The Old Gods

History

Legend maintains that the minds of the Old Gods continued to roam the Fade like any other dreaming individuals' mind would, and they were able to contact Neromenian dreamers once more. Honorary Archon, Thalsian accredited his discovery of blood magic in -1595 Ancient to the Old God Dumat and established the first temples dedicated to the Old Gods to show his gratitude. Dragons became equated everywhere with divine power.
Four centuries later, in -1195 Ancient Darinius founded the Tevinter Imperium and established the magisterium from the priesthood of the Old Gods[9][10]. In the days of the Tevinter Imperium, the Old Gods were a pantheon of deities widely revered by most citizens, with temples and priesthoods dedicated to their veneration, such as the acolytes of Dumat, who swore oaths of silence in homage to their lord.[12] Each god had a High Priest, and the seven of them were called the Magisters Sidereal.[13] Holidays were popularly celebrated in tribute to the Old Gods, namely the Feast of Urthemiel, which spanned full twelve days.[14]
During this period, the Old Gods communicated directly with their worshipers, issuing explicit commands and instructions. There was also an equivalent of the Chant of Light, for the Old Gods, such as the Verses of Dumat.

Disbandment

In -395 Ancient the Magisters Sidereal physically entered the Golden City, an act recognized as the "Second Sin". The Chantry holds that they did so at the behest of the Old Gods to open "the unreachable gate" in exchange for "power and glory beyond all reckoning". The City turned black and the magisters were cast out as the first darkspawn, inadvertently causing the First Blight.
While the Chantry insists that the darkspawn tainted Old God Dumat and turned him into the first Archdemon, some ancient lore says it was Dumat who created the darkspawn and not the other way around.
In the aftermath of the event, all of the Old Gods suddenly stopped communicating with their followers. The First Blight led to a crisis of faith across the Imperium, shaken at the devastation their own god relentlessly championed. Several temples were razed by betrayed believers, killing priests to the Old Gods as retribution for their unheeded prayers. Finally, during the Transfiguration that followed Archon Hessarian's conversion in -160 Ancient, worship of the Old Gods in Tevinter was forcefully replaced with the monotheistic worship of the Maker. Those remaining faithful to them were slaughtered in a terrible bloodbath.
Cults devoted to the Old Gods are rumored to still exist.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

Dissolution Date

-395 Ancient

Type

Religious, Primacy

Parent Organization

Tevinter Imperium

Divines

• Dumat
• Lusacan
• Toth
• Zazikel