“Mythal, all-mother, protector of the People, watch over us, for the path we tread is perilous.
Save us from the darkness, as you did before, and we will sing your name to the heavens.[1]”
“Let fly your voice to Mythal. Deliverer of justice. Protector of sun and earth alike.
Pray to Mythal and she would smite your enemies, leaving them in agony.[2]”
Mythal the Protector, All-Mother, and goddess of love,[3] is the patron of motherhood and justice (the flip side of vengeance).[4] She leads the pantheon with her male counterpart, Elgar'nan.
Dalish legends
It was at this moment that Mythal walked out of the sea of the Earth's tears and onto the land. She placed her hand on Elgar'nan's brow, and at her touch he grew calm and knew that his anger had led him astray.
—From Codex entry: Mythal: the Great ProtectorThe Dalish believe that Mythal was born of the sea.[5][6] They tell that when Elgar'nan threw the sun out of the sky in vengeance for burning the earth to ashes, Mythal calmed him and helped him see how his anger had betrayed him. Elgar'nan was convinced to free the sun. On the first night after the sun was released Mythal created the moon, from the glowing earth round its bed, to be placed in the sky as a pale reflection of the sun's true glory.[5][6]
In most legends, Mythal and Elgar'nan had at least four children, possibly five: Falon'Din, Dirthamen, Andruil, Sylaise and June.[7] However, June is oftentimes depicted as Sylaise’s husband, thus potentially excluding him from being considered one of the children.
In most stories, Mythal rights wrongs while exercising motherly kindness.[2] Other paint her as dark, vengeful.[5][2][8][9] Yet all accounts end the same: Mythal was exiled to the Beyond with other gods.[2]
The Dalish invoke Mythal's name when they require protection.[5][6]
In Elvhenan
When the Evanuris were still primeval spirits who wanted to become corporeal, they used raw lyrium to craft physical bodies for themselves, thus becoming the first Elves. In the process, however, they angered the Titans and entered into a war with them.
Mythal was originally a spirit of benevolence who took a physical form. While the emotion that inspired Mythal was benevolence, she also had a more violent side: retribution, to which benevolence gave way when the world did not meet her standard.
After taking a physical form, Mythal persuaded Solas, at the time a spirit of wisdom, to do the same and to serve her with his wisdom. Mythal and Solas would go on to having a close relationship, as their deep bond of friendship was undeniable; Mythal had even referred to Solas as "[her] love", leading to an interpretation that they were lovers. Elgar'nan used to ridicule Solas' devotion and loyalty to Mythal by calling him "Mythal's lapdog."[10]
When the elves were losing the Titan war, Mythal had Solas craft a Lyrium Dagger which Fen'Harel used to sever the Titans' connection to the Fade, rendering them Tranquil. The Titans' dreams, now severed from their hosts and locked away inside the Fade, mutated into the Taint and Blight out of anger, fear, and confusion. Solas banished these corrupted dreams which would become the Blight to a prison which would be known to contemporaries as the Black City.
Once the war against the titans was over, Elgar'nan refused to give up his command as he promised. Elgar'nan argued the nascent elven people needed stern leadership and his strength for protection. Much to Solas' disappointment, Mythal agreed with Elgar'nan, believing the elves needed inspiring figures to unite them, quell their fears, and to guide them with wisdom. The respected generals and elders that consisted the Evanuris followed Elgar'nan and Mythal's examples and proclaimed themselves the gods of the elves. Only Solas refused to follow suit and was furious the Evanuris had set themselves up as despots over the elven people. To avenge this betrayal and make right his mistake, Solas started a rebellion against the elven pantheon, including Mythal herself.[10]
During the titan war, Mythal struck down the titans and rendered the earth, their demesne, unto the elves.[11] Her statues are found deep underground, often accompanied by statues of Fen'Harel.[12] One statue is overlooking an ancient dwarven tomb.[13] She is described as giving dreams to someone empty and thus filling them up.[14]
Mythal's Well of Sorrows knows the secret greeting from those Fen'Harel trusted, which suggests that Fen'Harel and Mythal were close.[15]
Mythal was truly the Mother, protective and fierce.[18]
The ancient priests who toiled in Mythal's favor passed their knowledge on through the Well of Sorrows. Their collective will would put anyone who drank from it under a compulsion and bind them forever to Mythal's service.[19]
Elves petitioned Mythal on matters of justice and it is said that those who came to her with clear minds and open hearts were granted judgment and protection; Mythal harried their enemies until the end of their days. Those who tried to manipulate her wrath against those they envied or were being petty over imagined slights were swiftly struck down.[20]
Thus, Mythal did not show favor to the sinner who dared to fly in the shape of the divine. She let Elgar'nan judge him.[21]
When Falon'Din began wars to amass more worshipers, Mythal rallied the gods against him. Falon'Din only surrendered when they bloodied him in his own temple.[18]
When Andruil had gone mad after hunting in the Void, Mythal took the form of a great serpent and waited for Andruil at the base of a mountain. They fought for three days and nights, until Mythal sapped Andruil's strength with her magic and stole Andruil's knowledge of how to find the Void.[23]
Fate
Mythal was reduced to a wisp of what she was, and came to Flemeth in her time of need. Thus the famed Witch of the Wilds, who is in fact the possessed form of Mythal, came to be. She seeks justice for what was lost.[25]
In the aftermath of Corypheus' defeat, Solas confronts Flemeth at an eluvian just as Flemeth is seen passing some form of energy through the mirror. After a brief exchange Solas/Fen'Harel appears to absorb Flemeth's power, leaving Flemeth a petrified corpse.
Mythal continues to appear in people's dreams.[26]
Involvement
After acquiring Solas' memories in the Crossroads and learning more about the history of Mythal from Morrigan, Rook can meet with the fragment of Mythal residing in the Crossroads. Rook can acquire the fragment's essence either through persuasion or combat.
Symbols and shrines
Mythal is often depicted as a dragon or a female humanoid figure with dragon head and wings. Some scholars have speculated that the constellation Silentir, which is depicted as either a dragon in flight or a man carrying a horn and wand, may have originally been a representation of Mythal.[27]
An altar to Mythal is found atop Sundermount, outside of Kirkwall. A majestic Temple of Mythal guarded by Sentinel elves is located deep in the Arbor Wilds. It was once the center of a temple complex with an entire city around it,[28] and there were multiple such cities.[29] Another Altar of Mythal stands nearby.
Quotes
Codex entries
Codex entry: Mythal: the Great Protector
Codex entry: The Judgment of Mythal- Codex entry: Constellation: Silentir
- Codex entry: Veilfire Runes in the Deep Roads
- Codex entry: Torn Notebook in the Deep Roads, Section 3
Codex entry: The Trials of the Gods
Note texts
See also
Gallery
References
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Category;Characters