| 1 | [[WMG:[[center:[-'''Characters/DragonAge Character Index'''\ |
| 2 | ''Characters/DragonAgeOrigins'': '''The Warden''' | The Companions ([[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsWarriors Warriors]] | [[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsMages Mages]] | [[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsRogues Rogues]]) | [[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsNonPlayableCharacters Non-Playable Characters]] ([[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsNonPlayableCharactersFereldanNobles Fereldan Nobles]]) | [[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]] | [[Characters/DragonAgeOriginsDLCCharacters DLC Characters]] \ |
| 3 | ''Characters/DragonAgeII'' | ''Characters/DragonAgeInquisition'' -]]]]] |
| 4 | ---- |
| 5 | !! The Warden / The Hero of Ferelden |
| 6 | |
| 7 | [[quoteright:336:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_the_warden_4910.jpg]] |
| 8 | [[caption-width-right:336:Some of the Warden's possible faces.]] |
| 9 | !!!'''Appears in:''' ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Origins]]'' | ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOriginsAwakening Awakening]]''[[note]]choice dependent[[/note]] | ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins The Golems of Amgarrak]]''[[note]]choice dependent[[/note]] | ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Witch Hunt]]''[[note]]choice dependent[[/note]] | ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Inquisition]]''[[note]]War table; choice dependent[[/note]] |
| 10 | !!!'''Voiced by''': [[labelnote:'''Human Male''']]Music/MarkHildreth (Wise), Ken Lally (Cocky), Creator/RobinSachs (Experienced), Creator/GideonEmery (Mystical), Desmond Askew (Suave), Timothy Watson (Violent)[[/labelnote]] [[labelnote:'''Human Female''']]Hellena Taylor (Wise), Fay Masterson (Cocky)*, Colette Whitaker (Experienced), Creator/EricaLuttrell (Mystical), Creator/KathSoucie (Sultry), Mika Simmons (Violent)[[/labelnote]] [[labelnote:'''Elven Male''']]Creator/MichaelJGough (Wise), Creator/DwightSchultz (Cocky), Creator/MarkMeer (Experienced), Creator/KeithFerguson (Mystical), Jesse Gervais (Suave), Creator/YuriLowenthal (Violent)[[/labelnote]] [[labelnote:'''Elven Female''']]Creator/AprilStewart (Wise), Creator/CorriEnglish (Cocky), April Banigan (Experienced), Kathryn Cressida (Mystical), Creator/KathSoucie (Sultry), Creator/CreeSummer (Violent)[[/labelnote]] [[labelnote:'''Dwarf Male''']]Creator/FredTatasciore (Wise), Creator/PeterJessop (Cocky), Creator/KeithFerguson (Experienced), Creator/KeithSzarabajka (Smart), Zach Hanks (Suave), John Rubinow (Violent)[[/labelnote]] [[labelnote:'''Dwarf Female''']]Creator/KimMaiGuest (Wise), Creator/CourtenayTaylor (Cocky), Creator/SeanaKofoed (Experienced), Shannon Blanchet (Smart), Wendy Braun (Sultry), Creator/JulianneBuescher (Violent)[[/labelnote]] |
| 11 | |
| 12 | ->''"I am a Grey Warden. Together we will make our stand. Together we will save this world."'' |
| 13 | |
| 14 | The main protagonist of the game. You become a Grey Warden after going through a unique origin story tailored to your race and background. Afterwards, you go to Ostagar in order to join King Cailan [[WrongGenreSavvy in a supposedly final battle against the Darkspawn.]] You also need to undergo The Joining, a ceremony in which you are initiated into the Grey Wardens. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Things in Ostagar don't go exactly as planned, so the Warden, along with Alistair, Morrigan, and [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits others who join you along the way,]] goes off into Ferelden [[GondorCallsForAid in order to gather armies against the Blight.]] |
| 17 | ---- |
| 18 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 19 | |
| 20 | [[folder:#-D]] |
| 21 | * TenMinuteRetirement: You retire briefly between ''Origins'' and ''Awakening''. |
| 22 | * AbusiveParents: Kalah, the mother of the Dwarf Commoner, is a verbally abusive drunk. Their father [[DisappearedDad abandoned his family to go to the surface]], after Kalah refused to come with him to seek a better life from Orzammar. |
| 23 | * AccidentalPornomancer: On numerous occasions, you can actually use sex or marriage as a bargaining tool. |
| 24 | ** In particular, you can use it to persuade Isabela to teach you to be a Duelist without playing her game. If female, you can invite a hardened Alistair to participate. Or, if you romanced and hardened Leliana, she will automatically invite herself along, and you can then invite Zevran. |
| 25 | ** A mage Warden who enters the Fade to confront the Desire Demon controlling Connor but then converses with her can be rewarded with sex, in exchange for the Demon being allowed to (or pretending to) leave. |
| 26 | ** This is what [[spoiler:Morrigan's Dark Ritual consists of. You can accept yourself (as a male), convince Alistair/Loghain to do so, or refuse and sacrifice a Warden's life]]. |
| 27 | ** A Human Noble is able to [[spoiler:marry Queen Anora (if male) or soon-to-be-King Alistair (if female) during the Landsmeet.]] |
| 28 | ** More literally, it's incredibly easy to accidentally start a romance with one of your eligible party members, as every romanceable party member has multiple dialogue options to start the romance, and many of them (such as "Are you feeling better about what happened to Marjolaine?" for Leliana) seem quite innocent on the surface. |
| 29 | * TheAce: Evolves into this over the course of the game. |
| 30 | * AffectionateNickname: If his friendship is high enough, Sten refers to the Warden as "kadan," meaning something akin to 'close to the heart.' |
| 31 | ** The Warden's chosen LoveInterest will often have a nickname; Alistair will often call his lady love "my dear" or "my love," and Zevran calls a Warden of either gender "''mi amor''". If not romanced, Alistair sometimes also calls the Warden "my friend." These are most often heard when cycling through the active characters. |
| 32 | ** The Human Noble, being the youngest, is frequently called "Pup" by their father. |
| 33 | ** A romanced Morrigan in ''Inquisition'' refers to the Male Warden as "my love" or "my Warden." A romanced Leliana will also refer to the Warden (of either gender) as "my love." |
| 34 | * AmbiguouslyBrown: Canonically, the City Elf Warden is the child of [[http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Cyrion_Tabris a pale father]] and [[http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Adaia a dark skinned mother.]] The ambiguous part comes up as their appearance is ultimately up to the player. |
| 35 | * AntiHero: Without a Karma meter, it's very easy to play the Warden as one. You can inflict crimes ranging from petty theft to mass genocide to child killing. |
| 36 | * TheArchmage: The Mage Warden, despite their youth, clearly shows signs of becoming this, being the apprentice and star pupil of the First Enchanter and setting an unprecedented record for the "quickest, cleanest Harrowing ever seen" in the Circle. This also may apply if they choose to specialize as an Arcane Warrior. Arguably, they have reached this status by endgame when they battle the Archdemon. ''Archmage'' is even the name of the achievement for getting to level 20 as a mage character. |
| 37 | * ArrangedMarriage: The City Elf Origin opens with one. [[AristocratsAreEvil It]] [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil doesn't]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge end]] [[BoxedCrook well]]. If playing a Human Noble, [[spoiler:the Warden can make one of these for themselves with Anora if male or Alistair if female.]] |
| 38 | * AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: If choosing to [[spoiler:follow Morrigan through the Eluvian at the end of ''Witch Hunt'']], departing to parts unknown (until ''Inquisition'' reveals where they went). |
| 39 | * AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: If the Warden manages to survive the Blight, they will become Warden-Commander of all the Grey Wardens in Ferelden, which also effectively makes them the Arl/Arlessa of Amaranthine. In addition, they receive a special title linked to their origin and actions in-game: |
| 40 | ** A Dwarf Warden will become a Paragon, which is not only an honor equal to or higher than that of a king, but also grants them their own house and followers. |
| 41 | ** A City Elf Warden has the option of representing their people as the first Elven Bann of the Alienage in Denerim. |
| 42 | ** A Human Noble can marry [[spoiler:Alistair if female, Anora if male]] and become Prince/Queen-Consort of Ferelden. |
| 43 | ** Depending on your chosen origin and your actions in-game, you can also add a Teyrnir (Dukedom), another Arling (Denerim), the Kingdom of Ferelden (as a Prince or Queen-Consort), and a Lord Chancellorship (Prime Ministership) into the bargain, although the latter titles are mostly derived by [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt forcibly removing their incumbents from the position]]. |
| 44 | ** If the quest "Secret Rendezvous" and Alistair's [[spoiler: appearance as king]] during ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' are any indication, the Warden ruled Amaranthine for six years, and was competent enough to quickly turn Arl Howe's den of provincial aristocratic corruption into a powerful rival of Kirkwall itself, so apparently Asskicking Equals ''[[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Competent]]'' Authority. |
| 45 | * AuthorityInNameOnly: The Warden spends most of ''Origins'' as the acting Warden-Commander of Ferelden. The title is functionally meaningless since there is only one other surviving Grey Warden in the country and they are unable to make contact with any of the order's leadership or access any of their resources thanks to being labeled fugitives by Loghain. And to be fair, they are still newly-inducted members and thus don't know the ropes of the Order yet. It isn't until ''Awakening'' that their title is given official recognition and actual authority. |
| 46 | * AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: |
| 47 | ** In addition of becoming the Hero of Ferelden, the Dwarf Warden (both Noble and Commoner) [[spoiler: will be declared by the Orzammar Assembly as a '''Paragon'''.]] |
| 48 | ** A female Human Noble romancing Alistair [[spoiler: can become ''Queen of Ferelden'']]. |
| 49 | *** Likewise, a male Human Noble can [[spoiler:[[ArrangedMarriage marry Anora]] and become her Prince-Consort.]] |
| 50 | * BadassBookworm: |
| 51 | ** The Mage Warden in particular, having been the apprentice and star-pupil of First Enchanter Irving. Dialogue implies that Irving often praised the Warden's talents to his colleagues, as both Wynne and Duncan immediately recognise the Warden on sight. Even Uldred, someone who is mentioned to ''never'' have worked with any Mages in the Circle, knows of the Warden and mocks them for having been a teacher's pet. |
| 52 | ** During their origins, the Human Noble mentions that they spent a lot of time in their grandfather's library, while the Dwarf Noble mentions greatly enjoying a scholar's book about their ancestor, implying each is very well read about Fereldan and Dwarven history, respectively. |
| 53 | * BadassFamily: It'd be easier to list the Wardens who ''don't'' come from one [[note]]The Casteless dwarf’s family is unremarkable, while the elven Mage is a complete blank slate [[/note]]. |
| 54 | ** If a Human Noble, the Couslands have served as a BigGood in Ferelden for centuries. ''The World Of Thedas vol. 2'' reveals that both your parents fought Orlesian forces in the Ferelden Revolution (Bryce fought beside the King, while Eleanor led her father's armada), which was how they met. At the start of the game, Teyrn Cousland and his heir-apparent JumpedAtTheCall to fight alongside the King against darkspawn forces in Ostagar. While a RetiredBadass, Teyrna Cousland is still no slouch with her bow and arrows. |
| 55 | ** The City Elf had an ActionMom, Adaia, whom Duncan wanted to recruit into the Grey Wardens; but he was talked out of it by Elder Valendrian, seeing as there wasn't an urgent need for recruits back then. Their cousins Shianni and Soris are both [[BadassNormal pretty awesome as well]]. |
| 56 | ** The Dwarf Noble is a member of the Aeducan royal family, descended from the Paragon Aeducan who united Orzammar, had relatives who served in the Grey Wardens in generations previously, and whose current generation's members don't hide their predisposition towards badassery either. |
| 57 | ** The Dalish Elf's father was a powerful Keeper, and their mother was a gifted hunter and archer. |
| 58 | ** ''Dragon Age II'' adds the Human Mage, as some Amells and their relatives in the Hawke family are incredibly gifted fighters. It also includes the revelation that the Human Mage has ''other'' siblings who are mages. |
| 59 | ** The Warden also begins one if playing as a male Warden who [[spoiler:performs the Dark Ritual and later followed Morrigan through the Eluvian, having sired a child who has two of the most powerful people in Thedas for parents as well as the soul of an untainted Old God]]. |
| 60 | * BadassNormal: Every non-mage Warden is clearly this before they undergo the Joining. |
| 61 | ** The Dalish Warden in particular survives being infected with the Taint through a mixture of their Keeper's magic and their own ''[[HeroicWillpower sheer willpower]]''. They aren't even cured of actively having the Taint until after they've fought darkspawn in the Brecilian Forest, traveled all the way to Ostagar, and battled more darkspawn in the Korcari Wilds. Even Duncan is amazed the Dalish Warden survives so long. |
| 62 | ** The Dwarf Noble is no slouch either. With no armor and just a cruddy sword and shield (unless you've been a good boy... in which case the sword is decent), they chop through a couple dozen darkspawn and track Duncan down in the Deep Roads. Alone. Hell, given how the tunnels the Wardens were in connected to the outside (otherwise they'd never have been able to get the Dwarf Noble to the surface for plot reasons), the DN could conceivably have massacred their way to the surface, since most darkspawn were gone due to the Blight. |
