Post by Ieldra on Jan 11, 2019 13:01:47 GMT
!!! This post contains unmarked spoilers for all Dragon Age games and other Dragon Age publications !!!
I. Summary and definitions
II. Details and relevant lore
III. Game events
IV. Events in other Dragon Age publications
V. Common speculation
I. Summary and definitions (TLDR):
The Fade, or the Beyond as it is called by the elves, is a dimension or plane of existence that exists alongside material reality. It can be entered in an uncontrolled way by dreaming by anyone but dwarves. Sentient mortals can project their minds there using lyrium and/or mental disciplines, but it is also possible in rare circumstances to enter it physically. The Fade is a volatile, ever-shifting realm where imagination and emotion can directly impact reality, and which contains only one permanent feature, a collection of dark structures akin to buildings with lit windows, which has been named the Black City. It is also currently the home of spirits (including demons) and believed by many to be the source of all magic. Mages of the Circle are required to enter it at least once during their initiation ceremony, the Harrowing. The Fade can contain echoes of people, which lead to the widespread belief that souls go there after death. The truth of such claims is unknown.
According to Solas, the Fade was once a part of one greater reality, before it was sundered by him, establishing the Veil. This raises questions about its nature.
The Crossroads is a set of pocket dimensions believed to have been set up by elves of the ancient elven empire. Different places in the Crossroads are connected by eluvians, magical mirrors that enable instant transport between different locations and realms. Eluvians are also the only known means by which the Crossroads can be entered. The Crossroads in their current form are a fragmented realm whose integrity was damaged by the creation of the Veil.
Veil:
The Veil is a mystical barrier that separates the Fade from material reality. Since the Fade co-exists with material reality, the Veil exists everywhere, but it can be more or less permeable in different places. Where it is more permeable, spirits can cross between the realms, dreams are more intense, and it is easier for mages to project their minds into the Fade. It is believed that intense emotions experienced by many people can create zones of higher permeability.
According to Solas, the Veil is artificial. It was created by him to sunder the power of the Evanuris, the elven gods. The sundering, however, had such side effects that he how aims to tear the Veil down again, re-establishing the connection of elves with spirits and re-enabling their ancient magic and immortality.
Black City:
A feature of the Fade believed to be the only permanent one, the Black City presents itself as a set of dark structures akin to buildings with lit windows which is visible from everywhere in the Fade. Its true nature is unknown, and it cannot be reached by any known means of travel within the Fade. All accounts of visits are shrouded in myth and point towards the presence of something extremely dangerous therein. The Black City is widely believed to be the source of the Blight and features as such in Andrastian mythology, where it once was the Golden City, the seat of the Maker, but corrupted by the presence of the power-hungry mages who became the darkspawn. The Black City is likely to be the same as the "Eternal City" of the elves, where they believe their gods are trapped. Trapping them may have been the objective of Fen'Harel when he created the Veil.
Void:
The Void is a term mentioned in several religious texts, where it describes a place or dimension loosely related to entropy. There is currently no indication that the term corresponds to any real place or dimension. Possible metaphorical meanings include "non-existence" or "the great unknown beyond anything we know".
Entering and experiencing the Fade:
There are several known methods of entering the Fade. The most natural is by the act of dreaming. It is believed that dreaming minds shape the Fade, and that spirits can take inspiration or form from what the dreaming minds create. There are mental disciplines that allow dreamers to remain conscious in their dreams, but there is little knowledge of them and we know only that this is possible through Solas. Mages usually project their minds into the Fade with the help of lyrium. This also allows them to remain conscious during their sojourn. Finally, it is possible to enter the Fade physically. This is very unusual and requires so much magical power that it is not normally attempted. One such attempt, made by a group of Tevinter mages named the "Magisters Sidereal", ended in disaster and allegedly brought down the Blight upon the world. Closer to the present, the later Inquisitor acquired a magical mark called the Anchor while interacting with Corypheus' elven orb, which later enabled them to create a portal into the Fade.
The Magisters Sidereal believed that entering the Fade physically made it possible to reach the Black City and/or acquire powers akin to a god's. Neither turned out out to be true for the Inquisitor. It is, however, speculated that had Corypheus succeeded in this attempt to re-enter the Fade, he might have gained control of all Blighted creatures.
The Fade is an ever-shifting realm whose geography is subject to the whims of its inhabitants. Even the laws of physical reality can vary. The Fade can thus appear in almost any form, from a shapeless void with shifting gravity vectors to semblances of places in material reality. It can also shift in an instant, resulting in apparent instant travel. Some areas of the Fade have a unified appearance because of the influence of powerful spirits.
Encounters and Risks in the Fade:
III. Game events
Dragon Age Origins (including Awakening):
*The Mage Origin has the player character start in the Fade for their Harrowing
*In "Broken Circle" all party members are pulled into the Fade by a demon and must escape their mental confinement.
IV. Events in other Dragon Age publications
V. Common speculation
It has been observed that the existence of two separate sets of now-trapped god-like beings who were known to assume or have dragon form and reside(d) in a city in the Fade is very unlikely to be a mere coincidence. From that came the speculation that the Evanuris of Elvhenan and the Old Gods of Tevinter are one and the same, and that the Black City is what remains of Arlathan, the capital of Elvhenan. There are several pieces of in-game information which appear to contradict this hypothesis, but since neither the protagonists nor any other characters have directly perceived any contradicting evidence it remains a possibility. There is one person alive who knows - Solas aka Fen'Harel - and since the hypothesis has not, so far, existed in-world, there was no opportunity to ask him.