Cousland family



The family Cousland is one of only two teyrnirs in Ferelden.

History
Originally, the outpost of Highever was held by the Elstan Family, cousin of the Howes, Arls of Amaranthine. In the age of Towers, Bann Conobar Elstan was murdered by his wife, Flemeth, thus ending the bloodline. Sarim Cousland, captain of Conobar's guard, took the lands and title.

The Couslands declared their independence from Amaranthine, starting a war that lasted 30 years. When the war ended, Highever was on its own and in possession of half the land that had once been southwestern Amaranthine.

Highever became a teyrnir during the Black Age. At that time the Couslands held only the minor title of "bann"; during the lycanthrope plague, Mather Cousland gathered the lords together under his banner to drive the werewolves out of their lands, earning himself the title of teyrn.

During the unification by Calenhad, Teyrna Elethea Cousland battled against Calenhad to maintain Highever independence. When Calenhad's army reached Highever, Teyrna Elethea led the local banns against him, but Calenhad won. After Elethea's men were defeated, Calenhad asked her to swear fealty, thus able to retain the title.

Some time after the unification of Ferelden, but before the occupation by Orlais, the Couslands sided with Warden-Commander Sophia Dryden in the Grey Warden's attempted rebellion. The rebellion was betrayed to King Arland by politicians before it could even begin, and so Arland sent soldiers to Soldier's Peak, as well as executing the present Teyrn Cousland along with others of the Cousland line.

During the rebellion against Orlais, the Couslands sided with Maric Theirin. Maric and the rebellion were for a time based in Amaranthine, which borders the Cousland lands of Highever and at the time was in the control of Arl Terleton Howe, who had sided with Orlais. The Couslands fought several bitter battles against Arl Terleton Howe before defeating him and capturing the town of Harpers Ford, whereupon Tarleton was hung. Tareltons son Rendon Howe became Arl and sided with the rebels. He and Bryce Cousland fought beside each other at the the battle of White River and were among the 50 rebels who survived the defeat. Arl Howe became a great friend of the Couslands.

Arl Howe later betrayed the Couslands seeing the impending Blight as his route to power. Bryce Cousland, the Teyrn of Highever, had intended to gather the forces of Highever and Amaranthine and ride to war with King Cailan against the Darkspawn along side his friend Rendon Howe. However Howe made the pretence that his forces would be delayed for a couple of days. Bryce Cousland decided to send the forces of Highever to king Cailan under the command of his eldest son Fergus Cousland, intending to follow alongside Howe and the forces of Amaranthine, once they arrived. During the night, after Fergus had left, Howe's forces attacked the Couslands, taking the skeleton garrison totally by surprise and killing Bryce Cousland along with his wife Eleanor Cousland, their youngest child  and any other inhabitants of the castle. Making Arl Howe the new Teyrn, leaving Fergus Cousland as the only rightful heir to the Teyrnir of Highever.

If playing the Human Noble Origin you will take on the role of the son or daughter of Bryce and Elenor Cousland, you will be rescued by Duncan during the surprise attack on Castle Cousland to become a Grey Warden, believing yourself to be the last surviving Cousland.

Following the end of the fifth Blight Fergus Cousland will inherit Highever and be given control of Amaranthine, which he presents to the Grey Wardens.