STOP THIS IS THE FUNNIEST PHOTO OF LUCANIS I'VE EVER

Viago and Teia getting a letter one day (technically it was addressed to just Teia but they were On again so they're reading it together. there's another addressed to Viago waiting in his room which he has not slept in for three days and probably won't find go back to for at least a week more) that says:

We're eloping to Nevarra and Lucanis is abdicating. Giving you a heads up because you're cool. Enjoy the fallout!

Best Regards, Rook and Lucanis Ingellvar

What follows this unceremonious departure from Antiva is a level of chaos rivaling even Zevran's reign of terror as all the Talons scramble to grab the empty seat Lucanis left behind to live his best life as a househusband. House Dellamorte that has limped along clinging to power through blood and cruelty finally falls and in the resulting chaos and confusion either Teia or Viago end up seizing the seat of the First Talon. They're not sure whether to thank Lucanis or strangle him for causing such upheaval. Lucanis is too happy spending his days baking bread and testing out new recipes to really care.

insane taash lucanis banter where taash asks why the butcher didn’t just move to treviso like their mother moved to rivain and start a new life in the city he loved instead of occupying it and lucanis says:

Lucanis: Antaam are trained from childhood, yes? The Butcher would have grown up only ever learning how to be a warrior, a conqueror.

Taash: So he invaded the city and turned into a monster, because his tama never taught him how to do anything else.

Lucanis: He still had a choice. There is always a choice.

not that this is relevant to lucanis at all

This was one of the moments pre-confirmation that made me go OH this man is on the ace spectrum huh lol

Rookanis Kisses

🩷 Spicy questions for your Rook + their romanced partner 🩷

What is Rook's sexual orientation and identity? What are their pronouns?

Is Rook dominant, submissive or a switch?

How often does Rook spend "alone time"?

Does Rook have any sensitive spots?

Is Rook down for casual one-night stands?

Is Rook attracted to anyone (specific person or just negative qualities) they shouldn’t be and why? (bonus points if it's not their love interest)

Does Rook have any kinks? Do they act on it or just think about it?

What's Rook's favorite thing their partner can do for them in bed (hair-pulling, pinned wrists, etc.)? Is there something they don't like at all?

What does Rook like to wear and what do they like seeing their partner in (e.g. lingerie)?

What is Rook's favorite part of their partner’s body?

What is Rook's favorite intimate non-sexual thing to do with their partner?

What gets them both in the mood?

Do they prefer foreplay or are they impatient?

Who is usually on top? Do they switch?

Do they have names for each other in bed?

Are they adventurous in bed?

Do they have a favorite place?

Are they into (consensual) pain?

What is the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to them in bed?

Have they ever had a threesome? If not, would they? With whom?

Morning or evening?

Have they ever been caught?

Are they into dirty talk?

Are they loud or quiet together?

Do they have a safe word?

What do they usually do after? Are they a couple that likes to cuddle?

Feel free to reblog and ask each other about your Rooks! 🩷

I tried to keep them "tame", not sure if tumblr will like this.

There are already so many delicious meta posts on everyone's specific thoughts on what's going on in Illario's head, but I am jumping in myself because he and Lucanis are making me CRAZY

I think that soooo much of his jealousy is that he and Lucanis get treated as a binary. Damn near every time Lucanis talks about something he is or isn't good at, he brings up how Illario is the opposite. It isn't just that they're constantly being compared (already something that's going to be super damaging to both of them and their relationship) but there's such a strong sense that they're not allowed to overlap.

Like, Lucanis is better at physical combat? Okay, so Illario is bad at it. It doesn't matter that he's still very good, that's he's good enough to still be a living, working Crow at the ripe old age of 30+, as a member of the First Talon's family no less. It doesn't matter that he's good enough to drop down from the ceiling (when and how did you get up there???) and kill Zara before anyone can register he's there. It doesn't matter that he's still a significant boss, even once you factor out the Venatori. He's worse than Lucanis, so Lucanis is the 'good' assassin and Illario is the 'bad' one.

In the reverse, Lucanis's self-esteem about his social skills is in the DIRT. He is CONSTANTLY bringing up how Illario is the people person. Even when, in the same breath, he says Illario only ever had relationships with people he didn't like and they never lasted, he's still saying Illario is better at it. And because Illario is better with people, he's 'good' at it, and Lucanis is 'bad' at it.

