandra’s portrait. Thea tucked her sweater tighter; Caterina shifted weight on her cane.

“You must wonder what she was like, my Alessandra.” Caterina tilted her head, a small sign of a smile breaking through her thin lips.

Thea raised an eyebrow toward the old woman. “Well, you are strong and powerful, ruthless too. I can imagine she was the same.”

“She was those things, yes.” Caterina sighed. “But… above all else, she was kind.”

Thea’s eyes shifted back toward Alessandra’s portrait, a small smile on her lips.

“Ahh… so Lucanis is like her in more ways than one.” Thea whispered.

“She was what every crow from House Dellamorte should aspire to be: intelligent, cut throat, merciless.” Caterina scoffed. “Her kindness could not save her from House Velardo. It was nothing more than a weakness.”

Anger flashed in Thea’s eyes at the old woman’s words.

“That’s not a weakness, if anything it made her stronger.” Thea spoke through gritted teeth.

Caterina’s head spun toward the mage, who stood firm, though her hands shook under the glare of the former First Talon.

“Yes, it is a weakness.” The old woman’s voice cracked slightly. “There is no place for it among the Crows, especially Crows from House Dellamorte. It is why they… it is why my Alessandra… is dead.”

Thea let out a sigh, tapping her fingers against her upper arm. Caterina was stubborn and unyielding, which was why she tended to avoided her. But here, in the empty hall of Villa Dellamorte, there was a sense of vulnerability, of real emotion slipping through the cracks of Caterina’s hardened exterior. Thea met the old woman’s eyes, seeing them full of sorrow and regret as she let out a quiet sigh, holding her cane tight. Thea swallowed hard, looking back toward Alessandra and Emiliano.

“She was blindsided by traitorous Crows making a grab for power. It had nothing to do with her kind heart." Thea spoke low, knowing she’d regret her next words. "Kindness is a strength, look at your grandson, after what you put him through, all the beatings, the starvation... he endured. He is the kindest person I've ever met. I-" Thea closed her eyes, taking a breath. “I am sorry, it’s not my place.”

Caterina scoffed at the mages words, looking toward the window. She bowed her head, tapping her cane twice to the ground.

“No. It is not. But, you… you are right. It is why I treated him the way I did.” Caterina met Thea’s eyes. “I did not want to lose him or Illario... the way I lost Alessandra.” The old woman walked passed Thea, standing under the portrait of her daughter.

“Her kindness was beautiful and pure, and they took advantage.” She sighed. “I did not want the same for my grandsons. I prepared them for the life we endure as Crows."

Caterina's hand ghosted for a moment over the painted cheek of her daughter.

"She lives on through Lucanis, and I am grateful. He loved her more than anything.”

The old woman smiled, a secret smile, only for her daughter.

“Alessandra would have loved you, and your Amalia. She would be proud to know that Lucanis found someone who makes him happy, who stands up to defend his kind heart. Although, I think you are far too stubborn and strong willed and extremely open with your judgements."

“Thank you.” Thea whispered, surprised at the old woman’s words.

Caterina said nothing in response, but a small smile broke on her face. She headed in the direction of her bed chamber before turning back to Thea.

“I often have found that a warm cup of coffee and a stroll in the gardens helps with sleep. Especially while one is adjusting to life in a new home.” She smirked before entering her bedroom.

Thea stood with her arms crossed, a shocked expression on her face. Kindness was no weakness, and it seemed to run strong in the veins of House Dellamorte, even somewhere hidden deep under the surface of their matriarch.

[awkward-tension-art]

Papà

Inspired by this post. Wanted fluff. Wrote fluff.

cw: Dad Lucanis, OC children, mentions of fem!Rook, brief mentions of pregnancy, blood and knives mentioned (not in a threatening way), Lucanis being soft, Spite being...Spite, brief mentions of Caterina's abuse

Enjoy!

Lucanis Dellamorte. 

Antivan Crow. First Talon. Demon of Vyrantium. 

Many names. Many titles. But there were really only two that mattered to him. 

Husband and…

“Papà! Papà!” 

He turned from his desk, eyes wide at the small voice of his son. The poor boy sounded panicked as he rushed into the assassins office.

“Matteo,” Lucanis knelt, wrapping his arms around the small 9-year-old. He kept his voice level, afraid to cause any more undue stress to his son, “What’s wrong?” 

“I-it’s Julietta…” Matteo sniffled, “She got hurt…” 

Hurt? How bad? 

Who. hurt. Julietta? 

