I can also be found at @coolbysoccermommy.bsky.social and mollypercocet on AO3
Rook(s)
Noura De Riva
Marianela De Riva (Non-rook crow oc)
Art Tag
Writing
WIPs
Talons’ Favor — Teia x Original female Crow! OC x Viago series
Intro to Archaeology - Modern AU! Emmrook as professors in a newly merged department
Completed/oneshots
Wrinkle like the river, Sweeten like the dew — Emmrook (Female, mage, city elf crow) longfic
When you kiss me I am happy enough to die — Emmrook sweet/silly oneshot
No Longer Updating
La Yugular — Lucanis x Original female Crow! Oc — during/post VG slow-ish burn
Antivan Crow Lore
Crow Love Languages and Courting
Teicanis or Teia x Viago x Lucanis is Good, Actually
General Crow Headcanons Masterlist
Fic Summaries
below cut!
Emmrook Longfic:
COMPLETE
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Wrinkle like the river, sweeten like the dew
Noura De Riva is the ideal Crow underdog — fighting her way through a difficult upbringing and a cruel Cuchillo house to be a high-ranking Assassin in House De Riva. However, this is made complicated when she screws up a major operation with the Antaam and ends up on a whirlwind adventure to save Thedas as “Rook.” On top of everything, her feelings for a certain handsome necromancer force her to confront her own emotions, her past, her present, her desires, and what role she wants to play in the life she has.
Generally canon-compliant longfic that I’m mostly just writing because it’s fun for meeeeee
Emmrook Modern Au
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Introduction to Archaeology
Noura De Riva is an assistant professor at a large and esteemed research university who is ready to move onto the next step in her career as a cultural anthropologist: Tenure, and subsequent lifetime security and peaceful existence at her job. However, this process is slowed down when Dr. Solas Wolfe caused a ruckus about a year ago at the field’s biggest academic conference, resulting in multiple firings, sabbaticals, and the rest of the Anthropology department to be left to clean up the pieces. On top of everything, her former mentor Varric Tethras is retiring right when she feels she needs him most.
The new department heads announce that the Anthropology and Archaeology departments will be merged for “strategic planning” and funding reasons, much to the dismay of all involved. On top of everything, Noura is paired with a professor in the other department, a Dr. Emmrich Volkarin, for the duration of the semester as required by the university.
“Oh no, he’s hot!” Ensues, academia is a mess, and nobody really knows what the hell “strategic planning” is anyway.
Let’s just say, there’s gonna be a lot of Bone if ya catch my drift ;)
Emmrook Oneshot
https://archiveofourown.org/works/79529211
mollypercocet
Summary:
Rook de riva loves emmrich sooooooooo much that she begins to wonder.... is she insane and evil? Did he cast a spell on her to make her behave this way? and more!
Notes:
Yo shoutout to everyone who read tevinter nights i brought back my boii for the intro portion
basically i was like. She loves him so much it scares her and she thinks he did dark magicks upon her but really she's just got viago paranoia, a fat ass, and a dream
Lucanis Dellamorte x Original Character (female)
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
La Yugular (NO LONGER UPDATING)
Marianela De Riva is an Antivan Crow working in the midst of the Antaam invasion in Treviso. Born a Dalish hunting prodigy, she’s long since accustomed and integrated herself into the complex and dangerous life of an assassin — Specifically a Sirena, a femme-fatale who uses her good-looks and cleverness to complete her contracts.
When her old friend Noura, now called “Rook” returns to the Cantori Diamond with the very-much-alive-and-possessed-by-a-demon Lucanis Dellamorte, Mari is thrown into the background of a terrifying and apoctalyptic set of circumstances that calls everything she’s known into question.
Viago told her long ago to stay away from the Dellamorte boys, but he didn’t mention that one of them had pretty brown eyes and long, dark eyelashes.
I recently stumbled upon people discussing headcanons on this topic under another post and now I'm Curioise. (rbs for reach are appreciated!! and please share details in the tags I'd love to know!)
if you have multiple Rooks, vote for whoever is your main/favourite!
so why does *your* Rook wear that shoddy starting armour?
they literally just dress like that. it's their style (or lack thereof)
sold their old armour to get money while on the road
trying to look inconspicuous (of their own volition)
trying to look inconspicuous (varric and/or harding made them)
act of fashion defiance towards whoever kicked them out/solas/varric/the world
I headcanon/mod them into wearing something different (like what?)
