#antvian crows

[dread-red-queen]

Ship Tropes Game

RULES: Pick one of your ships (any fandom) and name 5 tropes that apply to them. For each trope, explain why it fits — not just in terms of dynamics, but what it reveals about your blorbos as characters. Think of it as both ship analysis and character dissection.

Thank you @haedia for the tag

I'm going to do this About Altara & Lucanis/spite (there a package deal after all) I have no idea if im doing this right, thinking of Tropes is hard XD

I shall tag @nimblefox66 @fereldanwench @kindlyfeline and anyone else that thinks this might be fun.

Curiosity killed the cat - I feel like this is Spite in a nutshell, he was curious about Altara (Rook) and why Lucanis acted strange around her, perhaps Lucanis's emotions bled a little into him but he found himself enamoured with how kind and patient she was with him, she didnt yell at him or treat him like a disobedient pet or child when he lashed out, she helped him understand things, her kindness changed him, her gentleness soothed him, reverting his twisted purpose back to determination, though he still prefers to be called Spite XD

Secret admirers/Colleagues to Lovers - Both of them being crows meant they knew of eachother, though Altara would always insist that the Demon of Vyrantium was way more famous than the Ghost of House De Riva.

Before his capture and imprisonment in the Ossuary Altara had admired him from a far, never having the courage to approach him on the rare occasions he was in the Diamond, she had thought him dead until Caterina informed her rumours of his death were greatly exaggerated.

She had not been prepared for the man she helped rescue, he was far different from the Demon of Vyrantium the Crows whispered about in dark corners, he was softer, kinder, nothing like the man she had admired all those years ago from a distance, despite his trauma at the hands of Zara.

Imagine her surprise to find he had thought similarly about her, the Ghost had always intrigued him, he had always imagined her to be colder but her relaxed demeaner when he turned to ask her who had sent her had surprised him.

He had expected fear, or anger at his possession but she had taken it in her stride and Spite had reacted in a way that surprised him, as if Spite could sense her kindness as if he knew she would be important to them one day.

As they worked together fighting darkspawn and ancient elven gods, he discovered more about her, her love for coffee that almost rivalled his own, her sweet tooth when it came to midnight snacks her favourite being Churros though she was also partial to hazelnut torte.

Many things made him fall for her but his fear that Spite would hurt her kept him from pursuing her, Spite had been relentless, seeking her out whenever he slipped up and fell asleep leading to a few awkward conversations that in the end became almost a routine.

It was Spites surprisingly gentle nudge that helped Lucanis overcome that fear, to reach out to her, she met him with patience, she understood this was all new to him.

She let him set the pace, and when he could deny it no longer Spite was once more the catalyst that pushed them together at last.

Beauty and the beast - Spite had been a wild thing when they first took over Lucanis and tried to escape, it was Altara's kindness not the harsh words and threats of Harding and Taash that calmed him, made him stay.

She never raised her voice at him always talked in soothing tones, so used to violence and harsh words Spite was like an abused animal being shown kindness for the first time.

Lucanis would always joke that perhaps Spite fell in love with Altara that day, Spite would never admit it, would sulk whenever he brought it up, Spite didnt love, Spite was Spite.

But as the days led into months, as her kind words and patient lessons sunk in, Spite had to admit perhaps Lucanis had been right.

Altara was the only person Spite had listened to when he was agitated before she helped him and Lucanis strike a new deal.

She helped him and Lucanis, she nurtured them until they become friends and later so much more.

Trouple - What started as colleagues became friendship, then Lovers with Luicanis though there relationship had progressed like any relationship does, the circumstances that brought them together had been unconventional.

As there relationship developed and grew stronger, Spite discovered he could be more than Spite, the fade magics of the Lighthouse made him stronger, more powerful more himself, his bond with Lucanis evolved into something more, they became friends.

Altara became there constant, there rock, there comfort. Lucanis never felt Jealous of Spites affections for Rook he even encouraged it, he could see it was changing Spite for the better.

He had no idea there shared love for Altara would become the thing that brought them closer, more than friends, they grew to love eachother as much as they loved Altara and before they knew it the three of them where in love.

Battle Couple - Altara and Lucanis/Spite are a pretty deadly combination, Altara being exceptionally good at range with her throwing daggers and rope dart.

Lucanis' agility with the help of Spites wings meant they could control the battlefield with ease.

They had grown accustomed to fighting side by side and with the bond they shared through Spite could communicate silently to coordinate attack.

It also meant they where exceptionally good at stealth/espionage contracts, especially after Spite got his own body, Spite would take the high ground and relay intelligence to them, and watch there exits.

Whilst Lucanis and Altara would take turns taking out targets whilst watching eachother's backs.

