P art 2

SECRET SOCIETIES
O rganisations of T hedas ...
 O rganisations
D r a g o n A ge
O rganisations
The peoples and kingdoms of Thedas are as varied
as they are many. With their own unique cultures
and beliefs they divide themselves from one another
and many bitter rivalries have formed as a result.
Ideology, race and nation become labels to identify
and revile, swear vengeance or commit genocide.
Within these societies however exists ideals and
beliefs that go beyond simple community or race.
Concepts of honour, justice, or simple faith and
survival resonate amongst the populace. Such
concepts can cut across social rank and ideology,
bringing together disparate people under a common
cause and tying them together with bonds of
brotherhood. In some cases they can even bridge
the gap between races and religions. This is how the
organisations of Thedas have formed.
Each organisation within Thedas exists as a social
institution under its own specific ideals. They will
inevitably form whether the authorities officially
sanction them or not. The most famous are martial
organisations like the Orlesian Chevaliers and Ash
Warriors, fighting under strict codes of chivalric
behaviour and honourable combat. The romanticism
inherent in these ideals has made them popular
throughout the lands. Some organisations however
are built upon far more prosaic concepts like the
accumulation of wealth. The Free Marches Merchant
Guild is not particularly popular amongst the people
but it is undeniably successful in its endeavours and
is one of the single largest organisations in Thedas
outside the Chantry divisions.
Desperate people have also formed organisations to
help protect and facilitate illegal activities. Criminal
gangs, slave traders and apostates have all formed
their own organisations for mutual protection and the
company of their own. These organisations are either
publicly decried by the authorities and therefore
hated by the populace or are secretive enough to slip
under the notice of those that would harm them.
To join one of these organisations is no simple task.
Organisations are insular and exclusionary, only
accepting those they believe to be suitable and
with the correct disposition. Secretive and illegal
organisations are even harder to get into as they value
their privacy highly in order to avoid unwanted
attention by local authorities. If you do not share at
least a passing similarity in outlook to the group you
intend to join you’ll very quickly find doors close in
your face, or a knife in the dark...
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In the following pages you will find information on
many organisations found in Thedas as well as facts
on their structure, goals and so on. Each organisation
has its own unique hierarchy and customs which
all members are expected to honour. These are
presented in a table like this one:
O rganisational S tructure
Areas Particulars
Affiliates
Assets
Expertise
Enemies
Leaders
Status
J oining an O rganisation
Organisations aren’t something you just receive when
you reach a certain level. They require contacts with
members, performing rituals, tasks or assignments
and swearing oaths of allegiance.
There is no level limitation on when you can join
an organisation so long as you have the mechanical
prerequisites. Normally organisations either raise
their members (like the Crows) or only accept
experienced ones. It’s unusual for level 1 or 2
characters to be selected on merit alone. You can
however start as part of an organisation from level 1
if you have the correct prerequisites. This represents
you either being raised in the organisation or coming
to it very early. Examples of this include the Circle of
Mages, Antivan Crows and Qunari Beresaad.
PRE-EXISTING ORGANISATIONS
If you wish to incorporate organisations into your
games then there are several notes to take into
account. Under these rules the Grey Wardens
are an organisation and the bonuses they get are
considered to be organisational bonuses as seen
in the following entries. A character with the
Circle Mage or Qunari Beresaad backgrounds
is considered to be a member of those same
organisations unless you specifically wish to have
left those organisations at the beginning of play.
If the GM wishes to incorporate organisations into
play then it’s important to decide when and how. If
a player wishes to start in an organisation then it is
best for all players to start in one to ensure they are
all on an even footing. As with everything so long
as the players are having fun it doesn’t matter what
you ultimately do, especially as you can hold off on
granting organisational bonuses to players until later
in the game (see below).

Each organisation provides bonuses to its members,
reflecting the exclusive training and singular mind-
set of the organisation in question.
• Gain 1 attribute bonus. Record this in parentheses
next to the attribute.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Gain an organisation specific bonus.
• Gain 1 focus.
These are found in each organisation entry listed
later in this section.
It is up to the GM to decide when, how or even if
a player receives these organisational bonuses. The
simplest option is to give them all to the player as
soon as they go through whatever esoteric joining
ritual is required. However you can just as easily
spread these bonuses across levels or hand them out
based on significant milestones overcome during
play. Alternatively you can ignore some or all of
these bonuses and treat the organisation as merely
a part of the character’s background and roleplaying
aspects.
L eaving an O rganisation
Once joined a character cannot leave an organisation
easily. Many organisations expect eternal loyalty and
take a dim view on deserters. Even if you do manage
to extricate yourself from an organisation you may
find that you have a hard time dealing with anyone
from or associated with the organisation. You suffer
-2 to all interaction tests with the organisation and its
allies if you leave it (see the bonus in each entry, you
effectively reverse this).
The organisational bonuses a player receives aren’t
permanent, as they reflect the exclusive training
afforded the player by their association. As soon as
they sever ties with the organisation they lose that
training as well. This is not true of specialisations they
may have learned whilst joined to an organisation,
although leaving with the trade secrets of an
organisation is a dangerous proposition and may
incur retaliation.
A player may never be part of more than one
organisation at a time. If you wish to join another
organisation you must leave the one you are
currently in. A character that flits from organisation
to organisation will lose all the bonuses from each
one but accumulate a growing number of interaction
penalties reflecting the trail of angry organisations
left in their wake. On the other hand this does lend
itself to some fun roleplaying scenarios.
O rganisations
D r a g o n A ge
THE RISK OF JOINING
As an optional rule you can incorporate risk
into joining any organisation. This puts them
in line with becoming a Grey Warden. Whether
through secret life-threatening rituals, hazing
gone wrong or botched initiation mission, joining
any organisation is risky. Whenever you do join
an organisation roll 3D6. If you roll a triple the
character has met with some kind of misfortune
and died.
This functions the same way as the Grey Warden
joining ritual and should only be used if such a
ritual is also being employed. Similarly, if you
don’t see the point in threatening characters with
death if you don’t want to actually kill them, such
a test need not be taken for any character joining
any organisation.
A sense of challenge can still be generated by
inflicting penalties on a character’s tests or reducing
Health for a certain number of days due to the side
effects of said ritual/hangover/post traumatic
stress from committing your first murder etc. The
lead up to the joining of an organisation can also
be arduous, presenting the character with difficult
tasks rather than a test or die scenario.
B reaking the R ules
If you want to make things easy you can limit players
to those organisations they have the prerequisites to
join. However life isn’t quite that black and white
and many of the most famous fantasy heroes are
those that broke the mould and joined elite warrior
brotherhoods they wouldn’t normally be able to join.
If the GM allows and the player has a particularly
compelling roleplaying reason for their character to
join an organisation (or the GM has planned it that
way) then a character can join any organisation. A
particularly honourable and valiant human warrior
that saved the lives of a party of dwarves might be
allowed to join the Legion of the Dead, despite its
ostensibly being a dwarf only organisation. Some
organisations lend themselves to this more than
others; it would be extremely hard for a human to
join the Dalish Gift extremists for example.
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 A sh W arriors
D r a g o n A ge
A sh W arriors
The ancient Alamarri tribesmen have fought each
other for thousands of years. As their cultures grew
distinct they developed their own fighting styles
and traditions. One of the oldest recognised warrior
orders amongst the Fereldeners is the brotherhood
of Ash Warriors. They embody two distinct and
important aspects of Ferelden culture, their historical
love of dogs and their close bond to the dwarves.
During the time of strife between the early Fereldeners
and the Avvars legend says that the adopted son of
a Ferelden chieftain Luthias the Dwarfson became
enamoured with Scaea, the daughter of the king in
Orzammar. He fled back to his tribe with her and it
was from their union that the earliest traditions of the
Ash Warriors began. Scaea taught Luthias the battle
wrath that her people had learned, enabling them to
fight without pain in a berserker
state. With this powerful
battle technique he rose
to the highest levels of his
tribe, eventually becoming
its chief. Since that time the
Ash Warriors continue the
tradition of the berserker.
In addition to the dwarven
traditions of the berserker,
Ash Warriors have also
adopted other ritualistic
philosophies into their
warcraft. Before battle as part
of their kaddis marking and
berserk inducing rituals the Ash
Warriors also undergo a symbolic
death in a similar manner to dwarves
that join the legion of the dead. They
gash themselves repeatedly and rub salt
into the wounds before applying ash and
kaddis. Thus as they enter battle they are without
fear, for they are already dead.
The importance of dogs can never be overestimated
in Ferelden and so the Ash Warriors incorporated
mabari battle companions into their philosophy.
They utilise a pungent paste known as kaddis to
ritually mark themselves and their hounds, acting
as both an intimidating war paint and to distinguish
themselves from their fellows. A mabari’s sense of
smell is wolfkeen and the kaddis helps prevent them
being disoriented in the roar and blood of battle,
marking their allies from their foes. Mabari are highly
valued not only as animals but as companions so the
Ash Warriors will often employ formarii herbalists
to create magical balms mixed into kaddis to protect
them.
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To see the Ash Warriors on the battlefield is to
see a force of nature unleashed. Man and mabari
howling as they charge into battle, the reek of kaddis
following them and the scent of death on the air.
When they get into melee the only sound to drown
out their growls and warcries is the screams of their
enemies as they are hacked and torn to pieces. It is
rare for the Ash Warriors to retreat from battle, not
necessarily because their honour codes forbid it, but
because they are worked into such a frenzied state
that they can become oblivious to the changing tide
of battle.
The Ash Warriors are much respected in Ferelden
for their age and great deeds. When King Calenhad
united the warring tribes of Ferelden, the Ash
Warriors fought by his side, their ferocity and loyalty
helping tip the tide of war. That they all must have
the trust of a mabari also goes along way to increase
their popularity.
Joining the Ash Warriors
requires a certain toughness
of personality. You will not
only be joining an honoured
brotherhood stretching back
before Calenhad, but you will
be fighting at the forefront
of battle in the very jaws of
death. It goes without saying
that to become an ash warrior
you must already possess a
mabari companion, they will
not give you one. That is one
part of the blood trials that you
must undergo.
If you already have a companion
then you have proven your worth
in the eyes of the mabari, but there still
remains long days ahead full of violence
and blood as you are initiated into the darker
aspects of the berserker. Once you have been
accepted into the Ash Warriors you are expected to
show deference to dwarves as the originators of your
tradition, and to answer the call to arms when it is
made.
The emblem of the Ash Warriors is a stylised mabari
head drawn in the swirling pattern used in kaddis
marking.
The Ash Warriors will take anyone worthy, although
they have less respect for Elves and non Ferelden
humans. Dwarves would be honoured if they joined.
 A sh W arriors

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure P laying as an A sh W arrior
Areas Particulars Ash Warriors stick to their traditions and have
Affiliates Ferelden military, lawful organisations distinct priorities. Caring for their mabari is a central
part of their identity and they won’t take kindly to
Assets Keeps, kennels and training grounds
being separated from them. Kaddis has an extremely
Expertise War, mabari training strong smell but the Ash Warriors have long since
Enemies Illegal institutions, dark creatures become accustomed to it; this is not necessarily true
Leaders Ash Commander and Kennel Master for their travelling companions.
Status Renown throughout Ferelden As they are an officially recognised warrior order
they can be called upon by the state in times of need.
Ash Warriors are bound to answer this call which
R equirements can sometimes put a damper on the goals of their
To join the Ash Warriors you must have the Animal friends. They don’t stand on ceremony but will be
Companion Talent (see Section 4) and either have or polite and respectful of dwarves and at least mildly
are going to take the Berserker Specialisation. dismissive of elves.

C lasses A dventure H ooks

Primary Classes Secondary Classes • A local Bann has called for aid from the Ash
Warrior - Warriors and they have requested a player
member help. Unfortunately the Bann is
someone the players have recently disagreed
F avoured S pecialisations with and can’t stand.
• Berserker. • Ash Warriors on the hunt for traitors to
Ferelden mistake the party for their prey.
O rganisational B onuses • Someone is killing mabari and the Ash Warriors
are out for blood.
• Gain 1 point in Willpower or Constitution to
represent the resilience you need to become an • Blight tainted mabari have been unleashed into
ash warrior. small towns, killing and infecting everyone. The
only clue is that they possess the emblem of the
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
Ash Warriors.
• Ash Warriors respect the culture of dwarves more
than most Chantry worshippers. You gain +2 to
any interaction tests with dwarven groups that
know you are an ash warrior (and actually care).
• Gain 1 Strength focus.

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 B lackstone I rregulars
D r a g o n A ge
Blackstone Irregulars
Mercenary companies are a common sight in the
strife afflicted lands of Thedas. Fighting for coin
rather than country they are a necessary if unpleasant
part of warfare; until the money runs out. Many
companies are little more than legalised brigands,
undisciplined and violent, given legal dispensation
to vent their aggressive tendencies on enemies of the
state. Once a war has been won these reavers will
almost certainly turn back to a life of banditry having
lost any winnings they may have received on drink
and women.
The Blackstone Irregulars are one of the few
exceptions to this rule. Founded as the Ferelden
Irregulars several generations ago by the younger
son of a Bann whose name has been lost, they have
existed as a cohesive force since then. The Captain
as he is known to history was believed to have been
enamoured with the freedom
and skill of the mercenary
and set about creating his own
company.
Early on his Irregulars
undertook contracts for
squabbling Banns, protecting
caravans and small villages.
Later they fought for the
crown, specifically against
incursions by the Korcari
Wilders and Avvaran raids.
These skirmishes solidified their
reputation as a dependable force
and soon their ranks had swollen
with new recruits from the freemen
and their purses overflowed.
However there remained one sticking
point that the leader of the Irregulars could
not overcome, the point of legitimacy. Being as he
was the son of minor nobility it rankled that despite
their clear skill and many successes the Irregulars
were not granted official sanction by the crown.
They had served alongside the state army and had
won many battles, sometimes where the army could
not. Yet for all this the nobles of Ferelden opposed
any call for the irregulars to take their place as an
officially sanctioned warrior brotherhood like the
Ash Warriors. They cited the monetary motives of
the mercenary force as dark and dishonourable;
although in truth they disliked the thought of
elevating commoners to a more esteemed position
within Ferelden society.
This ill will eventually led to a conspiracy to destroy
the reputation of the Irregulars permanently. A
minor Bann, rival of the Captain’s father, was killed
by assassins and his manor burned to the ground
with Irregular heraldry conveniently found within.
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The Irregulars were on campaign in the Korcari at
the time and the only members in the area were men
on extended leave due to injury. With little ceremony
these soldiers were rounded up and executed for
murder and pillage.
Both the Captain’s father and the Irregulars were
disgraced in the eyes of the public. Furious at this
betrayal the Captain cut ties with Ferelden, vowing
never to return. He repainted the company’s
heraldry black, renaming it the Blackstone Irregulars
in mourning for his men and to represent weight of
the treachery done them.
Over the following decades the Blackstone Irregulars
were seen rarely near the borders of Ferelden, fighting
mostly in the Free Marches along the Orlesian
border. The organisation changed hands during this
time and the Captain’s vow was forgotten. When
news came of an Orlesian invasion of Ferelden they
returned to find their homeland ruled by Orleisians
supported by the nobility that
had vindictively destroyed
their reputation.
They immediately took up
employment with the exiled
King, seeking revenge against
their enemies. However gone
were the days of patriotic
loyalty, now they demanded
a high price for their services
in recompense for the wrongs
of the nobility.
The rebellion against Orlesian
occupation lasted a long time and
the Irregulars passed from leader to
leader. After several generations the
traditions of the founder of the Irregulars
were abandoned and they began taking
money from the highest bidder, even working
for the Orlesians on more than one occasions. Some
whispered they worked for Tevinter slavers during
the occupation as Ferelden provided a rich hunting
ground for the endless slave markets in Tevinter.
Eventually Ferelden succeeded in expelling their
conquerors and the Blackstone Irregulars lost their
main source of income. Little of the disgrace they
suffered survived this transitional period. Now under
the command of the honourable Raelnor Hawkwind,
the Irregulars have returned to the noble ideals under
which they were founded. His son Taoran however
wished to continue the unscrupulous methods that
had made them rich in the past.
The Blackstone Irregulars currently hire anyone with
a strong backbone willing to take orders. However
the split between Raelnor and Taoran has been
reflected in the composition of the organisation
where honourable warriors rub shoulders with
nefarious rogues one step above thieves.
 B lackstone I rregulars

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure P laying as an I rregular
Areas Particulars Blackstone Irregulars follow a disciplined lifestyle.
Affiliates Mercenaries, Ferelden military, guilds You aren’t required to be with the company at all
times but are expected to jump when the Captain
Assets Armoury, stables, liaisons, messenger network
orders. Failure to fulfil your obligations can have
Expertise Guard, defence, quick assaults you executed for mutiny. However under Taoran’s
Enemies Brigands, thieves, corrupt nobles command things are far more relaxed. The lapsed
Leaders Captain Raelnor, Second Taoran discipline comes at a cost though as Taoran takes
shady deals and a cut of his men’s profits.
Status Renown in Ferelden, Free Marches
Depending on who you side with in the Irregulars
you will affect your part members in different
R equirements ways. Associating with barely legal riffraff or being
To join the Blackstone Irregulars you must have 2 or constrained under restrictive orders. The group may
more in Communication and be willing to follow orders. find themselves diverted from their goal because you
were ordered on a job.
C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
A dventure H ooks
Warrior Rogue • The shady merchant you have been
investigating has hired Taoran’s thugs to protect
his merchandise. However one of you is also an
F avoured S pecialisations Irregular.
• Champion • Two soldiers both claiming to be Irregulars
ask the party to help them fight off a band of
• Guardian
brigands led by the other soldier.
• Ranger
• A liaison in the next town approaches a player
Irregular with a job; employment under the
O rganisational B onuses corrupt official they were chasing.
• Gain 1 point in Strength or Constitution to • A town recently attacked by darkspawn is now
represent the physical training of the Irregulars. being held hostage by Blackstone Irregulars
demanding payment for the protection they
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
provided.
• The Blackstone Irregulars have contacts within
the military of Fereldan. You gain +2 to any
interaction tests with the Ferelden military.
• Gain 1 Strength focus.

