Nevarra

Nevarra is a nation in central Thedas, west of the Free Marches, south of the Tevinter Imperium and north-east of Orlais. It was originally one of the larger Free Marches city states, but has aggressively expanded over the last two centuries to become a power to rival Orlais.

Politics
Most Nevarran leaders have been members of the frequently militarily-gifted Pentaghast clan, under whom alliances with other Free Marches states have been courted or coerced to form a powerful confederation under Pentaghast leadership.

A long war against Orlais over the mineral-rich Blasted Hills, a region between the two countries ended during the Blessed Age with a Nevarran victory. However, rebellion is fomenting in the conquered area due to the imposition of harsh taxes by the Nevarrans, as well as the support of Orlais.

It is the only nation in Thedas where the Chantry practice of cremating the dead is instead replaced with funeral burial in elaborate tombs or crypts, which are part of artistically crafted necropolis areas. There is even an order of mages who studies and works with the dead, called the "Mortalitaxi".

The current ruler of the nation is Markus Pentaghast.

Cities



 * Andoral's Reach: A city near the Blasted Hills, recently taken from the Orlesians.
 * Cumberland: A city on the Waking Sea, giving it access to trade with the rest of the Free Marches and beyond. Over the last century, Cumberland has taken advantage of this to expand into one of the largest cities in Thedas. Cumberland is also where the College of Magi routinely convene.
 * Hasmal: once a city state of Free Marches, conquered by Nevarra in Blessed Age . It sits along the Minanter River.
 * Nevarra City: The capital city of Nevarra is also called Nevarra, and is located in the middle of the nation.
 * Perendale: A city near the Blasted Hills, recently taken from the Orlesians.
 * Hunter Fell
 * Solas: A city in the middle of The Silent Plains.
 * Nessum: A city further north, bordering the Silent Plains. It is on the same little river as Caimen Brea and Trevis.
 * Caimen Brea: A city on the border of the Silent Plains.
 * Trevis: A city to the South of Caimen Brea and to the North of Hunter Fell. It also borders the Silent Plains, but not as heavily as Caimen Brea.

Regions

 * Minanter River
 * The Blasted Hills
 * The Silent Plains
 * The Fields of Ghislain

History
The Pentaghast clan is famous for their dragonhunter heroes of the past; each of whom led a crusade to hunt dragons to extinction. They were almost successful at this. Granted, the dragons were a scourge for a very long time, but the Nevarrans hunted mostly for dragonbone and glory.

In 3:25 Towers, the armies of Orlais and the Tevinter Imperium joined with the Grey Wardens to end the Third Blight. However, the victorious armies proceeded to occupy the territories they had liberated from the darkspawn. Nevarra was taken by Orlais, and only regained independence in 3:65 Towers.

In 5:37 Exalted, Tylus, the first Van Markham king of Nevarra, is crowned after having claimed to be a descendant of Drakon's son, killed in Cumberland. Being a hero of the recent Fourth Blight, Tylus is able to stir nationalistic feelings in the western Free Marches against the growing power of Orlais. He proves his military might by winning several major battles against the Orlesians, establishing Nevarra as a new, growing power.

In 8:70 Blessed, a war between Nevarra and Orlais over the control of the western hills around Perendale results in Nevarran victory. However, Orlais proceeds to sow dissent and rebellion among the locals in Perendale, who resent Nevarran rule. .

In 8:99 Blessed, dragons devastate the countrysides in Orlais and Nevarra, and all attempts to slay them end in disaster. As the Blessed Age draws to a close, they name the Dragon Age, saying that it will be an age of violence and upheaval.

Nevarran Death Magic
Nevarra has a unique relationship with magic and death. It embraces both more fully than many other Andrastian nations (especially given its proximity to Orlais), and furthermore its mages practice a form of mummification (even necromancy) unique to that nation. These death mages, or "Mortalitasi," often work closely with the nation's king, and oversee the preservation, in lavish necropoli, of the deserving dead.

As they rarely leave Nevarra, much of the Mortalitasi's practices are shrouded in mystery and fear, even to other mages, and it is unclear how far their abilities extend. Some say they may be a death cult, but whatever the truth of it they are arguably the most well-schooled mages outside of the Tevinter Imperium.

Notable people with Nevarran origins



 * Cassandra Pentaghast
 * Ginnis
 * Merrill
 * Nyree

Trivia

 * Nevarra shares some characteristics with Prussia. Nevarra expanded out of a federation of city states to become a powerful kingdom, similar to how Prussia expanded and became the strongest power among the German principalities and kingdoms during the 18th and 19th centuries. The conflict with Orlais over the mineral-rich Blasted Hills is similar to how France and Prussia fought over the region Alsace-Lorraine. Also the term "Prussian" has often been used, in and outside of Germany, to emphasize professionalism, aggressiveness and militarism, traits similar to those of Nevarra and the Pentaghast clan.
 * Whilst Nevarra has a name similar to that of the Spanish region of Navarre/Navarra, it is not based on Spain.
 * The way Nevarrans do not burn their dead, but rather preserve their bodies and seal them in tombs and mausoleums is similar to the cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The wealthy Nevarrans also start young when they build their tombs, much like Egyptian Pharaohs did. This is the only connection to these civilizations that Nevarra has however, so it is unlikely Nevarra is based upon them.