Avvar

The Avvar, also known as Avvars, "hillsmen" or the "Sky Cult", are a human tribe dating back to ancient times. The adjective form is Avvar, occasionally Avvarian.Avvarian War Boots
== History ==
Although often referred to as a single entity, the Avvar are actually groups of small tribes who share their beliefs and culture but otherwise operate independently of each other. They were one of the tribes of the Alamarri which crossed the Frostback Mountains in -2415 Ancient to escape what legend says was a "shadow goddess" but scholars believe was a natural disaster. Solas says that the Shadow Goddess is a lonely spirit who now walks the Fade along the southern tundra, weeping and forgotten.
In -1815 Ancient, Tyrdda Bright-Axe refused Thelm Gold-Handed's offer to cross the Waking Sea to plunder the riches of the golden city and instead led her tribe to split from the rest of the Alamarri and make the inhospitable Frostback Mountains their home.Codex entry: Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother Afterwards, she established trade with the dwarves and eventually had a child with Hendir, a dwarven prince, to ensure her tribe's continued survival. For this, she is known as the Avvar-Mother. Her newly formed tribe took on the name of "Avvar" after the "Aval'var" mentioned in the Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe.Codex entry: Saga of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, Avvar-Mother 7:5 Aval'var, so named the lover, called "our journey, yours and mine"; 7:10 The Avvar tribe, her name, our taking. The two groups warred with each other for centuries afterwards. 
By the time the Tevinter Imperium started aggressively expanding their borders southward, some Avvar had settled in the Vimmark Mountains. Some clans were wiped out by Tevinter's legions while others were enslaved or forced to flee south across the Waking Sea.Codex entry: The Cult of the Sky Circa -712 Ancient, the Imperium launched their first expedition against the Avvar, planning to march further into the mountains to defeat the last of the tribes, and then turn their attention fully to the Chasind and Alamarri. But the Avvar put up heavier resistance than expected after the Imperium seized one of their gods' sacred relic.Codex entry: The Mountain-Father's Haft
With the help of dwarves the Avvar built the fortresses of Kinloch Hold, and Vigil's Keep. The former became home to Ferelden's Circle of Magi, and the latter to the Grey Wardens after Avvar power declined.
As the First Blight raged across the rest of Thedas, the Avvar chieftain Morrighan'nan, said to be a descendant of Tyrdda Bright-Axe, waged war on the Alamarri chieftain Luthias Dwarfson, who had spurned her for a dwarven princess after their tryst. War raged for fifteen years until Luthias unknowingly killed the son that Morrighan'nan had borne him. After Morighan'nan revealed that Luthias had killed his own son, the tide of the war turned against him. Luthias and Morrighan'nan eventually killed each other at the Battle of Red Falls in -355 Ancient.
Following the First Blight, the Avvars made considerable advances on Tevinter territory. Maferath, an Avvar leader married to Andraste, invaded the Imperium with the help of other Alamarri tribes and elven slaves led by Shartan. However, concerned that their victories would be short-lived, Maferath betrayed his wife and worked out a secret deal with Archon Hessarian. In exchange for truce and the lands that would eventually become Orlais, Nevarra, the Free Marches and Ferelden, Andraste would be given to the magisters for execution.
In 1:50 Divine, after Hafter's efforts to drive the darkspawn out of Alamarri lands during the Second Blight had decimated the Alamarri's numbers, the Avvar and Chasind joined forces to prey on their weakness. Under Hafter's leadership, the Alamarri prevailed against the other clans, forcing them to flee to the wilds and the highlands and cementing the Alamarri as the dominant clan in the Fereldan Valley.
In the Exalted Age, King Calenhad Theirin united a branch of the Alamarri tribes known as the Clayne to form the nation of Ferelden.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 4 Some Avvar and Chasind tribes supported Calenhad's motion, but most of the Avvar did not enter the alliance.Codex entry: The Lady of the Skies Those who resisted the unification were further pushed to the fringes of the new nation, with the Avvar being forced into the Frostback Mountains.
