#avvar history reconstruction

[teine-mallaichte]

You know what irritates me in dragon age? Ok a few things but going to focus on one thing here, the languages... so we have all these diverse places, each with heir own fashions, customes, accents, etc but everyone speaks common (or trade which although in some codexes is said to be different seems to be basically treated interchangeably in the games).

Only a few places are said to be bi-lingual, implying that their own language is still used.

Also the inherent cultural differences between places are shown or mentioned and then totally forgotten about... In every game we get a diverse group of people with differing back grounds and yet there is almost never any language barrier of cultural misunderstandings, and even when they are they seem to be glossed over. Sten is about the only one I can think of where the cultural differences are even vaguely explored.

I want to see situations where characters are totally confused by what’s happening, where they don’t understand (or misunderstand) local phrases or dialects, where they fear making social forpars due to the inherent differences in their native societies – or simply in their upbringings.

Alamarri died out in Ferelden and now everyone speaks trade and/or common, fine, ok. But in the real world when this sort of thing happens people often try to reclaim the language later, so there should be places where the language is still used, even if only for certain phrases like the elves use elvish. Or maybe there are scholars who still speak it? I used to live in Scotland, believe me although Gealic is a “dead” language people still use it in certain places and situations, same in Ireland, and in Wales there are signposts, TV channels, and radio shows in Welsh… It feels like Alamarri should definitely still exist and have some sort of presence. Ok as you may be able to tell from my user name I may be biased when it coems to this example...

But the same goes for Ander. I think Anders should have been able to speak it at the very least, and the fact that many of the Darkspawns name come from Ander should be seen as more of a thing. In a way it would make some sense for the Grey Wardens to be taught at least some Ander during training due to their history.

And Alsahiria, given the politics and history of Seheron it makes some sense for this language to be slowly dying out, but I feel it would still be spoken in remote areas and likely by members of the Fog Warriors. Some may even see the continuation of the language  as a form of rebellion and carefully hold onto it. I wouldn’t be all that surprised in a fair number of slaves in Tevinter could speak it, using it as a way to communicate in secret.

Antivan… well to be honest Antiva is just fascinating in general, but their language is under used. It considered one of the most poetic and beautiful of Thedas, and yet it mainly only spoken in the rural and poorer areas. That seems like a shame… I mean yes the Codeses do imply that the higher members of society can and do speak it, but they also imply that in the cities common is almost exclusively spoken.

Did we even hear Zevren speak Antivan? I don’t remember him doing so, but I could be wrong.

I’m going to skip Avvar for now because there is a LOT to unpack there… same for Chasind and Ciriane.

The Drawves are said to have several languages, including Trade, and the language spoken specifically in Orzammar (often incorrectly referred to as Drawven), but to be honest I don’t think we know much about any of the Drawven languages… which is a shame.

Elvish is another complex one as it makes sense why that one is essentially lost beyond a few key terms and a few phrases known by the Dalish. However, I feel like it’s one that has potentially to be, at least partly, reconstructed… there are ancient elvish ruins and artifacts, though of course as with all reconstructed languages it would never be what it once was.

Qunlat, finally an actual language that although not used much is definitely a distinct language with significance and logical usage. We even get to hear it used a few times, though only for the odd word or line it at least makes sense.

Orlesian, again a language that is referenced and appears to be in regular use. It’s said that most Orlesians are bilingual. So it makes sense that they tend to use common around the player, but it feels like the language could be utilised more.

Rivaini… You know what we know far less about Riniani than I realised when I started this mild rant… They essentially have thie rown religion, and the only peaceful Qunari settlement that I can think of, but there’s language… very little seems to be mentioned. It would make sense that it is still spoken those given their general culture and identity, it is likely that they are bi-lingual in a similar way to Olaris.

Tevene… ok this one is my main bug bear… So it’s said in the codexes that Tevene is essentially a dead language, certain phrases still exist (many swear words) and it’s used by the elite as a show of status  but everyone mainly speaks Trade – which once again is meant to be slightly different to common. But just look at Tevinter society, the idea that they don’t retain their language, or a modern variant, at least for things like ceremonies, ritual, and events seems unlikely. The most we really hear of Tevene in Fenris swearing. Which is another thing... The guy literally only has memories of being a slave and then been on the run (with a short period with the fog warriors in between) there really should be some serious cultural/social/linguistic barriers there.

This… this got away from me a little and escalated lol, but ye… this irritates me probably more than it should… and I haven;'t even ccovered ALL the lagunages. Anyway, i this I think is why I keep trying to crowbar language and cultural differences into AUs.

[ammocharis]

An attempt in reconstructing Avvar geopolitical history

I have way too many thoughts about the Avvar people from the Dragon Age series, including theories about how their geopolitical situation evolved through the ages. In this write-up, I’d like to present my ideas. Canon information will be bolded and I’m going to identify sources at the end of each post.

This is Part 1 (out of 7). See what comes next: [Part 2]

Update: Now you can find this entire write-up on AO3.

Part 1: Migration to the south

Let’s start at the very beginning. Records claim that humanity arrived in Thedas around -3100 Ancient. Scholars debate where humans came from and why they left.[1] The humans are said to have first appeared from the north as a single tribe known as the Neromenians.[2]

It stands to reason that a good portion of the tribes branched off from the rest of the Neromenians after they landed in Thedas. Some would become known as Alamarri.

Additionally, the augur of Stone-Bear Hold mentions that his people came from the north. I’m assuming he’s speaking about the ancient times, before humans settled in southern Thedas.

“The spirits watched us even before we came from the north. They shaped themselves into our gods and we grew to love them.”

The earliest fact we know about the ancient Alamarri tribes themselves is their migration to the lands that are now known as Ferelden. It’s unclear what route they took exactly, but I imagine they followed natural borders, such as the coast of the Waking Sea.

Figure 1. Possible route of the Alamarri tribes

-2415 Ancient: The Alamarri tribes cross the Frostback Mountains and settle in the lands that will eventually become known as Ferelden. Alamarri tribal legends say they were fleeing a “shadow goddess”, but modern scholars believe they were escaping a sort of natural disaster.[3]

Interestingly, Solas has something to say about this incident: “The Alamarri crossed the Frostback Mountains to escape a beast they called the shadow goddess in their stories. I met the spirit that they fled. She walks the Fade along the southern tundra, weeping, lonely, and forgotten. Great Ferelden formed because a lonely spirit drove her prey away.”[4]

As we know, a tragic event may result in the creation of a spirit. I theorize a natural disaster had indeed happened, and the intense feelings associated with the catastrophe caused the Fade energy to coalesce into a “shadow goddess”. Looking at the spirit’s name, it might suggest that the natural disaster in question was a large volcanic eruption that led to a buildup of atmospheric dust, thus causing less sunlight to reach the planet’s surface - which would result in a phenomenon known as “volcanic winter”.

A possible culprit behind the volcanic eruption could be the mountainous area in south-western Thedas, which is filled with peculiar natural formations, such as the Sulfur Lakes and the Sea of Ash (which is not a sea - in modern Thedas at least - but a vast wasteland). It might be a volcanically and seismically active region. If we look at the left side of the map, we can see that it’s riddled with mountains - starting with the Wandering Hills in the north of the Anderfels, through the Hunterthorn Mountains, to the far south where the Gamordan Peaks lie. It’s possible that these mountain ranges are a result of collision between two tectonic plates.

Figure 2. Red area - part of the Thedosian equivalent of the Ring of Fire? Light green area - region the proto-Alamarri tribes might’ve inhabited when the volcanic eruption happened

Since Solas says that the spirit he identified as the “shadow goddess” now dwells in the southern tundra while her prey successfully run away, I imagine that the Alamarri - then living in the south near Lake Celestine - first turned their steps to the north-east, to escape the natural disaster as well as the hungry shadow goddess. They reached the shore of the Waking Sea (see fig.1), followed it east, consequently crossing the northernmost part of the Frostback Mountains, and finally arrived at the place they would inhabit for the next millenia.

11.2022 addendum: Recently, I have discovered additional information about the migration of the early Alamarri tribes. It comes from an old and somewhat obscure piece of DA media: Dragon Age: Orgins: Prima Official Game Guide, Collector's Edition. The guide is a somewhat dubious source because a significant amount of the information it provides appears to have come from an early stage of DAO development that was changed before release (I discuss the changes in this tumblr post if you wish to look further into the matter). Although the information I'm about to present here doesn't outright contradict the currently established lore-as some other pieces of content from the guide do-it has nonetheless been omitted from newer sources such as the World of Thedas.

