Records of the Dragon Age, by the Hero of Ferelden - The Fall of the Couslands.
My Dearest Alfstanna,
The confirmation of the Blight has brought a many an interesting person to the door of Castle Cousland since I returned from Denerim last month. While we have seen our fair share of messengers from the King and Arl Howe, today we have been honoured with the presence of Warden Commander Duncan.
His arrival here is unexpected and he comes with a mind to recruit Sir Gilmore, if he passes whatever test the
Warden Commander sets. He also says I am a worthy candidate, although I do not see how - I am not skilled with a sword or a bow. My training would only suffice in protecting myself from most haphazard of bandits. Where they seeking a historian or academic, then I would consider myself honoured, but in times such as these I am sure some like me should be the least of their concern. Besides, I have other duties to attend to with my father and Fergus riding to battle.
I worry about my father leaving for this war. While he was a fine soldier in the days of the rebellion and the years since King Maric’s victory have been kind to him, my father is still much older. He does not train as hard as he did as a young man as his position was safe under the rule of our restored Crown. Not to mention the Darkspawn are the most terrible of all the creatures to roam Thedas. I took to study them from the small archives held in Denerim - Maker Curse the civil war that followed Arland’s death as we might have had more - and we have much to fear. You do not even need to come into direct contact to be Tainted by these vile creatures, just walking upon the ground they have trod upon can be enough. How will we ever help our people if it is so easy to become infected with their filth?
I will pray for him, and my brother, every day until their safe return.
Elissa.
(A letter sent to Bann Alfstanna of Waking Sea shortly before Howe’s attack on Castle Cousland)
---...---
We have arrived, after several days hard travel and hardly a few hours for rest, at Redcliffe where the Warden Commander is currently enjoying the hospitality of Arl Eamon. I too am I guest of honour as his recruit, but I have decided to remain invisible within my rooms. I have no desire to look upon the man who took me from my family, prying a terrible promise from my dying father in ensure my safety. As we travelled, avoiding major settlements across the Bannorn, I have tried to impress how unsuited I am as a recruit. Duncan is unbending in this matter insisting I will be off use. I know the Grey Warden’s have the right to take whom they want when the Blight threatens, but I would have expected them to exercise that with some logic applied.
Perhaps the King with talk some sense into him, press upon Duncan the need for warriors on the front line, not an academic who have not held a sword for nearly five years.
(From the journal of Elissa Cousland, written in Redcliffe.)
---...---
My Dearest Alfstanna,
By now you will have heard the terrible news of my family’s demise within our own home. We had waited for days to receive Howe’s men, but he constantly delayed. At the time, he said it was the weather, but we live upon the same coast stretch and have had an unseasonably calm autumn. I thought nothing of it, particularly as Howe spoke of Thomas’s affection for me and the possibility of marriage. It is a subject that comes up so often I thought nothing of it as I once again went through the motions of thanking Howe for the kind words while committing to nothing. With the Grey Warden Commander in residents alongside Fergus preparing to leave, I didn’t have time to evaluate the situation around me. What a fool I am.
So I come to the strange tale of my survival. Satina woke me with her barking. I had no idea of the lateness of the hour, but I didn’t think I had been sleeping for long. Satina is not some daft munt prone to howl at the moon so I was instantly worried particularly when I heard some nearby screaming. As Satina barked two men kicked open my door. Maker, I don’t know how, but I was able to duck out of the way of the first arrow as I tumbling out the bed. It must have been particularly ungraceful to watch but Satina was already savaging the man. I grabbed a dagger to disable the other but there were more. Thankfully, Mama arrived with her bow.
I knew she had been quiet the battlemaiden, indeed, Papa often spoke of her prowess in battle but to see it? Maker, nearly every shot she made hit those bastards. Once we were safe she helped me into the very armour she wore during the rebellion.
‘A little tarnished,’ she remarked, ‘but the leather straps will hold, and it is not too heavy.’
Still, it was alien to wear armour again. I took the blade she offered me. It was a light longsword. I suspected it would not do much damage but all we needed to do was disable them long enough to escape. Again, it didn’t feel right in my hand, but I needed to remember how to use it. I am so out of practice. However, these problems were of least concern.
