Hawke entered the Hanged Man and found Varric telling the story to a crowd of people and apparently he was the main character. "… and then Hawke tore the door clean off its hinges, walked into the room and…" He stopped when he saw Hawke. "I guess we'll finish this later."

"Have you got a minute, Varric?" Hawke asked as the crowd of people dispelled.

"Of course, Hawke." They then wandered over towards the table and sat down. "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you. There's definitely seems to be something happening between you and Daisy these days." Hawke groaned, was there anyone who didn't know his relationship with Merrill. "So, what's going on, Hawke?"

Hawke smiled. "Well, well, well. I never thought you were the type, Varric. I'm flattered."

Varric smiled as he placed a hand over his heart. "Hawk, I know I'm damned near irresistible, but you're just too high-maintenance for me. Sorry."

Hawke frowned. "You wouldn't bring this just for gossip. What on your mind?"

"Shows you know. I would definitely bring this up just a gossip." Hawke raised an eyebrow. "I didn't. But I would." He took a deep breath and his face became all serious. "Listen, as your friend, I feel like I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't say something. Merril is a sweet girl, but there's a whole lot of crazy in that little package."

Hawke raised an eyebrow. "In all the time you've known me, how I ever given you the impression that I would turned off by crazy?"

Varric laughed. "Okay, point taken."

"Hawke. The new scion of the Amell family… Congratulations." Cullen greeted him when he entered the Gallows. Hawke wondered briefly if the man had figured out yet that he was a mage. But Cullen's smile seemed friendly enough. "I knew an Amell once. He left the tower before Uldred's insanity, then came back to rescue was all." He stared off into the distance for a moment. "Anyway, what can I do for you?"

"Is Emeric around?" Hawke scanned the courtyard.

Cullen nodded. "He was over by the Formari a few minutes ago."

"Thank you." Hawke gave the man a small bow. Couldn't really hurt to be polite to the second in command of all the local templars and decide it was best not implicate himself with the death of Alrik.

"Maker watch over you," Cullen replied before going back to his duties.

Hawke found Emeric just as the templar entered the courtyard. "Hello, Emeric. Aveline says you need my help again?"

Emeric nodded and gestured for Hawke to follow, and led him to a relatively empty section of courtyard. "I've spent the past few years continuing my investigation into the murders of Ninette, Mharen, and the other women. I believe I finally have a suspect, a man called Gascard DuPuis."

"Is this man and hiding? Am I do find him for you?"

Emeric shook his head. "No, I know where DuPusis is. I just can't get to him. When I became convinced of his guilt, I went to the city guard and demanded that they do something."

Aveline folded her arms defensively. "My men raided that house. There was nothing, and I've heard no end because of it. You were reprimanded, I hope."

Emeric returned her stare, then turned his attention back to Hawke. "Meredith forbade me from continuing my investigation. But she didn't say I couldn't seek outside help."

Hawke sighed, and asked Emeric some questions regarding what he'd found thus far. He nearly had to step between the templar and Aveline at a few points, but managed to get a bit more information than 'he's an Orlesian noble' to indicate guilt. Not that 'Orlesian noble' wasn't a fairly good indicator on its own that this DuPuis was up to something nefarious. Or possibly even dastardly. "What you need me to do?"

Emeric gave him a grateful look. "I knew I can count on you. You'll need to go to Gascard DuPuis's estate after nightfall. Please figure out what DuPuis is hiding. If he's innocent, find evidence to prove me wrong." Emeric folded his arms. "It's just that simple."

Hawke had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as simple as Emeric made it out to be and he was right.

The moment they stepped into the house they were attacked by demons. It took them a while, but the eventually managed to put the demons down.

"I don't think the guards raiding the estate may that particular reception," said Aveline.

Hawke knew it was her way of saying Emeric was right. They hadn't stepped in the estate for one minute and already got some proof. They found some letters for Gascard with certain mentions of mages, the proof of his guilt was increasing. It increased even more when they found vials of bottles that Merrill told them that were used for blood magic. And strangely enough they found a letter from the knight-commander, apologising for the search much to Varric's bewilderment.

A woman screamed as they entered the room. A woman was kneeling, her expression frantic. "Help me. Please. He's gone mad."

The man with her turned towards them, and his expression of surprise would have been comical under any other circumstances. "You're not…" He glanced at the woman, then back to them. "You're not him." He immediately held up his hands. "Shit. I…" He glanced at the woman again. "I know what this looks like, but I didn't hurt her."

"So the wild-eyed hysteria is just for show, then?" Hawke's eyes narrowed slightly when he noticed the staff. Staff. Demons. DuPuis was a mage.

"You don't understand." DuPuis wrung his hands. "Someone is after her. I had to keep her safe." He shook his head. "I don't know why you're here, but there's a killer out there, and I think he's playing us both. Just…" The man's face was desperate. "Just let me explain."

Surprisingly Hawke wasn't convinced. "All right, we'll see if you can talk yourself out of this."

"Twenty silver if he says, 'it wasn't me. It was the one-armed man," Varric added.

DuPuis nodded. "Several years ago, my sister was murdered. The bastard's now in Kirkwall, killing again. The same way he killed my sister." He paced. "It starts with a bouquet of white lilies. He sends them to each new victim. Alessa was going to be next. I took her so he'd have to come to me. I was finally going to face my sister's killer, but then you showed up…"

"He's lying." Alessa was all but wailing. "He hurt me."

