Chant of Light verses

One of the verses from the Chant of Light

A number of Chant of Light verses can be encountered whilst exploring Thedas. However, the full chant can take weeks to recite, so what can be gathered is incomplete. This article is intended to collect all the known verses.

Note: "Dissonant Verses" are ones struck from the canonical Chant.

Canticle of Andraste

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Andraste

Andraste 1

Address and greeting
Hear now, Andraste, daughter of Brona,
Spear-made of Alamarr, to valiant hearts sing
Of victory waiting, yet to be claimed from
The steel-bond forgers of barrren Tevene.

Andraste seeks an end to the suffering of the Alamarri
Great heroes beyond counting raised
Oak and iron 'gainst chains of north-men
And walked the lonely worm-roads evermore.
Mighty of arm and warmest of heart,
Rendered to dust. Bitter is sorrow,
Ate raw and often, poison that weakens and does not kill.

Why must the Shield of Alamarr shatter
'Neath bond and blade? To the wisest I sang,
To the wing'd cup-bearers of the tall sky-vaulting,
To the wintry halls of strong mountain-kings,
Where in days forgotten, voices there raised
Might the gift'd answer and those seekin find.

The Alamarri gods do not answer
From sky-tearing peaks of the sacred mountain
To secret-steep'd roots of the ancient oak trees
A lonesome choir, I, song failing unanswered,
Voice on wind returning, answered no more.

Andraste despairs for her people
In heart's drumming I heard footsteps thund'ring
Shield-brothers and spear-sisters distant raised
Blade to shackle-bearer, valiant of spirit
Blazing like star-shine, to battle they charged.
None to return to the lands of their mothers
By cruel magic taken, ice, lightning, and flame.

Should for all seasons laments ring the sky-vaults,
Should dirges all sages and histories replace?
By gods forsaken, fate emptied of hope,
Wounded I fell then, by grief arrow-studded,
Never to heal, death for me come.

The Maker appears to Andraste
Eyes sorrow-blinded, in darkness unbroken
There 'pon the mountain, a voice answered my call.
"Heart that is broken, beats still unceasing,
An ocean of sorrow does nobody drown.
You have forgotten, spear-maid of Alamarr.
Within My creation, none are alone."

Lo! My eyes open'd, shining before me
Greater than mountains, towering mighty,
Hand all outstretch'd, stars glist'ning as jewels
From rings 'pon His fingers and crown 'pon His brow.

Sword-shattering fear filled me overflowing.
Grandeur of godhood no gaze should defile.
Trembling, I called out: "Forgve me, Most High,
I should sing Your Name to the heights of heaven,
But I know it not, and must be silent."
The Wellspring of All said, "None now remember.
Long have they turned to idols and tales
Away from My Light, in darkness unbroken
The last of My children, shrouded in night."

World fell away then, misty in mem'ry,
'Cross Veil and into the valley of dreams
A vision of all worlds, waking and slumb'ring,
Spirit and mortal to me appeared.
"Look to My work," said the Voice of Creation.
"See what My children in arrogance wrought."

There I saw the Black City, towers all stain'd,
Gates once bright golden forever shut.
Heav'n filled with silence, then did I know all
And cross'd my heart with unbearable shame.

Andraste begs the Maker to give mortals another chance
Then did I see the world spread before me,
Sky-reaching mountains arrayed as a crown,
Kingdoms like jewels, glistering gemstones
Strung 'cross the earth as a necklace of pearl.
"All this is yours," spake the World-aker.
"Join Me in heaven and sorrow no more."

"World-making Glory," I cried out in sorrow,
"How shall your children apology make?
We have forgotten, in ignorance stumbling,
Only a Light in this darken'd time breaks.
Call to Your children, teach us Your greatness.
What has been forgotten has not yet been lost."

Long was his silence, 'fore it was broken.
"For you, song-weaver, once more I will try.
To My children venture, carrying wisdom,
If they but listen, I shall return."

-Andraste 1:1-1:12

Andraste 7

Let the blade pass through the flesh,
Let my blood touch the ground,
Let my cries touch their hearts. Let mine be the last sacrifice.

-Andraste 7:12

Those who oppose thee
Shall know the wrath of heaven.
Field and forest shall burn,
The seas shall rise and devour them,
The wind shall tear their nations
From the face of the earth,
Lightning shall rain down from the sky,
They shall cry out to their false gods,
And find silence.

