#mfda lore

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

My Fantasy Qunari and the Dragon Age

With the history of qunari in Thedas re-contextualized, it's finally game time. This post covers in broad strokes what's going on regarding Par Vollen, the qunari people, and a bit about major qunari characters during MFDAO, MFDA2, MFDAI, and (ideas for) MFV.

Qunari and the Fifth Blight

When rumors of a new Blight stemming from the Korcari Wilds of Ferelden reached the salasari, the Arishok dispatched a continent of soldiers to investigate. The group was attacked by darkspawn, and only one solider survived. ➨ Note: in MFDA, followers of the Qun do have personal names, but Sten (qunlat for "soldier") declines to share his, as he feels his dishonorable actions shamed himself, his ancestors, and his people, rendering his personal identity null.

A group of qunari living near the Brecilian Forest - some of whom belong to the Cult of Koslun - involved in a generations-long feud with a Dalish clan (and nearby humans) can be recruited by the Hero of Ferelden for assistance battling the Fifth Blight (my revamped Nature of the Beast quest).

The Cult of Kolsun, Returned - the ""Qunari Occupation"" of Kirkwall

Sometime in 9:31 Dragon, a delegation of Ben-Hassrath set out to meet a delegation of Orlesian forces, which had agreed to surrender to Tome of Koslun as a gesture of goodwill from Empress Celene. The Ben-Hassrath were under order to destroy it.

However, the Tome was stolen by a random pirate - which thwarted the Cult of Koslun cultists who also planned to steal it. The cultists (tal-vashoth) pursued the pirate across the Waking Sea, until a storm grounded both ships in Kirkwall.

Led by a warrior called the tal-Arishok, the surviving cultists posed as a delegation from Par Vollen and took up a residence in a compound granted to them by Viscount Marlowe Dumar, determined not to leave without their holy book.

By the time a formal missive from the salasari reached the Viscount, exposing the fraud, enough anti-qunari sentiment had been generated in Kirkwall that any attempt to clarify to the public that the occupation was the work of fringe cultists was futile. Thus, word that "the qunari" had invaded Kirkwall spread across the world, fanning tensions that still ran hot since before The Qunari Wars. ➨ seeking not to muddy the message that Par Vollen was not involved, the Ben-Hassrath kept to the shadows, monitoring the city-state and sending information back to the salasari (and occasionally covertly helping [future] Champion of Kirkwall, Hawke), but otherwise not intervening. ➨ thus, realizing Kirkwall was relatively safe from the Ben-Hassrath, which had hunted them for generations, tal-vashoth from all over flocked to Kirkwall, making the populace nervous and straining relations further

In 9:34, tensions boiled over, and the tal-Arishok decided to overthrow the viscount and bring order to the chaotic city-state by forcibly converting it to the Cult of Koslun, including chaining of its many circle and apostate mages. Despite what they claim, they are clearly gearing up for another bid at conquering Northern Thedas. ➨ In the ensuing violence, deemed the First Battle of Kirkwall, the Viscount was slain ➨ a tal-vashoth scholar named Shathann, along with her young child Evataash, escaped during the chaos, assisted by a sympathetic Ben-Hassrath agent. Shathann was born into the cult and had dedicated her life to serving it, but recently had discovered that Evataash was an adaari, and under the Cult would be doomed to a life in chains as a saarebas berzerker. They fled to Rivain. ➨➨ this is the default explanation if it happens off-screen, but this may also be incorporated as a side quest during the events of the battle. TBA ➨ Hawke's actions determined the specific outcome of the battle, but either way, the tal-vashoth were killed or driven from Kirkwall, with escaping survivors hunted by the Ben-Hassrath.

With the cult eliminated and the city-state free from "qunari" occupation, Par Vollen attempted to mend public opinion, but the chaos ensuing with the attack on the Kirkwall Chantry drowned it out.

The Annulment of the Dairsmuid Circle

Far from the seat of Chantry power, the Dairsmuid Circle in Rivain was largely a formality. Its mages were free to move about society and young women were openly trained to interact with spirits to become seers. Like most Rivainis, even mages who more or less cooperated with the Circle were only nominally Andrastian, and instead were dedicated to the Qun and the region's native pantheistic/naturalistic religion.

When the circles rebelled, the Seekers of Truth declared Dairsmuid a lost cause, unsalvagably overrun by apostasy. Templars brought in from Antiva helped the Seekers invoke the Rite of Annulment, slaughtering countless mages, their families, and the civilians who rose up to oppose the massacre.

Although only around 25% of the victims were qunari, the overwhelming sentiment in Par Vollen was that all of the victims were "their people", as Rivain had been part of Par Vollen for most of history and even its non-qunari folk were followers of the Qun.

