The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[NPCs]

"He... would not do so on purpose, no," Jaina says quietly. "But even the gods are imperfect. Then again, so is life. Nothing is entirely safe and a life lived in fear of death isn't really a life. It's good that you have a dream and a goal."

[Carver Amell]

"I want to be strong," he says quietly. "You can't get strong without risk. You have to put yourself out there or you'll be weak and timid forever."

[NPCs]

"True enough." Jaina reaches out to rest a warm hand on his forearm, uncaring of the fur still there. "But you have to be wise about what risks you take and when. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders- don't neglect that in your chase for strength."

[Carver Amell]

"I don't have much of a choice," he points out. "I owe Dau... everything."

[Jassinth]

"Of course you have a choice," Jass protests. "You don't have to take the quest he gives you, you can ask for another. Or you can get help for it." His mother glances at him, a question in her gaze, one he studiously avoids.

[Carver Amell]

"Sure, but I have to do something," he points out. "And I wouldn't-- I wouldn't stiff Dau. I'm so much happier..."

[Jassinth]

Jass's eyes widen. "I'm not suggesting you should!" he says quickly. "That is- aside from your honor, slighting a god is never a wise action. Necessary, perhaps, if they are not your own, but never wise."

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods. "right. Right. So if I can pull off whatever Dau suggests, I will."

[Jassinth]

"Sure, just... maybe ask for help?" Jass asks tentatively.

[Carver Amell]

"Of course," he promises. "You'll be the first one I come to as soon as I find out what it is."

[NPCs]

Jass grins, his dusky skin reddening a little. Across the table, his mother sighs almost silently. Oh Jass, you and your crushes. Still, he's far more... polite than that... woman. "You two should eat," she says firmly, rising from the table. "I've some fresh whipped cream and honied berries to go over scones once you're done."

[Carver Amell]

"Yes ma'am!" chirps Carver.

[GamesMaster]

The Citadel of Orzammar -- for there's much debate about whether it counts as a "City", given the lack of formal walls, but all agree it's the size of one, and well warded against things that lurk in the depths, and surrounded by stone -- is entirely built underground, at the base of and underneath a dormant volcano. There, they have access to the magma pools that form the foundation of their forge-based culture, but there's plenty of space to expand upwards as the civilization grows. The deeper you are, the richer you are; there are various gates and checks to stop the unwashed masses from intruding into the lower levels just the same as there are in Nyra to prevent people from heading to Aurora. 

Unfortunately for Varric, while the Tethras clan isn't Nobility, they're noble-adjacent -- meaning he'll need access to the lower levels to meet up with Bianca, while as foreigners they only have access to the upper ones. That's where his contact comes in. Daelan, called Dandy by his friends and "that loony" by his enemies, is one of the few Clanless dwarves allowed to remain in the citadel. Most have their clans taken from them by some heinous violation of the law, and thus, are imprisoned or exiled immediately; Dandy, on the other hand, simply pissed off enough of his clan's elite that they politely "requested" he surrender his name. 

Marian doesn't find it hard to see why as they walk through the streets, heading for a back gate where he's promised to get them into the lower marketplace. "Now, under the free market, all those prices would come down. You see, anyone could start a rival clan-like structure, so to speak, and sell the ingots for silver on the gold; the clans would have to drop price or lose customers, and just like that, it's cheaper for everyone. And that's why clans are bad for business, lassie."

[Varric]

"Seen it before, in surfacer cities," Varric agrees without batting an eye. "Competition is good for more than just people, it's good for businesses and even cities. Pushes you into working harder and smarter." Behind Dany's back, he rolls his eyes and grins at Helene, who is thankfully too polite to call the other dwarf on the many, many flaws in his arguments. 

[Marian Hawke]

"And what stops it from coming back up if they get greedy?" 

Marian has never been accused of being "too polite" in her life.