Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance is an 8-episode narrative podcast series. It will release weekly from August 29, 2024.[1]
Plot[]
“Nadia, a retired cat burglar, is lured back into action for the thrill of one last score. Unknowingly employed by the Dread Wolf, Nadia tracks down a powerful ancient artifact and both she and her lover, Elio, find themselves caught in a web of lies that threaten the entire world. When Elio is seemingly banished to the Fade - a mystical magical plane - Nadia desperately searches for answers on a rescue mission across Thedas.”
Episode 1: Once a Thief...[]
In his estate in Minrathous, Elio prepares a lavish breakfast for Nadia and proposes to her with his great-grandmother's ring. As a Liberati, Nadia thinks marrying a magister would only subject her to stares and gossip and paint a target on her back. Angered by his dismissal of her feelings on the matter, she leaves the estate, though she keeps the ring. At her home, her former associate Vik informs her that their friend Olen has a job for her. Happy for the distraction, Nadia accepts. Olen tells her that she needs to break into Arcanist Hall to retrieve the artifact known as the Eye of Kethisca.
With Vik serving as distraction, Nadia successfully breaks into Arcanist Hall, only to find Elio, who has been tipped off by private investigator Neve Gallus. Elio tries to discourage her from stealing the artifact, telling her they can go back to their normal lives. Nadia accepts, but they are caught by templars before they can leave and Elio is accused of treason. As they escape Arcanist Hall, Nadia takes the Eye, knowing that they'll need the gold now that they are both outlaws.
Returning to Nadia's home in Docktown, they are confronted by Neve Gallus, who tells them that she can't let them finish the job and asks them if they've heard of the Dread Wolf. Their conversation is interrupted by Vik, bleeding out, warning Nadia of an imminent ambush. As they defend themselves from Venatori assassins, the Eye interacts with Elio's magic and causes a massive explosion on the docks. In the confusion, Nadia and Elio flee and head out to finish the job.
In the Silent Plains, Nadia and Elio find Olen's buyer, Solas. He tells them that the Eye of Kethisca was crafted by a powerful dreamer by the name of An'Dante—Elio's ancestor. He also tells them that he'd heard the Venatori were about to steal the Eye and hired Olen to steal it first. Solas asks for Elio's help, as he is a powerful rift mage and related by blood to the creator of the Eye. Nadia correctly intuits that it was no coincidence that Olen hired her for the job. Against Nadia's advice, Elio accepts, convinced by Solas' talk of regeneration, telling her that it might be his last chance to make a change for the better. However, the ritual goes wrong and Elio ends up trapped in the Fade while Solas and Nadia escape. Nadia wakes up alone on the Plains.
Looking for answers, Nadia returns to Minrathous and poisons Olen until he gives her the answers she seeks about Solas. Olen tells her that he only knew the buyer by his title, the Dread Wolf, and that he was heading to the Hinterlands to visit old burial grounds. She gives him the antidote, as well as some gold, telling him to make sure it goes to Vik's family. As she heads out of the city, Nadia hears Elio's voice, telling her that he needs her to escape. She tells him not to worry and that she's coming for him.
Episode 2: The Cult of the Doom Blade[]
Nadia encounters Lace Harding fighting a demon and some undead at the old burial grounds. After helping her dispatch the monsters, and discovering that they're both tracking Solas, Nadia hears Elio's voice once more and passes out from a seizure. As Nadia explains her situation to Harding back at her camp, they hear screams nearby. Upon investigating, they discover cultists about to perform a ritual sacrifice for an entity called the Deathless One. Against Harding's advice, Nadia charges in without a plan, forcing Harding to assist her. While they successfully rout the cultists, the leader escapes and one of the two captives marked for sacrifice, Elisa, is killed. The other, Drayden Kiel, berates Nadia for charging in and getting Elisa killed, saying that they'd been studying the cult for a year and that they had a plan to escape. Drayden explains that the cult—the Cult of the Doom Blade—had been taking two sacrifices a month from the nearby village of Raven's Brook. While the victims are usually chosen through a lottery system, both Elisa and Drayden had volunteered, the former to save her daughter, the latter to spare another unfortunate victim and have a chance to witness the cult's ritual first-hand. Unconvinced, Nadia decides to go confront the mayor of Raven's Brook, who willingly handed the victims over to the cult.
When Nadia and Harding reach the village and reveal that they interrupted the ritual, the villagers get very upset, saying that they'd only agreed to hand over the sacrifices to save their children as the cultists will return and slaughter them all. When the mayor hears from Drayden that Nadia and Harding alone routed all the cultists, she asks them for help defending the village, saying it's their chance to be free. At Harding's urging, Nadia accepts. Harding and Nadia spend the next few days training the villagers. Thanks to their training, and Drayden's shock bombs, the villagers successfully defeat the cultists. Before leaving to rejoin Varric Tethras on a mission, Harding tells Nadia that there are earthquakes in the southern Anderfels, a likely sign of the Dread Wolf's presence. As Nadia prepares to leave, she reveals to Drayden that she's on a mission to save her partner from the Fade. As an expert on the subject, Drayden offers their help. The two head out together.
Episode 3: A Deadly Descent[]
Episode 4: Beyond the Veil[]
Episode 5: The Scales of Justice[]
Episode 6: The Bride Wears Armor[]
Episode 7: The Demon that Came Knocking[]
After providing Drayden with first aid, Lucanis realizes that they have been poisoned by the Blood of the Black Rot, a poison that can only be cured through necromancy. Determined to help Drayden, Nadia takes them to Nevarra, riding for a fortnight in search of a necromancer. In the middle of a storm, she stumbles on Emmrich Volkarin, a Mourn Watcher of the Mortalitasi who offers his services. Before he can complete the ritual that would save Drayden, sylvans attack and break the ankle of Emmrich's travel companion, Rolet, and force the group to take refuge in a seemingly abandoned castle.
However, the castle is occupied by Pascal de la Forsa and his sister, Spinella. As Emmrich cures Drayden, Nadia and Rolet are drugged by Pascal and Spinella, who are in fact abominations, and taken to the crypt. While Emmrich and Drayden manage to stop the abomination, Nadia decides to follow Elio's apparition, and disappears, much to Emmrich's dismay, who reveals that Elio isn't human.
Episode 8: All Roads Lead Home[]
Characters[]
- Nadia Carcosa
- Elio Andante
- Drayden Kiel
- Solas
- Lace Harding
- Varric Tethras
- Davrin
- Bellara Lutare
- Taash
- Lucanis Dellamorte
- Emmrich Volkarin
- Neve Gallus
- Olen
- Vik
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- The chanting heard in Episode 1 uses the lyrics of I Am the One from the Dragon Age: Origins soundtrack.
References[]
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