tumblring in thedas

Dragon Age sideblog of tumblr user guardevoir, otherwise known as Guardy. they/them. (The non-mobile version of this blog has a much nicer theme, btw) On desktop, click the info icon below for a more in-depth bio and tags and stuff!

[cursed-candlehop]

Quick pinned post for the mobile folks who can't enjoy my impeccable page-based blog organization:

Organization: Original Content | Reblogs | Blog Maintenance

Guardy does stuff: Art | Writing | Meta

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Character Tags: Canon Characters | Player Characters

Games: da:o | da:2 | da:i | da:v

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Guardy's Dragon Age Ask Memes: Rook Character Development Questions Rook Ask Meme: Major Arcana Edition [Coming Soon] Inquisitor Ask Meme: Veilguard Edition

-- I love getting tagged in stuff / getting ask game asks, even if we've never interacted before!

[guardevoir]

100 days of art, uh.... 15/100? I think?

Back on my Dragon Age Veilguard nonsense, feat. Fede, my Rook.

[cursed-candlehop]

Hi I'm still alive! And back on my 100 days of art bullshit! Now how does my tagging system work over here...

[cursed-candlehop]

how about justice and the tower for your rook?

Heck yeah, thanks for letting me yap about My Guy some more!

Justice: Is there any social issue that Rook is particularly invested in?

Sure -- slavery in Minrathous and/or the way elves are treated in Tevinter society.

Not even Fede's relatively high-status human adoptive family could shield him from a hefty chunk of abuse for being an elf (he had a really interesting time in circle school...), and he knows he's had it easy by comparison. Knowing how bad his fellow elves must have it and just how lucky he got has always bothered him immensely, even as a kid.

And then he meets the Shadow Dragons -- they enabled him to do something about the worst of it, and also drove home the point that it's not just elves that are suffering, and that was that, pretty much.

The Tower: Minrathous or Treviso? And, crucially, why? Do they regret it?

Minrathous, because he was painfully aware that A) Minrathous' leadership is wildly ineffective, B) quite probably in on whatever shenanigans are afoot at any given time, and C) incredibly uninterested in protecting their most vulnerable populations.

He figured that, yes, Treviso's struggling, but at least they have a powerful group who gives a shit. Treviso may suffer, but they will rebuild. They'll also get ample support from the rest of Thedas once word gets out. Meanwhile, anyone in Minrathous with actual influence is only interested in saving their own ass, anyone who actually cares about the city doesn't have the funds or the influence to rebuild anything, and there will be no outside help, because Tevinter is Tevinter.

If anything happens to Dock Town or even poorer quarters of Minrathous, "having just been razed by a blighted dragon" is the best state they're ever gonna be in again. There will be no help, there will be no support, and if there's still a world for mortals to live in after all is said and done, it's infinitely more likely that it'll all be razed so some rich fuck can put his third townhouse there.

Also, he may have slightly overestimated what the Crows can do.

He doesn't regret his choice, but he grieves for Treviso all the same.

[cursed-candlehop]

Hiii :) The Wheel of Fortune from the Major Arcana ask game for your Rook if you'd like?

Hi, thanks for sending this in!

I've already answered this one for Fede, my main Rook, so I'll do it for one I talk less about: Revi, the little disaster elf.

The Wheel of Fortune: If Rook could sit down and have a chat with any person or group of people from Thedas' history, who would they pick?

The last generation of elves to live in Arlathan; the original elven refugees. Because his world keeps ending, and so did theirs, and he just wants to listen to their stories and take some comfort in the fact that, despite everything, life went on for them - and maybe it will for him, too.

[cursed-candlehop]

hewwo :3c (for Fede)

The World: What does Rook do after Thedas is saved?

The Wheel of Fortune: If Rook could sit down and have a chat with any person or group of people from Thedas' history, who would they pick?

Henlo, love!!

The World: What does Rook do after Thedas is saved? I'm not sure if I have a canon answer for this, but there's at least one 'verse where he gently abducts the Inquisitor for a bit, so Lavellan can finally have the nap he's been dreaming of for the past decade.

More long-term/less specific: Fede takes a few days to rest and then helps with the clean-up in Minrathous, and then moves on from there to help with the clean-up... Basically everywhere else.

But yeah, either way, Fede stays in "determined to keep moving, because if he stops, he has to start processing and figuring out what his life looks like now" territory for quite a while.

The Wheel of Fortune: If Rook could sit down and have a chat with any person or group of people from Thedas' history, who would they pick? He'd love to ask whoever first established the Necropolis some questions. He's been pondering that place in confused bafflement ever since they picked up Emmrich.

