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[Rinji the Bearded]

Still would've like a Grey Warden veteran companion   

 

Grey Wardens is just a stupid club, that's what it is.  Everyone hanging around, talking about their taint.

[Milan92]

Still would've like a Grey Warden veteran companion   

 

Hopefully next game

[Hanako Ikezawa]

They probably assumed he got killed by darkspawn and moved on.

Yes, because people love to assume what happens to people they consider a friend and/or ally rather than actually knowing. 

 

How soon before the blades struck? Was it a matter of seconds? Minutes?

Enough that he knows the lines to a nursery rhyme the children were singing in the carriage, so at least enough time to scream "Stop!" to his men. 

 

And they saw someone who wants to redeem himself and help others

Except he wasn't redeeming himself. You have to actually be yourself to do that.

 

 

It was a lose-lose situation. He froze up and then he had to decide between calling the attack off and be exposed which means certain death for himself and his men or let the attack continue which was their only chance at survival. Because that's how the Game works. 

 

And I don't think there was much time to react or think about it. By the time he heard the voices they were already assaulting the carriage. He had to make a snap decision and live with the consequences. 

Then maybe he should have thought of that before he agreed to abandon his oath and kill someone he is sworn to protect for gold. The fact that he still abandons his oath after realizing there were innocent people in the carriage but rather lets the attack happen anyway makes it even worse. 

 

 

It seems to me you've made up your mind about him and nothing anyone of us says is going to change your mind.  Just like I feel that Loghain is dispicable in his actions and you can't change that for me. 

 

Everyone is going to take the story and happenings the way they want.  Some are more open, some aren't.

 

I was determined to hate Cole and Iron Bull before the game came out, but after meeting them and playing the game it was quite the opposite for both.  I love them.

 

I just hope that for your enjoyment of the game you can find a way to role play whatever end it is you are looking for.

It seems so. I was hoping talking about it would change my perspective, but it has only steeled myself against him further after reading some people's defense for his actions. 

 

 

Tired of running from himself perhaps - and he does want to deal with it; maybe he couldn't really face up to it until spending time with the Inquisition and seeing himself as you see him (in a romance anyway). Sure, at the start, he has been a criminal on the run, atoning in his own way (like helping those fishermen out), but he's also a man with a guilty conscience, and his guilt has clearly been weighing on his conscience for years upon years now.

 

Also, he wasn't afraid to face his past when he took on Blackwall's identity, in my opinion. I will just point out that he was recruited by Blackwall and that he was right in the middle of collecting darkspawn blood for the Joining to become part of the Order - it's jut that things went awry and the real Blackwall seemed to think enough of Rainier to save him from a killing blow. Additionally, I will point out where Rainier effectively said that it was a waste of a good man's life - better that Rainier die and "Blackwall" continue on. He was simultaneously honoring Blackwall in his own way and atoning, but he wasalso still hiding from the law - not going to deny that he was.

 

As for that other thing about being disappointed in the companions, you should recognize that they all have their own flaws/secrets/issues/failings and that some of them, perhaps, feel that they shouldn't be judging other people in such black-and-white terms. *shrug* It's fine to not like what he did, to not forgive him for it if that's how you feel, but I think you shouldn't try to make out as if there are no consequences for his actions and that the companions aren't entitled to deal with it in their own ways. If they understand and forgive, then they just do.

As I said earlier, he saves he wants to save people but it is really his own wretched soul he is trying to save. That's why he assumes the mantle of a Grey Warden, first by agreeing to join and later stealing Blackwall's identity. It also explains his death wish, since by putting himself in danger for others and throwing himself to the edge of death he thinks he will somehow wash away the blood on his hands. But it is a futile effort since for all that time he is still a coward trying to hide what he did by being someone else, like a child who changes the sheets to hide that they wet the bed.

 

There are no consequences for his actions until he fesses up to it. And even then, none of the options have him punished. He either is executed or imprisoned like he wants and thus isn't a punishment, joins the Wardens which he was going to anyway before Blackwall died, or left to serve the Inquisition with no punishment whatsoever. 

 

 

He's definitely the new Loghain

That's an insult to Loghain. At least he did what he did for Ferelden. Rainer did what he did for Rainer. 

[Milan92]

Yes, because people love to assume what happens to people they consider a friend and/or ally rather than actually knowing. 

 

I'm only looking at it from a Grey Warden POV.

[Bugsie]

He didn't do it for The Game. He did it for gold, plain and simple. 

