When they reached their destination, what Bodahn saw nearly took his breath away: a glittering wall that depicted ancient tales of heroes and Paragons. Elves, dwarves, dragons, and creatures Bodahn could not name, brought to life in a mosaic of gold and jewels... Bodahn took a torch and walked to the wall, trying to gain a better understanding of its scale. When an old cave-in halted his progress, he turned around, and that was when he saw the boy: a dwarven child, about five years old.
—WoT Vol. 2
Found By A Mosaic
From what we can say and know about Sandal, is only from Bodahn. According to World of Thedas Vol. 2, Sandal was found in the outskirts of Orzammar.
I dropped my torch. I thought he was a ghoul or a rock wraith or something worse. But no, it was just a small boy, hair pale like marble, clear blue eyes—no blight to be seen in him at all. 'What are you doing here, boy?' I said. He didn't reply, just stood there, calm as anything. And he hears something, points at me, points at the dropped torch, and says, 'They're coming.'... That's when I hear it, that darkspawn screech. I imagine they smell fresh blood... He just stands there, half-smiling. So I pick him up. So light he was, back then. I pick him up, and I just run.
—Bodahn Feddic
Sandal was discovered by Bodahn when he appeared to be around 5 years old. He was standing next to a dazzling wall that had depictions of all kinds of mythical creatures, such as heroes and Paragons, that belonged to Thedas. The enamored diamonds and gold that surrounded this wall gave it life. There isn't much to show here other than the fact that, knowing that Paragons existed on the wall, one can only infer that this mosaic was made at a time when Paragons existed.
According to records, the earliest Paragons lived as far back as Endrin Stonehammers' time. Endrin Stonehammer, the ruler, invents the term "paragon," which is used to refer to the pinnacle of dwarven culture's elite.
The greatest fighters from these Provings were chosen to become the first of Orzammar's Paragons, which was first documented in -1170 Ancient. As a result, we can rule out the notion that this mosaic was constructed after the Veil by assuming it was made close to or after the Ancient era. However, that theory of its creation before the Veil still has some merit because it shows creatures that are unlike anything we have seen or heard of in Thedas.
I want to compare this told mosiac to the ones we can collect in dragon age inquisitition, but I really believe that this mosiac was way better in craft, but I firmly feel that they are not even close to the plain mosiacs we carry back to Skyhold in terms of construction quality.
Who crafted this? Well, until a 5-year-old can produce a work of art like Bodahn stated, I don't think we can conclude it was Sandal. However, we can be confident that this workmanship was not produced by a regular person. It's impossible to tell with Paragons on this wall, but it could even been of elvhen manufacture as we know from Tevinter Nights that elvhen culture can influence the thaigs in Thedas.
But enough about the mosiac; I must now satisfy my curiosity about how a 5-year-old might have survived that long in a place where darkspawn were proliferating while remaining uncorrupted by the Blight. There must be a reason for this, and the only thing we have to rely on is what we've learned from Dragon Age 2.
Magical component & Bloodline
It is obvious that Sandal Feddic carries the magical gene in his blood. Dwarves, in contrast to the other races, do not instantly enter the Fade since they do not dream and are not gifted with magical abilities, as is known from the Dragon Age lore. However, Sandal is standing in front of the skeletal remains of several darkspawn, including an ogre, and what appears to be some type of frozen enchantment that is keeping the ogre intact when Hawke visits the Primeval Thaig in 9:31 Dragon.
Of course, Sandal offers Hawke a rune referencing how he killed the darkspawn, but he says that he did not use enchantment to kill the Ogre. Which once again demonstrates Sandal's innate ability to use magic. But how is this possible? We can only presume Sandal is most likely comparable to Valta, who links to a Titan in the Descent DLC from Inquisition, if we speculate that this is how Sandal would have been doing this since he was 5 or even younger with the darkspawn in that region.
However, it is quite interesting to find some theories from fans stating that there are some codices within the Descent DLC that could reference Sandal, The Gates of Segrummar are a series of four notes that can be obtained by unlocking the following gates in the Darkspawn Warrens.The codex kind of explains a mystery that could lean on to Sandals partial identity:
I could not discern its true pattern until I stood in the Fade and gazed down upon the vast malevolent engraving... I only wish it had not cost you, my only child. I could not build the locked barriers that would carve the marks and break the sigil. You alone could save us all, but only by destroying yourself. And I let you do it. Forgive me.
—Note: The Gates of Segrummar
It is speculated that the phrase "my only child" in the message may refer to a child who was abandoned by a mage in the deep roads. Again, this is a fan theory, and I interpret this codex as maybe referring to a Titan speaking to a dwarf as their child, but it is interesting to cling onto this since there is a strong likelihood that Sandal is a rare-half-dwarf.
As I explained in my Dwarven secrets video, Sandal is rumored to be a half-dwarf based on conversation between two Carta dwarves in the Dragon Age 2: Legacy DLC. Sandal is not half-human, based on how he is portrayed and his height. Half-dwarfs who are born to humans are taller than dwarves but shorter than humans. The more plausible scenario is that he was created from an elvhen female or male mage.
