#keepers of Temple of Mythal

[lairofdragonagelore]

Murals in DAI: The actions of the Inquisitor

A series of murals painted by Solas in order to record the Inquisitor’s actions in Skyhold’s rotunda. 

[This post is part of the series “ Murals in DAI ”]

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

“The Breach”

The border of the mountains are decorated with inverted triangles. It’s hard to know if this is an aesthetic choice or there is a subtle meaning considering the potential understanding of the inverted triangles as indicators of Fade-related spaces [Murals in DAI: Basics].

The air is filled with longer inverted triangles. This may mean the Fade pushing into the Waking World due to the Breach. Elongated triangles seem to represent spaces where the Fade and the Waking World are mixed.

The yellow ray falling from the yellow sphere above is representing the Breach. It seems to have a slight potential analogy with the mural “The Death of a Titan”, as if the ray striking into the Titan’s heart could be compared, even metaphorically, with the representation of the Breach. After all the same author has done these murals [ Nick Thornborrow but also Solas himself]

The yellow sphere on the sky, aesthetically speaking, seems to show a similarity with a Sun. In the Mural “Creation of the Veil” we know that the central sphere inside the Fade is a “contained Sun”. This concept is repeated in other murals.

The first thick border [Border 2] may represent the Veil in a less detailed way. The interior of this yellow sphere is a space filled with many eyes.

These could be the representation of Pride creatures, the Evanuris, the vigilant Dread Wolf himself, or simply the immense amount of demons wanting to enter to the Waking World. 

The supposition of Prideful creatures is based on the fact that pride demons have many eyes.

The supposition of the Evanuris comes from the Concept Art of the Keepers of the temple of Mythal: they were originally conceived to wear an armour that is fully made of countless eyes in the same shape than those we see in this mural.

Even their faces had eye-based tattoos. Since Mythal was an Evanuris, I assumed that maybe this detail in the mural may represent the Evanuris in general. This would mean that they are in the Fade space, which is not true since they cannot contact dreamers, so this option is discarded.

The other suggestion was the Dread Wolf, since the mural of "self-portrait" seems to imply that while Solas, as an elf, exists in the Waking World, his wolf aspect seems to exist and protect the Fade, watching in all directions.

As in the mural of "The creation of the Veil", there is a red sphere inside a black sphere. The Black sphere may be related to the Blight, that by now we can confirm is what Corypheus found when reaching the Golden City.  The Red sphere may represent the Red Lyrium that the Black City has, confirmed in the last mural "the Destruction of the Veil", from the DA:D trailer.

The Black Sphere seem to show a scale-texture, probably a representation of a snake skin to mean this is the place where the Magister Sidereal accessed to.

The Red Sphere shows some dark tendrils extending to the Black Sphere, probably meaning a “leak”. It seems to be that the black substance is leaking into the red sphere and inside the Black City.

“Inquisition Formation”

The sword with the eye and the sun beams over it represents the Inquisition itself. I find it curious the colour choice in the eye: it’s the same colours with which Solas represented the Black and the Red Sphere inside the Fade.

The sword sinks into the Earth, so its formation is a reality.  

As we have been learning in the many elvhenan temples and how they place their statues, we can be confident that the Sword, being central, represents a position of honour, while the howling black wolves are, most probably, representations of Fen’Harel in a “disguise”. The ones that are farther, as well as the head of the ones protecting the sword at its sides show their “golden” nature.  We have seen several golden statues of the Evanuris, and golden details seem to imply divinity in a general way. So this detail may be Solas trying to imply that the black wolf is, in fact, golden. He can’t draw the typical Fen’Harel iconography, but this is basically Solas saying “Fen’Harel is watching and guarding the Inquisition”.

The hilt of sword shows the typical chains of the Chantry that we see in many Chantry-based iconography. For example, the Divine:

The wolves seem to be inside a big triangle that may mean “mountain” as an emphasis of “reality”.

“Siding with the Templars”

We see the castle of Therinfal Redoubt upside-down, showing its connection with the Fade and the control that Envy had during that quest.

The banner of the Templars is ragged, showing how corrupt and broken the Order is. 

The dark figure in it shows 3 arms, meaning this is the Envy demon. The demon is grabbing the Templar sword, representing its control on the Order.

“Siding with the Mages”

We see a central figure that divides the piece in two, a bright side and a dark one. The figure is a Tevinter magister, representing Alexius.  A side of his cape shows snakes and his belt shows golden scales, reinforcing the idea of a “divine” snake and how his current power is “god-like”, specially with his alliance with the Elder One. The colours of the figure are very Tevinter too: black and gold.

The right side of the background represents Redcliffe in the Present, with the bright sun in the sky [Chantry focused], while the one on the left, the Redcliffe from the Future is dark and red, as the Elder One has total control over Thedas. In this case, the interior of the castle is full of red lyrium. The ground of this side is filled with inverted triangles, potentially meaning that the ground itself turned into Fade nature [Waking World and Fade are one].

This whole mural is supported on a circular ground of black and golden triangles, that I’m not sure if it represents the Veil being broken progressively as this future fuses both worlds in one.

“Attack on Haven”

At the bottom of the mural we see a figure of a building burning,  representing Haven in the middle of the mountains during the attack.

A long, tall figure looms over Haven: Corypheus. Its design is asymmetric and the upper part of his body is bordered with red, implying his relationship with Red Lyrium: it’s not clear if this is to imply his control over the Red Templars, or that he himself has been contaminated with it long ago as his design seems to suggest.

In the middle of the figure, there is a greenish sphere that represents the Anchor disputed by two hands: a wiry one that would represent Corypheus’, the other, the Inquisitor’s hand displaying a line across their palm. The recovery of the Anchor failed.

Behind Corypheus figure, we see a big tarnished golden halo. It is smeared at some parts, and has a lot of red and black tendrils. It’s likely that the golden halo represents Divinity, but in this case, because Corypheus is a corrupted and blighted creature, that attempt to obtain divinity has tarnished divinity itself. It’s a “dirty” divinity.

Behind Corypheus and the halo, we see blackness with the same exact pattern that we saw in the belt of the Tevinter figure from the previous mural. This seems to be located above the Breach [three circles in the orange part of the sky] and behind Corypheus, so this may represent  Tevinter attempt to enter the “Black space in the Fade” [aka, Black City].

“The Siege of Adamant Fortress”

From left to right, we see the symbol of the Grey Warden. Depending on the player’s order of playing quests, the background of the symbol will appear in dark [If this is done before the quest of the assassination of Celene] or in warm colours [if it was done after].

The next panel shows Adamant fortress through dunes of sand. I assume this is the Western Approach.

The last panel is bordered by Chantry chains, probably a detail to represent the separation of the world [Waking World and Fade] with the Chantry interpretation or maybe it represents the “Chantry intervention”, since this quest was guided by Justinia.

The bottom of this section shows some mountains or peaks or maybe just a “broken crystal” representing the Fade. On them, some symbols that I’m unable to link with anything else may appear. These symbols are only present if “The Siege of Adamant Fortress” is done before the “assassination of Celene”. Maybe it’s just an aesthetic choice to produce a soft transition between the panels, and these symbols help to integrate the lower border of Celene’s dress. Otherwise, I don’t see any lore reason for them to appear.

We analysed the structure of the spheres presented here in Murals in DAI: Basics, and we concluded that the best interpretation was:

This interpretation coincides in several elements with the visual description we had in the mural “Creation of the Veil”. Even though there is no Black City in it, there is a red sphere with a sun inside a dark sphere. In this mural, such order is switched. However, the red space shows Eyes that have been seen in many other representations of the structure of the Fade. They are related to pride no doubt, but it’s not clear in what sense. It could represent the pride of the Magisters who broke into this place [the presentation of DAO [Darkspawn origin] represents them with dark and red peacock feathers], in others, there are many eyes, implying that there are many creatures pushing in. When it’s just six eyes, I’m inclined to think in Pride; when it’s a countless amount of eyes, I’m inclined it represents spirits or entities pushing out to escape the confinement. A third interpretation offered by the Mural “self-portrait” implies that the Wolf Aspect of Fen’Harel is guarding this space, vigilant of the creatures he sealed long ago.

To see the argument about the aesthetic transition between panels to justify these strange details that appear if one does a quest before another we can see the integrated panels in the rotunda:

The change of colour of the background of the Grey Warden symbol and the strange symbols on the mountains that may appear seem natural depending on the transition of the panels.

“The assassination of Empress Celene”

Celene is represented with her regal blue dress and the golden half circle behind her head. The paint of the dress is a bit messy, like dripping water.

The background represents a typical Orlesian building, likely to be the Winter Palace.

The assassin is always present. It’s white if we do this quest after the “The Siege of Adamant fortress”, or black if it is done before.

The scene of the assassination happens without witnesses if this is played before “The Siege of Adamant fortress”, and with the witnesses of the ball if after.

Again, I don’t see the change of colour of the assassin and the presence or absence of witnesses in the panel as something relevant or related to the Quest Here Lies the Abyss. I see that these details are aesthetic choices to smooth the the transition between the panels.

“Temple of Mythal”

From the bottom, we see the trunk of a tree which is shaped in the same way that the entry gate of the Temple of Mythal.

 This tree trunk shape can also be understood as the bridge that allowed the entrance to the Temple.

Inside the gate, there is a circle with many triangles and a star. This seems to connect to the mosaic with the asterisk symbol. This symbol can be interpreted as a sun is painted in yellow, linking it with the idea of divinity, golden halos, and, of course, the yellow mosaic. All of them make sense since Mythal is a goddess, even though the meaning of each of them is not clear.

The trunk of the tree is made of a constant pattern of undulating brown and blue lines. This may have a relationship with the Vallaslin, and the bound process that the servants of Mythal accept in order to serve her. It could also be a representation of the water of the Well of Sorrows as well as its bounding power [more details in Fen’Harel’s mountain ruins and in Murals in DAI: Basics].

The upper left part of the tree displays some branches that looks like the veins of lyrium we discussed in Murals in DAI: Basics. However, since they are coloured in brown, they seem to be merely tree branches [similar to those we see in the Dalish glass design].

