know what’s fun? thinking about what happens to each of my wardens when it’s a worldstate where Duncan is elsewhere.
I lied it’s not fun
Sieghild Aeducan scavenged what she could of the armor and weapons of those who had died in the Deep Roads to kill what darkspawn crossed her path, but she did not look for a way out and up. death before dishonor, and to leave the Roads, to go to the surface and scrape a life there - no, never. she went deeper into the Roads, searching for the Legion of the Dead. when the fight got too hard, when she could feel herself tainted and turning, she fell on her sword rather than let the darkspawn kill her or claim her. dwarven pride, Aeducan honor, and the last whispers on her lips were curses on her once-beloved little brother’s name.
Amell tried to plead with Irving for to not make Jowan Tranquil, but she did not tell him she planned to help her friend escape should he not listen to her. when Jowan revealed himself to be a blood mage, however, she turned her back on him. she was sentenced to Aeonar with Lily, but Irving managed to talk the sentence for his favorite student down to solitary confinement. Cullen escorted her down to the cells and neither of them spoke. when Uldred revolted, his mages broke her free but she refused to join their revolution. with a whisper - blessed are those who stand before the wicked and the corrupt and do not falter - she sent herself and two blood mages up in a tower of flames when they tried to summon a demon and bind it to her.
Ada Brosca refused to lie down and die when the carta locked her up after the Proving. she picked the locks and tried to break free of the carta hideout, again and again and again, but weaponless, she never made it far. Jarvia didn't just kill her, didn't grant her that release, and so Ada, proud and stubborn and refusing to let the carta keep her life, refusing to let them own her, defiantly starved to death in the cell next to Leske. if you ever are let free, if you ever see Rica again, tell her I love her and I’m sorry.
Iveta Cousland wouldn't be torn away from her family, no matter how her parents begged and pleaded that it was her duty to survive and carry the Cousland name - where will I go, what will I do, she asks, and without Duncan to force the issue and give her a real concrete concept of after, she didn’t leave. she fought Howe's forces as long as she could, as many as she could to keep them from her parents, try to leave no one to catch up to Fergus. the men who killed Eleanor and Bryce stepped over her body to enter the pantry, through the door she guarded until her last breath. her mabari died beside her, and Howe took the Cousland sword and shield off of her body.
Avrian Mahariel wasn't found by Duncan outside the cave and so it took the clan days to find him when they searched the forest for him and Tamlen. he was half a ghoul by then, and killing him there out side the cave would have been a mercy. his clanmates who found him nonetheless took him back to Marethari, hoping, praying, for anything, but there was nothing she could do to hold off the taint at that point. he died holding Merrill's hand.
Jade Surana started to run with Jowan but she looked back and made a pleading defense of Lily instead. she didn't know, she doesn't deserve such a punishment, she insisted, and then, defiant or resigned, added, but I don't regret helping him. her Harrowing, just days ago, saved her from Tranquility for showing no remorse for assisting a blood mage. she cracked a smile at Cullen as they took her away to her execution, and said that she prefers death to the brand and maybe he should've done it at her Harrowing. no, I'm not sorry I helped my friend, no I'm not sorry I didn't run, but there were tears on her face when Greagoir brought the sword down.
Catalina Tabris didn't get a sword from Soris. there was no Duncan to give Soris and Nelaros weapons at all. they tried anyway, with daggers scrounged up by other alienage residents. Soris was caught before he could reach Catalina, and Nelaros was killed. Catalina fought her guards weaponless, smashing one with a stool and stealing his sword to kill the other, who managed to stab her before he died. she never made it to Shianni and the other girls, too hampered by her injury to survive more fighting alone. her dress was more red than white, but with her own blood, pooling on the stone floors where the guards found her body.