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 B lood T akers
D r a g o n A ge
B lood T akers
Amongst the descendants of the Alamarri tribesmen,
few still hold to the old ways. The coming of Andraste
and the rapid rise of the Chant of Light saw most
tribesmen converted to the worship of the Maker.
Only the Chasind Wilders and the Avvars resisted
conversion and indeed assimilation with their fellow
Alamari into the burgeoning kingdom of Ferelden.
The Avvars maintained their mountainous
strongholds and their equally bleak practices.
Worship of the Mountain Father and Lady of the
Skies remains common amongst these hardy people
even to this day and it is one of many reasons the
Andrastians of Thedas regularly attempt the invasion
of their lands.
The harsh lands breed an equally harsh people, and
the Avvars respect only strength and resourcefulness.
Their gods are equally dispassionate, only showing
favour to the most powerful
warriors, the keenest craftsmen.
The unforgiving landscape
and the gods that rule it have
influence the Avvars in unique
ways. They have taken to the
path of the Berserker with
what some would call gleeful
abandon, seeing it as the most
direct way to glory in the eyes
of the gods.
One of the oldest and darkest
aspects to Avvar culture is blood-
letting. Blood is seen as the energy
of life, so to take it from your foe is
to take their very essence from them.
Weapons designed to cut and slice flesh
are favoured as a means to do this. Many
of their warrior traditions revolve around the
sharing of blood to form bonds and this is where the
Blood Takers originated.
During the early years of their violent migration into
the mountains as Ferelden formed, the Avvars came
across the mightiest beasts in Thedas, the dragons.
Their power was breathtaking to behold and many
Avvar warriors wished to gain their power directly.
Many a warrior party set out to challenge the dragons
but none returned. Legend of dragon power and
virility spread throughout the land until it reached
the ears of three sword brothers. Seeking glory like
all those that had gone before they trekked deep into
the mountains to find a dragon. During their journey
they slaughtered many bears and wolves, consuming
their blood in order to fortify their strength against
the coming battle.
Whether through skill, luck or the power of the
blood they had consumed, these brothers brought
down the dragon ‘blightfang’ in a mighty battle,
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sustaining deep lacerations and burns that marked
them as dragonslayers. Its heart still pumping as its
life blood gushed forth, the brothers drank deeply.
Legends says that the power coursing through them
caught the attention of darker forces within the Fade
and the Blood Takers were born from that union.
In Avvar religion there exists many different minor
deities, demi-gods in the dreaming called Noldr. It
is these dark powers the brothers allegedly attracted
and bound in blood pact and later taught to those
who wished to join their clan.
Blood Takers are not a clan in the traditional sense,
being bound by blood spilt rather than blood borne.
Modern Avvar culture practices blood rites less
and less, so those seeking out the Blood Takers
are considered conservatives and traditionalists.
However despite being seen as quaint customs,
the blood rites practiced amongst the Blood Takers
do not bear the stigma and condemnation found
amongst Andrastian cultures.
Clansmen of the Blood Takers
put battle and death above all
other pursuits and count only
the heads they have taken in
battle as a measure of their
prowess. With enemies on
either side of the Frostbacks
the Avvars are not short of
battles to fight or heads to take.
As part of their traditions they
routinely drink the blood of
their defeated foes as a means to
gain their power. The blood-letting
and drinking rituals of the clan are
integral to their identiy and they firmly
believe there is power found within
blood. Every member attempts to use their
blood rite to attract the attention of the Noldr
just as the founders of the clan did centuries passed.
Once they have their shadowy patron, their blood-
letting increases tenfold as a violent veneration and
payment for their dark power.
The Blood Takers use a fairly simple image as their
emblem in keeping with their direct philosophies.
It consists of a black field with stark red symbols
representing the origins of the clan. A blade creating
a gash from which three blood drops leak. Each
representing one of the three brothers that founded
the clan and the power blood grants those who seek
it.
Each warrior takes on the blood power in a different
way, depending on their natural predilections.
However regardless of style, the supernatural powers
granted by the Noldr always revolve around the use
of blood, whether the warrior’s or their victim’s. The
visage of a warrior in the grip of his blood frenzy is
terrible to behold and many stalwart veterans have
 B lood T akers

D r a g o n A ge
been known to turn tail and run at the mere sight of
a Blood Taker. To the warriors of the clan however, it
P laying as a B lood T aker
matters not whether their foe faces them or turns and
To be a Blood Taker is to give in to your inner beast.
runs. They are the enemy and their blood is forfeit.
Blood Takers are atavistic warriors who put victory in
Avvars consider the people of other lands weak- battle and the reward of the foe’s blood over all other
willed and indolent. As such it takes quite a show of earthly things. Battle and blood are your friends and
prowess to convince them to grant membership into the Blood Taker clan your family.
the clan.
Blood Takers are fatalistic, as one would expect for
such a violent organisation. Only through conquering
O rganisational S tructure death and consuming the foe’s power will they
better themselves and should they eventually die
Areas Particulars themselves, then they are content with their opponent
Affiliates Avvar clans absorbing their own power. The power of blood is
Assets Meeting lodges, sacred caves, stores thus the power of the world, neither being created
nor destroyed, merely changing from one creature to
Expertise War and terror tactics
another in a never ending cycle of violence.
Enemies Orlesian and Fereldan militaries
Leaders Crimson Blade Alef, Bloodletters Blood Takers have no qualms about killing anyone
Status Renown amongst Avvars, infamous in who gets in their way, murder is a way of life for
Ferelden and Orlais them. However they much prefer to take on skilled
opponents, those whose prowess can be added to the
clansman’s. This can often get the clansman and their
R equirements allies in trouble when they suddenly attack a local
knightly hero to eat his heart and drink his blood...
To join the Blood Takers you must be Avvar and have
2 or more in Constitution to survive the perils of Blood.
A dventure H ooks
C lasses • Crazed warriors assault the party, attempting to
drain their blood.
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Warrior Rogue • Whilst adventuring through the Frostbacks the
party must partake in blood rituals to gain the
trust of the local Avaars.
F avoured S pecialisations • A player Blood Taker decides that the
• Reaver most powerful NPC ally of the party looks
particularly delicious.
• Reaper
• Blood Taker heraldry is found on the drained
corpses of children and the infirm in a massacre
O rganisational B onuses at a Chantry orphanage and hospital.
• Gain 1 point in Constitution or Willpower to
represent fortitude of those seeking Blood.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• The Blood Taker clan is an ancient and
honoured Avaar organisation. Gain +2 to all
interaction tests with Avaars.
• Gain 1 Strength focus.

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 C hevaliers
D r a g o n A ge
C hevaliers
Martial traditions have a long and glorious history
amongst the warlike populations of Thedas.
However there is one brotherhood of warriors that
has stood above all others save perhaps the Grey
Wardens themselves; the Orlesian Chevaliers. The
Chevaliers can trace their history not only to the
earliest days of Orlais but of the Chantry itself. Since
then they have been for good or ill the emblem of
Orlesian power in Thedas.
After the uprising against the Tevinter Imperium
and subsequent victory, a power vacuum was left
in the surrounding areas. Into these spaces many
an ambitious warlord stepped, fighting to carve
out a kingdom alongside dozens of others. It took
the appearance of a truly remarkable man for such
a feat to be accomplished.
When Kordillus Drakon
appeared in Thedas he did
so in great style. He had
converted to the worship
of Andraste’s Chant and
rode at the head of a chosen
band of mounted armsmen,
themselves deeply devout.
Their brightly snapping
pennons and banners
depicting the symbols of the
Chant were visibly on display,
daring anyone to object. Their
faith in the Maker and belief in
the righteousness of their cause
resulted in sweeping victories across
a great majority of central Thedas.
Loyal Andrastians flocked to his banner
and within a few years Drakon had crowned
himself Emperor Kordillus Drakon I, ruler of the
Orlesian Empire. Only three years after this did he
reorganise the Andrastian faith, host an election to
produce the first Divine and produce a new calendar
that all Andrastian Kingdoms in Thedas use to
this day. At his side through all this were his loyal
armsmen.
During the strife of the time these armsmen became
more than warriors, they became paladins of
Andraste, fighting in her name alongside Drakon.
Their shining armour was seen as a beacon of hope
to all that saw them and they never wavered in their
duties. When Drakon created the Orlesian Empire
and then adopted the reformed Chantry as the state
religion, these armsmen were hailed as champions
of light, given land and titles. They became known
as Chevaliers or ‘The Honourable’ and they took on
almost a holy aspect amongst the Andrastians. Noble
sons clamoured to join this exclusive brotherhood
and the Chantry delighted in having what amounted
to their own armed force. The order had no time
18
to rest on its laurels however as the second Bight
precipitated by the appearance of Zazikel flooded
into Thedas from the Anderfels.
Drakon led his Chevaliers in another bloody
campaign at the head of an Andrastian host to drive
the darkspawn from the lands of men. In so doing
he extended his own borders until they incorporated
the Anderfels and all of the Free Marches. His virtue
and strength was respected by the Grey Wardens
that had taken up residence in Weisshaupt and they
eventually turned to Andrastian worship themselves.
Throughout the following decades the Blight raged
on and Drakon never lived to see it end. His successor,
Drakon II, was unable to keep control of the lands he
had taken and the Empire shrank to a more modern
size. Still the Blight was ended and peace reigned
throughout most of Thedas, although it wouldn’t last
long. However it wouldn’t be a
Blight that upset the order of
things, it would be from within
the Chantry itself.
The Chantry began abusing the
trust and goodwill they had
with Orlais, using the Chevaliers
as their own personal knightly
order. They would send them
on missions chasing apostate
mages, or anyone that refused
the Chant of Light. The Emperor
began to object to his own knights
being used as the Chantry’s own
militant arm and the Chevaliers
became torn between the oaths to their
Emperor and their faith in the Chantry.
Discord turned into bloodshed and the
Orlesian Empire grew dangerously close to civil
war. In an effort to prevent such a possibility the
Emperor parleyed with the Chantry and proposed
a compromise. The Chevaliers would stay a wholly
Orlesian entity and the Chantry could raise its own
military forces. This directly led to the Nevarran
Accords with the infamous Inquisition, combining
their forces and creating their own military arms, the
Chantry Templars and Seekers of Truth.
From this point on the Chevaliers lost some face,
unable to draw direct support from the Chantry who
were now entirely happy with the military forces
they controlled. Still the Chevaliers gained social
considerations previously unheard of; they had
complete freedom to deal with the peasantry as they
saw fit, governing their lands and people however
they wished. From this point on the temptation to
abuse that power hung over the shoulder of every
Chevalier and not all stood up to the challenge.
Chevalier recruits are put through a gruelling
training regime and are instilled with the highest
codes of honour and chivalry. They place this honour
 C hevaliers

D r a g o n A ge
above their own lives and will gladly receive death
as a punishment if they’ve failed to uphold their
R equirements
duties. This harsh training and mental conditioning To join the Chevaliers you must be of Orlesian nobility
results in one of the greatest warrior orders in all and must have 2 or more in Willpower to face death
of Thedas, a fact the Orlesian Empire has exploited head on.
many times in the past. The subjugation of Ferelden
and rumoured atrocities committed therein was led C lasses
by the Chevaliers.
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
The Chevaliers use the Orlesian lion as their Warrior -
heraldry, rampant with a sword gripped in both
hands. Beneath this fearsome symbol lies the wreath
of peace, symbolically displaying the dual role of F avoured S pecialisations
the Chevaliers as both fearless warriors and Orlais’
peace makers. • Champion
• Weapon Master
O rganisational S tructure
Areas Particulars
O rganisational B onuses
Affiliates Mercenaries, Orlesian military
• Gain 1 point in Strength or Willpower to represent
Assets Armoury, Keeps, treasury
the strength of mind and body of a Chevalier.
Expertise Total War
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
Enemies Brigands, thieves, enemies of Orlais
Leaders First Knight Alonso, Castellan Odette
• The Chevaliers have complete power over the
masses in Orlais. You gain +2 to any interaction
Status Renown across Thedas, infamous in Ferelden tests with Orlesians, including intimidation.
• Gain 1 Willpower focus.

P laying as a C hevalier
To join the Chevaliers is to accept a life of discipline
and honour, to be held up to the highest standards.
It goes without saying that only the nobility of Oralis
can join the Chevaliers and doing so is a quick way to
bring honour to your family and increase your own
social standing.

Many an Orlesian exile has joined the Chevaliers to

regain the honour they have lost. A Chevalier is a
highly desirable marriage proposition. However the
Prima Cheval, the freedom of the Chevalier to act as
he sees fit can be an awful temptation to those with
a weaker will and creating both fear and awe in the
average person.

A dventure H ooks
• An Orlesian emissary requests a player
Chevalier champion him in an honour duel.
• A Chevalier is accused of abusing his power
over the people.
• An NPC killed by the players turns out to be
a Chevalier and the law is now after them for
their crimes.
• A player Chevalier becomes embroiled in an
Orlesian plot due to his distant relationship to
the family.

19
 C ircle of M agi
D r a g o n A ge
C ircle of M agi
No force in Thedas is as misunderstood and feared
as magic. Yet magic has been part of the culture of
all the peoples of Thedas since time immemorial,
whether they understood it as such or not. Ancient
shamanistic practices involving the taking of animal
forms or conversing with the dead all have their
roots in the same magical processes that modern
mages use.
It is said that the earliest true practitioners of magic
where the Elves of Elvenhan and that perhaps their
purported immortality was a result of this craft.
Then came the time of the Tevinter magi led by
Archon Thalsian, who legend
claims wielded the blood
magic of the old gods. He tore
down the elven homeland
and scattered the people to
the winds, enslaving what
remained. The reign of the
Tevinter magisters lasted
hundreds of years until the
Imperium’s downfall at the
hands of a combined force
led by Andraste. After this
magic was seen as abhorrent
and unnatural and mages were
persecuted for the crimes of their
Tevinter fellows.
Over time as the Chantry established
its power and centralised its control
from within Emperor Drakon’s Orlesian
empire; mages were regulated and controlled
by the Chantry itself. In the earliest stages of the
Chantry all mages under its control were kept
confined within all Thedosian Chantries, forced to
use their power to keep the eternal flame alight. This
rankled with the magi who detested being glorified
servants and unrest swelled across the Chantry’s
domains, centred on the Grand Cathedral itself.
Divine Ambrosia, fearing a rebellion, almost ordered
an Exalted March on her own cathedral. Only the
intervention of the soldiers trained to guard the magi
prevented her from doing this. These early templars
convinced her to segregate the magi into their own
organisation where they could practice magic under
the chantry’s watch. The Templars were officially
invested as invigilators of all Thedas’ magi and the
Circle of Magi was formed.
The Circle of Magi’s main goal is the regulation of
magic in Thedas. To the average person it is a place
where potential mages can be protected, but to
many with the gift it is merely a gilded prison with
an executioner at every corner. Mages are taken as
children, usually before puberty. They rarely if ever
see their families again. To be revealed as a mage has
long lasting consequences for a person, their family
20
and community. Mages cannot inherent land or
wealth from their family, even the nobility are not
exempt from this law. Many a noble family has lost
its heir apparent to the Circle.
Any mage not part of the Circle is declared Apostate
and actively hunted by the Templars. A mage’s life is
not his own so even one that has never encountered
the Chantry or the Circle is considered an Apostate
by default. More reviled than the Apostate is the
Maleficarum, a mage that has delved into the
forbidden art of blood magic. Templars tend to
capture Apostates but will almost always kill
Maleficar on sight, so abhorrent and feared are they.
It is the irony of the Circle that fear of the Templars
may drive Apostates to learn
blood magic in an effort to
protect themselves from their
hunters. All mages within the
Circle have a phylactery of
their blood that a Templar can
use to track them, dissuading
thoughts of escape.
Those with the gift are given
only two choices, train in the
Circle or be made Tranquil.
The Tranquil are cut from their
magic and lose their emotions
as a result. They are inhumanly
patient and calm, making them
excellent craftsmen. However
there is some suggestion that being
made Tranquil is a horrible fate. Some
have temporarily reverted to their normal
state and begged for death before becoming
Tranquil again. Once an Apprentice Mage has
been through all the training they can receive they
must undergo their Harrowing. This terrifying
experience is supposed to harden their mind to
demonic influence, or kill them in the attempt. They
travel into the Fade and confront the demons that
dwell there. Should their body become possessed
a Templar standing watch will kill them without
hesitation.
Each kingdom in Thedas possesses a Circle of Magi,
even the Tevinter. In fact the oldest circle of magi in
Thedas is found in Tevinter, under the command of
the Imperium’s own Divine. The College of Magi
consisting of representatives from all the Circles
(except those in Tevinter) convene in Cumberland
Nevara regularly to discuss policy and elect a new
Grand Enchanter, the representative of magi as a
whole to the Divine.
Over the ages each Circle has developed its own
unique culture and traditions, influenced by the lands
it recruits from and the ideologies of the leaders it
elects. Over time several fraternities have developed
within all the Circles, reflecting certain philosophical
leanings and scholarly methods. Most magi belong
 C ircle of M agi

