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The Grey Wardens are an Order of warriors of exceptional ability dedicated to fighting darkspawn throughout Thedas. They are headquartered in the very place of their founding, Weisshaupt Fortress in the Anderfels, but maintain a presence in most other nations as well.

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, ability or skill.

Despite their small numbers, the Grey Wardens have been instrumental in defeating each Blight so far, and thus are vital to the survival of the world as a whole.

History

“You will guard them and they will hate you for it. Whenever there is not a Blight actively crawling over the surface, humanity will do its best to forget how much they need you. And that's good. We need to stand apart from them, even if they have to push us away to make us do it. That is the only way we can ever make the hard decisions.” ―Kristoff, Commander of the Grey of Orlais during the Blessed Age

First Blight

The First Blight began in -395 Ancient (800 TE) and lasted 192 years. The Deep Roads, underground highways built by dwarves, were swarmed with monstrous creatures that became known as "darkspawn". These creatures seemed limitless in number, and spread a Taint that infected other living creatures, mutating them into monsters, and corrupted and poisoned the very environment around them.

The cult of the Maker claimed this was the result of Tevinter magisters entering the Fade through a ritual and attempting to usurp the throne of the Maker in the Golden City, although this theory has been disputed by others, most notably the dwarves. Nevertheless, this invasion of darkspawn — named the Blight — soon destroyed most of the underground kingdoms of the dwarves and spread to the surface world.

Thedas was in chaos and entered a dark age. The darkspawn were found to be led by an immensely powerful dragon tainted with the darkspawn corruption; this creature was named an Archdemon and believed to be one of the Old Gods worshiped by Tevinter.

At Weisshaupt fortress in the desolate Anderfels, a meeting transpired. Soldiers of the Imperium, seasoned veterans who had known nothing their entire lifetimes except war, came together. When they left Weisshaupt, they had renounced their oaths to the Imperium. Calling themselves the Grey Wardens, they swore that they would accept anyone, no matter their race or background, without distinction if only deemed suitable to join the Order.

The Wardens began an aggressive campaign against the darkspawn, reclaiming lands that most had given up for lost. They proved to be a desperately needed spark of hope in the darkest of hours, and quickly gained renown. During the next 100 years, humanity slowly managed to stand firm and push back the Blight. Finally, in -203 Ancient (992 TE), the Grey Wardens gathered an allied army composed of soldiers from the Tevinter Imperium, the tribes of the Ciriane (the lands that would become Orlais), and Rivain to confront the main darkspawn horde, led by the Archdemon now identified as Dumat. A massive battle was waged at the Silent Plains, in what is now the border between Tevinter and Nevarra. The legion of darkspawn was defeated and Dumat was slain by the Grey Wardens; with the Archdemon's death, the horde's will to fight on was broken. It took several years to eradicate the remaining darkspawn from the surface, but the Blight was over and the Grey Wardens had carved out their legend. After the Battle of the Silent Plains, they were much celebrated and most nations gave formal promises of support for further darkspawn invasions. They were also given the Right of Conscription, to guarantee sufficient recruits.

Several notable dwarven warriors, led by Paragon Moroc the Maul, were also present at the Grey Wardens' founding and are a key reason why there is no loss of caste associated with becoming a Grey Warden. They shared all they had learned about the darkspawn with their Warden allies. A group of the Orth people from the Wandering Hills and the northern reaches of the Hunterhorn Mountains, who knew how to "tame" griffons, also joined the Grey Wardens ranks and teach them how to ride the beasts in battle. Although there are no written records about it, it is widely believed that the Grey Wardens took their name from the griffons' grey coloration.

Second Blight

In 1:5 Divine, approximately 200 years since the slaying of Dumat, the Archdemon Zazikel rose to lead the Second Blight. The entire city of Nordbotten — the very place where the Grey Wardens first appeared on the battlefield — was destroyed before a defense could be organized. The Tevinter Imperium withdrew from the Anderfels, abandoning it in an attempt to protect central Tevinter. The Anderfels region was hard-hit, and even the Grey Warden headquarters in Weisshaupt came under siege by the darkspawn.

Fortunately, the armies of the recently founded Orlesian Empire under the command of Emperor Kordillus Drakon I proved both motivated and capable of standing up to the Blight. After several victories against the darkspawn, Drakon's army lifted the siege of Weisshaupt in 1:33 Divine and proceeded to save the rest of the Anderfels together with the Wardens. The Anderfels joined the Orlesian Empire and the Grey Wardens converted to the Chantry.

In the following decades, the Blight was again slowly pushed back and the Grey Wardens took command of the war. The Archdemon Zazikel was finally confronted and slain by the Grey Warden Corin in 1:95 Divine at Starkhaven in the Free Marches.

Glory Age to Towers Age

After the second Blight, the Grey Wardens actively remained vigilant for another Blight. Although there were no major darkspawn incursions to the surface during this period of time, the Wardens fought many small war bands of darkspawn that periodically appeared in surface lands. They also sent small groups of Wardens to help Orzammar in its fight against the darkspawn in the Deep Roads. When the Chantry declared their Exalted March against the Dales, the Grey Wardens refused to get involved in that conflict.

Third Blight

The Third Blight began with the awakening of Toth in 3:10 Towers, roughly 115 years after the last Blight. The initial darkspawn attacks occurred in central Thedas in Tevinter and Orlais, but even though the hordes were larger than those previously encountered, a rapidly organized defense led by the Grey Wardens managed to hold them back. The darkspawn attacks started to focus on the more lightly defended Free Marches while Tevinter and Orlais tried to remain neutral, but pressure from the Grey Wardens eventually brought them into the war. The darkspawn horde was crushed at Hunter Fell in the Free Marches in 3:25 Towers, and Toth was slain by the Grey Wardens. The Third Blight remained a relatively short event compared to previous Blights.

After the Third Blight, the Grey Wardens became more involved in the politics of the nations of Thedas, although they also remained ever vigilant against the darkspawn menace.

Fourth Blight

“Garahel always used to say that heroism was just another word for horror, and maybe a worse one. A hero always feels that he has to do what's right. Sometimes that leads to tormenting himself with doubt long after the deed is done. Or herself...” ―Amadis Vael, princess-captain of the Ruby Drakes mercenary company, and lover of Garahel

There are few records of Grey Warden activity during the next 200 years, until Andoral awakened and the Fourth Blight began in 5:12 Exalted. Most of the damage was to the east of traditional Grey Warden territory, in the Free Marches, Antiva, and Rivain, but the Anderfels was also attacked and Hossberg, not far from Weisshaupt, came under siege. This time, both Tevinter and Orlais were lightly attacked and refused to send aid. The hero of the Fourth Blight was an elven Grey Warden named Garahel, who first led the liberation of Hossberg in 5:20 Exalted and then managed to gather an army from the Free Marches to support the Grey Wardens. After a long and bloody war, Garahel's army marched north and faced the main horde in 5:24 Exalted at Ayesleigh, where Garahel perished after personally slaying Andoral.

The Grey Wardens' legendary griffons died out some time after the Fourth Blight.

Records unearthed during the Dragon Age revealed that the griffons died out as a result of being subjected to a modified version of the Joining by Warden Isseya, on the First Warden's orders.

Exalted Age to Dragon Age

After the Fourth Blight, the influence of the Grey Wardens waned considerably. It would be 400 years before the Fifth Blight, and many started to think it would never happen. So many darkspawn were slain during the Fourth Blight that many came to the erroneous conclusion they were defeated permanently. Although remaining an eternal threat to the dwarves, darkspawn were rarely seen by surface people, and the Grey Wardens were slowly dismissed as a relic of a bygone, darker time best left forgotten.

In 7:5 Storm, there was an awkward incident in Ferelden with the local Warden-Commander—Sophia Dryden, previously a rival for the crown of Ferelden—becoming involved in a planned coup d'état. The result was fighting between the Grey Wardens and the royal army, the loss of Commander Sophia and her command at Soldier's Peak, and King Arland banishing the Order from Ferelden. The Grey Wardens were allowed back in Ferelden by King Maric in 9:10 Dragon. They were able to begin a slow rebuilding, but by 9:30 Dragon, their presence remained light and the Order was neither well known nor held in high regard by Ferelden's people: there were a bare handful of Wardens in Ferelden at the time, many of whom were non-Fereldans moved there to help rebuild the Fereldan contingent.

