#emerius

[lairofdragonagelore]

The Claws of Dumat and the Tevinter Bird/Dragon

The Claw of Dumat was introduced to us for the first time, visually, in DA2, and it was not until DAI that we got information about it via a note. However, it was not alone; a second artefact that lacks of any information appeared beside it: a metallic sculpture of a bird or a dragon that I called along this blog the Tevinter bird.

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

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

The Claws of Dumat

Where does this artefact appear? We have seen it four times already: In the Valdasine Thaig in DA2, in different places within the Fade of DAI, in Fairel's tomb in the Hissing Wastes of DAI, and in the DLC The Descent, inside a chamber of the Heidrun Thaig.

In DA2 game

The claws of Dumat appear for the first time in DA2, in the Primeval Thaig's entrance, at the sides of the main corridor that will lead us to the Thaig filled with Red Lyrium. This implies that this Thaig, which has no typical Dwarven decoration of Paragons and the writing on its walls was not traditional Dwarvish, was deeply related to Tevinter. The Thaig was located below the Deep Roads and was built before the First Blight [exact same characteristics than the Heidrun Thaig] .

We learn later that the Dwarves than inhabit this Thaig had strong trade relationships with Tevinter [they gave them lyrium, according to the codex Valdasine], and it is not clear if they were involved in the construction of Emerius [former name of Kirkwall]. The configuration of the Thaig makes us suspect that Tevinter made experiments here. There is a constant pattern along these rooms: blue lyrium, Claws of Dumat, and red lyrium, that makes us speculate that these three elements are related one another: immense source of lyrium that must have been used to feed the Claws of Dumat until the magisters used slave blood, which in the end, corrupted the lyrium and turned it into red one.

As we continue exploring the Thaig we find an interesting and mysterious codex: The profane. We interpreted it in details in the post Primeval Thaig and Red Lyrium : we assumed that these profane may have been dwarven or humans who were abandoned in this Thaig when it was closed, and hungry, started to eat lyrium, the "blood of the gods", becoming through the aeons into the "profane" creatures, that only endure hunger. Hence, they brought the attention of Hunger demons in a place where the Veil was already thin due to the experiments performed with Claws of Dumat. These profane creatures don't look similar to the abominations of the Red Templars, so we could assume that they only consumed blue lyrium and the corruption of it into red lyrium happened later.

As we continue exploring the Thaig, Varric recognises the last chamber as a Dwarven “Vault”, filled with many Claws of Dumat from which the red lyrium grows.  Here, we find a staff called Valdasine, which codex says that before the First Blight,  the Dwarven House called Valdasine provided lyrium to all the Empire. However, one day, they closed the doors of their Thaig and blocked communication with everyone. When the doors opened after a time, it was empty, no bodies were found, and there were no clues of what happened. From a design point of view, clearly the profane and this event must be connected: This thaig is the Valdasine’s Thaig, and the profane are all those families that were trapped here and forced to eat Lyrium. The age seems to coincide roughly: both events happened before the darkspawn existed. It's also worth noting that the presence of a staff implies that this Thaig had mages, since dwarven were unable to use magic. This reinforces the idea that Tevinter had a deep relationship with this Thaig in particular, and Tevinter mages were present here with some purpose [most likely, an experiment that required big amounts of Lyrium]. We have to remember that dwarves and Tevinter mages had shown another similar situation where Tevinter Mages experimented within dwarven Thaigs in Golems of Amgarrak. In it, a Tevinter mage was trying to recreate a fleshy alternative to Caridin's golems, crafting the mysterious Harvester.

In DAI game: The Fade

The second time we see the Claws are in the Fade of DAI. They appear at different times and contexts: In The Raw Fade - Part 1 among statues of the Free Marches eagle, implying a strong relationship of this artefact with Kirkwall. This may reinforce the idea we explored in DA2 in Kirkwall history and design and in particular with the Enigma of Kirkwall : It is likely that Kirkwall was where the breach to the Fade was done centuries ago, through blood sacrifice. This is also reinforced by the codex Claw of Dumat, where we learn that Corypheus trusted that this artefact would allow him to bring back Tevinter to its former glory.

In the section of the Fade that I called "The Tevinter Path" in The Raw Fade - Part 2 we find more Claws, implying that they were used in the process of reaching the gods that had gone silent. This event can be interpreted as the Magisters breaking into the Black City in the Fade physically.

In Flemeth’s Fade – Part 1 , we find another Claw in an intersection, where a statue of the Free Marches is shown in front of some Avvar Keepers of Fear. Again, this seems to represent the tumultuous history of the region of Kirkwall: Tevinter invaded natives of this place to build Emerius with a hidden purpose beyond the mere extraction of stones for the construction of the Imperial Highway [more details in Kirkwall history and design]

In DAI game: Fairel’s tomb

In the Hissing Wastes: Fairel tomb we find a Claw in one of the tombs, implying that the whole story of Fairel may have been related to Tevinter and its magisters as well. This makes sense if we remember that the Fairel were a clan specialised on Runecraft, and this art was used in the construction of Kirkwall. There is also a mention of runes/sigils that can only be seen from the Fade in the Heidrun Thaig in The Descent – The Sacrificial Gates of Segrummar.

The tomb where the claw appears displays a specific fragment of the story of Fairel:

Fairel, Paragon, fled from the strife his brilliance created, the strife that destroyed thaigs, sundered houses, from weapons that clan used against clan. His own clan and his two sons followed Fairel to the pitiless surface, the surface where they would hide from the war that took their home.

As we see, it is related to the exodus of Fairel and its causes: a weapon he developed, which provoked strife and destroyed clans. During this quest in DAI, we learn that this secret weapon is a kind of rune, but the game doesn't give it more importance later [it feels more because the rush of ending the game, than something lore-related]. This is the main reason why I think Fairel’s house, as runecrafters, may have helped magisters to develop Emerius [which is built following glyphs and runes patterns, for more details check Kirkwall history and design]. As a clan alone on the surface, during a time when most dwarves were underground, they may have relied on Tevinter or accepted any deal in order to survive.

There is clearly a link between the Fairel ruins and Corypheus: Corypheus knew about these forgotten ruins when nobody knew they were there, thus he commanded the Venatori to dig them and look for Fairel's particular weapon: a rune.

Also, the presence of Tevinter elements in this tomb must have been brought in the past, during the times of Corypheus when he was a human magister, since these ruins where not known by anyone until now: it was Corypheus who informed the Venatori about them. The Shaperate, the only other institution that may have had this knowledge, never knew about them since they “recorded Fairel as dead” as soon as he left the underground. So I think it’s reasonable to keep supporting the idea that this clan and these ruins were involved with the ancient Tevinters quite deeply.

In DAI game: DLC, the Descent

In The Descent – The Deep Roads we start the exploration of this region with a big Claw in the main room. It is flanked by two elven rounded trees in the dwarven style. This is already telling us that this Thaig, which predates the Blights, had Tevinter presence not only for trade: their blood ritual instruments had been incorporated to the decoration of the chambers of the Thaig Heidrun, built on a lyrium mine and then destroyed by and earthquake caused by unknown reasons [the stir of a woken-up Titan by an unknown event].  .

In front of the claw, there is a table with a game and a Dwarven stone-paintings that belongs to these strange paintings we found in Hissing Wastes: Fairel tomb, where we speculated that maybe represented Kirkwall, or another city Kirkwall-like.

Later, we find more Claws in another room where they are exposed in a way that implies worship. Since it's in here where the Tevinter bird appears, i will talk about this room later, in the Tevinter Bird section down below.

What do we know about the Claws of Dumat?

In the DAI Fade [ The Raw Fade - Part 1] we find an extremely juicy codex explaining about this artefact. The codex is written by Corpyheus’ slave who was sacrificed later. What we learn here is:

It implies that Corypheus has been developing different altars to “bring Tevinter to Glory” [Would that mean that the Tevinter bird is a prototype?].

