Dragon Age Meta Nexus

Hi guys, HigheverRains here. This month I've got the first of a series discussing the links between the Avvar, the Titans, and the elves of Elvhenan. We're going to be covering a lot of ground here, so we'll have a couple different parts before we link everything together. Today we're going to start by laying the groundwork for this theory with an analysis on Avvar myths and how they link to both Mythal and the Titans.

I couldn't find these anywhere (except in video form which is too long) so I just transcribed them.

Aeducan Thaig is among the more recent, dating to the lull in the Darkspawn caused by the invention of Caridin's Legion of Steel. It appears, for the most part, small and it has been lost again to the Darkspawn over the years (WOT 2pg. 174), and was sealed when they overran the thaig (A Tale of Orzammar DLC), with the latest excursions into the thaig only as a result of the Fifth Blight driving back the horde from its caverns (DAO: Noble Dwarf Origin; Paragon of Her Kind). It appears that Aeducan Thaig's primary purpose, as with many thaigs, was to serve as the final resting place of its founding Paragon, and possibly his shield. This however remains in question and likely is untrue due to machinations of Bhelen Aeducan in the Noble Dwarf Origin of Dragon Age Origins. In the Bioware created downloadable content A Tale of Orzammar, the player is a hapless adventurer who is paid by Bhelen to carve their way into the thaig in order to plant the shield in the first place (A Tale of Orzammar DLC). Its doors are locked save by the use of the Aeducan signet rings, and its structures are derelict. The thaig itself is long since plundered of any distinctive treasures, but there is more to Aeducan Thaig than meets the eye.

The Presence remembers the humans. This was a time even after the humans had come. It was they who had built this place, long before. Perhaps the war was with other humans. Perhaps it was with something else, something that killed both the humans and elves that were here. It is not clear.

*places tin foil hat on head* So, this codex entry - I'd never really paid particular attention to it [I mean, it is just a list of books, right? Boring.] But. Take a look at the last title. Elvehan Diis Falsis: Triew Metod Dracas

orz a number of reblogs on that post are saying "I didn't know Cole was Chasind," because of course that's one of the many things the game didn't even make a half-assed attempt to cover from the books, so here's the relevant quote from Asunder establishing (human) Cole's mother was Chasind - making him half-Chasind - for the curious. (p.254)

Got these maps off of a post on reddit, and I superimposed the Locale and the Collection maps together to form one complete map for each area. Some legend symbols are a bit faded out on the map, but I'm too lazy to darken them all individually and they're mostly just camp sites anyway. These were just going to be for my personal use (since I don't have the guide and I hate having to rediscover everything) But I decided to post these here! Enjoyyy

The dwarven kingdom is said to have spanned the length and breadth of Thedas (WOT 2, pg. 26), and is home to some of the greatest mysteries in the the Dragon Age lore. The Memories kept in Orzammar say that the great kingdom reached beyond the mountains, and that there were thaigs almost beyond counting (Shaper Czibor, WOT 1 pg. 28). What little we have seen and do know of the Deep Roads, and the thaigs that they connect, is limited, but the picture we are given in brief snippets throughout lore and history and exploration, is larger than any one video could hope to properly convey: great feats of architecture, with statues of Paragons no one now remembers, fantastic constructions, above and below land, that span from the hills of the Storm Coast to the desert of Orlais. The dwarven empire's outpost at the sea existed long before the town Gwaren (The Stolen Throne, pg 266), and it's embassy at Minrathous was only one of many across the surface (WOT2 pg 36). The winding halls of the Deep Roads were a marvel in and of themselves, and the thaigs contain over two thousand years of palaces and wonders, the world has never before seen, and never will see again.

Also, Giant spider codex tells us Giant Spiders themselves absolutely LOVE places where the Veil is thin, which…frankly…given they have an entirely friggin nest they KEEP REBUILDING in Ortan Thaig, should cue a few red flags there.

Q: I've always thought of dreamers in the fade to be the same as lucid dreamers in our own world, but without the magic/demons stuff... being aware of everything, making choices as you go etc but still sleeping. Maybe Solas and other dreamers can get their rest the same way? As a side note, I have a lot of those dreams myself and it's really fun to imagine that i could be a fadewalker in the DA universe

Dwarven Provings are an ancient tradition where champions battle one another for the right to claim they have the favor of the Ancestors. Proving matches themselves are limited to those of caste (DA:O Casteless Dwarf Origin), but anyone with a Caste CAN participate and challenge anyone else to a Proving in order to reclaim their honor and settle disputes, from the highest lords to the lowest servants (Codex: The Provings). The tradition itself dates back to before Orzammar, when the Grand Provings were held in Kal-Sharok (WOT 1, pg 20). Both Orzammar, and Gundaar (Codex: Beregrand the Bold) featured their own proving grounds, and given Kal-Sharok, Gundaar, and Orzammar make up three of the four largest kingdoms (WOT 1, pg 35), it's reasonable to expect that Hormak probably did too, not to mention the remaining twelve great kingdoms (DA:O Load Screen).

