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Choose your own Dragon Age adventure
- Thread starter Crane
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,246
Flipped another coin and away we go.
"She's down here!" you yell in reply.
The child comes down the stairs, and finds his mother on the ground dead, her body bleeding profusely from a large cut across her neck. He begins to cry as his gaze travels to your sword, covered in the same blood.
"Mama!" the young boy screams, running to her body. "Mama, wake up! Wake up, please, mama!"
You solemnly walk behind the child, and hold his head still with one hand as you draw your sword across his neck with the other, perhaps reuniting the small family in the afterlife. Fern and Levina look away. The blood mage nods. The doorway to the Fade is finally open, and you step through it without looking back on what you've done.
You enter the Fade. (This must be quite the spell, since dwarves can't enter the fade normally.)
Suddenly, the world around you has turned grey. The distance looks hazy, as if some secret fire beneath the ground is heating the air. What you had expected to be a large, diverse expanse is in reality nothing but a small, unfurnished room. You look around you and find neither Fern nor Levina with you in the Fade.
A small voice speaks from behind you. "You are here for Ataxias," it says. "You are not the first." You turn to find a small white wisp floating near your shoulder, its form like a mass of swirling smoke. "This maze is both Ataxias and yourself. Find the points where both can meet, and so shall you, too, meet with Ataxias. It is a reward and punishment both."
It dissipates into the air.
> Examine the room.
A) Travel east.
B) Travel south by choosing a door at random.
"She's down here!" you yell in reply.
The child comes down the stairs, and finds his mother on the ground dead, her body bleeding profusely from a large cut across her neck. He begins to cry as his gaze travels to your sword, covered in the same blood.
"Mama!" the young boy screams, running to her body. "Mama, wake up! Wake up, please, mama!"
You solemnly walk behind the child, and hold his head still with one hand as you draw your sword across his neck with the other, perhaps reuniting the small family in the afterlife. Fern and Levina look away. The blood mage nods. The doorway to the Fade is finally open, and you step through it without looking back on what you've done.
You enter the Fade. (This must be quite the spell, since dwarves can't enter the fade normally.)
Suddenly, the world around you has turned grey. The distance looks hazy, as if some secret fire beneath the ground is heating the air. What you had expected to be a large, diverse expanse is in reality nothing but a small, unfurnished room. You look around you and find neither Fern nor Levina with you in the Fade.
A small voice speaks from behind you. "You are here for Ataxias," it says. "You are not the first." You turn to find a small white wisp floating near your shoulder, its form like a mass of swirling smoke. "This maze is both Ataxias and yourself. Find the points where both can meet, and so shall you, too, meet with Ataxias. It is a reward and punishment both."
It dissipates into the air.
> Examine the room.
This room is completely barren of unique qualities, save two doors.
To the east, you see a standard wooden door.
To the south, you find what appear to be many doors, opening and closing as they shift left and right, merging and splitting from each other. Behind most, you see a black, menacing flame. As you step closer, the doors freeze in place--you count ten in total--though you have no way of knowing what lies beyond them.
To the east, you see a standard wooden door.
To the south, you find what appear to be many doors, opening and closing as they shift left and right, merging and splitting from each other. Behind most, you see a black, menacing flame. As you step closer, the doors freeze in place--you count ten in total--though you have no way of knowing what lies beyond them.
A) Travel east.
B) Travel south by choosing a door at random.
Elfberserker
Liturgist
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Messages
- 1,540
A For pretty much same reason as Tigranes.
Oh well at least this could be good story about how ruthless revenge destroys lives around of said revenge seeking individual or perhaps our dwarf will attempt at great difficult to repent herself in future.
Then again perhaps codex got tired of playing good guys and wants to to evil territory. I know I want to play as evil dude/dudeness once for while.
Oh well at least this could be good story about how ruthless revenge destroys lives around of said revenge seeking individual or perhaps our dwarf will attempt at great difficult to repent herself in future.
Then again perhaps codex got tired of playing good guys and wants to to evil territory. I know I want to play as evil dude/dudeness once for while.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,246
You travel east, and the door disappears behind you. Inside, you're immediately met by a vision. What you see is yourself in the Deep Roads, training with Fern. Your body looks terrible, painted in sweat, dirt, and hunger. Your eyes, however, tell a different tale. The look they wear is one of total perseverance, a violent perseverance. You were then as you are now: a being with no hope but vengeance, the destruction of those who wronged you.
