데일스: 잊힌 약속

할람시랄의 겨울 궁전을 보아라. 민족의—우리 민족의 부서진 꿈 위에 세워진 저 궁전의 백색 벽과 황금 첨탑을 보아라.

인간 예언자 안드라스테는 우리 조상들처럼 테빈터 제국의 노예였다. 그녀가 테빈터에 맞서 일어났을 때, 우리는 그녀와 함께였다. 우리는 함께 자유를 위해 싸웠다. 안드라스테는 감사와 동질감의 표시로, 우리 엘프들에게 새 터전을 약속했다. 그것이 데일스였다. 비록 그녀는 죽었지만, 그 아들들은 그 약속을 지켰다.

우리는 이 땅의 권리를 주장하기 위해 테빈터의 가장 먼 곳에서 왔다. 이곳이 우리의 여정의 종착지이다. 이곳은 우리의 할람시랄이다. 우리가 이 도시에 첫 번째 디딤돌을 놓았을 때, 우리 민족은 그 어떤 인간도 우리의 땅에 발을 들여놓지 못하게 하겠노라 서약했다. 그리고 우리의 뛰어난 전사들은 이 서약을 지키겠노라 맹세했다. 그들은 한둘씩 도착해 엘가난과 미살, 안드루일과 길란나인의 이름을 불렀다. 그들은 신들의 앞에서 자신을 할람시랄에 바쳤고, 우리의 수호자, 에메랄드 기사단이 되었다. 그들이 데일스가 자유로울 수 있도록 할 터였다.

3세기가 지날 때까지, 그곳은 평화로웠다. 그러나 인간들과 그들의 새로운 안드라스테 성가회는 우리의 자유를 용납하지 않았다. 그들은 국경을 침범했고, 예언자의 말을 전하기 위한 선교사들을 보내왔다. 그들은 우리 민족을 다시 한번 예속시킬 방법을 모색하고 있었다. 우리가 거절하자, 그들은 분노했다.

그들은 우리를 파괴했다. 에메랄드 기사단조차도 신앙으로 무장한 그들의 군세를 이겨낼 수 없었다. 그들은 안드라스테의 이름 아래 할람시랄을 불태웠고, 우리들의 재를 바람에 날려 보냈다. 그들은 오래전 안드라스테와 엘프들이 함께 행군했음을 잊었다. 그들은 한때 안드라스테가 샬탄을 "형제"라 불렀음을 잊었다.

—데일스 엘프 랠러피린 부족의 수호자, 기샤렐이 할람시랄 외곽에서 어린 사냥꾼들에게 들려준 이야기를 바탕으로 한 잊힌 약속에서 발췌

 

There, see the Winter Palace at Halamshiral. Gaze upon its white walls and golden spires, built on the broken dreams of a people. Our people.

 

The human prophet Andraste was a slave in the Tevinter Imperium, as our ancestors were. When she rose up against them, we rose up with her. Together we fought for freedom. In gratitude and kinship, Andraste promised the elves a new land: the Dales. And although she died, her sons kept her promise.

 

Our people came from farthest Tevinter to claim this new land. Here, our journey ended. This was our Halamshiral. As we laid the first stone for the city, our people vowed that no human would ever set foot on our lands. The greatest of our warriors swore to uphold this vow. One by one they came, invoking the names of Elgar'nan and Mythal, Andruil and Ghilan'nain. Before all our gods, they dedicated themselves to Halamshiral, becoming our protectors, our Emerald Knights. They would ensure that the Dales remained free.

 

It was free. For over three centuries. But the humans and their new Andrastian Chantry would not let us be. They pushed against our borders. They sent missionaries to spread the word of their prophet. They sought ways to subjugate the People once more. When we refused, we angered them.

 

They destroyed us. Even the Emerald Knights could not stand against the might of their army, armored in faith. In the name of their Andraste, they burned Halamshiral, scattering us to the winds. They forgot that once, long ago, Andraste's followers and the elves marched together. They forgot that Andraste called Shartan "brother."

 

—A Promise Lost, as told by Keeper Gisharel to the young hunters of the Ralaferin clan on the outskirts of Halamshiral