#both with Taash and my non-binary Rook

[cha-c-san]

I feel so seen by this game, in so many ways

[the-blue-wraith]

One thing that I find ironic about Taash's story is that their story is about finding out they're non-binary, yet when it comes to their culture we're going to force them to choose a binary choice of culture.

There should be an option that Rook will encourage Taash to embrace both bc why not? For example I'm Filipino-Chinese, just bc I was born and raised here in the Philippines doesn't mean I'll abandon my Chinese side and only embrace one culture. That scene doesn't feel natural to me.

[dalishious]

Yeah I’d honestly say that Veilguard is MUCH more queer than BG3, sure you can pick if you want different types of genitals in BG3 or you can use they/them pronouns but it’s not like the characters actually interact with that besides how they refer to you

Yeah, what really sells DATV's queer representation for me is that it's not just about character customization, it's about including queer culture and connectivity in roleplay options! Being able to relate to other queer characters, being able to acknowledge both pain and pride in the journey of authentic individuality, being able to not just see but FEEL your character and other characters... it's so refreshing. And it should serve as an example for other developer studios.

Like, I literally had to pause after that conversation with Taash the first time I heard them say "no one likes being a woman" because I personally felt SO seen. I used to just assume everyone with breasts really hated them. My dysphoria was so bad it was getting in the way of me feeling like a woman; now that they're gone, I feel much more comfortable identifying as both a woman and man together. And don't even get me started on non-binary Rook's comments about hating being put in a box about what a woman has to be or a man has to be... holy shit that's so spot on relatable too.

[rook-laidir]

Random Rook Headcanons

Some random headcanons for my goober that I can’t justify making separate posts for. Enjoy!

- When Rook escaped slavery, they scrounged up as much gold as they could for 2 things - a ham and cheese sandwich and a bar of chocolate. They made both of those last much longer than they should’ve when they snuck onto a ship heading for Rivain

- Rook liked Neve at first but thought she and the Shadow Dragons were full of shit when Neve first mentioned them. Rook was half expecting an elaborate Tevinter trap to bring them back in and punish them for thinking they could escape. Now, they see the Shadow Dragons as a group trying to bring about real, actual change in a city Rook never saw themselves returning to. They don’t love Minrathous, but they reluctantly like Dock Town now and it’s all their fault.

- Rook LOVES puzzles. All pretenses of playing dumb are GONE when the dungeon has a puzzle with some pressure plates or statues with glowing eyes. They’ve put extensive thought into what their three wishes would be if one of the artifacts they find ever ends up being a magic lamp.

- Harding asked them what three things they’d bring on a deserted island. They gave a very similar answer to Neve’s - a boat, a sailor, and at least three days worth of food and water. Harding grumbled everyone on the team being terrible at this game. Their real answer is a box of fancy chocolates, a book so bad it’s good, and a deck of cards.

- Rook figured out they’re non-binary after being with the Lords for a few years. They experimented with their hair and clothes for a bit before settling on their current look. Isabela refuses to let them forget the mullet.

- Varric called them Rook once and Rook went “Thanks for the new name, Varric!” They haven’t looked back since.

- Rook and Taash once used one of the laser puzzles in Arlathan forest to write “BOOBS” into the ground. They laughed for 20 minutes. The Lords of Fortune are just Like This.

- Rook’s flirting with Neve was a joke until it wasn’t. Neve spotted the difference right away. Rook took a little longer.

[verafranks]

Relationships I would’ve preferred to see in Veilguard; {warning, there will be spoilers for the game} [also note that I haven’t finished veilguard yet, Elgar’nan just resurrected his dragon in my playthrough] <also, also note that I don’t necessarily think there should be non-rook relationships for all of these characters, but these are the ones I like better than what we got> {also, also, also note that as I play more of the game, I’m starting to prefer the idea that the Veilguard companions are just one big polycule with Rook in the center and their own complex interactions around that primary relationship}

Bellara and Neve; (I only just got to the funeral part, so Bellara calling them sisters might make this weird, but meh, it’s been in my brain for more than 80 hours, so one line isn’t going to change it any time soon). I think Bellara’s happy go lucky and optimistic personality would be good for Neve, while Neve’s more down to earth and realistic personality would help keep Bellara grounded. I also think it would be easier for Bellara to relocate to Minrathous and still be able to do the things she loves because we all know Neve can’t be pried out of that city for anything short of the end of the world (and even that won’t be enough to impress her a second time).

Lucanis and Emmrich; I love their banter and I hate who they end up with in game if not with Rook. I think Lucanis would do a great job helping Emmrich come to terms with his fear of death and Emmrich is already doing, but could do so much more, with helping Lucanis come to terms with his feelings and what happened to him. Plus, they’d both romance the hell out of each other, and that’s what they both need. Their in game partners are the easy way out for both of them. Neve and Lucanis would never truly open up to each other and neither could leave their city, so their relationship would fizzle out from too much time away and not enough connection (lovers to roommates to nothing). Strife is too hard for Emmrich and wouldn’t be able to be the emotional safe space he needs.

Taash and Davrin (or Lace and Taash and Davrin); I know I’m going to get a lot of heat for this one (no pun intended), but I’m kind of sick of every AFAB non binary or FTM person ending up with a woman because it all boils down to the idea that masculine energy needs feminine energy, which is bullshit. (I also get that someone who is AFAB ending up with a man doesn’t feel like good representation) Don’t get me wrong, Lace and Taash’s relationship is growing on me, but I kind of love Taash and Davrin’s dynamic more. He’s always treated Taash as capable and equal and, as far as I’ve seen, hasn’t had any hang ups about their gender expression. I like that they have monster/dragon hunting in common. I like that they’re similar in personality but different in how the express themselves. I always feel like Taash and Lace are one argument away from crashing out, while I think Davrin would take Taash’s anger in stride, be there while they feel their feelings, and then help them through the other side. NGL though, I’m starting to think the three of them together might be a pretty good relationship dynamic too.

Lace and someone from the Inquisition; I don’t actually have anyone in mind here, but our poor girl Lace misses home. I think she would do well with someone from the Inquisition who can commiserate with her about what happened but still have her experiences be unique. Maybe they came up with the Inquisitor and that’s how it all starts.

Lace and Stalgard; she wants a deeper connection with the dwarves…need I say more? They’d also make the cutest ginger babies!

[in-your-heart-shall-burn]

Veilguard Character Appreciation: Taash

As mentioned on my Emmrich post, this is a very self indulgent post for me to ramble about things that I appreciated about the companion characters in Veilguard. I'm planning to post one per character, loosely following the order of the Veilguard Appreciation Week prompts! Please feel free to reply or reblog with your own thoughts if you are so inclined c:

So, Taash. This is going to start to look like a theme, but they're another character I didn't really necessarily have any thoughts on pre-release, much like Emmrich. I didn't listen to Vows & Vengeance, and they didn't quite hook me immediately in any of the trailers or pre-release information like some other characters did.