D r a g o n A ge
to one of these fraternities and they continually vie
for power within the Circles like political parties. O rganisational S tructure
First Enchanters commonly favour the policies and Areas Particulars
philosophy of the Fraternity they belong to, ensuring Affiliates The Chantry, Templars
the continual political manoeuvring of the fraternities
Assets Circle Towers, shops, research outposts
to position their own candidates in the seat of power.
Expertise Magic and its use
The Circle’s emblem is appropriately a quartered
Enemies Radical Andrastians, Blood Mages
circle displaying the four runic symbols of the
four schools of magic, Entropy, Primal, Spirit and Leaders First Enchanters, Grand Enchanter Fiona
Creation. This represents the continuum of magic, Status Renown across Thedas
one school leading into the next in an unbroken
circle. It is important to note that neither elven Keeper
magic nor forbidden blood magic appears within the R equirements
heraldry. The reasons for this are manifold but can To become a Circle Mage you must be a Mage.
be distilled down to two basic premises, hubris and
philosophy. Many magi believe the four schools are
the only ‘pure’ magic in Thedas, Any other magic is
C lasses
a distortion at best and an abomination at worst. This Primary Classes Secondary Classes
leads into the philosophies underpinning magical Mage -
academia in Thedas. Some do not consider the four
schools ‘pure’ expressions of magic so much as the
basis of all magic. Just as fire is hot, magic is creation, F avoured S pecialisations
primal, entropy and Spirit. Using magic from one of
• Battlemage
these schools is tapping into the fundamental essences
that make up magic. By extension other magical
forms are merely versions of these four fundamental O rganisational B onuses
principles. Blood magic is thus an extended form of
• Gain 1 point in Magic or Willpower to represent
Entropy and Spirit, where the caster combines the
the strength of mind and power of a Magi.
energies of the Walking Bomb and Drain Life fields
of these schools to generate a more powerful result. • Gain 1 degree in a talent.
The Circle consists of several ranks that a mage will • Mages have very little power, but they look
ascend as their experience increases. All potential after their own. They gain +2 to interaction tests
magi start as Apprentices and are taught to control with other Circle members.
and harness their power. Once they pass their • Gain 1 Magic focus.
harrowing they become a Mage and a full member
of the Circle with all the corresponding rights and
privileges. Experienced Magi become Enchanters P laying as a C ircle M age
and are expected to teach others. The most powerful
of Enchanters become Senior Enchanters and form A circle mage is caught between two worlds. Forced
a council to oversee Circle policy. From the Senior into servitude as soon as they are discovered, they
Enchanters a First Enchanter is elected, the head of are expected to use their skills for others. The fear
the Circle and ultimate arbiter. The First Enchanter and loathing they receive from much of the populace
is required to liaise with the Templars through the often causes them to become withdrawn and distant.
Knight-Commander. Only the company of other mages will usually let a
mage drop their walls and let their true self show.
Joining the Circle is not normally voluntary. The
greater majority of magi within the Circle will have
been forcibly taken from their families and raised A dventure H ooks
by the Circle itself. On rare occasions Apostates will • A runaway child seeks sanctuary with the
voluntarily join the Circle, or Templars may capture players for unknown reasons.
one and force them to join. In general though the only
requirement to become a Circle Mage is to possess • The local Bann’s anti magic agenda catches up
the ability to manipulate magic. In fact it is much with the player circle mage.
easier to join the Circle of Magi than it is not to... • A local farmer is accused of witchcraft despite
never showing any magical aptitude previously.
• Mysterious deaths follow a travelling circle
mage offering miraculous cures to the
desperate.

21
 D ragon H unters
D r a g o n A ge
D ragon H unters
Dragons have played an important part in the
history of all Thedosians. The Tevinter Old Gods
were themselves manifest as Dragons and many an
ancient and modern culture worshipped the beasts.
The raw power of a High Dragon outstrips anything
a human might encounter, making them as close to
godliness as possible on the mortal plane. But as is
the way with all things of power, there are those that
crave the chance to prove themselves superior. So it
is that Nevarra produced the famed Dragon Hunters.
To understand the origins of the Dragon Hunters
you must understand the mindset of the Nevarrans
themselves. Nevarra is situated virtually in the centre
of Thedas with Tevinter to the North and Orlais to the
West. It sits at the crossroads of military ambition and
has in the past suffered because of it. When armies
marched they did so most often through Nevarra. It
has been subjugated by its neighbours, specifically
Orlais and has been on an aggressive footing for
most of its existence. This has
bred hardy people, warriors
unafraid to die. Glory in life
is rewarded in death and
the people of Nevarra create
the most lavish tombs and
mausoleums for their dead
heroes. It is no surprise then
that a culture so used to
fighting off the largest forces
in Thedas would produce an
organisation bent on defeating
the mightiest beasts of Thedas.
The origins of the Dragon
Hunters lie amongst the
Pentaghast clan, one of the oldest
noble houses in all of Nevarra. Many
of the country’s most brilliant military
leaders has come from this venerable
lineage and to be related to the Pentaghasts is
to be treated with respect wherever you may go.
Younger sons eager to prove their worth would track
dragon sightings across the land attempting to bring
the beasts to bay. The earliest forays were fraught
with peril; no one knew the behaviour of a dragon,
their capabilities or weaknesses. Many young
Nevarrans were killed in their attempt at glory. But
over time the dragons were seen for what they were,
powerful beasts yes, but beasts none the less.
Brotherhoods of Dragon Hunters formed bound
by blood to bring down the largest dragons they
could find. As their success grew it produced
several unforeseen by-products. On the one hand
the slaughter of all these dragons secured Nevarran
herds and their bounty increased. It also intimidated
the warriors from other kingdoms and granted
Nevarra a limited form of protection by reputation.
22
Lastly the sudden abundance of dragon carcasses
saw the dragon bone and hide industry skyrocket.
Nevarra became the centre of a huge, exclusive
and disgustingly wealthy dragon fashion industry.
Dragon bone became the material of choice amongst
the ruling elite across Thedas, associating the wearer
with the heroism of the Dragon Slayers. Dragonbone
weapons were seen as symbols of the Dragon Slayer
and none possessed more or in as much quality as
the Pentaghast clan. It is said that their family hall
was buttressed and vaulted with dragon bone and
that the tapestries were worked into whole dragon
hides.
The Dragon Hunters developed extremely effective
techniques to bring down their prey. They used decoy
teams to flood the nest, driving out the dragonlings
and drakes until they enraged the high dragon and
she descended upon them. When the high dragon
was engaged hidden warriors would fire rope tied
arrows through the dragon’s membranous wings,
tangling them up and preventing her from flying.
Once confined to the ground a Dragon Hunter
would step forward as the
designated slayer and fight
the dragon to the death. No
one would interfere in this
bout and more than one
Dragon Hunter lost life or
limb from an enraged high
dragon’s steel trap bite.
Those that did not however
proved their manhood and
courage in a way no other
man could match and would
forever more be known as a
Slayer. A Slayer kept the skull
of their kill as a sign of their
complete dominion over life and
death. The number of Dragon Slayers
in your clan and dragons they had
killed became a de facto measure of social
standing and success. Nobility and power
became synonymous with being a Slayer, so much
so that many people of the lower classes attempted
to slay dragons themselves in order to better their
lot in life.
One of the most famous Dragon Hunters in history,
Thadeus the Dragonbreaker. He came from obscure
origins but his feats were legendary. Eschewing
a retinue of helpers Thadeus became known for
fearlessly jumping onto a dragon’s back and riding
it through the air, clinging to it with nothing but a
set of crampons and his steely grip. Wielding a truly
massive maul called Shatter Thadeus would proceed
to pulverise the spine and skull of the dragon until it
died whereby he rode it into the ground. His exploits
earned the attention of the heiress to the Pentaghast
clan and he eventually married her, becoming the
 D ragon H unters

D r a g o n A ge
first commoner to be elevated to the nobility on his
actions alone. C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
The days of the Dragon Hunters were short-lived
however. Barely one hundred years after the first Warrior/ Rogue Mage
Dragon Hunter brotherhood was formed the dragon
was declared extinct throughout Thedas. The
dragonbone trade again became a rare and expensive F avoured S pecialisations
business and the glory of the Dragon Hunters began • Beast Hunter
to fade. The Dragon Hunters, undaunted continued
• Trick Shooter
to search for worthy foes. They chased darkspawn
ogres, bereskarn, deep ones and any dragon sightings
no matter how unlikely. It wasn’t until the Dragon O rganisational B onuses
Age that hope was rekindled for their brotherhood.
• Gain 1 point in Perception or Dexterity to
With the return of the dragons the Dragon Hunters
represent the skill and control of a Hunter.
could again come to the fore and show their quality.
Many had forgotten the glory of the old days or • Gain 1 degree in a talent.
scorned past deeds as flights of fancy or overblown
• Hunters are celebrated warriors, adored by the
legends but those in Nevarra knew differently.
masses. Gain +1 to interaction tests with any
The emblem of the Dragon hunters consists of a humans in Thedas.
purple field with a cream dragon skull pierced
• Gain 1 Cunning focus.
with the sword of the Pentaghast. It is instantly
recognisable by anyone in Thedas as the symbol of
heroes and garners respect from people in all walks Playing as a Dragon Hunter
of life. If the bearer also possesses black banding
then all will know they are a Slayer, mightiest of the Dragon Hunters are proud warriors who revere
mighty. their legendary lineage. The weight of history rides
on their shoulders and they eagerly leap into battle
To join the Dragon Hunters generally requires blood with the most dangerous of beasts in honour of that
ties to the Pentaghast clan or one of the other ancient past. They will eagerly take up quests to slay beasts
families. However like Thadeus of old there is still terrorising local villages, seeing it as a test and a
the ability for a person from outside the blood to duty. However their pride can slip into hubris and
join, assuming they can prove their worth. To be a arrogance if left unchecked.
Dragon Hunter is to put honour and courage above
everything else, even family and life. It is to seek out
the most dangerous creatures in Thedas and confront A dventure H ooks
them with no intention of retreating. Anyone that • An NPC claims to know the lair of a dragon.
can do this will live on forever in the memories of the
living as a true hero. • The local village offers a reward for the slaying
of a mysterious beast killing their herds.
O rganisational S tructure • An NPC claiming to be a dragon hunter accuses
Areas Particulars a player hunter of being a fraud.
Affiliates Nevarran Nobility/Government
• Rumours of smuggled dragonbone heirlooms
Assets Keeps, mansions, dragon produce stockpiles reaches the ears of a player hunter.
Expertise Big game hunting
Enemies Rival hunting groups
Leaders Slayers, Hunt Master Krandis
Status Renown across Thedas

R equirements
To join the Dragon Hunters you must have 2 or more in
Cunning to outsmart the beasts you hunt.

23
 E merald B rotherhood
D r a g o n A ge
Emerald Brotherhood
For hundreds of years the scions of Elvenhan have
been strewn to the winds, broken and despised.
Their second chance at freedom was short-lived as
their erstwhile allies turned on them and drove them
out. Andraste’s promise of freedom ringing hollow,
mockingly as her own followers turned on the
People. From the ashes of their second home grew the
Dalish, the descendants of the houses that ruled the
Dales. They would not bow down to the Chantry’s
barbary, nor give up their culture to its usurping
people. The Dalish roamed Thedas collecting all that
they could of their birthright and living on their own
terms, not those of the shem. They believe that one
day the shemlin empires will fall and the elves will
take back what was theirs.
Amongst the Dalish there
exists those with a more
proactive philosophy. They
believe that the elves won’t
regain what they’ve lost
without active participation
by the Dalish. It isn’t good
enough to simply wait for
their heritage to be given
back to them, the Dalish
must seek it out. These
forward thinking Dalish refer
to themselves as the Falonlin
Moradhal, the Emerald
Brotherhood (lit. blood friend
of the colour of the trees). They
are bound by common cause under
the green light of Elvenhan’s trees to
rebuild what was lost.
The earliest records of the brotherhood lie
just after the destruction of the Dales by the
Chantry’s Exalted March. Angry and bitter refugees
staged daring raids into the Dales in an attempt to
save anything of their heritage that still remained.
Skirmishes between them and remnant Chantry
forces continued for months, the elves using hit and
run tactics to pull the Chantry forces in multiple
directions and distracting them from their true aim.
These guerilla fighters managed to save many of
the precious cultural artefacts reclaimed during the
height of the Dales, taking them back to the Dalish
caravans leaving the area. It was during this time
that the brotherhood was formed and it has endured
for six hundred years. It is the only part of Dalish
culture that crosses Clan boundaries.
The brotherhood comprises hundreds of individuals
from dozens of clans, each putting aside their
clan differences and goals in order to protect the
foundation of the elvish people. They take a blood
oath to Elvenhan of old, to the People of today and to
the future they fight for. This oath takes precedence
24
over any orders given by an elf’s clan and can
sometimes cause friction as a Dalish hunter has to
abandon their clan’s wishes to fulfil the duties of the
brotherhood. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for
the betterment of the People as a whole. One elf or
clan’s desires are nothing against the future of the
elven race.
Because of the strong philosophy and goals of
the brotherhood they, more than most Dalish, are
willing to interfere with the affairs of the shemlin.
Like it or not the shem kingdoms cover Thedas from
East to West and their actions can have far reaching
consequences for the elvish people. Almost all elven
ruins are found within the borders of a human
kingdom and many are buried beneath their crude
cities. If the brotherhood is to reclaim elven heritage
they must deal with those humans living near these
ruins, negotiating at best
and fighting at worst. The
brotherhood is not above
killing shems that get in
their way, but try to avoid
bloodshed if possible, if
for no other reason than to
prevent reprisals against
fellow elves. They are too
few to start a war against
the usurpers, although given
enough time and recovered
artefacts such a possibility
may eventuate.
Most human societies see
all elves the same, although
being Dalish is also associated
with the worship of blasphemous
gods. As such the brotherhood has
little need to hide its operations, for few
humans would understand the difference nor
see the significance in their actions. During the
Orlesian occupation of Ferelden the brotherhood
recovered several priceless caches of elven artefacts,
intercepting them on their way to adorn the walls
of Orlesian noble houses. The unrest caused by the
occupation allowed the brotherhood to strike at will,
all blame falling on the continual hit and run attacks
made by Ferelden partisans. Orlais’ occupation was
such an effective aid to the brotherhood that they
added half a dozen lost words to the Dalish lexicon
and gained information into the earliest elven magic.
Some in the brotherhood now openly espouse the
idea of fomenting unrest amongst the shem, aiding
rebellious factions and deliberately instigating
revolts. The oldest amongst the brotherhood caution
such aggressive actions, fearing the reprisals should
the shem uncover the truth. There is also the truth
that few are willing to face; following this path of
conspiracy lies dangerously close to the methods
and ideology of the Gift, a dark organisation the
 E merald B rotherhood

D r a g o n A ge
brotherhood has studiously avoided for centuries. It
is the fear that the brotherhood could lose its way
O rganisational B onuses
and become like the Gift that has kept them thus far • Gain 1 point in Cunning or Perception to represent
from directly influencing human conflicts. Still the the drive and awareness of the brotherhood.
temptation is there, for the rewards are great.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
The emblem of the Brotherhood consists of a green
• Emerald Brothers are respected amongst the
tree in the style of vallaslin, its branches curving
Dalish and acknowledge by the city elves. Gain
around to shelter what is beneath. The brotherhood
+2 to interaction tests with any elves in Thedas.
believes that the Dalish must become the shelter
and strengthen it, rather than simply relying upon it • Gain 1 Willpower focus.
for succour. Green is symbolically important to the
Dalish as it relates to the forests that sustain them
and is believed to be the light under which Elvenhan
Playing as an Emerald Brother
grew. The brotherhood sees this connection through The Emerald Brotherhood is extremely focused and
the green metal veridium as it appears a large portion driven. They understand what is at stake and rarely
of elven artefacts are constructed of it. spend time in indecisive action; if something needs
Joining the Emerald Brotherhood is more about doing they do it. This doesn’t make them rash and
conviction than ceremony. You must be able to put they can be extremely patient if the success of the
the needs of the elven people ahead of your own mission relies on it, but the urgency of their cause
clan and blood. This is perhaps the most difficult leaves little room for second guesses or social niceties.
requirement and is what weeds out the uncertain
from the resolute. The brotherhood plays the
long game and is above petty clan problems. You
A dventure H ooks
must be an elf, for no shemlin or durgen’len can • A human excavation uncovers a lost elven
understand the drive of the Dalish to be truly free. outpost.
As an organisation of action rather than rhetoric the • The NPC currently employing the players
brotherhood values practical skills. appears to possess ancient elven artefacts.
• A strategy put in place decades ago is about to
come to fruition and a player brother is required
O rganisational S tructure to help.
Areas Particulars
• A player brother has to choose between going
Affiliates Dalish Clans
to the aid of his clan or chasing an elven artefact
Assets Weapon caches, Dalish crafts, ancient relics before it is lost forever.
Expertise Investigation and recovery
Enemies Any organisations that obstruct their work
Leaders The Emerald Keeper, Defenders
Status Renown throughout the Dalish

R equirements
To join the Emerald Brotherhood you must be an Elf and
have 2 or more in Willpower to maintain your conviction.

