Lothering is a village in Ferelden just off the Imperial Highway, at the edge of the Hinterlands, north of Ostagar and south of the Bannorn. It is part of the Arling of South Reach.
Background
In ancient times, Lothering was little more than a trading post that served the fortress of Ostagar to the south. Nowadays, it is larger, serving Redcliffe and the community of merchants and surface dwarves near Orzammar. Its location on the North Road gives it strategic value, so control of Lothering has historically been a matter of contention between the Southern Bannorn and the South Reach Arling. King Calenhad himself stepped in and awarded the town to South Reach in the Exalted Age, which has largely ended the feud, or at least the appearance of it.
—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi
—From Codex entry: LotheringHistorically, Lothering arose on a crossroads of the Imperial Highway, being a little more than a trading post serving the fortress of Ostagar to the south. In time, the settlers became self-sufficient through mills and farmland.[2] Lothering was also the site of the battle during the second Orlesian invasion of Ferelden in which King Vanedrin Theirin, Teyrn Ardal Cousland and many others were slain.
Places
Involvement
Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
Dragon Age: Origins
During the events of the Fifth Blight, following the defeat of the King at Ostagar, Lothering received a large number of refugees fleeing from the south. The villagers are also preparing to evacuate Lothering since they were abandoned by their Arl, Leonas Bryland. For that reason, elders, templars and Chantry clerics are trying to maintain order, and help as many as they can while they are preparing to evacuate the village.
After a main quest is being completed, Lothering will be overrun by the darkspawn horde and become inaccessible for the Warden to travel there.
Witch Hunt
Dragon Age II
Hawke, Carver Hawke, Bethany Hawke and Leandra are all forced to flee Lothering when the horde was approaching the village.
Through a letter sent by Miriam in the year 9:34 (in Act 2), Leandra and Hawke are informed that the rebuilding of Lothering has been a failure and that the town is gone for good, as the Blight poisoned the land. She also notes that it'll take decades for the land to get better, and that even then it might never recover.
Quests
Map of the area
Main quests
Lothering and the Imperial Highway
Side quests
Traps are a Girl's Best Friend
Chanter's Board
The Blackstone Irregulars
Characters
Lothering shown compared to Denerim.
- Allison - quest giver
- Elder Miriam - quest giver
- Leliana - a possible companion. Found in Dane's Refuge.
- Sten - a possible companion.
- Revered Mother - Found in Lothering chantry.
- Little Boy (suspected child of Goodwife Sarha)
- Robbed family (a family of elves: Robbed Man, Robbed Woman and Robbed Child)
- Merchant
- Chanter Devons
- Doomsayer
- Ser Maron
- Refugees
- Chasind
- Helpful Refugee
- Bodahn Feddic and his son, Sandal
Houses in Lothering
Enemies
Entering the town
- 4 Bandits with leader (refer to Bandits on the Road for additional information.)
Fields
- Giant spider (Animal, Normal) - x6, each dropping a Toxin Extract
- Bandit, Rogue, Mercenary Archer, Bandit Leader (refer to the Bandits, Bandits, Everywhere quest for more information.)
- Wolf (Animal, Critter)
- Black Bear (Animal, Normal)
- Refugee (Human, Critter) x11 - no armor, poor quality weapons, skills limited to Precise Striking.
North exit
Notable items
See Barlin and Merchant for merchants' item lists.
Heavy Chainmail armor set, found on body of armored bandit leader.
Imperium Crossbow, may be stolen from the unscrupulous merchant near the Chantry.
Knight's Locket, quest item, found on dead Templar's body.
Knight's Note, quest item, found on dead Templar's body.
Oathkeeper, quest reward.
Qunari Thickened Cap, found on body of armored bandit leader.
Sarha's Keepsake, quest item, found on body of his mother.
Surveyor, obtained by demanding the highwaymen return stolen goods.
- Notable gifts for companions:
Golden Scythe 4:90 Black, crate inside the village. 
(+10) to Oghren.
Small Carved Statuette, crate in the far north of Lothering where the party encounters darkspawn attacking Bodahn Feddic. (+10) to Alistair.
Wine, sold by the unscrupulous merchant. (+10) to Wynne.
Codex entries
Codex entry: The First Blight: Chapter 1
Codex entry: Adventures of the Black Fox
Codex entry: The Sacred Ashes of Andraste
Codex entry: The Imperial Chantry
Codex entry: Maleficarum Regrets
Codex entry: Letter from the Blackstone Irregulars
Codex entry: Blackstone Letter of Conscription
Codex entry: Bann Teagan Guerrin
Codex entry: Arl Eamon Guerrin
Codex entry: Thorn of the Dead Gods
The Chantry in Lothering
Containers
Near highway bandits
- Crate (Ferelden, Normal) - contains trap triggers
- Crate (Generic, Normal) - contains trap triggers
Southern refugee camp
- Broken Crate (Generic, Critter)
- Broken Crate (Generic, Critter)
- Broken Crate (Barbarian, Critter)
South of creek
- Crate (special) - six flasks and Golden Scythe 4:90 Black
- Chest (Generic, Normal) - locked
- Wooden Crate (Generic, Normal)
- Wooden Crate (Barbarian, Normal)
- Rubble (Generic, Critter)
- Pile of Sacks (Barbarian, Normal) - outside Chantry
North of creek
- Wooden Crate (Ferelden, Normal)
- Chest (Ferelden, Normal) - locked
- Pile of Filth (Generic, Critter)
- Sack (Generic, Critter)
- Chest (Generic, Elite) - locked
- Chest (Ferelden, Critter) - locked
North bandit camp
Highway north exit
- Rubble (Ferelden, Normal)
- Broken Crate (Generic, Critter)
- Broken Crate (Special) - contains Small Carved Statuette
Companion remarks
The refugee camp
One of your companions (mainly Alistair and Morrigan) may make interesting remarks at certain spots in the town:
- Entering Lothering proper
- Near the Chanters' Board
- At the statue of Andraste in the Chantry
- Exiting Lothering proper into the fields
Banter
Party banter may be triggered at the following spots:
- In the south refugee camp
- On the bridge over the creek
- Near the well in the north half of the town
Notes
- Failing to speak to Patter Gritch who is inside Lothering's chantry as part of Scraping the Barrel, you will be unable to complete this quest should Lothering be destroyed prior to you speaking to this character. Consequently the final quest for the Blackstone Irregulars will be unobtainable, as it is only given once all other Irregulars quests are completed
- Right in front of the chantry is a traumatized, raving Chasind man (properly tagged as a Doomsayer). If a bystander concludes that he's right about them all being doomed, and if the Warden intimidates them that there is "no hope for any of you fools!", you can choose to gain 45
, with no negative approval regardless of who is present. - If you decline Leliana's request to join the party at Dane's Refuge, she will appear again near the northern map exit and ask if you have reconsidered her offer.
, with no negative approval regardless of who is present.
Trivia
- David Gaider named Lothering. He'd watched 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' the night before and used that as the basis of the name. For a time, the plot of Lothering was called 'Fear and Loathing in Ferelden.'[3]
- Lothering is the base of the band of templars featured in the Penny Arcade comic.
- An elven magi can tell Eadric that he or she is from Lothering.
- When importing the Warden into Witch Hunt, the world map will note that Miriam and the village council have returned to the area and dedicated a shrine outside of the Lothering Chantry to the Warden and those lost during the Fifth Blight.
References
- ↑ Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide
- ↑ Dragon Age II Official Mini guide
- ↑
David Gaider (2010). "Spot the " Homage "" . BioWare Social Network.