-Andraste 7:19

Andraste 14

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.

-Andraste 14:11

Canticle of Benedictions

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Benedictions

Benedictions 4

Blessed are they who stand before
The corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.
Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just.

-Benedictions 4:10

Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow.
In their blood the Maker's will is written.

-Benedictions 4:11

Canticle of Erudition

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Erudition

Erudition 2

The first of the Maker's children watched across the Veil
And grew jealous of the life
They could not feel, could not touch.
In blackest envy were the demons born.

-Erudition 2:1

Canticle of Shartan

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Shartan

Shartan 10

At Shartan's word, the sky
Grew black with arrows.
At Our Lady's, ten thousand swords
Rang from their sheaths,
A great hymn rose over Valarian Fields gladly proclaiming:
Those who had been slaves were now free.

-Shartan 10:1, Dissonant Verse

And before them, empty,
Outstretched the land
Which led to the gates of Minrathous.

-Shartan 10:7, Dissonant Verse

Canticle of Silence

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Silence

Silence 1

The Choir of Silence is corrupted
First among the Old Gods was Silence.
His least whisper could end wars or topple Archons.
A single word could turn recrimination into glory.
The sacred fires of his temple burned
Rare incense, and the trees of Arlathan, and lapped at the bones of slaves
While his altars dripped with the blood of sacrifices that never dried.

The High Priest, Conductor of the Choir of Silence, ruled
Above all the Dreamers of the Imperium. Wisest
And most powerful of the Magiesters Sidereal.
In his dreams, he alone heard the voice of Silence.

"Open the gates.
To my Golden City you must sojourn.
At the foot of my throne, I shall anoint you,
Most favored of my disciples,
And I shall raise you up to godhood
That all mortals shall knownyour glory."

The cal of the Old God filled the High Priest's heart,
Consuming all his waking hours and turning his dreams
To ash and bones.Every priest and acolyte of Silence
To the Great Choir assembled, and the High Priest
Shared with them the words of Silence.

Every priest and acolyte of the Choir
Turned their hearts and minds as one to
Their god's command. For the Word of Silence
Could not be ignored, and the fire burning
In the heart of the High Priest consumed them
As a wildfire consumes plains.

The priests formulate a plan
All knew the Golden Heart of dreams' kingdom
Shone like a star, forever out of reach.
No mortal foot could tread those halls,
No hand knocked upon the gate.
Secrets beyond measure were the keys
The Choir of Silence would need, and they had few.

And so the First Acolyte spoke to the High Priest
And said: "We are the masters of secrets,
But our god demands more. Let us to the Builders
Whisper, and they who construct monuments to the glory
of the gods shall build us a road to the Golden City,
Where your promise shall be fulfilled."

And the Great Conductor of the Choir heard him.

The priests of Beauty are corrupted
The High Priest of Beauty, Architect of the Works of Beauty, designed
Every work and wonder of the Imperium according to the plans of his god.
To him, the Conductor went in secret, armed
With the whisper of Silence.

But the High Priest of Beauty was sorely troubled,
For he served only the Great Plans
And would in no wise raise a servant of Silence
Above himself or his god.

And yet, the fire in the Conductor's heart ignited
Within the Architect a terrible flame.
And so he turned all the lesser priests and acolytes from the Temple of Beauty
To beseech counsel from his god.

And to him, Beauty revealed a grand plan:
"Open the gates.
And when you stand before me,
Is hall give you designs
That shall rival the greatness of heaven.
I will make you the First among the new gods,
And you will build a paradise on earth."

So the High Priest of Beauty returned to the Conductor of Silence
And promised all the skill of Beauty's designs
In reaching the Golden City.

The remainder of the priesthoods are recruited
But the designs of Beauty's High Priest demanded more.
No small sacrifice would open the gate.
And so the High Priest of Silence went forth again.
To the Watchman of Night, and the Forgewright of Fire,
To the Appraiser of Slavery, and the Augur of Mystery,
And last of all to the Madman of Chaos.
The words of Silence were revealed.

Jealousy and torment consumed them all, for no dreamer
Wished to aid the others in the least measure,
Yet none could bear that rivals might walk in the Light
Of their gods, when they did not.

So each retired to their temples and sought wisdom
From the voice of their own god. And each god
Gave the same commandment:
The unreachable gate must open.
And each was promised
Power and glory beyond all reckoning
If they would only come to the feet of the gods and ask.

