The Anderfels

This is a blog dedicated to the Anderfels, a fictional nation in Dragon Age. We post meta, headcanons, fanarts, playlists and whatever else the fandom may produce related to this wonderful wasteland. // If you want to contribute something to the blog, or talk meta with us, you cn do so via ask or submission.

[dragonologist-phd]

Countries of Thedas: Anderfels

The Anderfels are a land of shocking extremes. It is the most desolate place in all the world, for two Blights have left great expanses of the steppes so completely devoid of life that corpses cannot even decay there—no insect or grub will ever reach them.

[dalishious]

I just read something, by a fan who's not white, about Anders also not being white. They only said it in passing so I don't know the reasoning. I'd totally believe it, I've just never heard anyone say that before. Are most people from the Anderfels POC?

We know very little about the Anderfels and the people, unfortunately. But BioWare does like to add little throwaway info that always makes me go “WAIT GO BACK WHAT.” Their talk of the Orth and Voshai peoples, for example.

The Orth are a nomadic tribe one could compare to the Chasind and Avvar in Ferelden. Some time ago, the Anderfels wasknown as the Orthlands, and its people the Orth. But after being conquered and the land colonized multiple times by both Tevinter and Orlais, only in the Wandering Hills willyou find people who are still referred as such. Not much is known of the Orth,as they are a solitary people, living far out in the deserts that most deem unsurvivable. But they have adapted. They practice scarification of their faces, and they are the ones who first formed an alliance with griffons–it was they who taught the Grey Wardens how to ride them in battle. (Info from the RPG book.)

And here is a picture of an Orth warden named Kilina, also in the book:

One could draw the conclusion that based on the very little knowledge we have and the single image provided, that they are nonwhite.

The Voshai came from across the Volca Sea, trading spices for lyirum. The traders mysteriously disappeared for a while, and returned permanently after a “massive cataclysm” in their homeland. We really don’t know a lot about them.

There are more undisclosed peoples as well. Because again, we know jack shit really about the Anderfels. :/

Thedas’ geographical layout being that north is more towards the equator. Laidlaw saying that Nevarra has a larger nonwhite population because of this, one can deduct the same for the Anderfels and Tevinter, (also evidenced by most Tevinter citizens we’ve seen being visibly nonwhite, too.)

The Anderfels looks like this:

Finally, I think it’s important to consider the Anderfels’ history of colonization when talking about its populous. As mentioned above, the Anderfels has been under Tevinter and Orlesian control.Between breaking away and being reconquered, Tevinter owned the Anderfels for 539 years, plus the undisclosed amount of time while it was originally considered part of Tevinter. (When the humans first settled in Thedas, until it broke away in -695 Ancient, then was reconquered in -535 Ancient.)Then under the pretense of helping with the Blight, Orlais invaded and conquered the Anderfels in 1:33 Divine. So began the practically overnight conversion to the Orlesian Chantry, that still lasts today; in Hossberg (the capitol) it is punishable by death to speak against the Chantry. So while Orlesian control was short-lived, (the Anderfels once again broke free in 1:65 Divine,) they made a very lasting impact.And so, I think it’s safe to say that there are a number of people with Neromenian ancestry and Ciriane ancestry living in the Anderfels as well. While the Orlesian occupation was much shorter lived, let me tell you that I am 100% certain that such a strong and swift conversion to a new religion was forced with boat loads wagon loads of colonizers to enforce it. And while I believe there would be citizens who do not believe, said citizens would either steer clear of the capitol, and/or live in religious secrecy and oppression…

So, with all that, to answer your question, I would say yes. And could Anders be a MOC? It’s certainly possible. 

[milkywayan]

I HC that in the Anderfels, they all have very heavy accents depending on the regions they come from

Because the thought of some Anders with a heavy viennese dialect is just far too amusing

[anderfels-headcanons]

Submission: Headcanons for the Ander elves:

@fleshwerks submitted the following headcanons via fanmail, to this blog. To be able to post them properly, I copy/pasted these into a normal post. If any of you want to send in headcanons for anything Anderfels, you are as usual very welcomed. Please send in your submissions, via the submit-box.

They were never Dalish. When the Tevinter descended upon them they retreated to the Hunterhorns, waging guerrilla war against the invaders. They only descended again when Anderfels was reinstated as an independent nation. 2) The days are very hot, the nights are very cold. only the riverside areas in the East are arable. They’re the bread basket of Anderfels. 3) Anderfels also supplies the rather barren North-Western Orlais with grain. However, when seasons fail and plague takes the crops, both Anderfels and North-Western Orlais suffer. 

