Minrathous is the capital of the Tevinter Imperium and the largest city in Thedas.[1][2] It is built on a rocky island not far from the shore, accessible only by a single bridge that can be destroyed if needed. The island features massive ports and shipyards and a vast series of underground catacombs capable of holding food enough to feed the city for a year.[2]
Background[]
Minrathous is one of the oldest human settlements in Thedas. Before the founding of the Tevinter Imperium, a magister was a top representative of a local society of mages, the Circle of Magi, in a state council of the most powerful mages. The magisters would convene in Minrathous and held dominion over all magic in the land.[3] During the golden age of the Imperium, Minrathous was the capital of the known world. Ruled by the powerful Imperial Senate and dynasties of mighty Archons, the city was, for nearly a thousand years, the greatest and wealthiest city in the world. Guarded by high walls and two powerful golems called Juggernauts,[4][5] as well as powerful blood mages, the city is a lasting symbol of Tevinter glory, with structures built with jet rock from the Kirkwall area.[6]
A Minrathous alley
Throughout its history, many different armies besieged the city; none ever managed to capture it.[7]
- The prophetess Andraste, followed by her barbarian army, achieved big and stunning victories against the Imperium but failed to capture Minrathous after being betrayed by her husband in -170 Ancient.
- During the Second Blight, in the Divine Age, the darkspawn horde led by Zazikel sacked the city but failed to capture it.[8]
- The Orlesian Chantry assembled massive armies against the Imperium during the Exalted Marches. However, all failed in their goal of capturing Minrathous.
- During the Steel Age, the Qunari conquered almost the entirety of northern Thedas. However, even their cannons weren't sufficient to capture Tevinter's capital.
Magic keeps many of Minrathous' ancient structures standing
Once the center of the world, vestiges of Minrathous' power and artistry can still be seen, yet are marred by the wear of time.[9] Buildings that would otherwise collapse are kept upright by powerful magic[10] and general wear and grime permeate the poorer quarters of the city. The high towers of the mage elite rise above the small homes of peasants and slaves, literally elevating the upper echelons of society away from the worst of the poverty. The disparity between social classes has been exacerbated in the Dragon Age, as the outskirts of the city fill with refugees fleeing from the Imperium's never-ending war against the Qunari.[9]
Involvement[]
Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights[]
Luck in the Gardens
In their search for an ancient cave in the city's Catacombs, the Venatori stumble on a monstrous creature, a massive tentacled monster wearing a crown of eyeless heads, dubbed the Cekorax. Dorian Pavus puts a bounty on the creature's head when it starts killing civilians. The contract is fulfilled by Hollix of the Lords of Fortune.
The Streets of Minrathous
Private Investigator Neve Gallus stumbles on the Venatori plot to awaken an ancient, powerful demon, sealed in a cave under the city. With the help of several templars, she's able to stop the Venatori from waking the demon. She leaves the demon sealed in the Catacombs.
Half Up Front
Vadis is hired by a mysterious elven woman to steal Dumat's Folly, said to be a piece of the Black City, from the Archon's palace in Minrathous. When she infiltrates the palace with Irian Cestes, they realize that the Qunari have stolen the artifact first. In the escape route that the previous thieves used, Vadis finds a replica of Dumat's Folly and a note that allows Vadis to track them to Kont-aar with blood magic.
Dragon Age: The Missing[]
Dragon Age: The Veilguard[]
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When Solas began priming his ritual, the Veil was weakened enough for demons to invade Minrathous. After helping Neve Gallus fend off a Venatori attack, the Veilguard left Minrathous to disrupt Solas' ritual, while the Tevinter authorities fended off the demons and Venatori, and restored order to the city.
The Venatori then aligned themselves with Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain and prepared Tevinter for the gods' invasion. The Shadow Dragons undermined their operations and kept the Venatori in check.
After completing the quest A Warden's Best Friend, Ghilan'nain launches simultaneous dragon attacks on both Treviso and Minrathous. Rook may choose to save Treviso, in which case Minrathous will be overrun by the Venatori; and most of the Shadow Dragons, Shadow Dragon associates, and found allies will be executed or murdered.[11] Later on, the Venatori begin to build ritual sites where they sacrifice people and perform blood magic in service to the elven gods.[12] Should Rook choose to save Minrathous, the Antivan Crows and Treviso civilians suffer heavy losses and Treviso becomes infested with Blight.
