Dragon Age: Sundering

[Eva]

Everyone knows of the story of the Grey Warden.
He arrived out of nowhere, assisted the future King Alistair, and stopped the Blight before it even happened before fading back into obscurity.
Now there is relative peace, with no more Darkspawn than one expects. They are easily taken care of by normal soldiers, giving the Order of the Grey time to rebuild. It has been twenty years. Alistair has proved to be a worthy King of this nation, and has sired a son to take over from him in ten years, when the taint of his blood will force him underground, along with the Warden who ended the Blight alongside him all that time ago.

However, a new danger has resurfaced. She claims to be the child of an Elder God, which means something to the King and Warden of old, but little else to anyone else. What matter, however, is that she is dangerous, and must be stopped. Especially now that she has leverage over the King by taking his son.

This woman is no mere political threat, however. The Order of the Grey, though only barely back on its feet, senses something far more dangerous in her than anything else currently of this world. Her very essence reeks of the threat thought long-silenced, the Darkspawn. But those who have seen her see nothing but a normal being.

With great caution, the Order sends two Wardens to investigate this potential threat. Aided by a small group of adventurers, recruited by King Alistair, the Wardens believe they are simply going on a rescue mission. But there is something much more sinister at work than they think.

Will you join us, in the shadows, where we stand vigilent?

[Eva]

Hello, and welcome. This RP is brought to you by Eva, but conceived with the assistance and general grandness of Gina. Together, we have worked to provide a follow-up to a game we both rather like: Dragon Age Origins. Now, you may ask, how DOES one follow-up a game that's had an expansion, and a sequel on the way?

By kind of just winging it.

This story DOES NOT take anything from the upcoming sequel. All Gina and I based our RP off of were the original game and its expansion, Awakening. So, there's that.

If you're well-versed in Dragon Age, then go ahead and run your ass to the bio skeleton and start making your character. If you're not, it just so happens that Gina and I have assembled a few things of import you might wanna know.

[Eva]

Grey Wardens: Protectors of the land of Thedas, the Grey Wardens have been around for as long as the Darkspawn have. The only warriors equip with the abilities to destroy the Archdemon, and therefore end Blights, no army goes into battle against Darkspawn with at least 50 Grey Wardens. Driven by the motto, “In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death, sacrifice.” Grey Warden’s will do whatever is necessary to insure victory; even give up their own lives.
Grey Wardens submit themselves to the taint of Darkspawn blood when they are chosen, which means that will eventually die from it. Most Wardens have about 30 years to live afterwards before death. A tradition for the Order of the Grey is to go down into the Deep Roads under Orzammar to go out killing as many Darkspawn as possible, while some die straightaway after ingesting the Darkspawn blood, which is why only the strongest and sure put themselves forward. There is no going back.

The Chantry and Religion of Andraste: The main religion of Thedas is that of the Holy Prophet Andraste, Bride of the Maker. She fought against the Tevinter Imperium many thousands of years ago to free the world from their power and to educate those in the ways of the Maker. Unfortunately, she was burned alive for her Blasphemy, but people still spread her word, known as the “Chant of Light,” through Chantrys all over Ferelden. Most human follow this Religion, while Elves and Dwarves have their own beliefs. Beware Zealots of Andraste, as they will defend their Prophet to the death without second thought.
Templars are knights trained by the Chantry to keep mages under control. They hunt down escaped mages by using their blood to track them. Templars are dangerously effective at their job.

The Circle of Mages- A mage is a human or elf who is gifted with magic. All those who have magical potential are taken from their families and brought to the Circle Tower, where they are kept under the watchful eyes of the Templars.

Dalish Elves- Nomadic and mysterious, the Dalish rarely stay in one place for too long, lest they aggravate tensions with nearby humans. Dalish elves have great respect for nature. Unlike others, they do not allow their mages to be taken by the Chantry.

