My favorite game series is Dragon Age. I played through Origins several times with different characters, backstories, and outcomes. But there is one I consider the "real" story of the Hero of Ferelden, because it is my vision of heroism. It was also my first game. This is that story, from my character's point of view, told by way of describing his companions.
DOG
I have had my dog for what seems a very long time. My parents thought it rather odd that I actually named him Dog. He fought with me when Howe betrayed my parents. He was faithful and strong.
I sometimes feel guilty for having had Dog fight with me, but he was a mabari war hound. He guarded me and those close to me; I thank Andraste he survived the battle at the city gates. I asked a lot of that hound.
ALISTAIR
After I joined the wardens, Alistair became my first companion (well, second, after Dog) and my close friend. He had a great sense of humor, and deep thoughted but light-hearted philosophy. He became something of a conscience. In combat, Alistair was my shield. He was difficult to hit or hurt. He leapt to his friends’ defense and withstood damage. He was reliable, and an excellent addition to the companions.
I regret how things ended with his family; I never wished to cause him pain in how I dealt with the demon. I hope that his marriage with Anora doesn't end as a source of pain. He will be a good king, and I hope he forgives me for pushing him to it.
Alistair fought the archdemon by my side. It didn’t seem right to leave him behind; he’d been in the fight even longer than I. And it was rather fitting for the king to fight the archdemon. I was knocked unconscious in the fight. I woke to see that Alistair dealing a killing blow; I made a rather dramatic attack, because I hadn't realized it was already dead.
MORRIGAN
Morrigan was always intriguing, in her way. Her tongue was as witty as Alistair's, but sharper. (Please tell neither that I compared them.) But there was mystery to her, and I felt from the beginning that she had a part to play. She had a thick skin and a tough heart, but she was not the cruel and frightening person some think her. Truthfully, it was amusing to hear her verbally spar with Alistair. I think those two became closer friends than they would ever care to admit
She cast spells of fire, which came in extremely handy. She also changed into beasts. Watching her transform into spiders and bears was...unnerving, but proved to be of value.
I found a grimoire that had been taken from her, and returned it. Soon after, she confided something to me. Flemeth, who claimed to be her mother, was raising her to consume her essence when Morrigan became powerful enough. We confronted Flemeth with this information, gave her a chance to defend herself. The conversation did not go well; Flemeth died.
The night before we fought the archdemon, Morrigan approached me and told me she could perform a ritual, to conceive a child with a Grey Warden. The archdemon, rather than possessing and killing either Alistair or myself, would be cleansed of the demonic taint and merge with the soul of the conceived. I agreed, and took the role in this ritual. I knew, or rather hoped, that Zevran would forgive me. Alistair was to be married soon, and I didn’t want any questions of his loyalty to the queen.
In the final battle, I did not take Morrigan to fight the demon. I knew she wanted to leave the city after, and anyone actually fighting the archdemon would have a hard time of that. I also did not want my future child endangered, though I wonder how much of me the child will be. It was difficult to say goodbye and leave her at the city gate. Although it felt like such a weak gesture, I left my dog to watch over her. Dogs are such noble and loyal creatures.
STEN
After we escaped the first darkspawn, our little group (Alistair, Morrigan, Dog, and I) stopped by Lothering. At the edge of town, a hugely tall man was hanging in a cage. I have this thing where I’ve got to talk to people in cages; I have to know whether they belong there.
From his own description, perhaps he did. Yet he sought a purer form of justice - redemption, not vengeance. A strong arm is a blessing when fighting darkspawn, and I saw honesty and determination in his eyes. On his honor, and by leave of the local chantry leader, the Revered Mother, I accepted responsibility for him, and enlisted his aid to fight darkspawn in penance for his crimes.
Sten was a strong and proud warrior. He fought with magnificently large swords. I grew to respect his strength in arms and the power of his determination. We didn’t always agree on the best course of action to pursue, but we were always able to reach something of a gentlemen’s understanding. (I suspect he would call it a warrior’s truce.)