During Ghilan'nain's blight dragon attack on Minrathous, the Venatori infiltrated the Archon's Palace and assassinated Archon Radonis.[13]
Following the death of Ghilan'nain at Tearstone Island, Elgar'nan seized control of the Archon's Palace while the Magisterium was in full session. Elgar'nan slaughtered many non-Venatori magisters and declared himself the Archon of the Tevinter Empire. After fortifying himself in the Archon's Palace, he began to blight a significant portion of Minrathous and secured the city through the deployment of the Venatori and Antaam. Solas infiltrated the city before access to it was sealed and lended his aid to the resistance, helping to fend off both the Blight and Elgar'nan's forces. The Veilguard and their allies breached the city at Hightown and worked with Solas to retake the city in the Battle of Minrathous.[14]
The Battle of Minrathous culminated with the Veilguard Alliance making a stand against Elgar'nan's Venatori and Rebel Antaam army at the Divine's Manor, while Rook's team and Solas reached the Archon's Palace to confront Elgar'nan. Ultimately, Solas killed Elgar'nan's Archdemon, Lusacan, leaving the god vulnerable for Rook to kill using Solas' lyrium dagger. With the last of the Evanuris slain, Rook turned to Solas and prevented the Veil from being torn down.[15]
Places[]
Minrathous at night
- The Arcanist Hall – contains renowned storehouses[16]; including the Archives, where irreplaceable, magical relics are stored[17]
- The Archon's Palace – presumably houses the Archon; it is a flying fortress floating above the city with magical search lights ready to shine upon those deemed guilty by the Tevinter government; its defenses include magical missile shooters[18]
- Embassies
- Tower
- Rooftop
- Throne Room Entrance
- Throne Room
- The Argent Spire – houses the Black Divine[19]
- The Catacombs – as ancient as the city itself; they hold a year's worth of food of supplies to be used in case of Blight or Qunari invasion[20]
- Circle of Magi – the second-oldest building in the Imperium, originally the Temple of Razikale; it is the best-preserved example of ancient architecture in the Imperium[2]
- Dwarven Embassy – home of the Ambassadoria or body of dwarven representatives, and said to be constructed by Archon Darinius himself as a guest home for the legendary dwarven king Endrin Stonehammer; it is still in use and is considered one of the wonders of the world. It is completely subterranean so that dwarves who serve there can retain their castes[21]
- Dock Town
- Grand Proving Arena – another architectural marvel, built in -1200 Ancient[22] based on dwarven design; it is a triangular prism with hanging terraced gardens on the exterior, said to be a "green jewel at the center of a stone city"[2]
- Hightown
- Pluvairi Plaza
- Hessarian Square
- Hightown Markets
- Restoration District
- Boutique Quarter
- Thalsian Court
- Lilium Cafe
- Urthemiel Walk
- Safe House Approach
- Divine's Manor
- Minrathous Streets
- Market Square
- Overlook Building
- Overlook
- Dumat Plaza
- Dumat Plaza Rooftop Access
- Canals
- Our Lady of Victory
- Hideout
- Three Imperators' Square – named after the three statues posed around a sluggishly-trickling fountain in the center[23]
- Vivazzi Plaza – one of the venues in the plaza is known for its dancers and large cracked bell hanging off of the roof[24]
- Waterworks
- Spillway Ground
- Undercity
Trivia[]
- The Imperial Highway begins in Minrathous prior to heading southeast.
- Minrathous is the only known surface settlement that uses golems–called Juggernauts–in its defense. These golems' armor is emblazoned with the symbol for the constellation Servani, "the Chained Man." This depicts a man carrying a heavy chain, and is closely associated with Andoral, the Old God of Slaves.[5]
- According to the Canticle of Exaltations, when the Maker has returned to the world, Minrathous will be the place where Andraste will forgive mankind's transgressions and restore the original harmony.
- According to Fenris, the Minrathous Slave Bazaar contains alleys that are ten miles long. Fenris also comments on the similarities between the bazaar and the Lowtown market in Kirkwall.[25]
- There is a rumour among the Shadow Dragons that the magic keeping the Archon's Palace afloat also causes Minrathous' high rainfall.[26]
- According to Devera, the elves taken from Denerim were likely delivered to Minrathous. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, one of the Shadow Dragons we meet in Dock Town is in fact one of those elves.
Codex entries[]
Gallery[]
References[]
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