if you build “community” around hating other people, just know that the second you step out of line—regardless of your moral uprightness or the hypocrisy on their part—you’re the next person they’re going to tear to pieces.
If Rook saved Minrathous, then later in Treviso Neri de Acutis will thank them for it, because his niece is one of the Shadows.
Neri de Acutis: Shame you missed out on the dragon excitement we had, although I'm glad you helped the Shadow Dragons.
Rook: You're not upset I chose to go to Minrathous?
Neri de Acutis: Of course not. If the Shadow Dragons need a minder, who am I to deny them?
Neri de Acutis: Seriously though: I have a niece in the Dragons. Thank you for your help, wherever you give it.
Although the game never reveals who it is, hints can be found in the files. The character file of one of the Shadow Dragons, Marisa, mentions that she is Neri's contact.
Character Description: A lookout for the Shadow Dragons and contact for Antivan Crow Neri de Acutis. She keeps an eye on the situation in Docktown.
Marisa can be found in the Shadow Dragons' Safehouse, she also appears briefly during the Shadows of Minrathous quest.
There's not much conversation with her, and the subject of the Crows never comes up. However, in the cut content, she was supposed to have a small part in the Crow's quest, where her relation to the de Acutis family was mentioned. She's also hinted at in banter between Neri and Noah that was cut from the game. There will be another post about it.
Elek's lines in Act 3 now differ depending on whether Neve is alive or not.
Elek Tavor: To be clear: I haven't been fighting Venatori just so their god can kill me. Take him down, Rook.
If Neve is alive:
Elek Tavor: Have fun. And keep the boss alive. Who else will pay me for gossip?
Elek Tavor: Cards when this is over?
If Neve is dead:
Elek Tavor: Neve always said a job would get her. She didn't have to be right about it.
Elek Tavor: Do me a favor, Rook. Look that god in the eye… and make his death slow.
Bellara: Harding! You can fight this! I know it!
Davrin: Harding, don't! This isn't you! Fight it!
Emmrich: Fight this, Harding! Return to us!
If Lucanis forgave Illario
Lucanis: Harding, listen to yourself! Does that anger sound like yours?
If Lucanis imprisoned Illario
Lucanis: The elves aren't here! Pick your target!
Otherwise
Lucanis: Harding! This isn't you!
If Neve is Dock Town's inspiration
Neve: Lace, stop! Fight this! I know you can!
If Neve is Dock Town's protector
Neve: Damn it, Lace! Fight it! And don't back down!
Otherwise
Neve: Lace, you're not yourself! Fight this!
If Taash is romancing Harding
Taash: Come back to me! Please! Lace!
Otherwise
Taash: Fight it! You are stronger than this!
Harding: (Screams)
Rook: Harding, please!
Harding: Why? Did the elves stop when we begged? When the earth itself screamed?
probably one of my favourite little moments in the game, because Taash and Emmrich, deep into their argument, immediately uniting against Rook when they try to be a smart ass about it, always sends me
While restoring cut banter during A Murder of Crows (here and here), I found out that the wrong flag was set for that quest. And if you chose Save Caterina in the mental prison, you won't hear the lines related to that choice. By default, the game thinks as if you chose Punish Illario, even though the lines are actually supposed to differ
Rook: Did Illario even offer any bait? What is this party supposed to be for?
Lucanis: Viago's invitation said they would "celebrate the new First Talon and discuss the situation in Treviso."
If Lucanis chose to save Caterina during the Inner Demons
Lucanis: It doesn't matter. I'm getting Caterina out of there.
Lucanis: We find her, and Illario's plan falls apart.
Otherwise
Lucanis: It doesn't matter what my cousin thinks he's doing. It ends now.
Lucanis: We go in, find Caterina, and we'll have the perfect shot at Illario.
-----
Bellara: What will you do? When you find Illario, I mean.
Davrin: So, you find your cousin. What then?
Emmrich: Have you considered what you'll do once you catch your cousin?
Harding: So… we're looking for Illario. Now that you know… everything.
Neve: You know how this is going to end, right?
Taash: Hey. Lucanis. You gonna kill Illario?
