The Quest Connection

If you have an interest in playing the Dragon Age series of video games and have not yet delved into them, you may wish to avoid playing in this campaign. Much of the material presented is going to be full of spoilers.

However, if you've played at least Dragon Age: Origins and enjoy the setting; read any of the books or comics; or have not played any of the games but would like to try a unique, action-oriented tabletop system with a rich, deep world-lore, then by all means - read on!

Dragon Age is an intellectual property developed by Bioware and published by Electronic Arts (Boo, hiss!). It consists primarily of three major video games, two browser games, a couple of free-to-play mobile games, two web shows, five novels, and several short comic runs/graphic novels, in addition to the tabletop role-playing system we will be using.

The tabletop system was written and produced by Green Ronin Publishing, with Bioware's blessing and oversight, first released as a boxed set in 2010. The initial set consisted of material for players and GMs to create characters and run them through adventures, up to character level 5.

Box set 2 was released some time later; it included more of the world lore, along with material for character levels 6-10. Box set 3 concluded the system, taking characters up to level 20.

In 2016, the three boxed sets were compiled, along with errata and some new material into a single core rulebook. The book was very successful and well-received; it was nominated for three ENnie Awards in 2016: Best Interior Art, Product of the Year, and Best Game, taking home Gold in the latter.

Almost all published stories in the Dragon Age world take place on the continent of Thedas. It is a land of wildly diverse geography, culture, and history. From the height of the Tevinter Imperium, when human mage-led society dominated nearly the entire continent, to the five Blights, where the cruel and corrupting Darkspawn burst forth from underground, tainting or killing all in their path, led by a corrupted Old God in dragon form: An Archdaemon. Magic comes from the Fade, an otherworldly realm where the souls of the dead and the minds of dreamers reside, but is also the domain of demons, evil spirits who lust to exist in the material world and would infest an unweary mage.

The Darkspawn have devastated dwarven society, leaving only two of the great thaigs still accessible. Elves are either reclusive nomads or slaves to humans. The Qunari, members of a religion bent on converting all to their beliefs, wage war from the north. The Chantry dictates religion to humans, and through the Templar Order control mages in Circle Towers, a means to prevent their immense power from being used to rule, rather than aid. Pirates roam the seas, seeking to prey on those not ready for such assaults.

Not a century before, Orlais had invaded Ferelden in the southern part of Thedas, turning family against family and usurping the throne. A long and bloody rebellion finally drove the Orlesians back west, but at a high cost.

Two more Old Gods lie, sleeping in their earthly prisons, waiting to be discovered by the Darkspawn and corrupted, to live and reign on the surface.

The Maker has seemingly abandoned all who live.

And now, dragons have awoken.

Dragon Age: Origins is the first game in the series, both in terms of release date and in chronological order in-lore (at least as far as the games are concerned; the novels start earlier). The major plot involves the Fifth Blight, where the darkspawn locate another of the Old Gods and corrupt it, turning it into an Archdemon, and burst forth from underground in the south of Ferelden. The player's character has a choice of origin stories that serve as tutorial sections, and have some measure of influence on later game events but are mostly for flavour.

In Dragon Age II, your character has been partially defined, in order to tell a specific story; your play Hawke (the name stays the same, male or female, though you may choose your first name). Your family is escaping north, away from the darkspawn from the Fifth Blight in the first game, and end up in the city-state of Kirkwall. There, you become embroiled in major events that have wide-ranging effects.

The latest game in the series, Dragon Age: Inquisition, starts with the conclave of mages and Chantry Templars utterly destroyed, and a literal hole in the sky appears, a tear in the Veil that separates reality with the Fade, the realm of spirits and demons. The Inquisition, an ancient sect of the Chantry that preceded the Seekers of Truth, is resurrected to deal with this new threat.

The tabletop role-playing game concerns itself less with tying into the direct events of the games and more with the overall setting, though the option is available for the GM to place a campaign happening in or in parallel with any of the games.

Major Powers in Thedas

Chantry: The dominant religious institution in Thedas spreads the word of the Maker and influences nearly every human nation on the continent.

