Antiva

The Principality of Antiva, or simply Antiva, is a plutocratic nation in northeastern Thedas known for its wine, sailing and merchants. Although it possesses few resources of its own, Antiva's location makes it a center for trade in the north. Antiva's wine trade, buoyed by its fruitful vineyards and an aggressive approach to trading practices with other nations, is one of the country's main resources, allowing for a relatively prosperous life for its citizens. Its capital, Antiva City, is one of the wealthiest in Thedas for that reason. Antiva generally takes a neutral and passive approach to cross-border conflicts. While it has no standing army of its own, the reputation of the Antivan Crows, the deadliest guild of assassins in Thedas, is generally enough to deter other nations from open conflict. 
== History ==
=== Early history ===
Antiva's origins can be traced back to pirates and mercenaries who settled on the west coast of the Rialto Bay, seeing land trade as a lucrative but less dangerous alternative to life on the seas. Unbeknownst to them, the land had already been claimed by the king of the nearby city-state of Antiva. At first, the neighboring settlements co-existed under a fragile understanding. Sometime during that period, Beregrand the Bold, a dwarf who had been exiled from Gundaar for killing a king during a Proving, brought his incredible fighting and tactical skills to Antiva, turning it into a powerful naval empire.Codex entry: Beregrand the Bold Eventually, the merchants and the royals came to a mutually beneficial agreement where the former ruled and the latter grew rich. They united as a single nation in -30 Ancient. 
By 1:45 Divine, the teachings of Andraste had gained popularity among the citizens of Antiva. The Orlesian Chantry eventually became the dominant religious institution in Antiva.
While Antiva generally remained uninvolved in the conflicts of its neighbours, it allied with some Marcher city-states to stop the territorial advances of King Fyruss of Starkhaven between 2:15 and 2:45 Glory. Antivan cities also united under a common banner in 2:33 to better defend themselves against King Fyruss. The war ended when King Fyruss was betrayed by his Tevinter allies and the Imperium annexed Starkhaven.
=== The Queen Mother of Thedas ===
In 4:30 Black, Asha Subira Bahadur, the Gana of Ayesleigh, was born in Rivain to rich merchants who had recently been elevated to nobility. Her marriage to the crown prince of Antiva, Alonzo[note] Campana, initially went unremarked, as he was seen as too weak to be of any importance. But Queen Asha was a skilled tactician: she knew that Antiva's prosperity made it a likely target for conquest, and that they lacked the strength to resist the likes of Tevinter, Orlais and Nevarra. To safeguard her nation's future, she made alliances the traditional Rivaini way: through marriage. By the time her husband had ascended to the throne, she'd already married three of their children to strategic noble families within Thedas. She continued doing this for decades, wedding her many children and grandchildren into noble houses across the continent and earning the moniker of "Queen Mother of Thedas." Within thirty years, Antiva was too well-connected to risk open conflict. Even today, she is said to have descendants amongst the royals of Orlais, Nevarra, Starkhaven, the Anderfels and even amongst some Tevinter magisters.Codex entry: Queen Asha of Antiva
=== Military conflicts ===
While Queen Asha's actions safeguarded Antiva from its neighbors, they could not save the nation from all attacks. Antiva was one of the first targets of the Fourth Blight, which broke out in 5:12 Exalted with the awakening of the Archdemon Andoral. The city of Seleny fell after a four-day siege, fouling the river with corpses for weeks afterwards. When the darkspawn horde started marching on Antiva City, the Grey Wardens flew to the capital to assist in the evacuation. However, King Elaudio and Queen Giuvana were hesitant to abandon it, preferring to fight instead. By the time they had come to a decision, all able-bodied ship captains had already fled the city with their vessels, leaving the populace to die. In anger, the royal guard turned against the royal family, slaying King Elaudio and many other nobles before the Wardens could stop them. Queen Giuvana was evacuated from the city by griffon, but perished when her escort was attacked by Andoral himself. Antiva City fell to the darkspawn within a day and was all but destroyed by fire.Dragon Age: Last Flight, Chapters 2-3. 
