Read-along: Chapter 22 & Epilogue

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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)
- Chapter 10 (11-Nov)
- Chapter 11 (18-Nov)
- Chapter 12 (25-Nov)
- Chapter 13 (09-Dec)
- Chapter 14 (16-Dec)
- Chapter 15 (30-Dec)
- Chapter 16 (06-Jan)
- Chapter 17 (13-Jan)
- Chapter 18 (20-Jan)
- Chapter 19 (27-Jan)
- Chapter 20 (03-Feb)
- Chapter 21 (10-Feb)

(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 22 & Epilogue]Chapter 22 Synopsis

Andoral's Reach, on the very fringes of Orlais, the mages have been gathering. The First Enchanters, then more, as word spread in ways Rhys knew not of the White Spire falling and the mages finding their way to the Reach for Conclave, apostates all. Rhys is on the top of a tower on an afternoon threatening snow when Adrian finds him to call him down to the meeting. They talk, an awkward, tense conversation, Adrian commenting that she knows he is joining the Aequitarians, and he reveals that it's been done and he's representing the fraternity in the Conclave at Irving's behest. He then asks her about Pharamond's death, and after a brief argument, she admits that she did it and framed Rhys in order to sway Wynne to the idea of separating from the templars. In disgust, Rhys declares their friendship dead.

The Conclave happens. Fiona lays out the options: either throw themselves on the mercy of the Divine and return to the rule of the Chantry, or declare independence and fight. The Loyalists and many smaller fraternities vote to return. Adrian, representing the Libertarians, defiantly voted to secede. Rhys stands up and does as well.

Evangeline finds him later. They have a Moment, discuss the nature of Cole; he admits to himself that he may have killed the mages. Evangeline tries to comfort him. They then find an awe-inspiring old tree under which Wynne's ashes are buried. Her friends have gathered, and Leliana sings an elven song of love and loss.

Epilogue

Lambert returns from a meeting of the heads of the Templar order and pens a letter to Divine Justinia nullifying the accord between the Seekers (and Templars) and the Chantry now that the Circles are no more, vowing to restore order to the mages (and incidentally revealing that events take place in 40:Dragon (*)). The page that takes the letter runs off and Lambert retires to bed anticipating the army of templars marching out to destroy the mages at Andoral's Reach--only to be awakened by a shaggy-haired blond man with a dagger at his throat, revealing there was, once, a boy named Cole who cried in the dungeons. The Entity held his hand "until it was over", and then reveals that the templars covered it up to hide their shame. "I was helpless to act. I'm not helpless any longer." And when Lambert asks what the Entity wants, it says to look into its eyes.

Fin

(*) - If I'm doing my math correctly, this would place the events of the book ten years after the beginning of Origins, which was in 30:Dragon, and roughly three years after Kirkwall and around the same time that Cassandra was questioning Varric.for the framing of Dragon Age 2 (1+3+3+3). This might be the immediate history that informed what Cassandra said about the state of the world.

NOTE: Next Monday, February 24th, we will be starting to read the David Gaider authored "Dragon Age" comic series, starting with Issue #1 of "The Silent Grove". We'll be reading one issue per week (of 12 total) until we know when the Kindle edition of Masked Empire is available, then we will switch to two issues a week until we're done so we can start a read-along of that novel.

Issues of the comic may be available at your local comic store, or can be purchased online either directly via Dark Horse Comics, or the Apple or Android App Stores (see the link for more details)