Notes

On Dalish
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We are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path. We are the last of the Elvhenan, and never again shall we submit.
You were born amidst the Dalish elves: noble wanderers who refused to join the society of humans that subjugated their homeland so long ago. The Dalish travel the lands in tightly-knit clans, struggling to maintain their half-forgotten lore in a human world that fears and despises them.

Proud of your role as one of the last 'true elves', you have always assumed you would spend your life wandering with your clan... until a chance encounter with a relic of your people's past threatens to tear you away from everything you've known.
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Alerion – the clan Merrill was born into
Lavellan – the elven Inquisitor's clan
* Sabrae – the Dalish Warden's clan and the one Merrill was transferred to (homeclan
Tillahnnen – once headed by Keeper Ellathin
Virnehn – the clan of Thelhen and Mihris
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Members:
Keeper Mahariel – former Keeper of the clan and father of the Dalish elf Warden
Keeper Marethari Talas – succeeded Mahariel after his death
Merrill – First to Keeper Marethari - (LI
Tyanne Mahariel – a hunter and Warden -Main charecter of Tainted hearts (secondary reacuring charecter in wardens tale)
Ilen – the clan's master craftsman
Hahren Paivel – the clan's story teller
Maren – the clan's halla keeper
Tamlen – a hunter and childhood friend of Mahariel - (LI
Pol – a hunter and a former alienage elf
Fenarel – a hunter and friend of Mahariel
Ashalle – guardian of Mahariel
Junar – a hunter
Vinell – a clan elder
Variel
Terath
Ineria
Radha
Chandan
Harshal
Sarel – the Second to the former Keeper; Marethari's husband
Feynriel
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::Weapons::
Dar'Misu is a dagger
Dar'Misaan is a longsword
Dal'Thanu is a waraxe
Dal'Thanaan is a battleaxe
Bor'assan is a bow
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Young Dalish elves are given wooden puzzles called "June's knot," that have no solution to occupy their time.
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::Elven Pantheon::

Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance
Elgar'nan—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.

Mythal: the Great Protector
Mythal, 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.

Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide
Falon'Din 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 and Mythal

Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets
Dirthamen 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.

Andruil: Goddess of the Hunt
Andruil the Huntress, also known as the Lady of Fortune, is the elven goddess of the hunt. To the Dalish, she represents their very survival

Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper
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.

June: God of the Craft
June 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.

Ghilan'nain: Mother of the Halla
Ghilan'nain 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.

Fen'Harel: The Dread Wolf
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.
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Many Dalish live by goddess of the hunt Andruil's code known as the Vir Tanadhal, meaning "Way of Three Trees" or "the Ways of the Hunter." It is made of three parts, taught by Andruil herself, which are:

Vir Assan ("Way of the Arrow") - fly straight and do not waver. "Be swift and silent," Andruil taught. "Strike true; do not waver. And let not your prey suffer."
Vir Bor'Assan ("Way of the Bow") - bend but never break. "As the sapling bends, so must you. In yielding, find resilience; in pliancy, find strength."
Vir Adahlen ("Way of the Forest" or "Way of the Wood") - together we are stronger than the one. "Receive the gifts of the hunt with mindfulness. Respect the sacrifice of my children. Know that your passing shall nourish them in turn."
The three parts of the philosophy are often strung together as a sort of mantra, which the Dalish will often end with the phrase, "We are the last of the elvhenan, and never again shall we submit." A rite of passage for hunters is to bring back the pelt of a creature the hunter has killed.[


Seldom spoken of, however, is a fourth way: the Vir Banal'ras, the "Way of Shadow." Dalish hunters assume it when a debt of blood must be repaid. Such hunters dedicate themselves to vengeance and nothing else. Thus were born the legends of Dalish assassins.
A few follow a different path, Sylaise's code known as Vir Atish'an, "The Way of Peace": Dalish following this calling learn the arts of the healer and the mender.[38]
When dealing with one another, Dalish elves may invoke Vir Sulevanin, a bargain by which an elf will complete a given task for another in return for something, such as a valuable clan item. Though the recipient of this bargain may dissent, they cannot reject an offer of Vir Sulevanin. Similarly, the elf offering the bargain must apparently agree to the task set to them whether it is desirable or not.

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::Death::
"Var Bellanaris
O Falon'Din
Lethanavir—Friend to the Dead
Guide my feet, calm my soul,
Lead me to my rest." praire of the dead

The Dalish people have a tradition of burying their dead in the ground and planting a tree over the remains. They believe that once elves lost their immortality, the god Falon'Din would guide them into the Beyond after death. However, at some point the evil trickster Fen'Harel locked away the elven gods, including Falon'Din, which meant those who passed away no longer had anyone to guide their souls into the Beyond. Therefore, the Dalish began burying two items alongside their dead: an oaken staff, to help them travel paths of the Beyond, and a cedar branch, to scatter the ravens named Fear and Deceit who once served Dirthamen.
Another danger waiting on the path to the afterlife is the Dread Wolf who patrols the Beyond for the souls of the dead to feast upon.


