“The Dalish resemble the Quel’Dorei, but with several physical and cultural distinctions. Their ears are also aren’t as long and their eyebrows aren’t as pronounced. They lack longevity and age at the same pace as humans. Their lifestyle is nomadic and they move from place to place without setting roots down in any landscape. It is similar to how the human tribes lived before the founding of the Kingdom of Arathor. The key distinction between the early human tribes and the Dalish are that while the former were the seed of a now-thriving culture, theirs are the remnants of a decaying society. Each Dalish tribe has a leader known as a Keeper, a position that holds a mingling of the duties of a king to his people and a priest to his followers. I later discovered that they are the only ones who are fully fluent in reading the elvish language. The Keeper also retains an apprentice who will one day succeed them as leader of their respective tribe. Both must display an affinity for magic, which we know as the ability to manipulate arcane energy, present in all mages and warlocks. A rare and persecuted trait, as I would later come to discover…

• From the Journal of Eratus Riverwood

“Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood,” a familiar voice said. “Are you well.”

The sound alerted me out of my daze. “Lorekeeper?” I uttered out loud.

One of my Dalish escorts turned towards me, his eyebrows raised. I said nothing and just stared blankly around, trying not to draw any suspicion. He regarded me a wary eye and looked back ahead.

“Where were you?” I mouthed the words without actually speaking them out loud. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”

It wasn’t that I missed having an ancient mechanical gnome speaking in my head. Well maybe I did a little bit. The elves weren’t much for conversation once we started traveling, and the last few hours were the occasional grunts of the horned beasts pulling the wagon, the steady churn of the wheels, and the sights and sounds of the winding forest.

“I was unable to converse due to physical proximity.”

“Wait… if it was distance. Are you here somewhere now?”

“My physical disc is currently in possession of one of the lifeforms.”

He was on one of the elves. I look around. One of the elves was carrying a bulging sack of some sorts. That must have been it.

“Well I am glad to know you are safe,” I mouthed. “Because at the moment there is something wrong. Nobody knows what the Alliance is. None of the elves act like actual elves. I’ve been locked up eating cooked grass soup for days, and I don’t even think we are actually on Azeroth anymore.”

“This would appear correct. My navigational sensors are unable to pinpoint our geographic location. It is a feasible that we are no longer on the same world of our origin.”

“Well do you know any way back?” I asked.

“Based on navigational data, to return to our earlier location we must move due south-.”

“I meant do you know if there is any way to return to Azeroth,” I almost said that out loud. I noted curious glances from the elves, but at this point I couldn’t care.

“We would have to return through a portal similar to the one that we originated from.”

“But the one we came through was destroyed.”

“Correct.”

“So, is there another one like it?”

“It is likely… The creators have used several portals of similar purpose for their creations. It is likely others exist.”

“Would you be able to find one we could use?”

“No known locations exist in my memory banks.”

I sighed. When I heard Lorekeeper Deldarron’s voice, it sparked a hope that he would know of a way back. It did but I just wished he could be a bit more helpful.

“If we got close. Would you be able to detect these portals?” I asked.

“Yes. The portals leave a unique energy signature that is detectable from my sensors. I would need to be within close proximity.”

Well at least we would know if we stumbled onto one, somewhere in this vibrantly green new world. This vibrant new world where people lock you up for saving their lives. I had a feeling we were as likely to stumble into another portal as likely as finding a single needle in all the haystacks from Silvermoon City to Booty Bay.

“Great,” I mouthed. I turned my attention from portals to more immediate and pressing concerns.

The elves were planning on handing me off to an unknown human group known as the templars. The fact that at least humans existed here was reassuring, but I had no idea if we shared the same values let alone the same culture. Two things were certain now though. First, I needed more information. Second, I wasn’t going to leave myself at the mercy of others.

It wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. I was chained up tighter than a prisoner in the lowest level of the stockades. The “lyrium bands” I had around my wrist were preventing me from using light energy. I didn’t have a weapon either, and I doubted there were any weapons with seals that channeled light energy.

I’d also have to fight my way through my captors. I’m fairly confident in my own abilities but four on one? Maybe Singlepipe or even Alamere, but I wasn’t sure about me. That jogged my memory.

“Lorekeeper Deldarron. You mentioned something about me earlier. Something to do with stats?”

