Hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays! In exciting news, we're over halfway through the story! I plan for this story to be 21/22 chapters, and while I was hoping for a nice even 20, that doesn't seem possible anymore.
Enjoy and review please!
Chapter 13
The Tranquil Solution
Just as Warden Gytha predicted, no Templar attack materialized.
For two weeks, both sides stood at a standstill. While the Templars remained on the shores of Lake Calendhad, enduring camp life, the mages in the Circle continued with their routines. Lessons were held, research conducted, and life continued. With Wynne's sudden departure from the Circle to adventure with the Grey Wardens, another mage was appointed to the Council of Magi, a red headed elf named Cera. Privately, Victor was pleased with this. Eadric would have been furious if another human was added to the council and Cera was an intellectual with a deep understanding of runecraft. She was a valuable addition to the Council, and it was far easier working with her than Wynne.
Amongst the day to day in the Circle, the Tranquil were still cleaning the Tower as the mages continued to weave spells to strengthen the Veil around the Circle. The majority of the cleaning was now being left to the Tranquil, something Victor didn't particularly care for. To him, it seemed to set a bad precedent, even though it was much the same as when the Templars had control.
But when Victor attempted to raise the issue and suggest all mages chip in for chores and upkeep, he was surprised at the pushback he received.
"Cleaning, cooking, and doing menial tasks is what the Tranquil are for." One mage stated, to the disturbing agreement of quite a few other mages.
"They're failed mages." Godwin piped up, emboldened with the audience in the Great Hall. "They deserve their fate."
"Deserve their fate?!" Petra shouted. "They were innocent mages deprived of their emotions!"
Most, thank the Maker, agreed with Petra. But even if people agreed with her, none of them were particularly interested in working the Tranquil jobs. Thus, Victor only lead a small force of mages who wanted to learn how to cook and clean properly. However that proved to be an issue as the Tranquil, in their own way, were quite resistant.
"These activities are best left to us Tranquil." Owain explained. "Surely you have other duties to attend to."
"You are not slaves to serve us, Owain." Victor tried to explain. "Allow us to help."
"We do not view ourselves as slaves. Only Tranquil. But you insist, then very well. But just know that such tasks are beneath the mages of the Circle."
Rhett was assigned to working in the kitchen, so Victor had him teach him how to cook. It was his first serious interaction with him since Uldred's rebellion. In spite of himself, Victor felt good doing something with Rhett, even though the circumstances were horrifying. Rhett, however, did not view things the same way and was just as resistant as Owain and the other Tranquil.
"It is my duty to make this food. Please do not deprive me of my duty." Rhett informed him, not a hint of hostility in his voice.
"I only want to help shoulder the burden of your duty." Victor tried to rationalize for him. For a brief moment, a horrible moment, he considered ordering Rhett to teach him. He could only imagine what Rhett before Tranquility would do with Victor ordering a Tranquil to do something.
All of this though was in waiting for the meeting with Godwin's "associates." When the new moons came, Victor, Petra, Eadric, Niall, Cera, and Godwin met in the dead of night and set out to meet with the Mages' Collective.
"The moons usually illuminate everything around the island since Lake Calenhad is so reflective. But under a new moon, everything is obscured and they can row out to the island with Templars noticing." Godwin explained. To their surprise, he led them to the storeroom entrance on the third floor. Since the Circle Tower was built into an elevated hillside, the storerooms were actually caverns dug into the earth that extended around the Tower. Victor had been in them many times and had barely made a dent in exploring all of it. That there was a secret entrance for the Mages; Collective did not surprise him.
They went further and deeper into the caverns than anyone of them had gone before. The caverns had quite a strong smell to them; a mix of chemical and potion ingredients that were familiar to all the mages of the Tower. Godwin lead the way, taking their group past stacked boxes, discarded items, and other oddities of mage life.
"How did you even learn about this?" Victor asked.