(Alternatively, the boring answer: finding out what the heck happened to his bio parents, because How does one lose a baby on a battlefield of a war you're not even supposed to be involved in)

[cursed-candlehop]

Rook Ask Game: Major Arcana Edition

I assume this has been done a dozen times, but one more never hurts! Also, my partner gifted me a new deck and I got inspired.

-

The Fool: Why did Rook agree to join Varric?

The Magician: What is Rook's opinion on magic and mages?

The High Priestess: Andrastian or nah? Loyal to the Chantry, content to forge their own beliefs, or wishing the entire concept of the Maker would just fuck off already?

The Empress: If Rook could be doing literally anything else right now without Thedas falling apart immediately, what would they get up to?

The Emperor: What's Rook's relationship with their parents? Do they even have any, or anyone else that fills the same role?

The Hierophant: How does Rook get on with Solas?

The Lovers: What made Rook realize they were in love with their chosen romance option? (Alternatively, if they don't roll that way: Who among the Veilguard do they trust the most, and why?)

The Chariot: Why, in their opinion, is Rook the one leading the Veilguard?

Strength: What was the thing that brought Rook the closest to their emotional breaking point?

The Hermit: Does Rook enjoy being alone with their thoughts?

The Wheel of Fortune: If Rook could sit down and have a chat with any person or group of people from Thedas' history, who would they pick?

Justice: Is there any social issue that Rook is particularly invested in?

The Hanged Man: Does Rook get along with the Inquisitor?

Death: What does Rook think about Nevarran culture?

Temperance: How well does Rook deal with a sudden crisis?

The Devil: What is Rook's greatest vice? Feel free to define "vice" as loosely as you'd like.

The Tower: Minrathous or Treviso? And, crucially, why? Do they regret it?

The Star: What's the thing that keeps Rook going when things get tough?

The Moon: What is something they're aware of but would much rather ignore?

The Sun: What brings them joy?

Judgement: Does Rook have any regrets in the end?

The World: What does Rook do after Thedas is saved?

[cursed-candlehop]

hewwo :3c

Oedipus: Has Rook ever been in a situation where they had to choose between someone (or group) they were loyal to and their own ethical values?

Persephone: If Rook was possessed by a spirit, which type of spirit would be attracted to them? Would Rook alter the spirit? (Ex: Justice ➡️ judgement, compassion ➡️ cloying, or passion ➡️ obsession)

Oooh, these are tough ones!

Oedipus: Has Rook ever been in a situation where they had to choose between someone (or group) they were loyal to and their own ethical values?

Every time he gets wind of a Crow assignment and doesn't intervene because he doesn't want to lose Lucanis (or Spite) for good. Fede doesn't even kill Venatori if he doesn't absolutely, 100% have to; the idea that some people out there are getting paid for murder and don't see anything wrong with that is quietly horrifying to him, and he doesn't even have any idea of most of the bullshit the Crows do internally. Which is probably for the best, because while he wouldn't kill an old lady, he would definitely conveniently deposit one in the most isolated and inconvenient-to-reach settlement he can find an Eluvian to, and that wouldn't end well for anyone involved.

Persephone: If Rook was possessed by a spirit, which type of spirit would be attracted to them? Would Rook alter the spirit?

Oh boy, uh. Depends on the point in his journey, I guess; curiosity, compassion, affection, anything of the like would work -- but after Fede becomes Rook? Duty. Not much altering going on there since duty is already a pretty terrible thing to be saddled with, but he'd definitely bring out the more self-sacrificing elements of the spirit.

[antivan-sprig]

Rook Mythology Asks

Hello DA friends! Hitting you with some more Rook asks. It’s very fun reading all your answers (and I really do try to read them all!) Hopefully these are relatively different than my previous asks, these are, once again vaguely, related to Greek + Roman mythology.

Feel free to use as an ask game or just to inspire some writing.

Thanks to @bubblecat-co for helping me come up with a theme!

Companions/NPCs dynamics:

Rhea: Did your Rook know any of the companions/NPCs before the events of the game?

Eris: Does Rook ever have any disagreements with any NPCs/Companions?

Sisyphus: How does Rook react to Lucanis/Neve after The Big Choice™️

Hestia: Who would Rook feel most comfortable confiding in?

Hades: Do any of the NPCs have strong opinions/feelings about Rook? Do these change throughout the events of the game?

Leda: How does Rook react to the spirits they encounter in the game?

Views on Others:

Ariadne: How does Rook interact with people of different societal backgrounds?

Minos: What does Rook think about people of a different faith? Does this affect how they interact with them?

Pavo: How polite/formal is Rook?

Medea: How would someone have described your Rook as a child and/or teen?