And so they joined in secret, telling none
Who were not of the temples of their designs.
And in Minrathous, in the heart of the Archon a sliver of fear grew,
Stabbing like a wound. Though he knew not why.

-Silence 1:1-1:17, Dissonant Verse

Silence 2

The seven High Priests prepare
The Imperium slept. In the lofty palaces
Mages dreamed of the Maker's Palace, golden and shining,
And though they knew not why, the dream turned their blood to ice.
Soldiers stood their watches, and servants huried on errands,
Unaware of what the dawn would bring.

In the Great Choir of Silence, the High Priests gathered.
A hundred chosen acolytes brought lyrium
Enough to drown a city in chiming silver
And slaves beyond counting to the temple
In accordance with the designs of their gods.

Someone speaks out against the plan
As he looked upon the waiting sacrifices,
One acolyte felt the first prickling pangs
Of dread. And he turned to his fellow priests,
Saying: "Should glory come at such a price?
What reward can be worth this? If mortals
Were meant to stand among the gods,
Would the gods not open their gates to us?
Rather than demand we build a tower,
Blood, bone, and metal, to the heavens?"

The ritual begins
But the gathered acolytes turned from him,
For there was nothing but ambition
Where hearts once beat within them.
And ninety-nine knives gleamed in the firelight
As the sacrifices began.

The doubting acolyte flees
The one who had spoken
Into shadow crept and made himself away.
North, to the road, Minrathous bound.
Fear grasping at his every breath
That none miht stop his brethren
Save the Archon himelf.

The Magisters ascend
The Great Choir of Silence shook
As the earth trembled in holy terror.
A wordless scream is if from
The legions of dead slaves rose
To the zenith of the black sky.

Before the might of the seven Magisters Sidereal,
The Veil shattered like the flimsiest glass.
Dream and waking lay before their feet,
Two paths diverging.
Into the dream they strode, dauntless,
For nothing in the realm of gods or man
Could keep them from their promised prize.

The Magisters enter the Golden City
The minds of all lay bare before the Seven,
But no mere machinations against the sleeping
Had brought them hence.
By blood and lyrium were they drawn
Inexorably to the Unreachable City,
The heart of all creation.

At a touch, the gate swung wide,
And the Light parted before them like a curtain
Swept aside by nothing. Fearful to touch them.
And none saw the black mark
Spreading like a sore upon the shining gate
Where mortal hand had lain.

-Silence 2:1-2:9, Dissonant Verse

Silence 3

The Magisters face judgment
Surrounded by glory, the Seven stood,
In the hall of apotheosis, heedless
Of what festered in the shadows the cast there,
Of what stained and corroded footprints they left.

But upon the throne of heaven they found
No dragons bearing promised rewards
But the Maker of the World in all His radiance,
And the Seven cried out in shock and rage, for nothing
They had seen in vision or imagined in their most
Avaricious dreams had prepared them to see
His Light with mortal eyes.

Like moths who reach a bonfire, the Seven burned.
But the Maker kept them from death,
And He held the priests before His throne
And looked upon them, His long-awaited children
At last returned to Him. And He saw
Only hunger and envy in their hearts,
Only pride and desire in their eyes,
And He knew that they knew Him not.

Then the Maker heard the distant cries
Of the sacrificed. A chorus of voices beyond counting
Calling out for justice. And all that they had done
Was known to Him.

The Maker of All spoke to the Seven then, saying:
"Into My house you walk uninvited, demanding rewards
You have not earned. On wings of death
And suffering are you borne hence.
The darkness planted by your betrayers in your hearts I see.
Did you not know, when you chose to revere them over Me?

"The Old Gods will call to you,
From their ancient prisons they will sing.
Dragons with wicked eyes and wicked hearts,
On blacken'd wings does deceit take flight,
The first of My children, lost to night.

"You have chosen, and spilled the blood
Of innocence fo power. I pity your folly,
But still more do I pity those whose lives you have taken
In pursuit of selfish goals.
No more will you bear the Light.
To darkness flee, and be gon from My sight!"

And the Veil ripped beneath their feet,
And the Seven fell. And the gates of the city slammed
Shut. And the wicked corruption they had carried
Covered it. And it opened no more.
And the Maker in sorrow turned His gaze
And no longer hoped for His children to return.

