#the canticle of threnodies

[aethernoise]

"To you, My second-born, I grant this gift: In your heart shall burn An unquenchable flame All-consuming, and never satisfied [...]” 

- Threnodies 5:7

[faejilly]

Lily- majesty, Sebastian ❤️

[flower prompts] Starkhaven is majestic! You will pry that fact from my cold dead hands, regardless of how it may or may not ever be portrayed by anyone else. (Also, this is a game epilogue, and takes place not long after oats.)

Hawke stopped as they crested what she had not realized was the final craggy hill before their track descended into the Minanter Valley to meet the main Trade Road.

She thought she'd been prepared for her first sight of Starkhaven, thought she'd heard enough stories from Sebastian, had watched the way Fenris spread his hands and widened his eyes whenever he came back from a trip across the Marches, had noticed when even Varric couldn't find a way to grumble about somewhere that wasn't his preferred shithole.

She was very wrong.

Isabela whistled and Merrill sighed and Adelaide blinked again, as if somehow that would change the view.

It was beautiful. Sebastian had talked about the granite they used for the roads, about new walls built whenever they'd overflowed the old ones for too long, but he'd never mentioned how it gleamed, reflecting the water and the sun, the light from above and below making it shine. Brother Genitivi had said as much in his Travels, of course, but she hadn't realized...

For the first time in her life, she thought she maybe understood why Orlesians complained about Ferelden's mud.

Even the parts of Denerim that weren't muddy tended towards brown, and this! Pale and clean, straight corners and curving walls somehow emphasizing the cliffs beyond it, the curve of the Minanter through it. It held shades of white and grey and silver, soft reds and pale tans from brick and stone and cobbles; there were even various greens just barely visible here and there, growing up taller than the walls, or visible in a gap between buildings that hinted at a garden or a court somewhere deep inside the city.

It really did look like a jewel. Strings of them; each of its walls was another necklace spilling out of the mountains and across the river until the final wall - paler and sharper than any of the others, too new to have worn down or faded into the rest of the city.

(Of course, then there was another road, and beyond that something half-city, half-market, all tents and caravans and shacks and wagons and horses and the weird furry not-horse things they rode in the desert further north, merchants and mercenaries and Maker-knew-who-else and so much dust she could see the cloud of it from here.)

"Well, shit." Merrill managed in a very clear echo of Varric's actually surprised enough to not know what to say voice.

Isabela snorted, and Adelaide felt her lips twitch in an attempted smile.

Merrill continued in her usual lighter tone. "That really makes Kirkwall look terrible, doesn't it?"

"Doesn't take much," Fenris answered.

Carver laughed, something almost a snort, an echo of their father so many years ago. Adelaide felt some of the ache in her shoulders ease at the sound, felt the earlier almost-smile return, wider and more relaxed and real this time.

"Well, shit," she agreed, though she sounded much less like Varric than Merrill had managed.

Her smile widened even further as Sebastian laughed that time, too.

He offered her his arm, and she took it, trying not to grip too tightly.

"Knock 'em dead," Isabela called after them, as they started to descend the path.

"Not literally," Fenris added.

"You just want them to save some of that for the rest of us," Carver said.

Merrill laughed that time, bright and hopeful, and Adelaide held the echoes of that sound in her heart even as she heard the shuffle of their footsteps returning to their camp back in the foothills proper.

She swallowed. Thought about where to put each foot and reminded herself to breathe as the tall pale walls drew ever closer. "Are we sure this is going to work?"

Her voice had barely had any breath behind it, but Sebastian clearly heard her.

"Not at all," he answered, his voice low but still warm, warmer than her own rough whisper had managed. "But I have hope."

"Ahh." It wasn't a sigh but it wasn't a sob or quite the break into hysterical laughter that she'd half expected to come out of her mouth. "Endless possibilities."**

"But after we lament, we can rebuild, my love." Sebastian reached a hand over to cover hers, to squeeze her fingers gently. "If not here, we'll just keep going."

Adelaide snorted. Yet it had worked; she definitely felt better. "I think we've both been uprooted more times than is plausible. Let's hope this is the last time."

She felt his shoulders shift in a shrug beside her. "As long as you're with me, I'm rooted enough."

Adelaide stopped. Sebastian didn't quite stumble as he came to a halt beside her. She closed her eyes. She lifted her head and waited.

Sebastian knew exactly what she needed, the soft press of his lips against hers so gentle her whole chest ached with it.

"I love you," she whispered. "And that is more than enough, you're right."

She opened her eyes to see him, his beautiful face, the hint of a flush high on his cheeks as he smiled at her, that bright wonder in his eyes as if he still couldn't quite believe she meant it, that they both meant it, for as long as they could hold on to each other.

She quirked a smile, ignored the burn in her throat, behind her eyes. She loved him. That would keep her going. "I should probably not keep the Seneschal waiting, though?"

"Probably best," Sebastian agreed, and he tugged gently until they both started moving again. "Marta has wanted to meet you for several years."

"What an excellent reminder to make me less nervous, darling."

Sebastian shrugged again, somehow clearly apologetic this time. She managed a laugh, and they joined the traffic on the main road, turning towards the Main Gate of Starkhaven, wide and open, giant hinges gilded with gold, guards and clerks dressed in white and red and black, shockingly bright in comparison to the crowds of merchants and farmers and travelers in more staid browns and greys and greens.

She took a deep breath, letting the weight of the past few days, weeks, years, settle as smoothly across her shoulders as she could manage. Reminded herself she wasn't just any apostate, any refugee, but Lady and Champion and beloved. Sebastian lifted his chin, and she could practically see the legacy of Vael settle across his brow, almost hiding her beloved behind a noble mask.

Almost.

He lifted a brow, the glint in his eyes as warm as it always was when he met her eyes and she nodded. Time to see what Starkhaven thought of its erstwhile Prince, the Champion of Kirkwall, and their collection of misfits, refugees, and mages seeking shelter. Time to build something new.

Again.

And again, she thought, as many times as needed.

Endless possibilities. They'd find one that worked for them. She smiled, and leaned a little into Sebastian's warmth along her side, remembering Fenris and Isabela and Merrill and Carver, waiting for them to make this first move, ready and willing to help.

Together.

[the-grace-of-andraste]

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Christmas Carols

If Cosmere versions of Christmas carols existed, here's what I think they'd be.

1. "All I Want For Christmas Are Hues" (To the tune of "All I Want for Christmas is You")

Origin: Nalthis

They sure do love their colors there, at least in Hallandren.

2. "Grandma Got Run Over By a Highstorm" (To the tune of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer")

Origin: Roshar

It's still a jaunty tune, still a horrifying concept. Just imagine the Stormfather wearing a Santa hat.

3. "Grandma Got Run Over By a Giraffe" (To the tune of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer")

Origin: Scadrial

Weirdly, this is one of those songs that exists on multiple worlds! Since Scadrial has giraffes, how could they not be a in a Christmas song?

4. "Away in a Chasm" (To the tune of "Away in a Manger")

Origin: Roshar

I imagine the Bridgemen singing this while in a dark humor, doing their work in the chasms on the Shattered Plains. There really is no room for a bed down there.

5. "Silver Dust" (To the tune of "Silver Bells")

Origin: Threnody

With the well-known lyrics, "Silver dust, silver dust / It's time for Shades in the forest / Make a ring / Safety bring / Let's have no with'ring today."

It's, uh, more jolly in Threnodite.