“Take me to her,” he stood, heart racing. 

Spite was agitated almost instantly. The demon had become a sworn protector for Lucanis’ children now. The day of Matteo’s birth, the very nature of Spite had changed. Shifted to one more…loving. It became even more clear when Julietta was brought into the world.

Yet, with no true word to describe the shift, Spite will always be Spite. 

If she’s hurt. I will kill. 

Me too.

He was the First Talon. Thoughts of a rival house harming his children went through his mind. They killed his family years ago, and here they were, threatening House Dellamorte again.

Matteo was quick. Quicker than he was at his age. And more clever. With talented ease, the boy leapt over a gap between two roofs. Already he was showing signs of becoming a great crow. 

They returned home. To the manor. Lucanis had his hackles raised as they approached. 

Was our home infiltrated? Where are the guards? The servants? 

Kill. Them. 

One hand drifted to a hidden dagger at his side while he analyzed their surroundings. All staff accounted for. Everyone he recognized.

Was there a traitor among the staff? An opening in their schedule for an infiltrator to slip inside? Was his wife now in danger? She was on a contract right now, but was she alone? If Julietta was hurt, would she or Matteo be next? Countless questions ran through his mind as Matteo and him rushed up the stairs. 

The duo stopped in front of Julietta’s bedroom door. The fine wood was carved with flowers and birds, decorated with silver. Behind it, was the sound of sniffling.

“Julietta!” Matteo knocked on the door, “I got Papà!”

Without another word, the door lock clicked open. 

Good. She knows to keep her door locked.

Lucanis pushed the door open quickly, stepping into his daughter's bedroom. Immediately he scanned the area, trying to find any danger. Any potential threats.

Instead, her bedroom looked clean. Normal. But Julietta, had tears in her brow eyes, sniffling and holding her hand. 

Blood.

It marked her palm and her clothes. Behind her was a set of his own daggers. Two of them were cast aside with a cleaning rag, while another was stained with her blood.

“I-I’m sorry Papà…” Julietta murmured, voice thick with emotion, “I-I wanted to be nice and clean them…” 

Ah. 

Relief flooded his body. Spite calmed instantly. No danger. No threat. Just a little accident.

“Julietta…” The First Talon knelt in front of his 7 year-old-daughter, “you know better than to touch Papà’s knives when he isn’t around.” 

“I know…” she hiccuped, “I wanted to surprise you…” 

His heart twisted. He held out his palm and motioned to see the injury. She presented her bloodied hand quickly. 

It was a sizable cut across her palm and thumb. Not a lethal gash by any means but big enough to startle her. And with the amount of blood, she probably panicked and cried to her brother.

Oh, how he remembered nicking himself on weapons when he was younger. Or the many times he burned himself helping the servants cook. He wasn’t so coordinated when he was her age.

Her next words broke his heart further. 

“D-don’t tell grandmama…” 

She judges every little mistake, doesn’t she?

She is angry. Old. 

Shush, Spite. She is set in her ways. 

Hurt Illario. And will hurt Julietta. 

…Never good enough in Caterina’s critical eyes… 

There was a surge of overprotectiveness in his chest, “Matteo, close the door and finish your studies. I’ll take care of your sister.” 

His son nodded and did as told, leaving father and daughter alone. 

Lucanis rummaged through a pack on his hip for a clean cloth. He pulled out a white handkerchief and quickly wrapped her palm, “Sana, sana, colita de rana.” he soothed, using words he remembered his own parents using when he was hurt.

She winced, “it hurts…” Julietta whimpered. 

“I know, mi pequeña Julietta.” The Crow responded quietly, “but it’ll get better, in time.” He placed a loving kiss on her bandaged palm, “Learn from this. Don’t handle knives without proper training.” 

“I-I’m sorry Papà…” she hiccuped, “I-I just wanted to be nice and clean them…”

“I know, amore.” He reached up and brushed some of her dark hair from her face, “Thank you for the thought. But my daggers are sharp, they are made to hurt targets.” 

Julietta nodded, holding her injured hand. After a second she practically threw herself at him in a hug. He, of course, wrapped his arms around her.

“I love you, Papà.” She whispered, “I want to do something nice for you.” 

Lucanis laughed softly, “You don’t need to, amore,” he pet the back of her head, “You do so much for me without even realizing it.” 

“More than Metteo?” 

He stifled another laugh. Sibling rivalry for their fathers love already? 

“Equal amounts.” The assassin tried to squash such competition quickly, “you’re different from your brother. The both of you are unique. And I love both of you.”

