"I'd talk about my dead mother just to make conversation right now," says Alistair, still wry, but smiling. He throws a glance over his shoulder toward the makeshift desk; sighs, a little, as the humor leaches from him.

"I don't know yet," he admits. "He wants to use us somehow; that much is certain. But why us, specifically -- I don't know."

He looks back to Cullen.

"Not too long ago, every single Warden in Orlais began to hear their Calling. Not a true Calling, though. I did enough digging to find that much. Corypheus might simply think we'll all run scared, and run straight to him for protection. Seems like an awfully simple plan for an ancient magister from the dawn of time, though."