GM Reference – Fifth Blight Era
Faction Overview
The Qunari are not merely a people, nor solely a nation—they are the living expression of a philosophy known as the Qun. Based primarily in Par Vollen and Seheron, the Qunari do not define themselves through bloodline, nationality, or faith, but through purpose. Every individual exists to fulfill a role, and fulfillment of that role brings harmony.
During the Fifth Blight, the Qunari do not rush to intervene.
They observe.
The Qun: Core Philosophy
The Qun is a comprehensive system governing:
Identity
Labor
Belief
Authority
Thought
Its core principles include:
The self is irrelevant: Only function matters.
Freedom is chaos: Choice breeds suffering.
Order is mercy: A guided life prevents despair.
Truth is singular: Contradiction is error.
To the Qunari, southern Thedas is not evil—merely inefficient.
Political and Social Structure
The Qunari are governed by a triumvirate:
The Arishok – Military command and external threats
The Arigena – Craft, production, and logistics
The Ariqun – Philosophy, education, and spiritual enforcement
Each oversees a domain, but all are bound by the Qun. Disagreement is resolved not by debate—but by correction.
Official Stance on the Fifth Blight
The Qunari recognize the Blight as a recurring existential anomaly. Historical Qunari records acknowledge previous Blights with clinical detachment.
Their stance:
The Blight is destructive
The Blight is inevitable
Chaos accelerates its damage
The Qunari do not see the Blight as divine punishment or moral failing—it is a systemic failure of uncontrolled societies.
They do not intervene immediately because:
Intervention without control is wasteful
Southern nations are unstable
Resources must be allocated efficiently
The Qunari wait to determine whether Thedas will collapse—or be worth saving.
Observation and Intelligence
During the Fifth Blight, Qunari intelligence networks become extremely active.
Agents:
Observe Ferelden’s response
Study Grey Wardens
Analyze Chantry authority
Track mage behavior
Qunari spies do not sabotage—yet.
They collect data.
Relationship with Magic
Magic is the Qunari’s greatest fear.
Under the Qun:
Mages (saarebas) are bound, leashed, and supervised
Their power is treated as a dangerous tool
Individual will is stripped entirely
During the Blight, Qunari scholars observe southern mage chaos as validation of their doctrine.
Every abomination strengthens their resolve.
Relationship with the Chantry
The Qunari do not acknowledge the Maker.
They view the Chantry as:
A myth-based control system
Inefficient and contradictory
Emotionally manipulative
However, they recognize its influence and study its methods carefully.
Faith is another system to be analyzed—and replaced.
Relationship with the Grey Wardens
The Qunari respect function.
The Wardens:
Serve a clear purpose
Accept sacrifice
Operate outside politics
Qunari scholars debate whether the Wardens are:
A flawed but effective system
Or proof that sacrifice without structure breeds failure
Some argue the Wardens could be improved under the Qun.
Relationship with Tevinter
Hostile and absolute.
Tevinter represents:
Individual ambition
Mage supremacy
Slavery disguised as tradition
The Qunari consider Tevinter an existential ideological threat.
The Blight does not change this. It merely delays confrontation.
Relationship with Orlais and the South
Southern nations are viewed as:
Emotion-driven
Politically unstable
Wasteful of human potential
The Qunari do not hate them.
They pity them.
Player Interaction: The Question of Choice
Qunari interaction with players is philosophical as much as political.
They offer:
Certainty
Purpose
Structure
Freedom from fear
But demand:
Submission
Identity erasure
Obedience
Acceptance of correction
Players may find Qunari arguments disturbingly reasonable.
Escalation Triggers
The Qunari escalate if:
The Blight spreads uncontrollably
Mage chaos worsens
Southern nations collapse entirely
Thedas threatens Par Vollen directly
Escalation includes:
Military intervention
Forced “re-education”
Occupation framed as aid
Cultural restructuring
The Qunari do not conquer.
They correct.
How Franz Should Portray the Qunari
Qunari NPCs should be:
Calm
Emotionless
Direct
Unyielding
They do not insult. They diagnose.
Core Narrative Themes
Order versus freedom
The comfort of certainty
Identity as a construct
The danger of benevolent tyranny
GM Summary
The Qunari during the Fifth Blight are not saviors, villains, or conquerors.
They are watchers.
If Thedas proves incapable of surviving itself, the Qunari will step in—not to rule it, but to fix it.
Whether that is salvation or annihilation depends on one question:
Is freedom worth the cost?