#brecilian ruins

[lairofdragonagelore]

Brecilian Ruins - DAO

[Remade post, originally from here] 

I don't know what to make of Brecilian Ruins. Can we truly trust DAO design with its statues? Spoiler answer: no.

[This is part of the series “Playing DA like an archaeologist”]

The following post contains

Tevinter architecture filled with Elven traps

Iconography

The Well of Sorrows: DAO version

The Tevinter Artefacts

Extra minor details

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

Tevinter architecture filled with Elven traps

The first thing we have when entering these Ruins is Morrigan telling us that, despite seeing the whole place with the same architecture we saw in the Ruins of Dalish origin, this is Tevinter. Sure, we can assume that the Dalish hunters know nothing of Elvhenan Architecture or Tevinter Architecture, so their opinion about those ruins being elven could be wrong from the first moment. They are, after all, extremely unreliable beholders of the reality. 

Anyways, let's assume Morrigan is right and we see Tevinter arquitecture with Elven traps. This is quite different of what we usually find in Thedas: which is elven structures appropriated by Tevinter humans. This makes sense when you think that the elves were the first creatures in this world, and humans came later, in addition to Tevinter always co-opting any knowledge or techniques from the Elvhenan. 

However in Brecilian forest the order of the events seems to be on the other way around. Historically speaking, it can be explained in the following way:  we know that Tevinter invaded Ferelden and built many structures with defensive purposes, like Ostagar [which was built to contain the “danger” of the Chasind in the far South]. 

We also know in the DLC: Witch Hunt, that slaved elves ran away from the North to the South years later after the fall of Arlathan. We know they hid for a while in a Thaig, but maybe some could have reached these forest and inhabit the ancient human structures, protecting themselves with elven traps to keep Tevinter slavers away from them.

Another possibility is that Tevinter simply co-opted the Elven traps and used them in their own buildings. It would not be the first time doing this.

Iconography

The Ruin corridors and chambers are filled with statues. They are the same statues we saw in Zathrian's camp: Sylaise (woman with a vessel), Andruil (woman with a sword. Why? Should not be a bow?), and Ghilan'nain (woman without head and hands). 

These are the same exact statues we find in any Chantry, Circle of Magi, or human town, so this is exactly why I never trusted DAO design in general. I don't know if the engine and its lack of resources made them reuse a lot of background details, or there is a real intention in them [I incline to the former]. Considering that DAO had almost 10 years of development, I want to believe that this is not by chance... but maybe the limitations of the engine forced them to remove most of the potential that environmental telling has to offer... I don't know.

In any case, inside the Brecilian Ruins we see a symbol or figure we also saw in the Dalish origin: a kind of dragon-head like figure, accompanied many times by one of those figures that we believe, it represents Andruil (the goddess of Hunt). This could also represent Andraste [who always has a sword or a shield in her representations] beside two figures that look like dragon heads. This would link Andraste with Dragons too, which has been a repeated association that we are not stranger to. 

In DAO we see that the dalish are deeply related to Dragons too if we pay attention to the enviromental details that are not repeated anytwhere else:  in Zathrian's clan we see many aravels with masks that are dragon-like skulls, and when you click on them, you find out it's a representation of one of their elven pantheon. 

We see the concept art of these in the credits of the game.

By now it's quite difficult to say if this is an obvious link of the Elven Pantheon with dragons or maybe Old Gods, or it's just a vestige of former slave elves whose masters may have forced them to worship the Old Gods. It is not strange that a slaved group takes the religious symbols of their slavers and worship them in the name of their own (forbidden) gods. We know that we can't trust in Dalish tales as reliable sources of History, because it's extremely fragmented and lost (thanks to DAI we are truly aware of how false they are containing barely a pinch of truth in them, twisted and romanticed).

On the other hand, I am inclined to think that this is just a representation of how the Elvhenan had, originally, a religion based on Dragons. We know that they venerated a “divine” shape that was meant for their gods and their chosen ones that implied Wings, and due to Mythal’s shape, we associate this Divine Shape with the form of a Dragon. Additional material that can support this speculation can be found in the first three comics of DA comics [The Silent Grove , Those Who Speak, Until We Sleep] where we are informed that the Dragons were the ones who controlled the skies originally, possibly had a broad power over the Fade [Dreamer-like, so from the Fade they could alter reality], and they may have been related to an original non-fragmented “song” that everythign and everyone in the world sang.  Also, Dragon Blood is “the blood of the World”, placing the Titans in a confusing position within the lore.

In these Ruins we find a codex of Falon'Din. Which is the same god that Talem told us about when we asked him if he could identify that strange winged statue. So... the confusions gets worse here: it's a Tevinter Ruin, with elven traps, and Elven God statues. 

It’s impossible to overlook the fact that this statue of Falon’Din has strong resemblance to the Old God statue of Urthemiel. As if Falon’Din wanted to have the shape of Urthemiel.

The chamber with the fire traps displays “Sylaise” and “Andruil” statues. Which in terms of Dalish Elven lore makes little sense. Andruil? Sure, she is the hunter goddess, though in these statues she is not in a aggressive stance. So is she chasing after you?. And what about Sylaise? The goddess of the domestic arts? Trying to kill you? Protecting the home of the elves? In a Tevinter structure? This makes a bit of more sense if we keep in mind what we know about Andruil from DAI and the little bit of Sylaise [read their sections in Evanuris]; Sylaise is a very agressive, envious goddes of Fire, who is described top have fire breath [like a dragon?], as powerful as Andruil’s spear [a very dangerous and brutal weapon so far we know]. Andruil is presented to us in DAI as the goddess of Sacrifice, brutal and merciless so far we can gather from the codices. So both goddesses seem to fit a bit better in a deadly trap room if we keep in mind the interpretation we had from DAI.

The Well of Sorrows: DAO version

Then we reach to our first "Well of Sorrows". Or more like "Puddle of Sorrows", lol. Once again, we find a wall covered with that Dragon-like skull statues of “Andruil” and “Sylaise” [I keep the quotation mark because we know we can’t trust little these representations]. We also find the codex of an ancient elven tablet explaining the ritual which, after DAI, makes more sense. You drink from the water of the pool, taking the knowledge left by other elves, and then you put the rest of the water in it, leaving your knowledge there [it works similar to what Abelas explained about the Well of Sorrows]. It seems to be corrupted or empty since you don’t have any whispers or sudden knowledge inside your head, and many Shades are summoned if you fail in the procedure. This chamber unlocks the following one where we find the Uthenera chamber.

Since the only Elven god codex we found in these ruins is Falon'Din’s, it could be fair to believe that this may be interpreted like a "Well of Falon'din" which gathers all the knowledge of those elves that want to stop living and go to Uthenera. 

This is consistent with the info provided in The Masked Empire, when Felassan explains that powerful mages went into Uthenera in underground tombs beneath Orlais and their servants had to take care of their bodies until they rebelled to them and slit their throats. This part of the Ruins are deep down underground. It is also reasonable in its location: Mythal’s Temple is located in the Arbor Wilds, South of Orlais, while this potential ruin in the depth of the Brecilian Forest. What’s a bit inconsistent is that some chars [Morrigan] said that this place was a Tevinter building [not an elvhenan one], but we can’t take Morrigan’s words as reliable either. She has been wrong many times along the series. 

The one thing that deeply disturbed me was that there were two spirits, a little boy and a woman, clearly humans, talking in elven. We could assume they were elf-blooded, but there is no assurance in this. I want to believe this is not a mistake, there is purpose in them being humans since this game has elven models. There is no “engine” limitations there. Now, about the meaning of it, it’s another thing entirely.

The ghost human woman is beside the altar where you find the codex of Uthenera, some elven remains, and a piece of the Juggernaut (a lot of these Ruins History can be scratched via the rare items you find, so sometimes finding a particular item in a particular place is not minor).

Another detail that annoyed me is that the platform where the elven burial lays is surrounded by Alamarri/Tevinter statues. It’s not clear the story of this building: was it originally elvhen? retaken by Tevinter and later taken by elves again? Or this was an Elvhenan ruin, taken by the Avvar or Alamarri of any tribe, and then taken by Tevinter when they invaded the South? It’s not clear neither the original construction of this building nor the succesive invations and appropiations of it, 

So the elven chamber dedicated to Uthenera is surrounded by dragon skull-like figures, there are Sylaise and Andruil statues on the outside ring and Alamarri/Tevinter statues with spears in the inner ring. Clearly this shows that we can’t truly trust much the enviromental telling of DAO due to the restriction of resources. 

The Tevinter Artefacts

Finally, when you head to the deepest bottom of the ruins, you find a big statue I can't establish to what culture belongs yet; I speculate it's Tevinter due to the places where I found it most of the time. It has a similar flavor to the ones found in Kirkwall. 

Behind it, an instrument with two tables filled with research stuff. The instrument is something that I can't decide if it is the same artefact we use in DAI to strengthen the Veil, those elven artefacts, or it's a prototype version of the Tevinter artefact to see the stars: the astrarium [which would make NO sense in the deep bottom of the Ruins, lol. What stars are you looking at?]. 

In any case, after this part you find a big chamber with a quincunx. Probably the first time we see this organisation. Which makes us remember Solas Tarot Card: the thing we find in a quincunx’s centre tends to be of great importance.

So, this disposition makes a quincunx inside another one, since each of them is also a  quincunx, but its centre must be.... a person? a sacrifice? 