Elves: An oppressed race, elves persist on the fringes of human society.

Dwarves: A stout race of builders, the dwarves reign over a sizable portion of the underground.

Qunari: The Qunari are followers of a religious text espousing absolute discipline known as the Qun. A race of tall, muscular people called the kossith represent the bulk of Qunari, so much so that they are often synonymous with the name "Qunari".

Orlais: The lavish Orlesian Empire is a thriving nation of Chantry faithful.

Tevinter Imperium: The once-mighty Imperium is the only mage-led nation in Thedas. Their version of the Chantry is markedly different from elsewhere in Thedas.

Ferelden: This relatively young nation with barbarian roots is the birthplace of Chantry prophet Andraste. Ferelden was devastated by the events of the Fifth Blight.

Antiva: The cultured kingdom of Antiva is famous for its wine, sailing, and rich merchant history, as well as the Antivan Crows, the infamous guild of spies and assassins.

Rivain: The laws of the Qun meet tribal superstition in this human land where Chantry faithful are the minority.

Kirkwall: The city-state of Kirkwall is among the most powerful - and contested - in the Free Marches.

Starkhaven: The kingdom of Starkhaven is the largest city-state in the Free Marches.

Nevarra: Nevarra is a small but thriving nation in central Thedas, known for its art, tombs, and strong military tradition.

Grey Wardens: The Wardens are an order dedicated to protecting Thedas from the Blight above all else.

Circle of Magi: The Circle is an association of mages, connected to the Chantry, that teaches and enforces the responsible use of magic.

Templars: The Templar Order is charged with controlling mages and magic use.

Seekers: An elite, authoritative arm of the Chantry, the Seekers of Truth investigate threats to Chantry order.

Major Events

Exalted March: This rare, Chantry-led offensive is called to stop large-scale threats to the authority of the Maker.

Blight: An Archdemon leads a scourge of darkspawn to the surface, threatening to destroy all life in Thedas.

Major Places

The Anderfels: In the bleak and blighted Anderfels, dying is easier than living. Weisshaupt Fortress, the headquarters of the Grey Wardens, was built during the First Blight.

The Dales: The name given to several places in Thedas, they are lands given over to elves who have escaped slavery and live on their own terms.

Korcari Wilds: In the cold lands to the south of Ferelden, human barbarians and witches are feared. A careless adventurer is never heard from again.

Frostback Mountains: Running from north to south, nearly bisecting Ferelden, these mountains are the home to the Avvar, an ancient nation of human barbarians whose lore mirrors many others' in Thedas.

Lake Calenhad: This large, inland sea is an historical place, where the Ferelden's Circle Tower - the site of key historical events during the Fifth Blight - and Redcliffe can be found.

Waking Sea: An extension of the great Amaranthine Ocean to the east, this body of water is a trade route for many nations - and pirates.

Par Vollen: The claimed homeland of the kossith, the large race often mistaken as the Qunari, warm Par Vollen is found on the Boeric Ocean to the north-east of Thedas.

Seheron: This archipelago, dominated by a large central island, is a hotly-contested land between the Tevinter Imperium and the Qunari, steeped in mystery. What are the mysterious pyramids, found deep in the jungles?

Amaranthine Ocean: No one really knows what lies east of this great ocean, though some claim to have seen exotic lands and creatures beyond the nightmares of men.

The Fade: A separate plane of existence, the Fade is the realm of spirits of virtue (justice, hope, faith); demons of sin (hunger, desire, rage); the wandering minds of dreamers and the dead; and the source of all magic in the material realm. The Veil separates the two realities, though it is not an iron curtain. It can be pierced and, with a heinous enough act, utterly torn.