So here's some resources for getting the right skin colors for the dragon age characters that people have whitewashed through the years:
Isabela from Dragon Age is Black by Dalishious
FULL skin palette for Alistair by Dalishious
High quality Alistair headshot for colorpicking by Dalishious from this
High quality Zevran headshot for colorpicking by Dalishious from this
Fenris' skin color by Dalishious
High quality Fenris Images for colorpicking by Dalishious
High quality Merrill headshot for colorpicking by Dalishious
And just so people don't have the excuse of laziness, here's palettes i have made by colorpicking textures and models, feel free to use them:
My own dirty laundry: I have been guilty of whitewashing Merrill before, as I didn't know she was in DA:O so I used the DA2 render for colorpicking, from this I need everyone to learn that sometimes the whitewashing isn't done by malice but from a place of lack of knowledge.
Even though the Project Joplin was cancelled and much was removed, the DAtV script contains scenes from Davrin's post-recruitment on the Dumat submarine. However, this content was more rewritten than removed. Unlike Calpernia or tevinter spy Lucanis, Davrin's concept hasn't changed much. But there are still some differences.
It's unknown under what circumstances Davrin and Rook met, but by that time the griffons had already been kidnapped. Davrin was reluctant to discuss this topic. Later on the Dumat, Rook gets to know Davrin better and they discuss griffons, the times when he was a First to Eldrin, why he left his clan and joined the Grey Wardens. There is no mention of Isseya here, but of exotic creature hunters who sell them on the black market.
Below are quite a few lines that I have manually sorted as best I could.
Davrin and Assan arrive on the Dumat. Previously, it was a player base similar to the Normandy from Mass Effect, only wrapped in Dragon Age.
Ship captain is not very happy about the presence of the griffon. Yes, according to the artbook, Dumat had its own captain. Rook also mentions him.
Captain: Rook, you're okay with letting this creature onboard?
Rook: And you're not?
Captain: This vessel's designed to go underwater. It works because the water stays outside the vessel. Anything that damages it-
Davrin: He won't be a problem. He'll behave.
Captain: You can't know that.
Captain: It's been centuries since anyone cared for one.
Option: Their exploits are legendary.
Rook: You're looking at one of the most legendary animals that ever lived, one that saved Thedas from several blights, one we thought was extinct...
Rook: And you want to kick it off the ship?
Davrin: (shrugs) Growing pains. He's still trying 'legendary' on for size.
Option: It's an honor.
Rook (Grey Warden): As a Grey Warden myself, it's an honor to have such a magnificent animal onboard.
Rook: It's a privilege to have such a magnificent animal onboard.
Option: I see your point.
Rook: One leak and we could all be in trouble.
Davrin: We'll be careful. Besides, I think it's already settled — unless you can move him?
Assan: (Squawk)
Davrin: (grins) He says you're welcome to try.
Captain: Can it can breathe underwater?
Davrin: He's not a fish.
Captain: (terse) Then when it punctures the hull it'll be extinct again.
Rook: Heh, get a few bottles of Dragon Piss in the captain and he'll be asking to ride Assan in no time.
Rook: Welcome aboard.
Davrin: Impressive ship. Makes a nice hunting blind for whatever lives down here.
Rook: It's the monsters on land we're worried about.
Davrin: Yeah. Seen my share of those.
Davrin: Course, none of them were gods. Makes things interesting.
Option: Solas is a formidable opponent.
Rook: Don't let Solas' "divinity" fool you. Or his good manners. He's ruthless and won't stop until everyone in this world is dead.
Davrin: Not if I get him first.
Davrin: Dread Wolf or not, he's still a wolf, and wolves can be hunted.
Davrin: (amused chuckle) Sorry, once you put the smell of blood in the water, no stopping me.
Option: You're not worried?
Rook: And that doesn't worry you?
Davrin: In my experience that's when the world gets interesting.
Rook: Or dangerous.