5) It is faith that kees people strong. There are Andrastian influences even among resident elves: where there once was a pantheon, spirit worship took their place. But when the Blight came, one or two of the former elven Creators was merged with the Maker. It is easier to pray to a single benevolent entity than to try and please numerous fickle spirits when people are dying of starvation and disease. 6) Anderfels is known for their light but strangely insulating fabrics. Gossamer wool, brushed leather that is thin but amazingly insulating. 7) halla have retreated to the mountains. Small, sturdy creatures with ample wool and twisted horns who can scale almost vertical walls with elven riders on their backs. These elves have not come down from the Hunterhorns before the Veil was cast over Thedas. Their halla look nothing like the lithe, fragile creatures of the plains. 7) (or is it 8?) the First Warden is planning a coup. The monarchy of Anderfels is already standing on clay feet: easy prey for Weisshaupt, though Warden bastions across Thedas protest, because Grey Wardens are supposed to be apolitical.

[fleshwerks-deactivated20191021]

Helai elves of the Anderfels: Clan Taralind, vol. 2 as suggested by  @gazzub vol. 1 is right here.

[anderfels-headcanons]

@geekysnorlax

I received your message. Right now is a bit hectic for me and i’m struggling with a tendonitis, but I will try to write some theories about that over the course of next week. Just be a little patient, pls.

- The Mod

[noblenoriega-deactivated2020042]

supposed Anderfels circle tower

[secretlydeliciousexpert]

DA + Aesthetics - Anderfels

[secretlydeliciousexpert]

DA + Aesthetics - Anderfels

[fleshwerks-deactivated20191021]

Clan Taralind // Anderfels

The horselords of the Blighted steppes, Path-shatterers, the Arlathan exiles, the horde of Helai.

[ferdinand-genitivi]

Codex Entry: Absolution

Antiva doesn’t have a monopoly on assassins. The bleak Anderfels have produced some of the most ruthless killers in the world, and in the capitol of Hossberg, there are never fewer than ten in the service of their king. They served only the king, and the politics of the Anderfels are a brutal affair. Among the pious, the most dangerous thing a man can do is disgrace himself, for the king sends his killers not for those who plot to overthrow him, but for those who break the Maker’s laws and fall into sin and decadence. In the Anders, this is called absolution, not assassination. Death is the sinner’s act of penance. 

—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

[thelawofsurprise]

if u a man from the Anderfels are u an Anderfella

[dalishious]

Your take on a Dalish clan living in the Anderfels?

Some headcanons I guess!

It’s canon that the Dalish are very knowledgeable with herbalism, and can even stave off the taint. This of course first came from Dalish clans of the Anderfels, and they have perfected it. Rumours say one can even live many years off their remedy. They also have ways of preventing it when crossing tainted lands.

Generally speaking, fabric work would be quite colourful with distinct patterns that vary from tribe to tribe. Humans would probably mistake these designs as having no significance/distinction.

You’d see a lot of adobe use.

The whole no shoes thing is just not an option. Not when they live on such rocky and hot sandy terrain. 

They know where to find resources where humans consider a bleak and desolate waste.

The design of their arevels are greatly different from those seen elsewhere in Thedas, with a lack of sails in favour of coverings; protection from the sun and most importantly, spontaneous dust storms. 

They have a somewhat tense but respectful relationship with the Orth people of the Wandering Hills. 

It is not humans nor seasons that is the biggest influence in relocation, but the constant threat of darkspawn.

That being said, with the Chantry’s extreme influence they know better than to get too close to any human settlement. (It’s canon that in Hossberg not worshipping the Maker is punishable by death.)

Any Dalish of the Anderfels will tell you that griffons never went extinct.

Also: I love @clanabersheral​ and I think there would be a few similarities given geography.   

[ye-lost-bard]

Which area of Thedas would that fit?

[anderfels-headcanons]

Although it’s called "Riding the waves" and there are a few distinct sound-effects that resemble water-drops, I kind of connect this song with the desert-regions in the Anderfels. The area is completely wasted due to the two Blights that have wrecked the land in the past. The sun’s burning unforgiving and no trees to offer shadow in which one could rest. Not that you would want to rest here. The land is still highly infestested with darkspawn and unless you’re within the protecting city walls of Ander towns or at least among a big group of the honrable Grey Wardens, you should hurry to leave this Maker-forsaken place behind you, lest you want to become prey to the roaming darkaspawn. The people singing in the background are the Orth people, a folk of stoic men and women, who express their religious beliefs by scarrificating their faces in artful ways. These nomadic natives of the Anderfels, do not fear the darkspawn and if one hears their songs carrying through the night, one should feel overjoyed, for it means one of their settlements is nearby and offers shelter and protection from the blight and all the other dangers the Ander desert hosts.

