Surana Concept Art Dalish Concept Art Dragon Age Origins

Lee has been playing "Dragon Age" since the first game's release. She enjoys exploring and explaining the characters and the lore.

Warden Mage Surana official concept art.

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I beloved playing mages in video games, so the entire mage/templar conflict in the Dragon Age franchise has always intrigued me. As a result, the elf mage Warden, Surana, has always been one of my favorite wardens.

Afterwards the dwarf noble, I feel she has a very compelling arc regarding friendship and betrayal, and it provides a lot of great office playing opportunities, particularly if you lot're going to romance Morrigan, an apostate (illegal) mage or Alistair, a erstwhile templar (aka mage hunter).

Though I love Surana, I also love the human mage Amell—but I'll be honest. That'south more often than not because Warden Amell is the cousin of Hawke, the protagonist from Dragon Age two.

I never really got into roleplaying Amell before Dragon Age 2 considering, for me, playing an elf mage made the game more interesting and information technology likewise made the character more relatable.

The elf mage has to contend with hatred for mages, hatred for elves, and hatred for women throughout the game. I relate to this because I'm a black lesbian (racism, sexism, homophobia) then I know what it's like to stand at an intersection of hatred. Why wouldn't I exist drawn to embodying a character similar this, who overcomes these social barriers to relieve the entire globe?

That beingness said, nearly of my analysis will focus on Surana, not Amell.

Let us begin.

The Mage Warden's Groundwork

My screenshot of the elf mage you tin chat with about Surana's groundwork.

Different the other origins, nosotros know piddling to cypher of Surana'due south groundwork.

We know that Amell came from a noble family thanks to Dragon Age 2, and that she was sent abroad to the belfry at a young age, something which seemed to prompt Hawke'southward female parent into desperately hiding her mage children.

But in Dragon Age: Origins, nosotros know nothing of Amell, and all we know of Surana is that she was either from Lothering or was a city elf who was taken from the alienage in Denerim. This is something she can say in dialogue when asked about her family during the origin.

It was like this on purpose because the mage Warden's origin is supposed to be about her lack of family and how she tried to create one instead within the Circle with Jowan, a sibling, and Enchanter Irving, who is supposed to be a father figure.

This is my Canon Warden

My Surana Warden outwits the Pride demon.

I was playing Surana once again recently for the hell of it, and I realized that Surana is actually my favorite origin. In fact, female Surana who romances Leliana and does all the "proficient" idealistic choices (disallowment Harrowmont considering Bhelen's the better king) is actually my canon.

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Surana is basically a city elf without all the depressing drama from the city elf origin (I really detest rape plots). Her origin is more amusing than heartbreaking. There are several fun characters you can talk to (Sweeney comes to mind), and as someone who has spent their life basically isolated from others, I e'er felt I could place a lot with how alone Surana was.

I hateful, fifty-fifty compared to Amell, who has an unabridged family out in that location, Surana has no ane. She never meets her family in Denerim or Lothering, (which might have been interesting, in hindsight) and her entire arc is nearly her only friend betraying her!

I think this was done deliberately to underscore how socially miserable living in a Circumvolve can exist. It'southward a identify full of fright, where anybody is paranoid they're going to exist made Tranquil. A powerful mage like Surana is a threat to the templars and volition, therefore, be avoided by other mages who don't want trouble.

In every other origin, the Warden has a friend they hang out with for the duration of the origin. In the Dalish origin, there was Tamlen. The human noble had Ser Gilmore. The dwarf noble had Gorim. The dwarf commoner had Leske. And the city elf had Soris. (Notably all male . . .)

The mage has no one but Jowan, who betrays her. And earlier meeting Jowan for the starting time time in the origin, the role player'south companion and "friend" was Mouse, another person who manipulated, lied, and betrayed Surana.

And then for all her power, rather than being in command of her ain destiny, Surana'due south power isolates and confines her (literally to a belfry and also socially).

The Warden'southward Isolation

Jowan every bit he appears in "Dragon Age: Origins."

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Through dialogue choices with Jowan during the origin, nosotros learn that he and the Warden take been friends since they were both dumped at the tower every bit children.

Jowan discusses his female parent blasphemous him and calling him a demon and disowning him for his magic. So his male parent takes him to the Chantry and but leaves him in that location. Somewhen, he is taken to the Circumvolve Tower.

Later after the events at Redcliffe, the Warden can ask Jowan why he would betray her when they had been friends for and then long. Jowan will acknowledge that he was jealous of her tremendous magic power.

