He waited two days before heading into the Alienage. Merrill practically ran to greet him. "I didn't think you'd come!" She looked around the small house. It was actually fairly nice by alienage standards. "I'll find something relatively clean for you to sit on." She led him to a chair. "Can I get you something to eat or drink? I have... water."
"It's... cozy." He saw movement by one of the bookshelves. "And your furry friends are charming."
She sighed and sat down. "Oh, are the rats back? I thought I found all their holes." She fidgeted. "I wanted to thank you for bringing me here, but I'm making a mess of it."
"If this is what you wanted, then I'm glad I could be of service." Why anyone would actually want this escaped him.
"I can't say that I like Kirkwall, but I'm glad to be here." She shifted nervously. "I haven't exactly had many friends. Not even among my own clan. This is... tricky."
"What made you unpopular with the Dalish?"
"Being First to the Keeper, I was always... a bit secluded. I studied magic and history while the others were learning the Vir Tanadhal." She sighed. "Brehan would study with me sometimes. He was going to be the clan storyteller someday. And he and Tamlen took me hunting a couple times. After they..." She shook her head. "It's good that I left. I'd have made a terrible Keeper. I was never that good with people."
"It won't take long before you're the most popular girl in the alienage." She really did have that puppy-eye thing down. Next she'd be following him home and mother would be cooing over her.
"Mythal, I hope not. I'd manage to say something stupid in front of everyone and embarrass myself." Her smile was tentative. "Thank you for coming to visit me, Hawke. It... means a lot to me."
Dammit. He'd adopted another one. Why couldn't he make friends with any normal people?"
#
Almost reluctantly, he invited Merrill to accompany him. They ran into Carver as they walked towards the gates of the alienage. His brother had clearly been intending to stop in and see Merrill, and gave him an annoyed look. Merrill, however, was happy enough to greet Carver, complimenting him profusely on his 'swording'. While Carver was attempting to explain being a 'sworder' to Merrill, Gabriel noticed an elven woman talking to a templar. He started eavesdropping.
"I am sorry for your loss, Mistress. But I can offer your son mercy only if he turns himself in."
"I'm trying to find him, but -" The woman was practically sobbing.
"The templars cannot tolerate apostates." Despite his words, the templar's voice was gentle, and he placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder before leaving.
Carver elbowed him. "This will be mother if we're not careful."
Gabriel sighed. Tears were streaming down the poor woman's face. He walked towards her. "I'm guessing that templar wasn't here to offer your son his good wishes?"
She hesitated, then glanced from him to Merrill. Merrill gave her an encouraging smile, and she turned back to Gabriel. "I am Arianni. My boy, Feynriel... he's all I have, all my family. When I learned he had magic, I could not bear to send him to the Circle." Tears started flowing again. "But his connection to the Fade... it gives him nightmares, dreams of demons, speaking in his mind. I would rather lose him to the Circle than to himself."
Before he knew it, he was offering to help her. She suggested he talk to Thrask, or track down the boy's father, an Antivan merchant named Vincento. All things considered, Vincento was likely the better option. Though it seemed Thrask was a good man, at least.
#
They found Vincento near his stall in front of the Hanged Man. At first, the man denied even having a son. Gabriel called a small amount of fire to his hand, then asked him again. Almost immediately, Vincento changed his tune, and suggested they go talk to a former templar named Samson.
Samson, at least, was easy enough to find. The smell alone could lead anyone right to him. It cost him some coin, but he got a name. Reiner. And it seemed the man dealt in slaves. He gathered Fenris and Aveline before heading into the docks.
They arrived too late to help the girl, but found no trace of Feynriel. Aveline found a shipping manifest that mentioned the name of another man and a location in Darktown. Gabriel found a letter addressed to Thrask, and tucked it away for later.
In Darktown, the man they were looking for immediately tried to capture them. Gabriel shook his head, then glanced over at Fenris. "Make him talk."
Fenris gave a small smile as he stepped forward. "I can do that." Blue light surrounded him as he stuck a hand through the slaver's chest, then moved it around a bit.