The refusal of the Wardens to help the other nations of Thedas against the Qunari during the Steel Age also earned them the enmity of many courts.

The Fifth Blight

In 9:30 Dragon, the Fifth Blight begins after The Architect, trying to free the darkspawn from the call of the Old Gods, gives Grey Warden blood to the unearthed Old God Urthemiel, believing it would unravel the darkspawn's compulsion to seek the Old Gods at its source. However, the experiment goes horribly wrong and instead results in the awakening of a new Archdemon.

The darkspawn swarm the Korcari Wilds in southern Ferelden, where they are met by the Fereldan army under King Cailan and Teyrn Loghain, as well as all of Ferelden's Grey Wardens. After a few minor victories against the darkspawn, the royal army is devastated in a major battle at Ostagar when Loghain unexpectedly withdraws, leaving King Cailan and the Grey Wardens to their deaths. All but two Grey Wardens (Alistair and The Warden) are slain in the ensuing massacre; both survivors were new recruits to the Order.

After Loghain installs himself as regent of Ferelden, he denounces the Fereldan Grey Wardens as traitors and has the Orlesian Grey Wardens that have come to assist Ferelden turned back at the border, believing the Wardens' claims about the Blight a ruse to assist in a new Orlesian conquest of Ferelden. His actions ignite a civil war, as many nobles either disbelieve his explanation regarding Ostagar or are outraged by the brutal measures he has taken to hold a throne he has no claim to. The infighting allows the darkspawn to advance into Ferelden unopposed. When the Grey Wardens of Orlais receive no word of the outcome of the battle at Ostagar, they dispatched a Grey Warden native to Ferelden, Riordan, to gather more information. They are unwilling to send more, as expending themselves against Loghain would then risk the Blight devastating all of Thedas once again. They remain vigilant, should Ferelden fall to the Blight.

Despite the odds, the two remaining Fereldan Grey Wardens are able to organize an allied army to oppose the Blight using old treaties, and with the aid of Riordan, slay Urthemiel during the Battle of Denerim. Lasting just over a year, the Fifth Blight is by far the shortest Blight in history. In acknowledgment of their efforts, the Grey Wardens are granted the Arling of Amaranthine to allow them to rebuild. This marks the first time that the Order has been granted a region to govern, a gesture that attracts the interest of the First Warden in Weisshaupt. Elise Amell is made Warden Commander of Ferelden.

A contingent of Orlesian Grey Wardens, led by Warden Kristoff, are sent to Ferelden to chase down darkspawn stragglers during the Thaw Hunt. Even in their flight, the darkspawn cause great destruction across Ferelden. The most violent hunts take place in the Arling of Amaranthine.

While rebuilding the Grey Wardens presence in Ferelden and establishing Vigil's Keep, a fortress given to the Wardens at the end of the Fifth Blight as a new base of operations, the newly appointed Warden-Commander is faced with a new challenge. Despite the defeat of the Archdemon, the darkspawn have not returned underground and a new variety of sapient, speaking darkspawn called Disciples and abominations to darkspawn called The Children have been discovered.

Two entities, named The Architect and The Mother, seem to lead these factions. Dealing with them changes the fate of the darkspawn forever. Subsequently, the Wardens return to rebuilding their presence in Ferelden and repairing the damage done to the Arling by the conflict, simultaneously consolidating their control over their new territory. After the end of the darkspawn's civil war, the Grey Wardens begin to hunt and capture some of the Disciples in order to investigate them.

The Dragon Age, Continued

The Warden-Commander of Ferelden worked with Avernus to uncover the true potential of the Joining ritual. This research was allowed by the First Warden, who was also interested in the old mage's research, and reports were sent to Weisshaupt on a regular basis. However, the results of the research hinted at the dangers of unlocking the latent abilities of the Grey Warden's blood.

The Grey Wardens take great interest in the Primeval Thaig. In 9:37 Dragon, the First Warden commissions Nathaniel Howe to lead a special expedition to learn more about it.

After Warden-Commander Larius of the Free Marches went on his Calling, Senior Warden Janeka was left in command of a prison in the Vimmark Mountains which had been holding the darkspawn Corypheus since the Ancient Age. She eventually became convinced that Corypheus held the key to ending the Blights.

Between 9:31 and 9:37 Dragon, Janeka forces member of a Carta cell to drink darkspawn blood and uses them to track down the descendants of Malcolm Hawke, whose blood is the key to Corypheus' prison. When Hawke investigates the prison, they inadvertently release Corypheus, who escapes death by possessing the body of either Janeka or Larius.

The Wardens at Weisshaupt Fortress begin to search into records and materials from the Fourth Blight for past incidents of Wardens acting strangely. They are also searching for any records of encounters with sapient darkspawn capable of speech. In response to the Mage-Templar War, the Grey Wardens offer amnesty to any mages or Templars wishing to escape the fighting, on the condition of their taking the Joining and entering the Order. The Wardens also invoke the Right of Conscription on such mage recruits to keep them from being harmed by the Templars.

In Orlais, two different groups of Grey Wardens conspicuously abandon their assigned hold, selling off their spare horses and livestock at a fraction of their value. According to locals, these Wardens withdrew in a hurry. No readily apparent explanation was found.

In the Anderfels, the Grey Wardens recover a clutch of thirteen live Griffon hatchlings from Red Bride's Grave.

9:41 Dragon

During the Divine Conclave in the Temple of Sacred Ashes, a group of Grey Wardens —enthralled by Corypheus— aid the magister darkspawn in sacrificing Divine Justinia V to power the Orb of Destruction. The ritual's interruption by the Herald of Andraste led to a cataclysmic explosion that destroyed the temple and caused The Breach. As every Grey Warden in Orlais begins to hear the Calling —a bluff elicited by Corypheus and a massive Fear demon called the Nightmare— they grow desperate and seek allies to help them accomplish their mandate before they perish.

All southern Grey Wardens are summoned to Orlais, which is why all Wardens in Ferelden save Blackwall ended mysteriously vanished. Lord Livius Erimond, a Venatori Magister, convinces Warden-Commander Clarel to use blood magic techniques to raise a demon army, invade the Deep Roads and kill the remaining Old Gods before they wake. Unbeknownst to the Grey Wardens, the demon binding rituals Erimond taught the Grey Warden mages enslaved them to Corypheus, who would use them and the demon army they summoned to conquer Thedas.

A senior Warden, Stroud, that was researching Corypheus at the time, is branded a traitor for protesting Warden-Commander Clarel's plan to use Erimond's blood magic rituals and goes into hiding. The fugitive Warden, Hawke, and the Inquisitor scout the ancient Tevinter ritual tower in the Western Approach to investigate a Grey Warden congregation and learns the truth of the Venatori's blood sacrifice rituals.

Hawke and the Stroud join the Inquisition as they lay siege to Adamant Fortress. They confront Erimond and Clarel about the truth of the demon binding ritual and attempt to sway the Wardens to their side. When Erimond summons Corypheus' dragon to deal with the Inquisition, Clarel realizes the truth and turns on him. The dragon attacks and a massive battle against the Warden mages enthralled by Corypheus and their bonded demons ensues.

Clarel inflicts her wrath on Erimond, but is killed by the dragon he summoned. Her last spell against the dragon causes it to crash, leading the ground beneath them to crumble. As the Inquisitor's party falls off the ramparts, they use their mark to open a rift that transports them to the Fade.

The Inquisitor escapes the Fade and banishes the remaining demons. Their defeat of the Nightmare demon frees the Grey Warden mages of its control. The Inquisitor then decides the fate of the surviving Grey Wardens —either let them aid the Inquisition to atone for their atrocities or banish them from Orlais.