The Warden, after all, is quite famous for her skill. So much to the bespeak that Duncan comes all the style to the tower to recruit her specifically. And she is known by those in the tower as Irving'due south "star pupil."

Only she is too feared.

Knight Commander Greagoir every bit he appears in the game.

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Again, the Mage Warden is solitary.

Having Knight Commander Greagoir ever breathing downwards her neck because he's afraid of her turning on the tower meant that other mages steered clear of the Warden. Even the templar Cullen, who has a shell on her, is besides terrified of her to actually make a move, instead hiding behind the pretense of duty and honor.

Interestingly enough, Jowan does not observe that the mage Warden is alone and isolated because of her ability. Instead, he envies her! Which, I think, has more to do with his feelings of cocky-worth every bit a effect of his mother'southward abuse and fail.

Trying to be a claret mage was Jowan's manner of trying to exist as good as the Warden. Instead, he got defenseless, lied to his friend—and his lover's!—confront about information technology, and took them all down with him.

Basically, Jowan was willing to throw the Warden under the charabanc and risk imprisonment and torture for his lover, Lily, if it meant he got to escape the Circumvolve and becoming a Tranquil.

This is what makes Jowan's expose and then sad, deep, and thoroughly infuriating.

Betraying Jowan Makes Sense

Enchanter Irving as he appears in the game.

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There are two means that you can role play the Warden.

The first way? Every bit someone who is naive and completely trusting of Jowan, assertive him to be their friend.

The second way? As someone who knows Jowan well enough to tell when he is lying. You lot can actually ask Jowan direct-upwardly if he is a blood mage. This occurs while he is standing in the Chantry hall with Lily. When asked, he stammers a great bargain and has shifty optics.

And instead of letting herself become thrown under the bus, the Warden can go to Enchanter Irving and betray Jowan earlier he can betray her, thus securing her own survival.

I take done both paths, and I prefer to betray Jowan.

This is largely because the Mage Warden was raised by Enchanter Irving, who is like a male parent to her. And the mage origin shows that Irving is a conniving and ruthless politician, constantly sparring for what little power he tin can proceeds in order to protect his mages and the Circle from the ruthlessness of the templars and the Chantry.

A cool Enchanter Irving mod I can't notice.

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If you lot go to Irving and tell him that Jowan is planning to escape with Lily, a Altar sis, Irving will devise a plan to get both of them caught, and so that the Chantry is embarrassed and exposed.

The Warden tin can phone call Irving vicious for this, only it's mere politics. Taking the Chantry down a peg insures that they don't purge the Circumvolve over one blood mage because they would have to purge their own. It'southward pragmatic and cruel merely a necessary cruelty.

This is the man that the Mage Warden was raised by. It merely makes sense that she would learn from him and be as cunning, businesslike, and barbarous when the demand arises. So why wouldn't she betray Jowan and Lily to secure her ain survival? Getting caught helping them could have easily made her Tranquil given Greagoir's paranoia, but with Irving to back her, she has a chance to avoid a harsher penalisation.

Of course, if y'all cull to play the Mage Warden as naive and trusting, things magically work out for her anyway. But I bask the story more than knowing that my character took charge of her destiny and tried to prevent herself from being used and betrayed by her ain friend.

As well, again, it simply makes sense that the Mage Warden would be a pragmatist later on having been raised by a male parent figure similar Irving.

Uldred as he appears in "Dragon Age: Origins."

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And however, on the other hand, Irving is besides and then confident in his own cunning that he doesn't even notice Uldred is recruiting claret mages under his very nose. In fact, he trusts and respects Uldred and believes they are friends, and this is how Uldred gets away with building his cloak-and-dagger ground forces and eventually taking over the Circumvolve.

Like Jowan, Uldred had good intentions. Using claret magic began with simply wanting his freedom and independence and became something dark, every bit Loghain going back on his promise to complimentary the Circumvolve is what ultimately ticked Uldred off.

This is why it'south simply as valid to roleplay a Warden who is really fooled by Jowan, her blood mage friend. The parallels between the 2 friendships are deliberate.

I actually like not betraying Jowan just every bit much. If you're role playing a character who actually likes him (not many fans did), then standing by your friend is the option. Even Duncan approves of this, which makes sense given that his best friend was Fiona, an Orlesian Grayness Warden, a mage, and Alistair'due south mother.

Irving and Jowan at Redcliffe.

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But no matter which choice you make, information technology'south my conventionalities that Irving ready you upwardly to get conscripted by Duncan. Whether you become to him about Jowan or not, he already planned for you to be a Grayness Warden.