Paragons: Living Ancestors. Dwarves who achieve greatness while still alive are considered important enough to earn the title Paragon. Paragons are able to create their own ‘Houses’ and ‘Castes,’ and immediately become nobility in Dwarven society. To become a Paragon, a Dwarf must produce something that makes the lives of other Dwarves better. An example would be the Paragon Caridin, who created the Anvil of the Void, where all Golems originally came from.
Recently, and rather controversially, a former member of the Legion of the Dead, and a current Grey Warden, named Sigrun became a Paragon for liberating the dwarven fortress of Kal'Hirol from the Darkspawn.

Witches of the Wild: Stories of the witch, Flemeth, have circulated Ferelden for many years. As powerful as any Fade Demon, Flemeth’s appearance changes frequently, leading to many people regarding her as just story to scare children. However, that doesn't stop the frequent reports of women both young and old flitting through the trees and swamps of the Kocari Wilds….


Various other groups exist, but these are the most prominent.

[Eva]

A few important Dragon Age locations in Ferelden:

Ferelden: Regardless of its smell of wet dog and mud, Ferelden is the home of heroes of legend and spirited people. Holding a wide range of cultures from other countries, Ferelden houses all three Races. The main religion is the Chant of Light, and the Chantry is in control of all Mages. The capital city is called Denerim, and it coincidentally the largest city. Other towns include Haven, Lothering, Redcliffe and Orzammar, (Although Orzammar is underground.)

Kocari Wilds: A vast and uncharted stretch of swamp-like woodland that is home to the Chasind, a group of people well suited to this environment. Tales of witches and spirits are often associated with this foreboding place.

Brecillian Forest: Much like the Kocari Wilds, this a mostly unexplored forest with many a frightening legend told to keep away travellers. Stories of werewolves are among the most famous, though they are probably made up by the Dalish Elves that dwell there, so to keep away invading humans.

Denerim: The jewel of Ferelden. Home to the Royal family and the Grey Wardens headquarters of the country, Denerim is always abuzz with life and energy. The main source of trade is the port. The Marketplace is safe, while the back alleys and streets are not; better to travel armed when inside her walls.

Orzammar: The underground home of the Dwarves. Surface dwellers are rarely given permission to enter the fabled city, as a direct missive to the Assembly is required to get past the gatekeeper. Even Dwarves aren’t allowed into the city after they leave; going to the surface is considered an act of giving up one’s Caste; one’s family name- and as such are made Casteless and refused entry. Those who are lucky enough to enter Orzammar will meet a city of gold, its beauty tarnished only by the entrance to the Deep Roads; the home of the Darkspawn.

Redcliffe: This small lake-side village is watched over by Arl Eamon, uncle to the late King Calian and is himself a respected and well-liked leader. The people of this village are hardier than most, as they are used to battle; most males from Redcliffe go on to become Knights in service to Fereldens King. Redcliffe has a long and dark past of possession, and has been overrun by demons on more than one occasion.

Lothering: A small village not far from the Kocari Wilds. Nothing too special about Lothering; it has several small taverns, minimal trade and many refugees, even to this day.

Haven: Very little is known about Haven. It’s inhabitants mostly keep to themselves and do not allow people from the rest of Ferelden to enter their village. It is said that they guard the Ashes of the Prophet Andraste…. But who can say for sure?


Other kingdoms exist, including the Orlesian Empire and Antiva...but you'll have to figure those out on your own.

[Eva]

Dragon Age races:

Humans: The most versatile and common of the species, humans have spread to all the corners of Thedas. Known for their spirit and determination, humans excel at most fields, including Warrior, Rogue and Mage. Humans make up the bulk force of the Grey Wardens, and are often skilled in battle, regardless of training.
Humans have greater strength and defence than Elves, but less than Dwarves. Human Mages are often so-so, but dedication can turn up great results. Humans can be any of the three classes, and can specialise any path.

