Western Approach

The Western Approach is a large, arid expanse in southwestern Orlais. Farther west lie the Hunterhorn Mountains and uninhabited steppes and forests.
== Background ==
The wastes in The Approach were once a land of plenty. The rain came north over the Gamordan Peaks, turning the plains green and verdant for several months of the year. However, eight hundred years ago, that all changed.Taken from Codex entry: The Western Approach The Approach became the site of a major battle during the Second Blight. The darkspawn swarmed out of the Abyssal Rift, a great chasm to the south, and corrupted it with their foul blood never allowing for the land beyond to recover... even after the darkspawn were all driven back underground.Expanded from Codex entry: The Western Approach
The Grey Wardens had Adamant Fortress erected by the dwarves to stand watch over the chasm. The region however became a stark and sad place with unstable purple sands looted with desolate rocky pillars engulfed in steep ridges. At night, the air grows still and the sky is alight with shimmering auroras— the time when darkspawn still come out of hiding.Excerpt from Codex entry: The Western Approach 
The Orlesians at one point had iron towers built, over a hundred feet high, to mark a path in the badlands allowing for travelers to see the next when one is reached. The towers, now old, rusted and barely visible no longer pave a clear path to Adamant Fortress which stands on the lip of the chasm towering at the end of the path.The Fortress of Adamant. Dragon Age Adamant eventually lay vacant by the Wardens due to the ever encroaching sands and intense howling winds.
== Involvement ==
== Places ==
=== Regions ===
: Abyssal Ledge
: Blight Overlook
: The Canyons
: Death Drink Springs
: Dust Plains
: Dustytop Fort
: Echoback Canyon
: Echoback Fort
: Forgotten Mine
: Gates of Andoral
: Gates of Toth
: Giant's Staircase
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: Iska's Stand
: Lost Spring Canyon
: Lost Wash Creek
: Nazaire's Pass
: Old Prison Road
: Prison Ruins
: Sand Flats
: Sand Rock Mine
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: Valemont Pass
: The Wastes
=== Additional places ===
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=== Inquisition camps ===
: Craggy Ridge Camp
: Echo Back Canyon Camp
: Lost Spring Canyon Camp
: Nazaire's Pass Camp
== Characters ==
* Alistair (conditional)
* Warden-Commander Clarel
* Overseer Crassius Servis
* Professor Frederic of Serault
* Hawke
* Jean-Marc Stroud (conditional)
* Leo of Lucien BayEncountered during Cassandra Pentaghast's companion queest Unfinished Business.
* Magister Livius Erimond
* Loghain Mac Tir (conditional)
* Lucanus
* Prelate Macrinus
* Commander Rylen
=== Merchants ===
* Griffon Wing Keep Merchant
== Quests ==
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=== Rifts ===
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=== Requisitions ===
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=== War table operations ===
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== Creatures ==
:Fennec
:Gurn
== Hostile creatures ==
:Hyena
:Phoenix
:Quillback
:Giant spider
:Poisonous spider
:Varghest
:Giant
:Abyssal High Dragon
== Enemies ==
:White Claws
:* White Claw Raiders (Rogue - Archer)
:* White Claw Raider Escorts (Warrior - One-Handed Sword)
:* White Claw Raider Footpads (Rogue - Double Daggers)
:Venatori
:* Venatori Mage (Mage)
:* Venatori Spellbinder (Mage)
:* Venatori Marksman (Rogue - Archer)
:* Venatori Stalker (Rogue - Double Daggers)
:* Venatori Zealot (Warrior - One-Handed Sword)
:* Venatori Gladiator (Warrior - Mace and Tower Shield)
:* Venatori Brute (Warrior - Two-Handed Great Axe)
:Darkspawn
:* Ghoul
:* Hurlock
:* Hurlock alpha
:* Hurlock archer
== Collections ==
=== Astrariums ===
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=== Bottles on the Wall ===
: Vintage: Warden Jairn - search inside Dustytop Fort.
: Vintage: Warden Eval'lal - search inside the Ritual Tower.
: West Hill Brandy - search the top of the tower directly above the Astrarium cave; climb the southern half of the east rubble slope and then traverse up the ladder.
=== Dragon Hunter ===
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=== Landmarks ===
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=== Mosaics ===
: (12 pieces) - see the Archdemon mosaic for detailed locations.
: (piece #8) - found in the Still Ruins, in the locked room, just to the right of the first hall encountered.
: (piece #9) - found in Coracavus, behind a locked door in the Records Room.
=== Shards ===
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=== Skyhold Customizations ===
: - found in a chest at the second siege point, where Hawke is encountered in Adamant Fortress; see main quest Here Lies the Abyss.
: - found in a chest located in a room off of the left side of the Main Chamber of the Still Ruins.