| 63 | ** The Dwarf Commoner in some ways tops the Noble one. While the entire Proving Arena erupts in a furious uproar when your true identity is discovered, we cut to Duncan stroking his beard in quiet contemplation that a casteless, penniless sellsword with no formal weapons training whatsoever has nonetheless somehow managed to beat the most seasoned Warriors in Orzammar and veterans of countless Darkspawn campaigns. Later when he invokes the Right of Conscription, he states that he recognizes they have untapped potential that with Warden training [[DareToBeBadass would make them even greater.]] |
| 64 | --->'''Proving Master''': This wo/man is ''not'' a Warrior! They are Casteless! Rejected by the Ancestors! His/her very footsteps pollute the stone! S/he has no place here!\ |
| 65 | '''Duncan''': Except as ''your'' Champion... |
| 66 | ** The City Elf leaves Bann Vaughan lying dead in "''a river of blood''" that runs throughout the Arl of Denerim's Estate, during their RoaringRampageOfRevenge over the abduction and rape of countless elven women (including their cousin Shianni) at his hands. And, like the Dwarf Commoner, the City Elf has no formal combat training[[note]]being taught on the sly by their mother in an alienage where elves aren't allowed to even ''own'' weapons)[[/note]] unlike the Human and Dwarf Noble. The sheer scale of the destruction wrought is lampshaded by Elder Valendrian and the Guard Captain who comes to arrest the City Elf. |
| 67 | --->'''Guard-Captain''': Do you expect me to believe that ''one'' wo/man did all of ''that?''\ |
| 68 | '''Valendrian''': [[BewareTheNiceOnes We are not]] [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant all so helpless]], Captain. |
| 69 | ** The Human Noble essentially mows through a large crowd of Arl Howe's personal soldiers in order to safely escort their mother through the family castle in the dark of night. |
| 70 | * BadBoss: The Human and Dwarf Nobles can be assholes towards their servants during their origins. |
| 71 | * BadPowersGoodPeople: |
| 72 | ** A Mage Warden learning Blood Magic is the most obvious example, but on a larger scale, ''any'' Warden can use Avernus' research to unlock the true potential of their tainted blood, resulting in CastFromHitPoints blood-based abilities, and still act genuinely heroic. A Reaver Warden is a more ambiguous case, as you technically ''have'' to KickTheDog to unlock the specialization (whereas it's not required for Blood Mage as long as you have a sufficient speech level). |
| 73 | ** All Grey Wardens fall under this to a minor degree, due to the Joining Ritual being a form of Blood Magic meant to grant the Wardens the power of the Darkspawn taint by imbibing their blood. |
| 74 | * BattleCouple: With their love interest. |
| 75 | * TheBeastmaster: The Ranger specialization for Rogues. |
| 76 | * BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: If you make the effort to befriend the members of your party, you learn that you are one of the only real friends (if not ''the'' only one) that most of them have ever had. This is particularly true of Morrigan (who has never known anyone that she even ''liked'' before meeting you), Zevran (whose closest friend is willing to kill him), and Shale (who has never before known a person who didn't exploit it). |
| 77 | * BenevolentBoss: The Human Noble and Dwarf Noble can both choose dialogue options to be a reasonable lord toward their servants and other characters [[EstablishingCharacterMoment during the origin story]]. |
| 78 | * BerserkButton: |
| 79 | ** Arl Rendon Howe becomes one to the Human Noble. |
| 80 | --->'''Human Noble''': I want Howe dead '''NOW!''' |
| 81 | ** A Scout who turns on the Dwarf Noble [[BlatantLies even if they were framed for Trian's murder]] can be rewarded with a stab to the gut and death for impugning the Noble's honor. |
| 82 | ** FantasticRacism against elves can be one for an Elven Warden; particularly a City Elf. [[FantasticRacism Overtly]] or [[InnocentBigot unintentionally]] racist comments from other characters can always lead to at least ''one'' option to respond with sudden anger/hostility. |
| 83 | * BewareTheNiceOnes: The Warden can be played as the most shining paragon of virtue to ever exist... just ''don't'' get in their way! |
| 84 | * BigBrotherInstinct |
| 85 | ** While technically the younger of the two, a Dwarf Commoner can display this towards their sister, Rica. Waking up in a cell, killing the crime boss you used to work for, joining the Grey Wardens... In all these scenes, you can show that you care about your sister's well-being first. |
| 86 | ** The City Elf can show this toward their cousins Shianni and Soris, as the three were raised together as siblings after the other two lost their parents and were taken in by their uncle. In Shianni's case, this is shown by Tabris making Vaughn and his goons pay for what they did to her, and for Soris this shows itself by attempting to hide his involvement in the former. |
| 87 | * BigEater: It's a Grey Warden thing, apparently. |
| 88 | * BigGood: Can be played this way. If playing as the Human Noble, the Warden is a member of the Cousland family, who have for centuries been the BigGood of all Ferelden. |
| 89 | * BladeEnthusiast: The PC always uses the same knife to murder people in dialogue scenes. Examples include some off-duty guards in the City Elf Origin, the hungry deserter in Ostagar, the Elven Messenger, [[spoiler:Brother Genitivi, Avernus]]. |
| 90 | * BlatantLies: A female Warden can claim to be “Winnifred” from “just outside Highever” no matter their actual name and origin, while conversing with the Mad Hermit. |
| 91 | * BlessedWithSuck: Congratulations! You've been selected as a Grey Warden recruit -- the highest honor to which you could ever aspire! It means any birthright or title you had is now forfeit. But wait, you have yet to become a Grey Warden - first you have to [[spoiler:drink darkspawn blood, which will often kill you right away. If it doesn't, congratulations on becoming a Grey Warden! You can now sense the darkspawn and destroy archdemons at the low cost of obliterating your soul if you try the latter. Of course, they can sense ''you'' just as easily as you sense them. Oh, and you have about thirty years to live until the taint starts turning you into a darkspawn, at which point the Grey Warden instruction troubleshooting manual tells you to go on a suicide run against the darkspawn hordes. Oh, and good luck ever having children, especially if the other parent is also a Grey Warden.]] |
| 92 | * BloodKnight: The Violent voice set. |
| 93 | * BloodSplatteredWeddingDress: A female City Elf who fights in her wedding dress. |
| 94 | * BlueBlood: If of the Human or Dwarf Noble origin; in fact, the Human Noble's origin icon even depicts a drop of blue blood. The Human Mage comes from a wealthy family which is part of the nobility of Kirkwall, in the Free Marches, but this has no effect on the origin story and they are probably not even aware of the fact; it doesn't get mentioned until the sequel game. |
| 95 | * BookEnds: For a City Elf, the game begins and ends in Denerim. |
| 96 | * BoxedCrook: In ''five'' of the six origins, no less. |
| 97 | ** At the end of their respective origins, the City Elf and the Dwarf Commoner are each facing long-term imprisonment (if not worse), but Duncan steps in to recruit them into the Grey Wardens. Many see that as an honor, but it ultimately is a death sentence, especially now that there is a Blight knocking on Ferelden's doors and you'll be on the front lines fighting it. |
| 98 | ** The Mage is facing either the Rite of Tranquility or a sentence in Aeonar (a Chantry prison on a distant island) for helping Jowan. However, the Mage ''can'' subvert this by [[spoiler:reporting Jowan's intentions to Irving instead of just going along]], meaning that they were following orders and they will not be facing punishment by the end of their origin. |
| 99 | ** The Dwarf Noble Warden faces punishment for the murder of their oldest brother, regardless of whether they actually committed the crime. They are exiled to the Deep Roads, where they will surely be killed by Darkspawn eventually - unless, as their only loyal friend advises, they find Duncan. |
| 100 | ** At the end of the Human Noble Origin, they are the last known surviving member of their family, the rest of whom were massacred on trumped-up charges of treason, and there's most certainly a bounty on their head if they ever come anywhere near their home region again. |
| 101 | * BrutalHonesty: Every background has a brutally honest response option for when you meet King Cailan. For example, when meeting a City Elf, Cailan apparently thinks of the Alienages as a somewhat poor but fair chance for the elves to rebuild themselves after an age of slavery. A City Elf PC has the option to exercise this trope to correct him: |
| 102 | -->'''King Cailan''': Do you come from the Alienage? Tell me, how is it there? My guards all but forbid me from going there.\ |
| 103 | '''City Elf Warden''': [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge I killed an Arl's son]] for [[RapeAsBackstory raping my friend]].\ |
| 104 | '''King Cailan''': You... ''what''? |
| 105 | * ButNowIMustGo: [[spoiler: If they survive ''Origins'', the Warden abandons his or her life and party members in pursuit of a mysterious mission (or woman) at some point in the decade between the end of the first two games. We finally learn why in ''Inquisition.'']] |
| 106 | * ButThouMust: If the protagonist doesn't join the Grey Wardens voluntarily during the origin story, they'll be conscripted. |
| 107 | * CainAndAbel: Bhelen is Cain to the Dwarf Noble's Abel if he successfully frames them for Trian's murder. Vice versa if the Dwarf Noble committed the murder and then costs Bhelen the throne later. |
| 108 | * TheCameo: If they're alive, the Inquisitor will write to the Hero of Ferelden for help. The Hero will apologize that they can't help directly, but do send vital information about what's going on. |
| 109 | * CanineCompanion: Regardless of your origin story, you get a dog - specifically, a giant mabari warhound, whose loyalty to you is absolute. If playing as the Human Noble, the dog has been your pet since childhood; otherwise, there's a quest in Ostagar where you can save the poisoned dog's life, and he imprints on you and tracks you down when you first leave for Lothering. |
| 110 | * CanonName: Each Warden has a default name[[note]]Male/female first names respectively[[/note]]. |
| 111 | ** Human Noble: Aedan/Elissa Cousland |
| 112 | ** Human Mage: Daylen/Solona Amell |
| 113 | ** Elf Mage: Alim/Neria Surana |
| 114 | ** City Elf: Darrian/Kallian Tabris |
| 115 | ** Dalish Elf: Theron/Lyna Mahariel |
| 116 | ** Dwarf Noble: Duran/Sereda Aeducan |
| 117 | ** Dwarf Commoner: Faren/Natia Brosca |
| 118 | * TheChessmaster: At the Landsmeet, it's possible to manipulate every single lord but one into supporting you over Loghain, including Queen Anora, ''his own daughter.'' You can then [[spoiler:execute Loghain in front of her,]] and she'll still go along with [[spoiler:marrying Alistair and]] lending her support for the Warden. An even better show of mastery of Fereldan politics is to still turn the Landsmeet against Loghain even without the heavy support that his daughter the Queen curries. |
| 119 | ** Lampshaded by Loghain during the Landsmeet, who [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation suggests]] that while Arl Eamon might believe that putting [[spoiler: Alistair]] on the throne would guarantee him a PuppetKing to control, in reality even ''his'' strings are being pulled by the Warden. |
| 120 | --->'''Loghain''': Ah! Here we have [[TheManBehindTheMan the Puppeteer]]! |
| 121 | ** This can also be a possible interpretation of the resolution of the Dwarf arc, particularly if they choose Bhelen, which leads to the dwarves becoming more united with the surface world. |
| 122 | ** The Dwarf Noble origin also features several opportunities to play the characters around them like fiddles, referring to it as "the game". In fact, the only reason they get exiled is because they were caught off-guard by a ''bigger'' chessmaster. |
| 123 | *** A Dwarf Noble who sides with Bhelen in the Orzammar arc can use their leverage with the Assembly to restore their title and membership within House Aeducan, which also extends to a son sired by a casteless noble-hunter. By the end of the game you can be declared [[spoiler:a Paragon, revered as a living god. The Warden's popularity and Paragon status jeopardizes Bhelen's own line of succession, all while Bhelen takes the heat for actually reforming Orzammar.]] |
| 124 | * ChickMagnet: Aside from various party members (male and female for both genders), serving girls and a few elves are smitten with the male PC, and Bann Teagan seems to be considering proposing to the female PC after a few days of knowing her, explicitly stating that it doesn't matter one bit that she's a dwarf, an elf and/or a mage. Oghren points this out in a conversation with Wynne. |
| 125 | * TheChooserOfTheOne: The Warden decides who ends up on the thrones of Orzammar and Ferelden. They can even choose themselves as a royal consort if they're Human Nobles (and the crowned is gender-compatible). |
| 126 | * ChosenConceptionPartner: Played with. |
| 127 | ** Discussed at the Landsmeet. [[spoiler:If Alistair is romanced and becomes King, he'll express doubt over whether he and the Warden can be together. The whole point to this event was to prevent a SuccessionCrisis, but Wardens have extremely low fertility, and two have an extremely poor chance of conceiving together. If he becomes king, the female Warden would be a very poor choice for a mate because sooner or later, Ferelden will be back where they started. Of course, ''Inquisition'' shows that neither Alistair nor a Warden who marries Anora have much success at producing an heir with her either.]] |
| 128 | ** Invoked by Morrigan, who wants to [[spoiler:give birth to a child with an Archdemon's soul and offers it as a way to avoid the inevitable HeroicSacrifice. If the Warden is male, she'll come to him first, and depending on your RelationshipValues, it'll either be out of love, respect on some level, or simply acknowledgement that he's in charge and makes the decisions. If you're female, you'll be the one doing the picking (if any). However, if Morrigan was romanced, she is very happy that you'll be the one to give her a child.]] |