Below those branches, we see a golden pattern of a net, on a moss-green background colour. This reminds me the ceiling of the temple, but also is the same pattern used in the background of the “Attack of Haven” to represent Tevinter interference.

The yellow background of the piece resembles the walls of the Temple

“Dragon slain”

We see a dragon with its neck pierced by a sword, meaning it’s been slain. This is the representation of the Death of Flemeth at the hands of Solas.

In front of it, there is a Wolf with dragony characteristics which represents Fen’Harel. This was when Solas absorbed or was planing to absorb Flemeth’s energy. It seems to imply that Solas was well aware of the transformation that such merging would cause.

The mural is not finished, probably for the lack of time or the regret caused by the action that had to be taken.

[lavellane]

playing what pride had wrought <3 "i have reason to believe these ruins are the temple of mythal" "which is?? 😵‍" i am once again seething with the fury of one thousand enraged gorillas

[olexiss-s]

A short attempt to follow up on Solas and Lavellan in the Fade after the events of DAV. Spoilers ahead.

"A reprise"

Miriel opens her eyes as Fade materializes before her. The air feels strange—heavy, gray, with a faint buzzing all around her. It takes her a few seconds to adjust. She’s been here physically before, trapped by the Nightmare. Yet this is no creation of any demon, she hears no voice but her own racing thoughts. Her eyes scan the surroundings, but she is searching for Solas.

He stands a few steps ahead of her, bent over, his hands clasped tightly around himself. She takes a cautious step toward him, placing her hand gently on his back.

"Solas…"

He straightens slowly, taking a moment before turning to meet her gaze. The pain in his expression tightens Miriel's throat. She exhales.

"... I still mean what I said to you in Skyhold," she murmurs. "Next time you have to mourn, you don’t have to do it alone."

His eyes darken with deeper sadness, but a faint smile tugs at the corner of his lips. 

"You don’t deserve to be trapped here with me, vhenan," he replies softly. "This is my grief to bear."

"Where is here, exactly?" She has no intention to explain herself further. 

"A prison," he says, his voice trembling, "fortified by regrets."

"Regrets of those trapped?"

"... Yes." His voice wavers, raw.

"We’ll find a way out," she reassures him. "But first, let me see your wounds."

She takes his hand and leads him to a large stone nearby. They sit, and she reaches for the satchel attached to her belt. Tilting his face gently toward her, she begins cleaning his injuries with a cloth and some alcohol. His eyes avoid hers, carrying the weight of countless unspoken truths.

"The people I failed... The Veil..." he whispers, his voice breaking.

"It is not enough to be right, my heart," she interrupts, her tone heavy with compassion. "The consequences..."

"Felaasan..." The name escapes his lips with reverence. He is on the verge of tears. She has never seen him like this before.

Her thoughts drift to a moment during their time in the Inquisition, after the first execution carried out in her name. She had come to him trembling searching for a familiar face, her shame and guilt pouring out as tears on his shoulder. That night, his calm voice had been her anchor, soothing her soul with stories of forgotten heros plagued with similar dilemmas.

Now, she takes his face in her hands, her fingers brushs softly against his cheek. She kisses him deeply. There is so much to say—questions flooding her mind, anger still lingering from years past. But they can wait. In this moment, the only thing that matters is them together at last.

She recalls those who mocked her for believing in his heart. She had felt it too, doubt gnawing at her so intensely as his words twisted her guts in knots. But her stubbornness was only outmatched by his own. His broken resolve now, however, is a sight to be seen.

She has never seen him as a god. Yet the legends—the ones spoken in hushed whispers around the clan’s campfire—uttered his name like a curse. When she returned broken and bruised from the war, painted as the prophet of a foreign god, her bare face—an insult to her blood. Her keeper, uneasy and bitter as she muttered the name "Fen’Harel" in her sleep. As if the betrayer of kin was her only guardian.

She should be angry. She should offer no understanding to the one who had shattered the world, unearthed her roots, and burned her faith. Who had emptied every temple, leaving only frescoes of lies. Yet as she looks at his face now, his immortal pain reverberates through her. It is what kept her searching, following each trail he purposely left for her.

For a few moments, they remain grounded through this touch, among the ghosts surrounding them. 

"Tell me about Mythal," she asks, her voice on the verge of care and sharpness. Perhaps she aims to understand. Perhaps to grab the hilt of the dagger at his side, uncertain whether to pull it out—or twist it.

"You said she was the best of them," she continues. "Yet she used you. Changed you from who you were. Your wisdom... aimed to kill, to claim what was never yours..."

"I followed her like a lost pup," he admits, his voice tinged with both bitterness and despair. "She made me who I am. But I carried out her plans of my own will."

"The Exalted Plains. Your spirit friend... Wisdom turned to Pride," she reminds him.

"Now I know," he whispers, his voice raw with emotion, "death was much kinder fate then what she would have become..." His voice breaks again. "...and for all those who would stand in her way." he adds.

Eyes heavy with regret almost fade to grey.

[thedinanshiral]

Evanuris Who's who

This is just my personal and very intuitive interpretation of the Evanuris signature symbols. I base my take on recent art, general Evanuris lore and previous depictions of them, primarily mosaics from the Temple of Mythal in DAI. I know others have done this with nicer graphics but everything here is homemade and made with love -on my phone- so please bear with me..

First, from the trailer we got the first depiction of all these Evanuris symbols

Andruil and Ghilan'nain are explained here.

Elgar'nan: it's front and center, as he's the top authority among them. Also, shows up in the trailer mural, implied to be one of the future enemies in the story and he's elvhen God of Vengeance so i'd say if anyone's gonna show up to get even with Solas that'd be him.

June and Sylaise: Possibly the Evanuris we know the least about, and if Solas didn't comment on them at the Temple of Mythal in DAI i'd say they were ok-ish? Either siblings or married (or both, because mythology). Most people think the sun-like one is Elgar'nan as he's the sun in the elvhen pantheon but Sylaise is the Hearthkeeper and nothing else remotely references fire or heat. Her mosaic at the Temple of Mythal shows her wearing a crown of leafs, of which this "sun" could easily be a stylized version. As for June, God of the Craft, all i have is ..it looks like a helmet.

Falon'din and Dirthamen: as Guide of the dead Falon'din is represented in the mosaics as holding a shepard's staff so i assigned him the symbol closest to a staff. As for Dirthamen, as Keeper of Secrets he's depicted in mosaics covering his mouth with both hands. On this first picture, simple 2D, neither headpiece can be fully appreciated, but one could say the "staff" one fits in the empty space of the other one, and these two were said to be inseparable, twin souls, with a bond that trascended any labels, shadow and reflection of one another.

Now, onto the vinyl covers. The first one here is Arlathan pre-disaster. We see the city with all its spires watched over by a huge dragon that for completion's sake i assigned as Mythal; while she lived, the world was in order, more or less. There's also a mysterious tiny figure below, hooded and holding a staff that kinda looks like Elgar'nan's symbol; at first i thought it could be Fen'harel but it actually fits as Elgar'nan or one of his people, because it's still possible he's responsible for her death.

And now the best part, the alternative cover presents a much darker scenario, Arlathan falling. With the city crumbling down, a different, visibly aggressive/hostile dragon watching over it with horns that, yet again, resemble Elgar'nan's symbol, and hanging from the edge of its wings we see heads, each wearing an Evanuris headpiece. The mysterious hooded figure is gone here, the floating ground it stood on already gone.

Once i put the names i noticed this placement, where the lovers are across each other, and the twins are directly facing each other (as you would a mirror); i found it a bit curious because this only works if we go with my assigned correspondences.

Speaking of the twins, let's check this concept art for a bit. It depicts the party of heroes fighting off drakspawn while two dragons say hi in the background. But is it really two dragons? I see two heads ..but also only two wings. Could it be a double headed dragon?? Concidentally two Archdemons remain, and people have speculated what better way to fuck up Thedas than with two Blights at once? On top of Solas taking down the Veil and reshaping the fabric of reality, again. No such thing as a boring day in Thedas.

Important to note is the remaining Archdemons correspond to the Old Gods Razikale the dragon of Mystery, and Lusacan, dragon of Night. If you adhere to the theory that says the tevinter Old Gods are actually the Evanuris -i've wrote on this extensively-, one possibility is Razikale corresponds with Dirthamen (dragon of mystery? keeper of secrets? potato potahto, same thing) while Lusacan corresponds with Falon'din (dragon of night? guide of the dead? darkness all around). If we've been right about these equivalences then this piece of art would be showing indeed a two-headed dragon, the Twins. Their bond so strong, so transcendental, so inseparable they return to the world as one, for a recharged Blight.

The only tiny detail against this is that Razikale is referred to as a she, whereas the twins are presumed to be male, however i don't let this take from my fun because ancient elves were very particular and their perception of sex and gender must have been like nothing we can think of today.

[petchic101]

DA Elvish

I separated all of Dragon Age's known Elvish into Nouns, idioms ect

Nouns

Titles/Types of people/Groups

Anaris: – according to an old tale, he was once tricked by Fen'Harel while dueling the Great Hunter Andruil

Andruil: Goddess of the Hunt is the elven Goddess of the Hunt, known also as "blood and force" and the "great hunter."

Arlathvhen: Meeting of the Dalish clans that occurs every ten years. Means "for love of the people."

Asha'bellanar: "The Woman of Many Years." How the Dalish refer to Flemeth.

Da'len: Little child; little one.

Daern'thal: Known Forgotten One

Din: The dead.

Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets, is the twin brother of Falon'Din and is the elven god of secrets and knowledge, and master of the ravens Fear and Deceit. Dirthamen gave to elves the gift of knowledge and taught them loyalty and faith in family.

Elgar: Spirit.

Dirth'ena enasalin: "Knowledge that led to victory"; the Elvish term for the Arcane Warrior or, more recently, Knight Enchanter disciplines.

Durgen’len: Children of the stone; the Ancient Elvish term for the dwarves.

Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance also known as the All-Father, the Eldest of the Sun and He Who Overthrew His Father—represents fatherhood and vengeance, and leads the pantheon with the goddess Mythal.

