The Masked Empire Read-along: Chapter 1

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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 Patrick Weekes's tie-in novel, The Masked Empire

[Official book teaser blurb]Empress Celene of Orlais rose to the throne of the most powerful nation in Thedas through wisdom, wit, and ruthless manipulation. Now, the empire she has guided into an age of enlightenment is threatened from within by imminent war between the templars and the mages, even as rebellion stirs among the downtrodden elves. To save Orlais, Celene must keep her hold on the throne by any means necessary.

Fighting with the legendary skill of the Orlesian Chevaliers, Grand Duke Gaspard has won countless battles for the empire and the empress But has he fought in vain? As the Circle fails and chaos looms, Gaspard begins to doubt that Celene’s diplomatic approach to the mage problem or the elven uprisings will keep the empire safe. Perhaps it is time for a new leader, one who lives by the tenets of the Chevalier’s Code, to make Orlais strong again.

Briala has been Celene’s handmaid since the two of them were children, subtly using her position to help improve the lives of elves across Orlais. She is Celene’s confidante, spymaster, and lover, but when politics force the empress to choose between the rights of Briala’s people and the Orlesian throne, Briala must in turn decide where her true loyalties lie.

Alliances are forged and promises broken as Celene and Gaspard battle for the throne of Orlais But in the end, the elves who hide in the forests or starve in the alienages may decide the fate of the masked empire.

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.

(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 1--Synopsis, mild Asunder, Dragon Age: Inquisition spoiler in footnotes]Chapter 1 Synopsis

We're introduced to Empress Celene of Orlais, visiting a university with her entourage. There is clever banter, discussions of learning, masks, internal monologues about societal norms, and rune-heated teapots, before introducing us to Ser Michel, Celene's personal chevalier champion, recognizing Shartan in the mural of Andraste on one of the buildings.

In the university's chantry, Celene meets with an unmasked 'Nightingale', who later reveals herself (*surprise!*) as Leliana and, to Celene, as a trained bard. They discuss 'the mage situation' and how Celene and Justinia respectively are going to respond to the aftermath of Kirkwall, Celene wanting Justinia to take overt action in order to ameliorate her own political one. They arrange for a party in Justinia's honor for a pronouncement to be made (*).

Flip back to the palace, where we meet Briala, an elf and one of Celene's handmaidens, interacting with the chatelaine. Through a number of clues, Briala deduces that Grand Duke Gaspard, Celene's rival, had arranged a series of events involving the captain of the guard, Celene's chatelaine, and a bard for something nefarious for the party being planned that evening.

At the dinner party, Celene encounters Comte Chantral of Velun, a suitor for her hand in marriage that she'd been dodging, Lady Montsimmard, someone cozied up with the Circle of Mages there, a reference to consulting'Madame de Fer' (^)

There is a confrontation with Gaspard and his bard, Melcendre, verbal sparring, and an attempt to incite the Ferelden ambassador, Bann Teagan Guerrin, into creating an incident. Celene defuses the situation, turning a situation that Gaspard tried to make ugly into one of merriment at Gaspard's expense.

After the dinner, Celene is reading by candlelight as Briala sneaks in through a secret door to relay news of questioning the traitorous captain of the guard and the amorous chatelaine. It's also revealed that Briala and Celene are lovers, and the candle is snuffed out.

(*) - MILD ASUNDER SPOILER: This places these events prior to the party in which Evangeline saves Justinia's life in Chapter 2.

(^) - MILD DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION SPOILER: For those who haven't been keeping up on character information,'Madame de Fer' is the nickname of Vivienne.