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Chapter 10: Eamon's Gambit and the Golem

Dawn arrived when the party reached Redcliffe Castle. They marched up the stair, into the castle and found Teagan and Isolde waiting for them. Malcolm walked up to them and Teagan asked, "You return. Might you have news?"

Malcolm asked, "What is Arl Eamon's condition?"

"Unchanged, I'm afraid. We've tried more magical healing, but nothing works. As time passes, I become more and more convinced the Urn might be our only hope."

Malcolm grabs the pouch while saying, "I found the Urn."

"You have? Wonderful! Let us go at once to Eamon's side and see if the Urn's healing powers live up to their reputation!" Malcolm follows as they run upstairs to Eamon's room. Malcolm hands the mage, who has been treating Eamon, the pouch and watches as the mage does some kind of spell using the Ashes.

After a while, Eamon glows and he opens his eyes. "Wh-Where am I?"

Teagan keels next to the bed. "Be calm, Brother. You have been deathly ill for a very long time. Do you remember nothing?"

"Teagan? What are you doing here? Where is Isolde?"

Isolde kneels next to the bed. "I am here, my husband."

Eamon asks her, "And Connor? Where is my boy? Where is our son?"

"He lives, though many others are dead. There is much to tell you, husband."

"Dead? Then… it was not a dream?"

Teagan says, "Much has happened since you fell ill, Brother. Some of it will not be… easy for you to hear."

"Then tell me. I wish to hear all of it." Teagan and Isolde helped Eamon to get up, while Teagan tells him about what happened. Sometime later. Eamon stares into the fire. "This is most troubling." Eamon turns around. "There is much to be done, that is true. But I should first be thankful to those who have done so much. Grey Wardens, you have not only saved my life but kept my family safe as well. I am in your debts. Will you permit me to offer you a reward for your services?"

Malcolm spoke up. "I need your help against the Blight. That will do."

"I understand, but regardless of your motivations I feel you are worthy of a reward. I would like to honor your efforts, nothing more."

Malcolm gave a small bow. "As you wish, then."

"Then allow me to declare you and those traveling with you champions of Redcliffe. You will always be a welcome guest within these halls. And for you, Lord Cousland, a shield of the same make as those that have been given to our finest knights."

Malcolm accepts the shield from a knight. "Thank you, your grace."

Teagan speaks up. "We should speak of Loghain, Brother. There is no telling what he will do once he learns of your recovery."

Eamon replies, "Loghain instigates a civil war even though the darkspawn is on our very doorstep. Long have I known him. He is a sensible man; one who never desired power."

"I was there when he announced he was taking control of the throne, Eamon. He is mad with ambition, I tell you."

"Mad indeed. Mad enough to kill Cailan, to attempt to kill myself and destroy my lands. Whatever happened to him, Loghain must be stopped. What's more, we can scarce afford to fight this war to its bitter end."

Malcolm asks, "But you can unite the nobility against Loghain, can't you?"

"I could unite those opposing Loghain, yes. But not all oppose him. He has some very powerful allies. We have no time to wage a campaign against him. Someone must surrender if Ferelden is to have any chance at fighting the darkspawn."

"But once everyone learns what he's done…"

"I will spread word of Loghain's treachery, both here and against the king. But it will be but a claim made without proof. Those claims will give Loghain's allies pause, but we must combine it with a challenge Loghain cannot ignore. We need someone with a stronger claim to the throne that Loghain's daughter, the queen."

Teagan asks, "Are you referring to Alistair, Brother? Are you certain?"

"I would not propose such a thing if we had an alternative. But the unthinkable has occurred."

Halia asks, "You intend to put Alistair forward as king?"

"Teagan and I have a claim through marriage, but we would seem opportunists, no better than Loghain. Alistair's claim is by blood."

Alistair pipes up. "And what about me? Does anyone care what I want?"

"You have a responsibility, Alistair. Without you, Loghain wins. I would have to support him, for the sake of Ferelden. Is that what you want?"

"I… but I… no, my lord."

"I see only one way to proceed. I will call for a Landsmeet. There, Ferelden can decide who shall rule, one way or another. Then the business of fighting our true foe can begin." He looks at Malcolm. "What say you, my friend? I do not wish to proceed without your blessing."

Malcolm looks confused. "My blessing? Why do you need my blessing?"

"None of this would be possible without you. You led Alistair here, you saved my life with the Urn of Sacred Ashes… It's your lead I follow. I am a credible enough figure in this nation to call the Landsmeet, but I hold no illusions that I could face Loghain without you. Surely, you see that."

"I say we proceed with your plan."