C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Warrior/ Rogue Mage

F avoured S pecialisations
• Emerald Knight
• Keeper
• Ranger

25
 L egion of the D ead
D r a g o n A ge
Legion of the Dead
“Yes, Stone’s greetings friend
You will fight ceaselessly in
The Legion of the Dead.”
-Motto of the Legion of the Dead.
Perhaps one of the most melancholy and sad of
all the organisations of Thedas is the Legion of the
Dead. It is both an indictment of the dire position
the Dwarven people find themselves in and a stark
example of the extreme state of the Dwarven mind.
For a dwarf the appearance of honour is everything.
They may connive and murder behind closed
doors but to the public they must present nothing
but an impeccable front. If
for any reason a dwarf is
discovered to have acted
dishonourably, cheated,
stolen or been convicted
of a crime their dishonour
stains their family as well.
Some families have fled
Orzammar rather than live
with the shame a single
member had brought upon
them. Many of the surface
dwarves started their lives
as Orzammar exiles for this
very reason.
The Legion however provides
a light at the end of the tunnel. It
provides a form of social salvation
for those that have dishonoured
themselves and their families. The
Legion accepts any dwarf, regardless of
caste, rank, history or creed. Joining the Legion
is a death sentence, both metaphorical and real. By
joining the Legion you are declared legally dead,
all your previous misdeeds are expunged and your
family receives what bequeathments you have left to
give.
A funeral is held for you to say good bye to your
family and later that night you are initiated into the
Legion, receiving the secret hazing and brutal tattoos
to mark you as one of their own. The next day you
are marched into the Deep Roads, returning only for
supplies and new recruits. It is in the Deep Roads
and the dark places of the world that you will live
out the remainder of your life, grimly fighting the
darkspawn in the claustrophobic darkness of the
earth, until your body catches up with your past and
you suffer the true death.
26
The closest any other people have come to
understanding the Legion are the Ferelden Ash
Warriors but even they do not give themselves
eternally to death. For a Legionnaire their life has
ended and they focus on nothing but the slaughter
of Darkspawn. Given the limitless numbers of
the creatures infesting the Deep Roads there is no
shortage of death awaiting them.
As a Legionnaire gives away all his worldly goods to
his family it is down to the legion to equip them. They
wear the markings of the Legion and carry nameless
weapons as befits the dead. When a Legionnaire falls
their equipment is taken and passed onto another
recruit, the name of the previous bearer engraved in
the plates so that the Legion will never forget their
own, even if the rest of the world has long forgotten.
It is a social faux pas to carry the equipment of a
Legionnaire, if you yourself are not of the Legion.
As the Legion takes care
of its own, anyone found
carrying the gear of their
brethren is be met with
less than an enthusiastic
welcome.
When the Legion fights it
holds nothing back. Every
Legionnaire has already
died so death in battle
means little to them. They
will fight against appalling
odds, standing against
an endless tide to the last
drop of their lifeblood. Their
philosophies are a reflection of
the Dwarf mindset taken to its
extremes.
The heraldry of the Legion is as basic
as it is direct. A stark white stylised
Dwarven skull appears on a dark red field,
representing the deaths that all Legionnaires
suffer and the blood that is spilt in repentance for
there disgrace. The black border is the eternal
morning for lost brothers that no others will miss,
forever lost in the depths of the Deep Roads.
Joining the Legion is more than a choice of profession,
to a dwarf it is a permanent and irreversible change
of life. The Legion becomes every part of their life,
their family and their friends. Leaving the Legion
is unheard of. For a dwarf to forsake their people a
second time would mark them as inhuman monsters
deserving of nothing more than a horrific death at
the hands of the brothers they have abandoned.
It is rumoured this is one of the reasons most are
kept in the Deep Roads, there is nowhere to run in
that dark maze. Nowhere that will grant anything
other than the horrible death you so richly deserve...
 L egion of the D ead

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure Playing as a Legionnaire
Areas Particulars
To be a legionnaire is to embrace death in totality. It
Affiliates Dwarves, Grey Wardens, Ash Warriors is to accept your mortality as past tense and to face
Assets Weapons, armour, keeps, endless recruits anything that comes your way, regardless of danger
Expertise Forlorn Hope, holding the line or fear. Legionnaires are sombre figures who often
stick to themselves, but may over compensate with
Enemies Anyone that threatens the Dwarven people
heavy drinking and forced cheer. They will put
Leaders Lord of the Dead, Dirge Captains themselves in the path of danger at all opportunities
Status Renown amongst Dwarves and rarely retreat, dying standing with the corpses of
their enemies around their feet.

R equirements Legionnaires are allowed a large amount of freedom,

as death can be found anywhere. However the main
To join the Legion of the Dead you must be a disgraced
foe of the Legion is the darkspawn and anytime
Dwarf, no other requirements are needed.
major incursions occur they call for their brothers
and sisters to come to the fight.
C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes Those that adventure with legionnaires will see them
Warrior/ Rogue - as a double edged sword. They are amazing warriors
who will cheerfully take on the most powerful of
foes, allowing their allies to escape. However they
F avoured S pecialisations are prone to getting into fights at every turn, whether
victory is possible or not...
• Legionnaire Scout
• Legionnaire Soldier A dventure H ooks
• Survivors of a dwarf caravan are encountered,
O rganisational B onuses gibbering about monsters in the woods.
• Gain 1 point in Willpower or Constitution • An NPC tells a player Legionnaire that an evil
to represent the resilience of mind and body maleficar is summoning a pride demon to attack
pounded into you. Orzammar.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent. • The Legion is massing for a strike against a
• Legionnaires are feared and respected by darkspawn stronghold and requires the player
Dwarves. Gain +2 to interaction tests with any Legionnaire to participate.
Dwarves in Thedas and Ash Warriors. • NPC raiders are found carrying the weaponry
• Gain 1 Perception focus. of the Legion.

27
 L owland B andits
D r a g o n A ge
Lowland Bandits
As long as there has been property there has been
theft. Whether by the desperate or the callous,
banditry is a fact of life in Thedas . As powerful as the
militaries of Thedas are, they can’t be everywhere.
There are vast tracks of uncharted wilderness
throughout every kingdom. Even major cities find
themselves surrounded by uninhabited lands full of
dangerous beasts and lawless brigands.
Sometimes normal people must take extraordinary
measures in order to survive. Whether through the
corruption of nobility, destruction of livelihoods
or simple starvation many commoners will turn to
banditry to protect their families. These common
folk are rarely well organised, generally only stealing
what they need to get by and are thus little more
than a nuisance to the authorities. Organised gangs
of professional brigands
on the other hand are an
altogether different matter.
Whenever a conflict or war
disrupts life in a region it
will inevitably drive people
away from their homes and
into a life of desperation.
After the conclusion of
conflicts many soldiers,
now with no employment
or home to go back to, are
left in a similar position and
these individuals are far more
terrifying than any starving
peasant.
The Ferelden lowlands have over
the years played host to dozens of
different bandit groups, brigands and
raiders that have grouped together to
terrorise local towns and villages in order to
keep themselves fed.
During the occupation by Orlais the Ferelden
royal family and loyalist forces themselves became
infamous as bandits from the lowlands, striking
out against Orlesian forces wherever they could
find them. For decades they waged a hit and run
campaign against the occupiers and the image of the
bandit became a far more romanticised one of the
noble warrior fighting for the downtrodden.
Loyalists would offer pardons to any brigand
warbands throughout the land that wished to join
them, using their knowledge of the local areas to
great advantage when striking against Orlesian army
columns. Soon dozens of small bandit parties had
been brought under the Ferelden banner, fighting as
privateers for the crown.
28
After finally removing the Orlesians from Ferelden
the crown came out of hiding. Suddenly the
brigands were no longer needed and although many
were offered positions in the military, others were
left without a war to fight. The subsequent Swindle
Wars were particularly bitter clashes between
erstwhile allies now on opposite sides of the law and
the psychological effects of that betrayal are still felt
even to this day in the regional parts of Ferelden.
The image of the noble privateer lingered on in
Ferelden for quite a long time even as the lawless
became more violent and began brazenly raiding
farmsteads and villages. If it wasn’t for the mercenary
companies in the employ of the crown, Dalish in the
wild places and the errant darkspawn horde, these
bandits would have become a far more real threat
than anyone would care to admit.
A high proportion of city elves have begun joining
bandit groups in an effort
to escape their oppression
in the cities without having
to join their estranged
kindred in foreign
traditions. Although
they still receive some
discrimination amongst the
other criminals, working
together as a band quickly
removes any cultural
boundaries.
In recent decades giants
from the north have even
joined these bands. The Tal-
vashoth, looking for adventure
are drawn to them to exercise
their new found freedom.
The insignia of raider gangs varies
depending on their sophistication. The
coarsest of villains generally display simple
intimidating symbols like as skull, a sword or
a sword in a skull. Those bandits with a tad more
education will employ imagery and symbology in
open mockery of the Ferelden nobility as a blatant
challenge to their dishonourable past.
Joining bandit gangs isn’t too difficult, but gaining
their trust can be. Each man knows that they rely
on their fellows to avoid the chopping block and
that everyone has a price. Many bands have been
captured because one sold them out and it takes a
strong leader with an iron fist to ensure loyalty to the
band comes before loyalty to the pocket.
 L owland B andits

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure Playing as a Bandit
Areas Particulars
Banditry is rarely a deliberate choice. Most people are
Affiliates Criminal syndicates, The Cata, smugglers forced into desperate actions to support themselves.
Assets Hideouts, cave caches, loot However once immersed in the rough culture of a
Expertise Theft, banditry, intimidation criminal organisation the allure of power to the
powerless can become intoxicating.
Enemies Ferelden military
Leaders King Jhing, bosses Bandits place their personal safety above even profit.
Status Infamous in Ferelden Their original purpose was self preservation and
theft was merely a means to an end. A living bandit
can always try and steal something else.
R equirements
The casual violence and attitude to personal property
To join the Lowland Bandts you must be a desperate
makes them difficult companions for the more
individual, no other requirements are needed.
straightlaced, but the instinct for self preservation
and mutual trust required of bandit gangs ensures
C lasses they’ll always have their companions’ backs when
Primary Classes Secondary Classes the chips are down.
Rogue Warrior
A dventure H ooks
F avoured S pecialisations • The destruction of a local village precedes an
escalation of bandit raids on a nearby town.
• Ranger
• The players are asked to negotiate the return of
• Shadow stolen items with a local bandit king.
• Sniper • A PC bandit finds out that the law enforcement
they are working for has set up an ambush to
O rganisational B onuses take out their original gang.
• Gain 1 point in Perception or Dexterity to • A group of bandits arrested for the horrific
represent the survival instincts needed to survive murder of an entire family and subsequent
in a bandit gang. blood rituals claims they have been set up by
the local noble.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Bandits get along with other ne’er do wells.
Gain +2 to interaction tests with those in
Theda’s seedy underbelly.
• Gain 1 Strength focus.

29
 M ages ’ C ollective
D r a g o n A ge
Mages’ Collective
The Chantry has had a stranglehold on Thedosian
magic for centuries. Any mage that has not joined the
Circle of Magi will either be forced to on discovery,
or be considered Apostate and hunted. Over the
centuries Apostate mages have become extremely
good at hiding themselves from Chantry scrutiny,
forming small hedge mage communes to provide
mutual support and multiple escape routes should
the Templars come knocking.
Even amongst the Circle Mages there have always
been those that resented their effective servitude
simply for being born a mage. As the Circles
developed, those Enchanters of specific philosophical
ideologies were naturally drawn to one another and
eventually formed Fraternities. These Enchanters,
especially from the Libertarian and Aequitarian
Fraternities, chafed at
their unending Chantry
oversight, especially as they
all followed ethical magical
study in keeping with the
Maker’s mandate on magic.
Over time these more
independent thinking
individuals sought research
partners and students of
rhetoric amongst any they
could find, including the
hedge mages found outside
Chantry control. These early
illicit collaborations were
seen as harmless for a time,
until the over enthusiasm of
an Enchanter led them to form a
partnership with what later turned out
to be a Maleficarum. The breach of Circle
security that resulted from this alliance
almost revealed the fledgling organisation to
the Templars, had it not been for the sacrifice of the
mage that caused the breach in the first place.
Circle mages partaking in these clandestine
meetings began to question the worth of the research
performed when the potential punishment was so
great. The collective almost perished in its infancy
were it not for the timely discoveries of the hedge
wizard Farlo and her Circle compatriot Etaine.
They had developed a treatment for the unnatural
disease sweeping through the peasantry of south
eastern Orlais. Known as dreaming sickness, it was
caused by the leaking of fade energies through a
tear in the veil. Those exposed for long enough
eventually slipped into a fugue state, seemingly
dreaming themselves into oblivion. The final stages
of the disease manifested as a violent possession, the
weakened mind of the individual a virtual lighthouse
to any demon nearby.
30
The magical elixir developed by the mages proved
extremely effective and the disease was eradicated
within a few weeks. Without combining the
unorthodox thinking of the hedge wizards with
the extensive knowledge and research available
to the Circle Mages, such a cure would not have
eventuated, at least not within the lifetime of those
the disease affected. Encouraged by this dramatic
success, the fading collective bounced back with
justified vigour. Over the following century their
research and study revealed many more discoveries
not possible under Chantry dominion and many
within the Circle Fraternities began questioning the
point of Chantry control at all.
Knowing that breaking away from Chantry control
was, for the time being impossible, the mages of the
collective began surreptitiously collecting funds to
finance a widely distributed network of non-mage
couriers and menials. These
individuals would be the day
to day face of the collective
and few would know its
true nature. To the public
the collective appeared as
nothing more than a courier
service, moving goods
and messages around the
lands. For the mages within
the collective this network
became an invaluable means
of sharing information
and research with their
compatriots, some of whom
could be thousands of miles
away.
From its beginnings as a means
of circle magi and hedge mages to
talk outside Chantry influence the
collective has grown to become a powerful
entity across Thedas, an entity that has so far
successfully avoided detection. The secret nature
of the organisation has meant many research hours
spent developing highly effective concealment
glyphs and Spirit spells to cloud the minds of any
that get too close. The organisation possesses its own
partially magical encryption method, using spell
ciphers and mnemonic devices to hide their messages
completely from anyone but their intended recipient.
The Collective seldom uses emblems and insignia.
The less recognisable their members are the better.
However its goal of peaceful research and knowledge
has led to the unofficial association of the scroll and
dove’s feather with the organisation. They have no
associated colours and rely mostly on concealed
magical glyphs to recognise one another.
Joining the collective is a difficult process. The risk of
discovery is ever present so membership is entirely
down to personal invitation from the collective as a
 M ages ’ C ollective

whole. Members may petition for the collective to
consider a new applicant, but they will not be offered
entry until the collective thoroughly investigates
their histories, activities and loyalties. Those mages
that have made it clear they dislike the shackles place
on them by the Chantry are far more likely to receive
an offer.
However the Templars are always on the lookout
for Apostates and their organisations and many
times mage ‘sympathizers’ have espoused anti
Chantry philosophies in order to gain access
to illicit mage movements. Non-mages can be
employed without them knowing their employers,
and a few will be trusted with the knowledge of
the collective’s activities. These will invariably be
mage sympathizers, friends and family of mages, or
enlightened scholars who are more interested in the
research being conducted than the people doing it.
O rganisational S tructure
Areas Particulars
Affiliates Courier companies and employees
Assets Laboratories, money, information network
Expertise Esoteric research, information gathering
Enemies The Chantry and all affiliates
Leaders First Amongst Equals, Senior Researchers
Status Hidden
R equirements
To join the Mages’ Collective you must have a Cunning
of 2 or more and be a Mage or Mage supporter.
D r a g o n A ge
• Members of the Collective are extremely good
at hiding their activities. Gain +2 to interaction
tests whenever attempting to misdirect or lie.
• Gain 1 Magic focus.
Playing as a Collectivist
Mages and their supporters join the Collective for the
company of like-minded scholars and researchers.
There are few places a mage can truly feel free of
scrutiny or distrust. Collectivists feel both elated
and excited about their organisation and fearful of
discovery. The potential to fully explore their magical
power without recrimination is a powerful draw.
A Collectivist will often build a carefully constructed
wall around their true feelings in order to keep non-
members from learning about the organisation. Even
close friends and family may be kept in the dark
to maintain absolute secrecy. This can be mentally
draining which is why over time most collectivists
tend to prefer the company of their fellows.
A dventure H ooks
• A Templar asks the players to investigate
suspected mage activity.
• A terrible disease is sweeping the local area,
except for one village near an Elven ruin.
• A player Collectivist is told that one of their
number has been captured by Templars and must
be freed or killed before torture loosens their lips.
• A courier company hires the players to
safeguard a package through the mountains.

