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[Shutterbones]

I understand there's been so many threads made before about blood mages, but I needed to make one of my own accord to clear my mind and hopefully get some answers and perhaps fill out more of the mysterious aura that surrounds the topic of blood mages. A lot of the information we gather in-game is very scattered, and sometimes it is not. It depends on when you look, where you look, and how hard you look. I recently stumbled across a codex entry under "Magic and Religion" that really struck an interest in me.

The ancient Tevinters
did not originally consider blood magic a school of its own. Rather,
they saw it as a means to achieve greater power in any school of magic.
The name, of course, refers to the fact that magic of this type uses life, specifically in the form of blood, instead of mana.
It was common practice, at one time, for a magister to keep a number of
slaves on hand so that, should he undertake the working of a spell that
was physically beyond his abilities, he could use the blood of his
slaves to bolster the casting.


Over time, however, the Imperium discovered types of spells that could only be worked by blood. Although lyrium will allow a mage to send his conscious mind into the Fade,
blood would allow him to find the sleeping minds of others, view their
dreams, and even influence or dominate their thoughts. Just as
treacherous, blood magic allows the Veil to be opened completely so that demons may physically pass through it into our world.

So until this entry I stumbled upon, I had no idea blood magic also implied that users could control dreams, thoughts, and what I could go as far to possibly say as memories? I know there has to be some sort of magic school involving that stream of thought, but where is it placed? And now that we know this information about blood magic, what else is possible with it?

Before I only knew that blood magic involved using one's own blood to perform crippling attacks and controlling spells over another to either injure or kill them (speaking of the spells you actually CAN learn with the Blood Mage specialization), but now that I've read more into it through the codex, I'm starting to wonder just how much potential and information about it are we not being told, or that is being kept to the shadows?

From The Dragon Age Wiki

Blood magic was the first form of magic on Thedas.
According to legend, it was taught to Archon Thalsian, founder of the
Tevinter Imperium, by Dumat, The Old God of Silence. Historians argue
on this point, suggesting the Imperium's mages may have learned it from
the elves of Arlathan. Whatever its origin, Blood Magic was used by the
magisters of the Tevinter Imperium to rule over the whole of Thedas. According to the Chantry, its reckless use eventually led to the blackening of the Golden City, the creation of the darkspawn and the first Blight.

It goes on to list some notable blood mages in the game, including Zathrien, a Dalish clan keeper who used blood magic to employ a very strong curse upon a village of humans, turn them into werewolves, and sustain his own life. All of these types of spells and clearly strong magic abilities are never really elaborated on in basic magic training with mages in the tower, I'm assuming lol. I would like to know just exactly what is possible when it comes to blood magic, and what, aside from the obvious abilities you can earn in your skill tree with the blood mage specialization, is possible?

It also notes you can "summon demons" by employing the use of blood magic. Is this perhaps in a sense of using them as your slaves, to some extent? As weapons against others? I'm imagining it in the sense how Rangers can summon pets to assist in fights, except more sinister. If this is the case, why was that not one of the abilities given in the skill tree once you unlocked the blood mage specializaton?

Sorry for all the questions, but I've been trying to dig my heels into this for a while now, and I just hate hitting dead ends all the time. I want to know so much more information about blood mages, seeing as they played a pretty significant role in the whole blight and all (or so the Chantry says haha)

[Shutterbones]

..Or perhaps there aren't as many interested parties as I thought? Lol.

[ok go]

i like being a blood mage



personally i dont think blood magic evil, just the person who wields it

[Addai]

Good stuff. It seems that blood magic is pretty central to DA lore and we will hear more about it and its origins. I doubt that default Hawke being a blood mage is an accident.

They do mention the mind control stuff in the game. That is why blood magic is so feared. Cullen and Greagoir point out that if one blood mage were to get close to a king... etc. You see blood magic being used to tear the Veil in Awakening, when the Baroness kills the First in order to use his life energy to tear it.

Thanks for posting those codex entries. Good to see a summary.

Modifié par Addai67, 14 novembre 2010 - 11:44 .

[PatT2]

If you have Warden's Keep, you will see a "dream/vision" of the mage (who you later find in the tower) calling/summoning demons (who them turn on him..because demons are more powerful than blood mages once they've come into this world, apparently)... and the whole blood mage in the tower thing demonstrates that there is more to blood mages than what we, the players, are ever allowed to do through the talent trees.



