KnightofPhoenix wrote...
Hanz54321 wrote...
I stated in my post that it is not the individual itself, but Blood Magic that is evil. I compared it to the One Ring. Jowan was never evil - the "One Ring" aka Blood Magic followed him carrying evil everywhere he went.
I have a problem with this analogy.
Unless it's proven that blood magic is also linked to an exterior will other than the user, which influences the latter's actions and can "corrupt" him/her, I find the analogy faulty for now.
It is entirely possible that blood magic is linked to demons or even the Old Gods and that they can influence and control you via blood magic. But as it stands, we have no evidence of this.
Also, it might be possible that blood magic in and of itself can influence the user against his will (sort of like the dark side bs that made me hate Star Wars). But as of yet, we also have no evidence of this.
Not trying to argue against what you define as "evil", but if something is non-sentient and is not linked to a sentient being, and seemingly does not influence or "corrupt" the user's will, and is essentially an instrument dependent only on the user and how he/she decides to use it, then I find it hard to qualify as "evil". Unless of course you regard it as "evil" because of where it originates (demons and Old Gods).
Now granted, "evil" is a word I do not use, hence I don't qualify anything as "evil" as such. So it's more than a disagreement of definitions.
If I am to describe blood magic, I would say it, like everything else, is dangerous and harmful in excess. And seeing how it carries with it great power, the probability and level of danger and harm increase, but so do the potential benefits.
This. What KoP said, and later on.
This is not really a debate on good and evil, though it's fine if that's where the discussion leads if it's still relating to blood magic and blood mages. But anyway, I'm going to have to side with KoP on this one. Clearly we have not been shown a third party that influences or controls the secret power of blood magic. There is no Sauron eye hiding around the corner should you be a naughty little mage and use blood magic too much, there is simply the mage's own will and sensibility to know when to stop and keep control of themselves. Though, sounds easy enough, we all know from watching almost every villian in history from every show, movie, book, etc. that power corrupts, or at least so the repeated chant goes that is beaten into our heads over and over. In theory, power corrupts. In theory, no living creature is given endless bounds of power and force over the world and does not fall prey to it's corruptive poison eventually. These lessons we are taught from youngsters, and this is the same lesson presented and continually preached from the Chantry in Dragon Age to drill into the mages' heads from the moment they have ears. It makes sense to us, because in our society too much power is reckless; we all know this.
Now in the case of using blood magic for more innocent purposes, I can understand that. Jowan is not some power-crazed dark mage looking to overtake the world. To me, he seemed more like he just was curious and looking for a way to get better at his magical practice, though probably went about it in a bad manner by turning to blood magic. Who's to say he didn't try everything else first? I don't blame him for being afraid of being turned tranquil. Mages who can't control or produce their spells effectively are marked as dangerous, and either killed or turned tranquil. Neither option seems very appealing, and I'm sure it didn't seem very appealing to Jowan either, hence why he turned to blood magic to perhaps better stabilize his spells. (As a note, his lack of control over his magic is suggested a few times in certain conversation trees with the PC mage. I have at least one known case that suggests he isn't very gifted with it, though anyone is free to support or dispute this. Just my opinion)
However, I think if he continued to use blood magic, it's almost like an inherent drug taking effect over time. The more you use it, the less you want to break away, and eventually you depend on it and grow needy of it. This is the point where the user decides whether they should continue this path and let the power consume them, or step away. Almost always they are going to take that offering setting on the table. It's appealing. It takes a lot of strength to step away from that type of weapon being offered.
But again, I do not label anything evil, so again I'll say I'm agreeing with KoP. Nothing is inherently evil. Society or a viewer's own beliefs make it that way. There really is no right and wrong in my book, just what society will dub right and wrong. We might find it distasteful or barbaric, but to the person performing the horrifying act, it's okay with them--clearly--so to them it is not wrong. The perception is in the eye of the viewer, clearly.
But enough talk about right and wrong. Back on the topic of Blood Magic, the question that's been bothering me ever since playing a blood mage is that the entire game we are shown, told, and have our noses rubbed in the blaring message "BLOOD MAGIC IS WRONG", yet if you dare to
play a blood mage, there is literally no consequences. Obviously if you choose the blood magic route at Redcliffe, you seriously ****** off Alistair, but we are talking about the actual PC character. The first time I actually USED blood magic, I expected at least a cutscene where half my team's jaws dropped out of their mouth in horror. I mean, it seems like it would be a little obvious, right? Unless they think that's ketchup floating in the air...
My point is that if you actually play a blood mage, there's absolutely no squalls against it. You can use it all day long and no one says a word. Obviously they see it or know that you are doing it--but it just was disappointing there wasn't even a cutscene at camp to address the issue, seeing as probably half of your camp absolutely does not approve of blood magic in any way. If Alistair can freak out on you because a third party used it and you consented, shouldn't he be enormously more upset if you, yourself, used blood magic right in front of him without batting an eye? Just a thought.
I also expected it to, at some point, be addressed or even mentioned in passing considering how bad of a name the title "blood mage" has earned in Dragon Age, but nope. Never a peep. Confuses you a bit, but then again it's possible the game creators just didn't find it necessary to make a big deal about it or could've considered it might draw away from the main plot or basically tear your camp in half (which I could understand that last one, definitely. Probably not the most ideal situation to have half of your camp or more abandon you for being a blood mage lol)
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