Ostagar

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Location
Ostagar

Terrain:

Forest

Type:

Ruin

Location:

Southern Ferelden

Inhabitants:

Humans, Elves, Mabari War Dogs

Characters:

Alistair
Duncan
Cailan
Loghain
Daveth
Ser Jory
Wynne

Appearances:

Dragon Age: Origins

Representing the furthest point of encroachment by the ancient Tevinter Imperium into the barbarian lands of the southeast, the fortress of Ostagar was once one of the most important defensive Imperial holdings south of the Waking Sea. It stood at the edge of the Korcari Wilds and watched for any signs of invasion by the barbarians today known as the Chasind Wilders. Straddling a narrow pass in the hills, the fortress needed to be bypassed in order for the Wilders to reach the fertile lowlands of the north and proved to be exceedingly difficult for the Wilders to attack due to its naturally defensible position. Like most other Imperial holdings in the south, Ostagar was abandoned after Tevinter's collapse during the First Blight. It was successfully sacked by the Chasind Wilders and then, as the Chasind threat dwindled following the creation of the modern nation of Ferelden, fell to ruin completely.

It has remained unmanned for centuries, though most of the walls still stand, as does the Tower of Ishal, named after the great Archon that ordered its construction. Ostagar remains a testament to the magical power of the Tevinter Imperium that created it.

1 Involvement
2 Notable items
3 Containers
4 Battle for Ostagar
5 Return to Ostagar
6 Notes
7 Bugs
8 Trivia
9 Gallery
10 Exits

Involvement Edit

Joining the Grey Wardens

Tainted Blood

The Grey Wardens' Cache

Notable items Edit

See Quartermaster for shop list, and The Hungry Deserter for items in the mages' chest.

Ser Garlen's Sword, source: Messenger Pick

Key to Mages' Chest, source: The Hungry Deserter

Hardy's Belt, source: Found by stealing it from the Quartermaster.

Novice Flame Rune, source: chest by Alistair

Novice Slow Rune, source: chest by Alistair

Notable gifts for companions:

Beef Bone, source: Sacks

Joining Chalice, source: Return to Ostagar

Containers Edit

Daytime

Chest (generic, critter) - east side; locked (10 XP)
Chest (Ferelden, normal) - by quartermaster; locked (5 XP)
Chest (Ferelden, critter) - by infirmary; locked (10 XP)
Chest (Ferelden, critter) - by sergeant; locked (5 XP)
Chest (Ferelden, critter) - by war council; locked (5 XP)
Chest (Special, see above) - by Alistair; locked (5 XP)
Sack (Ferelden, normal) - balcony
Sack (Ferelden, critter) - balcony
Sack (generic, critter) - east side
Sacks (generic, normal) - east side, contains Beef Bone

Evening

Chest (Circle, normal) - see The Hungry Deserter

outside Tower of Ishal

Barrel (generic, critter)
Barrel (generic, normal)
Chest (Ferelden, normal) - locked (10 XP)
Wooden Crate (Ferelden, normal)
Wooden Crate (Ferelden, elite)
Wooden Crate (Ferelden, critter)
Wooden Crate (Ferelden, critter)

Battle for Ostagar Edit

See Battle of Ostagar.

“We now have a dog and Alistair is still the dumbest one in the party.” — Morrigan
This article contains spoilers for Dragon Age: Origins. Click here to reveal them.

Ostagar was the staging ground for the armies of Ferelden to battle the Blight. Before the Warden came to fight the darkspawn with Duncan, the armies under King Cailan had already defeated two waves of darkspawn. The Warden arrived at King Cailan's camp during preprations for a third and final battle. After The Warden underwent the Joining alongside Daveth and Ser Jory, it was time for the final plans to be made for the battle. King Cailan ordered Alistair and the Warden to light a beacon atop the Tower of Ishal, a signal for Loghain and his troops to charge and rush the flanks of the darkspawn already engaged with Cailan's forces.

All did not go according to plan, however, as the tower was overrun by darkspawn from subterranean chambers. Those tasked with lighting the beacon were forced to fight their way to the top and pit themselves against an Ogre before they could complete their mission. Then, Loghain ordered his forces to retreat, abandoning the rest of the army in the valley beneath Ostagar. King Cailan and Duncan were slain and their troops massacred, leaving only two Grey Wardens in all of Ferelden.

Shortly thereafter, more darkspawn stormed the tower and overwhelmed the two Wardens. Ostagar was lost.

Return to Ostagar

See also Return to Ostagar.

With this DLC installed, the Warden has a chance to return to Ostagar, finding it covered with snow and tenacious darkspawn. Although the Warden cannot completely remove the darkspawn, they can clear out enough to recover the king's body and the royal arms chest.

Notes Edit

There is an experience exploit in this fortress. See Tainted Blood for details.
When you return from the Korcari Wilds, it will be twilight at the camp. The Quartermaster will have restocked inventory (allowing you to buy a second backpack at low cost, as well as anything else you bought him out of previously); you can also steal from most NPCs again. After the joining you may return to the quartermaster a third time and buy a third backpack.
- xbox360 The Deathroot due south of the King's Highway map marker resets when it becomes night in Ostagar, allowing it to be acquired once when you first arrive and then again before the ritual.
If you fail a pickpocket attempt on some of the soldiers at Ostagar, a knight reports this to Duncan (who will defend The Warden) and, when spoken to, will give a stern yet understanding lecture on when not to steal from people and the importance of not getting caught.
- Speaking to the Knight after this report causes him to state, "People sometimes forget that the Wardens recruit from all walks of life, even thieves. I have not forgotten."

Bugs Edit

Bug! There are places where you can walk off the main Ostagar area and one of those leads to the surrounding landscape including the main battle area during the battle with the darkspawn. One of those places is south of the Tower of Ishal, the south-west lookout where you can walk off the bit where the ledge has been worn away. The other place is south of the main camp area, the south-east lookout where a female priest is kneeling in prayer. The area where you can walk off is also the part of the ledge that has been worn away.

Trivia Edit

Where the Sergeant is lecturing a group of soldiers using a genlock corpse as a teaching aid, one line of an attending soldier is "I heard some darkspawn use magic. How? They're animals!" This is reminiscent of Private Hudson's line in the movie Aliens: "What do you mean they cut the power? How could they cut the power, man? They're animals!"