The Exalted Plains, also known as Dirthavaren ("the promise") in elvish, is a region of the Dales in Orlais. The Exalted Plains is a grassland region with myriad abandoned forts.
Background[]
It was here, centuries ago, that the Dalish kingdom met its bitter end, the holdouts of the elven army making their last stand, refusing to surrender against the champions of Andraste: the templar, the sister, and the nobleman patron. The champions' cause was just, and their faith led them to victory. The plains were henceforth called "Exalted."[1] After the elves' defeat and the dissolution of their kingdom, Ville Montevelan became the first human settlement in the Dales, presided over by Revered Mother Amity, Champion of the Exalted March.
The Exalted Plains are steeped in conflict. Centuries ago, the Elves of the Dale made their last stand here. More recently, The Plains played host to some of the most heated conflicts of the Orlesian Civil War. Somehow, despite ages of unrest, the lands the elves call "Dirthavaren" retain a fragile beauty.
—Excerpt from the quest journal
Involvement[]
Ville Montevelan ruins
The Exalted Plains are a contested battlefield during the War of the Lions until Empress Empress Celene and Gaspard de Chalons's armies agree to cease hostilities until the outcome of the peace talks in Halamshiral. After both armies retreat to their camps, Val Royeaux loses all contact. The Inquisition can investigate the breakdown in communications to provide stability to the region. The Inquisitor can gain access to the Plains by completing the Investigate the Exalted Plains war table scouting operation in Skyhold.
If the Inquisitor chooses to investigate the situation, they discover that spirits have come forth to possess the corpses of those that have fallen, while deserters have formed into a group known as the Freemen of the Dales and harass both sides of the war. Further investigation reveals that the leader of the Freemen on the Plains is in fact a Venatori mage sent to infiltrate the deserters to sow dissent within Orlais' armies and that he deliberately stockpiled bodies to attract spirits.
Places[]
Map of the Exalted Plains
Regions[]
Note: The 21 regions below make up the Regions in the Plains collection. Discovering all of them grants 200 Influence.
- Ancient Baths
- Citadelle du Corbeau (stronghold for Empress Celene's Troops)
- Crow Fens
Dalish Encampment (home to Keeper Hawen's clan)- The Dead Hand
- Desolate Bank
- Eastern Ramparts
- Enavuris
- Fort Revasan (stronghold for Grand Duke Gaspard's Troops)
- Ghilan'nain's Grove
- Halin'sulahn
- Northern Ramparts
- Path of Flame
- Riel
- Riverside Garrison
- Shrine to Sylaise
- Var Bellanaris
- Unadin Grotto
- Victory Rise
- Ville Montevelan
- Western Ramparts
Inquisition camps[]
- Path of Flame Camp
- Riverwatch Camp
- Fens Camp
Characters[]
- Marshall Bastien Proulx
- Emalien
- Fabienne
- Gordian
- Keeper Hawen
- Ser Hildebrandt[2]
- Ithiren
- Commander Jehan
- Loranil
- Sergeant Meursault
- Nissa
- Olafin
- Corporal Rosselin
- Valorin
Merchants[]
- Master Taniel
Quests[]
- A Dalish Perspective (only available prior to reaching the Dalish Encampment)
- A Familiar Ring
- A Father's Guidance
- All New, Faded for Her
- Another Side, Another Story
- A Well-Stocked Camp
- By the Grace of the Dalish
- Calming Victory Rise
- For the Empire
- From the Beyond
- Ghilan'nain's Grove
- Holding the Exalted Plains
- Lay Rest the Eastern Ramparts
- Lay Rest the Western Ramparts
- Left to Grieve
- Map of Enavuris
- Map of Halin'sulahn
- No Word Back
- Pressed for Cache
- Scattered Glyphs
- Silence on the Plains
- Sketch of Enavuris River
- Someone to Lose
- Something to Prove
- The Spoils of Desecration
- The Golden Halla
- Undead Ramparts to the West
Rifts[]
Requisitions[]
- Armor Requisition on the Plains
- Bloodstone Survey on the Plains
- Harness Requisition on the Plains
- Lore Requisition on the Plains (see bugs below)
- Obsidian Survey on the Plains
- Spyglass Requisition on the Plains
War table operations[]
- Exalted Plains Resources
- Gain Access to Ghilan'nain's Grove
- Investigate the Exalted Plains
- Repair Pont Agur
Creatures[]
- Halla
- Hanal'ghilan (a unique golden halla)
- Snoufleur
Hostile creatures[]
- Gurgut
- Wolf
- Black wolf
- Wyvern
- Snowy Wyvern (a unique leucistic wyvern)
- Gamordan Stormrider
Enemies[]
- Freemen of the Dales
- Freemen Archer (Rogue)
- Freemen Guardsmen (Warrior - Mace and Tower Shield)
- Freemen Prowler (Rogue - Double Daggers)
- Freemen Soldier (Warrior - One-Handed Sword)
- Venatori
- Venatori Rifters
- Demons
- Undead
Collections[]
Bottles on the Wall[]
- Finale by Massaad - search the basement of the Riverside Garrison.
