honestly I absolutely love the Avvar in Jaws of Hakkon. How they worship the gods, how they view the world around them, how accepting they are and just how interesting they are too. I absolutely despise how the Inquisitor and Companions make commentary as if they're stupid or wrong in their beliefs, or that they're "just crazy people who worship spirits".
The dialogue you don't choose or even the ones you do are on the line of condescending, and it's frankly insulting, especially that all options on the dialogue wheel fall on that line.
the Avvar are so fucking cool, I hate we only get a DLC with them. (I also miss the Chasind - I wish they weren't forgotten or left in the dirt by BioWare :( )
Part 1 of the Master Post Series as it is much too long for one post on Tumblr. Find Part 2 here.
I originally posted this on my old blog, an updated version here, and now with the release of Veilguard, I have to split the master post.
Like the original, this is still a very long post that contains all canonical desserts, dishes, drinks, and sauces. Unlike the original, I could not list canonically suggested food and ingredients, nor every codex, item, letter, ect in the sources.
Disclaimer
Though real life plants may be listed here as edible it is for fictional use only. This is not intended to be used as a reference nor guide for what plants are edible or safe to eat. Please do not use it as such.
Dishes
Breads
Bark Bread
Biscuit
Whole Grain Biscuit - Commonly made in Chantry cloisters. A staple in their simple diets.
Bark bread – a suggested alternative to black lichen bread should one be worried about the toxicity of black lichen.
Black Bread
Braided Honey and Date Bread (Anderfels)
Breadstick - some varieties have rosemary
Brown Bread
Robust loaf - a crusty loaf of brown bread
Buns
Butter Puff - Bread made by folding butter into the dough allowing it to become puffy and softer than usual bread. (Orlais)
Crumpet
Dark Bread
Dried Bread
Flat Bread - A no-rise bread.
Nevarran flatbread - Served with dip, brushed in oil, and/or as a side.
Rivaini flatbread
Honey Loaf
Lichen Bread - Bread that is made using lichen. (Orzammar)
Black Lichen Bread
Peasant Bread - Comprised of wheat, grease, and salt in equal measure, made by Dalish and city elves in Orlais. They top it with butter, jam, and sometimes sugar. (Elves - Orlais)
Pumpkin bread - A favorite of Dorian Pavus (Tevinter)
Raider Queen’s Bread of Many Tongues - Created by the Raider Queen, this bread calls for flour, baking powder, salt, butter, brown sugar, molasses, eggs, bananas. The creator calls for Par Vollen bananas but another version of the recipe says Rivaini bananas are an acceptable replacement. (Rivain)
Rolls
Bread Roll
Sweet Rolls
Ryott Bread - Made of a protein rich grain called ryott. (Ferelden, Chasind)
Sweet Bread
Thin Bread - A thin bread used to make wraps in Seheron.
Whole Grain Bread - Another staple made in Chantry cloisters.
Wraps - Described as "soft" bread.
Appetizers, Starters, and Refreshments
Blood Orange Salad - a salad of bitter greens with blood orange slices served on top. (Nevarra)
Canapé - a type of hors d'œuvre.
Couscous Salad - A salad comprised of couscous with many varieties, one such variety includes red bell peppers and mint. (Rivain)
Crab Cakes - a classic dish in Kirkwall. (Kirkwall)
Dried Bread and Fruit
Eggs à la Val Foret - An egg dish served with a cream sauce. (Orlais)
Fluffy Mackerel Pudding - Celery, pepper, mackerel, diced onion, mustard, salt, Antivan pepper, ground mace, cardamom seed, eggs. Also known as Feast Day Fish (Ferelden)
Fried Crab Legs - A subsitute for the Orzammar dish of fried young giant spiders.
Fried young giant spiders - A common food in Orzammar, usually served with an alcohol-based sauce that varies with every establishment. (Orzammar)
Roasted Cave Beetles - Roasted whole and eaten out of the shell. (Orzammar)
Roasted Prawns - A substitute to cave beetles, said to have the same taste and texture.
Shredded Dried Meat and Cheese - A dish that is commonly used as a spread by the dwarves and used for lunches. (Orzammar)
Snails Dressed in Butter and Oil (Avvar)
Snails and Watercress Salad - A non-traditional dish inspired by Avvar cuisine featuring snails and watercress to appeal to lowlander pallets.
Stuffed Deep Mushrooms - A dish derived from various Orzammar deep mushroom delicacy. This Fereldan creation is stuffed with cheese and spinach. (Ferelden)
Rations, Tavern Fare, and Travel Food
Armada Special - a sandwich that comes with meat and cheese. For additional cost you can add more meat and cheese, greens, pineapple, or make it "Nevarran" meaning vegetarian. It has a long history in Rivain, and is a common food eaten by pirates when they come into port. (Rivain)
Beer Nuts (Kirkwall)
Bread and Cheese
Breaded cheese wands - can be served as bottomless options with Orlesian sauce on the side. (Rivain)
Bronto Steak (Dwarven/Rivain)
Carta fries - served as a side to bronto steak. (Rivain)
Chicken Wings - Sold in The Rusted Horn as ‘Wyvern Wings.’ (Ferelden)
Crow Feed - made of rice, butter, and onions. A cheap meal named after the Antivan Crows. (Antiva)
Deep Fried Fish
Hal's Fish - deep fried fish sold by Halos, it has a metallic taste to it and is paired with a sauce while served on newsprint. (Tevinter)
Zeff's fish - deep fried fish sold by Zeff, described as having the lightest batter and being served on parchment. (Tevinter)
Deep Road Crispers - comes in three flavours: mild, medium, and paragon. The type of meat is not specified. (Rivain)
Dried Foods
Dried Fruit
Dried Meats
Fereldan Hearty Scones - a scone filled with bacon and cheese, careful, a mabari might snag it. (Ferelden)
Fish Pockets - A meal of fish, crisp vegetables, spices, and a soft wrap. (Seheron)
Fish Wrap - Fish wrapped in thin bread (Seheron)
Fish of the Day with pear slaw (Tevinter)
Free Marches mash-up - an unspecified dish that can be made vegetarian. (Rivain)
Fried bread
Fried bread with herbs (Tevinter)
Fry-bread (Tevinter)
Greens with Dressing - can have chicken or beef added to it, or be made "full Dalish". It can be served with Antivan, Orlesian or house dressing, it is unclear if the dressings are actually from Antiva and Orlais. (Rivain)
The Hanged Man's Stew - The tavern’s featured dish, made with a different mystery meat every morning. (Kirkwall)
Jerky
Jerky Ball
Spiced Jerky – a travel ration used widely by various cultures in Thedas. It is used by Dalish hunters when away from camp on hunts.
Meat Skewers - A portable snack. A known Orlesian version of this snack is primarily eaten by nobles while out on hunts and are not interested in the hunt, made of meat, cheese, and wine-soaked fruit.
Mystery Sludge - a type of stew served at the Hanged Man, the days leftovers would be tossed in a pot and left to simmer overnight. It changed every day as new things were added, it was sold cheap. (Kirkwall)
Peanut Butter and Sausage Special (Tevinter)
Pickled Eggs - Eggs, sugar, salt, vinegar, and various spices and seasoning of the cooks preference. Favored in Ferelden and seen as a cure all. Served in nearly every Fereldan tavern. (Ferelden)
Pig Oat Mash - A constant dish on The Hanged Man menu, a popular hangover cure if washed down with brandy spiked cider. This warming porridge contains apples, dried salt pork or smoked bacon, dried rolled oats, berries, ale or water (Kirkwall)
Poison Stings - "Poison stings" is the colloquial name. Orange peels coated in chocolate, a crunchy yet chew texture that is both sweet and sour. A favored snack of Dorian Pavus when traveling from Tevinter to Ferelden. (Tevinter)
Pork Hand Pies with Fresh Herb Sauce (Tevinter)
Provisions
Antaam Provisions - used by Antaam soldiers on the march. (Qunari)
Field Provisions - nutritionally dense, deeply unappetizing.
