Coffee With the Crows
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Shopping Trip
Rook speaks to Lucanis in his room.
Lucanis: Rook, Illario sent word. He’s got intel on Zara. He wants to meet up. Fancy a trip to Treviso?
Rook: Sounds like fun.
Rook meets with him at the market in Treviso.
Lucanis: Come on. Illario will meet us at Café Pietra. It’s not that far from here. We have time before he arrives. I wouldn’t mind looking around awhile.
They start walking.
Lucanis: The markets are running. Good, I need to get some things while we’re here.
Lucanis heads further into the market.
| Davrin recruited | Davrin not recruited |
|---|---|
| Lucanis stops at a stall.Lucanis: Let’s try here.Rook: Monster bones. Really?Lucanis: For Assan. Think of it as a bribe to stop him from chewing on the eluvian.They keep walking.Lucanis: Treviso… I barely had time to look around when we returned from the Ossuary. And then there was the dragon.Rook: You miss just being here? Without the chaos?Lucanis: I used to think it would never change. | Lucanis: Treviso… I barely had time to look around when we returned from the Ossuary.Rook: This place… does it feel very different?Lucanis: In some ways more than I expected, but then… perhaps it’s me. |
They stop at a stall.
Lucanis: Ah. Here.
Rook: A potted plant?
Lucanis: For Harding’s garden. Spearmint is supposed to calm bad dreams. It’s good in desserts, too.
Rook: So, you and Illario are cousins?
Lucanis: Yes, but we’re more like brothers. Caterina took us both in… a long time ago now.
They stop at the next stall.
Lucanis: Here’s the place. Bellara mentioned a Dalish seafood recipe she wants to make.
Rook: The Demon of Vyrantium is grocery-shopping for the team?
Lucanis: Have you seen what they eat? It’s a miracle you didn’t all starve before you hired me.
They continue through he market.
Rook: When we met, it didn’t seem like Illario and Caterina were close.
Lucanis: It was hard to be close to her. Even for me. And… I was her favorite.
| Emmrich recruited |
|---|
| Lucanis: Let’s try here.Rook: Antivan wineglasses. Very fancy.Lucanis: For Emmrich. He keeps side-eyeing the drinkware and shaking his head when he thinks no one is looking.They continue.Lucanis: I once spent four hours in the market while Illario searched for the perfect pair of silk gloves.Rook: Four hours?Lucanis: Illario has always been fussy. And he wanted to impress a woman. |
They stop at a fruit stand.
Lucanis: A good selection. Fresh fruit. Neve only eats fried fish. You’d think a detective would have discovered scurvy by now.
| Taash recruited |
|---|
| Rook: I notice you have expensive taste.Lucanis: I lived a very comfortable life before.Rook: But you did your own shopping?Lucanis: (Chuckles) I suppose not always.Lucanis: Ah. Perfect.They stop at another stand.Rook: Ground peppers?Lucanis: Taash said something about wanting more exciting meals. I thought I’d oblige. |
Rook: Is that everything on the list?
Lucanis: Yes. And Illario should be here by now. Let’s go before he gets himself in trouble.
Rook stops at a stand before following Lucanis.
Rook: You can’t buy something for everyone but yourself. Here, this is for you.
Lucanis: A wyvern-tooth dagger? I loved wyverns as a boy. Caterina would never let me have one of these, though.
They head out of the market.
Lucanis: Café Pietra is just ahead.
Rook: That’s where we’re meeting your cousin? Why not the casino?
Lucanis: House Cantori has many talents. Making coffee is not one of them.
Paranoid
Rook and Lucanis join Illario at the cafe.
Illario: Finally! I thought you might leave me here all by my lonesome.
Lucanis: Please. You think I’d ever pass up Café Pietra’s coffee?
Illario: You see, Rook? My cousin is all stomach and no heart.
Lucanis: Don’t mind him. Illario cannot appreciate anything but himself. They serve a specialty roast here: Andoral’s Breath. Bitter and sweet, like a kiss goodbye. You should try it.
Dialogue options:
1 - Do they have anything sweeter?
Rook: Bitter’s good. Chocolate is better.