The alarm is raised in Minrathous
The gret city of Minrathous
The faithful acolyte had through desperate measures reached.
His heart like ice, certain that none
Save the Archon alone could hold back
Those wheels the high priests and their lackeys
Had set in motion.

No more did the Old Gods whisper in his ear.
No more did he hear any voice in his dreams
But his own, and the mutterings of jealous spirits,
And he knew that this silence boded ill.

No mere acolyte could approach
The throne of the Ferryman.
Stave and spear blocked his path
And the faithful acolyte feared that all was lost.

But guided by wisdom and portent both,
The Archon bade his guard stand aside,
And the lowly priest brought before him,
That he might know the meaning
Behind the holy dread which shadowed his every step.

The design of the priests was laid bare,
And the Archon turned with steel resolve
To his appointed task.
For only divine wrath could follow
Where the traitorous Seven had gone.

The Magisters fall
The Seven fell from the Wellspring of Creation,
No longer creatures of the Maker's Light.
From the height of heaven they plunged,
And Tevinter saw them burn across the sky like falling stars.
Where they touched the earth,
Twisted darkness grew, poisoned by their hate.
And the clouds covered them and wept.

Like a sickness, evil grew within them.
Their pride refused al measure of blame.
Not they, but their masters had brought them low.
They cried out in rage to gods
Who did not answer.
And they would have vengeance upon
The gods of broken promises.
And through them, vengeance
On the Maker and His world.

The Archon scatters the Magisters
The Archon followed the path of fire
Writ large across the sky of Tevinter,
And upon the plain where once great
Barindur had stood he arrived,
Girded in lyrium and silverite,
Bearing in his left hand
A staff of gold and emeralds, wreathed in lightning,
And upon his right
The ring of the Ferryman, symbol of Darinius
And the Might of the Imperium itself.

The Seven struck against the Archon
With all their twisted magic,
But no pestilent hate could turn aside
Tevinter's Ferryman.

Across the plain, the Archon saw,
Where the defilers stood, corruption,
Blackness all consuming,
Threatened to engulf his land and all his people.
With fire and lightning he strove
To cleanse the spreading poison from the earth,
To no avail. Magic could not undo
What evil had done.

So the Archon called upon the spirits of the Fade,
And adding their strength to his own,
Scattered them to the winds and the corners of the earth
And with a heavy heart
Returned to unassailable Minrathous
To prepare his people for the doom to come.

-Silence 3:1-3:19, Dissonant Verse

Canticle of Threnodies

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Threnodies

Threnodies 1

And so we burned. We raised nations, we waged wars,
We dreamed up false gods, great demons
Who could cross the Veil into the waking world,
Turned our devotion upon them, and forgot you.

-Threnodies 1:8

Threnodies 5

Threnodies 5 includes an account of the founding of the Golden City by the Maker.

The Maker creates the Fade and the spirits
There was no word
For heaven or for earth, for sea or sky.
All that existed was silence.
Then the Voice of the Maker rang out,
The first Word,
And His Word became all that might be:
Dream and idea, hope and fear,
Endless possibilities.
And from it made his firstborn.
And he said to them:
"In My image I forge you,
To you I give dominion
Over all that exists.
By your will
May all things be done."

The Golden City
Then in the center of heaven
He called forth
A city with towers of gold,
streets with music for cobblestones,
And banners which flew without wind.
There, He dwelled, waiting
To see the wonders
His children would create.

The Maker becomes disillusioned with the spirits
The children of the Maker gathered
Before his golden throne
And sang hymns of praise unending.
But their songs
Were the songs of the cobblestones.
They shone with the golden light
Reflected from the Maker's throne.
They held forth the banners
That flew on their own.

And the Voice of the Maker shook the Fade
Saying: In My image I have wrought
My firstborn. You have been given dominion
Over all that exists. By your will
All things are done.
Yet you do nothing.
The realm I have given you
Is formless, ever-changing.

The Fade is separated from the World
And He knew he had wrought amiss.
So the Maker turned from his firstborn
And took from the Fade
A measure of its living flesh
And placed it apart from the Spirits, and spoke to it, saying:
Here, I decree
Opposition in all things:
For earth, sky
For winter, summer
For darkness, Light.
By My Will alone is Balance sundered
And the world given new life.

