High dragons are fully mature adult female dragons, one of the rarest of all dragonkin. At the end of the Blessed Age, many in Thedas believed that all of the dragons had vanished. However, a high dragon emerged from the unknown and went on a rampage in the Frostbacks. Divine Faustine II declared the next age to be that of the Dragon.[1] The sight of the dragon's rise was thought to be a good omen for Loghain Mac Tir and his rebels, who went on to defeat the Orlesian army at the River Dane.[2]
Behavior 
Edit
High dragons hollow out massive lairs for themselves; as an abunce of space is needed to house their harem of drakes and dragonlings, and to shelter their eggs. Living for more than a thousand years, they are seldom seen and spend most of their time sleeping and mating, living off the prey produced by the drakes.
High dragons are extremely territorial and will typically attack anything on site that trespasses within its claimed vicinity. Even larger creatures such as giants[3] know better than to free roam near a high dragons domain; this includes other high dragons as well.
Once every hundred years or so, the high dragon prepares for clutching by emerging from her lair and taking wing. She will fly far and wide eating hundreds of animals, most often livestock, over the course of a few weeks, carving a path of sheer destruction engulfed in smoldering flames, devastation anything in her wake. During this time entire villages and forests can be reduced to ash, leaving hundreds dead or displaced. She will then returns to her lair to lay her eggs and will not appear in the skies again for another century.[4][5]
Involvement Edit
There are two (optional) high dragon encounters in Origins and two in Awakening. Please see the relevant quests for details.
The Urn of Sacred Ashes
Flemeth's Real Grimoire
The Lost Dragon Bones
Depths of Depravity
Dragon Age: Origins Edit
Mountain Top Dragon Edit
The Warden is given the option to battle a high dragon during or any time after The Urn of Sacred Ashes quest. After (optionally) battling Kolgrim and emerging onto the Mountain Top, a short cutscene of a dragon flying above the Warden is seen. The Warden can engage the dragon by using Kolgrim's Horn (PC), or by hitting the gong seen shortly after emerging on the Mountain Top (X360 and PS3). A third option is available by simply attacking the dragon on her perch directly (with some form of spell, such as Winter's Grasp). If the Warden decides to help Kolgrim and his followers, the party will not be able to confront the dragon until Kolgrim and his followers have been slain. To do so, speak with Kolgrim again and select the option stating he is too dangerous to be left alive. Afterwards, the horn can be looted and the gong can be interacted with to commence a confrontation.
The aforementioned dragon may be the same high dragon that led to the naming the current age by the Divine Faustine II, as the high dragon that went on a rampage in 8:99 Blessed[6][7] was also known to be the Frostback Mountains.
- See High dragon (strategy) for details on defeating this high dragon.
Abilities Edit
Breath
Buffet
Fire Spit
Grab
Massive Attack
Roar
Slap
Sweep
Loot Edit
Dragon Scale
Antivan Longbow
Deadhead Charge
Crow Dagger
Grandmaster Flame Rune
Heavy Infantry Helmet
Heavy Plate Armor x2
Heavy Plate Boots
Heavy Plate Gloves
Maetashear War Axe
Metal Kite Shield
Pure Bitch Braid
Qunari Siege Gauntlets
Storm Talons
The Long Sight
Secret Dragon Edit
Flemeth's high dragon form in Origins
In addition to the Mountain Top encounter, the Warden can battle another high dragon if they choose to challenge Flemeth in the quest for her grimoire. She will shapeshift into a high dragon, which ultimatley must be killed. The attack can be avoided all together using certain dialog options. However, the Warden can revist the option to challenge Flemeth at a later time.
- See Flemeth the Shapeshifter for details on defeating Flemeth.
Dragon Age: Awakening Edit
Queen of the Blackmarsh
Dragon Age II Edit
Flemeth's high dragon form in Dragon Age II
- Flemeth uses her high dragon form to save Hawke, Hawke's family, and Aveline Vallen from a darkspawn ambush while they are attempting to flee from Lothering (Act 1).