The Blight finally ended in 5:24 Exalted. The darkspawn army was defeated in the battle of Ayesleigh in Rivain, where Garahel died dealing the killing blow to Andoral. During the battle, an Orlesian captain by the name of Lambert Valmont saved King Azar Adalberto Campana, a surviving member of the royal family. In recompense, King Azar elevated him to noble status and gave him the hand of his daughter in marriage. Lambert's sons founded House Valmont and ruled Orlais for over four centuries.Codex entry: The Lion of Orlais (Inquisition) Antiva spared no expense rebuilding what had been lost.
In 5:99 Exalted, Queen Madrigal of Antiva was assassinated. She was found with four steel swords plunged into her chest and many assumed she was murdered by the Crows, though the true culprits were never found. The event prompted Divine Theodosia I to name the next age "the Steel Age".Codex entry: Blade of MercyCodex entry: The Crows and Queen Madrigal
In the early Steel Age, Qunari arrived in Par Vollen and soon began claiming territory on the main continent. Between 6:32 and 6:42 Steel, Antiva was conquered by the invading Qunari forces. In 7:25 Storm, the First Exalted March against the Qunari was declared. The Second Exalted March began at an unspecified time and ended in 7:52 Storm with the Qunari capturing most of Antiva. The city of Treviso was burned by the liberating armies of the Orlesian Chantry and the Imperial Chantry.Codex entry: A Vessel of Tears In 7:84 Storm, the Third Exalted March ended with the signing of the Llomerryn Accord, and Antiva was freed from Qunari occupation.
In 8:99 Blessed, dragons reappeared in Thedas, first in Antiva, then spreading into Orlais and Nevarra, devastating the countryside. Attempts to reduce the number of dragons resulted in a great loss of life.
In the early Dragon Age, a civil war erupted in Antiva, a time that became known as the "Three-Queens" era.Codex entry: History of Kirkwall: Chapter 4
== Involvement ==
=== Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights ===
 
=== As We Fly ===
== Geography ==
Antiva is bordered by the Rialto Bay and Rivain to the east, the Tevinter Imperium to the west and the Free Marches to the south. The country enjoys a warm northeastern climate. As much of Antiva is coastline, they have developed a strong seafaring culture. Five of their major cities are port cities, including the Antivan capital, Antiva City.
=== Settlements ===
* Antiva City – capital of Antiva
* Bastion
* BrynnlawDragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons
* Genellan – part of the provincesMentioned by Zevran when recounting the tale of his second mission for the Crows.
* Rialto
* Salle
* Seleny – a river city famed for graceful bridges and sculptures; it was one of the first cities destroyed in the wake of the Fourth Blight;Dragon Age: Last Flight, p. 28 during the Steel Age, it was besieged by the Qunari, but they retreated when a dragon flew by, allegedly summoned by a Witch of the Wilds, Yavana
* Treviso
=== Regions ===
* Arvaud's BarrowDragon Age: Last Flight, p. 229
* The Drylands
* Green Dales
* Rialto Bay
* Tellari swamps
** Silent Grove
* Verdant IsleDragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons
* The Weyrs
* The White Spire (mountain peak)
== Culture and society ==
Antiva was founded by an alliance of pirates and ne'er-do-wells seeking wealth and their culture still reflects that fact. The people of Antiva are renowned for their festival culture. Satinalia, one of the most important Andrastian holidays, is accompanied by wild celebration, the wearing of masks, and naming the town fool as ruler for a day. Particularly in Antiva, Satinalia lasts for a week or more, while a week of fasting follows. This holiday is celebrated at the beginning of Umbralis."Thedosian Holidays" Dueling, usually to a non-fatal extent, is also a popular past-time and way to solve disputes among the nobility.An Unexpected Engagement
Antiva has a long history of puppetry. While the primary purpose of puppet shows is to entertain, many street shows comment on political issues. The Antivan Crows are known to use these shows as a way to send public messages. Antivan approach to puppetry might have been influenced by Antivan Dalish clans' habit of building "forest marionettes" to scare humans away from their clans.
