“There is nothing I would not do for my homeland.”
Loghain Mac Tir (born c. 8:78 Blessed[3]) was born into an occupied Ferelden and with King Maric Theirin drove out the Orlesian Empire more than thirty years before the events of the Fifth Blight.
Loghain was raised to the position of Teyrn of Gwaren for his service to King Maric. To Ferelden, he represents ideals of hard work and independence. After King Maric was lost at sea, Loghain became responsible for defending Ferelden and guiding his naive and inexperienced son-in-law, King Cailan Theirin.
Background
Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
Born around 8:78 Blessed[3] as a Freeman, Loghain was the son of a farmholder from Oswin in the western Bannorn, Gareth of Oswin.
While still a child, Loghain and his family found a female Mabari pup in their woodshed one night. The pup, which Loghain called Adalla, soon came to be a valued part of the family, with Loghain's mother even calling it a gift from the Maker. They were however unable to find out its true origins.[4]
For over ten years, Adalla would loyally stay by Loghain's side. After the Orlesian invasion however, an Orlesian lordling took an interest in the dog, wanting to breed Adalla with the game hounds from Orlais. Despite his attempts to resist, Loghain was powerless to stop the lordling from taking Adalla. The dog was later returned to Loghain's family over six months after, when the lordling pushed her out of his wagon. By then, Adalla was practically skin and bones, with scars from where the hounds' collars had bit into. Adalla only lived for a week afterward, dying in the arms of Loghain himself, who believed that she had held on for their sake and, despite everything, had died happy.[4]
At some point, the Emperor declared a tribute tax from all of the Fereldan Freemen. Loghain's father refused to pay the tax collectors, and, as a result, was accused of tax evasion and lost the farmhold.
The family resisted, but the Orlesian soldiers bested them, forcing Loghain and his father to watch as they raped and killed Loghain's mother. Gareth was nowhere to be found for the next three days. When he finally returned, he informed his son that he had murdered the Orlesian commander responsible. Unable to stay in Oswin, they lived on the run in the Fereldan wilds, banding together with other desperate Fereldens to eke out a living however they could. Sister Ailis became notable for helping lead the camp, and Loghain would grow to respect her authority as practically equal to his father's.
While living with the outlaws, Loghain met Maric, though he was not initially aware of Maric's royal blood. When the Orlesian forces caught up with them, Gareth charged his son with saving the Prince. Loghain eventually managed to escort Maric to Arl Rendorn Guerrin and later joined the rebel army. He became one of Maric's closest friends, as well as a key military advisor of the rebel cause. His strategies, and his creation of the guerrilla Night Elves, were responsible for many of the rebels' greatest victories.
Loghain and Rowan during the rebellion
Over the course of the rebellion, Loghain fell in love with Rowan Guerrin, who was betrothed to Maric and thus the future queen. After Maric fell in love with Katriel, Rowan and Loghain formed a romantic relationship. Both relationships were short-lived, however; Loghain discovered and revealed to Maric that Katriel was a spy, which resulted in her death. After this, Loghain encouraged Rowan to marry Maric to assist him and guide Ferelden as queen. Afterwards Loghain led the Fereldan forces at the critical Battle of River Dane and was rewarded for his leadership by being made Teyrn of Gwaren.
After the battle, Loghain sought out potential survivors from the outlaw camp, seeking to find any trace of his father. Loghain finally reunited with Ailis at a hospice inside the Korcari Wilds. In a rare display of emotion, Loghain swept her up in his arms and rejoiced at the event. Afterwards, Ailis took him to a hill where she had spread his father's ashes. There, the two wept and mourned over Gareth and all the others who had perished in the camp, with Loghain begging forgiveness from Ailis.
