Chapter 35: Blackpowder Courtesy

Smuggler's Cut

Due to the corruption and lack of strong enforcement from the law, Kirkwall is a popular place for smugglers and other criminals to run rampant. However every blue moon, there is some ambitious up and coming guardsman that can't be threatened or bought out trying to dismantle the criminal establishment in the city. Most times they are demoted by a higher up that's been paid off or killed before they can become a threat. In the rare cases the law does become a threat to activities, one must find ways to move merchandise to and from areas without the law catching on. One such area is the Smuggler's Cut, a network of caves outside of Kirkwall. It is frequently used as a passage for the expedient ingress and egress of illicit goods, which has resulted in the passage's colorful moniker. It's also a great place to hide if the law is in pursuit.

The gang arrived after the Coterie barker pointed the way to Javaris; the dwarf didn't have many friends and had a lot of people after him because of what he owed them. Javaris left as soon as things got too hot for him and had a least a day head start. They were soon attacked by the Carta who were protecting Javaris. Apparently the dwarf promised the Carta riches he didn't have if they covered his escape. The Carta was not going to be happy when they find out that Javaris sent their people to their deaths with nothing to show for it. Anders rained fire upon the Carta archers while Fenris and Ericks cut down their warriors and assassins. Varric shot explosive arrows at another group that tried to flank them. If it wasn't the Carta pestering the gang, it was the poisonous spiders making their nests in the caverns. After countless battles, the gang finally made it to the end of Smuggler's Cut.


Wounded Coast

As soon as the gang was out of the caves, they were attacked by mercenaries hired by Javaris. "Andraste's tits! How is the man managing to hire this many people?!" Varric asked. "He's not even that good of a bullshitter!"

"The desperate always find a way, Varric" Anders said.

"After going through all of this I'm tempted to kill this dwarf myself" Fenris said in annoyance. The gang managed to defeat the mercenaries and made their way to the man himself. With no one left to send to their deaths, Javaris simply cowered as the gang approached him from all sides.

"You can stop pissing yourself, Javaris. You're not dead…yet" Ericks said.

"You? Granny's garters, she would hire you. I can't buy a break on discount!" Javaris said. "You know what? Go ahead, take my head and pike it back to that sodding elf! I need the rest"

Ericks raised a brow. "What the hell are you talking about, dwarf?"

Javaris was taken aback. "Wait…you don't know?" Then, what, you're tracking for the Qunari?" he asked. "Then she did it, that elf got them after me for nothing! Bitch-born!"

"It would seem our obvious thief was a bit too obvious" Anders said.

"You might to start from the beginning" Ericks said crossing his arms.

The dwarf rubbed the back of his head. "Look, I'm minding business, same old, and out of the blue some elf tries to kill me" he said. "Says she's got the Qunari powder and I'm her cover. I slipped her, bought off some of mercs and some of the Carta and ran for it"

"And now you're here. So my day's been great"

"So far, all I see is you" Ericks said.

"Leaving the other person behind is the first step in running away, sorry if that's inconvenient" Javaris said dryly. "Here, you want to drag dark into light, I had a man follow her. The elf's in Lowtown"

"I just want to get out. With my dead guards…thanks for that by the way"

"Sounds like you have a way to go…hopefully"

"Right, got me a rosy future to plan out. Think I'll start by selling some boots" the dwarf said walking away. "Sodding bunch of…take a long breath on a short shaft you…blasted dog lord in-roaders" The gang headed back to Kirkwall.


Lowtown

"All of you, I can't fight the damned air! You want to live, stay out!" Lowtown was in chaos, the city guards received reports of a green fog enveloping the slums. Aveline mobilized the guards to Lowtown quickly; occasionally the shafts in Darktown erupt with gouts of foul air known as chokedamp. It's not uncommon to find whole slums silently suffocated, frozen in the midst of everyday activity. When they reached Lowtown they found the situation much worse than they thought, people who breathed in this green fog went into a berserk frenzy attacking everyone and everything in sight before collapsing from the poison in the fog. The gang met up with Aveline who was heading for Lowtown, Ericks filled her in on everything.

"Bloody Qunari, how could they be so careless with such a concoction?" Aveline asked angrily. "Maccon!"

"Guard-Captain! There's…I can't even describe…"

"I know, son, I was filled in on the situation" she said. "Keep your post, we will take it from here"

"Let's hope this elf didn't try to make enough powder to sell" Anders said.

"Didn't sound like a merchant to me. Let's go" The gang entered the slums; it was choked with the qunari gas. Anders casts a repulsion spell to clear the gas away from them, they were safe from the gas but the frenzied citizens were a different matter. "Maker…we need to stop this mist. Find the source" There were large barrels scattered all over the slums, when the gang found one of them Anders would freeze the barrels shut with magic. With each successful seal of the barrels, mercenaries came to stop them but without adequate protection soon turned on one another before the gas killed them.

"Make the powder, blame the oxmen, make the powder, blame the oxmen"

"Baby. Come to Mother, something sharp and shiny!" Soon the frenzied the citizens came out to attack the gang, they were easily killed…there was no joy in fighting people crazed by the actions of another.