Man is created
And no longer was it formless, ever-changing,
But held fast, immutable,
With Words for heaven and for earth, sea and sky.
At last did the Maker
From the living world
Make men. Immutable, as the substance of the earth,
With souls made of dream and idea, hope and fear,
Endless possibilities.

Then the Maker said:
"To you, My second-born, I grant this gift:
In your heart shall burn
An unquenchable flame
All-consuming, and never satisfied.
From the Fade I crafted you,
And to the Fade you shall return
Each night in dreams
That you may always remember Me."

The Maker seals himself in the Golden City
And then the Maker sealed the gates
Of the Golden City
And there, He dwelled, waiting
To see the wonders
His children would create.
-Threnodies 5:1-5:8

The rise of the Old Gods
Now, with their Father's eye elsewhere, the firstborn
At last created something new:
Envy. They looked upon the living world and the favored
Sons and daughters there, covetous of all they were.
Within their hearts grew
An intolerable hunger.
Until, at last, some of the firstborn said:
"Our Father has abandoned us for these lesser things.
We have power over heaven.
Let us rule over earth as well
And become greater gods than our Father."

The demons appeared to the children of earth in dreams
And named themselves gods, demanding fealty.
And a mighty voice cried out,
Shaking the very foundations of heaven:
"Ungrateful children! I gave you power
To shape heaven itself,
And you have made only poison.
As you crave the earth, the earth shall be
Your domain! Into the darkness
I cast you! In tombs of immutable rock
Shall you dwell for all time."
-Threnodies 5:9-5:10

Those who had been cast down,
The demons who would be gods,
Began to whisper to men from their tombs within the earth.
And the men of Tevinter heard and raised altars
To the pretender-gods once more,
And in return were given, in hushed whispers,
The secrets of darkest magic.
-Threnodies 5:11

Threnodies 6

War between Neromenian and Inghirsh
On the shores of the Nocen, in the lands of Neromenian
King Antoridus girded his people for war. A thousand strong
Carried spear and bow to the East. To be forged anew
And rise on burning wings, heroes of Neromenian.
Mighty were the Inghirsh, who returned numbers beyond counting
To the lands of their fathers, carried on the shields of their kin.

Antonidus demanded victory, and so his many Oracles
Consulted the stars and drank the blood of unclean beasts,
Seeking counsel from the Maker that they might deliver
To their king the lands of the Inghirsh people.
And the Maker gave them signs and portents
That no victory was theirs to claim.

The First Dreamer
But among the king's Oracles was one, Thalsian, who sought counsel
Not from the Maker of the World, but from a demon of the Fade.
And he returned to his king with its tidings.

Antoridus turns away from the Maker
If Antoridus would make burned offerings of oxen and horses
And swear that he would follow the Maker no more,
The demon would grant him the lands of all the Inghirsh people.
So Antoridus sought the best oxen and horses
And made burned offerings to the demon. And he turned his back
Upon the Maker of the World.

Conquest of the Inghirsh
So did the demon gift to Antonidus victory
Over the mighty Inhirsh, and they who had held forth
Against ten thosand spears were laid low
And their people were made chattel, and their lands claimed
In the name of Neromenian.

War with the Planasene
The power of Neromenian grew sevenfold.
And with it, Antoridus's heart grew hard. And he looked
Upon the lands of the Planasene to the south, and said:
"There upon the plains I see a land of plenty.
The branches bear fruit until they bow to the ground,
And sheaves of wheat go to rot, forgotten, in the fields."

So once again, in the lands of King Antoridus
The people of Neromenian girded for war. Seven thousand strong
Carried spear and bow to the South. To forge anew
The land of plenty in the name of the king.

In the lands of the South, on the banks
Of the River Pnemoix, the people heard the croaking of ravens
And were afraid. They cried out to their king, Damertes,
To save them from the coming storm.

Damertes consults his Oracles
The king of the Planasene, sorely troubled,
From amongst the wisest of his people gathered
A council to prepare for the arrival of the enemy.
And the sages went forth and looked to the stars,
Drew water from the sacred River Pnemoix,
With hope that the fate of Inghirsh might not be shared.

And the Great Blade of Heaven revealed
An attack would come in secret, from the East.
And the Swift carried with it news that the men of the North
Would set the fields of Planasene alight before them.

And lo, the sages returned to their King Damertes
And girded the warriors of Planasene with talismans
Carved from serpentstone and annointed their brows
With the waters of the sacred Pnemoix,
And sent them forth to battle with Neromenian.