Dwarves: Keeping mostly to themselves in their underground City of Orzammar, Dwarves are hardy and often temperamental. Despite their short stature, they are known to brave the Deep Roads on a regular basis to fight Darkspawn in between Blights to keep the surface safe. Due to their constant work with Lirium, Dwarves have built up a resistance to magic and therefore cannot become Mages. Dwarves make excellent Warriors as they are the strongest of the three main Races, but tend to be too slow to be good Rogues, although this hasn’t stopped the odd Dwarf. As previous mentioned, Dwarves cannot be Mages under any circumstances, and niether can they enter the Fade. Dwarves can specialise any path, but make especially good Berserkers.

Elves: Despite their beauty and grace, Elves have been slaves to Humans for many thousands of years, only earning their freedom in the last few hundred. Unfortunately, this didn’t last and now Elves have been split into two factions; those that still work for humans and live in Elven ’Alienages’ in large cities, or travel the countryside homeless in clans called the Dalish. Regardless of where they come from, Elves make good Mages and even better Rogues due to their increased dexterity and cunning. However, they are the weakest of the three races, And as such do not often fair well in close combat. Elves can be any of the three classes and can specialise any path, although they make excellent Archers.

Golems: Stone warriors forged by the Dwarven Paragon, Caradin, Golems contain the spirits of Dwarves who gave up life to defend their cities and people. Standing at over 8’’ and practically impossible to destroy, Golems strike fear into the hearts of those they come across. Golems are Warriors, and cannot become Mages or Rogues. They make up for this, however, by being the strongest race Thedas has ever seen, although they aren’t very quick. A Golems specialized path is the Tank, which increases defence and strength to aid others.

Qunari: Qunari speak little, and when they do it is often only to give brunt replies. Taller than most men, Qunari are demons on the battlefeild, having seemingly endless stamina and strength. Qunari can be any of the three classes, although only male Qunari are allowed to join the army of their homeland, so there will be no women found fighting Darkspawn. Each Qunari is given a sword when they enrole, and losing that sword is a death-sentence; the sword is as much apart of the Qunari as his own body. Swords can be of different makes and sizes, but it is the only weapon they will ever use. Like Dwarves, Qunari can specialise any path, although they excel as Warriors.

[Eva]

Name: Either normal or amazing. This setting kind of bounces around with it. You have somewhat normal, if uncommon in our world, names, and very strange ones. Here are a few examples of names found in this world, with races attached(I'm using party members' names because I am lazy). For humans: Alistair, Anders, Leliana, Nathaniel. For Elves: Velanna, Zevran. For Dwarves: Oghren, Sigrun. For Qunari: Sten(note that this is his title; Qunari names are not pronounceable by non-Qunari). For Golems, Dwarven names are used(some extra examples being Branka and Shale).

Quote: You thought I wouldn't include this? You must not know bout me.

Age: Humans have the capacity to live as long as we do, but because of the dangers in this world, they often don't get to be very old unless they're made of tough stuff. Basically every race has roughly the same life expectancy, with the exception of Golems, who can live...well, indefinitely.

Class: Warrior, Rogue, Mage. Note that mages, unlike the other two, have social restrictions and are pretty much considered freaks. If you want to be a mage, PM your bio before posting it. We won't just let any Tom, Dick, or Marjorie make a mage.

Fighting Style: Describe how they fight. IF YOU WANT, and this is purely optional, go to the wiki link I'm posting and pick out a few skills/spells for your character. You are not limited to these(I won't expect you to shout out 'PERFORMING SHIELD BASH'), but it will give us an idea of how your character fights. Not required, but still.

Caste: This is somewhat catch-all. For humans, it's the usual question of if you're a noble/farmer/whore, etc.
For dwarves, it's MUCH more rigid. Dwarven castes cannot be changed, unless you're a Paragon, and believe you me when I say that if you want your dwarf to be a Paragon, you'd best have some kind of amazing bio. Anyway, Dwarven castes consist of High Castes and Low Castes. High castes are: Noble, Warrior, Smith, Artisan, Miner, and Merchant, with the rank in that order. Low Castes are: Servant, Surface, and Casteless, although all of them are pretty much shit compared to the High. A Paragon is about on par with a King in terms of respect and prestige.
Now, after that essay-length description, we're on to Elven castes. This one is easy, as all Elves are basically second-class citizens in this setting. Dalish Elves are nomadic and thus do not really count at all, so if you're Dalish then just put that. If you're an Alienage, or 'City' Elf, then you're basically a segregated second class citizen.
For the Qunari, castes are known of, but the world outside of their land only know of their Warrior caste. So this is the only one permitted to use.