But, to be completely honest, the first time I met Taash, I couldn't stop grinning during their introductory quest. They're just such a fun character from the moment you meet them, in a very similar way to how I felt about Sera - a character who is unapologetically themself and they're not afraid to tell you. It was immediately obvious from how they were written that they're meant to be young, but still an expert in their field, and I felt like that shone through from the moment I met them.

Yeah, they're a little awkward. Yeah, they're brash. Those are things I like about them, and rather than evidence of them being poorly written, I think it shows a particularly impressive level of skill to be able to write a character who embodies their intended traits so well. They have such a distinct speaking style, and no filter at all.

I've met a lot of people in real life who are very similar to Taash (other than obviously not being dragon hunters, haha), and so it was a joy to see such character traits reflected.

And what really surprised me was how much my Lords of Fortune Rook almost immediately felt like an older sibling type figure for them. Taash's conversations and quests were one of the main ways I solidified more details of Ramona, because I was able to relate her experiences with Taash's. It lead to them being one of the mainstays in my party, which was absolutely not my expectation at the start. They could both talk about identifying with Rivaini culture but not quite fitting in, about mothers who thought they knew what was best for them.

Now - I don't really want to comment much on the cultural context of them and their quests, or the gender stuff as much - I don't really have deep personal experience with those things.

Though - I will say, the line of "Nobody *wants* to be a woman." did hit me like a truck. My Rook was a cis woman at the time, and it really did feel like everything slid into place at that moment in my head and her's. It's just so raw, and really indicative of the kind of the thing I mean when I talk about Taash's character being immature and that being the *point*. Because yeah, they're a young person trying to find themself after spending most of their time with their overbearing mother their whole life.

Their whole relationship with their mother is another thing. I was really hoping they wouldn't kill Shathann off, even though I could see it coming - not because I think it's bad writing or too obvious, but because I can relate to that feeling, of losing someone and being faced with not just the fact that you'll never see them again - but that you'll never be able to resolve things between you two. They'll never get to see who you become. It's utterly devastating. And the way that Taash responds to it is so well done, as heart breaking as it is. Writing grief is so hard because it doesn't look the same on anyone, but Taash's reactions definitely echo uncomfortably close to real things I've seen and experienced.

And playing my second character, who's both a Qunari (disconnected from his culture, since he's a Mourn Watcher), who's also non-binary - it was really interesting to see how their relationship takes on a different level with that similarity, and how much you can have your Rook talk about it. It's such a personal journey, but there was something so amazing to me about the fact that you *could* make a character that could relate to Taash directly in the game about their gender, when every other game in the series (and every other AAA game I'm aware of in the genre) relegates it to headcanon and (often unfortunately janky) mods.

Anyways - I just really appreciate Taash as a character. They're so raw and realistically young, and while they sometimes may seem awkward or immature, but that's because they *are* awkward and immature. They're such a fully realized character in a really beautiful way, in my opinion.

[lunian]

kind of shame on me that I didn't realise right away what bothered me when Taash or my Rook used "non-binary" or "trans" words outloud, but I'm a fresh DA player so I forgive myself lmao

then when I read a codex from Taash where they were talking about words Shadow Dragons taught them, all modern ones we use in real life, and I was like "did Shadows create them?? aren't they supposed to be based on Tevinter language then"

then it hit me that DA never used those modern words at all, all talks about preferring both men and women or same gender or being the other gender were written without those names, because they just don't make sense to exist in the first place

the way Leliana and Zevran asks you about your preferences and is it okay to flirt with you, classic "I prefer company of men" by Dorian or just simple story of Krem's identity, for example.. and you understand what it all means

the whole lore of Taash' identity felt pretty blank and annoying to me in general, as for a gender queer person, I didn't find it comforting or relatable, personally I didn't need any of this "drama" about them not having a courage to talk with their mother about it because it wasn't a time or place for me to care about (THERE'S A WAR)

using such language and "patronising" narrative was a pretty frustrating move and on a second I was like "I'm getting no better than those YT commentators crying about woke games"

[saltyowlets]

My Inquisitor and the Veilguard

You know what, thank god my Lavellan wasn’t the leader or advisor to the Veilguard cause she wouldn’t have let half of the shit that went on get to the point that it did. She would act exactly like her husband, Cullen, in the War Table Missions in DAI- pretty much done with everyone. She’s older, maybe not wiser, but definitely less patient

Medea: *tapping meeting table* So, let me get this straight, DUMBASS, you thought, hey, let’s not confront our leader about why they are talking to thin air? That’s not a point of concern?

Neve and Harding: We thought Rook needed some time on their-

Medea: Yeah, no, let me stop you there. They think they are talking to MY best friend, who’s body, I might add, is barely a few rooms away. Oh, let’s not forget, you decided ‘let’s tell everyone that they shouldn’t mention to Rook how clearly insane they look’ Did I get that correctly?

Them: W-well, we-

Medea: *hand up* No, just no. Either you both tell them, or I will.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medea: *massaging brow* Why do you want to leave to follow a floating hand?

Emmrich: Not just a hand, its a -

Medea: Yes, yes, I understand but why you? Can we not send someone else?

Emmrich: But-

Medea: *clasps hands together* The Mourn Watchers have an ample amount of people from what I gather. I do not want to throw our one Fade Expert into the pits of Creator knows where. Seriously, Volkarin, for a man who is afraid of death, you do like to throw yourself into it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taash: *stares down at Medea who is writing a missive* I heard you got a sibling like me?

Medea: *not looking up* Tall and with horns? Not really

Taash: No, I mean like- you know- non-binary?

Medea: *sighs* Taash, I am happy that you are trying to discover yourself, I do. And yes, I’ll send a letter to my sibling so they can contact you. But last time I checked, we have pressing matters that pertain to finding dragons that can potentially be blighted? And can you please tell Isabella to stop asking us to fight in the arena?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medea: Hire someone else

Neve: What do you mean someone else?

Medea: He is a liability. Get someone else. I got a few contacts in the South, can find us a replacement

Lucanis: A Crow does not abandon a contract.

Medea: And well I thought I can stay home with my loving husband and children but we don't always get what we want. Look, you can’t even control your own body when you are asleep and you are way too obsessed with this Zara.

Lucanis: Part of the contract, Zara and the elven gods.

Medea: Sure, cause a damn blood mage is so much worse than the gods that Blighted your damn city. Don’t get me started on the fact that Rook saved your ass in the Ossuary so you owe us!

Spite: No! Must kill Zara!