Elvhen: Elven name for their own race; our people.

Elvhenan: The name of the elven civilization before the arrival of humans in Thedas; the place of our people.

Era'harel: Demon-mage; similar to an arcane horror.

Evanuris: Leader; Translated by Dorian in context as "mage leader"; what the elvhen called their gods.

Falon: Friend.

Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide is the elven God of Death and Fortune and guides the dead to the Beyond. He and his twin brother, Dirthamen, are the eldest children of Elgar'nan the All-Father and Mythal the Protector.

Fen'Harel: The Dread Wolf is an enigmatic trickster god of the elves, whose supposed betrayal of both the benevolent Creators and the malefic Forgotten Ones is the only explanation most elves have for the destruction of Arlathan. Dalish clans view him with wariness and seek to protect themselves and their kin from his treachery. It is revealed by Solas in Mythal's temple that this could be a misinterpretation by the Dalish and instead he was the god of rebellion.

Geldauran: Known Forgotten One

Ghilan'nain: Mother of the Halla is called the Mother of the halla—white deer-like creatures revered by the Dalish and used to pull their aravel, or "landships"—and goddess of navigation.

Ghil-Dirthalen: "One who guides seekers of knowledge true."

Ghilan'him banal'vhen: "The path that leads astray": a derogatory term for Arcane Warriors among those elves who eschewed physical combat.

Hahren'al: A gathering of hahrens during the Arlathvhen.

Hahren: Elder; used as a term of respect by the Dalish as well as by city elves for the leader of an alienage.

Harillen: Opposition.

June: God of the Craft is the elven Master of Crafts. He is variously described either as a brother to Andruil and Sylaise or as Sylaise's husband. He taught the elves to make bows, arrows, and knives to hunt Andruil's gifts.

Lethallin/Lethallan/Lethallen: Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar; generally, lethallin is used for males while lethallan is used for females; lethallen has been stated to be the appropriate gender neutral term unless otherwise stated later in canon, though it is likely to remain the same. Note: Though "lethallin" is usually used for males and "lethallan" for females, as stated above

Lethanavir: Another appellation of Falon'Din the elven god of death and fortune who guides the dead to the Beyond.

Mien'harel: Rebellion; depending on the interpretation, a violent call for justice; a concept that when humans push the elven population too far they must remind them that even a "short blade" must be respected; most commonly a term used by city elf.

Mythal: the Great Protector, the Protector and the All-Mother, and goddess of love, is the patron of motherhood and justice and leads the pantheon with her male counterpart, Elgar'nan.

Shemlen: The original name elves use for the human race; continues to see use as a slang term amongst the City Elves ("shems") even though its meaning has largely been lost; literally "quick children".

Somniari: Dreamer.

Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper is the goddess of all the domestic arts and the sister of Andruil the Huntress. Sylaise gave the elves fire, and taught them how to weave rope and thread, and to use herbs and magic for healing purposes.

Vhenallin: Friends of the People.

Nature

Adahl/Adhal: Tree.

Adahlen: Wood.

Alas: Earth, dirt.citation needed

Dahl'amythal: Tree of Mythal from which Dalish Keepers’ staves are cut.

Durgen: Stone.citation needed

Elgara: Sun.

Felandaris: Demon weed.

Vallas: Set, as in the setting of the sun.

Vallasdahlen: Trees planted in remembrance of those who dedicated their lives to the Dalish kingdom that grew into a mighty wood; life-trees.

Vhenadahl: The tree of the people.

Vhen'alas: The land itself, as in "the ground"; literally "our earth".citation needed

Vunin: Day.

Animal

Fen: Wolf.

Hallas: are a type of horned stag; some are herded by the Dalish—who use them to pull their aravels, or landships. Their milk is also made into cheese and butter.[2] The Dalish do not consider them beasts of burden but noble companions. To get them to accompany a clan, the Dalish elves ask rather than force them to.

Hanal'ghilan: Elven name for the mythical golden halla said by the Dalish to appear during times of great need; the pathfinder.

Body/Self

Banal'ras: Shadow.

Renan: Voice.

Taren: Mind.

Vallaslin: Blood writing; The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon.

Vhenan: Heart; often used as a term of endearment.

Concept

Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.

Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose. Humans call them "landships."

Atish’an: Peace.

Athim: Humility.

Bellanaris: Eternity.

Din'an: Death; end.

Din'anshiral: A journey of death.

Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.citation needed

Enasalin: Victory.

Enansal: Blessing.

Enaste: Favor.

Halani: Help.

Hamin: Rest.

Harellan: Trickster; used by the Dalish to mean "traitor to one's kin".

Melana: Time.

Melanada: All time. 

Melava: Time;

Revas: Freedom.

Shiral: Journey.

Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.

Sulevin: Purpose.

Vir: Way; we.

Weapons/Equipment

Assan: Arrow.

Bor'assan: Bow.

Felassan: Slow arrow.

Mi: Blade.citation needed

Places

Arlathan: The major city of Elvhenan, original homeland of the elves; from the phrase "ar lath’an" meaning, "This place of love".

Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.

Dirthavaren: The promise; the Elven name for the Exalted Plains.

Halamshiral: The capital of the second elven homeland in the Dales; the end of the journey.

Setheneran: Land of waking dreams; a place where the Veil is thin.

Tarasyl'an Te'las: The place where the sky was held back; Ancient Elven name for Skyhold.

Vhenas: Home.

Vir'abelasan: The place of the way of sorrows; refers to the Well of Sorrows.

Other

Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose. Humans call them "landships."

Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.

Elgar'arla: Spirit-trap; a binding circle to hold a spirit or demon.

Eluvian: Mirror; literally "seeing glass."

Mi'durgen: Diamond; literally 'blade stone'.

Adjective

Eth: Safe.citation needed

Mirthadra: Honored.

Sa: One; one more.

Shem: Quick.

Tan: Three.

Then: Awake; alert.citation needed

Verb

Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.

Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.citation needed

Dirthara: Learn;

Dirthera: To tell tales.

Enfenim: To fear.

Ghilana: To guide.

Ghilas: To go.

Harel: To trick or deceive;

Him: Become.

Las: Grant; give.

Lasa ghilan: Grant/give guidance.

Lath: Love of being; to be in love.

Numin: Cry.

Nuvenin: Say, as in “as you say”.

Samahl: Laugh.

Somniar: To dream.

Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.

Sulahn: Sing.

Uthenera: The name of the ancient practice of immortal elves who would "sleep" once they tired of life; immortal; waking sleep; literally "eternal waking dream".citation needed

Pronoun

Ar: First person pronoun; I, me.

Mala: Your.

Mir: My.

Var: Our.

Vir: Way; we.

Ect

Banal: Never.

Dar: To be.citation needed

In: In.

Ir: I am.

Iras: Where.

Irassal: Wherever.

La: And.

Na: Is.

Pre/Suffix

-an: Suffix indicating place or location.

Da: Diminutive prefix; small.

Idioms

Andaran atish’an: "Enter this place in peace." A formal elven greeting.

Aneth ara: A sociable or friendly greeting, more commonly used among the Dalish themselves rather than with outsiders.

Ara seranna-ma: A way to excuse oneself, such as after a sneeze or belch.

Banal nadas: Nothing is known for certain./Not necessarily.

Boranehn: Lost joy.

Dareth shiral: farewell; literally "Safe journey."

Enasal: Joy in triumph over loss; a variation of joyful relief.

Falon’Din enasal enaste: A prayer for the dead.

Fen'Harel enansal: The Dread Wolf's blessing.

Fen'Harel ma ghilana: "Dread Wolf guides you." Indicates someone being misled.

Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.

Hellathen: Noble struggle.

Ir abelas: I am sorry.

Lathbora viran: Roughly translated as "the path to a place of lost love," a longing for a thing one can never really know.

Nadas: Inevitability; something that must be; used as an expression of obligation, i.e. "must".

Ma nuvenin: As you say.

Ma vhenan: My heart; sometimes shortened simply to vhenan, "heart"; a term of endearment.

Ma serannas: My thanks./Thank you.

Mana. Ma halani: Help me. 

Mythal'enaste: Mythal's favor.

Penshra! Ghilas vellathan!: Politely translated as "I prefer that you remain close."

Revasan: The place where freedom dwells.

Sahlin: Now; is come.

Sa'vunin: One more day.

Solas: Pride; to stand tall.

Solasan: A prideful place.

Suledin: The concept of finding strength in enduring loss or pain; endure.

Tel'abelas: I'm not sorry.

Telanadas: Nothing is inevitable.

Var lath vir suledin!: Our love will endure

Vir enasalin!: We will win!

Vir sumeil: We are close.

Commands/Threats/Curses

Bellanaris Din'an Heem: "Make you dead."

Dirthara-ma: "May you learn." Used as a curse.

Fenedhis: Meaning officially undefined as of yet; a common curse.

Fenedhis lasa: Meaning officially undefined as of yet. A common curse.

Fen'Harel ma halam: "Dread Wolf ends you." A threat.

Garas: Come.

Garas quenathra: "Why are you here?/Why have you come?" Spoken by the voices of the Vir'abelasan

Masal din'an: A threat, meaning unknown.

Na abelas: You'll be sorry.

Na din'an sahlin!: Your death is come!

Na melana sahlin: Your time is come.

Specific Sentences

Ar lasa mala revas: "You are free." More literally "I give you your freedom."

Ar lath ma, vhenan: "I love you, heart/my heart"

Ar-melana dirthavaren. Revas vir-anaris: Fen'Harel’s secret greeting. Meaning unknown.

Atish'all Vir Abelasan: "Enter the path of the Well of Sorrows."

Dirth ma banal. Mar solas ena mar din: "You have learned nothing. Your pride will be your death/downfall." A Dalish saying.

Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din: Roughly means: "Your pride is responsible for everything that has gone wrong; you will die alone."

Ir abelas, ma vhenan: "I am filled with sorrow for your loss, my heart."

Ir tel'him: I'm me again.

Ma banal las halamshir var vhen: You do nothing to further our people. 