And he only comes forward when his second in command, the last of his men to face the hangman's noose, is in trouble. Apparently he didn't give a hoot about the other soldiers under his command who died for his act of greed. Heck, if it wasn't for us I guarantee he would have let his XO die as well to save his own neck. 

 

 

The game isn't about collecting wealth and power by deceitful  means?  Rainier says that what he had - good standing, loyal men, comfort wasn't enough, why?  The game, the court, the general vileness of seeking power is all about the game.  You sound like you dont understand what the game is.  Did I call him a good man?  An honest man?  Or that all of his intentions were entirely without selfishness or self preservation?  No I did not, my explanations were not excuses, stop acting like I or others here are doing that.

 

Considering you keep bringing up the the 'stalking Josephine'  which has already had Sheryl come into the thread to say that was not supposed to happen and that she was very careful to make it that way am doubting your intentions about being in this thread are about not wanting to 'hate' Blackwall, but to just stir up ****.

[Rinji the Bearded]

Then maybe he should have thought of that before he agreed to abandon his oath and kill someone he is sworn to protect for gold. The fact that he still abandons his oath after realizing there were innocent people in the carriage but rather lets the attack happen anyway makes it even worse. 

 

Clearing up some misinformation here, mostly semantics:

 

Spoiler

He took no oath.  He wasn't a knight.  Technically still a traitor since he killed a kinsman, but no oath was taken or broken.  What is also messed up is that if Gaspard had won, Rainier might have even been written off as a hero in the long run. 

 

Also, he says his reasoning to take up Blackwall's name was not to clear up his own name or to wash his hands of blood, it was because he believed that no one should have died for him.  He later realizes that his men were taking the fall for him, and he realizes that the real Blackwall would have never let someone else take the fall in his place.

 

He very specifically says in both Cole and Solas banter that he will never forget what he did, nor does he seem to think that blood will be washed off his hands.

[Ynqve]

Yes, because people love to assume what happens to people they consider a friend and/or ally rather than actually knowing. 

 

Enough that he knows the lines to a nursery rhyme the children were singing in the carriage, so at least enough time to scream "Stop!" to his men. 

 

Except he wasn't redeeming himself. You have to actually be yourself to do that.

 

 

Then maybe he should have thought of that before he agreed to abandon his oath and kill someone he is sworn to protect for gold. The fact that he still abandons his oath after realizing there were innocent people in the carriage but rather lets the attack happen anyway makes it even worse. 

 

 

It seems so. I was hoping talking about it would change my perspective, but it has only steeled myself against him further after reading some people's defense for his actions. 

 

 

As I said earlier, he saves he wants to save people but it is really his own wretched soul he is trying to save. That's why he assumes the mantle of a Grey Warden, first by agreeing to join and later stealing Blackwall's identity. It also explains his death wish, since by putting himself in danger for others and throwing himself to the edge of death he thinks he will somehow wash away the blood on his hands. But it is a futile effort since for all that time he is still a coward trying to hide what he did by being someone else, like a child who changes the sheets to hide that they wet the bed.

 

There are no consequences for his actions until he fesses up to it. And even then, none of the options have him punished. He either is executed or imprisoned like he wants and thus isn't a punishment, joins the Wardens which he was going to anyway before Blackwall died, or left to serve the Inquisition with no punishment whatsoever. 

 

 

That's an insult to Loghain. At least he did what he did for Ferelden. Rainer did what he did for Rainer. 

 

I'm sorry, but what do you want from us or Blackwall himself?

 

You asked us to help you to not hate him, several people humored you and tried to explain how they felt. You don't agree with us and that's fine. It's your choice, you don't have to like him. I don't think Bioware intended for everyone to accept him after the reveal. What I don't understand is what you want from the character in order to accept him as redeemable? What kind of punishment would you find acceptable? What kind of atonement would you like to see from him? 

 

Honestly, I think you have (based on what you've written) a pretty much black and white approach to his actions and how moral you think they are. That's ok! But when it comes to characters like Blackwall you need to see things in shades of grey instead. I don't think there was a right thing for him to do when he realized the truth about the ambush, the best thing he could do was try to pick an option that was less bad. He tried to play the Game and he failed. This is the ugly downside to Orlesian politics, people get killed. People do bad things for bad reasons and sometimes they get away with it. 

