Asunder read-along: Chapter 10

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THE READ-A-LONG

What is this? The read-a-long is an opportunity to do a long distance book club with other Dragon Age fans, where once a week one chapter will be discussed in David Gaider's tie-in novel, Asunder

[Official book teaser blurb]The destruction of Kirkwall's Circle of Magi has brought chaos to the lives of mages and templars throughout Thedas. Some mages teeter on the bring of rebellion against their templar watchers, while others struggle to maintain order and stability amid the tides of change.

In the majestic White Spire, at the heart of templar power in Val Royeaux, tension have reached the boiling point. The actions of a few radicals draw the attention of the Seekers, a powerful and secret segment of the templars, who arrive to take command and restore order no matter the cost. To make matters worse, a mystical killer stalks the White Spire's halls, invisible to all save one lone mage.

As Rhys is the only one who can see the killer, all eyes turn to him as the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With little hope of proving his innocence, Rhys's future looks to be short and grim. But his skill with spirit magic earns him a reprieve, as he is drafted into an expedition traveling deep into the western wastelands of Orlais. There, his fate will become entwined with that of a beautiful templar, a tormented soul, and Wynne--heroine of the Blight. Together they will uncover a secrete far greater than they imagined. One that will change the fate of mages in Thedas forever.

If you've read it and have Thoughts or Feels, comment to discuss! Discussion can be serious or snarky, but please keep it constructive and not destructive.

- Chapter 1 (09-Sep)
- Chapter 2 (16-Sep)
- Chapter 3 (23-Sep)
- Chapter 4 (30-Sep)
- Chapter 5 (07-Oct)
- Chapter 6 (14-Oct)
- Chapter 7 (21-Oct)
- Chapter 8 (28-Oct)
- Chapter 9 (04-Nov)

(If the first person who gets to this post can start a comment thread entitled 'Serious Discussion' and a second one for 'Snarky Discussion', I would greatly appreciate it.)

[Chapter 10]Chapter 10 Synopsis

Rhys's party crawls through the passageways of the keep searching for Pharamond, while noises surround them. The stumble upon a room that Rhys senses is awfulness beyond, bursting in to find what was probably a former barracks that has become a lair of the possessed survivors. They're being overwhelmed when Adrian sends out a firestorm that kills everything except them. And then it's on to the room beyond, where they're sure Pharamond is.

He is, an elf, sitting in a chair surrounded by warding runes. He teases and taunts the group from within, revealing secrets they wanted to keep: Wynne and Evangeline's purposes, Rhys knowing Evangeline's purpose and his attraction to the templar. It almost succeeds in bringing the party to blows or having them break the circle in their temper, but Wynne manages to rein them in. She prepares the ritual for the three mages to pass through the Veil to confront the demon, leaving Shale and Evangeline to guard them. Rhys decides this is actually a bad idea, when the Veil tears.