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The Grey Wardens feature significantly in every single 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Age game. In Origins, you play as one of the last Grey Wardens in Ferelden, fighting an oncoming Blight. In Dragon Age 2, the Grey Wardens are an ever-present observer of the history-shaping events in Kirkwall. In 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Inquisition, the Grey Wardens have been twisted by Corypheus and used to serve his evil plots. One can only assume it will be much the same in 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dreadwolf.
However, this Order is one of the most secretive to be found in Thedas. Yet, at the same time, they're one of the most widespread. Ever wondered what the deal is with these powerful warriors and their mysterious rituals? You've come to the right place.
Founding
When the First Blight rocked Thedas, the world was grievously underprepared. While the Tevinter🦋 Chantry and the Orlesian Chantry squabbled about whose faul🌊t it was, countless people were being slaughtered. Eventually, a group of veteran Imperial soldiers met in the Anderfels and decided that they would renounce their oaths and form a new order to push back the darkspawn.
This new group, calling themselves Grey Wardens, became famous very quickly. The people of Thedas were desperate for a solution, and saw the Wardens as their last hope. However, mere soldiers could only do so much. The creation of the Joining ritual is what made the Grey Wardens a force strong enough to defeat the first Archdemon, though it's unknown how the Joining was first conceived of.
The non-canonical Dragon Age tabletop RPG suggests that the Joining was created when Grey Wardens consulted with Tevinter mages, in addition to elven slaves who had 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:knowledge of the magic of Arlathan, to create a ritual which would allow them to drink their enemy's blood to obtain their power. Though it is not canon, this explanation may be used in future canon.
Once they had created the Joining, the Wardens led a final strike against their enemy at the Silent Plains and defeated the🐲 Archdemon D🌳umat.
Ideology
The Order of Grey Wardens see themselves as dead men walking whose remaining lives are dedicated to the service of others.
“The Grey Wardens hold a lonely vigil, enduring lives of hardship and sacrifice to protect the world from an evil that can never truly be conquered. Few would volunteer for this: the suffering, isolation, and promise of a violent death. But the path of a Warden is also one of valor, and those who give themselves to the cause are rewarded with the knowledge that they have become something more than they were.” -Profile 𓃲on Blackwall
Though Grey Wardens are not necessarily forced to give up anything upon joining the Order, it is expected that they will give themselves fully to their new life and duties, fighting the darkspawn and serving ♓the Order to the best of their abilitiesౠ.
While they are organized much like a country's military, Grey Wardens are an unorthodox group who do what it takes to conquer the darkspawn hordes. Creative💃🐲 thinking is rewarded and the losses of Warden lives can be forgiven if they serve a greater cause.
Recruitment
Joining the Wardens is not a decision to be taken lightly, since it can never be undone; the individual is physically changed forever.
Anyone is welcome to join the Grey Wardens, regardless of gender, race, magical ability, or past wrongdoings. Ma𓆏ges and elves are often particularly eager to join, since the Wardens can give them honor, rank, and freedom they might otherwise never achieve. People who join the Grey Wardens are not forc💦ed to give up romantic attachments, claims to titles, worldly possessions, or anything else, but it is expected that the Grey Warden will prioritize their duty over, say, a throne they may inherit.
Grey Wardens rely largely on willing recruits. Some Grey Wardens dedicate their career to recruitment. However, the Right of Conscription also allows any Grey Warden to forcefully conscript anyone they deem necessary. Anyone and everyone must comply and allow them to go (even if they were about to be executed), including the individual being conscripted. This is usually not taken well by those involved, so it's used sparingly.
The Right of Conscription was used by Duncan to recruit Alistair Theirin ಌbecause, at the time, Alistair was training to be a Te🦂mplar.
When an individual is recruited, they are assigned the rank of Warden-Recruit and their name is logged. This is because though many do not survive the Joining ritual, the Wardens believe anyone brave enough to undergo it should be remembered.
The Joining Ritual And Warden's Special Abilities
The Joining is a secret, magical ritual that all Grey Wardens must complete. Wardens believe it tests the recruit's physical and spiritual strength. First, the Warden-Recruit fights darkspawn and collects their blood. Then, that blood is brought back to the Wardens, where a mage uses blood magic to enhance it, in addition to adding lyrium, herbs, and sometimes Archdemon blood. The concoction is subsequently drunk out of a special silver chalice by the Warden-Recruit.
Usually, exposure to darkspawn corruption would turn an indiꩲvidual into a ghoul. However, thanks to the modification by the Warden mages, the corruption occurs immediately after the blood is drunk, and the person's body is forced to fight it for dominance. If they are vic🦹torious, they awake as a fully-fledged member of the Order. 🌸Otherwise, they die.
