Warning: I'm not a lore expert, but I've played all the games and read a couple of books from the series. I want to share my observations, and if I'm wrong about anything, I'd appreciate it if you could correct me. English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes.
I decided to play Dragon Age: The Veilguard again, a year after my first playthrough (which turned into a two-month-long series of playthroughs back then 😅). I really like the theory that Rook is a spirit, not only because of the common bases like the fact that in one of the backstories, the Mourn Watch finds a baby in the Necropolis out of nowhere, but also because it is precisely Lucanis and Rook are the ones who kill the gods. We know that the Grey Warden who kills the Archdemon must die, and with the dragon, the elven god with whom it is associated also dies or something like that. This can be avoided with HoF in the first game using Morrigan's ritual. But! Lucanis, who delivers the final blow to Ghilan'nain, does not die, even though he kills the god herself, not even her avatar/Archdemon. Considering that other gods have killed Mythal without much consequence, I assume that "a spirit killing another (very powerful) spirit" does not have any particularly dire consequences for the killer (I remember that in the first game, we could kill a demon in the Fade, and we often kill their incarnations throughout the games, so I am making an emphasis on the spirit's power). Lucanis has Spite, so it's safe to assume that Spite's presence protected him from the consequences of killing a god. However, it was Rook who killed Elgar'nan, the most powerful of the Elven gods (at least of the two we're fighting). Rook, who had already severed his connection to Solas (if I remember correctly, the game mentioned that their connection to Solas could protect them in certain situations or allow them to hear the gods). Why didn't Rook die? They weren't possessed by a god/demon/spirit, and they hadn't performed any rituals involving Morrigan. Personally, I see this as one of the grounds for the theory that Rook is/was a spirit that has taken physical form, or a descendant of a posessed being like Morrigan is.
My personal headcanon for my Rook is that he is one of the smaller fragments of Mythal. For example, the aspect of generosity, of plenty or... of abundance (yes, just like what the Keeper of the Lighthouse says as a greeting when Rook communicates with them to improve equipment, etc. In the game, we saw how spirits greet each other by simply calling their name at least once (with Spite and Compassion)). An aspect that simply decided that they had enough of wandering and longing for the past, and that it was easier to start anew without the shadow of the old goddess they once were and later forgot about. It's also kind of poetic that Mythal finally gets her revenge on Elgar'nan in a way
Remastered this post (gave my sketches more love lol) and now with all the Evanuris shrimps!
But I keep thinking on the idea after seeing solas spirit form how it looked like a Vallaslin, so playing around with the idea the designs (I got heavily inspired by the inquisition variant) were based off the Evanuris original spirit forms.
So I HC that when the first elves became corporal they tattooed vallaslin on themselves to remember their once spirit selfs (I made a mistake with Ghilan’nain, apologies 😓). However when the Evanuris rose to power after the war, they removed theirs and replaced others to “claim” them under their patronage,The markings of course lost their meaning something that was honoring ones old self was turned into something horrendous
I tried to restore the original picture of Davrin/Harding's sacrifice, but can't say that I had much success. This version is still open to interpretation, but I have vibes of the Here Lies the Abyss quest. As if you had to leave someone behind to save yourself. Only this time it was a companion's choice. Well, depends on who you chose to lead the distraction team.
What's known for sure. They weren't damaged by the tentacles, didn't fall into the abyss, and Assan may have survived, so the "we'll find you" lines in the game make more sense. Presumably the companion died/disappeared as a result of the Fade tears explosion. This is hinted at by cut lines in the script.
You will fall here.
The magic's pulling the Fade apart! This is really bad!
It's their ritual! It's tearing everything apart!
The gods' ritual is unstable. Their spells are tearing open reality!
They're ripping the world apart!
Mierda! The Veil is falling apart!
Their magic, the ritual… it's pulling everything apart!
I will tear apart your interfering flesh!
The mortals press!
We are close, Ghilan'nain. Victory is all but assured.
They persist.
Let us gift them a hero's death.
Rook!
She changed it! I'll do, ah… something!
Those Fade tears! I'll make them… I'm sorry!