Specialty Provisions - may contain meat, these rations are for the discerning traveler.
Rations - Typically consist of dried meat, nuts, and a variety of other simple foodstuffs.
Dry Ration
Grey Warden Pastry Pockets - A hand pie filled with meat and other foods. Olesian Grey Wardens put their own twist using Olesian puff pastry. (Anderfels/Orlais)
Hardtack
Qunari Ration
Sausage Sauced with Nut Butter Stuffed in a Bun (Tevinter)
Savory Pie with Spinach (Tevinter)
Sea Monster Kebab - can be made vegetarian. (Rivain)
Spiced Fried Lentils (Tevinter)
Stuffed Vine Leaves - Common tavern food in Tevinter, stuffed with rice, herbs, and sometimes minced meat. Can be topped with lemon juice or tzatziki sauce. (Tevinter)
Taste of Ferelden Bread and Cheese - a spread of bread and cheeses from Ferelden. Can be upgrade to have a full cheese wheel. (Rivain)
Treviso Energy Balls - Made of peanut butter, oats, and dried fruit, it is a famine food invented during the occupation of Treviso in the Qunari Wars/The New Exalted Marches. (Antiva)
Turnip and mutton pie – served in Fereldan taverns such as the Rusty Horn. They are common tavern fare and consist of turnips, chunks of lamb, and a buttery crust. (Ferelden)
Unidentified Meat - Despite it's ominous name, it's simply chicken legs. Sometimes served with Nevarran flat bread. (Tevinter)
Dips, Glazes, Gravy, and Sauces
Apples Stewed in Brandy Sauce
Applesauce
Antivan Dressing (Antiva)
Cherry Sauce
Cheese Sauce
Citrus bagna cauda - an anchovy and garlic sauce (Antiva)
Cream Sauce
Deep Mushroom Flavored Cream Sauce - Commonly served with seared nug. (Orzammar)
Dragon’s Blood Sauce (Nevarra)
Fresh Herb Sauce (Tevinter)
Gravy
Honey-glaze - A sauce used to glaze various foods, particularly meats. (Anderfels)
Hot Sauce
Llomerryn Red Sauce - A sauce that goes on almost everything, contains pulped tomatoes, onions, red pepper, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard powder, hot pepper powder, salt, cinnamon stick, allspice, cloves, fennel seeds, dill seeds, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, bay, garlic. (Rivain)
Mushrooms cooked in ale - One recommendation for this sauce is to be served over roasted nug.
Mushroom Sauce
Nesting Roast Gravy - Gravy made from the pan juices of a nesting roast. Meant to be served with the roast. (Orlais)
Plum Sauce
Red Wine Marinade
River-herring Gravy - a gravy as white as apple blossoms. (Orlais)
Special Sauce - A sauce infused with the essence of fifty-two herbs, prized for the ability to help with “inadequacy”. (Kirkwall)
Spider Leg Sauce - a variety of alcohol-based sauces unique to each Orzammar establishment, meant to be paired with fried young giant spider legs. (Orzammar)
Toffee Sauce - served as a topping on sweets (Tevinter)
Tzatziki Sauce - Served with stuffed vine leaves. (Tevinter)
Wild Flower Glaze - A honeyed glaze made of wild flowers, it is recommended to use flowers plucked at dawn and the lowest blossoms. (Anderfels)
Yogurt Dip - Often served with flat bread (Nevarra)
Soups and Stews
Antivan seafood soup - a soup that comprises of sea bass, nocen shrimp, striped cod, squid, saffron, and salt.
Barley Soup
Blood Soup - Merrill is credited with the creation of this creamy beetroot soup, it is topped with roasted chickpeas. (Dalish)
Butter Soup - A simple, inexpensive, and easy soup. Made as midmorning meals or midday refresher for field workers. It is commonly fed to children and convalescents due to its nutritious nature. Ingredients include water, potatoes, cinnamon, star anise, clove, bay, peppercorns, salt, noodles, cream, butter (Orlais)
Cabbage Stew (Ferelden)
Dalish Seafood Soup
Deepstalker Stew - A stew of deepstalker is made when rations run low. (Legion of the Dead)
Denerim-rabbit Stew - Made with rat (City Elf)
Enchantment Soup - Made by Sandal, edibility unknown.
Hearty Chum - a stew made with fish heads, served in lands of the Qun and Rivain (Qunari)
Lamb and Pea Stew - a stew comprised of lamb and peas. It is considered to be a hearty and humble dish, and is so common in Ferelden that it is seen as being almost synonymous with the nation. Alistair has his own version of this soup. (Ferelden)
Lentil Soup - A universal soup, with lentils being common in every Thedosian pantry. Is eaten both in and outside of alienages.
Mutton Stew (Ferelden)
Mystery Stew
Nettle Soup
Norbotten Fruit Stew - This dish is used to rehydrate dried fruits: dried apricots, pitted prunes, raisins, mixed dried fruits (cherries, apples, cranberries, etc), lemon or orange, cinnamon, cloves, water, sugar or honey, brandy. (Anderfels)
Pea Soup (Ferelden)
Potato Stew (Fereden)
Ram Stew (Ferelden)
Sauced Eels (Qunari)
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup (Ferelden)
Turnip Stew (Ferelden)
Turnip-Goat Stew (Ferelden)
Wild Rabbit Stew
Main Course
Alamarri Pickled Krone - Krone, Brine, (optional) pine pitch and druffalo dung.
Apple cheesy butter noodles - a dish made by Harding that comprised of noodles cooked with butter and salt, diced or baked sliced apples or applesauce, and grated cheese. The apples are layered on top of the noodles, topped with cheese and then baked in the oven. (Ferelden)
Baked Fish - An Avvar cooking method where they wrap fish in pungent leaves and clay before cooking it in banked coals. (Avvar)
Baked Krone with Honey - The honey is typically used as a side sauce for dipping. (Fereldan)
Beans and Bread
Boiled Roots
Braised Nug with Elfroot (Dwarven)
Braised Ram with all the Trimmings (Ferelden)
Broiled Boar Head (Fereldan)
Bug-cakes (Dalish)
Cacio e pepe - A dish of three ingredients; spaghetti, pepper, and pecorino romano. (Antiva)
Cheese toast - toast in cheese sauce (Nevarra)
Dalish Deep Forest Comfort - String squashes, halla butter, garlic, mushrooms, elfroot or spinach, diced tomatoes or beetles, hot red pepper, rock salt, halla cheese or goat cheese, edible wildflowers (borage, chicory, etc), pine nuts. (Dalish, Southern Orlais)
Dumplings
Apple Dumplings - made by Harding's mother. (Ferelden)
Pork Dumplings
First Day Chicken - a dish served during First Day in some parts of Orlais. (Orlais)
Fish in Salt Crust - Cooked much liked the baked fish, instead of using clay, the fish is covered in salt and wrapped in pungent leaves before being cooked in banked coals. (Avvar)
Fried Fish
Pan-fried Fish - a favorite of Bellara's.
Fried Mush (Orzammar)
Fried leeks and potatoes
Gilded Swan with River-herring Gravy - An eastern spice, flour, gold leaf, river herring, swan, yolk. (Orlais)
Glazed Krone (Ferelden)
Gnocchi (Antiva)
Goat Custard - A broiled goat head, not to be confused with the dessert. (Ferelden)
Gravy on Fish (Tevinter)
Griddle Cake - can be topped with strawberries (Anderfels)
Grilled Halla (Dalish)
Grilled Poussin - Grilled chicken, typically a younger chicken. (Chasind)
Grilled Skewered Squid - served with tentacle salad and orange slices. (Tevinter)
Grilled Treviso with Citrus Bagna Cauda - features a fish named after the city covered in a citrus, garlic, and anchovy sauce. (Antiva)
Gruel - The Grey Wardens serve this cold at Weisshuapt according to Davrin.
