Today, I’m delving into the eighth entry in my lore series. Last episode I discussed the secret society known as “The Executors,” who speak “on behalf of powers across the sea." Continuing from that, in this episode I’m exploring Nevarra - Thedas’s central nation that is best known for its unique treatment of death, strong royal dynasties, and all things to do with the arts, and trade.
History:
Throughout the ages, Nevarra has built a powerful empire that many claim rivals that of Orlais, however, the creation of that mighty nation was truly a turn of events. Still to this day, an ancient rivalry of two royal family's brews... Before we uncover Nevarra’s hot-headed monarchy, let’s uncover the history of this most-unique nation.
Once the land was the largest Marcher city-state settled by an early human tribe known as the “Planasene”, who were “a farming people with a surprisingly long written history and a strong culture of animist worship.” (WoT. V1). Many Nevarran’s today trace their roots back to this tribe.
The Planasene; and their lands, were conquered by the Tevinter Imperium in the following ages, declaring their tribal lands for Tevinter. For a while, Nevarra’s city-state became part of the Imperium.
By the time of the Glory Age, the ruling of the Nevarran city-state had changed hands several
times.
“Ineffective leadership and infighting resulted in a poor populace lagging far behind other Free Marcher city-states.” (WoT. V1).
Many Nevarran leaders at the time, thought it would be best to cede Nevarra’s land to Orlais, or Starkhaven. Fortunately, this never came to pass as Caspar Pentaghast seized the Nevarran throne.
With his reign, Nevarra’s fortunes turned around, finally becoming a prosperous land. King Casper’s bloodline held the Nevarran throne from the Glory Age well into the Exalted Age, for about three hundred years up until Nevarran general Tylus Van Markham took the opportunity to stir the populace against the Pentaghasts.
Van Markham claimed to the people of Nevarra that the Pentaghasts had abandoned their values that once made them great, levelling accusations of decadence and corruption.
“Van Markham claimed the royal family had abandoned the values that once made them great, and leveled accusations of decadence and corruption.” (WoT. V1).
The people outraged; Van Markham rallied the populace to overthrow the Pentaghasts so he could take the throne for himself. King Nestor Pentaghast was killed, stabbed sixteen times while seated on his throne, while the surviving Pentaghasts fled to their hometown, Hunter Fell.
“Caspar Pentaghast, originally of a small town not far from Nevarra called Hunter Fell.” (WoT. V1).
Under the Van Markham king’s reign, Nevarra aggressively expanded from a city-state to a full-fledged nation, taking many of Orlais’s north-eastern lands for themselves.
However, the last Van Markham king died in the Steel Age, leaving no sons. In a thirst for power, his daughter married a Pentaghast, merging the two rivalling families. United, the Van Markham’s and Pentaghasts solidified Nevarra’s status as an increasingly powerful nation. Both families have ruled Nevarra under the Pentaghast’s name for generations, each enjoying equal amounts of nobility and fame.
“Together they solidified Nevarra's status as a significant power in Thedas, and the family has ruled Nevarra under the Pentaghast name for generations, with the Van Markhams enjoying an equally lofty status among the nobility.” (WoT. V1).
Currently, the king of Nevarra is Markus Pentaghast, an old man, who’s health is as good as his sanity. Many of Nevarra’s elite believe Markus’s Mortalitasi advisers rule the country through him, using him like a puppet to the court.
”Markus Pentaghast has come under fire from many political opponents who believe his Mortalitasi advisers are ruling the country through him.” (WoT. V1).
In any regard, Markus is an old man, and many members of the Pentaghast’s and Van Markham’s are lining up to replace his inevitable death. Nonetheless, there are other noble families that believe both the Pentaghasts and the Van Markhams have held power for too long, and that it is time for them to step aside.
The fight for the throne of Nevarra is almost here, as Markus’s death is looming. The question is, who will rule this politically-charged nation in the Dragon Age going forward?
Culture:
While politics and nobility are Nevarra’s past-time. On the contrary, Nevarrans love their arts and entertainments, which makes up the majority of their culture.
Each season brings its own particular flavour across the nation.
In the summer, markets are filled with fresh fruits, fine wines, and all manners of leather. The Minanter River lit with coloured flags as trade boats flock to the scene. And then in winter, the city is swept with frost, daring skates enjoy the iced rivers, while vendors on the banks sell roasted or hot-spiced tea.
Seasons in Nevarra (WoT. V2).