The man fell to the ground, gasping and choking. "Andraste's great flaming ass. How did you do that?" He shook his head, then quickly began to talk. "Never mind. I-I've stashed the boy in a cave. A smuggler hideout on the Wounded Coast. Tevinters will be by the finish the deal today. Now... c-can I go?"
Gabriel grinned. "Sure." Then he tilted his head to the side. "Oh, wait... I meant 'no'." He sent a blast of ice into the slaver's face. Fenris was moving before the other slavers even began to respond, with Aveline and Carver only a step behind. If this kept up, soon there wouldn't be any slavers in Kirkwall.
After the slavers were dead, he found a map. "Looks like they took him to some bolt hold in the Wounded Coast. I wonder if that's near the Injured Cliffs? Or the Limping Hills? Massive-Head-Trauma Bay?" He glanced around at the looks his companions were giving him. "No? Just me? Forget I said anything."
#
He left Aveline with Carver and Fenris to finish up with any remaining slavers. Anders, Merrill, and Varric headed out with him towards the coast. On the way up, they rescued a dwarf from giant spiders, and as a reward were given the task of hunting down and killing the Tal-Vashoth, apparently on behalf of the Arishok. Then, they met a werewolf. Well, former werewolf. And a bunch of Dalish assassins. He and Varric either managed to talk the assassins out of killing the man, or confuse their leader enough to send her on her way. The man claimed to have been freed from the curse by Grey Wardens. Anders confirmed a bit of the story, mentioning that the Grey Wardens had actually recruited at least one of the former werewolves.
They fought their way through another dozen slavers, and then found Feynriel. Unfortunately, Feynriel had a knife to his throat. "Take one more step, and the boy dies."
Gabriel glanced at Varric. "Tell this dirtbag who we are."
Varric's eyes twinkled. "If I were you, I wouldn't be threatening the viscount's son."
"What?" the slave asked. Gabriel managed, through a heroic act of willpower, to keep a straight face.
"Oh, I suppose you just got a tip from a slaver that he was selling mage-flesh cheap. You never thought to ask where he got it? You never wondered if you were buying the viscount's well-known love child from his elven mistress, the boy he swore to protect even if it meant razing the entire Free Marches?"
"I seek no war with the Free Marches. Take the lad to his father." The slaver actually tossed them the gold before leaving.
Feynriel seemed oddly less than completely relieved at his rescue. "Who are you? Are you working for the templars?"
Gabriel sighed. "Your mother sent me."
"Hrmph. Hardly a difference." Feynriel crossed his arms. "I can't believe her. My whole life, it was all, 'I'll love you and protect you.' Then I have some bad dreams and it's 'off to the templars'."
"I'm here to help you, Feynriel." Or stick him in a sack, that could work too.
"Why? You don't even know me."
Gabriel held out his hand, and called up his magic. "I am you."
Feynriel's entire body seemed to relax. "You know, you're the first mage I've ever met. Most are locked up like lepers. Would..." He hesitated before continuing. "Is there any chance you'd help me reach the Dalish? That's where I was trying to go. See if they would take me in. I'm as much Dalish as human."
He glanced at Merrill. Then sighed. He reassured the lad, and then agreed to help him get to the Keeper. Both Merrill and Anders seemed happy with that decision.
#
He let Arianni know what had befallen her son. She was pleased by the news, and insisted on rewarding him with an antique Dalish ring. He handed it off to Carver, and suggested Carver return it to Merrill. There was still the matter of the letter he'd found on the girl.
On his way through Hightown, he was accosted first by a Ghyslain, who needed help finding his wife. Then a girl named Macha claimed her templar brother had gone missing. And apparently the Viscount's actual son needed to be rescued. And a Magistrate needed help recovering a prisoner. He stopped, catching his reflection in a polished statue. Despite his best efforts, he could not locate the 'ask this person for help' sign someone had apparently placed on him.