Medea: *mockingly* ‘must kill Zara’ I swear, if I have to hear you whine about revenge, I’ll toss you out in the Fade and don’t think I can't. I dealt with a damn Nightmare demon. Compared to that, you are a walk in the Hinterlands

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medea: *silent*

Davrin: *silent*

Medea: So that thing grabbed the griffons. Griffons like Assan

Davrin: …..yes

Medea: How many men you need?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medea: *barges into Emmrich’s room* Please tell me you guys are not IDIOTIC enough to go camping to Fereldan?!

Harding: Inquisitor! We just thought it be nice-

Medea: BLIGHTED, HARDING! BLIGHTED! You wanna look up at the stars as darkspawn surround your tent?

Emmrich: Well, we though a bit of fresh air would be good.

Medea: Go to Arlathan if you wanna feel the breeze in your salt and pepper! You think Fereldan is gonna smell good with all that Blight? For the love of- We have a job to do! I’m shutting down this nonsense. Seriously what is wrong with you people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medea: *gripping Bellara’s shoulder* Bellara, listen to me. We are not going to blame ourselves for what our supposed ‘gods’ did.

Bellara: But how can you say that? They were our people, people who tortured the Titans and caused the Blights

Medea: *shakes her head* Oh no you don’t. Those people enslaved us as well. *points at vallaslin* Remember? Don’t give those damn humans any more reason to hate us for something we can not control and are victims of.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Medea: *hand on hips* Rook, stop it.

Rook: W-what do you mean?

Medea: Stop volunteering yourself into people’s affairs. It's not your job.

Rook: Oh come on, its not that bad. They just need some team building. It's kinda in my job description anyways.

Medea: No, a leader is supposed to keep them in line. You want to help, sure fine, but you are spreading yourself thin for people who are too immature to focus on the real issue at hand.

Rook: Well what about you? Didn’t you help your crew in the Inquisition?

Medea: The Iron Bull told me to hit him with a stick. I obliged. Find a stick and hit them with it.

Rook: I don’t think that how that works

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Solas: *walks out of Fade jail* Inquisitor, its been-

Medea: *smacks Solas with her metal arm* YOU FUCK! I WAS SUPPOSED TO RETIRE! GET IN THERE AND BRING ROOK BACK OR SO HELP ME I WILL GIVE YOU A REASON TO WISH YOU WERE STILL IN THAT PRISON

[jenn0wow]

Things I added to dragon age lore/veilguard for my fanfic cuz sometimes I gotta add stuff in for it to make sense (cuz BioWare never put it in or kinda gave us half baked lore 🙄)

Qunari are still treated poorly in Tevinter and Rook has to be careful traveling there. It’s not as bad as it was ten years prior, but it’s not particularly safe for them to walk around Tevinter.

Like Taash’s fire breathing, some Qunari mages are born with the able to take from an untamable primal magic that draws both from the fade and the natural elements of the earth (think of dragons and how they draw their powers ig), and this power is what caused the qun to lock up Saarebas. The primal magic comes out during times of stress and emotional turmoil.

The Veil Jumpers started studying Arlathan after the breach opened up, making them an 11-10 year old organization.

The lighthouse has an actual big kitchen cuz I forgot it was tiny and in the dining room while I was writing lol

Rook spends two to three years with Varric and Harding, and became very close with them.

There aren’t Qunari in the Crows or at least they aren’t official crows. They are more like spies, but they can never be full members. Same with Qunari Shadow Dragons.

Rook has a full bed in his room cuz he’s big and he can’t be sleeping on a sofa 😭

Rook doesn’t join the book club because he cant read trade language as well as he can speak it. He’s also dyslexic so it’s harder for him to read anyways. He has Bellara tell him about what the club is reading (because she likes to talk and explain things).

Rook and Davrin are 28, Bellara is 32, Harding is 29-30, Neve and Lucanis are 35 (he’s aged a lot the past year due to ya know being imprisoned, experimented on, and not sleeping), Taash is 22, and Emmrich is 57.

I gave some characters specific sexualities. Taash and Harding are Lesbians (w/ Taash being a non-binary masc lesbian), Bellara is Pan, Neve is Bi (both Neve and Bellara label themselves specifically with these labels), Rook is Gay (and he is labeled) Emmrich is gay (he is labeled but he hasn’t dated someone in like years cuz he’s afraid of losing someone he loves again), Davrin is bi (but he’s the kind of guy to be like “I don’t label myself, love and romance just finds me in all different kinds of people.” Or something), and Lucanis is demisexual and Panromantic (which is kinda canon already ig, but he wouldn’t be specifically labeled and just say “I love both men and women, but I must make a deep connection first for anything intimate to arise.”)

Theres probably more but I forgot lol

[cha-c-san]

I love the outfits in the game, but wanted to modify some outfits to better fit my Rook (non-binary/rogue/Shadow Dragon/elf)! So here's my take on pre-game/starter, early-game, mid-game, late-game, and several casual outfits! (More drawings under the cut!)

Pre-game/start: Didn't change much here, but I added the red sash, which is all the rage in Minrathous, apparently (but this one is old and worn, and barely got any color left). Casual: I like that the companions' casual wear is their adventuring gear minus a layer or two, so I wanted to do the same for Rook. Early game: Based on the Minrathous Citizen Outfit (Tevinter colors), but with the same casual wear base as the early game, and slightly modified to keep the silhouette simpler (because I like the idea of the silhouette to grow more dramatic as the story progresses).

Mid-game: This one is a bit of a mix between the previous outfit, the canon casual wear for Shadow Dragon Rook, and the late-game outfit, with a simple breastplate thrown into the mix. I like to think they didn't switch out whole outfits at a time but added new elements and modified old ones. The silhouette is getting more interesting with the longer skirt-thing and unique bracers. Casual: Closest to canon, but the canon shirt seemed bad as an under-layer with the weird buckles or whatever by the inside of the bicep.

Late-game: Very inspired by Rebel's Mantle, both the version you get in the game and the one on page 207 in the artbook. I did want to keep some of the elements from the previous outfits, and I wanted it to feel more Minrathous/Shadow Dragon-esque. Casual: I love the tunic from Rebel's Mantle. And Harding's mom sent Rook some of those cool wooden slippers! Rook's feet are full of blisters and splinters, but they still wear them every day at the Light House.

[blackjackkent]

So I was going to say that, astonishingly, no one had any conversations waiting in the Lighthouse after Blood of Arlathan, but then I went to do a bunch of selling at the various merchants and upgrading the Caretaker and suddenly a few people want to chat. So that will teach me.

