Dragon Age Inquisition: Ryden The Mage

Chapter 1: The Mage Rebellion

Since the destruction of the Chantry in Kirkwall at the hands of the Mage named Anders, Templars had become even more extreme in their hunting down of Apostate's, either hunting them down and killing Mages on the spot or delivering the fate considered even worse than death; Tranquillity, the removal of all magic, thought and emotion and leaving a Mage as an emotionless husk of a person.

Many Mages had fled the Circle Towers, fleeing far into Ferelden or Orlais to seek refuge from Templar Persecution; for Mages; the act of performing Blood Magic; contracts with demons and enhancement of one's own Magic with blood was a grave crime; the Templars in Kirkwall and since the Rebellion broke out kept pressuring and forcing Mages into corners where they had no choice but to use such Magics, condemning them to life as either an Abomination or a Tranquil.

One such mage had no intent on allowing such a fate; having fled the Denerim Circle and had ran away from the one place he'd ever slept peacefully; with only a backpack of provisions; the robes on his back and his trusty Ironbark Staff; Ryden had trekked through the Ferelden Countryside; through the ruins of Lothering and made it to the Hitherlands just on the outskirts of Redcliffe.

At the time of having left Denerim there had been an uproar about the Conclave at the Temple of Sacred Ashes; a green portal hung in the skies above the world, demons rained down through portals that just appeared from nowhere; killing or possessing anyone with even the slightest glimmer of magic, but to make matters worse; there were rumours of a person going by the title of Herald of Andraste.

Ryden found a spot known as The Ash Warrior's Refuge; a spot where he could hunker down and rest from his long trek; taking a small mirror; his one possession given to him by his mother on the day she abandoned him as a child; Ryden stared into the mirror; his strong dislike for his two tone eyes; his left eye green while his right eye was amber; but it wasn't the feature he hated most; using his left hand to touch his ears; his eft ear was pointed like an Elf while his right ear was normal like a Human; a birth defect he'd always had and as a result he was cast out from both Human and Elven Society; even the Dalish would not welcome him for in him was impure blood and disgraceful birth.

Setting the mirror down back into his pack and dining on a simple meal of Elfroot Potion, stale bread and what little Lyrium he had left to keep up his Mana in order to fight off Bandits, Slavers and whatever Darkspawn were still crawling around since the Blight ended many years ago.

Ryden was always alone; even in the Circle he had no friends; he often thought that his ears and eyes kept people away; he would be unwelcomed anywhere; but that would change if only he could make it to Redcliffe and contact the rumoured Tevinter Magisters that were present there, smiling to himself while drifting off to a brief sleep.

Awakening with a shock; Ryden was face to face with a Templar.

"Who are you Mage?!" The Templar shouted at him, sword and shield raised, slashing down at Ryden without bothering to wait for an answer; the blade sparkling as it struck the rock where Ryden's head had been if he hadn't rolled out of the way.

Seizing his Ironbark Staff and casting a simple barrier around himself; praying to The Maker for safety; however in vain it was, The Templar dispelled the Barrier with ease, charging with sword raised again forcing Ryden to run; leaving the cave and running into not only one but two other Templars; yelping in horror Ryden did the only thing he could; a Fireball Spell; firing off the small Fireball from his staff; striking the closest Templar's shield' the flames fanning out and burning the exposed cloth on the Templar's uniforms.

Ryden having left his pack with his few belongings back in the cave raced off as fast as he could; cursing his failure at mastering more beneficial spells; he'd barely slept an hour; fatigue would catch up to him fast while the Templars would only continue giving chase.

Ryden slowed to a halt quicker than he'd expecting his tired body to hold out for; panting in his breaths; checking behind him and catching sight of only one Templar chasing him; smiling as he thought he could handle one; but how wrong he was.

This Templar wielded a mighty two-handed sword; bringing the blade crashing to the ground; a lyrium blue circle cast around them; Ryden gulped as he'd used what Mana he had casting the Fireball; thrusting his hand out to fire a simple Arcane Bolt or Spirit Bolt as it was now known as; but nothing happened; The Templar laughed at Ryden's failure.

Ryden dodged the huge blade as best he could; the sword catching him several times; drawing blood from his already skinny and malnourished body; Ryden jumped out from the blue circle and fired a Spirit Bolt; the spell working to his delight but once it hit the Templar; it did nothing.

That was it; he was out of Mana and there was nothing he could do; looking up at the Templar as he and his two compatriots surrounded him.

"As Templars; we deem you guilty of the crime of using Blood Magic; we sentence you to Tranquility!" the largest Templar ordered; sentencing Ryden to the worst possible fate.

"But I've not used any Blood Magic, I would never use it!" Ryden protested; almost begging the Templars for his freedom.

"Then explain those eyes of yours; they just shout Demon Possession!" the thinnest Templar spoke, the voice sounding like a woman under the helmet.

"Shut up half-breed!" The two-handed sword Templar shouted; snatching the Dagger from the Female Templar and stabbing Ryden's chest with it.

"We're not supposed to… ahh, who really cares about one Mage; no one will miss him" the last Templar spoke; shrugging his shoulders.

"my my, three Templar's overstepping their bounds; why am I not surprised" Spoke a voice; Ryden weakly turning his head and seeing an Elf; and not just any Elf, An Elven Mage.

The Third Templar keeled over, an arrow protruding from his throat; as soon as he fell; Ryden would see a Dwarf carrying a strange Crossbow, "Nice one Solas, maybe next time don't announced us".

The Elven Mage Solas without words or motions summoned up a pillar of ice to surround the Female Templar, freezing her down to her very core; killing the knight instantly.

The largest Templar with the two-handed sword shouted in defiance only to be met with the swords of two people; one male and one female; the female had very short black hair and a nasty scar on her cheek; she bore an emblem Ryden did not know.

"so, we're saving random mages now? Aren't we in a hurry" the woman spoke harshly, looking on Ryden with pity; "he is wounded".

The Man knelt down; Ryden looked on this stranger with fear; The Man removing the dagger from Ryden's stomach while Solas cast a spell that quickly healed his wound.

"tha… tha… thank you" Ryden bowed his head in thanks; noticing that The Man offered out his left hand; a hand that bore a strange green glow that matched the glow The Rift had in the sky.

Taking The Man's hand and being pulled to his feet; The Dwarf passing Ryden's own backpack to him with a smile, "There you go kid, whatever is in there must belong to you."

"you show kindness Varric, that is unusual for you" The Woman spoke, her dislike even directed towards Varric.

"Yeah, I can be charitable when I want to be, Cassandra" Varric answered back.

Ryden stood fixated on The Man's hand; transfixed on that green glow; This Man must be The Herald Of Andraste.

The group of The Herald, Varric, Solas and Cassandra left in the direction of the Crossroad Village; Ryden looked upon the corpses of the three Templar's; knowing there were more just like them waiting to either kill or make him Tranquil, he figured this group would be much safer; using his Staff as a crutch; and slinging his pack over his shoulders; Ryden followed after The Herald's group.