| 129 | ** Also invoked by Mardy, a casteless woman whom the Dwarf Noble may have a child with. She and the other noble-hunters like Rica are specifically hoping to conceive sons with higher-caste men so that they can be raised out of Dust Town. |
| 130 | * TheChosenOne: Averted, as the Warden in each origin is merely the RightManInTheWrongPlace. [[spoiler: Further averted with the ''Darkspawn Chronicles'', which depicts a non-canonical AlternateHistory where the Warden died during the Joining and Alistair was forced to step up. It didn't end well.]] |
| 131 | ** Played straight with a Mage Warden who takes time to befriend Wynne, who comes to believe that they could help reform the Circle. Wynne notes that they have a unique worldview, having experienced life as a Circle Mage, a Grey Warden and (technically) an Apostate, allowing them to bring just the right new ideas and practices to the table. After slaying the Archdemon, the Mage Warden can even ask for the Circle's independence as their boon. |
| 132 | ** [[spoiler: Ultimately averted, however, after the events of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''. It's revealed that the Divine refused to grant the Boon declaring the Ferelden Circle's independence, the Warden mysteriously disappeared, and only seven years later, every single Circle rose up in open rebellion]]. |
| 133 | * ClearMyName: All Wardens go through the entire game knowing that Loghain is doing his best to convince the entire country that their order betrayed the king to his death. |
| 134 | ** Subverted, if the Dwarf Noble was framed for the murder of Trian. While the Dwarf Noble has the option to discover evidence that they ''were'' framed and can use this to help Harrowmont take the throne, he does not rescind their exile for kinslaying. The ''only'' way for the Dwarf Noble to have their name and caste fully restored is to side with Bhelen, who grants you a royal pardon for your "crimes". |
| 135 | ** Subverted for the Human Noble as well, though for different reasons. While you can prove that the Cousland family is innocent of the crime of being Orlesian spies, which Howe used as an excuse to slaughter your family and usurp your lands, it's eventually revealed that almost ''none'' of the nobles believed him anyway - so there was really nothing to clear. One of the nobles, Bann Alfstanna, even urges you to call on her for help when you're ready to take back your family's lands. |
| 136 | * ComesGreatResponsibility: An honourable Mage Warden under the tutelage of Wynne. While their remarkable self-confidence is one of their greatest strengths, Wynne reminds them that mages should ''never'' indulge in ''[[FatalFlaw pride]]'' because of their abilities, lest it corrupt them. |
| 137 | ** To a lesser extent, Wynne tries to impress this lesson to all Wardens. You are a hero, and heroes have to make hard choices, but as a hero, it's your duty to make the best choices you can. You serve the people, Wynne says, and must put their benefit before yours. Whether you take this lesson to heart or not is entirely up to you. |
| 138 | * CommandingCoolness: |
| 139 | ** The Warden becomes "Warden-Commander of Ferelden" in ''Awakening''. They also are called the "Commander of the Grey" by some characters. |
| 140 | ** The Dwarf Noble is stated to be a Commander in Orzammar's Army. Sadly, due to Bhelen's machinations, they hold the post less than a day. |
| 141 | * ContinuitySnarl: |
| 142 | ** The conclusion of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' has Leliana claiming that the Warden and Hawke's disappearances are no coincidence and Cassandra says in ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Inquisition]]'' they thought they were connected after they couldn't find either of them. This is all well and good unless a Warden who romanced Morrigan [[spoiler: goes through the Eluvian]] with her [[Timeline/DragonAge eight years ago]] at the end of ''Witch Hunt''. So why did Cassandra and Leliana expect (or even bother trying) to find someone who had been missing for almost a decade, and why would they think their disappearances were connected if they'd have been five to eight years apart from each other? |
| 143 | ** During a [[spoiler:King]] Alistair's visit to Kirkwall in Act 3 on a side quest, Teagan will claim, "The Hero of Ferelden should be back in Denerim by now." But at that point, they should be five years missing. |
| 144 | ** Their codex in ''Inquisition'' if they [[spoiler: survive the Fifth Blight]] is they served as commander for several years rebuilding the Order in Ferelden before disappearing, even though they pretty much left the Order and Ferelden altogether to be with Morrigan after holding the title for six months. |
| 145 | ** The after-mentioned also applies to a Warden who romances Zevran, as they left to reunite with him in Antiva and join him in his personal war against the Antivan Crows, taking them to places far outside of Ferelden. It is very unlikely the Warden would have had the time or means to have led an organization in another country. |
| 146 | * CloudCuckooLander: Some dialogue options, if they're not to be considered snarky, can come across as... loony: |
| 147 | -->'''Chantry Priest''': We are all sinners. The fire symbolizes our hope that forgiveness is possible. Thus, we all serve by feeding its flames.\ |
| 148 | '''Warden''': So if I sin, I should just set myself on fire? |
| 149 | * CoolUncle: Or CoolAunt. |
| 150 | ** The Human Noble is very clearly seen as this by their nephew, Oren. |
| 151 | ** The Dwarf Noble and Dwarf Commoner respectively. Granted, we [[TheUnseen never actually see]] their mutual nephew (the child of Bhelen Aeducan and Rica Brosca); but as one of the legendary Grey Wardens and a Paragon of Orzammar, little Prince Endrin will most likely be hearing the incredible stories about his aunt/uncle for ''years'' to come. |
| 152 | * CourtMage: A potential reward for a Mage Warden after the final battle. |
| 153 | * TheCreon: If you are a Human Noble, your entire family is this. Despite being the most powerful nobility in all of Ferelden beside the King, they have no desire for more power, and are rumored to have turned down the crown. |
| 154 | * CrimeOfSelfDefense: The female City Elf faces execution for escaping her violent kidnapping by the spoiled son of the local lord. |
| 155 | * CurbStompBattle: Among all the PlayerCharacters, the Warden is the more proclive to do this and his/her reputation of TheDreaded is mainly for this reason. The best examples is the Mage Tower's one (Gregoir, the templar in charge here, mentions that the demons and abominations are ''all'' dead) and the Carta headquarters' one (this one is even mentioned in the codex from the sequels, saying that the Warden pretty much decimated the entire branch in Orzammar). |
| 156 | * CuttingOffTheBranches: A very minor example but if you do not play as the Dwarf Noble, Endrin's middle child is explicitly referred to as male. |
| 157 | * DamselOutOfDistress: The Female City Elf. After getting captured by Vaughan's guards, who announce their intention to rape and murder her (and not necessarily in that order), her cousin Soris breaks into the room. While they're distracted by his sudden appearance, he quickly slides a sword across the floor to the City Elf, who immediately picks it up and adopts a fighting stance. Cue two very terrified, soon-to-be-dead guards: |
| 158 | -->'''Guard''': [[OhCrap Oh sod...]] |
| 159 | * DatingCatwoman: Downplayed. It's perfectly possible to a heroic, morally good Warden to have a romance with the more amoral companions such as [[LadyOfBlackMagic Morrigan]] or [[HitmanWithAHeart Zevran]]. While they will usually favor the more pragmatic, ruthless actions and disapprove of altruism, it can be circumvented by giving them gifts and [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe being nice]] to them. |
| 160 | * DeadpanSnarker: The {{player character}} has 100% more snarky lines than in previous Creator/BioWare games. It's especially notable if the Warden is given the Violent voice; Suave (for males) and Sultry (for females) are also fairly snarky. |
| 161 | * DeathSeeker: A potential interpretation of the [[NobleFugitive Dwarf Noble]] and [[LastOfTheirKind Human Noble]] Wardens, particularly if these Wardens make the ultimate sacrifice at the end of the game. |
| 162 | * DefiantToTheEnd: The Warden can be played as this. |
| 163 | ** The Human Noble definitely is this, much to the chagrin of Arl Rendon Howe. Its possible to play them as being willing to go down fighting with their parents, up until Duncan basically makes it an order that you have to join him. |
| 164 | ** The Dwarf Commoner can be played as this in the face of being imprisoned and tortured to death, much to BadBoss Beraht's annoyance. |
| 165 | ** The Female City Elf, when about to be bound and dragged by armed guards to Lord Vaughan's quarters to be raped and most likely killed afterwards, can be played as this in the face of her kidnappers. |
| 166 | --->'''Guard''': Now you heard the captain. Be a good little wench and do as you're told.\ |
| 167 | '''Female Tabris''': Go ahead, try it. See which parts you lose first. |
| 168 | * {{Determinator}}: |
| 169 | ** The Warden is forced to become this in order to unite Ferelden and defeat the Blight, even know the odds are impossibly against them at the start of the game in being one of the only Grey Wardens left in Ferelden. |
| 170 | ** Male Wardens who romanced Morrigan held out hope of finding her again for a year, and finally make it after the quest of ''Witch Hunt''. |
| 171 | ** The reason the Warden isn't seen in ''Videogame/DragonAgeInquisition''? [[spoiler:They're looking for a way to avoid the Calling.]] The tone of the letter they send suggests they see the impossibility of this as a mere ''inconvenience''. |
| 172 | * DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: There are a number of powerful horrors that The Warden can take down before, and after slaying the Archdemon and end of the game. [[spoiler:Unless you disagree to Morrigan's Dark ritual, [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu then The Warden will be dead]]]]. In ''Origins'' there are two OptionalBoss Fights that take place before the PointOfNoReturn, specifically [[WickedWitch Flemeth]] and Gaxkang the Unbound. In ''[[ExpansionPack Awakening]]'' you take down the The Mother, ([[SkippableBoss potentially]]) The Architect, and (again [[SkippableBoss potentially]]) [[{{Superboss}} The Queen of the Blackmarsh]]. In ''[[{{DLC}} Golems of Amgarrak]]'' there's the Harvester, and in ''[[{{DLC}} Witch Hunt]]'' there's the Varterral. |
| 173 | * DisappearedDad: |
| 174 | ** A male Dwarf Noble can be this to a child he conceives with one of the casteless {{Gold Digger}}s encountered during his origin story. He does come back later, of course, but his status being what it is, the mother of his child isn't exactly thrilled to see him. Additionally, by the time the Dwarf Noble (of either gender) returns to Orzammar, their father has died without ever seeing them again [[spoiler:and may have been poisoned by little brother Bhelen]]. |
| 175 | ** [[spoiler:Male Wardens who perform the Dark Ritual with Morrigan end up becoming this, due to Morrigan [[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou leaving with their unborn child]] after the final battle is over, with the intention of never seeing each other again. This is possibly averted at the end of ''Witch Hunt'', however, since after reuniting with Morrigan, the Warden can elect to reaffirm their relationship and plan to meet their child, passing through the Eluvian to parts unknown.]] |
| 176 | ** The Dwarf Commoner's father left for the surface when they were young. |
| 177 | ** The Dalish elf's father was killed before they were even born, and their mother wandered away one night to die of grief. |
| 178 | ** The Mage, like most Circle mages, was taken from their parents as a child and possibly has no memory of either of them. |
| 179 | * TheDreaded: |
| 180 | ** The Warden becomes this to Loghain and Arl Howe, the latter ''[[YouKilledMyFather particularly]]'' if they're the Human Noble. |
| 181 | ** During "Unrest at the Alienage", when the Warden runs into a bunch of Tevinter slavers and tells them who they are: |
| 182 | --->'''Guard''': [[OhCrap Oh no!]] I've heard of ''you!'' |
| 183 | ** In ''Awakening,'' simply informing a group of kidnappers that you're the ''Commander of the Grey'' is enough to reduce one into to a gibbering wreck that he's dealing with the one to slay an ''Archdemon''. Further intimidation causes half of the bandits to run away, and one decides he'd rather ''jump off a cliff to his death'' rather than have to face the Warden. |
| 184 | ** In ''Awakening,'' many nobles dread the Human Noble Warden's retribution after Howe's treachery against the Cousland Family. Is especially lampshaded in how Lord Eddelbrek is quick in mentioning that he had nothing to do with Howe's actions. |
| 185 | * TheDrifter: For the Grey Wardens, it's practically their ''raison d'être''. |
| 186 | * TheDutifulSon: |
| 187 | ** The Couslands taught the Human Noble to ''always'' do their duty. King Aeducan similarly invokes this almost word-for-word when the Dwarf Noble is proclaimed Orzammar's newest Commander during their Origin. |
| 188 | ** The City Elf can be played this way too, if you choose respectful dialogue options when talking to your father, showing that you've taken his lessons about putting family and the well-being of other elves first. |
| 189 | ** The Dwarf Commoner can be played this way, but since your mom is an ungrateful abusive drunk, it doesn't do much good. If you choose not to be one, she unfavorably compares you to your older sister Rica, asking why you aren't more like her. |
| 190 | [[/folder]] |
| 191 | |
| 192 | [[folder:E-M]] |
| 193 | * EmpoweredBadassNormal: As a warrior, you can gain access to the slightly mystical Templar and reaver specializations, and even more in the expansion. Avernus' blood draughts also give a warrior or rogue upgraded abilities. |
| 194 | * EnemyMine: |
