#thinking of what this means to my rook though…. how viago and the other crows have shunned her after what happened

[dellamortte]

“there’s no need to doubt yourself. and if you do, i’ll be here to convince you”

do you want me to cry huh?????? do you want me to CRY??????? BECAUSE I’M GONNA WTFFF LUCANIS

[felassan]

Some thoughts on this article from Game Informer [source]. ^^

Teia and Viago as the 'face' of the Crows/the Crow 'agents', pretty please..? 🥺 👉👈 And I hope maybe Strife and Irelin can be the same but for the Veil Jumpers..? :D

Customizing qunari Rook's horn type and material reminds me of Taash's gem-horn design

Which faction do you think has the coolest casual threads? in my mind's eye [wild speculation] it's a toss up between Mourn Watch and Antivan Crows :D

What do sword and shield warriors 'hip-fire' with?

What is a "night blade" :D

Faction selection/backstory (while not playable) determining who Rook was before, how they met Varric, and why they travel with him reminds me of the different origins in DA:O and how each possible HoF crossed paths with and was recruited by Duncan in a different way.. 🥺

Factions and groups in the world working together to save it.. it felt like there were hints of this in Tevinter Nights. In that book, we saw different groups and factions from across Thedas working with the Inquisition, with varying degrees of cooperation, on being concerned about Solas. Yet other groups were also interested in keeping tabs on him. now we see the same kinda thing in DA:TV with different groups being involved in saving the world from the Evil Gods.

"'You help them, they help you now" but first they all have serious problems you need to solve' has echoes of how in DA:O, the HoF solved a problem for each major group (Dalish elves/werewolves, Circle Tower/templars, Orzammar etc) before they would obey the Grey Warden treaties and agree to help fight the darkspawn for the final battle

Do you think that some of the voices in the Thedas Calls teaser trailer were some of the 'faces' of the factions? For example, the Antivan Crow woman speaker as the face of the Crows, and the Nicholas Boulton-sounding Warden man speaker as the face of the Grey Wardens?

Each spec being tied to a faction explains the faction symbols being on the specializations, as here. From this, we can see that the faction each spec is tied to is as follows:

Mage: Death Caller - Mourn Watch Evoker - Shadow Dragons Spellblade - Antivan Crows Rogue: Duelist - Antivan Crows Veil Ranger - Veil Jumper Saboteur - Lords of Fortune Warrior: Champion - Grey Wardens Reaper - Mourn Watch Slayer - Lords of Fortune

The Mirror of Transformation returns. Do you think that means Rook will also be able to go to the Black Emporium, like Hawke in DAII and Inquisitor in DA:I? Will Xenon the Antiquarian also return? ^^ Maybe not though, since it's said the Mirror is in The Lighthouse

I'm not sure about "If you find yourself unhappy with your lineage or your class, you can change them using the Mirror of Transformation". It was previously reported that "You can change your character’s physical appearance at any time during the game, but not their class or backstory" [source] [prev post mentioning it]. I guess one article is incorrect, but am not sure which. or maybe this aspect of the game changed in development. ^^ UPDATE: please see here re: an update/clarification from Game Informer on this. it reads:

"Editor's Note: This article previously stated players can change their physical appearance, class, lineage, and identity using the Mirror of Transformation. That is incorrect as class, lineage, and identity are locked after you first select those. The article has been updated to reflect that, and Game Informer apologizes for any confusion this mistake may have caused."

What do you think is the problem[s] faced by each faction that we have to solve? :D We got some hints about this already. For example, for the Crows, something "is amiss" in Antiva and they're trying to uncover the source. The Qunari have also invaded Antiva. For the Wardens, they just recently discovered one of Ghil's underground monster labs and learned there are 11 more (Tevinter Nights), and ominous tremors of unknown cause have been creating disturbances in the Anderfels lately. The Lords of Fortune have lost dominion over the coasts of Rivain and dragons are laying waste to their ships. The Shadow Dragons probably have the Venatori, who are still around and up to mad shit, to contend with. Arlathan Forest is currently all timewarped, reality-fragmented, awash with darkspawn and corruption etc. For the Mourn Watch.. maybe the Veil rips and weakening has caused more premature possessions of corpses and demons possessing corpses and wreaking havoc in the Necropolis, or the Nevarran politics stuff? In TN Dorian also mentions learning from a Mortalitasi mage that there are things "past the Veil of our world, neither demon nor spirit". maybe they're having problems with those things?

[source]

[lorde--of--the--rings]

An Explanation (Rook x Lucanis)

content warnings: none, spoilers for Lucanis relationship arc.

Rook gives Lucanis the space he needs, and he gives her an explanation.

“If you looked at both of our hands,” He spoke aloud, somehow, “you would think we had lived the same life.”