Davrin: The code I live by is pretty simple: every shadow I confront makes me stronger.
Davrin: Forges some steel in the soul.
Rook: Driven, aren't you?
Davrin: That happens when you've got an expiration.
Rook (Grey Warden): (understands; quietly) The Deep Roads.
Davrin: I don't know about you, but the day I answer the call, I want it to be as a man who gave more to the world than he took.
Davrin: Someday the Deep Roads will call.
Davrin: And the day I answer it, I want it to be as a man who gave more to the world than he took.
Davrin: (laughs) And along the way kicked death in the balls every chance I got.
Flirt option: I like your confidence.
Rook: You're bold. I like that.
Davrin: That's how you win.
Rook: (flirty) A battle? Or...other things?
Davrin: (laughs) You don't waste anytime, do you? Looking for a little fun on the side while we save the world?
Rook: Testing the waters.
Davrin: Well, I like a challenge.
Rook: What kind?
Davrin: Depends. Are you the sort that likes to hunt? Or be hunted?
Flirt option: I like to hunt.
Rook: If I want something, I grab it.
Davrin: If you can catch it.
Rook: Not hard when it's standing right in front of you.
Flirt option: I like to be chased.
Rook: I'm all about the thrill of the chase. If you can catch me.
Davrin: There's a doubt? You've seen what I can do.
Rook: Didn't say it was you I wanted to catch me.
Davrin: And so it begins.
Option (possibly cutt off flirt): Sorry. I overstepped.
Rook: You know what — I think maybe I came on too strong. Didn't mean to.
Davrin: (smiles) I'll keep that in mind.
Davrin: I can handle it. Way I see these things, wilting flowers never catch the bee.
Option: Thanks for the talk.
Rook: I'm glad you joined, Davrin.
Davrin: Glad to be here, Rook.
Davrin: I may not be the type to hang 'round Orlesian parties putting on airs and licking boots, but I do know my way around trouble.
Davrin: So you just point me where you need me.
Later, Rook could talk to Davrin on various topics on the ship.
Davrin: Rook. Something on your mind?
Option: Tell me about the griffon.
Rook: I know you said Assan was sensitive business, but we can't have any secrets on the Dumat.
Davrin: I appreciate that. But I don't know everyone on the Dumat, not yet.
Option (GW Rook): I'm a Grey Warden.
Rook: We're both Grey Wardens. That should count for something.
Davrin: It does. If you're one of the good ones.
Rook: Am I?
Davrin: Haven't disappointed yet.
Option (Dalish Rook): We're both Dalish.
Rook: We're both Dalish. That should count for something.
Davrin: Like you trust every Dalish you meet? (laughs) Well, I figure if I've misjudged you, then I'm wrong about a lot of other things.
Option: You can trust them.
Rook: We're a team. We have to start trusting each other.
Davrin: When it's earned. Anyone messes with Assan here and I re-arrange their skull into little pieces of skull.
Rook: I'd help you.
Davrin: Well....fair enough.
Option: Then trust me.
Rook: Well you can trust me at least. I trusted you.
Davrin: (grins) Right. Bait. I guess that counts for something.
Davrin: So most people know, Grey Wardens used to ride griffons into battle against darkspawn. This went on for centuries.
Davrin: But during the Fourth Blight, about 400 years ago, they went extinct. Exactly why has always been something of a mystery.
Davrin: Though we know the griffons were tainted somehow. Infected by the Blight. After that they died off.
Option: Then how is Assan alive?
Rook: Yet somehow Assan here survived. How?
Davrin: A clutch of eggs was found not too long ago. Hidden all these centuries.
Rook: A clutch? You mean Assan isn't the only one?
Davrin: That's the "sensitive business". The Wardens ordered me to look into it. Quietly. I don't have any answers yet.
Option: Why did you leave your clan?
Rook: I take it from this business with Keeper Eldrin that you left your clan at some point?
Davrin: When I was younger, I was a First to Eldrin. He saw me as his apprentice. Spent all my time studying history with him.
Davrin: We'd talk about elves who'd been dead for thousands of years and would keep on being dead for a thousand more.
Davrin: Then I had my first Arlathvhen. Other Dalish clans would come and we'd argue about the old legends and maybe change the wording of some scroll.
