Welcome to Ferelden... a beautiful land it once was. Covered in beautiful green grass, tall oaks and pines. Flowers blooming on the sides of the roads and paths peopled walked. The Cities were full of life, full of laughter, and full of people. Now all you see are spikes with heads on them. Dismembered bodies, limbs thrown about. Blood covers the dirt, and ground. The trees are now full of death and decay. Buildings crumble, people are hiding in fear of the darkspawn hordes. The country itself seems to reek of death.
Other nations refused to come to Ferelden's aid in its darkest time. They gave up on the people, they let them die. They believed there was no hope for the Nation itself. They were wrong... there was hope... and still is... it's just about finding the right amount of people, and the right amount of faith where you go. And one elf, has found others...she has found the warden recruits she was looking for.
So'Lina wandered around the small encampment that she had set up. They had to do the Joining tonight. She held the Chalice in one hand as she dropped the vials of Darkspawn blood in it, along with Lyrium. Setting the Chalice down gently she pulled out another vial. This vial had a darker color of blood than the previous ones. She could hear its voice in her head, just from the drop of blood. Closing her eyes she opened it, and poured it in the chalice. She wasn't eager to see the new recruits go through this ritual, but it was of some importance. She had hope for Ferelden... and so did these people who were with her.
Picking up the silver Chalice once more, she turned to face the three recruits. In her musical voice, sounding dark and grim she spoke the traditional words spoken before a Joining.
"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that can not be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you." Taking a deep breath she walked to Eddic, a human nobleman she had picked up along the roads, who helped her battle the darkspawn, only to see that he had been attacked the night before by darkspawn the taint almost killing him.
She had healed him, stopping the taint from growing... it was as if he were forced to become part of the Wardens. His Green eyes looked into hers, as she spoke. "Eddic, you were chosen to be a part of our ranks because you showed great valor in fighting and defending yourself against the darkspawn." She'd pause as she handed him the chalice, the scent of the darkspawn blood clear in her nose.
He took the chalice and drank. Taking the chalice back, she'd hand it to the next in line, she stand there and begin to speak, "Chionn you were chosen among-" She was cut off from the sounds of someone choking and shiverring. Looking over at Eddic she saw his emerald green eyes wern't there, he was on his knees, the whites of his eyes showing, the taint darkening his veins, suffocating him. That moment So'Lina's heart broke momentairly.
"I'm sorry Eddic... you were not strong enough." Taking out her dagger, she walked behind him, grabbing his hair, and holding his head against her stomach, to expose his throat. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and placed the dagger at his throat and sliced it open, letting him bleed out. Keeping her dagger out should the other two wardens not make it, she'd open her eyes and whisper, "I'm sorry brother."
Her crystal blue eyes turned upon the Last two Warden Recruits. Trying to lock eyes with Chionn, she mentally hoped he would make the Joining, along with the Dwarf, Thorgar. Her Mabari hound,Alistair, named after the Warden who sacrificed his life in the fifth blight, sat at her pallet his eyes full of knowledge, watching the whole Joining Ceremony, as if he knew about it, and the sacrifice that was made.