#karasten

#1 - The Gang’s Arrival at Castellum Tenebris

Issue two opened with Ser Aaron, Vaea, Fenris, Marius, Tessa, Francesca and Autumn’s arrival at Castellum Tenebris - the ‘Dark Fortress’ that is eponymous to this comic run - the gang’s intention has been to stop the Venatori’s wicked ritual and seize their red lyrium artefacts and weapons. Considering the gang couldn’t use the bridge without immediately being sighted or killed by Venatori, Vaea crossed the fortress’s bridge by parkouring underneath it’s structure and reaching the stronghold. She found Danarius’s hidden entrance and let the rest of the gang inside.

As they entered the fortress, they each prepared to face the Venatori, stopping their ritual to create a red wraith using the sarcophagus. Fenris explained the few things he remembered when he was imbued with lyrium tattoos through the sarcophagus, in preparation for what the Venatori might do with Shirallas’s transformation. He shared that a sword laced with lyrium was put into the device in order for it to work. Marius exclaimed that the magisters will be using a red lyrium imbued weapon this time around.

Fenris went on to say that, among other things, his ritual was bombarded with magic, he suspected that fire magic was used for his transformation. He suggested that the group should watch out for the red lyrium-imbued sword and any mages involved in the ritual - they could be the key to stopping it.

However, when the gang arrived at the ritual’s sanctum, they never expected to see an imprisoned dragon that would be used as a catalyst for Shirallas’s red wraith transformation. They each split up to focus on the Venatori and to free the dragon, when suddenly, even more chaos erupted from outside.

#2 – The Qunari Antaam’s Invasion

The Qunari Antaam laid waste to the eastern Tevinter city, Neromenian. Since the first issue, their focus has been on seizing Castellum Tenebris to stop a powerful, magical ritual and kill everyone in the fortress. Tractus Danarius, otherwise known as Danarius the Lesser was held captive by the Qun, until he recently escaped their grasp in the second issue.

The Qunari leader Karasten told his fellow Qunari that they’re bringing the entirety of the Qunari Antaam down on Castellum Tenebris, and they weren’t bluffing. The Antaam arrived with weapons of artillery blasting at the fortress’s gate as soldiers stormed the bridge. Their conquest had begun.

#3 - The Dragon & Red Wraith

Magister Neneleus, Professor Marquette and Shirallas prepared for their ritual as both the Qunari and our heroes invaded the fortress. Marquette examined the red lyrium-imbued sword that would be inserted into the sarcophagus for Shirallas’s transformation. This red lyrium sword was crafted from the infamous red lyrium idol, after the sword transforms Shirallas, its purpose will be to infuse him.

Marquette reminded Neneleus about the deal they made, Marquette is supposed to keep the red lyrium idol for studying purposes after this experiment is over.

As the Qunari laid siege, Nenealeus demanded that the ritual begin now. At that exact moment, the gang made their moves. Vaea and Fenris attempted to free the dragon, Ser Aaron targeted Marquette, Marius faced Nenealeus, and Francesca killed a few mages with her vine magic. Francesca then attempted to destroy the sarcophagus.

Nonetheless, in a sudden flash, the Qunari destroyed parts of the fortress, chaos emerged across the stronghold, and Shirallas slashed Francesca’s magical vine that was about to conceal the sarcophagus.

Shirallas then entered the sarcophagus as Marquette placed the red lyrium sword in place. The dragon’s shackles were broken by Fenris and Vaea with the intention of it fleeing the scene. Instead, Neneleus discovered that Danarius the Lesser bound the beast with magic, as he raised his sword and used magic, the dragon obeyed him and rained fire on the sarcophagus, setting the ritual in motion.

Upon the ritual’s completion, the Red Wraith was born.

#4 - Shirallas

Issue three opened up by revealing more of Shirallas’s backstory before he aligned himself with Magister Nenealeus and became the Red Wraith. His clan was burned to the ground and he remained the only survivor. At a young age, he was taken in by another clan and marked with Elgar’nan’s vallaslin as he began his journey to adulthood. Shirallas joined up with Fenris on a quest to free elves from their bindings. On one mission to recover elven slaves destined for Magister Nenealeus’s estate, Shirallas switched places with one of the slaves as Nenealeus decided to take Shirallas in, and train him to become a Magekiller. Years since, Shirallas became a powerful perrepatae under Nenealeus and the remaining Venatori.

In the present day, Shirallas became the Red Wraith with a powerful red lyrium infused sword. Magister Nenealeus declared that with the Red Wraith and the dragon under his command, they were ready to lead the Venatori to victory. The Qunari would be the first to feel their wrath, and soon the rest of the world.

#5 - The Qunari Arrangement

The Qunari Antaam continued their assault on the front gates of Castellum Tenebris with the intention of killing everyone inside the fortress. However, Fenris and Vaea approached Karasten striking a deal with the Qunari. They agreed that the Qun could kill every single mage inside, except Francesca. With that arrangement, the Qunari Antaam joined forces with the gang and slaughtered many of the Venatori.

With the Qun’s help, Fenris focused on fighting the Red Wraith while Ser Aaron turned his attention to the dragon. Autumn landed a perfect attack on the Red Wraith as Fenris flanked his old friend with a chest-stab. While the Red Wraith was down, Francesca dropped a lit colosseum on top of him and used her vine magic to ensnare the Red Wraith and the dragon.

