Elven Alienage

See also: Alienage

The Denerim Alienage is a walled off, impoverished district of the city of Denerim, where the majority of Denerim's elves reside. It is the starting location of the City Elf Origin.

Background Edit

Involvement Edit

Dragon Age: Origins Edit

See City Elf Origin for information about who and what can be found at this location during the origin story.

After the origin story, the alienage is closed off after Arl Rendon Howe led a purge under the pretense of quelling off a rumoured elven riot, killing many elves in the process. This was done to cover up the fact that he had usurped the arling of Denerim. The purge was so violent, that the alienage's orphanage, where the Arl's soldiers mercilessly killed even elder and children elves, was haunted by demons not long after.

To make matters worse, sometime after the Battle of Ostagar, and due to infected Blight refugees arriving at Denerim seeking safe shelter, the elves were stricken by a virulent blight plague that killed even more of them,^[1] prompting off a quarantine of the alienage.

When Arl Eamon Guerrin calls the Landsmeet, Queen Anora informs the Warden of rumors of unrest in the alienage, believing it a good place to gather evidence against Teyrn Loghain. The following investigations uncover that Loghain had made 'arrangements' with a group of Tevinter slavers led by a mage named Caladrius. The arrangement ensured that the slavers would operate freely in Denerim's alienage in exchange for gold. The slavers used the quarantine as a cover up, claiming to be on a humanitarian mission to heal the elves with the personal consent of Loghain, while covertly kidnapping promising elves and shipping them off to Tevinter. Among the kidnapped elves may have been the alienage's elder, Valendrian.

During the Battle of Denerim, the alienage was besieged by a huge darkspawn force led by a powerful hurlock emissary. The alienage elves may or may have not helped the Warden to defend their home during the battle.

After the Battle of Denerim, the alienage fell under the leadership of Shianni, who replaced Valendrian as the elder.^[2] The new ruler of Ferelden may have called Shianni to be part of the court,^[3] and may have even promoted the alienage to be part of the bannorn, appointing an elf as its bann, to the surprise of many nobles.^[4] However, the lot of the Denerim elves didn't improved too much after the Fifth Blight. A food shortage not long after the Blight may have ended in a riot that forced the monarch to come down hard against elven rioters.^[5] By 9:40 Dragon, many of the surviving residents have largely abandoned the alienage.^[6]

The Darkspawn Chronicles Edit

The Archdemon commands the Hurlock vanguard to burn the alienage to the ground, giving special emphasis in the destruction of the vhenadahl. The Hurlock vanguard's forces kill all the Denerim's elves, including the Antivan crow Zevran Arainai, in the process.

Quests Edit

City Elf Origin Edit

Dragon Age: Origins Edit

The Darkspawn Chronicles Edit

Main quests Edit

Raze the Alienage

Side quests Edit

Characters Edit

Dragon Age: Origins Edit

• Alarith, in his store.
• Cyrion potentially returns to his home at conclusion of Unrest in the Alienage.
• Elder Valendrian potentially returns to his home at conclusion of Unrest in the Alienage.

• Haggard Human, only when first visited (or in the second visit, if you play a City Elf). He is being harassed by several elf thugs. After the Warden appears, the thugs flee. There is a single multiple choice dialogue option, while the human's responses will heavily vary based on the origin of the Warden. Afterwards, the haggard human leaves.
• Elf Guard, involved in the quest Unrest in the Alienage.
• Healer Saritor, involved in the quest Unrest in the Alienage.
• Healer Veras, involved in the quest Unrest in the Alienage.
• Hooded Courier, when on the quest Grease the Wheels.
• Ser Otto, can start the quest Something Wicked.
• Shianni, involved in the quest Unrest in the Alienage, first time talking to can yield Codex entry: Valendrian.
• Soris, in Cyrion's Home if not in Arl of Denerim's Estate - Dungeon
• Starved Veteran, a city elf beggar.
• Varel Baern, when on the quest Scraping the Barrel.
• Deranged Beggar, when on the quest Something Wicked and Hearing Voices.
• Tevinter Guards, involved in the quest Unrest in the Alienage.
• Soldier, involved in the quest Unrest in the Alienage.

The Darkspawn Chronicles Edit

• Elder Valendrian: As an enemy in the quest Burn the Vhenadahl.
• Zevran Arainai: As an enemy in the quest Slaughter the Elves.

Enemies Edit

Dragon Age: Origins Edit

There are no hostile characters when the Warden enters the area, though it is possible that a fight can break out during the investigation into the Unrest in the Alienage.

• Tevinter Healers (Human, Mage, Lieutenant)
• Tevinter Guards (Human, Warrior, Normal)
• Tevinter Soldiers (Human, Warrior, Normal)
• Elf Women (Elf, Warrior, Normal)

The Darkspawn Chronicles Edit

• Zevran Arainai (Elf, Rogue, Elite Boss)
• Valendrian (Elf, Warrior, Lieutenant)
• Elven Elder (Elf, Warrior, Lieutenant)
• Elven Defender (Elf, Warrior, Normal)
• Elven Archer (Elf, Warrior, Normal)
• Frightened Elf (Elf, Warrior, Normal)

Notable items Edit

Dragon Age: Origins Edit

Notable gifts for companions:

The Darkspawn Chronicles Edit

Notable gifts for companions:

Special objects Edit

• Mystical Site of Power
• Landmark Tree
• Various official notices banning elves from carrying weapons. Bearing arms is strictly prohibited: Elves who have swords will die upon them.
• Locked door to Valendrian's Home can be picked for 40 xp.
• Sign Alienage Tree yielding Codex entry: Vhenadahl: The Tree of the People
• Pile of blood (Can be clicked when on the quest Something Wicked)
• Feral Dog (Can be clicked when on the quest Something Wicked)

References Edit

1. ↑ According to dialogue with Shianni during Unrest in the Alienage.
2. ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 117.
3. ↑ According to the epilogue, if Alistair is made king.
4. ↑ According to the epilogue, if the royal boon is granted to a City Elf Warden, or the City Elf Warden did the Ultimate Sacrifice.
5. ↑ According to the epilogue, if Anora is made queen.
6. ↑ According to Sera's codex entry.