If Lucanis chose to save Caterina during the Inner Demons
Lucanis: I'm here for Caterina. Whatever happens to Illario is just a bonus.
Otherwise
Lucanis: He will suffer for what he's done. That's the deal.
-----
Lucanis: The family rooms are up ahead.
If Lucanis chose to save Caterina during the Inner Demons
Lucanis (Spite): Soon. We will find. Our goal.
Otherwise
Lucanis (Spite): First her. And then. We find what we seek.
-----
Rook: Do you have a plan to deal with Illario?
Lucanis: …
Rook: Lucanis?
Lucanis: I'm working on it.
If the player saved Minrathous
Lucanis (Spite): The traitor. Deserves. No mercy.
If Lucanis chose to save Caterina during the Inner Demons
Lucanis (Spite): We know. His tricks.
Otherwise
Lucanis (Spite): He is ours! He will not. Escape us.
Am I okay? Not really. This fic has been a labour of love for almost a year. I never thought I could write anything so long.
But in no way would it have been nearly as fun as it had been without so many of you supporting and encouraging me. So beneath the fold I have some thanks to give out.
Please be kind - my memory in general is not stellar, especially for names (yet another trait I've projected onto Dawes). Just know that if you ever reblogged my CQ updates or expressed your love for Dawes, my gratitude is deep and boundless.
My fiance @northyme, for putting up with my ranting and raving and helping me work through plot snarls. For reading the smut and giving their seal of approval. My pickle :)
@svalbird - for not even going here yet reading a big chunk of chapters, then actually playing Veilguard and joining the fandom. My whump buddy, my angst pal. I know you have my back when it's time to blend those blorbos
@d7kyoshi - My longfic pal, my brother-in-rooklace-arms. Many thanks for letting me bounce ideas off you and for keeping the hype train for dwarves and rooklace and yuri going (everyone read Taller Than Titans NOW!)
@epiphany-jones - for being an endless well of kind words and an all over inspiration, for always picking up what I'm putting down, for GETTING Dawes and cheering him on and also hunting him for sport. He needs both for proper enrichment
@himluv - for cheering in the tags and comments and being a huge supporter and Hardawes fan from the start, for the inspiration to even write about Hardawes in the first place after I read Say My Name (say it twice)!
@tkwritesdumbassassins - for your in depth comments and picking up on parallels and little breadcrumbs I placed throughout the fic, for being a great worldbuilding wall to bounce ideas off, and just a really positive influence
@cute-ellyna - for reblogging every update with hearts and kind words. It always helped and always put a smile on my face!
@falonwithbenefits - so much hype and encouragement and so many kind words!
@in-the-drowning-deep - So much blorbo brainstorming and rooklace and sharing songs!! My fellow Mercar!
The Lighthouse Creative Hub crew for the constant encouragement, for spinning off ideas, and for loving Hardawes as much as I do!!
There are so many more here on tumblr who I see in my notes constantly like @shoutyelf and @frostbittensun and @thedas-finest and @mythals-whore and @corinnesin and @imrowanartist and @blackwall-my-tiny-husband and @davrinsleftpectoral and @shadowknight19kay and @bronzieinthedas and so many more but my brain is an unmended net and everything is slipping out!
240k words are a heck of a lot. Before this, the most I had written in one piece of work had been just over 100k for a YA novel I had vague dreams of publishing, but that was before covid and burnout and everything. Writing fic brought back my love for writing, big time.
This isn't the end of Dawes and Harding's story. The sequel does not have a name yet, but it has its beats. In the meantime I have a Hardawes smut oneshot in the works, and of course, Let These Ruined Palms Be Your Chantry is going to get some much needed love. I will also be working on Bloodletting, a Merrill x Bellara postcanon fic. :)
Until then, enjoy this illustration I made some time ago with Dawes and Harding in their epilogue, picking daisies and recovering from saving the world.
From Ready Now - Dodie:
You saw through me all this time
I'd forgotten people are kind
I was hurting and you knew
So you showed me what to do
You said "I will listen, tell it all
When you're finished we'll talk more"
But I didn't know how, so we took it in turns
To my surprise we found my words
blakekathryn
andulkaphoto
ellievsbear
vaporwave
romaincrisis
gummygunk
snowghoul
