#I NEVEE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT

[baileyboo2016]

GUYS IS ELDIN A FIRE BREATHING DRAGON??????????

[bloodydifficult]

[wolf3223]

Rook, drunk off their ass, singing off-key: Neve-r gonna give you up, Neve-r gonna let you down, Neve-r gonna run around and desert you Neve, head in her hands, trying not to laugh: ... Trouble has a name, and it's Rook Astley

[rookamell]

Neve is so scared of getting hurt but she's also so scared of other people getting hurt because of her and I think it's wonderful that she's emotionally intelligent enough to know when someone deeply cares about her or she deeply cares about someone else but not emotionally intelligent enough to like... be normal about it

[polar534]

Was anyone going to tell me that Rook and Neve mirror each other's phrases depending on who you choose to dismantle the ward? Or was I just supposed to find that out myself after my 2nd full playthrough?!

First of all, I'm ill. Thank you writers. You deserve so much better than you get. To make up for that, I'm going to gush about the writing and more importantly the performance of the actors I got to experience said writing through. I think this post I want to specifically focus on Rook, since so many people have taken apart the Category 5 event that is Neve's full romance plot. But trust me, at the end of this analysis I plan on touching on something I haven't yet seen from the Neve romance takes. And if it is out there, it's not getting nearly the attention it deserves.

I think it's absolutely fascinating the character development that happens for Rook specifically if you choose Neve and subsequently she gets blighted. Despite all the personality choices you can make in regards to the romantic scenes. (Shout out to the Stoic option breaking my heart every time during the Eclipse scene.) One thing Rook is for Neve, always, is there. Rook makes sure to let Neve know, out loud and through their actions, that they are there. They'll always try to be there, even when they might not be fast enough, when the tables turn or when gods break promises. Now I'm not sure about the other VA's performance because I've just been running through this romance as one character, but Bryony Corrigan does an absolutely phenomenal job of breaking my heart in the aftermath of Tearstone Island. Through her performance you can really begin to see the flipside of this coin. The other reflection in the mirror.

If any companion speaks to you about Neve, Bryony does a fantastic job of letting the emotion come through her small lines just enough that it sounds like Rook is really on the edge of tears. Ask Rook about their plans, or what they have to do next? Fine. Can handle that. She will get the job done. But ask her about Neve? Reassure her that they'll find her? Suddenly Rook is the smallest person in the world. Her voice cracks, she's hardly even able to thank Davrin or Bellara for their support because she is actively choking back what sounds like tears.

Don't even get me started on the animation rigging for Rook when you DO find Neve and she reveals just what happened while Rook wasn't there.

Look at that devastation! I can tell they turned up the rigging specifically to make sure that no matter what your Rook looks like, you will KNOW just how broken they must feel in that moment. (Regret Prison could never.) Rook wasn't there and Neve had someone in her head. Someone who used her to break her own city.

(Important note that this animation will NOT play for just a normal companion rescue. Rook is only going to be this devastated when it's someone they love. In a normal run you'll get more of relieved and happy grin rather than whatever pathetic, wet beast looking thing this is.)

Moving forward, the very next time you can choose the 'Romantic' option, Rook will reflect in some way that they 'lost' Neve. That is not something you can change. You, as a player, CANNOT change the fact that a romantically involved Rook will see the time spent apart as an overwhelming loss. They lost Neve. Once you do click the 'Romantic' option however, the dialogue will change to some variation of 'found'. Which reflects exactly what Rook has dedicated themselves to proving to Neve. That they will be there. That they will always try.

That spoken dialogue doesn't stop the choices from showing what Rook is really feeling however. In their mind, they lost her. Neve is desperate to remind Rook that they can't even consider her being there as a win. Not while they still have so much left to do. And yet? It doesn't stop Rook from believing it anyways. That is the win in their eyes, no matter what comes next.

The only thing that can come close to getting that final win now is killing Elgar'nan, and I'm feral for the fact that Rook's view of killing the last blighted god can, canonically, become revenge for what he did to Neve. (On top of saving the world of course)

You'll get further 'lost and found' references in the dialogue after. Again, I feel like it's really important to see that it is Rook saying all of this. It has nothing to do with your choices beforehand. If you choose the romantic option, this is what Rook is truly feeling. It becomes canon to whatever kind of Rook you're playing. They wouldn't know what to do if they hadn't found Neve.