1200 TE (-2415 Ancient): The tribes of people known as the "Alamarri" cross the Frostback Mountains and settle in the lands that would become the country of Ferelden some 3,000 years later. What drives the Alamarri across the mountains is not known, but the oldest tribal legends mention evil forces belonging to the "Shadow Goddess," a being whose proper name was never invoked by Alamarri scribes lest her gaze fall upon them. Some modern scholars suggest that the Alamarri likely fled a great natural disaster—a flood caused by a large earthquake appears the most likely cause, according to hints in the old tales, though there are several tribes with stories that directly contradict this theory and instead point toward some form of enemy invasion. Regardless, the Alamarri crossed the mountains from the west and spread quickly across the Fereldan valley.[5]

As you can see, the guide suggests an earthquake followed by a flood as the natural disaster that likely displaced the Alamarri, although it notes there might've been another cause.

All in all, some kind of a devastating catastrophe, be it natural or not, prompted the ancient Alamarri tribes to relocate. What matters is that they settled in the lands that would become Ferelden in the far future. From now on, I will be referring to the central landmass in the south-eastern Thedas as the Fertile Valley, because that’s what “Ferelden” actually means in the Alamarri tongue.[6] It will help differentiate the geographical region from the country that formed under Calenhad’s rule.

Next up: Where do the Frostback Mountains begin?

~

Sources:

[1] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 11

[2] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 25

[3] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 12

[4] Dialogue with Solas after asking “Tell me more about your journeys” and then choosing the option “Tell me about spirits”

[6] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 50

[ammocharis]

Avvar History Reconstruction, part 7

Finally, I’ve reached the last part of this project! “Avvar History Reconstruction” is my attempt to piece together what’s known about the Avvar history, starting from their journey south-east (still as one with the Alamarri) through the birth of their tribe, the toll of Tevene occupation, the wars with neighbouring nations, all the way into the Dragon Age.

It took 10 000 words, 29 pages, and 13 maps to cover over 3000 years of history, and it just barely scratches the surface. There are many blank spots that might never be filled, as the series seems to be moving away from the Frostback Mountains. But that just means it’s a free space for headcanons.

<<Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6>>

Part 7: Current state

The Avvar people still reside in the remote parts of the Frostback Mountains. Their population numbers are unknown but they are able to endure in the harsh environment with relative success.

They are not recognized as sovereign state by any of the neighbouring nations, and the situation is unlikely to change in the years to come. The Avvar don’t have a central government, each hold is led by a different thane, and they don’t seem inclined to significantly alter their way of living and imitate Ferelden by uniting the tribes into a new nation. Occasionally, they form alliances with nearby holds, but there has been no large-scale movement since the rise of warlord Balak during the Steel Age. Gurd Harofsen, the leader of the Jaws of Hakkon, may have had a potential to follow in Balak’s footsteps, but his warmongering tendencies were thwarted before he could threaten the Lowlands. Even if Gurd did succeed, I find it highly improbable that attacking the Lowlanders with Hakkon Wintersbreath on the leash would benefit the Avvar as a whole, much less that it could grant them sovereignty. It’d certainly result in a great chaos - comparable to a Blight, from what we’re told in the Jaws of Hakkon DLC - that would lead to resistance forming in the neighbouring nations. Ferelden, still weakened from the real Blight, would suffer heavy losses, but the chance that the Jaws of Hakkon could vanquish the Lowlands is extremely infinitesimal. All in all, I see no signs in canon sources of the Avvar becoming a sovereign nation in the near future, either through peaceable unification or through conquest.

It appears that the Avvar tribes are concentrated in the southern part of the Frostback Mountains. The northern and central regions were probably depopulated as a result of the Tevinter occupation and the conflicts between Orlais and Ferelden, forcing the Avvar further up and south into the Frostbacks. The eastern frontiers may overlap with the lands inhabited by the Chasind people. The Avvar tribes who live near the Korcari Wilds possibly share some characteristics with the Chasind.

Figure 13. Avvar settlements

Red - extinct hold

Purple - possible location of a hold

Blue - known hold

Let’s review the Avvar settlements one by one.

Stone Bear Hold is the only Avvar hold whose current location and status are fully known, as we can visit it in the Jaws of Hakkon DLC and observe the Avvar lifestyle from up close. It’s situated in the far south of the Frostback Mountains. According to Arvid Rolfsen, a few generations ago, when he was very young, the hold was located further north, but it moved into the Frostback Basin due to unspecified reasons and remained in the same place for a couple of decades.[1] The Avvar holds are said to be temporary, but it’s unknown what’s the average time between relocations. It might range from several generations to a few seasons, depending on the situation in the hold and the access to food sources, though I believe that it’s usually on the longer end. The Stone-Bear Hold inhabitants appear to obtain their nourishment in large part from hunting and foraging, but it’s also evidenced that they regularly engage in animal husbandry, and possibly in growing crops.

The Journal of Gurd Harofsen contains the following description of Stone-Bear Hold:

“The tales tell of this area, but the Stone-Bears, a hold of fishermen and chicken farmers, have lived here for generations and seen no sign.”[2]

Codex entry: On Avvar Cuisine can be obtained by interacting with a swine head inside a merchant’s shop in Stone-Bear Hold, and there’s also a number of pig carcasses and sausages placed around the room, suggesting that the inhabitants of the hold raise pigs for meat consumption. The food items found in the hold also include cheese, indicating that the Stone-Bear folks keep dairy animals, and this is confirmed in conversations with Svarah Sun-Hair, as she references goats multiple times.

Svarah: “Pens are for goats and chickens, not hold-kin.” [...] “We have no need of your lowlands, not when our goats are fat and our fish are plenty.”

(Fun fact: Avvar swear words commonly reference domesticated animals, examples: “goat-lovers” used by both Svarah and Hask;  “goat-kissing” and “chicken-craps” used by Svarah.)

The evidence of arable farming among the Avvar is less apparent in-game. Some of the food items found in Stone-Bear Hold resemble bread, pies, and potatoes, suggesting that they do grow crops in larger quantities, but I do not recall any confirmation of that in dialogues or codex entries. The farming practices are, however, referenced in the official tabletop guide, though this source has debatable canonicity, so… take this with a grain of salt.

“In late spring and through the summer, the air becomes warm and humid. The farmers among the Avvars take swift advantage of the brief planting season by moving down from their stone-walled holds and into the foothills to grow crops, which they tend in nomadic fashion as they herd their flocks of goats and keep wary of lowlanders.”[3]

All in all, I would say that the Avvar people do not relocate often, certainly not as often as the fully nomadic Dalish. Stone-Bear Hold shows signs of permanence, or at least semi-permanence. Perhaps in the past, the Avvar had practiced a nomadic lifestyle of typical hunter-gatherers, but they’re transitioning into another mode of living.

Now let’s take a look at the holds we haven’t visited.

Red-Lion Hold is the hold that gave birth to the new iteration of the Jaws of Hakkon. It was destroyed during the Blight and its inhabitants had to flee. Gurd Harofsen described in his journal that “The darkspawn struck Red-Lion Hold. I heard the news in a tavern in Redcliffe.”[4] so I assume that Red-Lion Hold was located south of Lake Calenhad and was attacked by the darkspawn horde before Redcliffe, though its exact location is a mystery. Therefore, its placement on the map is just one of my ideas. When the news of Red-Lion’s destruction reached Gurd, he left the mercenary group he was part of and returned to his homeland. He gathered the survivors and set a new course for them, and they became the Jaws of Hakkon reborn. The newly formed faction was unlike the other Avvar tribes. As Gurd declared in his journal “We will build no home, for homes can die.”[5] And indeed, they were continuously on the move, searching for Hakkon to bring him back and set him on the Lowlanders, until they reached the Frostback Basin. This wandering behaviour is seen as odd among the people of Stone-Bear Hold, further suggesting that the typical Avvar settlement is somewhat permanent. As I discussed previously, I doubt the Jaws of Hakkon’s plan would in any way improve the situation of the Avvar people.

Stone-Bear Hold also has contact with other Avvar holds, as evidenced in conversations with Svarah:

“Other holds share oaths with the Jaws of Hakkon. They are sworn to defend or avenge them.”

as well as the ambient dialogue heard after defeating the Jaws of Hakkon: 

Avvar man: We should have a feast and invite the other friend-sworn holds.

Avvar woman: It feels like ages since we saw them. Should the lowlanders come?”

However, these holds are never identified by name, and it’s difficult to say how distant they are from Stone-Bear Hold.