| 195 | ** The Dwarves and Dalish Elves can potentially be played this way regarding Ferelden in general, as you have technically no interest in the kingdom's problems and can play it as being only concerned with the darkspawn menace against your own people. |
| 196 | --->'''Loghain''': Pray our King is amenable to reason.\ |
| 197 | '''Dalish/Dwarf''': The Dalish ''have no Kings.'' / He's not ''my'' King. |
| 198 | ** It's also possible to pull this off if you play as an unlawful mage: refusing to sell out Jowan, rejecting the Circle's teachings and embracing Morrigan's philosophy of allowing the old magics to prosper. The Knight-Commander is not at all happy to see you again and the Circle pulls itself together again to fight the darkspawn less because they like you and more because the Blight will kill them all if they don't. |
| 199 | * EvenTheGirlsWantHer: The women who love/lust after the PC are not limited to love interests or even her own race, which is somewhat uncommon in Ferelden nowadays. |
| 200 | * EvenTheGuysWantHim: The men who love/lust after the PC are not limited to love interests or even his own race, which is somewhat uncommon in Ferelden nowadays. |
| 201 | * EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Despite having established surnames for every origin, only two of these ever seem to get used: Cousland for the Human Noble and Aeducan for the Dwarf Noble, since both are tied to the main story. The other names - Amell for the Human Mage, Surana for the Elf Mage, Brosca for the Dwarf Commoner, Tabris for the City Elf, and Mahariel for the Dalish Elf - appear only in the character creation screen. |
| 202 | ** However, if you play ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' and import a save with a Dalish Warden, both Merrill and Marethari talk about Mahariel, since they are from the same clan, and were involved in the events of the Dalish Origin. |
| 203 | ** Similarly, if the Warden in an imported game was a Human Female Mage (an Amell, Hawke's second cousin), Cullen remembers her fondly. If the Inquisitor in the third game is a mage, Cullen may speak to them about Amell as well. |
| 204 | ** In ''Awakening'', Sigrun is amazed to meet the Dwarf Commoner, as apparently Paragon Brosca has become a FolkHero among the Dusters. |
| 205 | ** Lampshaded in the second game, if Teagan says that "the Hero of Ferelden" is back in Denerim, Alistair mutters, "S/he has a name, you know!" |
| 206 | * TheExile: The Dwarf Noble is exiled from Orzammar at the end of their origin. Upon their return to Orzammar later in the game, the guards only grudgingly let them return due to their membership in the Wardens. The Human Noble is also effectively this, since returning to Highever would almost certainly be a death sentence while Howe is running the place. |
| 207 | * FantasticRacism: Mage and/or Elven Wardens are ''often'' on the receiving end of this, as are Dwarven Wardens (though more rarely). The [[FightingForAHomeland Dalish]] and [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Dwarven]] Wardens can display this, though slightly more prevalent in the former given the rather ''complicated'' history between the races of Elves and Man. The City Elf can get in on thus too, being rude to any number of human authority figures. Could be that being a Warden finally gives the Elf license to backtalk the humans who've held them down for ages... or you can get just as belligerent with Duncan when you first meet him. |
| 208 | * AFatherToHisMen: The Warden spends almost as much time guiding their followers through their ''personal'' demons as they do fighting ''actual'' demons. |
| 209 | * TheFettered: Can be played this way. |
| 210 | * FighterMageThief: Your class options via Warrior, Mage, and Rogue. |
| 211 | * FightingForAHomeland: The Dalish Warden can be granted the Hinterlands for their people to settle, as their boon for stopping the Fifth Blight. |
| 212 | * FigureItOutYourself: The Warden can be played as doing this with companions. Particularly noticeable with Alistair; if you convince him to [[spoiler: take the throne]], despite his reticence, he proves to be a ''great'' leader. |
| 213 | ** Also noticeable with a romanced Morrigan, where the Warden's dialogue implies that he has been aware of her feelings for a ''long'' time, but has patiently waited for Morrigan to notice the penny drop. |
| 214 | ** The Warden says this verbatim when [[spoiler: Loghain]] openly asks why you didn't take him with you to kill the Archdemon, since he assumed this was the Warden's reason for [[spoiler:making him go through the Joining]]. |
| 215 | * FolkHero: According to Sigrun in ''Awakening'', the Dwarf Commoner apparently became one amongst the Casteless, being the lowly Duster who defeated Orzammar's finest warriors in a Proving, became a Warden, then was even made into a ''Paragon''. |
| 216 | ** By the second game, the Warden is commonly referred to as "the Hero of Ferelden." |
| 217 | ** One of the epilogues reveals that Bevin, the little boy in Redcliffe, grows into a famous adventurer and often regales his companions with the tale of how the Warden came to Redcliffe, took up his grandfather's sword to fight off an army of undead, then returned it to him. |
| 218 | ** If Lloyd dies in the fight against the undead, Bella inherits his tavern and renames it "The Grey Warden's Rest," though in the years to come, travelers find it hard to believe the "tall tales" of the Warden's exploits recounted there. |
| 219 | ** In ''Awakening,'' you meet an individual calling themselves the "Dark Wolf" in Amaranthine. If you did the very quests in ''Origins'', you get to call him out that he's ''not'' the real "Dark Wolf," because ''[[ActuallyIAmHim you are!]]'' |
| 220 | * FriendToAllChildren: Depending on the player, the Warden can be this. There are a few opportunities to do things like give money to orphaned children and protect a child from a demon who wants to possess her. |
| 221 | * FriendToAllLivingThings: The Warden can also be played this way. They have the opportunity to save the lives of several mabari warhounds during the battle at Ostagar[[note]]one infected with the darkspawn taint, and a number of others in cages inside the Tower of Ishal[[/note]], and in the Dalish camp they can resolve a life-threatening situation with one of the halla. |
| 222 | * FriendlyEnemy: The Mage Warden can invoke this several times towards Jowan. Despite making it clear that you haven't forgiven him and you're not really friends due to his BloodMagic, several dialogue options refer to him as "Old friend" and [[spoiler: letting him go during Redcliffe leads to his successful HeelFaceTurn in the (sadly bugged) quest, "Jowan's Intention"]]. |
| 223 | ** The Dwarf Commoner can similarly express this towards [[spoiler: [[TurnCoat Leske]]]] upon their return to Orzammar, after learning [[spoiler: that he's sold you out to the Carta and is now TheDragon to Jarvia]]. |
| 224 | ** Dwarf Nobles who side with Bhelen tend to veer between this and EnemyMine. |
| 225 | * {{Gaydar}}: The Warden's functions with 100% accuracy, ensuring that they will never hit on a member of the same gender unless such an individual would at least potentially be receptive. |
| 226 | * TheGhost: What the Hero of Ferelden becomes if they survive the events of the first game. |
| 227 | * GirlyBruiser: A female Warden who beats the snot out of darkspawn in hulking armor who then turns around and fawns over shoes and hairstyles with Leliana definitely counts. |
| 228 | * GlorySeeker: A Dwarf Noble can be played as being very invested into personal glory and house glory in the prologue. The Human Noble, likewise, can be played as wanting to go to Ostagar with their father and brother, either because of misgivings about them being able to take care of themselves or finding it unfair that Bryce and Fergus get to ride off and fight for honor and glory beside the King while they're stuck home tending to the castle. |
| 229 | * TheGlovesComeOff: The Mage Warden, due to having lived for most of their life under the restrictions of the Templars. After becoming a Grey Warden, the Mage Warden is free to demonstrate just how truly powerful they ''really'' are. |
| 230 | * GoodBadGirl: Can be played as such. One response to Alistair's "licked a lamppost in winter" query is quite vividly phrased in a manner to declare that she decidedly ''has,'' many times. |
| 231 | * TheGoodChancellor: Depending on who ends up on the throne, a particularly honorable Warden can become this to [[spoiler: Alistair]] and/or Anora. |
| 232 | ** In ''Awakening'', the Warden can become this as the new Arl of Amaranthine. |
| 233 | * GoodIsNotSoft: More Heroic Wardens, in particular, seem to excel at delivering CruelMercy to people. |
| 234 | ** A good example is Nathaniel Howe in the ''Awakening'' expansion. He tried to break into Vigil's Keep in order to kill the Warden. Moreover, if the Warden is the Human Noble, Nathaniel is the son of the man who massacred the Warden's entire family. The Warden can decide that the most fitting punishment of all for him is... to make him become a ''Grey Warden''. |
| 235 | ** Also from ''Awakening'', you are required to pass sentence on a man who stole in order to feed his starving family. The best result comes if you [[spoiler:make him join the army.]] |
| 236 | * GoodParents: [[spoiler:If the male Warden romanced Morrigan and fathered Kieran, then (according to her commentary in ''Inquisition'') he's an absolutely awesome dad.]] |
| 237 | -->'''Morrigan''': [[spoiler:Kieran misses him greatly.]] |
| 238 | * GuileHero: You have to play the game to truly understand the freedom it gives you. |
| 239 | * HandsomeLech: Potentially. A frightening amount of possible interactions with members of the opposite sex (and even a few of the same sex) allows the Warden to hit on them, if not outright sleep with them. Heck, a female Human Noble can even hit on ''Duncan'', though he demurs. |
| 240 | * HappilyMarried: Heavily abundant in the Human Noble origin story. Your parents are this, as well as your older brother Fergus and his wife Oriana. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, the Origin doesn't end well for most of them]]. |
| 241 | ** This is the fate of [[spoiler:a female Human Noble who romances Alistair and becomes Queen during the Landsmeet]]. An ending slide shows that the people of Ferelden are utterly charmed by their happy marriage. |
| 242 | ** Surprisingly, ''Awakening'' shows that [[spoiler: Anora and male Cousland seem to have developed an amicable relationship, and the final epilogue slide states that when he returns to Denerim, even Anora is glad to have him back.]] |
| 243 | ** While not technically married, the Warden and a romanced Morrigan develop this kind of relationship, complete with the Warden receiving a ring from her, although at first both are quick to [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend ruthlessly deny it]]. Lampshaded in ''Witch Hunt'', when Ariane comments that the Warden often idly plays with the ring Morrigan gave him when he thinks no one is looking, before asking if her knowledge about couples in Thedas exchanging rings is accurate. By the time of ''Inquisition'', if they reunited at the end of ''Witch Hunt'', they've pretty much given up pretending. |
| 244 | * HeadTurningBeauty: Everyone wants the Warden. Seriously. No matter how long you spend beating your character with the Ugly Stick in Character Creation, he or she (especially she, and especially if she's a human) will constantly be referred to as drop-dead gorgeous. |
| 245 | * TheHeart: Can be played this way. |
| 246 | * HeartbrokenBadass: A male Warden who romanced Morrigan or a female Warden who romanced [[spoiler:Alistair, if he dumped her or [[HeroicSacrifice died]] for her]] may come across as this in the expansions and epilogue slides. Any of your companions if you romance them and then go die yourself. |
| 247 | * HeroicSeductress: If playing a female Warden, this is possible as the warden has the option to flirt with and seduce a surprising number of [=NPCs=]. |
| 248 | * HeroWithBadPublicity: Played with. Despite Loghain's claim that the Grey Wardens are responsible for the King's death, the only people who really believe that, and subsequently antagonize you, are either Loghain's men or mercenaries/desperate refugees with their eye on your bounty. There are some people gossiping in various settlements, but their opinion seems to fluctuate from moment to moment. |
| 249 | ** Subverted for the Human Noble. Arl Howe also attempts to tarnish the Human Noble's family name by claiming the Couslands were killed in a failed rebellion to seize the throne for Orlais. However, if the Human Noble Warden speaks to other nobles prior to the Landsmeet, it becomes clear that almost ''no one'' actually believes this. |
| 250 | ** Played straight in ''Awakening'' if you start off fresh as an Orlesian Grey Warden. Everybody in Ferelden will hold your Orlesian heritage against you. It's understandable, since Ferelden just freed itself from a brutal occupation at the hands of the Orlesians a scant few decades ago, only for an Orlesian to become the new Arl of Amaranthine. Depending on how you play the game, their mistrust can be justified. |
| 251 | * HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: The Warden's actions had a very notable impact on ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', and they will get brought up directly by Varric and Cassandra, indirectly by Flemeth, and by mention on [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the loading screen]]. Depending on your playthrough, they can also be mentioned by Anders, Merrill, Isabela, Bethany, Cullen, Nuncio, Bodahn Feddic, [[spoiler: Zevran, Alistair, Leliana, Nathaniel Howe, Sophia Dryden,]] a letter found in the Wounded Coast, an ex-werewolf, several Codex entries, and Hawke themself. Despite this, the Warden never shows up in that game. |
| 252 | ** In ''Inquisition'', the Warden is occasionally referenced and, if a certain sidequest is done (and the Warden is alive), even writes a letter to Leliana, but never actually shows up in person. They are [[spoiler:on a quest to cure the Wardens of their Calling]]. |