We may also conclude that Sandal Feddic, like Alistair Theirin, is a bastard with the royal bloodline to King Aeducan based on the timing of when Bodahn discovered Sandal. Only one of two things may explain it: either a mage arrived in Orzammar; the easiest instance could be a female Warden of an elvhen race (not Fiona); as well as explaining Duncan's strong contacts with the reigning monarch. Even if King Aeducan had a romantic relationship with an elvhen woman mage, he would have dismissed her from his court due to the possibility that the legitimacy of the king may be in jeopardy.
That is the theory thus far; it doesn't seem too far off and makes sense in terms of the timing. Although there isn't much evidence King Aeducan had adulterous affairs, hwoever this has been a common theme that has appeared throughout Thedas.
But it's still a cool result because Sandal would now be Trian, Bhelen, and the Dwarf Noble's half-brother, or at least linked to them in some manner.
Or maybe Sandal is tied to the Cadash thaig, which was long suspected of concealing the elvhen. But in all honesty, Sandal being a half-dwarf is the possible case of his magical component.
Prophecy & Dreams
Sandal seems to have some insight into the future. And whether the writers are entirely taking him seriously or not, the majority of fans seem to think Sandal has the ability to prophesy based on his comments on how Thedas will be modified in the future.
"One day the magic will come back. All of it. Everyone will be just like they were. The shadows will part, and the skies will open wide... When He rises, all will see..."
—Sandal, DA2
Only a few individuals, like Flemeth and few others, appear to possess the gift of prophecy (like perhaps Eleni Zenovia, and some even believe Keiran has it too). All of these characters could have a prehistoric understanding of the Old Gods or perhaps even the Evanuris, as well as having access to their primordial power.
Although it is a stretch, it is also logical that this knowledge originates from elsewhere. The other element to having this knowledge of the future may be from the titans, but we also know very little about them. What we do know for sure is what Sandal is referencing to the destruction of the Veil and the Dread Wolf's rise to action.
How was it that he could know that? Solas never refers to or is aware of Sandal. And of course, Sandal makes a brief appearance in the Trespasser DLC's Vir Dirthara, which leads me to believe that either he collaborated with the Dread Wolf, the Qunari kidnapped Sandal, or—given how enigmatic Sandal is—that he was merely passing some time in this Shattered Library. While Orlais already knew about the Crossroads and its knowledge from the book Masked Empire. Solas can even request Michele De Chevin in the war table to understand the Eluvians and their network, which if you have read the book its probably not the best option to do that at all... This might result in Solas possibly seizing our favorite servant to enchant his armor. I cannot believe he would do that, but whatever...
But back to Sandal, Sandal also has the component to dream. He states in Dragon Age 2, Sandal mentions that an "old lady" visits him at night, which many fans suspect that has to be Flemeth. The only known person that Flemeth comes into their dreams was Keiran, who questions Flemeth 'no more dreams?' when she absorbs the Old God soul from him.
With his extensive knowledge and talent for enchantment through lyrium, it still clings to the idea that perhaps Sandal does possess some old power; maybe the thought that he is tied to a Titan or an Old God isn't too far off. We may also add another factor to this, though, which might help to explain his demeanor:
Sandal could have dreams, and magic due to lyrium poisoning- now hear me out, with knowing his demeanor and lack of words, it leads me to look at two other references on why this might be true: First, like the Tranquil, who have been branded by lyrium, have to be almost overdosed with lyrium to become Tranquil, its sad but Sandal and the Tranquil kind of have a similar demeanor. Sandal of course, is not totally tranquil, but Tranquils are also known for having a knack for mining lyrium and even making enchantments through it, just like Sandal does too.
The second example comes from Fenris, who was also known to experience the negative effects of lyrium poisoning, most notably losing all memory of his prior life. Sandal could have been poisoned with lyrium as a child or perhaps during childbirth, in which case his current temperament could be a result of the poison's effects. Although dwarves are known to be somewhat resistant to lyrium poisoning, if Sandal is indeed a half-dwarf, this would also account for his bloodline's lack of resistance.
However, Sandal may simply be who he is, and that is okay. There is nothing wrong with that, and I adore Sandal exactly the way he is.
True Identity
Here is where we can actually discuss Sandals' true identity. Although I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, the Dragon Age writers claim that Sandal was just only intended to be a tiny joke for the devs to make rather than something remarkable. But after two Dragon Age games, it appears BioWare wants to give this character additional depth, so let's get started:
Old God baby:
The only analogy we have is with Kieran, the Old God Child of Morrigan. Although Keiran and Sandal may be linked, it has been a while since Thedas had a Blight. The Fourth Blight began way back in 5:12 Exalted, which is a total of 400 years later to the Dragon Age. The fourth Blight had the Old God Andoral, the god who represented slaves, and of the Tevinter system of slavery itself. So in my honest opinion, Andoral is not the likely soul attached to Sandal, there's just no characteristics to match it, and if there was that would be highly awkward...
