“Even with the row of cheap rental houses as his backdrop, the man looked like he was posing for a damn Calvin Klein ad right then.” -Fault Lines, Ch 1
I’ve loved drawing all of these modern AU versions of the trio, but man, modern Lucanis just hits different.
jeez, the ideas are strong with me this weekend I guess. I'm gonna post this on AO3 but you can enjoy it here, now.
Emmrich x Lucanis (x Xiqaa and Spite) 1600 words, set during the early part of It's Still You, but after Lucanis makes up with Xi. Rated M for suggestive non-explicit content.
Lucanis missed the sun. It had been a very grey, dreary week in Treviso, and he woke from a dream of sun‑drenched beaches and pounding surf. A thin wash of grey light filtered through the veranda screens, muting the room around the edges.
Rook.
Lucanis sniffed; he’d known the dream was missing something, something ever‑present and yet absent. She was his sun. Without her here, he was no more than mist, clinging fruitlessly to the cold stone of the city.
Below the window, the canal shifted with a quiet lap of water, a reminder that the world still moved, that time still advanced. Too slowly.
A vivid image of water drops clinging to dark skin with darker markings inserted itself into his mind. Xiqaa’s arm, seamed with scars and drawn over with tattoos, soft skin adorned with nothing beyond the natural quicksilver of sun‑shot droplets. His gaze caught on a wing; delicate feather‑patterns layered with an expert hand, seeming more real the longer he looked. Moisture spangled the wings like diamonds among coal‑colored feathers.
Not what he’d dreamed, then; a thought of Spite’s. The shades of this memory were sharp around the edges in a way even his excellent human sight couldn’t replicate.
The tattoos had a magical luminosity Lucanis had never seen, but Spite had mentioned in passing.
How do you manage, seeing such a different world through my eyes? he asked silently.
Spite’s answer wasn’t truly an answer. We wanted to see Rook. They look like this in our mind.
Beside them, Emmrich breathed in deep, a sure sign he was waking. The Rivaini-made blanket he preferred, woven with images of mermaids, slipped slightly as he shifted, its softened threads brushing Lucanis’ hip.
“Did we wake you?” Lucanis wasn’t sure how he felt about his loud nighttime thoughts being enough to wake his bedpartner. It wasn’t really his thoughts, exactly, doing the waking, but he was the only other body in the room, so somehow the fault must lie with him.
“I heard Spite,” Emmrich murmured, stretching. “I was dreaming of Xiqaa’s skin, gilded by sunlight and crowned in drops of water that surpassed diamonds in their beauty.”
“Did we share a dream? Or a vision? I am not sure what to call it.”
“I believe so. In the Fade, it is possible to dream with another; our dreams are made real through the imprint of energy on the ineffable matter of the spirit realm.”
Lucanis sighed. He wanted to go back; to do more than dream of Xi’s sunlit skin.
“Would you tell me what you dreamed?” Emmrich asked, rolling to face him and sliding an arm over Lucanis’ ribcage.
The faint scent of damp stone drifted in from the canal as he searched for the memory. He rarely remembered his dreams, but as he cast around for it, Spite pushed something forward and suddenly it was there, like the shape of a childhood toy found at the bottom of an old trunk.
“The dream was based on a memory, but quickly became something more,” he began, like someone reading unfamiliar words aloud for the first time. “One of the first times we went to the Rivain coast, we discovered a cave concealed under a waterfall. I asked Xiqaa if they thought there might be treasure inside, and we found something. They were delighted with the find, but then…” A flush crept into his cheeks. “She saw that I was more comfortable in the shadows, in my full armor, and invited me to take off some of my layers.”
Emmrich chuckled. “Impertinent creature.”
“Even in my dreams,” Lucanis agreed, smiling. “They were taking off my cape, braiding my hair into a small queue and I could feel their fingers on my neck…” he trailed off, the sensation as clear against his skin as it had been when he was sleeping.
Emmrich made a soft, involuntary sound—not desire, but something warmer, deeper. A kind of yearning threaded with fondness. He shifted closer, resting more of his weight along Lucanis’ side, as if the memory itself had a gravity that pulled him in.
“What else?” he asked, voice low with anticipation and an unexpected hunger.
“We stood under the waterfall and she kissed me.” Lucanis’ words didn’t convey the absolute searing passion in the way they’d clung to him like the water would sweep them away, or how his tongue had curled and licked into their mouth, a desperate, aching exploration that made his own flesh rise even now.
The closeness, the trust, the way the world had narrowed to the warmth of her mouth and the roar of water around them—it all rose in him with startling clarity.
Judging from the needy sound Emmrich made, he understood exactly how it had made Lucanis feel.
He sucked in a shocked breath, not from the memory this time, but from the sudden, familiar twist of guilt. He should not want this so sharply. He should not let the echo of Xi’s touch ripple through him while Emmrich lay warm against his side.
It is not wrong to feel deeply for more than one, Spite murmured, his tone neither urging nor warning, simply observing. Emmrich’s expression suggested he heard the truth in it.
Lucanis swallowed. “It feels like it should be,” he admitted quietly, the words slipping out before he could stop them.
Emmrich’s expression softened, as if he’d heard both Spite and the guilt Lucanis hadn’t meant to reveal. There was no jealousy in his eyes, only understanding and something tender enough to make Lucanis feel exposed and cradled at the same time. “What if you tell me of them, and I…manage things here?” he inquired delicately. “I love you both beyond words, mein Schatz. We can think of her together.”
