And migrated South in -1220 TE, they found a new homeland and named it "Ferelden", which means "fertile valley" in their language. However, they were never able to unite into a separate nation for 2800 years. This time period is filled with numerous wars fought by the Alamarri both with foreign powers like the Tevinter Empire and with neighboring tribes. During this time, the Alamarri formed their political system, which has come down to the present time almost unchanged. Over time, powerful nobles turned their lands into the possession of the Bannorns, then the Earls, and then the Teyrns. The nobles honored the traditions of the Alamarri and continued to fight each other over every little thing in order to increase their greatness. The most powerful even tried to put forward their candidacy for the place of the king of the Alamarri people, but they did not succeed.
Then, during the Holy Age, came Calenhad, born into the family of a simple merchant. He got involved in the fight for the crown when he became a servant of one of the contenders for the throne. When his master decided to use him to gain more advantage over the other nobles, Calenhad, acting honestly and honorably, earned the respect and loyalty of the army that had previously obeyed his master through his actions. He became a teyrn and one of the candidates for the position of king.
More and more people rose under the command of Calenhad, because he became more famous and honorable, unlike other nobles. He also gained followers from the Circle of Magicians and the Warriors of Ash. During this time, the teachings of the Church were spreading widely to other countries, and Calenhad won the trust of the followers of the church faith among the Alamarri, saying that he was chosen by Andraste herself.
At 5:42 of the Sacred Age, the Assembly of the Earths was convened, at which Calenhad appeared with his army, which also included the mages of the Circle, the Templars and the Warriors of Ash. Together with his allies, Calenhad challenged the most powerful ruler - Simeon, teyrn of Denerim. Calenhad was badly wounded, but in the end he was able to defeat Simeon. The nobles proclaimed him king, and the fertile land finally acquired its name - Ferelden. Calenhad Teirin was the first of the Teirin royal family to hold the throne of Ferelden for the next three centuries.
Rise of the Gray Wardens
In 7:5 Storm, King Arland Theirin, who had earned a reputation as a cruel tyrant, became the new ruler of Ferelden. Many banns favored Guardian Commander Sophia Dryden, who had previously claimed the throne. She violated the neutrality of the Gray Wardens, starting to gather allies to oppose the king. However, Arland managed to uncover the plot and he ordered his troops to attack Soldier's Peak, where Sophia was at that time along with the Order of the Gray Wardens. The siege lasted for several months, and eventually the fortress fell as a mage of the Guardians named Avernus, in desperation, summoned demons that filled the fortress and killed everyone on both sides, except for Avernus himself. No one knew about this until the secret of Peak was revealed. Gray Wardens during the Fifth Blight. After the battle for Soldier's Peak, Arland drove the Wardens out of Ferelden, and they could not appear in the country for the next two centuries. Only King Maric returned the order to Ferelden.
We know little about Arland's reign, after his death a civil war for the throne began. The war lasted ten years, during which time most records of his reign were destroyed.
Orlesian occupation
The country was attacked by Orlais in 8:24 Blessed Age at the behest of Emperor Reville, also known as the Mad One. Vigil's Tower in the erling of Amaranthine was the first to fall. In the Battle of Lothering, King Vanedrin Teirin was defeated along with Teirn Adral Kusland and the legendary blade of Kalenhad, Nemetos, was lost. King Brandel was too young to unite the country against the invader. 20 years after the start of the invasion, Ferelden was completely captured, the king was nicknamed Brandel the Defeated.
For the next 78 years, the country was under the yoke of Orlais. AT last years During the occupation, the country was ruled by the Orlesian noble Megren Dufayel, and the Teirin family had to go into hiding, while waging a guerrilla war, which was supported by few, since most of the nobility considered Ferelden lost forever.
Orlais controlled Ferelden very tightly by means of terror and the suppression of any resistance. For this, entire legions of chevaliers were sent from the Empire to Ferelden. The Fereldans themselves continued to be divided, with the Couslands of Highever supporting the Teirin rebels, and Earl Tarleton Howe of Amaranthine supporting the Orlesians. At the Battle of Harper Ford, Tarleton's army was defeated, and he himself was hanged for treachery.
Ferelden was freed thanks to the efforts of Maric Therin, who was the rightful heir to the throne and best friend of Loghain MacTeer. Loghain and Rowan Guerrin defeated two legions of Chevalier knights sent to Megren's aid at the Battle of the Dane River, rendering Emperor Florian unable to send additional troops in the process. Eventually, by 9:2 Dragon, King Megren and his entourage fled and barricaded themselves at Dragon Fort. Maric challenged Megren to a duel and killed him in one-on-one combat, ending the occupation of Ferelden. Maric later married Rowan and began rebuilding the country.
Fifth Blight
Read more about mora in the article "Mora".
In 9:30 Dragon Age, the Gray Wardens, who were allowed to return to Ferelden at 9:12 by King Maric, warned of the imminent approach of Blight and began to prepare the royal army for the coming battle. However, the memory of Orlais's invasion had not yet left the minds of the Ferelden, especially Loghain, who was against asking Orlais for help, but King Cailan, son of Maric, was determined to put aside old feuds and fight the encroaching Darkness together. The key battle took place on the ruins of Ostagar, where, at the most crucial moment, Loghain retreated and betrayed Cailan, leaving him alone with the superior forces of the Horde, and blamed the death of the king of the Gray Wardens. The Spawn then moved north, destroyed the village of Lothering, and began to take over the entire country.
Loghain declared himself regent to his daughter Queen Anora and declared that he himself would defend the country from the Blight without help from Orlais or the Gray Wardens. Not all the nobility agreed with him, but he had the foresight to send a man to poison Arl Eamon, and to blackmail and take hostage the nobles and their relatives. Earl Eamon, cured by the Gray Wardens, was able to stage a Gathering of the Lands in Denerim, which managed to tip the scales against Loghain, and he was either executed or transferred to the Gray Wardens to atone for his guilt for instigating civil war.
