MAYA vs THE LADY'S RESTAfter tying up the fishing boat at the dilapidated old pier, Maya and her crew surveyed the island. Thom pointed to an old shack at the top of a low hill. "Look at that green glow. Seems a likely place to start looking for Solas's artifact."
But Maya was never one to take the direct route. Old Carta training: case the joint thoroughly before heading for the shiny object, since traps and ambushes almost always lie along the direct route. Besides, you never know what hidden valuables you mind find tucked away in the nooks and crannies no one pays attention to.
As if to prove the wisdom of Carta training, Maya found a gigantic pile of gold tucked way in a small cave, away from the glowing shack. Even the glowing red wraiths seemed attracted to all the wealth.
But just as Maya was about to dive head-first into the pile, Blackwall restrained her. "Wait! When have you ever seen a pile of gold this large without any protection?"
Maya slowly backed away from the pile. "You're right! I'll check for traps."
Twenty minutes later, Maya shook her head and said, "No mechanisms, trip wires, glowing crystals or other tricks of the trade."
Dorian said, "I'd hate to be called Paranoid Pavus, but does anyone else feel like we are being watched?"
Maya scratched her left palm. "My Mark is itching a bit. Not as bad as when near a Rift, but similar."
Vivienne prepared a spell, "I feel it too. It feels like ... like that ruin in the Western Approach, where we found Erimond and the foolish wardens summoning demons ..."
"Aye," Blackwall said, drawing his sword. "Just like that."
But nothing happened. Maya looked at her crew, shrugged. "I guess the only way to find out if there really is a trap is to trip it ..." She opened the large chest.
"I'm too pretty to die!" Dorian shouted, as four very nasty looking Despair demons appeared. An epic battle ensued, where Maya had to use every trap and dirty trick in the book just to survive.
Before it was over, both Blackwall and Dorian needed resuscitation. Vivienne helped apply healing salves to the frostbite and puncture wounds caused by the demon's attacks.
Blackwall, somewhat irritated with having spent most of the battle flat on his back, growled, "I hope that was worth it."
Maya rubbed her hands together greedily. "Oh, I think it was. Easily a 1000 in gold here, maybe twice that. Let's load it up in the boat."
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Later, Maya said, "We've looked everywhere else on this island. Shall I open this rift and look in there?"
They were standing in the run-down shack. A strange spherical rift with some old bones in the center filled the room. Red wraiths, like the kind in Crestwood, gathered round as if to watch.
Blackwall drew his sword, "We stand ready, my lady."
Maya activated the Mark and opened the Rift. A spirit emerged and began speaking about Ameridan.
Maya's mind wandered. Nothing of what the spirit spoke of made any sense, and she said as much. While the Wraith droned on, a little minstrel's ditty that used to be popular in the grungier sections of Denerim went round in her head.
Well I don't care about history,
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll Chantry
'Cause that's not where I wanna be,
Rock, rock, rock'n'roll Chantry
Finally, when the spirit had nothing more to say, Maya said, "Get lost. Or should I say, Fade away? Heh."
The spirit took off in a huff. The Rift closed, and nothing was left but the old bones and ... what's this? A truly excellent bow, an old scroll, and ... "Ouch!"
Thom rushed forward, "What is it, milady? Are you all right?"
Maya shook out her hand, "Yeah, yes. I thought I saw a gemstone, but it flashed, and now ... now ... wow! Solas wasn't kidding. Wait ... hold onto this bow for a second ... no, no, it's still with me. Give the bow back."
"Is the bow the artifact?" Dorian asked.
"Obviously not, my dear," Vivienne said. "The Inquisitor said it is still with her."
"That's right. I feel ... invincible! The artifact has changed my Mark in some way. All I have to do is ..." She gestured, and a bubble of veilfire surrounded her.
"Hey Thom. Throw a rock at my head or something."
"What? My lady, I'd never ..."
Vivienne picked up a seashell and tossed it at Maya. It bounced off the bubble of veilfire. "Protection against missles, I believe."
Maya jumped for joy, but the bubble stayed put. She walked out of it's boundary and then returned. "Dorian, stand in the middle."
"Well, I am not sure mother Pavus wanted her prettiest son to be a lab rat for experimentation ..."
"Stop being a ninny and stand in the bubble." Maya tossed a seashell at Dorian. Again, it bounced off the bubble.
"Works for all of you! This is great. Solas really came through. Now we can return to the Deep Roads and face whatever is down there that Solas thinks is going to kill me."
"Not so fast," Thom said, looking back towards the boat. "We've got company."
Dorian sighed, "I thought that was a bit too easy."
Avvar. Jaws of Hakkon's fanatics. Maya said, "No better way to test out this new ability than in a life or death struggle, am I right? Let's move!"
The Avvar didn't stand a chance.
After looting the bodies, Maya collected her crew back at the boat, now laden to the gunwales. "Back to Skyhold for a quick rest, and then, the Deep Roads! Valta and Renn should have recovered from their wounds by now and must be wondering what is taking so long to return."
And they're everywhere down here.
Looking at those images I really need to get Awakening done someday, I just became sidetracked with other things while playing it the first time.
Retour en haut
Okay, if she says so.
These ones basically look the same as the broodmother we fought in Origins. The Mother is quite another story, however. 
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