#Elven Owl statue

[lairofdragonagelore]

The Crossroads [DLC Trespasser]: Unknown Ruin

This particular section of the Deep Roads seems to have been abandoned. It connects to a former lyrium mining site of unknown origin, which contains statues of Mythal, Fen'Harel, and of an unknown creature. Unlike dwarven constructions, this location lacks the usual lightning and heating produced by moulting rock, turning it unusually dark. There is no trace of darkspawn activity either.

This place is divided into

Overlook

Excavated Caves

Lower Walkways

Unknown Ruin

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

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

Once we visit the Lower Archives and the Scholar’s Retreat, we have access to a discharge power that blows rubble away and it can be used in the Deep Roads section against a rubble-blocked door. Free, we can see an eluvian inside a small room.

When we step into the eluvian, we are transported to an Unknown Ruin of dwarven architecture with Elvhen decorations: four golden Howling Fen'Harel statues and an Elven Owl statue welcome us. The Fen'Harel statue may represent protection of this place, while the owl, a "secret to keep".  These concepts seem to coincide with what the Dev’s note says for this room: a place where Solas reached to the conclusion that the Evanuris needed to be stopped, but their actions had to be kept in secret in order to avoid anyone else to be tempted of repeating their actions [More details in Murals in DAI].

If we see the details of the corridors, they are a rich combination of dwarven and elvhen styles: elvhen statues on dwarven-made bases. The walls are dwarven and show dwarven patterns, sometimes decorated with the golden lines or golden helicoids proper of elvhen design. 

The Elven Owl statue has Veilfire at its talons which is expected. If this statue is related to Dirthamen and secrets, it seems reasonable to see it as a source of Veilfire, with which the secrets are revealed. Fen’Harel howling wolves sit at its sides, again, almost as if he were guarding this entrance. We have seen this configuration with Mythal before: the central statue is in a position that means “being honoured”, while the wolves around it represent “protecting it”.

The small corridor we follow has typical decorated elvhen mosaics on the ground [which contains the asterisk symbol], as the walls are made of dwarven style, and decorated in golden with elvhen patterns. The ceiling is a combination of elvhen and dwarven styles. I don't know where in Thedas this place is located, since we came here through an eluvian in the Deep Roads, but what we can know for sure is that this dwarven-elvhen ruin is on the surface: we can see the Sun entering the room through the hole in the ceiling.

The corridors lead to a small room with a big mural.

Like in all the places where we find a Sitting Fen'Harel statue with an elven box in its paws, we know that a puzzle must be solved. As usual, there is a Stone in Razikale-Ceremony-style which gives instructions about it.

At a corner of the room, we find two Howling Fen'Harel statues, one fallen, the other broken, and a golden Elven Owl statue. It looks like there was a secondary altar here, with the golden figure in the middle of the two Fen’Harel statues. Here, the symbols again seem to relate in some way to Dirthamen with Solas. The pattern that Dirthamen is always around Fen'Harel's business is something that is repeated quite frequently, especially in Trespasser, but the exact relationship to understand it is never given. 

------------- A brief comment apart ------------------

Note: Even though one would think that the Owl statue is an undeniable symbol of Falon’Din, along all the posts we were visiting so far we have noticed an overlapping of “associations” for this animal: 

The owl is related to secrets and Dirthamen [The Lost Temple of Dirthamen shows a link between this statue and “a Path of secrets”, plus the whole Temple seem to imply knowing secret, horrifying spirit-bind processes that may or may not include Falon’Din].  

Tevinter art has an Arcane Flag where it’s obvious that represents an elvhen owl statue. This gives us an idea that magical knowledge is related to this symbol simply because Tevinter co-opted it from the Elvhen.

The relationship of the Owl with Falon’Din only belongs to the unreliable Dalish tales, as well as Dirthamen’s two ravens. This may represent that Dirthamen’s symbol was attributed to Falon’Din by accident given the strange symbiotic and inseparable relationship that Dirthamen and Falon’Din have. 

And in a less popular way, the owl has also been attributed as the messenger of Andruil [ Andruil's Messenger]. This knowledge is also based on the unreliable Dalish Tales. 

In conclusion, the owl is not exactly an animal we can link to any of the three Evanuris [Dirthamen, Falon’Din and Andruil] with a strong degree of certainty. However, to me, the strongest proof is the Tevinter Flag. The owl is related to arcane knowledge, and The Lost Temple of Dirthamen has shown us that Dirthamen has knowledge of bounding processes, strange manipulations made by Ghilan’nain [Her red mosaic and potential connections to The Horror of Hormak], and maybe including the scaled ones [given the paintings in his Temple]. It is also true that all of this may end up applying to Falon’Din due to the curious lack of any representation of Dirthamen in his own Temple and a lot of iconography of Falon’Din, but that may be attributed to their “twin” nature, that must mean a lot more than the Dalish Tales grasp.

Still, for simplicity’s sake, I will keep saying for this particular post that the owl represents Dirthamen but keep in mind the fragile pieces of information we have about this symbol.

For more details about the relationship between Falon’Din and Dirthamen, check Humanoid Dirthamen, the two parts of The Lost Temple of Dirthamen, and Ancient Elven codices; The Lost Temple of Dirthamen.

------------------------------------------------------

Once we solve the puzzle with the very creepy Sitting Fen'Harel statue, we can read one of the most important codices in Trespasser: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads.

The inquisitor gives us a bit more of context: the Evanuris fought the Titans, mined their bodies for lyrium [which is a reinforcer of reality and shape that they may have used to develop a slavery system based on Vallaslins], and “something else”. This “something else” may represent some forbidden or ugly magical procedure [hence the presence of the owl statue as a symbol of secret but also arcane knowledge] .

With Cole's cryptic messages at the Winter Palace, we can suspect that the Evanuris began to create bodies from the earth, and used the Vallaslin based on lyrium as a way to "reinforce" shape onto their own kind, maybe bounding the elves into these bodies. Metaphorically, it is a similar process to the creation of Golems that has been explained to us in DAO, with Caridin's Journal. Both final creatures are slaves.

According to Cole’s cryptic line, we can infer that this may have the cause for the Titans to feel the need to fight the elvhenan back: the titans saw in the ability to create bodies of the elvhenan a danger or an abuse, while the Elvhenan felt threatened by the Titans due to the shakes their creation process caused in the elvhenan cities.

The veilfire brazier is located on the heart of the Titan, drawing all our attention to it. It has the same symbol that the orb held by the elvhen at the right. This asterisk symbol has appeared in other murals as well and I think it’s safe to associate it with the heart of a Titan thanks to this mural. It’s also where you put Veilfire. More details about this mural in Murals in DAI.

When we solve the puzzle, we obtain the Heart of Pride, a staff that, in my opinion, is not the one we see in most of Solas’ murals. The model for the Heart of Pride is a twisted branch with two dogs tied to it. Looks more Alamarri than elvhen in design.

The staff we see that Solas has [1, 3, 4] is more similar to a head of a Halla with strange, messy horns. The option [2] may not even represent Solas, as we discussed in Forgotten Sanctuary. 

The description of Heart of Pride doesn’t add anything extra. It’s in any case creepy: laughter of pride while Fade energy clings to the staff, as if an echo of creatures of pride, diluted in this Fade energy, were desperately trying to reach to this feeling that this staff gives to its user. We don’t even know if it’s elvhen-made.

#deep roads #dai trespasser #dlc #Playing DA like an archaeologist #solas #titan #Sitting Fen'Harel statue #Howling Fen'Harel statue #Elven Owl statue #Stone in Razikale-Ceremony-style #asterisk symbol #dwarven design #elvhen design

[chocobothis]

Solus Ve'tra Profile

Name: Solus Ve’tra (previously Solly Vetra)

Nickname(s): The Tiny Ve’tra, Vaar’ika (runt), Jabiimi Butcher

Pronouns: She/Her

Species: Sephi-75%, Human-25%

Birth Year: 40 BBY

Gender: Cis Female

Sexuality: Bisexual, Biromantic, Polyamorous

Romantic Status: Single-ish (whatever her and Lumi have surpasses romance)

Love Interest(s): Pre Vizsla, Bo-Katan Kryze, Lumi Kirrin

Enemy: The Republic, The Jedi Order, The Separatists, The New Mandalorians, The Sith, etc. Look, she’s a former Senior Padawan turned political terrorist in Death Watch. It’s almost easier to list who actually likes her.

Hobbies: Art, Strategy Games, Reading, Hunting,

General Likes: Museums, History (any sort really), Piloting, Mechanic Work

General Dislikes: Most Senators, Jedi Order, Bland Foods, Speaking Basic

One Word To Sum Them Up: Devoted

Noun to Describe Them: Mandokar (the right stuff, the epitome of Mando virtue - a blend of aggression, tenacity, loyalty and a lust for life)

Temperament: She’s rather even tempered with an excellent poker face when it’s necessary. Chaos doesn’t bother her, making her excellent at handling stressful situations from medical wards to battlefields. As a Jedi Commander, her troopers adored her and when settled into Death Watch that rings true there as well.

Other’s First Impression of Them: Appearance wise, she’s almost dainty (5’5”) with an elven beauty about her causing people to underestimate her might. Then personality wise, she comes off as very charismatic with a keen eye for politics.

How did they get here: Even before going to Mandalore as a representative of the Jedi Order and Republic she was having doubts about things. Meeting Pre, getting acknowledged again as Mandalorian, and spending so much time with Satine sealed how much she hated her life. Having a minor mental breakdown, learning of a specific kind of Republic Rot, and she just finally broke. She tore through a false Mandalorian Clan on Nar Shaddaa to get proof, destroyed an information network, and then contacted Ursa. She wanted in on what Death Watch had.

Fun Fact: As much as she fulfills the role of Rally Master, with the context of Death Watch and greater Mandalorian Culture, she’s grumpy about the title. The traditional rally master armor is bulky and entirely red; she likes neither of those things. Her preferred armor style is a sleekier assassin style in blacks, grays, and silvers.

Free Space/Ramble: Because of how I write Sephi (Thustran based specifically) with some vulpine traits and being highly adept to the cold it makes her a little bit arctic fox-esque. Her grandfather (the man she’s the smaller, almost identical feminine form of much to her ire) has the Silver Fox going while she’s a slight prankster. Yes, she will abuse the Force to move a stylus a few inches away from someone without them seeing to be annoying.

Armor Notes: Solus specifically sticks her preferred color scheme in line with what her Clan would traditionally wear. This includes her left pauldron being black with the clan's signet in a muted gold. It's a display of millennia long solidarity between Clan Ve'tra and Clan Wren. Otherwise, she adopts the style of Death Watch, specifically the Nite Owls. Later on, when she has her twins, she tends to decorate her chest plate with one of their hand prints on each side.

#star wars ocs #mandalorian ocs #solus vetra #yes that picture of her was me (not so) quickly using photopea to try and get closer to how she lives in my mind

[nicos-oc-hell]

IDENTITY

Full name: Elyon Vamaer

Nicknames: El, Yon, Vam

Date of birth: June 7th, 1881

Gender: Female (She/her)

Sexuality: Lesbian

Blood status: Pureblood (Technially half-blood but she doesn’t know that)

Ethnicity/Race: caucasian and elven

Nationality: Scottish

MBTI type: ISTP - A

MAGIC & HOGWARTS

House: Slytherin

Wand: Walnut wood, dragon heartstring and 11 ¾ “

Animagus: Falcon

Owl electives:

Alchemy

Ancient Ruins

Potions

Arithmancy

Astrology

Newt Classes:

Ancient Ruins

Alchemy

Potions

Arithmancy

Herbology

Astrology

Quidditch: Nope

Prefect: Nope

APPEARANCE AND VOICE

Faceclaim: Blake Lively

Height: 6’0

Hair color: Blonde

Hair style:

Eye color: Pink

Skin tone: Medium tan

Scars: None

Modifications: none besides piercings

Distinguishing marks: The pink eyes

Clothing style:

Accessories: Fang earring, a feather bracelet that Ayas made for her out of her wings

What’s in their pockets?

A feather from her wings since she sheds like a husky

Quills

Money

Candy

What’s in their school bag?

Ink

Parchment

Books, mostly books that the gang snuck out of Eseria so she can read up on the history of their/her homeland

Voice claim: Blake Lively

Languages understood: English, German, Logan and Danish

Languages spoken: English, German and Danish

Speech and/or language disorder: None

RELATIONSHIP

Father: Mercury Esper

Mother: Alyssa Vamaer

Siblings: None

S/O: TBD (hit me up if you are interested, or I might just make a post)

Children: TBD

Friends:

The gang (Johnny, Ayas, Logan, Haldir and Elisen)

Sidonie Lewis (@cursebreakerfarrier)

Helen Walsh (@camillejeaneshphm)

Florence and Anastasia Osada (@hphmmatthewluther)

Cecilia Balinor (@endlessly-cursed)

Doormates:

Florence Osada

Helen Walsh

Cecilia Balinor

FACTS

Elyon prefers to be alone but does enjoy people's company from time to time

Prone to random outbursts of magical energy when she gets to excited

Allergic to shellfish, specifically Lobster, Squid, Oysters, Scallops, Crabs and Snails

Allergic to peanuts also

Refuses to get on a broom or really anything that goes up in the air (An elf with wings who’s afraid of heights…ironic)

Loves anything that has to do with peaches

Loves grapes but hates grape jam

Hates cranberries, and she is very much valid for it

#elyon vamaer #hphl #hphl profile #hphl oc #hphl mc #hogwarts legacy #harry potter hogwarts legacy #harry potter: hogwarts legacy

[ianthedisastrous]

NAME: Ian Lightfoot  MAGICK STATUS: Elven Sorcerer (Half Silver elf - Out) OCCUPATION: Therapist and children's book author  BUSINESS DESCRIPTION: N/A CURRENT LOCATION: Swynlake RELATIONSHIP STATUS (IF APPLICABLE): Married to Tony Lightfoot (formerly Rydinger) CHILDREN (IF APPLICABLE): Hattie (age 11), Harper (age 11) and Everett (age 6) 

BIOGRAPHY: 

Ian Lightfoot was meant to have a lot of time, that's just how it works for elves. But Ian has a bit less, because he traded it for something better, to break a curse, to have something to make that time really matter. And he made the right choice; he doesn't doubt that for a second. 

He knew it more every year; finding what he really wanted and putting his education towards helping the same way he'd been helped at his lowest points; listening to those with trauma or pain holding them back. Finding his voice in writing stories for kids who, like himself, hadn't felt like they fit in growing up because they were anxious, or Magicks, or learning to live with differences of all sorts. When he took a job at Jiminy’s practice, when his first few books were published? It brought the peace of knowing his own choices had led him there.  

Discovering his place as neither fully Arcadian or human finally meant something, and he made it something good working with Nick Morey to establish a safehouse for those who wanted to be a part of both worlds, or stepping away from one to find their place in the other. 

He stopped hesitating, because life didn't have much room for that, did it?

When it was time to become a sorcerer on his own he stepped into a role advising and teaching his experiences within the Coven of Owls alongside the mentor who had become one of his closest friends. Because that too was where he belonged; there was no point in trying so hard to separate the parts of himself, or his life, anymore. 

Ian had always been a planner, he just learned somewhere along the way that all the planning in the world only makes a difference if you take the first step to see it happen. He stopped waiting and started building a life outside of those old fears.