Hurry lone wanderer! The Orth will greet you with hospitality.

Hurry, befre the darkspawn outrun you!

[treats-of-thedas]

A Guide to Ander Food

Don’t expect fine dining in the Anderfels. The place is miserable. Hot desert, freezing nights, lack of shade, dust storms and darkspawn reign in the area. Grey Wardens stalk the place, killing the endless hoards of darkspawn and keeping “order.” Some of these towns might do well to rid themselves of the Wardens’ influence, but that’s neither here nor there, if you ask me.

Hossberg is the capital, and like any sensible city, they are built on a river. The Lattenfluss runs across the region, providing water to the cities and to the many animals that sustain the people’s appetite. The Ferelden druffalo has no place here. Rather, herds of shaggy camels provide the majority of the meat, milk, mount and hide for the Anders.

What few vegetables there are grow near the Lattenfluss, and they are usually preserved, pickled and cured before stored for the leaner times, or shipped to market. Every year, before the rains come and the season turns to bitter cold, people from all over the Anderfels make the long journey to the river. They buy, barter and trade for vegetables, and whole town’s worth of people will gather together to slice and salt their wares for preservation. This festival has close ties with the Chantry, with sisters gathering to bless the harvest in the name of Andraste.

Small, hard cabbages grow along the banks. These are the most hardy of the leafy vegetables that the Anders eat. The leaves are thick and tough, and usually shredded, salted and fermented. Long and thin onions grow as well. In the spring, half the onions are harvested and pickled while young. The rest are allowed to mature. Lange Aria is related to Vandal Aria. It has a much longer base root, (hence the name, long) and is inedible raw. It must be cooked, and the softened root is used like the Fereldens use potatoes. They mash it, or slice it and serve with camel butter. The flavor is unique, and some might say, acquired.

Mustard grows well throughout the Anderfels. Out in the desert oases, short and scrubby mustard thrives. The greens are stewed, and the seeds pounded into a variety of spreadable pastes. Whole seed mustard is the most common, often sharpened with the tang of pickle brine. Sweet and hot grain mustard is considered Hossberg style, and sharp and pungent mustard is more common in the rural desert area.

Butter and cheese are all made from camel or horse milk, as cows and druffalo do not do well in the harsh land of the Anderfels. They don’t drink the milk plain. Rather, it is turned into thick yogurt, or fermented like beer. It is not a strong drink; only the most strict of teetotalers would find himself under the influence of it. It is so mild, Ander children drink it in the morning. Much of the milk is turned into various types of cheese. Soft cheeses are common along the banks of the Lattenfluss, but out in the desert wilds, hard cheeses are packed in brine and eaten sparingly.

Hossberg has the most varied food, especially as diplomats and visitors bring special food and ingredients that would not be found otherwise. The Anders of Hossberg have a mad sweet tooth and will pay obscene sums for the smallest amount of sugar. They bring it in from Rivain and Tevinter, importing it more than any other foodstuff. Keeping bees for honey is also wildly popular. Most homes in Hossberg have a hive and garden.

One item that has never taken root in the Anderfels are spices and herbs. Mustard is the most common, with salt and garlic taking a distant second. It is true that most Anders will blanch at the idea of eating spiced food, more that even the Fereldens. If you host an Ander for dinner, be sure to serve plenty of milk and plain bread, so they do not cry at their first taste of black pepper.

The most famous dish of Hossberg is camel or horse meat, stewed for a long time with wild onions and mustard seeds. The favorite pastry is a dough, similar to pie dough, fried in camel fat and then drizzled with honey syrup or tossed in sugar. Small vendors on the street will sell reed baskets of these treats, best eaten hot.

Rural villages all have their specialties. One such is the same dish as above, only packed in pastry and deep fried. It is rich, but they keep very well and are nourishing if you must trek through the desert. One small village I visited had these fried pies filled with stewed horse ribs and sour pickles. They were a delight, and the charming woman working in her underground kitchen was more than happy to send me away with a few extra.

Nevarran flat bread has entered the Anderfels, but only along its southern border. There you’ll find dishes similar to Nevarran meals, as the influence there is strong. The Anders, of course, don’t use anywhere near the same amount of herbs and spices, as the Ander palette seems incapable of handling anything beyond a pinch of black pepper.

Should you find yourself in the Anderfels, gifts of sugar, chocolates and Orlesian cakes will be welcomed fondly. Do eat everything given to you, as the Anders are quite proud of their ability to work with very little. And do be sure to thank them in the name of Andraste, as piety is one of the national traits.