Damertes decreed that all the men and women of the kingdom
To the fields of the East journey with vessels drawn
From the Sacred Pnemoix. And for three days and three nights
They anointed the fields that the river's blessing
Might keep the fires of the dragons' children at bay.

The armies clash
On the eve of battle, the armies of Antoridus raised their voices
In praise to their demon gods for their victory to come,
While the armies of Damertes called out in supplication to the Maker.
No darkness could hide the fears of Planasene,
No star could outshine the sureness of Neromenian.

As the sun rose, the armies girded themselves,
And the dragons' children put flame to the fields of Planasene,
But the sacred Pnemoix protected them, and they did not burn.

The army of Antoridus, seven thousand strong, raised their bows
And a terrible thunder rang out, and the sky went black with arrows,
And though they raised their shields, a rain of death fell
Upon the Planasene, whose blood annointed the fields.

A mighty cry of rage went up from the army of Damertes
To see their brothers and sisters struck down.
And the army of Antoridus answered
With the thunder of spears beating shields.

And the soldiers of the demon charged,
Spears thirsting for the blood of the Maker's children.
And the army of Damertes readied their shields.

The righteous stood before the armies
As a boulder stands before a tide:
Unshaken, rooted there by the Maker's Hand.
And the demon's soldiers broke upon their shields
As a wave breaks upon the shore.

As the sun set upon the fields of Planasene,
The armies of Neromenian had taken no steps into the lands of the faithful.
But the fields ran red. And great were the lamentations of the living
For the countless dead of Damertes.

Damertes forsakes the Maker
In the deep hours of the night, King Damertes sought
Counsel from his sages, for he knew
His army could not withstand another day against the dragons' children.
And the wisest sages of Planasene consulted the stars
And found nothing.

In desperation, King Damertes turned
To pagan soothsayers, saying:
"Find me a demon wiht the strength to counter Neromenian's."
And they reached into the darkest realms of dream
And found one who promised Damertes
To turn aside the spears of Antoridus
If he would forsake the Maker and praise only her name.

So, in the hours before dawn, King Damertes cursed the Maker's name.
And he burned offerings to the demon, and praised her
That his lands might be spared.

And as the sun rose upon the fields of the Planasene,
The armies of Antoridus fell to the ground
Afflicted with boils and racked with pain.
And they cried out in fear, and fled back to their own lands.
And from that day forth, the Maker's name was spoken no more
In the lands of the sacred Pnemoix.

-Threnodies 6:1-6:23

Threnodies 7

And as the black clouds came upon them,
They looked on what pride had wrought,
And despaired.
-Threnodies 7:10

The work of man and woman,
By hubris of their making.
The sorrow a blight unbearable.

-Threnodies 7:11

Threnodies 8

The numbering of Threnodies 8 is hard to understand, as there are various sources of quotes from its verses that don't seem to quite form a coherent picture. See references for more information.

Threnodies 8 includes an account of the invasion and corruption of the Golden City by Tevinter Magisters and of the First Blight that the Chantry claims resulted from this desecration.

No matter their power, their triumphs,
The mage-lords of Tevinter were men
And doomed to die.
Then a voice whispered within their hearts,
Shall you surrender your power
To time like the beasts of the fields?
You are the Lords of the earth!
Go forth to claim the empty throne
Of Heaven and be gods.

In secret they worked
Magic upon magic
All their power and all their vanity
They turned against the Veil
Until at last, it gave way.

Above them, a river of Light,
Before them the throne of Heaven, waiting,
Beneath their feet
The footprints of the Maker,
And all around them echoed a vast
Silence.

But when they took a single step
Toward the empty throne
A great voice cried out
Shaking the very foundations
Of Heaven and earth:

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.

-Threnodies 8.13

According to the Chant of Light, the magisters who trespassed in the Golden City became the first darkspawn.

Violently were they cast down,
For no mortal may walk bodily
In the realm of dreams,
Bearing the mark of their Crime:
Bodies so maimed
And distorted that none should see them
And know them for men.

Deep into the earth they fled,
Away from the Light.
In Darkness eternal they searched
For those who had goaded them on,
Until at last they found their prize,
Their god, their betrayer:
The sleeping dragon Dumat. Their taint
Twisted even the false-god, and the whisperer
Awoke at last, in pain and horror, and led
Them to wreak havoc upon all the nations of the world:
The first Blight.

