Black City

"At a touch, the gate swung wide, And the Light parted before them like a curtain Swept aside by nothing."

The Black City, formerly known as the Golden City and the heart of heaven, is a city in the Fade, said to be the former seat of the Maker or the realm of the Old Gods, depending on the religious perspective.

Early History
Paintings indicate that it was within mankind's history that once the city was Golden and not Black.

The Chantry teaches that after the Maker created His firsborn, He "called forth a city with towers of gold, streets with music for cobblestones, and banners which flew without wind". It was a perfect, holy citadel where He dwelled on His golden throne, and spirits populated its many spires. Dissatisfied with His first children, the Maker expelled them out of the Golden City, created men and sealed the gates. When His secondborn started to worship the Old Gods and thus committed the First Sin, the Maker abandoned the Golden City and His ungrateful creations.

The Maker's mortal children entered the city when they died.

Some accounts suggest that the Old Gods began whispering to humanity from the Golden City in -2800 Ancient, three hundred years after the arrival of humans in Thedas. People of ancient Tevinter believed the Creator had abandoned the city long before that and they were adrift, rescued by the Old Gods.

Elves believe that their gods have been trapped in the Eternal City at the heart of Beyond and that Fen'Harel still roams the Beyond, keeping watch over the gods lest they escape from their prisons.

Blackening
In -395 Ancient (800 TE) seven Magisters Sidereal, each a High Priest to one of the Old Gods, opened a gate into the Golden City with blood magic and entered it physically. The city turned black as soon as they arrived, and the mages were cast back to Thedas as the first darkspawn, triggering the First Blight.

Avernus stated that the Black City holds "an answer to what the taint is."

Current State
An island with the Black City is the one constant geographical feature within the Fade. At any time, one can look up and see it in the sky, always in the distance. Actually traveling to the Black City from elsewhere in the Fade is impossible; no matter the actions of the dreamer, it remains equidistant from all other points of reference. Even the most powerful spirits and demons seem to avoid the place.

The Black City is a home of darkness and nightmares with cold and twisted spires, "its towers forever stained, its gates forever shut".

According to the Chantry, there is no more heaven for souls to pass into after death. Those who worship the Maker are gathered to His side while those who do not must wander endlessly in the Void. This is not a form of punishment, but a consequence of human corruption. The Chantry believes that when the Chant of Light is sung from the four corners of the world, He will return, rebuild the city, and make the mortal world a paradise.

Trivia

 * It is claimed that an elf named Temolai created a helm that allowed him to gaze upon the Black City. The craftsman was lost forever.