The Rivaini populace, which had tolerated the King and the Chantry only because they weren't substantially disrupting their daily lives, could not be convinced the Annulment was anything short of a declaration of war on their way of life.

Thus, anti-Andrastian sentiment spiked both in Par Vollen and Rivain, with many interpreting the Annulment as the first move in a new Exalted March. Anti-monarchy/chantry rebels in Rivain secretly conferred with the salasari, and agreed that the Annulment violated the terms of the Llomerryn Accord. Thus, Par Vollen would be justified in stepping in. ➨ The goals of the alliance: free Rivain from oppression under the chantry and its king. In return, the freed Rivani forces would then help Par Vollen finally oust Tevinter from Seheron.

While the rest of the world fawned over the Inquisition, Par Vollen's armies and Rivaini rebels quietly geared up to go to war - assuming that once the Inquisition conquered Southern Thedas, it would turn its holy swords on the heathens in the north-east... as the original Inquisition of old had tried to do a millennium ago.

Qunari and the Inquisition

Qunari attended the Conclave, both as delegates/spies from Par Vollen and as unaffiliated mercenary guards

The explosion at the Conclave was immediately blamed on qunari retaliating against the Annulment of the Dairsmuid Circle. While this was swiftly proven false, the rumor persisted in some areas, exacerbating long-held anti-qunari sentiment and putting the Par Vollen-Rivain front further on edge

The Ariqun commanded Ben-Hassrath agent The Iron Bull, who had been undercover as a mercenary in Orlais, to join and spy on the Inquisition.

Par Vollen did not send any other dignitaries, soldiers, or aid to the Inquisition, although it minimally cooperated when it was beneficial enough to do so. While it did not wish to aid or abet the Inquisition, it agreed that the Inquisitor must be allowed to work relatively unencumbered to deal with the breach and the threat posed by Corypheus.

Assuming the Inquisition would not cede power during the Exalted Council, Ben-Hassrath spies led by Viddasala were dispatched to sabotage the council via Operation Dragon's Breath ➨ Aside from assassinating the Inquisitor and hamstringing the believed-to-be Exalted March, the other goals of the operation were to bolster Par Vollen-Rivain's might for a decisive victory in the impending war, particularly magic, via learning more about the eluvian network and the veil and improving lyrium mining to eliminate the need to rely on dwarven allies. ➨ While the nobles attending the council were not the target, unrest followed in the nobility as it seemed too convenient that the regents happened to be absent from the council, having sent other delegates instead. Accusations of conspiring with qunari and qunari-adjacent heathens dogged the leaders of both Orlais and Ferelden for years to follow, along with the same accusations about cowing to the Inquisition ➨ during the council, barrels of gaatlok were discovered stashed all around the Inquisition's major strongholds, set by non-qunari Ben-Hassrath spies that had infiltrated the Inquisition, which cast further doubts and mistrust on the Inquisition

Operation Dragon's Breath was ultimately thwarted, causing a major setback in the Par Vollen-Rivaini rebel cause.

Around 9:47 or so, rebels were able to launch a surprise attack on the palace in Dairsmuid, killing the royal family and kicking off the Rivain Civil War, which is often simplified/sensationalized/propagandized as "the Antaam occupation" ➨ the combatants: Rivaini monarchy/chantry loyalists + Antivan forces (including the Antivan Crows) + other chantry-allied reinforcements ("chantry forces") VS Rivaini rebels + Par Vollen ("rebel forces")

My Fantasy Veilguard Scratchpad

Exact details are pending as I decide how much of Rivain/Antiva are actually in My Fantasy Veilguard, thus how exactly it needs to play out to support the MFV narrative

Since there is no discord between identifying with Rivain and the Qun in MFDA (not that there ever really was lol), Taash's character arc and quest is also being adjusted. One possibility is an arc of being tempted by my good friends the Cult of Koslun, into which Taash was technically born (and which is most definitely still beefing with Shathann for leaving them and stealing an adaari)

Generally, by 9:52, the rebel forces have overtaken Rivain (as there were few loyalists to oppose them) and thus the main front of the conflict is in Antiva and at the border. Port cities such as Treviso are occupied by the Antaam to prevent them from being used as strongholds by the opposing chantry forces

While the rebels are probably "right", the fact that war always causes immense suffering should not be ignored; this is the likely theme that would be explored in MFV

While I probably will not imply the South falls during the events of MFV, the armies being occupied with the mess in the north is part of the explanation for why things were so vulnerable down there

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

due to narrative, lore, and magic system updates, I would like to congratulate elite employees Carver Hawke and Taash on their promotions to the illustrious Technically Mages But Lack the Talent to Actually Do Magic Department, where they join department head Minaeve in representing the spectrum of mage power in Thedas.

the lore tidbit that some mages are too weak to even light a candle has always been fascinating to me, but even including Minaeve, it wasn't really utilized.

