“There are, scattered across Thedas, those who do not age as others do. They are not a people in the traditional sense, bound by land, language, or culture. And yet, they are undeniably kin.”
- From the notes of Amelisse Gregavintus, Tevinter Scholar, 14:12 Dawn
(Headcanon)
When legends of elves exhibiting unusually long lives began to surface it was first dismissed as Dalish stories, for it was only the Dalish who spoke of such beings. Over time, similar accounts emerged among non-elven populations.
These individuals - referred to as Sulevhen, a Dalish term meaning “the enduring people” - have now been identified among humans, dwarves, and even the Qunari. They appear in regions with no clear connection, yet their traits remain consistent: long life spans, resistance to illness, and swift healing abilities.
One of the most complete recorded cases concerns a human woman, Brachelle, who lived to two hundred and thirteen years before dying of natural causes. She bore fourteen children, all of whom displayed similarly prolonged ageing, with several descendants still living. Fortunately for me, a number of these descendants have consented to study.
Through their cooperation, I have begun assembling a detailed family record spanning multiple generations, now extending across elven and dwarven bloodlines. The three individuals currently under examination are each beyond their hundredth year, yet none appear older than their fifth decade.
Most notably about the Sulevhen is that previous genetic studies demonstrate that when one parent is elven, elven traits are typically recessive and don't manifest in the child. However, within the Sulevhen line, the elven genome appears more dominant. We are beginning to observe physical characteristics never before recorded: dwarves and humans with subtly pointed ears or enlarged eyes that can see as elven eyes can. It's fascinating.
Yet, despite increasing study, a central question persists: what is the origin of these people? They age, and they die, but at a far slower pace than the average citizen of Thedas. Even the Sulevhen themselves remain unaware of their origins, often believing their condition isolated to their own family. Reliable genealogies are rare.
However, I believe I have the answer.
I propose that the Sulevhen are descendants of Fen’Harel and the Herald of Andraste - or Harel An’Raste*, as she became known among the Dalish. Historical records identify her true name as Saethre Lavellan.
My theory is the result of old sealed records I came across within the Orlesian Chantry vaults. Among them were notes dated from 9:41 Dragon, the year of the Great Breach, authored by the Herald’s arcanist. These records suggest that the Anchor - the power used to seal the Breach - fundamentally altered the Herald. Of particular interest were references to distinct “frequencies” identified within her.
The implications become even more compelling when considered alongside historical accounts describing an intimate and romantic bond between Fen’Harel and Harel An’Raste as well as records claiming the two departed into the Fade together following the Sixth Blight.
If Fen’Harel and the Herald of Andraste had children - and there’s no reason to believe they didn't or couldn't - those descendants would have spread across Thedas, forming families among all races. Over generations, their lineage would have dispersed, carrying these traits forward, just as we now observe.
If the Anchor altered this Saethre Lavellan at a physiological level, and if Fen’Harel himself was an immortal being of immense power as records suggest, then it’s logical to conclude that their union may have produced an entirely new genome.
The Brachelle lineage offers a rare opportunity to study this directly. I suspect that continued examination will reveal a consistent and unique “frequency” within the Sulevhen that would no doubt match that of Fen'Harel and Harel An’Raste.
I will depart for Minrathous within the week, accompanied by members of the Brachelle family, who have agreed to further study. While it is unfortunate that we possess no blood samples from these two historical figures, I am confident I can replicate the arcanist’s findings and present this theory with authority.
Though I will have to release my findings with care. I imagine there will be many shocked to discover their lineage traces all the way back to two elves who altered the course of history itself.
-Amelisse Gregavintus, Tevinter Scholar
A further document, discovered alongside this report and attributed to Inquisition Arcanist Dagna, has been included for reference.
*Harel An’Raste - the rebel who drove back the fire (breach)
To take this even further, here is the child who started it all: Lathimar - Solas and Saethre’s son (conceived at a yet undisclosed future point in their timeline). He was named by Solas (Saethre gave him the honour) and roughly translated his name means: “love transformed us into this".
