DearestEnemy
New Recruit
Elissa
The last few days have been the most awful and memorable of my life. I'm a different person now. Changed, in more ways than one. If you had told me just a week ago that I would be one of the few that Ferelden is relying on to save them from the darkspawn, I would have thought you were crazy. Now, here I am; leading a small group of people around the country to try and unite them for battle.
I suppose everything started the day that my brother, Fergus, left our home with father's men to help fight the darkspawn in Ostagar. Father had promised to follow behind him, but would wait and join Arl Howe's men when they arrived at our castle. Howe had been staying with us and promised that they shouldn't be more than a day away. There had been another visitor at the castle that day too. Duncan - a Grey Warden. I had no idea at the time how important a role he would play in my life.
Hunter, my Mabari hound, had woken me in the middle of the night, barking at the door before it had flown open and one of the servants fell through, an arrow in his chest. That traitorous bastard, Arl Howe, had called an attack on the castle while Father's men were on their way to Ostagar! Mother, who had always been strong, had fought her way to me only for us to find Fergus' wife and son murdered in their rooms. My nephew, only a child, and the closest person I had to a sister. Dead. I'd had to drag Mother from the room. It was clear that Howe wanted to kill everyone in the castle. He wasn't even taking prisoners.
Mother and I had raced through the halls in search of Father, taking down as many of Howe's men as we could. We found him at the servant's entrance - the only way out now that the Arl had the castle surrounded. He was bleeding so badly, Maker, I don't know how he'd managed to get drag himself there. We tried to get him to his feet but he pushed our hands away and told us he wouldn't make it outside, let alone to safety. I got angry, as I always do when I'm upset. I told him to try; that he couldn't just give up.
Duncan had arrived then, covered in almost as much blood as Father, though he seemed unhurt. He promised Father he would get us to safety, providing that he be allowed to recruit me as a Grey Warden. "Anything," I'd told him. "Just help us."
Mother started objecting. She insisted that she stay with Father while he died; that she'd kill anyone that walked through the door to give us time to escape. I couldn't believe what she was saying. I couldn't leave them both here! They'd be dead within the hour!
"Someone needs to tell Fergus what happened," Mother insisted, pushing me back to Duncan. "Howe needs to pay for what he's done."
I still can't believe what I did next...really, I can't. I told them both I loved them and I left, letting Duncan drag me out of the servant's entrance and out of Highever... It fills me with shame when I think back on it. I should never have gone. I should have stayed to fight. Maybe Mother would still be alive if I had only stayed and protected her. At the very least, I should have sent her with Duncan. How could I have been so selfish as to leave them there to die?
I will kill Arl Howe for what he's done.
**
It took two days to get to Ostagar. I was calmer then, not so filled with hate and grief. Duncan had mostly left me to myself while we'd traveled and I was able to gain a handle on my emotions again and think about finding Fergus. Maybe he'd leave the fight against the darkspawn and we'd hunt down Howe together, I'd thought, but my plans were not to go ahead. As soon as we arrived in Ostagar, Duncan and I met the King. I told him what had happened to my family and he promised that Howe would pay for his betrayal. I liked King Cailan almost right away. He did deliver some bad news, however; that Fergus had been sent to patrol the Wilds for darkspawn and was unlikely to return anytime soon.
Duncan didn't give me much time to feel sorry for myself. He sent me to find another Grey Warden called Alistair, before joining him again to begin preparations for the ritual I would have to undergo to become a Warden. I'd never heard of a ritual before, and later on it became apparent why. He took Hunter with him, and I headed in the direction he pointed out.
I found Alistair mid argument with one of the mages. Right off the bat, I took a liking to him. He was being cheeky, and glided along the Mage's harsh words with sarcastic humor, not letting any of it effect him. It didn't really hurt that he was handsome, too. Once the mage had left, and the argument was over, Alistair turned to me and grinned.
"You know, one good thing about the Blight is that it brings everyone together," he said sarcastically. It caught me off guard, and I laughed for the first time in two days. I quickly sobered up, however, when the guilt set in that I was laughing while my parents were laying, dead, in our family home. He asked if I was Duncan's newest recruit and introduced himself before telling me that he would be accompanying me and two other recruits while we prepared for the joining.
"You know," he went on, as we made our way back to Duncan. "There have never been many women Grey Wardens. I wonder why that is." He sounded thoughtful, and looked ahead of him while he spoke.
"You want more women in the Wardens, do you?" I asked, teasing him a little. I figured it wouldn't hurt to make a friend. Especially a Grey Warden friend since I would be spending all of my time with them, now.
"Would that be so terrible?" he asked, grinning again, before backtracking and looking a little flustered. "Not that I'm some drooling lecher, or anything. Please don't look at me like that."
I'd smiled and waved him off and he'd looked relieved that I'd only been teasing him. The rest of the conversation was light and we soon joined Duncan again. There were two more recruits, two men, and the three of us and Alistair were sent out into the Kokari Wilds. There we had to battle some darkspawn - I'd never seen any before - and retrieve three vials of their blood. Duncan also asked if we could search for the Warden's treaties that had been lost in the Wilds. These papers were written promises from all parts of Ferelden, that should there ever be another blight; every region of Ferelden should offer their aid to the Wardens. It wasn't necessary but if we happened across them, we should bring them back.
The darkspawn were pretty terrifying. I'd never seen anything so hideous and frightening in my life. They took a bit of an effort to kill but we found that the more we killed, the easier it became. We managed to get three vials of the blood, though it had been really difficult without actually touching any of it, and on our way back we stumbled across the ruins of the tower that Duncan had mentioned. We'd found the chest that was supposed to hold the treaties, but it was smashed apart and empty. A woman had appeared, out of nowhere, and questioned us as to what we were doing here. She was very beautiful, but obviously not pleased that we were there. One of the recruits said she could be one of the Witches of the Wilds. I hadn't heard much of the story but I gathered it wasn't a good thing. She introduced herself as Morrigan. Alistair, who seemed to hate her almost as soon as he laid eyes on her, informed her that he was a Grey Warden and she asked if we were here for the treaties. Alistair accused her of being "a sneaky witch-thief" - which she teased him about - but she insisted that it was her mother who had taken them, not she. Reluctantly, we'd taken her up on her offer to find her mother and ask her for the treaties, instead.