"I've explained this. I need your blood to track you down if he took you. It was for your protection."

"Let go of me." Alessa scrambled to her feet, and DuPuis stepped back to let her pass. She fled past Fenris. Aveline watched her go, then raised an eyebrow at Hawke.

Hawke nodded. Despite his situation, DuPuis had made no attempt to use Alessa as hostage or bargaining chip. "Who killed your sister?" he asked.

"A powerful and experienced blood mage. I believe he uses the women for some ritual. His victims are attractive, healthy women with few social ties."

"Emeric was certain you were the killer."

"Of course he was. But I was trying to find the killer, just like him. Our paths crossed, and he just assumed I was the murderer."

Hawke narrowed his eyes. "He'll want to know what happened here."

"Tell him whatever you like," said DuPuis dismissively. "I'll be long gone by then."

"Can't you just tell the city guard what you told me?" Hawke glanced over his shoulder at Aveline.

"Yes," she said. "Can't you?"

"Why?" DuPuis spread his hands. "I don't want him arrested. This isn't about justice, I need to be the one to bleed him dry."

Aveline stepped up, her fists clenched. "Selfish little shit. How many have you risked by keeping this to yourself?"

Hawke had to agree, if he didn't keep this to himself may be not so many women wouldn't have died. However, he wanted to catch this man he needed all the help he can get. "I can help track down your sister's killer."

"No, I can manage on my own." Fenris stepped out of the way as DuPuis left the room. DuPuis hesitated at the door. "I'm headed to Darktown. If you learn anything new about the killer, find me there. I've a score to settle with him."

Hawke waited until morning to head back to the Gallows to talk to Emeric. He didn't see the man. After waiting a few minutes, he spoke to the herbalist, and ended up agreeing to find a few more reagents. An hour later, there was still no sign of Emeric.

He then found a Templar by the name of Moira. "Aren't you Hawke? Emeric left not long ago. He said you'd arranged to meet tonight."

Hawke frowned. "Perhaps you're mistaken."

"I'm not mistaken. You send him a message half an hour ago. Look," she then handed him a letter, but it was not his handwriting.

"I didn't send this."

"You didn't? Strange."

"That's not a good sign," said Varric.

Upon hearing this, Moira had immediately chosen to accompany them. She gave him a pointed look when he tried to talk her out of it. It was rather disconcerting just how many templars seemed to know he was a mage. No use worrying about it now. Emeric was likely in trouble.

He finished the desire demon off with a blast of ice, then ran to check on Emeric. The man's eyes were already glazing over, but he tried the healing spell anyway. He rose, and kicked the wall in frustration.

Moira's eyes were filled with tears as she looked down at the body of her mentor. "Some mage sent that thing here to kill him. Why would anyone…" She shook her head. Hawke placed a hand on her shoulder, and she buried her face in his chest for a few seconds. "Oh, Maker. The murders. Emeric was right. He was getting too close." She looked up at him. "He suspected a man named Gascard DuPuis. Did he do this?"

Hawke couldn't believe he had fallen for such a trick. "Gascard played me, and now he's escaped a Darktown."

"Darktown's a big place, but we'll find him. He is an apostate, and Meredith will want him hunted down. I will speak to the city guard about this Gascard DuPuis will not escape."

"My men will cooperate however they can," said Aveline. "Tell them I commanded it."

"Thank you, Captain," Moira nodded.

Hawke had received a message from Hubert saying that the caravans had been attacked. After interrogating a miner at his estate, and allowing him to go free, he and a Coterie girl named Lilley went to investigate and discovered that another member of the Coterie, named Brekker, was responsible for the attacks.

Lilley left to investigate more into Brekker, but when he met up with her she was killed and then more members of the Coterie appeared. Fortunately, he was able to convince them that he was not the one responsible for her murder.

He then carried on with his investigation of Brekker and eventually found him in the Undercity. It was revealed that he stole the cargo because he was envious of his wealth and saying that didn't he doesn't deserve it, because he was Fereldens.

Naturally killing the man was easy and Hubert was relieved to hear that their shipments would no longer be attacked.

Later that night he returned to his estate and found Merrill moving a small amount of the things in. He knew that she had more than this and despite his attempts, she refused to move everything into the estate.

He then pulled out a carved halla that he got from the Dalish craftsman. "I've got something for you."

He then handed the carved halla to Merrill. "Ooh. Did you get this from Master Ilen?" she asked. He nodded and suddenly she began to panic which was quite adorable. "Mythal! Did I miss an important occasion? I'm so sorry! I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

"There's no occasion, Merrill," said Hawke, restraining himself from laughing. "I just thought you'd like it."

"I do like it!" she then turned pink. "I'm sorry I'm making a mess of this…" She looked at the carved halla and back to Hawke. "No one has given me a present before. Useful things. Tools or clothes. Because I needed them. Not… just because." She then kissed Hawke. "Ma seranna. I'll find a good place for this."

"So he reviled himself," said Cassandra.

"And if you had not noticed he handed in the blood mage," Leliana pointed out. "I'm starting to think whether we had it all wrong."

"We're still a long way before the destruction of the Chantry," Cassandra reminded. "For now let the dwarf continue."