Author's Note: This chapter includes The Awiergan Scrolls: First Aspect, The Awiergan Scrolls: Second Aspect, and The Awiergan Scrolls: Third Aspect.

Dearest Father,

The last few nights my dreams have haunted me into the waking hours. Rituals being performed by men I've never met. Familiar locations around Kirkwall flash within my mind. Symbols I can not recognize. At the end, always the sneering laughter from something not of this world. I didn't know if it was a demon playing tricks in the Fade, or something far worse hiding in the darkness.

After the first nightmare, I drew the symbol I saw so I wouldn't forget it. After the second, I did the same, and asked Sebastian to stay the night for fear of the dream repeating. Sure enough, last night, it happened again. Another dream, more images, a third symbol. I wasn't sure what any of it meant, but Sebastian insisted we try to find out what's going on. I think this was the first time he'd really felt fear of me being a mage, and if I'm being honest, I was terrified as well. Demons can prey on you all sorts of ways, you taught me that, and not knowing why this was happening scared us both.

We went to see Anders to speak with him about it. Having been in a Circle and studied what the Chantry teachings of magic, we took the chance that he might have more knowledge than I had in the books I had collected over the years. We sat down and reviewed the symbols and their context within the dreams.

The first symbol Anders recognized as a Chasind chieftain's sigil. When I told him I saw it in my dreams at a very specific location in the Wounded Coast, he suggested we go there and check it out. Sebastian agreed it was a good idea, and so we headed back to the estate to gather some supplies for the trip and asked Fenris to come along. I was hoping this was all in my head somehow, but when we arrived on the Coast and found an ancient scroll in the exact location of my dream, with the exact symbol I had envisioned, it sent a chill through my body.

"We have been to this spot a dozen times in our travels," Hawke said as she watched Anders unroll the scroll. "How have we never noticed this was here before?"

"Perhaps because we were not looking for it," Anders replied. "It seems you were meant to find it, that your dream led you here for a reason."

Fenris shift uncomfortably but remained silent.

"What does it say?" Sebastian asked.

"There are two parchments within," Anders explained. "The first says 'Mine dottir was taken by the caster, and mine legion met him. She was pried from his blood-scrawls, but some horror did inhabit him instead. Mine legion could not contain, and I ask for a seal, whatever the faith. Price be paid, Scholar.' Well that doesn't sound good," he commented.

"Sounds ancient," Hawke said, trying to figure out its meaning. "What of the second?"

Anders read the second parchment aloud. "'Of binding a symptom, no vial can contain you. One of three, separated in prevention. Unbound, but caged, I must not follow. Truth will hold you, for that is what truth does.' There's a rather strange drawing below it as well."

"May I?" Hawke asked, extending a hand to accept the parchments. Anders handed her the old documents, and the second her flesh touched the paper, an image of another location flashed in her mind. She cried out at the unexpected intrusion, and Sebastian was quick to her side, holding her steady.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "What happened?"

She took a moment to gather her thoughts before explaining to the group, "There's something else here. When I connected with the parchment, I saw another location, up the hill and around a bend. It feels like I'm being drawn to it."

Fenris shook his head. "I do not like this Hawke," he said in protest.

"Nor I," Sebastian agreed. "But I think we must follow where it leads for now and find out what this is all about."

"I agree," Anders said. "Take us to the place you saw."

And so we travelled up the Coast. I have no real way to explain how I knew where I was going, only that I felt a pull to a specific location; the closer we got, the stronger it felt. When we reached our destination, corpses began to rise from the ground and attacked us! After what seemed like a never ending amount of them, an Arcane horror appeared. Knowing that they are summoned when a Pride demon possesses the corpse of a mage did not help to ease the fear of my dreams.

Once we destroyed it, I felt a bit better, as if vanquishing the demon released something that was taunting me in the back of my mind. When I informed the others of this, they insisted we continue on and attempt to follow the visions I had from the other two dreams. And so we did, Sundermount being our next destination. Just as I had dreamed, we found the scroll behind the ancient ruins near the entrance to the path below Sundermount.

The second symbol was the seal of some Orlesian noble house, and again we found a scroll with that symbol at the exact location I had dreamt about. Another two parchments within containing more cryptic messages. The first said, 'Our line is dead, but still walking. I know not if it is because of the old ways, but my three boys are now something other because of want. If He can be called on, I ask you, Scholar, do so, and the price is paid.' This one made a bit more sense; sounded as if there were possessed corpses about, and the author of this letter was reaching out for help.

Anders confirmed the second parchment resembled its first counterpart, perhaps a binding spell of somesort? 'Of binding a symptom, no vial can contain you. Two of three, three yourself, asunder. Caged, but still meddling, you will not goad me. Truth will hold you, or it is no longer true.' I don't know if the three was referring to the three boys mentioned or the three dreams . As with the first scroll, the moment I touched it, I had a vision of another location, this one atop Sundermount.

We discovered it must have been referring to the three boys, as we were attacked by three creatures at the mountain's peak. Two were revenants and another undead, their attacks were harsh and relentless. Anders reminded me that revenants too are often the result of a Pride demon, same as the Arcane horrors from earlier. But was it the same Pride demon behind both of these attacks?