The southern Grey Wardens begin to slowly rebuild after helping the Inquisition stop a particularly dangerous darkspawn incursion, and declare that the Order must change, becoming more open to the general populace. It's rumored that the southern Grey Wardens sever ties with their leaders at Weisshaupt and that both Warden factions are at war. Eventually, all news from Weisshaupt cease.

Organization

“We are Wardens! One and all! Fight's for justice, shield's for vengeance! Crush our enemies! One and all!”—Grey Warden song

The Order of Grey Wardens is commanded by the First Warden in Weisshaupt, and consists of a system of semi-autonomous national branches lead by a local commander. Though there is a hierarchy, in practice this is frequently defined by seniority (decided by time of Joining) in the Order.

In 9:30 Dragon, the strength of the Grey Wardens is estimated at over 1,000 in the Anderfels, several hundred in Orlais, and around two dozen in Ferelden, with unknown numbers in other nations and the Free Marches.

The official hierarchy of the Grey Wardens, in descending order, is:

First Warden: Permanently situated at Weisshaupt fortress. The First Warden is mainly a political figure since the griffon extinction, and most military command falls to the Warden-Commanders.

High Constable: Second-in-command to the First Warden, and formerly the aerial commander during the Wardens' use of griffons. Recently, the High Constable has become the public face of the Order, acting as the ambassador to the High King and leading local recruitment.

Chaimberlain of the Grey: The senior archivist at Weisshaupt, and to whom Warden-Commanders send yearly reports. The Chamberlain technically outranks the Warden-Commanders.

Commander of the Grey: Also known as Warden-Commander. The leader of the Grey Wardens in a given country, and under normal circumstances under little direction by the Order. The dwindling communications between Weisshaupt and the branches leave most Warden-Commanders to run their respective branches as they see fit. They can be summoned to Weisshaupt by the First Warden at any time.

Field-Commander: A temporary rank used only in times of Blight. A Field-Commander has the same rank and responsibilities of a Warden-Commander in a given area.

Constable of the Grey: A Warden-Commander's second-in-command, the Constable, colloquially called Warden-Constable, acts as the field commander and steps in when the Warden-Commander is away.

Senior Warden (or Warden-Lieutenant in Orlais): The formal title given to veteran Wardens who deserve special privilege. When a Costable of the Grey is in command, they usually take a Senior Warden to act as their second-in-command. Senior Wardens may command a small group of Wardens or undertake special missions.

Archivist: The archivist of a given national Grey Warden branch.

Warden-Ensign: Generally just called Wardens, these are the rank-and-file members of the Order who have survived the Joining ritual.

Acolyte: The rank given to the rank-and-file Warden mages.

Warden-Recruit: An individual selected to join the Wardens but who has not yet undertaken the Joining ritual. They are given a formal rank just for committing themselves to the Wardens, regardless of whether or not they survive the Joining. Failed recruits' names are kept in the archives of Weisshaupt in honour of their sacrifice.

Recruitment and the Right of Conscription

"Men and women from every race; warriors and mages, barbarians and kings..."—Duncan, Ferelden's Commander of the Grey

The Grey Wardens are open to men and women from every race, nation and background, even criminals. They also accept volunteers, and elves in particular tend to be eager to submit themselves for the Grey Wardens, as they recruit regardless of social standing and serving is considered by many an honor.

One mage in every Circle of Magi is traditionally recruited, usually joining the Order after their Harrowings. The young mage recruit serves as a Warden their entire life from then on. Similar to serving a ruler, yet greatly removed from the degradation they may normally face in society, mage Wardens are given great respect and importance in the Order. Their facilitation of the Joining ritual is essential.

Should they need to, the Grey Wardens possess the Right of Conscription, an authority that dates back to the end of the First Blight and was given to them to ensure they will always have enough members. By using this Right, a Warden may demand that, instantly and irrevocably, any individual from king to criminal be drafted into their ranks, and the conscript cannot refuse being recruited once the Right is invoked. This is specially true in times of Blight.

However, in contemporary times the Right of Conscription is used sparingly for fear of political reprisal, due to the low standing the Order has in some countries—especially in Ferelden. The Grey Wardens prefer not to invoke the Right unless there is no other option, and usually is invoked only to quell protest from a recruit's lords or commanders.

After the outbreak of the Mage-Templar War, the First Enchanter of the Hossberg Circle sends a request for aid to Weisshaupt Fortress; in response, the Wardens invoke the Right of Conscription, proclaiming that any mage who wished to escape the fighting by joining the Wardens would be welcome in their ranks, and that such mages are not to be troubled by the templars.

While most people believe that someone must truly hate darkspawn to join the Grey Wardens, in most cases the potential recruits are just responsible individuals with a strong sense of will. In fact, most Grey Wardens see their first darkspawn only after becoming initiates of the Order. More so, veteran Wardens consider that having a personal hatred of the darkspawn can be detrimental to a Warden if it leads them to make rash and irrational decisions.

The Grey Wardens don't accept just anyone within their ranks, however. Only the best and brightest are allowed. Recruits suffer excruciating tests to determine if they are worthy of being members of the Order. In addition, the fact that the Joining ritual kills many of its participants means that the draft may turn out to be a death sentence. While this is seen as unfortunate, this process elevates their membership to the highest caliber. To face a Grey Warden in combat, is to face an elite and deadly opponent.

Philosophy and Methods

“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.

Due to the Grey Wardens' cause being so crucial to Thedas' survival, various groups and nations signed Ancient Treaties promising to support the Grey Wardens in times of Blight. This support can come in the form of military aid, donations of gold, supplies, lending of armed forces, and equipment. Although those bound to the treaty are obliged to fulfill their promises, Grey Wardens believe in times of Blight, the treaties entitle them to take what is needed, when needed. Outside of the Blight, the treaties are as binding as a clever tongue can make them. Still, if the danger of darkspawn and the image of Grey Wardens as necessary heroes are still fresh in the minds of the people, Grey Wardens may be able to use the treaties in order to leverage the goodwill owed them if it can be justified as the WArdens using their privileges to protect Thedas from calamity.

The Grey Wardens are aware that they are fighting a war of attrition against the darkspawn, and tha they are in the losing side. Because of that, they know that they will have to use whatever tactic they can devise, no matter how unorthodox, to win in the end. And so, they acquire whatever resources they can regardless of the method, and employ whomever they must, regardless of their defects of morals or character. They often turn a blind eye to blood magic, deal with deamons of the Fade, and do whatever else they must so long as those efforts led to the Blight's end.

While it is easy to assume that all Grey Wardens want nothing more than to end all Blights forever, some individual Wardens have such zeal for the fight that they wish only for a lifetime of tests and war, however. THis means that the ranks of the Order are filled with dangerous men and women, some unscrupulous in the extreme, but the Wardens make a point of suspending judgement of any who are effective against the darkspawn.

Even for their willingness to use any tactic, however, a philosophical split—unknown to people not associated with the Order—has long divided the Grey Wardens into two distinct factions: the ones who feel that the eradication of darkspawn is paramount, and the ones who see their protective mission as the greatest purpose of their calling.

For instance, if a village is under attack by a host of darkspawn, the Grey Wardens oriented to protection would chance alerting the darkspawn to their presence by warning the villagers of the danger, helping them to safety as best they can before facing the monsters; while those oriented to destruction would be more likely to sacrifice the village before springing a more effective ambush on the darkspawn. The dead villagers, in their minds, are an unfortunate but necessary sacrifice.

However, while Grey Wardens are expected to do their duty whatever it takes, they are frequently admonished to avoid offending local authorities where at all possible. Although in times past the authority of the Grey Wardens was unquestioned, after the Fourth Blight things changed, and the Order isn't as powerful as it used to be.

The Grey Wardens' first allegiance is to their duty, and their second to the Order, but Wardens are not expected to abandon the lives they had before their Joinings. Rather, are encouraged to put their worldly ties to use in furtherance of the Order's aims. Noble titles and merchant wealth can often accomplish what weapons cannot. Grey Wardens are also allowed to marry, have romantic relationships or retain the relationships they had before joining the Order, if they want to.

