[Glossary]
The Well of Emerald WatersWelcome to the Dragon Age Glossary
I'll keep this as simple as possible. You may not need to read it now, but I will update this page, and leave markers in the chapters themselves directing you back here if necessary. Feel free to check it often.
Scroll down for a Map of Ferelden, and the DA Theories section for advanced DA gamers and nerds like me.
Glossary of Important Terms Most of these come paraphrased from Dragon Age Wiki.
A
- Apostates - mages who do not live within the Circle of Magi, or under the guidance of the Chantry; labeled as rebel mages, sometimes referred to as maleficar
- Arl - noble title, feudal rulers of landholdings called arlings
B
- Blight - period of time when darkspawn appear in great numbers and attack the surface world, and an Archdemon takes shape as a dragon
- Blood magic - taboo form of magic which uses a person's life forces for dark magic, often killing or harming the subjects they use
C
- Carta - highly organized crime gang run by casteless dwarves both in Orzammar and on the surface
- Chantry - dominant religion of Thedas, based on writings of Andraste, a prophetess of the Maker; only women can belong to the highest ranks of the Chantry
- Circle of Magi - organization of mages, where all are forced to live and train, according to the laws of the Chantry
D
- Darkspawn - bloodthirsty, humanoid creatures that typically dwell underground, except during Blights when they ravage and taint the surface world
- Dwarves - short, stocky people who almost never leave their underground kingdom of Orzammar under the Frostback Mountains; adhere to rigid caste hierarchy
- (Surface dwarves) - dwarves who venture to the surface world and therefore become instantly casteless outcasts
E
- Elves -a now mortal race (once thought immortal), they live either in city alienages (City elves) or in nomadic communities (Dalish elves) in forests across Thedas; considered racially inferior by most humans
F
- The Fade - the Beyond, a spirit realm, from which mages draw their power, where humans/elves/qunari visit in dreams; separated from Thedas by the Veil
- Ferelden - large human kingdom in south-east Thedas, east of the Frostback mountains; where most of this fic takes place; Denerim is its capital, Redcliffe is another large city
L
- Lyrium - a dangerous, blue mineral; when processed it can be used by mages to enhance powers, or ingested by templars to help resist and dispel magic
M
- Mages - a feared/misunderstood class of people, children with magical powers are forced to live and train always in Circles across Thedas; mages who do not have control of their powers can be susceptible to possession by spirits/demons from the Fade, turning them into Abominations; they are kept in line by Templars
O
- Orlais - Orlesian Empire, largest human kingdom in western Thedas, west of the Frostback Mountains; Val Royeaux is its capital
Q
- Qunari - gigantic, robust, metallic-skinned race, usually with white hair and/or horns
T
- Templars - military order of the Chantry; hunts apostates and maleficar, protects communities from magical threats
- Thaig - Underground dwarven settlement (only one is still occupied: Orzammar)
- Thedas - the only known continent in the Dragon Age universe
- The Tranquil - mages whose emotions have been removed, to keep them from being possessed by demons/spirits from the Fade
Map of Ferelden
*Note, the West Hill on his map is not the same as West Hills, which is another actual arling located west-southwest of Redcliffe. (This will be important later.)
Map of Thedas - See Link
Dragon Age Theory
**Only for readers who have played Dragon Age: Origins and/or DA:Awakening, DA2 or DA: Inquisition.
The Setting: 9:33 Dragon is the date notation that puts this story just 2 years after the Fifth Blight (plot of Origins) began in 9:31 Dragon. For reference, the Mage-Templar War will not begin in Kirkwall until 9:37 Dragon, and the Inquisition is not founded until 9:41 Dragon. The plot of Emerald Waters begins near the Korcari Wilds and will be traveling northwards collecting 'party members' as they go. By the end of this fic, we will end up in the Dales, hence the titular use of 'Emerald' for the Emerald Graves, as seen in Inquisition playthroughs.
The World: I borrow heavily from the world left behind in Origins, post-Blight, a new king/queen on the Ferelden throne, etc., all without citing exact game plot details. Namely because I don't want to spoil it for non-(yet)-gamers, and because there are so many options that players could have induced while playing Origins or in any of the subsequent expansions and sequels.
The Plot: Do not expect to see or hear much about the plot of DA2 in this fiction. It is a world apart in another region of Thedas, and the affects of the events in Kirkwall and the Inquisiton have not yet come to pass. However, expect to see some hints of what Awakening brought theoretically into this world, namely in the existence of certain types of sentient darkspawn.
End Goal: Never fear that I will have Xiumin and Luhan settle down happily in a nice little hut... in the middle of the Hinterlands... before this fic is over... dun dun dun. I will most likely be removing or transplanting all the main characters away from the doom of the impending Mage-Templar War, tear in the Veil, Inquisition, etc. Hopefully you will have no anxiety that they may all end up dead just a few years later from the fic's end. I could not do that - or even hint at that - to either you, them or myself. You're welcome!
Anyways, sit back and enjoy the show!
Comments