Note that the caste you choose is VERY important. Every caste has an extremely different way of living than the others, and thus which caste you choose has a strong effect on your character's backstory.

Personality: What are they like? How do they interact with others? What's their stance on magic/the Wardens/lil piglets/etc? This is very important.

History: Only RECENT history. Don't give away every aspect of your character's past right away. It's important to keep it ein. In your recent history, detail how you got to Denerim. ALL characters are in Denerim, as they have all been recruited to assist the Grey Wardens. So, tell how they were recruited and got to Denerim.

Appearance: I SUPPOSE a picture would suffice. Elves look like elves, Dwarves look like dwarves, except in this world not all dwarves have MASSIVE BEARDS, so there's one stereotype you can't rely on. Humans look like humans, Qunari are white-haired, tall, and have dark skin and odd colored eyes. Golems are large, made-of-stone things.



If you have questions, axe me.

If you have a thirst for knowledge beyond what I've given, go here: dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Age_Wiki

Spoilers at your own risk, hon.

[Eva]

Name: Selphina

Quote: "The darkspawn have returned. We must do everything we can to prevent their return. Our lives are but a small price to pay."

Age: 57

Class: Warrior.

Fighting Style: Honorable and fair, and always willing to jump into the line of fire to protect her allies. Selphina uses a sword and shield, and her armor is very tough. She throws herself into the fray and tries to keep the attention on her, as she knows she can survive little things like Darkspawn.

Caste: Formerly a member of the Dwarven warrior caste, Selphina is now considered Casteless because she went to the surface.

Personality: Selphina is honor-driven and extremely tough. She refuses to hurt innocents, and this makes her duty incredibly difficult to go through. She does, however, believe that everyone should contribute to battling the darkspawn, even if it means dying or worse. Her caring, maternal nature make her well-suited to comforting new recruits, during the incredibly intense task of the Joining, and the difficulty of acclimating to their new lives. Because of this, she is often compared to a 'Mother Bear'.

History: Selphina is a Grey Warden, and an extremely respected one at that. She was not present in Ferelden during their conflict years ago, as she was investigating a dangerous rumor in Orlais at the time, but after her failure to help the order years ago, she has since thrown herself into any conflict that involves the darkspawn. Now, she has personally volunteered to lead the team against the 'Dark Lady' who threatens to bring them back, to avenge her fallen friends.
Selphina, along with a younger Warden, has been assigned to pick up the 'recruits' in Denerim. From there, she will start her true mission, one given to her by King Alistair himself.

Appearance:

[Rose]

Name: Inali

Quote: A human man would show his love by picking all the flowers of the world for his bride. He would fell the forest for her home. He’d slay the creatures for her scarf. My greatest fear is what he would accomplish out of hate.

Age: 19

Class: Mage.

Fighting Style: Inali isn’t very skilled with heavy weapons, daggers, or hand-to-hand combat. She’s been training in the art of elemental magic, using the natural, living world around her to attack. The only weapon she is familiar with is her bow because much of her culture centers on its use, depending on it for food and clothing. Because of her upbringing in the wilds, Inali is skilled at hiding within the trees and underbrush and using nature to her advantage. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better fighter when the battlefield is deep within the woods. And while Inali can take a few good punches and doesn’t shy away from brutish enemies, she doesn’t have as much physical strength as a warrior would and works best as a distanced fighter.