Edvarr Hold is the hold from which chieftain Movran the Under and his son Hand of Korth originate. Its name is only referenced in ambient dialogue during the fight with Hand of Korth, when some other members of the hold, who followed the Hand into the Fallow Mire, may exclaim “For Edvarr Hold!”. However, it could also be how Hand of Korth decided to rename the Hargrave Keep after claiming it, and if that’s the case, the other hold led by chieftain Movran is unnamed in-game, as he himself doesn’t identify which hold he’s governing while speaking to the Inquisitor. Personally, I’m assuming that “Edvarr Hold” does refer to the hold led by Movran, and I’m using it as such. Edvarr Hold is probably located somewhere in the south-eastern part of the Frostbacks, in or near the Fallow Mire region, which is bordering with the Korcari Wilds. Movran has sent his son, Hand of Korth, to get rid of the Venatori in the area. Amund, the Sky Watcher who handles funerals among his tribe members, can also be found in the Fallow Mire, further leading me to believe that Hand of Korth did not go too far from his original hold. Depending on the player's choices, the settlement might actually become abandoned, as Movran takes his tribesmen to Skyhold, and he can be exiled together with them to Tevinter. If this option is chosen, Movran and his people relocate to Tevinter, possibly for the rest of their lives, which is rather intriguing, and I wonder what will become of them in the future.

“We have received word that "Movran the Under" has made good on your judgment of armed exile in Tevinter.  He and his clan immediately staked a claim to a large section of land along the Imperial Highway, at the edge of the Silent Plains.”[6]

Fennec-Tooth Hold is a settlement mentioned in the codex entry “On Avvar cuisine”. It had been visited by an Orlesian noble, so I would place it on the western slope of the Frostback Mountains. Its current status is unknown, though I like to think that it’s still inhabited. If it survived the wars between Orlais and Ferelden, it might yet thrive.

Wyvern Hold, Kinloch Hold and Vigil’s Keep were inhabited by the Avvar in the Ancient Age, prior to Tevinter occupation of the south (see Part 3 and Part 4 for more information). Judging by the information available, they were never reclaimed by the Avvar, even after the Imperium ceded its territories.

Skyhold too may have been inhabited by the Avvar at some point in history. The fortress had been claimed by many different groups of people, including the Chasind[7] and the Alamarri.[8] The name “Skyhold” might derive from the Avvar, seeing as it fits the naming convention of the Avvar settlements.

One of the notes mentions the hints of Avvar imagery in Skyhold.

“Avvar totemic representation of mabari, which followed into early Fereldan imagery. Ancient; we can't know if they were carved here or brought later. Interesting note: the kaddis pattern is subtly different than is typical, with unmistakable Tevinter elements. A strange addition if the occupants were Fereldan. Rivets in the pillar are often marks of generations of occupants, but eight seems high given how often Skyhold changed hands. Unless these are breeding generations of mabari. An interesting question would be: "eight starting from what?"[9]

These totems could represent the first generations of the mabari that deserted their previous owners and instead joined with the “barbarians” living in the lands occupied by Tevinter Imperium. The mabari breed was originally created by Tevene mages to help subdue the local population.[10] The Alamarri (and subsequently Fereldans) become known for their connection to the mabari, but the war dogs also accompany some Avvar people, such as Kell ap Morgan, a former Avvar jarl.

However, even if some Avvar had lived in Skyhold, it was many, many years before. Prior to the Inquisition relocating there, the fortress had been completely abandoned, probably for the last few centuries.

Speaking of Kell ap Morgan, he used to be a leader of an Avvar clan. His home is briefly described in the novel “The Calling” by David Gaider, though only in the form of a Fade dream. It’s implied that Kell’s clan suffered a great loss, something that affected his wife and child and caused Kell to abandon the Frostback Mountains and join the Wardens down the line. It’s possible that his entire hold has perished, though the reason has not been revealed in the novel, nor in any other media, as far as I know. The name of the settlement is also a mystery.

Another briefly referenced Avvar clan pops up in the story of Marethari Talas. When Marethari was a young mage, the First to the Keeper, her clan set camp in the Frostback Mountains, though it’s unclear where exactly. Likely, it was the eastern side, bordering Ferelden. In the winter of 8:82 Blessed, after a good hunting season, the clan was attacked by Avvar warriors for an unknown reason. The name of their hold is also unknown. The Keeper was gravely wounded in the attack, and many members of the Dalish clan were killed, including Marethari’s husband. Marethari took leadership of the survivors and ordered them to go into the Ferelden lowlands, while she went the other way, into an alpine forest, to seek out the Witch of the Wilds. She returned three days later, and the next day, the previous Keeper of the Sabrae clan died.

“And the Avvar tribe fell prey to what some survivors said were trees come to life, the wrath of the Mountain-Father himself.”[11]

The tabletop campaign also includes an Avvar settlement called Redhold, but as I mentioned, its position in the canon is debatable, so I’ll only point out that it exists in the RPG guidebook.

Summing up, there’s only one Avvar settlement that we can really examine from up close, with possibly two more persisting into the current times. As such, a lot of guesswork and headcanoning is involved when discussing this part of the Dragon Age setting. Each Avvar tribe is also a bit different from one another, but they still share core values, such as the worship of spirits. I encourage everyone interested in Avvar lore to explore it and draw their own conclusions, but what matters in the end is to have fun. I certainly enjoyed working on these theories, and I hope you enjoyed reading them if you reached this far.

Lady keep you!

~

Sources:

[1] Dialogue with Arvid Rolfsen: “Stone-Bear Hold’s been here a few generations. I was born further north, but we left before I could remember. “

[2],[4],[5] Codex entry: Journal of Gurd Harofsen

[3] Blood in Ferelden, p. 52

[6] Judgement: Movran’s Arrived!

[7] Codex entry: The Women of All War

[8]Codex entry: On Skyhold references a journal written in Old Fereldan dialect back in the Divine Age, prior to the unification of Ferelden

[9] Cataloguing Skyhold: Mabari Avvar Pillars

[10] According to Fenris

[11] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 165

[ammocharis]

Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 5

<<Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4>>

Part 5: The Great Alliance

In this part, I want to take a brief look at the largest alliance that the southern human tribes have ever established. I’m talking about the coalition of Alamarri, Avvar and Ciriane that was created during the times of Andraste.

First, let’s examine Andraste’s parents. The future “Bride of the Maker” was born to Elderath of the Alamarri and Brona of the Ciriane.

“Andraste’s father was Elderath, chief of the northernmost tribes of the Alamarri. He held vast stretches of territory, though the Alamarri cared little for the specifics of their borders. Tevinter struggled in an environment the barbarians had mastered. Elderath also benefited from relations of small but wealthy tribes in what would be known as the Fertile Crescent, and married Brona of the Ciriane to secure this arrangement. The birthplace of Andraste is believed to be what would become Denerim.”[1]

Elderath’s case is quite straightforward, he had authority over the northern part of the Fertile Valley. It’s less clear what lands Brona had brought to the alliance because the Fertile Crescent is rarely mentioned, but I think it’s possible to piece this together. The Ciriane tribe inhabited an area that became known as Orlais.

“Ciriane: Loosely defined and culturally rich, the Ciriane people prospered in the fertile crescent of what is now central Orlais. While other tribes faced pressure from Neromenians in the north, the Ciriane were largely isolated, and remained a strong, distinct people until the founding of Orlais after the First Blight.”[2]

I’m fairly sure the Fertile Crescent would include the Heartlands, an area in central Orlais which is described as rich and fruitful.

“The region between Lake Celestine and the shores of the Waking Sea is known as “The Heartlands,” a place of vineyards and gilded marble estates the locals refer to as “cottages.” It is often said that Orlais’ heart is plated with gold, and so it seems fitting that the Heartlands are perhaps the richest place outside of Val Royeaux.”[3]

I also find it likely that the area from which Brona hailed would be located somewhat near to the lands of the northern Alamarri led by Elderath. Perhaps she lived on the southern coast of the Waking Sea.

And so, the Alamarri and Ciriane alliance was secured with marriage between Elderath and Brona. 

Figure 10. Alamarri-Ciriane alliance Green area - territory controlled by Elderath Yellow area - Fertile Crescent, inhabited by the Ciriane

They had one daughter who they named Andraste. She was born around the year -203 Ancient, just as the First Blight ended. Denerim is usually described as the place of her birth, but it’s possible she was born elsewhere in the lands included in the alliance.

“As well, Denerim was the birthplace of Andraste. One of them, anyway, as several other sites claim to have been the prophet's early home, including Jader, in Orlais. The Chantry takes no stance on which site's claim is valid, but it is well known that Andraste was Fereldan by birth.”[4]

Andraste wasn’t Fereldan of course, as the nation under that name didn’t form for another 700 years, but Brother Genitivi was probably using a more commonly known label for his writings to be more accessible.

