The people of Thedas hold a multitude of different opinions on the matter of death and funerary rites. Nevertheless, in most cultures, proper rites involve disposing of the corpses in order to prevent them from becoming host to demons.[1] It's also widely believed that souls of the dead pass through the Veil and enter the Fade before reaching the afterlife.[2]
Viewpoints[]
Avvar[]
An Avvar woman preparing a body for a sky burial
“Fly to the Lady in peace, and come back soon” ―Cole about the funeral of Finn's father
Rather than cremating their dead as Andrastians do, the Avvar dismember the bodies and offer them to the Lady of the Skies through her messengers, the birds, in what Ferelden scholars refer to as an "air burial" (also known as "sky burial"). For most, the body is laid out, usually at the top of a mountain, and prayers are given. When the birds come, they carry the soul to the domain of the Lady of the Skies, where they will be reunited with their kin.[3] Sky Watchers, who serve as priests to the Lady, use ritual weapons to dismember the dead bodies[4] and break up the bones into fragments before presenting them as offerings to the goddess.[5] However, blighted bodies are not retrieved by the Lady's messengers and can therefore find no peace in the afterlife.[6]
Some souls are chosen to return–a blessing considered a rare honor. The augur reads the signs at birth to find such worthy individuals. In order to return, an offering provided by blood-kin and prepared by a huntsmaster is made to Korth; and buried beneath the body. A piece of the soul thus remains, allowing the rest to return to the world and be reborn.[7] These resurrected souls are not expected to remember their past lives, but are instead believed to be guided by their past experience through visions and portents.[3]
The Chantry[]
Cross the Veil and the Fade and all the stars in the sky.
Rest at the Maker's right hand,
And be forgiven.[8]
The funeral rites in the Chantry involve cremation, commemorating Andraste's death on a pyre. The Chantry teaches that spirits of the virtuous ascend to the side of the Maker, while the spirits of the sinners are doomed to endlessly wander the Fade in search of the Maker's grace. When Andraste burned on her pyre, she was cleansed of her sins, thus a flame became a symbol of purity in the Chantry.[9]
Mourners light candles inside a chantry to commemorate their dead loved ones. This act is often accompanied by singing a verse from the Canticle of Transfigurations that's also known as a Chant for the Departed.[10]
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Nevarra[]
Grand Necropolis
Nevarran funerary traditions differ from the rest of the Chantry. Unlike most other Andrastians, Nevarran people do not burn their dead but instead carefully preserve the bodies and seal them in elaborate tombs. Some of the wealthiests Nevarrans start building their own tombs while still young, spending decades overseeing their construction. These become incredible palaces, with gardens, bathhouses, and ballrooms, kept only for the dead.[11] These crypts are often decorated with their most prized possessions[12], and each crypt is as unique as the family buried there.[13] The tradition of preserving corpses stems from the belief that when a dead soul enters the Fade, it displaces a spirit across the Veil. In order to provide safe hosts for such spirits, Nevarrans mummify their dead and place them in elaborate crypts in the Grand Necropolis. This task is entrusted to a secretive order of mages known as Mortalitasi, founded by the Tevinter mage Vitus Fabria, who first preached the idea of soul displacement.[14]
The Dalish[]
O Falon'Din
Lethanavir—Friend to the Dead
Guide my feet, calm my soul,
Lead me to my rest.[15]
The Dalish people have a tradition of burying their dead in the ground and planting a tree over the remains.[16] 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.[15] 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.[17] The Dalish may invoke Falon'Din on their deathbed or before embarking on a journey they don't expect to return from.[18]
One of the elven legends says that a halla will lead an elf into the afterlife.[19]
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.
Uthenera was a slumber-like state that ancient elves entered when they became weary of life. It wasn't the same as death, though sometimes, the elves would not wake up from this slumber. There are several poems about uthenera, which are nowadays used in the context of mourning.[20][21][22]
Dwarves[]
“Atrast tunsha. Totarnia amgetol tavash aeduc.” ―Words of a formal dwarven rite for the dead.[23]
The dwarves believe that they are the Children of the Stone. As such, they're meant to return to Her after death. This is done by burying the dead inside stone tombs. Nobles and Paragons are entombed in elaborate crypts, while commoners are encased within simple stone cairns. If even that option is beyond the dwarf's means, they are buried in the dirt.[24]
The souls of the worthy dwarves are put to rest in the Stone after the words of a ritual are said.[23] In death their spirits become part of the Ancestors who guide and care for their descendants for eternity as well as make the Stone stronger.[24] The unworthy such as the casteless or surface dwarves are said to be outright rejected by the Stone so that their failings may not weaken her.[24][25] The spirits that are rejected by the Stone are believed to be unable to rest, and after their death they become rock wraiths[26] or other restless and often malevolent spirits[27][28] wandering remote caverns.[24]
Legion of the Dead[]
Members of the Legion of the Dead are seen as already dead once they join the order. Before leaving Orzammar for good, they undergo a symbolic "funeral" where last goodbyes are spoken to friends and relatives and all ties to their former lives are cut. It begins with chanting and toasts, then the dwarves bid farewell to their friends and loved ones.[29] This funeral clears the dwarf's name and restores their family's lost honor. They are recorded as dead in the Memories, viewed as having found glorious and redemptive death in battling the dwarves' eternal nemesis, the darkspawn. The Legionnaire must then work to make this a fact through a courageous and honorable death.
When a Legionnaire dies, there is a second funeral to return them to the Stone. If it is possible to do so, the remaining Legionnaires bury their fallen brethren. The bodies of the dead are placed in sarcophagi which are sealed within graves in order to protect them from being defiled by darkspawn.[30][31]
Qunari[]
“Shok ebasit hissra. Meraad astaarit, meraad itwasit, aban aqun. Maraas shokra. Anaan esaam Qun.” ―A Qunari prayer[32]
The Qunari call the Fade "the Land of the Dead". Entering this realm while still alive is forbidden by the Qun, and the Qunari claim they do not dream like others do.[17] It appears that the Qunari believe their soul is not tied to their body, but rather the item required for fulfilling their assigned role. For example, to a Qunari warrior, their sword is their soul. In an event that a Qunari warrior dies, other members of the Antaam strive to retrieve the warrior's blade. The fate of the body itself seems unimportant.[33][34]
Qunari Prayers for the Dead is a book that contains the Qun's teachings on the topic of death. Sten can be overheard reciting an excerpt from it while in caged in Lothering. The Warden can later gift the tome to him.
Codex entries[]
Codex entry: A Chant for the Departed- Codex entry: Corpse
- Codex entry: Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide
Notes[]
Tombstone in Haven cemetery
- Though most Thedosians cremate their dead, cemeteries featuring regular tombstones can still be seen in a few locations. According to David Gaider, level designers kept including cemeteries in the game, despite Gaider pointing out that cremation is the standard funerary practice rather than burial.[35] In light of this misunderstanding, the writers put humorous epitaphs on the tombstones located in Haven cemetery. One of them reads: "Sheryl was not buried here, she was cremated."
Trivia[]
- Funeral flower arrangements include such flowers as: Crystal Grace, which symbolizes parting, and Embrium, which is believed to ease a sorrowful heart.[36]
- There's a custom in Antiva, and perhaps other nations too, that when a person dies, all windows and mirrors in the household are covered with black fabric to prevent their soul from getting lost.[36]