“Will you love the baby in mommy's tummy?” 

What?

What? 

“What?” 

“Auntie Teia said something to uncle Viago. Mommy has a baby in her tummy.” Julietta responded, easily. She clearly didn’t understand the gravity of her innocent words, “a sibling. My sibling.” 

We are having words when you get back, Rook!

Agreed.

Lucanis cleared his throat, “Yes. Your sibling. You’ll be a big sister.” 

“Can they call you Papà too?”

Love swelled in his heart, “Yes. I want them to call me Papà. Just like you and Matteo do.”

“I’ll tell them that when they get out of mommy's tummy.” Julietta responded. 

Good. Like being called papà.

I agree.

[frotees-corner]

Fic idea for a regency romance AU, inspired by a prompt from @supern191 :

- Caterina Dellamorte is the matriarch of her family (think Dowager Countess, but actually mean), who insists that her grandsons (Lucanis and Illario), whom she practically raised, each find a match before she dies of old age (get on it, boys!). The family is old and prestigious and loaded.

- Lucanis parents died in an accident abroad (they were secretly spies); Illario’s mother died in childbirth, his father under mysterious circumstances (he may or may not have sold Lucanis’ parents out).

- Illario is a dandy and a terrible rake; Lucanis is a decorated [insert military rank here] with ptsd who has no interest in marriage (he wouldn’t have anything to talk to with those young girls desperately seeking a husband, plus he’s anxious about what he might do when he has an episode). Both are in their 30s.

- Rook is considered a spinster at 26, currently foisted off to live with her uncle (two steps removed), an esteemed professor who’s bad at keeping his house in order. She is educated and opinionated and quite happy to be considered off the market. Her family would like her to either marry her uncle or find a suitable husband under his care.

- Rook‘s uncle is Emmerich Volkarin, scholar, widower and secretly gay.

- Neve is Rook’s best friend and got lucky; her husband died young (she may or may not have helped him along), so now she is comfortable and free to pursue her own interests. Said interests involve solving crime and sponsoring promising young author Bellara (they totally have the hots for each other).

- Lace Harding is Rook‘s Ladies Maid; she is not to be trifled with.

- Davrin is another soldier, lower in rank than Lucanis but still proudly on active duty, and likes to mock Lucanis about his honorable discharge. (Is secretly nice and very fond of cats)

No idea what to do about Taash yet, but I’m thinking some kind of guard.

- Lucanis and Rook end up coming to an agreement similar to Daphne and the Duke from Bridgerton: He wants his grandmother off his back, and she wants people (and her uncle) to stop looking at her with pity for having no reasonable prospects. You know how this one goes.

Absolutely no guarantees that I will ever do anything with this, seeing how I’d have to do actual research and figure out a plot.

And now my brain can hopefully focus on plotting out the last couple of chapters of my current fic.

Edit: Aw fuck, I just figured out the plot. Damn.

[cadashly]

I just think if Lucanis doesn't really want to be First Talon why not wait until Caterina dies for real and let his partner Rook de Riva who has considerable high pressure leadership experience take over instead so he can step back and become the house husband he yearns to be?

Rook isn't a Dellamorte? Welll if they got married...

[sorcerly]

Re: Spite not ‘acting like a demon’

It stands out a lot that Spite doesn’t really do much to endanger Lucanis or his loved ones or peers… At least not in the ways we’ve seen Rage, Pride, Etc Demons ACTIVELY endanger DA protagonists and their parties before.

But also, Justice became Vengeance in DA2, and I don’t recall them actively trying to hurt Anders OR Anders party… am I forgetting something? I mean Vengeance DEFINITELY fucks up some Templars, but it seems driven only by its nature and its desire for Justice, rather than just killing randomly.

So then Spite would only have a reason to do all the demon murder stuff if someone/thing got in the way of their purpose? Which is Determination?? Is this anything???

