About Anora

Can anyone tell me specifically what is said about Grey Warden fertility? I don't remember ever actually seeing dialogue about it myself. Does Morrigan mention it while making her pitch for the Dark Ritual? I think I vaguely remember her talking about herbs and teas to prevent pregnancy when discussing their immediate future with a romanced Warden, in the context of "I'm not tied to you, don't start getting ideas".

If Alistair is the only source then I don't know how reliable that information is. He only ever knew some twenty-five male Wardens living first in Denerim and then in an army camp, and hadn't been introduced to the actual secrets of the order yet. "Don't worry Alistair, Wardens don't make women pregnant!" is the sort of thing an older Warden could have told him under circumstances and for reasons other than it being an official orientation on Grey Warden biology.

As I understand it, lifestyle also has an effect on women's fertility rates. Things like constant traveling, uneven diets and way too much exercise and building of muscle or regularly being knocked around in combat could easily explain Grey Warden women tending not to carry to term, which also isn't the sort of thing the men would be likely to hear about or understand even within the confines of the Grey Warden compound.

And if Morrigan can ensure that Alistair is properly loaded at will then I'm sure that a skilled royal healer can do the same for him with Anora, should it be absolutely necessary.

I thought, I have read somewhere or someone mentioned it in game, that a freshly joined warden has an easier time having a child than wardens, that are joined for a longer time. The longer you are a warden, the more fertility decreases. But I might confuse that bit, maybe someone knows more?

Forgot to write another combination about "fertility" matter.

Did not mention GW female to become pregnant for the following reason: a fresh female GW + male not GW/fresh GW is not an option for one reason - the period of pregnancy.
A fresh female GW can become pregnant, but it takes several months for a child to develop. And if in the beginning the blood is still not fully tainted, it will be in several months for sure - a female GW becomes a real GW. Only blood is involved in the process of child development. Can't even imagine what can become with a child during those about 9 months. Could be a terrible thing for a mother.

Thus a male GW might have a child with a non-GW female, but a female GW is doomed not to have her own children.

Considering for DAU people another name for GW Order is "A Secret", maybe it wouldn't be such a change.
How can othes know what is happenning in GW HQ? Maybe there is a kindergarten full of GW children from GW women.

And I am not talking now about plot holes in the game and some actually stupid-looking speeches coming from other GWs.

In general: people know only a little about GW Order, it is a fact. "Children" matter is just another secret for others and, as you have noticed, devs just did not thought about that much.





If to think about Branka's girlfriend (how she became what we see) and how other Broodmothers are created - it is indeed horrible. Trying to compare yourself (my GWs)with that thing/imaginning "children procudicing" (it can't already be called in other way in Broodmother matter) - even more horrible.

But even so, I - a female myself, thus my GW females as "roleplaying" - treat her as another darkspawn who needs to be killed w/o thinking how horrible it was for other females. A task is a task. Period.


Plus take males. How can we know what becomes of them? Maybe there are other very horrible things prepared for males? We do not know.


At least it is how I treat that Broodmoother thing: another darkspawn for killing. Depends on a person as always.


At the same time there are only two scenes where any (male or famale) GW is concernred about "having a normal life": a dialogue with Wynne and with Alistair if he dumps you.
A long PT with only one/two dialogues about "normal life and children"? Not much to say the least.
As you said

Only I would include males here as well.


But it can also be treated from another side as well: a female GW with a strong will and thinking only about defeating the Blight. Other things do not matter (including children) as GW duty always comes first.
Nothing else matters.

I was thinking specifically about Grey Warden women, not about what people know or think about the order. A woman's ability to have children was and, I would guess, broadly still is very important to her and how she thinks about herself and her future. Being conscripted into an order and forced to drink darkspawn blood as part of the initiation and then finding out that it had not only shortened your lifespan and made sleep traumatic, it had also made you barren, would be a much harder punch to the gut to most women than to most men.

And the broodmother isn't just horrifying because it's a tragic and disgusting creature. Having accepted the Darkspawn taint into her own body, it's entirely possible that your female Grey Warden is in the process of becoming one herself, to be completed the day she goes to her Calling. It's also possible that any Darkspawn who managed to subdue her without killing her would try to get the process going exactly like they do with every other woman they capture.

