watching the world

Currently obsessed with Rookanis from Dragon Age: The Veilguard

[selennes]

An Emoji's Worth a Thousand Words

Send an emoji (or several) and a WIP name and get a snippet or a ramble inspired by (or tangentially related to) whatever you sent!

I've seen @awardenandacrow play this game more than once, and I want to try my hand at it, too. Hopefully it gives me the much needed push to be productive again 😊

Current WIPs:

Abduction AU,

Barindur Priestess AU,

Rook Week 2026,

Lucanis Week 2026,

Illario Week 2026.

You can send me more than one ask if you want to! 😉

Visibility tags: @elishnord, @chaosherald, @serensama, @rookamell, @frotees-corner, @im-on-fire-today

[luna-azzurra]

Amnesia Prompts!!

☆ "You keep looking at me like I should remember you. I'm sorry. I'm trying."

☆ "They told me who I was. I don't recognize that person at all."

☆ "You loved someone who wore my face. I don't know if I can be them again."

☆ "Don't tell me everything at once. Let me find some of it myself."

☆ "I know I'm supposed to feel something when I look at you. I'm waiting for it."

☆ "You're a stranger to me. The saddest part is I can tell I wasn't to you."

☆ "My hands remember things my mind doesn't. That terrifies me."

☆ "Everyone keeps telling me who I was. Nobody is asking who I want to be."

☆ "I fell in love with you twice. Once before and once just now."

☆ "You kept everything. Every photo every letter. What do I do with that kind of love?"

☆ "I don't remember our history but I remember how you make me feel. Is that enough?"

☆ "Don't grieve me while I'm still standing here. I can't bear that."

☆ "I lost my past but I still have a future. I'm trying to focus on that."

☆ "You're the only thing that feels familiar and I can't explain why."

☆ "I know I loved you. I can feel the shape of it even if I've lost the details."

[merrinla]

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.

[wolfpup026]

A study of The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel with Lucanis 💜

[merrinla]

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.

[selennes]

Not only there's cut content, there's bugged content :/ I guess I've been lucky I haven't come across much of that?

[eastern-lights]

Throughout the history of Thedas, there had been multiple attempts to set the Litany of Adralla to music, both to serve as a memory aid and to have the melody provide a sense of comfort to the petitioner, in addition to the protection from demonic forces the litany itself provides.

None of these compositions have quite managed to rival the popularity of the rather controversial Mother Nicana version, which will be presented to you shortly.

Born in Jader in 7:56 Storm, Revered Mother Nicana was a figure as beloved by her faithful as she was inconvenient to her superiors.

Ever practical, as well as a fierce advocate for following the spirit of the Chant, regardless of the politics of the time, she faced criticism from peers in the Chantry for choosing the original Tevene text as the basis for her composition. When pressed, she simply answered that if she could find a single translation that fit the original's metre, she would consider it.

In spite of this short-lived controversy (or perhaps because of it), this version became popular especially among those who had need of the litany for practical uses, such as the Mourn Watchers of Nevarra.

The following are two performances of Mother Nicana's Litany of Adralla. One was performed by the lay sisters of the Tantervale Chantry. The other was heard sung in Kirkwall's Lowtown by an initial survivor (presumed to have been a minstrel employed in the Hanged Man tavern) of the catastrophic fallout of Anders' destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry in an attempt to protect himself and several others from the demons that surrounded them.

Visit Original Link

Visit Original Link

[eastern-lights]

Lyrics (vowels in brackets are those that undergo elision; translation follows):

Auctor meus, miserere mihi,

Auctor mundi, avert(e) iram tuam.

Orig(o) omnis, miserere mihi,

Orig(o) animarum, avert(e) iram tuam.

Andraste, spons(a) Auctoris, audi me,

Andraste, sancta prophetis, audi me.

Redemptrix omnium, exaudi me,

Domina maeroris, exaudi me.

Ne patiamini animas piorum corrumpi,

in hor(a) aterrim(a) adiuvate servum vestrum humilem.

In nomin(e) Andrastes, fiat ita.

In nomin(e) Auctoris, fiat ita.

My Maker, have mercy on me,

Maker of the World, avert Thy wrath.

Origin of Everything, have mercy on me,

Wellspring of Souls, avert Thy wrath.

Andraste, Bride of the Maker, hear me,

Andraste, Holy Prophetess, hear me,

Redeemer of All, hear my prayer,

Lady of Sorrows, hear my prayer.

Let you not suffer the souls of the faithful to be corrupted,

in this darkest hour, aid your lowly servant.

In the name of Andraste, so let it be.

In the name of the Maker, so let it be.

Note: In the English version, "you" is used in the older sense of "you two" or "you all", while "thou" (or rather the possessive "thy") is used for the singular. Therefore, when asking for the Maker to avert His wrath, the penitent is addressing the Maker only. Later on, though, when asking for protection against corruption, they are addressing both the Maker and Andraste.

This distinction is also present in the Latin text.

