Avvar History Reconstruction, Part 4
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Part 4: Imperial occupation of the South
Let’s return to the year -712 Ancient and investigate Tevinter’s advance towards the southern frontiers of Thedas. As I mentioned previously, the Tevinter Imperium captured the fortresses of Kinloch Hold and Vigil’s Keep early in the campaign, but it didn’t stop there. Soon, the Imperium would lead its forces into the Frostback Mountains proper.
-712 Ancient: The First Tevinter expedition against the Avvar.
“The Frostbacks run red with barbarian blood. We've found their sacred caves and claimed their most holy relics. When the soldiers came out of the mountain cave and brandished this weapon, the Avvars rose up in a mighty furor. We had to put down every man, woman, and child—it was as if they'd gone rabid. Before they perished, their witch woman pronounced a curse so vile and treasonous, three soldiers had to be whipped to re-establish discipline. Our guide says this axe is a sacred weapon, a weapon of the gods.
We plan to march further into the mountains to defeat the last of the tribes. Surely there cannot be more than a thousand left. I have every confidence that by next spring these barbarians will plague us no more. Then, we can turn our attention fully to the Chasind and Alamarri.”[1]
Since the Avvar tribes continue to exist, it’s safe to say that the Imperial forces were unsuccessful. Still, Tevinter managed to take control of significant portions of the land. At an unspecified point in time, the Imperium conquered the Frostback Basin and built the temple of Razikale’s Reach[2] as well an outpost that is currently called Nigel’s Point, its ancient Tevinter name lost.[3]
I assume most of the Avvar tribes retreated deep into the Frostback Mountains. They would occasionally assault the occupying forces, most likely taking advantage of their familiarity with the area and tolerance to the local climate. The Avvar often launch raids in winter, which could give them an edge over the Tevene people. However, the Imperium withstood the attacks from the Avvar, as well Alamarri and Chasind tribes. At least until the onset of the First Blight, Tevinter Imperium held presence in the Fertile Valley, Frostback Mountains, and even some parts of the Korcari Wilds. They created the vast network of the Imperial Highway, connecting most of their occupied territories. I theorize that the Highway was built along natural borders, such as rivers, mountains ranges, shores, etc. The Highway encircled the whole Lake Calenhad, most likely for the purpose of transporting cargo via boats, but possibly also due to the belief that the waters of the lake possess magical properties (which I mentioned in the previous entry).
The Imperium’s power began to dwindle in -395 Ancient as the First Blight began its long course. In the wake of this catastrophe, Tevinters started to abandon their southern outposts, including Ostagar, Razikale’s Reach, and Denerim. Let’s review the evidence on them one by one.
Ostagar
“Like most imperial holdings in the south, Ostagar was abandoned after Tevinter's collapse during the first Blight. It was successfully sacked by the Chasind wilders and then, as the Chasind threat dwindled following the creation of the modern Ferelden nation, fell to ruin completely.”[4]
Razikale’s Reach
“Some of the Avvar, he said, believed the temple to be the haunt of old, vengeful spirits. The Tevinter had come here long ago and built their great temples and then one day, without warning, they had abandoned them all.”[5]
“Silence has fallen. Those who call out to her in dreams hear nothing. Our letters to the capital go unanswered. No supplies have been sent, and our messengers do not return from the north. We are alone. [...]
If the Imperium has fallen, we shall build it anew. This citadel [Razikale’s Reach] shall be a new Minrathous, and we who serve the Twisted Path shall be its Magisterium. Praise be to Razikale—may our raised voices reach her and bring her back to us at last. [...]
Run if you can. Madness has filled the silence. Do not return to this place.”[6]
“And now Razikale is silent and madness descends. I can only think, what if? What if there are irregularities in the Veil here? What if we could secure the Avvar cave and bend it to our purposes?”[7]
Denerim
"Denerim, the capital of Ferelden, began originally as an outpost of the ancient Tevinter Imperium. Its mages rose up a dark tower from the side of a mountain, a symbol of the Imperium's power. As the Imperium faded, the tower passed to the hands of the teyrns that ruled the region for a millennium. "Today that tower still stands as Fort Drakon, immediately recognizable to any ship that approaches the rocky coast.”[8]
Figure 8. Between -715 Ancient and -395 Ancient, Tevinter claimed large areas of land south of the Waking Sea and constructed the Imperial Highway and several outposts and watchtowers to oversee its new holdings.
As we can see, the Tevinter Imperium undertook many grand projects in the occupied lands, such as extending the Imperial Highway across the Frostback Mountains and into the Fertile Valley. All of these endevours have been met with stark resistance from the local population.
Once the Imperium withdrew from the south, focusing their forces in their own homeland instead, the Avvar, Alamarri and Chasin returned to the lands they previously inhabited. Old territorial disputes were reignited. Less than a century later, some tribes belonging to the Avvar and the Alamarri would enter a war.
