Unveiling Tevinter's Crucial Destinations: Unraveling the Intrigue of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf

Highlights

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will finally take players to the long-awaited Tevinter Imperium, a setting that has been explored in various books, comics, and shows.

Key locations within the Tevinter Imperium comprise the capital city, Minrathous, the renowned Argent Spire housing the Imperial Chantry, and the esteemed Minrathous Circle of Maji.

Additional noteworthy sites encountered in the game encompass the coastal city of Marnas Pell, the Valarian Fields witnessing a momentous battle, and the enigmatic Arlathan Forest, rumored to be inhabited by ancient elven enchantment and creatures.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf has been highly anticipated by players who have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to explore the Tevinter Imperium since the first game. The Tevinter setting was first teased in the post-credits scene of Dragon Age: Inquisition's Trespasser DLC, and has since been expanded upon in works such as Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights and Dragon Age: Absolution.

Through books, comics, and the show, fans have gained some insight into what they can expect from the Tevinter Imperium in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Additionally, the games have included numerous references to significant locations and landmarks throughout the Imperium. These encompass major cities, important institutions, historical sites, and natural wonders found within the Tevinter landscape.

Minrathous

Minrathous, the capital of the Tevinter Imperium in Dragon Age, serves as the hub for its most significant establishments and remains unconquered by external forces. Positioned on a rocky island, the city is accessible solely through a solitary bridge that links it to the mainland. Guarded by a pair of colossal golems, Minrathous boasts catacombs stocked with enough provisions to sustain its inhabitants for an entire year.

Once renowned as the wealthiest city globally, Minrathous boasted towering spires, a sprawling harbor, and expansive shipyards. However, the city has suffered a decline due to the waning of the Imperium's power and conflicts with the Qunari. Its once majestic towers now decay, while its streets teem with destitute refugees from various regions of the Imperium.

The Argent Spire

The Argent Spire, the seat of Dragon Age's Imperial Chantry, underwent a separation from the previous games' Orlesian Chantry several centuries prior to the events of the games. Consequently, the two organizations gradually grew apart and became, in many aspects, complete opposites. Unlike the Orlesian Chantry, which is exclusively governed by a female Divine, the Imperial Chantry always has a male Divine at its helm. Furthermore, while the Orlesian Chantry suppresses mages, they hold a position of dominance within the Imperial Chantry.

The Minrathous Circle of Maji

While the Circles outside Tevinter serve as both prisons and schools, the Tevinter Circles hold a special place of prestige. Among them, the Minrathous Circle stands as the oldest institution for mages in all of Thedas, once a revered temple dedicated to Razikale, the enigmatic Old God. Within its walls, the Arcanist Hall stands proud, housing the most extensive collection of magical knowledge found in all of Thedas. Adjacent to it, the esteemed College of Antiquities diligently unravels the secrets of ancient scrolls and, perhaps, other sacred relics. Some enthusiasts speculate that the impressive circular edifice soaring above the city of Minrathous in the Dragon Age: Dreadwolf's 2020 Game Awards trailer may indeed be the renowned Circle of Maji. Yet, it is important to note that no official confirmation has been given.

Marnas Pell

Tevinter's coastal city of Marnas Pell, also known as "Marnus Pell," has been a site of immense violence and turmoil throughout its history. From enduring a devastating famine and a revolt by enslaved individuals, to enduring two Blights and occupation during the initial Qunari invasion, Marnas Pell has witnessed unimaginable bloodshed. After several decades, the combined forces of the Chantry and Tevinter were able to drive out the Qunari. However, in a brutal act of retaliation, they mercilessly slaughtered indigenous Qunari converts and laid them to rest in anonymous mass graves. The magnitude of carnage that occurred in Marnas Pell during the Qunari Wars was so vast that it caused irreversible damage to the Veil, leading to the perpetual presence of undead beings haunting certain areas of the city.

Valarian Fields

The Valarian Fields, situated directly west of Minrathos, holds great historical significance as it served as the site of the ancient Battle of Valarian Fields. This momentous event witnessed the fervent followers of Andraste and their elven allies engaging in a formidable struggle against the formidable armies of Ancient Tevinter. Notably, it stood as the largest battle of the war, marking the initial encounter where Andraste and her loyal supporters faced formidable opposition. Despite this, the followers of Andraste emerged triumphant, successfully overcoming the colossal army that Tevinter had ever assembled.

The Hundred Pillars

The Hundred Pillars, found along the Imperium's eastern border with Antiva, are a remarkable geological formation. These vertical pillars are formed by the fusion of dust, known as "hard dust," creating a unique natural composition. Gatsi, the dwarven mason in Dragon Age: Inquisition, likened the stone to mortar, a type of cement. In the ancient Tevinter civilization, hard dust was mined and used to craft exquisite mosaics, which players can collect in Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Arlathan Forest

East of the Tevinter city of Ventus, lies the mysterious Arlathan Forest, shrouded in intrigue. Once the dwelling place of the illustrious lost city of Arlathan, the remarkable capital of the ancient elven empire of Elvhenan. The downfall of Elvhenan presented an opportune moment for the ruthless Tevinter to conquer the elven stronghold and enslave its inhabitants. Legend has it that the Tevinter Magisters consigned the city to the depths of the earth. Throughout the ages, the forest has been tacitly believed to be haunted, yet recent times have seen a surge in activity, with ancient elven enchantments and nightmarish creatures awakening from their prolonged slumber.

Vyrantium

Ventus

Renowned as the elegant counterpart to Minrathous, Vyrantium stands as a prominent metropolis in Eastern Tevinter, lauded for its thriving fashion and textile industries. This bustling city also houses a Circle of Maji, adding to its mystique. Legend has it that within its borders, Calpurnia, a priestess devoted to the Old God Dumat, discovered an abandoned Tevinter Prince Darinius serendipitously drifting in a floating basket. While the exact circumstances are unclear, Vyrantium's struggles continue as it remains besieged by the Qunari during the events depicted in the comic series Dragon Age: The Missing, and it is likely that these turmoils persist in the upcoming installment, Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

Formerly known as Qarinus, Ventus is a prominent city located along the northeastern coast of the Tevinter Imperium. Situated just to the west of the Arlathan Forest, Ventus holds historical significance as it once served as the capital of the ancient human kingdom of Qarinus. Remarkably, the city predates the establishment of the Tevinter Imperium by a staggering 1,700 years. A pivotal moment in history occurred approximately 2,000 years prior to the events of Dragon Age, when King Darinius of Tevinter and Queen Rathana of Qarinus sealed the union of northern Thedas by their marriage, thus solidifying the foundation of the Tevinter Imperium.

Ventus holds significant strategic value due to its close proximity to the contentious island of Seheron. As depicted in the book Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, the city was recently captured by the Qunari forces. Subsequently, the Qunari coerced the mages of Ventus into ingesting substantial amounts of a substance known as Qamek, resulting in a functional form of lobotomy.

Neromenian

Similar to Ventus, Neromenian was once the center of its own kingdom. It served as the initial throne for the future Archon Darinius, who took on the role of king after his predecessor's demise without leaving an heir. The city is notorious for its inclement weather, consistently shrouded in overcast skies and frequently experiencing storms originating from the nearby Nocen Sea. As described in the Comic Dragon Age: Dark Fortress, the Qunari conquered Neromenian a few years following the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition, mercilessly slaying every adult resident in the process.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is in development.