My guess is a fully powered blood mage would be so completely overpowered that game balance would be impossible. And your party would be useless except as thralls/slaves.



The tevinter slaver is another one. If the fight lasts for very long, he kills elves that are in those cages to renew his power. The sooner you kill him, the more elves live (at least that's what it appears during the fight itself.



Blood mages are very, very powerful, but also they stand on the precipice of losing that power to other malevolent beings who wish to use that power to have a body (ie demons). It seems to always go wrong (ie. Avernus's "miscalculations") right. Sure.



So remember your gameplay.

[Addai]

PatT2 wrote...

The tevinter slaver is another one. If the fight lasts for very long, he kills elves that are in those cages to renew his power. The sooner you kill him, the more elves live (at least that's what it appears during the fight itself.

Wow, really?  I never noticed that.    That prissy bastard!  My Morrigan can usually go toe-to-toe with him by that point in the game, however.  If she doesn't get Scattershotted too often.  Hate that.  *grumble grumble*

[Special_Agent_Goodwrench]

I was wondering if a blood mage could use his or someone else's blood to heal another person. I don't think we ever had anything like that mentioned anywhere within the game.



Most of the blood spells we know of are either used to heal or amplify the strenght of the blood mage, or to attack or control his/her enemies.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

So until this entry I stumbled upon, I had no idea blood magic also implied that users could control dreams, thoughts, and what I could go as far to possibly say as memories? I know there has to be some sort of magic school involving that stream of thought, but where is it placed? And now that we know this information about blood magic, what else is possible with it?

It makes sense that we never learn much about blood magic in Ferelden since it's a forbidden topic. There are scattered hints about things that have been achieved using blood magic, though whether or not it's Chantry dogma is another issue:

Blood magic was used to physically enter the Golden City.
Blood magic was used by Tevinters to summon demons and put down rebellions
Arlathan was swallowed by the earth thanks to a huge blood magic ritual.

but now that I've read more into it through the codex, I'm starting to wonder just how much potential and information about it are we not being told, or that is being kept to the shadows?

It makes sense blood magic wouldn't be fully explained in Ferelden, all things considered. And a lot of the powers, as some have mentioned, could be game-breaking or hard to implement.

I would like to know just exactly what is possible when it comes to blood magic, and what, aside from the obvious abilities you can earn in your skill tree with the blood mage specialization, is possible?

Entering the Fade physically, dream-walking, finding others' dreams and influencing them, tearing the veil and allowing demons through, using the blood of another to supplement your own energies and cast a spell normally beyond your means...

The codices say that blood magic can not only enhance the power of regular spells, but it can be used to cast spells that can only be achieved via the use of blood. The full extent of what blood magic can achieve? We don't know yet. It's been suggested that mage phylacteries, what the Templars use to hunt down apostates, are a form of blood magic as they contain mage blood.

It also notes you can "summon demons" by employing the use of blood magic. Is this perhaps in a sense of using them as your slaves, to some extent? As weapons against others? I'm imagining it in the sense how Rangers can summon pets to assist in fights, except more sinister. If this is the case, why was that not one of the abilities given in the skill tree once you unlocked the blood mage specializaton?

Personally (so don't take this as canon) I think the demons can be summoned, but contolling them is a dangerous gamble pitting your strength against something that could possess you. Who's to say the mage can banish the demon after it's been summoned?

Finally, blood magic is not all powerful. Did you ever read the Codex about Adralla?

Adralla of Vyrantium dedicated her life to the study of blood magic—the academic study, rather than the practice. A deeply pious mage, she was renowned in her day for having found a counter to every form of mind control, a defense against dream walkers, and even counter-spells to demonic summons.

Her efforts went unappreciated in her native Tevinter, however. After three different magisters attempted to have her killed, she fled the country, choosing to take refuge in the land of Blessed Andrate's birth. She spent the remainder of her days with the Circle in Ferelden.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Hanz54321 wrote...

My canon character feels this way: blood magic is like The One Ring. Many would use it from a desire to do good, but through them it would do evil.

Zathrian - uses blood magic to curse humans centuries ago, but can't let go of his hate, now his clan is cursed because of his actions and he still hangs on to the curse.

Jowan - uses blood magic to escape Templar oppression and have a quiet life of love with Lilly. Good intention. Turns out horribly as he escapes, is captured and told to poison Eamon. This alone is not good. Now while there is no clear connection that his blood magic posseses Connor, lets think a moment. Demons are drawn to Blood Magic. Jowan DESIREs freedom and love, so here comes a DESIRE demon. Jowan resists . . . but the demon finds a little kid who desperately DESIRES daddy gets well. Poof - Abomination and hundreds killed and turned into undead. Just a bad result all around.

