The ultimate choice is one of sacrifice. When faced with tragedy, what motive guides your hand? Redemption or retribution? Vengeance or acceptance? In Sacrifice, the decision is yours. [[You are Baird]] Baird, a respected Templar of the Denerim Order, has been instructed by his Knight Commander to investigate a series of mysterious disappearances. Though he does not understand why he has been given this assignment, he has tried, unsuccessfully, to find out what happened to the missing people. It is only after the discovery of a new, chilling crime scene, and a tragedy which strikes directly at Baird's heart, does he realize what links these disappearances together. Driven by a single minded obsession to bring the culprit to justice before it is too late, Baird becomes trapped in his worst nightmare. [[Begin]]You are in bed, sleeping after a long shift. A small hand tugs gently at your sleeve. You open your eyes to see your son Peter standing over you. Your sister has just brought him home and he is excited to see you. Smiling, you ask your son about his day. You then notice he is hiding something behind his back. Peter grins, and reveals a small white runestone. He brought it home as a gift for you. According to him, the runestone is a good luck charm, and you'll need it when you are fighting bad mages. The small stone is unimpressive, but it means a lot to Peter. [[Insist Peter keeps it]] [[Take the runestone]] [[Put it on Peter's mother's grave]] Peter refuses to accept the runestone. He pleads that you keep it, otherwise the bad mages will get you like they got his mother. His eyes begin to tear up. You do not have the heart to hand it back. [[Take the runestone]] [[Put it on Peter's mother's grave]] You promise Peter that you will keep the runestone close to your heart. Peter brightens up immediately. He begins to talk more about his day when there is suddenly a loud knock at the door. You frown. Who is knocking on your door this late? [[Answer it]] Peter thinks it over. Although he prefers you to keep it, he is happy for the runestone to protect his mother instead. As you pocket the stone, there is a loud knock on the door. You frown. Who is knocking on your door this late? [[Answer it]] A guardsman stands on the other side of the door, a lit torch in his hand. The man is visibly distraught, his face pale and sickly. Concerned, you ask him what's wrong. The guard explains that there has been an incident and your attention is urgently needed. You try to press him for more information, but he insists you see it for yourself. You take a deep breath, realizing your questions are pointless. There is no way the guard is going to leave without you, so you grab your armor. You then see Peter standing behind you. [[Tell your son to stay at home]] [[Tell your son to go to his aunts]] You instruct Peter to stay home. You promise you won't be long and you'll be back soon. Peter frowns. He tells you to be careful. You kiss his head, and then stride after the impatient guardsman. [[Follow the guard]] Emily's house is only a few streets away. Peter will be safer there. You promise him you will see him soon. Peter tells you to be careful. He then grabs his teddy and disappears into the night. The guard has already started walking. With a sigh, you leave your home. [[Follow the guard]] The guard leads you through a series of streets and alleys. He tells you that he was on patrol when he heard a piercing scream. He ran as fast as he could but there was nobody there when he arrived. You're about to ask for more details when the guard stops dead. He holds out the torch, lighting the entrance to a narrow alley. From this distance you cannot see anything, but the hairs on the back of your neck involuntarily stand up on edge. You wait for the guard to act. When he doesn't, you reluctantly step forward. [[Enter the alley]] You grab the torch and hold it aloft as you walk into the alley. The smell of blood hits you first. Instinctively you glance down. A woman's shoe, white stained red. Beyond that, a puddle of blood reflects back in the torchlight. Something violent and traumatic happened here. But where is the victim? There are more blood splatters further down the alley. [[Follow the blood trail]] [[Return to the guard]] You proceed carefully to avoid stepping in the blood. Your hand rests warily on the hilt of your sword but nobody emerges from the shadows. Still, you edge forward with caution. The silence around you is palpable, the tension unbearable. Abruptly, the blood trail ends. You look around. The alley splits into two. Once again you are left with a decision; this time you