Battle of Vigil's Keep

The Assault on Vigil's Keep was the first conflict involving the Grey Wardens in the Darkspawn Civil War. After the end of the Fifth Blight, darkspawn stragglers terrorized small human settlements. Before the newly appointed Warden Commander arrived at Vigil's Keep, the Architect sent an ambassador to the Keep along with a contingent of darkspawn to negotiate with the Wardens.

Background
Following the fall of Urthemiel at Denerim, the Blight was ended. The Warden who was responsible for the death of the Archdemon was honoured as a hero. During the events of the Fereldan Civil War, Arl Rendon Howe of Amaranthine turned traitor, and murdered the Cousland family in cold blood. Loghain Mac Tir, now regent of Fereldan made him Teyrn of Highever and Arl of Denerim. He was eventually killed, and Amaranthine turned over to the Grey Wardens as thanks. The darkspawn, however, did not simply dissapear. Unorganized goups warred with each other, and terrorized settlements along the coast. Unbeknownst to the Wardens, however, was the knowledge that two new entities had emerged to lead the darkspawn, the Architect and the Mother, who were leading two factions of "intelligent" darkspawn. The Architect sought for darkspawn to live among the people of Thedas in peace, and for this, he needed Grey Wardens (specifically, their blood).

The Orders to Attack
The Withered, along with a company of darkspawn arrived at the Keep via the tunnels leading to the Deep Roads in the basement. Owing to the absence of the newly appointed Warden-Commander, Seneschal Varel was left in charge of the Keep. When reports of the darkspawn's emergence reached him, he panicked and ordered the men to attack immediately. The Vigil's defenders were unprepared however, and the battle was a slaughter.

Arrival of the Warden-Commander
By the time the Warden-Commander arrived at the Keep, the battle was well under way, and vastly in the darkspawn's favour. Many of the Keep's soldiers lay dead, including all Orlesian Wardens present, and Captain Garevel's predecessor. The Commander made short work of the darkspawn, and proceeded inside the Keep, meeting a Oghren and an apostate mage along the way. They saved who they could from the darkspawn, and made their way to the roof, where they encountered The Withered about to execute the Seneschal. The party managed to rescue Seneschal Varel, slaying The Withered, and ending the battle.

Aftermath
The battle alerted the Grey Wardens to the new darkspawn threat, and shortly after the Wardens emerged victorious, Queen Anora or (depending on choices made in Origins) King Alistair arrive at the Keep accompanied by the royal troupe and a woman templar named Rylock. They greeted the Commander, naming them Liegelord of Amaranthine, and tasked them with rebuilding the Fereldan Wardens, and eradicating the new darkspawn threat. A Joining later took place during which Mhairi was killed.