#wardenposting

[sapphim]

Monstrous Wardens Masterpost

A great big collection of text from the Dragon Age games and novels about darkspawn, Grey Wardens, and the Calling, to fuel everyone's monstrous wardens headcanons.

This has actually been sitting in my drafts for like half a year now bc I thought I really should scrounge around for more quotes from Last Flight, Awakening, and Legacy. That... didn't happen, and there's really no sense in holding off longer. If I ever do get around to it, I'll pull more quotes to add. But I consider this complete as is. enjoy~

—

The Song

The Old Gods will call to you, From their ancient prisons they will sing. Dragons with wicked eyes and wicked hearts, On blacken'd wings does deceit take flight, The First of My children, lost to night.

—Canticle of Silence 3:6, Dissonant Verse

     “The Old Gods beckon, as they always have.” The Architect turned and paced to the other side of the cell. The shadows cast on the walls by the glowstone danced ominously. “That is what you hear. To my people, it is a call that we cannot ignore. It whispers to our blood and compels us to seek the Old Gods out. We search and search for their prisons, and when we find one, we touch the face of perfection and thus desecrate it forever.”

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 6

     So close. We nearly reached him. Made it down to what looked like a dwarven thaig where the song was actually audible, real and thrumming through the air, not just in our heads. It rattled through the lyrium pillars and shook the earth beneath our feet to its dreadful tempo.

—[DAI] Note: Ancient Warden Logbook

     There were creatures in that land. Dark things that lurked in the corners. Cole couldn’t see them, and didn’t want to. He worried that they could see him, however. […]      And worse, there was the music. He didn’t know what it was, but it seemed to come from far, far off. It called to him, but not in a pleasant way— it had an urgency that sped his heart and made his blood burn. The dark creatures, the lurkers, they listened to it. He didn’t know how he knew that, but he could feel them out there, craning their necks, raising taloned hands toward that call.

—Dragon Age: Asunder, chapter 9

     As the griffon began to climb through the clouds that followed the Blight, Isseya heard a faint, strange melody seep into her mind. She had no sense of it as actual sound; rather, it seemed to come from within, almost as if she were humming the tune to herself.      She could never have imagined such a song, though. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard. Aching and ethereal, it seemed to pull her toward a memory of nostalgic bliss that she had somehow lost—but that she would do anything to recover. Anything at all. […]      “What was it?” the elf asked, shaken. […]      “The Archdemon.” […]      For the rest of their ride back to Antiva City, Isseya sat small and quiet on Blacktalon’s back, unable to reconcile the horrors of the darkspawn with the sweetness of their song.

—Dragon Age: Last Flight, chapter 3

The Chorus

     The faint sounds of movement ahead got more frequent, and along with them, they began to hear a strange humming. It was deep and alien, a reverberating sound that they felt in their chests and that made their skin crawl. […]      The deep humming was coming from [the creature. It] was moaning softly, almost chanting, and this moan built upon the sounds of many others behind it in the shadows. They hummed in unison, a hushed and deadly whisper the creatures spoke as one. […]      All of them walked as calmly as the first, shambling toward them while moaning and hissing softly. The sound was loud now, reverberating around them like a physical force. […]      They watched the darkspawn advance, their weapons held at the ready. Even with their prey cornered, the creatures did not accelerate. Their hum became louder, reached a hungry, fever pitch.

—Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, chapter 14

     Were they digging? He had the impression that the masses of them were all engaged in some sort of industry, all united in moving great portions of the rock out of the cavern and expanding it even further. Yet there were no sounds of tools crashing against stone, no hammering sounds or grunts of exertion. All he could hear was a rhythmic groan, a keening pitch that it seemed each of the darkspawn contributed to. The sound of it made his skin crawl, and he realized that the chorus in the distance responded to it. Like a cat that arched its back to meet a brushing hand it became ecstatic; it surged and almost overwhelmed his senses.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 6

The Senses

     They were more than simply skilled at fighting darkspawn; they knew them intimately. They sensed their presence, sometimes even gleaned their intent.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 4

     He could feel the darkspawn out there now. Genevieve was right. It just took some time to become acclimated. They were at the edge of his consciousness, lurking in the shadows far out of sight. It was that same feeling when someone was standing behind you, and you didn’t hear them or sense them in any way; you just knew.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 5

     Bregan closed his eyes and carefully reached out with his senses. There were darkspawn all around him. Not in the same room, perhaps, but nearby. He could feel them tickling at the edge of his mind. As always, the sensation came with a feeling of foulness, as if a poison had seeped under his skin.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 2

     “There is a taint that is within the darkspawn […] A darkness that pervades us, compels us, drives us to rail against the light. It is in our blood and corrupts the very world around us.” The creature gestured toward Bregan with a withered, taloned hand. “It is also within your blood. It is what makes you what you are, what you sense in us and we in you.”

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 2

Anders: Hmm. Hawke: What's wrong? Anders: I think [the Grey Wardens are] nearby. Anders: Or it could be darkspawn.

—Dragon Age II

     The hunter had a sensitivity to the taint that went far beyond any tracking ability he might have learned during his time with the Ash Warriors. He was always the first to sense the approach of darkspawn, and he could discern between the various breeds by their scent alone. Some of the Grey Wardens even used to claim that Kell could do the same with them, sense who was who from afar just as if they were darkspawn. If so, the hunter never commented on it.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 11

     She felt Bregan out there, felt him just the same as she felt the darkspawn. Every now and again she would turn a corner in the tunnels and would feel her brother’s presence on the edge of her senses, almost as if his scent had been carried to her somehow on an invisible wind.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 15

The Dreams

Alistair: Oh… and then there were the nightmares. Duncan said it was part of how we sense the darkspawn. We tap into their… well, I don't know what you'd call it. Their “group mind.” Alistair: And when we sleep, it's even worse. You learn to block it out after a while, but at first it's hard. It's supposed to be worse for those who Join during a Blight. How is it for you? Warden: Nightmares… yes, I know what you mean. Alistair: Some people never have much trouble, but that's rare. Others have trouble sleeping their entire life. They're just more sensitive, I suppose. Alistair: Everyone ends up the same, though. Once you reach a certain age, the real nightmares come. That's how a Grey Warden knows his time has come.