Regardless of where she was born, it appears that Andraste spent most of her childhood and adolescence in the Alamarri lands and was trained as a spear-maid.

Next, let’s check what information is available on Maferath and his parents.

“Maferath’s father was Heggar II. His mother was Thelois. Both were prominent Alamarri, their union creating a powerful tribe that controlled much of what would become eastern Ferelden. They died of sickness common to the day but ensured the future of their people by training their son well in matters of tactics and arms.”[5]

As we can see Mafertah’s parents are presented here as Alamarri, however, I would say that in this context, it’s an umbrella term for the southern human tribes, which includes Avvar and Chasind. Previously, it’s been specified that Maferath belonged to an Avvar clan, which fits with the description of the territory controlled by his parents and later inherited by Maferath.

“Havard was Maferath's closest friend. They were children together in the same Avvar clan. They fought side-by-side in so many battles that Maferath dubbed him, "Havard the Aegis", better to have at his side than any shield.”[6]

Andraste married Maferath at sixteen, in -187 Ancient. This union cemented the alliance between the Alamarri, Avvar, Ciriane, and Planasene, though it’s not explained how the Planasene joined the coalition of the tribes. Perhaps they were previously allied with the Ciriane.

“Andraste was married to Maferath to create a unified Alamarri border that stretched from the Planasene, through the Fertile Crescent, to the Bannorn. It was, at that point, the largest such alliance the barbarians of the South had attempted.”[7]

Figure 11. Alamarri-Avvar-Ciriane-Planasene alliance Green area - territory controlled by Elderath Blue area - territory controlled by Maferath Yellow area - Fertile Crescent, inhabited by the Ciriane Orange area - territory inhabited by the Planasene

Soon after their marriage, Andraste began speaking about her experiences with the Maker, which Maferath promptly utilized in expansion of the alliance.

“-186 Ancient: Andraste preaches of a new creator, whom she calls the Maker. The more she says, the more her following grows. Maferath uses her teachings to unite the Alamarri clans under his authority.”[8]

A few years later, the unified tribes grew strong enough to take on the Tevinter Imperium.

“-180 Ancient: Maferath’s barbarian horde pushes north and begins an outright assault on the Imperium.”[9]

Joined by slaves who escaped the Imperial shackles, the army led by Andraste and Maferath conquered significant territories north of the Waking Sea. However, Andraste was betrayed by her husband and the further advancement of their forces was stopped.

“-171 Ancient: [...] Wanting to bring an end to hostilities and tighten his grip on conquered territories, he makes a pact with Archon Hessarian of the Tevinter Imperium.”[10]

“-165: The armies of Maferath and Andraste disperse. Maferath claims much of southern Thedas in the name of the Alamarri, taking Ferelden for himself while dividing what will become Orlais, the nation of Nevarra, and several Marcher cities between his sons.”[11]

“-135 Ancient: The Alamarri in Ferelden fall into a long series of internal wars as various warlords attempt to replace Maferath.”[12]

I won’t get into details of the territorial disputes that arose after Maferath’s death, as it would result in a tangent thrice as long as what I’ve already written. Suffice to say that the unified border dissolved. Up until his death, Maferath seems to have resided in the Fertile Valley instead of the Avvar lands west of Lake Calenhad that were his heritage. Havard, his childhood friend, decided to store Andraste’s ashes in a temple built in the Frostback Mountains, perhaps near the region where their clan had once lived. However, Havard and the rest of the Disciples endured completely hidden from the outside world, including any Avvar tribes that might’ve dwelled in the area.

“-135 Ancient: Andraste’s ashes disappear, revealed ages later to have been stored away at the Temple of Sacred Ashes in Haven.”[13]

It’s unclear what percentage of the Avvar tribes converted to the faith of the Maker. I suspect most who did had departed the Frostback Mountains and settled elsewhere, joining other tribes in the coalition or claiming new territories in the lands conquered by Andraste.  It’s likely that the southern Avvar tribes had never entered the alliance. The lore indicates that the Frostback Mountains as a whole remained a foothold of the traditional Avvar and Alamarri faith from before Andraste’s revelations.

Next up: Why did the Avvar stay isolated in the high areas of the Frostback Mountains?

~

Sources:

[1] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 11

[2] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 26

[3] War Table mission: Truth or Dare: Lake Celestine

[4]Codex entry: Denerim

[5] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 11

[6] Codex entry: Havard's Aegis

[7] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 12

[8] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 37

[9] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 42

[10] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 44

[11] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 45

[12] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 48

[13] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 48

[ammocharis]

Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 2

In this part, I’d like to pose a couple of questions: where exactly did Tyrdda’s tribe live? Why did she decide to break away from the Alamarri? Where did her people go? The answers are not as straightforward as it may seem.

The Seven Magisters weren’t the first people who tried to get into the Golden City.

Read >Part 1<

The next major event in the timeline was the separation of the Avvar from the rest of the Alamarri tribes.

-1815 Ancient: The Alamarri living near Lake Calenhad break away, becoming known as the Avvar. The two groups war with each other for centuries.[1]

The reason why Tyrdda chose to break away from the Alamarri was a conflict with Thelm Gold-Handed, a chieftain who subjugated multiple lesser tribes.

(As a side note, Lake Calenhad obviously wasn’t known as such in the times before Calenhad, who lived during the Exalted Age - some 2300 years later. I’ll continue calling it Lake Calenhad so as not to cause too much confusion.)

“Thelm Gold-Handed, fingers greasy, jeweled rings with glitter shone,

Took in tribes in times of trouble, fed them fat to weaken bone.

Warriors great and great in number, sun-kissed swords to fight his wars

Drake-scaled shirts their bodies covered, heart-wine stained the salty shores.

Told his tribes a tale of treasure, over sea to north it gleamed,

Whispered words to drive the droves to golden city where he dreamed.

Counseled quick in dreams alone,

Voices wiser man ignores,

Pushed the tribes until they screamed,

Heed the dreams and cross the Waking.”[2]

As we can see, Thelm wished to cross the Waking Sea and collect a treasure within the golden city he had been promised by mysterious voices in his dreams. It appears that he controlled a large territory lying by the sea.

Personally, I subscribe to a theory that Kirkwall was the place where the Magister Sidereal breached the Veil to get to the Golden City. I won’t elaborate on the details here, but it’s a widely popular theory so I invite you to read about it on your own, if you haven’t come across it already. I mention it here because I believe that Thelm was one of the first people who were influenced by whatever is lurking inside the Golden City, and he was being prompted to follow the same steps as the Seven Magisters, which includes finding an entrance to the Fade -  an it just so happens that a there’s a suitable location, atop the Primeval Thaig, near the place where the City of Chains would once be built. Kirkwall is located north of the Fertile Valley, across the Waking Sea. Perhaps Thelm was contacted in his dreams because the area he controlled was located in the vicinity of a possible Fade entrance.

I’d also like to point out that Tyrdda was aware that the gilded city was nothing but a lie, a trap for the greedy. She received a warning from the Lady of the Skies.

We’re told that prior to the separation movement, Tyrdda’s tribe lived near the Lake that is now known as Lake Calenhad, but that’s the extent of the information we’re given. I want to propose a somewhat counterintuitive idea and say that Tyrdda’s tribe inhabited an area to the east of the Lake, not west.

Figure 3. Green area - tribes led by Thelm Gold-Handed Blue area - tribes led by Tyrdda Bright-Axe (Disclaimer: All maps included in this write-up are meant to represent only rough estimations of areas that might’ve fallen under the influence of various tribes that belong to the Alamarri cultural group. These are not firm borders.)

Firstly, the Saga of Tyrdda mentions that:

“Tyrdda Bright-Axe, bold and bloodied, took her tribe from placid plains Tribes with blades by farming blunted chased and fought, their parting pains.”[3]

Which makes me think that her tribe lived in the Fertile Valley proper. West of the Lake is already a mountainous region, judging by the way it’s depicted on Thedosian maps.

Figure 4. Lake Calenhad and the surrounding area on the Inquisition map

Furthermore, it stands to reason that the region controlled by Tyrdda was adjacent to the lands under Thelm’s rule, which, as I explained before, appear to have been located in the northernmost part of the Fertile Valley. Thelm was aiming to gather a massive number of warriors in order to cross the Waking Sea and claim the riches of the Golden City for himself. Naturally, he would first look for “allies” in the neighbouring tribes.

And so Tyrdda abandoned the other Alamarri tribes and led her people away from the plains.

“To the mountains, shorn of shelter, snow-slicked peaks gave wind its bite”[4]

Here I’d also like to pose another theory - Tyrdda didn’t lead her tribe west, to the area that’s considered the Frostbacks in modern Thedas. Instead, she took them south, following the shores of the Lake, until they reached the place that is now known as the Hinterlands. Let me explain why.