While some Grey Wardens avoid serious romantic entanglements knowing that their lives are at constant risk, others enjoy love as much as they can, figuring that they should embrace life to the fullest while they can. Some of those Wardens even allow their families to know the risks of being a Grey Warden, knowing that one day they will not see them again.

Likewise, some Grey Wardens make a point to stand apart from the communities they serve, knowing they may be called onto sacrifice, tomorrow, those they protect today. But again, other Wardens take the opposite stance, befriending any and all in the moment and addressing sacrifice when the times require it.

Whatever relationships they maintain or cultivate, however, Wardens are expected to remain neutral, and are discouraged from taking the field in civil or religious conflict against any enemy other than the darkspawn.

The Calling

There was a stir within his blood
And the dreams lay thick upon him.
A call did beat within his heart.
One road was left before him.

Just as they keep many secrets from outsiders, including the Joining, Grey Wardens also keep certain secrets hidden from many of their own members. It is heavily implied that the Calling—also known as the Long Walk]—was a ritual created by the first Grey Wardens to prevent future members from watching themselves ultimately succumb to the darkspawn taint.

The Calling begins with nightmares and bad omens, and then the Warden begins to hear eerie music and whispers, the same "call" the darkspawn hear to search for the Old Gods. Although some junior Wardens claim that it takes a person about thirty years after their Joining to hear it, the gap varies depending on the willpower of an individual Warden and the level of his or her interaction with the darkspawn. As such, Grey Wardens during a Blight are likely to have shorter lifespans. Otherwise, it is commonly between ten to thirty years that the Wardens hear the Calling.

According to ritual, a Grey Warden who hears the Calling celebrates as he or she sees fit before descending underground and entering the Deep Roads to slay as many darkspawn as they can before being overwhelmed and slain. Many within the Order believe that this ritual is done for practical reasons, to take down as many enemies as a Grey Warden can before dying.

It is also implied that even if a Grey Warden would run away, given time all Wardens would find themselves in the Deep Roads, Blight-Lands or pursued by darkspawn, for they are all connected by the taint that draws them to each other. "You'd seek them out...or they'd seek you out." Thus, one can assume that almost every Grey Warden will die at the hands of darkspawn.

Several Wardens, under Commander Genevieve, underwent a premature Calling early in the Dragon Age. Their Calling and subsequent physical taint—resembling a nasty rash—was caused by magical amulets designed to accelerate their taint. Fiona, a Grey Warden contemporary of Duncan, was one of the affected, and was cured of the accelerated taint shortly after the mission into the Deep Roads was completed. The Warden mages at Weisshaupt speculated that she might be permanently free of the Calling. Considering that Fiona was allowed to leave the Wardens and become Grand Enchanter of the Circle of Magi 27 years after that, it can be assumed that her cure was permanent.

Some corrupted entities such as Corypheus can use Blight magic to imitate the Call of an Old God similar to what Grey Wardens hear during a Blight as well as during their Calling. This can even allow Wardens to be controlled against their will.

The Hero of Ferelden is currently following leads that may allow them to prevent the effects of the Calling, and grant them a longer life.

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The first Inquisition was a group of people who, following the First Blight, rose up to defend Thedas from dangers of magic and heretics. The Inquisition later allied with the Chantry, abandoning its original name and splitting itself into the Seekers of Truth and the Templar Order.

In 9:41 Dragon, the Inquisition is reformed, following the cataclysmic event called The Breach.

The Inquisition of Old

In the years before the founding of the Chantry and the start of the Divine Age, Thedas was plunged into chaos. The First Blight had ended, the Imperium had broken apart following Andraste's March, and despite the spread of the Maker's teachings, blood mages and Old Gods cults were widespread. The Inquisition was formed around -100 Ancient, thus predating the Chantry by roughly 90 years, with the goal of protecting people from the "tyranny of magic" in whatever form it might take; blood mages, abominations, cultists or heretics. A loose association of Andrastian hard-liners, the group combed the land in search of these "threats" and some say theirs was a reign of terror. Others say they were cast in a negative light by history because their investigations and even application of justice, protecting both mages and common people impartially, crossed too many powerful groups. In these accounts it is suggested that the group was already known as the Seekers of Truth and that the "Inquisition" moniker was perhaps pejorative.

In 1:20 Divine, the newly founded Chantry found common cause with the Inquisition and they signed the Nevarran Accord. As part of the agreement, the Inquisition became the new martial arm of the Chantry, the Templar Order, and its senior members became known as the Seekers of Truth. Another result was the creation of the Circle of Magi, with the Templars serving as overseers for the Circle.

The last leader of the original Inquisition, Ameridan-an elven mage, went missing after the organization's dissolution. It is said he left to hunt a powerful dragon or to not overshadow the newly created Templar Order.

When the Inquisition was no more, the mysterious Order of Firey Promise rose up for the first time, claiming to be the real Inquisition and Seekers of Truth. They were quickly dispersed by the might of the newly established Chantry.

The Modern Inquisition

The modern Inquisition, in a fledgling state, begins with the interrogation of Varric Tethras by Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast. The Inquisition's reconstruction is, in fact, a back-up plan by Divine Justinia V in case of a calamity within the Chantry or if her attempt to restore peace between mages and templars failed. Justinia hoped that with enough support, the Inquisition could challenge the very tenets of the Chantry to enforce rights for mages. The Divine's servants searched for a worthy candidate to lead the Inquisition, such as the Hero of Ferelden or the Champion of Kirkwall, but they both had disappeared.

Following the massive explosion that killed the Divine and the Conclave, Thedas falls into chaos as the Breach threatens to consume the world. The late Divine's writ was invoked by her Hands, Cassandra Pentaghast and Leliana, declaring the Inquisition reborn and independent of Chantry authority. However, the Chantry has denounced the Inquisition, calling them heretics for harboring the only survivor of the Conclave's explosion, who had been labeled the Herald of Andraste by witnesses from the failed conclave at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, when they were seemingly led out of the Fade by the prophet herself.

After allying with the mage rebels, the Herald manages to seal the Breach. But the celebrations are cut short, as Haven comes under attack by Corypheus. The Herald distracts him long enough for the village to be evacuated before causing an avalanche to bury Corypheus' army and the village. When the Herald reunites with the survivors of Haven, the Herald leads them to Skyhold, where they are formally given the title of Inquisitor.

The Inquisition later leads a siege of Adamant Fortress to stop Venatori magister Livius Erimond from binding Grey Warden mages to Corypheus, enabling the darkspawn to control an army of demons. In the aftermath, the Inquisitor allied with the surviving Wardens.

After the resolution of the War of the Lions, Orlais formally allies with the Inquisition and they march on the Arbor Wilds to purge the remainder of Corypheus' army. Unfortunately, Corypheus returns to the Temple of Sacred Ashes to reopen the Breach, forcing the Inquisitor to engage him without the support of the army.

With Corypheus' defeat, the Inquisition achieves renown throughout southern Thedas and the balance of power across Thedas is drastically changed, perhaps permanently.

Hierarchy and Organization

The re-formed Inquisition is commanded by the Inquisitor who serves as overall leader of the organization. Beneath them are the three advisers, each of whom oversees a different department of the Inquisition. The Commander leads the military forces of the organization and oversees training. The Seneschal/Spymaster is in charge of covert operations, subterfuge and liasons with more disreputable elements. The Ambassador is in charge of co-coordinating diplomatic efforts among the nobility and various other groups which the Inquisition must work with.

The Inquisition is less rigid than most organizations in Thedas and adopts a more inclusive recruitment practice, allowing not only humans but elves, dwarves and Qunari into senior command positions, similar to the Grey Wardens. Unlike the Wardens however, the Inquisition does not strive to be apolitical, as much of its financial aid and diplomatic backing comes from senior members of the Orlesian nobility as well as the Fereldan nobility.