 And if this symbol were not crazy enough already, the squares have a Chantry symbol in each corner. Not the Imperial Chantry (which won’t be a big fuss) but the Standard Chantry! I can’t believe this is a lack of resources... the sunburst symbol is extremelly important in DA series.

In the centre of this big chamber, once again, we found another artefact that may be an Astrarium or an Elven Artefact. We are sure it's Tevinter, since the same object can be found in the basement of the Circle of Magi. We have no idea what it does, or if it's related to any other artefact we found in DAI. (But it’s related to the one found close to the tables full of research stuff. They look the same, one only has a spherical glass around it while the other is more like the skeleton of the first one, with some missing part)

Anyway, returning to the quincunx Chamber: Here we fight an Arcane Horror. I always found these creatures with a design preeeetty close to the Sidereal Magisters. I don’t know if this means something, but in this context, it hints that a Tevinter experiment went wrong in this chamber and corrupted the mage performing it. It’s not by chance that Arcane Horrors are a product of a Pride demon taking control of a mage corpse. It has a big symbolism.

So, we can speculate that some Tevinter experiment happened here, there is no doubt. Not by chance Zathrian and the Oak tree tell us that the Brecilian Forest has a particular thin Veil, and rage demons possess the trees around. We also find a lot of revenants here (pride or desire demons bound by blood magic, explained in the codex The Black Vials). In short,  Brecilian forest has similar symptoms to Kirkwall. Tevinter made experiments here, but it’s not sure if they were performed before or after the slave elves lived here.

Extra minor details

In these ruins is where we found a soul trapped (or bound?) to a gem that will teach us the ancient arts of the Arcane Warrior. It says that it is the last of their kind, implying that if you don’t acquire this knowledge, it will be lost forever and would make no sense for Viviene to have this knowledge in DAI. 

All over the Ruins there are some rugs with a symbol that can be interpreted as an oversimplification of the Tevinter Imperium heraldry.

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore ]

#Playing DA like an archaeologist #quincunx #tevinter #dragon #andruil #sylaise #tevinter artefacts #uthenera #brecilian ruins #elven pantheon

[vigilskeep]

i love dao because theres always a templar corpse in some fucking situation

#brecilian ruins. why are you even down here

[herearedragons]

Also: I went to the Brecilian Forest first because I always do (it’s the closest to Lothering, so to me it makes sense), but actually, it’s kind of the perfect starting point for Kyana.

To progress through the forest, you must learn to interact with it on its terms. You have to pretend to be a tree in order to pass through the magical defenses. In the ruins, you have to follow an ancient elven ritual if you want to open a door, and you have to grant a spirit’s last wish if you want to gain arcane knowledge.

And it’s perfect, because on her own, Kyana would never do these things. She’s stuck in her Circle ways and believes herself to be right and everyone else to be wrong by default. But the forest tempts her with progress, with knowledge, and eventually she begins to compromise and follow this place’s rules - and she is rewarded for it. The first place she goes after Lothering is also the place that shows her how much untapped potential there is in the world outside the Circle, and how much one can gain by deviating from the ideas of “right” and “wrong” magic she’s been taught.

Blood magic still bad, though. Her experiences with the hermit and Zathrian only strengthen her belief that all blood mages are lying liars and a danger for everyone.

#circle nerd to wild mage pipeline #the brecilian is a nice breather before the horrors of Redcliffe and the Circle. I mean yes there’s the blood magic curse #but also there’s talking trees and ancient spirits and fun ruins to explore! #there’s a joke about touching grass in here somewhere #oc: kyana amell #herearedragons meta

[potatowitch]

have we considered a rogue or warrior Mahariel who frees the elven spirit in the Brecilian forest ruins and it teaches them the Arcane Warrior specialisation. and they can't use it, because they're not a mage, but they hang on to the knowledge until Awakening when they meet Velanna and then they get to pass on this ancient knowledge from their ancestors to a Dalish elf who will actually use it and appreciate it

[lotreckk]

my warden indaryn surana

he is VERY excited about ancient ruins and temples like he will go to every forbidden room and try to open every philactery in his way he has this urge to know EVERYTHING

lucky in the brecilian forest he just learned arcane warriors' magic and didn't release another revenant

#dragon age oc #dragon age #warden surana #my oc #art #sketch #dao #dragon age origins #dragon age fanart #grey warden #my art #my ocs #indaryn surana

[green-ray-blog1]

The Brecilian Forest

The Dalish are more welcoming than Darrian would have expected towards his companions, but it's weird for him to feel like he's neither one of them, nor a human. They're polite to him, but they don't seem to register him that much. Still, there's a lot to be learned, and Sarel gives some interesting context. He talks about an elf that fought with Andraste, makes sense, there would have been elves, despite what the chantry says. A boy also concludes the Dalish story saying that one day, the Dalish will free the other elves and teach them the history they have forgotten. Hmmm, maybe it's just Darrian feeling defensive, but he kind of says it like it's the city elves' fault. We also meet Zathrian and his first, and they say they can't help, despite the treaty. They're being attacked by werewolves. Zathrian says we can help by bringing him the heart of Witherfang, but some Dalish seem to think he's hiding something. Not allowing help to be sent to rescue the lost hunters isn't helping.

Ok, Bioware, I see you, I can guess what kind of quest this is. We go in the forest and meet Swiftrunner, who snubs us when we try to talk. Yeah, these werewolves can talk, and there's some kind of curse, apparently. Darrian wants to go back to Zathrian to question him, but he has a feeling he'll be as evasive as Darrian's father when Darrian tried to talk his way out of the wedding. Of course, events just confirm tose suspicions. It's okay Zathrian, Darrian's not mad, just very disappointed. Seriously, this is cruel, AND he's endangering his own people by going back here again and again. With a little push, he's willing to undo the curse, and the humans are free to... wander off into a world they know nothing about ?

The forest itself was pretty crazy, with its angry trees, werewolves and the fake camp, where Morrigan had to solo a shade. The rest of the team owes her for this one. That weird mage was also quite something. Morrigan says he's powerful, but thankfully, aside from making things difficult, he didn't try to kill us. And those ruins were huge ! Creepy, that vial with someone trapped in there for centuries. And Danyla... Yikes ! Darrian figured he had to do as she asked and kill her, but eeeeh... Maybe Zathrian undoing the curse could have saved her ? Look, it was a stressful moment, okay? Hm, well, at least this nightmare is over and we have our treaty.

Next, the circle tower seems like a plan. From what Darrian has been reading, being a mage in Ferelden is all kinds of weird, but hopefully, they have their shit more together. Yes Alistair, we remember earl Eamon too, don't worry.

#dragon age origins #warden tabris

[vakarians-babe]

Chapter 40: The Arms of the Forest

The forest looms. The trees, Talvinder can’t help but think, are somehow reminiscent of the great towering structures of Ostagar, ancient and impossible and yet still standing. But they are more powerful by far. There is something here that the Tevinter ruins only ever brushed up against. Something they sought and failed to emulate.

Perhaps it is the magic Morrigan mentioned. Perhaps it is the way the trees themselves seem almost made of stone. Perhaps it is the way that, if Tali did not know otherwise, she would assume there is no Blight, has never been a Blight, with the way the canopies of leaves flutter jewel-green in the sunshine, the grass rich and healthy at her feet, the brush flowering and twining and growing. Where the landscape around them has been ravaged to varying degrees, the Brecilian Forest stands resolute.

“We’re going in there?” Alistair’s trepidation is obvious; Talvinder shares it, though she tries not to show it when she looks over toward Savreen. Though it’s bright out—nearly midday—the sunlight barely penetrates between the trees. She can see the forest fading into darkness only a handful of paces in. How are they ever to keep track of their way within it? And then there’s the prickling feeling, like they don’t belong, like they ought just to leave the forest to its devices, to let it stand against the Blight and any more Blights that may come over the next hundred ages. Tali swallows, hard.

Read More.

#laura writes #dragon age fanfiction #dragon age origins #dragon age #dao #talvinder kaur cousland #savreen kaur cousland #lions of house cousland #warden cousland

[hurlumerlu]

Honnestly I'll never understand why people hate the fade or the deep roads when personally my biggest "well I guess I have to do it 🙄" moments are the ruined temple/wyrmling lair and pretty much the entirety of the brecilian quest. Sten's right what are we even doing here.

#going through the wyrmling lair like 'cool dragon fight once outside. cool dragon fight once outdide.' #i mean for the fade i do get not liking the blurry visuals. but storywise and gameplay wise ? so much fun

[grimweaver]

Merevas: "As You Wish" P1

  A flood of cool hush filled the grand audience chamber of the Brecilian Ruins. Zathrian and The Lady of the Forest had perished when the curse was lifted, since both of their life forces were bound to it. The humans that were formally the remaining werewolves had no wish to linger, reasonably fearful of Dalish hunters set to be on their heals for revenge.

            While most of the members of their group combed the area for valuables, Aithne stayed in the chamber to reflect quietly, as she stared down at the pool of water that surrounded the base of a grand oak tree, watching the leaves that had dropped onto its surface dance with the currents of gentle ripples.

