Dragon Age: Inquisition

[Kestrel]

Phoenix was the Keeper's first, destined to eventually become leader her clan. The Dalish mage was sent to the Temple of Sacred Ashes, where the Templars and Mages would attempt to discuss a truce. This meeting, called the Divine Conclave, would change Thedas forever. Shortly after negotiations began, there was an explosion, tearing a hole in the Fade and killing everyone inside. Everyone, except Phoenix, who now has no recollection of where she was, or why it exploded. Why did she survive, anyway? In an attempt to find answers, she joins the Inquisition where, she'll makes friends, allies and enemies. But will she find the answers she seeks?

 

[NecroKnight]

Joining on that crazy trip was also Grace Trevelyan - merchant, undercourt-rogue and down-mad alchemist. A member from one of the most known family in the Free Marches; known for their loyalty to the Templars and the Chantry - and the black sheep of the family.


Grace wouldn't have likely even known Phoenix, if not for her love of travelling and fear of bees. She doesn't remember the whole story anymore - only that she had been brought or rather dragged along back to the Dalish, Lavellan camp. And it required three mages and five warriors to pry her off Phoenix - since she was more clingy to her than the Taint.


Once she got over her shock of the bee-attack she couldn't thank Phoenix enough. Ironic, who her family was and she wasn't apart of the whole 'religion-down-throat' shemlen. She started travelling again after, bumping in with the Lavellan' a few times - making it eventually a hobby, to visit them; she was a travelling merchant and the Lavellan' had always stuff to trade.


And she had a habit of tripping over bee-nests when she met the Dalish and that always ended with someone getting the mages to 'get the clingy crazy shemlen off Phoenix'.


Now, with a hole in the sky, a reunioin with an old friend in the midst of it all - Grace was wondering, if the entire world stopped giving a 'crap' anymore.


(How would we do it? Start at the beginning or mid-Inquisition. Mostly char development and interaction? Or a few missions too? I know only lore and not what will happen next or what mission was after which)

 

[Kestrel]

(Sorry it's a bit late.)


Phoenix kneeled quietly in the cell. Her hands were chained in front of her. Her right hand had a fluorescent green mark that was pulsating. each time it flashed brighter, and sent another wave of pain through her body. Her head ached, and the last thing she remembered was laying on a pile of rubble, while an angry human woman with dark hair shook her and yelled at her. A dwarf with a crossbow and a bald male elf had intervened. The elf and woman had started dragging her, then she had passed out again. Now she was here, imprisoned, surrounded by four guards and she didn't even know why.


She sighed, angry at the humans who looked her up like an animal in a cage. Stupid shemlen...She thought. They ruin everything they touch. She jumped slightly when she heard a loud bang. The cell door was kicked open and the angry black haired woman stormed in, followed by a younger woman with chin length red hair, the purple hood of her cloak was pulled up. The first woman confidently approached me. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now! The Conclave is destroyed, everyone who attended is dead. Except you."


Phoenix's jaw dropped. Everyone? How could that be? "Let me guess...You shem blame me," the fiery-tempered Dalish elf snapped. Instantly, she regretted it. The two women probably knew people that had died. Phoenix had never had very much patience for shemlen, except for Grace. Gracie, as Phoenix often called her, was like a younger sister and best friend to Phoenix and was the only human she had ever gotten along with.

 

[NecroKnight]

In a twist of fate, luck or bad luck - Grace Trevelyan was currently outside the same castle, where her 'sister' was being held unknown to her.


Grace was only here, because of the whole Templars and Mages going bonkers. With her family connected to both sides - well she decided a change of scenery was in order. Ironically travelling with a Templar group - onway to gather for the Conclave.


A plus, was that it was close-by, to one of the locations the Lavellan's were camped-out. Well, all that changed when the place blew-up, demons started poping-out and the sky was torn-up.


Well, atleast they weren't demon-bees, so it wasn't a total freak-show. For now atleast.

