Grey Wardens

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"In war, victory In peace, vigilance In death, sacrifice" - Grey Wardens' motto 



The Grey Wardens are an organization of the most elite and feared of warriors, dedicated to the destruction of the darkspawn in all lands. They are headquartered in Weisshaupt Fortress in the country of Anderfels, and they are known to have a significant presence in the Orlesian Empire. The centuries of peace have left them all but forgotten. The Grey Wardens have kept watch through the ages, well aware that peace is fleeting, and that their enemy will never truly be defeated until the last of the darkspawn have been slain.

From the first, the Grey Wardens sacrificed everything to stem the tide of darkness. Uniquely qualified for this task, they drew the most powerful of mages and the finest warriors from all races and forged them into a fighting force that time and time again has driven back the Blight. They remain legends, vigilantly watching for the return of their ancient foe, and stand ready to do battle once more when that day comes.

The Grey Wardens were once a large and magnificent organization who rode gryphons that clouded the skies. The sight of them arriving in glorious numbers wherever darkspawn threatened was truly a sight to behold. They were revered by the people, and the nations of humanity once gladly supported them with food, equipment and a steady stream of recruits. Governments are still expected to pay a tithe to the Grey Wardens, but it has been four hundred years since the last Blight, and many now think the Grey Wardens to be irrelevant and obsolete. Their numbers have dwindled to near extinction, and although they are now seen to be only a relic of a once great and proud league of heroes, the few remaining Grey Wardens still keep up their training and maintain a watchful eye for signs of another Blight.

Exiled from Ferelden 200 years ago, when their then commander's personal bonds led to the Grey Wardens involvement in a plot to overthrow the king, they were only readmitted 20 years ago by King Maric Theirin. The Grey Wardens of Ferelden are currently led by Duncan and number only about two dozen.

The Joining
To become part of the Grey Wardens a recruit must first go through a ritual called the Joining. One of the reasons the ranks of Grey Wardens are small is that few can succeed this ritual. Those who do, however, gain an ability to resist the effects of the blight as well as the unique ability to sense the presence of darkspawn. For unknown reasons, the ritual and the details about it are kept a strict secret by the Grey Wardens.

The Calling
The taint that gives Grey Wardens the ability to detect darkspawn, also cuts short their lives. Yet, rather than withering away from their sickness, Grey Wardens experience the Calling, where they choose to descend to the Deep Roads to battle darkspawn and end their lives with purpose.