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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 4:14:35 GMT
THE ANDERFELS
The Anderfels is a blighted region in northwest Thedas best known for its harsh terrain and being home to the Grey Wardens. The Order was first founded here, and Weisshaupt Fortress in the south remains the center of Warden leadership in Thedas.
The darkspawn are a constant and formidable thread in the Anderfels, even in the absence of a true Blight. The region's people, known as Anders, have been hardened by entire lives at war with the darkspawn. They live in constant fear and vigilance of the surfacing blighted, and the nation is far away enough from the rest of Thedas that their plight is easily ignored.
The Anders are bitter neighbors of the Tevinter Imperium, who once ruled the region, and the king in Hossberg ignores most of his sparse populace, focusing on maintaining his own order and comfort in the capital. Outside the city, most Anders fend for themselves in small, largely self-sufficient villages and outposts. The closest thing rural Anders have to real authority are the Wardens, who maintain at least a token presence in even the farthest inhabited corners of the region.
The Circle of Magi in the Anderfels is located in Hossberg.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:06:26 GMT
ANTIVA
Romantic Antiva is known for its wine, sailing, and rich merchant history. Its true leaders, if it has any, are a body of argumentative merchant princes who have far more power than the weak monarchy that officially rules the nation. The merchant elite prefers to sue for peace when entangled in a war, which is not often, given that the nation is well known for its neutrality and passive approach to cross border conflicts.
While Antiva is not a military power by any means--there is no standing army--the nation keeps the deadliest assassins in Thedas in the House of Crows. The guild's fame is such that entire kingdoms fear their silent blades, and few have dared take on the nation in open war. The country's neutral political stance also helps.
Antiva is relatively prosperous, thanks to aggressive trading policies. Its only real resources come from the wine trade, fueled by its fruitful vineyards. Antiva would not be so rich if it were isolated from its trading partners.
The people of Antiva are renowned for their festival culture. Holidays there tend to be celebrated with uncommon enthusiasm. The Circle of Magi in Antiva is in Antiva City.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:06:47 GMT
ESTWATCH
The island of Estwatch is not technically under any jurisdiction, though that's not for lack of trying. Marcher states like Kirkwall, Starkhaven and Hercinia have all tried and failed to claim it. But Estwatch is its own, a notoriously lawless port of call for pirates.
A small town has sprung up around the island port that has earned the name Little Lomerryn, a nod to its similarly rebellious sister city.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:06:50 GMT
FERELDEN
Ferelden is a nation in southeast Thedas best known as the likely birthplace of Andraste and the battleground of the Fifth Blight. It is home to significant communities of dwarves in Orzammar and Dalish elves in the Brecilian Forest. Ferelden has only begun to settle down in the last few centuries, and other neighbors, especially neighboring Orlais, still consider it a relative backwater, with relations between Orlais and Ferelden remaining tense at the best of times.
Queen Anora leads the monarchy that governs Ferelden from Denerim, the capital. The nation is broken into provinces, called terynirs. Lesser nobles are referred to as arls and banns. Commerce is largely unregulated and gambling halls and brothels are approved of. Clothing in Ferelden is chiefly practical for the weather, consisting most commonly of furs and leathers.
The Circle of Magi in Ferelden is in Kinloch Hold.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:07:28 GMT
THE FREE MARCHES
The Free Marches is the collective name given to a group of wealthy city-states in central Thedas. The Free Marches are known as the breadbasket of Thedas, with the farms along the bank of the great Minanter River producing much of the continent's food.
Kirkwall: Kirkwall is a large city-state on the edge of the Waking Sea, built into the rock face of the magnificent Vimmark Mountains. The city is a gate for nautical trade moving in and out of the continent. Once the engine of the Tevinter Imperium's slave trade, Kirkwall underwent Qunari rule as well before being freed by Orlais and establishing itself as an independent city. Three years ago, it was the site of the first mage uprising in Thedas that spurred the growing conflict between mages and templars to this day.