Sometimes that meant slowing down, letting go of those plans and just enjoying the moment. Watching his kids grow and his daughters take up Tony's old troublemaker mantle in their Secondary years, hugging his little boy close and listening to his dozens of questions over every little thing; trying hard to be the dad he liked to think his own would have been. Somehow, no amount of books written for the world ever felt as important as the bedtime stories that made them smile. 

It meant watching his husband thrive chasing dreams he'd nearly let go of after so long waiting and seeing more than only his business flourish as Tony finally started to heal those old wounds, accepting that his friends and family changed and sometimes stepped out of his life while holding tight to his faith that it would be okay; that they would be okay.

The world isn't what it used to be for him.

It's better, it's infinitely better. 

And now with even more changes ahead and his hometown stepping into an era of freedom from the old views that nearly destroyed him in his childhood, knowing that his own kids will grow up in a place that’s safe for them all, he truly believes the world can change for the better and he’s ready to see what comes next. 

Ian has plenty of time for the important things, and that’s all he really needs. @foreverydinger

#ian inspo #happily ever after #swynlake event

[voiceofghilannain]

The Old Gods and the Evanuris linked through Abrahamic Angels

Since the launch of Dragon Age Origins, there have been several attempts over the years to discover a connection between the Old Gods and the Evanuris. Some people have theorized that they are all one and the same, others that the Old Gods are their pet dragons, bearing parts of their souls, and some that the souls of the Evanuris are bound to the bodies of these dragons. Regardless of the nature of their connection, one question has always plagued everyone: “Which Old God corresponds to which Elven God”.

To answer this question we must look at the clues that Bioware has left regarding their attributes in their names and in those of their high priests, the Magisters sidereal. We must also take into consideration that after Mythal’s murder and the corruption of the Evanuris by the blight their roles might have changed and we must also examine the issue of the gender mismatch between the two Pantheons. To do so, we must first get rid of an old biases and assumptions, such us the almost universally held belief that Lusacan corresponds to Falon'Din. While, the Codex entry for constellation Tenebrium seems very convincing when it comes to connecting Falon'Din and Lusacan, what if it was only a logical in universe astronomical connection based solely on the owl being a night creature? What if Bioware used it to deceive us and there was a different message hidden in it? Bioware is known for hiding information in plain sight and they have done that many times in the past. Therefore, what if the connection between the two Pantheons is found within their names and had been in front of us the entire time?

It has been known for several years that the Old God Dumat is named after Dumah (= Silence), the Angel of Silence in Judaism. One day I noticed that the word Razikale is very similar to Raziel. After this realization, I tried to look at all the other Old Gods and asked whether all the Old God names are based on Abrahamic Angels. To my surprise, I found many more similarities between these Angels and both Pantheons. Below I will analyze the names of each Old God and try to tie each to an Evanuris.

Dumat: The Dragon of Silence. Dumah: The Angel of Silence and the Stillness of Death.

Dumah is the Angel of Silence and Vindication. He is in command of tens of thousands of angels of destruction, charged with the punishment of sinners, and is the Prince of Gehinnom (Hell).

As first among the Old Gods, Dumat seems to be connected to Elgar'nan. The statue of Dumat in DAII after all is identical to the statues with the snarling mouth found in Elgar'nan’s bastion in the Emerald Graves. Furthermore, as far as we know Elgar'nan was largely absent from the Elven affairs, leaving much of the work to Mythal due to his temper, thus being a somewhat silent king.

Zazikel: The Dragon of Chaos and the Old God of Freedom. Zadkiel: The Archangel of Freedom, Benevolence and Mercy.

Zadkiel is the Archangel of Freedom, Benevolence and Mercy. According to some religious texts, Zadkiel is the one who prevents Abraham from sacrificing his son and thus is often depicted with a dagger or knife in hand.

Without much else to build upon, this ties him to Andruil, the Goddess of the Hunt and Sacrifice. Andruil’s ways taught elves to never let their prey suffer, which can be considered a teaching of mercifulness. Later, when Andruil became blighted and built weapons from what must have been red lyrium, she became mad and caused chaos and disease in her lands. Andruil’s madness is perhaps why Zazikel’s high priest was called the Madman of Chaos.

Toth: The Dragon of Fire. Temeluchus: The Angel of Torment.

For those familiar with linguistics, shifts between dental and sibilant vowels whether voiced or voiceless, aspirated or not is a common motif, as is the insertion or removal of vowels and nasal consonants m and n, and the switching of one vowel sound to another. So, while the two names might not be too similar, Toth can derive from Temeluchus if the middle part of the word is dropped.

Temeluchus is the Angel of Torment, a merciless angel, all fire. He is also designated as a caretaking angel set over children at birth or during infancy. Based on this one can assume that Toth corresponds to Sylaise. However, June is also a God known for his fire and is God of the Craft. Toth’s high priest is the Forgewright of Fire. This in-universe name seems to indicate a closer connection to crafting, thus favoring June more than Sylaise regardless of the properties of the Abrahamic Angel.

Andoral: The Dragon of Chains/Slaves and the Old God of Unity. Azrael: The Archangel of Death and Retribution.

Much like Toth, Andoral’s name can also be created by modification of Azrael.

Azrael is an angel of death. He is a psychopomp, an angel responsible for transferring the souls of the deceased after death and is depicted as a winged cloaked figure. In the Apocalypse of Peter, he is presented as an angel of Hell who avenges those who had been wronged during life, while in Judaism he is an angel of evil. In islamic hadiths it is Azrael that delivers the souls of the dead to Dumah.

If Andoral was based on Azrael, then he corresponds to Falon'Din, the God of Fortune and the Friend of the Dead.

I know this conflicts with the widespread view regarding Falon'Din and Lusacan, but the concepts of Night and Death were never connected in Elven lore. I will elaborate further on why another god is more fitting for Lusacan in Lusacan’s paragraph.

Urthemiel: The Dragon of Beauty. Uriel: The Patron of the Arts.

Uriel is an Archangel that serves as a patron of the arts and is called the Flame of God among other names. One of his attributes is Fire in one palm.

Urthemiel’s high priest was the Architect of the Works of Beauty. This points to a god dedicated to architecture. Sylaise was also known for designing entire pocket dimensions with palaces and ecosystems, such as the Grand Sonalium. Therefore, it appears Urthemiel is tied to Sylaise. Otherwise, Sylaise and June are tied to Toth and Urthemiel, respectively.

Razikale: The Dragon of Mystery. Raziel: The Angel of Mystery and the Keeper of Secrets.

I think the names and attributes themselves are self-explanatory here, clearly connecting Razikale to Dirthamen.

This is also the point where the gender of the Old Gods comes into play. In many languages grammatical gender doesn’t indicate actual sex/gender. In Greek, for example, the word Ήλιος (Ilios = sun - from Ancient Greek Helios) is male, but the sun has no actual gender. Likewise, the word άνθρωπος (ANthropos = human) is male but can refer to females as well, while the word φάλαινα (PHAlena = whale) is always female, yet it can refer to the male of the species as well.

In Dragon Age, all high dragons are female, but most Old Gods are male, except for Razikale. I, therefore, do not think that the gender here corresponds to their actual physical sex. If that is the case then, why is Razikale the only female Old God? I think the answer lies in Dirthamen’s other name: Falon'Din’s Reflection. The symbol of the female gender/sex is the mirror of Aphrodite. Thus, it could be that Razikale is referred to as a female as a reflection of Andoral being male. What is interesting to note here is that Andoral and Razikale are very similar in appearance, with Razikale having golden horns and Andoral darker colored horns. Andoral’s darker pigmentation reminds me of Falon'Din’s other name: Dirthamen’s Shadow.

It is possible that the Old Gods were regarded by their followers as male, in the same way that the Maker is regarded as male, and that only Razikale was referred to as female due to Dirthamen’s attribute as a reflection of Falon'Din.

Lusacan: The Dragon of Night. Lailah: The Angel of Night and Conception. Lilith: A She-Demon of the Night and Mother of Monsters.

Lailah is the Hebrew word for Night. Though the ending lah is a female ending, the Angel is often referred to as male. Lailah is said to move souls from Eden’s Garden to a mother’s womb. He is also a Guardian Angel during life, and at death transfers the soul to the afterlife.

The concepts of night and conception here are interesting as Ghilan'nain’s vallaslin in Inquisition is a stylized uterus with the vulva drawn beneath the slave’s lips.

The female Evanuris in the mural shown during last year’s E3 and the right Archdemon in one of the promotional art pieces, both share a moon crescent on the head and have body parts that connect them to the sea.

In the Dalish elf origin quest of Dragon Age Origins there is a statue of Ghilan'nain stepping over a crescent moon. We can therefore assume that when Mythal was forcefully kicked out of the pantheon through murder, Ghilan'nain absorbed her attributes tied to the sea, the moon and motherhood over the people, while Elgar'nan took over all matters of Justice and Vengeance.

Another possible connection to Lusacan is Lilith, the first wife of Adam and a she-demon of the Night. One of the various translations of the name Lilith is the “screech owl”. There are many similarities one can draw between Lilith and Ghilan'nain, starting with both being mothers of monsters who kill their children, and extending to other elements, such as their connection to the sea. These parallels can get even more interesting if we take a look at the beasts of the Sea and Land in John’s Apocalypse, as well as the locusts (human-animal hybrids) and the marking of people with the seal of God on their foreheads in the same book. However, since drawing attention to these similarities would derail this post far beyond its scope, I will only focus on the owl aspect of Lilith.

In the Hebrew Bible, the following is said about Lilith: “There the hoot owl shall nest and lay eggs, hatch them out and gather them in her shadow; There shall the kites assemble, none shall be missing its mate.“

Going back to the codex entry for constellation Tenebrium, also known as the Shadow, we can see how we could otherwise interpret it as the Shadow of the Screech Owl.

Lilith in the Dead Sea Scrolls: “Her house sinks down to death, And her course leads to the shades. All who go to her cannot return And find again the paths of life.” — Proverbs 2:18–19

“Her gates are gates of death, and from the entrance of the house She sets out towards Sheol. None of those who enter there will ever return, And all who possess her will descend to the Pit.” — 4Q184

For those of you who have read the Tevinter Nights these verses will probably bring to memory the descent of Ramesh’s group and what he discovered along the way.

Thus, from a design standpoint, I can see a much clearer connection between Lusacan and Ghilan'nain, than Lusacan and Falon'Din. This will also not be the only time a constellation matches two Gods not connected to each other. Constellation Silentir, for example, corresponds to Dumat and Mythal, yet most people consider Dumat to correspond to Elgar'nan. This mismatch is to be expected, as constellations are named based on what image people see the stars form, not on religious attributes between Pantheons they consider unrelated.

Finally, the Lusacan and Ghilan'nain connection has an important implication for Dragon Age 4. The last remaining Old Gods, Razikale and Lusacan, correspond to the two Evanuris rumored to appear in Dragon Age 4, Dirthamen and Ghilan'nain. In Solas’ mural shown during the previous E3, there are two Evanuris shown, one male and one female. Based on the several images of chimeras in Dragon Age 4 and on Tevinter Nights, we can say with near absolute certainty that the female Evanuris is Ghilan'nain. Meanwhile, as others have pointed out before, Dirthamen’s vallaslin fits wonderfully on top of the male Evanuris.

The appearance of Dirthamen and Ghilan'nain in the next game could have also been teased by Bioware subtly during Dragon Age Inquisition through the picture of what is most probably Ghilan'nain hugging a bear (Dirthamen’s holy animal) that breaths fire with a moon crescent on top of them.

All in all, these are my thoughts on the subject. I hope this wasn’t a tiresome read and that it provides a new perspective on the age-old debate. What are you thoughts on the Old Gods and Evanuris connection? Post them below in the comments. Until next time. - The Voice of Ghilan'nain

PS: Here is a short version of all the connections I drew between the two Pantheons and the Angels: Dumat - Dumah - Elgar'nan Zazikel - Zadkiel - Andruil Toth - Temeluchus - June Andoral - Azrael - Falon'Din Urthemiel - Uriel - Sylaise Razikale - Raziel - Dirthamen Lusacan - Lailah/Lilith - Ghilan'nain

#dragon age #dragon age 4 #da4 #evanuris #old gods #ghilan'nain #ghilannain #dirthamen #halla #lilith #lailah #raziel #uriel #azrael #temeluchus #zadkiel #dumah #lusacan #razikale #urthemiel #andoral #toth #zazikel #dumat #sylaise #falon'din #june #andruil #elgar'nan #mythal

[diirthara-ma]

I’m learning to use Frosty Editor rn, and while I was roaming through the DAI game files I noticed that the elven rituals in What Pride Had Wrought are all named in reference to specific elven gods. The first ritual (that essentially just shows you how the rituals work) is named something simple, like “first ritual” or “intro ritual” or something, but the three main puzzles are called Elgar’nan ritual, Fen’Harel ritual, and Dirthamen ritual.

The Elgar’nan ritual is the easiest puzzle, in the northeastern part of the map.

The Fen’Harel ritual is the puzzle with the gates and lever, in the southeastern part of the map.

The Dirthamen ritual is the puzzle that includes several sets of stairs, in the western part of the map.

I feel like this fits with what we know of these three gods: Elgar’nan’s puzzle is way less complicated than both Dirthamen (god of secrets and knowledge) and Fen’Harel (the trickster/rebel god). 

The Fen’Harel puzzle requires you to first fail the puzzle in order to succeed, and requires you to essentially trap yourself in the puzzle in order to move forward. 

The shape of the Dirthamen puzzle reminds me of the twin nature of Dirthamen and Falon’Din.

Other things of note: There are wolf statues all over the Fen’Harel ritual, as well as the Fen’Harel mosaic on the wall. Sylaise’s mosaic is on the wall in the entryway to Elgar’nan’s ritual room, and his puzzle is decorated with statues of sentinel archers. The Dirthamen puzzle has both owl statues and red hart statues (with 5 owls on the right side of the puzzle and 5 hart statues on the left). The entryway to the Dirthamen ritual room has the June mosaic, and the walls in the Dirthamen ritual room have a June mosaic, a broken Mythal mosaic, two broken Fen’Harel mosaics, and a broken Falon’Din mosaic. Also the Falon’Din altar is right next to Dirthamen’s ritual room, and the Andruil altar is right next to Fen’Harel’s room.

#dragon age meta #evanuris #temple of mythal #my meta #elgar'nan #fen'harel #solas #dirthamen #frosty editor #da game files #not quite sure why the dirthamen ritual is also called the follower ritual??? #the elgar'nan ritual is also called the easy ritual which makes sense bc its the easiest #and the fen'harel ritual is also called the switch ritual which makes sense bc his is the only one w a lever in it #¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[ellie-shy]

Details I've found interesting after replaying DA:Inquisition #3

This is during What Pride Had Wrought, inside the Temple of Mythal.

If you chose to do the ritual, remember those 3 puzzles you have to do before proceeding? (I'm counting after we encountered Samson/Calpernia in the temple.)

They were called rituals to respect the temple (and Mythal in general ofc), and Abelas actually appreciates the Inquisitor for doing the rituals.

So, this time around, I actually took my time to appreciate the beautiful sceneries inside the temple. And I kinda observed something interesting when doing those rituals...

The rituals are sort of related to specific Evanuris Gods. Hint : THE STATUES.

This is gonna be a long post with basic speculations, please bare with me and my tinfoil-y thoughts lmao i just had to get these out.

