Part 88: Bookman's Revenge

PART 88: BOOKMAN'S REVENGE


Exactly what I'd expect from an Aeducan.

So... is there a prize? A cash reward?

The warm glow of achievement and the adulation of the masses is the only reward a fighter needs.

Not even a free lunch?

Please leave.



I'm sure the praise of this idiot is worth any number of lunches.





[The main event was a bust. What about the side cards?]



Ready for some unofficial training opportunities?

Who am I facing and what do I get for it?

The younger houses are interested in... unorthodox tactics. Many hire mercenaries to augment traditional strengths. "Anything goes" is a fair description.

We give small payouts, maybe a bonus from time to time, but this isn't about money. It's about skill and the chance to show it.

It's better than nothing. Set me up with a team battle.

We've got some young fighters ready to go. This will be difficult, I assure you.



[No preamble, no nice speeches. Straight to the action!

There are four group battles. The first is against three fighters and a blood mage. Dwarves clearly don't care for Chantry rules.]



[It's not too tough, as long as you take out the mage quick.]



Good job, Warden. You've earned a portion of the receipts. Let me know if you want to go again.

[Our payout is an pitiful 12 silver. The real reward awaits when you beat all four battles. Let's speed through them.]



[The second battle features a Champion (a fighter subclass that buffs all allies in range), two generic fighters and a rogue. This is easier than the first battle- Champions are way less scary than mages.]



[The third battle has an enemy Arcane Warrior (the mage subclass that can wear armor). Arcane Warrior's are OP when in the player's party, but they act like a weaker Fighter with occasional fireballs when under AI control.]



[The last battle has an Elven Healer who is tough as balls. He can regen his health faster than you can damage him unless you send the entire team at him. And then the other guys gang up on you and etc etc.

There's also a Champion fighting but who cares about him.]



[Anyway we won. Hurray for us.]



An actual prize!



A cursed ring. Great.

_{i'm an eeeeeexcellent priiiiiiize}

I'm leaving you in my bag forever.

_{buuuuuut I loooooooove yooooooou}



I have heard an interesting tale of the qunari.

Speak, kadan.



It is not something that one should take pleasure in. It is done because it is necessary.

Why not put them out of their misery? Crush their skulls and be done with it. Fast. Efficient. Fun.

I shall pretend I did not hear that.

That would be wise.

You have been offended by such men, so your bloodlust can be forgiven. But these ones you speak of are to be pitied.

Even so, they must serve just as any other must serve. All must find their place within the Qun.

It does sound like a delightful place, where it comes from. Mages on leashes! What will they think of next?

I cannot say that they would not wish to put a leash on you as well, kadan.

Mmm. That does sound less fun, yes.





Oh for crying out-- Look, the situation is very complex! Very complicated!



That certainly settled that argument.

Ugh.



Let's head to Dust Town. Those fanatics reminded me that we technically have a job to do here.







We're seizing the means of production.

Yeah!



*crunch*

Looks like the proletariat are blasting off agaaaaain!



[This is Dust Town, the slums of Orzammar, and the one area we didn't see during the Prologue. Because Princesses don't come to places like this unless they're looking to get shivved.

You might have noticed a quest man in the background. He is the key to making a lot of money but we can't afford to talk to him yet. Literally, we need 40 sovereigns and if you don't have it when you talk to him you're locked out of the quest. We'll deal with that in the next update.]



We need to find some wannabe Carta crimelord named Jarvia. Better start questioning the poor and huddled masses.



I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way!

Can I ask you some questions about the carta?

Stay away from me! I don't know nothing about it.



They are weak and frightened.

They should be more frightened of us.

We're the good guys!

We killed ten people just walking here.

We're the marginally better guys!



[Here's an interesting thing: interacting with several objects around Orzammar unlocks new parargraphs in the 'Key to the City' codex entry. There's one in the Orzammar entrance, one on the bridge to the Proving, one in the Proving fighter's quarters, one near the exit from the Diamond Quarter and one hear.

Find them all and the game tells you of a cache in the Orzammar Assembly.]



[Not a very well hidden cache. This box materialises in the Assembly building after you get the pointer. The box contains...]