The offer was soft, generous, and it made something inside him ache with both longing and shame; the old fear that wanting too much would make him unworthy of either of them. Yet Emmrich’s voice held no reproach, only reassurance that loving Xi and loving him were not opposing truths but a single, shared warmth.
He let out a slow breath, the guilt still there but now gentled by Emmrich’s steadiness. Closing his eyes as Emmrich’s hands soothed his body, he tried to recall the scene again.
“We kissed,” he continued, “then she drew me onto the sand there in front of the cave where the shade of a tree shaded us. We lay talking, touching—”
Much as he and Emmrich were now, though the memory carried a different light, a different warmth.
“—and they fell asleep, sprawled across the sand atop their unwound scarves. The waterfall misted us with spray and I watched the beads of water form on their skin, wishing I could taste each one. I wanted to be the water drops in that moment, shining pure in the sun atop her warm skin, drinking in the radiance.”
He paused, pulse racing. The memory was too vivid, too much like a confession to be spoken aloud, but he held the image in his mind, orienting to it like a ship to a lighthouse on a dark night.
“I remember the way the droplets gathered along the lines of her tattoos,” he continued softly. “The ink seemed to glow beneath them. The wings on her arm looked alive, as if each feather were lifting in the breeze. The water traced every line the artist had carved into her skin, and I followed it with my eyes, trying to memorize the path. I thought if I could learn every mark, every scar, every stroke of ink, I might understand her better. Or at least honor her.”
Emmrich’s hand stilled on his ribs, not in hesitation but in reverence.
Lucanis swallowed. “Her skin held the sun differently than mine. It made the light gentler. Warmer. I remember thinking that the gods must have shaped her with a different kind of care. That she was…crafted. Not born.”
He let out a shaky breath, guilt flickering again at the edges of his voice. “It felt selfish to look at her that way. To adore her so openly, even in my own mind.”
Emmrich shifted closer, his voice a low murmur. “It is not selfish to see someone’s beauty. Not when you love them. I would do the same as you, or to you, were our roles reversed.”
Lucanis closed his eyes, letting the memory wash over him again—Xi asleep in the sun, water beading on her tattoos, the quiet rise and fall of her breath. A moment suspended in time, held gently between the three of them now.
Emmrich’s long, talented fingers made short work of their mutual release, and they whispered endearments to one another; reassurances that they were there for each other, promises of forever, and tender plans to lavish Xiqaa with the same love when the time came for them to be together again.
When the last tremor of feeling faded, Emmrich rested his forehead against Lucanis’ temple, their breaths slowly syncing. The grey Treviso morning felt a little warmer for it. Spite hovered close, a quiet presence, neither intruding nor withdrawing, simply sharing the stillness and observing the ones he loved in his own way.
Lucanis exhaled, the guilt eased, the longing softened. “One day,” he murmured, more hope than words.
Emmrich’s hand found his. “One day,” he echoed, steady as a vow.
And between them—in memory, in dream, in the quiet space their hearts made—Xi was there too, sun‑lit and waiting.
divider by lou-et-les-loups from this post
tagging a few people who might be interested! @kogarashi-art @mushrooms-x-moss @grad-writes @sorrygoldfish @serialsforbellara @gatesofminrathous @jenn2d2 @marbled-polecat @blackwall-my-tiny-husband @chaosherald @lycheecatee @davrinsleftpectoral @cimmanombagel @redaresss @the-sparrohawk
okay yeah i'm mentally moving toward a place where i can write their wedding soon if you can't tell hahaha
And I'm back with my favourite end-of-year fandom tradition! It is once again time to share my favourite fics with the world and hopefully spread some festive/end of year joy. This is my second year doing end of year recs, but the fourth (?) edition overall. If you want some additional recs, feel free to check out the 2024 edition and the mid-year recs from this year!
This has become such a favourite of mine, if only because I get to celebrate and uplift so many incredible creators and their works. To everyone on this list: Thank you for sharing your writing with the world. At least to me, it has brought a lot of joy throughout a year that unfortunately lacked it quite a bit lol 🩷
Note: Due to the amount of fics I've read, recs will go up in several parts. This is part one (Dragon Age: The Veilguard fanfiction) 🩷
For Baldur's Gate 3 fic recs, click here
For Miscellaneous fic recs, click here
The fandom I was most active in myself this year! What joy it has been to be apart of it. Some of these fics have appeared in my previous fic rec from June of this year, others are new entries entirely (although I love the ones I recommended in June still as much!). It was sooo hard to narrow down this list because you authors out there have shared some incredible work.
📚 Full length fics
Rookie [Viago de Riva & Rook, Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @grad-writes
Rated: M | Chapter Count: 49/?
📖 Synopsis: "Rookie" follows the early life of Isadora "Rookie" de Riva, tracing her journey from a fledgling of House de Riva to the Hero of the Veilguard—navigating growing up, falling in love and coming into her own.