Just try to not die of the Blight while you’re there.

[orsino]

da keep lore + countries

-i’m surprised to see ferelden described as “primitive,” since culturally it seems to be at a similar level to other nations. and how do they define “civilizing,” anyway?

-the anderfels officially scares me. i don’t think i want to find out what they mean by “sinful debauchery.” and what happens if you’re a non-andrastian warden? nothing good, i’m sure.

-we need to know more about rivain. what kind of pantheism? how does the matriarchal structure work? and what on earth are the goods that would never be sold in conventional shops…

-who are the fog warriors? there’s a lack of lore about them, and considering thedas’s complicated racial interactions, i’d like to know more. i had thought they were qunari, but apparently not.

[brother-sebastian-vael]

Help wanted for anti-anon-hate blog

[EDIT] Something went wrong with the url. SO I had to change it. Fixed the wrong urls in the post. If you have already reblogged the post with the wrong url, pls delete it and reblog this post, to avoid confusions. Thank you! 

SO~. I would like to do a little project, to make the Dragon Age roleplay-community a little safer, or at least a little happier. (I’m not doing it for the general roleplay community on tumblr, because I only know stuff about DARP, but you’re all free to copy my idea for your own RP-comm. =3) But I will need help with that. Lots of help probably.

The plan is to create a blog, that outweighs anon haters in the community.

If people in DARP receive spiteful anons, or see their friends struggling with spiteful anons, they should be able to go to this blog in need of help and support. To make this blog a fast-reacting emergency go-to, it needs to be “(wo)manned” 24/7. SO I need a lot of Co-Mods preferably from different timelines, who are willing to check the blog’s messages and react in time without hesitation, or personal prejudices/grudges.

The blog in question can be found here: [x]

(It is still under construction, but I won’t be able to properly start it, before I gathered enough Co-Mods)

How will this blog work?

There will be a few Info-guides about how to deal with anon-hate and the overall pschological and social background of anon-hate. So people, who are just unsure about what to do, can read those, as well, as inform their friends about these helps.

The inbox will be like an emergency line for anon-hate. If someone is receiving spiteful anons, they cannot deal with, or someone witnesses their friend receiving spiteful anons, they can contact the blog, by leaving the url of the attacked blog in the ask-box, as well as quick infos about the anon-hate.

The Mod reacting to the emergency-call will have to decide individually, how to react. Whether it would be useful to send uplifting anon, to outweigh the hate, or if it would be better to openly talk to the user of the attacked blog, to give them support and discuss with them, what to do next.

This blog will not do call-outs, nor will it exclude any blog from our help-line, just because a mod had trouble with them/doesn’t like them/they’ve done something harmful in the past.

It is important to remain absolutely unjudgemental on this blog, because the overall purpose of it, is to stop the vicious cicles of anon-hate and aggression within the DARP-comm, before it outbreaks and harms those, who cannot fight back.

How can you help this blog? What do you need to partake as a co-mod?

CO-mods require the following “qualifications”

The will to help and support strangers in trouble

The ability to react in a friendly and sensitive way, without loosing professionalism (Help-Line-Skills)

The will and ability to react on time

The blog is searching for co-mods from all various kinds of timelines

You do not need to be online 24/7 to be able to partake. But you should be usually able to watch the “line” at least 2 or 3 hours, 5 days per week

You must refrain from being judgemental will working on the blog (What you do on your own blog, is none of my bussiness)

You must be fluent enough in English to communicate in an understandable way

How can outsiders help the blog?

Keep an eye out for your friends

React immediatly, if you see anon-hate

advice the attacked blog to block/delete the next anon-hate instead of answering

send our blog a quick note with the url of the attacked blog, short info about the anon-hate and about thebog that’s being attacked

Don’t start “attacking back”!!! Always be supportive and helpful towards the attacked blog, but try not to provokate any more hatred, by throwing around spiteful stuff of your own.

How can you apply for being a Co-Mod of this blog?

Simply write the blog a message with your wish to be a Co-Mod

I will then try to contact you, via tumblr-chat system to ask you further questions. So make sure, your chat is available for outsiders and I am not a blocked blog on your blog.

Once all questions have been answered, I will need an email-adress from you, over which I can invite you to the blog

If you accept the invitation-email, you automatically added to the blogs Mod-list with the tumblr-url you’ve been logged in with

By accepting the invitation you accept the aforementioned rules and requirements

If you feel like, you cannot work as a Co-Mod for the blog for a restricted period of time, let me know, so that I can inform the rest of the Mods.

If you feel, like you cannot work as a Co-Mod for the blog anymore at all, let me know and I will delete your blog from the blog’s Mod-list