When we arrived at the hut in which Morrigan and her mother lived, we were met by a very old woman who claimed to be expecting us. After teasing Morrigan and saying some rather ominous and mostly unhelpful things, she did hand over the treaties, claiming she had been protecting them. We thanked her and left, escorted by Morrigan back to the entrance of Ostagar, at which point she returned to her mother.
We'd found our way back to Duncan and gave him everything we'd collected, before moving to the area I had found Alistair. Here we waited for the ritual to begin. Alistair had remained with us, looking more solemn than before and it unsettled me. Obviously what was to come would not be pleasant. When Duncan returned he was holding a chalice. He told us that we could not go back now and that we had to go through with the Joining, no matter what. He explained that we must consume the blood of the darkspawn to become a Grey Warden. This shocked the three of us. Darkspawn blood is poisonous! It was a death sentence. Duncan insisted we continue, not giving us any other options. He asked Alistair to speak before we began. Something of a tradition, I think.
"Join us brothers and sisters. Join us as we stand in the shadows, vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn, and should you perish, know that your sacrifice shall not be forgotten...and that, one day, we shall join you."
Daveth was the first recruit to drink. He didn't show any fear and I had admired his bravery. I didn't expect him to fall to his knees but he did, clutching his head and screaming. His death was quick, but painful. I couldn't believe he'd died so easily. Maker's breath, how my hands had shook with fear as we looked down at his body. What a waste of life.
"I am sorry, Daveth," Duncan had murmured, before turning the Chalice towards Ser Jory. He had backed up, terrified, claiming there was no glory to be had here. He begged Duncan not to have him drink; that he had a wife and child at home, and had drawn his sword. Duncan had taken out his own blade and killed him. I could scarcely believe what I was seeing. Death seemed to be the only result from all of this. Still, I didn't have a choice. When Duncan had held out the chalice to me, I took it and reluctantly drank.
The pain was blinding, white hot and filled with terrifying nightmares of a dragon. It was only when I had opened my eyes and saw that Alistair and Duncan were looking down on me that I realized I had passed out. And survived, Maker knows how. They had helped me to my feet and Alistair gave me a vial of darkspawn blood to wear around my neck. The Warden's Oath, he called it, to remember those that did not make it. I was officially a Grey Warden.
Duncan had been called away then to hear the decision of the meeting between King Cailan and Loghain, who was Cailan's father in law and battle adviser. King Cailan and the Wardens would step into battle against the darkspawn, first. They were fast approaching and we needed to prepare at once. Alistair and I were to go to the top of the Tower of Ishal and light the signal, signing for Loghain to bring his men into the fight, next. Everyone had believed there would be more than enough men to make the darkspawn back off Ostagar. Alistair had been upset that he could not fight alongside his brothers, but it turned out to be the best option for the both of us. It's the only reason that we are still alive, today.
Though there had been an invasion of darkspawn in the Tower, Alistair, Hunter and I had made it to the top without too much difficulty. We had lit the signal and watched out of the window, waiting for Loghain's troops to march in. Only...they didn't. They Warden's were going down. The King was going down. There were simply too many darkspawn now that Loghain's men had not joined the battle.
Then we were ambushed by darkspawn. I hadn't been expecting it and I was shot down, three arrows in my shoulder. The last thing I had seen was Alistair rushing forward before darkness claimed me
**
When I awoke, Morrigan was sitting on the bed I was laid in. She had explained that her mother, who was now claiming to be Flemeth - from the legends - had saved Alistair and I from the tower. Morrigan had teased me when I asked how she had done that, by claiming she had turned into a giant bird and plucked us both out of the tower; one in each talon. I had been so relieved that Alistair had survived, and Hunter too if the barking was anything to go by, that I didn't even care that I didn't get a real answer. I had dressed, quickly. My wounds were all but healed, though I had been out for almost three days. Morrigan had told me that Alistair, which she described as "the suspicious, dim-witted one", had been awake since the day before, and was not taking the news of the battle well. Morrigan confirmed that Loghain had quit the field and all the Wardens had been massacred, along with King Cailan. I thanked her for her help and made my way outside to find him.
"See, here is your fellow Grey Warden. You worry too much, young man," the old woman, Flemeth, spoke as I had stepped up to the fire. Alistair had turned around, looking worse for wear, but seemed relieved to see me. Morrigan had been right. He really wasn't taking it well. There were red marks beneath his eyes and his face was drawn and pained.
"You. You're alive. I thought you were dead, for sure," he had whispered and took a step towards me. "Duncan's dead, the Grey Wardens, even the King. They're all...dead. Oh, this doesn't seem real. If it weren't for Morrigan's mother...we'd be dead on top of that tower."
"Do not talk about me as if I am not present, Lad," Flemeth scolded and Alistair apologized. I thought it was unfair of her to pick on him when it was clear he was about to break down. Still, she had saved us so I supposed we couldn't complain too much. She had told us that, now, it was up to us to slay the Archedemon and end the Blight. We were the remaining two Grey Wardens and only we could do it. No pressure, right? Of course we couldn't do it alone, and Alistair had suggested that we use the treaties go and create an army big enough to take on the Blight. I had asked him if we could find other Wardens, outside Ferelden, but he had shook his head and told me that they were too far away and that even if we did locate them, it would be too late to save Ferelden. So, it seems, we're on our own for now.
We had just been about to leave when Flemeth had stopped us and insisted we take Morrigan with us. Morrigan had not been happy with this, but it seemed she had little choice. Flemeth insisted that without her, we would fail in our task. Alistair was reluctant to accept this, but I had insisted that we need all the help we can get.
I can just see Lothering now. It will be a relief to be back in civilization again. As grateful as I am to Morrigan and her mother, the Wilds are dark and unsettling and I look forward to a hot meal and a warm bed before all of the madness begins.
--
A Rough Guide to Dragon Age
Humans: The most numerous, yet the most divided of all the races. Only four times have they ever united under a single cause, the last being centuries ago. Religion and the Chantry (the church) play a large part in human society. It distinguishes them culturally from the elves and dwarves more than anything else. Humans can be warriors, rogues or mages.
Dwarves: Rigidly bound by tradition, the dwarves have been waging a losing war for generations, trying to protect the last stronghold of their once vast underground empire from the darkspawn. Dwarves are very tough and have a high resistance to all forms of magic, thus preventing them from becoming mages. They can be both rogues and warriors. Dwarves that live outside of Orzammar or 'on the surface' are considered almost exiled. They become 'casteless' which means that they essentially lose their dwarven citizenship. Those that do live in Orzammar, follow the profession of their same sex parent. This is their 'caste'.
