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[Nemesis Shield]

What is "the Stone" that dwarven characters throughout the DA series keep refering to? Is it some sort of deity that the dwarves worship? Is it a personification of the earth? Is it a pantheistic force (like "the Force" in Star Wars) that resides in the rock? And, what exactly do the dwarves mean when they say that they were born from the Stone and that they will return to the Stone when they die?

I have always been perplexed by this "Stone" entity. I thought that the dwarves did not technically worship any gods per say - that they only venerated their Paragons and ancestors. What is it, exactly? (If you remember any relevant codex entries, please cite them!)

[thats1evildude]

Nemesis Shield wrote...

Is it a pantheistic force (like "the Force" in Star Wars) that resides in the rock?

That's probably the best way to describe it.

From the Codex on the Gangue Shade:

The Stone has a will that surrounds and directs; she guides even when we are willfully blind to her influence.

Modifié par thats1evildude, 23 janvier 2012 - 09:50 .

[TEWR]

We Dwarves believe that the best of us strengthen the Stone in the afterlife. Those that have lived lives with honor become Ancestors and as a result they live forever, always ready to guide the rest of society. They help determine who has their favor.  

The Stone is our Saviour. Our Protector. Our Shield. Our Friend. Our Solace. She is everything. We humbly serve her so as to be embraced by her when we die.

Yet those Dwarves wicked of intent and undeserving of honor are rejected by her, forever doomed to become Rock Wraiths. They have no place in our society, in this life or the next.

Remember this: The Memories of the Stone are forever. So do not fear that your valor will be forgotten. The Stone will make sure it is always remembered if you have earned her favor, no matter your caste.

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 23 janvier 2012 - 09:50 .

[Nemesis Shield]

Interesting stuff! Thanks for responding!

Now I wonder if maybe the reason that Sandal is seemingly able to cast magic is that he has some sort of special relationship with the Stone.

[dragonflight288]

We dwarves come from the Stone. We have no gods or deities. No gods abandoned us..twice..like the humans. No creators who were driven away by a spirit of deceit like the elves.

We come from the stone. She shelters us. She protects us. And when we die, our spirits return to the stone, and either strengthen the foundation or weaken it, if we are worthy. You can see examples of this in the Deep Roads, Bownnamar and Kal Hirol being examples.

Our connection to the stone allows us to use lyrium freely without any adverse effects....unless we inhale it or get it directly in the blood.

[TEWR]

Nemesis Shield wrote...

Interesting stuff! Thanks for responding!

Now I wonder if maybe the reason that Sandal is seemingly able to cast magic is that he has some sort of special relationship with the Stone.

Well, the Stone may play a part in young Sandal's abilities, but so too does the fact that he is the bastard progeny of an Aeducan and either a human or elf (as confirmed in Legacy)

[whykikyouwhy]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Nemesis Shield wrote...

Interesting stuff! Thanks for responding!

Now I wonder if maybe the reason that Sandal is seemingly able to cast magic is that he has some sort of special relationship with the Stone.

Well, the Stone may play a part in young Sandal's abilities, but so too does the fact that he is the bastard progeny of an Aeducan and either a human or elf (as confirmed in Legacy)

Or...it's just a rumor that he is of the Aeducan line, and/or he is actually a shapeshifter currently thriving as a dwarf.

You know, crazy speculation for speculation's sake.

[Blacklash93]

My theory is that The Stone is the "Land" diety that is mentioned in the elven myth of creation and the mother of Elgar'nan.

[Nemesis Shield]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Well, the Stone may play a part in young Sandal's abilities, but so too does the fact that he is the bastard progeny of an Aeducan and either a human or elf (as confirmed in Legacy)

Where was it mentioned in Legacy that Sandal is part human or elf? I do not remember that at all!

[Nemesis Shield]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Well, the Stone may play a part in young Sandal's abilities, but so too does the fact that he is the bastard progeny of an Aeducan and either a human or elf (as confirmed in Legacy)

Where was it mentioned in Legacy that Sandal is part human or elf? I do not remember that at all!

Modifié par Nemesis Shield, 24 janvier 2012 - 01:09 .

[Nemesis Shield]

Sorry for the double post above.... something weird happened with my internet browser...

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

People speculating on Sandal's parentage does not equal solid confirmation.

It could be true, it could be half true, it could be a red herring that's slightly less blatant than 'Sandal is the Queen of Antiva'.

[TEWR]

I doubt Bioware would've included it just to say "We lied!"

EDIT: @Nemesis -- it's in Legacy if you do it in Act 2 I believe.

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 24 janvier 2012 - 04:39 .

[Nemesis Shield]

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

I doubt Bioware would've included it just to say "We lied!"

