The Revanchist

Disclaimer: I own neither Dragon Age: Origins (DA:O) nor Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR). All rights belong to Bioware, EA, and Lucas Arts.

XxX

New Year's Quote:

HK-47: "Query: Can I kill him now, master? I would like ever so much to crush his neck, just a little. It is a long time fantasy of mine."

Revan: "Maybe later."

HK-47: "You hear that, meatbag? I'll be back!"

~HK-47 and Revan

XxX

Chapter 3: Lothering

"You mother is a most…peculiar individual." Revan said, instigating conversation to bide time whilst the group journeyed towards the village of Lothering.

"Aye, that she is," Aedan agreed wholeheartedly. "Is she truly the Witch of the Wilds as the legends say?"

Revan quirked his brow in some confusion at the unusual autonym. Morrigan on the other hand didn't take offense to their prodding, for she, herself had often questioned the identity of her mother many a times.

"Mother is a great many things, and in her lifetime she has acquired many titles. Flemeth, being the most popular it would seem. Though, I cannot validate the accuracy of the tales behind Flemeth's story."

"You're referring to the numerous daughters that she has sired and the fact that she devours the souls of children yes?" Alistair supplied suspiciously.

Morrigan cast the red-haired warden a withering glare. ""Tis such an unimaginative mind. Though, I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise from a man with your particular disposition."

"Are you implying that I'm…inept?" Alistair questioned in disbelief.

"I've witnessed this war hound here show more competence." She coolly replied, gesturing to Aedan's Mabari bred hound. The muscular dog barked playfully before turning to look at Alistair, jaw slack and panting with a seemingly goofy looking smile on its scrunched face.

"I am in fact competent, and you wipe that annoying smirk off your face." Alistair scolded the mabari, who in turn wined at being reprimanded.

Aedan paused briefly to scratch the back of his hound's ear in a reassuring gesture. "Don't mind Alistair, Alex, he's just childishly venting his frustration with Morrigan on you because he can't come up with a witty retort to her insults." Alexander, or Alex as Aidan often called his mabari, barked and wagged his tail furiously.

"I can to come up with witty comebacks!" Alistair defended, but nobody seemed to pay him any mind.

"Why must you all pick on me?" The former Templar sulked dejectedly. In the corner of his eye he spotted Alex fixing him with another one of his stupidly annoying mutt grins, as if to rub it in the red head's face.

"Come now Alistair, don't sulk. I was just teasing." Aedan said, patting the junior Grey Warden on the back.

Alistair merely grunted in compliance, leaving the group to once again fall back into a silent walk. No more words were exchanged by the group, mostly because they were still technically in Darkspawn infested territory, but there was also a lingering tension amongst the group.

Revan's senses were able to identify the center cause of the tension emanating from Alistair, who loosely exuded a somber tone. Slightly worried for the red-headed man, Revan stretched out his senses, managing to pick up on a myriad of emotions that clouded Alistairs thoughts. Something was clearly troubling the junior warden's mind.

Tenderly, so as not to startle the man, Revan walked beside Alistair, getting his attention. "Alistair, I don't mean to pry but is there something wrong?"

Alistair inclined his head back in a sign of confusion, slightly taken aback by the sudden question. "Um, no. Why would you think that there's something wrong with me?"

Revan shrugged. "You looked like you were troubled by something, so I was curious."

The former Templar's eyes shifted elsewhere, uncomfortable with a stranger taking a sudden interest in his wellbeing. "It's nothing that you need to worry about. There's just a lot on mind at the moment."

"The Darkspawn and the Blight?" Revan guessed.

Alistair looked as though he was debating on how he should respond, his mouth opening and closing unconsciously. "Those are among the top of the list yes." He finally decided to say.

"That's not all though, is it?" Revan questioned with a knowing look on his face which surprised Alistair.

"Yes, no, I mean arrggh…" The warden groaned irritably. "I-I apologize. It's just that I'm not entirely accustomed to someone actually asking how I feel, especially a stranger whom I've only just met."

"It's alright." Revan placated. "Your confusion is understandable. I apologize if my questions threw you off."

Alistair sighed. "I…it's just that I've recently lost someone close to me and I haven't exactly been taking their death well." The Templar drifted off, a pained expression of grief plagued his features.

