Epilogue


Kirkwall

Survivors within the city would later recount a single, terrible flash of light before an utter silence filled the city. That everyone had known something great and terrible had just happened, the chaos pausing for a short time before the battles of what would be called the Calamity continued.

Knight-Commander Rutherford led a retreat of more than five thousand civilians from the Dockyard District, joined by Guard-Captain Evighan leading out nearly twice that many from Hightown. Poor and starving, they would make a great trek north, through the mountains, to find shelter when Seeker Pentaghast's small army found them halfway to Starkhaven. She would guide them to the city, using the authority of the Divine herself to order food be distributed, shelters built, and care given to those who needed it.

In Kirkwall, the violence would rage on and off for a month longer before asecond Qunari convoy would bring another detachment of the Antaam. Reinforced, they were able to finally secure Hightown and several coastal estates, then force the surviving Mages to retreat back to the Gallows to live under a distant siege. Even with this victory, the Qunari could not secure Lowtown against the red crystals now growing through the very stone, each one fed by the blood of the wounded and the dying. Those citizens who had not fled the city, who were not already taken by the crystals, were now forced into Hightown by the Qunari. There they were given shelter in the vacant homes of the nobility, yet also forced to help repair the damaged walls. Few complained; all were desperate to keep the red glow at bay if they could.

All had seen what the mages had done to those who they captured, and life under the Qun was better than to suffer like that.

The citizens of Darktown were less fortunate. Those who could not flee were trapped by the lyrium, driven mad, consuming it, haunting the city wherever they could breach the surface.

It would not be until spring of the next year that a great Exalted March, Templars and Knights of Orlais, Nevarra, and the Free Marches combined to advance upon the still smoldering city. Led by Duke Prosper, one of Empress Celene's closest allies, it was meant to show that her Empire remained the true force of the south, the steel behind the Chantry's velvet glove, and at first it was judged to be a wild success.

The outnumbered and exhausted Qunari could not hold the walls of Hightown, and were forced to rapidly yield, retreating east to the coastal village serving as their harbor. From there they evacuated by sea, back their homelands, their diplomats establishing a new truce with the southern kingdoms. With that victory in hand, only the renegades of the Gallows remained to contest the city's reclamation.

Triumph seemed inevitable.

Then the soldiers breached the hastily built walls built by the Qunari and surviving citizens, entering Lowtown, and discovered the horrors within. Insane mages and red lyrium abominations prowled the streets, striking from shadows before vanishing into the darkened sewers. The fighting become grueling, slow, rife with paranoia as those who had not taken the warnings seriously allowed themselves to linger too long near the blighted crystals.

As the surviving Mages of the Gallows sallied forth to steal supplies, to take control of those who had become infected, to desperately try to maintain the freedom they had won, no matter the cost to themselves or others.

The first great expedition reached the Alienage, where the morale of the Templars fell greatly when its burnt walls were breached. When they found not a single soul still alive; only the skeletal remains of First Enchanter Orsino, an arrow protruding from his chest, his corpse slumped against the dead Vhenadal. His staff with the lyrium idol lay dormant nearby. By Seeker Pentaghast's personal order it was melted down to slag before its remains taken out to sea, hurled into the deep ocean.

A desperate search for his final opponent would reveal only two scorched footprints in the melted entrance to the Chantry, and no sign of the Knight that many in the Order had prayed remained alive. Reports of the Black Knight's death spread far and wide, drawing satisfied words from many, and mourning from many others.

Celene would claim victory in 9:36, despite the Gallows remaining beyond the March's reach, pulling her soldiers back as the rumors of civil war began to grow within her own lands, as plots of a coup began to become all too real. Nevarra would tire of its losses, worrying over its borders as reports spread of discontent in Tevinter as well, withdrawing its knights later that year. By 9:37 only the Templar Order remained, desperately trying to cleanse the city of its many ills. For more than a year they would try to cleanse Lowtown, before finally giving up, and setting great fires to burn out the corruption. The firestorm would immolate the lower city, raging for weeks, filling the air with poisonous red fumes that forced even Hightown to be abandoned for many months.

In the end it would not be until 9:39 that they breached the Gallows, putting to the sword those few remaining abominations... but it was a bitter, betrayed Order that emerged. They would remember how quickly their supposed devout allies had abandoned them. How it had been they, and they alone, who had secured the final triumph.


Cullen & Trevelyan

Knight-Commander Rutherford would resign his position in the Templar Order after Kirkwall, as would most of the surviving Templars from that city. At the invitation of the Divine they would travel to Val Royeaux to speak with her personally, to be convinced to become the heart of a new organization dedicated to fixing the ills consuming Thedas.