This is the 1st ritual, and also the easiest and straightforward one :

Notice the statues among the tiles? I am not entirely sure of which Evanuris is related to this statue. Could it be Andruil (Goddess of the Hunt)? Please correct me if I'm wrong! Or could it be just a general Elven statue for the Elven race?

I don't have much comment on this one because I am unsure of which Evanuris is connected to this statue. However, take note of the straightforward and simplicity of the ritual.

The 2nd ritual, which is found at the upper level of the 1st ritual :

A big set of tiles that are separated. To complete the ritual, you have to connect them together! However, instead of just 1 statue, there are 2, an owl and a halla!

We first enter from the owl statues. If not mistaken, Owl is Falon'Din. But it can also symbolize Andruil (as her messnger).

And the second batch of tiles has halla statues, obviously for Ghilan'nain (mother of halla) :

(Notice that the entrance for Ghilan'nain has been crushed? Then in that case, could it actually be 2 separate rituals instead of 1 connected ritual?)

Here's the tinfoil-y part, 1) IF the owl statue is meant for Falon'Din, I think it would make sense that this big ritual is actually 2 separated rituals (for Falon'Din and Ghilan'nain each); and due to the inaccessible Ghilan'nain's ritual entrance, hence the Inquisitor has to connect both rituals to complete them.

Or, 2) IF the owl statue is for Andruil instead, it would make PERFECT sense if the rituals are meant to be connected. "Ghilan'nain was Andruil's beloved". Ghilan'nain and Falon'Din don't have that much stories together compared to Andruil, which explicitly states that they were lovers. And, if the rituals are meant to be connected, could it be that the crushed entrance to Ghilan'nain's ritual is like an exit? (What I'm saying is that we enter from the owl, then exit with the halla, or vice versa, something like that lol)

So, the 2nd ritual may be for Andruil/Falon'Din and Ghilan'nain.

And last but not least, the final puzzle. Which is also the hardest/confusing one for me lol.

Guess which elven statue greeted you?

The Dread Wolf. A whole ritual is just for Fen'Harel. And it's huge and complicated!

Other than the fact there are 2 types of Fen'Harel statues (the sitting wolf and the howling wolf), there are no other Evanuris rituals in the same ritual hall! (The first 2 rituals are located in the same hall, let me remind y'all! It is situated side by side, one located on the lower level, and the other at the upper level.)

This ritual hall is solely for Fen'Harel ONLY. I don't know about you guys, but... to have your own ritual hall, inside the temple of a goddess, and visitors have to DO your ritual, before entering the heart of the temple... speaks volumes to me. Generally speaking, Fen'Harel is indeed an old friend of Mythal.

Not only that, when I was doing this ritual, personally, I can sense why it's The Dread Wolf's ritual. It is full of trickery, wit and cleverness. If you don't plan out your steps well, one wrong move, you have to start again. (you have to know which tile to stop so you could pull the lever dammit lol). I headcanon that Solas silently chuckled if we misstep the tiles of his ritual, that bastard.

You can also find the mosaic of Fen'Harel at the entrance of the ritual, looking over the ritual area (Well, Solas was in the team too so, May the Dread Wolf guide you? lmao).

So these are the thoughts I have after replaying this quest, and taking my time to observe every detail in the area. I find it rather weird, if we're in the Temple of MYTHAL, why's there other Evanuris statues in the area, followed by the complicated rituals?

Oh, I also found some cheese wheels hiding in the dark :

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #dai #dragon age meta #mythal #the dread wolf #my post #my dai replay #longgg post for longgg thoughts lol #idk you guys but i think the rituals meant something #they're not just there just for the sake entering the temple #mythal is the mother anyways #and boy mythal really loves solas

[myth-lord]

D&D Madness

My newest list of D&D monsters in my own worldbuilding project (for fun)

There are no more devils and yugoloths in my D&D realms, they are all demons/fiends now. 

Aarakocra - Kenku - Nagpa - Vrock (Corrupted Aarakocra) Abeil (Worker / Soldier / Queen) Aboleth - Chuul (Aboleth Creation) - Cloaker (Aboleth Creation) - Kuo-Toa (Skum) (Aboleth Creation) Ahuizotl Air Elemental - Breathdrinker - Invisible Stalker - Lightning Elemental - Ragewind - Tempest Almiraj ANEMONE - Giant Anemone ANGEL (Most have bizarre otherworldly real-forms, but can shapeshift into winged humanoid to hide it.) - Aasimar (Half-Angel) - Angel of Decay (Undead Angel) - Archon (Hound) - Cherub (Erote) - Deva (Guardian Angel) - Erinyes (Fallen Angel) - Justicator (Extreme Law Angel) - Lillend (Muse) - Planetar (Trumpet Archon) - Solar (Healing Angel) - Valkyrie (Battle Angel) ANIMATED OBJECT - Carrionette (Animated Puppet/Doll) - Helmed Horror (Animated Armor) - Rug of Smothering (Animated Carpet) - Scarecrow - Tome Guardian (Animated Book) - Xaver (Animated Weapon) Ankheg - Craud (Sea Ankheg) - Kruthik (Corrupted Abyssal Ankheg) ANT - Abyss Ant - Giant Ant APE - Barlgura - Dire Ape (King Kong Size) - Girallon Araton (Desert Sand Devil) Arrowhawk - Steelwing Assassin Bug (Like the real-world insect) Assassin Vine - Bloodsipper - Choke Creeper Astral Stalker Aurumvorax Axe Beak (Terror Bird) - Achaierai (Corrupted Abyssal Axe Beak)

Babau (Blood Demon) Baku Balor Basilisk - Behir (Dracolisk) - Frost Salamander (Frost Basilisk) - Id Fiend (Fear Basilisk / Gila Monster) BAT - Eyewing (Small) - Fire Bat - Mobat (Really Big) Bebilith - Retriever BEETLE - Agony Beetle - Bombardier Beetle - Fire Beetle - Hoard Scarab - Siege Beetle - Slicer Beetle (most aggressive) - Water Beetle (mixed with Giant Water Bug) BEHEMOTH (all unique really-big, really-powerful monsters) - Astral Dreadnought - Kraken - Tarrasque Beholder - Eye of the Deep (Aboleth Creation) - Gazer (Very small) - Gorbel (Primitive Beholder) - Nothic (Beholder Creation) - -- Shardsoul Slayer (Phthisic)(Greater Nothic) Belker Black Dragon - Shadow Dragon (Undead Black Dragon) Bladeling (Weapon animates automatically when Bladeling dies) Blink Dog - Cooshee (more nature abilities) - Moon Dog Blue Dragon (Storm Dragon) BOAR - Dire Boar - Fhorge (Corrupted Abyssal Boar) - Tusk Terror (Fey Boar) Bonesnapper (Intelligent smaller T.Rex) Boobrie (Giant Hesperornis) Brown Dragon (Wingless) Bulette Bullywug - Banderhobb (Aberration Bullywug) - Grung (Smaller than Bullywug, but much more powerful, poison) - Hezrou (Pod Demon) (Abyssal Corrupted Bullywug)

Carbuncle CARNIVOROUS PLANT - Giant Sundew - Greenvise - Mantrap Carrion Crawler - Gravecrawler (Undead Crawler) - Rot Grubs (The crawlers young) - Ulgurstasta (Very big intelligent Crawler) CAT - Elven Cat (Cat Sith) - Grimalkin (like the Matagot in Fantastic Beasts) - Luck Eater (Golden cat with golden gem in forehead like Pokemon Persian / Can hover in air like Cheshire Cat) CATTLE - Catoblepas - Gorgon - Rothe Cave Fisher - Avalancher Centaur - Armanite (Corrupted Abyssal Centaur) CENTIPEDE - Adaru (Abyssal Centipede) - Giant Centipede - Megapede - Remorhaz Chasme - Cifal (Can be created with one of the Chasme abilities) Chathrang Chimera (Different look) Choker - Skulk (Choker that can change color of skin, better assassin) Cockatrice - Pyrolisk (Touch burns, not gaze) Copper Dragon (keep behavior and gain behavior from Brass Dragons / neutral alignment) CRUSTACEAN - Giant Crab - Hammerclaw - Sea Hermit Crystal Dragon (There are good, neutral and evil variants)

DARK TREE - Hangman Tree - Orcwort - Quickwood Deadly Dancer Deepspawn Destrachan Dharculus Digester (Feeds on oozes) DINOSAUR - Ankylosaurus - -- Sauropelta (More aggressive variant) - Brontosaurus - -- Amargasaurus (Smaller but much more aggressive) - Compsognathus - Deinonychus - Dimetrodon - Elasmosaurus - -- Plesiosaurus (Smaller and more friendly) - Ichthyosaurus - -- Eurhinosaurus (Larger and more dangerous) - Mosasaurus - Pachycephalosaurus - -- Stygimoloch (Smaller but much more aggressive) - Pteranodon - -- Quetzalcoatlus - Stegosaurus - -- Kentrosaurus (Smaller and much more aggressive) - Tanystropheus (Bigger and much more aggressive than the real creature) - Therizinosaurus (new) - Triceratops - -- Styracosaurus (Smaller but much more aggressive) - Tyrannosaurus Rex Disenchanter (not a joke monster) Displacer Beast Domovoi (Good, Neutral and Evil variants) Doppelganger - Maurezhi (Abyssal, Corrupted Doppelganger) Dragon Eel (Dunkleosteus appearance) Dragon Turtle (There are also Swamp variants with Snapping Turtle features) DRAGONFLY - Giant Dragonfly DRAKE - Air Drake (Like the Pathfinder Mist Drake) - Ambush Drake - Earth Drake (Much like the Rock Reptile, but Chameleon) - Fire Drake (Much like the Zezir) - Rage Drake (Negative Energy Drake) - Ravid (Positive Energy Drake) - Water Drake (Looks like a Plesiosaurus a bit, but more magical) - Wyvern - -- Abyss Drake Drow - Aranea (Meet the new handmaidens of Lolth, which make much more sense to me.) - Drider (Drow who passed the test of Lolth) - Ettercap (Drow who failed the test of Lolth) Dryad - Hamadryad (Very powerful Dryad, controls entire forest) - Myconid (Fungus underground Dryad) - Splinterwaif (Corrupted undead Dryad) - Vine Horror (Swampy Evil Dryad) - Wood Woad (Male more violent and protective Dryad) Duergar - Automaton (Duergar who replaced most of their flesh with iron) - Derro (Duergar who became insane after being send to the Far Realm) - Nightshade (Insane Duergar who love poison, venom and plants, and use their own skin to grow plants) Dustdigger - Silt Horror (Bigger and thinner Dustdiggers) - Voracia (Very big abyssal Dustdiggers)

Earth Elemental - Galeb Duhr - -- Bowler (animated stones Galebs) - Mudman - Necromental - -- Tomb Mote (Smaller parts that fall off a Necromental animate into these) - Sandman (Sleep abilities) - Skriaxit (Living Sandstorm) - Zaratan Eblis EEL - Cave Moray - Giant Moray Eladrin - Ghaele (The leaders and most powerful of the Eladrin) - Wild Hunt ENERGON - Xag-Ya - Yeg-Yi Executioner’s Hood (Ooze)

Fachan Faerie Dragon Fihyr Filcher - Temporal Filcher Fire Elemental - Immolith (Hellish fire elemental) - Magma Brute (Magma Hurler) - -- Magmin (Magma Brutes throw magmins as ranged weapons) - Phoenix (Good, Evil and Neutral phoenix exist) Firefriend (While very friendly and curious, their abilities are very dangerous and destructive when around fire) Flumph Fomorian - Eldritch Giant (The beautiful non-cursed form of the Fomorian) - Plague Spewer (Undead Fomorian who went too far with magic to become beautiful again) - Protean (Fomorians who became even more powerful by accident, master shapeshifters) Foxwoman (Kitsune / More like a Foxwere than a Werefox) FROG - Blindheim (non-humanoid, underground bioluminescence frogs) - Froghemoth (mutant frog from far realm) - Giant Frog FUNGUS - Ascomoid - Basidirond - Gas Spore - Phycomid (Very dangerous abyssal fungus / Much like pathfinders Terotricus) - Violet Fungus

GAR - Giant Gar Gargoyle (Evil, Good and Neutral variants exist) - Kapoacinth - Margoyle (Demonic Spirits entered normal Gargoyles) Gelatinous Cube GENIE - Dao - Djinni - Efreeti - Jann (light-based good-natured Genies) - Khayal (shadow-based evil-natured Genies) - Marid - -- Qorrashi (Ice-based Marid) Ghost - Allip - Banshee - Caller in Darkness - Einherjar (Warrior spirits raised by Valkyries) - Poltergeist (the psychic remains of a psionic child) - Trap Haunt (Animates and possesses traps of all kinds) - Wraith (red spirit of vengeance, allip is black) Ghoul - Berbalang (can separate it’s body-parts like Manananggal.) - Devourer (Abyssal Demonic Ghoul) - Ghast (Tyrantfog) - Wendigo (Very powerful Ghouls that inflict hunger, famine and cannibalism) GIANT - Cloud Giant - -- Fog Giant (Banished primitive Cloud Giants) - Cyclops (4e version / replaces Stone and Hill giants as the Earth-based giant.) - Death Giant - Firbolg (Animal-plant based druid-giant) - Fire Giant - Frost Giant Giant Owl (neutral and non-intelligent now) - Noctral (This is the giant intelligent owl) Gibbering Mouther (Chaos Beast) - Argos (Bigger, better and more intelligent Mouthers) - Skybleeder (Abyssal, floating mouthers) Glabrezu Gloomwing (Attracted to doom, evil places and disasters) - Gloom Crawler (Tenebrous Worm / Less aggressive) Gnoll - Flind (demonic corrupted Gnolls) - Marrashi (demonic corrupted Marru) - Marru (Jackal-headed more civilized Gnolls) - Witherling (Deadborn Vulture ability, some Gnolls raise as undead instantly after dying.) Goblin - Barghest (Demonic Goblins) - Bugbear (Bagman abilities, D&D’s true bogeyman) - Nilbog (Not unique, but very rare) - Norker (Pech abilities) - Spriggan (Fey Goblins) GOLEM - Clay Golem - -- Alchemical Golem - Flesh Golem - -- Drolem (Dragonflesh Golem) - -- Rotripper (A monstrous Flesh Golem that rips off flesh and adds it to itself) - Iron Golem - -- Adamantine Golem - -- Clockwork Horror (Clockroach) - -- Iron Cobra - -- Shield Guardian - -- Silver Golem (Anti-Evil golem, slayer of evil) - -- Steel Predator - Stone Golem - -- Coral Golem - -- Diamond Golem (Aura grants defense to allies) - -- Dwarf Ancestor (Every dwarf/duergar’s soul will go into this statue, turning this statue more powerful with every death, protectors of dwarven cities, one in each city) - -- Eidolon (stone golem with part of a soul of a god inside it, thinks it is a god itself) - -- Emerald Golem (Controls teleports around it) - -- Hellfire Engine (Juggernaut made from abyssal obsidian and fire) - -- Ruby Golem (Aura grants attack-power to allies) Gravorg Gray Dragon Gray Render - Braxat (Desert Renders) - Cadaver Collector (Renders that choose a necromancer/lich as their favorite become their slaves and collect undead for them) Green Dragon Green Slime - Arcane Ooze - Corrupture (very powerful and ancient Green Slimes, much bigger as they didn’t split like most Green Slimes do) Grimlock - Geonid (Grimlocks that use stones/rocks as cover) Gold Dragon (not all Gold Dragons are good, some are very greedy treasure hoarders that can animate the treasures they collected into golem like constructs) Gremlin - Quarrak (twin demonic Gremlins) Griffon (sorry no Hippogriff, I really dislike them)

