#maybe handing over the responsibility to the Avvar would be a good move | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

deleriumofyou · 6 years

Text

The stories that make us

Prompt I got from @wardsarefunctioning a while back (sorry it took about half a century) Original prompt was “Aslaug is a companion in DA: Awakening and meets Justice and Anders”

“An Avvar? Are you pulling my leg, Anders? There was an Avvar Grey Warden?” Hawke blurted, mouth still full of food.

A long sigh, followed by the sound of a hand slapping a tabletop. “Look, Seeker, I don’t know the whole story, alright? Maker’s Breath, I don’t even know what his real name is -”

“You know enough, Varric. This Avvar mage that Anders mentioned to you - who is she? What is her name?”

“I’ll tell you what I know but that’s not a lot. And it probably won’t help you find him.”

“At this point I would settle for just finding the mage that encouraged him to become an abomination.”

“Can’t believe I’m agreeing with you, but yeah. If it hadn’t been for her, then maybe...maybe it wouldn’t have ended the way it had.”

“We would not have needed the Conclave.”

“That’s stretching it a bit too far there, Seeker. It was coming, but maybe we wouldn’t have been in a war.”

“Tell me, Varric. What do you know about the mage he met before he joined the Champion?”

…

“An Avvar? Are you pulling my leg, Anders? There was an Avvar Grey Warden?” Hawke blurted, mouth still full of food.

It was a rare moment for Anders to take a break from his clinic, for the shadows beneath his eyes to vanish, and the wrinkles around his mouth to ease. He picked up his tankard and grinned briefly. “Hah! You’d have liked her Hawke. She was always up for a good fight. Bloody brilliant with frost magic.”

“I heard that the Avvar practiced rituals with spirits and demons,” Hawke chewed loudly.

“To my knowledge they do, she was also the only human I knew of who actually liked dwarven ale,” he raised his brows at Varric.

“Don’t look at me, Blondie. They put dirt that stuff and I want no part of it,” Varric held up his hands in surrender.

Anders chuckled. “She preferred it with Deep Mushrooms, I believe. The first time I met her, she bashed a templar’s face in with a shield.”

“Straight shot to your heart after that?” Varric drawled.

“Almost, if I hadn’t been on the other end of her spear the next minute when I tried approaching the Warden-Commander. I was on the run -”

“The mage said, surprising no one at all,” Varric interrupted smoothly.

Anders cleared his throat. “I’m telling the story, Varric, even though I’m sure you’ll steal it later.”

“Me? Plagiarism?” He sounded almost sincere, if it hadn’t been for the smile stretching across his face.

“If I weren’t so busy with my manifesto, I have stories that would bump you off the bestseller list,” the mage bragged.

“Nope, noooope, not the bloody manifesto again. Now Anders, you said you were on the run like we were all supposed to be shocked, please continue,” Hawke said graciously, waving a skewer of meat at them.

Anders rolled his eyes. “Anyway, I ran into the Warden-Commander and his party when the templars had me cornered. This was when I met Aslaug -”

“How’d you say her name again?”

“I am not spelling her name for you so you can just take my story and add it to your collection, dwarf. The Warden-Commander conscripts me, but one of the younger templars starts arguing with him about it. ‘Apostate this, apostate that, runaway this, runaway that’ and he moves to intimidate him - intimidate the bloody Warden-Commander with his sword out and threatening the “knife-ear”. Steel fruit that one. Or just a complete buckethead. Aslaug moves in front of him, shield bashes him and says ‘The Warden-Commander deserves respect lowlander. I will beat it in you if I must’,” he said, affected a thick Avvar accent.

“Sounds like a prize,” Varric drawled.

Anders just chuckled. “She was very blunt. I think she and Aveline would have gotten on. Well, aside from the whole Avvar religion and practicing magic outside of the Circle,” he waved a hand vaguely. “Anyway. The Warden-Commander conscripts me and it only really dawns on me then that this isn't something he did purely out of the kindness of his heart. The Wardens are always looking to recruit, you know.”

“Maybe don't sound so bitter about it, I've heard being a Warden has its benefits,” Isabela said with a wink as she settled into a seat beside Hawke.