(Inspired by @logarithmicpanda ‘s commentary on this version of the demon lore post)

[supacutiepie]

My full playthrough verse for Dragon Age is 'What the World Asks of Its Children' and the idea is that we focus on children and how they change dynamics and themes in all four games. (Also I love Dorian and he's the main star for a good portion of the au because he started it with Theia and Ataashi) Origins: Running of the 78% reasonable idea that Aegis is the child being asked to save the world. So her real part of the story will be an after story tale, about her Mother, Edona. DA2: This time, Hawke is the parent and the twins are the children he raises with help from his companions. Hawke is a disabled ex-sexworker doing his very fucking best. (Instead of either Bethany or Carver dying in Lothering, it's Leandra. And the twins are way younger, at like ten or eleven during the opening act) Sort of between DA2 and Inquisition: Dorian and the story about his girls. 'A girl named Dragon': how he gets captured and meets a dying tal-vashoth, and how this ends with him adopting a little girl named Ataashi. And then 'The Ghost of a Girl', how he takes a terrified and mute elf under his coat and they make a little family. Also in this era is Bull's 'Sea of Candles'. where he learns he has a daughter but the human mother wants nothing to do with the child because it kiiiinda ruined her. Tal-Rasani is a treasure. Then we get into Inquisition: Where The Herald is an elvhen hunter named Liora who lost her husband at the conclave and the same day of the explosion she conceives her first child, several months later giving birth to a little girl named Dawn. And how the Inquisition changes when there are four little girls running around and then two angst twin teenagers LMAO PLUS morrigan has kieran. we're all girl dads here. Then to Veilguard: Rook is a Crow turned Warden. She was sweet ona boy several houses above hers, sweet for a long time and he even reciprocated her affections. enough so that they were each others only love - until she found out she was pregnant. His grandmother did not approve of the match at all, so she 'sent away' the girl and the child under the guise of 'its not safe to carry a dellamorte child' and that Rook would be able to deliver the babe somewhere safer. Bull shit. She got like, a month of rest after giving birth before she was ambushed by darkspawn. Caterina didn't know how pregnant Rook was because rook had suspicions about the old crone. So timeline was, Caterina was trying to get rid of both her and the baby. Rook is blighted, found by wardens carrying her newborn through the woods, and saved by the joining. All of this happens pre wigmaker - lucanis thinks his sweetheart was killed on an assignment bc thats what caterina tells everyone. i dont like this woman. cont

SO Lucanis thinks Rook was KIA. Never even knew she was pregnant. And Rook becomes a Warden sorta not her choice but it's what she can do, because she sort of thinks Caterina tried to kill her. So, she works with the Wardens, raises her daughter, and tries to think of a future. She doesn't get a chance to get much information about Antiva in. But she gets a single contact, she gets the news that the 'Demon of Vyrantium' is dead. That her 'Luca' is dead. So, for a year, she thinks Lucanis is dead, and he's thought she was dead for four years. Imagine his shock when she rescues him. Actually imagine VIAGO'S shock when Teia wide eyed and shocked brings Rock and Harding into the Diamond, imagine CATERINA'S shock and disdain, trying to twist it around as though Rook hid the fact she was alive. Rook doesn't mention her daughter, doesn't trust that information to the first talon at all but damn, she tells viago and teia in secret when she can. they agree, its not a safe place. SO... Imagine being Lucanis, first being rescued by the very alive first love you ever had. THEN her telling him not to freak out - but his mini me is five years old and running amok in the lighthouse. And then, imagine seeing some FUCK ASS Warden pick up said lil girl and she squeals about her 'uncle dav!' and oh BOY you thought those two were catty before???? now its a DAD FIGHT (It's not, because literally everyone and the spirits can tell that little girl belongs to Lucanis, but Lucanis is so deep in his head about spite he's terrified she'll get hurt so he tries to remain distanced but this is literally the one thing he's wanted his whole life SOOOO) ((Also, those weeks where rook is gone? Dad Adventures, the estranged father and the step dad LMAOO) ANYWAYS!! I'm going to piece together this big massive au little by little. It's been my little pride and joy for seven, eight, TEN years man.

[aly-the-writer]

So. Crow considerations and headcannons -

- Oriana Cousland is Antivan and teases about being knowledgeable of poison comfortably with her husband. I've always HC'd her family was Crow-adjacent if not straight up Crows and "Wealthy Antivan Trader" is the polite cover the family maintains because brazenly admitting to being powerful and wealthy due to assassinations would be uncouth.

- The reason a Crow house is actively working against Rendon Howe and Loghain is because of her and Oren being murdered. Most Fereldan nobles wouldn't jump to using Antivan crows when a free lancer is probably cheaper and more available in Ferelden. That house is also actively opposing Arainai interests because Crow politics.

- Lucanis gets very shifty when discussing the Fereldan Crow activity and how many Talons ended up dead because of it.

- The timing works out for Oriana to be one of Caterina's dead children.

Therefore with all of these points I have decided Ignacio is a Dellamorte (though not family-family). Lucanis and Oren were cousins, which makes Warden Cousland that very distant and vaguely terrifying relative that no one wants to acknowledge because they insist on taking that damn Arainai with them everywhere. Bonus points if Lucanis falls for Rook and then finds out they're actually a Cousland.