“Yes.”

“What did you say mine were?”

“Recalling data… Lifeform: Knight-Lieutenant Eratus Riverwood…”

“Strength: 31”

“Agility: 28”

“Stamina: 32”

“Spirit: 33”

“Intelligence: 30”

“And what do each of those mean?”

“Recalling data… ,”

“Strength- Measure of lifeform’s physical prowess.”

“Agility- Measure of lifeform’s reflexes, dexterity, and balance.”

“Stamina- Measure of lifeform’s physical endurance.”

“Spirit- Measure of lifeform’s mental endurance”

“Intelligence- Measure of lifeform’s ability to exercise cosmic forces.”

I had a very vague understanding of what he meant what he meant by spirit and intelligence however I understood what strength, agility, and stamina meant.

“Can you do the same thing on the elves and tell me the results?” I asked. “Only if you can do so without alerting them to your presence.”

“Yes, within physical proximity. Scanning… Lifeform: Elf… Str: 15, Agility: 18, Stamina: 16, Spirit: 14, Intelligence: 0.”

I made a mental note of the 0 for intelligence. Intelligence probably didn’t mean the same as the traditional definition. It also confirmed a few things. Why the Dalish commented my strength. Why the giant spiders here weren’t as difficult to deal with.

“You were able to determine whether or not I could survive an encounter earlier,” I said. “Does you’re a lifeform’s ‘stats’ fit into that?”

“Correct. Lifeform stats are quantified in singular units. Example, strength. Running analysis of Lifeform: Elf to Lifeform: Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood, abstracting…. You are twice as strong as Lifeform: Elf.”

“So would I be able to overcome these elves in combat?”

“Analyzing… running simulation… in current scenario with all physical restrictions all fights lead to a success rate of 0%.”

Well that much was a given. “And if I had no physical restrictions?”

“Analyzing… running simulation… success rate of 85%... success rate rises to 97% if Lifeform: Knight-Lieutenant Eratus equips a weapo.,”

Got it, so I just needed them to remove the chains and lyrium bands. I doubt the elves were going to do something like that anytime soon. However, it was an opportunity. If this was a new world, I needed every advantage, especially since I couldn’t trust anyone. Which led me to my next important question.

“Lorekeeper Deldarron… why are you helping me?”

“Because you are assisting me in returning to the main frame.”

“No, I meant why are you helping me now?” I asked. “Why not speak to one of the elves, or for anyone else for that matter? You are probably aware at this point that I am in no position to do anything,”

There was no immediate response. The wheels of the wagon scraped along the dirt.

“Based on my analysis of the current situation, you are the best option.”

“And if a better opportunity emerges?”

Another pause. One of the wagon mounts grunted. A flock of birds cawed above us.

“Analysis indicates better opportunities are unlikely to exist.”

“That didn’t answer the question.”

Silence. Tree branches bristled from a passing breeze.

“So long as our purposes align, I will provide assistance.”

It wasn’t the answer I was looking for but at least now we agreed on that. We were each other’s best chance at returning home.

“Additional input requested… translating… requesting a plan,”

“Glad we are in agreement. Here is what we are going to do…”

Armored figures approached us from the edge of the forest.

There were five of them. They wore full plate armor that gleamed in the afternoon sun. Instead of leggings, they had metal skirts that went down to the foot, with a red sash wrapped around their waists. These must be the templars. One of them trailed behind, pulling a donkey laden with pouches and bags that I took to be travel supplies.

The Dalish and I were in the middle of a clearing.

Their figures became clearer as they got close. Each templar had a black sword emblazoned onto their breastplate. It faced down and was surrounded by wavy etches that resembled flames. I didn’t recognize the insignia from any of the seven kingdoms, or the Knights of the Silver Hand, or any other order.

They paused a distance away from us. Four of the templars, including the one dragging the donkey, wore helmets. A narrow cross was slit in front to allow eyesight. The one without a helmet approached. he had short brown hair with no facial hair, and his sash was embroidered in gold. His arms were crossed and there was a guarded expression on his face.

“Took you long enough,” the lead elf said.

“We do not rush things,” the man spat on the ground. “Especially not for any elves.” He looked at me with a sneer. “Is that the apostate?