“Oh the whole stamina thing? Sure, but it isn't as though that's done me any good. Mostly I've just been using it to heal the sick and dying and for running in the opposite direction when I see a templar.”

“So this Avvar Grey Warden, how did she come to be in the Warden-Commander's inner circle?” Varric folded his fingers and sat forward.

“Buy me another drink, and maybe I'll tell you.”

Varric whistled at the barmaid and pointed at Anders's tankard. “Go on, Blondie, tell your favorite author all about it.”

“That sounded rather sinister,” Hawke said.

“Apparently, she'd been tainted by darkspawn in the Wending Wood. Fun fact, she was actually there performing a ritual to the Avvar god they believe inhabits those woods.” His lips twitched into a small smile.

“How is that a fun fact?” Varric grumbled.

Anders continued as though Varric hadn't spoken. “They treat mages and magic so differently. It's incredible. We could have been focusing on real problems instead of dividing our energy over the question “do people deserve to be people”. They talk to spirits and encourage their children to form strong bonds with them. What better being to teach you about magic than something that is magic by its nature?”

“Anders,” Hawke warned. “This sounds distinctly manifesto-y.”

“Strong bonds, huh?” Varric piped up. “Like what you and our mutual glowing buddy have?”

“Yes,” he said.

Varric barked out a brief laugh. “You've got to be shitting me.”

“Justice was possessing a corpse, acting the demon when he isn't. I didn't have a sense of purpose, even when I became a Warden and joined their ranks. I hated that life. It was just a set of chains somewhere else.” He shook his head.

“Ooo, chains? And where were you tied up this time?” Isabela bounced her brows.

“Isabela, you can't just ask someone where they were tied up,” Hawke scolded humorously.

Ignoring them, with a fierce look on his face, Anders continued. “I had no purpose, no real empathy or sympathy for the mages until I met Justice. Aslaug helped us both. Justice didn't want to possess a corpse, but still wanted to serve the physical world in what ever way he could and I needed to find myself. She helped us perform the ritual and settle in. If it weren't for her help, that might not have happened. I might still be in the Deep Roads hating my decision to join the Grey Wardens, and Justice would have withered away in this world without a body.”

“Sure,” Hawke said. “But is this what you wanted? Or were you just a little cock-struck and wanted to impress the scary Avvar lady?”

“A little bit of the latter, but...over our conversations, I realized Justice was right. Something had to be done. Someone had to help the Circles. Why not us?”

“You used to be so much more fun,” Isabela said with an odd half smile.

“Thanks, but we all have to grow up and assume responsibility over our lives. The mages need help.” His fingers tightened over his ale. “It doesn't have to be like Tevinter; mages wouldn't do that – just because we get freedom and have to be treated like people doesn't mean that slavery would automatically pop up. The Avvar don't have slaves, they speak with spirits as their friends, as advisors and guides. Mages are treated just the same – they can keep their children, they can be hunters or healers or warriors or whatever they choose. They can marry, and they even have a position of respect. They're allowed to be people.”

“Anders,” Hawke murmured. “Your eyes. Calm down a little.”

Anders cleared his throat and blinked rapidly. “Thank you, Hawke.”

“Sure, they have all that, but I've heard Avvar raids can be quite brutal,” Isabela stole a piece of meat from Hawke's plate.

“Only to survive,” he shot back. “The Frostback Mountains aren't exactly fertile everywhere. After Ferelden and Orlais pushed them so far up the mountains, they were forced to relinquish any farmland they could have had.”

“But they don't always take anything,” Hawke pointed out.

“Sometimes it's only to just prevent Ferelden or Orlais from encroaching on their borders. Or to attract the attention of gods.”

“That is why the “Avvar way of life” would never work outside of the mountains, Anders.” Isabela licked her fingers. “'Attract the attention of gods'. Usually whenever anyone sane hears something like that, they naturally assume it means something bad is about to happen. And a lot of people are quite insistent that the Maker and Andraste are the end all and be all. Just ask Kitten. She's had a few run ins with Andrasteans.”

“It wouldn't need to be taken page for page, Isabela. Is it so much to ask that if a mage comes into their magic, they aren't stolen from their family and locked away in a prison as if they're a monster?”