Heraldry

Constellation: Visus, known as "the Watchful Eye", was originally a symbol of the Lady of the Skies. In Andraste's time it came to be associated with the Maker, and a sword was added after her death. The early Inquisition took Visus as their symbol. After the establishment of the Nevarran Accord, which divided the Inquisition into the Templar Order and the Seekers of Truth, the Inquisition's sigil split in two: the Blade of Mercy became the Templars' symbol, while the all-seeing eye became the crest of the Seekers of Truth.

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“Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him.”

The Templar Order is a military order of the Chantry that hunts abominations, apostates, and maleficar and watches over the mages from the Circle of Magi. Templars are officially deemed a force of defenders by the Chantry. Their advocates claim they are saviors, holy warriors, protectors of the innocent, and champions of all that is good. Others see them as symbols of the Chantry's control over magic with a religious fervor that inspires absolute devotion to their mandate rather than moral principles. Their roles are to protect the communities of the faithful from magical threats, protect mages from the populace, and subdue any who refuse to submit to the authority of the Circle.

The History of the Order

Background

Most people don't remember the Templar Order as it once was. In the days when the Chantry was still young, templars were known as the Inquisition and combed the land in search of all dangers to humanity—whether they came in the form of blood mages, abominations, cultists or heretics. It was a dark and terrifying time in the history of Thedas, and one that only ended when the Chantry convinced the Inquisition to unite under the banner of their common faith.This agreement, the Nevarran Accord, was struck in 1:20 Divine. The Inquisition was then divided in two groups: the Seekers of Truth and the Templar Order, with the purpose of the Order becoming that of guardian and warden rather than hunter.

Templars are considered by the common folk to be the saviors and holy warriors of Thedas, protecting the world from the dangers of magic unchecked. As the Chantry’s military arm, they are recruited primarily for their martial skill and religious dedication to the Maker. Given the difficult choices templars must make in the course of their duty, they must be unswervingly loyal to the Order and maintain an emotional distance from the plight of their charges. It is said that a templar’s obedience is more important to the Chantry than his or her moral center.

The Mage-Templar War

By the end of 9:37 Dragon Age, the Kirkwall Chantry has been destroyed by magic and Grand Cleric Elthina killed. After the battle in Kirkwall and the deaths of First Enchanter Orsino and Knight-Commander Meredith, Circles have begun to rebel all over Thedas.

Three years later, according to Varric Tethras in his testimony to Cassandra Pentaghast, the Chantry is on the brink of collapse and has lost control of the templars. A group connected to the Chantry that includes some of the Seekers of Truth have sought to find a peaceful solution to the escalating conflict between the mages and templars by finding both the Hero of Ferelden and the Champion of Kirkwall, who could help stop the war. Yet the group has had no success in tracking down either individual.

The Seekers of Truth, under Lord Seeker Lambert­, also broke away from the Chantry along with the Knight Commanders. In 9:40, Lambert wrote a letter to the Divine nullifying the Nevarran Accord that originally established the Seekers as the Chantry's right hand. In the letter, Lambert writes: "Neither the Seekers of Truth nor the Templar Order recognize Chantry authority." This split from the Chantry occurred at approximately the same time as Cassandra Pentaghast's interrogation of Varric Tethras in 9:40 Dragon. It is unknown exactly how this schism proceeded or whether there are divided factions. Some Seekers remain loyal to the Divine while some Templars believe that the Order has forgotten its purpose and thus defect to either the rebel mages, Grey Wardens or the Inquisition.

With the Mage-Templar War wreaking havoc across Thedas, Samson was able to rally some of the floundering Templar Order and was made their general. Samson had begun serving Corypheus and introduced his templars to the Red Lyrium he supplied. Samson inspired his fellow Red Templars to master the red lyrium with the sole purpose of overthrowing the Chantry that cast them aside and to make the world a place free of the Chantry's oppression.

In 9:41 Dragon, after the disappearance of Lord Seeker Lambert, the Seekers of Truth elected Lucius Corin as their new leader. Subsequently, the Templars agree to a peace summit with the mages orchestrated by Divine Justinia V. However, a massive explosion that destroys the Temple of Sacred Ashes and sunders the Veil across southern Thedas shatters any hope of peace.

In the wake of the failed conclave, the Templar order continues to fracture. A large group follow the Lord Seeker's orders and withdraw to Val Royeaux while some join the recently re-formed Inquisition. Others insist that the Lord Seeker has failed to conduct the war properly and establish themselves in the Hinterlands in western Ferelden where they continue to clash with apostate mages without any oversight or direction. Still other Templars such as those at the Circles in Hossberg in the Anderfels and Hasmal in the Free Marches refuse to be drawn into the war at all and remain neutral to protect mages not wishing to fight.

When the Inquisition addresses the Chantry in Val Royeaux, Lord Seeker Lucius arrives flanked by a contingent of Templars. Revered Mother Hevara assumes they are returning to the Chantry to put an end to the upstart Inquisition, only to be unceremoniously knocked to the ground on Lucius' order. Lucius declares Val Royeaux unworthy of the Order's protection and takes his Templars to Therinfal Redoubt. The Knight-Vigilant, who unknown to most survived the conclave, is murdered by the Red Templars to prevent him potentially interfering with their plans at Therinfal.

The Templars at Therinfal Redoubt are fully corrupted and turned into Red Templars and serve as the Elder One's main troops in his conflict with the reformed Inquisition. The Templars at Hasmal request the Inquisition's aid in relocating the loyalist mages at their circle to the Inquisition for fear of the local populace attacking them and later ally with the Inquisition in the conflict with Corypheus.

Templar Recruitment

Templars go through a rigorous process of recruitment and training, sometimes in monastic refuges segregated from everyday society. While the majority of their members are male, some female templars do exist, having chosen to serve the Maker as a defender of the faith rather than a spiritual guide for the community. Templars take vows upon knighthood, but these do not include vows of chastity (although some elect to take those as well). Templars are nevertheless discouraged from marrying or raising children since it is impractical to live apart from ones' dependents. Such unions are occasionally permitted, provided that the templar's spouse has his or her own means of support, for example, owning land or a title. A templar marrying another templar or a mage within the same Circle would be considered fraternization within the ranks and would seldom receive permission.

Prior to taking their vows templar recruits undergo a vigil. After the vigil, the knight's life is changed. The templar is given a philter—their first draught of lyrium—and its power. The Templar Order dictates that templars are not to seek wealth or acknowledgment. Their lives belong to the Maker and the path they have chosen.

Non-human recruits such as elves are not barred from joining the templars, but are not common in their ranks.

Duties of a Templar

Templars are sworn to protect the world from the dangers of magic, but they also protect mages from the outside world, a world that fears these magic users for very good reasons. Outside the Circles, templars are responsible for hunting maleficar, apostates, abominations, and demons. In addition, templars are responsible for seeking out mages newly come into their power to bring them into the Circle. Inevitably, the Order must also pursue mages who escape the Circle but typically can track the fugitives using a phylactery of blood from their quarry.

Within the Circles, it is the templars' place to watch their charges for signs of weakness or corruption and, should they find it, to act without hesitation for the good of all. One of the Order's most important duties occurs during a mage's Harrowing. During this ritual, a templar watches over the body of the mage, ready to kill them if demonic possession occurs.

In the extreme event that an entire Circle of mages becomes corrupted, templars can request the Right of Annulment from a Grand Cleric, which authorizes them to purge all of the mages in that Circle. This is meant to be used in the event that total chaos has been unleashed by the mages, with no chance that anyone in the Circle can be saved. The considerable power the Order holds over mages occasionally leads to charges of tyranny and abuse, since the balance between protection and oppression of the mages is precarious. Nevertheless, according to the Chantry, this is the price that must be paid for the security the templars offer.

Abilities

Templars are the ideal foils for mages, having been trained specifically to counter and deny magic. This is done by a unique method of reinforcing the reality and immutability of the world. When a mage—or a demon—seeks to work magic, they tap into the Fade in order to reshape reality. A templar's ability "declare(s) the world real" and closes off a mage's access to the Fade. Magical effects dissipate and the mage is unable to reshape a suddenly stubborn world. From a mage's perspective, templars reinforce reality, making it so that spells cannot be cast in the first place. The Seekers of Truth share these powers, and some believe their abilities to be gifts from the Maker.

