Title: Weapons Test
Author:BH. Ramsay
Pairings: implied
Spoilers: a few especially for Demands of the Qun
Summary: Gatt reports on events occurring during Demands of The Qun
Disclaimer: What do I own? Nothing, What do I claim? Nothing. What will you get if you sue me? Nothing. Consider yourselves disclaimed.
Dedication: To the members of Dragon Age-GFC who helped make it better
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*excerpt from Ben-Hassrath report*
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Report submitted on joint operations between Ben-Hassrath and organization calling itself The Inquisition. Operative Gatt gave visual account of Storm Coast Operations to stop illicit transport of Red Lyrium by Venatori-backed smugglers.
"Gatt" joined Inquisition strike force headed by Inquisitor Adaar herself. Team consisted of Tevinter Altus Dorian Pavus, Elven Criminal Sera, and Ben-Hassrath contact Hissrad (hereafter referred to as "Iron Bull")
Full reports and analysis of inquisition membership including "Iron Bull" is attached but summary of intelligence concerning strike team membership is presented here.
Herah Adaar , a sarrabas, joined the Inquisition following the Conclave Incident from which she emerged as sole survivor. Displaying a unique ability to close the rifts caused by the explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Adaar quickly insinuated herself among the leadership of The Inquisition who's membership seem comprised of mostly Andrastian Chantry adherents and loyalists devoted to previous Divine Justinia. Addar rose to command the Inquisition after ending the local fighting between the apostate mages and rogue elements of the Chantry's Templar Order, leading a mostly successful retreat from their base in the town of Haven after it was attacked by Venatori lead by subject Corypheus and guiding them to a new more defensible site which was found "seemingly" by chance.
(Add.) Shortly after arriving at Inquisition base hereafter referred to as "Skyhold", Adaar began training in skills based on Elven combat magic particularly those designated as Arcane Warriors, though the bas call them "Knight-Enchanters".
Pavus claims to be assisting Inquisition forces against fellow countrymen; The Venatori. Contacts within Magisterium say House Pavus is publicly opposed to The Venatori though Dorian and Halward Pavus, his father, are apparently estranged for unknown reasons. There's numerous rumors about the source of their estrangement including accusations of Blood Magic use but given that accusation could be made against any number of mages across the Imperium and the fact that Magister Pavus still claims Dorian as both family and heir-apparent to his seat in the Magisterium there's compelling reason to doubt this story's truthfulness. Whatever the truth is Pavus has attacked Venatori and shown no reluctance and indeed great enthusiasm in opposing and killing his brethren.
All attempts to gather more information about Citizen "Sera" have been unsuccessful. She claims connections to amorphous group known as Friends of Red Jenny. Contacts throughout the southern lands cannot agree on what role she plays within the organization or even if the woman, her identity or the organization itself are real. Some insist she's an operative of the group while others imply she is in fact the titular Red Jenny herself, passing information received from her many informants to the Inquisition which they act on, occasionally with extreme prejudice. (Please refer to report titled "Verchel Incident")
Please reference attached materials for background data on subject "Iron Bull" as well as associated companions belonging to group identified as Bull's Chargers.
Please refer to file on subject "Solas" who seems to have played a significant role in the Inquisition establishing itself in "Skyhold".
Please refer to attached reports concerning viability of utilizing Qunari methods to teach Knight Enchanter skills, in short, Adaar might be the only Qunari ever trained in the skill set
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Ben-Hassrath contacts carefully seeded references to Venatori leader Calpernia into intelligence reports giving Inquisition forces cause to believe this operation would directly impact Calpernia's long term plans.
Iron Bull brought the mission to the Inquisition as expected and Inquisition's Strike team was deployed.
Operative Gatt hereafter referred to as "Detainee" showed great reluctance to discuss events, seemed unaware of secondary and tertiary units, who's accounts disputed the version he initially presented as factual. What follows is a record of his debriefing and interrogation.
Day1
Detainee asked about Storm Coast Operation. Detainee described normal operation resulting in destruction of red lyrium smugglers. Detainee reported Qunari dreadnought arrived as planned and destroyed enemy ship. Venatori were destroyed with no significant Inquisition casualties. Detainee asked if anything significant occurred during operation he denied knowledge. Kept in confinement told he would be released or that he would be fed at set times. Subject allowed only short sleep which would be interrupted with more questions, many discrepancies between his various accounts began to emerge.
Day2
Detainee asked to confirm details about Storm Coast Operations. Detainee revealed he discussed subject of Qun with Addar. Detainee asked why this was not revealed earlier, he responded that Addar herself showed no interest in converting to the Qun. Asked to elaborate, Detainee reported Addar believes her practice of magic would be compromised by induction into the Qun. Detainee asked to relieve himself, was given assurances he'd be so allowed if he could clear up minor discrepancies in official report. Detainee angrily asked if he was supposed to remember how many shots it took for dreadnought to destroy enemy ships. When asked, he correctly said three. Detainee given light broth, told a small truth only deserved small amounts of food. Detainee eventually urinated on floor. Detainee not allowed sleep, interrogators re-interviewed him at irregular intervals.