[perkeleen-lavellan]

Viago in Vitani's timelime gets so cooked:

>Go to a meeting of all the Talons with my sometimes GF Teia orchestrated by Caterina Dellamorte

>Survive betrayal and the multiple murder attempts on us only for it to be too late to stop the Antaam invasion anyway

>Before the invasion can fully begin quickly poach that one spunky Valisti assassin Vitani, freshly graduated, for house De Riva. Seeing as the Valisti Talon just got murdered there really is no better time

>Make him your protege

>Couple months into the full Antaam invasion yell at said protege for the 20th time for being an impulsive moron and basically ruining a long con to deal with the Antaam just because he wanted to save a couple captives

>One of the captives is Varric Tethras? He says he wants to put a contract on the ancient elven god Fen'harel? Oh please yes take my new student off my hands on this obviously bogus quest, I have severely overestimated my tolerance for 19-year-olds (Teia is laughing)

>Some time passes by

>My protege is now back with an ADHD riddled Dalish, Varric's buddy the ginger dwarf Harding, and an unhinged Tevinter detective. They want to hire the Mage Killer to kill two more gods.

>The Mage Killer who is dead except sike Caterina has been hiding that he's still alive and there's a traitor among us. Again.

>Somehow my protege finds the Mage Killer, we kill some dragons, gods, kick out the Antaam from Treviso, figure out most of our traitors, maybe now there's finally time for me to acrually train my protege for real without risking him ruining the entire resistance against the Antaam on a whim

>What do you mean you're marrying the new First Talon Lucanis Dellamorte and quitting work as an assassin to become a trophy husband????

>You won't even keep our House name??????

[dellamortte]

For the flower ask game; Monkshood, Rosemary, and Myrtle?

Language of Flowers (Rook Questions)

Monkshood: Does Rook ever think about their own death?

As an Antivan Crow, death is part of Deanna’s everyday life. She’s thought about her own a few times but she doesn’t dwell on it much. She fully believes she’s expendable, she’s seen it happen so many times. Talons, Crows, even fledglings would be killed and another person would take their place. That’s why she was ready to put her life on the line at Weisshaupt and why she was ready to do whatever it takes to save Thedas.

Mrytle: How does Rook’s life (and potentially their partner’s life) change if they have children and/or get married?

(i haven’t decided if my rook has kids or not so i’ll only answer in regards to her marriage!)

Deanna’s life changes quite drastically when she marries Lucanis. Not only does she officially join House Dellamorte but she becomes wife of the First Talon. During her life as a De Riva, she always assumed she’d never become a famous crow, that she would never be a Talon (even though Viago had always intended for her to take over his seat, she never that would ever happen.) She misses living in the shadows, having anonymity. But she eventually learns to accept it and stands happily at Lucanis’ side. I imagine that her life would be in danger from attacks from the other Houses. If they ever wanted to threaten Lucanis or even try to take over, she’d be the perfect bait. But after everyone saw Lucanis take down Illario in the opera house, the other leaders are too afraid to cross the Demon of Vyrantium. Not to mention the fact that both Lucanis and Deanna have killed literal gods. In terms of Lucanis’ life changing, he couldn’t be more happier to be Deanna’s husband. Their love for each other only gets stronger with every single day. She makes life easier for him too, becoming First Talon takes a toll on him at first but with Deanna at his side, he learns to believe in himself and together they do great things for the Crows.

Rosemary: What is Rook’s earliest memory?

(um i kinda went crazy and ended up writing a little drabble of a memory from my rook’s backstory as an answer to this so it’s under the read more alskdkd it’s nothing amazing and i wrote it literally this morning…. i hope it’s okay!! i haven’t posted any of my writing for a whole year so thank you for asking these and giving me inspiration!! slight tw for abuse/violence but nothing too graphic)

🐦‍⬛🗡️

She had patted down the bundles of hay into a makeshift pillow and pulled the ragged sheet over her, the closest she’d get to having a blanket. She thought back to the time she had crept into one of the many guest rooms and crawled under the bedsheets. How soft and luxurious it felt across her skin, how she could still recall the fragrance of the washed linen, how the mattress felt so firm and yet so comfortable underneath her. These were luxuries that were never meant for her, luxuries that she would never have.

That overpowering scent of lavender and jasmine still clung to her nose if she thought hard enough. It almost worked to hide the strong damp smell of the horses and any other substances that were lingering inside the stables.