Caste: Dalish Elf

Personality: Going against Inali verbally or physically is like going up against a brick wall. She’s firm in her beliefs and doesn’t understand the words “stand down” very well. She is strong-willed and independent, used to being an outspoken leader despite her age. She strives to be chivalrous and kind to others, but when faced with humans her demeanor changes visibly. Inali becomes cold and sarcastic and it takes little time for her fiery opinions to be well known. She is a forgiving and helpful young woman, but there are just some prejudices she can’t look past.
Inali adores her magic, seeing it as a way to be in harmony with the world in ways that not many others can. She doesn’t understand the Templars’ urgency to hunt down and control every being with even an ounce of magic in their veins. The only thing Inali would ever agree to with a Templar is their watchful eye over blood mages. Even she recognizes that what they do is not natural, but something dark and twisted.
The key deciding factor on how Inali views an individual is based on their respect for nature. She worships the natural world and loathes humans who can’t see the beauty of it. If someone lives in a castle or large home surrounded by luxury, Inali isn’t going to think highly of them. Everything with life is a treasure to her, and if she sees you disrespecting that treasure, she isn’t afraid to hurt you.

History: Inali was being raised by the Keeper of her clan as his apprentice. She’d been working diligently with him for years, helping him oversee the health, safety, and teaching of their clan as they moved throughout the Brecillian forest. She rarely ever came into contact with a human, save for the occasional adventurer or hunter. At first Inali was sympathetic towards humans and convinced her clan to let them pass through their range safely, but her last day with them changed her view drastically. Inali’s clan had moved to a new location, unaware that they had set up camp very close to a human civilization. When a group of hunters spotted them, they returned to the town with the news. A few days later Inali and her group found themselves stormed by human men. Her clan was attacked and a few members killed, but most of them managed to escape. Inali, however, was captured by a Templar who must have come with the attacking humans. She told her clan not to retaliate and to leave her. And so Inali was dragged against her will to the city of Denerim, a place she had never seen before, to be handed over to the Circle for her use of magic.

Appearance: Her eyes are a soft amber and her skin fair from being beneath the trees for her whole life, though that will quickly change once she gets out in some direct sunlight. Her ears are pierced many times with small wooden and metal studs and rings and there is a tattoo of a large oak tree along her back, its branches reaching over her shoulders and its roots falling down her lower back and past her waist. Like most elves, she is tall and slim with elegant, graceful movements even when fighting.

[veggiefish]

Name: Lyra

Quote: "Well then, I'm just going to kick ass. Does that work?"

Age: 10

Class: Warrior.

Fighting Style: Lyra doesn't do battle plans and what not. She just smashes any thing in her way. So stay out of her path.

Caste: Noble

History: Lyra, being outraged at becoming a Golem went on a rampage destroying a large part of the city. She was exiled from her home city and forced out in to the over world. She left and voyaged across the world with no idea of where she was. On her travels she found a man who to chiseled into a more feminine form. She was found and recruited because she was after all a very useful tank.

Appearance: Lyra is Obviously a giant made of stone thing. She is very tall, but no one has gotten close enough to measure how tall. She has been chiseled into a more feminine form but she still looks like a giant pile of rocks.


Personality:FUUUUUUUUU- I'll edit this tomorrow.

[Tusk]

Name: Kras

Quote: "Now you are Just Ticking me off"

Age: 26

Class: Warrior

Fighting Style: Kras is a beserker through and through and that translates into his fighting style. He wears heavy armor to protect himself as he swings away with a great sword in a fury. He is all about inflicting as much damage to the enemy as he can and does not pass up an opertunity to fight on the front lines. His fighting style is simply this. Attack, attack, attack, and....attack and let his armor do the job it was meant to do.

Caste: Qunari Warrior

Personality: Kras is.....very direct. He does not care about feelings and someone's personal life. However He does have a soft spot for his Marubi that he travels with. He does not care about wardens or mages or any sort of polotics, unless it allows him to draw his greatsword and then he pays all the attention in the world. He seems....well angry. Due to his beserker tendencies, he is always on edge and ready to fight. He needs to fight! It is the only way to temperaroly calm him sown enough so he can listen to reason. Win or lose, it is one of the few times Kras seems...happy? He respects those who fight and respects even more those who beat him in a fight. If you fight without fear, you will have an eternal ally in Kras even if you give polotics a chance....which his veiws tend to be more direct.

