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10. Debt
Chapter 114 / ??? - The Storm Fandom: Dragon Age (Dragon Age Origins: Awakening & Dragon Age 2) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence Additional Tags: Blood Magic, Dark, Horror, Angst, Sexual Content Main Pairings (M/M): Anders / Hawke, Anders / Amell Summary:
“Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they who have taken His gift, and turned it against His children. They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones. They shall find no rest in this world, or Beyond.” Anders knew the verse. Every mage did. But Anders was a runner. He ran from the Circle. He ran from the Templars. He ran from relationships. So what did he care? He was never going to rest anyway.
Chapter Excerpt:
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The casteless dwarves of Orzammar have few prospects. Consigned to live in a crumbling ruin on the social and economic fringes of the mighty dwarven capital, most resort to begging, prostitution, or crime.
Just as all rivers eventually join the sea, all casteless who turn to crime eventually become part of the Carta. The Hero of Ferelden decimated the ranks of this ancient gang while rallying the dwarves to join in the battle against the Archdemon Urthemiel. Unable to recover the power they once had in Orzammar, they turned their attention “topside,” using groups of surface-dwelling dwarves to smuggle weapons, lyrium, surface luxuries, people, and other goods between Orzammar and human lands.
Despite the flow of business, its members are still desperate and violent. With no strong leader to rein in their excesses, they have little sense of dwarven honor, and freely break their word, double-cross allies, and renege on deals.
--From The Stone and Her Children: Dwarves of the Dragon Age, by Brother Genitivi
What does it say about the Carta in Faces of Thedas? It would tremendously help me flesh out the background details of my Cadash/Brosca characters!
The Carta has been a thing almost as long as Orzammar has existed
Post-DA:O after Jarvia’s death, the Carta switched focus from Orzammar to the surface world (though they’ve always had their hands in both).
There’s actually more than one Carta organization, broken down into in different regions, all in an informal alliance with each other making up “The” Carta syndicate.
Additionally, there isn’t any single leader at the top; different groups have different bosses that interact/work with each other, but it’s also not uncommon for there to be disputes between said leaders, sometimes ending violently.
Under the boss is a lieutenant.
If there’s an illegal activity you can think of, the Carta are probably part of it. This includes smuggling (what they’re most noted for, having a monopoly on dwarven smuggled goods), supplying thieves, fencing stolen goods, protection schemes, assassinations, and spying/selling secrets.
They’re also known to work hand in hand with the Merchants Guild. If you piss off a Guild member, you could end up with the Carta on your ass. The book goes as far as to say “it’s impossible to pinpoint where the Guild ends and the Carta begins.”
The Cadash family as a whole are “major players” in the Carta.
Natia Brosca! She’s always had to take care of herself, and joined the Carta at a very joung age. She’s very protective over her older sister, Rica, but despised her a little for selling herself to noblemen. On the job, she became close with Leske, her partner in crime, but never saw him in a romantic way, even though they often slept together. She screwed up at the Provings and got captured, after fighting none other than Prince Duran Aeducan in single combat and having kept up with him. After a week in wich she was held in the city’s dungeon, the guards lock Prince Duran in the cell next to her. With the help of Gorim and Leske, they manage to get out of the city and reach the surface, where she joins the Carta as a courier to the Mage Tower. She will later join the Wardens’ cause looking for profits and adventure.
“You don’t look like a templar,” the Carta member said. Then he heaved out a small wrapped bundle that jangled with glass.
Lucanis gave a soft sigh. This wouldn’t have to end in bloodshed. He raised the sack of coins, then jingled them. As they did the handoff at the same time, Lucanis felt Spite stirring. The demon listed his head as if he was listening to the lyrium now resting in Lucanis’ palm.
After he quickly checked the state of the vials—all sealed and full—he nodded his thanks for the easy transaction
“Whatcha need that stuff for anyway?” the seller asked.
Strange. Most of his contacts preferred the no questions route. Then again, a templar suffering from withdrawals was a customer for life. Perhaps he was hoping for a return purchase.
Despite Spite trying to reach his fingers out to play with the vial of lyrium, Lucanis secured the bundle safely in his pocket. “To save the world,” he said.
The Carta member snickered. “They always say that, and yet…”
“Maybe it will stay saved this time,” Lucanis said as he backed into the shadows.
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