This may be just my luck, but when I went in with Anders, Oghren, Nathanial, and myself (Elf Magi) saving the city bugged out. As I was on the stairs next to the quest board, somehow someone reanimated dead, and there was a revived darkspawn (or maybe it was a revived guard- I couldn't tell) that was taking no damage, and it would not allow me to progress through saving the city because it thought I was still in combat. I loaded a save from the beginning of Kal'Hirol, thinking it just glitched, and had the same results, in the exact same spot. I have yet to go through the whole thing again to be sure though, but everyone please be wary, just in case.
EDIT: This helped me pass the glitch. I found it on Gamespot.
"The Animated Dead in Amaranthine is Frozen. I found a way to avoid this tactical error. Instead of going to the side of the stairs first, Run to the top of the stairs. There you will be stopped by a barrier. Then run back down the stairs. Make sure all darkspawn are dead. Next, go to the side of the stairs. Finish off any remaining darkspawn. Once this has been done, the barrier will be broken. CRITICAL: Head up the stairs and kill the Hurlock Emissary FIRST!! He is the one who summons the Animated Dead. Hope this helps you on your Quest. Have fun"