choose to go back. The guard will be wondering where you went. [[Return to the guard]] The guard asks if you found anything, so you tell him about the trail. He then asks if this incident could be linked to the missing citizens, which is the reason he brought you to the scene. You shake your head. The people disappeared like ghosts; no blood, no sign of a fight. You doubt this brutal crime scene is part of your investigation. Regardless, you are concerned. Even in the safety of the street, your heart beats faster when you think about the bloodied shoe. Although not your responsibility, you feel you should do something. You look around. There are houses; someone might have seen or heard something. The alley might hold more clues. You and the guard should split up. [[Order the guard to search the alley]] [[Order the guard to knock on doors]] Alternatively, you could just go home and let the guard's superiors clean up the mess. [[Order the guard to report to his captain]] The guard doesn't bother to hide his displeasure, but he heads down the alley without a complaint. You begin to knock on doors. Somehow not one person witnessed the attack, despite it occuring right on their doorsteps. Although frustrated by the indifferent responses, you find no reason to be suspicious of the tenants. The guard returns from his search. He found nothing beyond the blood trail. You grimace, unhappy at the lack of leads. Reluctantly, you concede defeat. [[Order the guard to report to his captain]] The guard looks relieved when you reveal his orders. While you start walking down the alley again, he raps his knuckles against the first door. You reach an intersection and go left. Sounds of conversation and laughter drift from a pub, but nothing else attracts your attention. You backtrack and head right. Once again, there is no sign of the wounded woman or her attacker. Disappointed, you return to the guard, hopeful that he has learned something from one of the homeowners. The man senses your approach and turns around. He slowly shakes his head. You grimace, frustrated by the lack of evidence. Reluctantly, you concede defeat. [[Order the guard to report to his captain]] You tell the guard to inform his captain about the crime. You suggest more men should patrol the area for further clues, and to inform you if new details emerge. The guard acknowledges your request and leaves to alert his superiors. You also depart. After all, you promised your son you would see him soon. [[Head home]] [[Head to your sister's]] You open the door and call Peter's name. There is no response. You wait a beat, and then call again. Still no response. The house is unnervingly silent. You stride through each room, searching and calling, your concern rising with every unresponsive second. The house is empty. You told him to stay here! Where is he? It's hard to suppress your panic when you notice his beloved teddy bear isn't in sight - Peter never goes anywhere without it, so you assume he has gone back to your sister's. Maybe he couldn't sleep because he was scared or lonely. But Peter must be safe, you insist to yourself. And yet, a sense of dread leaves you cold. You run out of the house. [[Head to your sister's]] You enter Emily's house. She is dozing by the fire, still dressed in her mage robes. You slip past her in search of your son. Emily's husband is also asleep. The children's bedroom has two bunks. Jenna, Emily's daughter, is curled up on her bed, but Peter's bed is empty. A sick feeling settles in your gut. You hurry back to wake your sister. Emily is confused to see you. You try to keep your voice calm when you ask about Peter. Emily's expression remains blank. She took Peter home hours ago. Bile creeps up your throat. Emily asks you what's wrong. Somehow you choke out the words. Peter isn't here, Peter isn't home. Emily jumps to her feet and urges you check the streets. You don't need to be told twice. You exit the house, your sister in close pursuit. [[Follow Peter's path]]You search the streets and alleyways, checking every shadow and potential hiding spot. You call Peter's name. You are almost home when something catches your eye. You stop and turn your head. A small brown object lies in the dirt. You approach it cautiously, and your eyes widen in recognition. Peter's teddy. You snach the bear and look around, expecting Peter to be nearby. You shout his name again, and then notice the bear feels wet. You look down and see that your fingers and are bloody. You stare unresponsively at the blood-covered bear. Behind you, Emily murmurs for you, but you are too paralyzed to notice. She says your name again, urgent