Some observations for the Tevinter Nights Thedas Map

Thank you, I did.

I wonder if the map had always existed in this form and they simply cut it down for World of Thedas (although the design of that map is different), or whether the decision to expand the borders is because we might be heading to some of these locations or meet people from them? We had previously been told there were lands beyond the borders of our map but the references had always been rather vague because people in universe had not travelled there, or if they had then they hadn't returned. Yet now it would appear some people must have done so because for a map you need mapmakers.

I might be wrong, but I think all of western Europe has been explored.  LOL

Trouble is I think they've revised their thinking a bit since DAO. Back then Alistair said it would be impossible to get a message to Weisshaupt and back within a short time frame. Then in DAI we had messages being sent throughout Thedas and in Last Flight we have Weisshaupt receiving a report from Denerim and sending a reply within a short enough time span that the issue that was being notified could be dealt with whilst it was still an issue.

Mind you, in Asunder and DAI we have sending crystals that allow fast communication across the length of Thedas, which makes you wonder why Leliana was using ravens that would be far more vulnerable to interception and slower: even ravens take time to fly 1,000 miles.

It seems to me that the ease with which the Inquisition could send their agents across Thedas to deal with problems means that the main limiting factor to areas being explored was not distance but either lack of interest because there seemed nothing of worth there or hostile natives or inhospitable environment. So people were deterred from exploring into the Arbor Wilds (even the Dalish when the Dales was active) because of the presence of the Sentinels that meant explorers never returned, giving it a bad reputation. The Tirashan would appear to be the same in view of the elves we know inhabit it that were reported in both the Last Court and Trespasser. The Donnarks are also allegedly the home of fierce creatures not found elsewhere that deters would be explorers (although the Qunari may know more as they have a settlement on the coast).

Still, if Thedas survives Solas' plans in its current state, then there is a lot of scope for exploration of the fringes in future games.

The exchange with Denerim was taking place in modern Ferelden. Mind you, it was peculiar that their contact didn't mention the disappearance of Wardens in Ferelden and the Inquisition didn't send a raven to Weisshaupt to question whether they knew why the Wardens had gone. Weisshaupt apparently knew something was up because they hadn't heard from Clarel but assumed this was just an oversight.



Every Circle was said to have a sending stone in Asunder, which is how Wynne managed to make all the First Enchanters aware of the discovery regarding the ability to reverse tranquillity. Dorian also mentioned that he got his sending crystal as a result of being part of the Inquisition not because he was a member of the Tevinter upper class. So whilst they are rare the technology is available and not just in Tevinter.



Tell that to the DG who first introduced the idea of sending stones for transmitting messages over large distances and then the other writers for running with it in Trespasser. It doesn't matter that the technology is rare for it to be contrary to the medieval fantasy setting and contrary to what we were told in DAO (which was in keeping).

As for using ravens, that was a total rip-off of Game of Thrones setting. In that series they were for the most part homing ravens that had been taken to a distant location in order to send message back to base but there were other instances of ravens being used to send messages throughout Westros by the Citadel. In both DAI and GoT I'd still like to understand how ravens, know how to reach places they have never previously been. Magical ravens perhaps (like owls in Harry Potter)?

Didn't know this thread was a thing when I posted this before, so I'm posting this here from the Tevinter Nights thread:

So, I haven't seen anyone mention it and I know its only in the American version, but I thought this image was new and interesting:



The most detailed shot I could take with my phone without it being super blurred:


Its on the flap that folds out to reveal the map. I don't recall ever seeing this particular seal before, though I could be wrong? Its the first image you see when you open the book.







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