Elves: Once enslaved by humans, most elves have all but lost their culture. Scrounging an impoverished living in the slums of human cities. Only the nomadic Dalish tribes still cling to their traditions, living by the bow and the rule of their old gods as they roam the ancient forests, welcome nowhere else. Elves can be warriors, rogues or mages. The Dalish elves still hold onto some of their elven language, though it has been mostly lost and many city elves know none of it at all.
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Warrior: Warriors are powerful fighters, focusing on melee and ranged weapons to deal with their foes. They can withstand and deliver a great deal of punishment, and have a strong understanding of tactics and strategy. They usually use two handed weapons like axes or war-hammers, or the usual sword and shield. They wear heavy armor.
Mage: As dangerous as it is potent, magic is a curse for those lacking the will to wield it. Malevolent spirits that wish to enter the world of the living are drawn to mages like beacons, putting the mage and everyone nearby in constant danger. Because of this, mages often lead lives of isolation, locked away from the world they threaten in the Circle of Magi, and protected from themselves by Templars. Those that refuse to join the Circle are called Apostates and are hunted by the Templars. The weapon of a mage, is their staff. They use it to wield magic of the elements, among other things. (whatever you want, just don't get too powerful). They do not wear armour but robes that have been enchanted to help protect them in a fight.
Rogue: Rogues are skilled adventurers who come from all walks of life. All rogues possess some skill in picking locks and spotting traps, making them valuable assets to any party. Tactically, they are not ideal for front line fighters, but if a rogue can circle around behind their target, they can back-stab to devastating effects. They are often also skilled at coercion and persuasion. Rogues wear light armour so that they can move quickly and their weapons are usually either daggers, or bows and crossbows.
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Ferelden: This is essentially the country that all of the characters live in. It's set in Medieval times so take that into consideration in regards to facilities and the way people speak. Ferelden was once ruled by King Maric, who freed the country from Orlesian rule. Orlais is a country close to Ferelden. Maric's reign was followed by his son; King Cailan, and is now under rule of Queen Anora, Cailan's wife. This is subject to change as the story goes on, however. Nobility is important in Ferelden and hold some weight in making decisions where the King or Queen cannot. Arls and Teyrns in respective order of importance. Having a title like this often means that the family have a lot of land and rule over a specific area of the country.
Highever: Highever is Elissa's (my character's) hometown. Her family were noble and her father, Bryce Cousland, was the Teyrn. This meant that he owned most of the land in the region of Highever and ruled it under the King. He had an army; men of the people living in the region, and would often go into battle with them when the King called for it. Highever has now been taken over by Arl Howe, the Arl of Denerim and previous family friend of the Couslands.
Ostagar: This is where the battle against the darkspawn took place and where so many lives were lost. Duncan brought Elissa here once they'd escaped from Highever. It was here that Loghain betrayed the King and called off his army; leaving both the Grey Wardens and King Cailan to die.
Lothering: This is where our story will begin and where everyone will meet and join the group. After the battle at Ostagar, many refugees have fled to Lothering in search of a place to stay and keep safe. It wont take the darkspawn long to reach Lothering, and everyone is encouraged to move on as quickly as possible so as not to be killed when they arrive. The town is packed full of escapees and the group will have to move out soon enough and continue on their way.
RedCliff: Redcliff is the home of Arl Eamon and where Alistair spent most of his life as a child. While small, it is the centre of trade and shipping and is an important part of Ferelden. It is considered highly, despite it's size, and surrounding regions will often come to it's aid when asked.
Lake Calenhad: On one side of Lake Calenhad sits the Tower of Magi. This tower is one of the places where apprentice mages are trained by experienced Circle Mages under the constant watch of the templars.
Denerim: Denerim is the capitol of Ferelden. No other region rivals it in size, wealthy or importance. It is the meeting place of all important events and holdings and the home of the late King Cailan. Denerim is also believed to be the birthplace of Andraste, the Maker's bride.
Orzammar: Orzammar is the underground Dwarven kingdom. It, too, has recently lost it's King and there is currently a fierce democratic war between two dwarves on who should take his place. This is the birthplace of most dwarves, and the majority of them spend their whole lives underground. There is a common fear among dwarves that if they step outside they will fall into the sky. Orzammar is the closest region to the darkspawn, because they come from underground. They are constantly in battle with darkspawn to prevent them from coming into the city and destroying their kingdom.
Brecillian Forest: On the outskirts of the forest live the Dalish elves. The Dalish are the only tribe left in Ferelden that hold onto their traditions and what little of their history the have left. The Dalish are often unwelcome everywhere and so stick to the forests. Not all elves are from the Dalish, however, and those that aren't live in the slums of the cities if they're not travelers.
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The Darkspawn: The darkspawn are a race of mostly-humanoid creatures that dwell underground. They are hidiously disfigured and all but oozing flesh and bones. According to the Chantry, they were created when the people of Thedas opened a portal into the Golden City, tainting the realm of the Maker with their corruption. They returned as darkspawn, their evil disfiguring them into the monsters they became. They desire purpose and seek out an Archedemon, a very powerful creature that takes the shape of a dragon. The Archedemon leads them in an attack against the surface world, called a Blight. The darkspawn are the greatest threat to all of Thedas; they are bloodthirsty, exceptionally numerous and willing to indiscriminately kill or corrupt all in their path. The blood of darkspawn is incredibly poisonous. If a person is tainted with their blood, they endure a slow and painful death, losing their sanity along the way.
The Grey Wardens: The Grey Wardens are an ancient organization of warriors of exceptional ability, dedicated to fighting darkspawn throughout the world of Thedas. They maintain a presence in most nations but have all but been wiped out in Ferelden, thanks to the most recent battle in Ostagar. The Grey Wardens are known for ignoring a recruit's racial, social, national and even criminal background if they deem the person valuable in terms of character or ability. Despite their small numbers, the Grey Wardens have been instrumental in defeating each Blight so far, and are therefore vital to the survival of the world as a whole. The reason they are so valuable, is because only a Grey Warden can defeat the Archedemon by cutting off it's head.
When Griffins still existed, the Grey Wardens would ride them into battle which would make things easier when battling the Archedemon. Now, however, they have to do without.