🍓's thoughts: Hands down, my number one fic of the year. Jesus, where do I even begin? I started reading Rookie late last year, and I have loved it so much since. I am always down for a good found family dynamic, so paired with the Rook/Lucanis slowburn, it is the ultimate fic for me. The dynamics between Rook and her fellow Crows, whether it be Viago as her reluctant father figure, her de Riva family, or the Dellamorte cousins, are all written in such a believable yet distinctly unique way. The fic has excellent pacing, and whilst it stays true to most of the game, the additional canon divergence for many of the Crow-related storylines adds an incredible depth that keeps you hooked all through. I've never once had moments of feeling bored or as if the story was dragging itself, and I come back to it regularly (outside of updates, I mean).
Grad has also managed to turn me into an Illario apologist, giving him an extraordinary redemption arc that allows both Dellamorte cousins to grow and gain agency they so sorely lacked in both the game and TWJ.
Comforting, incredibly well-written... 11/10. I know it'll likely end in 2026, and I'm already grieving because I don't want it to. Grad, you better keep it going for a little longer 😤 Or else 😤
Note: This work is part of a series.
Between the lines [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @bigshrimp365
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 5/?
📖 Synopsis: After an accident, Lucanis leaves his team, Corvi, and the life he is used to. He becomes a driver for Veil Industries, where he meets Serena "Rook" Cousland, a former Grey Warden troublemaker and his new rival.
🍓's thoughts: A fairly new entry on this list and I'm excited to see where this'll go! I saw the animated trailer on TikTok, and even though I quite literally know nothing about F1, I was genuinely intrigued to see the Dellamorte family dynamics on a track. The fic manages to keep the athleticism, competitive nature and pressure we already know from the Crows in a modern F1 setting without making it appear displaced. The way the relationship between Illario and Lucanis (and Caterina) is portrayed is wonderfully complex, because you can feel the resentment, love and obvious trauma-bonding. I'm excited to read more now that Rook is there too. The cameos from other factions (such as Varric as team director) are delightful and I'm a sucker for the accompanying artworks as well.
Overall very excited to read more and see where this is going! Rook is shaping up to be a bit of a menace, which I always love with Lucanis.
Death and the Bridegroom [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @gloaminghagette
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 12/17
📖 Synopsis: Rook is summoned back to Treviso by House Dellamorte to help thwart a power grab by rival houses. Tasked with posing as the bride-to-be at a high-profile wedding, she must navigate her complicated history with Lucanis and her uncertain role among the Crows.
🍓's thoughts: Oh Lord, where do I even begin? From the start you want to read this fic and not put it down.
Set after Veilguard, the story finds Lucanis and Rook navigating the awkward aftermath of their breakup. Now, as reluctant fake fiancées, they must outwit a brewing coup against House Dellamorte. Rook's endearing oddness (I say this with all the affection in the world) and the simmering, unresolved feelings between these ex-lovers create a tension that is both agonising and addictive. Caterina's plotting sends genuine chills down your spine for both Lucanis and Rook, while Viago and Teia's well-intentioned interference only adds to the chaos in the most entertaining way.
As someone who once played a Mage Crow with the infamous Death Caller specialisation (please, do not ask), I found Rook's backstory especially captivating and I am praying these two get their well-earned happy ending.
these violent delights [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @ttrevelyan
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 8/?
📖 Synopsis: The Eight Houses run Treviso with an iron grip. Rook, sister to Viago, the head of House de Riva, should never fall in love with, let alone speak to, a member of another House. Her first loyalty has always been to her family - until she meets him.
🍓's thoughts: A modern alternative universe story with a 1920s Italian mafia flair is a setup I wasn't too sure about, initially, but boy, is it a treat! The division of territories and strict adherence to non-fraternalisation between Houses is an interesting setup, and it adds an intense layer of forbidden love to the already simmering, yet sweet, pining between Rook and Lucanis. The overall tone of this fic is incredibly moody and almost gloomy, but I adore it nonetheless.
Overall, the relationship Rook has with Viago, the tension of inter-house dynamics and politics, and an absolutely besotted yet mysterious Lucanis make this such a fun and neat read. I somehow fear it'll end in tragedy.
The Magekillers Bride [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook, Illario Dellamorte/Rook] by @grad-writes
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 5/5
📖 Synopsis: When Rook is wed to Lucanis Dellamorte—the mysterious but aloof, new First Talon—she can't help but feel there's something strange about him. Her husband only visits in the darkness of night. Shadows bloom like bloodstains on bedroom walls. Violet eyes and feathered monsters haunt her dreams. But Rook finds solace in the coming of the sun, the scent of fresh coffee, and a warm, crooked smile.
🍓's thoughts: A gothic AU with another favourite trope of mine: arranged marriage. I will say this outright: Lucanis is not the guy you will root for reading this, although he is exceptionally intriguing. From the start, you will feel as if something is deeply, deeply wrong, and that feeling only grows as the story progresses. Illario, who serves as a quasi-love interest, offers pockets of brief relief, but even those become fleeting with time.
I felt for Rook throughout the entirety of the story and was hoping she would get a happy ending after everything she was put through. The gothic and dark tones of the story are captivating, and even though I know Ms Grad struggled a little with this story, I can only say it's an absolute masterpiece 😤
The Trials (and Tribulations of Falling for the Dellamortes) [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @karinamay
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 17/17
📖 Synopsis: The Università di Antiva City is home of the country’s most prestigious law school. Thirty-six students get admitted every year and if you’re lucky you’re part of the half that make it through to the other end. Rook de Riva and Livia Arainai are determined to be among those successful few. As if starting law school isn’t hard enough as it is, what happens if you throw an evil housemate and a totally-not-real secret society into the mix? Not to mention two boys both called Dellamorte who will worm their way into your head without an invitation.