EDIT: @Nemesis -- it's in Legacy if you do it in Act 2 I believe.

Huh.... I did complete all of Legacy during Act 2, but I honestly do not remember Sandal being mentioned at all. And this was very recently, so it should still be fresh in my mind.

Maybe it depends on taking along certain companions. I had Varric, Anders, and Carver (as a templar) with me in my party. Who did you have with you?

[TEWR]

It's not companion banter. It's banter between two Carta Dwarves. If you don't go headlong into battle, you might be able to catch them saying it.

I recommend turning the dialogue subtitle bubble thingies on and turning down the music of the area. Unfortunately, I don't recall where exactly in Legacy it happens. I know for sure it happens prior to when you get trapped in the Tower, and possibly even before you meet Gerav.

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 24 janvier 2012 - 09:30 .

[lobi]

'The Stone' is actually stone. The dwarves live in it and burrow thru it, they draw from it their culture as well as livley hood. Ancester worship is fairly new in Dwarven culture, comparitavly speaking.
Dwarven mining culture is old. 'Improved' mining techniques have supplanted the older spiritual way of mining as espoused by the 'crosscut drifters'.

from the codex to save you a trip.
Rogan cut a beautiful line down a minor vein today, twisting his supports along the footwall like a backbone. He's got a gift for lagging, it's almost crystalline. I swear I could tap it and hear the Stone sing. "Non-standard" by any inspector's measure, but that's the sodding point, isn't it? We're letting the Stone take us where she wants, not gouging out highways so the palace can have another pantry. I suspect they will revoke our privileges at the next Assembly sitting. I say good luck to them; they'll never find us to deliver the writ. They are afraid of the road we travel.

We're close to a major strike. The Stone, she's pulling us to something, and to the vents if I'll let dwarves who deny their sense get in the way of it.

--From the journal of Brunar, founding fellow, Crosscut Drifters.

Guided by how the stone is easiest to cut. Its faults, fissures and seams of pure mineral 'speak' to the dwarven miner. This communion between craft and material is stone sense in it's purest form. 

The Stone is Stone, different minerals may have represented different spirits at one time. Like the one carved in red lyrium. Lyrium has a resonance that attracts spirits, it also spoke to the Tethras brothers. Perhaps other minerals do also and the different resonances various minerals are the language of stone. To attach an intelligence to this is very much in line with the fantasy of Dragon Age.

Modifié par lobi, 24 janvier 2012 - 10:41 .

[Nemesis Shield]

lobi wrote...

The Stone is Stone, different minerals may have represented different spirits at one time. Like the one carved in red lyrium. Lyrium has a resonance that attracts spirits, it also spoke to the Tethras brothers. Perhaps other minerals do also and the different resonances various minerals are the language of stone. To attach an intelligence to this is very much in line with the fantasy of Dragon Age.

I had not considered that - the lyrium present in the earth of Thedas is perhaps "alive" somehow. But it seems so obvious and logical now that you mention it! LOL!

If I understand your theory correctly, your basically suggesting that there could be spirits from the Fade living (or trapped) within the lyrium; and furthermore that these spirits can communicate with the dwarves on some telepathic, psychic level. So, continuing with this theory, "red lyrium" might have a demon inside it. That would certainly explain what happened to Bartrand and Meredith!

Also, I would like to bring up the mysterious phrases uttered by the Nexus Golem (http://dragonage.wik...iki/Nexus_Golem). They certainly provide a lot of food for thought....

The Nexus Golem says the following:

"Amgarrak tapped the blood, spilled within the Stone."
"The Stone lives beneath Orlais. Mathas gar na fornen pa salroka atrast."
"We were once more than we are."
"The Gauntlet is passed. Only a Shaperate can bring the light. Conversion begins..."

Modifié par Nemesis Shield, 24 janvier 2012 - 10:51 .

[Fast Jimmy]

Ah yes, "The Nexus Golem."

We have dismissed these claims.

[Nemesis Shield]

Fast Jimmy wrote...

Ah yes, "The Nexus Golem."

We have dismissed these claims.

Huh? Sorry, but I do not understand. Has Bioware revealed that what the Nexus Golem says is not meant to be taken seriously or literally? (I'm fairly new to the DA forums.)

[dragonflight288]

Huh? Sorry, but I do not understand. Has Bioware revealed that what the Nexus Golem says is not meant to be taken seriously or literally? (I'm fairly new to the DA forums.)

Reference to Mass Effect 2. Turian council member, despite agreeing that the Reapers were a real threat in Mass Effect 1, the moment Shepard is out of the way, they put a halt to everything Shepard stirred up, and two years later when he returns, are blatantly denying Shepard's claim on the Reapers. "Ah yes, 'reapers.' We have dismissed these claims." is the exact line.