—Dragon Age: Origins

     The dream, when it came, was similar to the hundreds of dreams Fiona had suffered since she’d become a Grey Warden. Before, however, it had always felt as if she was looking on the dream from afar, hazy and easy to forget. Now it was crystal clear.      Fiona stood on a battlefield littered with dead men. All of them were soldiers in heavy armor, knights wearing the griffon standard of the order. Each had been brutally slaughtered. The smell of blood and decay hung thick and cloying in the air, the buzzing sound of flies nipping at her senses.      Overhead, the sky filled with an endless, roiling black cloud. It looked like ink spreading slowly in water, a great stain that blotted out the horizon. She had been told about this. The first sign of the Blight, said the Grey Wardens, is found in the clouds. When the mighty dragon rises, its corruption touches the world and spreads.      She was alone on that field of corpses. All alone. The wind picked up, a sickly breeze that carried with it the stench of carrion. A gloom fell upon her, and she stumbled as she watched something rise from out of the field of bodies nearby. It was enormous. A great, black thing that was as cold and terrible as anything she could have imagined.      Fear pulsed through her. Her heart raced, and she looked away. She didn’t want to see it. She threw her hands up in front of her eyes not to see it. Yet still she felt it coming. Her foot caught between two corpses and made her fall back on top of them. Dead flesh pressed against her and still she covered her eyes. Still she felt the darkness surging ever closer to her.      It was coming. And it was coming for her.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 14

The Calling

Hawke: You don't look well, Bethany. Are you injured? Bethany: Injured? I have the darkspawn taint forever in my veins, barely held in check by the Wardens' rituals. Bethany: I will never be well again.

—Dragon Age II

     At first, it was just a whisper. A creak in the door hinge I could put off oiling. But soon, all I could hear was the music. It was there when I swung my staff and wiped the sweat from my brow. It lingered in Lyam's laughter and stalked my dreams. I can't explain the sound—the song—but I knew. It's a poison that grows in the mind, then consumes the body.

—[DAI: The Descent] Codex Entry: Warden Ailsa's Diary

     It scratches at my thoughts, the music almost a voice, at once unearthly and beautiful. I found myself humming it aloud a few days past. Where once it intruded, it now feels a natural part of my mind's course. It coils around memories I hold dear—training with Ser Keller, riding in the moonlight, my mother's face the last time I saw her—and inserts itself into them, so that I could almost swear that music, that sense of a presence watching and calling, had always been a part of what I remember.

—[DAI] Codex Entry: Regarding the Calling

     She had seen enough of the corruption to last a lifetime, and somewhere off in the far distance was that strange sound, the beautiful whispering.      She didn’t want to listen to it, but couldn’t help herself. She closed her eyes and tried to pick out what the whisper was saying. Was it a song? Was it a name? It almost seemed that it was calling out to her, stroking her soul ever so softly. . . .

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 14

     The humming sound, however, was stronger even than before. It was no longer something muted and distant; it was everywhere. It was behind the walls and under the floor; it filled the shadows and caressed his skin. There was a terrible beauty to it now, an awful yearning that pulsated within the sound, a tugging that pulled at the edge of his consciousness and yet frightened and nauseated him at the same time.      The humming had eclipsed any sense he had of the darkspawn. Any attempt he made to reach out with his mind to sense where the creatures were found only a wall of beautiful sound instead. Like a weed, it had insinuated itself into his consciousness, blocking out anything useful.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 6

     The far-off chorus had become a powerful symphony, a great swell of beautiful music that no longer pounded to get inside his head but instead tickled at the edges of his thoughts. It was far easier to ignore, but now he found it distracting. He found himself losing his train of thought whenever he listened.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 10

     The taint fogged her thoughts a little more with each passing morning. Her diary, once a detailed chronicle of every day’s thoughts, went neglected for weeks, sometimes months. She was losing her mind.      She wasn’t the only one, of course. It had gotten harder to tell the reality of the Blight from the horrors of her dreams. Sometimes she wasn’t sure which one she walked through, or which one she fought in. The elf had learned to recognize the confusion that sometimes passed over other senior Wardens’ faces. They, too, heard the Archdemon’s song echoing through their heads, a trifle louder every night. They, too, fought to block it out and to hide the signs from their comrades…

—Dragon Age: Last Flight, chapter 21

     My body is breaking down. The fingernails were the first to go. I started to itch all over, and when I scratched, they peeled back. Clumps of hair fell away. Then clumps of flesh.      I hear a song in my head. It's deafening. The most beautiful thing I've ever heard. But I don't hear it with my ears. It's in my brain. A blissful sound. This must be the call for which the darkspawn yearn, what causes them to dig so feverishly.      I'd still rather die. Suppose that's something.

—[DAI] Codex Entry: To Be Corrupted

     His skin itched terribly underneath those bandages, but he resisted the urge to peel them off. The pain throughout his body was dull but insistent, as if his body protested against this unfamiliar movement. The sluggishness made him wary. There was a thickness to his blood, a deliberateness to his heartbeat that made him feel like something alien was crawling inside of him and sapping his strength.      […His arms] were half covered in dark blotches. At first, he wondered if that was some kind of injury, or perhaps a bloodstain. But then he noticed the texture of the skin within those discolored areas: rough and withered, just as darkspawn flesh was. […]      Every part of his skin that wasn’t covered by the greyed cloth bandages was corrupted. It was like a network of black mold working its way across his entire body, and everywhere it touched he could feel a hot buzzing underneath the flesh. It was difficult to look at.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 6

     The Architect stared into Utha’s eyes and nothing happened at first. Then black veins began to appear along her hand where the darkspawn touched her. They became darker and darker, the veins branching until her entire hand was criss-crossed with them. […]      Her flesh withered and curled, the air filling with the foul stench of decay. […]      The stain on her skin spread, crawling up her neck and covering her face. Her coppery hair began to grey, and then it became white. Her long braid twisted and curled behind her, like a match that was burning itself into a cinder. Her eyes shot open, blood red, and she opened her mouth in a soundless scream... and what wisps remained of her hair simply fell out.      And then it was done.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 16

Bonus entry that made me go "hey what the fuck"

     What I remember most is its tongue flapping against a row of spiky teeth. I'd heard emissaries possessed the ability to speak, but the words were unnatural. They twisted and lurched as they left the creature's mouth, accompanied with a spray of saliva.      "Have you ever experienced living flesh ground between your teeth?" it asked Mila before biting through her throat.

—[DAI: The Descent] Codex Entry: Darkspawn Emissary

[mindovermutant]

i try to have zero drafts at all times because i can't stand the idea of having any at all but sometimes drafts will just appear and 9 times out of 10 it's a wardenpost that he forgot about. the problem is i never have the heart to delete them

[sapphim]

hmm hey so the start of every blight would be heralded by what is essentially a miniature extinction event as most or all of the most senior wardens (their leaders, political liasons, keepers of institutional knowledge) at once start to succumb to their calling, yeah?