We are informed that the Old Gods have been silent for a while and that has caused the loss of followers. This has been a source of fear in Corypheus. [This info is confirmed by Corypheus as well during Orlais: Shrine of Dumat]

This slave knows that Corypheus has been meeting with other “priests” to try to find a solution to the decline of the cult to the Old Gods. 

Corypheus took his name around the time the Tevinter Magisters entered the Golden City. So we can assume this is a narration very close to the time in which the Sidereal Magisters stepped into the Fade physically.

Corypheus knew that the old elves were tied to the Fade, and the mortal elves have something of that power in their blood, hence he wanted to use their blood for the ritual of entering the Fade.

The Claw of Dumat supports the victim on its top, with shackles, and seems to drip blood along the statue to a pool with runes. [Could these runes be a creation of Fairel?]

It is implied that Corypheus used little blood magic before the silence of the Old Gods. The loss of god's voice made him fall in despair.

These words were written and reflected/preserved in the Fade at the base of one of these Claws of Dumat we find just after we pass by some Free Marches eagles. Again, the presence of the Free Marches eagles around the Claws of Dumat may be a representation of Kirkwall, but it could also represent another thing, maybe related to the Tevinter bird.

The Tevinter Bird/Dragon

It is a metal statue of something that looks like a bird or a dragon. It could be the “Tevinter” style of the usual Kirkwall eagle, or something else that escapes me completely. If one is careless, these draconic-bird-like statues can be mistakes for Claws of Dumat, but they are not. They share the same style than the Claws: they are Tevinter, made of dark metal, in an angular and pointy shape.

When we compare it with the statue of Mythal dragon shape, we can see some similitude, as if it were the same one but in the pointy “Tevinter” style. Of course, if this were the case, this metallic representation of Mythal lacks of its iconic spike. 

In DA2 game

The first time we see this statue is in DA2, in the Primeval Thaig [read Primeval Thaig and Red Lyrium ], in a Chamber that Varric refers to as a Dwarven Vault but its key claims it to be a crypt. There are veins of red lyrium around these statues and around the Claws of Dumat.

In DAI game: Crestwood Caves

The next appearance is in Crestwood: Flooded Caves, at the entrance of a chamber of a Dwarven ruin.

This place seemed to be important, since it is decorated in this fashion. This entrance even has an illustration in the Book of Inquisition [image above], showing that these statues are placed at the side of the entrance completely on purpose. The position seems to be similar to Mythal statues we find in the elvhenan ruins or Temples.

In that illustration, however, we also see a big mask-face over them, reminding us those faces we saw in dwarven Thaigs in DAO, or in the Avril of Void. These faces always gave me the impression of being unconcious representations of the Titans within the dwarven culture.

Later on, I found a plaque close to this place, in a locked room, that seemed to imply this whole dwarven ruin was a route that connected Aeducan Thaig with Gundaar Thaig [another famous Thaig, and one of the first in falling under the darkspawn threat]. It’s interesting that the name Gundaar appears here, since it’s one of the three Thaigs that the lore considered lost and have been hiding curious developments [the other two are Kal-Sharok and Hormak, for more details read Orzammar, Witch Hunt, and The Horror of Hormak ].

In DAI game: Heidrun Thaig

The last appearance of the Tevinter bird was in DLC: The Descent – The Deep Roads where, despite the lack of information in a codex, we find a curious chamber in the Heidrun Thaig that may provide some insight.

The chamber in question seems to honour four statues: two Claws of Dumat and two Tevinter birds. This could have been a chamber of summoning or enhancing magic, since we know the Claws of Dumat were used with blood sacrifices to empower magic. So even though we don’t know what the Tevinter bird’s function could have been, the presence of the claws makes us infer that it may have been related to blood sacrifices and the process of breaching the Fade.

Another detail that supports this hypothesis is that, in this Thaig, blood magic has been performed long time ago: we meet an Arcane Horror in The Uncharted Abbys, Bastion of the Pure, who still performs blood magic with animal bodies [we find some dead animals that are still warm]. The curious detail is that this chamber has a lot of elvhenan objects: several inukshuk, an eluvian with the same frame that Merril's, and a statue of Humanoid Mythal. In the same chamber we also find one of the Tevinter sacrificial altars, which makes us suspect that Tevinter and Elvhenan knowledge have been fused in this place. That these elements appear in this part of the underground may be related to the fact that the Bastion of the Pure it's where we find the densest amount of lyrium [important component to cast powerful magic].

However, I'm not sure if we can assume this Arcane Horror is an ancient magister of that time. I’m more inclined to think that it is the father of the builder of The Sacrificial Gates of Segrummar, who needed to be in the Fade in order to see the sigil that is present in all this Thaig, apparently. 

Speculations about the Tevinter bird/dragon

The information we have collected in here is rather scarce. We can have a good understanding of the Claws of Dumat, but it's hard to extrapolate all that to the Tevinter bird. So, I developed several hypothesis:

It's a prototype of a Claw of Dumat

According to the codex of the Claws of Dumat, Corypheus had been working on different prototypes, so we can assume this Tevinter bird may have been one of those: a mere prototype. However, if it was so, why would it be present in Valdasine's Thaig? You don't use failed prototypes. Unless its presence, in combination with the Claws, is what makes the claws work.

It's something related to Emerius

Kirkwall always had an iconic metallic statue of an eagle [1, 2]. We can even say that the geometrical symbol of Kirkwall [7] looks like an eagle extending its wings [7] even though the origin of that symbol has a strong resemblance with the original symbol of Emerius: a raising dragon [7].

In the Viscount's Keep, we see different other representations of the eagle [2, 3, 5, 6]. The origin of [3] seems to be [4] which is a symbol closer to the Emerius style than the current, geometrical one, so this design detail tells me that this symbol may have belonged to the time of Emerius. The fact that the claws of Dumat appear in the Fade close to the [1] eagle statues may represent something. Maybe the original rising dragon represented in the Emerius symbol was hidden later in a bird-like figure?

Since the dark metallic eagle represents Kirkwall [or Emerius if we are talking about old times], this draconic/bird statue may be the representation of another city with similar characteristics than Emerius, maybe less important during the time of the Tevinter Empire glory.

This idea is also suggested when we find a Claw of Dumat in the first chamber of DLC: The Descent – The Deep Roads , where we see one of those Dwarven stone-paintings, which is neither the usual painting we saw along DAO, nor the usual one representing Kirkwall in DA2.

There is also a weird "bird" statue that we only see in DA2, that I talked about it in Xenon and his Black Emporium, depicted as a humanoid bird with chains that holds a mask on it. I can't bring a decent, non-conspiracy relationship between them, but it's the only bird-like statue I can think of through all the games. This weird statue appears in many houses of Kirkwall in DA2 [specially noticeable in Danarius house].

It's a Forgotten One which, as a dragon, was taken by the Tevinter interpretation as Dumat [or any other Old God]

In the way it is presented in the Vault of DA2, and considering it has a draconic shape to it, we can even speculate that this statue is a small representation of Dumat himself.

Hence, this statue is attached to big chunks of metal and close to the Claws of Dumat in that Vault as a mere decoration.

I like to play with the thought that it may be Myhtal [as I did in the beginning of this Tevinter Bird section]: I already talked about the speculation of Mythal being of double nature [Evanuris and Forgotten One, that the unreliable oral tradition of the Dalish lore twisted to give it to Fen'Harel, details in Speculations about the Vinyl Art or Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The Sun], and the Forgotten Ones being dragons that were worshipped by the Elvhenan until they claimed their divinity [read more in Attempt to rebuild Ancient Elvhenan History]. In that moment on, they may have erased the ancient gods turning them into the forgotten ones, who escaped to the Abyss [which is related to the underground, where we know many dragons hibernate]. Therefore, there is a possibility that these forgotten dragons were taken later by the newly arrived humans [the Neomerians] who developed the cult of the Dragons, aka The Old Gods, being completely oblivious of the relationship that these creatures had with the Elvhenan, a civilisation they hated and despised. So that, they took the image of Mythal and considered it Dumat, and for that reason, they used this statue as a decoration to place around the Claws of Dumat.

