Post by The Maker on Jul 4, 2013 1:30:57 GMT -8
The Anderfels
Capital:
Hossberg
Population:
600,400 Approx. (not including the Wardens at Weisshaupt)
Religion:
Red Chantry (Traditional)
Climate:
Arid
Culture:
The people of the Anderfels are known as Anders and they were the first non-dwarven people to fight the darkspawn.
It houses the headquarters of the Grey Wardens, Weisshaupt Fortress. The king resides in Hossberg and generally ignores the citizens of the Anderfels as he is mainly interested in maintaining the order and comfort of the capital city to the exclusion of anything else. This distant monarch is protected by royal tribunals who also function to enforce the laws he creates; being a highly religious nation, these tribunals administer justice for the sake of "absolution". [7]. According to Riordan, the king of the Anderfels is weak and the people refer to the Grey Wardens for leadership. He also states that there are over a thousand Wardens present in the Anderfels. The Anderfels is the last place where the Grey Wardens have retained their importance over the centuries. They hold political power equal to an Orlesian baron or Fereldan teyrn[8], a power they have recently taken greater advantage of.
Stationed at Weisshaupt, the First Warden is intended to be the commander of all Grey Wardens throughout Thedas, though in practice the entanglements of Anders politicking leave this individual functioning mainly as a figurehead. This results in considerable responsibility being laid at the feet of the regional Warden-Commanders.[9] One of the tasks of the First Warden is to act as adviser to the preoccupied king in matters of state. Intriguingly, the First Warden has recently begun to criticize the nation's monarchy, suggesting that the leader of the Wardens is considering a grab for the throne.[10]
Outside of the cities, most Anders live in small but self-sufficient outposts and villages. The importance of the Wardens to the Anderfels is shown here as they are the only real source of authority in such remote areas and maintain some presence even in the distant and thinly peopled hinterlands. [11]
The darkspawn are a constant menace that can appear almost anywhere at anytime, and as a result the population lives in constant fear and vigilance. They are the hardened warriors who fight grimly against an enemy that they cannot defeat: the rest of Thedas is remote enough that their plight is easily ignored. The Anders are a poor people who live in a devastated land of vast, stark steppes, though their proud culture remains, and they are likely the most pious followers of the Chantry in Thedas, praying for a day when they are released from the clutches of the Blight.
The extreme religiosity of the Anders people expresses itself in art such as Our Lady of the Anderfels, as well as in smaller statues, which are among the most prized pieces of art in Thedas.[12] Orlesian nobles are especially delighted by the devotional sculptures and are willing to pay astonishing sums for these pieces. Sadly, the artists themselves do not reap the reward of these highly prized works; the dwarven Merchant's Guild, who act as go-betweens, tend to take most of the payment as 'handling fees.'[13]
The Chantry's presence is felt strongly in the Anderfels and worship of the Maker is expected of a citizen. Even the king's laws are seen as having religious underpinnings and their violation can be punishable with death in Hossberg [14], likely carried out by the aforementioned tribunals.
It houses the headquarters of the Grey Wardens, Weisshaupt Fortress. The king resides in Hossberg and generally ignores the citizens of the Anderfels as he is mainly interested in maintaining the order and comfort of the capital city to the exclusion of anything else. This distant monarch is protected by royal tribunals who also function to enforce the laws he creates; being a highly religious nation, these tribunals administer justice for the sake of "absolution". [7]. According to Riordan, the king of the Anderfels is weak and the people refer to the Grey Wardens for leadership. He also states that there are over a thousand Wardens present in the Anderfels. The Anderfels is the last place where the Grey Wardens have retained their importance over the centuries. They hold political power equal to an Orlesian baron or Fereldan teyrn[8], a power they have recently taken greater advantage of.
Stationed at Weisshaupt, the First Warden is intended to be the commander of all Grey Wardens throughout Thedas, though in practice the entanglements of Anders politicking leave this individual functioning mainly as a figurehead. This results in considerable responsibility being laid at the feet of the regional Warden-Commanders.[9] One of the tasks of the First Warden is to act as adviser to the preoccupied king in matters of state. Intriguingly, the First Warden has recently begun to criticize the nation's monarchy, suggesting that the leader of the Wardens is considering a grab for the throne.[10]
Outside of the cities, most Anders live in small but self-sufficient outposts and villages. The importance of the Wardens to the Anderfels is shown here as they are the only real source of authority in such remote areas and maintain some presence even in the distant and thinly peopled hinterlands. [11]
The darkspawn are a constant menace that can appear almost anywhere at anytime, and as a result the population lives in constant fear and vigilance. They are the hardened warriors who fight grimly against an enemy that they cannot defeat: the rest of Thedas is remote enough that their plight is easily ignored. The Anders are a poor people who live in a devastated land of vast, stark steppes, though their proud culture remains, and they are likely the most pious followers of the Chantry in Thedas, praying for a day when they are released from the clutches of the Blight.
The extreme religiosity of the Anders people expresses itself in art such as Our Lady of the Anderfels, as well as in smaller statues, which are among the most prized pieces of art in Thedas.[12] Orlesian nobles are especially delighted by the devotional sculptures and are willing to pay astonishing sums for these pieces. Sadly, the artists themselves do not reap the reward of these highly prized works; the dwarven Merchant's Guild, who act as go-betweens, tend to take most of the payment as 'handling fees.'[13]
The Chantry's presence is felt strongly in the Anderfels and worship of the Maker is expected of a citizen. Even the king's laws are seen as having religious underpinnings and their violation can be punishable with death in Hossberg [14], likely carried out by the aforementioned tribunals.
Article composed by Chloe-the-great. Aspects are taken from the Dragon Age Wiki and are quoted appropriately.