          Did I make the right choice? She asked the Maker in her heart, hoping that He would let her know in some way that she had. Urging Zathrian to end the curse seemed to be the moral choice, but would it cost them the support from the Dalish elves? No– it couldn’t. Whether they like the outcome or not, the Grey Warden Treaties obligates them to. But what about the cost of friendship and acceptance? How she had admired the elves since childhood–so much that she had considered running away to live among them when she was twelve. They had inspired her to master her ranger skills since before then, when her mother began telling her stories about them. I had us wage battle against their Keeper. He is dead because of that choice. They’ll do only what they have to, and then they’ll want nothing more to do with me. Another thing I have to heap onto the pile of sacrifices I’ve had to make in order to end the Blight… to be a Grey Warden first in every situation.

            Aithne was pulled away from these thoughts by the sound of movement behind her–- large and heavy steps approaching her slowly, metal pieces clanging together, scrunching leather. She knew it was Sten before she turned her head to see the person’s features– the only other person that wore heavy armor could not keep his yap shut for more than two minutes. 

            The qunari hadn’t left the chamber to loot the ruins either– in fact, he hadn’t even budged from where he was at the end of the battle until just then, with a hard, awe-stricken stare fixed on her as he searched himself for the right way to properly express how proud he was of her. In his book, she made the right choice. But when he thought he was confident enough that what he had gathered together in his mind should suffice, Aithne turned to look back at him. That face– filled with what he perceived to be a perfect fusion of beauty and commanding strength, with steely, focused green eyes that had enslaved his flesh the moment he could see them– turned his innards turned to jelly and incinerated what he was going to say. “Yet again, you have proven that you are… not quite as callow as I thought,” is what came out of his mouth after an anxious pause, instead of the novel’s worth of words to describe the way everything about her was moving all the mountains and seas of his inner being.  

            Aithne turned fully around as she crossed her arms and cocked her head, giving him a cold glare of death. ”Not as callow ??” she shot at Sten. “You thought I was callow? ?”

            “At first, yes,” Sten answered, as he shrugged his arms. “Truth can be a hard kick to the head sometimes, can it not? Do not worry– you will get over it eventually.” 

            Sten had permitted her to see his subtle, wry smirk. Aithne understood just then that he was just being a big tease, and that’s what saved him from another earful of rage from her. She reflected his grin, gave his arm a soft, playful punch, and said “Sometimes I wonder why I let you out of that cage!” 

            “I sometimes wonder that myself,” Sten replied. “It is one of the many things about you that I still struggle to understand.”

            “Well, there are lots of things I don’t understand about you .”

            “What is there to understand that I haven't already explained? There is much left to teach from the Qun, but I am a simple creature. I like swords and I follow orders–there is nothing else to know.”

            “You said so yourself that people are not simple." Aithne leaned forward as she crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes, and spiced up the tone of her voice when she added " You are no exception ." 

            She’s doing it again , Sten noted. She is flirting, and not while drunk . 

((Continued-->))

#dragon age #Dragon Age origins #dragon age romances #sten of the beresaad #cousland #sten x warden

[anneapocalypse]

Ilana Tabris

Dragon Age OC Masterpost

Tag | Fics

City elf rogue. Pickpocket. Scrappy, will stab.

Will not let anyone forget she is an Elf.

Bangs the assassin sent to kill her (and then catches feelings).

Dodges an arranged marriage and then maneuvers her friend into one.

Kinda selfish tbh.

Soft spot for kids and dogs.

Warden-Commander for life.

More than you ever wanted to know below the cut!

How it started:

Ilana looking unimpressed about the wedding she’s trying to weasel out of.

How it’s going:

Alistair might be big mad that she conscripted Loghain and is marrying him off to his daughter. Oops.

Ilana Facts!

Full name: Ilana Adaia Ineria Cyrion Tabris. They’re all family names.

Titles: Warden-Commander, Arl of Amaranthine, Hero of Ferelden, the Dark Wolf of Denerim

Origin: City Elf

Class: Rogue

Specializations: Assassin, Duelist, Shadow

Faith: Andrastian

Life motto: “Fuck it, right.”

Signature look: Ancient Elven Armor

Dog: Sorin

Romance: Zevran

Best friends: Leliana, Morrigan

MVP Party: Zevran, Sten, Morrigan

Major Decisions

Kills Vaughan. Stabs him real good. Like dogs, Shianni.

Accidentally gets her second favorite cousin thrown in prison with her big mouth and then fucks off to be a Grey Warden and literally forgets about it until she finds him in the Arl’s dungeon months later. Oops.

Spares Avernus. No more torture and blood sacrifices please. Also let her know anything new you find out.

Ends the werewolf curse (though she’s very sympathetic to Zathrian’s story).

Defends Redcliffe Village.

Saves the mages.

Saves Connor and Isolde.

Kills Father Kolgrim, does not defile the Ashes, shares them with the world.

Sides with Caridin, destroys the Anvil of the Void, supports Bhelan for King.

Wins the Landsmeet vote, duels Loghain herself, and conscripts him to the Grey Wardens.

Alistair and Anora marry and rule together.

Loghain performs Morrigan’s ritual; Ilana kills the archdemon and lives.

Saves the City of Amaranthine.

Spares the Architect.

In the Brecilian Ruins

Career Highlights

Ilana spends most of her wedding day refusing to put her fancy clothes on and trying to figure out how to weasel out of it. She’s proud of who she is and where she comes from but this is one tradition she’d like to toss straight into the river.

She truly never intends for Soris to wind up in prison. She knew they’d both been seen in the estate anyway, so she just blurts out “It was me and Soris” without thinking. She figures they’ll turn themselves in to avoid retribution against the whole alienage and they can figure out an escape plan later. She has no idea Duncan is about to recruit her as a Grey Warden and leave Soris behind. She doesn’t understand why Duncan wouldn’t recruit him until she sees Daveth die, and realizes that Duncan didn’t think Soris would survive the Joining.

Despite having little choice in the matter, Ilana embraces her new life as a Warden and takes it seriously. One of the first things she does is retake Soldier's Peak, where she chugs Avernus's blood magic potion after reading his notes for five minutes because fuck it, right.

It's probably fine.

Her skill with daggers comes from her mother; she picks up archery after she becomes a Warden, with some help from Leliana, and it's a skill she's particularly proud of.

All her life, Ilana has been curious about the Dalish elves, though never enough to leave her family and seek them out herself. So when her quest to stop the Blight brings her into contact with a Dalish clan, it's exciting. A part of her even hopes that she might find she belongs among them. She learns quickly that they do not welcome her just because she's an elf, and it's a bit of a rude awakening, though she grudgingly understands.

Her time among them teaches her that she is not Dalish and not meant to be. And that doesn't make her any less an elf. It's just not who she is. She does really enjoy exploring the Brecilian Ruins, doing mysterious ancient rituals, and wearing ancient armor she found in ruins, though!

Yeah, sure, she'll drink from this magic pool of water in an ancient ruin. Fuck it, right?

Had it been anyone else possessed in Redcliffe Castle, Ilana probably would have run them through and not thought twice about it, but she has a soft spot for kids and she’s willing to risk traveling to the Circle if it might save Connor.

I'm glad we decided to take this route. This is really the best option.

Finding the Urn of Sacred Ashes is a really profound experience for her, made especially meaningful by seeing Shartan represented in the Gauntlet. She might even shed a tear, though her friends are sworn to secrecy on that point.

"Tell me, pilgrim, did you fail Shianni?" "Yes, I should not have let her be taken in the first place."

She will always find it hard to describe to anyone who wasn’t there.

The Ilana who returns to Denerim both is and is not the sharp, scrappy girl who left the alienage. She is still herself, and she has not forgotten where she came from, and her experiences have only strengthened her elven pride. She feels the weight of her duty as a Grey Warden, and returns hardened by her trials, yet also in some ways softened by her experiences and by the friendships she's found. But above all else she is determined to succeed in stopping the Blight, and that means getting an ass on the throne and the nobles to play ball. Even as she's doing a crime wave across the city, she's formulating her plans for the Landsmeet, and she means to play to win.

Ilana enters the Landsmeet with Alistair, the heir to the throne; Leliana, a lay sister of the Chantry; and Wynne, a loyal Circle mage. She's very deliberate about the image they present to the Landsmeet. But she also deliberately sets herself apart, wearing the signature elven armor that makes her look just a bit otherworldly, and unsettles humans in a way she likes. She will let no one forget who she is. Even though a lot of people call her "my lady" now, Ilana is still uncomfortable being treated as a noble, especially in contexts where it seems that her elvenness is being overlooked rather than honored. She is an elf, and a Grey Warden, and that's what she wants people to see.

Victory brings her a whole new set of challenges and responsibilities: rebuilding the Wardens, ruling Amaranthine, dealing with noble politics and all the humans who now have to deal with the fact that their elven hero didn't have the grace to lie down and die and instead has power and influence and won't let them forget it. It's a lot, but Ilana remains as stubborn as ever and she's not about to back down now. (She could really use a nap, though. Maybe a vacation.)

In Amaranthine, Ilana is so focused on rebuilding the Wardens that she recruits (or conscripts) everyone she can get. While a few of them prove dedicated in the end, the disappearances of Velanna and Anders (the latter leaving more dead Wardens in his wake) convince her that maybe "take whoever you can get" isn't the best tactic.

While she is aware of the power that comes with the title of Arl, even in the provisional sense by which she holds it, Ilana ultimately prefers being the Warden-Commander, and she chooses to learn from the lesson of Sophia Dryden and continue most of her work out of the public eye—though she certainly doesn't hesitate to exercise her influence over the Crown behind the scenes.