With Minaeve, she already has the perfect back story to demonstrate how a lack of talent may affect someone. Like all Dalish clans, hers prized their mages - but unlike most, her clan took it to an extreme (mage supremacy, now not just in Tevinter). She showed promise by presenting as a mage early, but disappointed everyone with her weakness. Her lack of talent meant she was of no use to their clan, and sending her to another would embarrass the clan's reputation - so that's why she was cast out to "find her own way" (as in, die of exposure). An unfortunate and abnormal situation that she carries with her as an adult, informing her opinions on the goings-on of the mage-Templar war.

With Carver, the change is primarily because Hawke can't be a mage in MFDA2. I don't buy that a blatant apostate who kills a dozen+ people every time they set foot outside would be able to become the most important person in KIRKWALL of all places, and I think "Hawke spends half the game fighting tooth and nail to protect their mage sibling only to fail them spectacularly" is such a compelling story that it should be thee story. So Carver and Bethany are both mages, and which one of them is killed in the prologue is random - senseless, violent, unpredictable. Carver's resentment of his siblings is, as ever, rooted in feeling not good enough in comparison. He and Bethany have very different experiences and perspectives on being mages.

With Taash, being an adaari means they have the ability to tap into the power of their dragon-blooded heritage... which is magical power that comes from blood... so they are technically a blood mage - just one that's only capable of performing blood magic on themselves. It's a sort of "path of least resistance" situation; a qunari mage-child who lacks the talent to reach the Fade may still be able to reach within for power. They could do other things with that power, but adaari are so culturally important that fire-breathing is how it typically presents (mage children of all races love setting shit on fire); and by training it exclusively, they lose flexibility to learn other skills. A particularly powerful adaari may be able to perform blood-magic-like feats on others or access minor Fade magic, but generally they are only able to utilize the magical power of their own blood. In qunari culture (and by extension, Rivaini culture), adaari are adaari, not mages - so Taash doesn't think of themselves that way, nor does Shathann.

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

A note on magic

If you think about it, what exactly is magic?

Is alchemy magic? Is using an enchanted item performing magic? Are Templar/Seeker powers not magic? It's admitted that phylacteries and necromancy are blood magic - so why are they not just permissible, but routine, when blood magic is otherwise demonized? Why can Grey Warden mages walk free even when there's no Blight?

Because it was never about magic. It's about power - and specifically, the power structure. That which upholds the power structure is good. That which doesn't is bad. Heresy. Apostasy, if you will - not in the having or being or wielding of magic, but in the rejection of the power structure - in the denying of the system of its control. Picking and choosing what is permissible and what is not isn't a bug, it's a feature. It's Story Juice.

And I don't want to get too deep into Gameplay Mechanics, but I do think that mechanics constantly undermining the story didn't help. A good deal of lore and narrative get lost when any character can get specced to blood mage, there are a million apostates and demons around every corner, lyrium potions are laying around everywhere... it's like, damn, if you can open literally any door and find 8 maleficar abominations and a stockpile of magic power juice behind it, maybe the mages SHOULD be locked up. It's distracting from the point, which is that imprisoning/enslaving people "for the greater good" is never about the greater good - it's about power, always.

I don't have many specific plans for this in MFDA (except for blood magic), but it's something I have on the counter while I'm cooking.

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

Blood Magic and such: a minor lore update

Blood magic is easily one of the most over-utilized under-utilized lore bits in the series to me. It plays such a major role across all the games, but I find it rings too hollow - by way of being too inconsistent, esoteric, and undermined by gameplay mechanics - to make the intended impact.

So, the following is my minor adjustments/clarifications/elaborations to the canon Blood Magic lore (including related topics like necromancy) to make it more compelling To Me.

First order of business: it needs to be clearly explained what the blood is actually for. What does it do for a mage?

In short, every mage has an innate talent for drawing and harnessing magic from the Fade that can be honed with training, but there is a ceiling to the power each mage can attain. Even very talented mages don't always have the innate capacity to cast all the spells they want to, and trying to punch above one's weight class is dangerous - it can lead to protracted ailment or injury, and overexerting puts them at greater risk for being preyed on by demons.

This is where magical catalysts come in - the most common being lyrium and blood (as in! extremely potent Titan blood and regular guy blood). By tapping the power of the catalyst, a mage can artificially raise their power ceiling, granting them the ability to cast more or more powerful spells than they'd be able to on their own. A mage of average talent usually doesn't really need a catalyst to go about their daily business, but may need one (most commonly in the from of diluted lyrium potions) to extend their stamina in battle or meet high demands for enchanted goods.

