Ferelden.

A land that was unique among the major kingdoms in that its king or queen is chosen by its nobles,
where the ruler is subject to law not above it and can be removed at any time. A land owned not by
noble planters, but freehold farmers and urban workers, toiling away for their own benefit for the most
part, paying dues to their liege-lords but not made slaves. This is how Ferelden had been for centuries.

The Fifth Blight seemed to change things for the better still further.

Under the enlightened rule of King Fergus and Queen Anora, Ferelden gathered much strength. Yet the
person most responsible for this was neither king nor queen, but Aedan Cousland, the Warden Hero of
Ferelden, the only man ever to slay an Archdemon and lives to tell of it.

The most divergent difference between the land of the doglords and all other Southern realms is the
legal status of mages. In recognition of the mages effort in aiding Ferelden during the Fifth Blight and
the aftermath they were granted considerable freedoms. At the request of Aedan Cousland the Crown
launched a full investigation into the Chantry after evidence was found of the abuses inflicted upon the
mages of Ferelden. While the Chantry naturally protested it was not enough to stop the horrifying
revelations to come to light. The Rite of Tranquility was one first practices to come under review by King
Fergus, due to evidence that the Chantry had been using it to effect a form of slavery in Ferelden, which
was, of course, illegal. The ancient Tevinter fortress Aeonar was also investigated and much to the
horror of the Royal Army detachment that was sent to investigate it was discovered that it was used to
determine if accused apostates and maleficarum were in fact mages

Beatings, abuse, rapes, murder covered up with excuses about blood magic, the kidnapping of children
from their parents regardless of whether or not they had magic potential wer

The Circle was turned from a closed prison into an open one

Under their new keeper, Lanaya, the Dalish was granted land in the heart of the Brecilian Forest. This
sort of grant was not unusual in history, but it was unique in Ferelden history. Similarly, the city elves of
Denerim were granted political autonomy under a bann of their own, Soris. The alienage was rebuilt at
royal expense.

The Warden Hero did not just touch Ferelden's internal policies, but its external ones too.

In Orzammar, Duran Aeducan returned from living with the Legion of the Dead and (with the aid of
Aedan) outmaneuvers his brother Bhelen and kills him for the crown. Paragon Caridin was convinced to
return to Orzammar and aid in the war against the darkspawn. Orzammar and Ferelden cooperated to
recapture many of the lost thaigs that spanned Ferelden. This brought even more wealth to both
kingdoms, and their alliance remained strong for many years.

Better still, this relationship inspired Queen Anora to establish strong relations with the Marcher city-
states, turning Ferelden into a trade conduit both between dwarven thaigs but also between Orzammar
and the rich Free Marches, benefiting all. Antivan merchant houses were more than eager to invest in
the new arrangements, meaning that any Orlesian invasion attempt would also drag the Antivan fleets
into the conflict.