#i am a sucker for the grey wardens so you know i had to play a warden again

[mustangs-flames]

I know Veilguard didn't really give an option for why my character chose to join the Grey Wardens so I am sharing here that it's because my guy is a murderer. He murdered someone. And to me that adds a layer to playing Rook as a snarky guy who tries to act care free but will always do whatever it takes to get the job done and save people in the end because he feels, intrinsically, that he has to do something to make up for it.

And no. It wasn't manslaughter, or a killing that was somehow justified. My Rook deliberately killed someone and has to live with that. And it's something he's kept secret for all 6 years he's been a Warden - not even Antoine and Evka know. The Grey Wardens take in anyone after all and their pasts are forgotten unless they choose to share. It was join or face a noose for my Rook and he took the option where he got to live (adds more weight to the Mayor being condemned to the Wardens by Rook after selling out his village to the Blight too).

So to my Rook, Veilguard is one big way of trying to make up for something he can never take back. I haven't finished the game yet so idk if it'll be something he comes to terms with in the end, but I like to think that he would at least share what he did with Lucanis even if he never told anyone else.

[imorphemi]

Sky Blesties AU reference!

I am a real sucker for Sky AUs lol a bit more about these kids under the cut!

Phaerena:

Skids tend to fall only in a few locations: Isle, Homespace, and Aviary Village (I checked the opening cutscene to Sky and yes. they changed it again. yes it is no longer Isle. yes i am a little bit miffed about it) However, ever since the Shard Eruption events started, there have been instances where a skid fell during a Shard Eruption and was caught up in the blast, carrying them elsewhere. Some say that these skids are cursed to bring darkness wherever they go. Some even say that these skids are destined to become krillkids

But so far Phaerena is pretty chill! She lives with her mom in the Enchanted Ark and both of them are part of the Enchanters' Guild. They have a little light weasel named Roscoe <3

Saern:

Though on the surface she looks quite young, Saern is surprisingly well coordinated and skilled in flight. Additionally, she knows a lot about the Realms of Sky, and spent her first few journeys with the rest of the Blesties helping them find unacquired Winged Lights and Spirit Memories.

Saern has the tendency to launch herself into line of sight of Krill if someone is threatened by one to distract the Krill away from the threatened skid. 9 times out of 10 she dodges it. Thujone and Phaerena gets on her case in those rare 1 times she doesn't

She's usually willing to help any skid who needs guidance, it being her entire job once upon a time, but she's just kind of really pissy all the time currently lmao (if you lost all of your winged lights youve been collecting since the Season of Lightseekers you would be too)

Sonya:

She found out about the infection too late, and by that point the darkness was already eating into her wrist. The infection turns the surrounding area into grey stone before the plants start eating through it. Occasionally, a darkness bulb will start to bulge out, but its easily burnt away. She could probably also burn away the root infection on her arm, but she had a feeling that would result in her straight up burning her arm off.

She usually hides the infection under some arm wraps. Going to Eden didn't help matters. In fact, the Red Rain made it even worse. She suspects it might have influenced her spark as well as her body.

Thujone:

The Blesties de facto Shepherd because we love our holy thermonuclear missile camp counselor! Minus the thermonuclear part unfortunately tho lol While Saern technically has more experience, she also has terrible social skills and Thujone is much friendlier and outgoing.

Thujone often frequents Prairie, Forest, and the Aviary. They are commonly at the Hair Styling Palor giving skids little braids. Otherwise, they're in Sanctuary playing with the Mantas with Phaerena.

Thujone is part of the Wardens' Guild and is a Manta Whisperer. One of the medium-sized mantas (think the two around the waterfall in Sanctuary) is especially fond of Thujone. Her name is Waldchen <3

(The Wardens' Guild is dedicated to taking care of the light creatures across Sky. Many of the Guild are Whisperers, but some just really like creechurs hehe)

[dialmformud]

Character asks!

Luna: 17, 18, 19?

Sparrow: 1, 14, 18?

Thank you @themildmahariel for the two-fer! From Character asks! by mist-the-wannabe-linguist

Luna Adaar is my canon Inquisitor and Sparrow Laidir is my canon Rook. I hc the Veilguard being more of an official arm of the Inquisition and by extension the Divine, so they have an interesting dynamic in multi-tasking saving the world.

Love how the camera compensates when there is a conversation between a qunari and a dwarf lmao

Answers under the cut!

Luna

17. Are there any motifs or symbols associated with the character? How are they represented, in their design, personality or in some other way?

I am a sucker for some classic sun/moon juxtaposition, so having a character that inherently is very moon-centric but affiliated with organizations that are very much sun-oriented is interesting to me. The Inquisition, the Sunburst Throne, the Templars she conscripted, the rebuilt Seekers... I associate them all with more of a sun motif. So Luna still serving as Inquisitor, as a full Andrastian convert who learns how to literally smite her enemies, is still her moon-like self wrapped up in all this sun business.

18. Does the character have other characters connected to them? Do you have a family tree and "offscreen" connections made up for them or do they exist in a vacuum purely for the purpose of the story?

Her closest friend from her pre-Inquisition days, a fellow Val-Kos merc she had ample misadventures with. She was introduced to him as "Roach," a moniker given for his sheer refusal - or inability - to die when he has really had no business surviving the nonsense jobs they got wrapped up in. If she ever actually knew his real name, it's never came up in the 15+ years they've known each other. He pitched in to help hit some demons with his maul when Corypheus was running amuck, but returned to sellsword life before Tresspasser. They are still in touch and don't get to hang out as much as they'd like with life and double-blights getting in the way, but he still calls her "Loon."

19. What is your general favourite thing about the character? What is your least favourite?

My favorite thing about Luna is out of all my OCs, I believe she is the most natural leader. Others, including other protags in this world state, lead out of necessity when the need arises but by default would prefer to step out of the limelight in favor of a quieter life. And on the flip side, she is a total workaholic and cannot admit that she fears she would be nothing without what she's built, like she would not be doing enough if she slowed down.

Sparrow

1. What was the original thought that led to the creation of this character?

So Sparrow was my second Veilguard playthrough. As an Origins boomer, I simply had to play as a Grey Warden. And my first playthroughs of the other games were as humans (obviously in 2 you are Hawke the Hugh Man but I went Amell and Trevelyan also). Enter Helena. I really was tempted to go Lords on my first run but decided to wait. And after all the lore drops we get with the dwarves and the blights and the Hardings, I really wanted to go dwarf. That turned into another juxtaposition with the whole land-and-sea vibe with her. I really had a big Divinity: Original Sin 2 phase and loved all the origin characters for the most part but just could not resonate with Beast to the same extent. I wanted to do 'sailor dwarf' in my own way.

14. Do you have any quotes tied to the character, either from the story itself or from another source that fit them?

These lyrics from "River to the Moon" by K's Choice:

I know there`s a place for us Where everything is quiet No more call for glory And no more need to hide

18. Does the character have other characters connected to them? Do you have a family tree and "offscreen" connections made up for them or do they exist in a vacuum purely for the purpose of the story?

Sparrow grew up in Ayesleigh, Rivain, with her mother, uncle, and grandfather. It was her uncle who taught her to fish and to love the open water and salty sea air. Her grandfather was born in Orzammar and was exiled to the surface. Her mother had been business partners and good friends with Isabela, so Sparrow knew of Isabela and the Lords way before she was old enough to join.