#6 - Marius vs. Magister Nenealeus

In an epic stand-off, Marius faced off against his mentor Magister Nenealeus. As Marius confronted him, the Red Wraith erupted from the rubble and returned to the fight. Nenealeus said that the Red Wraith can heal from any wound, he then offered Marius a choice - surrender and serve alongside the Venatori, or die.

Marius charged at Nenealeus and threw a trap targeting for hurting mages. Nenealeus laughed at his attempt and electrocuted Marius. While Marius was stunned, and Nenealeus was focused on killing Marius, Vaea jumped on the Magister’s back and stabbed him with two daggers in his neck Killing him almost immediately, this was Vaea’s first confirmed kill and it was absolutely worth it.

As soon as Nenealeus dropped to the floor, his dragon became confused no longer under his spell. Francesca released her vine-magic chains from the beast as it fled the scene, she used her magic on the sarcophagus, plunging the device deep into the earth. There’d only be one Red Wraith to deal with for now.

#7 - The Red Wraith & His Sword

With the discovery that the Red Wraith can heal from any wound, the gang prepared to face an impossible fight against him. Marquette offered advice against the Red Wraith, having felt the convictions of his experiment. He only wanted to see what the artifacts and weapons did, but he never meant to create a monster. He said that the key to stopping the Red Wraith lies within his sword - he feeds energy to the sword from the red lyrium in his veins, and in turn, the sword heals his wounds. Without that sword, he could be defeated.

Instantly, Ser Aaron knew what must be done. He charged at the Red Wraith, and fought vehemently against him, the Red Wraith stabbed Ser Aaron in the middle of his chest. As he did, Ser Aaron used his own sword and cut the Red Wraith’s hands off. With the red lyrium sword still in his gut, Ser Aaron fell backwards against the castle walls and fell to the depths of the fortress - separating the sword from the Red Wraith at the cost of his life.

The Red Wraith, unable to recover from his brutal wounds was in shock having had his hands cut off. Autumn; infuriated with the loss of Ser Aaron, bit the living crap out of the Red Wraith’s leg, he stumbled to the ground as Fenris slashed his head clean off. No longer was Shirallas a friend of Fenris, if he ever was.

#8 - The Gang’s Farewell

Marius and Tessa trekked ahead to find Ser Aaron’s body, they arrived below the fortress with Qunari soldiers waiting, they reminded them of their bargain - that the Qun were to keep the fortress for themselves and the gang had to leave immediately.

Marius and Tessa left the fortress on horseback as Vaea and Autumn comforted Ser Aaron one final time as he shared his final words. He was sorry that Vaea had to take a life and hopes that it will never be easy for her to do in the future. Ser Aaron had a letter in his pocket he wanted her to see, it was a letter for King Alistair requesting him to make Vaea a knight. She only had to give it to him, Ser Aaron was assured he would do it. He faded away as the group mourned the loss of a beloved friend.

Some time later, the gang discussed what’s next. Francesca believed that the lyrium sarcophagus will never be found because of how deep it is beneath the earth. Fenris suggested that the sword should be taken to the Inquisition. Vaea said that she couldn’t join them because she needed to take Ser Aaron’s body back to Portsmouth, so he can be buried with his family.

Fenris and Francesca insisted on joining Vaea with that endeavour. She was his family after all. Vaea and Francesca rode Casse, Ser Aaron’s house, as Fenris and Autumn followed just behind them. As they set off to Portsmouth, Vaea retold the story of how Ser Aaron came to ride Casse in the first place.

Marius and Tessa took a break from riding as they recalled their adventure with the gang. Obliviously or not, the two were standing in front of an eluvian as a familiar figure watched and listened through his own eluvian in an undisclosed location.

#9 - The Red Lyrium Idol & Solas

After Marquette told the gang how to defeat the Red Wraith, he fled the scene with one of their horses. Somewhere outside of Tenebris, Danarius the Lesser found and taunted Marquette with magic and asked him for the red lyrium idol. Marquette suggested that it belonged in a museum, but after Danarius intimidated him, he handed it over and said that he doesn’t think it does anything anymore. Danarius didn’t care about its power, he just wanted it to impress the Venatori.

After retrieving the idol, Danarius was also being watched through an eluvan by the Dread Wolf himself, no doubt, looking for his idol.

Given that Dark Fortress is pre-Tevinter Nights, perhaps Danarius the Lesser is the exact mage from House Danarius in “The Dread Wolf Take You” short story, the very mage who took the red lyrium idol to the Mortalitasi in Nevarra for a ritual to stop the Qunari’s invasion. Given Danarius’s reasoning for acquiring the idol, Stopping the Qunari would certainly impress the Venatori.

In any event, the red lyrium idol has seemingly not been acquired by Solas yet, however, he’s on the hunt and catching up to retrieving it at any point given his eluvian network and pool of spies. It seems like it’s only a matter of time…

Dark Fortress superbly ended on a face reveal of Solas with the caption: “never the end.” Perhaps, this is a tease for a future comic series, or simply for the next game when we come face to face with Solas. I hope for a mix of both because I have loved Nunzio’s, Chrisitna’s and everyone who’s worked incredibly hard at Dark Horse on this comic run, and I’d love to see more comics from them in the future. I really hope BioWare gives them more comics to craft, they’ve been nothing but remarkable.

But if this is the end, then so be it. I’ve loved every second of these comics, especially Dark Fortress with the amount of payoff that’s been delivered to each character. And yes, of course, the Solas reveal does make it all a little bit more exciting, but for me, the juicy lore drops that’s been added, the tie-ins to Tevinter Nights and the epic character journeys have made the entire comic-run since Knight Errant top-notch, and full-circle.