#fade expert

i think it's important to explain what i'm talking about when i say gender here because it can mean a lot of things. mainly, i'm talking about the sociocultural construct and the behaviours of people associated with it.

my thought is that gender is a reflection of the dalish lore surrounding the gods (note: nothing to do with the da:i or vg revelations. specifically the body of dalish lore). it's already an important part of the culture, as the dalish get their vallaslin as part of a coming of age ceremony. why not take it further? the vallaslin are already a dedication to a particular god. it doesn't feel too far of a stretch to say that part of taking a certain god's vallaslin is encouraging young adults to emulate the great feats of the gods and their characteristics.

to me, this makes vallaslin more meaningful. it becomes an indication of the kind of person to your clan, not a job or caste as seen under the qun and orzammar. it also explains to me why hunters aren't always wearing vallaslin to andruil or ghilan'ain and why a crafter might not have june's vallaslin. it also adds an aspect of self-determination to gender -- you don't decide until you've come of age the path you will take.

gender isn't tied to reproduction, in this case. it happens outside of gender, but is an important part of relationships.

mythal

associated with justice, love, and protection. mythal elves are considered patient and good mediators. they dress plainly so they are easier to spot amidst the rest of the elves. others find them spineless and meddling.

mythal elves generally take whatever role the clan needs of them, though they have a preference for leadership, trade, or welfare. they use a variety of pronouns, though use feminine ones most often.

elgar'nan

associated with authority, creation, and light. elgar'nan elves are considered passionate and strong. these elves cover their faces until they've undergone a trial to prove their prowess. other elves find them conceited and rash.

elgar'nan elves believe they can succeed in any area, but usually end up devoting themselves to leadership, warfare, or crafting. they typically use masculine pronouns or choose to accept any as an indication of their mastery of self.

dirthamen

associated with history, memory, and family. dirthamen elves are considered loyal and determined. all dirthamen elves carry a list with things they deem important, though the relevance tends to be inscrutable to others. other elves think they're confusing and condescending.

dirthamen elves thrive in roles related to history, religion, and magic. they tend to use both masculine and feminine pronouns, with neutral being practically unheard of.

falon'din

associated with death, dreams, and magic. falon'din elves are seen as stoic and dutiful. these elves frequently leave the clan to learn more about the world but always return back to the clan. other elves think they are cold and unfeeling, but recognise that their duty is important.

falon'din elves thrive in roles relating to religion, warfare, and magic. they usually take neutral pronouns, though using other pronouns in addition is common enough.

ghilan'ain

associated with farming, navigation, and animals. ghilan'ain elves are seen as devoted and resourceful. many believe that these elves have a supernatural ability to sense where the clan is at all times. they like to get into arguments and have one-track minds.

ghilan'ain elves thrive in roles involving farming, logistics, and crafting. they usually take masculine or neutral pronouns to honour the role andruil played in saving ghilan'ain.

andruil

associated with hunting, combat, and forestry. andruil elves are seen as fierce and quiet. they are easy to identify in a clan due to the tokens and trophies they wear as symbols of struggles overcome. they tend to turn everything into a competition and struggle to turn off their vigilance.

andruil elves are largely considered to be combatants by outsiders, but this is not the case. an andruil elf is just as likely to forage and tend to the health of the land as they are to be a hunter or warrior. they excel in roles which emphasise warfare, logistics, and farming. andruil elves tend to take feminine or neutral pronouns to honour the relationship between andruil and ghilan'ain. masculine pronouns are practically unheard of.

sylaise

associated with community, artistry, healing. sylaise elves are seen as wise and empathetic. dalish consider them the heart of their clans. the absence of a sylaise elf in a clan is considered a poor omen. sylaise elves struggle with taking care of themselves and others consider them to be coddling.

sylaise elves excel in most roles. most dalish associate them with welfare, education, and art. like sylaise herself, many elves of this gender use feminine pronouns. neutral or masculine pronouns are rarer, but not unheard of.

june

associated with mystery, craft, and forging. june elves are seen as problem solvers and hard workers. these elves are considered fashionable due to the fine details in their clothing, usually intricate lacework or embroidery. these elves struggle with seeing the larger picture and have difficulties separating their identity from their creations.

june elves are commonly found in roles which emphasize art, crafting, magic, and trade. outside of these roles, they often have small side projects they are working on. they have no pronoun preference, and often will change them frequently to align with their most recent creation.

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with vallaslin = gender, it has interesting implications for what being trans and nonbinary in this system means. being trans means changing gods. it is possible to remove vallaslin (solas trans ally <3). i imagine most keepers know how to remove it in case of infection during the vallaslin process or to ensure that youth who aren't ready can start with a clean slate. but there are probably folks who instead adapt their existing vallaslin to create something unique or emphasize their gender using the other social signifiers despite wearing the 'wrong vallaslin'.

nonbinary (non-octal, in this case?) elves are also interesting. perhaps an elf can't commit to a gender. maybe they want to reject it and keep their face bare. maybe they have a nonstandard vallaslin design dedicated to an emerald knight, an important ancestor, or another grand elven figure such as shartan. maybe they take aspects of multiple genders and have hybrid vallaslin (bigender up to octogender).

gender non-conformity is also intriguing. emphasizing 'unusual' traits or an alternative aspect of a god (mythal's aspect of vengeance, for example) or fulfilling a role not usual for their gender (a falon'din elf taking up leadership, for example).

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it also made me consider what relationships look like. i can imagine that there are some types of relationships that are surrounded by some degree of romanticism. falon'din/dirthamen, sylaise/june, and mythal/elgar'nan might be idealised by those looking for life partners.

but then i was reflecting on how gender is quite divorced from procreation by virtue of being chosen in adulthood. it would make sense for poly relationships to be normal, with societal expectations that at least one partner is for procreation.

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