🍓's thoughts: Lol, full useless disclosure I failed Basics of Law TWICE and somehow managed to pass on my final attempt, so for some reason reading about these ambitious law students was hilarious to me.
Viago and Rook as siblings are comedy central and the two main relationships, Lucanis/Rook & Illario/FMC, are equal amounts heartwarming as they are convoluted. Zara as main antagonist was a brilliant choice and I loved how the story managed to stay serious without being comically out-out-place for a law school setting. Also bonus points for Professor Dorian because he's my favourite DA:I character/romance and he was hilariously petty in this!
The romance between Luc and Rook was pretty sweet, and I loved how gently it progressed, especially giving Lucanis time to develop as a partner. Illario and Livia were amazing as well, and I was rooting for them to figure it out the entire time. Imagine my joy when they finally did and Zara took the L.
Sea of Blood [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @dellamortres
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 3/?
📖 Synopsis: Shipwrecked and dragged aboard the cursed vessel, the Demon of Vyrantium, Rook finds herself face-to-face with Lucanis Dellamorte, the most feared pirate on the Waking Sea. Both captains are chasing the same treasure - and neither intends to surrender it.
🍓's thoughts: Nautical gothic at its finest. Point, blank, period. The atmosphere of this fic is utterly immaculate, and the nautical vibes are felt all throughout without fail and continue to build. Lucanis as Captain is chilling. He's dark and dangerously alluring, and Spite, as his parrot parrot-crow, is deeply hilarious yet absolutely the creepiest animal rendition of Spite I've seen. I'm not into pirates usually, but this story almost leans into Pirates of the Caribbean vibes with its own mystic vibes. Very curious to see where this'll lead!
Talon and Pinion [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @moonlight-waning
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 19/?
📖 Synopsis: Rook panted, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths. She swallowed and felt his blade dig into the delicate skin at her throat, just barely enough pressure to split flesh. Blood bloomed and spilled, a thin and thready rivulet that trickled downward to be lapped up by the fabric of her collar. Lucanis followed it with his gaze, eyes hungry with desperation but burning near-black with resolve.
“Surrender, Rook,” he said.
“No.”
🍓's thoughts: Honestly, I wasn't even sure how to summarise this story, so I added that sweet little sinppet from the AO3 synopsis instead. The author describes this as "a retelling of Rookanis with all the detail Bioware forgot" and my my, is this an understatement.
This story leaves a lasting impression. The intricacies of Rook and Lucanis' romance are beyond fascinating. While the story leans into darker themes at times, it also manages to hold the tension between Rook and Lucanis. Rook is an absolute bullheaded spitfire in this, and it works fantastically against Lucanis' insistence on keeping her safe. If this had been the romance we had gotten in-game, we would've been fed with a ten-course gourmet meal, as the depiction of their romance is rich and nuanced. Spite's presence is haunting in a way that only feeds the narrative, and he's much scarier than he is in canon.
Additionally, I live for Lucanis'... presence once the romance really gets going. As much as I was unable to summarise this fic, I can only urge people to read this one. Remarkable through and through.
Note: This work is part of a series.
Hold us Steady [Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook] by @desperatejoys
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 7/7
📖 Synopsis: Two Crows, a ragtag gang of roommates, and their allies walk into the apocalypse and walk out a family. Zelena de Riva took the contract to help Varric hunt Solas as a way to return to Viago's good graces after the Antaam debacle. She didn't plan on being in charge of saving the world. She also didn't plan on Lucanis Dellamorte. Good thing improvisation had always been her greatest strength - and that the family she left behind in Antiva had no intention of leaving her to save the world alone.
🍓's thoughts: Another take on the Rookanis romance!
What I really appreciate here is the inclusion of Crow politics and rules, particularly what those mean for Rook de Riva and Lucanis, who are both evidently important to their houses/Talons. Rook's personal arc of overcoming her own regrets and the emotional baggage that keeps holding her back was wonderfully written, and the relationship between her and Viago, and how much his influence has stayed with her throughout her life, was a nice touch to an already beautiful and tangled love story.
The story managed to be both serious and romantic, and still kept bits of comedy throughout, and I can truthfully recommend the companion pieces/the rest of the series as well!
Note: This work is part of a series.
📜 One shots & short stories:
Not in My Wildest Dreams Could I Imagine & The Only Heaven I'll Be Sent To by @rookanis-de-riva
Dragonbone by @desperatejoys
Your Girl, Your Ghost by @gloaminghagette
Nothing Good Starts in a Getaway Car by @queenofeden
miles of regrets and confusing friends by @calypsid
the epilogue of something beautiful by @khayr
Two Crows, One Stone by @nirikeehan
SIX for gold by @grad-writes
A Fearful Thing [Rook/Emmrich Volkarin] by @imsorrey
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 35/35
📖 Synopsis: Rook learns what it means to be cherished by that which death cannot touch.
🍓's thoughts: I think this fic is among the most famous Emmrich fics within the fandom, and definitely the most famous Lich!fic. And for good reason.