"Someone showed me, obviously. And no, I won't say who. They're dead anyhow."
Petra and Victor exchanged a look, with Petra mouthing "Maron," the only other Lucrosian they knew in the Circle. Dead was correct. They had found his flayed body being picked at by some corpses.
Godwin brought them to a narrow cavern with a dead end, stopping at the end of it. Raising his staff, Godwin hit the ground and let off an elemental spell that splintered the earth in front of him, revealing a drop down. Cool air blew from it, washing over the mages.
"You'll have to lower yourself down and then crawl for a bit." Godwin explained. "Hope none of you mind tight spaces."
It really was tight. One by one, the mages wiggled their way through the passage made of black marble. The narrow passage, no doubt a shaft for ventilation, eventually opened up into an oval shaped room. Dropping down from the ceiling, Victor looked about the room, marveling at its bizarre design. The room was made entirely of marble of a dark purple color, no doubt through magic. The walls and floor were old and well worn with age, but the splendor of the place was still evident. Even the empty braziers, black with gold inlay, spoke of past glories.
"What is this place?" Eadric ask out loud.
Godwin was tightlipped, but further investigation revealed its purpose. In the center of the oval room was a monolith made of obsidian, decorated with a frieze. Figures were etched into it, faceless and indistinguishable from each other. They appeared to be in prayer judging by their clasped hands and bent necks. Above them all was a dragon's skull atop a female body, arms outstretched and clearly commanding the figures beneath her.
"By Andraste and all Her Divines!" Victor shouted, scandalized and filled with righteous fury. "This is a temple for an Old God!"
Gasps of shock from all except Godwin who's response was nonchalant. "Razikale to be exact, the Old God of Mystery and the only female of the Old Gods."
"This shouldn't be here!" Victor insisted, wanting to shatter the walls and bring down the ceiling on this unholy place. "Why is it here?!"
"Lake Calenhad was holy to the ancient Tevinter Imperium." Niall replied, unable to hide his scholarly curiosity of the place. "It was thought that the Lake's waters carried the blessing of Razikale herself. It's not that surprising a place of worship to Razikale would be here. The Tower itself is Tevinter in origin."
Victor was quite scandalized by how excited Niall seemed. Yes, history was important. But this was an Old Gods' shrine! Who knew what perverse rituals were performed here…. Or more specifically, how many innocents were killed here. Grimly, Victor noticed indents in the flooring, which were darker in color and looked too much like drains for Victor's comfort. He had a good idea of what liquid had to be drained.
"Let's leave and meet your contacts." Victor hissed.
They crossed the cursed shrine and left through a circle door and down another hallway of similar make as the temple. But the hallway itself was deranged, its structure reminded Victor of the twisted hallways of the Fade he had explored in his dreams. The walls twisted and the path would sometimes force them to go backwards. At one point, the floor dropped down and they had to climb up a wall to continue.
"Old God of insanity is more like it!" Petra joked as she hoisted herself up the wall.
The demented hallway brought them to small natural inlet inside a cavern. Standing on the rocky shore, the mages could look out at Lake Calenhad and the night sky, both black as ink.
"Now we wait." Godwin told them.
After about a half hour, the mages heard the sound of oars splashing against the water. After a moment, from the inky black world beyond the inlet, a large rowboat appeared with four shadowy figures in it. As they drew closer, Victor could make out more of their features. Three men and one woman, each of them dressed in studded leather armor and a cowl on their heads. Even from a distance, Victor could sense the familiar aura of magic around them, though theirs was far different than the aura of Circle mages. It felt wild and undisciplined, reflecting the life of apostates.
The rowboat stopped just short of the rocky shore and three of them disembarked. The woman, the leader of the group, approached them with a cocky smile. "Godwin, you brought friends." She teased, giving the Councilors disinterested looks. "We half expected you to be dead after we heard what happened in the Tower."
"Not me, Jocasta." Godwin replied. "Still alive and ready for business as per usual."
