“The eyes of Orlais are on our little corner of it, and the best place for neighbors to stand is side-by-side.”
The Marquis of Alyons or as some wags refer to him, His Dour Lordship is an OrlesianNoble and ruler of Alyons, a smaller, but better regarded, neighbour of Serault.
He spends much of his time in the gallery, looking at the dusty pictures, or the library, buried in books. They give him no joy.
But then, nothing does.
Involvement[]
This section contains spoilers for: Dragon Age: The Last Court.
The Marquis of Alyons travels to Serault to attend the feast being held for DivineJustinia V. It is possible, through earning favors with him, to recruit him as the Marquis of Serault's Counselor.
The Marquis of Alyons' true goal is to sabotage the feast and ensure Serault never regains its' former status. To this end, he employs a talented nine fingered agitator to undermine different elements of Serault court. He is ultimately responsible for the poisoning of The Acerbic Dowager, the attempt to blame The Dashing Outlaw for the raid on several Val Royeaux merchants and the Uprising at Serault's Glassworks.
The Marquis of Serault corners this agent at the Chantry and discovers the Marquis of Alyons' true complicity in Serault's recent troubles. Backed by a platoon of guards, the Marquis confronts His Dour Lordship in the library at Chateau Serault and demands an explanation. He justifies his actions as part of The Grand Game, emphasizing Serault's lack of social standing.
If the Marquis of Alyons is banished from Serault...
The Marquis of Serault exacts a large quantity of silver and a regular tribute as well as a grey palfrey as payment. His Dour Lordship is escorted back to Alyons by Seraultine Chevaliers and word of his treachery is spread to any who will listen.
If the Marquis of Alyons is imprisoned...
Despite His Dour Lordship's protests that the Game is not being played as it should be, as well as attempts to bribe with information, he is left to rot in Serault's dungeon, cleanly solving a number of problems facing the land.
If the Marquis of Alyons' treachery is not exposed...
His Dour Lordship uses the feast for Divine Justinia V as an opportunity to slander Serault as a hotbed of heresy and asks that the Chantry return to Alyons some lands it had leased to Serault previously.
Discuss current events in Orlais over a glass of wine You'll need to be wary. He is wily, and reveals only that which will advantage him.
Difficulty: Rulership *6/5
Success: A sympathetic ear Alyons is better-regarded than Serault, and His Dour Lordship has his finger on the nation's pulse. He advice is brusque, deft, and frequently favors Alyons. As you listen, you unstitch the parts that will help you from those that will help him.
+8 Clues
Failure: Ulterior motives He recounts tales of the Grand Game in his sober, sour tones, lingering on the dismal fates of those who were outplayed. Some of the stories are contemporary and peppered with secrets. But the information is dangerous. It's too good not to use, but doing so will win you no friends.
+8 Clues, +5 Peril
2.
Show him the abandoned wings of the chateau Mountains of mouldering scrolls and paintings hidden under cotton sheets stiff with spiderwebs.
Result: Family secrets In a gallery piled with artefacts dating to the Shame's reign, His Dour Lordship finds a portrait: a severe woman with cold silver gleaming at her throat. She would be beautiful, were she smiling. The Marquis stares. "This is my grandmother. Chauvette. They called her the Lily of Alyons. She married your Shame." There is an uncomfortable moment. "An Ortienz," he notes, pointing at the artist's signature. "He may have been a vagabond and a strangler, but the bastard knew paint. Your ancestor gained a rare talent when he granted him sanctuary."
+1 Favor, -20 Dignity
3.
Ask him to become your advisor Too long, your families have been at odds. It is time for your domains to stand together.
Result: Burying the hatchet "The struggle between the Grand Duke and the Empress will tear Orlais apart," he predicts, with his usual cheer. "When order collapses, who can we trust if not our neighbors? I would be happy to advise you, your Grace. And may our enemies tremble at the thought of us."
-2 Favor, Lordship becomes Counselor with +10 Cunning and +10 Rulership, His Lordship takes his glum place at your side
↑The Marquis of Alyons' grandmother is the player character's great-grandmother, presumably through a post-Shame second marriage.
