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The Qunari in the Dragon Age series are recognizable by the horns on their head and the greyness of their skin. Fans of the series know that whenever Qunari are involved a fight is soon to follow. But what even the most experienced fans don't know is that Qunari are more complicated than they seem.
This race of seemingly barbaric brutes are actually quite sophisticated. With a rich history and culture, their race rivals even the greatest human nations in the games. And with such a rich culture, there also come some things not well-known to fans. So for fans old and new, here are some tidbits about the Qunari that they might not have known otherwise.
Updated on August 19, 2021, by Juliet Childers: In honor of TG's Dragon Age week, a closer look at the horned sapient species on Thedas is in order. After all, even over the Tevinter Imperium, the Qunari are mysterious, secretive, and power-hungry. Little is known about them except what they have allowed the people of Thedas to see and learn. So what trivia about Qunari might even die-hard fans still be missing out on?
15 It's A Religion & Not A Race
It's a bit confusing in the beginning, but the key to understanding the Qunari is knowing that the Qun is a religion. Those who are followers of the Qun are known as Qunari. Though the majority of the Qunari are the big grey people players recognize on sight, there are also elves, dwarves, and human Qunari.
Founded by Koslun, the Qun is a set of strict guidelines that all Qunari live by. Anyone wishing to join the Qunari has to become a conscript and give up everything they knew before. Anything less, and they could be killed or worse.
14 They Originally Come From the Kossith
While the Qunari of the present are followers of a religion, their actual race name is the Kossith. The Kossith is an antiquated term for the horned race before Koslun was ever in the picture.
They first arrived in Thedas during the Ancient times when they set up a tentative outpost in the Korcari Wilds. This outpost did not survive long as the first Blight and the Darkspawn destroyed the outpost and all inhabitants within. No one knows how or when the Kossith turned into the Qunari, but after two centuries, the Qunari appear in Thedas intent on world domination.
13 All Qunari Out in Thedas Are A Part of the Military Branch
This one is also strange to come to terms with if only because players would expect to meet merchants or regular citizens of the Qun. But any Qunari that players meet in any of the games, are a part of the military caste. Whether they be spies, warriors, mages, all are military combatants that are there on some sort of mission. The Antaam, or the military caste, are believed to be the body of the Qunari society and so they must interact with the heretical outside world.
However, the differences in how the Qunari conduct battle are showcased in Iron Bull's loyalty mission in DA: I with the Qunari Dreadnought vs. Venatori mages on the beach. Their huge battleship prowess relates to being both an island nation and a warring society. But beyond that, all we know is bits and pieces from Bull's stories and what we see of the Viddasala and the Darvaarad in Trespasser.
12 The Ben-Hassrath Are A Secret Spy Organization
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All governments have some sort of spy agency within them. The Qunari's spy agency just happens to be the frightening Ben-Hassrath. Think of these agents as the villainous spy agency in any spy movie: they're smart, ruthless, and are almost invisible to the majority of people.
What makes them even more terrifying, however, is that they watch their own people with the same vigor as they watch the rest of Thedas. These agents look for anyone who might be doubting their place in the Qun or is growing some thoughts of dissent. Once found they are taken into some darkroom to be indoctrinated once again or face a harsh execution.
11 The Horned Qunari Might Be the Result of Experimentation
The horned grey Qunari might have been that way for as long as they can remember, but it wasn't until Dragon Age Inquisition that there has been an allusion to the origins of their race. In fact, these grey giants might be a result of an experiment.
Corephyeus, in the final battle, will taunt a Qunari Inquisitor with a "your blood is engorged with decay. Your race is not a race, it's a mistake". While Kieran, a boy with the soul of an Old God, will mention that their blood does not belong to them when talking to the Qunari Inquisitor. Somehow the Qunari were created. The only question is by whom.
10 The Qunari Government is a Triumvirate
Though it might seem like the Qunari government is handled by a militaristic regime, it's more accurate to say they are ruled by a Triumvirate. This Triumvirate is easy to remember as it is made up of the body, the soul, and the mind of the Qunari.
The body is represented by the Arishok, the leader of the military. The mind is led by the Arigena, the merchants and craftsmen, and the soul is led by the Ariqun, the priesthood. Each leads their own domain independently, but together, they have the duty of keeping the Qunari healthy and hale. They are to defend the Qun and uphold its doctrines.
9 Gender Roles are Strict But There is a Loophole
For this entry, it is important to understand that Qunari culture is dominated by gender stereotypes. Women are suited for roles of management, cooking, and crafts, while men are suited for fighting. It's not encouraged for either gender to meddle in the other's roles, but when a person shows passion for a role they give up their initial gender and are known as Aqun-Athlok.
