#rook actually says “i'm trying to stop it” but it.. makes no sense... so

[danielsarmand]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard dev. Bioware

[pomefioredove]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ requiem of a cringe

did something embarrassing last night and was like "I need to go crawl in a hole and die. OR I could write"

type of post: blurbs characters: cater, rook, jack, vil, idia, malleus additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral (the term "damsel in distress" is used in vil's part, but it's meant to be teasing and not indicative of the reader's gender), reader is yuu, rook is rook

I. Talks Too Much

It's not that you're trying to be annoying.

Your mouth simply moves faster than your mind, and before you know it, you've been talking for twenty uninterrupted minutes about... well... nothing.

You always notice that uncomfortable, irritated look on their face just after you're done. And then you keep rambling in an attempt to make it less awkward (it never does).

And now you're here, hiding in the hedge maze outside Heartslabyul, thinking about getting lost and never coming out of it.

Of course, if anyone were to find you now, it'd be him.

"Hey, hon~ you busy?"

"Please, not now, Cater," you mutter.

The boy stills, looking a little taken aback by how miserable you sound.

"Are you still upset about that thing at the Unbirthday Party? That was hours ago, babe! I bet no one even remembers,"

You physically cringe. The faces of your uncomfortable tablemates won't seem to leave your memory...

"I remember it," you murmur, burying your face in your hands. "I'm so annoying."

For once, Cater is quiet. A minute goes by, and you think he may have left, until you hear the grass crunching under his knees as he kneels down and pulls you into a hug.

"You are not annoying. And even if you were, it'd only make me like you more," he mutters, burying his face in the crook of your neck.

"Understand?"

Your surprise at his change in tone doesn't stop you from hugging back. "Understood,"

You hadn't meant to say all of that.

You just spilled a potion you'd been working on for hours, and amidst your frustrated floor-scrubbing, you had vented about your entire week to your poor lab partner, a person you had been trying to impress all semester.

He had, gracefully, let you finish your rant, and then let you sit in it, just like the harmless potion now coating your knees as you cleaned up the floor.

Then, he awkwardly said: "That... sucks. I guess. I don't know what to say,"

There had probably never, in your whole life, been a person who looked more unhappy to be around you.

Afterwards, you found a nice spot in the woods behind campus to die.

You lie there, hoping nature would reclaim you before next alchemy class, when some purposefully loud rustling in the bushes catches your eye.

"Ah, Trickster! You really should not lie like that- a predator will take that as weakness, non? Are you injured?"

"Only my pride,"

"Talking about it will make you feel better," Rook says. It's more of a demand than a question.

You sigh. "I think I've done enough talking for... ever, actually,"

"Nonsense," he suddenly straddles your waist and pins your wrists to the earth. "I will not move until you tell me the problem, mon cœur."

You're like an animal in a snare. Once Rook has made up his mind, that's it. He will find out.

And so, with a sigh, you let him take the kill- that is, you tell him everything. Your whole, terrible week, the potion incident, the look on your lab partner's face...

When you're done, he's just. Smiling. "I see now. You are embarrassed,"

"Well... yes. You don't think that's embarrassing?"

He beams. "You are simply overflowing with beautiful emotion and passion for la vie! How could I ever find that embarrassing? You and I are not so different,"

In a weird way, that makes sense. Rook is never one to let shame hold him back from expressing his feelings.

He smiles at your pensive expression, and gives you a kiss on the head.

"Mais, next time you are upset, maybe you should come to me first, non?"

II. Clumsy

Forgetful, scatterbrained, oblivious, dimwitted are all words you've become used to hearing.

As well as a few colorful swears.

You have two left feet, even when you're not dancing- you're used to walking into walls, tripping, and dropping things- it just sucks that you have an audience now.

The first years that had gathered around the mess you made- tripping over your own feet and spilling the papers you were meant to deliver to Ace and Deuce all over the floor- are watching with grins and phones out.

You pretend they're not there, even with their taunts and whistles and laughter.

"Hey! Loitering is a waste of time!" someone barks. Literally.

You look up to see Jack moving through the crowd, scolding the other first years for blocking the hall.

When he sees you in the eye of the storm, on your hands and knees picking up your spilled papers, something upset takes his usually-stoic demeanor.

"What's the matter with you?!" he snarls at the boys. "Didn't anyone teach you any manners?! It's rude to stare- and laugh!"

His ears are flattened against his head when he kneels down beside you to help, collecting the papers, and putting them in your hands.

"Come on, we'll be late if you keep 'sittin there,"

Jack pulls you to your feet and gives one final snarl to the other first years before walking you off.

"...Thanks,"

"Eh? Don't mention it," he says. "Leona woulda had my tail if I just walked by..."

You know there's more to it than that, but you don't push. You're just happy he's forgotten to take his hand out of yours.

You can't handle being the center of attention.

For good reason, too- you're awkward, clumsy, and about the least graceful a person can get.

A true Ugly Duckling at a place like NRC. But Vil Schoenheit sees the swan in you. Perhaps that's why he's always been so patient and sweet.

It's a little distracting.

So much is obvious when he waves at you in the hall and, distracted by his smile, you walk right into a wall.

Though you can't see anything but stars after falling on your butt, the stares and snickers of everyone else are hard to miss.

Vil glares them away with a look that could kill twice over, and then stands over you as you lay on the floor.

"Come on," he says, holding out a hand. "I'll check you for concussion."

He brings you to Pomefiore and sits you down, shooing off a few curious underclassmen as he checks your pupils. "Do you feel nauseous?"

"Not really,"

"Then you'll be fine. Just a bump. You really should be more careful, though,"

You've heard that one before. Vil smiles at your dazed expression, and presses a cold compress against your head.

"This will help with the swelling,"

"Thanks," you mutter, still a little out of it. "You're my hero."

His eyebrows raise in true surprise, and then he chuckles. "And that makes you a damsel in distress?"

He doesn't give you a chance to respond before taking away the compress and kissing the red mark on your head.

"Don't think that being so cute is going to distract me. I'll make some time for lessons on poise this weekend,"

III. Unsociable

You'd think that being quiet and staying out of people's ways would get them to leave you alone, but it really just attracts more attention.

And after a grueling period of your tablemates making you the butt of every joke ("wow, I didn't know you could even talk!" "are you quiet because you hate us? come onnn, you can tell me!") you were ready to bury yourself alive.

"I don't ever want to leave," You mumble into the bundle of sheets and blankets on Idia's unmade bed.

"You could stay, y'know," Idia says from his desk, mindlessly scrolling through some gaming forum. "I should blackmail Crowley into letting you stay down here at least half the year."

"Couldn't it be the whole?"

"Nah. You need like, sunlight and stuff,"

"And you don't?!"

Idia snickers. "I'm built different. You know that. I get all my nutrients from blue light... You could at least stay for the weekend, though,"

You roll your eyes.

"...And I'll leak those normies' data. I'm sure I could get into their browser histories and have that emailed to their parents,"

Hm. You genuinely consider it for a moment, but eventually decide to give mercy. You're basically a saint.

"I think I just wanna pretend like I don't exist right now,"

Idia nods in understanding and pushes his gaming chair over to the edge of the bed, before crawling in and wrapping himself around you.

"That can be done. Pancakes tomorrow?"

Sure, there were people who talked to you, but you didn't talk back.

You just don't know how, you suppose. Every time you try, you end up saying the wrong thing, or are accidentally rude, or do something embarrassing.

You don't understand the references people make. You don't get social cues or hints. You have the social skills of an oyster.

Four months at Night Raven College, and you didn't have a single friend.

Well- except for him.

"How are you enjoying your tea?" Malleus asks, polite and curt as ever.

You take another sip- it's tangy, sweet, with a hint of bitterness. Some sort of Briar Valley blend that Malleus had imported just for you.

"I really like it,"

He smiles. "I'm pleased,"

One of the things you find so agreeable about Malleus is his simplicity. He often says exactly what he means; albeit, in a sort of 13th century Lord sort of way.

There's less stress with him. You don't have to pretend to be interesting, or outgoing, or cool. You can just be... you.

Because he likes you.

"You know," you say with a faint smile. "You're so nice to me. Sometimes I think that you're the only person I need. I could be happy with just you for the rest of my life."

You had meant that casually, but when you look back up from your cup, Malleus has this... look.

Wide-eyed, his lips pressed firmly together. There's even a dusting of color on his cheeks.

"Oh," you internally panic. Was that too much? Was that weird? Did you make things awkward again? Crap, you should have just acted normal, what's wrong with you?! "S-sorry, I-"

"Do you truly mean that?"

You go quiet, looking back at him with wide eyes. Your heart is pounding against your chest.

"...Yes,"

Malleus hums, his expression becoming more... pensive, and then...

He smiles. "I feel the same. Shall we go for a walk while the night is still young?"

[acey-wacey]

HIHI!!! I LOVED YOUR CHARACTER IS JEALOUS OF TSUM FIC!! (please I'm begging write more, it's too good)

Of course! I'm glad everyone liked them so much :)))

...

Jealous of Their Tsum

Feat Lilia, Rook, Kalim

...

🦇 Lilia Vanrouge 🦇

You're honestly used to Lilia popping out to scare you around campus.

Ever since you'd seen that Lilia had gotten an adorable doppelganger, you knew it would come to find you, just like the seemingly young boy always did.

It wasn't entirely unexpected when a little plushie landed on your head.

You were monetarily startled by the sudden ambush but you soon realized it was Lilia's tsum.

You laughed as the tsum blinked it's little dot eyes at you expectantly.

"You got me so good, Lilia-tsum," you praised the little bean while it hopped into your head and shoulders in glee. "Very scary."

You grabbed the tsum from where it was bouncing on your head and held it to your chest.

"You are just so adorable! I can't handle it!"

The tsum wiggled happily in your grasp and you pressed kisses to it's fabric forehead.