 

[Kestrel]

The mark flashed bright green, radiating magic energy that resembled lightning. Phoenix gasped in pain and clutched her arm.


The dark haired woman grabbed Phoenix's glowing hand and held it up. "Explain this!" She snarled.


"I can't!" Phoenix retorted. "I don't know what it is, or how it got there!"


"You're lying!" She began to shake Phoenix, until the other woman intervened.


"We need her, Cassandra," She said, pulling her back.


"Whatever you think I did, I'm innocent," Phoenix insisted.


The red haired woman stepped between Cassandra and Phoenix, facing Phoenix. "Do you remember what happened? How this all started?"


A flood of memories rushed through Phoenix. She hesitating, trying to sort them out, before saying, "I remember running. Something was chasing me." She recalled the silhouette of a woman, stretching out her arm towards Phoenix. When she mentioned this, it seemed to pique their interest.


"A woman?"


"Go to the forward camp, Leliana," Cassandra decided. "I will take her to the rift." That didn't sound good.


"What did happen anyway?" asked Phoenix, hoping for a decent explanation.


"It'll be easier to show you," Cassandra said quieter. She unlocked Phoenix's shackles and chained her hands with smaller, lighter handcuffs before leading her outside.

 

[NecroKnight]

Grace was known to be a handy-merchant and a great coin-haggler - but when it came to common sense, she was somewhat lacking in it; if anything of her combat-style indicated throwing volatile liquids that could blowback in the most non-hilarious way possible.


As such, when she saw Phoenix arrive outside from within the castle, that was centered around their camp - she did the most logical thing, for her atleast. She simply pulled up a return later sign, from her caravan - and so bolted over to where Phoenix was currently being lead to.


"Fenix! Hi! Good to see ya!" called Grace, simply running through the crowd - to soon hug the elf in question.

 

[Kestrel]

Phoenix allowed Cassandra to lead her outside. Phoenix glanced around warily, trying to determine where they were taking her. She saw a huge green hole in the sky, like a giant tear with green lightning coming from the center. A familiar voice called her name and she spun around, looking for Grace.


"Grace! Gracie! Where are you!" She smiled as she saw the familiar face heading her way, running through the crowd. Phoenix mentally prepared for Grace's leech-like, suffocating hugs. Phoenix managed to step away from Cassandra to properly greet her best friend. "Grace! I'm so glad you're okay! Do you know what's going on here? What's with the hole? It looks like...like a hole in the Veil itself."

 

[NecroKnight]

"You tell me. Your the knowledgeable elf-lorekeeper - one minute is fine and ka-boom. Hole in the sky and demons popping-out like pesky weeds," spoke Grace - then saw' Phoenix' cuffs.


"Oh, heck no! Nobody is selling you anywhere!" said Grace, then looking at Cassandra - letting her imagination run wild again. "Whatever a slaver is paying I'll double. Or any destroyed village, castle or farmland. Nobody is taking my half-sister away."

 

[Kestrel]

Phoenix laughed, and awkwardly hugged Grace. "I'm not being sold, sis, I promise. This is Cassandra, she's taking me to see the hole. You said something about demons? I suppose that makes sense," she mused, more to herself then Grace and Cassandra.


"We must come quickly! The Breach will not seal itself," Cassandra said urgently.


Phoenix tilted her head to the side, confused. "The Breach? Is that what you call it?"


"Yes. It's a massive rift in the Veil that grows larger and spills out demons with every passing hour," she explained. "It is not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."


Phoenix was stunned. "An explosion can do that?" she said in disbelief.


"This one did. Unless we act, the Breach may grow large enough until it swallows the world," Cassandra said gravely.


A bolt of green lightning struck downwards, toward the ground. The mark on Phoenix's hand glowed and crackled with the same energy. A searing pain shot through her hand and radiated up her arm. The pain was so intense she screamed, and fell to her knees, clutching her hand to her chest.


Cassandra knelt next to Phoenix. "Each time the rift expands, your mark spreads...And it is killing you."