Alfstanna, they killed everyone in our quarters bar us. Oren had a wound to his gut. Oriana’s throat had been slit. The only thing I can say for it was it would have been painless, but…. He was four…. What had he done to anyone?
With our family, household and guests dead, there was no other option but to search for Papa. Howe even killed Sister Mallol, a servant of the Chantry, within her own chapel.
I don’t understand what we had done to Howe to warrant such brutality.
The castle was completely overcome by the men we had welcomed into our home. Sir Gilmore did what he could to keep as many of them out as he could at the main gate, but it was fruitless. Our home was swarming with them all. Mama and I, by some other miracle of the Maker made it to the servant’s quarters where an entrance from the woods is. The hunters use it to bring in fresh kills straight to the kitchen. We found Papa there. He was dying, and quickly, there was barely any life in him.
The Warden Commander helped him get there before going in search of us. Maker knows where he had gotten himself cornered to miss us but we had not seen the Warden Commander. As we made preparations to leave, however, he returned. While I had spoken with him earlier, I did not convey in my last letter just what a disturbing man he is. He is tall, towering over me, with strange eyes that don’t seem overly human. It is as if he is missing something fundamental within his soul. But he talks in such a soft voice. It was in that tone of voice he set my father, as he lay dying, the terms of mine and Mama’s survival.
What sort of man elicits a life changing promise to push a woman into a life time of servitude as a soldier from her dying father? This is Ferelden, not Tervinter.
However, Mama would not be parted from father. She said one day that I would understand. In many ways, I hope I do not.
As we travelled south, I tried to talk Duncan out of my recruitment as we travelled to Redcliffe, where I am now, but he says I am off use even if I am no soldier. Well, I intend to see to that when we get to Ostagar. I cannot see King Cailan standing for this. I am not some minor born noble, but the daughter of the man who was the greatest Teyrn in Ferelden.
I will write from Ostagar. I hope to hear from you while I am there. Maker knows I need a little comfort.
Elissa.
(A letter sent to Bann Alfstanna of the Waking Sea from Redcliffe Castle)
The confirmation of the Blight has brought a many an interesting person to the door of Castle Cousland since I returned from Denerim last month. While we have seen our fair share of messengers from the King and Arl Howe, today we have been honoured with the presence of Warden Commander Duncan.
His arrival here is unexpected and he comes with a mind to recruit Sir Gilmore, if he passes whatever test the
Warden Commander sets. He also says I am a worthy candidate, although I do not see how - I am not skilled with a sword or a bow. My training would only suffice in protecting myself from most haphazard of bandits. Where they seeking a historian or academic, then I would consider myself honoured, but in times such as these I am sure some like me should be the least of their concern. Besides, I have other duties to attend to with my father and Fergus riding to battle.
I worry about my father leaving for this war. While he was a fine soldier in the days of the rebellion and the years since King Maric’s victory have been kind to him, my father is still much older. He does not train as hard as he did as a young man as his position was safe under the rule of our restored Crown. Not to mention the Darkspawn are the most terrible of all the creatures to roam Thedas. I took to study them from the small archives held in Denerim - Maker Curse the civil war that followed Arland’s death as we might have had more - and we have much to fear. You do not even need to come into direct contact to be Tainted by these vile creatures, just walking upon the ground they have trod upon can be enough. How will we ever help our people if it is so easy to become infected with their filth?
I will pray for him, and my brother, every day until their safe return.
Elissa.
(A letter sent to Bann Alfstanna of Waking Sea shortly before Howe’s attack on Castle Cousland)
---...---
We have arrived, after several days hard travel and hardly a few hours for rest, at Redcliffe where the Warden Commander is currently enjoying the hospitality of Arl Eamon. I too am I guest of honour as his recruit, but I have decided to remain invisible within my rooms. I have no desire to look upon the man who took me from my family, prying a terrible promise from my dying father in ensure my safety. As we travelled, avoiding major settlements across the Bannorn, I have tried to impress how unsuited I am as a recruit. Duncan is unbending in this matter insisting I will be off use. I know the Grey Warden’s have the right to take whom they want when the Blight threatens, but I would have expected them to exercise that with some logic applied.