-Threnodies 8.7

In the absence of light, shadows thrive
-Threnodies 8:21

There in the depths of the earth they dwelled,
Spreading their taint as a plague, growing in number
Until they were a multitude.
And together they searched ever deeper
Until they found their prize,
Their god, their betrayer.

-Threnodies 8:27

And down they fled into darkness and despair.
-Threnodies 8:28

Those who had been cast down,
the demons who would be gods,
began to whisper to men from their tombs within the earth.
And the men of Tevinter heard,
and raised altars to the pretender gods once more,
and in return were given, in hushed whispers,
the secrets of darkest magic.

But it was not worship the false gods craved.

They urged the magisters to ever-greater depravity,
rewarding them with power and more.
Arrogance became a great caged beast in the lands of Tevinter,
an emptiness that consumed all and could never be filled.
To satisfy its hunger, the mage lords, at the goading of their gods,
assaulted the Golden City, heart of all creation,
to take the Maker's power for themselves.

With magic born of mingled blood and lyrium,
the Tevinter broke into the Maker's House.
But the promised power did not await them there.

The moment they entered the city of the maker, their sin poisoned it.
What had been golden turned black,
and violently they were flung from the world of dreams back into the waking world.
Twisted and corrupted by their crime and their magic into monsters,
they fled underground,
unable to bear the light of day.
The first darkspawn.

-Threnodies 8:21-27

Threnodies 12

Those who had sought to claim
Heaven by violence destroyed it. What was
Golden and pure turned black.
Those who had once been mage-lords,
The brightest of their age,
Were no longer men, but monsters

-Threnodies 12:1

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.

Passing out of the world, in that Void shall they wander;
O unrepentant, faithless, treacherous,
They who are judged and found wanting
Shall know forever the loss of the Maker's love.
Only Our Lady shall weep for them.

-Threnodies 12:5

Canticle of Transfigurations

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Transfigurations

Transfigurations 1

The Commandments
These truths the Maker has revealed to me:
As there is but one world,
One life, one death, there is
But one god, and He is our Maker.
They are sinners, who have given their love
To false gods.

Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him.
Foul and corrupt are they
Who have taken His gift
And turned it against His children.
They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones.
They shall find no rest in this world
Or beyond.

All men are the Work of our Maker's Hands,
From the lowest slaves
To the highest kings.
Those who bring harm
Without provocation to the least of His children
Are hated and accursed by the Maker.

Those who bear false witness
And work to deceive others, know this:
There is but one Truth.
All things are known to our Maker
And He shall judge their lies.

All things in this world are finite.
What one man gains, another has lost.
Those who steal from their brothers and sisters
Do harm to their livelihood and to their peace of mind.
Our Maker sees this with a heavy heart.

-Transfigurations 1:1-1:5

Transfigurations 10

The one who repents, who has faith,
Unshaken by the darkness of the world,
She shall know true peace.

Andraste's Sermon at Valarian Fields
Many are those who wander in sin,
Despairing that they are lost forever,
But the one who repents, who has faith
Unshaken by the darkness of the world,
And boasts not, nor gloats
Over the misfortunes of the weak, but takes delight
In the Maker's law and creations, she shall know
The peace of the Maker's benediction.
The Light shall lead her safely
Through the paths of this world, and into the next.
For she who trusts in the Maker, fire is her water.
As the moth sees light and goes toward flame,
She should see fire and go towards Light.
The Veil holds no uncertainty for her,
And she will know no fear of death, for the Maker
Shall be her beacon and her shield, her foundation and her sword.

-Transfigurations 10:1'

Transfigurations 12

O Maker, hear my cry:
Guide me through the blackest nights
Steel my heart against the temptations of the wicked
Make me to rest in the warmest places.

O Creator, see me kneel:
For I walk only where You would bid me
Stand only in places You have blessed
Sing only the words You place in my throat

My Maker, know my heart
Take from me a life of sorrow
Lift me from a world of pain
Judge me worthy of Your endless pride

My Creator, judge me whole:
Find me well within Your grace
Touch me with fire that I be cleansed
Tell me I have sung to Your approval

O Maker, hear my cry:
Seat me by Your side in death
Make me one within Your glory
And let the world once more see Your favor

For You are the fire at the heart of the world
And comfort is only Yours to give.