We've got two quest pickups and a conversation between Neve and Lucanis which should be cute. XD

Quest pickups first:

Taash> "Hey. I got word from my mother. She wants to talk." Helena> "Have you talked with her since..." Taash> "Nope. Not since I told her I was non-binary. But her note said she wanted to talk about that tablet we found. The old Qunari one. Of *course* that's what she wants to talk about. We can go whenever you're good." Helena> "I'll let you know."

XD. Helena is determined to stand by Taash through this business but she's not greatly looking forward to the awkwardness that will likely be involved, again.

-----

Davrin> "Rook? Evka and Antoine sent word. A Warden's arrived at Lavendel with news. He might have a lead on Isseya." Helena> "Then we've got to get to Lavendel." Davrin> "Agreed. Thanks."

OK, that sounds ominous. O.O;

-----

And now for the cute. Helena walks in on Lucanis fidgeting with something on Neve's desk.

"I made a fresh pot, and--" He hesitates, stops, cocks his head. "Ah. That's Rook's walk."

Helena comes to a halt, looking amused. "Yeah, just me," she says. "You brought Neve coffee?"

Lucanis laughs, with an air more sheepish than she's ever seen from him before. "I brought an excuse," he says wryly. "Spite thought I could talk to her." A pause; his cheeks darken subtly. "Well, not just Spite. But I'm... only good with knives."

Helena's smile widens. She's long-since picked up on Lucanis's interest in Neve and is all for it; her friend deserves people caring about her. The trouble, of course, is convincing either of them that they're worthy of the experience. Not that I'd know anything about that, she thinks dryly.

"You made pie," she points out.

"Gooseberry," Neve says, striding into the office and the conversation so abruptly she makes them both jump. "You made it twice."

Lucanis shifts his weight awkwardly from foot to foot. "It was nothing," he mumbles.

Helena shoots a teasing look in Neve's direction. "Nothing?" she says cheerfully. "He blushed when I asked about the pie. It was cute."

He is definitely blushing now, too, and gives her a sharp swat on the shoulder. "I wasn't--" he stammers, embarrassed. "You're not making me look good."

But Neve - who has also gone rather red around the face, shakes her head. "I wouldn't say that," she murmurs.

Lucanis, uncertain how to take this, blinks and then takes a hesitant step towards the door. "Well," he mumbles, "you have the coffee. And you probably have a case or something, so--"

Neve looks at Helena - and for a moment, Helena thinks that self-deprecating, self-isolating streak is going to win out, and she braces herself for a fight to drag Lucanis back into the room. But then Neve smiles, and shakes her head again, taking two quick steps forward to place herself back in Lucanis's line of sight.

"I don't need pie," she says, her voice unusually soft. "But you remembered my favorite. You find me at midnight just to talk. Maybe I like that. Maybe I like..." She trails off, suddenly losing her nerve a little, but the meaning is clear anyway.

"Really?" Lucanis says, barely above a whisper, as if this is an illusion he is afraid to shatter.

Helena, still grinning, backpedals a few steps towards the door. She helped get the wheels in motion; now the best thing she can do is get out of the way. "Right," she says casually. "I think you've got this."

She can still hear their voices as she disappears out into the courtyard.

"You know I won't make your life easy," Neve says, rueful, a touch tired. "I don't make anything easy."

Lucanis laughs. "But you do make it better."

"I, uh--" Neve's composure breaks unexpectedly, and she laughs almost shyly. "Well. Don't use your charm all at once."

Lucanis grins as the door to the office falls shut. "I have more than *that*, I hope."

[blearyfog]

If ppl are gonna hate on taash’s writing, i wish it was for its piss poor handling of their mixed cultural background and not their gender identity. At least they stuck to their idea that taash doesn’t conform to a binary with their gender.

What sucks too is that I felt like they handled it pretty well right up until the end. I genuinely related and saw myself in their relationship to their mother and their mother’s culture. How taash talked about learning and performing the customs of a culture they were not raised in was very reminiscent of my own experiences. So I was super disappointed when this storyline concluded with the player character CHOOSING which culture Taash aligned with more.

It reeks of white non immigrant writer, which is the folly of a lot of poc characters’ writing. The answer to struggling with your cultural identity is not conforming to one and rejecting the other. It’s about striking a balance that you find yourself most comfortable with even if that doesn’t fit with how society believes you should be. My mother made it a constant point to me that I wasn’t just korean and I wasn’t just American, I was both and something entirely unique to myself.

It seemed as though Taash’s storyline was leading up to a similar conclusion but the game designers wrote them into a corner with their two ending choices feature. Which is a whole other rant btw because it really worked for their detriment for the most part. While there are ppl who embrace one side of their background way more then others and are happy that way, you cannot convince me that’s the kind of story they’re trying to tell with Taash’s character. Look me dead in the eyes and try to tell me the point of Taash’s character was that all along they were supposed to find out that they were most comfortable embracing only their rivaini/qunari side. Having that be their ending just feels like a bad ending where everything they’ve worked towards personally is all for naught.

And rook ultimately making that choice for them is just blatantly shitty writing. Finding peace with your cultural identity cant be wrapped up tightly with a bow and someone else just telling you what side to embrace. Sure others in your life will influence how you balance your cultures but it’s a personal journey first. It’s something you gradually come to realize yourself and it’s important that you figure out what you like outside of the opinion of others. That’s what Taash’s story was leading up to. That’s what people should be arguing for

[corvus-frugilegus]

A thing that's really been hitting for me with Shadow Dragon Rook / Lucanis is how much a Shadow Dragon Rook's life IS their own and how that's The Thing he is really grappling with- trying to live fully, on his own terms. Especially true with a Non-binary Rook.

Rook even expresses that they gave up a lot to join the Shadow Dragon when you go feed the birds with Taash.

At least in the case of my Rook, specifically by the time they meet Lucanis, they don't have a whole lot left either. So you get these two extremes- Someone who has put everything into his family (and by extension his work) and doesn't have much left for himself and someone who has had to push so much away to chase this goal and cause and also doesn't really have much left. It feels to me like a story about two people learning balance from growing together.

And if you lean into the Mercars being from Ventus- the Antaam occupation of Treviso really hits hard. Rook's already lost their home to the Antaam and now they're watching Lucanis's home struggle under the same occupation. I think Teia and Viago's mission to free Treviso really resonates. And all of this symmetry makes that Minrathous vs Treviso choice HURT. It's a clever choice rooting our Tevinter Rook to a different city.

But man. There's all of these neat parallels between their stories. And to me, it feels like two people learning to find the happy middle of living for themselves and still leaving room for people and places to take up space. Like both of them being able to step back from having a very singular focus and getting to be complex people together.

[proffbon]

Just finished Taash's questline, and since I'm being a big yapper today might as well share what I thought it could be before release.