Sten held much of his history close to his heart, yet I was able to learn a bit about him and the Qunari. It is an alien culture to me, and I dislike parts of it, but I hope to learn more. Because of his strength and experience, I asked him to command the forces that held the city gate while I led the charge against the archdemon. He kept my companions alive, and did what he could for the others who fought with him. Most importantly, he held the gate.
OGHREN
Oghren lost his family to the darkspawn in the deep roads. He was a passionate dwarf, though that passion was drowned in ale. The best help I was able to give was to drink with him and fight with him. That is, fight by his side. Despite the drinks, he was as thoroughly a warrior as Sten. He just seemed to forget it sometimes.
Oghren was enough of a wild card that I did not wish to take him into the final battle. However, I couldn’t leave him out of the fight altogether and asked him to help guard the gates with Sten, Morrigan, and Dog.
WYNNE
We met Wynne at the circle tower. She helped us work out a problem there, which unfortunately ended in tragedy. With the tower devastated, Wynne joined us in our quest. Wynne was a wise and comforting presence. She became a confidant to me (and I to her), and she seemed to adopt Alistair as a something of a son.
Wynne was a powerful healer. However, on our journey we discovered and freed a trapped soul that placed the knowledge of the Arcane Warriors directly into my head. I was able to convey to Wynne enough of the knowledge to bring back their abilities, allowing her to channel magic into the use of weapons and armor.
Wynne’s healing played a critical role in fighting the archdemon; even with the seeming endless potions, we could not have survived without her healing. She also took out her share of the darkspawn.
ZEVRAN
While travelling one day shortly after Wynne joined us, we were ambushed. Our skills were stretched to their limits, and we were nearly killed. We managed to take out most of the attackers, but kept one alive for questioning.
His name was Zevran, and he revealed that he was hired by Loghain and Howe to kill us. But there was something more behind his words. I offered him mercy and his life in exchange for serving us on our quest. This was not a popular offer with my companions; it was, at the time, the greatest rift between Alistair and I. Zevran always expected to be killed. I get the impression that he would have just let me, which breaks my heart.
We discovered early on that we could communicate openly and easily. We shared ourselves. Although he was less quick than I to describe our relationship as one of love, we are now inseparable.
Zevran’s quick combat style meshes well with my own. When we team up against someone or something, we take them down quickly. We work together as well on the battlefield as we do elsewhere.
Zevran fought with me against the archdemon; I could have it no other way. We don’t talk about my child with Morrigan, but I feel this need to seek her out and discover the fates of her and my child; I need to know that they are safe and…untainted.
OTHER PARTY MEMBERS
There were others I heard rumor of, in my travels, and I wonder about them here.
GOLEM
Oghren asked me a question, after it was all over. “How many more lives could we have saved, if we had golems by our side? Even one?”
His wife, you see, had discovered the secret to making golems. But each golem requires the soul of a living being to create. She wanted to make more golems; we had to stop her.
His question still haunts me, though: if we had made more sacrifices, would we have spared more lives? Were we really the merciful ones, in the end?
BARD
I heard rumors that a bard had tried to follow us. She claimed it was her destiny to join us. Either she was crazy, or destiny was averted. In likelihood, though, her life was spared. I wonder if she could have lightened our hearts in our journey, and also wonder if that would have been good or merely pleasant.
LOGHAIN
Loghain was an enemy to the people; he placed personal ambition above the good of Ferelden. He betrayed the king and the Grey Wardens. But he was a good fighter; I fought him, hand to hand. I have to wonder if he would have survived the joining. Would we have been able to trust him in the final fight?
But after what he did to Ferelden, after what he did to Alistair, I couldn’t let him live. I wanted to give Alistair the sword, and let him remove the traitor’s head personally; but Alistair was engaged to Loghain’s daughter in an arrangement meant to stave off civil war. I couldn’t let their marriage start with him killing her father. That is not the basis for a stable kingdom.
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