-Transfigurations 12:1-12:6

Transfigurations 18

Foul and corrupt are you
Who have taken My gift
And turned it against My children.

-Transfigurations 18:10

Canticle of Trials

See also: Chant of Light: Canticle of Trials

Trials 1

Maker, my enemies are abundant.
Many are those who rise up against me.
But my faith sustains me; I shall not fear the legion,
Should they set themselves against me.

-Trials 1:1

In the long hours of the night
When hope has abandoned me,
I will see the stars and know
Your Light remains.

I have heard the sound
A song in the stillness,
The echo of Your voice,
Calling creation to wake from its slumber.

How can we know You?
In the turning of the seasons, in life and death,
In the empty space where our hearts
Hunger for a forgotten face?

You have walked beside me
Down the paths where a thousand arrows sought my flesh.
You have stood with me when all others
Have forsaken me.

I have faced armies
With You as my shield,
And though I bear scars beyond counting, nothing
Can break me except Your absence.

When I have lost all else, when my eyes fail me
And the taste of blood fills my mouth, then
In the pounding of my heart
I hear the glory of creation.

You have grieved as I have.
You, who made worlds out of nothing.
We are alike in sorrow, sculptor and clay,
Comforting each other in our art.

Do not grieve for me, Maker of All.
Though all others may forget You,
Your name is etched into my every step.
I will not forsake You, even if I forget myself.

-Trials 1:2-1:9

Maker, though the darkness comes upon me,
I shall embrace the light. I shall weather the storm.
I shall endure.
What you have created, no one can tear asunder.

-Trials 1:10

Who knows me as You do?
You have been there since before my first breath.
You have seen me when no other would recognize my face.
You composed the cadence of my heart.

Through blinding mist, I climb
A sheer cliff, the summit shrouded in fog, the base
Endlessly far beneath my feet
The Maker is the rock to which I cling.

I cannot see the path.
Perhaps there is only abyss.
Trembling, I step forward,
In darkness enveloped.

-Trials 1:11-1:13

Though all before me is shadow,
Yet shall the Maker be my guide.
I shall not be left to wander the drifting roads of the Beyond.
For there is no darkness in the Maker's Light
And nothing that He has wrought shall be lost.

-Trials 1:14

I am not alone. Even
As I stumble on the path
With my eyes closed, yet I see
The Light is here.

-Trials 1:15

Draw your last breath, my friends,
Cross the Veil and the Fade and all the stars in the sky.
Rest at the Maker's right hand,
And be Forgiven.

-Trials 1:16

Trials 5

Maker, though I am but one, I have called in your name.
And those who come to serve will know your glory.
I remembered for them.
They will see what can be gained,
And though we are few against the wind, we are yours.

-Trials 5:1

Trials 15

Though I am flesh, Your Light is ever present,
And those I have called, they remember,
And they shall endure.
I shall sing with them the Chant, and all will know,
We are Yours, and none shall stand before us.

-Trials 15:1

Canticle of Victoria

Now her hand is raised
A sword to pierce the sun
With iron shield she defends the faithful
Let chaos be undone

-Victoria 1:3

Other verses

This section contains verses from the Chant of Light for which the Canticle is not known.

Chanter Devons

Note: Chanter Devons, by the Lothering Chanter's Board, recites these verses.

And Eileen spoke unto the masses,
"My hearth is yours, my bread is yours, my life is yours.
For all who walk in the sight of the Maker are one."

Let all repeat the Chant of Light.
Only the Word dispels the darkness upon us.

A learned child is a blessing upon his parents and onto the Maker.

And so Rajmael in the heathen temple recanted.
"Speak only the Word; sing only the Chant.
Then the Golden City is thine," spoke Andraste.

What hath man's sin wrought?

Let him take notice and shine upon thee, for thou has done His work on this day
And the stars stood still, the winds did quiet, and all animals of earth and air held their breath
And all was silent in prayer and thanks.

Other Chanters

Though stung with a hundred arrows,
Though suffering from ailments both great and small,
His Heart was strong, and he moved on.

The deep dark before dawn's first light seems eternal,
But know that the sun always rises.

Though the lands suffer a thousand wrongs,
The Maker yet notices the smallest of deeds.

See also

• Category:Chant of Light groups articles on this topic, including codex entries that contain quotations from the Chant.

Trivia

• The majority of verses of the Chant of Light are written by Mary Kirby.