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Siding with the Templars is fine, but siding with Meredith isn`t


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#3276
EmperorSahlertz

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The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

EmperorSahlertz wrote...

GavrielKay wrote...

EmperorSahlertz wrote...

So when a child abomination is hiding amongst other children, what then? You ignore them? Let the abomination kill the children, then you can kill it, and avoid the blood stain on your own hands? Risk that it escapes while you run for the "cure"? Or do you accept the deaths will be on your hands, and make sure the abomination won't escape.


So do you reject the gameplay evidence that a demon will always defend itself against even non-lethal force and thus be detectable by anyone determined to try?  DAO let us sort out the mages, Anders will do his "test" on Kerran to tell you he's clean with no repercussions. 

The game itself seems to tell you that you can actually detect an abomination.  If it is possible to determine guilt or innocence then I think it's worth the trouble.

I doubt it is as simple as that. If it were that simple there would never have been any issue. The demon either have to truly believe its "life"(/host) is in danger, or it is more complicated than that. Either way, it would require you to harm a child, which seems to be the major gripe with alot of you.


If you don't say you're at Redcliffe Castle to kill the Connor Abomination, it will still attack you. Not personally, but by using thralls to defend itself.

So even if you don't threaten an abomination, they will still defend themselves.

In that case it wasn't defending itself, as much as it was killing everybody to use their corpses.

I'm talking about the demon who is hiding itself within its host. Those will only show to defend themselves.

#3277
TEWR

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unless Tevinter has no pigs =P

#3278
Guest_Alistairlover94_*

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The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Alistairlover94 wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

Alistairlover94 wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

if the child truly cannot be saved in any way, yes.

But in the case of Connor-like Abominations, no.

If we're talking abominations during an Annulment, then you have to.


What if the child was the child of a templar. Would the templar still peform his/her duty?


That's where it gets tricky. We draw ourselves into a Thrask scenario. I really can't say as it's up to the Templar to make a hard decision.

If it is beyond saving, it is no longer his child. But if it's a Connor-esque child, it's hard for him/her to make that decision.


I suspect a templar would put his kin before his sworn duty. The templar would perhaps harbor a mage, in exchange for the Blood mage using an innocent to fuel the Blood magic ritual(ala, Isolde if Warden doesn't go to the Tower for help).


I can and can't see that happening, as it really depends on the Templar.


I can see a Templar killing their Connor-esque child though if the child knew it was possessed, snapped out of it briefly, and begged to be killed.

But I wonder (and this is somewhat off-topic), does blood magic require human blood or is it just that all blood mages have used human blood and never anything else? Could pig's blood work? Goat's? If you can use animal blood, then that should become the new medium.



That's actually a pretty good question. Why do Blood mages always have to use human blood? We should definitely ask a writer this *writes down question for next time a writer is posting in the forums*

#3279
LobselVith8

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Beerfish wrote...

Xilizhra wrote...

Beerfish wrote...

Mages are no better in Kirkwall. Orsino supports Quentin and his research which killed Leandra. Almost every mage turns to blood magic in the end, no matter who you support. The moderates either go insane or are killed by the insane. Both sides are corrupt, and both sides have logical points to support them.


Altogether wrong. Orsino's support for Quentin's current research is unclear, and he only hides him to keep the Circle safe. Very few of the Circle's mages use blood magic if you side with the mages (there are only like three). There are plenty of moderates left in the Circle, especially if you let them live.


Only  like 3?  Gee that's great.

Also the fact that every second non circle mage is a blood mage


You mean, like almost every dwarven antagonist we encounter is a member of the carta? Does that mean all dwarves should be killed because we encounter a large number of carta members in the streets?

Beerfish wrote...

or abomination and the fact that the Starkhaven circle immediately went bonkers once they were on the loose points towards better control = safer for everyone. 


You mean Decimus and those stupid enough to side with him. Alain isn't evil, Terrie isn't evil, and neither are the other members of the Starkhaven Circle who didn't try to murder Hawke and were frightened of Decimus' insanity.