To become part of the Grey Wardens, a recruit must first go through a ritual called the Joining. The Joining is incredibly secret and once you've agreed to be recruited you cannot back out. One of the reasons for the small number of Grey Wardens is that few can survive the ritual. The recruits must drink from a goblet containing a mixture of darkspawn blood and other ingredients. Few survive this, but those that do live to become Grey Wardens - forever connected to the darkspawn and forever tainted by the blood they consumed.
The Joining grants Grey Wardens several abilities; their link to the darkspawn allows them to detect the presence of darkspawn and they become immune to further corruption by the Blight. They do, however, suffer from incredible nightmares (sometimes prophetic things about the darkspawn and Archedemon), ravenous hunger, and shortened lifespans. Wardens only have thirty years to live from the day of their Joining.
The Wardens are expected to be incredibly loyal to their cause. It comes first, above all else. They must stop a Blight no matter the cost. Alistair, in particular, is a perfect example of this. They also hold treaties that allow them to ask for all regions to join them in a fight against the Blight. The asked party are unable to refuse to help if they have the resources and men available.
The Circle of Magi: The Circle is allowed to take any child (usually from age 6 to 12) from their families as soon as they show signs of magical ability. Even a royal child would be taken by the Circle should they show magical ability. The Circle then raises the child until they are a young adult, at which time they must go through a process called the Harrowing or become Tranquil. The Harrowing is a test that every mage apprentice must go through to become a full Circle mage. The test involves the apprentice entering the Fade - a world where people go while they sleep and when they die. It is here that demons reside. Once in the Fade, the mage apprentice must face and overcome a demon who wishes to posses the mage's body and enter the living realm. If the mage apprentice succeeds in resisting the demon, they are granted the title of mage and become a full member of the Circle of Magi. However, if the mage is overwhelmed by the demon, or takes too long to complete the task, the mage is killed by a group of templars who are standing by so the mage does not become an abomination (a person possessed by a demon.) To be made Tranquil is one of the worst fates for a mage. Their mind is affected by magic so that they are relieved of any and all emotions and will do exactly as they are asked. They essentially become an empty vessel of a person. Tranquils are created out of mages that do not prove worthy enough to go through with the Harrowing. Some apostates are forced to become one of the Tranquil if they are found by any Templars.
Apostates: Apostates are mages that refuse to go to the Circle once they learn of their magical abilities. They spend most of their lives running from the templars. They can be incredibly dangerous due to the possible use of blood magic. Blood magic is, essentially, the use of blood to power their magical abilities. It's a dark kind of magic, forbidden by the Chantry and looked down upon by almost all of Ferelden. Blood magic allows a mage to contact and summon demons. The sentence for a Blood Mage is death.
Templars: Templars are essentially the keeper of mages. They make sure that they are following the rules and they are responsible for the death or tranquility of any mage who breaks the rules of the Circle. They are loyal to the Chantry and once a person becomes a Templar, they are one for life. No going back, just like the Grey Wardens. They consume lyrium in order to gain the power to cleanse an area of magic and keep the mages in control. Lyrium is addictive, however, and will draw a person to madness in the end.
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Human Belief: The humans have a god which they call 'The Maker'. According to the Chantry (which is essentially the church), the Maker chose Andraste - a mere human - as his bride. Only women can become priests in Ferelden.
Dwarven Belief: The dwarves worship Paragons. Paragons are people of incredible importance and significance and are often celebrated as 'gods' even before they die.
Elven Belief: The Dalish believe in old gods, rather than the Maker.
--
King Cailan: Son of the legendary King Maric Theirin, Cailan was the first Ferelden king born into a land free from foreign rule in two generations. Since his father's death, he's held the throne alongside his queen, Anora. He fell in battle alongside Duncan at Ostagar. While he was not the most intelligent king, he was a fair and passionate one. He trusted Loghain, only to be betrayed when it was most important.
Queen Anora: King Cailan's Wife and only child of war 'hero' Loghain. She is the Queen of Ferelden, for now, and is allowing her father to essentially run Ferelden. She believes, initially, that he is doing what is best for the people of Ferelden.
Duncan: Like many others, Duncan gave up his family name when he joined the ranks of the Wardens; a symbolic gesture of cutting ties. He was given the almost impossible task of leading the Wardens in Ferelden - a kingdom that had thrown the order out two hundred years earlier. Facing local suspicion and hostility he set about finding recruits. He was killed in battle against an overwhelming number of darkspawn at Ostagar, alongside King Cailan.
Flemeth: Flemeth, Morrigan's mother, is believed to have been alive for centuries. There are frightening stories about her existence and how she had many daughters - the Witches of the Wilds - who would do evil things to anyone who happened across their path while in the Kokari Wilds. Morrigan is, however, her only daughter at present. Flemeth saved the two Grey Wardens from where they fought the darkspawn on top of the Tower of Ishal. It is clear that she had a reason for doing so, though nobody yet knows why. Or why she sent Morrigan with the Grey Warden's, for that matter.
Loghain Mac Tir: As King Cailan's father in law, and known for his success in war, Loghain was the brains behind the battle of Ostagar. However, instead of bringing in his men to fight at the signal, Loghain told his soldiers to retreat and fled the field, leaving King Cailan and the Grey Wardens to die. He then returned to Denerim and declared himself the regent to his daughter, Queen Anora, demanding that Ferelden follow him against the darkspawn - upsetting a great many of the noble families. His actions have sparked a civil war. Loghain's men will find themselves fighting their neighbors who blame Loghain for the death of their King and all but two of the Grey Wardens.
Arl Rendon Howe: Arl Howe, Arl of Denerim, had always been very close friends with the Cousland Family. Particularly, Elissa's father Bryce. They had fought many battles together and it was when Teyrn Cousland had sent him men out to join the King in Ostagar that Howe saw the perfect chance to attack. He massacred everyone in the castle, taking no prisoners, and only Elissa survived. He now claims rule over Highever and has gained nothing but distrust from his peers and fellow noblemen.
Arl Eamon Geurrin: Eamon was the brother of King Cailan's mother, the late Queen Rowan. He resides in RedCliffe with his wife Isolde. Together they have a son, Connor. He is popular, and holds a great deal of influence and support with the nobility and the Bannorn - enough to make himself be viewed as a threat by other powerful nobles. Eamon's younger brother is Bann Teagan who also lives in RedCliffe. Alistair consideres the two men his uncle, of sorts.