The con of this interpretation is that it's not clear what kind of Dragon was the real Dumat-Archdemon which desolated the lands during the First Blight: was it truly Mythal? Another fragment of her? or was another Dragon? We already made a lot of speculations about the true Mythal being trapped in the Black City in the post Speculations about the Vinyl Art that makes this current speculation to falter.

Considering this horrible counter-argument, we could assume that maybe this is another Forgotten One that we have no name at all, but again, why would you put it close to the Claws of "Dumat" then?

Conclusion

It's clear that all speculations are pretty weak and lack of consistency to be considered seriously. For the moment, we know this statue exists, and may have some relationship with Tevinter, the Dwarves, and Emerius, even though we can't detail how that relationship is. Let's hope that future games, if they are not meant to destroy the DA lore, may give us some enlightenment on this matter.

[makerscockandballs]

also i found big ol double sided tape finally and can redo all my diy stickers on my laptop and ipad!! so excited to have the colors be vibrant and nice!

[vigilskeep]

the way there are chantry sisters in lowtown asking for coin from sex workers and claiming they can offer no help to beggars because they are only “simple servant[s] of the maker” and the chantry in hightown looks like That and outside it fenris mentions that in tevinter a tithe is paid to the chantry for every slave sold, and how do you think this one was built in a city like emerius, i mean, kirkwall. but anyway i digress

[teine-mallaichte]

Some Kirkwall specific writing prompts

Some Kirkwall specific prompts that I may one day get round to writing short  fics for:

Hidden Horrors: In the depths of Kirkwall's sewers, the group stumbles upon a forgotten chamber filled with ancient Tevinter artifacts. But as they delve deeper, they uncover a dark secret that threatens to unleash a new wave of chaos upon the city.

Cursed Legacy: Generations after the fall of Emerius, a descendant of the Krayvan family returns to Kirkwall seeking redemption for their ancestors' sins. With them they bring ancient knowledge of Kirkwalls dark past.

Mystery Illness: When a mysterious illness spreads through Kirkwall's streets, Hawke is tasked with uncovering its origins. As they delve into the city's dark past, Hawke discovers sentries old secrets in the catacombs below the city, ancient magics that someone has inadvertently activated.

A bad investment: after gaining part ownership of the Bone Pit Hawke learns that the mines have been exploiting the refugee population of Kirkwall, trapping people in a never ending cycle of indentured servitude.

Spring cleaning: After regaining the Amell Estate Hawke wanted to clear it out as a surprise for her mother. She invited her new friends round to help, but they discover some unpleasant things left by the slavers who had temporarily being using the building.

Emerius: Hawke's investigations into the Band of Three's notes lead them to uncover a series of hidden chambers scattered throughout Kirkwall, each containing clues to the city's dark secrets. As they piece together the puzzle left behind by the enigmatic scholars, Hawke realizes that the fate of Kirkwall may rest in their hands alone.

City Planning: While investigating reports of strange phenomena in Kirkwall, Hawke discovers that the city's layout mirrors intricate magical symbols and glyphs. Determined to uncover the truth behind Kirkwall's mysterious design, Hawke delves into the city's dark history discovering that the city was designed to be a conduit for an ancient ritual.

Conspiracy theories: After witnessing a series of inexplicable events in Kirkwall, Hawke begins to suspect that the city itself is alive with dark energy. The more Hawke discovered the more everyone else starts to feel that they have fallen into a paranoid conspiracy theory, their companions start to worry about Hawke, but eventually Hawke is proven right.

These were written for my DADWC prompt list, but feel free to use them yourself if they appeal.

[strawberrynoir]

aqueduct lore??? 👀👀👀

Anonymous asked:

bunabi says you have aqueduct lore pls pls pls tell me about ur aqueduct lore

Anonymous asked:

Can you please tell me about your aqueduct lore? 😊

Anonymous asked:

hello! could you tell us about your aqueduct lore? miss bunabi has sent me :^)

I am very flattered by your interest in my hyper-specific knowledge about aqueducts!

The lore in question is about Dragon Age, specifically Dragon Age 2 where I briefly go over where I think the citizens of Kirkwall get water.

While I don't remember why I went on so hard on this point, I've used this knowledge in every world I've built for my own stories.

After all, access to water can make or break a society!

You're going to want to check out this post from my Side Blog:

[the-cryptographer]

Fenris is def best boy in da2 for me, but it really is so weird when Fenris girlies go off about how much they hate in comparison Anders bc like... bro... there really is no point behind Fenris's character in DA2 without Anders. Like, I hate to break it to you, but best boy really is THE DA2 character with the absolute LEAST amount of relevance to the actual plot of this game. He's an optional recruit, and the one that's easiest to skip over. He's got basically nothing to do with the act 2 or 3 finales. His character *is* thematically related to Emerius's history as a slaver city and the history of the Gallows, but he spends the majority of the game absolutely refusing to look at that history and its implications on the present, and only tacitly acknowledges it when Anders forces his hand. The only reason Fenris is narratively relevant in your game is to be a foil to Anders, Mr Plot Hog. Like, even if you think Anders is repulsive as a person, you have to respect that he is the narrative bedrock propping up Fenris's flimsy ass claim to this story. That the only reason Fenris looks good is because he has to by comparison when he's standing next to the blest abomination in Thedas. Like, c'mon.

[faux-fires]

(not a) drabble a day #6

2 things to say about today’s (not a) drabble a day:

1. I have not slept in 24 hours

2. who’s up for 3,000 words about hawke just being impressed at anders knowing people?! yeah that’s what i THOUGHT.

anyway here’s (TOTALLY NOT A) drabble-a-day #6, prompt “King”, i am going to BED.

The inn was by far the nicest one in all of Kirkwall, and the oldest, to boot. It appeared on the city maps even as far back as when Kirkwall had been Emerius - that bloody jewel in the crown of the Imperial slave trade.

Then, it had been some Magister's summer dwelling; now it was the Golden Spyglass, a respectable inn for very financially respectable people, situated in the prettier Orlesian quarter of Hightown and commanding a stunning view of the sea.

Normally Hawke would just saunter up to the door, smile charmingly at whatever bouncer stood outside, and be waved through once the bouncer clocked his patented "I'm here to cause trouble on purpose" grin. Today's visit required a more... subtle touch, however, which was why he was scoping the place out from across the street, loitering behind a fruit stand while Anders asked the vendor far too many questions about the origins of his pears.

They'd increased the guard, he could see that much. Four on the main door, two on the roof, and probably more around the back and the side. They weren't patrolling, which was a point in his favour; guards stuck for hours at a time on a single entrance were bored, easily distracted guards, and nothing he couldn't handle. The walls were rough stone and easily climbed, particularly with all those pretty wooden trellises installed so close for those lovely perfumed vines to wend their way up.  It would be helpful if they knew where the Golden Spyglass their man was staying, but the lovely fluted windows were tinted a warm champagne and impossible to see through.

He was contemplating the old washer-woman disguise trick when Anders nudged him, looking disgruntled, or more disgruntled than usual. "Fifty silver a pear," Anders griped, holding one out for him. "It's an absolute outrage. They're twenty silvers down by the docks, and only slightly squashier." He bit into his and brightened; the juice ran clear down the corners of his mouth, and for a moment Hawke couldn't care less about the swanky inn and its security: it was good to see him happy, even if for just a little. "Thank you for inviting me out, love. I still think we could have gone to the docks."

"Yes," said Hawke, "But for only thirty silvers, you're saving yourself a trip to the docks. Bargain." He crunched his pear, eyes returning, somewhat reluctantly, to the exterior of the Golden Spyglass. The coloured glass lanterns strung from the eaves shivered a little in the late afternoon breeze, fresh and cool from the sea. "Do you think there's a cellar access point in the sewers?"

