The Revered Mother's requests were clear: deal with the bandit problem plaguing the roads around Lothering, and cull the blighted bears that were encroaching on the village's hunting grounds. These tasks, while seemingly mundane, were crucial for the village's survival and demonstrated our willingness to cooperate.
We split up to cover more ground. Ela, Morrigan, and Allistair took on the blighted bears. The wilds around Lothering were thick with the taint of the Blight, the air heavy with the sickly sweet smell of corruption.
Ela's agility, combined with Morrigan's magic and Allistair's swordsmanship, proved a formidable combination, and they should make short work of the creatures.
While they were dealing with the bears, I focused on gathering information within Lothering. I asked around about the little boy's mother. Most shook their heads, their faces filled with pity. Some claimed to have seen her fleeing south, others said she had been among those taken by the darkspawn during the initial attacks. The information was conflicting and disheartening.
Leliana, meanwhile, used her connections within Lothering to gather information about the bandits. She learned their numbers, their leadership, She even managed to lean that they were less organized than previously thought, more opportunistic thugs than a coordinated force.
After Ela, Morrigan, and Allistair dealt with the blighted bears, they returned to Lothering. They met up with me and Leliana, who had also returned from her reconnaissance.
"Bears are taken care of," Allistair reported, wiping sweat from his brow. "Nasty creatures, even more so with the Blight. plus some nice bandit gear for sten" He is holding some almost pristine looking silver armor. How did he pull a metal set of armor off a dead body...Nevermind i don't want to know.
"Excellent," I said hesitation as i look at the pile of armor on Alistair's shoulder. "I've been asking around about the boy's mother…"
Their faces fell. "We found her in the woods?" Ela tells me gently.
I shook my head. "poor kid" I say looking over at a ally where the boy is looking at us
"We should tell him," Allistair said. "It's not right to leave him in the dark."
I nodded in agreement. "I know. I just… I hate to give him such bad news."
We made our way back to the alleyway where I had left the boy. He was still there, sitting on the cobblestones, his face pale and drawn. He looked up as he saw us, his eyes searching mine.
"Did you find her?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
I knelt down beside him, taking his hand in mine. "I'm sorry she didn't make it here," I said gently placing a small amulet in his hand as he cried.
I didn't lie to him. I didn't tell him his mother was torn apart by wolves and well. I simply told him the truth – she is dead. It was a small comfort, perhaps, but it was the only one I could offer.
We then made our way back to the Chantry, ready to report our success to the Revered Mother and hopefully earn the key to Sten's cage.
We returned to the Chantry, the quiet sanctuary a welcome respite from the chaos of Lothering. The Revered Mother sat in her usual place, surrounded by her clerics. We approached her, ready to report our success.
"Revered Mother," I said, stepping forward, "we have dealt with the bandits and the blighted bears, as you requested."
Allistair, Ela, and Morrigan nodded in confirmation. "The wilds are safer now," Allistair added. "And the bandit camp is no more," Ela confirmed.
The Revered Mother nodded, her expression grave but appreciative. "I have heard reports of your… efficiency," she said, her gaze sweeping over us. "The villagers are grateful for your aid."
"We are happy to help," I replied. "But… we have come to ask about the Qunari prisoner."
The Revered Mother's expression hardened slightly. "He is a dangerous man," she reiterated.
"He is also a warrior," I countered. "And he is willing to fight against the Blight. We believe he could be a valuable ally."
The Revered Mother was silent for a moment, considering our words. "You have proven your commitment to our cause," she finally said. "And I will honor my word."
She gestured to a cleric standing nearby. "Brother Genit," she said, "give them the key to the Qunari's cage."
Brother Genit nodded and retrieved a heavy iron key from a nearby chest. He approached us cautiously, his eyes lingering on us for a moment before handing me the key.
"Thank you, Revered Mother," I said, accepting the key.
We turned to leave, eager to free Sten and add him to our ranks. As we reached the door of the Chantry, I paused and looked back at the Revered Mother.
"There is one more thing," I said. "The little boy… whose mother is missing. We have been asking around, but we haven't had any luck. We will continue to search, but… if you hear anything, please let us know."
The Revered Mother nodded slowly. "I will keep an ear out," she said. "I pray you find her."
We left the Chantry and made our way back to Sten's cage, the heavy key weighing down my pocket. We had secured his release, but the search for the boy's mother continued, a small but persistent weight on my heart.
As we approached Sten's cage, he looked at us, a flicker of something akin to surprise in his usually impassive expression. "She gave you the key," he said, his monotone voice hinting at an emotion you would miss if you weren't paying close attention.
"Yes," I simply replied, glancing at Allistair.