The Gray Wardens raised an army that included dwarves, Redcliffe and Denerim soldiers, and perhaps elves, mages, templars, or even werewolves and golems. They managed to repulse the Darkspawn attack on Redcliffe, and then destroy the Horde in Denerim, putting a bullet in the shortest Sea by killing the Archdemon on top of Fort Drakkon.
After the Fifth Blight
The Fifth Blight changed the political situation in the country. Thanks to the decisions of the Gray Warden, Alistair, who turned out to be Maric's bastard, or Anor, or maybe both of them, could become king if the Warden managed to convince them to marry for the good of the country. Also, the Gray Warden himself could become king or queen, if only he belonged to the Kusland family. Ferelden began to recover when the Darkspawn became active in Amaranthine. They tried to storm the Vigil's Tower, but were not united in their aspirations thanks to two reasonable leaders - the Architect and the Mother. While the Gray Wardens tried to get to the bottom of the conflict, the Mother's troops were able to gather forces to attack Amaranthine and Vigil's Tower. The hero had a choice: to defend the city and leave the Tower to defend itself or burn the city with the enemies rampaging there and save the Tower. The fate of the erling and the attitude of its inhabitants towards the Gray Wardens seriously depended on this. But in the end, the Mother was defeated, the Architect, depending on the decision of the protagonist, died or disappeared in the Deep Roads along with his followers, and the northeast of Ferelden was saved from a new threat.
"I support Loghain" - sounded from all sides, every Bunn considered it his duty to say it. And with each new cry, Kusland's anger grew more and more. He tried to keep himself polite and calm, as befits a nobleman. Let the former, but still a nobleman. But despite all the efforts, at some point, anger turned out to be stronger than patience. - Do you know what? If you want Pestilence to be stopped by this traitor, then please - let him protect you! Although I walked around Ferelden from end to end looking for an army to protect you though I found an ancient relic to heal Earl Radcliffe and I was the one who killed the darkspawn on the outskirts of your beloved city! And what did Loghain do to end the Pestilence? Abandoned an army near Ostagar, which is why the Gray Wardens can be counted on the fingers? Is that what great commanders do? I'm tired of doing everything for a country whose inhabitants with my own hands lead to destruction, and so I and the rest of the surviving Guardians, along with the army I have gathered, leave Ferelden, and you stay here and wait for the darkspawn. Cusland only stopped when his voice began to rasp. "I agree with you," Riordan put a hand on the Guardian's shoulder, then glanced around at the banns and arls settled on the balconies. - If you have forgotten who stopped the Pestilence all this time, then you will have to remind you that without our help, only corpses infected with filth will remain from all of you and Denerim. The Banns gasped and began to discuss among themselves the words of the Guardians. The whole room was filled with conversations, which turned into one mixed and incomprehensible rumble. Loghain forced everyone to shut up: - Enough! If the Guardians want to leave, let them flee, exile is the perfect punishment for betraying Ferelden. - Are they running away? Is that how you fled with the promised army, leaving Kaylan to his death? However, okay, we're leaving, I hope everyone is happy, - Cusland announced and turned around to walk away. "Wait," Alistair tugged at his hand. Are you really going to leave? But what about our duty? It's all a bad idea, nothing good will come of it. - Alistair, I like expressed myself clearly. Everyone heard how we were released from debt. Are you worried about something else? Do you want revenge on Loghain or what? Don't worry about that, the darkspawn and the Archdemon will take revenge on him. Everything! I don't want to hear anything, let's go, - Cusland said and wrenched his hand from the grip of Maric's son. Alistair still remained in his opinion, but said nothing, stomping after his furious Commander.
As soon as they returned to the hotel, Cusland set off at a brisk pace to his room, without saying anything to the companions who were looking at him inquiringly. Behind him, the Guardian heard Eamon talking about what had happened at the Assembly of the Lands. Cusland sat down wearily on the bed without taking off his armor. Only then did he notice his dog scurrying into the room after him before the Guardian slammed the door. - You're a smart dog and you understand that I'm right? - Cusland said calmly and stroked the mabari behind the ear. The dog barked happily. - Well done, good dog, - the Commander smiled. Mabari lay on his back and Cusland began to scratch his stomach. True, they were not allowed to enjoy this activity for long. "I had a different opinion of you," Wynn began as she stormed into the room. Don't you remember our conversation about what it's like to be Gray Warden ? “I should have locked the door with a key,” Kusland flashed through his head. - I'm sorry to disappoint you. Of course I remember, but those about whom you spoke were not called traitors and were not outlawed. These people deserved such a fate, - the Commander answered, he spoke in a calm voice. “And the children, the women, the people of Denerim, who weren’t allowed to say a word?” Do you think they deserve it too? the Magess insisted. “Nothing can be fixed now, the Gray Wardens have been expelled on Loghain's orders, we leave tomorrow at dawn. If you feel sorry for the innocent, you can stay, you are not a Gray Warden, and you will be allowed to stay. Obviously not expecting such an answer, Wynn fell silent and quickly left the room. Cousland could only guess whether she had only left his room or left his squad forever. After the mages left, the Commander still locked the door. Time passed very slowly, sometimes the silence in the room was broken by knocks on the door or requests to come in, but the Guardian did not answer, and those who wanted to visit him soon stopped. After a while no one else knocked and Cousland heard only the breath of the mabari. When the clock struck six, the Commander decided to open the door and go down to dinner. Everyone was sitting at the table: Eamon, Alistair, Riordan, Leliana, Stan, Morrigan, Zevran, Oghren and even Wynn, it turned out that she decided to stay. Food was brought to them and Cousland immediately set to work on a bowl of wine, freeing himself from questions. Oddly enough, Morrigan was the first to break the silence: - A very reckless decision. Do you think that by destroying Ferelden, the Archdemon will calm down and go back underground? - No I do not think so. But then it will be the concern of the Guardians of Orlais or some other country, to which the Pestilence will then pass, - the Commander shrugged his shoulders, stopping drinking. "It's selfish to dump your responsibilities on the shoulders of others," Leliana objected, looking directly at Kusland. - We have no more duties, Loghain decided to release us from them. Ah, I forgot something. Eamon, please inform the Dwarves, Dalish, and Wizards that we no longer need their help. The guard began cutting up the fried fish on his plate. - All right, my lord, - Eamon answered and called the servant, all this time silently standing somewhere on the sidelines. - Where are we going now? Zevran asked, he was one of the few who ate his dinner without throwing evil glances at the Commander. - Anywhere, Zev. If you want, we can even go to Antiva. No, we'll go to Antiva later, when the Crows have forgotten about you, okay? In any case, we must get as far away from Ferelden as possible first, and Denerim first," the Guardian said. - That's right, Commander. Well, all these noble bastards, then they will understand who they drove away, ”Oghren said, which made Kusland smile. The following conversations did not touch on the topic of the Assembly, and the Guardian could calmly finish the fish without unnecessary arguments.