Anders looked from the pear to the building and back again. "Oh," he said. "Oh, we're breaking and entering? I thought you - never mind." He wiped the juice from the corner of his mouth with the pad of his thumb, and sighed. "Do you really think this is wise?"

"Got to at least try," Hawke said. "Maybe if Varric and Isabela and I come back tonight, we can get in via the windows -"

His lover's face did something complicated. "Why bother? We had our shot, it didn't work as we hoped..."

"I can't do nothing," said Hawke, quietly. "I can't - I can't look Grace in the eye and say I learned nothing. Helping mages escape means nothing if I have nowhere safe to send them, and I can't - not at least try, Anders." He turned away, sharply, and gave Anders a wan smile. "Things are getting worse in the Gallows, you know that as well as I do. I don't know how many we can save but I can't give them a taste of freedom and leave them to the wolves."

"Oh, Hawke." Anders looked softer, suddenly. Normally Hawke loved it when Anders looked at him like that - all soft and hazy affection, with that warm tilt to the corner of his mouth - but this expression looked a little bittersweet, like they both knew it didn't matter but were going through the motions for lack of other options. "You are a good man, my love. Come on. Hood up, follow me."

"Wha - wait!"

But Anders was already moving, striding confidently across the street to the burly guards, and Hawke had to scramble to keep up. He arrived in time to hear him say, "Tell Gwen the Darktown Healer's here to see her. I'll be waiting around the back door."

The guard eyed him with thuggish suspicion. "Not 'sposed to let anyone 'round the back," he said, his huge ham-hock hands wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword. Anders was taller than him - well, taller than most people, the beanpole - and he was putting those extra inches to good use; his posture was even and relaxed, his chin lifted, casual confidence in every joint. This usually made people anxious, and Thug#1 was clearly no exception. Hawke tried to skulk behind him without looking like he was skulking, but needn't have worried; Anders was in full haughty mode, and drew attention like a vortex spell drew in hapless victims.

"You've got guards posted at the back entrance too, correct?" He didn't wait for them to answer. "So I'll loiter in their line of sight until Gwen fetches me. I'm her healer. Hurry; the guest is likely to be in a lot of discomfort."

Thug#1 cocked his head to one side, taking Anders in from the top of his head to his dirty, bandage-wrapped boots. "You know Gwen?" he sneered.

"Even a cat may look upon a King," Anders replied, with such arrogance it made Hawke almost double-take. "Particularly this cat, right here, standing between the city and something potentially contagious."

"Contagious? Contagious how?" This was Thug#2, who had come to see the commotion.

Anders shrugged. "Could be Mummer's flux," he said. "Possibly Thespian's Bowel. Have either of you noticed a certain... salt smell in the air recently?"

They were literally facing out over the sea, but somehow this fact seemed to have missed the guards, who looked a little queasy. "You'll stay outside 'til Gwen fetches you?"

"On my honour," Anders agreed, the edge of his mouth curving with what Hawke, friend and companion for many years now, knew to be mischief. It was also his number one tell in Wicked Grace.

The back entrance faced a narrow alleyway, lined with slop buckets ready for the pig man to come collect - or any of the feral children who called rat's nest walkways such as this one their home. The guards posted at the back of the grand building squinted at them in mistrust but didn't ask, while Hawke grabbed Anders' shoulder and hissed, "Who's Gwen?"

"Landlady," said Anders. "Love of my life, obviously. We've been carrying on an elaborate affair these past few years under your nose."

"You are not funny -"

"Anders? The guards said you needed to see me about the plague?"

Gwen was a tall, willowy woman with dark hair in a loose braid. Her clothes were clean and well-made, and she had gold sparkling at her ears, throat and sleeves; she also had a surprised, but not distrustful expression on her face. "Is everything alright? Who's your companion?"

"My bodyman," said Anders. He held out his hand and when she returned the gesture automatically, seized her palm in a firm but not unreasonable shake, drawing her away from the lurking guards and dropping his voice. "Hello Gwen, good to see you. How's Ioan? You haven't sent any of the girls around for more poultices, so I hope that's a good sign."

"Oh, he's been right as rain since -" her eyes cut to Hawke, and now Hawke was surprised to see concern in her eyes, and not for herself, "Since you did your special treatment for him. Thank you, by the way. We just couldn't afford the Circle prices after the Qunari..."

She knew Anders was a mage. She knew Anders was a mage and she didn't know if Hawke knew, and she was clearly willing to keep his secret to some extent. For some reason this warmed Hawke's heart. Lately it felt like the mages were the only ones that mattered, and it was dispiriting seeing Anders run himself so ragged to try to save them while Meredith knocked the ground down under him; it pleased him to see someone recognise and appreciate Anders for the gifts he had and the choices he'd made. It reminded him of those Fereldans who'd stepped in outside Lirene's shop, armed and furious ion their need to protect the man Hawke had grown to love. He tried to smile at her, and saw her shoulders relax a little.

"Good," Anders said. "I'm relieved. Gwen, I'm terribly sorry, but I lied to the guards out front. I need to see your special guest, and I was hoping you could help with that."

She flushed. "I'm being paid quite a bit of money to make sure he's undisturbed, Serah. I've already had the Chantry come knocking, and the Templars."

"I know," Anders said. "And I can't offer money or custom the way they can. I'll keep looking after Ioan if you need me to no matter what you say. But, Gwen -" he still had her hand in his, and his eyes were shining with sincerity - "- a good man told me I have to at least try. The tides turn tomorrow and I could lose my chance, and I thought - I hoped... Please."

Gwen searched his face, hesitantly, and then, to Hawke's considerable surprise, nodded. "Alright," she said. "You've never done me any wrong, healer. Just - if you're asked to leave - go. Don't loiter." She drew her hands back and smoothed them down the front of her skirt, anxiously.

Anders nodded. "I swear," he said. "Thank you. You're a good woman, Gwen."

"And you," she said, a little archly, "Are very good at sweet-talking people." She smiled, a wan thin thing, then glanced at Hawke. "Whoever you are, keep an eye on this one. Both of you, follow me."

When she put her hand on the back door, one of the guards leaned over and said, "Not supposed to let anyone inside."

"This is my inn, Sergeant," she said. "This is a healer. One of our other guests needs healing. If you'd like to explain to your man, so that he can explain to my guest why they have to suffer...?"

The other guard shook his head at the first one, who sighed and moved away. "There'd be shouting," he said glumly. "And complainin'."

The second guard snorted agreement and narrowed her eyes at the three of them. "Besides," she said, lazily, "He could take all three of them in a fight. A innkeep, a coat rack and whatever you've got going on?" She gestured vaguely to encompass all of Hawke, who felt this was unnecessarily mean. "He'll be fine. Good luck with your healing. Leave the same way you came in or we'll come find you."

"It is not my intention to be disruptive," said Anders, who was absolutely the most disruptive man Hawke had ever met. He inclined his head stiffly at the guards, still doing his best impersonation of an icicle person - the coatrack remark must have really gotten to him - and slipped through the door Gwen held open for them without a second look. It wasn't until they'd gone around a corner and entered a plushly carpeted hallway that he glanced back over his shoulder and said, wrly, "What have you got going on, Haw - lo - my friend?"

He didn't want Gwen to know he'd brought the Champion of Kirkwall with him, Hawke realised. It felt strange, being the unknown party in an event. He tried to remind himself that this was Anders' space, the parts of the city he moved in without Hawke, because he had six years of history all his own with the city. Hawke knew about the clinic but he'd never know every person Anders had helped, and that was fine. That was normal. Normal couples weren't sewn into each other's pockets. Out loud, because he was a jealous man, he said, "Probably my four foot long -"

"The client you're looking for is staying in the master suite," Gwen interupted. She had stopped by a fork in the hallway, although Hawke couldn't see any particular difference between the branching corridors. The carpeting was thick and looked Orlesian; the walls were decorated with gold-toned wall sconces. This was exactly the kind of place someone like the Champion might stay if he needed to stay in another city. "Go up there, along there, and down there. Fifth door on the left. Remember, Healer, you swore me an oath."