and panicky. She's pointing to something over your shoulder. You follow her gaze to a door. There is blood smeared over the wood. Before you can even think about what you are doing, you've slammed open the door and barrelled into the house. [[Peter!]] You yell his name again: no answer. The home is deathly quiet, dark and forbidden. Something bad has happened here too. You urge yourself to move, but you can't. You are too frightened about what you'll find. Your sister touches you gently on the arm. Emily's face shows fear, but she steps foward. Together, you search the house for your son. You want to whisper his name, tell Peter that its safe to come out, but you don't dare. Instead you approach the final closed door. Your hand touches the handle... [[...and slowly you twist it open.]] There's blood, and lots of it. A small body lies face down in the center of the room. You utter a grief-stricken cry and edge closer, stumbling as your legs collapse underneath you. You reach over with one shaking hand and touch the corpse. Tears fill your eyes. Peter... But then you notice the long hair, the bare foot. It's not him; it's the girl from the alley. You wipe your face, but you are too confused to be relieved. There are too many questions. Where is Peter? What happened to this poor girl? Who killed her? You are struggling to wrap your head around it, but then your sister provides the answers in two sickening words. [[Blood magic]] Knight-Commander Tavish is praying quietly when you barge into the Chantry. He turns around in surprise, and watches as you and Emily stride towards him. Warily, he asks you if there is something wrong. Before you answer, your sister pleads with you to watch your tone, that finding Peter is more important than displaying your rage. [[Take her advice]] [[Ignore her]] You can't help yourself. You shout at Tavish, demanding to know why he didn't tell you about the blood mage activity. Tavish is confused. He orders you to stand down, but you refuse. Instead, you tell him that you know why you were investigating the missing citizens. You then blame his omission for the girl's death, and that he is the reason the mage has your son. Tavish panics. He tries to defend his actions but you don't listen. You draw your sword and threaten to kill him if he does not tell you everything. [[Tavish explains]] Emily is right; you can't waste time. You tell Tavish that there is a blood mage in Denerim and he has your son. Tavish is horrified. He asks questions but you instead insist he tells you everything he knows before it is too late. [[Tavish explains]] Tavish doesn't hesitate to tell you. After the fifth person went missing, the Guard Captain came to Tavish for help because he suspected the disappearances were connected to blood magic. Tavish wasn't convinced so he told you to investigate independently. Tonight's events prove the blood mage is true, and he is losing control. You don't know what to say. You're angry, but all you can think about is your son. Where is Peter? What is happening to him? Why did Tavish not tell you?! [[Blame Tavish again]] [[Question blood magic link]] Again, your fury gets the better of you. Had Tavish told you about the blood mage, this wouldn't have happened! He put your son in danger and must suffer the consequences! You raise your sword once again but Emily intervenes. She reminds you that revenge can happen when Peter is safe. Reluctantly you lower the blade. Emily then asks Tavish why the Guard Captain thought blood magic was involved. [[Question blood magic link]] Tavish gives you a battered journal. It was found in the 5th victim's room who was a dwarf. No clues to the owner but the content troubled him. It is full of rants, incomprehensible etchings...and blood magic references. Tavish asks you for forgiveness. Before you can respond, Emily grabs the journal out of your hands. She points at a symbol repeated on every page associated with blood magic. She doesn't know what it means, but she recognizes it. Her assistant Vincent wears a ring with the exact same marking. You tell her you need to see him now. Emily doesn't argue. [[Follow Emily]] Vincent is caught off-guard by your presence in his home, especially wary when he recognizes that you are a Templar. He asks what you are doing, but Emily interrupts him. She demands he tell her about his ring. Immediately Vincent is reluctant to talk. He denies everything, hides his hands. You step forward. [[Threaten to kill Vincent]] [[Offer immunity for answers]] You have no time for this! Your intimidation tactic works, and Vincent gives you his ring. He explains it shows his devotion