#my rook would agree with the choice?? so

[douglasfeiffel]

i am really enjoying impact winter but yet I find myself wondering the same thing I wonder when consuming most vampire media: if the vampires can control how much they drink from someone, why don't they? It's hard to see the vampires we're supposed to see as good people as good people when they're murdering non-vampires left and right when they could. according to the story itself. just not do that

[rivilu]

ok you know. the Ellu in dav crossover au is very fun but i am a little bit enchanted by the concept of him AND Rynn at once. Best of both worlds in a sense.

[postcardsfromheapside]

Okay. Listen. I'm only going to engage with this in good faith once.

Veilguard was never going to be like BG3.

BG3 is a great game for what it is, but no DA game allows you to pick the evil ending, thus there is no reason to allow you to get rid of companions in VG like in BG3 or in previous DA games.

In prior games, you may have been able to eliminate other companions from your team, or not recruit them altogether, because they were not crucial to the overall goal, and all you would miss is story/lore. Nothing breaks in the story/game if those companions leave/are killed/don't get recruited, it merely pivots.

This is completely different in Veilguard, where Varric has taken knowledge and insight and started to develop a specific strike team to take down Solas.

Hold my hand.

There is not a world where the Veil comes down and things "continue". I know a lot of Solas fans think there is...but there isn't. A robust explanation of why the Veil should NOT come down can be found here.

If the Veil comes down, everything ends. Ignoring the real world happenings at EA, if your end worldstate in VG is "world drowned in demons," there's nothing to move on to. No reason to play another DA game, were we to ever have another. Your world state is "game over."

Rook therefore *must* be the cooperative kind of person who is ultimately working toward keeping the Veil up, whatever the cost. It would really help a LOT of you to stop thinking about Rook as a "hero", and start thinking of them more as a project manager.

Remember, Varric already had the goal of "stop Solas" and specifically recruited Rook because they had qualities best suited to help with that, and Rook agreed because "world drowned in demons" is bad. So when Rook inherits the management position from Varric, they come pre-loaded with 1) a goal, and 2) the mindset to get it the fuck done (because there really is no other option, it's succeed or die, a fact mentioned more than once in dialogue with NPC's).

What Rook builds by bringing on team members is a strike force in order to achieve this goal. And here's my point: if you do not have these necessary companions, you do not make it to end game. The way the story is set up, removing any of the companions before Tearstone Island effectively sets the team up to fail horribly. The story doesn't move forward. The world is blighted. End series. Rook is highly motivated to be cooperative with these companions and their factions.

This is why it's a poor excuse to say that it would "add narrative tension" if Rook were able to be mean to their companions and risk losing them. Nothing is added narratively by a companion leaving. If they leave, at some point shortly after The Leaving, the story will end abruptly in Blight.

Rook is therefore not going to do things to cause the companions to leave, because their goal is "stop Solas/stop the gods/stop the blight" and to do that, Rook needs these people. Now, you can make the choice not to do the faction or personal quests along the way toward that goal, and ultimately those companions might fall in the final battle, but the story is not going to let you remove those companions before then. Because the story is not about a choice between "Veil-falling/World-blighted, or Rook being a hero." The story is many things ON THE WAY to stopping the the Veil from falling, one way or another.

Now, I know a lot of these "I wish we could be meaner" comments 99.9% of the time come about because people do not like particular companions, so this was all probably a waste of typing. And my answer to "I just don't like this person" is "too fucking bad, I don't like all my coworkers either, try growing up" or "maybe you should try not being a bigot," depending on the way the "I don't like this person" is phrased. But I also think some of you just really do not understand how story/games structure works, and you're familiar with very specific kinds of media, and it's upsetting you to have to wrap your mind around something new.

If you REALLY want to explore a blighted world, that's what fanfiction is for. Go bug nuts. I don't think it's going to be a compelling story, but you might surprise me.

Also, while we're talking about "tension":

I'm begging you to consider that one of the greater sources of tension can arise because you, the player, are literally watching a tragedy unfold. You cannot stop it, you know what's going to happen, you know what choices you're going to have to make, and you have to make them anyway, and they're going to hurt you in some way or another, and you, the player/reader, know what the characters do not. The tension comes from watching the different permutations of grief unfold across the screen and inside of you. None of the companions have to be in conflict with each other in order for this to happen.

[acquired-elfroot]

The annoying thing is that reducing Solas to a dislikable two dimensional caricature in Veilguard didn't even come close to fixing the problem they set out to fix in doing so, and it was never going to.

I can’t pull up the exact quote, but I believe one of the writing team said something along the lines that they needed to make Solas less sympathetic because at the end of Trespasser too many people agreed with him and wanted to end the world. Which is why they chose to have him kill Varric, among other things. 

While I will say that I agree with the choice to have him kill Varric(I like the idea of him making Rook hallucinate him too, that could have been sweet if it had been well executed rather than a bland set up for a M. Night Shyamalan level twist) to raise the stakes and set Solas up as a serious antagonist for a new audience, or an audience that hadn’t been paying particularly close attention to him - but there is no way it could have ever suddenly made his goal to tear down the veil unsympathetic for those who found it to be so.

The writers seem to have been under the impression that members of the audience sympathised with Solas’ plan to tear down the veil not on its own merits, but for the draw of his sparkling personality alone. Not for well established lore related reasons, or for extra-narrative reasons rooted in a desire for emotional catharsis and narrative satisfaction (which a fictional body count has even less bearing on besides) but because he’s a sad pretty elf boi and we want to kiss it all better.

I’m going to be real with you, if they had surgically transplanted Ogrehn’s personality onto Solas and had him stone cold murder every other beloved character in the series, I would still want the  Veil to come down, or at the very least a better solution than leaving it just as it is. How likeable he is or isn’t has fuck all to do with it? 

Making Solas more dislikable does nothing to change the effect the Veil has on spirits and mages, it does nothing to address the question of the value of mortal lives weighted against immortal ones. It does not change the narrative role of a trickster in bringing enlivening chaos and upheaval to a stagnating world, in this case one that’s been forced to stagnate in service of the illusion of player choice; nor does it quiet our desire to see the rotten roots of Thedas’ corrupt institutions torn up and put to the torch ect. ect.

Most annoyingly, attempting to use Varric's death to accomplish this betrays the writer's assumption that players that did sympathise with Solas’ goals did so out of a naive misapprehension that he’s some sweet uwu softboy that could never do anything truly ruthless or cruel in order to accomplish his goals, and that once we had been disabused of that belief we would clutch our pearls in horror(you mean he’s willing to kill people? In a video game series with protagonists that each have kill counts numbering in the thousands? Quick, summon my fainting couch!) and tidily dismiss the notion that he might have ever had any worthwhile motivations at all. 

Look all you silly little girlies that want to kiss the fictional man, I feel like you don’t understand that he’s the *bad guy* here, glad we’ve cleared that up for you sweetheart. And isn’t he just sooo condescending?

It does not seem to have occurred to the writers that, to his fans, his stone cold ruthlessness is both one of the most well understood and deeply compelling features of the character.

I would happily give that writer a pass on a wicked case of foot in mouth, but the way Anaris & Cyran are written seems to very much enforce their the stance that an overabundance of sympathy for Solas as a person, as well as a desire to see him vindicated are the primary reasons any of the audience would ever agree with his goals. 

So to fix this issue, it stands to reason that the writers needed to de-emphasise everything that humanised(for lack of a better term) Solas and made him sympathetic as a person. Because apparently the problem is that their attempts to do so in the previous game worked a little too well on some people, right? 

As @mythalism pointed out, we cannot see him comfort his friends through their panic or grief or their crisis of faith, or have hushed philosophical conversations with them. We cannot see him flirt awkwardly, or try to pretend he didn’t just set his own coattails on fire.

We never see the god of liberation free so much as a wisp bound to a teaspoon.

