Chapter 49: A Bitter Pill pt1
For good or ill, the Imperium has put its stamp on Thedas forever.
The old Imperial Highway is still in use across most of Thedas. The ruins of Tevinter fortresses and centers of magical study still litter our landscape, long after the glory of the Imperium dimmed. But the influence of that ancient empire goes deeper than this. Without Tevinter, there would have been no Blights, no Andraste, no Chantry. Every aspect of our world would be altered.
The might and majesty of the Imperium may have faded, but it still makes its presence known, even in the most distant corners of Thedas. Every child has been brought up on stories of Tevinter as it is now: a decadent nation, ruled by the archon and his court of magisters — great, and no doubt corrupt, mage-lords. Their Chantry a mockery of our own, their Black Divine a man chosen from the ranks of the Minrathous Circle of Magi. The Maker's most hallowed law, "Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him," perverted. Mages in the Imperium say their most sacred duty is to serve man, and they serve best by wielding political power.
And the worst, that which Blessed Andraste must weep to see: All of it is built on a foundation of slavery. While most nations forbid the buying and selling of slaves within their own borders, nearly everyone ships her people to the Imperium for sale, skirting the prohibitions against such atrocities, and feeding the Imperium's endless hunger for bodies: To fight the Qunari, to work the mines and quarries, to build the palaces of the magisters, to sweep the crumbling streets and turn the middens and serve at the whim of their mage overseers.—From Black City, Black Divine: A Study of the Tevinter Imperium, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar
Fenris' Mansion
In the study, Fenris was watching the fireplace intensely while sipping back a bottle of wine…his fourth bottle straight. The ex-slave found being stupefyingly drunk help numb the mostly painful memories he had…though it took a while. One of the effects of Danarius' ritual other than the incredible strength, speed and stamina was that Fenris was incredibly resistant to poison due to the lyrium acting like a filter of sorts…this included alcohol. The magister didn't just want to show off his toy, he also wanted his toy to last. The elf growled as he took another sip of wine…the alcohol was taking effect finally. Ericks came into the room and raised a brow at all the bottles on the table. "Someone's been having fun…hope you saved some"
"Hah! Not likely" Fenris said. "This was the last bottle of the Agreggio. I've been saving it for a special occasion" Fenris gave the bottle to Ericks and the rogue took a sip, still too rich for his taste but still better than the pisswater at the Hanged Man.
"And what's that?"
"The anniversary of my escape" he said. "Aslia valla femundis, care to hear the story?"
"You actually opening up…how drunk are you, exactly?"
"Not drunk enough, I can assure you"
"Then go ahead" The tale started in Saheron, the largest island in Thedas, is a humid jungle nation in the Boeric Ocean directly north of the Tevinter Imperium. For centuries, the Imperium and tQunari have fought over this island. Fenris was there with Danarius during an attack by the Qunari. He fought his way through trying to get him to a ship, but when they got to one, there was no room for a slave. This was common for slaves to be sacrificed as they were expendable in Tevinter society. Fenris was left behind to fendfor himself, despite his skill with a sword the elf barely got out of the city alive.
"Wait, I thought you were valuable to him?"
Fenris laughed. "The fighting forced him to leave me behind…oh the look on his pathetic face as the ship pulled out was priceless" the elf said. "Once I reached the jungles, the Fog Warriors found me and nursed me back to health"
"Really? I've always heard the Fog Warriors were cannibalistic savages"
"I'm honestly surprised you believe that, Hawke…considering you were trained by the Chasind"
"Hmm, good point…" Fenris stayed with them for a time, and soon he had grown fond of the rebels. They bowed to no master and fought for their freedom…such a concept was new to the elf. He was born a slave, he was taught that his master was his whole world and he was nothing without him. For the first time, Fenris' eyes were opened but it would not last for Danarius came for him. The Fog Warriors refused to let him take Fenris back and came very close to killing Danarius…until the cornered Magister ordered Fenris to kill them. And so he did.
"Why…did you that?" Ericks asked disturbed.
Fenris looked away. "It felt inevitable. My master had returned and this…this fantasy life was over" he said. "But once it was done, I looked down at their bodies. I felt…I couldn't…"
"The guilt freed you…"
"Yes…I ran and never looked back" Afterwards Fenris stowed aboard a ship to the mainland and moved south…chased by his former master every step of the way.
"Damn…just damn…"
"Huh…I've never told that story to anyone, I've never wanted to" Fenris said taking a sip. "Perhaps this is what it means to have friend"
"That…or it could just be the wine" The elf and the rogue shared a good laugh, they may not have seen eye on certain things but it was good to know that Fenris had someone watching his back. "Well after something this heavy, how about some fresh air?"
"I could use some"
Lowtown
Ericks and Fenris walked the streets for a bit until a qunari walked towards them. Ericks raised a brow. "Can I help you with something…?"
"You are Hawke; a patrol went missing along the Wounded Coast" he said. "The Arishok says you have some semblance of honor, so tell me, did you kill them?"