C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Mage Warrior/ Rogue

F avoured S pecialisations
• Shadowmancer
• Guardian
• Shaman

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Communication or Cunning to
represent the intellectual and collaborative spirit
that drives the Collective.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.

31
 M erchant G uild
D r a g o n A ge
Merchant Guild
Despite the hereditary rule of nobility across the
majority of Thedas it is the burgeoning middle
classes that hold much of the wealth. Merchants,
exclusive artisans, bankers and continental caravans
are all encroaching on the hereditary wealth of the
noble families.
This is especially apparent in the Free Marches where
little traditional nobility exists. Into this vacuum
stepped ambitious merchants and brokers and over
the centuries these have become powerful dynasties
with a reach as far as their pockets are deep. In fact the
wealth of these merchant families often exceeds the
nobility in other countries and they have become the
defacto nobility of the Free Marches, often accepting
marriages with foreign noble houses in order to
claim the legitimacy of a noble name to add to the
power of their money.
However this has not been
without incident. The
majority of nobles find the
rise of these mercantile
upstarts offensive, daring
to tread where only those
of noble blood should go.
They detest common born
riffraff putting on airs,
but more than anything
they fear the loss of power
they have assumed by right
of birth for centuries. This
has led to more than one
suspicious accident or outright
public assassination to make
visible the power of the nobility.
The friction between noble houses and
the merchants has on several occasions
turned into outright war, albeit war on a
small scale and dismissed as banditry. Because
of this continued threat the wealthy of the Free
Marches decided to pool their resources and form an
organisation for mutual protection and profit.
The Free Marches Merchant Guild works to secure
the wealth if those merchants that can afford its
exorbitant membership fees. A council is voted into
power (which itself requires a running fee) that make
decisions on how money is spent and what projects to
support. Merchants can petition the council for loans
(at a significant interest rate) to develop new business
ventures or even put forward a business venture for
the Guild itself to take part in. Since its inception the
Guild has become more than an affiliation of various
merchants, it has become a powerful institution in
its own right. The money it has accrued rivals that
of most banks and its influence has spread across
Thedas. Members can take out insurance against
loss, damage or theft of their products.
32
The Merchant Guild’s wealth is so great that it can
afford its own standing army of professionally trained
soldiers led by a cadre of hardened commanders
plucked from everywhere across Thedas. These
Merchant Protection Forces are deployed on behalf of
members of the Guild to safeguard their businesses
should threats arise and to minimise any insurance
payouts. From the outside the Merchant Protection
Forces look like a well organised mercenary group
specialising in guard duties, but from the inside it’s
obvious what they are: the military arm of a small
country whose domains ignore borders and cross
from one side of Thedas to the other.
Given its actual power, the Merchant Guild is
extremely selective in its membership. Previous run-
ins with Thedosian nobility which originally sparked
the formation of the Guild has given it a strong bias
against nobles, even mercantile ones. Because of this
no merchants of recognised
noble blood can join the
guild. This exclusivity is
by necessity unwritten as
the Nobility would never
stand for being officially
excluded from the Guild.
Instead Noble merchants
are always given an excuse
or justification for their
denial of membership.
This hasn’t stopped some
Nobles. Lord Elkinton of
Ferelden went to a great deal
of effort and money to disguise
his Noble roots in order to
infiltrate the Guild and would
have done so had his steward not
taken employ with a guild affiliated
business after being abused by the
lord. She took his identification with her,
leaving the Lord with no evidence he was
ever a Noble. The Guild was able to install a look-
alike as the real Lord Elkinton and siphon off all his
wealth and assets, whilst the real Elkinton became
a wandering drunk and vagrant, ranting about his
true Noble origins to anyone within earshot...
The Guild uses a quartered field of orange and blue
as its colours. Orange was an unpopular colour
and the Nobility of most of Thedas dismissed it
as without character. The Guild took the colour in
defiance of the Nobility and as a mocking jab at
their shallowness. The sheaf of wheat and stack of
coins in the field represent the Guild’s mercantile
purpose and fiscal power, but also points to the
important part it plays in the distribution of food
and other necessities to the populace.
 M erchant G uild

D r a g o n A ge
• Gain 1 Communication focus.
O rganisational S tructure
Areas Particulars
Affiliates Artisans, farmers, craftsmen, merchants
Playing as a Guilder
Assets Warhouses, mercenaries, banks, businesses The Merchants of the Guild take a perverse pride in
Expertise Insurance, asset protection, finance, sales their lack of Nobility. Many of the most successful
Guilders are more wealthy than all but the kings
Enemies The Nobility of Thedas
of Thedas and they flaunt it. However behind this
Leaders Merchant Master Talea, Head Ledgermen cocky confidence there is often a gnawing sense
Status Known throughout Thedas of inferiority. That no matter how high you rise
or wealthy you become, the Nobility will always
exceed you simply by dint of birth. Guilders are
R equirements always on the lookout for new products to market,
materials to sell. Where others see desolation they
To join the Merchant Guild you must have a see opportunity. Whether what they see is matches
Communication of 2 or more and not be of Noble birth. with the demands of reality is another matter.

C lasses Soldiers in the employ of the Guild have a high level

of morale as their pay is generous and always on
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
time. Their jobs are generally easy, but the high level
Rogue Warrior of loyalty ensures they will stick around for even the
most dangerous of missions. As promotion is based
on merit the Guild forces are never short of potential
F avoured S pecialisations recruits,
• Bard
• Duellist A dventure H ooks
• Guardian • A Noble finances the party to infiltrate the
Guild in order to get him admittance.
O rganisational B onuses • A player Guilder is required to aid in the
• Gain 1 point in Perception or Dexterity to insurance mitigation of a caravan.
represent the keen hand and eye needed in the • A Guilder offers to pay the PCs to recover his
cutthroat world of business. property from bandits in order to avoid paying his
• Gain 1 degree in a talent. insurance premiums.
• Guilders are excellent traders, capable of turning • A courier company hires the players to
almost anything to profit. Gain +2 to all interaction
tests involved in mercantile endeavours.

33
 M ist S talkers
D r a g o n A ge
Mist Stalkers
Alongside the Avaars, there is only one remnant
group of the original Alamarri tribes that first
populated what is now Ferelden. These tribes, known
as the Chasind or Korcari Wilders are a spiritual
people who still follow the old ways long since lost to
the people of Ferelden. They live amongst the misty
wilds, swamps and forests of the southern reaches,
led by shamans of great power. What buildings they
construct are built atop stilts to keep their possessions
away from flood water and the crawling denizens of
the swamplands.
Amongst the Chasind, warriors are blooded through
a series of hunting trials, stalking wolves and elk
through the dark forests. Tradition holds that they
either come back with their prize, or don’t come back
at all. This uncompromising philosophy has shaped
a hard but deadly warrior
tradition and ensures
that the Chasind are well
protected from any threat
the Wilds can throw at
them.
However it isn’t just the
Wilds that threaten the
Chasind, the soft and
indolent Northerners also
encroach on their lands and
kill their people.
Relations between the
Chasind and Ferelden have
always been strained. In the
days before Hafter the Chasind
were a powerful force and
regularly raided the northern lands.
After Hafter broke the Chasind horde
very little was heard from them. But as
the Chantry took hold of Thedas, calls to
march on the heathen barbarians rang out and
border skirmishes became common.
Like the Avaars, the Chasind do not follow
Andrastian teachings and their continued existence
is seen as a blasphemy against the Chant of Light.
Rumours of the worship of dark gods and vile
things are commonplace amongst Fereldans and the
Chasind’s association with the Witches of the Wilds
only deepens their image as demon savages.
Without a single leader the Chasind have been
unable to put up a unified front against the sporadic
incursions of aggressive zealots and the suffering has
been great. To combat this new threat a brotherhood
of warriors has appeared, comprised of members
from across all the Tribes. Tribal feuds and loyalties
are temporarily put aside in order to protect the
greater whole. To the Chasind this brotherhood are
heroes protecting their people, to the belligerent
34
Fereldans they are the terrifiying Mist Stalkers.
Each Mist Stalker is a master hunter, having
undergone further hunting trials to join the
brotherhood. The Shrouded Trial requires they hunt
the great wolves of the Wilds blindfolded, relying on
their other senses to locate and kill the prey. Once a
member of the Mist Stalkers they are tasked with the
hunting of the most dangerous prey in Thedas: man.
The Mist Stalkers sole job is to hunt and slay any
Ferelden that penetrates too deeply into the Wilds
and ensure their allies never find them. Mist Stalkers
are assassins of the forest, using their superlative
skills to keep the Fereldans too terrified to organise a
coordinated attack.
Amongst Fereldans the Mist Stalkers are seen not
as Chasind, but as spectral monsters that haunt
the Wilds spiriting the unwary away into the dark,
never to be seen again. The campaign of fear and
terror they have waged
has been more effective
than a thousand battles
and Ferelden interests in
the Wilds has dropped
considerably in the last few
decades. Combined with
the legends of the Witches
of the Wilds, the Chasind
have only increased
the mystique and terror
surrounding their lands.
Although initially formed
to hunt intrusive Fereldans,
the increased activity of
Darkspawn and mercenary
companies across the lands has
seen the Mist Stalkers expand their
repertoire. All those that threaten
the Chasind tribes, be they Fereldan or
darkspawn will know terrifying death from
the darkness.
As the Stalkers comprise warriors from all tribes they
do not possess a tribal totem. Instead their symbol is
a knife bisecting the moon. The moon is mistress of
the night, shadows and mysteries. The mist is seen
as the moon’s veil cast across the land to hide her
actions from the world.
To join the Stalkers is no easy task. They generally
only recruit Chasind and of those, only warriors
who have proven themselves as skilled hunters and
trackers. Becoming a Stalker is a sacrifice as ties with
the tribe are severed temporarily. The warrior has
no contact with their people for the length of time
they have joined the stalkers, partly to focus them
on their task, but also to ensure the Stalkers take
no partisan actions on behalf of their tribe. Should
the Stalkers begin taking sides in tribal conflicts, the
delicate balance developed will be destroyed and
 M ist S talkers

D r a g o n A ge
there will be nothing to stop the Ferelden zealots interact with and even work alongside Fereldan
from rampaging through the Wilds… warriors. Their affiliation with the Mist Stallkers
is one of sworn oaths and blood trials rather than
uniform and heraldry. Virtually no Fereldan would
O rganisational S tructure know one Korcari Wilder from another and a Mist
Stalker is in no hurry to explain their affiliations to
Areas Particulars
them.
Affiliates Chasind Tribes
Assets Warhouses, mercenaries, banks, businesses Mist Stalkers put their duty first and foremost, and
Expertise Insurance, asset protection, finance, sales
will take on these foes wherever they encounter
them. A dead darkspawn here is one less that can
Enemies Ferelden threaten the tribes of the Wilds.
Leaders First Huntmaster Chekote, Shadowblades
Status Infamous in Ferelden, renowned in the Wilds
A dventure H ooks
• A mercenary company camped near the Korcari
R equirements Wilds is losing men at an alarming rate.
To join the Mist Stalkers you must have a Perception of 2 • A player Mist Stalker discovers information on
or more and be a Chasind Wilder. a horde of Darkspawn moving towards Ostagar
and the Wilds.
C lasses • A noble has lost their son in the Wilds and offers
Primary Classes Secondary Classes to pay the players to recover him.
Rogue Warrior/ Mage • The players find a message on a dead Chasind
suggesting a group of Mist Stalkers plans on
raiding a feuding tribe.
F avoured S pecialisations
• Assassin
• Beast Hunter
• Shaman

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Dexterity or Willpower to
represent the speed and single-mindedness
needed to hunt enemies of the Chasind.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Mist Stalkers are completely at home in the wild
places of the world. Gain +2 to all interaction
tests involving beasts and tribes from the
wilderness.
• Gain 1 Perception focus.

Playing as a Mist Stalker

Mist Stalkers are hunters extraordinaire. They
continuously hone their skills against the stealthiest
prey they can find and are always on the lookout for
more. Although their main target are Fereldans in the
Wilds, they will also travel abroad, leaving Korcari to
see the wild places of other lands, hunt the creatures
there and learn better ways to undertake their duty.

This creates an interesting dynamic between them

and any Fereldans they meet. Outside the Wilds
Fereldans are of no threat and so a Mist Stalker will
35
 Q unari B eresaad
D r a g o n A ge
Qunari Beresaad
The Qunari are the newest arrivals in Thedas. They
have only had a presence on the continent for a few
hundred years, but in that time they have made an
unforgettable impact.
The Thedosian Chantries (both Tevinter and
Andrastian) consider all Quanri to be heathens,
followers of blasphemous false ideologies and
dangerous to the spiritual wellbeing of the peoples
of Thedas. As such they have repeatedly declared
Exalted Marches against them with mixed results.
On the part of the Qunari they consider the Chantry
and Thedosians in general as incomplete and to be
pitied. Part of the danger of the Qun’s ideology is
the belief that only it can help people achieve their
true purpose. Therefore it is the duty of all Qunari
to educate others in the Qun,
or dispose of them if they
refuse. The very concept of
what a Qunari is relies on
this ideology.
The horned giants most
Thedosians consider to
be Qunari are simply the
first race to develop and
embrace the philosophy,
but they consider all
who follow the Qun to be
Qunari. Because of this, any
elf, dwarf of human found
amidst their ranks is also
Qunari and given all the same
rights and responsibilities as any
other child of the Qun.
To accomplish their task of assimilating
other cultures, the Qunari are broken
into multiple branches, each governing a
specific aspect of Qunari culture. As expected
for an overtly militant culture, one entire third of
their social structure is given over to the military
or Ataam. The Ataam is led by the Arishock, one
of the three leaders of the Qunari known as the
Triumvirate. The Arishok’s words are law and his
soldiers will obediently follow them to whatever
end. This creates a formidable military force with
morale and discipline matched only by the most
fervent Andrastian knightly orders of Thedas.
Within the Ataam there exists a division whose
purpose is to be the vanguard of the Qunari. They
scout new countries and study their cultures. They
are the most highly trained of the Ataam and their
will is iron. They are the Beresaad.
Like all parts of Qunari society, the Beresaad is a
gender restricted organisation. Qunari efficiency
and philosophy dictates that each individual is
36
intrinsically suited to a specific task and the Ben-
Hassrath selective breeding programmes have
further reinforced this. As the sexes differ in many
ways this naturally inclines them towards different
tasks. As a result, all members of the Ataam and
therefore the Beresaad are male.
Qunari naturally grow sweeping horns, growing
larger with age. Combined with their larger size the
Qunari stand out amongst the many races of Thedas
making the work of the Beresaad more difficult. To
mitigate this the Ataam recruit a high percentage of
naturally hornless Qunari to the Beresaad, a physical
difference not unlike the many hair colours amongst
Thedosians.
To a Qunari hornlessness is quite intimidating and
they will not generally remove them voluntarily,
partly as it is an irreversible decision. However
in severe circumstances a
naturally horned Qunari of
the Beresaad will remove
their horns and many Tal-
Vashoth will willingly cut
theirs off to intimidate
their former countrymen.
The Beresaad travel far
from Qunari lands to scout
foreign people, to learn
their cultures and assess
their military strength.
Depending on their mission
they may be required to
perform covert military
action including the assassin of
foreign dignitaries and theft of
strategic documents.
Like all Qunari the Bersesaad strongly
identify themselves and measure their
worth by their occupation and the tools
used to represent it, which in the case of the
Beresaad is their weapon. This identity is so strong
that loss or theft of their weapon can cause such
shame and loss that they throw themselves into
battle in an attempt to regain their honour in death.
The Beresaad do not possess an emblem unique to
their organisation. The Qunari don’t feel the need to
assign such things to the divisions of their society.
Instead they are identified by the symbol for all
Qunari, a white diamond depicting the interlacing
of all parts of the whole together. The black field
represents the darkness and ignorance of the world
and the white of the diamond signifies enlightenment
that only the Qun can provide when all people are
joined as one in its cause.
Unlike the majority of Qunari society the Beresaad
are not assigned their role. They will almost always
be from the Ataam and thus trained as a Qunari
soldier, but they must earn their position in the
 Q unari B eresaad

Beresaad. Rarely someone from outside the Ataam
will be recruited into the Beresaad after already
being assigned their position, but in most cases they
will be a highly accomplished warrior whose actions
on the field have proven their worth as a Beresaad
operative.
D r a g o n A ge
Because they operate far from home they are more
self reliant than most Qunari. They must spend much
time amidst foreign peoples and ideas and must
possess a strong understanding in the Qun in order
to prevent any of these strange ideas from infiltrating
their minds.

