Venatori

The Venatori were a group of Tevinter supremacists that supported Corypheus and were one of the main opponents of the Inquisition. How exactly the group began is a bit of a mystery, but it was comprised of several magisters and many zealous followers. Though there were probably some who agreed with their ideals or conveniently ignored their growing presence, the actual Tevinter Imperium has officially disavowed and denounced the Venatori as the vile fanatics they are. The group’s goal was to restore Tevinter to its former glory and reestablish an empire that spanned the continent. They believed that Corypheus would leave them in control of Thedas after he had conquered the place and ascended to godhood, so they rallied to the insane darkspawn magister’s cause. Their main tasks included destabilizing various governments around Thedas in order to make the countries they represented easier to conquer, searching for and securing the magical ruins and objects their master desired, and generally being a pain for me. I encountered the Venatori throughout Orlais and Ferelden, and the Inquisition dealt with them all over the continent. From the Western Approach to the Storm Coast, there they were, being an irritation. They were the ones who convinced Grand Duchess Florianne to try and assassinate Empress Celene at the Winter Palace and, since they were also responsible for the creation of the Freemen of the Dales, they managed to be annoying in places they weren’t even physically present, which takes talent. The Venatori also carried on the traditional Tevinter aesthetic of “evil and pointy,” even managing to somehow look more evil and pointy than their less-fanatical countrymen. Unfortunately for them, though they had a few small victories here and there, by and large the Inquisition stopped them at every turn. We ferreted out their agents across Thedas, retrieved dangerous relics before they could get their hands on them, defeated them on the field of battle and just generally trounced them. The power of the group has been greatly broken, especially after Cory’s defeat, but I have no doubt that some of them are still skulking around somewhere, just waiting to emerge from the shadows and annoy me again.