In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I stand before a plaque decorating the stand of what turns out to be one very special item. In the heart of Weisshaupt Fortress, the metal cup with its recognizable griffin insignia emblazoned on the front immediately caught my attention, and when I see the description pop up on the screen, I have to put down my controller for a moment and take it in. “A Joining Chalice recovered from Ostagar”. It’s just one line, but it’s a loaded one for me. Amid the dangers and action of the questline, the sight of this cup and the context of it brings about a moment of quiet reflection. Here I am, 14 years after first experiencing Dragon Age: Origins, now staring at a piece of my own history.
It has to be the very joining chalice my Grey Warden used to become a member of the order during the battle of Ostagar, and through it, I’m taken right back to where my love for the series began. The moment is made all the more impactful because for the first time since Origins, I’m once again playing as a Grey Warden – and just like the Hero of Fereldan who fought against the blight in Southern Thedas, I’m now trying to save the day in the North as Rook. In many ways, it feels quite full circle to become a Grey Warden as Rook. On the one hand, it’s as though I’m returning to a role that kickstarted my long journey with BioWare‘s fantasy RPG, and on the other, The Veilguard revelations also (at last) puts some longheld questions about the order to rest.
The Calling
The ability to choose from different Dragon Age: The Veilguard factions has easily become one of my favorite aspects of the RPG. Not unlike Dragon Age: Origin’s different openings that hinge on your race and class, the factions allow for more in-depth role-play. As well as giving you unique links to the world – from the acquaintances you know, to your own personal history, and the connection you have to a specific part of Thedas – I could hardly wait to become a Grey Warden within a new context and see how it helped shape my Rook. After all, since Origins, The Veilguard is essentially the first time we’ve been able to become a member of the order again. With such a long, storied history that laid the foundations of the series through the events of Origins, it feels particularly significant to once again be a part of The Grey Warden faction all these years later.
Not in the least because The Veilguard’s story does a lot of heavy lifting lore wise – particularly when it comes to at last giving us answers surrounding the Grey Wardens. From revealing the true nature of the Blight and the Darkspawn, to confirming more about what an Archdemon really is and the ancient elves’ involvement with it all. While I won’t spoil any of that in detail for those still delving into the adventure, the latest RPG really lifts the lid on a lot of things the previous games set-up. And with so much of it linking to the Grey Wardens and their historic crusade to fight against the Blight – which has plagued Thedas for the last one thousand years – being a member of the order as you come to learn more about it all is unparalleled from a role-playing perspective.
Actually going to Weisshaupt, for example, feels really significant as a long-time fan of the series. As the headquarters of the Grey Wardens, I’ve heard and read so much about it, so having the chance to see it for myself – albeit under some difficult circumstances during a major questline – had even more weight because of my faction. My direct link to the order gave me unique responses, but also fed into Rook’s perspective on the events that unfold, with their close connection to Blight on account of drinking Darkspawn blood fueling some unique responses and moments. Plus, being a Grey Warden also comes with the added benefit of being chums with Evka and Antoine, aka the best married couple who are also members of the order.
With so much of the story revolving around The Blight – with you even actively investigating it in Lavendel as the adventure progresses – I’ve really enjoyed being a Grey Warden again after all these years. Not only is it bringing me back to a role that I took on when I stepped into Thedas for the very first time, it’s also offering up plenty of role-playing goodness. I don’t think I’ll ever forget coming across that Joining Chalice in Weisshaupt. As little Easter Eggs go, it’s a firm favorite that continues to tug at my heartstrings whenever I come across it during each respective playthrough I’ve experienced so far. But in my Grey Warden run, it really felt like such a special moment.