#Minrathous

[theamazingstuffs]

Dragon Age Veilguard, pt7

[amaryllis-sagitta]

It isn't just about slavery, it's about the general level of disparity between Tevinter's social classes.

Cremisius "Krem" Aclassi mentions being pressured to marry a wealthy merchant's son to save the entire family from selling themselves into slavery because his father, a tailor, could barely make the ends meet. Eventually, Krem's father had to sell himself into slavery because slave labor run by a magister in the vicinity dispensed clothes for the common people dirt cheap, and thus put independent tailors out of business.

Slavery in Tevinter isn't just a matter of people (mostly elves) being captured and shipped from other parts of the world. It was built into the social system to potentially bind anyone who isn't a mage by some form of indentured servitude to one magister or another. There's an entire subclass of "servi publici" to describe people who go bankrupt and become slaves of the Tevinter state to do menial tasks.

I cannot stress this enough: for every Soporati citizen, slavery is what awaits at the bottom line of bankruptcy.

Even in DATV, Tarquin mentions that for most Soporati families, enlisting into the army is the only way to make ends meet, to the point that entire clans and generations consider this the only valid life path. Even he chooses to remain on the state's paycheck as a Templar and do their paperwork while fucking the system from the inside, because otherwise he'd probably have to be a full-time grunt or outlaw.

Based on the codex where Maevaris instructs Dorian about seeking aid from the Soporati, it is mentioned that in a few rare cases, non-magical citizens can reach wealth and status. These are mostly merchant lords and military clans, including The Mercars that a Shadow Dragon Rook hails from.

Based on previous lore about disparities in Tevinter, many people in Docktown should be on the verge of bancruptcy. Neve Gallus with her fancy fascinator and her fancy coat and her designer prosthetic should stand out like a sore thumb. Her presence there had better be justified by her care for the people of Docktown, because otherwise she'd have to look like a tone deaf dandy showing off how far above the others she is, and how much being a Laetan is a fuck you to everyone who doesn't find dormant magic in their bloodline.

Yet, what we see in Docktown is a pretty neat commoner district with a very fancy tavern that hosts live performances and regularly attracts people of all social standings, a healthy competition of merchants with colorful artisan pottery, and cool-looking floating newspaper stands. Neve's favorite fried fish vendor constantly offers her freebies like it's good business strategy.

THIS is why I'm on the team that claims slavery/ poverty isn't represented enough in Docktown.

Tevinter Slavery - Dragon Age Veilguard

Okay I love this game but it has flaws and the more i think about it the more I just... need to rant a little? Will put my rant under the cut because I know some people don't want to see that negativity.

Okay but what the fuck was that choice to just sort of ignore slavery in Tevinter? This has been built up since DAO when Loghain sold elves to Tevinter. Then in DA2 we have Fenris spending years being hunted by Danarius after he escaped.

Now we are IN Tevinter and we're just... ignoring all of that?? I know there is that codex entry from Dorian. Then we have that tiny side quest where we rescue slaves from the venatori. But even that's not Tevinter doing slavery, that's the bad Tevinter zealots doing slavery. As if all of Tevinter isn't built on slavery.

We are in Dock town. Where I assume slaves would be shipped into Tevinter but that's not what we see. I really thought we were going to have a big plot line with the shadow dragons fighting slavery and we didn't get that.

Like... was this EA stepping in and saying "No. No no. We can't talk about THAT."

Because why else would they just abandon this story that's been building up since Origins??

[eethok]

dreadwolf this, elven gods that NOTHING is ruining the tabris family vacation this year!

[larkoneironaut]

Sometimes Magister Dorian Pavus also needs a break from his duties, during which he thinks about those who mean the most to him

[bioware]

TOMORROW your journey begins in Minrathous.

Pre-order Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

[dragon--sage]

lmaoooo @ genitivi (rip) leaving the most bitter yelp review in the world for the imperium. it's not giving critiquing power structures here it's giving 'they're so mean to me there, customer service doesn't exist, the shopkeepers don't even SMILE'. because to be clear he's ragging on a city that looks like this:

police state though she may be, minrathous looks absolutely GORGEOUS?

how did tevinter hurt you, personally, genitivi?

[ra-scheln]

Lorelei is from the same alienage that Tabris is, and might even have known them before they became the Warden. I'm only a little emotional.