(Bryony Corrigan you have me on the floor with this entire sequence. From the line above to: "Every moment." To "I'm right here. I promise." It knocks me to the floor. Every time. Insanely heart-wrenching delivery.)

Lastly in the post credit scene of the Blighted Neve storyline, 2 of your 3 options can include one final instance of the 'lost and found' wording that is so prevalently a theme for Rook in this version of events.

(Fun fact, the non-blighted version of the same scene will of course, also throw a nod to the theme of 'lost and found'. "Finding you was a lost cause.", As well as an option to tap into Rook's own feelings in regards to that theme: "That place, I was so lost...")

So why is this so interesting to me? Why does the mirrored dialogue from the very moment that scene starts mean so much to me? It's pretty simple.

In Neve's experience, lost things don't just come back. I think it's absolutely fascinating that her storyline, romance or not, has a nebulous theme around the idea that lost things don't just come back. In Neve's experience, once something goes missing, it's gone. The city will move on without a spare thought. That's why she tries to be the difference. To be the one that finds things. If you're hunting for people who are taken she will always make sure to slip in a line about the fact that even if you're too late, she intends to find them anyways. She will provide closure, a follow-up to whoever might need it. It's about the small temporary wins. It's the cynic with a heart of gold that's so deeply imbedded in her character.

You're supposed to play as the one that helps slowly change that idea. Rook is meant to be the exception to the rule Neve has held tight in an attempt at survival for so long. (Along with all of the other companions of course.) Rook is the 'found' part of lost and found. They're going to find a way through any situation. Whatever it takes.

So yeah, when Neve comes in to Rook's room during the non-blighted storyline, of course she's completely shaken by the fact that Rook is actually there. That they came back. That they found a way to come back. 

But on the flipside, what you can discover through the writing and through the incredible work by the VA, is the fact that without Neve? Rook can also become lost. The fact that the other came back at all means the world to them BOTH. The fact that they will mirror each other's thoughts, the very idea of coming back at all being a parallel to being lost and found, it's a payoff to something that gets set up at the very start of the game.

When they needed to find someone, Varric went to the best damn detective he had ever met. Neve Gallus, the local expert, the one person in Minrathous that people turn to when things or people go missing. In the same breath he'll introduce Rook as their expert on trouble. The very same kind of trouble that Neve knows to avoid and yet always finds her anyways.

Because lost things are always meant to be found. And Trouble isn't always a bad thing.

[vaguely-concerned]

the question is who taught lucanis to knit. was it something he already knew how to do or is he picking it up over the course of the game as part of his 'if I manage to cram enough hobbies in there I won't have to sleep again ever. easy' experiment. did he learn it out of a book (as a sometime knitter, a horrifying thought but I wouldn't put it past him). as hilarious as I find the mental image of caterina with knitting needles I do not believe in it, did he pick it up from someone in the household staff growing up the same way he did cooking. is the sweater he wears with his introductory armour his own work (very funny if so it's just so. incredibly neutral toned and sensible.) I understand why he never does it on screen because animating knitting is the devil's own work and bioware were right to dodge right past it no one should wish themselves that kind of pain, but do you think off-screen he's using it the same way davrin does whittling during team meetings and book club nights (for real the grandmas were so right for this: knitting during social group situations is a neurodivergent life hack like you wouldn't believe if doodling isn't your thing/isn't doing it for you). it's that or sharpening his knives and some people seem to get a bit nervous about that so he mostly sticks to the knit one purl one of it all. does he make things for the team. for romanced rook perhaps. boring but useful things like socks and scarves, to be clear. I think mr. 'I made you a cake (cautiously marital intent)' would not mean to impress just make sure your feet weren't cold jogging around the heights of athim killing darkspawn. knitting more socks for harding so she won't get cold walking around everywhere in her fereldan *checks notes written on palm* clogs. some of taash' outfits... you think rook and lucanis are letting them walk around the anderfels like that without at least a token sensible scarf on even tho adaari are built different in terms of body temperature. I say no not in my lighthouse they would team up and mother hen them to shathann levels before they'd let that happen. (the scarf has dragons on it taash thinks it's kind of cool actually.) a bobble hat for manfred not because he really needs it but because he wanted to feel included. assan indignantly tries to steal it and fly away with it so he gets his own scarf to promote peace between the lighthouse little guys and it works. help.

