Nueda

## Rebels Born Within Darkness

> *It has been said that on that fateful night in Ansburg, in the year 9:37 of the Age of the Dragon, that the fight for mage freedom was given a face, and a name.*
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> That name is Furia.
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> However, it is known by certain people that the Rivaini elf struck such a mighty blow -- and many such blows since -- into the Chantry and Templar Order not alone; certainly, not without the support of others. For another elf stood by him, stepped forward, and leant force to the blows of the Resolutionists such that their successes were inevitable. He is called friend to Furia, as rare as that is, a lieutenant amongst the soldiers of the rebellion, and an enigma all to himself.
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> *He is called Tavius.*
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Dangerous are the days when the skies turn dark over Thedas. This has become a thing known by many people, thanks to the stories, recounting of events, and inevitable furthering of legends about the group known only as [i]Nueda[/i]. What is commonly said about the group is surprisingly accurate, even if the Templar Order would wish it otherwise. They are the spies and the shadows of the Hand of Justice, the agents of stealth and subtlety who have carved out a reputation for being the harbingers of doom to those who oppose the Resolutionists and their cause; when skies darken unexpectedly, fear strikes the heart of those who have heard of Nueda; they know that this group of magi can blot out the sun when transformed into their winged shapes and joined in purpose. It is this dark presence that has leant so much to their reputation, but those who know more than mere stories and hearsay understand that this group within a group, this part of the Hand of Justice is much more than a vanguard; they are integral to the Resolutionist cause, in ways that the Templar Order and Chantry can only wish to know about.

## A Spark Within the Shadows

In the midst of the chaos that erupted in the wake of the destruction of the Kirkwall Chantry a part of the magi group known collectively as Resolutionists took the city of Ansburg in a frighteningly short amount of time. It is believed by some that the mage leader, Furia, was a whirlwind of power and blood within the city, and whilst that is true it does a disservice to the efforts of his first lieutenant, and friend, Tavius; the Antivan had gathered about him a small group of devoted followers, fellow shifters who favoured the use of discretion and targeted attacks over direct force just as the lieutenant did. Their shared preference for shifting into the form of a black bird of some kind became a hallmark, an aspect of their devotion to the cause that they all clung to with fervour, for they were bound by more than their preferences upon the battlefield.

Though it was vital that they were of the same mind in battle, all of them finding that success was practically guaranteed when they worked together. From the use of their skills for espionage, to the manipulation of their power in gaining foresight that the enemy invariably lacked, Nueda quickly found themselves to be an efficient cog in the war machine that the Resolutionists so desperately needed. Their talents spread beyond the battlefield, through the lands of Thedas where influence could be sewn to bring favour to their cause, and straight into the very homes of the enemy where the deadliest of blows could be struck. The group became well established within the Resolutionists; a fact favoured by the involvement of the senior mage and well respected mentor, Besten.

In the wake of the first great battles of the war, as the soldiers of the Resolutionists took stock of their achievements whilst doing all that could be done to help the settlement of Nueva Libertad grow into the city that it has now become it became apparent that Nueda was not merely a construct of war, no simple squadron that ceased to have meaning when combat was not to be had. Rather, this was a group that was now bound by both the devotion to their cause and the love of their magic; even to the least invested member of Nueda the magic of shifting form was a gift of grace, a calling unto itself. So it was that many of the members joined Besten, greatest practitioner of this magic that any of them knew, and Tavius, one of his students, in exploring the inner most workings of shapeshifting and the potential held therein. Nueva Libertad was the perfect location for this research, and the development of their skills and knowledge base; between the untouched wilderness surrounding the settlement and the discovery of the miraculous White Stone the shifters had more resources than was needed to explore their magic to its fullest.

As the war raged on Nueda developed, changing as each battle brought the learning of new lessons, whilst the work of those in Nueva Libertad uncovered secret after secret. The form and function of the group shaped across various duties, tasks and circumstances, but the following is known for sure:

* Espionage

* Assassination

* Knowledge trade

* Scouting

* Negotiations

Though the earliest days of the group saw its membership compiled exclusively of magi that is no longer the case; as a result of its fluid evolution Nueda survives by following only the cause with consistency, thus none were so short-sighed as to invest in prejudice against non-magi. So it was with very little resistance that the group took on members without magical talent, though they were devoted Resolutionists nonetheless; more often than not these were people with very particular skill sets which saw them deployed as spies and assassins where magi could not be, thus allowing the Resolutionist cause to truly reach the heart of the enemy and maintain a presence amongst the people of Thedas. After all, who would suspect the most ordinary man such as a baker, when all he does his bake bread every day . . .

## The Fight Continues, the Shadows Spread

Much has been said about the leadership of Nueda, especially amongst the Resolutionists and yet there is little doubt as to who the leader of the group is. Tavius has lead the group for many years, and there are none who would contest it, at least not for themselves. Yet there are those who look to Besten for leadership, often more so than Tavius; the relationship between the pair, formerly joined by the tether of teacher and student as they were, is complex. However, for the cause, and for Nueda the two maintain a strict dynamic in which Tavius leads Nueda, whilst Besten oversees most of the group's operations in and around Nueva Libertad. This has lead to a general consensus that Besten is the de-facto leader of Nueda, and there are those who wish to see him taking Tavius' position outright . . .

Despite the many complexities of the group, be it from their history as an integral part of the Resolutionists, the relationship between their leaders and Furia himself, the ever diversifying dynamics or even the changing landscape of Nueva Libertad, there is no doubt that they have been, are, and continue to be a strong presence within the landscape of the war, and all of Thedas.