Avernus - Blood Magic and Demonology used for the noble purpose of defeating a tyrant King Arland. That went spectacularly.

I could go on, but my point is made. My canon view is that Blood Magic is EVIL, but not necessarily those who use it.

Final example: I always play Morrigan as a blood mage. When it comes time for the Dark Ritual she wants to use Blood Magic to free an imprisoned Old God, cleanse it of the darkspawn possession, and raise it to do good. Yes - after many playthroughs and discussions I believe Morrigan is a well intentioned but socially awkward person. But my canon character turns her down because he is convinced no matter how noble her intentions this will go wrong.

We stated, QFT. My opinions exactly. The gave really doesn't show the complexity of blood magic, much information is limited. You get 4 spells in the blood magic school, and pretty much use it with impunity, even infront of more zealous members like Wynne and to a lesser extent, Alistair.

Yet I do believe that blood magic, in its very essence, is evil. The person practicing it might not be evil, or practice it for evil intentions, but in game, every person who uses blood magic becomes part of, or starts, a major tragedy. Jowan is a fine example of someone who lacks evil intent, yet ends up corrupting everything he touches just by using blood magic.

To understand why I personally feel blood magic is bad news, no matter who wields it, it is important to understand real life occult and magickal philosophy. People who are familiar with real life practices of magic (ceremonial magick, hermeticism, witchcraft, shamanism, ect) know that magic, in itself is a pretty much neutral force, directed by one's will. Good and evil do not apply in the realm of raw magic. Thus, to work magic normally, one performs rituals, meditations, dances, sex, ect, to raise energy and focus will for whatever spell. Pretty much like a mana mage in DA.

However, there exists also darker methods of powering spells. Such "black magic" or "left hand path" methods, most of which, involve some pretty unsavory, and sometimes, illegal practices. There are practioners of magic in real life who utilize these methods, using blood from themselves, or a willing or unwilling victim. Sacrifices, both human and animal, also occur, both historically and currently. It is believed that these practices are a quick and easy path to buttloads of power. But they are also believed to carry great cost. Theories abound to why this is, but generally, most people that play with the more deadly, blood fueled aspects of magick in the modern world, often end up much worse for the wear.

My own personal theory is that the use of blood is the use of raw life force. And life force is only extracted through pain and violence. Even a small pin ****** to one's finger involves a small amount of pain and violence, since it requires one to be injured to produce blood. In otherwords, life force must be taken unwillingly. (Let's say you ****** your thumb for a little bit of blood to cast a spell. While you might do this voluntarily, your body, your vessel of life, does not. Your body does not want to bleed, thus, it sends you pain signals, even small ones, to let you know something even minor is wrong). In taking blood to power magic, you "sunder the veil" of your own body, allowing it's life force (blood) to seep out, when this is not the natural state your body needs to be in.

In doing this, you generate pain and trauma, however slight, and pain and trauma are the foodstuffs of darker energies and entities, who feed off of the negative energies of existance. And karma, being what it is, demands some sort of balancing out, that negative void must be filled with something. Something that you really don't want to be filled with.

I think the DA spin on magic is very similar, in that blood magic seems to follow the same concept. No matter who is using it, blood magic originated from demons, and most of it is learned from them. It is fueled by the draining away of life, of forcibly sundering a natural barrier, and filling that void with something much darker, no matter what your intent or purpose. It is very different from a spell summoned from a standard school through mana alone. While dropping a fireball on a group of innocent children would be just as evil if it were fueled by blood magic, the difference between a mana fueled and blood fueled spell, is that with a mana spell, you bring it forth from your will, which, in the DA universe, is not violating or crossing any natural boundaries, nor tearing them. You have ripped no veils in forming and casting the fireball, you have used the force of your mind, a natural force, to shape another natural force, magic, into reality.

I hope this is at least somewhat coherent, if not, I'm sorry. My husband brought home a rather unpleasant virus, and I have just taken a shot of some pretty lethal cough syrup that's making it difficult to stay coherant.

