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exhausted-archivist · 1 month

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The Deep Roads are Complicated, and I am in too Deep...

I've been working on and off at mapping the Deep Roads for a while now and after writing 4 pages explaining my methodology of why I think it is mapped the way I put it and then moving on to orienting the ttrpg thaig map, I realized something while taking notes on the directions mentioned and cross-referencing it to the description of Horrors of Hormak thaig description.

You can't map the Deep Roads from a top-down perspective because sometimes the roads change directions and aren't actually going in a straight line.

They need an orthographic map. Or a map that essentially bisects the mountain. The literal map in the corner of both the Origins and ttrpg maps. The maps... that have increments of depth.

Now, I knew that the deep roads had to change elevation, especially considering how they're described and the way they're supposedly below sea level for most thaigs.

But somehow, despite knowing that, I never considered that thaigs and the roads themselves would essentially be stacked on top of each other. Don't know why that never crossed my mind up until I was checking my notes and the passages of the ttrpg and Horrors of Hormak to confirm directions. To which it finally clicked as they both explain how there are galleries/antechambers and staircases/pathways that change directions.

How do we get to the thaig? This tunnel leads to a series of galleries. Think of them as interconnecting wide flights of stairs linked together and occasionally switching direction. We head down these for a few hours and we’ll be on the outskirts of the thaig.

-- Dragon Age Tabletop RPG, Buried Pasts p. 18

Beside him, Lesha muttered a word and her staff began to glow. She pushed it inside the entrance to the hole, giving light to the darkness within. The edges of the circle cast by Lesha’s spell revealed a small staircase that descended into an antechamber slightly larger than the clearing above, carved with a skill and delicacy that rivaled the works of Orzammar, or even Kal-Sharok. At the other end of the chamber, a doorway and a second staircase beyond that which spiraled into the darkness, the entire space lit by the glow of lyrium. And above the entrance, written in dwarven runes, a single word—Hormok.

-- Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Horrors of Hormak (p. 86)

Which then gave me pause and had me rereading and looking back at the map. Because the maps looked like they were straight and didn't initially give the impression of any verticality to them. Until you look in the corner. That's when it clicked for me and the mountains suddenly made more sense.

And now I'm screaming about it here. Because both maps are depicting a small chunk of mountain(s) in the Frostbacks. Which, for reference, my wip of the Deep Roads looked like this.

If you follow BioWare's scale of 1 square = 15 miles / 24 km - if the Deep Roads were in working order the journey to the anvil would only be roughly around 2.5-3 days journey. However, we know to get to the anvil and back to Orzammar is a month-long trip. So, with the darkspawn and collapsed tunnels it becomes a 2-week journey there and 2 weeks back. Which is quite a large jump in travel times.

I have a personal scale based on population size, megafauna, and the fact that it is supposed to take over a week to get to the Circle from Orzammar on the surface, among other travel time increments. Which makes each square 38 mi / 61 km. A 4-5 day journey from the anvil to the void when functioning.

Now, I think this map still holds up in terms of placement considering that mountains can have a wide footprint and the map on the Origins Deep Roads has at least two major peaks and a plateau, whereas the ttrpg just has one major peak and a couple of smaller ones. The ttrpg map also speaks of ravines and such so it fits the geography.

But yeah, long story short I need to revise some of my methodology; and maybe rescale the map, so things aren't super tiny.

#dragon age #dragon age maps #deep roads #dwarves #thaigs #dragon age origins #dragon age tabletop #dao #da ttrpg #long post #no cut because if I'm here you're here lost in the deep roads with me #archi is yelling

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atonalginger · 3 months

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I didn’t know you wrote for da! so I want messy meeting please!?

Oh yes Dragon age is the only other fandom I've shared a work in, but never posted it on ao3. I think it's tucked away somewhere maybe I'll dig it up sometime (that's off topic it's not the AU sorry)... so some world building for the AU before sharing a snippet of Messy meeting: This is an AU where the elven empire was torn down but the elven people did not fall the way canon sets up. They still control major chunks of Southern Thedas. Some are more reclusive while others exist as proud nations. The biggest elven "Gods" are killed but others are alive and simply living in seclusion, obscured and mostly forgotten.

One such nation is The Dales, which on the map looks like the whole southern chunk of what is Orlais in the game and the forest that extends beyond where we can go.

