Aladuchar - King of the hill

I have been keeping this journal for a while now. However, it is only now that I truly feel that words are inadequate to convey the sights that I see.


The sight at the top of the mountain leaves us breathless

After defeating Kolgrim, we continued our way up to the top of the mountain. The sight which greeted us as we arrived cannot be described by mere words alone. Even the greatest poet would struggle to find the right words. Nevertheless, that is the task which befalls me as I write this journal.

In short, we found Andraste.


We are welcomed to the top of the mountain

Or rather, we found that which Kolgrim and the cultists believed to be Andraste. It was not a fair maiden who greeted us as we appeared but a fully grown silver dragon. The creature roared when it saw us and we could do naught but stand in awe of the mighty beast before us.

And she truly was a magnificent looking creature. The dragon easily stood as tall as a house and her beady eyes glared at us malevolently as she stood perched atop the mountain, queen of all she surveyed. The sunlight glistened as it bounced off her silver scales, evident even against the glare of the snow in the bright light. Although she had large claws which could easily pick up a bronto, her large fangs, which she proudly displayed for us to see, were her real weapons. Those fangs looked sharp enough to rend metal armor as easily as flesh.

The intelligence behind her eyes clearly told all and sundry that this was no dumb animal. And the animosity behind those same eyes clearly told us that we were not welcome in her domain.

She wasted no time in attacking us. While we stood in shock and awe, she swooped down from her perch and buffeted us with her wings. The massive windstorm knocked us off our feet and the battle was on.

The battle was long and hard but the fact that I am still writing this journal should be enough to tell you who the victor was. But despite my martial prowess, I have to admit that I am lucky to be alive. If it were not for the action and quick thinking of Alistair, I would now be dead. Indeed, the man has saved my life.

During the battle, the dragon reared up on its hind legs and lashed out with her claws. Focused as I was on her fangs, this move caught me by surprise. Nonetheless, I was able to twist aside just enough that her claws only managed to rake across my armour without penetrating. Alas, clad as I am in heavy armour, I wasn't able to get out of the way of her follow up. Moving quicker than I would have believed possible for a creature of her size, her serpentine neck snapped down and she was able to grab me in her fangs.


Andraste gives me her idea of a lovers kiss

Treating me as no more than a rag doll, she spun me around while clamping down with her fangs. Her fetid breath in itself was overpowering and I found myself gagging as I tried desperately to pry open her fangs. I might as well have tried to lift the mountain. The heavy armour that I was wearing was no match for the strength of her jaws and just as I felt my armour begin to buckle under the strain, Alistair came to my rescue.


He flies through the air with the greatest of ease

While the dragon had been distracted by the prospect of a dwarven dinner, Alistair had managed to sneak up behind her. He took the opportunity to jump onto her back and, as she roared in anger and frustration, she lost her grip on me. I fell to the ground with a heavy thud and could only watch as Alistair clung onto her back for dear life.

She may not have any claws or fangs that could reach the back of her neck but this didn't mean she was without defence. Using the powerful muscles in her neck, her head flicked back and forth in an attempt to dislodge Alistair. But Alistair was no fool - in the brief time he had, he was able to get a good hold of her horns and he managed to cling on.

As the dragon roared once more, Alistair took his chance and plunged his sword deep into her neck. Her last roar of frustration turned into one of despair as she realised that Alistair had dealt her a killing blow.

The blood fountained out from her neck and she collapsed to the ground in front of me. As I lay there, winded from the fall and watching the light of intelligence fade from her eyes, I had plenty of time to ponder my own mortality. I had been but a moment away from death. Nothing had come so close to defeating me in all my years of fighting darkspawn in the Deep Roads.


Alistair deals the killing blow