| 253 | * HopeBringer: All you have to do is flash the Grey Warden credentials to get most people to listen to whatever you have to say. Of course, it's up to you whether or not you want to fulfill the spirit of this trope. |
| 254 | ** By the time of VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition, it's quite possible for Dagna the Arcanist to describe the Warden in such a way. |
| 255 | --->'''Dagna''': It was a dark time. There was one light. |
| 256 | * HypercompetentSidekick: More or less ends up as this at the end to [[spoiler:either Alistair or Anora.]] They lead the kingdom and deliver the {{Rousing Speech}}es, the Warden leads the armies. |
| 257 | * IDidWhatIHadToDo: Ruthless but well-meaning Wardens will find themselves adopting this as their creed. |
| 258 | * IWillFindYou: At the end of ''Origins'', a male Warden who romanced Morrigan can state his intention to set off in search of her, although this gets interrupted due to the events of ''Awakening''. He finally succeeds in catching up with Morrigan during ''Witch Hunt''. |
| 259 | ** If romanced, it adds an interesting subtext to the fact that one of his first acts as Warden-Commander was to send scouts to watch over the Korcari Wilds for a year. While officially it's because they were hunting down the last darkspawn stragglers on the surface, it's mentioned the scouts were ''also'' given Morrigan's description and told to closely watch Flemeth's hut on the off-chance she might return.[[note]]Although given who used to live there, there's also the implication that the scouts were there to watch over the hut in case Flemeth decided to return for some reason. Especially with the fact that the Warden sends the scouts to keep an eye on Flemeth's hut, even if they didn't romance Morrigan.[[/note]] |
| 260 | * InformedAttractiveness: Even if you make a Warden that looks like the uglier cousin of Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera that fell down in a vat of acid and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking has mismatched hair and eyebrows]], everyone you ever meet will find them especially attractive. |
| 261 | * InSeriesNickname: Nearly everyone refers to the PC as "the Warden." It's a logical enough nickname, but it comes off a little bit strangely given that they aren't ''the'' Warden - there are two. |
| 262 | ** Dialogue with Wynne implies that the Human Noble is known as "[[LastOfHisKind the last of the Couslands]]." Which is about the same as above, [[spoiler:because Fergus is still alive. Of course, no one knew this until the end of the game.]] |
| 263 | ** In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' and ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', the Warden is known as "the Hero of Ferelden". |
| 264 | * InterspeciesAdoption: Played straight with the Elf Mage Warden, who has grown up in the Circle raised and tutored by human and elf--though primarily human--mages while being an elf themself. |
| 265 | * InterspeciesRomance: A Dwarf Warden who enters a romance enters this by default since none of the other love interests are dwarves. An Elven Warden also enters this if they romance anyone but Zevran, since Alistair, Morrigan, and Leliana are all human. [[spoiler:Or have at least one human parent, since Alistair is [[HalfHumanHybrid elf-blooded]].]] A Human Warden likewise enters this if they romance Zevran. |
| 266 | * ItsAllMyFault: Every origin has an event happen for which the Warden can blame themself. During the "Urn of Sacred Ashes", the Warden undergoes the Gauntlet, where they can confront these feelings of guilt or deny having them. |
| 267 | * ItsPersonal: |
| 268 | ** The Human Noble vows revenge on Arl Howe for the brutal murder of their entire family. |
| 269 | ** The City Elf can bear a grudge against Arl Howe for leading a long and brutal purge against their alienage. They can even recognize him on first meeting as the one who's been slaughtering their people. |
| 270 | ** The City Elf Warden's Origin can have the Warden [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge cut a bloody swath to]] and take revenge on Vaughan, for abducting the brides and bridesmaids in their wedding (including the Warden herself if female) to be [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil beaten, raped, and (likely) killed, and then for successfully raping their cousin]]. |
| 271 | ** The Mage Warden can appear to display this towards Uldred for his atrocities in the Circle Tower. |
| 272 | ** An Aeducan Warden supporting Harrowmont against Bhelen can have this as the primary motivation. |
| 273 | * KleptomaniacHero: You can enter any dwelling and help yourself to anything that isn't nailed down, even if you need to pick locks in the process. Unlike pickpocketing, this never antagonizes the inhabitants, with ''very few exceptions'' (these being if the person who owns the place is afraid you will find the dead body they're hiding). |
| 274 | ** The Mage origin ends with your senior mage asking you if you took anything from the dungeon you were just in. Tell the truth, and he'll take away a staff you took. |
| 275 | ** Also, getting caught pickpocketing in Denerim will [[spoiler: spawn an army (not an exaggeration) of angry guards while you travel from one point of the city to another.]] |
| 276 | ** There is at least one instance where there actually are consequences for looting, even though it's not pickpocketing. [[spoiler:Taking Zathrian's songbook before "The Nature of The Beast" is completed will eventually trigger a random encounter with a ''very'' pissed off Dalish archer.]] |
| 277 | ** If you hesitate to accept Zevran's gift to you during his romance arc, he'll lampshade it, asking why there's a problem with it when you've picked up every ''other'' shiny object you've come across in their travels. |
| 278 | ** In ''Inquisition'', Sera will offhandedly comment that "Wardens were an excuse for your stuff to go missing", implying they had a reputation for this trope (and the Red Jennies took advantage of that). |
| 279 | * KnightInSourArmor: Can be played like this. A natural fit in particular for an elf - even if you're a Dalish who regards the Grey Wardens and Ferelden as an EnemyMine situation at best, every human assumes you care about their kingdom. |
| 280 | * LadyAndKnight: Can be on both ends of this. |
| 281 | ** If male and romancing Morrigan, he acts as either a White Knight or a Black Knight to her Dark Lady, vowing to protect her and even killing a dragon[[note]]technically Flemeth in dragon form[[/note]]to save her. And then he spends a year looking for her. |
| 282 | ** If female and romancing Alistair, she's still technically a Knight, but Alistair ''acts'' like the White Knight to her Bright Lady. It's particularly pronounced if she's a [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Cousland or an Aeducan]]. |
| 283 | * LadyOfWar: Again, the female PC. |
| 284 | ** The Female Dwarf Noble is noteworthy as the Origin ''begins'' with their being declared [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership Commander of Orzammar's Army]], a position that various dialogue shows is ''very'' much deserved. |
| 285 | ** The Female Human Noble first gets lightly scolded about this by her mother, who wants her to get married and thinks this might be getting in the way. She later gets this lampshaded, albeit mockingly, by Arl Howe: |
| 286 | --->'''Howe''': Well, well. Bryce Cousland's little [[TheLadette spitfire]]. All grown up and [[StayInTheKitchen still playing the man!]] |
| 287 | * LargeHam: The Warden never outright [[TheStoic chews the scenery]], but there are some dialogue options that teeter on the edge. This is only exacerbated by some of the voice sets (such as Violent) whose lines can range from snarky to completely hammy. |
| 288 | * LastOfHisKind: While there are other Grey Wardens in the world, they and Alistair are the only ones left in Ferelden and thus the only ones close enough to end the Blight in a timely and decisive manner. |
| 289 | ** The Human Noble Warden becomes the last member of House Cousland. [[spoiler:At least until their brother is revealed to be alive after the final battle, and may become it himself if his sibling performs the Ultimate Sacrifice.]] |
| 290 | ** The Dwarf Noble becomes the last Aeducan (aside from distant cousins and Bhelen's son by Rica Brosca) if they put Harrowmont on the throne, as Bhelen will attack and be killed by his sibling. |
| 291 | ** The Dalish Warden will become the last survivor of the Sabrae clan if [[spoiler:they survive the events of ''Origins'', and later in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'', Hawke is both unable to talk the clan down and has to slaughter them all in self-defense and later kills Merrill (Hawke's companion and the only other survivor).]] |
| 292 | * TheLeader: Can run the entire gambit. |
| 293 | * LegendaryInTheSequel: Thanks to ending the Blight, they've become famous all over Thedas by the time of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''. In fact, they were Cassandra's first choice for Inquisitor, followed by Hawke, but she couldn't find them. |
| 294 | * LikeAGodToMe: |
| 295 | ** Some of the bits of party banter show that with high enough approval rating, the other party members feel this way about the Warden. Zevran calls them "an object worthy of worship." |
| 296 | ** By the end of the game, [[spoiler: whether they live or die, a dwarf Warden will always be unanimously proclaimed a Paragon at the end, essentially becoming the a living Ancestor - the closest thing dwarves have to gods]]. |
| 297 | ** In ''Awakening'', if [[spoiler:Alistair is king and married to the human female noble, he fondly notes that "I married an indestructible goddess."]] |
| 298 | * LikeBrotherAndSister: |
| 299 | ** The female mage PC and Jowan. He even mentions that he considers her his sister. |
| 300 | ** The relationship between any Warden and a non-romanced companion of the opposite sex can be played out this way. |
| 301 | * LikeParentLikeChild: The Human Noble and Dwarf Noble are heavily implied to greatly take after their fathers. The City Elf is said to be very similar to their mother. |
| 302 | * LivingEmotionalCrutch: Various epilogues and the ''Darkspawn Chronicles'' DLC show that the group falls apart after the death of the Warden. They drift apart rather quickly even if the Warden survives to the end, but it's just because they each have things they want to do. |
| 303 | * LivingLegend: The Warden becomes one during ''Origins'', and the extent of their fame can be seen as part of the landscape of ''Dragon Age II'' and ''Inquisition''. |
| 304 | * LovedByAll: You can achieve this with any member of your party--it helps a lot when you're trying to romance one of them. You can even achieve it with ''every single one of them at the same time'', though most of them will be a strictly platonic adoration. |
| 305 | * LoveHurts: Oh, does it ever. |
| 306 | ** If a female Warden romances Alistair, [[spoiler:he will most likely dump her if he's made king. Whether he does or not, she then has to convince him to sleep with a woman he hates to conceive a child so they both can live; if she doesn't, one of them faces certain death. If she brings him with her to kill the Archdemon, [[HeroicSacrifice he takes the choice out of her hands]].]] And, as of ''Dragon Age: Inquisition'', if [[spoiler:Alistair is a Grey Warden, he may ''also'' die while she's off searching for a cure so they can be together.]] |
| 307 | ** A male Warden who romances Morrigan has to deal with [[spoiler:knowing she was planning on just using him to rebirth an old god. Literally the day after they conceive the baby, she leaves and he has to spend a year not knowing what happened to her or their child.]] And again, thanks to ''Dragon Age: Inquisition'', [[spoiler:she may end up being eternally bound to Flemeth.]] |
| 308 | * LovedINotHonourMore: Wynne lampshades this, reminding the Warden that they ''will'' have to put their duty as a Grey Warden ahead of their romance when it comes to saving the world. However, [[DownplayedTrope it's easier to count the number of times this is played straight than not.]] |
| 309 | ** If the female Warden is in a romance with Alistair, even ''Morrigan'' brings this up in party banter, pointing out to Alistair that "fraternization" between two Grey Wardens could be problematic if [[{{Foreshadowing}} they ever have to choose between saving Ferelden or saving each other.]] |
| 310 | ** By ''Awakening,'' even if the Warden previously decided to travel with their chosen love interest at the end of ''Origins'', they are [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive back in the fray]] serving as Warden-Commander of Ferelden only ''six months later''. Yes, even if [[spoiler:she is the Queen]]! |
| 311 | ** Potentially subverted in ''Witch Hunt'', where if romanced, the Warden can decide to leave with Morrigan and [[spoiler: enter the Eluvian to meet their child]]. Of course, one could argue that since it's been a year since the end of the Blight and Ferelden is at peace, there is simply no need for the Warden anymore. |
| 312 | *** [[spoiler: Another interpretation is that as a Warden, he is duty-bound to watch over the child and the Old God soul it carries. In this, he is taking full responsibility for having performed the Dark Ritual to save his own life and knows full well that if it shows signs of being malevolent, he may potentially have to [[SadisticChoice slay his own child]]... not to mention the Old God inside of it ''again''.]] |
| 313 | ** Also subverted if Zevran is romanced. The Warden pretty much runs off to Antiva to reunite with him not long after defeating [[spoiler:The Mother]] and joins him in his effort to dismantle the Antivan Crows. |
| 314 | ** Further subverted if they're the [[spoiler:queen, prince-consort or chancellor of Ferelden]] as they'll permanently return to court to resume their duties after ''Awakening''. |
| 315 | ** Even more subverted with Leliana. By ''Inquisition'' not only are they still in a loving relationship but if Leliana becomes [[spoiler: Divine, she'll remove the restrictions surrounding priesthood, allowing anyone in the Chantry to be in romantic relationships]] so they can openly be together. Though, it's not like they weren't already open about it before she did this. |