Halla Cakes (Dalish)
Ham
Anderfels Smoked Ham – this ham is said to taste of despair, though this is only rumor or on word of the importers. One glaze for this ham is made of apricots and apples.
Avvar Ham
Ham and Herbs
Ham Stuck with Cloves
The Jade Ham - Honeyed with wild flowers (especially those picked at dawn), masterfully seasoned, and spiral-cut. Not considered edible but better used as a weapon. (Anderfels)
Jellied Ham
Orlesian Ham
Seleny Ham (Antiva)
Smoked Ham
Treviso Ham (Antiva)
Herbed Chicken and Biscuits (Ferelden)
Jellied Meats
Jellied Pigs Feet - A delicacy in the Free Marches and originally a popular commoner food that has risen to the tables of nobility. Pigs feet and/or pork hocks, salt, onions, garlic, allspice, peppercorns, bay. (Free Marches)
Veal Galentine (Orlais)
Khachapuri - one variety of this dish has three cheeses (Tevinter)
Liver
Lutefisk
Meat Pies
Dove Pie - A pie made with live doves, for the theater of the meal. (Orlais)
Nug Bacon and Egg Pie (Ferelden)
Pigeon Pie
Pork Pie
Starkhaven Fish and Egg Pie - Fish from the Minanter River (carp, trout, or others), wine, onion, carrot, thyme, bay, sea salt, dried currants, sliced almonds, boiled sliced eggs, butter, flour, fish broth, milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cream, fried whitebait or other small fish. (Starkhaven)
Unmentionable Pie - It is a meat pie that uses the typically undesirable parts of an animal. (Ferelden)
Venison Pasty - A hand pie filled with venison. In Serault, it is served with curls of goat cheese. (Orlais)
Nesting Roast - This dish is classically made with a quail stuffed in a pheasant stuffed in a swan. Served with gravy made from the pan juices. (Orlais)
Mad Burnard’s Gift of Flesh - A nesting roast unlike any other, involving a whole wyvern, stuffed with a whole gurn, stuffed with a horse, stuffed with a large halla (horns and all), stuffed with a swan, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a quail, stuffed with a bunting that choked on a gold piece. (Orlais)
Noodles
Noodles with Gravy (Tevinter)
Rolled Noodles
Nug-gets (Orzammar)
Nug-loaf (Orzammar)
Nug-Nug - A dish meant to resemble a nug peeking from its burrow; made of ground meat (beef preferred), parsley, egg, salt, crushed cumin or mustard seeds, black pepper, cooked rice, tomatoes, onions, chives (Orlais)
Oysters
Fresh oyster - can be served with Llomeryn red sauce
Oyster platter - served on ice with lemon and mint, the pearls have been removed. (Tevinter)
Paella – an Antivan dish made with rice, saffron and various types ingredients.
Non-seafood paella - a variation made without seafood. (Antiva)
Seafood paella - a variation made with different types of seafood, such as shrimp, cuttlefish, and mussels. (Antiva)
Pancake - The breakfast food and savory dishes.
Crepes - A very thin pancake that can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients. (Orlais)
Hearth Cakes - Described as a common fare where they are baked on an iron griddle. They are made with halla butter (can be subbed for goat or cow butter), flour, hardwood ash (can be replaced with baking powder), cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sugar, mixed dried fruit (like cranberries, raisins, and currants), an egg, and milk. Described as baeing crispy and flaky on the outside, but remains moist on the inside. They are grilled on one side and then are flipped over, ensuring they are all crisp and bown. (Dalish)
Nug Pancakes - A savory pancake made with nug. A favorite among dwarven children. (Orzammar)
Pasta
Crustacean pasta - a trio of poached crustaceans or scorpions on a bed of lightly dressed noodles topped with fresh herbs and sliced peppers. (Tevinter)
Demon-haired pasta (Antiva)
Pasta made of peppers and oils - a Harding creation
Porridge
Bland Porridge
Cider Porridge
Deer Porridge - A savory porridge served with deer.
Porridge with Raisins
Savory Porridge - Served with meat, vegatables, or spices.
Savory Porridge - served with apricots and currants.
Poutine - made of cheese curds, gravy, and potato fries.
Pudding - A sweet or savory, steamed dish that can be topped with gravy or chocolate.
Rack of Ribs (Ferelden)
Ram Chops (Ferelden)
Ram Cutlet (Ferelden)
Rice and Boiled Vegetables (Tevinter)
Roast
Gurgut Roast with Lowlander Spices and Mushroom Sauce (Avvar)
Roast Boar - One cooking method involves the boar being stuffed with apples (Ferelden and Orlais). Another has it served with a side of candied yams.
Roast Chicken
Roast Duck
Roast Hog
Roast Lamb
Roast Turkey - Common in the Free Marches, especially among Starkhaven nobility, as well as the Chasind.
Roast Wyvern - Common with the Avvar and Orlais.
Roasted Cave Beetle (Dwarven)
Roasted Giant Spider (Dwarven)
Roasted Nug (Orzammar)
Roasted Phoenix - One of the most infamous meals in Thedas, it is served with sweet red wine.
Roasted Rabbit
Roasted Venison with Wild Greens - The venison is seasoned with mint and pepper, served with wild greens and sweet pastries. Paired with wine to drink. (Ferelden)
Slow-roasted Nug-let (Orzammar)
Spit-roasted Deepstalker (Dwarven)
Spit-roasted Nug with Hot Sauce (Orzammar)
Roasted Cabbage
Roasted Cabbage with Gravy (Tevinter)
Salad
Roasted Chicken Salad
Salted Meat
Salt Pork
Salted Beef
Salted Dragon - a food that was once a more common food during the Orlesian highlands Hivernal festival.
Salted fish
Salted Goat
Salted Halla (Dalish)
Sandwich
Cucumber Sandwich
Ham Sandwich
Ham and jam slam - a sandwich comprised of buttered toast, ham, and jam. (Harding/Ferelden)
Yam and jam slam - a sandwich based on the ham and jam slam, a vegetarian option comprised of buttered toast, yam, and jam. (Harding/Ferelden)
Sausage - There are about twelve different kinds of sausage unnamed mentioned in Last Court.
Black Pudding - A type of blood sausage made from pork or beef blood, pork fat or beef sue, and a type of cereal. (Orlais)
Smoked Sausage
Spiced and Salted Sausage
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled Eggs with Gravy (Tevinter)
Seared Nug - Usually served with a deep mushroom cream sauce. (Orzammar)
Simmering Partridge - Cooked with sweet onions and pale beans (Orlais)
Smoked Meat
Smoked Boar
Smoked Fish
Smoked Trout
Smoked Rabbit
Smoked Venison
Soufflé
Venison Soufflé
Spiced Nug
Steak
Nug Steak (Orzammar)
Peppered Steak
Wyvern Steak (Orlais)
Stir-fry
Stuffed Cabbage - A seasoned cabbage head stuffed with meat.
Venison with Apples Stewed in Brandy Sauce
Wandering Hills - A delicacy made from large creatures of the same name. (Anderfels)
Wild meat with Mushrooms (Dalish)
Sides
Antivan Olives - Soaked in vinegar and stuffed with capers.
Boiled Turnip (Ferelden)
Brandy Soaked Cherries (Orzammar)
Candied Yams
Croutons
Fried Peppers (Rivain)
Fried Potatoes - Recommended to be served with Llomerryn red sauce.
Fries - can be potatoes, served as a side to streak.
Hard-boiled Egg
Honey Carrots - Most common in Orlais where it is traditionally sweeter compared to other places due to the use of honey.
