#lucanis to illario

[woundedsoul12]

From our discord writing prompt- Illario and Lucanis post game banter. This also mentions my M!Shadowdragon!Rook and his brother.

I have been writing for the Mercar Trio for awhile and I adore them. I have finally established enough of Rook's story in the Closer series to move on with this

Lucanis sighed as he placed his hand on the door of Illario's study. Once, he almost lived in this wing of the Dellamorte Estate. He and his cousin had been more like brothers, and he longed more than anything to go back to that time. 

He hoped, for his sake, that Rook was right about their plan. 

“Cousin!” Illario was just a little too enthusiastic to see him as he draped across his chair with his feet over the armrest. He looked the picture of perfect ease, though Lucanis could see how his eyes flashed about the room. 

Wants an exit. Just in case.  

He ignored Spite's low growl beside him. The demon had promised to behave. For Rook. But Lucanis kept his hold on his control tight just in case. 

“Illario. You seem well,” he nodded as he took a seat across from his cousin. He wanted to appear non threatening. Friendly maybe. 

You do a bad job. 

Ok so maybe his hand hovering next to the daggers at his thigh was a bit too obvious. 

“Oh come now,” Illario chuckled as he swirled a glass of Antivan Brandy. “I'm sure you didn't come here just to explain pleasantries, cousin.” 

Lucanis hated that knowing look. How Illario could always read him so easily. Could even finish his sentences sometimes. 

“Actually I came to discuss the wedding,” Lucanis began. To his cousin's credit, he simply smiled at the topic. 

“Ah yes. The impending nuptials between Thedas’ most eligible bachelor, and his assassin abomination-” 

Blood and ash. Let Spite have him. 

Lucanis’ hands clenched at Illario's words, but he kept his breathing even. Both to keep Spite calm and himself. 

“Yes, my wedding to Rook,” he just agreed as he didn't want the tension. But he couldn't avoid allowing one dig at his cousin. “And with one Dellamorte wed, the other houses will be curious when our- fallen member will also be settling down.” 

Illario choked on his drink, though cleared his throat and regained his composure. 

“I'm sure the other houses are lining up to take that role,” he chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. “But I'm not interested. In marriage or any sort of arrangement.” 

“Actually,” Lucanis couldn't help but smile as he saw Spite bouncing with glee. Delivering this news was going to be the best part of his day, he decided. “The other houses have turned down all negotiations. From both myself and Caterina.” 

Illario jumped to his feet, face shocked at his cousin's words. Being rejected was a new concept. He was Illario Dellamorte. Men craved him and women pined for him. How dare they- 

“That is why Rook has a plan.” Lucanis was enjoying this way too much. He was reminded of when they were younger. When they would torment each other across the estate. Always in trouble but always having each other's backs. Illario would come to realize this really was what was best for him, in time. 

“I don't want to hear of any plans,” the man spat as he made a dramatic show of slamming his glass on the table beside him. “Whatever you and Rook have cooked up, leave me out of it-”

“Caterina has agreed.” The words were quietly spoken, and the color immediately drained from Illario's face. “She has already made the necessary arrangements with the Viper. You will meet your intended at the wedding. So please, try to behave.” 

A mix of emotions flitted across Illario's face. But he finally settled on a sneer as he placed his hands on his hips. 

“You could at least tell me her name,” he grumbled. 

“His name is Brick. And he is Rook's brother,” Lucanis stated as he stood to leave. He had enough of his cousin's company for one afternoon. And Spite was in way too good of a mood as he watched Illario sink back into the chair. 

Illario ran a frustrated hand through his hair as the door closed behind Lucanis. This was almost as bad as his fall from grace. He was trapped with no choice but to accept the proposal. He would have to cooperate. He wouldn't cross Caterina again, and he wanted to remain in the good graces of House Dellamorte and the other Crows. 

“Mierda!” He took his frustrations out as he threw his drink against the wall. The glass shattered, and he huffed as he racked his brain for ideas. 

But suddenly, it came to him in a flash. 

“I will just have to make him want to break it off,” he mused with a devious grin. Yes, that could work. They would have to accept if this Brick rejected him. 

Brick, what kind of dumb Minrathous name was this? Hopefully he was as unappealing as his name, because Illario hated admitting how lonely his bed had been lately. 

“It will all work out,” he reassured himself. He would just have to make himself unlikable, which seemed to be his specialty lately. 

Now, to set his plan in motion. 

[mohntilyet]

viago your dedication to poisoning yourself and 'um actually'ing your recruits has made you the most attractive talon in all of antiva

[okthisway]

when your bestie is also your worstie 😔

[housederiva]

[loveisalwayswise]

Average family night at Villa Dellamorte

[high-dragon-bait]

Illario is the funniest villain Dragon Age has ever shown us "Oh yes Teia I have the ashes for my totally dead grandmother, I'll go get them because they are in my possession. My dead grandma's ashes of course" my dude you're a crow you could've burned any body you had on hand. I want to study you in a lab

[snarkspawn]

... but we're more like brothers. Caterina took us both in... (We're brothers...)

[ruushes]

he's proud of them probably

[thimblings]

get with the Crow-gram, Davrin

[tiiracotta]

This guy

[merrinla]

Nick Thornborrow on BlueSky showed some more Lucanis narrative sketches

Sketch of Teia and Viago

Portrait sketch of Lucanis

Sketch of Lucanis violently dispatching prison guards along with Spite rapidly dispatching Venatori minions in the background.