“He is your quarry,” the lead elf said. “We have brought him as agreed.”

“Lorekeeper. Can you tell me the stats of the templars once you get a chance?” I mouthed.

“Acknowledged.”

The templar walked up to my cage, the elf trailed behind him. The man looked me up and down.

“You should know the shem talks to himself,” the elf said. “One of ours told us he speaks to a rock. We think he may have lost his mind.” I played along and just kept moving my mouth, speaking incoherent letters and words.

“A rock?” the man asked.

The elf holding my sack came up and brought out the stone disc and held it to the templar. The man eyed the stone and hesitated. After a few pauses he took it from the elf’s hands.

““Scanning…. Lifeform: Templar…. Str: 19, Agi: 15, Sta: 17, Spr: 15, Int: 3.”

“Doesn’t seem like anything special,” he said. “Just seems like a regular rock, though its rather smooth.”

He lowered the disc and stepped to my cage. His nose twitched then he turned away, coughing. “Maker he smells like shit. When was the last time this one took a bath?”

“Not our concern,” the elf said.

He eyed me up and down again. “You sure this is an apostate?” he asked. “I don’t sense a lick of lyrium on him save the wrist bands. He doesn’t look like one either, too big. Looks more like some common bandit or thief.”

“Then perhaps we will just set him free next to a human settlement,” the elf said. “Are you going to take him or not? We must be on our way soon.”

The man narrowed his eyes at the threat. He looked back to me, a thoughtful look on his face. “Fine,” he said. “We’ll sort it out with the enchanters. Templar Nelson!” he yelled.

The templar holding the donkey stepped forward, and the donkey reared its head back. It was eating grass and didn’t want to be interrupted. The two engaged in a tug of war. One of the other men pointed at the scene, while the rest stared. I heard laughter.

Then one of them came around and slapped the donkey’s ass. The mount leaped forward as Templar Nelson pulled, making him fall backwards to the ground. The other templars hooted and cheered.

The man with the golden sash grinned and shook his head.

Templar Nelson stood back up, sweeping the dirt off his skirt, and walked towards us. “Y…Yes Captain!” he said.

“This one here is your first apostate. You’ll keep an eye on him,” the Templar Captain said then handed him the stone disc. “This rock is very special. Do not lose it.”

I could hear a hint of amusement in the Captain’s voice. He was messing with the young man. Templar Nelson accepted the disc.

“Scanning…. Lifeform: Templar…. Str: 17, Agi: 13, Sta: 15, Spr: 17, Int: 3.”

The Captain was the most senior and Templar Nelson was the most junior. I assumed the rest of the templars would have stats somewhere between those two. Easy pickings.

The elf holding the sack handed it off to Templar Nelson. I saw a familiar glimmer from a hilt inside. It was Captain Falmore’s sword.

Two elves opened the cage and walked inside. They undid the chain bindings and released me from the wooden block. The manacles and lyrium bands fell to the ground.

I felt a sensation of relief as the weights fell. I was also tempted, to reach out with my hands and grapple the two elves to the ground. I resisted the urge; it wasn’t the most pious thing to do and it wasn’t the right time to strike. They led me out of the cage and onto the ground.

The Templar Captain handed a pouch to one of the Dalish elves. Was there a bounty system or agreement in place between the Dalish and this organization known as templars? I made a mental note of that later.

The elves led me out of the cage and passed me to Templar Nelson. I was unrestrained, but they didn’t expect me to run. “Don’t try anything funny,” the young man threatened. “Oh dear Maker help me, you smell. Get moving. Come on now.”

I could tell by his body language that he was nervous. The entire scene reminded me of how knights from the Kingdom of Lordearon would usually treat new recruits. They gave them the worst duties and pulled pranks on them. They justified it as a way to build camaraderie. I just saw it as poor taste.

I nodded then stepped forward. We rejoined the rest of the templars.

“Your first apostate!” one of the templars said and slapped him on the shoulder. “Well quite a smelly one at that too. I’m sure you can handle it eh Nelson!”

Templar Nelson didn’t respond. I couldn’t see his face but his elbows were tucked in to his chest and he was clenching his fist. It was all too apparent the emotions he was feeling. Humiliation and anger. He obviously wasn’t taking the prodding from the older men too kindly. Maybe that could be used to my advantage later.