Templar abilities to dispel magic and inhibit spellcasting, as well as develop a considerable immunity to magic, come primarily through ingesting lyrium. The lyrium is prepared by philters—boxes containing tools that are used by templars to prepare the daily draught of lyrium which consequently allows the denial of magic. If Lyrium ingestion is stopped, Templars will eventually lose their abilities. Though their abilities are mostly used as a foil for mages and fade creatures, some of their talents can have practical uses for the mundane. For example, Holy Smite is an attack that is described as the templar striking with "condemning fire" that causes magical spirit damage. Abilities such as Silence and Lasting CLeanse can even prevent normal opponents from using their magic for a short time. Wrath of Heaven is an ability that is described as summoning a "blinding pillar of light"; and while it is most effective against demons, it can also be used to stun a creature's senses as well.

When a templar taps into their power, their sword visibly courses with a white power that disrupts mana. This power can also be channeled through their skin and used, for example, to activate plates housed in special dwarf-created doors within the Circle of Magi such as the entrance to the phylactery storeroom, which require the presence of both a templar and a mage working together to open them.

Templars are also specifically trained to fight against demons, which are often summoned by maleficar.

Even without their abilities, templars are among the best warriors in Thedas. Aside from combat training, they are also taught the Chant of Light, history, and how to improve their mental focus.

Hierarchy

The Order is composed of numerous branches, each of them centered around a specific community or region they are assigned to defend and monitor. Templars may be assigned to the Circles of Magi but also to individual chantries. Each main branch of the organization is led by a Knight-Commander. In Thedas, there are at least fifteen Knight-Commanders, who in turn answer to the head of a local chantry, often a Grand Cleric, depending on the region. The size and strength of each branch also differs, depending on the community they serve or their specific mandate.

The Order itself is ruled from the White Spire in Val Royeaux by a Knight-Vigilant. However, there are other sources that suggest the Order is actually led by a series of Knights Divine, a division within the Order who serve directly underneath the Divine herself and act as her enforcers and bodyguards. In addition to making the rules, these Knights oversee day-to-day operations. Above the Templar Order, but separate, are the Seekers of Truth who serve as "watchers of the watchmen," providing accountability for the templars.

Lyrium Addiction

“The mages have made their suffering known. The templars never have.”―Cassandra Pentaghast

All templars are addicted to lyrium, which is used to enable their anti-magic skills and is unofficially used as a control mechanism by the Chantry. A lack of lyrium causes the templar to start to feel withdrawal symptoms within a week and to lose touch with reality and suffer from delusions within 1-2 months. The effects of lyrium addiction include paranoia, obsession, and dementia. Symptoms of lyrium hunger pangs include weakness, forgetfulness, an unquenchable thirst, headaches, and cold hands. Over time, templars grow disoriented, incapable of distinguishing memory from present, or dream from waking. They frequently become paranoid as their worst memories and nightmares haunt their waking hours.

Templars also lose their memories to prolonged imbibing of lyrium. It starts small at first—a misplaced item or words to a song—but more fades away over time. Those cut off from lyrium and who could not endure the suffering either go mad or die. Templars start receiving lyrium once they've taken their vows. Ingestion also seems to change how the recipient smells after a while, described as something akin to burnt ozone.

Though unusual, dwarven initiates are not immune from the risks, either. Exposure to lyrium does not preclude the dangers of ingestion. This also indicates that dwarves are recruited into the order, or at least the training.

It is confirmed that lyrium does have effective benefits for templars, as it builds a resistance to magic in them over time, and is needed for their abilities, such as being able to shut off a mage's abilities entirely. It also puts templars in a state of boldness and empowerment while under the influence. Some people think that templars are conditioned to be dependent on this mineral for its attributes and that the Chantry knows of its addictiveness―the Chantry controls the supply of lyrium, and thus they control the templars.

If Lyrium ingestion is stopped, templars will eventually lose their abilities, but since the first infusion of lyrium used in the initial ritual is so concentrated, it is assumed that trained templars are able to utilize their powers for at least a year with diminishing effectiveness over time.

The hunger pangs stop immediately however, and nightmares or recurring bad memories could manifest in a couple of months. Ritual imbibing of the lyrium is meant to stave off the hunger pangs yet it is a double-edged sword since the adverse effects, both in the addiction's withdrawal symptoms and satiating it with the continuous habit, gets worse over time with prolonged imbibing. The most successful templars learn to ration their lyrium dosages to delay it from consuming their minds and endure the pain of lyrium withdrawal. Those that can't quit lyrium eventually become lyrium addled simpletons.

When Templars retire honorably, they are provided a small stipend of lyrium to stave off the hunger for the substance, but the craving hits some templars much harder than others. Furthermore, those kicked out of the order have no such provision made for them.

Heraldry

The Templar heraldry is a stylized representation of a flaming sword. The flames represent purification, just as Andraste was purified by flame upon her martyrdom at the height of the first Exalted March. The sword is an emblem of mercy in Chantry symbolism because Hessarian ran Andraste through with his sword to save her from a slow and painful death. The sword was also a part of the constellation Visus; it is said that the star that marks the point of its blade only appeared in the night sky after Andraste's death. The early Inquisition took Visus as their symbol, and upon their partition the Templar Order took the sword while the Seekers of Truth retained the eye.

The exact design varies. There are at least six variations.

• The sword is pointing up with two small flames on either side.
• Pointing down with four larger flames.
• Pointing down with three flames on either side.
• With the sword pointing down with four flames on either side. The flames end about two thirds of the way down.
• With the sword pointing down with four flames on either side. The flames end about two thirds of the way down and are larger closer to the hilt.
• With four flames on either side running the length of the sword.

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Whereas the Circle was established not merely to protect the world from mages, but also to allow mages to practice their art safely and without fear, and,

Whereas under Lord Seeker Lambert's command, the templars, sworn to protect all people—including mages—from the harmful effects of magic, have instead persecuted mages with such biased judgement as to worsen the problems they were meant to mitigate, and,

Whereas the Right of Tranquility intended as a tool of last resort to stop uncontrolled mages from hurting themselves or others, has instead been used for punitive and political purposes to silence dissent and inhibit civilized discourse, and,

Whereas Andraste herself intended the relationship between mage and templar to be one of practitioner and protector, not prisoner and jailer, this contract has been broken, leaving mages in fear for their lives from those sworn to protect them,

Now, therefore, the Circle of Magi declares the following:

We, the mages of Ferelden and Orlais, do hereby dissolve the Circles and renounce our sworn submission to the Order of templars, effective immediately.

We reiterate Andraste's assertion that magic was made to serve man, not rule over him, and state unequivocally that we will use our abilities only to defend ourselves from those who would see us relinquish our lives and freedoms under the presumption of guilt for crimes we have not committed.

We condemn those practitioners of magic who, through illness of mind or understandable but misguided anger at those who oppressed them, would use their Maker-given powers to threaten innocent lives, and we pledge to aid any legitimate and impartial government in bringing these lawless apostates to justice.

We look earnestly to a future of cooperation between all peoples of Thedas, free from persecution and prejudice and hope to build a better world alongside all who approach us with friendship instead of fear.

Yours in service to Andraste and the Maker,

The Free Mages of Thedas

The Free Mages of Thedas are led by Grand Enchanter Fiona, allied with the Inquisition.

There are no formal ranks within the Free Mages.

They are housed in the Mages Tower at Skyhold, and accept mages from all parts of Thedas.

The Heraldry of the Free Mages is the Circle Mage heraldry inverted.

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The Dalish are nomadic elves that seek to recover, inherit and preserve the knowledge and sacred treasures of the two fallen elven kingdoms, the Dales and Elvhenan. They lead nomadic lives, wandering throughout Thedas. Their clans date back to the independent kingdom of the Dales and the Dalish themselves are their descendants. Many Keepers are descended from the nobility who governed the Dales. The Dalish are considered to have the "purest" blood from the time of Arlathan. They still revere the elven pantheon, and in a ritual to commemorate reaching adulthood each member of a tribe will have the symbol of the tattooed on their face.

