Most Powerful Nation of Thedas

**Blaze86420** · April 16, 2011, 07:13 PM

Which do you think the most powerful nation in Thedas is and why.

I personally think that the Orlesian Empire is the most powerful. Regardless of the set backs in Ferelden and Nevarra, Orlais is still the largest state in Thedas when it comes to area, and possibly, population. The capital city is suggested to be much larger, richer, cultured than many other cities, especially so when compared to Denerim. They also are much more centralized, with the Emperor holding absolute power. Not to mention their vast army of Chevaliers.

**DisgruntledGoat** · April 16, 2011, 08:37 PM

The Qun.... Fought all of Thedas to a standstill forcing a uneasy peace. Hell, they absolutely kick the crap out of Tevinter every time. You get this feeling that if the Qun wanted to they could conquer everything.

**Blaze86420** · April 16, 2011, 09:03 PM

Aren't they stuck in a stalemate with the Tevinter though? Maybe they were the strongest when they first arrived Thedas, but the exalted marches have weakened them quite a bit.

**DisgruntledGoat** · April 16, 2011, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by Blaze86420

Aren't they stuck in a stalemate with the Tevinter though? Maybe they were the strongest when they first arrived Thedas, but the exalted marches have weakened them quite a bit.

Have you played DA2? Fenris basically explains that the Qun seem to just be waiting. Swatting away Tevinter every time they try and take back their island. The exalted marches didn't really do anything. Fenris himself even says should the Qun wish to conquer thedas they could and that he thinks they are waiting and building an army.

**Kamos** · April 16, 2011, 11:37 PM

Enter Dragon Age III...

**Blaze86420** · April 17, 2011, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by DisgruntledGoat

Have you played DA2? Fenris basically explains that the Qun seem to just be waiting. Swatting away Tevinter every time they try and take back their island. The exalted marches didn't really do anything. Fenris himself even says should the Qun wish to conquer thedas they could and that he thinks they are waiting and building an army.

Oh, I haven't finished DAII yet.

**Facupay** · April 17, 2011, 12:46 AM

Tevinter. Minrathous has survived the first blight, the Qunari and Andraste. Also, they seem to be the only ones who could muster a large force of mages and after decades of fighting the Qunari all their armies must be pretty experienced. Their economy must be very war-oriented too.

**Musthavename** · April 17, 2011, 04:49 AM

Qunari, no contest. I'm pretty sure the story makes clear that Tevinter are attemping to retake Seheron and cannot, whilst there's speculation the Qunari are simply biding their time for an attack. The only reason the Qunari haven't conquered Thedas is that they provoked the entire continent into attacking them at once.

If the question is the most powerful human nation, it's between Orlais and Tevinter. The former for simply being more powerful than those around it (it had no trouble conquering the Free Marches / Fereldan, only holding onto them), the second for holding up in the face of the Qunari.

**samurai89** · April 17, 2011, 05:20 AM

The Qunari or the Tevinter Imperium. The former initially done a Julius Ceasar "They came, they saw and they conquered" for about a century and it took the might of a united Thedas and a long and very bloody war to finally push them back to a tentative peace. They brought Thedas to it's knees.

The Tevinters, for all their curruption and decadence, had carved the largest empire in all of Thedas and established the very name of the Continent. Even when they were toppled they still withstood several Exalted Marches and the invasion of the Qun. They have endured many sufferings but yet they have not been fully conquered. However I have to admit they sound like one last detirmined Qunari invasion would get the better of them.

**Stavroforos** · April 17, 2011, 05:58 AM

The Qunari for sure, but Orlais is second. Let's not forget that Orlais held control over basically most of Thedas only a few years back, and that Tevinter has actually been constantly losing in offensive battles, since the Qunari have not tried to advanced any further than Seheron or whatever island it is they're trying to get back.

**samurai89** · April 17, 2011, 06:29 AM

Orlais does seem like a new Tevinter, nearly equaling or matching the Tevinter's decadence and powerful armies.

**Stavroforos** · April 17, 2011, 06:37 AM

I can't say I've really seen much which would suggest Orlais is decadent.

**blank** · April 17, 2011, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Stavroforos

I can't say I've really seen much which would suggest Orlais is decadent.

You must not have talked to Leliana in DAO then.

**Stavroforos** · April 17, 2011, 09:06 AM

I talked to her quite a bit. I fail to see any decadence, especially on the level of the Tevniters.

**Blaze86420** · April 17, 2011, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by blank

You must not have talked to Leliana in DAO then.

They only thing that I remember reading/hearing (forgot where) is that they also tried to pull a Ferelden style invasion on the Nevarans, but not only were they repelled, they also lost a couple of Orlesian cities to them.
While it is true that Orlais is no longer the empire it was during Drakon's time, I wouldn't compare its state to the Tevinter's.

**blank** · April 17, 2011, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Blaze86420

They only thing that I remember reading/hearing (forgot where) is that they also tried to pull a Ferelden style invasion on the Nevarans, but not only were they repelled, they also lost a couple of Orlesian cities to them.
While it is true that Orlais is no longer the empire it was during Drakon's time, I wouldn't compare its state to the Tevinter's.

So apparently everyone but me missed everything Leliana said about the nobility in Orlais and their debauchery? The growing platform of the whole "bard" profession? Odd

**Cyrus the Virus** · April 17, 2011, 02:28 PM

Ehrm. In truth, it's hard to make a good and fair decision when we know so little.

**Stavroforos** · April 17, 2011, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by blank

So apparently everyone but me missed everything Leliana said about the nobility in Orlais and their debauchery? The growing platform of the whole "bard" profession? Odd

How does squabbling nobles and assassins compare to destroying heaven, creating the Darkspawn, and forcing the Maker to ignore all?

**Blaze86420** · April 17, 2011, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by blank

So apparently everyone but me missed everything Leliana said about the nobility in Orlais and their debauchery? The growing platform of the whole "bard" profession? Odd

Orlais was always like that, even during Drakon's time.