And all of those compelling character motivations you thought he had about free will and self determination? Don’t worry kitten, we’ve sanitised all of the conflicts those might be applicable to right out of the setting anyway. Yay <3

At the same time, it feels like they’re too scared to upset the very same audience that they imagine has this woobified rose tinted view of the character, lest they scare them away. They’re too afraid of the audience to let him be truly unwaveringly ruthless, prejudiced, bitchy, vindictive, and even genuinely sadistic towards his enemies, because that might upset our fragile sensibilities too much! 

He can’t ever say anything mean to Rook - that might hurt our feelings!

He doesn’t really do anything bad, and if he does he doesn’t really mean it. He committed war crimes, but only because Mythal asked him nicely. He killed Varric, but it was an accident. He makes Rook hallucinate Varric, but he doesn’t use that to manipulate them; Varric just hangs out and vibes. He uses blood magic on you, but he doesn’t do any of the truly fucked up violating things that we know full well blood magic is capable of. He misleads you when he says “the Veil will not fall by my hand”, but it’s so transparent that it’s laughable. He’s never allowed the conviction to really follow through on any of his misdeeds, while still he’s bizarrely framed as outright villainous for them. 

So what we’re left with is a character divested of most of his admirable qualities, but with most of the rough edges filed off as well. Toothless. Boring.

It feels so much like they’re talking down to their audience? Like they don’t trust us to see a character with BOTH vices and virtues in spades come to our own conclusions about them? 

So we get this bland mealy-mouthed version of the character that we apparently need watered down further with ‘our team’s’ insipid commentary, much of which is blatantly based on bad takes people were spewing online almost a decade ago, and many of which have no bearing whatsoever on the actual story we’re being told because ohh my godd apparently we need to have our hands held while we’re walked though every opinion the audience might theoretically  have about the character and gently reassured by proxy that it’s a hashtag #valid opinion and why does this game insist on speaking to us like we’re morons??

For all that they incessantly bring up how condescending Solas is, I’m not sure if I've ever felt more spoken down to by a story I had been so invested in.

So Solas is boring now and I still l wanna tear down the veil lol

[roonotrue]

Twisted Wonderland - He Hears You Singing (About Him)

General Masterpost

Heartslabyul Edition, Savanaclaw Edition, Octavinelle Edition, Scarabia Edition, Ignihyde Edition, Diasomnia Edition

Prompt: While relaxing, and doing chores around the Ramshackle dorm for your weekend restoration of the barely standing building, your thoughts drift to love songs from your old world. You think of songs that remind you of your closest fellow NRC student and crush, and end up singing one while you work.

Reader: GN reader - They/Them pronouns and they are referred to as 'MC/Prefect' in this one. And let's all just agree that MC is a great singer- cuz some of these songs have mad vocals that I would never dream of trying to sing myself with my incredibly average voice, and I imagine a lot of you are the same.

Included Characters: Pomefiore Edition!

Warnings: None.

Request Rules & Information Here

~~~

Vil Schoenheit - "Blowin' Smoke" by Teddy Swims

- You made a vow. An oath, some might say. To do the new skincare routine Vil set for you everyday- weekday, weekend, holiday- he would text you and if you didn't text him back, well. He'd do exactly what he's doing now.

- Storming into Ramshackle like a hurricane. A very beautiful hurricane.

- A very beautiful hurricane that stops in it's tracks when it hears your voice echoing through the hall from the dorms bathroom.

- Oh.

- There are very few things in this world that can truly leave Vil Schoenheit stunned into silence, and yet here you are sweet potato, leaving him speechless as he smirks at the sound of your singing and follows the sound.

- He stands patiently outside the room as you sing, waiting for you to finish up so he can properly complement your voice- not perfect, but damn near close. Some proper vocal training and if you desired, you could play some major roles in the Film Studies Club.

- Once you do leave the room and are jump scared by the Queen himself in all his radiant beauty, he is immediately happy to see that you clearly just finished up with the skincare routine and smirks smugly as he complements you.

- Would love to hear you again, that song was very interesting after all- it's from your world right? More importantly, did someone inspire you to sing such a romantic song?

- Pry's a little bit as to why you were singing such a charming song- the idea of you singing it with someone in mind stirs up... Mixed feelings in his chest. Ugly ones, that he will absolutely be self analyzing later.

- But for now he's far more interested in hearing you sing for him again.

"Don't be shy, sweet potato, I found your singing to be quite charming- as was that song. Tell me, what inspired you to sing such a romantic song? Has someone caught your eye here at Night Raven perhaps?"

~~~

Rook Hunt - "Ready or Not" by Bridgit Mendler

- When Rook swung by Ramshackle, he wasn't actually even there for you- he was looking for Epel for Vil.

- But while on his hunt he found a far more valuable prize!

- Rook is enraptured by your voice- like a siren luring a sailor into the rocky shores, he doesn't hesitate to quietly follow your voice an hid just outside the kitchen where your cleaning the fridge and singing such an upbeat song.

- He pays attention to every word, the lyrics as fascinating as your beautiful voice.

- Waits until you finish the song before revealing himself with a loud applause and a string of poetic praise at your joyous performance- did he throw a rose? Where did her even get that? Does he just carry roses around with him? ... You know what? That's kinda on brand for him.

- After you promptly recover from the absolute heart attack that is a sudden Rook appearance- he briefly apologizes for startling you, but immediately falls into more praise at you wonderful hidden talent!

- And the song choice, so fun and upbeat, yet romantic- like the first sparks of youthful, energetic young love! He simply must know, what inspired your heart to sing such a song? Or more like who?

- The way he says it with such a knowing- dare you say smug- smile makes you think he might already know the answer. Might. You play it safe and brush the question off, to which he does feign a dramatic gasp.

"I can hardly believe I have not learned of this magnifique talent of yours sooner! Truly, Monsieur Trickster, are you certain that no one has pulled at the strings of your heart enough to pull such a wonderous melody from the depths of your soul?"

~~~

Epel Felmier - "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young

- Let's be honest, he burst into Ramshackle to try and hide from Rook after escaping one of Vil's selfcare lessons.

- He does this frequently, but this time he's met with a surprise- the sound of your singing. Slow and sweet, echoing throughout Ramshackle.

- He's frozen in shock for a long moment just listening to your singing, mind going a hundred miles a minute. When he snaps out of it, he attempts to quietly make his way through Ramshackle, following the sound of your voice.

- Key word: Attempts.

- When he reaches the living room where your cleaning up, he trips over a broom you left in the hall and lands face first into the hardwood floor- effectively scaring the shit out of you. 

- He stumbles through apologizing, complementing your voice, and trying to explain why he's there in a tangled mix of words in his thick country accent that make you dizzy, his face the brightest shade of red you've ever seen.

- Once he does manage to calm down- with a lot of help from you- he does complement your voice a lot, and asks if you need help- if your hiding him he might as well help you clean after all. So you should totally start singing again. Cleaning goes by waaaay faster with music. Everyone knows this.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I ain't mean to be- I was jus' tryna hide from Rook! Y-yer voice is mighty pretty though..."

~~~

Another one up boi's. Hope y'all are havin' a good week so far- don't know if you could tell from this since I really did try my best- I'm not the best at writing for Pomefiore- these three are not my specialty despite Rook literally being one of my favorites (I just thing he's funny. Go you silly French man, go) especially Epel- I love him to death, but I struggle writing him sooo much.

I hope you enjoy anyway tho, and I'll see ya for another post tomorrow (probably).

[kiame-sama]

Humans Are Extinct (Yandere!TWST x Fem!Reader) Monster AU pt 42

(Sam is a Shadow Person and as a Shadow Person, he cannot handle UV rays of high intensity- such as sunlight and moonlight- where even the UV from a flame can bother him horribly. He is almost always enshrouded by shadows which he can create with his magic. The level of how enshrouded he is, is determined by the level of UV rays. He HATES when it storms due to the cloud cover trapping UV rays more so than cloudless weather. Whenever Malleus throws a fit, Sam is mostly trapped inside as even his shadows can only handle so much.)

