“There is a taint that is within the darkspawn. A darkness that pervades us, compels us, drives us to rail against the light.” ― the Architect[1]
Fleshy sack in the Dead Trenches
The taint is a form of spiritual and physical corruption spread by the darkspawn that ultimately makes the victim hear the call of the Old Gods. It can be transmitted through contact with darkspawn fluids, or through objects imbued with the taint.[2] The contact does not automatically make one sick, but there is a great chance of it.[3] The taint is an aspect of the blight.[4]
Taint also manifests as spidery tendrils of black rot, along with a dry shiny film covering underground passages used frequently by the darkspawn.[5] As the corruption progresses, it gathers into black sacs the size of a man lining the floor or hanging from the ceiling.[6]
Terminology[]
The Chantry and Grey Wardens traditionally used the term "taint" to refer to the corruption that is carried by darkspawn and can infect other creatures, people, and objects. Threnodies 8 of the Chant of Light teaches that the darkspawn spread "their taint as a plague," and that the Old God Dumat was corrupted and transformed into an archdemon by the taint carried within the darkspawn. The Grey Wardens' use of the term "taint" predates the founding of the Chantry. In a letter dated 1004 TE (-191 Ancient), the Wardens describe a person who was "so corrupted by the taint as to have become a new creature entirely."[7] The taint is also regarded as an essence that is carried in the blood. The Grey Warden Avernus wrote about his studies on the "taint in our blood," referring to the taint that is present in the blood of Grey Wardens after they have completed the joining.[8]
The taint is regarded as an aspect of the blight in a Grey Warden letter dated 1014 TE, which referred to magic that can "speak through the blight itself, affecting any who bear its taint."[4] References to the blight in the sense of a greater corruptive force also appear in Chantry letters.[9] Thus, in referring to a broader concept, term "blight" is often used in place of the term "taint." For example, the Venatori described experiments involving the "introduction of blight to prisoners."[10] The expression "tainted by the blight"[11] is also used in common parlance, such as in describing red lyrium.
During the chaotic events of the Sixth Blight, it was revealed that the corruption carried by the darkspawn is an aspect or function of a force that was once described as "a disembodied blight of pain and anger."[12] Sources contemporaneous with the original blight typically refer to this force of corruption as simply "the blight"[13] in describing both the original blight and the modern manifestations of it. During the Sixth Blight, "the blight" is used in the sense of a general term that includes the particular aspect of the taint.[14]
Origin[]
- Main article: Blight
According to Solas' memories, the blight was formed when he sundered the Titans from their spirits, which severed their very dreams from their bodies, leaving them mindless and broken. The severed dreams of the Titans drifted into the Fade and were driven mad, transforming over time into what Solas called a "disembodied blight of pain and anger." The blight was later locked in a secret location guarded by powerful magical wards. However, when the other Evanuris attempted to tap into the magic of the blight for their wars of supremacy, Mythal confronted them for such acts. In retaliation, the Evanuris murdered her.
This incident eventually led Solas to create the veil to sealed away both the Evanuris and the blight. Using blood magic and his own Lyrium Dagger, Solas bound the strength of the Veil to the very lifeforce of the Fallen Elven gods; ensuring that so long as they lived, the Veil would stand.