Jarred Olives (Tevinter)
Jellied Eels (Ferelden)
Mashed Turnip (Ferelden)
Pear Slaw (Tevinter)
Peeled Grapes (Tevinter)
Pickled Foods
Pickled Apples
The Pickled Apples of Arlathan - Apples said to be from the time of Arlathan. The taste is described to be one of fresh apples, with the same crispness.
Pickled Fish
Pickled Lamprey
Pickled Nug
Pickled Ox Tongue
Pickled Vegetables
Pickles
Roasted Chestnuts (Nevarra)
Roasted Figs (Rivain)
Roasted Potatoes - Recommended to be served with Llomerryn red sauce.
Roasted Turnip (Ferelden)
Sera’s Yummy Corn
Smoked Bacon
Steamed Beans
Steamed Turnips (Ferelden)
Stir-fried Turnips (Ferelden)
Toast
Toasted Bread - Used for dipping in stews.
Toasted Chickpeas - Used as a topping for soups and salads, sometimes as a replacement for croutons.
Wine Soaked Fruit
Baked Goods, Desserts, and Sweets
Bread Pudding - Made with stale bread, eggs, milk or cream, and other ingredients varied by if it is savory or sweet (Ferelden)
Cake
Apple Cake (Ferelden)
Cake with Apples
Cake with Nutmeg
Chocolate Cake
Cupcakes
Cherry Cupcakes - Historically a common method used to poison people, often served in the theater. (Tevinter)
Found Cake - A chocolate cream cake topped with white frosting and strawberries (Ferelden)
Hazelnut torte - a hazelnut cake layered with apricot preserves and topped with chocolate icing. It contains eggs, flour, dark chocolate, baking powder, heavy cream, salt, sugar, hazelnut, apricot liqueur, and either rum, orange liqueur, or strong coffee. (Nevarra)
Hearth Cake - A pan-made cake; made of flour, hardwood ash or baking powder, halla butter, sugar, mixed dried fruit (currants, cranberries, etc), egg, milk. (Dalish)
Honey Cake (Orlais)
Lamprey Cake - contains no actual lampreys, it is modeled after the appearance of lamprey.
Lemon Cake
Petit Fours (Orlais)
The Exquisite Misery - A little cake topped with a dusting of anise, deep mushrooms, and gold dust. (Orlais)
Pound Cake
Round Cake - Often topped with poppyseed and honey. In Serault, they will sometimes have the antlers baked into the crust. (Orlais)
Sponge Cake (Orlais)
Sugar cake – made with strawberries and sugar-cream icing on a pound cake. Seen as great gifts and good pick-me-ups after long days of traveling, and are often served by merchants. (Ferelden)
Sugar cake – a cake which shares its name with other dishes. This recipe calls for a "humble" cake (rather than a pound cake) to be topped with butter, sugar and almonds. It is also seen as a great gift and as a good pick-me-up after traveling all day, and sold by merchants.
Sugar-drizzled Lemon Cake - A type of lemon cake that was used in Antivan Crow history to assassinate templars.
Sugarcake - A dense cake usually topped with powdered sugar.
Sweet Cake
Wedding Cake
Candy
Black Licorice Candy - Can be salted. (Tevinter)
Bon-bons
Candied Almonds
Candied Fruit
Candy Apple (Ferelden)
Candied Dates (Tevinter)
Candied Sage Leaves - A popular treat in Nevarra.
Candy Cane
Carastian Candy - A candied chocolate. (Tevinter)
Peppermints
Spun Sugar (Ferelden)
Sweetmeat - A confectionery treat, sometimes candy coated fruit.
Toffee
Unnamed Candied Nuts with Spice - A candy that is sweet until swallowed, then they leave a spicy aftertaste. (Orlais)
Churro (Antiva)
Cobbler
Dalish Forest Fruit Cobbler
Strawberry and Rhubarb Cobbler (Ferelden)
Coffee Ice - a treat made in Minrathous, it tastes like coffie with a texture "like snow", it is topped by cream and toffee sauce.
Cookies
Biscuit - A hard, flat, and unleavened baked treat that can be sweet or savory.
Bran Cookies
Butter and Sugar Cookie - This cookie isn’t specified as it is only described by these ingredients.
Raisin Cookies
Shortbread
Sugar Biscuits
Tea Biscuits
Wafers
Custard
Goat Custard - Differing from the Fereldan savory counterpart. This custard is made throughout Thedas with goat milk and has numerous varieties. On pairs it with roast fig. A Rivain variation uses milk of the Ayesleigh gulabi goats specifically for its sweeter milk.
Donuts
Ice Cream
Orlesian Guimauves - Another name for marshmallows.
Pastries
Antivan Apple Grenade
Cinnamon Rolls - one of Varric's favorite pastries.
Croissant - Vivienne starts every morning with one. (Orlais)
Honey and Nut Pastry (Tevinter)
Macaroon
Marie du Lac Erre’s Sweet Ruin - One version of this pastry with a dramatic history, the recipe contains; butter, powdered sugar, chocolate, vanilla extract, flour, orange or mint extract, baking powder, and milk. (Orlais)
Tarts
Jam Tart
Strawberry Tart
Tart de limone - a lemon tart that pairs well with tea (Antiva)
Vanilla-and-nutmeg Tart
Unnamed Blueberry Pastry - A light, sticky pastry with blueberries. (Possibly Nevarra)
Varric's Favorite Pastry - A pastry spread created by Devon, a Fereldan cook, after consulting with Varric Tethras on his favorite pastry.
Pie
Apple Pie
The Blessed Apple - A pie made by a small cloister of Chantry sisters tending to the orchard, they use the windfall apples and share the pies freely; as well as the apples. The ingredients are flour, salt, butter, water, apples (golden apples from Lady’s Orchard preferred but others are acceptable substitutions), brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. (Orlesian)
Elderberry Pie
Gooseberry Pie
Minced Pie - filled with finely chopped fruit and sweet things.
Rhubarb Pie
Pudding
Blancmange - A white pudding made of milk or heavy cream, its name is Orlesian for "white eating". Because of the mild, sweet taste it can have a variety of toppings such as toasted almonds, ribbons of fresh mangos, red grape compote, cherry saus, or Vivienne's preferred plating of white chocolate curls with whole jasmine flowers. (Orlais)
Caramel Pudding
Dessert Pudding
Jam Pudding (Ferelden)
Rice Pudding
Scones
Sour Cherries in Cream – an Orlesian dessert made of black cherries, cherry sauce, and whipped cream. In Orlesian cuisine it is eaten when a lighter dessert is required. (Orlais)
Sticky Figs Rolled in Nuts (Tevinter)
Sticky Jellies (Orlais)
Drinks
Absinthe
Absence - One of the bottles of Thedas you find in Inquisition.
Absinthe - also referred to la fée verte - “little green fairy”
Petite Absinthe - Made from a certain type of wormwood.
Ale, Beer, Drafts, Lagers, Malts, and Stouts
The Tapster’s Tavern in Orzammar serves 52 types of ale, some are listed.
Ale
Ander Stout - This stout is stored in oak casts. (Anderfels)
Barley Wine - Despite its name, this is an ale.
Beer
Brakien Brew (Orzammar)
Brown Ale
Coconut Draft (Orzammar)
Dwarven Stout - an Orzammar recipe brewed by associates of the dwarven Ambassadoria. (Orzammar/Tevinter)
Fereldan Beer
Fereldan Lager - A pale ale.
Lichen Ale (Orzammar)
Lichen-malt (Orzammar)
Oghren’s Homebrew - An amber coloured ale with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and described to have a hint of toastiness, and is spiced with cloves. (Dwarven)
Qunari Ale
Ryott Ale (Ferelden)
Ryott Beer (Ferelden)
Starkhaven Lager
Tevinter Lager
Valenta’s Red (Orzammar)
Watered Beer - While watered beer is served to reduce the price of beer and stretch it along, it is also served as a provision. In Serault, the peasantry drink watered beer to stave off the summer heat.