“Please shout mage louder Anders. I'd love to fight off templars in the Hanged Man. Bad enough I have to see them in the Blooming Rose and end up awkwardly avoiding eye contact when we know the other's favorites.” Hawke picked at her nails.

“Blondie why did you decide to share your body with Justice? Don't get me wrong; he's great backup in a fight, but honestly he scares the crap out of me.” Varric's eyebrows furrowed. “And I know you've got a particular hard on for freedom, so why? Why choose to be possessed?”

Anders frowned then his mouth relaxed. “She talked about it you know. When she was a child and they performed the ritual to let a spirit in. Spirits and people choose each other because they share characteristics that draw them to one another.”

“Maker's breath, children?!” Hawke hissed.

“It was safe Hawke. The other spirits watched over them and made sure the child was safe, and that there was no danger of becoming corrupted or turning into a puppet, and that the spirit was never twisted. The way she talked about it...” he closed his eyes. “Spirits essentially help Avvar Holds raise the children, did you know that? Even non-mages. Her bonded spirit taught her about magic and the Fade, and showed her that with practice, there was nothing to fear. It was something to be treasured and it was beautiful. She was never afraid of demons, or nightmares, or conjuring fire. This was the way it was for all the children who were bonded to spirits. They were safe and were never alone.”

“Is that why you decided to scramble yourself with a hint of Justice?” Isabela asked.

“No. I knew that I had gotten away from the Circle, but later I realized it wasn't enough. Justice was always worried about the mages of Thedas. He saw the horrible injustices we suffered.” Anders gulped down his ale.

“So we have this mysterious Avvar lady to blame for you going a bit glowy when you get mad,” Hawke observed. “But doesn't it sound just a little dangerous for an adult to be bonded with a spirit? Unless you had other spirits to watch over you. That's what you said the Avvar did, right?”

“Well, after Warden-Commander Mahariel vanished and I let Justice in, Aslaug watched over us. She said Justice was very receptive to the ritual. Usually it takes longer, but it was likely because he was already possessing a corpse and wanted out.”

Varric propped his elbows up on the table. “So when you ran away from the Wardens...”

“I had to leave behind a friend; a dear friend to both of us who helped us see a better way. I still feel bad about just up and leaving, but I was never a very good Warden.”

“Justice liked her?” Hawke asked. “I thought he just liked scaring people and talking about the injustices of the world.”

“And scolding you for having naughty thoughts,” Isabela added.

“I can't believe I left that out,” Hawke murmured.

“Well,” Anders allowed, “he likes those things too. But Aslaug understood him better than we did. She was used to talking to spirits and she respected him. He seemed grateful for that.” “So you talk a lot about this purpose you and he share now, which, congratulations, but what exactly is it?” Hawke wondered aloud. “Is it just blowing the signal that something stinks?”

Anders tapped out a rhythm on the table. “At first. Now it's building up to really mean something. To real change.”

“Okay...” Hawke said slowly. “And what is this change and will I be alive to see it?”

Anders sighed. “I'm still...debating over what that change should be.”

“I love a work in progress. Much more exciting,” Hawke approved.

“The thrill of anticipation,” Isabela threw her head back dramatically. “Oh Anders, give me all of your manifesto.”

He shot her a sour look. Hawke looked on in amusement. “See? Much more exciting.”

…

“I don't need to know that, Varric. The Avvar, did Anders ever say where she was? Perhaps he fled to join her. Leliana could not find any description matching an Avvar Warden in Amaranthine. The ones who claimed to have known that woman do not know where she is.”

“I already told you Seeker, he didn't talk much about his time with the Wardens. Maybe she was one of those Wardens that went to Orlais?”

“Did he say anything else?”

“He mentioned how tall she was a few times. Honestly Seeker, he was pretty tight-lipped about her. Or maybe Justice was. I don't know.”

“Ugh.” “But Seeker...if you and Nightingale do find her, let me know alright? I just – I don't know. I need to talk to her. Ask her questions like “what the hell were you thinking” or “did you even think about the consequences” or just...shit. I'd settle for just staring at her angrily.”

