Fade

The Fade, known by the Dalish - and some humans - as the Beyond, is a metaphysicaal realm that is tied to Thedas and separated by The Veil.

Chantry Teachings

According to the Chantry, the Fade is a realm of primeval matter from which the Maker formed the physical world and all living beings. It is sometimes compared to a well of souls, with lyrium being its "emerald waters." It was the first realm created by the Maker, populated with spirits, the first of the Maker's "children." Growing unsatisfied with them (as what they created was "fleeting, ever-changing"), he then created Thedas, separated from the Fade by the Veil and populated by mortal creatures. Many spirits grew jealous of these new children and became what mortals call demons, craving and/or emulating their basest desires and sins. The Chant of Light states that the Black City was originally the Golden City, seat of The Maker. An attempt by Tevinter magisters to physically enter the city blackened it with their prideful ambition, and their punishment was to be cast down as the first of the darkspawn, commencing the First Blight. When the Chant of Light spreads to all corners of the world, the Maker will forgive mankind and return, restoring the Golden City.

In the Fade

Belief and willpower are paramount in the Fade. Everything that exists there exists by expression of thought and reflects the expectations of the dreamer. People dream of their loved ones in the Fade because the spirits there recognize the bond between souls, and that bond has power in dreams. An individual expecting to see a demon rather than a spirit will see one if they allow preconceptions to cloud their view of the dream world. A doorway in the Fade is simply a transition - it could be used to reach almost anywhere one desired. Magic use is possible in the Fade, though spells work unpredictably there as magic does not follow natural rules. Even though a mage cannot change every aspect of the Fade (Dreamer mages have greater capabilities in this respect), they can draw unprecedented power from it while sleeping. Similarly, even non-mages may instinctively shape the Fade in small ways: armoring and arming themselves with weapons able to cut even in dreams.

Fade and the Dead

The Light shall lead her safely
Through the paths of this world, and into the next.
— Transfigurations 10:1

Every living being in Thedas enters the Fade when their spirit leaves their body after death. The Dalish elves believe that in the time of Arlathan their ancestors did not die, but rather entered a dream-like state called uthenera, in which their souls wandered the Fade, accompanied by Falon'Din and Dirthamen. They would learn the secrets of dreams, and some would return to the People with newfound knowledge. The Chantry holds that when a person dies, their soul passes through the Fade to the afterlife and the Maker's side. Those who have turned away from the Maker enter the Fade and are lost, returning to the ether from which they were formed ("to the Void"). They are stuck in the Fade and doomed to wander endlessly. Some verses of the Chant of Light hint at reincarnation — or even of life after death, as the Cult of Spirits suggests.

Geography

There is no geography in the Fade. Place and time are far less important than concepts and symbols.
— Fiona

The substance of the Fade is sometimes referred to as the "ether." In its raw form, the Fade is a twisted, frightening world of dark rock and raw lyrium veins where it is always night and gravity affects nothing equally. Gaps between dreams are such void places. An island with the Black City, a shadowy metropolis with twisted spires, seems to be the only constant feature in the Fade, always on the horizon. No one has managed to reach it since over-ambitious mages physically invaded the Fade in -395 Ancient. Even the most powerful demons keep their distance. The Fade may appear as something else entirely when shaped by dreams. Much of the Fade is split up into fiefs or demesnes belonging to the spirits or demons that live there, and they change the landscape of the Fade to emulate what they see in the minds of mortal dreamers. They copy locations, objects, people and concepts of the real world, often in a cruel or confusing way. These copies are nowhere near consistent, and fluctuate according to the movement of the dreamers. Spirits whose realms are flocked with visitors rise to rule great portions of the Fade, while memories and concepts forgotten in the real world slowly drift away back into the ether, the spirits who ruled them losing all potency.

Entering and Leaving

People of Thedas visit the Fade mentally when they dream, even though they do not remember the time spent there. The notable exception are the dwarves, who do not dream. The Qunari also claim that they do not dream as humans and elves do. Entering the Fade is forbidden according to the Qun, and the Qunari are rarely encountered there, but evidence suggests that at least some of them do dream. Mages tap into the Fade when they cast spells and are able to remain conscious while traveling there. Members of the Circle frequently visit the Fade with the aid of lyrium - in particular during the rite of Harrowing, in which an apprentice is pitted against a demon and ultimately either put to death as an abomination or promoted to full mage status. Dreamers are capable of entering the Fade at will. Mages are also able to bring other individuals into the Fade, including dwarves and golems. Travel physically in the Fade is more possible than had previously been suspected, though dangerous. If a rift can be opened, it may allow physical access into the Fade; under normal circumstances, the passage is fatal, however. Elven Eluvians also make such travel possible, as well as allowing individuals to enter a Fade-like place known as "the Crossroads." 'Killing' a mortal's dreaming form while in the Fade (thus ending that individual's dream and waking them up) is a shock to the living body, but not normally lethal. However, Dreamer mages have been known to be able to kill others in their dreams, and if an individual is 'awake' in the Fade, death there can potentially lead to physical death.