The Warden

The Warden is the player-controlled protagonist of Dragon Age: Origins. This character will hail from one of six social classes ranging from casteless dwarf or landless elf to Fereldan noble or even dwarven royalty. After playing through one of these origins, he or she will join the Grey Wardens during the events of Dragon Age: Origins and eventually rise to the rank of Warden-Commander in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.

Dragon Age: Origins
As the origin story is played out, the protagonist is recruited by Duncan, leader of Ferelden's Grey Wardens, to aid King Cailan Theirin and his troops against an incoming army of darkspawn at Ostagar. This is where the main plot of Dragon Age: Origins begins. The Warden's primary mission is to gather an army and defeat a Blight; however, political tensions, disruptions and numerous other distractions (and inspirations) are bound to cross our hero's path.

The actions and words of the Warden are always chosen by the player, and have a wide range of outcomes (both for the story's end and for the fates of the Warden's allies). Unlike many other RPGs, the cumulative result of these choices is not tracked by a single meter or bar; rather, each companion has a meter reflecting that individual's reactions to the Warden's decisions.

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Six months after the conclusion of Origins, the Warden can return. They are now a Warden-Commander and have been given Vigil's Keep for the Wardens.

Character creation
The player begins by selecting a gender, race (human, elf or dwarf), and class (warrior, rogue or mage); the mage class is not available to dwarves or Dalish elves. Then comes the option to customize name, physical features (only above the shoulders) and portrait, and choose a voice set. Attributes and skills are selected next. If playing as a warrior or rogue, talents are selected; mages select spells instead. Finally, the player selects his or her preferred difficulty level and the story begins.

First name
A default name is offered according to the Warden's gender and origin, but this can be changed to whatever the player chooses.

Note: No one will call the Warden by name, but it does show up in some dialogue choices.


 * Male
 * Human Noble: Aedan
 * Human Mage: Daylen
 * Elf Mage: Alim
 * City Elf: Darrian
 * Dalish Elf: Theron
 * Dwarf Noble: Duran
 * Dwarf Commoner: Faren


 * Female
 * Human Noble: Elissa
 * Human Mage: Solona
 * Elf Mage: Neria
 * City Elf: Kallian
 * Dalish Elf: Lyna
 * Dwarf Noble: Sereda
 * Dwarf Commoner: Natia

Last name
While the player can select the first name of the character freely, each origin has a set surname:


 * Human Noble: Cousland
 * Human Mage: Amell
 * Elf Mage: Surana
 * City Elf: Tabris
 * Dalish Elf: Mahariel
 * Dwarf Noble: Aeducan
 * Dwarf Commoner: Brosca

Note that six origins have been mentioned, but seven names are listed; this is because both human and elf mages follow the same origin story in the Circle Tower.

Starting abilities
Each character begins the adventure with two specific skills and one talent or spell already known. Additionally, one skill and two talents or spells are chosen at character creation. The free starting abilities depend on class and origin. On the Xbox 360, in addition to other skills, the Warden also gets one additional rank in Combat Training.

Level
As is typical for role-playing games, a character's level will display the progress of the character's career and personal power. When the character levels up, certain things are automatically increased (health and stamina/mana), while other things (talents and attributes) must be manually increased, unless Autolevel is activated. There is a "hard" level cap of 25 in Origins. Since enemies do not re-spawn, there is only enough content in the game (including DLC) to complete it between levels 17 and 24 (depending on how many side quests and Codex entries are completed). A well-used rogue can gain the party significant experience over the course of their adventures by picking locks and disarming traps. In any case, level 25 can be reached by donating profusely to the Allied Supply Crates in the Camp.

In Awakening, the level cap is raised to 35; this increase also affects The Golems of Amgarrak and Witch Hunt DLC.

Equipment
Player characters have the following equipment slots:

Warden-restricted items
Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

Quotes

 * (After the Warden wins the Landsmeet) "Hah, you lose!"
 * (To Knight-Commander Greagoir) "Don't you feel guilty about wanting to slaughter everything?"