Relationships

Family: Ilana was close to her mother, always took after her, and took well to her secret lessons on fighting. Her father worked long hours in those days and wasn’t home much, but spent as much time with Ilana as he could, and they bonded even more after Adaia’s death. Cyrion tries hard to walk the line between respecting Ilana’s “adventurous” spirit and keeping her safe; he tries hard to find her a match she’ll accept, without much success!

Ilana and Shianni are thick as thieves pretty much from the moment Cyrion brings her home. Soris has also lived with them and grown up with Ilana like a brother, as he was orphaned young, but he often feels like a bit of a third wheel after Shianni arrives and the two girls become joined at the hip. Still, the three of them get in plenty of trouble together. When she has to leave the alienage, Ilana misses Shianni more than anyone.

With Ilana conscripted, Soris is taken and thrown in the Arl’s dungeon, where he remains for months. Even after Ilana eventually rescues him, he never quite forgives her for it.

Cousin, you're amazing. Which I shouldn't say to your face, because it'll go to your head. But it's true.

Dog: Ilana names her mabari Sorin, after her cousin Soris. For some reason Soris is not amused by this.

Alistair: Ilana gets along with Alistair pretty well from the start; she thinks he’s funny, though her sense of humor tends to be a little too cutting for him. They bond as Grey Wardens and over the losses they’ve experienced, and become friends.

She also notices pretty quickly that Alistair is very sentimental about the Grey Wardens. He seems convinced that Duncan saved him out of the goodness of his heart, which just doesn’t line up with her own experience. She likes Duncan, but he said himself that conscription was not charity, when he refused to recruit Soris, leaving him to his fate. After Ostagar, Alistair seems more preoccupied with whether things will ever feel the same again than with the importance of rebuilding the order. Over time, this becomes a wedge between them. Things come to a head when Ilana convinces Alistair to marry Anora… then duels Loghain herself and conscripts him to the Grey Wardens, denying Alistair his vengeance and to his mind, justice. They have a knock-down drag-out fight about it back at Eamon’s estate and scare the servants away from the whole wing.

Loghain surviving the final battle doesn’t do much to repair their falling-out, and Alistair remains angry at Ilana for many years, though as King and Warden-Commander they have to behave civilly in public. Maybe they’ll get over it in a couple decades.

"At least the Hero of Ferelden is still here, and alive. That's something, right?" "Don't sound so disappointed.

Morrigan: Ilana takes an immediate liking to her, their senses of humor play well together, and while they disagree on some things and Morrigan finds Ilana a bit sentimental, over time they become close friends. Ilana convinces Loghain to perform the ritual with her, and will always be grateful to her friend for saving her life–and Alistair’s, though she never tells him about the ritual. When they meet up again, Ilana tries to persuade Morrigan she doesn’t have to go it alone. Morrigan still leaves, but one day perhaps they’ll meet again.

And… thank you. For helping me. No one has ever… thank you.

Leliana: Ilana is a little put off by her at first but it doesn’t take long for them to bond, once Leliana explains more about her vision and her beliefs; Ilana is intrigue by her unorthodox view of the Maker. She loves Leliana’s stories, and having a friend with whom she can indulge in some good old petty gossip. They kill Marjolaine and Ilana encourages Leliana to embrace her bard side. They remain in regular contact after the Blight.

Sten: He’s baffled by Ilana at first, of course, but over time they develop a deep respect for one another. When he tells he cannot go home, Ilana understands that in concept if not the details, and readily tells him he can stay with them, which cements their friendship. Ilana doesn’t hear from him after he goes back north, but she will always think of him as a friend. She hopes, as he does, that they never meet on the battlefield.

That one of the bas… a foreigner… would become known as kadan to me? Unthinkable. Yet here it is.

Oghren: He’s a great drinking buddy. Oghren is a friend Ilana can turn to when she doesn’t feel like talking about feelings. After her fight with Alistair, they sit and pass a jug of Oghren’s Special Brew back and forth and don’t talk about it.

Bottoms up.

She's genuinely really happy to see him again at Vigil's keep, and the feeling is mutual.

Wynne: Wynne likes to play the wise mentor to Ilana and Ilana likes to roll her eyes and play the rebellious teenager, but it’s an affectionate relationship.

Shale: They like to talk about girlish things, like crushing their enemies into a paste.

Loghain: Ilana spoke to him briefly at Ostagar and he addressed her with surprising respect when he didn't have to. It stays in the back of her mind, but is mostly overshadowed by the whole "trying to kill all the Wardens" thing. Ilana doesn't care a fig for a dead king, but she cares about stopping the Blight and Loghain is an obstacle that needs to be dealt with. It isn't until she discovers what's happening in the alienage that it gets personal. She duels him before the Landsmeet herself--while wearing her signature elven armor--in part to show him and everyone else present what the people he sold out are capable of.

She wouldn't shed any tears for him, but Ilana has worked hard to maneuver all her pieces into place for this moment--the alliance with Anora, winning the nobles' favor, Anora's marriage to Alistair so the nobs can have their precious Theirin bloodline and a competent ruler. She's politically-minded, deeply pragmatic, and most of all, stubborn to a fault. Loghain is of more use to her alive than dead. And a part of her wants the satisfaction of making him face the Blight he's been downplaying. When Riordan suggests conscription, he seems like he has good reasoning. Ilana has never seen conscription as an act of mercy; it seems like a fair sentence. He could very well die in the battle anyway, and when Riordan explains how they must kill the archdemon, it seems certain he will.

But then Morrigan makes her offer. And Ilana's well aware that you can't predict the tides of battle. It could very well end up being her, forced to take that final blow herself, and she really would rather not die. And despite their falling-out, it's not as though she wants Alistair to die either. The choice seems obvious. She convinces Loghain to undertake the ritual, and thanks Morrigan for her help.

I should never underestimate your capacity to do the unexpected, but this seems a stretch even for you.

And that's how Loghain ends up a Grey Warden and survives the final battle.

Ilana loses a friend for it, but she refuses to back down. She gains another Grey Warden, and the gratitude of Ferelden's queen besides. The gratitude of Ferelden's queen earns her a boon, and Shianni becomes the new Bann of the Denerim Alienage.

Ilana doesn't exactly forgive Loghain for his crimes against her people, but at the same time she can't help seeing a bit of herself in him, the stone-cold ruthlessness to get the job done at any cost. They develop a working respect for one another, and she doesn't regret her decision.

I see you are back among the Grey Wardens. Leadership looks good on you, I think.

Morrigan's ritual saves Loghain's life, and after serving the Wardens faithfully for a decade, one day he will save another.

Romance

The flirting starts like, minutes after the ambush. Ilana’s friends cannot believe they are witnessing this.

It takes stupidly little time for Ilana and Zevran to jump in bed with each other and if either of them were actually trying to kill the other at that point they would be dead. Ilana and Zevran just can’t help hitting it off instantly: they’re both city elves, both rogues, both here through circumstances beyond their control. They spend the first night in camp and many more talking and laughing and flirting around the campfire and trading stories.

I fancy many things. I fancy things that are beautiful and things that are strong. I fancy things that are dangerous and exciting. Would you be offended if I said I fancied you?

It goes from talking around the campfire to casual fuckbuddies in about the time it takes for them to travel around Lake Calenhad from Redcliffe Village to the Circle docks. They’re also very much the obnoxious couple who grossly underestimate how loud they’re being in their tent and annoy the crap out of everyone else in camp with their carrying-on.

O-ho! Why, aren't you the saucy little minx, then? I've been used, and I wasn't even aware of it. A masterpiece!

Again? What must the others think?

Well! That was bracing! There's nothing like a good racking, is there?

Despite how close they've grown in their travels, it’s not until they’re in Denerim for the Landsmeet that both of them really admit to themselves that they’ve caught feelings. Zevran gives Ilana his earring while they’re in the Arl of Denerim’s basement, covered in blood. It’s the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to her.

Back at Eamon’s estate, Zev’s the first to admit his feelings, but Ilana readily fesses up that she feels the same. They make no promises or demands on each other; knowing they feel the same is enough.

After the Blight, they remain in an open relationship, never marrying considering each other life companions. After saying her final goodbyes to Morrigan, Ilana meets Zevran in Antiva City where they have a happy reunion, start some wild rumors, and then spend some time traveling together, including a visit to Weisshaupt, before returning to Ferelden.

Naturally. You caught me and now you're stuck with me, I'm afraid. Sad, I know, but we'll manage somehow.

While Ilana maintains command of the Ferelden Wardens, Zevran with the help of the Drydens heads up a side order called the Friends of the Grey, based at Soldier’s Peak. The Friends of the Grey do not take the Joining (as Ilana is more reserved with recruitment now, and doesn’t wantto waste lives in peacetime), instead maintaining a standing force and supporting the Wardens’ efforts in other ways.

No matter where their travels take them, they always find their way back to each other.

#oc masterpost #ilana tabris #world state: elf lovers #this is so long and the height of self indulgence no one needs to read this lol #here she is my darling child #i love all my wardens equally and i do not have favorites #but also ilana is my favorite #don't tell the others #dragon age stuff

[squidaped-oyt]

... Why did Bioware put Spellweaver, the Arcane Warrior sword, in the hands of a random mage in the Haven caves instead of in the Brecilian Forest ruins where you actually pick up the specialisation??

