#Wrathrambles

[wrathbites]

Dunno if someone's made a post about this already but the absolute hilarity of a de Riva Rook (Lucanismancer) frequenting the Cantori Diamond with Davrin and Lucanis in tow.

Viago twitching every time he sees the Grey Warden armour and eventually tugging Rook aside to have a word with them. One House has already disgraced itself over a dalliance between assassin and Warden, history better not repeat itself with the de Rivas -.-*

Rook just blinking back at him with the expression equivalent of huh?

What is he talking about? They've genuinely had Davrin around so frequently because nobody else aside from Lucanis is free?? What???

Meanwhile Teia's cracking up in the background because she's clocked already that it isn't Davrin he needs to worry about. It's Lucanis.

Sometime later, when Viago is made aware of this, he loses a vial to the floor when it slips from fingers gone numb with surprise. W H A T???

[wrathbites]

Don't mind me, just a random mental image.

Spite: ROOK. WE ARE UNDER. ATTACK.

Rook with a dagger in hand already: where

Spite: EVERYWHERE

Lucanis: ignore him. It's his first introduction to the common cold.

Spite: IT IS HELL. H E L L. ROOK. DO SOMETHING.

And what follows is some back and forth between Lucanis and Rook regarding medicine. Lucanis refuses. Rook threatens to drag his sorry ass to Viago.

As if Viago will help. Rook getting up close and personal to state ever so softly "he will if he knows what's good for him."

Lucanis very clearly seeing this is Not A Bluff. Fine. Fine, he'll take the damn medicine.

It makes him drowsy. It also makes Spite drowsy.

Spite, who drapes over Rook like a particularly comfortable cat and grumbles the entire time about the body trying to kill them both. This was never discussed. How do mortals live like this? Terrible conditions, poor body design, absolutely would not recommend.

Rook quietly finding this equal parts amusing and adorable.

[wrathbites]

Thinking about the Lighthouse wisps and them being helpful as well as up to mischief.

Emmrich: fitting themselves around the edges of whatever book he's reading when candles burn low, so he still has light to read by without using his own magic reserves. For mischief - yeeting said book across (or up) his study.

Manfred: knocking books Manfred's after from higher shelves so he doesn't have to clatter up a ladder, and tinkle-chirping from the general location of whatever other bits and bobs Manfred's looking for. For mischief - hiding said items or zipping off with Manfred's scarf or a glove, and it winds up a merry game of chase down the wisp.

Harding: nudging around pots so plants have all around light exposure, reducing the risk of leaf damage (let nature work alongside magic), or helping her gather up seeds that've accidentally been scattered into every Maker-damned nook and cranny. Diving in and out of soil when she's repotting to make holes and divots for her to work with. For mischief - doing this with Harding in range so there's clumps of soil and fertiliser in her hair and on her clothes, and knocking over watering cans (but not onto the plants!)

Bellara: relocating her quill whenever she misplaces it, chiming over the inkpot when she's running low during a writing session, and nudging over the next ingredient she needs when it's her turn to cook. For mischief - doodling on her face with the ink when she's sleeping, and swapping out seasonings when she's not paying attention (sugar for salt, pepper for paprika, etc)

Neve: bundling her notes back up into their proper order whenever they're knocked over, chiming over particular bits of paper to draw Neve's attention to the scribbles, and sure enough it's what she needed to spark a theory from where she's vocalised being stuck. For mischief - stealing absolutely anything not nailed down in her room. Especially her hats.

Davrin: playing with Assan and distracting him while Davrin's carving. Kicking up little whirlwinds of the wood shavings from his work, and by the time he's done there's no cleanup to be had because they've been swept out as the wisps have teased Assan into open air for some flying. For mischief - nug carving treasure hunt around the Lighthouse. And the DA equivalent of laser pointers for griffons, so Assan pounces on Davrin whenever he's daft enough to nap in his chair.

Lucanis: Spite is somewhat territorial of his Crow and their space so the wisps can't be directly helpful while they're around, but whenever Lucanis returns from an outing his yarn stash is always reorganised from the chaos Spite left it in (they know better than to interfere with anything involving an assassin's weapons, so they stick to the yarn). For mischief - playing tag with Spite around the pantry and leaving a trap somewhere, without fail, to keep Lucanis on his toes. Otherwise there's an entire bag of flour to be upended on his head (his coffee!)

