Val Royeaux

The Stronghold Of The Divine

> "*Unlike other cities, where the people are the life-blood and the character, Val Royeaux was her own person, and her people little more than decorations."*
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The Capital of the Orlesian Empire, Val Royeaux is said to be many things. A place of wonder, beauty, culture and intrigue, it is as deadly as it is gorgeous. Due to the Grand Cathedral, home of the Divine and centre of southern Andrastian religion, music is said to continually resonate through the streets and alleys of the city, whether it be from the Chant of Light sung in the Cathedral's halls or a more homely tune gently wafting out of a house window.

While there is an appearance of elegance, etiquette and formality to the inhabitants of this place, only the foolish trust this to be the truth. As it is throughout Orlais, a smile to your face hides the dagger in your back. Underhanded deals, political intrigue and social assassination are the norms here, and so every conversation is a calculated effort towards betterment. The case of Blaen serves to illustrate this, as the former Chevalier was said to suddenly rise back into wealth and fame after a disastrous fall, with many lesser nobles seeking to curry favour with him simply because he was interesting again and the talk of parlours and salons across the city. His meeting with Vay and Kynedrin, where he offered them information if he sullied Lady Melanie's party in his name, shows the double-edged nature of Orlais - he was willing to work with enemies if it meant removing a more important one through social embarrassment.

For the Party, this was their second settlement visited as a group after Halamshiral, and where they picked up two members - Caspar, while he was trying to decipher some language on a Chantry Board, and Drystan, during a mission in the Alienage.

## Known Areas

### Noble District

An expansive sector of the city where the various estates and properties of the noblemen and women of Orlais are located. Few of these are permanent lodgings, often serving as either vacation homes or as venues for galas and balls.

Among those explored personally by the Party are the abodes of Lady Melanie de Sennoya and Baron Jean Decourt of Verchiel, while the home of Lady Aveline Medard serves as their 'headquarters' of sorts while they do tasks across the city. The estate of the Lord du Chambronne was also seen here, which the party successfully infiltrated in pursuit of ancient artifacts.

### The Trade Quarter

A large section of the city, made of varying alleyways and small streets where the majority of the traders and salesman of Val Royeaux are located. The Grand Bazaar and the Mirrored Pool are within this sector, where the more upmarket and expensive goods are acquired.

All-Seer Miratha was met within the Bazaar, while the smith Tykor makes his home in the more industrial portion of the Trade Quarter. Gharen the Tanner and Mallyen the Tailor ply their trades here, though in the outskirts where greenery still thrives.

### The Alienage

Compared to the gorgeous and almost divine nature of the rest of the city, this is a grim contrast. At least a thousand elves make their residence here, cramped up so close to each other that different houses are akin to separate floors, with little luxury to live by. So dense is the population that the streets and alleyways are constantly busy. Walls the same size as the City Walls separate this area from the rest of the city, with guards constantly on watch outside the gate. A large, ancient tree marks the centre of this portion of the city, towering above even the walls.

## Notable Locations

### The Grand Cathedral

The seat of the Divine herself, and the centre of southern Andrastian theology and worship. It is here that the Grand Clerics and Revered Mothers convene for their meetings, give sermons, and when required to, cast their vote towards the next Divine. The current Divine is Justinia V.

### The White Spire

A large and intimidating structure, accessed only by a heavily guarded gate and an almost unending sequence of stairs. It has some form of enchantment woven into the very stonework, as the fine white marble glows even at night with an eerie dim glow. The stronghold of the entire Templar Order outside of Minrathous, as well as one of the foremost Circles of Magi in Thedas. Also home of the Knight-Vigilant, commander of the Order itself. The White Spire Library is said to possess the largest collection of arcane knowledge south of the Tevinter Imperium.

As learned by Saidra upon her visit here, it also houses the phylacteries of the various First Enchanters across Thedas in a secure vault. While she has yet to meet any of the leading Templars of this particular Circle, she did meet the First Enchanter - Albredon. This is also currently where Saidra resides, following the encounter in the Spider Caverns.