I've seen some posts in various places mentioning the difficulty in understanding how on earth Commander Cullen's armor works in Inquisition. I recently posted a labeled screenshot to help assist with proper term usage, but then I thought it might be even more helpful to actually diagram out how I, personally, see it functioning. If you are interested in how I think about it, read on!

But what is naturally occurring lyrium, anyway? Lyrium's most likely analogue in our world is a fungus. Lyrium does not appear to grow in sunlight, making photosynthesis impossible, and is found deep within the earth, as are many molds, deep mushrooms, and lichens. Lyrium also shares characteristics with fungi like mycelia, AKA a fungus' branching, thread-like vegetative form. There are reports of fungi that may cover over a mile (there is a fungus in Oregon that is believed to be 2.4 miles in diameter and is still only one organism) by way of these projections… which could also be referred to as veins. Lyrium veins are present in both Dragon Age: Origins and DA2, and it is constantly mentioned that lyrium must be mined, despite the fact that you can walk into pieces of it in the Deep Roads - clearly there must be more, much more, beneath the surface.

We know from Confessions of a Lyrium Addict that memory issues, cold hands, and claustrophobia can result from lyrium withdrawal. We know from Cullen that lyrium suppresses nightmares and PTSD symptoms and without them, those things can be inescapable. We know from Alistair that the symptoms include confusion and weepiness. Cullen also admits to headaches, we see him stumble from weakness or dizziness, and he says there is pain that comes and goes, though he does not elaborate on the nature of it. Going off of benzodiazepine and alcohol withdrawal, pain may include headaches, chest pain, stomach upset, electric shock sensations, or nerve pain/tingling. How and why?

We know the original Deep Roads Map given to us in game was a handdrawn map worked up by either Harrowmont or Bhelen supporters (because they tell us it is). This means there's a bit of room for human error in layouts (which we see in the overlays - I've dedicated a different post to that part). It means also that there's still no reason to suspect that we have a compass rose in that bottom righthand corner (it's not), and we should instead following the clues we are given as to the location of Thaigs, both on the map and in context throughout the lore.

The Inquisition maps, compiled and taking into account where different levels align up and down, used for placements on the map. Again, we know the Flooded Caves are located in/around Crestwood. We know exactly where the Deep Roads edge of the Heidrun Thaig in Descent emerges from the Fissure because of the map in Inquisition. We know where Kal'Hirol emerges thanks to Kal'Hirol's appearance in Dragon Age Awakenings. And Valammar is located south of Redcliffe. Also provided is a full map of the different levels of Orzammar, up close.

These maps are actually the real in game maps overlaid onto the Deep Roads map at the locations where they line up. This means where they fit into spaces allotted (like with Bownammar), or where the approaching Deep Roads actually match up with those in the maps (such as with Cadash - there's a weird turn at the end of that road that you can see there and line up).

But now we have Vivienne, and unlike… pretty much all of the Circle mages we've met before her, Viv has figured out how to navigate the very narrow space left open to her, and actually succeed. She's skilled enough at magic that no one doubts her prowess, and anyone who tries to tempt her - demon or scheming enchanter or templar alike - is going to be faced with nothing but a firm denial. I think that was probably so essential to her initial survival among Orlais' cutthroat Circle politics that it more than explains how unnerved she is by the likes of Cole. Tolerance of things that are even remotely questionable by chantry standards is evidence of 'corruption', and that could be used to condemn her, or halt her progress. For Vivienne to succeed in the environment she was brought up in, she had to be skilled, and there had to be no question that her skills came from purely acceptable schools of magic. Anything else could be ammunition for rivals, or an excuse for the templars.

In the modern age, Nevarra is a small but thriving nation located in central Thedas, sandwiched between Tevinter and Orlais, and known for its art, tombs, and strong military tradition (WOT1, pg7). Since the Exalted Age, Nevarra has been its own Kingdom (WOT1, pg104). Its capital, Nevarra City, is located along the Minanter River, and is home to the Kings of Nevarra and the seat of the Mortalitasi, the Grand Necropolis (WOT1, pg56).

Q: Hi! :) I'm playing through The Descent again, and I got to the part where Valta tells Inqy that the mention of Titans was taken out of the Shaperate records. Nobody knows who wanted it removed but I'm guessing either a) Solas did it around the time he put up the Veil to get rid of incriminating evidence? -OR- b) FleMythal did it because Dead Pillars of the Earth by Elgar'nan™ and "they made bodies from the earth/they made It forget" (Cole dialogue TP-DLC) Your thoughts? Thanks! - A-1Lavellan