Caelyra had wondered what she would do now that the blight was over. As it turned out, she had plenty to do.
The darkspawn hadn't gone away. While most of them had returned to the deep roads, several others had swept through the coastal villages instead. Somehow they were organising without the leadership of an archdemon. It was most disturbing.
As the new Warden-Commander of Ferelden, Caelyra must investigate this new darkspawn threat, and so she headed to the new Warden outpost of Vigil's Keep in Amaranthine, just north of Denerim. This area had once belonged to Arl Howe, but because of his treachery it now belonged to the Wardens by decree of Queen Anora.
As Caelyra and her Warden Recruit approached Vigil's Keep, something seemed wrong. No Wardens had come out to greet them, and then, screaming down the path came a man with darkspawn on his tail.
Caelyra whipped out her sword and dagger and prepared to fight.
Once the creatures were lying dead in the mud, Caelyra spoke with the man. Apparently darkspawn had taken the Keep. It was all very sudden — a surprise attack! They didn't know what had hit them.
This was most disturbing... and curious. A surprise attack, of stealth and secrecy? Unsensed by the Wardens who had been here? That was very odd. She needed to find out what was going on.
They fought through the outside of the Keep, killing darkspawn and rescuing a few scattered survivors. They sent all survivors to the front of the keep where it should be safe, for the time being.
Inside the Keep... it appeared as a blood bath. Grey Wardens were supposed to be able to sense the darkspawn; how had they not sensed this attack? It was very troubling.
Further into the Keep was closed off from them. They needed to find a way through.
Barging into another room, they came across a mage blasting darkspawn with waves of fire, and doing quite a good job too. When the last darkspawn fell, however, Caelyra noticed the bodies of the templars at his feet.
The mage looked at them and then back at her. "I didn't do it." He said.
His name was Anders and he was no Grey Warden, just an apostate — a runaway mage — that the templars were taking back to the Circle, when the darkspawn attacked, chaos ensued, and oh look, now the templars were dead too. Such a pity.
As long as he wasn't a blood mage, Caelyra was fine with his presence. She had spent so much time with Wynne and Morrigan, two very very different mages, that she felt alone without a mage by her side. She bid him help her clear the Keep of the darkspawn.
Running around the outside of the Keep, they found the lever that would open the gate and allow them further access inside, when out ran a dwarf cackling maniacally.
At his heel were a pack of darkspawn, but he threw something that exploded in a ball of fire and melted them down, then ran out of the Keep, laughing harder.
What a strange dwarf. What a strange device. She wanted one!
Not willing to stop however, just to find out about a fire-lobbing dwarf, Caelyra and the recruit went further into the Keep where the swing of weaponry could be clearly heard.
Rounding the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks. Oghren was there! Fighting the darkspawn. What on earth was he doing there?
After killing all the darkspawn in the room, they took a quick breather and caught up. Oghren was there awaiting her arrival. After spending all that time on the road with her, he wanted to become a Grey Warden himself!
Caelyra didn't see why not. She invited him to come with her as they cleared the darkspawn from the Keep.
Up the hall and in the next room, another Warden Recruit lay dying. Anders could not heal him, the man was beyond healing magic. The last words the man spoke before he passed were worrisome. He spoke of a talking darkspawn! That didn't seem possible.
Perhaps he was delirious before the end...
The man had not been delirious.
As Caelyra and her group burst out onto the Keep's roof, a darkspawn in full knightly armour stood before the Senaschal of the Keep, speaking to him, gloating before his demise.
Apparently they wished no more death than what was necessary. Just what kind of darkspawn was this!?
Anders looked at the darkspawn and grinned. "It is talking!" he exclaimed. "Let's shut it up then." yelled Oghren.
And so they leapt into battle. This darkspawn was quite difficult to take down. He wore armour akin to her own and at several points of the battle it almost seemed as though he took no damage at all. He was quite the foe.
Soon, however, the darkspawn fell and the Seneschal was saved.
He thanked Caelyra profusely for her timely arrival. Talking darkspawn, organised darkspawn performing sneak attacks, the Wardens were missing, it was all too much.
As he looked over the edge of the fort roof, he saw a battalion coming. Together, they went down to meet the oncoming force, hoping it was a friendly one and not another darkspawn one.
Queen Anora and a templar arrived at the Keep, followed by a significant number of soldiers.
She had come to welcome Caelyra to Amaranthine and her new Arling, and was sorry that she hadn't had her men here in time to help with the darkspawn. The templar's eyes widened as they fell upon Anders and she hurriedly stood infront of the Queen, announcing the mage too dangerous.
Anders was an apostate and would hang for what he had done to the templars here! He began to plead, the darkspawn had killed them not him.. but then gave up. There was no point.
This man was no blood mage and he was a good fighter against the darkspawn!
Caelyra stood infront of him and announced that she was conscripting him for the Wardens. The templar's eyes near bulged out of her skull, but acquiesced as Queen Anora gave her blessing. It was the Warden's right, after all.
With that sorted, the Queen and her men left to return to Denerim. It was just Caelyra now. The new Arl of Amaranthine.
The Seneschal asked Caelyra to speak with him as soon as possible. With Wardens missing and the darkspawn regrouping in such a manner, they needed to Join these new recruits as soon as possible.
With all the darkspawn they had killed, there was plenty of darkspawn blood to go 'round.
The Seneschal (apparently gifted with the secret knowledge of the Wardens despite not being one himself) made the preparations and began the rite.
Oghren drank his share with ease, burping as he finished and even remaining on his feet. Impressive. Anders was next. He drank well, then crumbled to the floor. He, too, survived. And last was the recruit Caelyra had travelled with... she took her share... then writhed in pain upon the floor before dying. May she rest in peace.
With the Joining complete and her two new Wardens resting, Caelyra was once more welcomed to Vigil's Keep. And just in time too, it seemed. There was much that needed to be done.
Until next time! ⚔️🐲
All screenshots in this post are courtesy of me, 