Anyway, what I am saying is that I personally believe blood magic, whether used to hurt or heal, is still "evil" in terms of healthy and unhealthy, natural and unatural, positive and negative. That said, it's different when playing a Warden. Though blood magic is pretty evil stuff, the Blight is even more evil, as are the darkspawn, so it's a pretty minor evil when compared to the Blight, and thus, unless I'm playing a fanatic Chantry tool, it's tolerated, even accepted, in most of my playthroughs.

And I have played a blood mage before, I'm getting ready to redo her playthrough now. But to reflect my opinions on blood magic, I have made her a rather psychotic, unstable, and slightly twisted character to reflect what I believe is the inevitable corruption of the body, mind, and spirit of a person who plays with a very dangerous, and ultimately negative, force.

My 2 cents anyway. Take em and toss em in a wishing well, if you don't agree.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

I don't think draining a person's blood for energy is any less evil than setting them on fire and watching them burn to death, to be honest.

Blood magic, IMO, has a greater *potential* for drawing its users to evil because of some of the things it can achieve, and due to the seductive nature of power (whatever its source), but it is not of itself evil. Edit: We may find it squicky, it may have adverse effects that wouldn't bother a mage who only used mana, but I don't see how it's *evil* (especially if they're only drawing on their own blood. What if it's an emergency, someone is dying and they have no more mana for a healing spell? Let them die?).

Modifié par Shadow of Light Dragon, 15 novembre 2010 - 02:19 .

[andysdead]

Hanz54321 wrote...

Jowan - uses blood magic to escape Templar oppression and have a quiet life of love with Lilly. Good intention. Turns out horribly as he escapes, is captured and told to poison Eamon.

This is what we in the sociology field call a socially constructed inequality. It is known that mages in general attract demons. Connor learned enough magic that he became a beacon to the desire demon. Jowan had nothing to do with that except that he taught Connor some magic. Jowan's punishment for the use of blood magic was a punishment enacted BY PEOPLE and actually had nothing to do with his use of blood magic. If magic weren't so feared, and if mages weren't so oppressed because of it, there never would have been a problem. The problem rests with society, not with the mages themselves.

Blaming the mages is blaming the victims.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

andysdead wrote...

Hanz54321 wrote...

Jowan - uses blood magic to escape Templar oppression and have a quiet life of love with Lilly. Good intention. Turns out horribly as he escapes, is captured and told to poison Eamon.

This is what we in the sociology field call a socially constructed inequality. It is known that mages in general attract demons. Connor learned enough magic that he became a beacon to the desire demon. Jowan had nothing to do with that except that he taught Connor some magic. Jowan's punishment for the use of blood magic was a punishment enacted BY PEOPLE and actually had nothing to do with his use of blood magic. If magic weren't so feared, and if mages weren't so oppressed because of it, there never would have been a problem. The problem rests with society, not with the mages themselves.

Blaming the mages is blaming the victims.

If you let Jowan go, you can encounter him again in a random encounter where he's helping to escort/protect refugees.

They all seem to regard him favourably unless you choose to reveal he's a blood mage, which is when they turn on him.

Where's the evil? :/

[Corker]

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

 Sacrifices, both human and animal, also occur, both historically and currently. It is believed that these practices are a quick and easy path to buttloads of power. But they are also believed to carry great cost. Theories abound to why this is, but generally, most people that play with the more deadly, blood fueled aspects of magick in the modern world, often end up much worse for the wear.

FWIW, there are also religions (like Santeria) that perform animal sacrifice and do not consider it a 'dark path,' but a normal part of worship.

[Zjarcal]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...

I don't think draining a person's blood for energy is any less evil than setting them on fire and watching them burn to death, to be honest.

Blood magic, IMO, has a greater *potential* for drawing its users to evil because of some of the things it can achieve, and due to the seductive nature of power (whatever its source), but it is not of itself evil.

This.

Setting someone on fire or crushing them with a stone is just as bad as boiling their blood or draining it from them. Conversely, using your own life force to cast a healing spell on someone should be considered a noble act.

Like any form of power, blood magic can be used for evil purposes and it's certainly well suited for it (the mind control aspect in particular). But it's not an evil power by itself. It all depends on the person using it.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Corker wrote...

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

 Sacrifices, both human and animal, also occur, both historically and currently. It is believed that these practices are a quick and easy path to buttloads of power. But they are also believed to carry great cost. Theories abound to why this is, but generally, most people that play with the more deadly, blood fueled aspects of magick in the modern world, often end up much worse for the wear.