Evelyn Trevelyan never made it to Amaranthine. She was kept close by Knight-Commander, told her duty lay in the cleansing of the city. While she obeyed, fighting valiantly, she did not forget, nor forgive him. A pain that grew worse when no sign of her last Knight could be found, when all considered her long dead. When those last few who thought she lived vanished to search the seas, while she remained trapped in an endless battle in a ruined city.

Seeking purpose, she departed the Order with the others, and determined to be more than just another Knight. Refusing to give into despair, she equally refused to allow herself or those within the new Inquisition to succumb to those dark thoughts. She insisted that each and every one of them learn a trade that might help the common people on their march, an army that left a legion of refurbished inns, repaired wagons, and grateful people behind them.

An army where every soldier was told to carve an icon of Andraste with their own hands, as the lost Elves of Kirkwall once had.


Thrask & Emeric

Mourning the loss of so many friends, both Ser Thrask and Ser Emeric would choose to retire from the Templar Order in the aftermath of the Calamity, neither taking part in the Exalted March that followed.

Taking his wife and his hidden daughter with him, Thrask would decline the Divine's request that he join the nascent Inquisition, instead accepting an invitation from Arlessa Hawke in Ferelden to serve as her Master of Arms. There they would be welcomed, and find peace for many years. He would strike up a deep friendship with Carver Hawke, the two men often seen sparring in the early mornings while their wives watched with great amusement.

Old Ser Emeric, accompanied by his faithful Ser Hound, would settle into the old Templar estate just outside of Kirkwall's ruins. There he would quietly spend his summer days reading books in the sunlight, occasionally aiding the rebuilding of Hightown, and his winters taking care of those who could no longer care for themselves.


Brennan & Aveline

Leading the refugees of Kirkwall to Starkhaven, Brennan Evighan would reclaim her position as Guard-Captain, protecting the surviving citizens and nobles of her city from any who would prey upon them.

Despite initially being hated for her cold dismissal of the surviving members of the Assembly, for casting the blame of the Calamity upon them rather upon the Elves, she won the respect of many with her defeat of several bandit groups. She then won their loyalty by uncovering a plot by Starkhaven's nobility to poison their Kirkwall rivals, bringing her great fame amid the nobles and commons alike.

Once it was clear that Kirkwall would not resettled in any real numbers, she would finally make the push to overthrow Starkhaven's corrupted Prince with the aid of that city's own guards and downtrodden, all of whom were sick of rule by corrupt nobility. Placing Sebastian Vael into power, he would declare her to be the city's Viscount, creating a new system of two leaders for a single city.

Loyally following her commander, Aveline would be instrumental in merging the Kirkwall and Starkhaven Guard in the aftermath. After so many great tragedies, after so much death, Aveline giving birth to a healthy son would be hailed as a symbol of hope by the new Prince.

A fresh start for two peoples, now one.


Fenris

Despite staying for a short time in Ferelden, his need for vengeance would drive Fenris north after just a few months. He would eventually settle in Rivain, there to be swiftly attacked by apprentices to his former master, each seeking to earn his favor by returning his wayward asset.

Cutting them down in turn, Fenris would linger for some time, waiting for Denarius to come himself. When that day seemed to never come, he vanished one evening, with no one certain as to his fate...

...but for years there would be rumors of a Lyrium Ghost in the outskirts of Tevinter. A terrible creature that slaughtered any who claimed to own another, and who broke the chains of any slaves they found.


Anders

Horrified beyond words by what the Mages of Kirkwall had done, Anders slipped into a deep depression for many months. Only when Commander Maharial himself came to see him, spending more than a week comforting his friend, did he seem to recover any semblance of life.

Returning to the Wardens, he would be appointed the Order's representative to Denerim's Commons. There he would create the city's first true hospital, caring for the sick and injured regardless of race or class.

And everywhere he went, a great orange cat was found following, or lazing in his arms.


Isabella & Hawke

Waiting in Ferelden, the Pirate Queen would refuse to believe any tale of her friend's death in the cursed city. She would spend years sailing to every port in the south, hunting for any word of where the Elves of Kirkwall had gone, certain they had escaped rather than be slain. She would evade or battle several of the Divine's agents during this time, all of them seeking to interrogate her as to the details of what she knew about their mysterious escape.

