The Ferelden monarchy offered the rebel mages sanctuary in Redcliffe. The mages accepted the offer but the Templar pursued them across the border.
As the brutality of the Mage-Templar War escalated, many hunted rebel mages and apostates congregated to Fiona's refuge in Redcliffe village. Some of these mage refugees were in fact Venatori infiltrators who encouraged an alliance with the Tevinter Imperium as the situation with the mage rebellion grew dire.
This post has compiled the most relevant information during the main quest for completion’s sake. Most of the time these quests have little “archaeological” value, but since I’m visually covering the majority of the game, I can’t put them aside since some of them are key in the lore, and in terms of objects, statues and ruins, such as the Temple of Mythal.
[This is part of the series “Playing DA like an archaeologist”]
When we enter Redcliffe, Solas speaks about the altered veil in this zone. I think this is the hint that the game gives us to tells us the time alteration cast by Alexius.
Redcliffe has been rebuilt as the codex Redcliffe says. It is not the same one we found in DAO, the whole configuration of the village is pretty different, but it seems to hint us that it’s the same with details such as this.
Houses in the village are decorated with several Fereldan art drawings that we talked about in Nation Art: Ferelden.
In the middle of the village we find a griffon statue which unlocks a codex called Hero of Ferelden, where part of our DAO game is reflected. This unique griffon, that I did not find in any other place of the game, rests on a table that we found already in the avvar hold of Stone-Bear, depicting skeletons under the weight of the table.
We also discover the process of crafting oculara: they are done with the skull of a tranquil possessed by a demon, and killed in that instant. The shards already exist in this world but we can’t see them because the Veil blocks them from mortal eyes. Only spirits, like Hakkon, can make a mage’s eyes able to see them [see Leather-Bound Hakkonite Journal]. Similar situation can be read in Hissing Wastes: scattered objects and ruins, in the codex A Worn Diary which implies this person is possessed already or in permanent touch with the spirits. So, the shards and the ability to see them seem to imply a particular kind of connection to the Fade, the typical connection that a mage has is not enough. In the codex Oculara, it is explained the importance of killing the tranquil in the exact moment of the possession. I cannot help but link this knowledge to the curious Grim Anatomy, a study of eyes, observation of reality, and possession.
As we walk up to the Redcliffe church, we see the place filled with alamarri archs and andrastian sculptures. Nothing out of the ordinary comes out
From the distance we can see the Redcliffe Castle
The church in this place tries to give the impression of the old church we visited in DAO, the entrance is similar but the configuration at the bottom is different. Its decoration is, of course, upgraded with mabari statues, andrastian figures in mostly Ferelden style, and stained glasses.
There is a statue of Havard carrying the ashes, Maferath crying over the sword, alamarri and Ferelden styled Andrastes, and the mysterious Faceless figure holding a crown, which reinforces again the idea that this statue is related to Andraste [and I recently considered it as a representation of The Maker].
The stained glass tells the story of the life of Andraste. When I saw at this, I realised the similarities of the second stained glass with the Faceless figure holding a crown, concluding that it may be the Maker himself, since in the stained glass he is represented with a mantle, no face, and a crown of similar shape to the statue.
As we explore the village we are informed how curiously timely Tevinters were when the mages needed them most, hinting us again that Alexius may have used his time magic for this.
There is a curious exchange of words that have no much impact in the moment, but, in retrospection, I think they carry implied meaning and almost a foreshadowing of Solas’ actions.
Dorian introduces to us the existence of time travel magic, to what the Inquisitor claims that Dalish could have used it for themselves if it truly existed. Solas says something that may imply impossibility, but as a character that by the end of the game wants to restore a past time, I wonder to what extent returning to "his” past is possible by using time-magic.
Anyways, we learn here that Dorian developed this magic as well. So far, we had seen rift magic to delay passage of time, such as Ameridan’s magic, the magic of the rifts preserving objects and ruins in Jaws of Hakkon, or Tevinter’s Still Ruin. So far, we had never seen before a time travel magic.
We are also introduced to Venatori as Tevinter supremacists.
Redcliffe castle
We get an invitation of Alexius to go to the Castle. Inside, we see some cinematic to appreciate the design of one of the Tevinter warriors. The angular and pointy design with the presence of claws, so iconic in Tevinter buildings, is obvious in the outfit as well.
At the side of the thone we see two statues of aggressive mabaris we didn’t see in the game before: they have swirls and a red kaddis that looks like a vein. I’m not saying it’s a red lyrium representation, but it’s curious that its design is like a branch or vein, and sometimes there are some points along those lines, similar to Fenris’ tattoo.
Alexius speaks of the Elder One and undoes the “mistake of the Temple of Ashes”, meaning to get rid of the inquisitor. For that, he sends them to the future.
The time magic has similar coloration to the Fade-related elements.
I am terribly afraid of dogs.So I freak out when my characters got attacked
by dogs. I think the mabari companions are cute but I know if mabaris were real I would be afraid to death of meeting them
We fought Mabaris in DA2 and DAI. IN DAI some even had armor. I'm tired of it. I'm over it. Its a ridiculous cop out.
I hope WE DO NOT SEE them in the next game. For the love of the Maker............PLEASE.
If they ever bring back Mabaris or other pets, I just do not want them
to waste a companion slot like how it was for DAOrigins.
If they do bring back pets, it should be utilized the same way
it was in Dragon Age 2.
I love mabaris and I know that there are instances of mabari's having non-Fereldan masters, but I like and think it makes sense that the inquisitor doesn't have one given that they are not Fereldan.
How do your characters feel about bloodmagic? Aaand about mabaris?
“Blood magic has brought me nothing but pain. My mother and my home were both taken by it but I often wonder. Blood magic deserves to be punished mages do not. Not every mage is a blood mage and I think people forget that. Now, Mabaris...I LOVE THEM THEY’RE SO CUTE! HAVE YOU SEEN THEM?! THOSE LITTLE TAILS AND EARS!”-Kai