History: Kras had worked with a group of mercs that traveled the land to make a living off of fighting and underhanded tactics. Kras did the majority of the fighting/intimidating. It was a balanced group led by a Human warrior who showed no fear when odds were stacked against them...like an entire town guard. Kras did not hold much respect for the Elven thief and dwarf who said he was...casteless? They always waited for the fighting to be done and then stole what they could. Kras never stole anything but took what his leader had given him. It was in those times where Kras met his Marubi he called...Ham. Ham was a war hound who seemed just as ticked off as Kras. Suprisingly they got along great and have spent hours growling and staring each other down. However, his merc group was led on a trap mission by a man named Daltres, a noble Human who told them his daughter was kidnapped and there would be a great reward. However, they soon found out that they were set up by the local guard and only Kras and his Marubi were alive after the end of it, but both were badly wounded. Kras was spotted by a grey warden while he was holding his dog and soon put back together. She was a small dwarf, but Kras knew she fought without fear. After a long talk while He and Ham were being patched up, She asked if he would like to join her group....or be thrown in jail and exicuted. Kras took the journey as a chance to get stronger so that he could pay back Daltres for killing his group.

Appearance:

and Ham

[GnomesAteMyCake]

Name: Kain Ashdown

Quote: "I've found that magic is like the wind and us Templars are like a cliff-face; we are able to stand strong against an almost unbeatable foe, and only we are able to keep it from ravaging the land."

Age: 27

Class: Warrior

Fighting Style: Kain is a rare fighter who not only has the stength to fight with a double-handed greatsword, but is able to use it as if it were an extension of his own arm. Accurate as well as quick, Kain is quick to put down any troubling Demon or Darkspawn.

Caste: Before being taken into the Chantryat ten years old, Kain was the son of a farmer not far from Lothering. He is now a Templar with only two years experience.

Personality: Quiet and cool, Kain is a watcher, making him more of a scout when chasing down rogue mages. In normal public occasions, Kain is still reserved, analysing others from affair before attempting conversations, although he is perfectly laid back and often quite chatty with his fellow Templars.
Kain's colleagues describe him as "Naive, but laced with steel;" he has the abilities to fight Mages and all the Templar training required, but has yet to prove if he would be able to pull the trigger on some-one elses life. He knows that Magic is dangerous, as are Mages, but only time will tell if his curiousity and slight fear will turn to hatred.

History: Kain took his final vows a year ago, and since then has been in the Circle Tower, keeping an eye on the Mages and chasing those that escaped. A easy, if somewhat boring exsistance. The recent escape of an Apprentice Mage lead him to Denerim, where he learn't of the arrival of the Grey Wardens and with one or two other Templars, abandoned the search and decided to test his metal.

Appearance:

[NicoJoe]

Name: Orin

Quote: “Only when the last shem squeals in death will our people be liberated and be restored to our proper place in society. Then elves shall rule supreme once more!”

Age: 31

Class: Rouge.

Fighting Style: Orin fights quickly and strikes with fury and speed. He is known to hide in a tree, waiting for his victim and then pouncing on them with a blow, before retreating to the shadows to plan out his next attack. He is calculated with his movements, meaning he does little improving in battle. He often uses pinpoint strikes to attack his opponent’s vital or undefended areas. Unlike most elves, Orin doesn’t use a bow; he never had much of an affinity for the weapon. Instead, he opts for the use of twin long daggers and an array of throwing knives, which he keeps on his belt, for ranged combat.