History

The Founding of the Dales

During the centuries of slavery after their ancient civilization of Elvhenan fell to the Tevinter Imperium, the elves lost most of their language, history and lore. However, when Andraste and her husband Maferath led their Alamarri army against Tevinter in 1020 TE, the elven slaves led by Shartan rose up and helped fight against their masters.

Shartan was killed when Andraste was betrayed to the Tevinters, but in 1025 TE, Maferath and Andraste's sons gave the elves the Dales as a reward for their part in the war. At that time, the Dales were on the fringe of Tevinter territory and were barely populated, with only the scattered Ciriane people to the west, and the barbarians of Fereldan Valley on the other side of the Frostback Mountains. The freed elves set off for their new home from Tevinter on foot in what would come to be called "The Long Walk." Many perished along the way, but those who survived founded the city of Halamshiral– meaning "the end of the journey" in Elvish. They were joined by elves from across Thedas and began the task of restoring their lost language, religion and lore.

The Long Walk

We walked with what little we had on our backs. Some walked without shoes, for they had none. Whole families, women with infants, the old and young alike--all of them made their way across the land on foot. Many perished along the way. Some died of exhaustion, others simply gave up and fell by the wayside. A great number were set upon by human bandits, even though we had few possessions. Some turned back toward Tevinter. But most of us continued walking. And the gods rewarded those of us who did not waver by bringing us to the Dales. And for a time, it was home.

"Only sixty-five of our group made it to Halamshiral. Some gave up. Some sickened, especially the little ones. Bandits stalked us. My mother forgive me, I had to steal food. A child fought me for extra scraps of bread. A few days later, I carried her for miles after her legs gave out. She died shivering in my arms.

I used to have a master, a mage. He fed me well, never beat me, even taught me how to read so I could do his accounts. But if he had a theory or a spell he wanted to test out, he'd get out his daggers, have the other servants tie me to a post, and carve furrows into my skin. I was so afraid. Every time, I was sure I would die. But at worst I'd collapse, get bandaged up, and lie in bed too weak to move for days. The other slaves visited me in secret to survey the damage. I'd heal just enough before he needed blood again.

That is why I traveled from Vol Dorma to the Dales with nothing but rags on my back. That is why there were one hundred and five of us when we set out, all elven. That is why I fell to my knees and wept when we crossed through the gates of my new home, a village for my people."

—Anonymous account of the Long Walk, as told to Brother Pekor of Ferelden, circa -140 Ancient

The Fall of the Dales

There, see the Winter Palace at Halamshiral. Gaze upon its white walls and golden spires, built on the broken dreams of a people. Our people.

The human prophet Andraste was a slave in the Tevinter Imperium, as our ancestors were. When she rose up against them, we rose up with her. Together we fought for freedom. In gratitude and kinship, Andraste promised the elves a new land: the Dales. And although she died, her sons kept her promise.

Our people came from farthest Tevinter to claim this new land. Here, our journey ended. This was our Halamshiral. As we laid the first stone for the city, our people vowed that no human would ever set foot on our lands. The greatest of our warriors swore to uphold this vow. One by one they game, invoking the names of Elgar'nan and Mythal, Andruil and Ghilan'nain. Before all our gods, they dedicated themselves to Halamshiral, becoming our protectors, our Emerald Knights. They would ensure that the Dales remained free.

It was free. For over three centuries. But the humans and their new Andrastian Chantry would not let us be. They pushed against our borders. They sent missionaries to spread the word of their prophet. They sought ways to subjugate the People once more. When we refused, we angered them.

They destroyed us. Even the Emerald Knights could not stand against the might of their army, armored in faith. In the name of their Andraste, they burned Halamshiral, scattering us to the winds. They forgot that once, long ago, Andraste's followers and the elves marched together. They forgot that Andraste called Shartan "brother."

—A Promise Lost, as told by Keeper Gisharel to the young hunters of the Ralaferin clan on the outskirts of Halamshiral

Throughout the years, the citizens of the Dales became increasingly isolationist, perhaps simply because they had learned to distrust humans during their long slavery, or maybe because they were seeking to regain the immortality that leged says contact with the humans had robbed them of. A likely contributor to their isolation was the rise of Kordillus Drakon I, who was conquering his neighboring city-states and forcibly converting his subjects to his particular Cult of the Maker, establishing the Orlesian Empire and the Chantry of Andraste; his massacre of people who followed other faiths, like the thousands of followers of the Daughters of Song who were slain by Drakon's forces, could have also given the elves pause about their new neighbor and rising empire. Certainly, Chantry missionaries would have been unwelcome in a land trying to maintain their autonomy from human rule and re-establish the old elven religion, but human historians also claim that the elves refused to trade with their neighbors and that Emerald Knights were posted at the borders to forestall visitors.

In their attempt to maintain their independence and regain the lost glory of Elvhenan, the elves cut themselves off from the Orlesian Empire. Throughout the Second Blight, which lasted for most of the Divine Age, Chantry accounts claim the elves of the Dales remained neutral and unhelpful, although there is no indication that Orlais petitioned the Dales for assistance. However, there is an elven account of a Dalish presence in the Anderfels at this time who were fighting the darkspawn. When the city of Montsimmard was nearly destroyed by darkspawn in 1:25 Divine, it is alleged that the elven army simply watched from nearby. Partly because of this, and other rumors that were being spread about the elves, the end of the Blight saw increasing hostility between the Dales and Orlais.

According to human accounts, border skirmishes escalated into full-scale war after the elven forces attacked the Orlesian town of Red Crossing in 2:9 Glory. However, there is also reason to suspect the Chantry, which objected to the worship of the elven pantheon, of inciting fear and hatred of the elves by allegedly spreading false rumors of human sacrifice. The Dalish claim the war started after the Chantry sent templars into their sovereign territory after the elves kicked their missionaries out of the Dales.

Written accounts from Din'an Hanin, the tomb of the Emerald Knights, suggest that there is some truth to both claims. In the days before the incident at Red Crossing, humans had murdered an elven woman. Amidst the growing hostility between the elves and the humans, an Emerald Knight, by the name of Elandrin, had fallen in love with a girl from the town of Red Crossing, and she with him. The other elves, misconstruing the nature of Elandrin's departure as a defection to Orlais (potentially endangering the safety of the Dales since he was an Emerald Knight), sought to bring Elandrin back. So one night, in the hopes of convincing Elandrin (or, alternatively, bringing him to justice), a group of elves proceeded towards the town. It was then that one of the Emerald Knights spotted Elandrin's lover running towards them, and the Knight, mistaking her as hostile, slew her with an arrow. The townsfolk heard the girl's cry and advanced on the elves after they killed Elandrin, but they were promptly defeated. With that began the full-scale skirmish between the elves and humans.

By 2:10 Glory, elven forces had captured Montsimmard and were on the doorstep of Val Royeaux. At this point, the Chantry called for a holy war against the elves that became known as the Exalted March of the Dales. While the elves eventually sacked Val Royeaux and pushed well into human lands, Halamshiral was conquered and the elves were completely crushed by 2:20 Glory. The Dales were appropriated by the Orlesians, who uprooted elven settlements and forbade worship of the elven gods. Elves who accepted the Chantry's offered truce were spread and required to accept the Maker and live in slums, known as alienages, within human settlements, becoming the city elves.

Some elves, however, refused to give up their worship or their dream of their own homeland. These became the Dalish, retaining the name of their second lost homeland and vowing to keep elven language, lore and religion alive.

The Fifth Blight

While some contemporaries dispute whether the Fifth Blight was a true Blight or merely a large darkspawn resurgence, historians agree that it began in the swamps of the Korcari Wilds on the southeastern border of Ferelden in the year 9:30 Dragon.

King Cailan Theirin was swift in responding to the threat of encroaching darkspawn, gathering the royal army, every Grey Warden in his country, and sending a call for aid to the Fereldan nobility. The assembled armies laid a trap in the ruins of Ostagar, hoping to crush the force before it reached civilization, but they failed.