6. "Ironeyes is Coming to Town" (To the tune of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town")

Origin: Scadrial

This one is less jolly and more of a terrifying threat: "He sees you when you're sleeping / and he knows when you're awake / He knows if you've been bad or good / so be good for goodness' sake!" I'm already shaking and crying.

7. "Seagulls Roasting Over An Open Fire" (To the tune of "Chestnuts Roasting Over an Open Fire")

Origin: Lumar

They just...they sure did eat seagulls in that Tress book.

8. "Hark! The Herald Heralds Sing" (To the tune of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing")

Origin: Roshar

Who could forget that lovely number about all of the great advice that the herald Heralds left behind for mankind? "Hark! The herald Heralds Sing / Wash your hands / so you don't die / Sanitize your instruments / Rotspren wait to take your life." It, uh, rhymes in Rosharan.

9. "O Misty Night" (To the tune of "O Holy Night")

Origin: Scadrial

Ah yes, that classic opening: "O Misty Night / The stars are barely shining..."

10. "Wrapped in Red" (To the tune of, well, "Wrapped in Red")

Origin: Nalthis

If you don't know this song, check out the lyrics. It is all just about colors, colors, colors. No change necessary, really. Awakeners would love this one.

11. "Xisis Baby" (To the tune of "Santa Baby")

Origin: Lumar

The dragon in Tress granted wishes, after all. I'm sure there's a sultry number asking him for everything you can think of.

12. "Baby, There's Nightmares Outside" (To the tune of "Baby, It's Cold Outside")

Origin: Komashi

I mean, if you want to get your SO to stay inside a while longer with a creepy song, what better way than to point out that there are literally deadly Nightmares outside!

13. "Here Comes Ironeyes" (To the tune of "Here Comes Santa Claus")

Origin: Scadrial

Once again, this is not a happy song. It is a threat. Run! He's coming! He's coming RIGHT now!

14. "We Greater Good" (To the tune of "We Three Kings")

Origin: Canticle

The three old ladies who rule Beacon are called the "Greater Good." Hence this song, which naturally begins, "We Greater Good from Threnody are / On flying ships we travel afar..."

15. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Dalinar" (To the tune of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus")

Origin: Roshar

Well...this one isn't really a Christmas song as much as it's something Elhokar quietly whispers to himself alone at night, crying.

[purplecritter]

Rook, the Lighthouse, the Veilguard (a theory)

Many thoughts about our base being called the Lighthouse, protagonist named Rook, and group named Veilguard...

In chess (assuming that in Thedas it works similarly), the rook pieces is shaped like a turret, or simply a tower. A tower is first and foremost a place to watch over potential threats before they become problematic, and only then it becomes a place to defend and attack from. This imagery fits the guarding aspect implied in the name "Veilguard".

But what is a lighthouse if not a tower that lights up on top? I'm reminded of the Red Rook-Wolf Book revealed so long ago: a turret/rook with a wolf's head surrounded by fire above it. 

Sources: [1] [2]

Now. A lighthouse (metaphorical or otherwise) is in hindsight also quite fitting: just remember all the times that the Fade was referenced in lore to by its water-like qualities?

Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. (Canticle of Andraste 14:11) - From the waters of the Fade you made the world. As the Fade had been fluid, so was the world fixed. (Threnodies 1:4) - The sun, looking down upon the fruitful land, saw the joy that Elgar'nan took in her [the land's] works and grew jealous. [...] The land cracked and split from bitterness and pain, and cried salt tears for the loss of all she had wrought. The pool of tears cried for the land became the ocean, and the cracks in her body the first rivers and streams. [...] Eventually Elgar'nan threw the sun down from the sky and buried him in a deep abyss created by the land's sorrow. (From The Tale of Elgar'nan and the Sun, as told by Gisharel, Keeper of the Ralaferin clan of the Dalish elves)

Perhaps the Lighthouse is placed at the Crossroads, or somewhere between the Fade and Waking World, to guide and light the way for those who are allowed to pass through.

Perhaps it's Veilguard not only because the Veil need guarding, but we're also the guards that watch over the threshold of the Fade.

[cosmere-polls]

poll suggested by @imonlyhereforcrem

[thisfragilesky]

on the idea of godhood and my one giant lore catchall post

spoilers for dragon age, inquisition, and trespasser dlc, etc.

this plays off of a post i read recently (i didn't remember to save it) that referred to a word used in a codex entry that basically corresponds to 'the idea and worship of power/godhood made real', as in the worship of a figure, at sufficient quantities, granting them real power. the post theorized this was how the evanuris went from being mere generals in a war to being worshipped as mage-gods, same for solas and possibly mythal. i believe it also mentioned the idea that the way the 'gods' were worshipped would've affected the gods' demeanor as well, though that becomes more of a chicken vs egg situation.

anyway. here's some thoughts i've been having.

according to solas, 'Falon'Din's vanity and desire for worshipers was so great he started brutal wars to gain more, killing all who would not bow to him.' it's unknown if the other evanuris did similar things, but the general idea is that: gain worshippers to gain power through their worship.

the chantry's goal '...is to spread the Chant of Light to all four corners of the world and to all races... Once all peoples have accepted the Chant and practice its teachings, the Maker will return and restore the world to its former glory.' (emphasis mine, quoted from the wiki)

so.

would the idea of 'worship of power/godhood made real' apply to this as well? that the meaning of the chantry insisting on spreading the chant of light to all of thedas is to mean that once everyone/enough people worship and believe in the maker, he will have power (again) to affect the world, whether the chantry knows this or not?

going down this line of thought leads me to think.. regardless of whether the maker is Real God or a Powerful Mage Worshipped to Godhood, the concept of the Original Sin would line up with a very primeval 'had his children/worshipers turned away from him, thus diminishing his power' that may have happened before the actual original sin.

would the same apply to how the qunari leaders try to spread the teachings of the qun? as far as i can tell, the qun maybe honors the askhaari koslun, but he isn't venerated as a god or as in having powers aside from the tales of his visions and prophecy regarding his teachings. i think. i did a brief skim on the wiki.

in light of it all, this could be an aspect of atheism trying to quell all the powers vying for godhood in the world. don't believe in gods! any of them! you'll give them power! all you need is order and obedience!

in works, in theory.

anyway, the thing that's been on my mind the MOST:

the Forgotten Ones, the void, and the blight. bear with me.

All that the Maker has wrought is in His hand Beloved and precious to Him. Where the Maker has turned His face away, Is a Void in all things; In the world, in the Fade, In the hearts and minds of men.

(emphasis mine, quoted from the wiki as from the canticle of threnodies)

i've read and may or may not subscribe to the theories about the blight originating from the void, from the implication of andruil going hunting in there for the Forgotten Ones and becoming Infected, bringing a plague back to her lands. assuming this story is true, then that is where the initial taint came from that could have affected the primeval thaig in the free marches (it being somewhat close to the forest of arlathan could lend credence to this) before the tevinter magisters ever entered the fade.

according to the wiki, the codex for fen'harel gives us that 'Forgotten Ones are a dark mirror presiding over the worst aspects of existence: disease, terror, spite and malevolence. They serve not as shepherds of the elves, but rather as figures of fear and dread.'