Perhaps the King with talk some sense into him, press upon Duncan the need for warriors on the front line, not an academic who have not held a sword for nearly five years.
(From the journal of Elissa Cousland, written in Redcliffe.)
---...---
My Dearest Alfstanna,
By now you will have heard the terrible news of my family’s demise within our own home. We had waited for days to receive Howe’s men, but he constantly delayed. At the time, he said it was the weather, but we live upon the same coast stretch and have had an unseasonably calm autumn. I thought nothing of it, particularly as Howe spoke of Thomas’s affection for me and the possibility of marriage. It is a subject that comes up so often I thought nothing of it as I once again went through the motions of thanking Howe for the kind words while committing to nothing. With the Grey Warden Commander in residents alongside Fergus preparing to leave, I didn’t have time to evaluate the situation around me. What a fool I am.
So I come to the strange tale of my survival. Satina woke me with her barking. I had no idea of the lateness of the hour, but I didn’t think I had been sleeping for long. Satina is not some daft munt prone to howl at the moon so I was instantly worried particularly when I heard some nearby screaming. As Satina barked two men kicked open my door. Maker, I don’t know how, but I was able to duck out of the way of the first arrow as I tumbling out the bed. It must have been particularly ungraceful to watch but Satina was already savaging the man. I grabbed a dagger to disable the other but there were more. Thankfully, Mama arrived with her bow.
I knew she had been quiet the battlemaiden, indeed, Papa often spoke of her prowess in battle but to see it? Maker, nearly every shot she made hit those bastards. Once we were safe she helped me into the very armour she wore during the rebellion.
‘A little tarnished,’ she remarked, ‘but the leather straps will hold, and it is not too heavy.’
Still, it was alien to wear armour again. I took the blade she offered me. It was a light longsword. I suspected it would not do much damage but all we needed to do was disable them long enough to escape. Again, it didn’t feel right in my hand, but I needed to remember how to use it. I am so out of practice. However, these problems were of least concern.
Alfstanna, they killed everyone in our quarters bar us. Oren had a wound to his gut. Oriana’s throat had been slit. The only thing I can say for it was it would have been painless, but…. He was four…. What had he done to anyone?
With our family, household and guests dead, there was no other option but to search for Papa. Howe even killed Sister Mallol, a servant of the Chantry, within her own chapel.
I don’t understand what we had done to Howe to warrant such brutality.
The castle was completely overcome by the men we had welcomed into our home. Sir Gilmore did what he could to keep as many of them out as he could at the main gate, but it was fruitless. Our home was swarming with them all. Mama and I, by some other miracle of the Maker made it to the servant’s quarters where an entrance from the woods is. The hunters use it to bring in fresh kills straight to the kitchen. We found Papa there. He was dying, and quickly, there was barely any life in him.
The Warden Commander helped him get there before going in search of us. Maker knows where he had gotten himself cornered to miss us but we had not seen the Warden Commander. As we made preparations to leave, however, he returned. While I had spoken with him earlier, I did not convey in my last letter just what a disturbing man he is. He is tall, towering over me, with strange eyes that don’t seem overly human. It is as if he is missing something fundamental within his soul. But he talks in such a soft voice. It was in that tone of voice he set my father, as he lay dying, the terms of mine and Mama’s survival.
What sort of man elicits a life changing promise to push a woman into a life time of servitude as a soldier from her dying father? This is Ferelden, not Tervinter.
However, Mama would not be parted from father. She said one day that I would understand. In many ways, I hope I do not.
As we travelled south, I tried to talk Duncan out of my recruitment as we travelled to Redcliffe, where I am now, but he says I am off use even if I am no soldier. Well, I intend to see to that when we get to Ostagar. I cannot see King Cailan standing for this. I am not some minor born noble, but the daughter of the man who was the greatest Teyrn in Ferelden.
I will write from Ostagar. I hope to hear from you while I am there. Maker knows I need a little comfort.
Elissa.
(A letter sent to Bann Alfstanna of the Waking Sea from Redcliffe Castle)