[sapphim]

Ok I have returned with more, actually. Here's what we know about the Ferelden Grey Wardens from Duncan's and Alistair's time, before the Blight:

Warden-Commander Polara

Duncan became Ferelden's Commander of the Grey in 9:10 Dragon [see note], assuming the mantle from Commander Polara, under whom he had served since the order's restoration in Ferelden. Polara, who hailed from Antiva, had built an amiable relationship with King Cailan. She overcame many of the objections of Teyrn Loghain, who had argued strenuously against the order returning—after all, the Wardens had attempted to overthrow the Ferelden throne centuries before. When Polara disappeared—perhaps recalled to Weisshaupt, although none in Ferelden saw her leave, nor have seen her since—Duncan bequeathed to her son a silverite axe of great value. Duncan said he had wielded it and a twin in younger days, back when he had been a far different man. He'd named the axe "Fiona" after a Warden who inspired him, and suggested that the son ought to take similar inspiration from his mother. It's unknown what became of Polara's son, other than that he fled Ferelden during the same Blight in which Duncan perished. —DA2 Codex Entry: Item: Fiona

note: The events of The Calling took place ca. 9:10 Dragon [That timeline has been riddled with errors but per WoTv2 p.81 "...when the Grey Wardens first returned to Ferelden in 9:10 Dragon... King Maric joined a much younger Duncan and his fellow Wardens in a mission to the Deep Roads."]. The 9:10 date given for Duncan to assume command of the Wardens is certainly in error, as at that point in time he was a babey Warden who'd been recruited about six months prior [per The Calling].

Warden-Constable Reyor

The following is an excerpt from a letter [...] written by a Warden-Constable Reyor two months after Alistair's recruitment: "I know you said it was unnecessary, but as I investigate all new recruits I looked into this Alistair lad... and it's rather odd. There was an old groundskeeper who knew him and seemed quite fond; she reminisced about the night Alistair was first brought to Redcliffe Castle. She mentioned a young man of Rivaini descent bringing the boy, and intrigued, I gave her your description. She didn't know if that original young man was you, but she said she'd seen you come to the castle often through the years, asking after Alistair's progress and watching him. I have to ask: Is that true? Is there something about the lad the Wardens should know?" And the response from Warden-Commander Duncan: "Alistair is the son of an old friend. As my travels indeed bring me to Redcliffe from time to time, I have looked in on him. I believe he is a worthy addition to our ranks. There is nothing more you or the Wardens need to know." —World of Thedas vol. 2, p. 80

Richu & Tamarel

Duncan stood silently at the gates of the village. To his right crouched Tamarel with her bow. He had recruited the young elf for her sharp eye; she had justified his confidence through methodical, deadly hunting [see note]. To Duncan’s left waited Richu, as experienced a Warden as Duncan himself, thick arms crossed and waiting. In war, victory Duncan recalled the start of the Grey Wardens’ motto, the part he held closest to his heart. War never offered any choice but to win; in the battles the Wardens fought, losing meant the destruction of everything they knew and loved. Any sacrifice, if it meant victory. Triumph, no matter the price. The three were nearing Redcliffe when they felt the tugging at their souls, the sensation familiar to any Warden that warned of twisted foes approaching. It is a blessing and a curse, thought Duncan, to sense the darkness in time to fight it, but also to know that a piece of that darkness will always be with us. In peace, vigilance It was centuries now since the end of the Fourth Blight, and the world had moving on. Some said the darkspawn no longer existed, or thought that occasional darkspawn raids in remote lands proved them now no more than a nuisance. But although the battles were hidden from human eyes, the dwarves still clashed with the darkspawn in the Deep Roads. Ignorance would not make the threat disappear. Here, in this remote village in southern Ferelden, the darkspawn had risen in such numbers that the people had been completely overwhelmed. Duncan shook his head, nodded once, and a several darkspawn near the center of the village fell to Warden arrows. Duncan and Richu charged, steel glinting in the moonlight, to engage the creatures in close combat. There were more than a score remaining to confront the three Wardens, but Duncan reckoned the odds fair. Blades slashed through dark flesh, and Tamarel cautiously pressed forward into the village, loosing arrows upon any darkspawn that thought to flee. The Grey Wardens cut the darkspawn down to the last. Covered in dark ichor and his own red blood, Duncan surveyed the combination of partially eaten human corpses and newly dead darkspawn. A few, maybe three or four, villagers stirred, staring out at the scene with lasting horror. “We were too late,” Tamarel said. She was right; Duncan knew in his heart that the survivors had already been tainted. Those who avoided a quick, excruciating death would be driven mad, turned into diseased and rabid killers. He cursed and spit and wiped his sword clean. He stepped forward. The villagers looked on him with mounting terror, their eyes growing wide as they turned black. They turned and fled. Tamarel’s arrows slammed into the villagers’ spines as they ran. They died because they must, died to prevent the spread of the same taint that gave the Grey Wardens their connection to their enemy. That same evil that would eat away at the three Wardens until one day each would decide it was time to descend into the Deep Roads for one final walk into the shadows, to end their lives with purpose rather than wasting away from sickness. In death, sacrifice The final line of the Wardens’ motto is doubtless the most crucial. Every life must have meaning; every death must have purpose. Waving his hand, Duncan called the others to him and they began the bitter task of burning the village to ashes. Nothing was to be left. —Bioware Wiki: Duncan

note: We know that Tamarel was no longer present at the time that Alistair was recruited [six months prior to the events of Dragon Age: Origins, per his dialogue] as he states [see below] that there were no women in the Ferelden Wardens during his time, and the only elf was a man named Tarimel................ wait oh my god he transitioned good for him