Irving also already knew what Jowan was up to and isn't remotely surprised when you come to tattle. He and so decides to use Duncan as a way to salve yous. This is why Duncan is e'er there with Greagoir right as you lot are leaving the basement. This is also why Duncan mysteriously appears just in fourth dimension to conscript you. Irving basically tells y'all this past mentioning a "swell reward" for betraying Jowan.

If you didn't come up to Irving with Jowan's plan, Irving will scold you and express disappointment, but Duncan being there to salve you is yet his doing. Duncan will praise yous for standing past your friend, but Irving is peeved that yous chose to trust Jowan over him. Nonetheless, he fabricated sure Duncan was at that place to swoop you up from Greagoir.

You're Irving's favorite and he would do anything you inquire, fifty-fifty travel a day across the lake to aid save a possessed child. Even allow Jowan into the Fade when it's against his better judgement.

He knew he couldn't protect yous from Tranquility or execution or Aeonar, so he fix you up to get conscripted. He didn't betray you.

Irving saved you.

Roleplaying Redcliffe

The Redcliffe Dungeons where Jowan is encountered.

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Another reason I love playing as Mage Surana is that it makes the events at Redcliffe personal and gives the Warden a huge amount of roleplay for the showtime half of the game that the other Wardens only don't become.

Direct out of Ostagar, the Warden is advised to become to Redcliffe, where they discover their traitor-friend, Jowan, is the cause for an ground forces of undead attacking the village each night.

The Warden doesn't know it'due south Jowan until after the battle, which tin make for some interesting roleplay depending on whether or not they chose to defend the village. For example, if your Warden chooses to abandon Redcliffe for the dark, they might return, discover Jowan is behind it, and and so feel guilty, every bit they might blame themselves for letting Jowan escape the tower.

Talking to Jowan at length and choosing to release him or go along him imprisoned is also more meaningful when yous actually know him. You can choose to play a bitter Warden who calls him a fool or you tin can open up the door and let him run to freedom.

Given that you're a mage who actually understands demons and magic, it would as well make sense in this origin to leave Redcliffe and venture to the Circumvolve Tower to discover help for Connor.

Possessed Connor and Isolde.

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On the surface, this choice makes no sense and is really really . . . dumb. After all, why should a demon that has been wrecking the hamlet giddily for days suddenly end and put everything on hold while y'all canvass across the lake, which is a day'southward journeying away?

Realistically, you lot should return to notice everyone in the village dead and the demon cackling manically, right? Actually, no. If you talk to Connor before leaving the castle, he gives you lot a good reason why it's actually condom to go out: the demon is afraid of you.

Connor explains that the demon has run away considering she's terrified of the Warden. And why shouldn't she be? The Warden only slaughtered her fashion through the demon's entire undead army. And if the Warden is a mage, it makes even more sense, as they can easily enter the Fade and end the demon once and for all.

And so in essence, the demon and the Warden are at a stalemate. The demon knows she'south beat and is merely waiting for a adventure to negotiate (this is why she tries to brand a bargain in the Fade. She . . . doesn't desire to die). Meanwhile, the Warden (depending on how y'all play her) would similar to avoid killing Connor.

Again, information technology's a stalemate.

And it but makes sense if you're playing a mage. The simply time I kill Connor is when I'k not playing a mage. My other Wardens would never risk the unabridged village for a magic ritual they aren't even certain would work. Especially my dwarves, who don't empathise magic at all and believe it makes the most sense to just kill Connor and be washed with it.

Killing Connor too rewards you lot with a (hilarious) scene where Isolde shrieks and begs and you get to (yay!) knock her out.

Ah, the wonders of roleplaying.

Returning to the Tower

The Circumvolve Tower after Uldred's insurgence.

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Not every Warden gets to return to their origin point and reconnect with the NPCs from their past.

The Cousland Warden, for instance, never sees abode again. They are unable as Howe is occupying it. And why would they want to and so presently later the massacre of their family?

The Dalish Warden, likewise, never revisits her clan during the entrada and instead meets another clan, where some of the NPCs recognize her and even acknowledge her parents.

The other Wardens can return home and even have to confront the consequences for their past actions. Kallian Tabris, the city elf, must confront Soris and Shianni (who she may have betrayed for money) while the dwarven princess must face the fury of Orzammar for a crime she may not even accept committed.

