The Calling (Dragon Age:Origins vig)

[Amidala Skywalker]

So I don't know how many of you have played Dragon Age: Origins, but I'm playing through it again and this kind of just popped into my head. A little background for those of you who haven't played it--the darkspawn are the bad guys. A Blight is when the darkspawn are united into a massive army and sweep out to take over the mainland (Ferelden). They are led by an archdemon. The Grey Wardens are elite darkspawn-killing machines. But in order to become so, they have to drink darkspawn blood and become tainted. This gives them the ability to sense the presence of the darkspawn and gives them an edge over them.

 

I think that's all the background you'll need to know to understand this fic.

 

***

 

All was dark, but I knew I wasn't alone. I could smell the rotting of flesh and the rankness of filth all around me. And more than that; I could feel the presences of several of the creatures nearby. I clutched my bow and crept forward. I came to an opening in the caverns and cautiously peered out. The ground opened into a deep fissure that seemed aglow with fire. As my eyes adjusted, I saw them. Darkspawn. Thousands upon thousands of them, ragged and ferocious, massed as a huge army.

 

My instincts told me to run, to hide and flee for my life. But my blood boiled beneath my skin, and I felt drawn to them. I knew to do so would be foolish, but the calling”¦it was strong. I wasn't sure I could resist.

 

I forced myself to look away, and my eyes were drawn to my bare arms. What was that on my arm? A dark blotchy stain had wrapped around my biceps. It struck a deep fear into me. I rubbed it, trying to scratch it away, but I only managed to draw blood that bubbled and hissed when exposed to air. Panic gripped me as I realized what it was. It was darkspawn skin.

 

”œErianna? Erianna!”

[Jidai Geki]

Solid enough writing here. A slight spelling mistake: "ingested", not "injested".

 

One plot point- your protagonist said that she "knew" her life would be shortened upon becoming a Grey Warden, but aren't the details of the taint kept hidden from potential recruits? Or were you referring to the fact that Grey Wardens are simply less likely to live for a long time on account of their violent lives?

[DarthBrendo]

Having played the game, I enjoyed this. Quite fitting. Had the characterisations down quite well I thought.

 

Good job, especially as you said it's been a while since you wrote anything.

[Amidala Skywalker]

Thanks guys. Geki, yes, that's hidden from the new recruits, but Alistair tells you about it later if you talk to him about the Gray Wardens enough. He makes some quirky comment about not having to worry about dying from old age, then goes on to explain.

 

Glad you both enjoyed it.

[jedi_master_gimpy]

Hey, Ami - nice to see you have some work up!

 

I'll be honest; I've never heard of Dragon Age. Your quick background blurb made it easy to follow what was going on, though. It sounds like an intriguing start!

 

Thanks guys. Geki, yes, that's hidden from the new recruits, but Alistair tells you about it later if you talk to him about the Gray Wardens enough.

 

I take this to mean that Alistair is one of the characters you interact with in the course of playing the game. Since I have no reference point to that plot are you expanding upon his story within the game or treading completely new territory in his character?

 

Without knowing anything besides your background blurb, I'm wondering if this prologue is all we get on Erianna and Alistair (and the rest pertains to their children?)...or whether they didn't actually die....or whether they perhaps are captured or turned into darkspawn when they reach that age rather than physically dying...and that is the story we will get? I'm looking forward to finding out!

[Amidala Skywalker]

Ooh, all good questions, Gimpy! Actually, this story is more of an epilogue to the game. The game is about your character (Erianna here) becoming a Grey Warden and together with your team, killing the archdemon and saving the world. I am expanding on Alistair's character--making him king is one of the decisions you can make in the game. And if you're very careful and lucky, you can become his queen.

 

Hmm....if they become darkspawn...that would be interesting. They'd have to be special darkspawn for the story to continue. I mean, ones that could talk and had memories and such, rather than empty husks. Interesting thought.

 

I'm not planning on expanding on this, but I might have to turn that idea around in my head a little and see if it wants to be written.

 

Thanks!!

[jedi_master_gimpy]

Ok, that ties all those little pieces together. I like how you took the story hinted at by the game and wrapped it up to conclusion!

 

Haha, so I completely missed the "vig" in the title somehow - silly me! That's why I was trying to figure out where the story was going - if this was some sort of prologue or setup. I understand now!

 

You can consider those later questions random babble, I suppose. I was thinking that maybe it wasn't something the Grey Wardens talked about, or something you had completely made up to spin off of the Dragon Age story but maybe the ingesting actually caused them eventually to turn into the darkspawn when the timing was up i.e. "killing them" ... you know, some sort of gradual transformation that slowly assimilated them into the culture until they did become the empty husks like the rest. If nothing else, I guess my imagination is getting back into writing mode!

[Tiana Calthye]

Man, I love the ending of this. I'd read it before but now I'm going through all of the 2010 stories bit by bit and it caught my eye again. It's dark and tragic all at the same time and definitely piques my curiosity about the game.

[Pinckz]

Since I am writing a Dragon Age FanFic myself and asked you to edit the first piece Ami, I felt inclined when I saw your piece to read through a bit of it, since I don't really have the luxury of large amounts of time to devote to reading, but since it was short I managed to read all of it.

 

I must admit, it has been a little bit since I have played the original game, but this FanFic totally brings me back.

 

My first character was in love with Allistair when he became King, the next few varied in their love interests, but yeah.

 

It is a very touching piece and is very well written for someone that said they were a little rusty.