Regarding the Legacy DLC, after having played through it, I decided that I definitely do want to include that at some point, because it was just too good and there was plenty of interesting lore in it. Current plan though is to move it to a post-DA2 story, as it would make more sense because of reasons I currently can't disclose! ;)
Chapter 38
9:32 Dragon
City of Kirkwall
The time was well past midnight, not that it made much difference in one of the darkest and most secluded alleys in the whole of Darktown. Only a few blocks away from the clinic, its proximity was why Anders had chosen it to be his meeting place with the contact from the mage underground. The large, burly man who had just arrived to shake his hand had made his escape from the Gallows only a few days ago, causing even more frenzied reaction from the templars, as they sought every corner of Kirkwall for the man named Jake the Black. The name always made Anders smile because most people immediately assumed that it referred to something sinister in his companion's nature, when all it did was described his thick, bushy black moustache.
"Things are starting to become very tense, aren't they?" he asked his now fellow apostate.
"You bet, Anders. Some of ours will probably be put through the Rite just to discourage following my example," Jake replied. "But still, the others thought I could do more once free and the sacrifice was worth it."
"Bastards," Anders snarled. "They shouldn't just use Rite as a weapon, it..." his eyes glowed a little, making his friend look at him nervously. "Sorry... I should try to restrain myself a little better, it just makes me so mad."
"You're not the only one, Anders. But the wheels are turning and our numbers swell with every passing day."
"I'm just... not convinced your plan is enough," Anders shrugged. "Even if you will manage to find enough sympathetic templars to rise against Meredith, it won't really solve the issue at its heart."
"One small step at a time, Anders, one step at a time," Jake grinned, patting the Warden on his shoulder. "If you happen to think of something better, though, let us know!"
"...no, I don't have anything... yet," Anders admitted.
"Very well, but you didn't just summon me here for a chat and a little update on the situation? I shouldn't need to remind you that showing myself without great necessity is a big risk."
"I have a request to ask of the mage underground," Anders said. "A rather... serious plea, in fact."
"Oh?" Jake looked very curious. "You have never asked for anything so far. Tell me what it is, friend."
"There's a girl who has been taken by templars five, six months ago, who I would love to get out of there," Anders spoke. "I know that it would have a horrible cost, but... I must do it. She means much to me."
"Ah, a sweetheart, I understand," Jake the Black grinned in his moustache. "What's her name?"
"Bethany Hawke."
Jake did not respond for a long time. "...that will be very problematic, my friend."
"How so? Is she under some special supervision or something?" Anders was aware he sounded desperate.
"That would not be the worst problem," Jake said apologetically. "I'm afraid there are many in the Circle who do not count the girl amongst friends. Quite the opposite."
"But why? Bethany hasn't done anything wrong towards her fellow mages!"
"Perhaps not, but I fear she is paying for some of the choices made by her sister."
"...Riona? What do you mean?" Anders felt stunned by these sudden accusations, not knowing what to think. "I can't remember her doing anything particularly disagreeable either..."
"Are you sure? Tell me Anders, how dedicated do you think she is to the cause of mages? Is she willing to put her life on the line the way we are?"
Anders took a deep breath. He hadn't truly considered such questions before. "Well... if I'm completely honest... Riona always appears as if she's looking to find compromises and tries to avoid taking sides. She has... sometimes done some questionable things to please the templars, I admit."
"Avoid taking sides, Anders? But she is a mage. Her side was chosen for her upon her birth," Jake argued.
"I know. She's fooling herself, I think. She is very concerned about her family fortune, her estate and status, and I guess she knows that she couldn't have all that unless the templars allowed for it."
"That is what the others feel, too," Jake said. "And my friend, we both know that such impasse and striving for compromises only leads to worse down the road. We know that one day everyone in Kirkwall will have to choose a side. With her clinging to her material values, can you say for sure she won't take the templar side just to save herself?"
"I can't say for certain, Jake," Anders admitted. "She often appears a little self serving, I agree."