"Very well, I will send out the word." Eamon looks at Teagan. "But before we proceed, I believe there is the matter of the mage… my son's tutor. He still lives, I understand."

Teagan answers. "He does. He is in the dungeon, Brother."

"Have him brought here, Teagan. I wish to see him." Teagan leaves and returns later with Jowan. Eamon looks at him. "Jowan. What you have done is not in question. You tried to assassinate me and set into motion a series of events that nearly destroyed everything I cherish. What have you to say in your own defense?"

Jowan answers with a bent head. "Nothing, my lord… other than to say I am sorry. I expect no mercy for what I have done."

"I see." Eamon looks at Malcolm. "Warden, have you anything to say on Jowan's behalf?"

Malcolm answers. "He seems earnest in his desire to repent."

"Oh? That is… unexpected. And what would you have me do? As the injured party, my ability to see the merciful path is… strained."

"Give him to the Circle of Magi."

"True enough, and wisely said." Eamon turns to Jowan. "Jowan, I hereby turn you over to the tower of the Circle of Magi. May the Maker have mercy on your soul."

Jowan bows. "Thank you, my lord." The guard escorts Jowan out.

Eamon turns back to Malcolm. "Now back to the matter of the Landsmeet. We should head to Denerim as soon as possible. I can delay that, however, if you have other plans."

"My lord, we still have two other treaties that we need to pursue."

"Of course. Come speak to me when you are done."

"Yes, my lord. We shall take our leave." Malcolm and party leaves Redcliffe and heads into the wilderness. Once they set up camp, Malcolm called them to a meeting. "Okay, so we have two treaties left. To save time, we need to split up. Halia, we will follow your suggestion and let you talk to the Dalish. I will go talk to the dwarfs. On the way, we will stop at Sulcher's Pass to look for supplies. When you're done recruiting the elves, wait for us at Redcliffe. It might take us longer, so don't get too worry if we don't show up for a few days. I'll take Leliana, Sten and Morrigan." He looks at the sky. "We leave at dawn."

Later that night. Malcolm was curled up with Leliana under a bedroll. He rolled around for he was having another nightmare.

Malcolm was running down a corridor and stopped at the door. He tried the handle but found it was locked. He simply didn't have time for locked doors. He kicked it several times before it gave way. He ran through the doorway, and found himself in a big empty room. He walked inside and Howe jumped out of the shadows. After a quick duel, Howe was dead but another one jumped out. It kept going on for minutes, until he killed the last person. However, he was too much into the fight that he didn't noticed that it wasn't Howe he just killed. He dropped his sword and shield and held Leliana as he cried. Then a figure walked up. "Look at what your lust for fighting has done," said the darker image of Malcolm. "Look at what we have done."

Malcolm looked at it. "We?"

"Yes. Because, face it, we are the same," it said as the dark shadow melted into him.

Malcolm woke up, sweaty, pulse racing, on the verge of hyperventilating and he sat up. Leliana was already sitting up and had part of the bedroll over her body, so if someone walked in she would have something on. She asked, "What's wrong?"

Malcolm forced himself to take deep, slow breaths. After his pulse slowed down some, he said, "Another nightmare."

"Was it Highever or the archdemon?"

"Neither." Malcolm laid down.

"Tell me."

"I… don't know where to begin." Leliana laid beside him, hand massaging his chest. "Back at the temple, I ran into the spirit of my father. After that, I had to fight two dark figures, but I also had changed myself. I realized that my family is still with me. But the figures…" He turns his head to look at her. "They were us. Darker versions of us. I had to kill them… us… or whatever they were." He looks at the top of the tent. "This time, I was in the same room, but Howe just kept jumping out of the shadows, until I… I killed you. Then the dark image of me came and told me that that… thing and I were the same."

Leliana just laid there, massaging his chest, and listened. After a while, she said, "That was then, and now, you've changed. I noticed that you carry yourself different, now, as if a burden has been removed." Leliana put herself on his arm as she hugs him.

He wraps his arm around her and puts his hand on her shoulder. He looks at her. "Thank you. It's because of you, that I'm different now. You know," he looks at the top of the tent, "if you told me a month ago that I would have found a girl like you for me, I would have laughed." He smiles. "But now," he looks at her, "now I found someone to wake up to." He kisses her. "I love you."

"Je t'aime aussi, mon chérie." They fall asleep.

The next day. Malcolm saw a single person looking around. He walked up to the guy. "Excuse me."

"Oh my," he spins around, "you startled me."

"I'm sorry. Do you need help?"