Warnings: platonic and non-platonic yanderes, multiple yanderes, semi fluff at the start, past issues, drama, attempt at being kind backfires on platonic yandere, entitled parent, hateful parent, Human gets no rest despite trying, hurt/comfort, Harpies, Shinigami, Dragon, Hellcat, Drider

~~~~~~~~

You woke to the feeling of warmth around you, wondering why it was so warm when Malleus was typically quite cool in comparison of body heat. Looking over your shoulder you realized the wing laying over you was feathered and not scaled or furred. The colors of the wings and the black striping along the flight feathers let you know that it was Vil holding you, still in a deep sleep as he looked more at peace than you had ever seen him.

Looking around, you saw that it must have been daylight for a while. Only you and Vil occupied the nest at the moment, not even little Grim or faithful Rook was present in the large bed. Perhaps you both had been left to sleep after the events of the night prior and only now were waking.

The peaceful room gave you a moment to roll over and look at Vil closely. His face was clean of the usual makeup and he was resting peacefully instead of pridefully flaunting. Even without makeup, Vil's face was clear of all blemishes and had several markings around his eyes that reminded you of a peacock. His hair was loose and his face was somewhat squished into the pillow below his head, almost giving him a gentle and innocent look.

Despite his many similarities to the birds his species evolved from, it would be a lie to say he was not a lovely creature to look at. Truthfully, he was beautiful.

As you continued to look at the lovely Harpy, he slowly began to rouse. His eyes seemed distant as if he were still somewhere between sleep and consciousness when he realized you were laying in his arms. This seemed to catch his interest as one of those lovely purple eyes focused on you, almost looking pink in the light of day.

"Good morning, (Y/n)..."

The Harpy murmured in a half asleep state, smiling as he gazed affectionately at you and pulling you close. Along with not being fully awake, Vil seemed to be in a trance-like state. A soft cooing escaping the lovely Harpy who nuzzled your forehead with a gentle touch.

"Good morning, Vil. We should probably be getting up soon."

He somewhat frowned at this and his gaze trailed over to fix on the window. After a moment of staring out he nodded and seemed to agree with your statement rather quickly.

"Alright. First, I have a question though. My memories of... of last night are hazy, but I do believe I remember feeling someone's lips against my own when that wretched potion was trying to consume me. Did that happen, or was I delusional from a severe lack of air?"

You hesitated, feeling like Vil deserved the truth but not knowing how he would actually take it if you told him flat out. If anything, you had been hoping he was too unaware to notice or really realize what you had done to save him. Again you scolded yourself for not finding another way but knowing it was likely still the best choice given how well Vil was recovering.

"That potion was trying to consume you, but it seemed drawn to me in a way. The only way I could think of to save you as quickly as possible was to allow it quick access to my own body. You can probably tell what I chose..."

Your hand absently came up to your lips, likely still stained by the blot potion just like your fingertips. Vil could feel his heart practically skipping a few beats as he stared at you in adoration. Though he had long given up on childish fantasy and tales of reviving others with a kiss, there was something almost poetic about how you had saved him. To be so willing to throw yourself to the mercy of the merciless and seal your own fate with a kiss of life in exchange for his own meant the world to the Harpy.

"Thank you, (Y/n)."

The Harpy's smile was warm and genuine, just like the warmth his body let off as you lay in his arms. He must have moved to cuddle you as you both slept and now he was laying with you under his wing and close to his chest. There was something incredibly comforting about laying in the arms of the Harpy that relaxed your heart just enough to let your guard down with him somewhat.

"Well, keep the memory to yourself for now, Vil. We both know how a certain someone would react even if the circumstances called for such actions."

Vil laughed at this, a soft and still somewhat sad tinge to his voice. Though it was a true sound of amusement from him, it was clear he was still grappling with whatever the blot potion had brought to the forefront of his mind. Part of you wanted to ask if he remembered anything or if any memories had come up, but you didn't want to upset the Harpy when he had finally calmed himself down somewhat.

"You truly don't belong here, do you?"

"What?"

"You are kind, (Y/n). Most of us would have abandoned anyone in the same position as me... I would have. You actually chose to help me when very few would have done the same. Though I could never bear the thought, you would fit in more at Royal Sword Academy."

"I don't want to go to Royal Sword Academy. I want to stay here. So don't worry, I'm not going anywhere, Vil."

This soothed the Harpy more than he cared to admit, happy to know that you were keen to stay. He was being honest though, he would have hesitated to do the same as you and actually choose to sacrifice himself for someone else. You were perhaps the only one he could confidently say he would choose to do that for. Maybe Rook, but absolutely for you.

"Let's get up. Who knows what type of testing Papa Hades wants to do today. Hopefully there is nothing too intense. I just really want to rest."

Vil allowed you to get up and prepare yourself for the day. Despite how desperately the Harpy wanted to be around you and hold you, he was trying his hardest to not push you away or make you uncomfortable. He was given a glorious gift that he would not trade anything for. The Harpy had been allowed to sleep in your nest with you and even got to cuddle you in that same nest.

Though the price for such an honor had been steeper than he could have ever anticipated, Vil was thrilled to have even a moment of holding you. When you left his side he felt like a crushing weight was squeezing the life out of him, and it only went away when you returned to his side and he could breathe again.

That isolation felt so much like when he was drowning and choking on the potion he created. His heart raced, his body shook with adrenaline, and his throat felt like it was closing up. Those feelings went away with you by his side and your affectionate smile directed at him, warming him inside and out. The screaming of his own mind and instincts quieted so drastically with your simple presence.

"Come on, Vil."

The Harpy was quick to scramble to get up, using his own magic to speed through his usual morning routine. He was almost sad to notice he didn't have his usual skincare products present, but he could always get them from his room when he next got the chance. Hopefully Pomefiore would be able to handle being without their Housewarden for the time it took the research to be completed. If needed, he could always go back and send Rook between the two dorms to keep the peace.

As you emerged from your room with the Harpy, an unknown voice met your ears. They sounded feminine and it piqued your interest enough to explore where the sound was coming from. Vil followed you closely as you reached the main lounge area of the dorm, feeling confusion and vague recognition wash over you.

Sitting with their legs crossed neatly and their wings tucked behind them was an effeminate Harpy. They wore a simple off the shoulder dress with long sleeves that covered up their hands. The Harpy was visibly mature and though they had a few lines that wore their face, they were fairly lovely with darker than expected colors.

Something about their coloration reminded you of male Violet Sabrewing Hummingbirds as the others and the Harpy seemed to take notice of your added presence.

As they turned to look at you, you felt Vil stiffen behind you, holding your shoulder with an almost vise grip. A quick glance at his face showed pure fear in the typically calm and proud Harpy's eyes, his silent terror speaking volumes to you.

Looking at the Harpy in front of you now registered to your brain why they looked so oddly familiar. Though the coloration was typically seen on males, the one in front of you was decidedly a female Harpy and you knew that for a fact. She had aged considerably since you last saw her screeching at her own son and attacking him viciously, but you knew this Harpy all too well.

"Ah, there you are, Villy. Took you long enough to come downstairs. I see you match your father more than ever in looks and laziness, but your purple will always be mine. Perhaps one of your best qualities, so of course it came from me, Dear. A good thing you grew into it too, you always were an ugly chick."

She approached the two of you as if trying to seem motherly even with her vinegar tainted words and you felt your entire body tense with anger. The last time you saw this woman she was screeching at a literal child and trying to kill him because she blamed him for something. Though her full reasoning was lost to you, the look of genuine horror in Vil's eyes as he shook behind you was not. His face was more stoic due to years of acting, but to you he looked like the same sobbing and frightened child that had clung to you for comfort while his parents fought in the adjacent room.

