Born amidst the ashes of a battlefield, Xari Maras was raised in the heart of Minrathous by an esteemed military family. Trained to embody honor, loyalty, and strength, she grew up under the watchful eyes of her adoptive parents and brothers, determined to carve her place in a fractured empire. But whispers of a forgotten past linger in the shadows—a mysterious emblem, vivid nightmares, and a bloodline tied to the Venatori.

As tensions rise in the Imperium, Xari joins the Shadow Dragons, a covert organization fighting for Tevinter's salvation from the shadows. But when her path crosses with the Venatori's sinister plans, Xari must confront a truth she never imagined: the woman threatening to destroy everything she holds dear is her biological mother. Torn between loyalty to her adoptive family and the dark legacy of her bloodline, Xari must decide what kind of future she'll fight for—even if it means facing the shadow of her own past.

Secrets, betrayal, and sacrifice await in this thrilling tale of identity and rebellion. Will Xari rise above her origins, or will the weight of her bloodline drag her into the darkness?

(Origin of Rook, before Veilguard, & leading into events of the game. Shadow Dragons, Venatori, Antivan Crows, and... Lucanis)

Act 1: Found Among Ashes

Chapter 1

Vyrantium outskirts, Tevinter Imperium; 9:25 Dragon

The battlefield lay silent, a graveyard of men and broken armor, where the scent of smoke and blood clung to the air like a suffocating fog. The clash had ended hours ago, leaving behind nothing but the twisted remnants of war. It was here, amidst the crumpled bodies and shattered shields, that Erynd Mercar found her—a small, wriggling infant, abandoned beneath the weight of a fallen soldier. She was wrapped in the charred remnants of a soldier's tabard, the fabric singed and torn, but an emblem still partially visible. The crying child, untouched by the carnage surrounding her, seemed almost to defy the violence that had stained the land. Erynd hesitated only for a moment, the weight of the decision heavy on his heart. His order was to get rid of any remaining survivors- the roaches must be exterminated, as his general so charmingly put it- But the small, fragile life before him ignited something long buried—a flicker of hope in a world marred by war. His hand, calloused and battle-worn, reached for her, and at that moment, the child's fate was sealed. She would live, but the question remained: from where had she come, and what dark legacy did she carry?

Returning to the Ventus military encampment, the commander curiously studied the infant. He carefully swaddled her in the singed tabard, covering as much of her tiny frame as he could to protect her from the rigid winter air. It was strange how small and fragile she was, yet unscathed by the horrors that surrounded her when Erynd found her. Why, he wondered, was this child left behind? Was the soldier who laid on top of her a parent? Or simply a soldier protecting an innocent? And why was a child even there? She could not be more than a week old. Her cries, however, softened into whimpers as he held her. How long she laid there alone, Erynd did not know. To think someone would abandon a newborn, one who knew nothing of the world and its darkness, who had no ability to survive on her own… Perhaps, her mother has been a nurse or a healer, and unexpectedly went into labor. The infant was quite small, it could have been an early birth. Or, a possibility Erynd would rather not dive into further, she was born to be used as a tool for her home faction's sinister intentions. There were rumors of children and virgins being used as slaves or sacrifices. He felt his stomach turn and preferred to believe the former.

Erynd approached his captain's tent. He paused, knowing he had gone against protocol. The commander was a proud man, one who had been shaped and formed into a loyal and staunch military soldier and climbed the ranks. As was part of his position, he was accustomed to following the rules, down to the bone. Even so far as punishing his inferiors for breaking the codes set in place. Yet here he was, breaking the rules by rescuing a survivor.

Erynd pulled back the tent opening with his unoccupied hand.

"Captain. There were no signs of surviving enemy soldiers. Except…" He used his finger to pull back the tabard covering the infant's face. Her eyes squeezed shut, adjusting to the candle light inside the tent. The warmth seemed to soothe her, and she became enchanted by the dancing shadows above her.

"Commander, what is this? You know your orders." Captain Cassius Drenavar was sitting on a makeshift chair from boxes and planks. His arm was bloody and was currently being wrapped in gauze and bandages by nurse-healer Livia. Livia broke her attention from the bandages and drew her eyes to the child in Erynd's arms.

"Maker!" She stood and crossed the tent to meet Erynd. The commander and nurse were spouses, having met years ago when Livia nursed Erynd back to health after the Ventus battle against Qunari in 9:12. She was no mage healer, but had extensive knowledge of herbs and crafting potions to heal the sick and wounded. "Captain, have you no compassion? You wish to order an innocent child to death? It poses no threat." She adored the infant, allowing her tiny hand to wrap around her finger. The couple shared two children together already; Kaelen and Theron, their boys aged 3 and 4. Erynd and Livia dreamed of a final addition to their family, a daughter. But Livia's birth to Theron was rough and nearly ended them both, and it was not a risk they wanted to take. Livia's eyes met Erynd, and they shared the same thought, but neither spoke before the general gave another word.