We began moving into the forest.

A few hours passed by. Templar Nelson and I were trailing behind the other four men. The donkey trotted along, making an occasional bray.

“I apologize for the smell,” I said. “The Dalish aren’t too firm believers of personal hygiene.”

“It…Its alright,” he replied. “Just don’t stand too close to me.”

“It really wasn’t my fault you see. I was just taking care of my parent’s farm when the elves stormed through and took me.”

“We-We’ll let the enchanters’ sort that out. Until then you are an apostate and to be treated like one.”

“It’s true! Besides how much longer will it be until we get to where they are going anyway? Is it just you lot out here?”

“We’ll be on the forest for a couple days,” he said. “We’re the only templar patrol in these woods. There is another apostate we are hunting and we just picked you up along the way.”

Excellent. That meant no reinforcements to be concerned about.

“Ah fair enough only a couple of days. Do you know where we are going? I’ll need to find my way back home after everything is cleared up,”

“Assuming you aren’t an apostate and don’t undergo to the writ of tranquility,” he replied. “We’ll be stopping by the city of Denerim before heading over to the nearest circle tower, and do get a bath… please.”

I made a mental note that Denerim was the nearest settlement. I didn’t know what this writ of tranquility was but I was not intending on finding out in-person.

“Well be it. Now if you don’t mind me asking, I never seen your kind of people before. Not with all of your fancy armor. Although I think you take care of yours more than the others. The shine really sells it.”

“You’ve never heard of the templars?”

“Nope!” I replied. “I grew up in the forest with me parents. Learned the language from then too. Sorry if I talk funny.” Hopefully that was believable.

“We are the guardians of humanity. We protect all of mankind from magic. We hunt all evil beings. Blood mages, heretics, abominations, and cultists.

Well that did explain why they were garbed so similarly to paladins. Apparently magic was treated like some sort of plague. That did explain why the elves acted the way they did. I’d have to be careful with using light energy from here on out.

“Well I think you lot are doing a fine job of it too,” I said. “Del agrees as well.”

“Del?”

“Oh, Del is my pet rock. He thanks you for taking good care of him.”

“Your… rock?”

“Yep! He talks to me every now and then.”

Our conversation was pretty much over then and there because he looked ahead and stopped talking.

“Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood, I have detected a unique energy signature in possession of these lifeforms.”

“Uh. Is it any threat?” I mouthed.

“Unknown. It is a peculiarity that simply needed to be noted.”

We continued through the trail when I saw smoke rising in the distance. The Templar Captain raised his hand. Everyone stopped. I squinted and could make out the source of the smoke. It was a small campfire next to what looked like a small hut on a hillside.

“Don’t move,” Templar Nelson said. He tied the donkey to a nearby tree.

“Okay! Are we after the other apostate?” I asked.

“Quiet!” he replied. The donkey snorted.

The four templars ahead fanned out around the home.

Then a man came out of the hut. He was wearing brown shirts and pants, and didn’t seem to be holding a weapon. He raised his hands, and looked like he had just woken up. This was probably the apostate Templar Nelson mentioned.

That was until he saw the first templar. His body language expressed terror and he ran. However, it seemed too late. One of the templars charged to intercept the fleeing man. That was when the apostate raised both his hands and threw a rather pathetically small fireball.

This was the apostate? This was the magic that the templars were safeguarding the world from? I’ve seen Alamere light our evening campfires with bigger flames than that with a finger.

The templar raised his shield tilting it slightly down. The fireball burst against the metal frame, causing no real lasting damage. The mage was readying another fireball when a shockwave radiated out from the templar.

“I have detected an odd energy signature from the lifeform: Templar.”

“How big of a threat is it?” I mouthed.

“The event is disruptive; however, it will not impact your ability to call upon cosmic forces. Analysis indicates the beings of this realm utilize cosmic energy in an unknown fashion. Additional data is needed but the event that you have witnessed is disruptive to this type of recollection but not to your own.”

That made no sense.

“So… whatever these templars did won’t affect my own abilities.”

“Correct.”

The templar captain then charged and tackled the man down with his shield. Before the apostate could get back up the armored man put a metal boot on his chest.

“Where is she!” he asked.

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” the man replied.

“Don’t try lying,” the templar captain said and pressed his boot down the man’s chest. “You helped her escape. Where is she!”