When I heard confirmation of Taash being non-binary I got carried away and imagined a whole fucking plot for them because I couldn't get to properly play the game for some time lmao. Well, not a 'plot' or a 'questline' but like the general idea of what they could be like, because in this imaginary version of mine Taash is introduced to the player as non-binary from the start.

So basically in my version of events Taash would be Tal-Vashoth. As we know Qunari have very strict roles and the gender of a person is often tied to their role as well.

So in my imagination this Tal-Vashoth Taash while rejecting the role that the Qun put them in, rejecting the name it gave them (which is basically the same as rejecting the role, but I mean like choosing their own name, you know), also rejects the gender the Qun assigned them (Taash could've been aqun-athlok or not, works both ways).

I was kinda inspired by the Tal-Vashoth from DA2 who becomes a mercenary and starts calling himself Maraas, which means 'nothing', because while the Qun put him in a role trying to make him 'something', he doesn't have this restriction now and finds comfort in being 'nothing'. (Also he just like me fr fr but this is a topic for another time)

And so I imaging the similar sentiment for Taash but with added bonus of their gender also being 'nothing' or 'neither'.

Taash could even have some dialogue with an antagonistic Rook (who insists on Taash being a woman due to their sex or just a one who tries to argue that this is not how it works outside of the Qun) which is like "Yeah, no. Don't really care what you think about it. Had a lot of people tell me what and who I am for years. Not anymore".

Not sure how that could've been implemented into the game but it's more of a cool concept I had in my mind, you know?

[themontess]

20 Questions for Fanfic Writers

Both @lavender-tea-fling and @redheadsramblings tagged me in this one, so here goes! It's long, so I'll pop it under the break.

But consider this an open tag, if you'd like to join in, tag me back and I look forward to knowing more about you 🥰

1) How many works do you have on AO3? 17

2) What's your total AO3 word count? 56,164

3) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Homecoming (E, 4 chapters, 12k) - Rook has a terrible day in Minrathous, and Lucanis arranges a much better night in Treviso. CW: PTSD and gore. Virgin Lucanis first time fic.

Taash's Survey + Knife Care (M, 1 chapter, 2.5k) - Taash bluntly surveys the Veilguard crew about their sexual preferences, Rook and Lucanis have a casual date with knives and wine.

I'm Going To Need A Bath After This… (T+, 1 chapter, 4k) - Pre-relationship fluff from Rook's POV, as Lucanis prescribes her a bath and a massage on an existing injury.

Flirting with Danger (T+, 1 chapter, 2k) - Pre-relationship fluff from Lucanis’ POV, as he realises Rook has been flirting with him, and that he may have started it. In which Emmrich has a small existential crisis about getting naked (and does it anyway) (E, 1 chapter, 5k) - Emmrich gets self-conscious with a younger partner, and undresses fully before them for the first time at his apartment in the Necropolis. CW: mild gender dysphoria of a non-binary Rook regarding menstruation.

4) What fandoms do you write for? Dragon Age: The Veilguard and now Baldur's Gate 3!

5) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? I do if I can think of anything to say - each and every comment is special to me ❤️

6) What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I don't really do angst! So, probably Thoughts on Lichdom by Marilys Ingellvar (M, 1 chapter, 1k) though it ends on the upswing.

7) What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? So far that would be Homecoming, linked above.

8) Do you get hate on fics? Nope! If anyone is mad at what I write, at least they're silent about it.

9) Do you write smut? Absolutely - I'm big into character work, and the explicit side of things is a great way to explore that. And also the hot bits are just fun sometimes 😉

10 to 13) Do you write crossovers? Have you ever had a fic stolen? Have you ever had a fic translated? Have you ever cowritten a fic before? Nope to all of these.

14) What's your all-time favourite pairing? Hmm, at the minute I'm really into Rook x Lucanis or Rook x Lucanis x Spite from Veilguard, especially if the author respects Lucanis’ demisexuality and (in)experience.

15) What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I had a Teia x Viago interlude pencilled into Feather and Scale, but skipped over it because I wasn't in the right headspace and haven't made my way back yet!

16) What are your writing strengths? Mixing feels and characterisation in with the spice, and voice of canon characters.

17) What are your writing weaknesses? The scope of my ideas. No easy rides here 🤣 gotta write through all of it…

18) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic? I do it, especially as we've collectively assumed Spanish/Italian as a stand-in for Antivan. And I speak French pretty fluently, so if it came up I'd be more than happy with that.

19) First fandom you wrote for? Either Beyblades or Teen Titans, I was writing both of them around age 12 lol.

20) Favourite fic you've ever written? Third mention for this piece in one post, but Homecoming. It's the closest in tone and depth to my original fiction, and I'm very happy with it.

[wardencommander-surana]

my thoughts after finishing my Dragon Age playthrough, pt. 4 - The Veilguard

i'm writing this one as i finish playing through, so it may be a little longer than the Inquisition post, but i have so many feelings i need to get out!!! right off the bat, though - i thoroughly enjoyed this game as a stand-alone action RPG AND as an installment in the Dragon Age franchise, for different reasons. this is my second favorite in the whole series, DA2 is first and it was VERY close to DA:O for the second place spot. i think everyone who has an iffy feeling about DATV might need to play through the whole series again and revisit the universe.

3 days later and after finishing DATV for this playthrough: this is 100% my longest post because i had so many feelings so i'm sorry and thank you for reading!!! i'll be back with my thoughts on playing as a mage and elf (mostly)!

Dragon Age: The Veilguard major decisions made: - warrior (Slayer) human, non-binary Rook (Dany Mercar) - Shadow Dragons - brought Harding with me to stop the ritual - saved the mayor in D'Meta's Crossing - romanced Neve - encouraged Neve to be a protector for Dock Town, side with Threads - encouraged Harding to embrace her calm side - encouraged Taash to embrace Rivaini culture - saved Minrathous - Lucanis imprisoned Illario (i didn't get to make that choice technically) - Manfred LIVES - Bellara destroyed the Archive - griffons live with the Dalish - Dorian is Archon - mostly stoic/sarcastic responses, angry/fist when available, nice answers when talking to sweeties like Evka/Antoine - whatever it takes (again, not really a choice) - sacrificed Harding :( - Bellara blighted because i wanted my romance scene - everyone else ok tho - TRICKED THAT UGLY EGG HEAD MOTHERFUCKER

