#da worldbuilding

[exhausted-archivist]

Thedosian Curses

Up to Date as of: September 2024

This is organized by origins of the curse. It has been sitting in my drafts for months, and I need to get it out so it will be blocked from reblogging until I do my last overview/check this week.

If you want to use AO3 though for easier viewing [Link]

Chantry/Andrastian Curse

General Chantry Curses

By the Grand Cleric's bright yellow robes!

By the Black City!

By the walls of the golden city!

Using Andraste's Name

Andraste's arse!

Andraste's ashes!

Andraste's ass!

Andraste's asscheeks!

Andraste's blood!

Andraste's braids!

Andraste's breath!

Andraste's dimpled buttcheeks!

Andraste's dimples

Andraste's exposed asscheeks!

Andraste's fat ass!

Andraste's flaming sword!

Andraste's fuzzy thighs

Andraste's grace!

Andraste's grace...

Andraste's great flaming ass!

Andraste's holy cabbage!

Andraste's holy knickers!

Andraste's knickers!

Andraste's lily-white ass!

Andraste's mercy! - this is said to the equivalent of "Christ's mercy!"

Andraste's milk-white bottom!

Andraste's sacred bowels!

Andraste's sacred girdle!

Andraste's sacred knickers

Andraste's sanctified ass!

Andraste's sweet ass!

Andraste's sword!

Andraste's tits!

By Andraste's burning britches!

By Andraste's burning under-drawers!

By Andraste's dirty socks!

By Andraste's grace!

By Andraste's holy knickers!

By Andraste's sword!

By Andraste's tears!

By the Lady!

Dear Andraste, no [...]

For Andraste's sake!

For the love of Andraste!

For the love of Lady Andraste!

How in Andraste's name [...]

I swear by Andraste's knickers

I swear on Andraste's name - contextually similar to "I swear on God's name"

I wish to Holy Andraste [...]

In Andraste's name [...] - used as as a curse, a blessing, prayer, or an oath

Lady's breath!

Merciful Andraste!

Oh, Andraste, help me [...]

Oh, Andraste's dimples [...]

Oh, for Andraste's sake [...]

Oh, for the love of Blessed Andraste!

Oh, for the love of the Maker's bride!

Sweet Andraste

Sweet blood of Andraste!

Sweet, merciful Andraste!

Well, slap my arse and call me Andraste

Well, throw me in a fire and call me Andraste!

What in Andraste's name [...]?

What in the name of Andraste's holy knickers [...]

What in the name of Andraste's Sanctified Girdle [...]

What in the name of the holy mother [...]

Who in Andraste's name [...]

Using Maferath's Name

Maferath's balls

Maferath's hairy arse!

Using the Maker's Name

By the Maker [...]

Great Maker, please!

Great Maker!

Holy Maker!

How in the Maker's name...

In the Maker's name! - used both as a curse and also a blessing

Maker damn you for a fool!

Maker forbid

Maker help those/them/her/him - used as both a prayer/blessing and a curse

Maker preserve me

Maker spit on […] - used as a curse/condemnation of a person or group

Maker what is that?

Maker!

Maker's balls!

Maker's beard!

Maker's blood! - a curse like "Christ's breath"

Maker's breath! - a curse like "Christ's breath"

Maker's glory!

Maker's grapes!

Maker's mercy

Maker's tears! - meaning "I regret"

Maker's titties!

Maker's truth! - meaning "I swear"

Maker's wind

Maker's wrath

Oh Maker...

Oh, Maker save me - used as both a prayer and a curse

Oh, sweet Maker!

Sweet Maker!

Sweet merciful Maker

Tears of the Maker!

Thank the Maker - "Thank God"

The Maker's a cruel bastard

What in Maker's creation...

What in the Maker's name...

What the Maker is this now?

Whatever in the Maker's name [...]

Who in the Maker's name [...]

Cultural/Regional Curses

Antivan Curses

Brasca! - translates to "damn"

Avvar Curses

Chicken-craps

Tyrdda's tits

Dwarven Curses

Aeducan's balls!

Aeducan's beard!

Ancestors curse your path

Ancestors have mercy!

Beards of the Paragons!

Bemot's beard!

Bleeding ancestors

Blood of the Paragons!

Bloody nug runners - akin to "holy crap!"

Bloody nug-whomper

Bronto piss

By the ancestors!

By the beards of the Paragons!

By the hairs of my ancestors!

By the Paragons!

By the stone! - an oath, "holy shit"

By the stones of the Ancestors!

By the teats of my ancestors!

By the tits of my ancestots!

Caridin's Teeth!

Couldn't give a nug's ass

Dust-munching nugs!

For the love of nugs and idiot children!

Great Ancestors - a form of swearing

Holy sodding stone - akin to "holy fucking christ"

Hurts like a nug-humper

May you be spit-roasted on a sodding pitch fork

Nug droppings!

