Mihris – First to Keeper Thelhen of clan Virnehn one of its few survivors.Merrill – First to Keeper Marethari of the Sabrae clan went into voluntary exile.Lanaya – First to Keeper Zathrian succeeded him as Keeper after Nature of the Beast.Josmael – First to Keeper Yevven new Keeper of his clan at the end of Dragon Age: Redemption.The Inquisitor – First to Keeper Deshanna Istimaethoriel Lavellan of Clan Lavellan (if an elven mage).Faladhin – First to Keeper Ilshae after Velanna's exile.Cillian – former First to Keeper Elindra of the Ralaferin clan left to become an arcane warrior with her blessing a playable character in Dragon Age: Inquisition's multiplayer.Zathrian – Keeper of a Dalish clan located in the Brecilian Forest.Yevven – replaced by his First, Josmael.Tianne – Keeper of Sendis' clan in Dragon Age Legends.Tanaleth a smith and the High Keeper of June she spent her years rediscovering the arts of Arlathan.Mahariel – the Dalish Elf's father was stated to have been the Keeper of the Sabrae clan before Marethari.Levinia Ghilain – Keeper of Ghilain Clan.Lanaya (conditional) – Zathrian's successor.Ilshae – Keeper of Velanna's former clan.Iloren – Keeper of an unnamed clan in the Anderfels during the Second Blight.Ilan'ta – member of the Dalish hahren'al.Hawen – Keeper of a Dalish clan located on the Exalted Plains.Gisharel – former Keeper of the Ralaferin Clan author of several codex entries.
The apprentice is referred to as the First ( First meaning the next in line of succession). These mages are the Keeper and the Keeper's apprentice. The Keepers are the Dalish's mages, though each clan will seldom have more than two or three fully trained mages. Furthermore, the Keepers are the only ones who know the secret of writing the Elven language. The intense quarreling that occurs in these conferences leads many to suspect the Dalish prefer their tribal isolation due to irreconcilable differences. Every ten years, the Keepers of the Dalish clans convene during the Arlathvhen, which usually lasts two days, to compare any recovered knowledge or artifacts. Without a keeper, the clan's knowledge is lost forever. Keepers are also responsible for protecting a clan from Fen'Harel, and for knowing the clan's ancient lore and passing it on to the others in the clan. The last High Keeper of Dirthamen attempted to sacrifice his acolytes in a ritual to protect the god's secrets from outsiders, and was trapped along with them. Not all of these Keepers were benevolent, however. There they functioned as magical scholars and were led by a High Keeper, or sometimes Highest One. In the days of the elven Dales, a Keeper served the role of a priest in any of the temples to the elven gods or goddesses. The families within a clan listen to their Keeper because they consider them to be wise, and because it is tradition. They are not thought of as rulers, however. Concept art of a Dalish Keeper from Heroes of Dragon Age.Ī Keeper is a leader of the clan in both the spiritual sense, as well as the literal.