There have been nine ages since the ancient era when the Tevinter Imperium dominated Thedas. Each age is 100 years. Dates are noted with the number of the age, a colon, and then the year. The year in which the Fifth Blight, the driving plot of Dragon Age: Origins, is 9:30, which means the thirtieth year of the Dragon Age. The nine ages are:

I. Divine: This was the age of the Second Blight.

II. Glory: In this age Teyrn Caedmon became the first king of Ferelden, but the kingdom did not survive his death. The Chantry also declared an Exalted March against the Dales, and troops from Orlais and Ferelden destroyed the elven homeland.

III. Towers: This was the age of the Third Blight. Ferelden also faced the threat of the Chasinds, led by the abomination Flemeth and her daughters, the Korcari witches.

IV. Black: Ferelden fought a great war against the werewolves, driving them to extinction. Orlais tried to take advantage and invaded Ferelden for the first time but was defeated after a three-year war.

V. Exalted: This was the age of the Fourth Blight. Calenhad claimed the kingship of Ferelden and succeeded in uniting the tribes into a true nation at last. The Grey Wardens also established a permanent presence in Ferelden.

VI. Steel: The Avvars invaded Ferelden, causing widespread devastation and famine. They were eventually pushed back, but bad blood between Fereldans and Avvars continues to the present day.

VII. Storm: The Grey Wardens were forced out of Ferelden. In the north new Exalted Marches were fought against the Qunari, strange invaders from across the sea.

VIII. Blessed: Orlais invaded Ferelden a second time. Civil war wracked the country as the usurper King Meghren fought the forces of the Rebel Queen.

IX. Dragon: Maric, son of the murdered Rebel Queen, defeated the Orlesians and claimed the throne of Ferelden. Shortly before the decisive Battle of the River Dane, a dragon appeared and ravaged the Orlesian countryside. Dragons were thought to have been hunted to extinction, so there was no doubt that its appearance heralded the Dragon Age.

The AGE (Adventure Game Engine) rules system is quite different from most other tabletop RPG systems on the market. It is designed for fast, action-packed combat and RP encounters, but there are some shortcomings that I've noticed that need to be accounted for.

For Dragon Age RPG system adventures, the following house rules apply:

• All dice rolls are to be performed in the Dragon Age RPG Discord dice channel (#darpg-dice) with the following format:
  
  <Character>: <Action/Skill + appropriate Focus> - <Target> (roll: d6+2d6+any focus/attribute bonuses)
  
  Examples:
  
  Cassandra has a Strength of 2, and attacks a genlock with her bastard sword.
  
  Cassandra: Melee attack with Bastard sword - Genlock #2 (roll: d6+2d6+2)
  
  Leliana, meanwhile, is trying to calm an angry mabari war-hound. Her Communication attribute is 3, and she has a scene-appropriate focus in Animal Handling (which grants the standard +2 bonus).
  
  Leliana: Communication (Animal Handling) - Mabari #1 (roll: d6+2d6+5)
  
  The inline roll, as formatted, represents the Dragon Die roll, as well as the other two dice in a 3d6 roll.
  
  This format is to be used unless directed otherwise by the GM.
  
• As stated in the official rules, players rolling doubles generate Stunt Points, which are spent on Stunts from the appropriate table in the same turn in which they were granted. Triples (i.e., all three dice show the same unmodified number) are statistically more rare, but are not accounted for in the official rules; they're considered to be doubles and no more. When played here on the Quest Connection, triples rolled will not generate Stunt Points, but have special significance.
  
  Rolling a triple 1 is a critical failure; whatever task was being attempted does not succeed, and will likely have negative consequences. For example, triple ones on an attack roll may cause an ally or yourself to be struck by the blow.
  
  Conversely, other triple rolls are automatic successes, even if the dice outcome would otherwise cause the attempt to fail. Instead of stunt points, the GM will narrate or assign a suitably epic favourable outcome for the player. Triple sixes, for example, rolled during combat may result in an insta-kill of an enemy as your weapon hits an especially weak spot. It will be situational and up to the GM's discretion (but suggestions and requests may be entertained).
  
• The All-Out Attack major action becomes a full-round action (i.e., you do not get a minor action in that round) but the damage bonus goes up to +2, and you get a +1 to hit, as compensation for the loss of the minor action for that round.
  