--
The last few days have been the most awful and memorable of my life. I'm a different person now. Changed, in more ways than one. If you had told me just a week ago that I would be one of the few that Ferelden is relying on to save them from the darkspawn, I would have thought you were crazy. Now, here I am; leading a small group of people around the country to try and unite them for battle.
I suppose everything started the day that my brother, Fergus, left our home with father's men to help fight the darkspawn in Ostagar. Father had promised to follow behind him, but would wait and join Arl Howe's men when they arrived at our castle. Howe had been staying with us and promised that they shouldn't be more than a day away. There had been another visitor at the castle that day too. Duncan - a Grey Warden. I had no idea at the time how important a role he would play in my life.
Hunter, my Mabari hound, had woken me in the middle of the night, barking at the door before it had flown open and one of the servants fell through, an arrow in his chest. That traitorous bastard, Arl Howe, had called an attack on the castle while Father's men were on their way to Ostagar! Mother, who had always been strong, had fought her way to me only for us to find Fergus' wife and son murdered in their rooms. My nephew, only a child, and the closest person I had to a sister. Dead. I'd had to drag Mother from the room. It was clear that Howe wanted to kill everyone in the castle. He wasn't even taking prisoners.
Mother and I had raced through the halls in search of Father, taking down as many of Howe's men as we could. We found him at the servant's entrance - the only way out now that the Arl had the castle surrounded. He was bleeding so badly, Maker, I don't know how he'd managed to get drag himself there. We tried to get him to his feet but he pushed our hands away and told us he wouldn't make it outside, let alone to safety. I got angry, as I always do when I'm upset. I told him to try; that he couldn't just give up.
Duncan had arrived then, covered in almost as much blood as Father, though he seemed unhurt. He promised Father he would get us to safety, providing that he be allowed to recruit me as a Grey Warden. "Anything," I'd told him. "Just help us."
Mother started objecting. She insisted that she stay with Father while he died; that she'd kill anyone that walked through the door to give us time to escape. I couldn't believe what she was saying. I couldn't leave them both here! They'd be dead within the hour!
"Someone needs to tell Fergus what happened," Mother insisted, pushing me back to Duncan. "Howe needs to pay for what he's done."
I still can't believe what I did next...really, I can't. I told them both I loved them and I left, letting Duncan drag me out of the servant's entrance and out of Highever... It fills me with shame when I think back on it. I should never have gone. I should have stayed to fight. Maybe Mother would still be alive if I had only stayed and protected her. At the very least, I should have sent her with Duncan. How could I have been so selfish as to leave them there to die?
I will kill Arl Howe for what he's done.
**
It took two days to get to Ostagar. I was calmer then, not so filled with hate and grief. Duncan had mostly left me to myself while we'd traveled and I was able to gain a handle on my emotions again and think about finding Fergus. Maybe he'd leave the fight against the darkspawn and we'd hunt down Howe together, I'd thought, but my plans were not to go ahead. As soon as we arrived in Ostagar, Duncan and I met the King. I told him what had happened to my family and he promised that Howe would pay for his betrayal. I liked King Cailan almost right away. He did deliver some bad news, however; that Fergus had been sent to patrol the Wilds for darkspawn and was unlikely to return anytime soon.
Duncan didn't give me much time to feel sorry for myself. He sent me to find another Grey Warden called Alistair, before joining him again to begin preparations for the ritual I would have to undergo to become a Warden. I'd never heard of a ritual before, and later on it became apparent why. He took Hunter with him, and I headed in the direction he pointed out.
I found Alistair mid argument with one of the mages. Right off the bat, I took a liking to him. He was being cheeky, and glided along the Mage's harsh words with sarcastic humor, not letting any of it effect him. It didn't really hurt that he was handsome, too. Once the mage had left, and the argument was over, Alistair turned to me and grinned.
"You know, one good thing about the Blight is that it brings everyone together," he said sarcastically. It caught me off guard, and I laughed for the first time in two days. I quickly sobered up, however, when the guilt set in that I was laughing while my parents were laying, dead, in our family home. He asked if I was Duncan's newest recruit and introduced himself before telling me that he would be accompanying me and two other recruits while we prepared for the joining.
"You know," he went on, as we made our way back to Duncan. "There have never been many women Grey Wardens. I wonder why that is." He sounded thoughtful, and looked ahead of him while he spoke.
"You want more women in the Wardens, do you?" I asked, teasing him a little. I figured it wouldn't hurt to make a friend. Especially a Grey Warden friend since I would be spending all of my time with them, now.
"Would that be so terrible?" he asked, grinning again, before backtracking and looking a little flustered. "Not that I'm some drooling lecher, or anything. Please don't look at me like that."
I'd smiled and waved him off and he'd looked relieved that I'd only been teasing him. The rest of the conversation was light and we soon joined Duncan again. There were two more recruits, two men, and the three of us and Alistair were sent out into the Kokari Wilds. There we had to battle some darkspawn - I'd never seen any before - and retrieve three vials of their blood. Duncan also asked if we could search for the Warden's treaties that had been lost in the Wilds. These papers were written promises from all parts of Ferelden, that should there ever be another blight; every region of Ferelden should offer their aid to the Wardens. It wasn't necessary but if we happened across them, we should bring them back.
The darkspawn were pretty terrifying. I'd never seen anything so hideous and frightening in my life. They took a bit of an effort to kill but we found that the more we killed, the easier it became. We managed to get three vials of the blood, though it had been really difficult without actually touching any of it, and on our way back we stumbled across the ruins of the tower that Duncan had mentioned. We'd found the chest that was supposed to hold the treaties, but it was smashed apart and empty. A woman had appeared, out of nowhere, and questioned us as to what we were doing here. She was very beautiful, but obviously not pleased that we were there. One of the recruits said she could be one of the Witches of the Wilds. I hadn't heard much of the story but I gathered it wasn't a good thing. She introduced herself as Morrigan. Alistair, who seemed to hate her almost as soon as he laid eyes on her, informed her that he was a Grey Warden and she asked if we were here for the treaties. Alistair accused her of being "a sneaky witch-thief" - which she teased him about - but she insisted that it was her mother who had taken them, not she. Reluctantly, we'd taken her up on her offer to find her mother and ask her for the treaties, instead.
