Chapter 23: Birthright

The Gallows Courtyard

The gang was back at the Gallows with Keran in tow, his sister was there talking to Cullen trying get some information on her brother. When she saw her brother, the woman came running and hugged Keran. "It's alright, Macha…I'm fine" he said kissing his sister's forehead. Although the recruit said he was fine, the truth of the matter is that they couldn't be sure if there was a demon inside of Keran. The Templar recruit begged the gang to not tell Cullen as he was afraid of what the rest of the Templars would do to him. But for the mages, things could be worse for them as the Templars would crackdown harder on them. On the other hand not telling the Templars about what happened would invite another attack from maleficarum. Cullen noticed the look on Erick's face.

"I've got some good news and some bad news…"

Cullen frowned. "What? 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 eyes went wide as she backed away from Keran. "D…Demons? Did you say something about the recruits and demons?"

"I didn't want to tell you, Macha. They…they were horrible" Karen said. "Those mages see the rest of us as ants to be crushed"

"They won't stop until they've destroyed the Chantry and the Templars forever"

"Whoa there slow down! Tarohne was crazy, but magic didn't make her that way" Ericks said.

"True, not every mage gives in to temptation, but none are ever free of it" Cullen said. "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.

"She's right, that kind of thinking tends to lead to more problems not less" Ericks said. "You keep pushing; don't be surprised if the mages decide to push back"

"They are weapons; they have the power to light a city on fire in a fit of pique"

Ericks frowned; this is why he didn't like Templars. They're so wrapped up in their oath and ideology that they forget that their charges are like them…people with wants and needs. "Mages are humans...and elves…just like the rest of us"

"Many might go their whole lives thinking that" Cullen said. "But if even one in ten falls to the lure of blood magic, they could destroy the world" He then turned to Keran. "For now, Keran, unless it is proven you are free of demons, I must strip you of your commission immediately"

"No! You can't really think that! Keran's fine, he's safe" Macha said. She stood beside her brother, it's funny not too long ago she was scared and unsure about her brother.

"He deserves mercy" The gang looked back and saw Bethany, they had told her to stay back while they talked to the Templars. She didn't have her staff with her but that didn't mean Cullen was not suspicious. "What happened wasn't his fault"

"Please, ser. I tried to resist, I never took anything they offered" Keran pleaded. "I-I need this position or my sister can't eat. I've been training for five years!"

"Let him keep his status, but keep watch over him" Ericks said. "That should be a good compromise"

"Maybe…still you have done much for us by stopping these blood mages. I will heed your request" Cullen said. "If he has shown no sign of demonic possession in ten years' time. Keran will become eligible for full knighthood" Macha came towards Ericks.

"Thank you, serah, again' she then sighed. "Without full knighthood, Keran's pay is so small…I do not know if I can reward you as you deserve…"

"I can handle that, miss" Cullen said giving Ericks a sack of coin. "You have done the Order as great service. We will not forget it" The gang walked away, Cullen narrowed his eyes at Bethany but then returned to his post. Ericks counted the coins, four sovereigns which gave them a total forty-four sovereigns he needed four more sovereigns and he would have the fifty needed to become part of the Deep Roads expedition. Bethany headed behind some bushes to get her staff; she stashed it there when she went into the Gallows. Ericks gave her sister a stern look, that was risky of Bethany to make an appearance in the Gallows but luckily they haven't catch on to what Bethany is. The gang scattered and headed back home for some rest.


It's truly sad what happened to the Amells, isn't it? I still remember Grandmother talking about the balls that Lord Aristide used to hold at their estate and the Antivan violin players and dancers from Afsaana. No expense was spared and no one would dare miss it, lest someone think they weren't worthy of an invitation.

And then poor Revka had the child. Magical talent, running in one of Kirkwall's most prominent families? The templars had considered Lord Aristide to be viscount after Threnhold's arrest. Can you imagine the scandal had he been chosen? They whisked the child away to the Circle, and the Amells simply had no luck after that. Leandra ran off with a Fereldan mage and then Damion was accused of smuggling. Poor Lord Fausten almost bankrupted his family trying to get the charges dropped, but I hear Viscount Marlowe simply wanted the Amells out of the picture. And it worked, too, didn't it? By the time Lord Fausten got sick, there was only young Gamlen left and a mountain of debt.

I spoke to Dulci just the other day, and apparently Gamlen is now living in some Lowtown shack—sounds like the sort of character you'd cross a street to avoid! And let's not even talk about the estate. Mother says we should remember the Amells because that sort of thing could happen to any of us. You know the old saying: "A Marcher's fortune rises and falls with the tide." If you ask me, this is just another misfortune that magic brings to honest folk. Andraste help that poor family, whatever lies in store for them.—Excerpt from a letter written by Lady Amelie de Montfort

Darktown-Night

Night had fallen on Kirkwall and the gang was in Darktown ready to get Ericks and Bethany's grandfather's will. The cellar entrance in Hightown was a no go due to the Templar's patrolling of the area after their little abomination scare. Luckily they had another option, the family cellar actually stretched all the way into Darktown. However that entrance, like most in Darktown, was old and run down with a danger of collapsing on the gang. The wine cellar was large and a jumble mess of tunnels and corridors…one wrong turn and one might have gotten lost for a few days. This was perfect if a person needed an escape from pursuers or in the slavers' case hide their 'cargo'.