By 6:50 Steel, the Avvar were united under the great warlord Balak and attacked the Bannorn in massive numbers. However, after two years, they were pushed out of the Fereldan Valley. This conflict resulted in one of the worst famines in Fereldan history. Relations with Ferelden remained very sour for centuries.
== Involvement ==
=== Dragon Age (tabletop RPG) ===
Arl Gallagher Wulff's daughter, Izot, elopes with her Avvar lover Azur Ar Brosna O Redhold but is kidnapped by a rival Avvar warlord named Balan. While searching for her at the Arl's request, the adventurers visit Redhold, where Thane Oswyne attempts to enlist them to aid in the defense of the hold against a large darkspawn raid.
=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
== Culture ==
Permanence is a foreign concept to the Avvars. Nothing in the Frostbacks stays the same forever, and nothing in Avvar life is permanent either. Their settlements are temporary; their agreements are temporary; even their marriages are temporary. Literacy isn't very common among the Avvar; instead, they rely on stories passed down through the oral tradition by skalds and other people among the hold.Ambient dialogue implies that Helsdim Rolfsen's ability to read is unusual. "It isn't natural! Must come from learning how to read." Helsdim himself says that he learned how to read from an old trader. However, the ability to read and write is usually expected in leadership roles, such as thanes and augurs.Codex entry: Colette's Notes The augurs learn how to read in order to study arcane texts.Codex entry: Leather-Bound Hakkonite Journal
While Avvar like to say that they hold all oaths close to sacred, the final authority on oaths rests with the Thane. A clever one can always find "a hole in the tent of any promise, a place for the cold wind to sneak in". To make up for breaking an oath with another hold, the party which has done wrong can pay the price of their transgression with gifts and new trade conditions.According to dialogue with Svarah Sun-Hair. Spiritual rules are considered equally stringent.According to dialogue with Finn.
Avvar despise capture and would rather end their own life or die in battle than be prisoner to an enemy.Hakkon's Honor
=== Community roles ===
Positions in a hold include Thane, Augur, Master of the Hunt, Skald, and Arena Trainer.
==== Thane ====
Thane is a title of the hold's leader. Thanes are responsible for settling internal and external disputes. They make the final decisions for the hold, especially when it comes to entering or breaking alliances with other holds. They take counsel from augurs.
==== Augur ====
Augurs are spiritual leaders of the Avvar. They are chosen from among the mages. They commune with the gods, seeking advice that they later share with the Thane.Dialogue with the Augur.
==== Master of the Hunt ====
Masters of the Hunt are in charge of hunters in a hold. They lead the hunts, ensuring that the hold gathers enough food. They also handle the initial preparation of ritualistic offerings.Dialogue with Master of the Hunt during A Father's Name.
==== Skald ====
Skalds are responsible for cultivating the history of the Avvar, as the tribes rely heavily on oral tradition. Skalds learn old songs and sagas to share them with the rest of the hold. They are tasked with preserving important decisions and events, such as oaths, legend-marks, and battles. Creating a pleasing tale is considered a notable accomplishment.According to ambient dialogue in Stone-Bear Hold after the dragon is killed.
==== Arena Trainer ====
Arena Trainers are in charge of training Avvar warriors. They "prepare warriors for the gods", as the Avvar sometimes call for the spirits' help in battle. It is the Arena Trainers' duty to train the warriors well so that they can receive the gods' gifts, like additional strength or better situational awareness in a moment of need. Arena Trainers oversee the trials that take place in the hold's arena, known as Hakkon's trials. This is a fight against the best warriors in the hold, until one of the sides surrenders. Before entering the trial, participants have to deliver an offering to the Arena Trainer.Dialogue with Trainer Arrken Feldsen.
=== Naming ===
Avvar clans live in holds that bear the name of the clan that lives there.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Player's Guide, set 1, p. 31Such as Stone-Bear Hold.