Emmrich is already on his path to becoming a Lich here, having chosen that life long ago. Rook, on the other hand, can never catch a break, and I have felt her anxiety, terror, and regret all throughout. Though she's a Mourn Watcher, she has a unique origin that is quite novel. Emmrich eventually becomes a Lich through quite a dramatic and horrifying experience, which was a very interesting take on that transformation as a whole. Every character is expanded on beautifully, and I actually felt sorry for Solas of all people by the end.
I was absolutely floored by the incredible prose and storytelling. Though somewhat canon-compliant, this story was its own entity entirely, and it was utterly brilliant.
An Enduring Affection [Emmrich Volkarin/Rook] by @starfleetteddybear
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 14/?
📖 AO3 Synopsis: Mourn Watcher Evie’s journey will shed light on her orphan origins while bringing her towards her own happy ending. She will need to find her own path forward which will require her to return to her roots in devastating ways. She and Emmrich will have to brave more trials and adversities to protect their fledgling happiness. Thank goodness their friends will be there along the way.
🍓's thoughts: It's always fun to think about what'll happen with Rook and Emmrich post Veilguard if he's gone through with Lichdom. This is especially fun, because he somehow managed to knock Rook up just before.
I adore the prose of this fic and I am enjoying a more spitfire take on Rook, even post-canon. Franny is an adorable character who adds a lot of charm to both Rook, as well as her relationship with Emmrich. I feel sorry for Rook, because she keeps going through it with seemingly no end in sight, although I am somewhat hopeful there's a light at the end of the tunnel now. Emmrich takes on a much more dominant and protective role here, which I personally see aligned with the glimpses of Lich Emmrich we've seen in the game and it's fun to see him figure out his life as a Lich, husband and soon-to-be father.
Overall a super fun read and there's a Human Emmrich version too! 👀 I have, regretfully, yet to read it though.
Codex: Bond Theory [Emmrich Volkarin/Rook] by @farore05
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 9/?
📖 AO3 Synopsis: For decades Emmrich Volkarin had been the gold standard of what an alpha should be, composed in the face of instinct, unshakable under pressure. Across all four major universities in Thedas, he was one of only three alphas permitted to hold full tenure. Trusted to lecture in rooms thick with scent, to remain unmoved through every stage of designation flux. He had built a reputation on control.
🍓's thoughts: As someone who was part of the Supernatural fandom when they created ABO I will actually not apologise for enjoying the odd ABO story out there. I was there when the magic texts were first written 😤
Rook is really going through it in this fic, being thrown into a new designation where no rules apply because the Egg decided it would be a grand time to live in her mind/dreams. It's a great spin on ABO dynamics and it's always a grand time to see Emmrich unravel at the hands of Rook. Even more so when he's an Alpha, ironically enough. The smut is your quintessential Omegaverse heat/rut content, although exceptionally written, and it only adds to the genuinely intriguing plot that surrounds Ivy and Emmrich. Morrigan is messy and I deeply feel for the Inquisitor because who would've thought – Solas is once again at the centre of everyone's problems.
Overall an absolute delight to read. 10/10 would recommend, especially if one's looking for a start to Omegaverse fics HAHA
The Shrouded Halls [Emmrich Volkarin/Rook] by @farore05
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 11/?
📖 Synopsis: Ten years ago, Ivy “Rook” Ingellvar broke the one rule her parents had: she entered The Shrouded Halls. Deep within she discovered a skeleton possessed by a spirit of curiosity. Believing it abandoned, she rescued it from the grasp of a Lich and brought it home. Ever since that night, The Grand Necropolis has been plagued with earthquakes and shadows always seem to linger where they shouldn’t. The dead are restless.
🍓's thoughts: This a pretty dark fic that I would honestly put under the "horror" category. Exactly zero of the behaviours shown are healthy (I SAY LOVINGLY) and this Lich version of Emmrich is fifty shades of fucked up, but the storytelling is absolutely incredible. The imagery created is hauntingly beautiful and the story almost reads poetic in its progression, especially once Rook is around Emmrich. There is something utterly wrong and you feel it the entire time, which, at times, sent shivers down my spine. I still haven't made a lot of sense of Emmrich, but he is deeply fascinating and disturbing. Ivy/Rook switches between being passive and active in her own story, but in such an intriguing way that it never once felt annoying.
Overall, this is the one story where I can genuinely never even begin to predict what's coming next, because it's deeply bizarre and haunting in the most beautifully poetic way.
Note: Read the tags for this fic and proceed at your own discretion.
Of Wormwood and Rue [Emmrich Volkarin/Rook] by Amberedmoon
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 5/?
📖 Synopsis: Asphodel Rook Ingellvar was marked by Nevarran society as an 'Aggressive Omega' and due to events not in her control she’s been put in charge of building a team to take down two blighted gods. Things change when she seeks out a fade expert, a decision that forces her to navigate a subtle dance between duty and desire. The encounter unravels the careful persona she has built, forcing her to confront her true nature and the secrets she keeps from others and from herself.
🍓's thoughts: Another ABO fic and yet again a different take on it! Seriously, anyone who dismisses ABO immediately is missing out!
I will have to shamefully admit that I still need to catch up on chapter five, but it's interesting to have a slow burn take on what is, typically, a fast-paced track to smutville. The formatting of the fic with the codex/literary entries at the start adds such a nice touch. Rook's character meshes well with Emmrich's more gentle side, which I'm curious to see down the line as more tension builds between the two of them.