Watered-down Ale
Wildwine - An ale made from ryott. (Chasind)
Wilhelm’s Special Brew - This dark-colored ale gives off a thick, oaky smell. When swirled in its tankard, it takes on an unexpected glow. (Ferelden)
Brandy
Ammazzacaffe - known as "Coffee-killer" it is a pomace brandy that is swirled in a still warm coffee cup and sipped.. (Antiva)
Aged Antivan Brandy
Antivan Brandy
Antivan Plum Brandy
Apple Brandy (Orlais)
Fire Brandy - a strong drink that is used to flambé desserts.
Orlesian Brandy
Plum Brandy
West Hill Brandy (Ferelden)
Cider
A drink made from fermenting crushed fruit, the most common being apple. It can be alcholic.
Brandy-spiked-cider
Cider
Elven Cider
Serault Cider (Orlais)
Winter Cider (Wycome)
Cocktails
Benediction - Made of Prophet's Larel gin, served with a wedge of lime, and a thimble of Golden Scythe.
Elfroot mixed with Dandelion Wine - A restorative draft. (City Elves of Orlais)
The Emerald Valley - A spirit distilled of over seventy different herbs and flowers by the Chantry sister in Lydes, it is topped with egg-white foam and dusted with nutmeg. Described as having a varied and complex flavour, fresh like a lush green valley. (Orlais)
Dragon’s Piss - The name is probably figurative, but no one knows for sure. BioWare gives the “recipe” for Dragon Piss as “1 oz light rum, 1 oz dark rum, filled with iced tea”. "Dragon's Breath" is offered as an alternative name for this drink as it is served while lit on fire in the glass and burns on the way down.
The Golden Nug - Made with a base of effervescent white Seleney wine, sweetened with a dash of West Hill brandy and a splash of pomegranate juice. Muddled with raspberries and garnished with a sprig of Royal Elfroot. The goal is to imitate the soft pink colour of a nug.
The Heart of Spring - A “restorative” drink from Verchiel made with violets. (Orlais)
The Hissing Drake - Mix of cinnamon-infused whiskey, darl Llomerryn rum, and Hirol's Lava Burst.
Ice Cream and Beer
A Night of Shame - Antivan port with a dash of chocolate bitters and a twist of orange, served in a flute of chilled Serault glass. (Orlais)
Orichalcum mixed with wine - Considered to have aphrodisiac properties.
Posset - A drink made of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other liquor and typically flavored with spices. Can be drunk as a delicacy or as a cold remedy.
Qun on the Rocks - rum matched with salt water and seasonal Par Vollen fruit. (Antiva)
The Randy Dowager - Rumored to be created by the editor of the periodical, it is a tall glass of Abyssal Peach liquor and fresh cream, garnished with sugared rose petals and served on a silk handkerchief with a scandalous rhyming couplet inked by the bartender. (Orlais)
To Cure a Cold - a folk remedy that requires boiling whiskey and adding lemon juice and crushed garlic.
Coffee
A major export of Antiva.
Andoral's breath - a special blend served in Treviso.
Aromatic coffee - finely ground and perfectly blanded roast, common among Trevesians.
Caf Pietra's coffee
Expensive coffee
Strong coffee
Gin
Gin
Daisy Fun-time Lemon Gin
Lemon Gin
Prophet’s Laurel Gin (Orlais)
Grey Warden Liquor
These are bottles unique to members of the order, as each warden will combine half-full bottles in order to save space. No bottle is ever fully emptied or cleaned. In order to preserve the base flavor. They are called Grey Whiskey, Ritewine, or Conscription Ale, each vintage is named after a warden with a small note.
Vintage: Warden Anras - Bottled whimsy.
Vintage: Warden Bethany Hawke - Princess piss.
Vintage: Warden Carver Hawke - Toast them all.
Vintage: Warden Daedalam - Extra red.
Vintage: Warden Eval’lal - Griffon Wing Ale
Vintage: Warden Gibbins - Don’t frigging touch! I spit in this! I mean it!
Vintage: Warden Jairn - Smash when dead.
Vintage: Warden Korenic - Notes of fruit and anger.
Vintage: Warden Riordan - Serve yourself.
Vintage: Warden Steed - Joining juice.
Vintage: Warden Tontiv - Home.
Mead
The Tapster’s Tavern in Orzammar serves 17 types of mead, some are listed. Honeywine is another name for mead.
Avvar Mead
Chasind Sack Mead
Lady Odette Guillory’s Family Honey Wine (Orlais)
Mead
Orlesian Honeywine
Port
A sweet, fortified red wine, typically served with dessert.
'28 Val Foret Port (Orlais)
Antivan Port
Tevinter Port
Rum
Boot Screech is another name for rum.
Alvarado’s Bathtub Boot Screech
Blackwater Rum (Wycome)
Dark Llomerryn Rum
Tea and Other Drinks
Cocoa/Hot Chocolate
Cioccolata calada - Antivan hot chocolate
Grave-mist - magically infused vapors captured near tombs where spirits dwell. (Nevarra)
Juice
Fermented Fruit Juice
Pickle Juice
Pomegranate Juice
Prune Juice
Punch
Spicy Punch
Tea
Almond Tea (Orlais)
Bitter Tea - An unspecified tea so bitter it is astringent. Served during the Fourth Blight.
Black Tea
Black Tea with Juniper
Fires of Change Tea (Orlais)
Ginger Tea
Gingerwort Truffle Tea - from an old recipe, can have magical side effects for some people.
Herbal Tea
Iced Tea
Lattenfluss Tea (Anderfels)
Lavender Tea
Mint Tea
Anderfels Mint Tea
Nameless Tevinter Tea
Rivaini Spice Tea Blend - Blend of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. One of the teas from Rivain known for its healing properties. Empress Celene commonly uses this tea to stave off headaches.
Rivaini Tea
Rivaini Tea Blend - A blend of licorice root, oregano, lemon verbena, and peppermint. One of the teas from Rivain known for its healing properties. Rumored to be favored by Empress Celene to stave off headaches.
Rosehips Tea (Orlais)
Spiced Tea (Nevarra)
Stripweed Tea (Tevinter)
Tea with Milk (Tevinter)
Unsweetened Tea
Verimensis Tea – Tevinter's most famous tea, it is said to be the most expensive drink in all of Thedas. (Tevinter)
Whiskey
Cinnamon-infused Whiskey
Ferelden Whisky
Legacy White Shear
Mackay’s Epic Single Malt
Wine
The Tapster’s Tavern in Orzammar serves 12 types of imported wines, some are listed.
'39 Seleny Wine - Taash describes it as smelling like "a two-week-old towel" (Antiva)
Agreggio Pavali (Tevinter)
Alyons Black (Orlais)
Amaranthine Red (Ferelden)
Anderfels Red
Antivan House Wine
Antivan Red
Antivan Wine
Bitter Black Wine (Orlais)
Bottled Scar 5:34 Exalted - A rare collaboration between human and elf vintners.
Celestine Black Wine (Orlais)
Dalish Wine
Dandelion Wine (City Elves of Orlais)
Elderberry Wine (Ferelden)
Finale by Massaad (Orlais)
Flames of Our Lady (Orlais)
Flat Wine
Ghislain Red (Orlais)
Iced Wine - Mentioned in both Tevinter and Orlais.
Minrathous Red - rich in flavour, with hints of plum and spices (Tevinter)
Minrathous White - a light and refreshing wine, favourd during the humid summers in Tevinter.