Starkhaven: The largest city in the Free Marches, Starkhaven is also its most grand. Much has been made of Starkhaven's famed wealth and the obvious ways it is on display. Large sections of the city are decorated in marble and gold.
Sebastian Vael rules in Starkhaven, the last of his family, and hellbent on vengeance for the incident three years ago where the Chantry he served in in Kirkwall was destroyed. Mages are generally unwelcome in Starkhaven as a result--but given that its Circle burned to the ground a few years ago, there are few of them to be found in plain sight.
Starkhaven is famous for its cuisine, particularly the fish dishes.
Ostwick: When the Qunari first landed in the Free Marches, it was at the city-state of Ostwick, near the mouth of the Waking Sea. The city-state's famous double walls reflect the effect this had on people's nerves.
Markham: Ansburg's more cultured sister city is home to one of the largest universities in Thedas, a center for agricultural research.
Ansberg: The word "backwater" is thrown around a lot in regards to Ansberg, but this central city-state is a bustling, if not beautiful, center of agricultural trade.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:07:47 GMT
NEVARRA
Nevarra is a nation in central Thedas bordered by Orlais to the west and the Free Marches to the east. It is best known for its unique treatment of death, royal dynasties, and a history of dragon hunting.
Nevarra was actually one of the largest Marcher city-states before it expanded to become a full nation. Bolstered by deep coffers and a strategic location, Nevarra has grown into a power over the last few ages that many claim rivals even Orlais. While the capital lies in the original city of Nevarra, the city of Cumberland has seen rapid growth in the last century to become one of the largest in Thedas, with its advantageous position on the Minanter River meaning it hosts the bulk of trade.
The ruling Pentaghasts, with an aging king on the throne, are Nevarra's most famous family. Under Pentaghast leadership Nevarra fought and won a long war with Orlais. This victory brought the nation much prestige and wealth, but the indigenous peoples of these western lands are still not fond of the Nevarran presence.
One of the most unique aspects of Nevarran culture is that they mummify their dead, rather than burn them as most Andrastian nations do. Cumberland is also where the Circle of Magi in Nevarra is located, and it is said that mages in Nevarra almost have as much power as those in the Tevinter Imperium. Cumberland is also the seat of the Grand Enchanter, the supreme mage ruler of all Circles.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:08:00 GMT
ORLAIS
Orlais is a country in south-west Thedas known for its culture of extravagant nobility and as the birthplace of the Chantry. Ambitious and wealthy, Orlais is the most powerful human nation in Thedas.
The Orlesian capital is Val Royeaux, home to the Chantry's Grand Cathedral, the center of the Andrastian religion's power. The University of Orlais is also in Val Royeaux, as well as the famed White Spire, where a Circle of Magi dwells. There is also a Circle in Montsimmard, where the Orlesian Wardens are also located.
Orlais is the home of the Great Game, where Orlesian nobility maneuver against each other in a decadent struggle for status and appearance. The nobles of Orlais are also famous for their elaborate decorative masks: a bare face is considered gauche.
Many of the nobility in Orlais are also members of the infamous knightly order, the chevaliers. Joining the chevaliers is a good way to improve social standing, a useful method for lesser lords and ladies, as well as noble children not in line to inherit. The chevaliers include both men and women. The chevaliers undergo fierce training, being instilled with a code of honor they value more than their lives, and are said to be utterly fearless with absolute loyalty to the empire.
Orlais is currently in the grips of a civil war between the Empress Celeste and her cousin, the Grand Duke Gaspard.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:08:12 GMT
PAR VOLLEN
When the Qunari landed in Thedas from the north, Par Vollen was the first land they conquered and converted to the Qun. Through ages of war, Par Vollen has remained a steady pillar of Qunari society, held firm by the Qunari even when their attempts to conquer the rest of Thedas fell apart under heavy resistance.
