Here's a little bit of filler content while I figure out things for the next few chapters. It's nothing that really pushes the story, so don't expect a whole lot of relevancy. Also you can go back and re-read the story as at this point Duneyrr's sections should all be adjusted to 3rd person POV.
It was a desert. This Herald of Andraste had Duneyrr tracking through a desert in search of some tablets he couldn't care less about. The walk was long – too long – and he had already gone through half a water supply by the time they got past the desert border, halfway to their destination.
Varric looked over to the sunburnt Archmage, lightly laughing at how much sweat he was drenched in. "Not a big fan of the heat?"
"My people were built for snow," Duneyrr replied. "If you wanted to explore the sands I would have recommended a Redguard."
Varric humorously smiled at the comment. "Hey, I'm not built for this place either, but I think I'm handling myself well."
"Maybe if you would step out of his shadow you would know what the heat feels like," Cassandra added, clearly almost overheated herself.
"I'm perfectly fine where I am, Seeker," Varric answered back, walking comfortably in the shadows cast by Cassandra and Duneyrr.
The trek had continued on for almost another half hour of everyone but Varric suffering in the scorching heat of the sun. In their journey both Cassandra and Duneyrr had cursed wearing their heavier gear in their journey, especially the Archmage who had worn his traditional robe instead of something lighter. Even though he had never been, this is what he imagined it to be like traveling through the Alik'r desert.
Following the small mountain pass, over many dunes and through several more depressions, the party of four found themselves just at the edge of their destination: a small series of canyons and cliff sides with weathered away boards that blocked off half a dozen caves. Their party leader had scouted up ahead for a place to set up encampment, returning only half an hour later.
They were lucky she chose a place at the edge of one of the cliffs, which blocked off the rising sun. The materials were quickly gathered, using a small patch of nearby trees at a watering hole and the thick, leathery hides of nearby beasts. More inquisition scouts joined soon, who had been following the party only a few hours behind.
Duneyrr was the first person to take a seat at the camp, indulging himself to more water that was gathered at the hole. The Herald simply wishes he didn't drink too much. The water from the hole was a pain to purify, and the desert isn't very partial to rainfall.
"How long are we supposed to be here?" Duneyrr asked, half out of breath and sitting in the shade.
"A few days," Answered the Herald. "I don't plan on being here for more than a week at maximum."
"Good," answered Cassandra, getting out of her armor and taking a seat right across from the Archmage. "If possible I'd appreciate it if we were all back in Haven as soon as possible."
Duneyrr had finished through his entire water pouch and slammed the empty holder on the sandstone rock he used as a bench. "So why in Oblivion did you drag us here?"
"We've had what few mages the Inquisition has go over a series of stone tablets, that we now know are magical in some way," the Herald answered. "With Solas gone and you being the only mage who is actively aiding the Inquisition, I thought it would be best to bring you along."
"I don't know the first thing about Thedasian magic," he answered. "I'm unsure of how much help I'll be."
"It's better than nothing," Said Trevelyan. "We'll rest for now. We'll start the mission tomorrow."
"Thank the maker," Cassandra sighed, finally out of her armor and laying down on the sand.
"Who's that?" Duneyrr asked. "Is he one of your people's gods?"
"He is the god, Smiles," Varric answered. "The god worshipped by the Chantry and its followers."
"What did you just call me?" Duneyrr noted, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"It's one of Varric's nicknames," Cassandra said. "He has one for everyone."
"I don't like it."
"Most people don't," the Seeker admitted. "But about your question, who is the Maker..."
"I never had the opportunity to learn the religion of the land," the Archmage replied. "Been so worried about the College's current status to be bothered to care."
Cassandra huffed irritably at his wording, but understood his dilemma regardless. "The Maker is called the Maker because he made all things. He created the world we live in and the people who live in it."
"Huh," Duneyrr responded with some level of familiarity. "How exactly did he make the world and its creatures, if I may ask."
"I'm not sure," she answered. "We only know that he is responsible for creating the world and the fade. We do not know how he did so."
"So he just plopped everything down and was done?" Duneyrr inquired further.
"He didn't just 'plop everything down'," Cassandra answered. "Everything was made one at a time."
"Then what came first?"
"First came the Fade, and the spirits that were created there being his first children," she began. "He made the spirits in his own image, however he eventually turned away from them because they lacked a soul and could alter the world around them at will. They could only imitate what they saw, and lack imagination and creativity."