• Before you can use a Heal major action in combat, you must explicitly Prepare (as a minor action) the bandages and salves necessary to treat an injured comrade. While this is more-or-less stated in the rules, the order is important for RP reasons. Failure to do so may result in an attack of opportunity against you as you fumble to withdraw the supplies at your wounded companion in the heat of battle. Out of combat, the order is inconsequential.
  
• You may use an Aim minor action after a Ranged Attack major action, but the Aim does not add bonuses to the attack in the same round; it applies to the next Ranged Attack. The declared sequence matters.
  
• Blood Magic is a thing in Dragon Age, and mages can choose to do down this dark path (NPCs and PCs alike) to perform powerful abilities - such as controlling others. Be aware that, as a consequence, godmodding is possible, within very controlled boundaries. GMs will be making very, very little use of this on PCs, if ever; mage PCs who wish to use this must speak to the GM ahead of time, regardless if using it on a PC or NPC. Failure to do so will result in your immediate and permanent expulsion from the campaign. You have been warned.
  
• Per the rules, standing from prone is a Move minor action. If you choose not to stand, you may crawl at up to half of your unaltered Speed, rounded down. You may also attempt to attack from prone. Melee attacks suffer a -2 to attack rolls; ranged attacks take a -3 to attack rolls, and ranges are halved, rounded down.
  
• Regarding Attacks of Opportunity: If you use the Defend major action on your turn, in addition to the bonus to your Defense, you are also actively watching for threats. Any enemy that enters or leaves your current melee weapon's range nets you one attack. This can occur more than once per round as the conditions are met. You cannot switch weapons once declaring Defend. These attacks do not generate stunt points. There are no additional bonuses or penalties to these attacks of opportunity. You do not get a minor action during the round that Defend is declared.
  
• During Combat Encounters, you may only move in increments of Speed of an even value (as one square equals two yards on a tactical map). If your Speed rating is an odd value, you may move up to your Speed rating minus one during the first round of combat, and during the second round of combat add that remaining yard of Speed to what you can move, alternating as turns progress.
  
  E. g., If your Speed is 7, you can move three squares (six yards) in round 1, and four squares (eight yards) in round 2, three squares in round 3, and so on.
  
• There are a few different ways to regain lost Health in the core rulebook: By the Heal skill (once per instance of damage incurred; TN 11 Cunning (Healing) test, returning Cunning + the Dragon Die of the test result if successful), by a Breather (once following a combat encounter; 5 + Constitution + Level), by sleeping for at least 6 hours (returning 10 + Constitution + Level), or by magical healing.
  
  Due to many enemies having high Defense and Armour Rating values, some fights can be quite draining on players' characters, so the healing values for Breathers and sleeping aren't quite enough.
  
  So, as a house rule, 1d6 will be added to Breather recovery, and 2d6 for sleeping a minimum of 8 hours, comfortable and uninterrupted.

Please ask a GM if you are unclear on any of these house rules!

We've gathered a number of basic resources to get you started; you can find them here.

Official and community-submitted character sheets; maps of Thedas; reference sheets and tables.

In addition, the two Worlds of Thedas books from Dark Horse (which I highly recommend purchasing in hardcover, they're gorgeous coffee-table books in addition to being great sources of world lore) and the Player's Guide from the original box Set 1 are available.

If you like the material and wish to join the game, please consider purchasing at least the PDF version of the core rulebook from DriveThruRPG to support the publisher. As with the Worlds of Thedas books, I also recommend buying the hardcover edition of the core rulebook. It's a wonderful product.

The Character Creation details have been posted in the forums. Good luck!

The following QC members are now engaged in the primary Dragon Age game:

Krispy (Marisian Sorriel)
Talvern (Aidan Kirk)
KylarBlint (Iridial Alvarwyn)
CassianFray (Liette)
Missed Action (Oswulfia Orvonak - on hiatus; may rejoin)
Rivine (Drystal Rhys - on hiatus; may rejoin)

If there is additional interest, I will open a second game with a different adventure/campaign!