

It is revealed that despite the defeat of the archdemon, the darkspawn have not returned underground and a new variety of sapient, speaking darkspawn have been discovered.

While rebuilding the Grey Wardens and establishing Vigil's Keep, a fortress given to the Grey Wardens at the end of Origins, as a new base of operations, the Warden-Commander is faced with a new challenge.

The Orlesian Warden is treated differently because of the history between Orlais and Ferelden-and because an imported Warden will be renowned to begin with, having killed an archdemon almost single-handedly in Origins. The player takes on the role of a Grey Warden commander, who is either an imported character from Origins or a new Warden from Orlais. The events of Awakening begin six months after the conclusion of Dragon Age: Origins, specifically on the seventeenth of Ferventis.
