BioWare created, I really played...Oh, the Inhumanity of It All...
Partially based on The Calling by David Gaider...
O.O
He could not say when he came to be. Memories of his past no longer interested him, the once keen loneliness confined to a few notes scribbled into his journal. From time to time, he observed, a broodmother spawned unfitting offspring who immediately became fodder for other broodlings. Not so with him. He was self-protective and aware from the very beginning, containing powers unmatched by any of his siblings; where the powers came from, and how he knew to use them, remained a mystery.
Much of his youth was spent exploring the endless tunnels and caverns, searching for something…anything…to lessen his boredom. After coming across an abandoned campsite, his curiosity flared. He found discarded pieces of plant material, beaten flat and spattered with thin, dark streaks. Also catching his attention were shards of rock, crude lines scratched across their surfaces. Sensing a challenge, he studied the objects intently, attempting to grasp their purpose. Sniffing and tasting the items offered no clues. He would have to find more campsites, perhaps study the travelers up close.
For many a year he crept around in the shadows, hunting down the short, grunting nomads. He knew them to be the enemy of his kind, so kept himself well hidden. Through his observations, he watched them create more scratches on rocks, and more dark streaks on unrolled plant material using strange tools. Struggling to unlock the secret of the symbols, he copied their patterns in the sands and on rocks with a dagger he'd found. He used this learning period to listen as the tiny cave dwellers grunted to one another, and began to recognize the pattern of the sounds. One day he tried to emulate the little ones, twisting his tongue in uncomfortable ways, hearing their words issue forth from his lips. His surprise was no less than theirs; he almost forgot to protect himself from their sudden, furious attack. Inspired by the breakthrough, he became obsessed with a need for further communication, studying other creatures and tongues. Perhaps one day he could find one who would speak to him in return rather than assault him on sight.
Armed with his new knowledge, he concentrated his energy on interpreting their scribbles. Many more years passed before the history of the dwarves, elves, and humans opened up to him. The Song of the Old Gods was a revelation - until then he'd never understood the compulsive digging of his kind. With this information came an idea. If he could somehow end the obsession of his brethren, the darkspawn could have what he took for granted: choice.
Traveling across the expanse of the Deep Roads, he discovered numerous pathways leading to the surface. Much to his chagrin, he learned that language differed from area to area. Through luck or design (he would never know) he found a kindred spirit, an Orlesian mage dwelling upon the land known as Ferelden.
The memory of his previous attempt to free the darkspawn from their thralldom all those years ago made him grimace. With the aid of First Enchanter Remille, his goal was to create a population of tainted ones across the lands of Thedas. Too late he'd realized the dream of unifying the deep dwellers and surface folk, without incurring the destruction of a new Blight, was his alone. The plan was an abysmal failure. Only the acceptance and companionship of Utha, the dwarven Silent Sister Grey Warden, made the disaster salvageable.
His appearance had changed from those days; the use of an ancient Tevinter restoration spell caused his body to alter from his original emissary form. When attempting to replace the arm he'd lost at the Circle Tower, the spell went awry. Astonished at first, he became satisfied with his new, distinctive shape. He believed a darkspawn in human form to be ideal, easily recognizable as a potential ally. Yet again, he was mistaken.
With Utha's blood readily available, he began his experiments, eventually forming a new plan. Here, at last was the secret unveiled. As the darkspawn blood created the Grey Wardens, blood from a Grey Warden created the Disciples. Sadly, the newly freed Disciples rebelled against him, each in their own individual way. His greatest failure, Mother, gathered the most powerful of them to her side. Those remaining dedicated to his cause undermined his preparations at every turn.
Withered succumbed to his bestial nature, commanding the darkspawn to attack Vigil's Keep. Rather than offer the chance of an alliance as he'd been requested to do, Withered chose to kill the Grey Wardens, which eventually led to his death. Seeker decided to conduct his own tests with the wild elves and humans; using ancient distrust to manipulate the elven enmity, he hid the darkspawn interference on a whim.
The First, Lost and Herald abandoned him, forming an alliance with Mother. He knew of her hatred, her need for revenge, but was not overly concerned; Mother was anchored, immobile. Though containing powerful magicks herself, she was incapable of hunting him down. For the time being he was safe from her. Her madness troubled him, though. Perhaps Utha's dwarven blood was the problem. Since dwarves were resistant to magic, their blood could be intolerable to those of magical means. He hoped his experiments on the elf would give him the answer. With Seranni, he hoped to find potential magical ability, giving him the chance to eliminate future versions of Mother.
The last Disciple left for him to trust was Messenger, who somehow managed to retain the steadfast nature of Utha. Messenger was the only real success from all his research and the greatest mystery. How was he to duplicate what he could not comprehend?
The Ferelden Grey Warden Commander might be the key to the mystery. She was as strong and driven as the indomitable Orlesian Grey Warden Commander Genevieve he'd met all those years ago. He hoped the blood he'd drawn from her would create Disciples no less capable than she. Only time would tell.
His senses suddenly flared. Their presence snapped him out of his reverie. The Grey Wardens had arrived. The young Commander's steely determination most likely meant that many a corpse lay behind her. He briefly wondered if he would survive their next meeting, clearly recalling her fury when they last spoke. Would she be more reasonable this time?
The Architect looked over at Seranni, nodding to the doorway which led to the entrance of Drake's Fall. She left to convince her sister of the importance of their collaboration. He smiled briefly at Utha. Once again they would stand side by side in the face of overwhelming odds. The Silent Sister had not lost her faith in him, after all these years. It must be a dwarven characteristic.
Humans, on the other hand, were so very fickle.
O.o
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