[...this awesome ring! Don't ask me how you're meant to wear it on your finger.

This quest is, I think, the only time the game rewards you for filling out your codex.

Back to Dust Town!]





What do you want, Warden? You're out of your element down here.

What makes you think I'm looking for anything?

(Chuckle) I’m no fool. Nobody just wanders around in Dust Town. You're here looking for me, and I don't like it.

You've walked into a sodding fight, Warden, and I've already passed your stupid tome along. Too bad for you.

Wait! Before we fight! I need to know...

What?

Is your name seriously 'Shady Corebit'?



CRITICAL HIT



Shady shouldn't have bet against me.



...

...Also I think he's the book thief we were asked to find a long time ago.



[The Betting Slip is A Clue.]



[Some new fellas have appeared in the Proving quarters.]



Library Police! Everyone freeze!



Looks like you just paid your late fees.



...

That one was good!





[There's one man left standing.]



This deal was all their making, Warden. Technically, I haven't done anything wrong. We have no business.

Unless you want to make a few coins. Not that I’m suggesting anything, but you're holding the prize now.

I should shut you down hard. It belongs in a museum!

Yes, well, I'll keep my nose clean until you're long gone, how about that? I'm just a business man. And I have diplomatic immunity.

I merely exploit opportunities. I won't get in your way.




BACK AT THE SHAPERATE...



No reward?

I'm a librarian.

Not even a free lunch.

I'm a librarian!




BACK IN THE DUST QUARTER...





Well, look at that. It's not often ol' Nadezda sees a fine-dressed stranger here in Dust Town. Help a poor cripple?

I might have money if you have information.

What are you looking for?

Know anything about the carta?

Know it? I lived it, my friend, and let me tell you, it's worse now than in my day.



Jarvia took over the carta not more than a year ago, and already she's got every duster with both legs bearing swords for her.

So she's prejudiced against the pegleg community. The fiend. Know where I could find her?

Won't be easy. She's gotten real careful since Beraht died, real paranoid.

[Beraht is Jarvia's predecessor, murdered by the Dwarven Commoner in their origin story.]



She's got carta members all carrying these finger-bone tokens. She scratches some math into them, so she'll know they came from her.

There's doors to her base all over the city, but only one is ever open at a time, and if you show up without a token, you'd never know it was there.

Where do I find one of these tokens?

Can't help you there, salroka. The carta members keep them real tight.

Now how about that coin you promised?

I'll give you ten silver. Take care of yourself.

I'll think of you when I go to bed with a full stomach.



Where are the carta... Maybe this guy knows.



Your clothes are so fancy. Did you get them topside?

Yes, I did.

My mam used to say they don't got no stone to protect them topside. If I go up there, I'm a-gonna fall into the sky.

You just have to hold on real tight with your feet.

Yes... when my da left, he never came back. Who's to say he didn't fall up, eh?

I have to go now. Forever.

Don't fall into the sky when you go back up there!



Let's just try knocking on random doors.

"Hello. Are there any criminals in here? No?"



*knock knock*

Hello. Are there any criminals in here?



Well, look what we have here...

Is that a yes?

Jarvia said you were looking for trouble. Congratulations, you found it.



RUMBLE!



[Apart from the leader these guys are all weak fighters.]



D-don't kill me! Sodding ancestors, what do they teach you on the surface? You fight like a bleedin' archdemon!

I sure hope so.

Sweet bloody stone, look at them all.

(Intimidate) Tell me how to find Jarvia, or you join them!

The base is below the city. Y-you can get to it through the wall of the third house on this row. Put this token through the slot and it'll open.

Will... will you let me go now?

Yes. And you won't want to be at Jarvia's when I get there.

R-really? Oh, thank you. You're a... a good person. How do they say it? The ancestors have shown their favor. Bless you!



What's wrong with an actual key? Or some sort of laminated card.

There is a certain romance about turning your enemies into keys, no?




NEXT TIME: Bianca gets tough on crime and also sells some drugs

NEW CODEX CONTENT:
The Casteless
The Key to the City
Blood Ring (good name for a band)