“Or you could make a sign that says 'No' and let Aveline hit her with it.”

“Hah! Maybe, but she might hit back just as hard from what I've heard.”

#prompt week #tiftm #dragon age

9 notes · View notes

nemossubmarine · 7 years

Text

DA RP Write-up #13.1

Our crew is back again with a vengeance. I’m running this campaign, though for the middle part I’ll be handing the reigns over for Boshara’s player in an experimental move called “I want to play as Cahair more”. :D But yes, it is time for that Avvar campaign I’ve been planning on since last December. I feel very prepared which is a new and exciting feeling. Let’s see how our heroes fared in the Southern Wildlands. First they gotta get there though, and that was like half of the session, so let’s start with that.

Before even that, gotta note that I asked previous GM and Cahair got some new tattoos. Very small, since there wasn’t much time, but tattoos none-the-less. He now has some new ones on the back of his neck.

Character goal “Cover this boy from head to toe with tattoos” is on the go.

Shortly after leaving Tevinter, Randy takes our crew to the captain’s cabin to discuss the next move. He, as we know, needs to return to Orzammar and he had promised to take our heroes with him next time.

But before he can just waltz back in, he needs to find out more about the fertility rune his dad was making, mainly how he can make more of them.

That means, we got to visit some Avvars.

Cahair is immediately onboard, since he has Avvar friends in the south, so finding them won’t be a problem.

Humbert and Boshara especially are a bit miffed by this detour, but since it seems to be the only way, we all agree to this plan.

A further motivator is the fact that our ship is running out of lyrium. All the damage the ship took in Tevinter made us lose a good chunk of our stocks, and it doesn’t look like it’ll last very long.

There’s only two people who absolutely need the lyrium; Humbert, being a templar and Konstantine, bc he would like to stay awake.

Elspet would need it for healing too, if there are accidents.

Severe rationing is issued and enforced by Kanuuna. Things still look pretty dire by the time our heroes get to Ferelden.

It will take us about 3 months to get there, which means 3 months worth of ship-upkeep, namely food and crew’s pay. Let’s make some money, shall we?

Our heroes first stop at Rivain.

Humbert gets some passengers on board.

They are a family looking for adventure, so our crew does their best to entertain.

Randy does some intel gathering on what would sell well in Antiva, and because of that information Elspet finds her new calling in perfume-making.

Alf and Boshara... contribute. Namely they pretend to be beggars.

Next up it’s Antiva.

Our heroes buy some wine from there to get to sell in Ferelden.

Alf goes and gets a letter from Arkaitz, which delights him to no end. He also goes and sells the perfume to our friend Berengrad the banker, who pays for them handsomely.

Konstantine takes Humbert back to Varjokaupunki to try to get some lyrium.

They find out that something is going on with the Orzammar’s carta, as the lyrium shipments have stopped. Due to that lyrium prices are at all time highs.

They get few bottles anyway.

Boshara... contributes. She tries her hand at pretend-fortune-teller, gets in trouble and spends an evening in jail.

We have decided to try to make jewelry out of the gem stones we got from Berengrad as part of Alf’s inheritance.

Cahair designs them, finding a new hidden talent for jewelry design. He mostly draws inspiration from elven motifs.

Randy makes them. Elspet helps, since Randy has been a weapon smith before, not a jeweler.

The first two fail out of the bunch, but there’s some genuinely fantastic ones out there. Most notably Randy sets the storm opal we got into a white gold fitting. That will bring us big money if we manage to find a good enough buyer for it.

Then final stop is Kirkwall.

Alf finds out more about the Orzammar’s carta’s situation. They haven’t been heard about in a while, and people don’t know what’s up. There’s some lyrium, but even this close it isn’t getting much cheaper, and our heroes really don’t have the funds.

Humbert finds new passengers and gets into a street fight for four gold. ...Worth it?

He also tries to get in contact with some of the templars, but Kirkwall’s templar-commander is rather strict, so there’s no luck.

Randy goes to meet our old friend Riki and uses her contacts to sell some of the jewelry he made.

Elspet goes to visit an old friend, the elf from the market stalls. She agrees to part with some of her herbs, if Elspet makes a perfume for her, which she does.