SO. IF:

andruil's plague = blight the plague = came from the void the void = either 'the maker turned his face from it' or 'the maker is not present here' The Forgotten Ones = worst aspects of existence, reside in or were born of the void the evanuris = aspects of the maker? (i THINK morrigan mentions this idea)

the evanuris as the relatively more positive aspects of the maker warring against the forgotten ones, the objectively more negative aspects of the maker, while both try to spread their versions of.. idealogy, i guess?

i say this because i question what the whole point of the blight is. but if the blight comes from the void, and the void is where the forgotten ones are or live or come from, and if the forgotten ones are.. possibly.. negative aspects of the maker... it's less that 'the maker is sending us trials by cleansing fire via the blights' and more 'this splintered part of the maker (the forgotten ones) wants to spread this negative blight to make themselves more powerful'.

the evanuris, though relatively More Positive, also apparently just want to make Themselves more powerful (because ambition can be both good and bad). and maybe initially the war between the evanuris/ancient elvhen and the Forgotten Ones WAS a war against the negative aspects of the maker, to prevent the bad from overtaking the good.

(but perfectly good and perfectly bad are in no way perfection, in and of themselves)

solas says the evanuris were mortal. there's theories that they're spirits, whose identities depend on how they are remembered and worshiped.

i say: who is to say that solas's insistence on their mortality ISN'T just another way to alter their state, to MAKE them mortal just be believing that they are. spirits can alter their reality. and with how cole made himself corporeal, the idea that spirits can just become Real and Physical if they Believe it (or are believed in?) hard enough has implications on, maybe, how some things came to be:

the evanuris: the practice of vallas'lin dedicating (unhappy, ungrateful) slaves to the evanuris affecting their later behavior (madness, vanity, betrayal) the avvar gods: powerful spirits(?) given stewardship over the avvar clans by their reverence and worship. one can even be bound to a dragon, just like how the grey wardens bound demons. just like how you could bind cole, if you wanted. the void: did the maker turn away from those dark parts of himself, whether in fear or shame? did they fester in resentment and give rise to things void of love? the forgotten ones: because every light makes a shadow, whether intended or otherwise. these shadows are black and forgotten, and they want you to know that you are, too. the dragons you fight: were they heroes worshipped to dragon-godhood, like the ancient human tribes of old did? which hero was hakkon made to possess and subvert? which angry soul perverted hakkon's purpose? the old gods: who created them, and for what? (i have ideas.) the titans: did they make the dwarves or did the dwarves make them? (i'm thinking about this) the archdemons: like demons. a spirit's purpose, perverted. the blight: a perversion of life? or the spiritual equivalent of terraforming the world for an incompatible race? the inquisitor: are you who you are or are you what they believe you to be? how do you know? you are, inevitably, a product of society and what it expects from you. the maker: did someone make him, too? what did they expect of him?

...and, you know, maybe i'm a bit crazy to theorycraft in this direction. but you know what?

i wonder if the impression of teyrn loghain on the fade is ultimately that of a traitor or a hero. i suppose that depends on how you, the player, altered his story and what people believed of him, how they remembered him. if he is remembered as both, is he both? can he only be one?

does this make you a spirit? does that make you a Maker?

[gamerism]

DRAGON AGE INQUISITION: SKYHOLD - INQUISITOR'S QUARTERS

—Canticle of Threnodies 5:7

[lairofdragonagelore]

Chant of Light - Part 1

In these two posts named “Chant of Light - Part 1 and Part 2″ I try to analyse the context associated with each group of canticles, the social and political situation in which they are written or compiled, the author(s) and their intentions, and a brief summary of the main concepts expressed in said canticles.

The whole Chant of Light can be found in the Wiki for anyone who wants to interpret it by their own. I will also add some comments and appreciations of how the concepts in the Chant of Light serve a very clear political agenda in the world of Thedas, idea which is usually reinforced by the social-political situation that surrounds the creation or acceptance of the canticles.

There will also be personal speculations about how certain parts of the Chant of Light seem to belong to other cultures’ tales which were modified in order to make this religion appealing to other races [mostly, elves]. This is an hypothesis I’ve been working on in all these analysis posts of the Chantry history and the Chant of Light verses. I’m not saying the Chant of Light “is” a unique piece of hidden lore; quite on the contrary: the idea I’m trying to display is that The Chant of Light reflects modified versions of pieces of historical events from Thedas, Elvhenan history in particular, maybe even Titan/dwarven history, and Alamarri folktales; all these elements combined in a way to pursue a political agenda in a given historical moment of Thedas.

There is also a compilation of all the art I found in these pages of the Chant of Light [World of Thedas Vol 2], which will be analysed briefly to give more context to the study of the Chant of Light using the hypothesis explained above.

The canticles of the Chant of Light [Cumberland edition] are:

Cosmogenesis and First Sin: Threnodies 5-6

Creation of the Blight: Silence 1-3

Epiphany of Our Lady: Andraste 1

Andraste’s Teachings: Transfigurations 1, 10, 12

Hymns: Trials 1

Rallying the Armies: Shartan 9-10

Betrayal and Death: Apotheosis 1-2

Prophecy: Exaltations 1

Disclaimer: The Chant of Light I’m focusing on belongs to the Cumberland Edition [World of Thedas Vol2], which lacks of several verses that appear in the games in different codices. All these verses are compiled in the wiki though and, in general, provide the same idea than the verses of the book.

[Index page of Dragon Age Lore]

Cosmogenesis and First Sin: Threnodies 5-6

Context of Threnodies Verses: 

The first versions of these canticles related to the creation of the world were written between -31 Ancient and -11 Ancient [1164 TE and 1184 TE], which means after the First Blight [800 TE] and the Death of Andraste [1025 TE], but before the creation of the Chantry [1195 TE]

The author of these verses as well as the majority of the Chant of Light is attributed to Justinia I [first Divine with the creation of the Chantry, who was also general of Kordillus Drakon’s army], but the truth is that it’s a collection of different authors.  Apparently, her main work was to make  transcriptions and translations of tales of oral tradition, giving her total freedom to manipulate the stories with expansionist and mass-control purposes. I think we should not forget that the first Divine of the Chantry was the main general of Kordillus Drakon’s armies, a man who ordered Exalt Marches all over Orlais to unify the different tribes, using the Chant of Light as a “social glue” for it, while creating the Empire of Orlais deeply entangled with the Chantry. 

The original Chant of Light by the time of Andraste’s death seems to have been only composed of: Threnodies, Andraste, Transfigurations, and Trials. This means that the contribution of the elves in the Chant of Light did not existed by that time as a canticle, or if it did, it was ignored or erased. The addition of the Magister Sidereals was added years later even though it was written a decade after the death of Andraste. One may speculate that the addition of this canticle was done later when the Chantry tried to unify Tevinter and Orlais under the same faith and removed them when the Schism happened and Tevinter developed its own version of the Chantry.

It’s clear that the Chant of Light was modified over time to pursuit an agenda of homogenisation and power.

The different languages in which these verses have been recorded over time produce alterations in the usage of words. For example the First Children of the Maker are called “Spirits”, “Firstborn” and “Demons” depending on the version we are checking. This shows how translation, and picking certain words, determine a lot the tone of the text and adds judgement to some concepts.

These canticles narrate the story of the creation of the world and the fall of man. This canticle ignores any other mortal race but the humans, this makes the Chant of Light an obvious human-made narration.

The events narrated in these canticles are mirrored in the dissonant ones of Erudition and Silence

Additional Threnodies verses can be found in several codices and books, but I ignored them since they tend to say the same than these ones that were presented more organised in the book World of Thedas Vol 2

Threnodies 5:

Before this moment there was only silence. The voice of the Maker created sound [As we can see, the Chant of Light also works with the metaphor of the sound/voice/song that is aesthetically and deeply related to DA lore as we saw in Songs and elements that sing and whisper in DA Lore.]