"I did," Anders said smoothly. "I have no intention of ruining you, Gwen. Thank you for all your assistance."

Her jaw tightened. Hawke wondered if Anders had burnt this bridge for good with his request, but somehow doubted it. How much power had Anders amassed, he thought, simply by doing what came naturally to him - healing those who needed it without cost? He couldn't say it was a surprise. He tried not to think of how different his life could have been, if a mage healer had lived in Lothering all those years ago when his father died. He knew for a fact that if it had been Anders, Malcolm would have pulled through, and that was a little shard of agony in his chest every time. Perhaps Gwen's thoughts ran across the same lines, because after a while she simply exhaled heavily through her nose, nodded, and hurried away in down the corridor.

"Up there, along there...?" Hawke nodded his head at the corridor, questioning.

"Don't worry about it," Anders said. "I know where we're going." And he set off first, humming under his breath as he strode down the corridor with purpose. The melody was strange and haunting, frequently off-key, and Hawke found himself trying to trace it. It had certainly never been played at any of the parties they'd attended together... the drunken fiddler at the Hanged Man only had two fingers, so it would have been beyond him... perhaps it was a Circle ditty?

Anders walked on without hesitation. As they got closer to their destination he reached out and began dragging the fingertips of his gloves along the wall, still humming under his breath; when they finally arrived at a beautiful mahogany door, fifth on the left, he stopped and tilted his head quizzically to one side. "Here," he said. He glanced at Hawke, amused. "I hope you know what you're going to say."

"Oh, always," said Hawke, breezily, and then added, "So... how long have you known Gwen?"

Anders glanced at him, copper eyes bright and sparkling warm. "That's your main concern? Now?"

Hawke shrugged. "I didn't know you knew... you know... Hightown people. Or that they knew about you." He could feel his mouth moving, the corners turning down. "Not that there's anything wrong with that! I just - thought I knew you."

"Ah," said Anders. He looked a little discomforted, and then said, "I have... hobbies. Interests. Ones it's not always safe to share, love." He was fidgeting with the cuff of his left sleeve, Hawke realised, his other Wicked Grace tell; working his fingers between the stained green cloth and the bandages wrapped tightly around his bracer. "Even before I knew I was a mage," he said slowly, "I knew I was a healer. I was treating the - animals on our farm by the time I was six."

Hawke didn't miss the careful censorship there; Anders never would say whereabouts in Ferelden he came from. "And the owner of the finest inn in Hightown?"

Anders shrugged. "She's a person," he said. "I've never turned anyone down, Hawke. Laughed at, yes. Especially if it's venereal. But I've never turned anyone down. I'm a healer. There's pride in that." His jaw clenched. "In another world - that's all I'd be."

But not this one, Hawke thought, sadly. Perhaps if they had more time, this could have been enough. A selfless mage healer could be the kind of hero the mages needed, the kind of story they needed to see themselves as worthy of leaving the confines of the Circles, as being safe to go outside and live free lives.

But Meredith Stannard was clearing out the Gallows one made-up crime at a time, and they didn't have the decades - centuries - it would take for Anders' tale to spread even to the other Free Cities. He sighed, and caught Anders' sleeve. "I know," he said. "One day, love."

"And they call me an idealist," Anders said, with a small slant of his mouth.

Hawke shrugged. "You're a good man. A kind man." He paused. "With a large friend network, apparently."

That coaxed a grin from Anders. "Larger than you'd think," he said, and that mischief-tell was back, glaringly bright on his narrow face. He reached up before Hawke could stop him, rapped on the door with his knuckles, and made a "go ahead" gesture with his hand.

"Anders!" Hawke hissed like a goose. His lover's expression was somewhat smug.

"You said you knew what you were going to say," Anders said. His smile was a little bit feral.

Hawke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Obviously," he said. "I was going to knock on the door, and when it opened I'd say -"

The door opened inward, and Hawke's brain stopped. The man on the inside was tall and thickly built, wearing full plate armour, and what beautiful armour it was; gold-coloured, with careful, elaborate scrolling details along all the edges. It was well-cared for and nearly as bright as the sword he had in his hand, shimmering with enchantments, smooth-edged with a hilt that could only be dragonbone. He carried it ready at hip-height, in the stance of a born fighter, and his expression as he looked upon them was alert but otherwise unreadable.

After an awkward moment, Hawke essayed a quick wave. "Hi," he said.

The man's eyes traced the lines of the kaddis smear across his nose, and some of the battle-ready tension left him. He glanced quickly between them, sighed heavily, and lowered his sword. "Hello again," he said. "Looks like you couldn't get enough of me in the Viscount's keep. Not that I'm not pleased to continue the conversation without Meredith Stannard breathing down my neck, obviously, doing that... face she does. Do you think the wind changed on her halfway through? Do you think it could change again?"

"No," said Anders, leaning a shoulder against the door frame, "I think she's always been a tyrant."

The King of Ferelden sheathed his sword absently. "Yeah, some people are. Born that way, I think. You met Commander Tabris, right? Now there was a woman who could chew through tables." He nodded at Anders. "Nice to meet you again, by the way. I wasn't sure at first if it was you in a building or a very small genlock. There's not that many Wardens in the area, and you have a different feeling."

"Ex-Warden," Anders said. "And likewise. Although I'd like to think, incompetent as our city guard are, even they might notice a genlock roaming the streets."

"Ouch," said Alistair, grinning. "A shriek, then?"

"If you like," Anders agreed. His mouth was smiling, but his shoulders were tense. He cleared his throat and jerked his head at Hawke, and said, "I do apologise for the visit. Haw - my lo - the Champion of Kirkwall wished to continue a conversation about Fereldan mages in a place slightly less likely to be crawling with Meredith's eyes and ears."

Alistair blew out a long sigh and leaned back from the doorway. "Might as well come in, then," he said. "I won't even ask how you got passed the guard. I expect you want to talk about the Circle - well, I'll do it, but Kailan'll never forgive me if I don't ask you some questions first, Anders."

"Wait," said Hawke, feeling like he'd missed a step several turns back, and the dance had carried on without him and now he was doing a handstand by the punch bowl with the music coming to a halt, "You also know the King of Ferelden?"

And Anders, halfway into the suite, turned back to him, that damn mischief-tell making his eyes sparkle so brightly they made Hawke smile in kind, and said, "Of course. After all, even a cat -"

" - may look upon a King," Hawke finished for him, grinning despite himself, and for a moment Hawke couldn't care less about the King of Ferelden, watching them with a politely baffled expression.

After all, it was good to see Anders happy, even if for just a little while.

current mood:

(i’m trying to tell myself that’s it’s ok i can’t shut up as long i’m producing something every day. it helps a lil)

[corvus-tail]

Some ghost art, but i cant draw humans so have them as cats insted.