"No, duh!" Phoenix snapped. "Grace, stick close to me alright. I'll protect you. I promise.


"Your mark may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."


"The key to what?" Phoenix demanded.


"Closing the breach. Whether that's possible is something we shall discover shortly. It is our only chance however. And yours."

 

[NecroKnight]

"Screw all, I'm coming all Phoenix," said Grace, shedding her coat and throwing it at the nearest wounded soldier. She was equiped with several daggers on her, both combat and thrown - and hooked with several liquids of various colors.


"You can protect me from any demon-bees; but anything else I can handle," she replied, grinning at that. Then spoke to Cassandra. "Soldier-girl, I'm coming too. This person here is like a half-sister; so any try of getting her close to that Veil-eating portal will include me in it."


"I'm good with a blade, and I know the risk of getting possessed, get your insides turned out and being set of fire," replied Grace, cracking her knuckles. "Tell me where, and I'll follow."

 

[Kestrel]

"Can you stand?" Cassandra asked. Phoenix gritted her teeth and stumbled to her feet. The pain had ebbed, and was more bearable now.


"Let's go close that rift." As they walked through the camp, Phoenix could sense the hostility even without looking at all the Shemlen glaring at her.


"They have already decided your guilt. They need it." Cassandra explained.


"So you still think I did this? To myself?"


"Not intentionally, no. But someone caused that explosion, and you are our only suspect. If you want to prove your innocence, this is the only way."


"But I don't really have a choice, do I?" Phoenix said, glancing at Grace, hoping she wouldn't get angry and start a scene.


Cassandra looked annoyed. "None of us ever have a choice. The people of Haven mourn Our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, Head of the Chantry." Phoenix rolled her eyes. The Shemlen had always annoyed her when they pushed their beliefs onto her, and the rest of the world. Couldn't they worship the Maker, and let her worship the Old Gods in peace? "The conclave was hers. It was on last chance for peace between mages and Templars. She brought their leaders together. Now they are dead. We lash out, like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves. As she did. Until the Breach is sealed." Cassandra sounded sad, and mournful. Perhaps she had known the Divine. Phoenix wished that she'd stop talking, so that she could catch up with Grace. Suddenly Cassandra stopped and pulled out a key. As she unlocked Phoenix, she said, "There will be a trial. I can promise no more."


"In that case, I'm screwed. I will never have a chance at a fair trial from your people, Shem."

 

[NecroKnight]

"You could from my place," replied Grace, smiling at that. "No worry, my family has got a lot of pull with the Templars, Mages and the Chantry."


"Or do we could always do an Antivan Knot-Bind," giggled Grace. Most people wouldn't even call it a real word - unless one understood knot-bind meant tying together a person' shoe-laces and mixed that with Antivan. Well, you got a Grace' word or code; an Antivan Knot-Bind meaning to do the stupidest and craziest things you can do gain attention and then run as fast you can away. A basic wording of, distract and run for the hills.


"No worry, I got your back Nix," spoke Grace, using her nickname for Phoenix.

 

[Kestrel]

After Phoenix was released, she gave Grace a proper hug. An Antivan Knot-Bind would be fun. Later, after we save the world."


She ran several steps to catch up with "Soldier-girl". "Where are you taking me?"


"Your Mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach."


Phoenix glanced at said Breach. The green lightning coming from it connected with the ground, shaking the earth. Pain tore through Phoenix's arm and she fell on the ground on her back. She screamed and Cassandra ran towards her and knelt down next to her and pulled her to her feet. Phoenix leaned against Cassandra and caught her breath. "The pulses are getting stronger now." Phoenix assumed that was a nice way of saying "You're dying." Phoenix continued walking after Cassandra. "The larger the Breach goes, the more Rifts appear, the more demons we face."


"Demons I can handle," Phoenix said firmly. "It's the Mark I'm worried about..." she muttered. She glanced at Gracie and whispered in her ear. "If we all survive this, let's prank her later."


