Justice, Fenris, & Lyrium
So in DAO Awakening, we see that Justice is absolutely entranced by even minuscule amounts of lyrium.
If given a lyrium ring by the Warden-Commander, he’s over the moon about it, speaking in near-rapturous terms (all emphasis mine).
Justice: What is that sound? Such beautiful singing. The stone within this ring… is it lyrium? Am I… allowed to keep this? Is it to be mine?
Warden: It’s singing? I don’t hear anything.
Justice: When mortals dream of lyrium in the fade, it is not like this. The song saddens me, but it is breathtaking. Of all the things I have seen in this world, this is the most precious. I will keep it at my side as a reminder that even in misfortune, good can be found.
You can really sense the excitement, maybe even desperation, in the way he repeats his plea - “Am I allowed to keep this? Is it to be mine?” It’s a touching moment, where the Warden teaches him the rituals of friendship and Justice begins to open up to human connection.
If you wait long enough without giving it to him, Justice will eventually ask for some lyrium - not to consume, but simply to hold and cherish. (If I recall correctly, this is also the only instance in DAO where a companion explicitly asks for a specific gift in advance).
I desire only the smallest bit of pure rock. The version of lyrium mortals dream of in the fade, it is not the same. Here, it sings. The sound is something only a spirit could hear, but it summons an ache I didn’t know I had.
When giving him the lyrium ring, if the Warden says, “I hope it’s useful,” Justice replies:
Of what “use” is beauty? Of all the things I have seen in this world, this is the most precious. I will keep it at my side as a reminder that even in misfortune, good can be found.
Likewise, when approaching a lyrium container in Kal’Hirol, he says:
This...this substance...sings to me. Do you hear it? I did not know something so beautiful could exist.
We never ultimately find out what happened to the lyrium ring. Maybe Anders took it with them when he and Justice merged, although they are never seen wearing it. Then again, Anders isn’t wearing his signature gay earring from Awakening either, so maybe they sold or donated all the jewelry at some point. After all, merely getting into Kirkwall in the first place costs a lot in bribe money.
Getting back to my main point, we’ve learned that lyrium is basically spirit catnip and that Justice is totally enraptured by even a piece small enough to be fitted as the gemstone on a ring.
Then over a year or so after arriving in Kirkwall, this...
We’re talking about a guy with a veritable fortune in lyrium embedded in his skin - not a few specks, but wide veins of lyrium criss-crossing his body from head to toe - just radiating that pure Fade energy.
Does Justice hear all that lyrium singing to him? And by extension, does Anders? Do they hear him coming from miles away, what with the chorus such a large trove must be generating? If that little ring has him enraptured and waxing poetic, what sort of effect might this web of lyrium tattoos have?
I am so disappointed that this was never addressed.
