Western Approach

The Western Approach is a large, arid expanse in southwestern Orlais. Farther west lie the Hunterhorn Mountains and uninhabited steppes and forests.

Background
This area was the site of a major battle during the Second Blight. The darkspawn swarmed out of the great chasm to the south named the Abyssal Rift and corrupted the land beyond recovery. Now it is a stark and sad place with unstable purple sands, occasional rocky pillars and ridges jutting out of them and strong howling winds. At night the air grows still and the sky is alight with shimmering auroras, but this is also the time when the darkspawn come out of hiding.

The Orlesians put iron towers at least a hundred feet high to mark the path in the badlands: a traveler who reaches one of them is able to see the next. The towers are now old and rusted. Adamant Fortress, built by the dwarves and used as a Grey Warden outpost, stands on the lip of the chasm.

Places

 * Lost Spring Canyon Western-Approach-Map.png
 * The Abyssal Rift
 * The Canyons
 * Gates of Toth
 * Sand Rock Mine
 * Forgotten Mine
 * Valemont Pass
 * Lost Wash Creek
 * Death Drink Springs (claiming this area unlocks the war table operation Crossing the Sulphur Pits)
 * Giant's Staircase
 * Blight Overlook
 * Abyssal Ledge
 * Oasis Cave
 * Nazaire's Pass
 * Sand Flats
 * Iska's Stand
 * Shimmer Stone Mine
 * Dustytop Fort
 * The Wastes
 * Dust Plains
 * Outpost Well
 * Echoback Canyon
 * Old Prison Road
 * Prison Ruins
 * Echoback Fort
 * Echoback Canyon
 * Old Prison Road
 * Prison Ruins
 * Echoback Fort

Camps

 * Lost Spring Canyon Camp
 * Craggy Ridge Camp
 * Nazaire's Pass Camp
 * Echo Back Canyon Camp

Characters

 * Professor Frederic of Serault
 * Knight-Captain Rylen
 * Livius Erimond
 * Macrinus
 * Griffon Wing Keep merchant
 * Crassius Servis

Enemies

 * Abyssal High Dragon
 * Darkspawn
 * Gurn (non-aggresive)
 * Hyenas
 * Phoenix
 * Quillback
 * Venatori
 * Mage
 * Spellbinder
 * Stalker - (Rogue - Double Daggers)
 * Brute - (Two-Handed Great Axe)
 * Gladiator - (Mace and Tower Shield)
 * Marksman - (Archer)
 * Zealot - (Warrior - Sword)
 * Varghest
 * White Claws
 * White Claw Raider Footpad - (Rogue - Double Daggers)
 * White Claw Raider - (Archer)
 * White Claw Raider Escort - (Warrior - Sword)


 * Spiders
 * Poisonous spider

Quests
(war table operation)

Resources
Amrita Vein can be found on the edge of the map near Shimmer Stone Mines.

Notable items

 * x 2
 * north-east of Lost Spring Canyon Camp
 * west of Valemont Pass, a few steps down from the trail


 * Quarry:
 * south-west of Sand Rock Mine
 * at Shimmer Stone Mine (descend the first wooden stairs into the mine)
 * south of Echo Back Canyon Camp (by the Ocularum west of Echoback Fort)

Landmarks

 * Echoback Fort
 * Hidden Stairway
 * Gates of Andoral (can be opened only from the east side, reached through Coracavus)
 * Gates of Toth (can be opened only from the north side, reached through Coracavus)
 * Griffon Wing Monument
 * Lamarr Tower
 * Ritual Tower (usually accessed through the Here Lies the Abyss quest, may not count for Landmark collection; will unlock the Fortress Squatters quest)
 * Shimmer Stone Mine
 * Tersoro Tower
 * The Last Step
 * The Lost Idol
 * The Old Well
 * The Shortcut
 * The Surveyor
 * The Thing in the Dark
 * Zhores Tower

Trivia

 * In several published maps of Thedas, The Abyssal Rift is erroneously labeled as "The Abyssal Reach". The former label is the correct one.