The Harpy Housewarden's body flinched and recoiled with her harsh words dripping in a honey sweet tone, seeming like he wanted to flee. Years of hearing the most hateful words that scarred his heart echoing in his head all screamed back at him as the female Harpy approached. He was stuck between wanting to escape the Harpy woman and seeking comfort from you as that suffocating sensation returned.

After what you've seen, you'd be damned before you let this awful woman anywhere near Vil.

"Get out."

Your voice was cold and steely, a sharp edge to your tone highlighting your anger and actually seeming to catch everyone off guard. None of them knew Vil's painful history, not even Rook had managed to coax the tale from the Harpy so none of them knew why you were so suddenly unhappy. The others had been under the impression that this was an unfairly estranged mother wanting to reconnect with her son, your tone told a different story.

Where you were usually friendly at best and coolly polite at worst with most upon first meeting them, your sudden change to smoldering rage was confusing and jarring to the others. Any time you had to bear your teeth in the past was shortly following provocation by others. From poor behavior to blatantly cruel acts, you always had reserved your genuine dislike for those who wronged you or those you cared for around you.

This Harpy- as far as they knew- showed no such disrespect towards you which only made your sudden distaste for her all the more confusing. Even Papa Hades felt a certain level of unrest as you placed yourself quite clearly between the Harpy woman and Vil.

"That's no way to speak to your elders, clearly manners are quite lax where you're from-"

"Get out now or you leave in a casket, Calliope."

There was something different about your tone that had everyone straightening up and feeling those echoes of your anger in their own hearts. Where confusion had once been, mistrust and dislike took its place. Your anger and hatred fueling their individual dislike for the woman.

Calliope was stunned that you knew her name, but even more stunned to see your sudden dislike towards her. She had only reached back out to that Feral brat that shared her genetics to meet you and it was certainly not going the way she had planned. It had been her belief that you would be sweet and cute towards her, having seen Vil in pictures with you. She had been so careful to keep her true intentions of spiriting you away with her quiet, so your anger ruffled her feathers.

"I'm just here to reconnect with-"

"GET OUT. You have hurt Vil enough, you wretched woman! Or did you forget what you did to your own child? Did you forget how you attacked him in cold blood? Did you forget how you screamed at him for simply existing? Did you forget that he was just a chick when you tried to kill him?"

Your last sentence made a look of disgust and anger take over her face as she hissed at you, her wings spreading behind her. It seemed she couldn't keep up the false affection with your direct accusations.

"He took everything from me! The least he can do is give me something of use and open the door for me to get my hands on you, even if you do act like a brat-!"

Your hands gripped the handle of the blade Idia had created for you, anger taking hold of you as she tried to grab at your shirt. Clearly, Clay's teachings were already proving useful as you moved your hand, the blade springing to life as you slashed the female Harpy's arm. She cried out in pain as she reeled back in surprise, hissing at you in rage as she tried to actually attack you now. She succeeded in slicing down your arm as you raised it to shield your face from her sudden attack.

Her violent behavior was enough to shock most of your guards out of their stupor, Rook's webbing restraining and pulling her down onto the floor before she could get to you again. Things were chaos for only a moment before a deep and thunderous sound rolled over the sky, filling it with darkness and electric green lightning. Everyone tensed at this and fell silent, instinctually shying away from the loud sounds of the storm outside.

Grim ran straight to your arms as a pair wings suddenly wrapped around you, shielding the both of you while the entire building groaned from the storm. The colorful feathers were familiar and it seemed Vil was hiding behind his wings as well, his face pressed into your shoulder and body tensed almost painfully. There was no mistaking who was so furiously guarding you, the simple act of aggression towards you being enough to trigger the Dragon into a rage.

You felt silence suddenly fall over everything and looked up to see the elder Shinigami had joined your small group, an odd shield of magic surrounding the four of you as the Shinigami looked down at you with concern. You couldn't see or hear anything outside of that bubble of influence. It was oddly calming compared to the near hurricane sounding storm outside.

"Papa Hades?"

He just shook his head and you figured it was for Vil's benefit. His nightmare and personal monster returned to his life, and he was forced to confront her and her cruelty. Who knows what Malleus had decided to do, but it was beyond your influence now.

If the Dragon torched the Harpy woman, you would not weep for her.

The elder Shinigami picked up your arm, a low glow coming from his hand as the burn of the cut soothed. He seemed to use a white bandage to wrap your arm, ensuring it didn't bleed anymore.

"How did you know what she had done, Little One?"

"... The same thing that happened with Alistair's Overblot happened with that potion... Like I saw the deepest and most painful parts of their soul that blot feeds on and exploits."

Vil curled closer to you, his breathing strained as he shook and gasped. He seemed like he was having a panic attack of some kind after seeing his mother again and all you could do was hold him. The lovely Harpy was shaking and seemed to only have enough awareness left in his mind to cling to you.

To Vil, it felt like his world was ending. His entire body struggling to stay calm as he panicked and tried to suck down every breath. The struggle of inflating his lungs only panicked him further as he tried to cuddle close to you. Every painful memory and time spent longingly wishing his mother loved him as much as his father did washing over the Harpy in drowning waves.

Grim also seemed to understand the stress the Harpy was feeling as he tried to purr and rub his cheeks against the upset Housewarden. Vil took to the affectionate behavior readily and you were quick to join in petting his hair. Even Papa Hades decided to show the frightened Harpy his gentle support while the four of you waited in the bubble of silence.

"Little One, when this is all over, I need to have a conversation with you about something important. I swear to you it is nothing bad, but we do need to talk privately."

You nodded and let Vil continue to lay against you, his eyes closed as he calmed down. His breathing slowing and relaxing as he no longer seemed to be fighting for air like he had been. When he got a deep breath, his eyes slowly slid open, his voice so soft.

"Don't let her get me, please. I... I know it's childish, but I could never bring myself to face her again. I don't care if she falls off the ends of this world..! I just want her to leave me alone."

You pet Vil's back, noticing how the Harpy leaned into your touch and closed his eyes. He seemed more than relaxed with your kindness as Grim nuzzled his cheek and feathered neck. Despite his discomfort with his wrapped wings, the kit was eager to soothe Vil.

"It's okay, Papa Birdy! I think you're pretty!"

This actually made Vil smile, a warm and affectionate look pulling onto his lips as he looked at the kit. Vil had seemed indifferent to Grim when he had interacted with him prior but now seemed to be genuinely fond of the kit you cared for.

Grim clearly believed adding 'Papa' to names meant he respected and trusted them, having already added it to Malleus and Vil's nicknames. Perhaps- depending on how long it took for the Human ghosts to find you an escape- you should trust Grim's intuition regarding the others. Thus far, Vil, Papa Hades, and Malleus had earned the affection of your kit.

Maybe you should put more stock in his intuition. For now, you chose to comfort Vil and hoped that everything else would be dealt with before and that you would actually get a chance to rest.

[stormsbourne]

the thing that really makes me mad honestly is the people who are like "well, I should be rewarded for all the Correct Choices I made in dao/2/i by having the south survive because of who I put on the throne or if I supported Merrill" or whatever. it really drives home the idea that dragon age "fans" just want a pat on the back for making the Right Choices. a lot of people are very attached to the world states they made where they made shit choices. people shouldn't get rewarded because they made the choice that you specifically think is correct.

I'm very attached to my dwarf warden, Maesha. Maesha desperately, desperately tried to get Alistair to agree to the dark ritual and he simply would not do it (hardened + crowned, that makes him very unlikely to agree!) should I be punished for playing her in character since Kieran doesn't exist, even though she tried her best? should I be punished for the fact that she chose to sacrifice herself, which btw, is the most common ending? I'm a fan of my inq Mhasi, who exiled the Wardens because she believed that they couldn't be trusted after they panicked and started summoning demons. should I be punished for playing her arc in character? I'm a fan of my Hawkes who had Isabela leave after act 2 or ones who tried to deter Merrill from her work with the eluvian (don't ask how many Hawkes I have). should I be punished because they didn't comply with the Most Ideal Worldstate? I like my Wardens who crowned Anora, I'm attached to my inquisitors who sided with the templars, I have Hawkes who ended up viscount because they went along with the templars.