And then he completely forgot what it was he was doing in Hightown in the first place. He shrugged, and went to collect Fenris before heading in to see what was going on with the Viscount's son. It occurred to him he should probably collect Aveline for that as well. Couldn't hurt to get her on the Viscount's good side. Varric was pestering Aveline again, so he grabbed the dwarf as well.
#
Killing all the Tal-Vashoth didn't take up too much of their time. The four of them were starting to work very well together. Fenris had picked up on the same rhythm Aveline had during their flight from Lothering. He'd send out a spray of ice, then they'd come in before the enemy could recover. Varric would pick off loners. Aveline and Fenris would occasionally either let themselves get surrounded or drive enemies into a huddle, thus allowing Gabriel's fireballs to be even more effective.
He healed up the minor burns Aveline had taken in the fight with the Saarebas. "I'm guessing the Viscount's son must be at the other end of the coast?"
"It would seem that way," Aveline said.
"Up for another bout?"
His companions smiled.
#
Saemus seemed rather upset at being rescued by the Winters. After listening for a few moments, Gabriel could see why. Really, her people skills were absolutely atrocious. Fortunately, her dagger work was as well.
The young nobleman all but spat on her corpse. "Dead and good riddance but..." He glanced at them. "She said she was waiting for more. A lot more."
"Then we ready ourselves," Aveline said.
He loved it when she got all authoritative like that. Made him feel official. "Strip the camp, and we'll ready a fitting welcome."
As soon as the rest of the Winters started down the hill, he called up a lightning storm. The few that made it down met the blades of Fenris and Aveline. He called down fire on the other path. Varric tossed a smoke bomb up the third path, then went to work with his crossbow.
"Oh Andraste, I've never seen so many corpses. So much blood." Seamus was looking a little green.
"Soil yourself later. There may be more." He gestured for the young man to get behind cover.
The next batch faired, if anything, slightly worse than the first batch. One man actually tripped over the body of one of his comrades and impaled himself on his own knife.
When it was done, he went to check on Seamus. He found the young man kneeling next to the the dead Qunari. "Ashaad never lied, never coddled. You were worth his time, or you were not." He rose, slowly. "They are not the brutes others claim they are. Take me to my father, and I will try again to make him see."
#
"Father..."
Years practically lifted off the Viscount's face as he saw his son. "My son. I thought I'd lost you."
"Enough, Father."
Seneschal Bran forestalled the oncoming argument. "Er, allow me to present one Serah Hawke, Excellency. He fulfilled the bounty."
"You have my gratitude. I hope you encountered no great difficulties on my son's behalf."
"No problems to speak of, aside from the crowd that tried to kill us."
"I was told the Winters had involved themselves. Was there no way to avoid an incident?"
Seamus stepped forward. "They murdered my friend. Where is the concern for that?"
"It was my understanding you were captured alone, foolishly traipsing about the coast as you do."
"I was not captured, I was with Ashaad. The Qunari. They are not monsters to be feared." Seamus gestured. "If you would just try to understand, others would see as well."
"Better that you were thought abducted than to have their influence suspected in my own family... benign or not, it's too much."
And now they were both looking at him. Wait... were they actually expecting him to take sides? "A little too much insight into the office for me."
The Viscount nodded. "Your actions are appreciated. The seneschal will see you out."
#
The Magistrate might not be happy with the solution to the prisoner problem, but everyone else was. A daughter reunited with her father, and Fenris got to tear a murderer's heart out. A good day. And back to the Gallows, which was sure to be a mood killer.
He needed to be subtle about questions regarding templars. There was a group of three standing near the bronze statues. He walked over. "Do you know a recruit named Keran? His sister is looking for him."
"We cannot speak to you, messere."
"Probably for the best, Brother,' Carver said.
He was about to agree when one of the other templars spoke up. "To the Void with that. Keran and the others are missing."
Some judicious questioning revealed that Keran was not the only missing recruit. And that it was supposed to be a secret. And that the Knight-Commander was a little bit on the hard-assed fanatical side. A few more questions revealed that a recruit named Wilmod had recently returned, then promptly left again to go walk around outside Kirkwall, followed by the Knight-Captain.