[Kaidan Fan]

The game isn't about collecting wealth and power by deceitful  means?  Rainier says that what he had - good standing, loyal men, comfort wasn't enough, why?  The game, the court, the general vileness of seeking power is all about the game.  You sound like you dont understand what the game is.  Did I call him a good man?  An honest man?  Or that all of his intentions were entirely without selfishness or self preservation?  No I did not, my explanations were not excuses, stop acting like I or others here are doing that.

 

Considering you keep bringing up the the 'stalking Josephine'  which has already had Sheryl come into the thread to say that was not supposed to happen and that she was very careful to make it that way am doubting your intentions about being in this thread are about not wanting to 'hate' Blackwall, but to just stir up ****.

 

 

Clearing up some misinformation here, mostly semantics:

 

Spoiler

He took no oath.  He wasn't a knight.  Technically still a traitor since he killed a kinsman, but no oath was taken or broken.  What is also messed up is that if Gaspard had won, Rainier might have even been written off as a hero in the long run. 

 

Also, he says his reasoning to take up Blackwall's name was not to clear up his own name or to wash his hands of blood, it was because he believed that no one should have died for him.  He later realizes that his men were taking the fall for him, and he realizes that the real Blackwall would have never let someone else take the fall in his place.

 

He very specifically says in both Cole and Solas banter that he will never forget what he did, nor does he seem to think that blood will be washed off his hands.

 

 

I'm sorry, but what do you want from us or Blackwall himself?

 

You asked us to help you to not hate him, several people humored you and tried to explain how they felt. You don't agree with us and that's fine. It's your choice, you don't have to like him. I don't think Bioware intended for everyone to accept him after the reveal. What I don't understand is what you want from the character in order to accept him as redeemable? What kind of punishment would you find acceptable? What kind of atonement would you like to see from him? 

 

Honestly, I think you have (based on what you've written) a pretty much black and white approach to his actions and how moral you think they are. That's ok! But when it comes to characters like Blackwall you need to see things in shades of grey instead. I don't think there was a right thing for him to do when he realized the truth about the ambush, the best thing he could do was try to pick an option that was less bad. He tried to play the Game and he failed. This is the ugly downside to Orlesian politics, people get killed. People do bad things for bad reasons and sometimes they get away with it. 

 

 

Yes, because people love to assume what happens to people they consider a friend and/or ally rather than actually knowing. 

 

Enough that he knows the lines to a nursery rhyme the children were singing in the carriage, so at least enough time to scream "Stop!" to his men. 

 

Except he wasn't redeeming himself. You have to actually be yourself to do that.

 

 

Then maybe he should have thought of that before he agreed to abandon his oath and kill someone he is sworn to protect for gold. The fact that he still abandons his oath after realizing there were innocent people in the carriage but rather lets the attack happen anyway makes it even worse. 

 

 

It seems so. I was hoping talking about it would change my perspective, but it has only steeled myself against him further after reading some people's defense for his actions. 

 

 

As I said earlier, he saves he wants to save people but it is really his own wretched soul he is trying to save. That's why he assumes the mantle of a Grey Warden, first by agreeing to join and later stealing Blackwall's identity. It also explains his death wish, since by putting himself in danger for others and throwing himself to the edge of death he thinks he will somehow wash away the blood on his hands. But it is a futile effort since for all that time he is still a coward trying to hide what he did by being someone else, like a child who changes the sheets to hide that they wet the bed.

 

There are no consequences for his actions until he fesses up to it. And even then, none of the options have him punished. He either is executed or imprisoned like he wants and thus isn't a punishment, joins the Wardens which he was going to anyway before Blackwall died, or left to serve the Inquisition with no punishment whatsoever. 

 

 

That's an insult to Loghain. At least he did what he did for Ferelden. Rainer did what he did for Rainer.

We'll have to agree to disagree.  He did what he did for pride.  He didn't want help from the Orleasians and Cailan was going to partner with them to stop the blight.  So he left his son in law, the husband of his daughter, to die for his pride.

 

I quoted the others for agreement.  This is pretty much how I feel on the matter as well.

 

What he did was a horrible thing, even if the children being there was a mistake or misinformation.  I make no excuses for him.  But IMO he is redeemable and is a changed man.  For the better.

[Rinji the Bearded]

In the end, if you like him, you like him.  If you don't, you don't.   And that's ok!

[Hanako Ikezawa]

The game isn't about collecting wealth and power by deceitful  means?  Rainier says that what he had - good standing, loyal men, comfort wasn't enough, why?  The game, the court, the general vileness of seeking power is all about the game.  You sound like you dont understand what the game is.  Did I call him a good man?  An honest man?  Or that all of his intentions were entirely without selfishness or self preservation?  No I did not, my explanations were not excuses, stop acting like I or others here are doing that.