Spite conversing with Rook. Spite grins with … well… spite. And Rook looks like she's having none of it.

A hedonistic bath house. Lucanis is deep in foreground in silhouette with two sword hilts apparent in the silhouette.

Ilario being seduced by I forget her name. But the villain in Lucanis's story. The villain is in a glowing red pool and drawing Ilario towards her who sits on the edge. Lucanis spies in the foreground.

Shirtless Ilario hulked out advancing on Lucanis in the foreground with a sword. The villain is in the background towering on a miasma of blood magic.

The villain reduced to a skeletal frame begging Ilario to save her.

Ilario smoke bombing out I think. Lucanis in the foreground in command of Spite.

Rook checking in on Lucanis who is curled up on the floor. Lucanis has just had an episode with his demon, Spite. Scorch marks in the shape of wings smolder on the walls.

Lucanis holding Rook in an embrace but looking warily back at Spite's wings protruding from his own back.

Lucanis ceremonially marking a book with blood.

I honestly can’t remember what was going through my head. I drew this years ago. It’s possible I was working from an explicit description of a ritual to become a Talon, or I may have been taking creative license. Either way, it was something to do with Talon coronation.

Lucanis and Spite working together for once to defeat the villain.

Action shot of Lucanis. I don't know. Kinda scruffy.

Lucanis looming over the villain who has been thoroughly defeated.

Lucanis becoming First Talon.

Lucanis with Spite wings out kissing Rook in the rain. This sketch was meant to portray an intense moment in the midst of going into a battle we don't expect to survive.

An intimate moment between Rook and Lucanis in the hot springs at the Dellamorte Estate.

Rook (who quite famously can't swim) tumbling into the canals of Treviso in a friendly game of bumper car gondola with Lucanis.

Rook and Lucanis having a wholesome (read spicy) experience in a secluded tunnel on a gondola. Lucanis's back is to us and his shirt is half off. Rook is obscured by Lucanis but the two are kissing.

Lucanis executing an ancient God with a lyrium dagger by stabbing him in the back. The God has a skull like face and and a horned helmet. Grey fog leaves his throat as he perishes with the word "URK"

[woundedsoul12]

Desperation and Dellamorte - Chapter 1 - WoundedSoul - Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own]

Summary:

After the events of Veilguard our heroes decide to settle into domestic wedded bliss. They ask Caterina's consent, but she has a stipulation. One that has the fallen Illario Dellamorte in an arranged marriage with the stoic brother of Rook.

Can this newly introduced couple survive their pasts to come together for a brighter future? Or will they fall into old habits for the further ruin of House Dellamorte?

[mohntilyet]

imagine being illario and finally finding the resolve to kill your cousin right. you seduce and fuck a blood mage venatori magister to get her to do this for you. you figure you’ll eventually kill her once you are first talon, tie up the loose end and make it look good for you. a vengeance story! except when your cousin’s body shows up your grandma retreats into herself presumably out of grief and you’re like jesus christ he’s a corpse and still the favorite. at this point you start feeling some regret and at the wake you’re beside yourself. it helps to be really feeling some of that to fool everyone else. but months pass and your grandma still isn’t even discussing the inheritance and you have to be normal because you don’t want to incriminate yourself. and then a year later some random guy (worse if its a de riva tbh) shows up saying they need your cousin to kill an elven god (what.) and he’s the only one who could (insulting). and its at this point your grandma is like “lucanis died… but he is not dead!”. record scratch freezeframe. while you juggle with the fact that the freak woman you fucked specifically to get her to kill your cousin didn’t even kill your cousin AND your grandma didn’t bother telling you (for good reason ofc but she doesn’t know that), you have to lead these assholes to go save him and unravel your hard work. so plan b. you kidnap your grandma and push your (now possessed) cousin away (and then get mad when he actually walks away. because you’re like this). and when your cousin comes dangerously close to figuring out what’s happened with you and the magister, you kill the magister. you ally with those elven gods and venatori (you aren’t sure how you’re going to get out of this one but it’s fine. that’s a hill for future illario) to make sure you have enough backing to stand up against the other houses if they challenge you becoming first talon. you continue to gaslight your cousin into staying away, because if there is one thing you can count on, it’s his literal inner demons and total lack of a support group, you’re certain he’ll fuck it up by himself. you know this because his support group used to be your grandma (dubious) and yourself (lol). you’re almost home free. and caterina will definitely acknowledge you as a player on the board. which isn’t important but it would be nice, right. BUT THEN IT TURNS OUT. YOUR COUSIN HAS RECENTLY MADE 7 FRIENDS. one of whom can speak to the fucking dead because of course he can. and then some of those friends show up to publicly humiliate you at the dinner party that should have been YOUR crowning moment. your grandma ALSO shows up to tell everyone you have gathered that your cousin is first talon. your cousin gapes at her because he doesn’t actually even want it so it’s kind of awkward for everyone. and then when you’re sure he’s about to ask viago de riva to poison you to death, he actually tells him just to take you away. because OF COURSE he’s being the bigger person. anyways the point is i’m surprised illario just lets himself be taken away because if i were him i would have started biting people and then bombed the villa

[lynaiss]

The Wigmaker Job outfits ✨

[marcell-arts]

He was my cousin, but we were more like brothers, really. (All we had left...)

lucanis and illario through time

[drxgony]

i love you house dellamorte