Sure. I get it. You're frustrated that they "destroyed the south," as though southern thedas hasn't been through this kind of shit multiple times in the past 20 yrs. This is reading unnecessary malice into a bit that's intended to show how wide reaching the conflict is, not to tell you "your work was for nothing!," but whatever. Fine. The solution to that is not to have One Correct World state that makes the south invincible. what you are saying is that you want bioware to wind back on the entire concept of dragon age as a series where you can make whatever choices you want. what you are saying is, "but I did all the RIGHT things! I should be rewarded for doing all the CORRECT THINGS!"

(this isn't even MENTIONING how one reason datv has so little past world state stuff is because it was intended to also appeal to people who have never touched the series, lol, but that's not relevant to my wider point, which is:)

I made a post months ago speculating that a lot of people were unhappy with veilguard because they wanted to be rewarded for making the Right Decision and this is where so much arguing about Treviso and Minrathous came from. frankly I've only been more convinced of this take since, as I saw people arguing that specific character choices were "obvious bad endings" and anybody who chose them made the Wrong Decision -- even though maybe your elf Rook wants the elves to make their own identity instead of clinging to the propaganda computer of an ancient fascist, or maybe your mourn watch Rook understands that Manfred is still intact back in the fade, his original home, or maybe your Rook thinks anger is a justifiable emotion for Harding to have in the wake of what was done to the dwarves, and that it can be forged into a weapon. there's no bad endings or wrong choices. but the fandom desperately wants there to be, so they can call people names for picking the wrong city or attempt to frame anyone who made different decisions than them as not only Wrong, but also Bad.

one of the themes of dragon age is that the world is complicated, that the choices you make are shaped by the world you come from and the information you have. and also, that those choices will ripple outward in ways you can't anticipate. what point is there to having a Correct Canon Good Worldstate besides to assuage the players who are too attached to the decisions they made being Correct? it would go against the themes of the series in general, but especially the themes of veilguard, a game about how you have to stop having regrets about what you did or didn't do and stop dwelling in the world of could-have-been. or you will be trapped in that false, illusory world forever.

[etheries1015]

Do you think you could write a fic where MC!Reader who enthusiastically says yes to Rook's proposal for love?

For context:

Every time I read this I just want to reach through the screen and give him the biggest kiss.

YES I'M SO GLAD SOMEONE POINTED THIS OUT BECAUSE I ADORE THIS LINE. I don't care what anyone else says I LOVE Rooks quirky-ness and honestly how am I supposed to find love when he does it ALL???? I would also enthusiastically agree to marry this man. I am glad we can agree on this, Anon

i'm gonna be honest I misread this at first and thought you were asking for a marriage proposal fic, sooooo I wrote two HAHA. This one is the acceptance of the gift he offered above, and i'll link the marriage proposal fic I just wrote HERE <-

An enthusiastic "yes"

featuring: Rook

General warnings: Gender Neutral reader, shorter than you may have hoped, I apologize but I hope you like it nonetheless!

TW: none!

Your birthday had finally come upon you, and the first the greet Ramshackle with his typical smile of affection and enthusiasm, Rook was there to offer his services to you.

"It is your birthday is it not? Normally I'd have planned something grandiose such as 500 poems to express my gratitude towards you, however, I decided to allow it be your choice this year!" You giggled at this, sitting on the couch and crossing your legs.

"I'm not sure I could ask for anything better than 500 poems about me... I'm sure I can think up of something, though. Tell me, what are your boundaries for my request?" You smiled at him with raised eyebrows. Rook returned your eager smile in full.

"Perhaps hunting lessons from yours truly! I'm sure you would look absolutely manifique in hunting attire. My love is on the table as well, of course..." Your eyes widened at this statement, your mouth opening slightly and a laugh escaping your lips. You jumped up from your seat and clasped your hands together in excitement, leaning forward with a bright smile on your features.

"I'll take you up on that offer!" Rooks typically smiley demeanor suddenly shifted, his lips turning into a shocked "o" and piercing eyes wider than yours at the suggestion.

"My...love? that Is what you truly want for your birthday?"

"Yes. Absolutely. And for the rest of our lives, preferably." You said without hesitation.

A large, mischievous grin brighter than you have ever seen plastered upon his glowing features as he picked you up bridal style and headed towards the door. (I would you say would resist, however, I would also say anyone who loves Rook would be incredibly eager at this action.)

"If it is my love you so eagerly desire, then, mon amour, my love is all yours! I shall start by reciting 500 poems I have already memorized to you, and then-" You listened with intent and hearts in your eyes as he began listing all the things he wished to do with you, and the fact you were so enthusiastically agreeable to his half-joke...

you two truly were going to be the talk of the campus, known as NRC couple of the decade.

[glitteringdust]

[after the quest: A Murder of Crows]

There were too many emotions swirling in his chest.

He could have killed Illario for all that he had done, perhaps should have killed him, but when his cousin begged for death he could not find it in his heart to do it. He was still family, even if he didn't deserve to be.

Rook was usually a believer in second chances, but the only thing she had to say to Illario was a threat— should he try to get at Lucanis again he'd have to go through her, and he'd live to regret it.

He should be grateful for Rook, for her help and loyalty. For her kind hand. For her. He should be happy to be First Talon, too, as it was the highest of honors and what every one of the Crows was now celebrating. For Caterina to pick him meant it should all pay off— the pain, the suffering, the betrayal…

Instead everything tasted of ash.

The villa was too loud, with too many people around and the grip he had on Spite thinned with each passing minute. He wasn't aware his heart was racing until Rook’s hand brushed against his, gaze neutral if not for the small wrinkle of concern between her brow.

“Do you… want to stay? Or should we head back?”

He lets out a breath, “We can go. I have other plans for this evening.”

He did not expect those plans to include him locked in thought while he sat with his coffee in the corner of the dining room. He's aware of those coming and going, most of them offering quick congratulations before heading back where they came. Rook was there, and then she wasn't. They'd discussed the night, but she must certainly expect something more from this evening and he had little to give now. Another disappointment.

It mattered little in his rumination.

Illario had said he'd never trust Lucanis as long as he was an abomination, and would never see him the same way again. What was he supposed to do with that? Spite was here to stay, and it all started with Illario. How long had his cousin hated him? He knew he had a jealous streak, but enough to want to remove his own family from the picture to take the glory himself?

Spite lingered along his temples, enhancing the headache already simmering there. The demon was satisfied with their choice, smug that Illario had wanted death and they gave him the opposite. But it only continued to swirl the discontent in Lucanis' chest. Spite did not understand Lucanis' continued unhappiness at his cousin.

Why unhappy? Got. What he. Deserved.

If only he knew how to put into words something a demon could understand.

“Lucanis?”

How long had he been lost in thought? He refocuses his gaze to see Rook, sitting on the arm of his chair. The smell of onion and garlic in the air reminds him of his hunger. He notices the table is set, including lit candles and the fancy wine Rook had been saving.

“Rook, did you…?”

She shrugs, “You take care of everyone, including me, before yourself. And after today, you could use some comfort,” She looks down at her hands, almost shyly, “So, will you have dinner with me?”

He chuckles, setting his mug down before standing and taking one of her hands in his, “It would be my pleasure.”

So they eat, drink, and Rook tells story after story he’s never heard, and some he has. Her voice softens the knot in his chest, unraveling the unrest and when the plates are cleared and table cleaned he finds he doesn’t want this to end.

He doesn’t want to be alone, now.

Rook stay. Here.

For once, he agrees with Spite. After the long, exhausting day he just had all he wanted to do was rest. He could fall asleep next to her in the loveseat, if he tried.

So he does.

“Rook? Do you want to… stay? Just for a little while longer?”

Her gaze could make him melt, “Of course. Are you worried about Spite?”

“No, its not that. I just… would you hold me?”

He feels torn open and raw, overexposed from such a question but she only smiles, “You know I'll do just about anything for you, right?”

