Part 79: Chained Heat

PART 79: CHAINED HEAT




(Quiet sobbing)



It is worse than losing them to death, isn't it? When the one closest to you is untrue.

Who...?

A friend. I can help, but you must find your resolve.



I don't need more friends.

You are not the only one Marjolaine has exploited. She has an eye for weakness--in youth, confidence... faith.

She left me nothing.

No. You feel alone, perhaps for the first time, but you are far from helpless.

*thump*



Others need you, even at your lowest. And that is a source of strength I cannot describe.

I must go. You can do this.

How do you know about this? About me?



Hello?

Ugh!



[Leliana responds to a brutal betrayal and days of horrific torture by... becoming a bit sulky. Hey, we all have our coping mechanisms.]



[Our mysterious benefactor has dropped us the key to the cell door, as well as this nasty little weapon. Our inventory has been confiscated so this is all we have to fight with for a while.]



Time to leave. Bye, Zaphod.



[The dungeon isn't very large, but there are several gates blocking our progress out. Let's play hunt-the-lever.]





*squish*

My... precious... spleen.

Right grateful to you girl. If ever... look out!



[It's Silas Corthwaite everybody! ]



[Sketch and Silas join our party after the first wave. Silas has nothing but his fists, but Sketch commands the ineffable flux of reality so he's the MVP of this battle.]



I'm not against anyone. I just want out.

Leliana?

I'm done, Sketch.

[Silas has now joined the party. Yeah, this random prisoner dude is now part of Team Leliana.]



[He's a berserker, so pretty great at murdering dudes. Berserkers get the ability to go into Rages, which cranks up their damage output at cost to their stamina regen.

They also get the ability to burn all their remaining stamina for one big attack, which does stupid damage if you use it with a full stamina bar.]



[The footlocker contains all our missing gear. And there's that lever we were briefly searching for!]



Can't believe there were no shoes in that box.

I'm sure you can cope with having cold feet until we escape.

I'm going to look like a right idiot if we get into a scrap.

Maybe you can paralyse our enemies with the smell.





Another locked gate.

It's almost like they don't want us to leave.

Try the door on the right.





Why don't we talk about this?!

*crunch*



[Going to grab the lever on the left triggers a cutscene.]



Oh. Oh no. No!

Tug?



She did this. With her beast. They will both answer!

[Bye Tug. We hardly knew ye.

Good job a new tank just joined the party, eh?]



[We can pick up Tug's axe from a nearby rack, although it's changed from a weapon into a gift. Giving it to Sketch unlocks a permanent boost to his spellpower, but I think Silas can make better use of it...]



It belonged to a dear friend. He would want it used.

Hope you know what you're doing, trusting him with that.

So do I.



[Tug's Edge has evolved into its final form. It's pretty great.]



Did anyone else hear that?



[Welp, time to make some dogs explode.]



How do your wrists do thaaaaarrrrghhhh!!



[There are some more hapless prisoners in this room. This is turning into a good old-fashioned jailbreak. Fortunately you don't have to escort anyone, the other prisoners all use NPC teleportation to escape.

We finally find some shoes for Silas in this room as well. It's a win for everyone!]]

No one else is coming. Follow if you want.



You want out, move. There is no one else.

[This is Adaia, who is the mother of the Grey Warden with the City Elf origin. A strange cameo.]



[We also find another piece of the Masterwork Leather Armor we were collecting. We're up to...5? I think. It's been a while.]



[Dungeon Guard is about to E-X-P-L-O-D-E.]



I have to.





*BANG!*



Oh god! We're being raptured!





Ssh. You're safe now.



Dorothea!



Your guest is awake.



So I see. Please, give us a moment.



[This is Revered Mother Dorothea. One day, long after this DLC, she will become Divine Justinia V, the ladypope in charge of the entire Chantry. She's pretty cool.]

No doubt you have questions.



Dorothea? Should I know you?

No. No, if you wish a full introduction, I am formally Revered Mother Dorothea.

"Your reverence," then?

My temple is in Orlais. I came here without sanction, hoping to fix the mistakes I have made.

So please, just Dorothea.

This is a Chantry? Am I to be arrested?



The Chantry is not an arm of the king's law, although I am certain these good Fereldans disapprove of both of our actions.

But you are one of them.

I am also Orlesian. They have no reason to listen to me.

But they know that if I fail here, it may harm the Chantry as a whole.

You saved me? Gave me a key?



You didn't need a key. You could have tricked a guard or bound a splinter into a braid for a lockpick....

And you would look good with braids, you know?



Anyway, all I did was suggest that you are never powerless when others are in need.

But why?



Because I needed to hear the same thing when I was in your place.

Uh huh.

This is all interesting, but I need to be a long way from both Ferelden and Orlais very soon.

...The papers Marjolaine sold to Commander Raleigh were mine. The papers used against you.



Quelle horreur!

You did this? Those were Orlesian military! It is treason!

My temple receives troop movements so we can minister in the field. They were stolen... in an moment of weakness.

I didn't know why Marjolaine wanted to be so close to me. But it felt like... youth.

Ugh, of course. Is there anyone involved in this catastrophe who Marjolaine hasn't slept with?!

_{Who's Marjolaine?}



It sounds like you have a real mess that no longer involves me.

But it does, doesn't it? As much as you want it to be over, it gnaws at you.

This is about need. What you need.

And what is that?

The same thing I yearned for. To hear from her lips the reason why.

Are you sure it isn't about your need not to be skinned alive for treason?

That would be a nice bonus, yes.



I can tell you where Marjolaine is. Where Commander Raleigh is. Help Orlais, and yourself.

I will be here when you decide you are ready.




NEXT TIME: VENGEANCE IS MINE, saith the Maker

NEW CODEX CONTENT:
Silas