Boshara gets herself some magical armor, being the first one in our group to do so.

Our heroes hop off near West Hill. Kanuuna will be in charge of the ship and Jelaina will be in charge of money gathering, while our heroes are gone. Lumme has been proven responsible enough, and is given charge of the mages, seeing that due to the lyrium situation Konstantine is barely awake more than few hours/day.

Out of the crew Pitkä-Breck and Merle will be coming with us to Orzammar.

It has been a while since our heroes (aside from Elspet and Cahair) visited Ferelden. There has been some changes. Namely Arl Howe has quietly resigned and moved his family to Free Marches, probably because of the information our heroes uncovered about his nasty human-trafficking businesses. His son, Nathaniel, has apparently been given to the templars.

At West Hill our heroes do some personal shopping: tent, bedrolls, walking shoes.

Humbert and Cahair get into a fight bc Humbert calls Avvars barbarians, and neither of them have the patience. It ends with Humbert going to be a crank outside.

Since he’s missing out on the shopping, Cahair buys him the shoes and makes Boshara deliver them to Humbert.

Humbert is so very happy at Boshara about the gift, that she doesn’t tell him they’re from Cahair.

Our heroes rent a cart, put Barbamama, the bronto, in front of it and leave towards Redcliffe.

Cahair tells a bit more about Avvar-customs to our heroes, namely that they use patronymics/matronymics. Inspired by this, everyone tries to see what theirs would be. Alf Sensen brings everyone a lot of delight.

The talk turns to Boshara’s mother. Namely Humbert wants to know how much she knows of her and if they had any contact.

Boshara admits that she knows very little. She learned a lot more from realizing that Cahair’s dad was her mom’s brother, than from the Chantry folk.

Oh yeah, Cahair and Boshara are cousins. Now everyone knows.

Cahair says that maybe they should visit their parents’ clan one day to find out more. Boshara isn’t sure whether they’d like her there, her being a half-elf. Cahair says it depends a lot on the circumstances.

This brings us to wonder whether Boshara’s dad was another mage or a templar, and the power imbalances in templar-mage relationships.

Humbert gets really flustered by this, and the conversation shuts down quickly afterwards.

Our heroes leave Barbamama, Merle and Pitkä-Breck to Redcliffe and head out to the wildlands by foot.

They travel for several days before Cahair announced that they’re getting close. Soon they spot an Avvar hunting group in the distance.

Cahair goes to talk to them, and brings back one, Dara Tyrdirsen, the thane’s (who’s Cahair’s personal friend) son.

Boshara is immediately enamored by his tallness and muscles.

The conversation goes south immediately since Randy introduces himself first. Dara starts acting much more stiffly then, saying that his mother would no doubt want to talk to them.

So off towards the Steppenwolf Hold we head.

Cahair asks what Randy’s dad did, bc clearly it was something wrong, and Randy says he doesn’t know.

Boshara picks some flowers to give to Dara later. Elspet tries to help but she’s too medically oriented to pick pretty plants instead of useful plants

We reach the Steppenwolf Hold and are guided to one room, where Thane Tyrdir Allasdotten meets visitors.

Soon she arrives, a tall red-headed woman, followed by a wolf.

She stops to hug Cahair, while the wolf is very curious about Randy and Aarli Hauveli.

Tyrdir asks of Randy’s intentions and his father’s fate. Randy admits readily he has no idea what his father exactly did, just that he made some fertility runes with the Avvar’s help.

Tyrdir tells that Mandulfr has stolen a god, namely Rilla of the Fireside, the goddess of fertility.

She says that there’s a witness to this in her hold and goes to get him, so they can hear the whole story.

The man Tyrdir brings back is a tranquil mage by the name of Kaino. He is from Kinloch Hold, and Boshara knows him well. Randy also remembers him. He recounts the tale of Mandulfr’s antics.

The group that went to Rilla’s cave, consisted of five people: Mandulfr; Runa, who was playing Mandulfr’s wife; her brother Ivar; an Avvar-guide by the name of Asta and Kaino.

Asta brought them near Rilla’s cave and told they should get some offerings, so Mandulfr ordered her to get them. She brought some nugs, but Mandulfr didn’t think it was good enough, so she went out and got a boar.