Hadozee HAG - Annis Hag - Bheur Hag (Frostwind Virago) - Green Hag (Turns victims into frogs or insects) - Night Hag - Sea Hag (More powerful) Hamatula (Jovoc Aura / Demons of Pain) Harpy - Siren Hatori (Sand-Swimming Mosasaurus/Crocodile) Hell Hound - Canoloth - Death Dog - Howler - Yeth Hound (Always borns as triplets, if one dies the others become more powerful and bigger as they absorb their died kin.) Hippocampus Hook Horror Hydra

Imp - Gadacro (Sight and eye-obsessed Imps) - Mephit (Bigger imps that can absorb elements into their skin, and turn into the element they desire.) - Quasit (More powerful wingless Imps)

JELLYFISH - Belabra (Floater / Land based floating jellyfish) - Dybbuk (Demonic corpse-controlling jellyfish) - Giant Jellyfish

Kalothagh (Giant intelligent pufferfish) Kelpie (Still a seaweed plant creature) Kirin (Not a horse, more like a Celestial Stag) Kirre Korred Krenshar - Carcass Eater (Undead Krenshar) Kyton - Gorechain (Large giant using chains, much like Jack-in-Irons)

Larva - Lemure - Rutterkin Lava Ooze LEECH - Giant Leech - Puppeteer Leprechaun (Neutral, Good and Evil variants, Evil Leprechauns wear red and call themselves Clurichaun, but still same creature) Leucrotta Lich - Death Knight (Just a physical damage lich) - Demilich (Weaker Lich, could not fully reanimate) - Dracolich - Skull Lord (More powerful lich that killed other liches and added their skulls to its form) LIZARD - Muckdweller - Shocker Lizard Lizardfolk - Draconian - Drakkoth - Kobold - -- Urd - Salamander (Fiendish, Demonic Lizardmen) - Troglodyte (Much bigger prehistoric underground lizardmen) LYCANTHROPE - Werebear - -- Urskan (More feral Polar-Werebear) - Wereboar - Wererat - -- Uridezu (Corrupted demonic Wererat who hates beauty) - Wereshark - Werewolf

Mandragora Manticore - Jarilith (Fiendish, wingless Manticore) MANTIS - Ethereal Slayer (Fey Mantis with anti-teleport abilities) - Giant Mantis Marilith - Spell Weaver (Marilith who use spells and magic instead of physical attacks and weapons.) Masher (Much like a giant version of the Bobbit Worm) MEGAFAUNA - Glyptodon - Mammoth - Megaloceros - Megalodon - Megatherium - Smilodon Merfolk - Merrow - Triton - Wastrilith (Corrupted, Demonic Merfolk) Merregon - Arrow Demon (Other name needed) - Barbazu (More rare and more powerful Merregons) Merrenoloth Mimic - Trapper (Bigger Mimics can transform into bigger objects, entire floors or ceilings or even into huts and houses.) Mind Flayer - Brain Collector - Cerebrilith (Demonic brain-things created by Mind Flayers) - Elder Brain - Githyanki - Grell (Creations of the Mind Flayers) - Intellect Devourer - Ulitharid Minotaur - Goristro (Demonic, Corrupted Minotaurs) Mohrg (Actually the real creature is the pink-organs, which is a Aberration who feeds on murder, not an undead.) Mummy - Crawling Apocalypse - Grisgol (Magical Mummy, instead of bandage used with normal mummies, they used scrolls and magical incantations. - Skirr (Very ancient and powerful Mummy-Dragons.)

NAGA - Guardian Naga (Good) - Spirit Naga (Dark Naga) (Evil) - Water Naga (Neutral) Nerra - Fetch (Corrupted and demonic Nerra) Nightmare - Cauchemar (Nightmare Beast abilities, it’s huge aura causes nightmares in sleeping creatures. Purple flames instead of normal fire.) Nightwalker - Bodak (Created from the victims of Nightwalkers, behave and move like the Grudge) Nuckelavee (Like the Pathfinder version, not the D&D old version.) Nymph - Lampad (Shadow Nymphs of the Underdark) - Nereid (Water Nymph) - Oread (Earth Nymph) - Sylph (Air Nymphs)

Obliviax OCTOPUS - Darktentacles (Watcher in the Water) - Decapus (Tree Octopus) - Giant Octopus Ogre - Ettin - Oni (Demonic, magical Ogre) Oliphant (Much like the Oliphaunts from LOTR) Orc - Orog (Replaced the Hobgoblins / Smart war-veterans) - Tanarukk (Demonic Orcs) - Tulgar (Very powerful spiritual shaman-like antlered Orcs who got a demon-lords favor) Osyluth (Uses its own bones in battle. / Bones grow back instantly) OTTER - Giant Otter (Dobhar-Chu, playful but in a bad way) Otyugh - Abyssal Maw (Corrupted and demonical Otyugh) Owlbear - Winterclaw (Snow Owl + Polar Bear / Winged)

Paeliryon (The smell, perfume demon, sucks in air and turns it corruptive, corrupts air around it.) Pegasus Peryton Phane PUDDING - Black Pudding (Negative energy, underground Pudding, bones animate as Skeletons.) - Gray Pudding (Looks like rocks and stone until it is too late.) - White Pudding (Absorbs heat, not flesh) Purple Dragon - Brainstealer Dragon (Creation of the Mind Flayers) Purple Worm - Ashworm (Younger Purple Worms who gather in Deserts until they mature) - Fiendwurm (Demonic, corrupted Purple Worms) - Neothelid (Creation of the Mind Flayers)

Quickling Quipper (Bigger, more dangerous, more aggressive magical Piranha fish.)

Rakshasa - Akchazar (White, more powerful and magical Rakshasa.) - Naztharune (Black, less powerful and less magical assassin Rakshasa.) RAT - Cranium Rats - Giant Rat - Moonrat - Osquip (Can eat its way through any material spare for Adamantine.) - Rylkar (Intelligent and dangerous Rat creatures.) Red Dragon - Hellfire Wyrm (Corrupted and Fiendish Red Dragons.) Redcap Roc Roper - Piercer (Young of the Ropers) ROSE - Firethorn (Feed on the ashes of their victims.) - Vampire Rose (Bloodthorn) Rust Monster - Annihilator (One of the most dangerous monsters around, turns everything it touches into black dust.)

Sahuagin - Morkoth (Sahuagin that entered the Far Realm) - Skulvyn (Demonic corrupted Sahuagin.) Satyr - Bulezau (Oinoloth) (Pestilence demons, corrupted Satyrs.) SCORPION - Giant Scorpion - Hellstinger Sea Cat (Mishibizhiw / Very different than the normal Sea Lion) Shadow (Can animate corpses) - Darkweaver (Shadow Spider) - Shadow Demon (Undead demons that can possess anything weaker than itself) - Shadow Mastiff (Bad luck shadow dogs) Shambling Mound - Tendriculos (Bigger Shambing Mounds mostly found in the Abyss) Shardmind - Chaos Shard (Creations of the Shardmind, magical weapons of the Shardmind) - Crysmal (Creations of the Shardmind, pets of the Shardmind) - Crystal Ooze (Creations of the Shardmind, Failed experiment) - Gulgar (Creations of the Shardmind, look more like half-diamond Rhinoceros now, not like humanoids. Used as siege weapons and mounts by the Shardmind.) SHELLFISH - Giant Clam Sibriex Silver Dragon (Only dragon that is always gentle and good) - Mercury Dragon (Corrupted/tortured/captured Silver Dragons turn into vile slithering and liquid horrors of their former selves.) Simpathetic (Half parrot and half crow, very annoying) Skeleton - Bone Golem (Not a Golem at all, a bigger Skeleton with more bizarre form, still undead not a construct.) - Boneyard (Collection of all types of bones, absorbs more bones to become even bigger.) - Flameskull (The skull of a giant to make it different from Demilich) - Giant Skeleton (Gashadokuro) - Huecuva (Skeletons who heal other undead.) - Reaper (Like the Grim Reaper it hunts for dying creatures.) SKUNK - Giant Skunk - Witherstench (Magical fiendish Skunks with powers over stench.) SLUG - Balhannoth (Slugs from the Far Realm.) - Flail Snail - Giant Slug - Metalmaster - Sea Snail (Extremely poisonous and beautiful) SNAKE - Amphisbaena - Boalisk (It’s gaze causes victims to become breathless and see snakes everywhere, these are illusions though.) - Couatl (There are neutral, good and evil narcissistic Couatl) - Jaculi (They use their sharp head as a spear-like weapon) - Sea Serpent (Extremely long.) Solamith SOLIFUGID - Giant Solifugid Sphinx (Sphinxes can be Neutral or Evil.) - Lamia (Fiendish and corrupted Sphinxes) - Lammasu (Friendly, good and Celestial Sphinxes.) SPIDER - Bristle Spider (Very large plant-like spider.) - Dreamweaver Spider (Spider feeds on dreams and souls and weaves these dreams/souls into strange temporary monster minions.) - Giant Spider - Phase Spider (White and Blue colors, doesn’t have human face.) - Snow Spider (Much like a tarantula with the fur of a polar bear.) - Tomb Spider - -- Web Golem (Also known as Adherer / Not a real golem, more of a created minion from the Tomb Spider, who uses a corpse and magical webs to create these.) Sprite - Nixie - Pixie SQUID - Giant Squid SQUIRREL - Kercpa (Behave much like Robin Hood, steal from the wealthy.) - Skiurid (Very evil Squirrels which attack in large groups.) Stirge Su-Monster - Julajimus (Giant fey variants of the Su-Monster.) Succubus - Cambion (Tiefling) - Incubus Swordwing (Collectors of stuff and skulls)

Tabaxi Thri-Kreen - Gelugon (Corrupted and demonic Thri-Kreen) TICK - Bloodsilk Spider (Not actually a spider, but a tick that uses webs as a spider, the webs drain blood.) - Giant Tick - Soul Tick (Giant tick who sucks out the soul of a victim instead of blood, when the soul is absorbed entirely, the Tick will slowly turn into a copy of the dead victim.) Titan - Hundred-Handed One Tlincalli Treant - Saguaro Sentinel (Desert treants shaped like huge cacti) Tri-Flower Frond (All types of colors exist) Troll - Rot Troll (Undead Trolls, which is a very hard thing to create, their regeneration-abilities can’t handle the undead-status and they spread this rotting curse with their aura.)

Umber Hulk Unicorn - Dusk Unicorn (Ecalypse / Shadow Unicorn) URCHIN - Land Urchin - Silver Urchin (Large coastal Urchins which shoot their beautiful quills to their victims.)

Vampire - Blood Spawn (Vampire Spawns) - Lhiannan Shee (Female Vampires who are very beautiful and which feed on Charisma, ideas and creativity.) - Nosferatu (Ancient vampire lords, born undead.) - Varrangoin (Vampires who went to long without blood can turn into these bat-like humanoids, very bestial vampires.) Vampiric Mist - Blood Amniote (These blood-ooze creatures are created by vampiric mists who drip too much blood on unholy ground. They can animate corpses by replacing the blood.) - Crimson Death (Very large mist monsters.) - Mihstu (These mist monsters can harden the blood they absorbed into spiky spear and sword-like weapons.) Vargouille

WASP - Advespa (Fiendish and corrupted Giant Wasps) - Giant Wasp - Hellwasp Swarm (The swarm has a hive-mind and can create humanoid or monstrous forms by working together.) - Quanlos (Mind-controlling poison wasps, much like giant magical Emerald Wasps.) - Spider Eater Water Elemental - Caller from the Deeps (Undead Water Elementals) - Ice Elemental - -- Chraal (Evil intelligent Ice Elementals.) - Leviathan (Some have the size of an entire animated lake.) - Water Weird (More intelligent and vile than normal Water Elementals who are non-intelligent and neutral.) White Dragon Will o Wisp - Nyth (Magic-draining Will o Wisps.) - Trilloch (Undead Will o Wisps, absorb happiness and turn their victims into negative evil shadows of their former selves.) - Visilight (Vain will o wisps who steal the beauty of their victims, turning their victims ugly.) WOLF - Winter Wolf (Very big, Amarok sized and behavior.) - Worg Wolf-in-Sheeps-Clothing WOLVERINE - Dire Wolverine (Gulon)

Yellow Dragon - Sunwyrm Yellow Musk Creeper - Corpse Flower - Twilight Bloom Yeti Yochlol (Not a handmaiden for Lolth anymore as those are Aranea now, these are handmaidens for Juiblex) Yrthak (Sound Dragons) Yuan-Ti (Look very human-like but snake-like eyes, some scales and a tongue, love poison and venom of all types.) - Abomination (More powerful leaders of the Yuan-Ti.) - Medusa (Female variants of Yuan-Ti, but were once vain humans, who got cursed into becoming a type of Yuan-Ti.)

Zombie - Atropal - Crawling Claw (There are also bigger variants of course.) - Drowned (Weaker drowned zombies, non intelligent.) - -- Skuz (Much more powerful drowned zombies, intelligent.) - Dustblight (Zombie who died in desert by drought and uses drought as a weapon.) - Entombed (Zombie died by cold who controls ice and uses it as an armor.) - Hullathoin (Zombie Dragon/Drake that controls and creates other undead.) - Revenant (More powerful zombies, reanimate from any form of damage, until they got their revenge.) - Wight (More intelligent insane zombies, died while insane.) Zorbo

Others I really like but I don’t know what to do with them.

Meenlock / Slithering Tracker / Boneclaw / Alkilith / Narzugon / Meazel / Phoelarch / Famine Spirit / Skin Kite / Formian / Thoqqua / Vaporighu / Ragewalker / Skindancer / Evistro / Draudnu / Ethereal Defiler / Ghaunadan / Sand Hunter / Ant Lion / Kamadan / Caligrosto / Gray Jester

[virlath]

Hidden Trespasser mosaics

So I was researching some lore for a theory surrounding the environmental artwork in DAI, and happened to stumble upon this twitter post regarding unused mosaics for Trespasser. 

Coincidentally, I’ve been so deep in statues and elven god symbolism the past few days that I thought I’d chime in with some of my own thoughts.

From left to right in these artworks, I think we’re looking at four different gods involved in Solas’ slave rebellion.

Fen’Harel, Dirthamen/Falon’Din, Andruil, Mythal

===

If this hidden game file is anything to go by, it seems to confirm one theory I’ve had for a while- that Solas had help from some of the evanuris with his slave rebellion.

Because when you think about it, it’s kinda hard to believe he could have started a slave rebellion at all with his high profile and attachment to Mythal, especially when slaves seems to have been a big economy in ancient Elvhenan.

===

The gods in these mosaics

From left to right in the image

(Note: I actually posted some hi-res shots of the masks from DAO yesterday if you’re interested in seeing unedited screenshots, but I’ll break down my guesses here anyway.)  

1. Fen’Harel is obviously the wolf.

2. Dirthamen’s mask is easiest to spot because it matches the shape of his statues in DAO. Note that Dirthamen and Falon’Din have very similar statues and masks.