They were on their way for the fifth or sixth day in the direction of Orlais. Cusland decided that this would be a good place to stop for a start. On the way, they had to stop at Redcliffe and say goodbye to Eamon. Earl said that the Guardian had no other choice, but nevertheless said that he would remain in Ferelden and would try to defend his castle to the last. Cousland did not argue with him. No one complained about the difficulties of the road, except Morrigan, but she did not leave the party. The sun burned the Commander's eyes, his legs felt a slight pain under the armor, but he continued on his way, leading the detachment forward. Suddenly, shouts from behind made Kusland stop. - Stop, wait! I have a bann message for you! - shouted the elf messenger, he ran and almost fell, probably, if the Commander had not ordered to stop, the elf would never have caught up with them. And what do they want to tell us? Kusland asked skeptically. "We, the banns across Ferelden, admit our mistake and sincerely ask for your help in the fight against the Blight. Denerim is almost destroyed, a huge dragon is flying over the city, Loghain's army will soon go to the other world after Loghain himself, but if you turn around now and go to Denerim, we can oppress the creatures of darkness. We promise you a title, gold, anything, just help us save the city, "the messenger read out the message. The Commander paused thoughtfully, looked at his companions, and replied irritably, “They missed their chance at the Gathering of the Lands. - Not! - the elf grabbed the Guard by the hand. “There in Denerim, my wife and children… My family never supported Loghain. Please help them at least. They did not deserve such a fate! Cusland was about to refuse and continue on his way, but Leliana was ahead of him: - He is already almost on his knees in front of you. Show mercy, please. Will you doom such a beautiful city, the home of Andraste, to death because of a bunch of banns? The commander hesitated. But what about his pride? Why save people who respect him, only before his death? Cusland crossed his arms over his chest and sighed sadly. "Leliana, even if I wanted to, I can't. I have already withdrawn our allies from other nations who gave us armies. “My lord, I have to correct you,” said Eamon. - Redcliffe's army is with us now. We can go to Denerim with what we have, and send a messenger or a bird to other parts of your army. We can hold the city for a few days, and then the Redcliffe warriors will be replaced by those who come. Cusland was silent for a few seconds, not knowing what to do. - Okay, let's go. Let's hope the banns get killed before the civilians... Hey you! We turn around, Denerim is waiting for us.
“Victory in the war.
vigilance in the world.
Sacrifice in death."
Motto of the Gray Wardens.
are an ancient order of warriors of exceptional ability who have dedicated themselves to battling the Darkspawn throughout Thedas. The main body of the order is located in the very place where it was founded - Weishaupt Fortress in Anderfels, but small detachments are also present in most other countries.
FROM Some Guardians are notorious for disregarding a recruit's race, social class, nationality, and even criminal history if they consider their personality or abilities valuable to the order.
H despite their small numbers, the Gray Wardens have always contributed to the victories over the Pestilence, and thus made it possible for the whole world to survive. Most of the manufactured products around the world dragon age(books, games and comics) is closely associated with the Gray Wardens.
History of the Order.
*From Codex Entry: Gray Wardens*
The First Blight lasted for 90 years. The world was plunged into chaos. In the devastated Anderfels, in the Weishaupt Fortress, a meeting took place. The soldiers of the Empire, battle-hardened warriors who knew nothing in their lives but a hopeless war, gathered together. When they left Weishaupt, they renounced their oaths to the Empire. They were no longer soldiers, they were Gray Wardens.
First Pestilence and Founding of the Order.
AT-395 Antiquities (395 years before church calendar) or in 800 TU (800 years since the founding of the Tevinter Empire), a plague spread across the world. The Deep Roads, underground roads built by the dwarves, were filled with hideous creatures that became known as the "Darkspawn". These creatures seemed to be countless, and they spread filth that poisoned other living beings, turning them into monsters, and defiled everything around them.
P Shaper cult investigators have stated that this is the result of Tevinter mages entering the Fade using a group ritual of passage and attempting to take over the Golden City, although dwarves and non-human races were skeptical of this theory. However, this invasion - called the Blight - soon destroyed most of the underground kingdoms of the dwarves and broke through to the surface. Thedas fell into chaos and entered a dark age. The darkspawn have been seen to be led by an unimaginably powerful dragon, poisoned by their corruption; this creature was called an "archdemon" and was believed to be one of the Old Gods worshiped in Tevinter.
AT–305 Antiquity (890 TU), after nearly a century of grim battles against the Darkspawn hordes, a group of seasoned warriors gathered at Weishaupt Keep in Anderfels, in the west of the Tevinter Empire. They somehow unlocked the ritual of Initiation, and used it to found a brotherhood whose members gave up everything, dedicating themselves solely to fighting the darkspawn. They called themselves the Gray Wardens, and began to accept, regardless of race or background, without exception, anyone who wanted to join the Order.
FROM The Red Guardians first appeared on the battlefield during the attack on Nordbotten. They arrived on griffins and began to plunge into the ranks of the enemy so that each Guardian destroyed groups of ten, or even twenty creatures of darkness at once. Incredibly, they defeated the horde and won the battle. They became a much-needed beacon of hope in the darkest of times, and quickly rose to prominence. The Gray Wardens began to receive financial assistance, supplies and recruits from all lands; they increased the size of the Order, began to build fortresses and act as an elite fighting force, striking quickly and devastatingly wherever the Spawn of the Darkness appeared, rallying and inspiring other armies of the world to the greatest feats.