"Yes, well, let's hope we don't regret this," Morrigan said, looking at her nails with an air of nonchalance.
With Sten now part of our group, we decided to make the journey to Redcliffe.
As we made our way out of Lothering, we crossed a small, natural bridge of rock that spanned a narrow ravine. Suddenly, the sounds of clashing steel and gruff shouts reached our ears. Peering ahead, we saw two dwarves beset by a group of bandits. The dwarves, though clearly skilled fighters, were outnumbered and beginning to tire.
"Looks like we have more trouble," Allistair muttered, drawing his sword.
"Let's not keep them waiting," I replied, already moving forward.
We charged into the fray, our sudden arrival taking the bandits by surprise. The fight was quick and decisive. The bandits, though numerous, were no match for our combined strength and skill. Within minutes, the remaining bandits lay dead or fled, leaving the two dwarves standing amidst the carnage.
One of the dwarves, a stout fellow with a long, braided beard, approached us, a grateful expression on his face. "By the Stone!" he exclaimed. "You saved us! We'd have been done for if you hadn't arrived."
"We're glad we could help," I replied. "Are you alright?"
"Aye, we're fine," the dwarf said. "Just a bit shaken. Name's Bodahn Feddic." He gestured to the other dwarf, a younger, paler dwarf with a shock of blonde hair buzzed close to his scalp. "And this is my son, Sandal."
Sandal blinked at us, his eyes wide and seemingly unfocused. Bodahn nudged him gently. "Sandal, say hello."
"Hello," Sandal mumbled, his voice flat and emotionless.
There was something… different about Sandal. His movements were slow, and his gaze seemed to drift. I exchanged a look with Allistair, a silent question passing between us.
"We're on our way to Redcliffe," I said to Bodahn. "Are you heading that way as well?"
"Aye, we are," Bodahn replied. "We've got some… business to attend to there. and Sandal here has a talent for Enchantment"
"Enchantment" Sandal excitedly says
It was becoming clear that Sandal was… different. But Bodahn's tone suggested that this was just a part of who Sandal was, and he was accepted and cared for.
We continued our walk, and our encounter with the dwarves and Sandal added another layer to our journey. I wondered what "business" Bodahn had in Redcliffe and what Sandal's "talent" truly was.
We came across a small, sheltered valley, a decent spot to set up camp for the night. "It's better than sleeping on the bare ground, I suppose," I remarked, more to myself than anyone else.
Morrigan, ever self-sufficient, had already staked out her territory a short distance from the rest of us. She conjured up a surprisingly elegant tent with some subtle magic, along with a few other arcane comforts, clearly making herself at home. Leliana had pitched a small tent off to one side, near where Allistair and Ela were setting up their own camp.
Sten, as usual, kept to himself, finding a quiet spot a little further away from the main group. He was a man of few words and even fewer outward expressions of emotion. I watched him for a moment as I hammered a small stake into the ground for my own tent.
"We don't bite," I joked, glancing over at Sten. I knew he was listening, and I was determined to get some kind of reaction out of him. I punctuated my words with a thwack as I drove the stake home. A tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth almost made me laugh. He was trying so hard to maintain his stoic facade.
"I might," he shot back, his voice dry and low. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
"Ok, ok," I said, grinning at him. "Just making sure you weren't going to sneak off in the middle of the night. Wouldn't want to wake up and find you'd decided to have a midnight snack… and I'm the only thing on the menu." I winked, just to see if I could get another rise out of him.
He just gave me a look that I couldn't quite decipher, which was probably his equivalent of a hearty laugh. "Your… concerns… are noted," he replied, his voice carefully neutral.
"Good," I said, still smiling. "Just checking." I finished securing my tent and ducked inside, pulling out a small sleeping roll. "Well, I'm going to turn in. Try not to cause too much trouble while I'm gone," I called out to no one in particular as I settled down for the night.
Just as I was about to drift off, Allistair poked his head into my tent, a mischievous grin on his face. "You know," he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "Sten might not bite, but you seem to have a habit of snapping at people."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, ha ha," I said, my sarcasm dripping. "Very funny, Allistair. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to get some sleep."
"Just saying," he chuckled, retreating from my tent. "Wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea."
I groaned and pulled my sleeping roll tighter around me. Allistair was incorrigible. But despite my mock annoyance, I couldn't help but smile. It was good to have a bit of levity in these dark times.
The world dissolved into a swirling vortex of sickly green. The air crackled with an oppressive energy, thick and suffocating. A deafening roar, primal and terrifying, echoed through the dreamscape, vibrating in my very bones. My stomach lurched violently, the sensation of freefall gripping me as if I were plummeting from a great height. I looked down, or rather, I felt myself look down, for there was no ground, no solid form beneath me. Only a churning sea of molten lava, glowing an ominous orange-red, stretched out into an endless abyss. The heat radiated upwards, scorching my skin even in this dream realm.