In some Avvar holds, including Stone-Bear Hold, a person is identified by a firstname and a surname, and the surname is determined by the firstname of a parent, with the suffix "-sen" (meaning "son") or "-dotten" (meaning "daughter") added to the parent's name. For example, Finn Caldansen is the son of Caldan;A Father's Name and Fullna Hethsdotten is the daughter of Heth.According to conversation with Fullna Hethsdotten. As such, the Avvar do not use typical family names, the surnames change from generation to generation. For one to continue using their parent's name as a surname after the death of said parent, the individual must complete the traditional funerery rites, which includes giving a sufficient offering in honour of the deceased. If they fail to perform these rites, they no longer introduce themselves as a son or daughter of their parent, and the family relation stops being recognized by the rest of the hold.As shown in the quest A Father's Name. When asked about Finn's situation, Master of the Hunt says that he will be disowned for failing to complete the rites. If the quest is completed by giving the offering directly to the Master of the Hunt instead of being handed to Finn, then Finn says the following "The offering will be prepared for burial. My father... no, I'm only Finn." He ceases to use his father's name as a surname.
An Avvar can also earn a "legend-mark" by accomplishing a significant feat. A legend-mark is a cognomen that replaces the surname, usually in honor of a great deed performed by the individual; e.g., Ivatt Jovsen was made Ivatt Stone-Thunder in recognition of protecting his hold, though it can also signify someone's negative traits, as in the case of Rekkas Feather-Fall.Codex entry: Two Marked in Battle 
For some clans, there are three parts to an Avvar name. These are the first name, the byname and the clan name. These clans tend to be matrilineal, so the byname is used to show who an Avvar's mother is. "An" would indicate "daughter of" and "Ar" would indicate "son of". The byname is followed "O" and then the name of the clan. For example, Arcill Ar Dubne O Wyrmhold would be the son of Dubne from the clan Wyrmhold.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Player's Guide, set 1, p. 31 For other clans, there are two parts to an Avvar name. These are the first name and the byname. Bynames indicate the parent of the same gender as the child with “sen” for son of or “dotten” for daughter.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Core Rulebook, p. 42
=== Wedding customs ===
The Avvar do not marry for life, instead, they practice temporary marriages. During the wedding ceremony, the bride will sing a hymn to the Lady of the Skies while the groom attempts to undo a series of knots she has tied in a long rope. The number of knots the groom undoes before the hymn ends determines the number of years that marriage will last. Both the bride and the groom may try to affect the result of the ritual, for example, the bride can tie the knots very tightly, while the groom can decide to only untie a certain number of the knots before the hymn ends. The ceremony can be repeated multiple times to extend the duration of the marriage.Codex entry: A Good Marriage
Since each Avvar hold is made up of several extended-family clans, Avvars must often marry outside their hold to avoid their relatives. They see this as a good thing, for it brings in new blood and extends the ties among Avvars. Avvar men go about securing brides by kidnapping them. This is partially arranged in advance by approaching the elders of the target clan and announcing one’s intention. Failure to do so can lead to a blood feud.
Once permission has been given, a warrior is expected to prove his skill by slipping into the hold and removing his new bride. A warrior who is caught on his first try can expect a severe beating, but nothing worse. If he is caught again on the second try, though, he is likely to become lunch for the clan’s sacred animal. Avvarian men may approach a lady directly if they wish to secure her agreement (or assistance), and some Avvar women make it known that they desire a specific man.