=== Food ===
Dinner in Antiva is usually eaten late at night.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 97 The meals eaten by Antivan nobility are extravagant and indulgent, consisting of ten courses,Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons, p. 381Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 73 antipasti and primi being the first two.Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons, p. 385 Wine and coffee are frequently taken along with food,Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons and are often paired with Antivan dishes such as Cacio e Pepe,Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, The Wigmaker Job, p. 267 sugar-drizzled lemon cake,Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons, p. 393 cold cuts,Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons, p. 415 and paella. Additionally, when drinking coffee, Antivans will follow it with an ammazzacaffe, an alcoholic drink taken after coffee to dull its taste or effects. Short Story: As We Fly
Common ingredients in Antivan cuisine include olives, truffles, pasta, lamb, cheese, cream, nightshade plants such as eggplant, rice, fish, and seafood such as cuttlefish, mussels, oysters, and shrimp.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 75 Other common foods from Antiva include crops like the Antivan pepper,Codex entry: Feast Day Fish Antivan cord-seed,Codex entry: On Avvar Cuisine capers, grapes, oat, oranges, passion fruit,Rare Antivan Brandy (gift) peanuts, and wheat. However, rice is a crop that Antiva rarely exports, allowing the grain to stay relatively cheap within the country compared to other grains and thus making it a primary part of meals eaten by all Antivans, especially the poor. For example, "Crow feed" is a simple, affordable rice dish made with onions and butter that takes its name from the Antivan Crows.
Cacio e Pepe is a traditional dish also eaten by the poor. Its recipe is simple, using only a few ingredients - pasta, pepper, and a dry cheese - but notoriously easy to get wrong. The sauce must have a smooth consistency without clumps, lest you incur the stern judgement of an Antivan grandmother.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 91 Paella is a dish made with rice, saffron, and various types of seafood; such as shrimp, cuttlefish, and mussels. While it is usually prepared in a broad, shallow pan known as a paellera, this dish can be cooked in almost any skillet providing it is deep enough. In some areas of Antiva, a paellera is also called a "paella." 
Other well-known Antivan dishes are: Antivan olives, a side that consists of olives stuffed with capers and soaked in vinegar. Fish chowder is a thick, creamy and classically Antivan soup that is well known in Antiva City.Zevran mentions it in Dragon Age: Origins Gnocchi, a type of pasta made from eggs, salt, potatoes, flour, and wheat. One variation of this dish calls for the gnocchi to be topped with a rich cheese sauce and leeks. Antivan apple grenades are a unique Antivan dessert. They are hot, sweet dessert pastries filled with apple and made to resemble the Antivan Crows' Fire grenades in both shape and heat.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 131 The Antivan Sip-Sip is a "mean" spirit popular among highborn who wish to seem dangerous, but more often consumed by those who actually are.Codex entry: Bottles of Thedas It is speculated that it may be called a "sip-sip" as it is hard to drink more than a sip at a time, with each sip having to be "chased by a sip of something else," such as water.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 161 
The occupation of Treviso during the Qunari Wars led to the creation of Treviso energy balls, a famine food meant to help people get by. They are comprised of peanut butter, oats, and dried fruit; though small in size, they are energy-rich.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 123
== Politics ==
Officially, the line of kings in Antiva has remained unbroken for two and a half thousand years, but the monarchy is very weak and has no standing army. In reality, Antiva is a plutocracy: true power is conferred strictly by wealth and lies in the hands of a dozen merchant princes. They are not princes in the literal sense, but heads of banks, trading companies, and vineyards, each with a personal army, and each locked in a constant struggle against all the others. They possess sufficient capital to resolve any external diplomatic quandaries with a well-aimed purse or threat of withdrawn trade.
Despite their lack of a strong military, Antiva has rarely had to fear invasion thanks to the infamous House of Crows, the most efficient, most feared, and most expensive guild of assassins in Thedas. Their fame is such that Antiva has no need of a standing army. No leader is willing to order an attack on her borders or to lead the troops due to fear of assassination. Even the Qunari leave the nation alone.
Additionally, Queen Asha Campana created an extensive array of alliances through the carefully planned political marriages of her many descendants. This has given Antiva significant political protection: to start hostilities with Antiva would mean running the risk of dragging half of Thedas into war.
The leading maritime power in the region is the Felicisima Armada, an association of Antivan pirates. It gained influence when the pirates aided the allied forces in the New Exalted Marches against the Qunari, and now poses a serious threat on the Waking Sea. Wealthy merchants often prefer to pay the leaders of the Armada rather than to risk their cargo.