to the Blood Brotherhood, a secret group of mages who experiment with blood magic. He insists they aren't harming anybody; they are just trying to improve themselves. Emily doesn't believe him. She is horrified by his admission, but you cut off her cries of betrayal and demand to know where Peter is. Vincent denies any knowledge of your son. After a wary look at your sister, he promises the Brotherhood do not use others for their rituals. [[Show him the journal]] [[Kill him]] [[Ask for cult location]] Desperate to find Peter, you promise to let Vincent go free if he tells you everything he knows. Vincent glances suspiciously between you and Emily, but pulls the ring off his hand. He explains it is his connection to the Blood Brotherhood, a small group of mages who experiment with blood magic. He quickly insists that it isn't what it sounds like because they are in control of their spells. Emily reacts aggressively to this declaration. Betrayed, she rages at him. You stop her - You need to know about Peter's whereabouts. Vincent is confused, and denies any knowledge of your son. He promises they do not use sacrifices for their rituals. [[Show him the journal]] [[Kill him]] [[Ask for cult location]]You tire of Vincent's lies and excuses. The mage anticipates your attack. Without warning, the abomination summons several Shades to fight by his side. It doesn't matter. You slay him and his friends. Your sister studies Vincent's corpse, still disgusted by his actions. She cannot forgive herself either. She trusted Vincent. Is this her fault? You tell her it is unimportant right now. Vincent did not reveal the cult's hideout, so you need to find a map. You root through his belongings until you discover the Brotherhood are situated somewhere in Denerim's docks. [[Leave for the docks]] Vincent is hesitant. Once more you forcibly remind him of what's at stake. He hastily informs you that their meeting place is in Denerim Docks. The building is marked by the Brotherhood symbol. Vincent promises that is all he knows. He nervously asks what you are going to do next. [[Allow him to flee]] [[Kill him now]] You soon discover a disused warehouse with the mark painted on the door. At the same time, Tavish and some other Templars arrive. Tavish states that regardless of your feelings about him, he is not going to leave. He must redeem himself for his mistakes. Acknowledging the support would be useful, you accept his offer. You and Emily exchange one last look. As if she can read your thoughts, she reassures you that Peter is okay. You can't answer her. Instead you draw your sword and open the door to the [[Brotherhood hideout]]. You order Vincent to leave Denerim and never return. If you ever see him again, you will kill him. Vincent nods his agreement and runs. Emily gives you a dark look, unhappy at your decision. You wait for her to argue but she doesn't. You indicate it is time to go. You need to find Peter. [[Leave for the docks]] Vincent has excuses for his behavior but he must be punished, and there is no way you will let a blood mage go free. Vincent sees the change in your mood and attacks first. He summons several Shades to fight by his side, but you and Emily easily vanquish them. Emily studies Vincent's corpse, still disgusted his actions. She cannot forgive herself either. She trusted Vincent. Is this her fault? You tell her it is unimportant right now. All that matters is the Brotherhood. You need to go there and find your son. [[Leave for the docks]] There are six cult members inside the warehouse. Your group move quietly, assessing the danger and any signs of your son. The mages are the only people in sight. No sacrifices. No Peter. The Brotherhood notice your presence. A few prepare to attack. The oldest of the group, a man called Edwin, quickly orders his companions to stand down. He greets you with his hands splayed, urging calm. He explains that they are not apostates, just mages honing their skills. There is no need for violence. [[Call Edwin a liar]] You show Edwin Vincent's ring. You tell him that you know exactly what he and the other mages are. Edwin's expression darkens. He shakes his head, and insists their work is misunderstood. He then explains how they only try the magic upon themselves, repeating Vincent's excuse word for word. [[Threaten Edwin with the journal]] [[Kill Edwin]] Vincent is unfazed by your accusations. He has no idea who or what the journal owner is doing, but insists they cannot be one of the Brotherhood. He is adamant the Brotherhood do not have your son. Emily glances at you, her disbelief clear. If the journal did not belong to a