The woman, Jocasta, brushed her blonde curls from her face before responding. "But things are not 'as usual' are they, Godwin? An army of Templars have assembled across the water, demons have slaughtered most of the mages, and Darkspawn have taken the South. Is that 'usual' for you?"
"N-No, Jocasta." Godwin responded, not nervous but certainly not fully comfortable either. "But that doesn't mean commerce has to stop, does it?"
"It does not. Why don't you introduce me to your friends?"
And so introductions were made. Once they were finished, Jocasta seemed less intrigued by them then by their titles. "Councilors, hmm? So it's true. The mages have gone around the bend and think they can govern themselves?" she asked. Her other companions, still unidentified, laughed at that as their leader continued. "My name is Jocasta, I am the contact for the Mage's Collective assigned to the Circle. I must admit, I'm positively in awe to meet someone as famed as you, Councilor."
Realizing she was looking at him, Victor sputtered back a response. "Famed?"
"Of course! Or at least infamous like the Warden Commander, though the folks are coming around to her. Everyone knows you're the leader of this little rebellion, Victor. They say you slaughtered four Pride demons to reclaim the Tower. That you fought back a legion of templars who tried to seize the Tower. Or that you're a blood mage seeking to turn Ferelden into the next Imperium. Most people talk about that one."
"I did not do it all alone, nor I am not a blood mage." Victor insisted, reflexively.
"You don't need to tell me that! Us mages get lick of a self-worth and suddenly only blood magic could have accomplished that! Funny how that works, isn't it?" Jocasta replied, sarcasm laced in every word before she grew serious. "So, shall we talk business?"
Victor took the lead on that, outlining their needs to the Collective. Food and rations were foremost with lyrium second. There were also other odds and ends the mages needed for potions and rune making. Victor also outlined their need to use the Mage Collective as a way to contact Ferelden lords and ladies to spread their message, starting with them taking their now completed Declaration of Mage rights and delivering to important figures in Ferelden. Jocasta listened to all of it, giving no indication on what she thought of the whole thing or if it were even possible for the Mage's Collective to pull off monthly supply runs to the Circle. She only perked up when Victor talked about payment methods.
"What use do we have for castoff magical items from the Circle?" She asked.
"What we would barter with is hardly castoff items. I understand that arrangement was good enough for Godwin." Victor countered.
"That was for one mage conducting business. But what you ask of us is far more dangerous. You are in open war with the Chantry and for the Mage's Collective to get involved is dangerous. We operate in the shadows and do not seek widespread notoriety like the Carta or the friends of Red Jenny."
"No one would know of your involvement." Niall promised, which earned him a biting laugh from Jocasta.
"Oh I'm sure you wouldn't tell anyone. But pretty soon the Knight-Commander is going to know something is amiss. I'm willing to bet a king's ransom the Knight-Commander knows exactly how much you have in your larders. First rule of sieges, wait until the enemy has exhausted their food supplies and has to boil leather to survive. That's when you strike. So when you suddenly don't become desperate due to lack of food, he'll investigate and find us. And I'm afraid there isn't enough lyrium in southern Thedas to bribe the Templars and keep them from slaughtering the Collective in Ferelden."
Eadric, seeing things going south, decided to be bold. "So you won't help your fellow mages against the Templars? I did not realize the Mage's Collective was a confederacy of cowards." He spat, acid soaking into each word. His words ruffled the three men from the Collective, but Jocasta was unbothered by the accusation.
"Cowardice is a remarkably great way to stay alive and stay profitable." She shrugged. "You cannot shame me or the Collective into action."
"Then allow us to embolden you." Victor said, trying to appeal to something, anything, in Jocasta that might hold love for her fellow mage. "We are not doing this simply to return to Templar control with the promise of better beds and food. We mean to fully commit ourselves to a new path, one in service to the kingdom of Ferelden. Think about what that might mean for your Collective. Legitimacy! No more operating in the shadows! Being able to bring in more wealth than you are now without fear of Templar reprisal! We can build a better world for mages in Ferelden, starting with an alliance between us."