When we arrived at the hut in which Morrigan and her mother lived, we were met by a very old woman who claimed to be expecting us. After teasing Morrigan and saying some rather ominous and mostly unhelpful things, she did hand over the treaties, claiming she had been protecting them. We thanked her and left, escorted by Morrigan back to the entrance of Ostagar, at which point she returned to her mother.
We'd found our way back to Duncan and gave him everything we'd collected, before moving to the area I had found Alistair. Here we waited for the ritual to begin. Alistair had remained with us, looking more solemn than before and it unsettled me. Obviously what was to come would not be pleasant. When Duncan returned he was holding a chalice. He told us that we could not go back now and that we had to go through with the Joining, no matter what. He explained that we must consume the blood of the darkspawn to become a Grey Warden. This shocked the three of us. Darkspawn blood is poisonous! It was a death sentence. Duncan insisted we continue, not giving us any other options. He asked Alistair to speak before we began. Something of a tradition, I think.
"Join us brothers and sisters. Join us as we stand in the shadows, vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn, and should you perish, know that your sacrifice shall not be forgotten...and that, one day, we shall join you."
Daveth was the first recruit to drink. He didn't show any fear and I had admired his bravery. I didn't expect him to fall to his knees but he did, clutching his head and screaming. His death was quick, but painful. I couldn't believe he'd died so easily. Maker's breath, how my hands had shook with fear as we looked down at his body. What a waste of life.
"I am sorry, Daveth," Duncan had murmured, before turning the Chalice towards Ser Jory. He had backed up, terrified, claiming there was no glory to be had here. He begged Duncan not to have him drink; that he had a wife and child at home, and had drawn his sword. Duncan had taken out his own blade and killed him. I could scarcely believe what I was seeing. Death seemed to be the only result from all of this. Still, I didn't have a choice. When Duncan had held out the chalice to me, I took it and reluctantly drank.
The pain was blinding, white hot and filled with terrifying nightmares of a dragon. It was only when I had opened my eyes and saw that Alistair and Duncan were looking down on me that I realized I had passed out. And survived, Maker knows how. They had helped me to my feet and Alistair gave me a vial of darkspawn blood to wear around my neck. The Warden's Oath, he called it, to remember those that did not make it. I was officially a Grey Warden.
Duncan had been called away then to hear the decision of the meeting between King Cailan and Loghain, who was Cailan's father in law and battle adviser. King Cailan and the Wardens would step into battle against the darkspawn, first. They were fast approaching and we needed to prepare at once. Alistair and I were to go to the top of the Tower of Ishal and light the signal, signing for Loghain to bring his men into the fight, next. Everyone had believed there would be more than enough men to make the darkspawn back off Ostagar. Alistair had been upset that he could not fight alongside his brothers, but it turned out to be the best option for the both of us. It's the only reason that we are still alive, today.
Though there had been an invasion of darkspawn in the Tower, Alistair, Hunter and I had made it to the top without too much difficulty. We had lit the signal and watched out of the window, waiting for Loghain's troops to march in. Only...they didn't. They Warden's were going down. The King was going down. There were simply too many darkspawn now that Loghain's men had not joined the battle.
Then we were ambushed by darkspawn. I hadn't been expecting it and I was shot down, three arrows in my shoulder. The last thing I had seen was Alistair rushing forward before darkness claimed me
**
When I awoke, Morrigan was sitting on the bed I was laid in. She had explained that her mother, who was now claiming to be Flemeth - from the legends - had saved Alistair and I from the tower. Morrigan had teased me when I asked how she had done that, by claiming she had turned into a giant bird and plucked us both out of the tower; one in each talon. I had been so relieved that Alistair had survived, and Hunter too if the barking was anything to go by, that I didn't even care that I didn't get a real answer. I had dressed, quickly. My wounds were all but healed, though I had been out for almost three days. Morrigan had told me that Alistair, which she described as "the suspicious, dim-witted one", had been awake since the day before, and was not taking the news of the battle well. Morrigan confirmed that Loghain had quit the field and all the Wardens had been massacred, along with King Cailan. I thanked her for her help and made my way outside to find him.
"See, here is your fellow Grey Warden. You worry too much, young man," the old woman, Flemeth, spoke as I had stepped up to the fire. Alistair had turned around, looking worse for wear, but seemed relieved to see me. Morrigan had been right. He really wasn't taking it well. There were red marks beneath his eyes and his face was drawn and pained.
"You. You're alive. I thought you were dead, for sure," he had whispered and took a step towards me. "Duncan's dead, the Grey Wardens, even the King. They're all...dead. Oh, this doesn't seem real. If it weren't for Morrigan's mother...we'd be dead on top of that tower."
"Do not talk about me as if I am not present, Lad," Flemeth scolded and Alistair apologized. I thought it was unfair of her to pick on him when it was clear he was about to break down. Still, she had saved us so I supposed we couldn't complain too much. She had told us that, now, it was up to us to slay the Archedemon and end the Blight. We were the remaining two Grey Wardens and only we could do it. No pressure, right? Of course we couldn't do it alone, and Alistair had suggested that we use the treaties go and create an army big enough to take on the Blight. I had asked him if we could find other Wardens, outside Ferelden, but he had shook his head and told me that they were too far away and that even if we did locate them, it would be too late to save Ferelden. So, it seems, we're on our own for now.
We had just been about to leave when Flemeth had stopped us and insisted we take Morrigan with us. Morrigan had not been happy with this, but it seemed she had little choice. Flemeth insisted that without her, we would fail in our task. Alistair was reluctant to accept this, but I had insisted that we need all the help we can get.
I can just see Lothering now. It will be a relief to be back in civilization again. As grateful as I am to Morrigan and her mother, the Wilds are dark and unsettling and I look forward to a hot meal and a warm bed before all of the madness begins.
--
A Rough Guide to Dragon Age
Humans: The most numerous, yet the most divided of all the races. Only four times have they ever united under a single cause, the last being centuries ago. Religion and the Chantry (the church) play a large part in human society. It distinguishes them culturally from the elves and dwarves more than anything else. Humans can be warriors, rogues or mages.
Dwarves: Rigidly bound by tradition, the dwarves have been waging a losing war for generations, trying to protect the last stronghold of their once vast underground empire from the darkspawn. Dwarves are very tough and have a high resistance to all forms of magic, thus preventing them from becoming mages. They can be both rogues and warriors. Dwarves that live outside of Orzammar or 'on the surface' are considered almost exiled. They become 'casteless' which means that they essentially lose their dwarven citizenship. Those that do live in Orzammar, follow the profession of their same sex parent. This is their 'caste'.
