THE BLIGHT

The Blight.


A Dragon Age/World of Darkness crossover.


This is set in the modern age, computers, cars, planes and trains but it is also a separate world, one where daemons and vampires, werewolves and other such creatures exist. Where Magic is more than anyone thought possible. So whilst I will attempt to stay true to the original games, please bear in mind this is my canon world and the characters aside from any OC's I make up and Aiden Cousland are my creations. The rest belong to Bioware/EA games and White Wolf/World of Darkness games.


DRAGONAGE/WORLD OF DARKNESS CROSS OVER.
ALL CHARACTERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AIDEN COUSLAND AND OTHER NPCS BELONG TO BIOWARE/EA GAMES

WRAITH/VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE/WEREWOLF THE APOCOLYPSE/MAGE BELONG TO WHITE WOLF/WORLD OF DARKNESS GAMES.




Prologue


HIGHEVER


Bryce Cousland was a handsome man, in his mid fifties and yet, due to the warm climes of Highever his skin was a healthy tanned complexion and made him look maybe a decade younger than he was. He watched from his balcony as Rendon Howe, an old friend of his made his way into the courtyard, his retinue not far behind him, and a raised hand to greet his old friend.

It seemed the Arl of Amaranthine had heeded the Kings call. It would be just like old times, both of them heading into battle, side by side as kin should.  The troops of the Arl would meet the Tyerns forces later that day. The cavalry and foot soldiers of Amaranthine and Highever would turn the tide for King Calen, that much was sure.

He felt a hand slip into his and glanced aside to see his wife of thirty years stand beside him. Eleanor was the love of his life, two fine sons and a battle maiden to be reckoned with in her youth, there was nothing remotely soft and girly about his beloved.

Fergus took after him, the same sense of humour, the same outlook on life. His marriage to Oriana, an Antivan nobleman’s daughter had produced one son, Oren. In many ways Oriana was a calming influence over is eldest son, calmed his down enough to settle down. It had been a good match, now he prayed to the Maker and Andraste that they would find a similar match for his youngest son.

Aiden took after his mother, same hair, eyes and even her more serious outlook on life. But he was young, he was 21 almost 22 and he would be master of his own destiny, as Bryce glanced back across the courtyard he saw his youngest walk back from the gardens. He turned to one of the courtiers and asked for them to send Aiden to the main hall.

“Very good My Teryn, oh and the Grey Warden is here.”

Eleanor almost coloured pale at the news, she knew there was a war on but she did not want either of her sons conscripted.

“Bryce?”

“Its OK love” Bryce patted her hand tenderly “He is here for Ser Gilmore.”

Eleanor breathed a very viable sigh of relief. As much as she liked Ser Gilmore, she was far more relieved that the Grey Warden was here to assess him and not her sons.

“I will see to my guests” Eleanor kissed his cheek “Tell Aiden I want to see him when you are finished telling him the good news”

“I doubt he will see it as such” Bryce sighed “he wants to join us”

“Now Bryce we have been over this.” Eleanor fixed her husband with her most determined stare, it told the Teryn that the Teryna had put up with her husband and eldest son being called to fight the Darkspawn but she would not put up with her youngest going the same way.

Bryce knew better than to argue. A capable warrior in his own right, from a rich bloodline of warriors and royalty even he knew not to argue with his wife. It had taken an age to convince her to allow him to ride with Fergus, she had expressly forbidden any talk of Aiden going.

Bryce watched his wife go and went to join his old friend.


Aiden walked into the hall to see his father talking to Rendon Howe the Arl of Amaranthine, and a pain in the ass as far as the young Cousland was concerned. The man was always trying to arrange a marriage between him and his daughter Delilah. She was a nice looking girl but there was no way he was going to marry her. He wanted to choose his own future not have it dictated to him.

His dark hair sat in a pony tail, and in his casual clothes he was still as intimidating as he was in armour or his uniform. Like his father and his brother he was an excellent cavalry rider. But he preferred to lead from the front, with his Mabari Kaiser.

“Ah there you are pup, enjoy your walk?”

“Yes” Aiden stood before his father and inclined his head towards the Arl “My Lord”

“Bryce, he looks more like his mother every day” Rendon Howe put his hand on Aidens shoulder “Perhaps I should have brought Delilah”

“With all due respect Arl Howe, Delilah is a lovely woman, but I am not about to get married any time soon.”

“I see”

Bryce clapped his sons shoulder “He is like his mother, I doubt any will tame his heart unless she is a special lady, who can hold their own”

Aiden looked behind his father to see a tall white armoured man approach, two daggers rose from his back scabbards, his black hair was greying at the sides. He carried an air of honour around him and Aidan saw the griffon motif on the armour clasp.