Beerfish wrote...

Orsino knew the dude was up to no good, as you point out he keeps it quiet because he knows he is up to no good.  He just offers up all this helpful data to Quentin and does zero checking up on him.


Yes, it's like he's in a prison for mages under templar supervision.

Beerfish wrote...

Orsino was a horrible 1st enchanter and as much to blame as Meredith for the disaster.


Meredith was the one who ordered the execution of all the Circle mages for an act an apostate was responsible for.

#3280
EmperorSahlertz

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The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

unless Tevinter has no pigs =P

That would explain their generally bad mood.

The lack of bacon.

#3281
Guest_Alistairlover94_*

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EmperorSahlertz wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

unless Tevinter has no pigs =P

That would explain their generally bad mood.

The lack of bacon.


Actually, Tevinter does have pigs. It's just that the criminals are the rulers. God I hate cops...Posted Image

#3282
Deztyn

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The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

at the very least he became first enchanter when Hawke first landed in Kirkwall, as you receive the codex on him during Demands of the Qun. It says that for the past 5 years he'd been having disputes with Meredith. Which isn't indicative really of whose fault the disputes fall to, but I'd place a good guess that it was all due to Meredith.



So Orsino may have become first enchanter around the time the problems with the mages started. While Meredith had been Knight Commander for a decade already. Interesting.

#3283
HogarthHughes 3

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Alistairlover94 wrote...

That's actually a pretty good question. Why do Blood mages always have to use human blood? We should definitely ask a writer this *writes down question for next time a writer is posting in the forums*


Remember the ritual Jowan could do required a human sacrifice.  It seems like blood magic doesn't just use blood, but a sort of life force (its fantasy so it works).  If it just required a specific quantity of blood, couldn't they have just taken some from corpses, perhaps the soldiers there, and maybe even from people down in the village in order to have enough with no casualties?

As for animal blood, it seems that it would be easier to just have huge amounts of livestock under control than slaves.  Although slaves are potentially more useful in other ways, and can follow you around more easily.  Still, it seems like animal blood just doesn't cut it for blood magic.  Otherwise, why bother wasting all those slaves on the blood ritual thing beneath Kirkwall?

Modifié par HogarthHughes 3, 18 mai 2011 - 07:45 .


#3284
Deztyn

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Rifneno wrote...

Deztyn wrote...

Funny, I thought the problem with the thin veil meant they were more likely to become possessed or contact demons. Just living in Kirkwall, not even the Gallows, is enough to turn mages crazy and excuse any action now? News to me.


Actually the most place the veil is the thinnest is the old tunnels under the city that they used as... well, a sewer. For blood. The veil is so bad down there that even non-mages can get into the demony fun. I'm not sure if it's true, but I've seen some say that Lady Harimann, the mage that murdered the Vaels and is killed in the Repentance quest, was not actually born a mage. Her magic was just another of the things she got in deals with the desire demon Allure. Since you see she's contacting the demon in those ancient tunnels, it's at least plausible. Anyway, horrific place. There's just mountains of skulls all over the place. No wonder the veil is thinner than the plot to a Pauly Shore movie.

Anyway, I wouldn't go so far as to say it excuses any action, but I think it's reasonable to say it causes a lot of mages to go nuts. As I understood it, the constant bombardment of demons trying to influence them will have either their willpower break and them get possessed, or their sanity break and... well, Quentin. The Chantry's propaganda, which I view as largely fearmongering to keep their stranglehold on political and military power, is sadly pretty accurate of Kirkwall.


... I think if their sanity broke because of demons trying to get in their heads, they'd be easily possessed. I'm not comfortable using the Enigmas of Kirkwall to give every mage who went bad in Kirkwall a pass, it made things worse. But if it was that serious even Saint Bethany would have gone abomination or started piecing together various bits of templars to try and resurrect her brother.