As they left the Gallows, he glanced at Varric. "So, are we rescuing Wilmod, or the Knight-Captain?"
"Huh. Good question."
#
As they approached, it was starting to look like they were going to have to be rescuing Wilmod. The Knight-Captain had actually drawn his sword on the recruit by the time they reached them.
"I thought templars only treated mages this badly. Nice to see you're branching out." And there went his mouth again.
"It's the blasted knight-captain. Don't." Carver was staring at him in horror.
The knight-captain turned towards them. "This is templar business, stranger."
Whatever else he'd been going to say was lost as the templar recruit started laughing. "You have struck me for the last time, you pathetic human. To me!"
"Maker preserve us," the knight-captain said as Wilmod suddenly shifted, becoming an abomination.
Gabriel drew his staff, but hesitated. If he started slinging around magic in front of the templar knight-captain, it was going to... One of the demons struck the templar, sending him flying. He hit the ground, and lay unmoving. Well, that solved that problem nicely. Gabriel called forth a lightning storm to assist Fenris and Carver.
When the last of the demons had fallen, Gabriel went to check on the downed templar. He was bleeding, and fairly badly injured. "I'm... probably going to end up regretting this." He sighed, then wove a healing spell. He immediately took his hands away as the templar opened his eyes and got shakily back to his feet.
"I knew... I knew he was involved in something sinister." The templar looked at the various corpses. "But this. Is it even possible?"
"Do you think he was possessed?" Gabriel asked. Stupid question, of course the man had been possessed, but he needed to get a better idea of what the knight-captain had seen.
"Normally, we only worry that mages will fall victim to possession." He knelt next to Wilmod's corpse. "I have heard of blood mages, or demons in solid form, who could summon others into unwilling hosts." The man's voice sounded haunted. "But I had not thought one of our own would be susceptible."
"You shouldn't have been out here alone with him." It was sort of bad enough that he regularly made a habit out of rescuing guards. If he had to start rescuing templars too, he'd never get any sleep.
"I am Knight-Captain Cullen. I thank you for your assistance. I have been conducting an investigation of some of our recruits that have gone missing. Wilmod was the first to return. I had hoped to confront him quietly, out of sight."
Gabriel frowned. "If you didn't know he was possessed, why draw your sword on a recruit?"
"He had only been back a few days when he left again secretly. It set off some warning bells." Cullen gestured for them to walk with him as he began heading back to Kirkwall. "I meant to scare him into a confession. He had to believe my threats were genuine."
If Wilmod and Keran had run afoul of the same danger, than Keran's time was likely running out. And he had promised Macha he would help. "Do you know what happened to Wilmod while he was gone?"
Cullen shook his head. "Obviously more than I had anticipated." He sighed. "Wilmod has never been fully... convinced of the Order's rules. Mages cannot be our friends. They must always be watched. I thought Wilmod might be meeting with some old friends who'd escaped the Circle."
He was a mage. He was walking back to town, side by side with the Knight-Captain. He had a staff strapped to his back. Fortunately, it appeared the Knight Captain had taken it for a polearm of some kind. Behind Cullen's back, Varric was just staring with a rather bemused expression on his face. Fenris and Carver were both carefully expressionless. Gabriel sighed. The next time a hysterical teenage girl begged him for help he was going to... He sighed again. Probably help. "Where there's one demon, there's usually more. Where do we start digging?"
Cullen's smile was actually grateful. "I fear it is time to widen this investigation. My discretion may have cost me one of our best recruits, Wilmod's friend Keran. They were last seen together at the Blooming Rose. But I had no luck interrogating the, ah, young ladies there." Maker, the man was actually blushing. "I doubt they know anything about magic or demons."
Gabriel just shook his head. "I'd be willing to search there." He caught Carver's smirk.