Ma harel, da’len: You lie, child.

Ma harel lasa!: You lied to me.

Ma ghilana mir din'an: Guide me into death.

Ma melava halani: You helped me.

Mala suledin nadas: Now you must endure.

Malas amelin ne halam: I hope you find a new name.

Melana en athim las enaste: Now let humility grant favor.

Sulevin ghilana hanin: Roughly translates to "purpose guides to glory". This is an inscription on the back of the Dalish shield called "The Path to Glory".

Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris.: Dalish marriage vows.

Tel garas solasan: Come not to a prideful place.

[vigilskeep]

hi! nennaia drank from the well of sorrows, right? sorry if i'm misremembering but i was wondering how she felt about that choice, and if you think any other inquisitors of yours would also drink and why (or why not!)

yes she did!!

to nennaia it was less that she particularly wanted to and more that it was her duty—which you can say about most of her decisions, haha. she didn’t trust morrigan (nothing that personal, simply that morrigan hadn’t earned it yet). nor did she think morrigan had truly weighed the possibility of her son having to grow up alone. she is also, personally, a worshipper of mythal. she would have considered it a betrayal of her beliefs to leave the knowledge of the temple of mythal to a shemlen rather than bear the burden herself, even at a risk. she certainly feels that it is she who has the right. and she probably is somewhat suited for it, in all fairness, being an extremely mentally disciplined person

arthur, my trevelyan boy, would not drink, i don’t think. this is not his area of expertise and he’s more cautious than that, plus i think he’d like morrigan—he has a lot of respect for apostates, he thinks they’re braver than he is—and would therefore be more willing to let her go ahead. weirdly, i wonder if his templar sister helena would drink? could go either way; she deeply wouldn’t trust the well or morrigan

i could see my cadash drinking. i typically play cadash as buying into the herald of andraste thing bc i think it’s interesting. i think having just found out at adamant that they were never chosen, they might, in the midst of that breakdown, desperately jump at any kind of divinity. could be a really fun angle

i’ve been developing another lavellan lately who maybe wouldn’t drink. this is a young mage who never took as well to the weight of duty as nennaia. she knows she should. that it would be the right thing to do, the responsibility of a keeper, to take the risk herself to preserve elven history. but the world has asked so much of her already

[smitten-miqitten]

Lavellan Post-Veilguard headcanons:

If Ellenere Lavellan becomes immortal due to living in the Fade with Solas, the conflict she'd feel would be so profound.

Immortality is something SHE actively worked to deny the Elves of Thedas. That wasn't the specific goal, but it was the end result. The Veil remains, and the Elves stay mortal.

Therefore, it is something she shouldn't want. I don't mean it's something she should refuse, but rather something she feels she shouldn't want as badly as she does. She doesn't have the right.

And yet

Nothing in her entire life has ever stung SO harshly, like a white hot knife in her gut, than the day Abelas said she was no better than the shemlen.

Ellenere was Dalish. She for the earliest part of her life considered herself Elvhen the way all Dalish consider themselves Elvhen. The last of the Elvhen. The ones who carry the past on their backs. The ones who will never again submit.

Abelas, with his disdain, disabused her of that notion.

Ellenere was Dalish. She is no longer.

Ellenere casts aside her Vallaslin.

Ellenere is no longer of The People. Her clan believes her tricked out of her Vallaslin by Fen'Harel and therefore unable to perform the duties of First, let alone Keeper, and though her name remains she is not welcome among them. But she never was of The People. Not in a way that Elves of the past would care to accept. Something so very precious to her, the former First of her clan, had been nothing but lies she told herself to keep getting up in the morning. She was never one of them.

She lived the past ten or so years as... nothing. Even her title is hard to cling to with the Inquisiton disbanded. She's nothing, no one, she has no people.

So when she gains the gift that makes her actually Elvhen in the way that sets the past and present apart, she's so HAPPY. And she feels so guilty about feeling that way. It should be incidental, a mere fact of the choice to stay with Solas in the Fade, not something she specifically wants or seeks. But now that she's finally, finally one of them, the alienation she's felt since the Temple of Mythal is eased. She's happy.

And how could she possibly make Solas understand without sounding like Thedas's biggest hypocrite?

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

Indulging myself today by thinking about the fact that Solas was going to admit his identity and involvement with Corypheus and the orb, but chickened out at the last minute and told a romanced Lavellan about the vallaslin instead, and so I am considering the world where he does admit All Of That to Ena and sets aside his plan to tear down the Veil. And this is mostly a setup for jokes so once they work through All Of That and Corypheus is defeated and the worst of the chaotic aftermath is dealt with, at some point Ena is going to want to take a brief trip to Wycome and check in with her clan in person. And also introduce Solas to them.

Ena has a multi-step plan for slowly easing everyone into the idea of “everything we know is wrong” where she’s worked out what she first wants to tell the clan about the Temple of Mythal and the ancient elves there, and then once they’ve digested that she’s figured her next rounds of information to feed them, so that eventually she can build the way up to dropping “the gods sucked and Fen’Harel was trying his best” on their heads. Because she knows she can’t lead with that.

“And what if they do not believe you, no matter how slowly you introduce them to the truth?” Solas asks her.

Ena shrugs. “I think they will. They would have no reason to deny what I saw and heard from Abelas at the Temple, and even that will be enough to raise many questions that we can’t answer ourselves. And that’s where we’ll start to lead into your answers. If you haven’t already started arguing with my mother by then. She likes to argue with the other Keepers every Arlathvhen.”

So they go visit Clan Lavellan and it takes about half an hour for Keeper Deshanna to start arguing with Solas and Ena catches up with the rest of the clan and meets some of the elves from Wycome’s alienage while her mom and her boyfriend argue for the next four hours. Esti listens for a while to what Solas is saying and then she goes to Ena like “what kind of weird cult did you find this guy in?”

“It was called the Inquisition,” Ena says. “I thought you would have heard of it.”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about,” Esti says.

“I know,” Ena says.

[greypetrel]

Hiiii, this is for the dragon age questions and for your darling Aisling

ESSENTIALS

04. What is their moral alignment?

LIFE

06. Which aspects of the culture they were born into holds the most significance for them?

12. How efficient are they with things like crafting potions or repairing their own armor?

DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION

06. How did they behave at the Winter Palace? Who did they support in the political scheming?

12. Did they respect the rituals in Mythal’s Temple? Who drank from the Well of Sorrows, Morrigan or your Inquisitor?

13. What do they think of Flemeth? If they drank from the Well, how do they feel about being now beholden to her as Mythal?

Hello! Thank you so much for asking Kat! :D

There's a cut because you made me speak about my two favourite missions (with all its flaws, but I write fanfictions to fill gaps in a story, and the Arbor Wilds is the perfect match of a map I love, lore, fun banter -Solas and Morrigan should co-host a talk show where the guest inevitably tries to stop them from turn the other into a toad... and my brain is on fire.)

Tis the Prompt List

ESSENTIALS

04. What is their moral alignment?

Neutral Good.

LIFE

06. Which aspects of the culture they were born into holds the most significance for them?

The sense of community. Acting like you're part of a group, your actions aren't really just yours, but can influence everyone else. The sense that you can survive only together, and everyone has a part to play, no matter how small.

12. How efficient are they with things like crafting potions or repairing their own armor?

Potions: she's pretty good. Her Keeper was a very skilled herbalist and she learnt well from her. She's not exceptional or a talent, and it doesn't come naturally to her, but she studied enough to be highly proficient. Repairing armour: She can keep her armour in good conditions from fighting. As a Storm Witch, she doesn't wear much metal in her gear (too conductive, and she uses armours in enemies enough to know exactly what happens if she makes a mistake). She knows how to to maintenance, but for bigger repairs she definitely needs help.

DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION

06. How did they behave at the Winter Palace? Who did they support in the political scheming?

Contrary to most people's belief, seeing her wearing her heart on her sleeve, she behaved very well. After long, LONG weeks of Josephine training her for the task. With the super-power of the people-pleaser, she won Belle of the Ball. On the support... With the Well of Sorrow, it's the one choice that keeps haunting her in the future. She couldn't bring herself to trust Gaspard to stay put and let Briala tell him what to do without any retortion. In her opinion, if the man launched his country in a civil war out of ambition, he isn't one to be trusted with a throne, and he isn't one to be trusted not to try and gain some more power for himself. She hated it to guts, but she supported Celene, believing that out of love, she'd be a little less prone to assassinate Briala than De Chalons. Kept every single scrap of paper she found in her studio as a safeguard and is ready to take everything out and blackmail the Empress should the need occur. Yes even after she disbanded the Inquisition, Leliana is instructed to call her immediately if Celene looks at another Alienage for more than 10 seconds.

She is still not sure it was the right decision, even if she really despises Gaspard too.

12. Did they respect the rituals in Mythal’s Temple? Who drank from the Well of Sorrows, Morrigan or your Inquisitor?

Respected every single ritual, defined the floor puzzles as "quirky but fun", quarreled with Cassandra and almost broke her friendship with her over it.

Another decision that haunts her even after: she let Morrigan drink, thinking she was readier than her to face the consequences (after being assured thrice that Kieran would have been taken care of by a trusted person should something bad happen). For her, it would have been a jump in the dark with risks she hadn't considered before, and respected Morrigan enough to trust her with it. Add the fact that Solas was a little too much involved in that choice... Which never happened before. She took it as an alarm bell and trusted him thinking that at least Morrigan was prepared to face risks, knew some of them... She didn't. If hurt and it felt bitter that she didn't, but she stepped back. Kept her sister back too. Continues with motivations in the next question.

13. What do they think of Flemeth? If they drank from the Well, how do they feel about being now beholden to her as Mythal?

Terrible mother, struggles to connect Flemeth to the Mythal she's been taught about. It was the first crack in her faith. It kept up for 2 years thinking that she did it for the greater good and was thinking on the long run... And then well, Trespasser happened, and it's part of the reason why she took it so bad. If she had actually drank from the Well, she'd hate being beholden by her. But like, hate to the point of asking Solas to fix that and leave the Anchor, leave her to die instead. She feels horribly guilty about having left the Well to Morrigan. If she could turn back time again, this is the one choice she'd change in a heartbeat. If she knew from the start, she would have pushed Morrigan away from the Well and jumped in herself, Pocahontas-style to spare her being beholden by her.