They entered the cave and the first room was a lake, which they had to cross by certain stepping stones.

Asta helped Runa and Kaino over, and while she was doing so, Mandulfr stabbed Ivar and pushed him into the lake.

Upon hearing that Ivar had accidentally dropped into the lake, Asta jumped after him and almost drowned, had it not been for Mandulfr.

They didn’t tell Runa about Ivar’s death, saying he decided to stay behind.

The next room was the offering room. Mandulfr ordered Kaino, who couldn’t see in the dark, of course, to stay at the room’s entrance while the others went to give the gifts.

While Runa was giving her gift, Mandulfr stabbed Asta and rolled her off the cliffside.

When Runa came back, he claimed Asta had gone ahead of them. Then he made her drink poisoned wine.

THE END.

Kaino tells that he doesn’t exactly remember what happened at the inner sanctum of Rilla’s cave, but that the Avvar were rather pissed off when they came back, and Mandulfr left Kaino behind, presumably as a distraction to help his own escape.

Tyrdir has a proposition to make. It’s clear (to her at least) that Randy, by the virtue of being the inheritor of his father, will have to atone for his deeds.

She asks that Randy takes a pilgrimage to Rilla’s cave and release Rilla from the rune she is trapped in.

After that he may ask her if she is willing to help with making more fertility runes.

As Tyrdir wishes Randy would do this pilgrimage of his own volition, because he respects Rilla and wants to wipe out his father’s crimes, and not because the Avvar want to, she offers Cahair as a guide and Kaino as a help for Rilla’s release.

Randy agrees to this, and everyone else says they’ll come along too.

Now our heroes have their mission all set out. But before they can leave, they’ll have an evening to get to know some Avvar-folk. We’ll see how that goes in the next exciting episode.

#nemo roleplays #campaign tag: a walk in the park #da rp writeup #long post #yay it's finally here #this was a session ive been most happy about in a long long time #altho having to come up with money on the spot is awful #and there was a lot of it here #and also it's so good to be back with cahair #im already whirring with all the character thoughts #what else #hey ho guess who put his fave npc in almost coma #but that couldnt have been helped #had to establish lyrium troubles

4 notes · View notes

ladydracarysao3 · 7 years

Photo

In Love, Serenity

Chapter Nine: Aches & Pains

Chapter Summary Urgent meeting with the war council is summoned before day even has a chance to break.

Note This is just a quick chapter, there should be another one later today (Monday night, EST) to make up for it!

[Read Chapter Nine on AO3] or [Start from the Beginning]

-Izzalea-

“Inquisitor! I’ve been searching for you!” A messenger races up to the training ring before dawn has broken. She doubles over, panting, having trouble catching her breath. Izzalea instantly drops her sword and shield and bolts to her side.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Worry overtaking her thoughts, she immediately feels panic. Has Corypheus made his next move?

“Sister…” she pants, “Sister Leliana needs to see you… in the war room… immediately.” She slumps on to the ground.

“I will go at once.” She looks to her trainer. “I’m sorry Ser, we will have to train another time.”

“Of course, please,” he gestures for her to proceed.

Flinging her body over the fencing of the training ring, Izzalea runs up the stairs to the entrance of the great hall. She breaks through the series of doors leading to the war room. When she arrives, her advisors are already waiting for her. Haphazardly and casually dressed due to being roused from their sleep, they all have concern stretching across their faces. Josie is furiously writing on her clipboard. Leliana paces with her hands clasped tightly behind her back and a deep furrow in her brow. And Cullen scowls over the map, fists slammed into the surface of the table.

“What happened, is it Corypheus?” Izzalea storms up to the table, searching the map for new markers.

Leliana shakes her head and joins the Inquisitor’s side by the base of the map. “No. But I am afraid it is still not good. I just received word that a group of our soldiers are being held captive in the Fallow Mire.” She points to a southern marshy area of Ferelden on the map. “An Avvar clan has captured them. They refuse to release them safely, unless you meet with their leader.”

“What?” Izzalea rubs her forehead, pinching her temples between thumb and forefinger. Already, she feels the pangs of a stress headache accumulating.

