as part of the ongoing narrative. After a brief trial depicted in their origin story, the player character is ultimately recruited to join the Grey Wardens, a mystical organization of warriors created to fight the Darkspawn, a race of evil, tainted creatures. The character is henceforth referred to simply as The Warden, and occasionally by surname in the games dialogue. Upon the conclusion of the Warden's origin story, the narrative resumes a single strand for all players, where the Warden travels to Ostagar, the site of an upcoming major battle with the Darkspawn. The Warden is guided by their recruiter Duncan, who sets in motion the Warden's initiation into their organization. The Warden and two other candidates, Daveth and Ser Jory, are tasked with travelling into the forest near Ostagar to procure some ancient Grey Warden treaties and vials of blood obtained by killing Darkspawn. Duncan then conducts an initiation ritual called the Joining which involving the imbibing of Darkspawn blood by the ritual candidates; only the Warden survives the process. The Warden would be directed to aid the war effort at the Battle of Ostagar, where the Ferelden army under the leadership of King Cailan Theirin attempts to push back the Darkspawn along with the Grey Wardens. The Warden lights a beacon to signal for reinforcements led by Teyrn Loghain, but Loghain responds by ordering his forces to retreat and leaving the entire Ferelden and Grey Warden contingent led by Cailan to die on the battlefield. The Warden and Duncan's protege Alistair are rescued by the Witch of the Wilds, Flemeth, becoming one of the few surviving Grey Wardens left in Ferelden. The Warden's goal for the rest of Origins is to utilize the treaties that compel the nations of Thedas to cooperate with their order to stop the fifth coming of the Darkspawn Blight led by an Archdemon, a terrifying and deranged draconic monster who controls the Darkspawn hordes. This involves traveling across Ferelden's lands to secure an alliance with the dwarves of Orzammar, the Dalish elves near the Brecilian Forest (or a pack of werewolves), and the Ferelden Circle of Magi (or the Ferelden Templar Order), as well as rallying the support of the Ferelden nobility against Loghain and unite the kingdom under a new ruler against the Darkspawn hordes. After the Archdemon is slain, the Warden will gain renown as the "Hero of Ferelden" regardless of