Davrin: That's when it hit me. The same old stories being told. Nothing new. Isolated from the world. We weren't growing.
Option (Elf Rook): I never paid attention.
Rook: To be honest, I didn't pay much attention to our history.
Rook: Well, if I'd known we were going up against the Dread Wolf himself...
Option (Elf Rook): Solas is part of our stories.
Rook: Yet Solas is one of us. He's a big part of that lore.
Option: Solas is part of those stories.
Rook: Yet Solas is an elf. He's a big part of your mythology.
Davrin: Oh, I know irony when I see it. The Dread Wolf was once just a name in dusty old books.
Option (Elf Rook): Our history fascinates me.
Rook: I've always found the history of our people fascinating.
Option: Elven lore fascinates me.
Rook: I've always thought the history of your people is fascinating.
Davrin: It is, but it's history. We spent all our time obsessing over things that couldn't be changed.
Davrin: Eventually I left the clan. It broke Keeper Eldrin's heart. He thought I was trying to forget the Dalish side of me.
Rook: Were you?
Davrin: More like finding a new side. See the world. Bring something new back to my people.
Davrin: But that stretched on for at least a decade, and, well...
Rook: Do you regret it?
Davrin: I know Eldrin did.
Option: Why join the Grey Wardens?
Rook: How did you end up in the Grey Wardens?
Davrin: After I left my clan, I spent years wandering Thedas as a hunter for hire. Sharpened my skills and made some coin while I was at it.
Davrin: But I needed a bigger challenge.
Davrin: So I knocked on the door at Weisshaupt and told them I wanted to kill every darkspawn I could find.
Option: It's not that simple.
Rook (GW): You're talking to a Warden. We both know it's not that simple.
Rook: I don't imagine the life of a Warden is that simple.
Davrin: It can be. If you embrace your fate, use it to motivate you. They say age grants wisdom - well, I don't want to wait that long.
Davrin: What good is it if I'm old and need help taking a piss? Joining the Wardens gave me a deadline.
Option: That sounds crazy.
Rook: There must be other challenges in life that don't end in corruption and death in the Deep Roads.
Davrin: I'm not trying to live forever. Joining the Wardens gave me a deadline.
Davrin: By the time I hear the Calling I better have made my mark.
Option: Tell me about your code.
Rook: I'd like to hear more about this code of yours.
Davrin: Simple, really. The only way to know the measure of your own light is to hold yourself up to the darkness.
Davrin: Some people sit around chantries saying prayers and burning candles. Just a lot of melted wax.
Davrin: What good is a candle if there's no shadows to ward off?
Option: It's useless.
Rook: It's just ceremony.
Davrin: And proves nothing.
Option: Shadows scare people.
Rook: People avoid the dark for good reason. A lot of nasty things live there.
Davrin: Not if you meet them head on.
Davrin: The only way to know your own strength - to turn your candle into a torch - is by confronting the shadows.
Davrin: That's what the monsters of this world really are — the darkspawn, demons from the Fade, or Solas....
Davrin: They're kindling for our own light. We need them.
Rook: That's one way of looking at it.
Davrin: We'd go soft otherwise.
Option: Goodbye.
Rook: That's it for now.
Davrin: Drop by whenever you like.
Next, when Davrin trusts Rook more, there is a cutscene with Assan, in which he finally tells what happened to the griffons in the fortress.
Assan: (Squawk)
Davrin: Quiet!
Assan: (Squawk)
Davrin: (exasperated) Assan, it's explained right here in the manual— when I say "Quiet" you're supposed to be quiet.
Davrin: Rook. Glad you're enjoying the show. It's the one command he refuses to learn.
Flirt option: Try charm?
Davrin: There are other ways to get what you want. Maybe try that smile of yours?
It seems the lines are different, Rook chose the role of the hunter or be hunted.
Davrin: (chuckles; smiles) And now I feel like I'm being hunted.
Rook: There it is.
Davrin: (teasing) Who said this smiles was for you?
Davrin: (chuckles; smiles) Didn't realize you noticed?
Rook: There it is.
Davrin: (teasing) Well, soak it up while it lasts...