"No. I sent my boy to find our ox, and on top of that, I have this stupid thing that I can't seem to get rid of. It's a 'control rod' I'm told for a golem. Here, take it."

"What's the catch?"

"The catch? The catch is that the rod doesn't come with the golem. The golem is in a village to the south, called Honnleath. Here, I'll mark it on your map." He grabs Malcolm's map and marks the village. He hands back the map and the control rod. "The command phrase is 'dulef gar'. If it doesn't work, you could try to find who used to own the golem. Now if you would excuse me, I should go look for my son. Good day." He walks away.

Malcolm walks to the group. "Well, we have a new heading." They then went find the village.

A few days later. Halia's arrow went into the Hurlock's throat just as it reached Alistair. As they made their way to the road, Wynne collapsed. Halia turned around, ran and helped the elder mage up. Halia asked, "Wynne, are you okay? What just happen?"

"Ooh. I thought it was over."

"The battle's over, if that's what you mean."

"No, my dear. I thought I was. We can continue on. Next time we make camp, I will explain." Halia looked at her then started to walk. That night. Wynne walks up to the young Dalish. "I guess I should explain what happened." Wynne explains the spirit that lives with her which brings up a personal regret about a mage called Aneirin. Halia promises to find him, but Wynne says that he is dead, or so she believes.

The next day. Malcolm has spent all night trying to solve the puzzle. But now that he has the correct command phrase he can finally reactivate the golem that is in the middle of the square. He walks up to it. As he holds up the control rod, he says the words, "'Dulen harn.'"

At first, nothing happened. Then he noticed that dust started to come off it. Then the head moved slightly and cracks could be here. Then, like a person breaking out of ice, one arm came free, along with the body, then the other. It then stood straight up and said, "I knew that the day would come when someone would find the control rod. And of course it is another mage. That is what it is, yes? Yes. Just my luck."

Malcolm says, "I am not a mage."

"It thinks these crystals are simply for show, I see. It thinks I cannot sense the energies it commands," the golem finishes with a snort. "I stood here in this spot and watched the wretched little village scurry around me for, oh, I have no idea how long. Many, many years."

Leliana speaks up. "Oh, you poor dear! That would be… really, really boring."

Morrigan adds, "Then one wonders that you wouldn't be grateful to the one who allowed you to stretch your legs, golem."

The golem stares at her. "Hmm. Another mage, I see. Charming. I was just beginning to get used to the quiet, too. Tell me, are all the villagers dead?"

Malcolm replies. "No, not all of them."

"Some got away, then? How unfortunate."

"You didn't care for them, I take it?"

"Familiarity breeds contempt, as they say, and after thirty years as a captive audience, I was as familiar with these villagers as one could possibly be. Not that I wished their fate on them, no, but it did make for a delightful change of pace."

"Do you have a name?"

"Perhaps. I may have forgotten after all the years of being called 'golem'. 'Golem, fetch me that chair. Do be a good golem and squash the insipid bandit.' And let's not forget 'Golem, pick me up. I tire of walking.' It… does have the control rod, doesn't it? I am awake, so it… must…"

"Is something wrong?"

"I see the control rod, yet I feel… Go on. Order me to do something."

"What? Why?"

"Oh, go on. It will be fun."

"All right. Walk over there," Malcolm just points somewhere.

"And… nothing? I feel nothing. I feel no compulsion to carry out its command. I suppose this means the rod is… broken?"

"Shouldn't you be happy about that?"

"Hmm. I suppose if I can't be commanded, this means… I have free will, yes? It is simply… what should I do? I have no memories, beyond this village. I have no purpose… I find myself at a bit of a loss. What about it? It must have awoken me for some reason, no? What did it intend to do with me?"

"I can think of many uses for a personal golem."

"Oh, such as?"

"I am a Grey Warden. I need all I can use against the Blight."

"I see. I suppose I have two options, do I not? Go with it or… go elsewhere? I… do not even know what lies beyond this village."

"Are you going to keep calling me 'it'?"

"Yes. Very likely."

"You're welcome to come with me."

"I will follow it about then… for now. I am called Shale, by the way."

"Okay then, Shale. Let's go." The group makes it to the beginning of the village, when (Smash). Malcolm turns around and sees a blood spot that was not there before, and Shale just shrugs its shoulders.

Hey guys. I hate the puzzle you have to do in the lab, plus I wanted Halia to look for Aneirin. Just for clarity, Malcolm gave Morrigan the Black Grimore, even though I did not show it. Please message me if you would like to see The Golems of Amgarrak, Witch Hunt, and Awakening.

Je t'aime aussi - i love you too