PART 8 - I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS
So bros, we are almost done with companion assignments. The last one involves Merrill and IMO it is the best among the bunch by far. You'll see why.
I can't believe I'm doing this, but... I need your help.
The eluvian won't work. Which I'm sure us news that fills your heart with joy.
I think... I think I have to go back to the... spirit that helped me at the start of all this.
You want me to help you summon a demon.
No, no! I'd never ask you to do that!
I've called to the spirit, but he doesn't seem to hear. He was sealed in an artifact on Sundermount. I have to look for him there.
But... if things go wrong... if he possesses me, I need you to strike me down.
What if you overpower me? What then?
You've faced down Qunari and varterrals and ogres! You can do this.
There's no one else I trust.
You kept the arulin'holm from me so that no one would get hurt. So come with me now. Safeguard everyone.
Go to Marethari. Maybe there's an alternative to summoning the demon.
The Keeper would never help me! Why do you think I had to find the demon in the first place?
The whole clan has moved on by now, anyway. You'll never find her.
On a road to Sundermount the party is ambushed by thieves.
The ring from the leader's body will make a good gift.
Hmm, what's this? "Scrolls"! QUICK BROS SUMMON BETHESDA LAWYER TEAM SHAMELESS RIP-OFFS CANNOT BE TOLERATED.
I don't know why I'm bothering with this, but you do realize this is crazy, right?
Believe me, I noticed. If I had any other choices, I'd take them.
You have choices! You always had choices! Stop using blood magic! Get rid of that damned mirror!
In that case, I'll head back to Kirkwall and throw it away. Right after you abandon the plight of the Circle mages.
Aggressive fauna inhabits the slopes of Sundermount. These spiders are complete pushovers though.
The Arcane Horror is not and his fade buddies are not. He can paralyze and thus kill the entire party with a single spell. I died like 7 times before I managed to complete it.
On the positive side he drops maybe the best two-hander in the game - an ax named BLOOM.
Here's the description. "An awful skyward bloom" can't be a mere coincidence, right?
And there is another elder scroll lying a few steps away.
The party quickly passes through the caverns. Nothing particularly impressive there.
And now we have an opportunity to rob an elven graveyard.
This will make zombies pop from the ground like moles.
Merrill can recite a streamlined version of "Pater Noster" on this altar.
Mythal, all-mother, protector of the People, watch over us, for the path we tread is perilous.
Save us from the darkness, as you did before, and we will sing your name to the heavens.
Sorry, I didn't mean to hold us. You just -- it's never wise to ignore Mythal.
Prayer isn't going to help anything.
No, it's not that. Even though she may not be listening, you mustn't provoke her!
They say if Mythal smiles on you, then you need fear nothing at all.
But those who anger her, they're struck from the earth... as if they never lived at all.
Does anybody else get the feeling that this is going to end badly? Just me, huh?
It's not all bad, Varric. Think of the stories you'll be able to tell later!
No offense, Daisy, but I could live without telling anyone we murdered you on some mountainside.
It's a little hard to make that one sound good.
There are two revenants and one fat zombie ahead. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't manage to beat them BRO way and resorted to cowardly kiting.
His force pull is pretty much an instant death for non-tanks. Sadly, BLOOM is completely useless against them.
Hawke stands alone. 5 minutes of circle-strafing and potion gulping and the annoying scumbag receives a final death.
Well, at least he drops awesome spirit-damaging sword.
The remaining revenant is much weaker and is pretty much roflstomped in a few seconds.
Dragons!
Who thought putting a demon in a cave on Sundermount was a good idea in the first place?
Where would you have put him?
Tevinter, maybe. Or in the Anderfels. Further away from Kirkwall, that's for sure.
The entrance to the demon's cave is guarded by shadows.
Fyeah, finally the party reaches the destination.
Something is wrong. This was where the spirit was bound. But now, it feels... empty.
It couldn't have just vanished. We'll track it down.
He shouldn't have been able to leave! What happened to him?
Plot twist (tm)
I happened.
Keeper, what have you done?
The demon's plan was always for you to complete the mirror.
It would have been a doorway out of this prison and into our world. You would have been his first victim.
I couldn't let that happen, da'len.
What did you do, destroy the demon?
The demon hasn't been destroyed. Not yet. It's still here.
I couldn't fight it in the Fade while it was trapped. And I couldn't banish it without making it stronger.
So I made myself its prison. Kill me, and it dies too. Merrill will finally be safe.
No! You can't ask... I won't do this!
You always knew your blood magic had a price, da'len. I have chosen to pay it for you.
Dareth shiral.
She turns into a huge pride demon.
Surprisngly, he's much easier compared to horrors we had to face on our way to the top. Maybe it's meant to showcase Keeper's influence.
Well, yeah. The demon disappears and we see the Keeper again. Surprisingly, she's still alive.
Da'len?
Keeper!
You've beaten it, da'len. You are so much stronger than I imagined. The demon is dead.
Keeper, I...
Let's leave this awful place. The clan should hear the good news.
It's obviously a foul play. The Keeper claimed the demon can only be defeated with her death.
You told us that the demon was bound to your life. It would only die with you.
Ir abelas, Keeper.
Merrill readies her knife and stabs the Keeper in the chest.
At last the demon is banished.
Keeper!
What have you done? I don't want this. I never wanted this! Creators, please let this be a bad dream...
I'll wake up and feel like an idiot, and she'll scold me for not listening...
If you hadn't been obsessed with that stupid mirror, she'd still be alive.
If there was a price to pay, I should have paid it! She had no right to interfere!
Would you rather have died?
Yes! I took this risk willingly! That was my choice! She didn't have to save me!
This never should have happened.
I... I should go to the clan. Someone needs to know, need to come... take care of her.
Yeah, there is still a matter of her clan. She had really bad reputation already, without doubt they will be angered by this news. The party emerges from the cave.
We know the Keeper came here. What's going on? Where is she?
Fenarel, the Keeper, she...
Look at her, Fenarel! She's covered in blood!
What have you done, Merrill? Keeper! Can you hear me?
She's dead.
I should have guessed you'd turn on her, you monster.
The Keeper turned into a demon. We had no choice.
There would have been no demon if it weren't for this little flat-eared bitch!
We've suffered enough because of this traitor. It ends now!
Indeed - for you and your clan.
\
Before you ask - yes, it is possible to avoid slaughter. There is no reason to keeper these ugly faggots alive, though.
Hawke slays the entire camp without remorse.
And a small band of darkspawn unlucky enough to spawn near the exit.
At Merrill's home
So much death because of me...
I... I've done everything wrong.
Yes, you did. Now move forward, and do better.
I will. Starting now.
She shatters a mirror with her staff.
I should have done this years ago.
You were right. You were always right.
No Keeper, no clan, no people... I have nobody but you.
What will I do now?
Do what you want with your life. It's up to you.
Leaving anything up to me seems a bit dangerous now, don't you think?
I suppose I have a lot to think about, don't I?
Thank you.
Ah, Hawke still has a suitable gift in his inventory. Let's dispose of it.
Is this for me? It's beautiful!
Do you know what it is?
It's a piece of jewelry.
Well, yes, but that's not all.
It's sylwanwood. Rare as diamonds. You only find it in very old, very wild places.
The carvings tell the story of the Betrayal. The Dread Wolf tricking all the gods away from the world.
If you don't want the ring, I can get rid of it.
No, no! It's lovely!
This was made for a Keeper, you see. Guarding a clan from the Dread Wolf... is a Keeper's place.
I had one of these, once. And I gave it back. Ma serannas.
End of line.