what's some fun facts about lascaux? so curious about their backstory 👀 how did they end up switching from chevalier to warden?
OMFGGGG thank you for asking about Lascaux I am IN love with them and think about them a regular amount, I am making normal squawking shrieking sounds—
This is gonna be long I’m so sorry, they’ve been cooking in my brain for three straight weeks, hold on to your butt because we’ve got some serious infodumping ahead I know you asked for some fun facts but uhhhhh 😅
LASCAUX THROUGH THE YEARS
Lascaux was born in Orlais to a minor noble family, the de Montignac’s. Their parents were Marcel and Niah. In typical Orlesian fashion, Marcel and Niah had an elf lover (Tassil, the estate’s horsemaster) but once she became pregnant, the de Montignac’s sent Tassil away because they were uncertain who was the father and they didn’t want to deal with Orlesian court gossip. And when Lascaux was born they were clearly half-elf. Because they were such a beautiful, healthy baby, Marcel decides to keep and name Lascaux as his heir—but not til after Niah carves off the tips of their ears to be human-passing and bypass any bastard allegations.
Niah passes away when Lascaux is still a toddler and Marcel remarries another Orlesian noble named Aurigna soon after—and they have two children, Chauvet (only a couple years younger than Lascaux) and Ardèche (about twelve years younger than Chauvet)
At nine, Lascaux is taken to the Free Marches (Ostwick) to meet the de Montignac business partners, the Thornes, who are renowned as horse breeders. There Lascaux gets to be present for the birth of their constant companion, their best friend—a horse, a red dun they name Magdalena. And also the first glimpses of their future wife, Amicia 🥰
Lascaux is sent to L’Academie des Chevaliers at thirteen where they truly outshone the rest with not only their talents with a shield and sheer charisma, but importantly, on horseback. Jousting, in particular. Instead of being assigned military posts, Lascaux competes in tournaments
After L’Academie, they become the youngest champion of the Grand Tourney. There they reconnect with Amicia, fall so, so deeply in love, get married and move to the Thorne estate in Ostwick to be closer to the jousting circuits and to help tend to the horses and de Montignac business interests. And right before winning their second Grand Tourney, Lascaux and Amicia have a son named Adi
Their life in these years were… perfect. Easy. Their days were full of sunshine and blue skies—and between tournaments, raising their sweet baby son with their fierce, beautiful wife. A talented musician, they would write songs for Amicia and sing to Adi and the horses. Lascaux is beloved in Orlais and the Free Marches, earning the title of the golden knight of Orlais (since their armor and family mask is gold, as well as the color of their horse, but also for their kind and courteous sportsmanship on and off the field)
And then, at thirty-two years old, tragedy strikes. Right after the high of winning the joust at the Grand Tourney for the third time in a row—because of Lascaux’s half-brother, Chauvet. He was also sent to L’Academie, where Chauvet found himself being smothered under the weight of Lascaux’s popularity. He resented living under their shadow, resented how much his parents and little brother adored them, resented that they stole Amicia from him (false, he never stood a chance with Amicia but coveted her nonetheless). And when Marcel passes away he leaves everything to Lascaux. This, coupled with their third Champion title, is just too much for Chauvet
He murders Amicia, Adi and their unborn child
Lascaux challenges Chauvet to a formal duel, a very big deal for chevaliers. During the fight, Chauvet embeds a hand axe in Lascaux’s mask, and they remove it to reveal their face before a crowd of spectators for the very first time—then uses that axe to slay him. There’s a crack running down the center of their mask that Lascaux will never repair
After burying their wife and children, Lascaux is… utterly devastated. How on earth can they possibly continue? They drag Chauvet’s corpse back to Orlais so he can be buried, at least for Aurigna and Ardèche to have some closure, but the idea of staying in Orlais is intolerable.
And then Lascaux meets Blackwall (the OG) and decides to join the Wardens because if anything, they have found a way to die, without turning the blade on themself.
Upon joining the Wardens, they take Amicia’s last name for two reasons—to keep her memory alive, and for some hope of a shred of anonymity. For the nobles in Orlais their story is just irresistibly romantic, and Lascaux is embarrassed by the ballads written about them
I have WAY more lore for Lascaux since they’re my rook connected closely to the other three games, but I’m afraid this is getting much too long and the ask was about the switch from chevalier to Warden, so… another day 😈
To finish off here’s Lascaux at the start of Veilguard, a Warden of twenty-three years who is trying to resist the Calling (my hc is their eyes are starting to cloud over and glint at night like an animal’s)