=== Living conditions ===
The majority of the Avvar people live in subsistence conditions, with the greater part of their days spent gathering the necessities of survival and little time given over to activities without an immediate practical application. Ornamentation is rare among Avvar-made goods that aren’t religious in nature. They prefer well-made items that endure the Frostbacks’ extreme weather. Homes are sturdily made of wood with thatched or peat roofs.According to ambient dialogue
=== Food and hunting ===
The Avvar people are practical when it comes to foodDragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 83 and subsist on whatever the Frostback Mountains provide. They welcome any kind of meat, from snails, harts, and rams to larger creatures such as lurkers and gurguts. Although wyverns are dangerous to hunt due to their venom, and their flesh is poisonous, the Avvar consider them a good source of food and hunt them as part of their diet.According to dialogue between Amund and Katari in Dragon Age: Inquisition multiplayerDragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 25 The Avvar often hunt in the forest and set up traps. When they cannot obtain larger prey such as gurgut, they turn their attention to much smaller prey such as snails. Snails are found on many hillside boulders, making them an abundant source of food for the Avvar.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 25 When prepared correctly snails have a good texture and flavor. They can be dressed in butter and oil. Eating them in conjunction with other ingredients does not appear to be traditional Avvar cuisine per se. Snails are not common in Lowlander cuisine and Lowlanders may turn their noses up at them.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 25
The Avvar people also engage in animal husbandry, as they keep chickens and goats in pens. Avvar cooking methods favor utility. Communal evening meals are prepared by both men and women and taken around the fire. Stews are a typical meal, as they can be easily prepared. Baked fish wrapped in clay and pungent leaves is a popular dish for holds settled near lakes or rivers—they can be left cooking all day over hot coals with minimal supervision. In the dish fish in salt crust, salt is used instead of clay, as the salt helps prevent the fish from drying out.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 83 Most Avvar food preparation centers around winter: from the spring thaw onward, meat is smoked, vegetables pickled, fruits dried, everything stored in anticipation of the long, cold winter of the Frostbacks. Despite the importance of food storage, the Avvar have no qualms about leaving significant amount of food as offering to their gods.Codex entry: On Avvar Cuisine
The Avvar are also gatherers.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 71 Further Avvar dishes include seasoned cabbages stuffed with meat,Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 71 gurgut roast served with mushroom sauce,Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 79 and wyvern roast.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 85
The Avvar are strong hunters whose treacherous homeland has inured them to the cold and taught them to avoid heavy armor. They prefer strong chain links, dwarf wrought if they can get it, wrapped in warm furs. Avvars favor axes and spears over swords. Their bows are heavy, with long shafts capable of piercing a man’s torso at great distance. They are also excellent falconers, which makes their hunting parties nearly impossible to catch unawares. A hunting party will usually have a mountain eagle or two, highly clever and well-trained birds that scout for them. As such, Avvars are far more likely to ambush others than be caught themselves.Dragon Age RPG, Set 1, Game Master's Guide, p. 26
=== Hold-beasts ===
Each hold has a "hold-beast" that ties the clan to the gods. This animal acts as a sort of revered mascot and is treated as kin to the clan. It is no pet and is granted independence to live as it chooses. It's free to come visit the clan whenever it wishes. The clan members may even offer it gifts of food, though not enough that it would not hunt for itself. It is said that a hold draws strength from its hold-beast. When a hold-beast is strong and happy, there is joy. When it sickens and dies, it is an ill omen. If a hold-beast is sick or missing, it's a sign to other clans that the whole hold is weak, so the Avvar may want to conceal this information. A hold-beast is expected to fight in protection of its hold.Svarah Sun-Hair explaining Storvacker
== Beliefs ==
The Avvar still worship the old gods of the Alamarri, chief among them Korth the Mountain-Father, Hakkon Wintersbreath, and the Lady of the Skies.Codex entry: The Avvars Andraste, who was born of the Alamarri and Ciriane, is said to have prayed first to Korth and the Lady, but her prayers fell on deaf ears until the Maker answered.Codex entry: Andraste: Bride of the Maker
The Avvar also worship many lesser gods such as Uvolla, who is the god of the Wending Wood.According to the Statue of War.
It is nearly impossible to speak of the Avvar people without speaking of their beliefs. Faith is the vibrant cornerstone of their existence, filling their harsh lives with sacred implications, for the Avvar believe as the Alamarri once did: the gods live in all things. Wind from an unexpected direction, birds flying in unusual patterns, a sudden silence amidst the high peaks in the spring—these are nothing but chance to a lowlander, but are messages from the gods to an Avvar. 