"How come I never get this when I scare you?"

You turned around to find Lilia hovering upside down behind you.

He did that to you so often you weren't even startled anymore.

You just smiled and flicked his forehead, earning a shocked stare from the boyish fae.

"Try being cuter next time."

Lilia frowned and dropped to the ground, landing gracefully on his feet.

"Is this face not cute enough for you?"

Lilia pouted at you with his best sad puppy dog eyes.

You, now immune to Lilia's antics, went right back to pressing smooches to his adorable tsum.

Lilia narrowed his eyes at the smug plush.

"Traitor," he whispered under his breath.

He could've sworn the tsum winked at him.

"If you want some affection, Lilia, you should try asking," you said nonchalantly while nuzzling your face into the tsum's.

Lilia vaguely sensed a trap but he would rather die than lose the object of his affections to a stuffed version of himself.

"Well then, my darling," he batted his eyelashes at you, making you smile. "Please?"

...

🏹 Rook Hunt 🏹

Rook left his tsum alone for 5 seconds and it was already gone.

Of course he couldn't expect anything less.

Curiosity was in his nature so of course his plush doppelganger would run away to explore a new world.

The tsum happily explored the NRC campus pausing often to appreciate the beauty of the unfamiliar world.

However, when you walked by on your way to class, the tsum was immediately entranced by your beauty.

It bounced after you and followed you around with hearts in its eyes.

After a while alone, you had begun to wonder what the strange noise from behind you was.

You turned around only to find an adorable round plushie hopping up and down on the ground.

It looked suspiciously like Rook so you narrowed your eyes at it.

"Have you been following me?"

The tsum squinted its eyes happily.

You laughed and bent down to look closer at the little creature.

"If I tell you to stop, will you?"

The tsum shook its body in what you assume to be a no.

"Just like the real Rook then," you groaned lovingly and unbuttoned the breast pocket of your jacket, opening it to the tsum.

"If you're gonna be here for a while, might as well get comfy, eh?"

The tsum eagerly hopped into your pocket and squirmed around with glee.

"You're actually kinda cute, you know that?"

You said to the tsum with a faint smile, scratching its head with one finger.

The plushie nuzzled into you and you patted it back affectionately.

"I must say, prefect, I am awfully jealous."

You smiled at the familiar sound of Rook's voice and paused, waiting for him to show himself.

You never looked around for him because you knew seeing you startled and frantic was just what he wanted.

Little did you know it was what he loved most about you.

"The great Rook Hunt, jealous of a tiny plushie," you said with a smug smile in your voice. "How low you have fallen."

Rook almost instantly appeared beside you with a sly smile.

"Not nearly as far as I intend to for you, mon chou." Rook clutched his chest dramatically. "But to see your affection passed on to one so similar to me and yet so different, oh, it breaks my fragile heart."

"Then I'm sorry, Rook, but your heart will have to stay broken as long as my adorable little pocket pal is around," you patted the tsum again, earning a joyful bounce.

Rook only sighed in response.

"There may yet be a day when I replace my fiendish friend as the object of your affections but until then, may you know my heart waits for you, my love."

You were frustratingly flustered by the sudden confession.

Rook always said sappy stuff like that but for some reason, it hit different this time.

You didn't say anything until he began to walk away.

"Hey, wait!"

Rook shopped to look over his shoulder at you.

"Come on, Rook," you groaned with a blush dusting your cheeks. You lifted the tsum out of your pocket, much to its dismay, and set it gently on the ground. "You don't get to say something like that and then walk away without kissing me!"

Rook smiled and ran to wrap you in his arms.

"If this is my reward, I should get jealous more often."

...

Kalim Al-Asim

Kalim and his tsum are inseparable, much to Jamil's chagrin.

It's hard to find one without the other especially when it comes to you.

Both Kalims flock to you as soon as they see you.

On one notable occasion, Kalim-tsum was a bit faster to bounce after you.

The plush launched into your arms, causing you to drop the notebooks you were holding.

You scowled lightheartedly at the adorable tsum in your arms.

"I don't suppose you're going to help me clean this up?"

You raised an eyebrow at the tsum but it just cocked its head at you.

You sighed and set the tsum onto your shoulder as you bent down to pick up your books.

"It seems every version of Kalim is determined to cause me trouble," you sighed, booping the little critter on the nose.

It wiggled its little button nose and hopped backwards on what you assumed was a sneeze.

You laughed and took the plushie back into your hands, tucking your books under your arm.

"I can't stay mad at you, you're too cute!"

You looked at the tsum helplessly susceptible to its charms.

"Hi, Y/N!"

You looked up to see Kalim running toward you.

He saw the tsum in your arms and beamed at you.

"I see you found my doppelganger! Pretty cool, right?"

"Yeah, he's pretty adorable," you cooed as you pinched the little things cheeks.

Kalim pouted and set his head on your hands right next to where you were holding his tsum.

"Why does he get to be adorable and not me?"

You held back a laugh at the puppy-like glint in Kalim's eyes.

The tsum hopped up onto Kalim's head and you took the opportunity to grab Kalim's cheeks and bring your face close to his.

"You're a whole different kind of adorable."

At that, Kalim beamed, automatically squishing his face into your hands.

That did earn a laugh from you and you couldn't help but kiss his nose.

"You are the absolute cutest, Kalim. No tsum can top that."

[etherealancientmusings]

Ok I've played DATV a bunch of times now and to me I don't know how players can not choose the atonement ending. And especially cause...hear me out...especially those of us who do ALL the companion missions and what that means. Like I love all the companions, they are my Rooks family and so I see their struggles you know? I see how they grow and that they aren't their mistakes and then i look at Solas and I see a guy with centuries of mistakes but no where do I get a sense that he's evil.

And he talks about Cole and the people he cared about in the Inquisition and his Vhenan!! and I think well if Rook is supposed to be a mirror to Solas and my Rook has their found family in their companions and falls in love (oh Neve my beloved) and can't not see in Solas that same desire to be connected to people and how he just runs from love im like, how can I play a Rook who says it's ok for me to have this connection with these amazing people but not Solas? Not the guy who actually needs connection the most? I think its so cool that despite the manipulations and blood magic that Rook just sees this sad immortal elf who is so haunted by his past he can't let go. I like that the option is there for Rook to.choose to unite Solas with Mythal and Lavellan its so important for Solas.

And so like to me, Rook is that connecting piece for Solas to the one person who still sees who he is...his Vhenan. And maybe im just too soft hearted but I did try the bad ending where my companions die and Solas gets dragged and I cried, I couldn't do it, I stopped and reloaded so fast. Why should Rook's friends pay that price? My Rook is doing everything possible to save their lives...and maybe its by getting the ancient god man to see the error of his ways.

I love DATV cause it really highlights forgiveness, like not just forgiving others but forgiveness of the self, all the companions go through that. So why wouldn't we offer it to Solas who just is so fucked up and wrapped up in guilt and fear? I think my Rook is this young mortal and can't possibly understand an immortal but what I like to think happens is that because Rook is mortal they can see what Solas can't which is the importance of relationships because mortals don't live that long in comparison so we live and love fiercely lol.

Its so satisfying to me when I see Solas go into the fade with Lavellan. It just feels right when the whole story is about forgiveness, love and friendship and connection.

Its wild playing Inquisition right now because it actually makes my read on Solas in DATV feel right!

I'm still giddy over these stories and I love DATV for introducing this world to me. And I'm totally not trying to make anyone feel bad for enjoying the bad endings oh my god not at all..its just i guess I see forgiveness as such a huge thing in the game that i can't unsee it now.

[debilsposts]

Another dumb long-ass hc time because this time, I'm just bored, and I have like 30 followers, which means I can say whatever I want with no real consequences. Okay, so you know the principle of least interest, where whoever cares less in a relationship holds the most power? Yeah. jaytim can be a textbook example of this, except the power balance keeps shifting like a badly played game of chess. And, proven by GK video game, they actually do suck at chess at first.

Tim has mastered the art of restraint. He wants, but never too much. He cares, but never visibly. He moves through most things like it’s a game of chess – never reaching too far at first, never tipping his hand. His favorite piece is, unsurprisingly, the rook, one of the most underestimated pieces, but the most powerful toward the endgame, when the board is open, and he sees a clear path to getting what he wants.

Jason is the opposite. He feels with a reckless, all-consuming intensity. When he cares, it’s devouring. Which is why he keeps himself locked down, why he pushes and snarls and pretends he doesn’t want anything at all. Jason is a knight, wild, unpredictable, moving in patterns that don’t make sense to anyone but him. A piece that jumps over obstacles instead of maneuvering around them.

So, Tim plays his pieces carefully, deliberately. He waits for Jason to move first, waits for him to overextend, because Jason will overextend. That’s just how he is. He goes all in, always.

But Tim doesn’t capture him. Not yet. He tries to keep his own feelings safe, his defenses solid, his emotions locked behind a perfectly constructed wall of pawns. He makes it impossible for Jason to chase them. Makes him doubt. Jason is the one leaping in first, the one wanting more, the one Tim keeps at a distance just because he can.

Tim’s the one who says things like, “This doesn’t have to mean anything, right?” And Jason? Jason is the one who acts like it doesn’t matter, like it doesn’t gut him when Tim resets the board before he can even play.

And he keeps doing so, very often.

But here’s the thing – Jason is a competitive bastard. If he realizes he’s there's no way of winning this, he does the one thing Tim never accounted for.

He flips the board.

No more games. Jason just walks away.

“I'm tired of waiting for more.”

And Tim?

Tim panics.

Because Jason wasn’t supposed to do that. He was supposed to stay. He was supposed to keep jumping back. He wasn't supposed to be able to walk away and take half of Tim with him. Tim thought he had control, but now Jason is gone, and suddenly the game isn’t the same anymore.

So he finds himself searching, chasing, breaking his own rules.