The Maker creates the spirits and waits to see their ingenuity in the Golden City, which exists in the Fade.

The Golden City is described to have streets with music for cobblestones. Again, we see more reinforcement of music and sounds.

The Maker is disappointed by the spirits, who only reflect his own creation without originality.

He separates the Fade [a formless world, ever-changing] from the Waking World [immutable world], and creates his Secondborn: the humans, who have bodies made of earth/immutable substance, and souls of Dreams/Fade. This part shows so clearly how the Chant of Light was a human creation since the verses and the creation itself is focused only on humans.

Put aside, the Firstborn feel abandoned by the Maker, and grow jealous and envious to the Secondborn. They want to rule over Earth and become greater than the Maker [this seems to have a soft influence of the elvhenan history when it comes to the Evanuris, but at the same time it’s the nature of the divinity power]

This way the Firstborn appeared to the “children of the earth” and called themselves gods, and demanded worshipping.

The Maker, angry, seals them into the Earth. This part of the Chantry tale seems to be inspired in the historical elvhenan event when Titans went into a deep slumber underground. 

From there, the Firstborn began to whisper to the Secondborn/humans.

Tevinter heard them and raised altars in their name, so the Firstborn shared the secrets of dark magic [blood magic] with them. This part of the  tale seems to represent the Forbidden Ones. Thanks to the Fell Grimoire and Tarohne [who implies this knowledge has been taught to humans by Xebenkeck] we know that the learning of the blood magic has been done through the Forbidden Ones. They relate to the elevhenan thanks to the codex Exile of the Forbidden Ones , who seem to have been forced to leave the Evanuris lands for not fighting against the Titans. Leaving these lands may suggest that the Forbidden Ones went to The Deepest Fade, which ironically is explained with words and expressions that give an impression of stone, dwarvish touch, and Titan flavour, as I explained with more details in Ancient Elven codices; Vir Dirthara. More about the concept of the origin of the Blood Magic in the post “Tarohne, the Fell Grimoire, and Xebenkeck”.

One of the illustrations used to represent this part of the Chant of Light is of a man which body [flesh] has been created from the Earth and it is related to the immutable world. This is represented by the “vowels” that look like tree roots, reinforcing the idea of being created to stick deeply within the Earth, while his heart, from which some branches come out towards his hands [representation of magic ability?] and head, was supposed to be created with “Fade”, hence he “returns” to the Fade every night in his sleep. This upper structure distantly looks like to an spherical Elven Tree Statue, which is an element related to the elvhen and therefore, to the Fade. It also looks a bit like a Titan’s guardian’s heart, which has no sense for this kind of interpretation since this is a deep dwarven lore that I doubt Elvhenan knew about. The drawing doesn’t seem to hide some elvhenan concept inherited from the ancient version that inspired this part of the Chant of Light. 

Threonides 6:

Two original human tribes in the north enter in a war [one of them is from where the Tevinter will descend: the Neromenian]

The Dreamer called Thalsian of the Neromenian consults a demon in the Fade who promised him to win the war if he renounced to the Maker. And so he did.

The Neromerians invade Nevarra too.

Nevarra resists, but despite the blessings received in the name of the Maker, the cost they pay is too high and their lands end up soaked in blood. Seeing this massacre, the nevarran king forsakes the Maker, and knowing he could not resist another day of Neromerian attacks, he seeks help in another demon.

Nevarra wins the war thanks to this demon’s help [which we only know is a “she”]. 

I personally can’t say we know what demons were involved in this, if they were Forbidden Ones or not. I don’t think we can draw many worthy conclusions with these verses.

Creation of the Blight: Silence 1-3

Context of Silence Verses:

This text was written by Archon Hessarian, around -160 Ancient [1035 TE, a decade after the death of Andraste]

It’s historical value clearly is diminished when you think it was written almost 2 hundred years after the events it describes: the First Blight [-395 Ancient, 800 TE]. This canticle seems to be a way for the Archon to reduce the bad propaganda against Tevinter or even encourage an anti-blood magic propaganda. This text also places the Archon’s actions in good light, as if this text were meant to demonise only the Magister Sidereal alone, pretending to show how the rest of Tevinter would have seen these actions as terrible. It also provides a text in which Tevinter is presented as a “victim” of the ambition of seven isolated Magisters and their disciples. 

It’s not firsthand knowledge. Probably it was written with access to the archives of the Magisterium though, but clearly this text may have been manipulated and altered to fulfil the Archon’s agenda and present Tevinter as a victim of all this situation. 

Silence is named for Dumat.

The three stanzas describe the corruption of the Magisters, the assault to the Golden City, and the consequences of their fall.

It is not part of the Chant of Light anymore because it was considered pro-Tevinter propaganda, and I agree with that. The historical accuracy it has is none so far we know. For example, in these verses it is claimed that the Magisters kept hearing the Old Gods voices to make them open the gates and it was that what made them step into the Golden City, when we know via Corypheus that they were desperate to hear their gods again. The Old Gods had fallen silent for a long time, and in order to reach them, they stepped beyond the Veil.

Silence 1:

We are taught that the main Old God is Dumat; he has a powerful whisper, and rituals in his name involve “rare incense, trees of Arlathan, and bones of slaves”. The blood of his altars seems to never dry.

The High priest of Dumat is called “Conductor” and is described as a great dreamer, powerful, and wise. He is the only one capable of listening the Voice of Silence [Dumat]. All this seems to make sense with Corypheus: undeniably powerful dreamer who could heard Dumat in his dreams, until he did not anymore [The Claws of Dumat]. 

These verses say that Dumat whispered to him to go to the Golden City in order to give him godhood. This promise consumed the magister. However, we know this was not true; we learnt later that Corpyheus was consumed by the lack of any whisper [The Claws of Dumat].

The Golden City was presented as a “golden heart of the Dream’s kingdom”, unable to be reached.

Corypheus [conductor of the choir] decided to reach the Golden City, and with the power of the Whisper of Silence, convinced the Architect [Architect of Beauty] in secret to design the means to reach it, even when the Architect tried to resist this temptation.

The Architect consulted this plan to his own god, Urthemiel, who repeated what Dumat had said: she promised him unique designs and godhood if they opened the gates.

To open the gates they required more resources, so Corypheuys invited the rest of the priests who accepted after asking about this to their own gods, each of them answering and promising the same that Dumat and Urthemiel did. We know again this was not what happened. We have not only the codex The Claws of Dumat that explains the silence of the Gods, but also of Razikale in Mouth of Echoes and in Tevinter Inscription. The Magisters fell in despair when their gods went silent. This is what truly motivated their entrance to the Fade. Corypheus is our more or less reliable source of information on this matter: details in DLC: Legacy, Orlais: Shrine of Dumat, and in Frostback Mountains: Attack to Haven.

In this way, all the Magisters agreed to enter the Fade. This verse adds that the Archon had a bad hunch without knowing why, as a way to diminish Tevinter’s responsibility. Here we can see some details of propaganda to improve the image of Tevinter overall.

Three illustrations appear representing these verses:

The first one represents a magister who seems to hear the whispers of three dark old gods. At the bottom of this illustration we see white tentacles or a white snake. Since we can’t see its head is hard to tell. The tentacles would be adequate if we remember Urthemiel representation in DAO, which had tentacles in their lower body.  As a snake, of course, would represent Tevinter itself.

