Part 25: Who Dares, Wynnes

PART 25: WHO DARES, WYNNES


These poor people. Demon's work, no doubt.

Or the templars. Heavily armed men, half-mad with fear. Not a story that usually ends well for bystanders.





I can barely see the ceiling. This place must be a bugger to heat in the winter.

Tevinter architecture seldom concerns itself with practicalities. There are always plenty of slaves available to tend the fires.

Or be burned.



There's a few pages from... someone's diary here.

Anything juicy?



Depends on your definition of juice.

[This is the start of a sidequest- we need to find all the scattered notes throughout the Tower to unlock the prize at the end. And by prize I mean... well, you'll see. Bioware use this format of quest- find documents, get stuff- several times throughout the Tower, probably because it isn't an environment with much in the way of NPC interaction.]





Here's another one...





It's quiet... Too quiet.

Better than it being too loud. Less likely to cause migraines.



Another note. This one seems different though.



Hmm.



[Finding this note unlocks this interactable bed in the previous dorm, although how you would figure it out from the text is beyond me. You get a couple of potions for rummaging around under Denri's bed.]

They're all... sticky.



Anyone else hear shouting?

Let's see what's past this door.



Rrarrgh!

Aaaaaaaah!!!







*whoooosh!*



blargh



*splat*







It's you! No... come no further. Grey Warden or no, I will strike you down where you stand!

Wynne! What are you doing here?

I am a mage of the Circle. More importantly, why are you here? The templars would not let just anyone by.

I came here seeking the aid of the mages.

And you were told that the Circle was in no shape to help you, I suppose.

The corpses everywhere kinda spelled that one out.

So why did the templars let you in? Do they plan to attack the tower now?

Don't worry, the Right of Annulment has not arrived.

They sent for it, then. I feared they might have. What else could they do?



So Greagoir thinks the Circle is beyond hope. He probably assumes we are all dead.

They abandoned us to our fate, but even trapped as we are, we have survived. If they invoke the Right, however, we will not be able to stand against them.

What happened here, anyway?

Let it suffice to say that we had something of a revolt on our hands, led by a mage named Uldred.

When he returned from the battle at Ostagar, he tried to take over the Circle. As you can see, it didn't work out as he had planned.

Maybe he did plan it this way. Maybe he really, really likes demons.

I don't know what became of Uldred, but I am certain all this is his doing. I will not lose the Circle to one man's pride and stupidity.

So what do you intend?



I erected a barrier over the door leading to the rest of the tower, so nothing from inside could attack the children.

Except for the demon that just attacked the children, presumably.

Ssh!

You will not be able to enter the tower as long as the barrier holds, but I will dispel it if you join with me to save this Circle.

But the templars may attack at any moment.

True. We have little time.



Once Greagoir sees that we have made the tower safe, I trust he will tell his men to back down. He is not unreasonable.

Greagoir will only accept it if the first enchanter says so.

Then our path is laid out before us. We must save Irving.

Are we bad enough dudes to rescue the first enchanter?

Yes.

Well, then. ...Will the children be safe here?

Petra and Kinnon will watch them. If we slay all the fiends we encounter on our way, none will get by to threaten the children.

I suppose that could work.

Petra, Kinnon... look after the others. I will be back soon.



Wynne... are you sure you're all right? You were so badly hurt earlier. Maybe I should come along.

The others need your protection more. I'll be all right. Stay here with them... keep them safe and calm.

Come on then. Try not to throw out your back.

When that happens, I usually lay about a young upstart with my staff. That gets the blood flowing, and works the kinks out of these old joints.

You're going to fit right in.

If you are ready, let us go end this.



WYNNE JOINED THE PARTY!

[That conversation can go horribly wrong if Morrigan's in the party, as she'll cop to being an apostate on certain dialogue paths and a fight will break out. Lucky we didn't bring her!]



[Wynne's your dedicated healer. She comes with a bunch of healing spells, and her specialization, “Spirit Healer”, gives her the opportunity to learn a few more. Programme her AI to act as a healbot, and she'll keep your party alive a good long time.

Downside is she starts with almost no attack spells learned. She doesn't have much equipment either, although her starter robe and staff are both pretty good.]



[As Leliana had the fewest votes out of our chosen party, she's the one who got benched in favor of Wynne.

Although how that works considering we're sealed in the Tower right now, who knows?

I mean, where did she go? ]



Look after her, will you?

You sound a little worried.

I don't know if she's up to this... Especially not after... I just worry.

Not after what?

I was on my way down to the library when I heard screaming, and a demon came around the corner.



Its eyes were afire with evil... I was certain it was my death come upon me.