Taash: the wisps learn Taash's exercise routines and become their own personal cheer squad to push for one more rep, and one more, last one! Their routine with the arm ropes, the armour, the LoF jewellery and regalia and lifting every second or third piece for Taash, in the correct order. Trailing cloth and straw and string in the air to create moving objects for Taash to practise their fire breathing on. For mischief - they can't carry a full watering can but they can carry little clay pots and bowls, and so the fire Taash has scattered around, they extinguish, and Taash relights, and they extinguish, back and forth and back and forth (until Taash isn't upset anymore, they're either a bit grumpy or laughing as they chase the wisps away)

For everyone: elfroot and potions being brought to them when needed.

[wrathbites]

A thought I hope to tease out into a fic this weekend, provided the writing muse cooperates.

Lucanis discovering Spite can pull objects from the Fade while they're still trapped in the Ossuary

It starts small - nondescript objects suspended above him while he sleeps and dropped on him to rouse him again. Spite thinks he shouldn't be sleeping, he should be attempting escape.

Spite testing the limits of what it can manage on the other side of the Fade. There's so much effort involved in pulling a single object through, absolute concentration, so easily broken with the horrors happening around it.

It can't reliably wield anything it succeeds in pulling through - not when it has to focus on puppeting Lucanis' body at the same time.

And then an idea - keep the demon's presence hidden for as long as possible, until the right moment presents itself.

The next time Zara's in striking distance (so sure of herself, too cocky), they succeed in breaking her hold on them.

In the chaos that follows Lucanis manages to kill three guards and wound a fourth with the scissors Spite drops into his hand.

There's a steep price to pay to restrain a demon of Spite intent on breaking free, and the slave Zara's been bleeding to keep Lucanis (exhausted, worn, weakened after so long in her clutches) in check - dies.

She burns through the injured guard as well, to contain demon and host before they can land a killing blow (and they are so very, very close to it)

The wards on their cell are strengthened, security doubled, and from that night onward there are two bodyguards shadowing Zara's every step

Lucanis and Spite don't get that kind of shot again, but there's a faint silver lining to be had all the same. Spite's ability to pull cutting tools from the Fade allows Lucanis the chance to neaten his appearance a little. He's scruffy, rather than looking like someone dragged him kicking and screaming through a hedge backwards.

It's such a small thing, but it's an aspect of control they've managed to claw back from Zara. It's a visual "fuck you, we will live". It's hope.

[wrathbites]

Anyway on a lighter note.

Mage!Rook on friendly terms with Lucanis, noticing every blink is getting longer, and he's drooping somewhat over the table.

Instead of calling attention to it, they freeze his coffee solid in its cup.

Cue cackle of delight from Spite and Lucanis' severe frown marred by just how tired he looks.

"Rook."

"Lucanis."

"Unhand my coffee, if you please."

"You need to sleep."

"Later."

"Now."

And then there's a stare down.

[wrathbites]

I'll play Veilguard, I said.

I'll resume writing this year, I said.

I'll make it a goal to read one book every 1-2 months, I said.

And then crochet hit me over the head again.

With lace weight yarn. A first, for me.

I've fallen down the rabbit hole, so see you next year, I guess 🤣

[wrathbites]

A storm that drinks the sky...

Dwarves being afraid of the sky...

The dwarven history and how they came to be...

Wait. Is this storm thing feeding on the Veil???

[wrathbites]

Been thinking about the conversation between Mewyn and Emmrich re what she'd want done in the event of her death and it's... not a conversation she'd enjoy having. I don't know exactly how it'd play out, but her response would be along the lines of:

"I respect your work Emmrich, and the care and dedication that goes with it. But I... I don't like the idea of my body being used to house a wisp for random bouts of work in the Necropolis. There are secrets I keep in life that someone could force me to speak in death and I - I can't do that. I'm sorry. My choice will always be cremation."

[wrathbites]

I absolutely adore Curio and Keepsake. That is all.

[wrathbites]

Oh. Oh, I didn't know you could light memorials for the Shadow Dragons if you choose to save Treviso. Be right back, gotta go lie down for a while and sob an ocean.

[wrathbites]

Thinking about Rook and Lucanis before the final fight, if he'd gone off to help one of the factions, how I picture it playing out.

The relief so sharp and gutting it knocks them breathless.

The complete disregard for their audience when they reach out to one another and clasp hands and hold on.

The sweetest whisper of Rook's name as Lucanis steps in close just to feel them safe and sound, however briefly.

Rook's eyes catching on Viago and Teia where they're watching from the sidelines. Fellow Crows, yes, but still Crows.

