𝒅𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂.

ANYA DE RIVA • "rook" of the antivan crows. • dragon age: the veilguard ❝ one of the strongest pieces on the board. but she tends to think in straight lines. ❞

NOT SPOILER-FREE FOR DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD.

Woman who does not know how she ended up with this job but someone's gotta do it.

"When people know someone has hired an assassin to come after them they're so good at checking their food for poisons and locking their windows and they never expect a woman who kicks down their door and beats them to death with her bare hands. And that's why I'm the crows' secret weapon."

7'3" qunari brawler and former "indentured" pit fighter from Tevinter. Bought up by an organization of assassins because they liked her style and raised to become a member of the group.

Viago de Riva's favorite annoyance.

God of lies, rebellion and betrayal lives in her head and regularly menaces her dreams.

Nailed it. That was a greeting that definitely wouldn't put anyone off, elven or otherwise. Well, at least from her perspective, it was almost always accurate. She hadn't seen too many elves around, but she was at least familiar with them, so when she did spot one, it was exciting.

❝ hey, listen. you know any good taverns or anything around here? ❞ She asked, catching up. Archimedes had been busy last time she'd been here, but it didn't seem too busy now. ❝ the coffee's alright here, it's no antivan coffee of course, but it's fine. but i'm looking for someplace good to like, drink, and there's a hundred coffee shops and not a sign of a good, down-to-earth tavern yet... ❞

The knife impacted the telephone pole next to the man's head with a dull thud, sinking several inches deep into the old wood. She had been juggling several of them for a few of the neighborhood kids in Fibonacci. The surprise of someone else showing up on this near-empty side street had distracted her for a second, and she had accidentally loosed one of them—but at least her aim was good enough that she didn't hit him.

The kids all immediately shouted and scrambled in different directions, like a nest of rats that had abruptly had a light shined into it, leaving Anya standing alone and holding several knives.

❝ my bad? ❞ She said, jogging up to retrieve her knife, crow-wing cape trailing behind her in the breeze, ❝ i wasn't trying to kill you, i promise. ❞

Solas? That was the first one she noticed. She took a second to wonder if it was the real guy or someone with a suspiciously similar name, and then decided to utilize her block button, just to be safe.

Then she happened upon another one, and raised an eyebrow as she sipped her latte. She considered the messaging system for a moment, and then figured nothing ventured, nothing gained, and started punching in a text.

[To:] Lavellan [From:] Rook ♖

[txt]: so hey i think we've met before right with the wolf statue stuff and morrigan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [txt]: admittedly not a lot of familiar faces round here but if i am correct which i usually am would you want to get coffee and catch up or something because im dying out here and also i have some questions about some shit [txt]: its rook by the way you know the super hot and sexy young leader of the veilguard whos saving the world and shit you know me right right [txt]: anyway im uuuh wait i think i can send my location on this thing andrastes fat tits that ru;les [txt]: hold on im doing some magic bullshit [txt]: ~~~~~~~FWSHSHSHHSHSHS~~~~~~~ [txt]: [GPS Location]

Rounding a corner as a brisk jog, she put a hand on the shoulder of the first person she met. Looking down at the stranger, she said, ❝ hey, buddy. i need you to do me a favor. ❞

She lifted the poor ginger cat with one hand and dumped it into his arms. ❝ take this, run around the corner up the road, and i'll meet you in a block. okay? ❞

❝ you know how to get to... ❞ She paused, ❝ uuuh... somewhere... somewhere that's less here. i don't know, maybe an inn or a tavern or something? ❞

But it wasn't so bad. Being lost was just the first step in finding new, cool places. The first time she'd been able to navigate a city off-leash, so to speak, had been Treviso, and she still remembered the magic in being able to just duck into new buildings or wander through parks without fear of being hunted down.

She plopped down on a bench next to a stranger in the middle of a very bright lane of marble buildings and fancy shops.

❝ nice horns! ❞ She said, and then tapped her broken left horn. ❝ i snapped mine a few years ago. still need to get it fixed. back where i come from, they have these cool crystal replacements... but i haven't been able to find anyone that makes them since leaving. ❞

❝ hey, i know you! i've seen your wanted posters! ❞

That was always a solid way to greet another Crow, as far as she was aware. She'd barely been here any time at all, and was finding it a little disorienting. It was nice to see a face that was somewhat familiar, though, even if only in a celebrity sort of way.

❝ aren't you the guy who embarrassed house arainai so bad that they killed like, five talons? you're a legend. ❞ She said, jogging to catch up with him, ❝ you're so much tinier in person than you look in the artwork! and way less old? ❞