[krems-chair]

Something I'm realizing I'm missing from the Veilguard romances is the tension. Maybe between the playable character and them, but mostly in having the opportunity to absolutely throw tf down for your partner a la dueling for Josephine/putting Dorian's dad in his place/literally eradicating anyone who might ever look for Fenris/saving Alistair from being king or encouraging him to find the strength to take the throne. I want drama! I want passion! The quiet moments matter and are lovely but it's a little too linear for the pressure the end of the world would bring imo.

Give me the worst Bachelor home visit ever. Show me Rook strolling into a camp of judgy Dalish who pushed Davrin to the fringes for being hard to manage and being like "hiiii I'm Rook. Davrin's Rook. You must be the one that told him not to bother coming back until he was ready to conform to tradition and now here he is saving the world you live in. Anyone got anything to SAY?!" only for Davrin to pull you into his parent's aravel and assure you he's okay and show you his first attempts at carvings made by fumbling clumsy fingers.

Let me dance at the crow afterparty and shimmy up to Caterina & co. so they can accuse me in a thinly-veiled manner of distracting him from his duty, only so that I might dramatically whisper in-between songs "if you don't stop treating him like a prized showdog you won't have anything left of him" before joining Lucanis for coffee and assuring him that I only stayed late to make a good impression while Spite argues that I smell like Caterina's perfume and bad decisions. Let Lucanis say that he trusts even my bad decisions as we clink our little mugs against each other and swap more stories of our craziest childhood escapades.

Permit me, if you will, the opportunity not just to make some snide remarks to Cyrian's face but to see him make Bellara flinch and murmur a quick "excuse me" before dragging little bro by the ear behind a bush real quick (I'm sure Bellara and a Forgotton One can find something to chat about) to remind him what it means to be there for your family. Let me in a romanced storyline find a momento she's kept of his and present it to him so he knows exactly what he'll lose if he doesn't get his shit together.

Some of these characters need to be the one I fight! Let me take Harding into a field somewhere and encourage her to let it all out, to assure her that she doesn't have to be the smile that inspires everyone around her to carry on when it's just us. Let her resist at first before caving in on herself just a little and then ~exploding~ into the duel of a lifetime until screams of rage become tired tears and there's nothing left to do but hold hands in a circle of stone and watch the stars come out and let her teach me the constellations.

[cheaploafs]

woe wips i forgot about be upon ye

[flowersforthemachines]

Lucanis's Logbook, 6

Relationships: Female Rook/Lucanis Word count: 3300 (oneshot, complete) Rating: General Audiences Main tags: Diary/Journal, Established Relationship, Mid-canon, Missing scene, Angst

Excerpt and summary:

We are back from Tearstone Island. Rook is gone. Davrin and Bellara are gone. I don't know what else to say.

Lucanis’s journal kept throughout the time between Rook’s disappearance at Tearstone Island and the day she’s rescued from the Fade.

[gabbiecasso]

Sharing my recent journal entry about Neve Gallus and myself, so let me yap

One of the biggest reasons Neve means so much to me is because I see myself in her. I’ve always been logical and analytical, always trying to figure things out—why something works, why it doesn’t. That curiosity naturally led me to problem-solving, but it also made me intellectualize my emotions instead of just feeling them, even though I know I’m a deeply emotional person.

Neve’s struggle is not that she lacks emotions—it’s that she feels too much. She’s the kind of person who catches the smallest inconsistencies, pieces together the truth with precision, and always seems to know what’s really going on. Her logic is sharp, her deduction skills nearly unmatched. And yet, when it comes to her own emotions, she shuts them down. Not because she doesn’t understand them, but because she does. She knows that if she lets them take over, they might unravel everything she’s built—her discipline, her duty, her control. And god, do I feel the same way.

The way I see it, our logic isn’t just a tool—it’s a shield. We both intellectualize our emotions, treating them like puzzles to be solved rather than experiences to be felt. But emotions aren’t rational, and the more we try to categorize them, the more they slip through our grasp. So instead, we repress them.

But repression isn’t the same as control. Neve’s emotions don’t disappear—they linger beneath the surface, showing up in subtle ways. In the way she hesitates before making a choice that should be easy. In the way she avoids thinking about what comes next. In the way she convinces herself that as long as she keeps moving forward, she’ll be fine.

Her emotional logic is a paradox—she tries to rationalize feelings that, by nature, resist logic. And deep down, she knows she can’t keep running from them forever.