Despite his encouragement of their relationship, Loghain's own relationship with both Maric and Rowan became strained. After the marriage, he rarely spent time in their company. Occasionally, Maric would visit Gwaren presumably to meet with Loghain, but it was usually without Rowan's accompaniment. After Rowan's death, Ailis sent a message to Loghain. He arrived and spent hours behind closed doors with Maric. When the two emerged, together they mourned over the resting place of Rowan's remains.
Battle of Avinash
In 9:1 Dragon, Luis, the youngest son of Lord Aurelien of Montsimmard, met Loghain in battle at Avinash. Luis lost his estoc early on in the fighting and was separated from his men. He ended up on the field facing down Loghain himself armed only with the Summer Sword—which he had never before drawn. Loghain made short work of the pompous chevalier and took the greatsword as a trophy.[5]
Teyrn of Gwaren
After the end of the war against the Orlesians, King Maric gave Loghain the vacant teyrnir of Gwaren in order to elevate him to nobility. This gift came with some significant drawbacks: Gwaren had suffered under Orlesian rule for years and was in a state of serious disrepair; as no Orlesian governor had wanted to reside in Gwaren due to its remote location, the castle was nearly in ruins. Upon arriving in Gwaren for the first time since its liberation, Loghain took one look at his new home and gave it up for lost, choosing to live inside a tent pitched in the middle of the courtyard while seeing to the harbor's repairs.
After a month, the people of Gwaren sent a representative to speak with Loghain, wondering whether he was going to abandon the keep and the village as had their previous lords. The representative they sent was Celia, who came from a long line of cabinet-makers and had little tolerance for those who neglected to care for their furniture. Her meeting with Loghain quickly turned into a shouting match; in the end, she reminded him that he wouldn't be teyrn of anything unless his freeholders swore fealty to him, which they wouldn't do if he left Castle Gwaren crumbling and empty. Loghain reluctantly followed her advice, appointing Celia to supervise the keep's repairs. He asked her to marry him two months later, and she accepted.
In the first years of Maric's reign, Loghain spent most of his time in Denerim while his wife ruled Gwaren. Teyrna Celia was an incomparable foreman, and the teyrnir rebuilt itself under her guidance. Due to his long absences, Loghain started taking his young daughter Anora to court with him in 9:10.[6]
As Teyrn, Loghain found himself continuously foiled by the infamous outlaw known as Lady Rosamund. Loghain however was persistent, finally fielding an army to hunt her down through the Korcari Wilds. While the attempt was successful in capturing Rosamund in an area near Barshamp, the outlaw still managed to escape on the first night of her captivity despite being bound, gagged and in chains, due to thieves tools that were concealed in her gloves.[7]
Dragon Age: The Calling
In the years after the death of Queen Rowan, Loghain supported King Maric. Duncan observed that Loghain seemed to be the true ruler.
Despite having a beautiful wife and young daughter in Gwaren, Loghain preferred to stay in Denerim, claiming that Maric needed him. Maric commented on this noting that, "We are all running away from something".
Loghain was suspicious of the Grey Wardens, suspecting them of being in league with the Orlesians. After Maric vanished following a meeting with the Wardens and First Enchanter Remille, he left a note for Loghain to find. Regardless, Loghain deployed the army to search for the missing King while he also spied on the Orlesians in Kinloch Hold as he was certain that they would betray them. Two days after the tower was taken over by Orlesian mages and templars who allied with the Architect, Loghain led an assault on Kinloch Hold through Lake Calenhad.
The attack was successful and Loghain was surprised when he found King Maric in the tower as well. Loghain believed the plot was the doing of the Grey Wardens and felt Maric made a mistake in continuing to trust them. He disapproved when Maric allowed the Wardens to return to Ferelden and re-establish their order there on a permanent basis. Months after the assault, Maric schemed to have Loghain leave Denerim and go back to Gwaren so that Maric could conduct a meeting with the Grey Wardens.