Brotherhood member, why was it covered in their symbols? [[Ask for cult location]] [[Kill him]] You throw the journal at Edwin's feet. He stares at the book and stops talking. You warn him that if he does not tell you where your son is, you will make sure he suffers a painful death. Edwin snarls that your threats mean nothing. The Brotherhood are touching greatness and will not bow down to Templars. He grabs the journal and calls you a fool for even thinking you could understand the leader's teachings. [[Kill Edwin]] [[Offer Edwin one last chance]] If Edwin reveals who the Brotherhood leader is, you'll let them leave. The man laughs at you, mocking the suggestion that he would betray his leader for you. You ask about your son. Edwin's laugh grows crueler. He smiles menacingly at you, and tells you that you will never see your son again. Anger fills your vision. You tried to be diplomatic. There is only one thing you can do now. [[Kill Edwin]] You charge at Edwin but before you reach him, the mages transform in front of your very eyes. They are abominations, their souls corrupted by blood magic. Thankfully you and the other Templars are hardened soldiers. The battle is hard but swift. You plunge the sword once last time through blood, flesh and bone. You then step back. Despite your victory, you feel no satisfaction. The Brotherhood leader, the killer, is still alive. And Peter is still missing. Emily greets you. She holds a note found on one of the mages. [[Read note]] Of course. You had sensed it before, but fear had overwhelmed your Templar instinct. Blood magic. Emily kneels beside you. She is a healer but it is too late to save the girl. She has already died violently at the hands of a blood mage. You stare down at the abused body, anger tempering any sensation of pity. You're struggling to contain your rage because the puzzle has finally connected together: the mysterious disappearances, your investigation, the dead girl, your missing son. Blood magic. Aware that your son's life is at stake, you push yourself to a standing position. Emily looks at you, and you quickly update her about your investigation into the missing people. You say how you never understood why a Templar needed to do it. Until now. Blood magic. And the blood mage now has your son. Emily pales. She asks how you will find the mage. You tell her that one person has the answers. Had them from the beginning; he just never told you. It's time for [[The Knight-Commander]] to explain himself. "Finally the Brotherood progresses! Until He arrived, all we did was study books. But he promised us more. He promised us everything. Edwin was reluctant at first, but changed his mind once he witnessed His power firsthand. He was like a God. Poor Weyland didn't stand a chance...the raw energy just flowed out his corpse. All our lives we are told we can't do this, can't do that. But then He showed us the truth. How could we refuse His teachings? Of course there were some things He hid from us, but power requires sacrifice, does it not? If only we'd realized to use strangers like He did! Instead we used our own blood, and now there is a voice in my head that isn't mine. But it is a small price to pay for my gifts. Soon the Brotherhood will own Denerim, and I'll show the Circle exactly what I can do now I'm free from their tyranny. Long live [[Maras Barthan]]!" You ask Tavish about Maras. He swears he does not know him but there is a Barthan Estate in Denerim. Tavish then warns you that defeating the Brotherhood won't be easy. If Barthan could corrupt a group of strong mages into becoming abominations, he will be a dangerous enemy. You acknowledge the warning, but you have little choice. If Barthan has your son, then you must stop at nothing to get him back. [[Go to the Barthan Estate]] The place smells like death and decay. You feel paralyzed with fear but you don't dare stop. Your mind concentrates on the only thing that matters: Peter. Each room is another nightmare. Insane ramblings, written in the same hand as the killer's journal, are everywhere. Signs of torture, ritual and evil are evident. But there is no sign of Peter. Finally you arrive at Barthan's private quarters. Despite the pungent odors emanating from the other side, you grab the door handle. This is where it ends. [[Open the door]] Blood is everywhere. The missing citizens hang from the walls, corpses drained and lifeless. You sickenly realize Barthan must have been doing this for a long time. The mage does not see you enter. He is cloaked in dark robes, his hands outstretched over an alter, chanelling blood from a small figure laid out on the stone. Peter. His