The too long, no good, very weird day

14 Cloudreach
9:41

Marnie is in Crestwood with Bull, Dorian, and Cole. There is a rift in the middle of a lake; how are they going to get to it? …No, I cannot even begin to imagine.

Guess who just showed up today?

Edwyn.

According to the gate guard, Edwyn simply walked up to the guard station and said that he was Warden Edwyn Amell and he was here to see Prince Alistair Theirin. The guards were suspicious, but they know I used to be a warden. They sent a runner to fetch me and when I arrived at the gate there he was. I pulled him into a hug which was the quickest way to communicate to the guard that all was alright and they could stand down.

Anyway

I took Edwyn to mine and Cullen's office. Yes, the hole is still in the roof. Cullen keeps saying he's going to fix it, but I think he actually likes it that way. His one bit of rebellion in a lifetime of towing the line. Currently, he was working with Dennet and Siobhan on plans to develop a cavalry. As soon as I closed the door, I said, "'Don't worry' you wrote! Then you disappeared. Where in the void have you been?"

Edwyn apologized about the "wording of that note," and admitted that he should have come to see Marnie and me and explain. He was looking for a cure for the taint but then "strange things" started happening. He said that he started hearing rumors of tainted lyrium being given to templars in Kirkwall; knowing about Meredith and remembering Marnie's request, he went to Kirkwall to investigate and sure enough the templars are being given red lyrium.

Edwyn told me, "I also heard that an ancient magister was mucking about with the red lyrium. It turned out to be Corypheus, the one you wrote to me about Marnie having killed."

I nodded my head, "The bugger didn't seem to stay dead."

Edwyn suggested that Corypheus is a bit like the Archdemon and simply took over another's body. He said he warned Nate and then went to Orlais to see Warden-Commander Clarel.

"That's when all the wardens starting hearing the Calling."

It was at that point that I sat down in my chair, hard.

Edwyn was quick to say that it wasn't the real Calling, that he believed it was Corypheus inducing this false calling through the red lyrium.

I held up my hand for Edwyn to stop. I went to my desk and wrote a note that read, "Seek Antivan Lion." I folded the note and gave it to the guard stationed outside the office with the instructions to give it directly to Sister Leliana. Then I took Edwyn to the War Room. The note is a code used to say there is an emergency and to meet in the War Room. I thought this counted as an emergency.

Once everyone was in the room, Edwyn explained that when he arrived in Orlais, Clarel said she'd written all the warden-commanders ordering them to come to Orlais with their wardens. Edwyn had already alerted Nathaniel, and according to Marnie, Nathaniel was ignoring Clarel's ridiculous summons.

Edwyn continued to explain that since the wardens all thought they were dying they were desperately trying to find help in trying to rid Thedas of darkspawn. "A solution found them in the form of a Tevinter Magister named Livius Erimond."

Cullen, Cassandra, Josie, and Leliana all had the same thought as I did: The convenient arrival of a Tevinter magister had to be connected with Corypheus. I said as much to Edwyn.

Edwyn nodded. "Indeed. His idea was to create a demon army that could enter the deep roads and kill the remaining old gods. Of course, the demon army would require the warden mages to commit human sacrifices to bind the demons to them. What they failed to realize was that in doing so they will be binding themselves to Corypheus."

Edwyn said that he tried to convince Clarel that Erimond couldn't be trusted, that this was a plot by Corypheus. "Clarel decided that I was a traitor to the wardens and tried to have me arrested, but I escaped. As soon has she has the wardens gathered she will be lead them to Adamant Fortress to perform the ritual."

Cullen decided to start plans for laying siege to the fortress, and Leliana was going to send out scouts to Adamant, but further plans needed to wait for Marnie's return.

Since we were done with the dramatic bits, I escorted Edwyn around to introduce him to Marnie's inner circle, at least the ones that were here: Vivienne, Solas, Sera, and he already knew Varric.

Then we went to the stables so I could introduce him to Blackwall. As soon as I said that Blackwall was a Warden, Edwyn whipped out his staff and dropped Blackwall to the ground, the blade of his staff at Blackwall's neck.

Before I could speak, Edwin growled, "Liar! You do not carry the taint; who are you really?"

Apparently, we were not done with the dramatic bits.

Blackwall explained that he was recruited but hadn't gone through the Joining because his recruiter was killed by darkspawn. He couldn't just go to Val Chevin because he had no proof that he'd been recruited and was worried that they would think he was the killer. So, he just pretended to be a warden and travelled around helping people when he could and fighting darkspawn when they appeared.

Edwyn held up his hand to help Blackwall to his feet, then looking from Blackwall to me he said, "I either put him through the Joining, or he dies."

I told Edwyn that I understood, but Blackwall was under the protection of the Inquisition, even more so as he isn't a warden. This had to wait until Marnie returned.

Edwyn nodded, reluctantly, then said, "If he tries to escape Skyhold, I will hunt him down and kill him, Inquisition or not."

Blackwall said he wasn't leaving and was thankful to have a chance to really join the wardens.

There is something that Blackwall is holding back. I know him pretty well, and I'm sure there is something more to this. Hopefully Marnie can get it out of him.

When we left the stables, I pulled Edwyn aside and told him that Morrigan was here, that she had been Celene's occult advisor.

Edwyn grinned. "I know; I was with her in Orlais. How did you think I knew where to find you?"

Then he jogged off in the direction of the courtyard.

I turned and went straight to the tavern.

Then I went straight to bed.

~oOOo~

"That was a too long, no good, very weird day. I mean Edwyn showed up two candles after breakfast and the day just went on and on…"

Marnie was messaging Alistair's right shoulder. "I'm glad you waited for me to decide about Blackwall."

"Well, you were the Boss." Then Alistair groaned as the knotted muscle relaxed.

"Feel better?"

Alistair smiled, "Much."

"Good, because we are running out of crates and we still have a few more journal entries to read."

~oOOo~

Thanks as always to my beta ElyssaCousland!