The second image shows a white figure succumbing to the whispers of a strange entity. This entity is wearing a typical tevinter mask that we saw in the Tevinter Mosaics [mostly Sacrifice], but also I cannot stop seeing in that figure the profile of Thane from Mass Effect. The illustration is named “The Choir of Silence is corrupted”, representing Corypheus falling into the “temptation” of the Old God who asks him to open the Gates. Of course, this is what the Chant of Light says, we know the reality is different. 

The third image is named “The priests formulate a plan”, where we see several priests plotting around a main one, which we can assume is Corypheus. He is represented with an outfit that looks like a moth. This representation is used later in “the Magisters face judgement”.

Silence 2:

The Magisters used lyrium to drown a city and countless slaves to reach the gates. This links immediately with the codex Enigma of Kirkwall, explained in detail in Kirkwall history and design, where we suspect that Kirkwall was the city where this event happened. 

The ritual involved the creation of “a tower of blood, bone and metal to the heavens”. This clearly is a metaphor. Since this canticle is written by the Archon I doubt he does not know this plan was meant to happen in Kirkwall, the main slave trade city of Tevinter where several legions were sent to secure it, but were lost in their trip. Kirkwall was always important to Tevinter, and I cannot believe its importance was not recorded and kept in highly classified libraries that only Archons can access to. However, since this canticle is also a way to modify and improve Tevinter image to the rest of the world, the Archon may have opted for a very ridiculous metaphor to describe this. 

One of the acolytes speaks against this plan but nobody listens. Then, he escapes to the “north”, heading to Miranthous to inform the Archon. This means that the place where this plan was performed was “south of  Minrathous” which technically allows us to keep suspecting Kirkwall as the place where the ritual happened. It could be several others, true, but then again, the devs have given us a lot of clues and the codex The Enigma of Kirkwall to guide our suspicions to Kirkwall.

99 sacrifices were performed, and the dead slaves rose as if building a bridge towards the sky. The veil broke like crystal. This image felt a bit like the creation of a Haverster, but it seems natural to think that Hessarian wrote this in a more metaphorical way to be more appealing. In DAI we saw that entering the Fade does not require bridges or physical structures, but tearing the space-time of a given place [breaches]. 

The canticle states that as the Magisters entered and walked across the Golden City, a dark stained wake was left behind them, contaminating the city. We know this was not true; the Magisters entered to a city already deeply contaminated; they found no Maker at all, and ended up embracing the corruption that inhabited there [More details in Orlais: Shrine of Dumat]. 

The illustration that accompanies this part of the canticle shows two Tevinter figures carrying what I think is an elven slave [we barely can see something that may look like an elven ear]. Notice that the general colour of the Tevinter figures is dark and grey, with ash-like skins while the slave has a more vivid colour to him. The Tevinter figures seem to lament the sacrifice. This certainly reinforces the idea of giving a more positive shift to the usually “evil” reputation that Tevinter image has. They are still dark and grey, because they are sinners, but the overall drawing looks like they are lamenting the sacrifice they are performing. What a joke.  

Silence 3:

The Chant claims that the Magisters found the Maker in his throne, but we know this is a lie: the throne was empty. [More details in DLC: Legacy, Orlais: Shrine of Dumat, and in Frostback Mountains: Attack to Haven]. 

It claims that the Magisters were furious because they expected to see dragons, but instead, they saw the Maker. This is a nice detail that Hessarian writes to keep cleaning the Tevinter image: he tries to show how badly mistaken Tevinter was, and how now they will know better and follow the Maker. 

When they observed the Maker with mortal eyes, his Light burnt their eyes. This reinterpretation seems to be repeated in The Fall from Tevinter Mosaics. This idea is very hard for me to deny or accept, because the only two Magisters we saw so far, both have clear signs of having been melted. It may be an effect of the corruption or the potential red lyrium that they carry, but certainly this design choice always caught my attention. Architect in particular is the one looking more affected by the Fire, while Corypheus looks like something exploded on his left side. Comments on this matter were done previously in DLC: Legacy and a bit in DA2:  Eyes.

The Maker did not kill them. Instead, he was “expecting” them, since he was waiting to see what his Secondborn had created by their own [it’s what Threnodies 5 says the Maker was planning when he created his Secondborn]. But when he looked at the Magisters, he only saw in them envy, hunger, pride, and desire, and was horrified with the sacrifices they had made to reach him. 

This passage uses the line “On wings of death and suffering are you borne hence.” 

The Maker explains that it’s obvious that the Old Gods were whispering to the Magisters in order for them to open the gates. In the end, he rejects the blood spilled to reach him and condemns the Magisters to be creatures of darkness [here, the Chant explains the creation of the darkspawn].

The “Veil in the Golden City” ripped beneath the magisters so they fell outside of the city, now corrupted. After this, the Maker never saw the humans again. 

The Magisters “fell from the Wellspring of Creation”, and Tevinter saw them falling from the sky, burning, and where they fell, Darkness grew.

This passage seems to relate deeply with the image of The Fall from Tevinter Mosaics. It’s curious that this canticle says later that these Magisters fell on the surface of Barindur.  We only know that the Architect apparently lived all his live underground after embracing the Blight, while Corypheus was “discovered” by Grey Wardens who confused him as a unique kind of Darkspawn to the point that he had to be sealed in his prison and forced into a slumber [all the details in  DLC: Legacy ]. So, even though it’s not explicit, it seems to mean that the Magisters returned from the Fade to end up underground while the Chant gives a different explanation [detailed below]. 

The rest of Tevinter cried in rage and frustration. 

The Old Gods did not answer to the Magister’s prayers, so they promised vengeance against the Old Gods and the Maker himself. 

The Archon in Minrathous is warned about these events thanks to the acolyte who had escaped.

The Archon followed the path left in the sky and reached Barindur, where the Magisters have fallen. This means that, according to Hessarian, this is the place where the darkspawn were found for the first time in history. To me, feels like a very convenient way to cover something that may have happened in Barindur or use it to reinforce the impact of this current tale. The city of Barindur was lost around -1600 Ancient [ -405 TE], before the creation of the Tevinter Imperium. Tevinter considers it was destroyed by Dumat when Barindur’s King disrespected Dumat’s high priest, while Solas will talk about it as a place Pompeii-like, buried in the ground, with ashes, and calcified bodies of its previous inhabitants. Certainly placing the darkspwan in a natural ruined landscape helps to build the story of evil darkness carried by the Seven Magisters. I think it’s easy to see the manipulation of the facts to create the legend that will become religion later. 

The twisted, blighted Magisters attacked the Anchor who resisted thanks to his items. He also tried to control and burn the Blight that was spreading across the land but he could not. So the Archon called the spirits of the fade to help him and scattered the Magisters across the world. He returned to Miranthous to prepare to fight the Blight. Clearly this is all pro-Archon propaganda. It implies the Magisters fell on the surface of Thedas, which we kind of concluded it was not the case some points above. And he also faced them. We know how powerful the Architect and Corypheus are. Imagine to face the seven together. It’s clear to see why this canticle was removed by the Chantry, since it has a good amount of pro-Tevinter propaganda, showing it as a nation that has recognised its mistakes, now walks through the “right” path, and the Archon is always a very wise man leading the nation. Pfft, lol.

