Kossith



A non-playable race, the bronze-skinned qunari are both larger and stronger than humans. They have pointed ears and vivid eyes including such colors as violet, red, or yellow. Their white hair is traditionally worn in braids or cornrows and their homeland is Par Vollen.

Culture
The qunari follow the philosophy of the Qun (kyoon), a violently evangelical religion. Individual qunari are raised as soldiers from a very young age. They are expected to be strong, disciplined, and stoic, adhering without fail to the tenets of honor and duty as defined in the Qun. Fanatical in this devotion, the qunari are prepared to wage war throughout their entire lives as part of their attempts to “enlighten” all other races in regards to their philosophy. Even qunari attempts at trade with other races and nations are done primarily to size up potential opponents, rather than to amass resources or wealth.

Qunari who have abandoned the Qun are called Tal'Vashoth and live away from the qunari homelands, often working as mercenaries.

Extract From the Qun
''Shok ebasit hissra. Meraad astaarit, meraad itwasit, aban aqun. Maraas shokra. Anaan esaam Qun.''

Translated as: Struggle is an illusion. The tide rises, the tide falls, but the sea is changeless. There is nothing to struggle against. Victory is in the Qun.

Language
Parshaara means "enough."

Esaam means "can be found in" or "exists in the location of."

Ebasit is a form of "to be."

History
The qunari are recent arrivals to the area surrounding Ferelden, having arrived by warship four centuries ago. While in the past they threatened to conquer all of Thedas, they are currently involved in a war for dominance of the North against the Tevinter Imperium. The qunari are apparently more technologically advanced than the native Thedosian cultures, possessing cannons and an impressive navy.

Several Exalted Marches have been waged against them and they've lost much land in Thedas. The qunari still hold Kont-aar in northern Rivain, but that is the only permanent non-island holding the qunari currently retain today.

When the qunari invade an area, and capture the current citizens, they offer them the opportunity to convert to their philosophy, or be sent to work in prison camps. Any who resist either one are slain without pity, but Thedosian converts to the Qun claim to feel pity towards those who choose not to convert. When the qunari were pushed back by the Exalted Marches, the Chantry was disturbed to discover that a surprisingly large number of members of their faith had quite happily converted to the foreign religion.

Trivia

 * The qunari have been nicknamed “militant Islamic borg” by Lead Writer David Gaider. (Note: this is not in reference to specific religious beliefs, but to qunari relations with other races and the political structure of Thedas.) Writer Mary Kirby refuted this, claiming they were more like "militant Buddhist borg".
 * David Gaider has said that qunari architecture is influenced by Maya architecture.
 * The qunari have magi.