Gregor (Grigor?) & Kherek & Tarimel

Warden: What was it like to be a Grey Warden, with all the others? Alistair: I didn’t know them for very long, but I guess it was longer than you. You never met them all, did you? Alistair: They were quite a group. Actually, they felt like an extended family, since we were all cut off from our former lives. Alistair: We also laughed more than you’d think. There was this one time… well, you probably don’t want to hear stories about men you didn’t know. Warden: Weren’t there any women? Alistair: Not as Grey Wardens, not while I was there. I saw pictures of some who had been, and they all seemed to be able warriors. One was even a templar. Warden: Were there any elves amongst them? Alistair: Just one, a man named Tarimel. He kept to himself, mostly. I got the impression that his life before the Grey Wardens was… unpleasant. Warden: Were there any dwarves amongst them? Alistair: There was one when I first joined, a dwarf named Kherek. He was one of the elders and he… left for Orzammar before the reports of the Blight began. Alistair: It’s too bad, really. Kherek said that he never wanted to go back. He wanted to die fighting darkspawn on the surface. Alistair: There was one Grey Warden who came all the way from the Anderfels. What was his name? Gregor? Grigor? He was a burly man with the biggest, fuzziest beard you’ve ever seen. Alistair: And the man could drink. He drank all the time but never got drunk. Finally we all made a pool to see just how many pints it would take to put him under the table. Warden: Sounds like you had a lot of fun. Alistair: Sometimes. We were kin, of a sort. All of us had gone through the Joining, so we knew… anyhow, it doesn’t have to be deadly serious all the time. Warden: I bet I could have out-drank him. Alistair: Oh, I honestly doubt it. You might have tried, but this fellow had a supernatural constitution, I swear. Alistair: Anyhow, we never did find out. He said he’d drink a pint for every half-pint that the rest of us drank. He was still going by the time the rest of us were passed out. Alistair: I’m told that Duncan walked in later on and saw us all passed out from one end of the hall to the other, and Gregor still drinking. Duncan laughed until he nearly… until… —Dragon Age: Origins

Rondall

[...] it appeared Alistair did well among the Grey Wardens. He flourished in a way he never had in the Chantry, quickly growing attached to his fellow Wardens and they to him. One can see this in a letter he wrote to Arl Eamon but never sent: "I didn't think I belonged anywhere, Uncle. You said I should try my best, and I really did when I was in the chantry. Well, that's a lie, I suppose. I wanted to try. It was hard to want that, however, when everyone's always scowling at you.[...] "But the Wardens are different. Everyone who comes here... they didn't belong anywhere, either, and then they found this cause. They found each other. They don't know anything about me, where I come from, and they don't care. Duncan said I was worthy, and that's all that mattered. I thought the man must have been insane to pick me out, me of all people, but now... Now I don't know. They say I'm learning fast. I beat Rondall in a spar the other day, beat him honestly, and... I think I might be good at being a Warden. They think so, too." —World of Thedas vol. 2, p. 81

[sapphim]

Duncan & Alistair & Riordan on the Joining (+ the Harrowing)

Dialogue reference for some snippets of fic I'm writing

Before the Joining

[arriving at Ostagar]

Duncan: We sent a call out west to the Grey Wardens of Orlais, but it will be many days before they can join us. Duncan: Our numbers in Ferelden are too few. We must do what we can and look to Teyrn Loghain to make up the difference. Duncan: To that end, we should proceed with the Joining ritual without delay. Warden: What do you mean? What ritual? Duncan: Every recruit must go through a secret ritual we call the Joining in order to become a Grey Warden. [Non-Dalish wardens] Duncan: The ritual is brief, but some preparation is required. We must begin soon. [Dalish elf] Duncan: The Joining is what will cure you of the suffering your tainted blood surely brings you. If it had been possible, I would have done it before now. Warden: Why didn't you tell me about this cure before? Duncan: It is a secret. And it is not a simple antidote. The Joining is what will make you a Grey Warden. Warden: Why is this ritual so secret? Duncan: The Joining is dangerous. I cannot speak more of it except to say that you will learn all in good time. Until then, you must trust that what is done is necessary. [Circle mage] Warden: Is this anything like the Harrowing? Duncan: It is an ordeal. I am sorry that you must endure another so soon.

[meeting Alistair]

Alistair: Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Alistair, the new Grey Warden, though I guess you knew that. Alistair: As the junior member of the order, I'll be accompanying you when you prepare for the Joining. Warden: I can't prepare on my own? Alistair: I know. I felt the same way when I did this. Unfortunately, they don't give us much choice. Warden: What can you tell me about this Joining? Alistair: Honestly, nothing. Try not to worry about it. It will… just distract you. Alistair: So, I'm curious: Have you ever actually encountered darkspawn before? Warden: No, I haven't. Warden: Have you? Alistair: When I fought my first one, I wasn't prepared for how monstrous it was. I can't say I'm looking forward to encountering another. Warden: Yes. Just recently. Alistair: I've only fought them once up close. And that was before the battles here started… which Duncan has kept me out of so far. Tell me, did you find them as monstrous as I did? Warden: I don't know. How monstrous did you find them? Alistair: I'd read so much, but it just can't prepare you. I don't look forward to seeing them again. Warden: Hideous. Dangerous. But killable. Warden: I wasn't afraid. They die like any other creature. Alistair: You'll be at an advantage, then. Most new recruits have never even seen darkspawn.

[speaking with Alistair]

Warden: I have a few questions for you. Alistair: What about? Warden: The Joining ritual. Alistair: There's… not a lot I can tell you. We go and collect darkspawn blood, and then you'll hear everything. Warden: You're going to tell me everything. Now. Alistair: No, I'm not. So just back off, all right? The Joining is kept a secret for a reason. Warden: Surely you can tell me something. [low persuade] Alistair: I… I really can't. I'm sorry. [high persuade] Alistair: I… look, I can't tell you much, all right? Alistair: The Joining is… very unpleasant. I wish I could forget it, but I can't. I don't envy what you're going to have to go through. Warden: Thanks, I guess. Alistair: If becoming a Grey Warden were easy, we wouldn't recruit the best. Warden: I can't say I'm thrilled by the idea. Alistair: I was scared out of my wits. But you get through it. You have to. Warden: I'll be fine. Alistair: That's the spirit. Warden: What if I refuse to do the ritual? Alistair: The Joining is the price we pay, all of us, for being able to defeat the darkspawn. You can't refuse. Warden: I could run away. Alistair: I guess you could try. Duncan doesn't usually recruit cowards. Warden: But what actually happens in the Joining? Alistair: You learn why it's a secret. [Circle mage] Warden: Is it anything like the Harrowing? Alistair: I don't know anything about the Harrowing. We don't do any spells, if that's what you're asking. Alistair: You want to ask me about something else? Warden: This Blight Duncan mentioned. Alistair: Of course. Warden: How did anyone even know about this Blight? Alistair: The Grey Wardens keep watch. We… feel the darkspawn when they come. You'll understand after the Joining, if you… well, you'll understand.

