Emprise du Lion

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

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

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.^[2]

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.^[3]

Red Templars seize control of Suledin Keep and utilize the stronghold as their newest headquarters while exploiting the nearby quarry. The Keep is currently is being used for the growth and harvest of Red lyrium to supply their forces. Raids on the nearby village of Sahrnia has progressed the Red Templars agenda by the unwarranted procuring of villagers used to mine the quarry. Due to the Red Templars' sudden interest in Emprise du Lion the Inquisition opens an investigation into their activity in the region. The Inquisitor can gain access to Emprise du Lion by completing the Liberate Emprise du Lion war table scouting operation in Skyhold.

Places

Regions

Emprise-du-Lion-Map — Map of Emprise du Lion

Note: The 16 regions below make up the Regions in the Emprise collection. Discovering all of them grants 200 Influence.

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

Note: Even through there are 17 locations listed, only 16 are required to complete Regions in the Emprise. Valeska's Watch does not add to the quest's counter total nor does it count as a separate location for Drakon's Rise.

Inquisition Camps

Highgrove Camp
Sahrnia Camp
Tower Camp

Characters

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

Creatures

Enemies

Bear
Black wolf
Hurlock alpha
Ghoul
Great Bear
Highland Ravager
Hivernal
Kaltenzahn
Dragonling
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

Landmarks in the Emprise

Shards

Shards in the Emprise

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.

Note: The illusory wall leading to the Ardent Blossom is located just west of the Veilfire torch; see side quest The Tiniest Cave for specifics.

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.

Memories of the Grey

Joining Chalice - Found on an altar in Valeska's Watch.
Grey Warden Armor - In Valeska's Watch, found in the same room as the Valeska's Watch landmark.

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 unmarked cave south of Highgrove Camp: when following the path through Alphonse's Passage west from Drakon's Rise Camp, it is visible in the bend of passage due south of Highgrove Camp. It 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

xboxonepcps4 The glyph may be rendered inside of the cave wall and not visible, but can still be interacted with. ^{[confirmation needed]}
pc 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.