Old Gods



Old Gods are beings that were worshipped by a significant number of Thedosians, specifically the mages of the Tevinter Imperium, thousands of years ago. The mages worshipped them in the form of dragons. Legend holds that it was the Old Gods who initially taught mages how to use magic. Some believe archdemons to be the sleeping Old Gods corrupted by the darkspawn.

Background
What the Old Gods actually are and their relation to the Maker is very mysterious. What is certain is that the Chantry teaches that the Old Gods were false. They turned mortals from worship of the Maker, recognized as the "First Sin". As a result, the Maker imprisoned them underground. Their minds continued to roam the Fade like any other dreaming individual's mind would, and they were able to contact the Magisters and teach them to use magic in hope that the magisters might free them. It was for this reason that the magisters entered the Golden City in a failed attempt to usurp the Maker's throne, inadvertently causing the First Blight.

Hidden temples devoted to the Old Gods are believed to have existed, but were supposedly demolished during the First Blight. Cults devoted to the Old Gods are rumored to still exist in some places.

Relation between the Old Gods and the Darkspawn
In Dragon Age: Awakening, it is revealed that there is a particular relation between darkspawn and the slumbering Old Gods. The darkspawn taint is linked with the ancient dragons, all darkspawn constantly hearing the call of the Old Gods. It is presumed that as the fall of the magisters occurred—and they were transformed into the first darkspawn—the link between them and the Old Gods who had ordered them to sin against the Maker remained. Hearing their call, the darkspawn search for the Old Gods continuously. When they find one, they corrupt it and it becomes an archdemon, proceeding to command them into a horde and unleash a new Blight.

The Architect, a sentient darkspawn emissary in Dragon Age: Awakening, describes the call of the Old Gods as a "terribly beautiful sound". He goes on to consider darkspawn existence and their pursuit for the ancient dragons as a never-ending aspiration towards a perfection they can never have, as it is corrupted in the instant they touch it.

It is also revealed that at some time after their Joining, Grey Wardens also start hearing this call. This is the actual Calling and the moment when Grey Wardens know they must descend into the Deep Roads to find their death in battle. The alternative would be to become fully tainted, nothing more than ghouls.

The Seven Old Gods
The Magisters worshipped seven Old Gods. The first—and the leader of the others—was called Dumat, the Dragon of Silence. According to scholars, Dumat was the first Old God to transform into an archdemon and consequently slain during the First Blight.


 * Dumat, the Dragon of Silence and the archdemon of the First Blight
 * Zazikel, the Dragon of Chaos and the archdemon of the Second Blight
 * Toth, the Dragon of Fire and the archdemon of the Third Blight
 * Andoral, the Dragon of Slaves and the archdemon of the Fourth Blight
 * Urthemiel, the Dragon of Beauty and the archdemon of the Fifth Blight
 * Razikale, the Dragon of Mystery
 * Lusacan, the Dragon of Night

Trivia

 * Dumat's name may be a reference to Dumah, the "angel of silence" in Jewish mythology. This may also be the case for Razikale who could be a reference to Raziel the "angel of mystery/God's secret".


 * The name "Old God" could possibly be an H. P. Lovecraft reference. In many of his writings he refers to ancient, often malevolent, cosmic deities of great physical and spiritual power capable of driving men to madness. These are in relation with the infamous Cthulhu and many others, some of which have an appearence similar to a twisted and unnaturally corrupted dragon much like the archdemons.
 * Toth, the archdemon responsible for the third Blight, may be a reference to either Azathoth or Yog-Sothoth, two Outer Gods of Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. Or possibly Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom.
 * Following the events of Dragon Age Origins, there are only two Old Gods left in existence, thus it is plausible that only two more potential Blights could occur.