| 316 | ** Completely averted if Alistair is romanced and remains a Grey Warden. |
| 317 | * MagicKnight: Mage Wardens can become ''Arcane Warriors''. |
| 318 | ** Warriors can become a ''[[BloodMagic Reaver]]'' and inverted as a ''[[AntiMagic Templar]]''. |
| 319 | * ManicPixieDreamGirl: A female Warden can come off as this if the player tends towards the more snarky and quirky dialogue choices and goes out of their way to do things like break Zevran and/or Alistair out of their shells. |
| 320 | * ManipulativeBastard: You can be an utter douche, kicking dogs, desecrating holy artifacts and supporting crazy dwarves while still having all your most noble companions falling in love with your every word. Just make sure you have a good (and sometimes ''really'' good) coercion rank, a lot of gifts, and careful consideration of who you bring along with you and when. |
| 321 | * MagneticHero: You can also be this. |
| 322 | * MassiveNumberedSiblings: The human mage Warden is one of five siblings. The other four are also mages and were sent to different Circles. |
| 323 | * MeaningfulName: Quite a lot of the Warden's default names and they can be remarkably appropriate. |
| 324 | ** The Dwarf Noble's last name is Aeducan, deriving from the dwarven word ''Aeduc''. While the precise translation hasn't been revealed, clues hint that it likely means either "Shield" or "Stone". Further, the male Dwarf Noble's default name is Duran, a Norman name which means "Enduring" - thus, the character's default name means "Enduring Shield" or "Enduring Stone," either of which is entirely appropriate for his position in society. The female's instead is Sereda, a variant of Zereda, a Hebrew name meaning "Fortress"; so her default name means either "Fortress Shield" or "Fortress Stone." |
| 325 | ** The default name for the male Dalish Warden is Theron, which means "Hunter". The surname is Mahariel, which some name definition sites indicate means "Swift;" if so, then Theron Mahariel means "Swift Hunter". The female Dalish Warden's name, Lyna, instead means "Tender", so she is "Tender Hunter". |
| 326 | ** The Male City Elf's default name is Darrian, a variant of the Persian name ''Dariush'', meaning "Rich and Kingly" - quite fitting for a character who eventually becomes the overall leader of the Grey Wardens. The female's is Kallian, a variant of an Irish name meaning "slender and fair". |
| 327 | ** The Human Noble's last name is Cousland, which is derived from the Gaelic form of ''absolom'', meaning "Peace." The Couslands have been the BigGood of Ferelden since before Ferelden actually existed. The female default name is Elissa, meaning "Oath," so her default name is "Oath of Peace"; alternately, Elissa can also mean "Wanderer", thus making her "Wanderer of Peace". Whether the name suits her is up to the player, of course. In a slightly darker sense, the default male name is Aedan, a variant of an Irish name meaning "born of fire", making his full name essentially "Born of Fire, Peace". |
| 328 | ** The default name of the male Human Mage is Daylen, an English name meaning "to divide, share"; the female's, Solona, instead is a Greek name meaning "Wisdom". The surname Amell may mean "Power of an Eagle", which is very fitting considering that they're not-too-distantly related to the Hawke family. |
| 329 | ** The default name for the male Elf Mage is Alim, meaning "learned", "expert", or "scholar" in Arabic, befitting the [[BadassBookworm quality education mages receive]] and the general badassery of Wardens. The female's, Neria, means "Lamp of God" in Hebrew; this fitting since many characters mention in this game and later ones that the Warden was a light in the darkness. |
| 330 | ** The Male Dwarf Commoner's name, Faren, is a French name and variant of ''Ferrant'', meaning "Iron-Grey", [[PropheticName which leads to a dwarf essentially named "Grey" joins the Grey Wardens]]; the female's name, Natia, is a Georgian name meaning "Light, Bright". |
| 331 | * MistakenForGay: Possibly for a female Warden. Gossips in ''Witch Hunt'' seem to think that the female Warden is gay/bisexual and something happened between her and Isabela, even if no such encounter took place and the Warden was played as completely straight or asexual. |
| 332 | * TheMistress: [[spoiler:One outcome of Alistair's romance - the non-Human Noble Warden can become this for him if he's hardened and king. (The Human Noble can, too, but she also has the option to marry him and become queen.)]] |
| 333 | * ModestRoyalty: The Dwarf Noble can be played like an amiable person who doesn't look down on people below them, and who only plays along with the dwarven caste system and all its restrictions because dwarven society expects it of them. Younger brother Bhelen is this way as well, having a surprising lack of disdain for the casteless. Older brother Trian, on the other hand... |
| 334 | ** The Cousland family counts as well, as seen with the Human Noble. While they are the most powerful and respected noble family under the actual royal family, they still frequently talk to each other and allies informally. The Human Noble often has the option to ask other Nobles to just use their given name in lieu of a title when they recognize you as being a Cousland. |
| 335 | * MoralityChain: Jowan is implied to be this to a Mage Warden who acts like a remorseless {{jerkass}} to everyone (including him) but still willingly risks their life to free him. Notably, you can tell First Enchanter Irving and Knight-Commander Greagoir afterwards that [[IRegretNothing you'd do it again]] even knowing Jowan's deception and abandonment, [[spoiler:and later you have the chance to save Jowan in Redcliffe]]. |
| 336 | ** Rica can easily be played this way for a Dwarf Commoner Warden. The Dwarf Commoner Origin gives plenty of opportunities to "rub everyone's noses in how you're the meanest thing with a blade," yet show unconditional love to your older sister. If you're a complete bastard to everyone else but make it clear you're only obeying Beraht, joining the Wardens, and/or supporting Bhelen for her, Rica can easily come across as the only reason the Dwarf Commoner hasn't descended into complete self-serving thuggery. |
| 337 | * MoralityPet: The Warden can be this for the more morally-dubious characters (like Morrigan and Zevran) should he or she befriend or romance them. |
| 338 | * MrExposition: In ''Witch Hunt'', the Warden has several dialogue options that allude to their previous visits to various locations and allow them to explain important plot elements. Justified as Finn and Ariane weren't around to witness any of these things, while [[CanineCompanion Dog]], who ''was'' there for most or all of them, naturally isn't able to speak of them. |
| 339 | * MuggleBornOfMages: The Dalish Warden, whose father is mentioned as having been the Keeper of the Sabrae Clan before Marethari. |
| 340 | * MultipleChoicePast: Surana alone doesn't have a clearly defined past of all the Wardens (Amell didn't either, until their past was {{retcon}}ned in ''[[VideoGame/DragonAgeII DA2]]''), since they were brought to the Circle young. Surana can tell Eadric in the Circle library that they're from Highever, Denerim, Lothering, or else that they don't remember, but otherwise it's left to the player's imagination. |
| 341 | * MySignificanceSenseIsTingling: The Joining allows all Grey Wardens to sense Darkspawn. |
| 342 | -->'''Warden''': Warden-senses tingling. |
| 343 | ** If the Warden has the Templar specialisation, a conversation with Ser Otto reveals the Warden also has the ability to sense demons. |
| 344 | * MythologyGag: In ''Awakening'', you are now called Warden-Commander - [[Franchise/MassEffect similar to what they call that other guy from that other Bioware game.]] It also sounds similar to the [[VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2 Knight-Commander of Crossroad Keep]]. |
| 345 | [[/folder]] |
| 346 | |
| 347 | [[folder:N-Z]] |
| 348 | * NeverAcceptedInHisHometown: Except for the Dalish Elf, each Warden initially suffers this as [[YouCantGoHomeAgain a result]] of their respective Origin. The Human Noble's home was seized by Arl Howe, the Dwarf Noble was exiled from Orzammar, the City Elf and the Dwarf Commoner were wanted criminals in Denerim and Orzammar respectively, and Templars are not particularly thrilled to see the Mage Warden again. |
| 349 | ** PlayedForLaughs in ''Witch Hunt''; while Finn recognises the Mage Warden immediately, he still launches into his lecture that just because they left the Circle to join the Wardens, defeated the Archdemon and saved the country, it ''doesn't'' give them the right to [[BerserkButton mishandle books]] in the Circle Library! |
| 350 | * NiceJobBreakingItHero: Depending on your options, this can definitely occur more than once. |
| 351 | * NobleFugitive: If of the [[GovernmentInExile Human Noble]] or the [[TheExile Dwarf Noble]] origin. |
| 352 | * NobleSavage: Invoked about a heroic Dalish Warden by Leliana, who admits to being glad the stories of Dalish being savages aren't true and expresses her admiration of their people's closeness to the land. You can respond by pointing out the rather [[FantasticRacism racist]] undertones to this, causing her to apologise for her [[InnocentBigot rather sheltered worldview]]. |
| 353 | * NobleTopEnforcer: The Dwarf Commoner can be this in their origin as a high-ranking member of the Carta, with [[GuileHero sufficient]] [[TheCharmer persuasion]]. The Commoner can politely negotiate for a bribe and let an embezzling smuggler escape to the surface; then, when Beraht confronts them about people witnessing the smuggler leaving the tavern alone after an exchange, they persuade him that they shook the guy down, handing over a ''single'' piece of lyrium as proof, then allowed him to leave Tapster's in view of the public so that when they pushed him into the lava out of view, no one would know. |
| 354 | * NotSoStoic: The Warden, who generally is given no expression in cutscenes, looks absolutely horrified after Duncan stabs Ser Jory, and will be visibly surprised at seeing Wynne collapse. In both cases, however, facial expressions are largely limited to the mouth, which can come off as DullSurprise for the player. |
| 355 | ** A Human Noble Warden looks completely heartbroken upon finding [[spoiler:the dead bodies of their sister-in-law and nephew]] during the origin story, and any Warden looks genuinely distraught when the party finds [[spoiler:Cailan's body]] in the ''Return to Ostagar'' DLC. Both of these are done much more believably than the above examples. |
| 356 | * OccultDetective: While the darkspawn are their primary concern, the Wardens do train themselves to be able to deal with ''any'' threat. |
| 357 | * OddFriendship: With ''everyone'' in the party, aside from your fellow Warden and [[BigFriendlyDog your dog]]. When your closest friends include a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Qunari Warrior]], a Stone {{Golem}}, [[HotWitch the daughter of]] ''[[TheDreaded Flemeth]]'', [[ProfessionalKiller a member of the Antivan Crows]], [[WhiteMage an elderly Mage]] kept alive by [[spoiler:a Fade Spirit]], a FemmeFataleSpy who had a HeelFaithTurn, a [[TheAlcoholic constantly drunk]] [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Dwarf]], and potentially [[spoiler: the FallenHero who left your King to die and [[TheScapegoat blamed]] your [[DeceasedFallGuyGambit fallen comrades]] for it]], it's worth considering the possibility that ''you'' are the odd person in this friendship. The Warden can lampshade it when recruiting the dwarf: |
| 358 | -->'''Warden''': Don't I have enough armed lunatics following me around already? |
| 359 | ** The trait carries over to the RagtagBunchOfMisfits recruited in the ''Awakening'' expansion. This includes [[NobleFugitive a Howe]] who [[DefeatMeansFriendship tried to murder you]] to [[YouKilledMyFather avenge his father]], an apostate mage on his [[EscapeArtist seventh escape attempt]] from the Circle, a [[PerkyGoth perky]] female Dwarf from the [[ArmyOfThievesAndWhores Legion of the Dead]], a [[{{Tsundere}} rather prickly]] Dalish [[GreenThumb First]] searching for her [[IHaveYourWife kidnapped]] [[BigBrotherInstinct sister]], the corpse of a Grey Warden inhabited by a [[OurSpiritsAreDifferent Spirit of Justice]], and the [[InHarmsWay return]] of the [[TheAlcoholic constantly drunk]] Dwarf. |
| 360 | *** Nathaniel Howe is a particularly OddFriendship for a Human Noble Warden (or, to a lesser extent, the City Elf Warden), as he's the son of the man who murdered their entire family (or purged their alienage and sold their family into slavery). Giving the Howes a chance to redeem themselves seems to be a [[MagneticHero Cousland]] trait. However, unlike his predecessors, Nathaniel's actually a very deserving fellow and, if befriended, grows quite fond of the Warden-Commander, leading to arguably the least odd of the odd friendships. |
| 361 | ** In ''Golems of Amgarrak'', the party includes a Dwarf Beastmaster who is [[BigBrotherInstinct searching for his brother]] and the [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow secrets of Amgarrak]], his brother who went [[GoMadFromTheRevelation mad from what he found there]], and a salvaged Runic {{Golem}}. |
| 362 | ** In ''Witch Hunt'', the party includes an [[ThePrankster impish]] Dalish warrior searching for an [[BigBookOfEverything Ancient Tome]] stolen from her clan by Morrigan, and a [[BadassBookworm bookish]] Circle Mage [[AfraidOfBlood afraid of blood]] and [[NeatFreak dirt]], as well as the return of your [[BigFriendlyDog faithful dog]], who's finally finished [[ReallyGetsAround repopulating]] Ferelden's Mabari kennels. |
| 363 | ** The recruitments of Zevran, Nathaniel, and potentially [[spoiler: Loghain]] fall into this. As the Warden can casually remark in ''Awakening'': |
| 364 | --->'''Warden''': You'd be surprised how many of my closest friends have tried to kill me at some point. |
| 365 | * OldHeroNewPals: Imported Wardens in ''Awakening'' trade in one RagtagBunchOfMisfits for another, with Oghren only staying due to his lack of screentime in the main game. It happens again in ''Witch Hunt'' as well, with just the Dog still around from the original group. |
| 366 | * OneDegreeOfSeparation: The Warden to the other "[[SchrodingersPlayerCharacter potential]]" Wardens from the other Origins. |