He finds himself playing blind, making desperate moves, leaving his heart exposed just to bring Jason back to the board.

Tim sacrifices calculation for instinct. He abandons caution, trades logic for emotion, and steps into the open unarmed, hoping, praying, that Jason will see it for what it is.

"'s not a trap. Not a trick. Just– come back."

And maybe Jason does. Maybe he hovers at the edge of the board, watching Tim dismantle his own defenses, watching him make foolish, reckless moves that don’t suit a master tactician.

Maybe Jason lets him suffer a little. Makes him sweat. Because if Tim wants him, he should have to prove it. 

But then, chess isn’t a game of brute force, it’s a game of patience. Of control and punishment. And love? Love is neither of those things.

Jason has to learn that not every move is an attack. That loving someone doesn’t mean winning or losing. That being vulnerable doesn’t mean being captured.

Tim has to learn that keeping his distance doesn’t actually make him untouchable. That locking down every piece doesn’t stop the board from shifting beneath him.

And the only way they work, the only way they don’t collapse under the weight of their own defenses, is when they stop trying to win. When they stop holding love hostage like a piece they’re afraid to sacrifice.

Because in the end, the principle of least interest doesn’t matter. Because in the end, there’s no checkmate, no final move, no last play that leaves one of them victorious.

Because in the end, Jason never really left the board.

And Tim was always playing for keeps.

[datvtranscripts]

In Peace, Vigilance Pt. 1

First Warden Jowin

Signs and Portents Masterpost Previous: Maevaris Tilani

Rook enters the Cobbled Swan and is greeted by the First Warden.

First Warden: I am Jowin Glastrum, First Warden and Supreme Commander of Weisshaupt. I received word of your team's request for Grey Warden assistance after an incursion of the blight at D'Meta's Crossing.

Origin Dependent Dialogue:

Grey Warden [1]

Antivan Crow [2]

Lord of Fortune [3]

Mourn Watch [4]

Shadow Dragon [5]

Veil Jumper [6]

1 - Grey Warden First Warden: Explain yourself, Warden, and bear in mind that the Order remembers your past recklessness.

Dialogue options:

Affable: Of course, ser. [7]

Sarcastic: Funny you should say that… [8]

Stoic: I saved those villagers! [9]

7 - Affable: Of course, ser. Rook: Sure, I disobeyed orders. I acted on my own choices, without authority. I admit it. But I took an oath to defend people from the blight. I uphold that oath any way I can. First Warden: Your report, Warden. [10]

8 - Sarcastic: Funny you should say that… Rook: My past… right. When I disobeyed orders and dropped a building on a darkspawn horde. I see you haven't forgotten. First Warden: Your report, Junior Warden. [10]

9 - Stoic: I saved those villagers! Rook: Many lives would've been lost if not for my recklessness. First Warden: You destroyed a building. Rook: To seal off a darkspawn tunnel to the surface. First Warden: In defiance of orders. Rook: Those orders were wrong. Ser. First Warden: Your report, Junior Warden. [10]

10 - Scene continues.

Rook: I was part of a team trying to stop an elven mage named Solas from destroying the Veil. When we disrupted his ritual, something escaped from the Fade, and I clearly sensed the corruption of the blight.

First Warden: From this mage, Solas?

Rook: No, ser. Solas opposes the blight. He's actually an elven god, Fen'Harel. The Dread Wolf. [15]

2 - Antivan Crow First Warden: I looked into you. An upstart assassin whose grandstanding against the Antaam attracted too much attention. Sounds brazen, even for an Antivan Crow.

Dialogue options:

Affable: I had to save those people. Rook: Do you know what the Antaam do to prisoners? Those people needed saving and I didn't have time to ask for permission.

Sarcastic: Thanks! Rook: I'll take that as a compliment.

Stoic: Should’ve told me the plan. Rook: I saw a perfect opportunity to ambush the Antaam. Rook: If the Talons wanted me to stick to their plan, they should've told me about it.

First Warden: So, I'm interested in hearing how an Antivan killer-for-hire unleashed the blight. [11]

3 - Lord of Fortune First Warden: Treasure hunters are common as flies, but I've never met one ostracized for killing a Rivaini noble. Your Lords of Fortune leaders apparently didn't appreciate the subsequent political attention.

Dialogue options:

Affable: The man was corrupt. Rook: The man cut a secret deal with the Venatori. He was about to hand them a dangerous relic. I couldn't let that happen. The reports you received from Rivaini diplomats probably left that part out.

Sarcastic: Oh. Maybe I shouldn’t have? Rook: Right. I should've considered the political nightmare before all else. Just let the man unleash an ancient evil and kill my crew.

Stoic: He deserved it. Rook: That rich man deserved what he got. Think what you will, but I don't have to defend my actions to you.

First Warden: Fine. I've little time to waste on the unruly antics of treasure hunters. Tell me how you unleashed the blight. [11]

4 - Mourn Watch First Warden: How does a Mourn Watcher come to be involved with the blight in Arlathan? And not just any Watcher, but a controversial figure after what you pulled during that undead rebellion.

Dialogue options:

Affable: I can explain. Rook: I stopped that rebellion my way to protect the living. Didn't make me popular, but surely a Grey Warden sworn to defend others would understand.

Sarcastic: My past? Controversial? Rook: Right. Talk to the people I saved. They don't call my actions controversial. Some traditional Watchers called my actions "casual destruction of the dead," but they weren't there.

Stoic: Is this relevant? Rook: My decisions regarding our noble dead are hardly relevant here.

Mage Rook: First Warden: Very well. Then I'd like to hear how a Nevarran necromancer unleashed the blight. [11]

Non-Mage Rook: First Warden: Very well. Then tell me how a Nevarran necromancer-apologist unleashed the blight. [11]

5 - Shadow Dragon First Warden: You're a Shadow Dragon, I hear. A criminal organization of Tevinter insurgents. I was not surprised to learn that you are wanted for numerous offences, including theft, murder, and wanton destruction of property.

Dialogue options:

Affable: Criminal? Probably. Rook: When laws are written by the corrupt, it makes criminals of all who fight back.

Sarcastic: Some Wardens are Criminals. Rook: I hear the Grey Wardens take in criminals. Thieves, murderers, and… oh, probably vandals, too. I'd wager I'm in good company.

Stoic: I wrecked a slaver ring. Rook: Theft? You mean rescuing enslaved people. Murder? You mean the Venatori cultists who enslaved those people. First Warden: And destruction of property? Rook: Just felt like it.

First Warden: Fine. All I want to know is how a Minrathous crook unleashed the blight. [11]

6 - Veil Jumper First Warden: I looked into you. An adventurous Veil Jumper best known for discovering, then losing, an invaluable map. I'd imagine that caused a certain resentment among your Veil Jumper superiors.

Dialogue options:

Affable: I saved lives. Rook: The expedition was in trouble. I knew going back to help my fellow Jumpers likely meant losing that map. I wanted that ancient knowledge, but I wouldn't risk lives for it.

Sarcastic: Probably for the best. Rook: It's probably for the best, despite what some senior Veil Jumpers think. What we encountered in those ruins almost killed us all.

Stoic: You’re here about the blight. Rook: That's Veil Jumper business. You're here to talk about Grey Warden business. The blight.

First Warden: Explain to me how a Veil Jumper poking around in elven ruins unleashed the blight. [11]

11 - Scene continues.

Dialogue options:

Affable: Let me explain. [12]

Sarcastic: “Unleashed?” [13]

Stoic: I saved the world from Solas. [14]

12 - Affable: Let me explain. Rook: We've been tracking a mage named Solas. He's actually several thousand years old. In elven mythology, he's known as Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf, god of lies. First Warden: That is a number of titles. Rook: Well, Fen'Harel is elven for "Dread Wolf," so that only counts as one. But yeah, you're not wrong. Anyway, he wanted to tear down the Veil and restore the ancient elven empire. We stopped his ritual. [15]

13 - Sarcastic: “Unleashed?” Rook: I think "unleashed" is a little strong. It was an unfortunate side effect. First Warden: The blight was a side effect? Rook: Yes, of stopping the Dread Wolf, elven god of lies, from destroying the Veil. We did stop him, by the way. You're welcome. [15]

14 - Stoic: I saved the world from Solas. Rook: I was stopping an elven god from bringing down the Veil and destroying the world. First Warden: An elven god? Rook: Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf. He goes by Solas. He's got a lot of names. [15]

15 - Scene continues.

First Warden: I did not come here to listen to fairy tales. I am here because of the blight.

Dialogue options:

Affable: This is all one problem. [16]

Sarcastic: Hang on, it gets worse. [17]

Stoic: This is real. [18]

16 - Affable: This is all one problem. Rook: Right, but it all ties together! See, when we disrupted the ritual, Solas got trapped in the Fade. But two of the elven gods got out. Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain, we think. And they're blighted.

17 - Sarcastic: Hang on, it gets worse. Rook: We haven't even gotten to the real fairy-tale parts yet. When we stopped Solas, two elven gods escaped from where he'd imprisoned them. Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain. And they're not just evil. They're blighted.

18 - Stoic: This is real. Rook: It's no fairy tale. When we stopped Solas, something got out. According to the Veil Jumpers, it was the elven gods Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain. And they're not just evil. They're blighted.

19 - Scene continues.

First Warden: Why would elven gods be blighted?

Rook: The ancient elven gods used the blight. That's why Solas imprisoned them. The point is that the gods are making the blight worse. D'Meta's Crossing was just the start. That's why we need the Grey Wardens.

First Warden: I suspected more politicking from the remnants of the Inquisition. I see now that I was wrong.

Rook: I'm really glad to hear that.

First Warden: It is clear that whatever you did to unleash the blight has corrupted your already-weak mind.

Rook: Okay, wait.

First Warden: You will be taken to Weisshaupt and placed under heavy guard until the danger you caused by unleashing the blight passes.