One of the elven legends says that a halla will lead an elf into the afterlife.
Vallasdahlen are trees planted in remembrance of those who dedicated their lives to the Dales kingdom.
Var Bellanaris is sacred burial site of the Dalish, located in the Exalted Plains.
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::Love::
The Dalish appear to be more in line with Fereldan thinking rather than other cultures like Orlais. This means that they tend to take relationships slowly and seriously with each other. Once they have come of age, they may choose a mate with whom to "bond" for life. Elves who bond may exchange small gifts with one another. It is unknown how they view same-sex relationships, but there seems to be no stigma against it. The only thing Dalish may frown upon is the refusal to have children. and (rarely) some Dalish clans practice arranged marriages.

The Dalish do not approve of interspecies romance, and this may result in exile from one's clan. This likely stems from the fact that children born of an elf and another species physically take after the other species.

The Dalish version of marriage is referred to as 'bonding'. Dalish vows are said in elvish. One version is "Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris."
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::Language::
Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.
Adahl/Adhal: Tree.
Adahlen: Wood.
Alas: Earth, dirt.
-an: Suffix indicating place or location.
Ar: First person pronoun; I, me.
Aravas:
Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose. Humans call them "landships."
Arlathan: The major city of Elvhenan, original homeland of the elves; from the phrase "ar lath’an" meaning, "This place of love".
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.
Assan: Arrow.
Atish’an: Peace.
Athim: Humility.
Awell:

B
Banal: Never.
Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.
Banal'ras: Shadow.
Bellanaris: Eternity.
Boranehn: Lost joy.
Bor'assan: Bow.

D
Da: Diminutive prefix; small.
Dar: To be.
Da'len: Little child; little one.
Dahl'amythal: Tree of Mythal from which Dalish Keepers’ staves are cut.
Delltash: Meaning unknown; possibly used as a curse.
Din: The dead.
Din'an: Death/ end.
Din'anshiral: A journey of death.
Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.
Dirthara: Learn
Dirthavaren: The promise; the Elven name for the Exalted Plains.
Dirthera: To tell tales.
Durgen: Stone.
Durgen’len: Children of the stone; the Ancient Elvish term for the dwarves.

E
Elgar: Spirit.
Elgara: Sun.
Elgar'arla: Spirit-trap; a binding circle to hold a spirit or demon.
Eluvian: Mirror; literally "seeing glass."
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.
Enasal: Joy in triumph over loss; a variation of joyful relief.
Enasalin: Victory.
Enansal: Blessing.
Enaste: Favor.
Enfenim: To fear.
Era'harel: Demon-mage; similar to an arcane horror.
Eth: Safe.
Evanuris: Leader; what the elvhen called their gods.

F
Falon: Friend
Felandaris: Demon weed.
Felassan: Slow arrow.
Fen: Wolf.
Fenedhis: a common curse.

G
Garas: Come.
Ghilana: To guide.
Ghilas: To go.
Glandival: To believe.

H
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.
Halamshiral: The capital of the second elven homeland in the Dales; the end of the journey.
Halani: Help.
Hamin: Rest.
Hanal'ghilan: Elven name for the mythical golden halla said by the Dalish to appear during times of great need; the pathfinder.
Harel: To trick or deceive;
Harellan: Trickster; used by the Dalish to mean "traitor to one's kin".
Harillen: Opposition.
Hellathen: Noble struggle.
Him: Become.

I
In: In.
Ir: I am.
Iras: Where.
Irassal: Wherever.

L
La: And.
Las: Grant; give.
Lath: Love of being; to be in love.
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 and lethallen is used as a gender neutral term

M
Ma:
Mala:
Mana:
Melana: Time.
Melanada: All time.
Melava: Time;
Mi: Blade.
Mi'durgen: Diamond; literally 'blade stone'.
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.
Mir: My.
Mirthadra: Honored.

N
Na: Is.
Nadas: Inevitability; something that must be; used as an expression of obligation, i.e. "must".
Nan: Revenge; vengeance.
Numin: Cry.
Nuvenin: Say, as in “as you say”.

R
Renan: Voice.
Revas: Freedom.
Revasan: The place where freedom dwells.