Nug-crud!

Nug-dung

Nug-humping

Nug-spew

Nug-teeth!

Nug's ass

Nug and dolts!

Nugs and rats and worms!

Nugshit - akin to bullshit

Oh, great Stone - akin to "Dear God"

Oh, Stone - akin to "Oh, God"

Ortan's teeth!

Paragon's teeth!

Paragon's have mercy!

Rats and nugs!

Sod it

Sod it all!

Sod off - akin to "fuck off"

Sod you - akin to "fuck you"

Sodding - noted to be said in the same tone as "fucking"

Stone spit you out, you blighter!

Stone spit you out!

Stones!

Thank the ancestors - akin to "thank christ"

Thank the Stone!

What the nug!

Who in the Stone? - akin to "Who in God's name"

Who the dust? - akin to "Who the hell"

Elven Curses

Andruil's tits!

Bleeding thorns

By the lost Dales

Creators!

Dirthara-ma - "may you learn"

Elgar'nan! - used in the same way one says "Maker!" in Thedas

Fenedhis

Fenedhis lasa

Mythal have mercy

Mythal, I hope not! - the use of "Mythal" is akin to saying "God"

Mythal! - used in the same way one says "Maker!" in Thedas

Mythal'enastel - used as a swear in da2 though is translated as "Mythal's Favor" in dai.

Oh, Creators

Only the Creators know - akin to "Only God knows"

To the Beyond with that - akin to "to hell with that"

Fereldan Curse

By Maric and the Maker!

By the giant stones of the Dwarfson

Calenhad's crown!

Great Dane's bitch

I'll be dipped - contextually similar to "I'll be damned"

General Curses

These are seemingly universal and/or are without a clear origin point. Separated by subjects: animal, blight, body fluids/excrements, body parts, Fade/magic/void, food, parentage, and miscellaneous.

Animal

A load of pig squat

Ain't worth a rat's spit

Ain't worth rat spit

Dog piss

Dog stink!

Dogshit

Dung beetles!

Flaming rat turds.

Flies and bother

For the love of little fish

Griffon's buttocks!

Horse feathers!

Hound's arse!

I don't give a rat's ass about...

May the bloody vultures feast on his corpse and shit him into the ocean.

Oh, donkey bum!

Oh...f-frogs!

Oh...rats

Pig

Pig's swill

Pigeon crap!

Rat!

Rat's dick

Rats!

Seems like a bunch of nug shit to me.

Shave a horse and punch me in the teeth.

Smells like a rat's bottom

Snake in the grass

The dog shit part of town

Wiplash and crow sauce!

Blight

Ah, Blight!

Blight and destruction!

Blight!

Darkspawn blood!

Fire and Blight!

Hurts like a blight

Body Fluids/Excrement

Ah, piss and vinegar.

Blood and ashes!

Blood and damnation!

Blood and honor!

Bloody elf guts!

Bloody kibble!

Blow it out your arse

Crap!

Dirt and spit!

Good riddance to the whole pile of shit

Hot shit!

I don't give a shit!

I don't give a squirt!

It has piss-all to do with you.

Oh, for shit's sake!

Oh, piss on it!

Oh, piss!

Oh, shit.

Petty pissing

Piece of shit

Piss

Piss and blood!

Piss and spittle!

Piss off

Piss on a stick.

Piss on it.

Piss on that.

Piss up a rope.

Piss weak

Piss-poor

Piss-poor job of it

Pissbag

Pissballs

Pissed-off

Pisshead

Pissing match

Pissing right we did

Pissy

Shit / Shite

Shit for shanks

Shit hole

Shit-eater

Shit-heap

Shitballs

Shite damned piss no!

Shitheel

Shoddy piece of crap!

Spit knives

Squat

Sure as piss

That's pissing great

Turd

Well shit me a sunshine

Well, piss

What in the living piss is happening!

What in the shuddering shit is going on?

What in the ever-loving spit

With my last breath, I spit at you!

Body Parts

[...] my arse! - used to show disbelief

Arse

Arse cakes!

Arse kettle

Arse-end of nowhere

Balls!

Bitch-balls!

Blow it out your arse

Butt

Cock things up

[...] cock this up

Cock-up

Get your arses off […]

Going tits up

Half-arsed

Kiss my ass

Kiss-arse

Kissing arse

Pain in the ass

Sorry ass

Fade/Magic/Void Related

By the Void!

Fade monkeys!

Suck on a fireball!

To the Void with [...]

Void damn it all!

Void take us all!

Void take [...]

What in the Void is wrong with [...]?

Who in the Void are you?

Food

A pile of stinking road apples

Applesauce!

Beans and spuds

Milk and cookies!

Pickles!

Stinking road apples!

That's bean-rot!

Parentage

Lucky bastard

Motherless bastard

Motherless son of a goat

Of all the motherless mongrels!