head lops to one side. His dead eyes fix you in a lost stare. No! With an primordial scream you sprint towards the alter. The robed figure looks up. He flicks his hand and sends you, Emily and the Templars crashing to the ground. You try to move but you can't. You feel your eyes forced shut. The last image you see is the drained body of your son. And then...nothing. [[Awaken]] A wave of grogginess sweeps over you. What happened? Where are you? Slowly, you lift your head. You are on your bed, and your son and your wife are with you. You rub your face in disbelief. Peter embraces you. Isobel, so beautifully radiant, stands over you smiling. Isobel informs you that you banged your head. Peter said he was worried about you. You tell them you're fine...and glad to see your family. Isobel leans over and kisses you. Her lips are warm, loving...but not right. You force yourself to blink. Memories flick across your vision. Isobel slain, Peter lifeless on the alter. You realize the truth. [[This isn't real.]] Peter and Isobel sense you are upset. They try to comfort you but you push them away. Your sword is nearby, so you grab it. The transformation is immediate. Isobel and Peter scream at you. You should have saved them! It is your fault they died! Why didn't you do something? Although you know this isn't your family, the words hurt. You need it to stop. [[End the dream]] Before you realize what you've done, you plunge the sword into Isobel's chest. The facade shatters. Your home disappears. Peter and Isobel disappear too. Reality hits you. You are in the Fade. A Desire Demon looms over you. "You are stronger than the others," it remarks. "But why ruin it? You had your family. You could have been happy." [["It was a lie"]] [["You killed my real family, demon."]] "And what's wrong with that?" the demon argues. "Sometimes lies are better than reality. In here, I can offer you anything you could ever want." [["Only fools bargain with demons"]] [["You killed my son!"]] "Barthan killed your son, Templar, not I," the demon soothes. "But I can make amends. I can give you anything, for a price." [["Only fools bargain with demons"]] [["You should both suffer for what you've done"]] "Are you sure?" the demon replies. "There is no way to bring your son back. This path will only cause you pain. How much more are you willing to lose? I can offer you another chance." [["Enough of this! You need to die"]] [["What could you possibly offer me?"]] "Barthan and I came to an agreement, but he killed your son not I," the demon responds. [["You should both suffer for what you've done"]] "So much anger," the demon mocks. "Do you not realize this path will only cause you pain? Your son is dead. You can't bring him back. How far do you prepare to go? How much more are you willing to lose? I can offer you another chance." [["Enough of this! You need to die"]] [["What could you possibly offer me?"]] The demon's expression darkens. "Think again. Allow me to go, and I'll set everyone free. You will never see Barthan again." The demon steps closer to you. "Make your choice, Templar." [["I owe it to my son to kill you"]] [["Why should I spare you?"]] "Power, wealth, love...anything you desire," the demon purrs. "But you only want vengeance, don't you? Kill me then. But you will suffer too. Your choice." [["I owe it to my son to kill you"]] [["Begone demon"]]Vengeance guides your blade. You slay the demon...but at what cost? [[Leave the Fade]]"I could give you power," the demon states. "But all you want is revenge! If you kill me, I will only make your suffering worse." [["I owe it to my son to kill you"]] [["Begone demon"]]Your shoulders slump in defeat. Is vengeance worth more loss? You decide not. You drop your sword. The demon smiles. And [[You wake up]]Barthan is dead, his spirit killed along with the demon. But Emily, Tavish, and the other Templars remain motionless. You clamber over to your sister's body and shake her violently. Nothing happens. She is trapped in the Fade. She will never return to her family. Helplessly you look around the room, at the corpses that surround you. You defeated the demon, but was it worth it? Was it worth the sacrifice?Emily stirs beside you. She asks what happened. Where is Barthan? The robed figure has gone but you do not bother to search for him. Instead you walk towards your son. You hold his cold hand and pray. Inside you feel empty. You accept avenging Peter's death wouldn't bring him back, nor would it be worth losing Emily. Yet you cannot hide your guilt. Your sister lives, but so does the demon. How many more families will suffer because of your decision?