| 367 | ** A good example can be found in the Dwarf Noble origin, where the first person encountered is Bhelen's secret concubine, Rica Brosca, the sister of the Dwarf Commoner. It's similarly implied that the Dwarf Commoner origin takes place a few days beforehand, with the Proving they won being voided after they were unmasked as a Casteless, leading to another being arranged in which the Dwarf Noble has the option to compete. |
| 368 | ** Additionally, every Warden has one degree of separation from every other "potential" Warden in the form of Dog. |
| 369 | * OneManArmy: The tales of the First Blight say that every Grey Warden is able to fight ten or twenty darkspawn at once. The Warden is TheDreaded because of this. Duncan states, if you ask about the danger of the Joining, that he wouldn't have recruited you unless he thought you could handle it, implying good Warden recruiters look specifically for people who have the rare fortitude that affords them a chance at surviving the ritual. While this doesn't directly translate into combat prowess, it certainly would help. All the potential Wardens were superlative badasses before they were recruited. To note, by the end of the game you will have taken down, in no particular order, at least a hundred darkspawn in the Deep Roads, an entire forest full of werewolves, every demon in the Circle Tower, an entire undead army[[note]]While you did have help from the townswolf and some Redcliffe knights, the player will need to put effort into ensuring everyone survives.[[/note]], and if so you choose, an entire fortress full of armed soldiers and a couple of criminal gangs. |
| 370 | * OnlySaneEmployee: Given that the only other Warden in Ferelden is ''Alistair'', the Warden frequently comes across as this. [[SubvertedTrope Or not]], if you play your Warden just as snarky as Alistair. |
| 371 | * OnlySaneMan: Dialogue choices can have the PC repeatedly be the voice of reason amidst selfish political infighting and other craziness happening during a Blight. |
| 372 | * TheParagon: The Warden can be played as one. |
| 373 | ** The Dwarf Noble or Dwarf Commoner Warden will be literally declared one by the Orzammar Assembly, becoming a "Living Ancestor." |
| 374 | * TheParagonAlwaysRebels: The reaction of many in Orzammar when the Dwarf Noble gets exiled for committing fratricide. Played straight if they actually ''did'' kill Trian, but subverted if they were merely framed for the crime. |
| 375 | * ParentalAbandonment: With only a few exceptions, really bad things tend to happen to the Warden's parents in every origin, if they were even present at all: |
| 376 | ** The ''Human Noble'' origin is the only one that starts out with both of the player character's parents alive and well; they are both likable, genuinely good people who clearly love their children and each other very much. Naturally, they both end up being brutally murdered by Arl Howe's forces. |
| 377 | ** In either ''Mage'' origin, this is played completely straight, but is also well explained and justified. When a person is found to have magical ability, which they usually display at a very young age, then by law they must be shipped off to the Tower of Magi for the rest of their life; those of noble birth also automatically lose all rights to their parents' lands and titles. Very few mages will ever see or have any contact with their families again, and the player character is no exception. Some of the Mage Warden's dialogue can imply that [[TheArchMage Irving]] and/or [[TeamMom Wynne]] have served as {{Parental Substitute}}s. |
| 378 | ** The ''Dwarf Commoner's'' mother is an angsty, abusive and emotionally distant alcoholic. The player's father is never seen, but it is implied that he simply abandoned the family and left for the surface when the player character and their sister were very young. |
| 379 | ** The ''Dwarf Noble's'' father plays a central role in the plot during the origin story, but after that he is never seen again, because when the player returns to Orzammar later on, they learn that he has already passed away. The player's mother is briefly mentioned in the past tense in a single line of dialogue with Lady Helmi, implying that she is dead - later confirmed when the subject comes up in a conversation with Morrigan; a Dwarf Noble player has the unique option of simply telling her that their mother died a long time ago. |
| 380 | ** The ''City Elf's'' mother was murdered by humans some time prior to the beginning of the story. Their father is still alive and well, and actually ''doesn't'' end up dying, but after the prologue he isn't seen again until very near the end of the story, because the Alienage is closed off and inaccessible for most of the game. If the player chooses to abandon Shianni to be raped by Vaughn in the prologue, [[IHaveNoSon he will completely disown the PC and refuse to speak to them ever again]]. |
| 381 | ** The ''Dalish Elf's'' father was killed before they were born and their heartbroken mother disappeared sometime when they were small, leaving Ashalle as a ParentalSubstitute. |
| 382 | * ParentalFavoritism: Actually on the ''receiving'' end if playing the Dwarf Noble Origin. In this case, it turns out the PC is actually favored child of the king, which leads to its CainAndAbel plotline. |
| 383 | ** The Human Noble is also implied to be Bryce Cousland's favorite child; but unlike the Dwarf Noble's brothers, big brother Fergus doesn't seem to be remotely distressed by this fact. If anything Fergus loves them just as much and thinks that their just that amazing. |
| 384 | ** The Dwarf Commoner's mother Kalah is implied to favor their older sister Rica. As she's a drunken abuser who beat you two as children, still verbally abuses you now, and spends all her time drinking under the table while [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold your sister noble hunts]] and you crack skulls for a smuggler to make ends meet, the DC isn't too bothered. |
| 385 | * PointOfDivergence: The Warden surviving the Joining is a pretty crucial nail. If the Warden survives the Joining, the story plays out as normal. If the Warden doesn't survive the Joining, [[spoiler: Ferelden loses to the Blight]]. This is illustrated by the DLC ''The Darkspawn Chronicles'', in which the Warden does not survive the Joining and Alistair has to run the show. |
| 386 | * PragmaticHero: The Warden can be played as such. |
| 387 | ** A good example of this is the "Trial of Crows" questline. While the Warden still has a price on their head and the Antivan Crows ''never'' abandon a contract, by agreeing to carry out assassinations on [[AssholeVictim disreputable individuals]] for them, they will have earned enough favour that if the Guildmaster after them calls for aid in performing the hit, the other cells will be less inclined to agree. |
| 388 | ** In ''Awakening,'' if the Warden decides to [[spoiler: ally with the Architect]], a difficult speech check allows them to justify their decision as being this, depending on whether any of the companions present objected. The epilogue reveals that while many of the other senior Grey Wardens also question this decision, they do notice [[spoiler: the mysterious drop in darkspawn activity all across the Deep Roads as a result]]. |
| 389 | * PrincessInRags: The female Dwarf Noble and Human Noble origin. The Dwarf Noble is the exiled daughter of the King; the Human Noble's family is slaughtered and their lands and titles usurped. |
| 390 | * ProtagonistWithoutAPast: Inverted. Every origin has a clearly-defined past, complete with friends and relatives that have their own part in the story. |
| 391 | * ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Dalish Elf and Dwarf Noble are given plenty of options to act like this. |
| 392 | * PunchClockVillain: The Dwarf Commoner, having been forced to work for the crime lord Beraht. |
| 393 | * TheQuest: The Warden's quest is to end the Blight by destroying the Archdemon, and to unite Ferelden using the Grey Warden treaties so that there's an army to do it with. Along the way the player can complete this quest in whatever way, and with whatever kinds of companions, they choose. |
| 394 | * RagsToRiches: [[spoiler:A City Elf can become the Denerim Alienage's first-ever bann; a Dwarf Commoner will be named Paragon and their family will live in Orzammar's Royal Palace if Bhelen is king; and any origin can succeed Loghain as Teyrn of Gwaren.]] In the Human and Dwarf Noble's cases, it's riches to rags and back again. [[spoiler: For the Human Noble, it's especially so you become queen by marrying Alistair or prince-consort by marrying Anora.]] |
| 395 | * RankUp: From Warden-Ensign[[note]]This is the starting rank of the Wardens who managed to survive the Joining.[[/note]] to Warden-Commander of the Ferelden Grey Wardens, providing that they survived the first game's main campaign. |
| 396 | * ReallyGetsAround: As with the hero[=/=]anti-hero status, the Warden can be anywhere in between this and CelibateHero. The Warden can have a foursome with Zevran, Leliana, and Pirate Queen Isabela. And then taking the edge off by sleeping with male hookers, female hookers, nugs, a transvestite ''dwarf'', or having some rather unusual things done to you using some rather [[NoodleImplements interesting tools]]. The tragic turn in the Human Noble's origin prologue can happen in the afterglow of a tryst with the son or servant girl of a visiting vassal noble. |
| 397 | * RefusalOfTheSecondCall: Even if they survive, the Warden is never seen again after ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', despite the fact that the plot of [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Inquisition]] seems right up their alley. The Inquisitor can send them a letter asking for help, but they will reply that they are busy on [[HeroOfAnotherStory their own]] [[PutOnABus unrelated mission]]. |
| 398 | * RetiredBadass: |
| 399 | ** Between ''Origins'' and ''Awakening'', though it's only a [[TenMinuteRetirement Six Month Retirement]]. |
| 400 | ** In ''Witch Hunt'', since Ferelden is at peace, Amaranthine is prospering and the Blight is over, a male Warden who romanced Morrigan can decide that he is no longer needed. [[spoiler: He can then choose to depart through the Eluvian with Morrigan to see their child.]] |
| 401 | * RevengeBeforeReason: The Human Noble may invoke this numerous times when discussing Arl Howe. |
| 402 | * RichesToRags: The Human Noble and Dwarf Noble are former royalty/nobility who [[LastOfTheirKind lost most of their family members]] and [[NobleFugitive became exiled.]] The Human Mage (and, as revealed in the sequel, their siblings) is also revealed to be this in the sequel, as their magic caused the prominent Amell family to lose political favour in Kirkwall. |
| 403 | * RightManInTheWrongPlace: All possible Wardens begin as well-trained but (mostly) unimportant figures, and rise to their station through skill and pure luck. |
| 404 | * RoaringRampageOfRescue: |
| 405 | ** The male City Elf Origin has your character going on one of these in order to rescue his betrothed and the other women taken. There's plenty of vengeance to be had against Vaughan and his men as well for killing Nola and raping Shianni, and in the case of the female City Elf. |
| 406 | ** The mission to rescue Anora is a big one of these for the Human Noble or City Elf, in no small part due to the main bad guy of the mission being none other than Arl Rendon Howe, the bastard responsible for massacring the Couslands in the Human Noble origin, and leading a violent purge against the alienage for the City Elf. |
| 407 | * RookieRedRanger: Becomes the leader of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden one day after joining. Granted, it's just because the only other surviving Warden doesn't want the responsibility of leading, but still. |
| 408 | * RoyalBrat: A Dwarf Noble can be this in spades. A Human Noble can be implied to be this too, but has fewer opportunities to show it. |
| 409 | * RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: |
| 410 | ** As a scion of House Cousland, second-highest in precedence among the noble houses of Ferelden, the Human Noble is just one step under being a prince(ss) [[spoiler:(and can actually become royalty by marrying Alistair or Anora)]]. The Dwarf Noble ''is'' royalty, the second child of King Endrin Aeducan of Orzammar and the exiled former-Commander of Orzammar's Army. |
| 411 | ** The Human Mage is also part of the Amell nobility of Kirkwall, but is unaware of this because mages are legally forbidden to hold titles. |
| 412 | ** Wardens imported into ''Awakening'' automatically become this, being declared Arl/Arlessa of Amaranthine as part of their role as Warden-Commander. |
| 413 | * SchrodingersPlayerCharacter: |
| 414 | ** Generally averted. No matter which of the origin stories you choose to play, you'll come across hints in the main storyline that the others played out, with only the fact that Duncan happened to be around during your chosen origin story determining which of the potential player characters became the protagonist. Probably the most obvious example of this is the existence of Dog - unless you are playing the Human Noble origin, the kennel master in Ostagar will say that Dog used to belong to a young noble who died. |
| 415 | ** The one time this is played straight is in the Magi origin. If the Warden is human, there is no indication that an elven mage from the Surana family is present, and if the Warden is an elf, there is no indication that a human mage from the Amell family is present. |
| 416 | * SeenItAll: In ''Awakening'', when Anders and Nathaniel bring up the strangeness factor of getting into fights with dragons, demons and darkspawn on a semi-regular basis, [[WeirdnessMagnet the Warden's]] dialogue seems to suggest that they really ''have'' [[FantasticallyIndifferent stopped being fazed]] by it at this point: |
| 417 | -->'''Warden''': Stick around, this happens all the time! |
| 418 | * SexGod: Morrigan compliments the Warden for being such a... ''virile'' lover. Apparently it's a trait all Grey Wardens share, as she also mentions people telling stories about their "[[ExtremeLibido legendary stamina]]". |