Andromeda: Is Rook perceived as pretty/attractive? (Feel free to brag a little, or drag them!)

Values:

Oedipus: Has Rook ever been in a situation where they had to choose between someone (or group) they were loyal to and their own ethical values?

Agamemnon: How does Rook react when they make a mistake or wrong someone?

Orestes: Does Rook believe in “the greater good?”

Eunomia: What’s their opinion on rules, laws, and order?

Cygnus: Does Rook ever lie? To what extent?

Past games:

Nyx: Did the blight in DAO affect them?

Apollo: Where does Rook stand on the mage/templar situation? (Flashbacks to DA2 discourse 🙀)

Ares: Did Anders do anything wrong? (Theoretically, if they knew who he was, what would they think of his actions?)

Delphi: Do/did they believe the Inquisitor was the Herald of Andraste?

Icarus: How do they feel about Solas? Does this change throughout the events of the game?

Zeus: What does Rook think about the elven gods?

Self:

Hecate: What scent(s) would Spite (or any spirit) identify your Rook with?

Persephone: If Rook was possessed by a spirit, which type of spirit would be attracted to them? Would Rook alter the spirit? (Ex: Justice ➡️ judgement, compassion ➡️ cloying, or passion ➡️ obsession)

Medusa: How would Rook feel about becoming an abomination? Would they ever seek separation?

(Side note: abomination feels like a word that would eventually be seen as offensive in Thedas.)

Pandora: Describe a time where Rook experienced a severe negative emotion (terror, rage, guilt, helplessness, wrath, jealousy, etc!)

Psyche: Does Rook like themselves?

[junejems]

Omg I’m back on the asks train and I’m gonna be SO much better about answering them (I’m trying to be!!!) so 👀👀👀 *pats the ask box* this bad boy can hold SO many asks!

[cursed-candlehop]

Decided to employ the exact opposite of my usual style for a little doodle: 1px lines staying solidly on top of the colors, with soft-edged shading. idk I think I felt nostalgic for 2010's oekaki boards or something...

[cursed-candlehop]

Quick sketch for the Fade discord server's 12 days of Cryptmas, day 3: Chestnuts and Spiced Tea

Fede would gladly nab a chestnut, but he'd have to remove his hands from his warm, warm mug to do so... Man, Nevarran winters are cold!

[cityandking]

dragon age: random inquisitor asks

Send a number to learn about the Inquisitor!

1. What is your Inquisitor's middle name?

2. What color is your Inquisitor's hair?

3. Where was your Inquisitor born? Where did they grow up?

4. What are your Inquisitor's parents names? Do they have siblings? What are their names?

5. How old is your Inquisitor at the start of the game?

6. Where does your Inquisitor like to hang out at Haven?

7. Who was your Inquisitor's first friend in the Inquisition?

8. Which advisor does your Inquisitor like best? Which do they trust the most?

9. Where does your Inquisitor like to hang out at Skyhold?

10. What does your Inquisitor do with their free time? Do they have any hobbies?

11. Where is your Inquisitor's favorite region to visit?

12. What was the first fight that knocked your Inquisitor out? How did they feel about that?

13. How does your Inquisitor react to being injured? Did they have combat experience prior to joining the Inquisition?

14. How does your Inquisitor feel about the anchor? Does it bother them?

15. Which companion is your Inquisitor closest to? Why?

16. Who did your Inquisitor romance? What drew them to that person?

17. How did your Inquisitor feel about becoming an Inquisition agent? How did they feel about getting promoted to Inquisitor?

18. What kind of armor does your Inquisitor wear? Do they like the official Inquisition armor, or do they prefer something else?

19. How does your Inquisitor dress when they aren't in the field?

20. What's your Inquisitor's preferred weapon? How and when did they learn how to use it?

21. What pet would your Inquisitor have? What would they name it?

22. What mount does your Inquisitor use? Did they name it?

23. What has your Inquisitor been up to between Trespasser and Veilguard?

24. If you have more than one Inquisitor, which do you consider your "canon" Inquisitor? Which is your favorite?

25. What's one thing you wish your Inquisitor could have done that wasn't an option? (e.g. become Divine, alternate romance, different quest outcome, different region map, etc.)

[lifeorbeth]

Send me character(s) and a letter and I’ll write you a minific!