Lucanis: They have cioccolata calda. It was my favorite drink as a child.
| Crow Rook | Non-Crow Rook |
|---|---|
| Rook: I think you’re shaming me, but I love a good cioccolata calda. | Rook: I think you’re shaming me, but I’m ordering the choco-chico thing. |
Lucanis: (Chuckles)
2 - I’m more of a tea drinker…
Rook: Right. I know we came here for coffee, but… I prefer tea.
Lucanis: (Disgusted noise)
3 - Perfection.
Rook: You just described my dream cup of coffee.
Lucanis: (Chuckles)
4 - Scene continues.
Return to previous tree.Rook: So… have we done enough “three Crows in a coffee shop chatting about nothing” to bore the spies?
Illario: Just about. The most persistent one gave up when Lucanis started getting all romantic about roasts.
Lucanis: It’s a very good roast.
Rook: Nobody’s listening. Should we get to business?
Lucanis: There’s still the one at table three.
Illario: She just left to follow the waitress.
Rook: So… is there a reason we’re not talking about Illario’s information, or what?
Lucanis: We’re still being spied on.
Illario: No, the last one just left. Couldn’t take your coffee talk.
Lucanis: So. You have something?
Illario: The Crows I sent after Zara have picked up her trail. They say she’s gone to Vyrantium.
Dialogue options:
- Neve could help. [5]
- We should go after her. [6]
- I don’t buy it. [7]
+ Lucanis Approves
5 - Neve could help.
Rook: I have a friend who’s very good at finding people.
Illario: Caterina was First Talon. This is Crow business. We can handle it.
Lucanis: Apparently not. Your lead is no good, cousin.
6 - We should go after her.
Rook: We could be in Vyrantium in no time with the eluvian—
Lucanis: It won’t matter. Zara’s not in Vyrantium.
7 - I don’t buy it.
Rook: If she was here in Treviso to kill Caterina, she can’t be in Vyrantium already.
Lucanis: Rook’s right. Zara’s given you a false lead, cousin.
8 - Scene continues.
Return to previous tree.Illario: You have better information?
Lucanis: We’re compromised. There’s no other way Zara could even touch Caterina. You need your eyes here. In Antiva.
Illario: Zara would never be foolish enough to stay. Not with you out for blood.
Lucanis: Of course she would. If the Crows protecting her are here.
Illario: Rook, reason with him, would you? He’s being paranoid.
Lucanis: I am not paranoid! She came after me. She came after Caterina. She will come for you, too.
Illario: If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll clean house, all right? Leave this to me.
Illario leaves, and Rook stands after him.
A Chat Over Coffee
Rook sits back down.
Rook: He’s gone.
Lucanis: Of course he is. Illario always caves under pressure.
Dialogue options:
- Affable: Let’s focus on Zara. [1]
- Sarcastic: He’s not great at listening. [2]
- Stoic: We’ll go it alone. [3]
1 - Affable: Let’s focus on Zara.
Rook: Zara’s not going to get Illario, and she’s not getting away with anything she’s done. I promise.
Lucanis: Don’t promise. But thank you.
2 - Sarcastic: He’s not great at listening.
Rook: Your cousin only seems to hear about one word in ten.
Lucanis: He’s always been this way. He hears what he wants to hear.
3 - Stoic: We’ll go it alone.
Rook: Let him. Crow business or not, we’ll find Zara ourselves.
Lucanis: Good.
4 - Scene continues.
Return to previous tree.Lucanis picks up his cup.
Lucanis: (Inhales deeply)
He takes a slow sip.
Dialogue options:
- Flirt: Like a kiss goodbye, huh? [5]
- Good coffee? [6]
- Glad to be home? [7]
- You look happy. It’s weird. [8]
5 - Flirt: Like a kiss goodbye, huh?
Rook: “Bitter and sweet,” you called that blend. “Like a kiss goodbye.” So. What would a first kiss be?
Lucanis: Honey and lavender cream. Sweet, intriguing… And you? How would you describe it?
Dialogue options:
9 - I wouldn’t really know.
Rook: I haven’t had enough first kisses to say. There’s just never been… well.
Lucanis: In matters of the heart, one must be discerning.
Crow Rook Non-Crow Rook Rook: Especially in our line of work. Rook: When it’s right, you know.