You reach forward and touch the vision. Like an electrical shock, it throws your arm back as it dissipates. You feel an invisible energy enter your body. It's difficult to understand the abstractions at work in your mind, but you think you can feel your determination actually transform as if it had physical shape. You see a drake inside of you, and what's more, a drake now at your command.
With a single thought, your body transforms into the fearsome beast, and with another, you return to your regular body.
> Examine the room.
You see two doors.
To the south, you see an open path engulfed by orange flames.
To the east, you see shifting doors, similar to those in the first room.
To the south, you see an open path engulfed by orange flames.
To the east, you see shifting doors, similar to those in the first room.
You enter your drake form and travel south through the burning flames.
You enter your drake form, and use its immunity to fire to pass safely through the burning doorway. Inside, you see Fern in the Deep Roads. It's obvious that this is simply an apparition of your friend, not his actual body.
Within the vision, you see countless scenes of torture inflicted upon Fern by other darkspawn for his differences. They stream through your mind in the course of an instant. You feel his shame, confusion, and fury as if they were your own. You see him then as an outcast, forced to live separate from the rest of the horde.
The following scenes are muddled, passing too quickly to understand. You see him walking without a disguise in the woods, and then inside of a hut. He stares down at a baby, in shock--the same baby you see him with now. You reach out and touch the vision, but nothing happens.
> Examine the room.
You see two doors.
To the east, the door you entered through has been replaced by the same shifting doors you've seen in other parts of the maze.
To the west, you see a standard wooden door.
You enter your human form and travel west through the wooden door.To the east, the door you entered through has been replaced by the same shifting doors you've seen in other parts of the maze.
To the west, you see a standard wooden door.
You travel west, and see a second vision of Fern. He's just traveled back into the Deep Roads with the child. You see him caring for it in secret, and then you appear. You see him training you, and feel his willingness to travel with you to the surface world.
Reaching out your good hand, you touch the edge of his arm. His image melts around you, and you're filled with a warm sensation. The energy feels protective, fierce, and loyal. You sense the presence of a proud mabari suddenly within you, and much like the drake, you gain the ability to take its form.
> Examine the room.
You see two doors.
To the north, you see shifting doors.
To the east, you see the same normal door you passed through to get here.
To the north, you see shifting doors.
To the east, you see the same normal door you passed through to get here.
A) Enter your mabari form and sniff out the safe door north.
B) Enter your human form and travel east.
Elfberserker
Liturgist
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Messages
- 1,540
A
For Glooooooooooooory!
For Glooooooooooooory!
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,246
This maze section of the CYOA sucks. 
Let me speed this shit up.
You find yourself in the room in which you started this maze.
> Examine the room.
You again enter your mabari form, and travel north.
You enter the room where you'd previously seen a vision of Fern. Nothing remains now but small, blue tiles across the floor. The way north has re-opened.
> Examine the room.
You see three doors.
You again enter your mabari form, and sniff out the correct path east.
You enter the room, and find yourself face to face with a massive purple demon made entirely of spikes. You reach for your sword, but find nothing at your waist. The demon laughs.
"Even if you found your puny blade, mortal," the creature says in a raspy, echoing voice, "I doubt it would have made your encounter with me any easier. I have killed many, many of your kind, and most of them had two arms, by my count. I'll tell you what. Instead of a duel that you would so surely lose, let us have a small game of riddles. Solve mine and you continue past this door behind me. I won't say I'll kill you if you fail, because I could kill you as easily now. No, instead I think I'll prefer to watch you suffer trying to get through. Do you find these terms agreeable?"
You nod. You have no choice in the matter.
"So be it," the demon says. "In a marble hall white as milk; lined with skin as soft as silk; within a fountain crystal-clear; a golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold; yet thieves break in to steal its gold. Of what do I speak? Spell the answer to open the passage."
A) "E--"
B) "I--"
C) "A--"
Let me speed this shit up.
You find yourself in the room in which you started this maze.
> Examine the room.
You see two doors.
To the east, you see a normal door.
To the south, you see shifting doors.
To the east, you see a normal door.
To the south, you see shifting doors.
You again enter your mabari form, and travel north.
You enter the room where you'd previously seen a vision of Fern. Nothing remains now but small, blue tiles across the floor. The way north has re-opened.