[gathered with the other recruits]

Duncan: Now then, since you are all here, we can begin. Duncan: You four will be heading into the Korcari Wilds to perform two tasks. The first is to obtain three vials of darkspawn blood, one for each recruit. Warden: What do we need darkspawn blood for? Duncan: For the Joining itself. I'll explain more once you've returned. Warden: Surely you could've acquired some blood before now. Duncan: Of course. You must work together to collect the components, however. It's as much a part of the Joining as what comes after. Warden: Go into the Wilds? Isn't that dangerous? Duncan: You weren't recruited out of charity. All three of you are skilled and resourceful. Duncan: Alistair is the most junior member of our order and will accompany you as is tradition. Do not worry. I doubt you will need to go far into the Wilds to find what you seek. Warden: Finally! Some action! Duncan: (Laughs.) Without a doubt. Darkspawn aren't renowned for their willingness to offer up their blood.

[after the Korcari Wilds]

Duncan: So you return from the Wilds. Have you been successful? Warden: We have. Warden: Not that it was easy, but yes. Duncan: Good. I've had the Circle mages preparing. With the blood you've retrieved, we can begin the Joining immediately. Warden: And what if we have second thoughts? Duncan: Let me be very clear on that point. You are not volunteers. Whether you were conscripted or recruited, you were chosen because you are needed. Duncan: There is no turning back now. You must gather your courage for what comes next. Warden: I am ready. Duncan: Excellent. You will need that courage to face what comes next. Daveth: Courage? How much danger are we in? Duncan: I will not lie; we Grey Wardens pay a heavy price to become what we are. Fate may decree that you pay your price now rather than later. Warden: You're saying this ritual can kill us? Duncan: As could any darkspawn you might face in battle. You would not have been chosen, however, if I did not think you had a chance to survive. Warden: Is that why the Joining is so secret? Duncan: If only such secrecy were unnecessary and all understood the necessity of such sacrifice. Sadly, that will never be so. Daveth: Let's go, then. I'm anxious to see this Joining now. Warden: I have no problem facing what is to come. Warden: I've come this far. I want to see this through. Jory: I agree. Let's have it done. Duncan: Then let us begin. Alistair, take them to the old temple.

The Joining

Duncan: At last we come to the Joining. Duncan: The Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. Duncan: So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood and mastered their taint. Jory: We're… going to drink the blood of those… those creatures? Duncan: As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you. This is the source of our power and our victory. Alistair: Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the archdemon. Warden: And if we're not sure about this? Duncan: Since the beginning, the Grey Wardens have been charged with finding those who are strong enough to attempt the Joining and recruiting them into our ranks, for the good of all. Duncan: Not all who drink the blood will survive and those who do are forever changed. This is why the Joining is a secret. It is the price we pay. Duncan: We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would? Alistair: Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand, vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. Alistair: And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you. Duncan: Daveth, step forward. [Daveth dies] Jory: Maker's breath! Duncan: I am sorry, Daveth. Duncan: Step forward, Jory. Jory: But… I have a wife. A child! Had I known… Duncan: There is no turning back. Duncan: No! You ask too much! There is no glory in this! [Jory killed] Duncan: I am sorry. Duncan: But the Joining is not yet complete. Duncan: You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good. [Warden drinks] Duncan: From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden.

[Warden wakes] Duncan: It is finished. Welcome. Alistair: Two more deaths. In my Joining, only one of us died, but it was… horrible. I'm glad at least one of you made it through. Duncan: How do you feel? Warden: Nothing you said prepared me for that. Warden: That was more painful than the Harrowing. Warden: The pain… that was unbelievable! Duncan: Such is what it takes to be a Grey Warden. Warden: I still can't believe you killed Ser Jory. Duncan: Jory was warned that there was no turning back, as were you all. When he went for his blade, however, he left me no choice. Duncan: It brought me no pleasure to end his life. The Blight demands sacrifices from us all. Thankfully, you stand here as proof they are not all made in vain. Warden: It's over. I'm fine. Alistair: Did you have dreams? I had terrible dreams after my Joining. Duncan: Such dreams come when you begin to sense the darkspawn, as we all do. That and many other things can be explained in the months to come. Alistair: Before I forget, there is one last part to your Joining. Alistair: We take some of that blood and put it in a pendant. Something to remind us… of those who didn't make it this far. Duncan: Take some time. When you are ready, I'd like you to accompany me to a meeting with the king. Warden: What kind of meeting? Duncan: The king is discussing strategy for the upcoming battle. I am not sure why he has requested your presence. Warden: I still feel in shock… Duncan: Death is never easy to accept, especially when it arrives in such a brutal fashion. Duncan: Honor your comrades if you wish, but know that we must press forward. Always, we must press forward. Warden: Very well. Duncan: The meeting is to the west, down the stairs. Please attend as soon as you are able.

Alistair after Ostagar

Warden: What changes about you after the Joining? Alistair: You mean other than becoming a Grey Warden? Warden: I mean what changes physically. Warden: You've been a Grey Warden longer than I have. Warden: Don't avoid the question. I want to know. Alistair: Hmm. You know, I asked Duncan this, too, and all I got was, "You'll see." Warden: He wouldn't tell you? Warden: That seems rather cruel of him. Alistair: It's not that Duncan wants to keep it a secret. It's just that the Grey Wardens don't discuss it much. I gather it's not a pleasant topic. [discussion of appetite increase] [discussion of nightmares] Alistair: Everyone ends up the same, though. Once you reach a certain age, the real nightmares come. That's how a Grey Warden knows his time has come. Warden: His time has come? Warden: What are you talking about? Warden: Bad news, I take it? Spit it out. Alistair: Oh, that's right. We never had time to tell you that part, did we? Alistair: Well, in addition to all the other wonderful things about being a Grey Warden, you don't need to worry about dying from old age. You've got thirty years to live. Give or take. Alistair: The taint… it's a death sentence. Ultimately your body won't be able to take it. When the time comes, most Grey Wardens go to Orzammar and die in battle rather than… waiting. It's tradition. Alistair: And you wondered why we kept the Joining a secret from the new recruits! There you have it. Warden: I feel betrayed. This is wrong. Alistair: You think if we asked for volunteers, that Grey Wardens would exist? Maybe a few. You wouldn't be here. Neither would I, probably. And the Blight needs to be stopped. Warden: It seems a high price to pay. Alistair: I suppose it is. We're the only ones who can stop the Blight, however. Is there a price too high to pay for that?

