Changes: Blackwall

Revision as of 17:56, 10 June 2015

“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

Blackwall is a committed Grey Warden, who's not only content, but 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, and it is that noble ideal that spurred Blackwall to become one of those few to choose, of his own accord, to undergo the Joining. He prefers the life of the Warden to any other.^[2]

Documents indicate that at the time of the Fifth Blight in 9:30 Dragon, Blackwall was stationed in Val Chevin and held the post of Warden-Constable. He was strongly opposed to Teyrn Loghain's decision to close the Fereldan borders, and exile the Grey Warden while the Fifth Blight raged.^[3]^[4]

Blackwall walks the land as a Warden recruiter. 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.^[5]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Some time prior to 9:41, Warden-Constable Blackwall recruited a man named Thom Rainier into the Grey Wardens.

Thom Rainier originated from Markham of the Free Marches. He claims to have won the melee of the Grand Tourney once in his younger years, albeit with the support of a fellow competitor―a chevalier. The chevalier put aside his own ambition to help Rainer win the tournament, and even offered to mentor him, but Rainier refused him out of pride. Many years later, he came to regret that decision.

It appears Rainier had a sister named Liddy, who is presumed deceased now.^[1]

Eventually, Rainier became a well-respected captain in the Orlesian army. An ally of Grand Duke Gaspard, Ser Robert Chapuis, ordered him to attack one of Empress Celene's allies, Lord Callier. His soldiers were told that they were on an important mission. The attack turned into a slaughter, as they massacred Callier's family. When word of the massacre got out, Gaspard disavowed their actions, Chapuis committed suicide and Rainer ran. That's when Gordon Blackwall saw his potential and recruited him

On their way to the Warden stronghold in Val Chevin, they stopped by a Deep Roads entrance in the Storm Coast and Blackwall sent Rainier to retrieve Darkspawn blood for his joining. They were ambushed and Blackwall sacrificed himself to protect Rainier.

Rainier was inspired by Blackwall's nobility and belief in the Warden's cause, but he had no proof that he had been recruited and feared the Wardens would think he had murdered Blackwall. So he assumed Blackwall's identity and used his status as a wandering Warden recruiter to try and do good in honor of the Warden's memory.

Involvement

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Should the Inquisitor choose to find Blackwall in the Hinterlands, they arrive when Blackwall is training a trio of conscripts to fight off bandits, who attack on cue. After fending off the bandits, Blackwall sends the conscripts off and is questioned by the Inquisitor over the disappearance of Ferelden's Wardens. Refusing to stand idly by if his order is involved in Divine Justinia V's death, Blackwall joins forces with the Inquisition.

Note: Blackwall must be recruited before meeting Hawke and the Warden at the Tevinter ruins in the Western Approach. Following this exchange, he is no longer available.

If Blackwall accompanies the Inquisitor in the siege of Adamant Fortress, he can reason with the Warden warriors by reminding them of their duty.

Back at Skyhold, Blackwall will take the Inquisitor out for a drink at Herald's Rest. As they drink, Blackwall solemnly tells the Inquisitor the tale of how as a boy, he ignored a bunch of urchins abusing a stray dog begging for food. He expresses his guilt about how he ignored the dog's suffering and allowed injustice to be done. He tells the Inquisitor that they could make the world better but people choose not to out of expedience. Blackwall then concludes "There's always some dog out there. Some fucking mongrel that doesn't know how to stay away." If the Inquisitor is in a romance with Blackwall, he does not bring up the story in this scene.

Blackwall tarot — Blackwall Alternate tarot card (With the Inquisition)

Blackwallq — Blackwall Alternate tarot card (Exiled)

After completing missions at Adamant and Halamshiral, Blackwall disappears from Skyhold. An Inquisition messenger shows the Inquisitor a crumpled note, suggesting that Blackwall intends to attend the execution of a man called Mornay in Val Royeaux, accused of taking part in a massacre as ordered by his captain, Thom Rainier. At the execution, before Mornay could be hanged, Blackwall steps up to the platform, admitting to have ordered Mornay, revealing his true identity as Thom Rainier and that he had been impersonating Blackwall.