AT over the next hundred years, humanity slowly rose to its feet and pushed back the Blight. Finally, in -203 Antiquity (992 TU), the Gray Wardens assembled an allied army of Tevinter warriors, the tribes of Syrain (future Orlais), and Rivain to confront the main darkspawn horde led by the archdemon now identified as Dumat. A massive battle unfolded across the Silent Plains, now divided by southern Tevinter and northern Nevarra, and Dumat lost to the Gray Wardens. It took several years to exterminate the remaining darkspawn, but the great feat was accomplished and the Gray Wardens became legendary. After the Battle of the Silent Plains, they became incredibly famous and many countries made official pledges of support to the Order during further darkspawn incursions. The Gray Wardens also received the Right of Summoning in order to recruit enough recruits.
The Second Pestilence and the Church.
AT 1:5 Divine, about 200 years after Dumat's destruction, the archdemon Zazikel rose up with a new Blight. The entire city of Nordbotten - the very place where the Gray Wardens first appeared - was destroyed before they could organize its defense. The Tevinter Empire abandoned Anderfels in an attempt to protect central Tevinter. Serious trouble began in Anderfels, and even the headquarters of the Gray Wardens in Weishaupt Keep was under siege by the darkspawn.
To Fortunately, the armies of the newly founded Orlesian Empire under the command of Emperor Cordillus Drakkon* I were motivated enough to resist the Blight. After several victories against the darkspawn, the armies of Drakkon lifted the siege of Weishaupt at 1:33 Divine, and proceeded to rescue what was left of Anderfels along with the Gray Wardens. Anderfels was annexed to the Orlesian Empire, and the Gray Wardens were impressed enough by Drakkon's actions to convert to the Andrastian Church. It cannot be denied that this religious change may have influenced some of their views regarding the darkspawn.
AT over the following decades, the Blight was again slowly subdued, and the Gray Wardens took command of the war. The archdemon Zazikel was finally defeated and destroyed by the Gray Wardens in 1:95 Divine at Fury Harbor in the Free Marches.
* In the original Drakon, as well as the river and fort Drakon in Ferelden, in order to avoid confusion in Russian with dragons (English - Dragon), a second "k" is added to proper names.
Third and fourth Mora.
T The Third Pestilence began with the awakening of Thoth at 3:10 Towers, again almost two hundred years after the previous one. It all began with darkspawn attacks in the heart of Thedas - Tevinter and Orlais - but despite the fact that the hordes were larger than before, a quickly organized defense, led by the Gray Wardens, helped drive them back. The darkspawn attacks began to focus on the less defended Free Marches, and Tevinter and Orlais tried to stay out of the way for a while, but pressure from the Gray Wardens forced them into action. The darkspawn horde was defeated on Hunter's Mountain in the Free Marches at 3:25 Towers, and Thoth was destroyed by the Gray Wardens. Everything was thought out, and the third Blight turned out to be a relatively short event.
H Little was said about the Gray Wardens in the next two centuries, until the awakening of Andorhal and the beginning of the fourth Blight in 5:12 Exalted. Damage was most severe in the east of the Gray Warden territories - the Free Marches, Antiva and Rivain - but Anderfels was also attacked, and Hossberg, a city near Weishaupt, was under siege. At the same time, attacks began on Tevinter and Orlais, and they refused to send help. The hero of the fourth Blight was a Gray Warden elf named Garahel, who led the liberation of Hossberg in 5:20 Exalted and thereafter raised an army in the Free Marches to aid the Gray Wardens. Garahel's army marched north and met the main horde at 5:24 Exalted at the Battle of Isley, where Garahel was lost after personally destroying Andorhal.
From the Exalted Age to the Age of the Dragon.
P After the fourth Blight, the influence of the Gray Wardens declined significantly. 400 years passed, and many began to think that Pestilence would never happen again. Despite being a constant threat to the dwarves, the darkspawn were very rarely seen living on the surface, and the Gray Wardens were slowly forgotten.
AT Let's go back in time for a moment: just before the 7:10 Storm, there was an unfortunate incident in Ferelden involving the local Warden-Commander - Sophia Dryden, a former claimant to the crown of Ferelden - involved in a planned coup d'état. The result was a battle between the Gray Wardens and the royal army, the loss of Commander Sophia and her band at Soldier's Peak, and the subsequent expulsion of the Order from Ferelden by King Arland - despite the fact that less than a hundred Gray Wardens had virtually defeated the entire army of Ferelden. The Gray Wardens were re-admitted to Ferelden by King Maric in 9:10 Dragon and were able to slowly rebuild the order, but by 9:30 Dragon their presence remained negligible and the order was not well known.
Fifth Mor.
AT 9:30 Dragon, the fifth Blight finally began with the awakening of Urthemiel. The darkspawn infested the Korcari Wilds in southern Ferelden, where they were met by a Fereldan army under the command of King Cailan and Loghain MacTeer, as well as the local Gray Wardens - only about two dozen in number. After several minor victories against the darkspawn, the royal army suffered a crushing defeat and was destroyed in the main battle - near Ostagar - when Loghain unexpectedly withdrew his troops to take advantage of the situation to seize the throne, and left King Cailan and the Gray Wardens to be torn to pieces by the horde. Only two Gray Wardens survived, both having only recently been inducted into the order.
H Despite the odds, the remaining Gray Wardens were able to muster an allied army to oppose Blight, and with the help of a senior Warden from Orlais, they managed to destroy Urthemiel during the siege of Denerim. The Fifth Blight lasted less than a year. As a token of deepest gratitude for their deeds, the Gray Wardens were given the erling of Amaranthine, where they could restore their order to its former glory.
Organization.
Heraldry.
