I am obsessed with the Dragon Age video game series. Like, replay-the-video-games-every-year obsessed. Like, check-for-Dreadwolf-updates-every-other-month-even-though-I-know-there-are-no-new-updates obsessed. Like, would-buy-all-the-Dragon-Age-collectibles-if-I-did’t-have-to-be-responsible-with-money obsessed.

Dragon Age is a fantasy role-playing video game series that takes place on the continent of Thedas. The video games focus on the events that take place during the 100 years of the Dragon Age:

• from the story of the Grey Wardens, who defeated the horde of twisted Dark Spawn during the Fifth Blight
• to the growing unrest between the mages of the Free Marches city-state and their militant handlers, the Templars
• to the recreation of the Inquisition, an independent political and military organization trying to restore order to Thedas following an explosion at the Divine Conclave that resulted in the death of the leader of the Orleasian Chantry (their church, if you will) and a tear in the veil that allows demons to escape from the Fade (a magical realm) into the world (phew!). And, they must do this while navigating a world torn apart by the Mage-Templar War and an Orlesian Civil War.

Beyond the current video games, there are books, comics, flash games, tabletop RPGs, web series, a movie, and a Netflix animation. The world is immersive. And, rumor has it, there is to be a full reveal of Dreadwolf in 2024. (But, who knows. I feel like Bioware has been teasing us about DA4 since 2018).

I’ve never anticipated the release of a game this much, so I had the brilliant idea to read and play through as many of the 34 Dragon Age installments I can get my hands on in chronological order for my “canon playthrough”. (Okay, as I admit this to the world, my plan sounds more bonkers than brilliant, but I think other passionate fans of the series would understand.)

The Book

And so it begins with Dragon Age: the Stolen Throne by David Gaider. The events in this novel take place 30 years before the 1st video game, Dragon Age: Origins. In fact, it takes place before the actual “Dragon” Age. The novel opens with the country of Ferelden under occupation by the neighboring Orlesian Empire. The Rebel Queen of Ferelden, who has been fighting against Orlais, is murdered by traitorous, Fereldan nobles, but her son, Prince Maric survives.

Fleeing from his mother’s assassins, Prince Maric runs into a band of outlaws led by Loghain (who Dragon Age fans will recognize as the antagonist from Dragon Age: Origins). The two reluctantly team up, reunite with the Rebel Army, and fight to expel the usurper Orlesian King of Ferelden. Of course, no Dragon Age story would be complete without the threat of villainous mages, a foreboding visit from the Witch of the Wilds, morally ambiguous Chantry leaders, and passionate romances between companions in between brutal battles for the future of Ferelden.

I give it a solid…TWO STARS.

The Stolen Throne was both too short for the story Gaider wanted to tell and too long for the story that was delivered. The author stuffed several years of story into 400 pages, so naturally, some elements of good storytelling were sacrificed. Gaider spared readers several years of redundant battles by summarizing a year of war into a few paragraphs. But, this also meant that crucial character development and relationship building were glossed over, and arguably, the characters, the interpersonal drama, and the dialogue between them is what makes the Dragon Age series so special.

In the end, I would only recommend this book to folks who really embrace the fandom. I’m not sure there is enough here to keep even a casual player enticed. And forget it if you’ve never played a game before. So much of the world-building was lacking, so without prior knowledge of the world of Thedas, the Stolen Throne reads a bit like a generic sword and shield fantasy novel.

The Teas

Your Favorite Shou Pu’erh

The Fereldans are a puzzle. As a people, they are one bad day away from reverting to barbarism. They repelled invasions from Tevinter during the height of the Imperium with nothing but dogs and their own obstinate disposition. They are the coarse, wilful, dirty, disorganized people who somehow gave rise to our prophet, ushered in an era of enlightenment, and toppled the greatest empire in our history.