The war of ideology is much harder fought for the

O rganisational S tructure Beresaad for they do not have the Ben-Hassrath to
help them with spiritual matters. Because of this
Areas Particulars
they are given much greater leeway in learning
Affiliates Qunari foreign customs and practices and may even develop
Assets Everything needed idiosyncratic behaviours not in keeping with the
Expertise Infiltration, asymmetric warfare
average Qunari.
Enemies Non-Qunari However their role is of such vital importance that
Leaders The Arishok and Atani this is overlooked by the Ben-Hassrath in order to
Status Renown amongst Qunari ensure Qunari culture is preserved and the teaching
of the Qun eventually spread to the ignorant things
of Thedas.
R equirements
To join the Beresaad you must have a Cunning of 2 or A dventure H ooks
more and be a male Qunari in the Ataam.
• Mysterious giants attack the village the players
are staying in and no one knows why.
C lasses
• A player Beresaad is request by the Ataam to
Primary Classes Secondary Classes assassinate a specific noble, a noble the players
Warrior Rogue are currently working for.
• A noble has lost their son in the Wilds and offers
F avoured S pecialisations to pay the players to recover him.

• Champion • The players find a message on a dead Chasind

suggesting a group of Mist Stalkers plans on
• Duellist raiding a feuding tribe.
• Weapon Master

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Dexterity or Strength to
represent the peerless training of the Beresaad.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Beresaad are considered exceptional warriors
amongst their people. They gain +2 to all
interaction tests with Quanari
• Gain 1 Communication focus.

Playing as a Beresaad
Like all Qunari the Beresaad are single-mindedly
devoted to their role. They see their actions as doing
honour to their people and themselves. They always
put their people before themselves, ensuring that
whatever they do is benefit to all. They are allowed
to form bonds with people from other cultures and
indeed will travel extensively with them in order to
further their goals.

37
 S anguine M inistry
D r a g o n A ge
Sanguine Ministry
“Let my blood touch the ground,
Let my cries touch their hearts.
Let mine be the last sacrifice.”
Andraste 7
For hundreds of years before the coming of Andraste,
the people of Thedas held magic in both fear and
awe and it was an integral part of many ancient
tribal cultures. Shamans and witches communed
with spirits, healed the sick and killed their enemies
with potent if primitive spells. Nowhere was this
more apparent than in Tevinter where powerful and
sophisticated mages controlled a vast Imperium.
Their rule spread across the continent as far as what
would later be Ferelden and their highways are still
present to this day.
The excesses of Tevinter
cast a black shadow over
the use of magic and many
began to fear and hate
this otherworldly power
as it was used to enslave
and torture. With the
appearance of Andraste
and her army of the faithful
the Tevinter Imperium
was broken and the yoke of
magic removed from Thedas.
Andraste’s teaching on the
Maker and the Chant of Light
spread quickly and the core
belief that magic was meant to
serve mankind and never to rule
them was enthusiastically taken up
by all that had suffered at the hands of
the Tevinter. Mages were hunted down and
burned for the apostates they were and any that
surrendered were kept under guard.
As the Chantry developed there were several
factions that appeared, each with a slightly different
interpretation of Andraste’s words. The most
powerful was that originating within Tevinter itself
and eventually this faction broke away entirely
from the Thedosian Chantry centred in Orlais. They
believed that to serve mankind the Magisters would
have to rule them, thereby allowing mages to regain
their positions of power.
During the struggle between the Chantry and what
they righteously referred to as the Black Chantry of
Tevinter, another denomination appeared, one that
even the Magisters of Tevinter reviled. This was the
Sanguine Ministry and its origins date back to the
very death of Andraste herself.
38
A devout follower of Andraste’s cause, known to
the Ministry only as the Saviour, realised herself the
truth of Andraste’s power. Andraste’s power was
unlike anything the Saviour had ever seen, until
Andraste’s army reached Tevinter. Amidst the chaos
of Andraste’s attack on Minrathous, many Magisters
were killed or captured but not before the Saviour
witnessed the power these mages possessed.
The Ministry holds that the power these Magisters
displayed was not unlike the so-called Miracles of
Andraste herself. The Saviour saw the real gift of the
Maker and she determined that without control of
this gift humanity would never know the Maker’s
love again. The problem with the Magisters was not
their magic, but their corruption of the Maker’s pure
magic and their lack of faith in Him.
The Saviour’s great revelation was that in the Blood
was the Maker’s Truth. Andraste shed her blood for
the people to bring them
to the truth of the Maker’s
love and only through the
Blood could it be found.
From Andraste’s own
words the Saviour
understood that the
waters of the Fade and
the Maker’s tears were the
Blood flowing through the
veins of his children, to
better connect them to one
another.
The revelations of the Saviour
spread very slowly as their
position was apparently in
opposition to the beliefs of the
Chantry. Magic was not evil, it was
the Maker’s gift to humanity, and
within magic exists the very soul of the
Maker himself; Blood magic. So the followers
of the Sanguine Ministry treat Blood as sacred,
just as Andraste spilt hers to bring the Maker to the
world, so too does the Ministry spill their blood and
the blood of others.
For so long the use of blood to power spells has
been stigmatised and punishable by death. Many
blood mages seek out the Ministry, some initially for
power, others for a sense of absolution. What they
find is a religious order that venerates Andraste
and the Maker and accepts and loves them for the
ability given to them by the Maker. The allure of this
acceptance and veneration means that in most cases
they convert wholly to the Saviour’s teachings and
become fanatically loyal to their cause.
The emblem of the ministry is the Chantry Sun with
a red blood drop in its centre, signifying the Maker’s
gift of the power in blood to his children.
 S anguine M inistry

Those who are not mages may still join the Ministry,
and they become Sanguine Paladins, bloodletters
of ferocious power and ability. Due to Chantry’s
misguided hatred of magic and blood the Ministry
requires many Paladins to protect their priests and
ensure the blood work of the Maker is done in the
secret halls and meeting places of the Ministry.
The most powerful priests, known as Blood Priests
are capable of reaching beyond the Fade to draw
power into their blood, gaining a part of the immortal
power of the Maker himself. The Chantry denounces
these acts as blasphemous demon worshipping,
but the Ministry knows the truth and pities the
misguided efforts of the Chantry to suppress the true
teachings of Andraste.
D r a g o n A ge
Playing as a Sanguine Minister
To be one of the Ministry is to know a great truth and
to know that most Thedosians will never know this,
or ever accept it.
Someone of the ministry will try every attempt to
proselytise, albeit surreptitiously and indirectly.
They are fervent believers in Andraste and The
Maker so will come across as devout to those that
don’t know their true beliefs.
A dventure H ooks
• The players uncover a strange chantry with
symbols of blood.

O rganisational S tructure • A blood mage is found amongst some enemy

NPCs and asks for sanctuary from a player
Areas Particulars Minister.
Affiliates Blood Mages
• Babbling peasants accuse the Chantry of blood
Assets Hidden temples magic.
Expertise Theology, rhetoric, blood power
• A religious order seeks aid from the PCs,
Enemies Andrastians claiming that apostate elements of the Chantry
Leaders The Sanguine, Blood Priests seek to kill them.
Status Whispered amongst apostates

R equirements
To join the Ministry you must have a Perception of 2 or
more and be an Andrastian.

C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Warrior/Rogue/Mage -

F avoured S pecialisations
• Blood Mage
• Reaper
• Reaver

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Willpower or Constitution to
represent the fortitude and mental strength
instilled in a minister of blood.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Ministers have a strong rapport with the hidden
parts of Thedas . They gain +2 to all interaction
tests with apostates and heretics.
• Gain 1 Willpower focus.

39
 S eekers of T ruth
D r a g o n A ge
Seekers of Truth
The Chantry wasn’t the only Andrastian organisation
to develop after the death of Andraste. Her teachings
touched many people in different ways and the
prevalence of blood mages and dark cults across
Thedas spurred the more martially-minded to band
together to counter the growing threat. This extreme
and violent organisation was infamously known as
the Inquisition.
The Inquisition spent decades rampaging across
Thedas in an orgy of righteous destruction, slaying
apostates, abominations and any who would not
convert to the Chant and worship the Maker. They
saw no distinction, for was not the Maker the true
god of all and Andraste his bride? Any who refused
to see this self evident fact was no better than the
deliberately malevolent
mages and demon
worshippers.
This zealous crusade
continued unabated and
the Inquisition’s power
grew ever more prevalent.
They became the de facto
authority on mages,
magic and the occult and
declared themselves the
only ones fit to dispense
the Maker’s justice.
Only Emperor Drakon’s
military power and influence
could hope to counter the
growing Inquisition and his
devout worship of the Maker made
him a natural ally of the quickly
developing Chantry. With Drakon and
the Chantry combined the Inquisition’s
power was stymied but before this could lead
to sectarian war, the second Blight erupted.
The Inquisition threw itself into slaughtering
what they saw to be the Maker’s natural enemies.
Their casualties were horrific but their fervour
undiminished and their actions gave many comfort
in the dark times. However the conflict with the
darkspawn began to severely deplete their numbers
and the control they once held over much of Thedas
began to slip.
Realising they could not continue alone the leaders
of the Inquisition parlayed with the Chantry
and Drakon, looking to find common ground.
Unbeknownst to the Inquisition, the Chantry had
begun to outstay its welcome with the Orlesian
monarch, their use of his righteous Chevaliers as a
private army finally wearing on him.
The Chantry, desperate to find a new military arm
40
jumped at the chance to combine with the Inquisition.
Without preamble the two largest Andrastian
organisations in Thedas sealed their alliance in the
now famous Nevarran Accords and a new chapter in
Chantry history began.
The Chantry divided the Inquisiton into two
branches, the Templars, specially trained warriors
used to guard and combat mages and the Seekers
of Truth. The latter were to be elite warriors often
chosen from within the Templars to police their
brethren and seek out the dark things in the world
and bring them out into the light.
The Seekers are the only warriors of the Chantry
that still resemble the Inquisition of old, following
much of their original mandate although no overt
acts of violence have been forthcoming from this
secretive order in centuries. Somewhat ironically
the Templars, ostensibly
brothers in arms, dislike the
Seekers more than most.
One of the main objectives
of the Seekers is to police
and regulate the Templars
and their heavy handed and
rather blunt diplomacy has
left a sour taste amongst the
Knight Commanders.
On many occasions
Templar trained Seekers will
intervene in cases involving
particularly powerful
apostates, undercutting the
authority of and humiliating
the Templars whose assignment
it originally was. For the Seekers
though, the ends justifies the means
they care not whose pride is bruised in
the process.
A Seeker is sworn to uncover the truth, no matter
where it may lead. They are as much political
investigators as martial ones and aren’t above
espionage or assassination in order to safeguard the
Chantry’s interests.
The Seekers use a stylised Chantry sunburst on a
black field. In the centre of the sun sits the Maker’s
All Seeing Eye, signifying the holy ordinance under
which the Seekers act and the true vision with which
they see. Nothing is beyond their scrutiny and no
one is beyond reproach. The truth will out and the
Seekers will find it.
To become a Seeker is no mean feat. They are
tasked with protecting sensitive information that
could embarrass or destabilise the Chantry and
must harshly judge their fellows to protect it. Many
Seekers come directly from the Templars as they
will have received all the sanctioned training and
indoctrination required to serve the Maker and his
 S eekers of T ruth

representatives on Thedas. However the lyrium
addiction resulting from their Templar training can
impact on Seeker duties and so some are chosen from
outside this brotherhood.
There are many would-be Chevaliers and knights
from across Thedas who have heard the Maker’s
call and joined the Seekers, for there can be no more
honour in mortal life than to defend the Chantry and
all she holds dear.
D r a g o n A ge
Chantry and must always weigh the consequences of
their actions. The Chantry may set the course, but it
knows the Seeker must find the best way.
As a result Seekers walk a tightrope between their
duty and the consequences of their actions. The
Chantry expects nothing less than the perfect
execution of a Seeker’s duties, but the enemies of the
Chantry are not always so cooperative...

O rganisational S tructure
Areas Particulars
A dventure H ooks
Affiliates The Chantry, Templars
• Templars are being killed in the city.

Assets Any Chantry assets • A PC Seeker must blackmail a noble at a party

to prevent him selling information to Tevinter,
Expertise Investigation, interrogation, suppression
without the devout Andrastians surrounding
Enemies Templar dissidents, apostates him finding out.
Leaders Lord Seeker Lambert, High Seekers
• A Chantry Mother hires the PCs to investigate one
Status Famous throughout Thedas of her lay-brothers she suspects of treachery.
• A Seeker is found dead in the bed of an
apostate.
R equirements
To join the Seekers you must have a Perception of 2 or
more and be an Andrastian.

C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Rogue Warrior

F avoured S pecialisations
• Templar
• Shadow
• Assassin

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Willpower or Cunning to
represent the sure mind needed to be a Seeker.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Seekers have a powerful presence. Gain +2 to
all interaction or intimidation tests with those
within the Chantry and Templars.
• Gain 1 Perception focus.

Playing as a Seeker
Seekers have a strong will and an unbending sense of
duty. To be a Seeker is to always have the Chantry’s
goals and interests at heart and to ensure they are
achieved no matter the cost.

However a Seeker is no wrecking ball, they are subtle

and circumspect. They are highly visible agents of the
41
 T emplar O rder
D r a g o n A ge
Templar Order
The Templar Order is a military order of the Chantry
that, amongst their duties, hunts apostates and
maleficar and watches over the mages from the
Circle of Magi. While they are officially deemed
a defensive force by the Chantry established to
protect the communities of the faithful from magical
threats, they are in fact an army unto themselves.
Well-equipped, highly disciplined and devoted to
the destruction of non-believers in the name of the
Maker, the Templars are a highly effective force in
Thedas.
Templars maintain a dual role in the Chantry; they
are sworn to protect the world from the dangers of
magic, but at the same time they also protect mages
from a world that fears them because of these dangers.
It is the duty of a Templar
to watch their charges
for any sign of weakness
or corruption and to act
without hesitation should
they find it.
One of the Order’s most
important duties occurs
during the Harrowing
where they watch
over the mage’s body,
ready to kill him or her
if demonic possession
occurs. Templars are also
responsible for seeking out
mages newly come into their
power and bringing them into
the Circle. Inevitably, the Order
must also pursue mages who escape
but typically can track the fugitives
using a phylactery of blood from their
quarry.
Most Templars are trained in skills to counter magic,
ingesting a considerable amount of lyrium in their
development and as a result become addicted to it.
This grants them a considerable resistance to magic
and the ability to drain the mana from nearby mages,
shutting down their magical capacity entirely.
Ironically, these abilities could be considered a form
of magic in themselves. There are many who believe
the Chantry knows of the addictive properties of
lyrium and uses this to control the Templar order by
controlling the flow of lyrium.
Perhaps the most extreme example of the Templars’
power is their ability to decree Right of Annulment
which authorizes them to forcibly tranquil or kill all
mages in a Circle tower. Considered an act of last
resort the fact that the order possesses such power
at all creates great tension between them and their
charges and occasionally leads to charges of tyranny
42
and abuse. However, according to the Chantry this
is the price that must be paid for the security the
Templars offer.
Templars may be assigned to the Circles of Magi
but also to individual Chantries. In Thedas there are
15 Knight-Commanders each in control of a branch
of the organization. They answer to the head of the
local Chantry, often a Grand Cleric, depending on
the region in question. The size and strength of each
branch also differs, depending on the community
they serve or their specific mandate.
The Order itself is ruled from the glittering White
Spire in Val Royeaux by a Knight-Vigilant. However,
there are other sources that suggest that the Order is
actually led by a series of Knights Divine, a division
within the Order who serve directly underneath the
Divine herself. In addition to making the rules, these
Knights oversee day-to-day
operations.
The emblem of the order is
a sword piercing through
a stylised sunburst. Where
the Seekers display the All-
Seeing Eye, the Templars
brazenly display their
martial purpose, ensuring
all who see them understand
the Chantry’s power.
Templars are considered by
the common folk to be the
saviours and holy warriors of
Thedas, protecting the world
from the dangers of magic
unchecked. As the Chantry’s
military arm, they are recruited
primarily for their martial skill and
religious dedication to the Maker.
Commoners see the Templars as an opportunity
to rise to a station higher than they could hope for
in ordinary life. Many younger sons and daughters
of nobility vie for admission into the order due to
the prestige and celebrity that comes with being a
Templar. However the uncompromising training,
religious conviction and lifelong sacrifice required
of a templar ensures that only the truly devout and
noble of heart ever succeed to the mantle of the
Templar.
Given the difficult choices Templars must make in
the course of their duty, they must be unswervingly
loyal to the Order and maintain an emotional
distance from the plight of their charges. It is said
that a Templar’s obedience is more important to the
Chantry than his or her moral centre.
It is this sense of ruthless piety that most frightens
mages when they get the Templars’ attention: when
the Templars are sent to eliminate a possible blood
 T emplar O rder

D r a g o n A ge
mage, there is no reasoning with them, and if the potent defence against magic.
Templars are prepared, the mage’s magic is often
useless. Driven by their faith, the Templars are one However not all Templars believe that their mission
of the most feared and respected forces in Thedas. requires the kind of force and compassionless attitude
evinced by the majority. These Templars may have
O rganisational S tructure had friends or family taken to the Circle and have
Areas Particulars a more human approach to their duties. These
Affiliates The Chantry, Seekers individuals still see themselves as performing the
Maker’s work but they seek to change attitudes from
Assets Any Chantry assets within the organisation rather than from without.
Expertise Investigation, interrogation, suppression
Enemies Apostates
Leaders Knights-Vigiliant, Kinghts-Divine
A dventure H ooks
Status Famous throughout Thedas • A PC templar recognises a lost family member
amidst the coven of apostates discovered in the
wilderness.
R equirements • A Templar is accused of abuse and assault by
the young apostates in their custody.
To join the Templars you must have a Constitution of 2
or more and be an Andrastian. • A group of warriors claiming to be Templars has
taken control of a local village.
C lasses • The local Templar Knight-Captain requests the
Primary Classes Secondary Classes PCs help him find two missing Templars.
Warrior Rogue

F avoured S pecialisations
• Templar
• Duellist
• Champion

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Willpower or Perception to
represent the strength of will and insight
needed to be aTemplar.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Templars are celebrated heroes to the common
people. Gain +2 to all interaction tests with non-
mage commoners.
• Gain 1 Communication focus.