"I feel,"

Rook heard his voice before she knew he had entered the room. A bit of a surprise, maybe-- it's not often that a Shadow Dragon (or a rogue) is snuck up on. But there he was, the Demon of Vyrantium-- he was born and bred for sneaking.

As she turned to face him from her spot by the fire, he finished,

"I feel as though I owe you an explanation,"

"Lucanis"

His hands flew up and his eyes closed, "Don't. I mean, sorry. Let me finish." He was standing just by the threshold to the pantry. the light from the fire tricking shadows across his tired face, his silhouette dancing against the bare wall behind him.

More than ever, he looked tired, sad-- even for a man who was in a constant state of brooding.

Rook had sat by the fireplace in the hours since their almost-kiss. She knew he needed space, it was something he needed often-- a part of Lucanis which might make him seem cold or inaccessible to others, but instead made Rook remember another version of herself, the one learning how to “be” after she was liberated from the slavers she was born under.

It was hard, she knew, ever letting someone in-- knowing that level of pure vulnerability, of being the property of another human being. The knife of fear, like a part of your own body-- a limb you had never known, a muscle constantly pulling you toward solitude.

Yet, even if it wasn't for that, for what both of them had endured, his ability to be alone, to stand alone, was enviable-- powerful even. But it meant loneliness too, for someone like her-- someone in love with a man who ran away from first-kisses, deadpanned at flirtation, who was withdrawn on his warmest days, and invisible on the rest. She had learned to be patient long ago, before the war with Solas, and even before she met Varric.

And she would be again, for him.

“Ok, at least come sit by the fire. It’s my dying wish as your jilted lover.” Esha giggled, tossing a spare cushion at the crow-- whose eyes sparkled magenta-fire the moment it hit his chest. Her curls swept off her narrow shoulders as she laughed, heaving from the intensity. He felt he couldn’t breathe.

“As you command.” He said, betraying an obvious sense of relief at her good humor.

Anyone else might have left, given him the “cold-shoulder.” Teia was gifted in such things-- sensing even the slightest rejection she could ignore Viago for days. Hell, she would even draw Caterina into it-- who was always on a woman’s side, a justifiable code of ethic she had instilled into her Grandsons at a young age. Then, suddenly, and without a hint as to why, Teia and Caterina’s silence would break-- and Viago, whether deservingly or not, was back in their good graces again.

Lucanis was always afraid of that-- the power that could be held over you, when you loved another person. He had grown accustomed to it-- the sense that he had something to atone for, and what it was he didn’t know-- couldn’t know. And in his not-knowing, he was all the more guilty. It was like that growing up around girls in Treviso.

But Rook was different. More patient than any other woman he had ever known, it was what drew Spite to her so much at first. In those early days at the Lighthouse, she was all he would talk about-- squawking to let Lucanis talk to her. But he didn’t, couldn’t, shouldn’t. How could he? The feeling of warmth he almost immediately felt toward this person, he had assumed, was due to the fact that she had rescued him. He was not weak enough for love at first sight, but there was something about Esha Mercar that made all of it-- his walls, his bitterness, even the clenching of his jaw he had suffered from since childhood, all of it, muted, loosened, melted, shifted, even the mention of her was enough.

Of anything he had faced, the power of her was the most terrifying.

The fire showed in his eyes as he sat in silence, weighing these memories and flickers of feelings-- so slippery they were gone as fast as they came.

And so the two sat, Assan squawking outside-- in chase of some wisp-- or maybe playing with one of their comrades-in-arms. Either way, the world was on the other side of a heavy oak door.

Esha was first to break the silence, “I know you told me to let you finish, but, I’m not sure that I need you to.” This got a smile from the Crow, who was certainly used to many things-- a bouquet of roses that, when smelled, would reveal a set of poisoned Tevinter throwing knives; the look in the eyes of a contract when death dawned on them, the sound of an abomination being born as it echoed against hard coral. He had seen the world, earned a rather intimidating title, faced demonic possession, and now fought Gods-- and still, Rook could surprise him.

“You’ve outwitted me? Go on.” He smiled rather coyly, leaning back to rest his palms against the rough carpet. How old the thing was, who knew-- they were in a thrice-damned ancient elf’s magical fade-lighthouse. Mierda, what has my life come to.

“No,” she said, more serious than before, the humor leaving her in a way that felt breathless, like she was going cold from top to bottom, “no, I just, I think I know how you feel.”

“What? Terrified?” Spite lunged out of him, he coughed harshly from the shock of it. “I'm not terrified. He lies. You know this.”

“Well, I am terrified, Lucanis. I’m terrified.”

She had turned to face him now, putting her hands into his lap, her eyes now wet with tears. “What could be so terrifying,” cara a voice whispered, but it wasn’t Spite. Not this time. It was his own voice, echoing harshly in his mind.

