Comics read-along: Issue #1.5 & 1.6

[tersa]

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 issue will be discussed in David Gaider's tie-in comics published by Dark Horse Comics.

[Official series teaser blurb]King Alistair, accompanied only by rogues Isabela and Varric, embarks on a quest deep inside the borders of Antiva-a nation of assassins. Together, they will encounter a prison break, dragons, the mysterious Witch of the Wilds, and one of the greatest secrets in the history of the world....

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.

- The Silent Grove: Issue #1 (24-Feb)
- The Silent Grove: Issue #2 (03-Mar)
- The Silent Grove: Issue #3 (10-Mar)
- The Silent Grove: Issue #4 (17-Mar)

[The Silent Grove: Issues #5 & 6]The Silent Grove: Issue #5

Isabela and Varric return to Yavanna in the dragon shrine, Isabela taking point demanding the Witch help them to rescue Alistair. When that fails, Varric wheedles her, offering a deal. No terms are mentioned, but Yavanna heals Isabela's wound.

Back in Claudio's camp, Alistair talks to Claudio trying to extract information out of him, both of Maric's fate and Claudio's patron. While doing so, Varric interrupts, attacking Claudio's men and luring them away to leave Claudio alone with Alistair. Isabela jumps in and they fight, Claudio mocking her with exposition of her time married to Luis until she surprises him and cuts off his hand. She ignores Alistair when he cries out to stop her from killing Claudio and stabs him through the chest. He notes that he'd wanted to get info about Maric from him, but now it's too late. Yavanna appears suddenly and says, "You believe so? I assure you, the truth is never out of reach."

The Silent Grove: Issue #6

Yavanna uses magic (probably spirit magic) to reach Claudio's spirit in the Fade and demands questions of him. After threatening him, he coughs it up: Aurellian Titus. A name, Yavanna says, she's been seeking for a long time. She invites the group back to the shrine and gives Alistair 'a second chance'.

Back at the shrine, she takes Alistair down into a pit under it and reveals the reason they wanted Maric (and now, Alistair) is because of the Thierin blood, the old blood that is somehow connected to the dragons. It can call to them, awaken them. She's awakened a few, the first dragons to be seen in a long time, but she wants Alistair to help her wake up more, to take Maric's place and fulfill his oath. Instead, Alistair kills her.

Back upstairs, he admits this to Isabela and Varric and tells them he plans on finding Aurellian Titus and killing him, then finding Maric. Afterwards, he'll go home to rule. Varric approves.

NOTE: Apologies for the lack of warning, but since itches pointed out and I confirmed that The Masked Empire will be available on Kindle in the U.S. on 08-April, we'll be doing two issues a week to finish up.

31-Mar, we'll start "Those Who Speak"

07-Apr, we'll do the last issue of that and first of "Until We Sleep"

14-Apr, the last two issues of "Until We Sleep"

21-Apr, we'll begin The Masked Empire
(this will also, fortuitously, be the week after PAX East, so hopefully the fan flailing for whatever reveal happens there will have died down a little)