Son of a bitch!

Son of a motherless nug

Son of an ogre!

Misc

[...] be damned

Alas!

Blast and blazes!

Blast and damnation!

Blast it all, anyhow!

Blast it all

Blast it!

Blast you!

Blast!

Blech!

Bless my briches

Bollocks

Bugger it all

Bugger off!

Bullshit

Burn it all!

Confound it!

Cripes

Crud

Curse me for a fool!

Curse you!

Cursed for a fool!

Curses!

Damn

Damn fine

Damn good

Damn her/him/them

Damn it all!

Damn it!

Damn near

Damn sure

Damn you!

Damnation!

Damndest

Damndest thing

Damned if I know

Dang and blast!

Fiddlesticks!

Fire and death!

Flaming

Frigging / Frig

Fuck / Fucked / Fucking

Garbage

Glutton

Go nuts / Going nuts

God - contextually this doesn't really make sense, much like the use of hell in Thedas

Hell

Lucky bitch

None of this makes any damned sense [...]

Of all the blasted [...]

Of all the cursed luck!

Of all the cursed [...]!

Of all the infernal [...]!

Of all the [...]!

Oh dear

Oh, begger it all!

Oh, blast it!

Oh, brother!

Oh, buggery

Oh, by mercy

Oh, for pity's sake!

Oh, fuddle-knuckles

Oh...blast it!

Phooey

Shove it

Shut the fuck up!

Shut up!

Stab me with a fork and call me Susan!

Stupid

Tarnation

That's a stinker!

That's swill

The fuck?

To oblivion with you, wretch!

What in damnation

What the blasted [...]

What the fuck

What the hell [...]

Sources

Dragon Age: Origins + DLCs

Dragon Age 2 + DLCs

Dragon Age: Inquisition + DLCs

Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Vol. 1

Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne

Dragon Age: The Calling

Dragon Age: Asunder

Dragon Age: The Masked Empire

Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

Short Story: Paying the Ferryman

Dragon Age: Absolution

Dragon Age: Vows and Vengeance

DAO Codex Entry: The Casteless

DAI Codex Entry: Common Curse

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[amaryllis-sagitta]

Ancient Contents From the Void:

18-sign Astrology for Thedas

A long time ago, I messed about and created premises for a 18-sign astrology for Thedas. Feel free to use with credits.

[ultimatecryptid]

wild how no one talks about kids and their demons in the circle. you mean to tell me that you think you could rip a kid (commonly aged six to nine, with thirteen being considered old) from their families, drag them halfway or wholeways across the continent, leave them with scary adult strangers watching them with swords, drop them in the fade every night, and you think a demon could find them and tell them that they can fix it, can make everything go back to the way it was before, maybe even looking exactly like their family, and NOT have the kid believe them?

what im saying is the circles probably have a very high child mortality rate indeed.

[selkra-souza]

AF Attack for @jayrockin!

My headcannon is that Talita was taught how to read Portuguese in homeschooling, before choosing to switch to on-campus schooling and subsequently becoming very rusty in it. Here she's reading a reprint gibi* of Turma da Monica (featuring a scan of my own copy of the gibi I've had since childhood). I think Cebolinha would've been her favorite from the turma because she's interested in his meticulous "infallible plans".

*gibi means comic!

[tevinterdays]

it’s not explicitly stated but people have an innate connection to the fade or they don’t. there isn’t a canonical way that someone could do this, but it would be fun to theorize what someone MIGHT try. some people do have headcanons involving/ocs who have ~fade sensitivity~ but aren’t mages, as it were, which could be a place to start

Raandom question, if anyone knows. In Thedas, can non mages (to be more specific, elves) pursue to become mages?

[bedrock-to-buildheight]

Battleworkers United - a massive labor union of gym trainers, battle facility staff, elite fours, ect. If your job involves pokemon battling, your ass can join up

MythicalMap - online community of rare and mythical pokemon spotters, complete with a scoreboard and local groups drama. They have opinions about this kid named Ash

Smogon's Inferno - a chain of restaurants with built in league-grade battling arenas for live entertainment

Sommei Electricity and Public Transport Association (SEPTA) - labor union that runs the Sommei region's bus, metro, and public electricity system (don't ask why those three in particular). Runs an Electric-type Gym as promo for its bus service

Showdown - impressively realistic FPS battling game with a playerbase of 95% people who can't raise the actual pokemon they want and 5% career battle analysts with poor work-life balance

Joy Hae-Sook Foundation - charitable foundation focused on accessible pokemon veterinary care. They're why you have Pokecenters damn near everywhere. Wildly successful

The Indigo League - you know what this is

[thessaralka]

solas is a bastard but he's a tactical bastard. he's a bastard because he had to be to survive, it's all he has known since taking a body. mythal convinced him to manifest physically and used him as a weapon of war. wisdom twisted into pride. without his conniving plotting, he would have just been another casualty of the evanuris. he still lives only because of his ability to get his hands bloody.