G The heraldic symbol of the Gray Wardens is a silver griffin on an azure background. Commanders of the Guardians, at least in the time of Sophia Dryden, had their own heraldic signs. Their symbol was depicted in the form of two connected griffins, with wings spread in opposite directions and intertwined branches under them. On Guardian-Commander Sophia Dryden's armor, the classic symbol appears in a slightly altered form against a black background. The artistic interpretation of the symbol on this armor is somewhat different from how it appears on heavy metal shields.
 |
 Warden-Commander |
 Warden-Commander Armor |
O The Gray Wardens are ruled by the First Warden in Weishaupt. The order's hierarchy appears as a system of national divisions, each of which is subordinate to a Warden-Commander or Commander of the Grays. Obviously, the small number of offices serves to simplify the hierarchy, and no other ranks are mentioned; the remaining members of the order follow the less formal long years order of subordination according to seniority (determined by the prescription of Initiation).
AT About the time of Dragon Age: Origins, at 9:30 Dragon, the forces of the Gray Wardens are distributed as follows:
O about a thousand members of the order in Anderfels, a few hundred in Orlais, and about two dozen in Ferelden.
Right of Summon
AT the kind of necessity given to the Gray Wardens by the Right of Summoning; they can call anyone into their ranks - from the king to the criminal. However - especially in Ferelden - this Right is rarely used due to possible political conflicts. Moreover, due to some difficulties, the Gray Wardens do not accept everyone. Only the best are honored with an invitation, regardless of race or social status.
D the uncan used the Right to take Alistair away from his templar training when the Reverend Mother refused to let him go. Also, the Right can be used in the Backstories of the main characters of the game to ensure that they join the Order.
AT addon Dragon Age Origins - Awakening, the Warden-Commander can use the Right of Summoning to recruit Anders and Nathaniel.
Dedication.
Join us brothers and sisters.
Join us, hidden in the shadow, where we watch vigilantly.
Join us, for we have a duty that cannot be renounced.
And if you are destined to die, know that this sacrifice will not be forgotten.
And one day we will join you.
Words spoken at Initiation since the time of the first Gray Warden.
H To become a member of the Gray Wardens, a recruit must undergo a rite called Initiation. One of the reasons why the Gray Wardens are few in number is that few survive this ritual. Only those who have a good chance of surviving the Initiation can be recruited. The ritual and all information about it is kept in the strictest confidence by the order, because during the Initiation, recruits drink from a goblet containing a mixture of darkspawn blood, lyrium and a drop of archdemon blood. Few survive this, but those who do manage to survive become the Gray Wardens - bound forever to the darkspawn and forever corrupted by the blood they have drunk.
FROM Becoming a Gray Warden requires a dose of darkspawn fel in a certain proportion for an immediate effect, rather than slowly turning the blood-drinker into a ghoul. While the blood of an archdemon is used in its normal form, the blood of other darkspawn can be processed magically for use in a ritual. However, some darkspawns do not already have enough filth in their blood for the ritual to work.
R The Initiate ritual grants the Gray Wardens several abilities: they become bound to the hivemind, allowing them to sense the presence of the darkspawn, and they become immune to the corruption spread by the Blight. However, they also suffer from the influence of the filth they have drunk: bad (sometimes prophetic) dreams, insatiable hunger and a shortened life expectancy. Also, in addition to being able to sense darkspawn, darkspawn can sense them. So, in addition to the benefit that this dark gift brings to the Gray Wardens, it also puts them in the position of prey in the hunt for the darkspawn.
BUT vernus, when asked, states that the filth bestowed by the Initiation contains incredible powers, and the ability to sense the creatures of darkness is only a small part of them. He believes that the use of energy and blood can unlock these powers, and attempts to mimic this process through alchemy, leading to a branch of abilities called Blood Power.
Vocation.
To just as the Gray Wardens keep the secrets of the Initiation from outsiders, so they keep the true nature of the Calling from the members of the order. As recounted in Dragon Age: The Calling, it is tantalizing to suggest that the Calling was a ritual devised by the original Gray Wardens to prevent the Wardens from dying from corruption. Contrary to popular belief among members of the order, Gray Wardens do not die from corruption, but succumb to it until they become like darkspawn and the darkspawn attack them, and according to their intentions and goals, they become darkspawn, as is the case with Genevieve and Bregan.
P Invocation begins with nightmares or the voice of an Archdemon, the same call that darkspawn seeking the Old Gods hear about 30 years after Initiation. According to the ritual, the Gray Warden descends underground and celebrates before going to the Deep Roads and destroying as many darkspawn as possible before being killed by them. The secret of the Summoning begins to take shape when Alistair confesses that the corruption will kill the Gray Wardens, even though this is not true.
H It is unknown if the truth is kept secret from all the Gray Wardens, or only from young members of the order like Alistair, but it seems that only the first Gray Wardens, with the exception of the characters of the Calling, knew about the true nature of this phenomenon.
R jordan suggests that even if the Gray Warden escapes, at some point, all of the Wardens will find themselves in the Deep Roads, the ravaged lands, or the darkspawn being hunted, because the Wardens and the darkspawn are bound by the corruption that draws them to each other. Thus, it can be assumed that almost any Gray Warden will die at the hands of the creatures of darkness.
H several Guardians, under the leadership of Commander Genevieve, suffered a premature Call at the beginning of the Dragon Age. Their Summoning and subsequent bodily change - similar to a hideous rash - was caused by magical amulets created to speed up the poisoning of fel. Fiona, a Gray Warden of Duncan's age, was one of the affected, and was healed from the accelerated spread of corruption shortly after completing her mission in the Deep Roads. Weishaupt's sorcerers believed that she might have been freed from the Call forever; Whether this is true or not has yet to be established.
Order members.
To When the order was formed in TE 890 - more than a thousand years before the Age of the Dragon - it consisted primarily of Tevinter veterans of the battles against the darkspawn that took place during the First Blight.
T Today, the history of the Gray Wardens includes a huge number of men and women - people, elves and dwarves - who gave their lives to protect Thedas from the threat of the darkspawn. Here are just a few of them, and what is now known about their fate:
Age of Victory
Six or seven centuries before the Age of the Dragon.
Asturian: Commander of the Grays in Ferelden, surrendered to the Call some time after the completion of Soldier's Peak at 2:34 VE.
