Solas, a dreamer.
A dreamer (Tevene: somniari),[1] is a mage capable of entering the Fade at will, without the aid of lyrium or blood magic.
The word is also used to refer to any sleeping or lost person's presence in the Fade.[2]
Abilities[]
A talented dreamer can shape the Fade and affect the dreams of sleeping people, killing or driving them mad. Some, such as Solas, can dream in forgotten ruins to uncover secrets long forgotten by witnessing spirits re-enact the history of a place. Admittedly though, the account of the dream may be biased depending on whose perspective the spirit chooses to emulate. However, dreamers attract demons and most prove too frail of mind to survive a demonic possession. As a result, dreamers are rare.[3] The very presence of demons is painful to dreamers, as they are particularly sensitive to them.[4]
Dreamers may use special dried herbs to help them enter the Fade. Strangely, these herbs smell fresh to the mage once they have entered the Fade. There are also herbs that can preclude sleep and block one from the Fade itself, if necessary.[5]
In Elvhenan[]
Ancient elves were talented dreamers.
Mihris tells that sacred herbs were thrown onto an "eternal fire" for the smoke to guide elven dreamers to the Beyond,[6] but Felassan finds her notions "overly romantic".
During the time of Elvhenan, a dreamer elf who had perfected themselves no longer required the potion of water, honey and herbs used to keep mages alive during uthenera (this was determined by brushing the potion on the lips at the full moon and determining at the new moon if it had been absorbed or not). If no scent of the potion were detected later, such an elf no longer required outside sustenance.
Such elves were moved into beds of pure white, signifying their achievement. They may have resided at the top of ancient elven society, causing resentment amongst elven servants that led to murder during the waning days of Arlathan.[7]
After arrival of humans[]
The first known human dreamer was Thalsian. He came from the Neromenian tribes and claimed that he ventured to the Realms of the Gods where the Old God Dumat taught him blood magic.[8] The Old Gods are said to have taught many members of the Neromenian tribes magic and over time, the Neromenian dreamers become both priests and kings.[9]
There are stories of ancient Tevinter magisters who were able fend off rivals by haunting or killing them in their dreams. Adralla, the mage who invented the litany, is also known to have found a defense against dreamers.[10]
It is said that the First Blight and the birth of darkspawn crippled the Dreamers: for the first time in thousands of years, they could no longer hear the voices of their gods. Over the next hundred years, fewer and fewer mages with the Dreamers' abilities were found in Tevinter. Attempts to breed the ability proved futile, and the resultant mages proved weak of power and frail of mind. Some believe that true Dreamers could still be found in Dalish clans, though they were few and far between even there.[11]
By the time of the Dragon Age the talent was thought to have been extinct for two ages before reappearing with Feynriel, an elf-blooded from Kirkwall.[3] It appears that there are still dreamers in the Tevinter Imperium, like the magister Aurelian Titus.[12]
Known dreamers[]
- Magister Aurelian Titus
- Archon Darinius
- Felassan
- Feynriel
- Solas
- Telana[13][14]
- Templar Dreamer[15]
- Archon Thalsian
Codex entries[]
Related items[]
- Tome of the Slumbering Elders - a journal belonging to the last dreamer of Marethari's clan. This item hints that elves practicing uthenera were ancient dreamers.
- The Magrallen - an ancient magical device used by the old magisters that greatly amplify the dreamer's powers through the use of blood. The more powerful the blood, the greater the amplification.
Trivia[]
- The elves of the Dales were experts in the somniari arts. They were even able to help those without power (i.e., non-mages) enter the Fade through a magical ritual. Some Dalish, such as Keeper Marethari Talas, knew of such a ritual. Marethari states she learned of the ritual from the Tome of the Slumbering Elders.[16]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ "The magic he possesses makes him what the Tevinters called "somniari," a dreamer.", Marethari
- ↑
Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 178
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 According to Keeper Marethari Talas during Night Terrors
- ↑ Where Once We Walked
- ↑ Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 379
- ↑ Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 320
- ↑ Dragon Age: The Masked Empire, p. 317
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 121
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 12
- ↑ Codex entry: The Litany of Adralla
- ↑ Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 2, p. 176
- ↑ Dragon Age: Until We Sleep
- ↑ According to conversation with Ameridan in Jaws of Hakkon.
- ↑ Inquisitor Ameridan Memories; see 3:20.
- ↑ After besting him in combat, he will grant the Warden the Burning Man power.
- ↑ According to Keeper Marethari Talas' dialogue during Night Terrors.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