Her eyes were closed but she couldn’t sleep, not when the Master’s voice reverberated across the courtyard. He was inside the mansion, shouting so loudly it was as if all of Orlais could hear. He was seemingly moving from room to room in a fit of pure rage, looking for something. Or someone. This was not the first time she had heard him like this. But it was to be the last.

A door opened and her Master’s voice was now clear as he stepped outside. Something had truly vexed him this evening, though Deanna knew it didn’t take much to anger him. But this was different, his voice was seething with rage but there was a twinge of fear. Whatever it was that had occurred, he was desperate and afraid.

Another voice caught Deanna’s attention. Mama. She was pleading with the Master, begging him not to hurt her daughter as she had done countless times before.

Deanna’s hand instinctively reached up and touched her face where the Master had last left his mark. The tips of her fingers had only brushed the skin of her cheek yet she still winced as the pain tingled from that light touch. There was no doubt that she would have a bright and colourful bruise tomorrow, she would need to check her reflection in the water of the courtyard’s fountain to be sure.

She closed her eyes tighter, knowing that her Master was looking for her once again and that it would only be a matter of time before he found her.

But her mother’s voice grew louder, screaming for him to stop. She told him to drop the knife, to pull himself together for the Maker’s sake. Then there was a strange sound, something similar to the noises that came from the kitchen when the butcher had delivered fresh meat. There was a heavy thud and her mother’s voice stopped.

It was quiet. Too quiet. Something was not right. Deanna had heard her mother being beaten many times before, she had heard her mother crying and pleading to their Master until he grew tired or when he had had enough. Then he would leave her whimpering on the ground, bruised and bloodied. She would always get back up and come find Deanna to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. But this silence… she had never heard it like this before.

She sat upright, eyes wide as if that would help with hearing things clearer. She waited for any sound of her mother, any sound at all. Then she heard it. Footsteps. A soft squelch. And then a new voice.

“The Crows send their regards.”

There was another thud, different from the sound before. As if someone had dropped a large sack to the ground, placing it down deliberately. Deanna clutched tightly at the sheet around her as the footsteps drew closer.

She knew her mother’s footsteps, she even knew the Master’s stomping feet. But these were unlike any she had heard before. These were gentle yet clear. As if they wanted to be heard, as if they wanted to let Deanna know they were coming.

The side door to the stable opened and the figure stepped in. He looked around for a moment, until he found what he was looking for. He stood before Deanna, holding a small yet sharp dagger in one hand, wiping away some kind of red substance off the blade with a silk handkerchief. Once he was satisfied that it was clean, he folded the cloth away and sheathed his dagger.

Deanna stared up at the human. She had seen him before, earlier that same week. He had been hiding up on the rooftops, watching. Waiting.

The first few times she caught him, he hid himself away as quickly as he had appeared. But yesterday when she had caught him again, he stayed perfectly still until she was the one who had to turn and look away. No one believed her when she spoke of the strange man, not even Mama.

Now here he was, right in front of her. His clothes were strange, she had never seen so many clasps, so many belts. Then she noticed what was attached to them, all his daggers and small vials filled with bright green liquid. Yet despite his frightening appearance, when she looked up at him with her emerald eyes, she felt… safe. She knew he was not going to hurt her.

He wasn’t a young boy but not yet a man either. He was somewhere in between, the signs of an early attempt at a moustache upon his upper lip. But there was wisdom in his dark eyes, in the line of his sharp jaw. He had experienced more in life than Deanna could ever possibly imagine. He took a step forward and spoke in a strong, strange accent.

“Your mother is dead. And I have fulfilled my contract. Your life here is over.”

He did not sound Orlesian, nor Fereldan like her Mama. But there was still so much of the world Deanna didn’t know about, so much she had always yearned to see.

He held out a gloved hand. She stood up, letting the sheet fall and revealing the rags she wore as her nightdress. How scruffy she must’ve looked, with dirt smudged across her face, stray pieces of straw stuck in her light auburn hair and her elven ears poking through. She reached her small hand up to his and took it.

Deanna was too young to truly understand what he was talking about. But something inside her knew that she was meant to go with him.

He said nothing as he pulled her close and lifted her up into his arms. He carried her with great ease, the small creature that she was.

The rest of the night was a blur, she could remember nothing about the journey to Antiva except for one thing. The feeling of being held in the strange human’s arms. How he let her sleep with her head rested upon his chest. And how, for the very first time in her little life, she finally felt safe.