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“We aren't judges. Kinslayers, blood mages, traitors, rebels, carta thugs, common bandits: Anyone with the skill and the mettle to take up the sword against the darkspawn is welcome among us.”


Riordan is a senior Grey Warden from Orlais.

Background[]

A native Fereldan, born and bred in Highever, he joined the Wardens at the same time as Duncan. He served as a senior Warden in Jader, the nearest Orlesian city to Ferelden. Having lost contact with Ferelden's Grey Wardens, Riordan was sent to Denerim to find out what had become of them; however he was captured and taken prisoner by Rendon Howe after Howe had invited him with an offer of parley and subsequently drugged him.

Involvement[]

Dragon Age: Origins[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.


Riordan is first encountered in Arl Howe's dungeon. As the Warden enters the dungeon, Riordan takes advantage of the distraction this provides to snap his guard's neck through the bars of his cell. If Alistair is in the active party, he will recognize Riordan as one of the Wardens present at his Joining.

The Warden can speak briefly with Riordan, who will explain that he is a Grey Warden from Orlais who came to Ferelden to find out what happened at Ostagar. Orlais had originally sent a large contingent of Grey Wardens, two dozen divisions of cavalry,[1] and chevaliers, but were turned back at the border of Ferelden. It was then that rumors reached them that the Grey Wardens were being blamed for the massacre at the Battle of Ostagar.

It was decided that a single person would make it into the country more easily than a group, and Riordan was sent not only because he volunteered, but also because of his familiarity with Ferelden. Riordan's mission was to learn how best to fight the Blight and the hostile regime simultaneously. Thinking Arl Rendon Howe was unaware of who he was, he accepted an offer of hospitality from him only to end up being poisoned. Ultimately, Riordan was captured, imprisoned and tortured.

The Warden can give Riordan the Grey Warden Documents that they can find in Howe's Denerim estate—which contains a list of the deceased Grey Wardens that Riordan could find at Ostagar and also what was left of Duncan's recruitment records. It also contains encrypted copies of how to perform the Joining ritual that he rescued from the Grey Wardens' Denerim Vault. He notes that the supply of archdemon blood needed for the Joining ritual is missing from their vault, which he assumes Loghain may have confiscated or destroyed. Without the archdemon blood, they cannot make new Grey Wardens and can only wait until the ban on Grey Wardens entering the country is lifted; however, Riordan doubts the reserves of Grey Wardens will risk diminishing their numbers to fight Loghain.

Riordan will then leave, saying he would not be helpful in his current condition and is in need of a healer. He can be found afterwards in Arl Eamon's room in the Arl of Redcliffe's Estate. The Warden can speak to him there about the Grey Wardens and Duncan. He will also mention the Grey Warden Vault, which contains high quality equipment and other items, and will mark it on the Warden's map.

If Alistair is not chosen for the Landsmeet duel, Riordan will appear and suggest that Loghain be recruited to the Grey Wardens rather than executed. Alistair will protest this bitterly.

The night before the Battle of Denerim, Riordan explains to the Warden and either Alistair or Loghain, why the Grey Wardens bear the burden of slaying the archdemon: the Archdemon's soul will seek out the taint in the nearest darkspawn, reshaping it into the fearsome form of a dragon, essentially making itself immortal. However, if the nearest tainted being already contains a soul—such as a Grey Warden—the two souls cannot coexist in the same body, destroying each other. Being the most senior Grey Warden, Riordan will attempt to take this burden onto himself, but warns that it is a duty that the three of them must undertake.

During the Final Battle, Riordan assists the Warden in taking Denerim's gates. After clearing the gates of darkspawn, Riordan tells the Warden that they must split up and find the Archdemon, citing that three Wardens would be too obvious and that he will go alone. Afterwards, he is shown dispatching darkspawn before sensing the Archdemon flying nearby, chasing it once he spots it. Riordan jumps off a tower onto its back, stabbing it several times. After some twists and turns, however, the Archdemon manages to kill Riordan by throwing him off at a great height, but not before Riordan has inflicted a serious wound to its wing, forcing it to land on top of Fort Drakon for the remaining Wardens to finish off.


The Darkspawn Chronicles[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Darkspawn Chronicles.


Riordan is mentioned to have been rescued by Alistair from Arl Howe's dungeon.

Riordan's corpse can later be found in front of the entrance of Fort Drakon.


Dragon Age: Inquisition[]


This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.


For his heroism in subduing the archdemon and helping to end the Fifth Blight, a statue of Riordan now stands within Denerim's market district.[2]


Quests[]

Riordan HoDA

Riordan in Heroes of Dragon Age

Rescue the Queen Rescue the Queen
The Landsmeet The Landsmeet
The Battle of Denerim The Battle of Denerim

Notes[]

  • It is possible to steal around 5Gold from him in Redcliffe Castle or a Master Hale or Silverite rune instead; however, it will likely require repeated attempts (save and reload) to do so.

Quotes[]

  • "Be firm in your beliefs, protect people from their own ignorance, and be as loyal as you can to your brothers, even knowing that you'll share their deaths."
  • "The Joining binds us to the darkspawn. You know this. If you were to forswear your oath and flee today, you'd find yourself in the Deep Roads or the Blight-lands, given time."
  • "Nothing you have done has prepared you for what you face now."

Trivia[]

  • Riordan is described in some detail in the toolset. He is a serious man, and a soldier; one who is accustomed to discipline and used to being in a position of leadership. If circumstances were different, he would be the center of this story, not the Warden, and the one leading the charge against the forces of evil. He is a hero, and one who is determined to do his duty no matter the consequences. In order to stop the darkspawn, some things must be sacrificed, even lives—but he would prefer to give his own life before he sacrifices someone else's.
  • Riordan is mentioned in Dragon Age: Inquisition on a label of Grey Whiskey/Ritewine/Conscription Ale; After detailing how each warden's drink is as unique as the warden is, the mark on the bottle reads: "Vintage: Warden Riordan. Serve yourself."

References[]

  1. According to Riordan's dialogue during Rescue the Queen
  2. Dragon Age logo - new Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 114.
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