> Examine the room.
You see three doors.
To the west, you see a doorway covered in orange flames.
To the east, you see shifting doors.
To the north, you see a normal door.
To the east, you see shifting doors.
To the north, you see a normal door.
You again enter your mabari form, and sniff out the correct path east.
You enter the room, and find yourself face to face with a massive purple demon made entirely of spikes. You reach for your sword, but find nothing at your waist. The demon laughs.
"Even if you found your puny blade, mortal," the creature says in a raspy, echoing voice, "I doubt it would have made your encounter with me any easier. I have killed many, many of your kind, and most of them had two arms, by my count. I'll tell you what. Instead of a duel that you would so surely lose, let us have a small game of riddles. Solve mine and you continue past this door behind me. I won't say I'll kill you if you fail, because I could kill you as easily now. No, instead I think I'll prefer to watch you suffer trying to get through. Do you find these terms agreeable?"
You nod. You have no choice in the matter.
"So be it," the demon says. "In a marble hall white as milk; lined with skin as soft as silk; within a fountain crystal-clear; a golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold; yet thieves break in to steal its gold. Of what do I speak? Spell the answer to open the passage."
A) "E--"
B) "I--"
C) "A--"
Elfberserker
Liturgist
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Messages
- 1,540
I can't think of anything, but a egg also so A
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,246
Is that subtle poke at the game's insistence of putting a comma before every conjunction?
A too BTW Glorious choice with Blood Spell; Our Kind Hero would be proud of Codex. :russia:
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2014
- Messages
- 391
A
Even in CYOA's the fade section is too long and sucks, glad you had a skip mod installed.
This maze section of the CYOA sucks.
Even in CYOA's the fade section is too long and sucks, glad you had a skip mod installed.
Elfberserker
Liturgist
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Messages
- 1,540
Oh I wish it were so, but that is just my poor grasp of grammer and poor writing showing trough.
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2013
- Messages
- 1,246
Sorry about the wait. Let's just get the rest of the fade over and done with.
"E--"
It laughs heartily as you continue.
(We have to keep picking from a list of letters for every choice.)
"G--"
It laughs heartily as you continue.
"G--"
The demon stops laughing and sighs loudly. "Very well," he says. With that, the glowing blue enchantment across the northern door fades to nothing. The demon moves from its path and leans against the eastern wall.
(Give this man a brofist!)
You travel north through the open door.
You enter the northern room and see a vision of Levina in what you can only presume is Antiva. It begins with her training fiercely beside similarly-aged recruits. Soon, you see those same recruits sent out by the assassin master, while Levina remains alone in the training facility. Suddenly a strange figure enters the room. They speak but you cannot hear the words.
You proceed quickly into the adjoining room and are met with a second vision. Levina is now rifling through documents in a private office. She looks terrified. A moment later, she's disappeared, just as a large, shadowy elf opens the door. Outside, you watch as Levina carves her way out from the crow's base, slaughtering any assassin unlucky enough to discover her escape.
You touch the vision and your hand is held in place as if stuck. After a short struggle, you've removed it and begin to feel a sinister, deadly force grow within you. It's the spirit of a spider. You've gained another form.
Looking around the room, you see a small hole near the ceiling. You quickly enter your new form and climb up the wall. You traverse the hole.
The tunnel running through the wall is long and labyrinthine, but soon you see a light from a junction some distance ahead of you. You travel toward it and soon find the exit. Poking your small head outside of the hole, you see a small cat with glowing eyes surrounded by hundreds of different types of chairs. This seems to be the end of the maze. Could this be ... Ataxias?
You climb stealthily down the wall. As you hit the ground, you see the image of a spider and a mabari hound leap out from your chest. They transform into Fern and Levina.
"Well, that was an odd sensation," Levina says.
"You're ... real this time?" you ask.
"I'd say so," Levina answers, patting herself down. Fern nods.
"Ataxias?" you call to the cat in front of you. It still hasn't turned to look at you, though you're sure it heard you and the others enter his room. "You there, Ataxias," you try again.
The cat keeps his attention locked to the chairs in front of him. "See, the thing with stain is that while it covers up defects in the workmanship, it fundamentally alters the color of the chair," you hear it mumble. "And if you're going to alter the intended aesthetic of the chair, then you're only adding a defect to the work you're supposedly trying to repair ... "
Could this be the dangerous mage of whom you were so warned?
