In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I stand before a plaque decorating the stand of what turns out to be one very special item. In the heart of Weisshaupt Fortress, the metal cup with its recognizable griffin insignia emblazoned on the front immediately caught my attention, and when I see the description pop up on the screen, I have to put down my controller for a moment and take it in. "A Joining Chalice recovered from Ostagar". It's just one line, but it's a loaded one for me. Amid the dangers and action of the questline, the sight of this cup and the context of it brings about a moment of quiet reflection. Here I am, 14 years after first experiencing Dragon Age: Origins, now staring at a piece of my own history.
It has to be the very joining chalice my Grey Warden used to become a member of the order during the battle of Ostagar, and through it, I'm taken right back to where my love for the series began. The moment is made all the more impactful because for the first time since Origins, I'm once again playing as a Grey Warden – and just like the Hero of Fereldan who fought against the blight in Southern Thedas, I'm now trying to save the day in the North as Rook. In many ways, it feels quite full circle to become a Grey Warden as Rook. On the one hand, it's as though I'm returning to a role that kickstarted my long journey with BioWare's fantasy RPG, and on the other, The Veilguard revelations also (at last) puts some longheld questions about the order to rest.