In any discussion with or about Lucanis and Illario there is, apparently, zero overlap in their skill sets. Despite the fact that that's very obviously not true. But they've been set against each other so thoroughly that they don't even realize it. Because presumably Caterina started training them and they had a knack for some skills more than others and rather than encouraging them to teach other or partner up to boost each other's strengths, she was most likely going "Look, Illario, your cousin did that move so much better than you, be more like that," and "Lucanis, Illario perfected this ages ago, it is not that hard to convince someone you're harmless" and all they got was that one of them was the assassin and one of them was the conman and never the two shall meet.

And Caterina, of course, heavily favors Lucanis. And I imagine there's a million reasons why - starting with the fact that it sounds like his mother was the last favorite. (And how can Illario compete with that? He'll never be the son of the favorite.) But I think a big reason is Lucanis's skill set. Maybe he's the most like her. Maybe she thinks if he's good in combat, he won't die like all the others did. Has she just written Illario off as a lost cause, certain to get himself killed? Not consciously, I'm sure, but subconsciously? Easy to imagine. Easy for Illario to feel that way, whether it's true or not.

And then!! He's being babysat! This idea that Lucanis is the one who can fight (and therefore Illario cannot) has taken hold so deeply that Lucanis feels like he has to look out for Illario, has to protect him, and of course that's bundled up in the 'we're all we have left' but when you're suffocating under the weight of your cousin being a mother hen that feels much less sympathetic. And when you're a 30+ assassin it's gonna feel pretty aggravating if everyone acts like you need your cousin to help you tie your shoes in the morning.

And I don't think either of them realize this. Introspection is not a Crow skill. All Illario knows is he can't be a good assassin while Lucanis is alive, because only one of them can be a good assassin. And that built and built and I think the opportunity to have Lucanis killed crossed his path, and he - Well, despite what Caterina might think, he is a very good Crow. So he took the opportunity. And then he couldn't go back.

And what does he have, under this binary? At least the good fighter, the good assassin, can have a talent for other athletic work, a passion for knives. At least the favorite can find another hobby without feeling grandmother breathing down his neck, asking why he's learning a new skill when he hasn't even mastered the important one. What's under a conman, a grifter, a politician? Sure, he can make people like him, but he can he ever connect with them enough to like them back? Does he know who he is? Would he know where to begin to try and find out?

I'd argue that - whether he knows it or not - is the biggest reason he tried to have Lucanis killed. He doesn't know who he is other than Caterina's least favorite grandson, Lucanis's cousin. He doesn't know how to find out.

spirit of Determination, huh?

post-veilguard life rookanis idk how to caption this

The topic of first relationships played funnily between Lucanis and my Rook. Rook was like: "Well. I wouldn't know how a first kiss tastes like since I've never been kissed before". Lucanis said something like: "In matters of the heart is better not to rush". My Rook was sure that was a patronizing comment coming from someone that probably has kissed dozens of people before.

When they took forever to get together, Rook thought: "Oh, man. He clearly doesn't like me because I'm inexperienced :(". Then that banter between Lucanis and Emmrich happened and Rook was like: "Wait, wait, WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M YOUR FIRST RELATIONSHIP??? YOU WEREN'T BEING PATRONIZING, YOU WERE BEING HONEST!"

More cut lines. It seems like companions talk to Rook after the regret prison depending on the romance.

Lucanis.

Spite caught your scent before we all heard you.

Taash?

Then I caught your scent. Sort of. It was your scent but with magic and feelings and crap.

Emmrich, I guess.

Then suddenly, I heard you, darling. And the welcome pull of your voice. Finding you was fiendishly difficult. I tried a number of rituals. Multiple attempts.

According to the localization in my language, these are the lines of a female character. Harding, Neve, Bellara?

But I heard you. Over everything else. Because, well. It's you. I heard your voice. I wasn't sure it was real but… here you are. I didn't believe it at first, when I heard your voice. But it was you.

Once again according to the localization in my language, these are the lines of a male character. Davrin, Lucanis?

And then all of a sudden, I could hear you. Across the Veil. Then I heard your voice. No way you're getting away from me that easy.

No idea.

(Chuckles.) Welcome back. We missed you.

Rook?

You're all incredible. I… I don't know what to say. I don't think "thanks" really covers it, but thanks. All of you. You saved me.