Amaranthine

**Amaranthine** is an arling that spans along the sinuous northeastern coast of Ferelden.

## Background

The Waking Sea is known for its temper, and the storms that sweep in from the warmer northern waters are sudden and brutal. Rising above these turbulent waters is the City of Amaranthine, once a modest fishing village, now an important and prosperous port city and a centre for trade in northern Ferelden. Hardship and adversity, like the storm-tossed waves of the Waking Sea, have assailed Amaranthine time and time again, only to crash and break upon her walls. The people of Amaranthine survived first the Orlesian occupation, then the sacking of the city when the Orlesians departed. They know one thing for certain: the city will always stand as a testament to the strength and steadfastness of the Ferelden people.

The Pilgrim's Path is another important location in the Arling. It is the major road which connects Amaranthine with Denerim and rest of the southern Ferelden. In the aftermath of the Fifth Blight, the Path is plagued by Darkspawn and bandit attacks.

## History

During the Orlesian occupation of Ferelden, Tarleton Howe sided with the Orlesians while the neighbouring Couslands of Highever with the rebels. Eventually, the Highever forces clashed in several battles against the Amaranthine forces. In one of these battles, the Couslands managed to capture the remote town of Harper's Ford and Tarleton Howe. Tarleton was hanged for his treachery. Byron Howe, Tarleton's younger brother became the new Arl of Amaranthine.

In 8:97 Blessed, during Prince Maric Theirin's rebellion against the Orlesian Empire, the rebel army had their base at Amaranthine for a time. After several months, they left the land along with Arl Byron and his most trusted men who also joined the rebellion. Byron Howe died during the war, and Tarleton's son, Rendon Howe, a hero of the rebellion, became Amaranthine's new Arl until 9:30.

At the conclusion of the Fifth Blight, and with Rendon Howe named traitor and killed, Amaranthine is given by the Fereldan monarchy to the Grey Wardens as a reward for their service, stripping all rights from the ruling Howe family.

After the Fifth Blight, Amaranthine was the site of the Darkspawn Civil War. Two competing factions of Darkspawn led by The Architect and The Mother clashed and the Grey Wardens were drawn into the conflict. The conflict eventually ended when the Grey Wardens led an assault on the Darkspawn nest at Drake's Fall beneath the Dragonbone Wastes. The Darkspawn were defeated and the arling was restored to peace under Warden rule.

When the Warden Commander finally left left their position to search for a cure to the Calling, Roderick Vimes was appointed as their replacement, serving as both Commander of the Ferelden Grey Wardens and the Arl of Amaranthine. While the order was still process of establishing themselves in the reasons, the balance of power was severely shifted, assassinations, deals and trades were made, resulting in a number of new Banns laying claim to the lands, both legitimate and illegitimate, all swearing oaths of loyalty to their new Arl, some more reluctantly than others.

## Banns

### Bann Regina Victoria Esmerelle

Regina Victoria Esmerelle, the Bann of Amaranthine City, is a woman that knows what she wants and how to get it. She will bulldoze everything in her path to get to where she needs to be, both literally and metaphorically. While acting as the Bann, Regina Victoria Esmerelle is a no nonsense politician. She gets to the point and calls out people’s bullshit as soon as she sniffs it. However, she recognises that words are often not enough to change the tide, and in those situations she relies on her sword. She will duel anyone who refuses to respect her. Many foreign dignitaries have tasted her steel.

### Bann Lorren Stormcoast

Having gained a reputation for being a backstabbing, manipulative thug, at best the local populace seem indifferent towards him, despite nobody actually knowing how he came to claim the local Silverite Mine among other untapped ore veins that he has laid claim on. His neutral popularity comes from a number of things, having gained good grace for creating a number of jobs in the mines themselves, ultimately attributing to the economy. The negative side is that he's commonly described as a childish brat who believes they can take whatever they want, and on several occasions does due to his personal bodyguard, whom is rumoured to be a former Grey Warden, but it's unknown whether this is much more than speculation.