Blackwall

"At the heart of it, all a Warden is, is a promise. To protect others... even at the cost of your own life."

Gordon Blackwall is a Grey Warden and a companion in Dragon Age: Inquisition as well as a potential romance for female Inquisitors.

Background
Nothing is known of Gordon Blackwall prior to his recruitment into the Grey Wardens from the city of Cumberland in 9:17 Dragon, but he is said to be one of the few who chose, of his own accord, to undergo the Joining. He is proud of the lives of isolation and valor those of his order lead. In that isolation, he counsels that you have become something more than yourself. He prefers the life of the Warden to any other.

Gordon Blackwall was a close friend of then Warden-Constable Alisse Fontaine and succeeded her in the position when she became Commander of the Grey in Orlais. He was put in charge of warden operations in northern Orlais and stationed in Val Chevin.

During the Fifth Blight in 9:30 Dragon, Gordon Blackwall was strongly opposed to Teyrn Loghain's decision to close the Fereldan borders, and exile the Grey Wardens while the Fifth Blight raged. After the Blight, he was awarded the Silverite Wings of Valor for rescuing seven fellow Wardens when a Deep Roads tunnel collapsed. He managed to free himself of the rubble and navigated a crumbling darkspawn infested cave system alone to reach and free his fellows.

Blackwall's duties also include recruiting new wardens. His goal is to help others and act as a shield to his comrades, and this reflects his view of the Grey Wardens as an order of protectors.

Approval
Blackwall approves of helping and protecting others and Inquisitors who spur people to do the same. He is not fond of conscripting, exiling, or disbanding famed organizations dedicated to service. He also despises aiding self-serving power-hungry tyrants or those who punish for cruelty. He is fond of those who speak highly of the Grey Wardens and those who ally with them.

Slight approval from Blackwall can be gained by killing groups of darkspawn wandering throughout the areas and during quests such as The Trouble with Darkspawn and Keeping the Darkspawn Down.

Approval gains from specific events and quests are usually low to moderate for Blackwall, though there are a couple of instances that will yield "Greatly Approves". These include:

Romance
Blackwall can be romanced by a female Inquisitor of any race.

Quotes

 * "Sometimes you have to figure out for yourself what the pledge to protect others really means. It's not always just about Archdemons and Blights."
 * "You know I hate the aristocracy as much as you do. I hate that they sit in palaces sipping wine while people starve outside their gates. I hate that good soldiers die in senseless wars over who gets the fancy chair. Still, it's better to have the nobility on your side than not. They're dogs, all of them, and even the primped and powdered ones have teeth."
 * "'You are who you choose to follow.' Someone told me that once. Took me years to understand what he meant."
 * "You may have Andraste's favor. But wars are won by men. Soldiers."
 * "One thing I will say about your men: they're passionate. Devoted. You inspire them. Build on that foundation, and you will have an army that makes nations tremble."
 * (Why he joined the Grey Wardens) "Because they remember honor and sacrifice, words that have little meaning to the rest of us. Because they lay down their lives for those they have sworn to protect. We all need to believe there are such men in the world. I needed to believe I could be one of them."
 * "We could make the world better. It's just easier to shut our eyes."
 * "It's not right... to want to do good, to be good, and have that turned against you."
 * (What can one Grey Warden do?) "Save the fucking world if pressed."

Trivia

 * Blackwall was written by Sheryl Chee.
 * He is described as "The Resolve".
 * He is described as dedicated, almost mentor-like figure, but he's also a man alone; he's been on the road for a very long time, and it wears on him.
 * According to Sheryl Chee, Blackwall likes dogs.
 * Blackwall's greatest fear is himself.