How and Why the Big Wolf Statue?

An interesting suggestion. We know the Veil becomes weaker in areas of major conflict, although it has never been explained exactly why this should be. Perhaps it is more that the war attracts spirits and the force of them trying to push through causes it to rupture either leaving it permanently weakened in that area or even permanently torn. This also happens in the case of powerful magic being performed, which is essentially what happened with the orb. Why is that? It is a pity we couldn't ask Solas.

I was checking back in WoT about the Veil and apparently it is also meant to be thinner at night, when most people are asleep and dreaming, whilst the spirits are most active. Solas mentioned how he dislikes tea because it keeps him awake and so disturbs his connection to the Fade. He also mentioned something about not using blood magic because it does the same. This was curious because we had always been led to believe that blood magic weakened the Veil, even though it does not derive its power from the Fade. Where it does derive its power is less clear and again Solas didn't enlighten us, just saying it is another form of magic. However, I am beginning to wonder of the weakening of the Veil by blood magic is only a side effect of the emotions being unleashed by the victim(s) of the blood sacrifice. It is the emotion that attracts the spirits/demons which put pressure on the Veil.

Still, going with Solas' comment about blood magic blocking his connection to the Fade. Whilst it might have appeared to the ancient Tevene that their blood magic was giving greater connection with the Fade, perhaps they were connecting with the voices in the Black City, which whilst in the Fade was not actually part of it and they were actually having to establish a strong enough connection to overcome the resistance from the Fade. Whilst it might also appeared that blood magic weakened the Veil, this was merely the spirits attracted to the area. So, prolonged blood magic use in ancient Tevinter gradually built up a resistance to communication through the Fade into the Black City. It would explain why Corypheus was cutting himself ever deeper in order to communicate with his voices, because that would cause him greater pain, thus attracting more spirits that could temporarily weaken the Veil and by-pass the Fade. Does that make sense?

I've also been thinking again about what is said in the Canticle of Silence. Now an earlier Divine ended up condemning this as merely propaganda from Hessarian against Old God worship, although I suspect her condemnation was probably due to political motives as relations cooled between Tevinter and the south. However, given that the high priest of Dumat who entered the Black City was called Corypheus and that according to his servant it was his choice to take that name, not an established title among the priesthood, may be Hessarian did know something, either enlightened by the Maker/spirit of the Fade or ancient records that he had unearthed. Notice that in his memories, Corypheus is angered there is no record kept even of their names, as though he thought there should have been. So, he is apparently referring not to the titles that they took, which are recorded in the Canticle, but their own family names. As it happens, we are able to discover his name through a book kept in the Magisterium's Library in Minrathous entitled the Liberalum.

So, if it was possible to discover Corypheus' name through this book, presumably the other high priests are recorded there too and that Hessarian may have got the information he used in the Canticle either from this book or may be another in which Corypheus actually recorded what they were about to do.  Alternatively, the Archon at that time recorded what the priest told him who had been present to witness the events leading up to the ritual and left to warn the Archon as it was about to start.  In the Canticle of Silence it alleges that after being instructed by Dumat how to enter the Black City, Corypheus realised that his priesthood wouldn't be sufficient to accomplish the task, so he went in turn to each of the high priests of the other gods to enlist their help and they in turn consulted with their own god before agreeing. This means that it could not have been a plot devised by Dumat alone against the other gods or without their knowledge but something that was approved by all. Since they all fell silent after the Black City was breached, it does appear as though that may have been their aim all along in whispering to the human mages down the years until they had sufficient magical knowledge and power to attempt it. If Old God worship had been on the wane even before the 1st Blight, it might also explain taking action when they did, because the window of opportunity might pass beyond reach.

I also think that the darkspawn breaking through was contingent on the Black City being breached first. The entry in the Descent concerning the location of an Arch-demon prison suggested that it looked as though the darkspawn had been surrounding it as though in worship. Possibly the whole area was sealed but at the very least they were attracted to its location and wouldn't leave until the Arch-demon did. Whatever force field likely prevented their approach to dig it out was likely removed by the Magisters breaking into the Black City. This would fit with what the dwarves maintain about the darkspawn appearing in the Deep Roads very quickly after the date of the ritual in enormous numbers, hardly enough time for brood mothers to have given birth to so many in the intervening time. It might also mean that the last part of the Canticle of Silence was also close to the truth and that when the Magisters were ejected from the Black City back to Thedas, the Archon was waiting for them, attacked and they scattered across the land to far flung locations where he could not reach them. They may also have been struck with amnesia for a time or even permanently by the trauma of their experience, hence the Architect not being able to remember his origins. There seems no record of them being seen during the 1st Blight either so may be the Arch-demon had something to do with this as the Grey Wardens only became aware of Corypheus after Dumat's death.