Wending Wood

The Wending Wood is an area of forested slopes and lush greenery, divided by the trade route known as the Pilgrim's Path—named for the faithful devotees of Andraste who walk that very road to reach the City of Amaranthine, and who have left ancient relics scattered about the wood to honor Andraste and the Maker.

Background[]

The wood was once a home to an Avvar tribe of the Alamarri, and the location of one of the battles between the magisters and the barbarians in the ancient times. The wood was a sacred place of an Avvar god known as Uvolla. For centuries, the wood had been known as a place of breathtaking beauty and tranquility.

Involvement[]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening.

In Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening, the Warden-Commander travels to the Wending Wood to investigate mysterious goings-on in the area. Multiple caravans of merchants have been attacked recently, and roaming bands of darkspawn have been spotted as well. A clan of Dalish elves has also settled in the area, their proximity to nearby human villages making the locals uneasy.^[1] The Warden-Commander finds that the darkspawn are responsible for the attack (and near total destruction) of the Dalish clan. One surviving elven mage had mistakenly believed that humans were responsible for the murders, and dealt out revenge to any humans who wandered into the area. With her help, the Warden-Commander ventures into the Silverite Mine in order to eradicate the darkspawn.

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

If the main quest Champions of the Just was completed:

There are rumors of blood mages lurking about the Wending Wood. Cullen has received several complaints from various merchants traveling the Pilgrim's Path, a frequently ventured trade route situated between Denerim and the City of Amaranthine. Amaranthine's arl asks a favor from Josephine to have the Inquisition's templars investigate.^[2]

Leliana's agents and the templars Cullen assigned to the region uncover several murdered mages just off the main road. Reports confirm that all the victims appear to have been stabbed and then purposefully dragged from where they were originally killed. The investigators deduce that someone intended for them to be discovered—either the work of blood mages or local merchants who decided to deal with the "rumors" themselves.

If the victims were blood mages, there were no obvious signs—no cuts on the palms or the like—but it's difficult to say. It's also possible Maleficarum are responsible, using their fellows to power some ritual. Or possibly just some former Circle mages, killed by ordinary men over hearsay.
However, a dangerous cell of rebel mages have been tracked to a remote location in the region. They have extremist leanings and the group fears the Inquisition's association with the templars will permanently crush what remains of their rebellion as the mages have been actively working to stir up anti-templar and anti-Inquisition sentiment.^[3]
We unraveled that the Wending Wood mages are directly responsible for the death of seven mages and a noblewoman's daughter. We offered amnesty to those willing to surrender; however, only a few of the mages accepted—one was nearly killed by her fellows as she joined us against them. Those who surrendered were young, clearly in over their heads, and grateful for a way out. The remaining mages have returned with us to Skyhold and will be monitored closely. After Therinfal, it's good to know we still serve those who need us. The Wending Wood should be safe again for travelers.
—Knight-Captain Briony^[4]