I thought it was just elves being submissive even on a cellular level to humans
It was meant to add to the idea that elves in DA are just the most screwed over fictional race in history, anything that could make them look more unfortunate as a people was done and will continue to be done.
Basically, the whole point was just to add to the "everything sucks for the elves" rule that Thedas has.
It was meant to add to the idea that elves in DA are just the most screwed over fictional race in history, anything that could make them look more unfortunate as a people was done and will continue to be done.
Basically, the whole point was just to add to the "everything sucks for the elves" rule that Thedas has.
Not that I disagree that the Elves haven't had it tough, but you have to wonder if the Dwarves look at them and think;
"Sure, the humans hate you and kicked down your civilisation twice. Call us when you've had your Empire fall to an immortal horde of monsters, who corrupt everything around them and who only give us a break from our eternal war against them when they decide to go annoy the surface for a while?"
Then again, it's a little depressing that the only silver lining for Elves is basically, "At least we rarely deal with Darkspawn!"
Well they do have a city that has stood firm against them for a thousand years that is independent and has access to a resource that means all the surface nations require good relations with.
Or you know...
You can haggle.
Aka don't ship them food if their going to be pricks
And then they'll decide not to ship lyrium
Not much of a issue in the immediate future.
Of course, human reliance on red lyrium as a substitute is a much better option.
How are there mountains of the stuff top side already? And more importantly why would the dwarves sell in quantities that would easily allow you to stockpile mountains of it.
Similarly when it comes to food the dwarves don't have to cut off trade with everyone at once, they could easily let Orlais rot and buy food from Ferelden or vice versa.
How are there mountains of the stuff top side already? And more importantly why would the dwarves sell in quantities that would easily allow you to stockpile mountains of it.
Similarly when it comes to food the dwarves don't have to cut off trade with everyone at once, they could easily let Orlais rot and buy food from Ferelden or vice versa.
If it were as easy as 'go talk to Ferelden' the dwarves at the Winter Palace wouldn't be talking about how the Orlesian Civil War is leading directly to food riots in Orzammar.
It's an odd plot point given they still regularly trade with places as far away as Tevinter. Not to mention having direct access to trade routes through Ferelden as we saw in DAO and the consequent access to the free marches markets, which are according to WoT the breadbasket of Thedas.
It's an odd plot point given they still regularly trade with places as far away as Tevinter. Not to mention having direct access to trade routes through Ferelden as we saw in DAO and the consequent access to the free marches markets, which are according to WoT the breadbasket of Thedas.
Technically it's the surface dwarves and the merchant's guild that controls trade with Orzammar.
And said surface dwarves are banished from Orzammar as they are no longer considered dwarves.
Yes, Orzammar does trade with all the surface nations, but the carts and surface dwarves do the actual trading and traveling.
When it comes down to it, Orzammar is actually quite dependent on the surface. They simply don't have the capacity to sustain themselves.
Yes, the point is however, is its odd that they should be solely dependant on Orlais as their life line when the Carta and Surface Dwarves have access far beyond that.
It was meant to add to the idea that elves in DA are just the most screwed over fictional race in history, anything that could make them look more unfortunate as a people was done and will continue to be done.
Basically, the whole point was just to add to the "everything sucks for the elves" rule that Thedas has.
Hey, that's not even close to true. Thedas doesn't have the Draka.
Yes, the point is however, is its odd that they should be solely dependant on Orlais as their life line when the Carta and Surface Dwarves have access far beyond that.
They depend on Orlais as their life line because the trade routes go through Orlais, not simply because Orlais is a supplier.
They depend on Orlais as their life line because the trade routes go through Orlais, not simply because Orlais is a supplier.
Only mages die immediately upon contact with unprocessed Lyrium, normal people just go insane, eventually. it is the same for Dwarves, the process just takes longer.
They may also go through Ferelden. Ferelden has the trade ports of Amaranthine and Gwaren, which connect to the Free Marches and possibly Nevarra.
But Orlais would be the more reliable trade route, at least until the civil war.
Amaranthine is on the far east coast of Ferelden, on the other side of the country in an era where there is no real refridgeration. I'm not sure where Gwaren is in particular (wasn't it east?), but it's a bit irrelevant because the fact of the matter is already laid out- the established supply routes that Orzammar depends on run through Orlais, not Ferelden, and the unknown issues involved with trying to change suppliers are such that Orzammar's representatives have greater hopes on a peace conference in Orlais than trying to change routes through Ferelden. Which they presumabaly would by then were it easier.
You are correct, Gwaren is in the far southeast. About as far from Orzammar as it is possible to get and still be in Ferelden, as I recall.
Not that I disagree that the Elves haven't had it tough, but you have to wonder if the Dwarves look at them and think;
"Sure, the humans hate you and kicked down your civilisation twice. Call us when you've had your Empire fall to an immortal horde of monsters, who corrupt everything around them and who only give us a break from our eternal war against them when they decide to go annoy the surface for a while?"
Then again, it's a little depressing that the only silver lining for Elves is basically, "At least we rarely deal with Darkspawn!"
I think historically the elves have had it worse than the dwarves because they've basically been systematically destroyed by human empires and robbed of their identity. That said going forward I think the dwarves will always have it the worst, the elves can still grow and infiltrate into places of power (ie: Briala in DAI) and rewrite history with the revelations you learn in DAI. The Dwarves on the other hand can never have their empire again unless somehow the darkspawn are permanently stopped.
I think historically the elves have had it worse than the dwarves because they've basically been systematically destroyed by human empires and robbed of their identity. That said going forward I think the dwarves will always have it the worst, the elves can still grow and infiltrate into places of power (ie: Briala in DAI) and rewrite history with the revelations you learn in DAI. The Dwarves on the other hand can never have their empire again unless somehow the darkspawn are permanently stopped.
The dwarves are probably the one race in the absolute worst position overall among all of them.
They've fighting a losing war, and have been for centuries. Their fertility is already lower than other races, which is why the noble and warrior houses love the noble hunters. It gives them more sword arms. But the game has made it celar that they've been losing ground, inch by inch, for centuries.
On the other hand, the dwarven race, if you caare about that sort of species survival sort of thing, is going to survive. I'm not too clear on how Dwarf-Human unions happen, but there's clearly an established and sustaining Dwarf diaspora.
Elves, on the other hand, are on a demographic glide path to extinction. If human societies reform to the point that elves can integrate, then elves marrying humans will end the elves. And if Elves refuse to integrate and remain ostracized and divided like the Dalish, then they'll gradually die in small groups even as the humans continue to grow larger and outnumber them.
Short of someone like Solas finding a way to magically uplift humans into elves, the only way for elves to outlive humans is total genocide.
(Which would be bad, lest we have to remind some people who have advocated such in the past.)
Personally, I'd be fine with Solas trying to 'fix' the world once again by doing something that starts allowing random children to be born as elves in some sort of 'the magic comes back' scenario. It'd be interesting, if not gentle and benevolent for everyone involved.
Short of someone like Solas finding a way to magically uplift humans into elves, the only way for elves to outlive humans is total genocide.
(Which would be bad, lest we have to remind some people who have advocated such in the past.)
But Deeeeaaaaaaan! I want my genocide!
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