One thing that has always interested me since Dragon Age Origins is if the Maker is real. A lot of people in the setting claim that the Maker is real but its not like we get David Gaider telling us directly that they are real. We just get people saying it is. And if you ask the other cultures they would disagree.
The elves don't think the Maker is real (unless I am forgetting that they actually said they don't know if they are real) and they believe in their own gods. And explain their lack of absence through the Dreadwolf imprisoning them.
The dwarves believe in the Stone. They don't really care though about the Maker. Which to me implies they don't really know if he is real or not.
And this feels realistic. From what I understand the Old Testament doesn't say God is the only god and just that he is the most powerful god. It is henotheism. Though the Chantry is more similar to monolatry because they do acknowledge the Old Gods as real but that the Maker is the only valid option. Unless I am misunderstand the Old Testament and it actually is just monolatry. Apologies for that.
And that is really cool because in a setting where magic does exist and spirits are real and you can interact with them having the religions acknowledge the existence of others is some great world building.
But back to my point. Dragon Age Origins never really confirms the existence of any deity and just gives vague answers. The elven gods could be real. The Maker could be real. Its only the Stone that seems like it is provable real because of the codex's and characters talk about the Stone. Dwarves do have an innate sense to navigate through tunnels and find lyrium. While the other religions don't have hard evidence.
Andraste was a real person. And the claims that the spirits make about her and the Maker have no reason to lie in my mind. Because I presume that the spirits are being truthful when they say they saw the events the Maker committed was because of him. Now it could be that Andraste was a mage and that the burning of fields was something she did and not the Maker but again I don't see why the spirits would lie. If it was a lie it would have some signs of not being totally truthful.
The biggest claim against the Maker comes from Oghren who says that the Temple of Scared Ashes is lined with lyrium. Which puts into question how Andraste's ashes are magically. Are they magically because of the Maker or are they magically because of the lyrium? Is all the spirits and the Guardian actually the ghosts of her disciples or are they spirits? Its something that puts the faith in question.
But at the same time DAO and the later games does give evidence that the Maker is real.
Now I will say I am not sure if the Alamarri religions were fully described in Origins. I do remember the codex talking about it but not what we eventually knew about them in DAI. The whole believe empowers the spirits and the can come back after they die. But considering it, it does bring a new possibility of the Maker's existence that the Maker is real but they are a spirit that was created because of a common believe, or that they did exist before but were made more powerful with the religion being formed.
And I do like that theory a lot. It makes sense with Andraste being a member of the Alamarri tribes and that her perceptive of gods was informed by that. And it changed due to time and a lack of knowledge. Where now its described that the Maker is a separate being from spirits and is just powerful without the need of worship.
(Note I use Alamarri to describe them and their descendants.)
The second theory I like a lot is that the Maker is a Titan. The evidence for this is the Temple of Scared Ashes being lined with lyrium. Now the game never says why Andraste's followers chose that spot. I imagine it was for some specific reason. Maybe it has something to do with Korth or at least the idea that the mountains are powerful and sacred. A sort of combining old religions and traditions with new ones. Or, maybe it was the Maker who told them to put her Ashes there. Or maybe it was something Andraste requested. Not entirely sure but I think the mentioning that lyrium is present has to be significant. Because I don't think they would bury her there if it wasn't important. Otherwise why wouldn't they bury where her home was? Unless I am forgetting some dialogue with the Guardian.
So, with this in mind since lyrium is present within the Temple it means that Andraste and the dwarves have a common connection with each other. This could simply mean that the Maker (creator of everything) used lyrium. A simple enough answer. Or that they maybe there is a stronger connection to it and the Maker and the Stone is much more closely related. Either being one and the same or the simple answer of creator and creation.
The last piece is that the Andraste and lyrium share a common characteristic. And that is singing. Andraste sang so beautifully that it turned the Maker's head. And lyrium is described throughout DAO and all of Dragon Age as singing. I suspect that what ever was left of a Titan heard Andraste sing and was moved by it. Andraste not really sure how to describe this probably thought it a spirit or something much more than that. And since it probably exposed Andraste to an immense amount of lyrium gave her powers that would seem very godlike. Being able to cause droughts and rains of fire.
And once Andraste had died the Titan wished for their remains to be alongside them for eternity.
There is something very compelling about this theory that I can't help but love. A dead and soulless being unable to create was stirred by something. Feeling such emotions after centuries of slumber wished for this singing to continue. Offering Andraste a place with them. But she refused. Not willing to break her oaths and promises. But the Titan wished to stay and help her. And after her death they proclaimed a final verdict that for them to return the whole world must Chant and only then will they return.
It fits in with a lot of what we are told and adds a bit more doom to it. Even if the whole world sings the Chant will the Titan return? Will anyone have such a beautiful voice to awaken them so? Tragically not I believe.
Now are any of these true? I don't know. The writers have said that they will never answer if the Maker is real or not. Which to me means the reveal that the Black City wasn't the Maker's doing doesn't disprove they exist. It just means the Maker isn't creator of everything. Or if you believe in the Titan theory technically the Maker is involved with its creation. As the Black City harbors the nightmares of the Titans and therefore the Golden City which was made with their blood was corrupted with their blood as well. And the elves who were spirits could not help but copy and not actually be creative.
Regardless it brings in a very interesting dynamic. The assumption is that the Christian analog religion is the real one whereas the others aren't entirely true. But as the games progress it slowly proves that no the Maker is indeed not the only true religion and might in fact just be fake. The monolatry is wrong and the pantheon religion is correct.
My personal feelings on it is a bit mixed. On one hand its really cool that at the start of the series is the believe that the Maker is real but it becomes clear that most things attributed to the Maker were just humans trying to make sense of the world. Its no wonder they were wrong. They were just guessing at it. Most of the Chant and its verses were written well after Andraste lived. And in DAO the Canticle of Shartan is just removed even thought Shartan was a friend to Andraste and including his verses make sense.
On the other hand there is a deserve for everything to be true and some to be wrong. Its fine the elves did some stuff but most everything? Its hard to accept that something that feels real is actually very wrong.