When none could claim to know them, and after too close a call with the Divine's Left Hand, she made a final stop in Amaranthine, to finally convince her old friend to go on one more adventure together. Marian Hawke would abdicate the title she had never truly wanted, giving it to her brother Carver. Kissing her nephew and mother goodbye, she would board the Siren, to sail beyond the map with her favorite pirate.

They would last be seen raiding Qunari vessels near Qundalon, seizing food and fresh water, and then vanishing into the shimmering waters of the northern seas.


Varric

Varric Tethras would travel to Starkhaven to help the refugees of his home, trying to recover from the loss of his friend and his city. In the end the Marches would be too painful to remain within, and he would journey south, to live in Amaranthine with the Hawke family.

While there he would release a new book; A Knight's Tale, describing his adventures with the strange Elf from foreign lands. Sales were slow at first, then began to boom as everyone wished to learn the 'truth' of what had happened in Kirkwall, of the details of that great calamity. As nobles sought to confirm their prejudices, and Elves sought to exalt one of their own.

He would continue with his other literary works until Isabella returned, determined to sail north with Hawke. Despite his pleas that theirs was a doomed trip, that Maeve was dead, that Merrill was lost, they would depart without him, leaving him praying for their safe return.

In 9:40 he would be in Starkhaven again to catch up with old friends. There he would be stopped in the street by soldiers bearing the mark of the Orlesian Chantry, led by the Right Hand of the Divine. Witnesses say they took him to a nearby inn, and then forced him into a coach, to be brought with them back to the south.


The Templar Order

As rumors became truth in the aftermath of the Calamity, the Templar Order became an Order divided within itself. A once united group became faction ridden as the various Knights began to argue over just what their holy order should be, whose authority it should bow to, and what is purpose in the world should be.

The largest group became known as the Traditionalists; they believed that the Order's purpose was to safeguard the world from the dangers of magic, and that they should allow nothing else to interfere with that. Not even the Chantry itself should be allowed to speak against a Templar's order, and they argued furiously that the Seekers of Truth should be merged into the Templars. Led first by Lord Seeker Lambert, and then Lord Seeker Luscius, they would prey upon the fear of magic unrestrained to greatly expand their numbers over the coming years. It would be they who would spark the next great disaster in those tumultuous times.

The second group was, in truth, two separate bodies, though they shared common beliefs. Called the Loyalists by their own men, they asserted that the Order was bound to the Chantry, and that the Divine's word was law. That the Templars may exist to safeguard the world from magic, that did not mean cruelty and malice were the tools to be used. That they could also do good in the name of Andraste when their duties allowed, and that they should always be ready to protect the faithful from more than just magic. Many Loyalists would depart the order, joining with Cullen Rutherford to form the fledgling Inquisition of Divine Justinia, while others, under Knight-Captain Barris, struggled in vain to reclaim the Order from within.

The final, and most fanatical, of the factions were the Interventionists. Holding up Knight-Commanders Meredith and Maeve as their martyrs, they railed against the Chantry, the Seekers, and their fellow Templars for not doing enough. For standing by while corruption spread, from wasting a hundred Templars guarding a hundred loyal mages, yet sending a bare one or two to hunt maleficar and abominations. Their greatest strength would be in Rivain, where they would lead a revolt to prevent the Circle of Dairmund from being illegally Annulled, and then echoing their founders by intervening strongly in Rivain's politics. Destroying the nation's rife black markets, uncovering Qunari sympathizers, and executing Tevinter agents wherever they were found.


The Elves

All over Thedas, the downtrodden would mourn the destruction of Kirkwall's Alienage, and the death of is champion. Those literate among them would read A Knight's Tale aloud to all who would listen, seeking to give hope to those who had little.

While most branches of the Templar Order would continue to turn away Elves, the Interventionists would begin massive recruitment campaigns across the Marches. Echoing the speeches of Revered Mother Petrice of Kirkwall, they would rail against the Qunari and Tevinter alike, offering steady pay, steady meals, and respect to any Elf who would join. While it was slow at first, it quickly began to gather speed when the Elves of Rivain, Antiva, and the northern marches realized their offer was genuine.

In the south, similar hopes were dashed when the Templars of Orlais, Nevarra, and Ferelden all refused to accept Elven recruits. Many Elves would instead risk the long road north in a desperate hope for better lives, while others... simply began to vanish. In small groups here, entire Dalish clans there. Going almost unnoticed by those Humans who rarely paid attention to their numbers, they would disappear into the wilds, into long abandoned ruins, never to be seen again.