I knew the third scroll was along the southern loop just before the Dalish camp. This one had Rivaini markings on it, and again I wished Isabela was with us to explain what it meant. Sebastian suggested it was no more than another house symbol. Again two parchments within, the first as the others, begging for a scholar's help: 'He was our hero against Par Vollen, and we were in awe. Perhaps it was our fault. There was a day when he changed and saw us as servants, not those he offered to serve. And then he was infested. We need a seal, Scholar, in the faith you choose. The price is paid.' The second, as before, written in the same hand as the other two: 'Of binding a symptom, no vial can contain you. Three of three, you perverted a man elevated by others. I will not yield, even as I must turn to face you. Truth will hold you, or a new truth we will create.'

Another vision, another location, another Arcane horror with the addition of shades. Again I felt something being freed within me, but we weren't finished. I can't explain how I knew this, but there was one final fight to be had.

We returned to Kirkwall and asked Varric to join us at the estate. We spread out all of the parchments on the dining room table, trying to piece together the puzzle before us.

Varric realigned the letters so the first of each scroll was on top and the second below. Studying all three, he noticed something the others had not. "Did you look at this strange handprint on all of these?" he asked.

Anders and Hawke took a closer look at the blob of red ink marking the bottom of each letter assumed to have been written by the scholar. "That's a handprint?" Hawke asked, turning her head to look at it from different angles. "How can you tell? It's different in all three."

"The only thing different is the little finger," Varric pointed out. "See here?" he said, holding his hand over the image. "It's a hand alright, but that finger gets smaller with each scroll."

"Are you suggesting…" Sebastian began, unable to complete the thought when he realized what Varric was implying.

"Blood magic," Anders confirmed. "The scholar severed a part of his finger each time he did the binding ritual."

"Oh Maker," Hawke gasped, looking again at each parchment. The first showed the tip of the little finger missing. The second displayed the finger cut at the second knuckle. And on the third, where there should have been a little finger, there was nothing. "We fight demons all the time. Was there no better way to be rid of it?"

Varric shrugged. "Who knows when these were originally written? Or just what type of demon we're dealing with? As grand as revenants and horrors are, they aren't something you haven't fought before. I have a feeling that whatever this guy was binding isn't like anything you fought today."

"Which means it's still out there," Hawke said. "But where…"

"Maybe there are more scrolls," Anders suggested. "Whatever is reaching out to you may have more dreams for you."

"Or the next one brings the demon that will possess her," Fenris said. "By breaking the seals on these scrolls, we may have made it stronger."

Hawke stared at Fenris. "That's a comforting thought, thanks," she said. "I won't be sleeping tonight, or ever."

Sebastian placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "You said you felt peace with each battle won. That is not the work of a demon."

Anders nodded. "Sebastian's right. I think if the demon were trying to possess you, what we've done today weakened his hold on you." He turned his attention back to the scrolls. "The answer has to be here. What about these black marks beside the handprint? They all appear different, but similar in some way."

The others moved closer to look at what Anders was referring to. Faint markings on each letter written by the scholar. "Is that some kind of map?" Varric asked, turning the page. "The only similar block on each of these is here," he muttered to himself, turning the others to align the only constant on all three maps. "That can't be right…"

"What is it Varric?" Hawke asked, trying to see what he was seeing.

"Kirkwall," Varric said. "Hightown," he pointed out on the first parchment. "This one is Lowtown, and the third is Darktown. That block right there," he showed the others. "Align it on all three maps, and guess where it is?"

"Right where we're standing," Hawke whispered, staring in disbelief. "But that would mean…"

"The Pride demon is in your house," Fenris concluded for her.

We searched the entire house together, but found nothing. Kitchen, study, library, bedrooms, guest rooms, servants wing, there was nothing out of place and nothing suspicious. It wasn't until Varric and Anders reminded me of the three lower levels of the basement that I became a bit nervous. I hadn't been down there since Carver and I broke into the estate all those years ago for Mother. But there were plenty of rooms and passages down there I had never explored, so it was time to do so.

The low hissing growl we heard coming from the second floor of the wine cellar gave us all pause. When we entered the room, a large demon leapt from the shadows, towering over us. Purple-gray skin, four horns, large teeth, talons, definitely something out of a nightmare. And then to know it had been living beneath the estate for Maker knows how long? Perhaps it was the fear in the moment, but I begged Sebastian right there to move in with me. To my surprise, instead of an outright refusal, he said we could discuss it another time.

The creature confirmed for us that we had in fact broken the seals which bound it by opening the scrolls and facing the demons on the surface. It also confirmed it was a demon of Pride, with his speech and confidence. It called itself Hybris, though I didn't care what its name was, I just wanted it out of my house. And so we fought, five of us on one. Nearly as difficult as my fight with the Arishok, but we were successful nonetheless, and for the first time in several days, I felt completely free of any lingering fear from the nightmares.

I was also completely exhausted. When we returned to the main level of the estate, I remember sitting on the couch and then little else. Varric informed me that I had quickly fallen asleep and Sebastian carried me to my room, where he remained to watch over me as I slept. When I woke, he was still beside me, and asked me if I had any more nightmares. I told him the only dream I could recall was of a man dressed as a scholar, his left hand noticeably missing its little finger when he waved at me. Then the scholar smiled, and I was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude. He then turned into a bright glowing light, and drifted away into the vastness of the Fade.

Sebastian's convinced it was the scholar giving me the dreams, to help fulfill some purpose he was unable to when he was alive. I'd like to think so, that I was able to help him find peace somehow. It's much better than thinking a Pride demon had used me to free itself. As for the conversation about Sebastian moving into the estate, well that hasn't happened yet. But it will, soon, because even with the demon destroyed, I can't help but wonder what else lurks below Hightown.