[another conversation]

Alistair: Will we need to start rebuilding the order? Alistair: I mean, eventually we would have to use the Joining to make more Grey Wardens, right? Alistair: But I don't know how to do the Joining, or what's involved. I know it involves lyrium and some other magic, and that's it's really difficult to prepare. But that's it.

[on the Harrowing]

Alistair: I never actually became a full templar. Duncan recruited me before I took my vows. Alistair: [to a Circle mage] I was only present during one Harrowing. That was all I needed, too. I don't know how anyone could get through that. Alistair: [to a non-Circle mage] I was only present during one Harrowing, the ritual that they test the mages with. It's not unlike our Joining, really, and… just as deadly. Alistair: The girl they tested… she had a demon put inside her, to see if she could resist. And she couldn't. We had to… end it quickly. Alistair: I have to say I didn't have much interest in becoming a templar after that.

Riordan on the Joining

[Howe's dungeon]

Riordan: I thank you for creating such distraction, stranger. I have been waiting weeks for this opportunity. Riordan: Do you think you could--Alistair? Is that you? Alistair: Who…? Wait. I do know you. You were at my Joining. Alistair: He's one of us. A Warden from Orlais. Jader, I think. Or was it Montsimmard? I'm afraid I don't remember your name. Riordan: I'm Riordan, senior Warden of Jader, but born and bred in Highever and glad to be home. Warden: Are these your papers? Riordan: Yes. These are my records. The names of the dead I could recognize at Ostagar. What I could find of Duncan's own recruitment records. Riordan: Copies of the Joining ritual I rescued from our Denerim vault. Those should never be seen by any outside eyes, but I trust in their encryption. Warden: The Joining ritual? Can you induct other Grey Wardens? Riordan: Would that I could, for Ferelden sorely needs them. Riordan: But for the Joining to work, the recruit needs not only fresh darkspawn blood, but a drop of blood preserved from an archdemon. Riordan: Ferelden's supply should have been in the vault, but it was gone. I can only imagine someone took it out and Loghain either confiscated or destroyed it.

[Eamon's estate]

[a separate version of the above branch that is very slightly different i guess] Warden: Are these your papers? Riordan: Ah! I wondered what Howe did with them. Yes. These are my records. Names of the dead I recognized at Ostagar. What was left of Duncan's recruitment records. Riordan: Some encrypted copies of the Joining ritual that I retrieved from our Denerim vault. Those, at least, ought to have stayed private. Warden: Then you know how to perform the Joining? Riordan: Knowing how, I fear, is not enough. For we would need not only fresh darkspawn blood, but a single drop of the blood preserved from an archdemon. Riordan: Ferelden's supply should have been in the vault. It was not. I imagine Duncan had it with him at Ostagar, and Maker knows where it is now.

[the Landsmeet]

Riordan: Wait! There is another option! Riordan: The teyrn is a warrior and general of renown. Let him be of use. Let him go through the Joining. Warden: Would that even work? He's not exactly loyal to us. Riordan: What does loyalty matter? We are what we are. Riordan: The Joining binds us to the darkspawn. You know this. If you were to forswear your oath and flee today, you'd find yourself in the Deep Roads or the Blight-lands, given time. Riordan: You'd seek them out, or they'd seek you. Riordan: There are three of us in all of Ferelden. And there are… compelling reasons to have as many Wardens on hand as possible to deal with the archdemon. Anora: The Joining itself is often fatal, is it not? If he survives, you gain a general. If not, you have your revenge. Doesn't that satisfy you?

[sapphim]

given zevran's penchant for referring to the player character as "my dear warden" (and given that zevran frequently "my dear"s other people in dialogue as well) the only conclusion I can draw is that zevran will "my dear" just about anyone (any friends, most neutral-positive acquaintances, every bartender, all children, most elderly) and that he will specifically "my dear warden" just about any grey warden is his acquaintance, especially those who are, after all, his dear warden's dear wardens

he's making the rounds at vigil's keep daily like "greetings, my dear warden! ah, and my dear warden, you're looking especially lovely this morning. if you'll excuse me, I need to go find my dear warden." this is real to me

[sapphim]

I have a lot of opinions about wardens but anyway I imagine it would be desirable for warden keeps to be self-sufficient communities, and if that's the case than the vast majority of the population of the keep and surrounding support community would not be wardens. like, they need to eat to live, and if they're not buying that food they'd be growing it themselves, and that means they'd need people to tend the farms and gardens. they'd need craftspeople to make and repair armor, weapons, and other essential goods. they'd need people to clean. cleaning, maintenance, and sanitation work is as essential for life as food. do they have animals? do they have an apothecary? a brewery? you can't expect to put everyone in a community through the joining—that kills people!—and if you don't have a self-sufficient community then where are you getting the money to pay for the necessities of life, let alone the necessities of the job? I'm sure you can hire a few wardens to unofficially perform mercenary work, but officially? are they subsidized by the government of their locality? by weisshaupt? or do they make do.

[sapphim]

Mysterious selections of dialogue from the Finding Nathaniel quest. Good lord what is happening in there.

Hawke: [Why are you here?] Delilah says you followed my expedition's route. Why?

Nathaniel: You went further into the Deep Roads than anyone believed possible.

Nathaniel: The First Warden himself ordered this investigation. [Mysterious unused plot flag 257:]

Nathaniel: We have been sworn to secrecy. I cannot reveal more. [else:]

Nathaniel: I was offered a generous share of the salvage, plus extra coin up front to discourage any… curiosity.

—

Hawke: [What happened here?] It looks like you met heavy resistance. [Architect dead:]

Nathaniel: After the Warden-Commander killed the Architect, we thought it would be decades before the Deep Roads would be infested again. [Architect alive:]

Nathaniel: After the Warden-Commander spared the Architect, we thought the ensuing struggle among the darkspawn might make the Deep Roads safer.

Nathaniel: The Warden's allies assured us these tunnels would still be mostly clear.

Nathaniel: But it seems they were wrong.

Hawke: [Who are these allies?] They seem to know a great deal about darkspawn. Are these allies dwarves?

Nathaniel: No, not dwarves. It's… complicated. Let's just say we live in strange times.

Hawke: [The Architect?] Who is the Architect?

Nathaniel: The Architect was the first of the speaking and thinking darkspawn. Very dangerous.

Nathaniel: He spread his "gift" to other darkspawn—the disciples. Fortunately, their numbers are few.

—

Hawke: [Answer more questions first.] Before I help you, I'd like to know why the Wardens were here in the first place.