Revan felt sympathy for the man. He himself knew all too well of the pain that came with the death of someone close to him. Strangely enough though, Revan still couldn't pinpoint the exact people that he mourned for, as he still hadn't recovered the bulk of his memories. Most of the memories of the past Revan prior to his former apprentice's betrayal still alluded him.

Though, Revan did still feel a lingering feeling of regret when it came the conclusion between himself and Malak, his once best friend and apprentice. Their last conversation shortly before the former sith lord's demise would forever leave a sense of irresoluteness. Revan couldn't help but beg the question of whether things really could've turned out differently.

Had Revan not gone against the orders of the jedi council to not involve themselves in the Mandalorian War, would he and Malak not have turned towards the Dark Side? If he had never assumed his given title of Revan and led the Republic forces to victory, would he and Malak not have fallen so far? There were so many questions that had no answers which frustrated Revan to no end. Revan shook his head, banishing these thoughts from his mind. It was pointless to worry about what ifs. As important as it was to him, Revan could never change the past, but he could influence the future, and that was what truly mattered most.

"I guess I'm not the only one who's got a lot on their mind huh?" Alistair spoke, breaking Revan from his reverie.

"Hmm?" Revan said distractedly, taking a moment to realize that the man was referring to himself. "Oh, yes, I suppose your right. I guess everyone has something bearing on their mind at the moment."

Before the two could continue their conversation however, Morrigan lead them out of the clearing and gestured towards large man-made platform that appeared to stretch quite a ways in the distance. Revan surmised that this must be the Imperial Highway that he'd been told about.

"There's the highway. Lothering is not too far from here." Morrigan said before sauntering down the cobbled road. It wasn't long before the group could make out the small village of Lothering. Aedan signaled for the group to stop, turning towards Morrigan.

"Is there any way that you could make yourself look less inconspicuous? I recall you saying that the village had a Chantry and the last time I checked, they didn't take too kindly to Apostates." With Morrigan's choice of attire and the large staff that hung on her back, it was blatantly obvious that she was a witch. Not exactly subtle.

Morrigan smiled conspiratorially. "Of course I do. This would not be my first visit in this village, as detestable as it can be. I have my ways of avoiding their foolish Templars and of raising unwanted attention."

Morrigan closed her eyes, taking a moment to center herself and conjure the magical energy she possessed. A bluish aura enshrouded her form, temporarily obscuring her body from view. When the light faded, a single black cat sat on all fours where Morrigan once stood.

Revan was left astounded by the witch's transformation, for the feline was surely Morrigan. It even carried those familiar narrowed yellow eyes. There were only a few species in the galaxy that could change their form. Revan had even heard of certain force wielders who had the ability to change their form, but it was certainly something else to witness it in person.

"Fascinating." Revan spoke honestly.

His surprise was shared by both Alistair and Aedan as well. Aedan was the first of the two to break out their shock. "That will work surely."

And so the three men plus one now turned cat made their way off of the Imperial Highway, until they were stopped by a small band of men, all of which were armed and armored. Revan immediately put himself on guard in case the men had less than pleasant intentions. The rest of the group did much the same, though Morrigan remained out of sight, unnoticed by the men. Being such a small creature as she was, no one would suspect that she was really a mage in disguise.

The apparent leader of the lot stood at the forefront of the group. He had shortly cut black hair, tanned skin, and wore studded leather armor. Two short swords lay dangling at his sides, but his arms were out in the open for all to see. Clearly he was confident that he was in control of the situation.

The man greeted them with a flashy and inviting smile that was the complete opposite of his companions who stood behind him glowering or smirking at the group of travelers.

"Greetings travelers! Welcome to Lothering."

Alistair whispered lowly so only his companions could hear him. "Highwaymen, preying on those who are fleeing from the Darkspawn I suppose."

A balding man with a large sledgehammer clasped on his back turned to his leader unsurely. "Uh, I don't about these ones. They don't look like refuges."

The leader brushed aside his muscle's warning. "Nonsense, a mere ten silvers and their free to move on."

Aedan didn't appear fazed by the man in the least. "You should listen to your friend. We're not refugees."

"See, I told you." The dimwitted balding man spoke again, his voice a little more panicked. "They've no wagons and their even armed."