Duneyrr hummed as he stood up. He went over to refill his water pouch at one of the barrels brought with them. "Isn't altering the world at will what mages do? If so are you scared he may turn away from you as well?"
"You'd have to ask solas about that first part. I don't know enough about magic to answer that question. However, he did eventually turn away from us as well."
"Then why worship him?" Duneyrr asked, grabbing the attention of the rest of the camp. "If your god has abandoned you why not turn to another?"
"I don't think that's a question a lot of people who worship the Maker would appreciate Smiles," Varric said.
Duneyrr looked at Varric, irritated, and then towards Cassandra who wore a scowl on her face. "First off I have a name, use it. Second, I can tell if she's anything to go by." Duneyrr walked back to his sandstone bench and sat in the shade. "But it's a fair question, no? Is there a reason why you still worship this Maker?"
The Herald had spoken this time. "The Chantry teaches that once the Song of Light is sung from all corners of the world, the Maker will one day return and transform the world into paradise." Unlike the other woman along on this trip she had no sense of anger or irritation
"Ignoring the fact that the world has no corners, how do you know this is-"
"I think topic of the Maker should end here," said Varric, attempting to diffuse a situation that could turn poorly.
"What about your religion and customs?" Cassandra said, seemingly adding fuel to a fire that had just been lit if her tone was anything to go by. If Varric had to go by anything she was probably hoping to find a way to tear down Duneyrr's view.
"Maybe we should-" Varric tried to say before being cut off.
"What about it?" Asked the Archmage, not oblivious to her tone, but curious nonetheless.
"How do your people believe the world was made?"
"Depends on the religion," he answered. "Still, the most widely accepted theory among intellectual circles is that the world was made by Magnus, the god of magic. In what many called the Dawn Era, Magnus and several spirits called et'Ada were convinced by another god named Lorkhan into creating the world."
"So you believe that spirits created the world?" Cassandra replied. "Spirits lack imagination and creativity-"
"As you've said before," Duneyrr said. "These spirits are known as the Original Spirits, those that came before the creation of the mortal world. And likely your fade as well."
"You don't believe the fade is real?" Cassandra asked almost spitefully.
"It's highly probable it does exist," Duneyrr answered, catching the party by surprise. "It wouldn't be the only other plain separate from Mundus, the physical world."
"O-oh," Cassandra replied. "What do mean by 'other plains'?"
"During the creation of the mortal realm, multiple other et'Ada made their own little living spaces in Oblivion, which is the place outside Mundus. These spirits are known as Daedra in the old elvish languages, which translates into 'Not our Ancestors'. These places include Moonshadow, realm of Azura, Coldharbor, realm of Molag Bal, The Fields of Regret, realm of Clavicus Vile, and several others."
"And these are gods your people worship?" Asked Cassandra.
"Absolutely not," Duneyrr answered. "At least not my people. Some are worshipped by other races and religions, but among greater part of Tamriel these deities are condemned. The vast majority of Daedra are malicious and evil, not to be trusted by any sane man."
"Like who?" Varric asked, leaning forward with a slight interest.
Dozens of lords came to mind, all of them more evil than the last. Namira covets cannibalism and represents decay, Sheogorath would turn a man inside out because he thought it might be funny, and Clavicus Vile's mischievous nature lead to the deaths and misfortune of many for his own amusement.
Though none came to mind more than the name of one particular prince. A creature who defiled many living things and traumatized one his closest friends. A Daedric thing, not deserving of the title lord or prince but powerful enough to warrant it.
"Molag Bal is a force to be reckoned with. One of the Daedra who are the closest thing to a Demon God you will ever meet in your life, if only by his dark behavior..."
"... the Daedric Prince of subjugation, slavery, corruption and vampirism. He has many titles, but the one most notable would be the King of Rape which he obtained by profaning the virgin priestess of Arkay, Lamae Beolfag." Solas closed the book and marked the page where it was.
Demon god was an accurate title to gift a spirit who would do that to a woman. From his understanding of prior tomes he read through, the spirits that Duneyrr's homeland are in contact with the most have their own individualities. They had their own motives and personalities as well. The spirits of the fade do as well, but the spirits there are merely a reflection of the real world. No fade spirit is malicious unless twisted into that purpose. Tamriellic spirits on the other hand could be freely malicious or benevolent.
It was such a jarring shift to what he thought he knew. Spirits that would go out of their way to be cruel to living creatures, unprovoked, solely because they can. It was a very mortal thing he saw in them. Spirits whose very nature is stagnant compared to those of the fade.
It scared him.
