For ur DA AU I think it could make sense for sidesteps to be wardens (also allows for multiple steps in the universe); last resort kind of job that changes the world, may not be immediately a visible allegiance, Wardens were looked down on (for the percieved uselessness during origin and after Inq its totally possible that Wardens are again looked down on because of that shit that got pulled) kind of like a villain...
i can see how the wardens can be seen as villains but sidestep is a villain. so in order for this to work, sidestep aint a villain here anymore (no Broken Tower type trauma today folks)
sidestep wasnt meant for a last resort job, to be thrown as a meat shield against a problem like the wardens are, they’re espionage agents. i can see sidestep joining the wardens after the fact, trying to do good in a blackwall kind of way after they’ve done something horribly wrong, joining the wardens out of actual interest or guilt.
so if we are going for sidestep as a warden id go like this: sidestep was pulled from the fade by some magisters, sidestep themselves cant tell if they’re a spirit or a demon anymore, they’re sent to the south for some horrible job-gone-wrong, and try to join the wardens (think Justice like). a couple years down thr road, a collaborative job with the rangers/chantry happens