Caste: Dalish Elf

Personality: Well, Orin personality differs depending on who happens to be in his presence at the time and the situation. When he is alone or in the company of close friends, Orin is quite relaxed and sociable, even humorous to some. He is very opinionated and verbose at times. In combat, however, he becomes a cold and calculating killer; someone who is ready to take a life, maybe an innocent life if it means killing who he needs to kill, in the blink of any eye. He is on his guard and able to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. But, the real change in his personality comes when he is in the presence of humans. He despises the shems and will always make sure they know that. Their callous and prejudice treatment on the elves has left a sour taste in his mouth and the only way to get it out is to satiate his need for the blood-loss of humans. He’s been able to control himself, not killing every human he meets, but he’ll make it known that their opinions are less than nothing to him and that he’d kill them in a heartbeat at the first wrong word they said. And that goes double for any flat-ears.

History: As of late, Orin has been traveling alone, due to differences over the friendliness his clan had been showing towards humans. His only companion has been a Halla he has named Sire who he has been with for years now and follows him within ear shot that he can be whistled for at any given time. On his travels into the human city of Denerim (even he has to get supplies you just can’t find in the forest) he was arrested for stealing food from a cart. He was hauled in and was given the choice of helping escort two wardens, or being locked up. He chose the former, believing he could at least do some good even it he was forced into the company of shems.

Appearance:
He has a tattoo on his face that represents Elgar'nan, the All-Father and God of Vengeance. His Blood writing his a constant reminder of his work to bring vengeance upon the humans for what they have done. Oh, and the blades are much shorter as are his ears.

And here is Sire:

[TragicAce]

Name: Merwyn

Age: 22

Class: Rogue

Fighting Style: Merwyn doesn't exactly consider what he does as fighting. "I've never been in a real battle before..." He's a talented shot and loves to hunt, so there's that. His mother probably wouldn't like him fighting monsters, especially not up close like. Thinking about it, probably aren't many mothers who approve of their sons fightin' Darkspawn either. But as the son of a Bann, he was required to learn of the blade. All that his training has got him so far is blisters.

Caste: Son of Lothering's Bannorn

Personality: He's a momma's boy. Merwyn has gone through life being told how to act and he inherently hates conflicts so...he caves in a good deal. He'd rather things just go smoothly than him making a fuss because of some bruised pride or something silly. Merwyn is the only son of a family filled with daughters, so he's just happy to get along. While Merwyn is fairly submissive around authority he loves to chat and speak friendly banter at length, and has a habit of talking more frequently when he gets nervous.

Merwyn's also a bit of a romantic-I mean, he likes poetry and epic stories and songs of battles and love. He could never write any of it of course, but he does have an ear for it. He's fallen in love with a couple of lasses before but, I mean he's never...you know. He's never, uh...he's saving himself for marriage, he is! While he excels in speaking with womenfolk due to his upbringing, when the topic gets to something more personal Merwyn is a lost cause.

History: Twenty years ago it happened. The Darkspawn had threatened all of Ferelden, all sane people grew uneasy and sharpened weapons they prayed never to need use. Lothering, a land wrought with the hardships of feuds and lawlessness had just begun to straighten out into a more respectable township. That was until the monsters came out of the Korcari Wilds in droves, until the King himself fell to them in battle.

He was hardly more than a babe when they had taken flight northward, to the safety of Denerim with a dozen sworn knights at their command. Those citizens of Lothering, those who could not make it out in time...were slaughtered without mercy. Their cries stain the honor of Merwyn and his family to this day, and is the very reason why Merwyn will not willingly state his birthright.

Branded as a coward from the very start, Merwyn's family travelled widely in debt to the other bannorn who would take them in. At his seventh year they returned to their lands in Lothering, now little more than ash-stained ruins. It was a slow progress, and Merwyn spent much of his youth exploring the landscape (when his mother wasn't watching him) to seek any treasures left behind. It wasn't until several years later that his mom discovered his stash of items that he stopped. He was severely reprimanded for his actions, and had to give all his loot to the Chantry. Merwyn is as religious as your typical Ferelden man, and apparently his family was using the Chantry to help speed recovery effort along.

There was even talk about him becoming a Templar, but just the thought of being tasked with mage-hunting and demon slaying caused him to cower. Those things were that of which tales were made, and they should stay in there. He had no intentions of going up against a Desire Demon in the Fade. The Fade of all places!