Jocasta was utterly unimpressed. She looked to Godwin – who had a smirk on his face as Victor spoke – and rolled his eyes at him before responding. "How romantic. Truly. I am sure you will get all your desires and then some. Perhaps Andraste Herself will return to us and make elves equal, defeat the Blight, kill the remaining Old Gods, and allow us to eat and drink until we are old and fat."
She was playing with them, enjoying how desperate the Circle mages were for the Collective. Victor sighed heavily and gave in. "What is it that the Collective wants from us?"
"Aaah, that's the right question!" Jocasta said, voice unbelievably condescending. "What the Collective wants is very simple. We came knowing full well the scope of the issues facing the Tower and we even guessed at what you might want. So, I can fully commit the Collective to agreeing to your demands."
She leveled her gaze at them, smug as she saw the looks of relief across the Councilors faces. "But, you have little in the way of coin. And as for magical services, well, we are the Mages' Collective. We have a reliable network of people we can already get those from. But what we don't have is runes and enchantments. So, what the Collective wants is the Tranquil under your control to deliver us runes and enchantment with the lyrium we supply you."
The demand made Victor very uncomfortable. Very. "Surely you have your own Tranquil to do that work?" Petra asked. She also sounded uncertain.
"Hardly." Jocasta scoffed. "We can bribe Templars quick as you like, they always need lyrium and enough of them are willing to look the other way. But Tranquil? Too precious to the Chantry and too much money in them. It's impossible to get one for ourselves."
Victor really did not like the way she was referring to the Tranquil. He could just imagine Rhett apoplectic with rage at this notion. Tranquils were just things to Jocasta and sadly, as Victor had seen earlier, to many of the mages of the Tower.
What he saw from the other Councilors was not encouraging. Surprisingly, Cera took the lead. "It could be done." She began.
Victor snapped his head back at her, hardly believing his ears. "Are you serious?" he demanded.
Cera nodded. "I am perfectly serious and thinking about the future of the Circle. Exactly what all of you should be doing. The Tranquil situation is unfortunate for them, but there hardly anything we can do for them now."
"'Situation'?" Victor hissed, feeling his temper rise.
"The Tranquil have no free will. You must acknowledge this. It is a fact. A sad one, but a fact." Godwin piped up, not sounding at all like he thought it a tragedy. "So why not use their unique skills for the Circle's benefit? They love to work. They quite literally live to work!"
"We are looking for a different path from the Chantry. Using the Tranquil for this is wrong." Petra said.
"Yes but… is it?" Niall commented. "With our freedom we will never use the Right of Tranquility on a mage. But what do we do with the current Tranquil? Is it not better that they… stay busy?"
"As slaves?" Victor asked, forcing his anger under control. It only spiked when he heard Jocasta giggle with mirth.
"I'll give you lot a moment to talk." She teased, take a step away with the other members of the collective, leaving Victor to stare down his fellow mages.
"We are not using the Tranquil as slaves." He insisted. "We'll find another way to get what we need from them."
"How?" Cera asked. "She's an arrogant woman, but Jocasta's right. We have nothing of value to them. And it's not as though we have other options. I do not like the idea of using the Tranquil like this, but it's the best of a bad situation."
"Making them Tranquil was wrong to start, and using them in such a manner is akin to slavery!"
Cera's elven face grew red with anger. "I do not need a lecture from anyone about enslavement, thank you!"
Victor's anger subdued a bit at that. Eadric, a fellow elf, decided it was his moment to support Cera. "She's absolutely right. And they are not slaves. We can pay them."
"With what?"
"Godwin has money. He can pay them some wages."
"What's that now?" Godwin asked, looking concerned.