#dragon age #this has been bugging me all day #it would make so much more SENSE for it to be there #and yet #i guess it's just another little thing that has to be fixed by headcanon lmao #i also have many Thoughts about the arcane warrior spec in general ... much to think about

[lairofdragonagelore]

Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The Sun

In this post I will try to extensively gather all the sun-based or sun-like imagery that we find in all the games of Dragon Age. From the most typical ones to those which may seem obscure or with a hidden allegory/design. I will qualify their resemblance with the Sun symbol as Strong, Weak or other.

This post contains the following symbols

Chantry Sunburst

Elvhenan Culture: Sun symbol among the Evanuris

Elvhenan Culture: Asterisk Symbol and Elvhenan Doors

Elvhenan Culture: Golden Ring

Elvhenan Culture: Crappy Sun

Elvhenan Culture: Elgar’nan and Sylaise

Elvhenan Culture: Murals

Tevinter Culture: Green Star

Tevinter Culture: different decorative elements

Dwarven Culture: Fairel and Dwarven art

Ferelden Culture: The Sun Face and the geometrical Sun

Grey Wardens and the Sun

Avvar and the Sun

Flemeth

Qunari, Par Vollen, and the Solium Constellation

DAO design

Free Marches Rural Areas

[This post belongs to the series “Analysis and speculation of Statues”]

[Strong] Chantry Sunburst

The most typical one that appears in DA series is the Sun or Sunburst with wavy rays, repeated so much along the games that we can identify it immediately. It’s the unequivocally symbol of the Chantry. We found it in many versions, and it represents the “dawn” with the idea of hope and “new beginnings”, but also the fire that “purified” Andraste in her pyre to let her ascend to the Maker’s side. In the posts of Andrastian Art [Andrastian Design: Stained Glasses], we also find that “balls of fire” [which can be interpreted as a Sun in another way] are shown to represent the Maker or the Faith in Him.

Andraste’s single spiked helm seems to be inspired in a single sun ray, at least this is what an illustration in the Chant of Light [book of World Of Thedas] seems to suggest.

In general, most of the representations of the Chantry Sun have 16 rays.

The same sun-like symbol appears in its Tevinter version when we see the Imperial Chantry; the only difference with the Orlesian one is that the Tevinter Sunburst has straight rays.

As a detail, in DAO, we had the typical representation of the wavy sunburst present in some strange devices of Tevinter origin, for example, the ones we found in [Brecilian ruins], while the main Church in Denerim, or in Haven, display spikes that, more than resembling a sun, look like thorns or even a thorny vine. This may be a consequence of an original plan in linking, design-wise, the chantry symbology with the thorny vines that represent the Blight or the Darkspawn [As we explained in the section “Non-mural symbol: Thorny vines” from Murals in DAI: Basics], or merely it was a limitation of the design of the game, as we know DAO suffers from.

We also know that tranquils should display this symbol on their foreheads, burnt with lyrium, but as we saw along DAO, none of them had it. Later we were informed that the devs had problems to add this mark on the npc, therefore, it was never shown until DA2. When it comes to this symbol, it is interesting to see that tranquils carry the metaphor of “a Sun burning their minds and emptying them”, which may or may not be related with Dwarves and their fear to the Sun and potential relatinship of Elgar'nar shoving a fire ball into their underground lands [More details of this concept in Deep Roads [DLC Trespasser]: Lower Walkways in particular with the codex  Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads,].

[Strong] Elvhenan Culture: Sun symbol among the Evanuris

Strangely close to the Chantry Sunburst symbol, we find the “half” sun symbol [tagged along the blog as Sun-head creature] in what we suspect was one of the ancient primordial dragon symbols that some Evanuris took over when they claimed Divinity [for more context, read Attempt to rebuild Ancient Elvhenan History]. It’s hard to say which Evanuris took control of this symbol, but we know there is a clearly sun-like symbol present in the Crossroads of the DLC [as a statue, check The Crossroads [DLC Trespasser]: Entrance] and in the Shattered Library [as an Eluvian, check  Shattered Library; Entrance and Courtyard]. With the release of the Vinyl, we also discovered and reinforced the hypothesis that this symbol belongs to or was co-opted by an Evanuris [read Speculations about the Vinyl Art for details] thanks to the image of an elf wearing a hat with that shape.

A consistent detail of this image is that it’s a half-sun with exactly 7 rays.

[Weak] Elvhenan Culture: Asterisk Symbol and Elvhenan Doors

If we extend this imagery, and check other symbols that may look similar to a sun, we find the ancient Elvhenan Doors [Elven Ancient Shard-based door], which top displays a pointy sun of 8 rays that may or may not be related to the Asterisk symbols [also related to the Titan’s core, which I talked about in the post of Murals  “The Death of a Titan”]. In the way the door gets illuminated when activated also makes us see a “circle” in it that can be loosely related to the “Golden Ring shape”. More details about this ring will be treated below.

This strange sun on the ancient door also makes us think in the Asterisk Symbol [made of 8 points], which lays at the centre of the yellow mosaic, which may be related to the core of a Titan [asterisk of 8 points too]. The link is immediate when we see that this asterisk is outlined by a shape that looks like a star or a Sun, inside a big ball with triangular-shape ends. This same symbol appears in the last Trailer of DA4, behind Solas, when he is presented like an Hermit, mysterious, apostate mage. Around this “sun” we can make out several concentric lines that may refer to a “Golden Ring”.

The Asterik symbol also appears in murals such as  “The Creation of the Veil” or “The Death of a Titan”, which allowed us to relate them with the core of a Titan and its immense power of "making real what you imagine"reinforcing the reality", but this symbol also appears in a corner of Solas’ tarot card.

The yellow mosaic also has some shapes at the four corners that may represent eluvians or something related to Mythal. In the mural of “the Temple of Mythal” from  “The actions of the Inquisitor”, we see that Solas draw a particular star of 8 points inside a door frame that resembles this “eluvian outline”, but it’s also the shape of the doors of the Temple of Mythal which represents Mythal herself in her dragon shape. All these symbols seem to reinforce the idea we explored in “The Death of a Titan”: Mythal seems to be related to the core power of a Titan represented by an asterisk that evolves into a golden ring and into a sun.

As I repeated several times in Speculations about the Vinyl Art, at times, we find some hints where stars or balls of fires [also understood as suns] are related to Mythal and Elgar’nan, making us suspect that, maybe, Mythal and Elgar’nan share a nature similar to Falon’Din and Dirthamen’s: apparently, the same creature with two different aspects from them. If this were the case, associating Mythal with the Sun would make sense, and it would also explain why, if Elgar’nan was so central in the Elvhenan culture, there are so few representations and statues of him, while Mythal overwhelms it.

[Weak] Elvhenan Culture: Golden Ring

During the last trailer of DA4, we see Solas turns into the Black Dread Wolf as a sun in the background becomes a moon [single golden circle] and later, it separates itself into concentric rings, that may or may not be related to the “Golden Ring” so deeply entangled with Elvhenan culture. Thanks to this imagery, we may relate the Sun to the Golden Ring [specially if we consider that the mural presented in Nation Art: Elvhen displays the yellow ring in a position that may be considered “the sun”, but also the "authority/power above"]

We need to remember that the Golden Ring’s presence is always associated with control, power, and occasionally to Mythal and Dirthamen. In the mural of the “zombie elves”, it’s above all of them, and due to this position, it could be interpreted like a “sun” or moon upon the controlled, zombified elves. But I’m not too convinced in this interpretation, since we already explored in posts such as: Nation Art: Elvhen, Exalted Plains: Ghilan’nain’s Grove and the Dead Hand, DLC: Jaws of Hakkon - Frostback Basin, Elvhen Tomb, Ancient Elven codices; Fen’Harel’s mountain ruins, The Crossroads [DLC Trespasser]: Elven Mountain Ruins; Vine-covered Tower, Murals in DAI: The Death of a Titan, and Speculations about the Vinyl Art that this ring was more related to control, power, or even forced change/shape in some cases. Due to its power or potential knowledge, it's also associated to Dirthamen Owl [which also could be Andruil's owl according some inconsistencies in the same Unreliable Dalish legends].

On the other hand, it’s never clear if this symbol may have morphed into a sun along the ages with the loss of memory that the Elves had throughout generations when they lost their immortality. However, I tend to consider that this Golden Ring may have changed into a Sun when it entered in contact with human groups, in the same way that I see the story of Fen'Harel gave enough context for humans to create the Maker myth based on him, potentially during the time of Halamshiral [for more details, read The Chantry and the Mythology of the Chant of Light]

This ring also appears in the last scene of DAI, when we defeat Corypheus, showing Mythal inside it, as bits of red lyrium sprout around it. This can be related to many speculations done in Speculations about the Vinyl Art, where we can conclude that another fragment/part of Mythal is still trapped in the Black City, corrupted, and contained by an immense power that may have been used before by the rest of the evanuris to control their own people.

The Golden Ring has also been seen enclosing Elven Tree Statues and Elven Orbs, implying its relationship with elvhenan power and/or Mythal’s [after all, we know that Mythal took the power from a Titan from which elvhen orbs were developed, and trees are also her symbol, according her vallaslin]. It's worth noting that the only working orb we saw in the game was Mythal’s, so far.