Long after the formation of the veil, a group of power hungry Tevinter magisters breached the Fade and entered the Black City, resulting in the release of a small fragment of the blight. Although only a fragment was released, that fragment was more than enough. It grew beneath the earth, eventually leading to the various Blights that would later sweep across the world over the course of the next 1200 years.[15]
The infected[]
Wesley infected with the taint
The taint spread by the darkspawn corrupts the living. Many who have contracted the Blight sickness die within hours.[16] Others wither away slowly[17] from a "wasting illness".[18][19] In its more contagious form the disease is often referred to as "a plague".[20][21][22][23][24] It is spread by Blight-touched rats[25] far beyond the areas directly affected by the Blight[26] and can be sporadically seen centuries after it.[19] An entire species of animals can die out from the plague.[27]
The infected are often segregated and/or locked up[21][28][29]. In some areas doors of their homes are marked with a yellow circle.[30] Many are killed as a precaution[28] or an act of mercy[31], or abandoned to their fate.[32]
The taint that emanates from the body of an Archdemon is especially strong compared with that of other darkspawn, and many would-be slayers have died on the spot simply attempting to penetrate the foul malaise that surround such creatures.[33]
The tainted[]
Darkspawn[]
- Main article: Darkspawn
The darkspawn horde is connected through the taint, functioning as a hive-mind. While high ranking darkspawn like emissaries or alphas have a limited influence upon small groups, and the Architect and the Mother also command larger groups, only an Archdemon can command the entire horde.
Ghouls[]
- Main article: Ghoul
Some people and animals exposed to the taint are transformed into ghouls, who pay for a prolonged existence with their sanity. The longer an infected creature lives, the more it will manifest aggressive or even rabid behavior, hair loss and numerous deformities, protrusions, boils and sores. Once the taint progresses enough, the darkspawn recognize ghouls as their own kind, and ghouls can sense darkspawn and hear the call of an Archdemon.[34][35] Even ghouls will ultimately be killed by the disease, leaving whole areas completely lifeless.
Other[]
When the taint comes into contact with the local flora it usually poisons and kills the plants and trees, making the area infertile for many years. However deep mushrooms often grow close to darkspawn bodies and tend to carry the taint even though they can't transmit it[36], while the nearly extinct felicidus aria is the only plant left growing on the blighted Silent Plains.[37]
The Black City taints those spirits foolish enough to draw too close.[38]
Eluvians can be tainted as shown in the Dalish Elf Origin.
Grey Wardens take in the taint when they undergo their Joining. The Joining slows the taint's rate of corruption in their bodies, allowing the Grey Wardens a period of immunity to the taint and other advantages before their bodies succumb to deterioration.
Blight magic[]
A genlock using magic
The taint carries magical power that allows darkspawn emissaries to cast spells.
Boundaries[]
Some areas below the darkspawn-infested Deep Roads are surprisingly free of the taint.
Managing the taint[]
Acceleration[]
Resistance[]
Some people may harbor natural resistance to the taint.[16]
The Joining ritual dramatically slows the taint in Grey Wardens, but eventually the major effects of corruption set in. When a Grey Warden begins to hear the call of the Old Gods, they set off into the Deep Roads to fight to the death before they turn into ghouls themselves.
Dalish Keepers can combine herbal tinctures and a magic ritual to slow down the taint in recently infected victims, but only for a time.[46] Grey Wardens are also aware of the existence of such herbs, and have helped to disseminate this knowledge across Thedas.[33]
Cure[]
In rare cases an infected subject (e.g. The Mabari Hound) may make a full recovery if given early care.
Trivia[]
- The term "taint" appears in Dragon Age: Origins and is frequently used in media released around the time of Origins, as well as in Dragon Age II. However, this term was later replaced by "blight" when referring to the corruptive magical force associated with the darkspawn. The term "taint" does not appear as a noun in the codex of Dragon Age: Inquisition, which instead refers to "the blight"[9] (although the term "tainted" remains used). Similarly, optional dialogue from Alistair (if he is encountered as a Warden) includes the line "Corypheus is tied to the blight." Use of the term "blight" in this manner previously appeared in a codex entry for Legacy[4] suggesting that the blight is a more general concept that includes the taint as one of its aspects.
- David Gaider stated that Anders being merged with Justice may have one of the two effects: "One is that the spirit within Anders can affect the level of his corruption, so it may delay or remove the necessity for his Calling altogether. Either that or at some point the corruption within Anders is going to corrupt the spirit." He refused to tell which one the writers prefer.[48]
References[]
| ||||||||||||||||