Goro Dhaka

Goro Dhaka, born Evrion, was the child of Maferath — military leader of the First Exalted March and eventual betrayer of Andraste. After the March ended, his father granted him rulership over the land which would later be recognized as the Free Marches.   He eventually gave up his claim, became a monk, and founded a religious sect known as True Heart Andrastianism. Mount Ebene in present-day Nevarra was chosen by him to be a holy site where he lived out the rest of his life. Legend has it that Goro Dhaka has not died, but entered into an eternal meditative trance known as "nachdai" (näSH-dī) and is still alive on Mount Ebene. There, he waits for the appearance of the Maker's second prophet.   His name translates to "Sage who propagated True Heart".  

History

First Exalted March

Evrion's father, Maferath, was an Alamarri chieftain who commanded the biggest and most powerful Alamarri tribe through his marriage to Andraste. Supposedly unable to bear children, Andraste allowed Maferath to sire three boys with an Alamarri woman and then adopted all three of them. Evrion was the middle child and served as a loyal general for his father during the many battles of the First Exalted March. He was described as the most pious of Andraste's sons, more concerned with spreading her word than with amassing power.   After Andraste's death at the end of the March, Maferath tasked his sons with helping him strengthen the lands south of the Tevinter Imperium. Evrion was entrusted with the lands which would later become the modern Free Marches. For the following decade, he spent most of his time commissioning great shrines in Andraste's name and growing the flock of the faithful.  

Withdraw to Mount Ebene

When Evrion eventually learned of his father's betrayal, he disowned his father and renounced any claim he had to ruling over his land. He dispersed his holdings among his people, causing them to form their own rulership structures and to grow as independent city-states.   Meanwhile, Evrion's thoughts were drawn to Mount Ebene — a place he had visited and said he felt "spirituality flourish". Desiring a retreat from worldly affairs, he decided to return there with a small handful of faithful Andrastians equally as dedicated as he. The group consecrated the grounds with rituals lasting seven days, then began work constructing a simple monastery where they could live and meditate.   Evrion's vision was that Mount Ebene was to become a place which allowed monks to understand the world more clearly through existing in its untouched state. In the land's natural geography, Evrion saw the Maker; Mount Ebene was a low-mountain surrounded by a ring of higher mountain peaks which he dubbed the "Crown of Compassion". Because of this "sacred geometry", Evrion convinced his fellow monks that the place would invite the ability for one to more closely connect their heart to the Maker's domain. Inspired by him, they built a sacred temple known as Mooskirke.   Years after, Evrion's past connections within the region meant that the growing city-state of Nevarra often petitioned him for aid in finding support for construction projects. He found himself unable to fulfill his duty as abbot of Mooskirke, so he often had his closest disciples cover his sacred duties. While traveling like this, he completed his magnum opus: Ten Developments of the Inner Mind. It's so long that it only exists in Planasene, never having been fully translated into any other language.  

Reaching Nachdai

As he got older, he felt unable to assist the neighboring city-state. He retired to Mooskirke and continued his focus on meditation and reaching ever-higher in his faithfulness to Andraste. Eventually, legend has it that he reached a spiritual state that meant he was no longer of the world. He was entombed in a mausoleum on eastern Mount Ebene in a place called Innenbereic, which is found in a dense forest of cedar and conifer trees. Upon the sealing, he was given the holy name Goro Dhaka.   True Heart Andrastians claim that Goro Dhaka is still alive and is in a meditative state. Years after the tomb was sealed, it was reopened and Goro Dhaka was seen as if still sleeping, breathing and with hair grown much longer.