Dialogue options:

Stoic: Think again. [20]

Afraid: Please listen to me! [21]

Angry: Just listen, you idiot! [22]

20 - Stoic: Think again. Rook: That's not gonna happen. First Warden: I assure you, it will. Rook: We don't have time to fight. I need Grey Wardens marching with me, not at me. That's the only way we have a chance to stop the gods and the blight.

21 - Afraid: Please listen to me! Rook: No, please, you can't do that. First Warden: I assure you, I can. Rook: I don't know how much time we have! The gods are doing something with the blight—we need to stop them!

22 - Angry: Just listen, you idiot! Rook: Are you kidding me? First Warden: I assure you, I am deadly serious.

Grey Warden Rook: We don't have time to play "Who's the Greyest Warden"!

Non-Grey Warden Rook: I don't have time to sit here and stroke your—ego.

Rook: You need to shut up and listen! The threat is real. The gods are coming, and they're bringing the blight with them.

23 - Scene continues.

First Warden: Let me tell you something about the blight. It is evil, it is implacable, and above all, it is predictable. The blight has not changed in over a thousand years. The Grey Wardens will defeat it, as they always do.

Grey Warden Rook: First Warden: And we will do so without a disgraced junior Warden causing needless confusion.

Non-Grey Warden Rook: First Warden: And we will do so without you causing confusion with your deranged conspiracy theories.

First Warden: I suggest you come along quietly.

Their conversation is suddenly interrupted.

Dorian: Adamant Fortress. 9:41 Dragon. The Grey Wardens attempted to raise an army of demons. Hardly the models of good judgment yourselves, are you?

First Warden: Everyone knows Warden-Commander Clarel acted alone at Adamant Fortress.

Dorian: Acted alone, you say? Imagine if everyone were to see the letter I discovered where you authorize her actions. I wonder how that might complicate the narrative.

First Warden: Are you prepared to risk the security of the Grey Wardens for this deluded boy?

First Warden: Are you prepared to risk the security of the Grey Wardens for this deluded girl?

First Warden: Are you prepared to risk the security of the Grey Wardens over this?

Dorian: You may be surprised to learn that I care very little about the security of the Grey Wardens.

First Warden: Stay away from the blight, and do not pester the Grey Wardens with any more of your nonsense.

the First Warden leaves.

Dorian: He seems upset. Was it something I said?

Dialogue options:

Affable: Thanks for the assist. [24]

Sarcastic: You just blackmailed him! [25]

Stoic: Who are you? [26]

Shadow Dragon: Magister Pavus? [27]

24 - Affable: Thanks for the assist. Rook: That was close. Wasn't looking forward to being dragged off to a Grey Warden dungeon. Who should I be thanking for the assist? Dorian: Magister Dorian Pavus. At your service. [28]

25 - Sarcastic: You just blackmailed him! Rook: You have blackmail material on the leader of the Grey Wardens just lying around? Dorian: Of course not. Where would I obtain something like that? Rook: Oh, you were bluffing. That's actually scarier. Dorian: Magister Dorian Pavus. At your service. [28]

26 - Stoic: Who are you?

Grey Warden Rook: Rook: Who are you? How do you know about Adamant? And Clarel? Dorian: I was there.

Non-Grey Warden Rook: Rook: Who are you? Why do you have dirt on the Grey Wardens? Dorian: I was at Adamant.

Dorian: Magister Dorian Pavus. At your service. [28]

27 - Shadow Dragon: Magister Pavus? Rook: Magister Pavus? Your timing is impeccable. Dorian: A flawless entrance, I'd say. Rook: Thanks for the rescue. I don't think I could've survived a Grey Warden prison. [28]

28 - Scene continues.

Dorian: A mutual friend thought you might require some support.

Rook: Maevaris Tilani? Of the Shadow Dragons?

Dorian: The very same.

29 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: You’re a Shadow Dragon agent? [30]

Sarcastic: I think we made an enemy. [31]

Stoic: The First Warden’s a problem. [32]

Afraid: I need the First Warden. [33]

30 - Investigate: You’re a Shadow Dragon agent?

Shadow Dragon Rook: Rook: I've heard other Shadows talk about you, but your relation to us was never entirely clear to me. You one of us? Or just a powerful ally? Dorian: Ah, that depends on your point of view. Perhaps you've heard of the Lucerni? Rook: Lightbringers. A political faction pushing for change in Tevinter. Dorian: Started by Maevaris and I, yes. After she was framed for treason, the faction was dissolved. Ostensibly. Maevaris Tilani is not a woman who surrenders easily. She just took the Lucerni underground. Rook: Oh. Bring the light. Dorian: She protected me. Kept my name spotless so I could remain in the Magisterium as her eyes and ears. So! One of you? Or just an ally? Which do you think? [Back to 29]

Non-Shadow Dragon Rook: Rook: What's your relation to the Shadow Dragons? Dorian: About a decade ago, Maevaris and I started a political faction called the Lucerni. We were going to change Tevinter for the better. Everyone would recognize the common sense benefits of our approach and we'd all live happily ever after. Rook: I take it that… didn't happen? Dorian: Maevaris was framed, kicked out of the Magisterium, and the Lucerni were dissolved. So she took the movement underground. Rook: The Shadow Dragons. Dorian: Since I still haunt the Magisterium, that makes me the Shadow Dragons' man on the inside. [Back to 29]

31 - Sarcastic: I think we made an enemy. Rook: I think we made an enemy of the First Warden today. Well, more you than me. He just thinks I'm a dangerous idiot. Dorian: (Scoffs) Enemy. I've ignored greater men. [34]

32 - Stoic: The First Warden’s a problem. Rook: The First Warden's a problem. If he won't help, I need him to stay out of my way. Dorian: I'm sure he'll show up again, like an ulcer. For now, pay him no mind. [34]

33 - Afraid: I need the First Warden. Rook: So now what? The First Warden tried to have me locked up. I need the Wardens on my side! Dorian: (Scoffs) Jowin Glastrum is not the Order. He's more politician than Warden. [34]

34 - Scene continues.

Dorian: No Grey Warden worth the name sits in a Minrathous lounge, sipping wine. You need the Wardens? Look for the ones out there fighting the blight. In the meantime, the Shadow Dragons will keep a close watch on the Venatori. Good luck. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon.

The scene fades, and one of Varric’s narratives cuts in.

Varric: Only the Veil stood between us and a world of blighted darkness. But on this side, the gods could only tap a trickle. They had to turn that trickle into a flood. They sure could've used Solas's dagger to rip open the Fade… But some foolish mortal had taken it. So, they'd have to create a dagger of their own. Drowning the world in blight was just a matter of time.

Next: A Familiar Dagger

[ryuichirou]

So i'm reading your yandere/hypnosis post and i get to Vil being utterly jealous enough to try on Rook; and it makes me think about his drive and the second place club lol (Leona, Jamil and Vil) like D: poor them they're always outranked by that ooonnee person! Can our boys catch a break? whether that person knows or not I always tend to feel bad--especially for Vil since i remember his inner speech in book 5 and the fact that his most trusted person ended up being such a big fan of the person who makes him feel like second best. wait i love rookvil i think i made myself sad LOL NOoo--aahh I rambled im sorry, i guess the main question i wanna ask is what do you think about those particular three always having to come second to their respective counterparts? I think your opinions and insight is so interesting that i'd like to know your thoughts on this! and you don't have to answer for all three characters if you dont wanna I was just curious on your thoughts! Anyways, have a good day and stay hydrated! it's hot this summer oof

Anon! Took some time to get back to you as well, sorry for the late reply. Summer is already over, but it’s still SO HOT…

Without diving into just how much I love the ending of book5 and the whole Rook-Vil-Neige thing (I feel like I talk about it all the time LOL)… It is interesting how these Vil, Jamil and Leona always get to be second best, isn’t it? But ironically, I don’t think I ever grouped them in my head based on this. Maybe it’s because of how different their situations are? But also now that I think about it…

Vil isn’t better than Neige, and he tries to be better by working hard.

Jamil is better than Kalim, but he can’t be better because of his status.

Leona may or may not be better than Falena in some ways, but he doesn’t even bother.

Ignoring the fact that this “better” is always subjective and in actuality things are more complex than that… and also trying not to sound like an armchair therapist that’s just telling anime boys “you should have done this you idiot”, but.

Jamil got the most development in that sense because this internal conflict is very straightforward, in fact, he was the easiest one to describe with these little sentences I just wrote. Jamil wants to stop pretending to be worse than he is, he wants to work hard and to show how great he is without being forced to get worse results than Kalim. He is only the second best because he consciously allows Kalim to be the best whenever he is given this choice. And he isn’t always given a choice: a lot of times the system decides for him, just like when Crowley chose Kalim to be the housewarden. Still, even in that situation, Jamil knows for a fact the shape, the density and the nature of this ceiling he can’t break, he’s been aware of it for his entire life. This is why it’s easy to pinpoint moments of Jamil’s growth: when he expresses how much he hates pretending to be worse than Kalim, when he says that he won’t hold back anymore, when he gets to dance and rap at VDC as a lead-vocalist and, ironically, when he gets scolded by Leona in ch6 (I have some issues with their sub-story, but still).

With Vil, the difficult part is to understand what exactly he understands as “beauty”: I mentioned it in a bunch of Vil-centric posts, but we’ve seen how in-canon he was described as too beautiful, therefore not as relatable as Neige. So this isn’t about beauty, and in a way I think this isn’t about Neige either. This is about Vil’s own feeling of self-worth and self-expression, and how people perceive him; Neige is just a very good point of reference, a good metric, especially considering that they always end up being compared to each other and that comparing numbers of followers is easy and seemingly objective (which is a cruel trap a lot of people fall for).

What I’m trying to say is that Vil isn’t fully and constantly aware of “the shape of this ceiling”, or rather why he can’t reach Neige; this is why we had that ending to his book. This isn’t solely about skill or quality, but those are the main things Vil focuses on.