In Dragon Age: Inquisition, we explore a mountainous region called the Hinterlands, specifically the part that surrounds the settlement of Redcliffe. A storyteller encountered in the village describes it as such “Even before the sky fell open, this was a land of spirits and demons. Magic grows wild in the hills of Redcliffe.” During the exploration, we can find landmarks that reveal the Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe. After discovering all stanzas, a war table mission becomes available, titled “Locate Weapon of Tyrdda Bright-Axe”. Sister Dorcas Guerrin, a Fereldan scholar, explains that:

“The rich oral tradition of the Avvar has been largely lost, leaving only these rune-marked fragments. [...] Based on marker runes left at each of these locations, I may be able to find the site where Tyrdda’s legendary axe is located.”[5]

So it appears that there are Avvar marker runes sprinkled around the Hinterlands, which point to a place where Tyrdda’s staff, along with her other earthly possessions, were stored. It leads me to believe that the Avvar had presence in the Hinterlands after they separated from the Alamarri, since the Saga of the Avvar-Mother describes events from Tyrdda’s life up until her death. When Tyrdda died, her tribesmen (perhaps with the help from dwarves, as Tyrdda had allied with prince Hendir) installed marker runes in the Hinterlands that if combined together would reveal a path to the site where Tyrdda’s relics had been safely put away. This vault was located in another part of the highlands, but it’s unclear where exactly. In my mind, it just makes sense that the marker runes would be left in the place where the Avvar tribe settled after they separated from the Alamarri.

(As a side note, the Avvar do cultivate their oral traditions. Tyrdda’s identity as a mage wasn’t a shock to them - “the Avvar were completely unsurprised by Tyrdda being a mage. While it was lost to Fereldan history, it was evidently taken as an unspoken truth among the Avvar.”[6])

Figure 5. The region where the Avvar might’ve settled after separating from the rest of the Alamarri

Another argument for why the Hinterlands were the place the Avvar relocated to is the tree dedicated to Tyrdda’s lover, which can be found on Dennet’s horse farm.

“The farmers remember the old ways and the old blood, and we’ll honor that [...] If the farmers want to leave that tree to honor Tyrdda’s leaf-eared lover, we’ll let it be, and whatever we lose from the land, we’ll gain in loyalty.”[7]

The age of the tree in question is unknown, I would assume it’s not from Tyrdda’s time since it’d have to be over 2500 years old (though it’s possible, the oldest known tree on Earth was almost 5000 years old) but it’s still a sign of the Avvar beliefs being present in the area for a substantial amount of time. Admittedly, the Alamarri also believed in the Lady of the Skies, though in this case, the importance seems to be attached to the deity being Tyrdda’s lover specifically, not the goddess of the skies.

In Jaws of Hakkon, Scout Lace Harding mentions that when she was a little girl “a lady in our village used to tell me Avvar tales” which is yet another hint of the Avvar influence on the Hinterlands, as Harding was born and raised in a settlement located near Redcliffe.

I imagine that for the Avvar lore to become so ingrained in the Hinterlands, the Avvar had to be present in the area for a long time, well after their separation from the Alamarri. I theorize they held it at least until the times of chieftain Morrighan’nan who lived around -355 Ancient (more on her and the area she might’ve controlled in Part 4).

To sum up - I think that “Frostback Mountains” used to refer to a much wider area. The highlands located west and south of the Lake were all included in its definition, while “Fertile Valley” was the name of the lowlands east and north of the Lake. When the Alamarri tribes first crossed the mountains, they settled in the Valley, and the Frostbacks remained largely uninhabited until the Avvar took them as their home.

Figure 6.

Redefining regions Blue area - Frostback Mountains Green area - Fertile Valley

Next up - did the Avvar completely disappear from the Fertile Valley?

~

Sources:

[1] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 13

[2][3][4] Codex entry: Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother

[5] War Table mission: Locate Weapon of Tyrdda Bright-Axe

[6] War Table mission: Send Relics of Tyrdda Bright-Axe

[7] Note: Tyrdda's Lover, written by Elaina to her husband, horsemaster Dennet

[ammocharis]

Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 4

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Part 4: Imperial occupation of the South

Let’s return to the year -712 Ancient and investigate Tevinter’s advance towards the southern frontiers of Thedas. As I mentioned previously, the Tevinter Imperium captured the fortresses of Kinloch Hold and Vigil’s Keep early in the campaign, but it didn’t stop there. Soon, the Imperium would lead its forces into the Frostback Mountains proper.

-712 Ancient: The First Tevinter expedition against the Avvar.

“The Frostbacks run red with barbarian blood. We've found their sacred caves and claimed their most holy relics. When the soldiers came out of the mountain cave and brandished this weapon, the Avvars rose up in a mighty furor. We had to put down every man, woman, and child—it was as if they'd gone rabid. Before they perished, their witch woman pronounced a curse so vile and treasonous, three soldiers had to be whipped to re-establish discipline. Our guide says this axe is a sacred weapon, a weapon of the gods.

We plan to march further into the mountains to defeat the last of the tribes. Surely there cannot be more than a thousand left. I have every confidence that by next spring these barbarians will plague us no more. Then, we can turn our attention fully to the Chasind and Alamarri.”[1]

Since the Avvar tribes continue to exist, it’s safe to say that the Imperial forces were unsuccessful. Still, Tevinter managed to take control of significant portions of the land. At an unspecified point in time, the Imperium conquered the Frostback Basin and built the temple of Razikale’s Reach[2] as well an outpost that is currently called Nigel’s Point, its ancient Tevinter name lost.[3]

I assume most of the Avvar tribes retreated deep into the Frostback Mountains. They would occasionally assault the occupying forces, most likely taking advantage of their familiarity with the area and tolerance to the local climate. The Avvar often launch raids in winter, which could give them an edge over the Tevene people. However, the Imperium withstood the attacks from the Avvar, as well Alamarri and Chasind tribes. At least until the onset of the First Blight, Tevinter Imperium held presence in the Fertile Valley, Frostback Mountains, and even some parts of the Korcari Wilds. They created the vast network of the Imperial Highway, connecting most of their occupied territories. I theorize that the Highway was built along natural borders, such as rivers, mountains ranges, shores, etc. The Highway encircled the whole Lake Calenhad, most likely for the purpose of transporting cargo via boats, but possibly also due to the belief that the waters of the lake possess magical properties (which I mentioned in the previous entry).

The Imperium’s power began to dwindle in -395 Ancient as the First Blight began its long course. In the wake of this catastrophe, Tevinters started to abandon their southern outposts, including Ostagar, Razikale’s Reach, and Denerim. Let’s review the evidence on them one by one.

Ostagar

“Like most imperial holdings in the south, Ostagar was abandoned after Tevinter's collapse during the first Blight. It was successfully sacked by the Chasind wilders and then, as the Chasind threat dwindled following the creation of the modern Ferelden nation, fell to ruin completely.”[4]

Razikale’s Reach

“Some of the Avvar, he said, believed the temple to be the haunt of old, vengeful spirits. The Tevinter had come here long ago and built their great temples and then one day, without warning, they had abandoned them all.”[5]

“Silence has fallen. Those who call out to her in dreams hear nothing. Our letters to the capital go unanswered. No supplies have been sent, and our messengers do not return from the north. We are alone. [...]

If the Imperium has fallen, we shall build it anew. This citadel [Razikale’s Reach] shall be a new Minrathous, and we who serve the Twisted Path shall be its Magisterium. Praise be to Razikale—may our raised voices reach her and bring her back to us at last. [...]

Run if you can. Madness has filled the silence. Do not return to this place.”[6]

“And now Razikale is silent and madness descends. I can only think, what if? What if there are irregularities in the Veil here? What if we could secure the Avvar cave and bend it to our purposes?”[7]

Denerim

"Denerim, the capital of Ferelden, began originally as an outpost of the ancient Tevinter Imperium. Its mages rose up a dark tower from the side of a mountain, a symbol of the Imperium's power. As the Imperium faded, the tower passed to the hands of the teyrns that ruled the region for a millennium. "Today that tower still stands as Fort Drakon, immediately recognizable to any ship that approaches the rocky coast.”[8]

Figure 8. Between -715 Ancient and -395 Ancient, Tevinter claimed large areas of land south of the Waking Sea and constructed the Imperial Highway and several outposts and watchtowers to oversee its new holdings.

As we can see, the Tevinter Imperium undertook many grand projects in the occupied lands, such as extending the Imperial Highway across the Frostback Mountains and into the Fertile Valley. All of these endevours have been met with stark resistance from the local population.