Both origins tin can prove pretty interesting because of this, simply alas, yous don't even get to render dwelling house until nearly the end of the game. Mage Surana, meanwhile, must return to the mage tower only a few weeks subsequently leaving it, and is thus forced to confront the consequences of her actions pretty early in her arc.

This is actually adept because it happens before the quest for the Urn of Sacred Ashes, meaning the mage's arc resolves past the time she has to respond questions nearly it.

In other words, it makes for a more than coherent story. Things just seem to happen in a great and orderly fashion for the Mage Warden and she feels more personally involved in the game'south main plot fifty-fifty more than a Cousland, who was supposed to exist the default (not catechism) Warden.

More Roleplay with Pointy Ears

My Surana Warden talks with Jowan.

The largest reason I prefer playing Surana over Amell is the roleplay aspect of it.

As I explained further upwards, I like playing underdogs who ascension to the top. It has to do with existence an underdog in real life, naturally. Also, because I'm an underdog in real life, I just can't identify with playing someone like, say, Cousland or the Princess Aeducan, who both had pretty privileged lives.

Technically, both of these Wardens are princesses given that the Couslands were second in line for the throne and were practically royalty. These two Wardens were respected and even admired by default, just for existing as they are. It's the exact opposite of what it's like to exist a minority. I have never in my life been respected and admired for beingness a blackness lesbian . . . more similar assumed to be a stereotype and dismissed (and/or hated for not being a stereotype because people can't face up their own racism).

And then while I enjoyed playing the princess dwarf and the spoiled Cousland heir, I did not identify with their struggles, which comprised of losing their families and their wealth and privilege of a sudden and in the most painful manner. Every bit someone who never had a loving family (the dwarven princess' begetter loved her, at least), and as someone who never had wealth and privilege, I tin can pity these characters, simply I can't identify with them.

Even the Amell Mage, while nevertheless oppressed for possessing magic, is still better off than the elven mage. Both were snatched from their families at a immature age, but Amell was a noble and was snatched from a relatively easy life of privilege, while Surana was either taken from Lothering (the peasant countryside) or Denerim Alienage (which we larn in-game is ruled by some pretty horrible humans).

In short, I identify more with characters who share similar hardships to my own. It'south not a shock. Near people want to play characters who are like them so that they can self-insert and project themselves into a fantasy world. It'due south the entire reason that every default protagonist in every video game always is a direct white male: these games are targeted at straight white males.

For this reason, the metropolis elf, Tabris, was my favorite Warden for years. And then I finally got into playing a mage, which turned out to exist pretty awesome, and Surana became my canon.

Mages are the best.

Choosing Jowan's Fate

Jowan at Redcliffe.

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In the end, you tin choose to help Jowan redeem himself or y'all can concur on to your anger, save Connor yourself, and then even kill Jowan for what he did.

Your choices are, equally always, about defining your graphic symbol.

Whenever I play a mage, I observe myself choosing to allow Jowan redeem himself. I always wind upward doing this because he seems sincere almost making upward for all the bad he did. And considering he'south my Warden's merely family unit, she gives him a gamble, even when Irving scolds her and is completely against it.

And afterwards the events are said and washed, yous can execute Jowan yourself or allow someone else exercise it.

I always choose to have my Warden execute Jowan. I experience she would do it to 1) protect him from being hurt further by Isolde'south men (Jowan was tortured by them) and ii) as retribution for his deep betrayal of her trust.

I mean, if it hadn't been for Duncan, the Warden probably would have been made Tranquil or even flat-out executed. At that place would have been very picayune Irving could have done. And all because Jowan lied to her face and used her to get to his phylactery.

As Morrigan says in the game,

"There is no trial for apostates, no prisons, no mercy!"

The Circle is a prison. Simply mages who flee it or interruption its rules are merely killed or lobotomized without question. And while Anders from Dragon Historic period: Enkindling was indeed arrested and brought back, he was however placed in solitary confinement for long months at a time, which is a very brutal and inhumane punishment.

Knowing this, what Jowan did was pretty callous. He simply cared virtually saving his own barrel from Greagoir's punishment, instead letting his all-time friend chance everything and take the autumn for him. How much must it injure the Warden to know that their only friend secretly hated them and envied them all along and was willing to permit them become Tranquil, even while they were trying to salvage him!

This is another reason why I just accept Surana execute Jowan herself. She doesn't have many options.

If she doesn't kill Jowan herself, the arl's knights are likely to shell down on Jowan some more than and continue torturing him as payback for the devastation on the hamlet and the loss of their families. No ane deserves to be tortured.

