Dragon Age 2: Pariah
I just adore Merrill, so I thought, what the hey. (Literally.) I am thinking I am using my "Transport to next game" overall build, but I may throw in stuff from others, since I haven't started that play though yet. Skinny of it, though, Male Hawke, Warrior, Merrill Romance, sided with Mages at end of the game.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Age …anything, and then some.
Pariah
Cassandra Shook her head sadly as she let the Dwarf go, he hopes of preventing more bloodshed evaporating. She emerged from the Hawke Estate and was quizzed by the Orlesian Seeker.
"Any leads?" She asked, her accent dimmed by the years in Ferelden following the Hero.
"No, he is gone." Her despair was evident, but Leliana thought she detected a twang of something more. She said something about the Maker, and Cassandra gave the proper response back, but her mind was elsewhere. It was not easy when hate turned to respect, and then getting your hope crushed all in one evening.
She was walking back to her suite in the rebuilt Chantry's barracks when she walked by a Dwarf leaning against a pillar without paying any attention. He made his presence know.
"Excuse me, Seeker." She instantly recognized the voice she had been listening to for the past hours. She stopped and looked up. Varric continued before she could speak. "If it were to happen that the Chantry's forces were to achieve victory in the coming war, how would you treat the mages, in general, were it your choice to make?" She thought for a full minute.
"I like to believe, after the hearing you account of the Champion, that I would try to find a better way than the Templar Order to protect the people from the threats." She gave the only answer she should, as the tale did make it seem as if the oppression of the Mages by the Templar was as much to blame as the mages themselves. Varric glanced about shiftily before pulling a large envelope from under his duster.
"Thank you for your honesty. Here." He handed her the satchel. "I cannot say where Hawke has gone, but he did set up a number of dead drops locations, so we all could communicate if the need be." He grinned. "This I received about a year ago. I doubt it will help your search, but it does help provide corroboration for certain events, and may give you another… perspective on the Champion."
"What is it?" She asked.
"You will see. I would not be the only one who would appreciate if you kept it to yourself, however. Good luck in your travels, Seeker." He hesitated, then shok his head and through up his arms as he walked off. "May the Maker watch over us all, because this is going to get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better.
Cassandra was in her own temporary quarters, heavy armor striped and in her own night garments before she climbed on her cot and opened the satchel. Inside was a leather bound book, small, and embroidered in silver plant designs. A few sheets of paper was sticking out of the pages. She pulled them out, and saw it was a note penned in green ink in a tight, well practiced and flourish scrip.
Varric:
Hope you are well. I am sorry to say that we are moving again. Isibela is heading back to sea, and I asked her to drop this here. I do not know where we are headed, But Hawke said it would not be a short trip I believe it had something to do with rumors of the Hero of Ferelden, and his disappearance with the Daughter of Asha'bellanar, so we may be headed to Ferelden.
As you always seemed to collect stories, I thought you would be the best person to give this to. It is a copy, and I will contiune my own, and if any are found in other drops, I have instructions to forward them to you if possible.
Your Friend, Merrill.
Also, Hawke says the first rounds are on him at our next junction, your info was solid."
Cassandra was wondering why the Dwarf had not reveled this during the session, but the she saw the second note, shorted, and written in different hand.
Varric:
Came back to Kirkwall just long enough to drop this off. Need a new Drop established in Tevinter. Something is up with Merrill, and we are going to see what is going up north. Depending on the state there, may move into Qunari territory. I've attached the possible locations, and will get you word when I can. Here's the coin for the drink I owe, it's going to be a long time coming otherwise.
Cheers, mate, Hawke."
Cassandra reread each letter, puzzling over it, and then as a small note left under the book in it's wrapping, in a third script.
"This was the last note, 8 months ago, no word since."
She figured it was Varric's and addressed to her, and flipped it to see a few lines in Hawke's writing.
"The climate is not good. A storm is coming. We are going to need to stabilize, or the Blight is going to seem like a light rain compared to this. Send out feelers, find out who we can trust, DO NOT TAKE SIDES. We need friends. Hawke."
She didn't like the tone of the last, and briefly though this might be the Dwarf putting trust in her. She didn't quite know why, but she didn't want to let him down. She put the notes aside, and opened the cover of the book. The first page was blank except the neatly printed and centered words:
"The Personal Diary of Merrill, Elven Pariah."