Falon’Din is the statue with the spear (recognised by Tamlen as “friend of the dead”) while I believe Dirthamen is the statue with four arms (this also strongly implies the envy demon in DAI is his corrupted raven, Deceit)

I believe Falon’Din and Dirthamen are two aspects of the same being, but how that actually works remains to be seen. Some people have suggested Falon’Din walks the fade while Dirthamen walks the physical realm and perhaps that explains their togetherness and separateness. 

Regardless, it does seem like both Falon’Din and Dirthamen were involved in Solas’ uprising due to the fact that both their mosaics are found inside the elven sanctuary before we see Solas’ mural removing vallaslin.

3. Andruil’s mask seems to fit most similarly to the third mosaic.

The overall curved shape mirrors Andruil’s bow in her mosaic, and the dotted indentation at the top totally looks like an arrow shaft. The eye placement in both the mosaic and the mask hints to me that this is very likely Andruil.

The big question- why would Andruil be helping Solas?

Perhaps because Mythal turned her to their side after she “sapped Andruil's strength, and stole her knowledge of how to find the Void.”

Or, perhaps Andruil isn’t as “evil” as people think she is.

Sure, she may have brought on the blight (although even this is conjecture, personally I feel like this could very well could be misdirection) and may have hunted “mortal men and beasts”, but who’s to say these beasts and men didn’t deserve what they got? Who’s to say she wasn’t corrupted by the void before she became the “goddess of sacrifice”?

One day Andruil grew tired of hunting mortal men and beasts. She began stalking The Forgotten Ones, wicked things that thrive in the abyss.

This implies to me she could have simply been hunting beings that had given her cause to hunt them. Remember, she was the only god that responded to Ghilan’nain’s cries for help, and at this time Ghilan’nain was one of the People, implying she wasn’t totally evil.

Andruil also has strong links to Falon’Din, because she and Falon’Din share the same symbol of the owl. What if Mythal meted out judgement, Falon’Din brought her judgement to them in the form of the owl (thus fulfilling the role of Andruil’s messenger as well as “friend of the dead”), and Andruil hunted them in turn to render Mythal’s judgement?

“Always keep an eye out for the noble owl. You never know: Andruil might have a message for you.”

It is interesting to see that the owl statue is always carrying what looks like a mirror or even dimension to another world (another prison perhaps?), possibly intended as a way to reflect the viewer’s own self and actions back on to them. 

Anyway, to me there are a number of possibilities why Andruil would work with Solas and co. Perhaps she wasn’t as corrupted as they thought. Perhaps Mythal made her forget so much so she agreed to help them. Or perhaps Andruil was the mole in the rebellion - the person who began the events that led to Mythal’s death.

4. I think the last god represents Mythal, due to the fact the shape is similar to the bronze statues found in the crossroads and deep roads.

There are in fact two versions of this statue - the sun, in the crossroads, and the moon in the deep roads. (brightened and contrast boosted for clarity)

The moon statue is strongly implied to represent Mythal, because a note is found near this statue:

These statues are old. Better shape than anything I've seen on the surface. Many of them are for Mythal, though. And Fen'Harel. Not in a spot of honor, but guarding, attending.

Question is, why would the sun also represent Mythal when Elgar’nan is known as the Eldest of the sun? 

Well, not only does the sun statue look very much the yin to the yang of the moon statue in the deep roads, the sun could refer to Mythal being both the sun and moon to the dwarves. 

These statues are notably different to other elven statues we’ve seen- notable for the fact they have a large base of rock, and they are carved in smooth bronze.  As these bronze statues are only found in this particular section of the deep roads where she controlled a lyrium wellspring, perhaps the dwarves carved these as a representation of her.

In the third note you find in the deep roads, a poem reads:

I am empty, filled with nothing(?), Mythal gives you dreams. It fills you, within you(?), Making our leaders proud. My little stones, Never yours the sun. Forever, forever.

It sure seems to me like Mythal was protecting these dwarves from something. Either that, or she was using these dwarves as slaves or minions in her operation and for some reason, they revered her enough to carve their own representations of her.

Morrigan says this of Mythal at the Temple of Mythal:

Let fly your voice to Mythal, deliverer of justice, protector of sun and earth alike.’

Similarly, Solas further says:

She was the mother,  protective and fierce. 

Regardless, I think there’s more evidence indicating Mythal was working with Solas over Elgar’nan. You do need Mythal’s passphrase after all to enter the elven sanctuary safely.

And if you want to take this one step further, check out the crown “Andraste” is wearing in DAO. Look familiar??? Maybe reminscent of the moon statue we see in the deep roads?

I don’t want to say Mythal was Andraste but...there are many signs that are hard to ignore.

===

More theory drabble

I realise a lot of the gods’ motives I’ve come up with above are based on conjecture and tbh, the writing for DA4 could go so many ways simply because of the fact that there are so many wide open threads that could be expanded upon.

These unused mosaics does indicate to me at least that the writers have a plan for how Solas’ rebellion actually functioned however, and that to me is exciting in itself.

One thing we can assume with high certainty is that Solas started the slave rebellion before Mythal’s death, because you need her passphrase to enter his sanctuary. Furthermore, even without these unused mosaics there are in-game mosaics of Dirthamen and Falon’Din in the sanctuary before we see the vallaslin mural.

This strongly implies to me that at the very least, even without this hidden game file, that Dirthamen, Falon’Din and Mythal aided and abetted Solas’ slave rebellion.

Further adding to this theory are the the rather compelling links to Dirthamen throughout DAI. For example, the gilded Fen’Harel statues in Dirthamen’s temple’s inner sanctum, Dirthamen’s bleeding statue in the Fade, Dirthamen, Falon’Din, Mythal and Fen’Harel imagery in the Knight’s Tomb, as well as Dirthamen’s statue at Calenhad’s foothold (where it’s implied he had a thing with Ghilan’nain). Not to mention- dual raven standards found underneath Fen’Harel’s sanctuary, as well as archer statues next to the eluvian as you exit (who I believe represent Dirthamen & Falon’Din).

Something clearly happened that led to Mythal’s death, and I’m leaning towards the fact that there was a leak somewhere within Solas’ trusted circle. Dirthamen seems to have been betrayed by someone close to him before the veil was created, because his statue in the fade is stabbed in the back and his eyes are weeping waterfalls of blood. 

As Solas says “...an enemy can attack, but only an ally can betray you. Betrayal is always worse.” 

And, when you tell him you trust your friends? He responds “I know that mistake well enough to carve the angles of her face from memory” 

It is assumed he is talking about Mythal’s own betrayal when he says this, but he could also be referring to the person/people who betrayed him and his trust. Personally, I think Falon’Din and Ghilan’nain could be key players in Mythal’s death at this point. We don’t know enough about the other gods to also make assumptions on their motives unfortunately. 

All in all, it seems to me like every one of the false gods were out to get one another, and Solas never even saw Mythal’s death coming because he was too arrogant/preoccupied with his rebellion.

If Solas really was Mythal’s oldest friend and guardian, his pride would have been absolutely crushed when she was betrayed and killed. The veil was likely a knee-jerk reaction due to his pride and “hot-headedness” more than anything- if he could be outplayed and have his own power and role as “guardian” outright questioned, then of course he would retaliate and raise the stakes even higher. It’s his MO- he has a means to an ends “you didn’t invent war” mentality, disregarding the collateral damage as long as he comes out on top.

This does make me wonder what intentions he has for the false gods once they’re freed though. Obviously Mythal wants her vengeance. But what of Solas? These false gods were his kin after all and the only ones who can truly relate to him on a level no mortal can understand. After all these years of stewing and realising his knee-jerk reaction cost him the entire elven empire, it makes sense he would want to restore what he effectively destroyed when his pride was hurt. 

To me it does seem like he truly hates the evanuris...but could he still be in leagues with some of them? Something I may not put past him, considering I don’t think he worked alone during his rebellion. 

#dragon age #dragon age theories #da4 #trespasser #solas #mythal #dirthamen #falon'din #andruil #environmental storytelling #theory crafting #da theories #drabble

[lairofdragonagelore]

Exalted Plains

The Exalted Plains, also known as Dirthavaren ("the promise") in elvish, is a grassland region of the Dales in Orlais. Centuries ago, the Dalish kingdom met its end here, the holdouts of the elven army making their last stand, refusing to surrender against the champions of Andraste: the templar, the sister, and the nobleman patron. The champions' cause was just, and their faith led them to victory. The plains were henceforth called "Exalted". After the elves' defeat and the dissolution of their kingdom, Ville Montevelan became the first human settlement in the Dales, presided over by Revered Mother Amity, Champion of the Exalted March.

Currently, the region is a contested battlefield during the War of the Lions until Empress Empress Celene and Gaspard de Chalons's armies agreed to cease hostilities.

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

When entering this zone, Solas explains that this place has a thin Veil product of the battles that happened long time ago: the Exalted March of Dales. So we know we are going to see a mixture of elven ruins and human settlements. 

Scout Harding will inform us that in the area there is a group of rebels who are tired of the War of the Lions, and wants the Dales for themselves.

The first thing we see when we enter this zone are these statues that, design-wise, they are very, very close to the Humanoid Dirthamen/Falon'Din. Humanoid Dirthamen/Falon'Din is a squatted hooded figure, who doesn’t have any object in his hand. This one holds a plate which works as a brazier. In fact, the elven statues are placed in this entrance, but on the Emerald Graves side:

They are called Guardians of the Path, and by the note they trigger, they are Andrastian. Still the striking similarity between these statues and the one we associate with Dirthamen makes me suspect that, once conquered, the Orlesians repurposed the native statues.

The first ruin we find, which surrounds the camp, is an elven one, with a dragon painting on one of its columns.

Besides the path there is a rectangle statue which on its top has a star-shaped fountain with a dove. On a side there is a reused elven/dwarven relic tablet that will trigger the codex Memorials of the Second Exalted March which will be updated as we read all these stones spread in the region. They explain how the “battle” against the elves was happening, mixing Andrastre’s tale with probably bits of History.  It’s very curious how this piece of information depicts the elves as proud and murderous, far away from the Maker and Andraste, which is clearly a lie when we analyse Di’nan Hanin; these Dalish, unlike modern Dalish, had fused Andraste cult into their elven pantheon, not without reason: It had been some decades since they had recovered these lands thanks to Andraste’s promise.

The zone has several ramparts where the imperial army [either side] is trying to retake control from the undead and the demons. Recovering each of these is quite a repetitive task all over the place.

The only important comment about these ramparts is that they give us some idea to understand the function of these Strange Skull-Dragon totem : They seem to hold barriers around pits that allow the dead to rise, and also as columns surrounding zones with many undead or demons. They seem to be related to summoning rituals.

Along the region we find several Andrastian statues and the typical orlesian style in the remnants of the houses that still stand.

Fort Revasan shows the standard elven patterns of any elven ruin. The Orlesian occupation built extra, less durable additions with chess-like floors and decorated wooden elements.

Close to Fort Revasan there is a sealed entrance that requires a war table operation to be solved in order to open. It shows a Fen’Harel statue, guarding the entrance.  It’s a nice detail to see that the base of his statue shows an eluvian-like pattern worth to keep present.

Very far away in the North, over the mountains that surround this region, we see a big Fen’Harel statue observing the Exalted Plains. It’s hard to guess what this zone represented in the time of the Elvhenan [not the Dalish kingdom]. This place has 3 main elvhen ruins: the one in the North Rampart, the Ghilan’nair’s grove, and the Graveyard Var Bellanaris. There are more than these, but they are too destroyed or small. It’s hard to ponder if all of them date of the same time.

At some kilometres of distance from the Fen’Harel’s statue, we see a tower of radical different style. At a single glance, we can see it’s Tevinter. More details of this in the Post about Exalted Plains: Citadelle du Corbeau.

Riverside Garrison is another elven ruin which patterns make it look like Elvhen: flower pattern, square pattern and swirl pattern.

Inside, we find more elements that allows us to suspect this is Elvehan from the time when the Veil did not exist. There is an elaborated tile that we will see in puzzles in the Temple of Mythal, and one of those rounded trees, growing out of it.

With the exception of the rounded tree, the decoration looks like an elvehnan crypt; its style is the same one we found in the crypts of the Temple of Mythal. There are bodies, skeletons and urns everywhere. Of course, DAI has several bodies and skeletons that they use for everything dead, so I won’t focus on the armour or the details of these objects. They are always the same no matter what kind of dead you are looking at: an avvar body, an elven body or a dwarven body.

Close to Revasan Fort, there is a collapsed bridge decorated with a statue of Andraste and a landmark called Pont Agur. It explains with dubious accuracy that after the Exalted March of the Dales some villagers drown trying to cross the river, so the mayor built this bridge and dedicated it to humans and elves too. This started a rumour about the mayor having elven blood, and had to step down. I think this shows how complex was this land after the March; these things [elves and humans in relationships] have been happening since long time ago, as the Tomb of Elandrin shows us with the incident of Red Crossing. For more details read Emerald Graves: Din’an Hanin, Tomb of Elandrin.

Beside Port Agur we find villa Montevelan, where this story of the mayor happened. This was the first human settlement after the Exalted March of the Dales. It’s all destroyed now.

Inside some ramparts we can see big trees that got my attention: I don’t know if they can be considered the original vhenadahl, the trees that the city elves try to grow as a memory of their Dalish roots. These trees can be found in ramparts as well as in the Citadelle du Corbeau. In many times, they show bodies hanging from its branches, so they inspire some murderous sentiment to such an elven symbol [if these tree are supposed to be vhenadahl, I’m just guessing since these can’t be found in other elven ruins, so they seem to be more Dalish than Elvish to me.]

In this rampart in particular, we find a difference in comparison with the rest of the ramparts in the area: there is a small tower which construction date is hard to guess. It could have been built during the Exalted March or a bit earlier.  The entrance is decorated with these enigmatic tablets, depicting the Razikale Ceremony and the Horned warrior holding a sword. We have established they were Tevinter due to their presence in Coracavus and The Still Ruins. Inside the tower we find a Tevinter inspector, Tevinter containers, and minor, decorative Tevinter elements. Inside this tower there is a codex about Legend of the Three Sisters: Book 3, which makes the player aware of how stories change depending on factors such as historical-political situation, countries or censorship. This is yet another call out that the game does to us, players, to not take every single story we read as 100% true. 

It seems that Tevinter mages were present in the Exalted Plains at some point in History and performed some magic or experiments. Considering the Strange Skull-Dragon totem and the undead all over the place, I would be inclined to think that some faction during the Exalted March invited Tevinter mages to provide efforts in the battle. Which is a very odd concept if we remember that it was a war between Elves [many of them coming from families who had fought Tevinter by Andraste’s side to recover their freedom] and the Chantry of that time [which always had some frictions with Tevinter].

I thought in a possibility to explain this Tevinter presence: since many of the elves that fought in the Exalted March belonged to families that had been former slaves of Tevinter mages, some of them could have developed a vast knowledge of Tevinter arcane magic. I have the impression this is more or less proven in the Citadelle du Corbeau, where elves may have installed a Tevinter defence system in an elven ruin. Because of this last fact, I’m a bit inclined to think this is the reason why we find Tevinter elements in this region. However, that doesn’t add up that we find these tablets, which are more related to Tevinter gods and ceremonies than Elven ones. I can imagine elves resorting to Tevinter devices against the Chantry, but hardly performing rituals to Tevinter gods. 

As a conclusion I don’t think we can make a decent explanation of why we find so many Tevinter objects in the ramparts and elven ruin when there is no Tevinter building in the whole region.