King Maric's Disappearance
When King Maric Theirin disappeared at sea while en route to Wycome in 9:25 Dragon, Teyrn Loghain spent almost two years searching for his lost friend, consuming much of the royal treasury and the majority of the Fereldan navy. The search was futile, and when Loghain claimed that Orlais had purposefully sunk King Maric's vessel in order to prevent Marcher unity, he was called off by his daughter, Queen Anora Theirin, and a united Bannorn. It was time to mourn the king, they said, and so, in 9:27, a massive state funeral was held in Denerim's chantry.[8]
King Maric's death and Anora's marriage to King Cailan Theirin put an end to Loghain's visits to Denerim for a time. He returned to his wife in Gwaren, and remained in relative peace and quiet for the next three years. When Teyrna Celia died in 9:28, the king, the queen and the entire royal court traveled to Castle Gwaren for her funeral. When they left, Loghain left with them for the final time.[6]
In the following years, Teyrn Loghain had argued strenuously against the Grey Wardens being permitted to return to Ferelden—after all, the Wardens had attempted to overthrow the Ferelden throne centuries before. However, Ferelden's Warden-Commander, Polara, built an amiable relationship with King Cailan which consequently made Cailan a strong supporter of the Grey Wardens. In the end, Commander Polara overcame many of Loghain's objections.[9]
Involvement
Dragon Age: Origins
Loghain
Loghain is first encountered at the fortress of Ostagar; the Warden can meet him at his tent, or at the war council. According to Alistair, neither King Cailan nor Teyrn Loghain believes Ferelden faces a real Blight. Nevertheless, many credit the few Fereldan victories over the darkspawn to Teyrn Loghain's leadership and strategic brilliance.
Past victories over the darkspawn has made King Cailan Theirin over-confident to the point where Cailan begins to doubt if Ferelden is even facing a real Blight. Loghain seems to believe that Cailan relies too heavily on the Grey Wardens and think them untrustworthy. Some think King Cailan has a delusional fixation with the Grey Wardens and their legendary reputation; even Warden-Commander Duncan admits that Cailan believes fighting with the few Fereldan Grey Wardens makes Cailan feel invulnerable. Loghain also deplores Cailan's idea of joining forces with Orlesian reinforcements, which are en route; Loghain calls the idea a "fool notion" and also a threat to Ferelden's independence. Since Loghain won't permit them to wait for Orlesian reinforcements, Cailan insists that they defend Ostagar with the forces they have at hand.
Gossip from one of King Cailan's guards claims that Cailan has been spending most of his time riding off with the Fereldan Grey Wardens. Teyrn Loghain tries to get Cailan to focus on planning the coming battles but those discussions end up in arguments and the king just waves Loghain off. The guard claims that King Cailan wants to end the Blight with a single huge battle that will be remembered for centuries while Loghain felt Cailan was being too reckless. Loghain and Cailan have also had arguments about Queen Anora but the reason for it is never explained.
As the Teyrn commanding the army, Loghain is responsible for devising the tactics that will be used in the Battle of Ostagar. Loghain's plan utilizes the anvil and hammer strategy; the Grey Wardens are to act as the anvil, drawing the main body of darkspawn, and Loghain's troops will flank the darkspawn once the beacon is lit.
Although Loghain advises him not to fight on the front lines, King Cailan Theirin refuses and insists on accompanying the Wardens. Cailan also insists on having the two newest Grey Wardens, the Warden and Alistair, light the beacon; Loghain and Uldred disagree, but acquiesce to the king's desire in the end. Despite a darkspawn attack on the beacon tower, the Wardens eventually manage to light the beacon; however, on seeing the lit beacon, Loghain orders his troops to retreat—leaving King Cailan, a sizable portion of the Fereldan army, and the Grey Wardens to die.
After the battle at Ostagar, he declares the Grey Wardens traitors and places a bounty on their heads. He also declares himself regent for his daughter, Queen Anora Theirin, and demands all of Ferelden unite under him so they could sensibly fight the darkspawn while also protect the country from Orlesian invasion. This is not met with approval from the Bannorn, and civil war ensues.