[Herr Uhl]

dragonflight288 wrote...

Huh? Sorry, but I do not understand. Has Bioware revealed that what the Nexus Golem says is not meant to be taken seriously or literally? (I'm fairly new to the DA forums.)

Reference to Mass Effect 2. Turian council member, despite agreeing that the Reapers were a real threat in Mass Effect 1, the moment Shepard is out of the way, they put a halt to everything Shepard stirred up, and two years later when he returns, are blatantly denying Shepard's claim on the Reapers. "Ah yes, 'reapers.' We have dismissed these claims." is the exact line.

I don't think that is what clarification was wanted on, I think he gets the reference.

And as far as I know, nothing about the Nexus Golem being wrong as of yet.

[MichaelFinnegan]

Nemesis Shield wrote...

What is "the Stone" that dwarven characters throughout the DA series keep refering to? Is it some sort of deity that the dwarves worship? Is it a personification of the earth? Is it a pantheistic force (like "the Force" in Star Wars) that resides in the rock? And, what exactly do the dwarves mean when they say that they were born from the Stone and that they will return to the Stone when they die?

I have always been perplexed by this "Stone" entity. I thought that the dwarves did not technically worship any gods per say - that they only venerated their Paragons and ancestors. What is it, exactly? (If you remember any relevant codex entries, please cite them!)

There is someone in a much better position than I to answer your questions; David Gaider has shed some light on all your questions. And I think it's a little bit of everything you suspected/suggested.

I find it an interesting to think about what all might shape one's beliefs; and that one's concepts and ideas might emerge out of what is accessible. For instance, The Fade, which the dwarves (of present, at any rate) don't naturally enter, doesn't seem to play a part in their belief systems, at least as big a part as it plays in the lives of humans. That might change however with the surface dwarves, at least in the longer run, as their surroundings, lives, and interactions with others fundamentally change the way they perceive things, and they may begin to forget their own traditions and adopt new ones. Just as, for instance, the dwarves of present seem to have forgotton about or lost track of the days of the Primeval Thaig.

[BomimoDK]

MichaelFinnegan wrote...

Nemesis Shield wrote...

What is "the Stone" that dwarven characters throughout the DA series keep refering to? Is it some sort of deity that the dwarves worship? Is it a personification of the earth? Is it a pantheistic force (like "the Force" in Star Wars) that resides in the rock? And, what exactly do the dwarves mean when they say that they were born from the Stone and that they will return to the Stone when they die?

I have always been perplexed by this "Stone" entity. I thought that the dwarves did not technically worship any gods per say - that they only venerated their Paragons and ancestors. What is it, exactly? (If you remember any relevant codex entries, please cite them!)

There is someone in a much better position than I to answer your questions; David Gaider has shed some light on all your questions. And I think it's a little bit of everything you suspected/suggested.

I find it an interesting to think about what all might shape one's beliefs; and that one's concepts and ideas might emerge out of what is accessible. For instance, The Fade, which the dwarves (of present, at any rate) don't naturally enter, doesn't seem to play a part in their belief systems, at least as big a part as it plays in the lives of humans. That might change however with the surface dwarves, at least in the longer run, as their surroundings, lives, and interactions with others fundamentally change the way they perceive things, and they may begin to forget their own traditions and adopt new ones. Just as, for instance, the dwarves of present seem to have forgotton about or lost track of the days of the Primeval Thaig.

I don't know how the hell you managed to dig up a two year old thread with that info. But it sure confirmed a lot of my speculations. I also like how he obviously wanted us to keep speculating about the "true" religion. Much like DA2 still has you thinking about the larger scheme and the links.

Now, more importantly. Do you have more old lore-heavy posts up your sleeve? Could you PM them?

[MichaelFinnegan]

BomimoDK wrote...

I don't know how the hell you managed to dig up a two year old thread with that info. But it sure confirmed a lot of my speculations. I also like how he obviously wanted us to keep speculating about the "true" religion. Much like DA2 still has you thinking about the larger scheme and the links.

Indeed. That was the whole point, I guess. To be fair, though, I think DA has actually been projected as a story about the time and place, nothing more. I doubt any "higher truths" will be revealed. I think something of great significance will happen during these 100 years, more worthy of note perhaps than any of the other Ages, and that'd be about it. Doesn't make me any less hopeful, though.

Now, more importantly. Do you have more old lore-heavy posts up your sleeve? Could you PM them?

No, actually I haven't maintained any such list. But I generally do a site-specific search on google and the results do pop up. And I have referenced that link before so I knew it was there. Other than that I guess it's just luck.