Siluri Sanguine

I kind of saw that line (the one from Illario) as Lucanis' belief that Rook is too good for him in his current state - possessed by a demon. He doesn't want Rook dragged into the mess that is the Lucanis & Spite show.

In terms of how he sees his bodily autonomy, it's complicated... but I think he very much sees himself as his own person. I don't this his upbringing really impacted that too much - he's a Crow and he has a job to do, so he'll get it done. That's just the way it is as a Crow. He's luckier than most in that I think he could probably turn down a contract if he didn't want to do it, and it would be passed on to another lesser Dellamorte Crow.

I genuinely think it's Spite who has had the most impact on him. Suddenly his body genuinely isn't his own anymore. He accepted the deal with Spite, but i think Lucanis probably expected to die in the Ossuary or in an escape attempt. He made the deal to spite the Venatori... but i think he wanted to die on his own terms.

Grappling with who he is now and sharing his body with a demon is difficult for him. He wants to live. He wants to be the person he used to be... but until he makes peace with Spite and peace with what happened to him, he's too afraid of what he might do.

Day 1 🐍 Day 2 🐍 Day 3 🐍 Day 4 🐍 Day 5 🐍 Day 6

Thanks to @shadow-dragon-week for hosting!

Day 3: Hope/Despair

Rating: Mature Words: 415 Warnings: Mentions of Tevinter Slaver, Mention of Blood Magic sacrifice

Read on Ao3, or in full below!

First Day, 9:44 Dragon

It’s First Day. Not something I tend to mark beyond nabbing as many roasted chicken legs as possible, but an unusual moment of reflection has washed over me—likely because I wasn’t sure I’d make it this far, this time last year.

Now as I’m staring down another, it fills me with… hope?

Strange thing to say about what I’m plotting with the aid of these new allies. But all of my efforts over the last year and a half no longer feel like they’re in vain, like they did for so long. Haven’t felt as alone as I have, despite no lack of unsavory companions over that same stretch of time.

Haven’t even had a night I can’t remember for the last three weeks, which is saying something after spending most of those nights with Marisa’s friend, Tarquin.

Ah, Tarquin. The young buck hates his day job almost as much as he hates what I’m trying to accomplish, but he was told to play nice and help cross-reference my intel with what he can find in the archives. We’ve unearthed some deeply troubling information.

The sheer number of slaves Cassian has sacrificed in the name of power since he inherited his father’s estate two years ago is even worse than what they’d originally thought. That my mother was one of so many boils my blood. I cannot think about it too closely lest I fall back into habits I’m trying to abandon, but now… now my resolve burns more fiercely than ever.

Tarquin keeps giving me sidelong glances around stacks of parchment as if I might turn into a demon of vengeance and burn the place down around him. But I remember myself now more than ever too. My instructors at the Circle always said I was too hardheaded for possession. No, my vengeance is my own.

And I will have it in this new year. We are forming a plan. It will not be easy. But I will see it done.

That hope—that there is an end in sight, that this score will be settled and then some—already starts this year on a better foot than the last.

Here’s to 9:44 Dragon. May it be the last Magister Cassian Pollux draws breath.

1 Wintermarch 9:44

Brought Tarquin some chicken from last night’s festivities. He welcomed it after spending all night in the archives. Didn’t tell him it was pilfered, though. Onto our research now.

Commissioned art by @redreart Thank you again for the beautiful work! 🥰

Art by: @artofcorinne

I am writing a side fic to my main Veilguard fic focusing on Illario Dellamorte and a De Riva crow he meets when he is assigned a task that is meant to prove his loyalty.

Kaelin De Riva knows who Illario is. She is fully and entirely aware of what he did. So when he joins their team in Minrathous she is skeptical.

unofficial artfight on @xkatchy of her de Riva Rook OC Cioba.

Wedding Dress

1882

🎨 Calendar Artist: doriandotexe

Dorian is a full-time artist from the UK. They have been a long-time fan of Dragon Age ever since Origins released. He is thrilled to finally be part of this project after missing the application deadline every year previously!

Some studies, having fun with my beloved husb-I mean, my beloved Señor Dellamorte~🐦‍⬛💜