But I played that mission without knowing so go Aisling you can have one horror more.

[mythalsknickers]

Meet My Inquisitor;

~Fen'Harel Enaste

Fen'aslan Lavellan was found [date here] in an unknown temple complex deep in the heart of the Tirashan Forest. Her adoptive mother named her Fen'aslan for a reason unknown to her and she was adopted into clan Lavellan. During [date here] her adoptive mother died, and Keeper Deshanna took her in and raised her as a First. Yet somethings were not meant to last; during her vallaslin ritual, the branches of Mythal absorbed into her skin and instead formed a vallaslin widely unknown. An elder and previous keeper cited a mural of the dreadwolf upon seeing her face, and that moment with her unique name saw her moved to the edge of the camp. During [date here] Keeper Deshanna dictated that Fen'aslan would become a wandering keeper and would go with the others to survey the conclave and learn of how the southern chantry planned to end the Mage-Templar war and what it meant for the future of circle mages and apostates like the dalish alike. However something went wrong, during a recess of the conclave Grey Wardens came and sealed the doors. Fen'aslan quickly made her way to a window and slipped to learn why the Wardens were present. However she instead interrupted a ritual by an intelligent darkspawn. She awoke and was given the knowledge she would likely be executed, the keepers she had come with died in the blast that destroyed the tower. However in a single moment, the world slowed as an elven apostate grabbed her hand and a breach was sealed. Yet it was not the act of sealing the breach that changed things for her personally. The elven apostate's touch had unlocked something deep in her, memories she could not possibly have. Ir Abelas Vhenan var lath vir suledin, vhenan The spirits recorded only snippets of the moment deep in the crossroads, a kiss shared and time bought. Desperation and the desire to find answers to save him.

You would think some where five years ago I would have had a solid introduction to my beloved Lavellan. However I didn't and felt the need to put her out here. Per my Meet My Rook post I took inspiration from @eurodyne-d post they did for their Rook, Valentin Mercar. Fen'aslan also known as Euvinala can be found under her tag #Fen'aslan Lavallen. I am seriously going to try and get everything compiled. I do have some of her fanfiction series under El'las'in Laim o Mana however there will be some reworking done now with the release of DATV. She canonically romanced Solas during Inquisition and is polyamorous trio with Felassan and Solas. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Bust Art was done by the lovely @badwolf626 and the Full body was done by the lovely @dirthenera both of these are from 2019 but I still very much love them.

[lairofdragonagelore]

Patterns and Styles: Avvar/Alamarri

Avvar/Alamarri design is quite rustic, stone-based, and sometimes it's hard to differentiate one from another considering their cultural history: the Avvar are a branch of the Alamarri that moved towards the Mountains. Alamarri as well as Avvar and Chasind have a long story of inter-racial mix with the dwarves of Orzammar, which is clear in their art: heavily based on stone and with some imagery of dwarves.

However, it is important to remember that Avvar in particular may have had also relationships with the Elvhenan, as Tyrdda's lover was an elven woman. Their tradition with mages and their treatment of the spirits also resembles their influence from the elvhenan culture. This strange mix is then reflected in the art.

This series of posts are not exhaustive since I’ve developed a very detailed list of tags tracking certain features of a given design. These posts merely try to gather in one place the symbols and elements I used most of the time when identifying buildings in my analysis of DAI.

[This post is part of the series “Patterns and Styles ”] [Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

Patterns

When it comes to patterns, the only one that I can assume is alamarri it's an intricated rhomboid pattern [celtic-like] that we can find in some columns of arches that are spread all over Ferelden. It's not clear for me that this pattern was later imported by the Avvar. However, it's interesting to highlight the resemblance to the elvhenan walls in temples such as in Mythal's Temple [see Patterns and Styles: Elvhenan] which also seems to be related to the pattern found in the pants that Dalish wear, and ironically, Qunari too.

Statues and decorations

1 - Keepers of Fear and their variations

Part of the reason I consider these statues as Keepers of Fear is that they represent similar imagery; they share the style and some characteristics, and are related to the codex The Keepers of Fear. They display the despair and fear that the Alamarri felt when the Blight came from the north. They tend to be elongated humanoids, usually with pointy teeth, without a nose, and screaming/cowering body language.

They also appear close to one another, in groups, in Kenric’s study room in the DLC Jaws of Hakkon [ Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous ] implying similar origin for study. They also decorate the paths that head to the Avvar Hold in the DLC, and inside the hold itself.

In the Fade, we find the codex The Keepers of Fear on one of these statues, where we learn that the Alamarri/Avvar used them to scream inside them during the time of the Blight, thinking the darkspawn were spirits. As we know thanks to the DLC Jaws of Hakkon, the Avvar [and by extension most likely the Alamarri and the Chasind] would feed the spirits to keep them close [spirits] or away [demons] from their communities.

1A - Screaming Keeper [Alamarri/Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Crestwood, in a place a bit isolated closed to a destroyed Andraste statue,

In Fallow Mire: Granite Point [not original from this place],

In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars : Everywhere, specially along the paths.

In Hinterlands: Minor places, in several places and caves.

In Hinterlands: Redcliffe – Future, along the corridors of the fortress as the Fade and the Waking World get merged.

In the Fade Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, in many places, since this part of the Fade we visit is close to the lair of a Nightmare Demon who feeds upon the Fear and Despair. At some point one of these statues triggers the codex The Keepers of Fear.

The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, Part 2, as decoration of an avvar/alamarri corridor.

Brief description: This statue is elongated. It has long arms, and its hands are grabbing the face, distorted in fear as it screams. It has no nose. There are some strange appendages falling down and making an extension of its chin [thick beard?]. We can see the ribs very easily, suggesting illness or hunger. It also has elongated legs, one of them crossing over the hip that conveys an impression of more terror and fear.

These Keepers appear quite regularly in all places over Ferelden and the Frostback Mountains. They are inserted in the landscape or along paths, and we can see they are a good reflection of what the codex The Keepers of Fear says: They are part of the Avvar/Alamarri "superstition”: They thought the Darkspawns were bad spirits that fed on fear, so they crafted these statues to feed them far away from their communities, to keep them satisfied and away from them. However, when this did not work [since the darkspawn are not spirits], the Alamarri/Avvar used these statues to scream inside them and pour all their fear into them, “burn” it in order to get rid of it, and go to battle against the darkspawn no matter their gender or age.

In the Frostback Basin [DLC], we can find these statues flanking the path to the Avvar Hold or inside it. In the Fade it makes sense for them to appear where the Lair of the demon Nightmare lives: he has been feeding upon these fears for centuries.

1B - Screaming heads [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Miscellaneous: everywhere

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path [as a part of the stanza], and Minor places

In Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Future, as the Waking World and the Fade merge one another.

In Therinfal Redoubt [in the part of the Fade]

In the Fade Part 1, Part 3, in many places. This part of the Fade we visit is close to the lair of a Nightmare Demon who feeds on Fear and Despair, so it makes sense we see so many of these Keepers.

The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, as decoration of an avvar/alamarri corridor.

Brief description: This statue is an isolated head with two faces [front and back display different shapes], I can see humanoid faces in them: one as a screaming melted human without nose [which can also be considered the face of a Terror demon or a ghoul], and the other one as a screaming boar of pointy teeth, which inside its mouth there is another screaming face. Everything is too deformed to be precise.

The game efficiently combines these heads in ways that seem to create new different horror statues by clipping them.

We find these faces all over Ferelden and the Frostback Mountains, specially in Avvar/Alamarri territory.

1C - Sitting screaming humanoid [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars : specially in small cliffs into the sea, where the Avvar can be seen fishing. It can also be found aside a path inside the Avvar Hold.

In the Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris] clipped with a skull.

In the The Fade of Flemeth: Part 2, clipped with a skull.

In Hissing Wastes: scattered objects and ruins, inside a crevice where a Fereldan vendor has been placed, but we only find their mabari and several objects of Ferelden iconography.

Brief description: This statue is elongated and shares many characteristics present in 1A and 1B. It shows long arms, hands covering the eyes, screaming out of fear as it cowers. It's sitting inside a basket. It has no nose and its teeth are pointy. We can see the ribs very easily, suggesting hunger or illness.

During the DLC Frostback Basin [DLC]: Stone-Bear Hold Avvars, Dorian will point out this is an Avvar statue, which makes sense considering we are in an avvar hold.

1D - Sitting screaming humanoid with hands inside the mouth [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Razikale’s Reach, as part of the stratification of the Temple when it was taken by the Avvar-Hakkonite and rejected the Tevinters that had been installed around the time of the first Blight.

Inside Skyhold if you pick the Avvar decoration.

Brief description: This statue is elongated and shares many characteristics present in 1A, 1C, 1E and 2. It displays long arms, but no hands. It’s not clear if the hands are inside the mouth or means they were eaten [I favour this second option since these statues tend to be scrawny, conveying the idea of famine, another very common fear among the Avvar, specially during the Blight times]. It has no nose and its teeth are pointy. Its legs are protruding from over the shoulders, giving the sense that this figure is sitting and cowering. We can see a bit of its ribs in between the arms. The position is similar to 1C and 2.

1E - Sitting screaming deepstalker humanoid [Likely Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris] , at the sides of another Avvar/Alamarri statue [1C] clipped with a skull.

In the Fade Part 2 and Part 3, It is a zone where we find a Tevinter sacrificial altar.

In the Fade of Flemeth: Part 1, this statue is beside a sacrificial altar again.

In The Fade of Flemeth: Part 2, it appears at the end, where we find Flemeth. They are positioned as to form a frame for the statue that was stabbed in the back and bleeds.