One of the main characters in this AU is an arcane warrior form the Dales: Ser Tavish Virfalenal. He is the oldest child and scion to the most powerful family in the Dales and also a good friend of Alistair. Mamie Holloway is a historian/research from the College of Ostwick. Also has experience as a Bard. This scene is set in Ozammar. They are there to get help with fighting off the coming Blight. okay under the cut to save everyone's dashboards are the snip(s)

Pt. 1 “I’m going to warn you now, they won’t listen to you.” Warden Commander Matildis said as she adjusted her sword belt. “They will tell you no decision can be made until a new King is named. And at this rate the Thaig will be overrun before that happens.”

“They have to honor the treaties,” Tavish sounded devoid of any emotion. He detested politics and negotiations. He did not want to be here but it was not safe for Velavera and so he was here instead.”

“We tried that,” Agustin said with a hoarse laugh, “the young one agrees emphatically and the old one yells about traditions and the other six nod and shake their heads in line with their chosen nug.”

“The situation is currently messier than The Game and more volatile than a barrel of Gatlok on fire,” Matildis sighed, “I left Val Royaux because of shit like this. I was assured I’d get away from it in the Deep Roads. No time for politics when you’re clearing mindless infected from the roads.”

“And it usually isn’t,” Zali said. She was leaning against her massive hammer, looking up at the humans and elves in her company,

“usually everything is as predictable as the day’s bell. But then someone went and offed Trian and broke the King’s heart. Literally.” “Yeah about that,” Mamie glanced over to Tavish before leaning in toward Zali, “we’ve been hearing a lot of wild stories about that. What’s going on?”

“Depends on who you ask,” Agustin answered before Zali could speak, “those siding with Lord Harrowmont say Bhelen killed Trian and framed his sister to get his competition out of the way and didn’t anticipate the heartbreak his father would suffer. Those siding with the Prince stand by his story that he found Sereda standing over Trian with a bloody dagger in hand and would have killed him as well had others not shown up.”

“What he said,” Zali nodded her chin up at the tan warden. Mamie’s shoulders slumped, “okay, and what do you believe? You’re from Orzammar, you know more about this situation than the wardens do.”

Zali smiled as she bit the corner of her lower lip, “That I do, I also left my home to get away from politics. What do I think? I think Bhelen’s a liar and also the best shot this place has at surviving this mess. Ol’ Endrin may have given lip service to House Theiren and and the Elven Great Houses of the Dales but they weren’t friends. He was using the surface nations while talking big about how the Great Thaig didn’t need the surface’s farms and hunters. How we could manage on our own. He listened to isolationists like Harrowmont and had begun withdrawing from surface politics. Don’t ask me why or where buffoons like Harrowmont got these ideas, I just know what I saw and heard. Trian and Sereda both looked to the Lord as a mentor and held onto his every word. Trian would speak openly about stricter enforcement of castes and Sereda called for the audits of the shaperate records to ‘fix’ errors. Meanwhile Bhelen would try in vain to get his father to see reason; The Thaig will starve without trade from the surface. What would we honestly do with all our ore and smithing? To not destroy generations of goodwill with our surface allies. I also think Bhelen has his eye on some lass in the commons and knows his family would disown him for it. and pt 2

“We cannot break such an agreement,” Bhelen argued, “to do so would be catastrophic. My father would never have turned his back on allies!”

“He wouldn’t have but you killed him!” the Dwarf shouted back. The room erupted into shouting and the clattering of chairs being knocked back. Harrowmont stood smug on his side of the chamber, watching as Bhelen looked on in growing panic.

The group watched the chaos. The wardens and Zali were resigned while Tavish and Mamie looked on in disbelief. Tavish opened his mouth on occasion to try and reclaim the room but each time decided against it and sighed. Once the shock wore off, Mamie set about digging in her side satchel. Tavish and Zali turned to watch as she dug around, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Then her expression flashed and she pulled a small wooden flute from her bag. She smiled impishly at Tavish and brought the flute to her lips. Zali slapped at the wardens and motioned to plug their ears just in time as Mamie unleashed a shrill, ear piercing note from her flute. The shouting turned to anguished cries and the dwarves in the chamber all plugged their ears. Satisfied, Mamie lowered the flute to her chin and said, “The Blight is a threat to us all right now. Warden Commander Bouthillier’s scouts have reported Emissary sightings on several routes and darkspawn numbers are growing exponentially. If These Emissaries were to link up with the Alpha Emissary leading the Blighted Host it would spell the end of not just Ferelden but Orzammar as well. We sympathize with your current strife but must ask for you to put aside your differences to protect your people. Many, many lives are at stake.”

