Dragon Age is every gamer's ultimate fantasy. Set in the world of "Thedas," the game offers a rich history and legends created by BioWare and supported by novels and comic books that give you the full experience.

First released in 2009, the game runs on a Chantry Calendar that measures time in Ages, each Age lasting about one century. The first Age marked the creation of the Chantry. The years before that are called ancient and are counted backwards. The first year of the Chantry is 1:1, and the year before that is -1.

With that brief background, here's a look at all the Ages timelines in Dragon age and what they have to offer.

Ancient Age

The earliest Age in the game is the Ancient Age, which saw the rise and fall of Elvhenan, the creation of dwarven thaigs and deep roads, the arrival of the first humans to Thedas, among other developments. Most of the events in this Age are known only from oral traditions and are commonly mythical.

The occurrences in the Ancient Age occur between the year -50 to -7600 and form the game's basis through the other ages.

The Divine Age

The events of the Divine Age are triggered by the death of the prophetess of the Disciples of Adraste. The disciples of the fallen prophetess compile the chant of light based on her teachings, and under the leadership of future Emperor Kordillus Drakon, their cult becomes an organised religion.

  • 1:1 – In this year, magic use without authorisation from the Chantry is banned. In the same year, Justinia is elected the first Divine.
  • 1:5 – After being corrupted, the dragon Zazikel becomes an archdemon and leads the second Blight with his first plan of action being to string the Grey Wardens.
  • 1:20 – Formation of the Templar order begins after the Nevarran Accord is signed to bring the Inquisition into Chantry. The Circle of Magi is also created to regulate the use of magic with the intention of using it against darkspawn.
  • 1:95 – At the turn of the century, the second Blight comes to an end after Zazikel is slain at Starkhaven by Grey Warden Cordin.

The Glory Age

Named after the popular attitude in the wake of Zazikel's defeat, this Age sees the tension between the human nations and the elven dales blow into an all-out war.

  • 2:9 – The elves attack the Orlesian town of Red crossing, setting the stage for a war between the elven dales and the human nation of Orlais. Just one year later, Divine Renata declares an Exalted March (a holy war) against the Elves.
  • 2:20 – Although winning at first, the Dales are crushed by Orlais and forced to settle in slums called alienages or run into the winds.
  • 2:80 – Yet another Exalted March takes place which ends in the Tevinters being ousted from Starkhaven.
  • 2:83 – An abomination in the Nevarran Circle causes the deaths of mages and Templars. This prompts Divine Galatea to declare that all grand clerics of the Chantry have the right of annulment. This declaration allows the clerics to execute all mages in a circle if deemed necessary.
  • 2:99 – Towards the end of the Glory century, the Grand Cathedral of Orlais in Val Royeaux is completed. The following Age is named after its two towers.

The Towers Age

After two centuries of construction, the religious centre of Andrastean faith and also the seat of the Divine is complete. This Age honours the completion of the cathedral and its most prominent feature – the two tall towers.

  • 3:10 – The old god Toth awakens and starts the charge of the Third Blight. Unlike the first one, this Blight is short-lived but involves a greater number of darkspawn.
  • 3:20 – The year 3:20 Glory is the epicentre of a love triangle between Flemeth, Bann Connobar Elstan, and a poet Osen. The tale starts with Flemeth marrying Conobar but later falls in love with Osen, and together they flee into the Korcari Wilds. A year later, Conobar tricks Flemeth into returning, imprisons her, and has Osen killed. In retaliation, Flemeth also slays Conobar.
  • 3:25 – The Third Blight comes to an end with Free Marches. However, Tevinter and Orlais refuse to leave the areas they’ve invaded and ultimately maintain control.
  • 3:87 – Driven by differences on the role of magic, a Schism of the Chantry occurs. It results in Tevinter electing a mage named Valhail as its Divine, who presides over the Minrathous Cathedral.

The Black Age

The highlights of this Age include four Exalted Marches against the newly formed Chantry and an attempted invasion into the Alamarri Lands.

  • 4:00 – The century begins with the reappearance of werewolves in Fereldan.
  • 4:22 – King Guiomar, the Younger, is murdered by the famous assassin Finesse of the Antivan Crows.
  • 4:40 – The Chantry in Orlais declares an Exalted March on the newly formed Tevinter in an attempt to capture Minrathous – the capital of Tevinter. The march fails and the Chantry makes another three attempts over the next six decades, all failing just like the first one.
  • 4:80 – The Orlesian Empire sends an army across the Frostback Mountains in an attempt to invade Ferelden. The usually bickering lords of Ferelden manage to unite against Orlesian and force them to retreat after three years of conflict.

The Exalted Age

This was an Age filled with war as the Fourth Blight broke out, wiping out more than just the Archdemon.

  • 5:12 – The Fourth Blight led by the Old god Andoral catches Antiva City by surprise and causes it to fall. While Tevinter and Orlais fare better, they only sent little token aid or nothing to the other countries.
  • 5:24 – Thanks to Grey Warden Garahel, his bonded griffon companion Crookytail, and their griffon mounts, the Fourth Blight ends at the great battle of Ayesleigh. The end of the Fourth Blight puts the Darkspawn population in jeopardy, which sees them take up to 400 years to form another horde and the iconic griffons also take a huge hit, almost becoming extinct over the next two centuries.

In the south, the Alamarri tribes unit to form the Kingdom of Ferelden in 5:42 Exalted.