FWIW, there are also religions (like Santeria) that perform animal sacrifice and do not consider it a 'dark path,' but a normal part of worship.

So does Judism and certain animistic/Eastern religions. However, worship and magic ritual are not always the same thing, even in witch craft. Sacrifice of an animal or cleans one's sins, or bring an offering to one's diety, is very different than cutting one's veins to fuel a spell or rite intended to directly or obliquely affect the physical world.

As far as Jowan and Connor go: The demon just didn't pop in and say "hi" when Connor started learning magic. You learn from looking at Jowans books in one of the Redcliffe rooms, and from talking to Connor, that Jowan had books on demonology. It is from one of these books on demons than Connor learned to summon the "mean lady", i.e., desire demon. Thus, Jowan himself, was involved in some degree of demonology, if he's packing the books around with him.

Blood magic and demons in DA:O are pretty much entertwined, you really don't find one without the other.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Zjarcal wrote...

This.

Setting someone on fire or crushing them with a stone is just as bad as boiling their blood or draining it from them. Conversely, using your own life force to cast a healing spell on someone should be considered a noble act.

Like any form of power, blood magic can be used for evil purposes and it's certainly well suited for it (the mind control aspect in particular). But it's not an evil power by itself. It all depends on the person using it.

That's not my point. The point is not how blood magic is used, it's a matter of what it comes from and what fuels it. Blood magic is brought into being by pain and violence on some scale. Normal magic is brought into existance by will.

You could compare two healing spells, one fueled by normal magic, one fueled by blood magic. The one willed into existance by normal mana is far less likely to bring negative karmic consequences than one fueled by an act of violence, whether against yourself or someone else.

it is not the end result that makes blood magic worse, it is the source and force driving it.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

As far as Jowan and Connor go: The demon just didn't pop in and say "hi" when Connor started learning magic. You learn from looking at Jowans books in one of the Redcliffe rooms, and from talking to Connor, that Jowan had books on demonology. It is from one of these books on demons than Connor learned to summon the "mean lady", i.e., desire demon. Thus, Jowan himself, was involved in some degree of demonology, if he's packing the books around with him.

That's just guilt by association, Skadi. Just because I own a book doesn't mean I've read it. And even if I have, it doesn't mean I've made use of its principles. If Connor said he learned how to summon the demon directly from Jowan(?), that's another matter.

Blood magic and demons in DA:O are pretty much entertwined, you really don't find one without the other.

Mages can be possessed by demons without blood magic, and can interact with demons in the Fade without blood magic. It's magic itself and the power magic can grant that is intertwined with demons.

Modifié par Shadow of Light Dragon, 15 novembre 2010 - 02:46 .

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Zjarcal wrote...

This.

Setting someone on fire or crushing them with a stone is just as bad as boiling their blood or draining it from them. Conversely, using your own life force to cast a healing spell on someone should be considered a noble act.

Like any form of power, blood magic can be used for evil purposes and it's certainly well suited for it (the mind control aspect in particular). But it's not an evil power by itself. It all depends on the person using it.

That's not my point. The point is not how blood magic is used, it's a matter of what it comes from and what fuels it. Blood magic is brought into being by pain and violence on some scale. Normal magic is brought into existance by will.

You could compare two healing spells, one fueled by normal magic, one fueled by blood magic. The one willed into existance by normal mana is far less likely to bring negative karmic consequences than one fueled by an act of violence, whether against yourself or someone else.

it is not the end result that makes blood magic worse, it is the source and force driving it.

I think the problem is you're bringing real-life comparisons into it...which I can't say carry over into the DA world. As far as I could tell there were no negative karmic consequences healing someone with mana or blood. I understand what you're trying to convey and why the blood magic process would be considered evil, dangerous or distasteful, but I am unconvinced that it's anything more than a theory brought on by those who think shedding blood for power is a bad thing (whether for physical health detriments or some kind of cosmic dictation of Right and Wrong).

Anyway, the OP was discussing what blood magic can achieve, not the morality attached.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...


That's just guilt by association, Skadi. Just because I own a book doesn't mean I've read it. And even if I have, it doesn't mean I've made use of its principles. If Connor said he learned how to summon the demon directly from Jowan(?), that's another matter.

Somehow, I doubt Jowan, a blood mage, is going to carry around books on demonology simply because he likes looking at the pictures.

Mages can be possessed by demons without blood magic, and can interact with demons in the Fade without blood magic. It's magic itself and the power magic can grant that is entertwined with demons.

