Both before and after his reveal, Blackwall was one of my favorite characters among the whole cast. So when I had the opportunity to give him his second chance with the Inquisition, I could not hit the button fast enough.
This was a scene I felt was missing from the game.
My Inquisitor was a human noble but I realized after writing this that you can see it as almost any male Inquisitor.
Blackwall had known the moment the Inquisitor had rendered his judgment, to continue his work with the Inquisition to make up for his crimes, that the looks would come. The hushed whispers from people as he passed by them.
The disgraced captain merely steeled himself and took them.
No matter how badly they hurt.
Before the reveal of his secret, he was Warden Blackwall. People trusted him, would come to him for help without fear of judgment. To so many he was a hero, not just because he was a Grey Warden but because of his actions. Such as the battles for Haven and Adamant when he fought to protect the comrades who fought at his side.
Now he was still known as Blackwall, but the name was spoken like dirt. To most in the Inquisition he was no hero, if anything he was now the villain, no better than the henchmen of Corypheus. He was a traitor in their eyes, filth no one wanted around. A sentiment shared by most of the Inquisitor's inner circle well.
His presence was only tolerated at best because he was here under the orders of the Inquisitor himself. More than a few openly questioned their leader about his choice. If they had their way, he would be run out of Skyhold with pitchforks and torches. The far more likely scenario was that they would skip the chase and simply hang him at the front gates. There was always the arrow from the rookery as well, he meant it when he asked the Inquisitor about that possibility.
Blackwall was still trying to figure out why the Inquisitor was going through so much trouble for him. He was just as everyone thought he was, a traitor who sold out his honor for gold.
When the Inquisition first learned of his deception, they instantly took measures to get him released to their custody. Many thought it was so that the Inquisitor could execute or lock him up himself. When the time for judgment came, his verdict was near instant.
A second chance.
For whatever reason, the Inquisitor's faith and belief in him never wavered for a moment. Blackwall was at a complete loss for a reason why.
Blackwall was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost did not catch the approaching footsteps. He did not have to take his eyes away from the bonfire he had been staring into to know who was paying him a visit. Only two people visited him, and Cole did not make a sound when he walked. That left only a single man.
The Inquisitor.
"Inquisitor." Blackwall said simply in greeting.
There was a sigh from behind him. "How many times do I have to tell you, call me Hastrel."
"I lost that right." Blackwall responded. He did not deserve the right to know him by his first name. Maker, he did not have any right to actually be here. "You are the Inquisitor."
There was a quiet thud behind him of something being placed on his workbench. The Inquisitor was probably looking at his carving tools again.
The man in question moved to stand beside Blackwall at the fire's edge. Blackwall never for a moment tore his eyes away from the flames. He could not bear to look the Inquisitor in the eyes, not anymore.
"Any trouble from the others?" The Inquisitor asked after a brief bit of silence.
"Nothing I can't handle." Blackwall answered. There was no actual threats, no physical harm. Just words and whispers. Those he could deal with, he deserved worse.
Blackwall had no idea how long they both stood there in utter silence. This was the first time since his judgment several days before that he spent any extended time in the presence of the Inquisitor.
Blackwall finally had enough. "Why am I still here? Why not just execute me for my crimes or throw me in a hole?"
"You're not the first to ask me that." The Inquisitor chuckled softly. "The others didn't like the answer either."
Blackwall had no clue what to say, so instead he stayed silent and waited for the Inquisitor to continue.
It was a few more moments before the Inquisitor spoke. "You're a man of honor and loyalty. You were not even a Gray Warden, but when you learned there was something going on you almost instantly came running to help."
Blackwall was about to say something but the Inquisitor cut him off before he could even start. "You had to of known that we would eventually discover you were not a real Gray Warden. You pressed on with the Inquisition until your old lieutenant was set to be executed. Then you took his place at the noose. I can think of very few other men who would do such a thing."
To say Blackwall was stunned was a understatement. How could this man just throw aside what he did to get here? Blackwall was a traitor who sold out the men who trusted him for greed. Then like a coward, he ran from the punishment that was rightfully his.
"There is a difference between who we are and who we used to be." At that moment, Blackwall would have bet his last gold coin the Inquisitor suddenly developed the ability to read minds. "The crimes of a person's past only become irredeemable the moment they choose to never try."
Blackwall was frozen in place, he did not know how to even respond to that.
The Inquisitor turned around so that his back was now to the fire. Placing a hand on Blackwall's shoulder, he spoke. "I don't care what everyone says, to me, you're still a good man. And I believe in second chances."
The Inquisitor was gone before Blackwall could think up a response.
Minutes past, Blackwall stared into the crackling flames of the fire. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he let out a sigh. That man just had too much faith in him.
Blackwell decided maybe doing some carving would take his mind off of everything for at least a bit. When he turned around though, he received quite a shock.
The sound he heard earlier was not the sound of someone putting down one of his carving tools. Instead it was something else being put down on his workbench.
It was a sword, the sheath sitting right next to it. Blackwall was a soldier so he knew his metals for the most part. The dull brown of its blade was volcanic aurum, one of the finest metals known to him, second only to dragon bones. Within its hilt was a cleansing rune, designed to make the weapon extra effective against red templars and darkspawn. It was truly a masterfully crafted weapon.
It took a few moments for the significance of the weapon being here to set in.
It was left as a gift to him from the Inquisitor.
Such a superb weapon should not be wielded by a man like himself. At the same time though, this was a gift from the Inquisitor and should not be ignored.
Staring down at the weapon while remembering the Inquisitor's words, Blackwall had a realization. "The crimes of a person's past only became irredeemable the moment they choose to never try." Blackwall whispered the same words spoken by the Inquisitor.
The sword was no gift, it was a choice. A very simple choice that was his to make.
Try or do not try.
Blackwall knew he had made many mistakes. Here among the Inquisition, was the first time he truly felt like he could do something to make up for his crimes. The inquisitor was one of the few that truly believed in him. Something he had not experienced since he met the real Warden Blackwall.
The choice was easy.
He took up the blade.
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