He was an accomplished assassin of the world’s deadliest mages, heir to the most powerful seat in Antiva, and this shadow dragon-- a former Tevinter slave, with eyes like amber against pine bark, with brown hair that flowed richly past her shoulders, a woman with an uncharacteristic Fereldan accent, this woman, his boss, wielded words sharper than any knife he had ever known.

“This. You, Lucanis. Sorry, Spite.” Rook giggled, her shoulders shaking gently, brushing tears from mascara-stained cheeks. His eyes flashed purple, but Spite didn’t answer. Looking down, he noticed, with a certain degree of cutting dread, the closeness between her small hands and his own-- they had moved to hers without him knowing, feeling, or approving.

“Just earlier, you joked that I don’t know when I’m walking close to the edge. I do, ok. Now, with you, there’s so much more to lose.” Back in his own body now, Lucanis takes her hands in his own. Wordlessly, he observes them, passing her small palms between his own slightly larger ones.

“If you looked at both of our hands,” He spoke aloud, somehow, “you would think we had lived the same life.” He paused to show her, their four palms face up in the shrinking space between them.

He was right, Esha realized. Remarkably, their hands bore the same collection of calluses-- years of wielding daggers, training with bows, climbing up walls and across roof-tops. Years of hiding, of surviving, of loneliness and solitude, all things loved and lost, written in the palms of these two people in the same dark room, on one side of a big oak door, somewhere in the fade, floating.

“When I tell you I understand,” Rook said, running her smooth fingertips along his, “do you get it now?”

His palms close around hers, forming two fists of entwined fingers, “Yes, cara, I do.”

[housederiva]

Answers to the ask game from this post below the cut! Thank you to everybody who sent a number, these were really fun!

@malyris

3 - most and least favorite banter

My least favorite is when you play as a shadow dragon and how Lucanis and others only mentions how hard of the loss of Minrathous is for Neve even though Rook is also from/has family there. My favorite is if you take Harding down into the Ossuary as a crow and she says ‘do we really need another assassin? We already have you and you’re great!’ I think the way she delivers that line is really fun

16 - What animal would my Rook be?

She would be a rook (of the bird variety) that is the name I’ve had Viago give her in her backstory, though Varric change the meaning to the chess piece. She has no other first name but Rook

35 - Is your powerful tingle properly contained?

Wouldn’t you like to know whether boy

@crabs-with-sticks

30 - favorite/funniest/most cursed screenshot?

@infamousbeans

29 - can Rook handle their ginger wart tea?

She’s the second best poisoner in House de Riva, There’s no other answer than yes

@miscneilleaneous

15 - least and most favorite boss fight

Fighting the two blighted dragons when they turned into a hack and slash version of the Hades Super Giant hydra fight, it was repetitive, I wasn’t I wasn’t having fun :( my favorite is fighting Zara after walking through the corridor of sacrifice slaves, it was the only moment in the game where slavery and (forgive me neve) the cruelty of blood magic didn’t pull any punches and was brought the forefront of the player’s attention

@things-are-about-to-get-dicey

4 - most and least favorite voice line delivery

I really like when you’re skipping stones with Neve and she has an aha moment and Rook says ‘wait, that worked?’ My least favorite is when Rook says that line about Lucanis becoming the first Talon where they raise the glass in the opera house, it doesn’t fit the tone of what he’s feeling. Also my favorite line is whatever Taash says at any given moment

23 - would Rook and the Inquisitor be on good terms? Would they like or not be able to stand each other?

Hmmm I think they would see a lot of similarities in each other regardless of the differences in their background. They are both elves thrust into a situation they do not want to be in. Both are held to a standard they can’t possibly reach. In another life may be the inquisitor would’ve been her magic teacher

33 - did you pick different companions throughout the game or stick with the same ones? Was it for tactical reasons or because you (or rook) liked them most?

My two companions were whose map was in plus Lucanis or Harding. Those two would’ve been the base 2 if we have a three party system again. it’s because it made narrative sense for the story I wanted to leach out for Rook

35 - see above weather boy

@brightaxe

5 - most and least favorite part of the crossroads

My favorite part is the fade market and where echo is and my least favorite part is the entry point right after the Lighthouse cause I’m just running past that tree to see if there’s a dialogue trigger and then fast traveling to another waypoint to get a companion conversation trigger where the Eluvian I wanna go is

7 - most and least favorite armor

My favorite armor would be Harding’s starting equipment and the jacketless N7 armor with a color mod on it to make it more crow themed. My least favorite is half of the Lord of Fortune armors and most definitely whatever Isabela has on

14 - most and least favorite factions

My favorite is the Crows and my least favorite is shadow dragons. This is predominantly because shadow dragon rook has the least amount of content out of any of the origins. The Crows are my favorite because of my obsession with Viago and how Rook feels like they actually existed in the space before the intro started

@rose-s-587

2 - most in least favorite locations

My favorite would have to be the Treviso Market and my least favorite is the meditation room in the lighthouse, despite the things we can put on the end tables it doesn’t feel like the room is Rook’s compared to what the companions have

4 - please see aboooooove

18 - is your rook more diplomatics, humorous, or harsh? And mix of all three?

