Qamek

Qamek
Type	Magical object
Effects	Wipes out the memories and the will of the person it is used on.
Appearances	Dragon Age II (mentioned) Dragon Age: Those Who Speak Dragon Age: Inquisition Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

Qamek is a poison used by the Tamassrans on those who refuse to be converted into the ideology of the Qun, including all captured mages, who are deemed hopeless by default. It effectively lobotomizes victims, wiping out their memories and rendering them into mindless slaves which Qunari call Viddath-bas. Its administration is unpleasant; it leaves its victims screaming. Small doses can be recovered from, but massive ones cause irreversible damage.

Involvement

Dragon Age II

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age II.

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In banter in 9:37 Dragon between Fenris and Isabela, he mentions that Isabela was very lucky that Hawke didn't turn her over the Qunari because she'd be converted to the Qun. When she asks if she could refuse, Fenris mentions that there is always qamek, which would turn her into a mindless laborer.

During the quest Blackpowder Courtesy, the substance stolen by the thief is revealed not to be Gaatlok (blackpowder) as believed, but Saar-Qamek: a poison lethal to all races except Qunari, which drives its victims mad before they die. According to the Arishok, Saar-Qamek puts their enemies in a blind rage and sets them against their own people. Qunari uses it to sow discord and turn their most dangerous enemies into powerful weapons for them to manipulate. It is unknown what Saar-Qamek means, but given that Qamek is part of its name and that both inflict horrific damage on the minds of those they are used on, the two substances are likely related somehow. Saar-Qamek has been shown to be either a poison gas, or a poison that can be converted into a gas, whereas Qamek is described as a poison, but has been visually shown as a glowing, orblike object.

Dragon Age: Those Who Speak

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Those Who Speak.

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Rasaan subjecting Isabela to qamek.

The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning that Alistair is king of Ferelden in the comic's story.

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Isabela is captured along with Alistair and Varric by the Qunari and imprisoned in the fortress of Akhaaz on Seheron. While she is alone in a cell, Rasaan, a Qunari Tamassran, visits her and attempts to convert her. A Qunari guard places qamek at the center of the floor. After a lengthy interrogation, Isabela still refuses to embrace the Qun, so an angry Rasaan forces Isabela's head closer to the qamek, telling her that she will forget her names afterwards. However, Isabela manages to fight back and does not suffer the effects.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

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If the Inquisitor orders Iron Bull to save his Chargers during the quest Demands of the Qun, two Qunari assassins will be sent to Skyhold to deal with him. Before he manages to kill them, one of them stabs Bull with a dagger coated with saar-qamek. Bull, however, had anticipated the confrontation and took doses of the antidote in advance, and therefore was unaffected by it.

Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights

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This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights.

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The plot follows BioWare's own canon, meaning it may not follow some of the player's choices in the games.

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Three Trees to Midnight

Without the Ben-Hassrath to measure the doses of qamek, Bas-taar of the Antaam claims that they had no choice but to give massive doses to all the mages taken during the fall of Ventus, even those who didn't fight, and that they will not come back to their minds. Other prisoners considered troublesome were also given qamek and put to work doing menial labor. Strife narrowly escapes this fate thanks to Myrion's interference.

Trivia

• Both qamek and lyrium are glowing substances. The loss of memory property also happens to the Templars after they consume lyrium for years, and a lyrium brand is used to render a mage Tranquil in a ritual akin to lobotomy. Whether qamek is composed of lyrium is not yet known.

Gallery

A Tamassran uses qamek on a potential convert.