Frida Halwick: Assumed the duties of Warden-Commander after the Calling of Asturian.
Exalted Age
Three or four centuries before the Age of the Dragon.
Garahel: An Elf Guardian who united Thedas against the Fourth Blight and died leading a murderous attack on the Archimedon Andorhal in 5:24 the Exalted.
Ages of Steel/Storm
Two centuries before the Age of the Dragon.
Avernus: A gray Warden mage who unnaturally extended his life using blood magic to contain the demon he inadvertently released from the Fade during the battle at Soldier's Peak.
Sofia Dryden: Assumed the duties of Warden-Commander after being forced to join the order after a failed plot against King Arland. She later led a rebellion against Arland that led to the two hundred year exile of the Gray Wardens from Ferelden. Sophia died during the rebellion, possessed by a demon who still controlled her body two centuries later.
Note: On the wall in Soldier's Peak, the Warden can find a list of the Gray Wardens who fought alongside Sophia against Arland.
Dragon Age.
Beginning of the Age of the Dragon.
After Sophia's rebellion, the Gray Wardens were rarely seen in Ferelden until a group of Wardens from Orlais turned to King Maric Teyrin for help on an expedition to the Deep Roads in early years Dragon Age.
Bregan: Commander of the Grays in Orlais, until his Calling at the beginning of the Age of the Dragon. Died in the Circle Tower.
Duncan: Recruited on the streets of Val Royeaux, later became Deputy Commander and finally Commander of the Watch in Ferelden. He died fighting alongside King Cailan at the Battle of Ostagar.
fiona: An Orlesian elf mage and a Gray Warden. Returned to Weishaupt Fortress after a perilous journey to the Deep Roads with Genevieve, Maric and Duncan.
genevieve: Bregan's sister and successor to the role of Commander of the Grays in Orlais. Died in the Circle Tower.
Guy: Orlesian Gray Warden. He was the fiance of Genevieve before his murder in Val Royeaux.
Julien: An Orlesian Gray Warden who wielded a large two-handed sword. Died saving Duncan's life from a dragon in the Deep Roads.
Kell: One of the Avvars, became the Orlesian Gray Warden and Genevieve's second lover. He and his war dog, Hafter, distracted a massive amount of darkspawn to allow Maric, Duncan, and Fiona to escape. Presumed dead in the Deep Roads.
Martin: A Gray Warden who fought the darkspawn in the Deep Roads alongside the Dwarves of Orzammar.
Nicholas: A Gray Warden warrior who used a mace and shield. Unable to come to terms with Julien's death, Nicholas allowed himself to be trapped in the illusion of a demon in the Fade.
Uta: Gray Dwarf Guardian and Silent Sister who killed with her bare hands. Uta joined the Architect and escaped the Circle Tower with him.
Fifth Mor.
Duncan on a reconnaissance mission in the Deep Roads, and three Fereldan Gray Wardens who were presumed dead at Ostagar.
Alistair: A young Gray Warden recruited by Duncan from the Templars. He survived the Battle of Ostagar and became the Guardian's companion in the battle against the Fifth Blight.
Daveth: Raised near Korcari Wilds, Davet became a pickpocket on the streets of Denerim until he was recruited by Duncan. Davet did not survive the Initiation.
Gregor: A portly Gray Warden of Anderfels, with a large curly beard and an amazing ability to drink a lot of alcohol. Presumably died at Ostagar.
Jory: A Radcliffe warrior who left behind a young pregnant wife, Jory was immensely proud that Duncan chose him as a recruit. However, upon seeing Daveth's death, Jory panicked, drew his weapon, and was killed by Duncan.
Loghain: Maric's friend and adviser, Loghain, through his actions at the beginning of the fifth pestilence, provoked a civil war. The Guardian was forced to choose between executing Loghain or making him a Gray Warden.
richu: An experienced Guardian who fought alongside Duncan.
Riordan: Hailing from Highever, Riordan joined the Guardians at the same time as Duncan, but remained in Orlais to become Jeder's senior Guardian. He died, crippling the wing of the archdemon of the fifth Blight, forcing him to descend to earth, where a group of Guardians could kill him.
Tamarel: A young elf recruited by Duncan for her sharp eye and skill with a bow. Tamarel's fate is unknown, but she left the Guardians six months before the Battle of Ostagar.
Tarimel: The only Elf Guardian who accompanied Duncan to Ostagar. Presumed dead in the Battle of Ostagar.
Guardian: One of two Ferelden Guardians (the other being Alistair) who survived the Battle of Ostagar. Leads the battle with the fifth Blight.
Awakening:
Gray Warden of Orlais
Anders: A human mage who escaped from the Circle of Magi seven times, but was always caught. The female templar in the Awakening trailer states that he is an assassin and cannot be trusted. She blames him for the death of the templars who were guarding him in Vigil's Tower when the darkspawn attacked.
Velanna: An elf mage who traveled with her clan of Dalish elves. She is very aggressive and has the ability to animate trees similar to sylvans. She hunts merchants in the Wending Forest, believing they have kidnapped her sister, and attacks the Guardian for killing her clan friends. Why merchants need her sister, Velanna does not know.
Sigrun: dwarf rogue, member of the Legion of the Dead. She fought the darkspawn in the Deep Roads with her group and was the only survivor. She believes that something strange is going on in the ancient fortress of Kal Hirol.
Mhairi: A female warrior who admired two Guardians who "single-handedly" defeated an archdemon and jumped at the opportunity to help them rebuild the order. Mhairi did not survive the Initiation.
Nathaniel Howe: Rogue and son of Earl Rendon Howe. The player finds him in the Vigil's Tower dungeon.
Other Guardians.
The names and some of the deeds of other Gray Wardens are known, but the years of their lives and the details of their stories are shrouded in obscurity.
Foral Educan: Mace-wielding Gray Warden of House Aeducan.
Coral Bemot: Greyguard Dwarf of House Bemoth. It is believed that he single-handedly defended the gates of Orzammar from the invasion of the darkspawn with the help of a crossbow.