He had arranged a conversation with the Conjuration teacher, Phinis Gestor, hoping to get a better understanding of the worlds beyond theirs. The idea of there being more than just the planet and the fade would likely be heretical in the eyes of the chantry. To them, the Maker made only the Fade and their world. Not once was there any other mentions of separate plains of existence.
Solas stood up from his seat and took a sip of the tea provided to him by one of the staff members. It was tasteless, but that was better than it tasting bad. At least the caffeine worked. Sitting his cup down he made his way towards the library's exit. Phinis should be waiting at a bench table in the courtyard. Maybe they had them in storage somewhere.
On his way down he took a moment to admire the stonework of the building. It was in immaculate shape for being thousands of years old. The only surviving structures left that are even close to the age of the college should be the ruins of Arlathan. Now that he thought about it, the college should be older than the Tevinter imperium.
He slid his hand across one of the tiles as he approached the bottom door. "Chilling," he said as a cold shiver went up his arm.
He approached the final door and entered the bottom room. Approaching the doors to the courtyard, the massive metal doors swung open on their own allowing the light to shine in the hall. He stepped out of the main tower and into the courtyard, and the doors slowly closed behind him. He'd have to get out of the habit of automatic doors when he eventually went back to haven.
Looking out at the courtyard he saw Phinis sitting at a bench table reading a book marked with magical symbols. He had his hand held out separate from the book with a purple orb summoned in his palm. He curled his hands and released, letting loose an ethereal bird that flew around the courtyard. He quickly put down the book and put both hands together and his eyes began to glow. The man went still and the bird landed on Solas's shoulder.
"Your here early," he heard Gestor's voice say from the bird, it's beak left still.
"I can't say I've seen a spell like that before," said Solas with a light chuckle.
The bird vanished from thin air and the man sitting down seemed to go back to normal. "Come, sit," he said. "What is it you wished to know more of that you couldn't find it books?"
"It isn't that I couldn't learn it in books, but wished to consult someone who is well versed in the subject that could give a different view on the matter."
"Ask away," he answered, crossing his arms and waiting.
"When it mentions the existence of other worlds, is it proven or just theory?"
"Proven," Phinis replied. "Many masters of Conjuration, including myself and the Archmage have been to these realms."
"Which ones?"
"Me personally, I have only been to a single realm and it would be the Colored Rooms. Duneyrr I know has been to the Soul Cairn and Myriad Realms of Revelry. I'd like to assume he's been to Apocrypha as well, given how cagey he gets when speaking of Hermaeus Mora, as well as his unusual knowledge of the realm."
Solas wasn't one to say they weren't real, he was forcefully dragged into one after all. What he was curious about was how these people found out for themselves. He especially wished to know how much danger he may be in.
"How dangerous are the Daedra? Which one would you say is the most dangerous?"
"All Daedric Princes are extraordinarily dangerous. As to which one is more dangerous? It all depends. Molag Bal is the most violent, Mehrunes-Dagon has the biggest event tied to his name as of recent years, and Clavicus Vile is the known for his deceptive nature more so than some others. None is more dangerous than another, but if it were up to me I would say Sheogorath, who is known to be the most... unstable, for lack of a better term."
"Sheogorath," Solas repeated. "I've read of him. Prince of madness, yes?"
"Correct," Phinis confirmed. "There is a book in the library that holds a compilation of his stories. It's called the 16 Accords of Madness: Complete Volume. If you'd like to I could grab it for you?"
Solas gently smiled and looked over at the statue. "Not now," he said. "I will find it when I wish to look through his exploits."
"Very well," Phinis said, waving his hand over his tome and making it disappear in a dark purple shroud.
"Your Archmage..." he began, still looking over at the statue, "why did it upset him when the statue was vandalized by a bird?"
"He is very proud about his heritage," Phinis answered. "While the rest of his kinsmen scorn magic as a tool for the weak, he embraces it as the ancient Nords once did. He has delved into many crypts to get his hands on ancient artifacts of his people in the hopes of restoring and preserving them."
He had seen societies that see magic as a dangerous craft that could kill many on accident, but had never heard of one that discourages its use because they see it as weak. It must go to show that the words he had heard from Josephine before her departure were true. A place where magic is indiscriminately available and not inherited through blood.
"So he saw the bird relieving itself on the statue as an attack against a fallen forefather?" Solas queried, and getting his mind back on subject.
"It is the most likely explanation, yes," Phinis said.
"He sounds like a grumpy man," Solas teased, getting a soft snigger from the conjuror.
