hey, thanks for coming over! I hope you enjoy my art sideblog ✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ ) just as a heads up, I'm currently working two separate freelancer jobs and don't have a lot of time to draw. please be aware of my low-effort sketches...
I've been focused in posting about baldur's gate 3 and dragon age: the veilguard due to being two major sources of comfort for me. astarion (bg3) and lucanis (da:v) in particular have character arcs that helped me work through stuff I'd been struggling with for a while, so I'm extremely grateful to everyone involved in developing them
take a look at my DA:V tag directory below the read more for a bunch of thoughts on lucanis, spite and dragon age lore in general (╭ರ_•́) 🔎
dividers by saradika-graphics found here: [x]
FEATURED TAVS / ROOKS
ZYRA MIRTHVEIL he/she/they || tiefling of asmodeus, charlatan, bard || college of lore
BRRANWIN (@muffinapologist) she/they || half-orc, folk hero, fighter || battle master
EZORR (@ink-cartoon) they/them || blue dragonborn, folk hero, wizard || school of abjuration
SAAR LAIDIR he/him || qunari, lord of fortune, rogue
CASTER (@dandyboyandy) he/him || dwarf, veil jumper, rogue
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What if Lucanis and Spite left messages for each other when they're in charge of the body? Kind of like in Your Name / Kimi no na wa.
One day before going to sleep, Lucanis decides to set up a game of tic-tac-toe on an empty page of his logbook and puts down the first O or X (there's potential for symbolism based on which one he chooses). This takes place early on in their alliance: Lucanis is awkwardly extending an olive branch but has no idea where or how to start.
As a spirit, Spite isn't familiar with the game, but he can read Lucanis's intentions. Maybe he peeks into some memories to figure it out. So, when Lucanis wakes up the next day, Spite has put down his symbol.
From then on, they do this every night as sort of a bonding experience to grow closer in their early relationship. If Lucanis wins, he writes "Shall we play another?" and sets up another game. If Spite wins, he writes (in very big letters) "SPITE. WINS >:D" or the rare, first person "I. WIN >:D" 💜
BONUS Spite + Rook thought that's adjacently related to this:
You know that collaborative exercise where one person draws a random line or shape and the other has to get creative with finishing it? What if, during their time at the Lighthouse, Rook and Spite did that sometimes? Rook keeps trying to stump Spite, but the spirit’s always coming up with the wildest shit that has Rook going "WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS".
I’ll be talking about a NSFW headcanon under the cut (Spiterookanis with a named Rook), so if that’s not your thing, this is your warning to not keep reading (￣▽￣)ゞ it's pegging because of course it is.
It all started with me and @dandyboyandy talking about color coding, since my Rook’s skin is blue, but his red hair is so iconic it’s impossible not to relate both colors to him. Andy mentioned Saar "was much like this gummy worm": [x], which is incredibly accurate tbh. But I looked at it and thought "what if that's the color of Saar's strap", so here we are.
It wouldn't be this long and it fucking weighs 2lb, but the ridges could feel nice if you're looking at it as a normal-sized dick. Lucanis and Spite would focus on different aspects of the experience, as is their nature in most things, yet there's an undeniable appeal for both of them.
Saar would sink into them painfully slowly, bit by bit. The "rings" prevent him from pounding the entire length in one go. Lucanis and Spite would feel the burn of being breached over and over, with an in-between that allows them to relax before there’s another stretch.
For Spite, the slowness would be torture. It's like you're edging him. He might try to force the strap to enter him faster and get all fidgety when Saar doesn’t let him. "Good things come to those who wait," the Qunari sighs fondly, his strong hands stabilizing Spite's hips so the spirit can't bottom out and rip Lucanis's asshole in the process LMFAO.
In Lucanis's case, perhaps he'd be mesmerized by how the texture itself feels, combined with the repetition of each section's burn then release / brief respite. He'd savor every inch like one savors every bite of a tasty dish, letting the pleasure wash over him before Saar asks if he's "ready for another one?" while massaging his shaky thighs.