  • 5:99 – Queen Madrigal of Antiva is found dead on a hunt. She is murdered using four different blades and the Antivan Crows are the main suspects, although no proof is ever found. The use of steel blades to kill the queen sets the stage for the next century called the Steel Age.

The Steel Age

The First Qunari war dominates the history and politics of the Steel age. Even more than the gruesome murder of Queen Madrigal in the woods.

  • 6:15 – Aggressive dragon hunting by the Pentaghast Family of Nevarra nearly drives the creatures to extinction.
  • 6:30 – The Qunari silently conquers the Island of Par Vollen. Because of its distance from the rest of Thedas, it takes some time for the news of the conquered Tevinter outpost to reach the continent. Two years later, the First Qunari War breaks out and the Qunari and Tevinter begin their bitter and long rivalry.
  • 6:32 – The Qunari use ships to attack northern Rivain and the Island of Seheron. Conquered regions have the chance to join the Qun belief and become fellow Qunari as they push into Tevinter and Antiva.
  • 6:85 – Qunari faces more opposition as the captives rebel against them and manage to free the Tevinter Imperium from the Qunari.

The Storm Age

A king's death, a stalemate in the war, and Exalted Marches are all highlights of the Storm Age.

  • 7:05 – The King of Fereldan dies without an heir to the throne. Sophia Dryden and her cousin Arkland are the two people with claims to the throne. Ultimately, Arkland takes the throne, and Sophia joins the Grey Warden later on, becoming the Warden-Commander of Fereldan. She uses the Warden to try and take the throne but loses to the brutal Arkland and the Wardens are removed from Fereldan.
  • 7:23 – The largest naval engagement in history – the Battle of the Nocen Sea sees the Qunari fought to a standstill.
  • 7:84 – The nations of Thedas bar, Tevinter, and Qunary sign a treaty on the neutral island of Llomerryn. This treaty calls for a cease of hostilities in exchange, granting the Qunari the archipelago surrounding the Par Vollen.

The Blessed Age

The name of this new Age comes from the birth of the Orlesian Emperor Etienne I's twins sons which is declared a good omen by the Chantry.

  • 8:05 – Kirkwall becomes a free city after rebelling from the Orlesian rule.
  • 8:24 – Orlesian tries to invade the Fereldan Valley for a second time under the order of Reville Valmont, "the Mad Emperor." The fort of Vigil's Keep falls to the Orlesian armies.
  • 8:44 –Fereldan King Brandel Theirin is driven into hiding while the Orlesians take the city of Denerim and occupy the country.
  • 8:55 – The Tevinter Imperium (the only human nation that did not sign the Llomerryn Accords) goes to war with the Qunari. The Qunari conquers Seheron.
  • 8:96 – 8:99 – After the assassination of his mother and rebel Queen Moira, Maric escapes and begins a campaign to retake Fereldan from Orlesian occupation with the help of Loghain Mac Tir. In 8:98, they capture the town of Gwaren. In 8:99, Loghain leads Fereldan to victory at the battle of River Dane. A dragon is spotted in the Orlesian side of the Frostback Mountains, which results in the next Age being called the "Dragon Age."

The Dragon Age

Finally, the Dragon Age arrives, and it's not short of action and events.

  • 9:22 – With the help of Regalyan D’Marcall, Cassandra Pentaghast foils a blood mage conspiracy to assassinate Divine Beatrix III. As a result, Cassandra is named the Hero of Orlais and becomes the Right Hand of the Divine.
  • 9:30 – The Archdemon Urthemiel awakens and with him, the Fifth Blight begins. King Cailan dies at the Battle of Ostagar, throwing Fereldan into a civil war.
  • 9:31 – Loghain Mac Tir is removed from power after a Landsmeet that is held at Denerim. Depending on player choice, the new and true ruler of Fereldan can either be Anora or Alistair.
  • 9:37 – The conflict between the Circle of Magi and the Templars in the city of Kirkwall marks the climax of Dragon Age 2. The conflict also leads to an open spat among the two factions in the Kirkwall Rebellion.
  • 9:38 – The College of Enchanters is disbanded by the Templars, while Alistair sets on a journey to find King Maric with the assistance of Varric Tethras and Isabela. Divine Justinia V seeks to determine if the Templars have abused the Rite of Tranquility and attempts to broker peace between the mages and the Chantry.

Solas awakens after centuries of sleep and activates his network of spies hoping to re-establish dominion over the Eluvian network. Around the same time, the War of the Lions in Orlais starts after Grand Duke Graspard de Chalons stirs up unrest against Empress Celene.

  • 9:39 – To restore the Inquisition, Cassandra Pentaghast and Leliana start searching for the Champion of Kirkwall. During this same period, the Grand Enchanter Fiona calls the mages to a vote. They agree to officially separate from the Chantry which sets off the Mage/Templar war.
  • 9:41 – Divine Justinia V is lost to ritual sacrifice when Corypheus activates the Orb of Fen'Harel, destroying the conclave and the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The only one to survive the destruction has essential information and incredible power for closing the break. The Dragon Age: Inquisition also begins around the same time.
  • 9:44 – Divine Victoria seeks to discuss the inquisition's future and calls an Exalted Council forming the start of the events of the final Inquisition Expansion, Trespasser.

Conclusion

With that, you now have a clear idea of the events and the order in which they follow each other in the Thedas world. The events in Thedas are ever-changing, and there are intricate details with each storyline. However, there's one constant amidst all the moving pieces, the history of Thedas is never boring. This is why Dragon Age gamers and enthusiasts are always looking forward to the next event and Age anxiously.

 

 

 

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