If the Inquisitor visits him in prison, they would have a chance to question Rainier. He reveals his true past as a captain in the Orlesian army, his part in the massacre of the Calliers, the circumstances of the real Blackwall's death and his assumption of his identity. When he learned that Mornay had been captured, Rainier couldn't let him take the fall for his crime.

If the Inquisitor chooses to free Rainier, the latter is judged back at Skyhold. The Inquisitor has the decision of either setting him free, make him serve the Inquisition against his will or turn him over to the Wardens once Corypheus has been defeated.

If you have low approval and side with Gaspard and let the Empress die, Blackwall will leave your party when you talk to him back at Skyhold.

Blackwall will greatly disapprove of banishing the Wardens at Adamant, but he will opt to stay with the Inquisition and will not leave so long as his approval remains at a respectable value.

It is revealed in Blackwall's companion quest that he did not actually complete the Joining and is therefore not truly a Grey Warden. Should the Inquisitor choose to send Blackwall to the Wardens, however, it is implied that he will undergo the Joining.

Approval

Main article: Blackwall/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 punishes for cruelty. He is fond of those who speak highly of the Grey Wardens and those who ally with them.

Romance

Blackwallr — Blackwall Romance tarot card

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

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

The Inquisitor can commit to his romance following the completion of his companion quest, Explanations. He arrives at the her quarters at night claiming that, while he couldn't stay away, he will never be the person she deserves. He then asks the Inquisitor to end the relationship. If you choose not to, Blackwall remarks that they will end up regretting the decision, and the two share a passionate kiss. By choosing the option to end the relationship, the Inquisitor points out that the decision shouldn't all be left to her, to which Blackwall agrees, saying that "this was always [his] burden to bear." He walks out of the room, hoping that she will be able to forgive him one day.

Following the events at Halamshiral and Adamant, speaking to Blackwall leads to a scene at Herald's Rest. He solemnly reminisces about the time they found the Warden-Constable's badge during the events of Explanations, and admits that, with the Inquisitor standing by him, he felt like he could have achieved anything. At this point, the Inquisitor can choose to either remain in the tavern or go to a more private area. If she chooses the former, Blackwall credits the Inquisitor as being the one good thing in his life, and gives her the Warden-Constable's badge. When she looks back up from the badge, she finds him gone.

If the Inquisitor suggests going to a more private place, the scene transitions to the loft in the stables. They share a kiss and Blackwall hands her the Warden-Constable's badge, lamenting that there will be no future for them for as long as he remains a Warden, but eventually agreeing to cherish the moment they have at present. This leads to them making love and the scene fades out. Later, the Inquisitor wakes to find Blackwall gone and the badge left behind.

Following Blackwall's reveal as Thom Rainier, when the Inquisitor visits him in prison, he confesses that he had planned on telling her the truth during the events of Explanations, but "lost [his] nerve" at the last minute. He also admits that the Warden-Constable's badge belonged to the real Blackwall.

If the Inquisitor chooses to free Rainier during judgement, he approaches her throne and asks what is to become of them. She can then choose to end the relationship or continue it. With the latter, Blackwall confesses that he's unsure as to how to act as "Thom Rainier" with her, to which she can give various suggestions (depending on the dialogue option chosen). The two share a kiss and the scene ends.

If neither Blackwall nor Josephine is romanced, banter between Blackwall and other companions suggests that he has feelings for Josephine. Both Josephine and Blackwall acknowledge that they both have feelings for each other but cannot consummate it as it would be inappropriate since they are of different stations. Blackwall admits that he doesn't see a future for the relationship. Even so, they seem content to flirt in subtle ways- such as exchanging romantic tokens or looks to express their fondness for one another, yet always in secret.

Initial statistics

Ability trees	Initially selected abilities
Weapon and Shield
Two-Handed Weapon
Battlemaster
Vanguard
Champion (specialization)

Quotes

Main article: Blackwall/Dialogue

"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."

