Ah shit, here it comes...

A few more Grey Wardens

Krem & Rocky

Warden Commander Clarel

...a very interesting result for Divine Justinia

Magister Halward Pavus

Magister Livius Erimond (shortly before his execution)

Samson got a glow-up

Abelas

Lt. Renn

Shaper Valta & Lt. Renn

Shaper Valta

Professor Bram Kenric

Svarah Sun-Hair of Stone Bear Hold

Flemeth

Bianca Davri

Solas & Flemeth

– ARCANE FILTER SCREENSHOTS –

Inquisitor Ellena Lavellan

Inquisitior Ellena Lavellan, Part II

Inquisitor Asha Lavellan

My Other Inquisitors

Companions Part I

Companions Part II

Companions Part III

Advisors And Leaders Part I

Advisors And Leaders Part II

Advisors And Leaders Part III

Various Inquisition Characters Part I

Various Inquisition Characters Part II

So, a bit of a controversial opinion maybe: the Grey Wardens are not a squeaky clean order. I know everybody wants to defend their Warden, but the Hero of Ferelden is a Warden in name alone until the end of the game. They don’t interact with any other Wardens, deal with none of the bureaucracy, and certainly don’t deal with the Order’s leadership until Awakening. I’ve seen a lot of people say that it is strange what Clarel did, but this isn’t even the first time the Wardens have tried to find the Old Gods and kill them. 

Its happened at least two other times. Once in the Western Approach when the Wardens attempted to dig down to the prison of an Old God until the mine collapsed. And a second in The Calling. The Calling is all about how the Architect manages to convince at least three Wardens to tell him the location of the Old Gods and kill them first. It’s how the Fifth Blight was started in the first place. This isn’t even getting into how the Architect’s whole plan is to free the Darkspawn of their connection to the Old Gods, slay them, and turn every mortal into a Grey Warden, which would kill most people.

Neither is this the first time they used blood magic and demons. It’s not forbidden in the order by any means. Regardless of anyone’s opinion on blood magic, it is wise to be cautious about it. Playing the Warden’s Keep DLC in origins tells us that not only did a Warden mage use blood magic to summon a legion of demons to fight for the Wardens (who turned on them and killed indiscriminately by the way), he relentlessly tortured his fellow Wardens to study the Taint. And the commander approved of this. 

There’s also the fact that Solas disapproves of the Order. Solas isn’t really known for his honesty, but his disgust at the idea of the Wardens hunting the Old Gods isn’t a lie. And it’s important to remember that regardless of what he tells the Inquisitor, he knows a lot more about the Order than even we do as of now. He certainly knows enough about them to tell the Inquisitor how Grey Wardens are made.

There’s so much secrecy. We may know a lot about the Order, but the average citizen does not. The Joining, the Broodmothers, the talking Emissaries, the fact that the Wardens can understand the Archdemon, the Calling, the nightmares, and so much else is kept from everyone. Most Wardens don’t even know that the Taint will eventually corrupt them. Even fewer know that the Calling was created to prevent them from finding out. I understand the reason why they keep so much under wraps, but to keep things from your own members? Stroud/Alistair/Loghain get threatened by the Wardens for daring to question the actions of Clarel, and I don’t think that’s necessarily out of the ordinary for the Wardens, given that Duncan was ordered to kill King Maric if he learned too much about the Wardens during their journey into the Deep Roads. And he was the King of Ferelden at the time.

Leadership in the Order is notoriously sketchy. The First Warden is mostly interested in fattening their own wallet and ruling the Anderfels, only sending word to other Wardens when its politically convenient, like sending Miss Woolsey to Amaranthine in order to maintain Warden control over the area.

Is there a better option for controlling the Blights? I’m really not sure, but I am sure that not questioning what the Wardens do is a recipe for abuse and corruption. The Wardens believe in doing whatever is necessary to combat the Blight. No matter the cost. And that’s dangerous. 

The calling fabricated by Corypheus included a dream about him pole dancing on red lyrium wearing plaideweave lingerie.