And you KNOW their body would be deliciously sore in the morning.
ngl, this replay of Veilguard has got me deeper in Spitecanis hell than I'd previously anticipated. Spite teases Lucanis so much at the beginning of the game. I can't help but fantasize and get creative with it ( ꈍ◡ꈍ)
CONTEXT, just so I don't sound like I'm talking out of my ass:
Towards the end of the prison break, after defeating Calivan to fulfill his contract, Lucanis turns to Spite (still unsure if others can see him) and Rook calls him out on it. Spite taunts him, saying that now they'll know he isn't right [in the head], which Lucanis seemingly ignores at the time.
There's a long cutscene back in Treviso, and we learn Caterina was taken by the Venatori. Then, what immediately follows is our Rook walking into a conversation in the Lighthouse's kitchen, where Neve and Bellara are talking about ways they might be able to rid Lucanis of his possession.
If Rook stands against the idea of hurting him, arguing there has to be another way, Spite will taunt him saying "this one doesn't want to hurt you [...] everyone else does". It's such an interesting pattern of behavior. All I'm saying is I don't think it would be too out of character for them to have a conversation that goes a little something like this:
Lucanis: Letting you learn about my body was my first mistake.
Spite: YOU. LIKE, IT. >:]]]
Lucanis: (sighs... but can't deny it) >:(((
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Lucanis: Did getting possessed by Spite make me a bad person, or have I been a bad person all along? Is this enabling me to act out horrible deeds I've always been capable of, or does he make me worse?
Lucanis if you choose Minrathous: Yes, I do want to separate from Spite, but what if in doing so I unleash the "real" Demon of Vyrantium into the world? Not to mention... Spite was a part of me, he made friends and connections. Severing our bond would leave him all alone (I almost think I'll miss him).
I've been replaying Veilguard and it's so interesting to note how, during the time we're still in the Ossuary, Lucanis avoids using Spite's name for the majority of the dialogue: it's always <he / him / we> or "the demon".
And saying stuff like "[sighs] he says he can help" often prompts Rook to ask "who's he?", which is always met with "the demon". It's unhelpful and vague, but it feels very intentional. He's trying to distance himself from Spite. There's a couple of reasons why I see him doing it 🤔💭
To separate himself from Spite down to the existential sense. He's afraid of losing his true self in the corruption, a sentiment that reminds me of that note we find in one of the cells with a "failed experiment":
The act of giving something a name kind of humanizes it, which could be a problem. First of all, he doesn't want to get emotionally attached to Spite, since he wants to find a way to separate them. But the fact of the matter is Lucanis already emphatizes with the spirit.
Talking to him after Spite's "tantrum" proves as much - he says no-one ended up in the Ossuary willingly, not even the demons. You can tell he's conflicted between wanting to get rid of Spite and not wanting to think about it too deeply, because if he does, he might change his mind.
Isn't that why one of the rules in a Nuzlocke is to name everything you catch? Isn't that why sometimes people won't acknowledge what their relationship to each other is? Without a name, it's easier to let it go. Not to mention he can't be caught suddenly ~caring~ about Spite when the other companions (except Emmrich) are still freaked out by him.
So, instead of calling him by name, Lucanis is trying to establish that he's on the same level as his rescuers about this whole "demon" thing. If he started treating Spite like a person, suddenly there'd be doubt about how far along the possession is. Lucanis doesn't need us to find him to be more of an "abomination" than he already is.
I haven't ever chosen Minrathous and I don't think I'd be able to, but I wonder if there's a clear difference in treatment from Lucanis's end...
If you try the Minrathous route, you find out that Lucanis actually cares about Spite very deeply. Something I don't think we get deep enough into during the Treviso route. If you save Minrathous, you don't get the conversation in Café Pietra after saving Caterina and dealing with Illario. Instead, Lucanis has a dialogue with Rook at the fireplace in the Lighthouse.
Lucanis starts the conversation saying,
I've been thinking. Treviso is as safe as we can make it. So when my contract to you is fulfilled, Spite and I will go our separate ways. Literally. I'm going to seek out a way to separate us, wherever that takes me.
Which may initially sound as though he just wants to get rid of Spite no matter what.
HOWEVER!
The dialogue goes some fascinating places...
Rook: And what about the other person in this equation? How does he feel about it?
Lucanis: He dreams of freedom. I've... shared those dreams. He never chose this, Rook. Something must change.
_
Rook: If you can manage it, that's a good idea.
Lucanis: It's the only answer. For both of us, and for my family's safety.
