Gwaren

Gwaren
Type	Teyrnir
Location	Southeast Ferelden
Inhabitants	Humans, elves
Population	10,000 (9:30 Dragon)
Appearances	Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne Dragon Age: The Calling (mentioned) Dragon Age Comic (mentioned) Dragon Age: Origins (mentioned) Dragon Age II (mentioned)

Gwaren is a major, but remote town on the southeast corner of Ferelden as it is surrounded by the Brecilian Forest and is accessible only by ship or by travelling along the Brecilian Passage. It is one of the last two teyrnirs in Ferelden, the other being Highever. Its heraldic device is a yellow wyvern.

Background

Concept art of Gwaren

Gwaren used to be an underground dwarven outpost connected to the Deep Roads which served as a source of salt and a means by which the dwarves could reach the sea-lanes of the Amaranthine Ocean. As the dwarves were unwilling to come to the surface, they made an agreement with the local teyrn to build a port and relied on the humans to ferry goods between the surface and the underground outpost. This made Gwaren a prosperous place and extraordinarily wealthy for a time. However, during the Divine Age the darkspawn took control of the Deep Roads which forced the dwarves to abandon Gwaren. This led the surrounding barbarian tribes to take advantage of Gwaren's weakened state and sack its wealth.

During the Black Age, Ferelden was plagued by Werewolf attacks. The most potent of these happened in Gwaren, where one quarter of its population was killed. Ultimately however, Fereldans managed to eliminate the threat.

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne.

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During the Orlesian occupation of Ferelden, in the reign of the Orlesian King Meghren, Teyrn Voric was Gwaren's teyrn. However he was accused of giving the rebel army safe harbor so he and his entire family were executed and Gwaren was afterwards ruled by one of Meghren's cousins. At the height of the Fereldan Rebellion, in 8:99 Blessed, Gwaren was captured by the rebel army led by Prince Maric Theirin and became the first settlement being liberated from the Orlesian rule. After the rebel's disastrous attack on West Hill they retreated there and the usurper laid siege to the town. Sometime later, Maric returned to Gwaren through the Deep Roads though rumor said that he had risen from the dead. Upon hearing about Maric's return and believing the rumor, the townspeople rose in open rebellion against the usurper. The combined strength of the townspeople, Maric's forces and a regiment of the Legion of the Dead were enough to achieve a major defeat on the usurper's forces and liberate Gwaren once more, though not before half of the town's population were slain and the town set ablaze.

From 9:11 Dragon, Loghain Mac Tir is the appointed Teyrn of Gwaren.

Involvement

Dragon Age: Origins

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

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During the Fifth Blight, Gwaren was rumored to have been overrun by darkspawn but most of the population survived by leaving with ships. It is reported that Regent Loghain didn't do anything to defend his teyrnir.

If the Warden asks for a title and riches during the coronation, Gwaren and all of Loghain's assets are granted to them.

Dragon Age II

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age II.

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At some point, Loghain's manse in Gwaren was looted, taking many of his personal possessions, including the armor he wore at the Battle of the River Dane. Hawke and their family, along with Aveline Vallen, take a ship from Gwaren to Kirkwall in order to escape the Blight.

The heraldry of Gwaren

Notable citizens

• Anora Mac Tir
• Embri: A Tranquil and talented elven enchanter.
• Loghain Mac Tir
• Datlin

Trivia

• The name Gwaren comes from the dwarven words gwah and ren meaning "Saltpool".
• Despite its remote location, Gwaren continued to find value as a source of fish and timber.

See also

Codex entry: Gwaren