-355 Ancient: The Blight has yet to reach the Alamarri. They are instead caught up in a war with the Avvar. In the Battle of Red Falls, Alamarri warrior Luthias Dwarfson fights Morrighan'nan, Avvar warrior queen. Both die in the battle. The Order of Ash Warriors is founded in Dwarfson's honor.[9]
Luthias was a warrior from a subtribe of the Alamarri known as Clayne[10], which appears to have been inhabiting part of the Brecilian forest at the time.
“The arm of the Imperium is long.
Once it reached even this forest, in a time when the barbarian tribes of the Clayne still ruled the land. The Tevinter magisters fought to take it from them - inch by inch, if need be, using terrible magic. [...]
The Clayne, however, were already approaching the outpost in force. The barbarian chieftain of the Clayne desired the fabled armor himself [...] although the barbarians sacked the outpost, the chieftain found neither the armor nor the revenants.
The Juggernaut armor's legend lives on, and more than one brave soul has ventured into the depths of the Brecilian Forest in search, never to return.”[11]
In the past, Brecilian Forest may have covered a much larger area. In Dragon Age: Origins, the aforementioned codex entry can be found in the eastern part of the forest.
I theorize that Luthias’ tribe was residing in the south-western part of the Brecilian forest, while the Avvar tribe led by Morrighan’nan dwelled on the south-eastern slope of the Frostback Mountains. After the Tevinter’s retreat, both tribes would expand their territories. According to the Legend of Luthias Dwarfson:
“When Luthias was still a young man, Mabene sent him to the dwarven city of Orzammar to negotiate an alliance. Mabene's tribe had come into conflict with other Alamarri, and he needed as much help as he could get. Luthias was unable to convince the dwarven king to aid his tribe, but fell in love with the king's daughter, Scaea.”[12]
It’s unclear what tribe of the Alamarri the Clayne had a quarrel with. I assume it wasn’t an Avvar tribe, since in this codex entry the Alamarri and the Avvar are described as separate entities, and it’s said that they entered a war at a later time. Instead, it only mentions “other Alamarri”. It might’ve been a neighbouring Alamarri tribe living in the southern part of the Fertile Valley. Eventually, the Clayne tribe defeated the other Alamarri, and most likely absorbed their territory, spreading further west towards the Lake.
Figure 9. Clayne-Avvar conflict
Blue area - Morrighan’nan’s tribe
Green area - Luthias’ tribe
Red area - disputed region
“Luthias led his tribe to many victories, until eventually he replaced his foster father as chief of his tribe. This peace would not last. During a feast between the tribal leaders of the Alamarri and the Avvar, the beautiful and powerful Avvar chieftain, Morrighan'nan, became enamored with Luthias and seduced him. Scaea learned of the tryst and fled the village to return to Orzammar. When Luthias rebuffed Morrighan'nan's offer of marriage, she left in great anger, and from that moment on, there was war between the two tribes.
For 15 years, the Alamarri and Avvar fought. During the Battle of Red Falls, a powerful young warrior from Morrighan'nan's tribe challenged Luthias to a battle. Luthias was injured grievously, but slew the boy. Morrighan'nan revealed that the boy was Luthias's son [...]
Morrighan'nan defeated Luthias in battle after battle, until the Alamarri were driven to the foothills of the Frostback Mountains. There, Luthias made a last stand. In the night before Luthias's final battle, Scaea came to him and offered him a dwarven suit of chain in exchange for a night together. Luthias agreed and wore the armor the following morning in battle. [...] Luthias slew the warrior woman, but not before receiving a mortal wound to his heart, the chain inexplicably unable to block her final blow. Luthias died, and after the battle was done a party of dwarven warriors came down from the mountain and took the body of Luthias back to Orzammar.”[13]
In the Hinterlands, we can find natural formations that are named after Luthias Dwarfson: Lake Luthias and Dwarfson’s Pass. It might not mean much in itself, but combined with the description of the Alamarri-Avvar conflict saying that “Alamarri were driven to the foothills of the Frostback Mountains”, it leads me to believe that the final stand between Morrighan’nan and Luthias took place somewhere in the western part of the Hinterlands region. Perhaps Red Falls mentioned earlier in the legend as the location of the battle between Luthias and his son could actually be equated with Redcliffe, as the place has been named for the red colour of the cliffs. As we can see both in DAO and DAI, a waterfall runs down these cliffs, emptying into the Lake.
(Side note: my pet theory is that Scaea intentionally put a structural weakness into the armor she gifted to Luthias, and may have even hinted at its existence to Morrighan’nan.)
Next up: Great Southern Alliance - why did Andraste marry Maferath?
~
Sources
[1] Codex entry: The Mountain-Father's Haft
[2][5] Codex entry: Razikale's Reach
[3] Codex entry: Nigel's point
[4] Codex entry: Ostagar
[6] Ancient Tevene inscriptions scattered around the Frostback Basin
[7] Codex entry: Mouth of Echoes
[8] Denerim on Bioware Wiki, WebArchive access
[9] Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 29
[10] According to Ash Warrior Leader
[11] Codex entry: Legend of the Juggernaut
[12][13] Codex entry: The Legend of Luthias Dwarfson