We see this rock with an eye in many places of Exalted Plains, usually, but not exclusively, representing the attack of Orlesians [at least in the context of Exalted Plains and Emerald green]. During the main quest, in the attack to Adamant Fortress, it was the Inquisition who used these stones. Clearly a reused asset with little meaning, so I will skip it.

In Victory Rise we find more Elven ruins: we can see the elven patterns of swirls and flowers around this door.  In this place we find the codex of  Legend of the Three Sisters: Book 1. 

In Enavuris [such a name to confuse it so easily with Evanuris] we find a ruin that, after inspection, allows you to follow a quest to look for ancient elven glyphs. The power that the note  The Elven Glyphs talks about ends up being the “Dirthamen’s wisdom”, a strange shield that can be found at the end of the exploration of the Lost Temple of Dirthamen which has an oddly Tevinter look. [See the post related to the Lost Temple of Dirthamen]. It’s hard to understand what each of these symbols that appear in the glyphs mean. Clearly, all of them are secrets, such it is the nature of Dirthamen.  A brief, potential analysis can be found in the post of the Lost Temple of Dirthamen.

In Halin’sulahn we find a very small Dalish clan. They are placed close to a rock which shows the usual painting of a yellow halla, and the one that looks like a battle with many elves on hallas. There is also a statue of a hart. After talking with the Keeper of this clan we are informed about several elven-issues that the War of the Lions has caused.

The encampment shows the typical Dalish symbols: these fences with ragged hides and tree branches paint in red or green on them.

I always like to highlight that the Aravels keep these undulating lines that make me remember the undulating patterns in many, if not all, murals found in DAI. It is also worth remembering that the aravels were prison-ships filled with slaves that sent elves to dwarven cities [check The Horror of Hormak].

In search for those ancient elven glyphs, we explore a zone called Ancient Baths. By its name it seems to be an elven building which allowed baths in the river. Its entrance is decorated with two archer statues, and two wall paintings: the yellow halla, and the black twisted halla with white elves wearing vallaslin [the Dalish “remember” that golden hallas guided The people to places where they needed to be, specially in desperate times. The truth behind that probable is more twisted]. Every time I see these paintings I suspect that this building was meant to be used by slaves.

As we proceed, we find a point where we need to jump off. This chamber, in its configuration [not grandeur], looks like the Temple of Mythal's main chamber where the priest stays in a high place, inaccessible to reach [no stairs in this chamber], looking from above down to the petitioner. 

This section has ancient elven decorative elements: two inuksuit decorated with red swirls and a central squared stone, both elements used for the elven dead. More than half of the ruin has fallen apart but it seems to give an idea that this building was meant to be used to see baths in the river.

As it can be seen, the decoration is ancient elvhen.

As we explore the map, we find this statue which triggers Andruil's Messenger, a codex that produces more confusion than understanding of who is the god behind the owl symbol. There is a painting of a yellow halla beside the statue. Since it is an information given by Gisharel, it may be extremely wrong. The tale almost hides a command: the people, aka the slaved elves, will follow Andruil, she will tell them when to hunt, when to raise hallas, and when to settle down. And for that, she will use an owl. Since we do not truly have better sources confirming that the owl, crow, or raven are Dirthamen’s sacred animal, it’s hard to suspect how much of this tale has been twisted along the Dalish history.

In the open we see more of these four painting together: The row of slaved elves, The Armoured Figure,  The Vallaslin shifting halla, and the black halla with elves wearing vallaslin. All these paintings together seem to speak about elves being capture, alienated [ they have no face nor heart] under the control of a symbol we have seen a lot: the golden ring, and these slaves are related to vallaslin and deformed hallas that shift. For more detail, see the post Nation Art: Elvhen.

Several times in the open we can find these owl statues or the archers. Sometimes even marking a path, as if they were guiding us to some places. Sometimes they are accompanied with the paintings.

The Path of flame, a name designated by the Chantry to this part, looks like the entrance of a bigger elven ruin, which is protected by two big Fen’Harel statues. The landmark we trigger around this area, extremely unreliable, suggests that this place was an elven arena. I hardly believe it, but certainly there is something about gathering many elves and forcing them to walk certain paths [aka, a path to mark slaves? considering the paintings]. The truth is, that the game has showed us two elvhen arenas already: In Emprise du Lion, called currently by orlesians names since the original ones were lost to the ages: Etienne’s Ring and Leontine’s Ring, which are now used by dragons. So, I have to say that despite not trusting this source in the slightest, the Ruined Arches of Exalted Plains have a similar look to those we see in Emprise du Lion. So maybe elves had rings after all but the purpose of them is completely unknown. 

In this zone, we find a solitary statue of Fen’Harel on the waterfall.

Some meters away from it, there is a Shrine to Sylaise, which entrance is decorated in the same fashion than the Ancient Baths: two archers indicating the entrance, and two paintings depicting a yellow halla and a black halla wtih elves wearing vallaslin.

When we enter the temple, we only find crypt-related elements: inuksuit and urns, and a codex of Sylaise is triggered: Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper, which is the usual one we find in DAO, and extremely unreliable.

Inside the temple there is a small corner covered with a barrier, where a body can be found. This body has a valuable historical talisman of the Dales elves, and an ancient elven robe. It's not clear to me how to understand the situation in which we find it.

This talisman belonged to an historical warrior of the Dales, and since we find a Robe that looks like the same one than the Keeper of the Clan we met, I assume this body was an ancient Keeper who wanted to protect that talisman from the shemlen, and made a barrier with themselves inside, or they activated some trap of the small shrine and got caught in it..

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore ]

#Exalted Plains #elven design #Andrastian design #guardian of the path #paintings #Strange Skull-Dragon totem #Sitting Fen'Harel statue #Razikale Ceremony #Horned warrior holding a sword #Tevinter objects #aravel #dalish design #elvhen design #Elven Owl statue #Elven hart statue #Elven Archers #playing DA like an archaeologist

[satanic-fruitcake]

I was tagged by @yukichouji, thank you!! I honestly considered not doing this cos it was a lot of writing, but then I thought about his answers and felt the self indulgent need to put them out into the world :D

Note: the parts in brackets are supposed to be read as if they were written by the gossipy Orlaisian journalist doing the interview

So, without further ado,

Interview with Xavier Lavellan

(Below)

- Can you introduce yourself? - if I say no, will I be set on fire? (The Herald let’s put a Short, seemingly forced laugh) I digress, I’m Zav. Full name Xavier Lavellan, of the Lavellan clan, as the surname might entail. I’m also the Inquisitor. Hoorah.

- what’s your gender identity, sexual orientation and relationship status? - (he squints, silently scalding me for the gal of asking such a thing.) I’m sure everyone’s just dying to know so I’ll spill the beans. I’m not single. As for the other two... wouldn’t you like to know? (Scandalous!)

- where and when were you born? - in the Free Marches, 24 years ago.

- what is your weapon of choice and fighting style? Daggers are my best friend. I was never naturally gifted with the art of archery, like Elven stereotypes would have you believe. (A brief pause followed by whispered confession) my hands were too shaky.

- Lastly, are you happy? - (he tenses all over, visibly irked by the question) there’s a gaping hole leaking demons and shit all over Thedas, innocent people are dying over a stupid war, and I’m so “vital” I wasn’t aloud to attend the funeral of some of my clan when they were slaughtered a few months ago. I’m delighted. (Sarcasm. The Inquisitor and I agree now would be a good time to take a short break off the record)

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

- what’s your family like? What is your relationship with them? - they’re alive, well as far as I know. having a country between us is... something? (He shrugs and opens and closes his mouth a few times, but doesn’t say anything for a while) best leave it there for now. I’ve made many lasting friendships with the inquisition though!

- have you ever ran away from home? - (he throws his head back and cackles) where would I run to? Deeper into the woods? ALONE?! or perhaps into a Shem village where I would be chased away with pitchforks? No, I’ve never ran away.

- would you consider marriage or having kids? - Gods, no! I’m too immature and selfish for parenthood. But at least I’m self aware, right? As for marriage... who knows. Maybe I’ll change my mind someday, like every adult has been telling me my whole life. Not anytime soon, though. Not while the whole worlds burning, that’s for sure.

- do you secretly hate one of you friends? - no? Hate is a strong word. And more than that, a strong emotion, if I feel it, you’d know. I’m bad at being subtle. (He chuckles, somewhat darkly)

- which friend knows everything about you? - I could say something heartwarming about my very best friend, but why lie? Leliana, former Left Hand of the Divine, knows everything about me. She is a Spymaster after all. Wait, was I not supposed to say that?

ASKED BY FANS

- are you literate? - (He glares at me, a silent “are you fucking kidding me?!” Evident in his soft elven features. His one word answer is a stern one) yes.

-the eeriest prediction you made that later came true? - I’m not a witch, darling. (He shuffles in his seat, visibly struggling to relax after the last question. His tone softens when he next speaks) I’m actually pretty bad at that kind of thing.

- what is something you were embarrassingly late to realise? - (he lights up at the question, cracking a genuine and excited smile) just how MASSIVE dragons are! I’d never seen one before, they’re so majestic. And destructive.

- do you have any mental health or physical issues? You have seen the magical mark on my hand, yes? Does that count? (The inquisitor thinks I didn’t notice how he skipped the mental health part of the question. I decide it’s best to let it slide)

- what is your current main goal? - defeat the bad guy, restore order, maybe even bring enough peace for my true goal, which is happiness.

CHOICES

- drink or food? - I’m preeeeetty sure you need both, my darling. I don’t know, they’re both good? Such an odd question!

- cats or dogs? - the true question is, why isn’t nugs an option? (He smirks. Cheeky bastard, thinks he’s clever for answering my question with another question!)

- early bird or night owl? Early bird, I’ve always been a morning person, apparently it’s annoying!

- optimist or pessimist? - when you go through the things I have and walk out alive, it’s difficult to be pessimistic. Optimism keeps me going, for now.

HAVE YOU EVER

- been caught sneaking out? - no. Plus side of having parents who don’t pay you much attention, I suppose. You can come and go as you please! (He chuckles, probably hoping I won’t notice how sad that is)

- broken a bone? - twice. (Cocky smirk) I’m careful.

- received flowers? - (he pauses, surprised, then proceeds to gesture at himself as he answers) of course. you have seen me, haven’t you?

- ghosted someone? - (his tone becomes serious again) yes, once. I regret it. I was a stupid kid and she was so nice but oh so boring! I realise now I should’ve just been honest. (He covered his mouth in embarrassment)

- pretended to laugh at a joke you didn’t get? - no, once again, I’m bad pretending.

#dragon age #your daily dose of idiocy #thank you this was fun! #good to get the creative juices flowing too #ok to rb

[nicos-oc-hell]

Quick disclaimer this is set in the flipped universe so, voldy doesn’t exist

Template made by @unfortunate-arrow sorry I forgot to tag you when I made the post

IDENTITY

Full Name: Viktor Ayas Perphyra

Nicknames: Vik (by most of his friends) Wolfie (his mother) Elfo (His father)

Date of Birth: 12 September 1934

Gender: cis male

Sexuality: straight

Blood Status: half-blood

Ethnicity/Race: halfling and mixed

Nationality: Egyptian

MBTI Type: Protagonist, ENFJ-A

Residence: He lived in Egypt with his grandparents, on his mom’s side, at their home before he moved to Scottland when he turned 11 with his parents into the house that his grandfather had bought ona nice piece of land.

MAGIC 

Wand:

Wood: Holly Wood

Core: Phoenix feather

Length: 14 ½’

Flexibility: slightly springy

Other Magical Abilities: Elven magic that is passed down and he is a werewolf

Patronus: Rottwiler

Patronus Memory: Meeting his first friends

Boggart: TBD

Riddikulus: TBD

Amortentia: TBD

Mirror of Erised: TBD

HOGWARTS 

House: Slytherin

OWL Classes:

Transfiguration - A

Charms - O

Herbology - O

Astronomy - A

Potions - O

History of Magic - O

Defense Against the Dark Arts - E

Flying - A

OWL Electives:

Study of ancient runes - E

Alchemy - O

Care of magical creatures - O

NEWT Classes:

Charms - E

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Herbology - O

Alchemy - O

Defense against the dark arts - E

Quidditch: beater

Prefect: 4th-6th year

Clubs: Alchemy club and Herbology club

Favorite Professors: tbd

Least Favorite Professors: tbd

CAREER

11-18 - Hogwarts

22-67 - Teacher

APPEARANCE

Faceclaim: Jacob Tremblay (4-14) Wentworth Miller (16-67)

Height: 5’8

Weight: 164 lbs

Hair Color: Brown

Hair Style: short and curly

Eye Color: light blue 

Skin Tone: Warm Ivory

Scars: a scar on the back of his neck from his first magical accident

Modifications: (piercings, tattoos, glasses, etc.) he needs glasses for long distance and he’s got a couple tattoos scattered across his body

Distinguishing Marks: the pointy ears

Clothing Style: it's a pretty simple style that he has going on, jeans, some simple button down shirts (he leaves them with only like 2-3 buttons done), plain shirts, sweaters, Henleys and a jacket

Accessories: (watch, jewelry, etc.)

What’s In Their Pockets?:

Wand

Money

Candy

Coins

What’s In Their School Bag?:

Text books

Muggle fantasy books

Muggle snacks he smuggled in

A board game

VOICE & LANGUAGE

Voiceclaim: Wentworth Miller

Accent: (might differ from voiceclaim’s) he picked up a scottish accent

Dialect: Egyptian Arabic when he is speaking Arabic

Language Spoken: Arabic, English and Elvish

Languages Understood: Elvish, English and Arabic

Speech and/or Language Disorder: He mispronounces words a lot if he starts talking very fast

FAMILY

Father: Jason Perphyra

Mother: Yasmine Shadid

Pets: dragon toad 

FRIENDSHIPS

Best Friends: Hester Nott

Canon Friends: Abraxas Malfoy, Tom Riddle, Anton Dolohov and Saxi Rowle

Friends:

Elizabeth Somerset (@camillejeaneshphm)

(let me know if you want your ocs to be friends with him!)

Acquaintances: tbd

It’s Complicated: tbd

Dormmates: Abraxas Malfoy, Anton Dolohov and Saxi Rowle

Rivals: tbd

Enemies: tbd

ROMANCE & CHILDREN

Love Interest: Elizabeth Somerset

Future Children: 

Viktor Perphyra Jr

Pietro Perphyra

Anatoly Perphyra

PERSONALITY

Traits:

Positive: friendly, outgoing, loyal and trustworthy

Neutral: observant, stubborn, impatient

Negative: smart aleck, oblivious at times

Favorites:

Color: violet

Food: shrimp alfredo

Weather: stormy

Books: Alchemy books

Hobbies: learning new magic

Music: tbd

Dislikes: Abraxas and Honey

Description: A cheerful man, Viktor is always looking to help someone whether they want his help or not, he's always there offering it. Being rather book smart Viktor spends a lot of his time in the library learning all sorts of magic, preferably Alchemy or Herbology

MBTI Description: ENFJs have great people skills and are often described as warm, affectionate, and supportive. ENFJs are great at encouraging other people and derive personal satisfaction from helping others. ENFJs are often so interested in devoting their time to others that they can neglect their own needs.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

Pre-Hogwarts Childhood: 

Living with his grandparents in Egypt

Learning the basics of alchemy with his grandfather

Helping his father with magical creatures

Gardening with his grandmother

Got bit by a werewolf in the forest behind his new home in Scotland

Hogwarts Years: (not in chronological order)

Got sorted into Slytherin

An awkward stage between 14-16 where he went through puberty

Separation anxiety from being away from his grandparents for the first time

Sneaking out of hogwarts with his friends

Joining the quidditch team as a beater in his third year

Becoming a prefect in his 4th year surprisingly

Meets Elizabeth Somerset sometime in the early year of hogwarts

Joining the death eaters in his fifth year with Anton and Saxi

Adulthood: (not in chronological order)

Teaching at hogwarts as an Alchemy teacher

Fucking over Dumbledor’s army of “good wizards”

Getting married to Elizabeth

Raising the disasters known as his sons

Death:

In 2001, it was discovered that Viktor had a brain tumor and he didn’t want it to be cured with a simple flick of a wand so he was surrounded by his family and friends during his last few days on Earth.