The leader shook his head at his underling, unconvinced. "The toll applies to everyone Hanric, that's why it's a toll, instead of say, a refugee's tax."

Hanric seemed to grow assured by his leader's words. "Oh right," he drawled slowly. "Just because they're not refugees, doesn't mean that they don't have to pay the toll."

Revan resisted the temptation to shake his head at the simplicity of Hanric. "Typical muscle. All brawn and no brain."

"Forget it, were not paying your toll." Aedan grounded out uncompromisingly.

The leader frowned disappointingly. "Well I can't say that I'm pleased to hear that. We have rules you know."

Revan saw how quickly the situation was deteriorating. Action needed to be taken and fast. The force wielder put himself between both groups. "Now hold on a moment. You may want to rethink this course of action."

Blades and other forms of weaponry suddenly halted half-drawn. Revan was pleased that he had everyone's attention, at least for the moment. The former sith lord gingerly stepped towards the leader, who held his hands near his dagger's sheaths, in preparation to strike at a moment's notice. Revan made certain that his hands were in plain sight so as not to accidentally provoke hostilities from the highwaymen.

"Think about it. Say that we do fight. What would that accomplish? You can clearly see that we're armed and prepared to defend ourselves if need be. Undoubtedly there would be casualties, not to mention afterwards the authorities from Lothering would likely come to investigate the disturbance." Revan could feel the uncertainty that had begun to creep in on the highwaymen.

"In fact, it would probably be in your best interest to simply pick up and leave." Revan continued, adding more pressure on the band of ill opportunists. "From what I hear the Darkspawn are steadily spreading throughout the Wilds. It's only a matter of time before they eventually invade Lothering."

At the mention of Darkspawn, the men paled. Revan seized on this opportunity that he'd created, taking advantage of the seeds of doubt that he sowed amongst the bandits. Revan didn't even need the aid of the Force to influence their minds, for their wills had already wavered in his favor.

The leader coughed, trying to compose himself and gain some semblance of order from his hired muscle. "You've made a strong argument my friend. I'll take your recommendation under advisement."

He turned to his band of thieves, who in turn looked towards their leader for direction. "C'mon gents! It's high time that we move on to the next town anyway. We don't want to be here for when it things get too hot."

"Yeah, Darkspawn are scary bunch. I heard they drag their living victims down in the tunnels where they feast on their flesh." Harnic shivered as his miniscule mind conjured horrid images of the tainted creatures. He then looked around aimlessly before having to run to catch up with the other highwaymen that had left him behind.

Revan sighed in relief. "Disaster averted."

Once they were out of sight, Morrigan deactivated her spell, returning to her normal human form. She gave Revan a rather cross look. "They were fools to have gotten in our way. We should've taught them a lesson."

Revan disagreed, "It would've accomplished nothing but senseless violence. What I said them wasn't just for their benefit. If say we did drive them off or kill them; that would've only brought unwanted attention to ourselves."

"You say that as though we need to keep a low profile." Alistair interjected, adding in his own two cents.

"You said before that this Loghain fellow betrayed the King and the Grey Wardens at the battle at Ostagar right? Then what do you think he would do if he found out that two wardens survived the battle."

Revan watched as realization dawned on their faces. Aedan was the first to catch on. "A man with as much influence as him would undoubtedly seek to silence us since we know what really happened."

"Exactly." Revan said, pleased that they understood his meaning. "Lohgain probably sees you both as a major threat that needs to be expunged, less his reputation be stained and he loses the trust of his followers."

Aedan brought a hand to his chin in thought. "If that's the case, then we'll definitely need to keep our status as Grey Wardens a secret for as long as we can."

"We can gather more information on the state of Ferelden at Lothering; see what Lohgain's been up to since his treachery at Ostagar." Alistair proposed, venom laced in his voice as he mentioned Lohgain's name.

"That t'was the first sound piece of advice that I've heard you say yet." Morrigan said, bemused as she witnessed Alistair grow flustered at her casual insult.

"It's agreed then." Aedan said, trying to calm Alistair down and prevent another bout of bickering from erupting between the two.