Montsimmard White (Orlais)
Mosswine (Orzammar)
Mulsum (Tevinter)
Orlesian Red
Plum Wine
Red Wine
Serault Yellow Wine (Orlais)
Serault White (Orlais)
Silent Plains Piquette - the Nevarran vintages are popular among Venatori and are considered to be a cheap wine. (Nevarra/Tevinter)
Southern Black Wine
Spiced Wine
Sweetened and Spiced Yellow Wine
Unnamed Wine - a cheap wine with a cherry underscent.
Val Chevin Red Wine (Orlais)
Vint-6 The Common Red - thick and sweet, it is served by the sip. Tradition says the more who drink, the greater the fortune. (Tevinter)
Vint-9 Rowan’s Rose (Tevinter)
Watered Wine
White Seleny Wine (Antiva)
White Wine
Wildervale Rosé (Free Marches)
Yellow Wine
Additional Spirits
Abyssal Peach
Antivan Sip-Sip
Aqua Magus
Aquae Lucidius - A potent liquor made of wyvern venom; a rare drink known for its hallucinogenic properties.
Bottle of Rotgut - Rotgut is slang for cheap whiskey.
Butterbile :84
Carnal 8:69 Blessed (Orlais)
Dwarven Ale - Not actually an ale, but a black liquid reputedly made from fungus with a reputation as being almost undrinkable for anyone not a dwarf.
Garblog’s Backcountry Reserve
Golden Scythe 9:40 Black
Hirol’s Lava Burst (Kal'Hirol)
Maraas-Lok (Qunari)
Moonshine
Potent Moonshine
Sun Blonde Vint-1 (Tevinter)
Sources:
(If you want to find the direct links or page numbers, check out the Wiki's Food and Ingredients page.)
Primary Sources:
Dragon Age: Origins (Base and DLCs)
Dragon Age: Awakening
Dragon Age 2 (Base and DLCs)
Dragon Age: The Last Court
Dragon Age: Inquisition (DLCs + Multiplayer)
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Books:
Dragon Age Tabletop RPG Core Rulebook
Dragon Age Tabletop RPG: Blood in Ferelden
Dragon Age Tabletop RPG: Game Master’s Kit: Buried Past
Avvar/Alamarri design is quite rustic, stone-based, and sometimes it's hard to differentiate one from another considering their cultural history: the Avvar are a branch of the Alamarri that moved towards the Mountains. Alamarri as well as Avvar and Chasind have a long story of inter-racial mix with the dwarves of Orzammar, which is clear in their art: heavily based on stone and with some imagery of dwarves.
However, it is important to remember that Avvar in particular may have had also relationships with the Elvhenan, as Tyrdda's lover was an elven woman. Their tradition with mages and their treatment of the spirits also resembles their influence from the elvhenan culture. This strange mix is then reflected in the art.
This series of posts are not exhaustive since I’ve developed a very detailed list of tags tracking certain features of a given design. These posts merely try to gather in one place the symbols and elements I used most of the time when identifying buildings in my analysis of DAI.
[This post is part of the series “Patterns and Styles ”]
[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]
Patterns
When it comes to patterns, the only one that I can assume is alamarri it's an intricated rhomboid pattern [celtic-like] that we can find in some columns of arches that are spread all over Ferelden. It's not clear for me that this pattern was later imported by the Avvar. However, it's interesting to highlight the resemblance to the elvhenan walls in temples such as in Mythal's Temple [see Patterns and Styles: Elvhenan] which also seems to be related to the pattern found in the pants that Dalish wear, and ironically, Qunari too.
Statues and decorations
1 - Keepers of Fear and their variations
Part of the reason I consider these statues as Keepers of Fear is that they represent similar imagery; they share the style and some characteristics, and are related to the codex The Keepers of Fear. They display the despair and fear that the Alamarri felt when the Blight came from the north. They tend to be elongated humanoids, usually with pointy teeth, without a nose, and screaming/cowering body language.
They also appear close to one another, in groups, in Kenric’s study room in the DLC Jaws of Hakkon [ Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous ] implying similar origin for study. They also decorate the paths that head to the Avvar Hold in the DLC, and inside the hold itself.
In the Fade, we find the codex The Keepers of Fear on one of these statues, where we learn that the Alamarri/Avvar used them to scream inside them during the time of the Blight, thinking the darkspawn were spirits. As we know thanks to the DLC Jaws of Hakkon, the Avvar [and by extension most likely the Alamarri and the Chasind] would feed the spirits to keep them close [spirits] or away [demons] from their communities.
1A - Screaming Keeper [Alamarri/Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Crestwood, in a place a bit isolated closed to a destroyed Andraste statue,
In Fallow Mire: Granite Point [not original from this place],
In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars : Everywhere, specially along the paths.
In Hinterlands: Minor places, in several places and caves.
In Hinterlands: Redcliffe – Future, along the corridors of the fortress as the Fade and the Waking World get merged.
In the Fade Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, in many places, since this part of the Fade we visit is close to the lair of a Nightmare Demon who feeds upon the Fear and Despair. At some point one of these statues triggers the codex The Keepers of Fear.
The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, Part 2, as decoration of an avvar/alamarri corridor.
Brief description: This statue is elongated. It has long arms, and its hands are grabbing the face, distorted in fear as it screams. It has no nose. There are some strange appendages falling down and making an extension of its chin [thick beard?]. We can see the ribs very easily, suggesting illness or hunger. It also has elongated legs, one of them crossing over the hip that conveys an impression of more terror and fear.
These Keepers appear quite regularly in all places over Ferelden and the Frostback Mountains. They are inserted in the landscape or along paths, and we can see they are a good reflection of what the codex The Keepers of Fear says: They are part of the Avvar/Alamarri "superstition”: They thought the Darkspawns were bad spirits that fed on fear, so they crafted these statues to feed them far away from their communities, to keep them satisfied and away from them. However, when this did not work [since the darkspawn are not spirits], the Alamarri/Avvar used these statues to scream inside them and pour all their fear into them, “burn” it in order to get rid of it, and go to battle against the darkspawn no matter their gender or age.
In the Frostback Basin [DLC], we can find these statues flanking the path to the Avvar Hold or inside it. In the Fade it makes sense for them to appear where the Lair of the demon Nightmare lives: he has been feeding upon these fears for centuries.
1B - Screaming heads [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous: everywhere
In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path [as a part of the stanza], and Minor places
In Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Future, as the Waking World and the Fade merge one another.
In Therinfal Redoubt [in the part of the Fade]
In the Fade Part 1, Part 3, in many places. This part of the Fade we visit is close to the lair of a Nightmare Demon who feeds on Fear and Despair, so it makes sense we see so many of these Keepers.
The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, as decoration of an avvar/alamarri corridor.
Brief description: This statue is an isolated head with two faces [front and back display different shapes], I can see humanoid faces in them: one as a screaming melted human without nose [which can also be considered the face of a Terror demon or a ghoul], and the other one as a screaming boar of pointy teeth, which inside its mouth there is another screaming face. Everything is too deformed to be precise.
The game efficiently combines these heads in ways that seem to create new different horror statues by clipping them.
We find these faces all over Ferelden and the Frostback Mountains, specially in Avvar/Alamarri territory.
1C - Sitting screaming humanoid [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars : specially in small cliffs into the sea, where the Avvar can be seen fishing. It can also be found aside a path inside the Avvar Hold.
In the Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris] clipped with a skull.
In the The Fade of Flemeth: Part 2, clipped with a skull.
In Hissing Wastes: scattered objects and ruins, inside a crevice where a Fereldan vendor has been placed, but we only find their mabari and several objects of Ferelden iconography.
Brief description: This statue is elongated and shares many characteristics present in 1A and 1B. It shows long arms, hands covering the eyes, screaming out of fear as it cowers. It's sitting inside a basket. It has no nose and its teeth are pointy. We can see the ribs very easily, suggesting hunger or illness.