"We have really been wondering what is the true story behind her being able to walk so freely around the Gallows without fear of getting captured. Have you ever thought of that?"
"I confess not knowing much about it, I have never accompanied her there for obvious reasons," Anders shrugged, his heart growing heavy with worry. "What do people say about it?"
"Well, we just see her there a lot. Mostly talking with Guard-Captain Cullen."
"Cullen?" Anders asked, his eyes again starting to glow in angry blue. "I remember the twerp well from my time at Kinloch Hold. Never liked him, he got rid of some of the cats I tried to keep. He was a little heavy handed, I thought. And yes, Riona has mentioned him, and I have heard other templars calling her his pet apostate. What could she want to do with him?"
"An excellent question, don't you think?" Jake said. "Perhaps they have a deal or something to keep her out of the Gallows? Maybe she sometimes sends an apostate or two the Circle's way to appease the templars? Maybe Cullen has taken her for his lover? She certainly is beautiful and I hear back in Ferelden, the man was rather drawn to illicit relations with apostates."
"...how did I never think to ask myself all these questions?" Anders gasped in sudden shock as the realization hit him. "I guess because she was Bethany's sister and I just couldn't think anything bad of her? But by Maker, it does make a lot of sense, doesn't it? Now that I think back on our adventures, there's a lot that she's done that made me wonder... she seemed like she wanted to send that boy Feynriel to the Circle... and that Starkhaven girl, she put her into the Circle, just so her fellows could escape, but she could have easily let them all go, couldn't she?"
"Grace is one of ours now, Anders. A good woman, thoroughly dedicated to ensure the freedom for all mages, no matter the cost. As it should be."
"Aye, I agree. Oh, and that time when she told Cullen all about Tarohne being a blood mage and possessing his precious templars..."
"There were more Rites of Tranquility directly after that, Anders. To good people, important Resolutionists," Jake said.
"If this is true... I don't know what I will do... Bethany will never forgive me if I harm her sister, and I doubt she would believe even stone cold facts..."
"But now you see why some would oppose getting Bethany out of the Gallows," Anders nodded at his co-conspirators words. "We would require something significant in return."
"Such as? I don't have much gold."
"We don't need gold. But if you could give us Riona in return for her sister... that might be acceptable."
Anders shuddered. "Even if what we suspect is true... that is a lot to ask."
"I'm aware, Anders. If you want, we can forget about this entire discussion and just continue with our initial plans."
"I can't do this without more proof, Jake," Anders said in a trembling voice. "I can't betray her unless I am absolutely certain of her guilt. Bethany will... just have to endure until I know more." Jake the Black nodded grimly. "I only ask you one thing, please, appeal to our friends in the Gallows, ask them to treat Bethany less badly. Can you do that at least?"
"I will do what I can, my friend," Anders felt Jake's hand on his shoulder, and moments later found himself alone in the alley. He sunk to his knees, distraught at how the conversation had gone. He had come here with uplifting hopes that Bethany would soon be liberated from the Circle. He would crawl away with the disturbing knowledge that Bethany's sister was likely a traitor to their kin, deserving no less than death.
"Done anytime soon?" Riona half-whispered, half-hissed to Varric, the dwarf working on prying open the window on the main floor of the DuPuis Estate. She had been standing guard for what felt like ten minutes at least, growing increasingly worried about the scratching noises as Varric was cutting a neatly shaped hole in the glass.
"Patience, Hawke," Varric whispered back. "This isn't as easy as baking cookies, you know." She could just see him carefully taking out a piece of the glass, Varric's hand shooting inside through the hole and unlocking the window from inside. Moments later, they found themselves on the quiet and dark main floor.
The estate was completely silent, only few pale rays of light fell from somewhere in the upper floors, but downstairs seemed lifeless and empty. "Think it's safe to summon some light?" Riona whispered.
"Well, you'll have to if you want us to find anything in here," Varric said, clumsily bumping into her as if to illustrate his point.
"Right," Riona nodded and a globe of pale light appeared at the tip of her mage staff. "Do you reckon any of the servants are still awake?"