how awful did the evanuris have to be to create solas, a man who in an act of desperation to win a war, committed war crimes so atrocious it caused the world state we see in thedas today (abominations, blights, dwarves severed from their dreams, the titans gone)? the creation of the veil was an act so ruinous to thedas that it rendered the elves mortal. solas basically apocalypsed the planet, and the years since the creation of the veil have been a tattered tapestry of mortals trying to peice together some kind of life, some kind of faith, to make some kind of sense of it all.

solas being so ruthless and calculating is of course the only logical thing he could be, as someone who did what he did. former spirit of wisdom, his purpose twisted against his nature, used for the purposes of winning a war. him and mythal won. at the cost of everything.

[filurig]

some domesticated Beasts in pareidolia... moar info below

fatfin perch:

the fatfin perch is derived from perca fluviatilis perch, and has been bred to be both larger, fatter and more docile in order to make herding, breeding and keeping them easier for sjörå. sjörå usually section off a section of a lake they inhabit and keep their perch there in order to keep them safe from other predators. and also with the help of their guard pikes...

guard pike:

derived from the northern pike, the guard pike is unmistakeable. selectively bred to be intelligent and loyal, these pikes are kept by sjörå as guarding/herding animals. every sjörå collective usually keeps a fair amount of these pikes in order to ensure the safety of their perch population.

tomteget:

a goat breed which has been bred by tomtar, its a very large animal for a goat and is used by gnomes as mounts and livestock. very robust and several other breeds derived from this one exist which have been adapted for different purposes (such as milk, meat, etc.). its possible that the idea of a "christmas goat" may stem from the tomtar's tendency to travel with these goats.

gloson:

a domesticated version of a relative of the wild boar, the gloson is both huge and striking in its appearence, fitting for the trolls. their wild equivalent is essentially exctinct and its current population are entirely kept by trolls at this point. used mostly as a guarding animal, but sometimes as livestock - it depends on the region (northern trolls tend to use them as the former, southern as the latter). humans have wrongfully interpreted their mane as "sharp" and able to be used to slice the gloson's target, but this is a misconception - while the gloson has quills, they aren't what is used for this manner of attack. instead, the trolls tend to provide them with sharp back armour if they choose to utilize their gloson for battle.

[cyberprincehavoc]

We need more tropical Cyberpunk.

Instead of a cold ass metropolis where you never see the sun because of smog, it's a hot, humid place where everything is done at night because no living soul can take the noon heat. And there's nothing really you can do if you don't have money, besides go as far underground during the day as you can and pray not to die from heat stroke due to wet-bulb temperatures of 45º C.

basically what I'm saying is that if more Cyberpunk creators were Brazilians and other Latin Americans (like VA-11 Hall-A), the scene would look very different

[silverhalla]

alright single digit days so it’s time for last-minute baseless + unfounded veilguard theories!!!!!!! I’ll go first: the reason spite can’t take over lucanis’ body is because that body is ALREADY being possessed by lucanis, who was in fact dead and buried in the wake and rebound to a new form in the ossuary

[mellonieee]

One thing I find absolutely hilarious is that there's so many different sources of the fairies magic and it's incredibly busted. Like that's one thing that has NEVER been consistent. First there's the big wand, but then there's the royal jewel from Shadow Showdown, and that's not even getting into the literal power of belief from that one Crocker episode, Crocker Shocker. The stone called Abracadabrium from the Live action films, and then there's finally the magic microchip from a New Wish.

[exhausted-archivist]

Thedosian Calendars and Holidays

Thedas has twelve 30-day months and five holidays, or annums. which start at the beginning of the month. Their day lengths are contradictory if not unclear as one instance mentions 24-hour days while all the clocks we've seen in Orlais work in 8-hour increments. Though it should be noted that clocks are dwarven in invention and manufacturing according to lore.

While the Chantry calendar shares some similarities to the Gregorian calendar, due to the placement and functions the holidays in regards to what they mean to the common people; it falls more in line with some versions of medieval calendars, though not entirely. For the common folk in Thedas these universal holidays mark the change of the seasons: letting them know what weather to expect, when harvests must be finished, when to plant, and other seasonal work and activities.

Additionally, it is important to know that Thedas appears to be in the southern hemisphere. It is never explicitly stated in lore or by any of the devs, but the context clues of things such as Tevinter being to the "north" and Orlais and Ferelden making up "southern Thedas" are the most prominent pieces of evidence. Though I will note that sometimes the devs/writers have gotten this mixed up and have referenced things like "birds flown south for the winter".

Thedosian Calendars - General

Of all calendars in Thedas, we know only of three: Chantry, Elven, and Tevinter. For other prominent cultures, we know nothing about the Avvar, Chasind, Dwarven, and Qunari calendars. They are not mentioned in lore, but are likely systems they would have.

