Ylfa’s bottleneck

trips and thousands of pictures of Rook Ingellvars fall out of my pockets

“I don’t really like it y’know? Like it’s not really mine”

Only for Lucanis to follow up (he is equally as drunk) with

After inquiring with senior members of the Mourn Watch and getting suspiciously stonewalled she finally just throws up her hands and confronts Emmrich directly. They all care for Rook, right? Who wouldn't want to know where they come from? She doesn't need sleep she needs answers, damnit!

And Emmrich sighs, puts down his tea, and very slowly explains to Neve, after extracting a promise of secrecy, that the most senior of the Mourn Watch do, in fact, know where Rook came from. They aren't the first to be discovered, after all, just one of the very few to be found still alive.

The Necropolis is vast. Lot's of uncovered corners and dark holes for a secret, unwanted child to be quietly removed to. Despite the protests of the Mortalitasi, the Nevarran nobles have unrestricted access the tombs and burial fields of their families, and it is not unheard of for the remains of unclaimed newborns to be found among those family graves.

Now there's a Rook Ingellvar that exists that looks like something right out of the uncanny valley because they were literally created by what is basically a semi sentient mega cemetery. They're too pale, their features too perfect and symmetrical, their proportions just a touch off and have a mouth full of a few too many teeth that are a little too sharp, probably have like no belly button because again they were made of blood and magic and not actually born. Just a Rook that's a little fucked up looking but in a way it's really hard to put your finger on.

Rook always had a hard time fitting in because they unsettle people just by existing and they know there is something off about them and that they are Not Normal but never really knowing what or why they are the way they are.

Then they see Solas' Regret Mural about how the ancient elves were spirits that took a mortal form and suddenly Rook's like hmmm, I'm not sure how I feel about the implications of this revelation on whatever the fuck I have going on.

Ingellvar

1. How did baby Rook end up in the Ingellvar crypt? Does Rook know this information, or is it a mystery to them? Does anyone else know this information?

2. Who found them in the Ingellvar crypt/who was handed baby Rook by the Necropolis undead/spirits? Does Rook have a relationship with them at any point?

3. What happened to Rook after they were discovered? Were they given to Nevarra City’s chantry? Did the Mourn Watch keep & raise them? How does Rook feel about this decision?

4. Did Rook enjoy their upbringing? Did they stay with whoever was raising them, or did they run away? Why?

5. Did Rook have any friends while growing up? Did this change as they got older? Do they try to stay in touch with them?

6. For Mage Rooks, when was their magic discovered? Were they sent to a Circle for training? Were they trained in secret? Do they specialise in any type of magic? If so, is it something they choose, or was it chosen for them? How was Rook affected by the Mage Rebellion?

7. For rogue/warrior Rooks, what drew them to their preferred method of fighting? Did they discover it early? Do they like fighting? How & where did they train?

8. If Rook wasn’t raised or trained in the Necropolis, when did they return/join the Mourn Watch? Do they have/make any friends in the Mourn Watch?

9. What type of duties does Rook do in the Necropolis/as part of the Mourn Watch? Do those duties change over time? Do they enjoy them?

10. Does Rook have any special abilities related to the Necropolis or its spirits/undead? If so, did they always have it, or do they train to gain it? How do they feel about their abilities? Do others treat them differently because of them?

11. How does Rook end up involved in the War of the Banners? Why do they choose to lead “a daring attack on the rebellion’s duelling leaders”? Was this the first time they acted without orders, or was it a common occurrence? Did they feel like they had no other options, or did they not stop to consider any others?

12. How do they feel about being sent away as a result? Do they care that they angered nobility by destroying the bodies of their ancestors? Do they regret their actions at all? Where do they go? What do they do?

13. How does Rook meet Varric? Do they become part of the team to stop Solas right away, or does it take some time for Varric & Harding to fill them in?

14. Does Rook like travelling with Varric & Harding? What do they think of each? What do they think of the mission to stop Solas?

———

For use as writing prompts, as an ask game, etc! Enjoy fleshing out your Rook’s origin!

There is a skeleton in the necropolis that Emmrich can talk to, it will tell a story about saving a baby, and the baby’s gender changes based on what is selected as Rook’s! This could be the skeleton that found crypt baby Ingellvar, or one of their parents?

ROOK: Wonder what their story was?

EMMRICH: I could ask, if you’d like.

MUTTERING UNDEAD: Stumbling… the steps…

MUTTERING UNDEAD: …skeletons saw…

MUTTERING UNDEAD: Oh… no choice.

MUTTERING UNDEAD: …had to be brave… had to be brave…

MUTTERING UNDEAD: …too late to cry…

best backstory (baby ingellvar was literally found in the necropolis by the mourn watchers ??? that's metal af)

best faction-exclusive dialogues

best music

emmrich saying shit like "why don't we visit home? 🥰" and it's literally fcking CATACOMBS

ingellvar is basically a big-ass necromancy nerd