#viktor perphyra #riddle era #riddle era oc #hp oc #hp profile #oc profile

[ianthedisastrous]

“Kindness is not a sign of weakness and despair, but rather a manifestation of strength and resolution.” ~ Khalil Gilbran

Iandore Lightfoot Nicknames: Ian Magic Status: Sorcerer & Elf (both public knowledge to town natives) Nationality: American/British Ethnicity: Arcadian (Eclipse Court)/Native American/Latino/White   Accent: Fairly thickly Detroit Height: 5′11" Build: Athletic/slender Complexion: Tan Eye Color: Dark brown Hair Color/Length/Style: Blue (permanent spell), wavy/curly and generally short and messy Tattoos: Blue butterfly on his left shoulder, matches Tony and Elionwy's in design. Book and blue crescent moon tattoo at the base of the back of his neck. Piercings: Both earlobes, usually wears black 0G eyelets or the moon plugs Eilonwy gifted him. Daily Jewelry: Woven leather and glass bracelet that is enchanted to store his sorcerer's staff. Hand woven bracelet with crystals that was given to him by his mentor, Martin, on the same wrist as the one with his staff.  What would you find if you Googled them? His instagram and Twitter, maybe if you dug really deep some mention of Wilden Lightfoot's pro-magick advocacy in the US years ago or the Lightfoot name once being prominent in the magick community before they became very reclusive, but most of that info would take effort to find and most articles list Wilden as having children but not Ian or Barley's name directly.

People with access to older articles in Boiling Isles might come across mention of the Lightfoot name in connection with the Blights due to Linden Lightfoot's criminal record there.

What natives would know about them:

Has lived in town longer than he did in the States (since 2011) but hasn't been very involved in anything around town until the past few years, so not much. People he went to Secondary with (Graduated 2020) might remember he was out of school for most of the year when he was seventeen due to a 'magic-related accident'.

Currently works at Ruff to Fluff (front desk, groomer, dog trainer) and has returned to Pride U (Psychology major) after a year absence to focus on on his magic.

He is known to be the apprentice of Martin Ambrosius, and by proxy a memeber of the Coven of Owls, as well as an Animation sorcerer in training, as well as an elf. 

In May of 2023 he broke a long-standing curse, freeing his boyfriend, Tony Rydinger, from magic that had held him captive repeating the same year for decades. In the process also releasing the town as a whole from the effects of the curse and returning their memories of Tony. While it’s not directly proven, it is speculated by the sorcerer community that breaking the curse was his doing, shedding some light on his surprisingly strong magic ability.  

Other:

Elves are extremely uncommon overall so his family is a bit unusual being openly known as such around town. His mother Laurel (family NPC) still maintains most of her human glamor (the exception being her violet eyes most of the time) while Ian being a half elf doesn't have this skill but has a predominately human appearance; his elven features are mostly only visually notable in his curved ears and occasional color shift to lavender in his eyes when he uses magic.

The magick community can easily identify him as a sorcerer, but not as an elf. The latter isn't actually identifiable by magic other than with other elves or the High Fey; most other fae species can sense he's not human but only in the vague 'something fae' way.

His reagents read very oddly to other sorcerers/other magicks who can sense them though due to his magic lineage being from two separate species.

[Elf Lore] [Magic Info] [Family Info]

#at a glance #ian inspo

[felassan]

TEVINTER NIGHTS details (new)

ohh shit ohh fuckk Not a drill! Under the cut because spoilers. Don’t look if you want to read these short stories unspoiled.

serious SPOILER WARNING.

also please bear in mind I was working from fragments and trying my best to infer, so it’s not going to be perfectly correct like an oracle!

Dorian is in it

Maevaris is in it

Vaea is in it

no Zevran from what I can see sorry :’( [but bear in mind I can’t see all of it] BUT there is reference to House Arainai

Solas is mentioned at least 4 times by the name Solas

Solas or his new cultists seemingly have ordered his/their agents “Death before capture” they fucking SUICIDE PILL rather than be captured WTF?? or at least one agent in a story does. (see quotes below)

it also reads like they’re blowing up/bombing/trying to blow up towns of thousands of people???

Felassan is mentioned

A FEMALE ELF WHO SHAPESHIFTED INTO A HALLA and then a falcon and a snowy owl. she has short hair, freckles and striking features; I’m love

STRIFE THE ELF. 

a reference to the HoF; or more specifically an assassin family lost face when they failed to complete a contract on their life

An Executor is in it and talks, has interactions with several different types of characters

werewolves!!

in the first story a City Elf-turned-Dalish and a lowborn Tevinter mage are taken as slaves by invading Qunari during their invasion of Tevinter, escape and learn to work together to overcome their prejudices and such in order to survive (since they were chained together). Dalish/elvhen lore is quite prominent in this short.

The Qunari are moving into Rivain. “You need to get word to the clans before they land.” Clans in Rivain confirmed again?

Divine Victoria appears, seems to be kept neutral/non-specific i.e. can be any of the 3

Venatori mentions

red lyrium encounters

there’s a new Dalish clan name given, Oranavra

one story seems to deal with a clan getting back their precious ironbark halla statue

Andruil mentioned several times. Ghilan’nain mentioned

we’re going to Arlathan Forest. it has entities protecting it called Forest Guardians or sth

there is some sort of order or guild called the Lords of Fortune. they are treasurehunters, the order seems to be Rivaini in origin but like others can join?

also the first story features a Tevinter male mage (not magister) who is MLM

there’s a Qunari rank Bas-taar it means Keeper of Bas

Charter appears and she does gay pining for Tessa, twice

Sutherland and company appear and go on a mission. We get some insight into each of their pasts

Philliam, a Bard! appears. he argues with Genetivi

Varric as Viscount Tethras is mentioned

Kal-Sharok is mentioned

Cassandra is mentioned, seems to appear in Sidony’s flashback

Josephine is mentioned

we return to Skyhold as it is the setting for a story

more wiping out of Dalish groups fucks sake Bioware

a Rasaan is in it

Genetivi is in it

Dagna appears

Valya mentioned, doing new research into new weird darkspawn phenomena. and HOLY SHIT, the new darkspawn revelations in this book!!

the Antaam attacked without the permission of the rest of the Qunari govt

Sidony from DAMP is in it

without an army Antiva’s only line of defense against the Qunari is the Crows

Kirkwall’s events & boom referenced

Serault glass mirrors mentioned

House Danarius mentioned, a mage from the house was mentioned as having been up to something

a new type of demon I think, Regret. & the implication that there are spirits of Contemplation and Introspection. I think the Regret we see, “the regret of a god”, is Solas’ regret :S Sutherland and Co are dispatched to Skyhold to deal with it, it had like taken up residence in the deserted building or something. seems like all Solas’ regrets about what’s occurred and his choices like coalesced into this spirit (not literally but the spirit took the form because the feeling was so strong)

many cameo appearances from minor npcs who were Skyhold staffers

necromancers in Nevarra get skeletons to do their chores and its totally normal

there is an establishment called the Nug Queen

“hollix” means something like “irrepressible rascal” in old Tevene

no mention of live griffons from what I can see

Isseya is mis-spelled as Issenya

Quotes:

As though my good works were insufficient to draw compassionate spirits who might wish me protected, as though I were some common criminal binding spirits through blood magic, not the victim of the Dread Wolf himself! they returned with

[suicide pill entry] Her teeth clenched. Green foam started to fill her mouth. I dropped her to the ground and she started spasming, her legs drumming on the wooden deck. Her back arched once, twice, and then she was still. I knelt beside her and put my fingers to the side of her throat. Nothing. Dead. Damnit. “And that’s the other reason I didn’t join. Death before capture. Not my sort of thing at all.”

The words battered us like storm winds, and the Dread Wolf’s jaws closed upon the Tevinter mage, snapping him up in an instant as he screamed in terror. The lesser demons rushed down upon us, crackling with fire and lightning and our

us, and the demons that had accompanied the Dread Wolf burst into the world in righteous fury, shining warriors with blades forged from the raw fade itself and behind them, dimly visible through the crackling light, the shadow of the beast

“And now we know that the Dread Wolf has agents working for him,” the bard added, his mask glittering in the firelight as he tossed back his golden locks. “and that he has the power to kill those who oppose him as they sleep.”

“I act freely. For the Dread Wolf. To bring back what was once ours - what must be ours again.” Dread Wolf. Crap. I’d heard the rumors of course - dozens of elves, off to heed the call of some god. Guess I’d found one of them, at least. “The Qunari left sooner than I’d expected - their trail grew cold. But I had you. You found them for me.

All painted by Solas, the Inquisition’s expert on the Veil and the Fade beyond. It was his gift of record. At least, that’s what was claimed at the time. The rotunda they entered now was not fastidiously clean like the rest of Skyhold. The floor was

“Tevinter’s intelligence network declined to answer our request,” Charter said, “As did the Ben-Hassrath.” She grimaced. “The latter is especially disappointing. They had more knowledge of Solas’ movements than anyone else. They also”

“‘Solas’ is also not true.” “Pride,” said Laudine. “It means pride.” Rasaan stopped and cocked an eye. “Very good,” she said. Names were important to the Qunari. They were named for their roles, and roles defined their identities. Their actual

“Beyond that, the Inquisition knows little about what Solas intends. Much of his research involves the Veil that separates our world from the world of the spirits. He claimed to have created it, and he asked the Inquisition for help activating

A lone elf. My client. [...] The rune that she’d given me - she held it aloft, examining it critically. Muttering a single word over and over again.  “Felassan, Felassan, Felassan.” There was a hum, and the rune began to glow a steady and unpleasant red. I’d been around enough magic to know that was probably not a good thing.

“But you are now known to Fen’Harel. He has eyes everywhere. Inside Tevinter, without a doubt.” “So where should we go?” Irian asked quietly. She had moved closer, and was standing directly beside me.

The Fen’Harel question. How many lives had ended, seeking an answer? Four more, if our turn chasing a legend fails tonight. But we’ve dragged truth from the darkness beneath Tevinter, found pages that will guide

of those damned Fen'Harel cultists. 'Ooh, if we blow up enough people, ancient Elvhenan is definitely coming back.'” She caught my questioning glance. “They tried to recruit me a few years ago. I said no.” 

as the Avvar do. But whatever fear the name Dread Wolf carries, he has earned. While we might visit the Fade, it is his natural home, and the spirits there serve him gladly. They whisper in my dreams now, accusing me of crimes I never

the wolves. Each event that had shaped the Inquisition was being stripped of color.

The division of the mortal realm from the Fade was not a natural state that had always existed. It was an event, a moment in time that had literally shattered the elven empire. Pieces of that glory now drifted beyond dream and will, with the Dread Wolf stalking between. But other pieces remained, displaced in the physical world.

Elves are slim, but its their eyes and ears we recall. Humans have the most variety in the shoulders, and all anyone sees about qunari are height and horns

In our veins runs true Tevinter blood, passed down from the dreamers -

You all know that the Antaam invaded without permission of the other branches of Qunari government? We had assumed this would hobble them, but it appears the priests and workers were a moderating influence. Without them, the Antaam have crushed the Tevinter opposition in the east, and I fear everything east of Vyrantium will be under their control within a year, and northern Antiva as well.

The Inquisition had to be disbanded, they argued.. The Inquisition wasn’t the first army it had hosted. It would remain a distant beacon, so that all would remember when the Inquisitor had rallied the people of Thedas against a false god

He couldn’t be killed until his blighted dragon was dead, and the Herald had somehow countered with a dragon of their own. And there was a dragon on the panel, with an Inquisition blade in its neck. But according to the story

Every act of the Inquisitor recorded in masterful plaster and paint. From the explosion that had marked the Herald, to the triumph against a blighted false god

matter to her that Sidony wanted nothing to do with the fate of her home country? The Inquisitor does not want to see that happen to Nevarra. Or did it only matter that the Inquisitor was pleased?

The Inquisitor has taken a chance on his potential. But more than that, the Inquisitor had stood for him. Had stood for them all. Made them feel like they were worth it and could help. Made them look forward.

We bounced once, twice, jostling with the magical orb but it still held

Something huge trembled around us, a spirit so great that it shook parts of the Fade I had always considered to be neutral, devoid of life. - and high overhead, where the Black City shadowed the sky, I heard a great booming roar

So that’s what it was. “Supposed to be a piece of the Black City itself. ‘A reminder of man’s hubris, and of the unique and glorious divinity of the Maker’.” I snorted. “Seems like a bunch of nug shit to me.” “Regardless, the artifact has been stolen.

“Anything else?” “Whoever clips the Crows’ wings will walk by my side when we enter the Black City and take glory back for the Imperium.”

The Blight is over, or so it seems. Valya, a young elven mage recently recruited into the Wardens, has been tasked with studying the historical records of previous Blights in order to gain insight into newly reported, and disturbing, darkspawn phenomena. Her research into the

One of our best smiths has been studying red lyrium, and she says the blasted stuff is tainted by the Blight. A few families might’ve tried to keep smuggling it after that, but we shut that down. The Carta believes in business. Blight is bad for business.

So when this Dalish elf comes around asking can someone get the lyrium idol out of what’s left of the statue, our first thought was to send him back to his clan with a few new tattoos on his face, if you know what I mean. Plus, the idol is

“Or he could be a demon impersonating an elf,” the Mortalitasi said, sipping her wine. “What he does is not... especially Tevinter.” the Mortalitasi said with a sneer. “since most of it is built over where the ancient elves lived.”

“FROM THIS MOMENT, SHOULD YOU EVER BIND A SPIRIT, THEN YOUR LIFE IS MINE.” The hypocrisy almost made me laugh. The Dread Wolf forbade us from binding spirits, but why would these lesser demons attack us if not because the

but before the Tevinter mage could complete his ritual, the Dread Wolf arrived... burning eyes like a pride demon, and it came to us on wings of fire that resolved themselves into a horde of lesser demons as the Dread Wolf landed before us

The mark of the Pride demon, Audric realized. 

“I would caution you in dealing with those across the sea,” he said, “they are dangerous. “More dangerous than the elf who threatens the world?”

#dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #dragon age #tevinter nights #bioware #spoilers #spoiler #tevinter nights spoilers #tevinter nights spoiler #dragon age: tevinter nights #dragon age: tevinter nights spoilers #dragon age: tevinter nights spoiler #tevinter nights anthology #tevinter nights anthology spoilers #tevinter nights anthology spoiler #strife

[carabas]

Just sorting through the options for those Evanuris on the mural in a hopeless attempt to keep it all straight.