Thedas, in its entirety, has converted to the Chantry calendar after the Second Blight. It became the universal calendar, and it's season marking holidays became the five universal holidays - though this doesn't mean they are the only holidays in Thedas. It is also unclear as of now whether the sharing of names and holidays are all the Tevinter and Chantry calendars share. We do not know if that extends to format, twelve 30-day months, or other factors.

The elven calendar fell into disuse after the fall of Arlathan when Tevinter outlawed its uses and enslaved the elven people. Now, not much is known about how the ancient elves of Arlathan kept track of the passing of time. Only a few notable events have lasted through the centuries to be recorded by modern scholars.

While the Tevinter Imperium did follow the Orlesian Chantry Calendar at some in their history, after the schisms between the two Andrastian cults they chose to return to their original calendar that dated back to the foundation of the Imperium. It is from this calendar that the Chantry took inspiration. It is suggested that elves had some influence on the creation of the Tevinter calendar (though this is only mentioned in the Traveler's Guide in the Origins Collector's Edition Game Guide). The Tevinter calendar is where the high names of the months come from.

The Orlesian Chantry calendar adopted several things from the Tevinter calendar, including the adoption of some holidays dedicated to the worship of the Old Gods that overlapped with their own holidays, and in turn gave them new meaning. Additionally, it is the Tevinter calendar that we inherited the high names and from the Chantry calendar the low names of the months.

Months and Days of the Week

Months

Each month has two names:

a high name - used by scholars and courts

a low name - used primarily by common folk

Most codex and dates shown in Dragon Age use the low name even when it is written in the voice of a scholar or noble, so I have listed them below in Low/High name format.

Wintermarch / Verimensis

Guardian / Pluitanis

Drakonis / Nubulis

Cloudreach / Eluviesta

Bloomingtide / Molioris

Justinian / Ferventis

Solace / Solis

August / Matrinalis

Kingsway / Parvulis

Harvestmere / Frumentum

Firstfall / Umbralis

Haring / Cassus

If the Chantry calendar and by extension Tevinter calendar were to follow the same solar equivalent dates as the real world, the months would land as follows in accordance to the southern hemisphere:

Spring/Vernal Equinox: September 21-23 -> Guardian / Pluitanis 1st

Summer Solstice: December 21-23 -> Bloomingtide / Molioris 1st

Autumnal/Fall Equinox: March 21-23 -> August / Matrinalis 1st

Winter Solstice: June 21-23 -> Firstfall / Umbralis 1st

My only note about this is that Tevinter seems to be predominately a tropical climate that begins to encroach closer to the equator. In the real world, this would usually result in them using a lunar (or lunar-solar) calendar as their seasonal changes would be relatively minimal. Solar calendars are more typical in temperate regions as there are more seasonal changes and they're impacted more by the the decrease/increase of sunlight.

That said, Tevinter seems to follow a more solar calendar that made it an easy port for the rest of Thedas. The likely reason for this might have simply been to keep things simple, as it would make it a little easier to track.

Days

As stated before, the length of a day seems to be 24-hours, though the clocks seem to work in 8 hour increments. Additionally, from what we can tell, Thedas has the same days of the week that we do. Except, there has yet to be any mention of Monday or Wednesday.

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Holidays, Celebrations, Ceremonies, and Festivals

It is noted that there are more holidays in the world than the ones listed in universal holidays. The following holidays/festivals/feasts listed are predominately human and surface, there isn't much on Orzammar and their holidays or celebrations nor the Dalish.

Universal Holidays

These are the holidays implemented by the Orlesian Chantry. These are the holidays called annums. With the exception of First Day, they typically mark the changes of the seasons. All of them fall at the beginning of the month.

With that in mind, based on how they line up with the solstices and equinox they seem to be roughly floating holidays that may range from the 1st to 3rd of the month.

Something to note though, is that the holidays were once mentioned to fall outside of any month. Which would align them more towards the special days you would see in a lunar calendar or some forms of historical calendars. However, this arrangement of the holidays hasn't been mentioned since the (Collector's Edition Prima Guide for Dragon Age Origins in the Traveler's Guide).

First Day, celebrated on the first day of Wintermarch / Verimensis

A traditional start of the year that involves the practice of visiting neighbors and family as well as gathering in town to commemorate the year past.

In remote areas this holiday was once the annual check to ensure everyone was alive.

In some areas, such as Serault in Orlais, it is customary to eat chicken on First Day.

Wintersend, celebrated at the beginning of Guardian / Pluitanis (Potential Spring / Vernal Equinox)

Previously called "Urthalis" and dedicated to the Old God of Beauty, Urthemiel.

Currently a holiday that is the celebration of the Maker.

It stands for the end of winter in many areas.

In the Tevinter, coincides with tourneys and contests at the Proving Grounds in Minrathous.

In the south, the holiday became the day for trade and theater.