Rook: So why don't you sound happier about it?
_
Lucanis: Being possessed... It's not like separating oil and water. Each element permanently infuses the other. Spite wears my face. Uses my skills. I know I've grown stronger, so... Say I cast out Spite, with all he's learned from me. What then? What if I free myself, but unleash a true Demon of Vyrantium?
First of all, I think it's interesting that not only can Lucanis use Spite's abilities to empower himself, he himself seems to have grown physically stronger from their connection, as well. He talks about it as though it's something that could last without their connection, too.
Second of all, he definitely sympathizes with Spite and has very mixed feelings about the idea of their separation.
Anyway.
Rook can be either reassuring and/or doubtful about it.
Rook: A demon who's worked in a team, saved people and made friends.
Lucanis: He'd lose them if I cast him out.
Rook: You keep saying that... like you'd miss him.
Lucanis: He's been part of me. He'd be alone.
Rook: Spite will only be alone if he chooses to be. But you can't control that.
_
Rook: You sound like you've still got some doubts. For all you know, Spite comes out with your knack for vanilla-and-nutmeg tarts.
Lucanis: Rook.
Rook: My point is, you don't know what will happen.
Lucanis: I know that Spite - a part of me - would be alone.
Rook: Spite will only be alone if he chooses to be. But you can't control that.
_
Rook: If it came to that, you could handle him. Or are you worried you wouldn't be able to put him down?
Lucanis: I worry that I'd... miss him.
Rook: If Spite gets his freedom, it's his choice what to do with it.
The conversation continues:
Rook: All you can do is trust that you're making the right call. For both of you.
Lucanis: (sighs) I know. But from someone else, it's easier to believe.
Hardened or not, Lucanis cares about Spite. He cares about him a lot. He thinks about him with compassion and a great deal of sympathy. He's so concerned about the possibility of abandoning him, leaving him alone, making him experience loneliness. Not only that, he thinks he would miss Spite, as well. What a beautiful development from how we first meet them.
I remember when I deleted the original post because I made it as a joke (I meant to delete this follow-up too but never did), thinking I wouldn't be in the fandom for long... now I really wish I'd kept it up, because it's been 7 months and I've fully converted into a "da: veilguard apologist"
So... do we think Spite gets antsy wearing socks? He's used to wearing gloves, obviously. Lucanis wears them SO MUCH it's just a thing he's used to by now, maneuvering and grasping things with gloved hands.
Socks? I don't know if Lucanis always has them on. They're just shirts for your feet, AND you can't even wiggle your toes while drinking coffee wearing them! Just seems like a waste. Like, what does a foot in a sock do that is overtly different from a foot without one? It almost feels like dampening your senses. Plus, Spite gets overly hot, and it SUCKS!!! >:[
Lucanis makes a fair point in that socks can keep your feet dry, as well as help with sweat and... [clears throat] natural odors. But this is Spite we're talking about, and I doubt any of this bothers him very much. So, when he's the one in control of the body, he walks around the Dellamorte villa sockless and shoeless. Naturally, the courtyard area is no exception.
The rest includes my Rook (Saar, he/him) specifically, so I'm keeping it under a read more in case anyone wants to skip it. ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧
Saar has to watch him closely, because when they go on outings Spite WILL try to just go without socks and shoes. Most elves don't wear shoes, even Solas keeps those dogs out, why does Lucanis have to be so boring! There's something to be said about walking barefoot and being able to feel the energy of the earth beneath your feet, as well, which Saar might pinpoint as one of the reasons why Spite's attracted to the idea.
There's so many sensations you can feel through your extremities alone, it probably feels dull for Spite to keep his feet covered all the time. He can't feel the grass, or the dirt, or the mud. I don't know, but I imagine a spirit would instinctively gravitate towards things like that. It shouldn't be a problem, though: I'm sure the sprawling estate has a mudroom.
Then again, it's probably at the front of the house. And they can't risk running tracks across the whole villa by getting in through the back door, so Saar has to convince Spite to walk all the way around to go through the mudroom (he says this squishing Spite's suddenly grumpy face). He eventually learns to not make the whole place messy, but...