(The tl;dr version of this post is that I can see a case for the Evanuris on the left being Falon’din, Ghilan’nain, or Mythal, and there’s different implications depending on which one’s correct but hey they all do boil down to fighting terrifying gods.)

Initial assumption: two Evanuris with arms folded like corpses suspended upside down in front of spheres, when we’ve previously seen spheres used to represent the gods being sealed away. So these are the final two seals, final two archdemons. Based on what each of the old gods represent, it’s extremely likely that Razikale of Mystery = Dirthamen of Secrets and owl-associated Lusacan of Night = Falon’din of Death, which works well since the twin souls are supposed to be pretty much inseparable. Twin soul thing also goes well with the promotional image of two dragons - although if Solas is deliberately going to be breaking the seals (that’s a big if), then we don’t actually need the twin souls to be together to explain why we’re seeing two dragons rise at the same time. Still, I like not separating the twins. (We’ve also seen gods chained and suspended upside down over a sphere in the Lies of the Evanuris mosaic in Trespasser - the scene isn’t specifically stated to be about sealing the gods away, but about revealing that the gods can die.)

Complicating factors here:

Ghilan’nain resemblance: the character on the left is almost certainly a representation of a concept art image that’s monstrous in the same way we’ve seen Ghilan’nain’s creations looking monstrous. We’ve seen so much about Ghilan’nain in Inquisition and Tevinter Nights, it would make sense for her to appear now. Also that silhouette looks like it has mandibles.

Mythal resemblance: we’ve seen this character’s crescent-shaped head before in a statue in the Deep Roads, near a codex that talks about how most of these statues in the Deep Roads are representations of Mythal. There’s also an almost identical statue but with a sun-shaped head in the Crossroads, and Mythal and Elgar’nan have sun-moon associations, so point in favor of the crescent-shaped head representing Mythal. Mythal’s also said to have emerged from water and to have taken the form of a great serpent to fight Andruil - I’d assumed great serpent just meant dragon and the water was metaphorical, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Ghilan’nain is not the only god with forms at least this monstrous. Solas painted the figures so large, weighing on him, and this is the interpretation that would probably have the most significance for him and deserve to be painted that large. But is this how he would depict Mythal?

That concept art with that crescent-headed four-armed serpent creature looked as if it's set in the present, not the distant past - present-day heroes fighting the freed gods. It’s accompanied by the note, "The Evil Gods have Thedas in their sights and only heroes can stop them. The shadows of the past stir, and new heroes must rise to fight them." That doesn’t rule out Mythal certainly, but it does point more to the gods who are being freed from the Black City.

Falon’din resemblance: the creature in that concept art image is like a combination of three different statues we’ve seen - it’s got the crescent-shaped head of that statue in the Deep Roads, which reminds me of an owl and which I would have guessed as representing Falon’din if it weren’t for that nearby codex about Mythal, and it’s also got the four arms and spear of two different elven statues that appear together in Origins. The one with the spear is stated to be Falon’din. The one with four arms closely resembles it, similar head shape just pointier, like a more inhuman variation on the same theme, but isn’t specifically identified - so, a variation on the same god? Dirthamen because of the twin soul thing? Another Evanuris entirely? There’s not enough information. This is a pretty thin connection to Falon’din though - spears aren’t exactly unusual, and we’ve seen four arms on other statues too, like this Tsathoggua-looking one used at the altar of Dumat/for Merrill’s Audacity demon/in elven ruins - for all we can tell, it may be that all the gods enjoy having a few extra limbs from time to time.

If it’s Falon’din, initial assumptions still work, no adjustments needed, no new information here really except about what kinds of forms he might take, and the other Evanuris in the mural can be assumed to be Dirthamen.

If it’s Mythal, then it’s not about the final two seals after all, it’s about gods who can be/have been/will be killed, same as stated about the suspended god in the Lies of the Evanuris mosaic. Death of Mythal balanced against the sealing of Elgar’nan and the other gods, maybe, or Solas’s need to kill or otherwise somehow deal with the gods if he brings down the Veil.

If it’s Ghilan’nain, possibility one: it’s still about the final two archdemons, and Ghilan’nain corresponds to one of the two remaining Old Gods. I'm not a fan of this option because I can’t see any particular correspondences between her and the gods of either night or mystery - I mean, yes, she’s a bit mysterious, but you’ve got an elven god of secrets right there in Dirthamen - and also it means the twin souls won’t be rising together after all. (If the other suspended Evanuris is both Falon’din and Dirthamen and we’re getting a two-headed dragon sharing one body, that’d be a neat way to avoid splitting up the twins, but then the archdemon math doesn’t match up properly - seven sealed gods, seven archdemons, only two archdemons left.) But the end result is I just need to rethink the correspondences. If this is the right interpretation, then the other Evanuris suspended with her could be almost anyone.

Ghilan’nain possibility two: the mural is not representing the final two seals after all, it’s representing Evanuris outside the Black City in some other sense. Possibly the Old God soul taken from Kieran? I do like the Ghilan’nain-Urthemiel match up. (In which case, possibilities for the other Evanuris on the mural: does Sandal have an old god soul? Did Andraste, who was born the same year the first archdemon died?) Or alternatively, is it simply showing the gods about to wake after the archdemons have been killed? That would fit best with the note about “the evil gods have Thedas in their sights” with that concept art, but in that case, why are we seeing just two, are they waking up in a staggered way instead of all at once?

Also this:

I’d initially been assuming that the spheres in the new mural are the equivalent of the seven on the bottom of this mural, or the ones in the earlier DA4 teaser art with the idol, seven seals for the Evanuris with five seals already broken - but maybe it’s more like whatever those two at the top left and right represent, complete with those wavy lines around Ghilan’nain/Mythal/Falon’din/whoever that is (access to the Fade being cut off/restored?).

#dragon age #da4 #da4 speculation #rambling #conspiracy theory board.jpeg

[welcometoels]

Session Five - Evil Residence

[DM’s note - It may appear on casual reading that the team made some odd decisions in this session.  This was due, in part, to some absolutely shocking rolls - more critical fails than would be statistically probable.  Also, they are very silly people]

Mansion de Mortesque would be an imposing structure even without the horde of undead prowling its grounds. Large, opulent and dimly lit, it has an unnerving air all of its own.  The locked door to the west with a sign (in Common and Elvish) reading “Do Not Open - Dead Inside” does not help.

Unperturbed, Oddsock approaches the organ that sits at the foot of the stairs leading to the upper floor.  With unexpected skill, he treats the party to a rendition of a bawdy but stirring ballad from his home country - the tale of a brave young canine prostitute, called “How Much Is That Doggy In The Window”.

Bravura performance that it is, it nevertheless upsets whatever is beyond the locked door.  There is much banging upon the wood from that direction, so the party decides to move the opposite way, through a pair of ornate wooden doors.

Unfortunately, two zombies in serving garb are present in the room.  Hardened by their prior encounters, the team puts both of them down, though their undead fortitude makes it a more gruelling encounter than the adventurers would have expected.

Threat disposed of, the team have a chance to take stock of the area. They are in a dining room, with a long table and silver place settings.  For a moment, Talion thinks he sees a cat, but it turns out to be the remnants of an old curry.  Oddsock has a chew upon a zombie’s calf and ruminates.

To the south is a smoking room, with plush leather couches and shelves of expensive, leather-bound tomes.  Oddsock gets comfortable on a couch while Julius and Talion raid the shelves.  They are mostly dusty old volumes about Elven history and nobility, though one about the history of the Drow catches Talion’s eye.  Sadly, for the otter there is nothing - this household does not read books on the topic of flora and fauna for recreation, it seems.

Also to the south there is a washroom, with a discreet brass plaque reading “WC”.  This is perhaps the cleanest room they have found so far, showing no sign of use for weeks.

The kitchen to the north, however, is a different matter.  As soon as they enter the room, they are assaulted by a hideous smell coming from the far end.  Further investigation shows this to be a pantry, stuffed with what was once fresh fruit and meat, but which is now spoiled beyond recovery.  Talion thinks he sees the cat again, while Oddsock almost sees his lunch again.  Both decide that retreat is the better option.

Upon a wooden surface in the kitchen is a tin bucket, with a wooden chopping board upon it.  From within the bucket, Kadis can perceive a light scratching.  Talion investigates, managing to re-cover the bucket just before a severed hand leaps out to attack him.

Upon the floor is a trap door, sealed shut with a single, thick nail.  The only other door is locked, with that same “Do Not Open” warning upon it.  Sensing further danger, the group opts to venture upstairs.

The first room that they enter is a gallery of sorts, with a black stone statue of a male Drow as the centrepiece.  He holds one hand aloft, clutching a ball.

While Oddsock and Julius try to extricate the ball from the statue’s grasp - Oddsock hurting his jaw in the process - Talion checks the rest of the gallery.  There are numerous expensive portraits, seemingly of the same family, though only one of them has a name plaque - Aberraton Mortesque, an austere Drow, and clearly the subject of the statue that Oddsock is still attempting to gnaw at.

Kadis takes a moment to listen at the doors at either end of the room.  Hearing a presence of some kind in the west, he suggests moving east, and the party takes his advice on board.

Entering a corridor, they proceed directly to a heavy wooden door at the far end, beyond which is a library.  Immediately ransacking the shelves, Julius finds a beautifully illustrated Elvish guide to plants, while Oddsock uncovers a few Necromantic tomes, each with skulls on the front and a label inside depicting a skeletal hand reaching out for a magic orb.

Unsubtle as they are, they attract the attentions of an individual behind a locked door further into the room.  Much like at the entrance gate, a deep voice boom “LEAVE THIS PLACE”.

Talion, in a attempt to charm his way through the door, offers to assist with this “Drow situation”.  This does nothing to appease the voice, which takes great exception to what may be implied, and makes it very clear that they will not be run out of their home.

Pushing subtlety aside, Oddsock, Talion and Julius assault the door with their magic, weakening it to such an extent that they manage to pop it open.

Inside is a well-appointed study, with shelves of leather-bound books lining the walls, and candles of various hues casting a dim light.  A heavy wooden desk stands in front of a huge window, and behind the desk is a young Drow, pointing a dark metal tube in their direction.

This time, the team is more successful at appealing to the person behind the door.  They introduce themselves, and ask what is going on.  Oddsock places his head upon the Drow’s lap, and finds a bucket under the desk, the contents of which are clearly the reason why so many scented candles had been lit.

The Drow in question is named Aberron Clutchstraw.  He is an engineer at heart, taking after his Half-Drow father Graham, much to the delight and relief of his mother Aberratia.  However, he was pressganged by his great uncle Aberraton Mortesque into taking up the family trade of Necromancy after the death of his parents.

He took up residence at the Mansion to assist his great uncle, though he had no particular skill or interest in the dark arts.  If anything, he was sickened by the practise, and by the undead Aberraton kept in his service.

Recently, Aberraton took delivery of the body of a terrible creature.  Being old and frail now, he intended to use his most powerful magical artefacts to transfer his consciousness into the beast.

However, something had clearly gone wrong, as the undead servants became unruly and impossible for Aberron to control with his weak grasp of Necromancy.  Futhermore, the dead began to rise from the family plot behind the mansion.

Fearing for his life, Aberron trapped as many of the staff in their quarters as he could, gathered supplies and locked himself in his great uncle’s study, where the party found him a couple of weeks later.  There has been no sign of Aberraton since he secluded himself in the attic to conduct his ritual.

At this point, Aberron remembers that he never sealed the hatch to the attic.  No sooner does he realise this than the trapdoor bursts open, and a gruesome horror descends.

Resembling a floating ball of rotten flesh, the creature as a single blind eye in its centre, though more eyes grow from tentacles sprouting from its mass.  It immediately turns upon the group.

Setting down the metal tube - which grows thin legs and skitters across the desk - Aberron calls his brass owl Dominique to his side as the party readies itself for combat.

Kadis lays down powerful strikes from his staff and fists, though is rooted to the spot by a flash from one of the creature’s tentacle eyes.  Talion offers healing support despite another magical flash driving fear into his heart.

Oddsock and Julius bring their magic to bear on the creature, with Julius exercising his newly-acquired - and vey effective - Moonbeam.  In the fray, a single bolt of fire runs astray, igniting a bookshelf, but thankfully avoiding the party.

Spurred by their bravery, Aberron joins in, assisted by Dominique and the strange walking cannon.

Recovering from his terror, Talion mounts the desk and looses his electric breath across the creature.  This finally proves too much for it, and it drops to the ground, dead once again.

Julius, conscientious as ever, creates a cloud above the burning shelf to pour down rain and douse the fire.  He has a little excited dance as the rain falls, before hunkering down next to the fallen creature to make extensive notes.

Aberron fetches a ladder from a corner to investigate the attic, confident that it is now safe, and is followed by Talion and Oddsock.

Immediately upon entering the attic, they find the dead body of an aged Drow, surrounded by spent items of Necromantic nature.  The only one of these items not devoid of magic is a black metal lantern, which glows with a faint green light.

Talion grabs the lantern while Oddsock snuffles around, eventually finding a black rubber ball imprinted will a skull and a star.  Finally having obtained a ball after much failure, the Golden Retriever descends the ladder in a manner unseen.

Aberron regards the body of his dead great uncle, and, with much resignation, makes clear his intent to leave this place forever.  Fetching a bag and stuffing a few valuables into it, he returns to the study to tell the party that they are welcome to take anything that he decides to leave behind.

This is more than a few things, it transpires.  There is wealth to be found in this place, and Aberron has little interest in carrying it all himself.  Aside from his blueprints, his owl and his favourite clothes, he takes little else.

The party helps themselves to some fine dark clothing, suited to winter months.  Though it is still spring weather on Els, who knows what the future may bring.  Talion also grabs an unused rapier from Aberron’s room, which the Drow is glad to see the back of.

During these investigations, Julius checks on the lantern to see if he feels the same connection he experienced from the blue gem of the south.  Feeling nothing but a magical presence, he passes it to Kadis, who

Feels the tilled soil beneath his feet and the wind on his skin

Smells the crops and the animals in the field

Hears the farmers toiling, and the sound of all of that going away

Keeping his emotions under control, he confirms that he experienced something from this lantern where Julius did not.

Meanwhile, Talion and Oddsock find a couple of chests.  Julius assists the dog in opening one up, and he narrowly dodges a jet of magic as it emerges.  Oddsock, however, is not as swift, and is now coloured bright pink as a message hangs in the air reading “VEM!!! You have been caught by a classic Clutchstraw prank!”

Talion tries to be more careful with the other chest, but finds himself shot in the face with more magic from the keyhole as he investigates, colouring him neon green from head to toe.

Aberron witnesses this, and through chuckles explains that he had forgotten about those chests, which he had rigged years ago.  The colours will disappear after a night’s sleep, and the two were welcome to take the gems from inside the chests as a thankyou for giving him the first laugh he’d had in months.

Oddsock, unable to perceive colour, wonders what all the fuss is about, and climbs into one of the chests, only extricating himself when Aberron throws his new ball.

Before leaving this floor, Aberron peeks into another bedroom to see two bodies on a double bed - a Drow woman and a Half-Drow man.  “At least they can rest now,” he says before leaving.

Opening the front door reveals the first rays of dawn, and the thunderclouds of last night peeling away.  The grounds are strewn with dead bodies, unmoving in the morning light.

A final end for them, but a new beginning for Aberron.

#dnd #dnd homebrew #5e