== Trade and exports ==
Antiva, as a coastal country with bustling ports, facilitates a great deal of trade, both through piracy and legitimate business. Some of this trade may be under the aegis of the Antivan Crows and their confederates.As implied by the Antivan merchant Luis and his business partner Claudio Valisti, Third Talon of the Antivan Crows, in Dragon Age: The Silent Grove. The exports of Antiva are numerous and varied. Antiva is renowned for its admittedly unparalleled wines, as well as its coffee.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 362. It is also known for its rubiesAs mentioned by Vincento as part of his sales pitch in Dragon Age II. and diamonds.Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 48. There are pearls in Rialto Bay.Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons Antivan leatherworking is also particularly exquisite, and its crafters are the envy of the known world.Item description for Antivan Leather Boots. In addition to leather Antiva produces fine weavingDragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 167. and silk of great renown.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, p. 190. Antivan crafters also excel at the production of porcelain of a quality so fine light shines through,Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 16. as well as woodwork.King Maric Theirin owns a mahogany vanity gifted to him from the Antivan royal family in Dragon Age: The Calling. The country enjoys healthy trade with many nations, including the empire of Orlais, to which it exports things such as Antivan olives,Good Neighbors Antivan port and brandy,Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 86 orange essence,Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 292 and other foods. Although the country produces a lot of rice, only a small proportion of this is exported as most of it is used in domestic consumption.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 43
The currency of Antiva is called andris. The coins feature images of famous guild leaders as opposed to rulers. An amount of five thousand andris has come to be known as "one bastard," which is occasionally used as veiled insult in negotiations. One andris is equivalent to one royal.
== Notable Antivans ==
 
* Andarateia Cantori – Sixth Talon of the Antivan Crows
* Captain Aristide – tasked with investigating the assassination of Queen Madrigal
* Queen Asha Subira Bahadur Campana – the "Queen Mother of Thedas"
* Calien d'Evaliste
* Castillon
* Caterina Dellamorte – First Talon of the Antivan Crows
* Claudio Valisti – a merchant prince and Third Talon of the Antivan Crows
* Master Ignacio
* Illario Dellamorte
* Lucanis Dellamorte
* Queen Madrigal – queen whose murder led to the naming of the Steel Age
* Josephine Montilyet – Ambassador and chief diplomat of the Inquisition
* Oriana Cousland
* Commander Polara – Warden-Commander of Ferelden (prior to Duncan) until her mysterious disappearanceCodex entry: Fiona
* Viago De Riva – bastard son of King Fulgeno II; Fifth Talon of the Antivan Crows
* Yavana
* Yvette Montilyet
* Zevran Arainai – an elven rogue and an accomplished assassin
== Codex entries ==
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== Notes ==
* Antiva was originally named Calabria (no reference to the real-world region intended) and it's erroneously referred to as Calabria in Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne and in some localized versions of Dragon Age: Origins.Screenshot from the old BSN forums. See talk page for transcription.
* Queen Asha's husband is called either Dario or Alonzo depending on the source. It's unclear whether both names are accurate or whether it is a continuity error.
== Trivia ==
* The symbol of Antiva is a golden drake.Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, Chapter 8. Note: the nation is erroneously referred to as "Calabria" in the source.Dragon Age: Last Flight, Chapter 2
* Antivans usually speak with an ItalianJosephine Montilyet's voice actor is Italian-American. or Spanish accent. Some Antivans even use actual words from both Italian and Spanish. Zevran can say "¿Si, amor?" ("Yes, love?") when selected. Vincento in Dragon Age II says "Maldición" (a Spanish term for both "damn it" or "curse", depending of the context). Other cultural references include dishes like Cacio e Pepe and paella (traditional Italian and Spanish dishes, respectively). Many Antivan proper names are common Spanish names or reference Spanish history such as the Felicisima Armada, a historic Spanish maritime fleet.
* Politically, Antiva seems to be a fictionalized version of a medieval city-state like Venice. The cities of Treviso and Rialto are references to Venice, Treviso being a Venetian city and Rialto being the name of Venice's most famous bridge. 
* According to Zevran, the Dalish in Antiva are more violent than those in Ferelden.
== References ==
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