Elves: Once enslaved by humans, most elves have all but lost their culture. Scrounging an impoverished living in the slums of human cities. Only the nomadic Dalish tribes still cling to their traditions, living by the bow and the rule of their old gods as they roam the ancient forests, welcome nowhere else. Elves can be warriors, rogues or mages. The Dalish elves still hold onto some of their elven language, though it has been mostly lost and many city elves know none of it at all.
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Warrior: Warriors are powerful fighters, focusing on melee and ranged weapons to deal with their foes. They can withstand and deliver a great deal of punishment, and have a strong understanding of tactics and strategy. They usually use two handed weapons like axes or war-hammers, or the usual sword and shield. They wear heavy armor.
Mage: As dangerous as it is potent, magic is a curse for those lacking the will to wield it. Malevolent spirits that wish to enter the world of the living are drawn to mages like beacons, putting the mage and everyone nearby in constant danger. Because of this, mages often lead lives of isolation, locked away from the world they threaten in the Circle of Magi, and protected from themselves by Templars. Those that refuse to join the Circle are called Apostates and are hunted by the Templars. The weapon of a mage, is their staff. They use it to wield magic of the elements, among other things. (whatever you want, just don't get too powerful). They do not wear armour but robes that have been enchanted to help protect them in a fight.
Rogue: Rogues are skilled adventurers who come from all walks of life. All rogues possess some skill in picking locks and spotting traps, making them valuable assets to any party. Tactically, they are not ideal for front line fighters, but if a rogue can circle around behind their target, they can back-stab to devastating effects. They are often also skilled at coercion and persuasion. Rogues wear light armour so that they can move quickly and their weapons are usually either daggers, or bows and crossbows.
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Ferelden: This is essentially the country that all of the characters live in. It's set in Medieval times so take that into consideration in regards to facilities and the way people speak. Ferelden was once ruled by King Maric, who freed the country from Orlesian rule. Orlais is a country close to Ferelden. Maric's reign was followed by his son; King Cailan, and is now under rule of Queen Anora, Cailan's wife. This is subject to change as the story goes on, however. Nobility is important in Ferelden and hold some weight in making decisions where the King or Queen cannot. Arls and Teyrns in respective order of importance. Having a title like this often means that the family have a lot of land and rule over a specific area of the country.
Highever: Highever is Elissa's (my character's) hometown. Her family were noble and her father, Bryce Cousland, was the Teyrn. This meant that he owned most of the land in the region of Highever and ruled it under the King. He had an army; men of the people living in the region, and would often go into battle with them when the King called for it. Highever has now been taken over by Arl Howe, the Arl of Denerim and previous family friend of the Couslands.
Ostagar: This is where the battle against the darkspawn took place and where so many lives were lost. Duncan brought Elissa here once they'd escaped from Highever. It was here that Loghain betrayed the King and called off his army; leaving both the Grey Wardens and King Cailan to die.
Lothering: This is where our story will begin and where everyone will meet and join the group. After the battle at Ostagar, many refugees have fled to Lothering in search of a place to stay and keep safe. It wont take the darkspawn long to reach Lothering, and everyone is encouraged to move on as quickly as possible so as not to be killed when they arrive. The town is packed full of escapees and the group will have to move out soon enough and continue on their way.
RedCliff: Redcliff is the home of Arl Eamon and where Alistair spent most of his life as a child. While small, it is the centre of trade and shipping and is an important part of Ferelden. It is considered highly, despite it's size, and surrounding regions will often come to it's aid when asked.
Lake Calenhad: On one side of Lake Calenhad sits the Tower of Magi. This tower is one of the places where apprentice mages are trained by experienced Circle Mages under the constant watch of the templars.
Denerim: Denerim is the capitol of Ferelden. No other region rivals it in size, wealthy or importance. It is the meeting place of all important events and holdings and the home of the late King Cailan. Denerim is also believed to be the birthplace of Andraste, the Maker's bride.
Orzammar: Orzammar is the underground Dwarven kingdom. It, too, has recently lost it's King and there is currently a fierce democratic war between two dwarves on who should take his place. This is the birthplace of most dwarves, and the majority of them spend their whole lives underground. There is a common fear among dwarves that if they step outside they will fall into the sky. Orzammar is the closest region to the darkspawn, because they come from underground. They are constantly in battle with darkspawn to prevent them from coming into the city and destroying their kingdom.
Brecillian Forest: On the outskirts of the forest live the Dalish elves. The Dalish are the only tribe left in Ferelden that hold onto their traditions and what little of their history the have left. The Dalish are often unwelcome everywhere and so stick to the forests. Not all elves are from the Dalish, however, and those that aren't live in the slums of the cities if they're not travelers.
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The Darkspawn: The darkspawn are a race of mostly-humanoid creatures that dwell underground. They are hidiously disfigured and all but oozing flesh and bones. According to the Chantry, they were created when the people of Thedas opened a portal into the Golden City, tainting the realm of the Maker with their corruption. They returned as darkspawn, their evil disfiguring them into the monsters they became. They desire purpose and seek out an Archedemon, a very powerful creature that takes the shape of a dragon. The Archedemon leads them in an attack against the surface world, called a Blight. The darkspawn are the greatest threat to all of Thedas; they are bloodthirsty, exceptionally numerous and willing to indiscriminately kill or corrupt all in their path. The blood of darkspawn is incredibly poisonous. If a person is tainted with their blood, they endure a slow and painful death, losing their sanity along the way.
The Grey Wardens: The Grey Wardens are an ancient organization of warriors of exceptional ability, dedicated to fighting darkspawn throughout the world of Thedas. They maintain a presence in most nations but have all but been wiped out in Ferelden, thanks to the most recent battle in Ostagar. The Grey Wardens are known for ignoring a recruit's racial, social, national and even criminal background if they deem the person valuable in terms of character or ability. Despite their small numbers, the Grey Wardens have been instrumental in defeating each Blight so far, and are therefore vital to the survival of the world as a whole. The reason they are so valuable, is because only a Grey Warden can defeat the Archedemon by cutting off it's head.
When Griffins still existed, the Grey Wardens would ride them into battle which would make things easier when battling the Archedemon. Now, however, they have to do without.