Spite was also good and giving them a quick exit when things went south, sharing his wings with them had taken alot of practice but it worked.

They had become the most expensive set of Crows in all of antiva and the most powerful once Lucanis became First Talon. as the saying goes couples that Battle together stay together XD

[serstolas]

Day on a Rainy Beach

For Illario Summer Week 2025, Day 1 Beach/Water

An Illario Dellamorte x Rook de Riva fic on AO3

The churning waves rushed up the sandy shore only to be pulled inevitably back towards the sea. Frothing white capped gray green water as pale gray clouds marched through the skies above them.

This was not what Illario had in mind when he suggested they visit the seaside. His thoughts were of green seas and clear blue skies, and a warm breeze rustling through the palm trees. Even visiting the Lord of Fortunes at the HIlt would be closer to his idea of a vacation than the rain lashed hills of the Storm Coast.

If anyone else had asked, he'd never had stepped foot on the ship that had brought him to Feredlan. Rook was the one person he couldn't refuse.

He pulled the hood of his cloak further down as they walked through the misty rain along the shore. Rook was several steps ahead, her leather boots leaving a line of footprints in the sand. Her hood was pushed back, revealing the wealth of her glorious red hair. Even now he itched to run his fingers through her hair, but he knew right now she wouldn't welcome that action.

After a time she turned, moving up a path that cut inland through the rocky peaks. He eyed the steep cliffs with some misgiving before he followed her. If someone wanted to ambush them, this would be the perfect place to do so.

All he heard though was the sound of the rain and the bellowing of goats. In truth since they'd arrived on the Storm Coast, the only people they'd seen were the villagers and a nearby nobleman and his family. Some of them had looked in askance at the red haired elf, but then shrugged when they saw he was traveling with her.

The few who had bothered to glare at her found themselves on the deadly end of an Antvian Crow's sights. He wouldn't hesitate to cause an incident if any of them tried to harm Rook.

Not that she wasn't perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

He noted that they were climbing up the side of one of the hills now, the terrain growing steeper as they moved upwards. A few times they both had to reach out and grab for a rock to steady themselves so they didn't go tumbling down the hill.

When they finally reached the top of the hill, he found they were facing a collection of cabins. The roofs had collapsed in on both and rotted away in the never ending storms of the region. Rook paused at the entrance of one of the cabins and stared into it for a long time before she crossed the threshold.

Illario frowned as he watched her begin to dig through the debris. “What are you looking for?”

“A pendant. Andrastian,” Rook replied, her eyes still focused on the refuse she dug through. Not finding anything in this pile, she moved around the cabin, kicking at various piles of debris. Illario sighed, knowing that Rook wouldn’t be happy until she'd searched the whole damn place, so he began searching as well. He grimaced as some of the wet particles stuck to his leather gloves. Still, he continued to search, because it was for Rook.

It was Illario that finally found the pendant. He held it up, broken chain draped over his gloved fingers as he considered the tarnished silver pendant. “Rook,” he called her.

She stopped sifting through her pile of refuse and looked at him, seeing the pendant dangling from his fingers. With a trembling hand, she reached out to take it. She stared at it for a long time, and he frowned as he saw the tears begin to track down her cheeks.

“Querida?” he asked, his voice gentle despite his annoyance at their current physical location and the weather.

“This was my mother's,” she told him in a soft voice. “She was an agent for the Inquisition, assigned to the Storm Coast. Viago had already adopted me into his House by then. But Mother wrote me a few times.”

“How did you even know this was here?” he asked, his brow creasing.

“Remember the letter Harding sent me a few months ago?” she asked. “The last time I saw Harding she and I were talking about families, and I told her my mother had served in the Inquisition. She checked the Inquisitions records and found out that Mother had served on the Storm Coast. She was killed by the Blades of Hessarian.”

Illario gently placed the pendant in her hand and pulled her into his arms. Rook hadn't seen her mother since she was ten and her magic manifested, but during her time in the Circles, her mother had found a way to have a letter smuggled to her a handful of times, usually by bribing Templars. The last Rook had ever heard of her mother was during the chaos of the Breach.

Rosabela de Riva rarely showed a vulnerable face to the rest of the world. Such weakness might mean your downfall both in the Circles and the Antivan Crows. The fact that Rook had even let herself cry in front of Illario showed how much she trusted him.

As he held her close, he had a momentarily selfish thought that she'd never cried in front of her friend Lucanis. No, it was Illario, after a great deal of work to regain both his Cousin and Rook's trust, that she was willing to cry around.

He felt the moisture of her tears against his neck as she pressed her face against his skin. With the misty rain still falling around them and the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below, he held her and offered what comfort he could.

Both of them had lost their parents too young.

