For most of his childhood Kirkwall was a mere word to Pascal. The name of a far off city that the young son of a shoemaker would never see in his life and where strange things happened. When he became an initiate in the Order Kirkwall became a little more important. After all the city had a Circle and sometimes a Templar from the dreaded Gallows would visit Hasmal and give more details to the abundant rumors that circulated about the City of Chains. The saying "At least it's not Kirkwall" became popular among both Templars and Mages of the Circle as a joke and way of coping with their reality. When Pascal became a fully ordained Knight, the troubles in Kirkwall had only worsened and many looked with worry towards the place. It was no surprise to him when the tensions between Mages and Templars exploded. Nor the fact that it was a Mage that delivered the first blow. Specially when one would take all the rumors about Knight Commander Meredith's ruthlessness in consideration. What surprised Pascal was that the Mage destroyed the city's Chantry instead of striking directly against the Order. 

	The weeks and months following the Kirkwall purge were filled with apprehension and fear. Both Mages and Templars at the edge of their nerves waiting for the other to strike first while a hundred different rumors arrived every day. By the time the situation could be truthfully assessed, the Kirkwall Templars had indeed triumphed and now Circles all across Thedas were flaring up in rebellion, the then Knight-Captain was steeling himself for the inevitable moment when he would have to turn his blade on his charges. But the inevitable never came and the Circle of Hasmal continued to act as if nothing had changed. That's not to say that Hasmal was spared by the War, for despite their declared neutrality the Circle was still beset by hostile bands and emissaries from both sides trying to draw more manpower and resources for their sides. Besides an increasingly anti-magic population on the city itself.

	Four years later the Breach opened and it somehow made things worse. The Inquisition arose and eventually closed the Breach, finally bringing Hasmal out of its isolation during the process. And amassing an incredible amount of power and influence by the end of the conflict. And that brings Pascal to the present, as the new Divine herself choose him to become the new Knight-Commander of the Kirkwall Circle. By this point Kirkwall had long stopped being a joke and turned into something to dread and abhor. The crowning example of how Circles should not be run, of how bad things could get when there was no harmony or cooperation between Templar and Mage. And now Pascal was one of the three people in charge of fixing it. 

	For some reason Pascal didn't felt as desperate as he would've thought. Yes, Kirkwall was a mess but the worst had already passed right? Meredith and Orsino were dead, Hawke was nowhere to be seen and now they could start again. The city was a blank slate. The Knight-Commander wasn't naive enough to think that it would be easy but he actually enjoyed the idea of the challenge. If the Viscount and the First Enchanter proved to be reasonable fellows like him surely the Circle and the city of Kirkwall would be rebuilt far better and greater than before. But that was a big if considering the two of them would probably be Orlesians elbow-deep in their dreaded Game. Who could say that they would put the well being of the city over their own ambitions. And that's not even taking in consideration the reaction of the locals at having three foreigners imposed over them. 

	It was with that line of thought that Pascal wrote a hasty letter to his relatives back in the city of Hasmal before taking the road along a small honor guard to Val Royeaux. Arriving in time to attend to the ceremony at the wonderful Grand Cathedral. 

	Not even in his wildest dreams Pascal would have been able to come up with such marvelous place. And as he was led to the audience chamber Pascal suddenly felt himself under dressed for the occasion. Even in his finest outfit, which granted wasn't anything to gasp over, and the hastily bought mask that made him feel like a character in one of the cheesy novels back home. But then again everything in Orlais was opulent and beautiful, that was clear from the moment he sighted Val Royeaux. Even the sister that guided him to the audience chamber had a strange air of sophistication and class.
	
	The ceremony that followed would forever be engraved on Pascal's mind: The imposing walk towards the Throne. Divine Victoria shining and terrifying in equal measure in a way that made all the rumors Pascal had heard about her not seem so outlandish anymore. Her speech, to the point and inspiring. And the mass of people gathered at the chamber in such number that even whispers seemed increasingly loud. Though Pascal had to admit that the amount of masked people bothered him. He felt as if the crowd was judging him silently and he half fancied hearing derisive sneers and remarks. But that was probably just his imagination. As if someone would dare to talk while the Divine spoke.

	As the three were called to a side chamber to deal with the documentation, Pascal was finally able to study the two who would be his colleagues for the rest of his life, or at least the foreseeable future. A female elf and a man. Both behaved perfectly at the ceremony, which implied that they were comfortable or at least familiar with this kind of situation. A fact that actually didn't told much about the two. Still, Pascal decided to watch himself around the two until he could get to know them better. Suspicion would harm their combined efforts but he preferred that over the possibility of being manipulated by his supposed colleagues. The Order had suffered greatly during these last years and if a Knight Commander was to be reduced to a pawn in political games the decline would never stop.

	For some reason he wasn't surprised to see that the Viscount wasn't wildly optimistic either. Though Pascal erroneously figured that the man would at least be a little more happy at receiving such honored and influential position.

	"No one said it would be easy." Pascal replied in a calm reassuring tone. "But we've been given a task by the Divine herself and I intend to see it done to the best of my abilities." He glanced quickly towards the elf, Petra. "As for acceptance, I think that after all that Kirkwall has been through the nobility and common folk alike won't put much opposition to our efforts to rebuild the city." Or so he hoped, but that was better left unsaid.