[beastliness]

I should be able to draw whatever I want to my own satisfaction the first time I try without practicing

[selennes]

@cute-ellyna, so true:

Like, can the scene in my imagination simply pour onto paper / into document at will, without the struggle of "what's the right word to describe this?!"? :) :) :)

[orlesian-menace]

Illario’s pin is the same one given out during parades in Treviso. How devastating is it that a pin he may have received with Lucanis as a child became the tool that would represent the tragedy of their story?

[selennes]

For a long time, before replaying Bloodbath and paying attention to the design of this memento, I used to think that this brooch was a gift to Illario from Zara 😈

And of course Alma would recognize it and... well... not expose Illario on the spot, he's sus as it is, but it would've played a part at some point. Now it wouldn't, of course 😂

[wolfsong-the-bloody-beast]

[dellamortal]

Cole: Sharp thoughts behind careful silence. Spite pacing circles beneath them, restless and running and wrathful.

Lucanis: You couldn't have simply said he is irritated, no?

Lucanis (Spite): Hungry. Bored.

Cole: He likes when you cook. The kitchen feels warm instead of watchful.

Lucanis: That may be the first sensible thing either of you has said today.

Lucanis (Spite): More. Sugar pastries. Sweet. Good.

Lucanis: No. Absolutely not.

[dalishious]

A list of malevolent spirit (demon) ideas

(* = canon)

Abuse, Aggression, Allure*, Angst, Anxiety, Apathy, Arrogance, Atrocity, Audacity*

Banality, Bedlam, Belligerence, Betrayal, Brutality

Callousness, Caress*, Chaos, Conceit, Confusion, Contempt, Control, Corruption, Craze, Cruelty, Cynicism

Death, Decay, Deceit, Defeat, Defiance, Denial, Depression, Desire*, Despair*, Despondence*, Detachment, Devious, Disappointment, Disease, Disgust, Disruption, Distress, Domination, Dread

Ego, Embarrassment, Enmity, Entropy, Envy*, Erasure, Esurience, Expiration

Failure, Fanaticism, Fear*, Feebleness, Ferocity, Filth, Flirtation, Foolishness, Forlorn, Forsake, Frailty, Fright, Frivolity, Frustration

Ignorance, Illness, Impudence, Impulse, Indolence, Infection, Injury, Insatiation, Insecurity, Intolerance, Isolation*

Gloom, Gluttony, Grave, Greed, Grief, Grime, Grudge

Hanker*, Harm, Hate, Hindrance, Hollow, Horror*, Hostility, Hubris, Humiliation, Hunger*, Hurt, Hybris*, Hysteria

Impatience

Jealousy, Jilt, Jinx

Lament, Languish, Laziness, Lethargy, Loathing, Loneliness, Loss, Lovelorn, Lust, Lying

Macabre, Malevolence, Malaise, Malice, Manipulation, Mayhem, Misery*, Menace, Mess, Mockery, Mourning

Naïveté, Necrosis, Neglect, Nemesis, Nervousness, Nihilism, Numbness

Obscurity, Obsession, Offence, Omen, Oppression, Ornery

Pain, Pandemonium, Passivity*, Perversion, Pessimism, Pillaging, Prejudice, Pride*

Rapacity*, Rage*, Regression, Rejection, Regret*, Remorse*, Renege, Repulsion, Revenge, Revolt, Rue, Ruin, Ruthlessness

Sadness, Scarcity, Scorn, Shame*, Sickness, Sloth*, Sorrow, Spite*, Stress, Strife, Suspicion

Tension, Terror*, Threat, Torment, Torpor*, Torture, Tragedy, Trauma, Treachery, Treasure*, Trickery, Tyranny*

Vanity, Venality, Vendetta, Vengeance*, Vexation, Vice, Vile, Violation, Violence, Virulence, Vulgarity

War, Waste, Weakness, Weariness, Wickedness, Wilting, Withering, Woe, Worry, Wrath

Yeverous

Zealotry

---

[Benevolent list]

[selennes]

It probably won't be called that, but I recently saw this photo and am thinking of Hope corrupted into Addiction:

[dalishious]

A list of benevolent spirit ideas

(* = canon)

Adaptation, Admiration, Adoration, Adventure*, Achievement, Aid, Allure, Amity, Amusement, Assurance

Beauty, Balance, Belief, Belonging, Benevolence*, Blessing, Bliss, Bloom, Bond, Bravery, Brilliance

Calm, Candor, Care, Chance, Change, Chaos*, Charity, Charm, Chivalry, Clarity, Command*, Comfort, Compassion*, Confidence, Contemplation, Constance, Control, Courage*, Creation, Cunning, Curiosity*

Daring, Decision, Delight, Deliverance, Demand, Determination*, Devotion*, Dignity, Discovery, Disruption*, Dream, Drive, Duty*

Empathy, Enduring, Esteem, Eulogy*, Excitement, Equality

Faith*, Fame, Fate, Favour, Finesse, Focus, Flourish, Fortune, Freedom

Generosity, Gentleness, Glee, Glory, Grace, Guard, Guidance, Guile

Harmony, Healing, Heroism, Honesty, Honour*, Hope*

Imagination, Inspiration, Instinct

Jokes, Joy, Judgement, Justice*

Kindness, Knowledge*

Leadership, Learning*, Legacy, Liberty, Life, Love*, Loyalty, Luck

Mayhem, Melody, Memory*, Mercy, Merit, Modesty, Mourning, Musing, Mystery

Navigation, Nourishment, Nurture

Obedience

Panache, Passion, Patience, Peace, Perseverance*, Persistence, Play, Pleasure, Pluck*, Power, Prestige, Purpose*, Prayer, Promise, Protection, Prudence