But blood mages tend not to be average mages, nor do they tend to be satisfied with daily business.

Obviously the chantry has the lyrium trade locked down, and the black market is far out of reach of most regular people... so, the next place a desperate mage may they look? Blood.

But blood is a substantially weaker catalyst than lyrium (again, coughing baby vs hydrogen bomb etc), so any blood magic spell or ritual worth the trouble pretty much requires a human sacrifice. Biting one's thumb (which is unnecessary theatrics, you can draw power from your own blood in your own veins) would empower them to light an extra lamp or two, but if they really want to accomplish anything? Someone, or multiple people, has to pay the ultimate price - and any argument about "willing" sacrifice is likely to fall on deaf ears.

So, a mage "can" do blood magic with their own blood, but also not really. In desperation, a blood mage could try to draw just enough of their own blood power not to kill themselves, but this would leave them infirm for weeks if they did survive, if they ever recovered at all.

Blood magic basically requiring a human death to do anything relevant also explains why blood mages are more susceptible to demonic possession - they have already succumbed to greed, pride, rage, fear, desperation, desire, etc in exchange for power, and are susceptible to temptation for more.

For those reasons, blood magic is uncommon. It's just not feasible or worth it for most people. It's pretty securely the domain of serial killers, greedy magisters, cultists, and particularly desperate freaks.

Speaking of my beloved wife Merrill: the blood mage specialization is exclusive to her, full stop. A player character can never be a blood mage nor can other mage companions ever be specced to blood mage. I think being able to throw it around willy-nilly for game mechanic reasons undermines the story of DAO and DA2, as well as the stories of the player character and other companion mages.

Unlike them, Merrill needs to be a blood mage because, despite her immense innate talent, she's no match for the ancient elven mage who originally crafted the eluvian. Since her access to lyrium is limited, she turns to blood to help her bridge the gap. Good thing there are so many bandits for Hawke and Co to kill every time they step outside! A cute girl should get to be a little serial killery and skulk around collecting fresh blood after a battle and perhaps prowling the night waiting to be attacked sometimes as a treat <3

To backtrack a little, I said blood and lyrium are the most common catalysts, but there is a third: taint, mutated from the grief and rage of the severed Titans. Magic can draw on the power not only of life, but of powerful feelings - so it would stand to (enough) reason that the power of blood magic can be enhanced by also tapping into the victim's pain, terror, or anger.

So, a blood mage is incentivized to double dip - to not just kill their victim, but to make them suffer. If they're already doing something horrible for power, why leave power on the table? Haven't they already crossed a line? Is it truly any worse to twist the knife?

(Don't those brigands and murderers deserve it, Merrill? whispered Audacity. Don't your people deserve this?)

This is a pretty delicate argument, but: when it comes to the oppression of mages, the chantry needs to have a point sometimes for the story to be interesting. As I said, the hypocrisy is really tasty Story Juice, and I think it enhances the flavor to have to concede that a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut. So, the chantry's (and basically every named character's) vehement demonization of blood magic and blood mages is founded and rational. On paper.

The problem is that throwing around "blood mage" as an accusation happens to be a pretty convenient way of getting rid of inconvenient people... which also gives the impression that blood magic is a lot more common than it is... which stresses people out... which makes them even more wary of mages... which gives the chantry even more power to oppress mages... and the cycle continues. The populace fears blood magic in the same way that suburban middle class moms fear being kidnapped and trafficked from the TJ Maxx parking lot - it's realistically never gonna happen to them or anyone they know, yet they live in such fear of it happening that it affects how they go about life. Anti blood-magic scams are alive and well! And as in that real life scenario, the populace's paranoia and willingness to trade safety from imagined threats for various real freedoms upholds the power structure.

Finally, what about blood magic-adjacent concepts like necromancy, phylacteries, the Joining, and healing/body modification? In rapid fire:

Necromancy is not generally blood magic, but certain practices may blur the line. Like the body, life force in blood begins to decay the moment a person dies; so unless it is preserved, human blood is rendered inert within about an hour of death. Thus, corpses are not a very good power source except in battle, surrounded by fresh death. The necromantic arts are more focused on the manipulation (and veneration) of corpses and spirits, rather than on the augmentation of one's own power, so it doesn't "feel" like blood magic to practitioners. Nevarrans reject the idea that necromancy has anything to do with blood magic not just because it is devout and believes it's evil while necromancy is virtuous, but also because it is an extremely wealthy nation that can afford ample lyrium (unlike the desperate brokies elsewhere). Even when it sort of is blood magic, they get away with it because the Orlesian Chantry farted around on calling an Exalted March against Nevarra, and it became too rich and powerful to stop.

