Orzammar is the capital city of the dwarves and the center of their culture. Unfortunately, this is mainly because, until recently, it was thought to be the only thaig to have not been overrun by the darkspawn. Even with the recent reemergence of Kal-Sharok, retaking of Kal’Hirol, and increasing population of surface dwarves, Orzammar retains its historic importance. One of the twelve great thaigs of the ancient dwarves, it sits under the Frostback Mountains of northwestern Ferelden, just northeast of Skyhold. It is built over a lake of magma, which is used to light and heat the caverns, and carries the hallmarks of dwarven cities: impressive architecture, ornate decorations, clever engineering, and nugs. Lots and lots of nugs. Just wandering around. Waiting to strike. A massive gate allows for access to and from the surface, leading through the Hall of Heroes, where statues of the Paragons impress visitors and loom over those who might leave and abandon the Stone. Just as the dwarves themselves are separated into castes, Orzammar is a tiered city where each level reflects its occupants. The home of royalty and nobility, the Diamond Quarter is ornate and opulent. It houses the buildings at the center of dwarven culture, including the Assembly, where the nobles gather to discuss issues and create laws, the Shaperate, where the memories that form dwarven history are kept, and the Royal Palace itself. The largest section of the city is the Commons, where the entire middle and lower castes live. Its most notable landmark is the Proving Ground, an arena that is home to the Provings, ritualized gladiatorial competitions that are used to solve problems large and small, and for celebratory purposes. The casteless dwarves live in a large slum called Dust Town, which is run by the Carta, a powerful organized crime organization. The Hero of Ferelden nearly wiped out the Carta during the Fifth Blight, but they have since returned. He was also a deciding factor in the Aeducan family keeping the throne, as he arrived in Orzammar when the city was split between who should become king. He needed the dwarves to be united so they could aid him against the Blight and ended up siding with Prince Bhelen. I never actually visited Orzammar, maybe because of all the nugs, though they were early allies of the Inquisition. The dwarves, I mean, not the loathsome rodents. Later in my inquisiting, I traveled through the Deep Roads near Orzammar to find and stop the source of the earthquakes that threatened to destroy the city. I was successful in the end, and one of the last bastions of dwarven civilization still stands, as it has for millennia.