"The Order would be truly in your debt if you helped us with this. No one at the brothel will speak with me for fear I would shut them down for serving our recruits. If you learn what manner of creature did this to Wilmod, please come tell me in the Gallows. I will ensure you are rewarded." Cullen gave him a slight bow as they entered Kirkwall before going on his way.
Rewarded. Maybe he'd get purple curtains in his cell, or a fancier brand on his forehead. Or, perhaps if he did get caught, he'd at least have a favor to call in to keep his mother and Carver out of trouble.
Besides, he needed to visit the brothel anyway. But first... well, if this was going to involved demons, he better pick up the closest thing he had to an available expert.
#
"If someone here tries to hire me again, I'm leaving," Anders muttered as they entered the Blooming Rose.
"Is that Gamlen, over by the bar?" Carver asked.
Gabriel sighed. "Well, at least he's putting the silvers I gave him to good use. Just think, he could have bought something silly like food, or clean trousers."
Varric laughed. He was about to say something when a young woman gave him a broad smile. "Varric. I haven't seen you in ages. When are you going to introduce me to more of your friends?" She gave the rest of them a coy smile.
"Tomorrow. Promise." The woman trailed a hand over Carver's arm before going to talk to another client. Gabriel raised an eyebrow at the dwarf. "What?" Varric asked.
"So who would we talk to about who visited who when?" Gabriel asked.
"I'm sure I don't know, but if I did, I'd probably say Viveka."
"And which one is Viveka?"
"I'm just guessing here, but the short haired brunette by the bar. The one that just slapped your uncle."
"I like her already." Gabriel started over, and then shook his head and laughed when yet another of the ladies caught Varric's arm and promptly dragged him off. He walked up to Viveka. "A couple of templar recruits went missing. They were last seen here."
"You'll have to be specific. We do a lot of business with the templars."
He didn't miss Anders' smirk. "The templars are the ones who want this information," Gabriel said.
"We make a lot of our money off of nervous templars that expect some privacy."
"I'll be discreet." That was probably a lie.
"Let me look through the books. Wilmod... Keran..." She traced a finger down the page. "Here we go. Wilmod came in here a lot. You sure he had time to be a templar?" She raised an eyebrow at him before going back to the book. "The both of them last saw 'Idunna the Exotic Wonder from the East.'"
"That's quite the stage name." He wondered what the Exotic Wonder from the West looked like. The Exotic Wonder of the North was probably a Qunari. Did Qunari even have prostitutes? No wonder they were so cranky all the time. Come to think of it, wasn't there a dwarf waiting for him at the Qunari compound. Shit, he'd completely forgotten about Javaris.
"It sounds better than the 'Tramp From Darktown'. You should hear what some of the others are called." She sighed. "You didn't hear any of this from me. We clear?"
#
She was pretty enough, but he wouldn't go as far as to say 'exotic'. Or 'wonder' for that matter. "You must be the 'Exotic Wonder of the East.' Do you remember 'entertaining' a templar named Wilmod a few weeks ago? Or Keran?"
Her eyes were coy, slightly downcast. "Wilmod, Wilmod. That doesn't sound familiar."
He sighed. "Do your clients like this charade? It must get dreadfully tiresome."
"Wh-Whatever do you mean?" She sashayed to the bed, then sat, smoothing the covers with one hand. "Questions are boring. Why don't we have some real fun?"
"She may not know anything," Fenris said, staring at the woman. Gabriel was finding it hard to look away from her as well. He blinked. Why was he finding it hard to look away from her.
"You should listen to your friend," she said, her smile inviting.
"We have to ask her about Keran. What's your problem?" And for that matter, what was his problem?
Fenris's eyes suddenly widened. "I don't know. Be careful."
Shit. Magic. "As charming and relentless as you are, I'm here to investigate."
"Answer one of my questions first." She bent forward. "Who told you about little old me?"
He had every intention of making a smart remark. It likely would have been clever. Probably something about little birds. "It was... Viveka. She showed me... her books." He couldn't make his mind focus.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?" She rose, and walked towards him. "So Viveka sold me out, did she? That drab, pathetic little sewer rat. She will be dealt with." Her smile widened slightly. "Just do one more thing for me. Draw your blade," she said. He obeyed, pulling the knife out of its sheath. "And bring it gently across your throat."