The Avvar believe without question that their gods have protected them and kept them strong, for do they not thrive despite their numerous enemies? Wise lowlanders avoid pointing out that the hillsmen have been pushed into some of the most inhospitable terrain in all of Thedas. In truth, the Avvar love the Frostbacks and would only take offense at the thought that they were “forced” into the mountains. The Avvar have a complex pantheon, which includes both nature spirits and legendary mortals who have ascended to the heavens. This is further complicated by the fact that the pantheon varies somewhat from hold to hold, as every clan has its own sacred tales and heroes; however, all Avvars agree on the three greatest gods, Korth the Mountain-Father, Hakkon Wintersbreath, and the Lady of the Skies.
The Avvar deem spirits as their gods, treating them as patrons to be lulled and wooed. The Avvar deliberately invoke spirits for strength in battle or solicit them for advice. Such spirits have lived within their holds for many generations, and sometimes took the form of an animal or departed relatives when they pass on their wisdom. In the event a god is destroyed, the Avvar begin a year-long time of offerings and prayers and rituals. At the end of this period, a new spirit takes on the name and role of the old one.Codex entry: From a Mage's JournalCodex entry: The Return
The Avvar believe in an afterlife governed by the Lady of the Skies where the dead are reunited with their kin. The Avvar also believe some of their people are destined to be reborn, i.e., the essence (the soul) returns clothed in new flesh. The core of the concept is thus: the souls of a few Avvar "favored" by fate "migrate" on death to inhabit new bodies destined for them, so they may return and perform great deeds for the good of their hold. These resurrected souls are not expected to remember their past selves consciously, but instead are assumed to be subtly "guided" by their previous experiences, especially through visions and portents.Codex entry: A Tradition of Rebirth
When the Avvar enter a dispute that cannot be easily settled and it's not clear which side is right, the outcome is decided by completing tests dedicated to the Avvar gods. The test of the Lady is a climbing race. The test of Korth is a "battle with verse" (perhaps akin to flyting) while being held up by one's allies. The test of Hakkon is a fight with blunted weapons. A little known type of test involves dancing while twirling heavy axes. Only the Avvar know which god this rare trial honors. It's used to settle the most difficult disputes.Per description of The Dancer's Axe.
The Avvar gods are more capricious than cruel, demanding appeasement for perceived sleights rather than wantonly casting misfortune on their people from lofty heights. When Avvars suffer, it seldom occurs to them to blame ill luck, but instead, to wonder which of the gods they have offended. If a warrior suffers a wound, they are concerned that they may have slighted Hakkon. If a hunting party returns empty-handed, their only thought is to placate the Mountain Father; indeed, they will not go hunting again until they have decided on how to mollify Korth–there would be no point in it, as they would surely fail again.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Blood in Ferelden, p. 79
=== Korth the Mountain-Father ===
Korth the Mountain-Father, also known as the Father of the Skies,Dragon Age: The Calling, p. 279 is the oldest and strongest god of the Avvar pantheon. The Avvar believe that everything found in the mountains stem from him and that it is through his benevolence the Avvar receive everything they need–be it prey for hunters or green fields for goatherds.
=== Lady of the Skies ===
The Lady of the Skies is goddess of all above Korth's domain, of birds and even the wind itself, as well as the goddess of the dead. Rather than cremating their dead as Andrastians do, the Avvar dismember their dead and offer them to the Lady's children–the birds– to be carried back to her domain, where they will be reunited with their kin.
=== Hakkon Wintersbreath ===
Hakkon Wintersbreath, also known as the Lord of Winter,Kaddis of Hakkon Wintersbreath is the god of war and death. Avvar warriors train in the martial arts in order to be found worthy by Hakkon and Hakkon in turn was said to grant such warriors who earned his favor with a natural intuition or a second wind during battle. The Avvar say that Hakkon fell silent centuries ago for an unknown reason.
=== Bjorn Reed-Beard ===
A god said to bless fishermen.
=== Rilla of the Fireside ===
A god whose blessings aid in the making of babies.
=== Uvolla ===
A god of the Wending Wood. Little is known of him. He appears to accept living sacrifice, however, in payment for wrongs done in his sacred place.