ok so first things first. playing as a trans Shadow Dragon romancing Neve is canon 100%. i have gotten so many amazing, interesting, and engaging dialogue options that i missed out on in my first playthrough as a Qunari Grey Warden (which still had a LOTTTT of bonus dialogue and a direct tie-in to the story). i'll indicate specific points where i felt much more immersed as i continue - i initially only picked the Shadow Dragon faction to feel connected to Dorian, as a lot of my choices for previous games were based on who has the most involvement as the series progresses, but i didn't realize just how tightly Rook themselves would be woven into the story. this is also my self-insert character, which is why they're non-binary, which gave me bonus dialogue with multiple characters, not just Taash! even passing conversations with Maevaris and Tarquin mentioned it. for both faction and gender choices, even my base dialogue choices have little additional bits on it - for example, at the end of Neve's personal quest, i had both a romance and Shadow Dragon dialogue option, but when i selected the romance option, it was a combination of "of course i was here for you! we're both Shadow Dragons!..... and also i love you!" this is my second time romancing Neve, but it felt like an entirely different experience this time around. just two young idealists in love tryna save their city and stop ancient elven gods, no biggie <3 (i was initially going to romance Emmrich on this playthrough, but even though IRL i'm almost 30, my Rook still felt incredibly young and when i finally picked him up, i looked like a baby next to him. overall it came down to 1. the writing that made Rook young, 2. my character having a baby face, and 3. the dialogue options i had chosen up to that point just made me feel a little too immature/brash for Emmrich. i picked him up a little too late i think because the chemistry with Neve as a Shadow Dragon was UNDENIABLE. i'll revisit on my mage playthrough i think). also, Neve becoming Threads crime boss was incredibly sexy as much as i love the detective agency with Rana

HOWEVER. i don't think your experience with immersion and engagement with the game should be determined by your faction, race, class, gender identity, or who you romance. i wish they had dedicated just as much time to giving good background dialogue options and connections to NPCs to every other path a player might take. this was an overarching issue i ran into throughout the game with other choices, like Solavellan v non-Solavellan.

the combat peaked in this game, hands down. as a console player, having all of my relevant combat buttons (dodge, light attack, heavy attack, and jump) as my four right thumb buttons was a game-changer. this one still doesn't have the talent/ability wheel, but i don't mind that too much because most of your skills are passive, anyway. there are multiple mechanics, like the gear looting and specialization themes, that feel like they could've been updated to reflect the flip to single player. i also missed having 3 companions in my party, but now that they're invincible, i guess i don't have to worry about being as well-rounded as before. even though i wasn't a huge fan of the controllable party, it was a jarring change from what i was used to! it's good to have both mages AND rogues with healing abilities, though. i don't really like how the specializations are faction-themed - as a warrior, it also didn't make sense that the Reaver specialization (which was in ALL the other games) was replaced with the Reaper/Mourn Watch themed spec. it would've made more sense to have Lords of Fortune as the Reaver (since they do dragon stuff) and give the Crows or Dragons the Slayer spec.

i very much appreciated not just being given busy work, like in Inquisition. even though it doesn't feel like i make quite as many world-state changing choices, i do feel like every quest i do is meaningful regardless - just the fact that i'm doing it at all is improving someone's life, which feels good. sure, Arlathan has some really annoying puzzles, but they really paid off because they would open up shortcuts or were actually integral to progression in the story. every faction quest, companion quest, and side quest had intention! one side quest i think about in particular is a shared concept between Arlathan and Dock Town - you run into a spirit who wants you to help them investigate deaths around the map. they're early quests, so i'm sure they're meant to help you explore and open up the map, but it didn't feel like a chore to do. instead, you get bits of lore relevant to the faction on this part of the map and feel more connected to the community you're trying to ally with and assist. my first playthrough as a Qunari Grey Warden had a really pleasant surprise with the quest on the Rivain coast & the first Qunari Warden! i'm pretty sure i had special dialogue (not selected, just banter/one-off) when i found the first journal page, especially since i had Davrin and Taash in my party. companion quests also weren't just fetch quests - they're deeply entrenched in their faction and their personality, which makes them feel like they make an overall difference instead of just improving your relationship with said companion.

companions. i have feelings about these companions. i love them just as much as my Inquisition, but again, i feel like their writing suffered from the scaling between multi-player to single player. Neve is perfect, 10/10 no notes - very clearly a play on old school, film noire detectives. is it heavy-handed? sometimes. is she perfect? yes. the narration as we pan in on a rainy Dock Town is everything to me. she is my chance to romance Nick Valentine. i also really enjoy Emmrich's story arc - helping him grapple with his mortality (and bringing 'Fred back every time) is incredibly satisfying, and he is just so sweet and you can tell he cares so much about every member of your party. Davrin is a fantastic character and i feel so bad that Epler boiled the end-game decision down to "Harding or Assan?" it really does a disservice to Davrin and the growth he has over the course of the story, especially since he didn't die killing the archdemon at Weisshaupt. yeah, Assan is cute, but you gave me such a complex character and almost a foil to Emmrich. lean into it! give me a conversation between the two where they discuss their feelings on life and death. there was so much content missing there (and also i feel like Epler was a little racist about it but.........). also, Davrin is really hot for absolutely no reason at all, put ur titties away. i would romance you my next playthrough but i really have to sacrifice you instead of Harding at some point. these guys are my top three, i think. to the next few...

i feel like they worked really hard to differentiate Bellara from Merrill, and it worked 100%. she was distinct and her backstory/companion quest was heartbreaking. i know, i know, people mention they should have had Merrill instead of Bellara or Emmrich, but i like that our companions were all new travel partners. Bellara was a fresh pair of eyes and a new source of elven history (especially since i've never played as an elf in this series), and it was interesting to help her grapple with her side of the religious crisis that results from the whole elven-gods-attacking thing AND her brother being a pawn for someone on Solas's level. i also loved that she plays as a rogue while being a mage! having her staff be her "bow" was such a creative choice and it really tied her visual and character design together nicely.

Harding was such a sweet character in Inquisition, and of course i flirted with her as Inky, but i felt like the Titan storyline was a little weird for her. maybe if we had gotten a little more interaction with the Deep Roads (i know!! i don't want to go down there, either!!!) or Orzammar or Stalgard or something earlier on, i think it would've tightened it up, but it seems like this story would've better fit Dagna AS IS. they definitely didn't bring Sandal back because he's a harmful stereotype (love the guy, but a little cringe to think it's funny to have an "idiot savant" trope in 2024). instead, we were just immediately thrown into her internal conflict and then the external conflict. her companion questline wraps up so quickly! i loved having her in Veilguard and would've liked more with her. i know they were trying to keep world-state decisions fairly vague, but bring Dagna to the Lighthouse so we can workshop this whole dwarf magic thing. my girl would've been SO hype!! BUT! Harding's romance with Taash is absolutely adorable, the unsent letter she writes to her ma in the beginning makes me ugly cry every time, and while i HATE that end-game decision, i really feel like it wraps up her (and the Titans') storyline really well to send her back to the stone. if anything, she's "missing in action" - i don't think she's gone, as that whole Titan reveal was too big to just let go like that. it's not a decision i'm happy to make, but unfortunately, it just fits my canon. Taash's reaction was :(