Whether it’s the heroic tales regaled of Dragon hunting, or the intriguing gossip of the courts... truly, one can expected a splendid time in Nevarra, no matter the season.
Cumberland is a thriving Nevarran city that sits on the Waking Sea - because of its unique placement - it has become a booming hub in Thedas for trade. Therefore, making it one of the largest cities in the realm.
“The whole country is filled with artistry, from the statues of heroes that litter the streets in even the meanest villages to the glittering golden College of Magi in Cumberland.” (Codex entry: Nevarra).
Whereas Nevarra City, the capital of the nation, stands on the Minanter River as a hub for political turmoil, petulant nobles not good for anything, and too many rich people revering over the dead.
“She had never cared for the pageantry of this tradition or understood why the rich and powerful spent so much to revere their dead. The dead were all the same: just food for scavengers or tools to use in battle. If the nobility thought retelling the heroic triumphs of their bloodlines year after year meant they shared in those accomplishments; they were mistaken. Nevarran nobles weren’t good for anything anymore.” (Tevinter Nights).
One of the most unique aspects of Nevarran culture is their perspective on death. While most Chantry nations burn their dead in tribute to Andraste's death on the stake, Nevarran mages known as “The Mortalitasi” mummify and house their corpses. They do this, because they believe that when a person dies, their soul enters the Fade to be with the Maker, however, when crossing the Fade, their soul displaces a Fade spirit, pushing it out into the waking world. The Mortaltasi offer that displaced spirt a mummified host to keep the spirit intact.
“The Mortalitasi believe that when someone dies, an inhuman spirit is pushed out from the Fade into our world. In exchange, we invite those inhuman spirits to house themselves in the empty bodies left behind.” (Tevinter Nights).
The mummified bodies of Nevarra’s elite are kept in a large mausoleum, known as “The Grand Necropolis.”, which is just outside of Nevarra City.
“Outside of Nevarra City stands the Grand Necropolis. It appears almost as a city in itself, complete with mansions and great palaces, although it is utterly silent and kept only for the dead.” (WoT. V1).
While the populace does have a unique perspective and treatment of death, the majority of the nation do indeed follow the Andrastian Chant of Light. However, in Nevarra, mages have more power than those in most Chantry controlled nations. They are well organized, wealthy, and hold political sway. Nevarran mages push the boundaries of what magic can do, and are arguably the most well-schooled mages outside Tevinter.
Society/Politics:
Quite unlike Tevinter, which is governed by a legislative body known as the Magisterium, Nevarra is ruled by a monarchy, even so, the conjecture of many Nevarran nobles would have you believe that the Mortalitasi truly rule the nation through the sway of the crown.
Tevinter Nights described that every mage in the kingdom of Nevarra was part of the Mortalitasi, a group of Influential and highly respected death mages trained in the mysteries of magic, that serve as Nevarra’s arcane protectors and priests.
“Every mage in the kingdom of Nevarra was part of the Mortalitasi. A group that trained the gifted in the mysteries of magic. They served as Nevarra’s arcane protectors and priests.” (Tevinter Nights).
The Mortalitasi have many sections within it, fulfilling individual roles around the sanctum, one of them is a group of select mages invited into an old fraternity called the “Mourn Watch.” The Watchers serve as elite guardians, keepers of the Grand Necropolis and its sacred repository of the dead.
Another group within the Mortalitasi are called the “Guides of the Path,” they’re responsible for shepherding corpses. Undead skeletons bound by a spirit also help the Mortalitasi, the weakest of undead act as servants.
“There are others among the Mortalitasi who do other work—the Guides of the Path to shepherd the corpses, the Mourn Watch to deal with magic gone awry—but those who do as I do, who bind the Fade and the world beneath it to their will.” (Tevinter Nights).
“The lift went past another level. Audric stepped back as he saw skeletons in armor trudging sightlessly between rows of crypts. Their rotting clothing had the Watchers’ stamp on it. Some sort of undead guard? “Powerful magic, madam.” (Tevinter Nights).
While many other Mortalitasi mages practice rituals and bind both the Fade and the waking world to their will.
The majority of nobles in Nevarra respect the Mortalitasi and their business of preserving the dead, some even say the mages were sent by the Maker. However, others will spew about conspiracies regarding the Mortalitasi’s secret rituals and mind controlling experiments.
“You heard Nicolas. Every fool in Nevarra has an opinion about the Mortalitasi. Half the people think they were sent by the Maker himself to save the kingdom from civil war; the other half will tell you all about their ‘secret rituals’ and ‘mind-control experiments.” (Tevinter Nights).