Once the Imperium withdrew from the south, focusing their forces in their own homeland instead, the Avvar, Alamarri and Chasin returned to the lands they previously inhabited. Old territorial disputes were reignited. Less than a century later, some tribes belonging to the Avvar and the Alamarri would enter a war.

-355 Ancient: The Blight has yet to reach the Alamarri. They are instead caught up in a war with the Avvar. In the Battle of Red Falls, Alamarri warrior Luthias Dwarfson fights Morrighan'nan, Avvar warrior queen. Both die in the battle. The Order of Ash Warriors is founded in Dwarfson's honor.[9]

Luthias was a warrior from a subtribe of the Alamarri known as Clayne[10], which appears to have been inhabiting part of the Brecilian forest at the time.

“The arm of the Imperium is long.

Once it reached even this forest, in a time when the barbarian tribes of the Clayne still ruled the land. The Tevinter magisters fought to take it from them - inch by inch, if need be, using terrible magic. [...]

The Clayne, however, were already approaching the outpost in force. The barbarian chieftain of the Clayne desired the fabled armor himself [...] although the barbarians sacked the outpost, the chieftain found neither the armor nor the revenants.

The Juggernaut armor's legend lives on, and more than one brave soul has ventured into the depths of the Brecilian Forest in search, never to return.”[11]

In the past, Brecilian Forest may have covered a much larger area. In Dragon Age: Origins, the aforementioned codex entry can be found in the eastern part of the forest.

I theorize that Luthias’ tribe was residing in the south-western part of the Brecilian forest, while the Avvar tribe led by Morrighan’nan dwelled on the south-eastern slope of the Frostback Mountains. After the Tevinter’s retreat, both tribes would expand their territories. According to the Legend of Luthias Dwarfson:

“When Luthias was still a young man, Mabene sent him to the dwarven city of Orzammar to negotiate an alliance. Mabene's tribe had come into conflict with other Alamarri, and he needed as much help as he could get. Luthias was unable to convince the dwarven king to aid his tribe, but fell in love with the king's daughter, Scaea.”[12]

It’s unclear what tribe of the Alamarri the Clayne had a quarrel with. I assume it wasn’t an Avvar tribe, since in this codex entry the Alamarri and the Avvar are described as separate entities, and it’s said that they entered a war at a later time. Instead, it only mentions “other Alamarri”. It might’ve been a neighbouring Alamarri tribe living in the southern part of the Fertile Valley. Eventually, the Clayne tribe defeated the other Alamarri, and most likely absorbed their territory, spreading further west towards the Lake.

Figure 9. Clayne-Avvar conflict

Blue area - Morrighan’nan’s tribe

Green area - Luthias’ tribe

Red area - disputed region

“Luthias led his tribe to many victories, until eventually he replaced his foster father as chief of his tribe. This peace would not last. During a feast between the tribal leaders of the Alamarri and the Avvar, the beautiful and powerful Avvar chieftain, Morrighan'nan, became enamored with Luthias and seduced him. Scaea learned of the tryst and fled the village to return to Orzammar. When Luthias rebuffed Morrighan'nan's offer of marriage, she left in great anger, and from that moment on, there was war between the two tribes.

For 15 years, the Alamarri and Avvar fought. During the Battle of Red Falls, a powerful young warrior from Morrighan'nan's tribe challenged Luthias to a battle. Luthias was injured grievously, but slew the boy. Morrighan'nan revealed that the boy was Luthias's son [...]

Morrighan'nan defeated Luthias in battle after battle, until the Alamarri were driven to the foothills of the Frostback Mountains. There, Luthias made a last stand. In the night before Luthias's final battle, Scaea came to him and offered him a dwarven suit of chain in exchange for a night together. Luthias agreed and wore the armor the following morning in battle. [...] Luthias slew the warrior woman, but not before receiving a mortal wound to his heart, the chain inexplicably unable to block her final blow. Luthias died, and after the battle was done a party of dwarven warriors came down from the mountain and took the body of Luthias back to Orzammar.”[13]

In the Hinterlands, we can find natural formations that are named after Luthias Dwarfson: Lake Luthias and Dwarfson’s Pass. It might not mean much in itself, but combined with the description of the Alamarri-Avvar conflict saying that “Alamarri were driven to the foothills of the Frostback Mountains”, it leads me to believe that the final stand between Morrighan’nan and Luthias took place somewhere in the western part of the Hinterlands region. Perhaps Red Falls mentioned earlier in the legend as the location of the battle between Luthias and his son could actually be equated with Redcliffe, as the place has been named for the red colour of the cliffs. As we can see both in DAO and DAI, a waterfall runs down these cliffs, emptying into the Lake.

(Side note: my pet theory is that Scaea intentionally put a structural weakness into the armor she gifted to Luthias, and may have even hinted at its existence to Morrighan’nan.)

Next up: Great Southern Alliance - why did Andraste marry Maferath?

~

Sources

[1] Codex entry: The Mountain-Father's Haft

[2][5] Codex entry: Razikale's Reach

[3] Codex entry: Nigel's point

[4] Codex entry: Ostagar

[6] Ancient Tevene inscriptions scattered around the Frostback Basin

[7] Codex entry: Mouth of Echoes

[8] Denerim on Bioware Wiki, WebArchive access

[9] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 29

[10] According to Ash Warrior Leader

[11] Codex entry: Legend of the Juggernaut

[12][13]  Codex entry: The Legend of Luthias Dwarfson

[ammocharis]

Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 6

<<Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5>>

Part 6: Pushed back into the Mountains

As the Alamarri tribes living in the Fertile Valley grew in power, the Avvar would retreat further and further into the Mountains. From time to time, they tried to advance into the lowlands, occasionally allying with the Chasind against their Alamarri cousins. However, they were always pushed back and did not reclaim any of the settlements they held in the Valley in the previous centuries.

1:50 Divine: Hafter defeats combined Chasind and Avvar forces and holds the Fereldan Valley. Hafter is named the valley’s first teyrn.[1]

I think Hafter’s victory put the Avvar on the losing track. The Alamarri started to establish an intricate political structure while the Avvar continued with their old tradition of thanes and jarls. I imagine the terms “bann” and “thane” have a common root, as well as “arl” and “jarl”. It’s said that the Landsmeet had been:

“held for almost three thousand years except odd interruptions during Blights and invasions”[2]

which would put the time of its creation before the Avvar separated from the Alamarri and after the proto-Alamarri tribe crossed the Frostback Mountains. However, I think that in the Ancient Age, the Landsmeet was an infrequent meeting between leaders of neighbouring tribes, not an annual occurrence for which all chieftains ruling in the Fertile Valley were expected to gather. I theorize it was only after Hafter’s success that the Alamarri leaders started assembling more regularly. In large part, I imagine, it was to discuss their line of defense against the Avvar and Chasind forces surrounding them from the west and south. The enmity between the central Alamarri tribes and their “cousins” grew.

Whereas the Avvar tribes only occasionally united under powerful chieftains as they had in the old times, the Alamarri began laying the foundations of a more organized system that would eventually allow them to form a kingdom.

The next few centuries are a blank space in Avvar history, though I’m inclined to believe that their area of influence continued to shrink and their power dwindled.

“4:80 Black: The Orlesian Empire takes advantage of Ferelden's fractured state [or rather, the fracturated state of the Alamarri tribes, as this happens before the formation of Ferelden - addition mine] and crosses the Frostback Mountains to invade for the first time.”[3]

The first Orlesian invasion entered the Fertile Valley through the Frostback Mountains, launching the initial attack on the fortress of Redcliffe. I think it’s safe to assume that the Orlesian forces had to cut their way through the Mountains by decimating Avvar tribes standing between them and their true goal. Even though the Alamarri tribes were not fully united during the Black Age, they managed to withstand the Orlesian invasion and pushed the foreign forces outside of the Fertile Valley in 4:84 Black. 

The losses suffered by the Avvar further diminished their strength, which was very advantageous to the Alamarri. Unbothered by the neighbouring tribes, the Alamarri would soon unite under Calenhad. The Avvar, even if they were offered the chance to enter the alliance (and there’s no such indication in the lore, as far as I can tell), would be unlikely to accept it. For one, Calenhad has brought the Chantry into his newly formed country, a decision which the Avvar did not approve of.

“We Avvar never leave the ice and the stone. We never bowed to Calenhad as the Alamarri did, nor shall we be enslaved by the words of their new prophet.”[4]

Though Andraste was an Alamarri-Ciriane woman, and her husband was an Avvar, the majority of Avvar tribes did not abandon their pre-Andrastian beliefs. The Chantry dogma, heavily influenced by the Orlesian priesthood, would be even less appealing to the Avvar. Furthermore, the Avvar would never agree to send their mages to the Circles, where they wouldn’t be able to practice the sprit worship as they used to. For the Alamarri, however, a place in the Chantry offered an enticing possibility to legitimize their self-rule. As “heathen barbarians”, they were not viewed as a sovereign state by other nations, most importantly, their neighbour, the Orlesian Empire.