| 419 | * ShutUpHannibal: The Human Noble's defiant response during their final confrontation with Arl Howe. |
| 420 | -->'''Human Noble''': You lie, Howe. To yourself most of all. I am a Grey Warden!\ |
| 421 | '''Howe''': There it is, right there. That damned look in the eye that marked every Cousland success that held me back! It seems you have made something of yourself after all. Your father would be proud. I, on the other hand, want you dead more than ever. |
| 422 | ** A City Elf Warden can calmly shut down his taunting over how he sees elves as animals by calling him a talking ass. |
| 423 | * SilentProtagonist: Inconsistently played straight; you can select your PC's voice from a short list, and sometimes hear comments in battle and exploration. But in any cutscene where the player has dialogue choices, the lines go unvoiced. |
| 424 | * SinkOrSwimMentor: Often can be seen as both this and TricksterMentor in regards to Alistair, keeping him from [[HeroicBlueScreenOfDeath falling apart]] after the loss of Duncan and the Wardens at Ostagar, as well as if they [[spoiler:put him forward as King during the Landsmeet]]. |
| 425 | * SpareToTheThrone: The Human Noble in their origin. While Bryce doesn't come out in say it, the reason he leaves the Human Noble in charge of Castle Cousland is to leave an heir behind if the worst happens at the Battle of Ostagar. Both Bryce and older brother Fergus plan to fight in the battle. This would also explain why Bryce is reluctant to have his younger child join the Wardens ''before'' Ostagar, but is willing to entertain the notion after he comes home. |
| 426 | * TheSquadette: The female PC. Alistair even lampshades it by wondering why there never were very many female Grey Wardens. |
| 427 | ** The Warden herself lampshades this too at one point, when Daveth and Jory are fretting over the Joining. |
| 428 | --->'''Female Warden''': I swear, I'm the bravest one here and I'm a woman. |
| 429 | * StalkerWithACrush: Rare heroic example; a male Warden who romances Morrigan can spend the next year searching for her. |
| 430 | * TheStoic: Due to the lack of any facial animation, you ''will'' come off as this whenever the camera switches to you in conversation. |
| 431 | * SuperPowerfulGenetics: The Human Mage Warden is revealed in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' to have several siblings who were ''all'' mages, much to the heartbreak of their mother Revka, who was forced to watch all of her children get taken away by the Circle, [[TraumaCongaLine one after another]]. The Amell family is so prone to creating mages that it's become considered something of a stain on their lineage and has frequently jeopardised their noble standing in Kirkwall. |
| 432 | * SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: A male Warden can lapse into this frequently in ''Witch Hunt'' when Ariane asks about their relationship with Morrigan. Particularly interesting is the conversation when she asks if the Warden realises he unconsciously plays with the ring he was given by Morrigan, when he thinks no one is looking. Ariane proceeds to ask if her knowledge of the significance of two people sharing rings in human culture is accurate. |
| 433 | -->'''Warden''': We're ''not'' married, if that's what you're asking. |
| 434 | * TeachersPet: As Irving's [[BadassBookworm star pupil]], the Mage Warden is mockingly accused of being this by Uldred. |
| 435 | * TokenMinority: Among the Fereldan nobility in ''Awakening'' if you play as an Elf, Dwarf, or Mage that becomes Arl/essa of Amaranthine. |
| 436 | * TragicKeepsake: Morrigan's ring for male Wardens, though she's not dead and [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential you can throw it away if you like]]. |
| 437 | ** The Cousland family sword and shield can be this for a Human Noble. |
| 438 | ** Similarly, Gorim will present a Dwarf Noble with their ancestral family shield, which can be this. |
| 439 | ** A female City Elf can loot [[spoiler:her wedding ring from her betrothed's corpse]], and keep it as this if she chooses. |
| 440 | * TranquilFury: |
| 441 | ** Implied to be the case when the Human Noble Warden finally faces off with [[YouKilledMyFather Arl Howe]]. |
| 442 | ** Also for a City Elf who finally meets Rendon Howe after Eamon calls the Landsmeet, calmly identifying him as the one who's been butchering their kin. Especially in the face of his racist taunting. |
| 443 | --->'''Howe''': When animals snap at their human masters, it is necessary to cull the herd.\ |
| 444 | '''City Elf Warden''': [[InsultBackfire Oh look, the Teyrn has a talking ass.]] / I'm going to enjoy killing you. |
| 445 | * {{Troll}}: [[Franchise/BaldursGate Just like that other Bioware fantasy protagonist]], the Warden gets some troll-ish dialogue of the [[KickTheDog nasty]] variety. |
| 446 | -->'''Warden''': Sounds like a deal. The treasure for your freedom.\ |
| 447 | '''Treasure Hunter''': Thank you! My life is worth more than this. Take the blasted thing!\ |
| 448 | '''Warden''': [[ILied And now you die anyway]]. ''[pushes him into a lava pit]'' |
| 449 | * TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: |
| 450 | ** If you are playing as the Human Noble, your full titles and styles could be, if you play your cards right: |
| 451 | ---> "[[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething His/Her Royal Majesty]], King/Queen ______ [[BadassFamily Cousland]]/Theirin, King/Queen-Consort of Ferelden, Teryn/a of Gwaren, Arl/essa of Amaranthine, Arl/essa of Denerim, [[CommandingCoolness Warden-Commander]] of the Order of the Grey Wardens, [[BigDamnHeroes Hero/ine of Ferelden.]]" |
| 452 | ** You're also first in line to the Teyrnir of Highever. [[spoiler: Though, as the heir presumptive of your elder brother, you may be pushed down by his issue if he remarries.]] |
| 453 | * TheUnchosenOne: Went from random idiot who survived because Duncan and Flemeth happened to be around at the right times to Hero of Ferelden in about a year. If you complain that you don't have a choice in the matter, Morrigan and Wynne will be quick to point out that you could just sit on your ass and do nothing to stop the Blight - ultimately, you do choose. |
| 454 | * UndyingLoyalty: The Human Noble is from a family of ardent royalists, with Bryce Cousland being rumored to have turned down the throne when it was offered to him, in favor of the ''true'' heir to the throne. Their loyalty is such that the only time we ever see Bryce even get remotely angry is when Arl Howe ''[[BerserkButton insults]]'' their King. Historically, they've only ever turned on tyrants, but fought to the death to defend their true king and/or homeland. |
| 455 | * UnequalPairing: The Dwarf and Human Noble Origin can have you use your status to seduce people of ''much'' lower rank. |
| 456 | ** The Male Dwarf Noble can sleep with one or two "noble hunters" (casteless women who're so poor and desperate that they sleep with male nobles hoping to bear a son who [[FantasticCasteSystem inherits his caste]] so she can move up a caste), and then never see them again (albeit that the whole 'being-exiled-for-kinslaying' certainly played a part in this) until one shows up with his son during the Orzammar level- who can either [[VideoGameCaringPotential be properly adopted into the noble caste]], or [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential simply abandoned to remain casteless]]. |
| 457 | ** The Human Noble can sleep with the son or handmaiden of a visiting noble. Iona the elven handmaiden is especially noticeable because if you ask her if she resents how humans treat elves, she becomes ''very'' distressed and ''begs'' you not to ask further, since she can't lie to you but doesn't want to say anything that could get her in trouble. |
| 458 | * TheUnfettered: |
| 459 | ** The Grey Wardens encourage their members to be this, and you can choose to fully embrace this mantra. |
| 460 | ** One of the possible default histories for the Warden in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' is appropriately titled "[[VillainProtagonist Ruthless]]". |
| 461 | * UnscrupulousHero: The Warden can fall into this, particularly if you're attempting for 100% completion. Doing every sidequest will mean having to engage in murder, blackmail, assassinations, coverups, bribery and petty larceny. On the other hand, [[AssholeVictim most of the people to whom you do all those things had it coming.]] |
| 462 | * TheUnwantedHarem: Saying nice things to your party members can be enough to convince them that they are becoming your LoveInterest. This can lead to awkwardness when one of the BettyAndVeronica pair forces you to choose between them; sometimes, being forced into making that choice is the first time you'll even be aware of the situation. |
| 463 | * VagueAge: None of six possible Origins give an age for the Warden, but all of them seem to agree that they are a young adult at the start of the game. |
| 464 | * VillainProtagonist: The player can make the Warden into this, committing laughably evil acts and having materialistic motives for doing anything resembling a good deed. This is also an option for one of the optional backstories (for those without a prior save) in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' in the form of Aeducan, the Dwarf Noble, who was utterly ruthless, exiled Alistair, and sent Loghain to his death against the Archdemon. |
| 465 | * WalkingTheEarth: |
| 466 | ** The Grey Wardens go where they are most needed. |
| 467 | ** The Dalish Warden is from a culture that is forced to live a nomadic existence. |
| 468 | * WarriorPrince: Or Princess; this applies to the Human and Dwarf Nobles. The Dwarf Noble is the child of the dwarven king, and thus rightfully a prince/princess; the Human Noble's father rules what the codex states is actually a {{principality}} within Ferelden, though the Couslands don't refer to themselves by princely titles. And a female Warden from any background ends the game by becoming Warden-Commander of Ferelden, which also makes her Arlessa of Amaranthine. |
| 469 | * WarriorTherapist: If you want your party at maximum effectiveness, the Warden will exemplify this trope. |
| 470 | * WeakButSkilled: |
| 471 | ** Duncan recruits the Dwarf Commoner and City Elf Warden for precisely this reason. |
| 472 | ** According to the Dwarf Noble Origin, the potential Dwarf Commoner got the entire Warrior Caste into an uproar, wondering how a Casteless, with only second hand weapons available with which to train, could have ever learned to fight like ''that?!'' |
| 473 | * WellIntentionedExtremist: Particularly [[TheUnfettered ruthless]] Wardens tend to exemplify this, seeking to end the Blight at any cost. Even a heroic Warden will fall into this in ''Awakening'', if choosing to [[spoiler: ally with the Architect]] at the end. |
| 474 | * WhatsUpKingDude: Inverted in ''Awakening'' if you are [[spoiler:Queen/Prince-Consort]]. You're walking up to any old commoner in Amaranthine like you normally did before the Player Character was royalty. |
| 475 | * WhiteSheep: Between [[{{Jerkass}} Trian]], [[ManipulativeBastard Bhelen]] and [[TheUriahGambit possibly Endrin]], the Dwarf Noble can be played as the one good apple in the Aeducan bunch. |
| 476 | * WidowedAtTheWedding: The female City Elf's wedding is interrupted when she is kidnapped at the altar, and her betrothed dies in the rescue effort. |
| 477 | * TheWisePrince: The Human and Dwarf Noble can be played as this. |
| 478 | ** Certain dialogue implies that this was one of the reasons why the Dwarf Noble was preferred by the Assembly to become the next ruler of Orzammar, instead of their elder brother [[PrinceCharmless Trian]]. In order to seize the throne for himself, [[TheEvilPrince Bhelen]] had to remove them both from the equation, since he knew he'd never win in a popularity contest. |
| 479 | ** It's also mentioned by an NPC during the Human Noble origin story that, although big brother Fergus is technically next in line to be Teyrn of Highever, many of the people would be pleased to see the PC in that role because of their popularity, intellect, and battle skill. This same NPC notes that many of the nobles wanted the PC's father, Bryce Cousland, to be named king - suggesting that it may well be InTheBlood. Said NPC is an OptionalSexualEncounter, though, so their flattering words should be taken with a grain of salt. |
| 480 | * WorldsBestWarrior: The Warden is legendary by the time of ''Videogame/DragonAgeInquisition''. Even as early as ''Awakening'', several distressed characters immediately feel that their horribly bleak situations are going to be okay [[HopeBringer simply because the Warden has shown up]]. Because of this exalted reputation, s/he was Divine Justinia's first choice to lead the Inquisition. By that point, however, the Warden has disappeared to whereabouts unknown to try and achieve something most believe to be impossible (curing the inevitable [[TheCorruption corruption]] every Grey Warden [[YourDaysAreNumbered will eventually endure]]). Every person who knows him/her shows absolutely no doubt that they will find a way to succeed at this seemingly insurmountable task. |
| 481 | * YouCantGoHomeAgain: |
| 482 | ** All of the other origins will return to their home areas (Denerim, the Brecilian Forest, the Circle tower, or Orzammar) at least once during the game, but the Human Noble never returns to Castle Cousland once the origin story is completed. |
| 483 | ** Warden enrollment is a lifelong deal. Mages get this by default from their respective homes even before becoming Wardens. Several Wardens just don't have any home to go back to at all. |
| 484 | ** Mage Wardens are somewhat of a subversion, as the ''Witch Hunt'' expansion shows the Circle Tower rebuilt; the Warden may not be able to come back to live in the Tower, as they have the duty to rule Amaranthine, but they can visit anytime they want... That is, [[spoiler: until it's abandoned shortly after [[NiceJobBreakingItHero their protégé Anders kickstarts the Mage Rebellion]] ]] |
| 485 | ** Dalish Wardens can potentially have the option to go back completely nuked [[spoiler:if their clan attacks [[OneManArmy Hawke]] in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'']]. |
| 486 | [[/folder]] |
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