It's called the Veil. Those that are gifted with enough willpower to pull magic through it and manipulate it are the mages of Thedas. But this might be a better conversation had at your club.

( she's just saying. )

Dalish are the elves of the world who do not live in cities. They ( and her voice stops there, for a slight moment, before she continues on. ) practice the old ways, of how the elves used to live before we were pushed from the Dales.