Halla

We rode the halla. They leapt with such grace and beauty as to make your horses look like Ferelden dogs by comparison. They were smarter, too. Which often made them willful.
—Felassan^[1]

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. 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. Alistair remarks that he's heard that the 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.

Background

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.

—From Codex entry: Halla

Locations

There are many herds of halla scattered throughout the Brecilian Forest and the Dalish Elf Origin story.
During the quest Nature of the Beast, there is a lone halla in the East Brecilian Forest, near the North Exit to West Forest.
Many can be found roaming the Exalted Plains.

Involvement

Dragon Age: Origins

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Origins.

During Elora's Halla, the Warden can assist in examining a halla believed to be stricken with the werewolf curse. If successfully calmed, it is revealed that the halla isn't afflicted, she's distressed because her mate has been infected.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

The halla can be found roaming around the Exalted Plains.

This section contains spoilers for:
Dragon Age: Inquisition.

The Inquisitor can assist the Dalish clan in the Exalted Plains by herding a golden halla (Hanal'ghilan) towards the clan, allowing it safe refuge from human soldiers who would kill it for its antlers.

Trivia

Elven legend holds that a halla will lead an elf into the afterlife.^[2]
It is said that halla will only listen to their Dalish tenders.^[3]
It is said that the halla was elven god Ghilan'nain's favorite creature, and the only one she did not kill when Andruil bade her to destroy her own creations. ^[4]