First one is a Copia/Papa emerius IV that i made for one of my friends

And the second one is a Sodo/Swiss combination for someone else ✨

[444names]

brythonic deities + mythical humanoids

Abagres Abagrus Abara Abelis Abnos Abusid Aerigo Aerius Agork Agren Agunymp Alafaid Alafang Alahag Alahan Alahaus Alarus Aling Alint Alintar Alios Alita Alkapod Alkimon Alter Amion Amonna Amumork Andar Andius Anerta Aneta Angeid Angeis Angeri Angummy Angusus Annemp Annik Anoba Anociel Anter Anthro Antiano Antisan Antita Antris Ardul Arest Artaur Artina Astan Astenus Astris Avendia Aveter Avetian Avetis Balkap Bangeid Banota Barpy Beannix Beareis Bertres Blafaia Borow Borrie Borrisa Borrus Brios Briter Brius Brollie Brotar Busama Busat Buxent Cadona Cadra Cadros Calich Calie Camna Campus Candrow Canino Canixie Canome Cante Cantia Canusag Capon Carast Caraur Catia Ceard Ceres Chanid Chauns Cichag Cichala Cicon Cidhe Cidheto Cidinni Cidius Cielf Cimon Cimos Ciusag Ciusang Clotou Cluinna Cluis Cocens Cocielf Collo Conak Conis Conix Conixie Conna Conus Corrus Covetia Cycalka Cyclo Cycloto Damappa Damna Damph Damullo Datonos Delat Demeris Demetio Demlios Demlis Dempugo Dente Devinx Donus Draun Draus Drople Dudamp Dudinx Dudius Duduinn Duinus Dwaninx Dwantus Dwardul Dwarpy Dwarus Elent Eliello Emarum Emerius Enaiae Encamos Engel Entiann Entik Eritte Fancan Fanik Fannian Faufaia Fiusa Fiusus Gando Gangela Gangus Ganian Ganid Ganos Ganta Garaus Garnus Garpy Ghoba Ghobito Ghobius Giang Gianta Gnota Gobis Goblamp Gombie Gomer Goyle Goylph Grechan Greman Grena Grenaid Grennix Gress Grusa Grusag Hagobor Halioma Hancubi Hangu Hantiad Haris Harus Hiban Hinos Hobgo Hobie Hobold Hobor Hould Houllos Huete Huetena Huetes Huetija Huetis Huner Huness Hunus Hunyip Imbelin Imonus Inaid Inaidhe Incur India Interis Intio Inymph Jente Jentia Jinnus Jorabus Jorow Jotuta Kapomo Kikit Kimos Kites Kittle Kobor Korito Koron Koutija Lafaia Lafara Lafarne Lahan Lahando Lameri Lanthro Laraus Largo Latou Lennid Lennus Lentinx Lepoden Leton Leuccur Leucie Lincana Lugummy Luraun Lurigar Luxent Lycast Lycata Lyclus Maida Manot Manus Maponni Mappa Margor Marus Mebie Mebis Mentare Menus Merios Meris Merius Merne Mernus Metes Metik Metisad Mettle Monnos Monnot Monnus Monus Moreme Motatyr Motuns Motuta Mullus Mumota Nacis Nagress Neris Netija Nextis Nikban Nineri Nukita Nunus Nunyip Nyernus Nyetes Nyeto Ocelf Ocernus Ocius Ogmina Ogming Ogminus Ogreda Ogrenus Ogres Ogrus Oguner Oreid Orolf Orrio Orris Orrus Orven Panius Panus Pelang Peopel Pesson Pirech Podelf Pollin Pollo Pomaid Pomap Pomaun Ponni Pugbele Pugont Rummy Rusamp Sagane Saganta Sagre Sagus Samore Sannus Sanus Satios Satucan Satyrin Sedamia Seelet Seelf Seelin Seello Segonus Segoyle Segum Segus Sellos Sirios Smeris Sphina Spris Sprito Sprius Sucala Sunna Sylen Syleta Sylete Tarus Taune Teponi Teren Terie Tiantro Tiris Tisamna Tobolf Tonie Tonne Tonus Trebius Trecamo Treisag Trens Tresus Trich Tridia Tronus Tropes Troppa Tyrie Tyrio Undman Unople Valar Valata Valaus Valkyr Vaman Vament Vamia Vamna Vamnaia Vaniad Vanius Vannin Vetios Vette Vhetata Vhetere Vhetik Vhetios Vingu Visanix Vishiba Viura Viurie Wenteng Wenus Werehus Weres Werins Werius Wernus Wertis Yukie Yukiome Zomaia Zomapon

[jcinktinder]

Emerius — It’s been four years since the Mage-Templar ignited in Kirkwall, and the city is no better off for it. Crime lords ensnare these newly freed mages as they compete for territory. The disgraced knights of the Templar Order fight to contain the growing threat of forbidden magic. And the city government tries to conceal as much of the chaos as they can—lest Kirkwall’s powerful rivals encroach on what isn’t theirs to take. Emerius is a site that responds to characters’ actions. Come tell stories with us.

index / guidebook / discord

[tinyshe]

More Saints of the Day January 27

St. Angela Merici

St. Aviates

St. Avitus

St. Candida

St. Datius

St. Devota

St. Emerius

St. Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch

St. Gamo

St. Gilduin

St. Henry de Osso y Cervello

St. Julian of Le Mans

St. Julian of Sora

St. Lupus of Chalons

St. Marius

St. Maurus

St. Natalis

Bl. Rosalie du Verdier de la Soriniere

St. Sabas of SerbiaS

t. Theodoric of Orleans

[lairofdragonagelore]

Architecture of Kirkwall : Gallows and Lowtown/Darktown

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

The gallows and any representation of it includes the constant repetition of white men [they are usually human when you can see their ears] screaming.

From the codex of the Gallows, I think we only obtain as an important piece of information that it was designed by magisters to break the spirit of the newcomers.

Colossus statues hang from the cliffs where the city was built; they are the first thing that can be seen from the sea.

Via Codex we are informed that Kirkwall (back then named Emerius)  was Tevinter’s largest quarry 1500 years ago.  Once the construction phase ended, Emerius shifted to become a slave trade city.

This iconic representation of Kirkwall is used along all series. The loadscreen shows us this image again with some extra details: two human slaves (we can see their ears) tortured or crying, circles of chain around them to emphasise their slave condition, and inside the inner circle that seems like a pool, more chains, and an effect of stirring blood from where the symbol of Kirkwall emerges. If we  take in mind what we learnt in the [Post of Kirkwall history], this image seems to represent the information we found in the codex The Enigma of Kirkwall: the blood of slaves have been feeding oceans of blood bellow the city. The symbol of Kirkwall has a posibility of represent a rising dragon, so the meaning that these sacrifices were done to bring back an old god may suggest low-key that here is where magisters attempted to reach the Golden City.

The gallows heraldry is similar to Kirkwall’s with some more extra geometrical aditions and a crown.

In the main courtyard of the Gallows, we see many statues representing, again, tortured slaves. Enormous figures of pointy armour (Tevinter-based armour), tower over them, almost as golems.

All slaves are depicted as humans [they have human ears].

Now, what brings my attention strongly here, is this series of statues, with the Tevinter jailor-golem and a slave that seems to follow a progression. The first one reaches his hand to the air, while grabbing his throat, the second and third grab their throat desperately. The last two grab their head or crawls asking for help. The concept art of this statue displays a long chain along all those slaves’s neck which it did not make it into the game. So far, it could be a mere statue that represents slavery and all the mental states in which a slave find themselves.

Until I've read Tevinter Nights [***], I did not realised that this progression can be understood as a slave “drinking down” something that hurts his throat and then, makes him mad. Of course this is just a more twisted interpretation. The most obvious one [Occam’s razor], is the progression of the slave’s mind: the weight of the slavery around his neck in the first ones, then the despair grows with the weight of the shackle, and finally ends begging for help to the air.