Phylacteries are in fact blood magic because magic is being done using the life force in an individual's blood. However, it is blood magic being done by Templars, so it "doesn't count" for the same reason Templars - who use lyrium to do magic - don't count as mages: because the Chantry says it's fine. The blood in a phylactery is preserved.

A lot of Grey Warden Stuff is actually blood magic, which is not surprising because the Grey Wardens are a creepy death cult. The entire world lets it slide because they're afraid of the Wardens, but are more afraid of the Blight. The Joining is clearly a blood magic ritual, but also! Mind Domination is lowkey a big thing with the Grey Wardens, forcing them to submit to the rules of the Order including succumbing to the Calling and keeping their freaky shit secret. This is also part of the Rite of Conscription. A Grey Warden literally cannot betray the order thanks to their ""oath"". Wardens are bound to obey the demands order in the same way darkspawn minions are bound to the Archdemons.

I do like the idea that blood magic has one upside: its utility in healing and maybe body modification. I would posit that healing magic is often lowkey blood magic, but everyone is in denial about it because it doesn't fit the "blood magic is evil and *I* would never go near it" narrative. A mage-healer might mobilize the life force in the patient's blood - no need to make them bleed if they aren't already, the laying of hands is contact enough with the catalyst - to speed up the individual's natural healing processes. To keep it from being too OP, using the patient's life force means that blood magic healing is risky to use in dire circumstances - the mage-healer could accidentally draw too much and kill them.

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

My Fantasy Qunari: Index

The biggest lore edit in the whole My Fantasy Dragon Age project, collected in one place for easy access.

Introduction

Appearance

Ancient Age

The First Blight, the End of the Ancient Age, and the Rise of Andrastianism

The Cult of Koslun

The Qunari Wars (6:30 - 7:85)

My Fantasy Qunari and the Dragon Age

The Qun and qunari life across Thedas

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

I love how Isolde sounds like Ariana Grande's impression of Celine Dion so I have decided that the Orlesians are Quebecois now

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

My Fantasy Qunari: the Qun and qunari life across Thedas

Misc information and background lore edits that didn't fit into the other posts

The Qun (in its ideal form)

For as long as writing has existed in Thedas, so have records exploring the qunari way, which over time developed into the Qun.

Qunari see themselves as cerebral, disciplined, dignified, sensitive people - kin to the lofty high dragons whose blood they still feel runs in their veins. The qunari way then can be understood as an honor code and philosophy focused on venerating that heritage - and by extension, venerating oneself, one's forefathers, and one's community - by upholding virtues such as diligence, temperance, and cooperation.

As the qunari way evolved over the Ancient Age, it incorporated some characteristics of the native naturalistic beliefs of the northeastern region. An emphasis on the nature of the qunari themselves in concert with the nature of the world around them - the natural order - led to the development of two of major Qun principles: aqun ("balance") and asit tal-eb ("it is to be").

These principles together convey that everyone and everything has a true nature and thus a place in the natural order (balance), and it is disrupting the natural order that causes strife. By acting in accordance with the natural order, one promotes not just harmony but also inner peace and free from fear and doubt.

This is also tied into the mythology of The Devouring Storm, the cataclysm that drove the qunari's ancestors (the vashoth) out of their original home and into Thedas. Qun philosophers posit that the vashoth failed to stand against The Devouring Storm, or perhaps in fact exacerbated it, by hunting dragons to extinction in their original homeland, thus upsetting the natural order. In contrast, by developing the Qun and thus promoting balance and the natural order, the qunari have since been able to weather numerous existential threats (such as the Tevinter Imperium, Blights, and the rise of Andrastianism). Philosophers - and Par Vollen nationalists - point to the stability of the Qun-ruled Par Vollen in contrast to the roiling chaos of the Andrastian nations as further proof of concept.

A critical facet of the concept of aqun is the three pillars of the Qun: body, mind, and soul. To find "balance" between them as an individual isn't to develop them equally, but rather to find the balance that feels natural to the individual; it's understood that individuals have different aptitudes, and fighting against this violates their nature (e.g. forcing a fish to climb a tree). Society, however, must maintain an equal balance to function properly. Hence, the salasari, or triumvirate, each a paragon of one pillar coming together to form a perfect whole.

While it is an individual's responsibility - and choice - to live in accordance with their nature, this is facilitated in Par Vollen by the tamassran/cohort system (see below). Despite this system being immutable and compulsory, it is not seen as violating the Qun by restricting individual choice; rather, denizens of Par Vollen see it as a conscious effort to give individuals the opportunity to maximize their potential and ease their doubts about their place in the world.

