Besides all the character stuff as well as setting off for future quests and storylines to come, there were a few things I wanted to take care of in this section of the story. First off, I wanted to introduce "The Grey Wolf of Denerim" as the Warden's badass sobriquet, a name meant to inspire hate and fear that he ultimately appropriates and wears with pride. (Levi's disgust at the name is something the always awesome :iconarlesienne: reminded me, that this hatred for wolves by the people of Ferelden would need to be better established, thanks for that). The scene between Howe and the Revered Mother Hale (who you may remember as being mentioned in previous chapters, as well as in The Ferelden Play) is also something I've been planning for some time now. I actually wanted to have it in several chapters earlier, but for various reasons, it kept getting pushed back, so I decided to make some time for it here rather than push it so close to the Denerim arc that it fails in its job of setting up some plot threads there.

Finally, while the Sagramor/Leliana scene ended up getting frequently revised, I did want to have Sagramor be a source of moral support for her, as it feels like every conversation between the two ends up with him confessing his feelings of weakness and her being that source of emotional strength. Even beyond changing things up a bit, I also wanted to show that their relationship isn't just a one-way street; Sagramor is willing to stand by her as just she is him, and it was nice to explore her feelings and perspectives a bit more.

Plus, Sacred Ashes Armour :)

Next chapter will be a lot more action-intensive, as we finally set out onto the "Road to Denerim" arc that will run over the next couple of chapters. Thank you so much for all your continued support, and hope you enjoy!

As ever, the preview image was done by the awesome Poly-M and used with her permission (Source here:  BiowareClub contest prize by poly-m)

First Chapter: A Day For Celebration - The Grey Path - Chapter One: A Day for Celebration

Previous Chapter: Truth and Reconciliation, Part One - The Grey Path - Chapter Twenty-Five, Part One

Next Chapter: The Demands of Duty, Part One - The Grey Path - Chapter Twenty-Six, Part One