He moves, climbing into her lap and resting his head upon her shoulder in an almost effortless fit. Her free hand entwines with his and the other finds itself running its fingers through his hair at the base of his neck. He almost shivers at the featherlight touch.

In her arms, he was at home.

[stonesense]

Do we know enough about how Crow succession and talonship works to believe it would be possible for Viago to take the seat of first talon either through some sort of non-violent coup in the absence of an heir to house Dellamorte or through marrying his kid (rook) off to Lucanis? Asking because I really don't know and would love to write something in that direction...and you seem a crow enthusiast...also love your blog

THEORETICALLY. yes.

we haven’t seen the talons shift directly, but they do shift, with regularity. house arainai was first talon in living memory and then fell slowly downwards to their current point where they’re struggling in and out of eight talon like a drowning man who keeps finding his way to air for just enough breath

the eight talons system, if you’ll allow me the tangent, is a really fascinating choice of fantasy hierarchy because it is such a clear hierarchy. among a bunch of ambitious killers whose prime goal is notoriety. you can only hold each position here if everyone below you is too afraid to do anything about it. what an anxiety trip it must be to decide whether to push someone down just one rung or to try to destroy them entirely; do you want to leave your rival with more opportunity or more motivation? but crow power is also all about theatre, all about perception—you are first or fifth or seventh talon primarily because everyone agrees that you are—so making a failed gambit for a higher talon has got to be incredibly damaging. which is a risky setup. it discourages attempts, but when someone does make an attempt, they will not be fucking around

anyway ignore all that we’re talking about soft takeovers today. okay so house dellamorte has a dying core family, theoretically. we’re making the assumption that no surviving young children from any branch of the family are mentioned because none exist. we have two heirs, neither very acceptable (my apologies to caterina’s delusions), both men in their 30s with (again, assumed) no children, and neither making much progress in that regard. (arguably dependent on player choice when it comes to lucanis, but since he can fall in love with and express his undying devotion to any kind of rook, we can at least say he’s not making that much effort.) within a generation the core family may die out. but that is a LONG TIME to wait. you still have to deal with the current ones, they’re pretty robust

lucanis is the current first talon as of the end of veilguard. can he be convinced to give this up and hand first talon over to someone better suited? i do believe it. mostly because i need to believe, for my mental health, that we can get him out of there. but he also now has a fairly bulky support system full of people who love him and will notice how bad this is going to be and convince him he deserves things like a life he doesn’t hate

as always your main problem is caterina. caterina is not going to allow a takeover, soft or otherwise, while she is still alive. caterina didn’t give up first talon when they murdered her children. there’s probably an emotional plot in here where she can be made to accept what she’s done to her family, far too late, but with time left to save just one by letting him go. on the other hand, i’ve also been experimenting with plots in my mind where she tries to quietly get rid of viago or romanced rook for having too much influence, with the added benefit on hopefully being able to steel & refocus lucanis on defending the house against whoever she frames. or plots where she blames lucanis trying to leave and not being the boy she remembers on his, you know, demonic possession, and attempts to forcibly remove or destroy spite. so. there’s potential ups and downs, here.

i don’t know how helpful rook de riva/lucanis is. most of your problem here is that everything that sets this ending up by giving the de rivas more power, and by giving any rook more power over lucanis, is something that in my mind would crank caterina’s wariness all the way up. house de riva surely has to move up from fifth already after the events of the game and look more like a contender, and i don’t think even caterina’s delusions about lucanis’ suitability for first talon could make her blind to the effect rook can obviously have. i definitely think she would delay on a marriage and have the power to do that

i think it’s worth saying that rook de riva at any point bringing up to lucanis the idea of handing things over to viago would be a hell of a conversation. i know lucanis never remotely suspects rook of any agenda and trusts them completely, and i know i agree with rook here, but you’ve GOT to see how “i love you and having power is bad for you and what you should do is hand it all over to my talon” sounds. i truly could not blame him for a bit of doubt here especially if caterina was around to suggest it

sorry this is a completely messy and disconnected response. i don’t even know if i had a point. you might have to wait for caterina to actually die? is that my point? i can see rook de riva/lucanis being helpful to ease a transition of power to house de riva then. i also think it’s worth pointing out that teia might be the better contender for all this out of the two lovebirds. what quietly makes teia probably the most dangerous talon in the crows, if she ever chose to be, is that everyone likes her. i’m not joking or trying to handwave crow politics, it’s a form of soft power and the result of her cultivated skill that nobody ever suspects teia of anything. even caterina treats her gently, and literally a talon who tried to murder all the others in tevinter nights was delaying murdering her because she was his favourite. if anyone can handle a gentler transition like what we’re talking about, maybe it’s more likely to be teia

[biowaredisasterbisexual]

I’m sorry. I can’t. I try not to get involved in fandom foolishness too much. But egad, the vile treatment of Neve because she romances Lucanis if (AND ONLY IF) Rook romances neither of them is…horrific.

How, BisexualDisaster, you may ask?

1) A lot of critiquing that Neve is uncaring, unempathic, not supportive.

2) At least one claim (getting a lot of agreements in the notes) that Lucanis only gets together with Neve because it’s “easy.” She doesn’t “fix” him so he can just go on being I guess broken somehow?

3) A lot of references to her being too sexual.

4) Insinuations that she’s the type of woman you hook up with, but not the type you marry.

5) Insistence that because she is cynical, she isn’t overtly emotive in the way they would expect, she is unfeeling.

I just…..it’s awful. Why is it so awful? Well, let’s break that down point by point.

1) This is completely contradicted by canon. She goes out of her way for just about every companion to help them, even ones she isn’t super close to. She provides a sounding board and emotional support for Taash and Bellara explicitly in their quest lines. People are disregarding everything she actually says and does in the game to cast her in a role that seems entirely based on sexist and racist stereotypes.

2) There’s no basis for this either. Moreover, this is a truly troubling way to view mental health and healing. Lucanis is not a broken toy or a fixer-upper home. He doesn’t need someone to “fix” him. Nor is he too traumatized to make his own romantic choices. This argument infantilizes him, diminishes his own agency in his healing, and is sexist to boot. It’s ableist, misogynistic, and shitty.

3) This is such a common racist belief about WOC that I hardly know where to start. We are all hypersexual, and if we aren’t we are frigid and prudish and angry. I can’t even. What’s wrong with you all?

4) I’m inclined to agree that Neve isn’t a homemaker, but good grief, how tradwife can you get? I’M not a homemaker. My husband did the bulk of domestic labor in our relationship before he became disabled. Not every relationship needs to look like Leave It To Beaver, and insisting it does is wildly sexist. Oh, and this is also relying on the stereotypes of WOC all being sex-seeking ladies about town to boot.

5) This harkens to two stereotypes. The first is sexist: that women are expected to be outwardly emotive and fawning. That’s neither accurate nor fair. The second is racist: this is a subtle version of the Angry Black Woman stereotype. That WOC aren’t sweet and nurturing and only demonstrate Negative emotions.

This is ridiculous. It’s awful. It’s racist, sexist, and ableist all at once. In an effort to, what, make it so that if you don’t romance Lucanis with your Rook he can’t be with anyone else? It’s not a competition between Rook and Neve or Lucanis if your Rook is romancing them, because your LI CHOOSES ROOK. No one is stealing anyone from your Rook. It’s only if you romance neither that they get together, and the weird possessive idea that if you don’t have Lucanis no one should is deeply troubling.

Is your favorite movie Swimfan? Is it because it made you feel seen?

JFC.

Get it together, people.

Sincerely,

A WOC married to a sweet white man who knows how to cook

[biancasaidstfu]

Here’s my theory. First of all I’m just “meh” with all of it. Not mad, not angry, not disappointed. Just tired and looking at all of it from the outside with my own bills to pay and my own life to live. It’s not that serious to me. Probably because it’s not my life to live, and it’s not my choices to make. Six months ago I wouldn’t have felt like that (I might have spiraled a bit), but we’ve seen a lot of things in that time period.