Nathaniel: I promised to keep some matters secret. I will not disgrace my family any further by oath-breaking.

Nathaniel: But you have my word your efforts will be well compensated.

—

Nathaniel: Temmerin. Good man! Are there any other survivors?

Temmerin: Hopefully up ahead.

Temmerin: Well met are strangers in the belly of the earth. [Mysterious unused plot flag 257:]

Temmerin: I hope Ser Fenley won't mind, but I set up the explosives here and there. [else:]

Temmerin: Hope you don't mind, Warden, but I set up the explosives here and there.

Temmerin: Figured I'd blow up as many of the 'spawn as I could before I embraced the stone.

Nathaniel: Temmerin, the way behind us is clear.

Nathaniel: Send word to the Wardens in case we don't make it.

—

Bethany: [rival] Are you here to "save" me again?

Nathaniel: You know each other?

Bethany: [S/he] is my [sister/brother].

Hawke: [Pull yourself together.] You're not dead yet. Shake it off! There's work to be done.

Bethany: [rival] You sound just like Ser Fenley—before the Children devoured him.

—

Nathaniel: I apologize I couldn't answer all your questions. You may have them yet, in the fullness of time.

Hawke: Stay safe, Nathaniel.

Nathaniel: You as well.

—

He's lying btw we will not have the answers in the fullness of time.

[sapphim]

we should talk about wardens putting dogs through joining. ever since I've read it in Last Flight I can't stop thinking about it.

Mabari war hounds could be put through the Joining with no worse effect than humans experienced. Some died, some survived and gained the immunities and attunements that Grey Wardens shared. It was believed that if they lived long enough, such hounds might also suffer the Calling, but if any dog had lived that long, Isseya had never heard of it. The lives of dogs were short, and war dogs’ even more so.

—Dragon Age: Last Flight, chapter 13

Hafter was the only one of them who’d slept well. Almost as soon as they’d set up the fire, the hound had curled up at his master’s feet and was snoring within minutes. Duncan liked how the dog’s feet twitched, and how he would occasionally huff like he was about to bark in his sleep. A dog’s dreams were probably about running through sunny meadows and barking at squirrels, which was the sort of dream that Duncan wouldn’t mind having himself. Then he remembered that Hafter was tainted just the same as the rest of the Grey Wardens. Perhaps his dreams were just as dark, and when he ran, he ran away from the frightening shadows that always lurked at the edges of a Grey Warden’s mind. He hoped he was wrong, for the dog’s sake.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, chapter 11

bro hey I had thought they were playing it just a touch coy about ~exactly~ how tainted the mabari was in the calling. I didn't realize last flight had Explicitly Confirmed Dog Joinings

it's a really interesting reflection of how wardens—geographically distant and granted near complete leeway in how they choose to operate—will use any tool available in the pursuit of their duty. even a perversion of an honored cultural tradition? sure, why not. the grey wardens have been banished from Ferelden for 200 years (Kell in the calling was an Avvar Ash Warrior before joining the Orlesian wardens) but what on earth did they get up to prior to that? aside from figuring out that prized war dogs could survive the joining ofc

I have long hc'd that goodest boy Barkspawn was not so much completely cured as... in a similar twilight-tainted state to the wardens. not cured, not a ghoul; secret third thing. (ofc the wardens add a pinch of blood magic to their transformation for that extra oomph. that little get-up-and-go juice)

the devs had apparently meant, in an earlier stage of development, for the player to be able to put more companions through the joining than just Loghain. awakening-style, I guess. nothing really gets explained in the base game until Riordan shows up, but yk. Soldier's Peak is right there. dog warden? dog warden.

[sapphim]

@pirateofrohan replied

did...did the dog accidentally do its own joining ritual? well, except for cousland's i guess. fuck.

So... What I wanted to say here is that I think it's probably fair to assume that, after the Joining, most Grey Wardens aren't putting themselves in a position to find out if further recreational consumption of darkspawn blood may confer any other benefits (such as healing their wounds). But honestly, knowing the Wardens? Not such a safe assumption after all!

But what about dogs? Well, we do know from the novels that mabari are just as capable of serving as Wardens as their people, such as Hafter and Kell in The Calling.

Then he remembered that Hafter was tainted just the same as the rest of the Grey Wardens. Perhaps his dreams were just as dark, and when he ran, he ran away from the frightening shadows that always lurked at the edges of a Grey Warden’s mind.

—Dragon Age: The Calling, ch. 11

That's a little ambiguous as to the exact nature of Hafter's... taint, but Last Flight confirmed that this can be accomplished by simply, you know, just putting the dog through the Joining, same as anyone else.

Mabari war hounds could be put through the Joining with no worse effect than humans experienced. Some died, some survived and gained the immunities and attunements that Grey Wardens shared. It was believed that if they lived long enough, such hounds might also suffer the Calling, but if any dog had lived that long, Isseya had never heard of it. The lives of dogs were short, and war dogs’ even more so.

—Dragon Age: Last Flight, ch. 13

(Which I suppose might now raise the question of: why did Duncan not put any war dogs through the Joining at Ostagar? Except I'm sure he could have made the reasonable assumption that this would be the final straw that would make Loghain start killing.)

As for whether or not the simple consumption of darkspawn blood could substitute as a bargain bin Joining ritual? Nnnnnot exactly. Generally that's how one becomes a ghoul, not a Grey Warden. The Joining ritual practiced by the Grey Wardens calls for a specific magical preparation, typically including preserved Archdemon blood. And, well, yeah! It wouldn't be simple, would it? By the time the Wardens developed their ritual, the nations of Thedas had been trying and failing to permanently kill Dumat for nearly a century.

Alistair: But I don't know how to do the Joining, or what's involved. I know it involves lyrium and some other magic, and that's it's really difficult to prepare. But that's it.

—Dragon Age: Origins, dialogue with Alistair

Riordan: Copies of the Joining ritual I rescued from our Denerim vault. Those should never be seen by any outside eyes, but I trust in their encryption. Warden: The Joining ritual? Can you induct other Grey Wardens? Riordan: Would that I could, for Ferelden sorely needs them. Riordan: But for the Joining to work, the recruit needs not only fresh darkspawn blood, but a drop of blood preserved from an archdemon.

