Par Vollen

Par Vollen is the homeland of the Qunari. It is a tropical island chain covered mostly by rainforests and jungles. It is located north of Rivain in the Boeric Ocean. Its largest city and capital is Qunandar, found on the southern coast of the main island.
== History ==
Before the Qunari arrived in Par Vollen, the island was inhabited by a native human population. These humans constructed cities and pyramids in the jungles. The local culture developed separately from the mainland.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 348 The pyramids they built still stand to this day and are regarded by travelers to the region as true wonders.Codex entry: The Pyramids of Par Vollen
In 6:30 Steel, the Qunari landed on Par Vollen in large numbers and conquered it quickly. Because of the isolation of the native inhabitants, the invasion went largely unnoticed by the rest of Thedas.Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide Collector's Edition - Traveler's Guide, p. 345Codex entry: Par Vollen: The Occupied North The native humans have since then willingly converted to the Qun and live peacefully on the island. The Qunari have come to consider Par Vollen their new homeland. Two years after conquering Par Vollen, the Qunari went to war with the rest of Thedas.
Currently, the only known inhabitants of Par Vollen are the Qunari (including converts) and the native humans who have now assimilated completely into Qunari culture. Very few outsiders are ever permitted to visit its shores.
The Qunari are said to have kept intermittent contact with their original homeland across the Northern Ocean for a while after landing in Par Vollen; however, it stopped altogether two centuries ago. They sent many ships to reestablish the connection, but none of them returned.
== Culture and society ==
According to the Seer of Kont-aar, one of the few outsiders ever permitted to visit Par Vollen, it is one of the only places where it is possible to understand Qunari society in its entirety. The Qunari view their society as a single creature, a living entity whose health and well-being is the responsibility of all. Most of the Qunari outside of Par Vollen belong to the army, the physical body. The mind and soul dwell in the cities of Par Vollen.
After generations under Qunari rule, the distinct culture of the island's native population has largely been forgotten.
=== Architecture ===
The ancient inhabitants of the island built impressive pyramids. Yet the Qunari have made their own mark here. In Qunandar, the capital and only city of any note, the Qunari have constructed great domes and aqueducts. The size of this city is said to rival Thedas' largest cities like Cumberland, Val Royeaux and Minrathous.
Of the pyramids and the civilization that built them, very little is known. The pyramids themselves are known to have nearly-perfect proportions, and their locations on Par Vollen have been theorized to closely correspond with a specific constellation, Solium. The purpose served by the pyramids is lost to history; although they are known to contain well-preserved remains, the pyramids do not appear to have been designed as tombs.
The pyramids and other ruins of Par Vollen's ancient civilization also feature murals of the natives interacting in a subservient manner with horned beings who are not Qunari. It is believed that the Qunari conquered Par Vollen so easily because the natives associated the Qunari with the horned beings they venerated, and therefore most natives chose to submit to the invaders' rule.
The humans who lived in Par Vollen were considered more primitive than other Thedosians.
According to the Iron Bull, there are dwarven ruins on Par Vollen of similar age and architecture to Kal Repartha.Iron Bull/Dialogue#Hissing Wastes tombs during The Tomb of Fairel
== Trivia ==
* According to David Gaider, Par Vollen is also home to a people called the Fex. They are said to be a sentient race who inhabited the island since before the Qunari arrived. The Fex aren't often seen outside of Par Vollen.Dragon Age II PAX Day 3. David Gaider interview. Partial transcript of the interview. The Fex haven't been mentioned elsewhere. It's unclear whether they are meant to be equated with the native human population of Par Vollen.
* Humans are thought to have appeared on the continent of Thedas from the north, although it's not known where exactly they came from. The Dalish say that humans arrived from Par Vollen.Codex entry: Arlathan: Part One Since Par Vollen is located north of the mainland and is noted to have been inhabited by a native human population for a long time, it's possible humanity either originates from Par Vollen, or settled there after migrating from another location even further north.
== Codex entries ==
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== References ==
Category:Locations
Category:Nations
Category:Islands
Category:Par Vollen
Category:Qunari
ru:Пар Воллен