Rook's free hand cupping the back of his neck, their hard stare over his shoulder when they go in for a hug screaming "he's mine, if you hurt him I will kill you" (a look Teia and Viago both recognise lol since they do the exact same thingl)

And then Spite's wings manifesting, mantling, because Rook is theirs, in turn.

Lucanis, huffing a soft laugh. "Insufferable, the pair of you."

[wrathbites]

Time to make a new pinned post

So it's been a while since my last one of these, a few wee things have changed or need reminding of, I figure a refresher might be good!

Wrath | she/her | 30s | Scottish | fanfic author & fandom lurker

This is a sideblog - I follow from wrathoscribbles (follow that one at your own risk, it's a mishmash of random and very rarely tagged)

I'm on AO3

My main focus for now is Dragon Age: the Veilguard - all other fandoms are taking a backseat & prior works on a shelf to be revisited later

Veilguard spoilers are currently tagged as Veilguard spoilers (note any of my fics that don't directly touch on ingame content won't be tagged as such)

This is a Veilguard positive blog - I truly enjoyed the game and continue to do so. I won't be dedicating time to picking it apart for its faults, nor interacting much with posts that do so. If that's not your cup of tea, leave

I use the block and unfollow buttons when required - this is not a personal attack on you, it is solely for me to curate my fandom experiences and enjoy my hobbies & downtime

My inbox is always open for general chitchat, mutual screaming over blorbos, and prompts - I promise I don't bite (that's the characters' jobs)

I used to write fic for Mass Effect (hi, it's me, the crazy lass who was writing vampires in space haha), Batman, FFVII, FFXV, Witcher, Lucifer, Dragon Age II and a couple other bits and bobs I've likely forgotten, since it's been so long. On account of Veilguard taking over my soul capturing my interest, I am on hiatus from these fandoms for the forseeable future

General taglist for ease of navigation:

Wrathwrites - for all the bits and bobs & snippets & finished pieces Fandom specific work - is tagged as "[media] fanfiction"

Wrathanswers - for any messages and/or messages I've answered publicly

Wrathrambles - for the thinking out loud posts when I'm mulling over ideas

Fic rec - for all the goodies that have me screaming

Art rec - FOR ALL THE EXTRA GOODIES THAT HAVE ME SCREAMING

Prompt list - for any that can potentially spark an idea, feel free to reblog as you please! If I spot the notification in my activity, I'll throw some prompts your way

Rhys Shepard - my vampire lad in Mass Effect

Mewyn de Riva - my "fuck around and find out" Rook in Veilguard

[wrathbites]

A Crow Rook and Lucanis who eventually wiggle out of the Crows (don't ask me for specifics, this ain't about that).

Lucanis takes up working in Café Pietra (to begin with) and Rook... opens their own apothecary stall.

Viago is very much not impressed. Teia thinks it's goddamn hilarious.

[wrathbites]

Catch me turning over the mental images of playing with Assan in the snow. Familiarising him with weather conditions can be fun.

Aerial movements to dodge incoming snowballs or "catch" them in his talons (or beak, once or twice, but it's Far Too Cold to be pleasant lol)

Landing practice so he doesn't give away his location with a powdery explosion

Here's how to not walk on ice

Tracking some of the party through the snow, finding their hiding spots (Manfred's easy - fire and snow don't get along well rofl)

Ground-based dodging of snowballs, when snow muffles the usual movement noises he's familiar with

Tackling party members into snowdrifts and tussling with them

Perfect model to compare to when trying to make a snow griffon

Scraping up and compacting snow between his talons to provide Davrin with some air support in the final snowball showdown

Darting in and out of the little blizzard flurries Neve conjures, shaking off that extra bite cold afterward (and showering everyone with any snow clumped on his wings)

DAVRIN AND ASSAN PLAYING WITH THE OTHER GRIFFONS IN THE SNOW

(But see also one of them absolutely does not like the snow and clambers onto Davrin to avoid the ground and he winds up carrying them around like the owners who pick up Their Very Big Dogs who don't like escalators)

Thedas' version of snow angels, except it winds up a griffon and party pile on when Davrin attempts making one

[wrathbites]

Just remembered I had a siren AU for fHawke/Isabela and the temptation to fit that into Veilguard somehow is GNAWING ON MY BONES

[wrathbites]

Okay so I blame the fact I've had a day filled with laughter today but like.

My brain cannot shake the image of Spite demons being like this lot in the Fade. They absolutely will fuck your shit up, for the hell of it, just because. They're SPITE. It's IN THE NAME.