Finding the Dalish was not easy, but three weeks after leaving Redcliffe, they were approached by four Dalish warriors, arrows in their bows. Olorin theorised the only reason the arrows were not pointed at them was because three of them wore Grey Warden armour. Grey Wardens were one of the few groups respected by the Dalish.
"Hold outsiders. Are you truly Grey Wardens?"
William spoke for the group. "Yes, three of us are, the rest are our companions."
"We passed another clan as they were fleeing The Blight a while ago. They had an ill member who couldn't travel so they left them with us to help guide her on the road to Falon'din but our Keeper thinks she has the Blight. Can you help her?"
The three Grey Wardens looked at each other before nodding.
"We can try, but depending how far along it is, it might be best to give her a quick death." Olorin answered.
Soon the group was escorted to the Keeper who was an elderly bald elf who realised they were Grey Wardens from the uniforms and quickly summarised why the guards had let outsiders into the clan.
"Are you here to help us, outsiders? We thought all Grey Wardens died at Ostagar?"
"No, not all of us, three of us survived that Masacre. I am Warden Commander WIlliam, these are Warden Constable Olorin and Senior Warden yes, we will help if we can. We have a healer with us if it is not the Blight that ails your friend as well."
Soon Wynne and Alistair were escorted to the elf who was ill as William and Olorin talked to the Dalish keeper, Zathrian. It turned out the Dalish clan were being attacked by Werewolves and would not be able to help with the Blight until they were protected.
Frustrated but understanding, Olorin and William had a chat. DId they seek out another Dalish clan, leaving this one to their fate, or did they help them, knowing that this clan would be able to find others yet to flee and unite them under a Dalish banner able to help against the Blight.
As they were discussing it Alistair and Wynne came over and confirmed the Dalish hunter from the other clan, a Merlorrill, had the Blight. Alistair said she wasn't so far along for the Joining to be ineffective. William went off to speak with her while Olorin spoke to Zathrian.
"I must warn you, the Joining is not a cure, and there is no guarantee she will survive, should she choose to take it. It merely delays the Blight rather than stopping it."
"How long would it delay it for?" Zathrian asked.
"Ten years minimum. For most people they live closer to thirty years than ten though. If we're honest, none of us know how being in a Blight will affect that lifespan though."
"I understand. You will not have to use the Rite of Conscription should Merlorrill consent."
William came back and announced he'd had the conversation with Merlorrill and she had decided to become a Grey Warden. As Olorin went off to prepare the joining potion, Willaim enquired about a safe and secluded space to conduct the joining ritual. After the potion was complete the three Wardens went off with Merlorrill.
William had explained to Merlorrill about how the joining was her only chance of survival, but it didn't guarantee it. As he handed her the joining potion, Olorin spoke the words Alistair had at his and Williams joining.
"Join us sister. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you".
With that Merlorrill took a big gulp of the potion, screamed and then collapsed, face first. Alistair checked for a pulse.
"She lives." The group breathed a sigh of relief, they were no longer the only Grey Wardens in Ferelden.
Fifteen minutes later Merlorrill awoke with a start and a gasp.
"What was that!?" she asked.
"It is a mixture of Darkspawn blood, herbs and archdemon blood. It is what allows us to kill the Archdemon. WIthout it, it is reborn."
"The archdemon? Is that the dragon?" she asked, and Olorin nodded.
"And you all willingly drank that without already being blighted? You're nuts!" she said with a laugh.
"That's us! Nuttier than a bowl of peanuts!" Alistair said, causing Merlorrill to laugh again.
"How do you feel?" William enquired, to which Merlorrill said she was fine and happy to go hunting for the werewolves attacking the Dalish clan. They returned to the camp, all the elves relieved to see Merlorrill back on her feet again. So relieved they gifted a bow and quiver of arrows to her for her use as a Grey Warden.
Soon the group was moving through the forest. It was slow progress for such a large group, and it was slowed by constant attacks from all manner of creatures. Bears, wolves and the werewolves. Olorin was particularly shocked when some werewolves stopped to parley and warn them to turn back, but he was less shocked when they refused to answer questions and ran off.
Merlorrill was a skilled fighter. A crack shot with her bow, the few times anything reached her she pulled out a dagger and fought like a woman possessed. Olorin had no doubt she would make an excellent addition to the group.
They reached a thick fog which they went through, and then found they were soon back in the clearing they originally found themselves in. Trying again, they found themselves back in the same clearing. The mages started casting diagnostic spells at the fog and before long Wynne worked out it was a rare enchantment cast by a powerful spirit, with little hope of breaking it. However Morrigan noticed a part of the enchantment that would let a creature of the forest pass through unhindered. SO it was decided they would go hunting.
An hour later they stumbled across a giant oak speaking in Rhyme. The mages immediately sensed a spirit of fun inside the tree. It informed them that in order to pass through the fog, they needed a living part of the forest with them. The living part put a hole in their plans to use the skin of a dead animal they;d caught. The tree offered them a branch of his that would help them pass, if they could retrieve an acorn from a hermit.
The hermit turned out to be a powerful mage. However he was outmatched by a party the size of theirs. He realised this and tried to flee, but Alistiar hit him with a Holy Smite, draining him of his mana, and a split second later an arrow from Merlorrill pierced his skull, who was slightly quicker off the mark than Leliana.
Searching his belongings they found the acorn the tree, or more accurately the spirit, wanted. They returned it to the Oak, who gave them a branch to get them through the fog. And get them through the fog it did, for them to be greeted by a group of werewolves.