 

Considering you keep bringing up the the 'stalking Josephine'  which has already had Sheryl come into the thread to say that was not supposed to happen and that she was very careful to make it that way am doubting your intentions about being in this thread are about not wanting to 'hate' Blackwall, but to just stir up ****.

I understand perfectly what the Game is. Doesn't change the fact that when offered gold Rainier said, "Okay, I'll kill them for you.". So me saying he did it for gold is not wrong, nor is blaming him for his actions. The Grand Game influenced them yes, and I've made no point in hiding my disdain for it as well, but it doesn't assume direct control of people's actions. As for the Josephine stalker thing, ignoring the bug he still fits the definition of a stalker from some of the things he does so I'm not going to not say that is a fault I see in him. So no, I am not trying to stir up stuff. I genuinely wanted to hear people's defense of Rainier's actions. 

 

 

Clearing up some misinformation here, mostly semantics:

 

Spoiler

He took no oath.  He wasn't a knight.  Technically still a traitor since he killed a kinsman, but no oath was taken or broken.  What is also messed up is that if Gaspard had won, Rainier might have even been written off as a hero in the long run. 

 

Also, he says his reasoning to take up Blackwall's name was not to clear up his own name or to wash his hands of blood, it was because he believed that no one should have died for him.  He later realizes that his men were taking the fall for him, and he realizes that the real Blackwall would have never let someone else take the fall in his place.

 

He very specifically says in both Cole and Solas banter that he will never forget what he did, nor does he seem to think that blood will be washed off his hands.

Yes he did. He was a captain in the Orlesian military. Thus he went against what the soldiers are sworn to do: protect the people of Orlais. 

 

As for the other two, I think you can understand why I am not going to take the word of a man who for most of the game literally every word out of his mouth was nothing but lies. 

 

 

We'll have to agree to disagree.  He did what he did for pride.  He didn't want help from the Orleasians and Cailan was going to partner with them to stop the blight.  So he left his son in law, the husband of his daughter, to die for his pride.

 

I quoted the others for agreement.  This is pretty much how I feel on the matter as well.

 

What he did was a horrible thing, even if the children being there was a mistake or misinformation.  I make no excuses for him.  But IMO he is redeemable and is a changed man.  For the better.

Fair enough, though I have to agree with those who say Cailan dug his own grave with that attack. One of Cailan's retainers even Cailan knew that, but did it to by time for the rest of the forces not at Ostagar to assemble and be prepared. So I don't blame Loghain for saving most of the army at Ostagar by falling back from what even the idealistic Cailan knew was a suicide mission. Now everything else he did, from poisoning Eamon to supporting the likes of Howe and Uldred to selling the Denerim elves to Tevinter is more enough to condemn him. 

 

I'm sorry, but what do you want from us or Blackwall himself?

 

You asked us to help you to not hate him, several people humored you and tried to explain how they felt. You don't agree with us and that's fine. It's your choice, you don't have to like him. I don't think Bioware intended for everyone to accept him after the reveal. What I don't understand is what you want from the character in order to accept him as redeemable? What kind of punishment would you find acceptable? What kind of atonement would you like to see from him? 

 

Honestly, I think you have (based on what you've written) a pretty much black and white approach to his actions and how moral you think they are. That's ok! But when it comes to characters like Blackwall you need to see things in shades of grey instead. I don't think there was a right thing for him to do when he realized the truth about the ambush, the best thing he could do was try to pick an option that was less bad. He tried to play the Game and he failed. This is the ugly downside to Orlesian politics, people get killed. People do bad things for bad reasons and sometimes they get away with it. 

From you guys, nothing. You tried to change my perspective on him and even though it didn't work, I thank you all for explaining your side. From Rainier, as I said one thing I would like to see in a DLC that would at least let me see him as trying to genuinely atone is for him to go to the graves of the family he killed and beg for forgiveness and basically say everything he tells us. That at least would show he is doing it for them, not for himself. I know we'll never get that scene, but it is what I want from Rainier. 

 

About there not being a right thing to do, I disagree. There was a right thing for him to do: not kill the innocent people.  

 

About me being a black and white person, I agree. I am a lot like Garrus when it comes to things like this, and I love his quote about it: "It's so much easier to see the world in black and white. Gray...I don't know what to do with gray.".  