While that may sound like idle gossip, rumours persist of noble involvement in secret necromantic cults... Whether that’s related to the Mortalitasi or not, one cannot be too sure.
While not as grandstanding, the political scene on the streets of Nevarra City prepare for King Markus’s replacement, as Pentaghast, Van Markham and many other Nevarran families quibble and declare their right to the throne.
“Before long, the throne of Nevarra will be free for the taking, and when every royal-blooded family from here to Cumberland thinks they have a chance at it, they’ll do anything to increase their chances.” (Tevinter Nights).
The tensions are rising as many of Nevarra’s elite prepare to do anything for their chance to have the throne for themselves. In any regard, we have many lingering narratives and plots persist for Nevarra and its people in the next Dragon Age game.
Mortalitasi vs Dread Wolf
The Grand Necropolis was recently attacked by the Dread Wolf and his hordes of demons. The Mortalitasi intended on creating a ritual that would send the Qunari back north, to their homes, stopping their impeding invasion. This ritual required the Red Lyrium Idol, bound spirits, and blood magic.
The ritual summoned the Dread Wolf who appeared in the Fade, he sent demons to attack the Mortalitasi through a rift, which caused the mages to seal the caverns. The Dread Wolf spoke and said that binding spirits will not be tolerated anymore.
“FROM THIS MOMENT, SHOULD YOU EVER BIND A SPIRIT, THEN YOUR LIFE IS MINE.” (Tevinter Nights).
The Mortalitasi mage who survived this encounter, had the feeling that binding spirits and using blood magic undoes the work that Solas has planned for the Fade, therefore, he’s made himself known that if anyone dare practice this magic again, they will perish.
“And as clear as the Dread Wolf’s anger at what we had done— the Mortalitasi binding spirits he considered his own, the Tevinter mage using forbidden blood magic— was the feeling that we had disrupted his own work.” (Tevinter Nights).
While it’s fairly easy for a Tevinter Magister to stop using blood magic, the Mortalitasi require binding spirits for their mummifications, it’s their way of life. What will happen to the Mortalitasi if they cannot do what is required of them?
They have an enemy that threatens their livelihood, surely the good people of Nevarra would attempt to band together and slay this Dread Wolf? Or will the people be blinded by their fight for the throne? Perhaps the Mortalitasi themselves live in fear, and adhere to the Wolf’s request.
In any regard, the Dread Wolf threatens Nevarra’s treatment of the dead, surely something must be done to stop him?
Nevarra’s Allegiance
Like the majority of Thedas’s nations, each have quibbled and conquered the other in previous ages, however, in the Dragon Age today, Nevarra is a proud and powerful empire that contributes most with its trade.
The main threats of Nevarra at the moment, appears to be the Qun, just like every other non-Qun nation. Nevarra, as a predominantly Chantry nation, doesn’t see eye to eye with the Qun, therefore, the Qun will invade once they have a ripe opportunity. The main conflict of Nevarra is from within, it seems.
Nevarra Cults
Many cults linger in Nevarra, as I stated before, nobles are secretly involved in necromantic cults. Perhaps we’ll see more of these shadowy societies deep within the shadows of Nevarra.
“It is common for nobles to take Mortalitasi advisers, and rumors persist of noble involvement in secret necromantic cults.” (WoT. V1)
The Empty Ones were an ancient, short-lived Nevarran cult that worshipped the blight, and by extension, the darkspawn. Who knows, perhaps we could have ancestors with bloodlines of old cult leaders throughout Nevarran society.
“The Empty Ones were a small and short-lived cult based in Nevarra and known for worshipping the blight and, by extension, the darkspawn.” (Codex entry: The Empty Ones).
Monarchy Plot (Pentaghast v Van Markham)
As mentioned greatly, Nevarra City faces an impending political war, a game for the throne. The question is, who will take this seat and rule the kingdom of Nevarra? Will history repeat itself, and another Pentaghast will remain on the throne, will the Van Markham’s concoct a scheme to outplay their rivals, or will we see a new family rise up, declaring a new reign from both families. Could we perhaps bear witness to a Nevarran Queen for a change?
With that said, many plots linger for this central nation. Currently, Nevarra faces many troubles, from the Dread Wolf to the next Monarch, the kingdom has been known to survive even in dire circumstances, the people have found a way. Hopefully, Nevarra shall endure until the next age.
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