They are far more likely to become possessed by demons as blood mages than normal mages. Uldred's cabal at the tower were blood mages. Connor became possesed by using things he learned in a book on blood magic and demonology. The Baroness was a blood mage who became possesed by a pride demon.

People who drive sober still have car accidents. People who drive drunk are many times more likely to have one. Same with blood magic.

[Addai]

It makes no real sense that Jowan would have any books when he was fleeing for his life from the templars, then in prison in Fort Drakon. Also why would you carry around an "I am a maleficar" ticket? Plot purposes, of course.

[DPSSOC]

I tend to view mana vs blood magic like hydro electric and nuclear power. Certainly of the two nuclear power is more dangerous; greater potential for catastrophe as well as weapon applications (last I checked there are no Hydro Electric WMDS). However if you take equal masses of water and uranium you'll get much more energy out of the uranium. So yes Blood Magic has it's risks but I don't think it's inherrantly evil.



Now a quick hypothetical. Say you were in a position where someone close to you, a friend, family member, lover etc. was dying, let's say they were stabbed, and the only way to save them was using blood magic to drain all of the life force from the person responsible in order to heal them would you do it?



Personally I really wish I could say I wouldn't but I have to be honest and say I would.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...



I think the problem is you're bringing real-life comparisons into it...which I can't say carry over into the DA world. As far as I could tell there were no negative karmic consequences healing someone with mana or blood. I understand what you're trying to convey and why the blood magic process would be considered evil, dangerous or distasteful, but I am unconvinced that it's anything more than a theory brought on by those who think shedding blood for power is a bad thing (whether for physical health detriments or some kind of cosmic dictation of Right and Wrong).

Anyway, the OP was discussing what blood magic can achieve, not the morality attached.

The game itself does not give you any karmic consequences probably because of game mechanics. I mean, hell, if you can make Wynne a blood mage with no consequences, or use it on Loghain in front of the whole Landsmeet, including the Grabnd Cleric without a peep, then it's pretty clear the game won't deal with them. Lore, however, is different.

As far as what blood magic can accomplish, we pretty much know it's an extremely powerful form of magic, maybe even the most powerful. We know the Tevinters used it like candy, and supposedly, sacrificed thousands of slaves to map the fade. And such a massive sacrifice was also supposedly the method of which the magisters entered the Golden City and turned it Black.

So technically, it's possible with enough lives and blood, you could probably make another attempt at entering the Black City, though it's probably inadvisable.

[Skadi_the_Evil_Elf]

Addai67 wrote...

It makes no real sense that Jowan would have any books when he was fleeing for his life from the templars, then in prison in Fort Drakon. Also why would you carry around an "I am a maleficar" ticket? Plot purposes, of course.

Ask the developers.

Jowan could have been given the books by his original captors, by Loghain, since he was contracted out under the guise of being a teacher to Connor. Or he could have picked them up somewhere on the way. At that point, Jowan still did not know all the consequences of his blood magic, could be he picked up some books to advance his studies to make himself better equipped to deal with the templars in the future.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Skadi_the_Evil_Elf wrote...

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...


That's just guilt by association, Skadi. Just because I own a book doesn't mean I've read it. And even if I have, it doesn't mean I've made use of its principles. If Connor said he learned how to summon the demon directly from Jowan(?), that's another matter.

Somehow, I doubt Jowan, a blood mage, is going to carry around books on demonology simply because he likes looking at the pictures.

As you wish. Everyone has different views on what kind of person he was, after all.

Mages can be possessed by demons without blood magic, and can interact with demons in the Fade without blood magic. It's magic itself and the power magic can grant that is entertwined with demons.

They are far more likely to become possessed by demons as blood mages than normal mages.

Are they? The Harrowing involves deliberately putting a demon into an apprentice mage and seeing if they can withstand it. Any mage who falters or takes too long succeeding is killed by the Templars. They test all mages for susceptibility to demons *except* blood mages, who are just killed outright or made Tranquil.

Is it a foregone conclusion that blood mages will fail the Harrowing, or are they simply killed because, somewhere along the line, they are going to be too dangerous?

Either way, the supposed increased susceptibility to demons doesn't mean that blood magic is evil. It just means it's more dangerous than the average run-of-the-mill magic.

People who drive sober still have car accidents. People who drive drunk are many times more likely to have one. Same with blood magic.

Point. But alcohol isn't evil. You just have to be *careful* with it.