Some fans don't sympathise.

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Simply if the Warden sends Jowan back to the Circumvolve Tower, he'll be made Tranquil, which in my opinion is a fate worse than death.

Your Warden is purposely given a chance to come up to a conclusion well-nigh Tranquility during the origin for the very purpose of deciding Jowan'south fate later on. Jowan points her toward Owain, a Tranquil mage who insists that he's "happy" being an emotionless robot.

Your Warden can argue with Owain that his current state is monstrous or else they tin naively believe that Tranquility is a "valid" choice for mages. I put "valid" in quotations because it's non valid. At all.

Yep, the Tranquil are people and that should be respected. Just that doesn't mean I have to concord with what'south been washed to them. Repose is a fantasy version of lobotomy. It's a monstrous practice. And it's fifty-fifty hinted in Dragon Age 2 that female mages are lobotomized so that templars tin can s*xually abuse them. A person who becomes Tranquil becomes a helpless victim to be used and controlled, as demonstrated by the franchise again and again (wait what happened to the Tranquil in Dragon Age: I nquisition).

A Tranquil mage from "Dragon Age: 2."

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Fans are not "dehumanizing" the Tranquil by acknowledging that what's been done to them is abhorrent. Simply because the Tranquil seem to enjoy being Tranquil doesn't hateful information technology's good for them. People are emotional creatures and this leads us to be irrational. As a effect, we savour a lot of things that are bad for u.s.: recreational drugs, junk food, unprotected s*x, driving while boozer, self-mutilation . . . And nonetheless, these things are objectively bad for united states. How is existence fabricated into a zombie that won't object to r*pe any dissimilar?

Owain openly admits that he was so scared of the Harrowing that he asked to be made Tranquil, so his emotions led him to an irrational conclusion. To be clear, his emotions weren't irrational, his conclusions near them were. Owain is a victim who tin't even recognize his own victimhood or the fact that what's been washed to him is terrible. This is a classic example of what abusers want: someone so browbeaten downwardly and unaware of their own corruption that they won't even fight back.

The Harrowing is a disgusting practice where mages are possessed by demons and are forced to fight them. If the mage loses, they die.

It's only a manner of blackmailing a mage into becoming a compliant slave. They either die, they go Tranquil, or they face up down a demon and somehow win after what is likely to be a traumatic feel in the Fade.

This is pretty awful. Being faced with death or lobotomy is not a real choice. It'southward blackmail. Owain was terrorized into becoming what he became. It'due south a sickening affair to use someone's emotions to manipulate them into compliance and strip them of their basic correct to personal freedom.

If you lot talk to Alistair about being a templar, he'll tell you that he decided he wanted out of the Order the day he was forced to witness a demon-possessed girl get slain by templars during her Harrowing.

And when the Mage Warden goes through her ain Harrowing, she meets spirits and demons akin (Mouse and Valor) who are disgusted by what'southward going on in the tower.

We are not supposed to run into Tranquility every bit a valid selection. We are supposed to see it for the travesty that it is, and our horror at the realization of what Jowan faces is supposed to motivate us to assistance him during our origin.

And then becoming Tranquil rightfully terrifies Jowan. It'south a fitting punishment if the Warden is still bitter that he was willing to permit it happen to her. Or it's something to be avoided if the Warden has forgiven him on some level.

Again, it'southward virtually defining your Warden. I roleplay my Warden as caring plenty almost Jowan to protect him from becoming Tranquil, even if it ways killing him. I experience that she still loves him every bit a friend, despite everything.

It just fits the story better for me.

In the End It'due south All Most Defining Your Warden

Awesome Jowan fan fine art.

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So yes. I always execute Jowan myself. My character is always deeply injure by his expose, calls him a fool to his face twice, and shows nothing just hostility and anger at Redcliffe. And yet, if anyone tries to hurt Jowan, she's lunging to defend him—from Lady Isolde, from Eamon, from everybody.

Because at the terminate of the twenty-four hour period, the idiot is still a brother to her.

The story is good. And what makes information technology even better? If you romance Morrigan, your Warden finally gets a family of their ain, one that can't be locked away in the Circle Tower. I always play women, though, and then Leliana becomes my Surana's new family.

Information technology makes for a pretty perfect graphic symbol arc and a wonderful experience. Which is why I will be forever baffled that the Mage Warden is probably the least popular Warden.

Oh well. More Mage Warden for me.

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Source: https://levelskip.com/rpgs/Dragon-Age-Origins-2010-The-Mage-Warden-An-Analysis

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