[Rinji the Bearded]

Yes he did. He was a captain in the Orlesian military. Thus he went against what the soldiers are sworn to do: protect the people of Orlais.

 

Factually, only Knights take oaths.   Usurping can happen and those men may never pay for it, IF they are successful.

[Milan92]

From you guys, nothing. You tried to change my perspective on him and even though it didn't work, I thank you all for explaining your side. From Rainier, as I said one thing I would like to see in a DLC that would at least let me see him as trying to genuinely atone is for him to go to the graves of the family he killed and beg for forgiveness and basically say everything he tells us. That at least would show he is doing it for them, not for himself. I know we'll never get that scene, but it is what I want from Rainier. 

 

Did you heard the part where Cole said that the family doesn't want him to ask for forgiveness?

[AtreiyaN7]

 

There are no consequences for his actions until he fesses up to it. And even then, none of the options have him punished. He either is executed or imprisoned like he wants and thus isn't a punishment, joins the Wardens which he was going to anyway before Blackwall died, or left to serve the Inquisition with no punishment whatsoever. 

 

 

That's an insult to Loghain. At least he did what he did for Ferelden. Rainer did what he did for Rainer. 

 

Wait, being executed isn't punishment for Blackwall? And he's not being punished sufficiently if he joins the Wardens or stays with the Inquisition or gets thrown into dungeon (as the case may be) either???? And it didn't matter that he was on his way to becoming an actual Warden? You seem, at this point, to have the attitude that there's no way that Rainier can make up for what he did no matter what he does. If he lives, if he dies...none of the alternatives seem like sufficient punishment for you - nothing is good enough for you, lol.

 

I guess you have your answer at this point, don't you? Ditch him, and gear up Cass - dragons, ho! I do, however, find it entirely amusing that you're willing to blithely forgive Loghain for everything he did - and a lot of his actions either directly or indirectly involved trying to kill your Warden - yet you're waving it off as "he did it all for Ferelden!"

 

What about Duncan? What about all the Wardens and the recruits and Cailan and Cailan's men? For chrissake, Loghain had Arl Howe in his employ. Maybe you recall how Howe slaughtered the entire Cousland family? If you are as good as the people under you, well, I guess Loghain wasn't all that great. Now for all my loathing of Loghain, at least I could sort of respect him on a few points. But he betrayed his king - and by your black-and-white standards, that is high treason no matter how you want to look at it.

 

Sure, Rainier took gold and sought his own advancement - it's de facto what you do in Orlais. Viv even says that you even have to learn to use servants to win at the Game. Rainier screwed up, and it all went wrong, but you can't wave off what Loghain did and call it okay just because of his motivations. You said you wanted us to convince you to keep Blackwall around, but clearly you kind of had your mind made up all along, and it was really just a pointless exercise in the end.

 

And we, at least, aren't guessing at much of anything regarding what happened or Blackwall's feelings about it, except, perhaps for inferring that Rainier couldn't act because he was maybe paralyzed by the realization that he was screwed either way. Cole's words are the literal truth of the matter - he can't and doesn't lie. But one last thing: for someone who has such a high opinion of the Wardens, you don't seem to be acknowledging that - in more recent times - a lot of their conscripts are criminals.

 

Hey, remember that one conscript in DA:O who was a thief? Or semi-cowardly Ser Jory? Not every Warden or conscript is of sterling character. I think Stroud was an ideal Warden, and they sure need more people like him, but please...let's not be hypocritical here. You can't say x, y, z about one person and then ignore the similar character flaws/deficiencies in others when it suits you.

 

Again, it's mighty convenient how you're ignoring the whole "high treason" thing with Loghain.

[veeia]

That he is.

And I applaud Sheryl for that.

For real. I basically wanted to romance Duncan and Loghain and a full romance wih Gorim and Blackwall ended up being all three of those with a glorious beard to boot. The best.


...I mean also complexity and whatnot.

[Ynqve]

From you guys, nothing. You tried to change my perspective on him and even though it didn't work, I thank you all for explaining your side. From Rainier, as I said one thing I would like to see in a DLC that would at least let me see him as trying to genuinely atone is for him to go to the graves of the family he killed and beg for forgiveness and basically say everything he tells us. That at least would show he is doing it for them, not for himself. I know we'll never get that scene, but it is what I want from Rainier. 

 

About there not being a right thing to do, I disagree. There was a right thing for him to do: not kill the innocent people.  