Playing as a Templar
Templars are holy warriors. They believe in the
Maker, the Chantry and the Divine above all else. No
matter the distasteful things they may have to do in
their duties, a Templar knows it is just.

Templars have a hard time around apostates. Unless

specifically hunting them they won’t immediately
attempt subjugation, but the mere presence of an
apostate can put them on edge. The same is true
for any mage in the presence of a Templar, apostate
or no. Their mana suppression skills make them a

43
 T he C arta
D r a g o n A ge

The Carta Despite the flow of business, its members are still
desperate and violent. With no strong leader to rein
in their excesses, they have little sense of dwarven
“Blood or coin the Carta always gets its cut.” honour, and freely break their word, double-cross
Dwarven society is built on a rigid set of castes. Once allies, and renege on deals.
born a dwarf’s fate is tied to their caste unless they
The leaders of the Carta cycle through fairly quickly.
manage to marry above their station, an unusual
The amount of treachery and greed found within
occurrence but not impossible. Even those dwarves
their ranks ensures that anyone that can take control
considered servants belong to a caste and although
is the most conniving, violent and underhanded
they may be looked down upon by their betters, they
thug in Dust Town.
are nevertheless considered worthy of a position
amongst Orzammar’s citizens. The caste mentality of dwarf society manifests itself
in an altogether darker and more violent manner
Not so for the casteless. These dwarves are
amongst the Carta, using power and force as
pariahs amongst their own people, considered the
measures of worthiness. There is always someone
descendants of criminals and traitors. To dwarven
else willing to slip a knife between your ribs in a bid
society they do not exist and the Memories hold no
to rise in station.
records of them.
The Carta isn’t too fussy about symbology. Anything
As a result the casteless
intimidating or violent suits
dwarves of Orzammar
them. A common image is
have few prospects.
that of crossed axes behind
Consigned to live in a
a stylised grinning dwarf
crumbling ruin on the
skull on a black field. It gets
social and economic
the point across.
fringes of the dwarven
capital, most resort to Joining the Carta is less
begging, prostitution, about opportunity and
or crime. Many female more about inevitability.
casteless attempt to hunt The majority of Dusters are
the men of the castes at least affiliated with the
in attempt to beget sons Carta and more than a few
and thus rise in station by surface dwarf families have
joining their caste. had dealings with them as a
result of their social expulsion
The majority of casteless
from Orzammar.
however turn to crime. Just
as all rivers eventually join the No Caste dwarf may join the Carta.
sea, all casteless who turn to crime This single rule is taken extremely
eventually become part of the Carta. seriously and anyone found bringing in
a Caster or being one is immediately put to
The Carta is a powerful and ancient
death. The Casters have made life miserable for
dwarven crime syndicate headquartered in
the Casteless and there is no way in Stone the Carta
Dust Town near Orzammar, composed entirely of
will provide any support to their kind. Of course that
casteless dwarves. Given no other alternatives in
doesn’t mean someone from a Caste that has lost
the grim world of Dust Town, and restricted from
their status can’t join, although the recently Casteless
performing legitimate work, few casteless dwarves
aren’t seen much differently.
can resist joining with the Carta for their livelihood.
Apart from that the Carta will take anyone even non-
In recent years the Carta and its dealings have become
dwarves, as part of their surface operations. All that
a threat to even Orzammar itself as the dusters
matters is that you pay your dues and do as you’re
boldly walked the streets of Orzammar during the
told. Given the amount of money that flows through
Fifth Blight, enacting an extortion and intimidation
Carta coffers due to their extensive blackmarket
racket upon merchants in the Commons.
Lyrium trade, many humans and city elves have
Carta dwarves specialize in smuggling lyrium, been more than keen to join in order to get a piece
weapons, and slaves, and they command a of the pie.
formidable racket in Dust Town, patronizing
prostitutes, beggars, and businesses. Recently they
have extended their activities topside, using groups
of surface-dwelling dwarves to smuggle weapons,
lyrium, surface luxuries, people, and other goods
between Orzammar and human lands.
44
 T he C arta

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure Playing as part of the Carta
Areas Particulars
Being one of the Carta provides not only a means for
Affiliates Apostates, criminal organisations survival but a means to gain power no casteless dwarf
Assets Dust Town, weapon caches, Lyrium deposits could normally receive. The ability to intimidate
Expertise Smuggling, theft, extortion those of higher station can be intoxicating and often
leads Carta members into foolhardy situations.
Enemies Orzammar
Leaders Boss, left and right hands The cutthroat nature of the organisation means
Status Infamous in Orzammar that most Carta members tend to prefer the direct
approach. Intimidation and violence are the preferred
methods of dealing with most situations rather than
the foreign notions of negotiation and compromise.
R equirements Such methods are for the weak and spineless, those
To join the Carta you must have a Dexterity of 2 or more that can’t fight for themselves.
and be casteless.

C lasses A dventure H ooks

Primary Classes Secondary Classes • NPC smugglers appear to have connections to
Rogue Warrior the Carta Lyrium trade.
• A PC Carta member is challenged for their
position in the Carta and must defend it without
F avoured S pecialisations attracting the attention of the authorities for
• Berserker whom they currently work.
• Duellist • A noble from Orzammar claims that the Carta are
attempting to assassinate him.
• Trick Shooter
• The PCs are hired to help move a mysterious
shipment from a mountain village warehouse
O rganisational B onuses to a noble’s estate but they are set upon by
• Gain 1 point in Cunning or Perception to dwarves of the warrior caste claiming the goods
represent the deviousness needed to survive in as their own.
the Carta.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Carta members are consumate racketeers and
smugglers. Gain +2 to all intimidation tests with
ordinary citizens.
• Gain 1 Communication focus.

45
 T he C rows of A ntiva
D r a g o n A ge
The Crows of Antiva
The Crows of Antiva are an elite organisation of
thieves, spies and assassins infamous throughout
Thedas.
The history of the Crows is inextricably tied to
the history of Antiva and the rise of the Chantry.
Hundreds of years ago in the hills north of Treviso
an order of Chantry monks opposed the despotic
rule of a local duke, standing between him and
the helpless people he ruled. They used the herbs
grown in the gardens of their abbey to concoct lethal
poisons, killing many of the Duke’s thuggish guards
in their own guardhouses and finally reaching the
Duke himself through the subterfuge of one of their
order. Knowing the Duke’s immoral appetites she
volunteered to take the place of a local girl destined
for the Duke’s bed.
The Duke, ignorant of her true origins, eagerly took
her into his chambers.
He only got part way
through slaking his thirst
before he inadvertently
ingested the strategically
placed poisons about her
body and died. When her
screams summoned the
guards they found him
tangled in the bed sheets
clutching his heart, with all
the signs of a heart attack
caused by over indulging
his sinful cravings.
With this newfound power
the abbey decided it would
be the Maker’s will to ensure
no other would suffer at the
hands of the powerful. However as
with all good intentions, they paved
the way to ruin. It wasn’t long before
criminal elements found their way into the
Abbey itself under the guise of lost souls seeking
the Maker’s light. Their influence transformed the
fledgling organisation and a new motto was adopted
to reflect this changing image: “All that is good has
been built on the bodies of the fallen. If we are to be
killers, then let us also be architects.”
Since that time the Crows (so named for their sinister
flocking to areas of strife and disaster) have become
one of the single most powerful entities in all of
Thedas, in some ways rivalling the Chantry herself.
They have ears in all courts and the royal family of
Antiva itself are mere puppets dancing to their tune.
This shadow threat is so potent that Antiva possesses
no standing army. No single kingdom has dared
invade Antiva, for their leaders know that even if the
battle is won they won’t be alive to savour its victory.
46
Whilst the majority of Thedas considers assassination
the coward’s way, in Antiva assassination is
considered an art form. Even the Orlesian Bards
consider it a necessary evil and their role concentrates
on spying and collecting sensitive information. It is
said that no man is beyond the reach of the Crows
and they have proven this adage time and time
again. More than one king of Antiva has even hailed
from their ranks, and it should come as no surprise
that those particular kings have in fact numbered
amongst the nation’s most effective rulers.
Though honour among such an organisation is
generally dubious, they do adhere to one standard:
contracts are met and agreements are kept. Failure
to eliminate a mark means the life of the operative
is also forfeit. They keep meticulous records of their
contracts, successes and failures and volume upon
volume on the multitude of ways to kill a man. This
repository, known as the Archive of the Crows is
one of the most secure buildings in all of Thedas and
only the foolhardy or insane
would dare enter without
invitation.
The Crows use a black
feathered mask as their
emblem, symbolising the
power behind the mask.
This is generally displayed
on a field of red to further
reinforce the bloody nature
of their work. Unlike most
organisations the Crows
have a very harsh selection
and training process. Only
the Circle of Magi comes close
to the servitude and horror of
Crow initiation. Almost all their
members are bought as orphaned
or enslaved children in order to best
control their development and mould
their psyches.
The majority of their recruits are elves and humans
who are forced to live together in tight quarters. The
only way they can survive the brutal process and
prove themselves worthy is by enduring every test the
Crows throw at them, including killing their peers.
Crow Masters have no qualms in killing recruits if
they make a mistake. Although the majority of work
is performed by their own initiates, the Crows will
also sub-contract to trusted outsiders. Although not
initiates they are still held to the same standards and
callous attitudes and it takes someone with a strong
stomach to seek out such an arrangement.
The lucrative black market trade in Lyrium with
casteless organisations has also led to an increase in
dwarven recruits and even a few tal-vashoth have
been employed by the Crows to perform vital work
amongst the Qunari forces.
 T he C rows of A ntiva

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure Playing as a Crow
Areas Particulars
Being a Crow isn’t so much a choice as it is an enforced
Affiliates Antivan nobility, criminal organisations lifestyle. Raised from a young age most Crows know
Assets Antivan nobility, spies, banks, archives nothing else except how to kill, and kill well. Despite
Expertise Assassination, blackmail, espionage this rather imbalanced upbringing they have been
given extensive training in etiquette and socialising
Enemies Anyone in their way
in order to more effectively complete their missions.
Leaders Guildmaster, masters
Status Infamous throughout Thedas As a result Crow initiates tend to have unnaturally
slick communication skills that can put the more
discerning on edge. Although a Crow knows the
correct words to use and manner in which to use
R equirements them, they often do not fully understand why they
To join the Crows you must have the Crow Initiate are to be used. To a Crow their mission comes first
backgorund. second and third. They are merely tools to be used to
further the organisation’s goals and no action is too
C lasses extreme, or method too vile to achieve this.
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Such sociopathic behaviour is to be expected of
Rogue Warrior individuals raised into a life of brutality and murder.
The fact that their life is forfeit should they fail in
their assigned missions helps to further motivate
F avoured S pecialisations their already goal orientated personalities...
• Assassin
• Shadow A dventure H ooks
• Sniper • A noble hires the PCs to protect him from
assassination attempts.
O rganisational B onuses • A PC Crow must undertake an assassionation
• Gain 1 point in Cunning or Communication to against the merchant that just hired the party.
represent the skills needed to ply the trade of • An orphanage in the city has seen children
the Crows. go missing over the last few months and the
• Gain 1 degree in a talent. caretakers appear disinterested in finding out
why.
• Crows are notorious everywhere. Gain+2 on all
interaction or intimidation tests against anyone. • The Crows hire the players to keep watch on a
house while they undertake an unknown task
• Gain 1 Dexterity focus.
inside.

47
 TheDreadWolf’sGiftofBloodVengeance
D r a g o n A ge
The Dread Wolf’s Gift
of Blood Vengeance
Dalish legends speaks of Fen’Harel, the dread wolf,
and his part in the fall of Elvhenan. They say that he
who walked in the shadows had the confidence of
the gods and the forgotten ones, fooling them both
into exile. What happened to the dread wolf after
his greatest deception is not spoken of amongst the
Dalish, but the effects it had on the elven people are
still felt to this day.
When the Dalish make camp they place statues
of Fen’Harel around the
camp facing outwards,
symbolically representing
the need to be on constant
vigil. Their relationship with
Fen’Harel is an unusual one,
for although his actions are
believed to be the reason
the gods could not save the
elven people, he is still seen
as an example of cunning
and strength in the face of
adversity. For did he not
defeat both the gods and the
forgotten ones, despite being
outnumbered and outmatched?
So it is that there are some amongst
the Dalish that revere him more
than most. For them Fen’Harel did
not betray so much as triumph against
overwhelming odds, the kind of odds the
Dalish are currently facing.
His victory is thus seen as a lesson, one that all Dalish
should learn. This way of thinking is not popular
amongst the Dalish as the resentment for the Dread
Wolf is quite strong. However some of the people
and even whole clans have followed this philosophy
and in so doing created an alliance committed to a
singular goal; the destruction of the human race.
Learning from the Dread Wolf’s lesson these Dalish
use any and all means at their disposal to destroy
human society. No method is too vile, no tool too
unnatural. The ends justifies the means.
They refer to their philosophy as Enansal Nanlin
Fen’Harel – the Dread Wolf’s gift of blood vengeance.
They use his strategy to destroy humanity. They go
out of their way to form bonds with the humans,
ignoring insults and beatings to maintain the facade.
They send infiltrators into alienages to become the
hand servants of the rich and powerful, playing
their role to perfection. None should suspect them
of the deception. They use resources taken from
their previous victims to finance human bandits and
assassins to target key people and locations. When
the plan is nearing fruition they begin an elaborate
48
game of smoke and mirrors to turn the humans
against themselves. Stores will mysteriously spoil,
children go missing. Each elf will always have an
immaculate alibi, whilst their targets possess none.
Through the use of sedative concoctions as well as
magic they manipulate their chosen prey until they
become ostracised from their own people, their
faithful elvish servant their only friend. That is until
the time is right and the disguise is thrown aside.
Those followers of the Dread Wolf’s gift always
ensure that their target is aware in their last moments
that it was the Dalish that destroyed them so that
they carry the image of triumphant eyes and shining
Vallaslin to the other world.
Such is the skill of those in
The Gift that individuals
have managed to destroy
whole noble families by
insinuating the presence of
blood magic. One notable
example had a bann and his
family executed by Templars
due to the Gift operative
using blood magic to set the
bann up as a maleficarum.
When the Templars searched
the estate and found hidden
chambers full of the blood of
the innocent scrawled in dark
rituals, the entire estate was put
to the torch and the people run from
the land for harbouring such evil. The
last thing the bann saw was his loyal
servant’s grin as they drained the blood of
the bann’s missing son from the battlements.
So those of the Gift operate, determined to destroy
humanity from within and turn them against
themselves. For their operation to work they require
none but the most loyal of Dalish. Those willing
to die for the good of their people. Currently there
are few that even suspect the existence of the Gift,
as the Dalish keep away from prying eyes anyway.
Blood magic is blamed on Tevinter magisters and the
deaths of ordinary folk on the evils of their own kind.
Joining The Gift is a strong commitment. Although
its members won’t kill other Dalish that disagree
with them, they don’t look favourably on those that
abandon their mission. Due to their clandestine
nature it is difficult to find members of the Gift and
only they can put your name up for consideration in
joining. If they believe you have promise they will
often set a test of loyalty that involves subterfuge
and the killing of a specific human target. So long
as the death is not associated with elves in any way
it is considered a success. Every member receives a
special lyrium tattoo that is only visible when Dalish
magic is channelled into it. This is the howling wolf
in honour of the Gift of Fen’Harel.
 TheDreadWolf’sGiftofBloodVengeance

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure Playing as a Gift Operative
Areas Particulars
There are some challenges to overcome when playing
Affiliates None as a member of the Gift. If the party consists of elves
Assets Hidden caches, forgotten lore and even dwarves then there are no real problems.
Expertise Infiltration, terrorisation, assassination Even human party members won’t pose a problem,
except that members of the Gift won’t ever be honest
Enemies Shemlin
with them or get close to them. They will simply be a
Leaders Great wolf, wolf brothers means to an end.
Status Unknown outside the Dalish
They will have no problems interacting with
humans, but it will always be a facade. Their mission
takes priority over the party’s needs and may even
R equirements contradict them. As their goal is ultimately genocide
To join the Gift you must have a Willpower of 2 or more via infiltration and terrorism they won’t be best
and be an elf. buddies with humans for longer than is necessary
and if their party members ever find out they may
C lasses not react well...
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Rogue/Mage Warrior A dventure H ooks
• Someone has hired the adventurers to find the
F avoured S pecialisations person responsible for mysterious goings on.
• Assassin • The players are hired by a mysterious
individual to take down an apparently
• Reaver dangerous person.
• Shadowmancer • The players are declared to be responsible for all
the deaths and ill fortune plaguing a local noble.
O rganisational B onuses • A PC member of the Gift must gain the trust of
• Gain 1 point in Cunning or Constitution to the noble employing the players in order to set
represent the training of mind and body needed them up for a spectacular fall.
to defeat the shemlin.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• As part of the Gift you are required to infiltrate
and deceive humans. You gain +2 to any
interaction tests with humans.
• Gain 1 Communication focus.