She let herself stay cradled in his arms for a few more minutes before she stood, wiping her tears away with the back of her glove. “Thank you, Illario.”

“For you, Querida, I would climb a lava flow if it made you happy,” he admitted. “Though next time, perhaps tell me to begin with why we are traipsing through the Fereldan wilds?”

His tone was light, meant to make her smile, and he felt his heart lift when she did. “And for you I'll face your grandmother down,” she told him. She sighed and looked at the pendant in her hand and around the ruined cabin. “This place is depressing. Let's go. The sooner we are back in Antiva, the better.”

“You know your friend Taash was asking when you would visit them in Rivain,” Illario lifted a brow. “We could always go and visit them in Rivain on the journey home,”

Rosabela laughed. “You just want a beach that isn't cold and dreary.”

“And also one that doesn't smell vaguely of wet dog,” Illario added, completely unashamed of how easily she read him.

She tucked her mother's pendant into a pouch and reached out to take his hand in hers. “Alright, Illario, let's see if we can't find a ship from Feredlan to Rivain.”

[oakthcrn-a]

[ TWIRL ]: Lucanis :)

REASONS TO CARRY SOMEONE. // accepting // @perditus

𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑾𝑨𝑺 𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑴𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵 𝑯𝑬𝑹 𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑺𝑻.  To dance with the First Talon in front of all to see as much as a test as any Crow training. Lark was unused to moving in such finery after spending a year away from Treviso and Antvian politics. Viago had procured her a beautiful dress for the occasion. This time, it was simply a gift from a proud Talon to their protege. It was designed in the Antivan style but had a hint of Orlesian flare. It was a mixture of midnight blue, which was Lark's color, and burgundy with a splash of muted orange. It was beautiful but hard to move in. Lark suspected Teia had something to do with the design. 

She knew it could be a liability when she agreed to dance with Lucanis. She had to be perfect, after all, at that very moment, she was the envy of everyone else. At least dancing was enjoyable, and to dance with someone she had come to care for and even adore made it all the better. All she had to do was focus on Lucanis, and everyone else became a blur. Fortunately, dancing came easy to her and she followed his lead. However, just as the music was reaching the crescendo, Lark's heel snagged on the inside of her dress and if she were to step down, it would tear her beautiful gown asunder. 

Panic began to set in as she teetered and she knew this would be embarrassing but rather fall flat on the floor than rip such an expensive dress. However just as she began to fall, she felt strong arms guide her and she twirled on one foot, and in that moment, her heel was freed and she followed along with his fluid movements. As the song ended, she found herself in his arms. 

Her cheeks were flushed and she felt besotted by the whole move, it had been incredibly smooth. She nearly swooned. She composed herself as she wrapped her arms around him.  

❝ 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞, 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬. ❞ She said and patted his back. She wanted to giggle, was it nerves or the champagne she drank before, she couldn't say but Lucanis looked…radiant, regal and very handsome. Her heart skipped a beat and she knew she was in trouble. 

[anestofmuses]

Muse Profile: Lucanis Dellamorte

(and Spite)

The Demon of Vyrantium

Basic Details:

Name: Lucanis Dellamorte

Age: Mid 30"s

Title:  Veilgard Assassin 

Fighting Style: Antvian Assassination

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Pansexual

Occupation: Antivan Crow

Faith: Andrastianism 

Birthday: Unknown 

Likes:  His grandmother, his cousin, Coffee, knitting.

Dislikes:  The Venatori, Zara, failing contracts

Appearance Details:

Hair colour: Black 

Eye colour: Brown

Skintone: Tan brown 

Height: Short

Weight: unknown

Country of Origin: Antiva

Ethnicity: Antivan 

Deeper Details:

Personality:

A professional through and through. Lucanis is a man who will never falter when it comes to upholding his word, but as his demonic “companion “ once stated, for Lucanis Dellamorte there are only three groups in his world, Family, Enemies and Contracts. To those he is hired by. He is a polite, even charming man who'll happily eliminate whoever  you point him towards. To his family, to House Dellamorte and the crows. He is a loyal,  caring soul. A beloved grandson who would do anything for his kin and country. Whose sense of humor and good, home cooked meals are a light in the darkness. 

But to his enemies,  to his targets. He is the monster in the shadows, a demon of a man who will cut them down without remorse.

Bio:

Born into the house of Dellamorte, Lucanis’ childhood was bleak. From losing all but his strict, abusive grandmother, the fearsome First Talon  Catreina and his cousin Illario, to the harsh and unforgiving training every fledgling of the Crows go under. Lucanis’  life was not one to be envied. As a child and teen. Lucanis resented his grandmother. Who beat him with her cane for even the mildest mistake. Yet in time  (or desperation) he grew to understand that she "only did it so he would survive” the life their family led. To be a Crow,  let alone the favorite and protogè of it's leader, was a life that couldn't afford mistakes.

