The Calling Read-along: Chapter 11

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THE READ-ALONG

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, The Calling

[Official book teaser blurb]After two hundred years of exile, King Maric has allowed the legendary Grey Wardens to finally return to Ferelden. When they come, however, they bring dire news: one of their own has escaped into the Deep Roads and aligned himself with their ancient enemy, the monstrous darkspawn.

The Grey Wardens need Maric's help, and he reluctantly agrees to lead them into the passages he traveled through many years before (see: The Stolen Throne), chasing after a deadly secret that will threaten to destroy not only the Grey Wardens but also the kingdom above.

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 itches 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 (16-Apr)
- Chapter 2 (22-Apr)
- Chapter 3 (29-Apr)
- Chapter 4 (06-May)
- Chapter 5 (13-May)
- Chapter 6 (20-May)
- Chapter 7 (28-May)
- Chapter 8 (03-Jun)
- Chapter 9 (10-Jun)
- Chapter 10 (17-Jun)

[Chapter 11--Synopsis]Chapter 11 Synopsis

The first of the Maker's children watched across the Veil
and grew jealous of the life
They could not feel, could not touch.
In blackest envy were the demons born.

-- Canticle of Erudition 2:1

The group of Grey Wardens push on to Ortan Thaig. On the way, Duncan confides to Fiona that he saw Genevieve sneak away from camp while they rested; in following after her, he saw her strip out of her armor to reveal a long expanse of dark skin that looked like darkspawn flesh. Maric wonders what they're talking about it, and it comes out that all of the Grey Wardens, save Duncan, have had a worsening of their usual, darkspawn tainted dreams.

They reach Ortan Thaig where Kell finds signs that Bregan slept there. Duncan mentally comments on the remains of one final last stand. A crying Utha, with the help of Kell and Nicolas, leave a crude sort of memorial for the fallen dwarves who may have been members of her family.

Genevieve presses on to a palace in the Thaig, where oddities meet them. Few spider webs, but evidence of a great battle, hordes of darkspawn bodies and some dwarves that went down fighting, but as if they all died simultaneously. They came to great doors smashed in by ogres, two corpses of which they found, but in the room, only dwarves. Dwarves and dwarves and dwarves, weaponless, and evidence they were trying to get out of the closed room, and away from the figure on a throne on the other side. Genevieve approaches and the skeleton begins to speak of coming to answer the desires of the dwarven prince and granting it, but then waiting for one to take it back into the light. The group begins fighting, but it focuses on Fiona, saying he knows what she wants and that he lured her there with promises of it, possesses her to turn her into an abomination, who then commands everyone else to sleep.