49
 T he O rder of the W hite L otus
D r a g o n A ge
T he O rder of the
W hite L otus
“We are grey; we stand between the
darkspawn and the light,
We do what must be done when others lose
sight,
In peace vigilance, in knowledge wisdom,
in sacrifice victory, in life the Way.”
Centuries past the Grey Wardens fought the
darkspawn hordes bestride the backs of magnificent
griffons. These beasts gave the
Grey Wardens unparalleled
manoeuvrability, enabling
them to reposition in
minutes. They could scout
darkspawn movements,
predict their destination and
deliver this vital intelligence
to necessary governments
before the darkspawn were
within sight of their target.
However by the end of the
fourth blight, whether through
attrition, disease or magic the
griffons of the wardens were no
more. Their ultimate fate has been
the subject of countless stories and
minstrels’ songs and many romantics
believe them to be hidden away
somewhere in Thedas, awaiting the day of
their return.
What even the Warden leaders at Weisshaupt do
not know is that their own order perpetrated the
disappearance of the griffons in the years following
the fourth blight. Over the decades leading to the
fourth blight the Wardens underwent many internal
changes. They recruited as far and wide as they could
and in so doing absorbed many cultural peculiarities
and philosophies. The majority of the Wardens were
Andrastians, but not all and despite their singular
goal, frictions formed between the disparate cultures.
In the Anderfels political power was shifting to the
Wardens, giving them unprecedented control. Many
within the Wardens disapproved of this, seeing it
as overstepping the bounds of their charter and a
dangerous precedent. The commanders at the time
saw it as an opportunity to further the financial
support needed to keep the wardens going.
During the fourth blight the need for recruits soared.
Many joined from countries virtually unknown to
the Andrastian wardens. One of these was Seheron.
Their peculiar spirituality did not adhere to Chantry
dogma but they fought with courage and honour. The
50
Seheronese wardens called their philosophy the Way
and claimed it combined their own spiritual system
with ideals brought back from a mysterious culture
across the seas. They put great stock in prophecy
and legend and believed that the darkspawn would
be defeated in the last blight. Within the Way many
Wardens saw a better path to help the world. The
Seheronese made no attempts at conversion, but
the message of oneness and a place for all appealed
to many wardens, including the then unknown elf
Garahel.
Their mandate was to defend all of Thedas from the
blight, regardless of race or creed. They had Dalish
recruits, dwarvish volunteers and even a few Chasind
from the southern wastes.
Their cause transcended
cultural boundaries and the
Way was a perfect match.
However many amongst the
devout Andrastian wardens
saw this encroachment as
blasphemy and a dilution
of the true faith. No matter
how apolitical the wardens
were supposed to be, nothing
could completely override
their lifelong beliefs. This
fracture came to a head at the
close of the fourth blight and it
saw the loss of the wardens’ most
potent weapon, the griffons.
Many of the Seheronese had shown a
natural gift in controlling the griffons, the
calm surety of their demeanour placating the
temperamental beasts. When Orlesian Warden-
Commander Vareux, himself a hardline Andrastian,
realised the power the Seheronese wielded he sought
to remove them permanently. Under his command
he sent the greater contingent of Wayists around the
flank of the horde, ostensibly to destroy the emissary
covens stationed there. However on their arrival
the Wayists were beset by an entire wing of dragon
thralls led by the Archdemon itself.
Realising Vareax’ duplicity the Wayists fought
their way free, but not before losing four fifths of
their number to the onslaught and Garahel to the
Archdemon. The griffons were decimated in the
attack and Vareux controlled the remainder. The
Wayists determined that partisan power could not
longer be tolerated amongst the Wardens and under
the cover the Archdemon’s death they disappeared
into the annals of history. Over the following
centuries they developed into the Order of the White
Lotus, a secret organisation hidden in the Frostbacks
intent on preserving the griffon line until it would be
needed during the final Blight when it is said all will
come undone.
 T he O rder of the W hite L otus

D r a g o n A ge
The Order uses a stylized white lotus, a flower native
to Seheron, as its emblem. The lotus is born a dark
Playing as an Order Initiate
purple and lightens over time, symbolising the
Becoming a member of the Order is a lifetime
enlightenment discovered through the Way. In the
commitment. It is a change in the perception of the
place of petals their heraldry bears feathers, symbolic
world and your place in it. It is to understand and
of their stewardship of these mighty beasts. Two
accept those things that must be, will be and those
rippling lines stretch from side to side to represent
things that should not, must not.
the open sky and open mind of the Way.
Joining the Order is impossible unless someone An initiate of the order understands that to defeat
invites you in. Their secrecy has been maintained for the blight sacrifices must be made. They will do
hundreds of years and only someone pure of mind whatever is necessary to safeguard the future until
and capable of seeing beyond the concerns of their prophecy is fulfilled.
own mortal life would be considered.
The Order knows that the time for secrecy will soon
be over. Legend and prophecy will converge and
A dventure H ooks
Thedas will once again know the keening battlecry • Someone has hired the adventurers to find the
of the griffon war flock... person responsible for mysterious goings on.

O rganisational S tructure • Local villagers are terrified by strange flying

creatures.
Areas Particulars
• A mysterious corpse is found with the symbol
Affiliates None
of a lotus on it and a coded scroll.
Assets Hidden caches, griffons
• A PC initiate is asked to steal evidence that
Expertise Griffons, ancient lore, prophecy, patience
exposes the order and its charges.
Enemies Darkspawn
Leaders Grey Council
Status Unknown

R equirements
To join the Order you must have a Communication of 2
or more.

C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Any -

F avoured S pecialisations
• Guardian
• Shadow
• Battlemage

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Cunning or Perception to
represent the revelations of the mind needed to
join the Order.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Those of the order are unnaturally serene, making
it hard to understand their true intentions. Gain
+2 to all interaction or deception tests.
• Gain 1 Cunning focus.

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 T he S isterhood
D r a g o n A ge
T he S isterhood
Over the centuries Ferelden has seen innumerable
threats, from Orlesian occupation to darkspawn
and blood mages. In each case these have been met
with steel and valour and the people of Ferelden
have emerged victorious. However there was a time
when steel broke and courage flagged, when all
seemed lost and darkness covered the land. A time
when people hid themselves away in their homes
during the night, terrified to leave for fear of the evil
menacing Ferelden. This was a time of despair and a
time for heroes; it was the Black Age and werewolves
stalked the land.
Fear had a stranglehold on all Fereldans and no one
could tell who was a werewolf or where they would
strike. Frenzied mobs of petrified villagers burned
their neighbours in orgies of destruction in an attempt
to save themselves from the
infection and the country
descended into chaos. The
pious prayed constantly for
deliverance but none came.
It is said in the darkest of
times the fiercest lights
shine all the brighter and
Ferelden sorely needed
such a light before it
completely unravelled at
the seams. So it was that the
wolfbane found Ferelden,
clinging to the edge of sanity.
None knew from whence he
came but all would know his
name; beastslayer, akonight,
Dane.
Dane’s exploits from those dark times
are legendary and countless ballads have
been written in his honour. It was said that a
werewolf would unconsciously cringe in fear at
his very name and the taint of their blood could not
touch him.
It was during his crusade to rid the lands of the
werewolf plague that the sisterhood was formed.
Chasing a werewolf pack into the deep woods he
came across a woodcutter’s cabin beset by the foul
creatures. With fury he smashed his way through
the pack and into the cottage, but it was too late.
Blood spattered the walls and body parts were
strewn everywhere. Despairing that he had driven
the creatures to their door Dane vowed to avenge
them. He became more of a beast than the creatures
themselves, tearing them apart and roaring with
rage.
It was only the sound of whimpering and defiant
screams that broke through his blood frenzy. Fighting
his way through to the kitchen he discovered a young
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girl red from head to toe backed into a corner slashing
out with exhausted desperation at the monsters
before her. Dane’s sudden appearance startled the
beast and as it turned to slash out the girl drove her
dagger up into its rib cage, finding its heart.
After burning the dead with reverence and the
werewolves for safety, Dane was at a loss as to the
girl. She refused to part with the woollen cloak
found amidst the bodies of her parents now stained
with their blood and the look of defiance in her eyes
was impressive in one so young. He tempted her
with the succour of the Chantry but she decried any
Maker that would let beasts slaughter the innocent.
She vowed instead to fight by his side and slay the
monsters so no others would have to wear the blood
of the innocent as she did. When asked her name she
said it was dead with her family and she would take
a new name befitting her new purpose.
Thus did Danica come to
travel Thedas with the
akonight. She stayed with
clans and tribes, learning
their skills and honed her
abilities as she grew older
until she was able to fight
alongside Dane. She became
instantly recognisable
amongst the villagers of
Thedas, the blood red
cloak around her shoulders
billowing in the wind and
steely determination in her
eyes.
In Seheron she parted ways with
Dane, staying to learn the arts of
the fog warriors and mastering the
chain axe. Dane vanished not long
after and Danica continued her mission,
recruiting others to her cause and forming
what would be called the Sisterhood. Orphans
and urchins joined her, all determined to defend
those who could not defend themselves.
The emblem of the Sisterhood consists of a stylised
wolf head emblazoned on a white field. Over the top
of this is the distinctive blood red cloak, symbolically
interposed between the beast and its victims. While
a sister still draws breath, no creature will harm the
innocent.
The sisterhood accepts anyone with the determination
and strength of will needed to hunt down the dark
things of the world. The common people call them
Red Cloaks after the bloodred capes they wear in
memory of Danica and to honour the innocent blood
spilt. Many a village has huddled in fear waiting for
death only to be delivered from darkness by the Red
Cloaks.
 T he S isterhood

D r a g o n A ge
O rganisational S tructure Playing as a Sister
Areas Particulars
The Sisterhood are tireless hunters, tracking beasts
Affiliates The people through the dark places of the world without
Assets Hunting lodges, caches support and without quarter. A sister is self reliant,
Expertise Beasthunting determined and will use whatever means at their
disposal to defend the innocent.
Enemies Werewolves, monsters
Leaders First Sisters Being a sister means putting others first, defending
Status Known throughout the wilds of Thedas those that cannot help themselves. Should a sister
witness an innocent attacked, they will think nothing
of stepping in to defend them, no matter the risk.
Although they hunt beasts in the dark places of the
R equirements world, they won’t hesitate to strike down the unjust
To join the Sisterhood you must have a Willpower of 2 and the wicked should they encounter them.
or more.

C lasses A dventure H ooks

Primary Classes Secondary Classes • The Players encounter a solitary scarlet-clad
Rogue Warrior/Mage warrior in the woods, beset on all sides by
werewolves.
• A PC sister witnesses a noble become a
F avoured S pecialisations werewolf and attack beggars in dark alleys.
• Duelist • A sister confronts the Players, accusing one of
• Ranger them of being a monster.
• Beasthunter • The players encounter a demonic disease
sweeping through the children of the local
village, infecting them with inhuman rage. How
O rganisational B onuses do you defend the innocent from themselves?
• Gain 1 point in Dexterity or Perception to
represent the speed and reflexes needed to hunt
monsters.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• The sisterhood are seen as heroes in the
wilderness. Gain +2 to all interaction tests with
commoners.
• Gain 1 Cunning focus.

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 W aking S ea P irates
D r a g o n A ge
Waking Sea Pirates
Moving cargo by ship is generally considered much
safer and more importantly faster than moving it
in long winding caravans. Ships can cut around
mountain ranges, sail all day and all night and avoid
most political unrest in a region. However they run
into their own unique problems. While bandits,
Carta and Crows plague the overland businesses
of Thedas, it is the pirate fleets that terrorise their
oceanborne brethren.
Once upon a time these pirates were little more
than opportunists, individual ships based out of the
coastal city of Llomerryn that
preyed on sea traffic and
which were frequently the
target of concerted efforts
by the Orlesians and Free
Marches cities to destroy
them once and for all. After
each such effort, new pirates
would appear to fill the
vacuum and thus the cycle
continued.
In times of war what is
considered a pirate becomes
a grey area as kingdoms grant
letters of marque to disreputable
captains to fight as privateers
alongside the navy. They are given
free rein to plunder enemy ships
and even raid enemy coastal cities. To
their foes they are black pirates intend on
nothing but slaughter and booty, but to their
own people they are heroes fighting against their
enemies with courage and valour.
Wars never last forever and many captains having
gotten a taste for piracy remain privateers and
eventually begin raiding their own kingdom to
increase their wealth. These corsairs are common up
and down the coasts of Thedas but generally only
hunt in ones or twos making them easier to avoid
or scare off. It is rare that the proudly independent
pirate captains would work together but when it
does happen few navies are capable of standing up
to them.
The invasion of the Qunari hundreds of years ago
precipitated a series of events that led to the largest
pirate fleet ever assembled and the consequences of
that formation are still felt to this day. During the
Steel age the Qunari made great inroads into Thedas,
their technological superiority overcoming anything
that could be thrown at them. No ship was spared in
the conquest of Thedas. This came to a head during
the battle of the Nocen Sea, the largest naval battle in
Thedan history.
Ships on all sides were destroyed but the Qunari were
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halted. When the Chantry declared Exalted Marches
against the Qunari in the Storm Age it was in need
of ships to fill the decimated ranks of Thedas’ navies.
Qunari dreadnoughts were formidable opponents,
taking three ships for every one lost
Pirate captains that had survived the wars gathered
at Llomerryn to hide from the Qunari onslaught. But
they knew they couldn’t hide forever. Under a flag of
parlay they argued their differences in the rough and
read manner of pirates. After days of debates they
realised they had no choice, they would have to band
together under one flag and fight alongside their
erstwhile victims or face conversion or annihilation
by the Qunari.
When Thedas’ navies began
moving on Qunari positions,
they found a huge fleet
sailing out of the darkness
alongside them. The
Llomerryn pirates had come
and the Felicisima Armada
was born. The pirates
brought their knowledge of
stealth and trickery to bear,
plaguing Qunari supply lines
and even launching seaborne
invasions against the Qunari
coast. For a time it was said
the Armada was the premiere
naval power of Thedas, and after
the signing of the Llomerryn Accord
they maintained their association
rather than disband, much as others
might have hoped.
The Felicisima Armada survives to this day and
it has swept all other independent raiders away
becoming the unofficial guild of pirates. Wealthy
merchants often pay the leaders of the Armada,
rather than risk having their ships commandeered
and their merchandise stolen and sold on the black
market. They’re hardly unified, and bloody battles
between Armada leaders are frequent, but any attack
by outsiders will cause them to instantly put aside
their differences and close ranks... and thus the
raiders have become far more of a plague in the last
century than they ever were before.
The pirates of the Armada are traditionalists despite
their organised structure. They prefer the classic
symbols of piracy; money, skulls, sword and blood.
Given their prosaic nature these tend to be hastily
painted across whatever comes to hand to proclaim
its allegiance.
There is many a legend told about the dashing
and romantic life aboard a Raider vessel and many
youngsters run away from their responsibilities
to try their luck at sea. The truth is somewhat less
enticing. Pirates and raiders are scoundrels and
 W aking S ea P irates

D r a g o n A ge
smugglers all, intent on booty and plunder. So long
as each pirate does their job the armada couldn’t
Playing as a Pirate
care less who joined their ranks. Each captain has
The life of a pirate is a lot less glamorous than most
complete freedom in choosing their own crew, which
people believe. A ship is the domain of its captain
has resulted in some rather bizarre combinations due
and their word is law. Considering the type of
to the eccentric nature of the captains. They stick to a
personality needed to rule a pirate ship, working on
peculiar code of ethics that only a true pirate would
one is a rough and brutal affair.
understand is just a guideline...

O rganisational S tructure Pirates consider nothing but their next score. A pirate
ship only runs for as long as the booty lasts; even the
Areas Particulars iron will of its captain won’t keep hungry deckhands
Affiliates Smugglers from mutinying for long.
Assets Llomerryn, hidden caches, bribed officials
Expertise Piracy, raiding, smuggling
A dventure H ooks
Enemies Merchants and navy ships
• The ship the players are on is attacked by
Leaders Pirate King, Captains
pirates.
Status Infamous throughout Thedas
• The players are hired to recover stolen
merchandise.
R equirements • A PC pirate must choose between defending
their captain or joining a mutiny.
To join the Pirates you must be able-bodied and willing
to do your captain’s bidding. • Ships are being raided at sea by a mysterious
force unaffiliated with the Felicisima Armada.
C lasses
Primary Classes Secondary Classes
Rogue Warrior

F avoured S pecialisations
• Duellist
• Shadow
• Trickshooter

O rganisational B onuses
• Gain 1 point in Dexterity or Perception to
represent the reflexes and instinct needed to sail
the high seas.
• Gain 1 degree in a talent.
• Pirates are consummate showmen. You gain +2
to any interaction tests whilst at sea.
• Gain 1 Communication focus.

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