speaking of - i absolutely loved Taash as a character and helping them explore their gender as a non-binary player AND character. it was genuine and raw. i know a lot of people have problems with the modern handling of sexuality and gender, especially since the Qunari characters throughout the series have given us language for this and other queer characters have danced around their identity, but that's kind of the whole point of Taash's character - they don't fit with the Qunari, just as they don't fit into a gender binary. coming out to your family isn't some pretty candlelit dinner where you wax poetic and talk in circles about your gender identity, it's an extremely vulnerable moment where sometimes you have to be straightforward. Dorian and Krem never outwardly discussed their labels because they came from a world where the labels were the main problem. however, my main gripe with Taash's character is they're literally non-binary, but i'm forced to make a binary decision over their cultural identity, either Rivaini or Qun. when you choose the Rivaini option, i guess it does discuss bringing both cultures together, but that's not how it's presented to you or how Shathann reacts to it. it's just happening by default because Taash is Qunari but they want to be Rivaini. there's very little nuance for Taash's character and storyline, which you could argue is part of their characterization, but at least let me show understanding to their mother during the coming out scene! they were also one of my other planned romances for my canon playthrough, for the direct tie to Isabela, but they just give off sibling vibes that are amplified by our gender convos. i love my lil dragon sib so much!!! we'll see what happens when i play a non-trans character, i guess!

.....to what may be my most unpopular opinion. i love Lucanis, don't get me wrong. he is a sweet cinnamon roll and while i've never romanced him, i know he's incredibly loved in the fandom. BUT. he's literally an Antivan Crow. it's not like we've never had a Crow in our party who gave us all the Crow lore about buying child slaves and killing them if they're not good at assassinations. i know he's supposed to be THE nepo-baby of the Crows, and he was locked in the Ossuary for a year, but he's just a little.........too squishy. i don't want to discuss how he handles the grief of Treviso being blighted, as that's all dependent on player choice, or the lackluster romance i've heard so much about, because it's clear there was just a lot of cut content there. my problem is truly more with the Crows as a whole than with Lucanis, since there are story reasons why he acts the way he does. i just think the writers did a lot of "telling" us about the changes with the Crows instead of "showing" us. Caterina was literally JUST in a DA book being incredibly evil and abusive - why is she a cool grandma now? what changed her mind? i want abrasive dialogue. i want Lucanis to hear what the others think about Crows and try to defend it, or to hear him stand up to Caterina. this is the one character that could have been bitchy based on the lore!! and they chose to completely declaw the First Talon. the Crows in general are the biggest break from the lore of the series, which is why i understand why fans feel like this was "written with HR in the room." hardened Lucanis should kill Illario, not throw him in jail. Illario was banging your biggest nemesis and almost ruined your city!!!! fucking KILL HIM!!!! also, Spite was a letdown after meeting Anders/Justice - again, completely declawed. i know possession is different for a non-mage, but it seems like the writers just cherry-picked where it would be funny to have the demon chime in and didn't want to lean into any tension, like with Davrin at the beginning. Anders literally blew up a chantry!!!! give Lucanis that same edge!!!! i honestly don't care that he was a sweetheart, but give me a good reason other than "the Crows have changed *shrug*." (if i'm missing anything from the books or other non-game media, please let me know!! but also they should make that lore more accessible to just game players) Zevran would've called Lucanis a little bitch too and i'm sorry to be the one to tell you that (he also would have flirted with him like CRAZY).

this would've been a great game to bring the rivalry mechanic back instead of the straight up "neutral -> friends" pipeline. let me romance hardened Lucanis or Neve as a rival! as a Qunari - let me push back on Taash's love of Rivaini culture! let me question Lucanis about the Crows' recruitment methods, ESPECIALLY as a Shadow Dragon!!! we get a fantastic codex entry of Dorian at a Magisterium meeting throwing DOWN with Bataris over slavery - let my character be just as passionate! i think it would've made more sense with the friend group dynamic, which i felt was closer to DA2 than any of the other games - a found family who ends up working together to solve everyone else's problems and eventually save the world. the writing is there, just not in my character's dialogue or companions' conversations. the stakes are a little higher in DATV, and Rook is positioned to be a sort of therapist character, which could explain the general "good vibes" of the gang, but i really wouldn't have minded some internal conflict outside of the Minrathous/Treviso decision. the biggest change was being required to recruit all companions AND they're stuck with you til the end, which i guess makes sense story-wise - i have always recruited and tried to keep all of my companions, so this wasn't a big problem for me, but it made the companions' stakes seem a little lower as they were almost forced to hang out with me and like me.

now. the Minrathous/Treviso decision. arguably the only big world state decision in the game. i think fans have gotten a little too attached to Lucanis as a character to think normally about this. there IS no right answer, which is why this decision is so hard. yes, Treviso is covered in blight and we have to mercy kill some Crows we were introduced to, but Dock Town (which is the part of Minrathous that gets attacked!! reminder!!!) is a poor area of Minrathous mostly protected by vigilantes, same as the Crows defending Treviso. the Archon's Palace isn't going to do shit, especially since the Archon was assassinated during the chaos of the dragon. saving Treviso gives the Venatori basically free reign over Dock Town, where people are already being abducted for blood magic rituals on the daily. it isn't supposed to be a mindless, easy decision!!! i was so sad the first time i saved Treviso and went back to Dock Town! it is literally covered with lynched bodies hanging from rafters. the fact that i get judged in FB groups and reddit threads for choosing Minrathous over Treviso, to the point where people say they can "tell everything about my character" based on that decision, is absolutely insane. i heard the same thing about whether you choose Dorian or Maevaris as Archon (a decision you DON'T GET TO MAKE if you save Treviso!!!!), which, again, is absolutely insane. that decision doesn't even have any impact on the world, at all. these are supposed to be incredibly nuanced, difficult decisions that you make either based on what you've learned throughout the series as a whole, just this game (with codex entries and NPC convos), or... your intentions to romance Lucanis. LAME. y'all are too horny for big world state decisions. also, everyone complains about Neve/Shadow Dragons blaming you for Minrathous getting fucked over.....yes, and the Crows/Lucanis do the exact same thing! i stopped randomly talking to NPCs in Treviso after that decision because they literally only wanted to bitch me out. i'm a Shadow Dragon! of course i'm going to go save my city! i got so much bonus Shadow Dragon dialogue but not a single "...but we get it, Rook, gotta save your peeps." i didn't even get any "understanding" dialogue except from Teia/Viago, who, as the de facto leaders of this faction for the game's purposes, should have been even angrier. it's nonstop until the very end of the game, it's the driving force behind the governor working with the Antaam so he just rubs it in, and even in the end slide, there's a slight dig at the fact Treviso is still blighted. i can tell most people who are doing multiple playthroughs aren't saving Minrathous at all solely based on their reactions to people who do - why replay if you're not even going to try to choose the other city?