Ericks crossed his arms." No 'hello' or 'how is your day?' just straight into the accusations of murder" he said dryly. "Wow, you qunari suck at conversations…"
"I seek an answer to a question, 'What has happened to the missing karataam?' the qunari asked. "Vengeance is not relevant to this task"
"I can't be your only suspect. There's Coterie, Carta, Templars…take your pick"
The qunari scoffed. "As if the karataam could be felled by the bas in this city. However, you are a different matter" he said. "If you are not responsible, I waste my time here" The qunari walked away and Ericks just groaned.
"Another day…another idiot picking a fight with the Qunari" he said. "And I was so enjoying my respite from saving the day"
Fenris rolled his eyes. "And yet, for all your complaining you're still going to get involved" he said. "I think you enjoy playing the hero"
Ericks shrugged. "I don't know about all that but it's something to do"
The Wounded Coast
The gang arrived at the Wounded Coast where they found the Qunari bodies are lying. They were attacked and killed by an abomination and shades. The gang made short work of them and was heading back to Kirkwall. Ericks was thankful that it wasn't attack from the anti-qunari fanatics; the city was tense enough as it was. As they were close to the road, a female mage and a man in light armor appeared in front of them. Both of them wore a sigil of twin snakes intertwined. Fenris growled. "Hunters!"
"Stop right there!" On the cliffs above were two more warriors with a mage beside them. "You are in possession of stolen property. Back away from the slave and you'll be spared"
"I've got a better idea, how about you back away and I won't shove that nice sword up your ass?" Ericks asked.
"I won't repeat myself. Back away from the slave now!" Fenris' lyrium markings glowed a brilliant blue as killed one of the slavers near him.
"I'm not your slave!"
Ericks shook his head. "Fucking morons never learn" The elf's rampage on the slavers was furious and unrelenting as the slavers desperately tried to stop him. Sebastian picked off the straggles with arrows to the head while Aveline tried to keep up with Fenris' fury. By the time the battle ended, it was a bloodbath…as Fenris put away his sword, he could hear pathetic whimpering behind him. The magister lived and was trying to crawl away. Fenris pursued the mage and grabbed his head, the magister cried out in pain as the elf's metal gauntlets dug into his flesh. It took all of his willpower not to pop his head like a fresh grape. "Where is he?" the elf asked in cold rage.
"Please don't kill me!" Fenris slammed his head on the ground several times.
"Talk now!"
"I don't know! I don't know, I swear!" The magister sobbed. "Hadrian brought us! She's at the holding caves north of the city! I can show you the way!"
"No need. I know which ones you speak of"
"Then let me go, I beg you! I swear I won't…"
"You chose the wrong master" With one quick twist, Fenris snapped his neck and the magister died with his eyes wide and full of fear. Fenris gave a cold low growl…it never ends with these people; they would always come after him. He would never have the life he wanted to have. "Hadriana" he said. "I was a fool to think I was free…they'll never let me be!"
"Who is this Hadriana?" Sebastian asked. Hadriana was a Tevinter Magister and the apprentice of Danarius. She was from a low ranking noble family in Minrathous, Hadriana was a social leech that tried to get into the good graces of the most prominent figures within Tevinter. She had the reputation of being ungodly cruel even by the standards of the Imperium. Hadriana had been known to deprive her master's slaves of food and sleep; in fact she was so craven that if she had children the magister sell them to get ahead in Tevinter society. This was because she was mocked and laughed at by other magisters, and so this ridicule led to her cruelty, steadily tearing away any decency within her.
"If she's here, it's at his bidding. I knew he wouldn't let this go!" Fenris said angrily pacing back and forth.
"Then why are we standing around bitching?" Ericks asked. "Let's go after her"
"Slavery against His teachings, they shall know judgement soon enough" Sebastian said.
Aveline nodded. "With all that is happening in Kirkwall, the last things we need are slavers"
"The holding caves held slaves in the old time, but apparently they are no longer abandoned" Fenris said. "We must go quickly, before Hadriana has a chance to prepare…or flee"
Holding Caves-Vimmark Mountains
Slavery in Tevinter has always been a procedural and bureaucratic process. When a new slave is captured, they are not put to work immediately. First they must be broken to ensure the slaves do not try to escape and/or rebel. They then branded for identification and their blood is drawn into phylacteries to track them in case of the unlikely event of a slave escaping. Finally all slaves are registered into the imperial registry to keep track and organize the workforce. Such a process takes months and years to complete, even on a productive day. Holding caves are used to store slaves until they are ready to be processed. Most captives never make that long due to the horrible conditions of these holdings. Due to close proximity to Tevinter, the Free Marches have anywhere from two thousand to seven thousand these holding caves within its borders. Today less than one percent of those caves are usable anymore, most have been destroy by weather or are now occupied by wildlife.
"We must be careful" Fenris said. "There were many such holdings once, especially in the mountains, where individual slavers kept private pens"
"They were designed to protect against raids by fellow slavers. No doubt it's why Hadriana chose this place"
"No honor among slavers, huh?" Ericks asked.
"Indeed, what better way to find slaves than to steal them?" the elf said. "The holdings outside Tevinter have mostly been abandoned, but they still exist"
"Maybe she wanted to redecorate, add a few flowers"
The elf scoffed. "She's not a 'flowers' kind of woman" The gang went inside.
A blast from the past in the worst way! Next Time! As always Review and Comment!