During the DLC Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars, Dorian will point out this is an Avvar statue, which makes sense considering we are in an avvar hold.
1D - Sitting screaming humanoid with hands inside the mouth [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Razikale’s Reach, as part of the stratification of the Temple when it was taken by the Avvar-Hakkonite and rejected the Tevinters that had been installed around the time of the first Blight.
Inside Skyhold if you pick the Avvar decoration.
Brief description: This statue is elongated and shares many characteristics present in 1A, 1C, 1E and 2. It displays long arms, but no hands. It’s not clear if the hands are inside the mouth or means they were eaten [I favour this second option since these statues tend to be scrawny, conveying the idea of famine, another very common fear among the Avvar, specially during the Blight times]. It has no nose and its teeth are pointy. Its legs are protruding from over the shoulders, giving the sense that this figure is sitting and cowering. We can see a bit of its ribs in between the arms. The position is similar to 1C and 2.
1E - Sitting screaming deepstalker humanoid [Likely Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris] , at the sides of another Avvar/Alamarri statue [1C] clipped with a skull.
In the Fade Part 2 and Part 3, It is a zone where we find a Tevinter sacrificial altar.
In the Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, this statue is beside a sacrificial altar again.
In The Fade of Flemeth: Part 2, it appears at the end, where we find Flemeth. They are positioned as to form a frame for the statue that was stabbed in the back and bleeds.
Brief description: These statues share some similarities with 1A, 1C and 1D: they show long arms, with hands grabbing the sides of the face as it screams. It has no nose nor eyes. We can see the ribs very easily, giving a sense of skeleton [extreme famine?]. What makes this statue particular is the strange mouth, closer in shape to a deepstalker’s mouth. It’s not clear if the figure is sitting, since it has no legs. Its base has the outline of a figure that reinforces the idea of screaming in terror and rising its arms. This figure has a shape that also resembles a terror demon.
In some places in the Fade, the head of this statue is burning, making clear suggestion to the codex of the Keepers of Fear, in particular to the part where they burn their screams of fear to find courage to fight [and die] against the darkspwan.
Rarely appears alone [it’s usually presented in pairs], and when it does, bones and bodies are shown below it, relating it to sacrifices and death. Most likely the concept of sacrifice comes from the part of the codex where once the fears are burnt, the alamarri went to fight a hopeless battle.
What’s interesting of this statue is that it’s a central piece of decoration in the Lair of the Nightmare Demon, in the Fade [check Part 4]. There, we see four of these statues, vomiting blood. Around this spilled blood, some bits of red lyrium can be found. This construction may be entirely done for shock value, since it’s a reuse of several assets assembled in a way that inspire terror and fear just in the moment where the Inquisitor faces the Nightmare demon.
2 - Eroded dragon skull and variations [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Swamp Kulsdotten, in the Frostback basin
In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow , and Redcliffe – Future.
In the Therinfal Redoubt [As part of the decoration of the fortress’ main room]
In the The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1 as well as the common Raw Fade.
In Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris], as the base of the main, central figure, which is 1C with a clipped skull.
Brief description: I personally call it "Eroded dragon skull", because I have no other way to call it to tag it in the blog. I see a kind of dragon skull with horns that go backwards and then forward, but it also looks like a statue of a humanoid, with elongated legs that protrude from the sides of the skull. Like in the previous statues, it has no nose and seems to have pointy teeth at the end of the “snout”. All the details are blurred for what it looks like erosion.
On its back, this statue has a G symbol which doesn’t present the same level of erosion than the front. I only found a remotely similar symbol in the elven artefact. It’s a strange symbol, dwarven-like even for an “elven” artefact [looks like a squarish swirl]. In fact, that symbol can be found in dwarven objects [specially tapestry and rugs]. Once more, it’s only what I’ve observed, I don’t think we have any evidence to even speculate on this. It looks quite on purpose, though. A whole eroded statue with a clear G on its back is a choice in terms of design.
If we compare this statue with similar ones found in Avvar/Alamarri-related places the common characteristics show up:
It has long limbs, open mouth, and pointy teeth, without a nose. Through these similarities it seems reasonable to relate it with the Avvar culture.
3 - Tyrdda statue [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Hinterlands: Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path
and in Hinterlands: inside the Grand Forest Villa.
Tyrdda Bright-Axe was a legendary Alamarri chieftain who is considered the founder of the Avvar.
Brief description: The statue is simple, with a woman holding a sword [which is strange considering the Avvar always knew she was a mage and was holding a staff]. It has limbs a bit elongated and her ribs can be seen.
4 - Lady of the Sky [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In the Skyhold [Stone-Bear Hold Avvars ] when you pick Avvar Decoration
Brief description: This satue is an owl, representation of the Lady of the Skies. I find interesting in her design the ring around her head: small little spikes that may be related or may have inspired artistically other symbols in the game: the thorns that we have seen many times in vines, which have elven influence [after all, the Avvar have a strong elven influence in their culture if we consider the tale of Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path as more or less reliable with respect to her lover of leaf-like ears], or could be an inspiration of a sun. The symbolism of the Lady of the sky with the sun is also shown in her painted representation, as I talked about in the post Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The Sun.
5 - Korth [Avvar]
Where it can be found:
Stone-Bear Hold Avvars , close to the entrance of the hold,
or in Skyhold when you pick Avvar decoration.
Brief description: This statue shares the similar position of 1C, 1D, and 2, but instead of being a squat position due to fear, in Korth’s case it’s because the weight of the stone. Korth is the Mountain-Father, so this representation shows he is supporting it. His face, so filled with beard, and his body, short and thick, seems to recall dwarven nature, which could exists since the dwarf influence in the Avvar is present in their tales [Trydda had a child with a dwarven prince]. Curiously, it has horns [that can be part of a potential helm he is wearing?]. He is snarling as he endures the weight of the mountain/Stone.
6 - Dwarf with long limbs [Likely Alamarri/Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Crestwood: surface , Crestwood: Flooded Caves , at the entrance of the drowned village,
In the Stone-Bear Hold Avvars, in the main throne room
In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, and Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path showing the path to some of the statues that trigger Tyrdda’s story.
In an unknown place called the Forgotten Tower, where the presence of this statue seems to reinforce the idea that this place was inhabited by an avvar, as it shows the codex triggered in this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal.
Brief description: This statue shares the characteristic of having elongated arms crossed over the chest in similar fashion as some Fereldan drawings seem to have [see Nation Art: Ferelden]. It displays a short man with hair, long beard, and a long, curvy moustache. The back and the front are the same image.
This statue is one of the most reused all over Ferelden, specially in regions where the Avvar-Alamarri presence was strong in the past. I think they represent the dwarves, which makes sense if we read the tale of Tyrdda: Avvar’s chieftains descend from humans and dwarves.
A weak pattern may suggest them as “pointers” or “guides”. Sometimes they are placed in pairs creating a path towards a place of importance [see Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path]. Sometimes, as pointers of graves or special places.
7- Monolith with swirls [Likely Alamarri]
Where it can be found:
In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path
In the Forgotten Tower , where the presence of this statue seems to reinforce the idea that this place was inhabited by an avvar, as it shows the codex triggered in this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal.
Brief description: I’m not sure if it’s a mabari or a horse. The Avvar are not fond of the mabari, since they are a tamed animal; however, they seem to use an “avvar horse” that looks like a zebra, and it is a bit wild. On the other hand, I also suspect that this statue may be Chasind, simply because in DAO we saw similar monoliths with line patterns on them in the Kocari Wilds [Check Ostagar post or The Blackmarsh and the High Dragon for details]. Unfortunately, these monoliths have no codex associated with them and there is little to speculate about.
8 - Monolith with ropes [Likely Alamarri]
Where it can be found:
In Hinterlands: and Crestwood, but in general all over Ferelden.
In the Frostback Basin and inside the Stone-Bear Hold.