The Joining causes Grey Wardens to contract the 'Taint' (the lingering effects of the Blight). This means that Wardens gain special abilities that are crucial to fighting darkspawn and ending Blights:
- The Taint links the Warden to the darkspawn hive-mind, meaning they can sense darkspawn movements and hear the Archdemon during a blight
- The Taint means that the darkspawn can also sense them, too, but small groups of darkspawn will believe that the Grey Wardens are just other darkspawn, allowing them to sneak past
- Wardens become immune to any further corruption by the Blight, so there is no chance they will become a ghoul or a broodmother, or die of an infection of the Taint
- Wardens are the only people capable of ending a Blight because they have the Taint. Archdemons can hop from body to body through the Taint, so if a normal person slays an Archdemon, its soul will just transfer to the nearest darkspawn and the war will continue. However, because Wardens are Tainted, the closest "darkspawn" for the Archdemon to go to is the Warden. When the Archdemon enters the Warden's body, it clashes with the Warden's soul (something darkspawn don't have) and the resulting internal struggle kills both the Archdemon and Warden.
Less useful side effects of the Joining include the fact that a Warden will become pr𝕴actically infertile as a result, and that their lifespan will be significantly reduced.
Ranks And Bases
The entire Order of Grey Wardens is led out of a base in the Anderfels called Weisshaupt Fortress (usually just called 💜Weisshaupt). There are branches of the Order in many different countries of Thedas, with each branch being generally free to command and control itself unless otherwise ordered by ꧒Weisshaupt.
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Hierarchy Of The Order Of Grey Wardens |
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First Warden |
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The First Warden is the leader of the entire Order of Grey Wardens and is always found in Weisshaupt. Though the First Warden was once anꦚ important military figure, in modern Thedas this role is largely political; the First Warden deals with the various world leaders to advocate for the Order and make large-scale decisions. |
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High Constable |
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The High Constable is second💛-in-command to the First Warden. As a result, they are often seen in public attending events that the First Warden cannot. |
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Chamberlain of the Grey |
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The Chamberlain of the Grey is the Order's head archivist. Like the First Warden and High Constable, the Chamberlain is permanently situated in Weisshaupt. Their work is critical to the Grey Wardens' knowledge of darkspawn and the Blight. |
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Commander of the Grey (or Warden-Commander) |
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The Commander of the Grey is the highest local authority; they run an entire branch of Wardens within a country. As we mentioned, other than in times of Blight, local branches can generally act independently of one another, so the Commander of the Grey can lead their branch as they see fit. However, they do send detailed annual reports to the Chamberlᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚain of the Grey. |
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Field-Commander |
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Field-Commanders are not typical ranks used by the Wardens; you only find Field-Commanders during Blights when the charge of a large group of Wardens needs to✨ be assigned to someone. Once given the title, a Field-Commander has the same power and responsibilities as the🅷 Commander of the Grey. |
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Constable of the Grey |
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The right-hand man to a Commander of the Grey. If a Field-Commander is needed, the C🌼onstable of the Grey would take the position befo🌼re any other. |
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Senior Warden (or Warden-Lieutenant) |
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Senior Wardens are experienced members of the Order who have distinguished themselves in ༒some way, not simply been in🔥 service for a certain amount of time. If Wardens are sent out on special assignments, a Senior Warden will lead them. In combat, Senior Wardens lead squads whenever possible. |
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Archivist |
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Archivists are non-combatant members of the Order who are assigned to serve the national Grey Warden branches. Their job, like the Ch🧸amerlain of the Grey, helps the Order understand the Blight and darkspawn. |
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Warden-Ensign (or Warden) |
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If you just say someone is a Warden, this is the person you're picturing: a general non-magical, military member of the Order who has gone through the Joining. |
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Acolyte |
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Acolytes are distinguished from Warden-Ensign's only by title; they functionally have the same rank. The title 'Acolyte' simply highlights that this Warden is a mage. |
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Warden-Recruit |
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Warden-Recruits are on the 💃road to becoming Warden-Ensigns or Ac🍬olytes, but have not gone through the Joining yet. |
The Calling
The Calling is a name used for two things: a process that a Grey Warden naturally experiences several years after undergoing the Joining, and a traditional pilgrimage ritual that Grey Wardens undertake once they've experienced that process.
As mentioned previously, Grey Wardens have drastically reduced lifespans as a result of the Joining. The amount of time they have left will depend on the individual's willpower, but when there is no Blight occurring, it is, on average, around thirty years. When there is a Blight occurring, it tends to come on much quicker due to the stronger call of the Taint. However long a Warden has, they all inevitably start to hear "the Calling."
The Calling is foreshadowed when the Warden begins to have consistent, terrible nightmares about darkspawn and Archdemons. After a while, the Warden will begin to hear an eerie sound even while they are awake: a combination of music and whispers. The Warden is experiencing the call that all darkspawn hear which causes them to seek out and unearth an Old God, tainting it and turning it into an Archdemon, thus starting a Blight. Over time, once they have heard 🧔the Calling, the Grey Warden will succumb to the Tai🌌nt and become a powerful darkspawn.
In order to avoid other Grey Wardens having to watch their peers go through this, the pilgrimage ritual known as the Calling was born. When a Grey Warden begins to hear the music, they take some time to celebrate their life and be with their friends and family. This celebration can take any form the Warden chooses. Once it is done, the Warden leaves their group and heads to the Deep Roads. There, they die in battle, taking down as many darkspawn꧂ as they can before they are overrun.
If 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the Hero of Ferelden is alive in Dragon Age: Inquisition, it is reveal𒁏ed that they are searching for a way to stop Wardens from experiencing the Calling.
