Wow, that was only a week late! I am thinking about renaming Alistair "Alistari " or Altarsia" because that's what I want to type for some reason. I dunno. Enjoy!
BioWare designed, built and sold the pond. I am only a fish living in said pond.
Lothering
There's a madman with a mad plan and he waits for us to stumble... what to do, what to do - Jump On My Shoulders ~ AWOLNATION
Not long after lunch, our group left the forest behind. We climbed onto a cobblestone walkway. Walls rose up on either side and reached up to my waist. Pillars held up a ceiling with more holes in it than cheese.
Ahead of us stood a band of men. I stalked right up to the biggest one.
"Ten silvers to pass," he said. He had on light plate and thick leather boots.
"I don't pay crooks," I said evenly, looking right up into his grey eyes.
Some of the men laughed menacingly. I didn't look away.
"No?" the leader asked, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Morrigan and I had our staves in hand before he could draw his weapon.
I danced back to stand next to her. Alistair had his sword in his hand and charged deep into the brigands' ranks.
"Cover for me," hissed Morrigan.
I glanced to her and had to take another look; in the witch's place was a large brown recluse spider. It leapt into the fray, spitting poison. I blasted the head off one man which rolled under one of his fellow's feet, tripping him. Morrigan sunk her fangs into him before he could recover.
A thief came up behind Morrigan-spider. I hit him in the small of the back with a bolt of lightning and he fell to the ground, spasming.
The spider spat poison into the last man's eyes, Alistair ran him through as the criminal scrabbled at his face.
I picked a hefty sum from the leader's body. They must have been collecting for a long time to make what I found.
I searched a couple of crates nearby. In one I found a bag of food that was handed off to Morrigan. In another was a helmet and good boots that went to Alistair. I tried not to flinch when he slid the helmet on, tried not to remember the hollow eyes that stared at me for years. I told myself that I was being stupid.
In the last crate I uncovered three trap triggers and a gold painted statuette.
"What's that?" asked Bucket-head.
I handed it to him and his eyes light up.
"I had one like this when I was a young boy," said Alistair.
"Really? Wow."
"Thanks," he added earnestly.
"No problem," I replied. "Do you want to talk?"
He nodded silently. Alistair heaved a heavy sigh. "I can't stop thinking about him," he admitted. "I can't help but wonder if he would approve of this." The Warden gestured vaguely.
"I think he would," I answered, understanding we were talking about Duncan, "he'd be glad we were doing something."
"He didn't…shouldn't have died like that. Abandoned, I mean." Alistair frowned, then pushed a hand through his hair.
"He was a good man, Alistair. He will be remembered, as will the others," I promised.
"I think he came from Highever. I know it sounds silly, but I'd like to go there someday, put up a memorial or something."
"I think he'd like that. I would like to go there with you when you go," I said.
"I can't help but wonder if I'd been in the fight if I could have changed anything." He rubbed his eyes as though he had just woken up.
"Yeah, that ogre would've killed me because you wouldn't have been there to save me. And you would be dead too since no one was there to save you. And no one would know about Loghain. And there wouldn't be any Grey Wardens left in Ferelden," I answered heavily. I looked at Alistair closely.
He nodded. "Yeah."
I nodded too.
"Thanks, I mean it. I feel better."
"He was a good man," I repeated. "He wouldn't have wanted you to grieve while there was still something to be done, I think. And you can't fight without a clear head."
Alistair bobbed his head again.
"Let's go then." He turned to Morrigan.
"Oh, falling on your blade in misery would be too much to hope for?" she asked sweetly.
I glared at her.
"Fine, follow me." She spun on her heel and strode down the walkway. She stopped at a small stairway of six or seven steps.
From where we stood, I got my first look at Lothering. In shallow dips in the land, tents were arranged in messy blobs. People swarmed every which way around them. A large building stood off to one side with a small handful of…Templars. The chantry then. A small bridge spanned a small creek, connecting the small camp to a small tavern and a small smattering of squat houses. Everything about this village was diminutive barring the foothills and the chantry.
I descended the steps after Morrigan . She led us through the camp to the bridge, then stepped back.
I looked at Alistair. The Warden shook his head and motioned me forward. Morrigan arched an eyebrow.
I led the way across the bridge, wondering what that had been about. A worried woman stopped us on the other side.
"Please, could you make me some traps?" she asked. "Darkspawn coming, you know."
"In town?" Morrigan asked venomously.
The woman threw the witch a withering look. The kind she likely ate for breakfast. Of course not! Outside, by the field," she explained in exasperation.
"Three okay?" I jumped in.
The lady's eyes lit up."Thank you so much, three would be perfect!" The woman beamed.
I walked a little ways away.
"Anyone know how to make a decent trap?" I hadn't even thought of that part.
"I can," volunteered Alistair.
I pulled the triggers out of my pack and passed them to him.
"What else are you going to need?"
"Metal shards, rope and something to disguise them," Alistair rattled the list off.
"Tavern?" I turned to Morrigan and directed the query to her.
She nodded and we followed her to the building. Dane's Refuge read the sign hanging above the door.
I pushed open the door and took in the mass of people inside. A group of soldiers stood beside the door while a couple other patrons sat at dingy tables.
The commander of the soldiers clunked over to me, his heavy platemail blocking a good amount of my vision.
"You, what's your business in Lothering?" he demanded.
"We are survivors from Ostagar." I eyed his royal standard and dared him to argue. Alistair stiffened beside me.
"Uh- Ostagar…" the soldier looked worried.
"Teryn Loghain abandoned the King and the Grey Wardens there in the battle," I prompted.
The commander nodded to his men.
I snatched my staff and jabbed the butt into his side to push him back. Morrigan created a lightning ball and tossed it into the rearguard, who fell forward into the soldier in front of him and carrying the two to the floor.
I noticed a flame-haired woman jump into the fight. She produced a pair of daggers from a long sleeve of her Chantry robes. How odd.
Alistair was holding the commander off with his shield. I hit the soldier with a blast of sparks at the base of his helmet. He stumbled back and dropped his sword.
"Stop, please!" the commander shouted.
I put my staff back over my shoulder. "Tell the Teryn that two Wardens yet live. We are not afraid," I spat.
The remaining soldiers nodded vigorously. The commander pushed his way through the congregated crowd.
I turned to the Chantry sister.
"Leliana," she said with a thick Orlesian accent.
"Thank you Leliana," I said.
"The Maker sent me here today."
"Oh?" Morrigan looked at her hard.
"I had a vision. When you walked in, I knew you were the one who could prevent it from happening. I should go with you," explained the woman.
I thought about her offer for a moment.
"More crazy? I thought we were all full up," put in Alistair.
"I appreciate it, but we aren't sure exactly what it is we're doing." I glanced at Alistair and Morrigan. They both returned my look. "So, thank you, but no thanks."
Leliana nodded and backed away.
The bartender pulled us out of the thinning crowd when we expressed a wish to see his wares. I grabbed some injury packs and health poultices. Alistair collected his trap making supplies while Morrigan shot hostile glares at the few remaining partons.
I returned to the bar to pay for the supplies. The bartender quickly looked over what I laid on the counter, adding up the charge.
"One sovereigns, sixteen bits," he announced.
I gave him the money, easily covering the cost with the brigand's loot from earlier. As I opened the door, I felt Leliana's eyes on me. Alistair and Morrigan went outside. As I followed them I could feel the gaze of every person still in the tavern on my back. Burning, settling heavily on my shoulders; the weight of Alistair's gesture to lead was sucking me down unpleasantly.