Cera gave him a hard glare, which Godwin withered under. "You're a Lucrosian aren't you? All about business? I'm pretty sure a basic of business includes paying your workers, right?"
"And what will the Tranquil do with their money?" Petra insisted. "Go out to a store to buy stuff? Buy a book they love?"
"It's something at least…" Niall said, trying to play peacemaker. "And who knows? The Tranquil are their own community. Perhaps they will surprise us and actually enjoy being paid."
"It's the best of a bad situation." Cera put simply. "It's this or starve. I know my decision."
There was nothing else to say, so they voted. Victor, with doubt still in his mind, voted yes. Petra was the only one of the five to still vote no. "This is a mistake, and will come back to bite us in the future." She told them.
"We have to at least secure the future for that to happen." Victor told her, trying to rally himself to the idea. Jocasta, noticing they had come to a consensus approached. With the same smug look on her face, Victor knew she already figured out what their vote.
"So, what'll it be?" she asked.
"We agree to your terms." Victor told her.
"Wise decision, Councilors." She told them. "We'll make a trip back to shore and bring your supplies. While we do that, why don't some of you run back to the Circle and round up some enchanted items for us? It can be whatever items you find right now, but we'll leave you with a list of things we want when we come back next month."
"Fine." Victor said in gritted teeth. "We also have our Declaration prepared and places we'd like to send it. We can count on you to have them delivered in tack?"
Jocasta smiled at him. "Oh Councilor, you can rely on us for anything you need."
When the mages of the Circle awoke the next morning to the knowledge of fresh food and supplies, jubilation swept the tower. Breakfast that morning was quite the cheery affair, with fresh bread, eggs, and bacon for all. The Tranquil had even made sausage rolls and scones. It did much to improve morale in the Circle.
Victor was not among the merry folk. He was in the Circle chapel on bended knee, praying to Andraste. He felt incredibly guilty over the deal they had struck with the Collective and no amount of prayer seemed to wash it away. Cera had personally assured him she would oversee the payment of the Tranquil and that they were not mistreated. But Victor worried about the slippery slope they were on now.
"Councilor Amell, you wished to see me?"
Turning, Victor saw Rhett standing in the doorway of the chapel. He was cleaned and dressed well in the Tranquil robes. Even from a distance, Victor could clearly see the Sunburst brand on his forehead, making Victor shudder.
"Yes, yes come in Rhett." He said, gesturing for Rhett to join him in the pews. As the elf took a seat next to him, Victor gave him a comforting smile. "How are you doing?"
"I am well." Rhett replied simply. What else was there to say for a Tranquil? Victor wished he would say more. Getting Rhett to stop talking had been quite the task before hand. Now the spirit was gone.
"Things are well in the kitchens?" Victor tried.
"They are. Was there a complaint?"
"No, no! Nothing like that. I just wanted to check up on you."
"You are nice to ask, but please do not bother yourself. I am well, and my duties are satisfying."
"That… that's good." Victor finally managed.
"Is there anything else that you require, Councilor?"
"Well, Rhett, I wanted to talk to you about something." Victor said. "It's about a new deal we have had to make with the Mage's Collective."
"They are a dangerous group. We are not allowed to work with them."
"It's ok now. The Templars said that we shouldn't, but now it's ok."
"Very well. If you say so."
This is why Victor had spoken to Rhett before hand. Why he had been avoiding him like a coward. It wasn't Rhett. It looked like his love. It sounded like his love. It even walked like Rhett. But it was merely a shell, only capable of basic functions. Totally dehumanized like a tool.
Just like the Templars and some mages wanted.
"Rhett. I want to let you know that if anyone tries to abuse you, tries to make you do work that you don't want to, then you tell me immediately. Do you understand that?"
"No." Rhett replied. "Why would I not want to a task?"
Victor tried a different route. "You have set duties, do you not?"
"That is correct."
"Well, if someone makes you deviate from that, in any way, you tell me immediately and I will make sure you don't have in the future."