5:42 Exalted: Calenhad Theirin is crowned king in Denerim, uniting the long-warring tribes of Ferelden under a single banner.[5]

Not everyone agreed with Calenhad’s decision, for example, his close friend and mentor, Aldenon. Aldenon was a mage and he didn’t share Calenhad’s belief in the Maker, nor did he approve of inviting the Chantry into Ferelden.

“Aldenon conceived a plan to enlist strong allies and Calenhad went into the Brecilian Forest to make it so. But unbeknownst to the mage, Calenhad had made contact with the Chantry. When Calenhad returned at the head of the Ash Warriors as Aldenon expected, so as well did templars and Circle mages join our host. Aldenon was in a fury such as I've never seen. He wanted a kingdom of free men, of moral people beholden to law. Where a common man could tend his land safely and in peace. He lifted his staff and his voice echoed through the hills: "A civilization cannot be civil if it condones the slavery of another. And that is what this Circle is! But by accident of birth, those mages would be free to live, love, and die as they choose. The Circles will break—if it be one year, a decade, a century, or beyond. Tyrants always fall, and the downtrodden always strive for freedom!"”[6]

Afterwards, Aldenon abandoned Calenhad and vanished. The Theirins ruled over Ferelden for the next centuries. 

The last attempt of the Avvar tribes to take control of the Valley was the invasion led by Balak. It seems that his forces took Fereldans by surprise, but that advantage didn’t last long.

6:50 Steel: The Avvar organize forces under the great warlord Balak and sweep into the heart of the Ferelden Valley in massive numbers. The bannorn is put to the torch.[7]

6:52 Steel: The Avvar are pushed out of Ferelden proper. The period results in one of the worst famines in Fereldan history. Memories of Avvar savagery sour relations between the barbarians and Fereldan kings for ages.[8]

Afterwards, the Avvar mostly stayed bound in the less accessible regions of the mountains, which is how the Frostback Mountains area is defined in the current times (as opposed to the wider area that I proposed earlier as the antiquated definition of the Frostback Mountains).

Figure 12. Lands inhabited by the Avvar tribes following the formation of Ferelden.

Next up: What’s the current situation in the Frostback Mountains?

~~

Sources:

[1] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 70

[2] Codex entry: Politics of Ferelden

[3] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 94

[4] Codex entry: The Lady of the Skies

[5] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 105

[6] Codex entry: Freedom’s promise

[7] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 110

[8] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 111

[ammocharis]

Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 3

<<Read Part 1, Part 2>>

Part 3: Avvar in the Fertile Valley

Another area of lore I’d like to investigate is the Avvar presence in the Fertile Valley after their separation from the Alamarri, and how their ties to the dwarves might’ve affected the situation.

Firstly, let’s look at Kinloch Hold. Apparently, it was built by the Avvar with the help from dwarves at an unspecified date.

“Better known as the ‘Tower of the Circle of Magi’ these days, many people forget that the great tower sitting in the middle of Lake Calenhad existed long before the Circle. Originally it was built by the Avvars with dwarven assistance, in a day when the hillsmen ruled over a great portion of the valley and were at constant war with the other Alamarri clans. 

Kinloch Hold was a watchtower and a fortress that was thought to be virtually impregnable until the Tevinter Imperium finally conquered it and drove the Avvars back into the Frostback Mountains. The savagery with which the Avvars within the tower were slain created a grim legend that lasted for many centuries. Indeed, the tower was thought to be cursed and even haunted until finally the Circle of Magi assumed control over it in 3:87 Towers (after the original tower in Denerim was razed).”[1]

Let’s compare it with the codex entry on Lake Calenhad, which claims that:

“The Tevinters believed that the waters of Lake Calenhad were blessed by Razikale, god of mysteries, and that those who drank from them were granted special insights. This was why they built the great tower on an island in the middle of the lake, hoping the powers of the lake would aid their magical research.”[2]

However, I think the disparity can be explained - it’s quite possible that the Tevinters took down the original Avvar watchtower but left the dwarven-made foundation to build another, much larger tower atop of it. During the questline that takes place in the Circle Tower in Dragon Age: Origins, we explore peculiar tunnels and caverns which could be traced to the dwarven assistance.

To put the timeline into perspective, Tevinter Imperium launched the first campaign against the southern human tribes in -715 Ancient, so Kinloch Hold would be held by the Avvar at least until that time. It’s unclear how long exactly it took the Imperium to conquer the Fertile Valley.

“-715 Ancient: The Tevinter Imperium stages several campaigns to subjugate the Alamarri in Ferelden. After many near misses, they succeed in holding the area for a time and construct the Imperial Highway across the mountains to Ostagar.”[3]

Another fortress that is said to have been built by the Avvar is Vigil’s Keep. Dwarves were present in the area as well, and it was similarly lost sometime during the Tevinter occupation.

“Vigil's Keep is one of the oldest settlements in Ferelden, older than Denerim and Gwaren. The barbarians who battled the Tevinter Imperium chose this location for a fortress so that their warning fires would be visible at great distance, when Tevinter ships neared the coast.

The Vigil has seen battle in every major invasion of Ferelden. Tevinters, rival barbarian clans, and Orlesians have all held her battlements. [...]

The cellar beneath Vigil's Keep retains traces of the Avvar barbarians. To the Avvars, the Vigil was both a fortress and a holy site. The cellars bear monuments to their gods, heroes, and their rare military victories.

The Vigil's cellars connect to the Deep Roads far below. Evidence suggests the Avvars and dwarves traded in secret, a breach of promises made to the Tevinter Imperium in the days before the darkspawn.”[4]

The nearby Wending Wood also bears the signs of Avvar presence around the time of Tevene occupation, such as the two Avvar warriors turned to stone.

“Statue of War: It has been… a long time. I have forgotten my name. But I’m a warrior. I am Avvar. And I am cursed.

Warden-Commander: An Avvar barbarian? But they have been gone for centuries. 

Statue of War: Far longer than that. [...] The Tevinter mages… they came here seeking easy prey. But they found me, my brother, my tribe. We broke their army at the Fort of a Thousand Vigil’s, then pursued the magister.

Warden-Commander: Fort of a Thousand Vigil’s? You mean Vigil’s Keep?

Statue of War: Perhaps. Time changes all things. We cornered the magister here. Here we would sacrifice him to Uvolla, the god of this Wood.”[5]

The Warden-Commander may also remark “That was over a thousand years ago”. More specifically, the first Tevinter expedition against the south began over 1600 years prior. The Avvar lost control over Kinloch Hold and Vigil’s Keep after the Tevinters launched the first campaign. I speculate that the Avvar inhabiting Kinloch Hold were defeated sooner than those who lived in the Vigil’s Keep, seeing as the Imperial attack is described as particularly brutal. Perhaps the magical properties ascribed to the waters of Lake Calenhad were not just a myth at the time and the Tevinter mages wished to draw from that power. Vigil’s Keep, on the other hand, wasn’t so desirable, and thus its inhabitants may have stood their ground for a longer period of time.

However, even if some of the Avvar were able to withstand the Imperial onslaught, all of their defenses ultimately fell and the tribesmen who managed to survive retreated to the remote parts of the Frostback Mountains which would offer them better protection against Tevinter forces.

Interestingly, the Fertile Valley is not the only place outside of the Frostback Mountains that bears the signs of Avvar presence in the years preceding the spread of Tevinter Imperium. Some clans also made it to the Vimmark Mountains north of the Waking Sea. In Dragon Age II, Hawke can interact with an ancient altar in the hunting grounds of Chateau Haine estate, located in the western part of the Vimmark Mountains. It’s revealed that the altar is Avvar in origin, and the following codex entry explains the story behind it:

“When the Tevinter Imperium came with their legions to claim the mountains, many clans were wiped out, enslaved, or forced to flee across the Waking Sea to the south. Clan Wyvern, however, was not among them. They simply disappeared. And to this day some Avvar thanes will tell you—if they have had enough mead—that the last any soul ever saw of the Wyvern clan was a great flight of eagles descending to their hold.”[6]

Figure 7. Places that have been inhabited by the Avvar until the Tevinter Imperium began advancing towards the southern Thedas.