Firstly, I think L is tired. He’s tired of having to drag A along to events. Tired of having to keep up a facade. Tired of having to pretend. And I think everyone around him knows it. I think they know he just has nothing left to give if we’re talking about commitments, contracts, and NDAs. He’s not the same person around A he is around N or a number of other people honestly.

So enter N. If someone has to keep up appearances she is the one who decided to keep the show going by taking J to the BAFTA party. We know it was last minute according to a lot of different people. It keeps up the appearance that there are two couples here without L having to be in public with A. Both “couples” have been photographed publicly now. N would definitely rather be out with J than L wants to be with A. Sorry to those who believe otherwise, but that’s just totally evident. Although J looked miserable and uncomfortable as heck a couple nights ago. N can easily say later that the press assumed things like they always do. She can say that once again her accomplishments were overshadowed by a man/relationship. She can say J is a friend just like Jack Rooke or Dylan L is to her (and has been on red carpets with her). She can say people made things up that were not there. She can claim that people misinterpreted it, and J can still go on to do interviews and clear the air if that’s what is so chosen.

It’s all a theory because who knows?? Who knows what this week will bring? Who knows what the BAFTAs will be next month? Whatever happens I’m still here to see how this all works out.

Yup.

This is another theory I agree with.

She can literally say you guys misinterpreted every single thing.

Some people are acting like she just married him on that carpet. The coverage of this feels so intense because it’s obviously pushed by CAA. They have this power to push that.

[mythals-whore]

OC as a Companion: Cyrilla Mercar

Thank you for the tags @antivan-sprig @biowaredisasterbisexual @thatgaymerguyb @seaglassmelody and i don't think anyone else tagged me in this, but if you did I'm just so sorry it's been a minute since this was left unfinished in the drafts

I have wanted to do this, but it has felt so daunting that I couldn't but look at me overcoming my fear. (Maybe I'll also complete the Why my OC Sucks tag also. At some point.)

Also I don't know who has done this and who hasn't, so I'm passing a few tags to @glitteringdust @gingervitus @flowersforthemachines @sugar-peanut-cat and @jouskaroo and if you've already done this let me know and I'll just give you my home address and you can smother me in my sleep 2nite <3

everything under the cut (:

(thank you @/flowersforthemachines for the divider)

Recruitment quest:

Rook meets the Viper. He informs Rook & Co about a recent uptick in Venatori activity. He has an agent that might be able to help but mentions that her methods might be a little...(he doesn't finish this sentence) Rook and company show up to the Warehouse where they enter a battle with a load of Venatori. Cyri asks Rook who they are, and once they've said they were sent by Ashur she cuts them off with the information that there's a red lyrium relic that's already been smuggled onto a ship. You help her find the relic, explain about the Gods and before Rook even finishes she agrees to join the team.

Cold/Nuetral

Greetings:

Ah, you again.

What am I in for this time?

Dismissal:

Later, then. (if you don't have something exciting for her to do, she literally does not have the time. Probably said with a roll of her eyes.)

I'll be here.

Personal Quest (1):

Her personal questline would start with her saying she's meeting with an old contact and will be back after. Rook has to offer to accompany her to which she reluctantly agrees. What she said was a meeting with a contact is actually breaking into a Magister's house to interrogate him, but he isn't there. Before leaving, they free the magister's slaves, one of whom gives them information on the whereabouts of the Magister's office.

Warm

Greetings:

Come to check in on little old me? (still a little saccharine but with a genuine smile)

Rook, fancy seeing you here.

Dismissal:

Looking forward to next time (a little suggestive but only in good fun)

Don't kill too many Venatori without me.

Personal Quest (2):

Depending on the Treviso/Minrathous choice, Cyri either is caught sneaking out of the Lighthouse, or she asks Rook to accompany her. They sneak into the Archon's palace. (If Treviso was chosen there are a great deal more venatori to fight) In Magister Barbatus's office, Cyri discovers some old files with her name, but they're locked with some kind of magic (Neve helps her with this later). They also find an invitation to fundraising gala for the Vol Dorma Circle of Magi. Cyri explains this is almost certainly a front for an underground Venatori auction.

Friendly

Greetings:

What mischief are we stirring today? (said very fondly and with a wide, devious grin)

Oh good, I was just getting bored.

Missed me, did you?

Dismissal:

I'll be here, waiting. (with a fond, slightly exaggerated roll of the eyes.)

Just promise not to get into too much trouble without me.

Hero of the Veilguard Quest:

You finally catch up with Magister Barbatus at the fundraising gala (which you've all had to dress up for because I want to live my fancy spy dreams). In a backroom, Rook & co discovers an auction for a red lyrium relic that they want to keep out of the Magister's hands (this relic would somehow tie in to Elgar'nan but I'm too lazy to decide how) Only when you corner the magister do you find out that he's responsible for selling Cyri and her Contubernium to the Antaam during the war. Rook can decide to have her kill him* (embracing that Minrathous will always be corrupt and she must fight it by any means necessary) or turning the information she has on him over to the new Archon (use him as an example that the system can still work properly and restore the people's faith in the system) (This choice would heavily influence her take on the Mae/Dorian choice)

*this is the automatic 'hardened' choice if Rook chose to save Treviso.

Romanced

Greetings:

Hey, you. (soft and warm, a little cheeky)

Looking for trouble, are we?

Dismissal:

Whatever you need, Rook, I'll be here.

Just...be careful. (slightly resigned/exasperated. She cannot believe she's saying this)

Bonus!

Cyri’s romance would be a little different. You’d have plenty of flirt options, and pretty early on, there would be an option to kiss her. Shortly after, she propositions Rook to take things further at which point Rook can say no but still take the romance route.

Romance Lock-In (a):

Cyri and Rook begin a casual sexual relationship, but in other companion banters, Cyri makes it clear that its nothing more than that. The Lock-in scene is Cyri pulling clothes back on in the meditation room while Rook watches. She smirks and asks, “what are you looking at?”

Lock-in: You could stay, you know.

(She gives a weird look and says, maybe next time. There isn’t a next time. But after the Hero of the Veilguard scene, she admits to Rook that she has a hard time trusting people but she’s ready to try again. (They kiss)

Lock-out: That was fun. Maybe we could do it again, sometime. (Cyri laughs playfully and says, ‘don’t get ahead of yourself’ and the relationship fizzles)

Romance Lock-in (b):

Rook can continue to flirt with Cyri on this route, but she will no longer reciprocate. If Rook doesn’t lock in a romance with any of the other companions, Cyri comes to the meditation room post-regret prison and confesses her feelings, at which point there would be an intimacy sequence.

[rookamell]

Would love to hear opinions on this because it's been how many months now and I still can't make sense of that pantry scene with Lucanis. It just doesn't check out in my mind. Because... ok. Yes, he is obviously acting a little bit, he has to be. But it's... so natural at the same time? I don't know how to explain it and I might be wrong but. People say he's acting like he's done it before or at least watched Illario, and I don't think he has. I also don't think his first instinct in a moment like that is to think about Illario and what he would have done because the moment before that ('You deserve better than to deal with my mess' 'you're more than what you're going through) is so soft and intimate and them that I just cannot rationalize that he's completely acting in this moment. Coupled with how he acts toward Neve and the flirty banter with Rook while on the coffee date... I don't know if he's being completely disingenuous here. I think he is flirting authentically, he just gets scared when he realises what he is doing. Personally I think he has a moment of 'i wonder if caterina would approve' and then snaps out of it but that is complete headcanon so I won't harp on it too much. But then I see posts where people say their Rooks were probably freaked out a little because that's not their Lucanis and I always tend to agree because it's so at odds with what we see from him in the act 2 and 3 parts of the romance. It boggles my mind because just when I think I've settled on an explanation I see a post where I'm like 'wait hold on that could be true as well'. I think my favourite explanation so far is from a post I'll like it here if I find it again because I know I have it saved somewhere that says he realises he's making a choice for himself for the first time? On a contract? And that's why he pulls away, not because he isn't being genuine, but maybe that's part of it? Idk I just personally think he's a lot more of a flirty guy than people tend to make him out to be at least... in a certain sense. He says poetic things and reads romance novels and I don't necessarily think the baking lock in is at odds with the pantry scene all that much. Idk. I just have to ramble about it I guess because. I can't fathom. What was going through his mind.