Anders could only shake his head in pity. "I'm not sure how much we can do for these people"

"Just grant them a quick death" Aveline said. "That's all we can do" More frenzied mercenaries came to attack, Anders slammed his staff down and shards of ice skewered the sellswords. Aveline and Fenris cut down the flankers as Varric and Ericks killed the surviving warriors.

"The Arishok was right, the poison got the thieves" Ericks said.

"I'll take comfort in his certainty when this is over" Fenris said. When the mercenaries fell, the gang searched for the remaining barrels and had Anders seal them. Once the barrels were all sealed, the remnant traces of gas slid down to the Undercity where it would be flushed outside of the city. Up on top an elf in heavy armor appeared with two guards at her side.

"So…your fault, I presume?" Ericks asked.

The elf tilted her head. "Is that? Serah Hawke! You have enemies" she said. "I'm glad it's you, really. These poor people…you are a much better target!"

"Hello lunatic, care to explain your particular brand of crazy?"

The elf features then turned into a snarling rage. "Qunari take my people! My siblings forget their culture, then go to the Qun for purpose. We're losing them twice!" she said. "So I get help from your people. We'll take the Qunari thunder, make some accidents, and then make them hated!"

"But this…this is all wrong"

"You were going to kill people anyway? That's….not funny at all, really"

"It can still work. They are hidden in your city. They'll enrage the faithful, and make sure the Qunari are blamed!" the elf said. "Me, I'm finished. I just need a few more bodies. A few more!" The elven fanatic and her mercenaries attacked, Anders pulled up a barrier to protect the rest of the gang while Ericks tossed a shock grenade to stun the surrounding enemies. Aveline bashed the fanatic to the ground and quickly gutted her while Fenris and Varric killed off her men. The battle soon ended as quickly as it started.

"Time to tell the Arishok how he was right…and wrong" Anders said. Aveline stayed behind to direct her men, the slums would locked down for now until the danger has past. Which meant a lot of people would not be going home for a while, this fear and confusion will turn to hatred and anger. The elf was successful with one thing she has deepened tensions in this city, but Ericks had a feeling that her actions was a smaller part of something much larger.


Docks- The Qunari Compound

The next day the gang headed for the compound to speak with the Arishok. "So, I was wrong about our thief"

"You'll get used to it"

"They say we were careless with our trap, that this is our fault. But even without the saar-qamek, there would have been death" the Arishok said. "This elf was determined to lay blame at our feet"

"Selfishness, want, denial…how do you allow this to continue?"

"Save the lecture" Ericks said. "If you won't talk straight, then we won't talk" The gang was about to leave until the Arishok spoke up.

"Hold" Ericks looked back. "Since we arrived I have seen nothing but greed and weakness. Dwarves, humans, elves…just…festering. No order, no goal" the qunari said. "You are one of the few I have met with any ability. And yet this too was random, a result of selfishness"

"I cannot fathom how a mire like this can be justified" he said. "You turn from me; do you turn as easily from all this…chaos?"

"I'll admit it's a mess"

"And yet you don't see that as a problem?"

"One man's problem is another man's opportunity and I intend to take full advantage" The Arishok stood up and pointed to one of his soldiers.

"Karasten are soldiers. The Qun made it so. They can never vary from that assigned path, never be other than they are meant to be" he said. "But they are free to choose within that role. To accept and succeed, or deny and die. Glory is clear and defined"

"It is an undeniable certainty. What 'full advantage' can you take without that authority?"

Ericks raised a brow. "Sorry, I find myself distracted by 'deny and die'"

The Arishok snorted. "And yet you accept the random violence that plagues this nation" he said. "I wonder if the weaker of your citizens would be so closed to certainty?" The qunari sat back on his throne. "Your kind may force our role to change if the Qun demands"

"That weak elf made a good effort at using your own weapon against you"

"We have but one weapon…the certainty of the Qun. It cannot be used against us" the Arishok said. "And it doesn't matter. I am not here to fight; I am here to satisfy a demand you cannot understand"

"Well you're certainly taking your sweet time" Ericks said dryly.

The Arishok glared at the rogue. "It will take as long as needed. No ship is coming. There is no rescue from duty to the Qun" he said. "I am stuck here"

"You could have built a ship by now, you know"

"It is not about a ship! Filth stole from us. Not now, not the saar-qamek. Years ago!" the qunari said angrily. "A simple act of greed has bound me. We are all denied Par Vollen until I alone recover what was lost under my command!" The Arishok suddenly stood up.

"That is why this elf and her shadows are unimportant. That is why I do not simply walk from the pustule of a city!" he said. "Fixing your mess is not the demand of the Qun! And you should all be grateful!" The gang was taken aback; this was the first time they had heard the Arishok angry even his own men were surprised though they did not show it. The Arishok calmed down and sat down. "Thank you, human, for your service. Leave" The gang did just that, it was best not to push their luck right now.

"What the hell was that?" Varric asked. "He was like a different person"

"He's on edge. The viscount should know about this" The gang headed towards Hightown.

A moment of weakness? Or a precursor to something much worse? Next Time! Review and Comment!