Emprise du Lion is an area in the Highlands of the Dales.[1] It is a cold and craggy environment dotted with elven ruins.
Background
Emprise du Lion is a snow-covered area formerly occupied by elves. Several ancient elven ruins including a large keep and coliseums are located in the area. The hot springs in the Emprise have attracted dragons in recent years.
The ancient and the modern co-exist in the highlands of Emprise du Lion, where relics of the lost elven nation are scattered among bustling human villages. These hills are home to the village of Sahrnia, known throughout Orlais for its quarry, which produces azure granite of remarkable quality.
—Excerpt from the quest journal
Involvement
The Inquisition investigates Red Templar activity in Emprise du Lion. The Red Templars seize Suledin Keep as their headquarters and begin to use the nearby quarry as a site for the growth and harvest of Red lyrium to supply their forces. They have also made several raids on the nearby village of Sahrnia. The Inquisitor can gain access to Emprise du Lion by completing Liberate Emprise du Lion scouting operation at the war table in Skyhold.
From the writings of Knight-Captain Fornier:
We arrived in the Highlands at night. I was immediately given the task of overseeing the acquisition and staffing of the Sahrnia quarry. I asked the general why we needed a quarry, if the crystals will grow anywhere. Apparently the Elder One believes the composition of the earth here will ensure that it grows more rapidly and abundantly. I didn't ask why he believes this. The general doesn't like questions. He probably doesn't know.
Some of my men feel we should take the quarry by force. The general did not specify how I was to secure the land, so I am considering a more subtle approach. Any suspicions we raise will increase the chance of a military investigation, perhaps even the newly formed Inquisition. We must operate in secret as long as possible.
—Excerpt from Codex entry: Suledin Keep Documents
Places
Regions
- Alphonse's Passage
- Drakon's Rise
- Drakon's Tower
- Elfsblood River
- Elfsblood Tower
- Elven Ruin
- Etienne's Ring
- Highgrove
- Judicael's Crossing
- Judicael's Ring
- Leontine's Ring
- Pools of Sun
- Sahrnia
- Sahrnia Quarry
- Suledin Keep
- Tower of Bone
- Valeska's Watch
Inquisition Camps
- Highgrove Camp
- Sahrnia Camp
- Tower Camp
Characters
- Baron Edouard Desjardins
- Imshael
- Michel de Chevin
- Mistress Poulin
- Suledin Keep Merchant
Quests
A Timely Intervention
Breeding Grounds
Caged Confession
Call Me Imshael
Capturing Suledin Keep
Mama's Ring
Red Captors
Rocky Rescue
Rumors of the Sulevin Blade
Securing Safe Passage
Sifting Through Rubble
Stalker
Take Back the Lion
The Corruption of Sahrnia
They Shall Not Pass
Turning the Tables
Quarry Quandary
Valeska's Watch
Words not Hollow
Rifts
Rifts at Drakon's Cleft
Rift at Elfsblood Tower
Rifts in the Springs
Rift on Frozen Water
Requisitions
Bloodstone Survey in the Emprise
Brazier Requisition in the Emprise
Coat Requisition in the Emprise
Shelter Requisition in the Emprise
Creatures
Enemies
- Bear
- Black wolf
- Hurlock alpha
- Ghoul
- Great Bear
- Highland Ravager
- Hivernal
- Kaltenzahn
- Red Templars
- Red Templar
- Red Templar Marksman
- Red Templar Guard
- Red Templar Shadow
- Red Templar Horror
- Red Templar Knight
- Behemoth
- Despair demon
- Pride demon
- Greater Terror
- Lesser Terror
- Fearling
Collections
Bottles on the Wall
Legacy White Shear - Search near the entrance of the locked tower in Sahrnia quarry.
Abyssal Peach - Inside Suledin Keep, head past the cages and the first Giant encounter, search just before the lyrium tents.
Dragon Hunter
Hivernal
Kaltenzahn
Highland Ravager
Landmarks
Shards
Skyhold Customizations
Orlesian Throne - see judgment of Mistress Poulin; related quest: Rocky Rescue.
Inquisition Banner - Capture Suledin Keep (conditional: awarded after the Inquisitor captures their first keep.
Inquisition Banner Crown - Capture all three keeps: Caer Bronach, Griffon Wing Keep, and Suledin Keep.