: - capture Griffon Wing Keep (conditional: awarded after the Inquisitor captures their first keep)
: - capture all three keeps: Caer Bronach, Griffon Wing Keep, and Suledin Keep.
== Resources ==
=== Herbs ===
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=== Leather ===
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=== Metals ===
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== Notable items ==
=== Elven artifacts ===
* In the Main Chamber of the Still Ruins.
* In the far western corner of the hidden astrarium room.
* In Griffon Wing Keep; head up the stairway located directly to the right of keep's main gate.
=== Logging stands ===
* Northeast of the Lost Spring Canyon Inquisition Camp.
* East by southeast of the Craggy Ridge Inquisition Camp, or directly northwest from The Lost Idol landmark and head up the tiny slope from the riverbank.
=== Memories of the Grey ===
* Grey Warden Sword - found atop a wooden tower inside Dustytop Fort; southwest of the Nazaire's Pass Inquisition Camp, near one of the rifts off the pass.
* Vial of Archdemon Blood - found in Echoback Fort; see side quest The Trouble with Darkspawn.
=== Quarries ===
* At Shimmer Stone Mine
* Southwest of Echoback Fort
* Southwest of Sand Rock Mine
=== Red lyrium veins ===
* Inside Sand Rock Mine
* Inside the Forgotten Mine
* Inside Shimmer Stone Mine
=== Veilfire glyphs ===
: - acquired in the cave revealed from unlocking Astrariums in the Approach.
: - in a small cave accessible from the center of Echoback Fort.
: - in Coracavus' Holding Cells; found in the cell containing the hanged man.
: - in the Inner Sanctum of the Still Ruins, on a plaque behind the magic staff; see side quest The Heart of the Still Ruins.
=== Loot ===
: - looted from within the same cave as the Thing in the Dark landmark.
: - looted from a chest in Echoback Fort; see side quest The Trouble with Darkspawn.
: - looted from Macrinus; see side quest Assault on Griffon Wing Keep.
: - acquired in the cave revealed from Astrariums in the Approach.
: - looted from Macrinus; see side quest Assault on Griffon Wing Keep.
: - looted from Lucanus in the Still Ruins; see side quest A Tevinter Relic Hunt.
: - looted from a chest in Echoback Fort; see side quest The Trouble with Darkspawn.
: - acquired in the cave revealed from unlocking Astrariums in the Approach.
: - looted from a chest at the top of Shimmer Stone Mine.
: - looted from the Abyssal High Dragon.
: - randomly available at the Griffon Wing Keep Merchant for .
: - looted after destroying the keep gate during the side quest Assault on Griffon Wing Keep.
: - randomly available at the Griffon Wing Keep Merchant for .
: - randomly available at the Griffon Wing Keep Merchant for .
: - looted from the Abyssal High Dragon.
: - looted from a chest behind a locked door in Coracavus' Records Room; see side quest The Trouble with Darkspawn.
: - looted from the Inner Sanctum of the Still Ruins; see side side quest A Stranger Rift in the Ruins.
: - looted within the cave situated in the southernmost part of the region; see side quest On the Chantry Trail.
== Codex entries ==
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=== Adamant Fortress ===
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=== Coracavus ===
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=== Still Ruins ===
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== Note texts ==
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=== Adamant Fortress ===
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=== Coracavus ===
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=== Still Ruins ===
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== Notes ==
* There are two gates in the Approach: the Gate of Toth and the Gate of Andoral, both can be opened from the northern side; however, this requires completion of the war table operation Find the Source of Darkspawn.
* There is a sizeable stash of gold next to a skeleton situated directly above the Echo Back Canyon Inquisition Camp. In order to reach the cache (see here) use a mount to traverse to the top of the mountain edge via the eastern side. There is small nook in the foundation that can be used to access the area. Jumping on the cracked edge with a mount will allow for the player to reach the platform after several successful jumps. Missing the crack while attempting to jump will simply result in falling to desert floor.
== Trivia ==
* In several published maps of Thedas, "the Abyssal Rift" is erroneously labeled "the Abyssal Reach"; however; the former label is correct., "A list of errata by Brother Genitivi"
== Gallery ==
western approach 4.jpg|Adamant Fortress
Adamant 2.png|Another view of Adamant fortress
Coracavus Exterior.png|Coracavus Exterior
Western approach 1.png|Grey Warden Keep
Tevinter Ritual Tower.png|Tevinter Ritual Tower
The Gate Guardians.png|The Gate Guardians
Shimmer Stone Mine.png|Shimmer Stone Mine
western approach 6.jpg|Poisonous gas from the Sulphur Pits
== References ==
Category:Locations
Category:Dragon Age: Asunder locations
Category:Dragon Age: Inquisition locations
Category:Orlais
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