“Sylaise, whose fire cannot be quenched. We give ourselves gladly to your service.” ―Ancient song
Sylaise (SIGH-layse)[1], the Hearthkeeper, is the goddess of all the domestic arts.[2] The Dalish pray for her to spare the sick and to watch over their innocents.[3]
Dalish legends[]
It is Sylaise who gave us fire and taught us how to use it. It is Sylaise who showed us how to heal with herbs and with magic, and how to ease the passage of infants into this world. And again, it is Sylaise who showed us how to spin the fibers of plants into thread and rope.
—From Codex entry: Sylaise: the HearthkeeperIn all Dalish tales Sylaise is the sister of Andruil the Huntress. Some legends paint them as daughters of Elgar'nan and Mythal while others suggest that they are children of the earth. Similarly, June is viewed either as their brother or as Sylaise's husband.[2][4]
In her youth, Sylaise stayed at the home-tree to sing and make art while Andruil hunted and played. She gave the elves fire, taught them how to weave rope and thread, and to use herbs and magic for healing purposes. June used her lessons to teach the elves to fashion bows for hunting Andruil's gifts.[4] Sylaise is seen as a protector of all who dwell close to a hearth, especially children.[2]
Sylaise's path is called the Vir Atish'an - The Way of Peace. Her name is invoked before a fire is kindled and after it is quenched.[2] The Dalish sprinkle their aravels with tree-moss and ask that Sylaise protect them and all within.[5] One version of the Dalish vows during the marriage ceremony is "Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris." [6]
In Elvhenan[]
Sylaise was one of the Evanuris, elvhen mages who ruled as malevolent despots over Elvhenan, enslaving their kin and branding them with their vallaslin.
Thousands of elves channeled raw essence from the Fade into a sphere in the air to create the Grand Sonallium. It was a gift from Blessed Sylaise to Clever June as thanks for a great favor.[7]
Solas claimed that Sylaise was responsible for creating the cities of Elvenhan. The Evanuris weaponized the Blight in their wars of supremacy, especially during Solas' rebellion against them. Solas told Mythal of the other elven gods' abuse of the Blight and she sought to convince them to cease its use on behalf of Solas. The other elven gods had somehow acquired Solas' lyrium dagger and murdered Mythal with it when she confronted them. Solas recovered the Lyrium Dagger from Elgar'nan and from it extracted a fragment of Mythal that had lain hidden within its depths.[9] For unleashing the Blight onto the world and murdering Mythal, Solas imprisoned the Evanuris in the Fade and used their lives to sustain the Veil by connecting their blood to his Lyrium Dagger. Yet Solas did not anticipate that the Elven pantheon that he had imprisoned would speak through the Old Gods and manipulate the Magisters Sidereal into breaching the Black City and releasing a portion of the Blight onto Thedas.[10][11]
Bellara Lutare was fairly certain that Sylaise's high dragon thrall was Toth, due to their shared association with fire.
Symbols and shrines[]
A Shrine of Sylaise can be found in the Exalted Plains with a brazier of flames in its center.
Codex entries[]
Codex entry: Song to Sylaise- Codex entry: Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper
- Codex entry: Vir Dirthara: Raising the Sonallium
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ As pronounced by the unnamed elven refugee questgiver of Shallow Breaths.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Dragon Age (tabletop RPG), Player's Guide, set 2, p. 23
- ↑ According to the statue of Sylaise at the Dalish Camp.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dragon Age: The World of Thedas, vol. 1, p. 120
- ↑ Codex entry: Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper
- ↑ Spoken by an elven Inquisitor in the Trespasser DLC.
- ↑ Codex entry: Vir Dirthara: Raising the Sonallium
- ↑ Codex entry: Song to Sylaise.
- ↑ According to Morrigan's dialogue with Rook in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- ↑ Solas' memories from Regrets of the Dread Wolf.
- ↑ According to Solas' dialogue in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
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