"It could be from his prior years as an adventurer," Gestor answered. "Or it could have come from dealing with his previous master in the later years of his studies."
"Duneyrr had a master?" Solas inquired, his curiosity mildly piqued.
"Yes, though a more accurate description would be mad scientist."
"You have met him?" Asked Solas, leaning in closer with a bit of interest.
Phinis sighed and reclined back. "Unfortunately, the whole college has." The Conjuration teacher sat back up straight in his seat and looked at Solas right in his eyes. "Pray to what gods you worship you never meet him, lest he convince you to take part in his insane experiments."
"Then I will do so," Solas laughed. "It was a pleasure meeting with you."
"Likewise," Phinis said.
Solas stood up with Phinis, and the conjuror swiped a finger over the table to make it disappear like the book from earlier. Solas wished to learn how to learn how these wizards did such things, if only to entertain himself.
This Herald of Andraste had taken them through an elaborate path to the temple. Facing off against strange men in odd helmets, or subterranean beasts that crept through the tunnels was the last thing Duneyrr wished for. Especially after several weeks of trekking through the desert. At least it was cooler under the cliff in which the temple was built in.
All but Evelyn were clueless as to the purpose of this adventure of hers. This derelict temple was so far removed from the location of their main campaign that he wondered if it actually served a purpose.
The party was quickly able to dispatch the grave robbers outside the tomb, before entering themselves. The architecture was straight and smooth, carved out of the cliff side itself, not a single rigid stone to be seen or felt. Engravings were made in the walls, appearing to be mostly aesthetic than ceremonial.
Just behind them was a shelf with a strange artifact on it. It was an orb mounted on a pedestal, with odd shapes jutting out from all over it.
"Is that not one of those artifacts Solas asked us to activate?" Cassandra asked, looking in the same direction as the Archmage.
"This odd thing?" Duneyrr asked, now approaching the artifact.
"He said it was meant to strengthen the veil, the barrier between our world and the fade," Answered the seeker.
"And that separates the two planes of existence?"
"Yes," Cassandra answered again. "The veil-"
"Liminal barriers, yes. No need to explain it. They're very important." Duneyrr began to approach the strange orb with has hand held out. He placed his hand on the orb and poured in some of his own Magicka to fuel it. He wasn't sure if it was good enough as the native magic source it would use, but it would be better than nothing.
The artifact began to glow a radiant white color and leaked out magicka like an overflowing bucket. It began to become layered, as if placed off center with an ethereal version of itself. It began to hum a subtle tune as well, something barely audible the further he stepped away from it.
All eyes of the group began to stare.
The Magicka it exuded began to flow beneath the three doors of the farthest end of the room from the entrance, looking to be drawn to the doors like a magnet. "Is that typical?" Asked the wizard.
"No," answered Cassandra. "It is not."
"What's supposed to happen then?"
"Usually what happens is that Chuckles or Lady Herald activates the thing and there's a green pulse and then a barrier is placed around it," Answered Varric. "I can't necessarily say because magic isn't a skill I posses, but I think what happened is that the first step was completed just fine, but the second step didn't happen."
"And as to why it is chasing down the doors?" Duneyrr inquired.
"Don't know," The dwarf answered.
"We could find out," Evelyn said. "I say we go through the middle door. We found enough tablets to-"
Andraste's Herald was quickly interrupted by a loud "Fus!" From the Archmage, and a spell rolling its way to the middle door, busting it down like a battering ram.
"I suppose that also works," Varric said with a mild chuckle.
"Let's move, I'm curious to see what I did," said the Archmage.
Solas looked up at the breach from the top of the Hall of Countenance. He understood Conjuration to be the school of magic that studies other planes of existence and the creatures that live within them. Perhaps if he attempted to study the school he might find a way to safely close the breach without having to contact any of these demon gods from outer worlds.
Yet, he at least knew that the study of such things would likely lead him to meet some of these beings. Entities strong enough to invade entire continents or fling meteors at volcanos. Entities he learned should not be so casually dealt with lest he destroy all elves too.
Perhaps these gods called Aedra could be of more help instead. They are meant to have a more benevolent nature after all, so they may be so kind to fix enough to fix his mistake.
"There has to be a way to do this right," he said to himself. "There has to be a way."
It was one of those fade rifts again, though one of the smaller ones than Evelyn was used to closing. It was about the size of the brief fade rifts that would appear close to its larger siblings. It glowed green like it typically would, but the demons and spirits that came from it seemed to be pacified.