“Father, I had no idea we were entertaining a Grey Warden” A thrill of excitement ran through the young lord, he had heard all about the Grey Wardens, in truth who hadn't. The saviours of the world from four previous Blights. There was none like them, and every soldier he had ever spoken too aspired to be part of that.

“Forgive me pup, this is Commander Duncan of the Grey Wardens order, he is here to see Ser Gilmore I believe”

“Bryce, you didn't tell me we would have a member of the order here” Howe scowled a little. Covering his surprise quickly.

“Apologies my friend, I only found out this morning.”

“The apologies should be mine Teryn Cousland, I should have made my entrance earlier, in truth I have only just arrived, the King asked me to convey his need for you and your forces to make haste to Ostagar.”

“We were just about to discuss that Duncan”

“Are you really here to see Ser Gilmore?” Aiden asked.

Duncan inclined his head “Although I have heard much of your skill as a warrior my lord Cousland, I would like to talk with you as well.”

“Absolutely not” Bryce shook his head “I do not have as many children to take over if anything should happen to them both...and I do not wish to tell my wife that her youngest went to join the Wardens. Unless you are thinking of using the rite of conscription”

“No, not at all, I would not abuse such hospitality in such a way my Teryn” Duncan bowed his head.

Bryce seemed almost relieved. It was bad enough the king had asked for both Bryce and Fergus, if he had to tell his wife that their youngest was conscripted well no amount of Darkspawn could save them from her wrath...in fact fighting the Darkspawn would be a blessing in comparison.

“Father, why must I stay here? I graduated with honours, my training is done, I have commanded my own unit?”

Bryce clapped his hand on Aidens shoulder and led him a little way away from Howe and the Grey Warden. His voice low and a tone he rarely used with his sons entered his voice “Aiden, I agreed with your mother, if anything were to happen to me and Fergus, you will be the sole heir to the Cousland name and lands. We have no other children so the lands would revert to the crown, something I do not want to happen.

You will have your chance when you have a family son, for now please do as I ask Aiden, call it a test of your skills as a future Teryn”

Any argument that Aiden might have come up stalled in his throat. His father was serious and that was enough to get him to back down. His father was a reasonable man, an honest man and he knew that to argue the point would be childish and dishonour his father in front of the likes of Rendon Howe, and that was something Aiden was loathe to do. He dislike the Arl, only his brother Fergus knew how much he disliked the man, but as his brother said, “We can't always like our parents friends, just have to keep our mouths shut” he inclined his head and turned to Duncan and the Arl, bowed and left his father to his meeting.

Only when he was outside the main hall doors did his heave a frustrated sigh and headed to where his brother would be. Before he got there though, he was waylaid by Ser Gilmore, apparently Kaiser was making a nuisance of himself in the kitchens and nan was going mad.

Aiden rolled his eyes and jogged at a relaxed pace with his friend who told him the stories of the Grey Wardens that he had been told by his grandfather. They managed to sort out the mess with his Mabari, turned out there were rats invading the stock room, and as a thankyou nan had given the Mabari some pork bits. Then subjected Aiden to her pearls of wisdom and a story she had told him as a child.

He had listened, because he adored Nan, she had been there for him when his mother was away in the city with his father attending Landsmeets and the like. She had watched over Fergus and himself, and always told them it was no shame to fall in love with someone, no matter what their race or their path in life. The Maker guided them they just had to follow what their hearts told them.

It was easy for Fergus he had fallen in love with Orina when he had first laid eye on her. Their son Oren was going to be a fine young man when he was older. Maybe a leader in his own right, a merchant of some repose or a warrior. He had the Antivan blood and Ferelden blood to make it happen no matter what path he chose, although he suspected his sister-in-law would prefer the merchants trade for her son.

He looked skyward as he walked through the courtyard, his Mabari happily beside him. A jet bearing the insignia of the small Highever air force flew overhead. It would meet up with the other jets in their arsenal and then onto Ostagar. He did not know if this was a true Blight, but he felt that it wouldn't hurt to bolster the lands, when his father and Fergus left in the morning he would do that.

He checked his watch and looked in on the Library to see two young servants lads being subjected to a Cousland history lesson by the old sage. He ducked out before getting dragged into that. Any other day he would have been pleased to have entertained the old man, but not today. He headed to the  small chantry and moved to one knee before the small statue of Andraste.

He felt his dog lay beside him and kept his thoughts on his prayer. To keep his father, brother and all their people safe, and if the worse should come to pass, to carry them to the side of the Maker with the honour they deserved.