Brief description: These statues share some similarities with 1A, 1C and 1D: they show long arms, with hands grabbing the sides of the face as it screams. It has no nose nor eyes. We can see the ribs very easily, giving a sense of skeleton [extreme famine?]. What makes this statue particular is the strange mouth, closer in shape to a deepstalker’s mouth. It’s not clear if the figure is sitting, since it has no legs. Its base has the outline of a figure that reinforces the idea of screaming in terror and rising its arms. This figure has a shape that also resembles a terror demon.

In some places in the Fade, the head of this statue is burning, making clear suggestion to the codex of the Keepers of Fear, in particular to the part where they burn their screams of fear to find courage to fight [and die] against the darkspwan.

Rarely appears alone [it’s usually presented in pairs], and when it does, bones and bodies are shown below it, relating it to sacrifices and death. Most likely the concept of sacrifice comes from the part of the codex where once the fears are burnt, the alamarri went to fight a hopeless battle.

What’s interesting of this statue is that it’s a central piece of decoration in the Lair of the Nightmare Demon, in the Fade [check Part 4]. There, we see four of these statues, vomiting blood. Around this spilled blood, some bits of red lyrium can be found. This construction may be entirely done for shock value, since it’s a reuse of several assets assembled in a way that inspire terror and fear just in the moment where the Inquisitor faces the Nightmare demon.

2 - Eroded dragon skull and variations [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Swamp Kulsdotten, in the Frostback basin

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow , and Redcliffe – Future.

In the Therinfal Redoubt [As part of the decoration of the fortress’ main room]

In the The Fade of Flemeth: Part 1 as well as the common Raw Fade.

In Hinterlands: The Unknown Ruin [Mihris], as the base of the main, central figure, which is 1C with a clipped skull.

Brief description: I personally call it "Eroded dragon skull", because I have no other way to call it to tag it in the blog. I see a kind of dragon skull with horns that go backwards and then forward, but it also looks like a statue of a humanoid, with elongated legs that protrude from the sides of the skull. Like in the previous statues, it has no nose and seems to have pointy teeth at the end of the “snout”. All the details are blurred for what it looks like erosion.

On its back, this statue has a G symbol which doesn’t present the same level of erosion than the front. I only found a remotely similar symbol in the elven artefact. It’s a strange symbol, dwarven-like even for an “elven” artefact [looks like a squarish swirl]. In fact, that symbol can be found in dwarven objects [specially tapestry and rugs]. Once more, it’s only what I’ve observed, I don’t think we have any evidence to even speculate on this. It looks quite on purpose, though.  A whole eroded statue with a clear G on its back is a choice in terms of design.

If we compare this statue with similar ones found in  Avvar/Alamarri-related places the common characteristics show up:

It has long limbs, open mouth, and pointy teeth, without a nose. Through these similarities it seems reasonable to relate it with the Avvar culture.

3 - Tyrdda statue [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path

and in Hinterlands: inside the Grand Forest Villa.

Tyrdda Bright-Axe was a legendary Alamarri chieftain who is considered the founder of the Avvar.

Brief description: The statue is simple, with a woman holding a sword [which is strange considering the Avvar always knew she was a mage and was holding a staff]. It has limbs a bit elongated and her ribs can be seen.

4 - Lady of the Sky [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In the Skyhold [Stone-Bear Hold Avvars ] when you pick Avvar Decoration

Brief description: This satue is an owl, representation of the Lady of the Skies. I find interesting in her design the ring around her head: small little spikes that may be related or may have inspired artistically other symbols in the game: the thorns that we have seen many times in vines, which have elven influence [after all, the Avvar have a strong elven influence in their culture if we consider the tale of  Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path as more or less reliable with respect to her lover of leaf-like ears],  or could be an inspiration of a sun. The symbolism of the Lady of the sky with the sun is also shown in her painted representation, as I talked about in the post Dragon Age Iconic Patterns: The Sun.

5 - Korth [Avvar]

Where it can be found:

Stone-Bear Hold Avvars , close to the entrance of the hold,

or in Skyhold when you pick Avvar decoration.

Brief description: This statue shares the similar position of 1C, 1D, and 2, but instead of being a squat position due to fear, in Korth’s case it’s because the weight of the stone. Korth is the Mountain-Father, so this representation shows he is supporting it. His face, so filled with beard, and his body, short and thick, seems to recall dwarven nature, which could exists since the dwarf influence in the Avvar is present in their tales [Trydda had a child with a dwarven prince]. Curiously, it has horns [that can be part of a potential helm he is wearing?]. He is snarling as he endures the weight of the mountain/Stone.

6 - Dwarf with long limbs [Likely Alamarri/Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Crestwood: surface , Crestwood: Flooded Caves , at the entrance of the drowned village,

In the Stone-Bear Hold Avvars, in the main throne room

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, and Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path showing the path to some of the statues that trigger Tyrdda’s story.

In an unknown place called the Forgotten Tower, where the presence of this statue seems to reinforce the idea that this place was inhabited by an avvar, as it shows the codex triggered in this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal.

Brief description: This statue shares the characteristic of having elongated arms crossed over the chest in similar fashion as some Fereldan drawings seem to have [see Nation Art: Ferelden]. It displays a short man with hair, long beard, and a long, curvy moustache. The back and the front are the same image.

This statue is one of the most reused all over Ferelden, specially in regions where the Avvar-Alamarri presence was strong in the past. I think they represent the dwarves, which makes sense if we read the tale of Tyrdda: Avvar’s chieftains descend from humans and dwarves.

A weak pattern may suggest them as “pointers” or “guides”.  Sometimes they are placed in pairs creating a path towards a place of importance [see Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path]. Sometimes, as pointers of graves or special places.

7- Monolith with swirls [Likely Alamarri]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open , Wolf Hollow, Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path

In the Forgotten Tower , where the presence of this statue seems to reinforce the idea that this place was inhabited by an avvar, as it shows the codex triggered in this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal.

Brief description: I’m not sure if it’s a mabari or a horse. The Avvar are not fond of the mabari, since they are a tamed animal; however, they seem to use an “avvar horse” that looks like a zebra, and it is a bit wild. On the other hand, I also suspect that this statue may be Chasind, simply because in DAO we saw similar monoliths with line patterns on them in the Kocari Wilds [Check Ostagar post or The Blackmarsh and the High Dragon for details]. Unfortunately, these monoliths have no codex associated with them and there is little to speculate about.

8 - Monolith with ropes [Likely Alamarri]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: and Crestwood, but in general all over Ferelden.

In the Frostback Basin and inside the Stone-Bear Hold.

There is no much to say about this element. It appears everywhere, more as a decoration or a support for other statues.

9 - Table of Wolves [Confusing. Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

In Crestwood: surface and Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open

Brief description: a metallic dark table decorated with spiky wolves. The wolves have a strong resemblance to the ones that were painted by Solas in his mural “Inquisition Formation” [Read “The actions of the Inquisitor”]. It seems related to the mabaris/wolves presented in 10A, which tend to appear in Ferelden-based enviroments. It seems to be Ferelden but it could also be inherited through the Alamarri culture. What always caught my attention was the material: unlike the rest of the Alamarri/Avvar statues, it’s not made of stone but dark metal, a Tevinter-origin characteristic.

10 - Mabaris

Mabaris are depicted all over Ferelden without much surprise; Ferelden has a culture deeply entangled with them. However, sometimes the hound silhouette seems to be confused with that one of the wolf and it’s hard to distinguish one from another. We know due to the legends [unreliable sources but decent enough for this level of understanding] that the Alamarri had their dogs. The potential Alamarri origin of the The Ash Warriors [who fight with their mabaris beside them] seem to support those [unreliable] legends. However, the Avvar are not fond of tamed animals, and prefer wild ones that can be befriended, hence why a wolf is more suitable for them. Considering this detail, it’s natural to understand the following statues as somewhat in between the lines of the Culture of the Alamarri, the Avvar, and the Ferelden [maybe even Chasind too?]. The blurred difference between mabari and wolf translates into the difficulty of deciding to which culture these statues belong to.

10A - Pointy Mabaris [Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

In some places in Crestwood: surface

In Therinfal Redoubt as part of the decoration of the Fortress’ main room.

In Frostback Mountains: Haven, as part of the decoration.

Brief description: The look too similar to the wolves drawn by Solas in his mural “Inquisition Formation” [Read “The actions of the Inquisitor”].

10B - Mabaris with lines [Likely Alamarri/Avvar]

Where it can be found:

In Fallow Mire: Granite Point , it is not original from this place, but since it’s kept beside other Avvar statues it may imply same origin too.

In Hinterlands: Wolf Hollow, again found with other Avvar statues.

In Therinfal Redoubt as decoration

Brief description: It is almost a monolith, similar to the ones we find in the Kocari Wilds in DAO [ read Ostagar post or The Blackmarsh and the High Dragon for details] and to 7 but with less curvy lines and more angular ones.

In the Fade Part 3, one of the heads of 1B has this statue sprouting from its mouth, which offers the codex A Plea from the Warrior to the Spirits. It seems to be written by an avvar/alamarri or a descendant of them, for example a Ferelden person who remembers the “old ways”. It speaks about how the wolves had been allies to the humans once, but the softening of the human, the replacement of the hunt as a survival means for an agricultural lifestyle, changed this relationship, replacing the wolf and the hunt, by a hound and a sedentary life. There is a reinforcement of the concept of the wolf as a symbol of freedom and rebellion, as a creature who doesn’t simply obey, like a hound does. Then, the Darkspawn came, putting at risk this comfortable sedentary life, showing how little power hounds have.  “Kill the hound in my heart […] in its place, give me the wolf”. The wolf is representation of power, bravery, and freedom, as the mabari represents obedience and loyalty.

10C - Beheaded female Mabari [Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

In Hinterlands: Minor places, specially in a cave where we see several Avvar statues and some Tevinter ones.

In the Forgotten Tower, where the presence of Avvar statues combined with the codex of this place: Old Codex: Mouldy Journal seem to reinforce the idea that this tower was inhabited by an Avvar who was rescued by an Elvhenan.

Brief description: It depicts a female mabari which has been feeding puppies [flaccid mammals]. On her back there is a spiky pattern that could be related to the spiky style of the wolves in 9 or 10A. What it’s disturbing is her head, which is barely kept in place because it’s attached with strips that have written runes on them. Inside the space between her head and body, there is usually fire [Waking World] or meat [Fade].