– Empress Celine I of Orlais, in a letter to her newly appointed ambassador to Denerim

The Dragon Age continent of Thedas is an amalgamation of cultures and civilizations in Eurasia spanning from the Early Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period. Ferelden, the setting for the Stolen Throne, seems to resemble the period following the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England– not quite “barbaric” but not yet as opulent as Orlais or Tevinter. Not opulent at all, actually. It’s rural and dirty and always on the verge of battle against darkspawn or neighboring Orlais, and really I just imagine most people smell of wet mabari (a breed of war dog revered by Fereldans).

And so, for my first tea, I suggest your favorite shou pu’erh. For the uninitiated, shou pu’erh is a fermented tea that, to me, is akin to licking a wet forest floor in the middle of Autumn, but in a good way. (Usually. I had a shou that tasted like how the animal pens at the county farm smelled, and that ended up down the drain. But, honestly, that sounds perfect for Ferelden, too). I sipped Pu-erh #1 from Friday Afternoon Tea, which is an undaunting introduction to pu’erh. It offers aromas of earth, wet wood, and dry leaves. (It appears this tea is no longer available, but check out more aged teas from Friday Afternoon here.)

---

Soldier’s Blend from Friday Afternoon Tea

Loghain glanced uncomfortably at the knights who had been assigned to his command, once again wondering just how he had allowed himself to end up here. Thirty mounted men in heavy plate armor, each with more combat experience in the last year than he had in his life, and he was supposed to lead them?

the Stolen Throne by David Gaider

Picked simply for its name, the Soldier’s Blend from Friday Afternoon Tea is a blend of black tea, chicory root, cacao nib, and natural vanilla flavor. It’s reminiscent of a dark chocolate bar with a pop of tangy acid. I prefer to sip this one sweetened to draw out the creamy vanilla notes and to tame the dark chocolate flavor (I’m a milk chocolate girlie).

---

Shield Maiden from Friday Afternoon Tea

The knight sheathed his sword. Reaching up to his helmet, he pulled it off, and Loghain realized the man’s voice had sounded strange because it wasn’t a man at all. Masses of thick brown curls were plastered against the woman’s sweaty pale skin, yet Loghain found it didn’t mar her striking appearance. She had high cheekbones and a strong chin that a sculptor would have ached for, yet carried herself with a confidence that told him the armor was no affectation. She was as much a soldier as the men she led, and while it was not unheard of in Ferelden for a woman to be skilled in the art of war, it was uncommon enough to be surprising.

the Stolen Throne by David Gaider

Rowan is easily my favorite character. She is betrothed to Prince Maric and will someday be Queen of Ferelden. But, in the meantime, she charges headfirst into battle alongside her army to win back the throne stolen by Orlais. Her story is part honor, duty, and total badassery, but it is also part unrequited love, which wrecks me every single time. She should have been the main character.

Rowan kind of reminds me of Eowyn from the Lord of the Rings, so to honor Rowan, I’ve selected Shield Maiden from Friday Afternoon Tea, which is a blend of elderflower, pink peppercorn, roasted dandelion root, ginkgo biloba, cacao nib, and shavegrass. This golden-like-the-sun brew has a thick, luscious mouthfeel and it offers aromas of dried grass and dried wildflowers. There is also a soft heat from the pink peppercorns.

---

Your Favorite Rose-Infused Blend

Delicate to the nose, comfort to the tongue, and, strangely, a half-remembered whisper to the ears. It is described as—and inspires—a wistful spirit. A vintner’s opus.

Dragon Age codex entry on the tasting notes for Vint-9 Rowan’s Rose

No Dragon Age story is complete without romance. (Except for Dragon Age 2. My headcanon Hawke only has eyes for Varric, who is not one of the game’s love interests 😦 and yes I am still bitter about this.) In The Stolen Throne, we get a double-whammy of unrequited love. ~*~spoilers!~*~ Loghain pines for Rowan who pines for Maric who has been promised to Rowan but pines for Katriel. sigh.

For the final tea, I suggest your favorite rose-infused blend. To sweep me off my feet, I sipped the Orlesian Gray from Lady Gray Kitchen. It’s a citrusy Earl Grey blended with rose, lavender, and rosemary. As an added bonus, this particular blend was inspired by the kingdom of Orlais from the Dragon Age series!