In some areas, it is also the day for arranging marriages.

Some places, like Orlais, hold Wintersend Balls during the season.

Summerday, celebrated at the beginning of Bloomingtide / Molioris (Summer Solstice)

Previously called "Andoralis" it was a holiday dedicated to the Old God of Unity, Andoral.

Universally celebrated as the beginning of Summer.

For Andrastians, there is the practice where children ready to come of age don white tunics and gowns before joining a procession that crosses the settlement to the local Chantry. They are then taught the responsibilities of adulthood.

In Orlais, this is a particularly holy holiday.

In some places, this festival is described as particularly showy. To where it would be considered an appropriate level of extravagance to welcome a monarch or ruler.

All Souls Day, celebrated at the beginning of August / Matrinalis. (Potential Autumnal / Fall Equinox)

Previously it was called "Funalis" and was a holiday dedicated to the Old God of Silence, Dumat.

The Chantry uses the holiday to commemorate the death of Andraste, they will light public fires and put on plays that depict her death.

This holiday is also spent in other areas as a day in remembrance of the dead.

In the northern areas of Thedas, people will dress as spirits and parade through the streets after midnight.

Satinalia, celebrated at the beginning of Firstfall / Umbralis (Winter Solstice)

This holiday was originally dedicated to the Old God of Chaos, Zazikel. It now is more attributed to the second moon of Thedas, Satina.

Customary celebration includes wearing masks, naming the town fool as ruler for a day, and wild celebrations. In more pious areas, it is simply a large feast and the giving of gifts.

Antiva celebrates this for a week or more, followed by a week of fasting.

Feastday is part of the Satinalia celebration, incorporating the gifts and pranks practices of the holiday. It is unclear if this term is just for Ferelden.

Ferelden celebrates by serving a specific dish, Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, during the holiday.

Regional Holidays, Events, and Festivals

Allsmeet (Rivain)

An event that happens twice a year where the village seers travel to Dairsmuid to meet in council, gorge trade agreements, and pledge loyalty to the Rivaini queen publicly. These are also times where people will attempt to settle old feuds, but there are feasts, gift-giving ceremonies, musical contests, and other such activities. It lasts a few days.

Andraste's Day

An undefined holiday. One for Andrastians but unclear if it is universal to all Andrastian cults, regional to those following the Orlesian Chantry, or regional to Ferelden.

It is a holiday in which family will come to visit.

Anniversary of Archon Hessarian's Death (Tevinter)

A religious holiday, usually accompanied by an additional feast day for Visitations.

Visitations is a feast celebration of Andraste appearing in the dreams of mages when she crossed into the fade. Celebrated in Tevinter.

Arlathvhen (Dalish)

Its name means "for love of the people".

A celebration of the old ways while lore keepers exchange stories and knowledge, but the gathered Dalish also recount and discuss the sad lessons of the destruction of Arlathan and the Dales.

Barnack Festival (Orzammar)

An undefined festival mentioned by Oghren.

Celebratory Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving held to celebrate an event.

Victors of these provings are rewarded with ceremonial items.

Commission Day (Orzammar)

A celebration for when one receives their military placement, or commission.

Unclear if this celebration is for all nobility of families of import or if it is restricted to the royal family.

Commission Proving (Orzammar)

A proving done during the commission celebration. It is in honor of an individual gaining a leadership position.

It is not clear if this proving and celebration is just for the royal family.

Coronation of the Divine (Chantry)

It is mentioned that when the first Divine was chosen, the festivities lasted a full year.

It is unclear if such celebrations happen every year in honor of the first Divine.

If it were an annual holiday, it is unclear if it would be only an Orlesian Chantry event or if it is also something that was celebrated in the Tevinter Imperium. Though considering the relationships between the two sects, it is possible that they adopted it in the Imperium but in celebration of their first Divine.

If chosen as Divine, Cassandra mentions that "They would love to bury me in ceremony for my coronation". Suggesting that there is at least some level of grandness that extends past a straight forward ceremony for crowning the Divine.

Drinking Festival (General)

Undefined if this is an Antivan specific festival, a universal one, or a joke. It is mentioned by Zevran.

Memorial Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving done during celebration and honor of an individual receiving their military role.

Groundbreaking Festival (Universal)

Held much like events in real life, where they celebrate a building - such as a fort, castle, ect. - being built.

Grand Tourney (Free Marches/Nevarra)

A yearly event described as part circus, part tournament, and part festival. It allows contests, feats of strength, food, performers, and merriment. It travels around the Free Marches, and occasionally outside of it.

It is an event that many are aware of and Orlesian nobles are particularly inclined and encouraged by their families to participate in.

According to the Dragon Age Tabletop RPG (ttrpg), Orzammar sent warrior representatives to the Grand Tourney one year. It is unknown if they continued to do so or if this is held up in current lore.

