Cairn (episode)

"I'm Tallis and I work for the Qunari!"

"Cairn" is the title of the second episode of a web series set in the universe of Dragon Age, Dragon Age: Redemption.

Plot
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Outside of Kirkwall
The episode starts off as Cairn catches up with Tallis who just slit the throat of a man he was after. During the conversation Tallis points out that it is unusual that the Chantry would only send one man after the fugitives. Cairn warns her he would kill her the next time he sees her, and storms off; she decides to follow up on the lead given to her by the now dead fugitive. She finds Tinker, the merchant whose life she saved. She suprises him as he's contemplating rebrading into safer spoons market, "everybody needs spoons", he says. Tallis asks him for directions to a nearest Dalish camp.

Dalish camp
Cairn was able to follow the mage's steps by using his phylactery, which was most probably made in the Chantry prison. He arrives at a devastated Dalish camp where the remaining elves surround him. He is saved by Tallis who arrived at the camp before him.

Together they talk to the clan's elder, Maerwynn, who tells them that the Saarebas laughed while he was using fire spells to burn the camp. She reveals to the search party that the Saarebas's band searched through their Keeper's wagon. Then running comes Josmael, saying that the mage must have taken Fina, his betrothed. Maerwynn reminds him of his position a First to the Keeper, to act more maturely. Tallis then tells him to show her the Keeper's wagon as Cairn asks about the whereabouts of the Dalish mage and is told Yevven was taken by his fellow templars several months before.

In the Keeper's wagon Tallis steals the clan's money and warns Josmael that her task is to retrieve the rogue mage, not to save his wife to be. He informs her that a Dalish artifact Mask of Fen'Harel was stolen during the assault. Tallis then points out the irony of Josmael's notion that he's to protect the artifact with his life.

Outside of the camp
Cairn leaves the camp to track the fugitives, but he is interrupted by Tallis offering cooperation. She presents a magical collar used on Saarebas by the Qunari that makes the mages docile, refering to those that it is being used on as "animals." She then reveals that she was sold to the Qunari as a slave by her parents. In the Qun, she was given a new name - Tallis, which she says means "to solve." When Cairn agrees to work with her, she proposes that a duel decides who will get the mage once they defeat him. As they contemplate their chances, Josmael arrives, asking to join the assassin and the templar. They patronise him for his age, declining his offer. To prove his usefullness, Josamel shows them he is a mage. }}

Video
Dragon Age: Redemption Episode 2 - Cairn

Trivia

 * Just like Sten enjoys cookies, not present in his homeland, so does Tallis like almonds. Sten picks up some cookies from an obese child, whilst Tallis loots the almonds off of Rukk's body.
 * The episode marks the first time a templar actually using a phylactery - it works as sort of a compass.
 * The the universe of Dragon Age the elves do not possess facial hair, yet some of the elves in the camp do.
 * In the Dragon Age games the Dalish elves are very hostile toward all strangers, yet they oddly accept Tallis among them, who clearly states she think herself a Qunari, and never Dalish.
 * Josmael refers to Fen'Haral as "the god of nightmares", whereas the entity was never called such in any of the games. The Dread Wolf is believed to be a trickster, not affiliated with dreams in any way.