Broodmother

First day, they come and catch everyone. Second day, they beat us and eat some for meat. Third day, the men are gnawed on again. Fourth day, we wait and fear for our fate. Fifth day, they return and it's another girl's turn. Sixth day, her screams we hear in our dreams. Seventh day, she grew as in her mouth they spew. Eighth day, we hated as she is violated. Ninth day, she grins and devours her kin. Now she does feast, as she's become the beast."

--Hespith's Chant:

In the subterranean halls of the Dead Trenches, a nightmarish creature called a Broodmother is spoken of in hushed and terrified whispers. The few who were lucky to return from battling the plagued dwarven lands seemed mentally broken by the experience, feverishly mentioning tales about a disturbing beast known only as a Broodmother. What the Broodmother is, and what it is doing underground is a complete mystery. However, one thing does stand out across all these stories –- its insatiable hunger for Grey Warden flesh.

It is known that Broodmothers are the sources of the many different "species" of darkspawn. The race of the Broodmother before she was tainted directly influences which "species" of darkspawn she will spawn. An elven Broodmother will spawn Shrieks, a dwarven one spawns Genlocks, a human one Hurlocks, and a qunari one Ogres.

Involvement
The Broodmother in the Dead Trenches was once one of the women of Branka's house, named Laryn. Branka allowed this perversion to be created and to live, so she might use its children as test subjects for the traps that await those who seek the Anvil of the Void. This Broodmother will always attack.