The codex entries indicate the problems in the Circle predate Meredith, there were always more failed harrowings more abominations. Hellmouth. That doesn't mean she didn't make things worse, but I don't hold any one of them more responsible. (If I complain the most about Orsino it's only because he's the one who usually gets a pass by most posters. His incompetence needs emphasis.)


Well Kirkwall was always the worst Circle for reasons mentioned above, yes. But how long has there been a Circle housed there? Hundreds of years at least. As far as we know this is the first time things have gotten this out of hand there. If for no other reason than the fact that the Divine is planning to launch a crusade against the city because of how much trouble the mages are causing.


It's not the first time the Circle was Annuled, however. If it had been Meredith with a different First Enchanter, or Orsino with a different Knight-Commander things might have turned out much different. Never mind Anders, the Resolutionists, the influx of Starkhaven mages, the Refugee situation, the Qunari, they all played a part.

Oh, and I'd say Elthina gets a free pass from the most posters. None of them get a free pass from a majority, but Elthina's "sweet old lady" act convinces a surprising number of people that she shouldn't be blamed for everything exploding (err, no pun intended) on her watch.


I think it's more recognizing that Elthina was in a very difficult position. That doesn't excuse her. But she didn't deserve to be blown up.

If we did we'd have nothing to argue about!


So I take it you're new to the Internet? :lol: 


:P

I can't bring myself to play manshep, I have no idea how the male romances play out. But yeah, I have no problem figuring out if I want my first run of ME3 to be with a Shepard that saved the base, killed the Rachni Queen, or destroyed the Heretics but which romance she did, that's what's going to be tough to choose.


Oddly I've only managed one playthrough with FemShep, and one playthrough with Male Hawke. I much prefer ManShep and FemHawke's respective VA's. At first I was disappointed none of the female romance options in ME2 interested me, but after seeing the Garrus/FemShep one once, I wasn't anymore. I was expecting something along the lines of Alistair and the Warden, with them bonding over the time they spent fighting together. Instead FemShep just basically says, "So wanna have weird interspecies sex?" out of nowhere. Garrus stutters for a minute and they set a date. Like a dentist appointment. Then Garrus makes a pun about the Normany's canon and his scaly penis. I'd say it was forgettable, but that'd be a significant improvement.


Hale is awesome you heretic. And Garrus is adorkable. They've already done the bonding thing, Garrus is just dense and Shepard has to beat him over the head with the idea that she's interested. Then it's awkward interspecies FWB relationship contemplating time. And his pre-relay scene where he breaks down about needing something to go right?  <3<3<3

#3285
Deztyn

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Xilizhra wrote...

My argument was that the writers inserted a variety of 'bad' mage types, who did things no normal human could. Not all of whom were caused by the Circle or "the hellmouth" if you're having another argument, I'm not sure what it is.

It's a poor argument for locking up mages.


And I wasn't using it as the centerpiece for some grand argument for locking up mages. So.... ?

Funny, I thought the problem with the thin veil meant they were more likely to become possessed or contact demons. Just living in Kirkwall, not even the Gallows, is enough to turn mages crazy and excuse any action now? News to me.

Slight miscommunication. Most of the insane ones did indeed need to live in the Gallows for it to happen.


Quinten. Danarius. Hadriana. Tarohne. Idunna. Gascard. Feynriel. Fell Orden.

These are all examples of mages whose actions can't be reduced to Kirkwall/living in the Gallows made me do it. There's also some that were. There also needed to be a few more good mages to balance the presentation.  I'm not sure what you're arguing about here really. Does everything typed by a pro-templar player have to be some kind of assault on the pro-mage position?

Orsino has been the First Enchanter since before the game starts and we know that things in the Circle became progressively worse as time went on. Part of his job is to make sure his mages stay on the straight and narrow, given his own interests it's no surprise he fails there. He's supposed to be working with the Knight-Commander to run the Circle, he's too busy arguing with her to realize that he's not actually helping the situation. He's also supposed to be the mages advocate and represent their interests to the templars. Clearly given their working relationship Meredith isn't going to care much about what he says.