And Leona… I am not sure about him, to be honest, because it boils down to one problem that I have with him: I am not sure what he wants.

It’s easy to compare him to Jamil because it seems like his issue lies in being frustrated with the system: he will never be the first because Falena is literally the first born son. But I don’t think it’s fair to compare a prince with a servant like that, because even though Leona wouldn’t be the king, he still has a lot of power and opportunities, and we’ve seen Falena valuing his strong points and expressing that he wants Leona to help him. One might even say that he invited Leona to be by his side, as a brother and an equal. But this isn’t what Leona wants in actuality, is it?

His “ceiling” seems to be obvious, but I guess his actual frustrations lie elsewhere, and those are kind of difficult to see because of how inconsistent he is. But maybe it’s just me being frustrated with his character again lol

I am replying so late because I really thought I would have some kind of conclusion about this whole thing, but it seems like I don’t lol Still, it was an interesting topic to think about.

Thank you for your ask! <3

[nomatterwhatnomatterwhere]

What a (Not so) Strange World XIV

A.N : Surprise surprise! Double Update!

This was supposed to be my New Year Present but I'm slow and I couldn't get it done on time, sorry. Still, hope you like it anyway

Things are Never (Exactly) as they Seem

PartXIII PartXV

"T-this is t-the worst day of my pathetic life!"

You nodded, stroking the little monster's head, a little confused by what had just happened

You were looking for a table to sit at, a table where there were possibly people you knew, since your friends Yuu and the Problem Child ™ had not shown up yet.

This worried you a little, but given the confusion that day you might not have seen them in the crowd, 

You hadn't seen Trey or Cater either. You thought you caught sight of Rook's hat, but when you turned around to take a closer look, you noticed that there was nothing there. You'd seen your brusque classmate - in fact you should have asked him his name - but he was sitting next to the fae from last time, and you had no intention of approaching him.

So you were alone. At lunch. Standing between tables. Like a lost child.

You were about to head out, to eat in the courtyard, if a good soul had not asked you to sit with him and his friend, which you accepted for two absolutely valid reasons

1) you did not want to eat alone 2)you really thought it was difficult for someone to say no to Kalim

The boy had introduced himself and his friend - Jamil - as soon as you sat down and he certainly made an impression.

He talked so much that Jamil occasionally had to remind him to stop for food, but everything he said sounded sincere. It was strange, you couldn't sense any kind of malice from him, which was odd since almost all the students you knew always looked like they never did anything for nothing.

Kalim's presence was almost blinding.

Jamil on the other hand... he was, set, in a way it was like he was holding back.  It was a subtle thing, and he probably meant both what he said and what he did, but there was always something, a small thing, that indicated that maybe he wasn't comfortable.

It definitely made you wonder, since from what Kalim had said the two of them had known each other since they were children: with someone you've known for so long, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable.

Despite everything it had been a quiet lunch: both were pleasant company, Kalim was perhaps a little noisy for your taste, but nothing like Grim and the Problem Children.

You had been a little shocked when Kalim had invited you to their dormitory, they had parties every now and then and you were sure to have a good time, and you absolutely had to try Jamil's cooking, if the canteen's was good his was absolutely delicious.

He probably would have continued to sing the praises of Scarabia and Jamil if the latter had not dragged him away, perhaps a little embarrassed by the compliments, to go to class.

With excellent timing, actually, you would see Yuu approach the table and the rest of the group follow, with an absolutely devastated Grim

"I can barely choke down my lunch."

Yuu filled you in on what had happened, and indeed it was strange that Grim, jealous and touchy, had traded his deluxe grilled cheese for a hot dog bun. It was suspiciously strange.

But Yuu had said that in spite of everything Grim had actually agreed to make the swap.

When the little monster tried to take some of Deuce's pasta you slipped him one of the egg sandwiches you'd taken for them, he hadn't even thanked you, but you doubted he'd noticed what he was eating.

He was drowning his discontent in food

You didn't feel like going to the Headmaster, not least because if he wanted to talk about the Overblot issue, you'd already had all the information you could get, but you supposed that after all the insults you'd hurled at him about his incompetence it would be hypocritical of you not to introduce yourself once the Headmaster was actually behaving like a serious adult.

You'd also appreciated his little lesson on ‘what an Overblot is’, but all the respect he'd gotten from you - so very little, Trein and Crewel had been much more specific - had been lost when Yuu had asked if he'd found a way to bring them home

"I have been diligently searching for one, of course. I have certainly not forgotten! It is merely that I've been quite busy of late"

"Your eyes got all shifty all of a sudden"

After explaining that he was busy with organising the Spelldrive Tournament Yuu had obviously asked what Spelldrive was and the two Heartslabyul students seemed totally shocked.

That made you wonder how much they knew about Yuu's situation: you knew they were from another world, a world without magic, it was pretty obvious they would have no idea what the Spelldrive was, yet those two seemed to have completely forgotten about it

"Dude...You've never heard of Spelldrive?!"

Your sour self was ready to answer that stupid question in the most sarcastic tone you had, but you bit your tongue. It wasn't worth fighting with Ace over something so stupid.

Watching Grim's dreams of glory go up in smoke had been equally brutal and funny, brutal because Crowley could have been a little more tactful in telling the weasel that he couldn't take part in the tournament, funny because you had a distinctly broken sense of humour and the little monster's expression as he understood what he had been told made you laugh

This was not exactly his lucky day

Back in Ramshackle he had done nothing but sigh, so much so that the dorm ghosts had decided to play with him to lift his spirits.

You, meanwhile, had started to sort out the things you had in your room, so that you could finally move back to your original room. You didn't have much, really, and you were a little sorry to leave and leave Yuu and Grim in that basement.

Your plans for the ‘move’ came to a halt when you heard Crowley's voice on the floor below, so you decided to go downstairs.

Maybe he was about to tell Yuu that he had found a way to send them home.

 You kind of hoped, selfishly, you'd feel less guilty about leaving the dormitory if the dormitory wasn't occupied - ghosts aside - Grim could have come to sleep in your room, because even though he had his own bed he always slept in Yuu's bed, and once you got home, the weasel would ‘inherit’ your room

(After all, you didn't entirely belong to this world either).

Unfortunately for you, Crowley had not come to bring good news; in fact, he was bringing bad news.

"Oh? You DO recall that I have never promised to cover the living expenses you've been racking up, yes?"

That, in your - and Grim's - humble opinion, was nothing less than blackmail.

It was the worst form of blackmail you could use, especially against a person who had not exactly come for a holiday, someone who had been transported here...

You took a big sigh. 

You would have discussed it with Trein and Crewel. Maybe even with the RSC Headmaster if necessary.

This was full-on child exploitation, unions existed in this world, so why weren't they intervening?

You swallowed your discontent to focus on what the child exploiter was saying, and for an arrogant egomaniac, the fact that he was asking to investigate the strange incidents that were taking place earned him points

(Although he should have been investigating, or at least some competent authority, not a person without magic and a weasel without any tact)

Yuu was in no position to refuse, and Grim had been bought off by the promise of participating in the tournament.

You realised that perhaps your luggage would be better off staying where it was: you had a feeling you'd be staying in the dormitory a while longer, at least until this whole thing was over.

It was just a matter of security (you didn't need an excuse to stay, absolutely not)

Armed with great patience, you and Yuu followed an excited Grim towards the infirmary, in search of the students who had been injured in the accident.

The guys from Heartslabyul had been very friendly in explaining what had happened, while those from Pomefiore had been much more defensive.

Probably because Grim was too direct, you could understand why the two of them were upset. What you couldn't understand was why they couldn't resolve the situation with words, without bringing up magic duels

"And you're here to ... what, rub salt in my wound? We throw down the gauntlet! Duel us!"

"Gentlemen" you interrupted before Grim could actually get into a duel with the two " I don't think that a Duel is a good idea. It's against the rule, isn't it? And I'm sure you don't want to explain to your Housewarden why you broke the rules. I also don't think Vil would take too kindly to the fact that you may have attacked a friend of his."

"And why should we believe-"

"I can call him right now, if you want’ you said taking the phone ’ Althought I wouldn't want to bother him if he's busy, but if you insist-"

"No, no, it's not necessary"

You had breathed a sigh of relief, you didn't really want to call Vil either, but you would if it was necessary 

"Ne, that was a great bluff" complimented Grim once you had left the classroom "Although the great Grim could have defeated them very well in a duel"

You chuckled, as Yuu shook their head

"Well, thank you, Grim, but it wasn't really a bluff " the weasel shuddered heavily. 

"So you really do know their Housewarden"

"Hmm, I'd say we're friends, in a couple of days we'll meet for a cup of tea. He's a nice person, though rather... direct. When I was younger I used to fear him a bit, he used to say things like ‘You'll get a hump if you don't straighten your back’ or ‘You should look at people's eyes when you talk to them'."

"That doesn't sound nice, nu-uh."

Grim looked rather annoyed, probably, unlike Yuu, he hadn't noticed the small smile you had while talking about this Vil.

They had noticed it right away, how comfortable you looked talking about this friend of yours, plus you were actually talking about yourself, so Yuu wouldn't have complained

"You're right, he doesn't look it, but I assure you he does. It's just his way of showing that he cares. Maybe you could come too when we meet? I can ask him."

You weren't sure Vil would appreciate unexpected guests, but having talked about it in front of them, it was rude not to ask Yuu - and Grim by osmosis - if they didn't want to come as well

At some point you separated, Yuu and Grim returned to Ramshackle while you headed for the Hall of Mirror, destination Heartslabyul, so you could ask Riddle about the schedule for the tournament and perhaps inform him to watch out for possible suspicious incidents.

@jessiegerl

(Let me know if you wanna be tagged!)