There are several illustrations that belong to this part:

The first one shows a tower that may represent the Golden City. It has golden walls, with geometrical figures of yellow and blue, but the top of it is being corrupted. The Magisters appear bellow it, in front of a circle with a golden border that looks like a halo, implying that they were looking for godhood in the process of reaching this place. The bottom of their bodies is a spread stain of darkness, representing the corruption of the Magisters

The second illustration is described as “The Blight begins”, where the darkness in the night sky falls onto a city that features Tevinter buildings, and it leaks and drips that corruption below, underground.  A very aesthetic representation of the Blight as something that came from above, hit the cities, and found home underground. 

The third illustration is the Archon playing something that looks like a harp, talking to the spirits in the Fade. This practice is basically the one we see with Solas, and it was common among Dreamers. However, since it’s a practice that the Chantry condemns, it seems to have been drawn in a darker way. The spirits are dark, smokey entities, implying some negativity into the image. It’s represented as a night because it’s when a Dreamer have access to the Fade: through their dreams. 

A fourth illustration can be considered part of this group of canticles, where we see a moth. The description of the image says that “the Magisters face judgement”, and we see a very creepy, evil-like moth, with ruined wings, a bit consumed [we see stains that seem to eat its wings and may be a representation of the Blight]. Behind the horrible moth, there is a Sun. The same Sun used in the cover of this edition of the Chant of Light. Because a moth will follow the Light [in this case the Maker], it is implying that the blind need that the Magisters had of following the “Light” [divinity in general] is also what destroys/consumes/wears them out. Following the source of Light is a compulsion that punishes you. In a way, this is the core mechanics of the Darkspawn as Architect described it: the only light they see is the song of the Archdemon, and once it awakes, darkspawn also suffer the consequences of the Blight happening in its endless cycle [more details in Songs and elements that sing and whisper in DA Lore].

Epiphany of Our Lady: Andraste 1

Context of Andraste Verses:

The potential origin of this canticle may be a particular version that belonged to an andrastian cult in -165 Ancient [1030 TE], 5 years after the Death of Andraste.

These canticles have five hundred versions, only the oldest one was preserved, apparently.

They are composed in the style of the Alamarri sagas [like the one of Tyrdda Bright-Axe Path] which is a genre more used for tales of war and heroism than prophecy.

This canticle is attributed to Andraste, but it’s unknown if this is the version she used to sing. More or less we can assume with some level of certainty that it contains some elements of the tale she spread. Personally, I think this is a modified version because Andraste’s personal life seems to have some hints that imply her as a Mage [she may have killed her half-sister by using fire in the forest, and could hear voices speak to her, details in here], while this tale erase this aspect completely to fit the Chantry agenda against the mages. Let’s remember that the Avvar respect and accept their mages, allowing even a natural possession of gentle spirits so the mage would learn their magic from them without risking damage from more violent entities. If the Alamarri and Andraste followed similar costumes to the Avvar, we can think that Andraste may have been possessed for a time, or maybe all her life. 

Andraste 1:

In this canticle, Andraste wants to end the suffering of the alamarri under the abuse of Tevinter.

So Andraste asks help to the alamarri gods: the lady of the sky and Korth, but also to a “secret-steeped roots of the ancient oak trees”. None of the gods answers. She despairs.

However, a voice upon the mountain answered her call: the Maker. She describes this entity as “Greater than mountains, towering mighty, hands outstretched, stars glistening, from rings upon his fingers and crown upon his brow”. [So the Maker has a titan size, and wears rings and crown.] He is also described as the “Wellspring of All”. If these canticles truly keep some hint of real events that Andraste lived, this event may be explained as a contact with a Titan, or even a contact with one of them through the Fade [if we assume that Andraste may have been a Mage-dreamer]. 

If we think about it, this contact must have been done in the Fade, since an event such as this should have been recorded by many other cultures. Seeing a Titan rise behind mountains is something that many would see from a very long distance.

The Maker claims to have been forgotten, and invites Andraste to join him in the Heavens.

The Maker shows her all what the Magisters did, and she feels shame. Andraste proposes him to give humans a second chance. He accepts. We see once more how the whole tale is always focused on Humans.

Andraste 14 [this stanza does not belong to this edition of the Chant of Light]:

Here lies the abyss, the well of all souls. From these emerald waters doth life begin anew. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity.

Curiously, this passage is not present in the Chant Of Light, Cumberland Edition, but it has been used several times in books [The Calling] and in the game codex [Here Lies the Abyss], and seems to describe something that has been linked with Titan’s blood purity [In the Calling book], with the Fade [Emerald waters], and with some “well of sorrow” mechanism too [Well of all souls]. It clearly looks like a stanza with a lot of elements seen in the games to simply ignore its existence.

Andraste’s Teachings: Transfigurations 1, 10, 12

Context of Transfigurations:

This version can be tracked to an Andrastian group in Ferelden in -130 Ancient [1065 TE]. This is curious to me because these teachings are from a version gathered 40 years after her death. These teachings were supposed to be the same ones than the canticle of Andraste 1. Why taking two different versions of something that was spread by Andraste in the same time? Clearly one of them had inconvenient truths that were not present in the other version and suited more the Chantry’s agenda.

This is claimed to be the closest version spread among the alamarri who followed Andraste and Maferath to the North. I doubt it, simply because the vision of Magic among the alamarri was not as negative as it turned out to be in the Chant of Light.

As the war began and people rallied against Tevinter, more variations emerged.

Since Alamarri had no written tradition, these teachings may have been shared orally from camp to camp, creating multiple variations each time. There are at least 10 different versions among the Alamarri. Hence my mistrust: from all of them, they picked this one above the others... why? This is not research, as the Chantry likes to call it. Research is keeping all variations handy to see the differences. This is manipulation of religious texts.

These verses collect Andraste’s sermons. It’s supposed to be a faithful transcript of Andraste’s words done by Justinia, who was Andraste’s disciple and best friend. However we don’t know exactly what Justinia decided to write and what not. At the end of the day, it always relies on another person whose commitment with the truth is really compromised for different interests.

Personal opinion: These teachings are strongly hard to rely on, and it seems to be where the most of the Chant was modified in order to use it as a tool in favour of strong measures of mage control.

Transfigurations 1

These are the most common fragments we hear in DAO. At this point, after playing DAI, we can see how they were crafted to limit magic and mages and make its religion the only “true” one.

Each stanza is filled with irony in how it’s executed in the “real” world of Thedas: there is no one god [we are in a mess of Old Gods and Evanuris and Titans and several more entities that could qualify as gods], there is probably no Maker at all [The Maker seems to be a crafted tale of several ancient ones combined in one to turn it into the perfect tool of mass control to unify Thedas]. Blood mages are dismissed even though we have some guarantee that blood magic is not that bad as we were always told [Solas seems to know a lot more about these things that the average human in Thedas, and he is not scandalised by that magic]. These stanzas also claim that all people are the same, but in practice there are obvious race privilege of humans over the rest, as there is with the powerful, rich ones over the poor. Honestly, these verses are a total irony of what the Chantry claims the world to be, and what the world of Thedas truly is. A beautiful irony to make the Player think about our own religious tales, indeed. 

Transfigurations 10

It’s related to the sermon she gave at Valarian Fields [in Tevinter, close to  Miranthous]

It speaks about how much confidence Andraste had through her faith in the Maker.