These templars were a rather brutal lot.

“Leave him alone!” said a feminine voice.

There was a woman standing on top of the hill. She wore a black robe embroidered in yellow.

“Laura, ru-!” the man cried but was silenced as a boot slammed into his waist. He curled up and wheezed in pain.

“Enchanter Laura Thrysica!” the Templar Captain yelled. “By writ of the Chantry of Ferelden, we are here to return you to the custody of the circle. For your crimes you will undergo the rite of tranquility.”

“I’ll come down. I’ll go with you! Just-please!” the woman begged. “I’ll come! Just please don’t hurt him!”

“No! You can’t!” the man gasped. He scrambled up and tried to tackle the Templar Captain. “Run! I’ll ho-,”

I watched in shock as the Templar Captain drove the sword through the man’s neck. The woman screamed.

“Well,” the Templar Captain said. “That takes care of one.” He then kicked the corpse off his sword. The nonchalant manner in the way he handled the execution dredged up unpleasant memories. Templar Nelson said that the templar order stood to protect humanity from magic. This however… this was simply murder.

“Enchanter Thrysica, will you come with us quietly?” the Templar Captain asked, pointing the sword at her. “Or will we be forced to resort to force?”

I was originally planning on waiting until the templars set up camp to take any action. Not kill them but leave them incapacitated. Question them for more information and take off with the donkey and their supplies. The situation now was getting out of hand. I eyed the sack holding Captain Falmore’s sword on the donkey. It was within arm’s reach.

“No,” the woman replied, taking out a dagger. “I’m tired of running from you bastards. You are murderers. All of you. I will never return to that prison.”

“Stop her!” the templar captain yelled. There was terror in his voice, a fear of something more than what a mere dagger should have elicited.

Three templars ran toward her but not before she plunged the dagger into her wrist. She raised the arm and blood gushed out of her wound. It shot out in a stream knocking the templars down.

“Blood magic!” the Templar Captain yelled. He charged forward.

“Corruption detected. Warning… corruption detected.”

I turned away from the scene and in one quick movement I reached into the sack and found what I was looking for. I pulled Captain Falmore’s sword free.

Templar Nelson saw the motion because he drew his own sword. “You dare!” he yelled and attacked me with his blade. However, it landed against a barrier of light. I had already cast the motions for the seal before he had begun his swing.

I had to give credit to his training because without any hesitation I felt the disruptive burst from earlier. He thrust his sword toward me. It would have worked, if I was a mage of this world. Unfortunately for him, I was neither a mage nor from this world.

Much to his shock, the sword crashed against the light barrier.

“Sorry,” I said. “Nothing personal,” then parried his sword with mine. What happened instead was when our blades crossed, his sword went flying out of his hands. Lorekeeper Deldarron was right.

He looked at me with shock. “Wh-What are you!” he asked.

“Nothing that means you in any harm.”

Then there was a gasp. I turned to see the Templar Captain strangled by a coil of blood around his neck. The other templars were back up and keeping distance from the scene. Whatever disruptive ability they used earlier must have had no effect on what the woman was conjuring now.

More coils spurred out of the woman’s wound and wrapped around the Captain’s limbs. The man dropped his sword and shield. His mouth was open, gasping for air, and his eyes were wide open in fear.

The woman looked at the Captain then all the templars. “All of you!” she said. “All of you will pay for this!” then drove the dagger through her belly. Blood poured in a torrent from the wound, engulfing the woman, spinning in a sphere.

Then the sphere burst, leaving behind a being whose name was revealed by Templar Nelson.

“An abomination…. .”

The thing was as big as an ogre. It had skin that shone like metal, spikes lining its shoulders and arms, four horns, and seven holes where the eyes would normally be. It growled and brandished its claws, then looked at the incapacitated Templar Captain in front of it. With a single fatal swipe, it lopped off his head.

“What in the twisting nether is that,” I said.

“Warning… corruption levels at 95%... corrupted entity detected.”

The abomination moved three times in quick succession.

The first claw caught a templar in the side and threw him into a nearby tree. He then fell, his neck angled in an unnatural manner.

Its second claw hit another templar’s shield, sending it flying away. With the second claw it cut through the weak armor around his neck. The man fell, blood spurting out of the wound, and died.

