RARA AVIS

A visual guide to the Dragon Age fanfiction story Rara Avis on AO3.    https://archiveofourown.org/works/13573449/chapters/31152342

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The Deep Roads

The Deep Roads once linked the thaigs with one another and to the surface. These subterranean highways were works of unparalleled artisan achievement, with centuries of planning and engineering demonstrated in the geometry of their walls. Statues of the Paragons watched over passing travelers, and channels carried a flow of magma that kept the Deep Roads lit and warm.

According to ritual, a Grey Warden who hears the Calling celebrates as they see fit before descending underground and entering the Deep Roads to slay as many darkspawn as they can before being overwhelmed and killed. Many within the Order believe that this ritual is done for practical reasons, to take down as many enemies as a Grey Warden can before dying.

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The State Dinner

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The Hospitality of Orzammar

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Welcome to Orzammar

[illusivesoul]

"Welcome to Orzammar"

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Orzammar

Orzammar is a great thaig and one of the two remaining dwarven kingdoms in Thedas. An underground metropolis, the thaig is located deep beneath the Frostback Mountains and was once the capital of the dwarven empire.

According to legend, the thaig's name derives from one of the seven brothers who founded the dwarven empire. Orzammar dug the mines that would become the foundation of the city that bears his name. His descendants formed the Mining caste.

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The Hall of the Dwarven King

Chapter 36, in which the Inquisition matches wits with King Bhelen Aeducan's court and Berta learns more about Blackwall and the Grey Wardens.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13573449/chapters/177969421

Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best. -Edward Abbey Musical Accompaniment: “The Feast” - Klaus Pfreudner ‟The Nature of Daylight” - Max Richter

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Darkspawn

The darkspawn are a race of humanoid tainted creatures that dwell in the underground of Thedas. They are believed to be soulless. When led by an archdemon, they swarm to the surface world causing a Blight. The darkspawn are perhaps the single greatest threat to all of Thedas; they are bloodthirsty, exceptionally numerous and willing to indiscriminately kill or corrupt all in their path. The Grey Wardens are sworn to defend against darkspawn, in all their forms.

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Gherlen Pass

Gherlen's Pass in the Frostback Mountains leads to the gates of the dwarven city of Orzammar. Gherlen's Pass is the only safe route to cross the Frostback Mountains for year-round travel, unlike the more treacherous Sulcher's Pass.

As Orzammar doesn't allow most traders inside the dwarven city, a lawless trading hub the size of a small town has sprung up outside the gates of Orzammar.

[millenari]

do you ever re-read your own wips like 'damn the bitch that wrote this oughta finish it'

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All the damn time…

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Leaving Skyhold in Winter

Fresh snow has fallen in the valley below Skyhold.

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Gherlen Pass

Chapter 35, in which the entire frickin' Inquisition heads to Halamshiral by way of Orzammar. Everything is fine.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

-Lewis B. Smedes

Musical Accompaniment:

"Dark Creature" - Veigar Margeirsson

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The Screaming-Man-Eater

Hunting a va'unt (colloquially known as a screaming-man-eater) is a holy rite of passage for young Avvar hunters.

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The First Mages' Wedding

My Inquisitor has freed the mages and now they're free to marry!

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Tutoring the Inquisitor

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A Gift from Duke Cyril

So Duke Cyril de Montfort gave my Inquisitor a picture book of Orlesian watercolors as a not-so-subtle dig at both her inability to read and her "wild" Dalish heritage. I am imagining a book of vapid Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light, style pictures.

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Medicating the Commander

My favorite comment elicited by this scene:

“cullen is so whipped”