I’m fairly convinced that after the Avvar separated from the Alamarri -1815 Ancient, in time they regained power (in part due to the pact with the dwarves) and claimed substantial territories in the Fertile Valley proper. The entry on Kinloch Hold mentions that “the hillsmen ruled over a great portion of the valley” and there’s evidence that they controlled two major fortresses at least until -715 Ancient. The Avvar also established some settlements in the Vimmark Mountains across the Waking Sea, and similarly lost them to the growing Imperium.

To conclude this part, I’d like to point out that the alliance between the Avvar and dwarves can be traced back to the very birth of the Avvar tribe. After Tyrdda Bright-Axe led her people away from the plains, she met a dwarven prince named Hendir, whose Thaig wasn’t identified. Tyrdda and Hendir agreed to trade together in peace.

“Let the tribe the dwarf-men know,

In their caves, where they belong,

Not with battle but with trade,

Hendir's dwarves, give peace unbreaking.”[7]

Hendir and Tyrdda had a child together who became a chieftain of the Avvar after Tyrdda’s death. It appears that the alliance between the dwarves from Hendir’s Thaig and the Avvar tribes originating from Tyrdda persisted for many years to come, as evidenced by the construction of Kinloch Hold and Vigil’s Keep. I imagine that prince Hendir was from the Valammar Thaig, which is located in the Hinterlands.

As a reminder, Tyrdda lived around -1815 Ancient, while the Tevinter Imperium wasn’t created until -1207 Ancient.[8] Founder of the Imperium, Archon Darinius, allied with dwarves a couple years later.

“-1200 Ancient: Tevinter allies itself with the dwarves.[9] Archon Darinius of Tevinter journeyed deep into the lightless realm of dwarves and there forged a covenant with Endrin Stonehammer, lord of the dwarven empire.”[10]

At the time, dwarven capital was located in Kal-Sharok, though Endrin moved it to Orzammar in -1170 Ancient, following the death of Darinius. Most likely, the agreement between the Avvar and dwarves from Hendir’s Thaig (whichever Thaig it was), even if it was still upheld in the Fertile Valley, had no bearing on the decision of King Endrin, as dwarven Thaigs would operate somewhat independently from each other. It appears that Endrin’s alliance with Darinius included an exclusive trading arrangement, as the contact between the dwarves and the Avvar living in Vigil’s Keep was seen as “a breach of promises made to the Tevinter Imperium”. Still, the pact between the Avvar and dwarves in the southern Thedas predates the one established between the Imperium and King Endrin.

Next up - how did the Imperial occupation of the south affect the Avvar? Where did the conflict between Morrighan’nan and Luthias took place?

~

Sources:

[1] Kinloch Hold on Bioware wiki, WebArchive access

[2] Codex entry: Lake Calenhad

[3] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 23

[4] Codex entry: The Vigil

[5] “Brothers of Stone” questline in Dragon Age: Awakening

[6] Codex entry: The Cult of the Sky

[7] Codex entry: Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother

[8] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 15

[9] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 18

[10] Codex entry: Archons of the Imperium

[ammocharis]

Avvar lore resources

I might be a little bit invested in a certain part of Dragon Age lore...

Jaws of Hakkon DLC transcript - a transcript of all dialogue lines from JoH DLC, including variations dependent on the Inquisitor's race, previous choices, and quest order.

Avvar history reconstruction - a 7-part series delineating the history of the Avvar tribe

Avvar first names spreadsheet - a thorough list of Avvar first names that appear in canon sources, organized by their real-life origin if possible

Avvar name structure - a detailed analysis of how Avvar names are constructed, including first names, surnames, legend-marks, and clan names

Avvar symbolism - collages of visual symbols related to the Lady of the Skies, Hakkon Wintersbreath, Korth the Mountain-Father

Parallels between Korth and the Titans

Elven roots of the word "Avvar"

Random bits of Avvar lore

[ammocharis]

Writing Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @cleverblackcat and @tejaswrites!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

12 as of now, though some of them are parts of the same story and I might weave them all in a single work one day, but I decided to split them due to time skips and changes in tone. I don’t know when I’ll be able to bridge all the gaps but I still wanted to share what I wrote, so I ended up creating a series with a couple of installments.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

140 699 words

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Watch the Skies - 125 kudos

Vatna of Two Falcon Hold as a companion in Dragon Age - 8 kudos

Mirrors and Braids ex aequo Rattle the bars if you like, but I chose to enter this cage - 7 kudos

Aval'var, it means - our journey ex aequo Avvar History Reconstruction - 5 kudos

4. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Yes, I do respond to almost every comment and I really appreciate receiving them. When someone comments on certain aspects of the story, I usually try to explain some of my choices, like why I decided for that character to react in such a way, why I deviated from the canonical storyline, or why I included those lore tidbits. It allows me to share my perspective, my reasons for writing the story in the first place.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Well, I have started writing an alternative storyline for my Avvar Inquisitor, Vatna, in which she becomes a part of the Jaws of Hakkon, which ought to be super angsty, but it has no ending yet.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Do limericks count? They’re fun but each is five verses long.

7. Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I had, in fact, the first fic that I wrote was a crossover between Dragon Age and Puella Magi - it’s just not published on AO3 and probably never will. It's pretty crazy, that’s for sure, given how wildly different those two pieces of media are, though strangely, I found a few of thematic parallels that compelled me to explore them for a while.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

No, and I hope I’ll be spared from it. My writing is not perfect by any means, and I do welcome constructive criticism and corrections, but I probably wouldn’t deal well with hate comments. Mustering motivation to write fics is hard enough as it is.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

No, not really. I have written some scenes that focused on sexual interactions, but they weren’t quite smutty, if that makes sense, as the POV character is a sex-indifferent asexual.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No. I write in English, even though it isn’t my native tongue, so I could probably translate my own fics if I wanted, but I didn’t feel like it so far. If someone approached me with an offer to translate my fic into a language I don’t speak, I’m not sure what my reaction would be, as I’d like to know how they present my characters in the translated version. Translation is a tricky craft, and there are many ways to express a single concept. Sometimes, a translated work has a completely different tone from the original.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yeah, I wrote Fool's Gold with Toshi Nama as a part of Discord server collaboration, in which her Warden, Farin Brosca, and my Inquisitor, Vatna Einarsdotten, meet up to investigate a red lyrium smuggling operation in the Frostback Mountains. It was a fun challenge!

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I’m not sure, I don’t focus on shipping that much.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I probably won’t get back to finish my unpublished crossover xD But I enjoyed thinking about the possibilities, and I did have the general storyline thought out, but I don’t think I could finish it. For one, it would take a lot of time and motivation that I don’t have, and if I ought to pick a project I would like to see till the end, it’s the story of my Avvar girl.

15. What are your writing strengths?

I’ve been told my worldbuilding is well-thought out. I do have the benefit of writing fanfiction, so there’s no need to built a world from ground up, but I do expand upon what’s presented in the original work, and I greatly enjoy it. I wonder a lot about the unexplored details, like when I’m writing about the Avvar, I imagine what kind of holidays they could celebrate, what cultural taboos they might observe, what is their main source of food, how their families could be structured, little things like that, which, hopefully, create a compelling picture together.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

My pacing is probably not that great, when I think about what I’d like to write, I don’t really ensure that each story beat is nicely spaced out, that there are no sudden accelerations or decelarations of plot. I do have a general plotline in my head, for the most part, but when it comes to writing, I focus on individual chapters. 

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I think it has its time and place, but I believe it should be done sparingly. I wouldn’t be excited to read a super long dialogue in a language different from the one that the work is written in, and I won’t include such things in my fic. It disrupts the flow and doesn’t benefit the story very much, in my opinion. If it’s necessary for the plot or characterization to show that someone speaks in another language, I think it’s enough to use a foreign word or a phrase from time to time, hint at its meaning through context, and describe how the communication barrier affects the characters.

My main character, Vatna, does alternate between her native tongue (Avvar, which is I represent as Icelandic/Old Norse) and a second language (Common Tongue, which for all my intents and purposes is equivalent to English) so I do include some lines in a different language, but I keep them short. Usually, it’s just a single word whose meaning can be easily inferred from the surrounding text. More often than not, I signify the language barrier through other means. Sometimes, Vatna slips into her native tongue for a longer moment, and she may even have conversations with her fellow Avvar, but the actual dialogue remains in English (i.e. Common) - instead, I use the narration to show that the language barrier is ever present, like describing the reaction of accompanying characters.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Dragon Age

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

My favourite is Mirrors and Braids, a part of the Saga of the Avvar-Daughter series, which focuses on Vatna’s reaction to the loss of her arm. Though it’s not really a “fun” story by any means, I am quite fond of it. It was somewhat cathartic to write.

Tag list under the cut

@samuraisaucefrites @dreadfutures @crackinglamb