With Arl Rendon Howe as his main advisor, Loghain takes drastic measures to secure Ferelden — such as allowing elves to be sold into slavery, employing the apostate Jowan to poison Arl Eamon Guerrin, soliciting the Circle mages for their allegiance in exchange for promises of greater freedoms, imprisoned and tortured prominent individuals that could become political liabilities to him, and hiring Zevran Arainai, an Antivan Crow, to assassinate the remaining Grey Wardens.
He refuses all Orlesian reinforcements, not believing Empress Celene's intentions are honest. Neither Howe nor Anora can convince him otherwise. Rumours circulate that the reason he abandoned Cailan at Ostagar was so Loghain could seize the Fereldan throne for himself; while others thought King Cailan was goaded by the Grey Wardens into a suicidal battle that got himself killed and Loghain was forced to abandon him when he realized the battle was a lost cause.
According to King Cailan's Secret Correspondence documents, Cailan had indeed hoped to cement a union of kingdoms with the Orlesians by putting aside Anora, who was believed to be barren, and marrying the Empress Celene. Loghain's reaction in Return to Ostagar seems to indicate he was unaware of Cailan's plot or his intimate relationship with Celene.
At the Landsmeet, Arl Eamon Guerrin and the Warden confront Loghain. If he wins the Landsmeet, Loghain will attempt to arrest the party and Arl Eamon, and a fight will ensue. If the Warden wins the Landsmeet, Loghain will refuse to abide by the Landsmeet's decision and try to stage a coup.
This fight can be avoided with enough support. Whether there is a fight or not, the matter of who will rule Ferelden is still uncertain. To resolve the impasse, a duel must be fought. The Warden can elect to fight this duel, or select another companion.
If anyone besides Alistair duels Loghain, he will yield after losing the duel, allowing the Warden to decide his fate. If this happens, Riordan will suggest he be recruited to the Grey Wardens; the Warden also has the option of personally executing Loghain or allowing Alistair to do it. If Alistair is chosen for the duel, he will kill Loghain after he yields without any other options.
Recruiting Loghain causes Alistair to leave the party, without exception.
In a conversation with Zevran, he states that he has lost all his titles, and should be addressed simply as "Loghain."
Following the revelation that the sacrifice of a Warden's life is necessary to slay the Archdemon, Morrigan offers an alternative: by participating in a mysterious ritual, a Warden could father a child with Morrigan and thus kill the Archdemon without making the ultimate sacrifice. If asked to consider Morrigan's offer, he will at first express reluctance to participate and request to be the one to sacrifice his life to strike the killing blow against the Archdemon, arguing that it is a form of redemption for his mistakes. He can still however, be persuaded to accept the offer with a high enough coercion skill.
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
In Awakening (if a Warden was imported with Loghain alive at the end), he arrives at Vigil's Keep and states that he has been transferred to the city of Montsimmard to serve with the Orlesian Grey Wardens, by order of the Grey Warden leaders in Weisshaupt.
He hands the Warden-Commander the battleaxe Frenzy, ten sovereigns and a Grey Warden shield banner he found in the Denerim vault before departing. If the Male Human Noble married Queen Anora, he will make a number of related comments, including suggesting plans for an heir.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Loghain explains that he was investigating if Corypheus could have survived fatal wounds just like an Archdemon can. Yet in the middle of his investigation, every Grey Warden in Orlais began to hear the Calling which Loghain believes is being elicited by Corypheus. Believing that their end is near, Warden-Commander Clarel planned on using a blood magic ritual that would end all Blights before they all perished. Loghain was branded a traitor for protesting Clarel's plan and went into hiding. Loghain, Hawke, and the Inquisitor scouted the ancient Tevinter ritual tower in the Western Approach to investigate a Grey Warden congregation.
