Antiva City

Antiva City
Type	Capital City
Terrain	Urban
Location	Coastal Antiva
Inhabitants	Humans Elves Dwarves
Appearances	Dragon Age: Origins (mentioned) Dragon Age II (mentioned) The Black Emporium (mentioned) Dragon Age: The Silent Grove Dragon Age: Last Flight Dragon Age: Inquisition (mentioned) Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights (mentioned)

Antiva City is the capital of the nation of Antiva and is a major port-city and center of trade.

History

While it had existed as a city-state under a king for some time prior, Antiva's history truly began with the introduction of pirates and raiders who established settlements on the west coast of the Rialto Bay. Antiva's king and the various settlements gradually developed a fragile but mutually beneficial relationship. It was this relationship, ostensibly a lucrative business decision, that formed the nation of Antiva and cemented its focus as a nation with a powerful mercantile tradition, making use of its coastal cities for trade opportunities with the other countries of Thedas. The most important of these coastal cities is Antiva City.

As a result of the importance of commerce in Antiva, the most influential class of Antivan society are the merchant princes, arguably more powerful than the weak monarchy that rules the country.

At the start of the Fourth Blight in 5:12 Exalted, the city was besieged and sacked by the darkspawn horde.

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Last Flight.

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When the Grey Wardens were called to defend the city, the Wardens refused, believing that the city would not withstand a siege and insisted that they instead evacuate. The royals hesitated, causing many ship captains to desert and take their ships, ruining an orderly evacuation. As a result of this event, King Elaudio was killed, when the Antivan Royal Guard rebelled against him. With the support of the Grey Wardens, the revolt was put down and Queen Giuvana managed to flee the city, though most of the surviving royals, including the Queen, were killed by the archdemon Andoral during the Wardens' efforts to evacuate them as the city fell. The rebellion was later covered up and it was proclaimed that the king died defending the City against the darkspawn.

The City was freed in 5:24 Exalted and rebuilt.

Culture and society

“Antiva City...Where they say every man is a poet or a merchant prince, and treachery is the coin of the realm.” ―Alistair

An Antiva City street

Antiva City is both beautiful and deadly, much like many of its denizens. A romantic location known for its wealthy port and robust trade, as well as the wine that is the country's main export, it also houses danger and intrigue as the base of operations of the Antivan Crows, a notorious and world-renowned guild of assassins, spies, and thieves. Due to its connection to the Crows, Antiva City also houses the Crows's Archive and its secret prison, Velabanchel. The Crows are feared and admired in the city by nobles and commoners alike, and enjoy enormous privilege in Antiva. Indeed, it is the threat of the Crows which keeps Antiva City--and Antiva as a whole--safe from outside attack, in addition to the country's political neutrality.

Given its permissive culture, Antiva City is home to several brothels. A brothel may foster orphaned children sired by its prostitutes, and these children may then be purchased at auction by the likes of the Antivan Crows.

Places

• Archive of the Crows – a secret location of the Antivan Crows which houses a "dragon's creche," a booby-trapped building designed to kill the unwary; the Crows and the dwarves of old collaborated and designed the structure
• The Perfumed Spring – a brothel
• Royal Bank of Antiva
• Velabanchel – a prison
• The Palace of the Kings – a statue of Queen Asha of Antiva towers over the entrance
• The Boulevard of the Seas – a street paved in turquoise and sea-green tiles (Exalted Age)
• The Golden Plaza – a plaza with dozens of gilded statues (Exalted Age)
• The Royal Palace – the Palace is constructed with slender towers and stained-glass windows (Exalted Age)

Notable residents

• Queen Asha Campana (Black Age)
• King Alonzo Campana^[note] (Black Age)
• King Elaudio (Exalted Age)
• Queen Giuvana – wife of King Elaudio (Exalted Age)
• Queen Madrigal (Exalted Age)
• Prince Azrin
• Prince Claudio Valisti
• Princess Ferenna
• Adorno Ciel Otranto
• Calien d'Evaliste (Exalted Age)
• Josephine Montilyet
• Rinna
• Taliesen
• Zevran Arainai

Trivia

• Based on conversation with Zevran Arainai in Dragon Age: Origins, Antiva City also has a leatherworking industry. He also mentions that it rains all the time but the flowers are always in bloom.
• Based on Alistair's narration in Dragon Age: The Silent Grove, the city smells of seawater mixed with wine and spice, or mold mixed with rotting fish.
• Fish chowder is a thick, creamy and classically Antivan soup that is well known in Antiva City.