The mysterious fourthDragon Agetitle is in the works at BioWare, hopefully coming at some point in the next few years. But until then: just how well doDragon Agefans know theexisting lore of Thedas, and more specifically, its history leading up all the way throughInquisition?
The thing is, alothappens over the course of many years inDragon Age, and not just in the games; there are whole years that pass between games during which important events are unfolding, not to mention the many books and comics set in theDragon Ageuniverse containing additional lore. EvenDragon Agesuper-fans are bound to miss a cataclysmic event or two when considering the entirety of Thedas' lengthy history, so here’s a handy timeline of events covering every major event players need to know.
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The Ancient Age
Here at the beginning of recorded history is the birth of the elven pantheon, including Mythal and Solas (or Fen’Harel, as he is also known). Spanning many thousands of years, the Ancient age sees the rise and fall of the elves and the introduction of the Maker’s religion.
-7600 Ancient
The elven city of Arlathan is founded at this time, the grand capital of Elvhenan. At the height of its power, Elvhenan spanned all of Fereldan, Orlais, and into the lands west of Orlais.
-3100 Ancient
Solas creates the Veil (although the true date for this can be argued, as Solas isn’t exactly forthcoming about his past), Mythal is murdered by the Evanuris, and Solas falls into a slumber. The same year, humans appear for the first time in Thedas, ultimately setting the lands thatbecome the Tevinter Imperium.
-975 Ancient
The way elven history is told, it seems like the elves and their city fall all at once, but that isn’t quite true; though the Veil is erected nearly two thousand years earlier, and the elves observe the Quickening (the end of their immortality) not long after, the elven city of Arlathan doesn’t fall until -975 Ancient. Tevinter declared war on the elves six years earlier, resulting in the elves' defeat and enslavement at the hands of humans.
-395 Ancient
The year that The Magisters Sidereal attempted to conquer the Golden City in a massive blood ritual, resulting in their expulsion from the Fade as darkspawn. However, it should be rememberedthat Corypheus(who was one of the magisters to enter the Fade, then called Sethius Amladaris) later says that the city was already black, and the Maker’s throne was empty when they arrived.
This is also, therefore, the year that the First Blight begins.
-305 Ancient
The Grey Wardens are founded at Weisshaupt, and the Joining Ritual is created as the First Blight still rages on.
-203 Ancient
It isn’t until now, a century later, that the Archdemon Dumat is killed at the Battle of the Silent Plains, ending the First Blight. The same year, the prophet Andraste is born.
-170 Ancient
Andraste is betrayed by her husband Maferath, captured, and set on a pyre before the gates of Minrathous–before the Archon Hessarian kills her out of mercy to end her suffering.
The Divine Age
1:01 Divine
Justinia I is elected as the first Divine; the Chantry is officially founded, and magic is declared illegal throughout all of Orlais unless performed by mages on the Chantry’s behalf. Justinia takes up residence in the Grand Cathedral of Val Royeaux, which is still being built at the time.
1:05 Divine
The Archdemon Zazikel is awakened and corrupted in the Anderfels, beginning the Second Blight, and Tevinter abandons the Anderfels to the onslaught of the Blight; the city of Hossberg is slaughtered.
1:20 Divine
The Nevarran Accord is signed between the Chantry and the newly founded Inquisition, bringing the Inquisition into the Chantry’s order and creating the Circle of Magi to regulate the practice of magic.
1:95 Divine
The Grey Warden Cordin slays Zazikel in Starkhaven, effectively ending the Second Blight.
The Glory Age
2:09 Glory
Elves attack the Orlesian town of Red Crossing, leading to a war between Orlais and the elves of the Dales. The next year, Divine Renata declares an Exalted March on the Dales.
2:20 Glory
The elves are overwhelmingly defeated, with Orlais taking Halamshiral, conquering the Dales, and forcing the elves of the Dales to either settle in alienages or scatter into roaming Dalish clans.
2:80 Glory
A second Exalted March is called, this time against the Tevinter inhabitants of the city-state of Starkhaven, and the city is freed from Tevinter rule.
2:83 Glory
An abomination slaughters all the mages and templars of the Nevarran Circle before breaking out and leaving a path of destruction across the surrounding countryside. In response, Divine Galatea grants all Grand Clerics of the Chantry the Right of Annulment, which allows them to execute all the mages in a Circle if it is deemed necessary.
2:99 Glory
The Grand Cathedral is finally completed, and its elaborate towers inspire the name for the next age.
The Towers Age
3:10 Towers
The Thirds Blight begins with the awakening of the Old God Toth…and ends. It’s shorter than the previous Blights by far, but there are also fargreater numbers of darkspawnduring this one.
3:20 Towers
The old tale of Flemeth unfolds, with Flemeth herself marrying Bann Conobar Elstan; later, she falls in love with the poet Osen and they flee into the Korcari Wilds together. The next year, Conobar tricks Flemeth into returning, after which she is imprisoned and Osen killed. Consequentially, Flemeth slays Conobar (possiblywith the help of demons, as an abomination) for revenge.
3:25 Towers
The Third Blight ends in the Free Marches, but both Orlais and Tevinter (who came to the Free Marches' aid originally) refuse to leave and maintain control over the areas they’ve invaded.
3:87 Towers
The Schism of the Chantry occurs, with Tevinter electing its own male Divine, a mage named Valhail, presiding over the Minrathous Cathedral.
Werewolves reappear in Fereldan.
4:40 Black (through 5:10 Exalted)
The Chantry in Orlais declared an Exalted March on Tevinter, attempting to capture the Tevinter capital of Minrathous (where the Black Divine rules). The march fails, but the Chantry tries another three times in different Exalted Marches called over the next 60 years–all of which fail just as the first did.