“Do not lecture us on duty, girl!” one of the council members shouted. Another shouted across the room to chide them. Mamie simply raised her flute, “I’ll do it again. I’ll do it every time you interrupt needlessly or attempt to derail the discussion.” “I’ll send for a member of the Shaperate to bring the treaty documentation as well as representatives of the various Castes to begin negotiations.” Bhelen motioned for someone near the door to go.

Harrowmont shouted, “oh what authority boy?”

Mamie let out a short burst from her flute while staring at Harrowmont.

Tavish looked between Lord Harrowmont and the Prince, “I suppose I’m confused as to what exactly is the hang up here? My understanding is that this Great Thaig is ruled by House Aeducan. Which would mean the Prince, being the sole surviving member, would be King.”

“He was never named heir, which means it is up to the council to determine whether he or another is crowned,” Lord Harrowmont said with a calculated smile.

“And is there anyone else being considered?” Tavish asked.

“Lord Harrowmont was King Endrin’s second and close personal friend. He knew the King better than most and has experience in assisting with Thaig management and leadership.” One of Harrowmont’s council members said proudly. Bhelen sighed and frowned at Tavish, “we’ve held votes but each ends in a stalemate. After the last one there were…attempts on various councilmembers and we’ve called off future votes until that can be hashed out.”

“Andraste’s smallclothes,” Mamie exclaimed.

Tavish glanced at his companion before addressing Lord Harrowmont directly, “If a resolution cannot be found and treaty negotiations cannot be continued I will be forced to recall the Wardens from the Deep Roads, on Warden Commander Duncan’s behalf. Without Orzammar’s aid, those Warden’s will be needed on the surface to hold the Alpha Emissary from continuing North. I would also be forced to notify King Maric and The Keepers of the Dales of Orzammar’s inability to honor their word and treaties.”

A tense mumur rippled through the chamber. Lord Harrowmont’s smug expression dropped, “You can’t do that.”

“I can and I will,” Tavish said without emotion.

Mamie added, “Ferelden and the Dales have generously aided Orzmmar in lean times without hesitation. They have famously asked for nothing in return. All that is being asked now is for old treaties to be honored.”

“Negotiations cannot be held until a King is crowned.” The council member insisted.

Tavish shugged and looked to Matildis, “then I will recall the Wardens and we will depart in as soon as we are able.”

“Wait, there has to be something?” Bhelen pleaded.

“There is someone who could serve as the tie breaker, though she currently not in the Thaig.” Harrowmont conceded.

“You’d trust the vote to her? She’s batshit insane!” Zali shouted.

A flurry of ‘how dare you’ and ‘silence, deadwoman’ filled the chamber. Mamie took a breath but before she could blow the chamber went silent again.

“Paragon Branka could break the tie,” Harrowmont continued, “she took her House to a lost minor thaig said to contain ancient dwarven technology. She believes it could aid our continuous fight against the darkspawn.”

“And how do you propose we get her vote?” Agustin asked.

“Find her and you will get your aid. Refuse and leave and all is lost,” Harrowmont turned Mamie’s words against them, “Many, many lives are at stake.”

“Do you know where exactly she went?” Tavish asked, “I will not wander blindly into a blight infested cave.”

“There is information and maps in the Shaperate,” a scribe piped up from her desk, “I know Scribe Beomar worked with members of House Branka before they all left.”

“We could look into the Paragon’s whereabouts,” Matildis conceded, “but understand if the roads are overrun we will not push forward.”

“If we cannot locate the Paragon you will either need to come to an agreement or the Commander will march her Wardens to the surface.” Tavish said plainly.

“I have faith you will find her alive and well,” Harrowmont said, “before you leave I ask you pay my office a visit. We can discuss support for the expedition.”

“My doors are always open for you, Sir Virfalenal. I have not forgotten our families long standing alliance and will provide any aid you need.” Bhelen added.

Matildis looked to Tavish and mouthed the word ‘boom.’

#dragon age au #this is an older wip #I had an altered map at one point I don't know where it is

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