At the tower, the party witnessed Grey Warden mages sacrificing their fellow Wardens to summon demons. They are being led by Livius Erimond, a Venatori Magister who convinced Clarel to use their blood magic techniques to raise a demon army to invade the Deep Roads and kill the Old Gods before they wake. The demon binding rituals Erimond taught the Grey Warden mages however has the side effect of enslaving them to Corypheus, who will use them to conquer Thedas. Erimond escapes to Adamant Fortress while the Inquisitor's party confronts the enslaved Wardens of the tower.
Hawke and Loghain joined the Inquisition as they lay siege to Adamant Fortress. They confront Erimond and Clarel about the truth of the demon binding ritual and attempted to sway the Wardens against Erimond. When Erimond summoned Corypheus' dragon to deal with the Inquisition, Clarel had a change of heart and betrayed Erimond. The dragon attacked and a massive battle ensued. After which, the Inquisition pursued Clarel. Clarel inflicted her wrath on Erimond but was killed by the dragon he had summoned. Clarel's last act was casting a spell that subdued the dragon but its crash caused the ground beneath them to crumble, resulting in the party to fall off the ramparts. The Inquisitor used their mark to open a rift to transport the party to the Fade.
The Inquisitor finds some kind of spirit that poses as Divine Justinia V who briefs the Inquisitor that they are in the realm of a Nightmare demon and that the Inquisitor must recover the memories it took from them. As the Inquisitor recovers these memories, they remember how the mortal Divine was bound by Grey Warden mages and sacrificed to power an orb- an orb which the Inquisitor picked up and gave them the mark, and how the spirit in the Divine's form was the one who led the Inquisitor out of the Fade after the creation of the Breach. Once Hawke realized that the Grey Wardens had a hand in sacrificing the Divine to further Corypheus' schemes, Hawke becomes incensed and accuses the Grey Wardens of being out of control and need to be checked. Loghain is defensive about the accusation, and argues that the Wardens were most likely mind controlled by Corypheus and that Hawke themselves have caused much chaos by causing the mage rebellion.
The spirit leads the Inquisitor's party to a rift but the Nightmare is preventing their escape. The spirit sacrifices itself to weaken the Nightmare and the Inquisitor's party defeats the Aspect of the Nightmare blocking their escape. The party reaches the rift but either Hawke or Loghain must stay behind to distract the Nightmare for the party to leave. Hawke can sacrifice themselves to atone for freeing Corypheus or Loghain can sacrifice himself to atone for all the harm the Grey Wardens have done.
If Loghain survives he will take command of the surviving Grey Wardens. After deferring judgement of what the Grey Wardens should do next to the Inquisitor, he will travel to Weisshaupt to brief the Grey Wardens of what had transpired.
Quests
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Here Lies the Abyss (conditional)
Strategy
Gifts
Loghain is fond of maps; giving these as gifts will significantly boost his approval.
Name Notes Description
Botanist's Map of ThedasUnobtainable via normal meansA botanist's map of Thedas, showing where rare plants may be found on the continent.Ancient Map of the ImperiumLocated: Denerim Market DistrictAn antique, wine-stained map showing the boundaries of the ancient Tevinter Imperium.Current Map of FereldenLocated: Denerim AlienageA clean and fairly up to date map showing the borders of modern Ferelden.Map of the AnderfelsLocated: Grey Warden VaultA beautiful illustrated map of the Anderfels that includes drawings of strange beasts.Map of Occupied FereldenLocated: Redcliffe Castle
Statistics
Initial attributes
Relative attribute weightings on auto-level:
Strength Dexterity Willpower Magic Cunning Constitution 0.95 0.8 0.5 0 0.15 1.6
Initial specialization
Initial talents
Initial equipment
Plot skills
As you befriend Loghain and gain his approval, he will gain the following additional skills:
Name Benefit Requirement Inspired: Minor Strength
+1 strength 25% approval Inspired: Moderate Strength
+2 strength 50% approval Inspired: Major Strength
+4 strength 75% approval Inspired: Massive Strength
+6 strength 90% approval
Quotes
- Main article: Loghain Mac Tir/Dialogue
Concept art of Loghain from Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 2
Dragon Age: Origins
- '"How fortunate Maric did not live to see his son ready to hand Ferelden over to those who enslaved us for a century!"