4:80 - 4:84 Black
Orlais attempts to invade Fereldan for the first time, crossing the Frostbacks to do so. Fereldan’s normally squabbling lords unite against the threat and repel Orlais after three years of conflict.
The Exalted Age
5:12 Exalted
In a surprise attack, Antiva City (the capital of Antiva) falls to the forces of the Fourth Blight and the awakened Old God Andoral. Orlais and Tevinter fare better against the Blight, but fail to send meaningful aid to any other country this time.
5:24 Exalted
The Fourth Blight ends thanks to the Grey Wardens and their griffon mounts–specifically, the Grey Warden Garahel and his bonded griffon companion, Crookytail.
5:99 Exalted
The following age is declared the Steel Age, due to the murder of Queen Madrigal of Antiva; she’s found dead on a hunt, killed with four different blades. The Antivan Crows are suspected, though no proof is ever found.
The Pentaghast family of Nevarra hunt dragons to near-extinction.
6:30 Steel
Qunari conquer the island of Par Vollen, formerly an outpost belonging to the Tevinter Imperium. However, due to Par Vollen’s distance from the mainland, word of the Qunari’s conquest takes a while to get out. The First Qunari war begins two years later, with Tevinter and the Qunari beginning their long and bitter rivalry.
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The Storm Age
7:05 Storm
The ruler of Fereldan dies without an heir, leaving two people with claims to vie for the position: Sophia Dryden and her cousin, Arland Theirin. Arland takes the throne, and Sophia joins the Grey Wardens, eventually rising up the ranks to become the Warden-Commander of Fereldan. She then uses the Grey Wardens to try and usurp Arland, who proved to be a brutal ruler, but she and her Wardens were defeated in battle and the Wardens were ousted from Fereldan.
7:84 Storm
The nations of Thedas (minus Tevinter) sign a treaty with the Qunari on the neutral island on Llomerryn, granting them the archipelago surrounding Par Vollen in order to end hostilities between the Qunari and the rest of the world.
Kirkwall rebels against Orlesian rule, officially becoming a free city.
8:24 Blessed
The second Orlesian invasion of Fereldan begins, as ordered by “the Mad Emperor” Reville Valmont. Redcliffe, Vigil’s Keep and the City of Amaranthine are all taken by Orlais in short order; King Vanedrin Theirin is killed during the Battle of Lothering, while Ardal Cousland, Teyrn of Highever, is killed as well.
8:44 Blessed
Orlais takes the city of Denerim, cementing the Orlesian occupation of Fereldan, and Brandel Theirin (the current king of Fereldan) is driven into hiding.
8:96 - 8:99 Blessed
Maric escapes from the assassins that killed his mother, the rebel Queen Moira, and together he and Loghain Mac Tir begin their campaign to retake Fereldan from Orlesian occupation. In 8:98, they retake the town of Gwaren. In 8:99, Loghain leads Fereldan to victory at the Battle of River Dane; at the same time, a dragon is spotted on the Orlesian side of the Frostback mountains, leading to Divine Faustine II declaring the next age the “Dragon Age.”
The Dragon Age
Finally, we arrive at the current age. Needless to say, there’s a lot going on here.
9:22 Dragon
Cassandra Pentaghast foils a blood mage conspiracy to assassinate Divine Beatrix III with the help of Regalyan D’Marcall. Cassandra is named Hero of Orlais and the Right Hand of the Divine.
9:30 Dragon
The events ofDragon Age: Originsbegin (as doesDragon Age 2, though the majority of it happens in later years). The Fifth Blight begins with the awakening of Urthemiel, and the Battle of Ostagar culminates in the death of King Cailan. Fereldan falls into civil war as a result.
9:31 Dragon
The Landsmeet is held in Denerim, where Loghain Mac Tir is removed from power and Fereldan gets a true ruler in either Alistair or Anora (depending on player choice).
9:37 Dragon
Dragon Age 2reaches its climax with the mage revolt in the Gallows. Templars and mages take to the streets of Kirkwall in open conflict.
9:38 Dragon
The Templars disband the College of Enchanters; at the same time, Alistair embarks on a journey to find King Maric with the help ofVarric Tethrasand Isabela. Divine Justinia V orders an investigation to determine whether templars have abused the Rite of Tranquility, in an attempt to broker peace between the Chantry and mages.
Sometime between this year and the next, Solas awakens after centuries of sleep, activating his network of spies to try and re-establish dominion over the Eluvian network.
Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons stirs up unrest against Empress Celene, starting the War of the Lions in Orlais.
9:39 Dragon
Cassandra Pentaghast and Leliana, the Right and Left Hands of the Divine, begin searching for the Champion of Kirkwall amidst their efforts to restore the Inquisition. At the same time, Grand Enchanter Fiona calls for a vote among mages, who agree to officially separate from the Chantry, beginning the Mage/Templar war in earnest. Cullen, Leliana, Varric, and Cassandra sail from Kirkwall to Fereldan and form the Inquisition.
9:41 Dragon
Divine Justinia V is lost to a ritual sacrifice as Corypheus activates the Orb of Fen’Harel, destroying the Conclave and the Temple of Sacred Ashes and ripping open the Breach; the sole survivor of this catastrophe is revealed to have both important information and an invaluable power for closing the Breach.Dragon Age: Inquisitionbegins.
9:44 Dragon
Divine Victoria calls an Exalted Council to discuss the future of the Inquisition, beginning the events of the finalInquisitionexpansion,Trespasser.
With that,Dragon Ageplayers (and those looking to give it a go) should have a good idea of the world’s events and the order in which they transpire. It’s quite a lot to go through, but anyone can agree that the history of Thedas sure isn’t boring. And there’s plenty to re-examine in games, books, and comics while waiting for thefourthDragon Ageto eventually make its appearance.
