Location Rivain
Type:	Monarchy
Location:	Northeastern Thedas
Capital:	Dairsmuid
Appearances:	Dragon Age: Origins (referenced in) Dragon Age II (referenced in)

The nation of Rivain is located in the northern parts of Thedas. Its capital city is Dairsmuid, which is on in the southern end of the Rivain peninsula.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Culture 4 Notable people with Rivain origins 5 Trivia 6 See also 7 References

Geography Edit

Major cities:

• Ayesleigh
• Dairsmuid (Capital)
• Kont-Aar - a Qunari settlement located on the northern coast. It's the last holding of the Qunari on the main land of Thedas and is supposed to be well fortified.
• Llomerryn

History Edit

• 992 TE: The Rivaini participate in the Battle of the Silent Plains in the southern reaches of Tevinter. Dumat is destroyed and the darkspawn forces routed.^[1]
• 1050–1120 TE: The Rivaini rebel in an attempt to split off from the Tevinter Imperium. They are supported by the eastern cities in the Free Marches. Tevinter launches campaigns to stop the rebellion. After several losses that culminated in the disastrous Battle of Temerin in 1117 TE, the Imperium finally abandons the east.^[1]
• 1126 TE: Foundation of the Kingdom of Rivain.^[1]
• 5:12 Exalted: Awakening of Andoral and the rise of the Fourth Blight. The darkspawn pour into Rivain from Antiva.^[1]
• 5:24 Exalted: Rivain is freed from the darkspawn during the battle at the city of Ayesleigh, where Garahel dies after defeating Andoral in combat.^[1]
• 6:32 – 42 Steel: The Qunari conquer Rivain.^[1]
• 7:25 – 85 Storm: The New Exalted Marches are declared repeatedly by both the Imperial Chantry (to retake Seheron and the eastern city of Qarinus) and the Chantry (to retake Rivain). Three major Exalted Marches occur.^[1] The wars take a terrible toll upon the population of Rivain.^[2]
• 7:84 Storm: The Qunari have been pushed back to the city of Kont-Aar in northern Rivain. The Llomerryn Accord is signed and peace is declared.^[1]
• After 7:84 Storm: The Chantry and nationalist forces of Rivian, unable to convert its people back to the worship of the Maker, try a purge by the sword, slaughtering countless unarmed people and burying them in mass graves.^[2]
• 9:40 Dragon: The Circle of Dairsmuid in Rivain is annulled.^[3]

Culture Edit

Its dark-skinned humans, the Rivaini, have a peaceful relationship with the elves. The Qunari settlement of Kont-Aar is in northern Rivain. Racially, the Rivaini originally hail from island chains beyond the Donarks.^[4]

Unlike the majority of peoples in Thedas, the Rivaini are not Andrastians and don't believe in the Maker. Rather, they are pantheists who believe in the Natural Order. Many, especially in Kont-aar, have also converted to the Qun, as their religion and the Qun are not very contradictory.

Though a Circle existed in Rivain, it was merely a means to appease the Chantry. The Mages of the Circle were allowed to see their families and the women were specifically trained to be seers, a position in Rivaini society that is revered as a matter of tradition. These local hedge witches converse with spirits and even allow themselves to be possessed, though it is supposedly done so for the benefit of their villages. ^[5]

When the Chantry discovered these facts in 9:40 Dragon, they called the Mages of the Circle of Dairsmuid apostates and declared a Right of Annulment down upon them.

The Rivaini have skin tones ranging from dark tan to ebony.^[6] Social standing in Rivain is often marked by tattoos and body piercings. The more elaborate one's decorations, the higher one's rank.

Notable people with Rivain originsEdit

For a complete list, see Category:Rivaini.

• Duncan
• Isabela

Trivia Edit

• Rivain is loosely based off of Spain in that Spain was the point of entry for the Moors to enter Europe, and its culture was changed a great deal by the Moorish presence.^[7]
• Rivain religion, which is centered around Seers, has similarities with voodoo. Also, in Rivain piercings show social status, just like some African tribes.
• In the old BioWare forums, David Gaider stated that Dalish in Rivain have a semi-permanent settlement in the city of Llomerryn.^[8] However, a party banter during Act 2 in Dragon Age II between Isabela and Merrill reveals that the Dalish have not yet reached Llomerryn.

See also Edit

Codex entry: Rivain Codex entry: The Llomerryn Accords Codex entry: Tal-Vashoth

• Tales of the Destruction of Thedas by Brother Genitivi

References Edit

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Prima Official Game Guide: DAO Collector's Edition.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Codex entry: The Llomerryn Accords
3. ↑ Dragon Age: Asunder, Chapter 22.
4. ↑ [1]
5. ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, pg. 80
6. ↑ Gaider, David. "Bioware should break a barrier." Bioware Social Network. Retrieved 28 March, 2012.
7. ↑ David Gaider, "BioWare Social Network"
8. ↑ Gaider, David (May 20, 2009). "Dalish elves" (archive). BioWare Forums (offline). Retrieved on May 25, 2012.

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