Followers of the Qun engage in a daily ritual of dar-saam, which involves binding oneself with elaborate and precisely-placed knotted ropes. Symbolically, it ties down that which is too precious to risk losing - oneself, as each person, like each knot and rope, has a precise and important place within the whole. ➨ dar-saam likely originated from the early qunari mastery of sailing, so it also honors their heritage in Thedas

Because the ability of qunari to wield magic is seen as a gift from the dragon-ancestors, the Qun embraces mages - while acknowledging their capacity for massive danger and chaos. The concept of apostasy does not exist in the Qun, per se, but it would be considered a violation of the Qun (and one punishable by death) to fail to report for training. ➨ In Rivain and Par Vollen, where the Qun is the majority belief system, some female mages are trained as seers, who confer with spirits and eventually become revered as wise-women. The Qun teaches that spirits are also part of the natural order, and do not need to be feared or reviled so long as they do not seek to disturb the natural order by trying leave their proper place (the Fade). ➨ Followers of the Qun disapprove of the Circle system, as it's seen as causing far more discord than it promotes order. ➨ Demonic possession is uncommon in Par Vollen because its mages are not subject to high levels of desperation, rage, fear, etc due to persecution or (as in Tevinter) poverty/inequality. It's a relatively common superstition that qunari cannot be possessed by demons (because they are too big for demons to control).

Although ideologically tied to a trait limited to qunari - dragon-blooded heritage - anyone can practice the principles of the Qun, although some believe other races must struggle admirably against their chaotic natures to embrace it.

It is also a common belief, both by qunari and others, that qunari need to follow the Qun to truly be themselves. Qunari who reject the Qun or never know it are looked on with variable suspicion and pity, as they have either rejected, lost, or been robbed of their "soul"

Life in Par Vollen (also in its ideal form)

As of the Dragon Age, the demographics are approximately 85% qunari, 10% humans, 3% elven, 2% dwarf. The universally-spoken language is qunlat, with varying proficiency in trade language depending on location and occupation.

Freedom of religion is granted, but submission to the social order guided by the Qun is mandatory. ➨ the exception is that the Cult of Koslun is banned; being exposed as a current or former cultist is punishable by death ➨ Andrastianism is virtually nonexistent, with almost all individuals practicing the Qun alongside the region's native pantheism/naturalism.

Par Vollen is governed by the salasari, or triumvirate, which is comprised of three appointed individuals believed to exemplify one pillar each of the Qun: Arigena (mind), Ariqun (soul), and Arishok (body).

Each salasari has various under-offices, but most qunari outside of the military (antaam) look to seers for day-to-day leadership. Loosely speaking, Par Vollen can be considered a matriarchal society, with only the Arishok as an always-male leader.

There is no "nobility" in Par Vollen, and even the salasari and their lieutenants are not regarded as "above" the average worker. Individuals, such as seers, garner respect through their experience and their virtuousness under the Qun, but no riches or power follow that esteem. Everyone is furnished similar housing, food, clothing, medicine, and so on. While individuals of course have personal belongings, there is no concept of private ownership of land, water, means to produce clothing or food, etc. A large portion of the work force, divided across the three pillars, is focused on the provision of essential goods and services.

At age 8, most Par Vollenite children transfer from the care of their families into that of the tamassrans, an order of priestesses who who are responsible for the guidance and development of youths. The tamassrans evaluate each child and determine under which pillar of the Qun they are best suited to serve their community. At age 12, the children are formally assigned the work cohort to which they will belong for the rest of their working life. ➨ There is some flexibility in what the cohort does - for example, a labor cohort may switch between farming, forestry, and construction every few years - but there is no way to leave one's cohort short of leaving Par Vollen. Expressing dissatisfaction with one's cohort, even in private, is heavily frowned upon, seen as both doubting one's carefully-evaluated nature and a slight against the judgement of the highly-respected tamassrans. ➨ In response to criticism that this system is oppressive and limits personal freedom (thus that it violates the Qun), Par Vollenites argue that their ways give everyone a chance to meet their potential or at least do work that suits their abilities, versus children being left to starve at the mercy of their parents' luck in Andrastian nations. ➨ the "selective breeding program" from canon is of course deleted with extreme prejudice, as is the concept that tamassrans provide sexual services as a therapy program. ""Re-education"" is the domain of the CIA Ben-Hassrath as god intended

Aside from managing the assigning of cohorts, different subsections of the tamassran order also cares for elderly and disabled folks, serve as nurses and midwives, and provide guidance to parents of younger children. After the seers, they are some of the most respected and revered people in Par Vollenite society.

