Falon'Din

“Lethanavir, master-scryer, be our guide, through shapeless worlds and airless skies.” ―Ancient song

Falon'Din (fahl-awn-DEEN) is the elven god of death and fortune who guides the dead to the Beyond.^[1]

Dalish legends

In ancient times, the People were ageless and eternal, and instead of dying would enter uthenera-the long sleep-and walk the shifting paths beyond the Veil with Falon'Din and his brother Dirthamen. Those elders would learn the secrets of dreams, and some returned to the People with newfound knowledge.

—From Codex entry: Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide

In Dalish stories Dirthamen and his twin brother Falon'Din are the eldest children of Elgar'nan and Mythal.^[1] Falon'Din had no fear of the night and would walk where the People could not live.^[2]

Legends tell that the twins were inseparable spirits from birth to adulthood. They were parted when Falon'Din found an old and sickly deer in the forest. He gathered her up into his arms and carried her to her rest beyond the Veil, to a place where Dirthamen could not easily follow.^[3]^[4]

Since then he has guided elders on journeys of enlightenment while in Uthenera,^[1] and later swore to guide all creatures beyond the Veil when they died. Falon'din's husbandry of the dead has taken on additional meaning since elves have become mortal.^[4]

In Elvhenan

Falon'Din is also known as a "twin soul" to Dirthamen: a non-romantic, quintessentially elven relationship that binds beyond friendship. In some corners the two gods are not referred to as brothers at all.^[5]

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Falon'Din's vanity and desire for worshippers was so great he started brutal wars to gain more, killing all who would not bow to him. Only once Mythal rallied the other gods and they attacked Falon'Din in his own temple did he surrender.^[6]

This section contains spoilers for:
Trespasser.

When Falon'Din and Elgar'nan found themselves in an argument, Mythal defused the situation by suggesting that they appoint their knights to battle in their stead, thus avoiding a civil war among the gods. Falon'Din's champion lost the duel.^[7]

Symbols and shrines

Falon'Din's sacred animal is an owl that legends hold to be either his servant^[2] or his embodiment^[8] and simultaneously a messenger of Andruil.^[9] Constellation "Tenebrium", called "Shadow" in the common parlance and resembling as an owl, may be associated with him. Falon'Din himself is sometimes depicted as a cloaked and hooded pointing figure.^[10]

Tales of Falon'Din

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

"I do not believe they sing songs about Falon'Din's vanity. It is said Falon'Din's appetite for adulation was so great, he began wars to amass more worshippers. The blood of those who wouldn't bow low filled lakes as wide as oceans. Mythal rallied the gods, once the shadow of Falon'Din's hunger stretched across her own people. It was almost too late. Falon'Din only surrendered when his brethren bloodied him in his own temple."^[6]