=== Imhar the Clever ===
The trickster of the Avvar pantheon, Imhar is a slight man who must rely on his quick tongue instead of strength. Avvars enjoy tales of Imhar's jests and mockery, perhaps the most popular of which is that of Imhar and an evil seductress. She lured him into facing her unarmed, then faced him with an army of demons. Playing the coward, Imhar led them on a merry chase through a mountain pass. When they thought they had cornered him, Imhar laughed out loud. The great noise shook the peaks, and the horde was crushed beneath the avalanche he caused.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Blood in Ferelden, p. 78-79
=== Sigfost ===
The Great Bear sleeps at the foot of the Mountain Father's throne, and is so vast in size that Korth once confused him with a small mountain. Sitting at Korth's foot, he is also the guardian of wisdom. Avvars may challenge him to acquire knowledge, but the bones of many on such a quest are strewn about his den.
Avvars hold all bears sacred and, though they do sometimes hunt and skin them, do so with great solemnity. Due to this, they consider Bereskarn to be especially blasphemous as well.
Several Circle magi claim to have met Sigfost in the Fade.
== Avvar magic ==
The Avvar call their shamans augurs. Only one mage is chosen to be the augur. The augur's role is to give council to other mages and the Thane. In turn, an augur takes council from the spirits they deem gods and shares it with the hold. The augur makes the clan's will known to the spirits and the spirits' will to the clan. By appeasing their spirit gods with rituals, the spirits in turn protect their hold and drive off spirits gone bad with rage or gloom. The augur also spots those who draw bad spirits and councils the thane how to deal with the matter.
The augurs allow their apprentices to be possessed by a summoned Spirit and the spirit teaches the mage how to control their magic with patience and kindness. When the teaching is done, the mage must then release the spirit through a ritual that involves burning an offering and casting a taxing spell that usually requires a vial of lyrium to replenish one's strength. Weak mages unable to control their magic remain possessed and the Avvars' spirit gods watch them both so neither soul becomes corrupted. If the abomination becomes corrupted or the mage stands at risk of harming the hold, then one day the abomination is killed in their sleep.Conversation with The Augur about their training practices.
Other duties of an augur include interpreting omens and preparing the dead to be taken back to the Lady of the Sky.
When forced to consider complex spiritual matters, the Avvar turn to their shamans, the lore keepers of the mountains. It is they who watch the migrations of birds seeking wisdom from the Lady, they who keep the old songs and retain the knowledge of the proper rites to honor the gods and spirits of the mountains. The majority of Avvar shamans are powerful mages whose traditions stretch far back beyond the foundations of the Circle of Magi. 
Neither the Chantry nor the Prophetess mean anything to the Avvar, and Templars are not welcome in the Frostbacks. This is wise, as many of the shamans' rituals would horrify the Chantry. Even mild rites invite spirits to speak through the casters for a time, to say nothing of some of their more powerful ceremonies. The Avvar are well aware that some spirits are reluctant to depart human hosts willingly, but they have means of dealing with such recalcitrant entities. After all, they have no more desire to become abominations than other mages, and so their rituals are specifically designed to force the spirits back out as well.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Blood in Ferelden, p. 62
== Politics ==
Each Avvar clan is led by a thane. Avvar settle disputes that don't have a clear right party by undergoing tests and trials. Usually these tests are dedicated to their spirit gods: for example, the "Test of the Lady" is a race to climb a rock face between two competitors, each of which represent a party or claim in the dispute. The Avvar have many of these trials and the procedures for each one varies. Thanes guide the gods in deciding who is worthy and decide which test will settle the dispute. Thanes also have the power to ask a warrior whose claim is foolish to bear a handicap in the test, such as to climb the Test of the Lady with stones strapped to their back. The test and conditions of the test regarding a dispute between two clans or more are assumed to be negotiated and coordinated by the thanes of the invested clans. Peace is maintained between clans by creating alliances and officiating them with oaths. Some clans swear to defend and avenge each other. Admittedly, not all Avvar hold these oaths sacred, especially for clans who promise such oaths but bear little fondness to those they are sworn to. The realistic truth is that oaths last until they are broken. A cunning thane can find a loophole and should the oath-breakers emerge victorious through cunning, they can appease the other clans sworn to defend and avenge those they've transgressed against by sending offerings, trade and gifts, to pay the price of oath-breaking.