Codex entries

Codex entry: Blackwall

Trivia

Blackwall was written by Sheryl Chee.^[6]
He is described as "The Resolve".^[7]
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.^[8]
According to Sheryl Chee, Blackwall likes dogs.^[9]
Blackwall's greatest fear is himself.
Warden-Constable Blackwall was bestowed the Silverite Wings of Valor, an honor bestowed upon Orlesian Wardens for deeds of great daring. What deeds he performed to earn such an honor however is left confidential by the Grey Wardens.

Gallery

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 According to banter between Cole and Blackwall.
↑ Official profile
↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 147
↑ Codex entry: A Fine Time to Close a Border
↑ DAI New PC Gameplay October 25.
↑ Blackwall Inquisition Profile.
↑ Dragon Age twitter
↑ [1]
↑ Sheryl Chee Twitter.

[ReferenceA-1] 1.0 ^1.1 According to banter between Cole and Blackwall.

[2] Official profile

[wot147-3] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 147

[4] Codex entry: A Fine Time to Close a Border

[5] DAI New PC Gameplay October 25.

[6] Blackwall Inquisition Profile.

[7] Dragon Age twitter

[8] [1]

[9] Sheryl Chee Twitter.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 [[File:Blackwall tarot.png|thumb|150px|Blackwall Alternate tarot card (With the Inquisition)]]
 [[File:blackwallq.png|thumb|150px|Blackwall Alternate tarot card (Exiled)]]
-After completing missions at Adamant and Halamshiral, Blackwall disappears from [[Skyhold]]. An Inquisition messenger shows the Inquisitor a crumpled note, suggesting that Blackwall intends to attend the execution of a man called Mornay in [[Val Royeaux]], accused of taking part in a massacre as ordered by his captain, Thom Rainier. At the execution, before Mornay could be hanged, Blackwall steps up to the platform, admitting to have ordered Mornay, revealing that he is Thom Rainier and that he had been impersonating Blackwall.
+After completing missions at Adamant and Halamshiral, Blackwall disappears from [[Skyhold]]. An Inquisition messenger shows the Inquisitor a crumpled note, suggesting that Blackwall intends to attend the execution of a man called Mornay in [[Val Royeaux]], accused of taking part in a massacre as ordered by his captain, Thom Rainier. At the execution, before Mornay could be hanged, Blackwall steps up to the platform, admitting to have ordered Mornay, revealing his true identity as Thom Rainier and that he had been impersonating Blackwall.
-If the Inquisitor visits him in prison, they would have a chance to question Rainier. He reveals that back when he was a well-respected Orlesian captain, an ally of Grand Duke [[Gaspard de Chalons|Gaspard]], Ser Robert Chapuis, ordered him to attack one of Empress [[Celene]]'s allies, Lord Callier. His soldiers were told that they were on an important mission and the attack turned into a slaughter, as they massacred Callier's family. When word of the massacre got out, Gaspard disavowed their actions, Chapuis committed suicide and Rainer ran. He later met a Grey Warden named Blackwall, who saw his potential and sought to recruit him. But on their way to the Warden stronghold in Val Chevin, they stopped by a [[Deep Roads]] entrance to collect [[darkspawn]] blood for his [[Joining]]. However, they were ambushed by darkspawn and Blackwall ended up sacrificing himself to protect Rainier. Believing that he had no way to become a Warden without Blackwall, as he had no proof he'd been recruited and the Wardens might have just assumed he murdered Blackwall, Rainier took Blackwall's name. But when he learned that Mornay had been captured, Rainier couldn't let him take the fall for his crime.
+If the Inquisitor visits him in prison, they would have a chance to question Rainier. He reveals his true past as a captain in the Orlesian army, his part in the massacre of the Calliers, the circumstances of the real Blackwall's death and his assumption of his identity.  When he learned that Mornay had been captured, Rainier couldn't let him take the fall for his crime.
 If the Inquisitor chooses to free Rainier, the latter is judged back at Skyhold. The Inquisitor has the decision of either setting him free, make him serve the Inquisition against his will or turn him over to the Wardens once [[Corypheus]] has been defeated.