When crafting the Dragon Age universe, BioWare clearly put a lot of thought and effort its locations. Ever since 2009's Dragon Age: Origins it has been clear that the Orlesian Empire is a force to be reckoned with.

An empire that was initially (and quite obviously) inspired by France, the mere mention of Orlais brings to mind high society, meticulously planned gestures, masked faces, masquerade balls and the Grand Game. A society that never shows its true face in public, even the simplest of servants are expected to cover their faces, making it impossible for outsiders unfamiliar with their customs to fully understand interactions with Orlesians.

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Orlais was founded by two human tribes, the Ciriane and Inghirsh before the First Blight. When they Blight hit, the Ciriane allied themselves with Tevinter and the Grey Wardens to beat back the darkness and defeat the first archdemon, Dumat. But this alliance did not last. Two empires with nothing but a lust for growth and power could not stand side-by-side without tensions brewing, and over the centuries, the two have come to blows in their quest for dominance on numerous occasions.

After Andraste's Exalted March against Tevinter, Orlais became refuge to Andraste and Maferath's sons when they fled the Tevinter Imperium. Their refuge in Orlais was short lived. To drive out the Alamarri influence over the Ciriane tribe, Orlais' first female chieftain, Jeshavis, murdered her husband, Isorath, who happened to be one of Maferath's sons. Jeshavis convinced his brother, Verald, to kill him, and afterwards, she married Verald and killed him too before murdering all his descendants. Jeshavis' actions more than likely launched the ages-long feud and struggle for power between the Alamarri-founded Ferelden and Orlais.

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A vast empire that has spent the centuries conquering, invading and spreading its reach, Orlais is currently the largest and most powerful empire in Thedas. Ruled by an Emperor or Empress, the capital city of Val Royeaux is home to the Imperial Palace. Orlais' current ruler, Empress Celene, was placed on the throne after her uncle, Emperor Florian, was murdered by his mistress, Lady Mantillon.

The Chantry's seat of power also resides there, making it home to the Divine. The White Spire in Val Royeaux was where the very first Circle of Magi was established, and the Seekers of Truth maintain their headquarters there as well. With so much power in one place, Val Royeaux is well protected by its Chevaliers.

During Dragon Age: Origins, Orlais was only mentioned in conversations, letters and codex entries. Most people in Ferelden spoke ill of Orlais, and with good reason. The last Orlesian occupation of Ferelden ended with Maric Theirin and Loghain Mac Tir taking their country back under 30 years earlier, so it was still a fresh memory for many people. After the Fifth Blight tore Ferelden to pieces, several Orlesian military families considered launching another invasion while its neighbor was still weak, but Empress Celene wanted nothing to do with these plans. Instead, she did everything in her power to hold them back in an effort to foster an alliance with Ferelden against greater threats.

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Beyond Hawke and Talis infiltrating an Orlesian estate just outside of Kirkwall in Dragon Age 2's DLC, Mark of the Assassin, there had been no opportunity to explore the vast, intimidating empire. Inquisition, however, demanded interaction with Orlais. The Inquisitor needed to make contact with what remained of the Chantry after Divine Justinia V's death at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. On top of that, the Seekers of Truth were headquartered there, and Inquisition teammate Cassandra Penteghast wanted to find out what happened to her brethren.

There was also a grand Masquerade Ball at Empress Celene's Winter Palace in Halamshiral, and the Inquisition was required to attend in order to gain Orlesian allies against Corypheus. For the first time, players were expected to intertwine themselves in Orlesian affairs, helping to stop a civil war, meeting with Empress Celene and either aiding her or helping those trying to instate her cousin, Duke Gaspard de Chalons, as Emperor. Players also got to explore several regions where the Grey Wardens, Corypheus and the Red Templars made trouble.

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Entering Orlais at long last forced players to learn more about one of the most intriguing aspects of the Empire: The Grand Game. An intricate political dance all nobility in Orlais entwine themselves in, the Grand Game has been around as long as Orlais itself. As nobles battle against one another and within their own families to gain higher status, scandals and assassinations constantly threaten to ruin the most prominent families. Even the lower classes, who seem ostensibly excluded from the Game, participate in whatever ways they can, always hoping to raise their position and ascend to a higher rank that will earn them prestige and respect.

The intricate masks worn by Orlesian nobles are often inherited, and because of the symbolism they promote, one can easily recognize members of prominent families in public simply by identifying their masks. These masks guard facial expressions, making players of the Grand Game even more devious while moving through society scheming, manipulating and matching wits in an effort to continuously one-up their opponents and raise their status. Such machinations are evident in everyday interactions, but nowhere are they more prominent than on Orlais' most civilized battlefield: The Masquerade, where nobles scheme to expose and provoke shame over even the simplest of misdeeds.

Despite delving deeper into Orlais in Inquisition, players have barely begun to scratch the surface of this complicated and intimidating empire. With the upcoming Dragon Age 4 likely leading players further north into the Tevinter Imperium, the two empire's histories makes it likely fans will learn more about Orlais in the future.

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