There is no much to say about this element. It appears everywhere, more as a decoration or a support for other statues.
9 - Table of Wolves [Confusing. Likely Ferelden]
Where it can be found:
In Crestwood: surface and Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open
Brief description: a metallic dark table decorated with spiky wolves. The wolves have a strong resemblance to the ones that were painted by Solas in his mural “Inquisition Formation” [Read “The actions of the Inquisitor”]. It seems related to the mabaris/wolves presented in 10A, which tend to appear in Ferelden-based enviroments. It seems to be Ferelden but it could also be inherited through the Alamarri culture. What always caught my attention was the material: unlike the rest of the Alamarri/Avvar statues, it’s not made of stone but dark metal, a Tevinter-origin characteristic.
10 - Mabaris
Mabaris are depicted all over Ferelden without much surprise; Ferelden has a culture deeply entangled with them. However, sometimes the hound silhouette seems to be confused with that one of the wolf and it’s hard to distinguish one from another. We know due to the legends [unreliable sources but decent enough for this level of understanding] that the Alamarri had their dogs. The potential Alamarri origin of the The Ash Warriors [who fight with their mabaris beside them] seem to support those [unreliable] legends. However, the Avvar are not fond of tamed animals, and prefer wild ones that can be befriended, hence why a wolf is more suitable for them. Considering this detail, it’s natural to understand the following statues as somewhat in between the lines of the Culture of the Alamarri, the Avvar, and the Ferelden [maybe even Chasind too?]. The blurred difference between mabari and wolf translates into the difficulty of deciding to which culture these statues belong to.
10A - Pointy Mabaris [Likely Ferelden]
Where it can be found:
In some places in Crestwood: surface
In Therinfal Redoubt as part of the decoration of the Fortress’ main room.
In Frostback Mountains: Haven, as part of the decoration.
Brief description: The look too similar to the wolves drawn by Solas in his mural “Inquisition Formation” [Read “The actions of the Inquisitor”].
10B - Mabaris with lines [Likely Alamarri/Avvar]
Where it can be found:
In Fallow Mire: Granite Point , it is not original from this place, but since it’s kept beside other Avvar statues it may imply same origin too.
In Hinterlands: Wolf Hollow, again found with other Avvar statues.
In Therinfal Redoubt as decoration
Brief description: It is almost a monolith, similar to the ones we find in the Kocari Wilds in DAO [ read Ostagar post or The Blackmarsh and the High Dragon for details] and to 7 but with less curvy lines and more angular ones.
In the Fade Part 3, one of the heads of 1B has this statue sprouting from its mouth, which offers the codex A Plea from the Warrior to the Spirits. It seems to be written by an avvar/alamarri or a descendant of them, for example a Ferelden person who remembers the “old ways”. It speaks about how the wolves had been allies to the humans once, but the softening of the human, the replacement of the hunt as a survival means for an agricultural lifestyle, changed this relationship, replacing the wolf and the hunt, by a hound and a sedentary life. There is a reinforcement of the concept of the wolf as a symbol of freedom and rebellion, as a creature who doesn’t simply obey, like a hound does. Then, the Darkspawn came, putting at risk this comfortable sedentary life, showing how little power hounds have. “Kill the hound in my heart […] in its place, give me the wolf”. The wolf is representation of power, bravery, and freedom, as the mabari represents obedience and loyalty.
10C - Beheaded female Mabari [Likely Ferelden]
Where it can be found:
In Hinterlands: Minor places, specially in a cave where we see several Avvar statues and some Tevinter ones.
In the Forgotten Tower, where the presence of Avvar statues combined with the codex of this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal seem to reinforce the idea that this tower was inhabited by an Avvar who was rescued by an Elvhenan.
Brief description: It depicts a female mabari which has been feeding puppies [flaccid mammals]. On her back there is a spiky pattern that could be related to the spiky style of the wolves in 9 or 10A. What it’s disturbing is her head, which is barely kept in place because it’s attached with strips that have written runes on them. Inside the space between her head and body, there is usually fire [Waking World] or meat [Fade].
10D - Spiked Mabari [Likely Ferelden]
Where it can be found:
Mostly in Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open
And in the Seeker fortress during Cassandra’s personal quest.
Brief description: These are mabari-totem figures in styles that can be Ferelden most likely, but seem to be inspired in Alamarri/Avvar ones since they have some similarities in style to 10B and 10C. There are no codex associated with them.
11 - Additional elements:
There is an Avvar table used in Stone-Bear Hold Avvars , that was also used to erect the hero of Ferelden’s monument in Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Present , so we can suspect avvar-alamarri-ferelden origin of it.
In Skyhold, when we activate the Avvar decoration, we find a unique statue that is not seen anywhere else: it looks like a tree branch-hand holding a bowl. It gives me the impression of a sylvanian hand.
“According to Avvar legend, Korth the Mountain-Father kept his throne at the peak of the mountain Belenas, which lay at the center of the world and was so lofty that from it, he could see all the corners of the earth and sky.”
Can you guys re-imagine the culture(s) of the Chasind?
Hey anon!
That's a fantastic suggestion! Our campaigns have been taking place mostly in northern Thedas, so we didn't even have Chasind people/Kocari Wilds on the map yet, but you're so right. I didn't know much about the Chasind before reading up on the Bioware Wiki (BW for short) and.....yooof.
We'll definitely do a more thought-out and 'official' entry, but since a lot of our re-imaginings move at a snail's pace, I'll share some of our immediate thoughts after discussing this:
Geography:
It's giving BIG bayou vibes, and we're taking that and running with it, nodding at inspiration of early Black-American culture that emerges in the southern USA and the greater Caribbean Islands. Visuals of the Florida Everglades and Bayou Bartholomew in Arkansas, with a majority of the villages being built on stilts or the massive trees that are similar to the ones seen in the Frostback Basin (Jaws of Hakkon DLC specifically). There are settlements on more solid land, but most of the population and the 'civilians' live inside the swamp, as the tricky terrain doubles as protection and security.
The People:
Based off the BW, we're seeing patterns of love for nature and the seasons, and the mention of "animalistic goddesses" is making us think....DND druid style. (we took one look at the "barbaric" descriptions and tossed it all out, thank you)
Animal companionship is common among Chasind, whether they are "working animals" that warriors and hunters may keep that help them in their tasks, or companions for your local shopkeep or fisherman. Big or small, smart or.....lovable...animals are all around and children may even receive their companion at very young ages, growing up with their animal friend.
Some more magically gifted Chasind can even transform and take an animal form.
Chasind are bonded by clan systems, not blood or background. Meaning that if someone needs help in the village, people will band together to support that person. Once you settle in the swamp, you're family.
The Chasind have a large population of people with darker skin tones, but people with lighter skin tones are not uncommon either.
The Culture
Being situated on top of it, of course, water is EVERYTHING.
Navigating the bayou is no easy feat, and children are taught from a young age through legends, stories, and all sorts of oral histories how dangerous the water can be.
There are definitely some pretty cool eldritch beings living out in the swamp, and there are definitely stories about them.
Fishing culture is HUGE. Fishermen are taught a very sophisticated type of navigation and tracking, most commonly using the stars as a guide to chart the swamp, because the landscape can be incredibly difficult to navigate, especially after dark.
According to the BW, the Chasind have "developed their own language, but are capable of speaking the King's tongue", so we took this as they've managed to blend an older language like the one spoken by their Alamaari ancestors and merged it with the King's tongue (not unlike real-world languages, such as Haitian Creole, Jamaican Patois, or Michif)
People also traverse the swamp on stilts to keep out of the water and out of the way of other water predators. Whether they are walking across the village or going out to the fishing holes to get a daily catch.
Please feel free to add your own comments or thoughts on this re-imagine! This entire project is a joint effort, and having perspectives from other backgrounds is always helpful to make it more inclusive.