- Alvarado's Bathtub Boot Screech - search inside the tower located on the Eastern Ramparts.
- Vintage: Warden Korenic - search inside a yellow house by the river in Ville Montevelan.
- Vintage: Warden Tontiv - southwest of the Riverwatch Inquisition Camp, search inside the burning red house.
Dragon Hunter[]
Landmarks[]
Mosaics[]
Invasion numbering
- Invasion (piece #1) - at the entrance of the Dead Hand, on a rock behind The Dead Hand landmark.
- Invasion (piece #2) - inside the Dead Hand cave, on the left-hand side of the main room where the puzzle is located.
- Invasion (piece #3) - in the northern section of the Ancient Baths, on a pier over looking the water.
- Invasion (piece #4) - directly east of Lindiranae's Fall landmark, on the east side of the rocks overlooking the Eastern Ramparts, near a campfire in the small alcove.
- Invasion (piece #5) - in the final chamber of Unadin Grotto in Var Bellanaris.
Shards[]
Skyhold Customizations[]
- Chantry Banner - inside a tower located on the Eastern Ramparts where Gordian is encountered (the tower also contains a shard).
- Dalish Banner Crown - rewarded up completion of the side quest For the Empire.
Songs[]
- Codex entry: The Silver Knight - on the ground in a ruined pinkish house just south of the Ville Montevelan landmark (west of the Triumph of the Light landmark).
Resources[]
Herbs[]
Leather[]
Metals[]
Notable items[]
Elven artifacts[]
- Beside the bridge near the Offering to the Dread Wolf landmark in the Crow Fens.
Logging stands[]
- In the Halin'Sulahn region near a shard and southeast of where the Dalish hunter is encountered (near the Veilfire symbol for word).
- Northeast of the Dalish Encampment, directly across the river.
Quarries[]
- Northeast of Offering to the Dread Wolf landmark (just north of the Gamordan Stormrider high dragon, in the Crow Fens).
- Northwest of the Dalish Encampment, across the river, just to the south of a rock formation.
Red Jenny's Caches[]
- Within the L shaped walls in the Enavuris Ruins, directly north from the Dalish Encampment; west of the Lindiranae's Fall landmark.
- Exit the Riverside Garrison and travel around to the southeastern side (sometimes bugged).
Loot[]
- Ancient Elven Robes - looted from a corpse; see side quest Something to Prove.
- Bianca Aiming II (Enhanced) Schematic - looted from the Gamordan Stormrider high dragon.
- Cleave - see side quest Map of Enavuris
- Farslayer - on the ground behind the rift north of the Riverside Garrison.
- Lady Jocasta's Revenge - looted from the Gamordan Stormrider high dragon.
- Masterwork Firm Bianca Grip Schematic - see side quest Map of Halin'sulahn
- Masterwork Scout Armor - see side quest Sketch of Enavuris River
- Rendor's Blade - looted from a Revenant; see side quest For the Empire.
- Ring of Doubt - looted from a corpse; see side quest Something to Prove.Note: Requires installation of Patch 10.
- Robes of the High Keeper - available for purchase from Master Taniel in the Dalish Encampment for 14212 .