"What was that?" Cassandra called back.


"Nothing!" Phoenix giggled.

 

[NecroKnight]

"Its her way of wanting - to clear this quick, before she dies or gets eaten by a demon," spoke Grace. Then turned to face Phoenix' hand.


"If you need any potions then ask. If it gets that worse then I could-" Grace indicated the 'cut off hand' sign. "-do that, to save you, incase it gets too bad."

 

[Kestrel]

"I'm kinda attached to my hand, but if it's my life or my hand..." Phoenix trailed off.


"Anyway, they say...you stepped out of a Rift, and fell unconscious. There was a woman in the Rift behind you. No one knows who she was."


Phoenix was surprised. She didn't remember that. "A...a woman?" By now the three of them were on a stone bridge. A bolt of the eerie green lightning struck the bridge in front of them. The entire bridge exploded and collapsed. They were spilled into the surface of a frozen river. Cassandra was on her feet almost instantly, and Phoenix leaped up and staggered towards Grace. Two demons were sliding across the ice towards her. Cassandra was fighting two others. "Grace! Grace, get up! Run!" Phoenix noticed a discarded staff thrown to one side. How convenient. She lunged towards it and set the demon ablaze. "Not my sister, you-" she shouted, standing in front of Grace and readying a fireball. Cassandra stepped behind it and stabbed it in the back. The demon screeched and died. "Drop your weapons!" commanded Cassandra. "Now."


Phoenix refused. "A demon attacked me. What was I supposed to do?"


"You don't need to fight," argued Cassandra.


"Are you seriously saying it won't happen again. You can't protect us. If we're going to do this, we need to trust each other. Right, Gracie?"

 

[NecroKnight]

Grace replied by jumping up and kicking a flask at a group of demons - who just appeared; temporarily stunning them.


"Diddo. Going towards a rift without any weapons; and expecting not get attacked is plain stupid, when its puking out demons. Like spilling blood infront a bunch of Templars and hoping not to get horribly mutilated," spoke Grace. Did her mind work in weird and often strange ways.

 

[Kestrel]

Phoenix quickly incinerated the stunned demons. She had always preferred using fire magic.


Cassandra sighed. "You're right." She admitted. "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless. I should remember you did not attempt to run." She turned and crossed the ice, heading back to the path. Phoenix placed the staff in a sling on her back and followed. When Phoenix caught up to her, Cassandra handed her several health potions. "Take this. Maker knows what we will face."


"Where is everyone else?" Phoenix asked.


"At the forward camp. Or fighting. We are on our own for now."


Phoenix assumed that Grace had plenty, but just to make sure, she held some out. "Need any?"

 

[NecroKnight]

"I'm good," replied Grace, shaking her body - with several flaks clicking together. She looked almost like a walking alchemy lab - and judging by some of them; atleast likely a quarter of them, were something fire or exploding type.


"Care to tell, why you were found in the middle of a horde of Templars?" asked Grace, following after Cassandra and Phoenix. "I know you Elves are mostly receptionable, towards some elves from the city. But well, you plus Templars don't equal smart idea."

 

[Kestrel]

"It wasn't by choice. I don't really remember much," explained Phoenix. "I went to the Conclave, something blew it up, killed everyone, put the mark on my hand, and created the Breach. The Templars assumed I did it. They captured me, Soldier-Girl dragged me out here to seal a Rift, and I found you."


"My name is Cassandra," Cassandra said, sounding annoyed.


"I know that," Phoenix teased. "You know Gracie, I don't think she really approves of your nickname. I can't begin to understand why."


Cassandra groaned in annoyance, but had given up for the time being. They continued walking until another group of demons appeared.

 

[NecroKnight]

"It helps to lessen the mood," spoke Grace - drawing her daggers, and leaping into the fray. She operated, well, almost like a Crow - acting unpredictably and attacked at the least expected opportunity. Combining that with several flasks, that she hurled at the demons - setting them on fire or freezing them solid. "Plus - its better than moping like the rest back at Haven; on how demons are going to disembowl them."