[Weak] Elvhenan Culture: Crappy Sun

There is also a strange symbol that I called “crappy sun” in the ancient tablet we find at the entrance and deep into the tomb of Forbidden Oasis: Solasan Temple [along this blog I’ve tagged it as “Stone in Razikale-Ceremony-style”]. It’s hard to say if it represents a sun or a breach. It may be related to a sun similar to the one of the Elven Ancient Shard-based door that, later, Tevinter co-opted to turn into the several versions of pointy suns we see in Tevinter Pre-blight ruins, [let’s remember they were not Andrastian yet, and still they had this symbology in their buildings and elements because it may have been related to ancient dragons, or taken from another elvhen symbology during the time of the Dreamers since there are some proofs, such as the Tevinter Mosaic [Invasion], that may show that Tevinter had a better relationship with elves back then].

Maybe the original symbol was related to Elgar’nan, as we see in his mosaic, where he shoves down the sun into the earth, and its rays are wavy and a bit “crappy”. If this relationship is correct, maybe what Elgar'nan shoved into the Earth to destroy the dwarves/Titans was not a sun but a breach? Again, a very unlikely hypothesis.

This “crappy sun” also has 8 rays.

[Strong] Elvhenan Culture: Elgar’nan and Sylaise

Elgar’nan’s mosaic was interpreted in the post Evanuris, and basically shows an elf shoving down a Sun of wavy rays into the Earth. It’s easy for us to relate this image to the unreliable Dalish legend of Elgar’nan [read Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance]. Elgar’nan is presented here as the son of the Sun itself, who tried to burn all life on the Land out of Jealousy, so Elgar’nan vowed vengeance against his Father’s cruelty, and his rage won against the fire of the Sun. Then, “Elgar'nan threw the sun down from the sky and buried him in a deep abyss created by the land's sorrow.”

This story can be followed later in the post Emprise du Lion: Pools of the Sun, where we find another unreliable Dalish legend claiming that this place has spring waters because it was here where Elgar’nan shoved the sun into the Earth. I also made a link to Sylaise considering the Elvhenan arenas we can see in this region, the presence of Sylaise’s Shrine, and her thirst for being always competing with someone. These details can make us suspect that this Sun could have been Sylaise [so deeply related to fire, the sun, and also as angry as Elgar’nan according the Song to Sylaise].

It’s very worth noting that these two legends, said by different clans, claim that Elgar’nan pushed the Sun into the Abyss. Another detail we have to assume is that "Abyss", "Beyond the Deep Roads" and "The Void" seem to be one thing related to the places where the Titan sleep [or even inside the Titan themselves] instead of a strange dimensional pocket we never saw before. This links the Elvhenan with the Dwarven in what we speculated in Murals in DAI: The Death of a Titan.

With this relationship, we see again the Sun as a weapon of destruction and control.

[Weak] Elvhenan Culture: Murals

Murals present a red sphere with rays that may imply a Sun .

In the mural “The Creation of the Veil” [1], we find a red sphere inside a black one, making us suspect it’s the big evil released by the Evanuris that Solas isolated with the creation of the Veil. Around it, there are seven “bubbles” with similar “rays” in grey and golden colours that may imply “gates” that would allow us the access to the central “sun” or red sphere.

In the mural “The Death of a Titan” [2] we talked extensively about the asterisk symbol, its representation of a Titan’s heart and all that power associated with it, as well as with Golden Rings. The codex in here speaks of a red sphere that contains fury, and maybe all of this can be related to a sun, or better said, the other way around: a Sun as a sphere of fire, related to fury, and buried below underground to contain its destruction. This also brings us some similarities with the unreliable Dalish legends about Elgar'nan.

In the mural  “Red Lyrium Idol” [3] we also commented how the image looks as if Solas were walking on a sphere of fire. It may be related to the red lyrium idol too. Here, we keep linking this idea of a “sphere of fire” as a potential Sun.

In the murals of “The actions of the Inquisitor” [4], we see several times that the red sphere associated with the big evil isolated behind the thick, impenetrable barrier of the Black City seems to be positioned in places that may allow a soft interpretation as a “sun”in the sky.

These symbols seem to gather more importance as we analysed the Vinyl Art, where we find the concept of the Eclipse [as an ominous symbol of Fen’Harel that covers and hides the Sun] and a lot of iconography of stars, which can be interpreted as “suns”.

[Weak] Tevinter Culture: Green Star

Pre-Blight Tevinter art has a “star” symbol that may be interpreted as a sun, specially if we consider that the inside of this green star displays the symbol of the elvhenan Golden Ring in red colour. However, it seems more likely to be a symbol representing the power that one can extract from the Breaches. The green colour helps in this interpretation and puts it a bit farther away from a sun interpretation than other symbols. However, it keeps linking the Golden Ring with the power of creating a Breach.

[Confusing] Tevinter Culture: different decorative elements

The rest of the symbols in Tevinter objects may have some relationship with the Sun. For example, we find doors, boxes, and columns decorated with an 8-pointed star [1] but we also find another one with 6 points in something that looks like a box [2]. The shape of an “hexagonal” sun of 8-pointy rays can be found as well in objects like the “scrying orb” [4].

Among the outfits, we find a 3-ray comb used by Tevinter women [3], which may be related to the sun-based symbol of an Old God [and potentially related to the corresponding Evanuris associated with it]. This symbol is a lot closer to the "Sun-head creature" we found among Elvhenan objects.

As a curious one, I will always point out the strange, hidden Sun figure that belongs to the Free Marches decoration that can be found at the entrance of the Inner Sanctum in Western Approach: The Still Ruins, Viridis Walk and Inner Sanctum.

I think it’s clear and safe to say that most of the sun-based symbols present in Tevinter culture [and previous to their conversion to Andrastian religion] may have been originated from the contact with the Elvhenan [during the Dreamer time where we can see less repulsion to Elvhen according the Tevinter Mosaics] or [most likely] with the dragons that may have been related to the Elvhenan, as I made the connection in the comic post The Missing.

[Weak] Dwarven Culture: Fairel and Dwarven art

The Dwarves, at least the ones in the Fairel’s ruins, may have some link with the Sun as well. In these ruins we find the same exact stone tablet we find in the Ancient Elvhenan tombs [1], which displays the “crappy sun” I commented above. Once again, it could be a sun but also a breach, so there is no much sense to keep focusing on it.

Another symbol to relate the Sun to the Dwarves may or may not be an old “Dwarven stone-paintings” we saw since DAO, which basically shows a dwarf working the stone [3]. Based on symmetry, we could assume that the triangles on the background are stalagmites, but if we stretch-out this interpretation, they could even be seen as a sun with its rays. It’s very unlikely, since it seems to be more a design resource to highlight the scene of the stone-painting, but for completion’s sake I think it’s worthy to keep it commented here.

However, this simple design allows us to interpret it in different ways: the spikes we see can be pieces of rock protruding from the ground and the Dwarf in it is mining them [as its original codex in DAO seems to imply], but also it could be understood as a quarter of a Sun peeking through the corner of the image as a Dwarf works tirelessly.

Later in DAI we are introduced to another piece of art of similar characteristics [2]. The building was never possible to be identified unequivocally, and in posts like “Architecture of Kirkwall : Gallows and Lowtown/Darktown” I related it to representations of Kirkwall or cities that may be similar to Kirkwall where the runecraft mastery of dwarves was used [and probably, it was a source of pride for these clans, who may have kept the achievement immortalised in a piece of art reproduced among the noble dwarven families]. This piece also shows a background very similar to the one in [3] that may be a representation of stalagmites or a sun, if it’s stretched-out enough.

Another strange symbol in the dwarven furniture is the one presented in some stone-seats: an elaborated metal image that shows thorny vines on or over a sun [4]. This symbol appears in many other parts of the game where there are dwarven rooms, but also in Arbor Wilds :Cradle of Sulevin where we can read the Vir Tanadhal, However, in this case, the symbol is not completely the same one than in the Hissing Wastes: Fairel tomb.

It’s hard to suspect if this is a mere reuse of assets, it has a lore-related meaning, or it’s just a reflection that the Dwarves and the Ancient Elvhen had a relationship quite ancient [as it shows the Elvhen tree and its dwarven, more geometrical style, that I’ve been pointing out since DAO in Orzammar]. We have to remember that the Ancient Elvhenan saw the dwarves as soulless creatures, workers of the “pillars of Earth” and worthless. However, I always claimed it was never clear if this was a reference to ancient Dwarves that were linked to the Titan deeply to the point that they became Sha-Brytol after the break of the link, or were related to more independent dwarves as the ones we see now, who have a sense of Stone, but can’t understand the Titan with the exception of some gifted ones [such as Valta].

Finally, the dwarves have an additional aspect related to the Sun in the very unreliable codex called Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads, Section 2. I wrote about this codex in a more integral way in Deep Roads [DLC Trespasser]: Lower Walkways. But basically an ex-Dalish elf [now a Qun converted] relates Elgar’nan’s fire [which another unreliable Dalish legend, Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance, claims he shoved the Sun into the Earth] to the fear to the Sun that Dwarves experience [Read the section Elgar’nan and Sylaise above]. This may have been a Dev’s choice to makes us aware that there exists a relationship between the Sun and the dwarves, even though there is no lore material that can make it clear enough.