S
Sa: One; one more.
Sahlin: Now; is come.
Samahl: Laugh.
Sa'vunin: One more day.
Setheneran: Land of waking dreams; a place where the Veil is thin.
She'va dhal: An exclamation,
Shem: Quick.
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".
Shiral: Journey.
Solas: Pride; to stand tall.
Solasan: A prideful place.
Somniar: To dream.
Somniari: Dreamer.
Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.
Sulahn: Sing.
Suledin: The concept of finding strength in enduring loss or pain; endure.
Sulevin: Purpose.

T
Tan: Three.
Tarasyl'an Te'las: The place where the sky was held back; Ancient Elven name for Skyhold.
Taren: Mind.
Tasallan: Home; (Merrill's staff is called Vir Tasallan.= 'way home'
Then: Awake; alert.
Theneras: Dream.

U
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".

V
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.
Vallaslin: Blood writing; The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon.
Var: Our.
Venavis:
Vhenadahl: The tree of the people.
Vhen'alas: The land itself, as in "the ground"; literally "our earth".
Vhenan: Heart; often used as a term of endearment.
Vhenas: Home.
Vir: Way; (sometimes 'we')
Vir'abelasan: The place of the way of sorrows; refers to the Well of Sorrows.
Vissanalla: Meaning unknown.
Vunin: Day.
Vhenallin: Friends of the People.
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Amae lethalas:

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.

Ar dirthan’as ir elgara, ma’sula e’var vhenan:

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:
Atish'all vallem:

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

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

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

Dareth shiral: farewell; literally "Safe journey."

Din elvhen emma him?:

Dirth ma banal. Mar solas ena mar din: "You have learned nothing. Your pride be your 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."

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

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

Emmasalin var suledin evanura:

Ellasin selah:

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

Fenedhis lasa: A common curse.

Fen'Harel enansal: "Dread Wolf's blessing"

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

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

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

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.

Ghilas dennar!:

Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.

Ir abelas: I am sorry.

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

Ir tel'him: I'm me again.

Lasa ghilan: Grant/give guidance.

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

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.

Mas enasalin lasa revas evanura:

Mala suledin nadas: Now you must endure.

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

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.

Masal din'an: A threat,

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

Mythal'enaste: Mythal's favor.

Na abelas: You'll be sorry.

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

Na melana sahlin: Your time is come.

Nuvenas mana helanin, dirth bellasa ma:
Penshra! Ghilas vellathan!: Politely
translated as "I prefer that you remain close."

Seran viar malas shivera mellavar!:

Sulevin ghilana hanin: Roughly translates to "purpose guides to glory".

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

Tel'abelas: I'm not sorry.

Tel'dellan sa Vir Dirthara!:

Tel garas solasan: Come not to a prideful place.

Telanadas: Nothing is inevitable.

Var lath vir suledin!: Our love will endure
Viran se lan'aan? Ir annala for ros... Nae! Ga rahn s'dael! Ga rahn! Ir emah'la shal! Ir emah'la shal!:

Vir enasalin!: We [will] win!

Vir sumeil: We are close.

Virthar ma:
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::Halla::
The halla are a type of horned stag. Some of them are herded by the Dalish elves who used them to pull the aravels, or landships. Their milk is also made into cheese and butter. 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. Horns of a halla sells for a fortune. It is said that the Dalish carve their antlers for decorative purposes, and that their antlers are particularly prized in the Tevinter Imperium.

"No creature is more revered by the Dalish than the halla. No other animal has a god of its own. These white stags are much larger than ordinary deer, and the Dalish halla keepers carve their antlers as they grow, making them curve into intricate designs. In ancient times, these stags bore elven knights into combat, but since the fall of the Dales, they are used less as mounts and more to pull the aravels.

The first thing you must understand about the halla is that they are not our servants. They are not our pets. They are our brothers and sisters. Remember that Ghilan'nain, the first halla and mother of them all, was once a huntress of the People. Without the halla, there would be no Dalish.

The second thing you must understand about the halla is that you cannot force a halla to do something against her will. I have heard tales of shemlen who come across herds and attempt to capture the halla, using ropes and bridles. Many shemlen have died impaled on horns as a result of this foolishness. Never forget that the halla once bore our knights into battle. The fierce blood of a warrior still runs through her veins and she would sooner fight to the death than demean herself. Like the Dalish, the halla are proud. A halla knows who she is, and will tolerate no being that tells her she is less.

How then do we harness them to the aravels? How do we ride them, or strap our packs to them? Well, how do you get a brother, a sister, or a friend to do you a favor? Simple, isn't it? You ask. If you have a halla's trust, she will give you her blessing. It's striking that humans never think to ask for a halla's friendship. But then, they are shems, and respect nothing." -Dalish saying