=== Foreign Relations ===
The Avvar have a decent relationship with the dwarven kingdom of Orzammar as well as the Carta,According to dialogue with Svarah Sun-Hair when she greets the dwarven Inquisitor: "Our people have long traded with Orzammar and your Carta." with whom they regularly trade in order to acquire fine weaponry and other supplies. This relationship extends back to the founding of the Avvar around -1815 Ancient, when Tyrdda Bright-Axe gave a promise of peace and established trade with the dwarves. Tyrdda had a child with the dwarf-prince Hendir—a child who then succeeded Tyrdda as leader of the Avvar tribe. In ancient times, an Avvar clan settled in the caves on the Waking Sea coast, where they met a group of dwarves. The dwarves protected a member of the clan when she fled to the Deep Roads, and later helped the Avvar defeat and bind a dangerous shade called the Dark Theurge.Codex entry: The Great StrifeCodex entry: Ancient Vows The Avvar clan built the Fort of a Thousand Vigils over the cave system and continued having a peaceful relationship with the local dwarves. They were trading with the dwarves in secret, possibly due to the region being a subject of the Tevinter conquest campaign.Codex entry: The Vigil Dwarves also surface in other ancient Avvar tales, such as the Tale of Hryngnar.
There is also limited commerce, dialogue, and exchange of ideas with the Orlesian empire, and some Avvar holds may even be in possession of Orlesian books.According to ambient dialogue in Stone-Bear Hold between two villagers gossiping about Helsdim Rolfsen. Some traders make their way to cities such as Lydes, Verchiel and Val Royeaux to trade furs and leathers for spices and things that the Avvar cannot make on their own.Codex entry: Thane Svarah Sun-HairDialogue with Helsdim Rolfsen Spices found in lowland areas are highly valued by Avvar people, and they often only used in meals on special occasions.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 79
Despite some Holds' location within the borders of Ferelden, the Avvar are emphatic that they are not Fereldans.According to dialogue with Sky Watcher Amund. If Solas is in party, he makes a comment about the wide variety of "Fereldan beliefs", which garners a negative response from Amund. During the Fifth Blight, the Avvar tribes had a truce with the Fereldan army to fight the darkspawn.
Some Avvar people travel even further than the neighbouring nations. An Avvar warrior once became a champion of the Grand Tourney at an unspecified time and location.Codex entry: The Celebrant An Avvar also fought in the Grand Tourney of Tantervale in the Dragon Age; they were defeated by Nathaniel Howe. An Avvar augur was said to attend an auction in Llomerryn, where enchanted artifacts from all of Thedas were sold.Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, The Dread Wolf Take You
The Avvars trade furs, goat milk, and free passage rights for dwarf traders (allowing them to travel over the Frostbacks in peace) in exchange for arms and armor. The dwarves regard the Avvars as a useful deterrent against both Fereldan and Orlesian ambitions.Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Blood in Ferelden, pp. 78
== Known Avvars ==
* Anashe – an Avvar tribeswoman and falconerCodex entry: The Lady of the Skies
* Amund – a religious shaman of the Lady of the Skies and agent of the Inquisition
* Balak – an Avvar warlord
* Gurd Harofsen – a warrior from Red-Lion Hold and later leader of the Jaws of Hakkon
* Havard – the first of the Disciples of AndrasteCodex entry: Havard's Aegis
* Hand of Korth – the son of Movran the Under
* Kaelah – a woman who fled Ruadan to find shelter with the dwarvesCodex entry: The Great Strife.
