Caridin is technically the oldest living paragon. His greatest invention, the Anvil of the Void, was built during the darkest days of the First Blight, when the dwarves were desperate for any means to drive back the encroaching darkspawn. When Caridin unveiled his first golem to the Assembly, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was a living Paragon. The creation of the golems from the Anvil allowed the dwarves to hold their ground against the darkspawn, but Caridin never mentioned the cost of such victory: namely the sacrifice of the lives of those who volunteered in order to animate the golems. When the dwarven king Valtor started using the Anvil to turn casteless, criminals, and political enemies into golems (instead of just volunteers), Caridin objected -- and in turn was made into a golem himself. Even after all these years, he is still trapped in a body of steel, and now is the protector of the Anvil of the Void, wishing he never invented it.

Many expeditions were sent into the Deep Roads, but they almost never returned. The last rescue operation was mounted by Queen Getha. She sent the entire Legion of Steel to reclaim Caridin and his secrets. With great fanfare, the Legion left Orzammar... but they were never heard from again. The Shaperate declared Caridin dead, extinguishing the last kindle of hope. Due to the incalculable loss of the Legion of Steel, Queen Getha was deposed.