 

About me being a black and white person, I agree. I am a lot like Garrus when it comes to things like this, and I love his quote about it: "It's so much easier to see the world in black and white. Gray...I don't know what to do with gray.".  

 

You have to remember that his men were innocent too. They had no idea what their captain sent them to do, they had no way of knowing anything until it was too late. And I bet they had families of their own, families who had to live with the shame and disgrace as Rainier's men got executed one by one. So basically he was picking between saving five innocent nobles or his men who were innocent as well (and by extension their families).

[Ryzaki]

I admit...I probably am just going to execute Blackwall when I get to this point.

 

I'm using him as a tank but his lies are so obvious and my PC pretty much acting like she's as dense as a bag of hammers isn't helping. Welp so much for my taller lady/shorter male mance. =/

[Rinji the Bearded]

I admit...I probably am just going to execute Blackwall when I get to this point.

 

I'm using him as a tank but his lies are so obvious and my PC pretty much acting like she's as dense as a bag of hammers isn't helping. Welp so much for my taller lady/shorter male mance. =/

 

Spoiler

You don't personally execute him.  It's either:

 

a. leave him to be executed

 

or 

 

b. bring him to Skyhold for judgment to be:

 

1) conscripted into the Inquisition against his will (with the words I OWN YOU)

2) sent to the Grey Wardens after Corypheus is defeated

3) freed to atone

[Hellion Rex]

Well, I'm kinda...disappointed. For some reason, Blackwall just didn't hold any depth to me whatsoever. Most of his scenes fell very flat, so I really felt no desire to go out of my way to talk to him. And to me, it was obvious he was lying from the start, which incensed me even more.

 

And I got furious when I heard Cole digging in Blackwall's head about the child(ren) that were in the carriage. "Maker, are they young?"

[Aisabel]

Honestly, I have dealt with knowing someone who was murdered and I'll just say this- the Blackwall character showed guilt and remorse- the very thing I would have liked to have seen with the people who murdered my dad's friend. Alas all we saw was them fleeing the state and pretending he killed himself and celebrating that they got to be together and get his kids.. one of my reasons for letting Blackwall atone is this.

[Hornless Qunari/Human DPS]

Second play through i let him go didn't like his story when i finished the first time.

Spoiler

But his dual identity didn't help his cause either.

[Rinji the Bearded]

I think some of his scenes may feel "flat" because it's supposed to feel like a twist in the gut when the climax (THEMATICALLY-SPEAKING) happens.   The big reveal is:

 

Spoiler

He's not some heroic Grey Warden, he's a regular man who has made a lot of mistakes.

 

But I can totally get someone not enjoying this kind of narrative either.  I've heard a lot of reasons, beyond just "I didn't like it" too, but they're all valid.

[AresKeith]

His reveal:

 

Spoiler

 

[AtreiyaN7]

For real. I basically wanted to romance Duncan and Loghain and a full romance wih Gorim and Blackwall ended up being all three of those with a glorious beard to boot. The best.


...I mean also complexity and whatnot.

 

I considered him a cross between Kougami Shinya and Tomomi Masaoka - only white, with a beard and a Free Marcher accent. Just google Psycho-Pass for character details (I will say that Enforcers A ) sometimes kill people who shouldn't necessarily be killed because of the nature of the system and B ) some of them want to do what's right/just but maybe need to be reminded what it's like to be an actual cop/human being again).

[Chrys]

You have to remember that his men were innocent too. They had no idea what their captain sent them to do, they had no way of knowing anything until it was too late. And I bet they had families of their own, families who had to live with the shame and disgrace as Rainier's men got executed one by one. So basically he was picking between saving five innocent nobles or his men who were innocent as well (and by extension their families).

 

That's an issue I have with the story. Not calling off the attack didn't save his soldiers - they were imprisoned and executed. Blackwall had to know this, because he was hiding when real Blackwall met him. So... did he expect keeping the lie would benefit his soldiers? And when he saw it didn't, he didn't do anything? I didn't quite get what they meant to convey about it.

[Ryzaki]

Spoiler

You don't personally execute him.  It's either:

 

a. leave him to be executed

 

or 

 

b. bring him to Skyhold for judgment to be:

 

1) conscripted into the Inquisition against his will (with the words I OWN YOU)

2) sent to the Grey Wardens after Corypheus is defeated

3) freed to atone

 

Spoiler

 

Really? Boo.

 

I guess conscripted I'll go. I wonder what he says after that if you get him to high disapproval. That should be amusing.