* Kell ap Morgan – a Jarl of the Avvars
* Kiveal – an Avvar who alongside the dwarves bound The Dark Theurge
* Maferath – the husband of Andraste and a warlord in the time during the first Exalted Marches
* Morrighan'nan – a chieftain of an Avvar clanCodex entry: The Legend of Luthias Dwarfson and descendant of Tyrdda Bright-Axe
* Movran the Under – chieftain of an Avvar clan from the Fallow Mire
* Ruadan – an Avvarian shaman and mage
* The spirit in the Statue of Peace
* The spirit in the Statue of War
* Svarah Sun-Hair – thane of the Stone-Bear Hold
* Tyrdda Bright-Axe – Avvar-Mother, referenced in codex entries gathered from landmarks in the Hinterlands; her clan is reputed to be the first of the Avvars, having migrated into the Frostbacks at the behest of Tyrdda's lover, a spirit in the form of an elf
* Stiksma – a giant of a warriorAccording to the item description for Frenzy.
* Elorn – Avvar shaman/mage
* Lowenna an Aenor – an Avvar woman living in RedholdDragon Age (tabletop RPG), Blood in Ferelden, p. 61
* Owyne ar Rainne – Thane of Redhold
== Known Avvar settlements ==
* Fennec-Tooth Hold
* Fort of a Thousand Vigils (former)
* Kinloch Hold (former)
* Red-Lion Hold (later became the Jaws of Hakkon)Codex entry: Journal of Gurd Harofsen
* Stone-Bear Hold
* Wyvern HoldCodex entry: The Cult of the Sky
* BearholdDragon Age (tabletop RPG), Game Master's Kit Revised, Buried Pasts, p. 31
* FrostholdDragon Age (tabletop RPG), Duty Unto Death, p. 4
* RedholdDragon Age (tabletop RPG), Blood in Ferelden, p. 58
* Sunhold
* Treehold
== Related codex entries ==
== Trivia ==
* Originally, one of the human origins was going to be an Avvar. According to David Gaider, the story revolved around a gathering of Avvar clans that the player character would attend to prove their strength. They would realize that another chieftain is scheming to gain power, and their own clan would be wiped out. The player character would be saved by Duncan. The location of the origin would be revisited later in the game, tying into The Urn of Sacred Ashes questline, which at that point of development was envisioned to exist within the Avvar territory. The player character would have a chance to deal with the enemy chieftain. The so-called "Human Barbarian" origin went through several rewrites but was ultimately cut from the game because of insufficient art resources for creating a unique Avvar look.
* A glimpse of what life is like for the Avvars can be seen in a scene in Dragon Age: The Calling, where Kell ap Morgan, a senior Grey Warden from among the Avvars, is trapped in a dream of his home.
* The Avvar warlord's name Balak could be derived from "Ka'hairal Balak"—a character from BioWare's game franchise Mass Effect and leader of a batarian terrorist group that raids Asteroid X57 in the DLC X57: Bring Down the Sky.
* In Awakening, the name of the god Hakkon is spelled Haakon.
* Sky burials are a Vajrayana Buddhism practice that takes place in Tibet, Mongolia and some parts of China, for the ground is too hard for graves to be dug. Several Native American tribes, such as the Choctaw Nation, also had a similar ritual in involving bone cleaning.
* The Avvar refer to the Fade as the Land of Dreams.
* In Inquisition, the Avvar chant and mumble like Venatori, though they would have no reason to speak Tevene.
* An Avvar-style totem depicting the mabari dogs can be found in Skyhold, though it's unclear if the totems were carved there or brought later.Note: Mabari Avvar Pillars
== Gallery ==
avvav2.png|An Avvar leader
avvav3.png|An Avvar warrior
RPG Avvar Archer.png|An Avvar ArcherDragon Age (tabletop RPG), Game Master's Guide, set 2, p. 62
Avvar food2.jpg|An example of Avvar food in Stone-Bear Hold
Promotional_Goats.jpg|Promotional image of Avvar goats in Heroes of Dragon Age
GoatsHoDA.png|Tier progression of the Legendary Avvar Goat in Heroes of Dragon Age
== References ==
Category:Avvars
Category:Alamarri
Category:Groups
Category:Humans
Category:Ferelden
de:Avvar
ru:Аввары