Haven, the destination of the age. The once hidden and cult filled village was now alive with religious pilgrims, Chantry officials, and smooth talking merchants looking to make a little gold. The picturesque village had doubled in size in the time since its re-discovery, and unofficial take over by the Chantry.
A lone figure stood on a ridge across the small lake that was frozen in place near the village gates. It was apparent to the foreign observer that things were tense in the once peaceful village. Groups of people segregated themselves into groups as they moved through, or stayed near, the village and its small Tavern and market areas. The tension between the groups was readily apparent even from the observer's position. The looks of distrust and hate were easily identified regardless of language or origin of birth.
The hooded observer settled in under a tree protecting him from the gentle yet biting breeze from the south and giving his weary legs a much deserved rest. He had never actually had direct dealings with the Chantry, or their former imprisoned charges the mages of the Circle of Magi. The Observer carefully watched as the two factions operated out of makeshift camps outside of Haven, assisting their compatriots along to their final destination; the Devine Conclave.
The sun moved across the sky lazily as the robbed mages with staffs of every make and size wearily made their way toward the Temple of Sacred Ashes, with Templars and Chantry members of every rank and position trying desperately to look superior and unaffected by the long journey; most failed. And many that had studied the Temple of Sacred Ashes in the short time since it had been rediscovered would argue that was the point of it all. The Pilgrims Path as it had been named by the thousands that had flocked there, was long with the only shelter or comfort between the shores of Lake Calenhad and the Temple proper, was Haven.
Most of the people coming and going from the village were for the most part nondescript if not easily categorized into Mage or Templar/Chantry. Only a few of the people that the Observer could see stood out amongst the crowds. First and most notably was what appeared to be a sever Chantry woman with short, or pinned up hair which he could not tell from his vantage point. The woman's weapons and armor suggested that she was a warrior of some kind. From what he could see the armor was well made and she appeared confidant. The other Templars that she interacted with showed her a great deal of respect, and from the attempts to avoid her by everyone she had a high level of authority and a harsh reputation was the observers guess
Following the Sever Holy Warrior was an unexpected tag along, a Dwarf. The observer had had close dealings with Dwarves in the past and could feel fairly comfortable with his assessment that this Dwarf was what they called a surfacer. It was readily apparent by the dwarfs clothing that he had spent little to no time in the deep roads. The cloths, if the Observer had to guess were from the Free Marches. His short stocky frame was topped with long dirty blondish hair. And it appeared that the sole purpose of dwarf's life was to annoy the Sever Holy Warrior. Several times over the course of what could not have been half an hour the Sever Holy Warrior talked harshly to the Dwarf who appeared only to egg her on with his reply's.
There were others that the observer noticed as well but could not be sure of there importance. A tall well trained warrior that often conversed with the Templars of the Chantry. It appeared that he had a report of some kind with the group but he would not group him with the Templars. His armor was very different than the easily noticed Templars and he, at times, seemed to disagree with them; over what the observer was unable to tell.
From his vantage point he also caught a glimpse of a woman with a hood and what he guessed was some kind of light armor talk with both the Kind of Templar and the Sever Holy Warrior. The woman did not stay long and was given a wide berth by all that she encountered. She was obviously known throughout the camp, but what her title could be the Observer did not know.
Lastly he noticed an oddity amongst the crowd at haven. An Antivan woman wearing blue and gold with dark skin and long black hair done up elegantly. She stuck out like a Mage at market. Even at his great distance the Observer knew the woman was beautiful. The way everyone treated her, Mage and Chantry folk alike, suggested that she was good with people. Weather it was a learned skill, or natural good looks and disposition was a mystery.
Three days passed in this manor for the Observer. He took diligent notes on the coming and going of the peoples in Haven more so on the ones of note. Supplies came and went, largely used by those associating with the Chantry. Several messenger birds made their rounds as well. To who they were for the Observer could not guess. Once he thought he saw the mysterious hooded woman collect one of the birds, but her hood was down and she appeared to have startling Red hair. It was so far from what the Observer had thought she would look like he was not sure it was the same person.
The days passed slowly and the nights more so as the temperature dropped to a level were fire was needed for survival. The Observer made his hidey hole under the tree as comfortable as possible, and had made a type of stone oven with several melon sized rocks, mud, and the skin of a nug he had taken with his bow. It served better than he had hopped making his nights relatively comfortable as the stove prevented the light of the fire to escape, cooked his food and kept him warm. He had gotten his hiding spot to a point that he was dreading the morning of the fourth day, because he would have to leave.
The plan had been to observe for three days and then on the fourth he would move to a pre-established place and meet with the only other member of his party. At that point they would compare notes and make most likely make one of the most pivotal decisions of their lives. Whether or not to join the Mage rebellion. The Observers adopted, of sorts, sister Lilly was an Apostate or Mage outside the control of Chantry. And were to be hunted down by the Templars to either be brought back to a Circle of Magi to be held prisoner, or most commonly executed and forgotten about. Meaning that they had lived their life in a constant state of disguise. The Observer did not consider it hiding, but rather disguising the fact that his Sister was an Apostate from the general public. No one in the free Marchs, Antiva, or parts of Fereldan or Orlias could consider the Dracon Mercenary Company a group to hide its self. Up until a two weeks ago the Observer and Lilly had always had a home with the Company but that had all changed, violently.
Now the two were truly on their own for the first time in their lives, having grown up in the Company with what they considered their family with them at almost all times of the day. Without the protection of the Shadow Mercenary Company's reputation things were bound do go bad if Lilly was discovered to be an Apostate. It rarely happened that Lilly would blow her cover but it did happen. And on the occasions in the past that it had they had had the backing, financial, and muscle, of the Company to deal with any issues. That was no longer an option. They had been lucky so far in that everyone they had come across since leaving what was left of the Shadow's was either a rebel Mage or had remained ignorant to the fact that Lilly was an Apostate.
To make matters more difficult for the two Lilly was an elf. Dalish by birth, but raised amongst the company. The company had suspected, and later confirmed, that she was no longer entirely welcome amongst most Dalish Clans, and once she had shown that she was a mage she was even less welcome amongst her own people. Most humans thought little of her, being slight of build even by elf standards, and the fact that she was accompanying the Observer, most assumed her a servant girl, or in the case of the more perverted, some kind of sex play thing to him.
Not that either one enjoyed it, but usually that would be there cover, the traveling sword for hire with his elf servant girl. That was the reason they were hear on the outskirts of the Divines conclave. To find out what would become of the Mages, and hopefully help create a future where the Observer did no longer have to treat his sister as some sort of servant, or worse, in public. Living with constant fear of discovery and death was no way to live at all. And the Observer was going to change it one way or the other.
The Observer quietly watched Haven from his hiding spot for the last night thinking about all the possibilities good and bad that lay before him and his sister. He quietly drifted off to sleep hopping that he would be able to find a peaceful life for his sister where she could grow old and have the children that he knew she wanted. Little did he know that after this night his life would take a turn he would never have expected.