Codex entries dedicated to the Gray Wardens:
Codex Entry: First Blight, chapter 4.
Codex entry: Gray Wardens.
Codex Entry: First Guardian.
Notes
None of the cutscenes directly show the death of the Gray Wardens.
book by david gaider Dragon Age: The Calling(Vocation) gives more Full description many aspects of Gray Warden lore.
The Gray Wardens bear some resemblance to the Night's Watch from the A Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R. R. Martin.
The Gray Wardens are also somewhat similar to the Gray Knights from the Warhammer 40,000 setting.
Ferelden
Soldier's Peak
An old Gray Warden base located above a labyrinth of abandoned mines and tunnels in northern Ferelden.
History of the Fortress.
The Gray Wardens' base at Soldier's Peak was built in the middle of the Age of Glory, several decades after the end of the second Blight. Until then, the Gray Wardens in Ferelden were housed in castles and forts provided by generous nobles. Warden-Commander Gaspar Asturian dreamed of a fortified headquarters where his warriors could both train and live. According to his plan, Soldier's Peak was to become a real city. The Fereldans still vividly remembered the death of the darkspawn and the archdemon Zazikel, and many willingly donated gold to build Commander Asturian's fortress.
Soldier's Peak was fully completed ten years later and dedicated to the Creator in the 9:34 Age of Glory.
As Warden-Commander Asturian approached the age of 60, rumors spread that his tainted blood was making itself felt. According to the records of that time, the commander was tormented by terrible waking visions, and he heard how his name was whispered from the dark corners of the Soldier's Peak. Asturian is said to have spent hours locked up in the base's front hall, muttering under his breath, though no one could make out a word. Many also believed that Asturian was secretly plotting to expand his fortress, adding secret passages and niches to it - all in order to protect himself from the shadows pursuing him.
No one knows whether Asturian succeeded in realizing his plan, because the deterioration of his condition began to be evident to all who dealt with him, he was hastily replaced by Warden-Commander Frida Halvik. Asturian was taken to Orzammar, where he underwent the Calling, the last ritual of the Gray Wardens, and met an honorable death.
After the death of Asturian, rumors and fabrications about him became more and more absurd. One of the most ridiculous rumors claimed that Asturian was inflamed with a shameful passion for an elven sorceress princess, and that he tried to resurrect this princess in a secret ritual room with the help of blood magic and the princess's favorite delicacy - raspberry jam.
Warden-Commander Frieda Halvik has conducted a thorough investigation into Asturian's "hidden plans", but has been unable to find any evidence that anything has changed in Soldier's Peak. Commander Halvik declared that such rumors about Asturian were disrespectful to his memory, and those who repeated them would be severely punished. Thus, the gossipers were silenced.
However, one secret remained unsolved and confused even Commander Halvik. When Commander Asturian, passing his Call, went to Deep Roads, he did not take with him his sword, the Asturian Authority, which had been forged by dwarven smiths and presented to him at the conclusion of the operation at Soldier's Peak. Asturian did not pass the sword on to his successor or any other Gray Warden.
Some believed that Asturian, who had fallen into dementia, simply destroyed the sword, but others believed that he hid it somewhere on Soldier's Peak. One young Guardian stated that Asturian once grabbed him by the shoulders, looked determinedly into his eyes and said: “This sword will remind you what it means to be a Guardian. Speak your oath when the shadows descend, you must speak the right words."
What this call meant was never found out.
From the history of the Gray Wardens in Ferelden, written by Brother Genitivi, a scholar of the Church.
200 years ago, Soldier's Peak was led by Sophia Dryden, a former Erlessa who once fought for the throne of Ferelden and lost to King Arland. After her defeat, she was forced into the Gray Wardens and became Warden-Commander of Ferelden. As Commander, Sophia restored the good name of the Gray Wardens and gained the support of many aristocrats through her political connections.
However, the Banns, suffering heavily under the cruel rule of King Arland, begged Sophia to intervene in the politics of Ferelden and help them. Sophia agreed and took part in a plot against the king, thereby violating the rule of neutrality of the Gray Wardens.
King Arland learned of the plot and took steps to put an end to it. He publicly canceled the tithe to the Gray Wardens and banished them from Ferelden. Other Guardians, not forgetting that they must remain neutral, were outraged by Dryden's meddling in Fereldan politics and left it at the same time that the king's forces laid siege to Soldier's Peak. The siege lasted several months and ended with the death of Sophia Dryden.
King Arland drove the Gray Wardens out of Ferelden, and after the siege of Soldier's Peak, the base was abandoned.
It is a vast fortress with cellars convenient for storing provisions, strong walls to protect against attacks, multiple warehouses, hiding places, etc. A city of sorts independent of Ferelden.
Currently abandoned. Soldier's Peak is located in the mountains, in a semi-abandoned area, in a higher and more inaccessible place than Vigil's Tower.
Vigil Tower.
Located near the erling of Amaranthine, in the northeast of Ferelden.
An ancient fortification of the Gray Wardens. The fortress was rebuilt in those distant times, when the barbarian tribes of the Avvars, who were at enmity with the Tevinter Empire, still lived on the land of the future Ferelden. They chose a place for a future stronghold not far from the coast in order to be able to warn their relatives of the approach of imperial ships with the help of signal lights.
Vigil's Tower is one of the oldest settlements in all of Ferelden. She is older than Denerim or Ostagar, and most likely the same age as the Tower of the Circle of Mages. Her exact age is not known, but it can be said with all certainty that she is no less than twelve centuries old. The Stronghold of the Thousand Sleepless (the former Avvar name of the fortress) was built long before the First Blight, which began in 800 AD of the Tevinter Empire. Any significant invasion of the country resulted in a battle at Vigil's Tower. Its crenellated walls served as protection for warriors of various nations, having withstood many long sieges and desperate assaults over the course of hundreds of years.
The Vigil Tower is located in the center of an economically developed province and next to a major port city. In the immediate vicinity of the Tower of the Vigil passes an extremely important trade route - the Pilgrim's Path, which connects Amaranthine and Denerim.