The only illustration I think we can relate more or less to these verses are the one described as “Andraste marches on Tevinter”, in which we see Andraste at the head of the ship, bigger than the other humans, wearing a crown exactly the same than the Sun that represents the Maker in the cover of this Chant of Light. As we can see in [3], in the crown a silver spike stands out as her usual symbol of the Bride of the Maker. Several humans are drawn one beside another. Some cover their faces, others don’t. We can see in 4 and 5 that they were drawn in a way that reinforce the idea that men and women went into this March. At the end of the row, we see a last figure that may represent Maferath or The Aegis Havard: it’s the only figure that displays a shoulder/shield [1] and a decoration [2] on his shoulder.

Transfigurations 12

Andraste prays before the siege to Minrathous.

This prayer curiously uses the word “Maker” and “Creator” as exchangeable, which supports a bit my idea that the myth of the Chantry may have been inspired in historical Elvhenan events/tales spread by the elven slaves in combination with historical human events contemporary of the time. We already established that the tale of the Maker seems to have been inspired by Fen’Harel’s tales, who was considered a “Creator” later by the Dalish.

The Maker is described as “the fire at the heart of the world”.

This prayer may have happened before Maferath asks Andraste to go to a hill where the “voice of the Maker can be heard better”, and commits his “betrayal” [read Apotheosis in the Part 2 of the Chant of Light].

Hymns: Trials 1

Context of Hyms:

It’s believed to be composed by Andraste as hymns to the Maker, but its origin is more complex: some verses predate the prophet a hundred of years, and were originally related to local god pantheons that were altered when they joined Andraste. 

This piece of info reinforces even more my suggestion that the Chant of Light is a big mixture of isolated local tales combined in a way to appeal as many as possible in order to unify Thedas through religion.

Trials 1:

These prayers have interesting combinations of words: some speak about an echo/song in the stillness, calling them to wake up from their slumber [very Darkspawn-like or Tevinter with Old Gods]

Stanza 8 and 12 has an interesting resemblance to Titans and their creation process.

There are some hints of songs, such as the heart of the prayer claiming that the Maker composed the cadence of their heart.

[vigilskeep]

oh canticle of threnodies 8:13 we’re really in it now

[dragon-age-codex-entries]

Codex entry: Lyrium (Origins)

“More than half the wealth of Orzammar comes from a single, extremely rare substance: Lyrium. The Chantry believes it to be the "Waters of the Fade" mentioned in the Canticle of Threnodies, the very stuff of creation itself, from whence the Maker fashioned the world. Only a handful of Mining Caste families hazard extracting the ore, finding veins in the Stone quite literally by ear. For in its raw form, lyrium sings, and the discerning can hear the sound even through solid rock.

Even though dwarves have a natural resistance, raw lyrium is dangerous for all but the most experienced of the Mining Caste to handle. Even for dwarves, exposure to the unprocessed mineral can cause deafness or memory loss. For humans and elves, direct contact with lyrium ore produces nausea, blistering of the skin, and dementia. Mages cannot even approach unprocessed lyrium. Doing so is invariably fatal.

Despite its dangers, lyrium is the single most valuable mineral currently known. In the Tevinter Imperium, it has been known to command a higher price than diamond. The dwarves sell very little of the processed mineral to the surface, giving the greater portion of what they mine to their own smiths, who use it in the forging of all truly superior dwarven weapons and armor. What processed lyrium is sold on the surface goes only to the Chantry, who strictly control the supply. From the Chantry, it is dispensed both to the templars, who make use of it in tracking and fighting maleficarum, and to the Circle.

In the hands of the Circle, lyrium reaches its fullest potential. Their Formari craftsmen transform it into an array of useful items from the practical, such as magically hardened stone for construction, to the legendary silver armor of King Calenhad.

When mixed into liquid and ingested, lyrium allows mages to enter the Fade when fully aware, unlike all others who reach it only when dreaming. Such potions can also be used to aid in the casting of especially taxing spells, for a short time granting a mage far greater power than he normally wields.

Lyrium has its costs, however. Prolonged use becomes addictive, the cravings unbearable. Over time, templars grow disoriented, incapable of distinguishing memory from present, or dream from waking. They frequently become paranoid, as their worst memories and nightmares haunt their waking hours. Mages have additionally been known to suffer physical mutation: The magister lords of the Tevinter Imperium were widely reputed to have been so affected by their years of lyrium use that they could not be recognized by their own kin, nor even as creatures that had once been human.”

—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

[lith-myathar]

CANTICLE OF THRENODIES

[amaryllis-sagitta]

[Old reposts] Succession of the Evanuris and symbolic eras in the elvhen history

Looking up the Evanuris mythos, I was wondering about family relationships between the Evanuris assumed in the Dalish lore. I don’t find it very likely that these were actual blood bonds. I would blame this on the origin myth tropes, where the first inhabitants of the world tend to be depicted through blood relations.

But what if this order of kinship depicts some actual relationship between the Evanuris? I will test the following assumption: the Evanuris assumed power in “generations” of succession, each of them adding to the elvhen society or changing it, in parallel to the Dalish myths and given divine attributes of the Evanuris.

Succession of the Dalish Creators goes as follows:

1st gen: Elgar’nan and Mythal,

2nd gen: Dirthamen and Falon’Din, the former couple’s “first children”,

3rd gen: Andruil and Sylaise as sisters, either daughters of EG&M, or daughters of the Earth itself; June either as their brother, or as Sylaise’s husband,

4th gen: Ghilan’nain, ascended by Andruil’s favour,

Fen’Harel: known as “kin to the Creators”, but placed outside their line of succession. A suggested direct relationship between Fen’Harel and Mythal would likely place him in the 3rd gen of the Evanuris, as a wayward “son” of Mythal’s legacy, but definitely not a “first child”.

I believe we can find traces of the main course of elvhen history through the Creators’ respective domains - due to the Evanuris converting themselves into an origin myth, and ascribing their names to the earliest eras of the society’s development.

Elgar’nan was told to be the first among the gods, born from the Sun and Earth themselves. He is best known for having defeated the Sun when it got envious of all the creatures of the Earth. 

Elgar'nan had defeated his father, the sun, and all was covered in darkness. Pleased with himself, Elgar'nan sought to console his mother, the earth, by replacing all that the sun had destroyed. But the earth knew that without the sun, nothing could grow. She whispered to Elgar'nan this truth, and pleaded with him to release his father, but Elgar'nan’s pride was great, and his vengeance was terrible, and he refused. (Codex: Mythal; The Great Protector)

Mythal allegedly “walked out of the sea of the earth’s tears” and convinced Elgar’nan to negotiate with the Sun.

Humbled, Elgar'nan went to the place where the sun was buried and spoke to him. Elgar'nan said he would release the sun if the sun promised to be gentle and to return to the earth each night. The sun, feeling remorse at what he had done, agreed. 

Tinfoil guess: in the age named after Elgar’nan and Mythal, the world became inhabitable. This is reflected by their success in mitigating Sun’s anger, establishing a day and night cycle, and bringing the creatures of the Earth back. Only the Canticle of Threnodies from the Chant of Light goes further back in cosmology than this, suggesting that spirits of the Fade appeared before the material world, and before the creatures of will/ soul. 

Furthermore, Trespasser DLC suggests that Elgar’nan and Mythal had something to do with an onslaught on the Titans and dwarves:

War? I don’t remember any legends about our people fighting the dwarves. Though I remember my Keeper telling a story about how the dwarves fear the sun because of Elgar'nan’s fire. A metaphor for the elves of Arlathan driving the dwarves underground? The Qunari like metaphors. I should share that. (Codex: Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads, Section 2, Trespasser DLC)

Hail Mythal, adjudicator and savior! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever! (Codex: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads, Trespasser DLC).