So Lucanis navigated the politics and dangers of the house of crows side by side with his cousin for years. Earning the nickname The Demon of Vyrantium. For him, it looked like nothing could stop him.

Then during just one mission, one fateful night. He was betrayed..

Captured by the Venatori,  he was taken to The Ossuary. For the next year. He was experimented on and tortured.  With Magister Zara Renata placing a Demon within him. He and the Dempn, made a deal to escape the ossuary and get revenge on Zara. Just in time for a fledging group to arrive at Catreina's request..

Now free abet as an Abomination.  Lucanis and Spite try to recover and gain their revenge as part of The Veilgard. 

______

Spoilers for Veilgard ahead:

Name: Spite (previously Determination)

Age: Unknown 

Race: Spirit 

Gender: Masculine 

Appearance: 

In his natural state as a spirit, Spite is a formless being of the fade who can turn himself into whatever he liked. While bound to Lucanis. He appears and sounds exactly like his host. In their mindscape.  He has a purple hue and deeper voice.

Likes: Manfred aka “Curiosity “, the fade, Lucanis.  Rook, Taash.

Dislikes: Zara Renata,  the Venatori, being trapped,  Lucanis. 

Personality:

Spite, both as Determination and..Spite is a headstrong, stubborn Spirit with an innocent and otherworldly outlook. Acting more like a child or moody teenager compared to other demons. He embodies the emotions that he is named after fir both good and ill. Yet despite becoming a demon and embodying Spitefulness. Spite does not want to hurt others. Not even his host.

Bio:

Like every spirit. Spite dwelled in The Fade. Observing the different species of Thedas and adjusting himself and his home to his whims and observations. Over time. He became..Determination.  Admiring how even in the face of blights,adversity and strife. The people of Thedas kept on going. To the dreamers who reached him. He bestowed upon them that gift. The ability to keep going even as darkness blocked their way. 

It was a happy life. Yet a life that wouldn't last. For a terrible and powerful dreamer.  Zara Renata learnt how to summon and trap Determination.  Pulling him from the fade and forcing the gentle spirit into the body of a non mage. Determination was changed.

The year of entrapment and suffering warped him into a demon of Spite. He wanted out! He wanted revenge! Plotting with his unwanted host.  They began their escape. Yet despite what Rook said and Lucanis promised. Spite still wasn't free. He was still there..still trapped. 

…At least that's what Spite thinks. The mortal world is so difficult to perceive when you're a lost spirit.

[serstolas]

This is on point. Look, I love Lucanis as a character. I write rookanis content. I find the Crows fascinating, but as a part of society they're kind of broken. That's one thing that makes them so fascinating. I absolutely would not want to be anywhere near the Crows IRL. Don't woobify the Antvian Crows

There is debate amongst Rookanis fans about what the best outcome is for the couple and whether that involves Lucanis giving up the title of First Talon at some point post-Veilguard and walking away from the Crows. Some of the discussion around this centers on whether people think Lucanis would reform the Crows, and if so to what degree. Veilguard touches on this concept of reform via Teia's rather romantic outlook on the organization and Jacobus' personal quest about forming his own house.

But here's the thing. I'm not actually sure it matters if the Crows reform, because at the end of the day I'm not sure an organization like the Crows can meaningfully reform.

When we talk about reform, what do we mean? Sometimes I think we get so focused on the characters themselves that we forget that the Crows are at their core killers for hire. They are the mob. They kill, steal, blackmail, spy, anything you need done can be done for a price. How does one "reform" that into something less destabilizing? Even if they no longer abused their recruits, even if they recruited in a more "fair" way (which what does that even look like), even if being part of the Crows wasn't a one-way ticket to trauma town, how do you create an organization that isn't inherently destructive at its very essence?

The Crows may claim to "rule Antiva," but that's more a statement of political influence than it is of actual governance. The Crows are not doing the business of governing, not in any way that is bettering the lives of the average person. Now, it's debatable whether the Antivan crown is doing that either, but that's beside the point. The Crows are, in the absolute most generous interpretation, vigilante justice for hire. At worst, they're basically just hitmen. A society in which murder for hire is accepted and even used as a tool of political threat does not create the environment for the development of more just or equitable governance. The ever-present threat of violence is the tool of totalitarianism, no matter how nice the assassins might be or how evil their targets are.

So will Lucanis be a reformer? I'm skeptical, but at the end of the day I don't think it matters. Because there is no universe in which the world benefits from the existence of the Crows, so the question is really just how many of its members can get out alive and with scars that can be healed.