You take a few steps closer to the kitten. "Ataxias, I have beaten your maze!" you say loudly. "You must speak with me."
"Three legs?" the feline mumbles, still refusing to acknowledge your presence. "Yes, I suppose it would work, triangle, pyramid, both strong structures for supporting weight. But a chair with three legs isn't rightly a chair ... not by birth. That's a stool, isn't it? Yes, yes, I believe that it is."
You begin to walk across the room to where he stands.
"This one has wonderful lumbar, it's true," you hear him saying, "but I worry sometimes about the strength of the back two legs. One enjoys a good lean when working."
Just before you reach him, you call out once more. "Ataxias!"
Without turning toward you, the small cat summons a massive fireball and lobs it at your chest as if it was nothing. You're barely able to take your drake form in time to survive the devastating blast.
"Why has no one thought to add wheels to a chair leg?" the cat continues. "Yes, I think I may quite enjoy such a contraption."
Diplomacy, it seems, will get you nowhere.
You signal Fern to attack. Fern understands your signal and steps forward with his palms held out toward the cat. It turns at blinding speed to face Fern and mimics the darkspawn's stance. Both of them stand frozen and straining, likely attempting to overpower the other with a similar spell.
Either you or Levina can strike next. A correct tactical decision could make all the difference. You signal Levina to follow up rather than yourself.
You signal to Levina, who uses the cat's involvement with Fern to easily sneak behind him and put her dagger to its throat. "Whatever it is you're doing with my friend over there," she says seriously, "I suggest you end it. Now."
The kitten laughs and lowers its paws with a jerk. Fern flies backward, but quickly regains his footing and nods to Levina that he's fine.
"I'm sure you're about to wow me with whatever very, very important reason you have for finding me here," Ataxias says, suddenly transforming into the human man you'd seen in the holding cell, "but before you blather on about it, I have a single question for you: ladderback or Windsor?"
"We're looking for an assassin by the name of Ciro," you say, ignoring the man's question. "And we have reason to believe you can find him for us. Is that so?"
"What was that?" the mage replies. "Did you say ladderback or Windsor?"
"This could be a trick," Levina cautions you. "Say the word and it triggers some form of hex or trap."
"Uh, Windsor, I suppose." you say.
"Is that so," he replies. "Would that be a lacquer Windsor, or are we discussing something more au naturel here?"
It's becoming increasingly obvious that you're going to have to play along to get an answer out of him.
"My mother always said 'go lacquer or go home.'"
"Laquer ... laquer ... hmm ... alright, then, I'll help you," the mage says casually. As he finishes the sentence, he releases a massive wave of telekinetic energy, blasting you, Fern, and Levina harmlessly across the room. Was he just toying with you when you thought you'd had the advantage?
"Well don't just sit there," Ataxias says. "We've got something worth doing, I presume."
"We're looking for an assassin by the name of Ciro," you explain.
"Oh, an assassin! This is going to be interesting after all."
"So you can find him for us?" you ask.
"If he's ever dreamed, then he's been to the Fade," the man says, "and if he's ever been to the Fade, then I have a chair for him somewhere ... " He begins sweeping chairs from his feet as he looks through his massive collection. "Ah, I see," he says excitedly. "I believe that I may know the elf that you're looking for. Let's go find him, shall we?"
The reaction makes your curious. "Why do you want to help us?"
Ataxias laughs. "That expression you're wearing," he says, "priceless as an 8:24 Blessed trestle-backed Orlesian dining seat. Look, it's not very complex. You've obviously come a long way to find me, and perhaps it was just as obviously time I was found. Why will I help you? If I were to state it in words, I like to see moving things. They're boring when they don't move. A windmill that is not moving can be nice from time to time, but most of the time it's not even worth looking at. Now I want to move the windmill with the wind of whatever it is you people are up to at present. Get me out of this dungeon, and I'll lead you to this Ciro crow. I could just tell you where to go, I suppose, but then I'd miss the show."
The mage laughs again, and suddenly you find yourself out of the Fade and back inside of the dungeon. Ataxias is no longer thrashing about on the bed, but instead standing patiently in front of the bars to his cell. The door remains locked and closed behind him. You decide against questioning it, and four of you escape to the city limits.