XxX

Revan frowned as he and the group passed by a collection of hastily erected tents. Refugees and their families milled about, tending to whatever activates that they could keep themselves occupied with. Children ran amuck of the camp half-heartedly playing while the women and mothers tended to laundry and meal preparation. Some of the men sat by camp fires, talking in hushed worried tones, obviously fearing the worst of what was to come.

It was a grim setting. Everyone looked under pressure and fearful; jumping at the slightest unfamiliar noise. Revan was reminded of Taris's Lower and Under City residents, the ones cast down by the upper nobles for the rebellious actions of their forefathers. The rise of the Darkspawn had driven many folk to Lothering in desperate search of some haven away from the monsters and their Blight.

Revan was still at an impasse on what he should do. He'd been filled in on the current state of affairs in Ferelden by Alistair and Aedan, with the rise of a new Blight, Lohgain's betrayal to King Cailan, and the strong potentiality of civil war breaking out. Revan was torn between aiding Aedan on his quest to unite Ferelden against the Darkspawn and simply leaving the country to fend for itself. After all, he was just an interloper from a far and distance world. What obligation did he have to help them?

"What would you have had me do Bastilla?" Revan questioned as he stared up at the sky forlornly, seeking direction, purpose.

"Something wrong Revan?" Aedan voice spoke, breaking Revan from his silent thoughts.

"No, just thinking." Revan said, bringing his attention back with the group.

Aedan eyed the oddly robed man before shrugging. "I just wanted to thank you for your help in reaching Lothering, and for your helpful advice."

Revan waved his hand dismissively. "Thanks aren't necessary. You helped me as much as I helped you."

"Fair enough. There should be a merchant somewhere around here that you could barter your Darkspawn spoils with. I'd try the tavern first. That seems to be where most of the townsfolk have congregated to. At least that's what that Templar fellow that we passed by earlier said."

"I'll do that thanks." Revan said, knowing that this was where they would part ways. "So, where will head to now?"

Aedan sighed, swiping a hand through his hair in thought. "Well, first thing we'll do is head down to the town's Chantry, probe for some information. After that though, it's still up for debate."

Revan nodded, pleased that he at least wouldn't be leaving them with no direction. He held up a gloved hand which Aedan shook readily. "You and your companions take care of yourselves now."

"We'll be careful." Aedan paused, his features clenched in deep thought, as though debating on whether or not he should say something else. "Actually, there was something else that I wanted to ask you."

Revan had a sinking suspicion as to what the chainmail wearing warrior was going to ask him.

"Actually it's more of a request really. I was hoping that you would join us on our quest to unite Ferelden." Aedan paused again, taking the time to choose his words carefully. "I know it's a lot to ask of a relative stranger from a foreign land but I don't have a lot options or allies as the moment; something were in desperate need of."

Aedan had confidence in both his and his companions abilities, but a noble warrior run out from a his own home, a former Templar in training turned Grey Warden, and an apostate that had lived most if not all of her life within the confines of the Korcari Wilds would only be capable of so much. They'd need more allies if they were to successfully complete their quest, and Aedan knew this.

"I haven't seen for myself how well you do in a fight but based on your interactions with the Darkspawn in the past I'd say that you know your way around a battle. And I know already from personal experience that you can be quite persuasive when it comes to negotiations." Aedan finished with a smirk, recalling how Revan had calmly talked the highwaymen out of mugging them and moving out of Lothering.

"So…what do you say?"

"I…will think on it." Revan eventually answered. "You must understand that such a request will take some time for me to ponder on."

"Of course," Aedan assured, knowing full well that what he was requesting of the foreign man was a lot to take in. It wasn't the type of decision that a person accepted lightly.

"But, if possible I would prefer to have your answer come early tomorrow, for that's when we'll likely be leaving."

Revan nodded, fully understanding that their mission required haste. "I'll let you know of my decision before you leave, I assure you."

Aedan accepted the man's promise and the two went their separate ways. Taking heed of Aedan's suggestion, Revan made his way towards Lothering's one and only tavern. It wasn't particularly difficult to find. A loud cacophony of voices talked animatedly from within a two story building that had a wooden plank nailed above the door. Scratched into the plank were the words "Dane's Refuge". More tents could be seen propped, just outside the tavern; a testament to how overburdened the building was. Revan had little doubt that there was any room left available for lodging.