I think I screamed; I was so afraid. And then Wynne was there, in front of me, shielding me. It was light and fire, blood and chaos...

When it was over, the demon was dead but Wynne wasn't moving either. I was so afraid she was... gone.

What happened then?

As I moved to help her, she stirred and coughed.

I don't know what I would have done if she had died... for me.

She just had the wind knocked out of her then.

Just look after her, all right? She might be completely fine, but then again maybe she didn't come away from that totally unharmed.

Don't worry. She'll be safe with me. Relatively speaking.

Thank you. And thank you again for helping us.



[There are two other mages we can talk to in Wynne's little gang.]



It is good to see that some Wardens survived. We are sorry for the loss of your comrades.

I was lucky to have escaped.

We heard about Loghain. I would never have imagined the teyrn a traitor.

You're very well-informed for a prisoner. How did you find out?

Wynne was at Ostagar. She told us everything upon her return...

But why speak of things past? Focus on your terrifying future instead. Be careful in there, and stay safe.





I don't suppose this is what you expected the Circle to be like, is it?

This is not a common occurrence, I take it.

I keep thinking this is our punishment for being mages. That's why the templars have to... do away with us.

Don't internalise your oppression. That's how the Man wins.

Their swords are like the... the sword of mercy that sent Andraste back to the Maker...

That's one way of putting it. A pretty fucked up way.

We should let the templars come. Only then can we be cleansed of our wickedness.

The horror of this ordeal has unhinged you, I see.

I will pray: May we abandon our tainted bodies to find peace with the Maker.



Wow.

Keili has not coped well with seeing her classmates torn to flinders before her eyes.

Perhaps she should have learned how to look away.



Here we are. I am somewhat amazed at myself for having kept it in place this long.

Impressive, for an old woman.

It made me very weary at times, but I had to stay strong, to keep us safe.

Be prepared for anything. I do not know what manner of beasts lurk beyond this barrier.

Are you ready?

I am ready. Destroy the barrier.



All right. Be on your guard...

Go team!



Urrrgh.

What is that?

A student, I think. Once.



*BOOM!*



By the stone. They *explode*. My life has taken on new meaning.



[Abominations do indeed explode on death. They don't deal much damage with it, but it can add up if you're fighting a lot of them. Looks cool though.]



I expected the demons to pose more of a threat.

They explode! They explode when you stab them! I got set on fire three times in the last fight. I don't think I have eyebrows anymore.

You should use a longer sword.

My sword is plenty long enough.



[The second fight in the library has a Rage Demon join the fun. While the Abominations are dumb sluggers, the Demon can throw around various AoE fire attacks. On higher difficulties it pays to spread your forces out a bit, and maybe use some fire resistance buffing spells and items. On normal we can just tank it.]



Not again!



*cough* One of the abominations dropped a letter.



I knew Ayn Rand was to blame somehow!

[Oh, alright. “Libertarian” in this context is a faction of mages that believe in being free from the Chantry's laws. Nothing to do with the tyranny of altruism.]



Here's another one of those notes...



”The Watchguard of the Reaching” ...All the notes mention the “Reaching”.

I've never heard of that ritual. I think there's a good reason for that.



Hey, what's this?

Please tell me we are not stopping here just so you can catch up on your reading.

No, this looks useful.





[The summoning sidequest in the library starts with you interacting with this rather out-of-place font. Doing so causes a dozen interactable objects to light up throughout the room. All you have to do is use them in the order to book tells you to.

So, for the first exercise you just have to use the Font, then the “Tome of Spirit Reckoning” then the First Flame...]



If something horrible comes out, it's your problem.

I have a good feeling about this.



Squeak!

Aww, it's a nug!

erk

*thump*



I hope that wasn't your spirit animal.

C- for summoning, young lady.

...Hey, it barfed up a gemstone before it died!

[It really does give you a gemstone. Thanks, dead ghost pig.]





I've done all the running around, now show me the goods!



Hello?

*poof*



That was anticlimactic. Well, what's next?

[Remember this scene, for future reference.]



Aw, look at all this crap.



OK, one last time. Give me the loot, circle!



It's a giant demon bear covered in spikes. Huh.

Turns out I am bad at summoning things.



That was a waste of time.

Agreed.

[The bear thing drops some half decent mage gloves that bolster lightning damage. They would be useful on Morrigan who actually knows lightning spells, but for now Wynne gets them.]







Another book...



Now they tell us.

We need to move on. There are many more levels to climb.



Oh, joy.


NEXT TIME: Trapped in the Closet

NEW CODEX CONTENT:
Rage Demon