I also loved the glimpses we got to see of Myrna's and Rook's relationship, because, quite frankly, I always do wonder what their connection is like, and I love seeing all kinds of iterations. Overall, this is another great ABO fic, and if someone isn't too fond of fast-paced smut, this is one to read!
📜 One shots & short stories:
Maestro by @arquennial
Tools of the Trade by @mediocremillie99
Time Between by @lavenderprose
at the dimming of the day by @selkiemaid
Pocket Full of Posies by @ollypopwrites
A Beast of a Burden by @ollypopwrites
if he hadn’t been so young (would you be in the family row?) by PH03N1X_360
Chilled to the Bone by @acepalindrome
Bar the door when you move to leave [Caterina Dellamorte/Original Female Character(s)] by @dags-over-caravans
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 2/10
📖 Synopsis: Violetta de Riva, matriarch of her House, waits upon the threshold of villa Dellamorte, a house she hasn’t enjoyed a welcome into for over three decades. A long time coming. One week ago, her granddaughter saved Lucanis Dellamorte’s life in the annual Trial…Caterina Dellamorte reminds herself that she is grateful for it, whatever the girl’s purpose had been—whatever Violetta’s instruction to her had been, more likely. She has never loved men but she clings tightly to her remaining family. And the woman whose granddaughter granted this reprieve waits upon her threshold. The woman who broke Caterina’s heart decades ago; the de Riva who has haunted her steps, every step of her life. The Houses Dellamorte and de Riva are coming to accords.
🍓's thoughts: I have never once considered the idea that Caterina could be homosexual, but I am now convinced she's a comphet lesbian, oh my God.
Caterina and Violetta are vicious and shrewd and absolutely doomed by the narrative. Caterina's backstory has thus far been absolutely haunting and (truthfully) horrifying, to the point where I have found a new kind of sympathy for her that I hadn't before. I was viscerally upset in a way I cannot even begin to describe, and the emotional whiplash I got between chapter one and two was astounding.
I feel sick thinking about her in the absolute best way. What a masterpiece of a story, and merely two chapters in.
Note: Read the tags for this fic and proceed at your own discretion.
the divine right (cirumstance never sent a fair foe) [Viago de Riva x Rook] by @rook-de-rivas
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 23/50
📖 Synopsis: Following the fall of the Evanuris, Ashara/Rook returns to Salle, only for the Crows to end up embroiled in a mysterious series of murders of Merchant Princes, Crows and Fulgeno II's bastards—all with silver ribbons affixed to their throats and a note with the words "By the will of the Maker, the One King of Antiva will rule, for this is the Divine Right of Kings".
🍓's thoughts: Another fic I already featured in my fic recs earlier this year! But a well-deserved spot still, because I continue to love it endlessly.
Viago is a straight disaster and not having a good time. He's feeling far too many things (and would probably prefer to feel nothing at all). And you know what? I love that for him. It's enriching. the divine right is the most unique take on post-canon fics I've seen, with a murder mystery causing Rook and Viago to travel Antiva to hopefully solve it before they become the next victims. I love how the mystery connects to Viago's roots as bastard son of Fulgeno and the relationship between him and Ashara is equal amounts dysfunctional as it is gently tender. They are such a wonderful romantic match, especially given how the relationship is presented in the game, that it has honestly felt natural. Rook/Ashara is also a precious baby who can do no wrong and I will fight for her.
Also, the appearance of a very beloved Dragon Age character has made this even better (as of the latest update) 😌
Note: This fic is part of a series.
Parallel Lines [Emmrich Volkarin x Rook x Lucanis Dellamorte] by @babblingrook
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 11/?
📖 Synopsis: Dana Laidir has never been one to deny herself the things she wants. Not after going from slavery to servitude to the well-intentioned but overbearing adolescent years in the care of her adoptive aunts and uncles. Not when she’s spent adulthood perfecting how to obtain the things or people she most desires. But what she finds herself wanting the most, who she finds herself wanting, is not so easy to obtain. It’s more than the fleeting lust or desire she’s familiar with, and she knows that should scare her.
🍓's thoughts: I will fully admit I am utterly behind on this fic (shame on me), but I absolutely adore everything I have read thus far. I am typically not one of polyamorous pairings, but I will make an exception for Emmrookanis every time. There is something about it that's just *chef's kiss* 🤌🏻
Anywho. This story doesn't wait for long to throw you into the smut and I am ever so grateful for it. Dana is endearingly hilarious and I enjoy her flirtatious yet distinctive interactions between Emmrich and Lucanis. She is an absolute chaos gremlin, which is delightful if you consider the more uptight natures of her two love interests. The tension between them builds deliciously and the intimate scenes are among the most well-crafted I have encountered, especially since they, regardless of their explicitness, consistently convey affection, gentleness, and mutual trust – something not as easily done as you'd think in a poly pairing.
Overall I'm excited to get back to this fic as soon as possible, because I am desperate to see how these three will figure things out going forward.
Auburn [Emmrich Volkarin x Rook x Lucanis Dellamorte] by Hannahnotmontana
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 8/8
📖 Synopsis: Fucking up someone doesn't take much, Hezenkoss has proven that. Picking up the pieces is harder, but Emmrich and Lucanis don't shy away from a challenge.