Gender is a secondary trait among the Qunari. The roles of its followers are the only things that matter under the Qun. As long as that particular follower accepts their new role, the Qun and its authorities have no problem with them changing genders.
8 The Qunari Are Technologically Advanced
As a fantasy medieval role-playing game, it's safe to say the majority of Thedas is stuck with horse carriages and a lack of plumbing. However, the Qunari are different. Rather, the Qunari are the most technologically advanced race in Thedas.
From war machines to sanitation, the Qunari are miles ahead of their human, elven, and dwarven neighbors. The reason? No one knows. The Qunari will certainly never tell as they are a very secretive race. And as a militaristic race, giving up any advantage against the heretic enemy would be a mistake.
7 The Difference Between Vashoth & Tal-Vashoth
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Any grey horned being born outside the Qun are known as Vashoth. This simply translates as the "grey ones". It's a pretty spot-on description given their appearance, but it's also important because it differs from Tal-Vashoth. As Vashoth, they have never known the Qun and are those not inherent enemies of it.
If they were Tal-Vashoth, or "true grey ones", they would be enemies of the Qun and killed on sight. Tal-Vashoth are traitors to the Qun as they have abandoned it. Though, the majority of them lead lives as bandits whereas Vashoth live their lives as anyone would in Thedas.
6 Qunari Mages Are Living Weapons
Qunari Mages, or Saarebas, suffer the worst out of all the people under the Qun for they are not seen as people at all. Rather, they are seen as living weapons to be controlled. For fear of demons and possession, Saarebas have their mouths sewn shut, their horns removed, and they are collared like dogs.
Soon after, they are given to a handler who they will spend the rest of their lives following. If they somehow separate from their handler, they must kill themselves or be slain on sight. Their day-to-day is spent hurling destruction at the Qun's enemies until they hopefully perish in combat.
5 Sten Has No Horns Because Of Graphics Limitations
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Dragon Age: Origins first released in 2009, so computer graphics were exponentially less advanced than they are now. As such, the game worked within the technical limits of the time to great effect. However, there weren't many Qunari wandering around for the Warden and party to run into besides Sten -- and he didn't have horns.
The developers made Sten's hornlessness canon and even reference him as being hornless when he is made the Arishok. Perhaps, in future games, we will see other hornless Qunari like Sten or, better yet, Sten himself.
4 Tamassrans Raise Qunari Children
Iron Bull, once he's cozied up to the Inquisitor a bit, will start to reveal more information about how he was raised under the Qun. He mentions that there aren't really "family units" in the same way as across most of Thedas. Instead, Qunari children are gathered together and raised by Tamassrans who function like teachers, caretakers, mentors, and more if required.
They also identify what each child may be best at in order to place them in a position under the Qun. As Bull was a capable warrior and good at lying, he was a natural fit for the spy-oriented Ben-Hassrath unit.
3 Love & Intimacy Work A Bit Differently In Par Vollen
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Bull will also start talking about how romance and physical intimacy works in Qunari society. Even casual DA fans know that the Iron Bull is into some Stuff TM, and that part of those interests came from what was available to him in the Qunari homeland. But he phrases it as a physical need akin to feeding your body or relieving yourself.
In essence, it's just one more aspect of taking care of yourself and the Qunari don't view it as overly serious or taboo in any way. In fact, if you romance Bull and want to get serious, it's a very rare thing for him which makes it all the more special.
2 They're Almost Always At War With Tevinter (And Vice Versa)
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The Tevinter Magisterium isn't known for letting bygones be bygones, but neither in the Qunari leadership. With the two nations being so incredibly close, tensions flare constantly -- especially given the Qunari's opinions about magic and how magic-users should be treated. It obviously stands at odds with the magic-users first mentality of Tevinter.
The Qunari conquered Par Vollen, now their main base of power, in 6:30 Steel then set their sights on nearby Seheron despite its history of Tevinter control. Bull recalls guerilla warfare within the city thanks to the Tal-Vashoth who also look for power-grab opportunities. That makes the island a hotbed of violence and instability.
1 Whether Or Not They Come From Dragons Is Still Unknown
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Though the Qunari look has changed over the years, the horns are a staple of Qunari physiology now and their Kossith relation is canon, as well. But there exist yet more rumors that they descend from dragons themselves, having mixed dragon blood in their DNA somehow. Bull's specialty is a Reaver, so it stands to reason that this could be possible.
But no canon lore really suggests that this is the case as of yet. Besides, not all horned creatures are dragons, and wouldn't it make them less cool if they were?