You have to live!
This is my purpose, Rook. Lead them to victory. The other Wardens will protect you!
What we have is stronger than death. I'll be in your heart. The other Wardens will protect you!
Goodbye, Assan!
(Alarmed squawk)
Davrin!
Move!
Assan! On Rook!
Assan, what are you doing?
(Determined squawk)
Davrin!
No, no, no!
He didn't—Davrin!
He just… oh Davrin!
We have to go!
No!
Davrin wouldn't let the blight win. We can't either. We're the only ones left.
Let's give them that fight.
Those Fade tears, I'll make them… I'm sorry!
The team needs you, Rook! Let me!
You saved me once. Let me save you this time.
Harding?
Getting to know you was fun. Don't forget me, okay?
Tell my ma I love her.
Harding!
(Yells)
Lace!
She just… oh Harding!
Did she-Harding!
They're dead. Those bastards are dead!
No one else. No one!
Harding! Damn it!
Those bastards are dead! Dead!
I'll cut their hearts out!
I guess the "whatever it takes" version came next, but still included the Fade tears explosion.
Rook! We're here!
Davrin/Harding! We're going to take down that blight barrier!
Watch those Fade tears!
Got it!
Rook! You get close, that Fade Tear will kill you!
Rook! Stay back, that Fade Tear will kill you!
I know.
Davrin? Wait!
Harding? What are you doing?
Like I said, Rook. Whatever it takes.
I told you, Rook. Whatever it takes.
What else. In the previous version of Prison of Regret, Harding blamed Rook for leaving her.
I did everything for you, Rook. And then you left me.
There are also narrative sketches by Nick Thornborrow, where Rook sees Davrin's sacrifice in the Prison of Regret.
As for Ghilan'nain death. Remember the concept art of her giant form?
It looks like our fellow Crow was killing her in this very scene. So the companion's sacrifice wasn't for Lucanis to finally hit the target.
There are few more crumbs of Ghilan'nain's alternate death.
The dagger is complete.
With this, we will unshackle what that fool, Solas, called the blight.
Let's celebrate by finishing these mortals.
All your effort, all your plans, little Rook, were for naught.
One of your companions is gone. Sacrificed for nothing.
And your precious mage is ours to mold as we wish.
As are you.
You're already dead.
This is for everyone we lost.
This is for the Wardens.
I'm just a Warden who wants you to know one thing.
This is for Weisshaupt.
Die.
A lot of good people came here to stop you.
This is for all of them.
People are gone thanks to you.
I lost friends to you.
That's never happening to anyone again.
Talk is cheap.
But you missed something.
The Crows send their regards.
You cannot…
(SCREAMS)
Elgar'nan… I had… such plans…
In the game after Tearstone Island, if Harding sacrificed herself, Rook in her room doesn't lose hope of seeing her again. Both in-game and cut lines.
Rook: There was no trace of you, Harding. You were just… gone.
Default lines
Rook: You didn't give up when I was lost. Because friends don't give up on each other.
Rook: And if you're still out there, we will find you.
Rook: Whatever it takes.
Romance lines
Rook: I don't know how I know, but I feel you. Right here. I just can't see you.
Rook (dwarf): Maybe it's a dwarf thing. A Titan thing…
Rook: Maybe it's my imagination.
Rook: Or maybe it's just love.
Rook: I'll see you again, Lace Harding. One day.
Cut lines
Rook: I know you're still out there, Harding. Somewhere.
Rook: We're going to find you, Harding. Just like you found me.
Rook: Wherever you are. Just know we're coming.
Rook: Whatever it is, I'm coming to get you, Lace Harding. Just hold on.
There are also unvoiced lines where Rook mentions Davrin as well.
I know Davrin and Assan are still out there. We need to find them.
We're going to find Davrin. And Assan.
We need to look for Harding.
We must continue the search for Harding's whereabouts.
Find Harding. What else matters?
Devnotes in the script describe that Rook was going to look for Davrin or Harding after the finale.
Rook gives the team their seventh pep talk after the Finale.
We're sticking together. The gods might be dead, but there's more to do in this world.