Rhett stared back at him, trying to process the news behind unfeeling eyes. After a beat, he responded. "I understand. You are the new handler of the Tranquil then?"
"I- what?" Victor asked.
"The handler of the Tranquil. It is, or was, an official position amongst the Templar order. Ser Thomas and Ser Baldric were in the designated handlers formerly. This is your new role then?"
"No… No there are no handlers anymore." Victor stammered. The Templars had assigned handlers for the Tranquil? Victor didn't know that was a thing. He wasn't sure any other mage knew that either. The Tranquil just seemed so automated that a "handler" seemed unnecessary. "I just want you to let me know if anyone asks you do anything inappropriate."
"What do you mean by inappropriate?"
"Deviate from your duties."
"I understand. Thank you for informing me of this. I will keep it in mind when conducting my duties."
Tears had welled up in Victor's eyes. He wasn't expecting that, but he couldn't deny the overwhelming sadness he felt looking at Rhett. "I'm so sorry." He muttered.
"For what?"
"For this." Victor said, wiping his eyes. "For what's happened to you. I should have said it sooner but I just couldn't. Because I was a coward, I don't know! But you wouldn't even be like this if it weren't for me! If I didn't agree to help Jowan and Lily, or if I didn't betray him, or if I had saved him like Irving wanted! You don't deserve this, Rhett!"
"You shouldn't feel sorry. I do not feel sorry for how I am. I am at peace."
"A peace that was forced on you!" Victor shouted, and then muzzled himself when he realized the door to the chapel was wide open. Nobody seemed to be around though, no doubt still enjoying breakfast upstairs. "I'm just… I'm so sorry. Oh Maker, I'm so sorry, Rhett!"
"Again, Councilor, you have nothing to apologize for."
"Victor, please call me Victor!"
"That is inappropriate given your current position in the Circle-"
"I'll make an exception for you, just please do it."
"I cannot. It would be against proper procedure. Against my duty. I am sure you understand."
"No, I don't understand!" Victor snapped, "Just please, I'm begging you, call me Victor."
"I am sorry, I cannot Councilor." Rhett replied simply, completely unfazed by Victor's anger and sadness. Defeated, Victor slumped down in the pew. He gave Rhett another look and reached out to Rhett, putting a hand on his shoulder for his own comfort. It felt wrong even doing it, as though he was touching a marble statue and expecting it to give him a reaction.
Surprisingly, Rhett did.
"Oh. I understand what you wish for." Rhett said. "The informality you insist upon."
"Sorry?"
"Ser Baldric made this clear to me. This is part of my duties as well."
To Victor's absolute horror, Rhett unclasped his purple pellegrina and let it drop to the floor. He then began to undo his belt at which point Victor grabbed hold of him, preventing Rhett from continuing.
"Maker's Breath! What are you doing!"
"My duty." Rhett replied. "I must continue."
"Who… who told you this was your duty?!" Victor demanded.
"As I have said, my handler Ser Baldric. I was to assist him in all matters, even if they were informal."
"'Informal?'" Victor breathed, eyes wide in shock. Ser Baldric had been….
Oh Maker.
Still holding Rhett, Victor pulled him in for a hug. Tears welled once more in his eyes and he cried into the shoulder of Rhett. He knew Rhett couldn't feel anything, but maybe, maybe there was some part of the real Rhett inside of this husk. Some way to save him, to bring him back! Victor had to try, for Rhett's sake. For his sake. For the sake of all Tranquil who had been forced to do unspeakable things and then tossed aside.
"I swear to the Maker, to Andraste and all Her Divines, I will find a way to reverse your Tranquility!" Victor cried.
Rhett's response was calm. "If it makes you happy, so be it."
The Mages' Collective really is fascinating and it's a shame they don't get more time in future Dragon Age games. And of course, Tranquility is awful and just a form of slavery for the Chantry.