🍓's thoughts: And another Emmrookanis for the books! Told you guys – I'll make an exception for them every time 😈
This fic the most beautiful "we can fix each other". From Rook being traumatised by the treatment she endured under Johanna's tutelage, to Emmrich's fear of dying and Lucanis' traumas from both the Ossuary and his upbringing, every single storyline is well-developed and interconnects in the most beautiful way. They all grow together and form a unit that you cannot help but adore and root for. Rook's special ability is, quite frankly, also super cool and she was an absolute badass.
I've read this fic multiple times and I still love it endlessly.
Spoils of War [Elgar'nan x Rook] by @jonquil
Rated: E | Chapter Count: 14/?
📖 Synopsis: After the ambush on Tearstone Island fails, Rook is captured by Elgar'nan, unwillingly becoming his first concubine in an effort to reestablish his harem from ages past.
🍓's thoughts: My dear Hadeharia/Jonquil is a master at writing dark fics. And this one gets very dark at several points, but with prose that is utterly delicious. I have, for the most part, taken a step back from reading darker fics, but holy –
This is an alternative take on Tearstone Island and shows Rook being captured by Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain, who force her into sexual servitude. The Inquisitor eventually joins her, both trying to resist and fight their way out of their predicament to hopefully defeat the gods for good. Elgar'nan's characterisation is deeply disturbing and fascinating. He's never once presented as the good guy, and yet he possesses a certain charisma that is unmatched. I felt scared for all three main ladies at all times because of how ruthless the two Evanuris are, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire fic.
Solas can still catch these hands though.
Note: Read the tags for this fic and proceed at your own discretion.
📜 One shots & short stories:
no time to die by @virevas [Viago de Riva x Rook]
all wrapped up in you by @rook-de-rivas [Viago de Riva x Rook]
King of Shades by @grad-writes [Viago de Riva & Rook, Minor Lucanis Dellamorte/Rook]
All Roads Lead to Halamshiral [no pairing, minor Illario Dellamorte x Rook if you squint] by @kamreadsandrecs
My soul stirs so gently (it blends in with yours) by @rook-de-rivas [Viago de Riva x Rook]
Please give these amazing authors some love – kudos, comments, likes or a reblog can mean the world. If you have fic recs of your own, drop them in the comments or tag me! I'd love to keep the love going and discover even more gems. Let's continue to foster positivity and kindness in these spaces, particularly in times like these where those two go a long way 💕🍓
I will continue my best of list with my Baldur's Gate 3 recs coming up next. I am, however, currently writing my Master thesis, so whilst I'm trying to get them out as soon as I can, I can make no promises as to when. My hope is to have them up within a week.
P.S: If any of the AO3 authors mentioned have a tumblr account that is not tagged, feel free to tag them. I have tried my best to look everyone up, but I'm not infallible and might've accidentally missed someone.
For "the first time" prompt: the first time Emmrich realizes he's falling for both Lucanis and Rook 🙏💕
Prompt from this post!
Thank you for encouraging my Emmrookanis brainrot. 💜💜💜 i’m not sure how i feel about this but here you go!!! Once again this written with my Rhyea Laidir in mind but Rook is pretty non-descript (she/her pronouns).
Emmrookanis
He sees the inevitable plummet first with Rook.
Simply because she’s open about her admiration, open about her attraction — unafraid to look him in the eye and tell him she likes to hear him talk. Even if he’s certain that she often has no idea what he’s talking about.
It’s far too soon, but he is familiar with that. The nature in which they are thrown together exacerbates it all. It is hard not to fall a little bit in love with someone who throws themselves in front of Darkspawn, Venatori and Antaam to make sure he doesn’t get hurt. Especially when he’s already quite smitten with her smile, her cheerful adaptability and her kindness hidden behind a jester’s grin. She’s crass, mischievous and he’s half in love with her by the time he kisses her the first time in the gardens. He does his best to temper his heart.
Lucanis is…unexpected. His attraction makes itself evident much later. Emmrich cannot pretend he never noticed how deeply attached Lucanis was to Rook. Despite how adamantly she teased and flirted, there was a brief moment of insecurity that perhaps he was the one Rook actually had intentions for.
But despite the way Lucanis clings to Rook like a shadow, she had turned to Emmrich. Let him kiss her, let him take her hand to assist her over puddles even though she’s more than capable of walking around them. Everyone has a comment to make about this new romance between the two of them, except Lucanis who seems to just linger too far ahead or behind when all three of them are out in the world together. Which is often.
It isn’t until Emmrich realizes that his favorite tea is always stocked, or that there’s a cup of it next to the pot of coffee on late nights brewed exclusively for him. Lucanis asks questions, even if he doesn’t like the answers, even if it makes him uncomfortable to hear the truth about the connection between him and Spite. The ingredients to his mother’s hazelnut torte recipe are always on hand. After a quite humiliating bout of his typical dread that had him stuck frozen in the streets of Treviso, Lucanis is nowhere to be found after but there’s a tray with tea, a slice of the desert and a flower on his desk.
Quiet, but no less sentimental, Lucanis’ affection is something to be cherished. Emmrich is half in love with him then, riddled with guilt about it, considering himself selfish for even entertaining the idea while his just as strong feelings for rook are so new in bloom.