10D - Spiked Mabari [Likely Ferelden]

Where it can be found:

Mostly in Hinterlands: Statues, paintings, and structures found in the open

And in the Seeker fortress during Cassandra’s personal quest.

Brief description: These are mabari-totem figures in styles that can be Ferelden most likely, but seem to be inspired in Alamarri/Avvar ones since they have some similarities in style to 10B and 10C. There are no codex associated with them.

11 - Additional elements:

There is an Avvar table used in Stone-Bear Hold Avvars , that was also used to erect the hero of Ferelden’s monument in Hinterlands: Redcliffe - Present , so we can suspect avvar-alamarri-ferelden origin of it.

In Skyhold, when we activate the Avvar decoration, we find a unique statue that is not seen anywhere else: it looks like a tree branch-hand holding a bowl.  It gives me the impression of a sylvanian hand. 

[ashenlavellan]

Dragon Age Universe [Protagonists]

This post will be a detailed introduction to my Hero of Ferelden, Champion of Kirkwall, and Inquisitor within the universe of Dragon Age - However, the last one that will be added shall be my "Rook," based on Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

[Details could be subject to change once more information is released on background]

Name: Ceren Azra Tabris

Nickname/Alias: Ceri (A nickname that Leliana suggested, used later on to conceal her true identity in order to travel) / "Mia dea," which translate to "my goddess" - only Zevran calls her this

Zodiac Sign: Pisces Sun | Libra Moon | Scorpio Rising

Pronouns: She/Her

Lineage: Elven (Born and raised in Denerim - Ferelden) / (Becomes the Arlessa of Amaranthine during DA: Awakening)

Class: Rogue - Archer

Romance: Zevran Arainai

Closest Friends: Alistair Theirin, Morrigan, and Sten.

Tattoos/Scars: Callused hands from using a bow and scarring on her back after having been captured and held in the prison cells of Fort Drakon. Later on, the scar tissue is covered with the emblem of the Grey Wardens' tattooed onto her back.

Notable appearance details: A faint scar along her left cheekbone after an arrow grazed her face during the skirmish from the Landsmeet.

Extra: Ceren's father, Cyrion, was born and raised in Ferelden while her mother was born in Rivain. She is supposed to be half-Fereldan/half-Rivaini - however, based on real life, she would be half-Welsh/half-Turkish.

During the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser, Ceren and Zevran give birth to their only child - a daughter, named Aylin Eda Arainai. Aylin is seven years old by the time Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes place.

Name: Lysandra Brynhildr Hawke

Nickname/Alias: Lys (all of her friends use this nickname halfway through Act 1), Lysa (Only Carver and Bethany called her by this nickname - Carver more frequently after Act 1), and Mitt hjärta (Fenris uses this after she teaches him some of her mother tongue - translates to "my heart")

Zodiac Sign: Taurus Sun | Aquarius Moon | Sagittarius Rising

Pronouns: She/Her

Lineage: Human (Born and raised in Ferelden - Becomes a noblewoman in the Free Marches / Maternal side was formerly nobility)

Class: Mage - Spirit Healer is main specialization

Romance: Fenris

Closest Friends: Varric Tethras, Isabela, and Merrill Sabrae.

Tattoos/Scars: Jagged scarring along her abdomen after she had been caught by the Arishok, who had pierced her abdomen with his blade. She had been quick to heal the injury, but not enough to prevent major scarring.

Notable appearance details: A noticeable beauty mark on her right temple, along the edge of her eyebrow. Not as noticeable, but also has fainter ones on her collarbone and left breast.

Extra: Lysandra and her mother, Leandra, were the only ones with bright, crimson hair - Bethany and Carver inherited their darker hair tone from their father, Malcolm Hawke.

Shortly before the events of Trespasser, Lysandra and Fenris welcome their only child to the world and they name their son Frey Sindri Hawke. Frey will be nine years old by the time Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes place.

Name: Juniper Gwynivere Lavellan

Nickname/Alias: Juni (Only members of Clan Lavellan call her by this name) and Gwyn (Only those closest to her can call her this name - Keeper Deshanna, Cullen, and Dorian).

Zodiac Sign: Cancer Sun | Virgo Moon | Pisces Rising

Pronouns: She/They

Lineage: Elven (Dalish - She was born in the Free Marches and traveled from Kirkwall to Wycome)

Class: Mage - Arcane Warrior (otherwise known as a Knight-Enchanter)

Romance: Cullen Rutherford

Closest Friends: Dorian Pavus, Varric Tethras, and Cole.

Tattoos/Scars (Notable Appearance Details): Vallaslin on her face for the markings of Mythal; a soft shade of green, which is her favorite color on her freckled cheeks. After the amputation of her arm, where she once could control the tears in the veil, there is noticeable scar tissue around the stump before she has a prosthetic.

Extra: She is on the spectrum for autism, albeit high-functioning, and she is aware of what can be a trigger for her and cause her to shut-down. Most of her inner circle quickly realizes what can set her off and calm her, but they keep it low-key so enemies of the Inquisition don't use it against her.

A year after the defeat of Corypheus, Juniper and Cullen welcome their first child - a daughter named Amaryllis Calla Rutherford, who is two years old by the time of DA: Trespasser. Their second child, another daughter, is born a year after and she is named Alyssa Jasmine Rutherford. [During the events of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Amaryllis is nine years old while Alyssa is six years old.

Name: Lucretia Elena Mercar

Nickname/Alias: Luce (Only her closest friends are allowed to call her by this name - no one else)

Zodiac Sign: [Subject to change] / [Redacted]

Pronouns: She/Her

Lineage: Elven (Minrathous - Tevinter / Unknown details [Subject to change])

Faction: Shadow Dragons

Class: Mage - Evoker (Specialization with elemental magic)

Potential Romance: Lucanis Dellamorte

Potential Friendships: Bellara Lutare and Scout Harding

Potential Rivalries: Neve Gallus and Emmrich Volkarin

Notable Appearance Details: Natural hair color is as white as snow and an unnatural eye color that's the shade of [redacted].

Extra: Lucretia was the illegitimate child of an elven slave and a magister - however, her mother hid her away the second she showed signs of magic so they couldn't be separated.

The second her magic manifested, however, in a rare case - her natural eye color had changed and had become a shade of [redacted].

[xlucian-hell-cat90x]

The Backstory of Minerva

Minerva was the only daughter of the Keeper of the Clan Lavellan. She had an older brother named Nox, who was a rogue hunter for the clan. She was a mage. She was blessed by Mythal as a baby. Mythal told the Keeper that Minerva would save not only her clan but the whole world of Thedas when she was older. No one really believed it besides the Keeper.

She started showing signs of being a mage when she was 5. She seemed to be able to make friends with the animals of the forest without having any problems and always seemed to know what they were thinking or close to it.

Her older brother taught her how to use daggers and pick locks to help her when she should get in trouble. Then the day of Nox's coming of age celebration as the other clan members were busy preparing everything, she was playing with a couple of nugs and followed them away from the camp.

Scared and alone, she tried to find her way back to the camp through the forest. She couldn't though. As she hears footsteps she tries to hide behind the tree she was sitting under. A strange elven man comes around the tree then squats down and smiles at her. He offers to lead her back to her camp.

It had been a couple of days, but the strange man gets her back to where her clan's camp should be but there was no signs of a camp. She cried for the fact they had left without her and hadn't even searched for her.

Eventually she got over it and started to trust the man, which she learned his name was "Fen." He taught her how to use her magic and how to blend in around humans in cities. As the years passed, she applied the skills that Fen taught her with the skills that learned with her brother.

Once she was closed to her 18th birthday, Fen took her to back to where her old clan's camp was. Suddenly she felt sleepy, when she woke up she was in the Keeper's tent with Deshanna and Nox looking at her with smiles on their faces and tears streaming down their faces.

Confused, she asked what was going. They explained that she had missing for almost 9 years and the clan stormed the forest looking her for days and couldn't find any signs that she was there. Eventually, they did move on but came back every year around the same time and made offerings to the forest for her to return safely to them.

She had no recollection of what happened in the last 9 years. Just that she knew how to do things that she couldn't do before. She remembered the day she followed the nugs into the forest but that was it. It was like someone erased her memories of the last 9 years after that.

All the while Fen watched from a distance and kept an eye on her. Mythal knew that someone was intervening with Minerva but couldn't figure out who.

*A few years later*

Deshanna sends Minerva and Nox to the conclave to spy on the meeting, not knowing that it was gonna change everything for Minerva. She tries to save the Divine Justinia V. Only to be knocked unconscious and wake up 3 days later with some strange glowing mark on her hand and swords pointed at her. Again she loses more memories of what happened there.

She eventually agrees to help Cassandra and Lelliana if they release her brother. Lelliana agrees and sends word to release him. Minerva then sets out with Cassandra to return to where it all happens. She meets Varric Tethras, a dwarf with a nice crossbow, and Solas, an apostate like her. That strangely enough felt familiar.

Minerva sees first hand what happened at the Temple of Sacred Ashes and sees echoes of what happened there. After fighting a pride demon, she closes the biggest rift there and stops the mark on her hand from growing. All the while, Solas was anxious that somehow her memories would come back from her childhood and would recognize him.

As the months carry on the people of the lands started calling her the Herald of Andraste. She meets more people and eventually meets the monster that plagued her dreams, Corypheus, as he attacks Haven in order to kill her and take back the mark on her hand. Eventually she manages to push him back and save as many people as she can.

Solas decides to help them find a new place to live and leads them to abandoned castle of Skyhaven. But as the days drag on and trying to figure out ways to defeat Corypheus, Minerva can't help but to start falling for Solas as she feels there is something already there between them. Solas slowly starts to fall for her too. Knowing he shouldn't but can't fight the emotions anymore caves and falls for her.

They try to stop the assassination of Celene but fail. After that they find out that Greywardens have been disappearing and find the last one, who tells that they haven't just been disappearing but are hearing a song that is making them go to the Deep Roads and have themselves killed because they think the blight is coming for them. She solves that mystery only to find out that someone is controlling the Greywardens.