Par Vollen is peaceful, its native humans largely willing converts to the Qun. The Qunari consider Par Vollen their new homeland. Their culture has long since been subsumed by that of the Qunari, whose marvels include the great domes and aqueducts of Qunndar, which is the only city of real importance on the island and easily a rival to the great Thedosian cities like Cumberland, Val Royeaux and Minrathous.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:08:20 GMT
RIVAIN
Rivain is a human nation unlike any other in Thedas, where the culture of the Qun butts up against tribal beliefs and the Chantry competes for influence. The country is bordered almost entirely by water, save for a land bridge to the northwest connecting it to Antiva. The two nations share the picturesque Rialto Bay, but little else.
Rivain is home to the only peaceful Qunari settlement on the main continent in Kont-aar. The influence of the Qun, if not absolute adherence to its teachings, is present throughout Rivain, getting stronger as one heads towards Kont-aar. The Chant of Light never took root fully in Rivain, as evidenced by the fact that the Rivaini refuse to be parted from their "seers", in actuality wise women who are hedge mages, communicating with spirits and allowing themselves to become possessed. As a result, the nation is relatively accepting of magic in areas occupied by the traditional Rivaini.
The Circle of Magi in Rivain was formerly in Dairsmuid, the capital city. However it was dissolved a few months ago when the templars and mages of the Circle clashed.
Llomerryn is a politically neutral port city on an island off the coast of Rivain. The island has become a haven for pirates, brigands and all manners of criminals. The famed markets and bazaars of Llomerryn overflow with treasures--often pillaged--from far-off lands.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:08:38 GMT
SEHERON
Seheron, the largest island in Thedas, was a paradise claimed by Tevinter long before the Qunari first landed on its shores. Upon their arrival, the Qunari handily ousted the Tevinters and took the island as their own. Life in Seheron has been colored by near-constant conflict ever since.
Tevinter considers Seheron a disputed zone and continues to mount offensives to retake the island. Though it is technically Qunari territory, some native Seherons actively rebel against the Qun's authority, with the most notable of these being the famed Fog Warriors: native Seheron rebel forces who engage in deadly stealth strikes against the Qunari.
There is a significant population on Seheron, however, whom embrace the ideals of the Qun over the oppression the Tevinter Imperium offers, especially former elven slaves from the Imperium who can find prestige and high roles within Qunari society on the island.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:08:44 GMT
TEVINTER IMPERIUM
The Tevinter Imperium is a coastal nation in northern Thedas known for its pro-magic culture and once vast rule over much of the continent. In Tevinter culture, might makes right, and the society's mage leaders, known as magisters, do as they please. It was the Tevinters who destroyed the legendary elven kingdom and first took the elves as slaves, resulting in the death of elven culture. Slavery in the Imperium is still actively practiced to this day, with the majority being elves, although there are human slaves as well.
To most Thedosians, Tevinter is a corrupt and degenerate magocracy that must be feared until it can be converted. Tevinters themselves view the rest of Thedas as barely civilized savages who lack proper reverence for tradition and respect for authority.
Dragons feature prominently in Tevinter, decorating everything from ancient art and architecture to modern public buildings. The Old Gods of the ancient magisters were depicted as dragons, and even when their worship was banned with the Cult of the Maker, the dragon remained a defining symbol of the Imperium.
The Archon is the supreme ruler of the Imperium. The mage elites of the Magisterium also help govern the nation. The Circle of Magi of Tevinter is in the capital city of Minrathous, but attendance is not mandatory as it is in the rest of Thedas--it is a privilege. Magic is viewed as a gift from a higher power in Tevinter, proof of divine blessing.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:08:54 GMT
THE DEEP ROADS
The Deep Roads are a grand network of tunnels that once linked the thaigs, the caverns where settlements were built in honor of the Paragons - dwarves that achieved legendary status among their people. These subterranean highways were works of unparalleled artisan achievement, with centuries of planning and engineering demonstrated in the geometry of their walls. Statues of the Paragons watched over passing travelers, and channels carried a flow of magma that kept the Deep Roads lit and warm. At the height of the dwarven kingdom, the Deep Roads were busy with constant travelers and merchants, not only from the thaigs, but from the surface.