We'll find Harding or Davrin. Somehow.
I believe these are pieces from that pep talk.
I want to find Davrin and Assan and fight another dragon. In that order.
I want to find Harding and fight another dragon. In that order.
One of the cut achievements has an interesting description that hints at post-game content.
On return to Rivain Island, defeat the Executor and collect the Memento for Davrin/Harding
The Executor is one of the guys in the secret ending.
And finally, the codex entries about the rescue of Davrin and Harding. I couldn't trigger them in the game, but the text can still be found.
Lost Friendship
There was something comforting about Davrin. Something solid. It felt like he was always going to be there, no matter what else happened. And now, suddenly, he isn't. He's gone. So's Assan. They were my friends, and now they're gone. I wish I could tell Davrin about Ghilan'nain. And Elgar'nan. Tell him that we finally got them back for Weisshaupt, and for everything else. Assan's squawking used to wake me up in the middle of the night. I didn't mind. It was kind of calming. Kept this place feeling a lot more real and a lot less weird. Now I'll never hear that squawking again. Or hear Davrin hum the lullaby he'll never admit to singing. I miss it. —From Bellara's journal
I keep thinking about Harding. It's hard not to. She was my friend, and she was here. Now she's gone. I cried the other day, when I was cooking supper. I was making Apple Cheesy Butter Noodles, not even really thinking about it. And I thought "Harding's going to love that I finally got around to making these." Then it hit me… I'll never get to tell her that. I'll never get to let her know how bad they tasted.
Text removed after release by patches.
It's not fair. We won. In the end, I mean. Took down Elgar'nan. Stopped Solas. Saved the world. I know it wasn't Harding's first time saving the world, but still. She should've been there. She earned it.
Text added after release by patches.
I'm sorry, Harding. I should've made them sooner.
—From Bellara's journal
Hope Springs Eternal
I keep turning my head every time I go past Davrin's room. I never thought I'd give anything to hear that dreadful squawking noise Assan makes before he settles down for the night, or one of Davrin's droll remarks on necromancy. Yet if anyone can survive wherever they've vanished, it's the Warden who killed an Archdemon and the griffon he saved. I will not spurn hope. Not for this. —From Emmrich's diary
I sought out Taash today, to ask if they wanted to accompany me to Ferelden and break the news of Harding's disappearance to her mother. I'd expected a curt nod or short acknowledgement. Instead, they were so relieved, they looked as if they might cry. Taash had already been planning on going, and thought they'd have to do it themselves! Alone! We'll go together. We shall swear to Harding's mother that we'll find her daughter or, more likely, her daughter will find her way back to us first. —From Emmrich's diary
Lost Friends
Dearest Ma, Things are finished, and we won, but I don't think it's over. Because it's never really over. We lost Davrin and Assan (the griffon). But they're not dead, just gone, for now. I need that to be true. I think it could've been me. It's complicated, but we both volunteered for something. If it had been me missing, I know they wouldn't give up, so I won't either. This probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense to you. I'll explain better soon. I just needed to write, because writing to you always helps me clear my head. I could never do what I do without knowing that you were back home, rooting for me. For all of us. Lots of love, Lace
Dear Rook, Emmrich and Taash told me about Lace. They talked about what you've all been through. I cannot begin to understand any of it, but I have to believe I'll see my daughter walk through our front door again. One day. Don't blame yourself for what happened. I know my Lace, and I know whatever she did, she did willingly. For her friends. Don't give up. She wouldn't. —Harding's Ma
so i'd first like to personally thank the artist at owlcat that gave solomorne the sexy little thigh harness belt situation in this concept art, and secondly i'd like to state that i consider it an attack and an act of homophobia against me personally that this isn't part of his in-game armor
I just wanted to see new romance, but also how couldn't I not romance Heinrix again? So of course they both came into Lavinia's office, all scary with their hands crossed 😭
I mentioned in a useless fact that you can actually see Teia and Viago fighting during the Murder of Crows, but couldn't record a video back then due to Technical Difficulties. however, you can behold them now in all their background glory ٩(＾◡＾✿)۶