When my emotions rise and start clouding my judgment, I panic—not because I don’t understand them, but because I know myself. I know how deeply I can feel, but I don’t always know how far those feelings will take me. I think Neve is the same way. She’s confident in herself, but she doesn’t know her breaking point.

And maybe that’s why falling in love can feel so terrifying for someone deeply logical and analytical. You can study it, observe it, notice the smallest details, and even rationalize why a person makes you feel the way they do—but love isn’t something you can fully understand. It has to be felt. And for someone like Neve, who’s spent so long relying on logic, that’s exactly what makes it so daunting. She knows she has feelings for Rook, but acknowledging them isn’t the same as allowing herself to feel them. So she represses them, over and over again.

Man, human behavior and emotions have always been my favorite topics, so stumbling upon Neve’s character was such a treat. But honestly? Watching her struggle was like watching myself, LOL. Not to mention, we both share the same deep-seated need to be of service to others. The need to fulfill a duty, god. As someone who thrives on acts of service, I get it. When you want to be there for people, you start taking on everything yourself without even realizing it. Sometimes it’s so second nature that I don’t even notice I’ve gone out of my way to do something I swore I wouldn’t—like taking a route I hate just to make sure a friend gets home safe—until someone else points it out.

Learning to balance logic with emotion—understanding my feelings while also allowing myself to truly feel them—and balancing the need to be of service to others and to myself, it has been a lifelong journey.

It's exactly the reason why I draw.

I’ll remember Neve for a very long time. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a fictional character who mirrors me this well.

I don't follow zodiac signs religiously but me being a Capricorn (Sun) and Virgo (moon) is too much of a coincidence that explains my overly logical + overworked ass LOL

[canisalbus]

had the thought of machete with sopping wet neck fluff that wouldn't leave my head

HAH oh no, the sopping wet dog lad. In a bubble bath. In a dusty rose pink bathtub no less ;_;

The expression is so good, he's just zoned out. Is he having a tiny existential crisis or just relaxing? Who can say.

I'm loving the soft dusk/dawn lighting, it looks so warm and atmospheric. And the way it passes through his ears and makes them glow is just *chef's kiss*.

[beetlethebug]

Okay now that I started thinking about Emmrich teaching my Rook, Quil, to read I cannot stop thinking about the rest of the Veilguard chipping in.

Bellara who's always making lists, writing down notes, and leaving little reminders. She writes out the labels of artifacts in big, clunky letters for Quil to practice his handwriting. She doodles pictures besides the names of artifacts when she gives lists for Quil to practice reading and finding objects. She also doodles the pictures on the grocery list. Bellara who's handwriting is very, very bad but she takes the time to write slow and big for Quil. She encourages him to write, handing them scraps of paper and telling them to come up with names for artefacts or jot down questions for the Archive Spirit. She also invites Quil to book club and will sit and read the passages aloud. Quil is pretty shy at first, but eventually it's common place to see Bellara and Quil curled up on any comfy surface in the lighthouse, Quil's quiet voice tentatively reading pages aloud. Plans to teach them Elvish once they're more comfortable with the standard language

Harding who will try and make letters out of stones for Quil to practice letter recognition. She embroiders his name on his clothes for him so that he at least recognizes his own name. It's a fun hobby, teaching him cross-stich and embroidery. Watching him stitch together letters in a shaky hand, always complimentary whenever he shows off their work. She asks him to make labels for her plants. Harding picked up on Varric's tendency to read missives aloud for Quil; she assumed it was because of him being second in command, but now that she knows it's because he's learning to read, she takes his place, reading and de-briefing Quil on missions before they bring it to the rest of the Veilguard.

Neve, who makes little detective stories for Quil to solve. Putting notes with simple sentences for them to decipher and put together. Always leaving little treats for Quil at the end to celebrate their solving of the puzzle. She has Quil organize case files for her, working on them recognizing names and places. She's very patient with Quil and helps them on their pronunciation. Not as formal a teacher as Emmrich but still working on the fundamentals of reading. She really helps Quil with interpreting and learning what sentences mean and helping him find deeper meaning within them.

Taash who doesn't really read casually but is definitely better than Quil. They've got clunky handwriting. Will use their fire-breathing to write letters and words for them. Tries to make it more fun/like a competition by saying that if Quil can spell the word, then they get the piece of treasure from a kill. Since they're so tall, they like to stand behind Quil when they find notes in the field and read it over their shoulder--or peer at whatever people are writing and tell them about it afterwards. Will kill anyone who dares to say anything about Quil's nerves when they're reading in front of groups who aren't the Veilguard.