Davrin: Let's see if Assan cares...
Option: Ask nicely?
Rook: Or it could be the one giving the command. Maybe he needs to hear "please"?
Davrin: It's not supposed to be a negotiation.
Davrin: Well, maybe a little...
Option: You'll need to earn it.
Rook: I don't expect my team to just do whatever I say. Respect is earned.
Davrin: Unless you can buy it...
Option: Assert yourself.
Rook: You need to let him know who's in charge.
Davrin: I will, as soon as I figure it out. Have you seen what his beak can do?
Davrin: Best to keep it busy.
Davrin: (to Assan) How 'bout some nice salmon for a nice quiet griffon?
Assan: (Squawk)
Rook: Sounds like Assan agrees?
Davrin: Nah, just means he's hungry. Pretty much all he ever talks about.
Rook (GW): In my time with the Wardens, I've heard stories about griffons choosing their riders, not the other way around.
Rook: I've heard griffons used to choose their riders, not the other way around.
Davrin: It's true. And only fair given what we asked of them. They'll tear into darkspawn without hesitation; challenge an archdemon head on.
Davrin: But that's because the Grey Wardens raised them to.
Option: We'd be dead otherwise.
Rook: And we're all still alive because of it. They helped end the blights.
Davrin: Just wish they hadn't gotten the raw end of the deal.
Option: That's a pity.
Rook: I suppose they weren't really given a choice.
Davrin: Well, they're good at it. Natural hunters with an instinct for the kill. Wardens just focused that instinct.
Rook: And what about Assan? Has he chosen you yet?
Davrin: He's still sizing me up. Though I'm not sure I want him to — he's pure, like the halla I chased as a boy.
Davrin: Beautiful white stags, bigger than a deer. The Dalish part of me wonders what a wild griffon would be like.
Option: Intimidating.
Rook: With that temper, I imagine they'd own the skies.
Davrin: And maybe everything else too. Not a lot can stop them.
Option: Free.
Rook: Free to find a new purpose in the world, I imagine.
Davrin: (musing) Yeah. Leave the past behind them.
Option: Lost.
Rook: Hunting darkspawn is what they do. Without that purpose they'd be lost.
Davrin: [chuckles] Not sure if you're talking about the griffons or me.
Rook: Any word on the others?
Davrin: I wanted to talk to you about that. When the Wardens found these griffons, they put them in quarantine.
Davrin: It was a remote fortress, in case they were tainted. Then the place was attacked, the griffons went missing.
Rook: Are there others griffons?
Davrin: For a long time, no. Griffons died out during the Fourth Blight. But Assan was part of a clutch of griffons found a few years ago, hidden away.
Davrin: Grey Wardens put them in quarantine at a remote fortress, in case they were tainted. Then the place was attacked.
Rook: What happened?
Davrin: The griffons went missing. Assan was the only one left. But I've gotten word — there's a black market that specializes in monsters and beasts.
Davrin: It's a traveling caravan. Moves around the wilds. And someone said they spotted a griffon.
On Davrin's page in the DAtV artbook, you can see the concept of this market.
Option: This caravan sells monsters?
Rook: What do you know about this caravan?
Davrin: Ruthless band of hunters. They trap anything they can find and sell it to the highest bidder.
Rook: And they have a griffon?
Davrin: If they do, it'll be snapped up. And after that...nothing good. A lot of mages and cultists dabbling in the black arts buy from them.
Davrin: A griffon would be a prize like no other.
Option: Tell me about the quarantine.
Rook: What happened with the quarantine?
Davrin: We lost contact with the fortress. So I was part of a group sent to investigate. We found a massacre.
Rook: The Wardens?
Davrin: Dead Wardens. And missing griffons...well, all except one. I was searching the undercroft when I found him - Assan. He'd been hiding.
Davrin: Tried attacking me on sight he was so terrified. It took two days before I could coax him out of there. After that, I was the only one he'd trust.
Option: The griffon was alive?
Rook: The other griffons could still be alive?
Davrin: At least one. We need to check it out before this caravan pulls up stakes.
Rook: I'll see what we can do.
Davrin: Can't wait too long. Only a handful of griffons left in the world.