Harvest Festival (Universal)

Undefined, but mentioned that Honnleath celebrates such an event.

Vinter, a Ferelden town mentioned in the ttrpg, celebrates the year's harvest and bounty in an annual event that lasts for several days. This is a major event of merriment and trade, but also open to the Dalish as well.

Hunt Ball (Nevarra)

Balls held in the winter, a lingering custom from when Nevarra used to have annual dragon hunts.

Memorial Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving done to honor the memory of a dwarf of high stature.

Naming Day (Universal)

Separate from birthdays, there is little information on these parties outside that they occur.

Mentioned by both dwarves in Orzammar as well as found in a box of invitations on the surface.

Solstice Celebrations (Universal)

Avvar have alters dedicated to their favored hold-dieties, they house sacred relic that aligns with the rising sun on the Winter Solstice.

Honnleath celebrates the winter solstice.

Undefined as to which, but stated that the Chantry hold them, at one point for six consecutive years in Cumberland. This seems to be separate from the four holidays that mark the change of the seasons.

In some areas they celebrate the solstices with dinner parties. Aveline throws one. It isn't clear if this is simply a Fereldan practice or universal.

Summer Festival (Orlais)

A general festival that differs by region.

Celene mentions how youths participate in tests of skill though in heavily padded tunics and blunted blades.

Winterfest (Unknown)

An undescribed event/holiday mentioned by Dorian. He says he was "hoping for a lively Winterfest gift."

Possibly a regional holiday in Tevinter.

Feasts

Feast of Ascension (Orlais)

Undefined if it is a common celebration, nor what exactly the purpose is.

Feast of Urthemiel (Tevinter, Ancient)

A feast that spanned a total of twelve days, it was the grandest celebration of the year during its time. Celebrated at the height of the Imperium when they worshiped the Old Gods.

Unclear if this feast was part of the Urthalis (now known as Wintersend).

Hivernal Feast (Orlais)

Originating in the highlands of Orlais during the early days of the nation. Groups would go out and hunt Hivernals, on a successful hunt they would return and feast before salting the dragon meat and using the rest for potions, armor, and other supplies to help them last the winter. It is a feast still celebrated in some areas of Orlais.

Noble Feast (Orzammar)

A feast had during a celebration, typically one honoring an individual for their military accomplishments or a service done for Orzammar.

Also used to honor the mercy and/or martial skill of a commander.

General Ceremonies

Uthenera Ceremony (Arlathan)

Where an elder's long life and all their contributions to the elven people was celebrated before they moved on to the next step of waking slumber.

Harvest Ball (General)

A ball held during the harvest season.

Unclear how common or well spread these balls are, but they are mentioned as occurring in places such as Ostwick.

Wedding Ceremony (General)

Can be especially lavish for rulers, nobility, or people of import.

Typically overseen by Chantry Mothers in southern Thedas.

Unnamed Holidays, Ceremonies, Feasts, and Festivals

A religious holiday in the Imperium with a ceremony to mark the day a spell is cast to renew the Eternal Flame that is lit and continuously burns in every chantry in the Imperium.

A holiday in the Imperium that celebrates the death of Joyous II, Orlesian Chantry Divine. It is unclear if this holiday is still celebrated.

At Adamant Fortress the residents would have a celebration which included a feast on the day of the first snow fall. Traditions include the residents putting up wreaths, dancing, and other events.

There is a festival that includes a turkey. But there is little information outside of the line mentioning "festival turkey".

In some Dalish clans, there is a special ceremony for when a Keeper anoints a mage as their first.

Miscellaneous and Trivia

There is a practice of giving gifts on the solstice mentioned by Luka.

People have both a Wintersend gift list as well as Satinalia gift list. It is unclear if the Wintersend gift list is a regional/cultural specific practice, a universal one, or if it was simply confused with Satinalia.

Birthdays while separate from Name days are both celebrated universally.

The Qun does not have holidays or annual festivals. They will have celebrations but usually in response to a death in service to the Qun by an individual who did a great deed. They have a celebration that allows for unabashed revelry; this includes drinking, public chanting, and even meditations are abandoned.

The term "holiday", "on holiday", and "family holiday" are used by those in Thedas as opposed to vacation or the like.

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, while a Fereldan traditional dish, is a recipe from the 1974 Weight Watchers.

Sources:

BioWare Blog Weight Watchers: Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Dragon Age Origins Dragon Age 2 Dragon Age Inquisition Dragon Age Inquisition Multiplayer Dragon Age The Last Court Dragon Age Tabletop Dragon Age Tabletop Blood in Ferelden Dragon Age Origins Official Prima Guide Dragon Age Masked Empire Dragon Age Asunder Dragon Age Tevinter Nights World of Thedas Vol 1 World of Thedas Vol 2

Origins Codex: Archdemon Codex: Feast Day Fish A Note from the Honnleath Village Council

Dragon Age 2 Codex: Chest of Unanswered Invitations Codex: Notes on the Avvar Sky Cult Codex: Thedas Calendar

Inquisition Codex: Mad Emperor Reville War Table Mission: A Favor Returned War Table Mission: Rescue the Spy

The Last Court Your Bailiff is Attacked

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[amaryllis-sagitta]

Arlathan like Limgrave?

