Hear me, sons and daughters of the People--
I am Sister of the Moon, Mother of Hares,
Lady of the Hunt: Andruil.
Remember my teachings,
Remember the Vir Tanadhal:
The Way of Three Trees
That I have given you.
Vir Assan: the Way of the Arrow
Be swift and silent;
Strike true, do not waver
And let not your prey suffer.
That is my Way.
Vir Borassan: the Way of the Bow
As the sapling bends, so must you.
In yielding, find resilience;
In pliancy, find strength.
That is my Way.
Vir Adahlen: the Way of the Wood
Receive the gifts of the hunt with mindfulness.
Respect the sacrifice of my children
Know that your passing shall nourish them in turn.
That is my Way.
Remember the Ways of the Hunter
And I shall be with you.
Vir Assan：箭矢之道
輕捷而迅速
百發百中，不要動搖
且勿令你的獵物承受痛苦與折磨
這就是我的道
Vir Bor』assan:弓箭之道
你必須像幼苗那樣彎曲
順從它的柔軟與彈性
在柔弱中尋找到力量
這就是我的道
Vir Adahlen：樹木之道
帶著正念接受狩獵之禮物
尊重我的孩子們之犧牲
要知道你死去後將會轉為滋養它們的食糧
這就是我的道
Codex Entry 53: Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets
The twins FalonDin and Dithamen are the eldest children of Elgarnan the All-Father and Mythal the Protector. The brothers were inseparable from the moment of their conception, known for their great love for each other. That is why we often speak of FalonDin in one breath and Dirthamen the next, for they cannot bear to be apart, not even in our tales.
When the world was young, the gods often walked the earth, and FalonDin and Dirthamen were no exception. Both were delighted by the many wonders of our earth. They played with the animals, whispered to the trees, and bathed in the lakes and streams. Their days were filled with bliss, and they did not know sorrow.
And then one day, while passing through the forest, FalonDin and Dirthamen came across an old and sickly deer resting beneath a tree. "Why do you sit so still, little sister?" asked FalonDin.
"Play with us," said Dirthamen.
"Alas," spoke the deer, "I cannot. I am old, and although I wish to go to my rest, my legs can no longer carry me."
Taking pity on the deer, FalonDin gathered her up into his arms and carried her to her rest beyond the Veil. Dirthamen tried to follow them, but the shifting grey paths beyond the Veil would not let him. Separated for the first time from FalonDin, Dirthamen wandered aimlessly till he came across two ravens.
"You are lost, and soon you will fade," the raven named Fear said to Dirthamen.
"Your brother has abandoned you. He no longer loves you," said the other, named Deceit
"I am not lost, and FalonDin has not abandoned me," replied Dirthamen. HE subdued the ravens and bade them carry him to FalonDin. This they did, for they had been defeated and were now bound to Dirthamens service.
When Dirthamen found FalonDin, he found also the deer, who once again was light on her feet, for her spirit was released from her weakened body. Both FalonDin and Dirthamen rejoiced to see this. FalonDin vowed that he would remain to carry all the dead to their place Beyond, just as he did the deer. And Dirthamen stayed with him, for the twins cannot bear to be apart.
--From The Story of FalonDin and Dirthamen, as told by Gisharel, keeper of the Ralaferin clan of the Dalish elves.
Long ago, when time itself was young, the only things in existence were the sun and the land. The sun, curious about the land, bowed his head close to her body, and Elgarnan was born in the place where they touched. The sun and the land loved Elgarnan greatly, for he was beautiful and clever. As a gift to Elgarnan, the land brought forth great birds and beasts of sky and forest, and all manner of wonderful green things. Elgarnan loved his mothers gifts and praised them highly and walked amongst them often.
The sun, looking down upon the fruitful land, saw the joy that Elgarnan took in her works and grew jealous. Out of spite, he shone his face full upon all the creatures the earth had created, and burned them all to ashes. The land cracked and split from bitterness and pain, and cried salt tears for the loss of all she had wrought. The pool of tears cried for the land became the ocean, and the cracks in her body the first rivers and streams.
Elgarnan was furious at what his father had done and vowed vengeance. He lifted himself into the sky and wrestled the sun, determined to defeat him. They fought for an eternity, and eventually the sun grew weak, while Elgarnans rage was unabated. Eventually Elgarnan threw the sun down from the sky and buried him in a deep abyss created by the lands sorrow. With the sun gone, the world was covered in shadow, and all that remained in the sky were the reminders of Elgarnans battle with his father--drops of the suns lifeblood, which twinkled and shimmered in the darkness.
--From The Tale of Elgarnan and the Sun, as told by Gisharel, keeper of the Ralaferin clan of the Dalish elves.
Codex Entry 55: FalonDin: Friend of the Dead, the Guide
"O FalonDin
Lethanavir--Friend to the Dead
Guide my feet, calm my soul,
lead me to my rest."
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 FalonDin and his brother Dirthamen. Those elders would learn the secrets of dreams, and some returned to the People with newfound knowledge.
But we quickened and became mortal. Those of the People who passed walked with FalonDin into the Beyond and never returned. If they took counsel with Dirthamen on their passage, his wisdom was lost, for it went with them into the Beyond also, and never came to the People.
Then FenHarel caused the gods to be shut away from us, and those who passed no longer had FalonDin to guide them. And so we learned to lay our loved ones to rest with an oaken staff, to keep them from faltering along the paths, and a cedar branch, to scatter the ravens named Fear and Deceit who were once servants of Dirthamen, now without a master.
--As told by Gisharel, keeper of the Ralaferin clan of the Dalish elves.