"Damn, if the cellars go this far, maybe we were important" Ericks said. The cellar was dark and the gang kept on tripping over themselves or bumping into walls and barrels. Bethany formed a wisp of flame in her hand to serve as a torch as the gang traversed the cellar. All of the sudden there was sudden rattle of metal and breathing which made the gang jump.

"An ambush?!" Isabela asked.

"No…it doesn't sound human" Merrill said. She walked forward and then squealed. "Oh! How cute!" The rest of the gang came forward and they saw what was making that noise. It was a mabari hound inside of a rather small cage. Mabari are huge mastiffs with a touch of wolf blood that stand as tall as a dwarf and just as wide. Their masters (or "partners" as many of those paired with Mabari prefer) will often choose a distinct style of war paint to mark them with so that they can better pick them out from other Mabari at a distance in the midst of combat. Correspondingly, many Fereldans that frequently fight alongside Mabari will scent themselves with distinctively pungent body paint called "kaddis" which allows the dogs to easily mark them as allies.

The bulk of Mabari will bond with a single warrior, whom they will fight beside and follow until death takes them, for there are many stories of Mabari avenging a fallen master before lying down beside his corpse to join him. Due to their great value, "feral" Mabari are unheard of. He was wagging is tail and panting excitedly, the hound had seen better days…his fur was matted; there were sores on the hound's body from resting on a hard floor. The hound also looked emaciated…who knows how long the hound has had anything to eat?

"Poor thing…but what do you expect from slavers?" Isabela asked.

"Hmm? I don't think this mabari belongs to the slavers" Merrill said. "Look" There was a collar around the hound's neck; it was adorned with the Amell family crest. There was also a tag with the hound's name on it, Romulus.

"Well how about we get you out of there, Romulus?" Ericks asked. The rogue went to the lock and picked it. The cage opened and the hound jumped onto Ericks and started to lick his face.

Bethany smiled. "Looks like he picked you to be his master, Brother" Ericks got off the floor and wiped the slobber off of him.

"Lucky me" he said dryly. "Come on; let's do what we came here to do" The gang traversed the cellar fighting off the slavers that was guarding the cellar. The hound tore through the slavers ripping their throats out, Romulus really didn't appreciate being locked in that cage for who know how long. The sound of fighting attracted more slavers and their leader.

"Did that bastard Gamlen put you up to this?" the leader asked. "I knew I should have slit his throat"

"He didn't have to, we came willingly" Ericks said. "This mansion is under new management"

"You're making a huge mistake, stranger!" he said. "I know powerful people that would ruin you"

Ericks smirked. "Sounds like fun" Merrill zapped the slavers with lightning while Bethany burned them to cinders. Isabela and Ericks fought off the warriors and rogues surrounding the slaver leader. Once they were gone, Ericks gave a quick stab to the gut to the slaver leader. Once the fight was done, the gang headed up the stairs.

"That's the vault! Everything we want to know about our family is inside" Once inside the vault, Ericks picked the lock on the chest where there were documents, some letters and nine sovereigns more than enough coin for the expedition. "This is it! Grandfather's will. Mother needs to see this as soon as possible"

Ericks nodded. "Let's go" The gang headed out of the cellar and went back to their homes.


Gamlen's House

Back at home, Gamlen and Leandra was once again at each other's throats. "…so I'm just saying, blood's blood and all, but you are taking advantage of my hospitality" Leandra shook her head in disbelief, how could her brother say that when her children have been working day and night, getting into uncertain danger while he spent what little coin they had on gambling. "It's only fair if you make something of a…monthly contribution…"

"You sold my children into servitude! How dare you ask me to pay rent?!"

"Er…maybe just put something towards food…" The door opened and Romulus came running in bouncing around the room to the confusion. "What the…?! Who let the hound in here?!" Bethany and Ericks came in; the rogue was able to settle down the hound. "There better be a good answer about you tracking mud and fleas into my house, boy!"

"Mother, Uncle this is Romulus…our family's faithful hound" Ericks said. "You'll never guess where we found him or what we found" He held out the parchment with the Amell family seal and Gamlen started to go pale.

"Ericks, is that…?"

"Yeah Ma, this is the will" Ericks then looked at Gamlen. "And you have some explaining to do, dear Uncle"

The old Hawke luck is turning around! But how long will it last?! Next Time! Review and Comment!