A. Fire, flames, or excessive heat. B. Under cover of darkness. C. A moment’s respite. D. Subtle kindnesses. E. Sharing a drink. F. An absent look or touch. G. A fistfight. H. Someone’s greatest fear. I. Broken glass. J. When words aren’t enough. K. On the edge of consciousness. L. A stolen kiss. M. When it rains/snows/storms. N. The color green. O. The stars or space. P. While driving or in/around a car. Q. One missed call. R. A deafening sound. S. Music [send a song or a lyric] T. An obscure AU. U. Coming home. V. An abandoned or empty place. W. Waiting impatiently for something. X. A flash of anger. Y. Tears. Z. [Make up your own]

(inspired by this)

[serialsforbellara]

Ooh!

[cursed-candlehop]

I know I've been inactive here for a while but I'm absolutely around and working on stuff! Just not getting anything finished...

[cursed-candlehop]

A really sloppy doodle of the first glance my Modern AU!Rook gets of Emmrich.

Bonus: close up

[cursed-candlehop]

Got bored of not doing art, doodled my Rook!

It's always interesting drawing something after not doing it for a while, but I'm pretty happy with this tbh

[cursed-candlehop]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

It was an enduring topic in the arts, this most romantic of diseases. Theme of a thousand paintings, a hundred books, a dozen operas. Love so strong it needs to be aired out or it takes hold within one's lungs, flowering in the dark and spilling from the afflicted's lips as delicate blossoms, until the poor, tragic sod finally chooses Tranquility or death. Luckily for Emmrich, most of it was wildly exaggerated: Hanahaki disease, annoying and painful as it might be, wasn't deadly — and luckily, the feelings didn't have to be reciprocated, either. - Or: Turns out that hacking up half a bouquet of Shroud's Kiss every time your crush does something cute is damnably inconvenient.

(Emmrook, M/M, rated T. Mild(ish) h/c, mutual pining, hanahaki disease (the kind that usually won't kill you and also doesn't require the feelings to be requited but still sucks a lot). 7,236 words.)

This was my fic for @thefadediscordserver's Unexpected SplendAUr Zine. It's pretty lighthearted with a dash of old-fashioned pining and hurt/comfort.

Sample, featuring a truly cursed guessing game:

"You're hurting, Emmrich. I can tell that you're trying to hide it, but I can't — I can't un-see it." He sighed, smiled a pinched little smile. "Must be something truly heinous if you're this determined to keep your feelings secret."

"I don't — that's not the word I would have chosen," Emmrich replied.

"I can't even imagine who you could possibly be in love with that'd be that bad. It's… not Dorian, right? That'd be a bit awkward, what with him being your former student, but I'm sure he'd be flattered. Besides, he seems to be quite fond of you."

Hah.

"Oh, I'm sure he'd enjoy that a great deal," Emmrich replied. "He did spend the better part of a year trying to seduce me back when he was my student — which was obviously entirely out of the question. And even afterward… well. He was young and immature back then, and while I appreciated his considerable intelligence and talent, I did not care for his callousness. And now that we're both older and wiser, both our interests lie… elsewhere."

It had been a concerningly astute guess, though.

Rook nodded.

"That's about what I figured, really. So, Dorian's not it. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. Who, then… Hm, Hezenkoss?"

"No. Perhaps, once upon a time — but whatever there may have been is long gone."

"… Vorgoth?"

"Rook, please."

"Alright, alright." Rook took a deep breath, let the air escape with a hiss. Tilted his head. "Is it Solas?"

"Rook, I have never actually met the man," Emmrich replied patiently.

"Which raises an interesting question, doesn't it? What would happen if someone falls in love with a fictional character? Or someone long dead? Or a god—"

"Well they'd simply have to wait until the feelings—"

"— Maker's balls, it's not Elgar'nan, is it?"

"Rook—"

"— or Ghilan'nain? I know the tentacles are some people's thing, but they're all up in her—"

"Rook!"

"—hm?"

"Please, for both our sanity, stop guessing."

[cursed-candlehop]

I know I've been silent for a while; mostly because I landed a great museum internship that kept me very busy (and... continues to do so lmao), but also because I've been working away on something I wasn't allowed to show off yet: Modern AU Beach Trip Emmrook, featuring @crystalinn's Rook Lyrae, for @thefadediscordserver's Unexpected SplendAUr zine!

[riadoodles]

This might be a highly specific thing, BUT-

seeing your last cowboy fanart of Emmrich and Rook immediately had me thinking of this one scene from a german comedy movie.

They're tied up and threatened to be blown up and the cowboy in the black suit asks "Any last wishes?" and one of them responds with "The song from the superperforator ad!" No idea why but it reminds me of your Rook. ❤️😂

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxOWwgkmzw)

Omg thank you!! I’m so happy people enjoy the silly AUs i put Dawn in hehe

And omg I’m honored. I love how everyone’s headcanon of Dawn is true!!! Also this gave me inspo to make this… he would be such an insufferable hostage 😂