Dividers by @sweetmelodygraphics

[mediumsizedwildcat]

The first Lighthouse scene with Lucanis actually makes me a little mad (especially with Avon, who is Rivaini) so this is me doing something about it

technically my Rook but I'll try to steer clear of pronouns for Rook, first Lighthouse conversation with Lucanis spoilers (edit: Spite doesn't actually talk in this)

— ☾ —

Fighting was exhausting. Travelling was also exhausting. The Crossroads of Eluvians made it easier, though the group seemed tense. Not surprising, the Ossuary was deep under water and when they were finally out, Caterina was gone. Dead. According to Illario, anyway. The least surprising was how Rook found them –Bellara, Neve, and Lucanis. In the kitchen, tea for Bellara and coffee for Neve, discussing how to get a demon out.

Rook was quickly roped into the discussion and stated, honestly, that there had to be another way. Lucanis shouldn't have had to die and the spirit deserved better, too. There was a beat of quiet as Lucanis stared into the fire. Leaning against a fireplace didn't seem the best idea, but he wasn't wearing any straying fabrics and the fireplace was probably magic. Maybe the Caretaker had lit the fire in the first place, who knew?

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Lucanis' head whipped around and blood dripped down his uneven mustache and beard, part of it caught by his fingers as they went to cradle his nose. All three of them, Rook, Neve, and Bellara, startled to attention, reaching forward despite the table between them, worry plain on their faces.

“No,” he pushed his hand toward them as if to stop them from moving closer, “it's fine.” Lucanis jumped to the reassurance, “I'm fine.”

Rook frowned. Why would a spirit hurt the person they're possessing? Instead of pondering, Rook asked outright, “What did he do that for?”

The assassin brushed his hands off on his clothes, purple now stained bloody. “Throwing a tantrum when he doesn't get his way.”

“But he could just take you over,” Neve said, reminding everyone of what demons were capable of. “Make you do what he wants.”

Bellara saw the positives, her mind working as fast as that of the resident detective. “It's, you know. Not great. But, kind of good news? In a way?”

The conversation could've concluded. Rook could've said that this was not fine, that Lucanis shouldn't have been used to this. But the demon's behavior worried Rook too much. Why was he throwing a tantrum? What did Lucanis hear that the rest of them couldn't?

“What exactly do you mean, he's not getting his way?”

Lucanis raised a brow, but continued his evasive reassuring. “It's fine, Rook, I can handle him. Just give me a minute.” Lucanis turned his face toward the fire again, “He'll get bored once everyone leaves.”

Oh. Engagement. That made sense. “Or you could let him talk to us,” Rook suggested.

Barely concealed surprise spread over Lucanis' face, while Neve didn't bother to conceal it at all. The question was Lucanis', “You want the demon to take over?”

“That's not what I mean,” Rook's hands waved no. “But we are talking about him. I'd imagine there wasn't many sane fadefolk for him to talk to in the Ossuary either. Lucanis, you're not the only one who was cut off from any sort of social interaction down there. What you went through, the demon went through, too. It makes sense that he has a need to converse with others, to have someone besides you, since you simply ignore him.”

“So you're saying this is my fault?” Lucanis stared at Rook intently. Slightly offended, even.

Rook sighed, shoulders sagging. “If that's all you heard, sure. Just give the demon a voice, will you? He's as much a person as us.”

Lucanis' jaw dropped but he quickly collected it off the ground and once again turned toward the fire. “I will think about it.”

Apparently, that was the conversation. Rook sighed, but accepted it. Not quite defeat, but not a win either. “Well, welcome to the team,” Rook concluded. “Both of you.”

[ryoskuna]

The lovers and the tower

Thank you for asking! Asks are from here, I'm so sorry for the delay!

The Lovers: What does Rook learn about themself and their desires through their relationship with their love interest?

Zen learns to slow down. When Zen meets Varric, she is willing to focus on tasks; she excels at trying to meet goals. Her only divergence is when those goals or tasks are going to cause harm, or per experience, someone will be endangered by a decision, even if it's something she's ordered to do (her losing the map for the sake of saving lives; in her opinion, saving lives outweighed an ancient elven map, and she'll stand on that decision to the grave). That doesn't change after Solas's initial ritual; her approach changes. They have to go to an alternative plan, but she knows that this still needs to get done (think of Varric's comment, "This is Rook, one of the strongest pieces on the board, but [she] tends to think in straight lines"). In her experience forming the Veilguard and eventually starting a relationship with Davrin, she demonstrates the flexibility she's been further developing to get that 'well-rounded' rook experience—move forward, back, sideways, etc. She also learns to want. This probably sounds so silly, but she does truly learn to want things for herself, and I don't mean like materialistic wants, but the emotional support that she gives to others, the physical protection, and to have it reciprocated; she wants the experiences that she's given to others for herself.

The Tower: How do Rook and their partner support each other in coping with the trauma they’ve endured? 

As far as it goes for trauma, I think they both initially reduce it as an 'occupational hazard' or 'that's just the territory of our work.' Still, it also leads them to have necessary discussions because a) it shouldn't be that easy for them to write it off, b) it affects their sleep - I think the calling/darkspawn affects Davrin's sleep, especially with the influx of blight; Zen doesn't sleep as much as she should because she wants to be accessible for the others. Likewise, as she begins to go through the Crossroads and accesses the history of the Elves, there's trauma that she's learning through a second-hand experience. Knowing your people's gods are bad is one thing - seeing the terrible things they've done is another. It only gets worse after the dual dragons in Treviso and Minrathous. Then, I think there's another kind of trauma they have to address together (with some help from Bellara), and that's generational/ancestral trauma. How do you come to terms with what gods you would've heard praised as children are actually evil? They're the reason the dwarves don't dream; they are the reason (in Davrin's case) that so many people have fought the blight and died from the Taint? Davrin has an in-game line that I think is really influential in this answer, but he tells Solas (I'm paraphrasing) "What good would come from disclosing that the ancient elves were responsible for the blight? So they can attack more of my people? " and then follows up, "the best I can do as a grey warden and as an [dalish] elf is stop this" and Solas basically replies saying he's humbled by Davrin's sense of duty, but that sense of duty is a responsibility that he's taken up as a result of his gods' actions. Zen and Davrin talk through a lot of their trauma to process it and unpack its layers. It's beyond 'how did this make you feel' to 'what can I do to help,' even if that's just sitting in silence and distracting you with a walk, or trying to pick up skills from each other. It's showing through actions that they can be part of their system of support and provide what the other may need, knowing that they don't have to provide it all, but they'll help them find it, and always find each other.

[lesbiansforboromir]

blegh I can't stop being frustrated that we can't actually debate Lace's hypocrisy. Okay great, Solas is still trying to do good, he can be saved, we should keep trying to reach him otherwise there is a point when you have to stop trying to save someone, which is hard for her to accept because she might have reached that point. Okay cool yes love the characterisation............ But fuck Orzammar for making one desperate decision in the middle of their annihilation thousands of years ago I guess? Castes are bad but I suppose we're still going to treat all the actions of Orzammar's ancestors as THEIR actions. Not sure Kal-Sharok HAS actually let go of the caste system's logic if so. Like quite literally why is Orzammar so okay to be reviled and discarded in this game supposedly about impossible decisions in the face of total annihilation. Lace can watch you choose one city over another, even if you're clearly doing it because one is YOUR city and one isnt, and be completely wordless about it but Orzammar remains the butt of the joke at best and a thoroughly unsalvageable den of bigotry and sin at worst. I'm not saying it's bad that Lace has these hypocrisies, they make extremely good sense for her to hold, I'm just once again lamenting how little we actually get to explore morality in the Morality Game. Why must our protagonist be so removed from their origins of race or creed, why can't Rook have actual emotions about all of this, it's such a goddamn missed opportunity it's just so sad!!! Let me be an exiled dwarf of Orzammar, let me CARE about the Stone!!! About Deshyrs! About the Assembly! aaaaaaa

[magnetic-rose]

y'all can screenshot this post and clown me if i'm wrong but the more time goes on the more i think varric ISN'T going to die in da:tv. at least not in the beginning we saw. midway/end of the game is another story. there's a few reasons why.

"There’s a fascinating relationship that’s already being set up, Varric and Solas as opposing narrative forces, with your character, Rook, pulled between them."

this is an article from inverse with a journalist who played an hour of the game.

"I literally have no idea if Varric dies I don't know any spoilers about the ending or fate of characters! the only thing i'll say is that the devs have said that Varric is a major character."

this was some tweets from kala elizabeth, who's part of the community council and has played parts of da:tv.

It didn’t stop Gaider trying to kill him again, though. “I tried to kill him in Inquisition,” he told me. “I think mainly because I didn’t get to do it in [DA2]. And everyone was like, 'But the Inquisitor isn’t Hawke! It lacks the same meaning.’ And I was like, 'Yeah, I guess you’re right.’”

people often bring up that varric was supposed to die in a da2 expansion and then again in inquisition. it was gaider who wanted to kill him both times and gaider doesn't work for bioware anymore. not only that, but gaider was dissuaded from killing varric in da:i by the other devs because varric dying wouldn't be as meaningful to the inquisitor than it would be to hawke.

and the same could be said about rook. rook doesn't have a strong relationship with varric. and new players coming into the DA fandom for the first time also won't have a strong attachment to varric if he dies in the prologue.

idk it just doesn't make narrative sense for varric to die 40 min into the game. the fact that they're being so coy and "teehee woowee" about his supposed death is also suspicious. if a beloved character was going to actually die in the game like that, i feel like they'd do anything to keep that spoiler secret. i remember before da:i came out, they edited leliana's tortured model to look normal so players wouldn't see the extent of damage she had in the future timeline.

[dalek-thal]

Fuck it, discourse discussion (ironically), because it's shit and mostly bullshit. No spoilers above the cut.