The Gallows, Darktown and Lowtown have a lot of art and graffiti of these slaves everywhere: the screaming human men in a row, the crying, hanged slaves, the screaming slaves, the terryfing slaves. One can assume they are the mass of slaves being traded, or sacrificed later. But in Lowtown/Darktown there are a unique variation of these figures that got my attention:

it's a human, but unlike the other representations, he is not screaming nor grabbing his ears, and his head is red and pointy. Why? Their position is also more proper of someone scared to death. He is gritting his teeth [illness or fear]. The whole simple figure gives the idea of terror. This graffiti is not repeated all over the city, just some bits in the most hidden parts of Darktown and many, many times in the Hanged Man. The other graffiti that gives some context to this one can be found in the Hanged Man:

Again, they are the usual figure of the slave, terrified, sitting against am oversimplified structure that represents the Gallows (the loadscreen of the gallows shows that structure too). I think it’s important to highlight that Lowtown was carved by slaves, and inhabited by them during the time of Emerius. Darktown was even lower: it was the home of the diseased, the insane and the dead [discarded bodies pilled up here]. In Darktown you could also find those who were hidding, trying to escape captivity. And it’s here where the images of red-headed slaves can be found. [Check details in the Codex of Lowtown and Darktown]

And what's more impressive, in the loadscreen we find a progression of that situation: the slaves turned into red-lyrium creatures, looking more like the deformed red templars in DAI than anything else we saw in DA2 [I think DA2 gives this spoiler in a loadscreen because it’s impossible to guess it until the end of the game, when you see Meredith’s fate: you can see the stone-like structure in which a living body can turn into]. This was so surprising to me. This detail is what made me suspect that maybe part of the secrets of Kirkwall are related to red lyrium [in addition to all those which are evident in the codex The Enigma of Kirkwall]. Through the codex The Enigma of Kirkwall, we know that mages have been researching underground things that they wanted to hide. Could that have included red lyrium experiments? [Read Kirkwall History for more details]

These images can be found 2 times in Darktown, and many, many, MANY times in the Hanged Man. Sadly, the Hanged Man has no codex, so we have no idea what it was used for during Emerius, we can only assume that it coudl have been a place where ill slaves gathered, as it happened with Darktown.

A small tour of where to find these images in Darktown:

and in the Hanged Man: We find these images in the very moment we enter the tavern, right in front of our noses. The main room has 3 of these paintings.

We find it too in Varric’s room:

And inside the rooms of the Hanged man,a lot more:

In less impactful details, I collected some decoration bits:

In several parts of Lowtown we see a painting of the Gallows. As we can see, it's always iconic the lines in between the building, as if it were a separation.

We also have a loadscreen repeating the Gallow’s structure in different styles.

In the summaries where Varric speaks to Cassandra, we find the Gallows represented again and again as two big metal/stone structures with a small separation in between.

Here, by the end of the game, we see this separation of the walls but with a bridge in between and below it a river of blood. Which is more or less the design of the place where we fight Orsino: there is a platform, connected to the entrance of the gallow though a bridge. The Harvester drops down into those canals [that river] in several phases.I think via these symbols we are told that these canals were filled with blood [which also is consistent with the codex The Enigma of Kirkwall]. This “river of blood” also separates the picture, in a more poetic and modern way, into two sides: on the left the Templar, on the right, something different to the symbol of the Ferelden Chantry: the Tevinter Chantry. Which is something that always got my attention about Orsino: he wears Tevinter/Imperial symbols, and he is depicted, mostly, with the Tevinter chantry symbols despite being an elf from the Free Marches.

[***] The book Tevinter Nights, and specially the short story about Lucanis Dellamorte, emphasises that some Tevinter Magisters are experimenting with slaves by forcing them to drink red lyrium. Even though this happens in a modern time, there is always a potential chance that these were ancient rituals, and the knowledge of the red lyrium is older than the time in which Bartrand found it.

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore ]

[ykoriana-imperatrix]

SDC Month - December 2022 - Sunday #1

This is that one project I mentioned back on the 1st as being technically new, yet similar to a previous one. The latter would be the fanon Houses spotlight from June, which this one effectively replaced this month (though the former may yet return in the future). Every Sunday, I will focus on one of the main canon Houses of the Great and do a little comparison between available information from canon (mainly focusing on that from the family trees) and the fanon @suth-sardian and I have developed over the years. I will try and keep it simple for the most part; I'm not going to go into detailed character life stories from fanon or anything, just more basic information such as added given names, dates, birth Houses of the lords' wives, that sort of thing.

As usual, since content involving fanon might not be for everyone, all of these posts will come with a helpful cut (also useful regarding post length), so that anyone who wants to avoid them can easily do so.

House Imago

I chose to start with this House because information revealed here will be referred to in later entries in this series; so it only made sense to have the Imagos go first.

As a (hopefully useful) visual aid, here's a copy of the tree available on Ricardo Pinto's website, with some added numbers:

So let’s go through these characters in fanon, shall we? (A brief note explaining why not every single one is numbered: all the God Emperors included in the tree will not be discussed here, since they’re, of course, from the House of the Masks and not House Imago. Urkare is also excluded because we do know her given name and birth/death dates already, and Jaspar is an important character in his own right in canon (and again, one with a given name and associated dates), so I saw no point in including him either.)

In fanon (and as it happens, as already revealed on yesterday's post), this lord is named Varmarin (from vermarine, an alternate name for prasiolite).

Varmarin's wife is named Kisaya (derived from the Quya "ksáya", "abacus"), and is from the fanon House Surya. @suth-sardian and I have her as being born in -268 and dying in -178/2 Uronksur.

The wife of Varmarin and Kisaya's son is named Sideria (from siderite) and is from House Aurum. She was born in -227/6 Nuhqanya, and died in -160/20 Uronksur.

Varmarin and Kisaya's son himself/Urkare's brother is named Emerius (from emery). As he appears to have abdicated the Ruling Lordship at some point, as his son became Ruling Lord in -167 and he only died in -161, the name also serves as a joking reference to this fact, "Emerius" being very similar to "emeritus".

The (presumably) second wife of Emerius' son, and mother of his younger son, is named Jadaris (from jadarite) and is from the fanon House Lumi. She was born in -191/42 Nuhqanya and died in -125/27 Qusaqanya.

Emerius and Sideria's son is named Elbanith (from elbaite).

Elbanith's (presumed) first wife, and mother of his elder son, is named Niobe (from niobite) and is from the fanon House Naranith. She was born in -197/36 Nuhqanya, and died in -131/21 Qusaqanya.

The wife of Elbanith and Jadaris' son is named Rueina** and is from the fanon House Irika. She was born in -167/13 Uronksur, and died in -99/53 Qusaqanya.

The son of Elbanith and Jadaris himself is named Rubeus (from rubellite).

Elbanith and Niobe's son is named Rielis**.

Rielis' wife is named Thexa ("thexa" being the Quya word for "five"), and she is a second lineage lady (by the way, all ladies about whom fanon information is mentioned in these posts can be assumed to be first lineage ones, unless noted) from the fanon House Ophis. She was born in -165/15 Uronksur and died in -90/7 Qusata.

The wife of Rubeus and Rueina's son is named Sayakos (named for Sayaka from Kakegurui*), and like Kisaya before her, is from House Surya. She was born in -141/11 Qusaqanya and died in -80/17 Qusata.

Rubeus and Rueina's son is named Olanite (from olenite). As in the tree he is depicted as being only 5 years his father's junior (which is admittedly biologically impossible), @suth-sardian and I decided to make him 10 years younger (so having a birth year of -149/3 Qusaqanya instead) and born when Rubeus was a more reasonable 15 years old. His death year, however, was unchanged.

Rielis and Thexa's son is named Akroite (from achroite).

Akroite's wife is Qusaquentha (deriving from the Quya words "qusá", "to be splendid" and "qentha", "rainbow"), who is not only from the aforementioned House Surya, but Sayakos' younger half-sister as well. She was born in -125/27 Qusaqanya and died in -43/54 Qusata.

Olanite and Sayakos' son is named Feruvite (from the mineral of the same name).

The wife of Akroite and Qusaquentha's son is named Sabina (from sabinaite), and like Niobe before her, is from House Naranith. She was born in -96/1 Qusata and died in -15/18 Nuhuron.

Sabina’s husband is named Dravite (from the mineral of that name).

Dravite and Sabina's son's wife is named Kilyuna (after the Kizna system from Kiznaiver*), and would also be from House Naranith (in fact, she would be Sabina's niece, making this a first cousin marriage). She was born in -65/32 Qusata, and would still be alive at the time of the series (we have often imagined her as being the elderly woman Carnelian sees at Coomb Imago in The Chosen).

The son of Dravite and Sabina is named Citrinus (from citrine). As his father was also a bit too implausibly young at his birth, his birth year was changed to -79/18 Qusata. Just like with Olanite, his year of death remained the exact same.