- Sad Weapon Schematic - in a random dung pile near the Riverwatch Inquisition Camp and Ville Montevelan.
- Superb Amulet of Cunning - see side quest the Dead Hand
- Superb Amulet of Dexterity - looted from the Gamordan Stormrider high dragon.
- Superb Belt of Ranged Defense - see side quest The Spoils of Desecration
- Superb Belt of Staggering - looted from a vase in a tower northwest of Fort Revasan.Note: Requires Deft Hands, Fine Tools Inquisition perk.
Codex entries[]
- Codex entry: Andruil: Goddess of the Hunt
- Codex entry: Andruil's Messenger
- Codex entry: Crumpled Missive
- Codex entry: The Dales: A Promise Lost
- Codex entry: Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets
- Codex entry: The Exalted Plains
- Codex entry: Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide
- Codex entry: Fen'Harel: The Dread Wolf
- Codex entry: Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance
- Codex entry: Ghilan'nain: Mother of the Halla
- Codex entry: Halla
- Codex entry: Hard in Hightown: Chapter Eight
- Codex entry: June: God of the Craft
- Codex entry: Legend of the Three Sisters: Book 1
- Codex entry: Legend of the Three Sisters: Book 2
- Codex entry: Legend of the Three Sisters: Book 3
- Codex entry: Map of Enavuris
- Codex entry: Map of Halin'sulahn
- Codex entry: Memorials of the Second Exalted March
- Codex entry: Mythal: the Great Protector
- Codex entry: Old Journal
- Codex entry: Scattered Notes
- Codex entry: The Silver Knight
- Codex entry: Sketch of Enavuris River
- Codex entry: The Soul Canto
- Codex entry: Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper
- Codex entry: Ville Montevelan
Note texts[]
- A Challenge
- Confessions
- Damp Note
- The Elven Glyphs
- Foreman's Logbook
- Freemen Messages (collect the dead)
- Freemen Messages (Herald of Andraste)
- Freemen Messages (Jocelyne)
- Gallows Records
- Incomplete Letter
- Infatuation
- Instructions for the Maid
- A Letter
- A List
- Love Letter
- A Note
- Ripped Piece of Paper
- Scribbled Message
- Soggy Journal
- Sun-Bleached Journal
- Thin Scratches
- Torn Chit
- An Unsent Letter
- Valorin's Journal
Notes[]
- After the main quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts has been completed, Commander Jehan and Marshall Proulx can be spoken to for additional dialogue, and new ambient dialogue can also be heard from the Orlesian soldiers stationed at Fort Revasan and Citadelle du Corbeau.
- Although the door leading further into Citadelle du Corbeau can be highlighted, it cannot be opened by any means.
Trivia[]
- If Varric is in the party when approaching the bridge at Pont Agur prior to it's repair, he will shout: "Don't anyone think of throwing me," which is in reference to a scene with Gimli from the film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, whereby the party is attempting to escape from the Balrog in Moria. Gimli refuses aid and makes a rather difficult jump, stating "nobody tosses a dwarf." Later during the battle at Helm's Deep, Gimli reluctantly demands that Aragorn throw him across a chasm, as he is unable to make the lengthy jump, to battle against the Uruk Hai.
- When approaching Fort Revasan, the party will encounter Orlesian troops fighting with an Arcane horror and some Corpses. One of the Orlesians will shout out, "Aim for the eyes!" which is a reference to Minsc's famous battle cry instruction to his space hamster companion, Boo. This appears to be a favorite easter egg of BioWare's, as they have also made reference to Minsc's command in one of Tali's combat comments.
Bugs[]
- Lore Requisition on the Plains cannot be completed. When attempting to complete the quest all items are consumed and the quest restarts automatically, preventing the Inquisitor from obtaining other requisition quests in that area. For PC users there is an unofficial mod which fixes the issue here. A fix has also been included in Bugs Be Gone, a compilation of multiple bug fixes for Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Gallery[]
The Crow Fens
References[]
- ↑ A message from Marshal Bastien Proulx to his soldiers before battle was joined; excerpt from Codex entry: The Exalted Plains
- ↑ See side quest Unfinished Business.