Constellations

People all across Thedas look up at the stars at night and wonder. During the bygone era during which the Tevinter Imperium ruled almost every corner of Thedas, their priests often looked up into the night sky and derived meaning from the scattered dots that littered the night sky. Many modern-day constellations are artifacts of this era. Few, though some, have been more recently identified.

Observance

Belenas

According to Avvar legend, Korth the Mountain-Father kept his throne at the peak of the mountain Belenas, which lay at the center of the world and was so lofty that from it, he could see all the corners of the earth and sky. In Avvar and Chasind beliefs, Korth eventually lifted Belenas from the earth into the realm of the gods, which could not be reached even by the most intrepid climber, and there he dwells in peace. This constellation depicts that mountain.

Bellitanus

Referred to as "the Maiden", depictions of the constellation Bellitanus have varied over the centuries. It has always been considered fashionable for prominent women of the day to be declared the Maiden's personification: Queen Madrigal or Queen Asha Campagna, for instance.

Draconis

Called "High Dragon", the constellation Draconis is always depicted by a dragon in flight. Recently, it has come into question whether this is truly the case. Many argue that it instead takes the appearance of something more serpentine in appearance, perhaps depicting some sort of sea creature. This isn't terribly unlikely due to the fact that such a creature appears in Rivain's history.

Equinor

Referred to as "the Stallion", the constellation Equinor has historically been depicted either as a rearing horse or a seated griffon. Some scholars speculate that the constellation's original image was that of a halla, which could indicate a deliberate supplantation of the constellation's original representation as Ghilan'nain, the elven goddess also known as "Mother of the Halla." However, as horses had great significance to many of the northern tribes, this speculation is largely considered unfounded.

Fenrir

Called "White Wolf", Fenrir has always been considered an oddity among scholars. To many, this represents the strongest argument that the Imperium deliberately stole ancient elven tradition and made it their own. In the case of Fenrir, the old elven trickster god, Fen'Harel. Others claim a much older tale of a wolf escaping hunters by fleeing into the sky exists.

Fervenial

Common referred to as "the Oak", the constellation Fervanial is represented as a towering tree with leafless branches. Many scholars believe this is a representation of nature that harkens back to the tribal days where, in the north, animism was not uncommon. Others believe Fervanis was originally a constellation of the elven people — specifically, a depiction of Andruil, elven goddess of the Hunt.

Fulmenos

Commonly known as "the Thunderbolt", the constellation Fulmenos depicts a bolt of lightning thrown by a god. Which god has always been a matter of dispute. The target of the thunderbolt is anyone's guess, potentially a jester who made a particularly heinous pun or those who require divine retribution.

Judex

Depicted as a downturned sword, the constellation Judex is often called "the Sword of Mercy" — even though the sword image was assigned to these stars long before Andraste's time. "Judex" was a concept of justice in ancient Tevinter, and the downturned aspect of the sword indicated a guilty verdict which generally translated to execution. With its modern meaning and use as a symbol for the Templar Order, the old interpretation is frowned upon.

Kios

Referred to as "Chaos", the constellation Kios marks ill-fates. According to folklore, Tevinters would fear this constellation and believed that it sowed entropy amongst those who it shone over. Its mostly forgotten history tells that this constellation came to be after a slave was able to kill one the archon. The slave was condemned to death, and his constellation filled the sky from that night forward. It is believed Kios was that slave's name. The Chantry had a movement to try and change this to be a dove, but it gained no traction.

Peraquialus

Referred to as "Voyager", the constellation Peraquialus is depicted as a ship — not a war ship or large merchant vessel, but rather a smaller and more primitive vessel. Sea and ocean faring vessels use this constellation as a point of reference to know which direction is which when out on open waters.

Satinalis

Referred to as either "Satina" or as "Satinalia", the constellation Satinalis has always been depicted by a seated man playing a lyre. Legends tell that once a man so wise and traveled would share his knowledge with all those who sat near his fire and listened to his song. Such a figure has shown up in many legends and stories. He is remembered through this constellation.

Solium

There are two common interpretations regarding the history behidn the constellation Solium, commonly known as "the Sun". The first is that it represents the fascination of early tribe peoples with all objects in the sky, the Sun and Moon in particular. Indeed, many believe proper depiction of Solium is as both. The second interpretation is that this constellation originally represented Elgar'nan, the head of the elven pantheon who was also known as "Eldest of the Sun." Modern scholars do not know which, if either, is truth.

Visus

Known as "the Watchful Eye", this constellation had great significance to the Alamarri and Ciriane peoples of southern Thedas. The story goes that the Lady of the Skies opened one eye so that the light from her gaze could lead per people safely from the Frostbacks. When Andraste's armies marched north from their ancestral lands to wage war upon the Tevinter Imperium, they were guided by the Eye, and it became the Maker's gaze—not the Lady's—leading them to victory. The sword was added later; it is said that the star that marks the point of the blade only appeared in the night sky after Andraste's death. The early Inquisition took Visus as the symbol of their holy calling when they joined the Andrastian faith: the Eye representing both their search for maleficarum and the Maker's judgement upon their actions.