For the next few days, you follow Ataxias as he leads your group northwest into the Free Marches. There are moments--many of them, in fact--during which you believe you've allied yourself with this mage in error. It's impossible to say if he knows where he's leading your group, or if he knows where to find Ciro at all. If he doesn't, you've put your life's ambition at risk, with little time to find better path.
The pain in your arm has been increasing with each passing day. The black veins bulging beneath your shoddy tourniquet are getting darker, and the strange voices of the darkspawn hivemind speak louder and with more clarity with each passing night. You can feel your time running out as a palpable sensation.
Two weeks pass, and after a particularly long day of hiking, darkness falls across the woods.
"I miss the stars of Ferelden," Levina says, looking to the sky beyond the trees. "The sky has been so cloudy since Kirkwall."
"What are you talking about?" you reply, following her gaze. "There are five of them. I'm sure of it."
"Five?" she repeats. "I can see maybe three. And that's being generous."
"Are both of you mad?" Ataxias chimes in. "Those aren't stars up there. There are no stars. Zero."
"Yes there are," you say, pointing behind you. "You just have to look past the city."
"No. There are none," Ataxias says sternly. "And the city doesn't matter."
"Relax, you two," Levina says. "They're just stars. I'm sorry I even brought it up."
You smile remember to look to the well-being of your companions for the first time since you began this journey. They seem exhausted. Ataxias promises only two days more of travel before arriving at whatever location Ciro's hidden himself within.
A) Push forward.
B) Make camp.
"E--"
It laughs heartily as you continue.
(We have to keep picking from a list of letters for every choice.)
"G--"
It laughs heartily as you continue.
"G--"
The demon stops laughing and sighs loudly. "Very well," he says. With that, the glowing blue enchantment across the northern door fades to nothing. The demon moves from its path and leans against the eastern wall.
(Give this man a brofist!)
You travel north through the open door.
You enter the northern room and see a vision of Levina in what you can only presume is Antiva. It begins with her training fiercely beside similarly-aged recruits. Soon, you see those same recruits sent out by the assassin master, while Levina remains alone in the training facility. Suddenly a strange figure enters the room. They speak but you cannot hear the words.
You proceed quickly into the adjoining room and are met with a second vision. Levina is now rifling through documents in a private office. She looks terrified. A moment later, she's disappeared, just as a large, shadowy elf opens the door. Outside, you watch as Levina carves her way out from the crow's base, slaughtering any assassin unlucky enough to discover her escape.
You touch the vision and your hand is held in place as if stuck. After a short struggle, you've removed it and begin to feel a sinister, deadly force grow within you. It's the spirit of a spider. You've gained another form.
Looking around the room, you see a small hole near the ceiling. You quickly enter your new form and climb up the wall. You traverse the hole.
The tunnel running through the wall is long and labyrinthine, but soon you see a light from a junction some distance ahead of you. You travel toward it and soon find the exit. Poking your small head outside of the hole, you see a small cat with glowing eyes surrounded by hundreds of different types of chairs. This seems to be the end of the maze. Could this be ... Ataxias?
You climb stealthily down the wall. As you hit the ground, you see the image of a spider and a mabari hound leap out from your chest. They transform into Fern and Levina.
"Well, that was an odd sensation," Levina says.
"You're ... real this time?" you ask.
"I'd say so," Levina answers, patting herself down. Fern nods.
"Ataxias?" you call to the cat in front of you. It still hasn't turned to look at you, though you're sure it heard you and the others enter his room. "You there, Ataxias," you try again.
The cat keeps his attention locked to the chairs in front of him. "See, the thing with stain is that while it covers up defects in the workmanship, it fundamentally alters the color of the chair," you hear it mumble. "And if you're going to alter the intended aesthetic of the chair, then you're only adding a defect to the work you're supposedly trying to repair ... "
Could this be the dangerous mage of whom you were so warned?
You take a few steps closer to the kitten. "Ataxias, I have beaten your maze!" you say loudly. "You must speak with me."
"Three legs?" the feline mumbles, still refusing to acknowledge your presence. "Yes, I suppose it would work, triangle, pyramid, both strong structures for supporting weight. But a chair with three legs isn't rightly a chair ... not by birth. That's a stool, isn't it? Yes, yes, I believe that it is."
You begin to walk across the room to where he stands.