The walking corpses and wraiths wandering around the room felt no need to attack. It was almost as if they were completely unaware of the group's presence, or simply didn't care. The walking corpses roamed about aimlessly, clumsily bumping into each other and they moved. The wraiths on the other hand kept their gaze towards the fade rift, almost like they were staring into it, looking back at where they came from.
"I wish Solas could see this," Varric said.
"I assume this isn't typical?" Asked the Archmage.
"No," answered Cassandra. "Typically they would be upon us by now."
Evelyn couldn't help but stupidly approach one of the corpses and nudge it with her hand. It took her to violently shove it to get a response. The spirit possessing the body became scared and drew its sword, mimicking the actions of the soldiers it watched in battle, if Solas's lectures and lessons were to be believed. It was a blast of fire from the mage that took the undead out. Despite the assault on one of their own the other spirits still ignored them.
"Did you put them in a trance?" Evelyn asked the mage.
"Don't know," he answered. "Anyway, I think we should clear the room."
"By provoking them one by one?" Varric joked.
"Actually, I was thinking something more along the lines of a banishment," Duneyrr replied. "Let's see if it works."
The mage charged up a purple swirl in his free hand and began to close in on it like it was a ball. His grip tightened as he pointed to one of the wraiths and then released. The orb flung away from him and towards the wraith. When it made contact it the entity disappeared, quickly being sucked back into the fade rift.
"I've never seen that happen before," Duneyrr commented. "Typically the portal consumes them and drops them back where they came from."
"Can I at least assume the same thing happened in this instance?" Evelyn asked.
"Yes, I could assume so," Duneyrr answered. He began to carefully approach the tear between this world and the fade, with what she assumed to be another banishment spell prepared. "I wonder what happens if I..." he began to hold his hand towards the fade rift with the spell ready. When his hand was mere inches away he let loose the spell as it made contact with the rift.
Surprisingly the fade rift began to collapse in on itself, swirling around with Duneyrr's banishment making a green and purple swirl before disappearing entirely. Despite him doing what Evelyn thought only she could do, the spirits still remained. They were quickly taken out of their trance and began to come back to their senses.
The wraiths and walking corpses began to move upon the party. All the corpses were quickly dispatched by orange-yellow fire from the mage, leaving the wraiths to be slashed away by Cassandra and herself.
"Looks like you have some competition, Herald," Varric teased, getting an eye roll from Cassandra. "But seriously, I didn't know that anyone else besides you could close those rifts."
"Except the mage did not drag the demons with the portal," Cassandra said.
"I'm just surprised something happened," Duneyrr added. "So should we move on? I'm curious to see if something is at the end of the tomb or if this was merely a waste of everyone's time."
"Agreed," Evelyn joined in. "Let's move."
And so the process continued. The academy's Archmage blasted down the door to reveal a group of pacified spirits. The made no attempts to interact with the spirits, and allowed Evelyn to close the portal in the room the next time.
Repeating the process once more they found themselves in the final chamber, greeted with a large sarcophagus in the middle of the room. This time it was empty. In this room there were no terrors, no wraiths or zombies ready to attack. They were the first creatures to set foot in this room for what could have been ages.
The lid of the sarcophagus was lifted up into the air by the magic of the Archmage, and gently set on the floor by the entrance. The four peered inside, only finding a skeleton in a degraded and dusty suit of armor. It's design was was foreign, more so ancient given how long it's tomb had been locked away from the world.
"We came all the way out here for a corpse?" Duneyrr complained, his irritation slowly rising into anger.
"I agree with the mage," said Cassandra, her eyes twitching with an equal amount of annoyance.
"There has to be something here we can salvage for the inquisition," Evelyn countered, trying her best to calm the two. "Maybe we can take the armor. See if there are any enchantments on them."
"So that we may learn how to apply them onto our soldier's equipment?" asked Cassandra.
"Yes!" Evelyn gleefully confirmed. "Not all hope is lost here!"
"And there are two more tombs to go through," Varric added. "They might have more gain for inquisition."
Now that the girl mentioned the promise of enchantments he had an idea himself. The college could benefit from learning more about these foreign magics and how they work. Enchanting is a form of magic not often seen as such by some common folk, but it is still magic. Sergius would likely find deciphering foreign enchantments to be interesting as well. Perhaps the function to decipher the enchantment would be different as well, not needing to sacrifice the item for its enchantment.
Perhaps it was a waste of time after all. He would just need to make sure the contents of the next coffin were gone before it was opened.