Meredith wouldn't care about what any mage would say, and playing upon some nonexistent sympathy would be utterly hopeless. He makes himself a direct target for Meredith's ire to keep as much as possible from landing upon his people. A templar apologist would make things even worse for the Circle.


Seriously? You think a First Enchanter who does his job is nothing but a templar apologist? You think routinely pissing off Meredith reflects well on the rest of his mages? That criticizing her, undermining her, and challenging her at every turn, often in public somehow makes life better for the mages in the Circle?

His codex entry stops just short of saying he's incompetent and unsuited to the job.


And you get this from where, exactly?


"Some claim he became the youngest first enchanter to hold the position in Kirkwall not by his own merit, but because nobody else wanted it."

"For the past five years, Orsino has had constant-- sometimes very public -- disputes with Knight-Commander Meredith. The common belief amongst the populace is that he is a troublemaker. . . possibly a dangerous one."

Comments like these aren't exactly a glowing commendation.

Modifié par Deztyn, 18 mai 2011 - 08:01 .


#3286
KnightofPhoenix

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EmperorSahlertz wrote...

The Ethereal Writer Redux wrote...

unless Tevinter has no pigs =P

That would explain their generally bad mood.

The lack of bacon.


I think I understand Muslims and Jews better now :D

(before anyone thinks I am being derogatory, I am Muslim with tiny bits of Jewish ancestry).

#3287
Sylvianus

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How can you talk about self defense for connor ? When this abomination moves, decides to conquer the world. When this abomination sends its troops to Redcliffe when the monster has captured a castle and all the people inside.

When the monster has planned to annihilate the whole village, when it has killed people ? It's not bad to kill him, it's a choice like another. Blood magic is forbidden, dangerous ( before Jowan tried, no one can say that it wasn't without dangers. ) Call to the magi would take too much time. It's enought. I saved Connor but if anyone killed him, I can understand his decision.

Otherwise, I advice everybody to read the remarks of First Enchanter Asymbel in the codex about blood magic. Maybe less naivety after that.

Why human blood ? It's a good question. Tevinter Imperium has served thousands of human slaves to achieve his goals.

Modifié par Sylvianus, 18 mai 2011 - 08:08 .


#3288
Xilizhra

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Does everything typed by a pro-templar player have to be some kind of assault on the pro-mage position?

Nearly everything the templars do is an assault on the mages. So almost.

Seriously? You think a First Enchanter who does his job is nothing but a templar apologist? You think routinely pissing off Meredith reflects well on the rest of his mages? That criticizing her, undermining her, and challenging her at every turn, often in public somehow makes life better for the mages in the Circle?

When the job is inherently tainted and twisted by inherent power imbalances and made worse by a Stalinesque **** sitting on top? Yes. And yes, I believe that Orsino's resistance does help the Circle; it prevents Meredith from simply hacking away at totally defenseless mages (which she would, if she had no resistance).

"Some claim he became the youngest first enchanter to hold the position in Kirkwall not by his own merit, but because nobody else wanted it."

"For the past five years, Orsino has had constant-- sometimes very public -- disputes with Knight-Commander Meredith. The common belief amongst the populace is that he is a troublemaker. . . possibly a dangerous one."

Comments like these aren't exactly a glowing commendation.

Dangerous to the templars? Nothing other than a good thing. And "some said" is probably the most worthless form of citation in existence.

#3289
KnightofPhoenix

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Xilizhra wrote...
Dangerous to the templars? Nothing other than a good thing.


He turned out to be dangerous to all mages in his charge because of his useless research on the harvester.

#3290
Xilizhra

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In the templar ending, he's only ever dangerous to templars. In the mage ending... well, that part was just bad writing.

#3291
KnightofPhoenix

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Xilizhra wrote...

In the templar ending, he's only ever dangerous to templars. In the mage ending... well, that part was just bad writing.


In both endings, he is dangerous. Had nothing happened and Meredith and Anders didn't go nuts, Orsino was still researching on the Harvester for no reason. Endangering everyone in his charge, possibly wanting to sacrifice several to power Harvesters (and he claims in the Templar ending that sacrifices are necessary) and for what exactly?