If a citizen of the Tevinter Imperium at its height were to see the Deep Roads today, they would be shocked at the silence and decay that now reigns within. This once-proud creation is now the source of much lament for what the dwarves have lost.
How much of the network is still open is unknown, as is how much of the Deep Roads the darkspawn have corrupted. It has been centuries since the darkspawn invaded the surface, but the fact that it takes the darkspawn some time to break through to the surface (and the fact that they have to break through instead of just emerging) suggests that most of the official entrances are well-sealed. Entering the Deep Roads brings great risks. There are many legends of travelers going missing in the hills near these entrances, most coming from Ferelden.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:09:05 GMT
KAL-SHAROK
Thousands of years ago, Kal-Sharok was the capital of the dwarven empire. It is considered as a "great thaig" along with Orzammar. While enjoying good trade with the Tevinter Imperium due to its proximity to the Tevinter capital of Minrathous, the seat of power was eventually moved to the current dwarven capital, Orzammar in order to focus on the trade with the surface.
n the aftermath of the First Blight the darkspawn kept pushing underground, which virtually brought the empire to its knees. As they had to close the passages leading to most of the thaigs, in an effort to save Orzammar, High King Threestone declared lost to the horde the kingdom of Kal-Sharok as well as the kingdoms of Hormak and Gundaar in -40 Ancient.
In recent times, however, it has been discovered that Kal-Sharok miraculously survived the darkspawn onslaught in 9:12 Dragon, 952 years after Threestone's declaration of being lost. However, the few dwarves living there are said to be extremely reclusive and unwilling to re-establish contact with the rest of the world as well as being deeply embittered towards Orzammar for abandoning them.
With far fewer resources than Orzammar and no known access to the surface, Kal-Sharok has had to do some very questionable things to survive. It is believed that when the darkspawn invaded, the kings of the old empire retreated to Kal-Sharok, where they were able to defeat the darkspawn but suffered heavy casualties. It has also been intimated that Kal-Sharok's isolation and perhaps their interaction with the darkspawn during this time may have changed them in some unknown way.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 27, 2014 16:09:28 GMT
ORZAMMAR
"It is an awe–inspiring sight, a great city of stone standing within a vast cavern, poised over a sea of molten lava. There the forges ring loudest, and the finest smiths create works that are the envy of all races. Countless thaigs were lost in the First Blight, when the darkspawn poured out of the Deep Roads like smoke. With each generation, more of the Deep Roads had to be sealed, more thaigs lost forever. Now only Orzammar stands—the last bastion of the dwarven race and its finest creation."
Orzammar is divided into three sections: the Diamond Quarter, home to the very pinnacle of dwarven society, the noble caste and the royal family, the Commons, the largest and central portion of Orzammar, andhome to the bulk of Orzammar’s population, particularly those of the merchant caste, and Dust Town, the poorest sector of Orzammar where the casteless live, condemned to abject poverty.
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Post by bruixa on Apr 28, 2014 1:32:19 GMT
KAL'HIROL
Kal'Hirol is a great thaig of the dwarves, long known as a center of learning for the smith caste. It is named after Paragon Hirol. It is situated beneath the Arling of Amaranthine in Ferelden.
ts workshops are where Paragon Hirol conceived his famous improvements to golem resilience and power, and where Hirol's favorite student developed a method for storing refined lyrium that is still used centuries after its conception. These breakthroughs brought Kal'Hirol great prosperity; its passageways are said to have glittered with gold and silver.
But those days were long past. Fallen to darkspawn for untold ages, Kal'Hirol was finally cleared of darkspawn by the Warden-Commander of Ferelden in 9:30 Dragon, and eventually the dwarves of Orzammar attempted to reclaim it. House Helmi ultimately lead a host of dwarves to clear the Deep Roads between Orzammar and Kal'Hirol and, though the losses were great, they were ultimately successful in 9:31 Dragon.
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