The knife raised. He felt the edge touch his throat. "I will not..." He focused, calling a bit of his magic to him. The spell around him broke. "Be toyed with." He stepped forward, placing the knife against her throat.
"Oh shit," she said. Immediately she dropped to her knees. "Spare me, messere!"
He glanced at his companions. They were blinking, coming out of it. Carver looked a bit dizzy. Fenris looked furious. So, for that matter, did Anders. "What foul magic was that?" Gabriel asked. He could still feel the edge of his own blade. That had been a fair bit closer than he liked.
"Blood and desire, in equal measure. An art I learned from... elsewhere."
"Blood magic, then?" He glared.
"Yes, messere. Please don't kill me."
"You're going to answer all of my questions. And if there's even a hint of magic..." He tightened his grip on the blade, and saw Fenris's hands start to glow.
"Tarohne put me here. To send biddable templar recruits to the sanctuary. Three Spear Alley, in the Undercity. I enchanted Wilmod and Keran weeks ago. But after they left these walls, I know not what came of them. Please, let me live. It's not my fault. It was all Tarohne's idea."
Until she said that, he'd been considering just handing her over to the templars. What did she mean, not her fault? Who uses blood magic to enchant people by accident? "Tell me about Tarohne."
"She put me up to this. She said we can recreate the ancient Imperium. That mages can rule again, not serve. She says the templars cannot hold against us if we stand up and fight."
Fighting for freedom was a worthy goal. Fighting for the right to be treated with dignity was something he could wholeheartedly support. Fighting to become the Imperium? "This base of yours - how many other mages are there? Any other defenses?"
"People go in and out all the time. Sometimes a handful, sometimes more. There are traps. Magical traps. There's a hidden switch at the front - it turns them off. Th-That's all I know."
He nodded. Then he drove the blade up under her rib cage. Quick, quiet, and relatively painless. She fell limply to the ground. He looked over to see Varric standing in the doorway, a bit wide-eyed. "Blood mage."
"Right," Varric said. "I'll go chat with the Madam."
#
Compared to the blood mage, Jethann was almost a breath of fresh air. The flirtatious man managed to lift his spirits. He almost managed to lift other things as well. Maybe some other time.
Once again, templars. At least one named Emeric. Templars visiting the brothel, templars carrying on with married women. Somewhere, a revered mother was shaking her finger in disapproval.
#
They fought their way through a variety of demons. Shades. Desire. Risen corpses. Even a rage demon got in on the act. And then, it was time for the crazy. "How wonderful, more vessels for our experiments."
It had been a long day. "Where is Keran?"
"Perhaps the demons will find one of you suitable."
"She must be an abomination. I think." Leave it to Carver to state the obvious.
"I am not some hopeless waif that ran crying to a demon - I sought them out and embraced them." She gestured wildly.
"Why have you taken the recruits?" Gabriel asked, trying to keep her focused on him while his companions spread out.
"Demons can inhabit much more than mages and corpses. With assistance, they can control anyone I ask. Any templar... any noble... any well-meaning meddler."
He glanced over his shoulder, then back at her. "You do know I cut a path through your abominations, right?" Crazy and a little bit stupid. He did know how to pick them.
"Good, good, the demons like spirit." He almost winced at her comment. Demons like spirit. Even Varric couldn't make that kind of line up. "If a few more templars fall to the demons, we can seed chaos in their ranks. How many abominations can they discover amongst their own before it drives the knight-commander crazy?"
Oh for the love of... He couldn't help but wonder how many poor mages in the gallows had suffered because of this woman. "Tell me where Keran is." He felt the 'so I can kill you' was clear enough without being verbalized.
"The experiments need so much fuel, you see. So many living vessels are found wanting. Useless vessels can still feed the compost heap. So it's not a complete waste."