Query, Question, Quiet

Reason, Reassurance, Recollection, Reflection, Reminiscence, Repentance, Resistance, Resolve, Respect

Safety, Salvation, Satisfaction, Searching, Sharing, Shelter, Silence, Sincerity, Solace, Soothing, Strength, Sympathy

Temerity, Temperance, Tenacity, Tenderness, Thrill, Treasure, Triumph, Trust, Truth

Unity

Valor*, Value, Veneration, Venture, Verity, Victory

Wander, Wisdom*, Wish, Wonder, Worship

Yearning

Zeal, Zest

---

[Malevolent list]

[luna-azzurra]

Signs you wrote the Creepy Cinnamon roll correctly!!!

This is a question from anon and i am legally obligated to include this image when i answer it!!

𐙚 they do something mildly terrifying and something incredibly sweet in the same scene and walk away before anyone can process either

𐙚 the first time they do something kind the POV character just stands there blinking like their brain buffered

𐙚 they remembered something tiny and specific that someone mentioned once in passing six months ago. nobody asked them to remember this. they just did. and then acted on it. silently.

𐙚 they show up when someone is having a bad time without being called, or without asking if they’re okay, or without saying anything really. they just. appear. and stay.

𐙚 the way they show affection is so subtle and so weird that at least two characters don’t even realize they’re being loved on

𐙚 someone tries to thank them and they look genuinely uncomfortable. like the concept of being appreciated has never occurred to them as a possibility and they want it to stop.

𐙚 they said something with complete sincerity in such a flat voice that it took everyone in the room three full seconds to realize it wasn’t a threat

𐙚 one character clocked them as a cinnamon roll in chapter two and has been watching everyone else slowly figure it out with the energy of someone rewatching a movie they’ve already seen

𐙚 another character is STILL scared of them even after witnessing multiple acts of genuine tenderness and honestly? valid. both things are true.

𐙚 they would genuinely rather walk into traffic than say “i care about you” out loud but they have shown up at 2am with no explanation multiple times

𐙚 someone describes them as dangerous to a person who knows them well and that person has to physically stop themselves from laughing

[selennes]

For some reason I imagine now that this should be Alma's vibe. Or should have been at least at some point of her life. Maybe in Inquisition?

Like - yes, she's kind and helpful. But also weird at best. And canny. She's a maleficar, for Maker's sake. Not malicious, but she knows things most people would find unsettling at best, vile and horrible at worst. And she knows how to do said things, if push comes to shove.

[weirdlandtv]

Illustrations by Sheilah Beckett for THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES (1954).

[merrinla]

When you first arrive at the Cantori Diamond, there are no banners hanging. But as you progress through the crows questline, they appear. Moreover, the cut conversations with Fletcher reflected each state.

Before A Slow Poison quest is completed, there's no banner hanging there.

If A Slow Poison quest is completed, Fletcher's banner can be seen next to his store. If the player saved Minrathous, it'll disappear later, along with Fletcher himself.

After completing For the Love of Treviso quest, three banners of de Acutis (Neri and Noa's house) appear in the casino. I think it's because they were actively involved in that quest earlier.

And after completing A Time to Kill quest, the final two banners of Egrativi (Jacobus' new house) are hung.

Unlike Fletcher's banner, the city choice doesn't affect the others.

There's still some space left in the hub, but I don't know if that means there was supposed to be another banner here, or if it's just to make the crow statue at the entrance visible.

In the game, conversations with Fletcher are disabled, although there's still a change in the environment.

[pixiedurango]

Alma Amell - a vibes board

Alma is a stunning Rook with a super interesting and unique backstory (for example: Zara Renata is her mother, she was rescued into the Shadow Dragons by Dorian and she is romancing Lucanis). I was asked by the ever so awesome @elishnord to create a vibes board for Alma as a surprise gift for her mama @selennes. I really hope I caught Alma's vibe, her beauty, her dramatic backstory and her wonderful personality.

[selennes]

Well, I've just started, but you get the idea...

Thank you so much for this amazing gift! ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

All those quotes and images, and they reflect her so well??? 😍 My poor baby 🥲

Love the transition of the colour scheme across the outfits from top to bottom from red & white to red & black and then magenta (right above Lucanis and Spite, no less! 😁)

@elishnord, thank you for coming up with this idea! ☺️

[merrinla]

Apparently, to get into the Hall of Valor, you previously had to get a invitation by impressing the Spirits of Valor. This is mentioned in cut lines from the first conversation with Taash in their room.

If Rook is a Lord of Fortune: Rook: I never did learn how to get invited to the Hall. Other faction: Rook: How do we get an invite? Taash: Head to Rivain and look for trouble. Spirits of Valor will send the invite once we've impressed them.

[selennes]

What an awesome idea!💡