And that's just you. Imagine how Morrigan or Leliana must feel, down there in the Dead Trenches surrounded by darkspawn who would swarm and rape and feed them Tainted flesh if the rest of the party fell.

I don't see how there can be a similar horror in store for men, no. We see lots of men fall to the darkspawn and they only seem to strike to kill, and any who contract the Taint just turn into ghouls like Tamlen does.

And sure, most of my Wardens eventually embrace the creed fully as their duty. In fact, I often use the Broodmother revelation itself as the defining moment when the horrible truth of the Darkspawn becomes so deep and undeniable to them that other worldly concerns cease to matter in comparison. Especially my female Wardens. Especially my dwarven female Warden.

You are right, yes.

But as I said, depends on a person.

What Leliana or Morrigan can feel there about it all I can't imagine as a person because as you have noticed, people are different.
For some - a perspective not to have a child in the process of becoming a GW while drinking blood can be a horrible thing as having a family is very important to them. Plus after they see Broodmother and other horrible for them things. They still think about children, regret about it all and can do nothing.
Inability to do something can be a very demoralizing factor. And that is a horrible thing.

For others GW duty comes first and even if a woman hoped to have children, now it is already not importnat as there are more important duties.

But I understand your point and see what you mean.

Isn't it more because even if they somehow do manage to conceive, the child will be invalid to be a heir since they either have non-human blood or are born to a known mage. Both massive no-nos. And unlike Alistair where his mother is unknown, the warden will be pretty damn obvious if they keep the relationship going.
But if he and a human noble somehow manage to beat the very slim odds, you've got two noble bloodlines mingling so there might be less irritation about him sticking with the Warden instead of trying to find someone more fertile.

I don't think it's ever said if it's true or not, but pretty sure it will never be proven either way. 
If she marries Alistair or Male Human Noble, she's married to a man with extremely low fertility and her own is dwindling by age whether she was infertile or not before. So the chances of conceiving are very, very slim even if they both go at it like rabbits, which in her and Alistair's case seems unlikely. 
If she marries neither of them she doesn't marry at all since "She never finds someone who could compare to her father". So I figure she stays single and any side flings would be precaution heavy so she doesn't need to split power with anyone. 

And I think it was stated that while Cailan had many, many flings, none of them produced offspring so...

And having none of the variances being able to conceive leaves an open plot point later on and the options to move the throne to a single set character, thus making it easier to give them screen heavy roles. 
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As for OP bit of everything. Figure most leaning towards putting her and Alistair together as a power couple and just relishing in the hatred he generously sends my way. 

Meant that I'd done bit of everything, but was mostly leaning towards the Alistair + Anora since I enjoy how annoyed Alistair gets at me for doing that. 
But yeah that seems to be the popular opinion in the poll as well. 

Ohhh... cheese!

Sometimes you just have to play the Darkspawn Chronicles to reset the palate

Voted for "Lock her in a tower" - because that's what my canon did and probably the majority of my Warden's overall, with a hardened Alistair as solo ruler (or married to my main Cousland).  I've had a few where I have Alistair and Anora marry.  Also have least two with Anora as solo ruler - one with Alistair executed (that Warden hated him, made him and Morrigan look like BFFs), and one with Alistair as wandering drunk  (actually felt worse for my Warden in that one that I did Alistair, I imagine her standing there after the Landsmeet going "what the F*CK just happened, that's not how that was supposed to go?!?").  ETA: make that three with Anora as solo, pretty sure there's also one with Alistair and Surana riding off into the Warden sunset together.  But yeah, solo Alistair is probably still the majority (or at least the plurality) overall.

Her only regret is that she couldn't swing the sword herself. I think the only reason Alistair even survived to the Landsmeet in that playthrough is because the game doesn't allow you to kill him or kick him out earlier. Then again, this is the same Warden that killed Wynne even before recruiting her and "killed" Leliana during the Ashes quest (and then broke Zevran's heart by committing suicide by Archdemon).
And nope, Riordan doesn't interject or try to stop it.