Resources
Herbs
Arbor Blessing
Black Lotus
Elfroot
Felandaris
Rashvine
Rashvine Nettle
Metal
Bloodstone
Dawnstone
Silverite
Notable items
Elven artifacts
- On a cliffside ledge east of Drakon's Tower and Valeska's Watch.
- Hidden within an arch directly north (or to the right of) the ocularum in the 2nd dragon ring near the 'Leontine's Steward' region. The artifact is hidden from view; to access the artifact, jump down from the last archway in the ring to the large rock-ledge below.
Logging stands
- South-east of the Highgrove Camp.
- The island at the center of the frozen lake, by an unmarked hunter campsite, and a tower with a locked door.
Red Jenny's Caches
- Inside Sahrnia Quarry, northwest of the Sahrnia Quarry landmark.
Veilfire glyphs
Frost Rune Schematic - Found within the cave in Sahrnia Quarry, the entrance begins south of the Suledin Keep map marker. The Veilfire torch is located at the end of the cave, the glyph is roughly halfway through, almost directly west of the Suledin Keep map marker just past the loot box on a small ledge.
Loot
- Amulet of Death Syphon - see side quest Sifting Through Rubble
- Amulet of Renewal - Looted from Imshael; see side quest Call Me Imshael.Note: Trespasser required.
- Ardent Blossom - Found down the endless staircase near Suledin Keep, see side quest The Tiniest Cave.
- Caliban - Looted from the high dragon Kaltenzahn.
- Curse of Morrac - Found in Elfsblood Tower.
- Duke's Mane - Looted from the Highland Ravager high dragon.
- Griffon Mace Schematic - Randomly available at the Suledin Keep Merchant for 8317 .Note: Requires The Short List Inquisition perk.
- Keeper Robe Schematic - Looted from the Highland Ravager high dragon.
- Knightslayer - Looted from a corpse inside Valeska's Watch.
- March of the Everlasting - Looted from Imshael; see side quest Call Me Imshael.
- Masterwork Battlemage Armor - Looted from the Highland Ravager high dragon.
- Masterwork Battlemaster Armor - Looted from the high dragon Hivernal.
- Masterwork Prowler Armor - Looted from the high dragon Kaltenzahn.
- Pure Spirit Essence (x3) - Possible reward from Imshael; see side quest Call Me Imshael.
- Rebuke of the Sunderland - Found in Elfsblood Tower.
- Sad Splinters - Looted from the destroyed gate remains; see side quest Capturing Suledin Keep.
- Staff of the Void - Looted from the high dragon Hivernal.
- Superb Cleansing Rune Schematic - Available for purchase from the Suledin Keep Merchant for 7294 .
- Superb Corrupting Rune - Possible reward from Imshael; see side quest Call Me Imshael.
- Superior Grenades Belt - Looted from the high dragon Hivernal.
- Superior Guard Belt - Looted from the Highland Ravager high dragon.
- Superior Potions Belt - Looted from the high dragon Kaltenzahn.
- Walking Death - Looted from the Highland Ravager high dragon.
- Wintersbreath - Looted from a corpse inside Valeska's Watch.
- Yavanalis - Randomly available at the Suledin Keep Merchant for 17148 .Note: Requires The Short List Inquisition perk.
Codex entries
Codex entry: Emprise du Lion
Codex entry: Exhuming Bodies by Moonlight
Codex entry: In Death
Codex entry: Judicael's Crossing
Codex entry: Suledin Keep Documents
Codex entry: Tower of Bone
Codex entry: Trading with Kal-Sharok
Codex entry: Valeska's Watch
Notes
- There is a small cave between Highgrove and Drakon's Rise Camps, west of the logging camp that has frozen bodies hanging from the ceiling, weapons scattered on the ground, a pyramid shaped box with a note that says "DON'T TOUCH MY PYRAMID" and a loot chest (See gallery picture below).
Trivia
- In French, "Emprise du Lion" is translated as the "Lion's Grip".
Bugs
- The glyph may be rendered inside of the cave wall and not visible, but can still be interacted with. [confirmation needed]
- Southwest of the Tower Camp there is an icon of a locked door next to a tower corresponding to the locked door underground at Valeska's Watch. This icon may not correctly disappear from the map after the door is opened.