- "Your fascination with glory and legends will be your undoing, Cailan. We must attend to reality."
- "Traitors! Which of you stood against the Orlesian emperor when his troops flattened your fields and raped your wives?"
- "I underestimated you, Warden. I thought you were like Cailan, a child wanting to play at war. I was wrong. There's a strength in you I've not seen anywhere since Maric died. I yield."
- (On the Orlesian occupation of Ferelden) "Hate doesn't describe it. I've seen painted, masked lords beat an old farmer to death with riding crops. To this day, I don't know why. Is that hate? I saw good, sensible men fighting armored chevaliers with nothing—no weapons, no armies, not even hope of success—to see the occupation end. Is that hate?"
- "Please, I have done... so much wrong. Allow me to do one last thing right."
Dialogue
- Loghain: "So, there is some of Maric in you after all. Good."
- Alistair: "Forget Maric. This is for Duncan."
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dialogue
- Nightmare: Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir, the brilliant commander. Pity the one time you tried to rule, you failed so miserably. You had to be beaten, humiliated, lest you destroy your own country. You even doomed the Wardens by bringing the Inquisitor down on them. You destroy everything you touch.
- Loghain: Is that all you've got? It's nothing I've not said to myself.
Codex entries
- Codex entry: Loghain Mac Tir
- Codex entry: Loghain Mac Tir
- Codex entry: Arms of Mac Tir
- Codex entry: Arms of the River Dane
- Codex entry: A Fine Time to Close a Border
- Codex entry: King Maric's Helm
- Codex entry: The Lion's Claws
- Codex entry: The Summer Sword
Trivia
- Loghain was the first character that David Gaider got to write to end up in the finished version of Dragon Age: Origins.
- The name "Mac Tir" means "son of the land." It was given to him by Maric after the Battle of River Dane[10]
- However this conflicts with Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne where he introduces himself mentioning his last name.[11]
- Loghain's wife is named "Maeve" in Dragon Age: The World of Thedas Volume 2, though David Gaider has stated that this is an error.[1]
- Loghain's eye color in Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne is described as an "Icy Blue" multiple times, conflicting with the dark eyes he has in Dragon Age: Origins.
- This is corrected to a grey-blue color in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
- Loghain owned a mabari when he was a child. He named her Adalla, and had her for 10 years before an Orlesian took her to use her for breeding with his hunting dogs. Some time later Loghain was reunited with his dog, when the Orlesian threw the mabari out of a moving wagon. The dog was so weak that it died a week later in Loghain's lap.
- Loghain does not get along with any of the Warden's companions except for Dog. He seems to like the mabari, and shares stories of his own dog Adalla with him, as well as offers him treats such as cheese and ham.
See also
Gallery
.png "Loghain Mac Tir (HoDA).png (969 KB)")
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 RoseofStone (March 30, 2015). "Can you tell me more about Celia Mac Tir? How did she die? What was she like? Thanks!" Twitter.
- ↑ Dialogue with Loghain if recruited in Dragon Age: Origins.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 In conversation with the Warden if recruited, Loghain says he is the same age as Maric Theirin.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mentioned in dialogue between Loghain Mac Tir and Dog in Dragon Age: Origins.
- ↑ Codex entry: The Summer Sword
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, pp. 97-99
- ↑ Codex entry: The Lion's Claws
- ↑ Codex entry: King Maric's Helm
- ↑ Codex entry: Fiona
- ↑ Codex entry: Arms of Mac Tir
- ↑ Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, p. 96
RoseofStone (March 30, 2015). 