"Please, we don't have to fight.' Olorin started to speak before the Wolves started attacking them. The fight was short and vicious, Olorin clobbering the leader over its head with his staff. He was about to run it through with his sword when he was suddenly knocked off his feet. This wolf was a normal wolf, not the werewolf, and was as white as the snow at Haven had been. WIth the guidance of the White Wolf, the werewolves retreated into some old Tevinter ruins. After reassuring William, nothing was hurt but his pride, Olorin got back to his feet and the group headed through the ruins.
The group moved through the ruins, with werewolves they came across dispatched quickly by the group. Merlorrill seemed to be on a vendetta to kill as many wolves as she could. Nobody could truly tell if it was due to anger at the group attacking the Dalish, or whether it was due to a desire to prove herself to the group.
Eventually they came to what appeared to have been a library, with some vials on the floor. Only one appeared not to be smashed, and that was filled with blood. They were about to walk away when the mages turned round. The vial was communicating with them!
It appeared the gem contained the life force of an elven 'arcane warrior' and its memories. It offered them a bargain. Smash the vial, and it would teach the secrets of the arcane warrior to whoever smashed it.
Now the group had a debate. William asked what an arcane warrior was, and Wynne, who had read about them, explained that their traditions formed the basis of the Knight Enchanters of the Chantry, who would fight alongside warriors on the front lines of the battlefield. Olorin was keen to learn these skills, but recognised the danger of releasing an unknown entity. He felt the life force was benevolent, but couldn't be sure.
Soon the group came to a decision. Wynne would cast a containment spell on the door, so if the life force was a demon masquerading as something else, it would not be able to leave the room. Alistair prepared a wrath of heaven and Olorin picked up the vial, smashing it over the altar as the phial indicated.
Then he felt a giant pressure in his very being as knowledge forced its way into his brain. He let it in, feeling none of the malevolence he felt from demons he had interacted with. Soon the knowledge was in his brain. Different techniques with the sword, both on its own and with a staff. DIfferent techniques with daggers and axes as well. He now realised how lucky he was to have not come across a skilled swordsman, he would have been flattened in seconds. But he realised not only did he have knowledge of these techniques, he also had muscle memory. Now he just needed to grow those muscles, and he would be an impressive swordsman.
He confirmed to the group he was fine, and as a precaution against possession, Alistiar hit him the Wrath of Heaven, a Templar attack designed to damage demons and possessed mages, while leaving the unpossessed unharmed. Olorin didn't feel a thing, and confirmed to the group he now had the knowledge and muscle memory of sword, dagger and axe techniques. To test, William drew his sword and launched an attack at Olorin with a speed much faster than he had ever used in sparing practice, but Olorin easily parried it and riposted, landing a light but quick blow on the armour of Williams wrist. William was impressed, know Olorin before would have struggled to fend off the attack, let alone been able to get a hit on him.
Moving forward, the group killed more werewolves, Olorin now in the thick of battle with his sword and staff, fighting on the front lines alongside William, Alistair and Sten. Wynne commented that he was like the most effective Knight Enchanters she had seen in battle.
They soon reached a chamber, where they were confronted by a beautiful spirit. Olori realised she looked not dissimilar to a desire demon, but was different in some ways. For one she was green. For another she was a spirit, not a demon, a fact that was immediately obvious the mages.
"Who are you?" William asked.
"I am The Lady of the Forest." the spirit replied.
"Who are you?" Olorin asked.
"I am Vengeance."
"Why the different answers?" William asked.
"Because I am a mage. When directly asked a spirit will always reveal their nature to a mage, they are under no such obligations to non mages." Olorin replied.
"Your friend is correct." The spirit spoke.
"My lady, let us destroy these outsiders" a werewolf spoke.
"How many of your friends have died because of this blood lust Swiftrunner? We must speak to them." the spirit said.
It didn't take long to explain what had happened. The werewolves had been a group of humans who had attacked Zathrian's clan many many years ago. Enraged at the death of his son and pregnant daughter, Zathrian had performed a bit of tricky magic that required a lot of power. He performed a curse, and bound it to the sprit and his own life force. This meant as long as the spirit lived, so did Zathrian. The only true way to lift the curse was for the spirit or Zathrian to be killed, allowing the other to die, and the curse to be lifted.
"Is this true?" Olorin asked, presuming he the magical presence he felt approaching was Zathrian.
"Yes it is true! My children were killed so I turned them into the monsters they already were!" Zathriann cried, as he readied to attack.
"Have you not had your vengeance? Must you lose another clan in your quest for vengeance?" Merlorrill asked.
This gave Zathrian pause.
"But my children…."
"Would they want this for you? After all these years?" Merlorrill asked again. The rest of the group kept quiet, knowing if anyone could get through the Zathrian it would be another Dalish elf.
Soon Zathrian had done the deliberating, and set down his staff.
"Tell Lanaya I am sorry and give her this." Zathrian said, giving Merlorrill a journal.
"This is the history of the clan. I would see it destroyed before falling in battle. If you give her this, she will know you did not kill me."
With that, Zathrian took a knife, and slit his throat, dying almost instantly.
As soon as he died the spirit disappeared. A light glow surrounded the werewolves, who quickly morphed back to very thankful humans. It was established all this had happened just after the fourth blight, around four hundred years ago, and they were divested to hear they were in the midst of another blight. It was soon suggested they head to Redcliffe and pledge themselves to Arl Eamon, something they agreed to do with some enthusiasm.
The Wardens groups moved back the ruins, back through the Forest and back to the Dalish camp. They explained the situation to Lanaya and passed on the message of Zathrian and the book. She looked shocked to suddenly be the Clans First, but quickly honoured the Dalish pledge to the Wardens and agreed to gather other nearby clans who had not fled under their banner.
Exhausted, the group started the long march back to Redcliffe to liaise with Eamon and Fergus.