"This one has wonderful lumbar, it's true," you hear him saying, "but I worry sometimes about the strength of the back two legs. One enjoys a good lean when working."
Just before you reach him, you call out once more. "Ataxias!"
Without turning toward you, the small cat summons a massive fireball and lobs it at your chest as if it was nothing. You're barely able to take your drake form in time to survive the devastating blast.
"Why has no one thought to add wheels to a chair leg?" the cat continues. "Yes, I think I may quite enjoy such a contraption."
Diplomacy, it seems, will get you nowhere.
You signal Fern to attack. Fern understands your signal and steps forward with his palms held out toward the cat. It turns at blinding speed to face Fern and mimics the darkspawn's stance. Both of them stand frozen and straining, likely attempting to overpower the other with a similar spell.
Either you or Levina can strike next. A correct tactical decision could make all the difference. You signal Levina to follow up rather than yourself.
You signal to Levina, who uses the cat's involvement with Fern to easily sneak behind him and put her dagger to its throat. "Whatever it is you're doing with my friend over there," she says seriously, "I suggest you end it. Now."
The kitten laughs and lowers its paws with a jerk. Fern flies backward, but quickly regains his footing and nods to Levina that he's fine.
"I'm sure you're about to wow me with whatever very, very important reason you have for finding me here," Ataxias says, suddenly transforming into the human man you'd seen in the holding cell, "but before you blather on about it, I have a single question for you: ladderback or Windsor?"
"We're looking for an assassin by the name of Ciro," you say, ignoring the man's question. "And we have reason to believe you can find him for us. Is that so?"
"What was that?" the mage replies. "Did you say ladderback or Windsor?"
"This could be a trick," Levina cautions you. "Say the word and it triggers some form of hex or trap."
"Uh, Windsor, I suppose." you say.
"Is that so," he replies. "Would that be a lacquer Windsor, or are we discussing something more au naturel here?"
It's becoming increasingly obvious that you're going to have to play along to get an answer out of him.
"My mother always said 'go lacquer or go home.'"
"Laquer ... laquer ... hmm ... alright, then, I'll help you," the mage says casually. As he finishes the sentence, he releases a massive wave of telekinetic energy, blasting you, Fern, and Levina harmlessly across the room. Was he just toying with you when you thought you'd had the advantage?
"Well don't just sit there," Ataxias says. "We've got something worth doing, I presume."
"We're looking for an assassin by the name of Ciro," you explain.
"Oh, an assassin! This is going to be interesting after all."
"So you can find him for us?" you ask.
"If he's ever dreamed, then he's been to the Fade," the man says, "and if he's ever been to the Fade, then I have a chair for him somewhere ... " He begins sweeping chairs from his feet as he looks through his massive collection. "Ah, I see," he says excitedly. "I believe that I may know the elf that you're looking for. Let's go find him, shall we?"
The reaction makes your curious. "Why do you want to help us?"
Ataxias laughs. "That expression you're wearing," he says, "priceless as an 8:24 Blessed trestle-backed Orlesian dining seat. Look, it's not very complex. You've obviously come a long way to find me, and perhaps it was just as obviously time I was found. Why will I help you? If I were to state it in words, I like to see moving things. They're boring when they don't move. A windmill that is not moving can be nice from time to time, but most of the time it's not even worth looking at. Now I want to move the windmill with the wind of whatever it is you people are up to at present. Get me out of this dungeon, and I'll lead you to this Ciro crow. I could just tell you where to go, I suppose, but then I'd miss the show."
The mage laughs again, and suddenly you find yourself out of the Fade and back inside of the dungeon. Ataxias is no longer thrashing about on the bed, but instead standing patiently in front of the bars to his cell. The door remains locked and closed behind him. You decide against questioning it, and four of you escape to the city limits.
For the next few days, you follow Ataxias as he leads your group northwest into the Free Marches. There are moments--many of them, in fact--during which you believe you've allied yourself with this mage in error. It's impossible to say if he knows where he's leading your group, or if he knows where to find Ciro at all. If he doesn't, you've put your life's ambition at risk, with little time to find better path.
The pain in your arm has been increasing with each passing day. The black veins bulging beneath your shoddy tourniquet are getting darker, and the strange voices of the darkspawn hivemind speak louder and with more clarity with each passing night. You can feel your time running out as a palpable sensation.