And even in the Templar ending, imagine that the Harvester does defeat the Templars. Then what? He's left loose in the city? Considering how he can't make the difference between friend and foe, he was dangerous to everyone and not just Templars. 

#3292
Xilizhra

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We have no knowledge of the timeframe. I personally suspect that his correspondence with Quentin wrapped up before he became First Enchanter.

#3293
KnightofPhoenix

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Xilizhra wrote...

We have no knowledge of the timeframe. I personally suspect that his correspondence with Quentin wrapped up before he became First Enchanter.


I highly doubt his research was done in a few days. It would have taken months at the very least.
Most probably years.

Regardless, he is a dangerous lunatic to everyone, most of all mages.

#3294
HogarthHughes 3

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I recall Orsino telling Bethany that "true justice demands sacrifices of us all" or something like that right before he turned into the flesh golem on my templar run. He also said that he didn't know the extent of Quentins depravity or madness or something like that when Bethany said he could have stopped him from killing Leandra. Dunno whether to believe him or not though, don't really care either.
Meredith never forced him to learn how to become a Harvester, which is barely even a last resort if it should ever be used at all. Orsino was obviously intrigued by necromancy and blood magic.  Meredith cracking down on the circle doesn't excuse the fact that he was quite willing to learn some dark magic.  Don't get me wrong, I'm firmly behind the mages and think the Circle system should be revamped.
As for what he was thinking when he goes Harvester, it seems he is pretty hellbent on revenge at that point, whichever side you choose.  Of course the meat golem would have gone on killing as many things as it could if it managed to slaughter all the templars, and I think Orsino knew that but he didn't care.

Modifié par HogarthHughes 3, 18 mai 2011 - 08:31 .


#3295
Deztyn

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GavrielKay wrote...

We're apparently meant to feel like you have to keep mages under a watchful eye because they simply have no control over when a demon who is stronger than they are will find them and take over then show me in the game.  My mage Hawke can go ten years and never see this.

Every mage we see in game is provided a reason for what happens to them...  some bad reasons and some slightly better but never just POOF the demon caught me unaware and now I'm possessed.


I don't think that was ever the intention. Demons are attracted to mages, but they're most vulnerable when they sleep. The can be tempted, manipulated and mind-controlled into letting a demon in, but I never thought it was supposed to be a situation where a mage can just walk down the street and spontaneously turn into an abomination.

Now, if a mage was walking down the street, got assaulted by a group of bandits she couldn't handle, and while she was slowly bleeding to death a demon whispered in her ear said "Hey, let me help you out here." Then presto-chango abomination. That's more the situation we're talking about.

And of course, a weak willed mage can be possessed without agreeing to anything, but that's still more likely to happen while asleep.


It isn't that it's not worth it. In game we don't have the option of trying. Unless you side templar. Sort of.


The Right of Annulment itself means you've declared the ciricle irredeemable and are going to kill all of the mages.  I think they throw in saving Bethany and/or a few circle mages to give you a little relief but they totally nerf the RoA in game play and don't make you do what it says you should be doing.  To do the tragedy of it justice they should have a scene with Templars killing a room full of young apprentices.  At the point in game where I have to choose, that's the scene I'm picturing as Hawke tells Meredith that there's no way we'll help her.


I don't mind having the choice to spare some mages. It works because we already know Cullen disagrees with the Right, and it makes Meredith seem a little bit less cracked when she turns on you.

A few child apprentices would have been nice. Maybe if they'd been the ones to ask for mercy instead of adult/teen apprentices? It would have shown us that yes, there are kids being killed here.

But, I also want a room full of child abominations. :devil:

Modifié par Deztyn, 18 mai 2011 - 08:31 .


#3296
HogarthHughes 3

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Deztyn wrote...

I don't mind having the choice to spare some mages. It works because we already know Cullen disagrees with the Right, and it makes Meredith seem a little bit less cracked when she turns on you.

