Haters and Lovers of Veilguard

I think what I missed from Kirkwall was a broader definition of who they are and what they identify as. Since the 2nd game took me into a new part of Thedas I was unfamiliar with, I wanted to learn more about the Free Marches culture. Initially, this was a formal Tevinter territory filled with native barbarian tribes and sea raiders. Yet, this was very very much far back in the past. Since then, they've endured the war Tevinter vs Andraste, the Fourth Blight, they were conquered by the Qunari, also conquered by Orlais and not to mention the Chantry. Plus the constant war and paranoia of each city state vs one another.

The Templar Order stationed at Kirkwall was merely a military power holding it, but they aren't native to the Free Marches. In fact, something we aren't really told, wasn't there a recent attempt by Kirkwall to overthrow the Templar Order, and Meredith was the one who suppressed that rebellion? Which faction pushed that rebellion? (I imagine it's the one that identified itself as 'native' to Kirkwall and desired independence of all these military conquerors). Which values did they carry? What exactly did they want? All Maredith is paranoid about are mages mages mages ... uh what about those guys that wanted to overthrow your power? They aren't even mentioned (unless those were mages but not like I've been told much).

All this complaining about those pesky, dirty, hungry Fereldens invading their land and threatening their identity... yet I always lacked the definition of Who ARE you? Aside from Free Marches being a mixed bunch paranoid of outsiders, I didn't get much. This could have been explored more in both side quests, as well as the maps and settings. We get a full glimpse of what the Qunari want, what the Chantry wants, what the trader guilds want, what the mages want, but what is it that Free March people themselves want? Why did a family, as powerful as the Hawkes, choose it as their stronghold? What inherent values do Free Marches represent? Or are they simply a bunch of nobodies getting constantly reshaped and torn apart by the powerful of the world? Perhaps, that's why the Arishok is driven crazy by Kirkwall. The Qun has a highly orderly, unified identity and self-definition. Looking at Kirkwall, I couldn't fathom what goals they are working towards and what is it they want in their future.

You ask joe average from Free Marches what they want, they're like uh... more food, fewer cockroaches and Ferelden riff raff. Not that they have any clue in which direction to go to achieve that. Yet, when Alistair comes in person to get those refugees off their hands, he isn't given the light of day. Who does Meredith think she is, talking to the King of Ferelden like that. I see an assembly of self-serving factions and their interests, but the essence of Free Marches was very much elusive and I didn't get a good enough glimpse of it.