One fateful night when he returned early from a hunting trip, he overheard his mother and father in hushed conversation. What spooked him most was that his mother was in tears-never had Merwyn seen his mother cry. Puzzlement turned to anger until he heard her speak.

"Oh Jerwin where did we go wrong? *sobs* Merwyn is nowhere near the man we need him to be, to rule Lothering and bring us back to the days of your father's reign! *chokes up*"

Now apparently, this was all an act. His mother and father had schemed together to think of a way to motivate Merwyn to be more driven and more focused on his future as a Bann. Well things didn't exactly go according to plan. Their son, emotionally charged, up and left for Denerim that very night. He would return a Grey Warden.

"I'll show them what I can do."


(Realized afterwards that you wanted recent history only...oh wells. Figured Eva was just being lazy anyhow )

[Wendy Ann Beckett-Jolina]

Name: Aranel

Quote: "..... I believe it's about time to calm yourself. There's more important things at the moment..."

Age: 20

Class: Rogue.

Fighting Style: Aranel is more of a long range fighter. She's not much of a fan of fighting with swords or daggers; she'd much rather use her bow and arrows. She's not very skilled in the magic department, either, and it's fine with her, as she doesn't like to depend on it that much.

Caste: Dalish Elf

Personality: Aranel is more of the silent, less noticeable type of person. Interaction with others is far from her strong suit, and in fact, large groups do tend to make her nervous. She's normally the voice of reason in hectic situations, and can remain cool most of the time. But when she does get angry, it's hidden quite well, and is normally shown as indifference. She doesn't enjoy fighting, either. In fact, she is probably one of the most peaceful people you'll ever meet.

History: Aranel was traveling on her own, as far away as she could get from her comrades. She was completely at ease, not expecting to be jumped or anything. Wrong idea.
While she wasn't paying attention, a small group of humans grabbed her from behind. She wasn't surprised at all. She merely let them drag her off to Denerim, supposing she'd have to do whatever the hell they wanted her to.

Appearance: Aranel's appearance pretty much matches her personality. Her pale skin contrasts with her deep azure eyes and icy blue hair, her pointed ears sticking out of the thick, long strands. Her eyes are normally half lidded, covered even more by her dark, thick eyelashes. She pierced her ears herself, and she's actually planning on piercing them again. Aranel is short at 5'1", and she's quite thin.

[charleymander]

Name: Cora

Quote: “There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.”

Age: 25

Class: Spirit Healer

Fighting style: Cora's skills with a sword are mediocre at best, so she leaves that up to the professionals. Her comfort zone is in the back of the battlefield, where she can keep a close eye on all of her allies. Why you ask? To heal them of course. It’s what she does, she heals. Using benevolent energy from behind The Veil she can bathe her allies in it, allowing them to heal even on the brink of death. She favors Group Heal and Revival, but in dire situations has been known to have a few tricks up her sleeves. Her favorite defensive spells are the Walking Bomb and the classic Stonefist. …DurpDurp.

Caste: Human Mage. Cora traveled with her parents, until she was sent to The Circle.

Personality: Cora does her best to keep people at a distance, and luckily, being a mage makes this easy. Every attachment or feeling she has for another person, is a weakness. Demons feed on the emotions of their prey, and being a Spirit Healer seems to put her on their radar. So the more clarity she has and the less ammo she can give the demons, the better. However, Cora will always lend a hand where she is needed; if it goes along with her beliefs that is. Cora is a diehard follower of the circle, and will let everyone know it. She also has a special hatred for the Maleficarum, because they stand for everything she is not.

History: Cora has been studying with The Circle since she was seven years old, and has excelled greatly in her studies. She takes great pride in her work, and was honored when the First Enchanter informed her that a Grey Warden had requested her presence in Denerim. She saw it as an opportunity to use the gifts The Maker had bestowed upon her, for a just cause. She quickly packed her things and headed off to Denerim, ready to start a new life.

Appearance: Cora is fair skinned, with green eyes and dirty blonde hair. She stands at about 5’6.