The Mage Question

The rebellion of the Gallows sent ripples throughout southern Thedas. Even the most lenient Circles began to crack down upon any sign of dissent, something that only worked to harden the opinions of the Mages further. With the even the smallest infractions now leading to disproportionate punishments, the number of attempted escapes climbed exponentially over the following years. The College of Enchanters was called to attempt to address the issue, but a Templar crack-down saw less than half of the invited mages able to arrive. Furious at losing what few rights they had, the combined Mages put forward a vote of secession.

While this vote failed, largely thanks to the campaign of Senior Enchanter Wynne and the other Ferelden delegates, it was narrow enough to alarm the Chantry and Templars alike. While the Divine attempted to mediate, an increasingly divided Templar and Seeker Order began openly ignoring instructions from the Chantry. A second calling of the College at White Spire was interrupted by Lord Seeker Lambert, who claimed that even calling the college was grounds for the Rite of Annulment. When the Mages protested, brandishing a writ from the Divine giving them the authority to meet, the Lord Seeker ordered his Templars to purge the Circle regardless. Unfortunately the Lord Seeker overplayed his hand, and overestimated his own charisma; more than a third of the local Templars were Loyalists who refused the order, decrying him as a traitor to the Divine, Chantry, and Maker. Refusing to fight, they retreated under the command of Seeker Daniel, leaving their outnumbered compatriots to the mercy of the infuriated mages.

Striking down the Lord-Seeker personally, Grand Enchanter Fiona declared the mages free from the Templar's oversight, swearing that they would police their own to prevent a second Calamity... and the Mage Rebellion began.


Merrill

The Elves of Kirkwall would fill a ruined Skyhold to bursting, desperately tending to their wounded, offering a final mercy to those who proved to be sick with blighted lyrium. Leaving them in the only safety they could, Merrill and the Watch would plunge back into the network, desperate to find both true shelter and her missing heart. They would open dozens of Eluvians, exploring, finding food and water, then closing them when none led them to true safety. It would take more than a month before the team lead by Dame Fiolya would find the haven they all had prayed for; a Temple of Andruil in a coastal valley, whose warmth and stars betrayed its location far to the north, beyond any southern maps.

There the Elves of Kirkwall would settle, hunting and gathering at first, fishing in the great bay, then tilling the soil as Merrill and those surviving Elven Knights returned south through the Crossroads, rescuing, recruiting, and searching.

Merrill refused to accept the loss of her partner, going so far as to attempt to summon the Spirit of Longing with her own blood... and finally gave into despair when the spirit did not answer her call.

Living only to help her People, she pushed herself beyond the point of breaking. She found Dalish clans willing to explore their new lands, to carefully push into the dangerous jungles of the Donarks. Found City Elves eager to join her, to flee beyond Human reach, to craft crude boats, to search the northern coastline, looking for any evidence of the Elven civilization believed to lie somewhere even farther north, beyond the river-mouth they had made into their home.

When matters of faith began to set Elf against Elf, she told the truth of the Evanuris as her lost heart had told her, and refused to allow any fights between those who followed Andraste, and those who did not. So great was her stature, the woman who had found a safe haven for the People, that both factions yielded, an uneasy peace lingering in their new home.

Stretching herself to the limits, she would finally shatter when a strange ship entered their hidden cove... bearing a Pirate and a Champion without the Knight she so hoped would be with them.

Her tears would stain the sand as she was held by her old friends, until they kissed them away from her cheeks, holding her, loving her, taking her self-imposed duties upon their own shoulders until she could stand on her own once again.

There, in the north beyond the Donarks, Merrill vowed to never forget her friend, her first love.

The People would remember her. Always.


Those Who Are Lost

It was dark, yet not.

Time passed, yet not.

Fingers trailed down over eyes, gently closing them. Power washed out with the motion, with soft words, slowing a heart. Stilling a starving body whose lips had long cracked from desperate thirst.

"Sleep." It whispered. "Sleep as the elders did. Sleep beyond need, beyond want. Sleep until it is time to awaken."

Ragged, pained, wounded breathing slowed until it could not be felt.

And then it was alone but for a still form cradled in its arms.

A form it had to bear to safety from the ruins in which they were trapped.

It could feel no tether save one. No connection save one.

It knew not where they truly were, nor how much power it had left to it.

Longing closed her eyes, stooping down to pick up the broken figure, holding it against her chest. She turned in place, examining the shattered paths that seemed to go everywhere, yet nowhere through the swirling fog that surrounded them.

"Not yet." She said firmly, taking her first steps forward with her precious cargo, striding into the cold mists.

"Your story is not over yet, Maeve. I swear it."