The moment that Revan entered the dingy tavern, he felt a stale and musky heat wash over him, mixed in the peculiar stench of ale. It immediately became obvious just how overstocked the tavern was. Revan had difficulty navigating through the crowd of people, there were so many. Revan was reminded of the times that he'd been inside of a cantina, though there was an absence of scandalously dressed Twilek women dancing sensually around poles.

A large group of people sat closely by a fire that had been set ablaze in one corner of the building. Across from the fireplace a middle-aged man, presumably the owner of the establishment stood behind a counter, tending to customers. In the back of the room there a staircase that led to the second story of the tavern, where a young woman sang with a melodic voice, attracting the attention of a sizable crowd of listeners that tossed some coin into a basket by the woman's feet.

Revan's eyes took in the entire scenery, but what really drew his attention was a group of well-armed and armored men. The majority of them wore either leather or chainmail armor, though the supposed ring leader of the group was outfitted in a full set of metal plated armor. Everyone within the tavern gave the armored group a wide berth, unwilling to oppose such an outfitted force. Revan hadn't a clue as to who the men were, though he didn't fancy finding out. Instead, Revan waded his way through the crowd towards the bar counter, with the intent of finding a merchant to sell his goods.

Revan approached the middle-aged man, waving to get his attention. The man was had surprisingly light skin and a heavy mustache that parted way from his upper lip. His eyes caught sight of Revan and he quickly made haste towards his direction.

"The name's Dane good sir, and this is my establishment. I'm sorry to say that there are no more rooms available for lodging. Some people have resorted to even sleeping on the floor. Other than that, how can I help you?" Dane introduced himself as he idly used a dirtied rag to wipe down a used mug.

"Don't worry, I'm not looking to rent a room. I was hoping that you could point me in the direction of the nearest merchant. I have some items that I need to barter for coin." Revan spoke, raising his voice so that he could be heard over the naturally loud volume of the tavern.

Dane nodded his head in the direction behind Revan. "There's a bald fellow named Barlin over near the fire that deals with trade. He has some basic supplies that you may need or want and he'll cut you a fair deal. If not there's another merchant outside with more ample supplies, even some weapons and armor. Though, word is that his dealings are unfavorable amongst the villagers."

"Why is that, if I may ask?" Revan questioned, wanting to avoid being hustled.

"The man has ruffled more than a few feathers. Caused quite a stir with a chantry women even. They say that he's placed outrageous prices on his merchandise, taking advantage of the refugee's desperation."

"So he's an opportunist? A shame that is." Revan commented with a frown. With the large quantities of refugee's streaming in from the south, people would become desperate enough to pay outrageous prices for items that were essential to their survival.

Revan tilted his head to the side, taking a discrete glance at the group of armed soldiers. "Before I go, could you tell me who those men sitting over there are?"

Dane instantly knew who he was referring to and beckoned Revan to lean in closer. "Those are Ser Lohgain's men. A rather rowdy bunch if you ask me. They've been asking around the village for any sign of Grey Wardens."

Revan's eyes narrowed. "Why are they looking for Grey Wardens?"

Dane looked slightly surprised. "You mean you didn't hear? Shortly after the late King Cailan was slain at the Battle of Ostagar, bless his heart, Ser Lohgain proclaimed himself as regent of Ferelden. First thing he did as regent was put a large bounty on Grey Wardens, labeling them as traitors and coconspirators of King Cailan's death."

Revan prevented himself from revealing any worry on his face as he digested the grim news. "I may have to warn Aedan if he doesn't already know. At least their trying to keep a low profile."

"Thanks for the information sir." Revan said with gratefulness. Despite how busy the man was, he was honest, and that earned him some praise in Revan's book. "I don't have any coin on me now but as soon as I'm done trading, I'll be sure to buy a drink from you."

Dane chuckled goodheartedly before bidding a good day to the robed force wielder. Revan backtracked through the crowd, until he reached the bald merchant that Dane had recommended.

Revan greeted the bald man in similar fashion as he did to Dane. "Are you Barlin the merchant by chance? Dane said that you sell some supplies and deal with trade."

Barlin's eyes twinkled with delight at the prospect of a customer. "Why yes good sir. I've got a nice stock of merchandise that'll suit your needs."