Then, the flashes began. Staccato images, sharp and brutal, ripped across my vision. Hordes of darkspawn, their grotesque forms writhing and snarling, filled my sight, their glowing red eyes burning into my soul. A towering figure, wreathed in shadow and flame, emerged from the chaos – a dragon, impossibly vast, its scales like obsidian mirrors reflecting the hellish landscape. It was the Archdemon. I knew it was the Archdemon, the ancient evil Duncan had warned me about. Its roar intensified, a psychic scream that pierced my mind, and I felt a pull, a terrifying compulsion drawing me towards it. It was calling to me, a whisper in the darkness, a promise of power and a taste of utter annihilation. The lava churned beneath me, the heat intensifying, and the Archdemon's voice grew louder, closer
I shot up, cold sweat dripping from every part of my body. My breath hitched in my throat, and I gasped for air, my heart pounding against my ribs like a trapped bird. The images of the nightmare – the green haze, the lava, the Archdemon's terrifying roar – were still vivid in my mind, lingering like a phantom touch. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, to ground myself in the reality of the small tent. It was dark, the only light filtering in through the tent flap, a pale sliver of moonshine. I could still feel the lingering fear, the echo of the Archdemon's call in the deepest part of my mind. It had been just a dream, a nightmare, but it felt so real… so significant. I sat there for a long moment, trying to shake off the lingering dread, the chilling premonition that something terrible was coming.
The lingering chill of the nightmare clung to me, even as my rational mind tried to dismiss it as just a bad dream. But a nagging unease persisted. I knew I wasn't the only one.
I could feel it, a subtle shift in the atmosphere of the camp, a shared tension that hadn't been there before. Ela and Allistair… they must have felt it too. The same terror, the same call. We were connected somehow, bound by the Joining, and this… this shared nightmare felt like another link in that strange, unsettling chain.
I wanted to get up, to talk to them, to confirm my suspicions. But I couldn't bring myself to move just yet. The memory of the Archdemon, its immense power and ancient malice, was still too fresh, too terrifying. I lay there, wrapped in my blankets, the cool night air doing little to dispel the heat of the dream that still burned in my mind. I needed a moment, just a moment, to gather my thoughts, to still myself The dream… it felt like a warning. A warning of something far greater than anything we had faced so far.
Like the demon can see us feel us like it wants us to know it's coming after us.
"Soldier's Peak," Ela announced, spreading a map across the rough-hewn table. "Levi Dryden, a… associate… has requested our assistance in reclaiming it. It's been overrun by darkspawn, and he believes it holds strategic importance."
She pointed to a location marked on the map, a craggy peak rising sharply from the surrounding terrain. "It's a long journey, and likely dangerous," she continued, her gaze sweeping over our small group. "But Dryden assures me the reward will be… substantial."
Allistair frowned. "Dryden? Is he a Grey Warden?"
"No," Ela admitted. "He's… a friend.."
I listened to the discussion, but my mind was elsewhere. The shared nightmare from the previous night still weighed heavily on me. I hadn't spoken to the others about it yet, but I knew we needed to. However, this… this quest to Soldier's Peak didn't feel right. A bad premonition, perhaps, or just lingering unease from the dream, but I felt a strong pull to remain at camp.
"I won't be going," I announced, interrupting the conversation.
All eyes turned to me, surprise evident on their faces. "Gwenet?" Allistair asked, his brow furrowed. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," I replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. "I just… I have some things to take care of here. Potions need brewing, supplies need sorting. It's best if someone stays behind to manage things."
It wasn't a complete lie. We were running low on some essential potions, and the camp could certainly use some organization. But it was also an excuse. A way to avoid going to Soldier's Peak, a place that felt… wrong.
"Are you sure?" Ela asked, her gaze searching mine.
I nodded firmly. "Yes. You all go. I'll hold down the fort here."
A flicker of doubt crossed her face, but she didn't press the issue. "Alright," she said finally. "But be careful. Lothering isn't entirely safe."
"I will," I assured her. "You focus on Soldier's Peak. We'll see you when you get back."
With a final look, Ela, Allistair, Morrigan, and Sten set off, leaving me alone at the camp. As they disappeared from view, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was making the right decision. The nightmare, the unease… it all pointed to something dangerous at Soldier's Peak. And I was glad I wasn't going. Instead, I would focus on my potions, on organizing the camp, and on trying to understand the meaning of that terrifying dream