Darkspawn overran the defenders of Ostagar and decimated the king and his army. They continued their advance into Ferelden unopposed. Only two Grey Wardens managed to escape the slaughter. And somehow, they came into possession of ancient treaties, which compelled the races of men to join arms against the massing horde.

In desperation to find more allies, the Wardens journeyed into the Brecilian Forest, seeking the Dalish.

When the Warden finds the Dalish elves, the Warden discovers that they are being destroyed by a virulent disease which is turning them all into werewolves. The clan keeper, Zathrian, asks the Warden's assistance in ridding them of the curse. He requests that the Warden find the first werewolf, Witherfang, and return with his heart to end the curse destroying his people. The quest takes the warden through the Brecilian Forest to track down the lead werewolf.

The Warden tracked down Witherfang and convinced Zathrian to end the curse he placed upon the werewolves, freeing the werewolves and saving the Dalish clan simultaneously at the cost of Zathrian and Witherfang's lives.

Culture and Clan Life

The Dalish travel around the more remote reaches of Thedas in aravels, special wagons with large triangular sails and rudder-like devices on the back. In addition to being pulled by Halla, aravels use magic to move through the forests quickly and easily. While traveling, they carry their children in padded slings.

The Dalish are familiar with many natural remedies humans have forgotten or ignored, such as chewing pieces of bark from certain trees to cure a headache.

For food, the Dalish rely mostly on hunting and foraging. They also make use of halla milk and related dairy products such as butter and cheese. The elves of southern Orlais eat the larvae of a wood-burrowing beetle.

Roles among each clan are stringent and clearly defined. A keeper serves as a leader and spiritual guide, and working in tandem with them is a hahren, who reiterates the Elven lore and tends to the children. Other important positions are being the designated warleader, hearthmistress and crafter. There is also a designated Halla keeper. Elves can also be a Hunter or Healer. Each position has an apprenticeship stage, an example being how an elf must kill and present a beast of the forest all by themselves to become a fully-fledged hunter. The Dalish version of marriage is referred to as 'bonding'.

Whilst they still lived in the Dales, the Dalish had at least one Lord called Hassandriel in 2:7 Glory, towards the end of the elven nation. It was in essence based on an aristocratic/oligarchic model rather than simply a monarchy.

Along with their telltale aravels, the Dalish elves are also known for being the only race capable of forging ironbark, a unique substance stronger and lighter than steel, used to make their weapons and certain other items of clothing. For a typical hunter's armor, ironbark plates are combined with leather. The material can also be enchanted. For weapons, Dalish use daggers, arrows and nets. Ironbark weapons, along with carved halla horns, are highly valued and are used to trade with humans for things they cannot make on their own.

Dalish elves tend to keep to their own and avoid humans whenever they can, but will occasionally encounter human travelers, or venture near human settlements to trade. At the threat of these encounters becoming violent, a Dalish clan will likely withdraw before any real force of humans gets involved, but they will often still be willing to stand their ground. In the long run, hostilities with humans will likely end badly for the elves, especially if a human settlement decides that a certain clan has become more trouble than it is worth.

The Dalish clans themselves can also be quite different from each other. Some clans will get along fairly well with humans, and might even camp outside of settlements for long periods of time. Other clans are more infamous, living by banditry and hiding like guerrillas in the mountain passes. In particular, the Dalish clans in Antiva are said to be more secretive and violent than the rest. They often build "forest marionettes" that are mistaken for sylvans or unquiet spirits to scare humans away from their clans.

When Dalish elves die, their clan will bury them and plant a tree over their remains. The dead are provided with an oak staff to help them along the path of the afterlife, and a cedar branch to scatter the ravens of Fear and Deceit who were once servants of Dirthamen. If a clan is able to, they will bury their dead in a sacred burial site known as Var Bellanaris, which is located in the Exalted Plains.

Lore-Keeping and Education

“In time, the human empires will crumble. We have seen it happen countless times. Until then, we wait, we keep to the wild border lands, we raise halla and build aravels and present a moving target to the humans around us. We try to keep hold of the old ways, to relearn what was forgotten.”―Gisharel, Keeper of the Ralaferin Clan

Both the Dalish and city elves have an oral tradition in which much of their knowledge and tradition is passed along, but never actually written down. Hahrens instruct through the use of lore and storytelling. However, there are some books to preserve history, few and precious. Children are highly valued among the clans.

Dalish clans rarely encounter each other in order to protect themselves; their diaspora is as much of a blessing as is a curse. Only once every decade or so do the Dalish clans all meet together, and their keepers, the elders and leaders of the Dalish who are responsible in keeping elven lore and magic alive, will meet together and exchange knowledge in a meeting called the Arlathvhen.

During such a time, the clans will recall and record any lore they have relearned since the past meeting, along with reiterating what lore they know already to keep their traditions as accurate and alive as possible. During such time, the clans will exchange relics dating from the two elven nations for safekeeping. The Dalish believe that all the relics they've preserved from the Dales and Arlathan belong to all the Dalish; such trades are seen as much of an act of sharing as it is a matter of trade, and the same is true even for talented elves. Merrill, for example, was born in the Alerion clan, but due to her magical talents, she was given to the Sabrae clan to be the First of Keeper Marethari as clan Alerion already had a number of gifted elves.

A clan's "First," an apprentice mage under a Keeper, studies history and magic and attempts to preserve elven lore. As magic becomes more rare among the Dalish, children with the gift of magic may be moved between clans to ensure than every Keeper has a successor. To avoid the inherent dangers of magic and invoking the ire of Templars, individual clans may limit the number of magically-gifted elves they have. Once that limit is reached, those additional elves may be abandoned to the wilderness.

Philosophy

Many Dalish live by the goddess of the hunt Andruil's code known as the Vir Tanadhal, meaning "Way of Three Trees" or "the Ways of the Hunter." It is made of three parts, taught by Andruil herself, which are:

• Vir Assan ("Way of the Arrow") - fly straight and do not waver. Be swift and silent," Andruil taught. "Strike true; do nov waver. And let not your prey suffer."
• Vir Bor'Assan ("Way of the Bow") - bend but never break. As the sapling bends, so must you. In yielding, find resilience; in pliancy, find strength."
• Vir Adahlen ("Way of the Forest" or "Way of the Wood") - together we are stronger than the one. "Recieve the gifts of the hunt with mindfulness. Respect the sacrifice of my children. Know that your passing shall nourish them in turn."

The three parts of the philosophy are often strung together as a sort of mantra, which the Dalish will often end with the phrase, "We are the last of the elvhenan, and never again shall we submit." A rite of passage for hunters is to bring back the pelt of a creature the hunter has killed.

Seldom spoken of, however, is a fourth way: the Vir Banal'ras, the "Way of Shadow." Dalish hunters assume it when a debt of blood must be repaid. Such hunters dedicate themselves to vengeance and nothing else. Thus were born the legends of Dalish assassins.

A few follow a different path, Sylaise's code known as Vir Atish'an, "The Way of Peace": Dalish following this calling learn the arts of the healer and the mender.

When dealing with one another, Dalish elves may invoke Vir Sulevanin, a bargain by which an elf will complete a given task for another in return for something, such as a valuable clan item. Though the recipient of this bargain may dissent, they cannot reject an offer of Vir Sulevanin. Similarly, the elf offering the bargain must apparently agree to the task set to them whether it is desirable or not.

Naming Customs

Clans are named for the nobles from the Dales who originally founded the clan. Every Dalish surname preserves a lineage from someone, though not necessarily a clan founder. One noble clan founder could start a clan with some Emerald Knights, who would also pass on their names (e.g. clan founder Sabrae with Emerald Knights Mahariel and Talas). As the Dalish often trade people between each other, not everyone in a given clan is a descendant of its founder, and as such doesn't necessarily bear their name.

Known Dalish Clans

• Alerion
• Boranehn
• Ghilain
• Lavellan
• Oranavra
• Ralaferin
• Sabrae
• Tillahnnen
• Virnehn