this is already so much longer than any of the other reviews i've written so far - maybe because i'm actively playing through it?

to address the lore problem: i think that VG IS faithful to the lore, but the problem is the writers relied very heavily on codex entries from THROUGHOUT the series & the external material instead of what we actually saw, heard, and experienced during our journies through Thedas. it reminds me a lot of Fallout 4: it IS faithful to the lore, but it's missing the teeth and grit and the nuance that made it interesting. Northern Thedas is a whole new region for players and we've only ever heard rumors about it! Neve does address the issues with rumors of Tevinter (Taash asked if she was wealthy and Harding will usually have plenty of banter questions about what we heard during our time in Ferelden), but that's about all. it's also been a decade since the last installment - lean into it! what happened with Solas's army? he didn't just "decide he's not management material" - this guy's head is so far up his ass, he would've just been pretending he's NOT a manager while still bossing everyone around. we actually get to see Dorian come back to Tevinter and he's actively trying to make a change, which is where we left him in Trespasser after his father passed. he FEELS like he's grown and changed over the past decade, especially when i'm thinking about my inky and the conversations we had together, where the rest of the world has just stayed stagnant until someone tells us it's changed. Dorian's writing shows that change is possible to implement and explain well. they had plenty of opportunities to not retcon, but update the lore, and i feel like they missed their shot. as a poli sci & writing student, i can come up with eighty different geopolitical situations that would cause these areas to change within a decade with very little effort and without bringing in any of my world state choices from the previous three games (or, at least, keep them vague enough that it doesn't make a difference). i read every single codex entry i found on this playthrough and it made a HUGE difference - i've never read the codex entries in the past games, LOL.

the dark fantasy issue - i think people who critique DATV as not "dark" just sprint through the map and don't take the time to absorb the environmental storytelling, which is crazy because all of the other games have relied just as much on their environments. the Halla sacrifice at the Venatori gathering? gut-wrenching. if you don't save Minrathous? there are literally lynched Shadow Dragons in the streets. whoever you sacrifice for the distraction gets gored by Ghila'nain's tentacles!! i think the problem is in the last decade, random violence has become so normalized and accepted that we're not as appalled by it when it pops up in media. also, some of the stuff in Origins specifically that's called "dark" is just sexual assault and racism, which i'm fine with not having in a fantasy game in 2024.

onto the Solas of it all. i am not a Solavellan. i got along with him well enough in Inquistion, but after playing DATV and going BACK to DAI, i was PISSED. the writing for Solas between DAI -> Trespasser -> DATV is so consistent and well done that i felt every ounce of betrayal my characters did. do i think DATV was geared toward Solavellans once the game pivoted to single player? absolutely. was it disappointing? yes. did it add an extra layer to my anger/betrayal? yes. Solavellans get their own ending!! that's crazy!! my Inky DESERVED to get a punch in, at the very least. all of the other DAI players were just left in the dust, some only getting the stupid letter!! i get that due to eliminating most world state choices that they couldn't bring too many characters back, and Inky had to be as bland as possible, but like i ended up specifically romancing Dorian because i knew it would give me the tightest connection to DATV and it did pay off, but i was literally just licking up crumbs.

playing through this game the second time all the way through, Solas's dialogue is absolutely infuriating. i was sitting there flipping off my TV and shouting at him because you can see RIGHT through him once you know what's happening.

good lord. i finished the game finally after taking three days to write this and i am INCREDIBLY sore emotionally. that final act is just nonstop hit after hit to my heart. i cried from the moment i picked Harding to lead the distraction up until the very end. hearing Dorian breathlessly make sure his amatus is alright had me GONE - his voice actor is so talented. i'm literally doing a fem!inky playthrough for DAI to force myself not to romance him again. i think he's officially won out as my favorite character in the Dragon Age franchise after wrapping up Dock Town/picking him as Archon/act 3.

i know that they couldn't give inky any personality, but it really fucking sucked to hear him ask if Solas could be reasoned with. after everything you've been through, Aedan? absolutely the fuck not. leave that whiny bullshit to Lavellan, you're a goddamn Trevelyan and your husband is the Archon! we are going to beat the shit out of the egg and you're going to like it! i do wish he and Morrigan could've shown up to watch me fuck him over - i did the "reason" ending my first playthrough, but my first inky was friends with Solas and i never made it to the end of DAI so it really wasn't very satisfying at all.

the trick ending feels 100% correct in this playthrough - there's something so poetic about this angry, sarcastic abolitionist in love with the crime boss protector of their shared city pulling a fast one on an ancient elven mage (THE TRICKSTER GOD) who used blood magic to trick them into thinking their best friend (yes Varric is our best friend) is still alive when they were killed MONTHS ago. it felt right for my inky, for my Hawke, even for everything my HoF worked toward.

all in all, this game ranks second in my Dragon Age rankings, but it is a VERY slim win over Origins. this game improved upon a lot of mechanics i struggled with in Origins, which made up for spots where writing was weak in VG. i think DATV needed to: - fix the companions as a whole - throw some cut romance content back in PLEASE. i romanced Isabela in DA2, which is probably the most nothing burger of a romance in that game, but she and i still kissed more than Neve and i kissed!!! we are literally in a Fade castle with our romanceable companions for MONTHS at a time and we only kiss like twice?? absolutely insane. let me go to Neve's office and kiss her you cowards. give me the exposition dialogue options for my companions at the Lighthouse in general. let me chat to them about their factions or their side romances. let me ask Lucanis if he's a virgin like i could with Alistair. - get rid of specialization themes - not a gamebreaker, just an annoying and pointless mechanic. - give Inky their soul back - there were three choices for Inky: romance, Inquisition, and Solas. while i would've loved my Inky to talk about his romance, we don't need lines recorded for each specific one (and i technically did get some crumbs), but i would've loved to see my disbanded Inquisition/stopping Solas choices be more prominent in the dialogue. that would've been, what, four different sets of lines? it's not like Inky talks very much at all. if you're whittling my (in-universe) 15 years of choices over 3 different games down to just 3 choices that i made in one single game, make them actually carry weight in the narrative. i was foaming at the mouth to get Solas by the end of Trespasser, but Inky wasn't anymore, and i imagine after a decade of waiting that was a HUGE letdown for people who played DAI the way i did.

for my next playthrough, i'll be doing (primarily) elf mage - fem HoF, male Hawke, Lavellan (i have to Solavellan at least once i guess), and probably a transmasc Rook because i CAN