16 replies to this topic

[DarkeWolf]

I just hope that BW doesn't fail us of giving a half-baked product. AGAIN

Corrected.

I myself don't see a link tween abominations and the taint. abominations are a result of a spiritual possession. the taint attacks at a physical level.

[Old Book]

I just hope that BW doesn't fail us of giving a half-baked product. AGAIN

Corrected.

I myself don't see a link tween abominations and the taint. abominations are a result of a spiritual possession. the taint attacks at a physical level.

Well, not exactly. The Taint may travel in the blood, but it has a magical origin (if the Chantry's stories are to be believed), it provides a link to The Fade (the official explanation of why Genlocks can use magic but Dwarves can't), and it can even "infect" inanimate objects (the tainted staves we find, the walls of the deep roads as described in the books). Blood Magic shows a link between blood and spirit in DA's mythos (it's blood - as - life, used as a spiritual energy source and used for summonning demons); I think The Taint is meant to be a magical / spiritual infection of the blood.

[CrapsterZ]

Just throwing in another theory:

The Grey Wardens definitely have a different kind of "taint" from the darkspawn, since we know that their blood can be used to create sapient darkspawn who are separated from the hive mind and Calling of the Old Gods. It could be that some property in the Wardens' biological make up or blood that transforms the taint to have the opposite effect of the darkspawn taint. This would explain why not all people are able to survive the Joining and why Grey Wardens are so formidable in battle - they carry that ability in the genes or blood.

It could be possible that this gene or property were possessed by the Tevinter Mages who entered the Golden City, whether it became tainted by their sinful nature or their magic had gone awry in there, it caused some form of mutation that turned them into darkspawn instead of the usual Abomination. Perhaps there were demons even more powerful than Pride demons who only existed with the Golden City, or perhaps it has something to do with the Old Gods or the spirits of dragons in general, which could also explain how the Reavers gain their abilities from the High Dragon's blood. The Grey Wardens who had never been possessed by these spirits or been affected by whatever was or is in the Golden/Black City would be able to "suppress" this taint or transform it. This process could also explain the Calling - that the taint "evolves" within the Grey Wardens or perhaps kicks into full effect when they have their Calling, which transforms them into the darkspawn-hybrids. It also explains Avernus' research that allows Grey Wardens to access greater abilities through their tainted blood.

It might also have a link to the Arlathan elves, since we know they walk the Fade during Uthenera (sp?) which might explain the quickening of the elves when the Tevinter Imperium showed up, though I don't really have an idea as to what that link could be. Perhaps the Golden City was where the elves went during their slumber and something happened there or that its taint caused by the Imperium magisters somehow cut off their immortality? Possibly. I'm not sure which occured first exactly, so this might be really shaky grounds.

I'm not the biggest expert on DA lore so there may be some parts of the world that disproves my theory, but it's just my thoughts.

[DarkeWolf]

Book- Ok, you've got a point there, about the taint making a connection to the fade. That had slipped my mind when I posted. Good point there.
Tho, on counterpoint about the taint being able to infect inanimate objects. Think about this for a sec. For the Darkspeawn, the taint is in their blood, and in their flesh. What if it extends to their other bodily fluids, such as sweat, secreted body oils, perhaps even down to their pheramones?
Also consider that life can generate itself from the very smallest of factors. There are tiny, living micro-organisms that fill the air. What if their sweat evaporates, carries the taint with it, and infects these mico-organisms. These micro-oranisms collect, spreading the taint to others, and form these mold-like substances found all around their dwelling places.
Or these organisms collect on their weapons, in their clothes, and other objects that are always being handled, worn, or are in near proximity to them? Tainted by direct contact with their sweat, or body oils?

Perhaps those other bodily fluids dont contain enough of the taint to infect larger forms of life, like small, medium and large animals. But much, much smaller, less complex lifeforms?

It could also be that living bacteria collects in their sweat and secretions, gets tainted, and is then released into the air as those secretions evaporate. Same effect, different delivery.

Now there's the argument that the tainted mold moved away from Maric's sword in the Deep Roads. Was it the mold itself that moved, or the magic of the sword pushing it away?

Crapster- Its definitely possible that by fusing with (meta)human blood, that the taint could be mutated. Or... distilled. I believe the latter. As warden blood doesnt infect other (meta) humans.
I think that it also has something to do with the Old God's blood that is mixed into the ritual, combined with the fact that (meta) humans aren't bred to serve the OG as the DS are.

