So, what do we know, then? Dwarves have been using lyrium to store 'Memories' since long before the First Blight - since before the founding of the 'first thaig', since that's how long Orzammar's go back, and they have no mention of the titans, though there are ancient Memories inside the titan under Heidrun Thaig. The Shapers are able to record 'living memory' - the actual thoughts of the Shaper - into special runes. Although Arberg describes the Memories as symbols that 'glow as if alive and capable of speech', we see the Tevinter use of red lyrium capable of reproducing both speech and images - and this doesn't surprise Dagna. Indeed, when you find the first piece of the crystal on Vicinius's corpse, it speaks, so it's not just Dagna's doing that makes the lyrium actually reproduce sound.

So, you know how I was talking about titans and vines and flowers and glowing spheres, the other day? Yeah, about that. I give you a dwarven chair back. Zoom in on that. (Also some relevant codices, a mural, and an elven tombstone.)

It's a freaking travesty. If you look at the fact that it's a Tevinter mine, originally, and connect the dots about the shit going on near Kirkwall at the time, most of it makes sense. Except the spiders. But fuck the spiders. Who needs an excuse for spiders, really?

So I have a lot of headcanons about magic in Thedas and the ways in which it can be used to make everyday life a little bit easier, at least in theory: I love the idea of boring, mundane, unprepossessing or just downright silly spells that aren't flashy and don't do anything spectacular (or have any sort of combat application). Because I'm waiting for the tumble dryer to finish, here is a list of some of my favourites.

Yo what kind of booze do you think the Dalish drink? I can't see them setting up stills-they're nomadic. Are there nomadic cultures that traditionally consume spirits? And presumably they don't do much with grains, so probably not beer. Still leaves meads, various berry and fruit wines, maybe fermentations of starchy root crops-but I am currently most amused by imagining them drinking halla-milk kumis.

Yes, yes, guess which asshole just got through the Dead Hand. Things that strike me? - That's probably Andruil. There's little reason to imagine the archer is anyone else. - There are wolves ALL OVER THE GODDAMN PLACE, notably on the four blocking pillars and two more in the first unlocked tomb chamber. - There's one owl, with the switch on it. The owl is symbolic of either Andruil or Falon'Din - more correctly, it's the messenger of Andruil and the sacred animal of Falon'Din. Contextually, it's probably Andruil-related because the switch turns the archer in the puzzle. But…

Dirthamen-Dumat, the "Tevinter" Bas Relief Mosaics, and the Limitations of Dwarven Perspective - posted in Lore Discussion: Warning: this interpretation depends heavily on triple threat theory and the implication that there are seven members of the elvish Panthon, not nine. If thats a no-go for you, feel free to skip!

Q:Do you think the demon from asunder was anything special? For the record, I mean the Pride (?) Demon from the quest asunder, and not the Cole from the book asunder. :p

So, Thedas has (and has had) a variety of religions throughout its history, and some of them share some freaky traits. Here's the ones I can think of that aren't like… sects/cults of one of the others, and what I notice they have in common.

Other shit along the northern coast includes Soldier's Peak, which by 9:30 Dragon is inhabited by demons, an undead Grey Warden, and a nearly-immortal Grey Warden blood mage; Blackmarsh, where an entire village got dragged into the Fade by a lunatic maleficar dragonslayer; and Aeonar, which is said to be at the northernmost point of the Imperial Highway in Ferelden. Interestingly, that would put it almost dead north of Kinloch Hold, and near where Lake Calenhad drains into the sea. Also interestingly, that puts Aeonar almost on top of a fairly important trade crossroads, and spitting distance from Crestwood. So, uh… o_O;

Ok, so, there's a quest in Origins, during Broken Circle, called 'Watchguard of the Reaching'. The 'reaching', apparently, judging from the codex entries for this quest, is some sort of journey into the Fade, like a Harrowing, but by more advanced mages.

Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity. -Canticle of Andraste, 14:11 The notes on this page mention a passage from The Calling: In Dragon Age: The Calling Maric Theirin explains this fragment of the Chant to Fiona as follows: "It's where Andraste goes to speak to the Maker for the first time. It's where she convinces him to forgive mankind. It was supposed to be this beautiful temple deep under the earth surrounded by emerald waters."

Which is to say, is Eleni Zinovia precognitive by her own talents, and if not, is that statue actually Eleni or is it the spirit who fed her the prophecies? Because that thing sounds like Cole, all the time.

Ok, so from Note: The Gates of Segrumar: - Terrible, to sacrifice one's own child with a lie. I preyed on perfectly trusting faith, but how could I explain my desperation? The Deep Roads wind in deceitful spirals, concealing the sigil from casual observance. I could not discern its true pattern until I stood in the Fade and gazed down upon the vast malevolent engraving. Its artist remains unknown, but its horrifying intent was all too clear - as was my necessity. I only wish it had not cost you, my only child. I could not build the locked barriers that would carve the marks and break the sigil. You alone could save us all, but only by destroying yourself. And I let you do it. Forgive me. Compare that to the note about the streets of Kirkwall, above. What keeps coming to me is that dwarves don't generally enter the Fade, so this is… maybe not a note from dwarf. The codex text also lacks any indication of being difficult for the Inquisitor to read, because of the language - unlike ancient Elvhen inscriptions. I can only assume that means it's written in Common.

So, canonically, 'Cadash Thaig' was built on the ruins of 'Cad'halash Thaig' - with almost the same name. Or, perhaps, the name just stayed with the place and changed. (After all, there's still elven artefacts there, even though the city was destroyed for sheltering elves, so the reconstruction couldn't have been that heavy.) I bring to you the names of two other thaigs, only one of which we have a proper location for, and I venture in light of the one above that these two may also be the same place

The varghest is now known to be a distant relative of wyverns and dragons, but in ancient times, it was believed to be a spirit manifest in the world. Ciriane legend says that the varghest hunts those who have committed great wrongs against their own kin, and when the creature finds its quarry, it drags the guilty party to the gods for judgment. This is perhaps due to the beast's hunting habits: varghest prefer to bring prey still living to their nests to feed their young. -From A Study of the Southern Draconids by Frederic of Serault, published in the University of Orlais I venture that all of these things are true.

So, there's this cave in JoH that comes into use in the quest 'Loss of a Friend'. It's where you find Scout Grandin. But, it's really clearly some part of a former Tevinter installation, despite not being connected to anything else in the ruins. I just can't figure out what the fuck the purpose of the space would've been, besides being designed for some kind of drainage - which, again, weird because it's not near any of the major ruins. There's still water drizzling out of the ceiling into the middle of the grate, though, so it's coming from… somewhere.

So, I've been like 'WHY IN THE FUCK WOULD TEVINTER BE BUILDING AN ENTIRE GODDAMN CITY THIS FAR SOUTH'. Welp. There's the answer. -If the Imperium has fallen, we shall build it anew. -This citadel shall be a new Minrathous, and we who serve the Twisted Path shall be its Magisterium -Praise be to Razikale - may our raised voices reach her and bring her back to us at last.

NOW, the Frostback Basin, which is in the Frostback Mountains, in southern Ferelden, is snow-free. There are parrots. There are guys running around in tiddy armour. The trees are a rich green and the rivers run freely. At first, I thought this was a mistake. Haha, oh god, someone wasn't paying attention to the lore again. And then I took a better look around. Let's start at the most recent settlers and work back.

Q: Well, one assumes the Architect etc. can reincarnate like Corypheus. But like, what would the Watchman's powers be? What role did he have in the Fade breach? How exactly did they do it, for that matter, beyond killing a lot of people and using a lot of lyrium? And bioware's never going to tell us any of this, because they're shits and don't care if the lore more than just barely sorta works.