Lucanis who will often write grocery lists in his native tongue just because it's easier for him. Who then rewrites a second list for Quil to hold onto while they shop so that he can cross-reference and make sure that Quil is grabbing the right things. Spite is reading everything aloud even though Quil can't hear it because he wants to help. Spite being the best audience for Quil when they practice reading aloud to them because Spite always has nice things to say about Quil. Lucanis teaching Quil some crow-short hands for poisons and tactical moves as a "just in case" sort of thing. Lucanis asking Quil to write recipe cards for him when he makes dishes. Taking the time to slowly explain each step, patiently spelling out words and treasuring the list of cards with handwriting that gets surer and surer with each card that's made.

Davrin who also isn't much of a reader in my opinion but loves to read tales of monsters and manuals about their habits. He definitely has a good voice for reading aloud. He'll ask Quil to read passages about the monsters he's carving while he works on them. Davrin who carves out the entire alphabet for Quil so they can practice rearranging the letters into words. Davrin who jokes about teaching Assan to read, too, so that Quil isn't alone. Quil and Davrin finding out Assan can learn to read with enough practice at pattern recognition and making it a competition to see who can learn more words first. Davrin who always is there with a pat on the back or a hand to ruffle Quil's hair when he gets tough passages right.

Emmrich who is so, so patient. Who loves to teach at the very core of his being and has an entire lesson plan made within the week. Who spends many nights finding research about the best ways to teach a person to read and write. Who will absolutely find a place in his office to hang up Quil's first attempts at writing like a proud parent. Emmrich who can sometimes get caught up in the technicalities and correct grammar but changes their speech for Quil. Emmrich who wants nothing more than to open up a whole new world of possibility for them. Manfred will color pictures and Quil will caption and write stories for them; Emmrich spends many evenings just watching the two of them fondly.

Just. The entire Veilguard being patient and kind and helping them succeed with a skill they never thought they would learn. Never making them feel stupid or less than for not knowing words or stumbling through sentences. The pride they feel when Quil confidently takes a missive and reads them aloud to the group alone for the first time. Quil penning very heartfelt letters to each of them once they're confident enough in their handwriting to express their gratitude.

[sun-marie]

Is this a Minrathous Route specific scene? I've played this game like 3 1/2 times now and never seen it before 👀

[rookamell]

Very interesting seeing the differences in the appeals that Lucanis and Neve make about which city you should go to...

[zei-ord]

ok this is quite literally late night ramblings but i was thinking about Taash, and the … interesting… writing choices around their multicultural identity which, while maybe intended to be a choice between following tradition/expectations vs doing what allows you to express yourself, ended up as some strange rivain/qun dichotomy that i found strange (and ironically binary for a story about a character learning about themself as a nonbinary individual). i was wondering why the writing even felt the need to force us to make this choice between one or the other, before realising that other companions also have this dichotomous choice as a key part of their story.

emmrich, obviously, is the choice between lichdom and manfred (and tbh probably the best written version of this forced choice)

davrin is the choice for what to do with the griffons

harding is choosing between the titans anger and her own identity/compassion

lucanis is choosing whether or not to work with spite, i’m pretty sure (edit: i’ve been corrected- it’s actually about what to do w illario)

neve’s is about the lengths she’ll go to to protect dock town (i think? it’s like - do what is necessary, even if it’s morally wrong, or do the ‘right’ thing and be a hero? plz correct me if i’m wrong)

bellara … i actually don’t know. her story is essentially about her brother, but she doesn’t really have any agency about what he does? i could be wrong. if anyone has an idea/remembers what her choice is, plz lmk (edit: i’ve been helpfully reminded it was about whether or not to keep the archive.)

all this to say, i was just ruminating on how the characters are written, and then there’s this clear formula that they’ve imposed on all the character stories which… aren’t all executed successfully to the same extent. i’d have to explore the individual character stories a little more, but i feel these choices are somewhat reflective of how well the character’s individual plot lines were written, or, at the very least, how those plot lines were adapted for gameplay.

[coldjustness-archive]

Can’t believe BioWare created Neve and Rana, with the dynamic they have and said yes, these women are friends.