Once the three of them have kids? Well, sometimes he forgets. And right at the scene of the crime, there's his footprints along with prints from little feet behind him. Saar hears all their pattering feet and comes out to see the mud trails (I do genuinely feel bad for the staff) with his lovelies all dirty... and he's filled with SUCH affection, all like "bath time!!! ^w^".
It's usually Lucanis who takes care of bathing their shared body, since getting Spite to clean himself is like trying to shove a cat into a water basin. So the moment Saar says that, he's like >:O [GRUMBLES], which the kids echo with their own complaints. That is, until Saar's got one under each arm and they're giggling and trying to wiggle away. At which point it becomes sort of a game in and of itself, and Spite loves games.
This would manifest other ways too, of course. In the summer or during the hotter days of the rainy season, everything he wants is to slot his head between Saar's titties and cuddle. But their bed has multiple layers of covers, and Lucanis had to wear socks to sleep AGAIN, so he has to disentangle himself from Saar for a bit (as much as he doesn't want to).
Spite occasionally has to stick a leg out so his exposed foot can lower the body heat, because he doesn't WANT to not be right up against Saar, but it can get uncomfortable. Either that or he's doing that thing under the covers where he's trying to get a sock off with his other foot, pushing it down his ankles to the heels and shaking until it lands on the floor.
I don't know why I'm so deeply enchanted by the logbooks to the point I've already talked about them on this very post, but like. The mention of Lucanis wiggling his toes while "he drinks the brew" makes me wonder if Spite would like stimming. And he'd be disappointed that people aren't just doing that all the time. What are y'all using your appendages for?!
Saar felt like he was in tune with living in the moment, but stuff like this makes him laugh fondly as he thinks, "when was the last time I thought about my toes AT ALL?". Maybe he and Lucanis teach Spite a lot, but… that spirit sure teaches them to appreciate the little things in return. 💜
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Characters: Rook [Saar] Laidir, Spite Dellamorte, Lucanis Dellamorte (mentioned)
Pairing: Rook/Spite
Word count: 610 words
Content warnings: it gets, as you might imagine, suggestive near the end
Spite's like a cat in some ways. Not in a condescending manner, despite what most would think - he's not a pet that needs to be chastised. He's more like a werewolf displaying shared traits with a dog. It's part of who he is, and he's perfectly capable of making his own decisions.
Spite might not be a grown man, but he's a spirit inhabiting one!
And, as the equivalent of a grown man, he has decided "wet" is an awful sensation. It leads us back to the initial assertion that Spite's much like a cat with human (for the lack of a better word) cognition. And this is a new development that Lucanis couldn't have foreseen in the Ossuary.
Spite LOATHES taking baths. It comes up shortly after their alliance is formalized, when Lucanis started becoming comfortable with handing control over to Spite without being asleep. He noticed the spirit would always pass the body back to him before treading a river or entering a bathhouse. Naturally, the first thing that comes to Lucanis's mind is that Spite's afraid of water after being held in an underwater prison.
Turns out it wasn't even remotely the case, and Lucanis had to learn it second-hand. Saar was giggling about his gondola date with Spite when it came up. He went on about how Spite tried gliding his hand over the surface of the water without taking off his gloves, his reaction to how cold it was (Saar leaves out the moment they shared when Spite decided to warm his hand on the Qunari's cheek), and his disdain for being "wet".
Thus, Lucanis decides to take a more direct approach and ask him.
"Wet" is heavy. When he and Lucanis are out on a contract and it starts to rain, the droplets tend to find a way to soak into their underclothes, seeping in from where pieces of armor meet. It creates a thin sheen of moisture over their skin that makes the rooftops feel colder than usual.
It sticks to the cuffs of their pants and weighs them down like blocks of cement, slows their movement to a crawl as they course through water. Spite gets increasingly frustrated when he's restrained against his will. Swamps so far are the worst offender, Hossberg Wetlands in particular landing amongst his least favorite places.
"Wet" dulls your strikes against the enemy. The slippery thud of hitting someone when you're both wet, combined with the awkward slide of a blade that's been exposed to the elements, often get in the way of their syncronized blows. It's a threat to their survival, to his Lucanis.
But the main reason why Spite didn't like taking baths was simple: it messed with his sense of smell. Whenever Saar got clean, Spite had to get his and Lucanis's scent on the Qunari all over again, rubbing his head against the leathery skin like a cat marking his territory. Saar didn't even smell like himself anymore, he reeked of bath soaps.