"The child is a roach, another corrupt offspring of those cultists. Rid of it."

Livia's eyes moved from Erynd's to the child, and then she lifted her chin before turning to meet the captain. Erynd felt a smirk creep onto his lips, knowing his wife was a master of persuasion.

The nurse stepped forward, her calm demeanor laced with urgency, her eyes steady as they met the captain's. "She's just a child, innocent in all of this," she began, gesturing toward the bundle cradled in Erynd's arms. "Minrathous needs soldiers with honor—people who value life, even in the midst of war. Let us raise her. Under our care, she'll learn discipline, loyalty, and strength—not just as a fighter, but as someone who understands why we fight."

Erynd nodded, his voice steady and resolute. "We've proven our dedication to the Imperium, and we're prepared to take full responsibility for her. She's survived this far on her own; imagine the potential she could achieve with proper guidance."

The conviction in their words lingered, hanging heavy in the air. For a moment, the captain studied them both, his expression unreadable, before letting out a resigned sigh. "Very well," he said gruffly, "but the responsibility is yours—and yours alone."

With that, the captain stood and began to leave the tent. As he passed Erynd, his gaze flicked briefly to the infant, then back to the couple. He hesitated, as if searching for words, but none came. Instead, he gave a curt nod and strode out into the night.

Erynd and Livia named the child Xari, an old Tevene word meaning "rebirth," a name that symbolizes hope rising from the ashes of devastation. In the shadow of Minrathous's towering spires, Xari grew within the disciplined walls of an Imperium military household. From the moment she could walk, her world became a blend of structure and unpredictability—early morning drills in the yard, followed by lessons in history and tactics, and evenings spent weaving through the city's labyrinthine streets.

Her adoptive brothers, Kaelen and Theron, quickly embraced their roles as both siblings and mentors. Kaelen, the eldest, mirrored their father's stern discipline, teaching Xari the value of precision in every sparring session. Theron, with his mischievous grin and unrelenting curiosity, became her partner in exploring the hidden corners of the city, from shadowed alleys to the bustling, secretive markets that thrived under cover of night. Together, the brothers shaped Xari into a fighter who combined strategy with instinct, her small, lean frame lending itself to agility and cunning.

Minrathous, with its sprawling streets and towering structures of dark marble and gilded bronze, became both her playground and her teacher. Xari knew the city's veins like her own, learning to move undetected through the narrow alleys and scaling rooftops that glittered with the faint glow of lyrium-infused lamps. She fell in love with the vibrant, hidden world that came alive at dusk: the magicians weaving illusions for coin, the vendors selling fragrant Tevinter spices and elixirs, and the seers who whispered cryptic fortunes to those daring enough to listen.

It was during these nights that Xari met her closest friends: Kaelis, the quick-tongued son of a low-ranking bureaucrat who dreamed of rising beyond his station; Aurelia, a scholarly girl destined for the Circle, her every word steeped in intellect and ambition; and Tarin, a resourceful orphan who navigated the city's underbelly with an alchemist's skill and a thief's daring. The four formed a bond forged by their shared desire to carve a future within a city that demanded loyalty to its own machinations.

Yet, as Xari thrived, her origins cast an ever-lengthening shadow. Livia, always meticulous in her care for Xari, couldn't shake the haunting questions surrounding the child's past. The singed tabard Xari had been wrapped in, with its faintly visible emblem, became a puzzle piece Livia couldn't ignore. Her inquiries, though discreet, led her to unsettling connections—whispers of a Venatori sect known for their experiments and the enigmatic blood mage who had led them.

Each revelation deepened Livia's unease. Could Xari be tied to the Venatori's forbidden rituals? Could she carry not just their blood but their purpose? Livia buried her suspicions, locking them away behind a practiced calm, determined to shield her daughter from the truth. Her focus shifted to ensuring Xari's moral foundation: discipline, loyalty, and compassion were drilled into her daily, forming a bulwark against whatever darkness might lurk in her lineage.

Despite Livia's best efforts, Xari began to sense that something was amiss. The strained glances her parents exchanged when they thought she wasn't looking, the fragments of hushed conversations she overheard, and the fleeting sense of being watched in the marketplace—all of it hinted at a mystery she couldn't yet unravel.

By the time Xari reached her teenage years, she had become a formidable young woman, skilled in combat and strategy but restless, her heart caught between the rigid expectations of her family and the freedom she tasted in the shadows of Minrathous. And beneath it all, the truth of her birth waited, unspoken, casting its silent shadow over everything she had come to know.

How long could Livia keep the secrets hidden? And when they emerged, what would become of the girl who carried the legacy of both destruction and hope? The answer lay not in the walls of Minrathous, but in the paths Xari would choose to walk—and the darkness she would have to confront.