To become part of the Grey Wardens, a recruit must first go through a ritual called the Joining. The Joining is incredibly secret and once you've agreed to be recruited you cannot back out. One of the reasons for the small number of Grey Wardens is that few can survive the ritual. The recruits must drink from a goblet containing a mixture of darkspawn blood and other ingredients. Few survive this, but those that do live to become Grey Wardens - forever connected to the darkspawn and forever tainted by the blood they consumed.
The Joining grants Grey Wardens several abilities; their link to the darkspawn allows them to detect the presence of darkspawn and they become immune to further corruption by the Blight. They do, however, suffer from incredible nightmares (sometimes prophetic things about the darkspawn and Archedemon), ravenous hunger, and shortened lifespans. Wardens only have thirty years to live from the day of their Joining.
The Wardens are expected to be incredibly loyal to their cause. It comes first, above all else. They must stop a Blight no matter the cost. Alistair, in particular, is a perfect example of this. They also hold treaties that allow them to ask for all regions to join them in a fight against the Blight. The asked party are unable to refuse to help if they have the resources and men available.
The Circle of Magi: The Circle is allowed to take any child (usually from age 6 to 12) from their families as soon as they show signs of magical ability. Even a royal child would be taken by the Circle should they show magical ability. The Circle then raises the child until they are a young adult, at which time they must go through a process called the Harrowing or become Tranquil. The Harrowing is a test that every mage apprentice must go through to become a full Circle mage. The test involves the apprentice entering the Fade - a world where people go while they sleep and when they die. It is here that demons reside. Once in the Fade, the mage apprentice must face and overcome a demon who wishes to posses the mage's body and enter the living realm. If the mage apprentice succeeds in resisting the demon, they are granted the title of mage and become a full member of the Circle of Magi. However, if the mage is overwhelmed by the demon, or takes too long to complete the task, the mage is killed by a group of templars who are standing by so the mage does not become an abomination (a person possessed by a demon.) To be made Tranquil is one of the worst fates for a mage. Their mind is affected by magic so that they are relieved of any and all emotions and will do exactly as they are asked. They essentially become an empty vessel of a person. Tranquils are created out of mages that do not prove worthy enough to go through with the Harrowing. Some apostates are forced to become one of the Tranquil if they are found by any Templars.
Apostates: Apostates are mages that refuse to go to the Circle once they learn of their magical abilities. They spend most of their lives running from the templars. They can be incredibly dangerous due to the possible use of blood magic. Blood magic is, essentially, the use of blood to power their magical abilities. It's a dark kind of magic, forbidden by the Chantry and looked down upon by almost all of Ferelden. Blood magic allows a mage to contact and summon demons. The sentence for a Blood Mage is death.
Templars: Templars are essentially the keeper of mages. They make sure that they are following the rules and they are responsible for the death or tranquility of any mage who breaks the rules of the Circle. They are loyal to the Chantry and once a person becomes a Templar, they are one for life. No going back, just like the Grey Wardens. They consume lyrium in order to gain the power to cleanse an area of magic and keep the mages in control. Lyrium is addictive, however, and will draw a person to madness in the end.
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Human Belief: The humans have a god which they call 'The Maker'. According to the Chantry (which is essentially the church), the Maker chose Andraste - a mere human - as his bride. Only women can become priests in Ferelden.
Dwarven Belief: The dwarves worship Paragons. Paragons are people of incredible importance and significance and are often celebrated as 'gods' even before they die.
Elven Belief: The Dalish believe in old gods, rather than the Maker.
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King Cailan: Son of the legendary King Maric Theirin, Cailan was the first Ferelden king born into a land free from foreign rule in two generations. Since his father's death, he's held the throne alongside his queen, Anora. He fell in battle alongside Duncan at Ostagar. While he was not the most intelligent king, he was a fair and passionate one. He trusted Loghain, only to be betrayed when it was most important.
Queen Anora: King Cailan's Wife and only child of war 'hero' Loghain. She is the Queen of Ferelden, for now, and is allowing her father to essentially run Ferelden. She believes, initially, that he is doing what is best for the people of Ferelden.
Duncan: Like many others, Duncan gave up his family name when he joined the ranks of the Wardens; a symbolic gesture of cutting ties. He was given the almost impossible task of leading the Wardens in Ferelden - a kingdom that had thrown the order out two hundred years earlier. Facing local suspicion and hostility he set about finding recruits. He was killed in battle against an overwhelming number of darkspawn at Ostagar, alongside King Cailan.
Flemeth: Flemeth, Morrigan's mother, is believed to have been alive for centuries. There are frightening stories about her existence and how she had many daughters - the Witches of the Wilds - who would do evil things to anyone who happened across their path while in the Kokari Wilds. Morrigan is, however, her only daughter at present. Flemeth saved the two Grey Wardens from where they fought the darkspawn on top of the Tower of Ishal. It is clear that she had a reason for doing so, though nobody yet knows why. Or why she sent Morrigan with the Grey Warden's, for that matter.
Loghain Mac Tir: As King Cailan's father in law, and known for his success in war, Loghain was the brains behind the battle of Ostagar. However, instead of bringing in his men to fight at the signal, Loghain told his soldiers to retreat and fled the field, leaving King Cailan and the Grey Wardens to die. He then returned to Denerim and declared himself the regent to his daughter, Queen Anora, demanding that Ferelden follow him against the darkspawn - upsetting a great many of the noble families. His actions have sparked a civil war. Loghain's men will find themselves fighting their neighbors who blame Loghain for the death of their King and all but two of the Grey Wardens.
Arl Rendon Howe: Arl Howe, Arl of Denerim, had always been very close friends with the Cousland Family. Particularly, Elissa's father Bryce. They had fought many battles together and it was when Teyrn Cousland had sent him men out to join the King in Ostagar that Howe saw the perfect chance to attack. He massacred everyone in the castle, taking no prisoners, and only Elissa survived. He now claims rule over Highever and has gained nothing but distrust from his peers and fellow noblemen.
Arl Eamon Geurrin: Eamon was the brother of King Cailan's mother, the late Queen Rowan. He resides in RedCliffe with his wife Isolde. Together they have a son, Connor. He is popular, and holds a great deal of influence and support with the nobility and the Bannorn - enough to make himself be viewed as a threat by other powerful nobles. Eamon's younger brother is Bann Teagan who also lives in RedCliffe. Alistair consideres the two men his uncle, of sorts.
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