Edit: The post I was talking about is this one by @maythedreadwolftakeyou

[kabsey]

Neve Week Day 3: Contentment

Phew. It's been a while since I was actually able to string words together. Still struggling a bit, but baby steps, right? Thank you, @datvcompanionweeks, for hosting a week in honor of our beloved detective!

Settled in a plush armchair before a crackling fire, Neve held her chin in one hand and a glass of port in the other. She lifted her glass when Lucanis brought the bottle out for top-offs. Emmrich accepted a new pour as well, and Lucanis refilled his own glass before setting the bottle aside and reclaiming the third chair they'd pulled up to the fireplace.

Although Emmrich had taken many of his books when he'd returned to the Necropolis, he'd left enough of them and various bric-a-brac behind that his room in the Lighthouse still felt cozy and lived in. The whole team still maintained some presence. Taash, Davrin, and Rook utilized the training facilities; Lucanis used the kitchen when he wanted to try a new recipe away from the watchful eyes of the villa staff. The rest of them appreciated having a quiet place to handle correspondence or paperwork or research without being interrupted.

And they all gathered as a whole or in smaller groups for long suppers and quick drinks. Tonight had been just the three of them. Taash was off on a job for the Lords, and the others had left for an expedition in Arlathan that morning.

"Where do you think they are?" Neve asked. She knew she didn't need to specify that she meant their wandering partners.

"Strife said that since the Veil has stabilized, many parts of Arlathan that were previously inaccessible due to erratic etheric energies have also become less volatile," Emmrich replied. (Neve suspected Strife had used far fewer words.) "Their plan was to explore such an area approximately a day's hike northwest of the Veil Jumper camp. I imagine they've reached the outer boundary of their planned search by now. He, Bellara, and Irelin seemed quite sure they would find artifacts of some significance based on commentary from previously discovered sources."

He offered Neve a smile. "I'm grateful Davrin agreed to accompany them. They're all quite capable of defending themselves, of course, but another set of eyes and arms never hurts in such circumstances. And I'm sure the experience will be invaluable for Assan."

Neve laughed. "I'm fairly sure training was just Davrin's excuse. He was as eager to get out of Dock Town as Assan was. He's no stranger to city life but he's not native to it. He needs to go tramp through some woods sometimes or he gets testy."

"And Rook?" Emmrich asked Lucanis.

Lucanis sighed. "Bellara mentioned several new species of spiders and the likelihood of some of them being venomous."

"A true de Riva," Neve noted with a smirk.

"Worryingly so at times." Looking into the fire, Lucanis tapped a finger along the rim of his glass. "She also values the chance to spend time with people raised in the Dalish way of life. Her mother taught her the traditions, but she never had the chance to live as part of a clan herself."

"It's wonderful she has the opportunity to explore the positive aspects of her heritage," Emmrich said. "Especially after being so violently confronted with the likes of El'garnan and Ghilan'nain."

"I don't know," Neve mused. "Sometimes I envy her and the others for the chance to face their gods head-on. If I ever meet the Maker face-to-face, I'll certainly have some choice words for him."

"Hear, hear," Lucanis agreed, and even Emmrich chuckled. But his amusement quickly faded to something more serious.

"Something wrong?" Neve asked him.

"Nothing really," he sighed. "I suppose I'm feeling a bit guilty. Strife invited me along on the expedition, but I told him I needed the time to catch up on my grading." He gestured with his glass toward the papers strewn across his desk, where he had spent most of the day working. "It's true, of course, but as it turns out, my enthusiasm for exploration is somewhat dampened by the stress of a full teaching load. I couldn't seem to summon it, and I'm afraid I disappointed him."

"I admit that once Bellara and Rook started waxing poetic about arachnids, I began to think of excuses to remain in Treviso," Lucanis said.

Neve snorted. "I flat-out told Davrin I wasn't going. A night in the Veil Jumper camp or at Eldrin's is one thing. I don't intend to step foot in any unexplored part of Arlathan for the rest of my life if I can help it."

She offered Emmrich a reassuring smile. "And I'm sure Strife understands."

He returned it with a soft one of his own. "Oh, I'm certain he does. It's merely my own insecurities running away with me." He raised his glass. "In truth, I find there are few joys in life that can compare to good conversation with good friends over a good meal."

"And good wine," Lucanis added.

Lifting her own glass, Neve smiled. "I'll drink to that."

[icharchivist]

when you know the critisms often given to the DA franchise it's so obvious DA4 is reactionary to everything people complained about without a care as to why it was a complain and it makes me so mad dklfhdjlkfjd

Like there was this whole meta about how the Storm Coast having a paper saying "careful, rocks can fall!" but never delivering on it was encapsulating the way DAI tells you things will have consequences but you don't really feel it (whether you agree or not), and i could NOT stop thinking about it when Arlathan had whole sections where Rocks fall randomly on you at all time. Meanwhile DA4 doesn't make you feel the consequences of what you've done much better than DAI did, in fact it's worse because it gives you illusion of choices without actually showing diverting paths.

The total removal of talks about racism, slavery, or even the Vallaslin, is reactionary to people saying "careful you're playing too hard on racist tropes and you really need to handle it better". Instead of "handling it better", they removed it all together.

Likewise with complains about how the Elves are too much in focus, where they instead just decided to stop addressing the Elves.... without exactly focusing on any of the other groups of Thedas, and now they say "the time for the elves is over" without addressing at all that the elven are left in the worst situation possible after an apocalypse in the name of their gods. Likewise for people being tired to hear about Mage Rights.

There was complains about the omnipresence of the Chantry in DAI and discussion of Faith? Don't worry, now no one has Faith in anything and the Chantry, or any other religions for that matter, is never mentioned again. Similarly to critiscms about the way the Qun was handled translating to "no discussion of the Qun anymore, the enemies broke from it so don't worry about it."

They said there will be no fetch quest that are useless, instead every side mission is focalized on the factions you try to help, as a result you just feel like you're working for a selected few people instead of just helping the world heal even if it doesn't advantage you.

They made a huge deal about "you're not special now, you don't have a magic hand" as a reply to the concerns about thee Inquisitor being too chosen-one-ey (disagree but it was a complain) and instead made a MC who has no reason to be here... if not for a magic connection to Solas and the special weapon of Solas. But don't worry you're not that special. You don't even feel guilt for what you unleashed.

They tried so hard to capitalize on "everyone loves Purple!Hawke right?" without realizing that people love Hawke because of the small scale of da2, and love Purple Hawke because you still have different personalities available for Hawke and can play mix and match. My purple Hawke honestly used just as many diplomatic options and a few very angry options esp when Carver was in danger. Rook only has Purple. The others options are just Purple A Bit To The Left.

People complained about how you could do the game without doing the character quests and nothing of note would happen (unlike DA2 where if you ignore your companions they can turn against you in the end of the game, or DAO where eventually some of them will fight you for it), or how there's no stakes because unlike the previous games they can't leave or die, so now they keep telling you to play the companion quests else they will die in the final battle. Doesn't matter that the Companion quests are incorporated in an even worse way that feels disconnected to the main plot (which was NOT the case in DAI), or that there isn't exactly this much change depending on the branching path, the characters don't change. It's really just about whether or not they live in the final battle.

DA4 is inherently reactionary to the criticisms (fair or not) put onto DAI, but somehow missed the point of what those criticisms were about (ultimately: "DAI is a step down from the previous games in the way consequences manifest itself" and "careful you're threading into topics that can get very offensive") and hypercorrected into something worse (mainly: "no more consequences now outside of "if you don't play them you die"" and "we can't be offensive about those topics if we refuse to mention them")

the moment you know some criticism sent at the rest of the saga da4 becomes just this sort of feeble game that is terrified of its audience that it's trying to do whatever it wants without ever once questioning what those criticism were even about.