The last templar on the hillside turned tail and ran. However, the abomination was faster. It caught up sent the man crashing into the ground with a single blow.

Then the thing looked at Templar Nelson and charged. “No! I don’t want to die! Please! Please don’t kill me!” the young man yelled and ran away.

“No!” I yelled. “Don’t run!” It was too late; he was out of range for me to cast a barrier. The abomination caught up and gored him from behind. The bones pierced through the armor, and the young man was lifted into the air. Blood sprayed out of the slits in his helmet. The abomination flung the corpse off onto the ground.

Then it looked at me, and charged.

“Light-be-damned!” I yelled. “Is everything in this world trying to kill me!”

I raised my hands in front putting as much light energy as I could into the barrier. The abomination crashed into the light shield with its horns and spent me skidding back. However, the barrier held.

I swung and pierced the abomination’s left arm with my sword. The blade cut halfway before the dense tissue of the creature stopped it. It reared back and shrieked.

The arm hung loose, but I could see the injury begin to slowly heal.

“Any ideas Lorekeeper!” I yelled. I was not looking for another long-winded fight with a regenerating foe.

“Corruption is susceptible to certain cosmic forces… translating… light energy is effective against corrupted entity. Direct physical feedback will be required.”

“Simpler!”

“You must touch it with light energy.”

If only I had a weapon with a seal on it. That would have easily solved this problem. I only had one idea and hoped the Lorekeeper was right. I drew light energy away from the barrier and into my hands, causing them to flare with white light.

Singlepipe taught me one of the best ways to defeat a foe was to

The abomination barreled toward me again and lashed out a claw. My barrier was no longer present so I reared back. The claw went wide, and I thrust my sword into its right shoulder. It shrieked and fell back. I let go of the sword, leaving it embedded in the abomination. Now both of its arms were useless, although I had no idea for how long. I charged.

It swung its head, nearly goring me with its horn but I leaped over it. I wrapped my arms around its waist and released the light energy.

The energy seeped through the abomination’s skin and it began to screech in pain. It tossed and turned, but I held on tight. Beams of light cracked out of its skin, growing larger with each passing moment.

Finally, it burst in a shower of sparks, leaving behind the body of a dead woman. I landed upright.

“Corruption levels falling… the corrupted entity has been extinguished.”

“Hopefully,” I sighed. My legs were shaking, and my breath was ragged. It seemed like a good idea to sit for a bit on the hillside.

Just as I began to lean back, I noticed something just barely within eyesight speed down from up high. I stopped moving and zeroed in on the moving figure.

It was the owl, the same one with horns that I noticed back when I fought the giant spiders. The bird perched whooshed to the ground, perching itself on a fallen branch by the corpses. There was a flash of light around the owl, and its form began to morph, growing larger while edging closer towards me. I raised the sword towards it with one hand, and formed a barrier seal with the other.

The being continued to grow larger and change until I could make out a pair of legs. Two arms jutted out from its side, complete with hands, the fingers gnarled into claws. The shape became more human until it resembled a lithe woman. Her armor was an odd mix of plate and leather colored in red and black. The pattern itself was avian, and reminded me of the harpies from Alterac Valley.

Her hair was twisted back into a long ponytail with hooks that reminded me of a dragon’s horns. She wore some kind of metal tiara, no it more resembled a crown, like one that a sovereign or a ruler would wear. Those same unsettling yellow eyes however did not change. The wrinkles about her face that gave away her age, but something about those eyes reminded me of something ancient, similar to the first time I met a high elven sage.

The owl, or woman, or… whatever it was stopped several paces from slashing distance.

“Well, well, well,” she said. “What have we here?”

Her voice was as equally unsettling as her eyes.

“Back off,” I nudged the point of Captain Falmore’s sword forward. Although it was caked with blood, the blue sheen of the mithril glimmered with the sunlight.

“Curious,” she said, crossing her arms and lifting a hooked finger to her lip. Her eyes shifted toward the weapon. “I do not recognize the metal used to forge that blade. From whence did it come from?”

“None of your business,” I said, taking calculated steps around her until I reached the hillside. “Who-What are you?”

“Hmph!” she said. “A question with an answer far too long for this encounter. Yet for now, you may call me Flemeth.”