Veilguard does not break lore. An ongoing theme in the franchise is misinformation and propaganda and how these are informed by the worst of a population. That Dock Town isn't full of very visible slavery doesn't mean slavery doesn't exist, nor is it a retcon. Slavery, like institutionalised racism, isn't usually visible until you're either already aware of it and looking for it, or are already enmeshed in it (try to tell me you knew Adidas used slavery before that story was broke by the news media random white people of tumblr, I fucking dare you).

The above is but one example of this. Generally, people keep using the wiki as evidence, but the problem is that the wiki quotes the World of Thedas, which is an in-universe text written from the point of view of Brother Gentivi and other southern Chantry scholars. The wiki is not supposed to be the be all and end all of lore, because the information it uses as its source is, by design, incomplete.

Ultimately, it comes down to entitlement. A lot of people decided they know the lore based on the wiki, but didn't bother digging into the themes of the series and recognising that almost every in-universe text (including real world lorebooks) features inherent bias and prejudice, and often times is bullshit (I doubt strongly that Brother Genitivi ever went further north than Nevarra). But, you read a wiki, so now you've made it a part of your identity that you know all the Dragon Age lore, so when a new game comes out and shows you that other things are true, you assume it must be wrong because you can't be.

In general, I find it deeply problematic how many self-proclaimed "lore nerds" keep acting as if they know the text better than the actual writers. Contrary to popular belief, almost every writer on Veilguard started at Origins. The only major change is that Gaider moved on from the writing team.

Really seems to me like a lot of people decided they didn't like Veilguard because it's different, and are now looking for reasons to justify their hatred. These reasons don't hold up, and I'm sick of it.

Spoilers for Act 1 below the cut. Will discuss major decisions and what people are calling a "plot hole", so you may wish to avoid if you haven't made any major decisions. If you're not sure if you have, then you haven't, because you will know.

Which brings me to the other stupid. People trying to say it doesn't make sense that only Rook was able to stop the attack on one of the cities. Problem with that statement is, the only reason he was able to stop it was because Ghil wanted the dagger, so had the dragon focus on Rook to retrieve it. This gave the respective factions time to deal with the Blight.

Without Rook there, the dragon would have continued to attack, leaving the other faction and your companions to fight three battles at once - the Blight, the dragon, and the respective villain (Venatori or Antaam). Rook only had one force to deal with (dragon), so it stands to reason the city with Rook present would stand up better against the remaining threats than the city without Rook.

It's not a plot hole if you don't understand it.

[gingervitus]

WIP Wednesday/ A Word(s) With Friends

Thank you to @mythals-whore and @basedonconjecture for tagging me in WIP Wednesday this week and sweet sweet @serensama in tagging me in TWO Words with Friends.

I got a little caught up in Davrin week (and also real life/my job that pays me real adult money that I hate) and am trying to catch up.

I've started writing some more bits of the multi rook modern AU self indulgence and decided to try and incorporate THREE words with friends because I have no chill as well as WIP for this whole dumb AU (which will be coming to AO3 soon stay tuned)

HERE ARE THE WORDS

I'M JUST DOING THE LAST FEW I'VE SEEN I'M SO SORRY.

Sanguine (I wasn't tagged in this but can't chill at all ever)

Definition (Adjective): optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation. OR Definition (noun): a blood-red color

Sussuration

Noun: the indistinct sound of people whispering, murmuring, or rustling. “The susurration of the river.” In modern usage, we use the word to name a gentle sound characterised by a soft murmuring, persistent whispering, rustling, or even a barely audible buzzing.

Apricity

Definition: The warmth or light of the sun in winter.

So here's a lil WIP where Rookanis and Davrook end up colliding in my self indulgent modern AU. No one can stop me from writing Silvia giving Lucanis a hard time but he also has a soft spot for her.

The interior of the courthouse is much more ornate and strangely beautiful than Lucanis expects. Tall ceilings are adorned with intricate moldings that line all the way through each archway. A wide grand staircase that led to the second floor they had been directed to upon passing by reception. Shiny tiled floor that reminds him of the marble countertops he grew up frantically cleaning after another experiment in the kitchen. Large windows line the opposite side of the building from them. The sky is growing dark as the days grow shorter, which makes the opulent chandeliers’ glow even more glorious. Susurrations of footsteps echo as employees leave for the day, bouncing off of the walls and ceilings in all sorts of directions making it impossible to tell exactly where they’re coming from.

“You’re fidgeting. Stop it.”

His fingers drop from the cuff of his shirt that he’s been fiddling with for an indeterminate amount of time. “I am not fidgeting,” he huffs. He knows this is a lie, but the words leave his mouth regardless. 

“You are, so stop.”

A set of large wooden doors with golden handles stands closed behind them. He glances over at his cousin, who is deeply invested in something on her phone, and frowns. “Tell me why I brought you again?” he grumbles as his hand reaches once more for his sleeve but stops himself before she can comment again.

Green eyes flick up at him. A set he has known all too well for the majority of their lives. Severe yet playful in their way. Lips curl up into a smirk. “Because I’m your favorite,” she chirps. “And you don’t want Nonna giving you hell for doing something stupid.”

That isn’t entirely false, he supposes. Silvia is not exactly the best at keeping secrets, but she does love to be the first person to know something. Being the only one in the family to know about this excursion is enough to buy her silence long enough for him to work up the nerve to actually speak to their grandmother. “I would have asked your brother,” he admits, which pulls an offended gasp from his cousin’s lungs. “But Teia says he’s been a pain in the ass lately.”

“He’s always a pain in the ass,” she scoffs. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask Illario.”

Sure, the man who is basically his brother would make the most sense to drag along to such an event, but Lucanis is wise enough to realize the loose lips Illario has will surely sink his ship. “He is coming off of another bender,” he explains. “He’ll be hungover for another week, I’m sure.”

Also, Illario is the last person he is willing to confide in. Especially in regard to more impulsive decisions, such as this.

“I’m a little offended that I was your third choice.” What she doesn’t realize is how few people actually existed on the shortlist of witnesses he considers prior to reaching out to her. There is Viago, who is an excellent first choice. Not only would he be scolding Lucanis the entire time for making such quick decisions, he would be hard pressed to discuss the events with anyone. Of course, Illario is always an option. His oldest friend. His brother. But also the most conniving little idiot he knows. Also could be drunk at any given point in a day, so secrecy is obviously out the window. Bellara is also considered, but given her propensity for word vomit, she is moved to be a last resort. He and Silvia have always gotten along. Sure, there are spats between them as there are with any family members. They usually end up reconciling as they observe some spat over a family dinner, snickering at the scoldings handed out by their grandmother as they remain unscathed. The perks of being the favorite remaining grandchildren of the matriarch of the family. “But I’ll forgive you.”

All in all, she is the perfect choice to accompany him, though he’ll never admit that to her.

He glances at his watch. Four fifty-seven. There are exactly eighteen minutes left before the appointment that’s been set behind the double doors. He chews on the inside of his lip. Timeliness is an attribute that was instilled into him from a young age. To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late. And to be late is unacceptable. If he can help it, he is a half hour early for any appointment he’s ever made. Eighteen minutes early is saved for circumstances beyond his control.

“Hey.” Silvia’s hand wraps around the wrist of his hand that has gone back to fidgeting with his sleeve. This is a gesture he knows all too well. One that dates back to when they were children sitting and waiting for the interrogation from their grandmother, where he was well aware he was about to rat the entire team out. Only to find out Silvia came clean first. “Chill out.”

Sixteen minutes now. What if this is all for naught? What if he’s made a terrible decision, and he’s about to look like a fool in front of one of the few people who is so familiar with the sight that he’s slightly less mortified? His guts twist into knots deep in his abdomen. This is a foolish thing for him to do. Part of him wonders how he found himself standing here, dressed nicely in a button down with a tie and everything waiting for someone he doesn’t even know will show or not. The greater part of him, though, can’t help but feel at peace with everything. Sanguine with the entire situation, knowing the chips will fall where they are meant to fall. 

Silvia slides the phone in her hand back into the purse draped across her body. “I’m sure she’ll be here,” she assures him. Despite being the youngest of all the grandchildren, alive or otherwise, she has maintained an air of self assurance. Even when he knows she hasn’t been so sure of herself or anyone else around her, she stands tall and confident. “Not everyone is as neurotic as you are.”

As if he hasn’t considered this. As if he hasn’t hemmed and hawed over coming to a courthouse on a Tuesday night dressed as if he’s going to a job interview at an Applebee’s. Sweating like a teenager waiting for his first job interview. Awaiting the call to tell him to leave and go about his evening. “I know,” he replies. It’s barely louder than a whisper. He knows he’s stupid for even being there. That there are better ways to have gone about all of this. “But–”

“I can’t believe you’re fucking shoe broke.” The voice that reverberates through the courthouse is deep and joyful. Joking. Playful. Lucanis straightens. He doesn’t know why. Whoever is climbing the stairs doesn’t necessarily deserve the best face he has to offer. For all he knows, it’s some stranger who couldn’t give half of a shit about him or what he’s waiting for. “The yellow is a good look, though.”

A laugh bounds through the entire building. It fills the hall with the warmth of spring. Something merry. Something happy. Something palpable. He could touch and hold and enjoy himself. It’s familiar. He knows this laugh. Around the corner from the stairs, two figures walking in tandem continue their chatter. A familiar feeling that wraps his entire being. “Shut the fuck up.” A jest. Nothing serious lingers in the voices. Easy coming and easy going. “We’re running late.”

Footsteps bounding up the stairs. Heavy. Clumsy. Nothing like the sneaky quiet steps he and his cousin are used to. When he and Silvia had climbed the steps a bit earlier, barely a sound was made in the courthouse. A soft pitter patter much like rain spitting against a window. Uneven but constant. “The appointment is at quarter after and it’s barely five o’clock now, El” 

The flash of red hair is what Lucanis sees first, but really, that’s all he needs. It’s a roaring fire on a cold day. A wash of apricity on the coldest of all days, filling the entire hall with a warmth he doesn’t know is possible. “You've gotta be fucking kidding me,” Silvia spits out, grinning like a mad man.