[merrinla]

So, the major spoiler seems to be confirmed.

The player will have to choose to save Treviso or Minrathous in Act 1.

source

And depending on the choice, this will affect the relationship with Lucanis or Neve.

source

source

But it seems the city itself isn't lost, but changes.

I was presented with a choice that ended up completely changing one of the major locations, which is especially cool since you'll return there later for side quest.

source

I have only one problem with this choice. It's too early. We won't even have a full party according to the screenshot. The player doesn't even really know these locations or the companions for whom these locations are important. Not enough to make it a really hard choice.

[antivan-leather-boot]

One line that really pisses me off when people hate on DATV is "it doesn't feel like a dragon age game."

BRO. What game have you been playing?

I am in awe and jubilation over how much attention was paid to architecture and scenery. I feel like the game not only connects to the aesthetics of Inquisition directly, but I've often felt like certain non-built environment areas remind me of walking around the Wounded Coast in DA2 (but I'm also just a DA2 simp so maybe that's just me?)

In any case, the entire worldbuilding is gorgeous and feels very much like Thedas and I am very impressed with the artistic team's skill and attention to detail. Feels very much like a Dragon Age game, thank you very much

[ede917]

Remember what I said about how much more opulent Orlais looks compared to Fereldan?

Denerim (Fereldan)

Val Royeaux (Orlais)

And now Minrathous (Tevinter Imperium)

Is it any wonder the Vints always refer to the south as a barbaric place if this is what their capital looks like?

And this is Minrathous after a thousand years of decline. Imagine what the Imperium must have looked like in its prime. Imagine what Arlathan must have looked like!

This is the kind of heavy lore that makes me love Dragon Age.

[beaulesbian]

DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD - Minrathous & Arlathan scenery

[loustica-lucia]

DATV — The Cobbled Swan Song by Cida Ciconia in Old Tevene

DRAGON AGE THE VEILGUARD SPOILERS ⚠

If you help Minrathous in Act 1, when you start "The Cobbled Swan Case" quest in Docktown with Neve, you'll have a cutscene of Cida Cicadia singing on stage while Makal Damas gets taken away.

It doesn't happen if you helped Treviso instead, but you'll still meet the singer later. (Which is odd to me?)

The lyrics in english are:

…if only to say my last goodbye Call upon the center of the Fade… …my love, come to me one last time. Call upon the center of the Fade… …if only to grant me my rest.

I can't help but think this song once was about Solas & Mythal...?

Bonus (Tevene lyrics transcription attempt):

…odoci dite sera vale In vussa centra somniar Amatus, ba vium vesse cia In vussa centria somniar Si solum de mea engrela con tria

(The words in pink at the one I'm almost certain of, but the rest is not accurate, I think!)

[shewolfofvilnius]

The dynamic between Neve Gallus and Knight-Templar Rena Savas in The Streets of Minrathous in Tevinter Nights is one of the least heterosexual things I've ever read. I know her character in the game is pan, but it still does not prepare you for the raw sexual tension of the equalist private investigator mage and the Templar she keeps going to see (and who ultimately rallies the troops to rescue her).

[lavendarr00]

MINRATHOUS | DRAGON AGE THE VEILGUARD

[larkoneironaut]

He grabbed the blade before it could seriously hurt him, blood running down his hand, but he didn't even flinch. He smiled. Dread filled you, knowing those glowing eyes will be the last thing you see.

“You think you can take me?” he asked, almost compassionately.

[knife-eared-jan]

Had to google if they retconned Treviso into the capital of Antiva but it thankfully doesn't look like they did? It's just a regular city.

So, like, I'm obsessed with Lucanis and with the appearance of Treviso (we've never had anything like it in Dragon Age, it's already my favourite area, I can't wait to run around in it, it's GORGEOUS).

But there's something absolutely hilarious to me that Lucanis hates you +5000 if you choose to save like the ancient capital of the ancient empire that is over 2000 years old and one of the oldest human settlements in existance with probably an immeasurable wealth of history, knowledge, magic etc., as well as being a religious, government and academic centre and probably one of the most populated cities in Thedas - over his romantic little port town.

NOT TO SAY I WON'T GIVE HIM EVERYTHING HE WANTS BUT... lol.