Kirkwall, also known as The City of Chains and historically as Emerius, is a coastal city-state and a major population center located in the Free Marches. It is on the southern edge of the Vimmark Mountains, east of the Planasene Forest, and north across the Waking Sea from Ferelden. Hawke is known to become the Champion of Kirkwall.
Background
Founded under the name Emerius, after Magister Emerius Krayvan, on the edge of the Imperium to be the main supplier of jet stone to build a Minrathous temple, the city gained notoriety after it was elected to be the new heart of the slave trade after a slave revolt made Archon Vanarius Issar fear for his security when he was almost killed. Magisters competed viciously for the honor of governing the port for nearly two decades before Emerius married his son to the archon's daughter. The Krayvan family constructed the Gallows, patronized the next three archons and were the main backers for the Imperial Highway into the Fereldan Valley, which devastated them when Andraste led her rebellion from there against the Imperium. At its height, Emerius was one of the mightiest Imperial cities with 1,000,000 slaves living and working in the city. The city was defended by the Fourteenth Cadre also known as The Black Cadre and was regarded by most Imperial soldiers to be a punishment to serve there. It wasn't until a massive slave revolt circa -25 Ancient that the City of Chains came to be known as Kirkwall when a popular Alamarri slave named Radun was assassinated by wary magisters for his influence, which led to extremely violent retributions, including the sacking of Hightown and the death of its Tevinter rulers.
Kirkwall has changed hands many times since then and has always been a valuable port, the nexus of nearly all trade that flows between the Free Marches and Ferelden. Natives of Kirkwall are referred to as "Kirkwallers". [1]
The city's complicated past is not easy to forget, history having earmarked many corners of the stone city. A ship approaching the harbor spots the city's namesake: an imposing black wall. It is visible for miles, and carved into the cliff side are a pantheon of vile guardians representing the Old Gods. Over the years, the Chantry has effaced many of these profane sentinels, but it will take many more years to erase them all. Also carved into the cliff is a channel that permits ships into the city's interior. Flanking the channel are two massive bronze statues—the Twins of Kirkwall. The statues have a practical use. Kirkwall sits next to the narrowest point of the Waking Sea, and a massive chain net can be erected between the statues and the lighthouse, closing off the only narrow navigable lane. This stranglehold on sea traffic is jealously guarded by the ever-changing rulers of the city as the net trolls taxes, tolls, and extortions in from the sea.
—Excerpt from Codex entry: The City of Kirkwall
History
In 5:21 Exalted, at the height of the Fourth Blight, Kirkwall was one of several cities in the Free Marches threatened by the advance of the darkspawn horde. The Grey Wardens were able to evacuate many thousands of refugees from the city to a safe haven in the Vimmark Mountains, albeit at a high cost in Warden lives.[2]
In 7:56 Storm, Qunari invaders took Kirkwall in a night raid and occupied it for four years, forcibly converting much of the populace to the Qun and making the natives work in labor camps previously manned by slaves. It was liberated by Orlesians under the chevalier Michel Lafaille, who was appointed Viscount in 7:60 by the emperor. He pursued a campaign of religious reeducation and formed the Kirkwall City Guard to act as the city's defenders.
In 8:05 Blessed, Kirkwall rebelled against Orlesian rule and gained independence, but maintained the title of viscount as its ruler.
In 9:21 Dragon, Viscount Perrin Threnhold attempted to expel the Templar Order from Kirkwall, killing Knight-Commander Guylian in the raid of the Templar stronghold, only to be overthrown by the Templar Knight Meredith Stannard, who was promoted soon after. With the Chantry's support, she appointed Marlowe Dumar to succeed Perrin, but commands the true authority in the city from the Gallows.
In 9:31 Dragon, Qunari set out to meet Orlesians who agreed to return the Tome of Koslun to them. However, the book is intercepted by a Rivaini pirate.
Following a storm, a Qunari ship founders on the coast of Kirkwall. The Arishok and his surviving army are forced to remain in Qunari Compound, until they reclaim the Tome of Koslun.
In 9:34 Dragon, the Arishok decides to attack the city, starting the First Battle of Kirkwall. In the ensuing invasion Marlowe Dumar is killed by the Arishok. Hawke drastically helps in the liberation of the city and thus is named "Champion of Kirkwall" by Kirkwall's Knight-Commander, Meredith Stannard.
In 9:37 Dragon, an apostate mage, Anders, destroys the Kirkwall Chantry, igniting the Kirkwall Rebellion and inspiring mages throughout Thedas to rebel against the Circle system. His magical blast is not contained and rains deadly debris upon half of the city.[3] The Champion of Kirkwall kills First Enchanter Orsino and Knight-Commander Meredith Stannard during the rebellion in Kirkwall, and later becomes the Viscount or flees the city.
Sebastian Vael reclaims his title as Prince of Starkhaven and in 9:41 leads an invasion of Kirkwall. In the mission Annexing Kirkwall, Sebastian requests support from the Inquisition in helping him suppress the city's resistance forces led by Guard-Captain Aveline Vallen and hunt down Anders and his associates. The Inquisitor can choose to send Leliana's agents to bolster Sebastian's forces and strong-arm Aveline to back down or send Cullen's military to bolster Aveline's resistance forces and repel Sebastian's occupation forces back to Starkhaven.
Governance
Kirkwall is governed by a Viscount since the Orlesian occupation of the city, as the title itself is Orlesian. It has never truly been free to determine its own course, and since the ousting of Perrin Threnhold the Templar Order holds considerable influence over his successor, Marlowe Dumar, and the city.
If the ruling line of a Viscount dies out due to no living heirs, then the nobility of Kirkwall will gather to elect a new line from their ranks.
City crest
Kirkwall's coat of arms is a stylized knot work representation of a dragon. It evolved from a symbol of rebellion from the time when Kirkwall was a center for the Tevinter slave trade. It was an image that catalyzed the slaves to overthrow the ruling magisters. While the symbol has changed over time, its message has not: Kirkwall is a city unto itself, beholden to no one.[4]
Map
Places
Banter
Party banter may be triggered at the following spots:
- Just outside the Hawke Estate
- At the base of the stairway leading from Lowtown to Hightown
Trivia
- Kirkwall declared the common nug a noxious vermin in 5:20 Exalted over fears that the animals carried the Blight. The extermination became known as the Battle of Squealing Plains. It is not spoken of in polite company.[5]
- Several of the nobles in Kirkwall are of Orlesian origin, such as the Launcet and the Carrac families.
- Kirkwall, the real world capital of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, also had a Viscount, whom was traditionally the heir of the Earl of Orkney.
Gallery
See also
Codex entry: The City of Kirkwall
Codex entry: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 1
Codex entry: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 2
Codex entry: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 3
Codex entry: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 4
Codex entry: Speculations on Kirkwall
Codex entry: The City-State of Kirkwall
References
- ↑ Codex entry: A Badly Copied Leaflet
- ↑ Dragon Age: Last Flight, ch. 14, 16–19
- ↑ Mary Kirby Twitter.
- ↑ Kirkwall pendant
- ↑ Mentioned in a Dragon Age II loading screen.
External links
- "Kirkwall" on the official website (UK)
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