I won't tag anyone because I'm so behind and also it's 12:30 AM here and I'm two very generous glasses of whiskey into my night

[butterflydm]

ever onward in our DAV adventure...

I'm on such a high with this game right now.

The romantic scenes I've gotten to do with Lucanis so far have made me very giggly and happy while I was playing through them. And Neve approves of our romance. <3

My next big main quest made me SO happy! Delightful, delightful! I really do love the quest & flow design of DAV and, even though I have to admit to some protectiveness/defensiveness over DAI (it was my first Dragon Age game), I think that DAV improved on it in several ways. I feel like the tension of the main storyline is a lot stronger here than it was in DAI post-Skyhold. The open world was just... too open in DAI, imo. Pulling back and making it more controlled in DAV (plus eliminating collection quests entirely except for the one) was a good game design decision.

When we got stuck in Elgar'nan's trap and then Rook heard SOLAS reaching out through the thinned Veil to help us through! I was just eating up the conversation between Elgar'nan and Solas as we fought our way through to save the Dalish. This game has been giving me so much great lore and I am loving it to pieces. Sneaking through the Venatori camp was... definitely illuminating on their mindset. They want old Tevinter back again, and the since the old Tevinter gods were actually the servants of the old elven gods...

Also... we're gonna have to kill that big-ass dragon that Elgar'nan just summoned (and then fed the Venatori to after we freed the elves) so... you know. That's coming.

Had a great conversation with Solas afterwards (Rook has officially earned his respect) and we got a bit of him talking with some regretful longing about the Inquisitor after we got a bit of her doing the same in our earlier meeting, so that was sweet (I set them up as having romanced in DAI so I could get any potential extra dialogue). Rook called Solas out on his pride, and we really did get to see a big difference between Solas and Elgar'nan -- Solas knows how to apologize and realizes it when he screws up. Which was true in DAI as well -- if you took the high approval route with him, he's way more conflicted about his ending choices, because he realizes that his initial assumptions about people post-Veil were incorrect. If you prove him wrong, he admits to being wrong.

Solas also gave a pretty clear 'endgame approaching' warning in the game, in the sense of saying that our next encounter with the gods is likely to be our last chance, so my next priority is to finish up any character or region quests, to get everyone as prepped as possible for the next big fight. Companions were my first priority, to try to get them all up to Hero of the Veilguard status alongside Harding.

So, companion updates:

Harding - already a Hero of the Veilguard, but I had a really good conversation with her after the Solas convo, where she expressed how glad she was that she had friends to help her past feeling the weight of the Titans' pain on her shoulders and how she believes that Solas can be saved too. Okay, I definitely need to go with an Inky who doesn't believe that Solas can be saved in my next run, because I'm very curious how her opinion might change if Inky thinks Solas needs to be stopped as opposed to saved! (I'm wondering if it's like how Varric's approval during Mages/Templars choice in DAI depends on what Hawke chose in DA2). Harding firmly believes that Lavellen could save Solas from trapping himself in his regrets and bad choices if given the chance. So it's possible we might have a Solas/Inky happy ending waiting at the end of the game if we play our cards right. Maybe. We'll see! Depends on Solas and his stubbornness, really.

Taash - I wanted to finish up them next, to see if that moved the Taash/Harding romance forward. We've gotten some hints and flirting here and there and it's been very cute. During the quest to take care of the Stormrider dragon, Taash asked Harding about her mom, and they had some good mom-related conversations.

Taash's personal quest really tugged at the heartstrings (I shed a few tears, for sure). I had Taash leaning towards being more Rivani and their mom wasn't a big fan of that. And was confused about Taash being non-binary. And now Taash has to struggle with the pain of never getting to have that big conversation where the two of them work it out. And that's hard but also... really true to life at times. It felt very honest.

Taash's personal quest also crystallized something I was trying to say before about the themes of the game -- for some of the characters, it's not sins of the past so much as the struggle with the weight of your culture and the baggage that it brings. That's become more clear as we've gone through each quest. Because that was definitely Taash, who is torn between two cultures, Rivani or Qunari -- one culture that stresses personal freedoms and is chill about magic and spirits, and the other one which stresses authoritarianism and control and is definitely not chill about magic or spirits. And you can certainly take from both in some ways but there are other ways that the two cultures contrast so strongly that you have to pick one.

But we've had other characters struggling with issues brought about because of their cultural background -- like Bellara, who is dealing with ancient elven history in the form of her brother accepting an offer to serve one of the Forgotten Ones of elven lore; or Harding dealing with the cultural weight of all of the grief and anger of the murdered Titans, and Davrin needing to deal with the 'whatever it takes to win' cultural background of the Wardens coming back around again in the form of the Gloom Howler. The regrets of the past. So... similar to what I was saying before, but slightly modified.

In lighter news: matchmaking successful!

Emmrich - We killed Johanna and destroyed the lantern, but this was a really tough quest on an emotional level. We just lost Taash's mom in the previous quest and then I had to make the call to save Manfred or encourage Emmrich to let him go and move forward into lichdom. And it was a really difficult choice! For this specific Rook, I encouraged him to become a lich but, wow, I was torn. But it is Emmrich's dream, and when we spoke about it... it's clear that it's what he wants. And Manfred isn't any more dead than he was before, since he was always a wisp inhabiting a body. He just won't be... inhabiting anymore. But, yeah. A tough one. Taash got Hero of the Veilguard status at the end of their quest, but Emmrich didn't get it here. Either he'll get it when he becomes a lich, or picking lichdom means that he doesn't get it. I guess I'll find out.

All throughout this, I would go back to the Lighthouse between each mission and run into delightful conversations between my companions. I really love how lively and dynamic it feels like the Lighthouse is. People are always moving around and talking to each other. <3

I moved some other companion missions forward but haven't completed them yet -- I need to do the next story mission in Treviso to complete Lucanis's personal mission, and Neve's mission next goes to the Cobbled Swan, where the Inquisitor awaits for a second check-in (excited to see her again! She's not ~exactly~ my Inky, of course, but you can't distill dozens of hours of characterization into a dozen lines, so I wasn't expecting that). I have some final tie-ups for Taash and Harding, plus the Lichdom ceremony for Emmrich, and I've moved forward to the next steps on Davrin and Bellara's quests.

Speaking of Bellara's questline, this hit me HARD after my recent decision to go no-contact with my brother:

Yeah, that's gonna be a rough one, especially if we have to kill her brother.

My next quest is going to be helping put to rest the souls of the Rivani mages murdered by Templars during DAI (we found a heartbreaking codex entry about this at the time).

[crossdressingdeath]

A thing has been living in my head since I listened to the first episode of Vows and Vengeance (uh, potential spoilers for that by the way), so have some vague thoughts as I try to make sense of it.

It's like... okay, we've all been enjoying the jokes about Solas's ritual-based woes (because they are very funny, to be clear), but the fact that he keeps doing rituals even though they never end well and he never likes the result is fascinating to me, both in terms of his character and in terms of potential DAV plot hooks. I mean, he knows he's fucked up every time! He's never happy about it! But he never stops either, even though he never gets what he wants. That refusal to accept that he needs to step back, listen to others and look at other possibilities instead of steamrolling his way towards the conclusion he's decided is an unfortunate necessity is such a fascinating part of his character. Also yes, I know that Solas has that thing where if Quiz says they want to change his mind he seems to want them to but the issue with that is that he's still refusing to stop for five fucking seconds and actually let them try before he goes about his merry world-ending way. Solas has this thing where even when he knows he's fucked up his response seems to be trying to undo the one specific thing he knows he fucked up rather than... learning from the mistakes he made and trying to move forward with that knowledge instead of constantly trying to go back. This is most noticeable with his main plan ("fucking with the line between the waking world and the Fade destroyed my people and brought me nothing but misery so clearly the solution is to fuck with that line again, in the opposite way this time, with the knowledge/assumption that doing so will once again kill a shitload of people and make me miserable and guilty" sure is... a plan) but honestly just in general the fact that he keeps doing rituals that never work out for him is like. my guy at some point you have to realize that this isn't going to do what you want, please try a tactic that is not a magic ritual.

But that leads me into how this could lead to some interesting plot possibilities, because Rook has also royally fucked up after the first part of DAV. Their attempt to intercede in a ritual has fucked up the world and based on what we've heard seems to have changed them permanently. It'd be very fun if one factor in their relationship with Solas involved the question of whether they do what Solas does and just try to undo what they did, or accept what happened as a now-unchangeable fact and make the best of it they can. Especially if you agree with the theory I've seen floated that the Veilguard are going to on some level correspond to the Evanuris with Rook themself corresponding to Solas; the concept of them being in a similar position to him (having fucked up their world by accident during a ritual gone wrong, although in this case the ritual itself wasn't their doing and the fuckup wasn't nearly as fatal) and having the choice of either following in his footsteps and just trying to undo it somehow or learning from his mistakes and accepting that there's no real way back and they have to go forward. Now I don't know how exactly that would work, it's not like Rook has access to time travel or anything like that, but it could be something like... rather than trying to somehow magically undo the Evanuris getting out (since they're going to have to do that the old-fashioned way) maybe they could try to fix (or "fix", since we don't actually know if them being bound to the Fade is harmful at this stage) what happened to them personally? Again these are just vague thoughts that I'm having, I have no idea how viable this would be, but it could be interesting if Rook was given the same choice of either moving forward with the knowledge that their actions did likely irreparable damage (to themself if not the world) or trying to undo it and could either follow in Solas's footsteps or say "No, I've seen where people trying to undo their mistakes leads, I will do everything in my power to mitigate the damage but I will accept that it's done and can't be fixed just like that".