This lady, whom you might identify as Sardian's paternal grandmother, was named Tourmaline (just like the mineral of that name). She is the Imago character who likely went through the greatest changes, as in fanon we decided to have her as Dravite's younger sister (and therefore Akroite and Qusaquentha's daughter) rather than daughter. Her birth year had to be changed accordingly, and to make the gap between canon and fanon ages as small as possible, she became Akroite's posthumous child, being born in -93/4 Qusata. Her death year (seen in the Suth tree) was unchanged.

The wife of Citrinus and Kilyuna's son/Jaspar's mother is named Pearl (her namesake being, I expect, obvious), and like Jadaris, she is from House Lumi. She was born in -34/63 Qusata, and so would also still be alive at the time of canon.

Citrinus and Kilyuna's son/Jaspar's father is named Corundum (again, after the mineral of that name).

Corundum and Pearl's younger son/Jaspar's brother is named Lytian (from lydian stone).

*I was kindly reminded of the origins of these characters’ names by @suth-sardian​, as she was the one who named then, and I couldn’t for the life of me recall where these specific names had come from.

**Unfortunately, neither of us can remember the origins of these particular names with any certainty (this post will be edited to include them if we do later on).

Extra notes: There is also an additional character who doesn't exist in fanon: Istra (named after a character from Till We Have Faces), a younger daughter of Varmarin (born after his death) and Kisaya and sister of Emerius and Urkare. She would have been born in -232/1 Nuhqanya and died in -152/28 Uronksur. I did not mention her earlier because she is not particularly relevant in terms of the Imago family tree, but she will be far more so when we get to House Aurum (stay tuned).

Hopefully, you found this brand-new-but-not-quite project enjoyable to some extent, and the fanon information wasn't too much to take in at once. Truth be told, that was another point in favour of starting with the Imagos, seeing as they are the largest House when it comes to the available Great trees — the other posts in the series will probably seem like an easier read in comparison!

[vigilskeep]

why the kirkwall chantry is dedicated to hessarian, and why that gives us more than just a cooler name for it with a sexy accusatory nickname for anders in there somewhere: an illustrated guide!

(wait, wait, please remind me who hessarian even is, i hear you ask. hessarian was the tevinter archon who ordered andraste’s execution on the pyre. but struck with guilt at the last minute, he mercifully (i GUESS) killed andraste with a sword rather than let her suffer in the fire. he converted to andrastianism a decade later and took the rest of the imperium with him. he’s really popular in tevinter because, you know, he kind of improves their whole role in the story, and the chantry there likes to think he’s the most important disciple. you may recognise him from being one of the spirits in the urn of sacred ashes gauntlet, from the lore behind the blade of mercy gift for fenris, and the ‘blades of hessarian’ group on the storm coast in inquisition.)

okay, let’s first get the basics down: why do i think the kirkwall chantry is dedicated to hessarian? merrill, our glamorous tour guide to andrastian nonsense, is going to show us why

here’s merrill examing the architecture of the kirkwall chantry. and it’s covered in this guy!

how do we know this guy is hessarian? let’s compare it to some other, canonical andrastion depictions of the latecomer disciple. hessarian is typically depicted with some type of crown or headwear to demonstrate his status in tevinter, robes to denote him as a mage, a long beard probably also symbolic of tevinter culture at the time, and, of course, his blade of mercy. we can see all of these on the figure repeatedly shown in and outside the kirkwall chantry, as well as a certain similarity in the face to the other depictions.

here’s another variant of how the kirkwall chantry depicts the blade of mercy! these are Everywhere, including right over the doors.

and here’s more variants of the same figure inside. he’s carrying some kind of incense burner instead of a sword here, but it’s clearly the same face with the same crown and that classic hessarian beard. note his position of power flanking the enormous andraste figure.

so... why does that matter? isn’t it just a repeated asset?

no, it’s CRAZY actually. and here’s a couple reasons why!

(fascinated by genitivi’s word choice of glitzy mansions, btw.)

firstly, the kirkwall chantry’s dedication to hessarian’s figure is one of the biggest markers that it, along with the gallows and the darkspawn, is a legacy of tevinter. as i said, he’s the favourite there. kirkwall was once emerius under tevinter’s rule, and from the moment we see the weeping twins that welcome you into the city, we’re supposed to remember that the city of chains has not changed all that much. just as emerius’ prisons now incarcerate mages, its industry is now powered by refugees, and the worst parts of its lowtown hold elves probably just as they once did, its magisters’ estates continue to hold the most powerful voices in the city: in this case, that of the chantry and grand cleric elthina. the hessarian statues that demonstrate the chantry’s wealth and power are inarguably either tevinter made or at least made in their style, with such similarity to the statues of slaves that terrorise the gallows courtyard. hightown is no more free of that inheritance than the circle.

secondly, the focus on hessarian can’t be an accident in dragon age 2, a game obsessed with the mercy kill. “without an end, there can be no peace,” says flemeth. somebody has to kill wesley rather than watch him turn into a ghoul. anders has to kill karl. hawke possibly has to kill their other sibling if they catch the taint in the deep roads. varric can kill bartrand when he goes insane. killing the serial killer of elven children rather than letting his madness continue is one of the most universally approved decisions in the game. in her last words, leandra thanks you for ending the mage keeping her alive with twisted necromancy, even if, and especially because, it means the end of her suffering in death. merrill has to kill a possessed keeper marethari. many more can be killed for being “too dangerous” to live, like the blood mage idunna. orsino is slain by hawke after transforming into a monster he would never have wanted to be. there’s probably a dozen more examples i can think of. and of course, in one of the most game-defining decisions hawke has to make, there’s the option to kill anders after the destruction of the kirkwall chantry. merciful is not the word i would use for that, but it has certainly been framed that way. i suppose that’s the same as what i think of hessarian’s actions, isn’t it? (we’re focusing on the andrastian relevance here and not the godawful treatment of mentally ill people in this game, btw, although. yikes.)

“don’t compare yourself to andraste,” says sebastian to anders. he could try telling the game that. hawke gets cast into a lot of roles, but when anders believes they will kill him, he’s casting himself as the martyred andraste, dying to burn rebellion into the face of thedas, and hawke as his hessarian, quick with the merciful blade. i suppose it’s fitting that the kirkwall chantry should be consecrated in the image of its champion. and that the chantry covered in that image gets destroyed moments before hawke makes their choice, if they decide to make a different one. it’s also worth mentioning that meredith is a mimic of andraste, too, with her stolen crown, making anders and meredith obvious combatants for andraste’s legacy in the game. hawke doesn’t get much command of the narrative, but maybe they can at least dodge being anders’ hessarian, if they choose.

idk i think it’s really fucking cool and we should talk about it more, basically! there’s a lot of other angles to take. hessarian is such a fun lore figure to explore. for example, i didn’t even get into the prominence of an andrastian mage figure here, or that the blade of mercy is the symbol of the templar order and was invoked even earlier, in dao, as the “blade of mercy” by traumatised mages who desperately sought to be purified by the templars’ judgement.

also, i think ‘the chantry of hessarian’s mercy’ sounds good. maybe ‘the chantry of our lady’s spilled blood’? that could be sexy. whatever. i’m workshopping it

[leviiackrman]

OC SKETCHES - part 1 OPHELIA DANDYTHORN (dungeons + dragons) | UNA WATTLESEED (the witcher) | ISAAC WATTLESEED (the witcher) | LYNA MAHARIEL (dragon age: origins)

[edgepunk]

emerius replied to your post “I feel so bad for the tlou fandom I’ve read the plot of the game and...”

Tbh even the end is bad at first sight, ellie's biggest fear just came true, ending up alone, dina and jj left her, she can't go back to Jackson, Joel's dead and SOOOO many people were like, such a great ending 10/10, yeah sure in what universe

Edgy Writing 101