The Bone Pit high dragon
- A high dragon is fought an the Bone Pit during the quest Mine Massacre (Act 3).
- See Mine Massacre (strategy) for details on defeating the high dragon..
Malvernis' spectral high dragon form
Dragon Age: Inquisition Edit
| Name | Location | Breath Element | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
 Fereldan Frostback
| Hinterlands | Fire | 12 |
| Northern Hunter
| Crestwood | Electricity | 13 |
| Abyssal High Dragon
| Western Approach | Fire | 14 |
| Gamordan Stormrider
| Exalted Plains | Electricity | 15 |
| Greater Mistral
| Emerald Graves | Cold | 17 |
| Hivernal
| Emprise du Lion | Cold | 19 |
| Vinsomer
| Storm Coast | Electricity | 19 |
| Sandy Howler
| Hissing Wastes | Fire | 20 |
| Kaltenzahn
| Emprise du Lion | Cold | 21 |
| Highland Ravager
| Emprise du Lion | Fire | 23 |
| Hakkon Wintersbreath
| Frostback Basin | Cold | 25 |
Related quests Edit
The Abyssal High Dragon
Breeding Grounds
Dragon Hunter
Other Dragon Age: Inquisition Appearances Edit
Red Lyrium high dragon
- Corypheus's Red lyrium dragon is revealed to be a high dragon that has been corrupted by Red lyrium and augmented by Corypheus's magic. It apparently works as a tribute to an Archdemon or Old God. The war table reveals that all dragons possess a high resistance to the darkspawn taint though they are not immune.[8] Ultimately the Inquisitor will slay the dragon at the end of the main quest Doom Upon All the World.
Guardian of Mythal
- If the Inquisitor drinks from the Well of Sorrows a high dragon named the Guardian of Mythal must be fought to complete the main quest The Final Piece. Post completion the dragon will side with the Inquisitor against Corypheus and will challenge the Red lyrium dragon. However, the Guardian of Mythal is bested and killed during the final confrontation.
- If Morrigan drinks from the Well of Sorrows she, just like Flemeth, will gain the ability to shapeshift into a high dragon. She will then confront the Red lyrium dragon in her high dragon form; however, midway into the battle Morrigan will be knocked unconscious rendering her dragon form unavailable.
Hakkon Wintersbreath
- The events surrounding the Jaws of Hakkon DLC, brings forth that the Avvar god Hakkon is revealed to have been bound to the body of a high ice dragon frozen in time by the efforts of a prior Inquisitor named Ameridan. Leading up to the final confrontation the Inquisitor must slay Hakkon Wintersbreath (level 25, breath element cold) due to Ameridan's magical hold over Hakkon fading.
Other Dragon Age Appearances Edit
High dragon from Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker
- A High Dragon is used to allow Avexis to control others of its kind by the Blood mage cult.
- Several high dragons are used by Frenic and his followers in the attack on the Ten Year Gathering at the Grand Cathedral.
Silent Grove high dragon
- Another high dragon guards the Silent Grove in the Tellari Swamps and its mistress; Yavana.
- Sten recounts how a mysterious Witch of the Wilds leads a simple dog handler to a cave where an ancient high dragon lays dying, after which the man slits the beast's throat and drinks its blood in order to gain its power.
Trivia Edit
Flemeth's dragon form in Dragon Age II
- In Dragon Age II, Flemeth's high dragon form is unique compared to other high dragons, being of a larger size with a dark red/purple tint, and having many spikes on her head.
Gallery Edit
References Edit
- ↑ Codex entry: Thedas Calendar
- ↑ Codex entry: Thedas Calendar, Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
- ↑ see gallery below
- ↑ Codex entry: Dragon
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 164
- ↑ Believed hunted to extinction, dragons emerge first in Antiva, then devastate rural Orlais and Nevarra. Another dragon is then sighted in the Frostback Mountains, just before the battle of River Dane.
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 132
- ↑ Learn More about Dragons
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 166
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