Gore and Glory (Dragon Age: Origins)

Chapter 4: The Battle Of Ostagar

You decided on taking a moment for yourself to calm your still fast-beating heart before following after Duncan to the war council. You smoothed down your hair and took in a deep breath, trying to get a new sense of yourself. You didn’t exactly feel any different, but you also didn’t feel right. You had been freezing in the rough southern climate all day, but now you were burning up feverishly. More surprising than that, you had thought that drinking darkspawn blood would cause you to lose you appetite, but quite to the contrary you were starving.  

However, you had a sneaking suspicion that no one was going to feed you until after this war meeting, so you decided to just go get it over with.

You walked down the ramp of the old ruins and saw a large wooden table sitting around 50 feet away to the west, where the king, another man in gleaming silver armor, a revered mother, Uldred—the mage in charge of the circle forces here—and Duncan were gathered. You figured since you were expected, no one would have a problem with you marching right up to them. You took your place beside Duncan and Uldred, feeling most secure by your commander and a fellow mage.

“Loghain, my decision is final. I am to stand by the Grey Wardens in this assault.” The king said firmly to the man in silver armor.

“You risk too much, king Cailan. The darkspawn horde is too dangerous for you to be playing hero on the front lines.” Loghain argued back. You realized that this man must have been Loghain Mac Tir, the hero of the war against Orlais who was best friends with King Maric—Cailan’s father—before he died. His daughter, Anora, was married to Cailan, making her the queen, and Loghain Cailan’s uncle by marriage.

“If that’s the case, perhaps we should wait for the Orlesian forces to join us after all.” Cailan shot back.

“I must repeat my protest of your fool notion that we need the Orlesians help to defend ourselves!” Loghain was quite passionate about his distrust for the Orlesians. You didn’t even know him, and you could tell.

“It is not a ‘fool notion’. Our arguments with the Orlesians are a thing of the past…and you will remember who is king.”  

“How fortunate Maric did not live to see his son ready to hand Ferelden over to those who enslaved us for a century!”

“Then our current forces will have to suffice, wont they? Duncan, are your men ready for battle?” The king turned from Loghain to Duncan, and you stiffed by his side.

“They are, your majesty.” Duncan said, bowing his head respectfully.

“And this is the recruit I met earlier on the road? I understand congratulations are in order.” He looked at you.

“Oh, um, yes. Thank you.” You dipped your head as well, and then quickly added “Your majesty.”

“Every Grey Warden is needed now. You should be honored to join their ranks.” The king said to you warmly.

“Your fascination with glory and legends will be your undoing, Cailan. We must attend to reality.” Loghain snapped.

Cailan sighed, “Fine. Speak your strategy. The Grey Wardens and I will draw the darkspawn into charging our lines, and then…?”

“You will alert the tower to light the beacon, signaling my men to charge from cover—”

“To flank the darkspawn. I remember.  This is the Tower of Ishal, in the ruins, yes? Who shall light the beacon?” Cailan asked, looked down at the map of the fortress that was Ostagar.

“I have a few men stationed there. It is not a dangerous task, but it is vital.” Loghain said.

“Then we should send our best. Send Alistair and the new Grey Warden to make sure it’s done.”