Two weeks pass, and after a particularly long day of hiking, darkness falls across the woods.
"I miss the stars of Ferelden," Levina says, looking to the sky beyond the trees. "The sky has been so cloudy since Kirkwall."
"What are you talking about?" you reply, following her gaze. "There are five of them. I'm sure of it."
"Five?" she repeats. "I can see maybe three. And that's being generous."
"Are both of you mad?" Ataxias chimes in. "Those aren't stars up there. There are no stars. Zero."
"Yes there are," you say, pointing behind you. "You just have to look past the city."
"No. There are none," Ataxias says sternly. "And the city doesn't matter."
"Relax, you two," Levina says. "They're just stars. I'm sorry I even brought it up."
You smile remember to look to the well-being of your companions for the first time since you began this journey. They seem exhausted. Ataxias promises only two days more of travel before arriving at whatever location Ciro's hidden himself within.
A) Push forward.
B) Make camp.
Elfberserker
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A - Better push on.
UglyBastard
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You don't mention the possibility of making camp, and neither does anyone else. Perhaps they understand your situation, that every time you rest, you risk never making it to Ciro and the culprit he'll hopefully point you toward. And perhaps they don't; maybe they have their own reasons for hurrying along.
Levina is far ahead scouting, while Ataxias pulls up the rear, whittling away at a stick with a dagger. Fern walks beside you, cradling the small child in his arms.
> Find Levina and ask her about the strange vision you had of her in the fade.
"You saw what? Oh ... I may have taken a small form of insurance and had to remove a few--wait. You know what? You don't know me. And from what I know of you, you don't get to judge me either. So why don't you mind your own problems, and just stop trying to concern yourself with mine. You know where Ataxias is taking us by now, right? Antiva. The last place in the world I'll be safe. So leave me to my scouting, lest you lose your last remaining arm in an ambush I maybe have prevented."
> Find Fern and ask him to finally explain the infant girl he carries. Are we even traveling in the right direction for whatever it is you need to do with her?
"I know you wish to know who this child is, but I'm afraid that despite what we have been through together, I still cannot say. I have lived ... a troubled life beneath the ground. Travelling the surface with you has taught me much, and though you often walk a path of danger, those steps have yet to keep me from protecting this child. For as long as I can learn of this world beside you, and maintain the safety of my charge, we can continue to walk together. Do not think I fail to realize the debt I owe you. Regardless of the situation with your arm, I wonder how many of your kind would be so willing to travel with one of mine. Despite your past actions, I, for one, am proud to call you my companion."
> Find Ataxias and ask him about, well, chairs.
"I don't understand the question. I could as easily spin the reverse at you: why are you not carving a chair right now? For weeks we've been on our feet with little time to sit. And a good thing, too! What would we have sat upon if the time for sitting had come upon us? Nothing. That is why Ataxias spends his rest time preparing for the next time we rest. I might be able to finish a leg before we sleep if you'd stop pestering me with your questions. But, as long as you're here ... what do you think? Spiral footing, or just stick with a tried and true right angle motif?"
After two more days of walking, you arrive in Antiva.
You arrive in Antiva City sometime in the morning. It is an odd place, clearly lavish and well-maintained, yet somehow quietly fouled, as if the entirety of the capital is shouldering some shadowy confidence just behind its vibrant market stall awnings and finely-made gowns. Its outward affluence is disarming, a fact which puts you immediately on your guard.
You walk into the market place and begin to look across the many stalls when you hear a voice behind you. "That babe," it says in a thick Antivan accent, "how much for it?"
You turn to find a short, cloaked elf harassing Fern. "You will leave now," you hear your companion reply, obviously trying to contain a brewing temper.
"I know many buyers," the elf continues. "I can fetch a price much higher than you would be able to without the proper connection. No mother, a foreign accent; this is why you travel to Antiva, yes? Perhaps we both make a profit on the child?"
As you step closer to Fern and the strange elf, you feel a slight tug at the waist of your trousers. Looking down, you see your coin purse missing. There wasn't much left inside, but without it, there will be neither food nor lodgings for the group tonight.
A young elf, perhaps eight years old, speeds off into the bustling market crowd behind you past Fern. Your purse is in his hand. He's about to get away.
A) "Fern, stop that boy! He's stolen our gold!"
B) There's no time to call Fern. Push past him and give chase yourself.
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