By some stroke of unprecedented fortune, Rook simply nods her head in understanding. Admits that despite how unresponsive he has always been to her advances, there is something she can’t explain about her friendship with Lucanis. Something that dances on a razor thin edge. Something that feels inexplicably amorous. It sparks an entirely different conversation about previous relationships (something Emmrich had been quite closed off about before) and the number of partners involved.
They don’t decide to court Lucanis, he seems mostly closed off to one partner let alone two, but they glance knowingly at one another when he isn’t looking.But that was all before it happened that Lucanis fell into their bed.
Now, despite the uncertainty of what will happen once… or rather if they succeed, Emmrich is wholly incapable of taming his wild heart.
The realization is simple. Incredibly mundane.
Despite the looming threat of the apocalypse, he still has Watcher duties to attend to. When he isn’t part of the outing parties, he tries to attend to his work back at the Necropolis. But he always ends up back at the Lighthouse.
It’s one night, after the two of them have set out with Neve for Minrathous and he’s spent all day in Nevarra. By the time he makes it back the rest of the inhabitants of the Lighthouse are asleep, the library is still in solitary and quiet except for the whir of the astrolabe. When he comes through the door to the Laboratory and heads up the stairs towards his bed, Manfred wanders off to find some way to entertain himself for the evening. He’s got his coat off and put away before he notices.
He turns and stops, in the middle of unbuttoning his waistcoat. Rook is laid in his bed, eyes closed as she is pressed into Lucanis’ side. Silent, and still, Lucanis is asleep still sitting up. A coffee cup still in his hand, moments away from spilling onto Emmrich’s bedding, with his head tilted to rest atop Rook’s. There’s only a moment for Emmrich to stand in silent admiration before Lucanis’ eyes open, purple in hue and still unmoving save for his mouth, Spite using his voice to speak.
“‘Tried to wait. Stay awake. For you.’”
Emmrich’s chest feels too tight for his pounding heart. Lucanis rarely sleeps to begin with, and with a closer look both of his paramours look a little worse for wear. There’s a bruise at Rook’s jaw, a wrapped bandage around her arm that he can see she’s bleeding through slightly; Lucanis has a black eye, and a burn on his hand that is blistering, the wrap around it unraveling. They’ve come back to the Lighthouse looking worse, and so has he, but his heart aches with the knowledge they tried to keep their weary bodies awake just to see him.
He moves forward, gently takes the coffee cup from Lucanis’ hand and when he glances up, the assassin is awake, blinking and then his expression becomes soft, a smile creeping onto his lips.
“You’re late.”
“Hush, go back to sleep, darling,” Emmrich murmurs, hand coming out to caress his face with a gentle bit of healing magic to ease the way one of his eyes is partially closed due to swelling.
“Spite —“
“Will behave himself for one night,” Emmrich keeps his voice low, so as not to rouse Rook. “Won’t you?”
Lucanis’ eyes slip past Emmrich, just over his shoulder at the spirit unseen but felt beside him. ‘Me and Curiosity. Keep watch.’
“There you have it.”
Emmrich straightens out, trying not to wear the realization on his face. Unbuttons his vest, unclasps chains and sheds gold from his hands. Lucanis abandons his coffee, fingers coming out to trace lines on Rook’s face, stopping over the bruise climbing up her jawline. His focus on her is as welcome for Emmrich’s pride as it is exacerbating the problem at hand. Lucanis is achingly gentle with her, with him, when he allows himself to touch.
“How is Neve?”
“Safe, a few burns. She opted for elfroot potions.”
“We have more than enough, the two of you ought to have patched yourselves up.”
“She insisted you do it.”
“And you?”
A noncommittal shrug, eyes anywhere but on Emmrich. When he climbs into bed, heart hammering, he realizes there’s more room than there had been months ago. The Fade produced this bed, nearly identical to his own back home, in size, and firmness.
Months prior the three of them had to squeeze in, pressed too tightly together with limbs falling off edges and elbows bumping soft spots. But now, they fit comfortably together, enough room on either side of Lucanis and Emmrich; even with Rook in the middle.
The Fade had figured it out before him. Molding his space to accommodate them the way Lucanis accommodates his meals, the way Rook accommodates to soothe his fears. The Necropolis is home, has been home since he can remember, but somehow home feels less like a place than a presence. Their presence. It is what he keeps coming back for, despite not needing to.
Emmrich touches Rook’s cheek, healing away the edges of discoloration of a bruise. She takes a deep breath, blinks her eyes open a few times and closes them again. Then she’s curling into him.
“What took you so long?”
Rook’s ability to know what to say even when she has no clear indication of what her words actually mean is something to be studied. Some kind of mystical intuition that even he has no explanation for. What took him so long? Why was finding an assassin and a treasure hunter in his bed after a long day the lighting of a candle that illuminated what even the Lighthouse seemed to have known?
He could answer, find something to say, but Rook is already snoring. Lucanis is curling around her with a hand reaching to make contact with Emmrich, and he reaches back lacing their fingers together. She’s soft between them, Lucanis’ callouses scratch slightly against his hands.
Emmrich Volkarin, too romantic, too sentimental for his own good, is the last to fall asleep. Terror is typical, for him, but this conflict of fear and euphoria has him wide eyed as the night goes on.