The Second Blight, a conflict that began in 1:5 Divine and nearly lasted 90 years, is the closest thing Old God Sandal could be compared to. According to the Chant of Light, the Old God Zazikel, also known as the "madman of Chaos". Since a Warden was said to have killed Zazikel, we know from Dragon Age: Origins that the Warden is killed when the archdemon is killed (and there was no dark ritual used at that time). Sandal may be closely related to Zazikel, as evidenced by the fact that Bodahn's life swiftly devolves into chaos after taking Sandal in.
After a noble house accused Bodahn of stealing their family's hand-made bracers when Bodahn accidentally found them, Bodahn was compelled to flee to the surface to avoid their fury. Bodahn was imprisoned and only released after he persuaded the guards to let him go by offering them half of his fortune. This tale may simply be the product of a regular dwarven feud or maybe just poor luck, but it is certainly chaotic and may lead some fans to conclude that Sandal's adoption caused Bodahn's life to become chaotic.
And in order to explain how an Old God who has been extinct for over a thousand years may suddenly appear to a living being, Flemeth's life is a logical place to start. According to Flemeth, "a wisp of an ancient being" appeared to her and gave her what she asked for and more. What we may infer is that whether or not a Warden kills an Old God, there may still be a part of that Old God searching for their ideal host. This search may take 100 or even 1000 years, but it is undoubtedly conceivable within the world of Thedas.
The Maker (joke):
The Maker is truly Sandal. It appears that many veterans often make jokes about this for new Dragon Age fans who want to dive into the lore. I'm sorry to break it to you, but this is not true. And if it were true, the writers could only have done it through fan service. Since The Maker is the pinnacle of faith in the Thedasian world, the developers claim that The Maker can never be proven. We frequently associate characters with importance with the Maker since he is also an intriguing character; nonetheless, the Maker has no identity, and Sandal being the Maker is now only a fandom joke.
Pure Dwarf:
Connected to a Titan dwarf? Whatever you may call it, this will probably be the closest link to Sandals true identity. Sandal like Valta, both have the magical component as a dwarf and perhaps ancient knowledge in proficiency in lyrium due to being connected to a Titan. And it is even feasible, that Sandal is connected to a slumbering/sundered Titan.
Fortunately for Valta, the Titan struck her mostly as a result of the Breach waking it up and disturbing it. Reasonably speaking, Sandal may have grown up attached to this Titan and most of his powers might have been limited since the Titan was also limited. And because Valta is now connected to an awakened Titan, it would be interesting to find out whether Sandal is related to the same one. If so, Sandal may now be capable of more than what he was originally shown as. However, I actually enjoy him just the way he is, so the authors have the last say at this point.
Kal-Sharok dwarf:
Bodahn portrays Sandal as being quite pale when he is first discovered. Kal-Sharok dwarves are also said to be paler than typical Orzammar dwarves, as is known from World of Thedas vol 1. And throughout the ancient dwarven history; Kal-Sharok was known to be sealed after the threat of the first Blight.
Sandal may be linked to a Kal-Sharok dwarf and, as a result, may possess different knowledge than the dwarves of Orzammar. We know that many Kal-Shirok and the great thaigs around Thedas did connect to Orzammar. Again, it's a reach, but it's not completely unimaginable. If Sandal appears in Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, might he possibly have arrived in Kal-Sharok via an eluvian? I don't know, perhaps I should stop talking since I could be giving away too many excellent writing ideas for BioWare to get him back in, but let's move on.
I also wanted to mention that Sandal's chronology seems to have a little continuity mistake. A year after the Battle of Denerim, Sandal and his father Bodahn are spotted in Kirkwall while on the Deep Roads Expedition. He remains in Kirkwall for the following three years, but he appears in the film Witch Hunt, which is set 2.5 years after the Blight. Although this is probably a literary error rather than actual journey back to Ferelden twice for the Hero of Ferelden, it is plausible that Bodahn and Sandal went back and forth from Kirkwall to Ferelden over the period of three years owing to the trade reasons of their traveling company.
All we can do at this point is be patient (and wait, and wait, and wait) until the release of the Dragon Age: Dreadwolf to see whether any of these predictions come true. For all we know, Sandal was created as a joke and will remain that way by the creators. Or maybe they simply enjoy using him to sometimes make us shudder. Because of this, the mystery surrounding his identity is finally resolved. The writers purposefully left him unfinished so that they could eventually include him as a significant character if the need arises.
But with that we are going to wrap up, the Biggest Dragon Age mystery is (kinda) been solved, what do you believe Sandal is? Or just comment Enchantment, idk, just do anything at this point. And if u don't comment, i will send u a very cursed image of sandal- or maybe some of you sick freaks have already seen it. I'm a sick freak for saving it in my files- anyways, thank you all for watching and I will see you in the next video.
Comentários