Dragon Age: Inquisition — Story Playthrough — Part Eighteen
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After combing through red lyrium infested snow in search for Samson, Iselia had discovered a possible weakness — the man's armour. They just needed to find how to crack it so they could take the man hidden beneath and destroy him.
Dagna the little dwarven girl who served as occultess and enchantress was working on finding the weakness in the armour. In the meantime, Iron Bull had informed Iselia that the Qunari were willing to formally work with the Inquisition as allies to defeat this threat.
Taking Iron Bull up on his information, they headed to the Storm Coast to meet the Qunari.
An agent of the Qunari spies met them as they arrived and filled them in on the details. The Venatori, the Tevinter cultists who worshipped Corypheus, were about to sent a boat-load of red lyrium back to the Tevinter city of Minathrous. They had to work together to stop it, and cement their alliance as they worked together.
To do this, they needed to split up. Iselia's group and the elf would take one party of Venatori whilst Iron Bull's mercenaries would take on another group, securing the safe entry of the Qunari dreadnought.
It was easy. The flares went up from both the mercs and their group and the dreadnought rolled in, annihilating the Venatori ship that was leaving for Tevinter. The threat was gone.
Unfortunately another group of Venatori arrived on the shore, heading straight for Iron Bull's mercenaries.
If they signalled the mercs to retreat, the Venatori would be able to take down the Qunari dreadnought. The alliance between Qunari and Inquisition was too great to risk. Iselia suggested that perhaps his mercs would be able to handle it after all. They were good fighters!
But they could not.
At least the Qunari dreadnought had been saved, as had their alliance.
Back in Skyhold, the Qunari elf proclaimed Inquisitor Iselia to be known as respected among the Qunari, and their alliance was well and truly underway. The first time the Qunari had allied with anyone. Ever.
It was a momentous occasion. One that Iron Bull couldn't fully enjoy as he mourned his men.
While he mourned his men he reaffirmed his allegiance to the Qun. He would not become Tal-Vashoth like so many others. He had done what the Qun demanded. And that was all that mattered.
Once they had scattered the ashes of his men, Leliana approached. She had received a letter written by the Divine's hand, to be delivered to Leliana upon her death... she needed to go to the Chantry in Valence, and she wanted Iselia to accompany her.
When they arrived at the Chantry, it was quiet... too quiet. It was as though no one were there, or if there were, they were hiding. As though right on cue, a sister arrived. Leliana seemed to know her. Sister Natalie, an old friend...
They spoke together of old times whilst Iselia searched the Chantry for the answers that had been hidden in riddles in the letter delivered to Leliana, and unlatched many hidden mechanisms.
When the last one unlatched, a door opened and revealed a small, golden chest.
Leliana immediately turned on Sister Natalie and demanded to know who she was working for. It turned out that this sister was just here to see what Justinia had left to Leliana. She was working for a Chantry mother who hated the Inquisition and had declared them her enemy.
Iselia told Leliana to let the sister go. She was no real threat. None of the mothers were, as they had witnessed already. What were these women against the might of their Inquisition?
Leliana nodded and released the sister who ran scampering away, then she turned back to the chest.
Inside was nothing but a simple message informing Leliana for her service as the Left Hand of the Divine was no longer required. She had been released of her duty.
Leliana had much to think about. She was no longer what she was told to be, but could be who she wanted to be. It was a revelation that would take time to sink in.
With Leliana seemingly a changed person, almost softer than she was before, they returned to Skyhold where Dagna had a message awaiting Iselia. She had made a discovery about Samson's red lyrium armour and Cullen wished to speak with her, urgently.
Hurrying to Cullen, they spoke about the red lyrium armour, Samson, and also a mage who had been Samson's downfall back in Kirkwall. A mage named Maddox, who was also mentioned in the correspondence they had found at the quarry.
Maddox had been made tranquil over this incident and Samson had been cast out of the Order, all because Maddox had been trying to woo a lady. Knight-Commander Meredith had swiftly and brutally put a stop to it.
Maddox in his Tranquil state had become a fine enchanter of magical goods, and it was mentioned in the notes that Samson was using him. They needed to find Maddox, and find out more information about this armour for Dagna.
Iselia and Cullen hurried to the war table and she sanctioned his activity to gather information. They needed to know more about that armour, as soon as possible.
It wasn't long before Cullen's men returned bearing the good news. They had found Samson's lair. Or, at least, one of them.
Cullen proclaimed himself to go and sort this mess out. Iselia didn't want him to. She'd rather he stay at Skyhold, safe and in command of the armies, but he'd have none of it. With her by his side, they'd storm this lair in an old Shrine of Dumat, find Maddox, and deal with Samson once and for all.
When they arrived at the shrine, it was in flames. Red templars spilled out of the doors and tried to stop them from entering — Varric said what they were all thinking: the templars here had been tipped off. Somehow.
It didn't matter, maybe there was information inside. They dealt with all the red templars...
...and found Maddox, breathing his last breaths as he committed suicide to avoid answering the Inquisition's questions. He was loyal to Samson and would die for him.
Through the fire and piles of red lyrium, they searched for anything that Maddox may not have burnt. At last they came across his tools. The tranquil often made their own tools in order to create their masterpieces and it was likely he used these to work on Samson's armour. Dagna officially had the capability now to work on how to destroy the armour.
They hastened back to Skyhold.
Dagna hadn't had the tools for long before she came rampaging into Cullen's office.
She had done it. She had created a rune that would penetrate Samson's armour with ease. The man was no longer of any real threat to them and once he had been taken care of, Corypheus had one less tool to use against them.
At last! Things seemed to be going to plan!
Now they just had to find Samson... and Morrigan was getting impatient about the ruins in the ancient forest. The Inquisition army was well and truly rested now. They could go to the wilds and alleviate Morrigan's concerns. After all, if Corypheus was combing the forests in search for this ancient elven temple, perhaps Samson, his trusted general, was at his side...
Until next time! 🐲⚔️
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