—Dragon Age: Origins, dialogue during "Rescue the Queen"

Once the blood is collected, the Wardens add a single drop of Archdemon blood and use magic to make it at least remotely possible to consume. Archdemon blood is among the rarest substances in all Thedas, and it makes the Joining all the more exclusive a ritual. Older Wardens carry a small amount of it with them at all times. Normally, the taint within darkspawn blood can be lethal. Ingestion makes most ill. Adding Archdemon blood only intensifies the effect, rendering the mixture instantly lethal to most. A recruit who survives drinking the blood is considered worthy of the Order.

—World of Thedas Vol. 1, p. 151

Becoming a Grey Warden requires a dose of the darkspawn corruption in sufficient potency that it immediately affects someone, rather than slowly enough to sicken them. Archdemon blood can be used (though is understandably much rarer), but any darkspawn blood can be magically treated to make it work. We're talking about the concentration of the taint, and in a short span of time, and not just the quantity of blood. The reason Archdemon blood is used is because it's the easiest way to get the concentration required, but it's not the *only* way. Regardless, just drinking the blood of a normal, run-of-the-mill darkspawn isn't usually going to cut it -- that's why magical means are usually required.

—David Gaider, Bioware Forum, "Illegal Wardens all over Ferelden!" (Archive.org)

I mean, if you really think about it, the use of phylacteries is a type of blood magic. The Joining is a type of blood magic.

—David Gaider, Interview with David Gaider (7:35)

Interestingly! There were, at one time, plans that the Warden might have to put their Origins companions through the Joining (much as the Warden-Commander does in Awakening) as they succumbed to the taint, which ultimately had to be scrapped.

Until rather late in the development process, we had a plan to take the possibility of party members developing the darkspawn taint. This would have possibly meant them facing the Joining at the Landsmeet... and while this might have been an interesting development it would also have been costly. Eventually we sadly put it aside, along with other things like lyrium addiction.

—David Gaider, Bioware Forum, "Your companions and the Taint" (Archive.org)

> "Am I right in thinking that Dog is in more-or-less the same position as Hafter from The Calling?" Probably. Though whether Dog acquired the same resistance to the taint as Hafter is never proven, as we got rid of the "blight infection" mechanic.

—David Gaider, Bioware Forum, "Illegal Wardens all over Ferelden!" (Archive.org)

Since the "infection mechanic" got scrapped, the Barkspawn situation is left pretty ambiguous. He's certainly, uh, alive and kicking, with perhaps some... unusual benefits.

Buuuuuuut in a hypothetical alternate timeline, hey, maybe it would have been possible to put the mabari through the Joining on purpose? Orrrr maybe that one would have still been nixed in the storyboarding stage. ;)

While spattered with blood, one can ask Dog: "Can you do something about this gory mess?" Dog will happily bark and clean the blood from The Warden and is slightly healed for doing so.

excuse me??????

[sapphim]

the normalcy meter for grey wardens is so fucking broken. they see and do the most wild shit all day every day and have no clue how the rest of us live. anders in a cut DA2 quest runs into some more of the architect's talking darkspawn just slumming it in kirkwall's undercity and he's just like "huh! I don't think you're supposed to be here! aren't you supposed to be elsewhere!" and from the perspective of any rational person with a reasonable worldview it's like hey anders what the fuck. do darkspawn talk now? what the fuck. is this normal to you? what's going on please explain. hey anders what did you mean by elsewhere??? where elsewhere??? how about nowhere. I think these things belong nowhere actually. anders??? anders have you noticed the darkspawn fucking talks???

like he's got the warden brainrot for sure.

[sapphim]

that minor retcon/revision of alistair's "30 years" line. that 30 years from your joining to your calling is the best possible case one might hope for, but worst case a warden joined during a prolonged active blight might only make it five. surely the best possible prognosis would require abstaining from warden activity entirely. certainly spending one's life surrounded by taint and death, regularly fighting darkspawn, would slowly but surely progress one's march toward death, or worse.

perhaps five, ten years down the line, anders, or an alistair whose time is occupied by his duties as king, might not seem altogether that much different from when they were joined. when compared to their former compatriots, still serving all those years on the front lines against the darkspawn, well...

[sapphim]

I cannot overstate the degree to which a bear would be the most unhinged possible thing I, as a normal fereldan citizen, could encounter alongside the grey wardens. I'd be EXPECTING spooky blight bullshit. if I was like "hey that guy over there is giving me the heebie jeebies what's his deal" and the answer was "oh he's a darkspawn. he talks. his name is the messenger. and he's our friend" I would be like "cool! okay! fine! why not!" (← sweating profusely) I would not actually be fine with it, but it would MAKE SENSE.

learning that a senior warden is a disney princess who frolicks in the woods with wild animals and has a pet bear would deeply unsettle me to my core. it would be LESS upsetting if it were a spookyweird blighted bear or if he summoned the spirit of a bear from the fade or some shit than if it were just a perfectly normal-looking bear he trained to eat darkspawn. I know what a bear is! I've seen fucking bears, preferably from as far away as possible! what sort of maniac has a bear!!!

it would be akin to witnessing the inquisitor charging in to battle on a fucking moose. the hand glowing and crackling with all the incredible power of the fade is one thing. I am not prepared to emotionally process that thing. but christ, fuck off with the moose!!!

[sapphim]

grey warden work songs sung in time with the call of the old gods... ough

[sapphim]

I feel like the messenger deserves an honorary warden commission. I don't know what his job would be but I feel like someone should say to him, hey man, great job, we uhh really appreciate what you're trying to do here, but we would like to minimize the number of random travelers on the road who mysteriously turn into ghouls so we would love to uhhh give you a job, with us, if you would like. love u.

[sapphim]

#my FAVORITE thing about the deep roads that REALLY doesn't come across in gameplay is that you head in #and then nobody sees nor hears hide nor hair from you for like a MONTH

i said this on the other post but it's TRUE it's rife for DRAMA. this is no longer my canon timeline but at one point I had it that my wardens did the landsmeet before paragon of her kind, at which point alistair left the party to stay in denerim and act as king because he was upset about being overruled on the decision to recruit loghain and refused to travel with him, and then they popped off to quickly kick in the doors of orzammar and wrangle them into submission (eydis aeducan was a bit over-optimistic there) which resulted in the party just disappearing off the face of the planet and it was like A MONTH AND A HALF of radio silence before they were able to get word of their success back to denerim and the entire time alistair was shaking crying throwing up tearing his hair out because his very dearest friends in the world were all DEAD FOREVER and the last thing he'd said to them was I HATE YOUR STUPID FACES AND NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. god. iconic worst month of alistair's entire life. like I said this is no longer remotely anything like my canon timeline but I still think about it often.