The Ultimate Sacrifice, Morrigan's Offer, and The End of Dragon Age

In addition to who ends up ruling Ferelden, the final confrontation with the Arch Demon will result in either the player, Alistair, Loghain to make the ultimate sacrifice.  Immediately prior to the final battle, the player is informed that when an Arch Demon is killed, its soul will be transferred to another being with darkspawn blood, and thus it is reborn.  In order to prevent this, a Grey Warden must be the one to defeat the Arch Demon, and because Grey Wardens have darkspawn blood, the Arch Demon's soul will enter the Warden's body.  However, because the Warden is not a darkspawn, this process ends up just killing both the Arch Demon and the Warden.

Wynne battling the Arch Demon

The possible Grey Wardens that can be sacrificed are Loghain, Alistair, or the player's warden.  However, there is no way to have both of them be active members of the party during the final battle, it has be either one or the other.  However, despite all of this, there is a way to avoid making this sacrifice all together, through the means of a blood magic ritual performed by Morrigan.

While, yes this entire sacrifice can be avoided, it is not without a cost.  The method of Morrigan's ritual is that of blood magic, a forbidden school of magic that uses life force to accomplish goals.  Morrigan's offer is that she will have sex with either the Warden (which may or may not have happened already in the story, depending on what the player has chosen), Alistair, or Loghain.

Morrigan's offer

After this, a child is conceived and when the Arch Demon is slain, its soul inhabits the unborn child's body, instead of killing the Grey Warden who slays it. However, this child will ultimately grow up to become a god.  What this really means is hard to say, but it implies something bad could ultimately come of it.


This in combination with the events of the Landsmeet determine the player's ending.

Endings:

"Alistair's Champion"- Alistair becomes king, either with or without Anora, and remains a Grey Warden.  Morrigan's offer is refused.  The Warden stands by his king, and in a great moment of triumph defeats the Arch Demon and sacrifices himself to save Ferelden.  The game ends with The Warden's funeral, Alistair and company by his side.

"Loghain's Redemption"- Anora rules as queen, either with or without the Warden by her side as king.  Loghain is recruited into the Grey Wardens and in a moment of redemption, slays the Arch Demon and sacrifices himself to save the Kingdom.  The game ends with the Warden in the royal palace surrounded by friends and family.

"Loghain's Victory"- Anora rules as queen, Loghain doesn't die, and the player sacrifices his life to slay the Arch Demon.  The game ends with the Warden's funeral, Loghain claiming his victory with Anora over Ferelden.

"The Late King"- Loghain is executed shortly after the Landsmeet, and either The Warden or Alistair sacrifices themselves against the Arch Demon as king.

"The Warden's Champion"- The Warden becomes king, and Alistair makes the sacrifice.

"The Sinister Spawn of Morrigan"- Morrigan sleeps with one of the three Grey Wardens and conceives a child.  This negates the need for a sacrifice, but ends the game in an ominous and worrysome light.