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Description

Been forever since I wrote anything but oneshots, but here we go. Let's see how long I'll take this.
For new readers, this is going to be a Bethany-centric multi-chapter fic set in the modern AU first outlined in my oneshot "Born Free and Everywhere in Chains" reading it and its prequel, "Orphic Memories", might give you an edge over other readers in understanding hints and references, but I'll endeavour to keep it from becoming a requirement. Not that I wouldn't like for you to read them, you know. There are, however, some retcons from Born Free, so it's not precisely the same AU. Most importantly, the Mage Rebellion began in 9:37, not 9:34, and Marian Hawke is the Champion of Kirkwall. Viscount Dumar of Kirkwall is alive, Knight-Commander Stannard is not.
I was disappointed with the strength and cleverness of the opposition posed by Corypheus, and the ease with which the Inquisition managed to accomplish all their aims. In keeping with the -- I believe -- fairly realistic modern setting, I'll try to make the struggle seem more real.
The pairing is Hawkecest. If you're no fan of that, feel free to think of them as stepsiblings or whatever or, you know, just skip the relevant parts.
The opening quote is from Tito's aria "Se all'impero" from Mozart's opera La Clemenza di Tito. Rough translation: "If, to rule, oh dear gods, / a harsh heart is required / then take from me the empire / or give me another heart."

Some notes:
1) Thaumic weapons, in case you didn't get it, are this world's analogue to nukes. Current thaumic powers are: the Empire of Orlais (and, by extension, the Andrastian Chantry), the Tevene Republic, the Qun. The dwarves of Orzammar and Nevarra are both believed to possess thaumic weapons, but their arsenals (if they exist) are far smaller than those of their more powerful neighbours. A thaumic weapon was used in warfare only once, at the culmination of the Great War between the Allied powers and the Tevinter Imperium, when Templar commnandos smuggled the first-ever thaumic bomb into besieged Vyrantium. A second thaumic bomb, though improvised and significantly less powerful, was used by the renegade mage and activist The Anders Mage to destroy the Kirkwall Grand Chantry in 9:37. For those who don't know, the term thaumic derives from the Greek θαῦμα (thauma), meaning "miracle" or "wonder". It is, essentially, a technical term for magical energy. This is also where the unit of measure thaum (or, more commonly, kilothaum) comes from, which describes the strength of a mage's connection to the Fade, i.e. his present mana.
2) Bethany is exhibiting very, very poor gun safety. Don't stick a gun in your waistband ... actually, if you do, you're probably doing the human genome a favour.
3) Religion -- Andrastianism -- is a much more powerful force in this world than any form of Christianity is in most of the civilised world in real life (i.e., not the US). Fuelled by the presence of magic and the protection of the Orlesian empire, much of Southern and most of Northern Thedas still fervently believes in the Maker and His bride, with all the ills that come with that. In recent years, the downbreak of public order in much of Ferelden and Orlais has left the Chantry as one of the only institutions which can still inspire loyalty from a wide crosscut of the population, and a vital player in politics.
Whoever can tell me where the voice at the end takes its line from gets a biscuit.

Also, a very happy birthday to sumenya , who created the preview thumbnail and was an immeasurate help during the writing process! :3

Description

Been forever since I wrote anything but oneshots, but here we go. Let's see how long I'll take this.
For new readers, this is going to be a Bethany-centric multi-chapter fic set in the modern AU first outlined in my oneshot "Born Free and Everywhere in Chains" reading it and its prequel, "Orphic Memories", might give you an edge over other readers in understanding hints and references, but I'll endeavour to keep it from becoming a requirement. Not that I wouldn't like for you to read them, you know. There are, however, some retcons from Born Free, so it's not precisely the same AU. Most importantly, the Mage Rebellion began in 9:37, not 9:34, and Marian Hawke is the Champion of Kirkwall. Viscount Dumar of Kirkwall is alive, Knight-Commander Stannard is not.
I was disappointed with the strength and cleverness of the opposition posed by Corypheus, and the ease with which the Inquisition managed to accomplish all their aims. In keeping with the -- I believe -- fairly realistic modern setting, I'll try to make the struggle seem more real.
The pairing is Hawkecest. If you're no fan of that, feel free to think of them as stepsiblings or whatever or, you know, just skip the relevant parts.
The opening quote is from Tito's aria "Se all'impero" from Mozart's opera La Clemenza di Tito. Rough translation: "If, to rule, oh dear gods, / a harsh heart is required / then take from me the empire / or give me another heart."

Some notes:
1) Thaumic weapons, in case you didn't get it, are this world's analogue to nukes. Current thaumic powers are: the Empire of Orlais (and, by extension, the Andrastian Chantry), the Tevene Republic, the Qun. The dwarves of Orzammar and Nevarra are both believed to possess thaumic weapons, but their arsenals (if they exist) are far smaller than those of their more powerful neighbours. A thaumic weapon was used in warfare only once, at the culmination of the Great War between the Allied powers and the Tevinter Imperium, when Templar commnandos smuggled the first-ever thaumic bomb into besieged Vyrantium. A second thaumic bomb, though improvised and significantly less powerful, was used by the renegade mage and activist The Anders Mage to destroy the Kirkwall Grand Chantry in 9:37. For those who don't know, the term thaumic derives from the Greek θαῦμα (thauma), meaning "miracle" or "wonder". It is, essentially, a technical term for magical energy. This is also where the unit of measure thaum (or, more commonly, kilothaum) comes from, which describes the strength of a mage's connection to the Fade, i.e. his present mana.
2) Bethany is exhibiting very, very poor gun safety. Don't stick a gun in your waistband ... actually, if you do, you're probably doing the human genome a favour.
3) Religion -- Andrastianism -- is a much more powerful force in this world than any form of Christianity is in most of the civilised world in real life (i.e., not the US). Fuelled by the presence of magic and the protection of the Orlesian empire, much of Southern and most of Northern Thedas still fervently believes in the Maker and His bride, with all the ills that come with that. In recent years, the downbreak of public order in much of Ferelden and Orlais has left the Chantry as one of the only institutions which can still inspire loyalty from a wide crosscut of the population, and a vital player in politics.
Whoever can tell me where the voice at the end takes its line from gets a biscuit.

Also, a very happy birthday to sumenya , who created the preview thumbnail and was an immeasurate help during the writing process! :3