Purple Rook is something I hold so dear and close to my chest but depending on the situation she will lean into the other two

20 - Is Rook best friends with any of the companions? If yes, who?

My first answer is that it would be Harding because they’ve spent a year together roughly beforehand but with the story I’m writing it makes it easier for my Rook and Lucanis to have a friendship before they have anything else

[mediumsizedwildcat]

For the Rook questionnaire, 25 and 45 for all four of your Rooks!

Very interesting questions and something I've wondered and thought about before! Thank you for asking! <3

Unfortunately, my answers will probably be very basic xD but i also don't know that many characters off the top of my head, so... Forgive me for being basic? xD

If you want to ask more questions from the Rook questionnaire (it's spoiler free), my ask box is open and I welcome any and all questions about them! (my rooks)

This is a looong post, so I'm putting a read more cut here :3

25. How does Rook like to spend their free time?

a. Luke definitely likes to read, though he hasn't allowed himself much free time. With the Shadow Dragons he was mostly working, only brushing up on some things so he wouldn't stand out too much. Of course he had to hone his skills, too. In a way, the Veilguard actually show him how to relax. Now he watches Davrin carve and might even take up drawing in the future, who knows? He also sews so he doesn't forget how to fix his armors and clothes.

b. Before the Veilguard, Stellan never really had free time. They're too used to being the target, so they've been doing stuff that looked intimidating, like sharpening weapons or training. In the Lighthouse, they're trying to learn about the things the others like. They're learning how to make coffee for Lucanis, trying to figure out how to get through to him that Spite is a person, too, reading the books the Lighthouse's bookclub is up to, learning the finer arts of cooking... They're also writing down what transpired so far and sometimes just sit and stare at the walls, thinking everything that's happened so far through.

c. Nalaya absolutely loves entertaining Manfred. He helps him with his chores, asks him for tea, tries to get a closer look at everything in and around Manfred. She enjoys dragon talk, too, or listening to Emmrich's seemingly endless wisdom. Training with Davrin and Lucanis, philosophical conversations with the Caretaker, you name it. Only reading gives him a headache, so he leaves that up to the professor. And when Nalaya's really lucky, he can find Emmrich in a position where he can just slot in and get some cuddles.

d. Robin has spent the last few years fighting darkspawn and is secretly terrified by their new forms, so he's using Davrin's carvings and some rough drawings he made himself to study them. Antoine is right, the Blight is changed, and it scares the shit out of Robin. However, when he's not studying one of his new fears, he likes to explore. The Lighthouse, the save parts of the Crossroads, and of course Solas. Which means going through drawers and every conversation he's had with the man. He keeps busy with work and tries his best to help people, so there isn't much free time for him, anyway.

45. Who was Rook’s closest friend before joining the Veilguard?

a. Luke didn't have that many friends. Of course he knows fellow Shadow Dragons and could cooperate with them, but what does “close” even mean? He did like to get on Tarquin's nerves and Tarquin let him get away with it the most, but does that make them close friends? Probably not. Luke may also be a bit too paranoid to have close friends, always looking where he could help the most people and how. Unfortunately, the answer is Tarquin, and Luke wouldn't like this question.

b. Stellan's closest friend... Well, as an Antivan Crow, Stellan didn't make friends with most others. There's a sort of friendship going on with Viago, but Stellan has a hard time trusting people. They weren't born into a house and became a Talon's favourite, so friendship tends to mean a dagger in their back. No, thank you. Even with Viago it is a very tentative relationship, though it might count as the “closest” friendship he's had. They work hard, alone, and don't mess up contracts. (Being able to leave was a blessing in disguise.)

c. Nalaya's closest friends before the Veilguard were wisps. There are many of them in the Necropolis and Nalaya trusted them with a lot of things. He even went on a date with a wisp once! They were both children then, but wisps tend to be more understanding than mortal people, in his experience. If hard pressed about his closest mortal friends, he'd have to say VORGOTH and Myrna. Really, he prefers the company of fadefolk.

d. Robin's closest friends are hands down Anotine and Evka. When he joined the Wardens he was in a bad place, mentally and physically, and he fought every Darkspawn he could see. While he wasn't the friendliest (Evka had to knock him out a few times) Antoine and Evka never gave up on him. He wouldn't be the man he is today without them, and he's not afraid to admit that anymore. They taught him kindness and compassion and blighted or not, he wouldn't have it any other way.