The Disciples

The Disciples are an advanced form of darkspawn, capable of speech, free will and tactical warfare. They are a new creature featured in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.

Background
The Disciples are the creation of the Architect. During his research and experiments with the taint, he discovered that the darkspawn can gain immunity to the Calling of the Old Gods by ingesting the blood of a Grey Warden. Since these Disciples are sentient beings, they have developed their own personalities, with the ability to speak, strategize and choose for themselves, making them disturbingly humanlike.

As they are now separated from the darkspawn hive-mind, they are also capable of acts that would damage their own kind severely, such as betrayal and revenge, along with other traits of emotionality. For example, the Disciple the First swore to kill the Mother upon being tricked by her and being imprisoned in the Fade.

"They are like children - come into this world with no understanding of what is good and fair. They have a bestial nature, but I have seen them overcome it. They just need to be shown how." Seranni

Despite this new sapience, the Disciples can show a level of sadism typical of darkspawn (if not more cruel). The Seeker goes beyond his master's wishes by planting evidence that leads to war between the Dalish elves and humans, confusing the Architect. The Withered, despite being ordered to offer peace to the Warden-Commander, seems to take the order at its word and tries to kill all inhabitants of Vigil's Keep except the Commander, presumably to negotiate. Arguably, and as both the Architect and Seranni remarks, this merely comes from the fact that they do not know any better, and their savage nature might be subdued simply through learning of other ways.

Known Disciples

 * The Withered
 * The Lost
 * The First
 * The Herald
 * The Seeker
 * The Messenger
 * The Architect's war leader (Kal'Hirol)
 * Heretic Disciples

Trivia
The Hurlocks of Dragon Age II look similar to the Disciples.