Environment Ideas for a Future Game

- This one's in my desktop bkgd rotation, and I could see The Black City being something like this. What I really like is how it's laid out from the foreground, to the middle ground, to the background. And also how the path leads your eye around the image. Imagine the fun you'd have with a flying mount here. 

At the same I also hope someday the tech/scope allows BW to really do the Fade justice. Imagine being able to see Spirits and Dreamers shape the Fade before your eyes without regard for the laws of physics. Or maybe even create your own little pocket realm in the Fade.

At one time it must have looked golden, perhaps a spirit could give a vision of this:



Since I also believe that the Golden City and Arlathan were one and the same, perhaps this is how the throne room looked before it turned black. I always imagined that the only way in would be via eluvian.

Tevinter covers such a vast area there seems no reason why it shouldn't have a variety of environments. As you, say, think of the Mediterranean and the variety of vegetation in the countries surrounding it. Also, Minrathous is pretty much on the same latitude as southern Seheron and I thought that island was at the very least predominantly warm temperate forest if not actual jungle. Anywhere on the coast of Tevinter is likely to be lusher than further inland because of the influence of sea breezes, although I realise this can depend on ocean currents.

I don't know what part of Tevinter the illustration on p.77 of WoT is meant to illustrate but the amount of cloud/mist in evidence would suggest anything but a "dry" climate. It also specifically mentions that the Proving Grounds is a "green jewel" in the heart of the city, decorated as it is with hanging gardens, so even if the climate was not conducive to this, I imagine that magic would ensure sufficient irrigation to maintain it. Think green walls in our cities.

I do love though how looks like Kirby's lurking in the northern ocean. Maybe that's why the map ends there - no one's made it past Kirby to find out what lies beyond. Or maybe he's just slowly devouring the world, and it literally does end there.

Some ideas for how Par Ladi might look: WoT "A large island... a capital with costal fortresses that rival any in Thedas."



 

And some ideas for Parladians: WoT "The people there are 'bedecked in gold and jewels'."  "They speak of Parladian witches, reminiscent of Rivaini seers".

The first would fit with the description of the Executor in Tevinter Nights, may be as they would appear to outsiders through not wishing to show their face (although of course this could be because they are not human), whilst the second is in among their own people whether they are connected with the Executors or not.

 

Apparently he is the Emperor Balthasar Kelt from Warhammmer: Total War

I thought he just looked really mysterious and powerful, which goes with the whole Executor image considering even Solas considers them dangerous. I think the Executor in Tevinter Nights was veiled rather than masked but the main thing I took from that is that their face was concealed. Even if the Parladians have no connection with the Executors, I thought their desire to distance themselves from outsiders would mean they might well cover their faces on the few occasions they have spoken with them.

To be honest, though, I would think it would make more sense for the Executors and Parladians to be connected. That way it wouldn't be a case of this new group appearing out of nowhere in DAI but rather a nation that has rejected all approaches from the south in the past being affected by the breach in the sky and so finally engaging with the wider world in order to assess the threat to themselves. Then they learn about what Fen'Harel has planned, realise they would be destroyed along with everyone else, so start to engage with the rest of Thedas. The Executors could just be the name they give to their equivalent of official government spies in their society.

There is enough anecdotal evidence that the Parladians are not just a myth but in that case they have to be really powerful since neither Tevinter nor the Qun have been able to conquer them, although there are hints this is more because their magic is that of illusion and concealment rather than outright destructive. They must also be ancient enough in origin that they may well have access to knowledge and magic long forgotten elsewhere. Even if we don't meet them in DA4, I hope we do get to visit Par Ladi at some point in the future or meet with someone from there.

I like the effect the long overhang creates here on the sea. On a similar note, I'd love to sail an underground sea.




I've love how much heart this pastoral scene has. You could easily insert DA griffons here.

Some good samples there! As for a preference, I still like the idea of sailing through great vaulted caverns, with cleverly designed dwarven trade outposts, lava flows, etc.. An enormous ice cave would be cool too.

If we get to visit Nevarra and the Necropolis then, perhaps..

(Tevinter Nights spoilers)

I imagine there's an underground lake in the vicinity (or at least within a day's walking distance) since these things exist in real life. For example, crystal caverns attached to Naica mine in Mexico were originally submerged in water until engineers used pumps to get rid of the water. The caves are about 120 - 300 meters from the surface. The crystals in the caves get bigger as one descends deeper underground.


As much I'm looking forward visiting the Necropolis, as someone who still gets turned around and confused in the Winter Palace gardens and attached buildings, I really hope they don't do this. That said, I'm not against tombs following the crawling floorplans of ancient tombs of pharaohs. I'm fully expecting to sarcophagi and those cuboid columbariums(?) filled with skulls we tend run into in places where ancient Tevinters have lived (e.g. the high dragon's lair in the Bone Pit, the ramparts in Exalted Plains where we must burn the corpses).


Now, as for the exterior of the Necropolis, I hope the Bioware gets their design ideas for it from something other than the pyramids. For example, the Mesopotamian ziggurats would be a less obvious choice, but without plants or works of art their terraced levels risk looking dull. What I do like about Mesopotamian inspired buildings and artwork is that they boldly use colours blue and gold and usually find someway to incorporate something (like a barbican protecting the entrance) reminiscent of the Ishtar gate into them. 


I would also be down to a building whose main design idea for its exterior would boil down to "Let's cover the whole thing with statues, not just the top like with Notre Dame, the whole thing!"
I'm now going a bit of topic, but one Mesopotamian thing that I would absolutely want to find from a crypt and wear in Dragon Age would be Queen Puabi's headdress. It was found flattened with the skull of its owner in the royal tombs of Ur.