Seheron

Seheron has been part of Par Vollen for millennia, and has been partially occupied by Tevinter since the Qunari Wars. As the hotseat of the long, dragged-out conflict, Seheron has developed a culture and mythology of its own over the ages.

Once, Seheron was the dumping ground for the Cult of Koslun, intended to keep the cult away from the greater qunari society. To the day, even though the cult has been exterminated (on paper), denizens of Seheron carry a reputation of boldness, passion, and danger. And, treason - as the native population has sheltered and absorbed deserters from both sides for ages. As of the Dragon Age, the population of Seheron is split roughly equally between qunari and humans. Both the Qun and the Chant of Light have largely been abandoned.

Denizens of Seheron do not feel like Par Vollenites, but also do not want to be absorbed by Tevinter; they feel like pawns in a power struggle, and that neither side truly 'wants' them as much as it wants the other side not to have them. Most would prefer sovereignty, and many are willing to risk life and limb to see it happen.

Thus, the Fog Warriors - an incredibly skilled legion of freedom fighters who unpredictably harangue both sides, hoping to destabilize the island enough to force them both to withdraw. Due to their small number, the Fog Warriors would not be able defeat either army outright without being crushed by the other, so they rely on guerrilla warfare, stealth, psychological warfare, alchemy, blood magic, and powerful artifacts

The Ben-Hassrath are in charge of monitoring Seheron, separate from the military activity carried out by the antaam. They are major targets of the Fog Warriors, and the post is so stressful and chaotic that, typically, an agent is only allowed to spend a year at at a time posted there.

Qunari elsewhere in Thedas

Rivain was part of Par Vollen until the Llomerryn Accord conceded it to the Orlesian Chantry in 7:85. By the Dragon Age, most Rivainis prefer the idea of independence - that is, freedom from the chantry and its puppet monarchy - over the idea of returning to Par Vollen, but friendship endures between the peoples. A majority of Rivainis follow the Qun to some extent, and many are conversationally capable in qunlat. Culturally, the two nations are quite similar, although Par Vollenites tend to feel Rivain has become indiscreet and chaotic without the governance of the Qun. Approximately 25% of the Rivani population are qunari, with populations as high as 60% in places such as Kont-aar, which boasts the only official Par Vollen embassy in mainland Thedas. Despite the chantry's best efforts, Rivain is by far the most welcoming and understanding place in Thedas for qunari folks outside of Par Vollen.

Outside of Par Vollen and Rivain, qunari make up around 2 to 4% of the populations of the human-dominated Andrastian nations. Each nation has at least a couple of long-running qunari settlements, in addition to individuals or small groups who strike out on their own in the cities. Qunari are usually not counted as citizens of Andrastian nations, and are typically barred from the military or other public service; they of course are still taxed (if not over-taxed). When they live in or close to cities, qunari are most often employed as hired muscle, mercenaries, laborers, and - in some areas, particularly in Orlais (where there is a larger market for "exotic" goods) - craftsmen.

The Qun is illegal in Orlais, Tevinter, the Anderfels, and some Marcher states, but whether/to what extent this is officially persecuted varies. Most qunari inhabitants outside of the northeast were either not raised with the Qun, having instead been brought up with the chantry, or practice it in concert with Andrastianism.

Theoretically, qunari who are discovered to be mages are to be brought into the Circle system... but the Southern circles have conspicuously few qunari. The backlash regarding rumored (or witnessed) Templars who slay qunari mages rather than bring them in never seems to reach anyone with the power to change it. Thus, qunari parents who discover magic in their child may attempt to take them to Par Vollen for safety.

Qunari are rarely recruited by the Grey Wardens, citing concerns about qunari corpses spawning ogres. Using this same ""logic"", qunari are barred from Orzammar entirely.

[my-fantasy-dragon-age]

My Fantasy Qunari: The Qunari Wars (6:30 - 7:85)

⭐ Note that I scavenged most terminology from canon but may have completely changed the definition

In 6:30 Steel, the Cult of Koslun invaded the Tevinter city of Qarinus with the goal of harnessing - enslaving - its powerful and well-trained mages to bolster its plans to conquer the entirety of Thedas. The cult held that the qunari people would never be safe so long as human powers existed to oppose them - so the only solution was to conquer the human powers first.

Par Vollen attempted to insist that the invasion was the work of an unsanctioned cult, but could not convince the human nations. Thus, it was forced to defend itself against retaliation, casting the false appearance of the unified front they so prized.

The problem was exacerbated by the discovery that some Ben-Hassrath agents had double-crossed Par Vollen, secretly supporting the cult and eliminating the possibility of hamstringing it before it could make further advances. The Arishok and Ariqun thus executed all other members of the Ben-Hassrath to prevent further betrayal; eventually, the order was re-established with new, harsher-trained agents.