"Less nervous you are, the better focused you are," she added - and despite her weird explanation, it made some sense. "Better to be angry, than wetting your pants."

 

[Kestrel]

"You've improved!" Phoenix called out to Grace. She had definitely made progress since the last time she saw her fight. Grace fought more fluidly now, with no noticeable pause between stabbing and slashing with daggers, and kicking flasks. Phoenix had a hard time tracking her on the battlefield, because she moved so quickly. The rouge seemed to disappear, and reappear behind the demons. Phoenix quickly sent a fireball at a group of three that were coming up behind Cassandra. Two were killed, and Cassandra slashed at the last one.


A sharp pain tore through Phoenix's upper left arm. She turned and smacked the demon that had clawed her arm with the top of her staff. It realed backwards towards Grace.

 

[NecroKnight]

To that end the demon ate a foot to its face; then ate a flask - and received a punch to the face. Making the freezer' flask brake and turned the demon into a block of ice.


"Nice statue, eh? I'll sell for twenty gold pieces," giggled Grace - soon helping Phoenix get rid of any demons molesting her.

 

[Kestrel]

After they had killed the demon, Phoenix glanced at her arm. The demon had clawed a deep gash into her arm. She pulled a healing potion out of her belt and pulled out the stopper. She quickly drank it and watched the cut heal itself.


They continued down the path, with Cassandra leading the way. Phoenix could hear the noise of a battle: people yelling, the clash of metal on metal, screams of pain and terror. "We're getting close. You can hear the fighting," Cassandra said, sounding concerned. She sped up and ran up a hill, following the path outlined by broken stones.


"Who's fighting?" Phoenix called out.


"You'll see soon. We have to help them." By now they had reached the crest of the hill. To their left was a broken stone bridge and tower, and to the right was a wall of rock. Cassandra continued forward without hesitating, leading them down a crumbled staircase into an old, broken courtyard where several humans were fighting demons. At the other end of the courtyard was a shimmering acid-green cloud. It seemed like a smaller version of the Breach, about two human males tall. More demons poured out of the rift. Cassandra immediately began fighting them. Phoenix backed up and began casting spells. She froze the ones near Cassandra, who shattered them with her broadsword. A dwarf with a crossbow was near her, shooting the demons. He appeared to be talking to someone named Bianca. A bald mage was swinging a staff, freezing the demons near him. Phoenix's eyes widened as she saw that he too, was an elf.

 

[NecroKnight]

Grace soon jumped into the fray - swinging her daggers like crazy. Soon throwing several flasks at a larger group of demons - whom were covered in a black liquid.


"Phoenix! Watch this!" giggled Grace, soon drinking a potion and then spewing fire from her mouth and igniting the demons into a blazing inferno.

 

[Kestrel]

"Nice one. Grace!" Phoenix called out. The killed all the demons and Phoenix ran to the rift, unsure of how to stop it.


The bald elf grabbed her wrist. "Quickly, before more come through!" He shouted, bringing her marked hand closer to the rift. The rift and the mark seemed to connect with an arc of the same green energy. The rift folded in on itself and vanished.


Phoenix gaped at the elf. "What did you do?" she asked, stunned.


"I did nothing. The credit is yours."


"So the mark is good for something," Phoenix mused.


"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand," he explained.


Phoenix examined said mark. "Oh," was she could say.


"I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake-and it seems I was correct," he said.


Cassandra stepped forward. "You mean it could also close the Breach itself."


"Possibly," the elf turned to Phoenix. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation."


"Good to know," the dwarf chimed in. "Here I thought we'd be butt deep in demons forever," he chuckled. "Varric Tethras," he introduced himself. "Rouge, storyteller and occasionally unwelcome tagalong."


"That's a umm...nice crossbow you have there," Phoenix managed.


Varric smiled. "Isn't she? Bianca and I have been through a lot together. She'll be great company in the valley."