### The Mirrored Pool

Spotted by Saidra when she had climbed the steps of the White Spire, this is a large, glittering, circular pool that surrounds the Grand Bazaar at the centre of the city. While this would be intriguing enough of a design choice on its own, the fact it seems to have mirrors lining the bottom is even more so.

## Shops and Stores

### Formari Outpost

One of the many Circle Formari outposts dotted around the City, this was one of the first areas the Party stopped. Having been scared away from the Spire by a threatening Templar, Saidra stopped here to log her presence in the city for her own safety. The shopkeep, and enchanter it was later learned, of this particular outpost is an unnamed elven gentleman.

The party later returned to him after "dealing" with their giant spider problem, bringing back with them the severed head of one of the beasts. Bearing the marks of mutation, and an air of magical essence about it, the shopkeep placed it behind the counter. Saying he would take it to the Spire the next day in order to learn more about it, he was then presented with the mysterious rune they had pulled from the wall of the Spider Nest. Bearing the marks of a very old Dwarven tongue, and being far above his knowledge of the craft, he bade them to take it to Orzammar and to the Dwarves. All he could tell them was that the rune itself was at least a few centuries old, due to the statues and engravings within the cavern itself.

He was previously working on enchanting Vay's newly-acquired Rapier. When they checked in on him the next day, they discovered he had gone to the White Spire to discuss the nature of the spider remains, and the shop was instead run by a cheery, and heavily-accented, dwarf named Dartryn.

### Merevander's Hat Emporium

The Val Royeaux spin-off of Merevander's Halamshiral store, the group visited here under the pretext of acquiring masks for the party later that evening. Much like the main store, it featured several different designs and motifs, from the grandiose to the simplistic, each with a more surprising array of colours than the last. They learned from the shop steward, Etienne, that they would need legitimate heraldic masks, though she wished them to return at some point.

### Tykor's Weaponry

The workshop of a stocky elderly human male, the Party unloaded most of their newly-acquired items from the melee below Lady de Sennoya's estate here. He was encountered again when the group was looking for any leads towards the Great White Bear of Val Foret, with him revealing a lot of traders and such folk had been buying weapons lately for some reason, he had even heard of a man suffering bad wounds that was staying at the nearby tavern, the Cask, and pointed Caspar in that direction.

### Mallyen's Tailor Shop

Vay and Balbus visited here during the shopping sequence while they were trying to hear of any traders effected by bear attacks. A rather tired lady was in charge, from whom Vay requested a customized black cloak.

### Gharen's Tannery

A distinctly Ferelden business, mostly specializing in leathers or similar. Guarded by two Mabari War Hounds, and the home of a densely muscled and intimidating individual. He has been tasked by Caspar and Balbus with making capes/robes out of the Great White and Great Black Bear hides they had procured during the Bear Hunt.

## Taverns

### The Cask

One of the oldest taverns in Val Royeaux, located in the outskirts of the Trade Quarter, where you would almost forget you were in one of the foppiest capital cities ever, were it not for the walls and masks of some of the people walking by. It was here they encountered what remained of Roryck and his caravan, having been set upon by the Great White Bear of Val Foret.

### The Gilded Lion

A fairly casual tavern within the market district of Val Royeaux, where families were seen having lunch as well as partaking in drinks. This was the first stop of the group in their search for Blaen, with Caspar trying to intimidate information about Lady de Sennoya's party out of the barkeep/owner.

### The Judicael

This was where Blaen was said to frequent whenever he was in the city, and where Vay and Kynedrin made an attempt at parley with their foe. Just barely avoiding an all-out brawl within the tavern, it was also where the Elevated Brotherhood seemingly took an interest in the Party itself, somehow witnessing the deal made by Vay within.

### The Ghastly Tome

The main, and perhaps only, tavern within the Alienage, it is surprisingly the most welcoming of all the taverns the Party has visited. While humans are still viewed with suspicion, all races were seen to gather here and engage in revelry, even members of the Templars and City Guard, as a place where anybody could forget the worries of the day and enjoy a relaxing pint. It was here that the Party met Drystan, and where the subsequent Brawl at the Ghastly Tome broke out, claiming the lives of 11 individuals.