Ashur

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Ashur, also known as The Viper, is one of the leaders of the Shadow Dragons. Ashur is the Viper's middle name and his real identity is a mystery.^[1]

Background[]

A masked man who watches over Minrathous. He is known to hunt slavers and instigate slave rebellions. They say he arrives, helps the slaves, finds them new lives, then disappears.^[2] Ashur is an altus mage, born and bred, rumored to be a scion of the Vesperian family.^[3]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

In fact, Ashur is also rumored to be the Imperial Divine, said to be the product of at least four great bloodlines and groomed from birth for the position.^[4] This rumor is further supported by the fact that Divine Aequitas II,^[5] the current Divine, is known to be the youngest son of Corimer Vesperian and to have spoken out in favor of Maevaris Tilani's Lucerni party until their fall.^[6] In ambient dialogue, Tarquin also asks whether Ashur can intervene about Knight-Commander Lenos, as the templars are still part of the Imperial Chantry, while the Venatori think it would "suit him" to be sacrificed in the Temple of Andraste if captured during The Tempered Soul, Everlasting.

Involvement[]

Short story: Minrathous Shadows[]

Tarquin interrupts a female magister's card game to show her a ledger implicating her of involvement with the illegal slave trade and working with the Venatori. Angered that such an indictment can ruin her reputation, the fugitive magister begins to evoke an attack spell, only for the Viper (who was disguised as the dealer) to dispel her spell. The fugitive magister asks Tarquin and the Viper who are they and what do they want; only for Tarquin and the Viper to tell her that they are the Tevinter she forgot and they want everything.^[7]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard[]

This section is incomplete and requires expansion.

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Rook and Neve Gallus return to Minrathous to meet up with Tarquin and the Viper, a.k.a. Ashur. The Veilguard ask the Shadow Dragons for any leads on the elven gods' diabolical plans for Tevinter. The Shadows say the Venatori have been doing underground blood magic sacrifices and smuggling red lyrium artifacts that enhance blood magic and facilitate demon summoning. The Shadows managed to destroy one and tore another off a slaver, but one more is still unaccounted for. With the Venatori gossiping about D'Meta's Crossing, the Shadows concluded they are gathering power for the pair of elven gods. While Neve and Rook deal with the last red lyrium relic, the Shadows continue to spy on the Venatori and their ties to the elven gods.^[8]

Ashur is the leader of the Shadow Dragons and serves as Rook's main point of contact with them.

Ashur enlists the Veilguard's aid in clearing the Anvallenim of darkspawn. When the Veilguard return, they report that the Venatori have been controlling the darkspawn with a relic given to them by Elgar'nan, and also they have been using the darkspawn to try to flush the Shadow Dragons out of their Safehouse. After securing the Anvallenim, the Veilguard investigate a Venatori warehouse and discover that Knight-Commander Lenos is being paid off by the Venatori.^[9]

If Rook chooses to save Treviso:

If Rook saves Treviso, Ashur is blighted during the attack on Minrathous. He does not blame Rook for this outcome, and even defends them when Tarquin (if not a Shadow Dragon) or Tarquin and Neve (if a Shadow Dragon) blame Rook for his fate, stating that it wasn't their fault but his own choice. Tarquin suggests contacting the Grey Wardens for help, though Ashur refuses, as he already knows of magic that can slow the progression of the blight. Despite Ashur's refusal, Tarquin contacts Wardens Evka Ivo and Antoine to ask for advice on the matter. The Wardens tell him they can only help if Ashur agrees to join the Wardens, and imply that he is otherwise likely to die within the year.

Weakened by his condition, Ashur is captured by the Venatori, and requires rescue. If he is not rescued, he may be presumed dead.

When Rook arrives in Minrathous during the final assault on the city, they encounter Ashur and Tarquin. If Rook is badly prepared for the battle, Ashur will be killed by blight tentacles when Tarquin fails to defend him. Otherwise, Ashur and Tarquin will both make it through the fight.

Ashur's fate following Rook's victory against Elgar'nan is unknown, and it is not clear whether Ashur can recover from his blight sickness like Neve/Bellara can during the Battle of Minrathous.

If Rook chooses to save Minrathous:

If Rook saves Minrathous, Ashur is not blighted, and still serves as a contact for the Shadow Dragons. When Rook attacks the dragons that attacked Minrathous and Treviso, Ashur leads the Shadow Dragons during the battle, providing Rook with enchanted ballista bolts. With the Shadow Dragons' assistance, Rook is able to defeat the blighted dragons.

Ashur appears to survive the Battle of Minrathous, whatever Rook's level of preparedness.