A few child apprentices would have been nice. Maybe if they'd been the ones to ask for mercy instead of adult/teen apprentices? It would have shown us that yes, there are kids being killed here.

But, I also want a room full of child abominations. :devil:


I think it would have been better to have been forced to either kill your sister or let Meredith kill her on the Templar run, along with some apprentices perhaps.  Of course, some of them would turn out to be abominations so its not as if there is no justification.  By the same token, I would have preferred to be fighting alongside blood mages summoning demons siding with the mages.  Not all of the mages would be blood mages, just some.  I feel it would better show what you could potentially be doing/unleashing on both sides of the conflict.

It makes little sense to me to be able to spare many mages during Annulment.  I mean, if all they had to do was surrender, then why wouldn't they?  Are all those nefarious blood mages that stupid, where they would rather go down fighting (or perhaps let themselves be possessed) than just dropping to their knees and begging for mercy at the chance to escape another day?  If they're already in the circle, they have submitted to some extent.

Modifié par HogarthHughes 3, 18 mai 2011 - 08:38 .


#3297
Silfren

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Ryzaki wrote...

Thrask got himself killed by a bloodmage. He was a nice guy. Not a good templar.

But again I disagree. You're not going to convince me of your opinion.


And you're not going to convince me of yours, so what's your point, exactly? 

Anyhoo, that's really sh*tty logic, I think, since its only logical conclusion is that any templar who ends up dead by a mage's hand is a bad templar. 

#3298
LobselVith8

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Xilizhra wrote...

Isn't blood magic explicitly free of the Fade?


The lore of DA2 states that many mages see it as the only type of magic that's truly free: "Nothing inspires as much wild-eyed terror as the Blood Mage. Mages of this type take the raw energy of life and twist it to their own purposes. They can corrupt and control, and sustain their power by consuming the health of others, willing or not. The effects can be vile, but this specialization isn’t limited to madmen and monsters. Many see it as the only form of magic that is truly free, because it’s tied to the physical, not favors to spirits or demons."

Considering templars can nullify ordinary magic, I can see why some mages would turn to blood magic as a means of survival.

#3299
Deztyn

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LobselVith8 wrote...

Deztyn wrote...

I never said Orlais was trustworthy. I said the circumstances were different. Sticking around in Nevarra and Kirkwall or taking advantage of a weakened Fereldan is not at all the same as attacking a strong enemy that remained completely untouched by the Blight when they hadn't recovered from the Blight. And I don't think Orlais' future history should have too much influence on how the Fall of the Dales is viewed.

There's no evidence to suggest the war on the Dales was unprovoked. None. Even when you troll Sarel, he still doesn't give an actual alternate history of the war, he just whines that it was their land and Shems had no right to take it from them.

And for what it's worth, I don't even have a problem with the idea that Orlais did just attack the Dales for the heck of it. But there's no proof of that. Just a lot of assumptions, and Choose Your Own History based on which side you prefer.


There is information from the Dalish that contradicts the Orlesian version of events. Technically, the Dalish codex establishes that the war began because when the elves of the Dales kicked out the missionaries, the Chantry sent in templars into their nation. Even the Dalish attribute their refusal to convert to the Chantry of Andraste as the reason behind the war with Orlais, which is the seat of power for the Andrastian Chantry.


The Dalish codex doesn't actually contradict anything in the Orlesian view of history. It just leaves a lot of things out. Like the destruction of Red Crossing, war with Orlais, fall of Montsimmard and the sacking of Val Royeaux. That's alot of things to forget to mention that come between "missionaries" and "templars."

Deztyn wrote...

Rifneno wrote...

The Dalish Origin starts with the PC holding a bow on some poor sap who made the mistake of wandering into Dalish territory. And since the Dalish are nomadic and Thedas has yet to found MapQuest, that's not exactly a mistake so much as bad luck. Oh, and Tamlen right by you wants to kill him for no more reason than "being a shem." And this is the introduction for the frickin' hero! The Dalish are innocent like the dwarves are tall.