Day3
Detaineeresponded angrily to questions about Storm Coast Operations. Detainee eventually revealed he briefly spoke to Citizen Sera who showed no interest in the Qun until Iron Bull mocked her as "not being viddathari material." Detainee asked about food and water, was told that due to his numerous untruths it was believed he was comfortable with lying and being lied to. Detainee responded that he wasn't lying. Detainee promised food and water and clean facilities if telling the truth, another day in his own filth if lying. Detainee responded he'd told all he knew, shown conflicting reports including his own statements and left in dirty cell overnight but not allowed sleep.
Day4
Detainee admitted concealing interactions with Dorian Pavus. He admitted feelings of shame that he argued with Tevinter mage. Asked for source of disagreement. Detainee responded Pavus noted dreadnought riding high in water for vessel manned by 150 sailors. Detainee mocked Pavus based on entitled appearance and assumed ownership of slaves. Iron Bull and Addar ended conflict. Shown reports verifying Detainee answers, moved to new clean facilities and given change of clothes, Allowed 3hrs. sleep periodically interrupted by more questions.
Day5
Asked if Detainee had witnessed anything else significant. Detainee wept; Detainee told he need not fear the consequences of truthful response. Confessed that after the dreadnought destroyed the smugglers vessel the Venatori sought to retake the position and fire on it from shore. Allowing Bull's Chargers to retreat would've left dreadnought exposed. Addar then displayed abilities heretofore undocumented. She seemed to draw power THROUGH a rift in the area granting her the power to seemingly translocate across the valley to the midst of the Venatori. She first defended the Chargers shielding them from enemy units, then she attacked them defeating them all singlehandedly and saving the Chargers. Detainee asked why he would conceal this occurrence. Detainee responded that Iron Bull assaulted him later. Iron Bull knew dreadnought protocol prides itself on accuracy and efficiency. No dreadnought captain would staff a crew that required more than a single volley to destroy a small smuggling ship, ... unless that dreadnought were running a skeleton crew which couldn't effectively man the main cannons. Allowed food, water and rest. Promised detainee he'd report once more, detainee calmly asked if copy of report of interrogation would go to Viddasala.
Day6
Invited to give report directly to Viddasala. Repeated story from yesterday. Viddasala listened to report, thanked detainee before leaving. Detainee revealed Iron Bull correctly predicted the course of interrogation including end point thereof. Detainee appears calm, was unsurprised when Qamek brought in. Submitted to qamek treatment without opposition, awoke hours later with no obvious memories of Storm Coast Operations or indeed anything else. Reassigned to minor labour with other Viddath-bas. Detainee will be kept under observation to insure no rejection of qamek influence.
*excerpt ends*
Iron Bull sighed, "That's about what I thought would happen."
Leliana nodded and plucked the report from Bull's numb fingers. "My scouts confirm they saw only fifty men aboard the dreadnought," the spy mistress reported, " And you think the whole thing was a trap?"
"Not in the way you're thinking, they didn't go to all this trouble just to find out how powerful the boss is, they got to test my loyalty, eliminate a potential threat, find out how we organize and deploy, ...finding out how much ass the boss can kick was just , … gravy on top of the meat pie. Or a second helping of dessert."
"You've been spending time with the kitchen staff again."
"Just flirting, Dorian likes those creamy puff things and the baker's assistant likes watching me flex."
"Addar mentioned the incident on the wall the other day, was THIS connected to that?"
"The assassination attempt?" The Qunari Mercenary Captain replied with a dismissive wave, "That's just business. The Ben-Hassrath don't like when you give their secrets away."
"You mean what you've told us?"
"What I told Gatt," Bull replied, "I scared him so bad they had to waste five days mind-fucking him. That's not something they'll forget or forgive easily."
"What about this Viddasala they mention? should we be worried?"
"In the way that you worry about storm clouds on the horizon, yeah it's a problem but it's not an immediate problem."
"How bad is she?"
"Picture The Seeker WITHOUT her warm and fuzzy nature."
Leliana shuddered at the image of Cassandra Pentaghast without the strict moral compass and softer side that tampered her relentless nature. A truly terrifying thought.
"Listen Red, maybe hold off on telling the Boss about this one. Viddasala and the Ben-Hassrath taking a personal interest in the Boss might not be healthiest thing for anyone."
"She deserves to be informed."
"And she will be, when the time is right. When we know for sure what we're dealing with."
"Your facial expressions training is slipping."
"I heard ...stories over the years, the same rumors everyone else did, about twenty years ago one of the Tamassrans quit the , … I guess the closest translation would be Bureau of Dangerous Questions she and her lover left for the south."
"-right around the time Addar's mother and father settled in The Free Marches."
"Someone's been checking into the bosses past."
"That woman and her left hand may be the last best hope for Thedas." Leilana shrugged, "a simple background check seemed the least I should do."
"The Tamassran apparently left family behind, including a younger sister."
"-who's probably eager to make up for what she sees as her sister's questionable life choices."
Iron Bull nodded,"You know the boss, she let Sera stomp a mudhole on a nobleman's face for being a minor threat, how would she act if it's personal? if it's family?"
Leliana nodded, "We'll wait until we know for sure what we're dealing with."
"Thanks,"
"What about Gatt? his family?"
"Gatt is dead and gone effectively. The Viddath-bas walking around with his body? The Tranquil have it better."
"Then I'm sorry about your friend."
"So am I Red." Bull sighed, "so am I."
-the end-