“Their leader is claiming that if we want to see our men alive, the Herald of Andraste must come to claim them herself.” Cullen growls and slams his fist onto the table, making the markers clang and vibrate on its surface.

“Maker preserve me… are you serious?” Izzalea groans. “Are the Avvar also working for the fucking darkspawn Magister?”

Leliana walks back to her usual station around the table, hands clasped behind her back. “I’m not sure, but I do not think so. I am afraid you will have to go to the marsh to find out.”

Izzalea sighs and pensively paces back and forth along the table. “Okay, we prepare today, and I will leave at first light tomorrow. I won’t let our people suffer at the hands of this ignoramus any longer than I have to.” She looks to Leliana, “How will this affect our trip to the Western Approach?”

“Most likely you will be delayed, but I will send Scout Harding with a team today. She can scout as much of the area as possible. Then, we will have maximum information before your own departure.” Leliana responds.

“Okay, thank you.” Izzalea looks to Cullen who is still glaring at the map in anger. “Cullen, I want to bring Solas for magical support. There is no way I will bring Dorian or Vivienne into a marsh for an indeterminate amount of time. I’d also like to bring Cole, maybe he will be able to sense our men and help us get them out safely. Finally, inform Iron Bull. From what I’ve learned, the Avvar are fairly large, I think an enormous qunari swinging an equally, obscenely large axe is in order.”

“Alright.” Cullen straightens his posture but keeps the intensity in his voice and face. As a fierce, devoted leader of the Inquisition’s army, he regards all of his soldiers as his responsibility. Knowing that a group of his soldiers are being held captive, and not knowing why or how they are being treated, must be eating him alive.

“May I suggest another member for your party?” Leliana asks, her expression and tone rife with her usual impassivity. Izzalea nods and peers at her quizzically. “Abner,” as the name glides from her lips, Josie stops writing for the first time since Izzalea entered the room. “She is a truly gifted agent and a--” she pauses and glances at Josie whose face is like stone and staring back at Leliana. “Assassin.”

“Okay, I suppose the operation may need one, but Cole is trained in such tactics, Leliana.” Izzalea says hesitantly.

“Yes, well…” as Leliana continues, Josie clears her throat and glares at the spymaster. Something is going on between these two that is being left unsaid. “Abner has a special set of skills that I think must be exploited in this case.”

“Is that really necessary, Leliana?” Josie pipes up, a slight waver to her voice. “There is no telling what they will do to her if…”

“Okay, what in the void is going on here? Who is this woman?” Izzalea crosses her arms and sternly looks back and forth between the two women.

“She has a history with the Avvar, Inquisitor. She is an expert on their customs,” Leliana answers, looking intensely at Josie, “I think it would be best that she goes, Josie. She will be invaluable to the Inquisitor. She will understand. I will tell her, myself.”

Josie reluctantly concedes, shaking her head and returning to her attention to her clipboard.

“Alright then, let’s get moving into action. Inform everyone involved and prepare for departure in the morning. Thank you all. We will get our men back.” Her advisors all leave the room, but she stays behind, staring at the map on the table.

Thumbing the marker placed on the Fallow Mire, she thinks about what could be happening to her soldiers trapped there. What would this Avvar clan want with her? She’s never heard of clans being particularly hostile to outsiders before. Then again, she has limited knowledge of their customs. There aren’t any clans in the Free Marches. The Avvar keep to the mountains and highlands of southern Thedas, usually.

Descendants of the Alamaari, they are a people that Andraste once called her kin centuries ago. Made up of numerous independent tribes, the Avvar have minimal trade and inclusions from the other cultures in Thedas. Why would this tribe be concerned with her? Could they actually be working with Corypheus? That doesn’t make much sense. What they would have to gain from such a connection.

She pinches her forehead, attempting to will her now piercing headache to end. Sighing, she ventures to appear confident by squaring her shoulders and hiding the worry she feels from her face. She turns away from the table, leaving the war room through the large, ornate, wooden doors to begin preparations for her impromptu trip.

#in love serenity #dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dragon age fanfiction #dragon age fandom #dragon age romance #fanfic

6 notes · View notes