The official reckoning of Thedas dates the first contact between the elves and the dwarves around -4601 Ancient, which is also 3000 years after the founding of Arlathan. Let’s leave it for a while.

Falon’Din is told to be the first one who freely crossed what Dalish myths interpreted as the Veil. But the situation is more complex. A tale of a wounded animal suggests that Falon’Din’s journey is relevant to boundaries of life, but not necessarily the temporal boundaries. As we know, the Elvhen were effectively immortal:

"Play with us,” said Dirthamen.  “Alas,” spoke the deer, “I cannot. I am old, and although I wish to go to my rest, my legs can no longer carry me.”  Taking pity on the deer, Falon'Din gathered her up into his arms and carried her to her rest beyond the Veil. Dirthamen tried to follow them, but the shifting grey paths beyond the Veil would not let him. (Codex: Dirthamen: The Keeper of Secrets)

What Falon’Din really did was release the deer from the body:

When Dirthamen found Falon'Din, he found also the deer, who once again was light on her feet, for her spirit was released from her weakened body.

Tinfoil guess: in the era of Falon’Din and Dirthamen, the People established a way to enter and leave (semi-?) material bodies at will. Dirthamen, in turn, “gave each creature a secret”. 

Now, things will get philosophical. Falon’Din and Dirthamen are viewed as complementary yet inseparable. This reflects a basic dualistic view on the mind and body. My speculation is that whereas Falon’Din taught how to use the body - the vessel, the part of the self exposed to the environment, Dirthamen watched over secrets of the inner world. (It is a complex topic to what extent this internal world, within the metaphysical framework of Thedas, is built of spirit, soul, a mix of both, what spirit and soul mean in the first place - I had Plans™ in this regard but covering it will require a lot of effort.) The most important take-out from this is that Falon’Din and Dirthamen represent the discovery of incarnation. Indirectly, this hypothesis speaks in favour of metaphysical succession between primal spirits and the elvhen. Extensive exploration within the frames of physical experience began.

Returning to the timeline of Thedas: could it be that destruction of the titans was a step to prepare Thedas for a mass incarnation? Could it be that, for about 3000 years, Arlathan only existed in the Fade, as the Eternal City/ Golden City without a material aspect, with spirits occasionally peeking in but otherwise having no interest in the physical world? That’s high tinfoil right here and I can’t handle it for the moment.

Moving on to Andruil. She is known as The Huntress, and the patron of the best known elven moral code.

In the era of Andruil, the People are described akin to a prehistoric society of gatherers.

When the People were young, we wandered the forests without purpose. We drank from streams and ate the berries and nuts that we could find. We did not hunt, for we had no bows. We wore nothing, for we had no knowledge of spinning or needlecraft. We shivered in the cold nights, and went hungry though the winters, when all the world was covered in ice and snow. Then Sylaise the Hearthkeeper came, and gave us fire and taught us how to feed it with wood. June taught us to fashion bows and arrows and knives, so that we could hunt. We learned to cook the flesh of the creatures we hunted over Sylaise’s fire, and we learned to clothe ourselves in their furs and skins. And the People were no longer cold and hungry. (Codex: June: God of the Craft)

In the age of Sylaise and June, the People became skilled hunters. 

That Andruil, June and Sylaise are put together nonetheless, might suggest that “physical” elvhen developed technology quite rapidly:

It is Sylaise who gave us fire and taught us how to use it. It is Sylaise who showed us how to heal with herbs and with magic, and how to ease the passage of infants into this world. And again, it is Sylaise who showed us how to spin the fibers of plants into thread and rope. (Codex: Sylaise: The Hearthkeeper)

Finally, Ghilan’nain, whose domain after ascension becomes navigation, finding one’s way on the journey - both physically, while traveling in aravels, and morally, as a tribute to Andruil’s moral code. In the age of Ghilan’nain, the People could have been improving their means of transportation and expanding across Thedas. Also, could her gift in creating monsters be an allusion to cattle farming, and a hint at the transition into the Thedosian equivalent of the Neolithic revolution?

It’s weird in as much as this progression suggests that the elvhen were on a very mundane path of technological advancement and expansion. That something pulled them to stay in the world and organize themselves into a society there, instead of making the Fade their hub and their point of return.

At any rate, I hope this makes any sense as a hint at a shift between some sort of Fade-based existence, mass incarnation and a clumsy transitional period when the elvhen were getting used to physical reality, towards an advanced, mostly mundane society that had to compete with other entities of the earth.

[telleskyggene]

Lyrium

More than half the wealth of Orzammar comes from a single, extremely rare substance: Lyrium. The Chantry believes it to be the "Waters of the Fade" mentioned in the Canticle of Threnodies, the very stuff of creation itself, from whence the Maker fashioned the world. Only a handful of Mining Caste families hazard extracting the ore, finding veins in the Stone quite literally by ear. For in its raw form, lyrium sings, and the discerning can hear the sound even through solid rock. Even though dwarves have a natural resistance, raw lyrium is dangerous for all but the most experienced of the Mining Caste to handle. Even for dwarves, exposure to the unprocessed mineral can cause deafness or memory loss. For humans and elves, direct contact with lyrium ore produces nausea, blistering of the skin, and dementia. Mages cannot even approach unprocessed lyrium. Doing so is invariably fatal. Despite its dangers, lyrium is the single most valuable mineral currently known. In the Tevinter Imperium, it has been known to command a higher price than diamond. The dwarves sell very little of the processed mineral to the surface, giving the greater portion of what they mine to their own smiths, who use it in the forging of all truly superior dwarven weapons and armor. What processed lyrium is sold on the surface goes only to the Chantry, who strictly control the supply. From the Chantry, it is dispensed both to the templars, who make use of it in tracking and fighting maleficarum, and to the Circle. In the hands of the Circle, lyrium reaches its fullest potential. Their Formari craftsmen transform it into an array of useful items from the practical, such as magically hardened stone for construction, to the legendary silver armor of King Calenhad. When mixed into liquid and ingested, lyrium allows mages to enter the Fade when fully aware, unlike all others who reach it only when dreaming. Such potions can also be used to aid in the casting of especially taxing spells, for a short time granting a mage far greater power than he normally wields. Lyrium has its costs, however. Prolonged use becomes addictive, the cravings unbearable. Over time, templars grow disoriented, incapable of distinguishing memory from present, or dream from waking. They frequently become paranoid, as their worst memories and nightmares haunt their waking hours. Mages have additionally been known to suffer physical mutation: The magister lords of the Tevinter Imperium were widely reputed to have been so affected by their years of lyrium use that they could not be recognized by their own kin, nor even as creatures that had once been human.

—From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi.

[minthara]

DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS | REPLAY ➤ And so is the Golden City blackened, With each step you take in my Hall. Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting. You have brought Sin to Heaven, And doom upon all the world. —Canticle of Threnodies 8:13

[vaguely-concerned]

I like to think that in the case of an Inquisitor who was raised outside the andrastian faith, the advisors eventually came up with a subtle sign language hand gesture for 'WARNING: THAT'S HERESY'

mostly because I can imagine my adaar listening to the canticle of threnodies with narrowed eyes like '...so how were 'the maker's first children' at fault for having a neglectful father, exactly' and josephine smilingly yet vigorously gesturing 'herald that is heresy :)' from across the room