"Good to know you're barking mad. That makes things easier."
"In days of old, the Tevinter Imperium spanned the known world. Demons were their allies - held in check by power and knowledge. With a wave of a hand I could do more than a templar can achieve in a lifetime. Yet they command us? Absurd. We should be ruling them. We should rule you all. Kill the vessels only if you must."
He drew his staff, and hit her in the face with a blast of ice. Her startled expression almost made sitting through her crazy speech worth it. Next to him, Anders sent a fireball into the freshly summoned shades. Gabriel turned, and did the same to the mages that had summoned the shades. Carver moved in, his greatsword cleaving through the staff of one of the mages.
#
It took him and Anders almost a minute to work out how to remove the enchantment binding Keran. The man fell to the ground. He slowly climbed to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is it... Is it over?"
"Keran?"
"Yes, that's my name. Oh thank the Maker, I thought He had abandoned me."
Varric slowly shook his head. "But is it only Keran? It could be Keran plus one. A very nasty plus one, at that."
"The cage has opened. Thank Andraste."
Gabriel sighed. Talk about statements subject to interpretation. Come to think of it, would Keran actually know if he was possessed? Well, this is why he'd called in the expert, after all. As experts went, anyway. He glanced at Anders. "Any chance you can tell if Keran has an extra passenger?"
Anders nodded. "Well, there's one sure way." He shrugged, and hit Keran with a blast of magic.
The recruit yelped. "What was that about?"
Anders shrugged. "If there was a demon in there, it would have defended itself. Looks like he's clear."
Keran glanced at Anders, then looked beseechingly at Gabriel. "Don't tell the templars. I-I don't know what they'd do to me. Please, I need to go back, tell them I'm all right Tell my sister... I-I must go."
He sighed. "Go ahead and leave, Keran. You've been through enough."
"When you talk to Ser Cullen, maybe downplay the blood magic angle." Anders shrugged. "We don't need the templars cracking down even harder."
Gabriel's eyes went to Tarohne's corpse. If it wasn't for mages like her, they wouldn't need templars in the first sodding place.
#
He waited until morning to head back up to the Gallows. Anders offered to come as well, but Gabriel declined. If it did go bad, well, better if it was just him. He was halfway to the docks when both Carver and Fenris fell into step with him. Varric joined them a moment later. For a moment, he considered telling them he had it covered, and then he just shook his head. They'd just ignore him.
Since he was here anyway, he stopped in to the Qunari compound. The Arishok was certainly an impressive individual. Gabriel blinked when Fenris greeted the man in what appeared to be the Qunari language. "Friend of yours?"
"Friend of no one," Fenris replied.
Javaris shook his head. "Yes, well, that said, I am here to report that your hated Tal-Vashoth were felled one and all. Right?" He glanced at Gabriel before turning his gaze back to the Arishok. "Yes, they were. So, I'm ready to open negotiations. For the explosive powder. As we agreed."
"No." Gabriel blinked at the Arishok's simple answer. He was starting to get the inkling he'd stepped in another mess.
"He's not getting it. Make your chatty elf say something."
Chatty elf. Gabriel sighed. He wished he actually could turn someone into a frog. Or a nug. Not forever mind. Just long enough for one good solid kick. He glanced at Fenris. "Any insight that would help?"
Fenris shrugged. "Qunari do not abandon a debt. I humbly request clarification from the Arishok."
The Arishok looked at him. "I have a growing lack of disgust for you. The dwarf imagined the deal for the gaatlok. He invented a task to prove his worth, when he has none."
Fenris bowed his head. "Then we have wrongly inserted ourselves in your affairs. Would you have us kill this dwarf?"
"Wait." Javaris turned towards them. "What now?"
Gabriel had to admit, that idea was sort of growing on him. The Arishok, however, simply waved dismissively. "If you faced Tal-Vashoth, he is not worth of dying to you. As he was not worthy of dying to them. But you..." The Arishok gestured at him. "You keep good company." Well, on that they could certainly agree. "Let him live. And leave."