[Strong] Ferelden Culture: The Sun Face and the geometrical Sun

In the Tryptich presented in Andrastian Design: Tapestry and Tryptich, we find three symbols on top of each part of the scene: the six-snakes that represent Tevinter, the golden city above all the image representing the Maker or the Chantry Religion, and over the section of Ferelden/Orlais chantry, a 8-pointed sun which rays look like triangles. Once again, the resemblance of this symbol with the elvhenan sun in the mural “Temple of Mythal” is remarkable [check the Temple of Mythal in “The actions of the Inquisitor”] or the sun shape in the elvhenan yellow mosaic or in the background of Solas in the Trailer of DA:D. This could come from different roots:

1- An Orlesian root, considering how much of the elvhenan influence it had during the time of the Halamshiral and the coexistence of humans and elves in the Dales for some years [to the point where inter-racial families were made, as it was hinted all over the Exalted Plains]. I spoeculated how the idea of the Maker may have been developed during this time in the post The Chantry and the Mythology of the Chant of Light

2- Another potential root is related to the Alamarri root, and therefore, linked to the Avvar: this sun may be a representation of the Lady of the Sky for the same reasons I will explain below in the Section Avvars and the Sun.

We can find similar icon in the book World of Thedas, where they show a unique Ferelden Tryptich [3], which top displays this symbol with a sun that even may have a shape of a Golden Ring within it. In either case, we know that this symbol later was part of the Ferelden Chantry, which sun is very pointy, as DAO showed it [see the first section in this post: Chantry Sunburst].

In DAI, we find in some small towns of Ferelden, a unique strange Sun with a crying face [1]. On it we see a bird and a squirrel. It’s hard to know exactly what this is, [check the post Nation Art: Ferelden], but maybe it can be understood as a representation of Andraste made by Ferelden culture mixed with some local animals and fables created as a mixture of cultures, similar to the tale that related Wyverns to Andraste [check the wyvern section in Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The single spike].

There is also a fish drawn in the DLC of Hakkon on a fisherman shack [2], which displays a pattern that can be related to the “crappy sun” designs on its skin. Not sure what to make about it. The closest is that the Avvar represented this symbol as a way to reflect what they may have seen in the Isle of the Lady, where a big ancient breach have been there, open, since the time of Telana [read about this in “The Veil and the preservation of the Waking World” from the post Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous ].

[Strong] Grey Wardens and the Sun

The typical symbol of the Grey Wardens involves a chalice that represents the Joining ritual. It always displays a Sun, and not any sun: it’s one with a strong resemblance to the Sunburst of the Chantry. Let’s remember that the Grey Wardens was and is an independent Order that doesn’t respond to the Chantry, and even more so: it was created before the existence of the Chantry, and before Andraste was born. So any quick explanation that this sun is present in this object due to some potential influence from the Chantry seem unlikely.

However, as I showed in Western Approach: The Still Ruins, Main Chamber and Hall of Silence, there are griffons with this same chalice that belonged to pre-Blight Tevinter, maybe remotely associated with Dumat in some ways [since they appear in a hall called “Hall of Silence”, and Dumat=Silence]. We know that the Joining, as a ritual of blood magic, came from the knowledge of Arlathan elves and Tevinter Mages during the desperate times of the First Blight when nothing seemed to stop the darkspawn and even slaying Dumat did not work the first time. Therefore, this Sun may have some relationship with the elvhenan, the Old Gods, or just the blood magic that allowed the creation of the Joining.

[Curious] Avvar and the Sun

The Avvar have a symbol that I always found very Sun-like due to its design and cultural concept: The Lady of the Sky. It’s not only the concept; the lady of the sky can be any important object in the sky; moons or suns. Since Thedas has two moons, it seems more plausible to think of her as unique as the Sun itself.

In the painting that represents her (found on a wall in the Frostback Mountains) we see a design of an owl which shape looks like a Sun. Even her sculpture in Skyhold displays small spikes around her neck which give her a low-key “sun-like” design, specially if we relate this shape with the “sun” shape we saw in the Ancient Elvhenan Yellow Mosaic or with the star we saw in the “Temple of Mythal” mural [in “The actions of the Inquisitor”] or with the Sun that appears behind Solas in the trailer.

Curiously, her banner displays her eyes in a shape that looks similar to the Golden Ring shape, but in black colour. That the Avvar have an art that may have resemblance with Elvhenan's is not strange for me if we remember that  Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path’s story narrates that her lover was an elf that, as it is hinted, may have been the Lady of the Sky herself. This means that the Avvar always were a culture under the influence of the Elvhenan and the Dwarves [due to the marriages they arranged with the children of the Stone].

[Weak] Flemeth

Flemeth also had a unique concept art that shows all of her nature in one drawing: her dragon shape, Mythal, as the central part of it over a human figure that may be a petitioner; a bit aside and as if she were in a inner ring of a brown sphere, The Witch of the Wild: Flemeth, with a very particular staff inside a yellow circle that may be interpreted as a Sun. And very hidden in the corner, in the core of this sphere, now black, we see her as an "old, old woman" with a big eye drawn on her apron, at the edge of a cliff [potentially representing the fragment of Mythal that lives inside her]. This kind of eye is very similar to the ones that we see in the concept art armours of Mythal’s temple guardians. I assume it has to do with her omnipresence due to the manipulation of dreams [we know that she presented herself in dreams to an elf and marked him with the Vallaslin of Mythal after awakening, check the video]

Mythal also has bland hints related to Elgar’nan symbology, which is related to the sun, fire, and balls of fire with anger [check all this in the posts Speculations about the Vinyl Art and “The Death of a Titan”]. Flemeth ends up being related to all this since she carries a fragment of Mythal in her.

[Strong] Qunari, Par Vollen, and the Solium Constellation

The Qunari have little link with the Sun, but not the land they conquered. In the book World of Thedas we are informed about the existence of the Fex, a race we never saw nor had much information beyond the fact that they exist. May they be related to the Sun or a Sun-base proto religion? We don't know.

In the Codex Constellation: Solium, we learn that this constellation [which looks like a Sun/Star, image above, pretty similar to the Chantry Sunburst I may add] may have been a representation of the Sun or the Moon [or both] for the Neomerian [Ancient Tevinters], however, it could also represent Elgar’nan, since unreliable Dalish legends claim him to be the “eldest of the Sun”.

Another Codex, called  The Pyramids of Par Vollen, tells us that the Jungles of this continent have ancient ruins that doesn’t seem to be tombs but places of scientific purposes. The shape of these ruins fits perfectly with the constellation of Solium, making them, in some way or another, related to the Sun. These pyramids are a great mystery in the DA lore, especially for their total lack of information beyond this codex. We know their walls show images of “intricate sea creatures, shipwrights, musicians, archers, and kings. Odd figures are depicted, tall, horned, always in a position of authority and respect.” It seems that there was no resistance when the Qunari came to conquer this place, so we can suspect that this previous civilization embraced the Qun without much resistance, in part, because the Qunari have horns, and that caused respect and authority. Or the civilisation had been gone long ago when they came. Or it was a civilisation that was developed by or under the authority of the Kossith, the ancient Qunari who had no Qun.

The brief description of these ruins also makes me link it, potentially, with the underground ruins we find in  The Horror of Hormak .

[Confusing] DAO design

This section tries to relate the Sun shape with designs that may make the connection a bit stretched or not truly reasonable, therefore, DAO leads this part, lol.

We find that many places along the game, specially the ones related to puzzles [Honnleath and Enchanter Wilhelm’s basement] or to Tevinter experiments [Ruins of Brecilian Forest] display a platform on the ground with a symbol similar to the Sunburst of the Chantry. I’m not sure why they are there, specially in the Brecilian Forest, since we know this was a fortress probably developed by Tevinter [ which potentially may have co-opted, as usual, an ancient Elvhenan building and claimed it as its own] just to be taken by Dalish and humans later. This Fortress is a mess in terms of design and statues that it displays, so it’s hard, if not impossible, to truly take it seriously. To me it all feels more like a reuse of graphical resources, but just for the sake of completion, I add the present section.

More of these sun-like platforms can be found in the Tower of the Circle of Magi [which could potentially make sense since the tower was made by Avvar and Dwarves, and it may be a representation of the Lady of the Sky, as we saw in the Avvar section of this post] but also in the Temple of Andraste or in Denerim at the Fort Drakon which makes less sense [unless it is taken as a symbol from the Chantry itself]. Again, these inconsistencies make me suspect the reuse of assets in a game that could not afford to have 5 different platforms designs.

[Confusing] Free Marches Rural Areas

Another place where I found a sun-like symbol was in a very disturbing image of the book World of Thedas associated with a cautionary tale told to Free Marches kids. In it, we see that people/children are punished if they go outside a bubble of darkness with small “sun-like” symbols floating around. Each of these kids have a symbol on their belly or head. Curiously, one of these symbols is a small spiral that I’ve brought the attention upon long ago in the post Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open where we found the alamarri statue I called Eroded dragon skull which has a “G symbol” on its back, which, at the same time, seems similar to the one present in a reiterative way all over the elvhen artefacts and in some dwarven rug designs.

I don't know how to interpret this image, mostly like the big black bubble that contains these klids seems to protect or shield them from the dangers outside. The kids that "behave badly" are dropped outside of it and are consumed by the dragon fire/jaws of the dangers outside. So in a very stretched way, we can interpret this image that the bubble filled with Suns protects people, or at least, it's the right path to follow not to be eaten by those monsters outside.