"That's the strangest thing, I watched the estate for a few hours earlier and saw no sign of any servants," Varric whispered. "This Gascard redefines reclusiveness."
Riona didn't reply to that, instead wandering over to a nearby table, crammed with various notes and letters, starting to idly go through them. She didn't expect to find the complete memoirs of the white lily murderer, all confessions included, but it was still worth checking out. It was mostly bills, reminders of late payments, various manifestos and a whole host of letters from various people whose names meant nothing to Riona. One letter, however, caught her interest and she read its content to Varric.
Messere DuPuis,
This is in regards to your inquiry into missing mages. I would like to remind you that the duty of seeking out missing mages, if there were any to begin with, would fall to the templars of Starkhaven, not a minor nobleman from Kirkwall.
I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Circle of the Magi, as a whole, does not welcome casual inquiries about the mages in its care.
Thank you,
First Enchanter Raddick
"I suppose the guard wouldn't really pay attention to such things," Riona mused.
"What would he want from those mages though?" Varric wondered. "Did he want to enlist their aid? But Emeric seemed to think the man himself was a mage."
"An excellent question, Varric," Riona replied. "I agree that it doesn't seem clear why he would want to get in touch with these mages if he was the culprit." She looked through more letters, finding some more mysterious correspondence with unnamed friends, and then finally something that made her chuckle as she read it. "Just listen to this," she told Varric before reading it.
Messere DuPuis,
Please accept my humble apologies for recent events. The templar, Emeric, has been reprimanded for his wrongful accusations and for arousing suspicions within the city guard that led to the raid on your estate. I will see that he is restrained in future.
Sincerely yours,
Knight-Commander Meredith
Varric laughed. "At least Aveline wasn't the only one who had to kiss up a lot of ass after that debacle."
"I'm so taking this with me to show her," Riona grinned as she stuffed the letter into her pocket. "Seeing that ought to make her feel a lot better."
They searched through the other rooms of the main floor, but found nothing of note, then proceeding to the second floor. Again, most of the rooms produced nothing of importance, until they came upon a curious find in the small south-easternmost office.
"Look, Varric," Riona pointed at three vials on the table, two of them still full with deep red liquid. "Blood."
"So, Gascard is a blood mage, after all," Varric blinked. "To tell you the truth, Hawke, I'm completely confused by now. And look at this," he then led her to a nearby chest, full with hastily discarded clothing. "Various women's garments, just scattered here."
"Taken from the victims?" Riona wondered.
"That's one possibility..." Varric admitted. He tossed about the garments inside the chest. "No blood on any of them, not torn or showing any other sign of struggle."
"Weird," Riona shrugged. "Let's move on. Think the man himself is at home? Has to be, there is light on the upper floor."
Varric thought for a while. "I think these," he pointed at the vials with blood, "give us license to press him a little bit. If he complains about us intruding on his property, we'll throw the whole blood magic back into his face."
"Good idea," Riona agreed. "Maybe we should just go and try to browbeat some answers from him straight away then."
Varric quickly readied Bianca. "Let's take no chances with a suspected blood mage, Hawke."
"Just remember Varric, dead men respond poorly to interrogation," Riona reminded the dwarf as they swiftly proceeded to reach the upper floor. The corridor there led to several bedrooms, and there were some noises coming from one of them, they could clearly make out muffled cries of a woman and loud male voice telling the woman to be silent.
"It's got to be him," Riona said grimly, bringing her staff forth as she swiftly kicked the doors open and stormed in to come upon a scene of a respectable looking man in a nobleman's finery looming over a middle aged woman, covering in the corner and begging for help. The man was unarmed, though as a blood mage, he obviously needed no weapon to be able to kill quickly and efficiently.
The nobleman, presumably Gascard DuPuis, whirled around to face the intruders, looking badly shocked to see them. "You're not him!" he exclaimed, stunned.
"We're not who?" Riona asked, her staff together with Bianca pointing at the surprised Gascard.
"The one I was waiting for, of course... the killer!" Gascard exclaimed.