I wasn't going to mention that because it would just be "Well Tamlen (and the Warden) are bad Dalish." But yeah, the Dalish aren't exactly fond of humans.


The humans, if spared, try to incite the village to go after the Dalish. I'd say the feeling is mutual.


Never argued it wasn't. :)


Xilizhra wrote...

Does everything typed by a pro-templar player have to be some kind of assault on the pro-mage position?

Nearly everything the templars do is an assault on the mages. So almost.


Aaaaand I'm officially done talking to you! :blink:

#3300
Silfren

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Plaintiff wrote...

Silfren wrote...

Ryzaki wrote...

I loved Cullen.

He was pretty neutral in the end. Just the kind of person I'd expect to be a templar. Harsh in his condemnation of bloodmages but decent to normal mages.

And yeah I felt Orsino proved Meredith right as well. Helping a serial killer. Why what an example you set Orsino.

Kirkwall really is the one place I could nuke from orbit without regret.  


Orsino may have been providing Quentin with research materials, but that doesn't necessarily mean it follows he knew what he was supporting.  Yes, there's plenty of reason to call Orsino naive, stupid, etc.  But again, that doesn't equate to his having knowingly helped a serial killer.  A person can make a royally stupid mistake, even one that leads to death and suffering, without having malign intent to do so.  So no, Orsino isn't proof that Meredith was right.

Cullen, the guy who openly tells you that mages "aren't people like you and me," and admits to thinking there are good reasons to expand the application of the Rite of Tranquility, who responds to Hawke's objections by saying that mages just need to understand the Chant of Light more in order to appreciate the Chantry's need to lock away mages.  I have no idea what caused his sudden ascent to "neutrality" or "voice of reason" status in the end, as it didn't make much sense, but he is hardly what I'd call "decent" to any mage, blood or otherwise.  

Thrask is a good example of someone who understands the ideal purpose of a templar.  Not Cullen.

I feel bad for Cullen, honestly. Unlike Meredith, we are witnesses to Cullen's trauma in Origins, and it's especially tragic if you play a female mage and see the signs of his unrequited affection. Cullen's attitude isn't the result of zealous brainwashing but rather an indeterminate period of mental torture at the hands of demons. And even then, he still questions Meredith's hard-line approach. Cullen isn't the nicest guy in the world, sure, but I think he's at least still open to the possibility of being proven wrong, which is more than can be said for most of the Templars in Kirkwall, and they have nothing like his excuse.


Oh, I felt bad for Cullen as well.  His transformation from a man who felt sorry for the general lot of mages and thought the Chantry position was too harsh--in the liberal Circle of Ferelden, no less, which speaks volumes for me--into someone who actually believed that mages were, if anything, not treated harshly enough, and even thought that killing them all in pre-emptive self-defense was justifiable, was as believeable as it was tragic.  But that doesn't make his newfound contempt suck any less for mages who weren't responsible for his torment.  And you know, I gotta side with the victims. 

If anything, I thought his handling in DA2 was done poorly.  The codex would have us believe that when he was transferred to Kirkwall, it was his militant anti-mage position that got Meredith's attention and helped hoist Cullen up through the ranks.  That was believeable enough after Uldred's revolt, but I found his early lines somewhat watered down from the extremism I had expected from him.  And his sudden attack of reason that came later just...didn't make sense.  I could believe that Cullen could become more moderate over time, if I'd been given some reason to believe it.  But it's just another case of being told rather than shown.  

Meredith suffered from a similar problem.  We're supposed to believe early on that she's an anti-mage extremist from the beginning, before she ever gets the idol.  But there's a few in-game lore bits that almost seem to be attempting to make her seem half-way reasonable.  First example that comes to mind is that she rejected Ser Alrik's proposal for the Tranquil Solution.  I wonder if that was just another case of the game being rushed so that we're only getting a small portion of what was intended, or if some bits and bobs of an earlier, trashed storyline were left in the game unintentionally.