Also keep in mind that the blood the Wardens ingest is mystically altered. I would logically assume that the blood the Architect uses is mystically altered as well.

As for the effects of the calling. I think that it is more likely that it's because the infected person's immunity level decreases with age. We get older, we get sick easier. Once that immunity level drops past the point that it can't fight off the infection any longer, the more DS-like characteristics start to take over.
Or, the infected person is subjected to more and more of the taint thru combat, and eventually their immunity system gets overloaded by it.
Or a combination of both.

[Stardusk]

Book- Ok, you've got a point there, about the taint making a connection to the fade. That had slipped my mind when I posted. Good point there.
Tho, on counterpoint about the taint being able to infect inanimate objects. Think about this for a sec. For the Darkspeawn, the taint is in their blood, and in their flesh. What if it extends to their other bodily fluids, such as sweat, secreted body oils, perhaps even down to their pheramones?
Also consider that life can generate itself from the very smallest of factors. There are tiny, living micro-organisms that fill the air. What if their sweat evaporates, carries the taint with it, and infects these mico-organisms. These micro-oranisms collect, spreading the taint to others, and form these mold-like substances found all around their dwelling places.
Or these organisms collect on their weapons, in their clothes, and other objects that are always being handled, worn, or are in near proximity to them? Tainted by direct contact with their sweat, or body oils?

Perhaps those other bodily fluids dont contain enough of the taint to infect larger forms of life, like small, medium and large animals. But much, much smaller, less complex lifeforms?

It could also be that living bacteria collects in their sweat and secretions, gets tainted, and is then released into the air as those secretions evaporate. Same effect, different delivery.

Now there's the argument that the tainted mold moved away from Maric's sword in the Deep Roads. Was it the mold itself that moved, or the magic of the sword pushing it away?

Crapster- Its definitely possible that by fusing with (meta)human blood, that the taint could be mutated. Or... distilled. I believe the latter. As warden blood doesnt infect other (meta) humans.
I think that it also has something to do with the Old God's blood that is mixed into the ritual, combined with the fact that (meta) humans aren't bred to serve the OG as the DS are.

Also keep in mind that the blood the Wardens ingest is mystically altered. I would logically assume that the blood the Architect uses is mystically altered as well.

As for the effects of the calling. I think that it is more likely that it's because the infected person's immunity level decreases with age. We get older, we get sick easier. Once that immunity level drops past the point that it can't fight off the infection any longer, the more DS-like characteristics start to take over.
Or, the infected person is subjected to more and more of the taint thru combat, and eventually their immunity system gets overloaded by it.
Or a combination of both.

I missed this. Very well thought out.

[DarkeWolf]

Thanks bud

I also dont believe that it's the architects magic ritual that makes them more intelligent. Not the ritual and blood itself. I do believe that the blood helps to free them from the calling of the OG. But I believe that its because they dont have that CONSTANT droning going on and on and on and on in their heads, and the constant subliminal suggestions going on.... that allows them to think more rational, clear thoughts, and begin to be able to learn more advanced things.

I mean.... its so much easier for me to think straight when my boss isn't yakking constantly in my ear. She can be incredibly distracting when she wants to be.

[CrapsterZ]

I believe the blood and ritual simply transforms it the taint in the DS to that similar to the Wardens - that they can still hear the Calling, but are no longer compelled by it as other DS are. So is it simply the fact that the Wardens are both physically able to suppress the taint's corruption of their body for a time and a combination of sentience? After all, we know that DS are capable of some level of intelligence - the Emissaries and Alphas tell us that much. Perhaps the ritual and blood is simply "turning on" the free will part of the brain and perhaps tuning down the DS taint's 'power' inside of them and replacing it with the Warden taint.

Of course, this begs the question - what is responsible for a race to be sentient and self aware? Is it simply a mental function or is it tied to having a soul? The former is more likely to be the foundation of DA's lore, since we know for sure that the DS are soulless and the ritual as far as we know doesn't involve giving them souls all of a sudden. So we have an intelligent, self-aware being that is at the same time soulless, then we'd also have to ask how exactly does DS magic work - since the DS have no souls and cannot enter the Fade, or do they have a different kind of connection to it (like Arcane Warriors and Fade Shroud?) from the Magisters' intrusion to the Golden City?