The man's face faltered for second. "Well, with the exception of food that is. It's all being hoarded by that bleeding vulture outside the tavern." Barlin spat with venom, clearly distressed.

Revan made no comment, wanting to stay on the man's good side for when he bartered off his items. Barlin shook his head to clear his anger. "I shouldn't burden you with my issues. What can I do for you today?"

Revan hefted the filled satchel bag over his shoulder and laid it on the ground in front of Barlin. "I was hoping that I could barter some of these weapons in exchange for some coin."

Barlin knelt down and began ruffling through the satchel. The merchant picked up a curved dagger, inspecting the blade from several angles. "You're in luck, there's been a large demand of weapons recently because of the Darkspawn threat. Most of the village folk will want to arm themselves for when an attack comes, at least those that can't make it to Denerim or another village."

"Let's see now. There's two short bows made of ash wood, three iron and steel made longswords, and a greatsword made of steel." Barlin stopped his inspection to calculate his starting price. "Alright, I'll give you 100 silvers for the lot."

Revan spent several minutes with Barlin, haggling over the price. He'd been given a crash course of the currency that Fereldens used by Aedan during the trip here to Lothering. Eventually, Revan managed to up the amount to 120 silver pieces. He then spent 5 silvers on decent map of Thedas, at least the most updated one that was available, followed by another purchase of clothing for 12 silvers before thanking Barlin for his business transaction. The map would help Revan become better acquainted with the land's geography and the clothes would help integrate him more smoothly into Ferelden. He'd already gotten a few curious stares because of his choice of attire. Attention wasn't something that Revan entirely desired at the present moment.

Wanting to study the map in further detail, Revan perched himself against the wall nearby the fire for the extra lighting. No other tables were available so he was forced to stand, but Revan didn't much care, for he didn't plan to stay for much longer that he needed to.

Revan took a look at the map, making sure to note all of the major sites. He marked the progress that he'd made through the Korcari Wilds into the small village that represented Lothering. Denerim seemed to be the center city state for Ferelden, located further north east of Lothering. He made a mental note of other important geographical features and anything else of interest. Revan's examination was interrupted as he felt a certain pulling of the force.

The former sith lord recognized the feeling, and it made him tense. Heavy clanking footsteps drummed closer towards his destination, prompting him to look up at the disturbance. Revan instantly took notice of the lack of general noise amongst the crowd, besides a few hushed whispers. The music and singing had ceased as well.

A dark skinned man with a grizzled beard approached Revan with an intensive gaze that was directed at the force wielder. It was the impressively armored soldier that worked for Lohgain, and his men were right behind his heels, standing protectively beside him.

A helmeted man of lighter complexion outfitted with metal plated armor stood at attention beside him, gesturing towards Revan. "This is the man that was reported to have been seen interacting with the Grey Wardens spotted earlier captain."

Revan silently cursed his recent string of bad luck. The force certainly had a very funny sense of humor to throw him into these kind of inopportune situations.

"Now then," the captain continued in an ominous tone. "Where would your Grey Warden allies be hiding?"

End…

XxX

Author's Note:

Happy New Year's reader! I was hoping to get this chapter in by Christmas, but it wasn't to be, but New Years was the next best thing. I decided to insert a more humorous quote this time, just for kicks. Maybe I'll start a trend of this for each chapter if you folks want. I actually feel quite content with how things progressed in this chapter, but more importantly I hope you readers did as well.

Some were a little disappointed that I kinda bypassed Revan's interaction with Flemeth and I apologize for that. At the time I wasn't feeling confident that I could nail down Flemeth's persona for very long, thus the minimal amount of screen time. I'll see about rectifying that issue for when the two eventually meet for their second encounter.

Response to comments and questions:

Edboy4926: "Also, good luck on your SAT."

Me: Thank You!

XxX

ww1990ww: "-will Revan take on a student in this world?"

Me: YOU SHALL NOT KNOW! (You must imagine Gandalf yelling this to get the full effect)

XxX

Edboy4926: "Hey, any chance of putting T3-M4 in a golem body?"

Me: I have no idea where you came up with that but it sounds oddly entertaining. You think golems are made with a server interface to link T3-M4's memory core?