The Vigil Tower is located at the foot of the mountains and is vulnerable only on one side - on the rest it is protected either by a rock or by low, but long spurs. From the direction from which an assault is possible, it is covered by two low wooden palisades and small square towers.
Beneath the fortress are caves and warehouses that still bear traces of the Avvar barbarians. For them, the Tower of Vigil was not only a stronghold, but also a sacred place, therefore, in its deep cellars, monuments to their gods and heroes still stand, as well as monuments in honor of various military victories.
Below the cellars are two tombs. In one of them, the Avvar warriors are buried, in the other - three great leaders of the tribes.
At the very end of the dungeons there is a descent to the Deep Roads, which pass directly under the stronghold. Once upon a time, even before the advent of the Darkspawn, gnomes and Avvars traded and even helped each other. It was the underground people who came to the aid of the tribe that lived in the Tower of Vigil, when their shaman fell into madness and turned away from his gods. Defeated by the combined forces of the two peoples, he was cursed and imprisoned forever in a huge crypt.
During its long history, the Vigil Tower has managed to change many owners - in different time its walls were defended by Avvar barbarians and Tevinter soldiers, Orlesian chevaliers and Fereldan rebels.
Vigil Tower is divided into the following areas:
The interior of the fortress
Throne room
Courtyard
Dungeon
Basement
Deep Roads
The Gray Wardens' warehouse in Denerim
Spacious premises in the Denerim Market Square, in the basement next to the weapons workshop, where various weapons, armor, alchemical ingredients were previously stored. Recently discovered by Loghain McTeer and closed. What happened to the weapons and armor is not known.
From the well-known hiding places and fortresses, brethren, on this moment that's all we have in Ferelden and can count on in the case of a Blight.
Fortress of the Guardians in Montsimmart
It is the residence of the guard-commander of Orlais. Located in the city of Montsimmaret between the market squares on the highway, not far from the residence area. It is a majestic strong-walled fortress adorned with blue-silver gryphon flags, the symbol of the Gray Wardens. The fortress has several towers, but at first glance it seems that its solid construction is more aimed at impressing than really protecting.
Fortress in Jader
Fortress of the Watchers near the closest city to Ferelden, Orlais. Nothing is known about its fortifications.
Fortress Adamant
An ancient fortress of the Gray Wardens, built shortly after the Second Blight.
The fortress is located in Western limit, on the edge of a huge gorge - the Deep Gap. high walls the fortresses are made of dark amber, and on both sides of the massive gates are towers of archers. Adamant is not a large complex, but due to its strength and security, it fully deserves its fame. It is possible to attack the fortress from only one position, if you do not take into account the possibility of an attack from the caves located under Adamant, which, as history shows, is quite doable.
At one time, the Veil near the fortress thinned and the fortress was captured by demons, and all its inhabitants were killed.
There are several other abandoned fortresses in Orlais, but we do not know anything about their safety, nor about their equipment and suitability for use.
ANDERFELS
Weishaupt
a legendary fortress built on the edge of a steep hill called Broken Tooth, located in southern Anderfels; headquarters of the Gray Wardens.
It was in Weishaupt -305 of the Ancient Era (890 TU) in the midst of the First Blight that the Order of the Gray Wardens was founded. The stronghold was chosen because of its strategic proximity to Tevinter, and also because the lands around it were not affected by corruption as much as other regions. At the height of the Guardians' power, the stone complex housed a population of many thousands and housed the stalls of a growing gryphon population.
The fortress itself was built in honor of the vanquisher of the Archdemons, and for a long time it housed the treasures of the Gray Wardens.
Weishaupt's halls of fame were decorated with numerous tapestries depicting the battles of the Gray Wardens with the darkspawn, and captured weapons were gathering dust in the armories.
The fortress had an extensive library, a large training field and a small chapel.
FREESTAND
Prison of the Guardians
The Gray Wardens' prison in the Vimmark Mountains is believed to have been built over a thousand years ago. How it was built, no one now remembers, but the Guardian-Commanders of the Free Marches have kept the secret of the prison for centuries.
The prison is hidden in a huge chasm in the Vimmark mountains, far from easily accessible mountain paths. The Guardians themselves, in order to scare off random travelers from this place, spread rumors about robbers and predatory animals.
The prison consists of a central tower built into a gorge, with magical bridges from which you can get to different floors. Each floor is locked with a ritual of blood magic: a magician with pure blood from fel, using his life force, creates a magical barrier through which you can penetrate from the outside, but you cannot get out from the inside. Because of such a one-way entrance, other creatures of darkness were locked in the walls of the prison ... and, perhaps, careless travelers. Those who go inside never go outside again. 
Received From: Duncan [Ostagar]
Description: To complete this quest, you must continue moving southeast, eliminating all the monsters you encounter during your time in the forest. Stop as soon as you are close enough to the small ruins (). It would be nice to prepare for a tough battle by healing your team members, upgrading their equipment and saving the game.
You should be able to spot a small wooden bridge in the distance (). The bridge will be defended by monsters and you will have to keep an eye out for the main hurlock infiltrator. You must keep attacking the mini-boss from a distance because the area around the bridge is filled with [traps]. Keep attacking the monster until it is killed.
If you have a person on your team who can disarm [traps], you should spend some time on it. Otherwise, you will have to be careful when moving your team to the other side of the river. Now you should start moving to the northeast (). I should warn you that it won't be long before you face the new mini-boss. This time you will be dealing with a powerful warrior (Guarlock Leader), so you will have to beware that the companions lose a lot of health due to enemy attacks. Be sure to inspect the boss's body after the battle.
You will need to get to the area marked on the map. Enter the ruins bigger size and pay attention to the cache with a yellow flashing arrow (). I wouldn't recommend approaching the stash if you haven't already completed the quest, because it will trigger a cutscene involving the witch Morrigan. The conversation with Morrigan will be short and irrelevant because she ends up automatically leading you to another place to meet her mother, Flemeth.
You won't have to pay too much attention to your answers while talking to Flemeth, because sooner or later she will give you Ancient Contracts and you will automatically return to [Ostagar] (
