From the journal of Arleea Mahariel
Recovered by Alistair Theirin
I am not sure what I am expecting anymore. We've just returned from the Korcari Wilds to retrieve three vials of darkspawn blood and old Grey Warden treaties. The vials are, Duncan said, required to complete the Joining. I keep wrapping my head around what we could possibly do with the darkspawn blood, but nothing is coming to mind. It is not as if we are going to drink it, right? So why are the Grey Wardens so secretive about it? I wonder.
You may also wonder what it was we had to do in the Korcari Wilds. First off, Warden Alistair joined us to guide us along the way, and we have not been long in the Wilds when we met this soldier who was fatally injured and was bleeding on the ground. I've seen my share of blood, but what I saw did not prepare me still. This soldier claimed he and his troops have been attacked by darkspawn, and it only worsened my anxiety. Ser Jory has expressed his concern as well as I, but Daveth was rather casual about it. Alistair said we need not worry for Wardens like him can sense darkspawn, so we should be safe from big groups. Fortunately we only encountered stragglers, although the sight of them still terrified me. I will never get used to seeing darkspawn.
It was not only darkspawn we met along the way. Soon as we reached a ruin which was once used by the Wardens (and where the treaties were hidden), there was this rather odd human apostate called Morrigan. My companions called her a 'Witch of the Wilds' and Morrigan only mocked them for their ignorance. I did not know what to believe, and so I held my tongue till she addressed me and said that her mother retrieved the treaties. I did not believe her at first. It was too convenient, as Alistair said, and with what had happened to us in the Wilds so far, it was hard to take her words into account. However, since the treaties were nowhere to be found, we were left with no choice but to follow Morrigan as she offered to take us to her mother.
Turns out she was telling the truth. Her mother, despite her similar oddness, did retrieve the treaties and even took care of them. The seals have worn off, but other than that, they were still in good condition — except of course age was already clinging to them. We returned to camp with them and the vials, and now as I sit here and eat the last of my supper (there was still half an hour left before the Joining), did I fully grasp what just happened hours ago. It was all too surreal, for lack of a better word. My clan has traveled far and wide, and yet I have never encountered such oddities. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I'm still homesick and the more I wait for the Joining, the more I feel the fear of what is to come.
I need to go. Alistair's told us to quickly finish supper. I'll write back to you soon.