Conclusions

To put an end to this post, I would like to bring a short conclusion that we may have reached together along it. The Sun in Thedas is an ancient symbol that mostly every culture took to exploit and use in their own representation of gods/power.

This fact alone is not strange, since in anthropology we can see that severals cultures on Earth have developed religious rites or created Gods out of the Sun itself. The Sun is a symbol related to warmth, light, food, life, and security, so it seems reasonable for DA Lore to take it as the main symbol of Thedas civilisations.

The Sun in current Thedas is immediately associated with the Chantry and Andraste: it is a symbol of hope, of dawn, that provide the idea of new beginnings; it’s also the idea of the Maker itself and the Faith people have in him. It's also the fire that purifies in order to grant ascension [Andraste's case].

When it comes to Elvhenan, the Sun is immediately related to Elgar’nan, who was considered, according to the underaliable Dalish legends, the son of the Sun itself, who in order to save the Land shoved the sun into the ground, potentially causing a great damage to Dwarves and Titans.

There is also a symbol of a half-sun in an Eluvian, a statue, and in a hat worn by an elf, that may suggest that an original god, represented by the sun [potentially an ancient Dragon] was worshipped by the Evanuris. Lately, that symbol may have been co-opted by one of the Evanuris when they took divinity and the identity of the ancient gods they worshiped.

Elvhenan also seem to take the symbol of the asterisk as an oversimplification of the Sun, which across the murals, is also related to the heart of Titans, to power, and to the Golden Ring, which is also associated with control. So, for Elvhenan, we may suggest that the Sun represents immense power, if not, Divinity itself, that may end up being related to the core of Titans. The asterisk is also associated to the orb, a big power object.

Since Elvhenan were the first civilisation we know that started in Thedas [besides the Titans and their children], their symbols of power [asterisk, orb, golden ring] may have evolved along time to reach human groups which developed, later, all the sun symbols that ended up in the Chantry’s.

Thanks to Tevinter, we also can suspect that the Sun may have been a representation of an Old God, since they have a lot of sun-related images in their decoration and objects that belong to ancient times in which they were not Andrastian yet [in fact, so ancient times that Andraste herself was not born yet]. This may mean that the Sun symbol cloud have been taken from the Elvhenan or from the Ancient Dragons. Through Tevinter style, we also realise that the Elvhenan Golden Ring may have been used to create Breaches, which again shows and seems consistent with the idea of relating it to power and control. The symbol of Sun in Tevinter culture may be related originally with Elvhenan or with Ancient Dragons that Tevinter used to worship.

Dwarves have little representation of the sun for obvious reasons, but due to the unreliable legend of Elgar’nan and the war with the Titans, we may establish a relationship in which the dwarves endured the Sun [or the Elvhenan power] at some point in their story.

Thanks to the Grey Warden we can relate a sun with the idea of ancient Blood magic or ancient Dragon blood knowledge, since the Joining is represented by a chalice with a Sun on it.

The Avvar also have a low-key representation of the Sun in their Lady of the Sky, which may be just consequence of their deep relationship with the Elvhenan culture.

Par Vollen may have more answers about the Sun and ancient times, but the lore of DA world is very scarce on this region of the map of Thedas, so we can only speculate.

#Analysis and speculation of Statues #golden ring #alamarri #avvar #Chantry #Dragons #Elvhenan #Flemeth #Grey Warden #High Speculation #Old Gods #Tevinter #Par Vollen #sunburst #Sun-head creature #evanuris #Elven Ancient Shard-based door #yellow mosaic #mythal #flemeth #Elven Owl statue #Stone in Razikale-Ceremony-style #Sylaise #Elgar'nan #Asterisk Symbol #Free Marches Sun #Dwarven stone-paintings #lady of the sky

[vigilskeep]

do other dragons except the one in the brecilian ruins exhibit hoarding behaviours

#i think finding a dragon’s hoard is changing rowena’s entire tune about adventuring #and she’s actively turning into a werewolf rn

[herearedragons]

This just in: turning off tactics and free movement for the entire party, somehow, makes DAO combat way more fun

#I’m forced to actually think about what everyone should be doing and also no one’s running into traps anymore #I just fought some skeletons in the Brecilian ruins in that one chamber full of pressure plates #and we only triggered ONE (Alistair stepped on it before Leliana could detect it) #also Leliana’s little ‘we’ve done well!’ at the end of combat actually feels well earned now #anyway I think I might actually make some progress with this new approach #herearedragons speaks #……..also this way Kyana can get in some kills finally. I have her lots of spells that stop things from moving #but not as much firepower as I probably should have

[kiastirling-fanfic]

Happy Friday Kia! How about "given your history, i should have known better." from the Betrayal liners, for Hamin Surana and a character of your choice?

Hey so cw for non-specific allusions to Trauma but yeah

Here's some Hamin & Mihris because reasons

@dadrunkwriting

“I’m sorry lethallan, about earlier.” Mihris’ familiar voice should have been welcome. Hamin relished those rare days when she returned to her clan even if it was always just a visit.

But she couldn’t even do that anymore and it was hard to find Mihris’ voice alluring when everything had gone so wrong. Especially when the news of their demise was followed with her ghost insisting that Mihris lied. About what it didn’t say, but the knowledge of her mother’s death rang true and so Hamin had fled with her roiling emotions. She didn’t turn, she only continued to stare off the short cliff over the tiny village of the Crossroads.

“It’s fine,” she said. Instead of asking questions, instead of demanding answers. Hamin took every feeling she ever felt and buried it like always. Maybe she’d pull it up later, but not right now. “Really. I’m getting better.”

“Still, given your history I should have known better,” Mihris insisted as she joined Hamin at the cliff’s edge, dangling her legs like they had as children. “I do know better. I shouldn’t have reached for you but I- I worried that I was the last of Virnehn. We haven’t seen you since this shem war began, we worried they caught you again. Your mother most of all.”

“Mihri, you are the last. You know I’m not- I’m not. Not since I left.”

Mihris sighed and raised her hand, only to halt with her fingers inches away when Hamin flinched. She nearly repeated the same mistake she’d made when they met at the mouth of those ruins. For anyone else it wouldn’t be a mistake at all, but Hamin was- she was what the Circle made her even after all these years away. What they made her could not even return an embrace without wanting to crawl out of her skin.

“I’m sorry.” And Hamin was. Really she was. “I can’t.”

“Mel, please!” Mihris’ voice held a tint of stress, her face twisted into a grimace that warped the lines of June’s vallaslin. “Where have you been? Tell me that at least. Tell me why you stopped visiting.”

“I was in Haven, I was a hunter there.” The truth. That, at least, Hamin had been the girl who could have been her sister. “Not as lofty as First of the clan, but it was… pleasant. I hadn’t stayed in one place that long since I escaped the circle. Almost felt like a real flat-ear living like that.”

Mihris’ annoyed groan was expected. “You’re no flat-ear Hamin. Not like that old fool your new friend had tagging along. You didn’t leave by will, and you know our ways.”

“Just- You’re the First and last of Virnehn. Let’s just leave it at that. When you find a clan to join, I’ll not be coming with you, and with this bare face they wouldn’t want me anyway. I’ve joined the Inquisition and that’s all there is.”

Of course Hamin knew the words Mihris wanted to say back. To invite her to join anyway, prod her into rejoining the Dalish as she hadn’t after escaping the Circle, but they both knew it was possible. Hamin knew the ways of the Dalish and she didn’t keep them. It was a tired fight from all Hamin’s brief visits to the clan.

“I understand,” Mihris said instead. Her fingers were white-knuckled as she gripped the stony ledge, but that was all the sign of frustration she let Hamin see. “I’ve been invited to stay in the Inquisition camp tonight, before I continue on my way to the Brecilian Forest tomorrow. You’ll eat dinner with me, won’t you? Maybe sing one of your songs?”

“Of course.” Hamin could do that. Singing would at least give the ghost something to focus on.

#dadwc #Hamin Surana #No Rest Could They Find Snippet

[treecove]

basically the route duncan takes in my multi warden worldstate. idunn brosca is the first person he recruits, having stayed in orzammar after meeting up with a messenger on the orlesian border to send word about the coming blight.

they cross lake calenhad to the circle tower with the intention of recruiting a mage. as the wardens in ferelden currently don't have one, duncan thinks it's important that they try to get a mage warden. cinna is recruited- or rather, conscripted, following his involvement with jowan.

thet then travel to highever to rest for a short time before they plann to make the trip south to ostagar- however (heh) the howe plot happens, and they recruit as of yet unnamed cousland after saving her.

a short stop is made in denerim to attempt to report what happened in highever, where idunn hears about what's going on in the alienage, pokes her nose in, and convinces duncan to recruit embrium tabris to protect them.

and finally, while they're camping in the brecilian forest, duncan senses something weird in the ruins, and encounters felraaven mahariel and the mirror. he is recruited shortly after to save his life.

initially, duncan only really intended to have the first two as wardens- idunn and cinna- but circumstances drop recruits into his lap, and duncan isn't about to let perfectly good potential wardens go to waste then there's a blight coming.

#im repurosing embrium into a dao character instead :) #idunn #cinna #embrium #felraaven #couscous has no name yet :( #also #no aeducan #i have so many characters already LMAO