 * Morrigan: "'Tis cold in my tent, all alone..."
 * Warden: "Then get a thicker blanket."


 * Leliana: "I think I'll retire to my tent."
 * Warden: "I think I'll stay up and write in my journal."

(To Isabela)
 * Warden: "She bites too."
 * Leliana: "I do not!"


 * Sten: "Interesting strategy. Tell me: Do you intend to keep going north until it becomes south, and attack the archdemon from the rear?"
 * Warden: "It'll never see this coming."


 * Warden: "A Chanter says, 'What?'"
 * Chanter Devons: "What?"
 * Child: "Oh, you got him to speak!"
 * Chanter Devons: "Err... what hath man's sin wrought?"
 * Child: "Oh, he cheated!"


 * Warden: "You're sort of a ruthless bitch."
 * Queen Anora: "I prefer to think of it as having staunch determination. Was there a point you wanted to make?"
 * Warden: "No, I just wanted to say it."


 * Leliana: "The stars are out."
 * Warden: "So? Go help Alistair make supper."

(During Oghren the Family Man)
 * Oghren: "All I'm good at is killing things."
 * Warden: "He's right. He is good at killing things."


 * Warden: "They will bow before my might."
 * Guard: "Eh, Then it's good to have you sir."

Etymology

 * The default name for a male human noble, Aedan, was the name of a 6th-century king of Scotland. It's also the Ancient Irish form of Aodhan, which is a form of Aodh, which means "fire".
 * The default name for a human male circle mage, Daylen, is an English name that means "lives in the valley", which suits a circle mage quite well.
 * For the male elven circle mage, the default name, Alim, is an Arabic name that means "learned" or "wise".
 * For the male city elf origin, the name Darrian, is most likely a form of Darren, which is most likely a form of Darrell, which comes from Norman French d'Arielle which denotes someone who comes from Arielle in France.
 * For the Dalish Elf, the name "Theron", is a Greek name that means "Hunter", which suits a Dalish very well.
 * For a male Dwarf Noble, the name "Duran", is a name of English and French origin which means "Firm" and "Enduring".
 * For the male Dwarf Commonor, the name "Faren", is a name of English origin meaning "Adventurous".
 * For the female human noble, the name Elissa, is a variant of Elisa, which is a short form of Elisabeth, which is the German and Dutch form of Elizabeth, which means "my god is an oath" or "my god is abundance".
 * For the human female circle mage, the name Solona, is a feminine variant of the masculine name "Solon", which comes from Ancient Greek meaning "Wisdom".
 * For the female elven circle mage, the name Neria, is a form of the name "Neriah", which comes from Biblical Hebrew meaning "Lamp of Yahweh".
 * For the female Dalish Elf origin. The name Lyna, is a shortened form of Carolina, which in English and French origin means "Joy" or "Song of Happiness", it is also an Italian and Feminine form of "Charles" which means "Strong".
 * For the female Dwarf Noble origin. The name Sereda, is possibly a form of "Serena", which means either "clear", "tranquil", or "serene".
 * For the female Dwarf Commenor origin. The name "Natia", is the Polish form of "Nadja" which is the German and Slovene form of "Nadya", which is a Russian diminutive of "Nadezhda", which means "Hope".
 * For the female City Elf origin, the name Kallian, is possibly a form of the Hawaiian name "Kalia", which is the name of a tree native to Hawaii, but is also perhaps a variant of "Kalea" which means "Joy" or "Happiness" in Hawaiian.

Trivia

 * According to certain Circle apprentices, the Warden once bedded a lady pirate and three greased nugs.
 * Hawke is related to the human Warden (actual or 'potential') from the Mage Origin through his/her mother, whose maiden name is Amell. Her first name is "Revka" according to Leandra in Dragon Age II.
 * The human noble Warden and dwarf noble Warden are the only ones to have their surnames spoken by NPCs; the rest are simply called "Grey Warden", "Warden" or "My Lord/Lady"). However, a Dalish Warden imported into Dragon Age II will be referred to by Merrill and her clan as "Mahariel".