"Why couldn't I be the killer?" Riona said, then pointing at Varric. "This could be my twisted and depraved little sidekick."
"Or maybe I'm the killer," Varric said, grinning up at her. "And you are my deadly beautiful and wickedly sadistic assistant."
Gascard blinked. "Uh..." he tried nervously.
"How do we know you're not the killer and this was just an attempt to throw us off track?" Riona suddenly stared at him icily. She then looked at the mortified woman at Gascard's feet. "This doesn't look very good for you, DuPuis."
"I know what this looks like, alright? But I didn't hurt her, I swear!" Gascard argued. "Someone is after her, and I brought her here to make sure she would be safe." He must have felt Riona's stare was completely disbelieving, for he quickly moved to speak again. "There's a killer out there and I think he's playing us both! Please, let me explain!"
"Very well," Riona nodded. "If there's one thing we have plenty of, that's time for explanations."
"Several years ago my sister was murdered, in the same way. I tracked the bastard when he fled to Kirkwall, thirsting for revenge. It always starts the same, with a bouquet of white lilies," he spoke, then pointing to the woman on the floor. "Alessa was to be his next victim, so I brought her here, to keep her safe. I was finally going to face my sister's killer, and then you showed up."
"But if you knew so clearly we weren't those responsible, then that implies you know the man responsible for the killings," Riona argued.
"I just know that he's a powerful and experienced blood mage, a human in... late forties, I suppose. And he works alone, that I am sure of," Gascard explained. "But that is all I know, I swear."
"He's lying!" the woman on the floor, Alessa, seemed to have regained her voice. "He hurt me!"
"I've explained this once already, I needed to take your blood to be able to track you down in case the killer got to you somehow," Gascard told her, looking exasperated. "Ah, the woman is in shock, of course, she cannot be expected to be reasonable."
He reached out to help Alessa off the floor, but the woman fiercely batted his hands away. "Let go of me!" she shouted, jumping to her feet, stumbling, but then quickly running out the door. Gascard moved as if wanting to run after her, but the subtle movement of Bianca made him freeze in his tracks.
"That stupid woman! She'll go straight to the city guard. They'll ruin everything," the Orlesian complained bitterly.
"And that's the same direction you'll be heading in, unless you can tell us something that will clearly absolve you of any involvement in this," Riona glared at Gascard.
"But it wasn't me, didn't you hear what I just tell you?" he exclaimed, sounding frantic. "You must believe me when I'm telling you I'm innocent!"
"What did you want from the Starkhaven mages?" Riona asked.
"...oh, you must have read the letter," Gascard hesitated. "I only wanted their help in how to best track someone... but in the end I had to resort to blood magic in order to be able to find these women, in case the killer got to them first."
"So you really don't know anything else about the killer, his motivations or anything important?" Riona was starting to feel rather disappointed by now.
"I don't know what else I can tell... I believe he uses the women for some sort of ritual," Gascard said, shrugging. "His victims are attractive, healthy women with few social ties."
"Very vague. As has been everything you've told us," Riona stated simply. "Varric?"
"Agreed. Leaving him to wander around freely is a major risk."
"You can't just come into my home and murder me like that!" Gascard DuPuis exclaimed in a panicked voice, looking as if he was about to do something very stupid. Surrendering themselves to the demons and becoming an abomination was a favorite last act of defiance for mages everywhere, so Riona moved swiftly to reassure the man.
"We're not going to kill you, Gascard," Riona said. "We're not even going to hand you over to the templars, despite those vials of blood we found. But we are going to give you over to the guard. Alessa's testimony alone will allow them to keep you for a long while as a possible suspect."
"Don't do this, you fools, or the killer will surely escape!" Gascard warned them.
"Sorry, Gascard," Riona said. "But this is our investigation now, and we're going to catch that killer, unless we already have done so just now." She motioned to Varric. "Tie his hands behind his back, will you? You will soon be in Aveline's not-so-tender care, Messere DuPuis... and hopefully it will serve to spur your memory and loosen your tongue..."