By 6:42 Steel, the cult managed to conquer much of Tevinter and parts of Antiva, Rivain, and the Free Marches.

In 6:85 Steel, Tevinter rebels working with the new crop of Ben-Hassrath agents managed to free most of the Imperium, greatly weakening the cult's power.

Then in 6:90 Steel, the cult was forced to abandon its siege of the Antivan city of Seleny when a high dragon ravaged the battlefield. Some tal-vashoth defected from the cult then, believing the dragon was a sign from Koslun that they were taking the wrong path. Those who attempted to surrender to Par Vollen were executed.

By 7:23 Storm, the cult was fully on the back heel. The Battle of Nocen Sea led to a naval stalemate that rapidly depleted both sides' resources.

In 7:25 Storm, the Exalted Marches against the qunari were called by both the Orlesian and Imperial Chantry. The goals were to retake Qarinus and liberate both Rivain and Seheron from the qunari scourge (and obtain the regions' valuable resources and infrastructure).

At risk of losing land it had owned for millennia, Par Vollen was forced to join the offensive, preferring to help its wayward kin conquer the north to losing its home. The Ariqun recalled the Ben-Hassrath, allowing the cult to fight unencumbered.

At some point during the Exalted Marches, Orlesian forces stole the Tome of Koslun following a victory over the tal-Arishok's forces.

Over the 7:50s, the cult and their reluctant kin re-conquered Antiva and captured Kirkwall, which they occupied for several years.

However, their combined power began to fail again, and by 7:85, Orlais had captured Rivain and Tevinter had captured Seheron.

The salasari determined that victory was impossible; their only choices were defeat or annihilation. They decided to turn on the cult, ordering the Ben-Hassrath and antaam to massacre or sabotage tal-vashoth en masse and hand decisive victories to the Orlesian forces.

Due to the salasari's cooperation, peace talks were secured, and a truce between the nations under the Orlesian Chantry and Par Vollen was established by the Llomerryn Accord. As a condition, Rivain was formally surrendered to the Chantry, and its people were forced to either relocate to to the islands or convert to Andrastianism. The native language, qunlat, was outlawed. A King was installed, and the Dairsmuid Circle was established.

The transfer of Rivain to the chantry's custody was not smooth - the next decade was wrought with rebellion and strife, with Rivaini forces violating the terms of the Accord several times. The common sentiment among rebels was that if they couldn't return to Par Vollen - which would violate the Accord - then they should found a nation under their own banner, not the chantry's. It was only when the Orlesian forces finally withdrew and, far from the seat of the Divine, the new nation was slowly able to recoup its identity.

Because Tevinter did not cooperate with the talks, Par Vollen and Tevinter remained at war, with neither able to call in allies due to the Accord.

Aftermath

The Cult of Koslun was outlawed in Par Vollen and deemed grave enemies of the Qun. The Ben-Hassrath were tasked with eliminating it entirely, and the antaam was given standing orders to execute any tal-vashoth on sight.

Tal-vashoth survivors thus fled across the Boeric Ocean and disappeared into the mainland. Hiding out in enclaves across Thedas - including one near the Brecilian Forest - their goals became to rebuild their strength and recover their stolen Tome of Koslun.

Par Vollen focused on rebuilding itself for the half-age following the Llomerryn Accord, as it had lost both substantial population and substantial infrastructure with the surrender of Rivain.

Although Par Vollen and Tevinter were still at war, neither side was in shape to continue full-scale battle, so fighting was limited to skirmishes and standoffs. Because Tevinter refused to withdraw from Seheron, Par Vollen refused to withdraw from Qarinus, even though it had no designs on conquering Tevinter itself.

The Fog Warriors came about in Seheron. Split roughly equally between humans and qunari, some originally natives of Seheron and others Tevinter deserters, the group views itself as freedom fighters seeking to establish a sovereign nation of its own.

By 8:55 Blessed, Par Vollen recuperated enough to send a renewed effort to Seheron, hoping to finally retake it. However, little progress was made either way for decades, due to a confluence of factors: ➨ both sides being harangued by the Fog Warriors ➨ unfortunate weather events and disease outbreaks ➨ political turmoil in each nation and low morale ➨ the re-emergence of dragons, which ravaged the entire continent

While most people, including the Divine, took the re-emergence of dragons as an ill omen for the next Age, the Par Vollenite qunari were among those who saw it as a sign of hope. Still seeing themselves as kin to the noble and majestic beings, they believed that if the dragons could rise to glory again, so could they.

Unfortunately, this sentiment was also shared by the Cult of Koslun.