10 - They’re all unique.
Rook: Every kiss is different.
Lucanis: Sometimes a unique pleasure should be just that.
Rook: That sounds like the voice of experience.
11 - I might need a reminder.
Rook: First kisses? It’s been a while. I might need a refresher.
Lucanis: (Amused chuckle) I see. You lead an adventurous life.
Rook: No more than you, I’m guessing?
12 - Scene continues.
Return to previous tree.Lucanis: I’ve always thought that to live truly is to live fully. But even before I was captured, my life was not really my own. So much had been determined for me.
Dialogue options:
- Affable: Family expectations are tough. [13]
- Sarcastic: All work, no play? [14]
- Stoic: Time to change that. [15]
- Special: That’s no way to live. (Reaction to being trans to non-binary) [16]
13 - Affable: Family expectations are tough.
Rook: Being grandson to the First Talon must come with a lot of baggage.
Crow Rook Non-Crow Rook Lucanis: Much like House de Riva?Rook: Since I took the initiative against the Antaam, I don’t need to worry about disappointing them.Lucanis: Rook. There’s no need to doubt yourself. And if you do, I’ll be here to convince you. Lucanis: And when I proved I could carry it, the expectations only grew.Rook: It can’t have been easy. But it’s forged a man of strength and principle. That’s no bad thing.Lucanis: Not when I hear that from you. Scene continues. [17]\ Return to previous tree.
14 - Sarcastic: All work, no play?
Rook: You must have found time for a little trouble along the way. And if you didn’t, I can find you some now.
Lucanis: We’ll see. You don’t know how much trouble I can handle yet.
Scene continues. [17]\ Return to previous tree.
15 - Stoic: Time to change that.
Rook: That was before. It’s not selfish to spend your time on what matters to you.
Lucanis: Perhaps what matters is who I’m with.
Scene continues. [17]\ Return to previous tree.
16 - Special: That’s no way to live.
Rook: Life’s too short to be defined by other people.
Lucanis: If I’d had that advice sooner…
Binary-trans Rook Non-binary Rook Rook: Once I defined myself as the [person] I wanted to be, I was free to pursue what really mattered to me. Rook: Once I broke out of defining myself as a woman or a man, I was free to pursue what really mattered to me. Lucanis: “What really matters to me?” Hmm. Perhaps it’s closer than I thought.
6 - Good coffee?
Rook: How’s the coffee? As good as you remembered?
Lucanis: Better. I dreamed about this coffee for a year. They say taste and smell awaken our strongest memories. For so long, memories were all I had. But whatever the circumstances, the here and now is a much finer place to be.
7 - Glad to be home?
Rook: So, are you glad to be back in Antiva?
Lucanis: It doesn’t feel real yet. And it wasn’t this full of Antaam when I left.
| Crow Rook | Non-Crow Rook |
|---|---|
| Rook: I haven’t gotten used to it, either. | Rook: I can imagine it’s a shock. |
Lucanis: They say taste and smell awaken our strongest memories. For so long, memories were all I had. But whatever the circumstances, the here and now is a much finer place to be.
8 - You look happy. It’s weird.
Rook: I’ve never seen you this content before. What happened?
Lucanis: It’s starting to sink in. That I’m out. It’s strange. Like a wound that’s suddenly numb. These simple moments… They’re the stuff of life. Worth fighting for. They say taste and smell awaken our strongest memories. For so long, memories were all I had. But whatever the circumstances, the here and now is a much finer place to be.
17 - Scene continues.
Return to previous tree.Lucanis: How’s your cioccolata calda?
| Flirted | Did not flirt |
|---|---|
| Rook: Just sweet enough to intrigue me. | Rook: Delicious. Everyone deserves a chance to try it. |
Lucanis: How’s your tea?
| Flirted | Did not flirt |
|---|---|
| Rook: An inviting start, with hidden depths. | Rook: Bold and refreshing. I feel ready for anything. |
Lucanis: How’s your coffee?
| Flirted | Did not flirt |
|---|---|
| Rook: Dark, complex, and intriguing. | Rook: Strong enough to take down a god. |
Rook: Ready to head back to the Lighthouse?
Lucanis: Almost.