She gets sent into to fade with Varric, Hawke (Hero of Kirkwall), Stroude (The Greywarden from Origins) Solas and Dorian. Only to regain all her memories, even the ones from her childhood. She doesn't tell Solas when they return because she is afraid that it will ruin their relationship. At last after Morigan's mother and saving her child.

They figure out how to defeat Corypheus and put an end to his madness of becoming a god and reimaging the world. But a few nights before the big battle. Solas take Minerva on a walk in which he explains her Vallaslin to her and asks her if she wants rid of it. She says yes because she wants to free herself from such atrocities. He obliges and tells her that she is even more beautiful without it.

(Now this is where I add my own flare to the story for her as well as her beginning.)

They kiss and one thing leads to another and they have sex. They eventually return to Skyhaven and head to battle with Corypheus one last time, this time defeating him and his arch dragon. The orb that Corypheus had falls to ground and shatters to pieces. Minerva tries to talk to Solas about it seeing as it has bothered but he just dismisses it and her. As she and the others are celebrating, he takes part of it and disappears.

[bryants-things]

So I’ve been thinking about the ancient elves and the Dalish. And how apparently there is nothing left of the elves. Of course a lot was destroyed by the Humans but still such a big influential society just don’t disappear into thin air. The ruins scattered across Thedas are proof of just that.

Language and culture evolve such is the way things. So even with the elves being oppressed it’s very unlikely that their language and culture is completely gone.

It’s more likely that the information we have access to throughout the lore and codexes are seen through mostly human eyes. With exception of characters who have reason to know more aka Solas, Morrigan, Ablas and Fellasan to mention a few. And such the information regarding the elves is at best incomplete.

It makes sense that the Dalsih know a great deal more about their culture than humans an even Solas believe. After all he has (in game) not actually spent a lot of time with the Dalish only seen whatever remains spirits have picked up in the Fade.

And if we apply this theory to the games, one could imagine that Lavellan in particular would posses a good deal more knowledge than he (my Lavellan is male) lets on.

Something as simple as the glyphs in the exhalted plains. Lavellan get short burst of information from lighting them up. (This of course is probably true regarding every inquisitor no matter the race) but if we go on the in game information veilfire is elven magic. And so one would think one would need an elven mage to access them which I presume would be Solas with other races.

Although from a pure lore standpoint Solas claims he’s never seen veilfire only heard of it. Of course he could be lying but bear with me on a in game lore rant. Solas lived in a world where the Fade and Thedas was one. So the need for veil fire would be non existent. My guess is that the Dalish might use veil fire to write secret messages such as the way to Dirthramen’s temple or the location on an arthlahaven. And that the veil fire we find in the crossroads during Trespasser is purposely placed there by Solas to get Lavellan to follow the trail. Just a thought.

Another hint at this that I find interesting is the boy in the Exhalted plains that run away from his clan to impress the keeper. He found the location to Elandrias talisman but could not break the seal on his own and tries to summon a demon. How would he find the way without any information? Rumors might be a start but he would need something, say that there is a written account of Elandrias legend which would make sense. And that this is written in common tounge is unlikely. Why would the elves write down something so precious so a human could find it. No it would have been written in elven.

And there is more in the temple of Mythal Lavellan (going head cannon here) recognizes the language as ancient elven. He can’t translate but he does understand it’s elven. Which makes no sense unless he would know both how to read and write modern eleven and probably some ancient elven.

I’m Norwegian and interested in languages but I can tell you I would not be able to read Viking runes but because I’lve learned a little at school and through my own curiosity I can recognize that a text is indead written in Viking runes and not let’s say Latin or Celtic just for comparison. This would not be possible without pré knowledge. And I dare say that if you play a mage you are the keepers apprentice which mean he is very likely to have been thought a good deal of eleven even the ancient one. But he will say the same as a rouge. Which mean that at least the Lavellan clan know how to read and write elven and have been thought enough that they can recognize a language that is millennia old. I assure you the Norwegian I read and write now is nothing like what the Vikings used.

And from a pure evolutionary point of view. Language and culture evolve continuously and societies will have accounts a big one like Elvenan would have lots and no not all of it would be hidden in the crossroads or lost with Arlathan.

One does not stop speaking. So the elves that built Hamshiral, the emerald knights and last noble houses of Arlathan would have kept using their language.

If one think about it, speaking a language that no human in Thedas understand would have been an advantage they would have used.

When the dales fell the only elves who would benefit from not speaking elven would be the city elves.

And those who speak also write, messages, letters, lists and so on. Interesting fact there is a mosque in Istanbul that has a Viking rune carved in it. We’re talking 800 years ago some Viking dickhead with a knife carved Erik is awesome into a temple wall. So yeah. People leave traces. Not that I think the elves went around and carved dicks into chantry walls, but the plausibility is there.

The arrow stuck in the roof at Skyhold(just above the garden go check) has elven carved into it. Now someone at Skyhold would have translated that, highly likely someone went to Lavellan and asked.

Again people like marking there territory so to speak, the elves that fled the dales probably had quivers full of arrows saying things like “fendis shems”, or bags of herbs or food marked so one didn’t accidentally eat Raveshine which from what I understand is poisonous.

And they would have had beautifully carved weapons, cutlery, jewellery, books and other nick nacks. One does bring the most precious things.

Clothes as well, tack for their Halla. All of these things have as much impact on a culture as oral stories and legends.

The Dalish work to preserve what was, Bioware have chosen to focus on religion and how it evolves over time. But from a historical perspective religion is only a small part of what make our a culture. And a culture as powerful as the elven one are no small matter to erase.

So it makes no sense at all that all the Dalish are left with is a warped religion, useless tools and simple phrases.

But in a world like Thedas where the elves are hated and feared it makes more sense to hide.

The Dalish keep their cards close to their chest. What would make sense is that they speak elven amongst themselves and common tongue when needed. Coming from a minority language myself there are benefits to doing it that way.

And what we hear in the games might be as simple as that some words are difficult to use in any other language than elven.

In Norwegian “hæ” is a very oral way of saying “what” it’s so stuck in my speech pattern that even when I speak English I end up saying hæ. But I have lived on the British îles for such a long time I say Sorry instead of “unnskyld” And “au” which roughly translates to “ouch”.

Such is the way when one deal with several lanauges on a daily basis. I have a Belgian friend that grew up in Dublin and she can figure out using “pradon” and “great craig” in the same sentence.

I’m a handweaver I work on a loom that has not changed it’s design for 500 years or so. The loom itself is 10-15 years old, things that work move on. And things one always need like clothes, bowls and tools. A hammer might be made of steel instead to iron but it’s still a hammer.

My point is the Dalish elves have learned to adapt to stay alive, but when no one is looking they speak the same words sing the same songs and cook with the same things the elves of Arlathan did.

Right game rant done

[sleepymarmot]

Oh wow, it took me a reread of the dialogue to realize why Ameridan and Telana's shrine was to Ghilan'nain specifically:

Ameridan: I prepare now for my final battle against this dragon of the Avvar. All is in place. I offer thanks to Ghilan'nain, Halla-Mother, and to Andraste, Maker-Bride. As you were raised up from mortal men to stand with our Creators, our Makers, so raise me up now to defend this world.

Andraste was an ordinary person who was raised by the Maker to stay at his side. Ghilan'nain was an ordinary person who was raised by the Creators to be their equal.

Ameridan places Andraste and Ghilan'nain in the same category. By extension, this comparison also implies that the Maker is placed on the same level as the Creators, not above them.

Furthermore, Ameridan compares himself to Andraste and Ghilan'nain, asking to be raised up above the level of the ordinary person like they were.

Also note that we have two different records of Ghilan'nain's myth: a modern one and an ancient. In the modern myth, told by Keeper Gisharel, Ghilan'nain is turned into a white halla by her patron, Andruil. In a far older and likely forgotten story found in the Temple of Mythal, Andruil approaches Ghilan'nain and tells her the gods will share their power with her if she complies with their request. Ameridan's description of Ghilan'nain is closer to the ancient story — perhaps it was still well-known in his time.

This is the only time Ameridan mentions the Maker. However, he has another line where he mentions Andraste only:

Ameridan: The passage of years can be delayed, but not ignored. I will soon join Telana at Andraste's side.

He describes dying as joining Andraste, not joining the Maker. Is this just an expression, or does it say something about his beliefs? Would be interesting to compare this to similar euphemisms used by the modern Andrastians.

[kayura-sanada]

While I can understand that the other races where added on later, the Temple of Mythal quest line in the Arbor Wilds has so little reactivity for a Lavellan Inquisitor and it just rubs me the wrong way that Morrigan is the 'eluvian expert'. Its understandable that the other races wouldn't really have any knowledge about it but otherwise it just makes a Dalish mage Lavellan look like an idiot, particular the who is Mythal part? Would it have killed them to add some unique dialogue for elves?

Gonna be the person to once again note that Varric actually knows an eluvian expert, and that said person is barely even spoken of, for some reason.

I am a bit upset that they didn't do with your Lavellan what they did in Dirthavaren, where they at least note that it's surprising that your character might not know. I get that the writers needed to ensure Mythal was explained, and I also get that every line a voice actor reads out is another chunk of money, but I do feel like they clearly made the effort at other points in the story, so they could have there, as well.

That said, I do love my headcanon of Lavellan doing the same as that woman on Twitter who said she liked acting like she didn't understand whenever a man mansplained to her, just to see how long it took before he realized she was yanking his chain. In Morrigan's case, she never cottoned on to it, so she was stuck explaining to a Dalish elf who Mythal was without once seeing how much pain the elf was in from trying so hard not to laugh in her face. 'Mythal? Who's that?' 'What? Fen'Harel? Who?' 'Well then why would his statue, the ones my aravel rests by on the regular because they're believed to keep Fen'Harel at bay, be here?' 'Wait, I'm only the First to my aravel, what does this language my Keeper taught me say?' 'Oh, it says 'vir'abelasan?' I've never heard these sounds before; what do they mean?'