"He had big plans for your recipe. I was supposed to get a piece of that." Oh, look, there went his mouth again. He really needed a spell he could use to shut himself up.
"Dwarf, did your imaginary bargain make promises on my behalf?"
"I... expected your wisdom to be more profitable."
The Arishok shifted, and the Qunari around him suddenly began to make it very clear they were both large and armed. "Then you will pay, on my behalf."
Javaris threw up his hands. "Sod it all, take your coin. Take whatever. Horn-head oxmen and mongrel dog lords. Suck your own powder and blow your head off. Sod it."
Gabriel watched him go with an amused expression. He heard the Arishok speak again. "You will leave as well, human. There's no more coin for you here."
Gabriel gave the man what he hoped was a respectful bow, and departed. He handed Fenris his share of the coin as they left, then passed the rest over to Carver to add to the expedition fund. At the very least, if he got dragged off by templars, Carver could still provide for Mother. He'd tried several times to give Aveline a share, but had finally stopped after she'd threatened to beat him with his own staff. She seemed to think him routinely helping out her guards made them even.
#
He saw Cullen observing Keran's reunion with Macha. The young recruit was back in templar armor. His eyes widened when he saw Gabriel. Gabriel sighed, and walked up to Cullen. "I've got some good news, and some bad news..."
"What?" Cullen turned towards him. "What is it?"
"Good news, Keran is safe. Bad news, half of your recruits may have been possessed by demons."
"Sweet blood of Andraste."
Macha's voice came, trembling and fearful. "D-Demons? Did you say something about recruits and demons?"
Keran tried to calm her. "I didn't want to tell you, Macha. They... they were horrible. Those mages see the rest of us as ants to be crushed." He shook his head. "They won't stop until they've destroyed the Chantry and the templars forever."
Well, this was going wonderfully. But, sod it, the young man actually had a point. "The templars have good reason to be vigilant."
Cullen sighed. "At any time, any mage could become a monster, from the lowest apprentice to the most seasoned enchanters. Mages cannot be treated like people. They are not like you and me."
"Surely that's a little harsh," Macha said.
"They are weapons. They have the power to light a city on fire in a fit of pique."
Gabriel shrugged. He was very, very glad he hadn't brought Anders along for this meeting. "I admit, that does reduce their bargaining position. But there must be some middle ground."
"Perhaps you are right," Cullen said. "Perhaps mages need better education as to why the Chantry functions as it does. Perhaps they would not go against the will of Andraste herself. I will look into it." Cullen turned towards Keran reluctantly. "Keran, I'm afraid I must relieve you of your commission. If there is any chance he still harbors a demon in him -"
"No," Macha said. She gave Cullen a pleading look. "You can't really think that. Keran's fine. He's safe."
"He is not to blame." Fenris shook his head solemnly. "But tell that to the victims if it turns out that our suspicions are correct."
"Please, ser. I tried to resist. I never took anything they offered." He held his hands out. "I-I need this position or my sister can't eat. I've been training for five years."
Dammit. "We conducted tests on Keran. He's not possessed. He can stay in the Order."
"I hesitate to ask what methods you used that you are so certain." Cullen gazed at Gabriel for a moment. And then, to Gabriel's surprise, the man simply nodded. "Still, you have done much for us by stopping these blood mages. I will heed your request."
"A wise choice," Fenris said.
"If he has shown no sign of demonic possession in ten years' time, Keran will become eligible for full knighthood."
Macha stepped forward. "Thank you, serah. Again. But without a full knighthood, Keran's pay is so small... I do not know if I can reward you as you deserve -"
He was about to tell her no reward was needed when Cullen stepped forward. "I will handle that, miss." He offered Gabriel a small pouch of coin. "You have done the Order a great service. We will not forget it." He gave Gabriel a small bow before walking away, gesturing for both Macha and Keran to accompany him.
Gabriel looked down at the pouch in his hand, then handed Fenris a share before passing the rest to Carver again. "That went... better than I expected."