Back when Elden Ring got out, the overwhelming glow of the Erdtree got me thinking that this was how Arlathan must have looked like: so profoundly gold encrusted that it served as a secondary Sun, giving the skies in proximity a green hue. And the Fade might have been affixed with that image as its default state, carrying some of that interaction between a golden glow and a blue sky in between the Void pockets.

[ultimatecryptid]

look genuinely the lore that mabari were bred to be intelligent by a mage is SO underrated like. one of the core pieces of fereldan imagery is tied up in those dogs amd they owe them to a mage? is it implying that the dogs are magic somehow? like what is going on there

[mohntilyet]

not to mention the entire antaam fleet like 😭 that was the PERFECT moment to show off what the lords could do!!! The antaam fucked over rivain, theyve been a thorn in the whole nations side for a long time now, they would not pass up a chance for payback via full scale naval warfare so that the veilguard can do what they need to!! Sure dreadnoughts are dangerous but at this point they probably have tricks up their sleeve, thats one of the few things they have!

also wouldn't it be personal because does solas not try to blow up kont-aar because he's trying to 5d chess tevinter and the qunari into destroying each other. like. i know technically this would not be incredible widespread news because the attack was stopped, but i don't think the wonderful citizens of kont-aar would have missed the tsunami that nearly hit them and the shockwave that actually hit them. rumors go around. and i assume irian/vadis tell varric. who i think would tell isabela. who would tell the group she leads. who would care because ofc, they LIVE IN RIVAIN, and now know that solas and his followers thinks they can trade rivaini lives* to further his plans.

*while i also think there's probably a divide between kont-aar and the rest of the nation, it's one that the rivaini love to jump across and back over. an interesting comparison to be made here with most of rivain having similar sentiments towards dairsmuid and the chantry. like this is the country specifically mentioned to have a lot of citizens who follow the qun/are non-andrastian + it being MUCH more multicultural and accepting than other nations. any attack on rivain, even if it's a qunari settlement, would fan a lot of flames that solas cannot put out so the idea of trying to him taking multiple steps back because he didn't realise how intensely the qun/rivaini/lords would react is very fun for me. it would have been soo interesting for rivain to be a hub for efforts against solas because of how it's not influenced by andrastianism, how he (or his agents) specifically fucked them over, and (maddeningly for solas) also part of this resistance has spirits who willingly guide them against him. this could have even been a plot device where the door goes both ways and solas finds out rook's plans because he manages to eavesdrop through a seer or something.

and on the spirits. all the stuff where the mourn watch regularly communicates with spirits could have been done with rivain as well, and with different takes on being 'friendly' with spirits. iirc there's a spirit in the hall of valor which is so interesting but it's literally just there for flavour text. THERE'S A SPIRIT IN THE HALL OF VALOR THAT DOES NOTHING BESIDES LIKE. SAY HI. ??? bioware i would have liked to see more spirits and seers and the matriarchal pantheists you have talked about please. and also the idea of the peaceful qunari settlement being pushed to protect the country they are part of and what that means for them as qunari vs. rivaini. taash's storyline could have contributed to this . so A LOT less about choosing a side, more about how kont-aar has developed, changed, how rivain has influenced it and what it means to be qunari. not the qunari agents and fighters that we have seen, but their 'civillian' way of life in kont-aar.

complete waste not seeing any of established lore reflected in the lords of fortune or rivain because i stupidly actually thought we were going to see some kind of settlement and be introduced to a very different cultural norms.. in my beautiful mind i like to think taash is a little taken aback by how badly mages/elves/etc are treated. like they understood it was different outside of rivain (they would have been young when the dairsmuid circle annulment happened right? so they don't 'remember' it themself, they likely heard others talking about it when they're old enough to understand) but until they actually saw what was happening first hand, they had a weird dissonance about it. but what we got was a deserted beach, ties to another faction (wardens are fine!! they are great !!!! the fourth blight is interesting!!!! yet they are not the faction with a lack of info about them!!!!!) and also the hall of valor that exists as flavor text with nothing meaningful behind it besides a pub used in a few cutscenes and a minigame.

[rederiswrites]

You know, I really don't think they ever came up with a coherent cultural idea for the Anderfels, but honestly, if we continue with their "Thedas is upside down Europe" thing, I think it would've been fucking great if they'd drawn on Slavic culture for the Anderfels. Chronically poor but culturally rich battleground, where everyone is used to everything sucking but somehow they persist in meaningful and beautiful ways? I feel like there's amazing material there.