Homebrew Qunari (Dragon Age) Species Details

"Struggle is an illusion. The tide rises, the tide falls, but the sea is changeless. There is nothing to struggle against. Victory is in the Qun."

The Qunari, literally, 'People of the Qun', is the broad term most commonly used to describe the white-haired metallic-skinned race of large humanoids and their society that governs the islands of Par Vollen and Seheron, as well as the settlement of Kont-aar in northern Rivain, and Qundalon in the Anderfels.

Members of any race who adhere to the teachings of the Qun can become 'Qunari', but those other than the original giant race, that is humans, elves, and dwarves, are called Viddathari within the Qun. Humans of Rivain and elven slaves of Tevinter are especially susceptible to conversion, although it is not unknown for members of other groups to embrace the Qun.

Members of the aforementioned race born outside of the Qun are not considered to be Qunari within their own society. They are called 'Vashoth', which means 'grey ones'; likewise, those who abandon the Qun willingly are known as 'Tal-Vashoth', 'true grey ones'. Most Tal-Vashoth are former soldiers and become mercenaries, and are considered by Qunari to be worse than bas ― who are non-Qunari foreigners.

Members of the Qunari race are rarely seen outside of their lands with the exception of Rivain. During the Dragon Age, a fleet of Qunari ships sank in the Waking Sea between Ferelden and Free Marches, which resulted in Qunari presence in both of these lands. Tal-Vashoth are much more present in non-Qunari lands, most commonly as elite mercenaries, such as the Kadan-Fe in Ferelden.

Blood Runs Strong

The Qunari are known to hold dragons sacred. High dragons are called Ataashi, the 'glorious one' in Qunlat. Some of this comes from physical similarities, while some believe that the Tamassrans cultivate dragon blood within the Qunari, allowing some to tap into combat abilities similar to Reavers. This, however, does not translate into reverence, as most Qunari accept that dragons are savage creatures that have to be put down in order to establish civilisation. It is said that before converting to the Qun, the horned race prayed to animist gods, but such practices were outlawed by the Qun, and thus it would be against the law to openly revere the dragons.

The corpse of a Qunari is considered an insignificant husk that is no longer the individual that it once was and thus is afforded no special treatment, rather disposed of in whatever manner is most practical. Instead, the tools which they used to perform their job are collected, for instance, warriors' swords are considered to be their souls.

Duty of the Many

The body is represented by the Arishok and the military, the mind by the Arigena and the craftsmen, and the soul by the Ariqun and the priests. The Arishok is always male and leads the armies, the Arigena is always female and leads the craftsmen, whilst the Ariqun, whose gender varies, leads the priesthood. All three are the head of their respective "paths" and work in unison to complete the whole of Qunari society.

Duty is paramount in Qunari culture, and their society is seen as a living entity, whose well-being is the responsibility of all. Each person is like a drop of blood in the veins of the being, and they must not do what is best for them, but what is best for all.

The Qunari do not have a concept of personal identity. While they possess names, they do not use them, primarily using titles rather than names to identify and present themselves. The names are in fact simply strings of genealogical information used only by the Tamassrans for record-keeping. Some of the name-titles include Sten, Arishok, and Tallis.

Dangerous Things

“As does a drowning man know the sea, so does a mage know magic”

―A Qunari saying

Qunari Names

There are very few if any Qunari who know their birth name. These names, kept by the Tamassrans, are made secret. Instead, Qunari are named for the role they play in society. For those of the Beresaad this is specifically a military rank. Some suitable ranks are given below, with descriptions in parenthesis. The Tal-Vashoth, having generally rejected Qunari society, do not abide by these naming conventions. Since the names of their ancestors are lost to them, many take to choosing a qunlat word and using that as their name. 

Beresaad Rank Names: Ashaad (scout), Karasaad (mid-rank infantry soldier), Karashok (private), Karasten (corporal), Sten (infantry platoon commander).

Tal-Vasoth Names: Aban (the sea), Dathras (cattle), Hissra (illusion), Issala (dust), Kadan (friend), Kata (death), Maraas (nothing), Sataa (the world), Shok (struggle), Taam-kas (battle axe).

Qunari (Dragon Age) Traits

Qunari share a number of traits in common with each other.

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age

Qunari have lifespans comparable to humans. They enter adulthood in their late teens and usually live less than a century.

Alignment

Qunari society, with its clear roles and tasks, has a strong lawful bent. The qunari sense of fairness, balanced with an emphasis on self-sufficiency and personal accountability, pushes them toward neutrality.

Size

Qunari are between 7 and 8 feet tall and weigh between 280 and 340 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Natural Athlete

You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.

Natural Fortitude

You can focus yourself to occasionally shrug off injury. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to roll a d12. Add your Constitution modifier to the number rolled and reduce the damage by that total. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Qunlat.