Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own StarCraft or Dragon Age.
As we head deeper into the Wilds, we come across a few chests and crates holding equipment, supplies, a few interesting flowers I collect and messages that point us to treasure. When we reach the abandoned Grey Warden outpost, the chest the treaties are supposed to be in is smashed open and we are confronted by Morrigan, a Witch of the Wilds. After a short conversation where Alistair is more hindrance than help, Morrigan leads us to her mother who took the treaties at some point in the past. After a cryptic conversation with Morrigan's mother, we return to camp with Morrigan reluctantly escorting us. Before returning to Duncan to report the completion of our main task, I talk to the kennel master and learn the flowers I collected are needed to cure a mabari hound of dark spawn poisoning. After handing over the flowers, I visit the prisoner cages and steal a key from the sole prisoner.
Based on what the prisoner says while I'm stealing the key he stole from the Mages, I locate a locked chest and acquire a staff and a few pieces of armor that I sell to a local merchant. Once we report to Duncan, he sends us to a temple at the edge of camp where Jory and Daveth are arguing over if the Joining is important or not. Soon enough, Duncan arrives with a large chalice filled with blood. After a few words from Alistair, Duncan starts to offer the chalice of dark spawn blood to Daveth but I step forward and he gives it to me instead suspecting I have a reason for wanting to be first. Drinking the blood, I feel the taint spreading through my body and quickly adapt to it before creating a vector to spread the adaptation to others.
"Congratulations. You are now a Grey Warden." Duncan proclaims when it becomes obvious I have mastered my taint.
"Any dreams? I had terrible dreams when I became a Grey Warden." Alistair comments.
"Nothing that stands out. Other than the ugliest dragon I've ever seen." I reply as I wave for the ceremony to continue. When Daveth's eyes glow white and he starts choking, I spawn a Creep Tumor and infest him with the new Warden strain of the Zerg virus. Jory tries to run when offered the chalice of dark spawn blood but I infest him as Duncan sets the chalice on the nearby table in preparation to kill him for cowardice. Neria and Kallian collapse but otherwise master their taint without problems.
Lyna, Elissa, Sereda and Natia all have the same problem as Daveth with the same solution though I don't spawn additional Creep Tumors. "Neria, I want you and your friend to join me for a meeting with the King. Will we be able to use these six or are we looking at a two thirds casualty rate for this Joining?" Duncan comments after the final Chrysalis forms.
"They aren't lost yet. If necessary, I can speed up the infestation while my Swarmlings guard me. All six will have Warden abilities when they hatch though there will be some variation since not all of them are Rogues." I reply as Neria and I follow Duncan to the strategy meeting. At the meeting, the King argues with his general, a man by the name of Tyrn Logain Mac Tyr over possible allies and who should go to the Tower of Ishal to light a vital beacon. Thanks to the timely interruption of a Mage, Logain agrees for King Cailan to fight with the bulk of the Grey Wardens while Neria, Kallian, Alistair and I light the beacon at the appropriate time and both groups are supported by additional Swarmlings summoned at the start of the battle.
When I get into position on the overpass between the main camp and the tower, I watch the dark spawn approach through the trees to taunt the assembled armies of Ferelden. As the dark spawn charge, archers rain arrows down on them and I summon a stunning 300 Swarmlings. While the mabari hounds and the army of Swarmlings charge the dark spawn, I summon twelve more Swarmlings and lead my group to the tower where two of Logain's men run to tell us dark spawn have managed to overwhelm the tower. Shaking my head at how incompetent the soldiers are and how confused Alistair is, I charge the tower clearing out the dark spawn that threaten to flank the army. In the tower kitchens, I find the expected tunnel leading to the base of Ostagar likely in a location not covered by the King's army fighting below.
At the top of the tower, we find an Ogre guarding the beacon we need to light. Alistair points out the signal to light the tower has likely already been given and looking through Swarm memories I confirm that we were a little slow clearing the tower so I mutate two of our Swarmlings into Stealth Hunter-Splitter Banelings and tell the other three wardens to run out of the blast range. Once we reach the kitchens, both Hunter-Splitters detonate killing the Ogre and lighting the top of the tower at the same time. As I use a Psionic Shield to protect my companions, I watch through the eyes of one of my Swarmlings with Logain as the general gives the order to retreat instead of flank the dark spawn. Elsewhere, Swarmlings intercept an Ogre that would have killed King Cailan and Duncan while in the tower kitchen the number of dark spawn archers and emissaries triples making it an easy choice when a pair of giant eagles signal for us to hop on. As we fly away towards the home of Morrigan and her mother, I spawn a squadron of Stealth Vipers to hinder the dark spawn.
As we land at Morrigan's home, I send a pulse of energy to the six chrysalises and cause them to hatch. Their first task sent to them psionically is to guard Warden Commander Duncan and King Cailan. Realizing he is the most injured, Alistair strips off his armor leaving him in only his small clothes (otherwise known as underwear). Morrigan starts to complain but I put an end to that by thanking her and her mother for helping us leave the Tower of Ishal. Morrigan's mother then introduces herself as Flemmeth and insists her daughter joins us in fighting the Blight.
On arrival at the main battle, I tell Duncan and the King the bad news about Logain and spawn a Hatchery that will be ready in a few hours. Duncan suggests a group of us go to Lothring to aid the refugees and perhaps gather allies to replace the troops Logain took with him. I offer to lead the group and select Neria, Morrigan and Lyna to accompany me. When we reach Lothring, we find the Hawke family making plans to flee the country and head north to Kirkwall in the Free Marches.
AN: Thanks for reading and please review.