What's so nice about baths if they undo his diligent work? He hated not being able to smell the unique musk leftover after a difficult battle, and this included Lucanis's own body odors. Why his favorite people in the world preferred smelling like cleaning products was beyond him.
There is a "good" kind of wet, which Saar has taught him about. Well... less taught, more showed him time and time again, sometimes two or three times during the same night. It activates every single one of his senses and makes everything more intense rather than numb it down.
Those are the moments Spite won't ask Lucanis to switch places.
do most people on Thedas even know wtf their blood type is
neve would find this cute, in retrospect. she'd tell lucanis about it with a shit-eating grin and watch him stammer for 2 to 5 solid seconds before thanking her for coming to rook's rescue and excusing himself
I've been meaning to polish this since JANUARY, but the dialogue is so iconic to me I feel like focusing on the art would take away from it (the original, much funnier version is THIS one!)
There's ONLY one situation in which I'll accept putting Spite in the cuck chair: if it's used to rile him up so he fucks Lucanis and Rook extra hard afterwards. Hear me out, play with me in this space, alright?
To set the scene, they're all in the Lighthouse, Rook can both see and touch Spite separatedly from Lucanis. They bring silk to wrap around Spite's wrists and ankles, tying him to a chair - not too tight, just to serve as a reminder of their little game. The spirit may feel tempted to touch himself, but trying to move will tug at the restraints, and he'll let out a frustrated growl... while grinning, because he likes playing along.
Rook and Lucanis will put on a show for him, tempt Spite to join them, but simultaneously praise him for holding back so well. Meanwhile, he's clawing at the chair, bouncing his legs, near barking and foaming at the mouth. And when Spite's at his limit, the restraints are frail enough that he can break free like a feral animal (earning the satisfaction of breaking through the bonds) and finally, at last, claim his ultimate prize >:3
Meant to get this finished & posted yesterday but well, you know, best laid plans & all that. BUT technically got done. Near-ish midnight so I still take the W that it was done yesterday.
Preparing for Art Fight (I'll put a link to mine in my pinned if anyone's interested.... 👀) so uh, needed a character sheet for my dear man Caster! Very satisfied w/ it (This is a casual outfit)
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Characters: Rook [Saar] Laidir, Lucanis Dellamorte
Pairing: Rook/Lucanis (Rookanis)
Word count: 242 words
Content warnings: a single NSFW line at the end
Saar really likes Lucanis's voice. It's smooth and warm like a cioccolata calda, tinged with a thick Antivan accent that made his heart skip a beat.
He's pretty sure he could pick it out from a crowd. Once, when they were infiltrating a Venatori settlement, Saar was sure he heard a soldier that sounded just like his Lucanis. The accent was missing, though.
Lucanis isn't as great of an actor as Illario: his voice turned too soft, the lilts were much more noticeable. He might not stumble over his words, but he sounded almost uncertain of what's being said.
Like every sentence ends with a question mark and the assassin needs to convince himself, first.
Saar noticed a pattern to the way he speaks, not just in vocabulary but in cadence. It's a very unique set of quirks that makes Lucanis so… himself. The rhythm of his highs and lows are like a song to the Qunari.
His melodious speech is at its most noticeable when he's being romantic. You don't have to understand what he's saying to know what the words convey. His tone of voice and inflections betray the subtlety.
Lucanis has a poet's soul, and it really shows in the heat of passion - it doesn't matter if he's speaking Common or Antivan. It works out pretty well for Saar, too, since when he's getting his brains fucked out he has no idea what his husband's saying either way.
@dandyboyandy showed me this gifset the other day and it sent me on a journey thinking about the Dellamorte men's hands.
It's safe to assume Illario's hands are smoother by comparison: he likely needs a routine to keep them soft, since his whole thing is touch. His weapons are not what he holds, they're his hands themselves, along with honeyed words and lingering stares.
And while I do think Lucanis's hands are rougher, they're still well-taken care of, because he's a rich boy with a reputation to uphold and who's always wearing gloves out on a job. I mean, he wields knives, daggers or swords like an extension of his body! I bet their hilts are embedded on his palms. It's a sign of the dedication to his craft... so maybe he's proud of it, like they're his battle scars?
